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A Workshop on Educational Robotics successfully took place on  24th – 25th February 2018, by the Cyprus Interaction Lab in collaboration with the Forum Private School (Nicosia) and the support of ACM – Women. Women of all ages and girls over 8 years of age participated in the workshops that took place at the Forum Private School. The workshops were done in two full days, including introductory presentations on Educational Robotics and several hours of hands-on per day by Vaso Constantinou, PhD candidate at the  Cyprus Interaction Lab, under the supervision of Dr. Andri Ioannou. Female participants of all ages, mostly mothers with their daughters came together and had the opportunity to participate and program Educational Robots in all three workshops.   A video containing photographs from the event:https://youtu.be/uKhqatqwMCI

Η 1 η συνάντηση της Εθνικής Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής (National Advisory Board) του ευρωπαϊκού έργου ENGINITE πραγματοποιήθηκε επιτυχώς την Παρασκευή 16 Φεβρουαρίου, 2018, στο Ερευνητικό Εργαστήριο Αλληλεπίδρασης Cyprus Interaction Lab, του Τεχνολογικού Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου. Η Εθνική Συμβουλευτική Επιτροπή του ευρωπαϊκού έργου ENGINITE είναι τριμελής και απαρτίζεται από τους: Δρ. Δέσπω Κτωρίδου (Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Πρόεδρος Τμήματος Διοίκησης και Διοικητικής Πληροφοριακών Συστημάτων, Πανεπιστήμιο Λευκωσίας), κ. Σάββα Σαββίδη (Αντιπρόεδρος τοπικού δικτύου IET Engineering Communities στην Κύπρο) και κ. Έλενα Καλλή (Λειτουργός, Οργανισμός Νεολαίας Κύπρου). Στη συνάντηση συμμετείχαν επίσης η συντονίστρια του ευρωπαϊκού έργου ENGINITE Δρ. Άντρη Ιωάννου (Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Πολυμέσων και Γραφικών Τεχνών), ο διαχειριστής του Ευρωπαϊκού έργου Δρ. Γιάννης Γεωργίου (Μεταδιδακτορικός Ερευνητής, Τμήμα Πολυμέσων και Γραφικών Τεχνών) καθώς επίσης και η κ. Χριστίνα Αχιλλέως (Εκπρόσωπος του τοπικού εταίρου GrantXpert). Κατά την έναρξη της συνάντησης, η συντονίστρια του έργου Δρ. Άντρη Ιωάννου παρουσίασε στην Εθνική Συμβουλευτική Επιτροπή το ευρωπαϊκό πρόγραμμα ENGINITE σε συνάρτηση …

STEM Discovery Week 2018 is a joint international initiative that invites projects, organisations and schools across Europe and around the world, to celebrate careers and studies in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The tagline for this year’s campaign “say yes to STEM” describes the partners’ open-minded and dedicated support to STEM subjects at school, as well as wide-ranging collaboration among stakeholders in the area. Interested to become a partner? By committing to the STEM Discovery Week 2018, the partners agree to: Organise and share information about activities in STEM education as part of the STEM Discovery Week campaign. Encourage third parties to support and join the initiative by organising STEM activities of their own and share information about them as part of the STEM Discovery Week campaign. Publish on their web page information in support of the STEM Discovery Week campaign, hence facilitating an active exchange of …

Through our ongoing collaboration with Harvard University in the field of immersive technologies and participatory urban planning, we will be organising a Special Interest Group at ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the premier international conference of Human-Computer Interaction, in Montreal, Canada in April 2018. The team leading the Special Interest Group consists of Nektarios Christodoulou (Famagusta Ecocity), Andreas Papallas (Cyprus Interaction Lab),  Zona Kostic (Harvard University) and Lennart Nacke (Waterloo University) and it is titled: “Information Visualisation, Gamification and Immersive Technologies in Participatory Planning”. We encourage everyone interested in the subject and attending CHI this year to join us as we look forward to an engaging and lively session. Abstract: Public participation in the decision-making processes that shape the urban environments we inhabit is an imperative aspect of a democratic society. Recent developments in the fields of Information Visualization, Gamification and Immersive Technologies (AR/VR/MR) offer novel opportunities for civic engagement in the planning process that remain largely unexplored. This SIG aims to identify …

