This dissertation is composed of three studies that use statistical, behavioral, and neuroimaging methods to investigate Chinese and English speakers’ semantic interpretations of four types of visual information including icons, single Chinese characters, single English words, and pictures. The goal is to examine whether people cognitively process icons as logographical words. By collecting survey data from 211 participants, the first study investigated how differently these four types of visual information can express specific meanings without ambiguity on a quantitative scale. In the second study, 78 subjects participated in a behavioral experiment that measured how fast people could correctly interpret the meaning of these four types of visual information in order to estimate the differences in reaction times needed to process these stimuli. The third study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 20 participants selected from the second study to identify brain regions that were needed to process these four types of visual information in order to determine if the same or different neural networks were required to process these stimuli. Findings suggest that 1) similar to pictures, icons are statistically more ambiguous than English words and Chinese characters to convey the immediate semantics of objects and concepts; 2) English words and Chinese characters are more effective and efficient than icons and pictures to convey the immediate semantics of objects and concepts in terms of people’s behavioral responses, and 3) according to the neuroimaging data, icons and pictures require more resources of the brain than texts, and the pattern of neural correlates under the condition of reading icons is different from the condition of reading Chinese characters. In conclusion, icons are not cognitively processed as logographical words like Chinese characters although they both stimulate the semantic system in the brain that is needed for language processing. Chinese characters and English words are more evolved and advanced symbols that are less ambiguous, more efficient and easier for a literate brain to understand, whereas graphical representations of objects and concepts such as icons and pictures do not always provide immediate and unambiguous access to meanings and are prone to various interpretations. / text

The use of hand gestures provides an attractive alternative to cumbersome interface devices such as keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc. Hand tracking has a great potential as a tool for better human-computer interaction by means of communication in a more natural and articulate way. This has motivated a very active research area concerned with computer vision-based analysis and interpretation of hand gestures and hand tracking. In this study, a real-time hand tracking system is developed. Mainly, it is image-based hand tracking and based on 2D image information. For separation and identification of finger parts, coloured markers are used. In order to obtain 3D tracking, a stereo vision approach is used where third dimension is obtained by depth information. In order to see results in 3D, a 3D hand model is developed and Java 3D is used as the 3D environment. Tracking is tested on two different types of camera: a cheap USB web camera and Sony FCB-IX47AP camera, connected to the Matrox Meteor frame grabber with a standard Intel Pentium based personal computer. Coding is done by Borland C++ Builder 6.0 and Intel Image Processing and Open Source Computer Vision (OpenCV) library are used as well. For both camera types, tracking is found to be robust and efficient where hand tracking at ~8 fps could be achieved. Although the current progress is encouraging, further theoretical as well as computational advances are needed for this highly complex task of hand tracking.

