Human Computer Interaction Design

CS237 Assignment #8

 

 

1. Dates

Out

Tues, 10/8

Due

Thurs, 10/10

 

2. Goals

  1. Explore the interactive component of VR visualization design.
  2. Learn about existing and postulate new metaphors, devices, and techniques for VR interaction.
  3. Consider specific needs of scientific VR users.

3.Readings 

Wake, Warren, Design Paradigms: Introduction; Chapter 10, Multiple Object relations,

Chapter 14: Putting Paradigms to Work

Ware, Colin, Information Visualization: Perception for Design

            Gibson’s Affordance Theory (pp. 22-25) Interacting with Visualizations,

(pp. 335-353)

HCI Papers (Buxton, Ishii, Ullmer, et al.)

4. Assignment

Design an interface tool set that includes the capabilities of the actions listed below. The tool set can include real objects (wand, glove, brush, table, other props, etc.), virtual objects (color prism, 3D icons, etc.), body gestures sensed by wiring, voice commands, and/or other interaction devices and techniques.  Your interface should be as simple as possible, yet detailed.  It should be intuitive in the sense that it can be easily learned, and later, operated without a “guide book”.  However, it should also be complete in providing a means to accomplish all of the functionality listed below.  It should enhance the user’s sense of connection with the virtual environment and the “realness” of the model.  You might try to imagine a “real world” metaphor for the “mood” of your interface (i.e. “scuba diving”, “dissection” or “haunted house”) to give the experience a vivid, comforting, or magical character.  When designing your interface, keep in mind the interface principles described in class and in the readings.  You might try to make commonly accessed functions easily or intuitively activated.  Document your designs in drawing, actual objects, or in 2D or 3D digital graphics. Documentation should be completely detailed and include diagrams for use.

 

4.1 Interface Actions

 

Navigation:

 

®    Move the viewer within the virtual world

o       left

o       right

o       forward

o       back

o       up

o       down

®    Move the virtual world (as in grabbing it in CavePainting) with respect to the viewer’s position

o       left

o       right

o       forward

o       back

o       up

o       down

o       scale up

o       scale down

®    Pre-set viewpoints (Jump-cut to these pre-set views)

o       Overview, from inside the artery walls

o       Overview, from outside the artery

o       Isometric overview, from outside the artery

o       Normal scale view at spot of the bifurcation

 

 

Data Exploration / Probing:

 

®    Place particle emitter here

®    Create streamline that passes through this point

®    Create one of my super-duper icons at this spot

®    I’m only interested in this region (how do you specify the region?), show me everything here

 

 

Animation Control:

 

®    real time

®    slo-mo

®    freeze

®    hyper speed

®    show pulse

®    run backward

 

 

Adjust Display of/Emphasis on Different Flow Characteristics or Areas:

 

®    display a latitudinal section

®    display a longitudinal section

®    display/emphasize wall data

®    display/emphasize streamlines by speed (either low, medium, or high)

®    display/emphasize streamlines by pressure (either low, medium, or high)

®    display/emphasize vorticity

®    display/emphasize pressure

®    display/emphasize reverse flow

 

 

Annotate the Visualization:

 

®    Take a snapshot of the current view

®    Start/Stop recording video

®    Write a text note or record voice and attach it to a region in the visualization

 

 

 

 

Adjust Visual Attributes of Icons or Artery Wall:

 

®    Brightness

®    Color

®    Shininess

®    Texture

®    Texture repeat frequency

 

 

Adjust Visual Attributes of the Environment:

 

®    Background Color

®    Placement of Lights

®    Strength of Lights

 

 

5. Resources

 

6. Questions

  1. Do your interaction techniques mimic a “real world” metaphor?  If so, which one, and why is this an appropriate choice?
  2. Consider a compound task in this environment. For example, part 1: find an area of interest, part 2: navigate to this area, part 3: examine this area in detail.  How many operations would be involved in this typical compound task given your interface?  Would changing modes from navigating mode to examining mode, for example, be a distraction to the scientist?
  3. Do you place several functions on the same device?  For example, the left wand button moves you forward in navigation mode, but places a streamline in exploration mode?  If so, how difficult will it be to remember the interface?  How can you avoid confusion in this situation?
  4. Are common tasks easily performed with your interface?
  5. Could your interaction design be generalized to work for any VR application?  How specific is it to the artery program?
  6. Will your techniques work when the artery is made very small?  How about when it is as large as the Cave, or even bigger?
  7. If you developed an intuitive design for novices, is it still unrestricting for an expert user?  If your design is more appropriate for an experienced user, how long will it take to become experienced?
  8. Could a professor operate your interface?  Would a professor want to operate your interface?  How about a scientist?
  9. Would someone get tired operating your interface?
  10. Can a scientist focus on a scientific task, or does your interface require a significant amount of thought unrelated to the problem at hand in order to operate it?

 

7. Checklist

o     Devise a set of interaction techniques for the actions listed above.

o     Document your ideas with detailed descriptions and diagrams where appropriate.

o     Answered assignment questions.