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HCII Tables of Contents: 09-109-209-309-411-111-211-311-411-511-613-113-213-313-413-513-613-7

HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on HCI, Part I: Human-Centred Design Approaches, Methods, Tools, and Environments

Fullname:HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Part I: Human-Centred Design Approaches, Methods, Tools, and Environments
Editors:Masaaki Kurosu
Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates:2013-Jul-21 to 2013-Jul-26
Volume:1
Publisher:Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Series:Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8004
Standard No:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-39232-0 hcibib: HCII13-1; ISBN: 978-3-642-39231-3 (print), 978-3-642-39232-0 (online)
Papers:67
Pages:640
Links:Online Proceedings | Conference Home Page

HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on HCI, Part II: Applications and Services

Fullname:HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Part II: Applications and Services
Editors:Masaaki Kurosu
Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates:2013-Jul-21 to 2013-Jul-26
Volume:2
Publisher:Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Series:Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8005
Standard No:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-39262-7 hcibib: HCII13-2; ISBN: 978-3-642-39261-0 (print), 978-3-642-39262-7 (online)
Papers:74
Pages:670
Links:Online Proceedings | Conference Home Page

HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on HCI, Part III: Applications and Services

Fullname:HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Part III: Users and Contexts of Use
Editors:Masaaki Kurosu
Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates:2013-Jul-21 to 2013-Jul-26
Volume:3
Publisher:Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Series:Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8006
Standard No:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-39265-8 hcibib: HCII13-3; ISBN: 978-3-642-39264-1 (print), 978-3-642-39265-8 (online)
Papers:55
Pages:510
Links:Online Proceedings | Conference Home Page

HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on HCI, Part IV: Interaction Modalities and Techniques

Fullname:HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Part IV: Interaction Modalities and Techniques
Editors:Masaaki Kurosu
Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates:2013-Jul-21 to 2013-Jul-26
Volume:4
Publisher:Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Series:Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8007
Standard No:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-39330-3 hcibib: HCII13-4; ISBN: 978-3-642-39329-7 (print), 978-3-642-39330-3 (online)
Papers:81
Pages:768
Links:Online Proceedings | Conference Home Page

HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on HCI, Part V: Towards Intelligent and Implicit Interaction

Fullname:HCI International 2013: 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Part V: Towards Intelligent and Implicit Interaction
Editors:Masaaki Kurosu
Location:Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates:2013-Jul-21 to 2013-Jul-26
Volume:5
Publisher:Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Series:Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8008
Standard No:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-39342-6 hcibib: HCII13-5; ISBN: 978-3-642-39341-9 (print), 978-3-642-39342-6 (online)
Papers:55
Pages:514
Links:Online Proceedings | Conference Home Page
  1. HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 1
    1. HCI and Human Centred Design
    2. Evaluation Methods and Techniques
    3. User Interface Design and Development Methods and Environments
    4. Aesthetics and Kansei in HCI
  2. HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 2
    1. HCI in Healthcare
    2. Games and Gamification
    3. HCI in Learning and Education
    4. In-Vehicle Interaction
  3. HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 3
    1. Identity, Privacy and Trust
    2. User Studies
    3. Interaction for Society and Community
    4. HCI for Business and Innovation
  4. HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 4
    1. Speech, Natural Language and Auditory Interfaces
    2. Gesture and Eye-Gaze Based Interaction
    3. Touch-Based Interaction
    4. Haptic Interaction
    5. Graphical User Interfaces and Visualisation
  5. HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 5
    1. Adaptive, Personalised and Context-Aware Interaction
    2. Computational Vision in HCI
    3. Emotions in HCI
    4. Biophysiological Aspects of Interaction

HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 1

HCI and Human Centred Design

HCI Education in Brazil: Challenges and Opportunities BIBAKFull-Text 3-12
  Clodis Boscarioli; Sílvia Amélia Bim; Milene S. Silveira; Raquel Oliveira Prates; Simone Diniz; Junqueira Barbosa
HCI Education in Brazil has come a long way. Since 1999, the Brazilian Computer Society (SBC) included HCI in its reference curriculum for its Computing courses. Since then, the community has discussed the perspective of the area in our country. From 2010 to this day, we have held a series of workshops on HCI Education, called WEIHC, as a permanent discussion forum within the Brazilian HCI conference, IHC. We report here the results of the WEIHC discussions and of two surveys, conducted in 2009 and in 2012, to help us assess the status of HCI Education in Brazil. Despite the advances of the Brazilian HCI community, our surveys show that we still face some important challenges. We should curate existing teaching material to further enhance collaboration among professors, to increase the quality of our courses, and to broaden HCI awareness across all related departments.
Keywords: HCI Education; Brazilian HCI community
Semiotics of Interaction: Towards a UI Alphabet BIBAKFull-Text 13-21
  Jan Brejcha; Aaron Marcus
In our thinking and acting, natural language plays a central part. This language defines a structure even before we form something, and it can be regarded as the architecture of design. To be able to grasp the expression of these structures in HCI, we chose the perspective of linguistics and semiotics. The semiotics perspective in the context of HCI is increasingly popular in presenting a different approach to UX. In our paper, we take this perspective to build a set of semiotic heuristics which we then used to evaluate a complex UI example. We present a semiotic evaluation method and report the results of our in-depth investigation.
Keywords: Analysis and design methods; Evaluation methods and techniques; Interaction design; Qualitative and Quantitative Measurement and Evaluation; Semiotics
Engagingdesign -- Methods for Collective Creativity BIBAKFull-Text 22-31
  Paul Chamberlain; Claire Craig
Research often problematises issues older people face and the development of technologies for older users is regularly driven by this agenda. This paper describes a research programme that positions older people as active participants rather than passive respondents focusing on their preferences and aspirations rather than their impairments. 'Engagingdesign' is a transnational research platform developed by the authors that facilitates creative methods for engaging older people and provides a scaffold for collective creativity. Data collected through interviews and focus groups is transformed through critical artefacts that provide a forum or theatre for conversation through exhibition that in turn becomes the medium and method for further data collection.
Keywords: User-centred design methods; older users; design; co-creation; participatory design
Toward a New Design Philosophy of HCI: Knowledge of Collaborative Action of "We" Human-and-Technology BIBAKFull-Text 32-40
  HyunKyoung Cho; Joonsung Yoon
This research examines a new design philosophy of HCI in the collaborative action-based context interdependent perspective. To frame a new perspective of design philosophy of interactive technologies, the study proposes "We" human-and-technology as a response for alternative perspectives of reference in inter-active systems design and alternative ways of understanding the relationships and collaborative actions between humans and new digital technologies. It argues the problem of knowledge provoked by the collaborative action of "We" human-and-technology, through three keys: reflecting, performing, and invaginating. Its aim is to reveal that HCI design practices establish a new knowledge beyond the logic of opposition reinforcing the mutual degradation between technology and human, thought and action, subject and object.
Keywords: "We" human-and-technology; collaborative action; knowledge; reflecting; performing; invaginating; HCI design
The Link between Inclusive Design and Innovation: Some Key Elements BIBAKFull-Text 41-50
  Kristin Skeide Fuglerud; David Sloan
It is often said that universal design and similar approaches can be a source of innovation. In this paper key elements in inclusive design are identified, and examples of innovations related to inclusive design are presented. Then, some core elements of the inclusive design process that will help spur innovation are identified. Based on this the link between inclusive design and innovation is discussed. Finally, some recommendations for an inclusive and innovative design process are presented.
Keywords: inclusive design; accessibility; universal design; user-centered design; user diversity; user involvement; innovation
Tuning an HCI Curriculum for Master Students to Address Interactive Critical Systems Aspects BIBAFull-Text 51-60
  Michel Galindo; Célia Martinie; Philippe Palanque; Marco Winckler; Peter Forbrig
This paper presents the need for specific curricula in order to address the training of specialists in the area of Interactive Critical Systems. Indeed, while curricula are usually built in order to produce specialists in one discipline (e.g. computer science) dealing with systems or products requires training in multiple disciplines. The area of Interactive Critical Systems requires deep knowledge in computer science, dependability, Human-Computer Interaction and safety engineering. We report in this paper how these various disciplines have been integrated in a master program at Université Toulouse III, France and highlight the carrier paths followed by the graduated students and how these carriers are oriented towards aeronautics and space application domains.
Ageing and Innovation BIBAFull-Text 61-67
  Matthias Göbel
Innovation is mostly associated with young people being open to new things and enthusiastic to try out something different. Even though an innovation might not be advantageous, most young persons are prepared to spend time to find out, and they are not disappointed if it does not work out as expected. This experience is considered as learning about different options and getting inspired, thus the innovation is rather an exploration tool to spark creativity.
Understanding User Experience and Artifact Development through Qualitative Investigation: Ethnographic Approach for Human-Centered Design BIBAKFull-Text 68-76
  Ayako Hashizume; Masaaki Kurosu
In this paper, we introduce a method for utilizing qualitative investigation in the development of artifacts. In particular, we discuss ethnography principles that developers and designers need to learn in order to improve artifact quality and user experience in accordance with the principles of human-centered design (HCD). The objective of ethnographic interview in the development of artifacts is to understand users in their real environment and to build personas and scenarios based on this understanding. This objective applies to the first two steps in the HCD process, which are "Understand and specify the context of use" and "Specify the user requirements." Furthermore, the investigative process of ethnographic research for development is outlined. While it is difficult to understand users through objective observation alone, and the fact that the knowledge that comes from interaction is also vital, the application of contextual inquiry through ethnography is a valuable tool for efficient understanding of the user in a short timeframe and with a limited number of observations.
Keywords: user experience; contextual inquiry; human-centered design; ethnographic interview; context of use
User Research for Experience Vision BIBAKFull-Text 77-84
  Seiji Hayakawa; Yoshihiro Ueda; Kentaro Go; Katsumi Takahash; Koji Yanagida; Kazuhiko Yamazaki
In the "Experience Vision: Vision Proposal Design Method," the first step is to set a project target and to conduct a qualitative survey. Next, users' essential needs are identified and an idea is developed to propose a vision. On the basis of a scenario from the perspective of users' essential needs, the proposal is formed, given shape and made precise. Finally, the proposal is evaluated, and then evolves into the development of products, systems, and services. This paper presents the interview method, the photo diary method, the photo essay method, and the superior-subordinate relationship analysis method laddering) in order to gain profound insight into users and to identify their essential needs, rather than their manifest needs. In addition, on the basis of users' essential needs, it explains the method of setting a user with persona and cast to embody the target user, as a viewpoint from which to describe a value scenario, an activity scenario, and an interaction scenario. [1]
Keywords: experience vision; service design; user's needs; persona
Analyzing Varying Environmental Contexts in Public Transport BIBAKFull-Text 85-94
  Stephan Hörold; Cindy Mayas; Heidi Krömker
The basis for user-centered design is the knowledge of users and tasks. Developing systems, e.g. mobile applications, which are used at varying locations, requires knowledge of the environmental context as well. This paper describes an approach for the analysis of varying environmental contexts in public transport. The results are presented as context templates to derive information needs of users in public transport dependent on influencing context factors and can serve as a communication tool for interdisciplinary groups.
Keywords: context analysis; public transport; passenger information
The Conceptual Model of Experience Engineering (XE) BIBAKFull-Text 95-102
  Masaaki Kurosu
The conceptual model of XE (experience Engineering) was proposed to cover both of the products and services. It was also proposed to take "U" out from "UX" so that more adequate description of the people can be possible.
Keywords: experience engineering; XE; usability; UX; service; marketing
User Centered Inclusive Design Process: A 'Situationally-Induced Impairments and Disabilities' Perspective BIBAKFull-Text 103-108
  Hyung Jun Oh; Hyo Chang Kim; Hwan Hwangbo; Yong Gu Ji
Mobile phones provide many functions to improve people's daily lives. However, there are some difficulties to apply the specialty of the mobile device on existing simple schematics of drawings and the approaches. Moreover, regarding handicapped people as special users is causing the stigma effect. Therefore, this research suggests an inclusive design process that by considering the idea of situationally-induced impairments and disabilities (SIID) for developing the product, its design is not only considered for the handicapped people, but also normal people can experience the handicapped situations.
Keywords: Inclusive Design; Accessibility; Smart Device; Mobile Application
Applying Contextual Design to Multiple Teams in Emergency Management BIBAKFull-Text 109-118
  Tania Randall; Jacquelyn Crebolder; Gerard Torenvliet; Jeremy Leal
This paper describes a process of identifying a consolidated set of requirements for technology to support unclassified collaboration amongst emergency managers from distinct organizations, each with a role in domestic response. It describes the application and adaption of the inquiry and consolidation processes defined by the Contextual Design (CD) methodology [1] in order to generate a set of requirements that reflect the collaboration needs of the response community as a whole. This application of CD is unique in the sense that the inquiry and requirements analysis focus on a general process (collaboration) that requires flexibility in its usage, rather than a prescriptive, well-defined process or activity.
Keywords: contextual design; emergency management; work-flow models; collaboration tools
Visualization and Evaluation for Experience Vision BIBAKFull-Text 119-127
  Katsumi Takahashi; Kazuhiko Yamazaki; Seiji Hayakawa; Koji Yanagida; Kentaro Go; Yoshihiro Ueda
The "Experience Vision: Vision Centered Design Method" is a comprehensive method which makes it possible to propose new and innovative products, systems and services that are currently unavailable, as well as proposing advances for those that currently exist. It encompasses the entire HCD (Human Centered Design) process, and presents a new vision with experiential value for both user and business from an HCD viewpoint.
   In this paper I describe visualization and evaluation of structured scenario for we will implement Scenario based vision proposal design method. Only scenario will introduce visualization techniques to supplement the difficult part of the shared content. Then, the evaluation provides an example to advance to the next phase structured scenarios that are visualized.
Keywords: Experience Vision; vision centered design method; Structured Scenario-Based Design Method (SSBDM); value scenario; activity scenario; interaction scenario; scenario visualization; scenario evaluation
Confabulation in the Time of Transdisciplinarity: Reflection on HCI Education and a Call for Conversation BIBAKFull-Text 128-136
  Nicholas True; Jeroen Peeters; Daniel Fallman
As HCI becomes ever-increasingly more transdisciplinary it encounters increasingly complex problems practical, methodological, and pedagogical in natures. This paper is an introductory exploration of the influence HCI education has in bridging academia and industry as students become practitioners. We examined how design pedagogy materializes and takes shape in both work and student process/attitudes as they become professionals, suggesting there is an area of importance to the community that is overlooked. Education shapes designers, designers shape the world, which prompts the need for a dialogue on how education pedagogy shapes practitioners that embody methods, values, skills, goals, and practices. As practitioners embody their knowledge into designs there arises a discussion that ought to be had.
Keywords: Design; HCI; Education; Pedagogy; Practice
Proposal for Experience Vision BIBAKFull-Text 137-145
  Kazuhiko Yamazaki; Kentaro Go; Katsumi Takahashi; Seiji Hayakawa; Yoshihiro Ueda; Koji Yanagida
Recently, it was known the problem-solving design approach has limitation to create new business or design. And service design is focused to create new business. Based on these background, we propose vision centered design approach named "Experience Vision". Purpose of this research is to propose design approach and method to create new service design or new product design based on vision centered design approach. Experience Vision is a comprehensive design method to envision innovative services, systems and products which reflect upon potential stakeholders' experiences and company mission and vision. Core of Experience Vision is vision centered design approach based on human centered design process with business perspective. For this purpose, we developed "Frame work for vision centered design method "and "Structured Scenario-Based Design Method (SSBDM)". "Frame work for vision centered design method" is based on SSBDM and user centered design approach which is focused user and business. This frame is including "Goal setting of project", intrinsic user value, policy of business value, value scenario, activity scenario, interaction scenario, scenario visualization, scenario evaluation, planning documentation, and specification.
Keywords: experience vision; service design; scenario; scenario-based design
Collaborative User Experience Design Methods for Enterprise System BIBAKFull-Text 146-155
  Hiroko Yasu; Naoko Iwata; Izumi Kohno
The importance of user experience (UX) design has increased in enterprise field. In traditional product and service development, a division of labor between UX designers and engineers was necessary. It is, however, difficult to pursue the same development style in the enterprise field. Therefore, in this study, collaborative UX design Methods for Enterprise System between UX designers and engineers were proposed. These Methods were designed to allow UX designers and engineers to supplement each other's knowledge and experience. The first Method was UX Observation Tour, a behavioral observation method used to understand the psychological and/or physical characteristics as well as behavior patterns of target users. In this Method, UX designers and engineers shared user research experience through field work. The second Method was UX Idea Mapping. This was a method for establishing associations between the needs of target users and unique ideas that UX designers and engineers, who achieved a detailed understanding of the target users, developed together based on their expertise in systems. In this study, these two methods were applied to internal projects, and as a result, both Methods effectively promoted collaborative development of UX designs by the UX designers and engineers.
Keywords: User Experience; UX design; UX Method and UCD

Evaluation Methods and Techniques

An Estimation Framework of a User Learning Curve on Web-Based Interface Using Eye Tracking Equipment BIBAFull-Text 159-165
  Masanori Akiyoshi; Hidetoshi Takeno
This paper addresses an estimation framework of a user learning curve on Web-based interface. Recent Web-based interface has rich features such as "dynamic menu", "animation" and so forth. A user sometimes gets lost in menus and hyperlinks, but gradually improves the performance of his/her task that is to find target information during the session. This performance change is in a sense considered to be "learning curve" as to the Web-based interface. To estimate the "learning curve" is necessary to evaluate the Web-based interface from the viewpoint of a user's task achievement. Our proposed estimation framework consists of two steps; One is to identify the relationships among the processing time, eye tracking log, and Web structure. The other is to identify the estimated formula as a "learning curve". This paper reports the relationship from preliminary experiment using several Web pages and eye tracking log.
A Grounded Procedure for Managing Data and Sample Size of a Home Medical Device Assessment BIBAKFull-Text 166-175
  Simone Borsci; Jennifer L. Martin; Julie Barnett
The selection of participants for usability assessment, together with the minimum number of subjects required to obtain a set of reliable data, is a hot topic in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Albeit, prominent contributions through the application of different p estimation models argued that five users provide a good benchmark when seeking to discover interaction problems a lot of studies have complained this five-user assumption. The sample size topic is today a central issue for the assessment of critical-systems, such as medical devices, because lacks in usability and, moreover, in the safety in use of these kind of products may seriously damage the final users. We argue that rely on one-size-fits-all solutions, such as the five-user assumption (for websites) or the mandated size of 15 users for major group (for medical device) lead manufactures to release unsafe product. Nevertheless, albeit there are no magic numbers for determining "a priori" the cohort size, by using a specific procedure it is possible to monitoring the sample discovery likelihood after the first five users in order to obtain reliable information about the gathered data and determine whether the problems discovered by the sample have a certain level of representativeness (i.e., reliability). We call this approach "Grounded Procedure" (GP). The goal of this study is to present the GP assumptions and steps, by exemplifying its application in the assessment of a home medical device.
Keywords: discovery likelihood; medical device; sample size; usability testing
Usability Guidelines for Desktop Search Engines BIBAKFull-Text 176-183
  Manuel Burghardt; Tim Schneidermeier; Christian Wolff
In this article we describe a usability evaluation of eight desktop search engines (DSEs). We used the heuristic walkthrough method to gather usability problems as well as individual strengths and weaknesses of the tested search engines. The results of the evaluation are integrated into a set of 30 design guidelines for user-friendly DSEs.
Keywords: usability testing; heuristic evaluation; desktop search engines; usability guidelines
Analyzing Face and Speech Recognition to Create Automatic Information for Usability Evaluation BIBAKFull-Text 184-192
  Thiago Adriano Coleti; Marcelo Morandini; Fátima de Lourdes dos Santos Nunes
Observe users perform their tasks in a software is an important way to performing usability evaluation due to the reason that provides real data about the interaction between user and system. Filming and verbalization are very used techniques and they must be a concern for all designers. However, the needs of reviewing all registered data manually became these techniques slow and difficult. This paper presents an approach that uses face recognition and speech processing to generate relevant information about a system under test such as what moments the user had specific reaction and which ones. The ErgoSV software supported the experiments that were performed using an e-commerce website. The results showed that this approach allows the evaluator identify interfaces with usability problems easily and quickly as well as present information using percentages that supported the evaluator making decision.
Keywords: Usability Evaluation; Human-Computer Interaction; Speech Recognition; Face Recognition
Linking Context to Evaluation in the Design of Safety Critical Interfaces BIBAKFull-Text 193-202
  Michael Feary; Dorrit Billman; Xiuli Chen; Andrew Howes; Richard Lewis; Lance Sherry; Satinder Singh
The rate of introduction of new technology into safety critical domains continues to increase. Improvements in evaluation methods are needed to keep pace with the rapid development of these technologies. A significant challenge in improving evaluation is developing efficient methods for collecting and characterizing knowledge of the domain and context of the work being performed. Traditional methods of incorporating domain and context knowledge into an evaluation rely upon expert user testing, but these methods are expensive and resource intensive. This paper will describe three new methods for evaluating the applicability of a user interface within a safety-critical domain (specifically aerospace work domains), and consider how these methods may be incorporated into current evaluation processes.
Keywords: Work Analysis; Evaluation; Human Performance Modeling; Human-Automation Interaction
Environmental Evaluation of a Rehabilitation Aid Interaction under the Framework of the Ideal Model of Assistive Technology Assessment Process BIBAKFull-Text 203-210
  Stefano Federci; Simone Borsci; Maria Laura Mele
Recently Federici and Scherer [1] proposed an ideal model of an Assistive Technology Assessment (ATA) process that provides reference guidelines for professionals of a multidisciplinary team of assistive technology (AT) service delivery centers to compare, evaluate, and improve their own matching models. The ATA process borrows a user-driven working methodology from the Matching Person and Technology Model [2] and it embraces the biopsychosocial model [3] aiming at the best combination of AT to promote customers' personal well-being. As Federici and Scherer [1] suggest, the multidisciplinary team, by applying the ATA process, may provide for users not only a device, but much more an assistive solution, which is the real outcome of a match process. An assistive solution is provided for the user only when the interaction dialogue between user, device, and environments of use improves the users' performances in participating in their everyday contexts. In this theoretical framework, the evaluation of the users' interaction with the AT in different kinds of environments is a key factor for the success of the ATA process, because, as Mirza, Gossett Zakrajsek, and Borsci [4] claim, the environment is antecedent to the AT and crucial for identifying how the AT works in relation to the users' needs. In the ATA process a specific Environmental Assessment (EA) model for testing the interaction of the user with the environments of use, through the AT, has been defined. The aim of this paper is to describe the EA model steps and discuss the dimensions that a practitioner has to consider for this assessment. Accessibility, universal design, and sustainability are used in the EA model as the dimensions for measuring the relationship between the AT and the environment [4]. The EA model steps and the trade-off among these dimensions are presented through a case example in which practitioners analyze the relationship between a communication aid used by a child and her classroom and home environments.
Keywords: accessibility; assistive technologies; sustainability; universal design; user-centered delivery process
Towards Ergonomic User Interface Composition: A Study about Information Density Criterion BIBAKFull-Text 211-220
  Yoann Gabillon; Sophie Lepreux; Káthia Marçal de Oliveira
One way to design new interactive system is to automatically compose from existing systems. An interactive system encompasses a functional core (FC) and a user interface (UI). Many studies of the software engineering community focus on design or runtime composition of FC through components or services. However, provide good quality UI is important to make the composed system acceptable to the users. To address this need, the HCI community has studied how to compose UI at different levels of granularity. The main challenge is how to choose the best composition option in order to provide UI of good quality from the user point of view. This paper presents a step towards this challenge by proposing the chosen of the best composed graphical UI considering quality ergonomic criteria that can be automatically measured. In particular, it focuses on the information density criterion. Information density concerns the users' workload from a perceptual and cognitive point of view with regard to the whole set of information presented to the users rather than each individual element or item.
Keywords: UI Composition; ergonomic; usability; criteria; metrics; measures; evaluation functions
Human-Machine Interaction Evaluation Framework BIBAKFull-Text 221-230
  Hans Jander; Jens Alfredson
The aim of the study reported in this paper was to use and evaluate a new methodological framework for Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) evaluation in system development for complex, high-risk and task-critical environments to assess overall HMI readiness. This has been conducted in the context of simulations in a state-of-the-art development simulator for fighter aircraft cockpit design in an industrial setting. The simulations included active and experienced military fighter pilots flying two civil navigational scenarios. The framework consists of already established evaluation methods and techniques combined with new influences inspired from risk management practices. A new HMI assessment survey has been developed and integrated into the framework. The results of the study are promising for the studied framework and also indicate some overlap when compared to existing practices regarding collected data. Applied within industry the framework can help leverage future HMI evaluations within system development.
Keywords: Usability; HCI; HMI; System evaluation; System Development
Supervisory Control Interface Design for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles through GEDIS-UAV BIBAKFull-Text 231-240
  Salvador Lorite; Adolfo Muñoz; Josep Tornero; Pere Ponsa; Enric Pastor
This paper reflects the state of art in the field of human factors for unmanned aerial vehicles. It describes the GEDIS-UAV guide, which is a modification of the GEDIS guide. It also shows the evaluation of the Sky-eye project graphical user interface as an example of the methodology. The analysis and evaluation method reflected in this paper may be used to improve the graphical user interface of any unmanned aerial vehicle.
Keywords: Supervisory Control; Unmanned Vehicles; Ergonomics; GEDIS
Remote Usability Evaluation of Mobile Web Applications BIBAKFull-Text 241-248
  Paolo Burzacca; Fabio Paternò
Recent proliferation of mobile devices has made it important to provide automatic support for usability evaluation when people interact with mobile applications. In this paper, we discuss some specific aspects that need to be considered in remote usability of mobile Web applications, and introduce a novel environment that aims to address such issues.
Keywords: Remote Evaluation; Logging Tools; Mobile Usability
Design and Implementation of ErgoIdentifier: A Tool for Automated Identification of Websites Interaction Elements BIBAKFull-Text 249-255
  Oscar Francisco dos Santos; Marcelo Morandini
The purpose of this work focuses on the development of an environment that will is called ErgoIdentifier. This environment is responsible for performing automatic collection of websites' interaction elements and thus, support the usability evaluation process by presenting important features and routines for future usability evaluation automatic tools. The ErgoIdentifier will use the website's implementation code to automatically identify the elements of interaction of its pages. Once identified, these interaction elements must be mapped to the same key characteristics that may influence the usability as color, exact location on the page, size and format. So, this environment can also be used by the evaluator by presenting him/her initial basis for consideration. The Human Computer Interaction, or HCI, aims to provide developers ways of designing and evaluating systems in which there is interaction between user and system. Usability can be considered as a key concept within the context of HCI and is focused on creating systems that are easy to learn and use. Therefore, it is possible to assess the quality of interactive systems according to factors that define its designers as priority. The ErgoIdentifier provides overall overviews of the evaluation processes starting with an identification of the website's source code files and the web pages architecture. These information and the features of the interaction elements must be stored in a Database for presenting special reports to the evaluator. These reports should include the features of the interaction elements, number of repetition of specific ones, such as frames, icons and links. This proposed environment is composed by the following processes: (a) Website architecture definition; (b) Interaction Elements Definition; (c) Interaction Elements Visualization; and (d) XML Files Generation. So, the ErgoIdentifier will consist of a database containing information from the pages and elements of interaction that should be used in a usability evaluation process. It also contains forms for queries characteristics of pages and elements found on the website to be viewed through a terminal where the environment is installed. They can also be obtained this information using text file formats, HTML and XML that can be used as input for tools to support usability evaluation. Also, the proposition of the ErgoIdentifier is based on a stimulus for the design and development of other usability evaluation tools that would be using it as a basis for defining the website's architecture and also to have information about each webpage that are part of the website. Concerning the webpages, it is important that all of interaction elements should be automatically recognized and identified. This will allow the usability evaluation tools to be more efficient in their purpose as this task (interaction elements recognition) is no longer needed to be performed by the tool. We intend to develop specific tools that should present meaningful usability evaluation reports by using the ErgoIdentifier and also present this environment for the HCI community.
Keywords: Tools Usability and Interaction; User Interfaces; Ergonomics Criteria; Usability
A Self-Evaluation Tool for Quantitative User Research within the digital.me Project BIBAKFull-Text 256-264
  Andreas Schuller; Rafael Giménez; Fabian Hermann
For upcoming validations within the di.me project, the technical evaluation components will be an important instrument for monitoring overall key usage indicators and serve as the basis for the further analysis of usage data. Consolidated findings acquired from the evaluation components shall serve as the basis for further improvements on the developed clients and overall di.me system. This paper states a list of related requirements as well as a technical overview of the employed system.
Keywords: Quantitative user research; Self-Evaluation; User Feedback; User Research; Usability; User Experience; Requirements
Priming Categorization in a Card Sort BIBAKFull-Text 265-272
  Camie Steinhoff; Jeremiah D. Still
When using the card sorting technique, the goal of a user experience researcher is to determine the user's expected information architecture. Card sorting is a knowledge elicitation method where users are given labeled cards and are asked to place them into groups. This method is commonly used to determine a natural navigation structure for a group of users. We examine the impact of priming, an implicit memory effect in which exposure to a stimulus influences response to a later stimulus, on this popular user-centered design method. A control group did the card sort only, while the experimental group watched a short presentation before performing their card sorts. The dependent measure was the percentage of agreement of each card sort against the typical sort. The primed group sort was significantly more similar to the typical response than the control group. This study provides evidence that card sorting can be modulated by priming.
Keywords: Evaluation methods and techniques; Human Centered Design and User Centered Design; Card Sorting; Priming; Knowledge elicitation

