User hints for optimisation processes

Innovative improvements in the area of Human-Computer Interaction and User Interfaces have en-abled intuitive and effective applications for a variety of problems. On the other hand, there has also been the realization that several real-world optimization problems still cannot be totally auto-mated. Very often, user interaction is necessary for refining the optimization problem, managing the computational resources available, or validating or adjusting a computer-generated solution. This thesis investigates how humans can help optimization methods to solve such difficult prob-lems. It presents an interactive framework where users play a dynamic and important role by pro-viding hints. Hints are actions that help to insert domain knowledge, to escape from local minima, to reduce the space of solutions to be explored, or to avoid ambiguity when there is more than one optimal solution. Examples of user hints are adjustments of constraints and of an objective function, focusing automatic methods on a subproblem of higher importance, and manual changes of an ex-isting solution. User hints are given in an intuitive way through a graphical interface. Visualization tools are also included in order to inform about the state of the optimization process. We apply the User Hints framework to three combinatorial optimization problems: Graph Clus-tering, Graph Drawing and Map Labeling. Prototype systems are presented and evaluated for each problem. The results of the study indicate that optimization processes can benefit from human interaction. The main goal of this thesis is to list cases where human interaction is helpful, and provide an ar-chitecture for supporting interactive optimization. Our contributions include the general User Hints framework and particular implementations of it for each optimization problem. We also present a general process, with guidelines, for applying our framework to other optimization problems

Modellierung und Generierung von Benutzeroberflächen für interaktive Softwaresysteme unter der Nutzung von Mustern

Die Dissertation umfasst den Entwurf einer Entwicklungsumgebung für Benutzeroberflächen, der modell- und musterbasierte UI-Entwicklung zu einem integrierten Entwicklungs- und Generierungsansatz kombiniert. Die Grundlagen der modell- und musterbasierten Entwicklung werden dargestellt und existierende Implementierungen analysiert. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen fließen in den Entwurf der kombinierten Entwicklungsumgebung, der detailliert beschrieben wird, ein. Die Arbeit beinhaltet eine Fallstudie, die die praktische Bedeutung der theoretischen Ausführungen verdeutlicht

Visualizing Set Relations and Cardinalities Using Venn and Euler Diagrams

In medicine, genetics, criminology and various other areas, Venn and Euler diagrams are used to visualize data set relations and their cardinalities. The data sets are represented by closed curves and the data set relationships are depicted by the overlaps between these curves. Both the sets and their intersections are easily visible as the closed curves are preattentively processed and form common regions that have a strong perceptual grouping effect. Besides set relations such as intersection, containment and disjointness, the cardinality of the sets and their intersections can also be depicted in the same diagram (referred to as area-proportional) through the size of the curves and their overlaps. Size is a preattentive feature and so similarities, differences and trends are easily identified. Thus, such diagrams facilitate data analysis and reasoning about the sets. However, drawing these diagrams manually is difficult, often impossible, and current automatic drawing methods do not always produce appropriate diagrams. This dissertation presents novel automatic drawing methods for different types of Euler diagrams and a user study of how such diagrams can help probabilistic judgement. The main drawing algorithms are: eulerForce, which uses a force-directed approach to lay out Euler diagrams; eulerAPE, which draws area-proportional Venn diagrams with ellipses. The user study evaluated the effectiveness of area- proportional Euler diagrams, glyph representations, Euler diagrams with glyphs and text+visualization formats for Bayesian reasoning, and a method eulerGlyphs was devised to automatically and accurately draw the assessed visualizations for any Bayesian problem. Additionally, analytic algorithms that instantaneously compute the overlapping areas of three general intersecting ellipses are provided, together with an evaluation of the effectiveness of ellipses in drawing accurate area-proportional Venn diagrams for 3-set data and the characteristics of the data that can be depicted accurately with ellipses

