Touch gestures in communicating emotional intention via vibrotactile stimulation

Remote communication between people typically relies on audio and vision although current mobile devices are increasingly based on detecting different touch gestures such as swiping. These gestures could be adapted to interpersonal communication by using tactile technology capable of producing touch stimulation to a user's hand. It has been suggested that such mediated social touch would allow for new forms of emotional communication. The aim was to study whether vibrotactile stimulation that imitates human touch can convey intended emotions from one person to another. For this purpose, devices were used that converted touch gestures of squeeze and finger touch to vibrotactile stimulation. When one user squeezed his device or touched it with finger(s), another user felt corresponding vibrotactile stimulation on her device via four vibrating actuators. In an experiment, participant dyads comprising a sender and receiver were to communicate variations in the affective dimensions of valence and arousal using the devices. The sender's task was to create stimulation that would convey unpleasant, pleasant, relaxed, or aroused emotional intention to the receiver. Both the sender and receiver rated the stimulation using scales for valence and arousal so that the match between sender's intended emotions and receiver's interpretations could be measured. The results showed that squeeze was better at communicating unpleasant and aroused emotional intention, while finger touch was better at communicating pleasant and relaxed emotional intention. The results can be used in developing technology that enables people to communicate via touch by choosing touch gesture that matches the desired emotion.     

Presentation of Surface Height Profiles Based on Frequency Modulation at Constant Amplitude Using Vibrotactile Elements

This study attempted to observe what effects the frequency modulation of vibration elements produce in representing a tactile shape. Tactile shapes were modulated based on frequency difference at constant amplitude through a tactile feedback array of 30 (5 × 6) pins, which stimulated the finger pad. Experiment I showed that participants feel height changes when modulating frequency. In Experiment II, the participants were asked to discriminate three basic tactile shape patterns, which were generated with different frequencies at constant amplitude. Experiment II proved that spatial height information can be represented by modulating temporal information. In Experiment III, the frequency modulation method was applied to the tactile mouse system. Dynamic frequency modulation at passive touch can be used to transmit tactile height pattern information to the user of the mouse pointer for more practical application. The results showed that the participants were able to discern eight predefined shapes with an accuracy of 98.4% upon passive touch.     

Haptic force-feedback devices for the office computer: performance and musculoskeletal loading issues

Pointing devices, essential input tools for the graphical user interface (GUI) of desktop computers, require precise motor control and dexterity to use. Haptic force-feedback devices provide the human operator with tactile cues, adding the sense of touch to existing visual and auditory interfaces. However, the performance enhancements, comfort, and possible musculoskeletal loading of using a force-feedback device in an office environment are unknown. Hypothesizing that the time to perform a task and the self-reported pain and discomfort of the task improve with the addition of force feedback, 26 people ranging in age from 22 to 44 years performed a point-and-click task 540 times with and without an attractive force field surrounding the desired target. The point-and-click movements were approximately 25% faster with the addition of force feedback (paired t-tests, p < 0.001). Perceived user discomfort and pain, as measured through a questionnaire, were also smaller with the addition of force feedback (p < 0.001). However, this difference decreased as additional distracting force fields were added to the task environment, simulating a more realistic work situation. These results suggest that for a given task, use of a force-feedback device improves performance, and potentially reduces musculoskeletal loading during mouse use. Actual or potential applications of this research include human-computer interface design, specifically that of the pointing device extensively used for the graphical user interface.     

Mediated hugs modulate impressions of Hearsay information

ABSTRACT

Direct interpersonal touch affects the recipients' impression of the touch providers and information related to them. However, the applicability of this fact in mediated interpersonal touch remains unclear. In this study, we describe the alleviating effect of mediated interpersonal touch on social judgment and show that mediated hugs with a remote person affect the impression of the hearsay information about a third person. In our experiment, participants rated their impressions via a questionnaire and recall test. Results show that mediated hugs reduced negative inferences when people recalled information about the third person. As a possible underlying mechanism, we argue that stress reduction through mediated hugs moderates negative impressions of the third person.     