User Interface Design and Development Methods and Environments

Case Study for Experience Vision -- Application for PC BIBAFull-Text 275-280
  Kanako Ariya
In order to examine the new value of photo management software preinstalled on personal computers to develop a model for the next photo management software, I have to utilize the Experience Vision method. I will introduce the process from gathering information from the activity of novice users, structuring of their real user demands, to scenario creation.
Using the Common Industry Format to Document the Context of Use BIBFull-Text 281-289
  Nigel Bevan
V&V of Lexical, Syntactic and Semantic Properties for Interactive Systems through Model Checking of Formal Description of Dialog BIBAFull-Text 290-299
  Guillaume Brat; Célia Martinie; Philippe Palanque
During early phases of the development of an interactive system, future system properties are identified (through interaction with end users in the brainstorming and prototyping phase of the application, or by other stakeholders) imposing requirements on the final system. They can be specific to the application under development or generic to all applications such as usability principles. Instances of specific properties include visibility of the aircraft altitude, speed...in the cockpit and the continuous possibility of disengaging the autopilot in whatever state the aircraft is. Instances of generic properties include availability of undo (for undoable functions) and availability of a progression bar for functions lasting more than four seconds. While behavioral models of interactive systems using formal description techniques provide complete and unambiguous descriptions of states and state changes, it does not provide explicit representation of the absence or presence of properties. Assessing that the system that has been built is the right system remains a challenge usually met through extensive use and acceptance tests. By the explicit representation of properties and the availability of tools to support checking these properties, it becomes possible to provide developers with means for systematic exploration of the behavioral models and assessment of the presence or absence of these properties. This paper proposes the synergistic use two tools for checking both generic and specific properties of interactive applications: Petshop and Java PathFinder. Petshop is dedicated to the description of interactive system behavior. Java PathFinder is dedicated to the runtime verification of Java applications and as an extension dedicated to User Interfaces. This approach is exemplified on a safety critical application in the area of interactive cockpits for large civil aircrafts.
Formal Pattern Specifications to Facilitate Semi-automated User Interface Generation BIBAKFull-Text 300-309
  Jürgen Engel; Christian Märtin; Christian Herdin; Peter Forbrig
This paper depicts potentialities of formal HCI pattern specifications with regard to facilitate the semi-automated generation of user interfaces for interactive applications. In a first step existing proven and well accepted techniques in the field of model-based user interface development are highlighted and briefly reviewed. Subsequently it is discussed how we combine model-based and pattern-oriented methods within our user interface modeling and development framework in order to partly enable automated user interface generation. In this context a concrete pattern definition approach is introduced and illustrated with tangible examples from the domain of interactive knowledge sharing applications.
Keywords: HCI patterns; model-based user interface development; patternbased development; formalized pattern specification; user interface generation
A Mobile Application Flow Representation for Mutual Understanding of IT and Healthcare Professionals BIBAKFull-Text 310-319
  Yusuf Nasuh Erturan; Semih Bilgen; Gul Tokdemir; Nergiz E. Cagiltay; Ekrem Yildiz; Esra Özcebe
Ever since mobile applications were developed and became popular, they have started to take part in almost every field of our lives. Healthcare is one of the most popular fields that mobile applications have become a part of. However, development of mobile healthcare applications requires an inter-disciplinary work on which people from different domains should communicate. To do so efficiently, mobile application instructions should be provided as clearly as possible so that mutual understanding can be achieved. This study, aims to provide a methodology to provide the common grounds for healthcare and IT specialists so that to improve the satisfaction level of all the stakeholders of the system from the provided IT services and the end-user interfaces. In other words, by providing a better communication medium for the stakeholders during the design phase, we believe that software development process will be improved, so do their satisfaction from the developed system.
Keywords: Mobile healthcare; Communication gap; Representation guideline
Communicating Ideas in Computer-Supported Modeling Tasks: A Case Study with BPMN BIBAKFull-Text 320-329
  Juliana Jansen Ferreira; Clarisse Sieckenius de Souza
The communication role of models in Software Engineering is widely acknowledged. Models tell model users what model builders propose. Computer-supported modeling (CSMod) traditionally concentrates on helping users build models with various kinds of notations. Although such focus on 'representation' is obviously important for the overall 'communication' goal, some design features in CSMod tools may be yet unexplored. This paper presents a study with the use of ARIS EXPRESS in modeling tasks with Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). We report on how we combined various methods to analyze the way in which this tool supports 'communication through models'. Our findings articulate semiotic and cognitive aspects of notations with evidence provided by study participants during tasks and interviews. Our contribution lies not only in the findings, and how CSMod design can evolve in relatively unexplored ways, but also in our methodology, which we believe can be used in similar contexts.
Keywords: Computer-supported modeling; Semiotic engineering methods; Cognitive dimensions of notations; Discourse analysis; Communication; Modeling notation; BPMN
Semantic Execution of Subject-Oriented Process Models BIBAKFull-Text 330-339
  Albert Fleischmann; Werner Schmidt; Christian Stary
Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) are becoming increasingly important as tools to support people involved in the execution of business processes and to automate parts of it. As business processes involve several actors with varying backgrounds, workflow engines need to offer appropriate interfaces in order to be accepted and deliver the expected benefits. In this paper we present a structural interface design based on general user interface requirements and special properties of workflow systems, in particular of a subject-oriented workflow engine.
Keywords: Business process management; workflow systems; user interface; structural design; Subject-oriented BPM
Special Challenges for Models and Patterns in Smart Environments BIBAKFull-Text 340-349
  Peter Forbrig; Christian Märtin; Michael Zaki
Smart environments aim at inferring the intention of the user and based on that information, they offer optimal assistance for the users while performing their tasks. This paper discusses the role of supportive user interfaces for explicitly interacting with the environment in such cases where implicit interactions of the users fail or the users want to get informed about the state of the environment. It will be shown by small examples how patterns help to specify the intended support with implicit and explicit interactions. A notation for presentation patterns will be introduced that allows users dynamically to change the presentation style. It will be discussed how extended task models can be combined with presentation patterns and how this information can be used in supportive user interfaces on mobile devices.
Keywords: Smart Environment; model-based design; pattern; supportive user interface; task migratability; task pattern; presentation patter
Parallel Rendering of Human-Computer Interaction Industrial Applications on Multi-/Many-Core Platforms BIBAFull-Text 350-360
  Sven Hermann; Arquimedes Canedo; Lingyun (Max) Wang
Industrial Human Computer Interaction (Industrial HCI) devices are beginning the transition from single-core to multi-/many-core technology. In practice, improving the real-time response time of graphical user interface (GUI) applications in multi-/many-core is difficult. This paper presents a novel parallel rendering approach targeted to improve the performance of Industrial HCI applications in multi-/many-core technology. This is accomplished through the identification of coarse-grain parallelism during the application design, and the exploitation of fine-grain parallelism during runtime using a dynamic scheduling algorithm and true parallel execution of GUI workloads. Using a real benchmark application, we show that response time can be reduce by up to 217% in a quad-core processor.
A Logical Design Method for User Interface Using GUI Design Patterns BIBAKFull-Text 361-370
  Ichiro Hirata; Toshiki Yamaoka
This paper presents a discussion of method for user interface design using graphical user interface (GUI) design patterns. GUI design patterns are defined as "general operation and expression of embedded system products". Purpose of this study is to develop a user interface design efficient. GUI design patterns were extracted in embedded system products. Then, interviews were conducted with students and researchers in which the practical applicability of the extracted GUI design patterns. This process allowed the number of GUI design patterns to be narrowed down to 81 patterns. 81 patterns were analyzed using the cluster analysis, between them and classifies these objects into different 7 groups. The GUI design patterns, which were composed of 7 groups, divided into 4 layers. Finally, Design method using GUI design patterns was discussed. This proposed method is based on the Human Design Technology (HDT). HDT is a logical product development and UCD method easily accessible to anyone.
Keywords: User Interface; Design Pattern; Human Design Technology
Developing Mobile Apps Using Cross-Platform Frameworks: A Case Study BIBAKFull-Text 371-380
  Shah Rukh Humayoun; Stefan Ehrhart; Achim Ebert
In last few years, a huge variety of frameworks for the mobile cross-platform development have been released to deliver quick and overall better solutions. Most of them are based on different approaches and technologies; therefore, relying on only one for using in all cases is not recommendable. The diversity in smart-devices (i.e. smartphones and tablets) and in their hardware features; such as screen-resolution, processing power, etc.; as well as the availability of different mobile operating systems makes the process of mobile application development much complicated. In this work, we analyze few of these cross-platform development frameworks through developing three mobile apps on each of them as well as on the native Android and iOS environments. Moreover, we also performed a user evaluation study on these developed mobile apps to judge how users perceive the same mobile app developed in different frameworks and environments, from the native to the cross-platform environment. Results indicate that these frameworks are good alternative to the native platform implementations but a careful investigation is required before deciding to check whether the target framework supports the needed features in a stable way.
Keywords: Cross-platform development; mobile apps; iOS; Android; smart-device; smartphone; tablet; user evaluation
EMIL: A Rapid Prototyping Authoring Environment for the Design of Interactive Surface Applications BIBAKFull-Text 381-390
  Johannes Luderschmidt; Nadia Haubner; Simon Lehmann; Ralf Dörner
Interactive surfaces (IS) like digital tabletop systems offer a cornucopia of input possibilities like touch gestures or interaction with physical objects. Additionally, multiple users can interact simultaneously allowing for a collaborative setting. These aspects have increased the complexity of designing such interfaces as compared to WIMP interfaces. However, existing UI design approaches fall short of taking these aspects into account and existing design approaches for IS focus on software development. We introduce the EMIL environment that allows authors of design teams to create multi-touch and tangible user interfaces. In its core, EMIL consists of a software framework that provides interaction components (for instance, widgets like images or maps as well as interaction concepts like gestures) that are especially suited for IS. Authors like UI designers collaboratively create software prototypes directly at the IS without the need to write code. For this purpose, they use and adapt the components of the software framework in an authoring application. Authors collect and retrieve information about the interaction components in a knowledge database employing a tablet computer app. In a qualitative evaluation interview, EMIL has been well received by a design team of an advertising agency.
Keywords: interactive surfaces; multi-touch; tangible user interfaces; engineering of interactive systems
Extending the Information of Activity Diagrams with a User Input Classification BIBAKFull-Text 391-400
  Cindy Mayas; Stephan Hörold; Heidi Krömker
This paper presents an extended notation of actions in activity diagrams. The suggested method combines activity diagrams with a user input classification in order to support interdisciplinary teams, particularly in the early phases of development. In this way, the user input classification serves as a communication basis for user requirements, which is adapted to the needs of software engineers. The method is evaluated within a case study in a nationwide research project for public transport.
Keywords: activity diagram; actions; user input classification; public transport
Patterns and Models for Automated User Interface Construction -- In Search of the Missing Links BIBAKFull-Text 401-410
  Christian Märtin; Christian Herdin; Jürgen Engel
This paper starts with an analysis of current or proven model and pattern-based user interface development methods and techniques. It discusses how these approaches facilitate the construction process and enhance the overall flexibility, usability and user experience of the resulting software. It is shown that HCI patterns meanwhile can contribute heavily to all development aspects of interactive systems. In order to integrate patterns, task, dialog, and object-oriented models to further automate user interface construction, the paper tightly couples these seemingly disparate development paradigms to allow a more powerful interplay. Thereby some of the missing links are identified for letting the pattern-based automated generation of complex parts of high-quality and media-rich applications become a routine job. A well-known smart phone app is examined to demonstrate some steps of the new approach.
Keywords: Model-based user interface development (MBUID); HCI patterns; task models; object-oriented models; dialog models; embedded patterns; user interface generation
Evaluation of User Interface Description Languages for Model-Based User Interface Development in the German Automotive Industry BIBAKFull-Text 411-420
  Gerrit Meixner; Marius Orfgen; Moritz Kümmerling
Developing human-machine-interfaces (HMI) in the automotive industry is a time-consuming and complex task, involving different companies (car manufacturers, suppliers, translators, designers) and teams with different backgrounds. One way to improve the current problems arising from communication and documentation deficits is to formalize the specification to make it easier to read, to structure and to analyze. The project automotiveHMI aims to create a domain-specific modeling language for HMI development in the automotive industry. As part of the project, current specification processes and artifacts as well as the related roles were analyzed. During the analysis 18 criteria which should be fulfilled by a domain-specific modeling language have been identified. The criteria are used to evaluate existing modeling languages and to set objectives for the development of a new modeling language focusing the cross-company and cross-team development of model-based HMIs in the automotive industry.
Keywords: Automotive User Interface; Model-Based User Interface Development; Task Analysis; User Roles
An Empirical Study on Immersive Prototyping Dimensions BIBAKFull-Text 421-430
  Samuel Moreira; Rui José; José Creissac Campos
Many aspects of the human experience of ubiquitous computing in built environments must be explored in the context of the target environment. However, delaying evaluation until a version of the system can be deployed can make redesign too costly. Prototypes have the potential to solve this problem by enabling evaluation before actual deployment. This paper presents a study of the design space of immersive prototyping for ubiquitous computing. It provides a framework to guide the alignment between specific evaluation goals and specific prototype properties. The goal is to understand the potential added-value of 3D simulation as a prototyping tool in the development process of ubiquitous computing environments.
Keywords: 3D environments; prototyping; ubiquitous computing
From Multicultural Agents to Culture-Aware Robots BIBAFull-Text 431-440
  Matthias Rehm
In our work on developing multicultural agents we have primarily relied on the analysis of video recordings of multimodal face to face interactions between humans, where the videos have been collected in different cultures. This posed some questions concerning the cultural biases of the analysis due to the cultural background of the annotators. For the development of culture-aware robots we have now adopted a strategy that takes this cultural bias into account as a feature of the development process by integrating the potential user groups from different cultures into this process. We exemplify this approach with a case study on affective body movements for a humanoid robot.
Note: Best paper award
Visual Interfaces Design Simplification through Components Reuse BIBAKFull-Text 441-450
  Javier Rodeiro-Iglesias; Pedro M. Teixeira-Faria
One way to simplify a visual interface creating process is to give to the interface designer the ability of reusing pre-built visual components representations. In order to avoid premature commitment to specific presentations, and leaves open the prospect of alternative visual presentations for different environments, abstract interaction objects (AIOs) can be used. One of these AIOs is the complex component, which is a component representation having similarity properties with the object-oriented paradigm. This type of component embraces the reuse concept at semantic and functional levels, which contributes to reduce the complexity in the graphical user interface design process. Further advantages of using complex components are the possibility of visual and functional customization of these components, which greatly improves the versatility of them when compared with a widget.
Keywords: Abstract Interaction Objects; Complex Components; Visual User Interface Components Reuse
Established and Innovative Facets of Interactive Prototypes -- A Case Study BIBAKFull-Text 451-459
  Sebastian C. Scholz; Dieter Wallach
In this paper we highlight four facets of interactive prototypes in user-centered design approaches. After reflecting on their established role in the design and validation phases, we consider recent innovative uses of prototypes in communicating with development/bidders and also to enhance training. To illustrate our experiences, we draw upon a recent successfully completed redesign project in the field of electrical engineering.
Keywords: user-centered design; prototyping; iterative design; empirical validation; delivery; education; e-Learning; innovation; integration; case study; development support
Multi-level Communicability Evaluation of a Prototyping Tool BIBAKFull-Text 460-469
  Vinícius Segura; Fabiana Simões; Gabriel Sotero; Simone Diniz Junqueira Barbosa
Semiotic engineering views human-computer interaction as a form of human communication between designers and users, mediated by a computer system. If we consider a design application, such as a prototyping tool, this communication is about the construction of a second communication, one between the user of the prototyping tool (in the role of the designer) and another user, who will interact with the system being designed. This article explores an extension to the Communicability Evaluation Method for design tools. This extension focuses not only on considering the kinds of communicability breakdowns, but also on what abstraction level they occur.
Keywords: semiotic engineering; communicability evaluation; prototyping tools
Participatory Action Research in Software Development: Indigenous Knowledge Management Systems Case Study BIBAKFull-Text 470-479
  Siang-Ting Siew; Alvin W. Yeo; Tariq Zaman
Participatory action Research In Software Methodology Augmentation (PRISMA) is a software development methodology which has been amalgamated with Participatory Action Research (PAR). This paper justifies the inclusion of PAR in software development, and describes the PRISMA methodology vis-á-vis a case study. Specifically, the case study encompasses the development of eToro, an Indigenous Knowledge Management System for the Penans, a remote and rural community in Malaysian Borneo.
Keywords: Participatory Action Research; Software Development; PRISMA; Penans; Indigenous Botanical Knowledge Management; Remote Malaysian Borneo
Enhanced 3D Sketch System Incorporating "Life-Size" and "Operability" Functions BIBAKFull-Text 480-489
  Shun'ichi Tano; Naofumi Kanayama; Xinpeng Huang; Junko Ichino; Tomonori Hashiyama; Mitsuru Iwata
We have been studying the use of "rich media" to support creative and intelligent human activities. Over the past ten years we have focused on the 3D space as one of "rich media" and have developed many sketch systems that support the design of 3D objects. However, long-term evaluation has revealed that they are not used by designers in the field on an ongoing basis. Even worse, they are treated as if they were merely attractions in an amusement park. The fundamental problem was the lack of an indispensable function that needs a 3D space. To overcome this problem, we previously developed a system that incorporates two new functions, "life-size" and "operability," to make a 3D sketch system that is indispensable to designers. We have now enhanced the system by extending these two functions to overcome problems identified in the previous system.
Keywords: 3D sketch; Life-size; Operability; Professional designer; Mixed reality
An Interface Prototyper Supporting Free Design Components Specification BIBAKFull-Text 490-499
  Pedro M. Teixeira-Faria; Javier Rodeiro-Iglesias
Complex components allow increasing the abstraction in a visual interface specification process, with independence of any platform or programming language to represent an user interface. In order to support this type of components a XML specification was created which allows specifying components visual appearance, composition and dialog. It provides a user interface abstraction to free design components (without any dependency of libraries of predesigned user interface components -- toolkits). All information containing in the specification allows showing what will be the user interface final visual aspect, using a handmade or a computer technique (this is the objective of this paper). Using complex components, being incrementally more complex, simplifies the user interface designing and prototyping processes. In order to demonstrate the possibility to show the visual appearance of an interface and to validate the specification, a prototype to visualize any user interface specified using UIFD was created.
Keywords: User Interface Prototyper; Visual Appearance; User Interface Free Designer
Structured Scenario-Based Design Method for Experience Vision BIBAKFull-Text 500-509
  Yoshihiro Ueda; Kentaro Go; Katsumi Takahashi; Seiji Hayakawa; Kazuhiko Yamazaki; Koji Yanagida
Experience Vision is a comprehensive design method to innovative services, systems and products which reflect upon potential stakeholders' experiences and company mission and vision. It encompasses the entire human-centered design process and presents a new vision with experiential value for both the user and business sides. It then produces users' values, activities, and interactions in scenario format as part of design activities. It finally specifies requirements specifications for the innovative services, systems and products. In this paper, we introduce a Structured Scenario-Based Design Method (SSBDM) as part of Experience Vision. SSBDM employs personas and scenarios as human-centered representations for the innovative services, systems, and products. It contains three layers of scenarios: value scenario, activity scenario, and interaction scenario. Using an example of its application in a household account book, we demonstrate how the three layers of scenarios are specified and evaluated in SSBDM.
Keywords: experience vision; service design; scenario; scenario-based design
Requirements for a Definition of Generative User Interface Patterns BIBAKFull-Text 510-520
  Stefan Wendler; Ilka Philippow
Patterns for visual GUI design propagate the specification of user interfaces with proven usability and motivate model-based development processes with increased reuse of GUI component compositions. However, a common structure, that captures all the reusability and variability demands, neither has been established for the descriptive form nor the generative kind of user interface patterns. Dedicated GUI specification languages like UIML and UsiXML fail to express pattern definitions that can be instantiated in varying contexts. Thus, model-based processes are required to introduce own media to store those patterns. With our approach, we review the state of the art for generative user interface pattern definition and derive requirements which we refine by a Global Analysis. Finally, we developed a model that accommodates primary factors and their impacts towards the concept for a more sophisticated generative user interface pattern definition.
Keywords: HCI patterns; user interface patterns; GUI generation
Characterizing Incidents Reporting Systems across Applications Domains BIBAKFull-Text 521-530
  Marco Winckler; Cédric Bach; Regina Bernhaupt
Incident reporting is a very well-known technique in application domains such as air traffic management and health, where specialized users are trained to provide detailed information about problems. Incident reporting systems are indeed complex systems that include many actors including the users reporting incidents, user's colleagues and neighbors, stakeholders, policymakers, systems integrations. Incident report systems might change (positively or negatively) the users' environment in many ways. In recent years, this kind of technique has been also been used in crisis management such as the hurricane Katrina. However, despite the fact that incident reporting systems using mobile technology are becoming more common, little is known about its actual use by the general population and which factors affect the user experience when using such system. In this paper we discuss the use of incident reporting system in critical context of use. In this paper we discuss the use of incident reporting system in several application domains. In particular we report findings in terms of dimensions that are aimed to identify social and technical aspects that can affect the design, development and use of incident reporting systems.
Keywords: Incident reporting; mobility; geo-localization; user interface patterns; m-government; e-government
Method Format for Experience Vision BIBAKFull-Text 531-539
  Koji Yanagida; Yoshihiro Ueda; Kentaro Go; Katsumi Takahashi; Seiji Hayakawa; Kazuhiko Yamazaki
The "Experience Vision: Vision Centered Design Method" is a comprehensive method which makes it possible to propose new and innovative products, systems and services that are currently unavailable, as well as proposing advances for those that currently exist. It encompasses the entire HCD (Human Centered Design) process, and presents a new vision with experiential value for both user and business from an HCD viewpoint.
   This paper discusses a set of eight formats developed as a practical design tool for implementing this method. They include Goal setting of the project, Intrinsic user value, Policy of business value, Persona, Value scenario, Activity scenario, Interaction scenario and Experience vision (summary). Case studies showed effectiveness and usefulness of the formats as a design tool for this method.
Keywords: experience vision; vision centered design method; structured scenario
Case Study for Experience Vision Designing Notebook PC BIBAKFull-Text 540-546
  Der-Jang Yu; Ming-Chuen Chuang; Steven Tseng
It is challenging to do a thorough user-centered innovation process in the PC industry due to the very fast paced product development cycle and the nature of how innovations are usually technology driven. User-centered innovation activities can be held before the start of each project to overcome these challenges. And in the end, applications of technology must be able to be traced back to user insights. User Experience Innovation Process (UXIP), a three-phase innovation process is proposed in this paper. UXIP can help incorporating the Experience Vision approach into the PC industry. This process is consisted of three phases: research, create, and strategy. During the process, sets of flashcard that captures user insights and concept scenarios are used. Through the innovation tools, new user experience-based and technology-related concepts can be captured early on. UXIP was able to help companies save time and make better decisions. The results were remarkable. The company was able to lunch incredibly innovative PC products in a very short period of time since the concepts behind the product were already produced a year before hands.
Keywords: User experience; scenario-based design; product innovation

Aesthetics and Kansei in HCI

Investigating the Effects of Font Styles on Perceived Visual Aesthetics of Website Interface Design BIBAKFull-Text 549-554
  Ahamed Altaboli
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the two font styles (serif and sans-serif) on the users' perception of visual aesthetics of website interface design. Two font types were tests in this study, namely: "Time News Roman" representing the "serif" style and "Calibri" representing the "sans-serif" style. They were chosen because they are two of the widely used font types on the web and because they are the default font types of many of the most popular word processing and web developing software. Analysis of results showed that font type has a statistically significant effect on perceived visual aesthetics. The designs with the Time New Roman font was perceived as having better visual aesthetics. However, this effect was only significant on the overall perception of visual aesthetics; it wasn't significant in each of the four facets of visual aesthetics tested in this study.
Keywords: font style; font type; perceived visual aesthetics; website interface design
A Color Schemer for Webpage Design Using Interactive Mood Board BIBAKFull-Text 555-564
  Zhenyu Gu; Zhanwei Wu; Jiamin Yu; Jian Lou
In this paper, we present a web tool called Webpage Color Schemer (WCS), which enables people to easily redefine an existing webpage's color scheme. WCS can adapt the webpage's color scheme towards a new visual effect expressed nonverbally with an interactive mood board, which is actually a collage of sample images or design examples reflecting designer's preference.
   WCS is simple and fun to use. It has two major functionalities: an interactive mood board with a color quantization algorithm for extracting color themes; A genetic algorithm for generating best assignment of the theme colors from the mood board to the web page, with respect to necessary design objectives. The objectives are formulated as fitness functions for the evolutionary optimization. Our initial experiments show that three fitness functions are essential for the color scheme optimization: histogram evaluator, contrast evaluator and harmony evaluator, to make sure the scheme has a preferable color tone, legible contrast ratio and harmonious color matching, respectively. The evaluators are generally devised in the light of some well-established color design theories. Some efforts of this research, however, has moved towards using computational model to uncover design knowledge depositing in large set of design cases. WCS uses a kind of RBF network predicting proper contrast ratio of certain class of page elements, regarding its measurable features and context. The performance of the model is encouraging.
Keywords: Website color; Adaptive webpage scheme; CSS
Study on Effects of Text Decoration for a Text Based Communication Tool in Education BIBAKFull-Text 565-574
  Masateru Hishina; Katsuaki Miike; Nobutake Asaba; Satoru Murakami; Yuichi Ohkawa; Takashi Mitsuishi
In this paper, the authors have focused on effects of text decoration function on text based communication system in education. In recent years, chance of the text based communications between a teacher and students in face-to-face lessons has increased. However, there are few investigations of the effects mounting text decoration function in education. Therefore, the authors performed the experiment to investigate effects of text decoration function using text based communication system in face-to-face lessons. As a result of the experiment, it was clarified that there are a wide variety of the expressions in text messages, which made by students using text decoration function. And most of them have felt strongly the necessity of text decoration function. Furthermore, it was clarified that several in them felt "Interest for the text decoration" and "Affinity with the teacher".
Keywords: decoration; text; message; expression; necessity; interest; affinity
Ease of Icon Processing Can Predict Icon Appeal BIBAKFull-Text 575-584
  Siné McDougall; Irene Reppa
Correlations between subjective ratings of interface usability and appeal have been frequently reported. This study examined the possibility that the relationship between usability and appeal are underpinned by implicit perceptions of ease of processing which act as a heuristic in making judgments of appeal. Ease of processing was manipulated by varying the amount of experience participants gained with icons in a search task prior to judging appeal, as well as varying the familiarity and visual complexity of the icons presented. These manipulations systematically affected response times in the search task (an objective measure of usability). The effects observed in appeal judgments followed the same pattern as for search times, demonstrating that ease of processing predicts judgments of appeal. This suggests that our understanding of interface appeal needs to be predicated on an appreciation of the factors affecting the ease with which information on an interface is processed.
Keywords: Interface appeal; usability; processing fluency; icons
Basic Study on Kawaii Feeling of Material Perception BIBAKFull-Text 585-592
  Michiko Ohkura; Tsuyoshi Komatsu
In the 21st century, the importance of kansei (affective) values has been recognized. However, since few studies have focused on kawaii as a kansei value, we are researching its physical attributes of artificial products. We previously performed experiments on kawaii shapes, colors, and sizes. This article describes our experimental results on kawaii feelings in material perception using virtual objects with various visual textures and actual materials with various tactile textures.
Keywords: kansei (Affective) value; kawaii; texture; visual sensation; tactile sensation
Centrality of Visual Aesthetics in the Online Context: An Assessment and Empirical Evidence BIBAKFull-Text 593-600
  Supavich Pengnate; Rathindra Sarathy; Todd Arnold
This research investigates individual differences in the centrality of visual aesthetics (CVA) in the online context. The study examines the influence of CVA on online user responses, namely perception of website visual appeal, trust, and intention to use websites. A series of three experiments provide evidence that CVA influence user responses, especially when users' CVA is assessed by the indirect measure developed in this study. The results indicate that the impact of CVA on user responses is stronger among users with high CVA than those with low CVA, and especially when the users are exposed to website with relatively low visual appeal.
Keywords: Centrality of Visual Aesthetics; Website Design; Visual Appeal; Trust; Intention to Use
The Feeling of Kawaii Is a Function of Interaction BIBAKFull-Text 601-610
  Hisao Shiizuka
The author discusses the structure of the feeling of kawaii to clarify that it is a function of interaction. Interaction in this paper has a broader meaning, which is communication between a character and a person, while its general definition is mutual communication between a person and a person, or a person and a machine (computer). Clarification of the structure of the kawaii system is also useful in specific system structures in terms of engineering. The main outcome of this paper is a conclusion, based on a discussion of interaction and sensitivity, that interaction occurs where the recipient's sensitivity resonates with the sender's sensitivity, and consequently, its inclusive relation with the factors around kawaii is elucidated.
Keywords: Kawaii; interaction; sensitivity; visual communication
Comparison of Kansei Information between Joyful and Happy Expressions in Dance BIBAFull-Text 611-619
  Nao Shikanai; Kozaburo Hachimura
This research was designed to investigate the relationships between Kansei information and movement characteristics in dance. The purpose is to specify the parameters contributing to the perception and identification of joy and happiness from dance movements. Professional and expert dancers expressed joy and happiness without using facial expressions. For capturing and recording expressions, we used a 3D motion capture system and digital video cameras. There were 54 observers who rated 50 items of Kansei information in both expressions. The results showed the scores of Kansei information for joyful expressions -- happy, dynamic, energetic, strong, accelerated, decelerated, extended, high, asymmetrical, fast, accented, big, down, and sudden -- were higher than those for happy expressions. We calculated acceleration for kinematic features, and the results showed that acceleration in joyful expressions was higher than in happy expressions. Our findings demonstrated the differences in strength of movements and emotions between joyful and happy expressions in dance.
Study of Kawaii-ness in Motion -- Physical Properties of Kawaii Motion of Roomba BIBAKFull-Text 620-629
  Shohei Sugano; Yutaka Miyaji; Ken Tomiyama
In this paper, as the second report of the study on Kawaii-ness in motion, we investigate the relationship between physical properties of motion and Kawaii-ness using Roomba. Kawaii is one of the representative concepts of Japan-original Kansei. First, we computed parameters of seven physical properties (position, velocity, acceleration, angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, and time) from three types of motions of Roomba used in the first study. Second, we composed 24 types of robot motions and asked the subjects to evaluate their impressions. We asked the subjects to answer the questionnaire consisting of the 20 pairing adjectives prepared according to the SD method. The extracted physical features in seven physical parameters in composed motions are correlated with the Kawaii-ness based on the result of the questionnaire. We report our findings in detail in this paper.
Keywords: Kawaii; Kansei values; Robot motion; Physical Property

HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 2

HCI in Healthcare

Software Engineering in Telehealth, an Extension of Sana Mobile Applied to the Process of a Routine Hospital BIBAKFull-Text 3-12
  Alfredo Veiga de Carvalho; Carlos José Pereira de Lucena; Elder José Reioli Cirilo; Paulo Henrique Cardoso Alves; Pedro Augusto da Silva e Souza Miranda; Gustavo Robichez de Carvalho; Fábio Rodrigo Lopes de Araújo; Gabriel Vial Correa Lima
The patient's medical record, containing the reasons for hospitalization, clinical evolution, laboratory tests, prescription drugs and other relevant information is of utmost importance to medical management care. Information technology plays a key role in communicating and disseminating the patient's clinical data [1]. The Sana Mobile, originally developed by MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for mobile platform, consists of an open source electronic medical record. It has revolutionized the delivery of healthcare services in remote areas in a clear and objective way [2]. The mobile device stores Sana medical data, text files, audio and video containing patient's clinical information while transmitting data over the mobile platform to a web server, the Open Medical Record System -- OpenMRS. This system gathers information about medications, diagnoses, and others crucial data from a patient, making them available to consultations by many medical experts.
   Our tests with Sana Mobile -- OpenMRS focus on the development of an experimental extension of this mobile platform and its use in supporting education and training of medical students encompassing routine free ambulatory care and multidisciplinary research project. Participating in this study are researches and students of Software Engineering, Medicine and Design, respectively Software Engineering Lab -- LES of the Department of Informatics of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro -- PUC-Rio, the School of Medicine and Surgery of the State University of Rio de Janeiro -- UNIRIO which includes Gaffrée and Guinle University Hospital -- HUGG, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Usability -- LEUI of the Department of Arts and Design at PUC-Rio, under the coordination of LES.
Keywords: Software Engineering; Multidisciplinarity; Telemedicine; Learning; Mobility; Usability; Collaboration
Cross Cultural Design Considerations in HealthCare BIBAKFull-Text 13-19
  Joyram Chakraborty
Increasing number of health care providers are leveraging the power of technology to provide access to medical practitioners and patients on a global scale. However, there is limited research in the area of cross cultural design of the tools being used. This paper presents a work-in-progress in the area of cross cultural design of health care tools. The main interest is to outline some of the cross cultural challenges of designing and implementing healthcare tools on a global scale and some possible solutions.
Keywords: Healthcare; Cross-Cultural; User Experience; Usability
Designing Copresent Cycling Experience BIBAFull-Text 20-25
  Yun-Maw Cheng; Wei-Ju Chen; Tong-Ying Wu; Frode Eika Sandnes; Chris Johnson; Chao-Yang Yang
There has been much UbiComp research into motivating people to live more active and healthy lifestyle with sports. The idea behind these approaches is centered on social and peer effects in enhancing exercise adherence. While research of this kind has been prolific, there has very little work been done to identify factors that embody comfortable and informed accompanied exercise experience. This paper takes an increasingly attractive cycling theme as a testbed and proposes an unobtrusive and intuitive interface arrangement based on light. It can create a sense of being together with each other for distant apart cyclists. The initial results yield a good level of comprehension and motivation towards the use of the interface. The hope is that the elicited recommendations can guide the design of UbiComp technologies for social motivational physical exercises.
Achieving Electronic Health Record Access from the Cloud BIBAKFull-Text 26-35
  Brian Coats; Subrata Acharya
There is an impending requirement for healthcare providers to enable widespread access to their electronic health record systems for the patients they serve. Programs such as the Department of Health and Human Services' Meaningful Use are providing monetary incentives to providers for offering this type of access but affording virtually no guidance as to how it could be accomplished. This research proposes a solution to this challenge by creating a flexible, proven framework that sets the stage for ubiquitous patient access to electronic health records, while preserving security and privacy. Using technologies such as OpenID and federated authentication, this research establishes a standardized approach for healthcare providers to follow to bridge their EHR systems to the Cloud and offer the type of pervasive electronic access the connected world demands.
Keywords: Healthcare Information Security; Identity Assurance; OpenID; Portable Identity; Identity Management; Federated Authentication
User Requirements for the Development of Smartphone Self-reporting Applications in Healthcare BIBAKFull-Text 36-45
  Michael P. Craven; Kirusnapillai Selvarajah; Robert Miles; Holger Schnädelbach; Adam Massey; Kavita Vedhara; Nicholas Raine-Fenning; John Crowe
Two case studies of the development of Smartphone self-reporting mHealth applications are described: a wellness diary for asthma management combined with Bluetooth pulse oximeter and manual peak flow measurements; and a questionnaire for ecological assessment of distress during fertility treatment. Results are presented of user experiences with the self-reporting application and the capture of physiological measurements in the case of the asthma diary project and the findings from a phone audit at an early stage of design in the case of the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) study. Issues raised by ethics committees are also discussed. It is concluded that the optimal adoption of Smartphone self-reporting applications will require a good appreciation of user and ethics panel requirements at an early stage in their development, so that the correct design choices can be made.
Keywords: mHealth; Self-monitoring; Adherence; User experience; Consumer and User; Ecological interfaces; Evaluation methods and techniques; Human Centered Design and User Centered Design; Human Factors Engineering Approach; Meaningfulness and Satisfaction; New Technology and its Usefulness
Electronic Health Records: A Case Study of an Implementation BIBAKFull-Text 46-55
  Guillaume Cusseau; Jon Grinsell; Christopher Wenzel; Fan Zhao
Since healthcare institutions have to manage efficiently many terabytes of data on their patients, they need tools that allow them to have an easy access to their data and that enable them to share their data with every specialist involved in the treatment of a patient. That's why they increasingly adopt EMR and EHR systems. As they are quite recent systems, healthcare institutions usually lack of experience to implement these systems. The purpose of this paper is to do a case study on the implementation of an EHR system in a local healthcare institution, and then to analyze this case study to give directions so as to avoid some arising issues.
Keywords: EHR; EMR; Implementation; Case Study
Healthcare Interoperability: CDA Documents Consolidation Using Transport Record Summary (TRS) Construction BIBAKFull-Text 56-65
  Philip DePalo; Kyung Eun Park; Yeong-Tae Song
Thanks to recent medical record standards and distributed technology, the exchange of medical documents has become readily available. Healthcare institutions are able to share documents with other providers; however, patients who require medical transport are still subject to rudimentary exchange of information through verbal reports and outdated hand written medical notes. An ongoing exchange of medical documents between patient transport units and the facilities they serve would help reduce medical errors. Our approach searches for available documents that are relevant to the patients' current conditions based on medical coding within these documents, clinical document architecture (CDA) documents, using HL7 message exchange mechanism in SOAP envelopes. These CDA documents are then consolidated into a single transport record summary (TRS) document to filter out redundancies and provide destination medical service provider with the most pertinent information that is readily accessible to both human and machine. In a time critical environment, access to multiple documents from difference sources is not likely feasible. For this reason, we proposes a CDA document consolidation tool, the TRS Constructor, which creates a TRS by querying and analyzing patient's multiple CDA documents. The new TRS will be registered into the Health Information Exchange (HIE) environment for cross-reference across healthcare facilities and other providers.
Keywords: Enterprise architecture; electronic health records (EHR); electronic health record; hospital IT management; health information technology; interoperability; clinical document architecture (CDA); Health Level Seven (HL7); Transport Record Summary (TRS)
Designing, Implementing and Testing a Mobile Application to Assist with Pediatric-to-Adult Health Care Transition BIBAKFull-Text 66-75
  Jeremy Dixon; Josh Dehlinger; Shannan DeLany Dixon
As development of mobile applications continues to expand, accessibility and utility for users who are differently-abled will become essential. One aspect that impacts a large portion of the differently-abled population is the process of medical transition. Medical transition for patients with chronic diseases from pediatric-based care to adult-based care is one that has been studied, developed and implemented for a number of years; recently, it has become a top priority in healthcare. Due to the complexities of the transition process, a well-designed, intuitive mobile application may improve the standardization and ease of care for these patients. This paper proposes and analyzes the design for a mobile transition navigator application (MTNA) while taking into account some of the most common considerations when working with differently-abled users. Specifically, three aspects of mobile application design are examined: (1) mobile user interfaces are different than traditional interfaces; 2. a variety of mobile platforms exist; and, 3. mobile platforms generate benefits and concerns such as the wide variety of screen sizes and resolutions.
Keywords: mobile applications; differently-abled technologies; human-computer interaction; accessibility
Study on Relationship between Foot Pressure Pattern and Hallux Valgus (HV) Progression BIBAKFull-Text 76-83
  Saba Eshraghi; Ibrahim Esat; Pooyan Rahmanivahid; Mahshid Yazdifar; Mona Eshraghi; Amir Mohagheghi; Sara Horne
Hallux valgus is one of the most common foot deformities. Plantar pressure technologies are used widely for determination of biomechanical changes in foot during walking. There are already published claims relating to the pressure distribution of HV condition. However some of these claims are disputed and challenged. Although, disputed or otherwise, association of HV to sole pressure widely presented as a means of identifying such condition. Or knowing that HV exist, establishing what kind of pressure variation is expected may lead to better foot wear design for HV patients. Despite of extensive work on sole pressure patterns of patients, there has been no reported work found on conditions which leads to HV. Considering the fact that 23% of adults develop such condition during their life time, understanding HV is badly needed.
   To have better understanding of how plantar pressure patterns can be linked to the deformity progression or existence, extracting some patterns out of force and pressure measurements can be beneficial in recognising the patients with and without deformity during their gait cycle. We examined the dynamic changes of the forces that applied to the whole sole of the feet in control group and in the patients group when they walked at different speeds.
   It was observed for those with HV condition having higher forces on 2nd and 3rd metatarsal heads, and less force on the 1st metatarsal head compared to those without the condition. Although this finding was previously reported in the literature what was new was the fact that, speed of walking shown to have a significant influences on plantar force distribution. This finding in itself is significant as no sole pressure distribution given in conjunction with walking speed in the past.
   It was observed that there was significant variability of pressure distribution of the same individual from one trial to another indicating that getting consistent pressure pattern is an important hurdle to overcome. After many trials individuals' walking regulated giving consistent readings. After achieving this, it was further discovered that pressure pattern very much depended on walking speed. Considering the fact that inconsistency of pressure of unregulated (casual) walking and variability of due to speed raises doubts of validity of previously published work on HV which ignored such factors. Having said that, in our studies too, raised loading is observed on Metatarsal 2 and, 3 although it was not possible to give statistical significance to these finding. Although the loading on metatarsal 2 and 3 may indicate existence of HV, in authors' opinion, there is little chance of using pressure pattern as a predictive tool as no such pressure increase observed on those appeared to be at the start of HV condition or any individual with normal feet.
Keywords: Hallux Valgus; Force pressure pattern
A Server-Based System Supporting Motor Learning through Real-Time and Reflective Learning Activities BIBAKFull-Text 84-93
  Naka Gotoda; Yoshihisa Sakurai; Kenji Matsuura; Koji Nakagawa; Chikara Miyaji
This paper describes a design of training-diary system intended for motor learning regarding daily outdoor activities including sports. As for motor skill, both monitoring and advising based on the key points which are hard to obtain, are significant factors for improving such motor skills. The points comprise the timing of advice and content. Therefore, we propose a system which automatically generates coaching materials based on real-time monitoring data. It aims to become helpful in finding out such points. During training, the server provides learners and the coaches with an annotation on timeline messages of a mobile-device application by adjustable biomechanical/physiological threshold parameters while receiving the data via the mobile device with wireless sensors. After training, s/he can reflect the reconstructed annotations as diary for next training. Thus, the learners can discuss the key points with the coaches through a trial and error process concerning the threshold adjustment.
Keywords: Bio-feedback; remote coaching; wireless sensor; annotation; content management system
Usability Evaluation of a Voluntary Patient Safety Reporting System: Understanding the Difference between Predicted and Observed Time Values by Retrospective Think-Aloud Protocols BIBAKFull-Text 94-100
  Lei Hua; Yang Gong
The study evaluated the usability of a voluntary patient safety reporting system using two established methods of cognitive task analysis and retrospective think-aloud protocols. Two usability experts and ten end users were employed in two separated experiments, and predicted and observed task execution times were obtained for comparison purpose. According to the results, mental operations contributed to the major effort in reporting. The significant time differences were identified that pointed out the difficulty in human cognition as users interacted with the system. At last, the data collected by retrospective think-aloud technique, e.g. the response consistency on structured questions and the user's attitudes, revealed the frequent usability problems impeding completion of a quality report.
Keywords: patient safety; voluntary reporting; cognitive task analysis; retrospective think-aloud
Usability in RFP's: The Current Practice and Outline for the Future BIBAKFull-Text 101-106
  Timo Jokela; Juha Laine; Marko Nieminen
Studies show that healthcare and other government systems suffer from poor usability. In this research, we aim to understand the reasons and propose solutions to this problem. We conclude so far that (1) the critical phase where to address usability in government system development contracting is request for proposals (RFP), (2) the appropriate place for usability in a RFP is requirements rather than selection criteria and (3) usability requirements should based on user performance, rather than on design principles, usability guidelines, process requirements, or such. We find that defining user performance based usability requirements is a challenging task and a most relevant subject for further research.
Keywords: Usability; government systems; RFP; request for proposals; usability requirements; performance requirements; process requirements; design requirements; usability measures
Design and Interface Considerations for Web-Enabled Data Management in Civil Infrastructure Health Monitoring BIBAFull-Text 107-116
  David E. Kosnik; Lawrence J. Henschen
We present principles and techniques for design of Web-enabled data aggregation, storage, and visualization software for structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure: the process of collecting and analyzing sensor data related to the condition or behavior of constructed facilities (e.g., bridges, dams, tunnels) to promote safe and efficient service at a reasonable cost. Due to widely variable user requirements and the vast range of data types and display methods required, good human-computer interfaces for engineering applications are still difficult to design and implement, and continue to be constructed in more-or-less ad hoc manners. We approach human-computer interaction in the civil engineering domain through common HCI methods, such as user interviews, use case design and analysis, representation in UML, and so on. However, this paper is focused on two special techniques that are not commonly found in HCI development: (1) a rigorous analysis of the nature of the data and how it will be used, and (2) a general method for sending data into functions for display on the user interface. The addition of two techniques like the above adds new tools to the engineering HCI toolkit and increases HCI designers' ability to meet the needs of engineers who examine large volumes of engineering data.
Empowering Young Adolescents to Choose the Healthy Lifestyle: A Persuasive Intervention Using Mobile Phones BIBAKFull-Text 117-126
  Lies Kroes; Suleman Shahid
Overweight is one of the major health problems in the Netherlands. Young adolescents with a lower socioeconomic background are especially vulnerable to overweight. This study examines the potential of mobile applications to influence the unhealthy behaviour of young adolescents. A mobile application is proposed to assist in the prevention of overweight using persuasive technology. The application encourages young adolescents to increase fruit consumption and decrease snack consumption. Results of the evaluation show that participants perceive the app as easy to use and useful. Overall, participants showed a more positive attitude and self-efficacy regarding the consumption of fruit, and a more negative attitude towards snacks, which is subsequently expected to influence their behaviour in the long term. According to participants, social influences generated by the app further contribute to this change in attitude and behaviour.
Keywords: Persuasive technology; overweight; behaviour change; attitude - social influence - efficacy model; Fogg's behaviour model; theory of change
Telemedicine and Design: Relationships that Create Opportunities BIBAKFull-Text 127-133
  Carlos Alberto Pereira de Lucena; Claudia Renata Mont'Alvão; Felipe Pierantoni; Leonardo Frajhof
Every Project that involves Design in its process requires the gathering of information related to the current contexto, the technologies involved and concepts to be approached. In this research, the first step after the delimitation of the scope of the project was to develop a profound analysis of the related areas to Design. In accordance to this procedure, it became possible to start understanding the relationship between different areas. Telemedicine being the central issue of this research, it becomes necessary to limit its connections with the other areas, such as Design. To begin with, it is necessary to explain the topics of interest of the researchers: Design, HCI (Human-Computer interaction) and ergonomics. From this point on, it could be added the interest in areas such as collaborative learning and mobility, that could influence the paths of the research. Moving forward, such concepts can be explored.
Keywords: Human Centered Design; Design; Telemedicine; Collaborative Learning; Mobility
A Proposal of the New System Model for Nursing Skill Learning Based on Cognition and Technique BIBAKFull-Text 134-143
  Yukie Majima; Yasuko Maekawa; Masato Soga; Masayuki Sakoda
It is necessary to acquire not only specialized knowledge but also appropriate nursing skills in nursing education. In this paper, we propose an e-learning system model to support a high level of technique learning, such as "tacit knowledge" and "proficient art" in nursing skills, which have been heretofore learned only from experience. This e-learning system enables self-learning in addition to intellectual learning, thereby enhancing knowledge of procedures and understanding of nursing skills. The results of evaluation experiments showed that each system had learning effects. However, simultaneously, they indicated the importance of the capability of self-training with actual trial-and-error to acquire skills. For that reason, adding "check point learning" to the already developed cognitive learning support system as a new function, we made improvements to provide nursing skills training covering detailed items. Based on this, we propose step-by-step learning after completing learning in the cognitive domain through spiral learning, which is the first step (from intellectual learning support to skill learning support again to intellectual learning support), learners move on to the second step (technique learning support) in a phased manner. We think that other evaluation given by instructors by checking between the first and second steps, as well as checking self-leaning, reduces the sense of loneliness, which is a common pitfall an e-learning, and which provides satisfaction with self-learning outcomes and a motivation for additional learning development.
Keywords: Nursing skill; E-learning; Cognition; Tacit knowledge; Finger motion capture
Usability Testing for e-health Application: A Case Study for Sana/Open MRS BIBAKFull-Text 144-149
  Claudia Renata Mont'Alvão; Felipe Pierantoni; Carlos Alberto Pereira de Lucena
This paper presents the conduction of a usability test with users of Sana/ Open MRS system. These users are Medicine students that performed four tasks, using distinct scenarios. As part of a bigger research, the objective of this procedure was evaluating user's opinions and from these results, supports system developers in new interfaces.
Keywords: e-health; usability testing; user's evaluation
Introducing Emotional Interfaces to Healthcare Systems BIBAKFull-Text 150-162
  Rangarajan Parthasarathy; Xiaowen Fang
The use of healthcare websites is gaining importance in the United States. It is conceivable that when using healthcare websites, the users may not be in a happy or euphoric emotional state, and would like to be comforted. In this paper, we argue that using emotional interfaces in healthcare systems will attract users, and motivate them to stay, participate and return. We suggest a possible future state for emotional interfaces in healthcare systems. In this context, we present a review of relevant theories and research studies from Computer Science and Psychology, and a subjective ranking of some well-known healthcare websites in the United States with respect to their hedonic and emotional values. Lastly, we discuss our proposal for developing emotional interfaces for healthcare websites.
Keywords: Healthcare Websites; Hedonic Websites; Emotional Websites; Emotional Interfaces
Human Adequate Lighting in Optimal Healing Environments -- Measuring Non-visual Light Effects of a LED Light Source According to German Draft Pre-standard DIN SPEC 5031-100:2012 BIBAKFull-Text 163-172
  Herbert Plischke; Christoph Schierz; Peyton Paulick; Niko Kohls
Exposing human beings to natural light has many empirically and experimentally corroborated effects on health, well-being and quality of life. One important effect is the entrainment of the human "master clock" to the 24h rhythm of the solar day. In contrast, being surrounded by darkness during the night increases blood levels of melatonin, the brain derived "sleep hormone", and thus signaling other organs aside from the brain. However, in contrast to earlier times, particularly in urban areas distinct periods of the day marked by bright and dark light conditions are scarce, as modern lifestyle has changed and artificial lighting is present in cities on a 24 hour basis. In addition to the merely "visual" effects, light also exhibits non-visual, but biologically relevant (time, spatial, quality and quantity dependent) effects, that are mediated by specialized cells in the eye. These non-visual effects, such as the suppression of melatonin during nighttime may potentially be regarded as a severe risk factor to human health. Due to the discovery of the relationship of light exposure and melatonin suppression, studies have been conducted to evaluate which properties of light are most effective in suppressing melatonin.
   In 2009 a first pre-standard for determining the non-visual effects of light mediated through the eye was established by the German Institute of Standardization (DIN). In this paper we describe, according to the standard, one approach to assess melatonin suppressing potential of light sources on the basis of mathematical algorithms that can be utilized as a conceptual platform for planning visual and non-visual effective lighting for optimal healing environments.
Keywords: Natural light; artificial lighting; human eye; melanopsin; retinal ganglion cells; melatonin suppression; sleep; circadian rhythm; Irradiance; Luminance; melanopic sensitivity function; visual angle; DIN V 5031-100:2009
Discussion of Some Challenges Concerning Biomedical Ontologies BIBAKFull-Text 173-180
  Osama Rabie; Anthony F. Norcio
According to F.P. Brooks, werewolves are the most terrifying of all monsters because they are common people who are transformed into nightmares. Likewise, nothing can be more concerning than having a semantic system that produces inaccurate results due to unidentified problems in the ontology. Inaccurate medical information can have catastrophic consequences. This paper will briefly discuss some issues with existing biomedical ontologies. For instance, the part-of and has-part dilemma may lead to alternative interpretations and incompatibility among ontologies. Challenges concerning biomedical ontologies can cause inadequate mappings between data elements and contents. Therefore, causing major problems that can corrupt biomedical ontologies for large multiscale and multidomain integration. Moreover, this can result in problems with current methods used to manage biomedical ontology, and ambiguous and inconsistent relation definitions between terms.
Keywords: Meaningfulness and Satisfaction; Service Engineering; Universal Usability; Biomedical Ontology
Web Searching for Health Information: An Observational Study to Explore Users' Emotions BIBAKFull-Text 181-188
  Pallavi Rao Gadahad; Yin-Leng Theng; Joanna Sin Sie Ching; Natalie Pang
To-date, most of the research concerning online health information search has focused on how users search the Web and how they evaluate health websites. Despite the concerns raised on the impact of online health information on users, there is little research specifically exploring the problems users encounter and emotions they exhibit during the search process. In this paper, we address this gap by conducting an observational study to understand how users search the Web for health information, the problems they encounter and the emotions they express during the search process. Through eye-tracking, think-aloud and interviews, we examined users' search process holistically. Results showed that users exhibited various negative emotions during the search process especially when there are perceived health risks. Highlighting the theoretical and practical implications of this study, this paper makes recommendations for future research to delve deeper into understanding users' emotions during Web searching for health information.
Keywords: Web Search; Online Health Information; Emotion
Native Apps versus Web Apps: Which Is Best for Healthcare Applications? BIBAKFull-Text 189-196
  Kirusnapillai Selvarajah; Michael P. Craven; Adam Massey; John Crowe; Kavita Vedhara; Nicholas Raine-Fenning
Smartphone applications (Apps) provide a new way to deliver healthcare, illustrated by the fact that healthcare Apps are estimated to make up over 30% of new Apps currently being developed; with this number seemingly set to increase as the benefits become more apparent. In this paper, using the development of an In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment stress study App as the exemplar, the alternatives of Native App and Web App design and implementation are considered across several factors that include: user interface, ease of development, capabilities, performance, cost, and potential problems. Development for iOS and Android platforms and a Web App using JavaScript and HTML5 are discussed.
Keywords: Web Apps; Native Apps; mHealth; Ecological Momentary Assessment; User Interface; User Experience; JavaScript; HTML5; Android; iOS
Experiences with Arthron for Live Surgery Transmission in Brazilian Telemedicine University Network BIBAKFull-Text 197-206
  Tatiana A. Tavares; Gustavo H. M. B. Motta; Guido Souza Filho; Erick Mello
The increasing network bandwidth capacity and the diminishing costs of related services have led to a rising number of applications in the field of Information and Communication Technology. A special case is applications based on video streaming. Telemedicine can be highlighted in some scenarios for applying this technology, such as clinical sessions, second medical opinion, interactive lessons or virtual conferences. These scenarios often imply a dedicated transmission environment. A restriction in such solutions is the inability to handle multiple video streams. Thus, this paper presents a low-cost infrastructure for video collaboration in healthcare and based on open technologies. The proposed infrastructure enables remote management of simultaneous multiple streams. We also discuss results of experiments held in the Lauro Wanderley Academic Hospital, Brazil. One of the results is the contribution for teaching experiences, particularly by allowing students to remotely regard surgical procedures and providing real-time interaction. Finally, we present new prospects for using the developed technology on other applications in Telemedicine and Telepresence.
Keywords: New Technology and its Usefulness; eHealth and Telemedicine Systems
User Experience in Public Information Service Design for Smart Life BIBAKFull-Text 207-215
  Qiong Wu; Guanshang Wu; Xin Tong
In the context of accelerated development of information technology and knowledge-based economy, smart life comes near to us. In this paper, we would talk about the design of intelligent public information service. We take the project "Beijing Electronic Health Records" as cases to analyze the problems encountered in our life, and we will analyze digitized resources and the application in the city and clarify public information needs from the user's perspective. On this basis, this paper will also include an in-depth study of urban public information service design principles and methods, and conduct cross-disciplinary research in information science, social sciences and design. Finally, we conclude three main perspectives to design and evaluate the smart public information service system: interfaces of technology-mediated mobile terminals, process of information based on advanced technology such as Mobile Cloud Computing, and a feedback mechanism to strengthen human interaction accessibility in public information service system. Not only do the three points maintain system performance, but also they play a significant part in enhancing User Experience (UX) in public information service system.
Keywords: Public Information Service; Interaction Design; User Experience
The Proposal of the Remote Consultation Service System Using the Outline Function for Consultation BIBAKFull-Text 216-225
  Hiroshi Yajima; Takuto Gotoh
Remote welfare services for caregivers have recently been offered in response to the recent increase in demand for care that has accompanied the aging of society. However, due to the often extended periods of caregiving involved, care consultations can sometimes lack cohesion unless information about the early stages of care are available. In order to address this issue, the whole history of communication between care experts and family members should be structured and visualized when remote welfare services are provided. We propose a form of remote consultation where care experts can offer coherent and efficient consultations using all available information, such as up-to-date information from "lifelogs" and past processes of care consultations obtained from the use of all historically available information.
Keywords: remote consultation; care; computer-mediated communication; care assistance

Games and Gamification

Design Guidelines for Audio Games BIBAKFull-Text 229-238
  Franco Eusébio Garcia; Vânia Paula de Almeida Neris
This paper presents guidelines to aid on the design of audio games. Audio games are games on which the user interface and game events use primarily sounds instead of graphics to convey information to the player. Those games can provide an accessible gaming experience to visually impaired players, usually handicapped by conventional games. The presented guidelines resulted of existing literature research on audio games design and implementation, of a case study and of a user observation performed by the authors. The case study analyzed how audio is used to create an accessible game on nine audio games recommended for new players. The user observation consisted of a playtest on which visually impaired users played an audio game, on which some interaction problems were identified. The results of those three studies were analyzed and compiled in 50 design guidelines.
Keywords: audio games; accessibility; visual impairment; design; guidelines
SWord: A Concept Application for Mitigating Internet Terminology Anxiety BIBAKFull-Text 239-248
  Santosh Kumar Kalwar; Kari Heikkinen; Jari Porras
The Internet is a dynamic, democratic, and multicultural platform where a wide range of users access sites daily. We cannot presume users on the Internet will understand every single word/term used on any given site. This paper presents a concept for assessing users' anxiety regarding commonly used words on the Internet, particularly words related to technology and computer science. The concept is highlighted by an application, called SWord, which enables users to collaborate, share, play, and mitigate with difficult words on the web.
Keywords: Wellness; human anxiety; Anxiety; Internet; Design; user experience
Extreme Motion Based Interaction for Enhancing Mobile Game Experience BIBAKFull-Text 249-257
  Youngwon Kim; Jong-gil Ahn; Gerard Jounghyun Kim
In this paper, we propose to enact interaction by "extreme" motion involving multiple body parts and thereby maximize the whole body experience. By detecting the relative movements among multiple body parts, rather than an extended motion of just a single body part, the extreme motion can be contained within the personal space (not to disturb others around). Such a scheme was tested on a simple mobile game and compared to interfaces that were based on conventional touch interface and absolute motion detection. Experimental results showed that while incorporating extreme "relative" motion resulted in higher level of excitement and user experience by involving more body parts, the control performance significantly suffered (due to the head movements).
Keywords: User Experience; Extreme motion; Whole Body Interaction; Motion Detection
Influence of Gaming Display and Controller on Perceived Characteristics, Perceived Interactivity, Presence, and Discomfort BIBAKFull-Text 258-265
  Hyunji Lee; Donghun Chung
The purpose of this study is to examine gamers' psychological experience according to the display and controller. The research used 2D and 3D as gaming display and joypad and Move as gaming controller. It examined the effects of those variables on perceived characteristics, perceived interactivity, presence, and discomfort. Sixty four participants joined the experiment and the main findings are as follows: First, the interaction effect of the display and controller was not significant for any of the variables. Second, the main effect of the display was significant in the perceived characteristics of clarity and materiality. Finally, the main effect of the controller was significant in the perceived interactivity, spatial involvement, dynamic immersion, and realistic immersion. Although the present research found significant effects of those independent variables, a follow-up study is needed to investigate why the interaction effects are not supported.
Keywords: 3D; controller; discomfort; display; game; perceived characteristics; perceived interactivity; presence
A Cross-Cultural Study of Playing Simple Economic Games Online with Humans and Virtual Humans BIBAKFull-Text 266-275
  Elnaz Nouri; David Traum
We compare the simple online economic interactions between a human and a multimodal communication agent (virtual human) to the findings of similar simple interactions with other humans and those that were run in the laboratory. We developed protocols and dialogue capabilities to support the multi modal agent in playing two well-studied economic games (Ultimatum Game, Dictator Game). We analyze the interactions based on the outcome and self-reported values of possible factors involved in the decision making. We compare these parameters across two games, and the two cultures of US and India. Our results show that humans' interaction with a virtual human is similar to when they are playing with another human and the majority of the people choose to allocate about half of the stakes to the virtual human, just as they would with another human. There are, however, some significant differences between offer distributions and value reports for different conditions (game, opponent, and culture of participant).
Keywords: Culture; Values; Decision Making; Virtual Human; Economic Games; Communicative Agents
Best Practices for Using Enterprise Gamification to Engage Employees and Customers BIBAFull-Text 276-283
  Marta Rauch
Enterprise gamification is one of the major human-computer interface trends of the 21st century. Using techniques borrowed from software games, gamification can be used to drive behavior in situations outside of games. As defined by Michael Wu, gamification "uses game attributes to drive gamelike behavior in a non-game context."[1] When implemented successfully, gamification can give enterprises an edge by increasing user motivation and achievement of goals. Gamification can also help enterprises engage employees and customers, and meet business needs. Given these benefits, it is no surprise that the move to enterprise gamification is accelerating. Enterprises of all sizes and in many industries are ramping up on products, communities, and processes based on gamification principles, and enterprise gamification is growing at an impressive rate. This rapid rate of implementation brings opportunities for enterprises that can implement gamification effectively. To adapt to this trend, professionals in the field of human-computer interaction must understand best practices, and develop expertise and skills in enterprise gamification. To meet this need, this paper looks at why enterprises benefit from gamification; provides selected examples of enterprise gamification; and lists best practices for gamification projects.
Gamifying Support BIBAKFull-Text 284-291
  Anthony Chad Sampanes
When applied with care and consideration, gamification can have significant positive effects on support. Utilizing gamification elements, such an leaderboards, levels, badges, and rewards, within a community can help engage customers and encourage them to generate support content. This allows them to self-serve and more quickly resolve their issues. Internal support engineers can also be motivated when exposed to a point system with appropriate challenges, levels, and rewards. The result can increase overall job satisfaction, increase engineer positivity, and lead to better customer service.
Keywords: Gamification; Support; Enterprise; Ticketing systems; Customer help; Leaderboards; Badging; Rewards; Motivation; Self-Help; Self-service; Community
The Motivational GPS: Would a Rat Press a Lever to Get a Badge? BIBAKFull-Text 292-298
  Kes Sampanthar
Gamification is a new industry that has blossomed around technologies that incorporate Motivational Design. This is a game design method based on creating truly engaging software that incites player motivations. There has been a lot of new research into motivation over the last decade, but to understand what we have learned about motivation we need to come back to the question about the rat and the badge, which is drawn from Skinner's classic experiment. More recent research shows that 'Wanting' is at the heart of what is considered motivation and approach behavior, while 'Liking' is the feeling of euphoria that is experienced when a challenge is overcome. Based on this research, we describe an application of The Motivational GPS framework which uses the metaphor of maps and directions related to 'Wanting' and 'Liking' to help create design artifacts that can be used to create engaging software.
Keywords: Interaction design; Human Motivation; Gamification; Game Design
Designing Serious Videogames through Concept Maps BIBAKFull-Text 299-308
  Jaime Sánchez; Matías Espinoza
The purpose of this study was to present and evaluate a new technique through the use of concept maps for the design of serious videogames using Ejemovil Editor. This was accomplished by using a method to easily transform concept maps into directed graphs, which are then used to generate the videogame sequence and the interdependencies between the various elements. With this tool teachers are able to define the storyline of the videogame, incorporating the concepts that they want to teach in a structured way. To these ends, an editor was created using this methodology that allows for the construction of mobile videogames. Teachers that currently use concept maps have evaluated the proposed methodology. Preliminary results show that the proposed methodology for the design and creation of serious videogames for education is appropriate, easy to use, generally accepted and understandable for the end users.
Keywords: Concept Maps; Serious Videogames; Videogames Editor; Videogames Design
The Business Love Triangle -- Smartphones, Gamification, and Social Collaboration BIBAKFull-Text 309-315
  Lynn Rampoldi-Hnilo; Michele Snyder
Gamification is becoming popular in enterprise applications due to benefits such as motivating employees to work harder through team competition and rewards. Mobile workers are a perfect audience for gamified applications as they need to be connected to their teams and aware of important business goals. Smartphones have specific characteristics that make them an ideal medium for gamified applications. However, designing these types of applications correctly is critical in determining their success. This paper will discuss gamification in terms of mobile workers and their needs, smartphone characteristics, and five mobile gamification design principles that help mobile workers stay connected to the business goals at hand.
Keywords: Gamification; Mobile; Smartphones; Design; Social Networking
Building Internal Enthusiasm for Gamification in Your Organization BIBAKFull-Text 316-322
  Erika Noll Webb; Andrea Cantú
Gamification has become a hot topic in a variety of areas from consumer sites to enterprise software. While the concept of using game mechanics to attract and retain customers in the consumer space is now well accepted, the use of gamification in the enterprise space is still catching on. In this paper, the authors explore ways to build internal enthusiasm for gamification within an organization while maintaining good practices and processes.
Keywords: Gamification; Game Mechanics; Enterprise Software; User Experience; User-centered design; Employee Engagement
Navigation Experiences -- A Case Study of Riders Accessing an Orientation Game via Smartphones BIBAKFull-Text 323-332
  Annika Worpenberg; Barbara Grüter
Usability and playability of a game are two dimensions merging into each other and affecting the experience. Within this paper we study the navigation experiences of a small rider group playing an orientation game by means of smartphones. The players are inexperienced in using smartphones and try to reach the first game station. Studying their navigation process we learned how the players adopted the game device, solved a navigation problem and entered the game world. The case study illustrates three development stages of navigational behavior of the rider group in the analyzed mobile game.
Keywords: Mobile Game; Location-based Game; Play Experience; Evaluating Mobile Games; Navigation

HCI in Learning and Education

Evaluating Engagement Physiologically and Knowledge Retention Subjectively through Two Different Learning Techniques BIBAKFull-Text 335-342
  Marvin Andujar; Josh I. Ekandem; Juan E. Gilbert; Patricia Morreale
This paper describes the findings of a replication study conducted at a different location. This study measures the engagement level of participants objectively from two learning techniques: video game and handout (traditional way of learning). This paper may help other researchers design their own Brain-Computer Interface study to measure engagement. In addition, the results of this paper shows a correlation analysis between Engagement (measured physiologically) and knowledge measurement (subjective data). Further, this paper describes briefly the limitations of the Emotiv non-invasive EEG device, which may help researchers and developers understand the device more.
Keywords: Emotions in HCI; Brain-Computer Interface; Passive BCI
A New E-learning System Focusing on Emotional Aspect Using Biological Signals BIBAKFull-Text 343-350
  Saromporn Charoenpit; Michiko Ohkura
E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. It is widely accepted that new technologies can make a big difference in education. Although the advantages of e-learning over person to person teaching are still under debate, the latter is considered to be superior with respect to teaching effectiveness. One reasons for this advantage of human expert tutors is their ability to deal with the emotional aspects of the learner. In an e-learning system, emotions are important in the classroom. We thus proposed a new e-learning system that focuses on affective aspects. Our system equips sensors to measure biological signals and analyzes user emotions for the improvement of the e-learning system's effectiveness.
Keywords: E-learning; Emotions; Affective aspects; Biological signal
A Framework to Support Social-Collaborative Personalized e-Learning BIBAKFull-Text 351-360
  Maria De Marsico; Andrea Sterbini; Marco Temperini
We propose a comprehensive framework to support the personalization and adaptivity of courses in e-learning environments where the traditional activity of individual study is augmented by social-collaborative and group based educational activities. The framework aims to get its pedagogical significance from the Vygotskij Theory; it points out a minimal set of requirements to meet, in order to allow its implementations based on modules possibly constituted by independent e-learning software systems, all collaborating under a common interface.
Keywords: Personalized e-learning; adaptive e-learning; social collaborative elearning; zone of proximal development; reputation system
Challenges for Contextualizing Language Learning BIBAKFull-Text 361-369
  Søren Eskildsen; Matthias Rehm
To help facilitate language learning for immigrants or foreigners arriving to another culture and language, we propose a context-aware mobile application. To expand on the known elements like location, activity, time and identity, we investigate the challenges on including cultural awareness to ensure a better experience-based learning. We present methods used to collect information about everyday activities collected by immigrants or foreigners. This information will help structuring language learning assignments presented through the context-aware mobile application.
Keywords: context-aware; experience-based learning; cultural language learning; context logging; mobile application
Usability of a Social Network as a Collaborative Learning Platform Tool for Medical Students BIBAKFull-Text 370-375
  Leonardo Frajhof; Ana Cláudia Costa Arantes; Aline Teodosio dos Santos Cardozo; Carlos José Pereira de Lucena; Carlos Alberto Pereira de Lucena; Claudia Renata Mont'Alvão
One of the fundamental characteristics of social networking platform is its versatility. Regarding to pre defined pedagogy premises it is possible to elaborate educational programs for any type of theme. Health is one of the areas that are being influenced by the possibilities offered by social networking platform. There are already many ongoing projects dedicated to the teaching of health practice and concepts of health. In this context, this paper focuses primarily on the development of a solution for teachers and students engaged on their 3rd year of undergraduate Medicine course, in the University Hospital. All the participants are enrolled in the Internal Medicine discipline, defining the student's entrance into the hospital routine. The model views for an open dialog that should allow an exchange of medical knowledge, in the sense of reaching a better solution for specific problems within each group.
Keywords: eHealth; collaboration; learning; usability
Refining Rules Learning Using Evolutionary PD BIBAKFull-Text 376-385
  Afdallyna Harun; Steve Benford; Claire O'Malley; Nor Laila Md. Noor
Using glyphs to associate digital media with physical materials has great potential to enhance learning. A key challenge, however, lies in enabling children to author their own glyphs that integrate well with their drawings. One possible solution lies in the d-touch system which uses a topological approach to structuring glyphs. Through a series of Participatory Design studies, we have explored how children can be supported in creating their own d-touch glyphs. Main highlights from our findings indicate that it is difficult for children to create glyphs following only written rules. A structured diagrammatic approach is then introduced in which colour-coded hierarchy diagrams support a mapping between their drawings and the underlying rules. We found this has significantly improved their drawing attempts. The paper then concludes with a potential to integrate the approach into more sophisticated learning experience.
Keywords: Drawing rules; visual diagrams; d-touch glyphs
Sound to Sight: The Effects of Self-generated Visualization on Music Sight-Singing as an Alternate Learning Interface for Music Education within a Web-Based Environment BIBAKFull-Text 386-390
  Yu Ting Huang; Chi Nung Chu
This paper discusses the efficacy of self-generated visualization on pitch recognition for the music sight-singing learning from the Internet. The self-generated visualization on music sight-singing learning system incorporates pitch recognition engine and visualized pitch distinguishing curve with descriptions for each corresponding stave notation on the web page to bridge the gap between singing of pitch and music notation. This paper shows the conducted research results that this web-based sight-singing learning system could scaffold cognition about aural skills effectively for the learner through the Internet.
Keywords: pitch recognition; self-generated visualization; sight-singing; music education
Evaluation of Computer Algebra Systems Using Fuzzy AHP at the Universities of Cyprus BIBAKFull-Text 391-397
  Ilham N. Huseyinov; Feride S. Tabak
The paper proposes an evaluation model based on fuzzy AHP to help users select CAS that best matches their requirements. The subjectiveness and imprecision of the evaluation process are modeled using linguistic terms. The evaluation criteria framework based on the usability and problem solving capability of CAS is developed. Fuzzy AHP is employed to determine the relative importance weights of criteria and the preference order of alternatives. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed methodology is illustrated.
Keywords: CAS; fuzzy AHP; usability; problem solving capability; linguistic evaluation
Evaluation of an Information Delivery System for Hearing Impairments at a School for Deaf BIBAFull-Text 398-407
  Atsushi Ito; Takao Yabe; Koichi Tsunoda; Kazutaka Ueda; Tohru Ifukube; Hikaru Tauchi; Yuko Hiramatsu
We have been developing IDDD (Information Delivery System for Deaf People in a Major Disaster) system [7, 8] from 2007. In 2012, we have a chance to develop new IDDD system and test it at the school for the deaf in Miyagi. In this paper, we report the results the system performance test and the users evaluation of the new IDDD based on an experiment at the school for the deaf in Miyagi. As the result, the network performance was increased and application development cost might be half of that of the old IDDD. Also, Fast-Scroll is most legible for hearing impairments people.
Examining the Role of Contextual Exercises and Adaptive Expertise on CAD Model Creation Procedures BIBAKFull-Text 408-417
  Michael D. Johnson; Elif Ozturk; Lauralee Valverde; Bugrahan Yalvac; Xiaobo Peng
As computer-aided design (CAD) tools become more integral in the product commercialization process, ensuring that students have efficient and innovative expertise necessary to adapt becomes more important. This work examines the role of adaptive expertise on CAD modeling behavior and the effect of contextual modeling exercises on the manifestation of behaviors associated with adaptive expertise in a population of student participants. A methodology comprising multiple data elicitation tools is used to examine these relationships; these tools include: survey data, model screen capture data analysis, and interviews. Results show that participants engaged in contextual exercises spent more of their modeling time engaged in actual modeling activities as opposed to planning when compared to a control group. Limited statistical support is provided for the role of contextual exercises leading to the manifestation of behaviors associated with adaptive expertise. The amount of time spent engaged in actual modeling is positively correlated with the adaptive expertise behaviors identified in the interviews.
Keywords: Adaptive Expertise; CAD; Evaluation Methods and Techniques; Modeling Processes
Personality and Emotion as Determinants of the Learning Experience: How Affective Behavior Interacts with Various Components of the Learning Process BIBAKFull-Text 418-427
  Zacharias Lekkas; Panagiotis Germanakos; Nikos Tsianos; Constantinos Mourlas; George Samaras
The aim of the present study is to develop a model that grasps the complexity of the concepts of personality and affect in a web-based learning environment. Furthermore, it presents the implications that these theoretical and empirical representations can have in an experimental setting. We are investigating the connection between personality factors, emotion regulation and cognitive processing tasks, decision making and problem solving styles. Decision-making and problem solving are cognitive processes where the outcome is a choice between alternatives. They are both an indirect way to make inferences to a person's learning pattern since learning includes continuous decision making and problem resolution. By implementing our model in the design of a web-based learning personalized setting, we provide evidence that behavior is altered by affective elements in decision making and problem solving routines as is performance in cognitive processing tasks.
Keywords: personality; affect; emotion; learning
Innovation in Learning -- The Use of Avatar for Sign Language BIBAFull-Text 428-433
  Tania Lima; Mario Sandro Rocha; Thebano Almeida Santos; Angelo Benetti; Evandro Soares; Helvecio Siqueira de Oliveira
This paper presents the steps followed in developing an avatar-interpreter of the Brazilian sign language for deaf (LIBRAS), applied to an electro technical glossary. The research was done in collaboration between The Surface Interaction and Displays Division (DSID) and The National Service for Industrial Apprenticeship (SENAI "Ítalo Bologna"), a reference center in the attendance of people having physical or mental incapability. This work makes use of advanced techniques of motion capture, treatment of images and virtualization, to produce an avatar that mimics a teacher-interpreter of the specific electro technical signs of LIBRAS during the lesson.
   The technology used in this work is a VICON system with 8 cameras that emit and capture infrared light, and the open source tools Blender and Make-Human.
A Teacher Model to Speed Up the Process of Building Courses BIBAFull-Text 434-443
  Carla Limongelli; Matteo Lombardi; Alessandro Marani; Filippo Sciarrone
Building a new course is a complex task for teachers: the entire process requires different steps, starting with the concept map building and ending with the delivery of the learning objects to students through a learning management system. Teachers have to spend a lot of time to build or to retrieve the right learning material from local databases or from specialized repositories on the web. Consequently, having a system supporting this phase is a very important challenge, considering that each teacher expresses her own pedagogy as well. Here we propose a novel Teacher Model that helps teachers to build new courses effectively. The model is based both on a didactic semantic network containing concepts and learning material and on Teaching Styles as proposed in the literature by Grasha. This framework gives teachers the possibility to share their teaching experience as well. A first experimentation of the system gives positive results.
Development of Push-Based English Words Learning System by Using E-Mail Service BIBAFull-Text 444-453
  Shimpei Matsumoto; Masanori Akiyoshi; Tomoko Kashima
At present, common e-Learning systems have been designed for positive learners whose learning habits are already established to some degree. To assist students other than the positive learners, most of who has more difficulty in learning with the usual e-Learning systems, this paper focuses on a new type of e-Learning system called "push-based e-Learning". The push-based e-Learning is for learners who cannot establish study habits or take an active part in learning, and be an essential tool for supporting self-study continuity. This study realizes push service by e-mail technology of cell-phone. The system, used in conjunction with an interactive e-mail service through cell-phones, allows users to automatically receive up to some exercise e-mails a day. For our system, this paper implemented COCET 3300, a corpus of English words, and made a trial operation of our system with several university students for training English vocabulary. This paper firstly shows the detail of system configuration, and then evaluates our implementation of push-based e-Learning with the result of the trial operation. From the trial operation, the effectiveness of our system was shown by questionnaire while the result was on the students' subjective viewpoint.
E-learning: The Power Source of Transforming the Learning Experience in an ODL Landscape BIBAKFull-Text 454-463
  Blessing Mbatha; Mbali Mbatha
This paper reports on e-learning as a transformational educational tool amongst Communication Science students at Unisa. The study targeted executive members of the Communication Science Association (COMSA) which consists of ten members and Unisa Radio employees which comprise 200 Communication Science students. A survey research design was used whereby questionnaires were administered to all COMSA executives and 50% of Unisa Radio student employees who were chosen using simple random sampling. Data was analysed through thematic categorisation and tabulation and the findings were presented descriptively. An examination of data indicates that students do not actively engage in e-learning. They use myUnisa for basic educational needs and not for the purpose that myUnisa was intended which is to bridge transactional distance in order to ensure increased engagement amongst all stakeholders. Unisa needs to examine its current e-learning policies against the backdrop of the society in which it operates.
Keywords: Open Distance Learning; e-learning; dialogue; transactional distance; ICTs in Higher Education; myUnisa
Mobile Inquiry-Based Learning BIBAKFull-Text 464-473
  Jalal Nouri; Teresa Cerrato-Pargman; Karwan Zetali
This paper presents a study on mobile learning that could be viewed as a manifestation of strong voices calling for learning in natural contexts. The study was based on a sequence of inquiry-based mobile learning activities within the domain of natural sciences and mathematics education. We questioned the effects of collaborative scaffolding, and the effects scaffolding provided by technology have on learning and performance. Based on a quantitative interaction analysis, findings suggest that low-achievement students benefit from inquiry-based mobile activities; that the use of mobile technologies bring multiple effects on students' learning, both positive and negative, and that the roles of teachers remains as crucial as before the introduction of learning technologies.
Keywords: mobile learning; scaffolding; across contexts; performance
A Comparative Evaluation of Podcasting-Based and Mobile-Based Material Distribution Systems in Foreign Language Teaching BIBAKFull-Text 474-483
  Yuichi Ono; Manabu Ishihara; Mitsuo Yamashiro
This paper examines two independent multimedia distribution systems in terms of user's impression and the download time on the basis of the two experiments which were carried out in English teaching settings in Japan. The two are the podcasting system and the mobile-based system. The results of the two studies indicated that the students feel that mobiles are more friendly and easy to operate. Although it takes them longer time to download digital materials from the server, they do not feel so much frustrated or irritated for being delayed to a certain degree. These implications imply the future possibility for blended-instruction model of foreign language teaching in Japan.
Keywords: e-learning system; podcasting; mobile device; second language acquisition
Recommendation of Collaborative Activities in E-learning Environments BIBAKFull-Text 484-492
  Pierpaola Di Bitonto; Maria Laterza; Teresa Roselli; Veronica Rossano
In distance education environments, collaborative activities such as wikis, forums and chats play an important role in the e-learning experience because they promote communication among students and so allow cooperative learning settings to be implemented. Nevertheless, it could be difficult for learners to pick out the most interesting and appropriate collaborative activities to meet their learning needs. Recommender systems integrated in e-learning platforms are usually used mainly to help learners choose teaching resources, but they can also be useful to suggest the collaborative activities that best fit their learning objectives from a pedagogical point of view. In this context, the paper presents a recommendation approach able to suggest collaborative activities such as forums, chats, wikis and blogs, that combines dynamic clustering and prediction calculus on the basis of the learners' profiles and needs.
Keywords: Recommender system; collaborative learning; dynamic clustering
Nature Sound Ensemble Learning in Narrative-Episode Creation with Pictures BIBAKFull-Text 493-502
  Kosuke Takano; Shiori Sasaki
This paper presents a Web-based nature sound ensemble learning system that allows students to create a narrative-episode with "visual", "auditory", and "experimental" effects. Main component of our system is implemented in the Web environment and can be easily introduced to PCs in a classroom for nature sound ensemble lessons among remote learners, classes, and schools. In this study, we show the feasibility of our Web-based ensemble learning system, where several learners actually participate in the remote nature sound ensemble lessons using example "narrative-episode" with pictures and nature sounds.
Keywords: music; nature sound; collaborative learning; physical expression; sensor; Web-based system; sensibility expression; sensibility education
Private Cloud Cooperation Framework for Reducing the Earthquake Damage on e-Learning Environment BIBAKFull-Text 503-510
  Satoshi Togawa; Kazuhide Kanenishi
In this research, we have built a framework of reducing earthquake and tsunami disaster for e-Learning environment. We build a prototype system based on IaaS architecture, and this prototype system is constructed by several private cloud fabrics. The distributed storage system builds on each private cloud fabric; that is handled almost like same block device such as one large file system. For LMS to work, we need to boot virtual machines. The virtual machines are booted from the virtual disk images that are stored into the distributed storage system. The distributed storage system will be able to keep running as one large file system when some private cloud fabric does not work by any troubles. We think that our inter-cloud framework can continue working for e-Learning environment under the post-disaster situation.
Keywords: e-Learning environment; inter-cloud framework; disaster reducing
Design and Evaluation of Training System for Numerical Calculation Using Questions in SPI2 BIBAKFull-Text 511-520
  Shin'ichi Tsumori; Kazunori Nishino
We are developing the training system for numerical calculation aiming at improving calculation ability. There are two main purposes of realizing this system. One is to increase students' motivation to study mathematics by using the questions in SPI2 adopted by many companies as employment examinations. The other is to support a student's learning efficiently by giving the questions according to the student's ability. In order to give an adaptive question, our system has functions to estimate each student's ability and item difficulty in the test item database. This paper reports the basic concept, the features and the experiment conducted to verify the usefulness of the system and its result.
Keywords: Training System; Numerical Calculation; SPI2; Web-Based Learning
Zoom Interface with Dynamic Thumbnails Providing Learners with Companionship through Videostreaming BIBAKFull-Text 521-528
  Takumi Yamaguchi; Haruya Shiba; Masanobu Yoshida; Yusuke Nishiuchi; Hironobu Satoh; Takahiko Mendori
We have developed the TERAKOYA learning system, which helps students study actively anywhere on a local area network (LAN) linked to multipoint remote users. However, if many students frequently sent their questions to the teacher, it is very difficult to correspond to quickly answer that for the teacher. In addition, the teacher hardly clarifies how much each student understood because he cannot watch students' face and reaction. This paper discusses the graphical user interface (GUI) system that is used a little ingenuity to prioritize students' screens through variably changing the GUI interface on the teacher's PC. The aspect of window that was displayed as thumbnails of the students' PC screen was zoomed dynamically each thumbnail by their understanding level. By sorting out their priorities on the teacher's PC screen, the teacher can timely observe the students' work and support their thinking process.
Keywords: GUI; Interactive system; Advanced Educational Environment; Ubiquitous Learning; Distance Education

