Augmenting User Interfaces with Haptic Feedback

Computer assistive technologies have developed considerably over the past decades. Advances in computer software and hardware have provided motion-impaired operators with much greater access to computer interfaces. For people with motion impairments, the main di�culty in the communication process is the input of data into the system. For example, the use of a mouse or a keyboard demands a high level of dexterity and accuracy. Traditional input devices are designed for able-bodied users and often do not meet the needs of someone with disabilities. As the key feature of most graphical user interfaces (GUIs) is to point-and-click with a cursor this can make a computer inaccessible for many people. Human-computer interaction (HCI) is an important area of research that aims to improve communication between humans and machines. Previous studies have identi�ed haptics as a useful method for improving computer access. However, traditional haptic techniques su�er from a number of shortcomings that have hindered their inclusion with real world software. The focus of this thesis is to develop haptic rendering algorithms that will permit motion-impaired operators to use haptic assistance with existing graphical user interfaces. The main goal is to improve interaction by reducing error rates and improving targeting times. A number of novel haptic assistive techniques are presented that utilise the three degrees-of-freedom (3DOF) capabilities of modern haptic devices to produce assistance that is designed speci�- cally for motion-impaired computer users. To evaluate the e�ectiveness of the new techniques a series of point-and-click experiments were undertaken in parallel with cursor analysis to compare the levels of performance. The task required the operator to produce a prede�ned sentence on the densely populated Windows on-screen keyboard (OSK). The results of the study prove that higher performance levels can be i ii achieved using techniques that are less constricting than traditional assistance

On the Utilisation of Persistent Programming Environments

There is a growing gap between the supply and demand of good quality software, which is primarily due to the difficulty of the programming task and the poor level of support for programmers. Programming is carried out using software tools which do not match very well either real world understanding of a problem or even the other tools which need to be used. In every phase of software production, the programmer must master new tools which function in a different way from each other. The Persistent Programming Paradigm attempts to reduce these problems by providing a programming environment which gives consistent methods of accessing program values of various kinds. Long-term and short-term data are treated in the same way. Numbers, text, graphical values and even program objects are all referred to in the same consistent way. Languages which support persistence provide considerable power within a simple environment, so that programmers can perform most if not all parts of the programming task in a coherent and uniform manner. This thesis tests the hypothesis that programmers do in fact derive some benefit from this - the simplification of the program and faster implementation of complex programs. The persistent language PS-algol is introduced and used to build: user-interface and compiler tools; a database application; some data modelling tools, both relational and semantic; a rapid prototyping system; an object-oriented language; and software support systems. In doing so, the thesis demonstrates the breadth of work which can be achieved using a Persistent Programming Language, and the ease with which these various projects can be implemented. Further, the thesis derives the beginnings of a methodology for using such a language and analyses how PS-algol could be improved. In doing so, the work aims to put the Persistent Programming Paradigm on a firm basis following significant use and experimentation

Redesign of Johar: a framework for developing accessible applications

As the population of disabled people continues to grow, designing accessible applications is still a challenge, since most applications are incompatible with assistive technologies used by disabled people to interact with the computer. This accessibility issue is usually caused by the reluctance of software engineers or developers to include complete accessibility features in their applications, which in turn is often due to the extra cost and development effort required to dynamically adapt applications to a wide range of disabilities. Our aim to resolve accessibility issues led to the design and implementation of the Johar framework, which facilitates the development of applications accessible to both disabled and non-disabled users. In the Johar architectural model, the ability-based front-end user interfaces are called interface interpreters, while the application-specific logic or functionality implemented by application developers are called applications or apps. The seamless interaction between each interface interpreter and app is made possible by Johar. In this thesis, we assure the quality of Johar by detecting and resolving many inconsistencies, omissions, irrelevancies, and other anomalies that can trigger unexpected or abnormal behaviour in Johar, and/or alter the smooth operation of interface interpreters and apps. Our approach to conducting the quality assurance involved reviewing the two components of Johar, johar.gem and johar.idf, by critically examining the functionality of classes in each component, including how classes interrelate and how functions are allocated or distributed among the classes. We also performed an exhaustive comparative review of four documents - IDF Format Specification document, XML Schema Document or XSD, the Interface Interpreter Specification document, and the johar.idf package - which are vital to the smooth running of all interface interpreters and apps. We also developed an automated testing tool in order to determine whether all errors or violations in an IDF (Interface Description File) are detected and reported. As part of this thesis, we designed and implemented an interface interpreter, called Star that presents WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointers) graphical user interfaces to users, which is based on the new version of Johar. This new version evolved as a result of the redesign activities carried out on the Johar components and the various modifications effected during the quality assurance process. We also demonstrated the usage of Star on two apps to prove Johar’s ability to guarantee smooth interaction between interface interpreters and apps. Finally, in this thesis, we designed two other interface interpreters which will be implemented in the near future

