SymbolDesign: A User-centered Method to Design Pen-based Interfaces and Extend the Functionality of Pointer Input Devices

A method called "SymbolDesign" is proposed that can be used to design user-centered interfaces for pen-based input devices. It can also extend the functionality of pointer input devices such as the traditional computer mouse or the Camera Mouse, a camera-based computer interface. Users can create their own interfaces by choosing single-stroke movement patterns that are convenient to draw with the selected input device and by mapping them to a desired set of commands. A pattern could be the trace of a moving finger detected with the Camera Mouse or a symbol drawn with an optical pen. The core of the SymbolDesign system is a dynamically created classifier, in the current implementation an artificial neural network. The architecture of the neural network automatically adjusts according to the complexity of the classification task. In experiments, subjects used the SymbolDesign method to design and test the interfaces they created, for example, to browse the web. The experiments demonstrated good recognition accuracy and responsiveness of the user interfaces. The method provided an easily-designed and easily-used computer input mechanism for people without physical limitations, and, with some modifications, has the potential to become a computer access tool for people with severe paralysis.National Science Foundation (IIS-0093367, IIS-0308213, IIS-0329009, EIA-0202067

Exploring the Front Touch Interface for Virtual Reality Headsets

In this paper, we propose a new interface for virtual reality headset: a touchpad in front of the headset. To demonstrate the feasibility of the front touch interface, we built a prototype device, explored VR UI design space expansion, and performed various user studies. We started with preliminary tests to see how intuitively and accurately people can interact with the front touchpad. Then, we further experimented various user interfaces such as a binary selection, a typical menu layout, and a keyboard. Two-Finger and Drag-n-Tap were also explored to find the appropriate selection technique. As a low-cost, light-weight, and in low power budget technology, a touch sensor can make an ideal interface for mobile headset. Also, front touch area can be large enough to allow wide range of interaction types such as multi-finger interactions. With this novel front touch interface, we paved a way to new virtual reality interaction methods

Gaze interaction enhances problem solving: Effects of dwell-time based, gaze-augmented, and mouse interaction on problem-solving strategies and user experience

It is still unknown whether the very application of gaze for interaction has effects on cognitive strategies users employ and how these effects materialize. We conducted a between-subject experiment in which thirty-six participants interacted with a computerized problem-solving game using one of three interaction modalities: dwell-time, gaze-augmented interaction, and the conventional mouse. We observed how using each of the modalities affected performance, problem solving strategies, and user experience. Users with gaze-augmented interaction outperformed the other groups on several problem-solving measures, committed fewer errors, were more immersed, and had a better user experience. The results give insights to the cognitive processes during interaction using gaze and have implications on the design of eye-tracking interfaces

Using Low-Tech Prototype to Study Children’s Preferences for UI Components : Case KidNet

Children are spending more and more time on the internet. Although children grow up surrounded by technology, they still lack the skills to distinguish advertisements from the real content and have issues evaluating the reliability of websites. KidNet is a closed online learning environment developed for teaching children these important skills needed online. User interfaces are a significant part of websites, but even when websites are targeted at children, the UIs are designed by adults. Adults do not remember what it is like to be a child, yet the children have usually been excluded from the design process, even when they are the main user group. The main goal for this thesis was to find a way to include 6th graders in the design process, find out what kind of UI elements they like, how their likes differ from adults’ likes and is there a need for two different UIs if KidNet was used by adults as well. The goal was accomplished by organizing short design sessions where children and adults got to choose their favorite elements from different design alternatives and use them to build a low-tech prototype of a UI. The results showed that the biggest differences were in the layout, children and adults made similar choices concerning chosen elements and colors and that there is no need for separate UIs in the case of KidNet

Design and Development of One-Switch Video Games for Children with Severe Motor Disabilities

