This thesis aimed to study the interaction between an educational technology system and its users and give suggestions for design improvements. The technology system is called EDIT (Educational Development through Information Technology) and has been developed and applied at Linköping University’s Faculty of Health Science. EDIT supports Problem Based Learning and enables scenarios to be presented through the World Wide Web. The study was divided into two parts. The first part consisted of a qualitative study with the objective to describe the interaction between the students and EDIT. Students from the faculty’s medical-, nursing- and social care programs were interviewed and observed using the system. The study showed that EDIT was not fully designed to support multiple user interaction. EDIT could only be operated by one user at a time which in turn resulted in an interaction reliant on the operators technical knowledge and ability to handle the system. The second part consisted of a redesign of EDIT. The design goal was to create a groupware that could be operated by multiple users. The design solutions were presented as lofi prototypes to three EDIT users. The users approved of the ideas but stressed the danger of using too advanced and unfamiliar technology.

Orientador: José Raimundo de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T12:19:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mamani_AnaBeatrizAlvarez_M.pdf: 4159333 bytes, checksum: 1e7bbac608fe9a8dc553adedc4b721b7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Esta tese apresenta uma nova e efetiva abordagem neuro-genética denominada MAAM-GA constituída por um algoritmo genético e uma rede neural associativa morfológica para a solução de problemas de reconhecimento de padrões. Especificamente, uma rede neural associativa morfológica é combinada com um algoritmo genético que é utilizado na construção da rede neural com a finalidade de aumentar a eficiência e robustez no reconhecimento de padrões. Um estudo detalhado do desempenho da abordagem é apresentado, utilizando imagens em níveis de cinza como padrões. Resultados numéricos e visuais da recuperação dos padrões são apresentados e o desempenho alcançado é comparado com outros modelos neurais associativos morfológicos relevantes para padrões de valor real, mostrando a eficiência e a robustez da abordagem proposta na recordação de imagens em níveis de cinza. Esta abordagem faz parte do desenvolvimento dos sistemas inteligentes que impulsionam o avanço de outras áreas. Pensando em uma potencial aplicação, a proposta neuro-genética é utilizada para resolver o problema de reconhecimento de gestos da mão. O reconhecimento de gestos é um caminho natural de interação humano-computador, e considerando a diversidade e a diferença manifestada pelo ser humano, para muitas pessoas que possuem deficiência física e sensorial, os gestos da mão são o meio principal de comunicação. Várias tecnologias têm sido propostas para trazer benefícios às pessoas com limitações de comunicação. Os ambientes inteligentes surgiram com o principal propósito de melhorar a qualidade de vida do ser humano baseados em ferramentas computacionais, facilitando o desenvolvimento de processos e ações de nosso cotidiano. O reconhecimento de gestos da mão é uma função do ambiente inteligente. Assim, para pessoas portadoras de deficiências físicas que limitem a sua comunicação oral, o reconhecimento de gestos em um ambiente inteligente poderá lhes trazer múltiplos benefícios na comunicação, interação e acessibilidade, permitindo a sua integração com o ambiente. Embora preocupados com pessoas portadoras de deficiências físicas, o sistema de reconhecimento de gestos da mão como parte de um ambiente inteligente destina-se, sobretudo a beneficiar todo e qualquer cidadão que dele tenha acesso. Assim, nesta tese é apresentado um estudo de um sistema de reconhecimento de gestos da mão baseado em visão artificial capaz de reconhecer gestos estáticos específicos da mão. Este sistema foi dividido em três módulos, módulo de detecção e segmentação, módulo de extração de características e o módulo de identificação e reconhecimento propriamente dito que utiliza a abordagem neuro-genética proposta. Métodos utilizados no pré-processamento das imagens para segmentação e caracterização também são apresentados. Resultados alcançados com a abordagem proposta são muito incentivadores e sugerem que a proposta possa ser considerada como uma ferramenta eficiente e robusta para recuperação e identificação a ser usada em diversas aplicações relacionadas à interface natural humano-computador. O ótimo desempenho do sistema é um passo para continuar na busca de novas tecnologias para criar um ambiente inteligente que dê suporte às necessidades de pessoas com deficiência visual, auditiva ou motora lhes dando certo nível de autonomia, capacidade de controle do entorno e de comunicação / Abstract: This thesis presents an innovative approach to solving problems of