Spotlight Magazine

In response to challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Political Science (POLS) department at Cal Poly halted the distribution of its annual publication, Alumni Connections. Recognizing the need for a more captivating and accessible platform, the POLS department initiated a project to revive the publication. For my senior project, I will be leading design efforts for this new publication entitled Spotlight. Through this project, I plan to revitalize the magazine into a dynamic quarterly newsletter, balancing brevity and frequency to effectively connect with the target audience

Collection of anthropometry from older and physically impaired persons: traditional methods versus TC2 3-D body scanner

With advances in technology it is now possible to collect a wide range of anthropometric data, to a high degree of accuracy, using 3D light-based body scanners. This gives the potential to speed up the collection of anthropometric data for design purposes, to decrease processing time and data input required, and to reduce error due to inaccuracy of measurements taken using more traditional methods and equipment (anthropometer, stadiometer and sitting height table). However, when the data collection concerns older and/or physically impaired people there are serious issues for consideration when deciding on the best method to collect anthropometry. This paper discusses the issues arising when collecting data using both traditional methods of data collection and a first use by the experimental team of the TC2 3D body scanner, when faced with a ‘non-standard’ sample, during an EPSRC funded research project into issues surrounding transport usage by older and physically impaired people. Relevance to industry: Designing products, environments and services so that the increasing ageing population, as well as the physically impaired, can use them increases the potential market. To do this, up-to-date and relevant anthropometry is often needed. 3D light-based bodyscanners offer a potential fast way of obtaining this data, and this paper discusses some of the issues with using one scanner with older and disabled people

Coos Bay Estuary Inventory and Study

David Brunsman and Frank Ratti, Staff Estuary Planners with the assistance of the Coos County Planning Department Staff. David Richey-- Planning Director

Development and Evaluation of an Interface Aid to Support Web Based Information Seeking for the Blind Research Study

Information seeking on websites has become more and more challenging for people who are blind. Screen readers attempt to make that task easier by introducing new commands and functionality but there still exists a fundamental gap in the difficulty for people who are blind compared to their sighted counterparts. This research identifies the strategies used by people who are blind and sighted to create an information seeking model, develop the Keywords Expected for Your Search (KEYS) conceptual model for assisting task performance and evaluate a KEYS prototype of this concept for information search and retrieval. This information seeking model was developed by conducting an initial experiment and then validating the model using data from a similar study. The model defines information searching strategies used for both participants that were sighted and blind. Primary information search strategies for the web were identified. The model demonstrated the primary search strategies in the model were keyword based and are the foundation for information seeking on websites for both groups of participants. The KEYS conceptual model for assisting task performance was developed. It includes rules and a keyword library to support information searching for users who are blind. A KEYS prototype was developed to test the conceptual model. The prototype was implemented by controlling the results of the list of links and virtual find commands, which are two of the more commonly used primary search strategies for users who are blind. The evaluation sought to determine the aids\u27 impact on workload, number of commands used, search success, path direction and time to complete a task. Comparisons of the participants who were blind with and without the KEYS prototype were made as well as comparisons to sighted participants. Age group comparisons and age of blindness onset were also compared. The results of the experiment demonstrated that the KEYS prototype significantly improved information searching for users who are blind by lowering all measured variables. A primary contribution of this research was to demonstrate that providing keyword support improves information searches. Implementing the KEYS can produce a significant difference in how users who are blind search for information on webpages