Contextual Interfaces for Operator-Simulator Interaction

International audienceWe present the results of a study on the role of context in the mental representation that operators have of their task realization. This work is part of the ANR TACTIC project, which aims at proposing a migration of a simulator's interface from PC (" click-simulation ") to tactile devices (" finger-simulation ")

Conceptualizing a Knowledge Society in China: A Ubiquitous Network Perspective

Developing Ubiquitous Network Societies (UNS) has been a subject of investigation in last decade. Several policy and technological projects have been proposed and implemented at global level to promote ubiquitous network. This paper focuses on China’s preparation towards UNS by analyzing and evaluating the prerequisite technological developments that enable the construction of UNS. The objective of this paper is to identify the notable features of UNS in context to China. Being the nascent area of study our research approach is from technological perspective

An information assistant system for the prevention of tunnel vision in crisis management

In the crisis management environment, tunnel vision is a set of bias in decision makers’ cognitive process which often leads to incorrect understanding of the real crisis situation, biased perception of information, and improper decisions. The tunnel vision phenomenon is a consequence of both the challenges in the task and the natural limitation in a human being’s cognitive process. An information assistant system is proposed with the purpose of preventing tunnel vision. The system serves as a platform for monitoring the on-going crisis event. All information goes through the system before arrives at the user. The system enhances the data quality, reduces the data quantity and presents the crisis information in a manner that prevents or repairs the user’s cognitive overload. While working with such a system, the users (crisis managers) are expected to be more likely to stay aware of the actual situation, stay open minded to possibilities, and make proper decisions

Method for Eliciting and Analyzing Business Processes Based on Storytelling Theory

In this paper we suggest that storytelling theory can be used to analyze business processes in two behavioral dimensions, model and context, which concern predefined and improvised behavior, respectively. We develop a method to elicit stories about business processes from process participants. By applying the method in two cases, we provide some evidence on what type of analysis can be done and how it can impact the design of business processes. This research contributes with an innovative method to analyze integrated context/model behavior in business processes

Knowledge management for bridge design process using building block concept

This thesis explores the concept of building blocks in the context of structural design within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The building block concept refers to the pieces of design knowledge from previous projects in the form of digital files that can be assembled and reused in future structural bridge projects. These building blocks consist of multiple types of file used in bridge design. The goal of the building block is to utilize the accumulated knowledge created from previous design projects to increase productivity and design quality of future ones. With that in mind, the thesis aims to establish the foundational theories of the building block concept in the knowledge management field, develop a conceptual framework, and create a proof-of-concept system. Literature in knowledge base development and knowledge reuse in the context of AEC design showed that reusing design knowledge requires both the knowledge content and the context surrounding it, which can be measured through the dimensions of abstraction and granularity. Both dimensions determine how relevant and reusable knowledge is to different users. The author concluded that the building block concept requires multiple levels of abstraction and granularity since no single level of context is adequate to cover all engineering knowledge. Moreover, the context information must be provided to different user's needs during the knowledge retrieval process by providing different browsing and querying interfaces. The implementation of the building block concept was done through the development of an ontological Expert System, capable of modeling the complex knowledge in structural design. The development focused on 2 stages: creating an informal model and translating that model to a machine-readable ontology. The informal model used the Icam DEFinition for Function Modeling (IDEF0) modeling method to represent the information requirements of the bridge design process. The build-ing blocks became the Inputs, Controls, Outputs, and Mechanisms (ICOM) of a design process. The ICOMs could be shared between different design processes, providing connection, relationships, and context information by association. This is the basis for the bridge design process assembly. The IDEF0 model was translated into the OWL language using Protégé to become a proof-of-concept. It demonstrated the extraction of building blocks associated with design processes through Protégé’s inferencing and querying capability with additional user inputs

AI as a Material for Design

From Netflix recommendations to Amazon Echos sitting proudly on kitchen countertops, artificial intelligence (AI) has been inserted into the mundane settings of our everyday lives. These ‘smart’ devices and services have given rise to the collection of data and processing within everyday objects, accumulating new challenges, particularly in legibility, agency, and negotiability of interactions. The emerging field of Human Data Interaction (HDI) recognises that these challenges go on to influence security, privacy, and accessibility protocols, while also encompassing socio-technical implications. Furthermore, these objects challenge designers’ traditional conventions of neutral interactions, which only work as instructed. However, these smart objects go beyond typical human-object relationships functioning in new and unexpected ways, creeping in function, and existing within independent and interdependent assemblages of human and non-human actants—demanding alternative considerations and design practice. This thesis aims to question the traditional practice of considering and designing for AI technology by arguing for a post-anthropocentric perspective of things with agency, by adopting the philosophical approach of Object Orientated Ontology with design research. This research ultimately presents and builds (a currently) unorthodox design approach of Human-AI Kinship that contests the design orthodoxies of human-centred design. Conclusively, this research seeks to bring into being AI as a material for design and justify through the case study of AI legibility. A More than Human Centered Design approach is established through a transdisciplinary and iterative Research through Design methodology, resulting in the design of AI iconography that attempts to communicate and signify AI’s ontology to human users. This thesis is concluded by testing the legibility of the icons themselves and discussing philosophy as an asset for design research

Focusing on context in human-centered computing

International audienceThe author has developed a context-based paradigm for intelligent assistant systems from our experience in real-world applications. He concentrates on a system for traffic control (SART, Systeme d'Aide a la Regulation du Trafic). It supports operators who monitor a subway line and solve problems when they occur