Eyes-Off Physically Grounded Mobile Interaction

This thesis explores the possibilities, challenges and future scope for eyes-off, physically grounded mobile interaction. We argue that for interactions with digital content in physical spaces, our focus should not be constantly and solely on the device we are using, but fused with an experience of the places themselves, and the people who inhabit them. Through the design, development and evaluation of a series ofnovel prototypes we show the benefits of a more eyes-off mobile interaction style.Consequently, we are able to outline several important design recommendations for future devices in this area.The four key contributing chapters of this thesis each investigate separate elements within this design space. We begin by evaluating the need for screen-primary feedback during content discovery, showing how a more exploratory experience can be supported via a less-visual interaction style. We then demonstrate how tactilefeedback can improve the experience and the accuracy of the approach. In our novel tactile hierarchy design we add a further layer of haptic interaction, and show how people can be supported in finding and filtering content types, eyes-off. We then turn to explore interactions that shape the ways people interact with aphysical space. Our novel group and solo navigation prototypes use haptic feedbackfor a new approach to pedestrian navigation. We demonstrate how variations inthis feedback can support exploration, giving users autonomy in their navigationbehaviour, but with an underlying reassurance that they will reach the goal.Our final contributing chapter turns to consider how these advanced interactionsmight be provided for people who do not have the expensive mobile devices that areusually required. We extend an existing telephone-based information service to support remote back-of-device inputs on low-end mobiles. We conclude by establishingthe current boundaries of these techniques, and suggesting where their usage couldlead in the future

A Hierarchal Planning Framework for AUV Mission Management in a Spatio-Temporal Varying Ocean

The purpose of this paper is to provide a hierarchical dynamic mission planning framework for a single autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to accomplish task-assign process in a limited time interval while operating in an uncertain undersea environment, where spatio-temporal variability of the operating field is taken into account. To this end, a high level reactive mission planner and a low level motion planning system are constructed. The high level system is responsible for task priority assignment and guiding the vehicle toward a target of interest considering on-time termination of the mission. The lower layer is in charge of generating optimal trajectories based on sequence of tasks and dynamicity of operating terrain. The mission planner is able to reactively re-arrange the tasks based on mission/terrain updates while the low level planner is capable of coping unexpected changes of the terrain by correcting the old path and re-generating a new trajectory. As a result, the vehicle is able to undertake the maximum number of tasks with certain degree of maneuverability having situational awareness of the operating field. The computational engine of the mentioned framework is based on the biogeography based optimization (BBO) algorithm that is capable of providing efficient solutions. To evaluate the performance of the proposed framework, firstly, a realistic model of undersea environment is provided based on realistic map data, and then several scenarios, treated as real experiments, are designed through the simulation study. Additionally, to show the robustness and reliability of the framework, Monte-Carlo simulation is carried out and statistical analysis is performed. The results of simulations indicate the significant potential of the two-level hierarchical mission planning system in mission success and its applicability for real-time implementation

An analysis framework for CSCW systems

Software toolkits are under development to help construct applications that support group-working. Toolkit developers adopt different approaches to group-work support in order to tackle different issues and a toolkit is commonly characterised by the approach adopted. It is difficult to compare toolkits because of this lack of apparent commonality and it is difficult to decide which toolkits meet specific application requirements. [Continues.

Frameworks for enhancing temporal interface behaviour through software architectural design

The work reported in this thesis is concerned with understanding aspects of temporal behaviour. A large part of the thesis is based on analytical studies of temporal properties and interface and architectural concerns. The main areas covered include: i. analysing long-term human processes and the impact of interruptions and delays ii. investigating how infrastructures can be designed to support synchronous fast pace activity iii.design of the Getting-to-Know (GtK) experimental notification server The work is motivated by the failure of many collaborative systems to effectively manage the temporal behaviour at the interface level, as they often assume that the interaction is taking place over fast, reliable local area networks. However, the Web has challenged this assumption and users are faced with frequent network-related delays. The nature of cooperative work increases the importance of timing issues. Collaborative users require both rapid feedback of their own actions and timely feedthrough of other actions. Although it may appear that software architectures are about the internals of system design and not a necessary concern for the user interface, internal details do show up at the surface in non-functional aspects, such as timing. The focus of this work is on understanding the behavioural aspects and how they are influenced by the infrastructure. The thesis has contributed to several areas of research: (a)the study of long-term work processes generated a trigger analysis technique for task decomposition in HCI (b)the analysis of architectures was later applied to investigate architectural options for mobile interfaces (c)the framework for notification servers commenced a design vocabulary in CSCW for the implementation of notification services, with the aim of improving design (d)the impedance matching framework facilitate both goal-directed feedthrough and awareness In particular, (c) and (d) have been exercised in the development of the GtK separable notification server

