Designing for Transient Use: A Human-in-the-loop Translation Platform for
Refugees
Vulnerable Populations and Technological Support
/
Brown, Deana
/
Grinter, Rebecca E.
Proceedings of the ACM CHI'16 Conference on Human Factors in Computing
Systems
2016-05-07
v.1
p.321-330
© Copyright 2016 ACM
Summary: Refugees undergoing resettlement in a new country post exile and migration
face disruptive life changes. They rely on a network of individuals in the host
country to help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods. We investigated
whether technology could contribute to minimizing the vulnerabilities
resettling refugees face. We designed Rivrtran, a messaging platform that
provides 'human-in-the-loop' interpretation between individuals who don't share
a common language. We report the findings from the deployment of Rivrtran to
mediate communication between resettling refugee families in the United States
and the American families they are paired with who serve as their mentors. Our
findings suggest that scaffolding communication in such a way provides refugees
one means of accessing diversified help outside their cultural group. Moreover
human-in-the-loop interpretation may help to mitigate the effects of cultural
barriers between those communicating. We establish the notion of designing for
transient use in the development of systems to scaffold communication for
short-term use by resettling refugees.
Engaging Students with Profound and Multiple Disabilities Using Humanoid
Robots
Access to Education and Learning
/
Standen, Penny
/
Brown, David
/
Roscoe, Jess
/
Hedgecock, Joseph
/
Stewart, David
/
Trigo, Maria Jose Galvez
/
Elgajiji, Elmunir
UAHCI 2015: 9th International Conference on Universal Access in
Human-Computer Interaction, Part II: Access to Interaction
2015-08-02
v.2
p.419-430
Keywords: Robots; education; engagement; profound and multiple intellectual
disabilities; case studies; video analysis
© Copyright 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
Summary: Engagement is the single best predictor of successful learning for children
with intellectual disabilities yet achieving engagement with pupils who have
profound or multiple disabilities (PMD) presents a challenge to educators.
Robots have been used to engage children with autism but are they effective
with pupils whose disabilities limit their ability to control other technology?
Learning objectives were identified for eleven pupils with PMD and a humanoid
robot was programmed to enable teachers to use it to help pupils achieve these
objectives. These changes were evaluated with a series of eleven case studies
where teacher-pupil dyads were observed during four planned video recorded
sessions. Engagement was rated in a classroom setting and during the last
session with the robot. Video recordings were analysed for duration of
engagement and teacher assistance and number of goals achieved. Rated
engagement was significantly higher with the robot than in the classroom.
Observations of engagement, assistance and goal achievement remained at the
same level throughout the sessions suggesting no reduction in the novelty
factor.
An Intuitive Tangible Game Controller
Long Papers
/
Foottit, Jacques
/
Brown, Dave
/
Marks, Stefan
/
Connor, Andy M.
Proceedings of the 2014 Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment
2014-12-02
p.4
© Copyright 2014 ACM
Summary: This paper outlines the development of a sensory feedback device providing a
tangible interface for controlling digital environments, in this example a
flight simulator, where the intention for the device is that it is relatively
low cost, versatile and intuitive. Gesture based input allows for a more
immersive experience, so rather than making the user feel like they are
controlling an aircraft the intuitive interface allows the user to become the
aircraft that is controlled by the movements of the user's hand. The movements
are designed to allow a sense of immersion that would be difficult to achieve
with an alternative interface.
A vibrotactile based haptic feedback is incorporated in the device to
further enhance the connection between the user and the game environment by
providing immediate confirmation of game events. When used for navigating an
aircraft simulator, this device invites playful action and thrill. It bridges
new territory on portable, low cost solutions for haptic devices in gaming
contexts.
