Designing good digital experiences for children can be difficult; designers have to consider children's cognitive and motor skill limitations, understand their target audience, create something entertaining and educational, comply with national and international jurisdiction, and at the same time appeal to parents. We set out to create a general framework which designers and developers can use as a foundation and testing ground for their digital products in the field of user experience. The methods used during the thesis include interviews, literature studies, user testing, case studies, personas, prototyping, and more. The results created are primarily user experience guidelines packaged in a Theoretical Framework, user testing conclusions, along with suggestions on improving the current Lego Star Wars: Force Builders application, a few in the form of prototypes.

Technology is becoming pervasive and the current interfaces are not adequate for the interaction with the smart environments of the ubiquitous computing era. Recently, researchers have started to address this issue introducing the concept of natural user interface, which is mainly based on gestural interactions. Many issues are still open in this emerging domain and, in particular, there is a lack of common guidelines for coherent implementation of gestural interfaces. This research investigates gestural interactions between humans and smart environments. It proposes a novel framework for the high-level organization of the context information. The framework is conceived to provide the support for a novel approach using functional gestures to reduce the gesture ambiguity and the number of gestures in taxonomies and improve the usability. In order to validate this framework, a proof-of-concept has been developed. A prototype has been developed by implementing a novel method for the view-invariant recognition of deictic and dynamic gestures. Tests have been conducted to assess the gesture recognition accuracy and the usability of the interfaces developed following the proposed framework. The results show that the method provides optimal gesture recognition from very different view-points whilst the usability tests have yielded high scores. Further investigation on the context information has been performed tackling the problem of user status. It is intended as human activity and a technique based on an innovative application of electromyography is proposed. The tests show that the proposed technique has achieved good activity recognition accuracy. The context is treated also as system status. In ubiquitous computing, the system can adopt different paradigms: wearable, environmental and pervasive. A novel paradigm, called synergistic paradigm, is presented combining the advantages of the wearable and environmental paradigms. Moreover, it augments the interaction possibilities of the user and ensures better gesture recognition accuracy than with the other paradigms.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The ever-increasing power of PC hardware combined with the new operating systems available make the PC an excellent platform for a telemetry system. For applications that require multiple users or more processing power than a single PC, a network of PCs can be used to distribute data acquisition and processing tasks. The focus of this paper is on a distributed network approach to solving telemetry test applications. This approach maximizes the flexibility and expandability of the system while keeping the initial capital equipment expenditure low.

Background and Objective In stereotactic brain tumor biopsies, the combination of real-time fluorescence spectroscopy with the detection of microvascular perfusion using laser Doppler flowmetry provides an improved localization of the brain tumor while decreasing the risk of intra-cranial hemorrhage. The surgeon using the measurement probe is required to view signal values on a screen or usually, when her or his visual focus is directed at the patient, the verbal feedback of a biomedical engineer who is monitoring the measurement signals is needed. In this process possible important information can be overlooked and time is lost. The aim of the thesis was the development a visual and auditory user interface (UI) for use in stereotactic brain tumor biopsies. Materials and Methods The system translates the fluorescence intensity of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) into sound and visual indicators that are easy and fast to recognize and transmits warning signals in case of signal error or the detection of microvascular perfusion. The increasing and de-creasing fluorescence values at tumor margins were reproduced to improve the precision of de-tecting varying fluorescence intensities when entering tumor tissue with color gradient models. The algorithm produced five signal values when specific fluorescence intensities were measured and compared at different wavelengths.For the development of the UI, a user-centered design was implemented. The user-, operating room- and safety requirements were gathered by communicating with the biomedical engineers and neurosurgeons who had experience in working with fluorescence guided brain tumor biop-sies. The requirements were considered when designing the UI’s features in LabVIEW and the auditory feedback was generated using OSC (Open Sound Control). The user interface intended to deliver measurement data to the user that triggered a high response accuracy by being easy to understand while inducing high user acceptance. The user interaction and function response accuracy of the visual and auditory interface were evaluated in statistical tests where operating room situations were mimicked. The user acceptance of the UI was evaluated. Results Signals for no, low (increasing and decreasing) and high fluorescence indicators, as well as two warning indicators for a blocked signal and vessel occurrence were represented visually and auditorially by the user interface. An intensity/time graph and intensity/wavelength graph, along with the option of recording measurement files and opening saved files allowed the inspec-tion of detailed measurement values. The user study exhibited auditory response accuracy of 95 ± 3% in the intuition test and 91±16% in a memory test. The testing of the response accuracy of the individual signal values displayed accurate responses in 84% to 100% of times a signal was played back. The user acceptance rating of the auditory and visual interface showed no negative results. Conclusion A UI was developed to visually and auditorially represent measurement values to a neurosurgeon performing a stereotactic brain tumor biopsy procedure and biomedical engineers monitoring the measurement signals. The visual display was successful in representing data in a way that was easy to understand. The auditory interface showed high response accuracies for the individual tones representing measurement values. The majority of the test subjects per-ceived the signals to be intuitive, easy to understand and easy to remember. The auditory and visual UI showed high user acceptance ratings, indicating that the user interface was useful and satisfactory in its application.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore and study the usability issues within Technical Data Management Systems (TDMS). The research has been conducted as a single case study at the gardening and landscape maintenance company Husqvarna. The inductive research led to conducting 10 interviews, 2 expert focus groups and a observational study. An artefact was produced during the research to emulate a potential system. During the research, the researchers identified ten heuristic usability issues within TDMS. Fur- thermore the functional and non-functional needs of Husqvarna have been identified. The artefact was created, based on existing usability guidelines, addressing the usability issues and the needs of Husqvarna. The artefact was used to answer if the applied guidelines have solved the identified usability issues. The conclusion was set, that the applied guidelines had solved the identified issues. With the research being conducted with a single case study, the result may lack generalisability. Future researchers are encouraged to conduct a multiple case study to further identify issues within the research area.

