WSICC 2013 - 1st International Workshop on Interactive Content Consumption

This workshop focuses on novel forms of interactive content consumption. It will explore the shifting balance between lean-back passive TV consumption and lean-forward interactivity; this shift is especially relevant considering the explosion of companion screen interaction, multi-modal gesture/voice control and advanced audiovisual content interaction such as free viewpoint video and user-controlled shot selection. New media formats and consumption paradigms have emerged that allow for new types of interactivity.
The workshop’s objective is to provide a highly interactive discussion forum that will allow to capture a comprehensive view on this research area. During the workshop, an overview on new content interaction concepts, research activities and future challenges in this area will be concluded and documented. An interdisciplinary view on the topic shall be compiled by contributions from technical research, user-centric studies, and industry developments. Part of the discussions is fueled by technical demonstrations of interactive content consumption forms. The workshop aims to examine and evaluate new forms of content interaction by discussing the field along three axes:
Recent technological advances that provide new forms of audiovisual content interaction;
User studies that evaluate new types of audiovisual content interaction;
Technologies that supports the user in finding the balance between passive consumption and lean-forward interaction.
The following will sketch areas and aspects that are considered within the scope of the workshop. We seek technological research on more active interaction with audiovisual content, e.g. immersive pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) navigation, game-like interfaces to media, or intelligent storytelling and narrative engines. The workshop will deal with both recorded and live media access. Both mobile and domestic consumption may be investigated. Beyond entertainment, other domains of interactive TV are sought. Topics are not limited to these examples, but should remain within the overall scope of the workshop. Below, some of the questions that the workshop aims to answer are listed:
How can content personalization be enhanced through interactivity, and at which abstraction level do users want to interact?
Which new requirements for content capture and production, user-generated, professional and prosumer, do new forms of interactive media imply?
Do trends in content consumption behavior influence technical research by revealing new challenges?
What do studies on interaction with content in the realm of social media sharing reveal?
How can forms of (inter-)active media access be designed to be interwoven with passive consumption modes?
How can interactivity enhance the experience of people watching together, even when they are in disjoint locations?
Can 3D free viewpoint video lead to an interactivity revolution in the media industry?
Which technical advances are needed to allow the industry to offer more interactive media services?
How does the balance between active and passive consumption affect the Quality of Experience?
Workshop Format
The full day workshop will be an active forum to discuss research challenges, methodologies and results. More than half the time will be reserved for discussion. The chairs aim to establish an informal atmosphere, inspired by Barcamps. There will be a keynote and a Fishbowl discussion. In an active moderating role, the chairs will make sure the workshop’s questions will be answered and documented, yet will allow some flexibility where appropriate to meet the interest of the audience. Results will be collected on flipcharts along multiple questions which will emerge throughout the day, e.g. what are the latest innovations in that field? Which research activities exist to tackle unsolved challenges? How could we combine different interaction technologies to the benefit of the user? Throughout the day, the audience will be encouraged to contribute, and especially to comment on existing inputs (I’d love to collaborate on this! … This has already been solved in my project!). Live comments by both the local and remote audience through Twitter will be promoted and collected. A detailed program will be published later.