This thesis discusses handwriting as a possible text input method for Virtual Reality (VR) with a goal of comparing handwriting with a virtual keyboard input method. VR applications have different approaches to text input and there is no standard for how the user should enter text. Text input methods are important for the user in many cases, e.g when they document, communicate or enter their login information. The goal of the study was to understand how a handwriting input would compare to pointing at a virtual keyboard, which is the most common approach to the problem. A prototype was built using Tesseract for character recognition and Unity to create a basic virtual environment. This prototype was then evaluated with a user study, comparing it to the de facto standard virtual keyboard input method. The user study had a usability and desirability questionnaire approach and also uses Sutcliffe's heuristics for evaluation of virtual environments. Interviews were performed with each test user. The results suggested that the virtual keyboard performs better except for how engaging the input method was. From the interviews a common comment was that the handwriting input method was more fun and engaging. Further applications of the handwriting input method are discussed as well as why the users favored the virtual keyboard method. / Virtual Reality (VR) applikationer har olika tillvägagångssätt för textinmatning och det finns ingen tydlig standard hur användaren matar in text i VR. Textinmatning är viktigt när användaren ska dokumentera, kommunicera eller logga in. Målet med studien var att jämföra en inmatningsmetod baserad på handskrift med det de facto standard virtuella tangentbordet och se vilken inmatningsmetod användarna föredrog. En prototyp som använde handskrift byggdes med hjälp av Tesseract för textinmatning och Unity för att skapa en virtuell miljö. Prototypen jämfördes sedan med det virtuella tangentbordet i en användarstudie. Användarstudien bestod av uppmätt tid samt antal fel, en enkät och en intervju. Enkäten grundades på användarbarhet, önskvärdhet och Sutcliffes utvärderingsheuristik av virtuella miljöer. Resultatet visar att det virtuella tangentbordet presterade bättre, handskriftsmetoden presterade endast bättre på att engagera användaren. Resultatet från intervjuerna styrkte också att handskriftsmetoden var roligare och mer engagerande att använda men inte lika användbar. Framtida studier föreslås i diskussionen samt varför användarna föredrog det virtuella tangentbordet.

Energy conservation and decarbonization of the building stock is a way to achieve sustainable development goals. Visualizing and monitoring energy consumption with a help of Decision Support Systems (DSS) can help to inform and support making decisions to conserve energy, reduce emissions, save costs and improve overall quality of life. However, there are no clear guidelines to how such tools should be designed, and which demands from the different stakeholders they should meet. This literature review presents an overview of existing DSSs that calculate, optimize, visualize and monitor energy usage in buildings. A total of 22 studies have been selected through an in-depth literature search and analysed in a study matrix split into four categories describing relevant features that are vital for each DSS. The study has identified that main functions of analysed DSSs are: 1) to compare costs for CO2 emission reduction or energy saving for various actions; and 2) to compare current energy performance of buildings. Finally, it has shown a variety of needs for different stakeholders that affect the choice of methods and data used by DSS. Hence it is crucial to ensure early alignment of the needs and functions for the developed tools, in order to be efficient in decision-support for better energy efficiency and climate mitigation. / Energibesparing och koldioxidminskning av befintliga byggnader är ett sätt att uppnå de globala målen. Att visualisera och övervaka energiförbrukningen i byggnader med hjälp av ett beslutsstödsystem kan hjälpa till att informera och stödja beslut för att spara energi, minska utsläppen, minska kostnaderna och överlag öka livskvalitén. Det finns dock inga tydliga riktlinjer för hur ett verktyg kan utformas och vilka behov som behöver tillfredsställas från de olika intressenterna. Denna litteraturstudie presenterar en översikt över befintliga beslutsstödsystem som beräknar, optimerar, visualiserar och övervakar energianvändningen i byggnader. Genom en ingående litteratursökning valdes 22 olika studier för en djupare analys med hjälp av en studiematris delad inom fyra olika kategorier som beskriver relevanta funktioner som är viktiga för varje beslutsstödsystem. Studien har identifierat att huvuduppgifterna för varje analyserad beslutsstödsystem är: 1) att jämföra kostnader för CO2 minskning och energibesparing för olika åtgärder; och 2) att jämföra aktuell energiprestanda av byggnader. Slutligen har det visat att olika behov från intressenter styrt de val av metoder och data som används i respektive beslutsstödsystem. Därför är det viktigt att säkerställa en tidig anpassning av behov och huvuduppgifter för de utvecklade verktygen för att vara effektiva i beslutsstöd kring energieffektivisering och klimatpåverkan.