In-Vehicle Interaction

WheelSense: Enabling Tangible Gestures on the Steering Wheel for In-Car Natural Interaction BIBAKFull-Text 531-540
  Leonardo Angelini; Maurizio Caon; Francesco Carrino; Stefano Carrino; Denis Lalanne; Omar Abou Khaled; Elena Mugellini
This paper presents WheelSense, a system for non-distracting and natural interaction with the In-Vehicle Information and communication System (IVIS). WheelSense embeds pressure sensors in the steering wheel in order to detect tangible gestures that the driver can perform on its surface. In this application, the driver can interact by means of four gestures that have been designed to allow the execution of secondary tasks without leaving the hands from the steering wheel. Thus, the proposed interface aims at minimizing the distraction of the driver from the primary task. Eight users tested the proposed system in an evaluation composed of three phases: gesture recognition test, gesture recognition test while driving in a simulated environment and usability questionnaire. The results show that the accuracy rate is 87% and 82% while driving. The system usability scale scored 84 points out of 100.
Keywords: Tangible gestures; smart steering wheel; in-vehicle user interface; in-car natural interaction
Reducing Speeding Behavior in Young Drivers Using a Persuasive Mobile Application BIBAKFull-Text 541-550
  Anne Bergmans; Suleman Shahid
This paper presents a solution to the problem of speeding in male young drivers. This paper outlines the design of a persuasive mobile application that aims at reducing speeding behavior by providing various incentives. The application targets both weak and strong habit drivers between the age of 18 and 26. Early results show an overall acceptance of the application, mainly due to its unique rewarding mechanism, and its ability to demonstrate the actual speeding behavior with major impact on safety, fuel costs, environment, and possible fine costs. Results further indicate a behavior change for weak habit drivers and attitude change for strong habit drivers.
Keywords: Speeding behavior; persuasive technology; mobile application; speeding behavior model; usability test; driving behavior
Auditory and Head-Up Displays in Vehicles BIBAKFull-Text 551-560
  Christina Dicke; Grega Jakus; Jaka Sodnik
The aim of the user study presented in this paper was to investigate the efficiency of single and multimodal user interfaces for in-vehicle control and information systems and their impact on driving safety. A windshield projection (HUD) of a hierarchical list-based visual menu was compared to an auditory representation of the same menu and to a combination of both representations. In the user study 30 participants were observed while operating a driving simulator and simultaneously solving tasks of different complexity with the three interfaces. The variables measured in the user study were task completion times, driving performance and the perceived workload. Our study shows that the single modality auditory interface is the least efficient representation of the menu; the multimodal audio-visual interface, however, shows a strong tendency to be superior to both the auditory and visual single modality interfaces with regards to driver distraction and efficiency.
Keywords: Human-computer interaction; auditory interface; head-up display; car simulator; driving performance
Anti-Bump: A Bump/Pothole Monitoring and Broadcasting System for Driver Awareness BIBAKFull-Text 561-570
  Mohamed Fekry; Aya Hamdy; Ayman Atia
This paper presents a system for bump detection and alarming system for drivers. We have presented an architecture that adopts context awareness and Bump location broadcasting to detect and save bumps locations. This system uses motion sensor to get the readings of the bump then we classify it using Dynamic Time Wrapping, Hidden Markov Model and Neural Network. We keep records for the bump location through tracking its geographic position. We developed a system that alarms the driver within appropriate profiled distance for bump occurrence. We conducted two experiments for testing the system in a street modeled architect with different kinds of bumps and potholes. The other experiment was on real street bumps. The results show that the system can detect bumps and potholes with reasonably accepted accuracy.
Keywords: Context awareness; Location awareness; Pattern Recognition
Emotion and Emotion Regulation Considerations for Speech-Based In-Vehicle Interfaces BIBAKFull-Text 571-577
  Helen Harris
Speech and dialogue systems have been used in a variety of domains, from acting as human operators, to assisting those who have difficulties using other modalities, and more recently facilitating smartphone input. Speech has been more readily adopted by in-vehicle speech systems as the safest way to both communicate to the driver and to have the driver provide input to the system. Much of the work on speech dialogue systems has focused on the cognitive aspects of speech interfaces by evaluating different information architectures, e.g. [1], or comparing mixed modality interfaces, e.g., [2]. This paper argues that advanced speech-based interfaces will have the need and opportunity to be emotionally responsive.
Keywords: emotion; emotion regulation; speech dialogue systems; in-car interfaces
Adaptations in Driving Efficiency with Electric Vehicles BIBAKFull-Text 578-585
  Magnus Helmbrecht; Klaus Bengler; Roman Vilimek
The results of previous MINI E field trials provided initial indications that driving electric vehicles (EV) leads to adaptations in driving behavior and might increase driving efficiency. This paper presents the methodologies to measure changes in driver characteristics by logging velocity, acceleration, and cruising range, on smartphones. In this experiment, 25 MINI E were provided as electric test vehicles for a diversified spectrum of subjects consisting of private and corporate customers. The field trial included both longitudinal and transverse components in order to assess long-term and situation specific changes. Participants operated both combustive and electric vehicles. Driving dynamics data from these vehicles was collected over a six month period time. Additionally, these same participants were required to perform a 2 hour drive, which served as a comparison drive, three times over the period of EV usage. The frequency of intermittent usage of combustion vehicles was captured by logbooks.
Keywords: Electric Vehicle; Driving Behavior; Field Trial; MINI E
In-Car Information Systems: Matching and Mismatching Personality of Driver with Personality of Car Voice BIBAKFull-Text 586-595
  Ing-Marie Jonsson; Nils Dahlbäck
Personality has a huge effect on how we communicate and interact with others. This study investigates how dominant/submissive personality match and mismatch between driver and voice of the in-vehicle system affects performance and attitude. The study was conducted with a total of 40 participants at Oxford Brookes University in the UK. Data show that drivers accurately discern the personality of the car voice, and that car voice personality affects drivers' performance. The dominant car voice results in drivers following instructions better regardless of driver personality. The matched conditions showed 2 -3 times better driving performance than the mismatched conditions. Drivers with the submissive voice in the car felt significantly less at-ease and content after driving than drivers with the dominant voice. Design implications of in-vehicle systems are discussed.
Keywords: In-car System; Driving Simulator; Driving Performance; Speech system; Attitude; Personality; Dominant and Submissive; Similarity Attraction
Subjective Ratings in an Ergonomic Engineering Process Using the Example of an In-Vehicle Information System BIBAKFull-Text 596-605
  Michael Krause; Klaus Bengler
The engineering process for a traffic light assistant system on a smartphone for use while driving as an In-Vehicle Information System (IVIS) was accompanied by assessment of subjective usability ratings using questionnaires, such as the System Usability Scale (SUS), AttrakDiff2 and NASA-TLX. The results during the development process are presented and discussed.
   The SUS was an easy to apply and fast instrument for the project. Nevertheless, caution should be taken when a high percentage of users are repeatedly involved in examining the same system, as this will likely increase the SUS score.
Keywords: IVIS; usability; engineering; questionnaires; SUS; AttrakDiff
Ergonomics Design on Expert Convenience of Voice-Based Interface for Vehicle's AV Systems BIBAKFull-Text 606-611
  Pei-Ying Ku; Sheue-Ling Hwang; Hsin-Chang Chang; Jian-Yung Hung; Chih-Chung Kuo
This research aimed to investigate and explore expert user interface design principle in adaptive user interface of in-vehicle full voiced-based interface. In this study, 3 stages of driving simulation experiments were established. The voice-based interface called Talking Car novice interface has been designed before. Through driving simulation experiments, subjects' behavior and response data when using voice-based interface were collected and analyzed. According to the result, the length of speech by Talking Car novice interface would be adjusted to fulfill expert users' requirements, and then switched to Talking Car expert interface. After that, a driving simulation experiment is conducted to verify the usability of the adapted interface as well as the implications on operation efficiency and traffic safety.
Keywords: in-vehicle full voice-based interface; Talking Car; driving simulation; expert user interface
The Timeframe of Adaptation to Electric Vehicle Range BIBAKFull-Text 612-620
  Stefan Pichelmann; Thomas Franke; Josef F. Krems
We explored how people learn to cope with the limited range of electric vehicles (EVs), and examined the relationship between personality traits and the amount of practice needed to achieve a maximum available range. Data from 56 participants who leased an EV in a 6-month field study were analyzed. The amount of practice needed until a participant achieved his maximum available range was assessed with four variables computed from data logger recordings: the amount of time, days, and distance the user drove the EV and the amount of days the user owned the EV. All four variables correlated strongly with each other (r ≥ .75). The results showed that an average person needs approximately three months to complete adaptation to EV range and that speedy driving style, low need for cognition, high impulsivity, and high internal control beliefs are related to a longer adaptation timeframe.
Keywords: adaptation; electric vehicle; range; practice; need for cognition; driving style; impulsivity; control beliefs
Exploring Electric Driving Pleasure -- The BMW EV Pilot Projects BIBAKFull-Text 621-630
  Jens Ramsbrock; Roman Vilimek; Julian Weber
An electric vehicle (EV) is more than just a car with an electric engine. It implies a major shift in everyday experience. Charging the vehicle at home, thinking about where this energy comes from, dealing with limited range or driving a silent vehicle without engine noise are only some aspects of a completely new ecosystem for an electric vehicle owner. Of course, EVs will only succeed in the mass market if they meet customers' expectations. With the decision to step into this unknown terrain, the BMW Group gathered data in field trials with pilot customers of the MINI E and BMW ActiveE. The field trials discovered that everyday driving does not differ significantly from conventional vehicles in the same segment. About 90% of intended trips can be realized, showing the gap that needs to be closed is manageable. In order to close it, BMW will offer innovative mobility services and charging solutions.
Keywords: Electric Vehicle; MINI E; BMW ActiveE; field trial; user study
Single-Handed Driving System with Kinect BIBAKFull-Text 631-639
  Jae Pyo Son; Arcot Sowmya
This paper proposes a Kinect-based system that can help people who have difficulties with moving one of their arms, to drive and control the vehicles with only one hand. The advantage of the system is that only the user's hands need to be visible, so that users can use the system while seated. Experiments to measure system performance have shown reasonable accuracy. This system can be broadly applied to any wheeled electronic vehicles such as an electronic wheelchair, robot or car in future.
Keywords: Assistive Technology; Kinect; Human-Computer Interaction; Hand Tracking; Driving
Mobile App Support for Electric Vehicle Drivers: A Review of Today's Marketplace and Future Directions BIBAKFull-Text 640-646
  Tai Stillwater; Justin Woodjack; Michael Nicholas
Mobile device applications (apps) are becoming an important source of information, control, and motivation for EV drivers. Here we review the current ecosystem of mobile applications that are available for EV drivers and consumers and find that apps are available in six basic categories: purchase decisions, vehicle dashboards, charging availability and payment, smart grid interaction, route planning, and driver competitions. The current range of the EV-specific mobile marketplace extends from pre-sale consumer information, charging information and control, and EV specific navigation features among other services. However, the market is highly fragmented, with applications providing niche information, and using various methodologies. In addition, we find that the barriers to more useful apps are a lack of vehicle and charger APIs (application programming interfaces), lack of data availability, reliability, format and types, and proprietary payment and billing methods. We conclude that mobile applications for EVs are a growing market that provide important direct benefits as well as ancillary services to EV owners, although the lack of uniformity and standards between both vehicle and charger systems is a serious barrier to the broader use of mobile applications for EVs.
Keywords: Electric Vehicles; Mobile Apps; Energy Feedbacks
Proposal for Driver Distraction Indexes Using Biological Signals Including Eye Tracking BIBAKFull-Text 647-653
  Nobumichi Takahashi; Satoshi Inoue; Hironori Seki; Shuhei Ushio; Yukou Saito; Koyo Hasegawa; Michiko Ohkura
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, driver inattention is a major contributor to highway crashes. Above all, driver distraction is an important factor. As a result, many studies have been performed on it. We also performed experiments on candidates for biological indexes. In this paper, we employed new biological signals (eye tracking). Then, we performed an experiment to find new candidates for biological indexes. We obtained new knowledge from the result of that experiment.
Keywords: Driver distraction; Biological signal
Ergonomics Design with Novice Elicitation on an Auditory-Only In-Vehicle Speech System BIBAKFull-Text 654-660
  Ming-Hsuan Wei; Sheue-Ling Hwang; Hsin-Chang Chang; Jian-Yung Hung; Chih-Chung Kuo
This research is aimed to design an auditory-only in-vehicle speech system, named as Talking Car Novice Mode, and provide with elicitation that even a novice can easily handle. In this study, 19 participants were asked to use radio and music functions in two kinds of in-vehicle speech systems, the original Talking Car and Talking Car Novice Mode, while driving through a virtual world. Data of secondary task performance, the amount of time spent on tasks and the times of calling help function were recorded by a camera. The annoyed score of sentences, NASA-TLX questionnaire and subjective questionnaire were completed after the test. The result indicated that there was no significant difference between driving with and without tasks on either the reaction time of slamming the brake or the times user call for help. Besides, the learning curve of Talking Car Novice Mode is steep and ensures that Talking Car Novice Mode provides enough elicitation to novices. Hence, the Talking Car Novice Mode is expected to be friendlier and safer than original Talking Car in-vehicle speech system for a novice user.
Keywords: ergonomics design; Talking Car Novice Mode; elicited design; voice user interface

HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 3

Identity, Privacy and Trust

SP-CIP: A Secure and Privacy Aware Patient Centric Information Portal BIBAKFull-Text 3-9
  Subrata Acharya
There is an urgent need for the establishment of patient-centric and quality aware solutions in today's healthcare environment. To this effect, Clinical Information Systems (CIP) play a powerful role to significantly influence the quality and efficiency of health care delivery systems. However, most of the current functional CIP are static [1] in design and typically represent and cater to only a single healthcare entity. This leads to an inaccurate and stale view of the patient status both in the care of the patient and also in the delivery of essential healthcare services. Moreover, it also delays patient care and leads to inconveniences in patient billing and the overall usability of the system. Added to this there is an oversight of security and privacy policies and procedures in the implementation of such systems. Thus, with the current pervasive nature of technology in such healthcare organizations, this creates a critical risk of such information systems to fall prey to data leaks and/or abuse during the access, storage and transmission of such systems.
   To address the above key barriers towards the development of the effective CIP this research proposes SP-CIP: a standardized, security and privacy aware patient portal system. By utilizing the proposed standard design framework, the features of patient portals can evolve from static to a more dynamic design, which is inclusive of a user-centric, secure and proactive approach for patient care. These features also provide flexibility to include a de-centralized mechanism to access, store and transmit healthcare information over cloud based systems, and aims to establish the expectations of an effective patient portal, leading to improved cost and quality of patient care in today's healthcare systems. The pilot evaluation of the proposed systems at a high-end federal government Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 6 health care organization (> 500 bed capacity) and its associated partner organizations and clinical practices further demonstrates the strengths of proposed system.
Keywords: Clinical Information Portal; Security; Privacy Aware; Dynamic
Identity Management through "Profiles": Prototyping an Online Information Segregation Service BIBAKFull-Text 10-19
  Julio Angulo; Erik Wästlund
Whereas in real everyday life individuals have an intuitive approach at deciding which information to disseminate to others, in the digital world it becomes difficult to keep control over the information that is distributed to different online services. In this paper we present the design of a user interface for a system that can help users decide which pieces of information to distribute to which type of service providers by allowing them to segregate their information attributes into various personalized profiles. Iterative usability evaluations showed that users understand and appreciate the possibility to segregate information, and revealed possible improvements, implications and limitations of such an interface.
Keywords: Usability; identity management; privacy preferences; partial identities; audience segregation; digital transactions
An Empirical Investigation of Similarity-Driven Trust Dynamics in a Social Network BIBAKFull-Text 20-28
  Yugo Hayashi; Victor Kryssanov; Hitoshi Ogawa
Presently, people often create and keep lists of other people with similar preferences for hobbies, such as books, movies, music, and food in online social network service systems. Recent studies in recommender systems have shown that the user's data can be used to recommend items based on other users' preferences (e.g. as implemented in amazon.com). To make such systems more effective, there is a need to understand the mechanism of human trust formation. The goal of this study is to develop cognitive models describing the trust formation in social networks. This paper presents results of a controlled experiment conducted to collect human behavior data through a series of trust evaluation tasks.
Keywords: Social Cognition; Social networks; Trust Dynamics; Recommender Systems; Human-Computer Interaction; Conversational Agents
The di.me User Interface: Concepts for Sharing Personal Information via Multiple Identities in a Decentralized Social Network BIBAKFull-Text 29-38
  Fabian Hermann; Andreas Schuller; Simon Thiel; Christian Knecht; Simon Scerri
The di.me userware visualizes vast personal information from various sources and allows for sharing them in a decentralized social network. Multiple identities can be used to avoid unintended linkability when communicating to other users or external systems. The di.me user interface for that is presented in this paper. A user-centered information- and view-structure for items of the personal information sphere and concepts for multiple identities used for sharing are discussed.
Keywords: user interface design; decentralized social networking; personal identity management; security and privacy
Trust and Privacy in the di.me Userware BIBAKFull-Text 39-48
  Marcel Heupel; Mohamed Bourimi; Dogan Kesdogan
People in online social networks are constantly sharing information with different audiences and it becomes more and more difficult for them to keep track of distributed information. Further, due to the complexity of the digital landscape, it is a constant risk to unintentionally share information to the wrong people, possibly leading to a loss of reputation. The European research project di.me is concerned with the development of a userware, empowering end-users to keep track of their digital footprints, with an intelligent user interfaces (UI) and smart advisory. In this paper we present how we calculate persons trust and inform the privacy of resources shared among persons. We show the concepts for trust and privacy advisory in the di.me userware and address problems, we were confronted within the design and evaluation process and how we tackled them. In this respect we specifically address change requirements (i.e. trust model and UI improvements) we conducted after an evaluation and user trials with a first prototype.
Keywords: Trust; privacy; user interface; privacy advisory; online social networks; di.me
From Living Space to Urban Quarter: Acceptance of ICT Monitoring Solutions in an Ageing Society BIBAKFull-Text 49-58
  Simon Himmel; Martina Ziefle; Katrin Arning
The question of designing safe, secure, and human-centered urban living environments is complex, as different and controversial needs from different sources have to be harmonized. The ongoing demographic change with more and more older and frail persons living in urban environments raise the question how modern technologies in the information and communication sector can be seamlessly integrated in specific urban spaces. Not only (medical) safety and data security issues need to be considered but also technology acceptance and the fragile trade-off between the ubiquity of technologies on the one and the perceived trust in and reliability of technologies on the other hand are of pivotal importance. To understand users' willingness to accept monitoring technologies in different locations (ranging from home to public spaces) we pursued an exploratory approach. 127 participants in a wide age range volunteered to take part in the questionnaire study. Results show that individuals independently of age and gender are quite reluctant to accept such technologies in general, even for medical reasons. It was ascertained that acceptance was impacted by the type of technology and the space (domestic vs. public) and the health status of the people.
Keywords: Technology Acceptance; ICT Health Monitoring; Living Spaces; Urban Quarter; User Diversity
The Impact of Explanation Dialogues on Human-Computer Trust BIBAKFull-Text 59-67
  Florian Nothdurft; Tobias Heinroth; Wolfgang Minker
Maintaining and enhancing the willingness of a user to interact with a technical system is crucial for human-computer interaction (HCI). Trust has shown to be an important factor influencing the frequency and kind of usage. In this paper we present our work on using explanations to maintain the trust relationship between human and computer. We conducted an experiment on how different goals of explanations influence the bases of human-computer trust. We present the results of the conducted study and outline what this means for the design of future technical systems and in particular for the central dialogue management component controlling the course and content of the HCI.
Keywords: Computer applications; Knowledge based systems; Cooperative systems; Adaptive systems; Expert Systems
Trustworthy and Inclusive Identity Management for Applications in Social Media BIBAKFull-Text 68-77
  Till Halbach Røssvoll; Lothar Fritsch
We describe a prototype for inclusive and secure identity management regarding a bill sharing application in social media. Beginning with the principals of universal design, and involving groups of users with impairments, we designed a set of alternative authentication methods based on OpenID. This work explains the scenario and the particularities of designing a trust, security, and privacy infrastructure with a high degree of usability for diverse user groups, and which is aligned with the requirements from regulatory frameworks. The user trials show that several authentication alternatives in multiple modalities are welcomed by impaired users, but many have restrictions when it comes to payments in the context of social media.
Keywords: Authentication; Authorization; OpenID; Identity Management; Social Media; Payment; Accessibility; Usability; E-Inclusion
Towards a Design Guideline of Visual Cryptography on Stereoscopic Displays BIBAKFull-Text 78-84
  Shih-Lung Tsai; Chao-Hua Wen
This paper proposed a new visual cryptography scheme with the stereoscopic display which showed and accurately decrypted the hidden information for gray images. Results indicated that contrast ratio and pixel disparity of the decrypted stereo-image were key problems that would impact on the perceived quality of the decrypted image. Next, this research performed a subjective experiment of shifting pixels between both of left and right images to investigate the disparity effects of decrypted information on a full HD stereo-display with film-pattern-retarder technology. In addition, the effects of font size and contrast ratio were addressed as well. Results revealed that the thresholds of pixel disparity were between 2 and 7 pixels. To alphabets, the font size of 50 points was lower boundary to show the decrypted information. To numeric, the font size of 45 points was lower boundary over different contrast ratios.
Keywords: Visual cryptography; Stereoscopic display; Design guideline

User Studies

Interface Design for Minimizing Loss of Context in In-situ Remote Robot Control BIBAKFull-Text 87-96
  Jong-gil Ahn; Gerard Jounghyun Kim
When controlling robot in-situ, the operator's attention is often divided between the scene and the interface. This often causes inefficiency in the control performance. One possible solution to address this attention switch is to employ a camera (or sensor) view (despite being at the site) in which critical parts of the operating environment can be shown side-by-side with the control interface so that the user is not distracted from the either. In addition, when the user switches one's attention away unavoidably and then back to the control interface, the interface can be configured so that user can easily continue the task at hand without momentary the loss of context. In this paper, we describe the design of such an interface and investigate in the possible user attentive behaviors based on it. In particular, we present an experiment that compares three variant forms of interactions: (1) Nominal (no camera view), (2) Fixed (using a camera view and user not allowed to overlook into the scene), and (3) Free (using a camera view but user is free to overlook into the scene). The three approaches represent different balances between information availability, interface accessibility and the amount of attentional shift. Experiment results have shown that all three interaction models exhibited similar task performance even though the Fixed type induced much less attentional shift. However, the users much preferred the Nominal and Free type. Users mostly ignored the camera view, shifting one's attention excessively into the operating scene, due to the lack of visual quality, realistic scale and depth information of the camera view.
Keywords: Human-Robot Interaction; In-Situ Robot Control; Interface Design
Assessing the Impact of Latency and Jitter on the Perceived Quality of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 BIBAKFull-Text 97-106
  Rahul Amin; France Jackson; Juan E. Gilbert; Jim Martin; Terry Shaw
Jane McGonigal stated in her 2010 TED Talk that humans spend 3 billion hours a week playing video games around the planet. Americans alone devote 183 million hours per week to gaming. With numbers like these, it's no wonder why end user demands for bandwidth have increased exponentially and the potential for network congestion is always present. We conduct a user study that focuses on the question: "How much network impairment is acceptable before users are dissatisfied?" In particular, the main objective of our study is to measure a gamer's perceived Quality of Experience (QoE) for a real-time first person shooter (FPS) online game Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in presence of varied levels of network congestion. We develop a Mean Opinion Score (MOS) metric to determine each gamers' QoE. We investigate the following hypothesis: The gamers' perceived QoE correlates to their skill level.
Keywords: Online Gaming; First Person Shooter Games; Network Impairment; Quality of Experience
The Effects of Negative Interaction Feedback in a Web Navigation Assistant BIBAKFull-Text 107-116
  Marcelo G. Armentano; Analía A. Amandi
Recommender systems are a common solution used to assist users in searching and retrieving information on the web due to the benefits that can be obtained from the evaluation and filtering of the vast amount of information available. This article presents a user study on the feasibility of using negative interaction, that is the absence of interaction with some items in a list of suggestions, as implicit feedback used to improve the performance of a web navigation assistant. Results showed an increment of 16.65% in the acceptance of the suggestions provided by the assistant and an increment of 43.05% in the average use of the suggestions window when using negative interaction with respect to not using this feedback mechanism.
Keywords: Intelligent Agents; Web Navigation Assistance; Implicit Feedback
Automatic Layout Generation for Digital Photo Albums: A User Study BIBAKFull-Text 117-126
  Francine B. Bergmann; Isabel H. Manssour; Milene S. Silveira; João Batista S. de Oliveira
The low cost and ubiquitousness of digital cameras allow ever larger collections of photos. Although storage is not usually a problem, selection for presentation requires time and effort. Studies show the existence of user groups that never tried to create digital photo albums or were discouraged by the difficulty of this task. Trying to minimize the effort to create albums, we developed a prototype called Twingle. Using Twingle the creation of an album requires dragging pictures into a page and the program is responsible for positioning and resizing. To investigate whether such an automatic layout generation could be an alternative to users, we made a study exploring Twingle with users from several ages and professional areas. The related works, the performed user study and its results are discussed here.
Keywords: digital photo albums; automatic layout generation
Icon Design for Older Users of Project Management Software BIBAKFull-Text 127-135
  Christina Bröhl; Jennifer Bützler; Nicole Jochems; Christopher M. Schlick
Working in projects is an important part of many jobs in service industry. Due to their knowledge and experience project planning is often accomplished by older employees. Therefore, and with regard to the demographic change an integration of the needs of older employees into the work environment is required. Common to most IT-based systems, including project management software, is the use of icons. To investigate different icon sets in project management software, regarding age related differences, two studies were conducted. The first study aimed at investigating two different icon sets regarding execution times and eye movements in an applied setting. The second study consisted of a questionnaire where subjects had to map different icons to their corresponding functions and had to compare these icons regarding their intuitiveness. Results revealed that older users profit from an icon design which is low in complexity but no impact by different icon designs was found for younger users.
Keywords: Usability; icon design; human-computer interaction; project management; eye-tracking; age differences
Search Strategies in Hypermedia Navigation and Spatial Abilities: A Comparison with Physical Navigation BIBAKFull-Text 136-145
  Aurélie Brouwers
This article focuses on spatial abilities mobilized during hypertext navigation. Based on the evidence that spatial cognition plays a central role in navigation, we present an experiment involving information search tasks both in physical environment and in hypermedia environment. We investigate how users make use of their spatial abilities to search information in hypermedia, by comparing their performances in hypermedia navigation and physical navigation. As data collection and analysis are still in progress, we present preliminary results based on available data.
Keywords: hypermedia; navigation; visuospatial abilities; spatial cognition
Data Visualisation, User Experience and Context: A Case Study from Fantasy Sport BIBAKFull-Text 146-155
  Rob Euman; José Abdelnour-Nocera
Fantasy Football is a rapidly growing online social game. As users become more sophisticated and technology advances, the amount of data that is available to inform users' decision making is growing rapidly. Representing this data in an informative and engaging way can be a challenge but data visualisation offers many ways to achieve this. This paper focuses on the design of interactive solutions that are measured against existing products by way of a comparative evaluation. In order to study the impact on user performance, efficiency and accuracy are measured for clearly defined tasks carried out on each design. The user experience is measured to understand the satisfaction and perceived ease of use of each visualisation system. This study will be useful to validate or challenge existing principles of data visualisation design and perception as well as offering suggestions for improving fantasy football products. The study will also serve as a case study to support further research into data visualisation evaluation methods. The paper concludes by discussing the findings and possible areas for further research and design.
Keywords: HCI; social games; data visualisation; design; evaluation
A Pedestrian Navigation Method for User's Safe and Easy Wayfinding BIBAKFull-Text 156-165
  Hiroshi Furukawa; Yutaka Nakamura
In recent years, most of mobile phones have a function of pedestrian navigation guidance. It was reported that users sometimes feel anxiety because of low accuracy of the position estimation especially in urban area and delay of information updating. In order to reduce the anxiety, a route planning algorithm is proposed in this study, which weighs user's difficulty (or easiness) of locating own current position as well as total physical distance of courses. The difficulty is estimated by valuation functions based on the "recognizability" and "visibility" of landmarks. An experimental study conducted in real situation using a prototype system to examine and refine the model for the optimal route planning. As the result, a modified model is proposed as a promising method of route planning for user's easy wayfinding.
Keywords: navigation system; landmark; salience; cognitive model; anxiety; recognizability; visibility
The Effect of Information Quantity on Cbp Interface in the Advanced Nuclear Power Plant BIBAKFull-Text 166-173
  Min-Chih Hsieh; Sheue-Ling Hwang
Computer-based procedures (CBP) are widely used in advanced nuclear power plant (NPP). In order to improve operators' performance and decrease the probability of human errors, several different CBP interface layouts have been provided by previous studies. However, there has been little research discussing the information quantity that present on the CBP interface. This study is to examine operator performance in using computerized procedures from an information quantity point of view. A simulated CBP system was developed to present three different information present styles, each with different task complexity. The results indicated that medium information quantity of CBP interface was better than other level of information quantity.
Keywords: Computer-based procedures; Nuclear power plant; interface; information quantity
Development of Communication Support System at Mealtimes Using Tabletop Interface BIBAFull-Text 174-182
  Junko Itou; Shizuka Takao; Jun Munemori
In this research, we aim to develop a system to support communication during meal times. It is reported that the communication skills of young people have declined because of decrease of opportunity to speak face to face. We focus on the meal that is essential for everyday life as a place for face-to-face communication. The proposed system uses tabletop interface as a dining table to provide intuitive control without additional burden. Users can decorate the table and dishes with several digital items by only touching the surface of the table. Furthermore the system displays various visual events randomly on the table according to the condition of the items. By using visual effects, we realize the support to provide improving communication and enhancing the enjoyment of the meal. From the result of experiment, it was cleared that users could take a cue of conversation through use of the system.
Improving User Performance in Conditional Probability Problems with Computer-Generated Diagrams BIBAKFull-Text 183-192
  Vince Kellen; Susy Chan; Xiaowen Fang
Many disciplines in everyday life depend on improved performance in probability problems. Most adults struggle with conditional probability problems and prior studies have shown user accuracy is less than 50%. This study examined user performance when aided with computer-generated Venn and Euler-type diagrams in a non-learning context. Following relational complexity, working memory and mental model theories, this study manipulated problem complexity in diagrams and text-only displays. Partially consistent with the study hypotheses, complex visuals outperformed complex text-only displays and simple text-only displays outperformed complex text only displays. However, a significant interaction between users' spatial ability and the use of diagram displays led to a reversal of performance for low-spatial users in one of the diagram displays. Participants with less spatial ability were significantly impaired in their ability to solve problems with less relational complexity when aided by a diagram.
Keywords: Human-computer interaction; diagrams; Bayesian reasoning; relational complexity; spatial ability; working memory; individual differences; mental models
Establishing a Cognitive Map of Public Place for Blind and Visual Impaired by Using IVEO Hands-On Learning System BIBAKFull-Text 193-198
  Qing-Wen Lin; Sheue-Ling Hwang; Jan-Li Wang
In recent years, there has been an escalation of orientation and way-finding technologies and systems for the blind visually impaired people. The purpose of this study was to help visual impaired to access and explore spatial information by establishing a cognitive map of public place using IVEO hands-on learning system and tactile direction map. The IVEO hands-on learning system combines touch, sound, and sight, using touch and sound learning modalities to help the blind and visually impaired to learn faster and retain information longer, meanwhile making learning more interesting and interactive. Subjects were divided into four groups in terms of route familiarity and IVEO Aids of exposure, with an equal number of subjects (N=4) in each group. Then, the subject performed an actual Way-finding test to get back and forth between Ximending and TDTB (Taiwan Digital Talking Books association). The dependent variables were total time, number of miss route, and number of request. The results revealed a significant effect of IVEO Aids, and the subjects could perform better through IVEO Aids. This research provided a learning method of orientation and mobility for the blind and visually impaired, and assisted them to be familiar with the route safer and faster.
Keywords: Learning System; audio-tactile maps; cognitive map; Way-finding; blind people
An Application of the Ballistic Movement Method for Evaluating Computer Mice BIBAKFull-Text 199-208
  Ray F. Lin; Ching-Wen Chung; Yi-Chien Tsai; Chi-Yu Huang
Lin and Drury [1] validated two ballistic movement models and suggested these models could have certain benefits for evaluating input devices. Hence, the study aimed at (1) validating the application of ballistic movement models for evaluating computer mice and (2) demonstrating the superiority of this method, compared to Fitts' law. In a two-stage experiment, four participants used six types of computer mice to execute Fitts-type aiming movements and ballistic movements, sequentially. The measured data were analyzed by Fitts' law and the ballistic movement models, respectively. The comparison of the results obtained by the two methods showed that (1) ballistic movement models can well fit the measured data and (2) the ballistic movement method can provide independent performance information of "speed" and "accuracy" that is not available by applying Fitts' law. This study demonstrated an alternative method for evaluating computer mice.
Keywords: ballistic movement method; computer mouse; input device; human movements; Fitts' law
AugmentedBacklight: Expansion of LCD Backlights Using Lighting Methods in the Real World BIBAKFull-Text 209-216
  Maho Oki; Koji Tsukada; Itiro Siio
People experience various lights in daily life, such as sunlight through leaves and candle light. However, digital contents shown in common LCDs cannot express these impressive lights. In this paper, we propose a novel display technique, AugmentedBacklight, which can express impressive lights in the real world by expanding the LCD backlight. The system mainly consists of a transparent LCD, a screen behind the LCD, and a projector behind the above devices. The projector shows videos of impressive lights on the screen for the backlight of the transparent LCD. Thus, users can see digital contents (e.g., e-books and pictures) under various impressive lights in the real world.
Keywords: Display; backlight; lighting
An Exploratory Study to Understand Knowledge-Sharing in Data-Intensive Science BIBAKFull-Text 217-226
  Jongsoon Park; Joseph L. Gabbard
This paper describes a challenges associated with data-intensive research processes, knowledge-sharing phenomena, and end-users' expectations in the field of bioinformatics. We developed a questionnaire to support deeper understanding of user experiences with knowledge sharing activities. The results reveal that there are several challenging issues biologists encounter when using bioinformatics resources. A much smaller number of biologists have engaged in passive knowledge sharing within their research fields than we had expected. However, most biologists expressed their willingness to share their own knowledge with others. This result reinforces the need for more user-centered design approaches for supporting knowledge-sharing in rapidly emerging fields of data-intensive science. At the same time, our results suggest that more work is needed to examine how to best motivate users to further engage and contribute knowledge in online scientific communities.
Keywords: User-centered Design Approach; Knowledge-Sharing; Data-Intensive Science
Interaction of the Elderly Viewer with Additional Multimedia Content to Support the Appreciation of Television Programs BIBAKFull-Text 227-236
  Kamila Rodrigues; Vânia Paula de Almeida Neris; Cesar Augusto Camillo Teixeira
For many people, television is still the main form of entertainment. The elderly population, in particular, spends much time at home and uses the television for companionship and entertainment. However, in some countries, due to low education level or the absence of it, to physical limitations and/or cognitive difficulties, to the lack of prior knowledge, among other difficulties, part of the elderly viewers do not enjoy enough the programs to have satisfaction with them. With the interactivity provided by the Digital TV, additional information may help the elderly viewer to better appreciate television programs and have more fun. This paper presents data from an observational case study conducted in the Brazilian scenario to analyze the interaction of elderly viewers with TV programs enriched with additional multimedia content in different formats. From the experience, some good practices for the design of additional multimedia content to the elderly viewer were formalized.
Keywords: Design; Interactive Digital TV; Elderly; Additional Multimedia Content; Satisfaction
Exploring Children's Attitudes towards Static and Moving Humanoid Robots BIBAKFull-Text 237-245
  Fang-Wu Tung; Tsen-Yao Chang
This study investigates the uncanny valley for robots designed specifically for child users, and examines their attitudes toward humanoid robots with different anthropomorphic appearances and behaviors. An uncanny valley was identified in this study, indicating that the children were less attracted to images they considered highly human-like, although they were distinguishable from humans. The results of this study support Mori's uncanny valley hypothesis regarding children's perceptions of static robots. A significant finding is that moving robots can moderate an uncanny valley plot, which contradicts Mori's uncanny valley theory that the movement of a robot amplifies a generated emotional response. The moving robots exhibited various behaviors, such as facial expressions, speech, gazing, and gestures, which can generally enhance children's perceptions of robots. These behaviors were derived from human-human interactions, and can be considered social cues. The results of this study show that social cues can be applied to child-robot interactions. Children perceive robots are more socially and physically attractive when they exhibit sufficient social cues. Specifically, the display of social cues by robots that are less anthropomorphic can significantly enhance children's social perceptions of them. This has crucial implications for the behavior a child anticipates from a machine-like robot compared to a human-like robot. According to the study results, robots designed for children do not require excessively human-like designs. Middle- to low-level anthropomorphic designs combined with appropriate social cues can enhance children preferences and acceptance of robots. This also enables businesses to develop educational, care, or entertainment robots for children at a reasonable cost.
Keywords: humanoid robot; child-robot interaction; behavior; social cue