Engaging Students with Profound and Multiple Disabilities Using Humanoid
Robots
Access to Education and Learning
/
Standen, Penny
/
Brown, David
/
Roscoe, Jess
/
Hedgecock, Joseph
/
Stewart, David
/
Trigo, Maria Jose Galvez
/
Elgajiji, Elmunir
UAHCI 2014: 8th International Conference on Universal Access in
Human-Computer Interaction, Part II: Universal Access to Information and
Knowledge
2014-06-22
v.2
p.419-430
Keywords: Robots; education; engagement; profound and multiple intellectual
disabilities; case studies; video analysis
© Copyright 2014 Springer International Publishing
Summary: Engagement is the single best predictor of successful learning for children
with intellectual disabilities yet achieving engagement with pupils who have
profound or multiple disabilities (PMD) presents a challenge to educators.
Robots have been used to engage children with autism but are they effective
with pupils whose disabilities limit their ability to control other technology?
Learning objectives were identified for eleven pupils with PMD and a humanoid
robot was programmed to enable teachers to use it to help pupils achieve these
objectives. These changes were evaluated with a series of eleven case studies
where teacher-pupil dyads were observed during four planned video recorded
sessions. Engagement was rated in a classroom setting and during the last
session with the robot. Video recordings were analysed for duration of
engagement and teacher assistance and number of goals achieved. Rated
engagement was significantly higher with the robot than in the classroom.
Observations of engagement, assistance and goal achievement remained at the
same level throughout the sessions suggesting no reduction in the novelty
factor.
A study of Auti: a socially assistive robotic toy
Wednesday short papers
/
Andreae, Helen E.
/
Andreae, Peter M.
/
Low, Jason
/
Brown, Deidre
Proceedings of ACM IDC'14: Interaction Design and Children
2014-06-17
p.245-248
© Copyright 2014 ACM
Summary: This paper presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of a new
socially-assistive robot, Auti, in encouraging physical and verbal interactions
in children with autism. It aims to encourage positive play behaviors such as
gentle speaking and touching, with positive reinforcement through movement
responses, and to discourage challenging behaviors, such as screaming or
hitting through the removal of the reinforcing movements. This study evaluates
the design by comparing a fully-interactive Auti to an active-only version,
which does the same movements but does not respond to the child. Results from
18 participants indicate that the Interactive Auti does encourage positive
behaviors more than the Active-only version. However, further design is needed
around addressing problematic behaviors.
Reflection through design: immigrant women's self-reflection on managing
health and wellness
Personal health and wellbeing
/
Brown, Deana
/
Ayo, Victoria
/
Grinter, Rebecca E.
Proceedings of ACM CHI 2014 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
2014-04-26
v.1
p.1605-1614
© Copyright 2014 ACM
Summary: Women comprise nearly half of the immigrant population worldwide and are
susceptible to a wider range of health challenges compared to immigrant men. We
present the findings of four participatory design sessions with immigrant women
from the Caribbean to identify health and wellness challenges they faced and to
conceptualize technologies to help them manage these issues. Stress, dietary
challenges (specifically obesity), mental health, and domestic abuse, as
identified by the women, form the focal themes for the design sessions. Their
design approaches emphasized rebuilding the support structure, reducing
stressors through entertainment and relaxation and encouraging positive
gradational lifestyle changes. In conceiving health and wellness technologies
for immigrant women, our work highlights opportunities for HCI to consider the
role of others (and who benefits) and to reflect on the role of design and the
underlying values and themes designs encompass. Finally, we emphasize how the
technologies conceived by these women support rather than replace social
solutions to the health and wellness challenges faced by these and other
immigrant women.
Human-swarm interactions based on managing attractors
Human-robot teams
/
Brown, Daniel S.
/
Kerman, Sean C.
/
Goodrich, Michael A.
Proceedings of the 2014 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot
Interaction
2014-03-03
p.90-97
© Copyright 2014 ACM
Summary: Leveraging the abilities of multiple affordable robots as a swarm is
enticing because of the resulting robustness and emergent behaviors of a swarm.
