Mobile Devices for Control of Ubiquitous Multimedia

1. Human Computer Interaction Institute School of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University Mobile Devices for Control ofUbiquitous Multimedia Brad A. Myersbam@cs.cmu.edu http://www.pebbles.hcii.cmu.edu/

2. Handheld Devices • Typically, handheld devices for: • Communication • As a “Personal Information Manager” • As a “Personal Digital Assistant” • As a PC replacement • “PocketPC” • As a media player • Handheld Devices for Remote Control of other devices and media • Remote Control of PCs • Remote Control of appliances

3. Problem • Appliances are too complex

4. Problem • Too many remotes

5. Problem • April 29, 1991

6. Approach • Use a personal handheld device as an Interface to the PC and to the Appliances

7. History of Communication • ParcTab – continuous communication • Early “organizers” – no communication • Newton – extra cost for synchronization • Palm – HotSync once a day • WindowsCE/PocketPC – ActiveSync once a day

8. Now, Handhelds are Communicating Toshiba e740 • 802.11 • BlueTooth • Cell-phone network (G3) HP iPaq 3870 Microsoft SmartPhone

9. Pebbles Project • Performed as part of the Pebbles Project • Overall goal: Use of multiple devicesat the same time • Palm and desktop PC • Mobile Phone and “Smart Home” • Multiple handhelds in a meeting • Pocket PC and appliances • Multiple users with their devices • Single user with multiple devices

10. Pebbles is: P E B B L E S DAs for ntry of oth ytes and ocations from xternal ources. http://www.pebbles.hcii.edu/

11. Pebbles for MultiMedia • How will handheld devices fit into the user’s overall media space? • Where does media come from? • Where is the media is displayed? • How is the media controlled? • How can handheld devices improve the user interfaces of other media devices, rather than just being another gadget to master?

12. Controlling a PC Remote Commander Slide Show Commander Command Post of the Future Shortcutter http://www.pebbles.hcii.edu/

13. RemoteCommander • Allow PDAs to control a PC • Can be used with any application • Uses the standard (single) cursor • Don’t have to jump up andgrab mouse • All mouse and keyboard functions • Use PDA like touchpad • Graffiti or our own pop-upkeyboard • Word prediction and completion

14. PocketPC version • Get PC’s screen onto PocketPC • Full view, or one-to-one zooming • Scroll with iPaq’s buttons • Control or scribble

15. For People with Muscular Disabilities • Using handhelds as interface to PCs • People with Muscular Dystrophyhave fine-motor control but losegross motor control • Difficulties with mouse and keyboard,but stylus OK • So use Remote Commanderas PC’s keyboard and mouse

16. Alphabet for Accurate Gestures • Use a square hole in a template to increase accuracy • Just as easy to learnas Graffiti™ • 18% more accuratefor able novices (p<.02) • Patent Pending • Also works with joystick

17. Power Point Control • Use PC to give the presentation • Use hand-held to control the PC • Two-way communication • Hand-held shows picture of slide,notes, timer

18. SlideShow Commander, cont. • See list of slide titles • Scribble • Tap on on-screen buttonsand hyper-links • Preview otherslides • Controldemonstrations

19. Control at a Distance • Controlling a PC fromacross the room • Meetings, etc. • Use a laser pointer? • Studies

20. Command Post of the Future • Share media & control across multiple devices • Big displays, speech, gesture • And handhelds

21. CPOF, cont. • Provides remote control of main PC battleboard from handhelds • Also, private drill-down of public information • Small versions of map and data visualizations on handhelds • Interact locally, and displaychanges and annotationswhen ready

22. Shortcutter • User-created panels of controls • Create custom interfaces and extensions to PC applications • And then take them with you • Direct manipulationfor edit, then setproperties • PocketPC or Palm

23. Shortcutter Widgets • Buttons • Virtual Joy stick • Virtual Knob • Sliders • Mouse pad • Gesture panel

24. Scenarios of Use • Lean-back mail reading • Controlling media players • … and many others

25. Controlling Appliances PhD research of Jeffrey Nichols Assisted by undergrads and MS students http://www.pebbles.hcii.edu/puc/

26. Problem • Too many complex devices, eachwith its own idiosyncratic interface • Stereo system • Telephones • ATM • Fax machine • Photocopier • Hotel alarm clock • Increasingly computerized • Low usability

27. Existing “universal” controls • Pre-programmed at the factory with a subset, • Or, laboriously hand-programmed by the user