The form of augmented force-feedback fields and the efficiency and satisfaction in computer-aided pointing tasks

This study investigates operation efficiency and user satisfaction for spatial and temporal shapes of augmented force-feedback fields to be used with computer pointing devices in target acquisition tasks. In an experiment, three different force-field shapes at two different mean force levels were compared, with an electromechanical force-feedback trackball as control device and with efficiency and user satisfaction as dependent variables. Efficiency was measured by the time required to perform a certain task, and user satisfaction was measured through a subjective rating procedure. Satisfaction results indicate that to a rough approximation, participants can be grouped into those who prefer high and those who prefer low force levels. Members of the former group were most satisfied with force fields with a gradual start and an abrupt ending. This force-field shape also proved to be the most efficient for both groups. When all participants were considered as a single group, none of the effects was found to be statistically significant. A gender effect was also found; in both preference groups women achieved significantly shorter task completion times than men. Actual or potential applications of this research include enabling computer interaction for people prone to repetitive strain injuries and the increment of efficiency and satisfaction in human-computer interaction in general.     

Touchable area: An empirical study on design approach considering perception size and touch input behavior

As the use of mobile touch devices continues to increase, distinctive user experiences can be provided through a direct manipulation. Therefore, the characteristics of touch interfaces should be considered regarding their controllability. This study aims to provide a design approach for touch-based user interfaces. A derivation procedure for the touchable area is proposed as a design guideline based on input behavior. To these ends, two empirical tests were conducted through a smart phone interface. Fifty-five participants were asked to perform a series of input tasks on a screen. As results, touchable area with a desirable hit rate of 90% could be yielded depending on the icon design. To improve the applicability of the touchable area, user error was analyzed based on omission-commission classification. The most suitable design had a hit rate of 95% compared to 90 and 99%. This study contributes practical implications for user interaction design with finger-based controls.Relevance to industryThis research describes a distinctive design approach that guarantees the desired touch accuracy for effective use of mobile touch devices. Therefore, the results will encourage interface designers to take into account the input behavior of fingers from a user-centered perspective.     

Identifying the effectiveness of using three different haptic devices for providing non-visual access to the web

Haptic technologies are often used to improve access to the structural content of graphical user interfaces, thereby augmenting the interaction process for blind users. While haptic design guidelines offer valuable assistance when developing non-visual interfaces, the recommendations presented are often tailored to the feedback produced via one particular haptic input/output device. A blind user is therefore restricted to interacting with a device which may be unfamiliar to him/her, rather than selecting from the range of commercially available products. This paper reviews devices available on the first and second-hand markets, and describes an exploratory study undertaken with 12 blindfolded sighted participants to determine the effectiveness of three devices for non-visual web interaction. The force-feedback devices chosen for the study, ranged in the number of translations and rotations that the user was able to perform when interacting with them. Results have indicated that the Novint Falcon could be used to target items faster in the first task presented, compared with the other devices. However, participants agreed that the force-feedback mouse was most comfortable to use when interacting with the interface. Findings have highlighted the benefits which low cost haptic input/output devices can offer to the non-visual browsing process, and any changes which may need to be made to accommodate their deficiencies. The study has also highlighted the need for web designers to integrate appropriate haptic feedback on their web sites to cater for the strengths and weaknesses of various devices, in order to provide universally accessible sites and online applications.     