The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) has suggested various methods for evaluating systems in order to improve their usability and User eXperience (UX). The advent of Web 2.0 has allowed the development of applications marked by collaboration, communication and interaction among their users in a way and on a scale never seen before. Social Systems (SS) (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn etc.) are examples of such applications and have features such as: frequent exchange of messages, spontaneity and expression of feelings. The opportunities and challenges posed by these types of applications require the traditional evaluation methods to be reassessed, taking into consideration these new characteristics. For instance, the postings of users on SS reveal their opinions on various issues, including on what they think of the system. This work aims to test the hypothesis that the postings of users in SS provide relevant data for evaluation of the usability and of UX in SS. While researching through literature, we have not identified any evaluation model intending to collect and interpret texts from users in order to assess the user experience and system usability. Thus, this thesis proposes MALTU - Model for evaluation of interaction in social systems from the Users Textual Language. In order to provide a basis for the development of the proposed model, we conducted a study of how users express their opinions on the system in natural language. We extracted postings of users from four SS of different contexts. HCI experts classified, studied and processed such postings by using Natural Language Processing (PLN) techniques and data mining, and then analyzed them in order to obtain a generic model. The MALTU was applied in two SS: an entertainment and an educational SS. The results show that is possible to evaluate a system from the postings of users in SS. Such assessments are aided by extraction patterns related to the use, to the types of postings and to HCI factors used in system. / A Ãrea de InteraÃÃo Humano-Computador (IHC) tem sugerido muitas formas para avaliar sistemas a fim de melhorar sua usabilidade e a eXperiÃncia do UsuÃrio (UX). O surgimento da web 2.0 permitiu o desenvolvimento de aplicaÃÃes marcadas pela colaboraÃÃo, comunicaÃÃo e interatividade entre seus usuÃrios de uma forma e em uma escala nunca antes observadas. Sistemas Sociais (SS) (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn etc.) sÃo exemplos dessas aplicaÃÃes e possuem caracterÃsticas como: frequente troca de mensagens e expressÃo de sentimentos de forma espontÃnea. As oportunidades e os desafios trazidos por esses tipos de aplicaÃÃes exigem que os mÃtodos tradicionais de avaliaÃÃo sejam repensados, considerando essas novas caracterÃsticas. Por exemplo, as postagens dos usuÃrios em SS revelam suas opiniÃes sobre diversos assuntos, inclusive sobre o que eles pensam do sistema em uso. Esta tese procura testar a hipÃtese de que as postagens dos usuÃrios em SS fornecem dados relevantes para avaliaÃÃo da Usabilidade e da UX (UUX) em SS. Durante as pesquisas realizadas na literatura, nÃo foi identificado nenhum modelo de avaliaÃÃo que tenha direcionado seu foco na coleta e anÃlise das postagens dos usuÃrios a fim de avaliar a UUX de um sistema em uso. Sendo assim, este estudo propÃe o MALTU â Modelo para AvaliaÃÃo da interaÃÃo em sistemas sociais a partir da Linguagem Textual do UsuÃrio. A fim de fornecer bases para o desenvolvimento do modelo proposto, foram realizados estudos de como os usuÃrios expressam suas opiniÃes sobre o sistema em lÃngua natural. Foram extraÃdas postagens de usuÃrios de quatro SS de contextos distintos. Tais postagens foram classificadas por especialistas de IHC, estudadas e processadas utilizando tÃcnicas de Processamento da Linguagem Natural (PLN) e mineraÃÃo de dados e, analisadas a fim da obtenÃÃo de um modelo genÃrico. O MALTU foi aplicado em dois SS: um de entretenimento e um SS educativo. Os resultados mostram que à possÃvel avaliar um sistema a partir das postagens dos usuÃrios em SS. Tais avaliaÃÃes sÃo auxiliadas por padrÃes de extraÃÃo relacionados ao uso, aos tipos de postagens e Ãs metas de IHC utilizadas na avaliaÃÃo do sistema.

Mobile technology is developing quickly and becomming a part of daily life and communication. Bluetooth Low Energy is presented as a new way of mobile interaction. However there are not enough studies in this field on the interaction between mobile devices and the physical world. In order to understand user needs, and to encourage users to interact, we simulated an interaction process through designing and testing a prototype in a specific indoor environment. Prototype effectiveness and main characteristics for future mobile application was evaluated through a qualitative user study with 20 participants who interacted with our prototype. / Den mobila tekniken växer snabbt och blir en del av våra liv och vår kommunikation. BLE presenteras på ett nytt sätt inom mobilinteraktion. Det förekommer inte tillräckligt med studier inom området för interaktionen mellan mobila enheter och den fysiska världen. För att förstå användarbehov och få användare att interagera har vi simulerat en interaktiv process genom att designa och testa en prototyp i en specifik inomhusmiljö. Utvärdering av prototypens effektivitet och heuristiken har evaluerats genom en kvalitativ studie med 20 användare som har deltagit i interaktionen med vår prototyp.

Purpose – Artificial Intelligence has seen important growth in the digital area in recent years. Our aim is to explore possible guidelines that make use of AI advances to design good user experiences for digital products. Method – The proposed methods to gather the necessary qualitative data to support our claim involve open-ended interviews with UX/UI Designers working in the industry, in order to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and experiences. In addition, a literature review is conducted to identify the knowledge gap and build the base of our new theory. Findings – Our findings suggest a need to embrace new technological developments in favour of enhancing UX designers’ workflow. Additionally, basic AI and ML knowledge is needed to utilise these capabilities to their full potential. Indeed, a crucial area of impact where AI can augment a designer’s reach is personalization. Together with smart algorithms, designers may target their creations to specific user needs and demands. UX designers even have the opportunity for innovation as mundane tasks are automated by intelligent assistants, which broadens the possibility of acquiring further skills to enhance their work. One result, that is both innovative and unexpected, is the notion that AI and ML can augment a designer’s creativity by taking over mundane tasks, as well as, providing assistance with certain graphics and inputs. Implications – These results indicate that AI and ML may potentially impact the UX industry in a positive manner, as long as designers make use of the technology for the benefit of the user in true human-centred practice. Limitations – Nevertheless, our study presents its own unique limitations due to the scope and time frame of this dissertation, we are bound to the knowledge gathered from a small sample of professionals in Sweden. Presented guidelines are a suggestion based on our research and not a definitive workflow.

