Web accessibility guideline aggregation for older users and its validation

Web site-evaluation methodologies and validation engines take the view that all accessibility guidelines must be met to gain compliance. Problems exist in this regard, as contradictions within the rule set may arise, and the type of impairment or its severity is not isolated. The Barrier Walkthrough (BW) method goes someway to addressing these issues, by enabling barrier types derived from guidelines to be applied to different user categories such as motor or visual impairment, etc. However, the problem remains of combinatorial explosion of possibilities when one has to consider users with multiple disabilities. In this paper, a simple set theory operation is used to create a validation scheme for older users by aggregating barrier types specific to motor impaired and low-vision users, thereby creating a new “older users” category from the results of this set union. To evaluate the feasibility and validity of this aggregation approach, two BW experiments were conducted. The first experiment evaluated the aggregated results by focusing on quality attributes and showed that aggregation generates data whose quality is comparable to the original one. However, this first experiment could not test for validity, as the older users category was not included. To remedy this deficiency, another BW experiment was conducted with expert judges who evaluated a web page in the context of older users. In this second experiment, it was found that there is no significant difference between the aggregated and the manually evaluated (by experts) barrier scores, and that the same barriers are identified using experts and aggregation, even though there are differences in how severity scores are distributed. From these results, it is concluded that the aggregation of barriers is a viable alternative to expert evaluation, when the target of that aggregation could not be evaluated manually or it would not be feasible to do so. It is also argued that aggregation is a technique that can be used in combination with other evaluation methods, like user testing or subjective assessments.     

Development of an ergonomics guideline for the furniture manufacturing industry

Industry-specific ergonomics guidelines are an important component in the four-pronged approach to workplace ergonomics currently pursued by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The American Furniture Manufacturers Association has taken the initiative of developing such a guideline for its members. The result of this effort is the "AFMA Voluntary Ergonomics Guideline for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry", a document that includes basic information about ergonomics program components as well as a compilation of work-proven, ergonomics best practices as submitted by members of the furniture manufacturing community. This guideline was developed through an industry-research-government partnership and made strategic use of the unique attributes that each sector brought to this effort. Outlined in this paper are some of the characteristics of this partnership including, the roles played by each, the different motivations for pursuing the guideline, the challenges faced during the development of the document, the successes experienced in this process, as well as a proposed outline for measuring the effectiveness of this effort. The hope is that this summary, and some of the lessons learned contained herein, would be helpful to others considering the prospect of developing such a guideline for their industry.     

一类复杂生产调度问题的基于符号演绎的调度方法

针对带有时问不确定件的复杂生产过程调度问题,提出一种基于符号演绎的调度方法.首先将时间的不确定性信息看作符号型数据,并提出一种用于处理这些符号型数据的基于不确定区间的符号演绎方法;然后将此符号演绎方法与遗传算法相结合,提出一种预排调度计划与实时调度规则相结合的调度方法来求解上述复杂生产调度问题.实验表明,将基于符号演绎的调度方法用于求解带有时间不确定性的复杂生产过程调度问题,能够取得较好的调度效果.     

Digit and command interpretation for electronic book using neural network and genetic algorithm

This paper presents the interpretation of digits and commands using a modified neural network and the genetic algorithm. The modified neural network exhibits a node-to-node relationship which enhances its learning and generalization abilities. A digit-and-command interpreter constructed by the modified neural networks is proposed to recognize handwritten digits and commands. A genetic algorithm is employed to train the parameters of the modified neural networks of the digit-and-command interpreter. The proposed digit-and-command interpreter is successfully realized in an electronic book. Simulation and experimental results will be presented to show the applicability and merits of the proposed approach.     

Perceived risks and customer needs of geographical accessibility in electronic commerce

Customer needs of geographical accessibility still plays an important role in electronic commerce, though the extent to which it does so varies according to the characteristics of products, services and the market strategies of firms. In this study, factors affecting customer needs of geographical accessibility and their structural relationships were investigated through a customer survey and statistical analysis using the methods of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The result shows that the three independent factors, unease of delivery, complexity of services, and trust and reliability affect significantly customer needs of geographical accessibility, with perceived risks of distant orders being a mediating factor in the relationship.     

Development of a method for evaluating accessibility of medical equipment for patients with disabilities

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to develop a method for evaluating accessibility of medical equipment for patients with disabilities.MethodsThe researchers reviewed videotapes of patient-participants with various physical and sensory disabilities using different types of medical equipment. For each of 11 videotapes, four observers independently identified and documented access and safety barriers, such as physical, sensory, cognitive, and environmental barriers. Inter-observer variability for identifying barrier presence was assessed with kappa statistics for pairs of observers.ResultsA list of 10 access and safety barriers was developed through an iterative consensus process, which identified design features of medical equipment that presented difficulties for participants with disabilities. The list is useful for identifying and categorizing accessibility problems found in equipment. While reliability of barrier identification was substantial or moderate for some barriers, reconciliation of barrier events identified by multiple video observers is recommended for optimal results.     

