Intelligent Control for Haptic Displays

Usually, a mouse is used for input activities only, whereas output from the computer is sent via the monitor and one or two loudspeakers. But why not use the mouse for output, too? For instance, if it would be possible to predict the next interaction object the user wants to click on, a mouse with a mechanical brake could stop the cursor movement at the desired position. This kind of aid is especially attractive for small targets like resize handles of windows or small buttons. In this paper, we present an approach for the integration of haptic feedback in everyday graphical user interfaces. We use a specialized mouse which, is able to apply simple haptic information, to the user's hand and index finger. A multi-agent system has been designed which ‘observes’ the ‘user in order to predict the next interaction object and launch haptic feedback, thus supporting positioning actions with the mouse. Although primarily designed in order to provide intelligent’ haptic feedback, the system can be combined with other output modalities as well, due to its modular and flexible architecture.     

Cognitive Strategies for the Visual Search of Hierarchical Computer Displays

This article investigates the cognitive strategies that people use to search computer displays. Several different visual layouts are examined: unlabeled layouts that contain multiple groups of items but no group headings, labeled layouts in which items are grouped and each group has a useful heading, and a target-only layout that contains just one item. A number of plausible strategies were proposed for each layout. Each strategy was programmed into the EPIC cognitive architecture, producing models that simulate the human visual-perceptual, oculomotor, and cognitive processing required for the task. The models generate search time predictions. For unlabeled layouts, the mean layout search times are predicted by a purely random search strategy, and the more detailed positional search times are predicted by a noisy systematic strategy. The labeled layout search times are predicted by a hierarchical strategy in which first the group labels are systematically searched, and then the contents of the target group. The target-only layout search times are predicted by a strategy in which the eyes move directly to the sudden appearance of the target. The models demonstrate that human visual search performance can be explained largely in terms of the cognitive strategy that is used to coordinate the relevant perceptual and motor processes, a clear and useful visual hierarchy triggers a fundamentally different visual search strategy and effectively gives the user greater control over the visual navigation, and cognitive strategies will be an important component of a predictive visual search tool. The models provide insights pertaining to the visual-perceptual and oculomotor processes involved in visual search and contribute to the science base needed for predictive interface analysis.     

The Relation Between Field Dependency,Visual Search and Structure of Displays

Abstract

The relation between field dependency and visual search was investigated on displays which differed in terms of the organization of the background elements or structure. Statistically determined displays which differed in the transition probability (p₁,) of the elements from the state ‘ element present’ to ‘ element absent’ were used. A significant correlation between field dependency was found on displays of P, = 0-25 where the elements were clumped, but not on either a regular (P₁ = 1) or a random (P₁ = 0-5) display. A subsidiary finding was a significant effect of transition probability on search times. The practical implications of these results are discussed.

     

Supporting Colocated Interactions Using RFID and Social Network Displays

The DeaiExplorer RFID application helps colocated conference participants discover interpersonal connections by letting them mutually reveal their social networks on a large display device. The system responds to nearby participants and uses algorithms to dynamically derive interconnected social clusters from a publication database. The system was deployed at a recent international conference, providing quantitative and qualitative data. Analysis of this data reveals interesting implications for designing such RFID-based systems, highlighting new opportunities and key design challenges. This article is part of a special issue on Real-World Deployments.     

Instant Places: Using Bluetooth for Situated Interaction in Public Displays

Instant Places is an investigation into the role of Bluetooth presence and naming as techniques for situated interaction around public displays. The authors' utilization of Bluetooth naming extends beyond identity representation, introducing the use of a simple instruction mechanism in which the system can recognize parts of the Bluetooth device name as explicit instructions to trigger the generation of pervasive content on situated displays. The study specifically addresses the suitability of these techniques and the type of social practices that emerges from their availability in a real setting. The results of the study, which involved the deployment of a fully functional prototype in a bar for several weeks, suggest that, despite their simplicity, these techniques were effective in their ability to sustain situated interaction around a public display and were easily and creatively appropriated for new forms of social practices.     