Social decisions and fairness change when people’s interests are represented by autonomous agents

There has been growing interest on agents that represent people’s interests or act on their behalf such as automated negotiators, self-driving cars, or drones. Even though people will interact often with others via these agent representatives, little is known about whether people’s behavior changes when acting through these agents, when compared to direct interaction with others. Here we show that people’s decisions will change in important ways because of these agents; specifically, we showed that interacting via agents is likely to lead people to behave more fairly, when compared to direct interaction with others. We argue this occurs because programming an agent leads people to adopt a broader perspective, consider the other side’s position, and rely on social norms—such as fairness—to guide their decision making. To support this argument, we present four experiments: in Experiment 1 we show that people made fairer offers in the ultimatum and impunity games when interacting via agent representatives, when compared to direct interaction; in Experiment 2, participants were less likely to accept unfair offers in these games when agent representatives were involved; in Experiment 3, we show that the act of thinking about the decisions ahead of time—i.e., under the so-called “strategy method”—can also lead to increased fairness, even when no agents are involved; and, finally, in Experiment 4 we show that participants were less likely to reach an agreement with unfair counterparts in a negotiation setting. We discuss theoretical implications for our understanding of the nature of people’s social behavior with agent representatives, as well as practical implications for the design of agents that have the potential to increase fairness in society.     

Touch a screen or turn a knob: choosing the best device for the job

Input devices enable users to interact with systems. In two experiments, we assessed whether and how task demands and user age influenced task performance for a direct input device (touch screen) and an indirect input device (rotary encoder). In Experiment 1, 40 younger (18-28 years) and 40 middle-aged to older adults (51-65 years) performed tasks using controls such as sliders, up/down buttons, list boxes, and text boxes while using a system. The optimal input device to facilitate performance was dependent on the task being performed and the age of the user. In Experiment 2, touch screen use was assessed for 20 younger (19-23 years) and 20 older adults (51-70 years). Task demands were manipulated through button size, movement distance, direction, and type of movement. Performance was moderated by the age of the user and by task demands. Actual or potential applications of this research include guidance for the optimal selection of input devices for different user populations and task characteristics.     

Evaluation of the safety and usability of touch gestures in operating in-vehicle information systems with visual occlusion

Nowadays, many automobile manufacturers are interested in applying the touch gestures that are used in smart phones to operate their in-vehicle information systems (IVISs). In this study, an experiment was performed to verify the applicability of touch gestures in the operation of IVISs from the viewpoints of both driving safety and usability. In the experiment, two devices were used: one was the Apple iPad, with which various touch gestures such as flicking, panning, and pinching were enabled; the other was the SK EnNavi, which only allowed tapping touch gestures. The participants performed the touch operations using the two devices under visually occluded situations, which is a well-known technique for estimating load of visual attention while driving.     

Emotion understanding and performance during computer-supported collaboration

Individuals collaborating around and through computers benefit from receiving information that helps them understand one another, which is often termed awareness. This article explores what collaborators understand about each other’s emotions and the potential benefits for performance that might come from raising this understanding. In Experiment 1 co-located collaborators judged each other’s emotions after playing a game that required cooperative data collection and analysis. Their judgements were largely inaccurate and based on their own emotions, suggesting limited emotion understanding. Experiment 2 explored if this could be overcome by making collaborators aware of each other’s emotions. Co-located and remote collaborators played a cooperative puzzle-solving game under conditions of awareness or no awareness. Awareness was manipulated by making collaborators share their self-reported emotions during key moments of their game play. Both remote and co-located collaborators improved their performance after sharing their emotions. However, unlike co-located collaborators, remote collaborators also improved their understanding of each other’s emotions and experienced more positive affect. We conclude by discussing the content of collaborators’ emotion understanding and the probable mechanisms underlying the observed effects of being made aware of a partner’s emotions.     

基于视-触跨模态感知的智能导盲系统

盲人活动援助是盲人日常生活的重要组成部分。这些技术大多用于帮助盲人导航和躲避障碍物,很少有研究将地面信息转换成一种给用户直观感受的触觉信息。为了满足上述需求,本文提出了一种可以提供触觉反馈的盲人辅助地面识别智能导盲杖系统。试图利用深度生成对抗训练的方法来产生振动触觉刺激,使用改进的DiscoGAN训练了我们的端到端生成网络。为了训练我们的网络,构建了视触跨模态数据集GroVib。通过上机实验和实物实验来评估方案的可行性,通过上机实验结果表明参与者通过触觉识别地面的准确率为84.7%,触觉的平均真实感受得分为71.3,在真实场景实验中,参与者只需平均3.35次尝试就可以根据触觉反馈来识别地面。     

