An ergonomics study of thumb movements on smartphone touch screen

This study investigated the relationships between thumb muscle activity and thumb operating tasks on a smartphone touch screen with one-hand posture. Six muscles in the right thumb and forearm were targeted in this study, namely adductor pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor pollicis longus, first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and extensor digitorum. The performance measures showed that the thumb developed fatigue rapidly when tapping on smaller buttons (diameter: 9 mm compared with 3 mm), and moved more slowly in flexion–extension than in adduction–abduction orientation. Meanwhile, the electromyography and perceived exertion values of FDI significantly increased in small button and flexion–extension tasks, while those of APB were greater in the adduction–abduction task. This study reveals that muscle effort among thumb muscles on a touch screen smartphone varies according to the task, and suggests that the use of small touch buttons should be minimised for better thumb performance.     

A study of 3D cover glass design that improves handheld device drop reliability

Cover glass in commercial handheld devices is now evolving from flat (2D) to curved (3D) shapes. For example, some commercial devices have utilized sled‐shape cover glass, 1 which partially covers long edges of the device. According to the patents published by key handheld manufacturers, 2 , 3 we can expect more variety of 3D shaped cover glass for handheld devices in the market. In this study, we have focused on the reliability of 3D cover glass when it is dropped to a rigid surface. The key parameters under study are the corner/edge bend radius and angle of the cover glass, which determines the 3D shape of the cover glass. To achieve this goal, we developed a finite element model to simulate the drop 4 - 13 of a handheld device with 3D‐shaped glass. The model uses explicit algorithm to simulate the high speed impact on the device during the drop test. The glass performance was evaluated based on contact force between the glass and the ground and maximum principal stress in the glass. We showed that to avoid severe damage because of first impact between the glass and the ground, the bend angle of 3D glass has to be in the range between 0 and 45°. For drop angles of 45° and higher, with the proposed glass bend angle, the impact can be taken over by the edge of the back cover of the device. In addition, we showed that optimum glass bend radius is in the range of 3.8 mm and larger. This is required to reduce stress in glass because of impact. The approach and conclusions from the current study can serve as a general guideline to improve the 3D cover glass reliability of a handheld device.     

Informal learning with PDAs and smartphones

Abstract There has been increasing interest in informal learning in recent years alongside interest in how such learning can be supported by technology. However, relatively little is known about the extent to which adults make use of their own mobile devices to support informal learning. In this study, a survey was used to investigate whether, and to what extent, experienced users of mobile devices use their mobile devices to support intentional informal learning. If so, do they make use of mobile device connectivity to support opportunistic informal learning and does such connectivity support or encourage collaborative informal learning? Experienced mobile device users were recruited from web forums and business, and asked whether they used their devices to support informal learning. A pattern of learning uses emerged, some of which deployed the mobile device capabilities relatively unchanged, others triggered adaptations to typical learning activities to provide a better fit to the needs of the learner. These informal learning activities provided the basis for the design of a flexible mobile learning framework that can be extended to support developments in mobile technology, and increasing use of Web 2.0 technologies by informal learners.     

Computer and Smartphone Continuance Intention: A Motivational Model

This paper develops and tests a motivational model to explain the overall continuance intention to use computers and smartphones. Based on survey data from 192 undergraduate students, structural equation modeling analysis is used to report: (1) the independent effect of intrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers and smartphones; (2) the independent effect of extrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers but not smartphones; (3) intrinsic motivation mediating the effect of extrinsic motivation on the continuance intention to use computers; (4) the independent effect of technology cognizance on the continuance intention to use computers but not smartphones; (5) intrinsic motivation positively influencing extrinsic motivation and technology cognizance, with respect to both devices. This research contributes to an improved understanding of the independent and interrelated effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to use technological devices. The findings have important implications for theory and practice regarding the overall use of technology.     