Interaction for Society and Community

Mobile Money Services in Uganda: Design Gaps and Recommendations BIBAFull-Text 249-258
  Rehema Baguma
Mobile money is a great service for developing countries where the banking infrastructure is still severely limited and very few people can meet requirements of banking institutions. While these services are being greatly received due to the convenience that goes with electronic and mobile based services, the reception and uptake is still limited to literate populations who are the minority in these countries. This paper discusses the current design gaps of the mobile money service in Uganda based on a survey carried out in Kampala and Kayunga districts and provides recommendations on how these gaps can be addressed for the service to benefit more people especially the less literate poor that have no access or cannot afford conventional banking services.
A Static and Dynamic Recommendations System for Best Practice Networks BIBAKFull-Text 259-268
  Pierfrancesco Bellini; Ivan Bruno; Paolo Nesi; Michela Paolucci
Semantics computing technologies may be used to provide recommendations and stimulate user engagement in many kinds of services, such as social media, match making, best practice networks, technology transfer, etc. The recommendation metrics used take into account both static information and dynamical behaviors of users on a Social Network Platform. The recommendations provided include those realized taking into account also strategic and random users. The set of recommendations have been assessed with respect to the user's acceptance, which allowed to validate the solution and to tune the parameters. The experience performed in creating and validating recommendation systems adopted for ECLAP and APREToscana best practice networks is described and results obtained are reported. The identified model has significantly increased the acceptance rate for the recommendation on ECLAP.
Keywords: best practice network; semantic computing; recommendations; social media; grid computing; validation model
Connecting Electric Vehicles and Green Energy BIBAKFull-Text 269-276
  Peter Dempster
This paper discusses the interrelationship between the purchase of green energy (GE) and electric vehicles (EV) and the motivations for and values formed around the purchase of the combination of the two. The BMW Group completed a two-year EV and GE user study, a joint project with the PH&EV Research Center at UCDavis and multiple market research agencies. Through a focus group study of US East and West coast all-electric MINI E markets and a new car buyer online survey, the BMW Group assessed the value of offering GE with EVs. A follow-on user experience survey, assessed the success of two GE products in the US. 39% of MINI E and 29% of Active E respondents have purchased home solar. A vehicle design game revealed that adding GE options increased overall demand for EVs among conventional buyers by 23%, with technology interest, environment and cost savings reported as the motivation.
Keywords: Electric Vehicle; Green Energy; Solar; Environment
SOCIETY: A Social Reading Application to Join Education and Social Network Experience BIBAKFull-Text 277-284
  Elena Guercio; Fabio Luciano Mondin; Maurizio Belluati; Lucia Longo
This paper describes a social reading application designed for education and school communities based on electronic book reading experience. Both design and evaluation followed a user centered approach in order to obtain a custom made application called SOCIETY, to be used by community based groups with similar reading interests, running both on IOS and Android System. A special emphasis was given on personal and social aspects in writing and sharing notes with the community groups and the "facebook or twitter" large community to better understand how that can improve the learning process.
   Beside showing a high interest on society@school app our trial evidenced the need to separate school community from wider social networks, a need which seems to be important for students. That stresses the importance of privacy management in school applications design, because students seem to be worried about sharing information and mixing school and social networks contexts.
Keywords: Social reading; privacy/respecting; User Experience; School; User Interface; Personal; Social
The Evaluation of a Voting Web Based Application BIBAKFull-Text 285-294
  Linda Harley; Keith Kline; Jerry Ray; Carrie Bell; Andrew Baranak; Chandler Price; Matthew Hung; Brad Fain
Ballot layout and the incorporation of assistive technologies into voting systems are plagued with inconsistencies across the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate both ballot layout display configuration (information density) and a variety of controllers (e.g., mouse, 2- or 5-button controller) in order to assess performance and preference among voters. Participants were presented with three mock ballots, each with different layouts (scrollable pages, multiple columns or multiple pages per contest). Eye-tracking data and selection time data were recorded and a usability questionnaire was administered after each testing condition. The results of the study found that participants preferred the multiple column display configuration and the use of the mouse. The results from this study will be leveraged to design an iPad Voting Application with appropriate interfaces and controls. This will allow individuals with disabilities the opportunity to vote without requiring the dexterity to use a paper and pencil ballot.
Keywords: vote; web based application; human factors engineering; interface
A Refuge Location Prediction System for When a Tsunami Has Occurred BIBAKFull-Text 295-300
  Akhiro Kawabe; Tomoko Izumi; Yoshio Nakatani
During the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, DMATs (Disaster Medical Assistance Teams) could not rescue victims efficiently with accurate location data, because the local governments had lost refuge location data and resident registers due to damage caused by the tsunami. In this paper, to support DMATs, a refuge prediction system based on the characteristics of disaster, landscape, and victims' psychology is proposed, which can function even if local governments lose information about victims and refuge locations. As an example, this system deals with tsunami. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this system by comparing the data of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami and our prediction system.
Keywords: Disaster Medical Assistance Team; earthquake; local government
Further Benefit of a Kind of Inconvenience for Social Information Systems BIBAKFull-Text 301-306
  Hiroshi Kawakami
This paper discusses on social information systems from the viewpoint of Fuben-eki that stands for FUrther BENEfit of a King of Inconvenience. Analyzing several examples with benefit of inconvenience elucidates the relation between inconvenience and their benefits that in turn are organized into design guidelines. The guidelines applied to several design fields including social information system design. A few examples of such design are presented in this paper. One of the examples accumulates and shares information on literature, and the others are for establishing local communities.
Keywords: benefit of inconvenience; social information system; system design theory
The Present Condition and Problems for Elderly People Participating in Communities BIBAFull-Text 307-313
  Noriyuki Kobayashi; Shohei Yamane; Kotaro Ohori; Akihiko Obata
The proportion of aged citizens in Japan has been growing and has reached the highest proportion in the world (23.1% in October, 2010 [1]). The time when we need to tackle the social welfare problem of an aging society has arrived. It has been reported that social welfare services are insufficient to reach all people who need help, resulting in 32000 lonely deaths in a single year [2]. It is difficult to solve the problem only by reforming formal care systems under conditions where the number of senior citizens is increasing and the number of younger citizens is decreasing. Community activity that supports elderly citizens is important when the proportion of aged citizens is increasing to prevent over-reliance on formal care. The idea named PPK (pin-pin-korori [3]) thus emerged. This is the idea that the number of people requiring long-term care can be decreased by increasing the number of active senior citizens.
Applying to Twitter Networks of a Community Extraction Method Using Intersection Graph and Semantic Analysis BIBAKFull-Text 314-323
  Toshiya Kuramochi; Naoki Okada; Kyohei Tanikawa; Yoshinori Hijikata; Shogo Nishida
Many researchers have studied about complex networks such as the World Wide Web, social networks and the protein interaction network. One hot topic in this area is community detection. For example, in the WWW, the community shows a set of web pages about a certain topic. The community structure is unquestionably a key characteristic of complex networks. We have proposed the novel community extracting method. The method considers the overlaps between communities using the idea of the intersection graph. Additionally, we address the problem of edge inhomogeneity by weighting edges using content information. Finally, we conduct clustering based on modularity. In this paper, we evaluate our method through applying to real microblog networks.
Keywords: complex network; community extraction; intersection graph; hierarchical clustering; text mining; microblog network
Search Engine Accessibility for Low-Literate Users BIBAKFull-Text 324-331
  Débora Maurmo Modesto; Simone Bacellar Leal Ferreira; Aline Silva Alves
Search engines are often used to retrieve content on the Web, but it is not a simple activity for low-literate users since they have to know the technology and create strategies to query and navigate. Their interaction with search engines differ from high-literate users on strategies used, perception, communication and performance. In order to improve search engines and create solutions, we need to understand these users' needs. This research aimed to identify how search engine features influence the interaction of low-literate users. We analyzed the interaction of ten users through user tests that were part of a case study. Based on a limited set of features of a specific search engine, we identified what features were used, the perception about them and some barriers faced by these users. This study led to a list of recommendations for the development of search interfaces focused on low-literate users.
Keywords: Low-Literate Users; Search Engine Accessibility; Guidelines
Identifying and Representing Elements of Local Contexts in Namibia BIBAKFull-Text 332-341
  Kasper Rodil; Kasper Løvborg Jensen; Matthias Rehm; Heike Winschiers-Theophilus
In an attempt to represent local context in a 3D visualisation for rural elders in Namibia we have found major differences in the conceptualization of this context between external and local partners in the co-creation process. Through the evaluation of a mobile context capture tool we found a clear disconnection of community members with both abstract and absolute representations of points, paths and areas. From this we discuss how the local concepts of space and time as frames of reference can not be represented adequately with our current selection of contextual data, and how we are engaging in participatory activities to derive a common understanding of contextual representations.
Keywords: context; indigenous knowledge; Participatory Design; context-aware; re-contextualization
A Framework for Community-Oriented Mobile Interaction Design in Emerging Regions BIBAKFull-Text 342-351
  Monica Sebillo; Genoveffa Tortora; Giuliana Vitiello; Pasquale Di Giovanni; Marco Romano
The interaction design of mobile applications for a specific community of users, requires a deep knowledge of that community in order to establish appropriate usability requirements and tune the subsequent development activities. This is especially true when the target community is situated in one of the developing countries. There, mobile devices are increasingly playing the role that personal computers play in 'developed' countries, in spite of quite different cultural, social and technological constraints. In this paper we propose a 'community-centered' design approach, where different aspects of a community are used to formulate usability goals and are taken into account throughout the design, prototyping and testing phases, so as to ensure the actual application deployment by users of that community. The case study of a project carried out with a community of farmers in Sri Lanka is used to illustrate the approach.
Keywords: Analysis and design methods; Human Centered Design and User Centered Design; Human Factors Engineering Approach; Interaction design
The Effects of (Social) Media on Revolutions -- Perspectives from Egypt and the Arab Spring BIBAKFull-Text 352-358
  Christian Sturm; Hossam Amer
The Arab Spring has been titled as "social media revolution". While there is no doubt that Facebook and twitter contributed significantly to the course of events, its role can only be understood when put into a broader technological and historical context. Therefore, we looked at the role of technology during prior revolutions such as the French Revolution in 1789. It turns out that media technology has played an important supportive role in social and political movements throughout history. The changing characteristic, however, has always been the speed of information diffusion. Therefore, it is concluded that social media should be seen as supportive but not exclusively responsible for the events of the Arab Spring.
Keywords: Social media; society; revolution; evolution; twitter; Facebook; democratization; media technology; Arab Spring; French Revolution
Memotree: Using Online Social Networking to Strengthen Family Communication BIBAKFull-Text 359-367
  Tsai-Hsuan Tsai; Yi-Lun Ho; Hsien-Tsung Chang; Yu-Wen Li
This study describes the design and development of Memotree -- a basic service platform for family social interaction. Memotree features a Family Tree which displays the family relationships and links among family members, with features to encourage family interaction based on the Family Communications Scale. The system and its associated hardware are designed to be optimally accessible to family members of different generations. Finally, Heuristic Evaluation was used to evaluate Memotree usability. Test subjects affirmed the Memotree concept and provided positive feedback.
Keywords: social networking sites; family tree; family communication scale; heuristic evaluation

HCI for Business and Innovation

It Was Nice with the Brick So Now I'll Click: The Effects of Offline and Online Experience, Perceived Benefits, and Trust on Dutch Consumers' Online Repeat Purchase Intention BIBAKFull-Text 371-380
  Ardion Beldad; Mariël Segers
The present study investigated the factors influencing Dutch consumers' intention to continue purchasing from a brick-and-click clothes shop's online channel after an initial commercial exchange. Results on the online survey with 513 respondents reveal that their repeat online purchase intention is influenced by the quality of their previous online purchase experience with the retailer, their perception of the benefits associated with online purchasing, and their trust in the retailer. Analysis also shows that respondents' previous offline purchase experience and online purchase experience contribute to their trust in the retailer. Additionally, respondents' previous online purchase experience positively influences their perception of the benefits associated with purchasing online. The modified model also shows that respondents' trust in the retailer positively influences their perceptions of online shopping benefits.
Keywords: offline purchase experience; online purchase experience; online trust; repeat online purchase intention; blick-and-click
Interaction between Enterprise Resource Planning Systems and Organizational Culture BIBAKFull-Text 381-387
  Carlotta Herberhold
Building up on findings of IT culture research and ERP research, the assignment is to investigate organizational cultural variables impacting on changes through enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The study suggests seven cultural factors that are influence by ERP usage. The results are grounded in both a review of the literature on ERP, organizational culture, and an analysis of qualitative data collected from ERP experts. The findings will provide explanations that cultural factors should be considered when using an ERP system.
Keywords: Computer-augmented environment; organizational culture; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP); user behavior; organizational behavior
Reconfiguring the Corporate and Commons: Mobile and Online Activism as a Form of Socio-technical Design BIBAKFull-Text 388-395
  Constance Kampf
This paper describes a model for understanding how digital activists contribute to (re)defining the ways in which socio-technical interactions are (re)designed at the Macro-level. This macro level is explained in three parts -- 1) the cultural production of a new form of practice, 2) an active, contested knowledge process, and 3) as producing knowledge about the interface between society and business. Two kinds of digital activists are examined -- critical digital activists and activists from within the system.
Keywords: Socio-Technical Design; Culture; Knowledge
Social Media in the Product Development Process of the Automotive Industry: A New Approach BIBAKFull-Text 396-401
  Andreas Klein; Götz Spiegel
This paper introduces a new methodology for implementing social media monitoring into an important stage of the innovation process within the automotive industry -- the prototype stage. The information gathered on social media channels was used for project management, quality management and idea-generation purposes in order to support the parallel development of future generations of electric vehicles. As the project is still ongoing the first general results which show the effectiveness of the methodology can be presented in this paper.
Keywords: Social media monitoring; electric mobility; electric vehicles; product development; social networking sites
Do All People Enjoy the Benefits from Technology Innovation? BIBAKFull-Text 402-410
  Yoon Jeon Koh; Jae Heon Park; Byung Do Chung
The spread of emerging devices such as smartphone and Tablet PC enables people to experience an unprecedented technology innovation. However, some smartphone users show their intentions to reuse the feature phone due to the increased stress and pressure caused by a lot of functions of the smartphone. This study explores that the technology innovation doesn't provide all the people with the same level of values and satisfactions. A paper and pencil survey is employed with 3,798 mobile users randomly selected from 10's to 60's in Korea and asks them to answer the devices, ICT services, and applications in use, and the degree of their satisfactions as well as their perceived values and reuse intentions. Results show that the effects of technology innovation are different depending on mobile users' perceived value of technology innovation and price-value scheme, satisfaction of mobile service in use, and ages.
Keywords: technology innovation; smartphone; perceived value; satisfaction
Semantically Integrated Business Applications for Enterprise Resource Planning Systems BIBAKFull-Text 411-417
  Patricia Kraft; Rainer Thome
The development of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software or enterprise information systems (EIS) has always been closely linked to the discussion on integration. Over time, integration of software solutions has improved considerably. This has been achieved through several changes made in the past, but mostly it has become possible thanks to cutting-edge technologies. A new approach is semantically integrated business applications that enable the evolution of standard end-to-end software.
Keywords: Business applications; software development; enterprise resource planning (ERP); integration; add-on; enterprise information systems
Towards a Next Generation Universally Accessible 'Online Shopping-for-Apparel' System BIBAKFull-Text 418-427
  Kasper Kristensen; Nanna Borum; Line G. Christensen; Henrik W. Jepsen; Jacob Lam; Anthony L. Brooks; Eva Petersson Brooks
This paper reports initial research findings from on-going longitudinal participatory design studies within a national (Danish) funded project to realize a gesture-controlled 'Online shopping-for-apparel' system -- A Virtual Dressing Room (VDR). A product that reduces customer purchase returns, reportedly up to 40%, which is a huge burden to the clothing industries as shopping percentile of sales online continues to increase, is targeted. Three studies are reported where results cumulate to highlight the need for continued research to realize a next-generation system to improve the user experience of online shopping for apparel where conclusions point to the need for adaptive user interface improvements. Unforeseen was that wheelchair-bound public especially responded positively to the potentials for the concept due to their limited mobility in shopping and this accessibility aspect can be a significant future market.
Keywords: Online shopping system; purchase returns; e-shopping experiences
Digital Menu Boards as Influencer for Healthy Eating BIBAKFull-Text 428-437
  Anicia Peters; Brian Mennecke
This paper reports on research designed to examine the role of embedded videos in digital menu boards and it's influence on consumer decision-making. The study's results showed that the embedded videos caught the attention of decision makers and healthy food images have an effect on choice; however, these variables do not interact. The results for the main effects show that technology can aid decision-making during the information search and purchase/choice stages.
Keywords: Digital signage; digital menu boards; decision-making; healthy eating; information overload; video boards
Reverse Business Innovations -- The Impact of ERP Software Upgrades on Organizations BIBAKFull-Text 438-445
  Stefanie Rauff; Andreas Hufgard
Vendors of enterprise software continue to evolve their products and offer user organizations the latest functionality in new releases and upgrades. But this means companies are faced with the challenge of selecting features that add value, and trying to assess how implementation would impact them. Not every new function impacts all employees in the same way. Depending on the specific organizational structure, implementation will affect a varying number of users. And depending on a company's system landscape, implementation of new functions might require a range of IT activities and affect many processes.
   The authors have developed a concept that uses an organization's system usage data to deliver decision support. Various aspects of the upgrade can be assessed with the aid of software tools (analyses and evaluations of new functionality) to determine relevancy, benefits, profitability, strategic goals and impact. In this article we will present a portion of this concept: A model that can assess how new functionality would impact a business, if implemented.
Keywords: SAP ERP; upgrade; new release functions; decision support; usage analysis
Repository-Based Implementation of Information Pyramid: A Study Based on an ERP Case Study BIBAKFull-Text 446-455
  Hans-Jürgen Scheruhn; Daniel Ackermann; Roman Braun; Ulrich Förster
ERP case studies have an important impact on the transfer of knowledge between software vendor, lecturer and user. This paper describes to which extent ERP case studies can be used to demonstrate a repository based integrated approach for modeling and implementing the entire information pyramid in the context of the Business Process Management life cycle. The study is based on the Global Bike Inc. enterprise model repository created with ARIS Business Designer for SAP by Software AG. The information models have been exemplarily synchronized with SAP Solution Manager repository and implemented with SAP ERP respectively with SAP Netweaver BI.
Keywords: ERP case study; ARIS Business Designer; Business Process Management life cycle; SAP Solution Manager; SAP Netweaver BI; Sustainability Balanced Scorecard
Agility Based on Stakeholder Interaction -- Blending Organizational Learning with Interactive BPM BIBAKFull-Text 456-465
  Christian Stary; Werner Schmidt; Albert Fleischmann
Highly dynamic adaptation of interactive work procedures not only requires structuring mechanisms, but also engaging stakeholders. As it touches business operation, not only user interface designs are challenged, but rather underlying business logic and data management issues. An inclusive perspective and interactive development support can be provided by Subject-oriented Business Process Management (S-BPM). It enables stakeholder involvement throughout an entire engineering cycle based on interaction specifications of all involved stakeholders. In this paper we propose to use S-BPM representations for both, capturing the business processes that are modified (i.e. content), and the process of modifying them along Organizational Learning (OL) cycles (i.e. adaptation). Since validated S-BPM models can be executed automatically from each stakeholder perspective, such an integrated BPM-OL approach allows structuring and implementing agility in operation under direct control of stakeholders.
Keywords: Agility; Organizational Learning Framework; Organizational Memory; Subject-oriented Business Process Management
Analysis of Customer Preference through Unforced Natural Passive Observation BIBAKFull-Text 466-474
  Terumasa Tajima; Yusuke Iida; Toshikazu Kato
In our former research, customer's preference has been estimated by passive observation of shopping behavior, e.g. customer's "look" and "touch". It takes much time to understand their preferences form the log. We need quickly to build up the preference model to perform suitable recommendation for a new customer. For this reason, we will propose an active observation mechanism that detects customer's unforced natural behavior to information through ambient devices such as speakers and electric displays. This mechanism also analyzes customer's preference on features and their values of commodities, which enables the system to estimate the rate of preference to an unknown product. We have experimented on ten university students. We had them evaluate the thirty-six Shirts. We used these evaluations for precision evaluations in naive Bayes classifier. We used the leave-one-out cross-validation. As the result, we have achieved the average precision in the estimating preferences by naive Bayes classifier is 71%.
Keywords: Passive and active observation; Recommendation system; Machine classifier; Digital signage; Decision making support
The Development of an Innovative Design Process for Eco-efficient Green Products BIBAKFull-Text 475-483
  Shiaw-Tsyr Uang; Cheng-Li Liu
Along with the technological advances and the rapid flow of information, people continue to create more innovative technology products in order to make life more convenience and comfortable than the past. However, huge industrial processes bring significant changes in the environment, the earth's resources are getting to dry up, the natural environment and ozonosphere have been destroyed, and leading serious threats to the survival of the Earth's species. Therefore, in recent years, environmental awareness began to be respected, and people explore green issues, hoping to make the earth resources and living things can be survival sustainable. This research attempts to integrate 39 engineering parameters of TRIZ with 7 eco-efficient elements to construct a green product design matrix, and use the patents of LED lights to verify the validity of this innovative green product design process. The green product design process of this research may allow designers to generate green products by improving eco-efficient elements as well as resolving conflict design issues, and assist organizations to increase competitiveness and to achieve sustainable development goals.
Keywords: Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ); Eco-efficient; Green Design; Product Innovation; Light Emitting Diode (LED)
Principled Ways of Finding, Analysing and Planning for Communicative Overhead in Interaction Technology for Fashion Industry BIBAKFull-Text 484-491
  Jason Yang; Sean Rintel; Stephen Viller
In this paper, we identify and analyse the problems associated with communicative overheads of a fashion design and manufacturing workflow. We conduct a multi-stage qualitative study to investigate where the rich multiple channels of communication afford and constrain the workflow during remote collaboration. From this study, we define what communication channels we have in our system. We then use the video data that we had collected through user testing, together with the feedback from the video-assisted stimulated recall interviews, to identify three kinds of communicative overheads in our system: novelty of technology, ongoing constraints and operational problems. We analyse each communicative overhead with examples from our video data, and conclude that there are various overheads, some that participants may overcome through learning and familiarity with the system, some that may not be easily overcome, and some that may not even be unique to a remote collaborative environment, as they also occur in a face-to-face collaborative environment. We believe that offering richer communication channels does not necessarily equate to greater efficiency in the collaborative process, and that designers and developers of collaborative systems need to investigate the effect of communicative overheads before introducing new channels to their system, as these overheads may decrease the efficiency of any collaborative experiences.
Keywords: Coordination; workflow; communicative overhead; channel; remote collaboration; mash-up technologies; qualitative study
Continuing On-Premise or Adopt On-Demand? An Empirical Study of ERP Adoption in SMEs BIBAKFull-Text 492-500
  Fan Zhao; Elias Kirche
Vendors are now expanding into the small to mid-size organizational markets with simplified, less-risk, less-reward systems However, SMEs, who adopted ERP on-premise solutions before, are now facing a dilemma: continuing with ERP on-premise upgrades or switch to on-demand solutions. This study surveyed Chief Information Officers of SMEs with respect to indicators of ERP adoptions. Cost, reduced demand for own IT resources, outage/accessibility and performance were found to be the most critical and important factors to assess ERP adoptions for SMEs.
Keywords: ERP; Cloud Computing; Adoption; Upgrade; on-demand

HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 4

Speech, Natural Language and Auditory Interfaces

Controlling Interaction in Multilingual Conversation BIBAKFull-Text 3-12
  Christina Alexandris
The present approach targets to provide a framework for facilitating multilingual interaction in online business meetings with an agenda as well as in similar applications in the service sector where there is a less task-oriented form of interaction. A basic problem to be addressed is the control of the topics covered during the interaction and the expression of opinion. In the proposed template-based approach, the System is proposed to act as a mediator to control the dialog flow, within the modeled framework of the sublanguage-specific and pragmatically related design.
Keywords: Templates; Simple Interlinguas; Non Task-related Speech Acts; Skype; subtitles
Linguistic Processing of Implied Information and Connotative Features in Multilingual HCI Applications BIBAKFull-Text 13-22
  Christina Alexandris; Ioanna Malagardi
Implied information and connotative features may not always be easily detected or processed in multilingual Human-Computer Interaction Systems for the International Public, especially in applications related to the Service Sector. The proposed filter concerns the detection of implied information and connotative features in HCI applications processing online texts and may be compatible with Interlinguas including the signalization of connotative features, if necessary. The proposed approach combines features detected in the lexical and morpho-syntactic level, and in the prosodic and paralinguistic levels.
Keywords: Gricean Cooperativity Principle; online texts; Interlinguas; Morphology; prosodic and paralinguistic features
Investigating the Impact of Combining Speech and Earcons to Communicate Information in E-government Interfaces BIBAKFull-Text 23-31
  Dimitrios Rigas; Badr Almutairi
This research investigates the use of multimodal metaphors to communicate information in the interface of an e-government application in order to reduce complexity in the visual communication by incorporating auditory stimuli. These issues are often neglected in the interfaces of e-government applications. This paper investigates the possibility of using multimodal metaphors to enhance the usability and increase the trust between the user and the application using an empirical comparative study. The multimodal metaphors investigated include text, earcons and recorded speech. More specifically, this experiment aims to investigate the usability in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and user satisfaction in the context of a multimodal e-government interface, as opposed to a typical text with graphics based interface. This investigation was evaluated by 30 users and comprised two different interface versions in each experimental e-government tool. The obtained results demonstrated the usefulness of the tested metaphors to enhance e-government usability and to enable users to attain better communicating performance. In addition empirically derived guidelines showed that the use of multimodal metaphors in an e-government system could significantly contribute to enhance the usability and increase trust between a user and an e-government interface. These results provide a paradigm of a design framework for the use of multimodal metaphors in e-government interfaces.
Keywords: e-government; Recorded Speech; Earcons; Multimodal; Trust; HC1
Evaluation of WikiTalk -- User Studies of Human-Robot Interaction BIBAKFull-Text 32-42
  Dimitra Anastasiou; Kristiina Jokinen; Graham Wilcock
The paper concerns the evaluation of Nao WikiTalk, an application that enables a Nao robot to serve as a spoken open-domain knowledge access system. With Nao WikiTalk the robot can talk about any topic the user is interested in, using Wikipedia as its knowledge source. The robot suggests some topics to start with, and the user shifts to related topics by speaking their names after the robot mentions them. The user can also switch to a totally new topic by spelling the first few letters. As well as speaking, the robot uses gestures, nods and other multimodal signals to enable clear and rich interaction. The paper describes the setup of the user studies and reports on the evaluation of the application, based on various factors reported by the 12 users who participated. The study compared the users' expectations of the robot interaction with their actual experience of the interaction. We found that the users were impressed by the lively appearance and natural gesturing of the robot, although in many respects they had higher expectations regarding the robot's presentation capabilities. However, the results are positive enough to encourage research on these lines.
Keywords: Evaluation; multimodal human-robot interaction; gesturing; Wikipedia
Robust Multi-Modal Speech Recognition in Two Languages Utilizing Video and Distance Information from the Kinect BIBAKFull-Text 43-48
  Georgios Galatas; Gerasimos Potamianos; Fillia Makedon
We investigate the performance of our audio-visual speech recognition system in both English and Greek under the influence of audio noise. We present the architecture of our recently built system that utilizes information from three streams including 3-D distance measurements. The feature extraction approach used is based on the discrete cosine transform and linear discriminant analysis. Data fusion is employed using state-synchronous hidden Markov models. Our experiments were conducted on our recently collected database under a multi-speaker configuration and resulted in higher performance and robustness in comparison to an audio-only recognizer.
Keywords: Audio-visual automatic speech recognition; multi-sensory fusion; languages; linear discriminant analysis; depth information; Microsoft Kinect
The Ecological AUI (Auditory User Interface) Design and Evaluation of User Acceptance for Various Tasks on Smartphones BIBAKFull-Text 49-58
  Myounghoon Jeon; Ju-Hwan Lee
With the rapid development of the touch screen technology, some usability issues of smartphones have been reported [1]. To tackle those user experience issues, there has been research on the use of non-speech sounds on the mobile devices [e.g., 2, 3-7]. However, most of them have focused on a single specific task of the device. Given the varying functions of the smartphone, the present study designed plausibly integrated auditory cues for diverse functions and evaluated user acceptance levels from the ecological interface design perspective. Results showed that sophisticated auditory design could change users' preference and acceptance of the interface and the extent depended on usage contexts. Overall, participants gave significantly higher scores on the functional satisfaction and the fun scales in the sonically-enhanced smartphones than in the no-sound condition. The balanced sound design may free users from auditory pollution and allow them to use their devices more pleasantly.
Keywords: Auditory user interface; ecological user interface design; smartphones; user acceptance
Speech-Based Text Correction Patterns in Noisy Environment BIBAFull-Text 59-66
  Ladislav Kunc; Tomáš Macek; Martin Labský; Jan Kleindienst
We present a study focused on observation of methods of dictation and error correction between humans in a noisy environment. The purpose of this study is to gain insight to natural communication patterns which can then be applied to human -- machine interaction. We asked 10 subjects to conduct the standard Lane Change Test (LCT) while dictating messages to a human counterpart who had to note down the message texts. Both parties were located in separate rooms and communicated over Skype. Both were exposed to varying types and levels of noise, which made their communication difficult and forced the subjects to deal with misunderstandings. Dictation of both short and longer messages was tested. We observed how the subjects behaved and we analyzed their communication patterns. We identified and described more then 20 elementary observations related to communication techniques such as synchronization and grounding of parties, error checking and error correction. We also report frequencies of use for each communication pattern and provide basic characteristics of driving distraction during the test.
Multimodal Smart Interactive Presentation System BIBAKFull-Text 67-76
  Hoang-An Le; Khoi-Nguyen C. Mac; Truong-An Pham; Vinh-Tiep Nguyen; Minh-Triet Tran
The authors propose a system that allows presenters to control presentations in a natural way by their body gestures and vocal commands. Thus a presentation no longer follows strictly a rigid sequential structure but can be delivered in various flexible and content adapted scenarios. Our proposed system fuses three interaction modules: gesture recognition with Kinect 3D skeletal data, key concepts detection by context analysis from natural speech, and small-scaled hand gesture recognition with haptic data from smart phone sensors. Each module can process in realtime with the accuracy of 95.0%, 91.2%, and 90.1% respectively. The system uses events generated from the three modules to trigger pre-defined scenarios in a presentation to enhance the exciting experience for audiences.
Keywords: Smart environment; presentation system; natural interaction; gesture recognition; speech recognition
Multimodal Mathematical Expressions Recognition: Case of Speech and Handwriting BIBAKFull-Text 77-86
  Sofiane Medjkoune; Harold Mouchere; Simon Petitrenaud; Christian Viard-Gaudin
In this work, we propose to combine two modalities, handwriting and speech, to build a mathematical expression recognition system. Based on two sub-systems which process each modality, we explore various fusion methods to resolve ambiguities which naturally occur independently. The results that are reported on the HAMEX bimodal database show an improvement with respect to a mono-modal based system.
Keywords: Multimodality; graphical languages; data fusion; handwriting; speech
'Realness' in Chatbots: Establishing Quantifiable Criteria BIBAKFull-Text 87-96
  Kellie Morrissey; Jurek Kirakowski
The aim of this research is to generate measurable evaluation criteria acceptable to chatbot users. Results of two studies are summarised. In the first, fourteen participants were asked to do a critical incident analysis of their transcriptions with an ELIZA-type chatbot. Results were content analysed, and yielded seven overall themes. In the second, these themes were made into statements of an attitude-like nature, and 20 participants chatted with five winning entrants in the 2011 Chatterbox Challenge and five which failed to place. Latent variable analysis reduced the themes to four, resulting in four subscales with strong reliability which discriminated well between the two categories of chatbots. Content analysis of freeform comments led to a proposal of four dimensions along which people judge the naturalness of a conversation with chatbots.
Keywords: Chatbot; user-agent; intelligent assistant; naturalness; convincing; usability; evaluation; quantitative; questionnaire; Turing; Chatterbox
Grounding and Turn-Taking in Multimodal Multiparty Conversation BIBAKFull-Text 97-106
  David Novick; Iván Gris
This study explores the empirical basis for multimodal conversation control acts. Applying conversation analysis as an exploratory approach, we attempt to illuminate the control functions of paralinguistic behaviors in managing multiparty conversation. We contrast our multiparty analysis with an earlier dyadic analysis and, to the extent permitted by our small samples of the corpus, contrast (a) conversations where the conversants did or did not have an artifact, and (b) conversations in English among Americans with conversations in Spanish among Mexicans. Our analysis suggests that speakers tend not to use gaze shifts to cue nodding for grounding and that the presence of an artifact reduced listeners' gaze at the speaker. These observations remained relatively consistent across the two languages.
Keywords: Dialog; proxemics; gaze; turn-taking; multicultural; multiparty
Situated Multiparty Interaction between Humans and Agents BIBAFull-Text 107-116
  Aasish Pappu; Ming Sun; Seshadri Sridharan; Alex Rudnicky
A social agent such as a receptionist or an escort robot encounters challenges when communicating with people in open areas. The agent must know not to react to distracting acoustic and visual events and it needs to appropriately handle situations that include multiple humans, being able to focus on active interlocutors and appropriately shift attention based on the context. We describe a multiparty interaction agent that helps multiple users arrange a common activity. From the user study we conducted, we found that the agent can discriminate between active and inactive interlocutors well by using the skeletal and azimuth information. Participants found the addressee much clearer when an animated talking head was used.
Enhancing Human Computer Interaction with Episodic Memory in a Virtual Guide BIBAKFull-Text 117-125
  Felix Rabe; Ipke Wachsmuth
Have you ever found yourself in front of a computer and asking it aloud: "Why?" We have constructed a cognitively motivated episodic memory system that enables a virtual guide to respond to this question. The guide, a virtual agent based on a belief -- desire -- intention (BDI) architecture, is employed in a Virtual Reality (VR) scenario where he accompanies a human visitor on a tour through a city. In this paper we explain how the agents memorizes events and episodes according to an event-indexing model and how the interaction is enhanced by using these memories. We argue that due to the cognitively motivated nature of the event-indexing model every interaction situation can be described, memorized, recalled and explained by the agent.
Keywords: Episodic Memory; Event Indexing; Virtual Guide
System of Generating Japanese Sound Symbolic Expressions Using Genetic Algorithm BIBAFull-Text 126-134
  Yuichiro Shimizu; Tetsuaki Nakamura; Maki Sakamoto
Japanese has a large number of sound symbolic words, onomatopoeia, which associates between sounds and sensory experiences. According to previous studies, a quantification of relationship between phonemes and images enables to predict the images evoked by onomatopoeia and to estimate meanings of onomatopoeia. In this study, we applied the quantification method and developed a system for generating Japanese onomatopoeias using genetic algorithm (GA). Our method uses 90 SD scales for expressing various impressions and genes for genetic algorithm which denote each phonological symbol in Japanese. Through genetic algorithm, the system generates and proposes onomatopoeias appropriate for impressions inputted by users. From the evaluation of our system, impressions of onomatopoeias generated by our method were similar to inputted impressions to generate onomatopoeias.
A Knowledge Elicitation Study for Collaborative Dialogue Strategies Used to Handle Uncertainties in Speech Communication While Using GIS BIBAKFull-Text 135-144
  Hongmei Wang; Ava Gailliot; Douglas Hyden; Ryan Lietzenmayer
Existing speech enabled Geographical Information Systems (GIS) needs to have capabilities to handle uncertainties that are inherent in natural language communication. The system must have an appropriate knowledge base to hold such capabilities so that it can effectively handle various uncertainty problems in speech communication. The goal of this study is to collect knowledge about how humans use collaborative dialogues to solve various uncertainty problems while using GIS. This paper describes a knowledge elicitation study that we designed and conducted toward this goal. The knowledge collected can be used to develop the knowledge base of a speech enabled GIS or other speech based information systems.
Keywords: GIS; Knowledge elicitation study; Uncertainties; Human-GIS Communication; Collaborative dialogue strategies

