Search

The aim of this paper is to explore new metaphors for interaction design on tabletop system. Tabletop systems are shared horizontal surface for co-located collaboration, which leads to original problems when designing interactions. We propose two metaphors based on the paper: the peeling metaphor, and the slot metaphor, and then suggest a way of using them to design new interactions for solving some of the problems of tabletop systems: documents organization, documents transmission and documents duplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the issue of using the wearable computer as a remote sensing device of a large-scale factory. The infrastructure of ubiquitous security environment to realize the remote sensing capability for the security guard is presented in this paper. This paper also scheme out a wearable computing scenario for the security guard under such a ubiquitous security environment. That is, through the help of the wearable computer, the security guard can remotely sensing the security status of each building when he is patrolling a large-scale factory. To achieve a seamless remote sensing environment, we use the wireless AP (Access Point) as the relay between static sensor networks installed inside each building and the mobile sensing device worn on the security guard. The AP enable the wearable computer to seamless receive security status of each building and upload the wearer status to the security control center at the same time. Furthermore, this research adopts the technology of embedded Linux to design a middleware for the wearable computer. The proposed architecture of the wearable computer is scalable, flexible and modular for the mobile computing system. Finally, this paper elaborates a seamless connection approach for the wearable computer within a ubiquitous security environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper was intended to prove the applications of surface-conductive fabrics as electronic textiles. First, we tested the electrical durability of a Cu/Ni electro-less plated fabric reinforced by PU(polyurethane) sealing. Using the fabric, we constructed textile-based signal transmission lines and textile-based keypads. For performance tests, we compared the output signals between the textile transmission lines and Cu cables and evaluated textile-based keypads by means of operation force and subjective operation feeling. PU sealing was effective to yield electrical durability for surface-conductive fabrics, thus the repeatedly-laundered fabric showed almost identical output signal with that of Cu, successfully operating an MP3 player. Subjective evaluation and operation force measurement identified that the rubber dome switch keypad was preferred due to a low operation force and less pressure on the skin when the keypad-mounted clothing is worn. The paper suggested specific applications and evaluation methods of electronic textiles as essential components for smart wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to develop usability evaluation for smart clothing. In this paper, we propose evaluation factor and object through user centered evaluation process. The basic idea of this paper is to know the thought from wearable user. Also, we gathered the opinion from expert group. As a result, we adopted evaluation item categories. By examining some empirical data which is obtained from Observation Evaluation (OE) and Wearability Evaluation (WE), we conclude usability evaluation of Smart Clothing. The design process in creating a successful wearable usability is no longer about providing technical success, rather about creating an optimal user experience. Their studies provide guideline on the types of limit process that can affect user's situation in wearable computing. In this paper, usability of smart clothing is described, including improving reinforces of previous studies [2], [4], [5]. In addition, we provide a framework for usability to support new types. First, we were composed of systematic experience factor structure from an extraction factor as qualitative process based on scenario. We made factor-object matrix to check usability factor and wearable object position. Second, we finished developing questions about evaluation domain. Third, we took evaluation by questionnaire as observational and wearable types. Last, we did analysis and structure evaluation. We implemented factor analysis which was possible to access theoretic structure and delete meaningless questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper suggests a storytelling service infrastructure using RFID systems for theme museums with relevant multimedia contents providing an active experience space and drawing more interest. The proposed storytelling system uses RFID tags, a wireless LAN, and a mobile device for the theme museum, and relevant technical issues involving an overall architecture of RFID system will be introduced in this paper. Therefore, the proposed storytelling service infrastructure could be further applicable for games and animation to experience the people realistic scene through providing additional story and virtual information related to each object using RFID, a wireless LAN and a remote storytelling server. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe the development of multi-touch tabletop display system and the classification of hand gesture commands for interacting with our system. And also, we analyze the suitability for interactive tabletop in light of the respective input and output degrees of freedom, as well as the precision and completeness provided by each. Our system is based on FTIR (Frustrated Total Internal Reflection) principle and hand gestures for necessary instructions are predefined using position sensing and tracking of multi-touch points and the number of fingertips. The system consists of two beam-projectors, diffuser film, four infrared cameras and large acrylic screen that attached infrared LED. In recognition process, gesture commands are analyzed by comparing with predefined gesture instructions according to the number of contacted fingertips, Euclidean distance and angles between two bright spots. In this paper, vision based tabletop display system that we proposed provides much advantages understanding human and computer interaction. Also the Efficiency of proposed method can be proved through controlling Google-earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining puzzles as the metaphor as well as