41 research outputs found

    An Activity-Centric Approach to Configuration Work in Distributed Interaction

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    The widespread introduction of new types of computing devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, large interactive displays or even wearable devices, has led to setups in which users are interacting with a rich ecology of devices. These new device ecologies have the potential to introduce a whole new set of cross-device and cross-user interactions as well as to support seamless distributed workspaces that facilitate coordination and communication with other users. Because of the distributed nature of this paradigm, there is an intrinsic difficulty and overhead in managing and using these kind of complex device ecologies, which I refer to as configuration work. It is the effort required to set up, manage, communicate, understand and use information, applications and services that are distributed over all devices in use and people involved. Because current devices and their containing software are still document- and application-centric, they fail to capture and support the rich activities and context in which they are being used. This leaves users without a stable concept for cross-device information management, forcing them to perform a large amount of manual configuration work. In this dissertation, I explore an activity-centric approach to configuration work in distributed interaction. The central goal of this dissertation is to develop and apply concepts and ideas from Activity-Centric Computing to distributed interaction. Using the triangulation approach, I explore these concepts on a conceptual, empirical and technological level and present a framework and use cases for designing activitycentric configurations in multi-device information systems. The dissertation presents two major contributions: First, I introduce the term configuration work as an abstract analytical unit that describes and captures the problems and challenges of distributed interaction. Using both empirical data and related work, I argue that configuration work is composed of: curation work, task resumption lag, mobility work, physical handling and articulation work. Using configuration work as a problem description, I operationalize Activity Theory and Activity-Centric Computing to mitigate and reduce configuration work in distributed interaction. By allowing users to interact with computational representations of their real-world activities, creating complex multi-user device ecologies and switching between cross-device information configurations will be more efficient, more effective and provide better support for users’ mental model about a multi-user and multi-device environment. Using activity configuration as a central concept, I introduce a framework that describes how digital representations of human activity can be distributed, fragmented and used across multiple devices and users. Second, I present a technical infrastructure and four applications that apply the concepts of activity configuration. The infrastructure is a general purpose platform for the design, development and deployment of distributed activitycentric systems. The infrastructure simplifies the development of activity-centric systems as it presents complex distributed computing processes and services into high level activity system abstractions. Using this infrastructure and conceptual framework, I describe four fully working applications that explore multi-device interactions in two specific domains: office work and hospital work. The systems are evaluated and tested with end-users in a number of lab and field studies

    Digital Fabrication Approaches for the Design and Development of Shape-Changing Displays

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    Interactive shape-changing displays enable dynamic representations of data and information through physically reconfigurable geometry. The actuated physical deformations of these displays can be utilised in a wide range of new application areas, such as dynamic landscape and topographical modelling, architectural design, physical telepresence and object manipulation. Traditionally, shape-changing displays have a high development cost in mechanical complexity, technical skills and time/finances required for fabrication. There is still a limited number of robust shape-changing displays that go beyond one-off prototypes. Specifically, there is limited focus on low-cost/accessible design and development approaches involving digital fabrication (e.g. 3D printing). To address this challenge, this thesis presents accessible digital fabrication approaches that support the development of shape-changing displays with a range of application examples – such as physical terrain modelling and interior design artefacts. Both laser cutting and 3D printing methods have been explored to ensure generalisability and accessibility for a range of potential users. The first design-led content generation explorations show that novice users, from the general public, can successfully design and present their own application ideas using the physical animation features of the display. By engaging with domain experts in designing shape-changing content to represent data specific to their work domains the thesis was able to demonstrate the utility of shape-changing displays beyond novel systems and describe practical use-case scenarios and applications through rapid prototyping methods. This thesis then demonstrates new ways of designing and building shape-changing displays that goes beyond current implementation examples available (e.g. pin arrays and continuous surface shape-changing displays). To achieve this, the thesis demonstrates how laser cutting and 3D printing can be utilised to rapidly fabricate deformable surfaces for shape-changing displays with embedded electronics. This thesis is concluded with a discussion of research implications and future direction for this work

    Proceedings of the 9th international conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ICDVRAT 2012)

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    The proceedings of the conferenc

    Augmented Reality 3D Design Space

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    Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

