Simplicity in cognitive assistive technology: a framework and agenda for research

Technology offers substantial benefits to the many people with some form of cognitive disability. But the power of technology often comes in a package whose complexity is a barrier to many users, leading to calls for designs, and especially designs for user interfaces, that are “simple”. This paper analyzes the idea of simplicity, and suggests (a) that simplicity in a user interface is not a unified concept, but rather has distinguishable facets, and (b) that simplicity must be defined in terms of the cognitive capabilities of a user, so that what is “simpler” for one user may be “more complex” for another. Despite (b), the prospects for universal design in this area are good, in that interface technology with the flexibility needed to produce “simple” interfaces for a range of users with different cognitive strengths will be of value in addressing the overall design space of interfaces for a broad audience. While it is possible to sketch the outlines of a useful theory of simplicity, the sketch reveals much that is not fully understood. It also reveals opportunities to rethink the architecture of user interfaces in a way that will benefit user interface development generally.     

虚拟教学环境中基于草图的自适应用户界面研究

将草图技术、自适应技术与传统的虚拟现实技术相结合应用于虚拟教学过程中,通过增强用户和系统之间个性化需求的交互处理来提高系统的智能性和友好性,进而有效提高虚拟教学环境的应用效果.旨在虚拟环境中构建基于草图的自适应用户界面并应用于虚拟教学来满足特定教学需求,着重结合实例分析了基于自适应草图用户界面的虚拟教学环境中的草图上下文处理机制.在上述研究基础上,设计开发了一个虚拟教学原型系统,实验证明该系统在用户体验上有明显的改善.     

A sketch-based interface to modify and reproduce motion sequences

We present a sketch-based user interface, which was designed to help novices to create 3D character animations by multi-pass sketching, avoiding the ambiguities usually present in sketch input. Our system also contains sketch-based editing and reproducing tools, which allow paths and motions to be partially updated rather than wholly redrawn; and graphical block interface permits motion sequences to be organized and reconfigured easily. A user evaluation with participants of different skill levels suggest that novices using this sketch interface can produce animations almost as quickly as users who are experienced in 3D animation.     

一种基于SPCE061A的机器人语音交互系统的设计与实现

介绍了一种新型的十六位单片机SPCE061A，并在此基础上设计了一种基于SPCE061A的机器人语音交互系统。该系统具有语音录放功能、机器人语音控制功能及人机对话功能。实验表明，该系统可以有效地用于智能玩具、服务机器人、娱乐机器人及教育机器人。     

Sketching interfaces: toward more human interface design

Researchers at University of California, Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University have designed, implemented, and evaluated SILK (Sketching Interfaces Like Krazy), an informal sketching tool that combines many of the benefits of paper-based sketching with the merits of current electronic tools. With SILK, designers can quickly sketch an interface using an electronic pad and stylus, and SILK recognizes widgets and other interface elements as the designer draws them. Unlike paper-based sketching, however, designers can exercise these elements in their sketchy state. For example, a sketched scroll-bar is likely to contain an elevator or thumbnail, the small rectangle a user drags with a mouse. In a paper sketch, the elevator would just sit there, but in a SILK sketch, designers can drag it up and down, which lets them test component or widget behavior. SILK also supports the creation of storyboards-the arrangement of sketches to show how design elements behave, such as how a dialog box appears when the user activates a button. Storyboards are important because they give designers a way to show colleagues, customers, or end users early on how an interface will behave     

一种支持超视频创建与可视呈现的草图界面技术

超视频打破了传统视频的单一线性的组织和浏览方式,有效地增强了用户的浏览效率和视频信息的表达能力.基于草图和草图界面在思维表达上的优势,针对目前对视频内容以及视频间或者视频内的关系展示上的不足,提出了一种支持超视频创建的草图界面来直观地表达用户的设计意图,改善了视频编辑过程中的交互体验.提出了一种基于force-directed 的图布局算法.该算法对视频语义进行建模,将时间、空间、视频结构、约束关系等语义信息融入到节点质量、引力和斥力等对象中.系统实例表明,该方法能够很好地适应视频特有的语义类型,表示出超视频的动态创建和编辑过程.     

基于草绘辅助3D动画综述*

提高3D动画的制作效率是发展3D动画的一个关键问题,随着计算机硬件技术和辅助技术飞速发展,为解决这一问题提供了可能。基于草绘交互方式的辅助技术正受到相关研究者的关注。简要地回顾了基于草绘辅助技术的研究现状和发展历程,总结分析了其在3D动画制作中各环节的辅助技术,并对今后的发展方向进行了展望。     

基于草绘辅助3D动画综述*

提高3D动画的制作效率是发展3D动画的一个关键问题,随着计算机硬件技术和辅助技术飞速发展,为解决这一问题提供了可能。基于草绘交互方式的辅助技术正受到相关研究者的关注。简要地回顾了基于草绘辅助技术的研究现状和发展历程,总结分析了其在3D动画制作中各环节的辅助技术,并对今后的发展方向进行了展望。     

Seeking the user interface

User interface design and coding can be complex and messy. We describe a system that uses code search to simplify and automate the exploration of such code. We start with a simple sketch of the desired interface along with a set of keywords describing the application context. If necessary, we convert the sketch into a scalable vector graphics diagram. We then use existing code search engines to find results based on the keywords. We look for potential Java-based graphical user interface solutions within those results and apply a series of code transformations to the solutions to generate derivative solutions, aiming to get solutions that constitute only the user interface and that will compile and run. We run the resultant solutions and compare the generated interfaces to the user’s sketches. Finally, we let programmers interact with the matched solutions and return the running code for the solutions they choose. The system is useful for exploring alternative interfaces to the initial and for looking at graphical user interfaces in a code repository.     

Structure from silhouettes: a new paradigm for fast sketch-based design of trees

Modeling natural elements such as trees in a plausible way, while offering simple and rapid user control, is a challenge. This paper presents a method based on a new structure from silhouettes paradigm. We claim that sketching the silhouettes of foliage at multiple scales is quicker and more intuitive for a user than having to sketch each branch of a tree. This choice allows us to incorporate botanical knowledge, enabling us to infer branches that connect in a plausible way to their parent branch and have a correct distribution in 3D. We illustrate these ideas by presenting a seamless sketch-based interface, used for sketching foliage silhouettes from the scale of an entire tree to the scale of a leaf. Each sketch serves for inferring both the branches at that level and construction lines to serve as support for sub-silhouette refinement. When the user finally zooms out, the style inferred for the branching systems he has refined (in terms of branch density, angle, length distribution and shape) is duplicated to the unspecified branching systems at the same level. Meanwhile, knowledge from botany is again used for extending the branch distribution to 3D, resulting in a full, plausible 3D tree that fits the user-sketched contours. As our results show, this system can be of interest to both experts and novice users. While experts can fully specify all parts of a tree and over-sketch specific branches if required, any user can design a basic 3D tree in one or two minutes, as easily as sketching it with paper and pen.     

Sketching MLS Image Deformations On the GPU

In this paper, we present an image editing tool that allows the user to deform images using a sketch‐based interface. The user simply sketches a set of source curves in the input image, and also some target curves that the source curves should be deformed to. Then the moving least squares (MLS) deformation technique [ [SMW06] ] is adapted to produce realistic deformations while satisfying the curves' positional constraints. We also propose a scheme to reduce image fold‐overs in MLS deformations. Our system has a very intuitive user interface, generates physically plausible deformations, and can be easily implemented on the GPU for real‐time performance.     

Properties of protection goals and their integration into a user interface

Based on an analysis of protection goals and their properties, we discuss how to design user interfaces for multilateral security. Firstly, we discuss fundamentals such as attackers, user perspectives, monotonicity, synergies, interference, and plausible combinations of protection goals. Secondly, we apply these properties to multilateral security and illustrate the consequences for configuration and negotiation. In particular, we sketch a user interface based on the insight gained and describe the results of a usability test, which has been performed.     

Development of a reduced human user input task allocation method for multiple robots

Task allocation mechanisms are employed by multi-robot systems to efficiently distribute tasks between different robots. Currently, many task allocation methods rely on detailed expert knowledge to coordinate robots. However, it may not be feasible to dedicate an expert human user to a multi-robot system. Hence, a non-expert user may have to specify tasks to a team of robots in some situations. This paper presents a novel reduced human user input multi-robot task allocation technique that utilises Fuzzy Inference Systems (FISs). A two-stage primary and secondary task allocation process is employed to select a team of robots comprising manager and worker robots. A multi-robot mapping and exploration task is utilised as a model task to evaluate the task allocation process. Experiments show that primary task allocation is able to successfully identify and select manager robots. Similarly, secondary task allocation successfully identifies and selects worker robots. Both task allocation processes are also robust to parameter variation permitting intuitive selection of parameter values.     