The degree project explores the interaction between computers and users who, due to physical impairments are unable to use computer mice and/or keyboards. The users are given alternative means of input,namely eye tracking and speech recognition. The interactions are studied using experiments that are based on the Wizard of Oz-method.The project also includes development of a framework used during the experiments and interfaces that are based on the results of the experiments. It is shown that eye tracking and speech recognition has the potential to allow a user full and efficient usage of a computer, without the need for a computer mouse or keyboard. / Examensarbetet utforskar interaktionen mellan datorer och användare som på grund av någon form av funktionsnedsättning inte kan använda datormöss och/eller tangentbord. Användarna får tillgång till alternativamedel för inmatning, nämligen ögonstyrning och taligenkänning.Interaktionen studeras genom att utföra experiment som är baserade på Wizard of Oz-metoden. Examensarbetet inkluderar även utvecklingenav ett ramverk som används under experimenten samt prototyper på grafiska gränssnitt som baseras på resultaten av experimenten. Det visasatt dessa alternativa medel för inmatning har potentialen att ge en användare full och effektiv användning av en dator, utan behov för en datormus eller ett tangentbord.

Masters of Science / The communication barriers between deaf and hearing society mean that interaction between these communities is kept to a minimum. The South African Sign Language research group, Integration of Signed and Verbal Communication: South African Sign Language Recognition and Animation (SASL), at the University of the Western Cape aims to create technologies to bridge the communication gap. In this thesis we address the subject of whole hand gesture recognition. We demonstrate a method to identify South African Sign Language classifiers using an eigenvector approach. The classifiers researched within this thesis are based on those outlined by the Thibologa Sign Language Institute for SASL. Gesture recognition is achieved in real time. Utilising a pre-processing method for image registration we are able to increase the recognition rates for the eigenvector approach.

Nowadays, usability mainly perceived as a basis of the instrumental evaluation of an information system (IS) capability. Notably, rule-of-thumb usability heuristic evaluation (HE) is widely known and used as a cost-efficient and effective inspection-based usability evaluation. However, it is evident in prior research that there is communicative action captured when users interact with a system. Accordingly, socio-instrumental (SI) perspective perceives a particular event of the user’s interaction toward system (social action) is composed of both instrumental aspect and social aspect. Our study aims to explain the completeness of recent HE studies, and also to describe underlying connections between inspection-based usability evaluation and socio-instrumental aspects. We conducted a qualitative systematic review throughout thirteen qualified documents we appraised from filtering out 89 documents which consist of research articles within the last five years and existing professional reports. In a qualitative manner, our study result has identified the qualified documents present a positive degree of completeness. We have also analyzed various usability problems that are connected with specific heuristics and SI aspects. It is evident in this study that the SI perspective has contributed to revealing the communicative rationale behind the user’s social action toward the system. In addition, we, therefore, suggest improvement suggestions for further works to address the shortcomings in the present study.