    Peripheral interaction

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    In our everyday life we carry out a multitude of activities in parallel without focusing our attention explicitly on them. We drink a cup of tea while reading a book, we signal a colleague passing by with a hand gesture, that we are concentrated right now and that he should wait one moment, or we walk a few steps backwards while taking photos. Many of these interactions - like drinking, sending signals via gestures or walking - are rather complex by themselves. By means of learning and training, however, these interactions become part of our routines and habits and therefore only consume little or no attentional resources. In contrast, when interacting with digital devices, we are often asked for our full attention. To carry out - even small and marginal tasks - we are regularly forced to switch windows, do precise interactions (e.g., pointing with the mouse) and thereby these systems trigger context and focus switches, disrupting us in our main focus and task. Peripheral interaction aims at making use of human capabilities and senses like divided attention, spatial memory and proprioception to support interaction with digital devices in the periphery of the attention, consequently quasi-parallel to another primary task. In this thesis we investigate peripheral interaction in the context of a standard desktop computer environment. We explore three interaction styles for peripheral interaction: graspable interaction, touch input and freehand gestures. StaTube investigates graspable interaction in the domain of instant messaging, while the Appointment Projection uses simple wiping gestures to access information about upcoming appointments. These two explorations focus on one interaction style each and offer first insights into the general benefits of peripheral interaction. In the following we carried out two studies comparing all three interaction styles (graspable, touch, freehand) for audio player control and for dealing with notifications. We found that all three interaction styles are generally fit for peripheral interaction but come with different advantages and disadvantages. The last set of explorative studies deals with the ability to recall spatial locations in 2D as well as 3D. The Unadorned Desk makes use of the physical space around the desktop computer and thereby offers an extended interaction space to store and retrieve virtual items such as commands, applications or tools. Finally, evaluation of peripheral interaction is not straightforward as the systems are designed to blend into the environment and not draw attention on them. We propose an additional evaluation method for the lab to complement the current evaluation practice in the field. The main contributions of this thesis are (1) an exhaustive classification and a more detailed look at manual peripheral interaction for tangible, touch and freehand interaction. Based on these exploration with all three interaction styles, we offer (2) implications in terms of overall benefits of peripheral interaction, learnability and habituation, visual and mental attention, feedback and handedness for future peripheral interaction design. Finally, derived from a diverse set of user studies, we assess (3) evaluation strategies enriching the design process for peripheral interaction.In unserem täglichen Leben führen wir eine große Anzahl an Aktivitäten parallel aus ohne uns explizit darauf zu konzentrieren. Wir trinken Tee während wir ein Buch lesen, wir signalisieren einem Kollegen durch eine Handgeste, dass wir gerade konzentriert sind und er einen Moment warten soll oder wir gehen ein paar Schritte rückwärts während wir fotografieren. Viele dieser Aktivitäten - wie beispielsweise Trinken, Gestikulieren und Laufen - sind an sich komplex. Durch Training werden diese Tätigkeiten allerdings Teil unserer Routinen und Gewohnheiten, und beanspruchen daher nur noch wenig oder sogar keine Aufmerksamkeit. Im Gegensatz dazu, verlangen digitale Geräte meist unsere volle Aufmerksamkeit während der Interaktion. Um - oftmals nur kleine - Aufgaben durchzuführen, müssen wir Fenster wechseln, präzise Aktionen durchführen (z.B. mit dem Mauszeiger zielen) und werden dabei durch die Systeme zu einem Kontext- und Fokuswechsel gezwungen. Periphere Interaktion hingegen macht sich menschliche Fähigkeiten wie geteilte Aufmerksamkeit, das räumliche Gedächtnis und Propriozeption zu Nutze um Interaktion mit digitalen Geräten am Rande der Aufmerksamkeit also der Peripherie zu ermöglichen -- quasi-parallel zu einem anderen Primärtask. In dieser Arbeit untersuchen wir Periphere Interaktion am Computerarbeitsplatz. Dabei betrachten wir drei verschiedene Interaktionsstile: Begreifbare Interaktion (graspable), Touch Eingabe und Freiraum Gestik (freehand). StaTube untersucht Begreifbare Interaktion am Beispiel von Instant Messaging, während die Appointment Projection einfache Wischgesten nutzt, um Informationen nahender Termine verfügbar zu machen. Diese beiden Untersuchungen betrachten jeweils einen Interaktionsstil und beleuchten erste Vorteile, die durch Periphere Interaktion erzielt werden können. Aufbauend darauf führen wir zwei vergleichende Studien zwischen allen drei Interaktionsstilen durch. Als Anwendungsszenarien dienen Musiksteuerung und der Umgang mit Benachrichtigungsfenstern. Alle drei Interaktionsstile können erfolgreich für Periphere Interaktion eingesetzt werden, haben aber verschiedene Vor- und Nachteile. Die letzte Gruppe von Studien befasst sich mit dem räumlichen Gedächtnis in 2D und 3D. Das Unadorned Desk nutzt den physikalischen Raum neben dem Desktop Computer um virtuelle Objekte, beispielsweise Funktionen, Anwendungen oder Werkzeuge, zu lagern. Darüber hinaus ist die Evaluation von Peripherer Interaktion anspruchsvoll, da sich die Systeme in die Umwelt integrieren und gerade keine Aufmerksamkeit auf sich ziehen sollen. Wir schlagen eine Evaluationsmethode für das Labor vor, um die derzeitig vorherrschenden Evaluationsmethoden in diesem Forschungsfeld zu ergänzen. Die Kernbeiträge dieser Arbeit sind eine (1) umfassende Klassifizierung und ein detaillierter Blick auf manuelle Periphere Interaktion, namentlich Begreifbare Interaktion, Touch Eingabe und Freiraum Gestik. Basierend auf unseren Untersuchungen ziehen wir (2) Schlussfolgerungen, die den generellen Nutzen von Peripherer Interaktion darlegen und Bereiche wie die Erlernbarkeit und Gewöhnung, visuelle und mentale Aufmerksamkeit, Feedback so wie Händigkeit beleuchten um zukünftige Projekte im Bereich der Peripheren Interaktion zu unterstützen. Aufbauend auf den verschiedenen Nutzerstudien, diskutieren wir Evaluationsstrategien um den Entwicklungsprozess Peripherer Interaktion zu unterstützen

