Sample records for advanced user interfaces

  1. The intelligent user interface for NASA's advanced information management systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, William J.; Short, Nicholas, Jr.; Rolofs, Larry H.; Wattawa, Scott L.

    1987-01-01

    NASA has initiated the Intelligent Data Management Project to design and develop advanced information management systems. The project's primary goal is to formulate, design and develop advanced information systems that are capable of supporting the agency's future space research and operational information management needs. The first effort of the project was the development of a prototype Intelligent User Interface to an operational scientific database, using expert systems and natural language processing technologies. An overview of Intelligent User Interface formulation and development is given.

  2. Advanced Displays and Natural User Interfaces to Support Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin-SanJose, Juan-Fernando; Juan, M. -Carmen; Mollá, Ramón; Vivó, Roberto

    2017-01-01

    Advanced displays and natural user interfaces (NUI) are a very suitable combination for developing systems to provide an enhanced and richer user experience. This combination can be appropriate in several fields and has not been extensively exploited. One of the fields that this combination is especially suitable for is education. Nowadays,…

  3. User Interface Technology for Formal Specification Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lowry, Michael; Philpot, Andrew; Pressburger, Thomas; Underwood, Ian; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

    1994-01-01

    Formal specification development and modification are an essential component of the knowledge-based software life cycle. User interface technology is needed to empower end-users to create their own formal specifications. This paper describes the advanced user interface for AMPHION1 a knowledge-based software engineering system that targets scientific subroutine libraries. AMPHION is a generic, domain-independent architecture that is specialized to an application domain through a declarative domain theory. Formal specification development and reuse is made accessible to end-users through an intuitive graphical interface that provides semantic guidance in creating diagrams denoting formal specifications in an application domain. The diagrams also serve to document the specifications. Automatic deductive program synthesis ensures that end-user specifications are correctly implemented. The tables that drive AMPHION's user interface are automatically compiled from a domain theory; portions of the interface can be customized by the end-user. The user interface facilitates formal specification development by hiding syntactic details, such as logical notation. It also turns some of the barriers for end-user specification development associated with strongly typed formal languages into active sources of guidance, without restricting advanced users. The interface is especially suited for specification modification. AMPHION has been applied to the domain of solar system kinematics through the development of a declarative domain theory. Testing over six months with planetary scientists indicates that AMPHION's interactive specification acquisition paradigm enables users to develop, modify, and reuse specifications at least an order of magnitude more rapidly than manual program development.

  4. Learning Analytics for Natural User Interfaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez-Maldonado, Roberto; Shum, Simon Buckingham; Schneider, Bertrand; Charleer, Sven; Klerkx, Joris; Duval, Erik

    2017-01-01

    The continuous advancement of natural user interfaces (NUIs) allows for the development\tof novel and creative ways to support collocated collaborative work in a wide range of areas, including teaching and learning. The use of NUIs, such as those based on interactive multi-touch surfaces and tangible user interfaces (TUIs), can offer unique…

  5. User Interface for the ESO Advanced Data Products Image Reduction Pipeline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rité, C.; Delmotte, N.; Retzlaff, J.; Rosati, P.; Slijkhuis, R.; Vandame, B.

    2006-07-01

    The poster presents a friendly user interface for image reduction, totally written in Python and developed by the Advanced Data Products (ADP) group. The interface is a front-end to the ESO/MVM image reduction package, originally developed in the ESO Imaging Survey (EIS) project and used currently to reduce imaging data from several instruments such as WFI, ISAAC, SOFI and FORS1. As part of its scope, the interface produces high-level, VO-compliant, science images from raw data providing the astronomer with a complete monitoring system during the reduction, computing also statistical image properties for data quality assessment. The interface is meant to be used for VO services and it is free but un-maintained software and the intention of the authors is to share code and experience. The poster describes the interface architecture and current capabilities and give a description of the ESO/MVM engine for image reduction. The ESO/MVM engine should be released by the end of this year.

  6. Advanced graphical user interface for multi-physics simulations using AMST

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoffmann, Florian; Vogel, Frank

    2017-07-01

    Numerical modelling of particulate matter has gained much popularity in recent decades. Advanced Multi-physics Simulation Technology (AMST) is a state-of-the-art three dimensional numerical modelling technique combining the eX-tended Discrete Element Method (XDEM) with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) [1]. One major limitation of this code is the lack of a graphical user interface (GUI) meaning that all pre-processing has to be made directly in a HDF5-file. This contribution presents the first graphical pre-processor developed for AMST.

  7. Envisioning Advanced User Interfaces for E-Government Applications: A Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Calvary, Gaëlle; Serna, Audrey; Coutaz, Joëlle; Scapin, Dominique; Pontico, Florence; Winckler, Marco

    The increasing use of the Web as a software platform together with the advance of technology has promoted Web applications as a starting point for improving communication between citizens and administration. Currently, several e-government Web portals propose applications for accessing information regarding healthcare, taxation, registration, housing, agriculture, education, and social services, which otherwise may be difficult to obtain. However, the adoption of services provided to citizens depends upon how such applications comply with the users' needs. Unfortunately, building an e-government website doesn't guarantee that all citizens who come to use it can access its contents. These services need to be accessible to all citizens/customers equally to ensure wider reach and subsequent adoption of the e-government services. User disabilities, computer or language illiteracy (e.g., foreign language), flexibility on information access (e.g., user remotely located in rural areas, homeless, mobile users), and ensuring user privacy on sensitive data are some of the barriers that must be taken into account when designing the User Interface (UI) of e-government applications.

  8. Intelligent user interface concept for space station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Comer, Edward; Donaldson, Cameron; Bailey, Elizabeth; Gilroy, Kathleen

    1986-01-01

    The space station computing system must interface with a wide variety of users, from highly skilled operations personnel to payload specialists from all over the world. The interface must accommodate a wide variety of operations from the space platform, ground control centers and from remote sites. As a result, there is a need for a robust, highly configurable and portable user interface that can accommodate the various space station missions. The concept of an intelligent user interface executive, written in Ada, that would support a number of advanced human interaction techniques, such as windowing, icons, color graphics, animation, and natural language processing is presented. The user interface would provide intelligent interaction by understanding the various user roles, the operations and mission, the current state of the environment and the current working context of the users. In addition, the intelligent user interface executive must be supported by a set of tools that would allow the executive to be easily configured and to allow rapid prototyping of proposed user dialogs. This capability would allow human engineering specialists acting in the role of dialog authors to define and validate various user scenarios. The set of tools required to support development of this intelligent human interface capability is discussed and the prototyping and validation efforts required for development of the Space Station's user interface are outlined.

  9. Toward visual user interfaces supporting collaborative multimedia content management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Husein, Fathi; Leissler, Martin; Hemmje, Matthias

    2000-12-01

    Supporting collaborative multimedia content management activities, as e.g., image and video acquisition, exploration, and access dialogues between naive users and multi media information systems is a non-trivial task. Although a wide variety of experimental and prototypical multimedia storage technologies as well as corresponding indexing and retrieval engines are available, most of them lack appropriate support for collaborative end-user oriented user interface front ends. The development of advanced user adaptable interfaces is necessary for building collaborative multimedia information- space presentations based upon advanced tools for information browsing, searching, filtering, and brokering to be applied on potentially very large and highly dynamic multimedia collections with a large number of users and user groups. Therefore, the development of advanced and at the same time adaptable and collaborative computer graphical information presentation schemes that allow to easily apply adequate visual metaphors for defined target user stereotypes has to become a key focus within ongoing research activities trying to support collaborative information work with multimedia collections.

  10. User interface support

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lewis, Clayton; Wilde, Nick

    1989-01-01

    Space construction will require heavy investment in the development of a wide variety of user interfaces for the computer-based tools that will be involved at every stage of construction operations. Using today's technology, user interface development is very expensive for two reasons: (1) specialized and scarce programming skills are required to implement the necessary graphical representations and complex control regimes for high-quality interfaces; (2) iteration on prototypes is required to meet user and task requirements, since these are difficult to anticipate with current (and foreseeable) design knowledge. We are attacking this problem by building a user interface development tool based on extensions to the spreadsheet model of computation. The tool provides high-level support for graphical user interfaces and permits dynamic modification of interfaces, without requiring conventional programming concepts and skills.

  11. Three-dimensional user interfaces for scientific visualization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    VanDam, Andries (Principal Investigator)

    1996-01-01

    The focus of this grant was to experiment with novel user interfaces for scientific visualization applications using both desktop and virtual reality (VR) systems, and thus to advance the state of the art of user interface technology for this domain. This technology has been transferred to NASA via periodic status reports and papers relating to this grant that have been published in conference proceedings. This final report summarizes the research completed over the past three years, and subsumes all prior reports.

  12. A web based Radiation Oncology Dose Manager with a rich User Interface developed using AJAX, ruby, dynamic XHTML and the new Yahoo/EXT User Interface Library.

    PubMed

    Vali, Faisal; Hong, Robert

    2007-10-11

    With the evolution of AJAX, ruby on rails, advanced dynamic XHTML technologies and the advent of powerful user interface libraries for javascript (EXT, Yahoo User Interface Library), developers now have the ability to provide truly rich interfaces within web browsers, with reasonable effort and without third-party plugins. We designed and developed an example of such a solution. The User Interface allows radiation oncology practices to intuitively manage different dose fractionation schemes by helping estimate total dose to irradiated organs.

  13. User interface user's guide for HYPGEN

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chiu, Ing-Tsau

    1992-01-01

    The user interface (UI) of HYPGEN is developed using Panel Library to shorten the learning curve for new users and provide easier ways to run HYPGEN for casual users as well as for advanced users. Menus, buttons, sliders, and type-in fields are used extensively in UI to allow users to point and click with a mouse to choose various available options or to change values of parameters. On-line help is provided to give users information on using UI without consulting the manual. Default values are set for most parameters and boundary conditions are determined by UI to further reduce the effort needed to run HYPGEN; however, users are free to make any changes and save it in a file for later use. A hook to PLOT3D is built in to allow graphics manipulation. The viewpoint and min/max box for PLOT3D windows are computed by UI and saved in a PLOT3D journal file. For large grids which take a long time to generate on workstations, the grid generator (HYPGEN) can be run on faster computers such as Crays, while UI stays at the workstation.

  14. Gromita: a fully integrated graphical user interface to gromacs 4.

    PubMed

    Sellis, Diamantis; Vlachakis, Dimitrios; Vlassi, Metaxia

    2009-09-07

    Gromita is a fully integrated and efficient graphical user interface (GUI) to the recently updated molecular dynamics suite Gromacs, version 4. Gromita is a cross-platform, perl/tcl-tk based, interactive front end designed to break the command line barrier and introduce a new user-friendly environment to run molecular dynamics simulations through Gromacs. Our GUI features a novel workflow interface that guides the user through each logical step of the molecular dynamics setup process, making it accessible to both advanced and novice users. This tool provides a seamless interface to the Gromacs package, while providing enhanced functionality by speeding up and simplifying the task of setting up molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems. Gromita can be freely downloaded from http://bio.demokritos.gr/gromita/.

  15. CARE 3 user-friendly interface user's guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martensen, A. L.

    1987-01-01

    CARE 3 predicts the unreliability of highly reliable reconfigurable fault-tolerant systems that include redundant computers or computer systems. CARE3MENU is a user-friendly interface used to create an input for the CARE 3 program. The CARE3MENU interface has been designed to minimize user input errors. Although a CARE3MENU session may be successfully completed and all parameters may be within specified limits or ranges, the CARE 3 program is not guaranteed to produce meaningful results if the user incorrectly interprets the CARE 3 stochastic model. The CARE3MENU User Guide provides complete information on how to create a CARE 3 model with the interface. The CARE3MENU interface runs under the VAX/VMS operating system.

  16. Developing a Graphical User Interface for the ALSS Crop Planning Tool

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koehlert, Erik

    1997-01-01

    The goal of my project was to create a graphical user interface for a prototype crop scheduler. The crop scheduler was developed by Dr. Jorge Leon and Laura Whitaker for the ALSS (Advanced Life Support System) program. The addition of a system-independent graphical user interface to the crop planning tool will make the application more accessible to a wider range of users and enhance its value as an analysis, design, and planning tool. My presentation will demonstrate the form and functionality of this interface. This graphical user interface allows users to edit system parameters stored in the file system. Data on the interaction of the crew, crops, and waste processing system with the available system resources is organized and labeled. Program output, which is stored in the file system, is also presented to the user in performance-time plots and organized charts. The menu system is designed to guide the user through analysis and decision making tasks, providing some help if necessary. The Java programming language was used to develop this interface in hopes of providing portability and remote operation.

  17. Three-Dimensional User Interfaces for Immersive Virtual Reality

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    vanDam, Andries

    1997-01-01

    The focus of this grant was to experiment with novel user interfaces for immersive Virtual Reality (VR) systems, and thus to advance the state of the art of user interface technology for this domain. Our primary test application was a scientific visualization application for viewing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) datasets. This technology has been transferred to NASA via periodic status reports and papers relating to this grant that have been published in conference proceedings. This final report summarizes the research completed over the past year, and extends last year's final report of the first three years of the grant.

  18. Diverse applications of advanced man-telerobot interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcaffee, Douglas A.

    1991-01-01

    Advancements in man-machine interfaces and control technologies used in space telerobotics and teleoperators have potential application wherever human operators need to manipulate multi-dimensional spatial relationships. Bilateral six degree-of-freedom position and force cues exchanged between the user and a complex system can broaden and improve the effectiveness of several diverse man-machine interfaces.

  19. A Web-Based Treatment Decision Support Tool for Patients With Advanced Knee Arthritis: Evaluation of User Interface and Content Design

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Hua; Rosal, Milagros C; Li, Wenjun; Borg, Amy; Yang, Wenyun; Ayers, David C

    2018-01-01

    Background Data-driven surgical decisions will ensure proper use and timing of surgical care. We developed a Web-based patient-centered treatment decision and assessment tool to guide treatment decisions among patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis who are considering total knee replacement surgery. Objective The aim of this study was to examine user experience and acceptance of the Web-based treatment decision support tool among older adults. Methods User-centered formative and summative evaluations were conducted for the tool. A sample of 28 patients who were considering total knee replacement participated in the study. Participants’ responses to the user interface design, the clarity of information, as well as usefulness, satisfaction, and acceptance of the tool were collected through qualitative (ie, individual patient interviews) and quantitative (ie, standardized Computer System Usability Questionnaire) methods. Results Participants were older adults with a mean age of 63 (SD 11) years. Three-quarters of them had no technical questions using the tool. User interface design recommendations included larger fonts, bigger buttons, less colors, simpler navigation without extra “next page” click, less mouse movement, and clearer illustrations with simple graphs. Color-coded bar charts and outcome-specific graphs with positive action were easiest for them to understand the outcomes data. Questionnaire data revealed high satisfaction with the tool usefulness and interface quality, and also showed ease of use of the tool, regardless of age or educational status. Conclusions We evaluated the usability of a patient-centered decision support tool designed for advanced knee arthritis patients to facilitate their knee osteoarthritis treatment decision making. The lessons learned can inform other decision support tools to improve interface and content design for older patients’ use. PMID:29712620

  20. A Web-Based Treatment Decision Support Tool for Patients With Advanced Knee Arthritis: Evaluation of User Interface and Content Design.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Hua; Rosal, Milagros C; Li, Wenjun; Borg, Amy; Yang, Wenyun; Ayers, David C; Franklin, Patricia D

    2018-04-30

    Data-driven surgical decisions will ensure proper use and timing of surgical care. We developed a Web-based patient-centered treatment decision and assessment tool to guide treatment decisions among patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis who are considering total knee replacement surgery. The aim of this study was to examine user experience and acceptance of the Web-based treatment decision support tool among older adults. User-centered formative and summative evaluations were conducted for the tool. A sample of 28 patients who were considering total knee replacement participated in the study. Participants' responses to the user interface design, the clarity of information, as well as usefulness, satisfaction, and acceptance of the tool were collected through qualitative (ie, individual patient interviews) and quantitative (ie, standardized Computer System Usability Questionnaire) methods. Participants were older adults with a mean age of 63 (SD 11) years. Three-quarters of them had no technical questions using the tool. User interface design recommendations included larger fonts, bigger buttons, less colors, simpler navigation without extra "next page" click, less mouse movement, and clearer illustrations with simple graphs. Color-coded bar charts and outcome-specific graphs with positive action were easiest for them to understand the outcomes data. Questionnaire data revealed high satisfaction with the tool usefulness and interface quality, and also showed ease of use of the tool, regardless of age or educational status. We evaluated the usability of a patient-centered decision support tool designed for advanced knee arthritis patients to facilitate their knee osteoarthritis treatment decision making. The lessons learned can inform other decision support tools to improve interface and content design for older patients' use. ©Hua Zheng, Milagros C Rosal, Wenjun Li, Amy Borg, Wenyun Yang, David C Ayers, Patricia D Franklin. Originally published in JMIR Human

  1. Comparing Text-based and Graphic User Interfaces for Novice and Expert Users

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jung-Wei; Zhang, Jiajie

    2007-01-01

    Graphic User Interface (GUI) is commonly considered to be superior to Text-based User Interface (TUI). This study compares GUI and TUI in an electronic dental record system. Several usability analysis techniques compared the relative effectiveness of a GUI and a TUI. Expert users and novice users were evaluated in time required and steps needed to complete the task. A within-subject design was used to evaluate if the experience with either interface will affect task performance. The results show that the GUI interface was not better than the TUI for expert users. GUI interface was better for novice users. For novice users there was a learning transfer effect from TUI to GUI. This means a user interface is user-friendly or not depending on the mapping between the user interface and tasks. GUI by itself may or may not be better than TUI. PMID:18693811

  2. Comparing Text-based and Graphic User Interfaces for novice and expert users.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jung-Wei; Zhang, Jiajie

    2007-10-11

    Graphic User Interface (GUI) is commonly considered to be superior to Text-based User Interface (TUI). This study compares GUI and TUI in an electronic dental record system. Several usability analysis techniques compared the relative effectiveness of a GUI and a TUI. Expert users and novice users were evaluated in time required and steps needed to complete the task. A within-subject design was used to evaluate if the experience with either interface will affect task performance. The results show that the GUI interface was not better than the TUI for expert users. GUI interface was better for novice users. For novice users there was a learning transfer effect from TUI to GUI. This means a user interface is user-friendly or not depending on the mapping between the user interface and tasks. GUI by itself may or may not be better than TUI.

  3. Automatic User Interface Generation for Visualizing Big Geoscience Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, H.; Wu, J.; Zhou, Y.; Tang, Z.; Kuo, K. S.

    2016-12-01

    Along with advanced computing and observation technologies, geoscience and its related fields have been generating a large amount of data at an unprecedented growth rate. Visualization becomes an increasingly attractive and feasible means for researchers to effectively and efficiently access and explore data to gain new understandings and discoveries. However, visualization has been challenging due to a lack of effective data models and visual representations to tackle the heterogeneity of geoscience data. We propose a new geoscience data visualization framework by leveraging the interface automata theory to automatically generate user interface (UI). Our study has the following three main contributions. First, geoscience data has its unique hierarchy data structure and complex formats, and therefore it is relatively easy for users to get lost or confused during their exploration of the data. By applying interface automata model to the UI design, users can be clearly guided to find the exact visualization and analysis that they want. In addition, from a development perspective, interface automaton is also easier to understand than conditional statements, which can simplify the development process. Second, it is common that geoscience data has discontinuity in its hierarchy structure. The application of interface automata can prevent users from suffering automation surprises, and enhance user experience. Third, for supporting a variety of different data visualization and analysis, our design with interface automata could also make applications become extendable in that a new visualization function or a new data group could be easily added to an existing application, which reduces the overhead of maintenance significantly. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework using real-world applications.

  4. User's Manual for the Object User Interface (OUI): An Environmental Resource Modeling Framework

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Markstrom, Steven L.; Koczot, Kathryn M.

    2008-01-01

    The Object User Interface is a computer application that provides a framework for coupling environmental-resource models and for managing associated temporal and spatial data. The Object User Interface is designed to be easily extensible to incorporate models and data interfaces defined by the user. Additionally, the Object User Interface is highly configurable through the use of a user-modifiable, text-based control file that is written in the eXtensible Markup Language. The Object User Interface user's manual provides (1) installation instructions, (2) an overview of the graphical user interface, (3) a description of the software tools, (4) a project example, and (5) specifications for user configuration and extension.

  5. A Graphical User-Interface for Propulsion System Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Curlett, Brian P.; Ryall, Kathleen

    1992-01-01

    NASA LeRC uses a series of computer codes to calculate installed propulsion system performance and weight. The need to evaluate more advanced engine concepts with a greater degree of accuracy has resulted in an increase in complexity of this analysis system. Therefore, a graphical user interface was developed to allow the analyst to more quickly and easily apply these codes. The development of this interface and the rationale for the approach taken are described. The interface consists of a method of pictorially representing and editing the propulsion system configuration, forms for entering numerical data, on-line help and documentation, post processing of data, and a menu system to control execution.

  6. A graphical user-interface for propulsion system analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Curlett, Brian P.; Ryall, Kathleen

    1993-01-01

    NASA LeRC uses a series of computer codes to calculate installed propulsion system performance and weight. The need to evaluate more advanced engine concepts with a greater degree of accuracy has resulted in an increase in complexity of this analysis system. Therefore, a graphical user interface was developed to allow the analyst to more quickly and easily apply these codes. The development of this interface and the rationale for the approach taken are described. The interface consists of a method of pictorially representing and editing the propulsion system configuration, forms for entering numerical data, on-line help and documentation, post processing of data, and a menu system to control execution.

  7. Overview of Graphical User Interfaces.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hulser, Richard P.

    1993-01-01

    Discussion of graphical user interfaces for online public access catalogs (OPACs) covers the history of OPACs; OPAC front-end design, including examples from Indiana University and the University of Illinois; and planning and implementation of a user interface. (10 references) (EA)

  8. Towards automation of user interface design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gastner, Rainer; Kraetzschmar, Gerhard K.; Lutz, Ernst

    1992-01-01

    This paper suggests an approach to automatic software design in the domain of graphical user interfaces. There are still some drawbacks in existing user interface management systems (UIMS's) which basically offer only quantitative layout specifications via direct manipulation. Our approach suggests a convenient way to get a default graphical user interface which may be customized and redesigned easily in further prototyping cycles.

  9. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus: A NASA tool for building and managing graphical user interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1991-01-01

    The Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus, developed at GSFC, is an advanced portable user interface development environment which simplifies the process of creating and managing complex application graphical user interfaces (GUI's), supports prototyping, allows applications to be ported easily between different platforms and encourages appropriate levels of user interface consistency between applications. The following topics are discussed: the capabilities of the TAE Plus tool; how the implementation has utilized state-of-the-art technologies within graphic workstations; and how it has been used both within and outside of NASA.

  10. User acquaintance with mobile interfaces.

    PubMed

    Ehrler, Frederic; Walesa, Magali; Sarrey, Evelyne; Wipfli, Rolf; Lovis, Christian

    2013-01-01

    Handheld technology finds slowly its place in the healthcare world. Some clinicians already use intensively dedicated mobile applications to consult clinical references. However, handheld technology hasn't still broadly embraced to the core of the healthcare business, the hospitals. The weak penetration of handheld technology in the hospitals can be partly explained by the caution of stakeholders that must be convinced about the efficiency of these tools before going forward. In a domain where temporal constraints are increasingly strong, caregivers cannot loose time on playing with gadgets. All users are not comfortable with tactile manipulations and the lack of dedicated peripheral complicates entering data for novices. Stakeholders must be convinced that caregivers will be able to master handheld devices. In this paper, we make the assumption that the proper design of an interface may influence users' performances to record information. We are also interested to find out whether users increase their efficiency when using handheld tools repeatedly. To answer these questions, we have set up a field study to compare users' performances on three different user interfaces while recording vital signs. Some user interfaces were familiar to users, and others were totally innovative. Results showed that users' familiarity with smartphone influences their performances and that users improve their performances by repeating a task.

  11. User interfaces in space science instrumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCalden, Alec John

    This thesis examines user interaction with instrumentation in the specific context of space science. It gathers together existing practice in machine interfaces with a look at potential future usage and recommends a new approach to space science projects with the intention of maximising their science return. It first takes a historical perspective on user interfaces and ways of defining and measuring the science return of a space instrument. Choices of research methodology are considered. Implementation details such as the concepts of usability, mental models, affordance and presentation of information are described, and examples of existing interfaces in space science are given. A set of parameters for use in analysing and synthesizing a user interface is derived by using a set of case studies of diverse failures and from previous work. A general space science user analysis is made by looking at typical practice, and an interview plus persona technique is used to group users with interface designs. An examination is made of designs in the field of astronomical instrumentation interfaces, showing the evolution of current concepts and including ideas capable of sustaining progress in the future. The parameters developed earlier are then tested against several established interfaces in the space science context to give a degree of confidence in their use. The concept of a simulator that is used to guide the development of an instrument over the whole lifecycle is described, and the idea is proposed that better instrumentation would result from more efficient use of the resources available. The previous ideas in this thesis are then brought together to describe a proposed new approach to a typical development programme, with an emphasis on user interaction. The conclusion shows that there is significant room for improvement in the science return from space instrumentation by attention to the user interface.

  12. Applying Cognitive Psychology to User Interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durrani, Sabeen; Durrani, Qaiser S.

    This paper explores some key aspects of cognitive psychology that may be mapped onto user interfaces. Major focus in existing user interface guidelines is on consistency, simplicity, feedback, system messages, display issues, navigation, colors, graphics, visibility and error prevention [8-10]. These guidelines are effective indesigning user interfaces. However, these guidelines do not handle the issues that may arise due to the innate structure of human brain and human limitations. For example, where to place graphics on the screen so that user can easily process them and what kind of background should be given on the screen according to the limitation of human motor system. In this paper we have collected some available guidelines from the area of cognitive psychology [1, 5, 7]. In addition, we have extracted few guidelines from theories and studies of cognitive psychology [3, 11] which may be mapped to user interfaces.

  13. Gestures in an Intelligent User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fikkert, Wim; van der Vet, Paul; Nijholt, Anton

    In this chapter we investigated which hand gestures are intuitive to control a large display multimedia interface from a user's perspective. Over the course of two sequential user evaluations, we defined a simple gesture set that allows users to fully control a large display multimedia interface, intuitively. First, we evaluated numerous gesture possibilities for a set of commands that can be issued to the interface. These gestures were selected from literature, science fiction movies, and a previous exploratory study. Second, we implemented a working prototype with which the users could interact with both hands and the preferred hand gestures with 2D and 3D visualizations of biochemical structures. We found that the gestures are influenced to significant extent by the fast paced developments in multimedia interfaces such as the Apple iPhone and the Nintendo Wii and to no lesser degree by decades of experience with the more traditional WIMP-based interfaces.

  14. Customization of user interfaces to reduce errors and enhance user acceptance.

    PubMed

    Burkolter, Dina; Weyers, Benjamin; Kluge, Annette; Luther, Wolfram

    2014-03-01

    Customization is assumed to reduce error and increase user acceptance in the human-machine relation. Reconfiguration gives the operator the option to customize a user interface according to his or her own preferences. An experimental study with 72 computer science students using a simulated process control task was conducted. The reconfiguration group (RG) interactively reconfigured their user interfaces and used the reconfigured user interface in the subsequent test whereas the control group (CG) used a default user interface. Results showed significantly lower error rates and higher acceptance of the RG compared to the CG while there were no significant differences between the groups regarding situation awareness and mental workload. Reconfiguration seems to be promising and therefore warrants further exploration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  15. Is There a Chance for a Standardised User Interface?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Liz

    1993-01-01

    Issues concerning the implementation of standard user interfaces for CD-ROMs are discussed, including differing perceptions of the ideal interface, graphical user interfaces, user needs, and the standard protocols. It is suggested users should be able to select from a variety of user interfaces on each CD-ROM. (EA)

  16. User interface and patient involvement.

    PubMed

    Andreassen, Hege Kristin; Lundvoll Nilsen, Line

    2013-01-01

    Increased patient involvement is a goal in contemporary health care, and of importance to the development of patient oriented ICT. In this paper we discuss how the design of patient-user interfaces can affect patient involvement. Our discussion is based on 12 semi-structured interviews with patient users of a web-based solution for patient--doctor communication piloted in Norway. We argue ICT solutions offering a choice of user interfaces on the patient side are preferable to ensure individual accommodation and a high degree of patient involvement. When introducing web-based tools for patient--health professional communication a free-text option should be provided to the patient users.

  17. User interface for a tele-operated robotic hand system

    DOEpatents

    Crawford, Anthony L

    2015-03-24

    Disclosed here is a user interface for a robotic hand. The user interface anchors a user's palm in a relatively stationary position and determines various angles of interest necessary for a user's finger to achieve a specific fingertip location. The user interface additionally conducts a calibration procedure to determine the user's applicable physiological dimensions. The user interface uses the applicable physiological dimensions and the specific fingertip location, and treats the user's finger as a two link three degree-of-freedom serial linkage in order to determine the angles of interest. The user interface communicates the angles of interest to a gripping-type end effector which closely mimics the range of motion and proportions of a human hand. The user interface requires minimal contact with the operator and provides distinct advantages in terms of available dexterity, work space flexibility, and adaptability to different users.

  18. Distributed user interfaces for clinical ubiquitous computing applications.

    PubMed

    Bång, Magnus; Larsson, Anders; Berglund, Erik; Eriksson, Henrik

    2005-08-01

    Ubiquitous computing with multiple interaction devices requires new interface models that support user-specific modifications to applications and facilitate the fast development of active workspaces. We have developed NOSTOS, a computer-augmented work environment for clinical personnel to explore new user interface paradigms for ubiquitous computing. NOSTOS uses several devices such as digital pens, an active desk, and walk-up displays that allow the system to track documents and activities in the workplace. We present the distributed user interface (DUI) model that allows standalone applications to distribute their user interface components to several devices dynamically at run-time. This mechanism permit clinicians to develop their own user interfaces and forms to clinical information systems to match their specific needs. We discuss the underlying technical concepts of DUIs and show how service discovery, component distribution, events and layout management are dealt with in the NOSTOS system. Our results suggest that DUIs--and similar network-based user interfaces--will be a prerequisite of future mobile user interfaces and essential to develop clinical multi-device environments.

  19. User interface development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aggrawal, Bharat

    1994-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation describes the development of user interfaces for OS/2 versions of computer codes for the analysis of seals. Current status, new features, work in progress, and future plans are discussed.

  20. CLIPS application user interface for the PC

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jenkins, Jim; Holbrook, Rebecca; Shewhart, Mark; Crouse, Joey; Yarost, Stuart

    1991-01-01

    The majority of applications that utilize expert system development programs for their knowledge representation and inferencing capability require some form of interface with the end user. This interface is more than likely an interaction through the computer screen. When building an application the user interface can prove to be the most difficult and time consuming aspect to program. Commercial products currently exist which address this issue. To keep pace C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) will need to find a solution for their lack of an easy to use Application User Interface (AUI). This paper represents a survey of the DoD CLIPS' user community and provides the backbone of a possible solution.

  1. Advanced display object selection methods for enhancing user-computer productivity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Osga, Glenn A.

    1993-01-01

    The User-Interface Technology Branch at NCCOSC RDT&E Division has been conducting a series of studies to address the suitability of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) graphic user-interface (GUI) methods for efficiency and performance in critical naval combat systems. This paper presents an advanced selection algorithm and method developed to increase user performance when making selections on tactical displays. The method has also been applied with considerable success to a variety of cursor and pointing tasks. Typical GUI's allow user selection by: (1) moving a cursor with a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, joystick, touchscreen; and (2) placing the cursor on the object. Examples of GUI objects are the buttons, icons, folders, scroll bars, etc. used in many personal computer and workstation applications. This paper presents an improved method of selection and the theoretical basis for the significant performance gains achieved with various input devices tested. The method is applicable to all GUI styles and display sizes, and is particularly useful for selections on small screens such as notebook computers. Considering the amount of work-hours spent pointing and clicking across all styles of available graphic user-interfaces, the cost/benefit in applying this method to graphic user-interfaces is substantial, with the potential for increasing productivity across thousands of users and applications.

  2. A user-system interface agent

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wakim, Nagi T.; Srivastava, Sadanand; Bousaidi, Mehdi; Goh, Gin-Hua

    1995-01-01

    Agent-based technologies answer to several challenges posed by additional information processing requirements in today's computing environments. In particular, (1) users desire interaction with computing devices in a mode which is similar to that used between people, (2) the efficiency and successful completion of information processing tasks often require a high-level of expertise in complex and multiple domains, (3) information processing tasks often require handling of large volumes of data and, therefore, continuous and endless processing activities. The concept of an agent is an attempt to address these new challenges by introducing information processing environments in which (1) users can communicate with a system in a natural way, (2) an agent is a specialist and a self-learner and, therefore, it qualifies to be trusted to perform tasks independent of the human user, and (3) an agent is an entity that is continuously active performing tasks that are either delegated to it or self-imposed. The work described in this paper focuses on the development of an interface agent for users of a complex information processing environment (IPE). This activity is part of an on-going effort to build a model for developing agent-based information systems. Such systems will be highly applicable to environments which require a high degree of automation, such as, flight control operations and/or processing of large volumes of data in complex domains, such as the EOSDIS environment and other multidisciplinary, scientific data systems. The concept of an agent as an information processing entity is fully described with emphasis on characteristics of special interest to the User-System Interface Agent (USIA). Issues such as agent 'existence' and 'qualification' are discussed in this paper. Based on a definition of an agent and its main characteristics, we propose an architecture for the development of interface agents for users of an IPE that is agent-oriented and whose resources

  3. Graphical User Interface Programming in Introductory Computer Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skolnick, Michael M.; Spooner, David L.

    Modern computing systems exploit graphical user interfaces for interaction with users; as a result, introductory computer science courses must begin to teach the principles underlying such interfaces. This paper presents an approach to graphical user interface (GUI) implementation that is simple enough for beginning students to understand, yet…

  4. Computer-Based Tools for Evaluating Graphical User Interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moore, Loretta A.

    1997-01-01

    The user interface is the component of a software system that connects two very complex system: humans and computers. Each of these two systems impose certain requirements on the final product. The user is the judge of the usability and utility of the system; the computer software and hardware are the tools with which the interface is constructed. Mistakes are sometimes made in designing and developing user interfaces because the designers and developers have limited knowledge about human performance (e.g., problem solving, decision making, planning, and reasoning). Even those trained in user interface design make mistakes because they are unable to address all of the known requirements and constraints on design. Evaluation of the user inter-face is therefore a critical phase of the user interface development process. Evaluation should not be considered the final phase of design; but it should be part of an iterative design cycle with the output of evaluation being feed back into design. The goal of this research was to develop a set of computer-based tools for objectively evaluating graphical user interfaces. The research was organized into three phases. The first phase resulted in the development of an embedded evaluation tool which evaluates the usability of a graphical user interface based on a user's performance. An expert system to assist in the design and evaluation of user interfaces based upon rules and guidelines was developed during the second phase. During the final phase of the research an automatic layout tool to be used in the initial design of graphical inter- faces was developed. The research was coordinated with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Mission Operations Laboratory's efforts in developing onboard payload display specifications for the Space Station.

  5. How to Develop a User Interface That Your Real Users Will Love

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Donald

    2012-01-01

    A "user interface" is the part of an interactive system that bridges the user and the underlying functionality of the system. But people sometimes forget that the best interfaces will provide a platform to optimize the users' interactions so that they support and extend the users' activities in effective, useful, and usable ways. To look at it…

  6. Standards for the user interface - Developing a user consensus. [for Space Station Information System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moe, Karen L.; Perkins, Dorothy C.; Szczur, Martha R.

    1987-01-01

    The user support environment (USE) which is a set of software tools for a flexible standard interactive user interface to the Space Station systems, platforms, and payloads is described in detail. Included in the USE concept are a user interface language, a run time environment and user interface management system, support tools, and standards for human interaction methods. The goals and challenges of the USE are discussed as well as a methodology based on prototype demonstrations for involving users in the process of validating the USE concepts. By prototyping the key concepts and salient features of the proposed user interface standards, the user's ability to respond is greatly enhanced.

  7. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus - A NASA productivity tool used to develop graphical user interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1991-01-01

    The Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus, developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is an advanced portable user interface development environment which simplifies the process of creating and managing complex application graphical user interfaces (GUIs), supports prototyping, allows applications to be oported easily between different platforms, and encourages appropriate levels of user interface consistency between applications. This paper discusses the capabilities of the TAE Plus tool, and how it makes the job of designing and developing GUIs easier for the application developers. The paper also explains how tools like TAE Plus provide for reusability and ensure reliability of UI software components, as well as how they aid in the reduction of development and maintenance costs.

  8. Advanced Materials Laboratory User Test Planning Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Orndoff, Evelyne

    2012-01-01

    Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the Advanced Materials Laboratory. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

  9. Language workbench user interfaces for data analysis

    PubMed Central

    Benson, Victoria M.

    2015-01-01

    Biological data analysis is frequently performed with command line software. While this practice provides considerable flexibility for computationally savy individuals, such as investigators trained in bioinformatics, this also creates a barrier to the widespread use of data analysis software by investigators trained as biologists and/or clinicians. Workflow systems such as Galaxy and Taverna have been developed to try and provide generic user interfaces that can wrap command line analysis software. These solutions are useful for problems that can be solved with workflows, and that do not require specialized user interfaces. However, some types of analyses can benefit from custom user interfaces. For instance, developing biomarker models from high-throughput data is a type of analysis that can be expressed more succinctly with specialized user interfaces. Here, we show how Language Workbench (LW) technology can be used to model the biomarker development and validation process. We developed a language that models the concepts of Dataset, Endpoint, Feature Selection Method and Classifier. These high-level language concepts map directly to abstractions that analysts who develop biomarker models are familiar with. We found that user interfaces developed in the Meta-Programming System (MPS) LW provide convenient means to configure a biomarker development project, to train models and view the validation statistics. We discuss several advantages of developing user interfaces for data analysis with a LW, including increased interface consistency, portability and extension by language composition. The language developed during this experiment is distributed as an MPS plugin (available at http://campagnelab.org/software/bdval-for-mps/). PMID:25755929

  10. Reasoning about Users' Actions in a Graphical User Interface.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virvou, Maria; Kabassi, Katerina

    2002-01-01

    Describes a graphical user interface called IFM (Intelligent File Manipulator) that provides intelligent help to users. Explains two underlying reasoning mechanisms, one an adaptation of human plausible reasoning and one that performs goal recognition based on the effects of users' commands; and presents results of an empirical study that…

  11. Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sousa, Kênia; Vanderdonckt, Jean

    Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces is a new design methodology that adopts business process (BP) definition and a business performer perspective for managing the life cycle of user interfaces of enterprise systems. In this methodology, when the organization has a business process culture, the business processes of an organization are firstly defined according to a traditional methodology for this kind of artifact. These business processes are then transformed into a series of task models that represent the interactive parts of the business processes that will ultimately lead to interactive systems. When the organization has its enterprise systems, but not yet its business processes modeled, the user interfaces of the systems help derive tasks models, which are then used to derive the business processes. The double linking between a business process and a task model, and between a task model and a user interface model makes it possible to ensure traceability of the artifacts in multiple paths and enables a more active participation of business performers in analyzing the resulting user interfaces. In this paper, we outline how a human-perspective is used tied to a model-driven perspective.

  12. Cooperative processing user interfaces for AdaNET

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gutzmann, Kurt M.

    1991-01-01

    A cooperative processing user interface (CUI) system shares the task of graphical display generation and presentation between the user's computer and a remote host. The communications link between the two computers is typically a modem or Ethernet. The two main purposes of a CUI are reduction of the amount of data transmitted between user and host machines, and provision of a graphical user interface system to make the system easier to use.

  13. Projection Mapping User Interface for Disabled People

    PubMed Central

    Simutis, Rimvydas; Maskeliūnas, Rytis

    2018-01-01

    Difficulty in communicating is one of the key challenges for people suffering from severe motor and speech disabilities. Often such person can communicate and interact with the environment only using assistive technologies. This paper presents a multifunctional user interface designed to improve communication efficiency and person independence. The main component of this interface is a projection mapping technique used to highlight objects in the environment. Projection mapping makes it possible to create a natural augmented reality information presentation method. The user interface combines a depth sensor and a projector to create camera-projector system. We provide a detailed description of camera-projector system calibration procedure. The described system performs tabletop object detection and automatic projection mapping. Multiple user input modalities have been integrated into the multifunctional user interface. Such system can be adapted to the needs of people with various disabilities. PMID:29686827

  14. Projection Mapping User Interface for Disabled People.

    PubMed

    Gelšvartas, Julius; Simutis, Rimvydas; Maskeliūnas, Rytis

    2018-01-01

    Difficulty in communicating is one of the key challenges for people suffering from severe motor and speech disabilities. Often such person can communicate and interact with the environment only using assistive technologies. This paper presents a multifunctional user interface designed to improve communication efficiency and person independence. The main component of this interface is a projection mapping technique used to highlight objects in the environment. Projection mapping makes it possible to create a natural augmented reality information presentation method. The user interface combines a depth sensor and a projector to create camera-projector system. We provide a detailed description of camera-projector system calibration procedure. The described system performs tabletop object detection and automatic projection mapping. Multiple user input modalities have been integrated into the multifunctional user interface. Such system can be adapted to the needs of people with various disabilities.

  15. User Interface Design for Dynamic Geometry Software

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kortenkamp, Ulrich; Dohrmann, Christian

    2010-01-01

    In this article we describe long-standing user interface issues with Dynamic Geometry Software and common approaches to address them. We describe first prototypes of multi-touch-capable DGS. We also give some hints on the educational benefits of proper user interface design.

  16. Development of a User Interface for a Regression Analysis Software Tool

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ulbrich, Norbert Manfred; Volden, Thomas R.

    2010-01-01

    An easy-to -use user interface was implemented in a highly automated regression analysis tool. The user interface was developed from the start to run on computers that use the Windows, Macintosh, Linux, or UNIX operating system. Many user interface features were specifically designed such that a novice or inexperienced user can apply the regression analysis tool with confidence. Therefore, the user interface s design minimizes interactive input from the user. In addition, reasonable default combinations are assigned to those analysis settings that influence the outcome of the regression analysis. These default combinations will lead to a successful regression analysis result for most experimental data sets. The user interface comes in two versions. The text user interface version is used for the ongoing development of the regression analysis tool. The official release of the regression analysis tool, on the other hand, has a graphical user interface that is more efficient to use. This graphical user interface displays all input file names, output file names, and analysis settings for a specific software application mode on a single screen which makes it easier to generate reliable analysis results and to perform input parameter studies. An object-oriented approach was used for the development of the graphical user interface. This choice keeps future software maintenance costs to a reasonable limit. Examples of both the text user interface and graphical user interface are discussed in order to illustrate the user interface s overall design approach.

  17. Using R in Introductory Statistics Courses with the pmg Graphical User Interface

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Verzani, John

    2008-01-01

    The pmg add-on package for the open source statistics software R is described. This package provides a simple to use graphical user interface (GUI) that allows introductory statistics students, without advanced computing skills, to quickly create the graphical and numeric summaries expected of them. (Contains 9 figures.)

  18. User participation in the development of the human/computer interface for control centers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Broome, Richard; Quick-Campbell, Marlene; Creegan, James; Dutilly, Robert

    1996-01-01

    Technological advances coupled with the requirements to reduce operations staffing costs led to the demand for efficient, technologically-sophisticated mission operations control centers. The control center under development for the earth observing system (EOS) is considered. The users are involved in the development of a control center in order to ensure that it is cost-efficient and flexible. A number of measures were implemented in the EOS program in order to encourage user involvement in the area of human-computer interface development. The following user participation exercises carried out in relation to the system analysis and design are described: the shadow participation of the programmers during a day of operations; the flight operations personnel interviews; and the analysis of the flight operations team tasks. The user participation in the interface prototype development, the prototype evaluation, and the system implementation are reported on. The involvement of the users early in the development process enables the requirements to be better understood and the cost to be reduced.

  19. Methods for Improving the User-Computer Interface. Technical Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCann, Patrick H.

    This summary of methods for improving the user-computer interface is based on a review of the pertinent literature. Requirements of the personal computer user are identified and contrasted with computer designer perspectives towards the user. The user's psychological needs are described, so that the design of the user-computer interface may be…

  20. PATIKAweb: a Web interface for analyzing biological pathways through advanced querying and visualization.

    PubMed

    Dogrusoz, U; Erson, E Z; Giral, E; Demir, E; Babur, O; Cetintas, A; Colak, R

    2006-02-01

    Patikaweb provides a Web interface for retrieving and analyzing biological pathways in the Patika database, which contains data integrated from various prominent public pathway databases. It features a user-friendly interface, dynamic visualization and automated layout, advanced graph-theoretic queries for extracting biologically important phenomena, local persistence capability and exporting facilities to various pathway exchange formats.

  1. Three-dimensional user interfaces for scientific visualization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vandam, Andries

    1995-01-01

    The main goal of this project is to develop novel and productive user interface techniques for creating and managing visualizations of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) datasets. We have implemented an application framework in which we can visualize computational fluid dynamics user interfaces. This UI technology allows users to interactively place visualization probes in a dataset and modify some of their parameters. We have also implemented a time-critical scheduling system which strives to maintain a constant frame-rate regardless of the number of visualization techniques. In the past year, we have published parts of this research at two conferences, the research annotation system at Visualization 1994, and the 3D user interface at UIST 1994. The real-time scheduling system has been submitted to SIGGRAPH 1995 conference. Copies of these documents are included with this report.

  2. AXAF user interfaces for heterogeneous analysis environments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mandel, Eric; Roll, John; Ackerman, Mark S.

    1992-01-01

    The AXAF Science Center (ASC) will develop software to support all facets of data center activities and user research for the AXAF X-ray Observatory, scheduled for launch in 1999. The goal is to provide astronomers with the ability to utilize heterogeneous data analysis packages, that is, to allow astronomers to pick the best packages for doing their scientific analysis. For example, ASC software will be based on IRAF, but non-IRAF programs will be incorporated into the data system where appropriate. Additionally, it is desired to allow AXAF users to mix ASC software with their own local software. The need to support heterogeneous analysis environments is not special to the AXAF project, and therefore finding mechanisms for coordinating heterogeneous programs is an important problem for astronomical software today. The approach to solving this problem has been to develop two interfaces that allow the scientific user to run heterogeneous programs together. The first is an IRAF-compatible parameter interface that provides non-IRAF programs with IRAF's parameter handling capabilities. Included in the interface is an application programming interface to manipulate parameters from within programs, and also a set of host programs to manipulate parameters at the command line or from within scripts. The parameter interface has been implemented to support parameter storage formats other than IRAF parameter files, allowing one, for example, to access parameters that are stored in data bases. An X Windows graphical user interface called 'agcl' has been developed, layered on top of the IRAF-compatible parameter interface, that provides a standard graphical mechanism for interacting with IRAF and non-IRAF programs. Users can edit parameters and run programs for both non-IRAF programs and IRAF tasks. The agcl interface allows one to communicate with any command line environment in a transparent manner and without any changes to the original environment. For example, the authors

  3. SimHap GUI: An intuitive graphical user interface for genetic association analysis

    PubMed Central

    Carter, Kim W; McCaskie, Pamela A; Palmer, Lyle J

    2008-01-01

    Background Researchers wishing to conduct genetic association analysis involving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes are often confronted with the lack of user-friendly graphical analysis tools, requiring sophisticated statistical and informatics expertise to perform relatively straightforward tasks. Tools, such as the SimHap package for the R statistics language, provide the necessary statistical operations to conduct sophisticated genetic analysis, but lacks a graphical user interface that allows anyone but a professional statistician to effectively utilise the tool. Results We have developed SimHap GUI, a cross-platform integrated graphical analysis tool for conducting epidemiological, single SNP and haplotype-based association analysis. SimHap GUI features a novel workflow interface that guides the user through each logical step of the analysis process, making it accessible to both novice and advanced users. This tool provides a seamless interface to the SimHap R package, while providing enhanced functionality such as sophisticated data checking, automated data conversion, and real-time estimations of haplotype simulation progress. Conclusion SimHap GUI provides a novel, easy-to-use, cross-platform solution for conducting a range of genetic and non-genetic association analyses. This provides a free alternative to commercial statistics packages that is specifically designed for genetic association analysis. PMID:19109877

  4. SimHap GUI: an intuitive graphical user interface for genetic association analysis.

    PubMed

    Carter, Kim W; McCaskie, Pamela A; Palmer, Lyle J

    2008-12-25

    Researchers wishing to conduct genetic association analysis involving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes are often confronted with the lack of user-friendly graphical analysis tools, requiring sophisticated statistical and informatics expertise to perform relatively straightforward tasks. Tools, such as the SimHap package for the R statistics language, provide the necessary statistical operations to conduct sophisticated genetic analysis, but lacks a graphical user interface that allows anyone but a professional statistician to effectively utilise the tool. We have developed SimHap GUI, a cross-platform integrated graphical analysis tool for conducting epidemiological, single SNP and haplotype-based association analysis. SimHap GUI features a novel workflow interface that guides the user through each logical step of the analysis process, making it accessible to both novice and advanced users. This tool provides a seamless interface to the SimHap R package, while providing enhanced functionality such as sophisticated data checking, automated data conversion, and real-time estimations of haplotype simulation progress. SimHap GUI provides a novel, easy-to-use, cross-platform solution for conducting a range of genetic and non-genetic association analyses. This provides a free alternative to commercial statistics packages that is specifically designed for genetic association analysis.

  5. Dynamic User Interfaces for Service Oriented Architectures in Healthcare.

    PubMed

    Schweitzer, Marco; Hoerbst, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    Electronic Health Records (EHRs) play a crucial role in healthcare today. Considering a data-centric view, EHRs are very advanced as they provide and share healthcare data in a cross-institutional and patient-centered way adhering to high syntactic and semantic interoperability. However, the EHR functionalities available for the end users are rare and hence often limited to basic document query functions. Future EHR use necessitates the ability to let the users define their needed data according to a certain situation and how this data should be processed. Workflow and semantic modelling approaches as well as Web services provide means to fulfil such a goal. This thesis develops concepts for dynamic interfaces between EHR end users and a service oriented eHealth infrastructure, which allow the users to design their flexible EHR needs, modeled in a dynamic and formal way. These are used to discover, compose and execute the right Semantic Web services.

  6. Reflections on Andes' Goal-Free User Interface

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    VanLehn, Kurt

    2016-01-01

    Although the Andes project produced many results over its 18 years of activity, this commentary focuses on its contributions to understanding how a goal-free user interface impacts the overall design and performance of a step-based tutoring system. Whereas a goal-aligned user interface displays relevant goals as blank boxes or empty locations that…

  7. Designing the user interface: strategies for effective human-computer interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shneiderman, B.