The increasing use of 3D user interface elements, particularly 3D menus, demonstrates the need to expand research in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) as it pertains to 3D user interfaces. The results of this thesis contribute to the understanding of the cognitive impacts of using 3D menus. Multiple application areas for 3D menus have been identified where memory retention is a critical success factor, but little research has been done in the area of memory retention for 3D menus. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the use of 3D carousel menus increases retention of information over 2D menus and if is there a gender effect with these results. A three factor split-plot (one-between subject factor and two-within subject factors) experiment was designed to test if menu dimension, content type, and gender are significant factors in memory retention and to determine if there are any interactions between these factors. The results of the experiment revealed that dimension and gender are not significant factors in the retention of information and none of the interactions of dimension (2D vs. 3D), gender, and content were significant. Several subjects’ questionnaire responses demonstrated that the menu dimension they perceived to better aid retention was 3D; however these results were not statistically significant. While these results showed that within the boundaries chosen the use of a 3D menu neither promotes nor degrades memory retention, there are still a number of questions that need to be answered regarding the use of 3D menus and their effect on other cognitive processes.

As a cutting-edge technology, VR is applied to all aspects of life. Especially when the pandemic is spreading, the immersive experience of VR provides another possibility for people's virtual tours and online exhibitions. Limited by the high price of professional VR equipment, VR technology still exists in specific professional fields. This project mainly studies some of the challenges of immersive experience on mobile phones and improves the immersive experience to make the virtual tour convenient and straightforward on mobile phones. Through research, it is found that interactive 360-video may be a potential solution. Users can explore freely in 360-video and interact with people or things in the environment. The most important thing is that interactive 360-video can rely on mobile phones as a medium so that everyone can afford it, and it allows users to explore and discover anytime, anywhere. / <p>Examensarbetet är utfört vid Institutionen för teknik och naturvetenskap (ITN) vid Tekniska fakulteten, Linköpings universitet</p>

The game development processes behind entertainment games are not well understood. While there are studies that report on user interface evaluation in game production, there are very few studies that report on user interface design. The purpose of study is to explore and learn more about the game industry perspective and their processes behind user interface design. A systematic literature review was performed on the Game developers Conference database, GDC Vault. The review uncovered 105 presentations that relate to UI Design. A thematic analysis was performed to explore the eight most relevant presentations to the research question. The analysis resulted in two themes. The first theme describes UI designers’ experience of interdisciplinary collaboration. The second theme describe two seemingly conflicting goals in the UI design process: aesthetics and usability. The study contributes to the field of game development research with some knowledge about how the game industry create UI design.

Energy monitoring systems (EMS) are crucial in improving energy eciency to encourage sustainable development. Such systems usually come with an open sandbox experience to provide multiple tools for monitoring, analytic, and reporting purposes, but this also creates user experience (UX) issues. EMS and energy dashboards have been well researched from a technical perspective while simplification and limitation are also thoroughly studied within HumanComputer Interaction (HCI). However, few have applied the HCI literature to the EMS field, especially in solving the UX issues that the open sandbox experience creates. Therefore, this study aims to bridge this gap and study how to improve an EMS with an open sandbox experience through simplification and limitation. In what follows, the discovery and definition of UXissues in the system through pre-study, interview study, and user evaluation are presented. A prototype was also developed with the help of HCI literature to solve these issues, and was evaluated with the participants. The results show improvements in participants’ task performance and the proposed redesign received positive feedback. In the discussion, key considerations for the design of EMS systems are raised, as well as the sustainability eects of this study and possible future directions. / Energiuppföljningssystem (EMS) är avgörande för att förbättra energieektivitet och på så vis bidra till en hållbar omställning av samhället. Sådana system har ofta en öppen design för att tillhandahålla en stor bredd av analysverktyg, men detta skapar också problem med användarupplevelsen. EMS har i literaturen undersökts väl ur ett tekniskt perspektiv, och designprinciper så som förenkling och begränsning har också studerats grundligt inom området för människadatorinteraktion. Dock finns det få studier som har använt dessa principer för att förbättra energiuppföljningssystem i synnerhet, särskilt för att lösa användbarhets-problem som en öppen design skapar. Därför syftar denna studie till att undersöka detta genom att omarbeta och förbättra ett EMS med en öppen design lösning med hjälp av designprinciperna förenkling och begränsning. Genom en förstudie, en intervjustudie samt en användarutvärdering har användbarhesproblem identifierats i systemet. En prototyp togs också fram med stöd i litteraturen för att lösa dessa problem, och den utvärderades senare med deltagarna. Resultaten visar en förbättring i deltagarnas uppgiftsutförande och den förbättrade designen fick positiv feedback. I diskussionen beskrivs ett antal insikter relevant för design av energiuppföljningssystem, samt diskuterar olika hållbarhetsaspekter vid denna studie och framtida ämnen att utforska.

