Joanne E. Zucco

Where Does the Mouse Go? An Investigation into the Placement of a Body-Attached TouchPad Mouse for Wearable Computers

Abstract: We investigated the effects of placement of a TouchPad input device on a user’s body for the control of a wearable computer. This study involved 25 subjects performing selection tasks with a TouchPad mouse while wearing a wearable computer on their back and using a head-mounted display. Each subject performed the tasks in 27 different combinations of four postures (sitting, kneeling, standing and prone) and seven different placements of the TouchPad mouse on the subject’s body (forearm, thigh by 2, torso by 2, and upper arm by 2). We measured the time and error rate to complete the selection of a circular target. The results for the effects due to posture showed that there were similar time effects for sitting, standing and kneeling. When examining the effects resulting from mouse position, the front of the thigh was shown to be the best position of the mouse. When the posturing and mouse position conditions were combined, the results indicated that the thigh front mouse position would be most appropriate for sitting, kneeling and standing postures, and the forearm mouse position would be best for the prone position.

Augmented Reality Chinese Checkers

This paper presents an application, Augmented Reality Chinese Checkers that we created to investigate user interface issues for table top projected augmented reality entertainment applications. A new tangible interaction device, the wireless button enhanced fiducial, is introduced to support selection tasks in mixed reality environments. The Augmented Reality Chinese Checkers game is built on a framework which can be used to create other computer supported collaborative games. The system is built using the Passive Detection Framework to track the 6 degrees of freedom position in real time of marked objects in the environment. The game supports up to six players at a time.

Determination of placement of a body-attached mouse as a pointing input device for wearable computers

We believe the notion of hands free operation is critical to the successful use of wearable computer systems. As such, we investigated possible placements of an input device for a wearable computer on different portions of the users body, while the user assumed different postures (sitting, standing, kneeling, and prone).

Evaluation of three wearable computer pointing devices for selection tasks

This paper presents the results of an experiment comparing three commercially available pointing devices (a trackball, gyroscopic mouse and Twiddler2 mouse) performing selection tasks for use with wearable computers. The study involved 30 participants performing selection tasks with the pointing devices while wearing a wearable computer on their back and using a head-mounted display. The error rate and time to complete the selection of the circular targets was measured. When examining the results, the gyroscopic mouse showed the fastest mean time for selecting the targets, while the trackball performed with the lowest error rate.

Evaluation of Four Wearable Computer Pointing Devices for Drag and Drop Tasks when Stationary and Walking

This paper presents the results of two experiments comparing four commercially available pointing devices performing drag and drop tasks for use with wearable computers. The pointing devices evaluated consist of a Trackball, Touchpad, Gyroscopic mouse and Twiddler2 mouse. The studies involved 24 participants performing drag and drop tasks with the pointing devices while wearing a wearable computer on their back and using a head-mounted display. The first experiment required participants to perform drag and drop tasks when stationary, while the second experiment required participants to perform drag and drop tasks while walking. The error rate and time to complete the drag and drop of the targets was measured and participants were required to complete an exit questionnaire. The results are presented in this paper.

Validating Spatial Augmented Reality for interactive rapid prototyping

This paper investigates the use of Spatial Augmented Reality in the prototyping of new human-machine interfaces, such as control panels or car dashboards. The prototyping system uses projectors to present the visual appearance of controls onto a mock-up of a product. Finger tracking is employed to allow real-time interactions with the controls. This technology can be used to quickly and inexpensively create and evaluate interface prototypes for devices. In the past, evaluating a prototype involved constructing a physical model of the device with working components such as buttons. We have conducted a user study to compare these two methods of prototyping and to validate the use of spatial augmented reality for rapid iterative interface prototyping. Participants of the study were required to press pairs of buttons in sequence and interaction times were measured. The results indicate that while slower, users can interact naturally with projected control panels.

A Comparison of Menu Configurations and Pointing Devices for Use with Wearable Computers while Mobile and Stationary

Wearable computing technology offers tremendous possibilities to support users in performing a variety of tasks that go beyond traditional desk-based computer interaction. Recent wearable systems share many capabilities with desk-based workstations, but often differ in the way user input is acquired and processed. This paper investigates four commercially available pointing devices and four on-screen menu configurations to assess which are most appropriate for performing menu selection tasks using a wearable computer system in a mobile and stationary scenario. We conducted a controlled user study to compare a trackball, touchpad, gyroscopic mouse and Twiddler2 in combination with pull-down, linear (fixed and pop-up) and pie pop-up menus. Our results indicate that pie pop-up menus are the most effective menu structure irrespective of the input device used, and that the trackball device outperforms the remaining devices in terms of speed and error rate.

Design Guidelines for Wearable Pointing Devices

This paper presents design guidelines and recommendations for developing cursor manipulation interaction devices to be employed in a wearable context. The work presented in this paper is the culmination three usability studies designed to understand commercially available pointing (cursor manipulation) devices suitable for use in a wearable context. The set of guidelines and recommendations presented are grounded on experimental and qualitative evidence derived from three usability studies and are intended to be used in order to inform the design of future wearable input devices. In addition to guiding the design process, the guidelines and recommendations may also be used to inform users of wearable computing devices by guiding towards the selection of a suitable wearable input device. The synthesis of results derived from a series of usability studies provide insights pertaining to the choice and usability of the devices in a wearable context. That is, the guidelines form a checklist that may be utilized as a point of comparison when choosing between the different input devices available for wearable interaction.

SONA: Improving Situational Awareness of Geotagged Information using Tangible Interfaces

This paper introduces SONA (Spatiotemporal system Organized for Natural Analysis), a tabletop and tangible controller system for exploring geotagged information, and more specifically, CCTV. SONAs goal is to support a more natural method of interacting with data. Our new interactions are placed in the context of a physical security environment, closed circuit television (CCTV). We present a three-layered detail on demand set of view filters for CCTV feeds on a digital map. These filters are controlled with a novel tangible device for direct interaction. We validate SONAs tangible controller approach with a user study comparing SONA with the existing CCTV multi-screen method. The results of the study show that SONAs tangible interaction method is superior to the multi-screen approach, both in terms of quantitative results, and is preferred by users.

Spatial augmented reality — A tool for 3D data visualization

This paper presents a proposal for the use of Spatial Augmented Reality as a tool for 3D data visualizations. The use of traditional display technologies such as LCD monitors provides a fish tank metaphor for the user, i.e. the information is behind a plane of glass. The use of VR technologies allows the user to be immersed in the 3D volume and remove this fish tank problem, but can limit the set of techniques that allow users to interact with spatial data. Spatial Augmented Reality employed in conjunction with a highresolution monitor provides an elegant blend of spatial reasoning, tangible interaction, and detailed information viewing. This paper purposes a range of usages for SAR in 3D visualizations.