[ES] La investigación reportada en la presente tesis doctoral se lleva a cabo a través de la metodología de la ciencia del diseño que se centra en la creación y evaluación de artefactos. En esta tesis, el principal artefacto es el novedoso enfoque para diseñar y generar interfaces de usuario utilizando el conocimiento experto. Con el fin de permitir el uso del conocimiento experto, el enfoque propuesto se basa en la reutilización de patrones de diseño que incorporan el conocimiento experto del diseño de la interfaz y proporcionan soluciones reutilizables a diversos problemas de diseño. El objetivo principal de dicho enfoque es abordar el uso de patrones de diseño a fin de garantizar que los conocimientos especializados se integren en el diseño y la generación de interfaces de usuario para aplicaciones móviles y web. Las contribuciones específicas de esta tesis se resumen a continuación: Una primera contribución consiste en el marco AUIDP que se define para apoyar el diseño y la generación de interfaces adaptativas para aplicaciones web y móviles utilizando patrones de diseño HCI. El marco propuesto abarca tanto la etapa de diseño como la de ejecución de dichas interfaces. En el momento del diseño, los modelos de patrones de diseño junto con la interfaz de usuario y el perfil de usuario se definen siguiendo una metodología de desarrollo específica. En tiempo de ejecución, los modelos creados se utilizan para permitir la selección de patrones de diseño de HCI y para permitir la generación de interfaces de usuario a partir de las soluciones de diseño proporcionadas por los patrones de diseño relevantes. La segunda contribución es un método de especificación para establecer un modelo de ontología que convierte la representación tradicional basada en texto en la representación formal del patrón de diseño de HCI. Este método adopta la metodología Neon para lograr la transición de las representaciones informales a las formales. El modelo de ontología creado se llama MIDEP, que es una ontología modular que captura el conocimiento sobre los patrones de diseño, así como la interfaz de usuario y el perfil del usuario. La tercera contribución es el IDEPAR, que es el primer sistema dentro del marco global del AUIDP. Este sistema tiene como objetivo recomendar automáticamente los patrones de diseño más relevantes para un problema de diseño dado. Se basa en un enfoque híbrido que utiliza una combinación mixta de técnicas de recomendación basadas en texto y ontología para producir recomendaciones de patrones de diseño que proporcionan soluciones de diseño apropiadas. La cuarta contribución es un sistema generador de interfaz llamado ICGDEP, que se propone para generar automáticamente el código fuente de la interfaz de usuario para aplicaciones web y móviles. El ICGDEP es el segundo sistema dentro del marco global de AUIDP y se basa en el uso de patrones de diseño de HCI que son recomendados por el sistema IDEPAR. Su objetivo principal es generar automáticamente el código fuente de la interfaz de usuario a partir de las soluciones de diseño proporcionadas por los patrones de diseño. Para lograr esto, el sistema ICGDEP utiliza un método que permite la generación de código fuente de interfaz de usuario para la aplicación de destino. Las contribuciones aportadas en la presente tesis han sido validadas a través de diferentes perspectivas. En primer lugar, la evaluación de la ontología MIDEP desarrollada se realiza utilizando preguntas de competencia, enfoques de evaluación basados en la tecnología y basados en aplicaciones. En segundo lugar, la evaluación del sistema IDEPAR se establece mediante un patrón producido por expertos y un estudio de evaluación centrado en el usuario. Luego, el sistema ICGDEP es evaluado en términos de ser utilizado efectivamente por los desarrolladores, considerando el factor de productividad. Por último, la evaluación del marco mundial de AUIDP se lleva a cabo mediante estudios de casos y estudios de usabilidad. / [CA] La investigació reportada en aquesta tesi doctoral es duu a terme a través de la metodologia de la ciència del disseny que se centra en la creació i avaluació d'artefactes. En aquesta tesi, el principal artefacte és el nou enfocament per dissenyar i generar interfícies d'usuari utilitzant el coneixement expert. Per tal de permetre l'ús del coneixement expert, l'enfocament proposat es basa en la reutilització de patrons de disseny que incorporen el coneixement expert del disseny de la interfície i proporcionen solucions reutilitzables a diversos problemes de disseny. L'objectiu principal d'aquest enfocament és abordar l'ús de patrons de disseny per tal de garantir que els coneixements especialitzats s'integrin en el disseny i la generació d'interfícies d'usuari per a aplicacions mòbils i web. Les contribucions específiques d'aquesta tesi es resumeixen a continuació: Una primera contribució consisteix en el marc AUIDP que es defineix per donar suport al disseny i generació d'interfícies adaptatives per a aplicacions web i mòbils utilitzant patrons de disseny HCI. El marc proposat inclou tant l'etapa de disseny com la d'execució de les interfícies esmentades. En el moment del disseny, els models de patrons de disseny juntament amb la interfície d'usuari i el perfil d'usuari es defineixen seguint una metodologia de desenvolupament específica. En temps d'execució, els models creats s'utilitzen per permetre la selecció de patrons de disseny de HCI i per permetre la generació de interfícies d'usuari a partir de les solucions de disseny proporcionades pels patrons de disseny rellevants. La segona contribució és un mètode d'especificació per establir un model d'ontologia que converteix la representació tradicional basada en text en la representació formal del patró de disseny de HCI. Aquest mètode adopta la metodologia Neon per aconseguir la transició de les representacions informals a les formals. El model d'ontologia creat s'anomena MIDEP, una ontologia modular que captura el coneixement sobre els patrons de disseny, així com la interfície d'usuari i el perfil de l'usuari. La tercera contribució és l'IDEPAR, que és el primer sistema dins del marc global de l'AUIDP. Aquest sistema té com a objectiu recomanar automàticament els patrons de disseny més rellevants per a un problema de disseny donat. Es basa en un enfocament híbrid que utilitza una combinació mixta de tècniques de recomanació basades en text i ontologia per produir recomanacions de patrons de disseny que proporcionen solucions de disseny