Eye tracking have been around for many years now, but until recently the technology have been expensive and the performance too low for the mass market to pay any attention. But times are changing and the cost of eye trackers is going down and performance is getting better. Eye tracking will soon start appearing in more and more homes around the planet. With the advent of eye trackers in people‟s homes, it is time to start thinking about what users would want to use eye tracking for. A popular field that comes to mind is gaming. Adding eye tracking to games could change gaming significantly. Experiences could be enhanced and new genres created. A deep integration with the games would allow eye tracking to blend smoothly with the game; creating a natural and immersive experience. However, it will take a while for the game developers to make this come true. In the meantime something else is needed to fill the gap between now, when no game had eye tracking support, and the future when all games will have a deeply integrated eye tracking interaction. The product we came up with is a tool for non-intrusively integrating eye tracking into existing games. This means that the tool is able to add eye tracking support without the need to modify the game in any way.

Near Field Communication (NFC) is an RFID-based technology that creates a port between the physical and the digital world through an interaction technique often referred to as tapping; communication is initiated when two interactive NFC-items briefly touch each other. The tapping interaction technique opens up for creation of new types of user interfaces that are compelling to use for both experienced and novice users. Previous work has proven the strengths of interfaces utilizing NFC from a usability perspective, but except for a couple of tries to make the technique more wide spread, e.g. by Nokia in the early 2000’s, the market penetration is unexpectedly low given NFC’s potential. We have explored possible implementations of the tapping technique and created a design space by developing three prototypes: Sparakvittot, an NFC integrated version of an already up and running service used to handle digital receipts; PatientSafetyPrototype, a tool for hospital nurses used to ease the medicine handling process in order to enhance patient safety; TapThat, used to immediately transfer playback of a sound file between devices by a simple tap. These three prototypes serve as illustrations of NFC’s three different modes of operation: card emulation, which is making active NFC hardware act like if it was passive, i.e. not capable of initiating communication; Read/write, i.e. making active NFC hardware read or write a passive NFC-tag; Peer-to-peer, which is making active NFC hardware communicate with another active NFC hardware. All our three prototypes were designed, developed and evaluated with end-users. Together, the three prototypes show some of the potential and strengths of NFC, but they also show the importance of finding a consistent model for interaction which users can recognize and related to irrespective of which application is being used. The report concludes with an interaction model to be used when developing an NFC integrated Android application in order to create a pliable user experience. The interaction model is not necessarily Android specific and can also be used when implementing the tapping technique in applications in general. In short our interaction model states that applications should provide feedback when tapping. This feedback should consist of sounds, haptic and GUI dialogues. Application preferences should make it possible for experienced users to decide which feedback they prefer. It is also important to define a clear interaction model and be consistent on how the tapping technique is implemented in different contexts. Our interaction model is followed by other findings from the study that we believe are important to consider when implementing NFC in Android smartphone applications: the importance of determining if NFC integration is suitable, to use specific intent filters and to use high-fidelity prototypes when evaluating.

Technological innovations have a highly disruptive nature and thus traditional industries, such as automotive, have to restructure themselves in order to remain relevant as well as exploit additional value opportunities. Car manufacturers are incorporating customers’ expectation of ubiquitous connectivity through ICT into their products, but have not added this strategy into their operations. Internet of things and Big Data can aid in improved efficiencies in collective supply chain management and information flow. This research was aimed at developing applicable business models that address the addition of connected service solutions into the downstream automotive supply chain. Based on empirical data collected from both qualitative and quantitative research, two applicable business models are suggested along with detailed value propositions for OEMs, logistics providers, car dealers, and third parties. The results show that in order for connectivity to become ubiquitous, the chain has to change from vertical to horizontal integration and apply a networked strategy. However, due to strong distrust among stakeholders, the entrant of a third neutral player is advised as the most probable solution. In any case, for IoT enabled connectivity to provide valuable time and cost reductions in operations all stakeholders will need to collaborate and be open to data exchange.

