Monchu Chen

What can a mouse cursor tell us more?: correlation of eye/mouse movements on web browsing

In this paper, we describe a study on the relationship between gaze position and cursor position on a computer screen during web browsing. Users were asked to browse several web sites while their eye/mouse movements were recorded. The data suggest that there is a strong relationship between gaze position and cursor position. The data also show that there are regular patterns of eye/mouse movements. Based on these findings, we argue that a mouse could provide us more information than just the x, y position where a user is pointing. This implies that we can use an inexpensive and extremely popular tool as an alternative of eye-tracking systems, especially in web usability evaluation. Moreover, by understanding the intent of every mouse movement, we may be able to achieve a better interface for human computer interaction.

Characteristics of fluent skills in a complex, dynamic problem-solving task.

We examined critical characteristics of fluent cognitive skills, using the Georgia Tech Aegis Simulation Program, a tactical decision-making computer game that simulates tasks of an anti-air-warfare coordinator. To characterize learning, we adopted the unit-task analysis framework, in which a task is decomposed into several unit tasks that are further decomposed into functional-level subtasks. Our results showed that learning at a global level could be decomposed into learning smaller component tasks. Further, most learning was associated with a reduction in cognitive processes, in which people make inferences from the currently available information. Eye-movement data also revealed that the time spent on task-irrelevant regions of the display decreased more than did the time spent on task-relevant regions. In sum, although fluency in dynamic, complex problem solving was achieved by attaining efficiency in perceptual, motor, and cognitive processes, the magnitude of the gains depended on the preexisting fluency of the component skills. These results imply that a training program should decompose a task into its component skills and emphasize those components with which trainees have relatively little prior experience. Actual or potential applications of this research include learning and training of complex tasks as well as evaluation of performance on those tasks.

To move or not to move: a comparison between steerable versus fixed focus region paradigms in multi-resolution tabletop display systems

Previous studies have outlined the advantages of multi-resolution large-area displays over their fixed-resolution counterparts, however the mobility of the focus region has up until the present time received little attention. To study this phenomenon further, we have developed a multi-resolution tabletop display system with a steerable high resolution focus region to compare the performance between steerable and fixed focus region systems under different working scenarios. We have classified these scenarios according to region of interest (ROI) with analogies to different eye movement types (fixed, saccadic, and pursuit ROI). Empirical data gathered during the course of a multi-faceted user study demonstrates that the steerable focus region system significantly outperforms the fixed focus region system. The former is shown to provide enhanced display manipulation and proves especially advantageous in cases where the user must maintain spatial awareness of the display content as is the case in which, within a single session, several regions of the display are to be visited.

Eye-Movements during Unit-Task Execution in a Complex Problem-Solving Situation

We have studied the performance of subjects as they acquired skill in the Georgia Tech Aegis Simulation Program (GT-ASP) with a particular focus on their eye movements. Our task analysis showed that the GT-ASP breaks down into the selection of unit tasks and the execution of these unit tasks. We focused on the Identification unit-task. Our results showed that most of the practice benefit in Identification came from increasing efficiency during cognitive process, in which people make inferences and decisions on the basis of the currently available information. We also analyzed eye fixations when people perform this unit-task. Participants showed different fixation patterns, depending on what portion of the unit-task was being executed. Fluency in a dynamic complex problem-solving seems to be achieved by efficiency in cognitive as well as perceptual processes.

Eye Gaze and Mouse Cursor Relationship in a Debugging Task

This study evaluates the relationship between eye gaze and mouse cursor movements in a debugging task. 9 students with relevant programming experience participated in this study. Debugging difficulty was manipulated (error types; lexical, logical and syntactic) in order to measure the effects on debugging performance (accuracy and reaction time), eye gaze and mouse cursor behavior (frequency and duration of visits of target areas vs. non-target areas). Performance data showed that lexical errors are easier to find than logical errors. Mouse cursor behavior was a significant indication of the level of difficulty and therefore performance. The general pattern of mouse movements was comparable with eye gaze patterns. This study indicates that mouse data does add relevant information on top of eye gaze. These results support the idea of using mouse tracking as an alternative for inferring intentions.

Hammering models: designing usable modeling tools

A modeling tool not only helps users express their ideas and thoughts but also serves as a communication platform among domain experts, designers, developers, and others practitioners. Existing modeling tools have shortcomings in terms of supported functionality and situated usability or do not meet the needs of users of varying levels of expertise. To facilitate improvement of such modeling tools, this research begins by identifying common problems in existing tools and proceeds by borrowing concepts from grounded theory to develop a framework of redesign guidelines. A case study illustrates how this framework can be used by applying it to MetaSketch, a metamodeling tool. The study employs multiple user experience research methods, including usability tests with paper prototypes, observations, interviews, and contextual inquiries. A set of core tasks and two significant modeling approaches were identified that directly influence interface and interaction design for modeling tools.

A Tale of Two Puppets, Two Avatars and Two Countries

We describe observations from studies conducted with school children in Nepal and Portugal with the aim of exploring two questions: 1. Can we develop an interactive game that will continue to engage the child in gameplay when the electricity supply fails? 2. What are the discernable differences in the ways children in Nepal and Portugal interact with the game given the huge socio-economic and cultural differences between them? The studies highlight the potential of the design in fostering continued engagement in the game when the electricity supply fails. They also show surprising little difference between the children in Nepal and Portugal. The observations suggest game mechanism and basic interactions can be regarded as universal across cultures and levels of income and can thus be designed and tested in any location and be expected to work and be understood by children from any culture and background.

Ilha Musical: a CAVE for nurturing cultural appreciation

Engaging children born in the digital age with traditional culture practices is a pedagogical and a technological challenge. In this paper we describe Ilha Musical, an interactive panoramic experience designed to foster appreciation of traditional Madeiran cultural practices in children from the island and abroad. The design employs a rhythm game in which children engage in traditional folk music and song while being exposed to visuals of the landscape, architecture, dance and other cultural motifs. We conclude with an eye tracking and scene analysis showing the success of the game in using competition and cooperation as a means of engaging the children with each other as well as with the narrative, the physical display and interface elements.

Making friends by killing them: using location-based urban gaming to expand personal networks

Cultural problems exist with current online systems for meeting new people, such as dating sites, which encourage unnatural meetings with strangers. An SMS-based murder mystery game was designed to facilitate the natural progression of growing ones personal network by meeting friends of friends. Considerations on how a location-based mobile system could further facilitate personal network expansion are discussed.

Tracking Eyes in Service Prototyping

A mobile eye tracker was used to collect viewing behavior in a mixed reality immersive Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) environment to evaluate a design concept of a tourist information office. The synthetic office consists of physical artifacts and virtual contents projected onto three walls of a room-sized cube. A Think Aloud study was conducted with both a goal-oriented condition and a free-browsing condition while subjects wearing the eye-tracker. Multiple Augmented Reality markers were used to reconstruct gaze positions in the coordinate system of the real environment. Gaze points were later aggregated to create heat maps, which were used as textures for a computer 3D model replication of the synthetic tourist office. The interactive visualization of the 3D heat map showcases different viewing patterns for different conditions. The insights suggest the combination of eye-tracking and mixed reality environment to be a valuable tool for prototyping service design of similar kinds.