Context-awareness: one of 2013’s top trends

In a recent UX magazine article context-awareness was listed as one of the top UX trends in 2013. Yes, the same context-awareness known from HCI literature since the early 90s (the term was first used by Schilit et al. in 1994 to be precise). So it took nearly 20 years for context-awareness to find its way from labs to real life – another confirmation of what Bill Buxton calls the long nose of innovation. Other examples are the mouse and multitouch displays, which took approximately 30 and 20 years to reach mainstream respectively.

Continue reading

Toward improved emergency call service: a usability test case study

Miha Ristič & Franc Novak

Abstract

This paper describes the initial steps for the improvement of emergency call service. For instance, persons reporting an accident or similar event and the officer receiving the call are often under stress, which distracts the communication process and becomes a barrier to information transfer. We try to identify the main deficiencies when processing a received call and explore alternative ways of recording the main information content. In this regard we performed a usability test case study for assessing the efficiency of recording information either on a blank paper or in a prepared paper form. Implementation details of the usability test are described.

[Link]

How to provide health-related information by mobile computing?

Barbara Koroušić Seljak

Abstract

The paper describes an approach taken by a mobile application eDietetik for the presentation of health- related information that is not allowed to be provided as a health claim. In this case, a mobile device running the application interacts with consumers, translating health-related information in an understandable and unambiguous way. Moreover, it may present an interface between different human stakeholders (i.e. consumers and manufacturers, consumers and healthcare providers, manufacturers and policy-makers).

[Link]

Wireless medical device audio alarm

Marko Pavlin

Abstract

Audio alarming system for medical devices requires attention at some very specific segments. The clinical environment is full of disturbances and every alarm sound is not an exception. This paper presents some aspects of (audio) alarming within clinical environment and associated problems. Low power operation and limited resources for implementation are just on top of the problems related to the user experience. The presented solution is following the specific standards and is flexible enough to provide audio signals, which can be generated with small microcontroller. The described alarm generator was evaluated in laboratory and during clinical evaluation in real clinical environment with patients. The results are presented at the end of the paper.

[Link]

A website usability testing tool

Franc Novak, Denis Špelič & Borut Žalik

Abstract

This paper presents a low-cost website usability testing tool that records user’s mouse movement when performing search query on a web page. After a given time-out the web page is blurred and only some region around the mouse cursor remains transparent. The tool can be regarded as an automated version of the conventional squint test and can be used for the validation of the website design from the perspective of user cognitive load.

[Link]

Implicit photowork based on eye-gaze data

Bojan Blažica

Abstract

This paper presents a demo application for exploring the viability of using eye-gaze data for implicit human computer interaction in the context of photo collection management. The application takes advantage of eye-gaze data to augment interaction with photo collections and aid photowork tasks such as browsing, selecting and searching. It builds on the premise that the time a user spends viewing a photo is correlated with the user’s personal affinity for that photo.

[Link]

Connecting physical objects with software. Technology enhanced playing with blocks to foster learning

Daniel Joerg, Martina Lucht & Tobias Schwandt

Abstract

The innovative shaping of human-machine-interfaces includes technological implications for consumer behaviour and could result in significant paradigm changes for the way computers are used for business, for private and for learning purposes. If we use trends in the entertainment industry (e.g. Wii or Kinect) as an indicator for a new need for physicality in interaction with digital media, we can determine the potential of this physicality for learning and creativity. In this paper the theoretical assumptions and practical implications of tangible user interfaces (TUIs) for learning issues are discussed. For that we propose a new input device named STID that takes haptic skills of human body into account.

[Link]

World Usability Day Slovenia 2013

World Usability Day Slovenia 2013 solicits submissions in a broad range of categories,
addressing all aspects of human-computer interaction. Authors are welcome to submit
submissions in the form of short research papers; workshop and tutorial proposals;
industrial reports; interactive experience posters; and organizational overviews.
The conference will be held from the 26th
to 29th

November in Ljubljana and Maribor. So far confirmed esteemed keynote speakers:

  • Dr. Geraldine Fitzpatrick,
    Head of Human Computer Interaction Group at Vienna University of Technology
  • Dr. Leena Arhippainen,
    User experience researcher at Center for Internet Excellence
  • Dr. David Geerts,
    Research Manager at Centre for User Experience Research, K.U.Leuven
  • Dr. Björn Stockleben,
    Coordinator MA Cross Media – Management at University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal
  • Ville Kairamo,
    Head of Demola and Protomo

More on event can be found in Call for Paper.