Entry and access : how shareability comes about

Shareability is a design principle that refers to how a system, interface, or device engages a group of collocated, co-present users in shared interactions around the same content (or the same object). This is broken down in terms of a set of components that facilitate or constrain the way an interface (or product) is made shareable. Central are the notions of access points and entry points. Entry points invite and entice people into engagement, providing an advance overview, minimal barriers, and a honeypot effect that draws observers into the activity. Access points enable users to join a group's activity, allowing perceptual and manipulative access and fluidity of sharing. We show how these terms can be useful for informing analysis and empirical research

From entry to access: How shareability comes about

Shareability is a design principle that refers to how a system, interface, or device engages a group of collocated, co-present users in shared interactions around the same content (or the same object). This is broken down in terms of a set of components that facilitate or constrain the way an interface (or product) is made shareable. Central are the notions of access points and entry points. Entry points invite and entice people into engagement, providing an advance overview, minimal barriers, and a honeypot effect that draws observers into the activity. Access points enable users to join a group's activity, allowing perceptual and manipulative access and fluidity of sharing. We show how these terms can be useful for informing analysis and empirical research

The effects of tool container location on user performance in graphical user interfaces

A common way of organizing Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointers (WIMP) interfaces is to group tools into tool containers, providing one visual representation. Common tool containers include toolbars and menus, as well as more complex tool containers, like Microsoft Office’s Ribbon, Toolglasses, and marking menus. The location of tool containers has been studied extensively in the past using Fitts’s Law, which governs selection time; however, selection time is only one aspect of user performance. In this thesis, I show that tool container location affects other aspects of user performance, specifically attention and awareness. The problem investigated in this thesis is that designers lack an understanding of the effects of tool container location on two important user performance factors: attention and group awareness. My solution is to provide an initial understanding of the effects of tool container location on these factors. In solving this problem, I developed a taxonomy of tool container location, and carried out two research studies. The two research studies investigated tool container location in two contexts: single-user performance with desktop interfaces, and group performance in tabletop interfaces. Through the two studies, I was able to show that tool container location does affect attention and group awareness, and to provide new recommendations for interface designers

tCAD: a 3D modeling application on a depth enhanced tabletop computer

Tabletop computers featuring multi-touch input and object tracking are a common platform for research on Tangible User Interfaces (also known as Tangible Interaction). However, such systems are confined to sensing activity on the tabletop surface, disregarding the rich and relatively unexplored interaction canvas above the tabletop. This dissertation contributes with tCAD, a 3D modeling tool combining fiducial marker tracking, finger tracking and depth sensing in a single system. This dissertation presents the technical details of how these features were integrated, attesting to its viability through the design, development and early evaluation of the tCAD application. A key aspect of this work is a description of the interaction techniques enabled by merging tracked objects with direct user input on and above a table surface.Universidade da Madeir

インタラクティブサーフェスの大型化に関する研究

インタラクティブサーフェスは，画面への直接タッチや身近な身体動作を用いたジェスチャなどによる直感的な操作が可能であり，新しいコンピュータの操作体系として近年普及しつつある．本研究ではテーブルや床をサーフェスとして利用し，サーフェス上方に設置したオーバヘッドカメラによって人物や物体を認識する水平型のインタラクティブサーフェスに焦点を当てる．最近では，大型液晶ディスプレイ(LCD)の普及や映像投影機器の性能向上を背景に，インタラクティブサーフェスの大型化が進んでいる．そこで本研究では，インタラクティブサーフェスの大型化に伴い浮上する二つの課題に着目し，それぞれの課題に対処するアプローチを検討した．　一つ目は固定オーバヘッドカメラ環境に起因する認識側(システム側)の課題であり，アプローチとしてオーバヘッドカメラのサーフェス空間移動化による拡張を提案した．まず，ドローンに画像処理用PCとカメラを搭載することで空中でのリアルタイム画像処理プラットフォームを構築した．その上で，空中を移動するカメラ環境におけるサーフェス領域の認識手法や，サーフェス上での手指ジェスチャ，人物・物体認識手法を実装し，移動カメラ環境においてサーフェスインタラクションを運用するためのフレームワークを構築した．これを用いることで，既存のテーブルトップシステムやフィールドスポーツへの応用が一台のフレームワークで行えることを確認し，固定カメラ環境では実現が難しかったサーフェスインタラクションの実現可能性を示した．また，ドローンからサーフェスへの映像投影を目指し，プロジェクタ-カメラが空間を揺動する状態におけるサーフェスの任意の位置への映像投影方法についても検討を行った．　二つ目としてテーブルトップシステムの大型化に起因する操作側(ユーザ側)の課題に着目し，アプローチとして指でつまむ動作を用いた遠隔ポインティング手法を提案した．これにより，大型LCDにおいて遠隔地に表示されているオブジェクト等を単純なジェスチャによって手元に引き寄せることが可能となった．また，学会でのデモ展示や学習効果の検証を通し，提案手法のユーザビリティに関して一定の知見を得た．電気通信大学201

ユーザの近接性を考慮した作業空間の構築に関する研究

Tohoku University北村喜文課

Digital tabletops and collaborative learning

People collaborate around tables at home, school and work. Digital tabletop technology presents an opportunity to bring computer support to these traditional face-to-face collaborative settings. This thesis principally addresses the challenge of designing digital tabletop applications for small group learning in the classroom and makes contributions in two distinct, but closely related areas: (i) interaction techniques for digital tabletops; and (ii) the design and evaluation of a digital tabletop-based system for supporting collaborative learning. A review of previous literature combined with a preliminary observational study on collaboration around traditional tables indentifies a number of requirements for tabletop interaction. These include the need for fluid interaction techniques that allow control of interface object attributes when these objects are moved between tabletop territories. Attribute gates are proposed as a solution to this problem through utilizing a novel, crossing-based, interaction technique. A recognition of the territorial focus in existing interaction techniques, and their limiting assumption that users work at relatively fixed locations around the table, led to the identification of another challenge, supporting the mobility of users around the shared workspace of the table. TANGISOFT is presented as a hybrid tangible-soft keyboard designed specifically for applications that require mobile users with moderate text entry requirements. The investigation of the potential of tabletop technology to support collaborative learning was carried out through the design, development, and evaluation of Digital Mysteries. From an interaction design perspective, the design aimed to utilize the unique affordances of tabletops in terms of combining the benefits of traditional tables and digital technology. From a learning perspective, the design aimed to support higher-level thinking skills, feedback, reflection, and metacognition by focusing on activities that promote these skills and supporting effective collaboration. The evaluation of Digital Mysteries demonstrated that the design was successful in encouraging the targeted learning activities. The design process and validation of Digital Mysteries embody a significant contribution to the development of our understanding of digital tabletop technology at the application level, and collaborative learning applications in particular. This understanding is summarized in the form of general guidelines for designing collaborative learning applications for digital tabletop technology.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceDiwan Software LtdGBUnited Kingdo