Research Report - 2001
Computers & the Law
Academic Staff
Dr Cristina Cifuentes
Industry Collaborator
Dr Anne Fitzgerald, Gadens Lawyers
Research Staff
David Starkoff
Contact Details
Dr Cristina Cifuentes
Email: cristina@csee.uq.edu.au
Tel: 3365 7336
Webpages
www.itee.uq.edu.au/~cristina/cal.html
Computer Software Protection
In Australia, computer software has been protected by copyright since the 1984 amendments to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) which included it in the same category as other literary works. . These amendments extended copyright to computer software, protecting it as a literary work. However, many uncertainties remained about the application of copyright protection to computer programs, such as the extent to which copyright protected against non-literal copying of programs. The 1995 recommendations of the Copyright Law Review Committee proposed several amendments to clarify the operation of copyright law in relation to computer programs, including the introduction of some specific, limited exceptions for reverse engineering. In 1999, the federal government enacted legislation giving effect to the CLRC’s recommendations. Further amendments were made in 2000, introducing a new definition of “computer program” into the Copyright Act, as well as extensive provisions designed to adapt copyright law to the requirements of the digital, networked environment. Work in this area is performed in collaboration with Anne Fitzgerald, solicitor and former member of the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property and the Expert Advisory Group assisting the Copyright Law Review Committee. This work was partly funded by Software Engineering Australia in 1998-1999.
A Fitzgerald and C Cifuentes, Accommodating Computer Software to Copyright Doctrine: defining the scope of copyright protection for software, 2000 Journal of Law and Information Science, forthcoming
C Cifuentes and A Fitzgerald, The Legal Status of Reverse Engineering of Computer Software, in C Cifuentes and P Bailes (editors), Annals of Software Engineering, Volume 9 (Software Maintenance), J.C. Baltzer AG, Science Publishers, 2000, pp. 337-351.
A Fitzgerald and C Cifuentes, Pegging out the Boundaries of Computer Software Copyright: The Computer Programs Act and the Digital Agenda Bill, Chapter 3, Going Digital 2000, 2nd edition, Prospect Media Pty, Sydney, Australia, February 2000, pp. 37-70.
A. Fitzgerald, B Fitzgerald, C Cifuentes and P Cook (editors), Going Digital 2000 - Legal issues for e-commerce, software and the internet, 2nd Edition, Prospect Media Pty, Sydney, Feb 2000.
Information Environments
Academic
Staff
Prof Simon
Kaplan Mr Michael
Docherty Dr Margot
Brereton Dr Peter Sutton Dr Jay
Burmeister Dr Kristin
Deray Dr Greg Hooper Mr Alan Boykiw Mr Ian MacColl Research
Students
Mr Andrew Berry Mr Charles
Herring Mr Daniel
Johnson Mr John
Mansfield Mr Christopher
Oldham Mr Blaize
Rhodes Ms Lesley
Seebeck Mr Salvatore
Bucolo Mr Dean
Hargreaves Ms Natalie
Jeremijenko Mr Benjamin
Matthews Mr Benjamin
McGarry Mr Amirudin
Abdul Wahab Miss Montserrat
Ros Contact
Details
Prof
Simon Kaplan Email:
simon@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 3869 Mr
Michael Docherty
Email:
mjdoc@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 3239 Dr
Margot Brereton Email:
margot@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 4194 Dr
Peter Sutton Email:
peters@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 4854 Dr
Jay Burmeister Email:
jay@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 9765
Dr Greg Hooper Email:
hooper@csee.uq.edu.au Tel: 3365 1154 The
Information Environments Research Program takes a human-centred
approach to the design of information technology. We research new
ways of interacting with information and the information
infrastructure that consider human needs, human preferences, human
tasks, activities, social interaction, context of use and the various
cognitive and physical capabilities of the human body. Postgraduate
students who wish to develop skills and do research in the areas of
human-centred design, human-computer interaction, information design,
information visualisation, multi-media and multi-modal environments
will benefit from our approach, areas of interest and
multi-disciplinary supervisors. Our current postgraduate students
come from a variety of different undergraduate disciplines including
Information Technology, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, Industrial Design, Architecture and Communication
Studies. Our academic staff span a variety of design, science, IT and
engineering disciplines. Through research mentoring, postgraduate
coursework and interdisciplinary teams, students can gain the skills
in design or information technology that they need to achieve their
research goals.
