Reality instant messaging

Abstract

Online chat technologies such as instant messaging and SMS have become extremely popular. Online chat environments, however, are missing a key ingredient that we take for granted in physical world chat - reality. When we socialize in the physical world we are surrounded by colorful and interesting events, e.g. a sporting event, a music concert, or an interesting drama on television. These events become conversational devices that play a crucial role in driving and facilitating social interaction. The Reality Instant Messaging project injects these reality events back into online chat. In this way we enhance the reality streams by tying them to a social context, and at the same time we enhance the social environment by giving people something to talk about.