Evaluating the appropriateness of speech input in marine applications:a field evaluation

This paper discusses the first of three studies which collectively represent a convergence of two ongoing research agendas: (1) the empirically-based comparison of the effects of evaluation environment on mobile usability evaluation results; and (2) the effect of environment - in this case lobster fishing boats - on achievable speech-recognition accuracy. We describe, in detail, our study and outline our results to date based on preliminary analysis. Broadly speaking, the potential for effective use of speech for data collection and vessel control looks very promising - surprisingly so! We outline our ongoing analysis and further work

Bringing the High Seas into the Lab to Evaluate Speech Input Feasibility: A Case Study:SiMPE – 5th Workshop on Speech in Mobile and Pervasive Environments (part of ACM MobileHCI’2010)

As mobile technologies continue to penetrate increasingly diverse domains of use, we accordingly need to understand the feasibility of different interaction technologies across such varied domains. This case study describes an investigation into whether speechbased input is a feasible interaction option for use in a complex, and arguably extreme, environment of use – that is, lobster fishing vessels. We reflect on our approaches to bringing the “high seas” into lab environments for this purpose, comparing the results obtained via our lab and our field studies. Our hope is that the work presented here will go some way to enhancing the literature in terms of approaches to bringing complex real-world contexts into lab environments for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility of specific interaction technologies

Pickup usability dominates: a brief history of mobile text entry research and adoption

Text entry on mobile devices (e.g. phones and PDAs) has been a research challenge since devices shrank below laptop size: mobile devices are simply too small to have a traditional full-size keyboard. There has been a profusion of research into text entry techniques for smaller keyboards and touch screens: some of which have become mainstream, while others have not lived up to early expectations. As the mobile phone industry moves to mainstream touch screen interaction we will review the range of input techniques for mobiles, together with evaluations that have taken place to assess their validity: from theoretical modelling through to formal usability experiments. We also report initial results on iPhone text entry speed

Fit and appropriation model for training:an action research study to advance mobile technology training in police forces

As police forces are information intensive organisations, the use of advanced Information Systems in policing has led to the transformation of the social and the organisational life in forces. Nevertheless, the results of a pilot study conducted after four years of the roll out of mobile Kelvin devices in a medium-sized Constabulary in the UK have revealed officers’ resistance to using the full range of functionalities offered by these devices. The Kelvin devices’ initial training did not accommodate for differences in officers’ IT skills, experiences, roles, work contexts and police culture (ensuring the existence of a good-fit between all these factors). Hence, officers were unable to efficiently appropriate the Kelvin devices’ functionalities in different contexts and to various tasks. Therefore, guided by the data collected from the pilot study, a Fit and Appropriation Model for training (FAMT) is posited. FAMT aims to rectify the causes of officers’ resistance by not only creating a learning environment that bridges the gap in technical knowledge and skills but also enables learners to use their work experiences to link technology features to various tasks and contexts. The impact of using FAMT on the learning process sheds light on the key deteriminants of delivering effective technology training in organisations. The findings of the study delineate fundamental super-user’ characteristics and police culture aspects that can influence the learning process during training. Furthermore, the study highlights the significant role of providing IT support during technology training. This role should not be underestimated by mangers as it impacts profoundly on the effectiveness of female learners’ technology sense-making. Besides, incorporating collaborative training methods into FAMT have enhanced learners’ ability to extend the use of features to different contexts. Therefore, using FAMT has been perceived by officers as an effective training method that facilitates a personalised technology training and extends their knowledge about useful features in their Kelvin devices

