Browsing by Author "Saulynas, Sidas"
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Item All situational impairments are not created equal: A classification system for situational impairment events and the unique nature of severely constraining situational impairments(iConference, 2017-07-27) Saulynas, Sidas; Burgee, Lawrence E.; Kuber, RaviThis study explores situationally induced impairments and disabilities (SIIDs) from a unique perspective. A two-week diary study of mobile technology users was conducted to create a corpus of situational impairment events (SIEs) that mobile device users may experience in the wild. As a result, themes and classifications describing the type of SIEs that were encountered (such as ambient environmental and social/cultural issues) were identified. In addition, within the created classification system, the authors identified the presence of a subset of SIEs that where severely constraining in the sense that a workaround is not available or easily obtained, or where a technological solution was found that only led to the introduction of a new SIE. The use of the classification of SIEs as well as the identification of the unique nature of those that are severely constraining can help influence the future design of mobile technologies.Item Designing Mobile Interaction Guidelines to Account for Situationally Induced Impairments and Disabilities (SIID) and Severely Constraining Situational Impairments (SCSI)(2019-04-12) Saulynas, Sidas; Kuber, RaviThis research investigates the variety and complexity of situational impairment events (SIE) that are being experienced by users of smartphone technology of all abilities. The authors have created a classification system to help describe the different types of SIE as well as differentiate a certain subgroup of events that were identified as severely constraining. Continuing research examined workarounds that users deploy when attempting to complete a mobile I/O transaction in the presence of an SIE, as well as social/cultural barriers to attempting mobile interaction that users recognize but do not always follow. The ultimate goal of this research arc would be the creation of guidelines to assist mobile designers and researchers in the accounting of SIE and perhaps different design considerations for those events deemed severely constraining.Item How and why we run: investigating the experiences of blind and visually-impaired runners(ACM, 2022-04-27) Saulynas, Sidas; Vader, Mei-Lian; Bendigeri, Apoorva; King, Tristan; Nagraj, Anirudh; Kuber, RaviRunning offers a convenient and affordable method of keeping fit and maintaining good cardiovascular health. In this paper, we describe the experiences of a group of runners whose practices are rarely profiled: individuals who identify as legally-blind, some of whom run competitively, while others run for purposes of leisure. We specifically focus on planning strategies undertaken, experiences running both with and without sighted guides, the impact of situational and environmental factors, and the ways in which technology is utilized. The study has revealed a set of insights which if capitalized upon could offer considerable promise to support independent running. These include examining ways to reduce levels of uncertainty faced by runners, supporting autonomy, providing greater levels of environmental awareness, and aiding socialization when running. Findings from the work offer promise to interface designers to improve inclusiveness when developing technologies to support runners.Item An investigation of ways to support older adults when using mobile interfaces(iConference, 2017-07-27) Toy, Katelyn; O'Meara, Edward; Kuber, Ravi; Saulynas, SidasIn this paper, we describe a study designed to examine the effects of modality, target size and other design features on task performance. The study has specifically focused on older adults when accessing a mobile interface. Twelve participants (aged 55-89) conducted a set of pointing and steering tasks. Targets 32px in size were found to be most effective to support pointing performance, while targets 64px in size assisted older adults when performing steering tasks. Shorter lasting steering tasks (6 seconds) were performed with lower levels of error compared with 12 second tasks. Guidance from the study offers a reference point for mobile developers interested in designing touch screen interfaces to cater to the needs of older adults.Item Putting situational impairments in context: developing guidance for situational impairments and severely constraining situational impairments by examining parallel domains(Springer, 2021-04-21) Saulynas, Sidas; Burgee, Lawrence; Bendigeri, Apoorva; Kuber, RaviMobile device use is omnipresent in everyday life spawning design to account for the increased complexity and diversity of “Situationally Induced Impairments and Disabilities (SIID)”. Although SIIDs frequently impact interactions, little research has attempted to provide generalizable guidance supporting users when these events occur. Situational impairment events may produce challenges similar to those faced by users with Health Induced Impairments and Disabilities. This study conducted an exhaustive literature review from Assistive Technology and Accessibility research and parallel domains, and found that existing guidance on designing for “impairments” can inform designing for “temporary” impairments created by the mobile interaction context. Guidance identified was validated by a panel of mobile interaction experts with a novel adaptation of the consensus-seeking approach known as the Delphi method. This research presents preliminary guidelines to support mobile interface designers and researchers to better recognize and effectively account for the new complexity present during mobile interaction.Item Towards Supporting Mobile Device Users Facing Severely Constraining Situational Impairments(ACM, 2018) Saulynas, Sidas; Kuber, RaviA subset of “Situationally Induced Impairments and Disabilities” (SIID), termed “Severely Constraining Situational Impairments” (SCSI), was explored at the user task and motivational level, to better understand the challenges faced by users attempting to perform tasks using a mobile device. Through structured interviews, participants were found to deploy workarounds in attempting to complete mobile I/O transactions, even if that workaround might place them in considerable danger. The motivations underlying user decisions were also explored resulting in a set of rich scenarios which will be used in the final participatory design stage of the study to discover ways that technology can be designed to overcome SCSIs.Item Understanding and Supporting Individuals Experiencing Severely Constraining Situational Impairments(Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2019-12-04) Saulynas, Sidas; Kuber, RaviA special strain of situational impairment, termed “Severely Constraining Situational Impairments” (SCSI), was explored from a novel qualitative perspective. When a severely impairing event presents, the multitude and complexity of ambient agents are often overwhelming, leading to the inability to devise a solution. To classify and help design for them, interviews and participatory design-based workshops were conducted, revealing that (1) participants attempt to complete mobile transactions, even if it might place them in considerable danger, and (2) significant differences exist in the modalities and steps used to address the onset of a severely impairing event versus those of a non-severe situational impairment. Design solutions generated from the workshops indicated that users want technology to take a larger role in helping manage the added cognitive load inherent in severely impairing events. The revealed implications for design indicate that to maximize the user experience in the mobile device transaction space, designers must account for the presence of these SCSI and the unique design specifications that they require.Item Using OnScreenDualScribe to Support Text Entry and Targeting among Individuals with Physical Disabilities(Association for Computing Machinery, 2015-10-26) Saulynas, Sidas; Albar, Lula; Kuber, Ravi; Felzer, TorstenThis paper describes a study examining the usability of OnScreenDualScribe (OSDS), a tool to support individuals with physical disabilities with text entry and cursor movement. A portable numeric keypad is used to interact with the OSDS, which can either be held by the user, or can be affixed to a surface for interaction. A study to determine the feasibility of the system was conducted with three individuals with physical disabilities. While it was noted that the time taken was higher to complete a task compared to their existing methods of computer-based input, findings also indicate that the system offers potential for tasks involving a combination of text entry and cursor movement (e.g., completing online forms). Furthermore, as the keypad is smaller in size compared with a traditional keyboard, participants suggested that it offered potential to reduce effort spent in the fatiguing process of traversal.