However, because swarms are composed of many different agents, it is difficult
for a human to influence the swarm by managing individual agents. Instead, we
propose that human influence should focus on (a) managing the higher level
attractors of the swarm system and (b) managing trade-offs that appear in
mission-relevant performance. We claim that managing attractors theoretically
allows a human to abstract the details of individual agents and focus on
managing the collective as a whole. Using a swarm model with two attractors, we
demonstrate this concept by showing how limited human influence can cause the
swarm to switch between attractors. We further claim that using quorum sensing
allows a human to manage trade-offs between the scalability of interactions and
mitigating the vulnerability of the swarm to agent failures.
OrMiS: a tabletop interface for simulation-based training
Education and training
/
Bortolaso, Christophe
/
Oskamp, Matthew
/
Graham, T. C. Nicholas
/
Brown, Doug
Proceedings of the 2013 ACM International Conference on Interactive
Tabletops and Surfaces
2013-10-06
p.145-154
© Copyright 2013 ACM
Summary: This paper presents the design of OrMiS, a tabletop application supporting
simulation-based training. OrMiS is notable as one of the few practical
tabletop applications supporting collaborative analysis, planning and
interaction around digital maps. OrMiS was designed using an iterative process
involving field observation and testing with domain experts. Our key design
insights were that such a process is required to resolve the tension between
simplicity and functionality, that information should be displayed close to the
point of the user's touch, and that collaboration around maps cannot be
adequately solved with a single form of zooming. OrMiS has been evaluated by
domain experts and by officer candidates at a military university.
Engaging Students with Intellectual Disabilities through Games Based
Learning and Related Technologies
Access to Mobile Interaction
/
Brown, David
/
Standen, Penny
/
Saridaki, Maria
/
Shopland, Nick
/
Roinioti, Elina
/
Evett, Lindsay
/
Grantham, Simon
/
Smith, Pauline
UAHCI 2013: 7th International Conference on Universal Access in
Human-Computer Interaction, Part III: Applications and Services for Quality of
Life
2013-07-21
v.3
p.573-582
Keywords: route learning; mobile; digital games based learning; disability
© Copyright 2013 Springer-Verlag
Summary: Studies within our research group have shown that Digital Games Based
Learning (DGBL) can have a positive effect on some of the core development
needs of people with intellectual disabilities and associated sensory
impairments. Of current interest is the expansion of DGBL activities on mobile
platforms. The RECALL Project describes the development and evaluation of a
novel route learning system for people with disabilities using location based
services (on the Android OS). Research has shown that route guidance systems
suppress cognitive map development, and for a target audience described as
having 'poor spatial skills', systems that develop route learning rather than
guidance are required. Two studies are reported here. The first demonstrates
that there were less navigational errors made, and less help required, in the
more independent usage of the system, than in the earlier training stages. The
second focusses on more qualitative evaluation of soft skills and personal
development via the use of the system, and of the gamified version of the
software. It looks specifically at how a playful approach can aid the
understanding of map based representations.
Five Agile UX Myths
Invited Essay
/
Brown, Diana DeMarco
Journal of Usability Studies
2013-05
v.8
n.3
p.55-60
© Copyright 2013 UXPA and Authors
Takes a transnational network to raise a child: the case of migrant parents
and left-behind Jamaican teens
Sensemaking, scholarship, and science
/
Brown, Deana
/
Grinter, Rebecca E.
Proceedings of the 2012 International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing
2012-09-05
p.123-132
© Copyright 2012 ACM
Summary: Migration of parents, in pursuit of 'a better life', has deep roots in
Caribbean history and culture. However, the separation from children that
results means that care gets provided through a transnational network of
caregivers and devices. In this paper we describe how mobile phones in
particular have entered a complex care network and while they support some
communications they have also contributed to many of the difficulties
associated with migration. On the basis of our observations, we conclude with a
call for future Ubicomp research into family communication to look to support
parenting by considering caregiving networks as wider than just the family.
Moreover, this study contributes to our thinking about what 'more' means when
introducing additional technologies in family and care networks and their
ability to reinforce or shift power structures in the networks in which they
are embedded.
