Finding Human–Computer Interaction Outdoors

Human–computer interaction, as a discipline, has shifted from an examination of computers in controlled indoor environments to the study of technology use in a broader collection of settings, including the outdoors. This chapter seeks to explore the evolution of HCI outdoors as an area of study, seeking to identify the considerations that make it an important and unique domain. We begin by examining the tensions and opportunities that have long existed between technology and the outdoors, pointing to the unique position of HCI as a discipline for probing these issues. Using HCI as a lens, we then seek to understand what is meant by the outdoors, and how humans, computers, and their interaction together have evolved to a point that they can address issues of outdoor use. We introduce several seminal efforts related to the study of technology use in outdoor settings, including a collection of recent workshops and events that helped identify and bring together important ideas in the field. We conclude with a categorization and introduction of the chapters in this book on HCI outdoors. The chapters in this book present new theory, design, methods, and applications that will shape the emerging field of HCI outdoors.