pattern recognition using a neural-genetic combination. Specifically, a morphological associative neural network is combined with a genetic algorithm that is used in the construction of the neural network for increasing the efficiency and robustness of pattern recall. A detailed study about the performance of the approach is presented, using grayscale images as patterns. Numerical and visual results are presented and the performance achieved is compared with other morphological associative neural models showing its effectiveness and robustness in the grayscale images recall. Thinking about a potential application, the proposed approach is used to solve the problem of hand gestures recognition. The hand gestures recognition is a natural way of human-computer interaction and considering the diversity and difference manifested by the human, for many people who have physical and sensory disabilities, the hand gestures is the primary means of communication. Several technologies have been proposed to bring benefits to people with limited communication. The intelligent environments emerged with the main purpose of improving the quality of human life based in computational tools facilitating the development of processes and actions of everyday life. The hand gestures recognition is a function of intelligent environments. So, for people with physical disabilities that limit their oral communication gesture recognition in an intelligent environment can take many benefits in communication, interaction and accessibility allowing its integration with the environment. Although concerned about people with disabilities, the hand gestures recognition system is mainly intended to benefit every people who has access to the environment. Thus, this thesis presents a study of a hand gestures recognition system. The system is able to recognize static hand gestures using the proposed Neural-Genetic Approach. Methods used in the image preprocessing and characterization are also presented. Results achieved with the proposed approach are very encouraging and suggest that the proposal can be considered as an efficient and robust tool for recovery and identification to be used in various applications related to natural human-computer interface. The optimal system performance is a big step to continue the search for new technologies to create an intelligent environment that supports the needs of people with visual, hearing or motor disability / Mestrado / Engenharia de Computação / Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica

In der industriellen Fertigung wird fortlaufend neuartige Technik implementiert. In der Automobilindustrie stellen kooperative Roboter eine Form neuartiger Technik dar. Für die Einstellung gegenüber kooperativen Robotern und deren Nutzung spielt die Akzeptanz vor allem beim Erstkontakt eine entscheidende Rolle. Der Grund ist die quasi-soziale Interaktion mit menschlichen Interaktionspartnern. Damit es nicht zur grundlosen Ablehnung kooperativer Roboter als Form neuartiger Technik kommt, verfolgt diese Arbeit als Ziele die Erklärung und anschließende Beeinflussung der Akzeptanz gegenüber kooperativen Robotern auf Grundlage der „unified theory of acceptance and use of technology“ (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003). Dafür wurden Einflussvariablen auf die Akzeptanz kooperativer Roboter identifiziert. Anschließend wurde die Beeinflussbarkeit der Akzeptanz untersucht und es wurden verschiedene Wege der Einführung eines kooperativen Roboters im Anwendungsfeld der Automobilindustrie miteinander verglichen. Die Akzeptanzsteigerung vor der eigentlichen Nutzung eines kooperativen Roboters konnte realisiert werden. Zudem ließen sich die Ergebnisse auch auf eine weitere Form neuartiger Technik im Untersuchungskontext übertragen. / New technologies are constantly implemented in the industrial context. Cooperative robots are a new technology in the automobile industry. The acceptance of these is important for the user’s attitude towards and their usage of them before and during the first contact. The reason for that is the quasi-social interaction with human interaction partners. To counteract the possibility of an unsubstantiated rejection of the use of this new technology, this paper has the aims of explaining and subsequently influencing the acceptance of cooperative robots based on the „unified theory of acceptance and use of technology“ (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003). Therefore variables affecting the acceptance of cooperative robots were identified. Afterwards the influenceability of the acceptance was tested and different ways of introducing a cooperative robot to new interaction partners in the new context of the automobile industry have been compared. As a result an increase of the user’s acceptance could be achieved before the actual use of the cooperative robot. Furthermore the results could also be transferred to another new technology in the same context of research.

