Computational Adaptation of XR Interfaces Through Interaction Simulation

Adaptive and intelligent user interfaces have been proposed as a critical component of a successful extended reality (XR) system. In particular, a predictive system can make inferences about a user and provide them with task-relevant recommendations or adaptations. However, we believe such adaptive interfaces should carefully consider the overall \emph{cost} of interactions to better address uncertainty of predictions. In this position paper, we discuss a computational approach to adapt XR interfaces, with the goal of improving user experience and performance. Our novel model, applied to menu selection tasks, simulates user interactions by considering both cognitive and motor costs. In contrast to greedy algorithms that adapt based on predictions alone, our model holistically accounts for costs and benefits of adaptations towards adapting the interface and providing optimal recommendations to the user.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, 1 table. CHI 2022 Workshop on Computational Approaches for Understanding, Generating, and Adapting User Interface

XR Input Error Mediation for Hand-Based Input: Task and Context Influences a User's Preference

Many XR devices use bare-hand gestures to reduce the need for handheld controllers. Such gestures, however, lead to false positive and false negative recognition errors, which detract from the user experience. While mediation techniques enable users to overcome recognition errors by clarifying their intentions via UI elements, little research has explored how mediation techniques should be designed in XR and how a user's task and context may impact their design preferences. This research presents empirical studies about the impact of user perceived error costs on users' preferences for three mediation technique designs, under different simulated scenarios that were inspired by real-life tasks. Based on a large-scale crowd-sourced survey and an immersive VR-based user study, our results suggest that the varying contexts within each task type can impact users' perceived error costs, leading to different preferred mediation techniques. We further discuss the study implications of these results on future XR interaction design.Comment: IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR), 202

The International Deep Planet Survey II: The frequency of directly imaged giant exoplanets with stellar mass

Radial velocity and transit methods are effective for the study of short orbital period exoplanets but they hardly probe objects at large separations for which direct imaging can be used. We carried out the international deep planet survey of 292 young nearby stars to search for giant exoplanets and determine their frequency. We developed a pipeline for a uniform processing of all the data that we have recorded with NIRC2/Keck II, NIRI/Gemini North, NICI/Gemini South, and NACO/VLT for 14 years. The pipeline first applies cosmetic corrections and then reduces the speckle intensity to enhance the contrast in the images. The main result of the international deep planet survey is the discovery of the HR 8799 exoplanets. We also detected 59 visual multiple systems including 16 new binary stars and 2 new triple stellar systems, as well as 2,279 point-like sources. We used Monte Carlo simulations and the Bayesian theorem to determine that 1.05[+2.80-0.70]% of stars harbor at least one giant planet between 0.5 and 14M_J and between 20 and 300 AU. This result is obtained assuming uniform distributions of planet masses and semi-major axes. If we consider power law distributions as measured for close-in planets instead, the derived frequency is 2.30[+5.95-1.55]%, recalling the strong impact of assumptions on Monte Carlo output distributions. We also find no evidence that the derived frequency depends on the mass of the hosting star, whereas it does for close-in planets. The international deep planet survey provides a database of confirmed background sources that may be useful for other exoplanet direct imaging surveys. It also puts new constraints on the number of stars with at least one giant planet reducing by a factor of two the frequencies derived by almost all previous works.Comment: 83 pages, 13 figures, 15 Tables, accepted in A&

The pore structure and gating mechanism of K2P channels

K2P potassium channels are important regulators of cellular excitability. This study reveals that in contrast to most other K+ channels the primary gating mechanism in the K2P channel TREK-1 does not involve opening and closure of the cytoplasmic bundle crossing, but takes place close to or within the selectivity filter

The development of HISPEC for Keck and MODHIS for TMT: science cases and predicted sensitivities

HISPEC is a new, high-resolution near-infrared spectrograph being designed for the W.M. Keck II telescope. By offering single-shot, R=100,000 between 0.98 - 2.5 um, HISPEC will enable spectroscopy of transiting and non-transiting exoplanets in close orbits, direct high-contrast detection and spectroscopy of spatially separated substellar companions, and exoplanet dynamical mass and orbit measurements using precision radial velocity monitoring calibrated with a suite of state-of-the-art absolute and relative wavelength references. MODHIS is the counterpart to HISPEC for the Thirty Meter Telescope and is being developed in parallel with similar scientific goals. In this proceeding, we provide a brief overview of the current design of both instruments, and the requirements for the two spectrographs as guided by the scientific goals for each. We then outline the current science case for HISPEC and MODHIS, with focuses on the science enabled for exoplanet discovery and characterization. We also provide updated sensitivity curves for both instruments, in terms of both signal-to-noise ratio and predicted radial velocity precision.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of SPIE: Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets XI, vol. 12680 (2023

School Effects on the Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents

Well-being is a multidimensional construct, with psychological, physical and social components. As theoretical basis to help understand this concept and how it relates to school, we propose the Self-Determination Theory, which contends that self-determined motivation and personality integration, growth and well-being are dependent on a healthy balance of three innate psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness and competence. Thus, current indicators involve school effects on children’s well-being, in many diverse modalities which have been explored. Some are described in this chapter, mainly: the importance of peer relationships; the benefits of friendship; the effects of schools in conjunction with some forms of family influence; the school climate in terms of safety and physical ecology; the relevance of the teacher input; the school goal structure and the implementation of cooperative learning. All these parameters have an influence in promoting optimal functioning among children and increasing their well-being by meeting the above mentioned needs. The empirical support for the importance of schools indicates significant small effects, which often translate into important real-life effects as it is admitted at present. The conclusion is that schools do make a difference in children’s peer relationships and well-being

Understanding the Roles and Uses of Web Tutorials

In this paper we identify roles and uses of web-based tutorials through an examination of tutorials’ comments sections. Through this analytical lens, we find that web tutorials serve a variety of needs, providing: in-task help for users with an immediate, specific goal to accomplish; a means for users to proactively expand their repertoire of skills; and an opportunity for novices to shadow and experience an expert’s work practices. We also find a number of emergent practices in tutorial comments. Users post “help-me” stack traces, a type of comment useful for debugging tutorial content; use comments sections as opportunistic support forums; and turn to comments sections for social and technical validation of their personal skill sets. Collectively, these findings enrich existing perspectives on web-based tutorials and argue for new mechanisms to support these various use cases