冗余并联机构的力控制

为了实现力反馈遥操作系统中的力反馈，介绍了一种用作力反馈主手的驱动冗余并联机构，并提出了一种简单的力控制算法。这种方法首先由机构的逆解计算其力映射矩阵、雅可比矩阵。然后，基于消除冗余并联机构固有内力的原则，由冗余并联机构的末端力得到机构各个主动关节的驱动力。由于并联机构的逆解比正解简单，这种方法能够大大地简化计算。实验结果表明，这种算法能快速、精确地完成力控制。     

A graphical-based password keystroke dynamic authentication system for touch screen handheld mobile devices

Since touch screen handheld mobile devices have become widely used, people are able to access various data and information anywhere and anytime. Most user authentication methods for these mobile devices use PIN-based (Personal Identification Number) authentication, since they do not employ a standard QWERTY keyboard for conveniently entering text-based passwords. However, PINs provide a small password space size, which is vulnerable to attacks. Many studies have employed the KDA (Keystroke Dynamic-based Authentication) system, which is based on keystroke time features to enhance the security of PIN-based authentication. Unfortunately, unlike the text-based password KDA systems in QWERTY keyboards, different keypad sizes or layouts of mobile devices affect the PIN-based KDA system utility. This paper proposes a new graphical-based password KDA system for touch screen handheld mobile devices. The graphical password enlarges the password space size and promotes the KDA utility in touch screen handheld mobile devices. In addition, this paper explores a pressure feature, which is easy to use in touch screen handheld mobile devices, and applies it in the proposed system. The experiment results show: (1) EER is 12.2% in the graphical-based password KDA proposed system. Compared with related schemes in mobile devices, this effectively promotes KDA system utility; (2) EER is reduced to 6.9% when the pressure feature is used in the proposed system. The accuracy of authenticating keystroke time and pressure features is not affected by inconsistent keypads since the graphical passwords are entered via an identical size (50 mm × 60 mm) human–computer interface for satisfying the lowest touch screen size and a GUI of this size is displayed on all mobile devices.     

Do the number of robots and the participant’s gender influence conformity effect from multiple robots?

ABSTRACT

The conformity effect is a critical social phenomenon through which one individual or a particular group influences the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of another person or group. We focused on two essential factors that influence the power of the conformity effect: the number of people and gender. In this paper, we investigated whether conformity effects have changed due to the number of robots and the gender of the participants. We experimentally compared conformity effects by considering these two factors while participants answered questions after listening to incorrect answers from two, four, or six robots. The experimental results showed that the conformity ratio with the six robots is significantly larger than the two/four robots, and the conformity effect for female participants is stronger than male participants, similar to human-human conformity effects.     

The validity of driving simulation for assessing differences between in-vehicle informational interfaces: A comparison with field testing

Data from on-road and simulation studies were compared to assess the validity of measures generated in the simulator. In the on-road study, driver interaction with three manual address entry methods (keypad, touch screen and rotational controller) was assessed in an instrumented vehicle to evaluate relative usability and safety implications. A separate group of participants drove a similar protocol in a medium fidelity, fixed-base driving simulator to assess the extent to which simulator measures mirrored those obtained in the field. Visual attention and task measures mapped very closely between the two environments. In general, however, driving performance measures did not differentiate among devices at the level of demand employed in this study. The findings obtained for visual attention and task engagement suggest that medium fidelity simulation provides a safe and effective means to evaluate the effects of in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) designs on these categories of driver behaviour.

Statement of Relevance: Realistic evaluation of the user interface of IVIS has significant implications for both user acceptance and safety. This study addresses the validity of driving simulation for accurately modelling differences between interface methodologies by comparing results from the field with those from a medium fidelity, fixed-base simulator.     