    1998-03-01

    In revising this popular book, Ben Shneiderman again provides a complete, current and authoritative introduction to user-interface design. The user interface is the part of every computer system that determines how people control and operate that system. When the interface is well designed, it is comprehensible, predictable, and controllable; users feel competent, satisfied, and responsible for their actions. Shneiderman discusses the principles and practices needed to design such effective interaction. Based on 20 years experience, Shneiderman offers readers practical techniques and guidelines for interface design. He also takes great care to discuss underlying issues and to support conclusions with empirical results. Interface designers, software engineers, and product managers will all find this book an invaluable resource for creating systems that facilitate rapid learning and performance, yield low error rates, and generate high user satisfaction. Coverage includes the human factors of interactive software (with a new discussion of diverse user communities), tested methods to develop and assess interfaces, interaction styles such as direct manipulation for graphical user interfaces, and design considerations such as effective messages, consistent screen design, and appropriate color.

  8. Graphical User Interfaces and Library Systems: End-User Reactions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zorn, Margaret; Marshall, Lucy

    1995-01-01

    Describes a study by Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research Library to determine user satisfaction with the graphical user interface-based (GUI) Dynix Marquis compared with the text-based Dynix Classic Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). Results show that the GUI-based OPAC was preferred by endusers over the text-based OPAC. (eight references) (DGM)

  9. User interface issues in supporting human-computer integrated scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cooper, Lynne P.; Biefeld, Eric W.

    1991-01-01

    The topics are presented in view graph form and include the following: characteristics of Operations Mission Planner (OMP) schedule domain; OMP architecture; definition of a schedule; user interface dimensions; functional distribution; types of users; interpreting user interaction; dynamic overlays; reactive scheduling; and transitioning the interface.

  10. The Graphical User Interface: Crisis, Danger, and Opportunity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, L. H.; And Others

    1990-01-01

    This article describes differences between the graphical user interface and traditional character-based interface systems, identifies potential problems posed by graphic computing environments for blind computer users, and describes some programs and strategies that are being developed to provide access to those environments. (Author/JDD)

  11. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus: A NASA tool for building and managing graphical user interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1993-01-01

    The Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus, developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is an advanced portable user interface development which simplifies the process of creating and managing complex application graphical user interfaces (GUI's). TAE Plus supports the rapid prototyping of GUI's and allows applications to be ported easily between different platforms. This paper will discuss the capabilities of the TAE Plus tool, and how it makes the job of designing and developing GUI's easier for application developers. TAE Plus is being applied to many types of applications, and this paper discusses how it has been used both within and outside NASA.

  12. Representing Graphical User Interfaces with Sound: A Review of Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ratanasit, Dan; Moore, Melody M.

    2005-01-01

    The inability of computer users who are visually impaired to access graphical user interfaces (GUIs) has led researchers to propose approaches for adapting GUIs to auditory interfaces, with the goal of providing access for visually impaired people. This article outlines the issues involved in nonvisual access to graphical user interfaces, reviews…

  13. Command and control interfaces for advanced neuroprosthetic applications.

    PubMed

    Scott, T R; Haugland, M

    2001-10-01

    Command and control interfaces permit the intention and situation of the user to influence the operation of the neural prosthesis. The wishes of the user are communicated via command interfaces to the neural prosthesis and the situation of the user by feedback control interfaces. Both these interfaces have been reviewed separately and are discussed in light of the current state of the art and projections for the future. It is apparent that as system functional complexity increases, the need for simpler command interfaces will increase. Such systems will demand more information to function effectively in order not to unreasonably increase user attention overhead. This will increase the need for bioelectric and biomechanical signals in a comprehensible form via elegant feedback control interfaces. Implementing such systems will also increase the computational demand on such neural prostheses.

  14. Development of a task analysis tool to facilitate user interface design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scholtz, Jean C.

    1992-01-01

    A good user interface is one that facilitates the user in carrying out his task. Such interfaces are difficult and costly to produce. The most important aspect in producing a good interface is the ability to communicate to the software designers what the user's task is. The Task Analysis Tool is a system for cooperative task analysis and specification of the user interface requirements. This tool is intended to serve as a guide to development of initial prototypes for user feedback.

  15. The Distributed Common Ground System-Army User Interface

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-12

    its perceived lack of effectiveness. Popular opinion of the DCGS-A user interface within the military is it is unfriendly to use and not intuitive...from members of the United States Congress due to its perceived lack of effectiveness. Popular opinion of the DCGS-A user interface within the

  16. Earthdata User Interface Patterns: Building Usable Web Interfaces Through a Shared UI Pattern Library

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siarto, J.

    2014-12-01

    As more Earth science software tools and services move to the web--the design and usability of those tools become ever more important. A good user interface is becoming expected and users are becoming increasingly intolerant of websites and web applications that work against them. The Earthdata UI Pattern Library attempts to give these scientists and developers the design tools they need to make usable, compelling user interfaces without the associated overhead of using a full design team. Patterns are tested and functional user interface elements targeted specifically at the Earth science community and will include web layouts, buttons, tables, typography, iconography, mapping and visualization/graphing widgets. These UI elements have emerged as the result of extensive user testing, research and software development within the NASA Earthdata team over the past year.

  17. Student Preferences toward Microcomputer User Interfaces.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazari, Sunil I.; Reaves, Rita R.

    1994-01-01

    Describes a study of undergraduates that was conducted to determine students' preferences toward Graphical User Interface versus Command Line Interface during computer-assisted instruction. Previous experience, comfort level, performance scores, and student attitudes are examined and compared, and the computer use survey is appended. (Contains 13…

  18. The missing graphical user interface for genomics.

    PubMed

    Schatz, Michael C

    2010-01-01

    The Galaxy package empowers regular users to perform rich DNA sequence analysis through a much-needed and user-friendly graphical web interface. See research article http://genomebiology.com/2010/11/8/R86 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: With the advent of affordable and high-throughput DNA sequencing, sequencing is becoming an essential component in nearly every genetics lab. These data are being generated to probe sequence variations, to understand transcribed, regulated or methylated DNA elements, and to explore a host of other biological features across the tree of life and across a range of environments and conditions. Given this deluge of data, novices and experts alike are facing the daunting challenge of trying to analyze the raw sequence data computationally. With so many tools available and so many assays to analyze, how can one be expected to stay current with the state of the art? How can one be expected to learn to use each tool and construct robust end-to-end analysis pipelines, all while ensuring that input formats, command-line options, sequence databases and program libraries are set correctly? Finally, once the analysis is complete, how does one ensure the results are reproducible and transparent for others to scrutinize and study?In an article published in Genome Biology, Jeremy Goecks, Anton Nekrutenko, James Taylor and the rest of the Galaxy Team (Goecks et al. 1) make a great advance towards resolving these critical questions with the latest update to their Galaxy Project. The ambitious goal of Galaxy is to empower regular users to carry out their own computational analysis without having to be an expert in computational biology or computer science. Galaxy adds a desperately needed graphical user interface to genomics research, making data analysis universally accessible in a web browser, and freeing users from the minutiae of archaic command-line parameters, data formats and scripting languages. Data inputs and computational steps are selected from

  19. Starting Over: Current Issues in Online Catalog User Interface Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crawford, Walt

    1992-01-01

    Discussion of online catalogs focuses on issues in interface design. Issues addressed include understanding the user base; common user access (CUA) with personal computers; common command language (CCL); hyperlinks; screen design issues; differences from card catalogs; indexes; graphic user interfaces (GUIs); color; online help; and remote users.…

  20. Interfaces for End-User Information Seeking.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchionini, Gary

    1992-01-01

    Discusses essential features of interfaces to support end-user information seeking. Highlights include cognitive engineering; task models and task analysis; the problem-solving nature of information seeking; examples of systems for end-users, including online public access catalogs (OPACs), hypertext, and help systems; and suggested research…

  1. Comparing two anesthesia information management system user interfaces: a usability evaluation.

    PubMed

    Wanderer, Jonathan P; Rao, Anoop V; Rothwell, Sarah H; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M

    2012-11-01

    Anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) have been developed by multiple vendors and are deployed in thousands of operating rooms around the world, yet not much is known about measuring and improving AIMS usability. We developed a methodology for evaluating AIMS usability in a low-fidelity simulated clinical environment and used it to compare an existing user interface with a revised version. We hypothesized that the revised user interface would be more useable. In a low-fidelity simulated clinical environment, twenty anesthesia providers documented essential anesthetic information for the start of the case using both an existing and a revised user interface. Participants had not used the revised user interface previously and completed a brief training exercise prior to the study task. All participants completed a workload assessment and a satisfaction survey. All sessions were recorded. Multiple usability metrics were measured. The primary outcome was documentation accuracy. Secondary outcomes were perceived workload, number of documentation steps, number of user interactions, and documentation time. The interfaces were compared and design problems were identified by analyzing recorded sessions and survey results. Use of the revised user interface was shown to improve documentation accuracy from 85.1% to 92.4%, a difference of 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference 1.8 to 12.7). The revised user interface decreased the number of user interactions by 6.5 for intravenous documentation (95% CI 2.9 to 10.1) and by 16.1 for airway documentation (95% CI 11.1 to 21.1). The revised user interface required 3.8 fewer documentation steps (95% CI 2.3 to 5.4). Airway documentation time was reduced by 30.5 seconds with the revised workflow (95% CI 8.5 to 52.4). There were no significant time differences noted in intravenous documentation or in total task time. No difference in perceived workload was found between the user interfaces. Two user interface

  2. Interactive Design and the Mythical "Intuitive User Interface."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bielenberg, Daniel R.

    1993-01-01

    Discusses the design of graphical user interfaces. Highlights include conceptual models, including user needs, content, and what multimedia can do; and tools for building the users' mental models, including metaphor, natural mappings, prompts, feedback, and user testing. (LRW)

  3. Stand-alone digital data storage control system including user control interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wright, Kenneth D. (Inventor); Gray, David L. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    A storage control system includes an apparatus and method for user control of a storage interface to operate a storage medium to store data obtained by a real-time data acquisition system. Digital data received in serial format from the data acquisition system is first converted to a parallel format and then provided to the storage interface. The operation of the storage interface is controlled in accordance with instructions based on user control input from a user. Also, a user status output is displayed in accordance with storage data obtained from the storage interface. By allowing the user to control and monitor the operation of the storage interface, a stand-alone, user-controllable data storage system is provided for storing the digital data obtained by a real-time data acquisition system.

  4. Power User Interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pfister, Robin; McMahon, Joe

    2006-01-01

    Power User Interface 5.0 (PUI) is a system of middleware, written for expert users in the Earth-science community, PUI enables expedited ordering of data granules on the basis of specific granule-identifying information that the users already know or can assemble. PUI also enables expert users to perform quick searches for orderablegranule information for use in preparing orders. PUI 5.0 is available in two versions (note: PUI 6.0 has command-line mode only): a Web-based application program and a UNIX command-line- mode client program. Both versions include modules that perform data-granule-ordering functions in conjunction with external systems. The Web-based version works with Earth Observing System Clearing House (ECHO) metadata catalog and order-entry services and with an open-source order-service broker server component, called the Mercury Shopping Cart, that is provided separately by Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the Department of Energy. The command-line version works with the ECHO metadata and order-entry process service. Both versions of PUI ultimately use ECHO to process an order to be sent to a data provider. Ordered data are provided through means outside the PUI software system.

  5. Use of force feedback to enhance graphical user interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenberg, Louis B.; Brave, Scott

    1996-04-01

    This project focuses on the use of force feedback sensations to enhance user interaction with standard graphical user interface paradigms. While typical joystick and mouse devices are input-only, force feedback controllers allow physical sensations to be reflected to a user. Tasks that require users to position a cursor on a given target can be enhanced by applying physical forces to the user that aid in targeting. For example, an attractive force field implemented at the location of a graphical icon can greatly facilitate target acquisition and selection of the icon. It has been shown that force feedback can enhance a users ability to perform basic functions within graphical user interfaces.

  6. Developing A Web-based User Interface for Semantic Information Retrieval

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Berrios, Daniel C.; Keller, Richard M.

    2003-01-01

    While there are now a number of languages and frameworks that enable computer-based systems to search stored data semantically, the optimal design for effective user interfaces for such systems is still uncle ar. Such interfaces should mask unnecessary query detail from users, yet still allow them to build queries of arbitrary complexity without significant restrictions. We developed a user interface supporting s emantic query generation for Semanticorganizer, a tool used by scient ists and engineers at NASA to construct networks of knowledge and dat a. Through this interface users can select node types, node attribute s and node links to build ad-hoc semantic queries for searching the S emanticOrganizer network.

  7. An Accessible User Interface for Geoscience and Programming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sevre, E. O.; Lee, S.

    2012-12-01

    The goal of this research is to develop an interface that will simplify user interaction with software for scientists. The motivating factor of the research is to develop tools that assist scientists with limited motor skills with the efficient generation and use of software tools. Reliance on computers and programming is increasing in the world of geology, and it is increasingly important for geologists and geophysicists to have the computational resources to use advanced software and edit programs for their research. I have developed a prototype of a program to help geophysicists write programs using a simple interface that requires only simple single-mouse-clicks to input code. It is my goal to minimize the amount of typing necessary to create simple programs and scripts to increase accessibility for people with disabilities limiting fine motor skills. This interface can be adapted for various programming and scripting languages. Using this interface will simplify development of code for C/C++, Java, and GMT, and can be expanded to support any other text based programming language. The interface is designed around the concept of maximizing the amount of code that can be written using a minimum number of clicks and typing. The screen is split into two sections: a list of click-commands is on the left hand side, and a text area is on the right hand side. When the user clicks on a command on the left hand side the applicable code is automatically inserted at the insertion point in the text area. Currently in the C/C++ interface, there are commands for common code segments that are often used, such as for loops, comments, print statements, and structured code creation. The primary goal is to provide an interface that will work across many devices for developing code. A simple prototype has been developed for the iPad. Due to the limited number of devices that an iOS application can be used with, the code has been re-written in Java to run on a wider range of devices

  8. The Rise of the Graphical User Interface.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Alastair D. N.

    1996-01-01

    Discusses the history of the graphical user interface (GUI) and the growing realization that adaptations must be made to it lest its visual nature discriminate against nonsighted or sight-impaired users. One of the most popular commercially developed adaptations is to develop sounds that signal the location of icons or menus to mouse users.…

  9. GPS User-Interface Design Problems

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-04-01

    This paper is a review of human factors problems associated with the user-interface design of a set of Global Positioning : System (GPS) receivers, certified for use in aircraft for instrument non-precision approaches. The paper focuses on : design p...

  10. User interface design principles for the SSM/PMAD automated power system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jakstas, Laura M.; Myers, Chris J.

    1991-01-01

    Martin Marietta has developed a user interface for the space station module power management and distribution (SSM/PMAD) automated power system testbed which provides human access to the functionality of the power system, as well as exemplifying current techniques in user interface design. The testbed user interface was designed to enable an engineer to operate the system easily without having significant knowledge of computer systems, as well as provide an environment in which the engineer can monitor and interact with the SSM/PMAD system hardware. The design of the interface supports a global view of the most important data from the various hardware and software components, as well as enabling the user to obtain additional or more detailed data when needed. The components and representations of the SSM/PMAD testbed user interface are examined. An engineer's interactions with the system are also described.

  11. Advanced warfighter machine interface (Invited Paper)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franks, Erin

    2005-05-01

    Future military crewmen may have more individual and shared tasks to complete throughout a mission as a result of smaller crew sizes and an increased number of technology interactions. To maintain reasonable workload levels, the Warfighter Machine Interface (WMI) must provide information in a consistent, logical manner, tailored to the environment in which the soldier will be completing their mission. This paper addresses design criteria for creating an advanced, multi-modal warfighter machine interface for on-the-move mounted operations. The Vetronics Technology Integration (VTI) WMI currently provides capabilities such as mission planning and rehearsal, voice and data communications, and manned/unmanned vehicle payload and mobility control. A history of the crewstation and more importantly, the WMI software will be provided with an overview of requirements and criteria used for completing the design. Multiple phases of field and laboratory testing provide the opportunity to evaluate the design and hardware in stationary and motion environments. Lessons learned related to system usability and user performance are presented with mitigation strategies to be tested in the future.

  12. Dynamic Distribution and Layouting of Model-Based User Interfaces in Smart Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roscher, Dirk; Lehmann, Grzegorz; Schwartze, Veit; Blumendorf, Marco; Albayrak, Sahin

    The developments in computer technology in the last decade change the ways of computer utilization. The emerging smart environments make it possible to build ubiquitous applications that assist users during their everyday life, at any time, in any context. But the variety of contexts-of-use (user, platform and environment) makes the development of such ubiquitous applications for smart environments and especially its user interfaces a challenging and time-consuming task. We propose a model-based approach, which allows adapting the user interface at runtime to numerous (also unknown) contexts-of-use. Based on a user interface modelling language, defining the fundamentals and constraints of the user interface, a runtime architecture exploits the description to adapt the user interface to the current context-of-use. The architecture provides automatic distribution and layout algorithms for adapting the applications also to contexts unforeseen at design time. Designers do not specify predefined adaptations for each specific situation, but adaptation constraints and guidelines. Furthermore, users are provided with a meta user interface to influence the adaptations according to their needs. A smart home energy management system serves as running example to illustrate the approach.

  13. User interface issues in supporting human-computer integrated scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cooper, Lynne P.; Biefeld, Eric W.

    1991-01-01

    Explored here is the user interface problems encountered with the Operations Missions Planner (OMP) project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). OMP uses a unique iterative approach to planning that places additional requirements on the user interface, particularly to support system development and maintenance. These requirements are necessary to support the concepts of heuristically controlled search, in-progress assessment, and iterative refinement of the schedule. The techniques used to address the OMP interface needs are given.

  14. Formal analysis and automatic generation of user interfaces: approach, methodology, and an algorithm.

    PubMed

    Heymann, Michael; Degani, Asaf

    2007-04-01

    We present a formal approach and methodology for the analysis and generation of user interfaces, with special emphasis on human-automation interaction. A conceptual approach for modeling, analyzing, and verifying the information content of user interfaces is discussed. The proposed methodology is based on two criteria: First, the interface must be correct--that is, given the interface indications and all related information (user manuals, training material, etc.), the user must be able to successfully perform the specified tasks. Second, the interface and related information must be succinct--that is, the amount of information (mode indications, mode buttons, parameter settings, etc.) presented to the user must be reduced (abstracted) to the minimum necessary. A step-by-step procedure for generating the information content of the interface that is both correct and succinct is presented and then explained and illustrated via two examples. Every user interface is an abstract description of the underlying system. The correspondence between the abstracted information presented to the user and the underlying behavior of a given machine can be analyzed and addressed formally. The procedure for generating the information content of user interfaces can be automated, and a software tool for its implementation has been developed. Potential application areas include adaptive interface systems and customized/personalized interfaces.

  15. The HEASARC graphical user interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    White, N.; Barrett, P.; Jacobs, P.; Oneel, B.

    1992-01-01

    An OSF/Motif-based graphical user interface has been developed to facilitate the use of the database and data analysis software packages available from the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC). It can also be used as an interface to other, similar, routines. A small number of tables are constructed to specify the possible commands and command parameters for a given set of analysis routines. These tables can be modified by a designer to affect the appearance of the interface screens. They can also be dynamically changed in response to parameter adjustments made while the underlying program is running. Additionally, a communication protocol has been designed so that the interface can operate locally or across a network. It is intended that this software be able to run on a variety of workstations and X terminals.

  16. Novel user interface design for medication reconciliation: an evaluation of Twinlist.

    PubMed

    Plaisant, Catherine; Wu, Johnny; Hettinger, A Zach; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

    2015-03-01

    The primary objective was to evaluate time, number of interface actions, and accuracy on medication reconciliation tasks using a novel user interface (Twinlist, which lays out the medications in five columns based on similarity and uses animation to introduce the grouping - www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/sharp/twinlist) compared to a Control interface (where medications are presented side by side in two columns). A secondary objective was to assess participant agreement with statements regarding clarity and utility and to elicit comparisons. A 1 × 2 within-subjects experimental design was used with interface (Twinlist or Control) as an independent variable; time, number of clicks, scrolls, and errors were used as dependent variables. Participants were practicing medical providers with experience performing medication reconciliation but no experience with Twinlist. They reconciled two cases in each interface (in a counterbalanced order), then provided feedback on the design of the interface. Twenty medical providers participated in the study for a total of 80 trials. The trials using Twinlist were statistically significantly faster (18%), with fewer clicks (40%) and scrolls (60%). Serious errors were noted 12 and 31 times in Twinlist and Control trials, respectively. Trials using Twinlist were faster and more accurate. Subjectively, participants rated Twinlist more favorably than Control. They valued the novel layout of the drugs, but indicated that the included animation would be valuable for novices, but not necessarily for advanced users. Additional feedback from participants provides guidance for further development and clinical implementations. Cognitive support of medication reconciliation through interface design can significantly improve performance and safety. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. MuSim, a Graphical User Interface for Multiple Simulation Programs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Roberts, Thomas; Cummings, Mary Anne; Johnson, Rolland

    2016-06-01

    MuSim is a new user-friendly program designed to interface to many different particle simulation codes, regardless of their data formats or geometry descriptions. It presents the user with a compelling graphical user interface that includes a flexible 3-D view of the simulated world plus powerful editing and drag-and-drop capabilities. All aspects of the design can be parametrized so that parameter scans and optimizations are easy. It is simple to create plots and display events in the 3-D viewer (with a slider to vary the transparency of solids), allowing for an effortless comparison of different simulation codes. Simulation codes: G4beamline, MAD-X,more » and MCNP; more coming. Many accelerator design tools and beam optics codes were written long ago, with primitive user interfaces by today's standards. MuSim is specifically designed to make it easy to interface to such codes, providing a common user experience for all, and permitting the construction and exploration of models with very little overhead. For today's technology-driven students, graphical interfaces meet their expectations far better than text-based tools, and education in accelerator physics is one of our primary goals.« less

  18. User interface concerns

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Redhed, D. D.

    1978-01-01

    Three possible goals for the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Facility (NASF) are: (1) a computational fluid dynamics (as opposed to aerodynamics) algorithm development tool; (2) a specialized research laboratory facility for nearly intractable aerodynamics problems that industry encounters; and (3) a facility for industry to use in its normal aerodynamics design work that requires high computing rates. The central system issue for industry use of such a computer is the quality of the user interface as implemented in some kind of a front end to the vector processor.

  19. Workshop AccessibleTV "Accessible User Interfaces for Future TV Applications"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hahn, Volker; Hamisu, Pascal; Jung, Christopher; Heinrich, Gregor; Duarte, Carlos; Langdon, Pat

    Approximately half of the elderly people over 55 suffer from some type of typically mild visual, auditory, motor or cognitive impairment. For them interaction, especially with PCs and other complex devices is sometimes challenging, although accessible ICT applications could make much of a difference for their living quality. Basically they have the potential to enable or simplify participation and inclusion in their surrounding private and professional communities. However, the availability of accessible user interfaces being capable to adapt to the specific needs and requirements of users with individual impairments is very limited. Although there are a number of APIs [1, 2, 3, 4] available for various platforms that allow developers to provide accessibility features within their applications, today none of them provides features for the automatic adaptation of multimodal interfaces being capable to automatically fit the individual requirements of users with different kinds of impairments. Moreover, the provision of accessible user interfaces is still expensive and risky for application developers, as they need special experience and effort for user tests. Today many implementations simply neglect the needs of elderly people, thus locking out a large portion of their potential users. The workshop is organized as part of the dissemination activity for the European-funded project GUIDE "Gentle user interfaces for elderly people", which aims to address this situation with a comprehensive approach for the realization of multimodal user interfaces being capable to adapt to the needs of users with different kinds of mild impairments. As application platform, GUIDE will mainly target TVs and Set-Top Boxes, such as the emerging Connected-TV or WebTV platforms, as they have the potential to address the needs of the elderly users with applications such as for home automation, communication or continuing education.

  20. CDROM User Interface Evaluation: The Appropriateness of GUIs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bosch, Victoria Manglano; Hancock-Beaulieu, Micheline

    1995-01-01

    Assesses the appropriateness of GUIs (graphical user interfaces), more specifically Windows-based interfaces for CD-ROM. An evaluation model is described that was developed to carry out an expert evaluation of the interfaces of seven CD-ROM products. Results are discussed in light of HCI (human-computer interaction) usability criteria and design…

  1. An advanced web query interface for biological databases

    PubMed Central

    Latendresse, Mario; Karp, Peter D.

    2010-01-01

    Although most web-based biological databases (DBs) offer some type of web-based form to allow users to author DB queries, these query forms are quite restricted in the complexity of DB queries that they can formulate. They can typically query only one DB, and can query only a single type of object at a time (e.g. genes) with no possible interaction between the objects—that is, in SQL parlance, no joins are allowed between DB objects. Writing precise queries against biological DBs is usually left to a programmer skillful enough in complex DB query languages like SQL. We present a web interface for building precise queries for biological DBs that can construct much more precise queries than most web-based query forms, yet that is user friendly enough to be used by biologists. It supports queries containing multiple conditions, and connecting multiple object types without using the join concept, which is unintuitive to biologists. This interactive web interface is called the Structured Advanced Query Page (SAQP). Users interactively build up a wide range of query constructs. Interactive documentation within the SAQP describes the schema of the queried DBs. The SAQP is based on BioVelo, a query language based on list comprehension. The SAQP is part of the Pathway Tools software and is available as part of several bioinformatics web sites powered by Pathway Tools, including the BioCyc.org site that contains more than 500 Pathway/Genome DBs. PMID:20624715

  2. Integrated Information Support System (IISS). Volume 8. User Interface Subsystem. Part 3. User Interface Services Product Specification.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-11-01

    User Interface that consists of a set of callable execution time routines available to an application program for form processing . IISS Function Screen...provisions for test consists of the normal testing techniques that are accomplished during the construction process . They consist of design and code...application presents a form * to the user which must be filled in with information for processing by that application. The application then

  3. Development and evaluation of nursing user interface screens using multiple methods.

    PubMed

    Hyun, Sookyung; Johnson, Stephen B; Stetson, Peter D; Bakken, Suzanne

    2009-12-01

    Building upon the foundation of the Structured Narrative Electronic Health Record (EHR) model, we applied theory-based (combined Technology Acceptance Model and Task-Technology Fit Model) and user-centered methods to explore nurses' perceptions of functional requirements for an electronic nursing documentation system, design user interface screens reflective of the nurses' perspectives, and assess nurses' perceptions of the usability of the prototype user interface screens. The methods resulted in user interface screens that were perceived to be easy to use, potentially useful, and well-matched to nursing documentation tasks associated with Nursing Admission Assessment, Blood Administration, and Nursing Discharge Summary. The methods applied in this research may serve as a guide for others wishing to implement user-centered processes to develop or extend EHR systems. In addition, some of the insights obtained in this study may be informative to the development of safe and efficient user interface screens for nursing document templates in EHRs.

  4. Spatial issues in user interface design from a graphic design perspective

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marcus, Aaron

    1989-01-01

    The user interface of a computer system is a visual display that provides information about the status of operations on data within the computer and control options to the user that enable adjustments to these operations. From the very beginning of computer technology the user interface was a spatial display, although its spatial features were not necessarily complex or explicitly recognized by the users. All text and nonverbal signs appeared in a virtual space generally thought of as a single flat plane of symbols. Current technology of high performance workstations permits any element of the display to appear as dynamic, multicolor, 3-D signs in a virtual 3-D space. The complexity of appearance and the user's interaction with the display provide significant challenges to the graphic designer of current and future user interfaces. In particular, spatial depiction provides many opportunities for effective communication of objects, structures, processes, navigation, selection, and manipulation. Issues are presented that are relevant to the graphic designer seeking to optimize the user interface's spatial attributes for effective visual communication.

  5. Save medical personnel's time by improved user interfaces.

    PubMed

    Kindler, H

    1997-01-01

    Common objectives in the industrial countries are the improvement of quality of care, clinical effectiveness, and cost control. Cost control, in particular, has been addressed through the introduction of case mix systems for reimbursement by social-security institutions. More data is required to enable quality improvement, increases in clinical effectiveness and for juridical reasons. At first glance, this documentation effort is contradictory to cost reduction. However, integrated services for resource management based on better documentation should help to reduce costs. The clerical effort for documentation should be decreased by providing a co-operative working environment for healthcare professionals applying sophisticated human-computer interface technology. Additional services, e.g., automatic report generation, increase the efficiency of healthcare personnel. Modelling the medical work flow forms an essential prerequisite for integrated resource management services and for co-operative user interfaces. A user interface aware of the work flow provides intelligent assistance by offering the appropriate tools at the right moment. Nowadays there is a trend to client/server systems with relational databases or object-oriented databases as repository. The work flows used for controlling purposes and to steer the user interfaces must be represented in the repository.

  6. Hypertext-based design of a user interface for scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Woerner, Irene W.; Biefeld, Eric

    1993-01-01

    Operations Mission Planner (OMP) is an ongoing research project at JPL that utilizes AI techniques to create an intelligent, automated planning and scheduling system. The information space reflects the complexity and diversity of tasks necessary in most real-world scheduling problems. Thus the problem of the user interface is to present as much information as possible at a given moment and allow the user to quickly navigate through the various types of displays. This paper describes a design which applies the hypertext model to solve these user interface problems. The general paradigm is to provide maps and search queries to allow the user to quickly find an interesting conflict or problem, and then allow the user to navigate through the displays in a hypertext fashion.

  7. NLEdit: A generic graphical user interface for Fortran programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Curlett, Brian P.

    1994-01-01

    NLEdit is a generic graphical user interface for the preprocessing of Fortran namelist input files. The interface consists of a menu system, a message window, a help system, and data entry forms. A form is generated for each namelist. The form has an input field for each namelist variable along with a one-line description of that variable. Detailed help information, default values, and minimum and maximum allowable values can all be displayed via menu picks. Inputs are processed through a scientific calculator program that allows complex equations to be used instead of simple numeric inputs. A custom user interface is generated simply by entering information about the namelist input variables into an ASCII file. There is no need to learn a new graphics system or programming language. NLEdit can be used as a stand-alone program or as part of a larger graphical user interface. Although NLEdit is intended for files using namelist format, it can be easily modified to handle other file formats.

  8. A Hybrid 2D/3D User Interface for Radiological Diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Mandalika, Veera Bhadra Harish; Chernoglazov, Alexander I; Billinghurst, Mark; Bartneck, Christoph; Hurrell, Michael A; Ruiter, Niels de; Butler, Anthony P H; Butler, Philip H

    2018-02-01

    This paper presents a novel 2D/3D desktop virtual reality hybrid user interface for radiology that focuses on improving 3D manipulation required in some diagnostic tasks. An evaluation of our system revealed that our hybrid interface is more efficient for novice users and more accurate for both novice and experienced users when compared to traditional 2D only interfaces. This is a significant finding because it indicates, as the techniques mature, that hybrid interfaces can provide significant benefit to image evaluation. Our hybrid system combines a zSpace stereoscopic display with 2D displays, and mouse and keyboard input. It allows the use of 2D and 3D components interchangeably, or simultaneously. The system was evaluated against a 2D only interface with a user study that involved performing a scoliosis diagnosis task. There were two user groups: medical students and radiology residents. We found improvements in completion time for medical students, and in accuracy for both groups. In particular, the accuracy of medical students improved to match that of the residents.

  9. The development of an intelligent user interface for NASA's scientific databases

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, William J.; Roelofs, Larry H.

    1986-01-01

    The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) has initiated an Intelligent Data Management (IDM) research effort which has as one of its components, the development of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI). The intent of the IUI effort is to develop a friendly and intelligent user interface service that is based on expert systems and natural language processing technologies. This paper presents the design concepts, development approach and evaluation of performance of a prototype Intelligent User Interface Subsystem (IUIS) supporting an operational database.

  10. Intelligent Systems and Advanced User Interfaces for Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Command Management Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mitchell, Christine M.

    1998-01-01

    Historically Command Management Systems (CMS) have been large, expensive, spacecraft-specific software systems that were costly to build, operate, and maintain. Current and emerging hardware, software, and user interface technologies may offer an opportunity to facilitate the initial formulation and design of a spacecraft-specific CMS as well as a to develop a more generic or a set of core components for CMS systems. Current MOC (mission operations center) hardware and software include Unix workstations, the C/C++ and Java programming languages, and X and Java window interfaces representations. This configuration provides the power and flexibility to support sophisticated systems and intelligent user interfaces that exploit state-of-the-art technologies in human-machine systems engineering, decision making, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. One of the goals of this research is to explore the extent to which technologies developed in the research laboratory can be productively applied in a complex system such as spacecraft command management. Initial examination of some of the issues in CMS design and operation suggests that application of technologies such as intelligent planning, case-based reasoning, design and analysis tools from a human-machine systems engineering point of view (e.g., operator and designer models) and human-computer interaction tools, (e.g., graphics, visualization, and animation), may provide significant savings in the design, operation, and maintenance of a spacecraft-specific CMS as well as continuity for CMS design and development across spacecraft with varying needs. The savings in this case is in software reuse at all stages of the software engineering process.

  11. The crustal dynamics intelligent user interface anthology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Short, Nicholas M., Jr.; Campbell, William J.; Roelofs, Larry H.; Wattawa, Scott L.

    1987-01-01

    The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) has initiated an Intelligent Data Management (IDM) research effort which has, as one of its components, the development of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI). The intent of the IUI is to develop a friendly and intelligent user interface service based on expert systems and natural language processing technologies. The purpose of such a service is to support the large number of potential scientific and engineering users that have need of space and land-related research and technical data, but have little or no experience in query languages or understanding of the information content or architecture of the databases of interest. This document presents the design concepts, development approach and evaluation of the performance of a prototype IUI system for the Crustal Dynamics Project Database, which was developed using a microcomputer-based expert system tool (M. 1), the natural language query processor THEMIS, and the graphics software system GSS. The IUI design is based on a multiple view representation of a database from both the user and database perspective, with intelligent processes to translate between the views.

  12. Graphical user interfaces for symbol-oriented database visualization and interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brinkschulte, Uwe; Siormanolakis, Marios; Vogelsang, Holger

    1997-04-01

    In this approach, two basic services designed for the engineering of computer based systems are combined: a symbol-oriented man-machine-service and a high speed database-service. The man-machine service is used to build graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for the database service; these interfaces are stored using the database service. The idea is to create a GUI-builder and a GUI-manager for the database service based upon the man-machine service using the concept of symbols. With user-definable and predefined symbols, database contents can be visualized and manipulated in a very flexible and intuitive way. Using the GUI-builder and GUI-manager, a user can build and operate its own graphical user interface for a given database according to its needs without writing a single line of code.

  13. EnergyPlus Graphical User Interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    2011-01-04

    LBNL, Infosys Technologies and Digital Alchemy are developing a free, comprehensive graphical user interface (GUI) that will enable EnergyPlus to be used more easily and effectively by building designers and other professionals, facilitating its widespread adoption. User requirements have been defined through a series of practitioner workshops. A new schematic editor for HVAC systems will be combined with different building envelope geometry generation tools and IFC-based BIM import and export. LBNL and Digital Alchemy have generated a detailed function requirements specification, which is being implemented in software by Infosys, LBNL and and Digital Alchemy. LBNL and practitioner subcontractors will developmore » a comprehensive set of templates and libraries and will perform extensive testing of the GUI before it is released in Q3 2011. It is planned to use an Open Platfom approach, in which a comprehensive set of well documented Application Programming Interfaces (API's) would be provided to facilitate both the development of third party contributions to the official, standard GUI and the development of derivative works.« less

  14. User productivity as a function of AutoCAD interface design.

    PubMed

    Mitta, D A; Flores, P L

    1995-12-01

    Increased operator productivity is a desired outcome of user-CAD interaction scenarios. Two objectives of this research were to (1) define a measure of operator productivity and (2) empirically investigate the potential effects of CAD interface design on operator productivity, where productivity is defined as the percentage of a drawing session correctly completed per unit time. Here, AutoCAD provides the CAD environment of interest. Productivity with respect to two AutoCAD interface designs (menu, template) and three task types (draw, dimension, display) was investigated. Analysis of user productivity data revealed significantly higher productivity under the menu interface condition than under the template interface condition. A significant effect of task type was also discovered, where user productivity under display tasks was higher than productivity under the draw and dimension tasks. Implications of these results are presented.

  15. ToxPi Graphical User Interface 2.0: Dynamic exploration, visualization, and sharing of integrated data models.

    PubMed

    Marvel, Skylar W; To, Kimberly; Grimm, Fabian A; Wright, Fred A; Rusyn, Ivan; Reif, David M

    2018-03-05

    Drawing integrated conclusions from diverse source data requires synthesis across multiple types of information. The ToxPi (Toxicological Prioritization Index) is an analytical framework that was developed to enable integration of multiple sources of evidence by transforming data into integrated, visual profiles. Methodological improvements have advanced ToxPi and expanded its applicability, necessitating a new, consolidated software platform to provide functionality, while preserving flexibility for future updates. We detail the implementation of a new graphical user interface for ToxPi (Toxicological Prioritization Index) that provides interactive visualization, analysis, reporting, and portability. The interface is deployed as a stand-alone, platform-independent Java application, with a modular design to accommodate inclusion of future analytics. The new ToxPi interface introduces several features, from flexible data import formats (including legacy formats that permit backward compatibility) to similarity-based clustering to options for high-resolution graphical output. We present the new ToxPi interface for dynamic exploration, visualization, and sharing of integrated data models. The ToxPi interface is freely-available as a single compressed download that includes the main Java executable, all libraries, example data files, and a complete user manual from http://toxpi.org .

  16. Development of a Mobile User Interface for Image-based Dietary Assessment.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sungye; Schap, Tusarebecca; Bosch, Marc; Maciejewski, Ross; Delp, Edward J; Ebert, David S; Boushey, Carol J

    2010-12-31

    In this paper, we present a mobile user interface for image-based dietary assessment. The mobile user interface provides a front end to a client-server image recognition and portion estimation software. In the client-server configuration, the user interactively records a series of food images using a built-in camera on the mobile device. Images are sent from the mobile device to the server, and the calorie content of the meal is estimated. In this paper, we describe and discuss the design and development of our mobile user interface features. We discuss the design concepts, through initial ideas and implementations. For each concept, we discuss qualitative user feedback from participants using the mobile client application. We then discuss future designs, including work on design considerations for the mobile application to allow the user to interactively correct errors in the automatic processing while reducing the user burden associated with classical pen-and-paper dietary records.

  17. Development of a Mobile User Interface for Image-based Dietary Assessment

    PubMed Central

    Kim, SungYe; Schap, TusaRebecca; Bosch, Marc; Maciejewski, Ross; Delp, Edward J.; Ebert, David S.; Boushey, Carol J.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we present a mobile user interface for image-based dietary assessment. The mobile user interface provides a front end to a client-server image recognition and portion estimation software. In the client-server configuration, the user interactively records a series of food images using a built-in camera on the mobile device. Images are sent from the mobile device to the server, and the calorie content of the meal is estimated. In this paper, we describe and discuss the design and development of our mobile user interface features. We discuss the design concepts, through initial ideas and implementations. For each concept, we discuss qualitative user feedback from participants using the mobile client application. We then discuss future designs, including work on design considerations for the mobile application to allow the user to interactively correct errors in the automatic processing while reducing the user burden associated with classical pen-and-paper dietary records. PMID:24455755

  18. A mobile phone user interface for image-based dietary assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmad, Ziad; Khanna, Nitin; Kerr, Deborah A.; Boushey, Carol J.; Delp, Edward J.

    2014-02-01

    Many chronic diseases, including obesity and cancer, are related to diet. Such diseases may be prevented and/or successfully treated by accurately monitoring and assessing food and beverage intakes. Existing dietary assessment methods such as the 24-hour dietary recall and the food frequency questionnaire, are burdensome and not generally accurate. In this paper, we present a user interface for a mobile telephone food record that relies on taking images, using the built-in camera, as the primary method of recording. We describe the design and implementation of this user interface while stressing the solutions we devised to meet the requirements imposed by the image analysis process, yet keeping the user interface easy to use.

  19. A Mobile Phone User Interface for Image-Based Dietary Assessment

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad, Ziad; Khanna, Nitin; Kerr, Deborah A.; Boushey, Carol J.; Delp, Edward J.

    2016-01-01

    Many chronic diseases, including obesity and cancer, are related to diet. Such diseases may be prevented and/or successfully treated by accurately monitoring and assessing food and beverage intakes. Existing dietary assessment methods such as the 24-hour dietary recall and the food frequency questionnaire, are burdensome and not generally accurate. In this paper, we present a user interface for a mobile telephone food record that relies on taking images, using the built-in camera, as the primary method of recording. We describe the design and implementation of this user interface while stressing the solutions we devised to meet the requirements imposed by the image analysis process, yet keeping the user interface easy to use. PMID:28572696

  20. A Mobile Phone User Interface for Image-Based Dietary Assessment.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Ziad; Khanna, Nitin; Kerr, Deborah A; Boushey, Carol J; Delp, Edward J

    2014-02-02

    Many chronic diseases, including obesity and cancer, are related to diet. Such diseases may be prevented and/or successfully treated by accurately monitoring and assessing food and beverage intakes. Existing dietary assessment methods such as the 24-hour dietary recall and the food frequency questionnaire, are burdensome and not generally accurate. In this paper, we present a user interface for a mobile telephone food record that relies on taking images, using the built-in camera, as the primary method of recording. We describe the design and implementation of this user interface while stressing the solutions we devised to meet the requirements imposed by the image analysis process, yet keeping the user interface easy to use.

  1. Software Engineering for User Interfaces. Technical Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, Stephen W.; Norman, Donald A.

    The discipline of software engineering can be extended in a natural way to deal with the issues raised by a systematic approach to the design of human-machine interfaces. The user should be treated as part of the system being designed and projects should be organized to take into account the current lack of a priori knowledge of user interface…

  2. Study on user interface of pathology picture archiving and communication system.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dasueran; Kang, Peter; Yun, Jungmin; Park, Sung-Hye; Seo, Jeong-Wook; Park, Peom

    2014-01-01

    It is necessary to improve the pathology workflow. A workflow task analysis was performed using a pathology picture archiving and communication system (pathology PACS) in order to propose a user interface for the Pathology PACS considering user experience. An interface analysis of the Pathology PACS in Seoul National University Hospital and a task analysis of the pathology workflow were performed by observing recorded video. Based on obtained results, a user interface for the Pathology PACS was proposed. Hierarchical task analysis of Pathology PACS was classified into 17 tasks including 1) pre-operation, 2) text, 3) images, 4) medical record viewer, 5) screen transition, 6) pathology identification number input, 7) admission date input, 8) diagnosis doctor, 9) diagnosis code, 10) diagnosis, 11) pathology identification number check box, 12) presence or absence of images, 13) search, 14) clear, 15) Excel save, 16) search results, and 17) re-search. And frequently used menu items were identified and schematized. A user interface for the Pathology PACS considering user experience could be proposed as a preliminary step, and this study may contribute to the development of medical information systems based on user experience and usability.

  3. The effects of time delays on a telepathology user interface.

    PubMed Central

    Carr, D.; Hasegawa, H.; Lemmon, D.; Plaisant, C.

    1992-01-01

    Telepathology enables a pathologist to examine physically distant tissue samples by microscope operation over a communication link. Communication links can impose time delays which cause difficulties in controlling the remote device. Such difficulties were found in a microscope teleoperation system. Since the user interface is critical to pathologist's acceptance of telepathology, we redesigned the user interface for this system, built two different versions (a keypad whose movement commands operated by specifying a start command followed by a stop command and a trackball interface whose movement commands were incremental and directly proportional to the rotation of the trackball). We then conducted a pilot study to determine the effect of time delays on the new user interfaces. In our experiment, the keypad was the faster interface when the time delay is short. There was no evidence to favor either the keypad or trackball when the time delay was longer. Inexperienced participants benefitted by allowing them to move long distances over the microscope slide by dragging the field-of-view indicator on the touchscreen control panel. The experiment suggests that changes could be made to the trackball interface which would improve its performance. PMID:1482878

  4. Customizing graphical user interface technology for spacecraft control centers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beach, Edward; Giancola, Peter; Gibson, Steven; Mahmot, Ronald

    1993-01-01

    The Transportable Payload Operations Control Center (TPOCC) project is applying the latest in graphical user interface technology to the spacecraft control center environment. This project of the Mission Operations Division's (MOD) Control Center Systems Branch (CCSB) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has developed an architecture for control centers which makes use of a distributed processing approach and the latest in Unix workstation technology. The TPOCC project is committed to following industry standards and using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software components wherever possible to reduce development costs and to improve operational support. TPOCC's most successful use of commercial software products and standards has been in the development of its graphical user interface. This paper describes TPOCC's successful use and customization of four separate layers of commercial software products to create a flexible and powerful user interface that is uniquely suited to spacecraft monitoring and control.

  5. WIFIP: a web-based user interface for automated synchrotron beamlines.

    PubMed

    Sallaz-Damaz, Yoann; Ferrer, Jean Luc

    2017-09-01

    The beamline control software, through the associated graphical user interface (GUI), is the user access point to the experiment, interacting with synchrotron beamline components and providing automated routines. FIP, the French beamline for the Investigation of Proteins, is a highly automatized macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. On such a beamline, a significant number of users choose to control their experiment remotely. This is often performed with a limited bandwidth and from a large choice of computers and operating systems. Furthermore, this has to be possible in a rapidly evolving experimental environment, where new developments have to be easily integrated. To face these challenges, a light, platform-independent, control software and associated GUI are required. Here, WIFIP, a web-based user interface developed at FIP, is described. Further than being the present FIP control interface, WIFIP is also a proof of concept for future MX control software.

  6. Advanced aerosense display interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hopper, Darrel G.; Meyer, Frederick M.

    1998-09-01

    High-resolution display technologies are being developed to meet the ever-increasing demand for realistic detail. The requirement for evermore visual information exceeds the capacity of fielded aerospace display interfaces. In this paper we begin an exploration of display interfaces and evolving aerospace requirements. Current and evolving standards for avionics, commercial, and flat panel displays are summarized and compared to near term goals for military and aerospace applications. Aerospace and military applications prior to 2005 up to UXGA and digital HDTV resolution can be met by using commercial interface standard developments. Advanced aerospace requirements require yet higher resolutions (2560 X 2048 color pixels, 5120 X 4096 color pixels at 85 Hz, etc.) and necessitate the initiation of discussion herein of an 'ultra digital interface standard (UDIS)' which includes 'smart interface' features such as large memory and blazingly fast resizing microcomputer. Interface capacity, IT, increased about 105 from 1973 to 1998; 102 more is needed for UDIS.

  7. A Graphical Database Interface for Casual, Naive Users.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgess, Clifford; Swigger, Kathleen

    1986-01-01

    Describes the design of a database interface for infrequent users of computers which consists of a graphical display of a model of a database and a natural language query language. This interface was designed for and tested with physicians at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas. (LRW)

  8. Strategic Help in User Interfaces for Information Retrieval.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brajnik, Giorgio; Mizzaro, Stefano; Tasso, Carlo; Venuti, Fabio

    2002-01-01

    Discussion of search strategy in information retrieval by end users focuses on the role played by strategic reasoning and design principles for user interfaces. Highlights include strategic help based on collaborative coaching; a conceptual model for strategic help; and a prototype knowledge-based system named FIRE. (Author/LRW)

  9. Finding and Exploring Health Information with a Slider-Based User Interface.

    PubMed

    Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon; Chang, Shanton

    2016-01-01

    Despite the fact that search engines are the primary channel to access online health information, there are better ways to find and explore health information on the web. Search engines are prone to problems when they are used to find health information. For instance, users have difficulties in expressing health scenarios with appropriate search keywords, search results are not optimised for medical queries, and the search process does not account for users' literacy levels and reading preferences. In this paper, we describe our approach to addressing these problems by introducing a novel design using a slider-based user interface for discovering health information without the need for precise search keywords. The user evaluation suggests that the interface is easy to use and able to assist users in the process of discovering new information. This study demonstrates the potential value of adopting slider controls in the user interface of health websites for navigation and information discovery.

  10. Experimental setup for evaluating an adaptive user interface for teleoperation control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wijayasinghe, Indika B.; Peetha, Srikanth; Abubakar, Shamsudeen; Saadatzi, Mohammad Nasser; Cremer, Sven; Popa, Dan O.

    2017-05-01

    A vital part of human interactions with a machine is the control interface, which single-handedly could define the user satisfaction and the efficiency of performing a task. This paper elaborates the implementation of an experimental setup to study an adaptive algorithm that can help the user better tele-operate the robot. The formulation of the adaptive interface and associate learning algorithms are general enough to apply when the mapping between the user controls and the robot actuators is complex and/or ambiguous. The method uses a genetic algorithm to find the optimal parameters that produce the input-output mapping for teleoperation control. In this paper, we describe the experimental setup and associated results that was used to validate the adaptive interface to a differential drive robot from two different input devices; a joystick, and a Myo gesture control armband. Results show that after the learning phase, the interface converges to an intuitive mapping that can help even inexperienced users drive the system to a goal location.

  11. Enabling Accessibility Through Model-Based User Interface Development.

    PubMed

    Ziegler, Daniel; Peissner, Matthias

    2017-01-01

    Adaptive user interfaces (AUIs) can increase the accessibility of interactive systems. They provide personalized display and interaction modes to fit individual user needs. Most AUI approaches rely on model-based development, which is considered relatively demanding. This paper explores strategies to make model-based development more attractive for mainstream developers.

  12. SWATMOD-PREP: Graphical user interface for preparing coupled SWAT-modflow simulations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This paper presents SWATMOD-Prep, a graphical user interface that couples a SWAT watershed model with a MODFLOW groundwater flow model. The interface is based on a recently published SWAT-MODFLOW code that couples the models via mapping schemes. The spatial layout of SWATMOD-Prep guides the user t...

  13. UIVerify: A Web-Based Tool for Verification and Automatic Generation of User Interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shiffman, Smadar; Degani, Asaf; Heymann, Michael

    2004-01-01

    In this poster, we describe a web-based tool for verification and automatic generation of user interfaces. The verification component of the tool accepts as input a model of a machine and a model of its interface, and checks that the interface is adequate (correct). The generation component of the tool accepts a model of a given machine and the user's task, and then generates a correct and succinct interface. This write-up will demonstrate the usefulness of the tool by verifying the correctness of a user interface to a flight-control system. The poster will include two more examples of using the tool: verification of the interface to an espresso machine, and automatic generation of a succinct interface to a large hypothetical machine.

  14. Designing the user interfaces of a behavior modification intervention for obesity & eating disorders prevention.

    PubMed

    Moulos, Ioannis; Maramis, Christos; Mourouzis, Alexandros; Maglaveras, Nicos

    2015-01-01

    The recent immense diffusion of smartphones has significantly upgraded the role of mobile user interfaces in interventions that build and/or maintain healthier lifestyles. Indeed, high-quality, user-centered smartphone applications are able to serve as advanced front-ends to such interventions. These smartphone applications, coupled with portable or wearable sensors, are being employed for monitoring day to day health-related behaviors, including eating and physical activity. Some of them take one step forward by identifying unhealthy behaviors and contributing towards their modification. This work presents the design as well as the preliminary implementation of the mobile user interface of SPLENDID, a novel, sensor-oriented intervention for preventing obesity and eating disorders in young populations. This is implemented by means of an Android application, which is able to monitor the eating and physical activity behaviors of young individuals at risk for obesity and/or eating disorders, subsequently guiding them towards the modification of those behaviors that put them at risk. Behavior monitoring is based on multiple data provided by a set of communicating sensors and self-reported information, while guidance is facilitated through a feedback/encouragement provision and goal setting mechanism.