WATER alert!: disseminating drinking water quality information to South
Africans
Works-in-progress
/
Brown, Deana S.
/
Marsden, Gary
/
Loudon, Melissa
Proceedings of ACM CHI 2011 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
2011-05-07
v.2
p.1915-1920
© Copyright 2011 ACM
Summary: Drinking water quality, especially in many parts of South Africa, is far
below acceptable standards. With an annual estimate of 43,000 deaths from
diarrheal diseases, 3 million cases of illness, and treatment costs of over
half a billion US dollars, the impact is critical [4]. This research addresses
the challenge of reporting complex and critical water quality information in a
way that is accessible to all South Africans as required by law. In a country
with high illiteracy rates, 11 official languages and limited-to-no access to
technology in many areas, this is no easy feat. We describe the details of
WATER Alert!, a prototype mobile phone application designed to alert and report
critical water quality information to consumers who subscribe to it. Our
initial evaluation of this design with users suggests that such an application
would help to improve consumers' understanding of water quality information.
The symbol-based messages make critical water quality information more
accessible to illiterate or low-literate users, or non-native English or
Afrikaans speakers. Additionally, the use of a tool and interface design most
of our users are familiar with (the mobile phone) lowers the learning curve.
INTERNET
What Makes a Good Deliverable
/
Brown, Dan
2010-12-07
Excerpt from "Communicating Design Web Site Documentation for Design and Planning"
User Interface Evaluation of Serious Games for Students with Intellectual
Disability
Entertainment Software Accessibility
/
Lanyi, Cecilia Sik
/
Brown, David J.
/
Standen, Penny
/
Lewis, Jacqueline
/
Butkute, Vilma
ICCHP'10: International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special
Needs
2010-07-14
v.1
p.227-234
Keywords: intellectual disability; serious games; user interface testing
© Copyright 2010 Springer-Verlag
Summary:
We have designed and evaluated around 10 serious games under the EU Leonardo
Transfer of Innovation Project: Game On Extra Time (GOET) project
goet-project.eu/. The project supports people with learning disabilities
and additional sensory impairments in getting and keeping a job by helping them
to learn, via games-based learning; skills that will help them in their working
day. These games help students to learn how to prepare themselves for work,
dealing with everyday situations at work, including money management,
travelling independently etc. This paper is concerned with the potential of
serious games as effective and engaging learning resources for people with
intellectual disabilities. In this paper we will address questions related to
the design and evaluation of such games, and our design solutions to suit the
individual learning needs of our target audiences.
HCI Professional Involvement in k-12 Education: On Target or Missing the
Mark?
eLearning and Education
/
Jelin, Martin
/
Sudol, Adrian
/
Damon, Jeffrey
/
McCadden, Douglas
/
Brown, David
HCI International 2009: 13th International Conference on Human-Computer
Interaction, Part IV: Interacting in Various Application Domains
2009-07-19
v.4
p.111-118
Keywords: blended learning; e-learning; Course Management System (CMS); Virtual
Leaning Environment (VLE); Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); k-12 Education;
magnet schools
Copyright © 2009 Springer-Verlag
Summary: Abstract. The state of learning across geographic, socioeconomic, age, and
gender boundaries can be enhanced greatly by Human-Computer Information (HCI)
infusion into blended learning [1][2][3] or Course Management System (CMS)
software [4][3][5]. The major thrust of this paper is to examine problematic
issues examined in popular software such as Moodle™ in which the HCI
community could be beneficial. By regarding the ultimate students' goal, i.e.
grades, and the desirable benefit of course material understanding, one can
develop an understanding of what CMS software needs and CMS software users
expect on the high school level.
Embedded electronics in playful products
Embedded artefacts, garments and environments
/
Brown, Dean
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Tangible and Embedded
Interaction
2009-02-18
p.27-29
Keywords: electronics, experience, ludic design, play, users
© Copyright 2009 ACM
Summary: This paper explores an approach to digital product design [1] through two
prototype products, an augmented bedside table and a portable loud speaker. We
discuss our design motivations, user case studies and common themes of
simplicity, playfulness and ludic engagement [2].
