Using psychophysiological techniques to measure user experience with entertainment technologies

Emerging technologies offer exciting new ways of using entertainment technology to create fantastic play experiences and foster interactions between players. Evaluating entertainment technology is challenging because success isn't defined in terms of productivity and performance, but in terms of enjoyment and interaction. Current subjective methods of evaluating entertainment technology aren't sufficiently robust. This paper describes two experiments designed to test the efficacy of physiological measures as evaluators of user experience with entertainment technologies. We found evidence that there is a different physiological response in the body when playing against a computer versus playing against a friend. These physiological results are mirrored in the subjective reports provided by the participants. In addition, we provide guidelines for collecting physiological data for user experience analysis, which were informed by our empirical investigations. This research provides an initial step towards using physiological responses to objectively evaluate a user's experience with entertainment technology.     

Psychophysiology of the passive user: Exploring the effect of technological conditions and personality traits

This purpose of this study was to investigate physiological response patterns of passive users versus active users under varying technological conditions. The relationship between user personality traits and physiological responses was also explored. In work systems, different types of users interact with technologies in different ways. Active users may control technologies, while passive users may watch the active user and the technology. While they are both important stakeholders in the system, little empirical research has been conducted to understand the passive users to date. A mixed design experiment was conducted to investigate passive user psychophysiological state, while active and passive users operated a technology under varying technological states (normal, unreliable, and difficult). Physiological measures were collected from passive users while technologies were being operated, these included electrodermal and cardiovascular (heart rate and heart rate variability). Results show that individual active users and passive users have distinct physiological response patterns in heart rate and heart rate variability while using the technology. Exploratory analyses indicated that conscientiousness was positively related to individual active users' task performance; openness, agreeableness, and extraversion were associated with passive users' electrodermal and cardiovascular responses. In addition, social interaction is more influential for passive users' physiological responses, compared to task performing. The effects of active and passive user personality traits on technology interactions are illustrated through distinctive physiological responses.Relevance to industryFindings from this study suggest that to improve passive user experience, systems that include both active and passive users should be designed to facilitate communication and information sharing between users.     

The effects of 3D interface metaphor on older adults’ mobile navigation performance and subjective evaluation

Navigating vast information spaces through mobile interfaces has become a common activity in older adults' everyday lives. Studies suggested that interface metaphors could be used to facilitate users' metal model development and information processing when using mobile technologies. However, we know little about how metaphors affect older adults' mobile navigation behavior, and which user characteristics matter during this perceptual and cognitive process. To investigate this, a card interface with a 3D metaphor and a list interface without 3D metaphors were compared among twenty-two participants when performing four navigation tasks. User characteristics including demographic factors, technology experience, and user capabilities were examined. The participants' navigation performance and subjective evaluations were measured as the dependent variables. From the results, we recommend the list interface without 3D metaphors as a beneficial choice for older adults. It performed better in navigation performance, although the differences are not statistically significant. Moreover, navigation performance using the card interface with a 3D metaphor was significantly associated with participants' perceptual speed, thus this interface may be more sensitive to capability declines. Valuable insights into the older adults’ mobile navigation performance and preferences are discussed and important implications for the design of mobile navigation user interfaces are proposed based on the results.Relevance to industryThe experimental results propose a more beneficial way to present contents on a mobile user interface for older adults and provide valuable insights for the designers and industry to help them understand the older adults’ usage and perceptions towards the application of 3D metaphors when navigating with mobile interfaces.     

Entertaining Situated Messaging at Home

Leisure and entertainment-based computing has been traditionally associated with interactive entertainment media and game playing, yet the forms of engagement offered by these technologies only support a small part of how we act when we are at leisure. In this paper, we move away from the paradigm of leisure technology as computer-based entertainment consumption, and towards a broader view of leisure computing. This perspective is more in line with our everyday experience of leisure as an embodied, everyday accomplishment in which people artfully employ the everyday resources in the world around them in carrying out their daily lives outside of work. We develop this extended notion of leisure using data from a field study of domestic communication focusing on asynchronous and situated messaging to explore some of these issues, and develop these findings towards design implications for leisure technologies. Central to our discussion on the normal, everyday and occasioned conduct of leisure lie the notions of playfulness and creativity, the interweaving of the worlds of work and leisure, and in the creation of embodied displays of affect, all of which may be seen manifested in the use of messaging artefacts. This view of technology in support of leisure-in-the-broad is strongly divergent from traditional entertainment computing models in its coupling of the mechanics of the organisation of everyday life to the ways that we make entertainment for ourselves. This recognition allows us to draw specific implications for domestic situated messaging technologies, but also more generally for technology design by tying activities that we tend to regard as purely functional to other multifaceted and leisure-related purposes.     

Infoweb: An adaptive information filtering system for the cultural heritage domain

This paper presents a system developed for adaptive retrieval and the filtering of documents belonging to digital libraries available on the Web. This system, called InfoWeb, is currently in operation on the ENEA (National Entity for Alternative Energy) digital library Web site reserved to the cultural heritage and environment domain. InfoWeb records the user information needs in a user model, created through a representation, which extends the traditional vector space model and takes the form of a semantic network consisting of co-occurrences between index terms. The initial user model is built on the basis of stereotypes, developed through a clustering of the collection by using specific documents as a starting point. The user's query can be expanded in an adaptive way, using the user model formulated by the user himself. The system has been tested on the entire collection comprising about 14,000 documents in HTML/text format. The results of the experiments are satisfactory both in terms of performance and in terms of the system's ability to adapt itself to the user's shifting interests.     

Sociotechnical issues in the implementation of imaging technology

This study examined the implementation of imaging technology into two public sector organizations in the Midwest in the USA. The aims of the study were to analyze the impact of imaging technology on job characteristics and quality of working life, and the influence of the technological change process on employees and organizations. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using questionnaire surveys and structured and semi-structured interviews. Results showed that imaging users reported more problems with technology and less job satisfaction than employees who were still using their 'old' computer systems. In addition, imaging users in the organization that utilized end user participation in the implementation of their imaging system rated their imaging systems better and reported higher job satisfaction than imaging users in the organization that did not incorporate end user participation in the implementation of the system. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of the technology implementation/ change process, and future directions for research are provided.     

Adapting the Navigation Interface of Smart Watches to User Movements

ABSTRACT

The high mobility of smart watches can easily impair interaction performance, and many applications are squeezed into an extremely tiny screen, which causes disorientations. Therefore, this study examines the extent of performance impairment caused by user movements and proposes navigation aids to alleviate the impairment. An experiment was conducted among 28 college students to investigate the influence of user movements and navigation aids on users’ performance and subjective feedback. The results indicate that the performance of using smart watches in walking conditions is comparable to that in sitting conditions. However, the use of smart watches while running reduces the success rates of operating, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and flow experience, and it increases subjective cognitive workload. To improve user experience, the effectiveness of providing navigation aids for smart watches is confirmed. Using static navigation aids while sitting and walking and using animated navigation aids while moving can significantly improve users’ perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness and decrease cognitive workload. Based on these results, guidelines for tailoring the interface design of smart watches to user movements through navigation aids are proposed.     

Virtual Reality Interfaces for Interacting with Three-Dimensional Graphs

Today, virtual reality (VR) systems are widely available through low-cost devices such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Although VR technology has so far been centered on entertainment, there is a growing interest from developers, technology companies, and consumers to evaluate it in a wider variety of contexts. This paper explores the effectiveness of visualizing and interacting with three-dimensional graphs in VR in comparison with the traditional approach. In particular, we present an empirical evaluation study for exploring and interacting with three-dimensional graphs using Oculus Rift and Leap Motion. We designed several interfaces exploiting the natural user interface in a VR environment and compared them with traditional mouse–keyboard and joypad configurations. Our evaluation suggests that, although these upcoming VR technologies are more challenging than more traditional ones, they facilitate user involvement during graph interaction and visualization tasks, given the enjoyable experience elicited when combining gesture-based interfaces and VR.     

