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The Mixed Reality Laboratory (MRL) has collaborated with the artists Blast Theory to transform UK theatre and drive innovation in games and television. The underlying research was published as a series of papers in ACM Transactions on CHI and at the ACM's CHI conference between 2003 and 2012, with two CHI papers winning best paper awards. By creating and touring a series of innovative and technically advanced performances, we have enriched cultural life and influenced a rising generation of UK artists. By then jointly collaborating with companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Nokia and the BBC, we have innovated new games and television formats. Evidence of this impact is to be found in: performances touring to 40 venues in 18 countries to be experienced by over 200,000 people; 160 reviews in international press; artistic and industry awards; direct involvement of industry partners in follow-on commercial projects; and consultancy.
The key impact of this case study is to identify and highlight, to geographic and cartographic communities and beyond, the effects that the attitudes of people towards, and engagements with, satellite navigation technologies have on their spatial and cartographic awareness. This work has shown how new navigation technologies influence choice and methods of wayfinding. They also affect attitudes towards more `traditional' maps and their use. Key users and beneficiaries include: professional bodies in Geography and Cartography; GIS software producers such as the Environmental Systems Research Institute (USA) and Google (USA); and universities and other educational institutions.
Research into the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) issues behind medical error has enabled hospitals to procure safer devices and is strategically changing attitudes. Approximately 10% of deaths due to preventable errors in hospitals are computational errors; in absolute numbers, this is higher than road fatality rates. Corresponding increased hospital stays, etc, are estimated to cost the NHS over £600m per annum. Our formal analyses and laboratory research with clinicians show error rates can be reliably reduced dramatically by software and HCI improvements (for details see reference list). Swansea's research has significant international reach across decision-makers, clinicians, manufacturers, and regulators. The US Food and Drug Administration (the FDA, the leading regulator) say research-based improvements will take decades and have therefore started to co-author papers with us to improve impact (all healthcare manufacturers watch the FDA closely).
Staff in the Centre for Intermedia at the University of Exeter research methods of documenting, archiving, and replaying multi-media art, heritage, and performance. Their work demonstrates how ideas and practices of performance, particularly sharing and replay of audience experience, can broaden and enhance public encounters with museums. Developed in collaboration with international artists, technologists, and major cultural organisations, the main impacts of this research have been to: