Search results for "Human-Computer Interaction"

Fault Detection, Isolation, andTolerant Control of Vehicles using Soft Computing Methods

2014

Fuzzy Set Theory as a Methodological Bridge between Hard Sciences and Humanities

2013

In this paper, we will investigate the possible role of fuzzy set theory (FST), and more generally the ensemble of technologies and theoretical approaches known as soft computing, as a methodological bridge between hard sciences and humanities. We will try, building on previous works, to investigate the “family links” between these disciplines and show how FST may be of help in promoting a connection between the “two cultures”. We will discuss Carnap and his paradox of explication, the dilemma between imagination and rigor according to Bateson, the problem of interdisciplinarity, and the consequences of precision and exactness. C

Innovation, Learning and Communities

2012

Combining haptics and inertial motion capture to enhance remote control of a dual-arm robot

2022

AbstractHigh dexterity is required in tasks in which there is contact between objects, such as surface conditioning (wiping, polishing, scuffing, sanding, etc.), specially when the location of the objects involved is unknown or highly inaccurate because they are moving, like a car body in automotive industry lines. These applications require the human adaptability and the robot accuracy. However, sharing the same workspace is not possible in most cases due to safety issues. Hence, a multi-modal teleoperation system combining haptics and an inertial motion capture system is introduced in this work. The human operator gets the sense of touch thanks to haptic feedback, whereas using the motion…

Long-term working memory and interrupting messages in human – computer interaction

2004

The extent to which memory for information content is reliable, trustworthy, and accurate is crucial in the information age. Being forced to divert attention to interrupting messages is common, however, and can cause memory loss. The memory effects of interrupting messages were investigated in three experiments. In Experiment 1, attending to an interrupting message decreased memory accuracy. Experiment 2, where four interrupting messages were used, replicated this result. In Experiment 3, an interrupting message was shown to be most disturbing when it was semantically very close to the main message. Drawing from a theory of long-term working memory it is argued that interrupting messages ca…

Development of a Simulator for Prototyping Reinforcement Learning-Based Autonomous Cars

2022

Autonomous driving is a research field that has received attention in recent years, with increasing applications of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms. It is impractical to train an autonomous vehicle thoroughly in the physical space, i.e., the so-called ’real world’; therefore, simulators are used in almost all training of autonomous driving algorithms. There are numerous autonomous driving simulators, very few of which are specifically targeted at RL. RL-based cars are challenging due to the variety of reward functions available. There is a lack of simulators addressing many central RL research tasks within autonomous driving, such as scene understanding, localization and mapping, pla…

A new user interface for human-computer interaction in virtual reality environments

2010

This paper concerns the result of a research activity about the problems related to the human-computer interaction (both hardware and software) in virtual reality systems. In particular, a virtual reality application package, called VIRDE and used for the design review in immersive environment, has been used as a case study. After a detailed analysis of the hardware and software systems, and the examination of the main functional requirements, a new user interface has been developed. This new interface being composed of two input devices (tracked by an optical system) permits the two-hands interaction, instead of the most commonly single-hand interaction. The measurement of the software usa…

Web accessibility for individuals with cognitive deficits

2007

Tim Berners-Lee claimed in 2001 that “the power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect”. A considerable amount of work has been done to make the web accessible to those with sensory or motor disability, with an increasing number of government and enterprise intranet webs being “accessible”, and also with some consortiums and groups seriously approaching this commitment. Some authors, such as Harrysson, have already highlighted the need for a cognitively accessible web. However, in spite of good intentions, there has been little work to date that has tackled this task. At least until now, the existing WAI and NI4 recommendations …

Searching the Web for conflicting topics: Page and user factors

2013

Web users tend to search only the pages displayed at the top of the search engine results page (the 'top link' heuristic). Although it might be reasonable to use this heuristic to navigate simple and unambiguous facts, it might be risky when searching for conflicting socio-scientific topics, such as potential measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study, we explored the extent to which students consider other Web page characteristics, such as topic relevance and trustworthiness, when searching and bookmarking pages concerning a conflicting topic. We also examined the extent to which prior background knowledge moderates students' behavior. The results revealed that while…

Mixed Reality Annotation of Robotic-Assisted Surgery videos with real- time tracking and stereo matching

2023

Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) is beginning to unlock its potential. However, despite the latest advances in RAS, the steep learning curve of RAS devices remains a problem. A common teaching resource in surgery is the use of videos of previous procedures, which in RAS are almost always stereoscopic. It is important to be able to add virtual annotations onto these videos so that certain elements of the surgical process are tracked and highlighted during the teaching session. Including virtual annotations in stereoscopic videos turns them into Mixed Reality (MR) experiences, in which tissues, tools and procedures are better observed. However, an MR-based annotation of objects requires trackin…