Разработка многомодального информационного киоска

The paper presents results of the research and the design of hardware part of a test bench of an information enquiry system with multimodal user interface (“multimodal information kiosk”). The test bench combines standard input/output devices (sensory monitor, keyboard, stereo speakers) and input devices for contactless human-computer interaction (video-camera, microphones). For distant recognition of speech commands of Russian a microphone array is applied that allows to locate a source of useful audio signal and eliminate acoustic noises. A portable video-camera is applied for vision-based tracking person’s position inside the kiosk working area. The developed kiosk prototype to be used for creation of the model of information enquiry system and studies of cognitive aspects of interaction between a user and the system by different communication modalities.Статья представляет результаты исследования и разработки аппаратной части исследовательского стенда информационно-справочной системы с многомодальным интерфейсом пользователя ("многомодальный информационный киоск"). Стенд объединяет стандартные средства ввода/вывода информации (сенсорный экран, клавиатуру и стерео динамики) и устройства, обеспечивающие бесконтактное взаимодействие (видеокамера, микрофоны). Для дистанционного распознавания русско-язычных голосовых команд применяется массив микрофонов, позволяющий локализовать источник полезного сигнала и понизить влияние акустических шумов. Миниатюрная видеокамера обеспечивает оптическое отслеживание положения пользователя в рабочей зоне киоска. Разработанный прототип киоска будет использован для создания модели информационно-справочной системы и исследования когнитивных аспектов взаимодействия пользователя с системой, учитывая различные способы коммуникации

Embracing self service technology for hotel productivity growth

This paper explores the various ways in which self-service technology (SST), if employed by the hotel industry, can actually contribute to the productivity growth in Singapore. The study provides an understanding of customer’s technology acceptance and readiness by utilizing the two widely extended and accepted approaches, Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and Technology acceptance model (TAM). The study also evaluated the four common self-service technology channels: electronic kiosks, the Internet, mobile devices, and the telephone applications. From an investigation on past studies, it is found that Singapore is receptive to self-service technology. Self-service technology thus could bring a highly respectable return on investment (ROI) to the Singapore’s hotel industry, as illustrated by ROI models in this paper. Moreover, hotels could leverage on a number of Singapore’s government funding to optimize their investment on SST. With the government’s master plan (iN2015) platform to realize the intelligent nation by 2015, hotels could benefit from the self service technology features that this platform is offering. Various avenues to ride on this platform and recommendations are featured

Exploring the utility of giving robots auditory perspective-taking abilities

Presented at the 12th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD), London, UK, June 20-23, 2006.This paper reports on work in progress to develop a computational auditory perspective taking system for a robot. Auditory perspective taking is construed as the ability to reason about inferred or posited factors that affect an addressee's perspective as a listener for the purpose of presenting auditory information in an appropriate and effective manner. High-level aspects of this aural interaction skill are discussed, and a prototype adaptive auditory display, implemented in the context of a robotic information kiosk, is described and critiqued. Additionally, a sketch of the design and goals of a user study planned for later this year is given. A demonstration of the prototype system will accompany the presentation of this research in the poster session

Improving Direction-Giving Through Utilization of an RFID-Enabled Kiosk

This paper presents an RFID-enabled module for an electronic kiosk physical user interface which provides personalized information retrieval. The system builds on research in direction-giving by streamlining the process of the direction-giving phase and minimizing the introduction and closure phases, thereby providing the user with a quicker transaction for personalized information. The RFID technology also provides potential for greater security and privacy for the user of the kiosk system as compared to traditional magnetic strip methods. The developed RFID-enabled system is built on top of a current production informational kiosk utilized for a building directory, which was used for initial testing and evaluation