  15. MOO in Your Face: Researching, Designing, and Programming a User-Friendly Interface.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haas, Mark; Gardner, Clinton

    1999-01-01

    Suggests the learning curve of a multi-user, object-oriented domain (MOO) blockades effective use. Discusses use of an IBM/PC-compatible interface that allows developers to modify the interface to provide a sense of presence for the user. Concludes that work in programming a variety of interfaces has led to a more intuitive environment for…

  16. The User Interface: How Does Your Product Look and Feel?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strukhoff, Roger

    1987-01-01

    Discusses the importance of user cordial interfaces to the successful marketing of optical data disk products, and describes features of several online systems. The topics discussed include full text searching, indexed searching, menu driven interfaces, natural language interfaces, computer graphics, and possible future developments. (CLB)

  17. Graphical user interface simplifies infusion pump programming and enhances the ability to detect pump-related faults.

    PubMed

    Syroid, Noah; Liu, David; Albert, Robert; Agutter, James; Egan, Talmage D; Pace, Nathan L; Johnson, Ken B; Dowdle, Michael R; Pulsipher, Daniel; Westenskow, Dwayne R

    2012-11-01

    Drug administration errors are frequent and are often associated with the misuse of IV infusion pumps. One source of these errors may be the infusion pump's user interface. We used failure modes-and-effects analyses to identify programming errors and to guide the design of a new syringe pump user interface. We designed the new user interface to clearly show the pump's operating state simultaneously in more than 1 monitoring location. We evaluated anesthesia residents in laboratory and simulated environments on programming accuracy and error detection between the new user interface and the user interface of a commercially available infusion pump. With the new user interface, we observed the number of programming errors reduced by 81%, the number of keystrokes per task reduced from 9.2 ± 5.0 to 7.5 ± 5.5 (mean ± SD), the time required per task reduced from 18.1 ± 14.1 seconds to 10.9 ± 9.5 seconds and significantly less perceived workload. Residents detected 38 of 70 (54%) of the events with the new user interface and 37 of 70 (53%) with the existing user interface, despite no experience with the new user interface and extensive experience with the existing interface. The number of programming errors and workload were reduced partly because it took less time and fewer keystrokes to program the pump when using the new user interface. Despite minimal training, residents quickly identified preexisting infusion pump problems with the new user interface. Intuitive and easy-to-program infusion pump interfaces may reduce drug administration errors and infusion pump-related adverse events.

  18. A case study on better iconographic design in electronic medical records' user interface.

    PubMed

    Tasa, Umut Burcu; Ozcan, Oguzhan; Yantac, Asim Evren; Unluer, Ayca

    2008-06-01

    It is a known fact that there is a conflict between what users expect and what user interface designers create in the field of medical informatics along with other fields of interface design. The objective of the study is to suggest, from the 'design art' perspective, a method for improving the usability of an electronic medical record (EMR) interface. The suggestion is based on the hypothesis that the user interface of an EMR should be iconographic. The proposed three-step method consists of a questionnaire survey on how hospital users perceive concepts/terms that are going to be used in the EMR user interface. Then icons associated with the terms are designed by a designer, following a guideline which is prepared according to the results of the first questionnaire. Finally the icons are asked back to the target group for proof. A case study was conducted with 64 medical staff and 30 professional designers for the first questionnaire, and with 30 medical staff for the second. In the second questionnaire 7.53 icons out of 10 were matched correctly with a standard deviation of 0.98. Also, all icons except three were matched correctly in at least 83.3% of the forms. The proposed new method differs from the majority of previous studies which are based on user requirements by leaning on user experiments instead. The study demonstrated that the user interface of EMRs should be designed according to a guideline that results from a survey on users' experiences on metaphoric perception of the terms.

  19. Support of surgical process modeling by using adaptable software user interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neumuth, T.; Kaschek, B.; Czygan, M.; Goldstein, D.; Strauß, G.; Meixensberger, J.; Burgert, O.

    2010-03-01

    Surgical Process Modeling (SPM) is a powerful method for acquiring data about the evolution of surgical procedures. Surgical Process Models are used in a variety of use cases including evaluation studies, requirements analysis and procedure optimization, surgical education, and workflow management scheme design. This work proposes the use of adaptive, situation-aware user interfaces for observation support software for SPM. We developed a method to support the modeling of the observer by using an ontological knowledge base. This is used to drive the graphical user interface for the observer to restrict the search space of terminology depending on the current situation. In the evaluation study it is shown, that the workload of the observer was decreased significantly by using adaptive user interfaces. 54 SPM observation protocols were analyzed by using the NASA Task Load Index and it was shown that the use of the adaptive user interface disburdens the observer significantly in workload criteria effort, mental demand and temporal demand, helping him to concentrate on his essential task of modeling the Surgical Process.

  20. The use of Graphic User Interface for development of a user-friendly CRS-Stack software

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sule, Rachmat; Prayudhatama, Dythia; Perkasa, Muhammad D.; Hendriyana, Andri; Fatkhan; Sardjito; Adriansyah

    2017-04-01

    The development of a user-friendly Common Reflection Surface (CRS) Stack software that has been built by implementing Graphical User Interface (GUI) is described in this paper. The original CRS-Stack software developed by WIT Consortium is compiled in the unix/linux environment, which is not a user-friendly software, so that a user must write the commands and parameters manually in a script file. Due to this limitation, the CRS-Stack become a non popular method, although applying this method is actually a promising way in order to obtain better seismic sections, which have better reflector continuity and S/N ratio. After obtaining successful results that have been tested by using several seismic data belong to oil companies in Indonesia, it comes to an idea to develop a user-friendly software in our own laboratory. Graphical User Interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that allows people to interact with computer programs in a better way. Rather than typing commands and module parameters, GUI allows the users to use computer programs in much simple and easy. Thus, GUI can transform the text-based interface into graphical icons and visual indicators. The use of complicated seismic unix shell script can be avoided. The Java Swing GUI library is used to develop this CRS-Stack GUI. Every shell script that represents each seismic process is invoked from Java environment. Besides developing interactive GUI to perform CRS-Stack processing, this CRS-Stack GUI is design to help geophysicists to manage a project with complex seismic processing procedures. The CRS-Stack GUI software is composed by input directory, operators, and output directory, which are defined as a seismic data processing workflow. The CRS-Stack processing workflow involves four steps; i.e. automatic CMP stack, initial CRS-Stack, optimized CRS-Stack, and CRS-Stack Supergather. Those operations are visualized in an informative flowchart with self explanatory system to guide the user inputting the

  1. Developing the Multimedia User Interface Component (MUSIC) for the Icarus Presentation System (IPS)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-12-01

    AD-A276 341 In-House Report December 1993 DEVELOPING THE MULTIMEDIA USER INTERFACE COMPONENT ( MUSIC ) FOR THE ICARUS PRESENTATION SYSTEM (IPS) Ingrid...DATEs COVERED 7 December 1993 Ina-House Jun - Aug 93 4 TWLE AM SL1sM1E & FUNDING NUMBERS DEVELOPING THE MULTIMEDIA USER INTERFACE COMPONENT ( MUSIC ) PE...the Multimedia User Interface Component ( MUSIC ). This report documents the initial research, design and implementation of a prototype of the MUSIC

  2. siGnum: graphical user interface for EMG signal analysis.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Manvinder; Mathur, Shilpi; Bhatia, Dinesh; Verma, Suresh

    2015-01-01

    Electromyography (EMG) signals that represent the electrical activity of muscles can be used for various clinical and biomedical applications. These are complicated and highly varying signals that are dependent on anatomical location and physiological properties of the muscles. EMG signals acquired from the muscles require advanced methods for detection, decomposition and processing. This paper proposes a novel Graphical User Interface (GUI) siGnum developed in MATLAB that will apply efficient and effective techniques on processing of the raw EMG signals and decompose it in a simpler manner. It could be used independent of MATLAB software by employing a deploy tool. This would enable researcher's to gain good understanding of EMG signal and its analysis procedures that can be utilized for more powerful, flexible and efficient applications in near future.

  3. A review of existing and potential computer user interfaces for modern radiology.

    PubMed

    Iannessi, Antoine; Marcy, Pierre-Yves; Clatz, Olivier; Bertrand, Anne-Sophie; Sugimoto, Maki

    2018-05-16

    The digitalization of modern imaging has led radiologists to become very familiar with computers and their user interfaces (UI). New options for display and command offer expanded possibilities, but the mouse and keyboard remain the most commonly utilized, for usability reasons. In this work, we review and discuss different UI and their possible application in radiology. We consider two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging displays in the context of interventional radiology, and discuss interest in touchscreens, kinetic sensors, eye detection, and augmented or virtual reality. We show that UI design specifically for radiologists is key for future use and adoption of such new interfaces. Next-generation UI must fulfil professional needs, while considering contextual constraints. • The mouse and keyboard remain the most utilized user interfaces for radiologists. • Touchscreen, holographic, kinetic sensors and eye tracking offer new possibilities for interaction. • 3D and 2D imaging require specific user interfaces. • Holographic display and augmented reality provide a third dimension to volume imaging. • Good usability is essential for adoption of new user interfaces by radiologists.

  4. Optimizing real-time Web-based user interfaces for observatories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibson, J. Duane; Pickering, Timothy E.; Porter, Dallan; Schaller, Skip

    2008-08-01

    In using common HTML/Ajax approaches for web-based data presentation and telescope control user interfaces at the MMT Observatory (MMTO), we rapidly were confronted with web browser performance issues. Much of the operational data at the MMTO is highly dynamic and is constantly changing during normal operations. Status of telescope subsystems must be displayed with minimal latency to telescope operators and other users. A major motivation of migrating toward web-based applications at the MMTO is to provide easy access to current and past observatory subsystem data for a wide variety of users on their favorite operating system through a familiar interface, their web browser. Performance issues, especially for user interfaces that control telescope subsystems, led to investigations of more efficient use of HTML/Ajax and web server technologies as well as other web-based technologies, such as Java and Flash/Flex. The results presented here focus on techniques for optimizing HTML/Ajax web applications with near real-time data display. This study indicates that direct modification of the contents or "nodeValue" attribute of text nodes is the most efficient method of updating data values displayed on a web page. Other optimization techniques are discussed for web-based applications that display highly dynamic data.

  5. User-Centered Design, Experience, and Usability of an Electronic Consent User Interface to Facilitate Informed Decision-Making in an HIV Clinic.

    PubMed

    Ramos, S Raquel

    2017-11-01

    Health information exchange is the electronic accessibility and transferability of patient medical records across various healthcare settings and providers. In some states, patients have to formally give consent to allow their medical records to be electronically shared. The purpose of this study was to apply a novel user-centered, multistep, multiframework approach to design and test an electronic consent user interface, so patients with HIV can make more informed decisions about electronically sharing their health information. This study consisted of two steps. Step 1 was a cross-sectional, descriptive, qualitative study that used user-centric design interviews to create the user interface. This informed Step 2. Step 2 consisted of a one group posttest to examine perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, preference, and comprehension of a health information exchange electronic consent user interface. More than half of the study population had college experience, but challenges remained with overall comprehension regarding consent. The user interface was not independently successful, suggesting that in addition to an electronic consent user interface, human interaction may also be necessary to address the complexities associated with consenting to electronically share health information. Comprehension is key factor in the ability to make informed decisions.

  6. Mobile tele-echography: user interface design.

    PubMed

    Cañero, Cristina; Thomos, Nikolaos; Triantafyllidis, George A; Litos, George C; Strintzis, Michael Gerassimos

    2005-03-01

    Ultrasound imaging allows the evaluation of the degree of emergency of a patient. However, in some instances, a well-trained sonographer is unavailable to perform such echography. To cope with this issue, the Mobile Tele-Echography Using an Ultralight Robot (OTELO) project aims to develop a fully integrated end-to-end mobile tele-echography system using an ultralight remote-controlled robot for population groups that are not served locally by medical experts. This paper focuses on the user interface of the OTELO system, consisting of the following parts: an ultrasound video transmission system providing real-time images of the scanned area, an audio/video conference to communicate with the paramedical assistant and with the patient, and a virtual-reality environment, providing visual and haptic feedback to the expert, while capturing the expert's hand movements. These movements are reproduced by the robot at the patient site while holding the ultrasound probe against the patient skin. In addition, the user interface includes an image processing facility for enhancing the received images and the possibility to include them into a database.

  7. A novel graphical user interface for ultrasound-guided shoulder arthroscopic surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tyryshkin, K.; Mousavi, P.; Beek, M.; Pichora, D.; Abolmaesumi, P.

    2007-03-01

    This paper presents a novel graphical user interface developed for a navigation system for ultrasound-guided computer-assisted shoulder arthroscopic surgery. The envisioned purpose of the interface is to assist the surgeon in determining the position and orientation of the arthroscopic camera and other surgical tools within the anatomy of the patient. The user interface features real time position tracking of the arthroscopic instruments with an optical tracking system, and visualization of their graphical representations relative to a three-dimensional shoulder surface model of the patient, created from computed tomography images. In addition, the developed graphical interface facilitates fast and user-friendly intra-operative calibration of the arthroscope and the arthroscopic burr, capture and segmentation of ultrasound images, and intra-operative registration. A pilot study simulating the computer-aided shoulder arthroscopic procedure on a shoulder phantom demonstrated the speed, efficiency and ease-of-use of the system.

  8. Use of natural user interfaces in water simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donchyts, G.; Baart, F.; van Dam, A.; Jagers, B.

    2013-12-01

    Conventional graphical user interfaces, used to edit input and present results of earth science models, have seen little innovation for the past two decades. In most cases model data is presented and edited using 2D projections even when working with 3D data. The emergence of 3D motion sensing technologies, such as Microsoft Kinect and LEAP Motion, opens new possibilities for user interaction by adding more degrees of freedom compared to a classical way using mouse and keyboard. Here we investigate how interaction with hydrodynamic numerical models can be improved using these new technologies. Our research hypothesis (H1) states that properly designed 3D graphical user interface paired with the 3D motion sensor can significantly reduce the time required to setup and use numerical models. In this work we have used a LEAP motion controller combined with a shallow water flow model engine D-Flow Flexible Mesh. Interacting with numerical model using hands

  9. The Promise of Zoomable User Interfaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bederson, Benjamin B.

    2011-01-01

    Zoomable user interfaces (ZUIs) have received a significant amount of attention in the 18 years since they were introduced. They have enjoyed some success, and elements of ZUIs are widely used in computers today, although the grand vision of a zoomable desktop has not materialised. This paper describes the premise and promise of ZUIs along with…

  10. Flexible software architecture for user-interface and machine control in laboratory automation.

    PubMed

    Arutunian, E B; Meldrum, D R; Friedman, N A; Moody, S E

    1998-10-01

    We describe a modular, layered software architecture for automated laboratory instruments. The design consists of a sophisticated user interface, a machine controller and multiple individual hardware subsystems, each interacting through a client-server architecture built entirely on top of open Internet standards. In our implementation, the user-interface components are built as Java applets that are downloaded from a server integrated into the machine controller. The user-interface client can thereby provide laboratory personnel with a familiar environment for experiment design through a standard World Wide Web browser. Data management and security are seamlessly integrated at the machine-controller layer using QNX, a real-time operating system. This layer also controls hardware subsystems through a second client-server interface. This architecture has proven flexible and relatively easy to implement and allows users to operate laboratory automation instruments remotely through an Internet connection. The software architecture was implemented and demonstrated on the Acapella, an automated fluid-sample-processing system that is under development at the University of Washington.

  11. Eye-gaze determination of user intent at the computer interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goldberg, J.H.; Schryver, J.C.

    1993-12-31

    Determination of user intent at the computer interface through eye-gaze monitoring can significantly aid applications for the disabled, as well as telerobotics and process control interfaces. Whereas current eye-gaze control applications are limited to object selection and x/y gazepoint tracking, a methodology was developed here to discriminate a more abstract interface operation: zooming-in or out. This methodology first collects samples of eve-gaze location looking at controlled stimuli, at 30 Hz, just prior to a user`s decision to zoom. The sample is broken into data frames, or temporal snapshots. Within a data frame, all spatial samples are connected into a minimummore » spanning tree, then clustered, according to user defined parameters. Each cluster is mapped to one in the prior data frame, and statistics are computed from each cluster. These characteristics include cluster size, position, and pupil size. A multiple discriminant analysis uses these statistics both within and between data frames to formulate optimal rules for assigning the observations into zooming, zoom-out, or no zoom conditions. The statistical procedure effectively generates heuristics for future assignments, based upon these variables. Future work will enhance the accuracy and precision of the modeling technique, and will empirically test users in controlled experiments.« less

  12. A user interface development tool for space science systems Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1990-01-01

    The Transportable Applications Environment Plus (TAE PLUS), developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is a portable What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) user interface development and management system. Its primary objective is to provide an integrated software environment that allows interactive prototyping and development that of user interfaces, as well as management of the user interface within the operational domain. Although TAE Plus is applicable to many types of applications, its focus is supporting user interfaces for space applications. This paper discusses what TAE Plus provides and how the implementation has utilized state-of-the-art technologies within graphic workstations, windowing systems and object-oriented programming languages.

  13. User's manual for the HYPGEN hyperbolic grid generator and the HGUI graphical user interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chan, William M.; Chiu, Ing-Tsau; Buning, Pieter G.

    1993-01-01

    The HYPGEN program is used to generate a 3-D volume grid over a user-supplied single-block surface grid. This is accomplished by solving the 3-D hyperbolic grid generation equations consisting of two orthogonality relations and one cell volume constraint. In this user manual, the required input files and parameters and output files are described. Guidelines on how to select the input parameters are given. Illustrated examples are provided showing a variety of topologies and geometries that can be treated. HYPGEN can be used in stand-alone mode as a batch program or it can be called from within a graphical user interface HGUI that runs on Silicon Graphics workstations. This user manual provides a description of the menus, buttons, sliders, and typein fields in HGUI for users to enter the parameters needed to run HYPGEN. Instructions are given on how to configure the interface to allow HYPGEN to run either locally or on a faster remote machine through the use of shell scripts on UNIX operating systems. The volume grid generated is copied back to the local machine for visualization using a built-in hook to PLOT3D.

  14. MASH Suite: a user-friendly and versatile software interface for high-resolution mass spectrometry data interpretation and visualization.

    PubMed

    Guner, Huseyin; Close, Patrick L; Cai, Wenxuan; Zhang, Han; Peng, Ying; Gregorich, Zachery R; Ge, Ying

    2014-03-01

    The rapid advancements in mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation, particularly in Fourier transform (FT) MS, have made the acquisition of high-resolution and high-accuracy mass measurements routine. However, the software tools for the interpretation of high-resolution MS data are underdeveloped. Although several algorithms for the automatic processing of high-resolution MS data are available, there is still an urgent need for a user-friendly interface with functions that allow users to visualize and validate the computational output. Therefore, we have developed MASH Suite, a user-friendly and versatile software interface for processing high-resolution MS data. MASH Suite contains a wide range of features that allow users to easily navigate through data analysis, visualize complex high-resolution MS data, and manually validate automatically processed results. Furthermore, it provides easy, fast, and reliable interpretation of top-down, middle-down, and bottom-up MS data. MASH Suite is convenient, easily operated, and freely available. It can greatly facilitate the comprehensive interpretation and validation of high-resolution MS data with high accuracy and reliability.

  15. Influence of Learning Styles on Graphical User Interface Preferences for e-Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dedic, Velimir; Markovic, Suzana

    2012-01-01

    Implementing Web-based educational environment requires not only developing appropriate architectures, but also incorporating human factors considerations. User interface becomes the major channel to convey information in e-learning context: a well-designed and friendly enough interface is thus the key element in helping users to get the best…

  16. Intelligent systems and advanced user interfaces for design, operation, and maintenance of command management systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Potter, William J.; Mitchell, Christine M.

    1993-01-01

    Historically, command management systems (CMS) have been large and expensive spacecraft-specific software systems that were costly to build, operate, and maintain. Current and emerging hardware, software, and user interface technologies may offer an opportunity to facilitate the initial formulation and design of a spacecraft-specific CMS as well as to develop a more generic CMS system. New technologies, in addition to a core CMS common to a range of spacecraft, may facilitate the training and enhance the efficiency of CMS operations. Current mission operations center (MOC) hardware and software include Unix workstations, the C/C++ programming languages, and an X window interface. This configuration provides the power and flexibility to support sophisticated and intelligent user interfaces that exploit state-of-the-art technologies in human-machine interaction, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. One of the goals of this research is to explore the extent to which technologies developed in the research laboratory can be productively applied in a complex system such as spacecraft command management. Initial examination of some of these issues in CMS design and operation suggests that application of technologies such as intelligent planning, case-based reasoning, human-machine systems design and analysis tools (e.g., operator and designer models), and human-computer interaction tools (e.g., graphics, visualization, and animation) may provide significant savings in the design, operation, and maintenance of the CMS for a specific spacecraft as well as continuity for CMS design and development across spacecraft. The first six months of this research saw a broad investigation by Georgia Tech researchers into the function, design, and operation of current and planned command management systems at Goddard Space Flight Center. As the first step, the researchers attempted to understand the current and anticipated horizons of command management systems at Goddard

  17. Spelling Correction in User Interfaces.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-12-20

    conventional typescript -oriented command language, where most com- mands consist of a verb followed by a sequence of arguments. Most user terminals are...and explanations. not part of the typescripts . 2 SPFE.LING CORRLC1iON IN USR IN"RFAC’S 2. Design Issues We were prompted to look for a new correction...remaining 73% led us to wonder what other mechanisms might permit further corrections while retaining the typescript -style interface. Most of the other

  18. Development of a graphical user interface for the global land information system (GLIS)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Alstad, Susan R.; Jackson, David A.

    1993-01-01

    The process of developing a Motif Graphical User Interface for the Global Land Information System (GLIS) involved incorporating user requirements, in-house visual and functional design requirements, and Open Software Foundation (OSF) Motif style guide standards. Motif user interface windows have been developed using the software to support Motif window functions war written using the C programming language. The GLIS architecture was modified to support multiple servers and remote handlers running the X Window System by forming a network of servers and handlers connected by TCP/IP communications. In April 1993, prior to release the GLIS graphical user interface and system architecture modifications were test by developers and users located at the EROS Data Center and 11 beta test sites across the country.

  19. Semantics of User Interface for Image Retrieval: Possibility Theory and Learning Techniques.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crehange, M.; And Others

    1989-01-01

    Discusses the need for a rich semantics for the user interface in interactive image retrieval and presents two methods for building such interfaces: possibility theory applied to fuzzy data retrieval, and a machine learning technique applied to learning the user's deep need. Prototypes developed using videodisks and knowledge-based software are…

  20. User Interface Design in Medical Distributed Web Applications.

    PubMed

    Serban, Alexandru; Crisan-Vida, Mihaela; Mada, Leonard; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lacramioara

    2016-01-01

    User interfaces are important to facilitate easy learning and operating with an IT application especially in the medical world. An easy to use interface has to be simple and to customize the user needs and mode of operation. The technology in the background is an important tool to accomplish this. The present work aims to creating a web interface using specific technology (HTML table design combined with CSS3) to provide an optimized responsive interface for a complex web application. In the first phase, the current icMED web medical application layout is analyzed, and its structure is designed using specific tools, on source files. In the second phase, a new graphic adaptable interface to different mobile terminals is proposed, (using HTML table design (TD) and CSS3 method) that uses no source files, just lines of code for layout design, improving the interaction in terms of speed and simplicity. For a complex medical software application a new prototype layout was designed and developed using HTML tables. The method uses a CSS code with only CSS classes applied to one or multiple HTML table elements, instead of CSS styles that can be applied to just one DIV tag at once. The technique has the advantage of a simplified CSS code, and a better adaptability to different media resolutions compared to DIV-CSS style method. The presented work is a proof that adaptive web interfaces can be developed just using and combining different types of design methods and technologies, using HTML table design, resulting in a simpler to learn and use interface, suitable for healthcare services.

  1. REX2000 Version 2.5: Improved DATA Handling and Enhanced User-Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taguchi, Takeyoshi

    2007-02-01

    XAFS analysis can be applied to various fields such as material science, environmental study, biological science, etc. and is widely used for characterization in those fields. In the early days that XAFS technique was started to be used, scientists wrote their own code for XAFS data analysis. As XAFS technique became very popular and XAFS community grew big, a several analysis code or package had been developed and submitted for people to use. The REX2000 is one of those XAFS analysis packages, which is commercially available. Counting up from its predecessor "REX", REX2000 has been used for more than 15 years in XAFS society. From the previous modification in 2003, a major change was made in this year of 2006. For a dynamical study of advanced material, many XAFS DATA were measured (quick XAFS and in-situ XAFS) and hundreds of DATA sets need to be processed. The REX2000's DATA handling is improved to cope with those huge volume DATA at once and report the fitting result as CSV file. Well-established user-interface is enhanced so that user can customize initial values for data analysis and specify the options through graphical interface. Many small changes are made and described in this paper.

  2. Representation-based user interfaces for the audiovisual library of the year 2000

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aigrain, Philippe; Joly, Philippe; Lepain, Philippe; Longueville, Veronique

    1995-03-01

    The audiovisual library of the future will be based on computerized access to digitized documents. In this communication, we address the user interface issues which will arise from this new situation. One cannot simply transfer a user interface designed for the piece by piece production of some audiovisual presentation and make it a tool for accessing full-length movies in an electronic library. One cannot take a digital sound editing tool and propose it as a means to listen to a musical recording. In our opinion, when computers are used as mediations to existing contents, document representation-based user interfaces are needed. With such user interfaces, a structured visual representation of the document contents is presented to the user, who can then manipulate it to control perception and analysis of these contents. In order to build such manipulable visual representations of audiovisual documents, one needs to automatically extract structural information from the documents contents. In this communication, we describe possible visual interfaces for various temporal media, and we propose methods for the economically feasible large scale processing of documents. The work presented is sponsored by the Bibliotheque Nationale de France: it is part of the program aiming at developing for image and sound documents an experimental counterpart to the digitized text reading workstation of this library.

  3. A Prototype Graphical User Interface for Co-op: A Group Decision Support System.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-03-01

    achieve their potential to communicate. Information-oriented, systematic graphic design is the use of typography , symbols, color, and other static and...apphcuittin by reducig Uber ellurt anid enhuncizig Iliteracti. ’Iliis thesis designs and de% elupht Itrututylle Graphical User Interface iGUl i fui Cu f...ORGANIZATION.... .. .. ............ II. INTERFACE DESIGN PRINCIPLES. .............. 7 A. GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES.............7 1. Design Principles

  4. User interface for ground-water modeling: Arcview extension

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tsou, Ming‐shu; Whittemore, Donald O.

    2001-01-01

    Numerical simulation for ground-water modeling often involves handling large input and output data sets. A geographic information system (GIS) provides an integrated platform to manage, analyze, and display disparate data and can greatly facilitate modeling efforts in data compilation, model calibration, and display of model parameters and results. Furthermore, GIS can be used to generate information for decision making through spatial overlay and processing of model results. Arc View is the most widely used Windows-based GIS software that provides a robust user-friendly interface to facilitate data handling and display. An extension is an add-on program to Arc View that provides additional specialized functions. An Arc View interface for the ground-water flow and transport models MODFLOW and MT3D was built as an extension for facilitating modeling. The extension includes preprocessing of spatially distributed (point, line, and polygon) data for model input and postprocessing of model output. An object database is used for linking user dialogs and model input files. The Arc View interface utilizes the capabilities of the 3D Analyst extension. Models can be automatically calibrated through the Arc View interface by external linking to such programs as PEST. The efficient pre- and postprocessing capabilities and calibration link were demonstrated for ground-water modeling in southwest Kansas.

  5. User interface customization on Endoscopy Department Mini-PACS and its impact on examination workflow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osada, Masakazu; Kaise, Mitsuru; Ozeki, Takeshi; Tsunakawa, Hirofumi; Tsunakawa, Kiyoshi; Takayanagi, Takashi; Suzuki, Nobuaki; Miwa, Jun; Ohta, Yasuhiko; Kanai, Koichi

    1999-07-01

    We have proposed a new user interface with workflow customization, implemented and evaluted in Endoscopy Department Mini-PACS that has been introduced and routinely used for two years at Toshiba General Hospital. We have set some task at endoscopy image acquisition units during examinations for two different types of user interfaces and compared performance. One is a command-button based operation using a remote control, and another is that with eight graphic buttons which are displayed on a CRT monitor and can be customized. Results of the two-year study show that mean number of input diagnosis codes per examination with graphic and customized interface is significantly greater than that with conventional interface. Also, mean time to complete one upper gastric endoscopy examination with new user interface is about 17 percent less than that with conventional interface. These result suggest that systems with the visualized and customized operation and feedback encourages physicians to use more functions and to compete tasks more efficiently than systems with conventional command-button based user interfaces.

  6. Viewer: a User Interface for Failure Region Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-12-01

    another possible area of continued research. The program could detect whether the user is a beginner , intermediate, or expert and provide different...interfaces for each level. The beginner level would provide detailed help functions, and prompt the user with detailed explanations of what the program...June 1990. Brooke, J.B. and Duncan, K.D., "Experimental Studies of Flowchart Use at Different Stages of Program Debugging" (Ergonomics, Vol 23, No

  7. TOOKUIL: A case study in user interface development for safety code application

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gray, D.L.; Harkins, C.K.; Hoole, J.G.

    1997-07-01

    Traditionally, there has been a very high learning curve associated with using nuclear power plant (NPP) analysis codes. Even for seasoned plant analysts and engineers, the process of building or modifying an input model for present day NPP analysis codes is tedious, error prone, and time consuming. Current cost constraints and performance demands place an additional burden on today`s safety analysis community. Advances in graphical user interface (GUI) technology have been applied to obtain significant productivity and quality assurance improvements for the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC) input model development. KAPL Inc. has developed an X Windows-based graphical user interfacemore » named TOOKUIL which supports the design and analysis process, acting as a preprocessor, runtime editor, help system, and post processor for TRAC. This paper summarizes the objectives of the project, the GUI development process and experiences, and the resulting end product, TOOKUIL.« less

  8. Development of the User Interface for AIR-Spec

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cervantes Alcala, E.; Guth, G.; Fedeler, S.; Samra, J.; Cheimets, P.; DeLuca, E.; Golub, L.

    2016-12-01

    The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) is an imaging spectrometer that will observe the solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse. This eclipse will provide a unique opportunity to observe infrared emission lines in the corona. Five spectral lines are of particular interest because they may eventually be used to measure the coronal magnetic field. To avoid infrared absorption from atmospheric water vapor, AIR-Spec will be placed on an NSF Gulfstream aircraft flying above 14.9 km. AIR-Spec must be capable of taking stable images while the plane moves. The instrument includes an image stabilization system, which uses fiber-optic gyroscopes to determine platform rotation, GPS to calculate the ephemeris of the sun, and a voltage-driven mirror to correct the line of sight. An operator monitors a white light image of the eclipse and manually corrects for residual drift. The image stabilization calculation is performed by a programmable automatic controller (PAC), which interfaces with the gyroscopes and mirror controller. The operator interfaces with a separate computer, which acquires images and computes the solar ephemeris. To ensure image stabilization is successful, a human machine interface (HMI) was developed to allow connection between the client and PAC. In order to make control of the instruments user friendly during the short eclipse observation, a graphical user interface (GUI) was also created. The GUI's functionality includes turning image stabilization on and off, allowing the user to input information about the geometric setup, calculating the solar ephemeris, refining estimates of the initial aircraft attitude, and storing data from the PAC on the operator's computer. It also displays time, location, attitude, ephemeris, gyro rates and mirror angles.

  9. Twinlist: novel user interface designs for medication reconciliation.

    PubMed

    Plaisant, Catherine; Chao, Tiffany; Wu, Johnny; Hettinger, A Zach; Herskovic, Jorge R; Johnson, Todd R; Bernstam, Elmer V; Markowitz, Eliz; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

    2013-01-01

    Medication reconciliation is an important and complex task for which careful user interface design has the potential to help reduce errors and improve quality of care. In this paper we focus on the hospital discharge scenario and first describe a novel interface called Twinlist. Twinlist illustrates the novel use of spatial layout combined with multi-step animation, to help medical providers see what is different and what is similar between the lists (e.g., intake list and hospital list), and rapidly choose the drugs they want to include in the reconciled list. We then describe a series of variant designs and discuss their comparative advantages and disadvantages. Finally we report on a pilot study that suggests that animation might help users learn new spatial layouts such as the one used in Twinlist.

  10. The Philosophy of User Interfaces in HELIO and the Importance of CASSIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonnin, X.; Aboudarham, J.; Renié, C.; Csillaghy, A.; Messerotti, M.; Bentley, R. D.

    2012-09-01

    HELIO is a European project funded under FP7 (Project No. 238969). One of its goals as a Heliospheric Virtual Observatory is to provide an easy access to many datasets scattered all over the world, in the fields of Solar physics, Heliophysics, and Planetary magnetospheres. The efficiency of such a tool is very much related to the quality of the user interface. HELIO infrastructure is based on a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), regrouping a network of standalone components, which allows four main types of interfaces: - HELIO Front End (HFE) is a browser-based user interface, which offers a centralized access to the HELIO main functionalities. Especially, it provides the possibility to reach data directly, or to refine selection by determination of observing characteristics, such as which instrument was observing at that time, which instrument was at this location, etc. - Many services/components provide their own standalone graphical user interface. While one can directly access individually each of these interfaces, they can also be connected together. - Most services also provide direct access for any tools through a public interface. A small java library, called Java API, simplifies this access by providing client stubs for services and shields the user from security, discovery and failover issues. - Workflows capabilities are available in HELIO, allowing complex combination of queries over several services. We want the user to be able to navigate easily, at his needs, through the various interfaces, and possibly use a specific one in order to make much-dedicated queries. We will also emphasize the importance of the CASSIS project (Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science) in encouraging the interoperability necessary to undertake scientific studies that span disciplinary boundaries. If related projects follow the guidelines being developed by CASSIS then using external resources with HELIO will be greatly simplified.

  11. User Interface Technology Transfer to NASA's Virtual Wind Tunnel System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    vanDam, Andries

    1998-01-01

    Funded by NASA grants for four years, the Brown Computer Graphics Group has developed novel 3D user interfaces for desktop and immersive scientific visualization applications. This past grant period supported the design and development of a software library, the 3D Widget Library, which supports the construction and run-time management of 3D widgets. The 3D Widget Library is a mechanism for transferring user interface technology from the Brown Graphics Group to the Virtual Wind Tunnel system at NASA Ames as well as the public domain.

  12. Advanced software development workstation project ACCESS user's guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    ACCESS is a knowledge based software information system designed to assist the user in modifying retrieved software to satisfy user specifications. A user's guide is presented for the knowledge engineer who wishes to create for ACCESS a knowledge base consisting of representations of objects in some software system. This knowledge is accessible to an end user who wishes to use the catalogued software objects to create a new application program or an input stream for an existing system. The application specific portion of an ACCESS knowledge base consists of a taxonomy of object classes, as well as instances of these classes. All objects in the knowledge base are stored in an associative memory. ACCESS provides a standard interface for the end user to browse and modify objects. In addition, the interface can be customized by the addition of application specific data entry forms and by specification of display order for the taxonomy and object attributes. These customization options are described.

  13. Integrating a local database into the StarView distributed user interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Silberberg, D. P.

    1992-01-01

    A distributed user interface to the Space Telescope Data Archive and Distribution Service (DADS) known as StarView is being developed. The DADS architecture consists of the data archive as well as a relational database catalog describing the archive. StarView is a client/server system in which the user interface is the front-end client to the DADS catalog and archive servers. Users query the DADS catalog from the StarView interface. Query commands are transmitted via a network and evaluated by the database. The results are returned via the network and are displayed on StarView forms. Based on the results, users decide which data sets to retrieve from the DADS archive. Archive requests are packaged by StarView and sent to DADS, which returns the requested data sets to the users. The advantages of distributed client/server user interfaces over traditional one-machine systems are well known. Since users run software on machines separate from the database, the overall client response time is much faster. Also, since the server is free to process only database requests, the database response time is much faster. Disadvantages inherent in this architecture are slow overall database access time due to the network delays, lack of a 'get previous row' command, and that refinements of a previously issued query must be submitted to the database server, even though the domain of values have already been returned by the previous query. This architecture also does not allow users to cross correlate DADS catalog data with other catalogs. Clearly, a distributed user interface would be more powerful if it overcame these disadvantages. A local database is being integrated into StarView to overcome these disadvantages. When a query is made through a StarView form, which is often composed of fields from multiple tables, it is translated to an SQL query and issued to the DADS catalog. At the same time, a local database table is created to contain the resulting rows of the query. The

  14. User interface development and metadata considerations for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) archive

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Singley, P. T.; Bell, J. D.; Daugherty, P. F.; Hubbs, C. A.; Tuggle, J. G.

    1993-01-01

    This paper will discuss user interface development and the structure and use of metadata for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive. The ARM Archive, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is the data repository for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) ARM Project. After a short description of the ARM Project and the ARM Archive's role, we will consider the philosophy and goals, constraints, and prototype implementation of the user interface for the archive. We will also describe the metadata that are stored at the archive and support the user interface.

  15. Bilinear modeling of EMG signals to extract user-independent features for multiuser myoelectric interface.

    PubMed

    Matsubara, Takamitsu; Morimoto, Jun

    2013-08-01

    In this study, we propose a multiuser myoelectric interface that can easily adapt to novel users. When a user performs different motions (e.g., grasping and pinching), different electromyography (EMG) signals are measured. When different users perform the same motion (e.g., grasping), different EMG signals are also measured. Therefore, designing a myoelectric interface that can be used by multiple users to perform multiple motions is difficult. To cope with this problem, we propose for EMG signals a bilinear model that is composed of two linear factors: 1) user dependent and 2) motion dependent. By decomposing the EMG signals into these two factors, the extracted motion-dependent factors can be used as user-independent features. We can construct a motion classifier on the extracted feature space to develop the multiuser interface. For novel users, the proposed adaptation method estimates the user-dependent factor through only a few interactions. The bilinear EMG model with the estimated user-dependent factor can extract the user-independent features from the novel user data. We applied our proposed method to a recognition task of five hand gestures for robotic hand control using four-channel EMG signals measured from subject forearms. Our method resulted in 73% accuracy, which was statistically significantly different from the accuracy of standard nonmultiuser interfaces, as the result of a two-sample t -test at a significance level of 1%.

  16. Development and implementation of (Q)SAR modeling within the CHARMMing web-user interface.

    PubMed

    Weidlich, Iwona E; Pevzner, Yuri; Miller, Benjamin T; Filippov, Igor V; Woodcock, H Lee; Brooks, Bernard R

    2015-01-05

    Recent availability of large publicly accessible databases of chemical compounds and their biological activities (PubChem, ChEMBL) has inspired us to develop a web-based tool for structure activity relationship and quantitative structure activity relationship modeling to add to the services provided by CHARMMing (www.charmming.org). This new module implements some of the most recent advances in modern machine learning algorithms-Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Stochastic Gradient Descent, Gradient Tree Boosting, so forth. A user can import training data from Pubchem Bioassay data collections directly from our interface or upload his or her own SD files which contain structures and activity information to create new models (either categorical or numerical). A user can then track the model generation process and run models on new data to predict activity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. A User Interface for Multiple Retrieval Systems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teskey, Niall; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Reviews current systems designed to help end-users search online databases without the assistance of an intermediary and describes a prototype system which emulates the Deco (the text storage and retrieval system used by Unilever) interface on Dialog and Data-Star. Initial trials of the prototype system are reported. (15 references) (MES)

  18. Designing an operator interface? Consider user`s `psychology`

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Toffer, D.E.

    The modern operator interface is a channel of communication between operators and the plant that, ideally, provides them with information necessary to keep the plant running at maximum efficiency. Advances in automation technology have increased information flow from the field to the screen. New and improved Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) packages provide designers with powerful and open design considerations. All too often, however, systems go to the field designed for the software rather than the operator. Plant operators` jobs have changed fundamentally, from controlling their plants from out in the field to doing so from within control rooms.more » Control room-based operation does not denote idleness. Trained operators should be engaged in examination of plant status and cognitive evaluation of plant efficiencies. Designers who are extremely computer literate, often do not consider demographics of field operators. Many field operators have little knowledge of modern computer systems. As a result, they do not take full advantage of the interface`s capabilities. Designers often fail to understand the true nature of how operators run their plants. To aid field operators, designers must provide familiar controls and intuitive choices. To achieve success in interface design, it is necessary to understand the ways in which humans think conceptually, and to understand how they process this information physically. The physical and the conceptual are closely related when working with any type of interface. Designers should ask themselves: {open_quotes}What type of information is useful to the field operator?{close_quotes} Let`s explore an integration model that contains the following key elements: (1) Easily navigated menus; (2) Reduced chances for misunderstanding; (3) Accurate representations of the plant or operation; (4) Consistent and predictable operation; (5) A pleasant and engaging interface that conforms to the operator`s expectations. 4

  19. Classification of user interfaces for graph-based online analytical processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Michaelis, James R.

    2016-05-01

    In the domain of business intelligence, user-oriented software for conducting multidimensional analysis via Online- Analytical Processing (OLAP) is now commonplace. In this setting, datasets commonly have well-defined sets of dimensions and measures around which analysis tasks can be conducted. However, many forms of data used in intelligence operations - deriving from social networks, online communications, and text corpora - will consist of graphs with varying forms of potential dimensional structure. Hence, enabling OLAP over such data collections requires explicit definition and extraction of supporting dimensions and measures. Further, as Graph OLAP remains an emerging technique, limited research has been done on its user interface requirements. Namely, on effective pairing of interface designs to different types of graph-derived dimensions and measures. This paper presents a novel technique for pairing of user interface designs to Graph OLAP datasets, rooted in Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) driven comparisons. Attributes of the classification strategy are encoded through an AHP ontology, developed in our alternate work and extended to support pairwise comparison of interfaces. Specifically, according to their ability, as perceived by Subject Matter Experts, to support dimensions and measures corresponding to Graph OLAP dataset attributes. To frame this discussion, a survey is provided both on existing variations of Graph OLAP, as well as existing interface designs previously applied in multidimensional analysis settings. Following this, a review of our AHP ontology is provided, along with a listing of corresponding dataset and interface attributes applicable toward SME recommendation structuring. A walkthrough of AHP-based recommendation encoding via the ontology-based approach is then provided. The paper concludes with a short summary of proposed future directions seen as essential for this research area.

  20. CATO--A General User Interface for CAS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janetzko, Hans-Dieter

    2015-01-01

    CATO is a new user interface, developed by the author as a response to the significant difficulties faced by scientists, engineers, and students in their usage of computer algebra (CA) systems. Their tendency to use CA systems only occasionally means that they are unfamiliar with requisite grammar and syntax these systems require. The author…

  1. TmoleX--a graphical user interface for TURBOMOLE.

    PubMed

    Steffen, Claudia; Thomas, Klaus; Huniar, Uwe; Hellweg, Arnim; Rubner, Oliver; Schroer, Alexander

    2010-12-01

    We herein present the graphical user interface (GUI) TmoleX for the quantum chemical program package TURBOMOLE. TmoleX allows users to execute the complete workflow of a quantum chemical investigation from the initial building of a structure to the visualization of the results in a user friendly graphical front end. The purpose of TmoleX is to make TURBOMOLE easy to use and to provide a high degree of flexibility. Hence, it should be a valuable tool for most users from beginners to experts. The program is developed in Java and runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac platforms. It can be used to run calculations on local desktops as well as on remote computers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus: A NASA user interface development and management system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1991-01-01

    The transportable Applications Environment Plus (TAE Plus), developed at the NASA Goddard Space FLight Center, is a portable, What you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) user interface development and management system. Its primary objective is to provide an integrated software environment that allows interactive prototyping and development of graphical user interfaces, as well as management of the user interface within the operational domain. TAE Plus is being applied to many types of applications, and what TAE Plus provides, how the implementation has utilizes state-of-the-art technologies within graphic workstations, and how it has been used both within and without NASA are discussed.

  3. A method of designing smartphone interface based on the extended user's mental model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Wei; Li, Fengmin; Bian, Jiali; Pan, Juchen; Song, Song

    2017-01-01

    The user's mental model is the core guiding theory of product design, especially practical products. The essence of practical product is a tool which is used by users to meet their needs. Then, the most important feature of a tool is usability. The design method based on the user's mental model provides a series of practical and feasible theoretical guidance for improving the usability of the product according to the user's awareness of things. In this paper, we propose a method of designing smartphone interface based on the extended user's mental model according to further research on user groups. This approach achieves personalized customization of smartphone application interface and enhance application using efficiency.

  4. The design and evaluation of an activity monitoring user interface for people with stroke.

    PubMed

    Hart, Phil; Bierwirth, Rebekah; Fulk, George; Sazonov, Edward

    2014-01-01

    Usability is an important topic in the field of telerehabilitation research. Older users with disabilities in particular, present age-related and disability-related challenges that should be accommodated for in the design of a user interface for a telerehabilitation system. This paper describes the design, implementation, and assessment of a telerehabilitation system user interface that tries to maximize usability for an elderly user who has experienced a stroke. An Internet-connected Nintendo(®) Wii™ gaming system is selected as a hardware platform, and a server and website are implemented to process and display the feedback information. The usability of the interface is assessed with a trial consisting of 18 subjects: 10 healthy Doctor of Physical Therapy students and 8 people with a stroke. Results show similar levels of usability and high satisfaction with the gaming system interface from both groups of subjects.

  5. JEDI for Advanced Users | Jobs and Economic Development Impact Models |

    Science.gov Websites

    NREL for Advanced Users JEDI for Advanced Users The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI discussion. Users with more experience with power generation projects and/or economic impact analysis can Economic Analysis provides data for more than 400 economic sectors. Advanced users can refer to these

  6. TangibleCubes — Implementation of Tangible User Interfaces through the Usage of Microcontroller and Sensor Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Setscheny, Stephan

    The interaction between human beings and technology builds a central aspect in human life. The most common form of this human-technology interface is the graphical user interface which is controlled through the mouse and the keyboard. In consequence of continuous miniaturization and the increasing performance of microcontrollers and sensors for the detection of human interactions, developers receive new possibilities for realising innovative interfaces. As far as this movement is concerned, the relevance of computers in the common sense and graphical user interfaces is decreasing. Especially in the area of ubiquitous computing and the interaction through tangible user interfaces a highly impact of this technical evolution can be seen. Apart from this, tangible and experience able interaction offers users the possibility of an interactive and intuitive method for controlling technical objects. The implementation of microcontrollers for control functions and sensors enables the realisation of these experience able interfaces. Besides the theories about tangible user interfaces, the consideration about sensors and the Arduino platform builds a main aspect of this work.

  7. User interface enhancement report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Badler, N. I.; Gangel, J.; Shields, G.; Fala, G.

    1985-01-01

    The existing user interfaces to TEMPUS, Plaid, and other systems in the OSDS are fundamentally based on only two modes of communication: alphanumeric commands or data input and grapical interaction. The latter are especially suited to the types of interaction necessary for creating workstation objects with BUILD and with performing body positioning in TEMPUS. Looking toward the future application of TEMPUS, however, the long-term goals of OSDS will include the analysis of extensive tasks in space involving one or more individuals working in concert over a period of time. In this context, the TEMPUS body positioning capability, though extremely useful in creating and validating a small number of particular body positions, will become somewhat tedious to use. The macro facility helps somewhat, since frequently used positions may be easily applied by executing a stored macro. The difference between body positioning and task execution, though subtle, is important. In the case of task execution, the important information at the user's level is what actions are to be performed rather than how the actions are performed. Viewed slightly differently, the what is constant over a set of individuals though the how may vary.

  8. ModelMate - A graphical user interface for model analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Banta, Edward R.

    2011-01-01

    ModelMate is a graphical user interface designed to facilitate use of model-analysis programs with models. This initial version of ModelMate supports one model-analysis program, UCODE_2005, and one model software program, MODFLOW-2005. ModelMate can be used to prepare input files for UCODE_2005, run UCODE_2005, and display analysis results. A link to the GW_Chart graphing program facilitates visual interpretation of results. ModelMate includes capabilities for organizing directories used with the parallel-processing capabilities of UCODE_2005 and for maintaining files in those directories to be identical to a set of files in a master directory. ModelMate can be used on its own or in conjunction with ModelMuse, a graphical user interface for MODFLOW-2005 and PHAST.

  9. Knowledge-based critiquing of graphical user interfaces with CHIMES

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jiang, Jianping; Murphy, Elizabeth D.; Carter, Leslie E.; Truszkowski, Walter F.

    1994-01-01

    CHIMES is a critiquing tool that automates the process of checking graphical user interface (GUI) designs for compliance with human factors design guidelines and toolkit style guides. The current prototype identifies instances of non-compliance and presents problem statements, advice, and tips to the GUI designer. Changes requested by the designer are made automatically, and the revised GUI is re-evaluated. A case study conducted at NASA-Goddard showed that CHIMES has the potential for dramatically reducing the time formerly spent in hands-on consistency checking. Capabilities recently added to CHIMES include exception handling and rule building. CHIMES is intended for use prior to usability testing as a means, for example, of catching and correcting syntactic inconsistencies in a larger user interface.

  10. PAMLX: a graphical user interface for PAML.

    PubMed

    Xu, Bo; Yang, Ziheng

    2013-12-01

    This note announces pamlX, a graphical user interface/front end for the paml (for Phylogenetic Analysis by Maximum Likelihood) program package (Yang Z. 1997. PAML: a program package for phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood. Comput Appl Biosci. 13:555-556; Yang Z. 2007. PAML 4: Phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood. Mol Biol Evol. 24:1586-1591). pamlX is written in C++ using the Qt library and communicates with paml programs through files. It can be used to create, edit, and print control files for paml programs and to launch paml runs. The interface is available for free download at http://abacus.gene.ucl.ac.uk/software/paml.html.

