1,721,053 research outputs found
Increasing usability when interacting through screen readers
No full textThe application of appropriate Web site design and evaluation methods helps to ensure more usable and accessible Web sites. While in the literature guidelines and evaluation methods for accessibility and usability are given and discussed separately, we aim at identifying the relationships between these two concepts, in particular considering usability criteria for accessible Web sites. In this work, we propose a set of such criteria targeted to improving the navigability for a specific group of disabled users, i.e., vision-impaired people. The identification of the eighteen criteria suggested herein was performed through empirical feedback, by which potential issues were identified. Subsequently, a systematic method was developed on the basis of the analysis of potential solutions, resulting in a classification of the criteria according to usability aspects. Some example applications of the proposed criteria to three existing public administration Web sites are discussed
Automatic inspection-based support for obtaining usable Web sites for vision-impaired users
No full textThe aim of this work is to provide designers and developers of Web applications with support to obtain systems that are usable for vision-impaired users. To this end, a number of design criteria to improve Web site navigation through screen readers or other similar devices have been defined. A user test by blind and vision-impaired subjects showed that such criteria improve Web site usability both qualitatively and quantitatively. An inspection-based tool has been developed to ease the application of the defined criteria. Its main features are presented in this article along with examples of applications and related discussion
Towards a Chatbot for Creating Trigger-Action Rules based on ChatGPT and Rasa
No full textIn this paper, we propose a novel approach for building a conversational agent for creating trigger-action rules and controlling smart objects inside smart environments, such as a smart home. Our approach integrates ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art pre-trained language model for open-domain dialogue generation, with Rasa, a popular open-source framework for developing task-oriented chatbots. We leverage ChatGPT's abilities to perform Natural Language Processing tasks through prompting and few-shot learning, and Rasa Open Source's features to handle intents, entities, forms, and execute actions. We design Rasa custom actions that invoke ChatGPT's API to process complex customization rules, manage conversational breakdowns and answer questions about the smart environment
A gestural concrete user interface in MARIA
No full textIn this paper, we describe a solution for engineering and
modelling user interfaces for supporting input collected
through gesture recognition hardware. We describe how
we applied such approach by extending the MARIA UIDL,
and how the modelling solution can be applied to other UI
toolkits. In addition, we detail the model-to-code transformation
for obtaining a running application through
an example case study
Towards Adaptation of Humanoid Robot Behaviour in Serious Game Scenarios using Reinforcement Learning
No full textRepetitive cognitive training can be seen as tedious by older adults and cause participants to drop out. Humanoid robots can be exploited to reduce boredom and the cognitive burden in playing serious games as part of cognitive training. In this paper, an adaptive technique to select the best actions for a robot is proposed to maintain the attention level of elderly users during a serious game. The goal is to create a strategy to adapt the robot's behaviour to stimulate the user to remain attentive through reinforcement learning. Specifically, a learning algorithm (QL) has been applied to obtain the best adaptation strategy for the selection of the robot's actions. The robot's actions consist of a combination of verbal and nonverbal interaction aspects. We have applied this approach to the behaviour of a Pepper robot for which two possible personalities have been defined. Each personality is exhibited by performing specific actions in the various modalities supported. Simulation results indicate learning convergence and seem promising to validate the effectiveness of the obtained strategy. Preliminary test results with three participants suggest that the adaption in the robot is perceived
Flexible tool support for accessibility evaluation
No full textThe increasing need to check Web site accessibility has stimulated interest in tools to aid the various activities involved. While some tools for this purpose already exist, we believe that there is a demand for making their support more flexible. In particular, there is often a need for validation of multiple sets of guidelines, repairing Web pages and providing better reports for the evaluators. In this paper, we discuss such issues and how we have addressed them in the design of MAGENTA, our new tool for supporting inspection-based evaluation of accessibility and usability guidelines
A conversational agent for creating automations exploiting large language models
No full textThe proliferation of sensors and smart Internet of Things (IoT) devices in our everyday environments is reshaping our interactions with everyday objects. This change underlines the need to empower non-expert users to easily configure the behaviour of these devices to align with their preferences and habits. At the same time, recent advances in generative transformers, such as ChatGPT, have opened up new possibilities in a variety of natural language processing tasks, enhancing reasoning capabilities and conversational interactions. This paper presents RuleBot + +, a conversational agent that exploits GPT-4 to assist the user in the creation and modification of trigger-action automations through natural language. After an introduction to motivations and related work, we present the design and implementation of RuleBot + + and report the results of the user test in which users interacted with our solution and Home Assistant, one of the most used open-source tools for managing smart environments
A Cooking Game for Cognitive Training of Older Adults Interacting with a Humanoid Robot
No full textIn this paper, we present the design and the implementation of a cooking game for older adults interacting through a humanoid robot. We discuss the motivations and the requirements that have driven such design and indicate how it has been implemented. The main goal is to stimulate the cognitive resources of older adults in order to limit their decline. For this purpose, we have exploited the multimodal possibilities of the humanoid robot and have identified two robot personalities, which are suitable to improve users' engagement, and thus their potential participation in cognitive training programmes
Applying Web Usability Criteria for Vision-Impaired Users: Does It Really Improve Task Performance?
No full textAvailable accessibility guidelines do not necessarily guarantee usable Web sites, particularly when specific groups of users with special needs are considered. We have identified 15 Web design criteria aiming to provide integrated support of accessibility and usability for vision-impaired users. In this article, we present the results of a study investigating whether the application of such guidelines for vision-impaired users can actually improve their task performance when accessing Web applications. We report on two user tests, both involving vision-impaired users, that aim to provide empirical validation of the design criteria. During each test, users had to access and navigate two versions of a Web site, one version supporting the selected design criteria and one obtained with traditional techniques. Our results indicate that the 15 design criteria improved Web site usability both quantitatively and qualitatively by reducing the navigation time needed to perform the assigned tasks and by making the Web sites easier to navigate for blind and low-vision users
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