基于场景的笔式界面设计工具的设计和实现

设计实现了一个基于数字笔的用户界面设计工具,该工具以面向笔式界面领域,基于场景的设计思想来设计系统中的界面场景组织关系以及场景之间的动态切换方式,设计者与工具间的交互自然流畅、快捷高效。通过手势识别技术,该工具可以将场景的设计结果转换为内部的界面描述语言,并通过相应的解释最终构造生成笔式用户界面。该工具可以快速生成界面原型,从而有效地提高了笔式交互系统的设计和开发效率。     

基于手绘草图的三维CAD系统

Post-IMP界面是下一代用户界面的主要范式。该文研究并实现了一种新型的基于笔的手绘草图三维CAD系统。实现手绘草图三维CAD系统的关键是设计一个自然、合理、高效的草图语义表达与获取框架,它要着眼于解决用户在做什么和在哪里做这两方面的问题。该文详细地讨论了草图语义表达和获取框架的设计思路及实现方法,并开发出一个原型系统,该系统以一支手写笔和一块手写板为交互输入设备,能够较自然高效地进行一些复杂的三维实体和三维场景设计。     

支持界面生成的扩展对象模型和交互模型

基于模型的用户界面分析和表达是实现界面工程设计的出路所在。FMP是一个涵盖需求、结构和实现的界面模型。该文重点讨论了FMP的内在模型Model部分和对界面实现的作用。指出内在模型由参与界面操作的扩充对象模型和它们的交互模型构成。对象模型给出了界面的局部布局。交互模型给出了界面的功能和对象构成以及它们之间的交互关系,在界面模板的支持下,可以给出界面的宏观布局并支持界面的自动生成。     

勾画式泊松网格编辑

结合勾画式自由变形方法简单直观易用的优点和基于微分方程的网格变形方法能够保持形变物体几何细节的性质,提出一种勾画式的泊松网格编辑方法.通过允许目标勾画线和参照勾画线不必位于相同的相机平面,把原有的二维勾画变形推广至三维,并提出了一组完整的变形操作.这些变形操作根据参照勾画线与目标勾画线决定了一系列的局部变换,并由这些局部变换产生出用户希望的梯度场,最终根据用户需要的梯度场重建出变形后的三维模型.丰富的编辑实例表明了该方法具有直观便捷的交互特点.     

A* search algorithm applied to a Chinese chess game

This article presents an A* search algorithm to be applied to path planning in a Chinese chess game, and uses multiple mobile robots to present the scenario. The mobile robots have a cylindrical shape, and their diameter, height, and weight are 8 cm, 15 cm, and 1.5 kg, respectively. The controller of the mobile robots is a MCS-51 chip. We play the Chinese chess game using multiple mobile robots according to the evaluation algorithm of the game, and calculate the displacement by the encoder of a DC servomotor. The A* search algorithm can solve the shortest-path problem for the mobile robots from the starting point to the target point on the chess board. The simulated results found the shortest path for the mobile robots (chess pieces) moving to target points from their starting points in a collision-free environment. Finally, we implemented the experimental results on a Chinese chess board using mobile robots. Users can play the Chinese chess game using the supervising computer via a wireless RF interface. The scenario of the feedback of the Chinese chess game to the user interface uses an image system.     

Contribution to Human Multi-Robot System Interaction Application to a Multi-Robot Mission Editor

The general objective of this work is to model and conceive a system allowing a user, more particularly a disabled person, to give a mission to a team of robots in a structured indoor type environment and to determine the whole processes necessary to its execution. The missions are of assistance type, objects displacement and site monitoring. The increase of the robots number involves additional management difficulties, thus there is a crucial need for providing an interface adapted for the input and the supervision of this type of mission. We propose a model based on two levels of abstraction through which the user request is analyzed. A first level takes care of the syntactic and semantics checkings by validating and supplementing the request. A second level takes care of the geometrical checkings and validates the passage of the robots in formation for the transport of an object. The result is then presented to the user. The originality of this work stands mainly in the approach of the human multi-robot system interaction. The proposed system is participative, interactive and incremental, with an active assistance to the mission specification. A solution for setting up the levels of the model is proposed as well as examples of use.