CSCW 2023: Emerging Telepresence

About the workshop

This workshop is being held at the ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work And Social Computing on October 14th 2023, in Minneapolis, USA and online. The workshop is aimed at researchers and designers from academia and industry, who are interested in testing and discussion the use of telepresence technologies for hybrid meetings.

You can see and download our program below:

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Abstract

We are rapidly moving to a hybrid world, where telepresence technologies play a crucial role. But, are current technologies ready for such a shift? Do they provide the adequate support for interaction and collaboration? In this workshop, together with the participants, we will try out a variety of telepresence technologies for hybrid meetings. Based on small hybrid group activities we will explore how different systems compare in terms of immersion, interaction capabilities, and practical convenience; and we will reflect on the social implications they will bring into play. The aim of the workshop is to bring together the lived experiences of both remote and local participants, with activities that will stimulate reflections on our experiences and fuel our discussion, to identify the areas on which future research should focus. Results from the workshop will be published as a white paper with a set of guidelines for future telepresence technologies for hybrid meetings.

Systems

In this hybrid workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to test two very different telepresence technologies! The Double 3, a mobile telepresence robot, and the Owl, an immersive 360° video system. More details on the systems is demonstrated in these videos; Double 3 & OWL.

Call for Participation

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This workshop is intended for HCI researchers and designers who are interested in studying or developing telepresence technologies for hybrid meetings and collaboration. Anyone interested in participating should contact us at telepresence4hybridmeetings@gmail.com, to request the access code for the workshop registration. It is possible to participate in one of the three following ways:

1. Call for attendance

We accept attendees to the workshop who are not able to submit a position paper but are keen to test the systems and contribute to the discussion. If you wish to participate in this way, please email is with a brief statement on your background, research interest and reason why you wish to attend the workshop, at telepresence4hybridmeetings@gmail.com.

Workshop participants are required to submit a position paper of between 2 to 4 pages in the ACM Journals Primary Article format. Potential topics for papers may include:

• Emerging telepresence technologies used in hybrid interactions
• Case studies of telepresence technologies used in hybrid settings
• Challenges surrounding the use of telepresence technologies
• Best use practices for workplaces, education or other spaces that use telepresence technologies
• Ethics and social norms for inclusive use of telepresence technologies
• Telepresence technologies for people with medical conditions and/or disabilities
• Design methods and principles for the development of telepresence technologies
• Novel or innovative research methods for studying telepresence technologies’ user experiences

All submissions will be reviewed based on relevance, diversity of topics, and the quality of the position papers by the workshop organisers. At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the workshop.

3. Call for systems

System proponents are required to submit a short paper (in ACM Journals Primary Article format, 2-6 pages) describing a system that can be used to host, participate in, or facilitate in any way hybrid meetings. The system may have been developed by the proponents, but it is not mandatory. The system must have enough technological maturity to be used in the workshop “off-the-self”.

The paper must cover at least the following sections:

• (1) Overview. General description of the system.
• (2) Technical characteristics. Including: (a) Immersion: video quality, field of view, use of immersive video, spatial audio, etc.
  (b) Physical interaction: mobility, navigation capabilities, other interaction tools (robotic arms, pointers, visual cues, etc.)
  (c) Convenience: (approximate) dimensions, number of supported users, devices required, other requirements (connectivity, power, etc.).
• (3) Experience: describe the social and/or user experience of the system, considering both local and remote users and bystanders (non-users), in two hybrid meeting scenarios of your choice, with the following topics: (a) Interaction in an informal/natural setting (e.g. entering a meeting, introducing yourself, leaving the meeting, handling a coffee break, etc.). (b) Interaction in a discussion context (e.g. whiteboard session, design sprint, brainstorming, etc.).
• (4) (Optional). A description of the features (strengths and challenges) that the proponent would like to get feedback for. This section can be removed from the published version, if requested by the proponent.

All submissions will be reviewed based on the characteristics of the system (immersion, physical interaction, convenience, experience) by the workshop organizers. At least one author of each accepted system must register for the workshop. They must be able to bring the system to the conference, configure and operate it. They must also provide a description of the system (in the form of a 2-5 minute video, or images that clearly demonstrate the system’s interface and capabilities) in advance, so that workshop participants have time to understand how it works.

Below is an example of a system position paper, describing the Double 3 telepresence system.

Important Dates

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Early submission deadline (for notification before early registration): 18th August 2023 (Notification by 25th August)

Later submissions will also be accepted, up until 29th September (Notifications within one week of submission)

Workshop date: 14th October 2023

Workshop Schedule

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10:00-10:15 Introductions & Welcome

10:15-10:45: Coffee break

11:00: Activity 1) Position papers presentation

13:00-14:00: Lunch break

14:00-14:30: Systems testing

14:30-15:00 Coffee break (optional systems testing)

15:00-16:30: Activity 2) Small hybrid groups discussion

16:30-17:00: Discussion + Closing

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Accepted Papers

Organisers

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