- Graph Builder: Constructing Non-Visual Visualisations
Theme: Mind Body Spirit
David K. McGookin and Stephen A. Brewster
Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow
This paper introduces a novel application called Graph Builder, which allows visually impaired people to interactively construct bar graphs using a force feedback device. We discuss the limitations of current technology to allow such interactive construction and explain why, in educational environments, such interactive construction is important. Evaluations of Graph Builder showed that users could construct graphs accurately. However results showed that a large number of “off-by-one” errors occurred, where the bar was set either one unit too high or too low. Revisions to the mechanism to manipulate bars were made, and further non-speech audio feedback was added. A further evaluation showing that the proportion of off-by-one errors had been reduced.
- Supporting Crime Scene Investigation
Theme: Connecting with others
Chris Baber, Paul Smith, Sandeep Panesar, Fan Yang and James Cross
The University of Birmingham
In this paper, we describe the design and development of mobile technology to support crime scene investigation. We briefly review the crime scene investigation processes, arguing that it is highly distributed. We then propose the use of a simple case-based reasoning (CBR) system to support some aspects of this activity, and a wearable computer to assist in data collection. The includes a user trial by practising crime scene investigators, and concludes with discussion of future work.
- Assisting Target Acquisition in Perspective Views
Theme: Interactions for me
Yangzhou Du (a), Olivier Chapuis (a),
Yves Guiard (b), Michel Beaudouin-Lafon (a)
a. Univ. Paris-Sud, France
b. CNRS & Univ. de la Méditerranée, France
This article introduces an interaction technique designed to assist target acquisition in flat documents that are visualised in perspective. One reason to allow camera tilts in graphical interfaces is that perspective views provide users with a gradual variation of scale, allowing them to see local detail in the context of a general overview. Our analysis, however, shows that the non-linearity of scale variation in a perspective view jeopardises the acquisition of very remotely located objects. We introduce and experimentally evaluate a solution in which (1) viewing angle is automatically coupled with tilt angle and (2) the tilt is constrained so that the virtual camera stays at a constant altitude and remains pointed to a fixed point on the document. Our results show that with our enhanced perspective navigation technique targets are easy to reach even for extremely high levels of difficulty. Target acquisition time obeys Fitts’ law and performance becomes as rapid as with the familiar pan and zoom technique.
- Measuring the Aesthetics of Reading
Theme: Enthralling
experiences
Kevin Larson (a), Richard L. Hazlett (b),
Barbara S. Chaparro (c), & Rosalind W. Picard (d)
a. Microsoft
b. Johns Hopkins University
c. Wichita State University
d. MIT Media Lab
Aesthetic considerations are as important as usability for human-computer interactions, but techniques for measuring aesthetics have been elusive. In this paper, we use the domain of reading to develop new measures of aesthetics. These measures could be applied to any domain. Reading is arguably the most ubiquitous task that people perform on computers. To date, reading research has focused on reader performance, which is typically measured by reading speed and comprehension. But many typographic improvements that make a more beautiful document show little to no measurable difference on traditional performance tasks. We conducted six studies that found two measures that successfully detect aesthetic differences: improved performance on creative cognitive tasks after text is optimized, and reduced activation in the corrugator muscle that is associated with frowning.
- Place and the experience of BLISS
Theme: Interactions in the wild
Darren J. Reed and Peter Wright
University of York
This paper builds on earlier work that understands the design of bus information panels as rooted in a landscape of human experience. It turns the mundane activity of waiting at a bus stop into a problematic space of emotion and volition by understanding the dialogic relationship between human and technology. It does this by developing a novel approach to interaction design, which combines a theoretical framework, which reveals the rich experience and 'felt life' of technology, with an empirical analysis of bus information. By imagining a series of conversation-like dialogues, based in a Conversation Analytic (CA) sensitivity to the achievement of meaning in sequence [Condor and Antaki, 1997], it generates a series of experience narratives that provide for a critical analysis of the information presentation. It uses this to engage with the idea of place as a layered feature of the bus stop.
- Crossmodal Ambient Displays
Theme: At the periphery
Patrick Olivier, Han Cao, Stephen W. Gilroy and Daniel G. Jackson
University of Newcastle
Ambient displays have for some time been proposed as a means of providing situated information to users in public spaces in a manner that minimizes the invasive nature of traditional displays, and reduces the distraction caused to bystanders. We explicitly address these shortcomings and present a novel information display framework called a crossmodal ambient display. CROSSFLOW, is a crossmodal ambient display prototype for indoor navigation, that exploits aspects of crossmodal cognition in providing users with the facility to decode temporally multiplexed information in an animated ambient display. We describe a number of benefits of crossmodal ambient displays relating to both privacy and performance. Initial user studies have demonstrated that, compared to traditional navigation aids such as maps, crossmodal displays have the potential to significantly enhance the navigation performance of users whilst at the same time leading to a reduction on the cognitive load imposed by tasks such as navigation.