SNIF TOOL: sniffing for patterns in continuous streams
DB: stream processing
/
Mukherji, Abhishek
/
Rundensteiner, Elke A.
/
Brown, David C.
/
Raghavan, Venkatesh
Proceedings of the 2008 ACM Conference on Information and Knowledge
Management
2008-10-26
p.369-378
© Copyright 2008 ACM
Summary: Continuous time-series sequence matching, specifically, matching a numeric
live stream against a set of redefined pattern sequences, is critical for
domains ranging from fire spread tracking to network traffic monitoring. While
several algorithms exist for similarity matching of static time-series data,
matching continuous data poses new, largely unsolved challenges including
online real-time processing requirements and system resource limitations for
handling infinite streams. In this work, we propose a novel live stream
matching framework, called n-Snippet Indices Framework (in short, SNIF), to
tackle these challenges. SNIF employs snippets as the basic unit for matching
streaming time-series. The insight is to perform the matching at two levels of
granularity: bag matching of subsets of snippets of the live stream against
prefixes of the patterns, and order checking for maintaining successive
candidate snippet bag matches. We design a two-level index structure, called
SNIF index, which supports these two modes of matching. We propose a family of
online two-level prefix matching algorithms that trade off between result
accuracy and response time. The effectiveness of SNIF to detect patterns has
been thoroughly tested through experiments using real datasets from the domains
of fire monitoring and sensor motes. In this paper, we also present a study of
SNIF's performance, accuracy and tolerance to noise compared against those of
the state-of-the-art Continuous Query with Prediction (CQP) approach.
Cognitive Scales and Mental Models for Inclusive Design
Part III: Understanding Diversity: Motor, Perceptual and Cognitive Abilities
/
Persad, Umesh
/
Langdon, Patrick
/
Brown, David
/
Clarkson, P. John
UAHCI 2007: 4th International Conference on Universal Access in Human
Computer Interaction, Part I: Coping with Diversity
2007-07-22
v.1
p.776-785
Keywords: Inclusive Design; Product Evaluation; Cognitive Assessment; working memory
Copyright © 2007 Springer-Verlag
Summary: In keeping with a user capability and product demand approach to product
assessment, this paper examines the cognitive demands placed on users when
interacting with consumer products. The eventual aim is to develop a set of
cognitive capability scales that could be used in the analytical evaluation of
product interfaces. We explore the dimensions of cognitive capability relevant
to product interaction and describe how these may be used to evaluate a given
design. Planned work addresses quantitative measurement of cognitive
capabilities and predictive validation of capability scales.
Virtual reality and its role in removing the barriers that turn cognitive
impairments into intellectual disability
/
Standen, P. J.
/
Brown, D. J.
Virtual Reality
2006-12
v.10
n.3/4
p.241-252
Keywords: Virtual reality; Education; Intellectual disability; Cognitive impairments;
Tutor; User sensitive inclusive design
Copyright © 2006 Springer
Summary: Early expectations of the contribution that virtual reality (VR) could make
to education far exceeded actual applications. This was largely due to the
initial immaturity of the technology and a lack of evidence base on which to
base design and utilisation. While the early developments in computer based
learning largely concentrated on mainstream education, leaving those with
special needs behind, the potential of VR as an educational tool was exploited
for those with intellectual disabilities right from the start. This paper
describes the empirical evidence that has contributed to the development of
educational virtual reality for those with intellectual disabilities: studies
on transfer of learning from the virtual to the real world; how teachers might
support those using VR; the design of virtual environments and what
input/control devices best facilitate use of desktop VR. Future developments
and ethical issues are also considered.