Ciné Parkour: A cinematic and theoretical contribution to the understanding of the practice of parkour

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Through a meeting of practice and theory this thesis shifts the locus of attention from the spectacle to the everyday practice of parkour. Using documentary filmmaking with anthropological intentions and extended access over a six year period, this thesis explores the subjective everyday lived performances and essence of parkour, as experienced by a select group of experienced practitioners, as well as those who were involved in parkour’s creation and development. Parkour is a multidimensional phenomenon that can be experienced as an art, training discipline, sport, set of values, and practice of freedom, depending on an individual’s motivations, cultural understanding and exposure to the history of the practice. The research establishes that parkour is an imaginative and particular way of thinking; remapping the landscape with ‘parkour vision’. Parkour transforms how one experiences, moves, connects and participates in the environment, challenging notions of normative behaviour, socialisation, identity and self-determining actions through explorations of, as well as expressions of the self. The results of which are a means to find a more authentic deeper inner sense of self, producing feelings of inclusion and an enhanced sense of freedom through the creation of an autonomous social body. Parkour encourages self-reliance and mutual co-operation whilst enabling participants to reclaim the wonderment and magic of the human experience, valuing confrontations of fear, pleasure and pain in transcending the real and imagined boundaries of one’s own limitations, play and freedom of expression. This thesis explores themes such as shared cinema, collaborative filmmaking, participant observation and issues of representation. Parkour is discussed theoretically from the perspectives of Eichberg’s work on body cultures, Foucauldian relations of power and technologies of the self, alongside Merleau Ponty’s phenomenology, Csikszentmihalyi’s optimal flow experience, Wellmann’s insights into networked individualism and Charles Taylor’s work on the search for an authentic self and the complexities of a modern identity. This thesis contributes to the growing field of research into body cultures and the continually evolving culture of parkour

Methods and models of next generation technology enhanced learning - White Paper

Our understanding of learning with technology is increasingly lagging behind technological advancements, such that it is no longer possible to fully understand learning with technologies without bringing together evidence from practice-based experiences and theoretical insight to inform research, design, policy and practice. Furthermore, whilst practical experiences and theoretical insights make significant contributions towards understanding learning with new technologies, the dynamic nature of learner practices and study contexts make it difficult to predict future requirements in terms of methods and models for next generation technology enhanced learning. We therefore require formal and comprehensive methods and models of learning with technology that accommodate theory and practice whilst allowing us to anticipate methodological innovations that capture future transitions and changes in learner practices and study contexts, in order to inform research, design, policy and practice. Workshop participants represented different communities of interest including research, design, evaluation and assessment. The overall objective was to anticipate methodological innovations in technology enhanced learning research and design over the next 5/10 years

A system for coarse-grained location-based synchronisation

This paper describes a system for supporting coarse-grained location-based synchronisation. This type of synchronisation may occur when people need only some awareness about the location of others within the specific context of an on-going activity. We have identified a number of reference scenarios for this type of synchronisation and we have implemented and deployed a prototype to evaluate the type of support provided. The results of the evaluation suggest a good acceptance of the overall concept, indicating that this might be a valuable approach for many of the indicated scenarios, possibly replacing or complementing existing synchronisation practices.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, INForum 2010 - II Simp\'osio de Inform\'atica, Lu\'is S. Barbosa, Miguel P. Correia (eds), 9-10 Setembro, 2010, pp. 367-37