the mechanism, design puzzles provide an interesting computational method to both design exploration and representing the design ideas via collage images. By using multi-touch technology such as FTIR, this research implements a physical controlling device called Collage Tables (CoTa) for directly manipulating the design collages, which using the mechanism developed over the years from design puzzles. By focusing on the interactive behaviours of design collage, the exploration rules as well as puzzle rules are further developed and elaborated in this paper. The exploration search mechanism and the system (CoTa) in both hardware and software part of CoTa is also evaluated and computed for the purpose of reification. A set of possible interaction is also documented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing power and ubiquity of smart devices such as mobile phones and PDAs means that a visitor to a city now carries with them a device capable of giving location-specific guiding and routing information. Whilst there have been a number of studies on the use of photographs to supplement text and map-based guiding applications for mobile devices, in this paper we want to propose and give an initial exploratory study of a guiding system that utilises geoannotation to mark photographs. In geoannotation, each photograph is selected from a repository of photographs based on the content and its relevance to the route. The photograph itself is then geoannotated with arrows and other markers on the fly so as to give routing information. Because the photograph in the database will not be taken from the location of the visitor who needs routing information, we need to take care and design cues that are unambiguous. The main contribution of this paper is the discussion of the geoannotation technique, and some informal results from pilot trials on how it helps in addressing certain navigational ambiguities arising in the use of photographs in pedestrian navigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel design approach for an automotive direct manipulation interface. The proposed design, as applied in a full-windshield Head-Up Display system, aims to improve the driver's situational awareness by considering information as it becomes available from various sources such as incoming mobile phone calls, text and email messages. The vehicle's windshield effectively becomes an interactive display area which allows the system to increase the quality as well as throttle the quantity of information distilled to the driver in typical driving situations by utilising the existing mobile phone network. Opting for a simplistic approach of interaction, the interface elements are based on minimalist visual representation of real objects. This paper discusses the challenges involved in the HUD design, introduces the visual components of the interface and presents the outcome of a preliminary evaluation of the system on a group of ten users, as performed using a driving simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces and describes a 3D Cockpit Situation Display (CSD) that includes the display of ownship and traffic, flight path intent, terrain and terrain alerting relative to current and proposed flight paths, conflict alerting and 3D weather. The primary function of the 3D CSD is to support the task of flight path management, although it is also designed to promote visual momentum and task awareness across displays. In this paper, we will discuss the approach to the design of the 3D CSD as well as describe the features of the display and their importance to traffic, terrain and general situation awareness. We will also list some of the pilot identified benefits of the 3D display. Finally, we will report on flight crew ratings of the usefulness and usability of the 3D display to support en route and arrival decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to enable a practical and efficient composing of message text with Myanmar language on a mobile phone. In this paper, we propose a new idea of key mapping (Positional Mapping) for Myanmar language. Positional Mapping is the key mapping idea for mobile phones based on Myanmar language characters writing positions. We compared our new mapping idea with our proposed Multi-tap keypad layout in terms of key strokes and users tapping speed. Although key strokes requirement for typing Myanmar consonants in Positional Mapping is higher, average tapping speed is 22.5% faster than Multi-tap model. And we can also prove that our Positional Mapping idea is simple and easier to memorize for users from the user studies. Our Positional Mapping idea can be applied not only to Myanmar language but also to other similar phonetic based languages such as Khamer, Thai, Hindi and Bangla etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile devices are quickly becoming powerful devices enough to run personal computers. However to control large visual information is still the critical issue for them. This paper introduces several zooming tools such as a focus zoom, a file zoom and a search zoom which are based on geometric and semantic zooming methods as new viewing methods. These zooming tools are developed to devise an efficient method for handling the viewing issue, displaying large visual information on a small size screen. In addition, the paper introduces usability testing method on mobile devices to find hidden issues in the tool, and mentions further progress to improve the usability of working on devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most previous studies comparing paper and computer screen readability show that screens are less readable than paper. There are many factors that could affect the readability of computer screens. However, exactly what factors reduce reading performance on computer screens is not clear. Therefore, this study has tried to find an alternative way to improve the readability of screen displays. A novel suggestion is designed to give readers sense of rhythm by diagonally dividing up screen areas. The diagonal division layout was read significantly faster (24.4%) than a normal layout for 5.5 inches display of e-Book readers. For 3.5 inches display, it was read 13.0% faster. The reason why the total reading time was cut down by the diagonal division layout is that the right-upper part played a decisive role. The number of texts on each line is systematically decreased in the right-upper part. 31.6% of total reading time was shorten