apropiades. La quarta contribució és un sistema generador d'interfície anomenat ICGDEP, que es proposa per generar automàticament el codi font de la interfície d'usuari per a aplicacions web i mòbils. L'ICGDEP és el segon sistema dins del marc global d'AUIDP i es basa en l'ús de patrons de disseny de HCI que són recomanats pel sistema IDEPAR. El seu objectiu principal és generar automàticament el codi font de la interfície d'usuari a partir de les solucions de disseny proporcionades pels patrons de disseny. Per aconseguir-ho, el sistema ICGDEP utilitza un mètode que permet generar codi font d'interfície d'usuari per a l'aplicació de destinació. Les contribucions aportades a la present tesi han estat validades a través de diferents perspectives. En primer lloc, l'avaluació de l'ontologia MIDEP desenvolupada es fa utilitzant preguntes de competència, enfocaments d'avaluació basats en la tecnologia i basats en aplicacions. En segon lloc, l'avaluació del sistema IDEPAR s'estableix mitjançant un patró produït per experts i un estudi d'avaluació centrat en l'usuari. Després, el sistema ICGDEP és avaluat en termes de ser utilitzat efectivament pels desenvolupadors, considerant el factor de productivitat. Finalment, l'avaluació del marc mundial d'AUIDP es fa mitjançant estudis de casos i estudis d'usabilitat. / [EN] The research reported in the present PhD dissertation is conducted through the design science methodology that focuses on creating and evaluating artifacts. In the current thesis, the main artifact is the novel approach to design and generate user interfaces using expert knowledge. In order to enable the use of expert knowledge, the present approach is devoted to reuse design patterns that incorporate expert knowledge of interface design and provide reusable solutions to various design problems. The main goal of the proposed approach is to address the use of design patterns in order to ensure that expert knowledge is integrated into the design and generation of user interfaces for mobile and Web applications. The specific contributions of this thesis are summarized below: This first contribution is the AUIDP framework that is defined to support the design and generation of adaptive interfaces for Web and mobile applications using HCI design patterns. The proposed framework spans over design-time and run-time. At design-time, models of design patterns along with user interface and user profile are defined following a specific development methodology. At run-time, the created models are used to allow the selection of HCI design patterns and to enable the generation of user interfaces from the design solutions provided by the relevant design patterns. The second contribution is a specification method to establish an ontology model that turns traditional text-based representation into formal HCI design pattern representation. This method adopts the Neon methodology to achieve the transition from informal to formal representations. The created ontology model is named MIDEP, which is a modular ontology that captures knowledge about design patterns as well as the user interface and user's profile. The third contribution is the IDEPAR, which is the first system within the global AUIDP framework. This system aims to automatically recommend the most relevant design patterns for a given design problem. It is based on a hybrid approach that relies on a mixed combination of text-based and ontology-based recommendation techniques to produce design pattern recommendations that provide appropriate design solutions. The fourth contribution is an interface generator system called ICGDEP, which is proposed to automatically generate the user interface source code for Web and mobile applications. The proposed ICGDEP is the second system within the global AUIDP framework and relies on the use of HCI design patterns that are recommended by the IDEPAR system. It mainly aims at automatically generating the user interface source code from the design solutions provided by design patterns. To achieve this, the ICGDEP system is based on a generation method that allows the generation of user interface source code for the target application. The contributions provided in the present thesis have been validated through different perspectives. First, the evaluation of the developed MIDEP ontology is performed using competency questions, technology-based, and application-based evaluation approaches. Second, the evaluation of the IDEPAR system is established through an expert-based gold standard and a user-centric evaluation study. Then, the ICGDEP system is evaluated in terms of being effectively used by developers, considering the productivity factor. Finally, the evaluation of the global AUIDP framework is conducted through case studies and usability studies. / Braham, A. (2022). Towards Designing and Generating User Interfaces by Using Expert Knowledge [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/190920

Our lives become longer with new advancements in medicine and technology. As a result, cognition and memory impairments will become a growing concern[23]. To be able to treat cognitive decline, dementia and related diseases, the need for early detection of memory deficiencies increases. This study aimed to validate the use of a new digital interaction version of a common memory test, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), compared with norm from the traditional human-to-human interaction version of the same test. This was performed through userstudies with both test versions in a counterbalanced order. The results consisted of quantitative results from the tests together with qualitative data from interviews with the participants in connection to each test occasion. The results showed a slight difference in some aspects of the quantitative test results, but at the same time, no significant difference for most of the measured results. Further, the interviews demonstrated that the differences in interaction and experience between the versions of the tests could be the reason for some of the differences in the quantitative result. The conclusion from this study was that there are many difficult problems to solve for speech interfaces in neurocognitive tests like the RAVLT. In line with previous research [22], the results highlight the importance of a natural speech interaction that conforms with the basic principles of human conversation, to create a stress-free experience and test results that can be reliable and comparable.