Profile

Dr Shamus Smith, BSc PhD MIEEE

Personal web page

Biography

Shamus Smith is a Lecturer in Computer Science in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. He completed his BSc Hons (1st class) and PhD (1997) in Computer Science, at Massey University (New Zealand). From 1998-2004, he was a post-doctoral research associate at The University of York (UK) on the INQUISTIVE project (virtual reality) and the Dependability IRC (safety arguments). Shamus joined Durham University in 2004 as a Lecturer.

His current research interests include touch-based technologies (e.g. multi-touch tables and haptic devices), mobile technology for augmented reality (e.g. for cultural heritage) and the reuse of gaming technology (e.g. for hazardous environment simulation and 3D interaction).

He is a Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute and is a member of the Innovative Computing Research and Teaching Group.

He teaches human-computer interaction, non-functional requirements, critical systems and risk analysis at undergraduate level and software dependability and software engineering at MSc level. He supervises PhD students and would be interested in taking on postgraduate students with research interests in virtual environments, augmented reality and human-computer interaction.

Research Interests

• Augmented reality
• Game technology
• Haptic interaction
• Human-computer interaction
• Multi-modal interaction
• Virtual environments

Teaching Areas

• Advanced Software Engineering: Human-Computer Interaction (10 hours/year.)
• Advanced Software Engineering: Risk Analysis (9 hours/year.)
• MSc Software Dependability (20 hours/year.)
• Software Engineering: Human-Computer Interaction (6 hours/year.)

Selected Publications

Books: sections

• Sujan, Mark., Smith, Shamus P. & Harrison, Michael D. (2006). Qualitative analysis of dependability argument structure. In Structure for dependability computer-based systems from an interdisciplinary perspective. Besnard, D., Gacek, C. & Jones, C. New York: Springer. 269-290.

Conference papers

• Smith, S. P., Burd, E. L., Ma, L., Alagha, I. & Hatch, A. (2011), Relative and Absolute Mappings for Rotating Remote 3D Objects on Multi-Touch Tabletops, 25th BCS Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI 2011). Newcastle, England, BCS, Swindon, 299-308.
• Bamarouf, Y & Smith, S. P. (2010), Evaluating virtual weights for haptically enabled online shopping, in Baciu, G., Lau, R., Li, M., Komura, T. & Peng, Q. eds, Virtual Reality Software and Technology. Hong Kong, ACM, 179-180.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Du'Mont Sam (2009), Measuring the effect of gaming experience on virtual environment navigation tasks, IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces. IEEE, 3-10.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Todd, Susan (2007), Collaborative evaluation of a haptic-based medical virtual environment, 4th INTUITION International Conference on Virtual Reality and Virtual Environments. Athens, 102-110.
• Smith, Shamus & Todd, Susan (2007), Evaluating a haptic-based virtual environment for venepuncture training, ACM Virtual Reality Software and Technology 2007. Newport, CA, ACM, New York, 223-224.
• Smith, Shamus P. (2007), Exploring the specification of haptic interaction, in Doherty, G. & Blandford, A. eds, Lecture Notes in Computer Science LNCS 4323: Interactive Systems: Design, Specification and Verification (DSVIS 2006). Springer, 171-184.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Hart, Jonathan. (2006), Evaluating distributed cognitive resources for wayfinding in a desktop virtual environment, in Kitamura, Y., Bowman, D., Fröhlich, B. & Stürzlinger, W. eds, 1st IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI 2006). Alexandria, Va, IEEE, New York, 8.

Edited works: journals

• Smith, S. P., Burd, E. & Rick, J. (2012). Developing, evaluating and deploying multi-touch systems. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 70 (10).
• Smith, S. P. & Harrison, M. D. (2001). User centred design and implementation of virtual environments. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 55 (2).

Journal papers: academic

• Smith, S. P., Burd, E. & Rick, J. (2012). Developing, evaluating and deploying multi-touch systems. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 70(10): 653.
• Smith, S. P. & Carter, T. (2010). A virtual environment to test police and public awareness of anti-social behaviour indicators. International Journal of Police Science and Management 12(4): 548-566.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Trenholme, David (2009). Rapid prototyping a virtual fire drill environment using computer game technology. Fire Safety Journal 44(4): 559-569.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Trenholme, David (2008). Computer game engines for developing first-person virtual environments. Virtual Reality 12(3): 181-187.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Todd, Susan (2008). Usability evaluation of a haptic-based clinical skills training system. International Journal of Clinical Skills 2(1): 39-44.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Harrison, Michael D. (2005). Measuring reuse in hazard analysis. Reliability engineering and system safety 89(1): 93-104.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Marsh, Tim. (2004). Evaluating design guidelines for reducing user disorientation in a desktop virtual environment. Virtual reality 8(1): 55-62.
• Smith, Shamus P. & Harrison, Michael D. (2001). Editorial: User centred design and implementation of virtual environments. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 55(2): 109-114.
• Marsh, Tim, Wright, Peter & Smith, Shamus (2001). Evaluation for the design of experience in virtual environments: Modelling breakdown in interaction and illusion. CyberPsychology and Behaviour 4(2): 225-238.

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Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Computer Science: Virtual Reality
• Virtual reality: Virtual Reality
• Computer Science: Human Computer Interaction
• Computer Science: Interactive computer systems
• Gaming: Interactive computer systems
• Virtual reality: Interactive computer systems
• Computer Science: Haptic interaction
• Gaming: Haptic interaction
• Virtual reality: Haptic interaction
• Medical and health research topics: Haptic interaction
• Computer Science: Interaction evaluation
• Gaming: Interaction evaluation
• Virtual reality: Interaction evaluation

Grants Awarded

• 2010: WRI: Tackling Age-Related Decline in Perception of Emotion Cues
• 2009: WRI: COTS vs. DIY: Game Technology Approaches for Improving Fluid Intelligence
• 2008: EPSRC TLRP SynergyNet: Supporting Collaborative Learning in an Immersive Environment
• 2008: Nuffield: Integrating haptic interaction into 3D virtual environments
• 2007: Nuffield: Rapid Virtual Environment Development using Game Technology
• 2006: DU: Evaluating haptic-based medical devices

Supervises

• Mr Firas Alghanim
• Mr Jonathan Berry
• Mr Jacob Rigby
• Mr Lachlan Pockett
• Mr Ahmed Al-thobaiti
• Mr Mohammed Farsi
• Mr David Roberts
• Ms Elisabeth Yaneske