  11. Interfaces for Advanced Computing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foley, James D.

    1987-01-01

    Discusses the coming generation of supercomputers that will have the power to make elaborate "artificial realities" that facilitate user-computer communication. Illustrates these technological advancements with examples of the use of head-mounted monitors which are connected to position and orientation sensors, and gloves that track finger and…

  12. Automatic Figure Ranking and User Interfacing for Intelligent Figure Search

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Hong; Liu, Feifan; Ramesh, Balaji Polepalli

    2010-01-01

    Background Figures are important experimental results that are typically reported in full-text bioscience articles. Bioscience researchers need to access figures to validate research facts and to formulate or to test novel research hypotheses. On the other hand, the sheer volume of bioscience literature has made it difficult to access figures. Therefore, we are developing an intelligent figure search engine (http://figuresearch.askhermes.org). Existing research in figure search treats each figure equally, but we introduce a novel concept of “figure ranking”: figures appearing in a full-text biomedical article can be ranked by their contribution to the knowledge discovery. Methodology/Findings We empirically validated the hypothesis of figure ranking with over 100 bioscience researchers, and then developed unsupervised natural language processing (NLP) approaches to automatically rank figures. Evaluating on a collection of 202 full-text articles in which authors have ranked the figures based on importance, our best system achieved a weighted error rate of 0.2, which is significantly better than several other baseline systems we explored. We further explored a user interfacing application in which we built novel user interfaces (UIs) incorporating figure ranking, allowing bioscience researchers to efficiently access important figures. Our evaluation results show that 92% of the bioscience researchers prefer as the top two choices the user interfaces in which the most important figures are enlarged. With our automatic figure ranking NLP system, bioscience researchers preferred the UIs in which the most important figures were predicted by our NLP system than the UIs in which the most important figures were randomly assigned. In addition, our results show that there was no statistical difference in bioscience researchers' preference in the UIs generated by automatic figure ranking and UIs by human ranking annotation. Conclusion/Significance The evaluation results

  13. Introduction of knowledge bases in patient's data management system: role of the user interface.

    PubMed

    Chambrin, M C; Ravaux, P; Jaborska, A; Beugnet, C; Lestavel, P; Chopin, C; Boniface, M

    1995-02-01

    As the number of signals and data to be handled grows in intensive care unit, it is necessary to design more powerful computing systems that integrate and summarize all this information. The manual input of data as e.g. clinical signs and drug prescription and the synthetic representation of these data requires an ever more sophisticated user interface. The introduction of knowledge bases in the data management allows to conceive contextual interfaces. The objective of this paper is to show the importance of the design of the user interface, in the daily use of clinical information system. Then we describe a methodology that uses the man-machine interaction to capture the clinician knowledge during the clinical practice. The different steps are the audit of the user's actions, the elaboration of statistic models allowing the definition of new knowledge, and the validation that is performed before complete integration. A part of this knowledge can be used to improve the user interface. Finally, we describe the implementation of these concepts on a UNIX platform using OSF/MOTIF graphical interface.

  14. An Object-Oriented Graphical User Interface for a Reusable Rocket Engine Intelligent Control System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Litt, Jonathan S.; Musgrave, Jeffrey L.; Guo, Ten-Huei; Paxson, Daniel E.; Wong, Edmond; Saus, Joseph R.; Merrill, Walter C.

    1994-01-01

    An intelligent control system for reusable rocket engines under development at NASA Lewis Research Center requires a graphical user interface to allow observation of the closed-loop system in operation. The simulation testbed consists of a real-time engine simulation computer, a controls computer, and several auxiliary computers for diagnostics and coordination. The system is set up so that the simulation computer could be replaced by the real engine and the change would be transparent to the control system. Because of the hard real-time requirement of the control computer, putting a graphical user interface on it was not an option. Thus, a separate computer used strictly for the graphical user interface was warranted. An object-oriented LISP-based graphical user interface has been developed on a Texas Instruments Explorer 2+ to indicate the condition of the engine to the observer through plots, animation, interactive graphics, and text.

  15. Independent Verification and Validation of Complex User Interfaces: A Human Factors Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whitmore, Mihriban; Berman, Andrea; Chmielewski, Cynthia

    1996-01-01

    The Usability Testing and Analysis Facility (UTAF) at the NASA Johnson Space Center has identified and evaluated a potential automated software interface inspection tool capable of assessing the degree to which space-related critical and high-risk software system user interfaces meet objective human factors standards across each NASA program and project. Testing consisted of two distinct phases. Phase 1 compared analysis times and similarity of results for the automated tool and for human-computer interface (HCI) experts. In Phase 2, HCI experts critiqued the prototype tool's user interface. Based on this evaluation, it appears that a more fully developed version of the tool will be a promising complement to a human factors-oriented independent verification and validation (IV&V) process.

  16. US NDC Modernization Iteration E2 Prototyping Report: User Interface Framework

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lewis, Jennifer E.; Palmer, Melanie A.; Vickers, James Wallace

    2014-12-01

    During the second iteration of the US NDC Modernization Elaboration phase (E2), the SNL US NDC Modernization project team completed follow-on Rich Client Platform (RCP) exploratory prototyping related to the User Interface Framework (UIF). The team also developed a survey of browser-based User Interface solutions and completed exploratory prototyping for selected solutions. This report presents the results of the browser-based UI survey, summarizes the E2 browser-based UI and RCP prototyping work, and outlines a path forward for the third iteration of the Elaboration phase (E3).

  17. User Needs and Advances in Space Wireless Sensing and Communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kegege, Obadiah

    2017-01-01

    Decades of space exploration and technology trends for future missions show the need for new approaches in space/planetary sensor networks, observatories, internetworking, and communications/data delivery to Earth. The User Needs to be discussed in this talk includes interviews with several scientists and reviews of mission concepts for the next generation of sensors, observatories, and planetary surface missions. These observatories, sensors are envisioned to operate in extreme environments, with advanced autonomy, whereby sometimes communication to Earth is intermittent and delayed. These sensor nodes require software defined networking capabilities in order to learn and adapt to the environment, collect science data, internetwork, and communicate. Also, some user cases require the level of intelligence to manage network functions (either as a host), mobility, security, and interface data to the physical radio/optical layer. For instance, on a planetary surface, autonomous sensor nodes would create their own ad-hoc network, with some nodes handling communication capabilities between the wireless sensor networks and orbiting relay satellites. A section of this talk will cover the advances in space communication and internetworking to support future space missions. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program continues to evolve with the development of optical communication, a new vision of the integrated network architecture with more capabilities, and the adoption of CCSDS space internetworking protocols. Advances in wireless communications hardware and electronics have enabled software defined networking (DVB-S2, VCM, ACM, DTN, Ad hoc, etc.) protocols for improved wireless communication and network management. Developing technologies to fulfil these user needs for wireless communications and adoption of standardized communication/internetworking protocols will be a huge benefit to future planetary missions, space observatories, and manned missions

  18. A graphical user interface for infant ERP analysis.

    PubMed

    Kaatiala, Jussi; Yrttiaho, Santeri; Forssman, Linda; Perdue, Katherine; Leppänen, Jukka

    2014-09-01

    Recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) is one of the best-suited technologies for examining brain function in human infants. Yet the existing software packages are not optimized for the unique requirements of analyzing artifact-prone ERP data from infants. We developed a new graphical user interface that enables an efficient implementation of a two-stage approach to the analysis of infant ERPs. In the first stage, video records of infant behavior are synchronized with ERPs at the level of individual trials to reject epochs with noncompliant behavior and other artifacts. In the second stage, the interface calls MATLAB and EEGLAB (Delorme & Makeig, Journal of Neuroscience Methods 134(1):9-21, 2004) functions for further preprocessing of the ERP signal itself (i.e., filtering, artifact removal, interpolation, and rereferencing). Finally, methods are included for data visualization and analysis by using bootstrapped group averages. Analyses of simulated and real EEG data demonstrated that the proposed approach can be effectively used to establish task compliance, remove various types of artifacts, and perform representative visualizations and statistical comparisons of ERPs. The interface is available for download from http://www.uta.fi/med/icl/methods/eeg.html in a format that is widely applicable to ERP studies with special populations and open for further editing by users.

  19. Four principles for user interface design of computerised clinical decision support systems.

    PubMed

    Kanstrup, Anne Marie; Christiansen, Marion Berg; Nøhr, Christian

    2011-01-01

    The paper presents results from a design research project of a user interface (UI) for a Computerised Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). The ambition has been to design Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) that can minimise medication errors. Through an iterative design process a digital prototype for prescription of medicine has been developed. This paper presents results from the formative evaluation of the prototype conducted in a simulation laboratory with ten participating physicians. Data from the simulation is analysed by use of theory on how users perceive information. The conclusion is a model, which sum up four principles of interaction for design of CDSS. The four principles for design of user interfaces for CDSS are summarised as four A's: All in one, At a glance, At hand and Attention. The model emphasises integration of all four interaction principles in the design of user interfaces for CDSS, i.e. the model is an integrated model which we suggest as a guide for interaction design when working with preventing medication errors.

  20. Visual design for the user interface, Part 1: Design fundamentals.

    PubMed

    Lynch, P J

    1994-01-01

    Digital audiovisual media and computer-based documents will be the dominant forms of professional communication in both clinical medicine and the biomedical sciences. The design of highly interactive multimedia systems will shortly become a major activity for biocommunications professionals. The problems of human-computer interface design are intimately linked with graphic design for multimedia presentations and on-line document systems. This article outlines the history of graphic interface design and the theories that have influenced the development of today's major graphic user interfaces.

  1. LTCP 2D Graphical User Interface. Application Description and User's Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ball, Robert; Navaz, Homayun K.

    1996-01-01

    A graphical user interface (GUI) written for NASA's LTCP (Liquid Thrust Chamber Performance) 2 dimensional computational fluid dynamic code is described. The GUI is written in C++ for a desktop personal computer running under a Microsoft Windows operating environment. Through the use of common and familiar dialog boxes, features, and tools, the user can easily and quickly create and modify input files for the LTCP code. In addition, old input files used with the LTCP code can be opened and modified using the GUI. The application is written in C++ for a desktop personal computer running under a Microsoft Windows operating environment. The program and its capabilities are presented, followed by a detailed description of each menu selection and the method of creating an input file for LTCP. A cross reference is included to help experienced users quickly find the variables which commonly need changes. Finally, the system requirements and installation instructions are provided.

  2. StarView: The object oriented design of the ST DADS user interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, J. D.; Pollizzi, J. A.

    1992-01-01

    StarView is the user interface being developed for the Hubble Space Telescope Data Archive and Distribution Service (ST DADS). ST DADS is the data archive for HST observations and a relational database catalog describing the archived data. Users will use StarView to query the catalog and select appropriate datasets for study. StarView sends requests for archived datasets to ST DADS which processes the requests and returns the database to the user. StarView is designed to be a powerful and extensible user interface. Unique features include an internal relational database to navigate query results, a form definition language that will work with both CRT and X interfaces, a data definition language that will allow StarView to work with any relational database, and the ability to generate adhoc queries without requiring the user to understand the structure of the ST DADS catalog. Ultimately, StarView will allow the user to refine queries in the local database for improved performance and merge in data from external sources for correlation with other query results. The user will be able to create a query from single or multiple forms, merging the selected attributes into a single query. Arbitrary selection of attributes for querying is supported. The user will be able to select how query results are viewed. A standard form or table-row format may be used. Navigation capabilities are provided to aid the user in viewing query results. Object oriented analysis and design techniques were used in the design of StarView to support the mechanisms and concepts required to implement these features. One such mechanism is the Model-View-Controller (MVC) paradigm. The MVC allows the user to have multiple views of the underlying database, while providing a consistent mechanism for interaction regardless of the view. This approach supports both CRT and X interfaces while providing a common mode of user interaction. Another powerful abstraction is the concept of a Query Model. This

  3. fgui: A Method for Automatically Creating Graphical User Interfaces for Command-Line R Packages

    PubMed Central

    Hoffmann, Thomas J.; Laird, Nan M.

    2009-01-01

    The fgui R package is designed for developers of R packages, to help rapidly, and sometimes fully automatically, create a graphical user interface for a command line R package. The interface is built upon the Tcl/Tk graphical interface included in R. The package further facilitates the developer by loading in the help files from the command line functions to provide context sensitive help to the user with no additional effort from the developer. Passing a function as the argument to the routines in the fgui package creates a graphical interface for the function, and further options are available to tweak this interface for those who want more flexibility. PMID:21625291

  4. Asynchronous P300-based brain-computer interface to control a virtual environment: initial tests on end users.

    PubMed

    Aloise, Fabio; Schettini, Francesca; Aricò, Pietro; Salinari, Serenella; Guger, Christoph; Rinsma, Johanna; Aiello, Marco; Mattia, Donatella; Cincotti, Febo

    2011-10-01

    Motor disability and/or ageing can prevent individuals from fully enjoying home facilities, thus worsening their quality of life. Advances in the field of accessible user interfaces for domotic appliances can represent a valuable way to improve the independence of these persons. An asynchronous P300-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) system was recently validated with the participation of healthy young volunteers for environmental control. In this study, the asynchronous P300-based BCI for the interaction with a virtual home environment was tested with the participation of potential end-users (clients of a Frisian home care organization) with limited autonomy due to ageing and/or motor disabilities. System testing revealed that the minimum number of stimulation sequences needed to achieve correct classification had a higher intra-subject variability in potential end-users with respect to what was previously observed in young controls. Here we show that the asynchronous modality performed significantly better as compared to the synchronous mode in continuously adapting its speed to the users' state. Furthermore, the asynchronous system modality confirmed its reliability in avoiding misclassifications and false positives, as previously shown in young healthy subjects. The asynchronous modality may contribute to filling the usability gap between BCI systems and traditional input devices, representing an important step towards their use in the activities of daily living.

  5. The Graphical User Interface Crisis: Danger and Opportunity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, Lawrence H.; And Others

    This paper examines graphic computing environments, identifies potential problems in providing access to blind people, and describes programs and strategies being developed to provide this access. The paper begins with an explanation of how graphic user interfaces differ from character-based systems in their use of pixels, visual metaphors such as…

  6. Mobile user interface development for the Virginia Connected Corridors.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-10-15

    The purpose of this research and development activity was to build a mobile application with a low-distraction user interface appropriate for use in a connected vehicle (CV) environment. To realize their full potential, future CV applications will in...

  7. The development of a prototype intelligent user interface subsystem for NASA's scientific database systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, William J.; Roelofs, Larry H.; Short, Nicholas M., Jr.

    1987-01-01

    The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) has initiated an Intelligent Data Management (IDM) research effort which has as one of its components the development of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI).The intent of the latter is to develop a friendly and intelligent user interface service that is based on expert systems and natural language processing technologies. The purpose is to support the large number of potential scientific and engineering users presently having need of space and land related research and technical data but who have little or no experience in query languages or understanding of the information content or architecture of the databases involved. This technical memorandum presents prototype Intelligent User Interface Subsystem (IUIS) using the Crustal Dynamics Project Database as a test bed for the implementation of the CRUDDES (Crustal Dynamics Expert System). The knowledge base has more than 200 rules and represents a single application view and the architectural view. Operational performance using CRUDDES has allowed nondatabase users to obtain useful information from the database previously accessible only to an expert database user or the database designer.

  8. Designing Biological Systems for Sustainability and Programmed Environmental Interface (2011 JGI User Meeting)

    ScienceCinema

    Silver, Pamela

    2018-02-13

    The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) invited scientists interested in the application of genomics to bioenergy and environmental issues, as well as all current and prospective users and collaborators, to attend the annual DOE JGI Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting held March 22-24, 2011 in Walnut Creek, Calif. The emphasis of this meeting was on the genomics of renewable energy strategies, carbon cycling, environmental gene discovery, and engineering of fuel-producing organisms. The meeting features presentations by leading scientists advancing these topics. Pam Silver of Harvard University gives a presentation on "Designing Biological Systems for Sustainability and Programmed Environmental Interface" at the 6th annual Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting on March 23, 2011.

  9. Discrete Abstractions of Hybrid Systems: Verification of Safety and Application to User-Interface Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oishi, Meeko; Tomlin, Claire; Degani, Asaf

    2003-01-01

    Human interaction with complex hybrid systems involves the user, the automation's discrete mode logic, and the underlying continuous dynamics of the physical system. Often the user-interface of such systems displays a reduced set of information about the entire system. In safety-critical systems, how can we identify user-interface designs which do not have adequate information, or which may confuse the user? Here we describe a methodology, based on hybrid system analysis, to verify that a user-interface contains information necessary to safely complete a desired procedure or task. Verification within a hybrid framework allows us to account for the continuous dynamics underlying the simple, discrete representations displayed to the user. We provide two examples: a car traveling through a yellow light at an intersection and an aircraft autopilot in a landing/go-around maneuver. The examples demonstrate the general nature of this methodology, which is applicable to hybrid systems (not fully automated) which have operational constraints we can pose in terms of safety. This methodology differs from existing work in hybrid system verification in that we directly account for the user's interactions with the system.

  10. Brain-computer interface users speak up: the Virtual Users' Forum at the 2013 International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting.

    PubMed

    Peters, Betts; Bieker, Gregory; Heckman, Susan M; Huggins, Jane E; Wolf, Catherine; Zeitlin, Debra; Fried-Oken, Melanie

    2015-03-01

    More than 300 researchers gathered at the 2013 International Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Meeting to discuss current practice and future goals for BCI research and development. The authors organized the Virtual Users' Forum at the meeting to provide the BCI community with feedback from users. We report on the Virtual Users' Forum, including initial results from ongoing research being conducted by 2 BCI groups. Online surveys and in-person interviews were used to solicit feedback from people with disabilities who are expert and novice BCI users. For the Virtual Users' Forum, their responses were organized into 4 major themes: current (non-BCI) communication methods, experiences with BCI research, challenges of current BCIs, and future BCI developments. Two authors with severe disabilities gave presentations during the Virtual Users' Forum, and their comments are integrated with the other results. While participants' hopes for BCIs of the future remain high, their comments about available systems mirror those made by consumers about conventional assistive technology. They reflect concerns about reliability (eg, typing accuracy/speed), utility (eg, applications and the desire for real-time interactions), ease of use (eg, portability and system setup), and support (eg, technical support and caregiver training). People with disabilities, as target users of BCI systems, can provide valuable feedback and input on the development of BCI as an assistive technology. To this end, participatory action research should be considered as a valuable methodology for future BCI research. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. An Efficient User Interface Design for Nursing Information System Based on Integrated Patient Order Information.

    PubMed

    Chu, Chia-Hui; Kuo, Ming-Chuan; Weng, Shu-Hui; Lee, Ting-Ting

    2016-01-01

    A user friendly interface can enhance the efficiency of data entry, which is crucial for building a complete database. In this study, two user interfaces (traditional pull-down menu vs. check boxes) are proposed and evaluated based on medical records with fever medication orders by measuring the time for data entry, steps for each data entry record, and the complete rate of each medical record. The result revealed that the time for data entry is reduced from 22.8 sec/record to 3.2 sec/record. The data entry procedures also have reduced from 9 steps in the traditional one to 3 steps in the new one. In addition, the completeness of medical records is increased from 20.2% to 98%. All these results indicate that the new user interface provides a more user friendly and efficient approach for data entry than the traditional interface.

  12. Bed occupancy monitoring: data processing and clinician user interface design.

    PubMed

    Pouliot, Melanie; Joshi, Vilas; Goubran, Rafik; Knoefel, Frank

    2012-01-01

    Unobtrusive and continuous monitoring of patients, especially at their place of residence, is becoming a significant part of the healthcare model. A variety of sensors are being used to monitor different patient conditions. Bed occupancy monitoring provides clinicians a quantitative measure of bed entry/exit patterns and may provide information relating to sleep quality. This paper presents a bed occupancy monitoring system using a bed pressure mat sensor. A clinical trial was performed involving 8 patients to collect bed occupancy data. The trial period for each patient ranged from 5-10 weeks. This data was analyzed using a participatory design methodology incorporating clinician feedback to obtain bed occupancy parameters. The parameters extracted include the number of bed exits per night, the bed exit weekly average (including minimum and maximum), the time of day of a particular exit, and the amount of uninterrupted bed occupancy per night. The design of a clinical user interface plays a significant role in the acceptance of such patient monitoring systems by clinicians. The clinician user interface proposed in this paper was designed to be intuitive, easy to navigate and not cause information overload. An iterative design methodology was used for the interface design. The interface design is extendible to incorporate data from multiple sensors. This allows the interface to be part of a comprehensive remote patient monitoring system.

  13. Improvements to the User Interface for LHCb's Software continuous integration system.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clemencic, M.; Couturier, B.; Kyriazi, S.

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this paper is to identify a set of steps leading to an improved interface for LHCb's Nightly Builds Dashboard. The goal is to have an efficient application that meets the needs of both the project developers, by providing them with a user friendly interface, as well as those of the computing team supporting the system, by providing them with a dashboard allowing for better monitoring of the build job themselves. In line with what is already used by LHCb, the web interface has been implemented with the Flask Python framework for future maintainability and code clarity. The Database chosen to host the data is the schema-less CouchDB[7], serving the purpose of flexibility in document form changes. To improve the user experience, we use JavaScript libraries such as JQuery[11].

  14. CATO--A Guided User Interface for Different CAS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janetzko, Hans-Dieter

    2017-01-01

    CATO is a new user interface, written in Java and developed by the author as a response to the significant difficulties faced by students who only sporadically use computer algebra systems (CAS). The usage of CAS in mathematical lectures should be an integral part of mathematical instruction. However, difficulties arise for those students who have…

  15. Software Graphical User Interface For Analysis Of Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leonard, Desiree M.; Nolf, Scott R.; Avis, Elizabeth L.; Stacy, Kathryn

    1992-01-01

    CAMTOOL software provides graphical interface between Sun Microsystems workstation and Eikonix Model 1412 digitizing camera system. Camera scans and digitizes images, halftones, reflectives, transmissives, rigid or flexible flat material, or three-dimensional objects. Users digitize images and select from three destinations: work-station display screen, magnetic-tape drive, or hard disk. Written in C.

  16. A convertor and user interface to import CAD files into worldtoolkit virtual reality systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Peter Hor-Ching

    1996-01-01

    Virtual Reality (VR) is a rapidly developing human-to-computer interface technology. VR can be considered as a three-dimensional computer-generated Virtual World (VW) which can sense particular aspects of a user's behavior, allow the user to manipulate the objects interactively, and render the VW at real-time accordingly. The user is totally immersed in the virtual world and feel the sense of transforming into that VW. NASA/MSFC Computer Application Virtual Environments (CAVE) has been developing the space-related VR applications since 1990. The VR systems in CAVE lab are based on VPL RB2 system which consists of a VPL RB2 control tower, an LX eyephone, an Isotrak polhemus sensor, two Fastrak polhemus sensors, a folk of Bird sensor, and two VPL DG2 DataGloves. A dynamics animator called Body Electric from VPL is used as the control system to interface with all the input/output devices and to provide the network communications as well as VR programming environment. The RB2 Swivel 3D is used as the modelling program to construct the VW's. A severe limitation of the VPL VR system is the use of RB2 Swivel 3D, which restricts the files to a maximum of 1020 objects and doesn't have the advanced graphics texture mapping. The other limitation is that the VPL VR system is a turn-key system which does not provide the flexibility for user to add new sensors and C language interface. Recently, NASA/MSFC CAVE lab provides VR systems built on Sense8 WorldToolKit (WTK) which is a C library for creating VR development environments. WTK provides device drivers for most of the sensors and eyephones available on the VR market. WTK accepts several CAD file formats, such as Sense8 Neutral File Format, AutoCAD DXF and 3D Studio file format, Wave Front OBJ file format, VideoScape GEO file format, Intergraph EMS stereolithographics and CATIA Stereolithographics STL file formats. WTK functions are object-oriented in their naming convention, are grouped into classes, and provide easy C

  17. Use of Research Interfaces for Psychophysical Studies With Cochlear-Implant Users

    PubMed Central

    Goupell, Matthew J.; Kan, Alan; Landsberger, David M.

    2017-01-01

    A growing number of laboratories are using research interfaces to conduct experiments with cochlear-implant (CI) users. Because these interfaces bypass a subject’s clinical sound processor, several concerns exist regarding safety and stimulation levels. Here we suggest best-practice approaches for how to safely and ethically perform this type of research and highlight areas of limited knowledge where further research is needed to help clarify safety limits. The article is designed to provide an introductory level of technical detail about the devices and the effects of electrical stimulation on perception and neurophysiology. From this, we summarize what should be the best practices in the field, based on the literature and our experience. Findings from the review of the literature suggest that there are three main safety concerns: (a) to prevent biological or neural damage, (b) to avoid presentation of uncomfortably loud sounds, and (c) to ensure that subjects have control over stimulus presentation. Researchers must pay close attention to the software–hardware interface to ensure that the three main safety concerns are closely monitored. An important area for future research will be the determination of the amount of biological damage that can occur from electrical stimulation from a CI placed in the cochlea, not in direct contact with neural tissue. As technology used in research with CIs evolve, some of these approaches may change. However, the three main safety principles outlined here are not anticipated to undergo change with technological advances. PMID:29113579

  18. Iterative User Interface Design for Automated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score Calculator in Sepsis Detection

    PubMed Central

    Herasevich, Vitaly

    2017-01-01

    Background The new sepsis definition has increased the need for frequent sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score recalculation and the clerical burden of information retrieval makes this score ideal for automated calculation. Objective The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the clerical workload of manual SOFA score calculation through a time-motion analysis and (2) describe a user-centered design process for an electronic medical record (EMR) integrated, automated SOFA score calculator with subsequent usability evaluation study. Methods First, we performed a time-motion analysis by recording time-to-task-completion for the manual calculation of 35 baseline and 35 current SOFA scores by 14 internal medicine residents over a 2-month period. Next, we used an agile development process to create a user interface for a previously developed automated SOFA score calculator. The final user interface usability was evaluated by clinician end users with the Computer Systems Usability Questionnaire. Results The overall mean (standard deviation, SD) time-to-complete manual SOFA score calculation time was 61.6 s (33). Among the 24% (12/50) usability survey respondents, our user-centered user interface design process resulted in >75% favorability of survey items in the domains of system usability, information quality, and interface quality. Conclusions Early stakeholder engagement in our agile design process resulted in a user interface for an automated SOFA score calculator that reduced clinician workload and met clinicians’ needs at the point of care. Emerging interoperable platforms may facilitate dissemination of similarly useful clinical score calculators and decision support algorithms as “apps.” A user-centered design process and usability evaluation should be considered during creation of these tools. PMID:28526675

  19. Integration of an expert system into a user interface language demonstration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stclair, D. C.

    1986-01-01

    The need for a User Interface Language (UIL) has been recognized by the Space Station Program Office as a necessary tool to aid in minimizing the cost of software generation by multiple users. Previous history in the Space Shuttle Program has shown that many different areas of software generation, such as operations, integration, testing, etc., have each used a different user command language although the types of operations being performed were similar in many respects. Since the Space Station represents a much more complex software task, a common user command language--a user interface language--is required to support the large spectrum of space station software developers and users. To assist in the selection of an appropriate set of definitions for a UIL, a series of demonstration programs was generated with which to test UIL concepts against specific Space Station scenarios using operators for the astronaut and scientific community. Because of the importance of expert system in the space station, it was decided that an expert system should be embedded in the UIL. This would not only provide insight into the UIL components required but would indicate the effectiveness with which an expert system could function in such an environment.

  20. Graphical User Interface in Art

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gwilt, Ian

    This essay discusses the use of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) as a site of creative practice. By creatively repositioning the GUI as a work of art it is possible to challenge our understanding and expectations of the conventional computer interface wherein the icons and navigational architecture of the GUI no longer function as a technological tool. These artistic recontextualizations are often used to question our engagement with technology and to highlight the pivotal place that the domestic computer has taken in our everyday social, cultural and (increasingly), creative domains. Through these works the media specificity of the screen-based GUI can broken by dramatic changes in scale, form and configuration. This can be seen through the work of new media artists who have re-imagined the GUI in a number of creative forms both, within the digital, as image, animation, net and interactive art, and in the analogue, as print, painting, sculpture, installation and performative event. Furthermore as a creative work, the GUI can also be utilized as a visual way-finder to explore the relationship between the dynamic potentials of the digital and the concretized qualities of the material artifact.

  1. Determinants of user acceptance of a specific social platform for older adults: An empirical examination of user interface characteristics and behavioral intention.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Tsai-Hsuan; Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Chen, Yan-Jiun; Chang, Yung-Sheng

    2017-01-01

    The use of the Internet and social applications has many benefits for the elderly, but numerous investigations have shown that the elderly do not perceive online social networks as a friendly social environment. Therefore, TreeIt, a social application specifically designed for the elderly, was developed for this study. In the TreeIt application, seven mechanisms promoting social interaction were designed to allow older adults to use social networking sites (SNSs) to increase social connection, maintain the intensity of social connections and strengthen social experience. This study's main objective was to investigate how user interface design affects older people's intention and attitude related to using SNSs. Fourteen user interface evaluation heuristics proposed by Zhang et al. were adopted as the criteria to assess user interface usability and further grouped into three categories: system support, user interface design and navigation. The technology acceptance model was adopted to assess older people's intention and attitude related to using SNSs. One hundred and one elderly persons were enrolled in this study as subjects, and the results showed that all of the hypotheses proposed in this study were valid: system support and perceived usefulness had a significant effect on behavioral intention; user interface design and perceived ease of use were positively correlated with perceived usefulness; and navigation exerted an influence on perceived ease of use. The results of this study are valuable for the future development of social applications for the elderly.

  2. Determinants of user acceptance of a specific social platform for older adults: An empirical examination of user interface characteristics and behavioral intention

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Chen, Yan-Jiun; Chang, Yung-Sheng

    2017-01-01

    The use of the Internet and social applications has many benefits for the elderly, but numerous investigations have shown that the elderly do not perceive online social networks as a friendly social environment. Therefore, TreeIt, a social application specifically designed for the elderly, was developed for this study. In the TreeIt application, seven mechanisms promoting social interaction were designed to allow older adults to use social networking sites (SNSs) to increase social connection, maintain the intensity of social connections and strengthen social experience. This study’s main objective was to investigate how user interface design affects older people’s intention and attitude related to using SNSs. Fourteen user interface evaluation heuristics proposed by Zhang et al. were adopted as the criteria to assess user interface usability and further grouped into three categories: system support, user interface design and navigation. The technology acceptance model was adopted to assess older people’s intention and attitude related to using SNSs. One hundred and one elderly persons were enrolled in this study as subjects, and the results showed that all of the hypotheses proposed in this study were valid: system support and perceived usefulness had a significant effect on behavioral intention; user interface design and perceived ease of use were positively correlated with perceived usefulness; and navigation exerted an influence on perceived ease of use. The results of this study are valuable for the future development of social applications for the elderly. PMID:28837566

  3. Training leads to increased auditory brain-computer interface performance of end-users with motor impairments.

    PubMed

    Halder, S; Käthner, I; Kübler, A

    2016-02-01

    Auditory brain-computer interfaces are an assistive technology that can restore communication for motor impaired end-users. Such non-visual brain-computer interface paradigms are of particular importance for end-users that may lose or have lost gaze control. We attempted to show that motor impaired end-users can learn to control an auditory speller on the basis of event-related potentials. Five end-users with motor impairments, two of whom with additional visual impairments, participated in five sessions. We applied a newly developed auditory brain-computer interface paradigm with natural sounds and directional cues. Three of five end-users learned to select symbols using this method. Averaged over all five end-users the information transfer rate increased by more than 1800% from the first session (0.17 bits/min) to the last session (3.08 bits/min). The two best end-users achieved information transfer rates of 5.78 bits/min and accuracies of 92%. Our results show that an auditory BCI with a combination of natural sounds and directional cues, can be controlled by end-users with motor impairment. Training improves the performance of end-users to the level of healthy controls. To our knowledge, this is the first time end-users with motor impairments controlled an auditory brain-computer interface speller with such high accuracy and information transfer rates. Further, our results demonstrate that operating a BCI with event-related potentials benefits from training and specifically end-users may require more than one session to develop their full potential. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Integrating User Interface and Personal Innovativeness into the TAM for Mobile Learning in Cyber University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joo, Young Ju; Lee, Hyeon Woo; Ham, Yookyoung

    2014-01-01

    This study aims to add new variables, namely user interface, personal innovativeness, and satisfaction in learning, to Davis's technology acceptance model and also examine whether learners are willing to adopt mobile learning. Thus, this study attempted to explain the structural causal relationships among user interface, personal…

  5. ORBIT: an integrated environment for user-customized bioinformatics tools.

    PubMed

    Bellgard, M I; Hiew, H L; Hunter, A; Wiebrands, M

    1999-10-01

    There are a large number of computational programs freely available to bioinformaticians via a client/server, web-based environment. However, the client interface to these tools (typically an html form page) cannot be customized from the client side as it is created by the service provider. The form page is usually generic enough to cater for a wide range of users. However, this implies that a user cannot set as 'default' advanced program parameters on the form or even customize the interface to his/her specific requirements or preferences. Currently, there is a lack of end-user interface environments that can be modified by the user when accessing computer programs available on a remote server running on an intranet or over the Internet. We have implemented a client/server system called ORBIT (Online Researcher's Bioinformatics Interface Tools) where individual clients can have interfaces created and customized to command-line-driven, server-side programs. Thus, Internet-based interfaces can be tailored to a user's specific bioinformatic needs. As interfaces are created on the client machine independent of the server, there can be different interfaces to the same server-side program to cater for different parameter settings. The interface customization is relatively quick (between 10 and 60 min) and all client interfaces are integrated into a single modular environment which will run on any computer platform supporting Java. The system has been developed to allow for a number of future enhancements and features. ORBIT represents an important advance in the way researchers gain access to bioinformatics tools on the Internet.

  6. Exploratory Usability Testing of User Interface Options in LibGuides 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorngate, Sarah; Hoden, Allison

    2017-01-01

    Online research guides offer librarians a way to provide digital researchers with point-of-need support. If these guides are to support student learning well, it is critical that they provide an effective user experience. This article details the results of an exploratory comparison study that tested three key user interface options in LibGuides…

  7. Space Segment (SS) and the Navigation User Segment (US) Interface Control Document (ICD)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-10-10

    This Interface Control Document (ICD) defines the requirements related to the interface between the Space Segment (SS) of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Navigation Users Segment of the GPS. 2880k, 154p.

  8. Development and comparison of user acceptance of advanced comprehensive triage PDA support system with a traditional terminal alternative system.

    PubMed

    Chang, Polun; Tzeng, Yuann-Meei; Wu, Shiao-Chi; Sang, Ying-Yang; Chen, Shih-Shin

    2003-01-01

    An advanced PDA support system for the triage was designed to evaluate users inverted exclamation mark | acceptance of this system compared with a traditional terminal system. Davis inverted exclamation mark | Technology Acceptance Model was used to evaluate users inverted exclamation mark | acceptance. All 72 ER nurses in a 2700-bed medical center were invited for the study. The results showed that the PDA system was easier to operate than the terminal one, but had worse interface. The subjects showed significantly greater willingness to accept the terminal system instead of the PDA system. The comparative acceptance of PDA, compared with that of the old system, might still be marginally too low if its interface couldn inverted exclamation mark |t be improved or no other unique practical benefits could be verified.

  9. Iterative User Interface Design for Automated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score Calculator in Sepsis Detection.

    PubMed

    Aakre, Christopher Ansel; Kitson, Jaben E; Li, Man; Herasevich, Vitaly

    2017-05-18

    The new sepsis definition has increased the need for frequent sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score recalculation and the clerical burden of information retrieval makes this score ideal for automated calculation. The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the clerical workload of manual SOFA score calculation through a time-motion analysis and (2) describe a user-centered design process for an electronic medical record (EMR) integrated, automated SOFA score calculator with subsequent usability evaluation study. First, we performed a time-motion analysis by recording time-to-task-completion for the manual calculation of 35 baseline and 35 current SOFA scores by 14 internal medicine residents over a 2-month period. Next, we used an agile development process to create a user interface for a previously developed automated SOFA score calculator. The final user interface usability was evaluated by clinician end users with the Computer Systems Usability Questionnaire. The overall mean (standard deviation, SD) time-to-complete manual SOFA score calculation time was 61.6 s (33). Among the 24% (12/50) usability survey respondents, our user-centered user interface design process resulted in >75% favorability of survey items in the domains of system usability, information quality, and interface quality. Early stakeholder engagement in our agile design process resulted in a user interface for an automated SOFA score calculator that reduced clinician workload and met clinicians' needs at the point of care. Emerging interoperable platforms may facilitate dissemination of similarly useful clinical score calculators and decision support algorithms as "apps." A user-centered design process and usability evaluation should be considered during creation of these tools. ©Christopher Ansel Aakre, Jaben E Kitson, Man Li, Vitaly Herasevich. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 18.05.2017.

  10. Topological Galleries: A High Level User Interface for Topology Controlled Volume Rendering

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MacCarthy, Brian; Carr, Hamish; Weber, Gunther H.

    2011-06-30

    Existing topological interfaces to volume rendering are limited by their reliance on sophisticated knowledge of topology by the user. We extend previous work by describing topological galleries, an interface for novice users that is based on the design galleries approach. We report three contributions: an interface based on hierarchical thumbnail galleries to display the containment relationships between topologically identifiable features, the use of the pruning hierarchy instead of branch decomposition for contour tree simplification, and drag-and-drop transfer function assignment for individual components. Initial results suggest that this approach suffers from limitations due to rapid drop-off of feature size in themore » pruning hierarchy. We explore these limitations by providing statistics of feature size as function of depth in the pruning hierarchy of the contour tree.« less

  11. Research and Development for an Operational Information Ecology: The User-System Interface Agent Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Srivastava, Sadanand; deLamadrid, James

    1998-01-01

    The User System Interface Agent (USIA) is a special type of software agent which acts as the "middle man" between a human user and an information processing environment. USIA consists of a group of cooperating agents which are responsible for assisting users in obtaining information processing services intuitively and efficiently. Some of the main features of USIA include: (1) multiple interaction modes and (2) user-specific and stereotype modeling and adaptation. This prototype system provides us with a development platform towards the realization of an operational information ecology. In the first phase of this project we focus on the design and implementation of prototype system of the User-System Interface Agent (USIA). The second face of USIA allows user interaction via a restricted query language as well as through a taxonomy of windows. In third phase the USIA system architecture was revised.

  12. A graphical user interface for RAId, a knowledge integrated proteomics analysis suite with accurate statistics.

    PubMed

    Joyce, Brendan; Lee, Danny; Rubio, Alex; Ogurtsov, Aleksey; Alves, Gelio; Yu, Yi-Kuo

    2018-03-15

    RAId is a software package that has been actively developed for the past 10 years for computationally and visually analyzing MS/MS data. Founded on rigorous statistical methods, RAId's core program computes accurate E-values for peptides and proteins identified during database searches. Making this robust tool readily accessible for the proteomics community by developing a graphical user interface (GUI) is our main goal here. We have constructed a graphical user interface to facilitate the use of RAId on users' local machines. Written in Java, RAId_GUI not only makes easy executions of RAId but also provides tools for data/spectra visualization, MS-product analysis, molecular isotopic distribution analysis, and graphing the retrieval versus the proportion of false discoveries. The results viewer displays and allows the users to download the analyses results. Both the knowledge-integrated organismal databases and the code package (containing source code, the graphical user interface, and a user manual) are available for download at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Yu/downloads/raid.html .

  13. Social Circles: A 3D User Interface for Facebook

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodrigues, Diego; Oakley, Ian

    Online social network services are increasingly popular web applications which display large amounts of rich multimedia content: contacts, status updates, photos and event information. Arguing that this quantity of information overwhelms conventional user interfaces, this paper presents Social Circles, a rich interactive visualization designed to support real world users of social network services in everyday tasks such as keeping up with friends and organizing their network. It achieves this by using 3D UIs, fluid animations and a spatial metaphor to enable direct manipulation of a social network.

  14. Graphical User Interface for the NASA FLOPS Aircraft Performance and Sizing Code

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lavelle, Thomas M.; Curlett, Brian P.

    1994-01-01

    XFLOPS is an X-Windows/Motif graphical user interface for the aircraft performance and sizing code FLOPS. This new interface simplifies entering data and analyzing results, thereby reducing analysis time and errors. Data entry is simpler because input windows are used for each of the FLOPS namelists. These windows contain fields to input the variable's values along with help information describing the variable's function. Analyzing results is simpler because output data are displayed rapidly. This is accomplished in two ways. First, because the output file has been indexed, users can view particular sections with the click of a mouse button. Second, because menu picks have been created, users can plot engine and aircraft performance data. In addition, XFLOPS has a built-in help system and complete on-line documentation for FLOPS.

  15. Bringing Control System User Interfaces to the Web

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Xihui; Kasemir, Kay

    With the evolution of web based technologies, especially HTML5 [1], it becomes possible to create web-based control system user interfaces (UI) that are cross-browser and cross-device compatible. This article describes two technologies that facilitate this goal. The first one is the WebOPI [2], which can seamlessly display CSS BOY [3] Operator Interfaces (OPI) in web browsers without modification to the original OPI file. The WebOPI leverages the powerful graphical editing capabilities of BOY and provides the convenience of re-using existing OPI files. On the other hand, it uses generic JavaScript and a generic communication mechanism between the web browser andmore » web server. It is not optimized for a control system, which results in unnecessary network traffic and resource usage. Our second technology is the WebSocket-based Process Data Access (WebPDA) [4]. It is a protocol that provides efficient control system data communication using WebSocket [5], so that users can create web-based control system UIs using standard web page technologies such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. WebPDA is control system independent, potentially supporting any type of control system.« less

  16. VIEW-Station software and its graphical user interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawai, Tomoaki; Okazaki, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Koichiro; Tamura, Hideyuki

    1992-04-01

    VIEW-Station is a workstation-based image processing system which merges the state-of-the- art software environment of Unix with the computing power of a fast image processor. VIEW- Station has a hierarchical software architecture, which facilitates device independence when porting across various hardware configurations, and provides extensibility in the development of application systems. The core image computing language is V-Sugar. V-Sugar provides a set of image-processing datatypes and allows image processing algorithms to be simply expressed, using a functional notation. VIEW-Station provides a hardware independent window system extension called VIEW-Windows. In terms of GUI (Graphical User Interface) VIEW-Station has two notable aspects. One is to provide various types of GUI as visual environments for image processing execution. Three types of interpreters called (mu) V- Sugar, VS-Shell and VPL are provided. Users may choose whichever they prefer based on their experience and tasks. The other notable aspect is to provide facilities to create GUI for new applications on the VIEW-Station system. A set of widgets are available for construction of task-oriented GUI. A GUI builder called VIEW-Kid is developed for WYSIWYG interactive interface design.

  17. StarTrax --- The Next Generation User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richmond, Alan; White, Nick

    StarTrax is a software package to be distributed to end users for installation on their local computing infrastructure. It will provide access to many services of the HEASARC, i.e. bulletins, catalogs, proposal and analysis tools, initially for the ROSAT MIPS (Mission Information and Planning System), later for the Next Generation Browse. A user activating the GUI will reach all HEASARC capabilities through a uniform view of the system, independent of the local computing environment and of the networking method of accessing StarTrax. Use it if you prefer the point-and-click metaphor of modern GUI technology, to the classical command-line interfaces (CLI). Notable strengths include: easy to use; excellent portability; very robust server support; feedback button on every dialog; painstakingly crafted User Guide. It is designed to support a large number of input devices including terminals, workstations and personal computers. XVT's Portability Toolkit is used to build the GUI in C/C++ to run on: OSF/Motif (UNIX or VMS), OPEN LOOK (UNIX), or Macintosh, or MS-Windows (DOS), or character systems.

  18. A Framework and Implementation of User Interface and Human-Computer Interaction Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peslak, Alan

    2005-01-01

    Researchers have suggested that up to 50 % of the effort in development of information systems is devoted to user interface development (Douglas, Tremaine, Leventhal, Wills, & Manaris, 2002; Myers & Rosson, 1992). Yet little study has been performed on the inclusion of important interface and human-computer interaction topics into a current…

  19. Cyrface: An interface from Cytoscape to R that provides a user interface to R packages.

    PubMed

    Gonçalves, Emanuel; Mirlach, Franz; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio

    2013-01-01

    There is an increasing number of software packages to analyse biological experimental data in the R environment. In particular, Bioconductor, a repository of curated R packages, is one of the most comprehensive resources for bioinformatics and biostatistics. The use of these packages is increasing, but it requires a basic understanding of the R language, as well as the syntax of the specific package used. The availability of user graphical interfaces for these packages would decrease the learning curve and broaden their application. Here, we present a Cytoscape app termed Cyrface that allows Cytoscape apps to connect to any function and package developed in R. Cyrface can be used to run R packages from within the Cytoscape environment making use of a graphical user interface. Moreover, it can link R packages with the capabilities of Cytoscape and its apps, in particular network visualization and analysis. Cyrface's utility has been demonstrated for two Bioconductor packages ( CellNOptR and DrugVsDisease), and here we further illustrate its usage by implementing a workflow of data analysis and visualization. Download links, installation instructions and user guides can be accessed from the Cyrface's homepage ( http://www.ebi.ac.uk/saezrodriguez/cyrface/) and from the Cytoscape app store ( http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/cyrface).

  20. Design criteria for a PC-based common user interface to remote information systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Hall, Philip P.

    1984-01-01

    A set of design criteria are presented which will allow the implementation of an interface to multiple remote information systems on a microcomputer. The focus of the design description is on providing the user with the functionality required to retrieve, store and manipulate data residing in remote information systems through the utilization of a standardized interface system. The intent is to spare the user from learning the details of retrieval from specific systems while retaining the full capabilities of each system. The system design includes multi-level capabilities to enhance usability by a wide range of users and utilizes microcomputer graphics capabilities where applicable. A data collection subsystem for evaluation purposes is also described.

  1. Adapting human-machine interfaces to user performance.

    PubMed

    Danziger, Zachary; Fishbach, Alon; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A

    2008-01-01

    The goal of this study was to create and examine machine learning algorithms that adapt in a controlled and cadenced way to foster a harmonious learning environment between the user of a human-machine interface and the controlled device. In this experiment, subjects' high-dimensional finger motions remotely controlled the joint angles of a simulated planar 2-link arm, which was used to hit targets on a computer screen. Subjects were required to move the cursor at the endpoint of the simulated arm.

  2. Use of Design Patterns According to Hand Dominance in a Mobile User Interface

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Samarraie, Hosam; Ahmad, Yusof

    2016-01-01

    User interface (UI) design patterns for mobile applications provide a solution to design problems and can improve the usage experience for users. However, there is a lack of research categorizing the uses of design patterns according to users' hand dominance in a learning-based mobile UI. We classified the main design patterns for mobile…

  3. Introducing a new open source GIS user interface for the SWAT model

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is a robust watershed modelling tool. It typically uses the ArcSWAT interface to create its inputs. ArcSWAT is public domain software which works in the licensed ArcGIS environment. The aim of this paper was to develop an open source user interface ...

  4. Circumventing Graphical User Interfaces in Chemical Engineering Plant Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romey, Noel; Schwartz, Rachel M.; Behrend, Douglas; Miao, Peter; Cheung, H. Michael; Beitle, Robert

    2007-01-01

    Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) are pervasive elements of most modern technical software and represent a convenient tool for student instruction. For example, GUIs are used for [chemical] process design software (e.g., CHEMCAD, PRO/II and ASPEN) typically encountered in the senior capstone course. Drag and drop aspects of GUIs are challenging for…

  5. A mobile user-interface for elderly care from the perspective of relatives.

    PubMed

    Warpenius, Erika; Alasaarela, Esko; Sorvoja, Hannu; Kinnunen, Matti

    2015-03-01

    As the number of elderly people rises, relatives' care-taking responsibilities increase accordingly. This creates a need for developing new systems that enable relatives to keep track of aged family members. To develop new mobile services for elderly healthcare we tried to identify the most wanted features of a mobile user-interface from the perspective of relatives. Feature mapping was based on two online surveys: one administered to the relatives (N = 32) and nurses (N = 3) of senior citizens and the other to nursing students (N = 18). Results of the surveys, confirmed by face-to-face interviews of the relatives (N = 8), indicated that the most valued features of the mobile user-interface are Accident Reporting (e.g. falling), Alarms (e.g. fire-alarm), Doctor Visits and evaluation of the General Condition of the Senior. The averaged importance ratings of these features were 9.2, 9.0, 8.6 and 8.5, respectively (on a scale from 0 to 10). Other important considerations for the user-interface development are aspiration to simplicity and ease-of-use. We recommend that the results are taken into account, when designing and implementing mobile services for elderly healthcare.

  6. Comparison and Evaluation of End-User Interfaces for Online Public Access Catalogs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zumer, Maja

    End-user interfaces for the online public access catalogs (OPACs) of OhioLINK, a system linking major university and research libraries in Ohio, and its 16 member libraries, accessible through the Internet, are compared and evaluated from the user-oriented perspective. A common, systematic framework was used for the scientific observation of the…

  7. 47 CFR 79.107 - User interfaces provided by digital apparatus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... SERVICES ACCESSIBILITY OF VIDEO PROGRAMMING Apparatus § 79.107 User interfaces provided by digital... States and designed to receive or play back video programming transmitted in digital format simultaneously with sound, including apparatus designed to receive or display video programming transmitted in...

  8. AGUIA: autonomous graphical user interface assembly for clinical trials semantic data services.

    PubMed

    Correa, Miria C; Deus, Helena F; Vasconcelos, Ana T; Hayashi, Yuki; Ajani, Jaffer A; Patnana, Srikrishna V; Almeida, Jonas S

    2010-10-26

    AGUIA is a front-end web application originally developed to manage clinical, demographic and biomolecular patient data collected during clinical trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The diversity of methods involved in patient screening and sample processing generates a variety of data types that require a resource-oriented architecture to capture the associations between the heterogeneous data elements. AGUIA uses a semantic web formalism, resource description framework (RDF), and a bottom-up design of knowledge bases that employ the S3DB tool as the starting point for the client's interface assembly. The data web service, S3DB, meets the necessary requirements of generating the RDF and of explicitly distinguishing the description of the domain from its instantiation, while allowing for continuous editing of both. Furthermore, it uses an HTTP-REST protocol, has a SPARQL endpoint, and has open source availability in the public domain, which facilitates the development and dissemination of this application. However, S3DB alone does not address the issue of representing content in a form that makes sense for domain experts. We identified an autonomous set of descriptors, the GBox, that provides user and domain specifications for the graphical user interface. This was achieved by identifying a formalism that makes use of an RDF schema to enable the automatic assembly of graphical user interfaces in a meaningful manner while using only resources native to the client web browser (JavaScript interpreter, document object model). We defined a generalized RDF model such that changes in the graphic descriptors are automatically and immediately (locally) reflected into the configuration of the client's interface application. The design patterns identified for the GBox benefit from and reflect the specific requirements of interacting with data generated by clinical trials, and they contain clues for a general purpose solution to the challenge of having interfaces

  9. AGUIA: autonomous graphical user interface assembly for clinical trials semantic data services

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background AGUIA is a front-end web application originally developed to manage clinical, demographic and biomolecular patient data collected during clinical trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The diversity of methods involved in patient screening and sample processing generates a variety of data types that require a resource-oriented architecture to capture the associations between the heterogeneous data elements. AGUIA uses a semantic web formalism, resource description framework (RDF), and a bottom-up design of knowledge bases that employ the S3DB tool as the starting point for the client's interface assembly. Methods The data web service, S3DB, meets the necessary requirements of generating the RDF and of explicitly distinguishing the description of the domain from its instantiation, while allowing for continuous editing of both. Furthermore, it uses an HTTP-REST protocol, has a SPARQL endpoint, and has open source availability in the public domain, which facilitates the development and dissemination of this application. However, S3DB alone does not address the issue of representing content in a form that makes sense for domain experts. Results We identified an autonomous set of descriptors, the GBox, that provides user and domain specifications for the graphical user interface. This was achieved by identifying a formalism that makes use of an RDF schema to enable the automatic assembly of graphical user interfaces in a meaningful manner while using only resources native to the client web browser (JavaScript interpreter, document object model). We defined a generalized RDF model such that changes in the graphic descriptors are automatically and immediately (locally) reflected into the configuration of the client's interface application. Conclusions The design patterns identified for the GBox benefit from and reflect the specific requirements of interacting with data generated by clinical trials, and they contain clues for a general purpose solution to the

  10. Enhancing the Gaming Experience Using 3D Spatial User Interface Technologies.

    PubMed

    Kulshreshth, Arun; Pfeil, Kevin; LaViola, Joseph J

    2017-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) spatial user interface technologies have the potential to make games more immersive and engaging and thus provide a better user experience. Although technologies such as stereoscopic 3D display, head tracking, and gesture-based control are available for games, it is still unclear how their use affects gameplay and if there are any user performance benefits. The authors have conducted several experiments on these technologies in game environments to understand how they affect gameplay and how we can use them to optimize the gameplay experience.