Development of a method for evaluating accessibility of medical equipment for patients with disabilities

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop a method for evaluating accessibility of medical equipment for patients with disabilities.

Methods

The researchers reviewed videotapes of patient-participants with various physical and sensory disabilities using different types of medical equipment. For each of 11 videotapes, four observers independently identified and documented access and safety barriers, such as physical, sensory, cognitive, and environmental barriers. Inter-observer variability for identifying barrier presence was assessed with kappa statistics for pairs of observers.

Results

A list of 10 access and safety barriers was developed through an iterative consensus process, which identified design features of medical equipment that presented difficulties for participants with disabilities. The list is useful for identifying and categorizing accessibility problems found in equipment. While reliability of barrier identification was substantial or moderate for some barriers, reconciliation of barrier events identified by multiple video observers is recommended for optimal results.     

Development of a maturity model for electronic invoice processes

The digitalization of invoice processes provides a good opportunity for companies to pare down expenses, optimize administrative tasks, and increase efficiency and competitiveness. But the digitalization is limited by a variety of software solutions, legal uncertainties, heterogeneous demands, lack of know-how, and information system infrastructure incompatibilities. A holistic map of electronic invoice processes is mandatory, especially to demonstrate different levels of process integration and optimization. A maturity model puts this into practice and provides companies with a tool to identify their current situation and to derive recommendations to optimize that situation. In this paper, a maturity model for electronic invoice processes will be developed using exploratory data from focus groups. A theoretical approach that is based on a procedure-model for developing maturity models is applied. Four categories (strategy, acceptance, processes & organization, and technology) are identified and enriched by sub-categories. Future research requires the development of detailed maturity metrics.     

Development of a physically behaved robot work cell in virtual reality for task teaching

Robot task teaching on a real work cell is expensive and sometimes risky. This cost and risk can be avoided by using virtual reality technology. Using the simulated environment in virtual reality (VR), the operator can practise, explore and preview the operations for possible problems that might occur during implementation. It is therefore of practical importance to build the virtual robot work cell in VR that can facilitate the study of the performance of robotic tasks such as robotic assembly. This paper describes our work in incorporating physical behaviours of virtual objects into VR for robot task teaching. To facilitate the task teaching, we developed visual and audio cues which help visualise the dynamic interactions between virtual objects. Dynamic sensing capability is incorporated in the simulated environment. A simplified force sensor is modelled and simulated. The physical behaviours of the virtual objects are simulated using physics-based approach. A virtual robot work cell is built incorporating the developed features and an example for the task teaching is given. The implementation includes view tracking using virtual camera, visual and audio rendering, and the user interface developed in the VR. The current implementation was carried out on a PC-based VR platform, with the programs developed using Watcom C++.     

Development and monitoring of an integrated bioprocess for production of a potential malaria vaccine with Pichia pastoris

An engineered variant of the yeast Pichia pastoris was used to produce the potential malaria vaccine D1M1. This paper describes the implementation of an expanded bed adsorption chromatography step into a sequential cultivation process of the yeast in order to link protein expression, cell release, and product capture of the secreted protein in a fully automated plant. The process is operated with a semi-continuous strategy for an integrated production. Process improvements have been achieved using design of experiments. Resulting purities of product achieved up to 87% with recoveries of 51% in a single downstream operation. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis of historical batch data was used to develop a golden batch model for process monitoring.     

Development of a physical employment standard for a branch of the UK military

Abstract

A Physical Employment Standard (PES) was developed for the British Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regt). Twenty-nine RAF Regt personnel completed eight critical tasks wearing Combat Equipment Fighting Order (31.5?kg) while being monitored for physical and perceptual effort. A PES was developed using task simulations, measured on 61 incumbents. The resultant PES consists of: 1) a battlefield test involving task simulations: single lift and point-of-entry (psss/fail); timed elements (react to effective enemy fire and crawl) set at 95th performance percentile; casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) casualty drag and CASEVAC simulated stretcher carry completed without stopping. 2) a Multi Stage Fitness Test level 9.10 to assess aerobic fitness to complete a tactical advance to battle. The task-based PES should ensure RAF Regt personnel have a baseline level of fitness to perform and withstand the physical demands of critical tasks to at least a minimum acceptable standard.

Practitioner summary: A Physical Employment Standard (PES) was developed for the British RAF Regiment by measuring the physiological demands of critical tasks on a representative cohort of incumbent personnel. A task-based PES should ensure that only those candidates, irrespective of gender, race or disability, with the necessary physical attributes to succeed in training and beyond, are selected.     