Novel Haptic Device Using Jamming Principle for Providing Kinaesthetic Feedback in Glove-Based Control Interface

This paper presents a new type of wearable haptic device which can augment a sensor glove in various tasks of telemanipulation. We present the details of its two alternative designs jamming tubes or jamming pads, and their control system. These devices use the jamming phenomena to change the stiffness of their elements and block the hand movement when a vacuum is applied. We present results of our experiments to measure static and dynamic changes in stiffness, which can be used to change the perception of grabbing hard or soft objects. The device, at its current state is capable of resisting forces of up to 7 N with 5 mm displacement and can simulate hardness up to the hardness of a rubber. However, time necessary for a complete change of stiffness is high (time constant 0.5 s); therefore, additional cutaneous interface was added in a form of small vibration motors. Finally, we show an application of the haptic interface in our teleoperation system to provide the operator with haptic feedback in a light weight and simple form.     

关于室内空间设计的视觉流

室内空间设计在完成其使用要求的前提下,空间的柔性化设计越来越受到关注,这种柔性化是基于物质要素的构成与组合,而又超越其上精神层面的领域扩展。无论室内空间类型的差异怎样变化,获取理想的空间塑造是最本质的。贯穿这个实现的过程既包含了空间的创造者,更是空间内部使用者在时间的不同时间节点协同下,经由视觉到系列心理和生理的作用完成的,也就是本文讨论的室内空间设计的视觉流。     

Displays and the software interface

This paper aims to provide designers with a framework to help them organise and apply ergonomics and human factors literature to the design of man-computer interfaces. The framework or classification is primarily concerned with the software interface and its use is illustrated in some human factors recommendations for the design of displays.     

Using Visual Context and Region Semantics for High-Level Concept Detection

In this paper we investigate detection of high-level concepts in multimedia content through an integrated approach of visual thesaurus analysis and visual context. In the former, detection is based on model vectors that represent image composition in terms of region types, obtained through clustering over a large data set. The latter deals with two aspects, namely high-level concepts and region types of the thesaurus, employing a model of a priori specified semantic relations among concepts and automatically extracted topological relations among region types; thus it combines both conceptual and topological context. A set of algorithms is presented, which modify either the confidence values of detected concepts, or the model vectors based on which detection is performed. Visual context exploitation is evaluated on TRECVID and Corel data sets and compared to a number of related visual thesaurus approaches.     

Visual Tracking in Cluttered Environments Using the Visual Probabilistic Data Association Filter

Visual tracking in cluttered environments is attractive and challenging. This paper establishes a probabilistic framework, called the visual probabilistic data-association filter (VPDAF), to deal with this problem. The algorithm is based on the probabilistic data-association method for estimating a true target from a cluster of measurements. There are two other key concepts which are involved in VPDAF. First, the sensor data are visual, similar to the target in the image space, which is a crucial property that should not be ignored in target estimation. Second, the traditional probabilistic data-association filter for the underlying application is vulnerable to stationary disturbances in image space, mainly due to some annoying background scenes which are rather similar to the target. Intuitively, such persistent noises should be separated out and cleared away from the continuous measurement data for seeking successful target detection. The proposed VPDAF framework, which incorporates template matching, can achieve the goal of reliable realtime visual tracking. To demonstrate the superiority of the system performance, extensive yet challenging experiments have been conducted     

论杂志版面设计的视觉引导和阅读体验

中国是期刊出版大国,每年有总印数30多亿册的近万种各类杂志面世,杂志已渗透到大众生活的方方面面。在人们杂志消费需求日益扩大的今天,如何更好地提升杂志版面的设计水平,更好地服务于读者并满足市场的需求,是一个极有意义的时代课题。文章以视觉引导设计和视觉阅读体验为研究视角,旨在探讨杂志版面设计的新趋势与新理念,并更深层次地思考在为读者提供丰富阅读内容的同时,杂志如何通过版面设计提供给读者更多的阅读体验和艺术跨界体验,从而进一步拓展杂志版面设计的广度和深度。     