В работе описаны теоретические аспекты проектирования интерфейса, методы исследования и оценки пользовательского опыта. На практике представлено применение методов UX-исследований, рассмотрена деятельность предприятия. Разработан проект продукта для оценки эффективности UX-дизайна мобильных приложений. / The work describes theoretical aspects of UX/UI-design, methods of UX-research and UX metrics. It also presents the usage of UX research methods and organization’s operations. The project of a product that evaluates mobile application UX efficiency is developed.

The integration of automated vehicle technology into our transportation infrastructure is ongoing, yet the precise timeline for the introduction of fully automated vehicles remains ambiguous. This technological transition necessitates the creation of in-vehicle displays tailored to emergent user needs and concerns. Notably, driving-induced anxiety, already a concern, is projected to assume greater significance in this context, although it remains inadequately researched. This dissertation sought to delve into the phenomenon of anxiety in driving, assess its implications in future transportation modalities, elucidate design considerations for distinct demographics like the youth and elderly, and design and evaluate an affective in-vehicle system to alleviate anxiety in automated driving through four studies. The first study involved two workshops with automotive experts, who underscored anxiety as pivotal to sustaining trust and system acceptance. The second study was a qualitative focus group analysis incorporating both young and older drivers, aiming to distill anxiety-inducing scenarios in automated driving and pinpoint potential intervention strategies and feedback modalities. This was followed by two driving simulator evaluations. The third study was observational, seeking to discern correlations among personality attributes, anxiety, and trust in automated driving systems. The fourth study employed cognitive reappraisal for anxiety reduction in automated driving. Analysis indicated the efficacy of the empathic interface leveraging cognitive reappraisal as an effective anxiety amelioration tool. Particularly in the self-efficacy reappraisal context, this influence influenced trust, user experience, and anxiety markers. Cumulatively, this dissertation provides key design guidelines for anxiety mitigation in automated driving, and highlights design elements pivotal to augmenting user experiences in scenarios where drivers relinquish vehicular control. / Doctor of Philosophy / An extent amount of research has uncovered how negative affect, most prominently driving anger and road rage, impairs driving performance and experience. However, as driving automation will gradually relegate drivers to the position of vehicle occupants, a need exists to identify the impact of other negative emotions on driving experience. Some research suggests that anxiety could negatively influence trust and acceptance of automation, though it is still unclear how exactly this influence changes based on user profiles nor how to adequately respond to it in a vehicle. This dissertation aims at understanding the impact of anxiety on automated driving experience and trust, and how researchers can apply empathic interface design to mitigate its effects. A series of studies evaluated the impact of anxiety in automated driving, user concerns and needs in anxious driving situations, and the influence of an empathic interface seeking anxiety mitigation in automated driving. The voice-agent enabled interface that used cognitive reappraisal had a significant impact on user experience and trust in automated vehicles.

<p dir="ltr">A Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) refers to a mechanism to support the direct interactions of humans and machines with the objective for the synthesis of machine intelligence and autonomy. The demand to advance in this field of study for intelligence controls is continuously growing. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is one type of HMIs that utilizes a human brain to enable direct communication of the human subject with a machine. This technology is widely explored in different fields to control external devices using brain signals.</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis is driven by two key observations. The first one is the limited number of Degrees of Freedom (DoF) that existing BCI controls can control in an external device; it becomes necessary to assess the controllability when choosing a control instrument. The second one is the differences of decision spaces of human and machine when both of them try to control an external device. To fill the gaps in these two aspects, there is a need to design an additional functional module that is able to translate the commands issued by human into high-frequency control commands that can be understood by machines. These two aspects has not been investigated thoroughly in literatures.</p><p dir="ltr">This study focuses on training, detecting, and using humans’ intents to control intelligent machines. It uses brain signals which will be trained and detected in form of Electroencephalography (EEG), brain signals will be used to extract and classify human intents. A selected instrument, Emotiv Epoc X, is used for pattern training and recognition based on its controllability and features among other instruments. A functional module is then developed to bridge the gap of frequency differences between human intents and motion commands of machine. A selected robot, TinkerKit Braccio, is then used to illustrate the feasibility of the developed module through fully controlling the robotic arm using human’s intents solely.</p><p dir="ltr">Multiple experiments were done on the prototyped system to prove the feasibility of the proposed model. The accuracy to send each command, and hence the accuracy of the system to extract each intent, exceeded 75%. Then, the feasibility of the proposed model was also tested through controlling the robot to follow pre-defined paths, which was obtained through designing a Graphical-User Interface (GUI). The accuracy of each experiment exceeded 90%, which validated the feasibility of the proposed control model.</p>

A study investigating how gamification features can be designed within a gym application, how they affect the user’s situated motivation and user engagement, and how these features could increase user loyalty to the product.