Gesture and Eye-Gaze Based Interaction

Context-Based Bounding Volume Morphing in Pointing Gesture Application BIBAKFull-Text 147-156
  Andreas Braun; Arthur Fischer; Alexander Marinc; Carsten Stocklöw; Martin Majewski
In the last few years the number of intelligent systems has been growing rapidly and classical interaction devices like mouse and keyboard are replaced in some use cases. Novel, goal-based interaction systems, e.g. based on gesture and speech allow a natural control of various devices. However, these are prone to misinterpretation of the user's intention. In this work we present a method for supporting goal-based interaction using multimodal interaction systems. Combining speech and gesture we are able to compensate the insecurities of both interaction methods, thus improving intention recognition. Using a prototypical system we have proven the usability of such a system in a qualitative evaluation.
Keywords: Multimodal Interaction; Speech Recognition; Goal-based Interaction; Gesture Recognition
Gesture vs. Gesticulation: A Test Protocol BIBAKFull-Text 157-166
  Francesco Carrino; Antonio Ridi; Rolf Ingold; Omar Abou Khaled; Elena Mugellini
In the last years, gesture recognition has gained increased attention in Human-Computer Interaction community. However, gesture segmentation, which is one of the most challenging tasks in gesture recognition applications, is still an open issue. Gesture segmentation has two main objectives: first, detecting when a gesture begins and ends; second, recognizing whether a gesture is meant to be meaningful for the machine or is a non-command gesture (such as gesticulation). This paper proposes a novel test protocol for the evaluation of different techniques separating command gestures from non-command gestures. Finally, we show how we adapted adopted our test protocol to design a touchless, always available interaction system, in which the user communicates directly with the computer through a wearable and "intimate" interface based on electromyographic signals.
Keywords: Gesture segmentation; gesture interaction; test protocol; muscle-computer interface; system evaluation and interaction
Functional Gestures for Human-Environment Interaction BIBAKFull-Text 167-176
  Stefano Carrino; Maurizio Caon; Omar Abou Khaled; Rolf Ingold; Elena Mugellini
In this paper, we describe an opportunistic model for human-environment interaction. Such model is conceived to adapt the expressivity of a small lexicon of gestures through the use of generic functional gestures lowering the cognitive load on the user and reducing the system complexity. An interactive entity is modeled as a finite-state machine. A functional gesture is defined as the semantic meaning of an event that triggers a state transition and not as the movement to be performed. An interaction scenario has been designed in order to evaluate the features of the proposed model and to investigate how its application can enhance a post-WIMP human-environment interaction.
Keywords: natural interaction; functional gestures; pervasive computing; human-computer interaction
A Dynamic Fitting Room Based on Microsoft Kinect and Augmented Reality Technologies BIBAKFull-Text 177-185
  Hsien-Tsung Chang; Yu-Wen Li; Huan-Ting Chen; Shih-Yi Feng; Tsung-Tien Chien
In recent years, more and more researchers try to make Microsoft Kinect and Augmented Reality (AR) into real lives. In this paper, we try to utilize both Kinect and AR to build a dynamic fitting room. We can automatically measure the clothes size of a user in popular brands or different country standards. A user can utilize gesture to select cloths for fitting. Our proposed system will project the video dynamically of dressing selected clothes in accordance with the captured video from Kinect. This system can be utilized in clothing store, e-commerce of clothes shopping, and at your home when you are confusing choosing a clothes to wear. This can greatly reduce the time you fitting clothes.
Keywords: Dynamic Fitting Room; Kinect; Augmented Reality
Gesture-Based Applications for Elderly People BIBAKFull-Text 186-195
  Weiqin Chen
According to the literature, normal ageing is associated with a decline in sensory, perceptual, motor and cognitive abilities. When designing applications for elderly people, it is crucial to take into consideration the decline in functions. For this purpose, gesture-based applications that allow for direct manipulations can be useful, as they provide natural and intuitive interactions. This paper examines gesture-based applications for the elderly and studies that have investigated these applications, and it identifies opportunities and challenges in designing such applications.
Keywords: Gesture; elderly; direct manipulation; accessibility
MOBAJES: Multi-user Gesture Interaction System with Wearable Mobile Device BIBAKFull-Text 196-204
  Enkhbat Davaasuren; Jiro Tanaka
When people collaborate with multiple large screens, gesture interactions will be used widely. However, in conventional methods of gesture interaction, when there are multiple users, simultaneous interaction is difficult. In this study we have proposed a method using a wearable mobile device which enables multi-user and hand gestures only interactions. In our system, the user wears a camera-equipped mobile device like a pendant, and interacts with a large screen.
Keywords: Gesture; Gestural Interface; Large Screen; Mobile; Wearable Device; Multi-User
Head-Free, Remote Gaze Detection System Based on Pupil-Corneal Reflection Method with Using Two Video Cameras -- One-Point and Nonlinear Calibrations BIBAKFull-Text 205-214
  Yoshinobu Ebisawa; Kiyotaka Fukumoto
We developed a pupil-corneal reflection method-based gaze detection system, which allows head movements and achieves easy gaze calibration. The proposed gaze detection theory determines gaze points on a PC screen from the vector from the corneal reflection to pupil center, 3D pupil position, two cameras position, etc. In a gaze calibration procedure, after a user is asked to gaze one specific calibration target at a center of a PC screen, the nonlinear characteristic of the eyes has been automatically corrected while the user is using this gaze system. The experimental results show that the proposed calibration method improved the precision of gaze detection during browsing web pages. In addition, the average gaze error in the visual angle is less than 0.6 degree for the nine head positions.
Keywords: Gaze detection; Gaze calibration; Head movement; Pupil
Design and Usability Analysis of Gesture-Based Control for Common Desktop Tasks BIBAKFull-Text 215-224
  Farzin Farhadi-Niaki; S. Ali Etemad; Ali Arya
We have designed and implemented a vision-based system capable of interacting with user's natural arm and finger gestures. Using depth-based vision has reduced the effect of ambient disturbances such as noise and lighting condition. Various arm and finger gestures are designed and a system capable of detection and classification of gestures is developed and implemented. Finally the gesture recognition routine is linked to a simplified desktop for usability and human factor studies. Several factors such as precision, efficiency, ease-of-use, pleasure, fatigue, naturalness, and overall satisfaction are investigated in detail. Through different simple and complex tasks, it is concluded that finger-based inputs are superior to arm-based ones in the long run. Furthermore, it is shown that arm gestures cause more fatigue and appear less natural than finger gestures. However, factors such as time, overall satisfaction, and easiness were not affected by selecting one over the other.
Keywords: Usability study; human factors; arm/finger gestures; WIMP
Study of Eye-Glance Input Interface BIBAKFull-Text 225-234
  Dekun Gao; Naoaki Itakura; Tota Mizuno; Kazuyuki Mito
Optical measurement devices for eye movements are generally expensive and it is often necessary to restrict user head movements when various eye-gaze input interfaces are used. Previously, we proposed a novel eye-gesture input interface that utilized electrooculography amplified via an AC coupling that does not require a head mounted display[1]. Instead, combinations of eye-gaze displacement direction were used as the selection criteria. When used, this interface showed a success rate approximately 97.2%, but it was necessary for the user to declare his or her intention to perform an eye gesture by blinking or pressing an enter key. In this paper, we propose a novel eye-glance input interface that can consistently recognize glance behavior without a prior declaration, and provide a decision algorithm that we believe is suitable for eye-glance input interfaces such as small smartphone screens. In experiments using our improved eye-glance input interface, we achieved a detection rate of approximately 93% and a direction determination success rate of approximately 79.3%. A smartphone screen design for use with the eye-glance input interface is also proposed.
Keywords: Eye gesture; eye-glance; AC-EOG; smartphone; Screen design
Multi-User Interaction with Shadows BIBAFull-Text 235-242
  Tomomi Gotoh; Takahiro Kida; Munehiro Takimoto; Yasushi Kambayashi
Recent mobile devices such as smart phones exhibit performance as good as desktop PCs, and can be used more intuitively than PCs by using fingers. On the other hand, the defect of such a device is its small size. Its display is just big enough for single user, but is too small for interaction of multi-users. In order to overcome the defect, the research of projecting the display with a handheld projector has expanded. Most of the researches, however, do not allow users to manipulate the projected image in a direct manner. In this paper, we propose operations of projected images through shadows. We can create a shadow by shading the light of the projector with a finger. The shadow can be easily scaled by adjusting the distance between the finger and the projector. Also, since the shadow makes good contrast with the white light of the projector, it can be easily recognized through a camera. Using these properties of the shadow, we have implemented a series of operations required on the desktop, and file transfer as a basic multi-users interaction. We show that the users can perform these operations intuitively with the shadow of two fingertips as if they handle a tablet PC through multi-touches.
Intent Capturing through Multimodal Inputs BIBAKFull-Text 243-251
  Weimin Guo; Cheng Cheng; Mingkai Cheng; Yonghan Jiang; Honglin Tang
Virtual manufacturing environments need complex and accurate 3D human-computer interaction. One main problem of current virtual environments (VEs) is the heavy overloads of the users on both cognitive and motor operational aspects. This paper investigated multimodal intent delivery and intent inferring in virtual environments. Eye gazing modality is added into virtual assembly system. Typical intents expressed by dual hands and eye gazing modalities are designed. The reliability and accuracy of eye gazing modality is examined through experiments. The experiments showed that eye gazing and hand multimodal cooperation has a great potential to enhance the naturalness and efficiency of human-computer interaction (HCI).
Keywords: Eye tracking; multimodal input; virtual environment; human-computer interaction; virtual assembly; intent
Robust Hand Tracking in Realtime Using a Single Head-Mounted RGB Camera BIBAFull-Text 252-261
  Jan Hendrik Hammer; Jürgen Beyerer
In this paper novel 2D-hand tracking algorithms used in a system for hand gesture interaction are presented. New types of head-mounted Augmented-Reality devices offer the possibility to visualize digital content in the user's field of view. To interact with these head-mounted devices hand gestures are an intuitive modality. Generally, the recognition of hand gestures consists of two main steps: The first one is hand tracking and the second step gesture recognition. This paper concentrates on the first step: Hand tracking. Due to the wearing comfort of the glasses-like systems these only use a single camera to capture the field of view of the user. Therefore new algorithms for hand tracking without depth data are presented and compared to state-of-the-art algorithms by utilizing a thorough evaluation methodology for comparing trajectories.
Multimodal Feedback in First Encounter Interactions BIBAKFull-Text 262-271
  Kristiina Jokinen
Human interactions are predominantly conducted via verbal communication which allows presentation of sophisticated propositional content. However, much of the interpretation of the utterances and the speaker's attitudes are conveyed using multimodal cues such as facial expressions, hand gestures, head movements and body posture. This paper reports some observations on multimodal communication and feedback giving activity in first encounter interactions, and discusses how head, hand, and body movements are used in conversational interactions as means of visual interaction management, i.e. unobtrusive ways to control the interaction and construct shared understanding among the interlocutors. The observations and results contribute to the models for coordinating communication in human-human conversations as well as in interactions between humans and intelligent situated agents.
Keywords: multimodal interaction; feedback; nodding; head movements
Keyboard Clawing: Input Method by Clawing Key Tops BIBAKFull-Text 272-280
  Toshifumi Kurosawa; Buntarou Shizuki; Jiro Tanaka
We present a directional and quantitative input method by clawing key tops, Keyboard Clawing. The method allows a user to input a direction and quantity at the same time without moving his/her hands much from the keyboard's home position. As a result, the user can seamlessly continue typing before and after inputting the direction and quantity. We found that clawing direction is classified using clawing sounds with an accuracy of 68.2% and that our method can be used to input rough quantity.
Keywords: keyboard; acoustic sensing; gesture; input method
Finger Controller: Natural User Interaction Using Finger Gestures BIBAKFull-Text 281-290
  Unseok Lee; Jiro Tanaka
We present a new natural user interaction technique using finger gesture recognition and finger identification with Kinect depth data. We developed a gesture version drawing, multi-touch and mapping on 3d space interactions. We implemented three type interfaces using their interaction such as air-drawing, image manipulation and video manipulation. In this paper, we explain finger gesture recognition method, finger identification method and natural user interactions in detail. We show the preliminary experiment for evaluating accuracy of finger identification and finger gesture recognition accuracy, evaluating user questionnaire for interaction satisfaction. Finally, we discuss the result of evaluation and our contributions.
Keywords: NUI; Human Computer Interaction; Finger Gesture Recognition; Finger Identification
A Method for Single Hand Fist Gesture Input to Enhance Human Computer Interaction BIBAFull-Text 291-300
  Tao Ma; William Wee; Chia Yung Han; Xuefu Zhou
The study of detecting and tracking hand gestures in general has been widely explored, yet the focus on fist gesture in particular has been neglected. Methods for processing fist gesture would allow more natural user experience in human-machine interaction (HMI), however, it requires a deeper understanding of fist kinematics. For the purpose of achieving grasping-moving-rotating activity with single hand (SH-GMR), the extraction of fist rotation is necessary. In this paper, a feature-based Fist Rotation Detector (FRD) is proposed to bring more flexibility to interactions with hand manipulation in the virtual world. By comparing to other candidate methods, edge-based methods are shown to be a proper way to tackle the detection. We find a set of "fist lines" that can be easily extracted and be used steadily to determine the fist rotation. The proposed FRD is described in details as a two-step approach: fist shape segmentation and fist rotation angle retrieving process. A comparison with manually measured ground truth data shows that the method is robust and accurate. A virtual reality application using hand gesture control with the FRD shows that the hand gesture interaction is enhanced by the SH-GMR.
Kinect©, as Interaction Device with a Tiled Display BIBAFull-Text 301-311
  Amilcar Meneses Viveros; Erika Hernández Rubio
The use of high resolution tiled display has become popular in the scientific community. User interaction with these devices depends on the hardware configuration and the software in use. The variety of hardware configurations and software generates various types of execution modes and interaction in the tiled display, this diversity has resulted in not having a standard for human computer interaction. This paper shows the results of the interaction between users and the tiled display using the Kinect©. The results help us find improvements in hardware configurations of this arrays of displays, applications design and try to find standards in defining user-defined motion gestures.
Study on Cursor Shape Suitable for Eye-gaze Input System BIBAKFull-Text 312-319
  Atsuo Murata; Raku Uetsugi; Takehito Hayami
The aim of this study was to identify the cursor shape suitable for eye-gaze interfaces. The conventional arrow shape was, irrespective of the number of targets in the display, not suitable for an eye-gaze input system from the perspective of task completion time, number of errors, and subjective rating on usability. It is recommended that the cursor shape of an eye-gaze input system should be cross or ellipse. When the distance between targets is wider, the ellipse type is proper.
Keywords: cursor shape; speed; accuracy; eye-gaze input system
Study on Character Input Methods Using Eye-gaze Input Interface BIBAKFull-Text 320-329
  Atsuo Murata; Kazuya Hayashi; Makoto Moriwaka; Takehito Hayami
Four character input methods for eye-gaze input interface were compared from the viewpoints of input speed, input accuracy, and subjective rating on ease of input and fatigue. Four input methods included (1) I-QGSM (vertical), (2) I-QGSM (circle), (3) eye-fixation method, and (4) screen button. While the eye-fixation method (3) led to faster input, the I-QGSM (vertical) led to fewer errors. In conclusion, it is difficult to develop character input method that satisfies both speed and accuracy.
Keywords: Character input; eye-gaze input system; I-QGSM; eye-fixation; speed; accuracy
Proposal of Estimation Method of Stable Fixation Points for Eye-gaze Input Interface BIBAKFull-Text 330-339
  Atsuo Murata; Takehito Hayami; Keita Ochi
As almost all of existing eye-gaze input devices suffers from fine and frequent shaking of fixation points, an effective and stable estimation method of fixation points has been proposed so that the obtained stable fixation points enabled users to point even to a smaller target easily. An estimation algorithm was based on the image processing technique (Hough transformation). An experiment was carried out to verify the effectiveness of eye-gaze input system that made use of the proposed estimation method of fixation point. From both evaluation measures, the proposed method was found to assure more stable cursor movement than the traditional and commercial method.
Keywords: Eye-gaze input; fixation point; stabilization; task completion time; pointing error
Modeling Situation-Dependent Nonverbal Expressions for a Pair of Embodied Agent in a Dialogue Based on Conversations in TV Programs BIBAKFull-Text 340-347
  Keita Okuuchi; Koh Kakusho; Takatsugu Kojima; Daisuke Katagami
Mathematical model for controlling nonverbal expressions of a pair of embodied agents designed for presenting various information through their dialogue is discussed. Nonverbal expressions of a human during conversation with others depend on those of them as well as the situation of the conversation. The proposed model represents the relationship between nonverbal expressions of a pair of embodied agents in different situations of conversation by a constraint function, so that the nonverbal expression of each agent reproduces the characteristic of nonverbal expressions observed in human conversation with various situations in TV programs by minimizing the function.
Keywords: Embodied agent; Human-agent interaction; Nonverbal expression
Research on a Large Digital Desktop Integrated in a Traditional Environment for Informal Collaboration BIBAKFull-Text 348-357
  Mariano Perez Pelaez; Ryo Suzuki; Ikuro Choh
We are building a digital desktop system designed to support the tasks that are usually performed around the traditional desktop. Tabletop platforms are not new environments, especially as a research topic, but most of the existent systems try to adapt the computer work style or only serve as platform for experimenting with new features. In contrast our targets are to support the traditional work flow around desktops, not forcing the users to modify theirs methods and to build the system as a complete tool for everyday tasks We want to provide a usable environment with computer-support features for raising productivity and enhancing the user experience. For doing this we realized a field study about the traditional desktop activities and with this knowledge we designed new tools and features that fit the user real needs and environment.
Keywords: Natural interface; interaction design; workgroup support; collaborative environment
Using Kinect for 2D and 3D Pointing Tasks: Performance Evaluation BIBAKFull-Text 358-367
  Alexandros Pino; Evangelos Tzemis; Nikolaos Ioannou; Georgios Kouroupetroglou
We present a study to comparatively evaluate the performance of computer-based 2D and 3D pointing tasks. In our experiments, based on the ISO 9241-9 standard methodology, a Microsoft Kinect device and a mouse were used by seven participants. For the 3D experiments we introduced a novel experiment layout, supplementing the ISO. We examine the pointing devices' conformance to Fitts' law and we measure a number of extra parameters that describe more accurately the cursor movement trajectories. Throughput, measured in bits per second is the most important performance measure. For the 2D tasks using Microsoft Kinect, Throughput is almost 39% lower than using the mouse, Target Re-Entry is 10 times up and Missed Clicks count is almost 50% higher. However, for the 3D tasks the mouse has a 9% lower Throughput than the Kinect, while Target Re-Entry and Missed Clicks are almost identical. Our results are also compared to older studies, and we finally show that the Kinect, operated by the user's hand and voice, is a suitable and effective input method for pointing and clicking, especially in 3D tasks.
Keywords: Fitts' law; 3D pointing; ISO 9241-9; Microsoft Kinect; Gesture User Interface
Conditions of Applications, Situations and Functions Applicable to Gesture Interface BIBAKFull-Text 368-377
  Taebeum Ryu; Jaehong Lee; Myung Hwan Yun; Ji Hyoun Lim
Although there were many studies related to developing new gesture-based devices and gesture interfaces, it was little known which applications, situations and functions are applicable to gesture interface. This study developed a hierarchy of conditions of applications (devices), situations and functions which are applicable to gesture interface. This study searched about 120 papers relevant to designing and applying gesture interfaces and vocabulary to find the gesture applicable conditions of applications, situations and functions. The conditions which were extracted from 16 closely-related papers were rearranged, and a hierarchy of them was developed to evaluate the applicability of applications, situations and functions to gesture interface. This study summarized 10, 10 and 6 conditions of applications, situations and functions, respectively. In addition, the gesture applicable condition hierarchy of applications, situation and functions were developed based on the semantic similarity, ordering and serial or parallel relationship among them. This study collected gesture applicable conditions of application, situation and functions, and a hierarchy of them was developed to evaluate the applicability of the gesture interface.
Keywords: Gesture interface; Applicability; Gesture application; Situation; Functions
Communication Analysis of Remote Collaboration System with Arm Scaling Function BIBAKFull-Text 378-387
  Nobuchika Sakata; Tomoyuki Kobayashi; Shogo Nishida
This research focuses on the remote collaboration in which a local worker works with real objects by a remote instructor. In this research area, there are some systems which consist of the ProCam system consisting of a camera and a projector at the work environment and the tabletop system consisting of a display, a depth sensor and a camera at remote instructor environment. As the function enhancement, the system using the scaling method of the embodiment exists. The system makes it possible for instructor to instruct smoothly even to small objects and has an effect on task completion time in the user study of putting smaller block clusters than the size of fingers. We first analyzed the movie of previous experiment again, and then find out the problems the previous work could not solve, and proposed their solution.
Keywords: Remote collaboration; Scaling Method and Video Analysis
Two Handed Mid-Air Gestural HCI: Point + Command BIBAKFull-Text 388-397
  Matthias Schwaller; Simon Brunner; Denis Lalanne
This paper presents work aimed at developing and evaluating various two-handed mid-air gestures to operate a computer accurately and with little effort. The main idea driving the design of these gestures is that one hand is used for pointing, and the other hand for four standard commands: selection, drag & drop, rotation and zoom. Two chosen gesture vocabularies are compared in a user evaluation. The paper further presents a novel evaluation methodology and the application developed to evaluate the four commands first separately and then together. In our user evaluation, we found significant differences for the rotation and zooming gestures. The iconic gesture vocabulary had better performance and was better rated by the users than the technological gesture vocabulary.
Keywords: Gestural interfaces; Two-hand interaction; User evaluation
Experimental Study Toward Modeling of the Uncanny Valley Based on Eye Movements on Human/Non-human Faces BIBAKFull-Text 398-407
  Yoshimasa Tawatsuji; Kazuaki Kojima; Tatsunori Matsui
In the research field of human-agent interaction, it is a crucial issue to clarify the effect of agent appearances on human impressions. The uncanny valley is one crucial topic. We hypothesize that people can perceive a humanlike agent as human at an earlier stage in interaction even if they finally notice it as non-human and such contradictory perceptions are related to the uncanny valley. We conducted an experiment where participants were asked to judge whether faces presented on a PC monitor were human or not. The faces were a doll, a CG-modeled human image fairly similar to real human, an android robot, another image highly similar and a person. Eyes of the participants were recorded during watching the faces and changes in observing the faces were studied. The results indicate that eye data did not initially differ between the person and CG fairly similar, whereas differences emerged after several seconds. We then proposed a model of the uncanny valley based on dual pathway of emotion.
Keywords: The uncanny valley; eye movements; dual pathway of emotion; humanlike agent
Multi-party Human-Machine Interaction Using a Smart Multimodal Digital Signage BIBAKFull-Text 408-415
  Tony Tung; Randy Gomez; Tatsuya Kawahara; Takashi Matsuyama
In this paper, we present a novel multimodal system designed for smooth multi-party human-machine interaction. HCI for multiple users is challenging because simultaneous actions and reactions have to be consistent. Here, the proposed system consists of a digital signage or large display equipped with multiple sensing devices: a 19-channel microphone array, 6 HD video cameras (3 are placed on top and 3 on the bottom of the display), and two depth sensors. The display can show various contents, similar to a poster presentation, or multiple windows (e.g., web browsers, photos, etc.). On the other hand, multiple users positioned in front of the panel can freely interact using voice or gesture while looking at the displayed contents, without wearing any particular device (such as motion capture sensors or head mounted devices). Acoustic and visual information processing are performed jointly using state-of-the-art techniques to obtain individual speech and gaze direction. Hence displayed contents can be adapted to users' interests.
Keywords: multi-party; human-machine interaction; digital signage; multimodal system
A Remote Pointing Technique Using Pull-out BIBAKFull-Text 416-426
  Takuto Yoshikawa; Yuusaku Mita; Takuro Kuribara; Buntarou Shizuki; Jiro Tanaka
Reaching objects displayed on the opposite side of a large multi-touch tabletop with hands is difficult. This forces users to move around the tabletop. We present a remote pointing technique we call HandyPointing. This technique uses pull-out, a bimanual multi-touch gesture. The gesture allows users to both translate the cursor position and change control-display (C-D) ratio dynamically. We conducted one experiment to measure the quantitative performance of our technique, and another to study how users selectively use the technique and touch input (i.e., tap and drag).
Keywords: bimanual interaction; multi-touch; gesture; tabletop

Touch-Based Interaction

Human Centered Design Approach to Integrate Touch Screen in Future Aircraft Cockpits BIBAKFull-Text 429-438
  Jérôme Barbé; Marion Wolff; Régis Mollard
This research aimed at developing new types of Human-Machine interaction for future Airbus aircraft cockpit. Touch interaction needs to be studied because it brings some advantages for pilots. However, it is necessary to redefine pilot's workspace to optimize touch interaction according to pilot population characteristics and human physical capabilities. This paper presents the touch interaction area model and the tactile assessment carried out to validate our hypothesis, leading to rules/guidelines for cockpit layout and HMI designers.
Keywords: Human Centered Design; interaction design; anthropometry; touch screen interaction; guidelines
Evaluating Devices and Navigation Tools in 3D Environments BIBAKFull-Text 439-448
  Marcela Câmara; Priscilla Fonseca de Abreu Braz; Ingrid Monteiro; Alberto Raposo; Simone Diniz Junqueira Barbosa
3D environments have been used in many applications. Besides the use of keyboard and mouse, best suited for desktop environments, other devices emerged for specific use in immersive environments. The lack of standardization in the use and in the control mapping of these devices makes the design task more challenging. We performed an exploratory study involving beginners and advanced users in the use of three devices in 3D environments: Keyboard-Mouse, Wiimote and Flystick. The navigation in this kind of environment is done through three tools: Fly, Examine and Walk. The study results showed how the interaction in virtual reality environments is affected by the navigation mechanism, the device, and the user's previous experience. The results may be used to inform the future design of virtual reality environments.
Keywords: 3D environments; evaluation; navigation tools; user experience
Computational Cognitive Modeling of Touch and Gesture on Mobile Multitouch Devices: Applications and Challenges for Existing Theory BIBAKFull-Text 449-455
  Kristen K. Greene; Franklin P. Tamborello; Ross J. Micheals
As technology continues to evolve, so too must our modeling and simulation techniques. While formal engineering models of cognitive and perceptual-motor processes are well-developed and extensively validated in the traditional desktop computing environment, their application in the new mobile computing environment is far less mature. ACT-Touch, an extension of the ACT-R 6 (Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational) cognitive architecture, seeks to enable new methods for modeling touch and gesture in today's mobile computing environment. The current objective, the addition of new ACT-R interaction command vocabulary, is a critical first-step to support modeling users' multitouch gestural inputs with greater fidelity and precision. Immediate practical application and validation challenges are discussed, along with a proposed path forward for the larger modeling community to better measure, understand, and predict human performance in today's increasingly complex interaction landscape.
Keywords: ACT-R; ACT-Touch; cognitive architectures; touch and gesture; computational cognitive modeling; modeling and simulation; movement vocabulary; gestural input; mobile handheld devices; multitouch tablets; model validation; Fitts' Law
A Page Navigation Technique for Overlooking Content in a Digital Magazine BIBAKFull-Text 456-461
  Yuichiro Kinoshita; Masayuki Sugiyama; Kentaro Go
Although electronic book readers have became popular in recent years, page navigation techniques used for these readers are not necessarily appropriate for all kinds of books. In this study, an observation experiment is conducted to investigate how people read paper-based magazines. Based on the findings in the experiment, the authors propose new page navigation techniques specialized for digital magazines. The techniques adopt the operation of flipping through the pages. A user study confirms that the techniques are useful for overlooking content in a digital magazine and able to support readers to find articles that meet their interests.
Keywords: Digital book; electronic book reader; overlooking content; page navigation; turning pages
Effect of Unresponsive Time for User's Touch Action of Selecting an Icon on the Video Mirror Interface BIBAKFull-Text 462-468
  Kazuyoshi Murata; Masatsugu Hattori; Yu Shibuya
Contactless input methods implementing body motion allow users to control computer systems easily and enjoyably. We focus on the "video mirror interface" as an example of these methods. A user of the video mirror interface can operate the computer system by selecting virtual objects on a screen with his/her hand. However, if a selection operation is completed as soon as the user touches the virtual object, erroneous selections will frequently occur. Therefore, it is necessary to insert a certain period of unresponsiveness after a user's touch action to prevent selection error. We evaluate effects of the unresponsive time when selecting a virtual object in a video mirror interface. The result of an experimental evaluation indicates that an acceptable range for the unresponsive time is 0.3 to 0.5 s.
Keywords: Video mirror interface; unresponsive time; touch action
Evaluation of a Soft-Surfaced Multi-touch Interface BIBAKFull-Text 469-478
  Anna Noguchi; Toshifumi Kurosawa; Ayaka Suzuki; Yuichiro Sakamoto; Tatsuhito Oe; Takuto Yoshikawa; Buntarou Shizuki; Jiro Tanaka
"WrinkleSurface", which we developed by attaching a gel sheet to a FTIR-based touchscreen, enables a user to perform novel touch motions such as Push, Thrust, and Twist_CW (clockwise), and Twist_CCW (counterclockwise). Our research is focused on the evaluation of this soft-surfaced multi-touch interface. Specifically, to examine how a user can input our novel input methods precisely, we evaluated the user's performance of each method by two to nine levels of target acquisition task. As a result, we found some points to be improved in our recognition algorithm in order to increase the success rate of Push and Thrust. In addition, a user can input Twist before the level of six because the success rate of Twist was high up to that level.
Keywords: Touchscreen; tabletop; haptic interface; FTIR; tangential force sensing; pressure sensing
Recognition of Multi-touch Drawn Sketches BIBAKFull-Text 479-490
  Michael Schmidt; Gerhard Weber
We present concepts and possible realizations for the classification of multi-touch drawn sketches. A gesture classifier is modified and integrated into a sketching tool. The applied routines are highly scalable and provide the possibilities of domain independent sketching. Classification rates are feasible without exploiting the full potential of the scheme. We demonstrate that the classifier is capable of identifying common basic primitives and gestures as well as complex drawings. Users define sketches per templates in their individual style and link them to constructed primitives. A pilot evaluation is conducted and results regarding sketching techniques of users and classification rates are discussed.
Keywords: Sketch; recognition; classifier; survey; gestures; multi-touch
A Web Browsing Method on Handheld Touch Screen Devices for Preventing from Tapping Unintended Links BIBAKFull-Text 491-496
  Yu Shibuya; Hikaru Kawakatsu; Kazuyoshi Murata
In recent years, it is common thing to browse Web pages with mobile devices, such as smart phones. However, users sometimes tap the wrong link when they scroll or zoom web pages because of the relatively small display area of mobile device and sensitivity of touch screen. In such case, it is necessary to stop of loading the page or back to the previous page after the page changed. It seems that above unintended operation might increase the total browsing time and user's frustration. In this study, we aimed to prevent users from tapping unintended links for effectively web browsing with touch-screen mobile devices. The proposed method has two kind of operation mode. They are a tapping mode and non-tapping mode. With the tapping mode, users can tap the link and change the mode only. On the other hand, with the non-tapping mode, users can do swipe, pinch, and mode change operation but they cannot tap any links. Furthermore, mode change operation, we adopt the Bezel Swipe operation, is intuitive and efficient.
   The results of the experimental evaluation showed that the rate of tapping the unintended links with the proposed method was lower than that with conventional method. However, the task completion time with proposed method is longer than that with conventional method.
Keywords: Mobile interaction; web browsing; unintentional tap; Bezel Swipe
Real Time Mono-vision Based Customizable Virtual Keyboard Using Finger Tip Speed Analysis BIBAKFull-Text 497-505
  Sumit Srivastava; Ramesh Chandra Tripathi
User interfaces are a growing field of research around the world specifically for PDA's, mobile phones, tablets and other such gadgets. One of the many challenges involved are their adaptability, size, cost and ease of use. This paper presents a novel mono-vision based touch and type method on customizable keyboard drawn, printed or projected on a surface. The idea is to let the user decide the size, orientation, language as well as the position of the keys, a fully user customized keyboard. Proposed system also takes care of keyboard on uneven surfaces. Accurate results are found by the implementation of the proposed real time mono-vision based customizable virtual keyboard system. This paper uses a phenomenal idea that the finger tip intended to type must be moving fastest relative to other fingers until it does a hit on a surface.
Keywords: Virtual Keyboard; Image Processing; Single camera; mono vision; Edge Detection; Quadrilateral extraction; Character Recognition; Hand Segmentation; Fingertip extraction; Customizable keyboard
Human Factor Research of User Interface for 3D Display BIBAKFull-Text 506-512
  Chih-Hung Ting; Teng-Yao Tsai; Yi-Pai Huang; Wen-Jun Zeng; Ming-Hui Lin
The user interface for the observer to interact with 3D image has been discussed. The appropriate touching range and suitable size of the 3D image are relative to depth (disparity) of the 3D image. According to experimental results, when disparity of the 3D image is large, size of the 3D image is necessary to be larger to let the observer precisely judge that finger tip is touching the 3D image or not.
Keywords: User Interface; Interaction with 3D image; Appropriate Touching Range; Suitable Size of 3D Image
Collaborative Smart Virtual Keyboard with Word Predicting Function BIBAKFull-Text 513-522
  Chau Thai Truong; Duy-Hung Nguyen-Huynh; Minh-Triet Tran; Anh-Duc Duong
The authors propose a table-top with virtual keyboards for multi-users to work in a collaborative environment. The proposed system has two main modules: a system for virtual keyboards with touch event detection from depth data of a Kinect and a word predicting module based on the idea of Hidden Markov Model and Trie data structure. The system can replace physical keyboards, improve the accuracy of a virtual keyboard, and increase the typing speed of users. Our experimental results show that our system archives an accuracy of 94.416% with the virtual keyboard, saves 11-22% of keystrokes, and corrects 89.02% of typing mistakes.
Keywords: table top; virtual keyboard; word prediction; 3D interaction
The Implementation of Multi-touch Table to Support the Military Decision Making through Critical Success Factors (CSFs) BIBAKFull-Text 523-529
  Norshahriah Wahab; Halimah Badioze Zaman
In this paper, we present the implementation of Multi-touch Table (MTT) to support the Military Decision Making. The need of the multi-touch table technology is essential for effective and efficient outcome especially in the Malaysian Environment Army. The decision making process is also integral to successful performance of the battlefield. The military decision making process emphasized on timely decision making, the understanding between commander's intent and staff besides the clear responsibility of the commander and staff. Therefore, the crux of this paper is on how to optimize the military decision making process through the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) that have been identified from preliminary study. By adapting the Critical Success Factors (CSFs), all the concepts, ideas and arguments can be brainstorm clearly and effectively around the Multi-touch Table which further gives advantages in visualizing, organizing and manipulating the data/information amongst military officers. The adaptation of the elements in Critical Success Factors (CSFs) also will promote the communication between commander and staff in the activities that involved visualizing the battle-space, describing the visualization to subordinates/staff, directing action in terms of the battlefield operating system and leading the unit to mission accomplishment. This paper also will present the findings and results obtained from series of questionnaires and interviews amongst Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the domain of Military Decision Making. Based on preliminary study indicated that the Criticality of elements in Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in supporting the process of military decision making. One big issue or dilemma in planning and execution of military decision making is the Commanding Officer (CO) need to rely fully on the subordinate officers' coordination ability and to understand effectively of the consequences each 'Course of Action' (COA) suggested by subordinates officers. The application of Multi-touch Table will be benefited in term of the medium used in supporting the discussion and brainstorming session between the Commanding Officer (CO) and the subordinate staff. Decision makers will refer to the shared display together at the same time with different orientations. Multi-touch Table is interactive table that becoming affordable in commonplaces such as in offices, universities and homes. This technology offers the world possibilities such as task engagement, face-to-face communication, social interaction dynamics and simultaneous input contribution. In the nut shell, the appropriate medium such as Multi-touch Table will put the positive impact towards the process in military decision making and addition to this point the adaptation of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) may give a lot of advantages specifically in planning and execution of military decision making.
Keywords: Multi-Touch Table; Military Decision Making; Critical Success Factors (CSFs); Command and Control (C2)
Design of a Visual Query Language for Geographic Information System on a Touch Screen BIBAKFull-Text 530-539
  Siju Wu; Samir Otmane; Guillaume Moreau; Myriam Servières
This paper presents two spatial query methods for a Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on a touch screen. On conventional GIS interfaces SQL is used to construct spatial queries. However keyboard typing proves to be inefficient on touch screens. Furthermore, SQL is not an easy-learning language, especially for novices to GIS. To simplify query construction, firstly we have designed a map interaction based query method (MIBQM). This method allows users to make simple queries by selecting necessary layers, features and query operators directly on the interface. To allow users to construct complex queries, a sketch drawing based query method (SDBQM) is proposed. Spatial query concepts can be represented by sketches of some symbolic graphical objects. It is possible to add spatial conditions and non-spatial conditions to describe query concepts more precisely. An evaluation has been made to compare SQL and MIBQM. We have found that for simple queries, MIBQM takes less time and proves to be more user-friendly.
Keywords: GIS; Touchable Interface; Visual Query Language; Spatial Query
Target Orientation Effects on Movement Time in Rapid Aiming Tasks BIBAKFull-Text 540-548
  Yugang Zhang; Bifeng Song; Wensheng Min
An attempt was made to investigate the effect of the target orientation on pointing performance. An experiment was accomplished in which 10 subjects performed three-dimensional aiming tasks under the manipulation of target orientation, distance to target and direction to target. Results show that target orientation affects the duration of three-dimensional movements significantly. As a result, the conventional movement model did not satisfactorily explain the variance in the movement times produced. The conventional model was employed by incorporating an oriented parameter into the model. The modified model was shown to better fit the data than the conventional model, in terms of r² between the measured movement time and the value predicted by model fit.
Keywords: Human movement; Pointing performance; Fitts' Law; Index of difficulty; Target orientation