  11. Physician acceptance of the IRIS user interface during a clinical trial at the Ottawa Civic Hospital

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coristine, Marjorie; Beeton, Carolyn; Tombaugh, Jo W.; Ahuja, J.; Belanger, Garry; Dillon, Richard F.; Currie, Shawn; Hind, E.

    1990-07-01

    During a clinical trial, emergency physicians and radiologists at the Ottawa Civic Hospital used IRIS (Integrated Radiological Information System) to process patients' x-rays, requisitions, and reports, and to have consultations, for 319 active cases. This paper discusses IRIS user interface issues raised during the clinical trial. The IRIS workstation consists of three major system components: 1) an image screen for viewing and enhancing images; 2) a control screen for presenting patient information, selecting images, and executing commands; and 3) a hands-free telephone for reporting activities and consultations. The control screen and hands-free telephone user interface allow physicians to navigate through patient files, select images and access reports, enter new reports, and perform remote consultations. Physicians were observed using the system during the trial and responded to questions about the user interface on an extensive debriefing interview after the trial. Overall, radiologists and emergency physicians were satisfied with IRIS control screen functionality and user interface. In a number of areas radiologists and emergency physicians differed in their user interface needs. Some features were found to be acceptable to one group of physicians but required modification to meet the needs of the other physician group. The data from the interviews, along with the comments from radiologists and emergency physicians provided important information for the revision of some features, and for the evolution of new features.

  12. Review of surgical robotics user interface: what is the best way to control robotic surgery?

    PubMed

    Simorov, Anton; Otte, R Stephen; Kopietz, Courtni M; Oleynikov, Dmitry

    2012-08-01

    As surgical robots begin to occupy a larger place in operating rooms around the world, continued innovation is necessary to improve our outcomes. A comprehensive review of current surgical robotic user interfaces was performed to describe the modern surgical platforms, identify the benefits, and address the issues of feedback and limitations of visualization. Most robots currently used in surgery employ a master/slave relationship, with the surgeon seated at a work-console, manipulating the master system and visualizing the operation on a video screen. Although enormous strides have been made to advance current technology to the point of clinical use, limitations still exist. A lack of haptic feedback to the surgeon and the inability of the surgeon to be stationed at the operating table are the most notable examples. The future of robotic surgery sees a marked increase in the visualization technologies used in the operating room, as well as in the robots' abilities to convey haptic feedback to the surgeon. This will allow unparalleled sensation for the surgeon and almost eliminate inadvertent tissue contact and injury. A novel design for a user interface will allow the surgeon to have access to the patient bedside, remaining sterile throughout the procedure, employ a head-mounted three-dimensional visualization system, and allow the most intuitive master manipulation of the slave robot to date.

  13. PHREEQCI; a graphical user interface for the geochemical computer program PHREEQC

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Charlton, Scott R.; Macklin, Clifford L.; Parkhurst, David L.

    1997-01-01

    PhreeqcI is a Windows-based graphical user interface for the geochemical computer program PHREEQC. PhreeqcI provides the capability to generate and edit input data files, run simulations, and view text files containing simulation results, all within the framework of a single interface. PHREEQC is a multipurpose geochemical program that can perform speciation, inverse, reaction-path, and 1D advective reaction-transport modeling. Interactive access to all of the capabilities of PHREEQC is available with PhreeqcI. The interface is written in Visual Basic and will run on personal computers under the Windows(3.1), Windows95, and WindowsNT operating systems.

  14. A Method for Automated Detection of Usability Problems from Client User Interface Events

    PubMed Central

    Saadawi, Gilan M.; Legowski, Elizabeth; Medvedeva, Olga; Chavan, Girish; Crowley, Rebecca S.

    2005-01-01

    Think-aloud usability analysis provides extremely useful data but is very time-consuming and expensive to perform because of the extensive manual video analysis that is required. We describe a simple method for automated detection of usability problems from client user interface events for a developing medical intelligent tutoring system. The method incorporates (1) an agent-based method for communication that funnels all interface events and system responses to a centralized database, (2) a simple schema for representing interface events and higher order subgoals, and (3) an algorithm that reproduces the criteria used for manual coding of usability problems. A correction factor was empirically determining to account for the slower task performance of users when thinking aloud. We tested the validity of the method by simultaneously identifying usability problems using TAU and manually computing them from stored interface event data using the proposed algorithm. All usability problems that did not rely on verbal utterances were detectable with the proposed method. PMID:16779121

  15. Make E-Learning Effortless! Impact of a Redesigned User Interface on Usability through the Application of an Affordance Design Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Hyungjoo; Song, Hae-Deok

    2015-01-01

    Given that a user interface interacts with users, a critical factor to be considered in improving the usability of an e-learning user interface is user-friendliness. Affordances enable users to more easily approach and engage in learning tasks because they strengthen positive, activating emotions. However, most studies on affordances limit…

  16. Role-Based And Adaptive User Interface Designs In A Teledermatology Consult System: A Way To Secure And A Way To Enhance

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Yi-Jung; Speedie, Stuart

    2003-01-01

    User interface design is one of the most important parts of developing applications. Nowadays, a quality user interface must not only accommodate interaction between machines and users, but also needs to recognize the differences and provide functionalities for users from role-to-role or even individual-to-individual. With the web-based application of our Teledermatology consult system, the development environment provides us highly useful opportunities to create dynamic user interfaces, which lets us to gain greater access control and has the potential to increase efficiency of the system. We will describe the two models of user interfaces in our system: Role-based and Adaptive. PMID:14728419

  17. AlaScan: A Graphical User Interface for Alanine Scanning Free-Energy Calculations.

    PubMed

    Ramadoss, Vijayaraj; Dehez, François; Chipot, Christophe

    2016-06-27

    Computation of the free-energy changes that underlie molecular recognition and association has gained significant importance due to its considerable potential in drug discovery. The massive increase of computational power in recent years substantiates the application of more accurate theoretical methods for the calculation of binding free energies. The impact of such advances is the application of parent approaches, like computational alanine scanning, to investigate in silico the effect of amino-acid replacement in protein-ligand and protein-protein complexes, or probe the thermostability of individual proteins. Because human effort represents a significant cost that precludes the routine use of this form of free-energy calculations, minimizing manual intervention constitutes a stringent prerequisite for any such systematic computation. With this objective in mind, we propose a new plug-in, referred to as AlaScan, developed within the popular visualization program VMD to automate the major steps in alanine-scanning calculations, employing free-energy perturbation as implemented in the widely used molecular dynamics code NAMD. The AlaScan plug-in can be utilized upstream, to prepare input files for selected alanine mutations. It can also be utilized downstream to perform the analysis of different alanine-scanning calculations and to report the free-energy estimates in a user-friendly graphical user interface, allowing favorable mutations to be identified at a glance. The plug-in also assists the end-user in assessing the reliability of the calculation through rapid visual inspection.

  18. Simulated breeding with QU-GENE graphical user interface.

    PubMed

    Hathorn, Adrian; Chapman, Scott; Dieters, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Comparing the efficiencies of breeding methods with field experiments is a costly, long-term process. QU-GENE is a highly flexible genetic and breeding simulation platform capable of simulating the performance of a range of different breeding strategies and for a continuum of genetic models ranging from simple to complex. In this chapter we describe some of the basic mechanics behind the QU-GENE user interface and give a simplified example of how it works.

  19. Integrating macromolecular X-ray diffraction data with the graphical user interface iMOSFLM

    PubMed Central

    Powell, Harold R; Battye, T Geoff G; Kontogiannis, Luke; Johnson, Owen; Leslie, Andrew GW

    2017-01-01

    X-ray crystallography is the overwhelmingly dominant source of structural information for biological macromolecules, providing fundamental insights into biological function. Collection of X-ray diffraction data underlies the technique, and robust and user-friendly software to process the diffraction images makes the technique accessible to a wider range of scientists. iMosflm/MOSFLM (www.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/harry/imosflm) is a software package designed to achieve this goal. The graphical user interface (GUI) version of MOSFLM (called iMosflm) is designed to guide inexperienced users through the steps of data integration, while retaining powerful features for more experienced users. Images from almost all commercially available X-ray detectors can be handled. Although the program only utilizes two-dimensional profile fitting, it can readily integrate data collected in “fine phi-slicing” mode (where the rotation angle per image is less than the crystal mosaic spread by a factor of at least 2) that is commonly employed with modern very fast readout detectors. The graphical user interface provides real-time feedback on the success of the indexing step and the progress of data processing. This feedback includes the ability to monitor detector and crystal parameter refinement and to display the average spot shape in different regions of the detector. Data scaling and merging tasks can be initiated directly from the interface. Using this protocol, a dataset of 360 images with ~2000 reflections per image can be processed in approximately four minutes. PMID:28569763

  20. On the control of brain-computer interfaces by users with cerebral palsy.

    PubMed

    Daly, Ian; Billinger, Martin; Laparra-Hernández, José; Aloise, Fabio; García, Mariano Lloria; Faller, Josef; Scherer, Reinhold; Müller-Putz, Gernot

    2013-09-01

    Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proposed as a potential assistive device for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) to assist with their communication needs. However, it is unclear how well-suited BCIs are to individuals with CP. Therefore, this study aims to investigate to what extent these users are able to gain control of BCIs. This study is conducted with 14 individuals with CP attempting to control two standard online BCIs (1) based upon sensorimotor rhythm modulations, and (2) based upon steady state visual evoked potentials. Of the 14 users, 8 are able to use one or other of the BCIs, online, with a statistically significant level of accuracy, without prior training. Classification results are driven by neurophysiological activity and not seen to correlate with occurrences of artifacts. However, many of these users' accuracies, while statistically significant, would require either more training or more advanced methods before practical BCI control would be possible. The results indicate that BCIs may be controlled by individuals with CP but that many issues need to be overcome before practical application use may be achieved. This is the first study to assess the ability of a large group of different individuals with CP to gain control of an online BCI system. The results indicate that six users could control a sensorimotor rhythm BCI and three a steady state visual evoked potential BCI at statistically significant levels of accuracy (SMR accuracies; mean ± STD, 0.821 ± 0.116, SSVEP accuracies; 0.422 ± 0.069). Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Methods for studying medical device technology and practitioner cognition: the case of user-interface issues with infusion pumps.

    PubMed

    Schraagen, Jan Maarten; Verhoeven, Fenne

    2013-02-01

    The aims of this study were to investigate how a variety of research methods is commonly employed to study technology and practitioner cognition. User-interface issues with infusion pumps were selected as a case because of its relevance to patient safety. Starting from a Cognitive Systems Engineering perspective, we developed an Impact Flow Diagram showing the relationship of computer technology, cognition, practitioner behavior, and system failure in the area of medical infusion devices. We subsequently conducted a systematic literature review on user-interface issues with infusion pumps, categorized the studies in terms of methods employed, and noted the usability problems found with particular methods. Next, we assigned usability problems and related methods to the levels in the Impact Flow Diagram. Most study methods used to find user interface issues with infusion pumps focused on observable behavior rather than on how artifacts shape cognition and collaboration. A concerted and theory-driven application of these methods when testing infusion pumps is lacking in the literature. Detailed analysis of one case study provided an illustration of how to apply the Impact Flow Diagram, as well as how the scope of analysis may be broadened to include organizational and regulatory factors. Research methods to uncover use problems with technology may be used in many ways, with many different foci. We advocate the adoption of an Impact Flow Diagram perspective rather than merely focusing on usability issues in isolation. Truly advancing patient safety requires the systematic adoption of a systems perspective viewing people and technology as an ensemble, also in the design of medical device technology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The Impact of User Interface on Young Children's Computational Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pugnali, Alex; Sullivan, Amanda; Bers, Marina Umaschi

    2017-01-01

    Aim/Purpose: Over the past few years, new approaches to introducing young children to computational thinking have grown in popularity. This paper examines the role that user interfaces have on children's mastery of computational thinking concepts and positive interpersonal behaviors. Background: There is a growing pressure to begin teaching…

  3. Cognition-based development and evaluation of ergonomic user interfaces for medical image processing and archiving systems.

    PubMed

    Demiris, A M; Meinzer, H P

    1997-01-01

    Whether or not a computerized system enhances the conditions of work in the application domain, very much demands on the user interface. Graphical user interfaces seem to attract the interest of the users but mostly ignore some basic rules of visual information processing thus leading to systems which are difficult to use, lowering productivity and increasing working stress (cognitive and work load). In this work we present some fundamental ergonomic considerations and their application to the medical image processing and archiving domain. We introduce the extensions to an existing concept needed to control and guide the development of GUIs with respect to domain specific ergonomics. The suggested concept, called Model-View-Controller Constraints (MVCC), can be used to programmatically implement ergonomic constraints, and thus has some advantages over written style guides. We conclude with the presentation of existing norms and methods to evaluate user interfaces.

  4. A Graphical Operator Interface for a Telerobotic Inspection System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kim, W. S.; Tso, K. S.; Hayati, S.

    1993-01-01

    Operator interface has recently emerged as an important element for efficient and safe operatorinteractions with the telerobotic system. Recent advances in graphical user interface (GUI) andgraphics/video merging technologies enable development of more efficient, flexible operatorinterfaces. This paper describes an advanced graphical operator interface newly developed for aremote surface inspection system at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The interface has been designed sothat remote surface inspection can be performed by a single operator with an integrated robot controland image inspection capability. It supports three inspection strategies of teleoperated human visual inspection, human visual inspection with automated scanning, and machine-vision-based automated inspection.

  5. Hydraulophones: Acoustic musical instruments and expressive user interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janzen, Ryan E.

    Fluid flow creates an expansive range of acoustic possibilities, particularly in the case of water, which has unique turbulence and vortex shedding properties as compared with the air of ordinary wind instruments. Sound from water flow is explained with reference to a new class of musical instruments, hydraulophones, in which oscillation originates directly from matter in its liquid state. Several hydraulophones which were realized in practical form are described. A unique user-interface consisting of a row of water jets is presented, in terms of its expressiveness, tactility, responsiveness to derivatives and integrals of displacement, and in terms of the direct physical interaction between a user and the physical process of sound production. Signal processing algorithms are introduced, which extract further information from turbulent water flow, for industrial applications as well as musical applications.

  6. Design and validation of an improved graphical user interface with the 'Tool ball'.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kuo-Wei; Lee, Ying-Chu

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this research is introduce the design of an improved graphical user interface (GUI) and verifies the operational efficiency of the proposed interface. Until now, clicking the toolbar with the mouse is the usual way to operate software functions. In our research, we designed an improved graphical user interface - a tool ball that is operated by a mouse wheel to perform software functions. Several experiments are conducted to measure the time needed to operate certain software functions with the traditional combination of "mouse click + tool button" and the proposed integration of "mouse wheel + tool ball". The results indicate that the tool ball design can accelerate the speed of operating software functions, decrease the number of icons on the screen, and enlarge the applications of the mouse wheel. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  7. The Ocean Observatories Initiative: Data Access and Visualization via the Graphical User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garzio, L. M.; Belabbassi, L.; Knuth, F.; Smith, M. J.; Crowley, M. F.; Vardaro, M.; Kerfoot, J.

    2016-02-01

    The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), funded by the National Science Foundation, is a broad-scale, multidisciplinary effort to transform oceanographic research by providing users with real-time access to long-term datasets from a variety of deployed physical, chemical, biological, and geological sensors. The global array component of the OOI includes four high latitude sites: Irminger Sea off Greenland, Station Papa in the Gulf of Alaska, Argentine Basin off the coast of Argentina, and Southern Ocean near coordinates 55°S and 90°W. Each site is composed of fixed moorings, hybrid profiler moorings and mobile assets, with a total of approximately 110 instruments at each site. Near real-time (telemetered) and recovered data from these instruments can be visualized and downloaded via the OOI Graphical User Interface. In this Interface, the user can visualize scientific parameters via six different plotting functions with options to specify time ranges and apply various QA/QC tests. Data streams from all instruments can also be downloaded in different formats (CSV, JSON, and NetCDF) for further data processing, visualization, and comparison to supplementary datasets. In addition, users can view alerts and alarms in the system, access relevant metadata and deployment information for specific instruments, and find infrastructure specifics for each array including location, sampling strategies, deployment schedules, and technical drawings. These datasets from the OOI provide an unprecedented opportunity to transform oceanographic research and education, and will be readily accessible to the general public via the OOI's Graphical User Interface.

  8. High-level user interfaces for transfer function design with semantics.

    PubMed

    Salama, Christof Rezk; Keller, Maik; Kohlmann, Peter

    2006-01-01

    Many sophisticated techniques for the visualization of volumetric data such as medical data have been published. While existing techniques are mature from a technical point of view, managing the complexity of visual parameters is still difficult for non-expert users. To this end, this paper presents new ideas to facilitate the specification of optical properties for direct volume rendering. We introduce an additional level of abstraction for parametric models of transfer functions. The proposed framework allows visualization experts to design high-level transfer function models which can intuitively be used by non-expert users. The results are user interfaces which provide semantic information for specialized visualization problems. The proposed method is based on principal component analysis as well as on concepts borrowed from computer animation.

  9. Secure Web-based Ground System User Interfaces over the Open Internet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Langston, James H.; Murray, Henry L.; Hunt, Gary R.

    1998-01-01

    A prototype has been developed which makes use of commercially available products in conjunction with the Java programming language to provide a secure user interface for command and control over the open Internet. This paper reports successful demonstration of: (1) Security over the Internet, including encryption and certification; (2) Integration of Java applets with a COTS command and control product; (3) Remote spacecraft commanding using the Internet. The Java-based Spacecraft Web Interface to Telemetry and Command Handling (Jswitch) ground system prototype provides these capabilities. This activity demonstrates the use and integration of current technologies to enable a spacecraft engineer or flight operator to monitor and control a spacecraft from a user interface communicating over the open Internet using standard World Wide Web (WWW) protocols and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products. The core command and control functions are provided by the COTS Epoch 2000 product. The standard WWW tools and browsers are used in conjunction with the Java programming technology. Security is provided with the current encryption and certification technology. This system prototype is a step in the direction of giving scientist and flight operators Web-based access to instrument, payload, and spacecraft data.

  10. Graphical user interface for image acquisition and processing

    DOEpatents

    Goldberg, Kenneth A.

    2002-01-01

    An event-driven GUI-based image acquisition interface for the IDL programming environment designed for CCD camera control and image acquisition directly into the IDL environment where image manipulation and data analysis can be performed, and a toolbox of real-time analysis applications. Running the image acquisition hardware directly from IDL removes the necessity of first saving images in one program and then importing the data into IDL for analysis in a second step. Bringing the data directly into IDL creates an opportunity for the implementation of IDL image processing and display functions in real-time. program allows control over the available charge coupled device (CCD) detector parameters, data acquisition, file saving and loading, and image manipulation and processing, all from within IDL. The program is built using IDL's widget libraries to control the on-screen display and user interface.

  11. An approach to developing user interfaces for space systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shackelford, Keith; McKinney, Karen

    1993-08-01

    Inherent weakness in the traditional waterfall model of software development has led to the definition of the spiral model. The spiral model software development lifecycle model, however, has not been applied to NASA projects. This paper describes its use in developing real time user interface software for an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Process Control Prototype at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

  12. Preparing for Future Learning with a Tangible User Interface: The Case of Neuroscience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, B.; Wallace, J.; Blikstein, P.; Pea, R.

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of a microworld-based learning environment for neuroscience. Our system, BrainExplorer, allows students to discover the way neural pathways work by interacting with a tangible user interface. By severing and reconfiguring connections, users can observe how the visual field is impaired and,…

  13. A Prototype Lisp-Based Soft Real-Time Object-Oriented Graphical User Interface for Control System Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Litt, Jonathan; Wong, Edmond; Simon, Donald L.

    1994-01-01

    A prototype Lisp-based soft real-time object-oriented Graphical User Interface for control system development is presented. The Graphical User Interface executes alongside a test system in laboratory conditions to permit observation of the closed loop operation through animation, graphics, and text. Since it must perform interactive graphics while updating the screen in real time, techniques are discussed which allow quick, efficient data processing and animation. Examples from an implementation are included to demonstrate some typical functionalities which allow the user to follow the control system's operation.

  14. Applying Minimal Manual Principles for Documentation of Graphical User Interfaces.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nowaczyk, Ronald H.; James, E. Christopher

    1993-01-01

    Investigates the need to include computer screens in documentation for software using a graphical user interface. Describes the uses and purposes of "minimal manuals" and their principles. Studies student reaction to their use of one of three on-screen manuals: screens, icon, and button. Finds some benefit for including icon and button…

  15. Designing the OPAC User Interface to Improve Access and Retrieval.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basista, Thomas; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Discussion of problems with retrieval of records in library online public access catalogs (OPACs) focuses on an ongoing research project at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) that has been trying to improve subject retrieval vocabulary control using natural and thesaural language and on the design of a good graphical user interface.…

  16. PDSS/IMC CIS user's guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1984-01-01

    The Spacelab Payload Development Support System PDSS Image Motion Compensator (IMC) computer interface simulation (CIS) user's manual is given. The software provides a real time interface simulation for the following IMC subsystems: the Dry Rotor Reference Unit, the Advanced Star/Target Reference Optical sensor, the Ultra Violet imaging telescope, the Wisconson Ultraviolet Photopolarimetry Experiment, the Cruciform Power distributor, and the Spacelab Experiment Computer Operating System.

  17. The Design and Evaluation of a Front-End User Interface for Energy Researchers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borgman, Christine L.; And Others

    1989-01-01

    Reports on the Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Project, which developed software to support end user access to a Department of Energy database based on the skill levels and needs of energy researchers. The discussion covers issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special…

  18. Microcomputer spacecraft thermal analysis routines (MSTAR) Phase I: The user interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Teti, N.M.

    1993-12-31

    The Microcomputer Spacecraft Thermal Analysis Routines (MSTAR) software package is being developed for NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center by Swales and Associates, Inc. (S&AI). In December 1992, S&AI was awarded a phase I Small Business Inovative Research contract fronm NASA to develop a microcomputer based thermal analysis program to replace the current SSPTA and TRASYS programs. Phase I consists of a six month effort which will focus on developing geometric model generation and visualization capabilities using a graphical user interface (GUI). The information contained in this paper encompasses the work performed during the Phase I development cycle; with emphasis on themore » development of the graphical user interface (GUI). This includes both the theory behind and specific examples of how the MSTAR GUI was implemented. Furthermore, this report discusses new applications and enhancements which will improve the capabilities and commercialization of the MSTAR program.« less

  19. Microcomputer spacecraft thermal analysis routines (MSTAR) Phase I: The user interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Teti, Nicholas M.

    1993-01-01

    The Microcomputer Spacecraft Thermal Analysis Routines (MSTAR) software package is being developed for NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center by Swales and Associates, Inc. (S&AI). In December 1992, S&AI was awarded a phase I Small Business Inovative Research contract fronm NASA to develop a microcomputer based thermal analysis program to replace the current SSPTA and TRASYS programs. Phase I consists of a six month effort which will focus on developing geometric model generation and visualization capabilities using a graphical user interface (GUI). The information contained in this paper encompasses the work performed during the Phase I development cycle; with emphasis on the development of the graphical user interface (GUI). This includes both the theory behind and specific examples of how the MSTAR GUI was implemented. Furthermore, this report discusses new applications and enhancements which will improve the capabilities and commercialization of the MSTAR program.

  20. Incorporating Speech Recognition into a Natural User Interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chapa, Nicholas

    2017-01-01

    The Augmented/ Virtual Reality (AVR) Lab has been working to study the applicability of recent virtual and augmented reality hardware and software to KSC operations. This includes the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens, and Unity game engine. My project in this lab is to integrate voice recognition and voice commands into an easy to modify system that can be added to an existing portion of a Natural User Interface (NUI). A NUI is an intuitive and simple to use interface incorporating visual, touch, and speech recognition. The inclusion of speech recognition capability will allow users to perform actions or make inquiries using only their voice. The simplicity of needing only to speak to control an on-screen object or enact some digital action means that any user can quickly become accustomed to using this system. Multiple programs were tested for use in a speech command and recognition system. Sphinx4 translates speech to text using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) based Language Model, an Acoustic Model, and a word Dictionary running on Java. PocketSphinx had similar functionality to Sphinx4 but instead ran on C. However, neither of these programs were ideal as building a Java or C wrapper slowed performance. The most ideal speech recognition system tested was the Unity Engine Grammar Recognizer. A Context Free Grammar (CFG) structure is written in an XML file to specify the structure of phrases and words that will be recognized by Unity Grammar Recognizer. Using Speech Recognition Grammar Specification (SRGS) 1.0 makes modifying the recognized combinations of words and phrases very simple and quick to do. With SRGS 1.0, semantic information can also be added to the XML file, which allows for even more control over how spoken words and phrases are interpreted by Unity. Additionally, using a CFG with SRGS 1.0 produces a Finite State Machine (FSM) functionality limiting the potential for incorrectly heard words or phrases. The purpose of my project was to

  1. The Role of Perceived User-Interface Design in Continued Usage Intention of Self-Paced E-Learning Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, Vincent; Cheng, T. C. Edwin; Lai, W. M. Jennifer

    2009-01-01

    While past studies on user-interface design focused on a particular system or application using the experimental approach, we propose a theoretical model to assess the impact of perceived user-interface design (PUID) on continued usage intention (CUI) of self-paced e-learning tools in general. We argue that the impact of PUID is mediated by two…

  2. Co-Evolution of User and Organizational Interfaces: A Longitudinal Case Study of WWW Dissemination of National Statistics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchionini, Gary

    2002-01-01

    Describes how user interfaces for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) web site evolved over a 5-year period along with the larger organizational interface and how this co-evolution has influenced the institution. Interviews with BLS staff and transaction log analysis are the foci of this study, as well as user information-seeking studies and user…

  3. Development of a Common User Interface for the Launch Decision Support System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scholtz, Jean C.

    1991-01-01

    The Launch Decision Support System (LDSS) is software to be used by the NASA Test Director (NTD) in the firing room during countdown. This software is designed to assist the NTD with time management, that is, when to resume from a hold condition. This software will assist the NTD in making and evaluating alternate plans and will keep him advised of the existing situation. As such, the interface to this software must be designed to provide the maximum amount of information in the clearest fashion and in a timely manner. This research involves applying user interface guidelines to a mature prototype of LDSS and developing displays that will enable the users to easily and efficiently obtain information from the LDSS displays. This research also extends previous work on organizing and prioritizing human-computer interaction knowledge.

  4. Network and user interface for PAT DOME virtual motion environment system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Worthington, J. W.; Duncan, K. M.; Crosier, W. G.

    1993-01-01

    The Device for Orientation and Motion Environments Preflight Adaptation Trainer (DOME PAT) provides astronauts a virtual microgravity sensory environment designed to help alleviate tye symptoms of space motion sickness (SMS). The system consists of four microcomputers networked to provide real time control, and an image generator (IG) driving a wide angle video display inside a dome structure. The spherical display demands distortion correction. The system is currently being modified with a new graphical user interface (GUI) and a new Silicon Graphics IG. This paper will concentrate on the new GUI and the networking scheme. The new GUI eliminates proprietary graphics hardware and software, and instead makes use of standard and low cost PC video (CGA) and off the shelf software (Microsoft's Quick C). Mouse selection for user input is supported. The new Silicon Graphics IG requires an Ethernet interface. The microcomputer known as the Real Time Controller (RTC), which has overall control of the system and is written in Ada, was modified to use the free public domain NCSA Telnet software for Ethernet communications with the Silicon Graphics IG. The RTC also maintains the original ARCNET communications through Novell Netware IPX with the rest of the system. The Telnet TCP/IP protocol was first used for real-time communication, but because of buffering problems the Telnet datagram (UDP) protocol needed to be implemented. Since the Telnet modules are written in C, the Adap pragma 'Interface' was used to interface with the network calls.

  5. Usability evaluation of user interface of thesis title review system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tri, Y.; Erna, A.; Gellysa, U.

    2018-03-01

    Presentation of programs with user interface that can be accessed online through the website of course greatly provide user benefits. User can easily access the program they need. There are usability values that serve as a benchmark for the success of a user accessible program, ie efficiency, effectiveness, and convenience. These usability values also determine the development of the program for the better use. Therefore, on the review title thesis program that will be implemented in STT Dumai was measured usability evaluation. It aims to see which sides are not yet perfect and need to be improved to improve the performance and utilization of the program. Usability evaluation was measured by using smartPLS software. Database used was the result of respondent questionnaires that include questions about the experience when they used program. The result of a review of thesis title program implemented in STT Dumai has an efficiency value of 22.615, the effectiveness of 20.612, and satisfaction of 33.177.

  6. Man-machine interface requirements - advanced technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Remington, R. W.; Wiener, E. L.

    1984-01-01

    Research issues and areas are identified where increased understanding of the human operator and the interaction between the operator and the avionics could lead to improvements in the performance of current and proposed helicopters. Both current and advanced helicopter systems and avionics are considered. Areas critical to man-machine interface requirements include: (1) artificial intelligence; (2) visual displays; (3) voice technology; (4) cockpit integration; and (5) pilot work loads and performance.

  7. UIMX: A User Interface Management System For Scientific Computing With X Windows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foody, Michael

    1989-09-01

    Applications with iconic user interfaces, (for example, interfaces with pulldown menus, radio buttons, and scroll bars), such as those found on Apple's Macintosh computer and the IBM PC under Microsoft's Presentation Manager, have become very popular, and for good reason. They are much easier to use than applications with traditional keyboard-oriented interfaces, so training costs are much lower and just about anyone can use them. They are standardized between applications, so once you learn one application you are well along the way to learning another. The use of one reinforces the common elements between applications of the interface, and, as a result, you remember how to use them longer. Finally, for the developer, their support costs can be much lower because of their ease of use.

  8. NASA Access Mechanism - Graphical user interface information retrieval system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hunter, Judy F.; Generous, Curtis; Duncan, Denise

    1993-01-01

    Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited by factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

  9. NASA access mechanism: Graphical user interface information retrieval system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hunter, Judy; Generous, Curtis; Duncan, Denise

    1993-01-01

    Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited to factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

  10. User's Self-Prediction of Performance in Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Minkyu; Cho, Hohyun; Ahn, Sangtae; Jun, Sung C

    2018-01-01

    Performance variation is a critical issue in motor imagery brain-computer interface (MI-BCI), and various neurophysiological, psychological, and anatomical correlates have been reported in the literature. Although the main aim of such studies is to predict MI-BCI performance for the prescreening of poor performers, studies which focus on the user's sense of the motor imagery process and directly estimate MI-BCI performance through the user's self-prediction are lacking. In this study, we first test each user's self-prediction idea regarding motor imagery experimental datasets. Fifty-two subjects participated in a classical, two-class motor imagery experiment and were asked to evaluate their easiness with motor imagery and to predict their own MI-BCI performance. During the motor imagery experiment, an electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded; however, no feedback on motor imagery was given to subjects. From EEG recordings, the offline classification accuracy was estimated and compared with several questionnaire scores of subjects, as well as with each subject's self-prediction of MI-BCI performance. The subjects' performance predictions during motor imagery task showed a high positive correlation ( r = 0.64, p < 0.01). Interestingly, it was observed that the self-prediction became more accurate as the subjects conducted more motor imagery tasks in the Correlation coefficient (pre-task to 2nd run: r = 0.02 to r = 0.54, p < 0.01) and root mean square error (pre-task to 3rd run: 17.7% to 10%, p < 0.01). We demonstrated that subjects may accurately predict their MI-BCI performance even without feedback information. This implies that the human brain is an active learning system and, by self-experiencing the endogenous motor imagery process, it can sense and adopt the quality of the process. Thus, it is believed that users may be able to predict MI-BCI performance and results may contribute to a better understanding of low performance and advancing BCI.

  11. Icon and user interface design for emergency medical information systems: a case study.

    PubMed

    Salman, Y Batu; Cheng, Hong-In; Patterson, Patrick E

    2012-01-01

    A usable medical information system should allow for reliable and accurate interaction between users and the system in emergencies. A participatory design approach was used to develop a medical information system in two Turkish hospitals. The process consisted of task and user analysis, an icon design survey, initial icon design, final icon design and evaluation, and installation of the iconic medical information system with the icons. We observed work sites to note working processes and tasks related to the information system and interviewed medical personnel. Emergency personnel then participated in the design process to develop a usable graphical user interface, by drawing icon sketches for 23 selected tasks. Similar sketches were requested for specific tasks such as family medical history, contact information, translation, addiction, required inspections, requests and applications, and nurse observations. The sketches were analyzed and redesigned into computer icons by professional designers and the research team. A second group of physicians and nurses then tested the understandability of the icons. The user interface layout was examined and evaluated by system users, followed by the system's installation. Medical personnel reported the participatory design process was interesting and believed the resulting designs would be more familiar and friendlier. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Allowing the Advantaged User in a Network Centric System to Get Through the Disadvantaged Interface

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    ADVANTAGED USER IN A NETWORK CENTRIC SYSTEM TO GET THROUGH THE DISADVANTAGED INTERFACE by Lawrence Brandon September 2009 Thesis Advisor...Through the Disadvantaged Interface 6. AUTHOR(S) Lawrence Brandon 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval...identify those factors that cause disadvantaged interfaces within network centric systems and provides recommendations to these challenges so that

  13. A general graphical user interface for automatic reliability modeling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liceaga, Carlos A.; Siewiorek, Daniel P.

    1991-01-01

    Reported here is a general Graphical User Interface (GUI) for automatic reliability modeling of Processor Memory Switch (PMS) structures using a Markov model. This GUI is based on a hierarchy of windows. One window has graphical editing capabilities for specifying the system's communication structure, hierarchy, reconfiguration capabilities, and requirements. Other windows have field texts, popup menus, and buttons for specifying parameters and selecting actions. An example application of the GUI is given.

  14. Natural User Interface Sensors for Human Body Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boehm, J.

    2012-08-01

    The recent push for natural user interfaces (NUI) in the entertainment and gaming industry has ushered in a new era of low cost three-dimensional sensors. While the basic idea of using a three-dimensional sensor for human gesture recognition dates some years back it is not until recently that such sensors became available on the mass market. The current market leader is PrimeSense who provide their technology for the Microsoft Xbox Kinect. Since these sensors are developed to detect and observe human users they should be ideally suited to measure the human body. We describe the technology of a line of NUI sensors and assess their performance in terms of repeatability and accuracy. We demonstrate the implementation of a prototype scanner integrating several NUI sensors to achieve full body coverage. We present the results of the obtained surface model of a human body.

  15. Design of Flight Control Panel Layout using Graphical User Interface in MATLAB

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wirawan, A.; Indriyanto, T.

    2018-04-01

    This paper introduces the design of Flight Control Panel (FCP) Layout using Graphical User Interface in MATLAB. The FCP is the interface to give the command to the simulation and to monitor model variables while the simulation is running. The command accommodates by the FCP are altitude command, the angle of sideslip command, heading command, and setting command for turbulence model. The FCP was also designed to monitor the flight parameter while the simulation is running.

  16. Graphical User Interface Development for Representing Air Flow Patterns

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chaudhary, Nilika

    2004-01-01

    In the Turbine Branch, scientists carry out experimental and computational work to advance the efficiency and diminish the noise production of jet engine turbines. One way to do this is by decreasing the heat that the turbine blades receive. Most of the experimental work is carried out by taking a single turbine blade and analyzing the air flow patterns around it, because this data indicates the sections of the turbine blade that are getting too hot. Since the cost of doing turbine blade air flow experiments is very high, researchers try to do computational work that fits the experimental data. The goal of computational fluid dynamics is for scientists to find a numerical way to predict the complex flow patterns around different turbine blades without physically having to perform tests or costly experiments. When visualizing flow patterns, scientists need a way to represent the flow conditions around a turbine blade. A researcher will assign specific zones that surround the turbine blade. In a two-dimensional view, the zones are usually quadrilaterals. The next step is to assign boundary conditions which define how the flow enters or exits one side of a zone. way of setting up computational zones and grids, visualizing flow patterns, and storing all the flow conditions in a file on the computer for future computation. Such a program is necessary because the only method for creating flow pattern graphs is by hand, which is tedious and time-consuming. By using a computer program to create the zones and grids, the graph would be faster to make and easier to edit. Basically, the user would run a program that is an editable graph. The user could click and drag with the mouse to form various zones and grids, then edit the locations of these grids, add flow and boundary conditions, and finally save the graph for future use and analysis. My goal this summer is to create a graphical user interface (GUI) that incorporates all of these elements. I am writing the program in

  17. Wearable wireless User Interface Cursor-Controller (UIC-C).

    PubMed

    Marjanovic, Nicholas; Kerr, Kevin; Aranda, Ricardo; Hickey, Richard; Esmailbeigi, Hananeh

    2017-07-01

    Controlling a computer or a smartphone's cursor allows the user to access a world full of information. For millions of people with limited upper extremities motor function, controlling the cursor becomes profoundly difficult. Our team has developed the User Interface Cursor-Controller (UIC-C) to assist the impaired individuals in regaining control over the cursor. The UIC-C is a hands-free device that utilizes the tongue muscle to control the cursor movements. The entire device is housed inside a subject specific retainer. The user maneuvers the cursor by manipulating a joystick imbedded inside the retainer via their tongue. The joystick movement commands are sent to an electronic device via a Bluetooth connection. The device is readily recognizable as a cursor controller by any Bluetooth enabled electronic device. The device testing results have shown that the time it takes the user to control the cursor accurately via the UIC-C is about three times longer than a standard computer mouse controlled via the hand. The device does not require any permanent modifications to the body; therefore, it could be used during the period of acute rehabilitation of the hands. With the development of modern smart homes, and enhancement electronics controlled by the computer, UIC-C could be integrated into a system that enables individuals with permanent impairment, the ability to control the cursor. In conclusion, the UIC-C device is designed with the goal of allowing the user to accurately control a cursor during the periods of either acute or permanent upper extremities impairment.

  18. Interactive multi-objective path planning through a palette-based user interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaikh, Meher T.; Goodrich, Michael A.; Yi, Daqing; Hoehne, Joseph

    2016-05-01

    n a problem where a human uses supervisory control to manage robot path-planning, there are times when human does the path planning, and if satisfied commits those paths to be executed by the robot, and the robot executes that plan. In planning a path, the robot often uses an optimization algorithm that maximizes or minimizes an objective. When a human is assigned the task of path planning for robot, the human may care about multiple objectives. This work proposes a graphical user interface (GUI) designed for interactive robot path-planning when an operator may prefer one objective over others or care about how multiple objectives are traded off. The GUI represents multiple objectives using the metaphor of an artist's palette. A distinct color is used to represent each objective, and tradeoffs among objectives are balanced in a manner that an artist mixes colors to get the desired shade of color. Thus, human intent is analogous to the artist's shade of color. We call the GUI an "Adverb Palette" where the word "Adverb" represents a specific type of objective for the path, such as the adverbs "quickly" and "safely" in the commands: "travel the path quickly", "make the journey safely". The novel interactive interface provides the user an opportunity to evaluate various alternatives (that tradeoff between different objectives) by allowing her to visualize the instantaneous outcomes that result from her actions on the interface. In addition to assisting analysis of various solutions given by an optimization algorithm, the palette has additional feature of allowing the user to define and visualize her own paths, by means of waypoints (guiding locations) thereby spanning variety for planning. The goal of the Adverb Palette is thus to provide a way for the user and robot to find an acceptable solution even though they use very different representations of the problem. Subjective evaluations suggest that even non-experts in robotics can carry out the planning tasks with a

  19. GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE WITH APPLICATIONS IN SUSCEPTIBLE-INFECTIOUS-SUSCEPTIBLE MODELS.

    PubMed

    Ilea, M; Turnea, M; Arotăriţei, D; Rotariu, Mariana; Popescu, Marilena

    2015-01-01

    Practical significance of understanding the dynamics and evolution of infectious diseases increases continuously in contemporary world. The mathematical study of the dynamics of infectious diseases has a long history. By incorporating statistical methods and computer-based simulations in dynamic epidemiological models, it could be possible for modeling methods and theoretical analyses to be more realistic and reliable, allowing a more detailed understanding of the rules governing epidemic spreading. To provide the basis for a disease transmission, the population of a region is often divided into various compartments, and the model governing their relation is called the compartmental model. To present all of the information available, a graphical user interface provides icons and visual indicators. The graphical interface shown in this paper is performed using the MATLAB software ver. 7.6.0. MATLAB software offers a wide range of techniques by which data can be displayed graphically. The process of data viewing involves a series of operations. To achieve it, I had to make three separate files, one for defining the mathematical model and two for the interface itself. Considering a fixed population, it is observed that the number of susceptible individuals diminishes along with an increase in the number of infectious individuals so that in about ten days the number of individuals infected and susceptible, respectively, has the same value. If the epidemic is not controlled, it will continue for an indefinite period of time. By changing the global parameters specific of the SIS model, a more rapid increase of infectious individuals is noted. Using the graphical user interface shown in this paper helps achieving a much easier interaction with the computer, simplifying the structure of complex instructions by using icons and menus, and, in particular, programs and files are much easier to organize. Some numerical simulations have been presented to illustrate theoretical

  20. The effect of two different electronic health record user interfaces on intensive care provider task load, errors of cognition, and performance.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Adil; Chandra, Subhash; Herasevich, Vitaly; Gajic, Ognjen; Pickering, Brian W

    2011-07-01

    The care of critically ill patients generates large quantities of data. Increasingly, these data are presented to the provider within an electronic medical record. The manner in which data are organized and presented can impact on the ability of users to synthesis that data into meaningful information. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that novel user interfaces, which prioritize the display of high-value data to providers within system-based packages, reduce task load, and result in fewer errors of cognition compared with established user interfaces that do not. Randomized crossover study. Academic tertiary referral center. Attending, resident and fellow critical care physicians. Novel health care record user interface. Subjects randomly assigned to either a standard electronic medical record or a novel user interface, were asked to perform a structured task. The task required the subjects to use the assigned electronic environment to review the medical record of an intensive care unit patient said to be actively bleeding for data that formed the basis of answers to clinical questions posed in the form of a structured questionnaire. The primary outcome was task load, measured using the paper version of the NASA-task load index. Secondary outcome measures included time to task completion, number of errors of cognition measured by comparison of subject to post hoc gold standard questionnaire responses, and the quantity of information presented to subjects by each environment. Twenty subjects completed the task on eight patients, resulting in 160 patient-provider encounters (80 in each group). The standard electronic medical record contained a much larger data volume with a median (interquartile range) number of data points per patient of 1008 (895-1183) compared with 102 (77-112) contained within the novel user interface. The median (interquartile range) NASA-task load index values were 38.8 (32-45) and 58 (45-65) for the novel user interface

  1. Nanobio interfaces: charge control of enzyme/inorganic interfaces for advanced biocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Deshapriya, Inoka K; Kumar, Challa V

    2013-11-19

    Specific approaches to the rational design of nanobio interfaces for enzyme and protein binding to nanomaterials are vital for engineering advanced, functional nanobiomaterials for biocatalysis, sensing, and biomedical applications. This feature article presents an overview of our recent discoveries on structural, functional, and mechanistic details of how enzymes interact with inorganic nanomaterials and how they can be controlled in a systematic manner using α-Zr(IV)phosphate (α-ZrP) as a model system. The interactions of a number of enzymes having a wide array of surface charges, sizes, and functional groups are investigated. Interactions are carefully controlled to screen unfavorable repulsions and enhance favorable interactions for high affinity, structure retention, and activity preservation. In specific cases, catalytic activities and substrate selectivities are improved over those of the pristine enzymes, and two examples of high activity near the boiling point of water have been demonstrated. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies indicated that enzyme binding is coupled to ion sequestration or release to or from the nanobio interface, and binding is controlled in a rational manner. We learned that (1) bound enzyme stabilities are improved by lowering the entropy of the denatured state; (2) maximal loadings are obtained by matching charge footprints of the enzyme and the nanomaterial surface; (3) binding affinities are improved by ion sequestration at the nanobio interface; and (4) maximal enzyme structure retention is obtained by biophilizing the nanobio interface with protein glues. The chemical and physical manipulations of the nanobio interface are significant not only for understanding the complex behaviors of enzymes at biological interfaces but also for desiging better functional nanobiomaterials for a wide variety of practical applications.

  2. Reducing Wrong Patient Selection Errors: Exploring the Design Space of User Interface Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Sopan, Awalin; Plaisant, Catherine; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

    2014-01-01

    Wrong patient selection errors are a major issue for patient safety; from ordering medication to performing surgery, the stakes are high. Widespread adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems makes patient selection using a computer screen a frequent task for clinicians. Careful design of the user interface can help mitigate the problem by helping providers recall their patients’ identities, accurately select their names, and spot errors before orders are submitted. We propose a catalog of twenty seven distinct user interface techniques, organized according to a task analysis. An associated video demonstrates eighteen of those techniques. EHR designers who consider a wider range of human-computer interaction techniques could reduce selection errors, but verification of efficacy is still needed. PMID:25954415

  3. Reducing wrong patient selection errors: exploring the design space of user interface techniques.

    PubMed

    Sopan, Awalin; Plaisant, Catherine; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

    2014-01-01

    Wrong patient selection errors are a major issue for patient safety; from ordering medication to performing surgery, the stakes are high. Widespread adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems makes patient selection using a computer screen a frequent task for clinicians. Careful design of the user interface can help mitigate the problem by helping providers recall their patients' identities, accurately select their names, and spot errors before orders are submitted. We propose a catalog of twenty seven distinct user interface techniques, organized according to a task analysis. An associated video demonstrates eighteen of those techniques. EHR designers who consider a wider range of human-computer interaction techniques could reduce selection errors, but verification of efficacy is still needed.

  4. AOP-DB Frontend: A user interface for the Adverse Outcome Pathways Database.

    EPA Science Inventory

    The EPA Adverse Outcome Pathway Database (AOP-DB) is a database resource that aggregates association relationships between AOPs, genes, chemicals, diseases, pathways, species orthology information, ontologies. The AOP-DB frontend is a simple yet powerful AOP-DB user interface in...

  5. AOP-DB Frontend: A user interface for the Adverse Outcome Pathways Database

    EPA Science Inventory

    The EPA Adverse Outcome Pathway Database (AOP-DB) is a database resource that aggregates association relationships between AOPs, genes, chemicals, diseases, pathways, species orthology information, ontologies. The AOP-DB frontend is a simple yet powerful user interface in the for...

  6. Advanced user support programme—TEMPUS IML-2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diefenbach, A.; Kratz, M.; Uffelmann, D.; Willnecker, R.

    1995-05-01

    The DLR Microgravity User Support Centre (MUSC) in Cologne has supported microgravity experiments in the field of materials and life sciences since 1979. In the beginning of user support activities, MUSC tasks comprised the basic ground and mission support, whereas present programmes are expanded on, for example, powerful telescience and advanced real time data acquisition capabilities for efficient experiment operation and monitoring. In view of the Space Station era, user support functions will increase further. Additional tasks and growing responsibilities must be covered, e.g. extended science support as well as experiment and facility operations. The user support for TEMPUS IML-2, under contract of the German Space Agency DARA, represents a further step towards the required new-generation of future ground programme. TEMPUS is a new highly sophisticated Spacelab multi-user facility for containerless processing of metallic samples. Electromagnetic levitation technique is applied and various experiment diagnosis tools are offered. Experiments from eight U.S. and German investigator groups have been selected for flight on the second International Microgravity Laboratory Mission IML-2 in 1994. Based on the experience gained in the research programme of the DLR Institute for Space Simulation since 1984, MUSC is performing a comprehensive experiment preparation programme in close collaboration with the investigator teams. Complex laboratory equipment has been built up for technology and experiment preparation development. New experiment techniques have been developed for experiment verification tests. The MUSC programme includes thorough analysis and testing of scientific requirements of every proposed experiment with respect to the facility hard- and software capabilities. In addition, studies on the experiment-specific operation requirements have been performed and suitable telescience scenarios were analysed. The present paper will give a survey of the TEMPUS user

  7. Rapid Prototyping of Hydrologic Model Interfaces with IPython

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farthing, M. W.; Winters, K. D.; Ahmadia, A. J.; Hesser, T.; Howington, S. E.; Johnson, B. D.; Tate, J.; Kees, C. E.

    2014-12-01

    A significant gulf still exists between the state of practice and state of the art in hydrologic modeling. Part of this gulf is due to the lack of adequate pre- and post-processing tools for newly developed computational models. The development of user interfaces has traditionally lagged several years behind the development of a particular computational model or suite of models. As a result, models with mature interfaces often lack key advancements in model formulation, solution methods, and/or software design and technology. Part of the problem has been a focus on developing monolithic tools to provide comprehensive interfaces for the entire suite of model capabilities. Such efforts require expertise in software libraries and frameworks for creating user interfaces (e.g., Tcl/Tk, Qt, and MFC). These tools are complex and require significant investment in project resources (time and/or money) to use. Moreover, providing the required features for the entire range of possible applications and analyses creates a cumbersome interface. For a particular site or application, the modeling requirements may be simplified or at least narrowed, which can greatly reduce the number and complexity of options that need to be accessible to the user. However, monolithic tools usually are not adept at dynamically exposing specific workflows. Our approach is to deliver highly tailored interfaces to users. These interfaces may be site and/or process specific. As a result, we end up with many, customized interfaces rather than a single, general-use tool. For this approach to be successful, it must be efficient to create these tailored interfaces. We need technology for creating quality user interfaces that is accessible and has a low barrier for integration into model development efforts. Here, we present efforts to leverage IPython notebooks as tools for rapid prototyping of site and application-specific user interfaces. We provide specific examples from applications in near

  8. Lung Segmentation Refinement based on Optimal Surface Finding Utilizing a Hybrid Desktop/Virtual Reality User Interface

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Shanhui; Sonka, Milan; Beichel, Reinhard R.