User interfaces and discrete event simulation models.

A user interface is critical to the success of any computer-based system. Numerous studies have shown that interface design has a significant influence on factors such as learning time, performance speed, error rates, and user satisfaction. Computer-based simulation modelling is one of the domains that is particularly demanding in terms of user interfaces. It is also an area that often pioneers new technologies that are not necessarily previously researched in terms of human-computer interaction. The dissertation describes research into user interfaces for discrete event simulation. Issues that influence the 'usability' of such systems are examined. Several representative systems were investigated in order to generate some general assumptions with respect to those characteristics of user interfaces employed in simulation systems. A case study was carried out to gain practical experience and to identify possible problems that can be encountered in user interface development. There is a need for simulation systems that can support the developments of simulation models in many domains, which are not supported by contemporary simulation software. Many user interface deficiencies are discovered and reported. On the basis of findings in this research, proposals are made on how user interfaces for simulation systems can be enhanced to match better the needs specific to the domain of simulation modelling, and on how better to support users in simulation model developments. Such improvements in user interfaces that better support users in simulation model developments could achieve a reduction in the amount of time needed to learn simulation systems, support retention of learned concepts over time, reduce the number of errors during interaction, reduce the amount of time and effort needed for model development, and provide greater user satisfaction

Research into software executives for space operations support

Research concepts pertaining to a software (workstation) executive which will support a distributed processing command and control system characterized by high-performance graphics workstations used as computing nodes are presented. Although a workstation-based distributed processing environment offers many advantages, it also introduces a number of new concerns. In order to solve these problems, allow the environment to function as an integrated system, and present a functional development environment to application programmers, it is necessary to develop an additional layer of software. This 'executive' software integrates the system, provides real-time capabilities, and provides the tools necessary to support the application requirements

Just-in-time hypermedia

Many analytical applications, especially legacy systems, create documents and display screens in response to user queries dynamically or in real time . These documents and displays do not exist in advance, and thus hypermedia must be generated \u27just in time -automatically and dynamically. This dissertation details the idea of \u27just-in-time hypermedia and discusses challenges encountered in this research area. A fully detailed literature review about the research issues and related research work is given. A framework for the \u27just-in-time hypermedia compares virtual documents with static documents, as well as dynamic with static hypermedia functionality. Conceptual \u27just-in-time hypermedia architecture is proposed in terms of requirements and logical components. The \u27just-in-time hypermedia engine is described in terms of architecture, functional components, information flow, and implementation details. Then test results are described and evaluated. Lastly, contributions, limitations, and future work are discussed

Henkilöautojen pysäköinti ja spatiaalinen saavutettavuus pääkaupunkiseudulla : pysäköintiajat osana kokonaismatka-aikaa