Haptic Interaction

Comparison of Enhanced Visual and Haptic Features in a Virtual Reality-Based Haptic Simulation BIBAKFull-Text 551-560
  Michael Clamann; Wenqi Ma; David B. Kaber
An experiment was conducted to compare the learning effects following motor skill training using three types of virtual reality simulations. Training and testing were presented using virtual reality (VR) and standardized forms of existing psychomotor tests, respectively. The VR training simulations included haptic, visual and a combination of haptic and visual assistance designed to accelerate training. A comparison of performance test results prior to and following training revealed conditions providing haptic assistance to yield lower scores related to fine motor skill training than the visual-only aiding condition. Similarly, training in the visual condition resulted in comparatively lower cognitive skill scores. The present investigation incorporating healthy subjects was designed as part of an ongoing research effort to provide insight on the design of VR simulations for rehabilitation of motor skills in patients with a history of mTBI.
Keywords: haptics; virtual reality; rehabilitation
Influence of Haptic Feedback on a Pointing Task in a Haptically Enhanced 3D Virtual Environment BIBAKFull-Text 561-567
  Brendan Corbett; Takehiko Yamaguchi; Shijing Liu; Lixiao Huang; Sangwoo Bahn; Chang S. Nam
To gain a better view of the value of haptic feedback, human performance and preference in a pointing style task in a three-dimensional virtual environment was explored. Vibration and haptic attractive force were selected as two simple cases of feedback, each with two levels. These types of feedback were compared to a no-feedback condition to better understand how human performance changes under these conditions. The study included 8 undergraduate students. A Novint Falcon haptic controller was used in a simulated three-dimensional virtual environment. Analysis was conducted on how each type of feedback effects the movement time (MT) of users. The results showed that vibration was perceived negatively and had a slight negative impact on performance. The haptic attractive force significantly improved performance and was strongly preferred by subjects.
Keywords: Haptic; assistive technology; virtual environments; human performance; force feedback; vibration; assistive feedback
Design of a Wearable Haptic Vest as a Supportive Tool for Navigation BIBAKFull-Text 568-577
  Anak Agung Gede Dharma; Takuma Oami; Yuhki Obata; Li Yan; Kiyoshi Tomimatsu
We propose an alternative way to display haptic feedback in ubiquitous computing. We develop a haptic vest that can display detailed haptic feedbacks by utilizing 5x12 arrays of vibrotactile actuators. We conducted a preliminary user testing on 34 stimuli (with four different directions) to measure the effectiveness of various vibrotactile patterns. We have discovered that each stimulus within a given direction has different properties in terms of their apprehensibility and comfort.
Keywords: Wearable computing; haptic rendering; haptic perception
Mapping Texture Phase Diagram of Artificial Haptic Stimuli Generated by Vibrotactile Actuators BIBAKFull-Text 578-586
  Anak Agung Gede Dharma; Kiyoshi Tomimatsu
We propose a classification method of tactile sensations elicited by artificial haptic stimuli by using Japanese onomatopoeias/adjectives. This method classifies adjectives based on user subjective perception and plot basic components of artificial haptic stimuli. The comparison of perceived tactile sensations from artificial haptic stimuli and genuine physical materials is also discussed in this paper.
Keywords: Touch perception; artificial haptic stimuli; Japanese onomatopoeia; Principal Component Analysis
Preliminary Design of Haptic Icons from Users BIBAKFull-Text 587-593
  Wonil Hwang; Dongsoo Kim
Haptic icons are useful for blind people as well as normal people to perceive information from their environments. Thus, lots of efforts were given to designing usable haptic icons, but not much progress was made in designing haptic icons so far, in terms of variety and intuitiveness. The purpose of this study is to investigate how to match vibrotactile stimuli with representational information or abstract concepts to design a variety of and intuitive haptic icons. We employed the bi-directional approach to ask users about their association between representational information/abstract concepts and perceived vibrotactile stimuli. Two-staged experiments were conducted with forty participants. From the experiments, verbal descriptions corresponding to each of 36 vibrotactile stimuli and drawings of vibration corresponding to each of 27 representational information/abstract concepts in the context of human-computer interaction were collected. We can conclude that the associations that users described from these experiments would provide the foundation for designing more intuitive haptic icons in enough variety.
Keywords: Haptic icons; vibrotactile stimuli; representative information; abstract concepts; intuitiveness
Assessing the Effectiveness of Vibrotactile Feedback on a 2D Navigation Task BIBAKFull-Text 594-600
  Wooram Jeon; Yueqing Li; Sangwoo Bahn; Chang S. Nam
The effect of vibrotactile parameters were investigated on a 2D navigation task. Participants performed a simple navigation task reproducing directional information presented by a series of vibrotactile stimuli consisting of different levels of amplitude and frequency. Task completion time and degree of annoyance were measured. The results demonstrated that both frequency and amplitude had a significant effect on the responses. In addition, interaction effects between the two parameters were found on the responses. It was concluded that user performance and comfort are significantly affected by frequency and amplitude. The results give some insight into designing navigating information presented by vibrotactile display for visually impaired people. More studies with people with visual impairment and manipulation of other vibrotactile parameters are recommended to be applicable to the potential research.
Keywords: Tactile display; vibrotactile; haptic; navigation
Magnetic Field Based Near Surface Haptic and Pointing Interface BIBAKFull-Text 601-609
  Kasun Karunanayaka; Sanath Siriwardana; Chamari Edirisinghe; Ryohei Nakatsu; Ponnampalam Gopalakrishnakone
Magnetic field based Near Surface Haptic and Pointing Interface is a new type of pointing interface which provides mouse interactions, haptic feedback and other enhanced features. It could also be configured as a haptic display, where users can feel the basic geometrical shapes in the GUI by moving the finger on top of the device surface. These functionalities are attained by tracking 3D position of a neodymium magnet, using Hall Effect sensors grid and generating like polarity haptic feedback using an electromagnet array.
Keywords: Pointing interface; haptic mouse; near surface haptic feedback; tactile display
Use of Reference Frame in Haptic Virtual Environments: Implications for Users with Visual Impairments BIBAKFull-Text 610-617
  Ja Young Lee; Sangwoo Bahn; Chang S. Nam
Reference frame is key in explaining the relationship between two objects. This paper focused on the orientation parameter of a reference frame in use of projective spatial terms, and its use by visually impaired participants using a haptic device to explore a haptic virtual environment. A total of nine visually impaired participants between 12 and 17 years of age participated in this study. After exploring the 3D virtual environment with a haptic device, participants answered questions about the frame they had utilized. Overall results indicated that the participants used relative frame of reference slightly more than the intrinsic frame of reference. This inclination was especially clear when both the target object and the reference object were on the horizontal plane. Only when objects were on horizontal plane but intrinsically vertical to the reference object, the intrinsic frame of reference was preferred. We also found evidence that participants used a reflective subtype of the relative frame, and vertically aligned objects were easy to be perceived with the relative reference frame. We concluded that the virtual environment and haptic input had influence on the result by separating the user from the computer, only allowing one point of contact. Thus it would be possible to apply the result of this study to the development and assessment of assistive technology for people with visual impairment, especially in regard to how spatial information between the systems and the user is communicated.
Keywords: Reference frame; relative frame; intrinsic frame; projective spatial terms; visual impairments
Behavioral Characteristics of Users with Visual Impairment in Haptically Enhanced Virtual Environments BIBAKFull-Text 618-625
  Shijing Liu; Sangwoo Bahn; Heesun Choi; Chang S. Nam
This study investigated behavioral characteristics of users with visual impairments and tested effect of factors regarding the layout of virtual environments (VEs). Various three-dimensional (3D) VEs were simulated with two different factors: number of objects and layout type (random, symmetric). Using a Novint Falcon haptic device, users with visual impairments were required to complete an object recognition task in 3D VEs with different levels of number of object and layout. The characteristics of their movements (speed, applied force, location, direction, etc.) were recorded, and participants evaluated perceived difficulty after they completed each trial. We analyzed their recorded movements and their rating on perceived difficulty. Results showed that 1) number of objects in 3D VE had significant impact on visually impaired users' behavior; 2) different layout had not showed significant influence on their movement; 3) increased number of objects in 3D VE made the task more difficult; 4) visualized results implied that different users had significant different behavior preference in the same 3D VE. It is expected that the results of this study can improve behavioral understanding of users with visual impairments and guidance for assistive technology development for users with visual impairments.
Keywords: Haptic; 3D virtual environment; behavioral pattern

Graphical User Interfaces and Visualisation

A Situation Awareness Assistant for Human Deep Space Exploration BIBAKFull-Text 629-636
  Guy Andre Boy; Donald Platt
This paper presents the development and testing of a Virtual Camera (VC) system to improve astronaut and mission operations situation awareness while exploring other planetary bodies. In this embodiment, the VC is implemented using a tablet-based computer system to navigate through interactive database application. It is claimed that the advanced interaction media capability of the VC can improve situation awareness as the distribution of human space exploration roles change in deep space exploration. The VC is being developed and tested for usability and capability to improve situation awareness. Work completed thus far as well as what is needed to complete the project will be described. Planned testing will also be described.
Keywords: Situation Awareness (SA); Augmented Reality; Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Tablet Computing; Usability Testing; Space Exploration
My-World-in-My-Tablet: An Architecture for People with Physical Impairment BIBAKFull-Text 637-647
  Mario Caruso; Febo Cincotti; Francesco Leotta; Massimo Mecella; Angela Riccio; Francesca Schettini; Luca Simione; Tiziana Catarci
Mobile computing, coupled with advanced types of input interfaces, such as Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs), and smart spaces can improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. In this paper, we describe the architecture and the prototype of an assistive system, which allows users to express themselves and partially preserve their independence in controlling electrical devices at home. Even in absence of muscular functions, the proposed system would still allow the user some communication and control capabilities, by relying on non-invasive BCIs. Experiments show how the fully-software realization of the system guarantees effective use with BCIs.
Keywords: Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs); tablet; home appliances; communication capabilities; software architecture
AHPM as a Proposal to Improve Interaction with Air Traffic Controllers BIBAKFull-Text 648-657
  Leonardo L. B. V. Cruciol; Li Weigang
Air Traffic Management (ATM) involves a complex decision-making process that involves several entities as short time to analyze risk situations and many attributes to verify before take an action. So, Decision Support System (DSS) is a great way to air traffic controllers achieve better results in their work. A well implemented DSS must provide a simple Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to achieve great results. Even a system can provide all functionalities for a specialist, it must achieve his expectations and results by other requirements, i.e., maybe a right answer with delay or hard to find will become a wrong or unnecessary answer. The proposed approach by Air Holding Problem Module (AHPM) has a sub module responsible for forecasting airspace scenarios and another responsible to support decision-making process by an interaction with air traffic controller. Thus, it is possible that air traffic controller interacts with the system and carries out his activities faster and more informed by a simple screen which contains knowledge necessary. The AHPM achieved a great human-computer interaction level because the interaction is very simple and all mandatory information to do great analysis is presented in a same screen by a clean and objective organization.
Keywords: Human-Computer Interaction; Decision Support System; Air Traffic Management; Artificial Intelligence
Decision Space Visualization: Lessons Learned and Design Principles BIBAKFull-Text 658-667
  Jill L. Drury; Mark S. Pfaff; Gary L. Klein; Yikun Liu
While the situation space consists of facts about what is currently happening, the decision space consists of analytical information that supports comparing the relative desirability of one decision option versus another. We have focused on new approaches to display decision space information that aids cognition and confidence. As a result of our earlier empirical work, we have developed a set of principles for visualizing decision space information. This paper describes those principles and illustrates their use.
Keywords: Decision space; situation space; option awareness; situation awareness; cognitive engineering; design principles; visualization
The Language of Motion: A Taxonomy for Interface BIBAKFull-Text 668-677
  Elaine Froehlich; Brian Lucid; Heather Shaw
This project presents a taxonomic tool for designing with motion. Paul Klee dedicated his life to the study and teaching of motion. "I should like to create an order from feeling and, going still further, from motion."[1] The natural state of interaction with digitized information includes motion. Our human brains have evolved physiological systems and organic structures that respond instinctively, tuned to organic motion. This human bias toward organic, natural motion presents opportunities for the use of motion in interfaces. Using motion in computing devices inspired by the natural world will create deeper, more emotionally engaging experiences. This study focuses on understanding the basic elements of motion in order to use it as a component in the design of digital interfaces. It presents a taxonomy of motion with the goal of describing fundamental qualities of motion used in the 2-dimensional, framed space of a screen: screen position, direction, principles, attributes and the resulting behaviors that can be created using them. The documentation presented defines a language for motion in interface. The taxonomy was built on discrete gestural motion videos taken from nature. The video segments are limited to short motions that show a complete but definable idea. The videos tend to be a few seconds in length though a few of them take several seconds to complete their motion idea.
Keywords: Dynamic media; motion design; motion; interface; screen area; direction; principles; attributes; behavior; taxonomy
Adaptive Consoles for Supervisory Control of Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles BIBAKFull-Text 678-687
  Christian Fuchs; Sérgio Ferreira; João Sousa; Gil Gonçalves
With the prevailing increase of complex operational scenarios, involving multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the concerns with the natural increase of operator workload and reduction of situational awareness have become paramount in order to safeguard operational security and objective completion. These challenges can be tackled through alterations of the autonomy levels of the vehicles, however this paper explores how these issues can also be mitigated by changing the way information is presented to the human operator. Relying upon an established framework, that supports operational scenarios with multiple UAVs, a series of display alterations were performed to existing operation consoles. After test sessions, in a simulated environment, with human participants of different levels of operational certification, feedback and results are distilled and analysed. Operator feedback demonstrated an overwhelming preference for the developed consoles and results showed an improvement of situation awareness, as well as reduction of workload.
Keywords: Operator; Situational Awareness; UAS; UAV; Workload; Command and Control; Interface
A Web-Based Interface for a System That Designs Sensor Networks BIBAKFull-Text 688-697
  Lawrence J. Henschen; J. C. Lee
We describe the approach taken in the design of the interface for a system that helps application engineers who are not trained in computer science/engineering to design sensor networks. We cite various taxonomies from the senor network literature that guided the design of the interface. We then describe the overall structure of the system to set the context for how the human interacts with it. We present some examples of the kind of data required to design a sensor network and describe how our interface collects that information. We note at many points in the presentation that a deep understanding of the data of the application allows for the design of an appropriate interface.
Keywords: Sensor networks; automated design; HCI
An Interaction Concept for Public Displays and Mobile Devices in Public Transport BIBAKFull-Text 698-705
  Romina Kühn; Diana Lemme; Thomas Schlegel
Public displays increasingly find their way into public space and offer a wide range of information to the user. Currently, most of these displays just represent information without the chance to explore them or interact with them. In general, by technical enhancements in this field, more and more possibilities of interaction are given in different domains. This work presents interaction opportunities between public displays and users with mobile devices in the field of public transport. As a basis for understanding the usage and benefits of public displays it is necessary to have a closer look at different types of displays in the public domain, too.
Keywords: Interaction concept; mobile interaction; public display; public transport
Study of Interaction Concepts in 3D Virtual Environment BIBAKFull-Text 706-711
  Vera Oblaender; Maximilian Eibl
This paper describes what could be understood by interaction techniques and interaction concepts. In this work we focus in particular the second screen applications. Research of interaction techniques and concepts in this case investigates how to design interaction concepts with tablet as second screen, by remote connection with virtual environment on a primary screen. However, the actual samples used in this research are summarized by interactions like selection, manipulation and navigation aspects.
Keywords: Human computer interaction; second screen; manipulation; navigation on virtual environment in virtual reality; interaction technique; interaction concept; gestures
Undo/Redo by Trajectory BIBAKFull-Text 712-721
  Tatsuhito Oe; Buntarou Shizuki; Jiro Tanaka
We have developed a trajectory based undo/redo interface. Using the interface, a user traces actions' trajectories shown on a display. As a result, undo/redo manipulations are performed rapidly with selection of a target from a history. In this paper, we describe interaction techniques, implementation, and advanced usages of the interface.
Keywords: undo/redo; trajectory; history; tracing; desktop interface; gui
Multi-layer Control and Graphical Feature Editing Using Server-Side Rendering on Ajax-GIS BIBAKFull-Text 722-729
  Takeo Sakairi; Takashi Tamada; Katsuyuki Kamei; Yukio Goto
This paper presents the methods of the multi-layer control and the graphical feature editing by the server side rendering on Ajax-GIS. Ajax-GIS uses divided raster image file called "tile" in order to keep light handling. We propose that the multi-layer control is realized by means of merging transparent tiled images in the server application as the requests of the client application. Furthermore we propose the graphical feature editing protocol that sent from a client and send back to an image in order to edit a feature such as moving vertices, changing color. In an evaluation experiment of an actual map data, we confirmed the effectiveness of these methods as compared with conventional methods.
Keywords: Ajax-GIS; Server-Side Rendering; Multi-layer Control; Graphical Feature Editing
A Method for Discussing Musical Expression between Music Ensemble Players Using a Web-Based System BIBAFull-Text 730-739
  Takehiko Sakamoto; Shin Takahashi; Jiro Tanaka
Music ensemble players discuss musical expression of the piece of music they perform, and determine how to play each note in a score such as the length and the dynamics of tone or phrases in every detail of the music. This paper introduces our system that supports the discussion about musical expressions on the web. Our system enables the users to write comments, draw symbols, and link videos on the score where they are discussing about. We also conducted an informal usability study to evaluate the usefulness of the system.
A Study on Document Retrieval System Based on Visualization to Manage OCR Documents BIBAFull-Text 740-749
  Kazuki Tamura; Tomohiro Yoshikawa; Takeshi Furuhashi
Recently, the digitization of paper-based documents is rapidly advanced through the spread of scanners. However, tagging or sorting a huge amount of scanned documents one by one is difficult in terms of time and effort. Therefore, the system which extracts features from texts in the documents automatically, which is available by OCR, and classifies/retrieves documents will be useful. LDA, one of the most popular Topic Models, is known as a method to extract the features of each document and the relationships between documents. However, it is reported that the performance of LDA declines along with poor OCR recognition. This paper assumes the case of applying LDA to Japanese OCR documents and studies the method to improve the performance of topic inference. This paper defines the reliability of the recognized words using N-gram and proposes the weighting LDA method based on the reliability. Adequacy of the reliability of the recognized words is confirmed through the preliminary experiment detecting false recognized words, and then the experiment to classify practical OCR documents are carried out. The experimental results show the improvement of the classification performance by the proposed method comparing with the conventional methods.
Audio-Visual Documentation Method for Digital Storytelling for a Multimedia Art Project BIBAKFull-Text 750-758
  Chui Yin Wong; Chee Weng Khong; Kimberly Chu; Muhammad Asyraf Mhd Pauzi; Man Leong Wong
In this paper, we describe an interactive multimedia art project, namely FaceGrid, using mosaic photography art concept for digital storytelling. Inspired by mosaic photography and a montage concept, FaceGrid was produced by using many small image tiles that were woven and stitched together to form the pixel art design pattern. FaceGrid documents the different ways of living and lifestyles of ordinary folks in a multi-cultural and diverse ethnic society in Malaysia. We use audio-visual documentation methods (photography and film-documentary techniques) to record, capture and archive the different facets of lives and user stories by ordinary people. We then transform those slices of life via digital storytelling technique into an interactive multimedia art project.
Keywords: Audio-visual documentation method; digital storytelling; multimedia art; ordinary folks

HCII 2013-07-21 Volume 5

Adaptive, Personalised and Context-Aware Interaction

Development of a Virtual Keyboard System Using a Bio-signal Interface and Preliminary Usability Test BIBAKFull-Text 3-9
  Kwang-Ok An; Da-Hey Kim; Jongbae Kim
People with severe speech or language problems rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional. However, many people with severely motor disabilities are limited to use AAC, because most of AAC use the mechanical input devices. In this paper, to solve the limitations and offer a practical solution to disabled person, a virtual keyboard system using a bio-signal interface is developed. The developed system consists of bio-signal interface, training and feedback program, connecting module and virtual keyboard. In addition, we evaluate how well do subjects control the system. From results of preliminary usability test, the usefulness of the system is verified.
Keywords: augmentative and alternative communication; bio-signal interface; preliminary usability test; virtual keyboard system
Unifying Conceptual and Spatial Relationships between Objects in HCI BIBAKFull-Text 10-18
  David Blezinger; Ava Fatah gen. Schieck; Christoph Hölscher
To design interfaces which occupy a continuous space of interaction, the conceptual model of an interface needs to be transferred to a spatial model. To find mappings between conceptual and spatial structure which are natural to people, an experiment is undertaken in which participants organize objects in a semi-circle of shelves around their body. It is analyzed how conceptual relationships between objects such as categorial relationships and sequential relationships within task performance are represented in spatial configurations of objects as chosen by the participants. In these configurations, a strong correlation between conceptual and spatial relationships is observed between objects.
Keywords: HCI frameworks; spatial interface; conceptual model; information architecture; navigation; object-based; task-based; spatial configuration; spatial cognition; embodied interaction; categories; visual identity
Context-Aware Multimodal Sharing of Emotions BIBAKFull-Text 19-28
  Maurizio Caon; Leonardo Angelini; Yong Yue; Omar Abou Khaled; Elena Mugellini
Computer mediated interaction often lacks of expressivity, in particular for emotion communication. Therefore, we present a concept for context-aware multimodal sharing of emotions for human-to-computer-to-human interaction in social networks. The multimodal inputs and outputs of this system are distributed in a smart environment in order to grant a more immersive and natural interaction experience. The context information is used to improve the opportuneness and the quality of feedback. We implemented an evaluation scenario and we conducted an observation study during some events with the participants. We reported our considerations at the end of this paper.
Keywords: affective computing; multimodal interaction; computer mediated communication; social sharing of emotions
Supportive User Interfaces for MOCOCO (Mobile, Contextualized and Collaborative) Applications BIBAKFull-Text 29-38
  Bertrand David; René Chalon; Florent Delomier
Enhancing interaction with supplementary Supportive User Interfaces: Meta-UIs, Mega-UIs, Extra-UIs, Supra-UIs, etc. is a relatively new challenge for HCI. In this paper, we describe our view of supportive user Interfaces for AmI applications taking into account Mobility, Collaboration and Contextualization. We describe proposed formalisms and their working conditions: initially created for designers in the design stage; we consider that they can now also be used by final-users for dynamic adjustment of working conditions.
Keywords: Interactive and collaborative model architectures; formalisms; Ambient Intelligence; pervasive and ubiquitous computing; tangible UI
RFID Mesh Network as an Infrastructure for Location Based Services for the Blind BIBAKFull-Text 39-45
  Hugo Fernandes; Jose Faria; Paulo Martins; Hugo Paredes; João Barroso
People with visual impairments face serious challenges while moving from one place to another. This is a difficult challenge that involves obstacle avoidance, staying on street walks, finding doors, knowing the current location and keeping on track through the desired course, until the destination is reached. While assistive technology has contributed to the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities, people with visual impairment still face enormous limitations in terms of their mobility. There is still an enormous lack of availability of information that can be used to assist them, as well as a lack of sufficient precision in terms of the estimation of the user's location. This paper proposes an infrastructure to assist the estimation of the user's location with high precision using Radio Frequency Identification, providing seamless availability of location based services for the blind, whether indoor or outdoor.
Keywords: Computer-augmented environments; blind; navigation; rfid
An Ontology-Based Interaction Concept for Social-Aware Applications BIBAKFull-Text 46-55
  Alexandra Funke; Sören Brunk; Romina Kühn; Thomas Schlegel
With the usage of mobile devices becoming more and more ubiquitous, access to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter from those devices is increasing at a fast rate. Many different social networking applications for mobile devices exist but most of them only enable access to one social network. As users are often registered in multiple social networks, they have to use different applications for mobile access. Furthermore, most applications do not consider the users' social context to aid them with their intentions. This paper presents our idea to model the user's social context and intentions in social networks within an ontology. Based on this ontology we describe an interaction concept that allows publishing information in different social networks in a flexible way. We implemented a prototype to show how our findings can be presented. To conclude, we highlight some possibilities for the future of ontology-based social-aware applications.
Keywords: interaction; ontology; semantic modeling; social-aware; social media
Sensor-Based Adaptation of User Interface on Android Phones BIBAKFull-Text 56-61
  Tor-Morten Grønli; Gheorghita Ghine; Jarle Hansen
The notion of context-aware computing is generally the ability for the devices to adapt their behavior to the surrounding environment, ultimately enhancing usability. Sensors are an important source of information input in any real world context and several previous research contributions look into this topic. In our research, we combine sensor-generated context information received both from the phone itself and information retrieved from cloud-based servers. All data is integrated to create a context-aware mobile device, where we implemented a new customized home screen application for Android enabled devices. Thus, we are also able to remotely configure the mobile devices independent of the device types. This creates a new concept of context-awareness and embraces the user in ways previously unavailable.
Keywords: sensor; interface adaptation; Android
Perception and BDI Reasoning Based Agent Model for Human Behavior Simulation in Complex System BIBAKFull-Text 62-71
  Jaekoo Joo
Modeling of human behaviors in systems engineering has been regarded as an extremely complex problem due to the ambiguity and difficulty of representing human decision processes. Unlike modeling of traditional physical systems, from which active humans are assumed to be excluded, HECS has some peculiar characteristics which can be summarized as follows: 1) Environments and human itself are nondeterministic and dynamic that there are many different ways in which they dynamically evolve. 2) Human perceives a set of perceptual information taken locally from surrounding environments and other humans in the environment, which will guide human actions toward his or her goal achievement. In order to overcome the challenges due to the above characteristics, we present an human agent model for mimicking perception-based rational human behaviors in complex systems by combining the ecological concepts of affordance -- and the Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) theory. Illustrative models of fire evacuation simulation are developed to show how the proposed framework can be applied. The proposed agent model is expected to realize their potential and enhance the simulation fidelity in analyzing and predicting human behaviors in HECS.
Keywords: Human Behavior; Affordance theory; BDI theory; Agent-based Simulation; Social Interaction
Long-Term Study of a Software Keyboard That Places Keys at Positions of Fingers and Their Surroundings BIBAKFull-Text 72-81
  Yuki Kuno; Buntarou Shizuki; Jiro Tanaka
In this paper, we present a software keyboard called Leyboard that enables users to type faster. Leyboard makes typing easier by placing keys at the positions of fingers and their surroundings. To this end, Leyboard automatically adjusts its key positions and sizes to users' hands. This design allows users to type faster and more accurately than using ordinary software keyboards, the keys of which are unperceptive. We have implemented a prototype and have performed a long-term user study. The study has proved the usefulness of Leyboard and its pros and cons.
Keywords: Touch screen; text entry; software keyboard; long-term study
Fast Dynamic Channel Allocation Algorithm for TD-HSPA System BIBAKFull-Text 82-91
  Haidong Li; Hai-Lin Liu; Xueyi Liang
In order to make full use of channel, a new dynamic channel allocation algorithm for TD-HSPA system is proposed. The proposed algorithm gives priority to consider the time slot distribution in uplink channels. This paper uses low order modulation coding in uplink channels, but uses high order modulation coding in downlink channels. The transmission rate of uplink and downlink are asymmetric. In his paper, we propose a criterion sharing channel for each other through main and auxiliary frequency when the voice channel is idle. As a result, the system capacity is increased 50% larger than the past. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can decrease the call blocking ratio and dropping packet rate of data service, improve the channel utilization efficiency, and increase the number of data users dramatically.
Keywords: TD-HSPA; asymmetric transmission; frequency sharing; dynamic channel allocation
Evaluating Intelligibility Usage and Usefulness in a Context-Aware Application BIBAKFull-Text 92-101
  Brian Y. Lim; Anind K. Dey
Intelligibility has been proposed to help end-users understand context-aware applications with their complex inference and implicit sensing. Usable explanations can be generated and designed to improve user understanding. However, will users want to use these intelligibility features? How much intelligibility will they use, and will this be sufficient to improve their understanding? We present a quasi-field experiment of how participants used the intelligibility features of a context-aware application. We investigated how many explanations they viewed, how that affected their understanding of the application's behavior, and suggestions they had for improving its behavior. We discuss what constitutes successful intelligibility usage, and provide recommendations for designing intelligibility to promote its effective use.
Keywords: Context-Awareness; Intelligibility; Explanations; User Study
Strangers and Friends BIBAKFull-Text 102-111
  Nikita Mattar; Ipke Wachsmuth
We demonstrate how an artificial agent's conversational style can be adapted to different interlocutors by using a model of Person Memory. While other approaches so far rely on adapting an agent's behavior according to one particular factor like personality or relationship, we show how to enable an agent to take diverse factors into account at once by exploiting social categories. This way, our agent is able to adapt its conversational style individually to reflect interpersonal relationships during conversation.
Keywords: embodied conversational agents; conversational style; social categories; personality; relationships; situational context
suGATALOG: Fashion Coordination System That Supports Users to Choose Everyday Fashion with Clothed Pictures BIBAKFull-Text 112-121
  Ayaka Sato; Keita Watanabe; Michiaki Yasumura; Jun Rekimoto
When deciding what to wear, we normally have to consider several things, such as color and combination of clothes, as well as situations that might change every day, including the weather, what to do, where to go, and whom to meet with. Trying on many possible combinations can be very tedious; thus, computer support would be helpful. Therefore, we propose suGATALOG, a fashion coordination system that allows users to choose and coordinate clothes from their wardrobe. Previous studies have proposed systems using computer images of clothes to allow users to inspect their clothing ensemble. Our system uses pictures of users actually wearing the clothes to give a more realistic impression. suGATALOG compares several combinations by swapping top and bottom images. In this paper, we describe the system architecture and its user interface, as well as an evaluation experiment and a long-term trial test to verify the usefulness of the system.
Keywords: Fashion coordinate; Clothes; Life-log
Interacting with a Context-Aware Personal Information Sharing System BIBAFull-Text 122-131
  Simon Scerri; Andreas Schuller; Ismael Rivera; Judie Attard; Jeremy Debattista; Massimo Valla; Fabian Hermann; Siegfried Handschuh
The di.me userware is a decentralised personal information sharing system with a difference: extracted information and observed personal activities are exploited to automatically recognise personal situations, provide privacy-related warnings, and recommend and/or automate user actions. To enable reasoning, personal information from multiple devices and online sources is integrated and transformed to a machine-interpretable format. Aside from distributed personal information monitoring, an intuitive user interface also enables the i) manual customisation of advanced context-driven services and ii) their semi-automatic adaptation across interactive notifications. In this paper we outline how average users interact with the current user interface, and our plans to improve it.
Design and Evaluation of Eco-feedback Interfaces to Support Location-Based Services for Individual Energy Awareness and Conservation BIBAKFull-Text 132-140
  Yang Ting Shen; Po Chun Chen; Tay Sheng Jeng
The Eco-feedback technology has widely applied to the energy conservation. Eco-feedback technology is usually represented as any kind of interactive device or interface targeted at revealing energy consumption in order to promote users' energy awareness and then trigger more ecologically responsible behaviors. In this paper, the primary goal is to help the individual user understand his comparative energy consumption through the Eco-feedback energy visualization. The energy information we provide is the comparison between the historical average energy consumption and the instant energy consumption. Based on the instant comparative energy consumption, the user can intuitively understand the current energy consumption is higher or lower than usualness. We develop the location-based individual energy consumption feedback system named EME (Energy MEter). Integrated with the concepts of historical comparison and incentives, three kinds of eco-feedback interface prototypes including the Dichotomy type, the Accumulation type, and the Numeral type are designed and deployed in practical fields. The user study both from quantitative and qualitative surveys is conducted in order to find out the potential interface which links user and energy consumption data better.
Keywords: Eco-feedback; Energy awareness; Energy conservation; Comparative energy consumption
Fuzzy Logic Approach for Adaptive Systems Design BIBAKFull-Text 141-150
  Makram Soui; Mourad Abed; Khaled Ghedira
Adaptive system is a field in rapid development. Adaptation is an effective solution for reducing complexity when searching information. This article presents how to personalize user interface (UI) using fuzzy logic. Our approach is based on the definition of relations for selection of appropriate and not appropriate of UI components. These relations are based the degree of certainty about the meaning coincidence of metadata elements and user' preferences. The proposed approach has been validated by applying it in e-learning field.
Keywords: Adaptation; Adaptive Systems; Fuzzy logic; Evaluation; User Interface (UI)

