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The Virtual Thermostat

The Virtual Thermostat .   PSYC 8040   Fall 2005   Anne Adams ~ Britt Caldwell ~ Lisa Mauney ~ Jamie Weitz. Building an Assistive Technology—The Design Process. Identify target population Needs analysis Choose assistive technology to build Task analysis/function allocation Prototype

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The Virtual Thermostat

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  1. The Virtual Thermostat   PSYC 8040  Fall 2005  Anne Adams ~ Britt Caldwell ~ Lisa Mauney ~ Jamie Weitz

  2. Building an Assistive Technology—The Design Process • Identify target population • Needs analysis • Choose assistive technology to build • Task analysis/function allocation • Prototype • Evaluate prototypes

  3. Target population • Visually impaired (blind and low vision) • Why? • Inspired by guest speakers in class • Faced with problems in everyday and work life

  4. Perform a Needs Analysis • Interviewed 2 visually impaired women • Household tasks • Preparing meals, finding lost objects, etc. • Why? • Often defines level of independent living • Constrain domain for scope of project • Goals • Insight into common problems • Which tasks/activities want help with

  5. Needs Analysis – Results • Daily Issues: • Any digital appliance • Smooth surfaces • Flat keys • AC and heating control • Reading labels on frozen food, baking instructions • Setting stove • Current solutions • Braille labels and raised dot indicators • Some over the counter (talking microwave), but $$$$

  6. Our First Idea • Universal remote • Control several appliances in house • Oven/stove • Microwave • Washer/dryer • Some issues • Accidental activation (e.g., gas stove) • Might lose remote • General design issues

  7. Our Second Idea • Thermostat • Why? • Both participants mentioned issues with the AC and heat control • Have other people set thermostat • Do not interact with the program function • Design alternatives • Talking accessible thermostat • Universal control (e.g., wall mount display) • Software/web-based solution

  8. Some existing thermostat AT…

  9. … and a minor flaw in our action plan

  10. Regroup & Revise • Focus on our software/web-based thermostat idea • Pros: • Would not have to walk to thermostat • Would not need to search for control (and cannot lose it) • Could upload it to any computer • Would make use of already existing computer AT (JAWS, Freedom Box) • Could be used by many people • Supplementary to on-the-wall unit and remote control • Cons • Need computer access • Possible internet access • Security issues

  11. Not again!!!

  12. Participatory Design • Second round of interviews • Would visually impaired users want to use web-based thermostat? • Which functions would they like to have? • How would they label the functions? • Interviewed 3 visually impaired women

  13. Second Interview—Participant Responses • Single column • One page • Keep current labels (e.g., HEAT and COOL) • General OFF button • General Set Temperature button

  14. The Prototype–Challenges/Considerations • Different operating systems • Windows NT, XP, 2000 etc. • Macintosh • UNIX/Linux • Browser versions • Internet Explorer • Netscape • Safari • Firefox • Screen readers • JAWS • Freedom Box • How elaborate should the thermostat be?

  15. Web Design • Dreamweaver • Used for basic layout • HTML • Used to add additional labeling • JavaScript • Used to add feedback and update information • MS Narrator • Used to help “visualize” how website will sound for target population

  16. 3 Prototypes • http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~jrweitz/ac3.1.html • Combo boxes (drop-down menus) • Program set using range of times (ex. from time x to time y set temperature to …) • http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~jrweitz/ac4.1.html • Radio buttons • Program set using specific time (at time x set temperature to …) • http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~jrweitz/ac1.html • Links to change status • Specific time (at time x set temperature to …)

  17. Issues With Programming • Trouble getting input to display as feedback • Trouble creating adequate functionality for evaluation • Unintended mislabeling of items • Some errors caused by: • Unfamiliarity with (but need for) JavaScript • Testing with MS Narrator vs. JAWS for speech output

  18. Evaluating the Solution • Tested prototypes with subject matter experts • 5 engineering psychology students • Aged 25-30 • 4 males and 1 female • 3 visually impaired participants • Aged 48-54 • 3 females

  19. Evaluation – Tasks and Measures • Tasks • Get current temperature • Change current temperature • Set weekday or weekend schedule • Measures • Task completion • Errors • Problems • Comments

  20. Results—Sighted Participants (First Website with Combo Boxes) • Mostly conceptual problems • How system (heat/cool/off) and fan (on/off/auto) interact • How to set program • Pros • Clear • Uncluttered • Programming functionality • Cons • Lack of feedback (current and future settings) • Does current temperature or program take precedence? • Scrolling • Separate Saturday and Sunday schedules • Put current and set temperature in closer proximity • Confusion with Set Program and Run Program

  21. Results—Sighted Participants (Second Website with Radio Buttons) • Mostly conceptual problems • How system (heat/cool/off) and fan (on/off/auto) interact • Pros • Can see options at once with radio buttons • More compact • Program easier • Cons • Cannot set time ranges in program • Physical separation of set temp and current temp • Radio buttons are small targets • Lack of feedback

  22. Results—Sighted Participants (Third Website with Links) • Pros • Links are easier targets • Cons • No feedback • Links suggest that it will go to another page • Lack of separation between system (HEAT,COOL,OFF) and Fan settings • Hard to decipher (too many similar words) • Make buttons instead

  23. Website Preferences (Sighted Participants) • 3 liked first website better • Clearer differentiation of functions • Organization of categories • 2 liked second website better • More visible • Less scrolling • Show all options at once

  24. Results—Visually Impaired Participants (First Website with Combo Boxes) • Problems: amount of time • Fan mode placement confusing, caused scrolling • Mislabeling “from”; “weekday” • 26 out of 27 tasks (9 tasks x3 participants) were completed successfully • Pros • "Well done for accessibility!” • Simple, intuitive despite labeling issues • Loved combo boxes and ability to type in degrees • Cons • Make sure labeling makes sense with screen readers

  25. Results—Visually Impaired Participants (Second Website with Radio Buttons) • Problems: functionality • Forms mode not working with radio buttons • Labeling: “1 out of 3” • Pros • Simple • Still liked the combo boxes • Radio buttons listed after options • Cons • “Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.” • Functionality problems but still think this version is harder to use • Prefer consistency of all combo boxes

  26. Results—Visually Impaired Participants (Third Website with Links) • Pros • Links don’t take you to another page • Easier way to tab through options • Easier for non-technological oriented • Cons • Could deter people who wouldn’t want to leave page • Two still think combo boxes are overall easier

  27. Website Preferences (Visually Impaired Participants) • 2 strongly preferred first version • Simple, combo boxes easy • 1 preferred third version followed by first • Dependent upon computer and JAWS familiarity? • 3 liked the range • “from” to “to” in the first version • Can you see yourself using the web to control your thermostat at home? • “It would be cool!” Reliable and can use with any type of thermostat • “Absolutely! Send it to me!” Would also use it to control other systems: security and lights

  28. Recommendations/Obtain Feedback • Where to put fan mode? • How to layout and label program • Should “Set Program” be there? • Move “Run Program” next to “Set Program”? • Separate listings of days? • Group all weekdays and all weekend days? • System model needs to match the users’ mental models • Add more feedback • Show system status (e.g., HEAT is on) • Put current temperature closer to “Set temperature to” • Rework the system model • Use the capabilities of the software • Give user only the options that make sense at a time

  29. What We’ve Learned • Learning a programming language is hard! • Web accessibility critical and very difficult! • Need to test with screen readers throughout process • People with disabilities do not want to spend any more money on technology • Individual differences in users’ preferences and experiences • Many different thermostats out there, making it difficult to have one mental model of how one works

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