The new economy: an engineer's perspective
/
Brown, David
Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on the World Wide Web
2006-05-23
p.1
© Copyright 2006 International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2)
Summary: From his twin perspectives as a career-long telecommunications engineer and
Chairman of one of the UK's largest electronics companies, Sir David Brown will
reflect on whether and when the New Economy, seemingly so long coming, will
finally arrive. He will begin by exploring how the prospect of everything being
digital; everyone having broadband; and intelligence being everywhere is
changing our understanding of mobility. Then he will comment on the economic
effects of that changed understanding under three headings -- the macroeconomy,
microeconomy and socioeconomy -- before suggesting the criteria we might use to
decide when the New Economy has arrived.
Text formats and web design for visually impaired and dyslexic readers --
Clear Text for All
ARTICLE
/
Evett, Lindsay
/
Brown, David
Interacting with Computers
2005
v.17
n.4
p.453-472
Keywords: Accessibility; Visual impairment; Dyslexia; Clear print; Clear text; Web
design guidelines
© Copyright 2005 Elsevier B.V.
Summary: The Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) has produced a Clear Print
booklet, which contains recommendations for the production of Clear Print for
the blind and partially sighted. The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has
produced a Dyslexia Style Guide, which covers similar issues. Both focus on
producing text, which is clear and therefore more easily read, and there is
significant overlap between the two. By comparing the two, a set of
specifications for the production of text has been generated. Using the
specifications should produce clear text for both dyslexic and visually
impaired readers. It should improve readability for all. The text
specifications plus additional recommendations from the BDA are considered with
respect to an existing set of web site design guidelines for dyslexic readers
to produce an enhanced set of guidelines compatible with both. These guidelines
are recommended to be followed as standard, both for their benefits to visually
impaired and dyslexic readers, promoting accessibility for these groups, and
for their potential to improve accessibility for all.
The Development of Control Devices for Virtual Environments for Use by
People with Intellectual Disabilities
Universal access in HCI : inclusive design in the information society
/
Standen, P.
/
Brown, D.
/
Anderton, N.
/
Battersby, S.
Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Human-Computer
Interaction
2003-06-22
v.4
p.897-901
© Copyright 2003 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Virtual Travel Training for People with Learning Disabilities Accessing
Employment Including the Introduction to the Special Thematic Session "Virtual
Reality"
Virtual Reality
/
Shopland, N.
/
Lewis, J.
/
Brown, D. J.
/
Powell, H. M.
ICCHP'02: International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special
Needs
2002-07-15
p.140-142
© Copyright 2002 Springer-Verlag
Summary: The purpose of this project is to develop a Virtual Learning Environment to
assist in the travel training of a group of people with learning disabilities
to enable them to gain access to training and employment opportunities. To
achieve this a realistic Virtual Travel in Sutton Package will be developed to
assist people with special needs to learn independent travel skills, and to
assess the effectiveness of the software in achieving this aim.
Literacy and Numeracy Edutainment Packages for Disaffected Young Learners
Virtual Reality
/
Brown, D. J.
/
Yazdanparast, M.
/
Lewis, J.
/
Shopland, N.
/
Powell, H. M.
ICCHP'02: International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special
Needs
2002-07-15
p.145-146
© Copyright 2002 Springer-Verlag
Summary: The UK Government has conducted research into skills gaps within the UK
population. It has concluded that there is an alarmingly large proportion of
the population with low literacy and numeracy skills.
Online Gardening to Promote Social Inclusion
Virtual Reality
/
Battersby, S. J.
/
Kelly, N.
/
Brown, D. J.
/
Powell, H. M.
ICCHP'02: International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special
Needs
2002-07-15
p.150-152
© Copyright 2002 Springer-Verlag
Summary: There are several European initiatives aimed at producing rehabilitation and
associated technologies, in response to a strong North American market created
through Disability Act Legislation [1]. In the past we have developed projects
that provide vocationally based work tutors to teach a range of horticulture,
IT, catering and soft skills. These projects include the provision of virtual
reality and multimedia based materials to develop the first of these vocational
skills -- horticulture.