Τα εργαστήρια θα γίνουν στις 24 και 25 Φεβρουαρίου 2018 και θα περιλαμβάνουν εισαγωγή στην Εκπαιδευτική Ρομποτική και εργαστήρια με διάφορους τύπους ρομπότ. Οι ενδιαφερόμενες μπορούν να δηλώσουν συμμετοχή σε ένα ή σε όλα τα εργαστήρια της εκδήλωσης. Τα εργαστήρια θα είναι δωρεάν για όλες τις συμμετέχουσες. Διοργανωτές Cyprus Interaction Lab του ΤΕΠΑΚ, σε συνεργασία με την ACM και την ιδιωτική σχολή Φόρουμ. Περισσότερες πληροφορίες: http://eduroboticscy.com/weedr/

The Cyprus Interaction Lab is the only research facility in Cyprus specialising in Educational Technology and Human Computer Interaction. We are proud to engage in research that helps unpack the potential of emerging technologies to positively influence our society. We hope you will enjoy reading our newsletter which highlights our major achievements of the previous year.  Cyprus Interaction Lab Annual Review-Newsletter 2017

The kick-off meeting of the ERASMUS+ project entitled: ENGINITE: “ENGineering and Industry Innovative Training for Engineers” took place at the Cyprus University of Technology in December 7th and 8th 2017. The project’s consortium is comprised of 7 partners in 4 different European countries: Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), Aalborg Universitet (Denmark), CUBEIE L.L.C (Cyprus), London South Bank University (UK), Technical University of Crete (Greece), GrantXpert Consulting (Cyprus), and Useful Simple Projects Limited (UK). Cyprus is represented by the Cyprus University of Technology through the Social Computing Research Center (Social Computing Research Center, which has the responsibility for coordinating the project. The Scientific coordinator of the project is Dr. Andri Ioannou, Assistant Professor at the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Arts, and Director of the Cyprus Interaction Lab (CIL). The ENGINITE group at the Cyprus University of Technology is also composed of Dr Yiannis Georgiou (Project manager), Prof. Panayiotis Zaphiris, Dr …

Με αφορμή την Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Ρομποτικής 2017, το Cyprus Interaction Lab σε συνεργασία με το Β΄Δημοτικό Σχολείο Ορμίδειας  οργάνωσαν με επιτυχία την εκδήλωση “Μαθηματικά και Ρομποτική – Ένα μάθημα με τους γονείς μας!”. Την Δευτέρα, 20 Νοεμβρίου 2017, η διδακτορική φοιτήτρια του Cyprus Interaction Lab, Στέλλα Τιμοθέου χάρισε μια διασκεδαστική μαθησιακή εμπειρία ρομποτικής σε μαθητές και γονείς, με τα ρομποτάκια Meet Edison.   On the occasion of the European Robotics Week 2017, the Cyprus Interaction Lab, in collaboration with the Ormidia B Primary School, successfully organized the “Mathematics and Robotics – A Lesson with our parents! “ On Monday, November 20, 2017, Stella Timotheou, PhD student at the Cyprus Interaction Lab gave a fun robotic learning experience to students and their parents, using the  Meet Edison robots.

The kickoff meeting of the INTELed project [INnovative Training via Embodied Learning and multi-sensory techniques for inclusive education] took place with great success on November 20-21, at the Cyprus University of Technology. The INTELed project, which is funded by the European Commission, is composed by four partners (Cyprus University of Technology, CESIE, University of Piraeus, University of Valladolid) in four countries (Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Spain). Cyprus is represented by the Cyprus University of Technology through the Social Computing Research Center (Social Computing Research Center, https://www.socialcomputing.eu/), which has the responsibility for coordinating the project. The Scientific coordinator of the project is Dr. Andri Ioannou, Assistant Professor at the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Arts, and Director of the Cyprus Interaction Lab (CIL, https://www.cyprusinteractionlab.com/). The INTELed group from Cyprus is also composed of Dr. Yiannis Georgiou (Project manager), Prof. Panayiotis Zaphiris, Dr. Antigoni Parmaxi, and Dr. Despina Michael-Gregoriou from the Cyprus University of …

CIL members Andri Ioannou and Vaso Constantinou presented two papers at IMCL 2017, held in Thessaloniki, Greece (30 November – 1 December 2017) – one of which won a Best Special Session Paper Award: Augmented reality supporting deaf students in mainstream schools: Two case studies of practical utility of the technology Andri Ioannou, Vaso Constantinou [Best Paper Award] The study suggests a practical use of augmented reality (AR) in supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students in mainstream schools. The paper presents two case studies. First, we used AR via wearable glasses to support the communication and feedback loop between the instructor and DHH learner during the lesson. Second, we used AR via a typical tablet to support the DHH students in acquiring vocabulary and subsequently, improving their reading-comprehension capabilities. In the first study, although the wearable AR glasses were not stylish enough to be attractive to the DHH adolescent, who felt uncomfortable wearing them …