Creation of a new set of dynamic virtual reality faces for the assessment and training of facial emotion recognition ability

The ability to recognize facial emotions is target behaviour when treating people with social impairment. When assessing this ability, the most widely used facial stimuli are photographs. Although their use has been shown to be valid, photographs are unable to capture the dynamic aspects of human expressions. This limitation can be overcome by creating virtual agents with feasible expressed emotions. The main objective of the present study was to create a new set of dynamic virtual faces with high realism that could be integrated into a virtual reality (VR) cyberintervention to train people with schizophrenia in the full repertoire of social skills. A set of highly realistic virtual faces was created based on the Facial Action Coding System. Facial movement animation was also included so as to mimic the dynamism of human facial expressions. Consecutive healthy participants (n = 98) completed a facial emotion recognition task using both natural faces (photographs) and virtual agents expressing five basic emotions plus a neutral one. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in participants’ accuracy of recognition between the two presentation conditions. However, anger was better recognized in the VR images, and disgust was better recognized in photographs. Age, the participant’s gender and reaction times were also explored. Implications of the use of virtual agents with realistic human expressions in cyberinterventions are discussed.     

交互设计背景下的书籍设计

现代设计的趋势是以人为本,关注人的感受和情感。交互的概念和交互设计学科就是在这样的背景下产生的。它利用多种手段、媒介实现了人和产品之间的交流和互动,其理念和技术也渗入到相关的多个学科。作为传统的书籍需要交互吗?需要交互体验吗?回答是肯定的。书籍的基本功能是阅读,书籍设计最终目的是沟通和交流。现代的书籍设计更加注重人作为阅读者的感受和体验,充分调动人的五感,在触觉、视觉、味觉、嗅觉、听觉上,运用多种材料和手段,做到与人更好地互动和交流。     

Visual Impairments and Mobile Touchscreen Interaction: State-of-the-Art,Causes of Visual Impairment,and Design Guidelines

ABSTRACT

This article identifies, catalogues, and discusses factors that are responsible for causing visual impairment of either a pathological or situational nature for touch and gesture input on smart mobile devices. Because the vast majority of interactions with touchscreen devices are highly visual in nature, any factor that prevents a clear, direct view of the mobile device’s screen can have potential negative implications on the effectiveness and efficiency of the interaction. This work presents the first overview of such factors, which are grouped in a catalogue of users, devices, and environments. The elements of the catalogue (e.g., psychological factors that relate to the user, or the social acceptability of mobile device use in public that relates to the social environment) are discussed in the context of current eye pathology classification from medicine and the recent literature in human–computer interaction on mobile touch and gesture input for people with visual impairments, for which a state-of-the-art survey is conducted. The goal of this work is to help systematize research on visual impairments and mobile touchscreen interaction by providing a catalogue-based view of the main causes of visual impairments affecting touch and gesture input on smart mobile devices.     

Reactions,accuracy and response complexity of numerical typing on touch screens

Touch screens are popular nowadays as seen on public kiosks, industrial control panels and personal mobile devices. Numerical typing is one frequent task performed on touch screens, but this task on touch screen is subject to human errors and slow responses. This study aims to find innate differences of touch screens from standard physical keypads in the context of numerical typing by eliminating confounding issues. Effects of precise visual feedback and urgency of numerical typing were also investigated. The results showed that touch screens were as accurate as physical keyboards, but reactions were indeed executed slowly on touch screens as signified by both pre-motor reaction time and reaction time. Provision of precise visual feedback caused more errors, and the interaction between devices and urgency was not found on reaction time. To improve usability of touch screens, designers should focus more on reducing response complexity and be cautious about the use of visual feedback.

Practitioner Summary: The study revealed that slower responses on touch screens involved more complex human cognition to formulate motor responses. Attention should be given to designing precise visual feedback appropriately so that distractions or visual resource competitions can be avoided to improve human performance on touch screens.