The permeable bubble: Vero Vanden Abeele at TEDxUHowest

Who is Vero Vanden Abeele?

Vero Vanden Abeele studied industrial design at the Artesis hogeschool, Antwerp, in an era when computers were still for the happy few. As a Fulbright scholar, she was introduced to interaction design at Carnegie Mellon University, a life-changing experience. After wandering around in the Belgian academic woods, she completed a PhD on motion-based play and is currently a professor at GROEP T's unit of ICT-Electronics, teaching topics on human-computer interaction, user-centered design, social shaping and adoption of technology. At the e-Media Lab, she is an expert on interaction design, serious games and physical interaction. Vero is an affiliated researcher with the Center for User Experience Research at the K.U.Leuven and a board member of CHI Belgium (the Belgian Chapter of the ACM Special Interest Group on Human-Computer Interaction). Vero was general chair of the 3rd international conference on Fun and Games, 2010, and is member on several program committees (ACM International Conference on Interaction Design and Children), ACM Conference on Computer-Human Interaction, ACM International Conference on Tangible, Embodied and Embedded interaction). Vero was also co-editor for a special issue on 'Tangibles and Children' in Personal and Ubiquitous Computing. Vero has been co-applicant of several national and international research projects concerning motion-based play, serious games, and application for children and seniors.

What is this talk all about?

The Permeable Bubble

Many interactive health applications rely on all kinds of sensors and related technologies that stimulate users to become 'physically active'. Vero Vanden Abeele will dissect what can go wrong when introducing these interactive health applications in public spaces. Via a micro-social lens, relying on Goffman's writings, she will look at how these applications can create socially embarrassing situations, forcing a user to take the floor and become the center of attention, when really all s/he wanted to do is to obtain a high score.

About TED and TEDx

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

• Music

  • "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones (Google Play • AmazonMP3 • iTunes)

• Category

  • Nonprofits & Activism

• License

  • Standard YouTube License