Development of an automated fiber optic winding machine for gyroscope production

Fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) present an increasingly attractive solid-state alternative to the traditional spinning-mass gyroscopes. FOGs additionally present a potential cost benefit over ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs), as they require no inherently expensive mirrors or other mechanical components. However, the potential cost benefit has yet to be realized. At the heart of a FOG is a sensing coil comprised of several hundred meters of several kilometers of optical fiber, wound in one of several special patterns designed to improve gyroscopic performance. Winding a fiber optic sensing coil traditionally is performed on a semi-automated machine with the constant involvement of an operator. It is a complex process that can take as much as a week to complete. This paper describes the development of a fully automated fiber optic winding machine capable of accurately winding several different coil patterns, incorporates active tension control during winding, and includes a vision-based, automated error detection and correction system for improved reliability. The resulting machine can reduce winding times by as much as an order of magnitude.     

Integrating induction and deduction for finding evidence of discrimination

We present a reference model for finding (prima facie) evidence of discrimination in datasets of historical decision records in socially sensitive tasks, including access to credit, mortgage, insurance, labor market and other benefits. We formalize the process of direct and indirect discrimination discovery in a rule-based framework, by modelling protected-by-law groups, such as minorities or disadvantaged segments, and contexts where discrimination occurs. Classification rules, extracted from the historical records, allow for unveiling contexts of unlawful discrimination, where the degree of burden over protected-by-law groups is evaluated by formalizing existing norms and regulations in terms of quantitative measures. The measures are defined as functions of the contingency table of a classification rule, and their statistical significance is assessed, relying on a large body of statistical inference methods for proportions. Key legal concepts and reasonings are then used to drive the analysis on the set of classification rules, with the aim of discovering patterns of discrimination, either direct or indirect. Analyses of affirmative action, favoritism and argumentation against discrimination allegations are also modelled in the proposed framework. Finally, we present an implementation, called LP2DD, of the overall reference model that integrates induction, through data mining classification rule extraction, and deduction, through a computational logic implementation of the analytical tools. The LP2DD system is put at work on the analysis of a dataset of credit decision records.     

The educational electronic book as a tool for supporting children’s emergent literacy in low versus middle SES groups

The effects of an educational electronic book (e-book) on 149 five- to six-year-old kindergarteners’ emergent literacy levels were researched in two SES groups: low (LSES) (79 children) vs. middle (MSES) (70 children). In each SES group, children were randomly assigned to four groups. Three groups were assigned to work individually in one of three e-book activity modes: “Read story only”, “Read with dictionary”, or “Read and play” during three similar activity sessions and the fourth group served as a control which received the regular program of the kindergarten. Pre- and post-intervention emergent literacy measures included word meaning, word recognition, and phonological awareness. Results show that word meaning of children from both middle and low SES improved following the educational e-book activity, regardless of mode. Second, LSES children’s emergent literacy levels showed relatively greater improvement rates than did those of the MSES children. Third, children in the “Read with dictionary” and “Read and play” activity modes showed more improvement in their emergent literacy levels than did those in the “Read story only” mode. Implications for future research and for education are discussed.     

Keyboard interface of a speech synthesiser for the physically handicapped

This paper presents an evaluation of different keyboard display coding schemes for the operation of a speech synthesizer by children with cerebral palsy. The synthesizer uses 128 function keys to access 393 words and 45 phonemes. Most keys activate four different words or phrases, requiring the user to search for the desired word and to select the correct positional level prior to pressing the key. This process was quite slow with the existing machine due to the design of the keyboard display. A study was conducted in which five cerebral palsied subjects operated the device using four additional keyboard overlays representing different combinations of colour coding and lettering case. The time was measured for subjects to key in 10-word sequences. It was determined that one overlay using a colour and position redundant coding scheme with upper-case lettering resulted in a saving of more than 20 s/word compared with the original display.     

Designing an electronic guidebook for learning engagement in a museum of history

Museums provide important avenues for lifelong learning, and using information and communication technology to maximize a museum’s lifelong learning potential is a recognized issue. This study proposed a human–computer–context interaction (HCCI) framework as a guide for designing a mobile electronic guidebook for a history museum. To fulfill the goals of the HCCI framework, two strategies, problem-based inquiry and historical-context-embedded visiting, were used to implement a HCCI guidebook. To evaluate the effects of the HCCI guidebook, this study conducted an experiment to compare three visiting modes: Visiting with the HCCI guidebook; visiting with a worksheet; and visiting without any supplementary tools. Sixty-two college students participated in the evaluation of the HCCI guidebook in the Tang dynasty tri-color glazed pottery exhibition at the National Museum of History. The results showed that the students with the HCCI guidebooks had, on average, a longer holding time with exhibits than either students with paper-based worksheets or students without supplementary materials. However, there were no significant differences in the knowledge gained about exhibits among the three modes.