Saavutettavuus – mitä tietystä paikasta voidaan saavuttaa ja miten – on keskeinen käsite, kun tutkitaan kaupunkirakennetta, asukkaiden liikkumistapavalintoja sekä alueiden keskinäistä kilpailukykyä. Tutkijat ovat entistä enemmän yhtä mieltä siitä, että kaupunkien tulevaisuudentutkimuksessa tulee ottaa huomioon saavutettavuus. Matka-aikaa pidetään intuitiivisena tapana mitata saavutettavuutta ja muuttujana se ennustaa vahvasti liikkumistapavalintaa. Kaupunkiympäristöissä henkilöauto on usein nopein kulkumuoto. Pysäköintipaikan etsiminen on kaupunkien autoilijoille tuttu prosessi, jossa yhdistyy henkilöautojen ja saavutettavuuden yhteensovittamisen haastavuus. Autoilija päätyy pysäköintipaikan etsintään silloin, kun autolle ei ole saatavilla pysäköintipaikkaa sillä alueella, jonne olisi tahdottu pysäköidä. Autoilija joutuu kiertämään aluetta niin kauan, kuin pysäköintipaikka vapautuu. Tällainen liikenne on omiaan pahentamaan kaupunkien ruuhkia. Perinteisesti kaupunkisuunnittelua on toteutettu mobiliteetin (mitä voidaan saavuttaa tietyssä aikamääreessä) ehdoilla, kiinnittäen vähemmän huomiota saavutettavuuteen. Vuosikymmenten mobiliteettipainotetun kaupunkisuunnittelun jälkeen on haasteellista kehittää kaupunkia, jossa henkilöautoliikenteen osuus on pienempi. Henkilöautoliikenteen kasvun rajoittaminen vaihtoehtoisilla liikumistavoilla on kaupunkialueiden edun mukaista. Matka-aikatutkimukset ja tarkemmin, pysäköintiaikatutkimukset, ovat eräs keino edelläkuvatun muutoksen edesauttamiseksi. Tässä pro gradu -tutkielmassa kehitettiin ja toteutettiin henkilöautojen pysäköintiä koskeva kyselytutkimus. Pääkaupunkiseudulle sijoittuneessa tutkimuksessa kysyttiin, kuinka kauan vastaajalla yleensä kestää pysäköidä autonsa ja kävellä autolta matkan lopulliseen määränpäähän seudun eri postinumeroalueilla (pysäköintiprosessi). Jotta hypoteettinen pysäköintiprosessissa tapahtuva ajallinen vaihtelu voitaisiin selittää tutkimuksen analyysivaiheessa, kyselyssä esitettiin joitain lisäkysymyksiä, esimerkiksi minä vuorokaudenaikana vastaaja yleensä pysäköi alueelle. Kyselyä mainostettiin valtaosin sosiaalisessa mediassa, Facebookin kaupunginosaryhmissä. Kysely täytettiin tätä tutkimusta varten ohjelmoidussa verkkosovelluksessa. Kyselystä saatiin yli 5200 vastausta yli tuhannelta tutkimukseen osallistuneelta henkilöltä. Kyselyn tutkimustulokset viittaavat siihen, että pysäköintiajoissa sekä kävelyajoissa autolta määränpäähän on eroavaisuuksia pääkaupunkiseudun postinumeroalueiden välillä. Pisimmät pysäköintiprosessit mitattiin Helsingin kantakaupungissa. Alueellisesti merkittävän pitkiä pysäköintiprosesseja löytyi muun muassa Matinkylästä Espoosta sekä Vantaan Tikkurilasta. Lyhyitä pysäköinti- ja kävelyaikoja mitattiin enimmäkseen pääkaupunkiseudun harvasti asutuilla postinumeroalueilla, mutta myös näillä alueilla esiintyi merkittäviä eroavaisuuksia pysäköintiaikojen pituuksissa. Huomionarvoista tuloksissa oli, että lähialuetuntemus ei nopeuttanut pysäköintitapahtumaa. Sen sijaan pysäköintipaikan tyyppi oli parempi indikaattori, tuottaen pisimmät pysäköintiprosessit kadunvarsipysäköinnissä ja lyhyimmät pysäköintihalleissa. Kyselyaineistoon lisättiin prosessointivaiheessa kaksi spatiaalista selittävää muuttujaa, keinotekoisen maanpeitteen prosenttiosuus sekä vallalla oleva yhdyskuntarakenteen vyöhyke. Yhdyskuntarakenteen vyöhyke tuotti tilastollisesti merkitseviä eroja tutkimusalueen kaupunkien sekä vyöhykkeiden välille. Tässä tutkimuksessa hyödynnettiin Helsingin yliopiston Digital Geography Labin tuottamaa Helsingin alueen matka-aikamatriisia, josta laskettiin kokonaismatka-ajat postinumeroalueiden välille. Kyselyaineisto ja matka-aikamatriisi yhdistettiin pysäköintiprosessin osuuden selvittämiseksi kokonaismatka-ajasta. Tästä saatiin selville, että matka-aikamatriisin arvio pysäköintiprosessin pituudesta oli huomattavasti alhaisempi verrattuna pysäköintikyselyssä tuotettuun aineistoon. Pysäköintiprosessi oli koko matkaan suhteutettuna pisin Helsingin kantakaupungissa, missä pysäköintipaikan löytämiseen, pysäköintiin ja määränpäähän kulunut aika oli monin paikoin pidempi kuin matka-aikamatriisista laskettu kokonaismatka-aika. Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma, sen koko versiohistoria ja sitä varten tehdyt skriptit ovat julkaistu GitHubissa: https://github.com/sampoves/thesis-data-analysis.Accessibility – what can be reached from a given point in space and how – is an essential field of study to measure the physical structure of cities, travel mode choices of residents, and the competitiveness of areas. Researchers increasingly acknowledge that accessibility is a fundamental concept on understanding how urban regions work and its position in future development of cities is paramount. Travel time is considered an intuitive measure to indicate accessibility and a strong predictor of mode choice, and usually, private car is the fastest mode of transport in urban environments. A central issue which stems from private cars and accessibility is the process of searching for parking. An understudied issue, the rather stressful activity is engaged in when arriving by car at the general area of desired parking, but no space is available. Motorists are then forced to continue search for parking, significantly contributing to urban congestion. In catering to mobility rather than accessibility, the modern urban planning has made it challenging to move away from private cars toward alternative, often more sustainable, modes of transport. Travel time studies, and more specifically, parking studies, can produce accurate data to aid in this transformation. In this thesis, a parking related research survey was developed and conducted in the Helsinki Capital Region, Finland. Adhering to the door-to-door approach, the survey respondents were enquired how long it took for them to find a parking place and park their car, and walk from the car to the destination in different postal code areas of Helsinki Capital Region. To explain a hypothetical variation in parking process durations (searching for parking, and walking to one's destination) in different areas, additional questions, such as the time of the day of parking, were presented. The invitation to respond to the survey was mostly spread on the social media platform Facebook. The survey, filled out with a web application specifically programmed for this thesis, received 5200 data rows from over 1000 unique visitors. The survey results indicate that there are spatial differences in parking process durations in different postal code areas of the Helsinki Capital Region. The inner city of Helsinki was experienced as the most difficult location to park in with regional subcenters such as Matinkylä, Espoo and Tikkurila, Vantaa, receiving relatively long parking process durations. Short parking process durations were reported from scarcely built areas but more often than not these areas had extreme values reported. Interestingly, area familiarity did not necessarily translate to faster parking process, while the type of the usual parking place was a better indicator. Out of the spatial explanatory variables added in the survey data processing, zones of urban structure (yhdyskuntarakenteen vyöhykkeet) could be used to find statistically significant differences in the parking process between variable groups and study area municipalities. Making use of the Helsinki Region Travel Time Matrix, a dataset developed by the research group Digital Geography Lab of the University of Helsinki, the thesis survey data was compared to total travel chain durations. The thesis survey data indicates that the proportion of time it takes to park one's car and walk to one's destination is a much larger part of the entire travel chain than previously estimated in the dataset. The parking process times are proportionally largest in the inner city of Helsinki, where the reported parking process duration exceeds that of the actual driving segment. This thesis, its entire version history, and all of the scripts developed for it have been made available at GitHub: https://github.com/sampoves/thesis-data-analysis