6 January 2006
Digital television - opening up possibilities for the non-`MTV generation'
Television is changing - and for many the arrival of new technology will be met with something akin to dread as they have to adapt to more complex and technical systems just to access their favourite programmes.
Now researchers at the University of Dundee are embarking on a new project which will investigate ways of making it easier for more people to make the most of this new and unavoidable - but potentially beneficial - technology.
Research fellow Dr Alex Carmichael and Mr Mark Rice, a Phd student, both based in the Division of Applied Computing at Dundee, are to explore how the fear of change can be reduced by making things much simpler to use.
The Government recently announced that ‘Digital Switchover’ of all television broadcasts across the UK will be completed by 2012. This means that anyone who has not invested in the appropriate digital equipment by that time will receive no television services.
It appears that many people are unaware of this ‘switch off’ aspect of ‘switchover’, as the present analogue TV signal will disappear. There is also a similar lack of awareness and some confusion about many other aspects of ‘digital’ and ‘interactive’ television, particularly among those who don’t feel part of the ‘MTV-PDA-MP3-texting-24/7-3G’ generation.
"Unfortunately a lot of ‘modern technology’ tends to be designed by relatively young and technically savvy people, effectively for other young, technically savvy people,"” said Dr Carmichael, whose work ties in with the wider i~design project in which the University is heavily involved.
"While many not-so-young and not-so-technically savvy people can manage to make some use of technology designed this way, others will face real difficulties along with the accompanying frustrations, and some will find it simply impossible."
One important implication of the switch to digital is that televisions will become much more like computers. For many people this is good news as it gives them greater control and more choice. However, for others it means that using their television will become much more complicated and for some this could mean too complicated.
"We have to see how we can make things much simpler to use, particularly for those people who aren’t particularly comfortable with using new technology," said Mark Rice, whose Phd project is looking into using digital television technology to help support more sociable activities, primarily for older people.
"Mostly this will involve relatively small changes to the design of the interface and remote control, based on the huge diversity of capabilities and preferences among the viewing public".
"We are also looking into ways of using the ‘computing’ power of digital television to support activities that are maybe more suitable for people who don’t quite feel part of that ‘MTV-PDA-MP3-texting-24/7-3G’ generation."
Dr Carmichael and Mark are now looking for volunteers to help with their research between early 2006 and later in 2007. Particularly anyone over the age of forty (no upper limit) who accepts the potential advantages of digital technology but whose experience with it tends to be more pain than pleasure.
Anyone who wishes to get involved with the research project should contact Mark and Alex on 01382 386720.
NOTE TO EDITORS.
The i~design project funded by the EPSRC is a joint venture between the universities of Dundee, Cambridge and York, the Royal College of Art, and the Design Council. It seeks to provide tools to improve quality of life for the wider population. It focuses on enabling industry to design products that can be used effectively by the population as a whole, including those who are older or disabled.
The Division of Applied Computing at the University of Dundee contains one of the largest and most influential academic groups in the world researching into information technology for older and disabled people. It has over thirty researchers with a unique blend of disciplines including computer engineers, psychologists, therapists, creative designers and staff who have benefited from interdisciplinary careers.
For more information contact:
Roddy Isles,
Head of Press
University of Dundee
Tel: 01382 384910,
Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
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