Abstract

In this talk I shall present my doctoral research and an overview of its application in my post doctoral research. In my doctoral research, I took an interdisciplinary approach to explain the effects of age and impairment on human computer interaction. I combined results from cognitive psychology, ophthalmology and physiology and developed a simulator using statistics and artificial intelligence. The simulator embodies both the internal state of a computer application and also the perceptual, cognitive and motor processes of its user. It can predict the likely interaction patterns when undertaking a task using a variety of input devices, and estimate the time to complete the task in the presence of different disabilities and for different levels of skill. I am currently using the simulator in the GUIDE (Gentle User Interfaces for Disabled and Elderly citizens) project, which aims to develop accessible digital TV interfaces. In this talk, I shall present an early prototype of the GUIDE user model that is developed using the simulator. This system can demonstrate the effects of a particular disease on visual functions and hand strength and in turn how different visual and mobility impairments affect interaction with computers, digital TV and similar electronic devices.

This presentation will introduce a system that can help a designer to understand, visualize and measure the effect of different impairments on interaction with digital devices.