5th International Conference on Learning and Collaboration Technologies A Thematic Affiliated Conference of HCI International 2018 Co-chairs: Panayiotis Zaphiris and Andri Ioannou Cyprus Interaction Lab, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus In the today’s knowledge society, learning and collaboration are two fundamental and strictly interrelated aspects of knowledge acquisition and creation. Learning technology is the broad range of communication, information and related technologies that can be used to support learning, teaching, and assessment, often in collaborative way. Collaboration technology, on the other hand, is targeted to support individuals working in teams, towards a common goal, which may be an educational one, by providing tools that aid communication, the management of activities as well as the process of problem solving. In this context, interactive technologies do not only affect and improve the existing educational system, but become a transformative force that can generate radically new ways of knowing, learning and collaborating. The …

The Cyprus Interaction Lab and Harvard University have begun a collaboration in the intersection of Urban Design, Participation and Augmented Reality. Urban Design and Planning worldwide have long been criticised for their lack of meaningful public consultation and participation in the process of the making of our cities. Currently, the existing practices of consultation and participation are within the confines or council meetings, complex form filling and survey reports that most often than not carry little weight towards the decisions made by the planning authorities. Moreover, the way information is disseminated to the public regarding potential developments requires a higher level of knowledge and training in architecture and planning. Therefore, a misinformed public can easily feel threatened by developments, disempowered and excluded from the decision-making, especially where private interests are being discussed. The active participation of the users and the public in any design process is in line with the …

In November 2017 (6th to 10th) prof. Milan Milosavljevic, prof. Aleksandar Jevremovic and two PhD students, Milos Antonijevic and Filip Lukic, from Singidunum University, Serbia, visited the Cyprus Interaction Lab through the COST scheme, Action IC1303 – Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms for Enhanced Living Environments [AAPELE] – to explore collaborations related to the use of BCI for the assessment of embodied learning experiences. The researchers set up the BCI equipment, developed a software for raw data extraction, gathered pilot data, and documented the data collection and analysis procedures. Cyprus Interaction Lab and Singidunum University are exploring further collaborations on the intersection of signal processing, data science, and learning science. Cyprus University of Technology and Singidunum University have already signed a Mobility Agreement via the ERASMUS+ scheme which initiated this cooperation in 2016. In January 2018 ERASMUS+ is expected to fund the mobility and placement of a master student from Serbia …

On November 1st, 2017, the Social Computing Research Centre (socialcomputing.eu), the Cyprus Interaction Lab, the Migrant Information Centre (MIC), and the Climate-KIC project CATER celebrated the World Usability Day with an event focusing on ‘Migration, Environment, and Technology’. Charalampos Theopemptou, MP and former Commissioner for the Environment talked about “Waste Management”. The work done at the Migrant Information Centre was presented.The CATER team presented a beta version of the mobile application that has been developed in the context of the project: RECYCLY.

The Cyprus Interaction Lab presented the 3-days seminar ” End-User Development and Creativity Graphic Arts in the Design of Interactive Systems with Technology” by Carmelo Ardito, Assistant Professor at the Computer Science Department of the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” (Bari, Italy). The seminar was funded under the Erasmus+ for staff teaching grant n. 2015-1-IT02-KA103-014384 awarded to Carmelo Ardito by the Italian consortium “TUCEP”. The highly interactive and hand-on seminar was attended by 20 participants on a first-come-first-served basis. Seminar Abstract: Exponential technological advances push end users to evolve from a traditional role as passive information consumers to a more active one. Users are increasingly willing to shape the interactive systems (e.g., software applications, web services, smart objects) they use to adapt it to their needs, tasks and habits, by manipulating and tailoring interactive artifacts, in order to create new configurations or new designs. However, developing new or modified interactive …

The Cyprus Interaction Lab (CIL)  of the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Arts at the Cyprus University of Technology is exploring the possibility of hiring Project Managers for full-time or part-time engagement, depending on qualifications and availability. CIL studies the interaction of people with technology in various fields. The lab aims to: – Understand, through research, the significant supportive and mediating role of technology in promoting learning, communication, collaboration, and social change, in varied real-world contexts and settings. – Produce and disseminate Educational Technology and HCI research with real-world impact. Our current projects are related to: – Embodied Play for Learning using Technology – Affordable, Digital, Collaborative Spaces – Emerging Technology, Inclusive Design and Social Change The positions will be on a contract basis with a salary depending on the candidate’s qualifications and expertise with a salary in the scale of A9-A10 for an hourly rate of 20-24 euro/hour. Interested individuals …