智能手机中的SIM卡密码管理

随着移动多媒体时代的到来,拥有强大娱乐商务功能的智能手机越来越受到消费者的青睐。文中简要介绍一种新的智能手机平台Qtopia、Qtopia中独特的信号与槽机制、SIM(用户识别模块)卡中密码的种类以及Qtopia如何采用AT指令来管理SIM卡密码,并阐述了实际智能手机项目中SIM卡密码管理程序的实现思路。     

信号强度与运动传感器融合的智能手机室内定位算法

利用智能手机传感器实现高精度跟踪定位已经成为一个研究热点,本文针对室内定位中由于手机的运动引起采集信号强度不稳定造成的定位误差大的问题,提出了基于信号强度与加速度梯度融合综合的新的测距算法,结合手机方向信息、地图信息、信号强度的分布信息,利用测距信息与地图匹配算法,实现对智能手机的精确定位。在实验测试中,该算法平均定位精度为1.2m, 3.5m以下定位精度达95%。本算法有效的提高了智能手机的室内定位精度,并且相比指纹库定位算法减少了搜索次数,提高了定位速度。     

面向物联网的可见光近场通信方法研究

为了满足物联网应用中边缘感知系统信息交互的需求,可以采用传输便捷、功耗较低的近场通信方法。然而,传统的近场通信方法基于电磁波的广播通信,广播通信存在着安全性的先天不足。针对这一安全问题,使用移动设备上的可见光传感器实现了一种面向物联网的可见光近场双工通信系统。在该系统中,上行链路和下行链路采用不同的传感器模块进行数据传输。上行链路由环境光传感器感知光强变化完成数据接收,并且针对可见光源信号不稳定的特点,提出了一种基于可见光通信的状态转化调制STM(State Transaction Modulation)策略。在下行链路中,采用图像传感器扫描移动设备屏幕实现数据传输,并提出了一种能耗自适应的信号传输方法降低下行链路的能量开销。实验结果表明,在上行链路中,STM调制的传输速率高于PWM和PIM调制且能耗大幅降低,在传输序列有重复的情况下吞吐率亦优于DH-PIM调制。     

基于层次分析法的智能手机恶意软件静态检测及评价模型

Mobile malware is rapidly increasing and its detection has become a critical issue. In this study, we summarize the common characteristics of this mali-cious software on Android platform. We design a de-tection engine consisting of six parts: decompile, grammar parsing, control flow and data flow analysis, safety analysis, and comprehensive evaluation. In the comprehensive evaluation, we obtain a weight vector of 29 evaluation indexes using the analytic hierarchy process. During this process, the detection engine ex-ports a list of suspicious API. On the basis of this list, the evaluation part of the engine performs a compre-hensive evaluation of the hazard assessment of soft-ware sample. Finally, hazard classification is given for the software. The false positive rate of our approach for detecting malware samples is 4. 7% and normal samples is 7.6% . The experimental results show that the accuracy rate of our approach is almost similar to the method based on virus signatures. Compared with the method based on virus signatures, our approach performs well in detecting unknown malware. This approach is promising for the application of malware detection.     

Minimum required angular resolution of smartphone displays for the human visual system

There has been a rapid increase in the resolution of small‐sized and medium‐sized displays. This study determines an upper discernible limit for display resolution. A range of resolutions varying from 254–1016 PPI were evaluated using simulated display by 49 subjects at 300 mm viewing distance. The results of the study conclusively show that users can discriminate between 339 and 508 PPI and in many cases between 508 and 1016 PPI.     

Characterization of cloud cover with a smartphone camera

A smartphone sky camera and associated image analysis algorithm has been developed and validated to determine total cloud cover and the percentage of thick and thin clouds using supervised image classification for a range of cloud types, cloud cover from 4% to 98%, and solar zenith angles between 6° and 49°. Additionally, this system provides the percentage of total, thick, and thin clouds in proximity to the solar disc. The measurement errors were comparable to those associated with values obtained by commercial sky camera systems. The benefits of increasing the availability of cloud fraction measurements include the potential to develop improved local ultraviolet indices and weather forecasts and to provide a better understanding of cloud patterns required for the generation of solar energy.