Computational Vision in HCI

Semi-supervised Remote Sensing Image Segmentation Using Dynamic Region Merging BIBAKFull-Text 153-162
  Ning He; Ke Lu; Yixue Wang; Yue Gao
This paper introduces a remote sensing image segmentation approach by using semi-supervised and dynamic region merging. In remote sensing images, the spatial relationship among pixels has been shown to be sparsely represented by a linear combination of a few training samples from a structured dictionary. The sparse vector is recovered by solving a sparsity-constrained optimization problem, and it can directly determine the class label of the test sample. Through a graph-based technique, unlabeled samples are actively selected based on the entropy of the corresponding class label. With an initially segmented image based semi-supervised, in which the many regions to be merged for a meaningful segmentation. By taking the region merging as a labeling problem, image segmentation is performed by iteratively merging the regions according to a statistical test. Experiments on two datasets are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Comparisons with the state-of-the-art methods demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively investigate the spatial relationship among pixels and achieve better remote sensing image segmentation results.
Keywords: Semi-supervised; Remote Sensing Image; Image segmentation; Dynamic region merging
Correcting Distortion of Views into Aquarium BIBAKFull-Text 163-170
  Yukio Ishihara; Makio Ishihara
In this paper, we discuss a way to correct light distortion of views into an aquarium. When we see fish in an aquarium, they appear closer also distorted due to light distortion. In order to correct the distortion, the light rays travelling in the aquarium directly towards an observer should hit him/her after emerging from the aquarium. A basic idea is to capture those light rays by a reference camera, then merge the rays as a single view, which is displayed to the observer. An experiment in a real world environment shows that light distortion of a view into an aquarium can be corrected using the multiple reference camera views.
Keywords: distortion correction; aquarium; light distortion
A Dense Stereo Matching Algorithm with Occlusion and Less or Similar Texture Handling BIBAFull-Text 171-177
  Hehua Ju; Chao Liang
Due to image noise, illumination and occlusion, to get an accurate and dense disparity with stereo matching is still a challenge. In this paper, a new dense stereo matching algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm first use cross-based regions to compute an initial disparity map which can deal with regions with less or similar texture. Secondly, the improved hierarchical belief propagation scheme is employed to optimize the initial disparity map. Then the left-right consistency check and mean-shift algorithm are used to handle occlusions. Finally, a local high-confidence strategy is used to refine the disparity map. Experiments with the Middlebury dataset validate the proposed algorithm.
Robust Face Recognition System Using a Reliability Feedback BIBAKFull-Text 178-185
  Shotaro Miwa; Shintaro Watanabe; Makito Seki
In the real world there are a variety of lighting conditions, and there exist many directional lights as well as ambient lights. These directional lights cause partial dark and bright regions on faces. Even if auto exposure mode of cameras is used, those uneven pixel intensities are left, and in some cases saturated pixels and black pixels appear. In this paper we propose robust face recognition system using a reliability feedback. The system evaluates the reliability of the input face image using prior distributions of each recognition feature, and if the reliability of the image is not enough for face recognition, it capture multiple images by changing exposure parameters of cameras based on the analysis of saturated pixels and black pixels. As a result the system can cumulates similarity scores of enough amounts of reliable recognition features from multiple face images. By evaluating the system in an office environment, we can achieve three times better EER than the system only with auto exposure control.
Keywords: Face Recognition; Prior Probability; Probabilistic Model
A Developer-Oriented Visual Model for Upper-Body Gesture Characterization BIBAKFull-Text 186-195
  Simon Ruffieux; Denis Lalanne; Omar Abou Khaled; Elena Mugellini
This paper focuses on a facilitated and intuitive representation of upper-body gestures for developers. The representation is based on the user motion parameters, particularly the rotational and translational components of body segments during a gesture. The developed static representation aims to provide a rapid visualization of the complexity for each body segment involved in the gesture for static representations. The model and algorithms used to produce the representation have been applied to a dataset of 10 representative gestures to illustrate the model.
Keywords: natural interaction; human-computer interaction; multimodality; visualization tools; developer-oriented
Annotate. Train. Evaluate. A Unified Tool for the Analysis and Visualization of Workflows in Machine Learning Applied to Object Detection BIBAKFull-Text 196-205
  Michael Storz; Marc Ritter; Robert Manthey; Holger Lietz; Maximilian Eibl
The development of classifiers for object detection in images is a complex task that comprises the creation of representative and potentially large datasets from a target object by repetitive and time-consuming intellectual annotations, followed by a sequence of methods to train, evaluate and optimize the generated classifier. This is conventionally achieved by the usage and combination of many different tools. Here, we present a holistic approach to this scenario by providing a unified tool that covers the single development stages in one solution to facilitate the development process. We prove this concept by the example of creating a face detection classifier.
Keywords: Model-driven Annotation; Image Processing; Machine Learning; Object Detection; Workflow Analysis
A New Real-Time Visual SLAM Algorithm Based on the Improved FAST Features BIBAFull-Text 206-215
  Liang Wang; Rong Liu; Chao Liang; Fuqing Duan
The visual SLAM is less dependent on hardware, so it attracts growing interests. However, the visual SLAM, especially the Extend Kalman Filter-based monocular SLAM is computational expensive, and is hard to fulfill real-time process. In this paper, we propose an algorithm, which uses the binary robust independent elementary Features descriptor to describe the features from accelerated segment test feature aiming at improving feature points extraction and matching, and combines with the 1-point random sample consensus strategy to speedup the EKF-based visual SLAM. The proposed algorithm can improve the robustness of the EKF-based visual SLAM and make it operate in real-time. Experimental results validate the proposed algorithm.
A Coastline Detection Method Based on Level Set BIBAKFull-Text 216-226
  Qian Wang; Ke Lu; Fuqing Duan; Ning He; Lei Yang
This paper proposes a level set based coastline detection method by using the template initialization and local energy minimization. It can complete the sea-land boundary detection in infrared channel image. This method is an improvement on the traditional level set algorithm by using the information of GSHHS to optimize the initialization procedure, which can reduce the number of iterations and numerical errors. Moreover, this method optimizes regional energy functional, and can achieve the rapid coastline detection. Experiments on the IR image of FY-2 satellite show that the method has fast speed and high accuracy.
Keywords: Edge detection; level set method; IR image processing
Tracking End-Effectors for Marker-Less 3D Human Motion Estimation in Multi-view Image Sequences BIBAKFull-Text 227-235
  Wenzhong Wang; Zhaoqi Wang; Xiaoming Deng; Bin Luo
We propose to track the end-effectors of human body, and use them as kinematic constraints for reliable marker-less 3D human motion tracking. In the presented approach, we track the end-effectors using particle filtering. The tracked results are then combined with image features for 3D full pose tracking. Experimental results verified that the inclusion of end-effectors' constraints improves the tracking performances.
Keywords: end-effectors; motion tracking; particle filtering
Kernel Based Weighted Group Sparse Representation Classifier BIBAKFull-Text 236-245
  Bingxin Xu; Ping Guo; C. L. Philip Chen
Sparse representation classification (SRC) is a new framework for classification and has been successfully applied to face recognition. However, SRC can not well classify the data when they are in the overlap feature space. In addition, SRC treats different samples equally and ignores the cooperation among samples belong to the same class. In this paper, a kernel based weighted group sparse classifier (KWGSC) is proposed. Kernel trick is not only used for mapping the original feature space into a high dimensional feature space, but also as a measure to select members of each group. The weight reflects the importance degree of training samples in different group. Substantial experiments on benchmark databases have been conducted to investigate the performance of proposed method in image classification. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed KWGSC approach has a higher classification accuracy than that of SRC and other modified sparse representation classification.
Keywords: Group sparse representation; kernel method; image classification
Kernel Fuzzy Similarity Measure-Based Spectral Clustering for Image Segmentation BIBAKFull-Text 246-253
  Yifang Yang; Yuping Wang; Yiu-ming Cheung
Spectral clustering has been successfully used in the field of pattern recognition and image processing. The efficiency of spectral clustering, however, depends heavily on the similarity measure adopted. A widely used similarity measure is the Gaussian kernel function where Euclidean distance is used. Unfortunately, the Gaussian kernel function is parameter sensitive and the Euclidean distance is usually not suitable to the complex distribution data. In this paper, a novel similarity measure called kernel fuzzy similarity measure is proposed first, Then this novel measure is integrated into spectral clustering to get a new clustering method: kernel fuzzy similarity based spectral clustering (KFSC). To alleviate the computational complexity of KFSC on image segmentation, Nyström method is used in KFSC. At last, the experiments on three synthetic texture images are made, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Keywords: spectral clustering; kernel fuzzy-clustering; image segmentation; Nyström method
Depth Camera Based Real-Time Fingertip Detection Using Multi-view Projection BIBAKFull-Text 254-261
  Weixin Yang; Zhengyang Zhong; Xin Zhang; Lianwen Jin; Chenlin Xiong; Pengwei Wang
We propose a real-time fingertip detection algorithm based on depth information. It can robustly detect single fingertip regardless of the position and direction of the hand. With the depth information of front view, depth map of top view and side view is generated. Due to the difference between finger thickness and fist thickness, we use thickness histogram to segment the finger from the fist. Among finger points, the farthest point from palm center is the detected fingertip. We collected over 3,000 frames writing-in-the-air sequences to test our algorithm. From our experiments, the proposed algorithm can detect the fingertip with robustness and accuracy.
Keywords: Kinect; depth image; finger detection; fingertip detection; multiview projection
Evaluation of Hip Impingement Kinematics on Range of Motion BIBAKFull-Text 262-269
  Mahshid Yazdifar; Mohammadreza Yazdifar; Pooyan Rahmanivahid; Saba Eshraghi; Ibrahim Esat; Mahmoud Chizari
Femoroacetabulare impingement (FAI) is a mechanical mismatch between femur and acetabulum. It would bring abnormal contact stress and potential joint damage. This problem is more common on people with high level of motion activity such as baler dancer and athletics. FAI causes pain in hip joints and consequently would lead to reduction in range of motion. This study investigates whether changing the kinematics parameters of hip joint with impingement can improve range of motion or not. Hip joint model is created in finite element environment, and then the range of motion was detected. The original boundary conditions are applied in the initial hip impingement model. Then gradually the gap between femur and acetabulum in the model was changed to evaluate the changing kinematics factors on range of motion.
   Mimics (Materialise NV) software was used to generate the surface mesh of three-dimensional (3D) models of the hip joint from computerised tomography (CT) images of the subject patients diagnosed with FAI. The surface mesh models created in Mimics were then exported to Abaqus (Simulia Dassault Systems) to create a finite element (FE) models that will be suitable for mechanical analysis. The surface mesh was converted into a volumetric mesh using Abaqus meshing modules. Material properties of the bones and soft tissues were defined in the FE model. The kinematic values of the joint during a normal sitting stance, which were obtained from motion capture analysis in the gait lab, were used as boundary conditions in the FE model to simulate the motion of the hip joint during a normal sitting stance and find possible contact at the location of the FAI. The centre of rotation for a female hip model with impingement was changed and range of motion was measured in Abaqus. The results were compared to investigate the effect of centre of rotation on range of motion for hip with femoroacetabular impingement. There was a significant change on range of motion with changing the gap between femur and acetabulum. Decreasing the distance between femur and acetabulum decreases the range of motion. When the distance between femur and acetabulum changes the location of impingement shifted. Increasing the distance between femur and acetabulum, there is no noticeable change in the location of impingement. This study concludes that changing the kinematics of hip with impingement changes the range of motion.
Keywords: hip joint; femoroacetabular impingement; finite element; kinematics
Tracking People with Active Cameras BIBAKFull-Text 270-279
  Alparslan Yildiz; Noriko Takemura; Yoshio Iwai; Kosuke Sato
In this paper, we introduce a novel method on tracking multiple people using multiple active cameras. The aim is to capture as many targets as possible at any time using a limited number of active cameras.
   In our context, an active camera is a statically located PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera. Using active cameras for tracking is not researched thoroughly, since it is relatively easier to use increased number of fully static cameras. However, we believe this is costly and a deeper research on the employment of active cameras is necessary.
   Our contributions include the removal of necessity for the detection of each person individually in an efficient way and estimating the future states of the system using a simplified fluid simulation.
Keywords: multiple view; tracking; active cameras
Classification Based on LBP and SVM for Human Embryo Microscope Images BIBAKFull-Text 280-288
  Yabo Yin; Yun Tian; Weizhong Wang; Fuqing Duan; Zhongke Wu; Mingquan Zhou
Embryo transfer is an extremely important step in the process of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The identification of the embryo with the greatest potential for producing a child is a very big challenge faced by embryologists. Most current scoring systems of assessing embryo viability are based on doctors' subjective visual analysis of the embryos' morphological features. So it provides only a very rough guide to potential. A classifier as a computer-aided method which is based on Pattern Recognition can help to automatically and accurately select embryos. This paper presents a classifier based on the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. Key characteristics are formulated by using the local binary pattern (LBP) algorithm, which can eliminate the inter-observer variation, thus adding objectivity to the selection process. The experiment is done with 185 embryo images, including 47 "good" and 138 "bad" embryo images. The result shows our proposed method is robust and accurate, and the accurate rate of classification can reach about 80.42%.
Keywords: embryo microscope images; feature extraction; automatic classifier; local vector pattern; support vector machine
Semantic Annotation Method of Clothing Image BIBAKFull-Text 289-298
  Lu Zhaolao; Mingquan Zhou; Wang Xuesong; Fu Yan; Tan Xiaohui
Semantic annotation is an essential issue for image retrieval. In this paper, we take the online clothing product images as sample. In order to annotate images. we first segment the image into regions, then remove the background and noise information. The illumination and light interference is considered too. Cloth position and region are determined by rules. Images are translated into some features. Visual words are prepared by human and calculate methods. Finally, Image features are mapped to different visual words. Pre-processing and post-processing steps which uses face recognition method and background rule analysis are applied. Finally, some segmentation and annotation results are given to discuss the method.
Keywords: Semantic annotation; Image segmentation; Graph cut

Emotions in HCI

Audio-Based Pre-classification for Semi-automatic Facial Expression Coding BIBAFull-Text 301-309
  Ronald Böck; Kerstin Limbrecht-Ecklundt; Ingo Siegert; Steffen Walter; Andreas Wendemuth
The automatic classification of the users' internal affective and emotional states is nowadays to be considered for many applications, ranging from organisational tasks to health care. Developing suitable automatic technical systems, training material is necessary for an appropriate adaptation towards users. In this paper, we present a framework which reduces the manual effort in annotation of emotional states. Mainly it pre-selects video material containing facial expressions for a detailed coding according to the Facial Action Coding System based on audio features, namely prosodic and mel-frequency features. Further, we present results of first experiments which were conducted to give a proof-of-concept and to define the parameters for the classifier that is based on Hidden Markov Models. The experiments were done on the EmoRec I dataset.
Sentimental Eyes! BIBAKFull-Text 310-318
  Amitava Das; Björn Gambäck
A closer look at how users perform search is needed in order to best design a more efficient next generation sentiment search engine and understand fundamental behaviours involved in online review/opinion search processes. The paper proposes utilizing personalized search, eye tracking and sentiment analysis for better understanding of end-user behavioural characteristics while making a judgement in a Sentiment Search Engine.
Keywords: Sentiment Analysis; Sentiment Search; Eye Tracking
Developing Sophisticated Robot Reactions by Long-Term Human Interaction BIBAFull-Text 319-328
  Hiromi Nagano; Miho Harata; Masataka Tokumaru
In this study, we proposed an emotion generation model for robots that considers mutual effects of desires and emotions. Many researchers are developing partner robots for communicating with people and entertaining them, rather than for performing practical functions. However, people quickly grow tired of these robots owing to their simplistic emotional responses. To solve this issue, we attempted to implement the mutual effects of desires and emotions using internal-states, such as physiological factors. Herein, the simulation results verified that the proposed model expresses complex emotions similar to humans. The results confirmed that the emotions expressed by the proposed model are more complex and realistic than those expressed by a reference model.
An Awareness System for Supporting Remote Communication -- Application to Long-Distance Relationships BIBAKFull-Text 329-338
  Tomoya Ohiro; Tomoko Izumi; Yoshio Nakatani
Recently, the methods of conducting long distance communication have dramatically changed due to improvements in communication technology including TV phones, e-mail, and SNS (Social Networking Services). However, people still have difficulty in enjoying sufficient long distance communication because subtle nuance and atmosphere are difficult to be felt in a distant place. For example, there are many romantic partners with feelings of anxiety about long-distance relationships. This is because an environment that allows the partners to understand each other has not been sufficiently supported. The purpose of this study is to help people separated by a long distance to understand each other by enabling the sensing of a partner's feelings from the partner's behavior. Our target is long-distance romantic partners. When people feel, sense, or are conscious of another person's existence or state, this ability or state is called "awareness.". Awareness is nonverbal communication. Awareness sharing among people is very important for managing relationships successfully, especially for people separated by a long distance. This is because a partner will develop feelings of unease if awareness sharing is not adequate. Our approach is as follows. First, examine what kind of action is useful for representing the feeling of love. Next, monitor these actions in partners. Third, summarize actions to quantitative indications. The prototype system was evaluated through evaluation experiments. Three pairs of partners used the system for two weeks. The result verified the effectiveness of this system as it promoted mutual communication.
Keywords: long distance communication; nonverbal communication; awareness
Emotion Sharing with the Emotional Digital Picture Frame BIBAKFull-Text 339-345
  Kyoung Shin Park; Yongjoo Cho; Minyoung Kim; Ki-Young Seo; Dongkeun Kim
This paper presents the design and implementation of emotional digital picture frame system, which is designed for a group of users to share their emotions via photographs with their own emotional expressions. This system detects user emotions using physiological sensor signals in real-time and changes audio-visual elements of photographs dynamically in response to the user's emotional state. This system allows user emotions to be shared with other users in remote locations. Also, it provides the emotional rule authoring tool to enable users to create their own expression for audio-visual element to fit their emotion. In particular, the rendering elements of a photograph can appear differently when another user's emotion is received.
Keywords: Emotional Digital Picture Frame; Emotional Intelligent Contents; Emotional Rule Authoring Tool
Vision Based Body Dither Measurement for Estimating Human Emotion Parameters BIBAKFull-Text 346-352
  Sangin Park; Deajune Ko; Mincheol Whang; Eui Chul Lee
In this paper, we propose a new body dither analyzing method in order to estimating various kinds of intention and emotion of human. In previous researches for quantitatively measuring human intention and emotion, many kinds of physiological sensors such as ECG, PPG, GSR, SKT, and EEG have been adopted. However, these sensor based methods may supply inconvenience caused by sensor attachment to user. Also, therefrom caused negative emotion can be a noise factor in terms of measuring particular emotion. To solve these problems, we focus on facial dither by analyzing successive image frames captured from conventional webcam. For that, face region is firstly detected from the captured upper body image. Then, the amount of facial movement is calculated by subtracting adjacency two image frames. Since the calculated successive values of facial movement has the form of 1D temporal signal, all of conventional temporal signal processing methods can be used to analysis that. Results of feasibility test by inducing positive and negative emotions showed that more facial movement when inducing positive emotion was occurred compared with the case of negative emotion.
Keywords: Body dither measurement; Emotion recognition; Image subtraction
Evaluating Emotional State during 3DTV Viewing Using Psychophysiological Measurements BIBAKFull-Text 353-361
  Kiyomi Sakamoto; Seiji Sakashita; Kuniko Yamashita; Akira Okada
Using a 50-inch 3DTV, we experimentally estimated the relationship between TV viewers' emotional states and selected physiological indices. Our experiments show complex emotional states to be significantly correlated with these physiological indices, which comprise near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), representing central nervous system activity, and the low frequency/high frequency ratio (LF/HF), representing sympathetic nervous system activity. These are useful indices for evaluating emotional states that include "feeling of involvement."
Keywords: emotional states; physiological and psychological measurements; NIRS; HR variability; 3DTV; TV viewing
Affect-Based Retrieval of Landscape Images Using Probabilistic Affective Model BIBAKFull-Text 362-371
  Yunhee Shin; Eun Yi Kim; Tae-Eung Sung
We consider the problem of ranking the web image search using human affects. For this, a Probabilistic Affective Model (PAM) is presented for predicting the affects from color compositions (CCs) of images, then the retrieval system is developed using them. The PAM first segments an image into seed regions, then extracts CCs among seed regions and their neighbors, finally infer the numerical ratings of certain affects by comparing the extracted CCs with pre-defined human-devised color triplets. The performance of the proposed system has been studied at an online demonstration site where 52 users search 16,276 landscape images using affects, then the results demonstrated its effectiveness in affect-based image annotation and retrieval.
Keywords: Affect-based image retrieval; probabilistic affective model; meanshift clustering; color image scale
A Study on Combinative Value Creation in Songs Selection BIBAKFull-Text 372-380
  Hiroko Shoji; Jun Okawa; Ken Kaji; Ogino Akihiro
Recently, advances in information and communications technology have allowed us to easily download our favorite songs from the Internet. A song in general is more often played in sequence with other various ones than listened separately. The evolution of devices, however, has caused an increased number of portable songs and thus frequent difficulties in nicely combining multiple songs from a flood of songs to make a satisfactory playlist. There are many existing research works on songs search and retrieval, such as a songs each system using affective words and a songs recommendation system in consideration for the user's preference. These existing researches, however, are intended for "selecting a single song suited to the user's image", and never takes into consideration a combination of multiple songs. Therefore, it is difficult that existing systems automatically generate a desired playlist.
Keywords: combination value; playlist; recommendation; onomatopoeia
The Influence of Context Knowledge for Multi-modal Affective Annotation BIBAKFull-Text 381-390
  Ingo Siegert; Ronald Böck; Andreas Wendemuth
To provide successful human-computer interaction, automatic emotion recognition from speech experienced greater attention, also increasing the demand for valid data material. Additionally, the difficulty to find appropriate labels is increasing.
   Therefore, labels, which are manageable by evaluators and cover nearly all occurring emotions, have to be found. An important question is how context influences the annotators' decisions. In this paper, we present our investigations of emotional affective labelling on natural multi-modal data investigating different contextual aspects. We will explore different types of contextual information and their influence on the annotation process.
   In this paper we investigate two specific contextual factors, observable channels and knowledge about the interaction course. We discover, that the knowledge about the previous interaction course is needed to assess the affective state, but that the presence of acoustic and video channel can partially replace the lack of discourse knowledge.
Keywords: emotion comparison; affective state; labelling; context influence
Generation of Facial Expression Emphasized with Cartoon Techniques Using a Cellular-Phone-Type Teleoperated Robot with a Mobile Projector BIBAFull-Text 391-400
  Yu Tsuruda; Maiya Hori; Hiroki Yoshimura; Yoshio Iwai
We propose a method for generating facial expressions emphasized with cartoon techniques using a cellular-phone-type teleoperated android with a mobile projector. Elfoid is designed to transmit the speaker's presence to their communication partner using a camera and microphone, and has a soft exterior that provides the look and feel of human skin. To transmit the speaker's presence, Elfoid sends not only the voice of the speaker but also emotional information captured by the camera and microphone. Elfoid cannot, however, display facial expressions because of its compactness and a lack of sufficiently small actuator motors. In this research, facial expressions are generated using Elfoid's head-mounted mobile projector to overcome the problem. Additionally, facial expressions are emphasized using cartoon techniques: movements around the mouth and eyes are emphasized, the silhouette of the face and shapes of the eyes are varied by projection effects, and color stimuli that induce a particular emotion are added. In an experiment, representative face expressions are generated with Elfoid and emotions conveyed to users are investigated by subjective evaluation.

Biophysiological Aspects of Interaction

A Biofeedback Game for Training Arousal Regulation during a Stressful Task: The Space Investor BIBAFull-Text 403-410
  Olle Hilborn; Henrik Cederholm; Jeanette Eriksson; Craig Lindley
Emotion regulation is a topic that has considerable impact in our everyday lives, among others emotional biases that affect our decision making. A serious game that was built in order to be able to train emotion regulation is presented and evaluated here. The evaluation consisted of a usability testing and then an experiment that targeted the difficulty of the game. The results suggested adequate usability and a difficulty that requires the player to engage in managing their emotion in order to have a winning strategy.
Responses Analysis of Visual and Linguistic Information on Digital Signage Using fNIRS BIBAKFull-Text 411-420
  Satoru Iteya; Atsushi Maki; Toshikazu Kato
When customers receive recommended information through digital signage, it is important not only to choose suitable commodities matching each customer's preferences, but also to choose suitable information media to express their features. This paper proposes a method to estimate their preferences on information media by measuring brain activity. First step in order to achieve our final goal, we disclose that there are significant differences in brain activity in case subjects receive recommended information. The result of analysis shows there are significant differences in brain activity, especially visual cortex and language area.
Keywords: fNIRS; Preference on Commodities and Information Parts; Information Recommendation
A Method for Promoting Interaction Awareness by Biological Rhythm in Elementary School Children BIBAKFull-Text 421-430
  Kyoko Ito; Kosuke Ohmori; Shogo Nishida
Recently, in Japan, education about the ability to make decisions as part of a group composed of children with different ways of thinking has become more important. Therefore, discussion activities have been adopted in elementary school education. This study considers a method that supports discussion activities by making children aware of the "state" (i.e., atmosphere, progress) of their group during discussion, and of the ways they are influencing this state themselves. We developed a system which allows us to visualize the entrainment of the biological rhythm to present the group's state. An experiment using this system was conducted to clarify whether the children were aware of the group state during discussion, and how they were affected by this awareness. We found that this system has the potential to support children when considering ways of participating in the discussion. Also, it was found that the system can act as an interface, encouraging children to think about the importance of their listening to others in the group.
Keywords: Education support; Elementary school education; discussion activity; interaction; biological rhythm
Internet Anxiety: Myth or Reality? BIBAKFull-Text 431-440
  Santosh Kumar Kalwar; Kari Heikkinen; Jari Porras
The purpose of this paper is to determine if Internet anxiety is a myth or reality using literature, questionnaires, and analysis of the collected data. Results showed that the Internet anxiety phenomenon is mostly reality. By placing strong emphasis on the existent Internet anxiety phenomenon, the HCI community could constructively build effective tools and techniques to mitigate users' anxiety.
Keywords: Internet; anxiety; concept; qualitative; myth; reality
Brain Function Connectivity Analysis for Recognizing Different Relation of Social Emotion in Virtual Reality BIBAKFull-Text 441-447
  Jonghwa Kim; Dongkeun Kim; Sangmin Ann; Sangin Park; Mincheol Whang
Social emotions are emotion that can be induced from human social relationships when people are interacting with others. In this study, we are aim to analyze a brain function connectivity in terms of different relations of social emotions. The brain function connectivity can be used to observe the neural responses with features of EEG coherences during a cognitive process. In this study, the EEG coherence is measured according to different social emotion evocations. The auditory and visual stimulus for inducing social emotions was presented to participants during 20.5 sec (±3.1 sec). The participants were asked to imagine and explain about similar emotion experience after watching each video clips. The measured EEG coherence was grouped into two different social emotion categories; the information sharing relation and emotion sharing relation, and compared with the results of subjective evaluation and independent T-test. The information sharing relation was related with the brain connectivity of the right temporo-occipital position associated with a language memory. The emotion sharing relation was related with the brain connectivity of the left fronto-right parietal position associated with a visual information processing area.
Keywords: Emotion; Social emotion; Emotion relation; EEG coherence; Brain function connectivity
A Mobile Brain-Computer Interface for Freely Moving Humans BIBAKFull-Text 448-453
  Yuan-Pin Lin; Yijun Wang; Chun-Shu Wei; Tzyy-Ping Jung
Recent advances in mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) systems featuring dry electrodes and wireless telemetry have promoted the applications of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in our daily life. In the field of neuroscience, understanding the underlying neural mechanisms of unconstrained human behaviors, i.e. freely moving humans, is accordingly in high demand. The empirical results of this study demonstrated the feasibility of using a mobile BCI system to detect steady-state visual-evoked potential (SSVEP) of the participants during natural human walking. This study considerably facilitates the process of bridging laboratory-oriented BCI demonstrations into mobile EEG-based systems for real-life environments.
Keywords: EEG; BCI; SSVEP; moving humans
The Solid Angle of Light Sources and Its Impact on the Suppression of Melatonin in Humans BIBAKFull-Text 454-463
  Philipp Novotny; Peyton Paulick; Markus J. Schwarz; Herbert Plischke
Our group conducted a preliminary study to examine the influence of different sizes of light sources, and therefore different illuminance levels, at the retina. Six participants were exposed to two lighting scenarios and saliva samples were collected to determine melatonin levels throughout the experiment. Melatonin levels were analyzed to compare the efficacy of each lighting scenario and its ability to suppress melatonin period. Our data is showing a trend that both lighting scenarios are capable of suppressing melatonin. Moreover, the preliminary data show that the lighting scenario with the large solid angle is more effective at suppressing melatonin compared to the lighting scenario with the small solid angle lighting scenario period. Further testing with a larger patient population will need to be done to prove statistical significance of our findings. Our further studies will repeat this experiment with a larger test group and modifying the time frame between different lighting scenarios period.
Keywords: light; health; melatonin; suppression; optimal healing environment; chronodisruption; circadian rhythm; shift work; dementia; light therapy
Facial Electromyogram Activation as Silent Speech Method BIBAKFull-Text 464-473
  Lisa Rebenitsch; Charles B. Owen
A wide variety of alternative speech-free input methods have been developed, including speech recognition, gestural commands, and eye typing. These methods are beneficial not only for the disabled, but for situations where the hands are preoccupied. However, many of these methods are sensitive to noise, tolerate little movement, and require it to be the primary focus of the environment. Morse code offers an alternative when background noise cannot be managed. A Morse code-inspired application was developed employing electromyograms. Several muscles were explored to determine potential electrode sites that possessed good sensitivity and were robust to normal movement. The masseter jaw muscle was selected for later testing. The prototype application demonstrated that the jaw muscle can be used as a Morse "key" while being robust to normal speech.
Keywords: Silent Speech; Human computer interaction; User interfaces
The Impact of Gender and Sexual Hormones on Automated Psychobiological Emotion Classification BIBAKFull-Text 474-482
  Stefanie Rukavina; Sascha Gruss; Jun-Wen Tan; David Hrabal; Steffen Walter; Harald C. Traue; Lucia Jerg-Bretzke
It is a challenge to make cognitive technical systems more empathetic for user emotions and dispositions. Among channels like facial behavior and nonverbal cues, psychobiological patterns of emotional or dispositional behavior contain rich information, which is continuously available and hardly willingly controlled. However, within this area of research, gender differences or even hormonal cycle effects as potential factors in influencing the classification of psychophysiological patterns of emotions have rarely been analyzed so far.
   In our study, emotions were induced with a blocked presentation of pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) and Ulm pictures. For the automated emotion classification in a first step 5 features from the heart rate signal were calculated and in a second step combined with two features of the facial EMG. The study focused mainly on gender differences in automated emotion classification and to a lesser degree on classification accuracy with Support Vector Machine (SVM) per se. We got diminished classification results for a gender mixed population and also we got diminished results for mixing young females with their hormonal cycle phases. Thus, we could show an improvement of the accuracy rates when subdividing the population according to their gender, which is discussed as a possibility of incrementing automated classification results.
Keywords: emotion classification; gender; hormonal cycle; heart rate; facial EMG
Evaluation of Mono/Binocular Depth Perception Using Virtual Image Display BIBAKFull-Text 483-490
  Shys-Fan Yang-Mao; Yu-Ting Lin; Ming-Hui Lin; Wen-Jun Zeng; Yao-lien Wang
Augmented reality (AR) is a very popular technology in various applications. It allows the user to see the real world, with virtual objects composited with or superimposed upon the real world. The usability of interactive user interface based on AR relies heavily on visibility and depth perception of content, virtual image display particularly. In this paper, we performed several basic evaluations for a commercial see-through head mounted display based on those factors that can change depth perception: binocular or monocular, viewing distance, eye dominance, content changed in shape or size, indicated by hand or reference object. The experiment results reveal many interesting and fascinating features. The features will be user interface design guidelines for every similar see-through near-eye display systems.
Keywords: augmented reality; virtual image display; see-through near-eye display; user interface; depth perception
Visual Image Reconstruction from fMRI Activation Using Multi-scale Support Vector Machine Decoders BIBAKFull-Text 491-497
  Yu Zhan; Jiacai Zhang; Sutao Song; Li Yao
The correspondence between the detailed contents of a person's mental state and human neuroimaging has yet to be fully explored. Previous research reconstructed contrast-defined images using combination of multi-scale local image decoders, where contrast for local image bases was predicted from fMRI activity by sparse logistic regression (SLR). The present study extends this research to probe into accurate and effective reconstruction of images from fMRI. First, support vector machine (SVM) was employed to model the relationship between contrast of local image and fMRI; second, additional 3-pixel image bases were considered. Reconstruction results demonstrated that the time consumption in modeling the local image decoder was reduced to 1% by SVM compared to SLR. Our method also improved the spatial correlation between the stimulus and reconstructed image. This finding indicated that our method could read out what a subject was viewing and reconstruct simple images from brain activity at a high speed.
Keywords: Image Reconstrution; fMRI; Multi-scale; SVM
Alterations in Resting-State after Motor Imagery Training: A Pilot Investigation with Eigenvector Centrality Mapping BIBAKFull-Text 498-504
  Rushao Zhang; Hang Zhang; Lele Xu; Mingqi Hui; Zhiying Long; Yijun Liu; Li Yao
Motor training, including motor execution and motor imagery training, has been indicated to be effective in mental disorders rehabilitation and motor skill learning. In related neuroimaging studies, resting-state has been employed as a new perspective besides task-state to examine the neural mechanism of motor execution training. However, motor imagery training, as another part of motor training, has been few investigated. To address this issue, eigenvector centrality mapping (ECM) was applied to explore resting-state before and after motor imagery training. ECM could assess the computational measurement of eigenvector centrality for capturing intrinsic neural architecture on a voxel-wise level without any prior assumptions. Our results revealed that the significant increases of eigenvector centrality were in the precuneus and medial frontal gyrus (MFG) for the experimental group but not for the control group. These alterations may be associated with the sensorimotor information integration and inner state modulation of motor imagery training.
Keywords: Motor imagery; functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); ECM; precuneus; medial frontal gyrus (MFG)