Improving the Usability of Interactive Systems by Incorporating Design Thinking into the Engineering Process: Raising Computer Science Students’ Awareness of Quality versus Quantity in Ideation

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Users Perceptions of Headphones and Earbuds in Norway and Brazil: An Empirical Study Based on a Kahoot Quiz

Abstract. Headphones and earbuds are seemingly more popular than ever with the wide availability of smartphones and music streaming services. Such personal audio systems are also essential for many blind and visually impaired computer users that relies on text-to-speech. Few published studies address the users’ perceptions of such personal audio output devices. However, past research shows that negative perceptions may lead to device abandonment. General-purpose equipment may therefore be more successful than special purpose assistive technologies for marginalized groups. We therefore set out to gain insight into how users generally perceive headphones and earbuds, and we wanted to base our study in two different cultural contexts. A questionnaire built on a Kahoot quiz was developed involving 12 questions related to headphones and earbuds. A total of 100 participants were recruited in Norway and Brazil. The results show that intuitiveness is the most valued feature of these devices and cost was not. Brazilians expressed skepticism regarding the use of headphones while walking and when travelling on public transport, while Norwegians expressed that headphones were safe to use in such situations. Our experiences showed that Kahoot is a promising platform for conducting such experiments, as it may appear more engaging than regular questionnaires. Moreover, they are relatively easy to set up and allow response times to be measuredacceptedVersio

DESIGN DE PRODUTOS ASSISTIVOS PARA IDOSOS

A promoção de condições para a vida independente é, possivelmente, um dos maiores desafios decorrentes do fenômeno mundial de envelhecimento populacional. Para as áreas de projeto e desenvolvimento de produtos, este contexto implica em pensar novos produtos que atendam às características, necessidades e preferências desta população. Na prática, o desafio é desenvolver produtos cujas demandas para o uso sejam diminuídas, o que resulta na facilitação do uso para uma maior diversidade de usuários. Estas demandas compreendem as habilidades – físicas, sensoriais e cognitivas – que o uso de um determinado produto exige do usuário para um desempenho satisfatório. Considerando o declínio funcional natural que decorre do processo de envelhecimento com alterações como diminuição da força muscular, flexibilidade e controle postural, assim como diminuição da acuidade visual, a pessoa idosa pode vir a ter dificuldades no uso de produtos cujas demandas sejam elevadas. Conhecer de que forma as alterações fisiológicas do processo de envelhecimento influenciam as habilidades físicas, cognitivas e sensoriais do idoso é, portanto, fundamental para o sucesso no processo de design para produtos pensados para o público idoso. Especificamente, no caso de produtos de Tecnologia Assistiva, os aspectos simbólicos são importantes, pois remetem ao significado do produto para o usuário e podem influenciar a aceitação e engajamento ao uso destes dispositivos. É, portanto, necessário que o design de produtos assistivos para o público idoso busque não somente atender as questões funcionais, mas também conceber produtos atrativos e desejáveis

Multistable Technologies and Pedagogy for Resilience

Accelerated technological innovation induces disruptions in society and education. It results in both threats to and opportunities for the way the society learns and works. This case study examined the phenomenon of learning in a disruptive environment. The chosen typical case of a disruptive learning environment was comprised of multistable technology and multiple cross-disciplinary, stakeholders. To reveal how inexpert stakeholders cope with technological barriers, the study examined design studio education as a research site. There, groups of design students used 3D printing to develop assistive technologies together with patients and therapists. The empirical data collected on site was analyzed through qualitative content analysis and postphenomenological concepts. The study showed how new multistable technologies impose relational, fluid models of learning on site by revealing mediations between technology and humans. This new perspective on learning in disruptive environments informs practical sustainable pedagogical practices and theoretical approach to learning for resilience by expending vocabulary concerning technological education. It also proposes altered priorities for formal education. Instead of solely focusing on the knowledge content or learners’ development, formal education should also take into account learners relations with their social and technological environment