    2013-01-01

    Recently, the optimal surface finding (OSF) and layered optimal graph image segmentation of multiple objects and surfaces (LOGISMOS) approaches have been reported with applications to medical image segmentation tasks. While providing high levels of performance, these approaches may locally fail in the presence of pathology or other local challenges. Due to the image data variability, finding a suitable cost function that would be applicable to all image locations may not be feasible. This paper presents a new interactive refinement approach for correcting local segmentation errors in the automated OSF-based segmentation. A hybrid desktop/virtual reality user interface was developed for efficient interaction with the segmentations utilizing state-of-the-art stereoscopic visualization technology and advanced interaction techniques. The user interface allows a natural and interactive manipulation on 3-D surfaces. The approach was evaluated on 30 test cases from 18 CT lung datasets, which showed local segmentation errors after employing an automated OSF-based lung segmentation. The performed experiments exhibited significant increase in performance in terms of mean absolute surface distance errors (2.54 ± 0.75 mm prior to refinement vs. 1.11 ± 0.43 mm post-refinement, p ≪ 0.001). Speed of the interactions is one of the most important aspects leading to the acceptance or rejection of the approach by users expecting real-time interaction experience. The average algorithm computing time per refinement iteration was 150 ms, and the average total user interaction time required for reaching complete operator satisfaction per case was about 2 min. This time was mostly spent on human-controlled manipulation of the object to identify whether additional refinement was necessary and to approve the final segmentation result. The reported principle is generally applicable to segmentation problems beyond lung segmentation in CT scans as long as the underlying segmentation

  9. Lung segmentation refinement based on optimal surface finding utilizing a hybrid desktop/virtual reality user interface.

    PubMed

    Sun, Shanhui; Sonka, Milan; Beichel, Reinhard R

    2013-01-01

    Recently, the optimal surface finding (OSF) and layered optimal graph image segmentation of multiple objects and surfaces (LOGISMOS) approaches have been reported with applications to medical image segmentation tasks. While providing high levels of performance, these approaches may locally fail in the presence of pathology or other local challenges. Due to the image data variability, finding a suitable cost function that would be applicable to all image locations may not be feasible. This paper presents a new interactive refinement approach for correcting local segmentation errors in the automated OSF-based segmentation. A hybrid desktop/virtual reality user interface was developed for efficient interaction with the segmentations utilizing state-of-the-art stereoscopic visualization technology and advanced interaction techniques. The user interface allows a natural and interactive manipulation of 3-D surfaces. The approach was evaluated on 30 test cases from 18 CT lung datasets, which showed local segmentation errors after employing an automated OSF-based lung segmentation. The performed experiments exhibited significant increase in performance in terms of mean absolute surface distance errors (2.54±0.75 mm prior to refinement vs. 1.11±0.43 mm post-refinement, p≪0.001). Speed of the interactions is one of the most important aspects leading to the acceptance or rejection of the approach by users expecting real-time interaction experience. The average algorithm computing time per refinement iteration was 150 ms, and the average total user interaction time required for reaching complete operator satisfaction was about 2 min per case. This time was mostly spent on human-controlled manipulation of the object to identify whether additional refinement was necessary and to approve the final segmentation result. The reported principle is generally applicable to segmentation problems beyond lung segmentation in CT scans as long as the underlying segmentation utilizes the

  10. The Design of a Graphical User Interface for an Electronic Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cahalan, Kathleen J.; Levin, Jacques

    2000-01-01

    Describes the design of a prototype for the graphical user interface component of an electronic classroom (ECR) application that supports real-time lectures and question-and-answer sessions between an instructor and students. Based on requirements analysis and an analysis of competing products, a Web-based ECR prototype was produced. Findings show…

  11. A memory efficient user interface for CLIPS micro-computer applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sterle, Mark E.; Mayer, Richard J.; Jordan, Janice A.; Brodale, Howard N.; Lin, Min-Jin

    1990-01-01

    The goal of the Integrated Southern Pine Beetle Expert System (ISPBEX) is to provide expert level knowledge concerning treatment advice that is convenient and easy to use for Forest Service personnel. ISPBEX was developed in CLIPS and delivered on an IBM PC AT class micro-computer, operating with an MS/DOS operating system. This restricted the size of the run time system to 640K. In order to provide a robust expert system, with on-line explanation, help, and alternative actions menus, as well as features that allow the user to back up or execute 'what if' scenarios, a memory efficient menuing system was developed to interface with the CLIPS programs. By robust, we mean an expert system that (1) is user friendly, (2) provides reasonable solutions for a wide variety of domain specific problems, (3) explains why some solutions were suggested but others were not, and (4) provides technical information relating to the problem solution. Several advantages were gained by using this type of user interface (UI). First, by storing the menus on the hard disk (instead of main memory) during program execution, a more robust system could be implemented. Second, since the menus were built rapidly, development time was reduced. Third, the user may try a new scenario by backing up to any of the input screens and revising segments of the original input without having to retype all the information. And fourth, asserting facts from the menus provided for a dynamic and flexible fact base. This UI technology has been applied successfully in expert systems applications in forest management, agriculture, and manufacturing. This paper discusses the architecture of the UI system, human factors considerations, and the menu syntax design.

  12. Recent Advances in Neural Electrode-Tissue Interfaces.

    PubMed

    Woeppel, Kevin; Yang, Qianru; Cui, Xinyan Tracy

    2017-12-01

    Neurotechnology is facing an exponential growth in the recent decades. Neural electrode-tissue interface research has been well recognized as an instrumental component of neurotechnology development. While satisfactory long-term performance was demonstrated in some applications, such as cochlear implants and deep brain stimulators, more advanced neural electrode devices requiring higher resolution for single unit recording or microstimulation still face significant challenges in reliability and longevity. In this article, we review the most recent findings that contribute to our current understanding of the sources of poor reliability and longevity in neural recording or stimulation, including the material failure, biological tissue response and the interplay between the two. The newly developed characterization tools are introduced from electrophysiology models, molecular and biochemical analysis, material characterization to live imaging. The effective strategies that have been applied to improve the interface are also highlighted. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in improving the interface and achieving seamless integration between the implanted electrodes and neural tissue both anatomically and functionally.

  13. A data mining technique for discovering distinct patterns of hand signs: implications in user training and computer interface design.

    PubMed

    Ye, Nong; Li, Xiangyang; Farley, Toni

    2003-01-15

    Hand signs are considered as one of the important ways to enter information into computers for certain tasks. Computers receive sensor data of hand signs for recognition. When using hand signs as computer inputs, we need to (1) train computer users in the sign language so that their hand signs can be easily recognized by computers, and (2) design the computer interface to avoid the use of confusing signs for improving user input performance and user satisfaction. For user training and computer interface design, it is important to have a knowledge of which signs can be easily recognized by computers and which signs are not distinguishable by computers. This paper presents a data mining technique to discover distinct patterns of hand signs from sensor data. Based on these patterns, we derive a group of indistinguishable signs by computers. Such information can in turn assist in user training and computer interface design.

  14. User Interface Composition with COTS-UI and Trading Approaches: Application for Web-Based Environmental Information Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Criado, Javier; Padilla, Nicolás; Iribarne, Luis; Asensio, Jose-Andrés

    Due to the globalization of the information and knowledge society on the Internet, modern Web-based Information Systems (WIS) must be flexible and prepared to be easily accessible and manageable in real-time. In recent times it has received a special interest the globalization of information through a common vocabulary (i.e., ontologies), and the standardized way in which information is retrieved on the Web (i.e., powerful search engines, and intelligent software agents). These same principles of globalization and standardization should also be valid for the user interfaces of the WIS, but they are built on traditional development paradigms. In this paper we present an approach to reduce the gap of globalization/standardization in the generation of WIS user interfaces by using a real-time "bottom-up" composition perspective with COTS-interface components (type interface widgets) and trading services.

  15. The Euler’s Graphical User Interface Spreadsheet Calculator for Solving Ordinary Differential Equations by Visual Basic for Application Programming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaik Tay, Kim; Cheong, Tau Han; Foong Lee, Ming; Kek, Sie Long; Abdul-Kahar, Rosmila

    2017-08-01

    In the previous work on Euler’s spreadsheet calculator for solving an ordinary differential equation, the Visual Basic for Application (VBA) programming was used, however, a graphical user interface was not developed to capture users input. This weakness may make users confuse on the input and output since those input and output are displayed in the same worksheet. Besides, the existing Euler’s spreadsheet calculator is not interactive as there is no prompt message if there is a mistake in inputting the parameters. On top of that, there are no users’ instructions to guide users to input the derivative function. Hence, in this paper, we improved previous limitations by developing a user-friendly and interactive graphical user interface. This improvement is aimed to capture users’ input with users’ instructions and interactive prompt error messages by using VBA programming. This Euler’s graphical user interface spreadsheet calculator is not acted as a black box as users can click on any cells in the worksheet to see the formula used to implement the numerical scheme. In this way, it could enhance self-learning and life-long learning in implementing the numerical scheme in a spreadsheet and later in any programming language.

  16. A user interface framework for the Square Kilometre Array: concepts and responsibilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marassi, Alessandro; Brajnik, Giorgio; Nicol, Mark; Alberti, Valentina; Le Roux, Gerhard

    2016-07-01

    The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is responsible for developing the SKA Observatory, the world's largest radio telescope, with eventually over a square kilometre of collecting area and including a general headquarters as well as two radio telescopes: SKA1-Mid in South Africa and SKA1-Low in Australia. The SKA project consists of a number of subsystems (elements) among which the Telescope Manager (TM) is the one involved in controlling and monitoring the SKA telescopes. The TM element has three primary responsibilities: management of astronomical observations, management of telescope hardware and software subsystems, management of data to support system operations and all stakeholders (operators, maintainers, engineers and science users) in achieving operational, maintenance and engineering goals. Operators, maintainers, engineers and science users will interact with TM via appropriate user interfaces (UI). The TM UI framework envisaged is a complete set of general technical solutions (components, technologies and design information) for implementing a generic computing system (UI platform). Such a system will enable UI components to be instantiated to allow for human interaction via screens, keyboards, mouse and to implement the necessary logic for acquiring or deriving the information needed for interaction. It will provide libraries and specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to implement operator and engineer interactive interfaces. This paper will provide a status update of the TM UI framework, UI platform and UI components design effort, including the technology choices, and discuss key challenges in the TM UI architecture, as well as our approaches to addressing them.

  17. ST-analyzer: a web-based user interface for simulation trajectory analysis.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Jong Cheol; Jo, Sunhwan; Wu, Emilia L; Qi, Yifei; Monje-Galvan, Viviana; Yeom, Min Sun; Gorenstein, Lev; Chen, Feng; Klauda, Jeffery B; Im, Wonpil

    2014-05-05

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has become one of the key tools to obtain deeper insights into biological systems using various levels of descriptions such as all-atom, united-atom, and coarse-grained models. Recent advances in computing resources and MD programs have significantly accelerated the simulation time and thus increased the amount of trajectory data. Although many laboratories routinely perform MD simulations, analyzing MD trajectories is still time consuming and often a difficult task. ST-analyzer, http://im.bioinformatics.ku.edu/st-analyzer, is a standalone graphical user interface (GUI) toolset to perform various trajectory analyses. ST-analyzer has several outstanding features compared to other existing analysis tools: (i) handling various formats of trajectory files from MD programs, such as CHARMM, NAMD, GROMACS, and Amber, (ii) intuitive web-based GUI environment--minimizing administrative load and reducing burdens on the user from adapting new software environments, (iii) platform independent design--working with any existing operating system, (iv) easy integration into job queuing systems--providing options of batch processing either on the cluster or in an interactive mode, and (v) providing independence between foreground GUI and background modules--making it easier to add personal modules or to recycle/integrate pre-existing scripts utilizing other analysis tools. The current ST-analyzer contains nine main analysis modules that together contain 18 options, including density profile, lipid deuterium order parameters, surface area per lipid, and membrane hydrophobic thickness. This article introduces ST-analyzer with its design, implementation, and features, and also illustrates practical analysis of lipid bilayer simulations. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Robot services for elderly with cognitive impairment: testing usability of graphical user interfaces.

    PubMed

    Granata, C; Pino, M; Legouverneur, G; Vidal, J-S; Bidaud, P; Rigaud, A-S

    2013-01-01

    Socially assistive robotics for elderly care is a growing field. However, although robotics has the potential to support elderly in daily tasks by offering specific services, the development of usable interfaces is still a challenge. Since several factors such as age or disease-related changes in perceptual or cognitive abilities and familiarity with computer technologies influence technology use they must be considered when designing interfaces for these users. This paper presents findings from usability testing of two different services provided by a social assistive robot intended for elderly with cognitive impairment: a grocery shopping list and an agenda application. The main goal of this study is to identify the usability problems of the robot interface for target end-users as well as to isolate the human factors that affect the use of the technology by elderly. Socio-demographic characteristics and computer experience were examined as factors that could have an influence on task performance. A group of 11 elderly persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment and a group of 11 cognitively healthy elderly individuals took part in this study. Performance measures (task completion time and number of errors) were collected. Cognitive profile, age and computer experience were found to impact task performance. Participants with cognitive impairment achieved the tasks committing more errors than cognitively healthy elderly. Instead younger participants and those with previous computer experience were faster at completing the tasks confirming previous findings in the literature. The overall results suggested that interfaces and contents of the services assessed were usable by older adults with cognitive impairment. However, some usability problems were identified and should be addressed to better meet the needs and capacities of target end-users.

  19. Graphical user interface for wireless sensor networks simulator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paczesny, Tomasz; Paczesny, Daniel; Weremczuk, Jerzy

    2008-01-01

    Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are currently very popular area of development. It can be suited in many applications form military through environment monitoring, healthcare, home automation and others. Those networks, when working in dynamic, ad-hoc model, need effective protocols which must differ from common computer networks algorithms. Research on those protocols would be difficult without simulation tool, because real applications often use many nodes and tests on such a big networks take much effort and costs. The paper presents Graphical User Interface (GUI) for simulator which is dedicated for WSN studies, especially in routing and data link protocols evaluation.

  20. Support for User Interfaces for Distributed Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eychaner, Glenn; Niessner, Albert

    2005-01-01

    An extensible Java(TradeMark) software framework supports the construction and operation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for distributed computing systems typified by ground control systems that send commands to, and receive telemetric data from, spacecraft. Heretofore, such GUIs have been custom built for each new system at considerable expense. In contrast, the present framework affords generic capabilities that can be shared by different distributed systems. Dynamic class loading, reflection, and other run-time capabilities of the Java language and JavaBeans component architecture enable the creation of a GUI for each new distributed computing system with a minimum of custom effort. By use of this framework, GUI components in control panels and menus can send commands to a particular distributed system with a minimum of system-specific code. The framework receives, decodes, processes, and displays telemetry data; custom telemetry data handling can be added for a particular system. The framework supports saving and later restoration of users configurations of control panels and telemetry displays with a minimum of effort in writing system-specific code. GUIs constructed within this framework can be deployed in any operating system with a Java run-time environment, without recompilation or code changes.

  1. User Interface Design for WWW-Based Courses: Building upon Student Evaluations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Rennes, Linda; Collis, Betty

    This paper describes how student reactions shaped the design of a WWW (World Wide Web)-based course environment at the University of Twente (Netherlands), using the example of a first year course. The first section discusses the importance of user interface (re)design for WWW-based courses. The University's focus on student evaluations of…

  2. Adaptive Interfaces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-11-01

    to design and implement an adaptive intelligent interface for a command-and-control-style domain. The primary functionality of the resulting...technical tasks, as follows: 1. Analysis of Current Interface Technologies 2. Dejineation of User Roles 3. Development of User Models 4. Design of Interface...Management Association (FEMA). In the initial version of the prototype, two distin-t user models were designed . One type of user modeled by the system is

  3. Design Dimensions Enabling Divergent Behaviour across Physical, Digital, and Social Library Interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Björneborn, Lennart

    What design dimensions across physical, digital, and social library interfaces may enable and trigger users to find more information resources than planned or known in advance? The paper outlines a conceptual framework with libraries as integrative interfaces across physical, digital, and social affordances and users that mix convergent (goal-directed) and divergent (exploratory) information behaviour. Ten design dimensions that enable and trigger divergent behaviour are outlined. Implications for persuasive design are discussed.

  4. User interface and operational issues with thermionic space power systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dahlberg, R. C.; Fisher, C. R.

    1987-01-01

    Thermionic space power systems have unique features which facilitate predeployment operations, provide operational flexibility and simplify the interface with the user. These were studied in some detail during the SP-100 program from 1983 to 1985. Three examples are reviewed in this paper: (1) system readiness verification in the prelaunch phase; (2) startup, shutdown, and dormancy in the operations phase; (3) part-load operation in the operations phase.

  5. Development of a Graphical User Interface to Visualize Surface Observations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Buckley, R.L.

    1998-07-13

    Thousands of worldwide observing stations provide meteorological information near the earth's surface as often as once each hour. This surface data may be plotted on geographical maps to provide the meteorologist useful information regarding weather patterns for a region of interest. This report describes the components and applications of a graphical user interface which have been developed to visualize surface observations at any global location and time of interest.

  6. Towards a Taxonomy of Metaphorical Graphical User Interfaces: Demands and Implementations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cates, Ward Mitchell

    The graphical user interface (GUI) has become something of a standard for instructional programs in recent years. One type of GUI is the metaphorical type. For example, the Macintosh GUI is based on the "desktop" metaphor where objects one manipulates within the GUI are implied to be objects one might find in a real office's desktop.…

  7. US NDC Modernization Iteration E1 Prototyping Report: User Interface Framework

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lober, Randall R.

    2014-12-01

    During the first iteration of the US NDC Modernization Elaboration phase (E1), the SNL US NDC modernization project team completed an initial survey of applicable COTS solutions, and established exploratory prototyping related to the User Interface Framework (UIF) in support of system architecture definition. This report summarizes these activities and discusses planned follow-on work.

  8. A Monthly Water-Balance Model Driven By a Graphical User Interface

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCabe, Gregory J.; Markstrom, Steven L.

    2007-01-01

    This report describes a monthly water-balance model driven by a graphical user interface, referred to as the Thornthwaite monthly water-balance program. Computations of monthly water-balance components of the hydrologic cycle are made for a specified location. The program can be used as a research tool, an assessment tool, and a tool for classroom instruction.

  9. Integrating Actionable User-defined Faceted Rules into the Hybrid Science Data System for Advanced Rapid Imaging & Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manipon, G. J. M.; Hua, H.; Owen, S. E.; Sacco, G. F.; Agram, P. S.; Moore, A. W.; Yun, S. H.; Fielding, E. J.; Lundgren, P.; Rosen, P. A.; Webb, F.; Liu, Z.; Smith, A. T.; Wilson, B. D.; Simons, M.; Poland, M. P.; Cervelli, P. F.

    2014-12-01

    The Hybrid Science Data System (HySDS) scalably powers the ingestion, metadata extraction, cataloging, high-volume data processing, and publication of the geodetic data products for the Advanced Rapid Imaging & Analysis for Monitoring Hazard (ARIA-MH) project at JPL. HySDS uses a heterogeneous set of worker nodes from private & public clouds as well as virtual & bare-metal machines to perform every aspect of the traditional science data system. For our science data users, the forefront of HySDS is the facet search interface, FacetView, which allows them to browse, filter, and access the published products. Users are able to explore the collection of product metadata information and apply multiple filters to constrain the result set down to their particular interests. It allows them to download these faceted products for further analysis and generation of derived products. However, we have also employed a novel approach to faceting where it is also used to apply constraints for custom monitoring of products, system resources, and triggers for automated data processing. The power of the facet search interface is well documented across various domains and its usefulness is rooted in the current state of existence of metadata. However, user needs usually extend beyond what is currently present in the data system. A user interested in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data over Kilauea will download them from FacetView but would also want email notification of future incoming scenes. The user may even want that data pushed to a remote workstation for automated processing. Better still, these future products could trigger HySDS to run the user's analysis on its array of worker nodes, on behalf of the user, and ingest the resulting derived products. We will present our findings in integrating an ancillary, user-defined, system-driven processing system for HySDS that allows users to define faceted rules based on facet constraints and triggers actions when new SAR data

  10. The evaluation and extension of TAE in the development of a user interface management system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burkhart, Brenda; Sugar, Ross

    1986-01-01

    The development of a user interface management system (UIMS) for an information gathering and display system is discussed. The system interface requirements are outlined along with the UIMS functional characteristics. Those systems requirements which are supported by the current Transportable Applications Executive (TAE) are listed and necessary modifications to the TAE are described.

  11. User Interfaces for Patient-Centered Communication of Health Status and Care Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilcox-Patterson, Lauren

    2013-01-01

    The recent trend toward patients participating in their own healthcare has opened up numerous opportunities for computing research. This dissertation focuses on how technology can foster this participation, through user interfaces to effectively communicate personal health status and care progress to hospital patients. I first characterize the…

  12. Does this interface make my sensor look bad? Basic principles for designing usable, useful interfaces for sensor technology operators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McNamara, Laura A.; Berg, Leif; Butler, Karin; Klein, Laura

    2017-05-01

    Even as remote sensing technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past decade, the remote sensing community lacks interfaces and interaction models that facilitate effective human operation of our sensor platforms. Interfaces that make great sense to electrical engineers and flight test crews can be anxiety-inducing to operational users who lack professional experience in the design and testing of sophisticated remote sensing platforms. In this paper, we reflect on an 18-month collaboration which our Sandia National Laboratory research team partnered with an industry software team to identify and fix critical issues in a widely-used sensor interface. Drawing on basic principles from cognitive and perceptual psychology and interaction design, we provide simple, easily learned guidance for minimizing common barriers to system learnability, memorability, and user engagement.

  13. User interface using a 3D model for video surveillance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hata, Toshihiko; Boh, Satoru; Tsukada, Akihiro; Ozaki, Minoru

    1998-02-01

    These days fewer people, who must carry out their tasks quickly and precisely, are required in industrial surveillance and monitoring applications such as plant control or building security. Utilizing multimedia technology is a good approach to meet this need, and we previously developed Media Controller, which is designed for the applications and provides realtime recording and retrieval of digital video data in a distributed environment. In this paper, we propose a user interface for such a distributed video surveillance system in which 3D models of buildings and facilities are connected to the surveillance video. A novel method of synchronizing camera field data with each frame of a video stream is considered. This method records and reads the camera field data similarity to the video data and transmits it synchronously with the video stream. This enables the user interface to have such useful functions as comprehending the camera field immediately and providing clues when visibility is poor, for not only live video but also playback video. We have also implemented and evaluated the display function which makes surveillance video and 3D model work together using Media Controller with Java and Virtual Reality Modeling Language employed for multi-purpose and intranet use of 3D model.

  14. Advanced Avalanche Safety Equipment of Backcountry Users: Current Trends and Perceptions.

    PubMed

    Ng, Pearlly; Smith, William R; Wheeler, Albert; McIntosh, Scott E

    2015-09-01

    Backcountry travelers should carry a standard set of safety gear (transceiver, shovel, and probe) to improve rescue chances and reduce mortality risk. Many backcountry enthusiasts are using other advanced equipment such as an artificial air pocket (eg, the AvaLung) or an avalanche air bag. Our goal was to determine the numbers of backcountry users carrying advanced equipment and their perceptions of mortality and morbidity benefit while carrying this gear. A convenience sample of backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers, and snowmobilers was surveyed between February and April 2014. Participants of this study were backcountry mountain users recruited at trailheads in the Wasatch and Teton mountain ranges of Utah and Wyoming, respectively. Questions included prior avalanche education, equipment carried, and perceived safety benefit derived from advanced equipment. In all, 193 surveys were collected. Skiers and snowboarders were likely to have taken an avalanche safety course, whereas snowshoers and snowmobilers were less likely to have taken a course. Most backcountry users (149, 77.2%), predominantly skiers and snowboarders, carried standard safety equipment. The AvaLung was carried more often (47 users) than an avalanche air bag (10 users). The avalanche air bag had a more favorable perceived safety benefit. A majority of participants reported cost as the barrier to obtaining advanced equipment. Standard avalanche safety practices, including taking an avalanche safety course and carrying standard equipment, remain the most common safety practices among backcountry users in the Wasatch and Tetons. Snowshoers remain an ideal target for outreach to increase avalanche awareness and safety. Copyright © 2015 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. How to Create, Modify, and Interface Aspen In-House and User Databanks for System Configuration 1:

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Camp, D W

    2000-10-27

    The goal of this document is to provide detailed instructions to create, modify, interface, and test Aspen User and In-House databanks with minimal frustration. The level of instructions are aimed at a novice Aspen Plus simulation user who is neither a programming nor computer-system expert. The instructions are tailored to Version 10.1 of Aspen Plus and the specific computing configuration summarized in the Title of this document and detailed in Section 2. Many details of setting up databanks depend on the computing environment specifics, such as the machines, operating systems, command languages, directory structures, inter-computer communications software, the version ofmore » the Aspen Engine and Graphical User Interface (GUI), and the directory structure of how these were installed.« less

  16. Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus: A NASA tool used to develop and manage graphical user interfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Szczur, Martha R.

    1992-01-01

    The Transportable Applications Environment (TAE) Plus was built to support the construction of graphical user interfaces (GUI's) for highly interactive applications, such as real-time processing systems and scientific analysis systems. It is a general purpose portable tool that includes a 'What You See Is What You Get' WorkBench that allows user interface designers to layout and manipulate windows and interaction objects. The WorkBench includes both user entry objects (e.g., radio buttons, menus) and data-driven objects (e.g., dials, gages, stripcharts), which dynamically change based on values of realtime data. Discussed here is what TAE Plus provides, how the implementation has utilized state-of-the-art technologies within graphic workstations, and how it has been used both within and without NASA.

  17. DAKOTA JAGUAR 3.0 user's manual.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Adams, Brian M.; Bauman, Lara E; Chan, Ethan

    2013-05-01

    JAGUAR (JAva GUi for Applied Research) is a Java software tool providing an advanced text editor and graphical user interface (GUI) to manipulate DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) input specifications. This document focuses on the features necessary to use JAGUAR.

  18. The UMLS Knowledge Sources: Tools for Building Better User Interfaces

    PubMed Central

    Lindberg, Donald A. B.; Humphreys, Betsy L.

    1990-01-01

    The current focus of the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) project is the development, testing, and evaluation of the first versions of three new knowledge sources: the Metathesaurus, the Semantic Network, and the Information Sources Map. These three knowledge sources can be used by interface programs to conduct an intelligent interaction with the user and to make the conceptual link between the user's question and relevant machine-readable information. NLM is providing experimental copies of the initial versions of the UMLS knowledge sources in exchange for feedback on ways they can and should be improved. The hope is that the results of such experimentation will provide both immediate improvements in biomedical information service and useful suggestions for enhancements to the UMLS.

  19. Quantitative Analysis Of User Interfaces For Large Electronic Home Appliances And Mobile Devices Based On Lifestyle Categorization Of Older Users.

    PubMed

    Shin, Wonkyoung; Park, Minyong

    2017-01-01

    Background/Study Context: The increasing longevity and health of older users as well as aging populations has created the need to develop senior-oriented product interfaces. This study aims to find user interface (UI) priorities according to older user groups based on their lifestyle and develop quality of UI (QUI) models for large electronic home appliances and mobile products. A segmentation table designed to show how older users can be categorized was created through a review of the literature to survey 252 subjects with a questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to extract six preliminary lifestyle factors, which were then used for subsequent cluster analysis. The analysis resulted in four groups. Cross-analysis was carried out to investigate which characteristics were included in the groups. Analysis of variance was then applied to investigate the differences in the UI priorities among the user groups for various electronic devices. Finally, QUI models were developed and applied to those electronic devices. Differences in UI priorities were found according to the four lifestyles ("money-oriented," "innovation-oriented," "stability- and simplicity-oriented," and "innovation- and intellectual-oriented"). Twelve QUI models were developed for four different lifestyle groups associated with different products. Three washers and three smartphones were used as an example for testing the QUI models. The UI differences of the older user groups by the segmentation in this study using several key (i.e., demographic, socioeconomic, and physical-cognitive) variables are distinct from earlier studies made by a single variable. The differences in responses clearly indicate the benefits of integrating various factors of older users, rather than single variable, in order to design and develop more innovative and better consumer products in the future. The results of this study showed that older users with a potentially high buying power in the future are likely to have

  20. Graphical user interface for intraoperative neuroimage updating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rick, Kyle R.; Hartov, Alex; Roberts, David W.; Lunn, Karen E.; Sun, Hai; Paulsen, Keith D.

    2003-05-01

    Image-guided neurosurgery typically relies on preoperative imaging information that is subject to errors resulting from brain shift and deformation in the OR. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed to facilitate the flow of data from OR to image volume in order to provide the neurosurgeon with updated views concurrent with surgery. Upon acquisition of registration data for patient position in the OR (using fiducial markers), the Matlab GUI displays ultrasound image overlays on patient specific, preoperative MR images. Registration matrices are also applied to patient-specific anatomical models used for image updating. After displaying the re-oriented brain model in OR coordinates and digitizing the edge of the craniotomy, gravitational sagging of the brain is simulated using the finite element method. Based on this model, interpolation to the resolution of the preoperative images is performed and re-displayed to the surgeon during the procedure. These steps were completed within reasonable time limits and the interface was relatively easy to use after a brief training period. The techniques described have been developed and used retrospectively prior to this study. Based on the work described here, these steps can now be accomplished in the operating room and provide near real-time feedback to the surgeon.

  1. A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

  2. A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments.

    PubMed

    Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

  3. PIA: An Intuitive Protein Inference Engine with a Web-Based User Interface.

    PubMed

    Uszkoreit, Julian; Maerkens, Alexandra; Perez-Riverol, Yasset; Meyer, Helmut E; Marcus, Katrin; Stephan, Christian; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Eisenacher, Martin

    2015-07-02

    Protein inference connects the peptide spectrum matches (PSMs) obtained from database search engines back to proteins, which are typically at the heart of most proteomics studies. Different search engines yield different PSMs and thus different protein lists. Analysis of results from one or multiple search engines is often hampered by different data exchange formats and lack of convenient and intuitive user interfaces. We present PIA, a flexible software suite for combining PSMs from different search engine runs and turning these into consistent results. PIA can be integrated into proteomics data analysis workflows in several ways. A user-friendly graphical user interface can be run either locally or (e.g., for larger core facilities) from a central server. For automated data processing, stand-alone tools are available. PIA implements several established protein inference algorithms and can combine results from different search engines seamlessly. On several benchmark data sets, we show that PIA can identify a larger number of proteins at the same protein FDR when compared to that using inference based on a single search engine. PIA supports the majority of established search engines and data in the mzIdentML standard format. It is implemented in Java and freely available at https://github.com/mpc-bioinformatics/pia.

  4. User-Friendly Interface Developed for a Web-Based Service for SpaceCAL Emulations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liszka, Kathy J.; Holtz, Allen P.

    2004-01-01

    A team at the NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a Space Communications Architecture Laboratory (SpaceCAL) for protocol development activities for coordinated satellite missions. SpaceCAL will provide a multiuser, distributed system to emulate space-based Internet architectures, backbone networks, formation clusters, and constellations. As part of a new effort in 2003, building blocks are being defined for an open distributed system to make the satellite emulation test bed accessible through an Internet connection. The first step in creating a Web-based service to control the emulation remotely is providing a user-friendly interface for encoding the data into a well-formed and complete Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. XML provides coding that allows data to be transferred between dissimilar systems. Scenario specifications include control parameters, network routes, interface bandwidths, delay, and bit error rate. Specifications for all satellite, instruments, and ground stations in a given scenario are also included in the XML document. For the SpaceCAL emulation, the XML document can be created using XForms, a Webbased forms language for data collection. Contrary to older forms technology, the interactive user interface makes the science prevalent, not the data representation. Required versus optional input fields, default values, automatic calculations, data validation, and reuse will help researchers quickly and accurately define missions. XForms can apply any XML schema defined for the test mission to validate data before forwarding it to the emulation facility. New instrument definitions, facilities, and mission types can be added to the existing schema. The first prototype user interface incorporates components for interactive input and form processing. Internet address, data rate, and the location of the facility are implemented with basic form controls with default values provided for convenience and efficiency using basic XForms operations

  5. Towards User-Friendly Spelling with an Auditory Brain-Computer Interface: The CharStreamer Paradigm

    PubMed Central

    Höhne, Johannes; Tangermann, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Realizing the decoding of brain signals into control commands, brain-computer interfaces (BCI) aim to establish an alternative communication pathway for locked-in patients. In contrast to most visual BCI approaches which use event-related potentials (ERP) of the electroencephalogram, auditory BCI systems are challenged with ERP responses, which are less class-discriminant between attended and unattended stimuli. Furthermore, these auditory approaches have more complex interfaces which imposes a substantial workload on their users. Aiming for a maximally user-friendly spelling interface, this study introduces a novel auditory paradigm: “CharStreamer”. The speller can be used with an instruction as simple as “please attend to what you want to spell”. The stimuli of CharStreamer comprise 30 spoken sounds of letters and actions. As each of them is represented by the sound of itself and not by an artificial substitute, it can be selected in a one-step procedure. The mental mapping effort (sound stimuli to actions) is thus minimized. Usability is further accounted for by an alphabetical stimulus presentation: contrary to random presentation orders, the user can foresee the presentation time of the target letter sound. Healthy, normal hearing users (n = 10) of the CharStreamer paradigm displayed ERP responses that systematically differed between target and non-target sounds. Class-discriminant features, however, varied individually from the typical N1-P2 complex and P3 ERP components found in control conditions with random sequences. To fully exploit the sequential presentation structure of CharStreamer, novel data analysis approaches and classification methods were introduced. The results of online spelling tests showed that a competitive spelling speed can be achieved with CharStreamer. With respect to user rating, it clearly outperforms a control setup with random presentation sequences. PMID:24886978

  6. Graphical user interface concepts for tactical augmented reality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Argenta, Chris; Murphy, Anne; Hinton, Jeremy; Cook, James; Sherrill, Todd; Snarski, Steve

    2010-04-01

    Applied Research Associates and BAE Systems are working together to develop a wearable augmented reality system under the DARPA ULTRA-Vis program†. Our approach to achieve the objectives of ULTRAVis, called iLeader, incorporates a full color 40° field of view (FOV) see-thru holographic waveguide integrated with sensors for full position and head tracking to provide an unobtrusive information system for operational maneuvers. iLeader will enable warfighters to mark-up the 3D battle-space with symbologic identification of graphical control measures, friendly force positions and enemy/target locations. Our augmented reality display provides dynamic real-time painting of symbols on real objects, a pose-sensitive 360° representation of relevant object positions, and visual feedback for a variety of system activities. The iLeader user interface and situational awareness graphical representations are highly intuitive, nondisruptive, and always tactically relevant. We used best human-factors practices, system engineering expertise, and cognitive task analysis to design effective strategies for presenting real-time situational awareness to the military user without distorting their natural senses and perception. We present requirements identified for presenting information within a see-through display in combat environments, challenges in designing suitable visualization capabilities, and solutions that enable us to bring real-time iconic command and control to the tactical user community.

  7. ClonoCalc and ClonoPlot: immune repertoire analysis from raw files to publication figures with graphical user interface.

    PubMed

    Fähnrich, Anke; Krebbel, Moritz; Decker, Normann; Leucker, Martin; Lange, Felix D; Kalies, Kathrin; Möller, Steffen

    2017-03-11

    Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies enable studies and analyses of the diversity of both T and B cell receptors (TCR and BCR) in human and animal systems to elucidate immune functions in health and disease. Over the last few years, several algorithms and tools have been developed to support respective analyses of raw sequencing data of the immune repertoire. These tools focus on distinct aspects of the data processing and require a strong bioinformatics background. To facilitate the analysis of T and B cell repertoires by less experienced users, software is needed that combines the most common tools for repertoire analysis. We introduce a graphical user interface (GUI) providing a complete analysis pipeline for processing raw NGS data for human and animal TCR and BCR clonotype determination and advanced differential repertoire studies. It provides two applications. ClonoCalc prepares the raw data for downstream analyses. It combines a demultiplexer for barcode splitting and employs MiXCR for paired-end read merging and the extraction of human and animal TCR/BCR sequences. ClonoPlot wraps the R package tcR and further contributes self-developed plots for the descriptive comparative investigation of immune repertoires. This workflow reduces the amount of programming required to perform the respective analyses and supports both communication and training between scientists and technicians, and across scientific disciplines. The Open Source development in Java and R is modular and invites advanced users to extend its functionality. Software and documentation are freely available at https://bitbucket.org/ClonoSuite/clonocalc-plot .

  8. Development and Design of a User Interface for a Computer Automated Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anderson, B.; /Fermilab

    1999-10-08

    A user interface is created to monitor and operate the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The interface is networked to the system's programmable logic controller. The controller maintains automated control of the system. The user through the interface is able to see the status of the system and override or adjust the automatic control features. The interface is programmed to show digital readouts of system equipment as well as visual queues of system operational statuses. It also provides information for system design and component interaction. The interface is made easier to read by simple designs, color coordination, and graphics.more » Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermi lab) conducts high energy particle physics research. Part of this research involves collision experiments with protons, and anti-protons. These interactions are contained within one of two massive detectors along Fermilab's largest particle accelerator the Tevatron. The D-Zero Assembly Building houses one of these detectors. At this time detector systems are being upgraded for a second experiment run, titled Run II. Unlike the previous run, systems at D-Zero must be computer automated so operators do not have to continually monitor and adjust these systems during the run. Human intervention should only be necessary for system start up and shut down, and equipment failure. Part of this upgrade includes the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC system). The HVAC system is responsible for controlling two subsystems, the air temperatures of the D-Zero Assembly Building and associated collision hall, as well as six separate water systems used in the heating and cooling of the air and detector components. The BYAC system is automated by a programmable logic controller. In order to provide system monitoring and operator control a user interface is required. This paper will address methods and strategies used to design and implement an effective user

  9. Design and implementation of a status at a glance user interface for a power distribution expert system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liberman, Eugene M.; Manner, David B.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

    1993-01-01

    A user interface to the power distribution expert system for Space Station Freedom is discussed. The importance of features which simplify assessing system status and which minimize navigating through layers of information are examined. Design rationale and implementation choices are also presented. The amalgamation of such design features as message linking arrows, reduced information content screens, high salience anomaly icons, and color choices with failure detection and diagnostic explanation from an expert system is shown to provide an effective status-at-a-glance monitoring system for power distribution. This user interface design offers diagnostic reasoning without compromising the monitoring of current events. The display can convey complex concepts in terms that are clear to its users.

  10. A standard format and a graphical user interface for spin system specification.

    PubMed

    Biternas, A G; Charnock, G T P; Kuprov, Ilya

    2014-03-01

    We introduce a simple and general XML format for spin system description that is the result of extensive consultations within Magnetic Resonance community and unifies under one roof all major existing spin interaction specification conventions. The format is human-readable, easy to edit and easy to parse using standard XML libraries. We also describe a graphical user interface that was designed to facilitate construction and visualization of complicated spin systems. The interface is capable of generating input files for several popular spin dynamics simulation packages. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A methodology for the design and evaluation of user interfaces for interactive information systems. Ph.D. Thesis Final Report, 1 Jul. 1985 - 31 Dec. 1987

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Farooq, Mohammad U.

    1986-01-01

    The definition of proposed research addressing the development and validation of a methodology for the design and evaluation of user interfaces for interactive information systems is given. The major objectives of this research are: the development of a comprehensive, objective, and generalizable methodology for the design and evaluation of user interfaces for information systems; the development of equations and/or analytical models to characterize user behavior and the performance of a designed interface; the design of a prototype system for the development and administration of user interfaces; and the design and use of controlled experiments to support the research and test/validate the proposed methodology. The proposed design methodology views the user interface as a virtual machine composed of three layers: an interactive layer, a dialogue manager layer, and an application interface layer. A command language model of user system interactions is presented because of its inherent simplicity and structured approach based on interaction events. All interaction events have a common structure based on common generic elements necessary for a successful dialogue. It is shown that, using this model, various types of interfaces could be designed and implemented to accommodate various categories of users. The implementation methodology is discussed in terms of how to store and organize the information.

  12. XOP: a multiplatform graphical user interface for synchrotron radiation spectral and optics calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanchez del Rio, Manuel; Dejus, Roger J.

    1997-11-01

    XOP (X-ray OPtics utilities) is a graphical user interface (GUI) created to execute several computer programs that calculate the basic information needed by a synchrotron beamline scientist (designer or experimentalist). Typical examples of such calculations are: insertion device (undulator or wiggler) spectral and angular distributions, mirror and multilayer reflectivities, and crystal diffraction profiles. All programs are provided to the user under a unified GUI, which greatly simplifies their execution. The XOP optics applications (especially mirror calculations) take their basic input (optical constants, compound and mixture tables) from a flexible file-oriented database, which allows the user to select data from a large number of choices and also to customize their own data sets. XOP includes many mathematical and visualization capabilities. It also permits the combination of reflectivities from several mirrors and filters, and their effect, onto a source spectrum. This feature is very useful when calculating thermal load on a series of optical elements. The XOP interface is written in the IDL (Interactive Data Language). An embedded version of XOP, which freely runs under most Unix platforms (HP, Sun, Dec, Linux, etc) and under Windows95 and NT, is available upon request.

  13. Simulation Control Graphical User Interface Logging Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hewling, Karl B., Jr.

    2012-01-01

    One of the many tasks of my project was to revise the code of the Simulation Control Graphical User Interface (SIM GUI) to enable logging functionality to a file. I was also tasked with developing a script that directed the startup and initialization flow of the various LCS software components. This makes sure that a software component will not spin up until all the appropriate dependencies have been configured properly. Also I was able to assist hardware modelers in verifying the configuration of models after they have been upgraded to a new software version. I developed some code that analyzes the MDL files to determine if any error were generated due to the upgrade process. Another one of the projects assigned to me was supporting the End-to-End Hardware/Software Daily Tag-up meeting.

  14. An operator interface design for a telerobotic inspection system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kim, Won S.; Tso, Kam S.; Hayati, Samad

    1993-01-01

    The operator interface has recently emerged as an important element for efficient and safe interactions between human operators and telerobotics. Advances in graphical user interface and graphics technologies enable us to produce very efficient operator interface designs. This paper describes an efficient graphical operator interface design newly developed for remote surface inspection at NASA-JPL. The interface, designed so that remote surface inspection can be performed by a single operator with an integrated robot control and image inspection capability, supports three inspection strategies of teleoperated human visual inspection, human visual inspection with automated scanning, and machine-vision-based automated inspection.

  15. Vision as a user interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koenderink, Jan

    2011-03-01

    The egg-rolling behavior of the graylag goose is an often quoted example of a fixed-action pattern. The bird will even attempt to roll a brick back to its nest! Despite excellent visual acuity it apparently takes a brick for an egg." Evolution optimizes utility, not veridicality. Yet textbooks take it for a fact that human vision evolved so as to approach veridical perception. How do humans manage to dodge the laws of evolution? I will show that they don't, but that human vision is an idiosyncratic user interface. By way of an example I consider the case of pictorial perception. Gleaning information from still images is an important human ability and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. I will discuss a number of instances of extreme non-veridicality and huge inter-observer variability. Despite their importance in applications (information dissemination, personnel selection,...) such huge effects have remained undocumented in the literature, although they can be traced to artistic conventions. The reason appears to be that conventional psychophysics-by design-fails to address the qualitative, that is the meaningful, aspects of visual awareness whereas this is the very target of the visual arts.

  16. Human factors approach to evaluate the user interface of physiologic monitoring.

    PubMed

    Fidler, Richard; Bond, Raymond; Finlay, Dewar; Guldenring, Daniel; Gallagher, Anthony; Pelter, Michele; Drew, Barbara; Hu, Xiao

    2015-01-01

    As technology infiltrates more of our personal and professional lives, user expectations for intuitive design have driven many consumer products, while medical equipment continues to have high training requirements. Not much is known about the usability and user experience associated with hospital monitoring equipment. This pilot project aimed to better understand and describe the user interface interaction and user experience with physiologic monitoring technology. This was a prospective, descriptive, mixed-methods quality improvement project to analyze perceptions and task analyses of physiologic monitors. Following a survey of practice patterns and perceived abilities to accomplish key tasks, 10 voluntary experienced physician and nurse subjects were asked to perform a series of tasks in 7 domains of monitor operations on GE Monitoring equipment in a single institution. For each task analysis, data were collected on time to complete the task, the number of button pushes or clicks required to accomplish the task, economy of motion, and observed errors. Although 60% of the participants reported incorporating monitoring data into patient care, 80% of participants preferred to receive monitoring data at the point of care (bedside). Average perceived central station usability is 5.3 out of 10 (ten is easiest). High variability exists in monitoring station interaction performance among those participating in this project. Alarms were almost universally silenced without cognitive recognition of the alarm state. Education related to monitoring operations appeared largely absent in this sample. Most users perceived the interface to not be intuitive, complaining of multiple layers and steps for data retrieval. These clinicians report real-time monitoring helpful for abrupt changes in condition like arrhythmias; however, reviewing alarms is not prioritized as valuable due to frequent false alarms. Participants requested exporting monitoring data to electronic medical

  17. Toward More Critical Reviewing and Analysis of CD-ROM User Software Interfaces.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zink, Steven D.

    1991-01-01

    Criticizes reviews of library CD-ROM products as being uncritical of the user interface and advocates a more rigorous evaluation, not only to aid potential buyers, but as a way to influence manufacturers. Congressional Information Services' Masterfile 2 is evaluated in the context of Heckel's "Principles of Friendly Software Design." (24…

  18. imDEV: a graphical user interface to R multivariate analysis tools in Microsoft Excel

    PubMed Central

    Grapov, Dmitry; Newman, John W.

    2012-01-01

    Summary: Interactive modules for Data Exploration and Visualization (imDEV) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded application providing an integrated environment for the analysis of omics data through a user-friendly interface. Individual modules enables interactive and dynamic analyses of large data by interfacing R's multivariate statistics and highly customizable visualizations with the spreadsheet environment, aiding robust inferences and generating information-rich data visualizations. This tool provides access to multiple comparisons with false discovery correction, hierarchical clustering, principal and independent component analyses, partial least squares regression and discriminant analysis, through an intuitive interface for creating high-quality two- and a three-dimensional visualizations including scatter plot matrices, distribution plots, dendrograms, heat maps, biplots, trellis biplots and correlation networks. Availability and implementation: Freely available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. Implemented in R and VBA and supported by Microsoft Excel (2003, 2007 and 2010). Contact: John.Newman@ars.usda.gov Supplementary Information: Installation instructions, tutorials and users manual are available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. PMID:22815358

  19. Improving the Usability of the User Interface for a Digital Textbook Platform for Elementary-School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lim, Cheolil; Song, Hae-Deok; Lee, Yekyung

    2012-01-01

    Usability is critical to the development of a user-friendly digital textbook platform interface, yet thorough research on interface development based on usability principles is in short supply. This study addresses that need by looking at usability attributes and corresponding design elements from a learning perspective. The researchers used a…

  20. User Driven Image Stacking for ODI Data and Beyond via a Highly Customizable Web Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayashi, S.; Gopu, A.; Young, M. D.; Kotulla, R.

    2015-09-01

    While some astronomical archives have begun serving standard calibrated data products, the process of producing stacked images remains a challenge left to the end-user. The benefits of astronomical image stacking are well established, and dither patterns are recommended for almost all observing targets. Some archives automatically produce stacks of limited scientific usefulness without any fine-grained user or operator configurability. In this paper, we present PPA Stack, a web based stacking framework within the ODI - Portal, Pipeline, and Archive system. PPA Stack offers a web user interface with built-in heuristics (based on pointing, filter, and other metadata information) to pre-sort images into a set of likely stacks while still allowing the user or operator complete control over the images and parameters for each of the stacks they wish to produce. The user interface, designed using AngularJS, provides multiple views of the input dataset and parameters, all of which are synchronized in real time. A backend consisting of a Python application optimized for ODI data, wrapped around the SWarp software, handles the execution of stacking workflow jobs on Indiana University's Big Red II supercomputer, and the subsequent ingestion of the combined images back into the PPA archive. PPA Stack is designed to enable seamless integration of other stacking applications in the future, so users can select the most appropriate option for their science.

  1. GUIdock: Using Docker Containers with a Common Graphics User Interface to Address the Reproducibility of Research

    PubMed Central

    Yeung, Ka Yee

    2016-01-01

    Reproducibility is vital in science. For complex computational methods, it is often necessary, not just to recreate the code, but also the software and hardware environment to reproduce results. Virtual machines, and container software such as Docker, make it possible to reproduce the exact environment regardless of the underlying hardware and operating system. However, workflows that use Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) remain difficult to replicate on different host systems as there is no high level graphical software layer common to all platforms. GUIdock allows for the facile distribution of a systems biology application along with its graphics environment. Complex graphics based workflows, ubiquitous in systems biology, can now be easily exported and reproduced on many different platforms. GUIdock uses Docker, an open source project that provides a container with only the absolutely necessary software dependencies and configures a common X Windows (X11) graphic interface on Linux, Macintosh and Windows platforms. As proof of concept, we present a Docker package that contains a Bioconductor application written in R and C++ called networkBMA for gene network inference. Our package also includes Cytoscape, a java-based platform with a graphical user interface for visualizing and analyzing gene networks, and the CyNetworkBMA app, a Cytoscape app that allows the use of networkBMA via the user-friendly Cytoscape interface. PMID:27045593

  2. GUIdock: Using Docker Containers with a Common Graphics User Interface to Address the Reproducibility of Research.

    PubMed

    Hung, Ling-Hong; Kristiyanto, Daniel; Lee, Sung Bong; Yeung, Ka Yee

    2016-01-01

    Reproducibility is vital in science. For complex computational methods, it is often necessary, not just to recreate the code, but also the software and hardware environment to reproduce results. Virtual machines, and container software such as Docker, make it possible to reproduce the exact environment regardless of the underlying hardware and operating system. However, workflows that use Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) remain difficult to replicate on different host systems as there is no high level graphical software layer common to all platforms. GUIdock allows for the facile distribution of a systems biology application along with its graphics environment. Complex graphics based workflows, ubiquitous in systems biology, can now be easily exported and reproduced on many different platforms. GUIdock uses Docker, an open source project that provides a container with only the absolutely necessary software dependencies and configures a common X Windows (X11) graphic interface on Linux, Macintosh and Windows platforms. As proof of concept, we present a Docker package that contains a Bioconductor application written in R and C++ called networkBMA for gene network inference. Our package also includes Cytoscape, a java-based platform with a graphical user interface for visualizing and analyzing gene networks, and the CyNetworkBMA app, a Cytoscape app that allows the use of networkBMA via the user-friendly Cytoscape interface.

  3. Interacting with a security system: The Argus user interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Behrin, E.; Davis, G.E.

