Nicholas Kelling

Zooar Zoo Based Augmented Reality Signage

This work describes the development of an augmented reality (AR) based informational signage system for zoological parks. Pre-development surveys detailed an interest in technology implantation while also highlighting significant limitations in the educational success of classical signage. The development of this AR system focused on integrating available technology while reinforcing the unique atmosphere of a zoological setting. This integration culminated in a system that has the potential to allow for greater personalized connections to be made between visitors and exhibited animals while not sacrificing the naturalistic surroundings and with minimal cost the zoo.Nicholas Kelling and Angela Kelling University of Houston Clear Lake Houston, Texas This work describes the development of an augmented reality (AR) based informational signage system for zoological parks. Pre-development surveys detailed an interest in technology implantation while also highlighting significant limitations in the educational success of classical signage. The development of this AR system focused on integrating available technology while reinforcing the unique atmosphere of a zoological setting. This integration culminated in a system that has the potential to allow for greater personalized connections to be made between visitors and exhibited animals while not sacrificing the naturalistic surroundings and with minimal cost the zoo.

Putting the Applied in Applied Psychology: Experiential Learning Projects in the HFE Classroom

The objective of this panel is to open a dialog about how experiential learning is being represented within the human factors and ergonomic classroom. The panel will start by Heather Lum briefly giving an overview and the precipice for this discussion panel. The panelists will then provide their views and experiences regarding this topic. Gabriella Hancock will discuss how she prepares her students for ‘publish or perish’ through a hands-on assignment. Grace Waldfogle will discuss how her undergraduate applied project prepared her for graduate education in human factors. Federico Scholcover will share his experiences with a semester long design project and how he uses what he learned there in a job setting. Finally, Nicholas Kelling will discuss the industry-academia collaborative process and how it prepares students for life beyond the classroom. The specific theme of this discussion panel is focused on the differing perspectives that one might face rom either the instructor and student perspectives. Dr. Lum will foster discussion among the panelists and questions from the general audience. Discussion time: 90 minutes.

Exploring the Optimal Number of Trials and Participants for Touchpad Testing Using Fitts-based Tasks

With touchpads being the primary input device for many laptop users, the importance of ensuring that laptops have the most functional touchpad has continued to grow. Human Factors practitioners are often tasked with ensuring that touchpads are accurate and efficient input devices. Tasks based on Fitts law to assess point and click performance are commonly used for testing touchpads, however there does not seem to be a widely used standard regarding the number of trials and participants. Testing with more trials and participants than necessary can be time consuming and costly for industry practitioners. This research explored varied numbers of participants and Fitts task trials with the goal of determining the optimal practices to maximize efficiency. Preliminary results indicate that when testing performance with a multidirectional Fitts test, twelve participants is acceptable for device comparison with at least 48 trials. For a sample size of 24 participants, there is evidence to support reducing the number of trials to 24. Implications for examining other testing scenarios for optimal sample size and trial number with the prescribed methodology are discussed.

The Use of Human Factors to Address Medical Research Replicability Through the Development of Software Based Solution

The lack of research replicability is becoming more of a concern in many fields. The medical research community and specifically the National Institutes of Health are concerned about how this issue will affect the well-being of the field (Collins & Tabak, 2014). However, this situation represents an opportunity to showcase how human factors can act as a solution through a combination of usability and human systems integration. The current work details how the development of a software platform designed to address replicability and reproducibility concerns in drug dependency research was informed by human factors principles from early development.

Psycognia: The Development of a Passive Gaming Environment for Use in Undergraduate Psychology Classes

Research has shown that games are able to engender educational settings that better the process of learning and enhance the execution and achievement of tasks. These studies, however, have only used games with automatic, responsive interfaces, or active games. Although effective, these video games necessitate the expenditure of human, physical, and monetary resources, and are, therefore, not inclusive of all populations. Alternatively, passive games are structured around the same principles as active games, but do not require programmed platforms. This study presents the theoretical design, development and implications of a passive game that is to be used in undergraduate psychology classes.

Fork in the Road Deciding Between Academia and Industry

The most daunting question of any graduate student may be the decision to pursue an academic or industry career path. Considering the capabilities of a HF/E graduates, both options can provide a very fulfilling career. However, making this decision can have lifelong ramifications resulting in potential anxiety. This discussion panel is aimed at assisting those currently embedded in this decision. Interactive discussions will include what is expected of recent graduates in these careers paths, how one tailors their graduate careers, and how one might determine best career fit.

Reaching the Youth – Creating Entertaining and Educational HF/E Outreach Activities for Grades K-12

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society aims to inform the public about the field of HF/E, and a great place to continue this effort is with the involvement of children. With that goal in mind, the HFES student chapter at the University of Houston – Clear Lake created and ran an outreach project with a class of local fourth grade students, consisting of five activities to introduce the students to various concepts of HF/E. We would like to expand upon that project in this alternative session by having attendees brainstorm and create activities for grade school children with accompanying learning objectives. The expected outcome of this alternative format session is to foster the development of a website resource that will contain HF/E educational activities for students in grades K-12 with access for HFES chapters across the country to access and host similar outreach events.

Effects of Level of Control on Simulator Sickness Using a Virtual Reality Head Mounted Device

Virtual Reality (VR) devices have remained primarily within the medical and military field for occupational training with varying success while personal VR usage for entertainment has been relatively stagnant. This trend is expected to change with VR head mounted devices (HMD) being targeted by several tech businesses such as Facebook and Samsung. The current study focuses on three different types of control levels: high, medium, and low. Each of these is categorized based on the amount of interactivity allowed within the VR application. Participants (n=12) took part in a within-subjects experiment where they used three programs and reported feelings of simulation induced motion sickness, or simulation sickness, for each one. Results identified significant differences between the programs. Factors related to VR accommodation are discussed.

Arrow Key Configurations on Laptop Keyboards: Performance and User Preference of the Inverted-T and Modified-T Layout

Over the years, many configurations of the navigation arrow keys have been developed and implemented. As laptops have become smaller, keyboard sizes have followed suit. Consequently, arrow key configurations have been looked at to help free up real estate on the keyboard. The most common configuration currently is the inverted-T; however, the modified-T is being investigated as a possible solution to provide more space on laptop keyboards. This study sought to understand how the inverted-T and the modified-T compare in terms of performance and user preference. Performance was defined by accuracy and speed of use on a series of tasks, where accuracy was measured by number of errors and speed was measured by task completion time. User preference was evaluated using the System Usability Scale. Results showed that user performance and preference did not differ significantly between the two keyboard designs. This has practical implications for laptop keyboard design.

Variance in Academia It is not all R1’s out there and even those are not what you think

There is a growing concern regarding our academic community that academia has become a less than optimal option for new graduates. As our discipline is strongest when there is an appropriate balance between academia and industry, maintaining a strong academic workforce remains critical. However, apprehension exists on the mind of students regarding the viability of academic careers. Of specific concern is a very high expectation for tenure. Although such expectations may be accurate for some high performing institutions, a more accurate depiction is needed regarding the variance of academic positions. This panel will allow for an open discussion between those interested in academic careers and a multitude of differing academic experiences. Although tenure will be a major component discussed, interactions will also include best practices and tips for academic success.