by the right-upper part. However, there were no significant differences in subjective satisfaction between the two layout conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's mobile phones have not only become the most representative device in the new ubiquitous computing era but also dramatically improved in terms of their multi-modal sensing and display capabilities. This advance makes the mobile phone an ideal candidate for a more natural interaction device in ubiquitous computing environment. This paper proposes techniques which use camera-equipped mobile phones for interacting with 2D and 3D applications on a tabletop display environment. The camera acts as the main sensor for a gesture-based interaction. Using the mobile phone with an interactive touch screen allows the use of techniques that move beyond single hand/finger input to improve task performance. The interaction performances of the proposed techniques and design guidelines are also described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people use a PDA or a smart phone as a daily working tool. These devices allow us to communicate; to organize our life and so on. In this sense, the key question underlying this paper is if this new technology could be used to enrich our experience when we visit museums or other cultural spaces. Museums and art galleries are provided with some electronic guides in order to do more pleasant the visit to the exhibition. It is interesting to know how to use these new devices as a medium to guide and improve the visitors' experience. In this paper we describe a real system deployed in an emblematic museum in Spain, called Cutlery Museum of Albacete. Our approach uses a PDA -offered to visitors- that work jointly with a wireless network to show additional information about old knives, jack-knives and scissors which are showed physically in the museum. The system supports four languages and incorporates special functions for disabled people. The users' satisfaction results collected during the last 18 months demonstrate the validity of our proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a discriminative color quantization algorithm depending on the degree of focus of the regions. When we take pictures, we usually focus the object that we want to emphasize. This means that focused area on the photograph contains important information. If the focused area is displayed with more colors, we can express the important information in more detail. This paper proposes a color quantization method that determines the focused area and assigns more colors for the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the precision of data acquisition increases, large images that may occupy terabytes, become common in research and industry fields. Since multi-projector display wall systems can provide higher resolution, they becomes paramount to display the large images. In this paper, we present one large image viewing system designed for display wall system. Our system need not totally downloading the whole image data to each rendering node. It enables users to browse the out-of-core images in real time using data streaming techniques. In the system, the original out-of-core raw image is compressed and represented using one hierarchical structure in multi-resolution manner. We design one proxy architecture that interactive streams data from remote data server to all rendering nodes. Our system allows users to interactively pan, and zoom the large images with versatile graphical user interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are the leading source of death, causing 45% of all deaths. Besides, Heart Failure, the paradigm of CVD, mainly affects people older than 65. In the current aging society, the European MyHeart Project was created, whose mission is to empower citizens to fight CVD by leading a preventive lifestyle and being able to be diagnosed at an early stage. This paper presents the design of the user interaction of a Heart Failure Management System, based on daily monitoring of Vital Body Signals, with wearable and mobile technologies, for the continuous assessment of this chronic disease. The user interaction in such systems plays a role of major importance, enabling the usage of technical solutions which motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable computer offers job-critical information to people whose hands must be free for other works. By adopting the flexible electronic technology, designs of such apparatus provide the features of highly mobility and durability. This paper takes the duties of the police as a case study. By analyzing the activities of the police and the problems of currently used apparatus, thirty-three problems were elicited. A Quantification Method Type IV and a cluster analysis were employed to analyze the problem's structure and six groups of problems were highlighted. The design specifications were derived from the previous studies. Four conceptual designs of wearable computers were proposed by transferring the soft and wearable images in the design processes. Developing and evaluating the experimental prototypes will be undertaken for further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel system for supporting everyday activities. Recent researches have proposed the embedding of computers and sensors in user environments so as to provide assistance in certain scenarios [1]. However, it is difficult for users to make the environments. Our goal is to develop a technology that will enable novice users to create such environments easily. In order to achieve this goal, we have developed a sensorized cloth called "Smart Furoshiki." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses two functional brain imaging techniques, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near-infrared (fNIR) imaging, and their applications for quantitative usability analysis. This application is demonstrated through a two-phase study on reading effort required for varying degrees of font degradation. The first phase used fMRI to map cortical locations that were active while subjects read fonts of varying quality. The second phase used fNIR imaging, which showed higher levels of activity (and thus greater cognitive effort) in the visual processing area of the brain during a reading task with text presented in degraded fonts. The readability analysis techniques demonstrated in this study also generalize to applications requiring an objective analysis of interface usability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Multi-sensory Room is an ongoing project aiming to develop non pharmacological therapeutic protocols and IT solutions for the treatment of dementia in institutionalized contexts. The project exploits the potential of ambient technologies and tangible media for developing a therapeutic environment to stimulate patients' residual cognitive, behavioral and physical abilities. The Multi-sensory room is currently used in an Italian Home Care. Initial trials and preliminary results are described in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High technology is a common feature in the modern operating room. While this situation enables a wide range of patient related data to be collected and analysed, the optimal viewing of this information becomes problematic. This situation is particularly acute in a busy operating theatre or while the clinician is moving around the hospital. The WINORE (Wearable computers IN the Operating Room Environment) project is a possible solution to this dilemma. It uses wearable computers and head mounted displays to provide an enhanced delivery of patient information, wirelessly collected from a range of devices, to surgeons, anaesthetists, and supervising clinicians. A crucial dimension to the project is how the clinicians interface with the system given the restrictions of sterile conditions and reduced dexterity due to operating procedures. In this paper we present the WINORE project concept, the background ideas and some findings from our trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to predict user acceptance of smart clothing. The present research develops and validates new products for smart clothing. Studies suggest that further analysis of the process be undertaken to better establish properties for smart clothing, underlying structures and stability over innovative technologies. The findings reported in this paper should be useful methods which identify user needs. Such findings in now provide a way to explain technology acceptance. Both of qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to this study in order to find out user needs for smart clothing. We are writing scenarios and conducting both focused group interviews and a survey to assess the user's interest. The purpose of the survey is to evaluate the importance of the functions and to evaluate the degree of the participant's feeling and attitude. Furthermore, we explore the nature and specific influences of factors that may affect the user perception and usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligence analysts are bombarded with enormous volumes of imagery, which they must visually filter through to identify relevant areas of interest. Interpretation of such data is subject to error due to (1) large data volumes, implying the need for faster and more effective processing, and (2) misinterpretation, implying the need for enhanced analyst/system effectiveness. This paper outlines the Revolutionary Accelerated Processing Image Detection (RAPID) System, designed to significantly improve data throughput and interpretation by incorporating advancing neurophysiological technology to monitor processes associated with detection and identification of relevant target stimuli in a non-invasive and temporally precise manner. Specifically, this work includes the development of innovative electroencephalographic (EEG) and eye tracking technologies to detect and flag areas of interest, potentially without an analyst's conscious intervention or motor responses, while detecting and mitigating problems with tacit knowledge, such as anchoring bias in real-time to reduce the possibility of human error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the application of an international user interface standard in the digital home in a gateway-based approach: The Universal Control Hub. ISO/IEC FDIS 24752 specifies the Universal Remote Console framework, promoting a "user interface socket" and pluggable user interfaces. The Universal Control Hub implements this standard in a way that facilitates the operation of existing controlled devices and controller devices. It retrieves user interfaces for the discovered target devices from resource servers that hold registered resources from multiple parties for any target device. Thus an open platform for user interfaces in the digital home is created that decouples the user interface from the device. This approach is expected to lead to more usable and more accessible user interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far the research on Ambient Intelligence (AmI) has been lunched in Europe and Human-Computer Interaction becomes an important technical aspect of it. AmI is the integration of ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous communications and the application of user interface, and its goal is to design and realize the brand-new intelligent, personalized and connective systems or services. In this paper, we put forward an experimental system, which incarnate the essential characteristics of Ambient Intelligence. The architecture and context-aware mechanisms of this system is discussed briefly and the detail of some Human-Computer-Interaction techniques is expounded. With the building of research platform, some Human-Computer-Interaction techniques are worthy of further study in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, creating alternative computer environments, especially Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) for children, has become increasingly popular. However, up till now, the evaluation of tangible technologies has been rather scarce. This paper focuses on evaluating children's technologies that go beyond the desktop computer. A qualitative case study on our TUI prototype will be presented by using selected methods: Think Aloud (TA), Peer Tutoring (PT) and Drawing Intervention (DI). We found some limitations to the methods and there were lessons that were learnt when the evaluation studies were carried out with children. The research will contribute to the paradigms, such as the design and evaluation of ‘the disappearing computer‘ and ‘tangible computing‘. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in sensor technology, embedded processing power, and modeling and reasoning software, have created the possibility for everyday products to sense the environment and pro-actively anticipate user needs. There is however a risk of creating environments in which people experience a lack of control. The aim of this study is to explore the degree in which people are willing to delegate control to a pro-active home atmosphere control system. The findings suggest that participants are willing to delegate control to easy-to-use systems, and they do not want to delegate control to complex and unpredictable systems. It is argued that the willingness to delegate should not be considered as a fixed degree, rather system initiative might depend on the situation at hand or on changes in time. Design research on mixed initiative systems faces a methodological challenge, in terms of measuring user experience of autonomous prototypes in a controlled way, while still preserving the sense of a realistic experience. The paper describes advantages and disadvan tages of testing in a simulated home environment versus testing in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The situation recognition ability of the robot is enhanced by connecting a home ubiquitous network and conversational robots. The situation explanation ability of the robot is also enhanced by acquiring information through the network. The new development of the human robot interaction can be expected in total. In this paper we describe a prototype system that is developed in the experimental house based on such a concept. Then, the study of the actual proof experimental life in the house is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With advances in tracking and increased computing power, mobile AR systems are popular in our daily life. Researchers in mobile AR technology have emphasized the technical challenges involved in the limitations imposed from mobility. They did not consider context-aware service with user-related information annotation, even if in ubiquitous computing environment, various contexts of both a user and an environment can be utilized easily as well as effectively. Moreover, it is difficult to have access to pervasive but invisible computing resources. At the same time, the more smart appliances become evolved with more features, the harder their user interfaces tend to become to use. Thus, in this paper, we propose Context-aware Mobile Augmented Reality (CaMAR) system. It lets users interact with their smart objects through personalized control interfaces on their mobile AR devices. Also, it supports enabling contents to be not only personalized but also shared selectively and interactively among user communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed and implemented a tangible game interface using projector-camera systems. The system offers a simple and quick setup and economic design. The projection onto a paper board held by the user provides more direct viewing as well as more natural and flexible interaction than bulky HMD's or monitor-based game interfaces. Homography calibration techniques are used to provide geometrically compensated projections on the board with robustness and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kitchen is a place where food is prepared and education and communication activities relating to food are carried out. As it is a place that witnesses more activity when compared to the other parts of the house, there are many potential ubiquitous computing applications that can be installed in a kitchen. We are developing a computer-augmented kitchen environment, the Kitchen of the Future, that incorporates various computing elements into a standard kitchen unit. In this paper, we describe an overview of the Kitchen of the Future system and three applications, that is, recording and replaying of a cooking process, videoconferencing cooking instructions, and interactive cooking navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an advanced model of a treadmill using balls which are actuated by a belt on a turntable. The platform is able to run at high speeds which are close to normal walking speed and can withstand the load of a 100kg human. Several different tests have been performed to prove the principle on the one hand and to evaluate the upscalability of the system on the other hand. First, a human is walking on the platform at different speeds. The speed is increased until the unit gets instable at about 1.5 m/s. Methods for further stabilization at higher speeds are discussed. Second, a vehicle simulates the movements of a human in an urban environment at a downscaled level. The control recenters the vehicle and the resulting accelerations on the vehicle are calculated and upscaled. These results are compared to the preliminary results of our partner Max Planck Society Tübingen where the research about the human perception of accelerations is done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop an interaction framework for huge public displays with multiple users in public spaces such as concourses, lobbies in buildings, and rendezvous spots. Based on this framework, we introduce an interactive system for public spaces called Mirai-Tube. This system creates a scalable interactive media space and has a scalable real-time recognizer. A Mirai-Tube system was installed in the underground concourse of Minato Mirai Station in Yokohama. We conducted a demonstration experiment from 1st Feb. to 31st Oct. 2004. This trial represents the world's first experiment in a real public space in terms of its scale and its time period. We evaluate our interactive media system from three points of view: acceptability as a public media, how much attention the public pays to it, and its understandability as an advertising media. This paper describes the features, implementation, and operation of the interactive media system and the results of the evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the convergence of technologies in artificial intelligence, human-computer interfaces, and pervasive computing, the idea of a "smart environment" is becoming a reality. While we all would like the benefits of an environment that automates many of our daily tasks, a smart environment that makes the wrong decisions can quickly becoming annoying. In this paper, we describe a simulation tool that can be used to visualize activity data in a smart home, play through proposed automation schemes, and ultimately provide guidance to automating the smart environment. We describe how automation policies can adapt to resident feedback, and demonstrate the ideas in the context of the MavHome smart home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes work aimed at developing new tangible computer interfaces that can be created out of almost any surface by detecting the vibrations generated when a user's finger interacts with the surface. Two modes of interaction have been considered: discrete impact and continuous scratching. Two methods for localising the point of impact have been investigated: Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Location Template Matching (LTM). Tracking of the continuous movement of a finger scratching on a surface has been implemented by extending the TDOA method. These methods have been tested using solid objects of different materials and shapes. Experimental results have shown the potential of the presented technologies for real-time impact localisation in this new form of human-computer interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a case study which addresses the design of a system which supports the recollection of memories and the creation of storytelling by combining physical objects with digital resources. The purpose of our research is twofold. The first aim is to investigate the experience of travelling focusing on how objects and information support human activity. The second aim is to explore the Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) framework and the enabling technology in order to support recalling and sharing of travel experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New elements that are introduced by the nature of living and interacting within an Ambient Intelligence (AmI) environment lead to new HCI paradigms. While AmI User Interfaces are moving off the desktop and the GUI paradigm, and become augmented and diffused within the ubiquitous environments, a new generation of User Interface Design Tools to facilitate the design and realization of AmI applications, is emerging. Issues and specific shifts related to Human Computer Interaction in AmI environments, which affect the design of these tools, is outlined in this paper. The high level characteristics of End User Tools that facilitate users to reason as well as manipulate the behavior of the AmI environment are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years high quality interaction devices have become very popular in our environment. The industries are also currently undergoing rapid change and various technologies have been explored to enable these capabilities. Projection systems using beam projectors and laser pointer became the ubiquitous infrastructure for command technology. Group meetings and other non-desk situations require that people should be able to interact at a distance from a display surface. This paper presents new interaction techniques that use a laser pointer to directly interact with display on a large screen. The camera is subsequently used to detect the position of the pointing device (such as a laser pointer dot) on the screen, allowing the laser pointer to emulate the pointing actions of the mouse. The laser pointer will behave as a active point on the projected display where the user can interact. This vision-based system is augmented with a natural interface that enables the user to interactively refine the suggested rectification. This makes it very easy for users to execute fast and continuous commands. The interaction model developed behaves like a "smart interaction system." The vision based interaction system requires no special hardware and runs on a standard computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of ubiquitousness has been changing the uses as well as the paradigm of services, and emphasizing the importance of services being personalization. In this paper, we propose Wearable Healthcare Gadget based on Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) to gather health information of user and a new approach to life-log service using the Wearable Healthcare Gadget. It can be wearable and gather physiological information and environmental information which can provide life-log service. Also it has the processing and networking capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a drastic change in the ways that computers are used. They have evolved from being tools for dealing with reality, e.g., for recording data and calculating complex equations, to being tools for fashioning virtuality, including virtual reality systems, on-line games, and virtual communities. This phenomenon, to some extent, stems from rapid technological development. What is more important, however, is that this phenomenon is also deeply rooted in the human longing for a virtual world. This paper argues for the importance of understanding such a desire, and discusses, in this context, how virtual reality may become a promising realm of the future, by setting out a theoretical foundation to examine it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present evaluation results of an innovative application designed to make collaborative design review in the architectural and automotive domain more effective. Within IMPROVE, a European research project in the area of advanced displays, we are combining high resolution multi-tile displays, TabletPCs and head-mounted displays with innovative 2D and 3D Interaction Paradigms to better support collabo rative mobile mixed reality design reviews. Our research and development is motivated by application scenarios in the automotive domain involving FIAT Elasis from Naples, Italy and in the architectural domain involving Page/Park architects from Glasgow, Scotland. User evaluation took place at Glasgow (UK), Naples (ITA) and Darmstadt (GER), where we tested the integrated IMPROVE prototype application. The tests were conducted based on several heuristics such as ergonomics and psychomotorial factors and they were conducted based on guidelines recommended by ISO 9241 to verify whether the developed interfaces were suitable for the applications scenarios. Evaluation results show that there is a strong demand for more interactive design review systems, allowing users greater flexibility and greater choice of input and visualization modalities as well as their combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key distribution is one of the most challenging issues for secure communication in wireless sensor networks. Even though the random key pre-distribution approach is suitable for sensor nodes of low power and resource, a shared key between a pair of nodes is not guaranteed to be found and thus they cannot communicate