Cette thèse a pour but d'améliorer la tâche de reconnaître des gestes de main en utilisant des techniques d'apprentissage par ordinateur et de traitement du signal. Les principales contributions de la thèse sont dédiés à la théorie de l'apprentissage par ordinateur et à l'interaction homme-machine. L'objectif étant d'implanter toutes méthodes en temps réel, toute méthode employé au cours de cette thèse était un compromis entre puissance et temps de calcul nécessaire.Plusieurs pistes ont été poursuivi : au début, la fusion des informations fournies par plusieurs capteurs tu type « time-of-flight » a été étudiée, dans le but d'améliorer le taux de reconnaissances correctes par rapport au cas avec un seul capteur. En particulier, l'impact des différentes caractéristiques calculés à partir d'une nuage de points, et de ses paramètres, a été évalué. Egalement, la performance des réseaux multi-couches (MLP) à été comparé avec celle d'un séparateur à vaste marge (SVM).En s'appuyant sur ces résultats, l'implantation du système dans une voiture a eté effectuée. Tout d'abord, nous avons montré que le système n'est pas du tout gêné par le fait d'être exposé aux conditions d'éclairage « outdoor ». L'extension de la base d'entraînement et une modification des caractéristiques calculé de la nuage des points a pu augmenter le taux de bonnes reconnaissances de façon très significative, ainsi que le rajout des mesures de confiance à la classification.Afin d'améliorer la performance des classifieurs à la base des réseaux multi-couche (MLP), une nouvelle méthode assez simple a été mise au point ensuite. Cette méthode met au profit des informations déjà présentes dans la dernière couche du réseau. En combinant cette nouvelle approche avec une technique de fusion, le taux de bonnes reconnaissances est amélioré, et surtout pour le cas des échantillons « difficiles ». Ces résultats ont été analysés et comparés de façon approfondie en comparant des différentes possibilités de fusion dans un tel contexte. L'exploitation du fait que les données traitées dont des séquences, et qu'il y a par conséquent une cohérence temporelle dans des échantillons successifs, a également été abordée un utilisant les mêmes techniques de fusion. Un système de « infotainment » implanté sur un smartphone, qui utilise les techniques décrites ici, a également été réalisé.Dans un dernier temps, un modèle simplifié de la reconnaissance des gestes dynamiques a été proposé et validé dans un contexte applicatif. Il a été montré que un geste peut être défini de façon assez robuste par une pose initiale et une pose finale, qui sont classé par le système décrit ci-dessus. / This thesis aims at improving the complex task of hand gesture recognition by utilizing machine learning techniques to learn from features calculated from 3D point cloud data. The main contributions of this work are embedded in the domains of machine learning and in the human-machine interaction. Since the goal is to demonstrate that a robust real-time capable system can be set up which provides a supportive means of interaction, the methods researched have to be light-weight in the sense that descriptivity balances itself with the calculation overhead needed to, in fact, remain real-time capable. To this end several approaches were tested:Initially the fusion of multiple ToF-sensors to improve the overall recognition rate was researched. It is examined, how employing more than one sensor can significantly boost recognition results in especially difficult cases and get a first grasp on the influence of the descriptors for this task as well as the influence of the choice of parameters on the calculation of the descriptor. The performance of MLPs with standard parameters is compared with the performance of SVMs for which the parameters have been obtained via grid search.Building on these results, the integration of the system into the car interior is shown. It is demonstrated how such a system can easily be integrated into an outdoor environment subject to strongly varying lighting conditions without the need for tedious calibration procedures. Furthermore the introduction of a modified light-weight version of the descriptor coupled with an extended database significantly boosts the frame rate for the whole recognition pipeline. Lastly the introduction of confidence measures for the output of the MLPs allows for more stable classification results and gives an insight on the innate challenges of this multiclass problem in general.In order to improve the classification performance of the MLPs without the need for sophisticated algorithm design or extensive parameter search a simple method is proposed which makes use of the existing