Algorithms for multi-robot systems on the cooperative exploration & last-mile delivery problems

La aparición de los vehículos aéreos no tripulados (UAVs) y de los vehículos terrestres no tripulados (UGVs) ha llevado a la comunidad científica a enfrentarse a problemas ideando paradigmas de cooperación con UGVs y UAVs. Sin embargo, no suele ser trivial determinar si la cooperación entre UGVs y UAVs es adecuada para un determinado problema. Por esta razón, en esta tesis, investigamos un paradigma particular de cooperación UGV-UAV en dos problemas de la literatura, y proponemos un controlador autónomo para probarlo en escenarios simulados. Primero, formulamos un problema particular de exploración cooperativa que consiste en alcanzar un conjunto de puntos de destino en un área de exploración a gran escala. Este problema define al UGV como una estación de carga móvil para transportar el UAV a través de diferentes lugares desde donde el UAV puede alcanzar los puntos de destino. Por consiguiente, proponemos el algoritmo TERRA para resolverlo. Este algoritmo se destaca por dividir el problema de exploración en cinco subproblemas, en los que cada subproblema se resuelve en una etapa particular del algoritmo. Debido a la explosión de la entrega de paquetes en las empresas de comercio electrónico, formulamos también una generalización del conocido problema de la entrega en la última milla. En este caso, el UGV actúa como una estación de carga móvil que transporta a los paquetes y a los UAVs, y estos se encargan de entregarlos. De esta manera, seguimos la estrategia de división descrita por TERRA, y proponemos el algoritmo COURIER. Este algoritmo replica las cuatro primeras etapas de TERRA, pero construye una nueva quinta etapa para producir un plan de tareas que resuelva el problema. Para evaluar el paradigma de cooperación UGV-UAV en escenarios simulados, proponemos el controlador autónomo ARIES. Este controlador sigue un enfoque jerárquico descentralizado de líder-seguidor para integrar cualquier paradigma de cooperación de manera distribuida. Ambos algoritmos han sido caracterizados para identificar los aspectos relevantes del paradigma de cooperación en los problemas relacionados. Además, ambos demuestran un gran rendimiento del paradigma de cooperación en tales problemas, y al igual que el controlador autónomo, revelan un gran potencial para futuras aplicaciones reales.The emergence of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) has conducted the research community to face historical complex problems by devising UGV-UAV cooperation paradigms. However, it is usually not a trivial task to determine whether or not a UGV-UAV cooperation is suitable for a particular problem. For this reason, in this thesis, we investigate a particular UGV-UAV cooperation paradigm over two problems in the literature, and we propose an autonomous controller to test it on simulated scenarios. Driven by the planetary exploration, we formulate a particular cooperative exploration problem consisting of reaching a set of target points in a large-scale exploration area. This problem defines the UGV as a moving charging station to carry the UAV through different locations from where the UAV can reach the target points. Consequently, we propose the cooperaTive ExploRation Routing Algorithm (TERRA) to solve it. This algorithm stands out for splitting up the exploration problem into five sub-problems, in which each sub-problem is solved in a particular stage of the algorithm. In the same way, driven by the explosion of parcels delivery in e-commerce companies, we formulate a generalization of the well-known last-mile delivery problem. This generalization defines the same UGV’s and UAV’s rol as the exploration problem. That is, the UGV acts as a moving charging station which carries the parcels along several UAVs to deliver them. In this way, we follow the split strategy depicted by TERRA to propose the COoperative Unmanned deliveRIEs planning algoRithm (COURIER). This algorithm replicates the first four TERRA’s stages, but it builds a new fifth stage to produce a task plan solving the problem. In order to evaluate the UGV-UAV cooperation paradigm on simulated scenarios, we propose the Autonomous coopeRatIve Execution System (ARIES). This controller follows a hierarchical decentralized leader-follower approach to integrate any cooperation paradigm in a distributed manner. Both algorithms have been characterized to identify the relevant aspects of the cooperation paradigm in the related problems. Also, both of them demonstrate a great performance of the cooperation paradigm in such problems, and as well as the autonomous controller, reveal a great potential for future real applications