Multimodaalinen joustavuus mobiilissa tekstinsyöttötehtävässä

Mobiili käytettävyys riippuu informaation määrästä jonka käyttäjä pystyy tavoittamaan ja välittämään käyttöliittymän avulla liikkeellä ollessaan. Informaation siirtokapasiteetti ja onnistunut siirto taas riippuvat siitä, kuinka joustavasti käyttöliittymää voi käyttää erilaisissa mobiileissa käyttökonteksteissa. Multimodaalisen joustavuuden tutkimus on keskittynyt lähinnä modaliteettien hyödyntämistapoihin ja niiden integrointiin käyttöliittymiin. Useimmat evaluoivat tutkimukset multimodaalisen joustavuuden alueella mittaavat vuorovaikutusten vaikutuksia toisiinsa. Kuitenkin ongelmana on, että ensinnäkään käyttöliittymän suorituksen arviointi tietyssä kontekstissa ei yleisty muihin mahdollisiin konteksteihin, ja toiseksi, suorituksen vertaaminen tilanteeseen jossa kahta tehtävää suoritetaan samanaikaisesti, paljastaa ennemminkin tehtävien välillä vallitsevan tasapainoilun, kuin itse vuorovaikutusten vaikutukset. Vastatakseen näihin ongelmiin multimodaalisen joustavuuden mittaamisessa, tämä diplomityö eristää modaliteettien hyödyntämisen vaikutuksen vuorovaikutuksessa mobiilin käyttöliittymän kanssa. Samanaikaisten, toissijaisten tehtävien sijaan modaliteettien hyödyntämisen mahdollisuus suljetaan kokonaan vuorovaikutuksesta. Multimodaalisen joustavuuden arvioinnin metodia [1] käytettiin tutkimuksessa osoittamaan kolmen aistikanavan (näön, kuulon ja tunnon) käyttöasteita mobiilissa tekstinsyöttötehtävässä kolmella laitteella; ITU-12 näppäimistöllä, sekä fyysisellä ja kosketusnäytöllisellä Qwerty -näppäimistöllä. Työn tavoitteena oli määrittää näiden käyttöliittymien multimodaalinen joustavuus ja yksittäisten aistikanavien arvo vuorovaikutukselle, sekä tutkia aistien yhteistoimintaa tekstinsyöttötehtävässä. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että huolimatta ITU-12 näppäimistön hitaudesta kirjoittaa häiriöttömässä tilassa, sillä on ylivertainen mukautumiskyky toimia erilaisten häiriöiden vaikuttaessa, kuten oikeissa mobiileissa konteksteissa. Kaikki käyttöliittymät todettiin hyvin riippuvaisiksi näöstä. Qwerty -näppäimistöjen suoriutuminen heikkeni yli 80% kun näkö suljettiin vuorovaikutukselta. ITU-12 oli vähiten riippuvainen näöstä, suorituksen heiketessä noin 50 %. Aistikanavien toiminnan tarkastelu tekstinsyöttötehtävässä vihjaa, että näkö ja tunto toimivat yhdessä lisäten suorituskykyä jopa enemmän kuin käytettynä erikseen. Auraalinen palaute sen sijaan ei näyttänyt tuovan lisäarvoa vuorovaikutukseen lainkaan.The mobile usability of an interface depends on the amount of information a user is able to retrieve or transmit while on the move. Furthermore, the information transmission capacity and successful transmissions depend on how flexibly usable the interface is across varying real world contexts. Major focus in research of multimodal flexibility has been on facilitation of modalities to the interface. Most evaluative studies have measured effects that the interactions cause to each other. However, assessing these effects under a limited number of conditions does not generalize to other possible conditions in the real world. Moreover, studies have often compared single-task conditions to dual-tasking, measuring the trade-off between the tasks, not the actual effects the interactions cause. To contribute to the paradigm of measuring multimodal flexibility, this thesis isolates the effect of modality utilization in the interaction with the interface; instead of using a secondary task, modalities are withdrawn from the interaction. The multimodal flexibility method [1] was applied in this study to assess the utilization of three sensory modalities (vision, audition and tactition) in a text input task with three mobile interfaces; a 12-digit keypad, a physical Qwerty-keyboard and a touch screen virtual Qwerty-keyboard. The goal of the study was to compare multimodal flexibility of these interfaces, assess the values of utilized sensory modalities to the interaction, and examine the cooperation of modalities in a text input task. The results imply that the alphabetical 12-digit keypad is the multimodally most flexible of the three compared interfaces. Although the 12-digit keypad is relatively inefficient to type when all modalities are free to be allocated to the interaction, it is the most flexible in performing under constraints that the real world might set on sensory modalities. In addition, all the interfaces are shown to be highly dependent on vision. The performance of both Qwerty-keyboards dropped by approximately 80% as a result of withdrawing the vision from the interaction, and the performance of ITU-12 suffered approximately 50%. Examining cooperation of the modalities in the text input task, vision was shown to work in synergy with tactition, but audition did not provide any extra value for the interaction

Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The International Workshop on Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications (MAVEBA) came into being in 1999 from the particularly felt need of sharing know-how, objectives and results between areas that until then seemed quite distinct such as bioengineering, medicine and singing. MAVEBA deals with all aspects concerning the study of the human voice with applications ranging from the neonate to the adult and elderly. Over the years the initial issues have grown and spread also in other aspects of research such as occupational voice disorders, neurology, rehabilitation, image and video analysis. MAVEBA takes place every two years always in Firenze, Italy

Community-based hearing services for children in early childhood development centers using mobile technologies