A inclusão de crianças com deficiência em escolas regulares, ocorrida seguindo a Lei 13.146 de 06 de julho de 2015, que institui a Lei Brasileira de Inclusão da Pessoa com Deficiência, exige que as atividades escolares sejam acessíveis a todas as crianças. Entre as atividades escolares, as atividades de programação têm se espalhado nas escolas devido aos benefícios gerados nas habilidades dos alunos, como criatividade e pensamento lógico. Atualmente, essas atividades utilizam principalmente ambientes de programação em blocos, como o Scratch, que focam em aspectos visuais para interação, contando com cores, formatos e utilização do mouse. Nesse contexto, e de grande importância o estudo de interfaces de programação para que crianças com deficiência visual possam ser incluídas e participem em conjunto com as outras crianças. Este projeto busca investigar este tema, bem como propor e avaliar um sistema para atividades de introdução à programação para crianças cegas e videntes. Foi proposto um sistema formado por peças tangíveis, em que os blocos digitais foram substituídos por peças físicas com formas para reconhecimento tátil e respostas auditivas. Foi adotado um modelo cíclico para o desenvolvimento do protótipo que garantiu duas etapas de testes com usuários. Na primeira etapa foram 4 participantes videntes, sendo que três participaram vendados, e a partir das observações foram gerados novos requisitos e modificações no protótipo. Na segunda etapa participaram 2 crianças cegas e os resultados destes testes geraram requisitos específicos para a utilização do sistema por crianças cegas. Este trabalho traz como contribuição final um conjunto de recomendações para o desenvolvimento de sistemas que permitam a crianças cegas e videntes brincarem juntas em atividades de programação. / The inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools, following Law 13,146 of July 6, 2015, which establishes the Brazilian Law on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, requires that school activities be accessible to all children. Among school activities, programming activities have spread in schools because of the benefits generated in students\' skills such as creativity and logical thinking. Currently, these activities mainly use blocks programming environments, such as Scratch, that focus on visual aspects for interaction, counting on colors, shapes and mouse usage. In this context, it is of great importance to study programming interfaces so that children with visual impairment can be included and participate together with other children. This project seeks to investigate this theme as well as to propose and evaluate a system for introductory programming activities for blind and sighted children. It was proposed a system formed by tangible pieces in which the digital blocks were replaced by physical pieces with forms for tactile recognition and auditory responses. It was adopted a cyclical model for the development of the prototype that guaranteed two stages of testing with users. In the first stage, four sighted participants, three were blindfolded among them, and and from the first observations were generated new requirements and modifications in the prototype. The second stage involved 2 blind children and the results of these tests generated specific requirements for the use of the system by blind children. This work brings as final contribution a set of recommendations for the development of systems that allow blind and sighted children to play together in programming activities.