    1993-12-31

    In the mid-1980s the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) developed the Argus Security System. Key requirements were to eliminate the telephone as a verification device for opening and closing alarm stations and to allow need-to-know access through local enrollment at alarm stations. Resulting from these requirements was an LLNL-designed user interface called the Remote Access Panel (RAP). The Argus RAP interacts with Argus field processors to allow secure station mode changes and local station enrollment, provides user direction and response, and assists station maintenance personnel. It consists of a tamper-detecting housing containing a badge reader, a keypad with sight screen,more » special-purpose push buttons and a liquid-crystal display. This paper discusses Argus system concepts, RAP design, functional characteristics and its physical configurations. The paper also describes the RAP`s use in access-control booths, it`s integration with biometrics and its operation for multi-person-rule stations and compartmented facilities.« less

  4. Visualization for Hyper-Heuristics. Front-End Graphical User Interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kroenung, Lauren

    Modern society is faced with ever more complex problems, many of which can be formulated as generate-and-test optimization problems. General-purpose optimization algorithms are not well suited for real-world scenarios where many instances of the same problem class need to be repeatedly and efficiently solved because they are not targeted to a particular scenario. Hyper-heuristics automate the design of algorithms to create a custom algorithm for a particular scenario. While such automated design has great advantages, it can often be difficult to understand exactly how a design was derived and why it should be trusted. This project aims to address thesemore » issues of usability by creating an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for hyper-heuristics to support practitioners, as well as scientific visualization of the produced automated designs. My contributions to this project are exhibited in the user-facing portion of the developed system and the detailed scientific visualizations created from back-end data.« less

  5. Downsizer - A Graphical User Interface-Based Application for Browsing, Acquiring, and Formatting Time-Series Data for Hydrologic Modeling

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ward-Garrison, Christian; Markstrom, Steven L.; Hay, Lauren E.

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey Downsizer is a computer application that selects, downloads, verifies, and formats station-based time-series data for environmental-resource models, particularly the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System. Downsizer implements the client-server software architecture. The client presents a map-based, graphical user interface that is intuitive to modelers; the server provides streamflow and climate time-series data from over 40,000 measurement stations across the United States. This report is the Downsizer user's manual and provides (1) an overview of the software design, (2) installation instructions, (3) a description of the graphical user interface, (4) a description of selected output files, and (5) troubleshooting information.

  6. Advanced Query and Data Mining Capabilities for MaROS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Paul; Wallick, Michael N.; Allard, Daniel A.; Gladden, Roy E.; Hy, Franklin H.

    2013-01-01

    The Mars Relay Operational Service (MaROS) comprises a number of tools to coordinate, plan, and visualize various aspects of the Mars Relay network. These levels include a Web-based user interface, a back-end "ReSTlet" built in Java, and databases that store the data as it is received from the network. As part of MaROS, the innovators have developed and implemented a feature set that operates on several levels of the software architecture. This new feature is an advanced querying capability through either the Web-based user interface, or through a back-end REST interface to access all of the data gathered from the network. This software is not meant to replace the REST interface, but to augment and expand the range of available data. The current REST interface provides specific data that is used by the MaROS Web application to display and visualize the information; however, the returned information from the REST interface has typically been pre-processed to return only a subset of the entire information within the repository, particularly only the information that is of interest to the GUI (graphical user interface). The new, advanced query and data mining capabilities allow users to retrieve the raw data and/or to perform their own data processing. The query language used to access the repository is a restricted subset of the structured query language (SQL) that can be built safely from the Web user interface, or entered as freeform SQL by a user. The results are returned in a CSV (Comma Separated Values) format for easy exporting to third party tools and applications that can be used for data mining or user-defined visualization and interpretation. This is the first time that a service is capable of providing access to all cross-project relay data from a single Web resource. Because MaROS contains the data for a variety of missions from the Mars network, which span both NASA and ESA, the software also establishes an access control list (ACL) on each data record

  7. More than Just a Pretty (Inter) Face: The Role of the Graphical User Interface in Engaging Elearners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Metros, Susan E.; Hedberg, John G.

    2002-01-01

    Examines the relationship between the graphical user interface (GUI) and the cognitive demands placed on the learner in eLearning (electronic learning) environments. Describes ways educators can design appropriate interfaces to facilitate meaningful interactions with educational content; and examines learner engagement and engagement theory using…

  8. Web-based metabolic network visualization with a zooming user interface

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Displaying complex metabolic-map diagrams, for Web browsers, and allowing users to interact with them for querying and overlaying expression data over them is challenging. Description We present a Web-based metabolic-map diagram, which can be interactively explored by the user, called the Cellular Overview. The main characteristic of this application is the zooming user interface enabling the user to focus on appropriate granularities of the network at will. Various searching commands are available to visually highlight sets of reactions, pathways, enzymes, metabolites, and so on. Expression data from single or multiple experiments can be overlaid on the diagram, which we call the Omics Viewer capability. The application provides Web services to highlight the diagram and to invoke the Omics Viewer. This application is entirely written in JavaScript for the client browsers and connect to a Pathway Tools Web server to retrieve data and diagrams. It uses the OpenLayers library to display tiled diagrams. Conclusions This new online tool is capable of displaying large and complex metabolic-map diagrams in a very interactive manner. This application is available as part of the Pathway Tools software that powers multiple metabolic databases including Biocyc.org: The Cellular Overview is accessible under the Tools menu. PMID:21595965

  9. Some computer graphical user interfaces in radiation therapy

    PubMed Central

    Chow, James C L

    2016-01-01

    In this review, five graphical user interfaces (GUIs) used in radiation therapy practices and researches are introduced. They are: (1) the treatment time calculator, superficial X-ray treatment time calculator (SUPCALC) used in the superficial X-ray radiation therapy; (2) the monitor unit calculator, electron monitor unit calculator (EMUC) used in the electron radiation therapy; (3) the multileaf collimator machine file creator, sliding window intensity modulated radiotherapy (SWIMRT) used in generating fluence map for research and quality assurance in intensity modulated radiation therapy; (4) the treatment planning system, DOSCTP used in the calculation of 3D dose distribution using Monte Carlo simulation; and (5) the monitor unit calculator, photon beam monitor unit calculator (PMUC) used in photon beam radiation therapy. One common issue of these GUIs is that all user-friendly interfaces are linked to complex formulas and algorithms based on various theories, which do not have to be understood and noted by the user. In that case, user only needs to input the required information with help from graphical elements in order to produce desired results. SUPCALC is a superficial radiation treatment time calculator using the GUI technique to provide a convenient way for radiation therapist to calculate the treatment time, and keep a record for the skin cancer patient. EMUC is an electron monitor unit calculator for electron radiation therapy. Instead of doing hand calculation according to pre-determined dosimetric tables, clinical user needs only to input the required drawing of electron field in computer graphical file format, prescription dose, and beam parameters to EMUC to calculate the required monitor unit for the electron beam treatment. EMUC is based on a semi-experimental theory of sector-integration algorithm. SWIMRT is a multileaf collimator machine file creator to generate a fluence map produced by a medical linear accelerator. This machine file controls

  10. Some computer graphical user interfaces in radiation therapy.

    PubMed

    Chow, James C L

    2016-03-28

    In this review, five graphical user interfaces (GUIs) used in radiation therapy practices and researches are introduced. They are: (1) the treatment time calculator, superficial X-ray treatment time calculator (SUPCALC) used in the superficial X-ray radiation therapy; (2) the monitor unit calculator, electron monitor unit calculator (EMUC) used in the electron radiation therapy; (3) the multileaf collimator machine file creator, sliding window intensity modulated radiotherapy (SWIMRT) used in generating fluence map for research and quality assurance in intensity modulated radiation therapy; (4) the treatment planning system, DOSCTP used in the calculation of 3D dose distribution using Monte Carlo simulation; and (5) the monitor unit calculator, photon beam monitor unit calculator (PMUC) used in photon beam radiation therapy. One common issue of these GUIs is that all user-friendly interfaces are linked to complex formulas and algorithms based on various theories, which do not have to be understood and noted by the user. In that case, user only needs to input the required information with help from graphical elements in order to produce desired results. SUPCALC is a superficial radiation treatment time calculator using the GUI technique to provide a convenient way for radiation therapist to calculate the treatment time, and keep a record for the skin cancer patient. EMUC is an electron monitor unit calculator for electron radiation therapy. Instead of doing hand calculation according to pre-determined dosimetric tables, clinical user needs only to input the required drawing of electron field in computer graphical file format, prescription dose, and beam parameters to EMUC to calculate the required monitor unit for the electron beam treatment. EMUC is based on a semi-experimental theory of sector-integration algorithm. SWIMRT is a multileaf collimator machine file creator to generate a fluence map produced by a medical linear accelerator. This machine file controls

  11. DiAs User Interface: A Patient-Centric Interface for Mobile Artificial Pancreas Systems

    PubMed Central

    Keith-Hynes, Patrick; Guerlain, Stephanie; Mize, Benton; Hughes-Karvetski, Colleen; Khan, Momin; McElwee-Malloy, Molly; Kovatchev, Boris P.

    2013-01-01

    Background Recent in-hospital studies of artificial pancreas (AP) systems have shown promising results in improving glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The next logical step in AP development is to conduct transitional outpatient clinical trials with a mobile system that is controlled by the patient. In this article, we present the user interface (UI) of the Diabetes Assistant (DiAs), an experimental smartphone-based mobile AP system, and describe the reactions of a round of focus groups to the UI. This work is an initial inquiry involving a relatively small number of potential users, many of whom had never seen an AP system before, and the results should be understood in that light. Methods We began by considering how the UI of an AP system could be designed to make use of the familiar touch-based graphical UI of a consumer smartphone. After developing a working prototype UI, we enlisted a human factors specialist to perform a heuristic expert analysis. Next we conducted a formative evaluation of the UI through a series of three focus groups with N = 13 potential end users as participants. The UI was modified based upon the results of these studies, and the resulting DiAs system was used in transitional outpatient AP studies of adults in the United States and Europe. Results The DiAs UI was modified based on focus group feedback from potential users. The DiAs was subsequently used in JDRF- and AP@Home-sponsored transitional outpatient AP studies in the United States and Europe by 40 subjects for 2400 h with no adverse events. Conclusions Adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus are able to control an AP system successfully using a patient-centric UI on a commercial smartphone in a transitional outpatient environment. PMID:24351168

  12. Advanced Aircraft Interfaces: The Machine Side of the Man-Machine Interface (Les Interfaces sur les Avions de Pointe: L’Aspect Machine de l’Interface Homme-Machine)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-10-01

    Manager , Advanced Transport Operating Systems Program Office Langley Research Center Mail Stop 265 Hampton, VA 23665-5225 United States Programme Committee...J.H.Lind, and C.G.Burge Advanced Cockpit - Mission and Image Management 4 by J. Struck Aircrew Acceptance of Automation in the Cockpit 5 by M. Hicks and I...DESIGN CONCEPTS AND TOOLS A Systems Approach to the Advanced Aircraft Man-Machine Interface 23 by F. Armogida Management of Avionics Data in the Cockpit

  13. 78 FR 77209 - Accessibility of User Interfaces, and Video Programming Guides and Menus

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-20

    ... user interfaces on digital apparatus and video programming guides and menus on navigation devices for... apparatus and navigation devices used to view video programming. The rules we adopt here will effectuate...--that is, devices and other equipment used by consumers to access multichannel video programming and...

  14. EDITORIAL: Focus on Advances in Surface and Interface Science 2008 FOCUS ON ADVANCES IN SURFACE AND INTERFACE SCIENCE 2008

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scheffler, Matthias; Schneider, Wolf-Dieter

    2008-12-01

    Basic research in surface and interface science is highly interdisciplinary, covering the fields of physics, chemistry, biophysics, geo-, atmospheric and environmental sciences, material science, chemical engineering, and more. The various phenomena are interesting by themselves, and they are most important in nearly all modern technologies, as for example electronic, magnetic, and optical devices, sensors, catalysts, lubricants, hard and thermal-barrier coatings, protection against corrosion and crack formation under harsh environments. In fact, detailed understanding of the elementary processes at surfaces is necessary to support and to advance the high technology that very much founds the prosperity and lifestyle of our society. Current state-of-the-art experimental studies of elementary processes at surfaces, of surface properties and functions employ a variety of sophisticated tools. Some are capable of revealing the location and motion of individual atoms. Others measure excitations (electronic, magnetic and vibronic), employing, for example, special light sources such as synchrotrons, high magnetic fields, or free electron lasers. The surprising variety of intriguing physical phenomena at surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures also pose a persistent challenge for the development of theoretical descriptions, methods, and even basic physical concepts. This second focus issue on the topic of 'Advances in Surface and Interface Science' in New Journal of Physics, following on from last year's successful collection, provides an exciting synoptic view on the latest pertinent developments in the field. Focus on Advances in Surface and Interface Science 2008 Contents Organic layers at metal/electrolyte interfaces: molecular structure and reactivity of viologen monolayers Stephan Breuer, Duc T Pham, Sascha Huemann, Knud Gentz, Caroline Zoerlein, Ralf Hunger, Klaus Wandelt and Peter Broekmann Spin polarized d surface resonance state of fcc Co/Cu(001) K Miyamoto, K

  15. CTG Analyzer: A graphical user interface for cardiotocography.

    PubMed

    Sbrollini, Agnese; Agostinelli, Angela; Burattini, Luca; Morettini, Micaela; Di Nardo, Francesco; Fioretti, Sandro; Burattini, Laura

    2017-07-01

    Cardiotocography (CTG) is the most commonly used test for establishing the good health of the fetus during pregnancy and labor. CTG consists in the recording of fetal heart rate (FHR; bpm) and maternal uterine contractions (UC; mmHg). FHR is characterized by baseline, baseline variability, tachycardia, bradycardia, acceleration and decelerations. Instead, UC signal is characterized by presence of contractions and contractions period. Such parameters are usually evaluated by visual inspection. However, visual analysis of CTG recordings has a well-demonstrated poor reproducibility, due to the complexity of physiological phenomena affecting fetal heart rhythm and being related to clinician's experience. Computerized tools in support of clinicians represents a possible solution for improving correctness in CTG interpretation. This paper proposes CTG Analyzer as a graphical tool for automatic and objective analysis of CTG tracings. CTG Analyzer was developed under MATLAB®; it is a very intuitive and user friendly graphical user interface. FHR time series and UC signal are represented one under the other, on a grid with reference lines, as usually done for CTG reports printed on paper. Colors help identification of FHR and UC features. Automatic analysis is based on some unchangeable features definitions provided by the FIGO guidelines, and other arbitrary settings whose default values can be changed by the user. Eventually, CTG Analyzer provides a report file listing all the quantitative results of the analysis. Thus, CTG Analyzer represents a potentially useful graphical tool for automatic and objective analysis of CTG tracings.

  16. Co-PylotDB - A Python-Based Single-Window User Interface for Transmitting Information to a Database

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barnette, Daniel W.

    2012-01-05

    Co-PylotDB, written completely in Python, provides a user interface (UI) with which to select user and data file(s), directories, and file content, and provide or capture various other information for sending data collected from running any computer program to a pre-formatted database table for persistent storage. The interface allows the user to select input, output, make, source, executable, and qsub files. It also provides fields for specifying the machine name on which the software was run, capturing compile and execution lines, and listing relevant user comments. Data automatically captured by Co-PylotDB and sent to the database are user, current directory,more » local hostname, current date, and time of send. The UI provides fields for logging into a local or remote database server, specifying a database and a table, and sending the information to the selected database table. If a server is not available, the UI provides for saving the command that would have saved the information to a database table for either later submission or for sending via email to a collaborator who has access to the desired database.« less

  17. Integrating macromolecular X-ray diffraction data with the graphical user interface iMosflm.

    PubMed

    Powell, Harold R; Battye, T Geoff G; Kontogiannis, Luke; Johnson, Owen; Leslie, Andrew G W

    2017-07-01

    X-ray crystallography is the predominant source of structural information for biological macromolecules, providing fundamental insights into biological function. The availability of robust and user-friendly software to process the collected X-ray diffraction images makes the technique accessible to a wider range of scientists. iMosflm/MOSFLM (http://www.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/harry/imosflm) is a software package designed to achieve this goal. The graphical user interface (GUI) version of MOSFLM (called iMosflm) is designed to guide inexperienced users through the steps of data integration, while retaining powerful features for more experienced users. Images from almost all commercially available X-ray detectors can be handled using this software. Although the program uses only 2D profile fitting, it can readily integrate data collected in the 'fine phi-slicing' mode (in which the rotation angle per image is less than the crystal mosaic spread by a factor of at least 2), which is commonly used with modern very fast readout detectors. The GUI provides real-time feedback on the success of the indexing step and the progress of data processing. This feedback includes the ability to monitor detector and crystal parameter refinement and to display the average spot shape in different regions of the detector. Data scaling and merging tasks can be initiated directly from the interface. Using this protocol, a data set of 360 images with ∼2,000 reflections per image can be processed in ∼4 min.

  18. Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Guerrero, Graciela; Ayala, Andrés; Mateu, Juan; Casades, Laura; Alamán, Xavier

    2016-10-25

    This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the "Florida Secundaria" high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable).

  19. Integrating Virtual Worlds with Tangible User Interfaces for Teaching Mathematics: A Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Guerrero, Graciela; Ayala, Andrés; Mateu, Juan; Casades, Laura; Alamán, Xavier

    2016-01-01

    This article presents a pilot study of the use of two new tangible interfaces and virtual worlds for teaching geometry in a secondary school. The first tangible device allows the user to control a virtual object in six degrees of freedom. The second tangible device is used to modify virtual objects, changing attributes such as position, size, rotation and color. A pilot study on using these devices was carried out at the “Florida Secundaria” high school. A virtual world was built where students used the tangible interfaces to manipulate geometrical figures in order to learn different geometrical concepts. The pilot experiment results suggest that the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds allowed a more meaningful learning (concepts learnt were more durable). PMID:27792132

  20. Neuronvisio: A Graphical User Interface with 3D Capabilities for NEURON.

    PubMed

    Mattioni, Michele; Cohen, Uri; Le Novère, Nicolas

    2012-01-01

    The NEURON simulation environment is a commonly used tool to perform electrical simulation of neurons and neuronal networks. The NEURON User Interface, based on the now discontinued InterViews library, provides some limited facilities to explore models and to plot their simulation results. Other limitations include the inability to generate a three-dimensional visualization, no standard mean to save the results of simulations, or to store the model geometry within the results. Neuronvisio (http://neuronvisio.org) aims to address these deficiencies through a set of well designed python APIs and provides an improved UI, allowing users to explore and interact with the model. Neuronvisio also facilitates access to previously published models, allowing users to browse, download, and locally run NEURON models stored in ModelDB. Neuronvisio uses the matplotlib library to plot simulation results and uses the HDF standard format to store simulation results. Neuronvisio can be viewed as an extension of NEURON, facilitating typical user workflows such as model browsing, selection, download, compilation, and simulation. The 3D viewer simplifies the exploration of complex model structure, while matplotlib permits the plotting of high-quality graphs. The newly introduced ability of saving numerical results allows users to perform additional analysis on their previous simulations.

  1. Toward User Interfaces and Data Visualization Criteria for Learning Design of Digital Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Railean, Elena

    2014-01-01

    User interface and data visualisation criteria are central issues in digital textbooks design. However, when applying mathematical modelling of learning process to the analysis of the possible solutions, it could be observed that results differ. Mathematical learning views cognition in on the base on statistics and probability theory, graph…

  2. Social Benefits of a Tangible User Interface for Children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farr, William; Yuill, Nicola; Raffle, Hayes

    2010-01-01

    Tangible user interfaces (TUIs) embed computer technology in graspable objects. This study assessed the potential of Topobo, a construction toy with programmable movement, to support social interaction in children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC). Groups of either typically developing (TD) children or those with ASC had group play sessions…

  3. Grasp specific and user friendly interface design for myoelectric hand prostheses.

    PubMed

    Mohammadi, Alireza; Lavranos, Jim; Howe, Rob; Choong, Peter; Oetomo, Denny

    2017-07-01

    This paper presents the design and characterisation of a hand prosthesis and its user interface, focusing on performing the most commonly used grasps in activities of daily living (ADLs). Since the operation of a multi-articulated powered hand prosthesis is difficult to learn and master, there is a significant rate of abandonment by amputees in preference for simpler devices. In choosing so, amputees chose to live with fewer features in their prosthesis that would more reliably perform the basic operations. In this paper, we look simultaneously at a hand prosthesis design method that aims for a small number of grasps, a low complexity user interface and an alternative method to the current use of EMG as a preshape selection method through the use of a simple button; to enable amputees to get to and execute the intended hand movements intuitively, quickly and reliably. An experiment is reported at the end of the paper comparing the speed and accuracy with which able-bodied naive subjects are able to select the intended preshapes through the use of a simplified EMG method and a simple button. It is shown that the button was significantly superior in the speed of successful task completion and marginally superior in accuracy (success of first attempt).

  4. Common command-and-control user interface for current force UGS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stolovy, Gary H.

    2009-05-01

    The Current Force Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) comprise the OmniSense, Scorpion, and Silent Watch systems. As deployed by U.S. Army Central Command in 2006, sensor reports from the three systems were integrated into a common Graphical User Interface (GUI), with three separate vendor-specific applications for Command-and-Control (C2) functions. This paper describes the requirements, system architecture, implementation, and testing of an upgrade to the Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination back-end server to incorporate common remote Command-and-Control capabilities.

  5. Evaluation of user interface and workflow design of a bedside nursing clinical decision support system.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Michael Juntao; Finley, George Mike; Long, Ju; Mills, Christy; Johnson, Ron Kim

    2013-01-31

    Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are important tools to improve health care outcomes and reduce preventable medical adverse events. However, the effectiveness and success of CDSS depend on their implementation context and usability in complex health care settings. As a result, usability design and validation, especially in real world clinical settings, are crucial aspects of successful CDSS implementations. Our objective was to develop a novel CDSS to help frontline nurses better manage critical symptom changes in hospitalized patients, hence reducing preventable failure to rescue cases. A robust user interface and implementation strategy that fit into existing workflows was key for the success of the CDSS. Guided by a formal usability evaluation framework, UFuRT (user, function, representation, and task analysis), we developed a high-level specification of the product that captures key usability requirements and is flexible to implement. We interviewed users of the proposed CDSS to identify requirements, listed functions, and operations the system must perform. We then designed visual and workflow representations of the product to perform the operations. The user interface and workflow design were evaluated via heuristic and end user performance evaluation. The heuristic evaluation was done after the first prototype, and its results were incorporated into the product before the end user evaluation was conducted. First, we recruited 4 evaluators with strong domain expertise to study the initial prototype. Heuristic violations were coded and rated for severity. Second, after development of the system, we assembled a panel of nurses, consisting of 3 licensed vocational nurses and 7 registered nurses, to evaluate the user interface and workflow via simulated use cases. We recorded whether each session was successfully completed and its completion time. Each nurse was asked to use the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task Load Index to self

  6. Evaluation of User Interface and Workflow Design of a Bedside Nursing Clinical Decision Support System

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Michael Juntao; Finley, George Mike; Mills, Christy; Johnson, Ron Kim

    2013-01-01

    Background Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are important tools to improve health care outcomes and reduce preventable medical adverse events. However, the effectiveness and success of CDSS depend on their implementation context and usability in complex health care settings. As a result, usability design and validation, especially in real world clinical settings, are crucial aspects of successful CDSS implementations. Objective Our objective was to develop a novel CDSS to help frontline nurses better manage critical symptom changes in hospitalized patients, hence reducing preventable failure to rescue cases. A robust user interface and implementation strategy that fit into existing workflows was key for the success of the CDSS. Methods Guided by a formal usability evaluation framework, UFuRT (user, function, representation, and task analysis), we developed a high-level specification of the product that captures key usability requirements and is flexible to implement. We interviewed users of the proposed CDSS to identify requirements, listed functions, and operations the system must perform. We then designed visual and workflow representations of the product to perform the operations. The user interface and workflow design were evaluated via heuristic and end user performance evaluation. The heuristic evaluation was done after the first prototype, and its results were incorporated into the product before the end user evaluation was conducted. First, we recruited 4 evaluators with strong domain expertise to study the initial prototype. Heuristic violations were coded and rated for severity. Second, after development of the system, we assembled a panel of nurses, consisting of 3 licensed vocational nurses and 7 registered nurses, to evaluate the user interface and workflow via simulated use cases. We recorded whether each session was successfully completed and its completion time. Each nurse was asked to use the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  7. Graphical User Interface Development and Design to Support Airport Runway Configuration Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Debra G.; Lenox, Michelle; Onal, Emrah; Latorella, Kara A.; Lohr, Gary W.; Le Vie, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this effort was to develop a graphical user interface (GUI) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) System Oriented Runway Management (SORM) decision support tool to support runway management. This tool is expected to be used by traffic flow managers and supervisors in the Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities.

  8. Building Models in the Classroom: Taking Advantage of Sophisticated Geomorphic Numerical Tools Using a Simple Graphical User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roy, S. G.; Koons, P. O.; Gerbi, C. C.; Capps, D. K.; Tucker, G. E.; Rogers, Z. A.

    2014-12-01

    Sophisticated numerical tools exist for modeling geomorphic processes and linking them to tectonic and climatic systems, but they are often seen as inaccessible for users with an exploratory level of interest. We have improved the accessibility of landscape evolution models by producing a simple graphics user interface (GUI) that takes advantage of the Channel-Hillslope Integrated Landscape Development (CHILD) model. Model access is flexible: the user can edit values for basic geomorphic, tectonic, and climate parameters, or obtain greater control by defining the spatiotemporal distributions of those parameters. Users can make educated predictions by choosing their own parametric values for the governing equations and interpreting the results immediately through model graphics. This method of modeling allows users to iteratively build their understanding through experimentation. Use of this GUI is intended for inquiry and discovery-based learning activities. We discuss a number of examples of how the GUI can be used at the upper high school, introductory university, and advanced university level. Effective teaching modules initially focus on an inquiry-based example guided by the instructor. As students become familiar with the GUI and the CHILD model, the class can shift to more student-centered exploration and experimentation. To make model interpretations more robust, digital elevation models can be imported and direct comparisons can be made between CHILD model results and natural topography. The GUI is available online through the University of Maine's Earth and Climate Sciences website, through the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS) model repository, or by contacting the corresponding author.

  9. A user friendly interface for microwave tomography enhanced GPR surveys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Catapano, Ilaria; Affinito, Antonio; Soldovieri, Francesco

    2013-04-01

    Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) systems are nowadays widely used in civil applications among which structural monitoring is one of the most critical issues due to its importance in terms of risks prevents and cost effective management of the structure itself. Despite GPR systems are assessed devices, there is a continuous interest towards their optimization, which involves both hardware and software aspects, with the common final goal to achieve accurate and highly informative images while keeping as low as possible difficulties and times involved in on field surveys. As far as data processing is concerned, one of the key aims is the development of imaging approaches capable of providing images easily interpretable by not expert users while keeping feasible the requirements in terms of computational resources. To satisfy this request or at least improve the reconstruction capabilities of data processing tools actually available in commercial GPR systems, microwave tomographic approaches based on the Born approximation have been developed and tested in several practical conditions, such as civil and archeological investigations, sub-service monitoring, security surveys and so on [1-3]. However, the adoption of these approaches is subjected to the involvement of expert workers, which have to be capable of properly managing the gathered data and their processing, which involves the solution of a linear inverse scattering problem. In order to overcome this drawback, aim of this contribution is to present an end-user friendly software interface that makes possible a simple management of the microwave tomographic approaches. In particular, the proposed interface allows us to upload both synthetic and experimental data sets saved in .txt, .dt and .dt1 formats, to perform all the steps needed to obtain tomographic images and to display raw-radargrams, intermediate and final results. By means of the interface, the users can apply time gating, back-ground removal or both to

  10. Integrating Conjoint Analysis with TOPSIS Algorithm to the Visual Effect of Icon Design Based on Multiple Users' Image Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tung, Ting-Chun; Chen, Hung-Yuan

    2017-01-01

    With the advance of mobile computing and wireless technology, a user's intent to interact with the interface of a mobile device is motivated not only by its intuitional operation, but also by the emotional perception induced by its aesthetic appeal. A graphical interface employing icons with suitable visual effect based on the users' emotional…

  11. SPIKY: a graphical user interface for monitoring spike train synchrony

    PubMed Central

    Mulansky, Mario; Bozanic, Nebojsa

    2015-01-01

    Techniques for recording large-scale neuronal spiking activity are developing very fast. This leads to an increasing demand for algorithms capable of analyzing large amounts of experimental spike train data. One of the most crucial and demanding tasks is the identification of similarity patterns with a very high temporal resolution and across different spatial scales. To address this task, in recent years three time-resolved measures of spike train synchrony have been proposed, the ISI-distance, the SPIKE-distance, and event synchronization. The Matlab source codes for calculating and visualizing these measures have been made publicly available. However, due to the many different possible representations of the results the use of these codes is rather complicated and their application requires some basic knowledge of Matlab. Thus it became desirable to provide a more user-friendly and interactive interface. Here we address this need and present SPIKY, a graphical user interface that facilitates the application of time-resolved measures of spike train synchrony to both simulated and real data. SPIKY includes implementations of the ISI-distance, the SPIKE-distance, and the SPIKE-synchronization (an improved and simplified extension of event synchronization) that have been optimized with respect to computation speed and memory demand. It also comprises a spike train generator and an event detector that makes it capable of analyzing continuous data. Finally, the SPIKY package includes additional complementary programs aimed at the analysis of large numbers of datasets and the estimation of significance levels. PMID:25744888

  12. Monitoring and controlling ATLAS data management: The Rucio web user interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lassnig, M.; Beermann, T.; Vigne, R.; Barisits, M.; Garonne, V.; Serfon, C.

    2015-12-01

    The monitoring and controlling interfaces of the previous data management system DQ2 followed the evolutionary requirements and needs of the ATLAS collaboration. The new data management system, Rucio, has put in place a redesigned web-based interface based upon the lessons learnt from DQ2, and the increased volume of managed information. This interface encompasses both a monitoring and controlling component, and allows easy integration for usergenerated views. The interface follows three design principles. First, the collection and storage of data from internal and external systems is asynchronous to reduce latency. This includes the use of technologies like ActiveMQ or Nagios. Second, analysis of the data into information is done massively parallel due to its volume, using a combined approach with an Oracle database and Hadoop MapReduce. Third, sharing of the information does not distinguish between human or programmatic access, making it easy to access selective parts of the information both in constrained frontends like web-browsers as well as remote services. This contribution will detail the reasons for these principles and the design choices taken. Additionally, the implementation, the interactions with external systems, and an evaluation of the system in production, both from a technological and user perspective, conclude this contribution.

  13. imDEV: a graphical user interface to R multivariate analysis tools in Microsoft Excel

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Interactive modules for data exploration and visualization (imDEV) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded application providing an integrated environment for the analysis of omics data sets with a user-friendly interface. Individual modules were designed to provide toolsets to enable interactive ...

  14. Expandable Grids: A User Interface Visualization Technique and a Policy Semantics to Support Fast, Accurate Security and Privacy Policy Authoring

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-07-01

    dropout rate amongst Grid participants suggests participants found the Grid more frustrating to use, and subjective satisfaction scores show... learned more than N years of graduate school could ever teach me, and my sister, who was always there for me when my Black Friday letters came. Abstract...greatly affect whether policies match their authors’ intentions ; a bad user interface can lead to policies with many errors, while a good user interface

  15. Developing a Natural User Interface and Facial Recognition System With OpenCV and the Microsoft Kinect

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gutensohn, Michael

    2018-01-01

    The task for this project was to design, develop, test, and deploy a facial recognition system for the Kennedy Space Center Augmented/Virtual Reality Lab. This system will serve as a means of user authentication as part of the NUI of the lab. The overarching goal is to create a seamless user interface that will allow the user to initiate and interact with AR and VR experiences without ever needing to use a mouse or keyboard at any step in the process.

  16. Human Motion Tracking and Glove-Based User Interfaces for Virtual Environments in ANVIL

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dumas, Joseph D., II

    2002-01-01

    The Army/NASA Virtual Innovations Laboratory (ANVIL) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) provides an environment where engineers and other personnel can investigate novel applications of computer simulation and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. Among the many hardware and software resources in ANVIL are several high-performance Silicon Graphics computer systems and a number of commercial software packages, such as Division MockUp by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) and Jack by Unigraphics Solutions, Inc. These hardware and software platforms are used in conjunction with various VR peripheral I/O (input / output) devices, CAD (computer aided design) models, etc. to support the objectives of the MSFC Engineering Systems Department/Systems Engineering Support Group (ED42) by studying engineering designs, chiefly from the standpoint of human factors and ergonomics. One of the more time-consuming tasks facing ANVIL personnel involves the testing and evaluation of peripheral I/O devices and the integration of new devices with existing hardware and software platforms. Another important challenge is the development of innovative user interfaces to allow efficient, intuitive interaction between simulation users and the virtual environments they are investigating. As part of his Summer Faculty Fellowship, the author was tasked with verifying the operation of some recently acquired peripheral interface devices and developing new, easy-to-use interfaces that could be used with existing VR hardware and software to better support ANVIL projects.

  17. ECLSS evolution: Advanced instrumentation interface requirements. Volume 3: Appendix C

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    An Advanced ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support System) Technology Interfaces Database was developed primarily to provide ECLSS analysts with a centralized and portable source of ECLSS technologies interface requirements data. The database contains 20 technologies which were previously identified in the MDSSC ECLSS Technologies database. The primary interfaces of interest in this database are fluid, electrical, data/control interfaces, and resupply requirements. Each record contains fields describing the function and operation of the technology. Fields include: an interface diagram, description applicable design points and operating ranges, and an explaination of data, as required. A complete set of data was entered for six of the twenty components including Solid Amine Water Desorbed (SAWD), Thermoelectric Integrated Membrane Evaporation System (TIMES), Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Concentrator (EDC), Solid Polymer Electrolysis (SPE), Static Feed Electrolysis (SFE), and BOSCH. Additional data was collected for Reverse Osmosis Water Reclaimation-Potable (ROWRP), Reverse Osmosis Water Reclaimation-Hygiene (ROWRH), Static Feed Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SFSPE), Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS), and Multifiltration Water Reclamation - Hygiene (MFWRH). A summary of the database contents is presented in this report.

  18. Pulser: user-friendly, graphical user-interface based software for controlling stimuli during data acquisition with Spike2 for Windows.

    PubMed

    Lidierth, Malcolm

    2005-02-15

    This paper describes software that runs in the Spike2 for Windows environment and provides a versatile tool for generating stimuli during data acquisition from the 1401 family of interfaces (CED, UK). A graphical user interface (GUI) is used to provide dynamic control of stimulus timing. Both single stimuli and trains of stimuli can be generated. The pulse generation routines make use of programmable variables within the interface and allow these to be rapidly changed during an experiment. The routines therefore provide the ease-of-use associated with external, stand-alone pulse generators. Complex stimulus protocols can be loaded from an external text file and facilities are included to create these files through the GUI. The software consists of a Spike2 script that runs in the host PC, and accompanying routines written in the 1401 sequencer control code, that run in the 1401 interface. Handshaking between the PC and the interface card are built into the routines and provides for full integration of sampling, analysis and stimulus generation during an experiment. Control of the 1401 digital-to-analogue converters is also provided; this allows control of stimulus amplitude as well as timing and also provides a sample-hold feature that may be used to remove DC offsets and drift from recorded data.

  19. Pilot-Vehicle Interface

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-11-01

    way is to develop a crude but working model of an entire system. The other is by developing a realistic model of the user interface , leaving out most...devices or by incorporating software for a more user -friendly interface . Automation introduces the possibility of making data entry errors. Multimode...across various human- computer interfaces . 127 a Memory: Minimize the amount of information that the user must maintain in short-term memory

  20. CATE 2016 Indonesia: Camera, Software, and User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovac, S. A.; Jensen, L.; Hare, H. S.; Mitchell, A. M.; McKay, M. A.; Bosh, R.; Watson, Z.; Penn, M.

    2016-12-01

    The Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse (Citizen CATE) Experiment will use a fleet of 60 identical telescopes across the United States to image the inner solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse. For a proof of concept, five sites were hosted along the path of totality during the 2016 total solar eclipse in Indonesia. Tanjung Pandan, Belitung, Indonesia was the first site to experience totality. This site had the best seeing conditions and focus, resulting in the highest quality images. This site proved that the equipment that is going to be used is capable of recording high quality images of the solar corona. Because 60 sites will be funded, each set up needs to be cost effective. This requires us to use an inexpensive camera, which consequently has a small dynamic range. To compensate for the corona's intensity drop off factor of 1,000, images are taken at seven frames per second, at exposures 0.4ms, 1.3ms, 4.0ms, 13ms, 40ms, 130ms, and 400ms. Using MatLab software, we are able to capture a high dynamic range with an Arduino that controls the 2448 x 2048 CMOS camera. A major component of this project is to train average citizens to use the software, meaning it needs to be as user friendly as possible. The CATE team is currently working with MathWorks to create a graphic user interface (GUI) that will make data collection run smoothly. This interface will include tabs for alignment, focus, calibration data, drift data, GPS, totality, and a quick look function. This work was made possible through the National Solar Observatory Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSO Training for 2017 Citizen CATE Experiment, funded by NASA (NASA NNX16AB92A), also provided support for this project. The National Solar Observatory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the NSF.

  1. Fragment-based docking: development of the CHARMMing Web user interface as a platform for computer-aided drug design.

    PubMed

    Pevzner, Yuri; Frugier, Emilie; Schalk, Vinushka; Caflisch, Amedeo; Woodcock, H Lee

    2014-09-22

    Web-based user interfaces to scientific applications are important tools that allow researchers to utilize a broad range of software packages with just an Internet connection and a browser. One such interface, CHARMMing (CHARMM interface and graphics), facilitates access to the powerful and widely used molecular software package CHARMM. CHARMMing incorporates tasks such as molecular structure analysis, dynamics, multiscale modeling, and other techniques commonly used by computational life scientists. We have extended CHARMMing's capabilities to include a fragment-based docking protocol that allows users to perform molecular docking and virtual screening calculations either directly via the CHARMMing Web server or on computing resources using the self-contained job scripts generated via the Web interface. The docking protocol was evaluated by performing a series of "re-dockings" with direct comparison to top commercial docking software. Results of this evaluation showed that CHARMMing's docking implementation is comparable to many widely used software packages and validates the use of the new CHARMM generalized force field for docking and virtual screening.

  2. Spectral Transfer Learning Using Information Geometry for a User-Independent Brain-Computer Interface.

    PubMed

    Waytowich, Nicholas R; Lawhern, Vernon J; Bohannon, Addison W; Ball, Kenneth R; Lance, Brent J

    2016-01-01

    Recent advances in signal processing and machine learning techniques have enabled the application of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies to fields such as medicine, industry, and recreation; however, BCIs still suffer from the requirement of frequent calibration sessions due to the intra- and inter-individual variability of brain-signals, which makes calibration suppression through transfer learning an area of increasing interest for the development of practical BCI systems. In this paper, we present an unsupervised transfer method (spectral transfer using information geometry, STIG), which ranks and combines unlabeled predictions from an ensemble of information geometry classifiers built on data from individual training subjects. The STIG method is validated in both off-line and real-time feedback analysis during a rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP). For detection of single-trial, event-related potentials (ERPs), the proposed method can significantly outperform existing calibration-free techniques as well as outperform traditional within-subject calibration techniques when limited data is available. This method demonstrates that unsupervised transfer learning for single-trial detection in ERP-based BCIs can be achieved without the requirement of costly training data, representing a step-forward in the overall goal of achieving a practical user-independent BCI system.

  3. Structural tailoring of advanced turboprops (STAT): User's manual

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, K. W.

    1991-01-01

    This user's manual describes the Structural Tailoring of Advanced Turboprops program. It contains instructions to prepare the input for optimization, blade geometry and analysis, geometry generation, and finite element program control. In addition, a sample input file is provided as well as a section describing special applications (i.e., non-standard input).

  4. Low Cost Desktop Image Analysis Workstation With Enhanced Interactive User Interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ratib, Osman M.; Huang, H. K.

    1989-05-01

    A multimodality picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is in routine clinical use in the UCLA Radiology Department. Several types workstations are currently implemented for this PACS. Among them, the Apple Macintosh II personal computer was recently chosen to serve as a desktop workstation for display and analysis of radiological images. This personal computer was selected mainly because of its extremely friendly user-interface, its popularity among the academic and medical community and its low cost. In comparison to other microcomputer-based systems the Macintosh II offers the following advantages: the extreme standardization of its user interface, file system and networking, and the availability of a very large variety of commercial software packages. In the current configuration the Macintosh II operates as a stand-alone workstation where images are imported from a centralized PACS server through an Ethernet network using a standard TCP-IP protocol, and stored locally on magnetic disk. The use of high resolution screens (1024x768 pixels x 8bits) offer sufficient performance for image display and analysis. We focused our project on the design and implementation of a variety of image analysis algorithms ranging from automated structure and edge detection to sophisticated dynamic analysis of sequential images. Specific analysis programs were developed for ultrasound images, digitized angiograms, MRI and CT tomographic images and scintigraphic images.

  5. Steamer II: Steamer prototype component inventory and user interface commands. Technical report, 1988-1989

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dickieson, J.L.; Thode, W.F.; Newbury, K.

    1988-12-01

    Over the last several years, Navy Personnel Research and Development has produced a prototype simulation of a 1200-psi steam plant. This simulation, called Steamer, is installed on an expensive Symbolics minicomputer at the Surface Warfare Officers School, Pacific Coronado, California. The fundamental research goal of the Steamer prototype system was to evaluate the potential of, what was then, new artificial intelligence (AI) hardware and software technology for supporting the construction of computer-based training systems using graphic representations of complex, dynamic systems. The area of propulsion engineering was chosen for a number of reasons. This document describes the Steamer prototype systemmore » components and user interface commands and establishes a starting point for designing, developing, and implementing Steamer II. Careful examination of the actual program code produced an inventory that describes the hardware, system software, application software, and documentation for the Steamer prototype system. Exercising all menu options systematically produced an inventory of all Steamer prototype user interface commands.« less

  6. Graphical user interface for a neonatal parenteral nutrition decision support system.

    PubMed Central

    Peverini, R. L.; Beach, D. S.; Wan, K. W.; Vyhmeister, N. R.

    2000-01-01

    We developed and implemented a decision support system for prescribing parenteral nutrition (PN) solutions for infants in our neonatal intensive care unit. We employed a graphical user interface to provide clinical guidelines and aid the understanding of the interaction among the various ingredients that make up a PN solution. In particular, by displaying the interaction between the PN total solution volume, protein, calcium and phosphorus, we have eliminated PN orders that previously would have resulted in calcium-phosphorus precipitation errors. PMID:11079964

  7. SPIKY: a graphical user interface for monitoring spike train synchrony.

    PubMed

    Kreuz, Thomas; Mulansky, Mario; Bozanic, Nebojsa

    2015-05-01

    Techniques for recording large-scale neuronal spiking activity are developing very fast. This leads to an increasing demand for algorithms capable of analyzing large amounts of experimental spike train data. One of the most crucial and demanding tasks is the identification of similarity patterns with a very high temporal resolution and across different spatial scales. To address this task, in recent years three time-resolved measures of spike train synchrony have been proposed, the ISI-distance, the SPIKE-distance, and event synchronization. The Matlab source codes for calculating and visualizing these measures have been made publicly available. However, due to the many different possible representations of the results the use of these codes is rather complicated and their application requires some basic knowledge of Matlab. Thus it became desirable to provide a more user-friendly and interactive interface. Here we address this need and present SPIKY, a graphical user interface that facilitates the application of time-resolved measures of spike train synchrony to both simulated and real data. SPIKY includes implementations of the ISI-distance, the SPIKE-distance, and the SPIKE-synchronization (an improved and simplified extension of event synchronization) that have been optimized with respect to computation speed and memory demand. It also comprises a spike train generator and an event detector that makes it capable of analyzing continuous data. Finally, the SPIKY package includes additional complementary programs aimed at the analysis of large numbers of datasets and the estimation of significance levels. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  8. A Graphical User-Interface Development Tool for Intelligent Computer- Assisted Instruction Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-09-01

    Wesley Publishing Co., 1991 [HEND 88] Hendler, James A., Expert Systems: The User Interface, Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1988 [WALK 87] Walker, Adrian...Shimeall Code CSSm Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 5. Kepala StafUmum ABRI Mabes ABRI...KASAU Mabes TNI-AU, JI. Gatot Subroto No. 72, Jakarta Timur, Indonesia 8. Diraeroau Mabes TNI-AU, J1. Gatot Subroto No. 72, Jakarta Timur, Indonesia 9

  9. Interfaces in Heterogeneous Catalysts: Advancing Mechanistic Understanding through Atomic-Scale Measurements.

    PubMed

    Gao, Wenpei; Hood, Zachary D; Chi, Miaofang

    2017-04-18

    interfaces and providing deeper insight for fine-tuning and optimizing catalyst properties. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has long been a primary characterization technique used for studying nanomaterials because of its exceptional imaging resolution and simultaneous chemical analysis. Over the past decade, advances in STEM, that is, the commercialization of both aberration correctors and monochromators, have significantly improved the spatial and energy resolution. Imaging atomic structures with subangstrom resolution and identifying chemical species with single-atom sensitivity are now routine for STEM. These advancements have greatly benefitted catalytic research. For example, the roles of lattice strain and surface elemental distribution and their effect on catalytic stability and reactivity have been well documented in bimetallic catalysts. In addition, three-dimensional atomic structures revealed by STEM tomography have been integrated in theoretical modeling for predictive catalyst NP design. Recent developments in stable electronic and mechanical devices have opened opportunities to monitor the evolution of catalysts in operando under synthesis and reaction conditions; high-speed direct electron detectors have achieved sub-millisecond time resolutions and allow for rapid structural and chemical changes to be captured. Investigations of catalysts using these latest microscopy techniques have provided new insights into atomic-level catalytic mechanisms. Further integration of new microscopy methods is expected to provide multidimensional descriptions of interfaces under relevant synthesis and reaction conditions. In this Account, we discuss recent insights on understanding catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability using advanced STEM techniques, with an emphasis on how critical interfaces dictate the performance of precious metal-based heterogeneous catalysts. The role of extended interfacial structures, including those between core and shell

  10. A Framework for the Development of Context-Adaptable User Interfaces for Ubiquitous Computing Systems

    PubMed Central

    Varela, Gervasio; Paz-Lopez, Alejandro; Becerra, Jose A.; Duro, Richard

    2016-01-01

    This paper addresses the problem of developing user interfaces for Ubiquitous Computing (UC) and Ambient Intelligence (AmI) systems. These kind of systems are expected to provide a natural user experience, considering interaction modalities adapted to the user abilities and preferences and using whatever interaction devices are present in the environment. These interaction devices are not necessarily known at design time. The task is quite complicated due to the variety of devices and technologies, and the diversity of scenarios, and it usually burdens the developer with the need to create many different UIs in order to consider the foreseeable user-environment combinations. Here, we propose an UI abstraction framework for UC and AmI systems that effectively improves the portability of those systems between different environments and for different users. It allows developers to design and implement a single UI capable of being deployed with different devices and modalities regardless the physical location. PMID:27399711

  11. A Framework for the Development of Context-Adaptable User Interfaces for Ubiquitous Computing Systems.

    PubMed

    Varela, Gervasio; Paz-Lopez, Alejandro; Becerra, Jose A; Duro, Richard

    2016-07-07

    This paper addresses the problem of developing user interfaces for Ubiquitous Computing (UC) and Ambient Intelligence (AmI) systems. These kind of systems are expected to provide a natural user experience, considering interaction modalities adapted to the user abilities and preferences and using whatever interaction devices are present in the environment. These interaction devices are not necessarily known at design time. The task is quite complicated due to the variety of devices and technologies, and the diversity of scenarios, and it usually burdens the developer with the need to create many different UIs in order to consider the foreseeable user-environment combinations. Here, we propose an UI abstraction framework for UC and AmI systems that effectively improves the portability of those systems between different environments and for different users. It allows developers to design and implement a single UI capable of being deployed with different devices and modalities regardless the physical location.

  12. User Interface Considerations for Collecting Data at the Point of Care in the Tablet PC Computing Environment

    PubMed Central

    Silvey, Garry M.; Lobach, David F.; Macri, Jennifer M.; Hunt, Megan; Kacmaz, Roje O.; Lee, Paul P.

    2006-01-01

    Collecting clinical data directly from clinicians is a challenge. Many standard development environments designed to expedite the creation of user interfaces for electronic healthcare applications do not provide acceptable components for satisfying the requirements for collecting and displaying clinical data at the point of care on the tablet computer. Through an iterative design and testing approach using think-aloud sessions in the eye care setting, we were able to identify and resolve several user interface issues. Issues that we discovered and subsequently resolved included checkboxes that were too small to be selectable with a stylus, radio buttons that could not be unselected, and font sizes that were too small to be read at arm’s length. PMID:17238715

  13. The MedlinePlus public user interface: studies of design challenges and opportunities.

    PubMed

    Marill, Jennifer L; Miller, Naomi; Kitendaugh, Paula

    2006-01-01

    What are the challenges involved in designing, modifying, and improving a major health information portal that serves over sixty million page views a month? MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's (NLM's) consumer health Website, is examined. Challenges are presented as six "studies," which describe selected design issues and how NLM staff resolved them. Improving MedlinePlus is an iterative process. Changes in the public user interface are ongoing, reflecting Web design trends, usability testing recommendations, user survey results, new technical requirements, and the need to grow the site in an orderly way. Testing and analysis should accompany Website design modifications. New technologies may enhance a site but also introduce problems. Further modifications to MedlinePlus will be informed by the experiences described here.

  14. Guidance from the Graphical User Interface (GUI) Experience: What GUI Teaches about Technology Access.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Disability, Washington, DC.

    This report investigates the use of the graphical user interface (GUI) in computer programs, the problems it creates for individuals with visual impairments or blindness, and advocacy efforts concerning this issue, which have been targeted primarily at Microsoft, producer of Windows. The report highlights the concerns of individuals with visual…

  15. User Interface Preferences in the Design of a Camera-Based Navigation and Wayfinding Aid

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arditi, Aries; Tian, YingLi

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Development of a sensing device that can provide a sufficient perceptual substrate for persons with visual impairments to orient themselves and travel confidently has been a persistent rehabilitation technology goal, with the user interface posing a significant challenge. In the study presented here, we enlist the advice and ideas of…

  16. Knowledge representation and user interface concepts to support mixed-initiative diagnosis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sobelman, Beverly H.; Holtzblatt, Lester J.

    1989-01-01

    The Remote Maintenance Monitoring System (RMMS) provides automated support for the maintenance and repair of ModComp computer systems used in the Launch Processing System (LPS) at Kennedy Space Center. RMMS supports manual and automated diagnosis of intermittent hardware failures, providing an efficient means for accessing and analyzing the data generated by catastrophic failure recovery procedures. This paper describes the design and functionality of the user interface for interactive analysis of memory dump data, relating it to the underlying declarative representation of memory dumps.