Multi-Modal
Interfaces and Ubiquitous Computing
Design
of a Gestural Input Appliance for Ubiquitous Computing Environments This project
team is designing and building a unique wireless gestural input
appliance that fits into a wearable ring and watch. The appliance
will detect human gestures, and will co-operate with other wireless
input appliances detected in the environment, such as speech
appliances, in order to select and control output appliances
(screens, printers, smart custom devices etc.) Ad hoc configurations
of wireless appliances will enable new forms of interaction with the
information infrastructure that maintain natural social interactions
and take advantage of physical space. This will afford mobility and
new work patterns. (Brereton, Sutton) Multimodal
Interface Design This project
explores using movement, gestures, speech and vision in multi-modal
interface designs. Couplings of modalities are explored as bases for
more effective and affective computer mediated communication
environments. (Deray, Brereton, Johnson) Design
of the Collection, Integration and Display of Ambient Information In knowledge
intensive enterprises, such as command and control centres, or in
casual access scenarios such as doctors on rounds, working people
must stop to focus on their desktop PC or handheld PDA in order to
access the information infrastructure. They must typically stand or
sit still, use fine motor skills and focus on a narrow range of
pixels in order to drive the interface, suspending conversation,
group interaction, natural movement and productive thought. The
Ambience project aims to develop technologies for specific domains,
such as leisure, education and healthcare, that demand much less
focus from the user on mundane interface operations in order for them
to do their work or play. Some information is presented through
peripheral channels or in the “ambience”. Questions raised
are: How do we design interaction software to allow smooth, rhythmic
interaction and clear pleasing data presentation for humans in the
context of human activity? How does interaction integrate across
multiple devices? Can ambient data assimilation form the basis of a
model for computation? So far a prototype “Ambient” cafe
has been built. Observational studies have been conducted on mobile
healthcare workers. (Brereton, Sutton, Deray, Boykiw, Hooper,
Johnson) A
Theoretical Framework for Interactions in Information Environments Development of
future information environments – multi-modal environments
supporting seamless, integrated access to both physical and virtual
artefacts – is hampered by the lack of ways to support
expressive and low-overhead manipulations of virtual objects from the
physical world, or physical objects from the virtual. For example,
while it is simple to annotate a piece of paper with a pen, or cut
out a dress pattern using a template and scissors, it is clumsy, slow
and inconvenient to perform the same operations using the ‘comment’
function in Word or by marking a shape with a mouse or tablet. This
research is developing an underlying framework to help us think about
the range of possible interactions that can mediate information
between the physical and virtual worlds and how to select
interactions for information appliances and information environments
that suit the given context of activity. (Brereton, Purchase, Kaplan)
Information
Design and Information Visualisation Humanistic
Models of Information Design Many current
models of information design are derived from ways in which computers
rather than humans process information. This project investigates
new models for information design which are derived from the
ways in which humans assimilate and integrate data to form meaning
and the ways in which humans transmit information. (Deray) Interactive
Information Environments
This project is
designing interactive information environments using
multimedia information architectures. Prototype environments are
used to explore a number of research questions on how humans interact
with information environments. This also helps us to consider
possibilities for new human-centric information architectures.
(Deray) Reducing
email overload Email has
become a tremendously popular means of communication resulting in
email overload and difficulties in sorting and filtering email. This
project examines individual and corporate work strategies to reduce
email overload, including technological support through enhanced
email clients. (Burmeister)
Collaborative
Learning Environments
Collaborative
Virtual Design This project
explores virtual collaboration and its relevance and benefit to the
design and learning process in the architecture profession. In
particular, the use of VRML as a communication tool for increased
interaction during the design process is explored. (Simpson) Design
of an Internet Based Cooperative Learning Environment for Farmers and
Agricultural Scientists. This project
conducted with one of our students in a CSIRO team investigates how
to facilitate farmers’ situated learning experiences about risk
management using the internet. The project was motivated by the
failure of farmers to embrace traditional computer-based decision
support systems. CSIRO research found that simulation-based decision
support software designed to solve farmer problems was not
sufficiently meaningful in actual farming situations. But meaning
could be negotiated by collaborative on-farm model evaluation by
farmers and agricultural scientists . This project explores
cooperative learning of farmers and scientists using the internet.
(Brereton) Studio
Based Teaching and Learning Information
Environments Undergraduates learn through designing, building,
critiquing and reflecting in the design studio. In the studio they
bring together the design and information technology skills that they
learn in other courses and integrate them in user-centred projects.
