Mobile HCI IS 698/800

Spring 2013Shaun Kane

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This class• Overview of human-computer

interaction issues in mobile computing

• Introduction to mobile HCI research (major projects, publication venues)

• Experience building and evaluating low-fi mobile prototypes

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What this class isn’t• Mobile development (but if you have

these skills, you can use them)

• General introduction to HCI (see HCC 629, 729, 760)

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Introductions• Your name• Your degree program (HCC/IS/CS/etc,

MS/PhD)• What you hope to gain from this

class• Your favorite mobile computing app

or device (and why)

Dr. Shaun KaneAssistant Professorhttp://umbc.edu/people/skane

http://www.genealogy.ams.org

My research• Developing input and

interaction techniques for constrained environments– People with disabilities– Mobile computing

• Slide Rule http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=496IAx6_xys

• Bonfire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgtTo7JD_dc

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Class web site• http://umbcmobilehci.wordpress.com

/

• Course calendar• Assignments• Reading links• Feedback form

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The syllabus• On the website

• DRAFT

• Comments and concerns? Let me know. We will tweak as necessary and finalize by next week.

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Feedback• This course is meant to be “agile”

– May make changes, but only with class approval

– Can “opt out” of changes

• Anonymous feedback form on web site– Class structure / pacing– Great papers / terrible papers– Any other feedback

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What is mobile HCI?• Mobile usability• Devices we carry (phones, tablets,

media players, <smart> watches, glasses, clothing, wearable technologies, game consoles, cameras, projector, networking devices, GPS, sound recorders, medical devices, fitness trackers, laptop)

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Use while mobile• Attention: “interaction in 4 second bursts”• Device comes with you (always available)• Ready at hand, micro-interaction• Easy to carry• Challenges / resource constraints

– Screen size– Speed (processor, network)– Attention / multitasking– Power– Input devices

• Location-aware computing– Finding somebody– Adjust settings (clock, time)– Friend tracker

• Long term effects / repetitive stress / “Blackberry thumb”• Social norms / addiction• Environmental conditions (weather, cold)• Hands busy• Security / safety of device• Posture / walking

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Why is mobile HCI research interesting / difficult?• Use “in the wild” vs. in the lab

– But: Logging and analytics

• Privacy / private interactions

• New / rapidly changing

• Incorporating different types of users

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Course topics• Mobile social software• Navigation / maps• Search / information seeking• Touch and targeting• Text entry• Mobile health• Audio interfaces• Attention / Situational impairments• Mobile accessibility• Wearable computing / new mobile form factors• Others?

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To do for next week• Review the syllabus• Create a Wordpress blog; email the

link to skane@umbc.edu• Pick reading topics (first come first

serve; will open at 1pm tomorrow)• Email project topic ideas to me (we’ll

finalize the project next week)

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Break!

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Class activity• We’re going to sketch out a simple

mobile application, and demonstrate it to the class

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The app: Urban wildlife counter

• UMBC is conducting a study of urban wildlife in Baltimore City (rats, pigeons, mice, mushrooms, etc.)

• UMBC is paying (mostly untrained) research assistants to explore Baltimore neighborhoods and catalog the urban wildlife

• They want as much information as possible, but are flexible about what they actually need

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What’s hard about it?• Variety of wildlife (“other” / “I don’t know”)• Keep distance• Balance between entering data / spending

time entering• Group of animals• Safety• Size / coverage• How do you know you’re not counting the

same thing twice?

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OK, go!• Groups of 3

• 5 minutes: Come up with 3 potential ideas (be creative!)

• 10 minutes: Refine your chosen design

• 5 minutes: prepare presentation– Show sketches– Act it out