Unobtrusive interfaces: preventing information overload in ambient interfaces

As devices become smaller and more ubiquitous, they place an ever higher demand on our attention and our mental resources. This brings with it the risk of information overload, a problem causing stress and a loss of productivity. The need arises for true ambient interfaces that operate outside our primary focus, on the periphery of our attention, which we define as unobtrusive interfaces. This paper proposes three categories of existing approaches for creating such unobtrusive interfaces, by either their presentation, their modality or their level of attentiveness. For each of these approaches, the advantages and disadvantages are explored. Finally, applications for unobtrusive ambient interfaces will be explored by goal and environment, to examine the suitability of different kinds of approaches for different applications.