Marcelo Gitirana Gomes Ferreira

Developing an usability test to evaluate the use of augmented reality to improve the first interaction with a product.

Developing an usability test involves defining the metrics that are being evaluated, the methods used and the right tasks to be performed to achieve the objectives from the usability test. This article presents the development of an usability test aimed to evaluate the experience while first interacting with a product by using the augmented reality technology. This usability test is part of a bigger research that aims to evaluate if the use of augmented reality helps the process of learning how to use a new product. The paper starts with a literature review of related works, explaining many of the tools developed for evaluating usability tests. This section is followed by a methodological explain and the description of the developed usability test itself. The conclusion presents suggestions of further improvements.

Use of augmented reality in the usability evaluation of products.

Many characteristics of a product are evaluated during the development phase, such as function, aesthetics and manufacturing. The conception phase is supported by drawings and computer graphics, followed by physical prototypes that help evaluating the product features. The augmented reality technology has a great potential to assist the designers in this phase, reducing the development process time and costs and improving the quality of the evaluation. This paper presents a study that intends to investigate the suitability of using augmented reality to evaluate the usability of electronic products.

Mixed prototypes for the evaluation of usability and user experience: simulating an interactive electronic device

Mixed prototyping technology can be used to represent and simulate the behavior of interactive products at low cost and with great flexibility. This preliminary experimental research intends to verify the suitability of using this technology in the evaluation of usability and user experience of interactive products. Users and experts evaluate the mixed prototype of an image projector with regard to its own usability, and also with respect to its ability to be used to evaluate usability and user experience aspects of the real projector. Users perform tasks on both the real projector and its mixed prototype. In regard to these comparative performance evaluations, time to perform the task and number of errors show a clear positive relationship with the difficulty of the task for both mixed prototype and real projector. In regard to more subjective UX evaluations, the results show to be congruent. However, we realize that emotions assigned to the mixed prototype are influenced by the “fascination” that augmented reality arises in individuals. Experts evaluate the mixed prototype with respect to aspects of the interaction with the product that it is able to simulate, and with respect to the classes of products best suited to be prototyped. They highlighted the possibility of using the technology to evaluate product performance, ergonomics, and operation. In regard to the classes of products to be prototyped, experts’ suggestions coincided with the classes of products that have already been used in research: household appliances, information and communication devices, and automotive parts and accessories.

Correction to: Mixed prototypes for the evaluation of usability and user experience: simulating an interactive electronic device

In the original publication of the article, the following corrections have to be noted down.

Systematic proposal for UX centered mobile apps for tracking performance in sports through an application in recreational surfing

The purpose of this article is to propose a systematic for mobile apps used to track performance during the practice of sports, applying it to recreational surfing, through the user-centered design process for developers and companies to develop products that achieve their goal providing a positive user experience. This research was based on a systematic review of literature on UX Design, User-Centered Design and in tools with the greatest potential to be used to measure performance during the sports practice, such as GPS, accelerometer and gyroscope to measure the physiological variables involved. The results show the use of the systematic in a mobile app for recreational surfing, detailing the design process applied in a system composed of the app and a device used to capture data from the sports practice. The systematic was positively evaluated to guide the development of mobile apps for surfing and other sports that share the outlined physiological variables.

Diretrizes Projetuais de iluminação para atender pessoas com baixa visão

A ciencia e a tecnologia estao inseridas cada vez mais na vida das pessoas. Como meio de incluir pessoas com algum tipo de deficiencia, a tecnologia assistiva fornece dispositivos, servicos e estrategias para proporcionar maior autonomia e qualidade de vida. Tendo em vista a falta de estudos que abordem recomendacoes de iluminacao para deficientes visuais, em especifico a baixa visao (ou visao subnormal), este artigo tem como objetivo a elaboracao de diretrizes de projeto de iluminacao para incluir pessoas com baixa visao para que estas possam frequentar ambientes internos com seguranca e conforto. Para isso, recorreu-se a revisao sistematica bibliografica, com o intuito de pesquisar e utilizar as normas, modelos e recomendacoes de diversos autores e sintetiza-las em um unico trabalho, para que seja possivel a aplicacao destas diretrizes. Permite assim que profissionais possam se basear nestas diretrizes e projetar ambientes para pessoas portadoras de visao subnormal, e que estas possam exercer suas atividades e frequentar ambientes internos e sociais percebendo o espaco de maneira mais plena possivel.

