Janet van der Linden

Canine-centered interface design: supporting the work of diabetes alert dogs

Many people with Diabetes live with the continuous threat of hypoglycemic attacks and the danger of going into coma. Diabetes Alert Dogs are trained to detect the onset of an attack before the condition of the human handler they are paired with deteriorates, giving them time to take action. We investigated requirements for designing an alarm system allowing dogs to remotely call for help when their human falls unconscious before being able to react to an alert. Through a multispecies ethnographic approach we focus on the requirements for a physical canine user interface, involving dogs, their handlers and specialist dog trainers in the design process. We discuss tensions between the requirements for canine and the human users, argue the need for increased sensitivity towards the needs of individual dogs that goes beyond breed specific physical characteristics, and reflect on how we can move from designing for dogs to designing with dogs.

Being in the thick of in-the-wild studies: the challenges and insights of researcher participation

We describe the insights and challenges offered by researcher participation in in-the-wild studies through the comparison of two prototype evaluations with varying levels of researcher participation. By reflecting on these studies we expose different facets of the researchers role when interacting with participants in in-the-wild studies. We also demonstrate the value of researcher participation in contributing to the way a researcher understands participant responses: aiding rapport, promoting empathy and stimulating the researcher to reflect on their own assumptions.

UbiComp for animal welfare: envisioning smart environments for kenneled dogs

Whilst the ubicomp community has successfully embraced a number of societal challenges for human benefit, including healthcare and sustainability, the well-being of other animals is hitherto underrepresented. We argue that ubicomp technologies, including sensing and monitoring devices as well as tangible and embodied interfaces, could make a valuable contribution to animal welfare. This paper particularly focuses on dogs in kenneled accommodation, as we investigate the opportunities and challenges for a smart kennel aiming to foster canine welfare. We conducted an in-depth ethnographic study of a dog rehoming center over four months; based on our findings, we propose a welfare-centered framework for designing smart environments, integrating monitoring and interaction with information management. We discuss the methodological issues we encountered during the research and propose a smart ethnographic approach for similar projects.

Knowledge transfer in pair programming: an in-depth analysis

Abstract Whilst knowledge transfer is one of the most widely-claimed benefits of pair programming, little is known about how knowledge transfer is achieved in this setting. This is particularly pertinent for novice−expert constellations, but knowledge transfer takes place to some degree in all constellations. We ask “what does it take to be a good “expert” and how can a “novice” best learn from a more experienced developer?”. An in-depth investigation of video and audio excerpts of professional pair programming sessions using Interaction Analysis reveals: six teaching strategies, ranging from “giving direct instructions” to “subtle hints”; and challenges and benefits for both partners. These strategies are instantiations of some but not all teaching methods promoted in cognitive apprenticeship; novice articulation, reflection and exploration are not seen in the data. The context of pair programming influences the strategies, challenges and benefits, in particular the roles of driver and navigator and agile prioritisation which considers business value rather than educational progression. Utilising these strategies more widely and recognizing the challenges and benefits for both partners will help developers to maximise the benefits from pairing sessions.

Collaboration in Pair Programming: Driving and Switching

This paper reports on an empirical study about the mechanisms of the collaboration of drivers and navigators in Pair Programming (PP) sessions. Based on video recordings of professional software developers, we analysed the mechanisms of role switches and how developers split the task of driving. We found that developers do not evenly contribute to the task of driving and that they spend on average a third of the session without any computer interaction focusing mainly on communication. In addition, our results show that most pairs switch roles frequently and that the frequency and fluidity of switches indicate a high level of engagement on the part of both developers.

Embracing calibration in body sensing: using self-tweaking to enhance ownership and performance

Calibration is a necessary step in many sensor-based ubicomp applications to prepare a system for operation. Particularly when dealing with sensors for movement-based interaction calibration is required to individualize the system to the persons body. However, calibration is often viewed as a tedious necessity of a purely technical nature. In this paper we argue that calibration can be used as a valuable and informative step for users molding a technology for their own use. We explain this through two case studies that use body sensing technologies to teach physical skills. Our studies show that calibration can be used by teachers and pupils to set goals. We argue that demystifying calibration and designing to expose the intentions of the technology and its functioning can be beneficial for users, allowing them to shape technology to be in tune with their bodies rather than changing their body to fit the technology.

MusicJacket: the efficacy of real-time vibrotactile feedback for learning to play the violin

This research investigates the potential for vibrotactile feedback to enhance motor learning in the context of playing the violin. A prototype has been built which delivers vibrotactile feedback to the arms to indicate to a novice player how to correctly hold the violin and how to bow in a straight manner. This prototype was tested in a pilot user study with four complete beginners. Observations showed improvements in three of the four players whilst receiving the feedback. We also discuss the pros and cons of using negative feedback to enhance learning.

Animal-computer interaction (ACI): pushing boundaries beyond 'human'

Through short presentations, collaborative design exercises and plenary discussions, this one-day workshop aims to explore questions and possibilities for the development of ACI as a discipline.

Designing an emergency communication system for human and assistance dog partnerships

In this research we developed an alarm system that enables assistance dogs to call for help on behalf of their vulnerable owners in an emergency, involving the end users (both assistance dogs and their owners) directly in the entire design process. Here we present a high-fidelity prototype of a user-friendly canine alarm system. In developing the system, we sought to understand the level of support required for a canine user to successfully interact with an interface, finding that the type of emergency a dog is faced with may vary widely and that consequently dogs may have to act on behalf of their assisted owners with varying degrees of autonomy. We also explored the process of conducting usability testing with both canine and human participants, seeking to identify where requirements of one species may overlap with, or diverge from, the other.

First validation of the Haptic Sandwich: A shape changing handheld haptic navigation aid

This paper presents the Haptic Sandwich, a handheld robotic device that designed to provide navigation instructions to pedestrians through a novel shape changing modality. The device resembles a cube with an articulated upper half that is able to rotate and translate (extend) relative to the bottom half, which is grounded in the users hand. The poses assumed by the device simultaneously correspond to heading and proximity to a navigational target. The Haptic Sandwich provides an alternative to screen and/or audio based navigation technologies for both visually impaired and sighted pedestrians. Unlike many robotic or haptic navigational solutions, the haptic sandwich is discrete and unobtrusive in terms of form and sensory stimulus. Due to the novel nature of the interface, two user studies were undertaken to validate the concept and device. In the first experiment, stationary participants attempted to identify poses assumed by the device, which was hidden from view. 80% of poses were correctly identified and 17.5% had the minimal possible error. Multi-DOF errors accounted for only 1.1% of all responses. Perception accuracy of the rotation and extension DOF was significantly different. In the second study, participants attempted to locate a sequence of invisible navigational targets while walking with the device. Good navigational ability was demonstrated after minimal training. All participants were able to locate all targets, utilizing both DOF. Walking path efficiency was between 32%-56%. In summary, the paper presents the design of a novel shape changing haptic user interface intended to be intuitive and unobtrusive. The interface is then validated by stationary perceptual experiments and an embodied (walking) target finding pilot study.