Unidentified hearing loss has a negative impact on a child’s speech, language and communication abilities. This in turn creates a barrier to social development and educational achievement placing a child at a risk for failure and drop out from school. Within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like South Africa, children have limited access to early identification services due to several challenges, including a shortage of human resources for ear and hearing care, a lack of appropriate equipment as well as other health care priorities. This study identified early childhood developmental centers (ECD) as a potential platform for the identification of children affected by hearing loss prior to school entry. It aimed to provide research-based recommendations for delivering hearing screening within ECD centers using a low-cost smartphone-based hearing screening application operated by community members with no formal training on hearing care. It also investigated the current knowledge and attitudes of ECD practitioners to ensure the acceptance and success of such programs. Lastly, this study aimed to determine the nature and profile of hearing loss in a community representative of typical LMICs. A total of 6424 children (3446 females, 2978 males) between the ages of three to six years were recruited from 250 ECD centers to determine the efficacy and feasibility of a smartphone hearing screening application, hearScreenTM. A referral rate of 24.9% was obtained with females 1.26 times more likely to fail compared to males. An increase in age was associated with a decreased likelihood of test failure, with overall referral rates varying from 19.6 to 45.8% for children six and three years of age, respectively. The quality index reflecting test operator test quality increased to 99-100% during the first few months of testing, thus indicating reliable testing by non-specialist personnel with support in early roll-out phases. Mean test duration, including both initial and rescreen test times for both ears, was 68 seconds (SD 2.8) for participants that passed and 258.5 seconds (SD 251.2) for those who failed. Only 39.4% of children who failed ECD screenings attended their follow-up appointment at their local primary health care (PHC) facility, of which 40.5% referred on their second screening. A total of 725 children received a diagnostic assessment. Diagnostic testing revealed that 9.3% of children presented with impacted cerumen and 18.7% presented with a hearing loss (56.5% bilateral). Conductive hearing loss (65.2%) was the most common type of hearing loss found in these children. No gender or age effects were found (p>0.01). The majority of preschool children who failed hearing screenings and received a diagnostic assessment were in need of intervention services for conductive hearing losses, followed by sensorineural and mixed losses. A questionnaire was administered amongst 82 ECD practitioners to determine their current knowledge and attitudes towards hearing health in poor communities. More than 80% of ECD practitioners correctly identified genetics and ear infections as etiological factors of hearing loss. Gaps in knowledge regarding identification techniques for children three to six years of age and the impact of hearing loss in the classroom were evident. ECD practitioner’s duration of experience had a significant effect on overall knowledge and attitude. ECD practitioners displayed a positive attitude towards children receiving a hearing test (88.3%) and almost all participants indicated the need for more information regarding hearing loss (93.5%). Findings from this study provide baseline data for future research, planning and implementation of ECD-based hearing health services within LMIC contexts such as South Africa. Implementation of smartphone-based hearing screening programs within ECD centers is a feasible solution to improve access to ear and hearing care services to children in LMICs. Whist ECD practitioners demonstrated a general readiness for the implementation of ECD hearing screening programs, additional information and guidelines are needed to improve practitioner knowledge and attitudes. Using mobile health technologies offers a number of advantages that can support communitybased hearing services and overcome some of the traditional challenges faced when screening within an informal educational setting.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018.Speech-Language Pathology and AudiologyPhDUnrestricte

Challenges in Inclusiveness for People with Disabilities within STEM Learning and Working Environments

This report is a reflection on the necessity for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the field of STEM and the different methods and processes that need to be revised or implemented to achieve this goal. It will delve into further detail about the challenges facing PWDs in STEM through interview anecdotes and survey results. Each solution offered will be accompanied by thorough research and support. Policymakers, teachers and students may use these recommendations to break down barriers to STEM careers and build a more inclusive future

The Smartpen as a Mediational Tool for Learning Language and Content Areas: The Case of English Learners in Mainstream Classrooms

The use of mobile devices for supporting the instruction of second language (L2) learners is an emerging and rapidly growing area of inquiry. Previous research on mobile assisted language learning (MALL) has concentrated on the development of isolated linguistic skills through a common set of mobile technologies, such as PDAs and iPods, with limited attention given to alternative mobile devices or situations of L2 learning that require the simultaneous learning of language and academic content (Wu, Jim Wu, Chen, Kao, Lin, & Huang, 2012; Viberg & Grönlund, 2012; 2013). In particular, little is understood about how English Learners (ELs) educated within mainstream classrooms choose to appropriate mobile technologies to meet their learning needs, with respect to both their development linguistically and across academic course disciplines. To inform this gap in research, this study used a quasi-ethnographic, instrumental case study design to explore how a group of middle school ELs used an understudied mobile device, the Echo Smartpen, to mediate their learning of language skills (e.g., speaking, reading, writing, listening, vocabulary) and of academic content areas (e.g., math, science, social studies). It also sought to examine how the Smartpen could assist ELs\u27 learning processes with respect to individual learner characteristics (e.g., affective, cognitive, metacognitive). To accomplish this purpose, multiple sources of data were collected from seven student participants, their English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist, and primary mainstream teacher. These sources consisted of technologically-mediated digital data, such as the students\u27 digitized notebooks, as well as traditional methods qualitative data collection, including individual and focus group interviews, and learning artifacts. The overall theoretical framework guiding the data analysis was Vygotskian sociocultural theory (SCT), complemented by grounded theory and the constant comparison coding method (Strauss & Corbin, 1990; 1998). Key principles for the analysis were the Vygotskian notions of mediated learning through physical and psychological tool use (Lantolf, 2000). Findings from this study provide insights about the process of mediated language and content learning with the Smartpen for ELs clustered around three major themes: 1) extended opportunities for language learning through self-constructed artifacts; (2) extended opportunities for content learning through co-constructed artifacts; and (3) extended learning self with the Smartpen. In addition to the main emergent themes, research findings incorporate the participant-based metaphorical concept of time travel as an important sub-thematic element in tracing ELs\u27 use of the Smartpen across temporal and educational contexts (e.g., school and home). Finally, this study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and pedagogical implications for the integration of mobile devices for ELs in mainstream settings, as well as with recommendations for future research deriving from this research