A Cloud-based User-Centered Time-Offset Interaction Application

Abstract

Time-offset interaction applications (TOIA) allow simulating conversations with people who have previously recorded relevant video utterances, which are played in response to their interacting user. TOIAs have great potential for preserving cross-generational and cross-cultural histories, online teaching, simulated interviews, etc. Current TOIAs exist in niche contexts involving high production costs. Democratizing TOIA presents different challenges when creating appropriate pre-recordings, designing different user stories, and creating simple online interfaces for experimentation. We open-source TOIA 2.0, a user-centered time-offset interaction application, and make it available for everyone who wants to interact with people's pre-recordings, or create their pre-recordings.