    Advances in Human Factors in Wearable Technologies and Game Design

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    NASA Tech Briefs, September 1993

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    Topics include: Microelectronics; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery/Automation; Manufacturing/Fabrication; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences; Books and Reports

    NASA Tech Briefs, April 1991

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    Topics: New Product Ideas; NASA TU Services; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery; Fabrication Technology; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences

    The Way We Play: Exploring the specifics of formation, action and competition in digital gameplay among World of Warcraft raiders

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    This thesis explores the specific practices of group gameplay (called ‘raiding’) in the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMO). In particular, it presents ethnographic research conducted by the author between 2009 and 2012 where she studied raiding in World of Warcraft (WoW), a game environment that is a complicated and malleable space with many pathways of play built into it, not the least of which are the particular ways that raiders choose to shape and sustain their play experience. Building on Galloway’s ‘four moments of gamic action’ as a theoretical framework from which to consider gamic representation among raiders and through ethnographic research on raiding gameplay practices, this thesis considers the ways that formation, competition and gamic action have distinguished raiding within the online, persistent game environment, forming to become a set of interwoven principles that work in concert to sustain long-term raiding activity. The objective of this thesis is twofold: first, to contribute to the gap in games research on raiding gameplay practices in MMOs; and second, to consider how the study of online group play through the context of MMO raiding can impact further geographical research into the digital game, particularly within the contexts of the virtual and playful. Conclusions drawn from this work suggest that the study of game raiding (and its persistence) offers an important perspective to understanding the nature of the complex online game environment; an environment that is at once controlled and malleable, multisensory and immersive, engaging yet sustaining, and complex yet localized, creating many simultaneous moments in gamic action where these representations of space, action, formation and competition function not so much to define gameplay but more so to shape and enable it

    Videogame Tourism: Spawning the Digital into the Physical Realm in the British Isles

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    Video game tourism is in its infancy but growing in popularity. This dissertation is an anthropological study of gamers’ attempts to interact with the physical environments in Scotland that influenced the virtual landscapes to which they have an emotional connection. Seven of the locations I identified as potential field sites provided some form of ethnographic material. I traveled with gamers to these seven sites. While at these sites, I observed and interviewed people that I met as well as did participant observations with those I went with. This project was able to demonstrate that gamers and tourists alike attempt to reach toward an unencumbered self but this process is fraught with obligations and is typically unattainable. Whether those obligations or encumbrances are created before or during their travels, there is always an underlying sense of connectivity that makes a complete break from the sociocultural world impossible.Nostalgia is the driving force behind reenactments of precious memories so it is no wonder that gamers who feel a strong connection to their virtual worlds would attempt to recreate those memories through interactions with the physical landscape that shape their virtual worlds. This dissertation demonstrates that while setting out to reenact specific nostalgic moments is one of the motivations for gaming tourists, they have a cyclical relationship with nostalgia. Once they return from their physical journeys to the virtual environment, they are hit with another form of nostalgic reenactment. Gaming tourism is a new phenomenon that allows for gamers to give in to their nostalgic sentiments and recursively represent their identities as gamers in a more public fashion through recreating scenes from the game within the physical landscape
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