Integrating Constraints and Concurrent Objects in Musical Applications: A Calculus and its Visual Language

We propose PiCO, a calculus integrating concurrent objects and constraints, as a base for music composition tools. In contrast with calculi such as NiehrenMueller:Free, milner.parrow.ea:calculus-mobile or TyCO vasconcelos:typed-concurrent, both constraints and objects are primitive notions in PiCO. In PiCO a base object model is extended with constraints by orthogonally adding the notion of constraint system found in the -calculus OzCalculus. Concurrent processes make use of a constraint store to synchronize communications either via the ask and tell operations of the constraint model or the standard message-passing mechanism of the object model. A message delegation mechanism built into the calculus allows encoding of general forms of inheritance. This paper includes encodings in PiCO of the concepts of class and sub-class. These allow us to represent complex partially defined objects such as musical structures in a compact way. We illustrate the transparent interaction of constraints and objects by a musical example involving harmonic and temporal relations. The relationship between Cordial, a visual language for music composition applications, and its underlying model PiCO is described.     

Haptic Seat Interfaces for Driver Information and Warning Systems

The implementation of haptic interfaces in vehicles has important safety and flexibility implications for lessening visual and auditory overload during driving. The present study aims to design and evaluate haptic interfaces with vehicle seats. Three experiments were conducted by testing a haptic seat in a simulator with a total of 20 participants. The first experiment measured reaction time, subjective satisfaction, and subject workloads of the haptic, visual, and auditory displays for the four signals primarily used by vehicle navigation systems. The second experiment measured reaction time, subjective satisfaction, and subjective workloads of the haptic, auditory, and multimodal (haptic + auditory) displays for the ringing signal used by in-vehicle Bluetooth hands-free systems. The third experiment measured drivers' subjective awareness, urgency, usefulness, and disturbance levels at various vibration intensities and positions for a haptic warning signal used by a driver drowsiness warning system. The results indicated that haptic seat interfaces performed better than visual and auditory interfaces, but the unfamiliarity of the haptic interface caused a lower subjective satisfaction for some criteria. Generally, participants showed high subjective satisfaction levels and low subjective workloads toward haptic seat interfaces. This study provided guidance for implementing haptic seat interfaces and identified the possible benefits of their use. It is expected that haptic seats implemented in vehicles will improve safety and the interaction between driver and vehicle.     

A Multi-Modal Haptic Interface for Virtual Reality and Robotics

In this paper we present an innovative haptic device that combines the electro-tactile stimulation with the force and visual feedbacks in order to improve the perception of a virtual world. We discuss the sensation evoked in a user by the haptic, force, and the visual interface as provided by this device, implemented as a special glove, equipped with sensors and actuators connected to a PC. The techniques used to recreate tactile and kinesthetic sensations are based on an innovative use of cutaneous stimulation integrated with actuators and 3D modelling techniques. We discuss about the specificity of haptic interfaces, their controllers, their open problems. We present results about generating the sensation of touching virtual objects with our device. Experiments show also that, using a multi-modal sensorial pattern of stimulation, the subject perceives more realistically the virtual object. We discuss the possible use of the same technique as a way to interface intelligent robots.     

Enhancing a Newspaper Collection Using the World Wide Web

Abstract

Serial cancellations have reduced the print newspaper collection at the University of Toledo (UT) Library by about one third since 1990. In the meantime, the number of newspapers publishing on the World Wide Web has skyrocketed, prompting UT to investigate accessing newspapers online. The immediate goal of this project is to provide library users with access to online versions of cancelled print newspapers, and eventually to enhance the collection even further with additional electronic newspapers. This article examines the trends in online newspaper publishing, researches the availability of Web sites in relation to the UT newspaper collection, critically reviews the sites found, and discusses the issues surrounding access to an online collection.     

基于VBA提高AutoCAD制图效率的研究

单独使用AutoCAD进行地形图制图重复劳动较多、作业速度较慢,使用VBA编程对AutoCAD进行二次开发,可从繁琐的重复劳动中解放出来,显著提高制图作业效率。