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Application Design for Wearable ComputingConclusions and Future Challenges

Application Design for Wearable Computing: Conclusions and Future Challenges [Wearable computers are an attractive way to deliver a ubiquitous computing system’s interface to a user, especially in non-office-building environments. The biggest challenges in this area deal with fitting the computer to the human in terms of interface, cognitive model, contextual awareness, and adaptation to tasks being performed. These challenges include: • User interface models. What is the appropriate set of metaphors for providing mobile access to information (i.e., what is the next “desktop” or “spreadsheet”)? These metaphors typically take a decade or longer to develop (the desktop metaphor started in early 1970s at Xerox PARC and required more than a decade before it was widely available to consumers). Extensive experimentation working with end-user applications will be required. Furthermore, there may be a set of metaphors each tailored to a specific application or a specific information type.• Input/output modalities. Although several modalities mimicking the input/output capabilities of the human brain have been the subject of computer science research for decades, the accuracy and ease of use (many current modalities require extensive training periods) are not yet acceptable. Inaccuracies produce user frustrations. In addition, most of these modalities require extensive computing resources, which will not be available in low-weight, low-energy wearable computers. There is room for new, easy-to-use input devices such as the dial developed at CMU for list-oriented applications.• Quick interface evaluation methodology. Current approaches to evaluate a human–computer interface require elaborate procedures, with scores of subjects. Such an evaluation may take months and is not appropriate for use during interface design. These evaluation techniques should especially focus on decreasing human errors and frustration.• Matched capability with applications. The current thought is that technology should provide the highest performance capability. However, this capability is often unnecessary to complete an application, and enhancements such as full-color graphics require substantial resources and may actually decrease ease of use by generating information overload for the user. Interface designers and evaluators should focus on the most effective means for information access and resist the temptation to provide extra capabilities simply because they are available.• Context-aware applications. Among the questions to be addressed as we develop context-aware applications are as follows: How do we develop social and cognitive models of applications? How do we integrate input from multiple sensors and map them into user social and cognitive states? How do we anticipate user needs? How do we interact with the user? Some initial results have been reported in by Krause et al. (2006).• Proactive assistant. As designs for a proactive assistant are developed, we must address questions such as these: When and how to interrupt a user? What information is collected and how is privacy protected? Who can access the information? How long is information stored? How do users specify preferences for data availability? And finally, can we charge market value to those demanding attention?] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

Application Design for Wearable ComputingConclusions and Future Challenges

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Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2008
ISBN
978-3-031-01348-5
Pages
57 –58
DOI
10.1007/978-3-031-02476-4_5
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[Wearable computers are an attractive way to deliver a ubiquitous computing system’s interface to a user, especially in non-office-building environments. The biggest challenges in this area deal with fitting the computer to the human in terms of interface, cognitive model, contextual awareness, and adaptation to tasks being performed. These challenges include: • User interface models. What is the appropriate set of metaphors for providing mobile access to information (i.e., what is the next “desktop” or “spreadsheet”)? These metaphors typically take a decade or longer to develop (the desktop metaphor started in early 1970s at Xerox PARC and required more than a decade before it was widely available to consumers). Extensive experimentation working with end-user applications will be required. Furthermore, there may be a set of metaphors each tailored to a specific application or a specific information type.• Input/output modalities. Although several modalities mimicking the input/output capabilities of the human brain have been the subject of computer science research for decades, the accuracy and ease of use (many current modalities require extensive training periods) are not yet acceptable. Inaccuracies produce user frustrations. In addition, most of these modalities require extensive computing resources, which will not be available in low-weight, low-energy wearable computers. There is room for new, easy-to-use input devices such as the dial developed at CMU for list-oriented applications.• Quick interface evaluation methodology. Current approaches to evaluate a human–computer interface require elaborate procedures, with scores of subjects. Such an evaluation may take months and is not appropriate for use during interface design. These evaluation techniques should especially focus on decreasing human errors and frustration.• Matched capability with applications. The current thought is that technology should provide the highest performance capability. However, this capability is often unnecessary to complete an application, and enhancements such as full-color graphics require substantial resources and may actually decrease ease of use by generating information overload for the user. Interface designers and evaluators should focus on the most effective means for information access and resist the temptation to provide extra capabilities simply because they are available.• Context-aware applications. Among the questions to be addressed as we develop context-aware applications are as follows: How do we develop social and cognitive models of applications? How do we integrate input from multiple sensors and map them into user social and cognitive states? How do we anticipate user needs? How do we interact with the user? Some initial results have been reported in by Krause et al. (2006).• Proactive assistant. As designs for a proactive assistant are developed, we must address questions such as these: When and how to interrupt a user? What information is collected and how is privacy protected? Who can access the information? How long is information stored? How do users specify preferences for data availability? And finally, can we charge market value to those demanding attention?]

Published: Jan 1, 2008

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