8,988 research outputs found
An investigation into the validation of formalised cognitive dimensions
The cognitive dimensions framework is a conceptual framework
aimed at characterising features of interactive systems that are strongly influential upon their effective use. As such the framework facilitates the critical assessment and design of a wide variety of information artifacts. Although the framework has proved to be of considerable interest to researchers and practitioners, there has been little research examining how easily the dimensions used by it can be consistently applied. The work reported in this paper addresses this
problem by examining an approach to the systematic application of dimensions and assessing its success empirically. The findings demonstrate a relatively successful approach to validating the systematic application of some concepts found in the cognitive dimensions framework.</p
Mobile Agents for Mobile Tourists: A User Evaluation of Gulliver's Genie
How mobile computing applications and services may be best designed, implemented and deployed remains the subject of much research. One alternative approach to developing software for mobile users that is receiving increasing attention from the research community is that of one based on intelligent agents. Recent advances in mobile computing technology have made such an approach feasible. We present an overview of the design and implementation of an archetypical mobile computing application, namely that of an electronic tourist guide. This guide is unique in that it comprises a suite of intelligent agents that conform to the strong intentional stance. However, the focus of this paper is primarily concerned with the results of detailed user evaluations conducted on this system. Within the literature, comprehensive evaluations of mobile context-sensitive systems are sparse and therefore, this paper seeks, in part, to address this deficiency
Predicting mental imagery based BCI performance from personality, cognitive profile and neurophysiological patterns
Mental-Imagery based Brain-Computer Interfaces (MI-BCIs) allow their users to send commands
to a computer using their brain-activity alone (typically measured by ElectroEncephaloGraphy—
EEG), which is processed while they perform specific mental tasks. While very
promising, MI-BCIs remain barely used outside laboratories because of the difficulty
encountered by users to control them. Indeed, although some users obtain good control
performances after training, a substantial proportion remains unable to reliably control an
MI-BCI. This huge variability in user-performance led the community to look for predictors of
MI-BCI control ability. However, these predictors were only explored for motor-imagery
based BCIs, and mostly for a single training session per subject. In this study, 18 participants
were instructed to learn to control an EEG-based MI-BCI by performing 3 MI-tasks, 2
of which were non-motor tasks, across 6 training sessions, on 6 different days. Relationships
between the participants’ BCI control performances and their personality, cognitive
profile and neurophysiological markers were explored. While no relevant relationships with
neurophysiological markers were found, strong correlations between MI-BCI performances
and mental-rotation scores (reflecting spatial abilities) were revealed. Also, a predictive
model of MI-BCI performance based on psychometric questionnaire scores was proposed.
A leave-one-subject-out cross validation process revealed the stability and reliability of this
model: it enabled to predict participants’ performance with a mean error of less than 3
points. This study determined how users’ profiles impact their MI-BCI control ability and
thus clears the way for designing novel MI-BCI training protocols, adapted to the profile of
each user
Theoretical development and social capital measurement
Chapter 4, by Sarah Hean and colleagues, highlights the
importance of theory development in making the concept
useful to the practice of public health. The authors present
an innovative way of thinking about the different facets
of social capital, describe the development of a survey
instrument that attempts to make explicit the inputs and
outputs of social capital and describe how these can be
operationalised in a practice setting. The survey tool takes
account of the dynamic nature of social capital and offers
a useful way of evaluating community projects
Design as conversation with digital materials
This paper explores Donald Schön's concept of design as a conversation with materials, in the context of designing digital systems. It proposes material utterance as a central event in designing. A material utterance is a situated communication act that depends on the particularities of speaker, audience, material and genre.
The paper argues that, if digital designing differs from other forms of designing, then accounts for such differences must be sought by understanding the material properties of digital systems and the genres of practice that surround their use. Perspectives from human-computer interaction (HCI) and the psychology of programming are used to examine how such an understanding might be constructed.</p
DeReFrame: a design-research framework to study game mechanics and game aesthetics in an engineering design process
The main aim of this research is to study gaming techniques and elements that may
potentially be beneficial to the future development of CAD systems for engineering
design, in particular to maintain cognitive engagement. A design-research framework,
called DeReFrame, was employed to construct an experimental game-based CAD
framework exploring this. This research is based on reviews from the literature and
experimental studies and include quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods
measuring engineers’ performance and emotional responses.
The thesis presents the construction process of the framework (DeReframe) to study a
set of game mechanics and game aesthetics in an engineering design process and
compare this with the traditional CAD. The framework was used to design and
implement a game-based CAD system, called ICAD which was embedded with the
following game mechanics of Directional Goals, Progression, Performance-Feedback and
Rewards-Achievement.
The DeReFrame and ICAD evolved through the experimental studies. In each case,
selected game mechanics were at the core of each interaction and iteration which gave
rise to feelings of progress, competence and mastery. The final results from the
DeReFrame framework and ICAD indicated that gamified approaches should be included
in engineering design with CAD: in particular the game mechanics of performance
feedback and rewards-achievements influence engineers’ behaviour by supporting
them within the problem-solving process creating an engaging-challenging interaction.
In conclusion, this research has shown that a framework, that includes both engineering
requirements and gamified aspects into consideration, cam serve as a basis for
implementing game-based CAD to facilitate performance by providing engaging
experiences for engineers
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Newly diagnosed heart failure: change in quality of life, mood, and illness beliefs in the first 6 months after diagnosis
Objectives. This study sought to examine how patients’ mood and quality of life (QoL) change during the early high-risk period after a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) and to identify factors that may influence change.
Design. A within-subjects, repeated-measures design was used. Assessments took place within 4 weeks of diagnosis and 6 months later.
Methods. One hundred and sixty six patients with HF completed assessments of their mood, QoL, and beliefs about HF and its treatment. Correlation analysis was conducted between the variables and analysis of variance and t-tests were used to assess differences in categorical variables. To examine which variables predicted mood and QoL, hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted.
Results. At follow-up, patients’ beliefs indicated a realization of the chronicity of their HF, however their beliefs about the consequences of having HF did not change and their satisfaction with their treatment remained high. QoL and anxiety improved significantly over time but there was no significant change in depressed mood. As would be expected, improvement in symptoms was a key factor in improved mood and QoL. Other significant explanatory variables included age, comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depressed mood, patients’ beliefs about the consequences of their HF and their concerns about treatment.
Conclusions. This study suggests that addressing patients’ mood and beliefs about their illness and its treatment may be additional ways of improving patient QoL in the early period after the diagnosis of HF
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