Assessing user experience of context-aware interfaces in a retail store

Context-awareness is becoming an essential functionality of mobile applications. However, it remains challenging to capture the contextual experience in innovation research, since early-stage technologies have not reached maturity to be implemented in a real-life context. Moreover, users have difficulty in evaluating implicit interactions with context-aware interfaces since imagination of users is limited. Assuming that context impacts user experience, virtual reality (VR) provides an untapped potential for the domain of innovation research. The aim of this study (in progress) is to investigate the potential of user tests in virtual reality (here virtual retail store) for human-computer interaction to better match the needs of users and designers. Initially, the mock-up has been implemented in a retail store with its context-awareness being simulated using the Wizard of Oz methodology (N = 18). This approach is found to be time-consuming and not sufficient for evaluating radical context-aware innovations

Product Tests in Virtual Reality: Lessons Learned during Collision Avoidance Development for Drones

Virtual reality (VR) and real-world simulations have become an important tool for product development, product design, and product tests. Product tests in VR have many advantages, such as reproducibility and shortened development time. In this paper, we investigate the virtual testing of a collision avoidance system for drones in terms of economic benefits. Our results show that virtual tests had both positive and negative effects on the development, with the positive aspects clearly predominating. In summary, the tests in VR shorten the development time and reduce risks and therefore costs. Furthermore, they offer possibilities not available in real-world tests. Nevertheless, real-world tests are still important

USABILIDADE DE APLICATIVOS DE SEGURANÇA COLABORATIVA PARA SMARTPHONES: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA

The society is permeated by devices connected to information networks through the Internet. The mobility offered by mobile devices such as smartphones is a key element in the dynamics of information today. Still, the lack of security is one of the problems that afflict most Brazilians in recent years and mobile devices are being used to mitigate it. This research aims to carry out a systematic review of the literature in order to identify the different approaches on testing and usability of applications that promote collaborative security checking the state of the art in this domain.A sociedade está permeada por dispositivos conectados às redes de informações por meio da Internet. A mobilidade oferecida pelos dispositivos móveis, como os smartphones, é um elemento chave na dinâmica da informação na atualidade. Ainda, a falta de segurança é um dos problemas que mais aflige os brasileiros nos últimos anos e dispositivos móveis estão sendo utilizados para mitigá-lo. Esta pesquisa visa realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura com o intuito de identificar as diferentes abordagens sobre testes e usabilidade de aplicativos que promovam a segurança colaborativa, verificando o estado da arte deste domínio

Immersive virtual reality to enforce teaching in engineering education

Prior studies on the use of digital prototyping and virtual reality (VR) in designing as well as evaluating new products have shown that VR reduces both development time and costs whilst augmenting student motivation and creativity. The current study demonstrates that VR and 3D prototyping in the context of project-based learning (PBL) promote effective communication, increase problem solving skills, and enhance learning outcomes. VR and digital prototyping have been extensively used in industries for the purpose of product design and usability evaluation. In the context of engineering education, many research studies have attempted to explore the effect of VR on teamwork, engagement, retention, and motivation. In this paper, VR is used in conjunction with PBL in self-directed approach to design and implement a product using 3D software whilst also using virtual reality immersive CAVE display to evaluate their design. The hypothesis is that the use of VR with a project-based-learning approach to facilitate the attainment of desirable goals in the engineering design project, improved achievement of course learning outcomes and promoted effective communication. According to the research findings, VR approach significantly affected the distribution of cumulative project grades. Students' project grades improved, particularly the implementation component. In addition, the course outcomes related to project design were better achieved in VR approach. The communication and problem-solving skills were improved in the VR approach as compared to traditional approach. 2019, The Author(s).Scopu

LA GAMIFICACIÓN EN LOS AMBIENTES DE REALIDAD VIRTUAL MÓVIL (THE GAMIFICATION IN THE ENVIRONMENTS OF MOBILE VIRTUAL REALITY)

ResumenActualmente, la educación requiere de procesos innovadores que den respuesta y se adapten con rapidez a las necesidades planteadas por una sociedad que participa en un cambio tecnológico constante. La gamificación como técnica de aprendizaje traslada la mecánica de los juegos al ámbito educativo y profesional, con la finalidad de mejorar los resultados del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje, ya sea para potenciar la adquisición de conocimientos, fortalecer habilidades o bien incentivar acciones concretas mediante la recompensa. Este trabajo presenta los beneficios del uso de la gamificación, mediante el análisis de la implementación de un juego desarrollado como material didáctico con técnicas de modelado de realidad virtual, para coadyuvar al aprendizaje experiencial de la historia universal en alumnos de secundaria y preparatoria. Tras presentar los pormenores del desarrollo y la implementación de dicho material, se lleva a cabo una evaluación del grado de usabilidad aplicada a este material educativo.  Palabras Clave: diseño Instruccional, dispositivos móviles, Gamificación, realidad virtual, usabilidad. AbstractCurrently, education requires innovative processes that respond and adapt quickly to the needs posed by a society that participates in constant technological change. Gamification as a learning technique moves the mechanics of games to the educational and professional field, with the purpose of improving the results of the teaching-learning process, either to enhance the acquisition of knowledge, strengthen skills or encourage concrete actions through the reward. This work presents the benefits of the use of gamification, by analyzing the implementation of a game developed as a teaching material with virtual reality modeling techniques, to contribute to the experiential learning of universal history in secondary and high school students. After presenting the details of the development and implementation of said material, an evaluation of the degree of usability applied to this educational material is carried out.Keywords: instructional design, gamification, mobile devices, virtual reality, usability