I samband med införandet av elektronisk-auktion av offentlig upphandling i Sverige 2010 började e-auktionssystem att utvecklas för att möta nya möjligheter. Studien ger en överblick av vilka kritiska faktorer som kännetecknar ett framgångsrikt elektroniskt auktionssystem av offentlig upphandling med fokus på systemupplägg för anbudsläggare och upplevelse av användarvänlighet. Studien omfattar en bakgrundsstudie, litteraturstudie, analys av tidigare system och expertintervjuer vars samlade data har legat till grund för utvecklandet av faktorer som sedan testades i en explorativ studie. Studien visar att tydlighet och styrbarhet är de viktigaste faktorerna som har en tydlig hierarkisk relation till ett framgångsrikt e-auktionssystem. Studien påvisar även en relation mellan ett framgångsrikt e-auktionssystem och dess ingivna teknologi-tillit.

Television is moving towards Internet-based services with an increasing popularity of online streaming and connected TV sets. However, the lean-back viewing experience is often forgotten in the design of such services – traditional broadcasted television is still the source for relaxed entertainment in the living room. In this study, a concept of a new TV service is proposed. The aim is to create a solution where the qualities in traditional television are preserved in an online environment. The decisions that were taken when shaping this concept are based on a literature study, a market analysis, a design workshop and expert interviews. The main results are that the interfaces of today’s Internet-based TV services require too much interaction and decision-making, and that TV channels should be redefined and take more advantage from the independence of a fixed broadcasted source.

A screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output. The format is frequently used to demonstrate and teach the usage of software functions, and is then often accompanied by narrative audio. In order for a screencast to be considered effective in these cases, it is required that it clearly conveys the interaction between user and computer program. This is problematic in the case of gesture based user interfaces since input by touch gestures lack visual representation other than feedback from the user interface. Thus, from visual information only, it is hard for the audience to interpret which specific gesture, such as touch, long touch and double touch, is used for a specific program function. Instead they have to rely on the producer communicating the information in some other way. In this master’s thesis, a pictorial language with the purpose of visualizing touch gestures in screencasts is designed, since it could be a potential solution to the above dilemma. This is done by combining an autobiographical design method with external user evaluations. The research suggest that users interpret this type of visualizations as interface functions rather than physical touch gestures, and that some of the language’s design attributes are highly dependent on external factors. Thus, for the pictorial language to function as an effective tool in screencasts, it is needed for the producers using the tool to understand both its limitations as well as possibilities.

In this thesis, I propose a framework for designing 3D-based audio-only games in which all navigation is based on perceiving the 3D-audio, as opposed to relying on other navigational aids or imagining the audio as being spatial, where additional sounds may be added later on in the development process. To test the framework, a game named Sound Hunter was developed in an iterative process together with both sighted and visually impaired participants in three focus groups, 8 usability tests, and a final evaluation. Sound Hunter currently features 20 levels progressively becoming more difficult, and relies on no stationary equipment. Instead, all navigation is based on the smartphone’s accelerometer data, where the only requirement is headphones to properly perceive the HRTF filtering, being delivered through the Pure Data external [earplug~], using a generalized HRTF and linear interpolation. The results indicate that the suggested framework is a successful guidance tool when wanting to develop faster perception-based and action-filled 3D-audio games, and the learning curve for the navigation was approximately 15 minutes, after which the participants navigated with very high precision. Furthermore, the results showed that there is a high need for audio-only games intended for visually impaired smartphone users, and that with only minor alterations to game menus and adjustments to the iPhone’s accelerometer function, both older and younger visually impaired smartphone users can navigate through 3D-audio environments using simple hand movements. The results also strongly support that Sound Hunter may be used to train people’s spatial hearing in an entertaining way with full experimental control, as the participants felt that they focused more on their hearing and even trained their hearing while playing the game, and sounds were perceived as more externalized than lateralized. Also, the results strongly suggest that there are two main factors affecting the learning curve for adapting to a foreign HRTF during virtual interactive gaming experiences; the adaptation to the navigational controls, and the experience of front/back confusion, where control adaptation is promoted by having a strong default setting with customizable sensitivity, and the experience of front/back confusion can be greatly reduced by introducing complex distance-dependent meta-level communication in synthesized sounds. Using distance-dependent meta-level communication in the wrong way, however, can lead to illusions of false distance, making navigation impossible. All of the participants would have recommended Sound Hunter to others, and they were very impressed by both the quality of the 3D rendering, and the way in which it could be used to navigate, where one of the participants, a blind expert audio-only game developer, also being highly experienced with audio-only games, claimed that Sound Hunter offered the best representation of 3D audio he had ever experienced in an audio-only game

