Considerations in Designing Human-Computer Interfaces for Elderly People

As computing devices continue to become more heavily integrated into our lives, proper design of human-computer interfaces becomes a more important topic of discussion. Efficient and useful human-computer interfaces need to take into account the abilities of the humans who will be using such interfaces, and adapt to difficulties that different users may face – such as the difficulties that elderly users must deal with. Interfaces that allow for user-specific customization, while taking into account the multiple difficulties that older users might face, can assist the elderly in properly using these newer computing devices, and in doing so possibly achieving a better quality of life through the advanced technological support that these devices offer. In this paper, we explore common problems the elderly face when using computing devices and solutions developed for these problems. Difficulties ultimately fall into several categories: cognition, auditory, haptic, visual, and motor-based troubles. We also present an idea for a new adaptive operating system with advanced customizations that would simplify computing for older users

Charge distributions near metal-dielectric interfaces before and after dielectric surface flashover

A technique was developed for measuring surface charge distribution near interfaces without placing any measuring apparatus near the face of the samples. The results of measurements which were made on FEP Teflon and Kapton dielectrics, before and after are given flashover, with various types of interfaces. Also given are data showing mean time between flashovers for various configurations exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. Several charge transfer mechanisms are considered as a means by which stable charge distributions may be maintained near interfaces

On the importance of prismatic/basal interfaces in the growth of (-1012) twins in hexagonal close-packed crystals

The growth process of of (-1012) twins is studied in Magnesium using atomistic simulations. Two twin seeds are considered and both cases, a specific interface, which places face-to-face prismatic and basal planes, plays an important role. This interface has a low energy corresponding to a cusp in the orientation-dependent interface energy of a twinned bicrystal. This interface appears in several published twin structures and for instance accommodates the large deviations of twin interfaces from (-1012) planes reported recently [Zhang et al., Scr. Mater. 67 (2012) 862].Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Scripta Materiali

Agents, Believability and Embodiment in Advanced Learning Environments

On the World Wide Web we see a growing number of general HCI interfaces, interfaces to educational or entertainment systems, interfaces to professional environments, etc., where an animated face, a cartoon character or a human-like virtual agent has the task to assist the user, to engage the user into a conversation or to educate the user. What can be said say about the effects a human-like agent has on a student's performance? We discuss agents, their intelligence, embodiment and interaction modalities. In particular, we introduce viewpoints and questions about roles embodied agents can play in educational environment

Anthropological Linguistics (LING21, ANTH020N) Syllabus

Anthropological Linguistics course description:Communication and culture mutually define one another across communities worldwide. Human linguistic diversity, language contact and language change, and face-to-face communication continue to be key areas of inquiry for both linguistics and anthropology. Colonialism, globalization, mobility, and new technologies are changing the way we transmit and conceive of cultural knowledge, community, and our selves and the natural environment. In this course we draw attention to codeswitching, creoles, language endangerment, and constructed languages as reflections of our changing societies. We also address the ethics of fieldwork as a means of investigating these important social phenomena at the interfaces of language/ecology, language/identity, Global North/South

Face as multimedia object

This paper proposes the Face Multimedia Object (FMO), and iFACE as a framework for implementing the face object within multimedia systems. FMO encapsulates all the functionality and data required for face animation. iFACE implements FMO and provides necessary interfaces for a variety of applications in order to access FMO services

Supporting user evaluation of messaging interactions with potential romantic partners discovered online

Online dating systems have transformed the way people pursue romance. To arrive at a decision to meet for a face-to-face date, users gather information about each other online pertinent to romantic attraction. Yet sometimes they discover on the date that they made the wrong choice. One aspect of online dating system-use that may be a contributing factor, but is largely overlooked in the literature, is interaction through text-based messaging interfaces. This dissertation explores how messaging interactions inform face-to-face meeting decisions through two qualitative studies, and explores through a mixed methods field study how innovative messaging interfaces that embody theory from marriage literature can help users predict enjoyment of face-to-face interactions. Two qualitative studies of users of the online dating system OkCupid (n=41) and professional online dating coaches (n=35) indicate that users may have difficulty foreseeing unenjoyable face-to-face interactions because some users behave in ways during messaging interactions that differ from subsequent face-to-face interactions. Typical approaches to messaging resembled auditions in which female users hastily reject men whose messages are not immediately appealing, and male users compete for female attention with prewritten or carefully crafted message content. Theories of relationship satisfaction are used to propose new ways that messaging interfaces could support online daters. Models of marital satisfaction posit that problem-solving discussions (i.e., interactions in which partners are prompted to discuss a disagreement of opinion) are conducive to expression of attraction-relevant traits (e.g., personality). If this theory extends to potential romantic partners, messaging interfaces that prompt online daters with problem-solving discussion topics may yield interactions online that are similarly enjoyable to future, in-person interactions in which the richer, face-to-face context inherently supports signaling of attraction-relevant traits. A messaging interface prototype is designed based on the concept of problem-solving discussions and assessed alongside a standard, open messaging interface through a mixed methods field study (n=85). Results indicate that prompting users to discuss topics that they disagreed on does not help them make better face-to-face meeting decisions. Female daters are uncomfortable with an emphasis on disagreements because of anticipated arguments and men are indifferent to the interface because they seek signals of attraction more so than compatibility. However, female users\u27 decisions to meet face-to-face do benefit from a messaging interface that prompts users to discuss topics that they agreed on. In contrast, men\u27s decisions to meet face-to-face are worsened by the same prompted-agreement interface due to misinterpreting an emphasized agreement as a signal of attraction from women. Together, results suggest that a redesigned topic-prompted messaging interface should clarify to users that an emphasized (dis)agreement of opinion is not intended to incite an argument or insinuate attraction. A broader design implication includes acknowledging that users prioritize signals of compatibility and attraction differently and customizing messaging interface components to highlight information pertinent to users\u27 varying needs