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An Investigation of Usability Issues with Mobile Systems Using a Mobile Eye Tracker. thesis by Marie Norlien International University in Germany Thesis supervisors: Prof. Dr. Anthony Jameson & Prof. Dr. Karl Rohr. Outline. Introduction Mobile eye tracker
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An Investigation of Usability Issues with Mobile Systems Using a Mobile Eye Tracker thesis by Marie Norlien International University in Germany Thesis supervisors: Prof. Dr. Anthony Jameson & Prof. Dr. Karl Rohr
Outline • Introduction • Mobile eye tracker • Study performed of mobile systems with a mobile eye tracker • Conclusion • What is left to do • Acknowledgements
Introduction • Mobile systems raise many usability issues that are not yet well understood. • One technique for acquiring data relevant to these issues is the use of a head-mounted mobile eye tracker • The goals of this thesis are • To explore the potential and limitations of an eye tracker in example studies of one or more typical mobile systems • To contribute some insights into particular usability problems that arise with those systems.
Outline • Introduction • Mobile eye tracker • Study performed of mobile systems with a mobile eye tracker • Conclusion • What is left to do • Acknowledgements
Eye tracker • ASL Model 501 mobile eye tracker • Worn on users body • One camera records the scene the user is looking at; the other camera records the user’s eye movements
Eye tracker • Strengths • Subject is free to move without losing accuracy of calibration • Mobile, within the range of the video receiver • Subject can wear glasses • Limitations • Subject is wearing many pieces of equipment, which can be uncomfortable • Difficult to calibrate and set up initially • Viewing plane is restricted to the view of the scene camera • Cannot use outside
Eye tracker • Calibration process • Subjects must be in a fixed position during calibration for the best recording of accurate data • The subject’s eye must not be obstructed by the subject’s eyelid • For example, the eyelid mostly covers the eye when a subject is looking down at a Pocket PC
Eye tracker • Potential barriers to accurate calibration • Physical movement of the subject • Even slight movement unnoticed by the subject • Excessive overhead light, sunlight, or spot lighting • Inadequate pupil and/or corneal reflection • Solutions • Good Calibration methodology • Subject should be fixed during calibration • Preventing light with the use of a sun-umbrella, dark walls, and anti-glare calibration surfaces
Outline • Introduction • Mobile eye tracker • Study performed of mobile systems with a mobile eye tracker • Conclusion • What is left to do • Acknowledgements
Study performed • We analyzed two types of systems • Xybernaut – a small handheld PC with a basic indoor navigation system based on infrared sensors • REAL software developed by the Department of Computer Science, Saarbrücken University • The Compaq Ipaq or Hewlett-Packard (HP) Jornada pocket PC installed with market Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware and software
Study performed • Xybernaut • Functionality includes indoor navigation via maps visible to the user from the system screen • The system is configured for a planned route in the Computer Science department at Saarbrücken University • Investigate how a user can manage multi-tasking with a mobile system
Study performed • Xybernaut Xybernaut hardware with REAL software
Study performed • Pocket PC • Functionality includes outdoor navigation via a map visible to the user from the pocket PC screen, which the user can manipulate via menus and icons • Compared the functionality of two already existing market GPS navigation systems • World Navigator by Teletype GPS • Destinator Personal Navigation System by RACO Industries • Investigate how user-friendly and intuitive each interface is
Study performed • Pocket PC HP Jornada hardware with Teletype software Compaq Ipaq hardware with Destinator software
Study performed • Results analyzed • Interview with subject while viewing each video recording • Targeted Questions • Event Tables • From the videos, each event was logged systematically (begin & end time) • PERT diagrams • From videos and Event Tables the following were derived • 3 diagrams to describe general case behaviors • 2 diagrams to describe multi-tasking • Pocket PC evaluation
Study performed • Event table example
Study performed • EventTables Summary • Main difference in subjects • “Event-driven” • Interested in starting to perform the task • Once there was an event, the user adjusted their plan to solve the task • “Plan-driven” • Developing a strategy for each task through map dragging • Having an understanding how they are positioned on the map relative to the environment
Study performed • PERT diagram example
Study performed • PERT diagrams summary • 3 possible answers why users perform tasks sequentially vs. Multi-tasking • The user may find it too hard to perform the actions with the system • The user finds the task so demanding cognitively that the user must focus on one behavior at a time in order to manage the demands • The user needs further information from the system before it makes sense to move forward.
Study performed • Pocket PC summary • How the menus should appear and work (4 Usability principles; Dix, et al., 1997) • Familiarity • Generalizability • Predictability • Task Migratability • General comments regarding problems encountered while walking
Outline • Introduction • Mobile eye tracker • Study performed of mobile systems with a mobile eye tracker • Conclusion • What is left to do • Acknowledgements
Conclusion • To understand the concepts of multitasking applied to a mobile system • There are three basic guidelines • Consider possible uses in the environment of the system in combination with various user behaviors • Consider including the possibility of extraordinary events occurring with the system • Consider situations were the user should not focus their attention on using the system Jameson, A. (2002). User Multitasking as a Design Challenge for Mobile Multimodal Systems. ITRW on Multi-Modal Dialogue in Mobile Environments Kloster Irsee, 17-19 June 2002
Conclusion • Eye tracking can provide additional valuable information to a well designed usability study in various structured environments leading to important usability discoveries regarding a given mobile system • Despite its limitations • User interfaces – PocketPC Navigation Software • Identifies the complexity of user Multi-tasking while using a mobile system
Conclusion • What is left to do • Find the link to Multi-modal systems • Struck from thesis title • Multi-tasking?
Conclusion • Acknowledgements • Thank you to everyone, it would not have been possible without you. • Prof. Dr. Anthony Jameson, DFKI GmbH (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence) • Prof. Dr. Karl Rohr, International University in Germany • Kerstin Klöckner, DFKI GmbH, Researcher • The department of computer science, Saarbrücken University. • Christoph Stahl, Rainer Wasinger, and Christian Müller