Peripheral Interaction: Embedding HCI in Everyday Life

The increase of computing technology in everyday life creates opportunities as well as challenges for interaction design. One of these challenges is the seamless integration of technology in our everyday routines. Peripheral Interaction, is based on the observation that in everyday life, many actions occur outside the focus of the attention.

A Context Server to Allow Peripheral Interaction for people with disabilities

There is an increasing variety of services provided by local machines, such as ATMs, vending machines, etc. These services are frequently inaccessible for people with disabilities because they are equipped with rigid user interfaces. The application of Ubiquitous Computing techniques allows access to intelligent machines through wireless networks by means of mobile devices. Smartphones can provide an excellent way to interact with ubiquitous services that would otherwise be inaccessible. People with disabilities can benefit from this type of interaction if they are provided with accessible mobile devices that are well adapted to their characteristics and needs.

The INREDIS project created by B.G, L. G. and J. A., at Laboratory of HCI for Special Needs. In this project laboratory developed EGOKI for disabled users an automatic interface generator that is able to create adapted and accessible user interfaces that are downloaded to the user device when she or he wants to access a ubiquitous service. Peripheral interaction includes all the implicit activities that are conducted to interact with an application.

Context server can contribute to peripheral interaction by providing the applications with valuable information that would otherwise be explicitly requested from the user. The context provider can assist developers to make use of the context in a simpler way. For instance, the context server allows applications to select the most appropriate modality to interact with a user with communication restrictions, due to disability or to a situational impairment. For instance, if the microphone detects that the local level of noise is too high the application can avoid voice commands and prioritize text or images; or, if the inertial sensors detect that the user is walking, driving or riding a bicycle, touch input can be switched to voice input.

Use of context server application, examples:

• Affective Interaction
• Smart Wheelchair
• Smart Traffic Lights
• Peripheral Interaction with EGOKI - EGOKI is a UI generator for ubiquitous services. The user’s abilities, device characteristics and service functionalities are taken into account to create an accessible UI

  

References:

http://peripheralinteraction.id.tue.nl/

http://peripheralinteraction.id.tue.nl/interact/paper/Proceedings_PeripheralInteractionWorkshop2013.pdf

"A Context Server to Allow Peripheral Interaction",  B. G., L. G. and J. A. E., Laboratory of HCI for Special Needs, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain, 2013

Apple Watch

Apple watch is a latest innovative product from Apple. It is unlike any device they have ever made. According to their product release Interacting with it is easy and intuitive as iPhone or working on Mac. They invented all-new ways to select, navigate and input.  They have reimagined it as a versatile tool found answers the fundamental challenge of how to magnify content on small display, pinching to zoom. As per their reviews it is navigation is fluid and responsive. Simple and orderly arrangement of apps. Watch has new typeface to maximize legibility.

A Retina display is the primary surface for every interaction with Apple Watch. The incredibly high pixel density makes numbers and text easy to read at a glance, even while you’re moving. Images and graphics render with remarkable sharpness and contrast, including finely detailed ones like the rotation of a hair-thin second hand on a watch face. Sensitive enough to tell a tap from a press. Flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press.

This is a results of latest HCI. Soon to be available. (4.24.2015)

References : 

https://www.apple.com/watch/

Aricle 2 : What is Interaction? Are There Different Types?

By Hugh Dubberly, Paul Pangaro & Usman Haque

The authors of “What is Interaction? Are There Different Types?” article discuss about interaction and whether it has different types. They described interaction is a “way of framing the relationship between people and objects designed for them- and thus a way of framing the activity of design.”

During their research on HCI, they evaluate how the static object different from integration with a dynamic system by using Canonical models which base on archetypal structure – the feedback loop.

Diagram 1

Don Norman has proposed a “gulf model” of interaction. A “gulf of execution” and a “gulf of evaluation” separate a user and a physical system. 

Diagram 2

In the feedback-loop model of interaction, a person is closely coupled with a dynamic system. The nature of the system is unspecified.

A systems- Theory View

They distinguished between static and dynamic systems those that cannot act and this have little or no meaningful effect on their environment.

Dynamic systems that can only react and interact linear and close loop systems. Closed-loop systems have novel property and they can self-regulating. Example: natural cycle of water. A self-regulating system has goal. The goal defines a relationship between the system and its environment.

Learning systems nests first self-regulating system inside a second self-regulating system. They outlined level of systems.

Diagram 3

They varied interaction can be,

• reacting to another system
• regulating a simple process
• learning how actions affect the environment
• balancing competing systems
• managing automatic systems
• entertaining (maintaining the engagement of a learning system)
• conversing

 References : 
Course reading week 1 article  “What is Interaction? Are There Different Types?” By Hugh Dubberly, Paul Pangaro & Usman Haque