Video games are not just played for fun; they have become a handy instrument for the cognitive, emotional, and social development of children. However, several barriers prevent many children with disabilities from playing action-oriented video games, alone or with their peers. In particular, children with severe motor disabilities, who rely on one-switch interaction for accessing electronic devices, find fast-paced games that require rapid decision-making and timely responses, completely unplayable. This article contributes to lowering such barriers by presenting GNomon (Gaming NOMON), a software framework based on the NOMON mode of interaction that allows the creation of action-oriented single-switch video games. The article reports the results of two studies that evaluate the playability and rehabilitation suitability of GNomon-based video games. The playability of GNomon-based games is evaluated by assessing their learnability, effectiveness, errors, satisfaction, memorability, and enjoyability with a group of eight children with severe motor disabilities. The suitability for pediatric rehabilitation is determined by means of a focus group with a team of speech therapists, physiotherapists, and psychologists from a Local Health Agency in Turin, Italy. The results of the playability study are positive: All children had fun playing GNomon-based video games, and seven of eight were able to interact and play autonomously. The results of the rehabilitation-suitability study also entail that GNomon-based games can be exploited in training hand-eye coordination and maintenance of selective attention over time. The article finally offers critical hindsight and reflections and shows possible new future game concepts

Games technology: console architectures, game engines and invisible interaction

This presentation will look at three core developments in games technology. First we will look at the architectural foundations on which the consoles are built to deliver games performance. Millions of consoles are sold and the console performance is improving in parallel. Next we look at the cutting edge features available in game engines. Middleware software, namely game engines, help developers build games with rich features and also simultaneously harness the power of the game consoles to satisfy gamers. The third part focuses on Invisible Game Interaction. The Nintendo Wii games console was an instant success because of the Wiimote. Old and young alike embraced it. The Microsoft Kinect pushed the boundary even further, where the interaction device is slowly becoming invisible and the human body becomes the interface. Finally, we look at novel research developments that go beyond current game interaction devices

VOICE RECOGNIZATION FOR MOUSE CONTROL USING HCI

One  of  the  most  important  research  areas  in  the  field  of  Human -Computer-Interaction (HCI) is gesture  recognition as it provides a natural and intuitive  way  to  communicate  between  people  and  machines.  Voice-based HCI applications range from computer applications to virtual/augmented reality and is recently being explored in other fields. This work proposes the implementation of absolute virtual mouse based on the interpretation of voice reorganization control. The procedure is to control the mouse pointer as for the mouse movement to up/down/left/right, open the file, dragging the file. This  virtual  device  is designed  specifically  as  an  alternative non-contact  pointer  for  people  with mobility impairments in the upper extremities. The implementation of the virtual mouse by voice control is to make HCI simplification for disabled persons especially for the person who are not having the hands and arms, and Alternative mouse cursor positioning system for laptops

Control theoretic models of pointing

This article presents an empirical comparison of four models from manual control theory on their ability to model targeting behaviour by human users using a mouse: McRuer’s Crossover, Costello’s Surge, second-order lag (2OL), and the Bang-bang model. Such dynamic models are generative, estimating not only movement time, but also pointer position, velocity, and acceleration on a moment-to-moment basis. We describe an experimental framework for acquiring pointing actions and automatically fitting the parameters of mathematical models to the empirical data. We present the use of time-series, phase space, and Hooke plot visualisations of the experimental data, to gain insight into human pointing dynamics. We find that the identified control models can generate a range of dynamic behaviours that captures aspects of human pointing behaviour to varying degrees. Conditions with a low index of difficulty (ID) showed poorer fit because their unconstrained nature leads naturally to more behavioural variability. We report on characteristics of human surge behaviour (the initial, ballistic sub-movement) in pointing, as well as differences in a number of controller performance measures, including overshoot, settling time, peak time, and rise time. We describe trade-offs among the models. We conclude that control theory offers a promising complement to Fitts’ law based approaches in HCI, with models providing representations and predictions of human pointing dynamics, which can improve our understanding of pointing and inform design