Librarian Perspectives on Teaching Metasearch and Federated Search Technologies

ABSTRACT

This article explores three assessment projects: two focused on librarians' reactions to metasearch technologies from a reference and information literacy perspective, and one user survey that attempts to capture student experiences, understanding, and satisfaction with metasearching at California State University Northridge. Exploring both librarian and user reactions to metasearch and federated search interface technologies in academic libraries, the authors review what the literature reveals about these technologies and their impact on information literacy initiatives. Emphasis focuses on how federated searching technologies affect librarians, students, the marketing of existing library and electronic databases, and information literacy instructional programming. doi:10.1300/J136v12n03_02     

The process of introducing information technology

Abstract

This paper outlines the strategies adopted by the psychologists and ergonomists of the HUSAT Research Group to help organizations learn about information technology and systematically review and plan its organizational ramifications. An essential point is that it is not enough to understand the technology; effective implementation demands the ability to establish organizational needs and to choose a form of technology which will meet them.

The paper examines three ways of designing systems. Firstly, a technology-led approach which leads to 'fire fighting' when the negative organizational effects become apparent. A second method has tried to compensate for this by involving users in the design process. Unfortunately by the time the users have come to terms with their new task and are able to make a contribution, the system has usually been designed.

The third method of design expressly seeks to give users the time and opportunity to learn how to contribute to design, by making the design process evolutionary; i.e. by building slowly from small systems to large ones and retaining the flexibility to change. Within this concept user learning and adaptation is promoted by pilot systems, user design exercises, user support and evaluation procedures. It is only by these methods that users can be given the confidence and knowledge to exploit the potential of the new technology.     

Pastiche scenarios: Fiction as a resource for user centred design

Pastiche scenarios draw on fiction as a resource to explore the interior ‘felt-life’ aspects of user experience and the complex social and cultural issues raised by technological innovations. This paper sets out an approach for their use, outlining techniques for the location of source material and presenting three case studies of pastiche scenario use. The first case study is an evaluation of the Apple iPod that explores the socio-cultural meanings of the technology. The second case study focuses on the participatory design of Net Neighbours, an online shopping system where volunteers shop as intermediaries for older people who do not have access to computers. The third is an in depth consideration of a conceptual design, the ‘cambadge’ a wearable lightweight web cam which, upon activation broadcasts to police or public websites intended to reduce older people's fear of crime. This design concept is explored in depth in pastiche scenarios of the Miss Marple stories, A Clockwork Orange and Nineteen Eighty-four that reflect on how the device might be experienced not only by users but also by those it is used against. It is argued that pastiche scenarios are a useful complementary method for designers to reason about user experience as well as the broad social and cultural impacts of new technologies.     

The Effect of Head Tracking on the Degree of Presence in Virtual Reality

ABSTRACT

The performance of a virtual reality (VR) system can be assessed from two aspects in the human-VR interaction loop. One aspect is the degree of immersion, which objectively quantifies the performance of the VR system using metrics such as the display field of view or the refresh rate. The other aspect is presence, which measures the user response to the VR system. This article presents a study that compares the impact on presence by changing immersion through enabling and disabling of the head tracking ability on a VR headset. The study quantitatively assesses this change by taking objective measurements of posture and subjective ratings of the VR experience, in terms of presence and motion sickness, after participants have gone through two versions of a roller coaster simulation; one with head tracking on and the other with head tracking off. The results indicate that a loss of immersion, caused by turning the head tracking feature off, results in a significant reduction in postural sway. This loss of immersion also affected presence, as shown through the user surveys. The survey responses indicate that the simulation with head tracking off was less enjoyable and caused more motion sickness compared to when head tracking is kept on.     