recognition routines by exploiting information already present in the output neurons of the MLPs. A simple fusion technique is proposed which combines descriptor features with neuron confidences coming from a previously trained net and proves that augmented results can be achieved in nearly all cases for problem classes and individuals respectively.These findings are analyzed in-depth on a more theoretical scale by comparing the effectiveness of learning solely on neural activities in the output layer with the previously introduced fusion approach. In order to take into account temporal information, the thesis describes a possible approach on how to exploit the fact that we are dealing with a problem within which data is processed in a sequential manner and therefore problem-specific information can be taken into account. This approach classifies a hand pose by fusing descriptor features with neural activities coming from previous time steps and lays the ground work for the following section of making the transition towards dynamic hand gestures. Furthermore an infotainment system realized on a mobile device is introduced and coupled with the preprocessing and recognition module which in turn is integrated into an automotive setting demonstrating a possible testing environment for a gesture recognition system.In order to extend the developed system to allow for dynamic hand gesture interaction a simplified approach is proposed. This approach demonstrates that recognition of dynamic hand gesture sequences can be achieved with the simple definition of a starting and an ending pose based on a recognition module working with sufficient accuracy and even allowing for relaxed restrictions in terms of defining the parameters for such a sequence.

No description available.

Adaptiva system är idag en viktig resurs för att kunna utföra vardagliga uppgifter och tillgodose användarnas behov med personliga anpassningar. Sådana system är vanligtvis baserade på modeller som förlitar sig på komplexa algoritmer för artificiell intelligens som gör att systemets beteende uppfattas som ogenomskinligt för användarna. Därför behövs förklaringar av systemets beteende för att förbättra systemets transparens. I den här studien utvärderas två förklaringsmetoder, textbaserad och interaktiv, i samband med tre adaptiva system i ett fordon. Forskningsprojektet syftar till att bedöma potentialen hos de interaktiva förklaringarna jämfört med de textbaserade när det gäller acceptans av systemet, förtroende för systemet och dess användarupplevelse (UX). I detta syfte har en körstudie med 38 deltagare genomförts. Resultaten i allmänhet visar inga signifikanta skillnader för de tre variablerna mellan de två förklaringsmetoderna, även om en liten dominans av det textbaserade konceptet kan noteras. Resultaten i UX och Trust uppmuntrar dock till ytterligare undersökningar av interaktiva förklaringsmetoder. Från resultaten framkom dessutom behovet av kontroll av föraren i anpassningarna, och nödvändigheten av att skräddarsy förklaringsmetoden beroende på vilket förklaringsdesignmönster som används och vilket adaptivt system som avses. Dessa resultat uppmuntrar till framtida forskning om utformningen av användarcentrerade adaptiva system i fordon. / Nowadays adaptive systems represent an essential resource in achieving everyday life tasks, meeting users’ needs with personalized adaptations. Such systems are usually based on models that rely on complex artificial intelligence algorithms that make perceive the system behavior as opaque to the users. Therefore explanations of the system’s behavior are needed to improve system transparency. In this study, two explanatory approaches, named text-based and interactive, are evaluated in the context of three in-vehicle adaptive systems. The research aims to assess the potential of the interactive explanations compared with the text-based ones in terms of Acceptance of the system, Trust in the system, and User Experience (UX) of the system. To this purpose, a real-world driving study with 38 participants has been conducted. The results in general do not indicate significant differences in the three variables between the two explanatory approaches, although a slight predominance of the text-based concept is recognizable. However, the results in UX and Trust encourage further explorations of interactive explanatory approaches. From this research, it emerged the need for control of the driver over the adaptations, and the necessity of tailoring the explanatory approach depending on the explanations design pattern used, and the adaptive system targeted. These findings encourage future research in the design of user-centered in-vehicle adaptive systems.