- The Beam Cursor: A Pen-based Technique for Enhancing Target Acquisition
Theme: Interactions for me
Jibin Yin and Xiangshi Ren
Kochi University of Technology, Japan
In this paper we introduce a novel interaction technique that improves target acquisition in pen-based interfaces. This technique is called Beam Cursor. The Beam Cursor exploits the sliding motion and dynamically updates the effective width of targets on screen according to the original location of the pen-tip, such that even if the pen-tip lands in the vicinity of a target the target can easily be selected. We also provide reports on two controlled experiments which were performed to evaluate the Beam Cursor in both 1D (dimension) and 2D target selection tasks on the pen-based interface. The experimental results indicate that the Beam Cursor is modeled on and predicted by Fitts’ law and that it is governed by the effective width of the targets. Results also show that the Beam Cursor significantly outperforms the Point Cursor and the Bubble Cursor.
- Exploring the PieTree for Representing Numerical Hierarchical Data
Theme: Mind Body Spirit
Richard O'Donnell, Alan Dix, Linden J. Ball
Lancaster University
This paper describes the first full implementation and evaluation of an area-based tree visualization known as the PieTree. The PieTree was first proposed in papers in 1998 and 2000 but has never been fully implemented and evaluated. Informal evaluation was used to enhance the usability of the PieTree and compare it with the more well-known TreeMap. A controlled experiment considered parallel views' effect on task performance time. There were substantial differences between kinds of tasks and in participants' styles of use. Whilst suggesting that further development of PieTrees is worthwhile the experiments underline the importance of careful task fit.
- Usefulness of Interactive Animations in Electronic Shopping
Theme: Interactions for me
Fabio Nemetz and Peter Johnson
University of Bath
In this paper, we first discuss one of the most cited problems that consumers face while making purchase decisions online, namely, the difficulty in judging the quality of products. We then propose the use of multimedia product experience in an environment that supports comparisons between alternatives. We present data from an experiment where 40 participants performed five shopping tasks. Our findings show that both multimedia product experiences and comparison tools have positive effects on the quality of decisions and on consumer satisfaction. Multimedia experience also affects learning in a positive way, while comparison tools support efficiency. Finally, we present implications for the design of e-shopping applications.
- Output Multimodal Interaction: The Case of Augmented Surgery
Theme: Interactions in the wild
Benoît Mansoux (a+b), Laurence Nigay (a), Jocelyne Troccaz (b)
a. CLIPS-IMAG
b. TIMC-IMAG
Output multimodal interaction involves choice and combination of relevant interaction modalities to present information to the user. In this paper, we present a framework based on reusable software components for rapidly developing output multimodal interfaces by choosing and combining interaction modalities. Such an approach enables us to quickly explore several design alternatives as part of an iterative design process. Our approach is illustrated by examples from a computer-assisted surgery system that runs in a specific environment (i.e. an operating room) and so needs adapted multimodal interaction. Our approach supports the exploration of several output multimodal interaction design alternatives with the surgeons.
- Factors Contributing to Low Usage of Mobile Data Services: User Requirements, Service Discovery and Usability
Stavros Garzonis and Eamonn O’Neill
University of Bath
There is evidence that most users do not exploit the capabilities offered by mobile data services. We propose that in addition to user requirements and usability, service discovery adds an extra dimension that may explain this lack of use. We conducted a 3-way evaluation study which combined expert evaluation, a diary study and cooperative evaluation to investigate the factors affecting low usage of data services. The task of selecting the appropriate service to solve everyday problems was demonstrated to be difficult using existing mobile services. The results indicated that service discovery plays a central role in determining user satisfaction and performance.
- VideoArms: Embodiments for Mixed Presence Groupware
Theme: Connecting with others
Anthony Tang (a), Carman Neustaedter (b) and Saul Greenberg (b)
a. University of British Columbia
b. University of Calgary
Mixed presence groupware (MPG) allows collocated and distributed teams to work together on a shared visual workspace. Presence disparity arises in MPG because it is harder to maintain awareness of remote collaborators compared to collocated collaborators. We examine the role of one’s body in collaborative work and how it affects presence disparity, articulating four design implications for embodiments in mixed presence groupware to mitigate the effects of presence disparity: embodiments should provide local feedback; they should visually portray people’s interaction with the work surface using direct input mechanisms; they should display fine-grain movement and postures of hand gestures, and they should be positioned within the workspace. We realize and evaluate these implications with VideoArms, an embodiment technique that captures and reproduces people’s arms as they work over large displays.
- Smell Me: engaging with an interactive olfactory game
Theme: Enthralling experiences
Stephen Boyd Davis, Gordon Davies, Ruba Haddad & Mei-Kei Lai
Middlesex University
The paper describes an artistic project which produced some valuable findings in relation to olfactory interactive design. It records a process of discovery in a largely unfamiliar area of interaction. The paper describes how the many difficulties which people have in discriminating, recalling and identifying smells were used as the substance of engaging gameplay. Both theoretical and practical issues are discussed, including the role of olfaction in creating a sense of complete realism, and its use to create affect and to promote engagement. Issues of specifying and controlling odour are discussed, as are problems arising from the nature of olfactory perception. A digital olfactory game is described and evaluated. The paper may seem to undermine the whole idea of using the olfactory channel, and leaves it an open question how useful olfaction may eventually prove. It is admitted that significant problems await the design of olfactory experiences.
