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Call for papers

SOCIAL IMPACT OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

A special issue of Interacting with Computers
Submission deadline: 24th January 2005
Instructions to authors and APA wrting style

Background

Emerging technologies are at the forefront of technological innovation and research. Such technologies are characterised by their widespread use and presence. Their design has been focused on specific tasks such as communication, games and environmental monitoring. Their presence and use makes emerging technologies a major factor effecting peoples lives, yet the social dimensions of emerging technologies remain overlooked.

With this special issue of Interacting with Computers we wish to provoke a thoughtful exploration into the social characteristics of emerging technologies. These characteristics may be inherent or attributed by the users. An understanding of these social issues may also provide a wealthy source of design ideas and improvements. The increasing use of emerging technologies in our daily lives implies that the design decisions we make have a direct impact on our lives. Consequently, a good source of ideas for improvement of our designs can have a direct impact on our lives. We believe that the social issues explored in this special issue affect our daily lives to a great extent.

The following questions offer an overview of the relevant issues to this special issue of Interacting with Computers.

• How do emerging technologies affect our social environment? Can we provide evidence and examples of the benefits of emerging technologies in becoming part of everyday discourse and communication?
• Can we design for social acceptance? What factors influence the acceptance / rejection of emerging technologies? Can the social environment provide ideas and opportunities for our designs?
• Do people’s perceptions of emerging technologies match the technologies’ characteristics? What affects people’s perception of emerging technologies, and how can this perception be altered to provide benefits?
• Does the widespread use and impact of emerging technologies warrant the intervention of governments? Can a central authority provide guidance and support in taking full advantage of the social impact of emerging technologies?

IMPORTANT DATES

Full paper submission: 24th Jan 2005 (Monday)
Response to authors: 14th Feb 2005 (Monday)
Final revisions due: 25th Feb 2005 (Friday)
Planned publication: May 2005 (Vol. 17 Nr. 3)

FORMAT

Read the instructions to authors.
Please use the APA writing style.

SUBMISSION

Papers should be submitted by email to the guest editors:

Vassilis Kostakos <vk@cs.bath.ac.uk>
Linda Little <l.little@unn.ac.uk>
Eamonn O'Neill <eamonn@cs.bath.ac.uk>
Liz Sillence <elizabeth.sillence@northumbria.ac.uk>

For more information contact the editors.