No description available.

Le cadre prescrit de l'ingénierie système, avant tout centré sur les systèmes techniques, doit évoluer pour permettre de prendre en compte dès la phase de spécification système les interactions critiques des systèmes homme-machine tels que le système de maintenance aéronautique. L'objectif est d'assurer que le comportement de ce type de système, dépendant des synergies entre les différentes interactions qui prennent place entre les constituants techniques et humains, soit maintenu dans un domaine de performances acceptables. La démarche d'intégration des facteurs humains en Ingénierie Système consiste alors à s'intéresser à la performance globale des diverses interfaces des systèmes homme-machine. Ces interfaces sont le siège d'interactions émergeantes complexes, dont certaines sont recherchées pour faciliter la performance globale visée et la résilience face à un environnement perturbateur non anticipé, et d'autres construites pour finaliser le système en regard de sa mission. Le paradigme exploré par nos travaux se fonde sur la possibilité de faire inter-opérer des modèles de processus physiologiques avec des modèles de processus techniques en spécification d'interaction homme-machine, en combinant un cadre de Modélisation Système avec celui Mathématique et Computationnel de la Physiologie Intégrative. Notre travail se focalise sur la spécification d'exigences physico-physiologiques d'une interaction de perception visuelle, modélisées avec SysML, pour que l'opérateur humain perçoive bien les propriétés symboliques "affordées" par les objets techniques qu'il doit maintenir dans des contextes opérationnels variables. Les résultats de ces travaux de spécification nous amène à proposer une nouvelle organisation d'une ingénierie système support de maintenance basée sur les modèles / Current Systems Engineering framework must evolve in order to take into account the critical interactions of human-machine systems since the specification phase. The objective is to ensure that the behavior of such systems is kept within an accepted domain of performances whatever is the context of use. Those performances depend on the synergies of the different interactions that take place between technical and human systems when operating a common object. Human Factors Integration in Systems Engineering also known as Human Systems Integration implies to start working on the overall performance of all the interfaces of a human-machine system. These different interfaces exhibit emerging complex interactions. Some of them are inquired to ease the whole system performances and facilitate system resilience capabilities within disruptive unanticipated environment. Other ones are designed to finalize the system mission according to the purpose of its context of use. The paradigm we have explored in our work is based on the hypothesis of possible inter-operations between physiological and technical processes for human-machine interaction specification by coupling a System Modeling Framework with the Mathematical Theory of Integrative Physiology one. Our work focuses on the physical and physiological requirements specification (modeled with SysML) of a visual perceptive interaction for human to perceive right the meaning of symbolic properties technical objects afford when they are being maintained in variable contextualized situations. Our specification work results lead us to propose a Model-Based Support Systems Engineering organization

Propõe-se uma agenda de intervenção para a ergonomia da atividade no processo de requisitos de sistemas computacionais interativos centrados no usuário. Esta agenda adotou a abordagem multidisciplinar preconizada em normas internacionais de qualidade de software, como a ISO-13407. O objetivo da agenda é integrar a Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho na engenharia de requisitos, abordando a complexidade do ambiente de uso de forma sistemática, e garantir a interoperabilidade com a equipe de desenvolvimento. A agenda é aplicada experimentalmente em um estudo de caso de informatização na área médica, e envolveu o especialista em usuário, especialistas em computação e especialistas na área médica. Os resultados apresentados corroboram para a abordagem multidisciplinar proposta, evidenciando-se em processos de informatização de atividades de trabalho. / An agenda for the intervention of the activity ergonomics in the requirements process of interactive computing systems centered in the user is proposed. The agenda adopted a multidiscplinary approach aimed by international software quality standarts, as ISO 13407. The objective of the agenda is to integrate the Ergonomic Analysis of Work in the requirements engineering, approaching complexity of the environment of use, while making possible interoperability with the development team. The agenda is experimentally applied in a case study of automation in the medical field, involving user, computing and medical specialists. Results presented corroborated to the multidisciplinary approach proposed, argued for automation of working activities.