Circumspective use of equipment: The case of bicycle messengers

This thesis presents an interpretative study of technology use. It attempts to deepen our understanding of the relationship between users and the equipment they use. In particular, it tries to address the ways in which the equipment in use is visible for users. The research presented here aims at dwelling on the concept of circumspective use, i.e. a kind of awareness in the situation of use. The distinction between visible and invisible equipment in use has been central within the field of HCI. These concepts are used both to inform design and as concepts to describe and analyze the use of equipment. However, the distinction visible/invisible has its limitations for providing accurate descriptions of everyday use. The dichotomy suggests that either the equipment is visible for the user, or the equipment is invisible to the user. The notion of “invisible” equipment in use is particularly problematic, according to this thesis, since it alludes to the perspective that the activity of use is a “blind activity” where the equipment in use is not there for the user. In order to find out about ways of encountering and relating with equipment in use, an empirical investigation of bicycle messenger operations was conducted. By biking together with bicycle messengers, empirical evidence for a different perspective than the visible/invisible perspective was collected. Participant observation and interviews are the main methods that have been used in this study. Circumspective use is an important theoretical concept for this thesis. The concept of circumspection (Umsicht) is from Heidegger, and is used to describe a kind of awarenessin a situation. The phenomenon of everyday use of equipment is described and analyzed with this concept, and doing so has led me to go beyond the visible/invisible dichotomy. I suggest the concept of circumspective use to provide a theoretical perspective for describing everyday use situations. This concept directs attention to the user’s awareness of equipment, alternatives and the environment of use. The perspective provided by the concept of circumspective use suggests that the user always has an awareness of the equipment, alternatives and environment. Hence, this concept moves us beyond the visible/invisible dichotomy

An analysis of independent living elderly’s views on robots: A descriptive study from the norwegian context

ACHI 2020 : The Thirteenth International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions November 21 – 25, 2020This study illustrates the independent living elderly’s (≥65 years) views on robots. The data was documented through audio recordings of interviews, photos, and written logs. The analysis was done through qualitative manifest and latent content analysis. The results of the analysis were sorted into three categories: aging during the technological renaissance, domestic robots, and the elderly’s expectations of robots. The overall resulted theme was: integrating robots in the elderly’s everyday life. The results were discussed through the lenses of the Sense-of-Coherence (SOC) theoretical construct and its belonging elements: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. The relevance of this paper contributes to giving an understanding of the domestic robots’ requirements specifications and the elderly’s expectation of human-robot interaction.publishedVersio

Differences of Human Perceptions of a Robot Moving using Linear or Slow in, Slow out Velocity Profiles When Performing a Cleaning Task

We investigated how a robot moving with different velocity profiles affects a person's perception of it when working together on a task. The two profiles are the standard linear profile and a profile based on the animation principles of slow in, slow out. The investigation was accomplished by running an experiment in a home context where people and the robot cooperated on a clean-up task. We used the Godspeed series of questionnaires to gather people's perception of the robot. Average scores for each series appear not to be different enough to reject the null hypotheses, but looking at the component items provides paths to future areas of research. We also discuss the scenario for the experiment and how it may be used for future research into using animation techniques for moving robots and improving the legibility of a robot's locomotion

EquiP: A Method to Co-Design for Cooperation

In Participatory Design (PD), the design of a cooperative digital solution should involve all stakeholders in the co-design. When one stakeholder’s position is weaker due to socio-cultural structures or differences in knowledge or abilities, PD methods should help designers balance the power in the design process at both the macro and micro levels. We present a PD method that addresses the power relations arising during the design process and draws on theories about participation and power in the design and organisation of change processes. We contribute to Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) by using the PD method to design computer support for cooperation on cognitive rehabilitation between people with Mild Acquired Brain Injuries (MACI) and their healthcare professionals, where strengthening the cooperation is considered an element of patient empowerment. This method is presented as a contribution to the intersection between PD and CSCW. The discussion of power in PD contributes to the discussion of cooperation in CSCW. We found that EquiP supported the creation of choices, and hence the ‘power to’ influence the design. This method can contribute to a power ‘equilibrium’ and a positive-sum power relation in PD sessions involving all stakeholders.publishedVersio

Fear, Feedback, Familiarity… How are These Connected? – Can familiarity as a design concept applied to digital feedback reduce fear?

This paper is a reflective paper discussing fear, and the emotions associated with it, felt by the elderly while using modern technologies. The pattern of fear emerged from our initial research activities. The preliminary results presented here are part of the pre-study phase within the Multimodal Elderly Care Systems (MECS) project, which focuses on the design of a safety alarm robot for the elderly. Here, we explored various design issues that elderly encounter in their daily interaction with various modern technologies. One of the explored issues is digital feedback, the subject of this paper. The aim of our exploration was to look at what potential design implications that digital feedback may have on the elderly’s interactions with these technologies, such as triggering the feeling of fear when using them, and what we could learn from those when designing a robot safety alarm. Finally, we propose familiarity as a central design concept for designing feedback

A tale of two trajectories: bottom-up social software adoption in differing organisational contexts

The inherent bottom-up nature of social software diffusion differs markedly from the adoption trajectories to which most organisational IT strategies are accustomed. Through case studies in two organisations, this paper presents insights into how adoption of emergent social software platforms may take form, and discusses the implications of two radically different approaches to manage these processes. Our findings suggest that organisations may need to cede control over parts of the IT innovation adoption process to benefit from grassroots initiatives, and rather standardise successful innovations on an ongoing basis to avoid detrimental fragmentation of media usage across organisational boundaries

Walking Away from the Robot: Negotiating Privacy with a Robot

Privacy is often applied as an abstract concept in law and regulations. In everyday life, negotiating what information to share with whom, where, and at what times, and in what situations may be a challenge at home and in public space. We apply Palen and Dourish’s framework for understanding and discussing privacy to a setting of living with moving robots at home. We compare different ways sensors might be placed in a home environment, and what role proxemics, or motion technologies might have for the negotiation of privacy. By highlighting the role of the place and movement of the sensors, we discuss concrete privacy issues that are emerging with networked robot technologies at home. We hope to contribute new ways of thinking to users, designers, and analysts for creating and using mobile, networked technologies in domestic places

The Use of iPad in Academic Setting: Ownership Issues in Relation to Technology (Non)Adoption

In this paper we discuss a pilot study involving the use of iPad for active reading in academic setting. This is part of the broader study of how introducing this new platform may transform the work and learning practices of students. The pilot was conducted in the context of master’s course in Geology at the University of Oslo, involving 40 students, instructor and three teaching assistants. The overall result of the pilot was that the platform did not get taken into use as expected. We hope that our experience with this pilot may be of use and interest for wider community. To collect data, we have used classroom observations, two surveys (one close to the beginning of the semester and one at the end), one workshop and three group interviews. In addition, three students and the course instructor have been interviewed individually. The data from interviews have been consolidated and mapped out into an affinity diagram. The resulting diagram shows clearly issues that need to be further addressed, as well as areas where changes in study related work practices might happen. While the usual variables for acceptence of technology such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are found to be important, our findings show that the issue of ownership was the most interesting one. Deeper exploration of this issue and its effects on adoption of this new technology specifically for study purposes is the main contribution this study offers. Old Meets New: Media in Education – Proceedings of the 61st International Council for Educational Media and the XIII International Symposium on Computers in Education (ICEM&SIIE'2011) Joint Conference