Several projects research the way in which students learn by
interacting, designing and reflecting as they undertake Studio-based
learning. (Simpson, Docherty)
User-Centred
Design Next
Generation Internet Services This project
explores the research, design and development of next generation
internet services, applications, and device value from an end user
perspective. The examination and discovery of product
attributes that deliver a positive end user experience is the primary
focus. The research is broadly leading toward establishing a
wireless experience centre where these services and devices could be
evaluated by end users. (Boykiw) User-Centred
Design of Information Technology This project
explores application of the user-centred design method to software
development projects in industry with industry partners. (Burmeister,
Brereton) Cognitive
and Psychophysiological Impacts of Technologies This project
studies the cognitive and psychophysiological impacts of various
information based technologies, with reference to the positive and
negative implications for healthcare. Specific projects include the
use of virtual reality in the treatment of anxiety disorders, and the
contribution of CRT use to cognitive load. Projects also explore the
generation, communication and function of human emotions. (Hooper) Affective
Design (or designing for pleasure) To date the
majority of HCI research has focussed on measures of performance and
functionality. Where attention has been paid to the user's affective
(or emotional) experience it has been in terms of preventing negative
affect. Increasingly there is recognition of the value of designing
for positive affect. User's who enjoy their interactions with
software are likely to be more productive. Video games are a
software genre in which the user's experience of positive affect is
paramount. Games are designed to facilitate positive affect in the
user. Thus, games are able to inform the affective design of
non-leisure software, particularly educational software. The project
currently being undertaken explores the specific lessons we can learn
from games when our goal is designing for positive affect. (Johnson,
Wiles)
Studies
of the Design Process Studies
of the Design Process Research in
design studies aims to develop a better understanding of the design
process. Research involves designing information technologies
(including those embedded in physical devices) and rigorous
observation, data collection and analysis of design activity. This
research helps us to develop models so we can better articulate and
teach design. It also leads us to the requirements of physical,
social and computational environments to support design activity.
(Brereton) Recent
Publications Docherty, M,
Sutton, P., Brereton, M., Kaplan, S. and A. Brown, “The
Information Environments Program - a new design based IT degree”;
Proceedings of the Australasian Computing Education Conference,
2000, Pages 64 – 70 Docherty,
M, Sutton, P., Brereton, M., Kaplan, S., “An Innovative Design
and Studio-based CS Degree”, Proc. 32nd SIGCSE Tech
Symp on Comp Sc Ed., 2001, pp233-237 Brereton,
M. “Drawing Lessons in the Design of Tangible Media from a Study
of Interactions with Mechanical Products,” Proceedings of the
Australian User Interface Conference, pp 92-100, 24th
Australasian Computer Science Conference ACSC 2001 Held: Gold Coast,
Australia, Jan 2001.
Brereton,
M.F. and B. McGarry, "An Observational Study of How Objects
Support Engineering Design Thinking and Communication: Implications
for the design of tangible media", Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI
Conference on Computer Human Interaction, CHI 2000, pp 217-224, The
Hague April 1-6th 2000. ACM Press. (E1) (85% contribution) McGarry,
M., B. Matthews and M.F.Brereton, "Reflections on the Design of
a Candidate Patient Interface for a Wireless Vital Signs Monitor",
Proceedings of DARE 2000, Design of Augmented Reality Environments,
pp 33-40 Copenhagen April 12-14th 2000. ACM Press.
Docherty,
M, Sutton, P., Brereton, M., Kaplan, S. and A. Brown, "The
Information Environments Program - a new design based IT degree";
Proceedings of the Australasian Computing Education Docherty,
M, Sutton, P., Brereton, M., Kaplan, S., "An Innovative Design
and Studio-based CS Degree", Proc. 32nd SIGCSE Tech Symp on Comp
Sc Ed., 2001, pp233-237
Conference,
2000, Pages 64 – 70
Brereton, M. "Drawing Lessons in
the Design of Tangible Media from a Study of Interactions with
Mechanical Products," Proceedings of the Australian User
Interface Conference, pp 92-100, 24th Australasian Computer Science
Conference ACSC 2001 Held: Gold Coast, Australia, Jan
2001.
Brereton, M.F. and B. McGarry, "An Observational
Study of How Objects Support Engineering Design Thinking and
Communication: Implications for the design of tangible media",
Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Computer Human
Interaction, CHI 2000, pp 217-224, The Hague April 1-6th 2000. ACM
Press. (E1) (85% contribution)
McGarry, M., B. Matthews and
M.F.Brereton, "Reflections on the Design of a Candidate Patient
Interface for a Wireless Vital Signs Monitor", Proceedings of
DARE 2000, Design of Augmented Reality Environments, pp 33-40
Copenhagen April 12-14th 2000. ACM Press.
Duke, R., Salzman,
E., Burmeister, J., Poon, J. and Murray, L. (2000) Teaching
programming to beginners - choosing the language is just the first
step. In Proceedings of the Fourth Australasian
Computing
Education Conference (ACE2000), p79-86, ACM, 2000.
G.S.
Hooper, P.Yellowlees, T.H. Marwick, P.J.Currie, B. P. Bidstrup.(in
press) "Telehealth and the diagnosis and management of cardiac
disease". Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare
Barretto,
S., Chu, M., Hickey, K., Tu, M., Hooper, G., Thomas, B &
Warren,J, "Augmented Reality Interfaces for Single- and
Multi-Party Viewing of Multimedia Electronic Medical Records,"
Proceedings of the 8th National Health Informatics Conference,
Adelaide, September 2000.
Johnson, D., Sutton, P. and Poon,
J., "Face-to-Face vs CMC: Student Communication in a
Technologically Rich Learning Environment", Proceedings of 17th
Annual Conference of the
Australasian Society for Computers in
Learning in Tertiary Education, 200, pp 509-520, Coffs Harbour, Dec.
2000.