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:13:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Valeria Cristiane Aprobato.pdf: 2740048 bytes, checksum: 6ff132f76e5eceafaa974144d5756610 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-12-18 / Each new technology creates impacts on communication processes, way of life, values, daily life, perception and cognition. This research aims to study, conduct qualitative field research and develop a training system customized body using fun games dancing Kinect application and analyze the complexities of interaction with this system interface body. Created for the video game device Microsoft Xbox 360, Kinect has attracted research interest in various fields of knowledge (Mazalek). In this research, the Kinect will be understood as a system of communication "bodymind- virtual environment." Due to their playful and interactive features, our hypothesis is that, through the mediation of the Kinect, the interactor can develop and / or improve their physical abilities,emotional, mental and enhance their intelligence. The research is based on the theories of Flusser in mediation theory of Martin - Barbero and the materiality of communication (Gumbrecht). To discuss the game as language the reasoning involves Feitoza, Fantin and Corrêa, Vaguetti and Botelho, Hansen, Galloway, Leo and Tavares. And to discuss the reading of the body and the five senses, fundamented in Serres. The methodology of a theoretical and practical, is comprised of literature review and qualitative field research. Practice trials (tests), development of training, monitoring students, questionnaires and nondirective interviews constituted stages of the investigative process. For the development of interviews, this research relied on the procedures of qualitative research (Alami) which provided the data for the analysis of the complexities of interaction with the Kinect. We observed that, after a journey of trial and error, the participants became more agile, precise, dynamic and visible improvement of their minds, because there was a considerable increase in their motor and cognitive skills, due to stimulation by Kinect device in a pyramid in increasing levels of difficulty in implementation throughout the research / Cada nova tecnologia gera impactos nos processos comunicacionais, modo de vida, valores, cotidiano, percepção e cognição. A presente pesquisa visa estudar, realizar pesquisa de campo qualitativa e desenvolver um sistema de treinamento corporal personalizado utilizando jogos lúdicos de dança do aplicativo Kinect e analisar as complexidades da interação com esse sistema de interface corporal. Criado para o dispositivo de videogame da Microsoft Xbox 360, o Kinect tem despertado interesse de pesquisa nos mais variados campos de conhecimento (Mazalek). Nessa pesquisa, o Kinect será compreendido enquanto um sistema de comunicação corpo-menteambiente virtual . Devido às suas características lúdicas e interativas, nossa hipótese é que, através da mediação do Kinect, o interator pode desenvolver e/ou melhorar suas habilidades físicas, emocionais, mentais e aprimorar sua inteligência. A pesquisa se fundamenta nas teorias de Flusser, na teoria da mediação de Martin- Barbero e na materialidade da comunicação (Gumbrecht). Para discutir o videogame enquanto linguagem a fundamentação envolve Feitoza, Fantin e Corrêa, Vaguetti e Botelho, Hansen, Galloway, Leão e Tavares. E para discutir a leitura do corpo e dos cinco sentidos, fundamentamo-nos em Serres. A metodologia, de caráter teóricoprático, é composta por revisão bibliográfica e pesquisa de campo qualitativa. Experimentações práticas (testes), desenvolvimento de treinos, acompanhamento de alunos, questionários e entrevistas não-diretivas constituíram etapas do processo investigativo. Para o desenvolvimento das entrevistas, a presente investigação se apoiou nos procedimentos da pesquisa qualitativa (Alami) que forneceu os dados para a análise das complexidades da interação com o Kinect. Pudemos observar que, ao fim de uma jornada de tentativas e erros, os participantes se tornaram mais ágeis, precisos, dinâmicos e com uma melhora visível de suas inteligências, pois houve um aumento considerável de suas habilidades motoras e cognitivas, devido ao estímulo dado pelo dispositivo Kinect, em uma pirâmide crescente em níveis de dificuldade de execução ao longo da pesquisa