Treading out Technology: theory meets praxis during a thousand mile walk round Wales

Speaker: Professor Alan Dix, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham

Abstract: From mid-April I will be walking around Wales following the Wales Coast Path that opened this year and Offa's Dyke long distance path up the borders. This is partly a personal journey reconnecting with the country of my childhood, but also a technological journey investigating the IT needs of the walker and the local communities through which I pass. Some of this will be mundane technologically speaking, but hopefully transformative in practice. However, I also expect to be pushed to the limits cartographically and theoretically. In particular, aspects of Semantic Web and the odd Galois Connection will be essential parts of the need to synchronise data between heterogeneous sources and following disconnection. I will also be acting as a 'living lab' open to trial other researchers' ideas and technology—maybe you have something existing or planned for me to explore?

http://alandix.com/alanwalkswales/

Bio: Alan Dix is a Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham. Author of the popular textbook: Human-Computer Interaction, now in its 3rd edition, organiser of the annual Tiree Tech Wave, and a prominent figure in HCI for many years. He was previously Professor in the Computing Department at Lancaster University (2000–2012).

http://alandix.com/academic/