28. Our Approach • Handheld is a “Personal Universal Controller” (PUC) • Two-way communication • Appliance describes its functions • Handheld PUC • Automaticallycreates interface • Controls the appliance • Displays feedback about appliance status Specifications Control Feedback

29. Automatic Generation of UIs • Benefits • All interfaces consistent for a user • With conventions of the handheld • Even from multiple manufacturers • Addresses hotel alarm clock problem • Can take into account user preferences • Multiple modalities (GUI + Speech UI) • A Hard Problem • Previous automatic systems have not generated high quality interfaces

30. Research Challenges • Automatic Design of Graphical User Interfaces • Automatic Design of Speech User Interfaces • Connection with real devices • Through various protocols • X-10, AV/C, HAVi, UPnP, etc. • Also, custom hardware and software

31. Hand-Generated Graphical Interfaces • First, Hand-Designed PocketPC interfaces: • AIWA Shelf Stereo (Tape,CD,Tuner) • AT&T Telephone/AnsweringMachine • Used Embedded Visual Basic • Ensured quality with heuristicanalysis and think-aloud studies • Compared with manufacturer’sinterfaces

32. Results of Comparison • Using PUC, users took 50% less time & made 50% fewer errors • All differences are significant (p < 0.05)

33. Current PUC Specification Language • XML • Full documentation for the specification language and protocol: http://www.pebbles.hcii.cmu.edu/puc/ • Contains sample specification for a stereo

34. Properties of PUC Language • State variables & commands • Each can have multiple labels • Useful when not enough room • Typed variables • Base types: Boolean, string,enumerated, integers,fixed-point, floating-point, etc. • Optional labels for values • Hierarchical Structure • Groups

35. Dependency Information • Crucial for high-quality interfaces • Expressed as <active-if> clauses • Operations: • Equals, Less-Than,Greater-Than • Combined Logically • AND, OR • Used for: • Dynamic graying out • Layout • Widget selection

36. Specifications • Have working specifications for: • Audiophase stereo • X-10 lights control • Sony CamCorder • Windows Media Player • Audio ReQuest hardware MP3 player • WinAmp Media Player • Elevator • Parts of GMC Yukon Denali SUV • Etc.

37. Controller Generators • iPaq PocketPC • SmartPhone • No touchscreen • Desktop (TabletPC) • Speech

38. Examples of Generated GUIs Shelf stereo Windows Media Player

39. Generating Speech Interfaces • “Universal Speech Interface” (USI) project • Prof. Roni Rosenfeld of CMU • http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~usi • Creates grammar, language model and pronunciation dictionary from PUC specification • Pronunciation from labels using phonetic rules • Can provide other pronunciations as labels for fine-tuning • Will use dependency information to help with disambiguation and explanation • Supports queries and spoken feedback • Paraphrases as confirmation

40. “Adaptors” provide the interface to existing (and future) appliances If do not support specification language directly Custom hardware Custom software Lutron Windows Media Player X-10 Light switches, etc. AV/C (standard protocol) Sony CamCorder HAVi UPnP Axis Camera Adaptors

41. Demonstration • Sony CamCorder • Windows Media Player • Image library • Two way communication: • When state changes from application or appliance, GUI is updated • Can query state with speech

42. Current Work on PUC • Controlling User “Experiences” • One command for multiple devices • Play a DVD  sets DVD, cable, TV • Setting alarm clock  sets heat, coffee, car • Consistency for Users • And user preferences • More devices • UPnP • Etc.

43. For More Information • Many papers on the Pebbles web site • On PUC and other work • Most programs available for free downloading: • SlideShow Commander islicensed for commercial sale • See handango.com http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles

44. Conclusions • As more and more electronics are computerized and communicating, mobile devices can help control them • Handheld devices can improve the user interfaces of everything else • Not just be another gadget to be learned

45. Thanks to Pebbles Students • This research performed by a large number of students since 1997:

46. The Pebbles research is supported by grants from: DARPA NSF Microsoft General Motors NEC Foundation Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse And equipment grants from: Hewlett Packard Lucent Technologies Lantronix, Inc. Lutron, Inc. Mitsubishi Palm Computing Symbol Technologies IBM SMART Technologies VividLogic Synergy Solutions Handango Thanks to Our Sponsors!

47. Human Computer Interaction Institute School of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University Thank You! Mobile Devices for Control ofUbiquitous Multimedia Brad A. Myersbam@cs.cmu.edu http://www.pebbles.hcii.cmu.edu/