Mark D. Rice

Digital switchover or digital divide: a prognosis for usable and accessible interactive digital television in the UK

The move toward digital switchover increases content and introduces interactive services available through the television. UK legislation advocates universal access and equitable provision of services, across all platforms and equipment, particularly for ‘vulnerable’ groups. However, key aspects of usability and accessibility have been overlooked by those responsible for encouraging this new infrastructure’s inclusive development. Aspects of previous interactive television provision and developments in web accessibility appear to have been ignored, along with findings from relevant user-centred research and even from specifically commissioned reports. This paper will identify these issues and discuss their impact on the inclusiveness of DTV.

Sociable TV: exploring user-led interaction design for older adults

The adoption of digital television (DTV) could be particularly attractive for older people if appropriately designed. This paper explores the development of a novel interaction design approach specifically to support people who are reluctant or have difficulty using desktop technologies. Using a simplified remote control, four different navigational layouts were tested and evaluated with older users, primarily to assess their ease of use. The results presented indicate promising new directions in the development of visualization and navigation metaphors and concepts within the context of user-led activities on DTV for older adults.

Factors facilitating or impeding older adults' creative contributions in the collaborative design of a novel DTV-based application

This article describes some of the challenges of supporting older adults’ creative input to the design of an (as yet) undefined digital television application. Focusing on commonly used brainstorming and paper prototyping techniques, constructive insights are gathered from users with limited experience of interactive technology. Encouraging older participants to move beyond what they are familiar with, the research reports on how fragmented conceptual knowledge of familiar technologies can either facilitate or impede the creative development of new ideas. This includes bias or contradictory ideas that can emerge in the elicitation process. As reported, other factors, such as the self-perception of inadequate drawing skills, demonstrate further barriers for some older adults to articulate their visions and aspirations for suitably designed technology.

Towards inclusive digital television

Over the last decade, the shift from analogue to digitaltechnology has brought about significant changes to thetelevision landscape. The subsequent emergence of mobile,IPTV and other carriers affords the opportunity to crea-tively reassess how people interact and engage within thisdiverging medium. Accessibility services to audio-visualcontent through sign language, subtitles and audiodescription have become vital forms of interaction for deafand hard of hearing, those with low literacy or learningdisabilities, and blind and partially sighted people.Improved accessibility affords both humane and economicbenefits to the wider society, as access to suitable inter-active media implies better quality of life, independenceand social inclusion. The payback for technology providersis also considerable, as greater inclusion implies broadermarket potential for commercial products. Digital televi-sion (DTV) potentially affords enhancements in commu-nication, quality of life, safety and support of independentliving. Related examples include community televisionapplications in the UK, where the medium has been used tosupport communication between older citizens in publichousing and local authority services [5], as well as socialtelevision solutions aimed at improving social connected-ness for older people living alone [11].Despite this, the dangers of a widening digital divideremain. Ease of use of DTV continues to be a formidableproblem—in the purchasing, self-installation of equipmentand access of content. Consequentially, there are still asignificant number of people who will struggle to adapt tousing this technology. Freeman and Lessiter [4] classifythese vulnerable groups as those on low incomes and/orwith a reduction in one or more ability. In particular, there isstrong evidence to suggest that reductions in cognition,sensory and manual dexterity can create significant barriersto the access of related interactive services. This includesthe poor design of remote controls, both in terms of theirdesign consistency, tactile feedback and appropriate label-ling of buttons. These issues can be further exacerbated byage-related changes to working memory, creating addi-tional ‘cognitive load’ in the mapping and switching ofattention between remote control and TV interfaces [2].Colour contrast, font type, screen size and distance to screencan all invariably affect text legibility; however, in manyinstances, DTV lacks support features to readily personalizegraphical content. As such, there is an increasing consensusthat the self-adaptation of the user interface will helpimprove interaction barriers for a wider spectrum of users.One notable example is the GUIDE project,

An Exploratory Study Examining the Appropriateness and Potential Benefit of the Nintendo Wii as a Physical Activity Tool in Adults Aged ≥ 55 Years

This study investigates the physical exertion of playing the Nintendo Wii (R) (Wii) and determines the appropriateness and potential benefit of it as a physical activity tool for older adults. Twenty healthy adults (aged 61 +/- 6 years) took part in a single session using a selection of the Wii Sports and Wii Fit games. During the gameplay session, heart rate and perceived exertion were measured. Pre- and post-session, we investigated mood using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and cognitive function (i.e. aptitude, abstract reasoning and problem solving) using the test of non-verbal intelligence (TONI-IQ) and trail B tests. We also gathered subjective feedback from participants using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Three of the game activities (hula-hoop, rowing squat and leg extension) were identified to reach a moderate level of heart rate intensity, with one activity (jogging) corresponding to a vigorous level. We identified that post-session PANAS-positive subscale scores were greater than pre-session scores (P < 0.01). There was a reduction in the time to complete the TONI-IQ test from pre- to post-session (P < 0.05). Findings from these data identify that some Wii activities were of an intensity required for health benefits; a single Wii activity session can result in positive mood changes and the Wii interface is generally acceptable and appropriate for this older age adult group. Further randomized controlled and longer term intervention trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of exergame activity programmes.

iTV as a Platform for Rich Multimedia Reminders for People with Dementia

This paper gives an overview of a reminder system, based on digital television technology, which can present rich multi-media prompting messages in order to help maintain a regular daily schedule for people with mild to moderate dementia. The ongoing development of this application has the aim of supporting busy carers by making it easy to create, adapt and maintain a schedule of reminders to help keep a regular daily routine, relieving some of the burden of care and freeing more time for better human contact and interaction.