DiamondHelp: A Collaborative Interface Framework for Networked Home Appliances

Abstract

Ordinary people already have great difficulty using the advanced features of digitally-operated household devices, and the problem is getting worse as more customization and programming features are continually being added. This usability problem cannot be solved using only the tiny displays and limited control buttons typically found on home appliances. In this paper we describe how, using home networking to share a larger and more powerful display, we can provide home appliances with a new type of collaborative interface, called DiamondHelp, in which the appliance actively helps the user, especially with complex features that are only occasionally used.