Alongamento dos ciclos econômicos : o preço da estabilidade

Orientador: Prof. Armando SampaioDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Econômico. Defesa : Curitiba, 16/02/2023Inclui referênciasResumo: Nos Estados Unidos o produto tem oscilado cada vez menos e essas oscilações menores se distribuem em ciclos mais longos. A política monetária visa essa estabilização, sendo o último ciclo da economia americana representativo dessas mudanças. Além disso, se observa que nos Estados Unidos a produtividade do trabalho vem mudando de forma, crescendo mais nos momentos de instabilidade do que nos momentos de prosperidade. A hipótese deste artigo é que: a estabilidade e as políticas monetárias empregadas para estabilizar as flutuações do produto afetam os ganhos de produtividade do trabalho, pois a destruição criadora, os incentivos à especialização da mão de obra e a produtividade marginal do trabalho dependem das oscilações da economia. Para observar o impacto das políticas monetárias na produtividade simulou-se um choque negativo na taxa de juros em um modelo DSGE Novo Keynesiano, representando a política expansionista que hoje ocorre na maior parte do ciclo. O resultado foi a queda na produtividade marginal do trabalho. Além disso, há na literatura evidências de que os incentivos de especialização da mão de obra são anticíclicos e dependem da flutuação do produto que estenderia os efeitos adversos da expansão estável ao longo-prazo.Abstract: In the United States, the economic fluctuations have been smaller and distributed in longer business cycles. The monetary policy is focused on this effect, with the last business cycle of the American economy being representative of these patterns. Along with that in the United States, the productivity of labor has changed its form, growing more in moments of instability than in moments of prosperity. We hypothesize that stability along with the current monetary policies focused on the stabilization of economic fluctuations suppresses labor productivity, since the creative destruction, the incentives of labor specialization, and the marginal productivity of labor depend on the economic fluctuations. We simulated a negative interest rate chock in a DSGE New Keynesian model to represent the current monetary policy employed in the biggest part of the cycle, resulting in the fall of marginal labor productivity. Besides that, there are many papers indicating that the incentives for labor specialization are countercyclical and depend on economic fluctuations, spreading these effects on productivity from the short to the long run

On the non-disabled perceptions of four common mobility devices in Norway: A comparative study based on semantic differentials

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Innovation in the Design of Inclusive Toys: Development and Evaluation of a Prototype for Visually Impaired Children

A visually impaired child, if not stimulated, may face delays in motor, cognitive and social development. A simple, didactic and playful method to stimulate these skills is through toys. Although the importance of the toy is recognized by child behavior' researchers, it is noted a lack of inclusive toys available in the market. This paper presents the development and evaluation of an inclusive toy prototype for visually impaired children in preschool adopting inclusive design principles in the project. We conducted an electronic research with health and education professionals, evaluating their perceptions about the inclusive features of the prototype, to understand if these features can be considered as an innovation strategy to the industry and if the toy has potential as an instrument of stimulation for visually impaired children. The results show that 90% of the participants believe that the prototype is attractive for visually impaired children and 81% that is suitable for 3 to 6 years children. Besides, 97% considered it inclusive and 64% as innovative. In relation to the stimuli provided, the agreement was always positive: 97% believe that it will stimulate the touch, 65% sight, 62% motor coordination, 78% imagination, 84% curiosity and 58% autonomy of the child

Biomechanics and Fashion: Contributions for the Design of Clothing for the Elderly

AbstractThe aging population is a growing reality in many societies and is leading to significant changes in public health policies and the strengthening of the economic sector of these countries. This scenario intensified discussions about ageing and its determinants within several areas and thus substantially reflected on the design and the projective aspects of certain objects. It is due to cognitive and physical constraints of this group, which imply the need for differentiated products that are designed properly in favor of psychological, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of the elderly. Once the clothing remains integrated with the body, its design and constructive aspects become essential in promoting positive experience in product usage. Understanding the factors present in the acquisition and use of clothing by the elderly are relevant to the design actions of these products. Therefore, considerations about their anatomical, biomechanical and psychological characteristics must be worked in order to ensure the integrity of the movements, as well as comfort, safety and inclusion of these individuals

Video game simulation on car driving: Analysis of participants’ gaze behavior and perception of usability, risk, and visual attention

The present article discusses video game simulation applied to research on driving a car. It presents an investigation into the ocular movements and perceptual aspects of the research subjects on their interactions in the experimental condition. Investigations into how interactions occur in this interface are important for the development of research. From the perspective of neuroergonomics, the objective was to investigate the opinion of the participants on usability, risk, and visual attention and to register the ocular movements necessary to control the vehicle in order to complement analyzes of the reported opinions. In neuroergonomics, applying simultaneous methods of analysis, especially able to explore brain activity such as through visual attention, is important to understand interactions in the human-machine interface. The results demonstrate that ocular movements (duration and frequency of fixations in areas of interest) are similar to non-simulated traffic situations. The usability of the simulator control interfaces are considered to be little similar to non-simulated conditions and modify the mode of driving the vehicle. Despite the reduced immersion provided by the simulator, the perception of risk is present, although very subjective. The reported perception of where visual attention is maintained during vehicle driving is consistent with ocular tracking records.