questionnaire on multimodal authoring topics

The W3C Multimodal Working Group [1] seeks to extend the Web to allow users
to dynamically select the most appropriate mode of interaction for their
current needs, including any disabilities, while enabling developers to
provide an effective user interface for whichever modes the user selects.
Depending upon the device, users will be able provide input via speech,
handwriting, and keystrokes, with output presented via displays,
pre-recorded and synthetic speech, audio, and tactile mechanisms such as
mobile phone vibrators and Braille strips. 

This Multimodal Architecture [2] describes a loosely coupled architecture
for multimodal user interfaces, which allows for co-resident and distributed
implementations, and focuses on the role of markup and scripting, and the
use of well defined interfaces between its constituents. 

To make the Multimodal Architecture more useful in current and emerging
markets, the Multimodal Interaction Working Group is identifying and
prioritizing topics to include in future multimodal standards. We solicit
your input so that we can concentrate on the topics that will lead to
standards that will provide the greatest benefit to the industry. We seek
your input on the following questions: 
1. What client device(s) should we target multimodal application
specification languages?
2. For the applications you wish to develop, what input and output methods
should be supported by multimodal application specification languages?
3. What existing languages should continue to be supported to develop
multimodal applications?
4. Should new languages be developed to author multimodal applications?
5. If you already have a version of multimodal applications/solutions, how
important is the ability to plug-in/reuse the modality components you have
already developed?

We have put together an online questionnaire on these issues which you can
find at:
http://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/1/MmiAuthoringQuestions/

We would be extremely grateful for your input. Although responses are
welcome at any time, for the greatest impact, it would be most helpful to
get your input by June 15. 

best regards,

Debbie Dahl
Chair, W3C Multimodal Interaction Working Group

[1] Multimodal Interaction Working Group: http://www.w3.org/2002/mmi/
[2] Multimodal Architecture: http://www.w3.org/TR/mmi-arch/

Received on Monday, 14 May 2007 20:47:33 UTC