The ENACTIVE project (2004-2007) 

Acronym: ENACTIVE
Name: Enactive Interfaces
Type: Network of Excellence
Funding: European Union (IST 6th European framework program, Multimodal Interfaces)
Amount: 5, 000, 000 €
Coordinator: Massimo Bergamasco, PERCRO, Pisa, Italy
Deputy Coordinator: Annie Luciani, INPG-Grenoble, France
UM1 key researchers: Benoît Bardy (Enactive responsible) - Didier Delignières – Julien Lagarde – Bruno Mantel - Denis Mottet - Ludovic Marin - Sofiane Ramdani

Enactive objective:

The objective of the ENACTIVE Network of Excellence is to propose reliable solutions for the two main bottlenecks that Interface Technologies have to overcome today :

1. the increasing of the reactivity of the artificial systems to render them at the same level of human action-perception abilities in complex tasks ;
2. the link of physical sensory-motor events with symbolic information and knowledge technologies, based on robust technological conditions provided by the first point

To achieve this goal, the ENACTIVE Network of Excellence integrates European Researchers for the development, spreading and standardization of innovative interfaces and interaction paradigms, based on the new paradigm of Enactive knowledge, which proposes a closed genuine link between action and perception.

Enactive Interfaces: 

ENACTIVE Interfaces are inspired by a fundamental concept of “interaction” that has not been exploited by other approaches to the design of human-computer interface technologies. Mainly, interfaces have been designed to present information via symbols, or icons. In the symbolic approach, information is stored as words, mathematical symbols or other symbolic systems, while in the iconic approach information is stored in the form of visual images, such as diagrams and illustrations.

Enactive knowledge: 

ENACTIVE knowledge is information gained through perception-action interactions with the environment.  Examples include information gained by grasping an object, by hefting a stone, or by walking around an obstacle that occludes our view. It is gained through intuitive movements, of which we often are not aware.  Enactive knowledge is inherently multimodal, because motor actions alter the stimulation of multiple perceptual systems.

Enactive knowledge is essential in tasks such as driving a car, dancing, playing a musical instrument, modelling objects from clay, performing sports, and so on.

ENACTIVE knowledge is neither symbolic nor iconic.  It is direct, in the sense that it is natural and intuitive, based on experience and the perceptual consequences of motor acts.

 More information about the activities of the Enactive Network can be found at http://www.enactivenetwork.org/

More information about the Third International Conference on Enactive Interfaces (Montpellier, November 20-21, 2006) at http://www.enactive2006.org/

Enactive participants: