A Usability Study of End-User Construction of Direct Manipulation User Interfaces

This paper describes an empirical study of end-users that tested the usability of The Programmers\u27 Playground graphical environment. The Programmers\u27 Playground is a software library and run-time system for constructing distributed multimedia applications. Playground\u27s graphical environment enables end-users to create direct manipulation graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and to dynamically configure communication among distributed application components. In this study, 28 end-users with no prior experience in distributed computing or user interface construction were timed and evaluated on several tasks using our graphical environment. Tasks included the use of direct and indirect constraint relationships, visual configuration of distributed applications, and graphical user interface construction. The results show that a wide variety of end-users (i.e., not just programmers) can learn and apply these concepts, utilizing our graphical environment to constructe distributed multimedia applications

The design, manufacture and analysis of a new implant for fracture fixation in human and veterinary orthopaedic surgery: the bone fastenerod

Fracture fixation in humans and animals has troubled surgeons and scientists since first it was attempted right up to the present day. At every milestone of achievement in the understanding and practice of fracture repair there has remained a significant problem left unresolved. Of paramount concern is the preservation of blood vessels and soft tissues, avoidance of stress shielding and concentration, promotion. of bone healing and a rapid return to function. However, matching these principles with the variables of degree and site of fracture/injury, age, size and status of patient, environmental and surgical factors is complex and difficult. To be able to attempt to allow a surgeon to make decisions about every case, knowing that the implant choice does not constrain him but offers flexibility to aim for the ideal fixation for each case, the system must be modular. The objectives were to produce an implant system that would satisfy the most up to date principles of fracture repair through design optimization, mechanical evaluation and testing for specific fracture types. The design was called the bone fastenerod following the optimization and analysis procedures to indicate the origins of its basic formation. To begin with, the design of the fastenerod had to be optimized and this was achieved using bench testing, initially of selected designs followed by finite element analysis, which allowed a greater number of designs to be processed. Once the optimum design had been found the process of manufacture had to be selected and various possible methods of manufacture were examined until the one most suitable was determined. To analyze the fastenerod, the current industry standard implants that are used in the same clinical type settings were chosen for comparative testing. Testing was performed using static and cyclic loading to failure with wood samples in four point, tensile, side, axial and torsional loading Specific fractures in dog, cat and horse bones were created and repaired using the fastenerod versus the best method currently available and tested in three point, tensile, axial, static loading to failure. Also, specific fractures were created in human mechanical bones and tested using axial, cyclic and four point bending again, comparing the fastenerod w ith the best technology available. The analysis revealed that in static loading the fastenerod was comparable to the industry standards for small implants but not comparable with the large human implants in the specific cases selected However, in the case of the cyclic loading to Mure , the fastenerod performed better than the plate system of similar size, with the ultimate load to failure being higher and no stress concentration leading to implant fracture or failure. Thus, the modular system of the bone fastenerod could now claim to provide fixation that could be flexible, less invasive and destructive to tissues, capable o f greater choice o f screw placement and stiff to level of choice whilst avoiding stress. concentration and shielding On the basis o f this analysis, the fastenerod system can proceed to fu ll c lin ica l trial

User Interface Applications of a Multi-way Constraint Solver

Constraints are widely recognized as a useful tool for user interface constructino. Through constraints, relationships among user interface components can be defined declaratively, leaving the task of relationship management to a constraint solver. Multi-way constraint solvers supporting constraint hierarchies provide a means to specify preferential constraint relationships with a dynamically changing computation flow, making them especially well suited to interactive user interfaces. However, previous such constraint solvers lack the ability to enforce inequalities or to effectively handle cyclic constraint relationships. These deficiencies limit the problems that could be solved using a constraint-based approach. This paper presents a new algorithm called UltraBlue for solving hierarchies of multi-way constraints and discusses its application to the architecture of the EUPHORIA user interace management system. Contributions of UltraBlue include a value consistency mechanism for maintaining arbitrary assertoins (e.g., inequality relationships) and a cycle avoidance heuristic algorithm for eliminating cyclic constraint relationships. Cycles of constraints are resolved with respect to each constraint\u27s relative strength, making it possible to construct acyclic constraint graphs that can be effectively solved, while preferring constraints of greater importance

Rethinking Appeal of Arbitrability Decisions: When to Review That Which Long Process Could Not Arbitrate - F.C. Schaffer & (and) Associates, Inc. v. Demech Contractors, Ltd.

This Note will proceed in five sections. Section II will set forth the factual framework of the Schaffer case and the holding of the Fifth Circuit Section III will briefly examine the legal background behind the appeal of arbitrability rulings.9 Section IV will explore the analysis and decision of the Fifth Circuit in Schaffer.0 Finally, Section V will comment on the Schaffer court\u27s holding and discuss its policy implications. This Note will conclude that 9 U.S.C. section 16 must be carefully examined and refined in order to meet the policy goals of arbitration

Contracting for Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards: Can an Errors of Law Clause Provide Two Bites of the Apple - Gateway Technologies, Inc. v. MCI Telecommunications Corp.

This Note will proceed in five sections. Section II will set forth the factual framework of the Gateway case and the holding of the Fifth Circuit. Section III will briefly examine the legal background behind the standard of review for arbitration awards. Section IV will explore the analysis and decision of the Fifth Circuit in Gateway. Finally, section V will comment on the Gateway court\u27s holding and discuss its policy implications. This Note will conclude that arbitration agreements which purport to provide judicial review for errors of law violate separation of powers and the public policy which underlies arbitration. Consequently, the errors of law clauses must be disallowed

The Playground Mediator: Visual Tool for Configuring and Debugging Distributed Applications

The Mediator is a visual configuration tool for use with The Programmers\u27 Playground distributed programming environment. With the Mediator, one can interactively launch distributed application modules, configured communication among the modules, observe communication patterns, interactively control module communication, kill running modules, and receive imported applications from a separate World Wide Web interface. This manual describes how to use the Mediator both as a stand-alone configuration tool and as a visual interface to the Playground Application Management System

Evaluation of current and future water resources development in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

Lakes / Weirs / Environmental flows / Water resources development / Models / Ethiopia / Lake Tana Basin / Chara Chara Weir

Development of a speech autocuer

A wearable, visually based prosthesis for the deaf based upon the proven method for removing lipreading ambiguity known as cued speech was fabricated and tested. Both software and hardware developments are described, including a microcomputer, display, and speech preprocessor

End-User Visualization and Manipulation of Distributed Aggregate Data

Aggregate visualization and manipulation enables the viewing and interaction of dynamically changing data sets in a graphically meaningful way. However, off-the-shelf applications typically provide only limited ways to view static aggregates and generally do not support manipulation of aggregate data through the resulting visualization. To be fully dynamic, an aggregate visualization should be customizable to suit the individual's needs and should allow end-users to modify the data through direct manipulation. This paper describes a software system that empowers end-users to create interactive aggregate visualizations through a visual language interface. Included are mechanisms for specifying how aggregate data is processed from multiple sources of a distributed application, providing functionality similar to project, select, join, and cross product of relational databases. This approach gives end-users the power to create customized, interactive visualizations of dynamically changing ..