个性化定制的虚拟健身系统设计与实现

目的 传统虚拟健身系统存在着沉浸性、可玩性方面的问题,并且缺少对用户的健身指导。提出一种能够改善健身娱乐性、有效性和指导能力的3维虚拟健身系统设计方法。方法 以自然交互界面、个性化深度定制策略和互反馈控制模型理论为基础,加强人与计算机之间的自然语义转换,增加用户对系统的设计控制能力,实时感知用户身体情况并引导用户进行科学健身。另外,依据此框架实现了一套采用健身自行车、Kinect体感摄像头、心率传感器等设备的健身系统。结果 本文提出了一种新的健身系统设计方法,并进行了实现。通过问卷调查,大部分测试者对本文所实现的系统总体评价比较满意并较认可系统新颖性。系统实验结果显示,本文健身系统设计方法对于改善个人健身的娱乐性和有效性有着良好的效果,并具有良好的通用性。结论 通过对测试者的反馈统计表明,系统在交互性和指导能力方面表现出色。     

Toolkit Support for Integrating Physical and Digital Interactions

ABSTRACT

There is great potential in enabling users to interact with digital information by integrating it with everyday physical objects. However, developing these interfaces requires programmers to acquire and abstract physical input. This is difficult, is time-consuming, and requires a high level of technical expertise in fields very different from user interface development—especially in the case of computer vision. Based on structured interviews with researchers, a literature review, and our own experience building physical interfaces, we created Papier-Mâché, a toolkit for integrating physical and digital interactions. Its library supports computer vision, electronic tags, and barcodes. Papier-Mâché introduces high-level abstractions for working with these input technologies that facilitate technology portability. We evaluated this toolkit through a laboratory study and longitudinal use in course and research projects, finding the input abstractions, technology portability, and monitoring facilities to be highly effective.     

用户多维感知的3D图像体验质量评价

目的 符合用户视觉特性的3维图像体验质量评价方法有助于准确、客观地体现用户观看3D图像或视频时的视觉感知体验,从而给优化3维内容提供一定的思路。现有的评价方法仅从图像失真、深度感知和视觉舒适度中的一个维度或两个维度出发对立体图像进行评价,评价结果的准确性有待进一步提升。为了更加全面和准确地评价3D图像的视觉感知体验,提出了一种用户多维感知的3D图像体验质量评价算法。方法 首先对左右图像的差异图像和融合图像提取自然场景统计参数表示失真特征;然后对深度图像提取敏感区域,对敏感区域绘制失真前后深度变换直方图,统计深度变化情况以及利用尺度不变特征变换（SIFT）关键点匹配算法计算匹配点数目,两者共同表示深度感知特征;接下来对视觉显著区域提取视差均值、幅值表示舒适度特征;最后综合考虑图像失真、深度感知和视觉舒适度3个维度特征,将3个维度特征归一化后联合成体验质量特征向量,采用支持向量回归（SVR）训练评价模型,并得到最终的体验质量得分。结果 在LIVE和Waterloo IVC数据库上的实验结果表明,所提出的方法与人们的主观感知的相关性达到了0.942和0.858。结论 该方法充分利用了立体图像的特性,评价结果优于比较的几种经典算法,所构建模型的评价结果与用户的主观体验有更好的一致性。     

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO USER-CENTERED PRIVACY FOR MOBILE INFORMATION SERVICES

The evolution of powerful portable networked devices allows nomadic users seamless access to business and leisure information any time and any where. This drives service infrastructures to similarly evolve to meet new service management challenges in order to adapt information delivery to a richer spatial, temporal, and user context whilst balancing the concerns of the different stakeholders. This paper presents the use of a multi-agent system service infrastructure and associated privacy model to maintain the balance between the service provider's need to maximize its knowledge of the user context against the need for the user's privacy to be protected.     

