Towards disappearing user interfaces for ubiquitous computing: human enhancement from sixth sense to super senses

The enhancement of human senses electronically is possible when pervasive computers interact unnoticeably with humans in Ubiquitous Computing. The design of computer user interfaces towards “disappearing” forces the interaction with humans using a content rather than a menu driven approach, thus the emerging requirement for huge number of non-technical users interfacing intuitively with billions of computers in the Internet of Things is met. Learning to use particular applications in Ubiquitous Computing is either too slow or sometimes impossible so the design of user interfaces must be naturally enough to facilitate intuitive human behaviours. Although humans from different racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds own the same physiological sensory system, the perception to the same stimuli outside the human bodies can be different. A novel taxonomy for Disappearing User Interfaces (DUIs) to stimulate human senses and to capture human responses is proposed. Furthermore, applications of DUIs are reviewed. DUIs with sensor and data fusion to simulate the Sixth Sense is explored. Enhancement of human senses through DUIs and Context Awareness is discussed as the groundwork enabling smarter wearable devices for interfacing with human emotional memories

Exploring new digital affordances of city life

First Online: 14 November 2019Digital services are becoming an integral part of the city fabric and are increasingly central to the ways in which we collectively experience cities. In this work, we are particularly concerned with the infrastructural elements that cities may offer to enable a deeper connection with their inhabitants. Our research goal is to uncover emerging signs of new Urban Digital Affordances that are making their way into the city fabric and changing behaviours of citizens and visitors. Based on the results of a photo survey involving 4 European cities, we have identified 5 emerging concepts of physical-digital services in urban spaces: Locative, Anchors, Hybrids, False Hybrids and Digital Counterparts. Understanding the properties of these engagement concepts can help cities to be much more efficient in promoting creative uses of digital technologies in urban space. It may also help to develop new infrastructures that explore these same principles to accomplish new forms of citizen engagement and move beyond ephemeral high-profile installations or generic and basic infrastructures.(undefined

Usability of three electroencephalogram headsets for brain-computer interfaces: a within subject comparison

Currently the field of brain–computer interfacing is increasingly focused on developing usable brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to better ensure technology transfer and acceptance. Many studies have investigated the usability of BCI applications as a whole. Here we aim to investigate one specific component of an electroencephalogram (EEG)-based BCI system: the acquisition component. This study compares on the usability of three different EEG headsets in the context of a P300-based BCI application for communication. Thirteen participants took part in a within-subject experiment. Participants were randomly given a Biosemi, Emotiv EPOC or g.Sahara headset. After every session offline classification accuracy (efficacy) was calculated and usability factors (perceived efficiency and user satisfaction) were measured using questionnaires. The 32-channel Biosemi headset offered the highest accuracy (88.5%) compared with the 8-channel g.Sahara (62.7%) and the 14-channel Emotiv (61.7%). There was no difference in accuracy between the Biosemi and the g.Sahara when comparing the same 8 channels. The Biosemi and g.Sahara were rated as more comfortable than the Emotiv. The Emotiv was rated as best for aesthetics. System setup time was highest for the Biosemi headset when compared with the g.Sahara and the Emotiv. Without information about the effectiveness, participants preferred the Emotiv. We recommend the use of a gelled headset for applications which require high accuracy and efficiency and water-based or dry headsets when aesthetics, easy setup and fun are important

Usability of Three Electroencephalogram Headsets for Brain-Computer Interfaces: A Within Subject Comparison

Currently the field of brain–computer interfacing is increasingly focused on developing usable brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to better ensure technology transfer and acceptance. Many studies have investigated the usability of BCI applications as a whole. Here we aim to investigate one specific component of an electroencephalogram (EEG)-based BCI system: the acquisition component. This study compares on the usability of three different EEG headsets in the context of a P300-based BCI application for communication. Thirteen participants took part in a within-subject experiment. Participants were randomly given a Biosemi, Emotiv EPOC or g.Sahara headset. After every session offline classification accuracy (efficacy) was calculated and usability factors (perceived efficiency and user satisfaction) were measured using questionnaires. The 32-channel Biosemi headset offered the highest accuracy (88.5%) compared with the 8-channel g.Sahara (62.7%) and the 14-channel Emotiv (61.7%). There was no difference in accuracy between the Biosemi and the g.Sahara when comparing the same 8 channels. The Biosemi and g.Sahara were rated as more comfortable than the Emotiv. The Emotiv was rated as best for aesthetics. System setup time was highest for the Biosemi headset when compared with the g.Sahara and the Emotiv. Without information about the effectiveness, participants preferred the Emotiv. We recommend the use of a gelled headset for applications which require high accuracy and efficiency and water-based or dry headsets when aesthetics, easy setup and fun are important

Creative Practices in the Design Studio Culture: Collaboration and Communication

For the purpose of developing collaborative support in design studio environments, we have carried out ethnographic fieldwork in professional and academic product design studios. Our intention was to understand design practices beyond the productivity point of view and take into account the experiential, inspirational and aesthetical aspects of design practices. Using examples from our fieldwork, we develop our results around three broad themes by which design professionals support communication and collaboration: 1) use of artefacts, 2) use of space, and 3) designerly practices. We use the results of our fieldwork for drawing implications for designing technologies for the design studio culture