Spring Hull

Perceived Usability of Ergonomic Interventions for Steel Bucking Bars

Steel bucking bars used in sheet metal assembly tasks lack application of ergonomic principles. Four bucking bar interventions were evaluated for perceived usability and compared to a steel bucking bar. The interventions included a tungsten bucking bar, Viscolas® rubber wrap adhered to a steel bucking bar, a steel bar paired with an anti-vibration glove, and a steel bar with a detachable handle. Usability measures included rank order of interventions, Borg Perceived Exertion Scale results, rivet quality, and participant willingness to recommend each intervention to others. Participants perceived less exertion using the tungsten bucking bar and were more likely to recommend the tungsten bucking bars to others. Half of the participants ranked the tungsten bucking bar as their first choice of all the interventions tested. The handle and the wrap were also considered usable by most participants. Participants perceived the most exertion using the steel bucking bar and were less likely to recommend the steel bar to others.

Usability Evaluation of Digital Flipviewer® Online Flipbooks

The rise in onscreen reading has created a need for software products that allow users to comfortably view documents onscreen. Two studies were conducted to examine the usability of E-BookTM Systems Digital FlipViewer® software that enables users to read FlipBooks, interactive three-dimensional books with pages that ‘flip’ or turn onscreen. Study 1 evaluated user performance on completing eleven tasks with the FlipViewer® using a magazine format. Study 2 evaluated user performance of finding courses using a FlipBook format of a universitys schedule of courses. Results from Study 1 revealed participants had difficulty using the unique features of FlipViewer®, but overall, were satisfied with their experience viewing a document in this format. Results of Study 2 showed participants completed tasks quicker using the FlipBook format of the university course schedule when compared to a website format.

The influence of mere exposure on web based breadcrumb navigation

Recent studies have shown that while the use of breadcrumb trails to navigate a website can be helpful, few users choose to utilize this method of navigation. This study investigates the effects of “mere exposure” and training on breadcrumb usage and satisfaction. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition I participants received both exposure and instruction to use breadcrumb navigation. Condition II participants received only mere exposure to the use of breadcrumb navigation and Condition III participants received neither exposure nor instruction to use breadcrumb navigation. Upon completing a list of search tasks, Condition I participants spent less time, visited fewer web pages, and relied less on other methods of navigation. The mere exposure group, Condition II, did not produce significantly faster search times or visit fewer web pages than the participants in Condition III.

The Effects of Line Length on Children and Adults' Perceived and Actual Online Reading Performance

This study examined reading time, reading efficiency, perceived reading efficiency, and preference for three online-text length conditions, narrow, medium, and full, for both adults and children. No differences were found for either reading time or efficiency for either adults or children. However, adults preferred shorter line lengths to full-screen line lengths. In examining perception of reading efficiency, the results were mixed. For adults, the full text lengths were perceived as providing the optimal amount of scrolling in comparison to the two other narrower line length conditions. The narrowest line length condition was perceived as promoting the highest amount of reader concentration, while the medium line-length condition was considered to be the most optimally presented length for reading. Examining childrens perceptions of reading efficiency for each of the line lengths revealed no significant differences in perceived reading efficiency or preference.