We are happy to announce that the Cyprus University of Technology will be participating in the Innovative Training Network POEM (Participatory Memory Practices). EU Horizon 2020 Innovative Training Network POEM Project Leader: Prof. Dr. Gertraud Koch, University of Hamburg Cyprus Coordinator: Dr. Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert, Cyprus University of Technology Local supervisors: Dr. Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert & Prof. Panayiotis Zaphiris Duration: 2018-2022 The Horizon 2020 Innovative Training Network POEM trains future experts for the heritage sector and studies participatory memory practices and digital heritage in Europe. POEM started in April 2018 with the recruitment of early stage researchers for 13 projects. Two of the 13 projects are being led by the Cyprus University of Technology. The project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie. Participatory memory work is critical to understanding the inclusion of memories across nations and social situation (gender, wealth, education, migration) …

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow or Experienced Researcher The Cyprus Interaction Lab of the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Arts at the Cyprus University of Technology is exploring the possibility of hiring a number, of full-time or part-time, post-doctoral research fellows to work on currently funded research projects. The Cyprus Interaction Lab studies the interaction of people with technology in various fields. The lab aims to:  – Understand, through research, the significant supportive and mediating role of technology in promoting learning, communication, collaboration, and social change, in varied real-world contexts and settings.  – Produce and disseminate Educational Technology and HCI research with real-world impact. Research at CIL focuses on three thematic areas: Embodied Play for Learning using Technology Affordable, Digital, Collaborative Spaces Emerging Technology, Inclusive Design and Social Change CIL research aims toward practical frameworks for technology enactment and expected outcomes in the abovementioned thematic areas. Most of our work spans across these …

Πραγματοποιήθηκε την Πέμπτη 02/02 και Παρασκευή 03/02 η ιδιωτική και δημόσια προβολή της διαδραστικής εγκατάστασης «Παράλληλες Πόλεις» στον χώρο του Παλιού Ξυδάδικου. Η εγκατάσταση πραγματοποιήθηκε στα πλαίσια του the Yard. Residen cy.17 (Κέντρο Παραστατικών Τεχνών ΜΙΤΟΣ) από το «mesh spatialde sign studio», το οποίο αποτελείται από τους αρχιτέκτονες Αντώνη Στυλιανού και Αντρέα Παπαλλά, σε συνεργασία με το Cyprus Interaction Lab του Τεχνολογικού Πανεπιστημίου Κύπρου. Η εγκατάσταση χρησιμοποιώντας σύγχρονη τεχνολογία σύλληψης κίνησης και καινοτόμες μεθόδους χαρτογράφησης και προβολής εστίασε στο ερώτημα κατά πόσον οι νέες αναπτύξεις στο παραλιακό μέτωπο της Λεμεσού έχουν βελτιώσει την πόλη ή έχουν επισκιάσει τον πολιτισμό και την ιστορία της. Η ιδέα της εγκατάστασης προέκυψε από την τρέχουσα συζήτηση μεταξύ πολιτών και δημοτικής αρχής αναφορικά με την αξία των ραγδαίων εξελίξεων και την σχέση τους με τα οράματα για το μέλλον της πόλης και παρείχε στους επισκέπτες την ευκαιρία να επιλέξουν μεταξύ ανάπτυξης ή διατήρησης. Την εγκατάσταση …

Over 200 participants from Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Poland and USA, attended the Womenpower Symposium 2016 that took place at Cyprus University of Technology on the 16th of November. Womenpower is the third seminar of this series, aiming to support and empower women in their professional development in technology related areas. The event was organized by the Cyprus Interaction Lab and the ACM-Women Cyprus, with the support of Fulbright, the Association for Computing Machinery on Women (ACM-W), and the Cyprus Computer Society (CCS). With an eye to encourage children, teenagers, and adults to choose the exciting opportunities offered in the area of technology and defy stereotypes about the role of women in the digital technology industry, the symposium included three keynote talks, six practical workshops, four short presentations and thirteen poster presentations. The seminar provided an opportunity for dozens of male and female students, young entrepreneurs and …