Link
Jun Rekimoto Interaction Laboratory, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., 3-14-13 Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, 141-0022, Tokyo, Japan
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing archive
Volume 8 , Issue 2 (May 2004) table of contents
Pages: 126 - 134
Year of Publication: 2004
ISSN:1617-4909
Abstract:
This paper introduces the concept of synchronous user operation, a user interface technique for establishing spontaneous network connections between digital devices. This concept has been implemented in the “SyncTap system”, which allows a user to establish device connections through synchronous button operations. When the user wants to connect two devices, she synchronously presses and releases the “connection” buttons on both devices. Then, multicast packets containing button press and release timing information are sent through the network. By comparing this timing information with locally recorded information, the devices can correctly identify each other. This scheme is simple but scalable because it can detect and handle simultaneous overlapping connection requests. It can also be used to establish secure connections by exchanging public keys. This paper describes the principle, the protocol, and various applications in the domain of ubiquitous computing.
My Review:
If the connected mobile uibiquitous convergence invisible computing revolution is actually going to be something else than the current mess of gizmos so frustrating that are leaving too many people behind, it won't be because of huge conceptual decompositions of cognitive task models, but inventions like this. The theroetical work has a habit of always being slightly behind what people are actually doing with their machines, instead of pointing forward, while a simple innovation like SyncTap can change a lot about the current frustrations -- I'll be happy never to have to do a search to pair up two Bluetooth devices that I am holding in my hands ever again. Nokia is doing the smae with Magic Touch, an RFID based system where devices do data exchange or pair up by scanning each other based on proximity, but this sounds equally useable and very well thought out. I was considering how to make a device that hijacks these connections, and that isn't easy as well. I hope to see more of SyncTap in all kinds of devices soon.
Electronic shepherd: a low-cost, low-bandwidth, wireless network system
Jun Rekimoto Interaction Laboratory, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., 3-14-13 Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, 141-0022, Tokyo, Japan
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing archive
Volume 8 , Issue 2 (May 2004) table of contents
Pages: 126 - 134
Year of Publication: 2004
ISSN:1617-4909
Abstract:
This paper introduces the concept of synchronous user operation, a user interface technique for establishing spontaneous network connections between digital devices. This concept has been implemented in the “SyncTap system”, which allows a user to establish device connections through synchronous button operations. When the user wants to connect two devices, she synchronously presses and releases the “connection” buttons on both devices. Then, multicast packets containing button press and release timing information are sent through the network. By comparing this timing information with locally recorded information, the devices can correctly identify each other. This scheme is simple but scalable because it can detect and handle simultaneous overlapping connection requests. It can also be used to establish secure connections by exchanging public keys. This paper describes the principle, the protocol, and various applications in the domain of ubiquitous computing.
My Review:
If the connected mobile uibiquitous convergence invisible computing revolution is actually going to be something else than the current mess of gizmos so frustrating that are leaving too many people behind, it won't be because of huge conceptual decompositions of cognitive task models, but inventions like this. The theroetical work has a habit of always being slightly behind what people are actually doing with their machines, instead of pointing forward, while a simple innovation like SyncTap can change a lot about the current frustrations -- I'll be happy never to have to do a search to pair up two Bluetooth devices that I am holding in my hands ever again. Nokia is doing the smae with Magic Touch, an RFID based system where devices do data exchange or pair up by scanning each other based on proximity, but this sounds equally useable and very well thought out. I was considering how to make a device that hijacks these connections, and that isn't easy as well. I hope to see more of SyncTap in all kinds of devices soon.
Link
Authors:
Bjørn Thorstensen Telenor R&D
Tore Syversen Telenor R&D
Trond-Are Bjørnvold Telenor R&D
Tron Walseth Telenor R&D
International Conference On Mobile Systems, Applications And Servicesm archive
Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Mobile systems, applications, and services table of contents
Boston, MA, USA SESSION: Wide-area monitoring of mobile objects table of contents
Pages: 245 - 255
Year of Publication: 2004
ISBN:1-58113-793-1
Abstract:
This paper reports a new novel low-cost, wireless communication network system, called the "Electronic Shepherd" (ES). The system is innovative in the way that it supports flock behavior, meaning that a flock leader monitors the state of the other elements in the flock using low-cost radio communication equipment. The paper addresses both details of the terminal devices and communication protocols, as well as testing of the system in a real environment. The ES system was originally made to address special needs for sheep and reindeer farmers who were seeking a system to keep track of their animals during the grazing season. The system, including GPS receivers, UHF radio communication transceivers and GPRS modems, contributes a new approach for low-cost networking and service implementation, not only for the purpose of animal tracking, but also for other applications where objects are to be monitored at a low cost.
My Discussion:
Not directly a paper about havint the UI interact with the mobile device or mobile user,but it does highlight some aspects of the mobile applications world we think we practitioners are creating: once it hits reality, things get tough. Batteries never last long enough (although asking for 90 days of transmission in all kinds of weather is a bit much), users will uetterly and carelessly trash your mobile device in their day-to-day lives (especially is your users are sheep), and sub-populations won't behave at all like you think they will (turns out sheep don't actually flock that much). Yet again it turns out, however, that nothing keeps you focuss3ed on reality like having to make s real-world application, that what you learn in one field may be useful for other mobile applications, like keeping track of soldiers in army divisions or mesh networking of appliances, and that future-oriented sponsors like the farmers who will see a real benefit when this works, can carry your research forward.