"In order to make large applications that manage multi-attribute data usable, they must have an effective user interface. Application data and data relationships must be displayed in a manner that is useful for a particular user while still following principles of user interface design. A User Interface Management System (UIMS) is an application independent data presentation system which isolates the interface portion of the application and can allow a high level of customization. A presentation description language can be used to control the UIMS and allow maximum flexibility. This thesis investigates a UIMS controlled by a language that allows a user to easily describe the application data and data relationships at a high level of abstraction. The UIMS uses this language to structure application data and augment it with properties. A rule-based system then uses the augmented data along with graphical design knowledge to determine the content, layout and details of the interface used to display the data. Finally, a graphical interface is generated to present the data. A system to provide this functionality was designed and implemented. Experiences with the system showed this approach to be valid and provided ideas for future work. "

Force est de constater que composer des applications existantes afin d’en réutiliser tout ou une partie est une tâche complexe. Pourtant avec l’apparition quotidienne d’applications, les éditeurs d’applications ont de plus en plus besoin d’effectuer de telles compositions pour répondre à la demande croissante des utilisateurs. Les travaux existants ne traitent généralement que d’un seul point de vue : celui du "Noyau Fonctionnel" dans le domaine du Génie Logiciel, celui des Tâches" ou celui de l’"Interface Graphique" dans le domaine des Interactions Homme-Machine (IHM). Cette thèse propose une nouvelle approche basée sur un modèle d’application complet (fonctionnel, tâche et interface graphique). Elle permet à un utilisateur de naviguer entre ces différents modèles pour sélectionner des ensembles cohérents pouvant être composé par substitution. Une implémentation de cette approche a permis d’effectuer des tests utilisateurs confortant les bienfaits d’une modélisation complète. / One has to note that composing existing applications by completely or partly reusing them is a complex task. Nevertheless with the daily appearance of new available applications on any media, the application editors need to perform such compositions more and more to answer the increasing users’ requests. Modeling an application for composition or just determining by which point of view on applications make this composition is not easy. Works exist, but generally deal or ensue from only a single point of view : the "Functional Core" point of view in Software Engineering field, the "Task" one or "User Interface" one in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) field. This thesis defines a new approach based on a complete application model (functionnal, task and user interface). It enables an user to navigate between those different models in order to select consistent sets. These last ones are composable by substitution. An implementation of this approach was used to perform user tests whose results consolidate benefits of a complete model.

A inclusão de crianças com deficiência em escolas regulares, ocorrida seguindo a Lei 13.146 de 06 de julho de 2015, que institui a Lei Brasileira de Inclusão da Pessoa com Deficiência, exige que as atividades escolares sejam acessíveis a todas as crianças. Entre as atividades escolares, as atividades de programação têm se espalhado nas escolas devido aos benefícios gerados nas habilidades dos alunos, como criatividade e pensamento lógico. Atualmente, essas atividades utilizam principalmente ambientes de programação em blocos, como o Scratch, que focam em aspectos visuais para interação, contando com cores, formatos e utilização do mouse. Nesse contexto, e de grande importância o estudo de interfaces de programação para que crianças com deficiência visual possam ser incluídas e participem em conjunto com as outras crianças. Este projeto busca investigar este tema, bem como propor e avaliar um sistema para atividades de introdução à programação para crianças cegas e videntes. Foi proposto um sistema formado por peças tangíveis, em que os blocos digitais foram substituídos por peças físicas com formas para reconhecimento tátil e respostas auditivas. Foi adotado um modelo cíclico para o desenvolvimento do protótipo que garantiu duas etapas de testes com usuários. Na primeira etapa foram 4 participantes videntes, sendo que três participaram vendados, e a partir das observações foram gerados novos requisitos e modificações no protótipo. Na segunda etapa participaram 2 crianças cegas e os resultados destes testes geraram requisitos específicos para a utilização do sistema por crianças cegas. Este trabalho traz como contribuição final um conjunto de recomendações para o desenvolvimento de sistemas que permitam a crianças cegas e videntes brincarem juntas em atividades de programação. / The inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools, following Law 13,146 of July 6, 2015, which establishes the Brazilian Law on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, requires that school activities be accessible to all children. Among school activities, programming activities have spread in schools because of the benefits generated in students\' skills such as creativity and logical thinking. Currently, these activities mainly use blocks programming environments, such as Scratch, that focus on visual aspects for interaction, counting on colors, shapes and mouse usage. In this context, it is of great importance to study programming interfaces so that children with visual impairment can be included and participate together with other children. This project seeks to investigate this theme as well as to propose and evaluate a system for introductory programming activities for blind and sighted children. It was proposed a system formed by tangible pieces in which the digital blocks were replaced by physical pieces with forms for tactile recognition and auditory responses. It was adopted a cyclical model for the development of the prototype that guaranteed two stages of testing with users. In the first stage, four sighted participants, three were blindfolded among them, and and from the first observations were generated new requirements and modifications in the prototype. The second stage involved 2 blind children and the results of these tests generated specific requirements for the use of the system by blind children. This work brings as final contribution a set of recommendations for the development of systems that allow blind and sighted children to play together in programming activities.