The Millennial Generation, born between 1982 and 2000, are used to the ubiquity of modern devices and are always ‘on’. Therefore, they use and consume media differently than preceding generations. Now that they are ageing and becoming part of the advertising relevant target group, TV executives need to think about how and especially where to reach this target demographic. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to develop a better understanding of how the Millennial Generation is consuming the traditional medium of television and how a business model geared towards their needs and demands should look like. Through conducting an empirical study among over 750 Millennials, the author identified the TV consumption behaviour of this generation and subsequently defined three subgroups within the field of participants. According to the research most of the Millennials still own and use traditional TV sets; however, they watch an increasing amount of TV content online and especially on demand. Their preferred payment model is subscription based, even though just a small percentage of them actually have a subscription. Moreover, they use mostly illegal streaming websites to watch TV content they want; especially if it is foreign content that is not available on other platforms yet. The final result of this thesis is a business model that was built upon the needs and consumption behaviour of one of the subgroups of Millennials who prefer subscription services. This subgroup is used to consuming TV content online and they watch the highest amount of TV series among the Millennials. The business model addresses these factors and describes a subscription video on demand service addressing the needs of the Millennials such as an early release of new episodes. Furthermore, new sources of revenue are introduced that can provide sufficient funding for content acquisition and production. This business model could serve as a starting point for TV executives to further think about the specific needs of this attractive target demographic and how to address them.

This thesis has been conducted as a case study for the brand Milda. It aims to investigate what Milda can do in order to increase the engagement and co-creation among their consumers at their website. Milda has a user-generated recipe section inside their website they want the consumers to interact with and contribute with content to. The study was conducted using a mixed methodology containing interviews with consumers, usability tests, a survey distributed on Milda’s Facebook page, a review of Milda’s current website, and a short benchmark. Furthermore, the study was based on a thoroughly made literature review over previous studies made regarding the subject. The findings from the study showed that consumers tend to be more willing to co-create with companies they can identify with and are passionate about. Engaged consumers also advocates the brand and connects new consumers to its products. Presence from the company in co-creation processes is highly important to engage and satisfy the consumers. Social aspects in form of communication and interaction with other users are main driving factors for engagement in digital media. For Milda to increase the amount of content at their website shared by their consumers, they have to make some improvements with the site in order to provide a better user experience. Since the social aspect is important to gain engaged consumers, Milda also has to increase the traffic to the site.

Detta examensarbete presenterar en rapport som utforskar användares inställning till mikro-platsmedeveten mobil marknadsföring och hur den upplevs. Detta har gjorts genom en användarcentrerad process där inledningsvis en förstudie i form av fokusgrupp ägt rum som lagt grunden för den prototyp som tagits fram. Prototypen är en vidareutveckling av Rabbles existerande erbjudande-applikation som utrustats med stöd för beacons. Detta har utgjort den tekniska grund som använts vid utvärdering av användares upplevelser. Detta har gjorts i ett fälttest i en matbutik i centrala Stockholm. Testdeltagarnas inställning till marknadsföringen var positiv och de upplevde det som nytt och modernt. Resultatet berättar om användarnas åsikter och ett stort fokus har legat på deras förhållande till notifikationer i smarttelefoner. Åsikter om integritet gällande denna typ av marknadsföring diskuteras också.