Game | World | Architectonics

In its current digital, pictorial and viral ubiquity, architecture no longer has to be bodily present, but has a mediating role. As a medial hinge it folds different disciplines of media and art onto the realm of the everyday. Here, the idea of architectonics can be understood as the architectural implications of computer games in a broader sense to address the matter of architecture in game worlds as well as the architecture of computer games themselves. This anthology bundles transdisciplinary approaches around the topics of space, architecture, perception of and worldbuilding in computer games and their media-specific properties. The aim is to show how and under which aspects digital game worlds are constituted. The contributions depart from the beaten tracks of media and game studies, focusing on spatial, architectural and world-shaped phenomena within current digital media culture.In ihrer aktuellen digitalen, bildlichen wie auch viralen Ubiquität muss Architektur nicht mehr körperlich präsent sein und doch füllt sie eine vermittelnde Rolle aus. Als mediales Scharnier verschränkt sie unterschiedliche Disziplinen der Medien und Künste mit der Alltagswirklichkeit. Das Konzept der Architektonik umschreibt hierbei in weitem Sinne die architektonischen Implikationen der Computerspiele, um Architektur in Spielwelten als auch die Architektur der Computerspiele selbst greifbar zu machen. Dieser Sammelband bündelt transdisziplinäre Zugriffe rund um die Themen Raum, Architektur, Wahrnehmung von und Weltenbau in Computerspielen und deren medienspezifischen Eigenschaften. Ziel ist es aufzuzeigen, wie und unter welchen Aspekten sich digitale Spielwelten konstituieren. Die Beiträge verlassen dabei ausgetretene Pfade von Medienwissenschaft und Game Studies und fokussieren auf die räumlichen, architektonischen und weltförmigen Phänomene aktueller digitaler Medienkultur

Flight Simulation-Driven Research into Simplified Vehicle Operations for Urban Air Mobility

692M152140004The goal of this project was to study the Simplified Vehicle Operations (SVO) paradigm for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft through piloted simulations in two fixed-base flight simulators located at the Vehicle Systems, Dynamics, and Design Laboratory (VSDDL), part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University. A lift-plus-cruise (LPC) aircraft flight simulation model was deployed to two flight simulators, with identical cockpit display elements and core flight control system (FCS) architecture, which was based on the Total Energy Control System (TECS). The simulator setups differed in the design of the pilot inceptors and in the inceptor-to-command mappings

Usability analysis of contending electronic health record systems

In this paper, we report measured usability of two leading EHR systems during procurement. A total of 18 users participated in paired-usability testing of three scenarios: ordering and managing medications by an outpatient physician, medicine administration by an inpatient nurse and scheduling of appointments by nursing staff. Data for audio, screen capture, satisfaction rating, task success and errors made was collected during testing. We found a clear difference between the systems for percentage of successfully completed tasks, two different satisfaction measures and perceived learnability when looking at the results over all scenarios. We conclude that usability should be evaluated during procurement and the difference in usability between systems could be revealed even with fewer measures than were used in our study. © 2019 American Psychological Association Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Decolonising Methodologies Through Collaboration: Reflections on Partnerships and Funding Flows from Working Between the South and the North

First paragraph: This chapter explores how we can adopt a decolonial approach to methodologies within linguistics through critical examination of the role of partnerships within academic collaborations in the so-called “Global North” and “Global South”. We recognise that the North–South dichotomy is artificial and reductionist. However, for the purposes of the current chapter we employ these terms to reflect conceptualisations in our workplaces, as seen in funding schemes which explicitly require relationships between individuals and/or institutions in the North and South. We acknowledge, however, that the terminology is problematic and fraught, and we explore some of the issues involved in further detail belo

Decolonising Methodologies Through Collaboration: Reflections on Partnerships and Funding Flows from Working Between the South and the North

First paragraph: This chapter explores how we can adopt a decolonial approach to methodologies within linguistics through critical examination of the role of partnerships within academic collaborations in the so-called “Global North” and “Global South”. We recognise that the North–South dichotomy is artificial and reductionist. However, for the purposes of the current chapter we employ these terms to reflect conceptualisations in our workplaces, as seen in funding schemes which explicitly require relationships between individuals and/or institutions in the North and South. We acknowledge, however, that the terminology is problematic and fraught, and we explore some of the issues involved in further detail belo