Teleshopping or going shopping? An information acquisition perspective

Abstract

Shopping is the acquisition of information that precedes the purchase of goods and services for household or individual consumption. New telecommunications technologies enable individuals to shop and purchase without leaving the home. Teleshopping options put the individual in a choice situation between home-based shopping and store shopping. This involves a trade-off between the costs (in terms of time and money) and benefits of making a trip or of communicating with vendors. Teleshopping serves as a useful case study for examining the demand for videotex-based services and some psychological factors involved in their adoption. Two major factors associated with the benefits of shopping appear to affect that choice. First, the direct experience of multi-sensory stimulation of store or shopping-mall environments is superior in terms of information quality and quantity to that obtained through teleshopping for many products. Thus, teleshopping may not reduce the uncertainty involved in purchasing decision to the extent possible in store shopping and, therefore, may not be a satisfactory substitute. Second, the recreational and psychological gratification (or costs) that many people experience in store shopping activity but which do not exist in teleshopping may affect the adoption of teleshopping. The relative importance of these factors varies across product or service type and individual shopper's preferences.     

数字皮影的交互仿真和动画绘制

目的 从保护和传承传统皮影文化的角度,使用Kinect设备和带有颜色标识的皮影签子,提出一种类似于传统皮影的交互方式来控制数字皮影。方法 首先,利用Kinect获得的深度图以及彩色图并配合训练已得的颜色标识,计算出签子头部的位置,且为每个签子设置卡尔曼滤波器的控制,为皮影动画提供较为稳定的控制信息。其次,将数字皮影组织成3根签子控制特有的关节层次模型。在当前模型下,结合输入的控制信息分析皮影的动作原理,通过OpenGL绘制技术,最终呈现出皮影动画。结果 实验中,用户手执皮影签子面对Kinect,操纵绘制在计算机上的皮影人物,随着签子的移动,皮影可以在构造出的悟空摘桃的皮影场景里进行相应的任意移动、挥舞胳膊、腿部下跪弯曲等动作。用户调查表明该操控方式与传统皮影类似,但该方式更简单,皮影动画也美观有趣味性。结论 仿真传统皮影交互的新的数字皮影的交互方式,对于想体验传统皮影戏表演的非专业人士来说,操作更加容易,且相比于其他数字皮影的交互更有继承传统皮影交互的力度。     

Writing human factor research papers: a guidebook

Abstract

Hand hygiene (HH) prevents harmful contaminants spreading in settings including domestic, health care and food handling. Strategies to improve HH range from behavioural techniques through to automated sinks that ensure hand surface cleaning. This study aimed to assess user experience and acceptance towards a new automated sink, compared to a normal sink. An adapted version of the technology acceptance model (TAM) assessed each mode of handwashing. A within-subjects design enabled N = 46 participants to evaluate both sinks. Perceived Ease of Use and Satisfaction of Use were significantly lower for the automated sink, compared to the conventional sink (p < 0.005). Across the remaining TAM factors, there was no significant difference. Participants suggested design features including jet strength, water temperature and device affordance may improve HH technology. We provide recommendations for future HH technology development to contribute a positive user experience, relevant to technology developers, ergonomists and those involved in HH across all sectors.

Practitioner Summary: The need to facilitate timely, effective hand hygiene to prevent illness has led to a rise in automated handwashing systems across different contexts. User acceptance is a key factor in system uptake. This paper applies the technology acceptance model as a means to explore and optimise the design of such systems.     

Mobile IT in health – the case of short messaging service in an HIV awareness program

ABSTRACT

This study aims to augment our understanding of user intention to use mobile IT in health. Experiential dispositions and technology perceptions around a mobile service that is currently in use to access other value-seeking services are integrated to present an enriched characterization of intention to use m-health. Primary data from a pressing health context in a developing economy are collected to validate the model. The results demonstrate that previous experience from value services received on a mobile service enhances user attention, which in turn positively impacts the perceived usefulness of an incoming m-health program, which then influences user intention to adopt m-health services delivered on that mobile service. Overall, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of user intention to accept m-health. Additionally, our results provide insights toward the choice of mobile technology and indicate aspects of message framing that may ensure practicable deployment and successful implementation of m-health programs.