Smart Environments for Collaborative Design, Implementation, and Interpretation of Scientific Experiments

Abstract

Ambient intelligence promises to enable humans to smoothly interact with their environment, mediated by computer technology. In the literature on ambient intelligence, empirical scientists are not often mentioned. Yet they form an interesting target group for this technology. In this position paper, we describe a project aimed at realising an ambient intelligence environment for face-to-face meetings of researchers with different academic backgrounds involved in molecular biology “omics” experiments. In particular, microarray experiments are a focus of attention because these experiments require multidisciplinary collaboration for their design, analysis, and interpretation. Such an environment is characterised by a high degree of complexity that has to be mitigated by ambient intelligence technology. By experimenting in a real-life setting, we will learn more about life scientists as a user group.

Keywords: ambient intelligence, multidisciplinary collaboration, molecular biology, microarray experiments

JEL Classification: C99, D89, I23