with each other. This paper proposes a new robust key pre-distribution scheme solving this problem while security is not compromised even though the data exchanged between the nodes are tapped by an adversary. This is achieved by using the keys assigned through LDU decomposition of the symmetric matrix of a pool of keys. A general form solution of L, D, and U matrix is also developed to minimize the time overhead of LDU decomposition. Computer simulation reveals that the proposed scheme also significantly improves the energy efficiency compared with the existing random key pre-distribution scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize Weiser's vision of ubiquitous computing, a popular approach has been to create so-called smart living objects, which are everyday objects in our living environment augmented with digital technology. In this paper, we survey different smart living objects and classify their design choices into different types of digital enhancement. These design choices are about choosing the relation between the object's digital enhancement and its traditional use - (1) whether the object's digital function enhances ordistracts its original function, and (2) whether the object's digital interaction matches orconflicts with its original interaction. Finally, we formulate design heuristics that new digital enhancement should consider the object's traditional function and interaction method, and avoid conflict between the digital enhancement and the traditional use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the current research areas in automotive field is aimed at improving driving safety with regards to the development of preventive support systems, also called ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). These systems are able to detect a critical situation and to inform timely the driver, so that a repairing maneuver can be performed. From the human factors point of view, driving is considered as a complex cognitive task that can be summarized by four main sub-processes: perception, analysis, decision and action . To be performed, each phase presumes the achievement of the previous one, An exception occurs when humans overcome planning / decision phase and go directly from analysis / interpretation to action / execution (almost in automatic way). This paper intends to propose, following the main literature on human-centered automation, how the ADAS intervention can be designed without negative impact on driving safety. In particular, a forward collision warning has been studied. For this study, the Levels Of Automation (LOA) classified by Parasuramam and Sheridan (2000) has been used as well as the studies in the domain of the so-called Adaptive Automation (AA) (Kaber Riley, Endsley 2001; Scerbo 1996), that allow to adapt the information to the driver's workload and to the context level of dangerousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human gestures are typical examples of non-verbal communication, and help people communicate smoothly [1]. However, using camera to recognizing gesture needs high processing power and suffer from delays in recognition [2]. Sometimes distance between large screen and user is a problem as for example in pen based interaction user must be attached to screen. So our main motivation is how we should design a user interface that use cookie wireless sensor [3] as an input device. In this paper we describe the interface setting, method of extracting motion and direction from 3D accelometer, using the tilting gesture. Then we proposed a method that allows users to define their own tilting positions and refer it to certain directions. Then we describe a menu selection interface that is based on pie menu for interaction with remote displays. An evaluation of the proposed interface in terms of accuracy, time and attached objects has been conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sketching interface, as a user-friendly means for expression and communication, is not only an important medium for inputting 3D objects, but also a significant step of visualizing user's conceptual ideas. To bring early sketching interface to network utilities, the paper defines several rules that can create and edit 3D models. These gesture schemes support both regular and freeform modeling, and can be embedded in multi-user interface through network. A brief introduction about sketch-based collaboration in client-server architecture is proposed. A tool with this sketch interface and physical simulation functionalities is presented. The experimental results show that it can explore users' ideas in aiding 3D collaboration in network environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we developed valid mobile presence measurements, and proposed the factor structure of the resulting scale. The measurements of items came from previously published questionnaires in the area of VR and from the experience of mobile 3D developers. We also added our concept factors. The 60 subjects experienced the mobile 3D game for about 40 mins. After finishing the mobile 3D game, they completed the questionnaire immediately. Factor analysis was performed on the data. The factors of mobile 3D presence were divided into 4 super-factors; condition factor, interface factor, attention factor, and feedback, and were further divided into 20 sub-factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in both Virtual Reality (VR) systems and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) technologies have resulted in the appearance of the Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) systems supporting different forms of collaboration and interaction between users. The collaboration in these systems refers to the simultaneous interaction (collaborative interaction) of multiple users on a virtual object in an immersive or semi-immersive Virtual Environment (VE). However, in some cases, the collaborative interaction is reduced to a simple communication between users. In this paper, we propose a new model of collaborative interaction that supports group interaction in CVEs. Our model defines the functional role and the functional clover of the 3D interaction. This Model is based on group awareness concepts (focus, nimbus and degree of interaction) combined with 3D interaction paradigms (navigation, selection and manipulation). The aim of our model is to manage and control the simultaneous user actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]