DateLens: A Fisheye Calendar Interface for PDAs

Calendar applications for small handheld devices are growing in popularity. This led us to develop DateLens, a novel calendar interface for PDAs designed to support complex tasks. It uses a fisheye representation coupled with compact overviews to give the big picture in a small space. The interface also gives users control over the visible time period, as well as supporting integrated search to discover patterns and outliers. Designed with device scalability in mind, DateLens currently runs on desktop computers as well as PDAs. Two user studies have been conducted to examine the viability of DateLens as a replacement for traditional calendar visualizations. In the first study, non-PDA users performed complex tasks significantly faster with DateLens than with the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 ™ calendar (using a PDA emulator). In addition, they rated DateLens as being easier to use than the default calendar application for a majority of the tasks. In the second study, the participants were expert Pocket PC users and the software was run on their own devices. Again, DateLens performed significantly faster for the complex tasks, and there were satisfaction differences favoring each calendar for different kinds of tasks. From these studies, it is clear that DateLens is superior for more complex tasks such as those associated with longer time periods. For daily event tracking, users familiar with the default Pocket PC calendar strongly preferred its daily view and behaviors. Categories and Subject Descriptors

Shared family calendars: Promoting symmetry and accessibility

www.cs.umd.edu/hcil We describe the design and use of a system facilitating the sharing of calendar information between remotely located, multi-generational family members. Most previous work in this area involves software enabling younger family members to monitor their parents. We have found, however, that older adults are equally if not more interested in the activities of younger family members. The major obstacle preventing them from participating in information sharing is the technology itself. Therefore, we developed a layered interface approach that offers simple interaction to older users. In our system, users can choose to enter information into a computerized calendar or write it by hand on digital paper calendars. All of the information is automatically shared among everyone in the distributed family. By making the interface more accessible to older uses, we promote symmetrical sharing of information among both older and younger family members. We present our participatory design process, describe the user interface and report on a field study in 3 households

Testing the informativeness of diverse measures of auditory processing for clinical audiological practice in middle-aged adults in Mexico

Purpose: Standard clinical audiologic assessment is limited in its ability to capture variance in self-reported hearing difficulty. Additionally, the costs associated with clinical testing in audiology create financial barriers for hearing healthcare in developing countries like Mexico. This study used an open-source Spanish-language tool called PART to test the hypothesis that a battery of assessments of auditory processing can complement standard clinical audiological assessment to better capture the variance of self-reported hearing difficulty. Method: Forty-three adults between 40 and 69 years of age were tested in Mexico City using a traditional clinical pure tone audiogram, cognitive screening, and a battery of PART-based auditory processing assessments including a speech-on-speech competition spatial release from masking task. Results were compared to self-reported hearing difficulty, assessed with a Spanish-language adaptation of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Results: Several measures from the PART battery exhibited stronger correlations with self-reported hearing difficulties than the pure tone audiogram. The spatial release from masking task best captured variance in HHIE-S scores and remained significant after controlling for the effects of age, audibility, and cognitive score. Conclusion: The spatial release from masking task can complement traditional clinical measures to better account for patient’s self-reported hearing difficulty. Open-source access to this test in PART supports its implementation for Spanish-speakers in clinical settings around the world at low cost