O aumento da população senescente no Brasil e no mundo implica ações específicas para satisfazer às necessidades e preferências do público idoso. Diversas áreas do conhecimento dedicam-se aos estudos relacionados ao envelhecimento humano com a finalidade de garantir a autonomia, independência, qualidade de vida e expectativa de vida saudável das pessoas com mais de 60 anos. Nesse contexto, novas tecnologias de intervenção baseadas nos jogos digitais têm sido utilizadas para promover a prá-tica de atividade física com o propósito de prevenir o declínio funcional em indivíduos idosos. Sendo assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa consiste em estabelecer um conjunto de requisitos de projeto para apoiar o desenvolvimento de jogos digitais que utilizam a interface natural, a partir da perspectiva dos usuários idosos caidores, a fim de contribuir para a melhora na qualidade de vida. Para tanto, realizou-se uma intervenção no projeto de extensão do Centro de Estudos de Lazer e Atividade Física do Idoso (Celari) da Escola de Educação Física (ESEF) da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), em um período de oito semanas, com duas sessões semanais. Os instrumentos de avaliação aplicados na pesquisa foram dois questionários, incluindo questões fechadas, com delineamento pré e pós-intervenção. Além disso, utilizou-se a observação direta com o intuito de recolher informações acerca da amostra. O instrumento de intervenção adotado na pesquisa foi o console Xbox One® com o sensor de movimento Kinect 2.0® e sete jogos digitais. Estabeleceram-se, então, os requisitos de usuá-rios com base nas necessidades e preferências exigidos pelos participantes da pesquisa durante a inter-venção. Em uma etapa posterior, empregou-se o método do Desdobramento da Função Qualidade (QFD) para converter os requisitos de usuários em um conjunto de requisitos de projeto sistematizados de acordo com grau de importância atribuído pelos usuários. Com isso, pretendeu-se oferecer um con-junto de requisitos de projeto para, eventualmente, orientar o desenvolvimento de um jogo digital uti-lizando a interface natural, com vistas a melhorar a qualidade de vida, o equilíbrio e reduzir o risco de quedas das pessoas idosas. / The increase in the elderly population in Brazil and in the world implies specific actions to meet the needs and preferences of the elderly. Several areas of knowledge are involved with studies related to human aging in order to ensure autonomy, independence, life quality and healthy life expectancy of people over 60 years of age. In this context, new digital game-based intervention technologies have been used to promote the practice of physical activity aiming at preventing functional decline in the elderly. Thus, this research aims to establish a set of project requirements to support the development of digital games using the natural user interface from the perspective of elderly faller users in order to contribute for the improvement in life quality. Therefore, an intervention was accomplished in the extension project of the Center of Studies of Leisure and Physical Activity for the Elderly (Celari) from the School of Physical Education (ESEF), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), during a period of eight weeks, two sessions/week. The assessment tools used in the research were two questionnaires, with closed questions, pre- and post- test design. In addition, it was also used the direct observation in order to gather information about the sample. The intervention tool adopted in the research was the Xbox One® console with Kinect 2.0® motion sensor and seven digital games. Then, it was established the user’s requirements based on the needs and preferences required by the participants of the research during the intervention. At a later stage, it was used the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method to convert the user requirements into a set of project requirements system-atized according to the degree of importance assigned by the users. Thus, it was intended to offer a set of requirements for the project in order to, possibly, orientate the development of a digital game using the natural user interface, aiming to improve the elderly’s life quality, balance as well as decrease their risk of falls.