Using mental load for managing interruptions in physiologically attentive user interfaces
Authors:
Bjørn Thorstensen Telenor R&D
Tore Syversen Telenor R&D
Trond-Are Bjørnvold Telenor R&D
Tron Walseth Telenor R&D
International Conference On Mobile Systems, Applications And Servicesm archive
Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Mobile systems, applications, and services table of contents
Boston, MA, USA SESSION: Wide-area monitoring of mobile objects table of contents
Pages: 245 - 255
Year of Publication: 2004
ISBN:1-58113-793-1
Abstract:
This paper reports a new novel low-cost, wireless communication network system, called the "Electronic Shepherd" (ES). The system is innovative in the way that it supports flock behavior, meaning that a flock leader monitors the state of the other elements in the flock using low-cost radio communication equipment. The paper addresses both details of the terminal devices and communication protocols, as well as testing of the system in a real environment. The ES system was originally made to address special needs for sheep and reindeer farmers who were seeking a system to keep track of their animals during the grazing season. The system, including GPS receivers, UHF radio communication transceivers and GPRS modems, contributes a new approach for low-cost networking and service implementation, not only for the purpose of animal tracking, but also for other applications where objects are to be monitored at a low cost.
My Discussion:
Not directly a paper about havint the UI interact with the mobile device or mobile user,but it does highlight some aspects of the mobile applications world we think we practitioners are creating: once it hits reality, things get tough. Batteries never last long enough (although asking for 90 days of transmission in all kinds of weather is a bit much), users will uetterly and carelessly trash your mobile device in their day-to-day lives (especially is your users are sheep), and sub-populations won't behave at all like you think they will (turns out sheep don't actually flock that much). Yet again it turns out, however, that nothing keeps you focuss3ed on reality like having to make s real-world application, that what you learn in one field may be useful for other mobile applications, like keeping track of soldiers in army divisions or mesh networking of appliances, and that future-oriented sponsors like the farmers who will see a real benefit when this works, can carry your research forward.
Link
Daniel Chen Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Roel VertegaalQueen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems archive
Extended abstracts of the 2004 conference on Human factors and computing systems table of contents
Vienna, Austria
SESSION: Late breaking result papers table of contents
Pages: 1513 - 1516
Year of Publication: 2004
ISBN:1-58113-703-6
Abstract:
Today's user is surrounded by mobile appliances that continuously disrupt activities through instant message, email and phone call notifications. In this paper, we present a system that regulates notifications by such devices dynamically on the basis of direct measures of the user's mental load. We discuss a prototype Physiologically Attentive User Interface (PAUI) that measures mental load using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) signals, and motor activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis. The PAUI uses this information to distinguish between 4 attentional states of the user: at rest, moving, thinking and busy. We discuss an example PAUI application in the automated regulation of notifications in a mobile cell phone appliance.
My Discussion:
Short as this late-breaing results paper is, it carries in it a substantial hurdle to taking it seriously. While the work done to model the state of attention of the user based on ECG (heartbeat) and EEG (brainwave) measurements reads as sound, the idea that we need to stick electrodes to our bodies just to be able to handle our disruptive mobile phones and computers just seems too much. However, contemplating that that this measuring equipment could be shrunk to a wearable state like a watch or jewelry, it is good that the groundwork is being done to decide whether the effort to do this shrinking and productization is actually ever going to be worth it. There are fields of work that are so vital yet interrupt-driven (stockbrokers, nuclear-plant crisis managers) that the workers could be persuaded to wear some monitoring equipment if it would mean their tools would be less disruptive and more effective at giving them the kind of information they need when they need it, and at no other time. On that basis, the background and pointers for further study given in this paper are valuable, the idea that ignoring an interrupt is an input about attention itself is accurate, and the initial data they have about the accuracy of the modelling, even if based on a tiny sample, is heartening.
Daniel Chen Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Roel VertegaalQueen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems archive
Extended abstracts of the 2004 conference on Human factors and computing systems table of contents
Vienna, Austria
SESSION: Late breaking result papers table of contents
Pages: 1513 - 1516
Year of Publication: 2004
ISBN:1-58113-703-6
Abstract:
Today's user is surrounded by mobile appliances that continuously disrupt activities through instant message, email and phone call notifications. In this paper, we present a system that regulates notifications by such devices dynamically on the basis of direct measures of the user's mental load. We discuss a prototype Physiologically Attentive User Interface (PAUI) that measures mental load using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) signals, and motor activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis. The PAUI uses this information to distinguish between 4 attentional states of the user: at rest, moving, thinking and busy. We discuss an example PAUI application in the automated regulation of notifications in a mobile cell phone appliance.
My Discussion:
Short as this late-breaing results paper is, it carries in it a substantial hurdle to taking it seriously. While the work done to model the state of attention of the user based on ECG (heartbeat) and EEG (brainwave) measurements reads as sound, the idea that we need to stick electrodes to our bodies just to be able to handle our disruptive mobile phones and computers just seems too much. However, contemplating that that this measuring equipment could be shrunk to a wearable state like a watch or jewelry, it is good that the groundwork is being done to decide whether the effort to do this shrinking and productization is actually ever going to be worth it. There are fields of work that are so vital yet interrupt-driven (stockbrokers, nuclear-plant crisis managers) that the workers could be persuaded to wear some monitoring equipment if it would mean their tools would be less disruptive and more effective at giving them the kind of information they need when they need it, and at no other time. On that basis, the background and pointers for further study given in this paper are valuable, the idea that ignoring an interrupt is an input about attention itself is accurate, and the initial data they have about the accuracy of the modelling, even if based on a tiny sample, is heartening.