Human Factors Related to the Use of Personal Computer: A Case Study

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the ergonomic requirements in the use of desktop computers and laptops. For comparison, postures in the sagittal and transversal planes involved while performing a typing and editing task on a desktop and laptop computers were verified. Thus, a case study was conducted with a Brazilian male of medium height, who works around 20 h per week in a computer. Nine spherical markers of 2.5 cm in diameter were joined up with duct tape on the right side of the participant and the positions adopted by the subject were analyzed in the use of a desktop and a laptop computer, through direct observation and filming, using the videography technique. Among the most significant results, the use of desktop computers compared to laptops allows a more upright posture of the head and neck, as well as a more neutral posture of the shoulders, elbows and wrist. It is concluded that the use of desktop computers has lesser biomechanical demands since it showed angles closer to a neutral position and consequently having a lower risk of musculoskeletal complaints.

Challenges of Telework in Brazil: A Sociotechnical Analysis

Amongst several transformations of our society, new paradigms of work emerge, also driven by advances in technology, as in the case of telework. The fact that it is still a recent modality in Brazil raises some concerns about human factors, which is aggravated by the lack of specific legislation and recent changes in labor laws. The variety of teleworking factors makes the subject complex and results in sparse and sometimes contradictory studies. Sociotechnical systems, objects of study of organizational ergonomics, encompass aspects that can be summarized in the technical, personnel, organizational and environmental subsystems. This study aims to identify telework challenges in Brazil, through the analysis of the current scenery, based on a sociotechnical approach. The antecedents and outcomes of telework in Brazil were raised through a multidisciplinary bibliographical research, being analyzed through a sociotechnical based teleworking framework. Common points were identified in the publications, mainly in relation to the telework outcomes for the workers, being the most discussed subject among the authors. Although reflecting research from other countries, aspects arising from the external environment can be noticed. The research has shown a lack of publications that attest to the antecedents and outcomes of telework, as well as research done under a specific bias. This demonstrates the need for sociotechnical studies of telework in Brazil, integrating aspects of all subsystems. In future studies, this can be done empirically, being guided by sociotechnics, using the sociotechnical based teleworking framework.

Analysis of Tools to Measure the User Experience During the Sports Practice of Recreational Surfing

This research aimed to identify and analyse which tools have the greatest potential for measuring the user experience throughout the practice of recreational surfing. The method adopted to gather information was a systematic review of literature on the user experience in surfing. After analysing the selected articles, the tools with the greatest potential for measurement were highlighted. The results have shown that there are several ways to measure the user experience in different sports and in surfing. This led to the construction of a table with the potential tools for measuring the user experience on recreational surfing, highlighting their main features, their positive and negative aspects and the justification of their possible use. In the results, the following tools stood out above all the others: GPS, accelerometer and gyroscope to measure physiological variables; and the affective diary and semi-structured interviews to measure the psychological variables of the user experience.

The Influence of Ergonomics Aspects on the Use of Hydrotherapy Equipment by Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Specialists Perspective

This paper analyzes the most and least used upper limb aquatic equipment for hydrotherapy/hydro kinesiology specialists in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). By using questionnaires, the paper identifies the ergonomic aspects considered positive or negative by specialists, as related to the manual equipment/patient interactions, and shows that price and market availability are the main reasons for the use of any equipment. The study discusses ergonomic adaptations needed to make hydrotherapy equipment suitable for usage with RA patients.