  17. Profex: a graphical user interface for the Rietveld refinement program BGMN.

    PubMed

    Doebelin, Nicola; Kleeberg, Reinhard

    2015-10-01

    Profex is a graphical user interface for the Rietveld refinement program BGMN . Its interface focuses on preserving BGMN 's powerful and flexible scripting features by giving direct access to BGMN input files. Very efficient workflows for single or batch refinements are achieved by managing refinement control files and structure files, by providing dialogues and shortcuts for many operations, by performing operations in the background, and by providing import filters for CIF and XML crystal structure files. Refinement results can be easily exported for further processing. State-of-the-art graphical export of diffraction patterns to pixel and vector graphics formats allows the creation of publication-quality graphs with minimum effort. Profex reads and converts a variety of proprietary raw data formats and is thus largely instrument independent. Profex and BGMN are available under an open-source license for Windows, Linux and OS X operating systems.

  18. Profex: a graphical user interface for the Rietveld refinement program BGMN

    PubMed Central

    Doebelin, Nicola; Kleeberg, Reinhard

    2015-01-01

    Profex is a graphical user interface for the Rietveld refinement program BGMN. Its interface focuses on preserving BGMN’s powerful and flexible scripting features by giving direct access to BGMN input files. Very efficient workflows for single or batch refinements are achieved by managing refinement control files and structure files, by providing dialogues and shortcuts for many operations, by performing operations in the background, and by providing import filters for CIF and XML crystal structure files. Refinement results can be easily exported for further processing. State-of-the-art graphical export of diffraction patterns to pixel and vector graphics formats allows the creation of publication-quality graphs with minimum effort. Profex reads and converts a variety of proprietary raw data formats and is thus largely instrument independent. Profex and BGMN are available under an open-source license for Windows, Linux and OS X operating systems. PMID:26500466

  19. The Body-Machine Interface: A new perspective on an old theme

    PubMed Central

    Casadio, Maura; Ranganathan, Rajiv; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A.

    2012-01-01

    Body-machine interfaces establish a way to interact with a variety of devices, allowing their users to extend the limits of their performance. Recent advances in this field, ranging from computer-interfaces to bionic limbs, have had important consequences for people with movement disorders. In this article, we provide an overview of the basic concepts underlying the body-machine interface with special emphasis on their use for rehabilitation and for operating assistive devices. We outline the steps involved in building such an interface and we highlight the critical role of body-machine interfaces in addressing theoretical issues in motor control as well as their utility in movement rehabilitation. PMID:23237465

  20. Design and implementation of a status at a glance user interface for a power distribution expert system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liberman, Eugene M.; Manner, David B.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

    1993-01-01

    Expert systems are widely used in health monitoring and fault detection applications. One of the key features of an expert system is that it possesses a large body of knowledge about the application for which it was designed. When the user consults this knowledge base, it is essential that the expert system's reasoning process and its conclusions be as concise as possible. If, in addition, an expert system is part of a process monitoring system, the expert system's conclusions must be combined with current events of the process. Under these circumstances, it is difficult for a user to absorb and respond to all the available information. For example, a user can become distracted and confused if two or more unrelated devices in different parts of the system require attention. A human interface designed to integrate expert system diagnoses with process data and to focus the user's attention to the important matters provides a solution to the 'information overload' problem. This paper will discuss a user interface to the power distribution expert system for Space Station Freedom. The importance of features which simplify assessing system status and which minimize navigating through layers of information will be discussed. Design rationale and implementation choices will also be presented.

  1. A study of the influence of task familiarity on user behaviors and performance with a MeSH term suggestion interface for PubMed bibliographic search.

    PubMed

    Tang, Muh-Chyun; Liu, Ying-Hsang; Wu, Wan-Ching

    2013-09-01

    Previous research has shown that information seekers in biomedical domain need more support in formulating their queries. A user study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a metadata based query suggestion interface for PubMed bibliographic search. The study also investigated the impact of search task familiarity on search behaviors and the effectiveness of the interface. A real user, user search request and real system approach was used for the study. Unlike tradition IR evaluation, where assigned tasks were used, the participants were asked to search requests of their own. Forty-four researchers in Health Sciences participated in the evaluation - each conducted two research requests of their own, alternately with the proposed interface and the PubMed baseline. Several performance criteria were measured to assess the potential benefits of the experimental interface, including users' assessment of their original and eventual queries, the perceived usefulness of the interfaces, satisfaction with the search results, and the average relevance score of the saved records. The results show that, when searching for an unfamiliar topic, users were more likely to change their queries, indicating the effect of familiarity on search behaviors. The results also show that the interface scored higher on several of the performance criteria, such as the "goodness" of the queries, perceived usefulness, and user satisfaction. Furthermore, in line with our hypothesis, the proposed interface was relatively more effective when less familiar search requests were attempted. Results indicate that there is a selective compatibility between search familiarity and search interface. One implication of the research for system evaluation is the importance of taking into consideration task familiarity when assessing the effectiveness of interactive IR systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Moving towards the Assessment of Collaborative Problem Solving Skills with a Tangible User Interface

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ras, Eric; Krkovic, Katarina; Greiff, Samuel; Tobias, Eric; Maquil, Valérie

    2014-01-01

    The research on the assessment of collaborative problem solving (ColPS), as one crucial 21st Century Skill, is still in its beginnings. Using Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) for this purpose has only been marginally investigated in technology-based assessment. Our first empirical studies focused on light-weight performance measurements, usability,…

  3. Touch in Computer-Mediated Environments: An Analysis of Online Shoppers' Touch-Interface User Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Sorim

    2016-01-01

    Over the past few years, one of the most fundamental changes in current computer-mediated environments has been input devices, moving from mouse devices to touch interfaces. However, most studies of online retailing have not considered device environments as retail cues that could influence users' shopping behavior. In this research, I examine the…

  4. A New User Interface for On-Demand Customizable Data Products for Sensors in a SensorWeb

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mandl, Daniel; Cappelaere, Pat; Frye, Stuart; Sohlberg, Rob; Ly, Vuong; Chien, Steve; Sullivan, Don

    2011-01-01

    A SensorWeb is a set of sensors, which can consist of ground, airborne and space-based sensors interoperating in an automated or autonomous collaborative manner. The NASA SensorWeb toolbox, developed at NASA/GSFC in collaboration with NASA/JPL, NASA/Ames and other partners, is a set of software and standards that (1) enables users to create virtual private networks of sensors over open networks; (2) provides the capability to orchestrate their actions; (3) provides the capability to customize the output data products and (4) enables automated delivery of the data products to the users desktop. A recent addition to the SensorWeb Toolbox is a new user interface, together with web services co-resident with the sensors, to enable rapid creation, loading and execution of new algorithms for processing sensor data. The web service along with the user interface follows the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard called Web Coverage Processing Service (WCPS). This presentation will detail the prototype that was built and how the WCPS was tested against a HyspIRI flight testbed and an elastic computation cloud on the ground with EO-1 data. HyspIRI is a future NASA decadal mission. The elastic computation cloud stores EO-1 data and runs software similar to Amazon online shopping.

  5. Fragment-Based Docking: Development of the CHARMMing Web User Interface as a Platform for Computer-Aided Drug Design

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Web-based user interfaces to scientific applications are important tools that allow researchers to utilize a broad range of software packages with just an Internet connection and a browser.1 One such interface, CHARMMing (CHARMM interface and graphics), facilitates access to the powerful and widely used molecular software package CHARMM. CHARMMing incorporates tasks such as molecular structure analysis, dynamics, multiscale modeling, and other techniques commonly used by computational life scientists. We have extended CHARMMing’s capabilities to include a fragment-based docking protocol that allows users to perform molecular docking and virtual screening calculations either directly via the CHARMMing Web server or on computing resources using the self-contained job scripts generated via the Web interface. The docking protocol was evaluated by performing a series of “re-dockings” with direct comparison to top commercial docking software. Results of this evaluation showed that CHARMMing’s docking implementation is comparable to many widely used software packages and validates the use of the new CHARMM generalized force field for docking and virtual screening. PMID:25151852

  6. NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): User Interface Design and Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beach, A. L., III; Early, A. B.; Chen, G.; Parker, L.

    2014-12-01

    NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, which are characterized by a wide range of trace gases and aerosol properties. The airborne observational data have often been used in assessment and validation of models and satellite instruments. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. Given the sheer volume of data variables across field campaigns and instruments reporting data on different time scales, this data is often difficult and time-intensive for researchers to analyze. The TAD web application is designed to provide an intuitive user interface (UI) to facilitate quick and efficient discovery from a vast number of airborne variables and data. Users are given the option to search based on high-level parameter groups, individual common names, mission and platform, as well as date ranges. Experienced users can immediately filter by keyword using the global search option. Once the user has chosen their required variables, they are given the option to either request PI data files based on their search criteria or create merged data, i.e. geo-located data from one or more measurement PIs. The purpose of the merged data feature is to allow users to compare data from one flight, as not all data from each flight is taken on the same time scale. Time bases can be continuous or based on the time base from one of the measurement time scales and intervals. After an order is submitted and processed, an ASDC email is sent to the user with a link for data download. The TAD user interface design, application architecture, and proposed future enhancements will be presented.

  7. Supporting the Loewenstein occupational therapy cognitive assessment using distributed user interfaces.

    PubMed

    Tesoriero, Ricardo; Gallud Lazaro, Jose A; Altalhi, Abdulrahman H

    2017-02-01

    Improve the quantity and quality of information obtained from traditional Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment Battery systems to monitor the evolution of patients' rehabilitation process as well as to compare different rehabilitation therapies. The system replaces traditional artefacts with virtual versions of them to take advantage of cutting edge interaction technology. The system is defined as a Distributed User Interface (DUI) supported by a display ecosystem, including mobile devices as well as multi-touch surfaces. Due to the heterogeneity of the devices involved in the system, the software technology is based on a client-server architecture using the Web as the software platform. The system provides therapists with information that is not available (or it is very difficult to gather) using traditional technologies (i.e. response time measurements, object tracking, information storage and retrieval facilities, etc.). The use of DUIs allows therapists to gather information that is unavailable using traditional assessment methods as well as adapt the system to patients' profile to increase the range of patients that are able to take this assessment. Implications for Rehabilitation Using a Distributed User Interface environment to carry out LOTCAs improves the quality of the information gathered during the rehabilitation assessment. This system captures physical data regarding patient's interaction during the assessment to improve the rehabilitation process analysis. Allows professionals to adapt the assessment procedure to create different versions according to patients' profile. Improves the availability of patients' profile information to therapists to adapt the assessment procedure.

  8. Web-Based Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) Common User Interface Style Guide, Version 2.0

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-07-01

    Technical Report WEB-BASED INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUAL (IETM) COMMON USER INTERFACE STYLE GUIDE Version 2.0 – July 2003 by L. John Junod ...ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The principal authors of this document were: John Junod – NSWC, Carderock Division, Phil Deuell – AMSEC LLC, Kathleen Moore

  9. "I Want My Robot to Look for Food": Comparing Kindergartner's Programming Comprehension Using Tangible, Graphic, and Hybrid User Interfaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strawhacker, Amanda; Bers, Marina U.

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, educational robotics has become an increasingly popular research area. However, limited studies have focused on differentiated learning outcomes based on type of programming interface. This study aims to explore how successfully young children master foundational programming concepts based on the robotics user interface (tangible,…

  10. Human factors issues in the design of user interfaces for planning and scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Murphy, Elizabeth D.

    1991-01-01

    The purpose is to provide and overview of human factors issues that impact the effectiveness of user interfaces to automated scheduling tools. The following methods are employed: (1) a survey of planning and scheduling tools; (2) the identification and analysis of human factors issues; (3) the development of design guidelines based on human factors literature; and (4) the generation of display concepts to illustrate guidelines.

  11. User interfaces for computational science: A domain specific language for OOMMF embedded in Python

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beg, Marijan; Pepper, Ryan A.; Fangohr, Hans

    2017-05-01

    Computer simulations are used widely across the engineering and science disciplines, including in the research and development of magnetic devices using computational micromagnetics. In this work, we identify and review different approaches to configuring simulation runs: (i) the re-compilation of source code, (ii) the use of configuration files, (iii) the graphical user interface, and (iv) embedding the simulation specification in an existing programming language to express the computational problem. We identify the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches and discuss their implications on effectiveness and reproducibility of computational studies and results. Following on from this, we design and describe a domain specific language for micromagnetics that is embedded in the Python language, and allows users to define the micromagnetic simulations they want to carry out in a flexible way. We have implemented this micromagnetic simulation description language together with a computational backend that executes the simulation task using the Object Oriented MicroMagnetic Framework (OOMMF). We illustrate the use of this Python interface for OOMMF by solving the micromagnetic standard problem 4. All the code is publicly available and is open source.

  12. NONLINEAR FORCE PROFILE USED TO INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE OF A HAPTIC USER INTERFACE FOR TELEOPERATING A ROBOTIC HAND

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anthony L. Crawford

    MODIFIED PAPER TITLE AND ABSTRACT DUE TO SLIGHTLY MODIFIED SCOPE: TITLE: Nonlinear Force Profile Used to Increase the Performance of a Haptic User Interface for Teleoperating a Robotic Hand Natural movements and force feedback are important elements in using teleoperated equipment if complex and speedy manipulation tasks are to be accomplished in hazardous environments, such as hot cells, glove boxes, decommissioning, explosives disarmament, and space. The research associated with this paper hypothesizes that a user interface and complementary radiation compatible robotic hand that integrates the human hand’s anthropometric properties, speed capability, nonlinear strength profile, reduction of active degrees of freedommore » during the transition from manipulation to grasping, and just noticeable difference force sensation characteristics will enhance a user’s teleoperation performance. The main contribution of this research is in that a system that concisely integrates all these factors has yet to be developed and furthermore has yet to be applied to a hazardous environment as those referenced above. In fact, the most prominent slave manipulator teleoperation technology in use today is based on a design patented in 1945 (Patent 2632574) [1]. The robotic hand/user interface systems of similar function as the one being developed in this research limit their design input requirements in the best case to only complementing the hand’s anthropometric properties, speed capability, and linearly scaled force application relationship (e.g. robotic force is a constant, 4 times that of the user). In this paper a nonlinear relationship between the force experienced between the user interface and the robotic hand was devised based on property differences of manipulation and grasping activities as they pertain to the human hand. The results show that such a relationship when subjected to a manipulation task and grasping task produces increased performance compared to the

  13. PRay - A graphical user interface for interactive visualization and modification of rayinvr models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fromm, T.

    2016-01-01

    PRay is a graphical user interface for interactive displaying and editing of velocity models for seismic refraction. It is optimized for editing rayinvr models but can also be used as a dynamic viewer for ray tracing results from other software. The main features are the graphical editing of nodes and fast adjusting of the display (stations and phases). It can be extended by user-defined shell scripts and links to phase picking software. PRay is open source software written in the scripting language Perl, runs on Unix-like operating systems including Mac OS X and provides a version controlled source code repository for community development (https://sourceforge.net/projects/pray-plot-rayinvr/).

  14. Automating a human factors evaluation of graphical user interfaces for NASA applications: An update on CHIMES

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jiang, Jian-Ping; Murphy, Elizabeth D.; Bailin, Sidney C.; Truszkowski, Walter F.

    1993-01-01

    Capturing human factors knowledge about the design of graphical user interfaces (GUI's) and applying this knowledge on-line are the primary objectives of the Computer-Human Interaction Models (CHIMES) project. The current CHIMES prototype is designed to check a GUI's compliance with industry-standard guidelines, general human factors guidelines, and human factors recommendations on color usage. Following the evaluation, CHIMES presents human factors feedback and advice to the GUI designer. The paper describes the approach to modeling human factors guidelines, the system architecture, a new method developed to convert quantitative RGB primaries into qualitative color representations, and the potential for integrating CHIMES with user interface management systems (UIMS). Both the conceptual approach and its implementation are discussed. This paper updates the presentation on CHIMES at the first International Symposium on Ground Data Systems for Spacecraft Control.

  15. Practical experience with graphical user interfaces and object-oriented design in the clinical laboratory.

    PubMed

    Wells, I G; Cartwright, R Y; Farnan, L P

    1993-12-15

    The computing strategy in our laboratories evolved from research in Artificial Intelligence, and is based on powerful software tools running on high performance desktop computers with a graphical user interface. This allows most tasks to be regarded as design problems rather than implementation projects, and both rapid prototyping and an object-oriented approach to be employed during the in-house development and enhancement of the laboratory information systems. The practical application of this strategy is discussed, with particular reference to the system designer, the laboratory user and the laboratory customer. Routine operation covers five departments, and the systems are stable, flexible and well accepted by the users. Client-server computing, currently undergoing final trials, is seen as the key to further development, and this approach to Pathology computing has considerable potential for the future.

  16. imDEV: a graphical user interface to R multivariate analysis tools in Microsoft Excel.

    PubMed

    Grapov, Dmitry; Newman, John W

    2012-09-01

    Interactive modules for Data Exploration and Visualization (imDEV) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded application providing an integrated environment for the analysis of omics data through a user-friendly interface. Individual modules enables interactive and dynamic analyses of large data by interfacing R's multivariate statistics and highly customizable visualizations with the spreadsheet environment, aiding robust inferences and generating information-rich data visualizations. This tool provides access to multiple comparisons with false discovery correction, hierarchical clustering, principal and independent component analyses, partial least squares regression and discriminant analysis, through an intuitive interface for creating high-quality two- and a three-dimensional visualizations including scatter plot matrices, distribution plots, dendrograms, heat maps, biplots, trellis biplots and correlation networks. Freely available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. Implemented in R and VBA and supported by Microsoft Excel (2003, 2007 and 2010).

  17. Spectral Transfer Learning Using Information Geometry for a User-Independent Brain-Computer Interface

    DOE PAGES

    Waytowich, Nicholas R.; Lawhern, Vernon J.; Bohannon, Addison W.; ...

    2016-09-22

    Recent advances in signal processing and machine learning techniques have enabled the application of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies to fields such as medicine, industry, and recreation; however, BCIs still suffer from the requirement of frequent calibration sessions due to the intra- and inter-individual variability of brain-signals, which makes calibration suppression through transfer learning an area of increasing interest for the development of practical BCI systems. In this paper, we present an unsupervised transfer method (spectral transfer using information geometry,STIG),which ranks and combines unlabeled predictions from an ensemble of information geometry classifiers built on data from individual training subjects. The STIGmore » method is validated in both off-line and real-time feedback analysis during a rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP). For detection of single-trial, event-related potentials (ERPs), the proposed method can significantly outperform existing calibration-free techniques as well as out perform traditional within-subject calibration techniques when limited data is available. Here, this method demonstrates that unsupervised transfer learning for single-trial detection in ERP-based BCIs can be achieved without the requirement of costly training data, representing a step-forward in the overall goal of achieving a practical user-independent BCI system.« less

  18. Spectral Transfer Learning Using Information Geometry for a User-Independent Brain-Computer Interface

    PubMed Central

    Waytowich, Nicholas R.; Lawhern, Vernon J.; Bohannon, Addison W.; Ball, Kenneth R.; Lance, Brent J.

    2016-01-01

    Recent advances in signal processing and machine learning techniques have enabled the application of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies to fields such as medicine, industry, and recreation; however, BCIs still suffer from the requirement of frequent calibration sessions due to the intra- and inter-individual variability of brain-signals, which makes calibration suppression through transfer learning an area of increasing interest for the development of practical BCI systems. In this paper, we present an unsupervised transfer method (spectral transfer using information geometry, STIG), which ranks and combines unlabeled predictions from an ensemble of information geometry classifiers built on data from individual training subjects. The STIG method is validated in both off-line and real-time feedback analysis during a rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP). For detection of single-trial, event-related potentials (ERPs), the proposed method can significantly outperform existing calibration-free techniques as well as outperform traditional within-subject calibration techniques when limited data is available. This method demonstrates that unsupervised transfer learning for single-trial detection in ERP-based BCIs can be achieved without the requirement of costly training data, representing a step-forward in the overall goal of achieving a practical user-independent BCI system. PMID:27713685

  19. Spectral Transfer Learning Using Information Geometry for a User-Independent Brain-Computer Interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waytowich, Nicholas R.; Lawhern, Vernon J.; Bohannon, Addison W.

    Recent advances in signal processing and machine learning techniques have enabled the application of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies to fields such as medicine, industry, and recreation; however, BCIs still suffer from the requirement of frequent calibration sessions due to the intra- and inter-individual variability of brain-signals, which makes calibration suppression through transfer learning an area of increasing interest for the development of practical BCI systems. In this paper, we present an unsupervised transfer method (spectral transfer using information geometry,STIG),which ranks and combines unlabeled predictions from an ensemble of information geometry classifiers built on data from individual training subjects. The STIGmore » method is validated in both off-line and real-time feedback analysis during a rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP). For detection of single-trial, event-related potentials (ERPs), the proposed method can significantly outperform existing calibration-free techniques as well as out perform traditional within-subject calibration techniques when limited data is available. Here, this method demonstrates that unsupervised transfer learning for single-trial detection in ERP-based BCIs can be achieved without the requirement of costly training data, representing a step-forward in the overall goal of achieving a practical user-independent BCI system.« less

  20. User-centered design in brain-computer interfaces-a case study.

    PubMed

    Schreuder, Martijn; Riccio, Angela; Risetti, Monica; Dähne, Sven; Ramsay, Andrew; Williamson, John; Mattia, Donatella; Tangermann, Michael

    2013-10-01

    The array of available brain-computer interface (BCI) paradigms has continued to grow, and so has the corresponding set of machine learning methods which are at the core of BCI systems. The latter have evolved to provide more robust data analysis solutions, and as a consequence the proportion of healthy BCI users who can use a BCI successfully is growing. With this development the chances have increased that the needs and abilities of specific patients, the end-users, can be covered by an existing BCI approach. However, most end-users who have experienced the use of a BCI system at all have encountered a single paradigm only. This paradigm is typically the one that is being tested in the study that the end-user happens to be enrolled in, along with other end-users. Though this corresponds to the preferred study arrangement for basic research, it does not ensure that the end-user experiences a working BCI. In this study, a different approach was taken; that of a user-centered design. It is the prevailing process in traditional assistive technology. Given an individual user with a particular clinical profile, several available BCI approaches are tested and - if necessary - adapted to him/her until a suitable BCI system is found. Described is the case of a 48-year-old woman who suffered from an ischemic brain stem stroke, leading to a severe motor- and communication deficit. She was enrolled in studies with two different BCI systems before a suitable system was found. The first was an auditory event-related potential (ERP) paradigm and the second a visual ERP paradigm, both of which are established in literature. The auditory paradigm did not work successfully, despite favorable preconditions. The visual paradigm worked flawlessly, as found over several sessions. This discrepancy in performance can possibly be explained by the user's clinical deficit in several key neuropsychological indicators, such as attention and working memory. While the auditory paradigm relies

  1. State transition storyboards: A tool for designing the Goldstone solar system radar data acquisition system user interface software

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howard, S. D.

    1987-01-01

    Effective user interface design in software systems is a complex task that takes place without adequate modeling tools. By combining state transition diagrams and the storyboard technique of filmmakers, State Transition Storyboards were developed to provide a detailed modeling technique for the Goldstone Solar System Radar Data Acquisition System human-machine interface. Illustrations are included with a description of the modeling technique.

  2. 3D Displays And User Interface Design For A Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning CAD Tool

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mosher, Charles E.; Sherouse, George W.; Chaney, Edward L.; Rosenman, Julian G.

    1988-06-01

    The long term goal of the project described in this paper is to improve local tumor control through the use of computer-aided treatment design methods that can result in selection of better treatment plans compared with conventional planning methods. To this end, a CAD tool for the design of radiation treatment beams is described. Crucial to the effectiveness of this tool are high quality 3D display techniques. We have found that 2D and 3D display methods dramatically improve the comprehension of the complex spatial relationships between patient anatomy, radiation beams, and dose distributions. In order to take full advantage of these displays, an intuitive and highly interactive user interface was created. If the system is to be used by physicians unfamiliar with computer systems, it is essential that a user interface is incorporated that allows the user to navigate through each step of the design process in a manner similar to what they are used to. Compared with conventional systems, we believe our display and CAD tools will allow the radiotherapist to achieve more accurate beam targetting leading to a better radiation dose configuration to the tumor volume. This would result in a reduction of the dose to normal tissue.

  3. Interface Metaphors for Interactive Machine Learning

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jasper, Robert J.; Blaha, Leslie M.

    To promote more interactive and dynamic machine learn- ing, we revisit the notion of user-interface metaphors. User-interface metaphors provide intuitive constructs for supporting user needs through interface design elements. A user-interface metaphor provides a visual or action pattern that leverages a user’s knowledge of another domain. Metaphors suggest both the visual representations that should be used in a display as well as the interactions that should be afforded to the user. We argue that user-interface metaphors can also offer a method of extracting interaction-based user feedback for use in machine learning. Metaphors offer indirect, context-based information that can be usedmore » in addition to explicit user inputs, such as user-provided labels. Implicit information from user interactions with metaphors can augment explicit user input for active learning paradigms. Or it might be leveraged in systems where explicit user inputs are more challenging to obtain. Each interaction with the metaphor provides an opportunity to gather data and learn. We argue this approach is especially important in streaming applications, where we desire machine learning systems that can adapt to dynamic, changing data.« less

  4. Easing access to R using 'shiny' to create graphical user interfaces: An example for the R package 'Luminescence'

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burow, Christoph; Kreutzer, Sebastian; Dietze, Michael; Fuchs, Margret C.; Schmidt, Christoph; Fischer, Manfred; Brückner, Helmut

    2017-04-01

    Since the release of the R package 'Luminescence' (Kreutzer et al., 2012) the functionality of the package has been greatly enhanced by implementing further functions for measurement data processing, statistical analysis and graphical output. Despite its capabilities for complex and non-standard analysis of luminescence data, working with the command-line interface (CLI) of R can be tedious at best and overwhelming at worst, especially for users without experience in programming languages. Even though much work is put into simplifying the usage of the package to continuously lower the entry threshold, at least basic knowledge of R will always be required. Thus, the potential user base of the package cannot be exhausted, at least as long as the CLI is the only means of utilising the 'Luminescence' package. But even experienced users may find it tedious to iteratively run a function until a satisfying results is produced. For example, plotting data is also at least partly subject to personal aesthetic tastes in accordance with the information it is supposed to convey and iterating through all the possible options in the R CLI can be a time-consuming task. An alternative approach to the CLI is the graphical user interface (GUI), which allows direct, interactive manipulation and interaction with the underlying software. For users with little or no experience with command-lines a GUI offers intuitive access that counteracts the perceived steep learning curve of a CLI. Even though R lacks native support for GUI functions, its capabilities of linking it to other programming languages allows to utilise external frameworks to build graphical user interfaces. A recent attempt to provide a GUI toolkit for R was the introduction of the 'shiny' package (Chang et al., 2016), which allows automatic construction of HTML, CSS and JavaScript based user interfaces straight from R. Here, we give (1) a brief introduction to the 'shiny' framework for R, before we (2) present a GUI for

  5. Hierarchthis: An Interactive Interface for Identifying Mission-Relevant Components of the Advanced Multi-Mission Operations System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Litomisky, Krystof

    2012-01-01

    Even though NASA's space missions are many and varied, there are some tasks that are common to all of them. For example, all spacecraft need to communicate with other entities, and all spacecraft need to know where they are. These tasks use tools and services that can be inherited and reused between missions, reducing systems engineering effort and therefore reducing cost.The Advanced Multi-Mission Operations System, or AMMOS, is a collection of multimission tools and services, whose development and maintenance are funded by NASA. I created HierarchThis, a plugin designed to provide an interactive interface to help customers identify mission-relevant tools and services. HierarchThis automatically creates diagrams of the AMMOS database, and then allows users to show/hide specific details through a graphical interface. Once customers identify tools and services they want for a specific mission, HierarchThis can automatically generate a contract between the Multimission Ground Systems and Services Office, which manages AMMOS, and the customer. The document contains the selected AMMOS components, along with their capabilities and satisfied requirements. HierarchThis reduces the time needed for the process from service selections to having a mission-specific contract from the order of days to the order of minutes.

  6. Advanced Data Format (ADF) Software Library and Users Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, Matthew; Smith, Charles A. (Technical Monitor)

    1998-01-01

    The "CFD General Notation System" (CGNS) consists of a collection of conventions, and conforming software, for the storage and retrieval of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data. It facilitates the exchange of data between sites and applications, and helps stabilize the archiving of aerodynamic data. This effort was initiated in order to streamline the procedures in exchanging data and software between NASA and its customers, but the goal is to develop CGNS into a National Standard for the exchange of aerodynamic data. The CGNS development team is comprised of members from Boeing Commercial. Airplane Group, NASA-Ames, NASA-Langley, NASA-Lewis, McDonnell-Douglas Corporation (now Boeing-St. Louis), Air Force-Wright Lab., and ICEM-CFD Engineering. The elements of CGNS address all activities associated with the storage of data on external media and its movement to and from application programs. These elements include: 1) The Advanced Data Format (ADF) Database manager, consisting of both a file format specification and its 1/0 software, which handles the actual reading and writing of data from and to external storage media; 2) The Standard Interface Data Structures (SIDS), which specify the intellectual content of CFD data and the conventions governing naming and terminology; 3) The SIDS-to-ADF File Mapping conventions, which specify the exact location where the CFD data defined by the SIDS is to be stored within the ADF file(s); and 4) The CGNS Mid-level Library, which provides CFD-knowledgeable routines suitable for direct installation into application codes. The ADF is a generic database manager with minimal intrinsic capability. It was written for the purpose of storing large numerical datasets in an efficient, platform independent manner. To be effective, it must be used in conjunction with external agreements on how the data will be organized within the ADF database such defined by the SIDS. There are currently 34 user callable functions that comprise the ADF

  7. GoPhast: a graphical user interface for PHAST

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Winston, Richard B.

    2006-01-01

    GoPhast is a graphical user interface (GUI) for the USGS model PHAST. PHAST simulates multicomponent, reactive solute transport in three-dimensional, saturated, ground-water flow systems. PHAST can model both equilibrium and kinetic geochemical reactions. PHAST is derived from HST3D (flow and transport) and PHREEQC (geochemical calculations). The flow and transport calculations are restricted to constant fluid density and constant temperature. The complexity of the input required by PHAST makes manual construction of its input files tedious and error-prone. GoPhast streamlines the creation of the input file and helps reduce errors. GoPhast allows the user to define the spatial input for the PHAST flow and transport data file by drawing points, lines, or polygons on top, front, and side views of the model domain. These objects can have up to two associated formulas that define their extent perpendicular to the view plane, allowing the objects to be three-dimensional. Formulas are also used to specify the values of spatial data (data sets) both globally and for individual objects. Objects can be used to specify the values of data sets independent of the spatial and temporal discretization of the model. Thus, the grid and simulation periods for the model can be changed without respecifying spatial data pertaining to the hydrogeologic framework and boundary conditions. This report describes the operation of GoPhast and demonstrates its use with examples. GoPhast runs on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Linux operating systems.

  8. Information Practices and User Interfaces: Student Use of an iOS Application in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demmans Epp, Carrie; McEwen, Rhonda; Campigotto, Rachelle; Moffatt, Karyn

    2016-01-01

    A framework connecting concepts from user interface design with those from information studies is applied in a study that integrated a location-aware mobile application into two special education classes at different schools; this application had two support modes (one general and one location specific). The five-month study revealed several…

  9. Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model - Graphical User Interface, Version 2.1.8

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ewald, Friedrich; Stadler, Michael; Cardoso, Goncalo F

    The DER-CAM Graphical User Interface has been redesigned to consist of a dynamic tree structure on the left side of the application window to allow users to quickly navigate between different data categories and views. Views can either be tables with model parameters and input data, the optimization results, or a graphical interface to draw circuit topology and visualize investment results. The model parameters and input data consist of tables where values are assigned to specific keys. The aggregation of all model parameters and input data amounts to the data required to build a DER-CAM model, and is passed tomore » the GAMS solver when users initiate the DER-CAM optimization process. Passing data to the GAMS solver relies on the use of a Java server that handles DER-CAM requests, queuing, and results delivery. This component of the DER-CAM GUI can be deployed either locally or remotely, and constitutes an intermediate step between the user data input and manipulation, and the execution of a DER-CAM optimization in the GAMS engine. The results view shows the results of the DER-CAM optimization and distinguishes between a single and a multi-objective process. The single optimization runs the DER-CAM optimization once and presents the results as a combination of summary charts and hourly dispatch profiles. The multi-objective optimization process consists of a sequence of runs initiated by the GUI, including: 1) CO2 minimization, 2) cost minimization, 3) a user defined number of points in-between objectives 1) and 2). The multi-objective results view includes both access to the detailed results of each point generated by the process as well as the generation of a Pareto Frontier graph to illustrate the trade-off between objectives. DER-CAM GUI 2.1.8 also introduces the ability to graphically generate circuit topologies, enabling support to DER-CAM 5.0.0. This feature consists of: 1) The drawing area, where users can manually create nodes and define their

  10. Workflow efficiency of two 1.5 T MR scanners with and without an automated user interface for head examinations.

    PubMed

    Moenninghoff, Christoph; Umutlu, Lale; Kloeters, Christian; Ringelstein, Adrian; Ladd, Mark E; Sombetzki, Antje; Lauenstein, Thomas C; Forsting, Michael; Schlamann, Marc

    2013-06-01

    Workflow efficiency and workload of radiological technologists (RTs) were compared in head examinations performed with two 1.5 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanners equipped with or without an automated user interface called "day optimizing throughput" (Dot) workflow engine. Thirty-four patients with known intracranial pathology were examined with a 1.5 T MR scanner with Dot workflow engine (Siemens MAGNETOM Aera) and with a 1.5 T MR scanner with conventional user interface (Siemens MAGNETOM Avanto) using four standardized examination protocols. The elapsed time for all necessary work steps, which were performed by 11 RTs within the total examination time, was compared for each examination at both MR scanners. The RTs evaluated the user-friendliness of both scanners by a questionnaire. Normality of distribution was checked for all continuous variables by use of the Shapiro-Wilk test. Normally distributed variables were analyzed by Student's paired t-test, otherwise Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare means. Total examination time of MR examinations performed with Dot engine was reduced from 24:53 to 20:01 minutes (P < .001) and the necessary RT intervention decreased by 61% (P < .001). The Dot engine's automated choice of MR protocols was significantly better assessed by the RTs than the conventional user interface (P = .001). According to this preliminary study, the Dot workflow engine is a time-saving user assistance software, which decreases the RTs' effort significantly and may help to automate neuroradiological examinations for a higher workflow efficiency. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. ESPVI 4.0 ELECTROSTATIS PRECIPITATOR V-1 AND PERFORMANCE MODEL: USER'S MANUAL

    EPA Science Inventory

    The manual is the companion document for the microcomputer program ESPVI 4.0, Electrostatic Precipitation VI and Performance Model. The program was developed to provide a user- friendly interface to an advanced model of electrostatic precipitation (ESP) performance. The program i...

  12. Human/Computer Interfacing in Educational Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarti, Luigi

    1992-01-01

    This discussion of educational applications of user interfaces covers the benefits of adopting database techniques in organizing multimedia materials; the evolution of user interface technology, including teletype interfaces, analogic overlay graphics, window interfaces, and adaptive systems; application design problems, including the…

  13. Development of interactive graphic user interfaces for modeling reaction-based biogeochemical processes in batch systems with BIOGEOCHEM

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, C.; Li, M.; Yeh, G.

    2010-12-01

    The BIOGEOCHEM numerical model (Yeh and Fang, 2002; Fang et al., 2003) was developed with FORTRAN for simulating reaction-based geochemical and biochemical processes with mixed equilibrium and kinetic reactions in batch systems. A complete suite of reactions including aqueous complexation, adsorption/desorption, ion-exchange, redox, precipitation/dissolution, acid-base reactions, and microbial mediated reactions were embodied in this unique modeling tool. Any reaction can be treated as fast/equilibrium or slow/kinetic reaction. An equilibrium reaction is modeled with an implicit finite rate governed by a mass action equilibrium equation or by a user-specified algebraic equation. A kinetic reaction is modeled with an explicit finite rate with an elementary rate, microbial mediated enzymatic kinetics, or a user-specified rate equation. None of the existing models has encompassed this wide array of scopes. To ease the input/output learning curve using the unique feature of BIOGEOCHEM, an interactive graphic user interface was developed with the Microsoft Visual Studio and .Net tools. Several user-friendly features, such as pop-up help windows, typo warning messages, and on-screen input hints, were implemented, which are robust. All input data can be real-time viewed and automated to conform with the input file format of BIOGEOCHEM. A post-processor for graphic visualizations of simulated results was also embedded for immediate demonstrations. By following data input windows step by step, errorless BIOGEOCHEM input files can be created even if users have little prior experiences in FORTRAN. With this user-friendly interface, the time effort to conduct simulations with BIOGEOCHEM can be greatly reduced.

  14. The Use of Spatialized Speech in Auditory Interfaces for Computer Users Who Are Visually Impaired

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sodnik, Jaka; Jakus, Grega; Tomazic, Saso

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: This article reports on a study that explored the benefits and drawbacks of using spatially positioned synthesized speech in auditory interfaces for computer users who are visually impaired (that is, are blind or have low vision). The study was a practical application of such systems--an enhanced word processing application compared…

  15. Space transportation. [user needs met by information derived from satellites and the interface with space transportation systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    User-oriented panels were formed to examine practical applications of information or services derived from earth orbiting satellites. Topics discussed include: weather and climate; uses of communication; land use planning; agriculture, forest, and range; inland water resources; retractable resources; environmental quality; marine and maritime uses; and materials processing in space. Emphasis was placed on the interface of the space transportation system (STS) with the applications envisioned by the user panels. User requirements were compared with expected STS capabilities in terms of availability, carrying payload to orbit, and estimated costs per launch. Conclusions and recommendations were reported.

  16. Configuring a Graphical User Interface for Managing Local HYSPLIT Model Runs Through AWIPS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, mark M.; Blottman, Peter F.; Sharp, David W.; Hoeth, Brian; VanSpeybroeck, Kurt M.

    2009-01-01

    Responding to incidents involving the release of harmful airborne pollutants is a continual challenge for Weather Forecast Offices in the National Weather Service. When such incidents occur, current protocol recommends forecaster-initiated requests of NOAA's Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model output through the National Centers of Environmental Prediction to obtain critical dispersion guidance. Individual requests are submitted manually through a secured web site, with desired multiple requests submitted in sequence, for the purpose of obtaining useful trajectory and concentration forecasts associated with the significant release of harmful chemical gases, radiation, wildfire smoke, etc., into local the atmosphere. To help manage the local HYSPLIT for both routine and emergency use, a graphical user interface was designed for operational efficiency. The interface allows forecasters to quickly determine the current HYSPLIT configuration for the list of predefined sites (e.g., fixed sites and floating sites), and to make any necessary adjustments to key parameters such as Input Model. Number of Forecast Hours, etc. When using the interface, forecasters will obtain desired output more confidently and without the danger of corrupting essential configuration files.

  17. SearchGUI: An open-source graphical user interface for simultaneous OMSSA and X!Tandem searches.

    PubMed

    Vaudel, Marc; Barsnes, Harald; Berven, Frode S; Sickmann, Albert; Martens, Lennart

    2011-03-01

    The identification of proteins by mass spectrometry is a standard technique in the field of proteomics, relying on search engines to perform the identifications of the acquired spectra. Here, we present a user-friendly, lightweight and open-source graphical user interface called SearchGUI (http://searchgui.googlecode.com), for configuring and running the freely available OMSSA (open mass spectrometry search algorithm) and X!Tandem search engines simultaneously. Freely available under the permissible Apache2 license, SearchGUI is supported on Windows, Linux and OSX. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. An Evaluation and Redesign of the Conflict Prediction and Trial Planning Planview Graphical User Interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Laudeman, Irene V.; Brasil, Connie L.; Stassart, Philippe

    1998-01-01

    The Planview Graphical User Interface (PGUI) is the primary display of air traffic for the Conflict Prediction and Trial Planning, function of the Center TRACON Automation System. The PGUI displays air traffic information that assists the user in making decisions related to conflict detection, conflict resolution, and traffic flow management. The intent of this document is to outline the human factors issues related to the design of the conflict prediction and trial planning portions of the PGUI, document all human factors related design changes made to the PGUI from December 1996 to September 1997, and outline future plans for the ongoing PGUI design.

  19. Virtual workstations and telepresence interfaces: Design accommodations and prototypes for Space Station Freedom evolution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcgreevy, Michael W.

    1990-01-01

    An advanced human-system interface is being developed for evolutionary Space Station Freedom as part of the NASA Office of Space Station (OSS) Advanced Development Program. The human-system interface is based on body-pointed display and control devices. The project will identify and document the design accommodations ('hooks and scars') required to support virtual workstations and telepresence interfaces, and prototype interface systems will be built, evaluated, and refined. The project is a joint enterprise of Marquette University, Astronautics Corporation of America (ACA), and NASA's ARC. The project team is working with NASA's JSC and McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (the Work Package contractor) to ensure that the project is consistent with space station user requirements and program constraints. Documentation describing design accommodations and tradeoffs will be provided to OSS, JSC, and McDonnell Douglas, and prototype interface devices will be delivered to ARC and JSC. ACA intends to commercialize derivatives of the interface for use with computer systems developed for scientific visualization and system simulation.

  20. Implementing virtual reality interfaces for the geosciences

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bethel, W.; Jacobsen, J.; Austin, A.

    1996-06-01

    For the past few years, a multidisciplinary team of computer and earth scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been exploring the use of advanced user interfaces, commonly called {open_quotes}Virtual Reality{close_quotes} (VR), coupled with visualization and scientific computing software. Working closely with industry, these efforts have resulted in an environment in which VR technology is coupled with existing visualization and computational tools. VR technology may be thought of as a user interface. It is useful to think of a spectrum, ranging the gamut from command-line interfaces to completely immersive environments. In the former, one uses the keyboard to enter threemore » or six-dimensional parameters. In the latter, three or six-dimensional information is provided by trackers contained either in hand-held devices or attached to the user in some fashion, e.g. attached to a head-mounted display. Rich, extensible and often complex languages are a vehicle whereby the user controls parameters to manipulate object position and location in a virtual world, but the keyboard is the obstacle in that typing is cumbersome, error-prone and typically slow. In the latter, the user can interact with these parameters by means of motor skills which are highly developed. Two specific geoscience application areas will be highlighted. In the first, we have used VR technology to manipulate three-dimensional input parameters, such as the spatial location of injection or production wells in a reservoir simulator. In the second, we demonstrate how VR technology has been used to manipulate visualization tools, such as a tool for computing streamlines via manipulation of a {open_quotes}rake.{close_quotes} The rake is presented to the user in the form of a {open_quotes}virtual well{close_quotes} icon, and provides parameters used by the streamlines algorithm.« less

  1. Software interface verifier

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Soderstrom, Tomas J.; Krall, Laura A.; Hope, Sharon A.; Zupke, Brian S.

    1994-01-01

    A Telos study of 40 recent subsystem deliveries into the DSN at JPL found software interface testing to be the single most expensive and error-prone activity, and the study team suggested creating an automated software interface test tool. The resulting Software Interface Verifier (SIV), which was funded by NASA/JPL and created by Telos, employed 92 percent software reuse to quickly create an initial version which incorporated early user feedback. SIV is now successfully used by developers for interface prototyping and unit testing, by test engineers for formal testing, and by end users for non-intrusive data flow tests in the operational environment. Metrics, including cost, are included. Lessons learned include the need for early user training. SIV is ported to many platforms and can be successfully used or tailored by other NASA groups.

  2. Graphical user interface for a robotic workstation in a surgical environment.

    PubMed

    Bielski, A; Lohmann, C P; Maier, M; Zapp, D; Nasseri, M A

    2016-08-01

    Surgery using a robotic system has proven to have significant potential but is still a highly challenging task for the surgeon. An eye surgery assistant has been developed to eliminate the problem of tremor caused by human motions endangering the outcome of ophthalmic surgery. In order to exploit the full potential of the robot and improve the workflow of the surgeon, providing the ability to change control parameters live in the system as well as the ability to connect additional ancillary systems is necessary. Additionally the surgeon should always be able to get an overview over the status of all systems with a quick glance. Therefore a workstation has been built. The contribution of this paper is the design and the implementation of an intuitive graphical user interface for this workstation. The interface has been designed with feedback from surgeons and technical staff in order to ensure its usability in a surgical environment. Furthermore, the system was designed with the intent of supporting additional systems with minimal additional effort.

  3. AnthropMMD: An R package with a graphical user interface for the mean measure of divergence.

    PubMed

    Santos, Frédéric

    2018-01-01

    The mean measure of divergence is a dissimilarity measure between groups of individuals described by dichotomous variables. It is well suited to datasets with many missing values, and it is generally used to compute distance matrices and represent phenograms. Although often used in biological anthropology and archaeozoology, this method suffers from a lack of implementation in common statistical software. A package for the R statistical software, AnthropMMD, is presented here. Offering a dynamic graphical user interface, it is the first one dedicated to Smith's mean measure of divergence. The package also provides facilities for graphical representations and the crucial step of trait selection, so that the entire analysis can be performed through the graphical user interface. Its use is demonstrated using an artificial dataset, and the impact of trait selection is discussed. Finally, AnthropMMD is compared to three other free tools available for calculating the mean measure of divergence, and is proven to be consistent with them. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. visnormsc: A Graphical User Interface to Normalize Single-cell RNA Sequencing Data.

    PubMed

    Tang, Lijun; Zhou, Nan

    2017-12-26

    Single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) allows the analysis of gene expression with high resolution. The intrinsic defects of this promising technology imports technical noise into the single-cell RNA-seq data, increasing the difficulty of accurate downstream inference. Normalization is a crucial step in single-cell RNA-seq data pre-processing. SCnorm is an accurate and efficient method that can be used for this purpose. An R implementation of this method is currently available. On one hand, the R package possesses many excellent features from R. On the other hand, R programming ability is required, which prevents the biologists who lack the skills from learning to use it quickly. To make this method more user-friendly, we developed a graphical user interface, visnormsc, for normalization of single-cell RNA-seq data. It is implemented in Python and is freely available at https://github.com/solo7773/visnormsc . Although visnormsc is based on the existing method, it contributes to this field by offering a user-friendly alternative. The out-of-the-box and cross-platform features make visnormsc easy to learn and to use. It is expected to serve biologists by simplifying single-cell RNA-seq normalization.

  5. NASA Interactive Forms Type Interface - NIFTI

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jain, Bobby; Morris, Bill

    2005-01-01

    A flexible database query, update, modify, and delete tool was developed that provides an easy interface to Oracle forms. This tool - the NASA interactive forms type interface, or NIFTI - features on-the- fly forms creation, forms sharing among users, the capability to query the database from user-entered criteria on forms, traversal of query results, an ability to generate tab-delimited reports, viewing and downloading of reports to the user s workstation, and a hypertext-based help system. NIFTI is a very powerful ad hoc query tool that was developed using C++, X-Windows by a Motif application framework. A unique tool, NIFTI s capabilities appear in no other known commercial-off-the- shelf (COTS) tool, because NIFTI, which can be launched from the user s desktop, is a simple yet very powerful tool with a highly intuitive, easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) that will expedite the creation of database query/update forms. NIFTI, therefore, can be used in NASA s International Space Station (ISS) as well as within government and industry - indeed by all users of the widely disseminated Oracle base. And it will provide significant cost savings in the areas of user training and scalability while advancing the art over current COTS browsers. No COTS browser performs all the functions NIFTI does, and NIFTI is easier to use. NIFTI s cost savings are very significant considering the very large database with which it is used and the large user community with varying data requirements it will support. Its ease of use means that personnel unfamiliar with databases (e.g., managers, supervisors, clerks, and others) can develop their own personal reports. For NASA, a tool such as NIFTI was needed to query, update, modify, and make deletions within the ISS vehicle master database (VMDB), a repository of engineering data that includes an indentured parts list and associated resource data (power, thermal, volume, weight, and the like). Since the VMDB is used both as a

  6. Force Control and Nonlinear Master-Slave Force Profile to Manage an Admittance Type Multi-Fingered Haptic User Interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anthony L. Crawford

    2012-08-01

    Natural movements and force feedback are important elements in using teleoperated equipment if complex and speedy manipulation tasks are to be accomplished in remote and/or hazardous environments, such as hot cells, glove boxes, decommissioning, explosives disarmament, and space to name a few. In order to achieve this end the research presented in this paper has developed an admittance type exoskeleton like multi-fingered haptic hand user interface that secures the user’s palm and provides 3-dimensional force feedback to the user’s fingertips. Atypical to conventional haptic hand user interfaces that limit themselves to integrating the human hand’s characteristics just into the system’smore » mechanical design this system also perpetuates that inspiration into the designed user interface’s controller. This is achieved by manifesting the property differences of manipulation and grasping activities as they pertain to the human hand into a nonlinear master-slave force relationship. The results presented in this paper show that the admittance-type system has sufficient bandwidth that it appears nearly transparent to the user when the user is in free motion and when the system is subjected to a manipulation task, increased performance is achieved using the nonlinear force relationship compared to the traditional linear scaling techniques implemented in the vast majority of systems.« less

  7. Graphical user interface for accessing water-quality data for the Devils Lake basin, North Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ryberg, Karen R.; Damschen, William C.; Vecchia, Aldo V.

    2005-01-01

    Maintaining the quality of surface waters in the Devils Lake Basin in North Dakota is important for protecting the agricultural resources, fisheries, waterfowl and wildlife habitat, and recreational value of the basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with local, State, and Federal agencies, has collected and analyzed water-quality samples from streams and lakes in the basin since 1957, and the North Dakota Department of Health has collected and analyzed water-quality samples from lakes in the basin since 2001. Because water-quality data for the basin are important for numerous reasons, a graphical user interface was developed to access, view, and download the historical data for the basin. The interface is a web-based application that is available to the public and includes data through water year 2003. The interface will be updated periodically to include data for subsequent years.

  8. Brain-computer interface controlled gaming: evaluation of usability by severely motor restricted end-users.

    PubMed

    Holz, Elisa Mira; Höhne, Johannes; Staiger-Sälzer, Pit; Tangermann, Michael; Kübler, Andrea

    2013-10-01

    Connect-Four, a new sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) based brain-computer interface (BCI) gaming application, was evaluated by four severely motor restricted end-users; two were in the locked-in state and had unreliable eye-movement. Following the user-centred approach, usability of the BCI prototype was evaluated in terms of effectiveness (accuracy), efficiency (information transfer rate (ITR) and subjective workload) and users' satisfaction. Online performance varied strongly across users and sessions (median accuracy (%) of end-users: A=.65; B=.60; C=.47; D=.77). Our results thus yielded low to medium effectiveness in three end-users and high effectiveness in one end-user. Consequently, ITR was low (0.05-1.44bits/min). Only two end-users were able to play the game in free-mode. Total workload was moderate but varied strongly across sessions. Main sources of workload were mental and temporal demand. Furthermore, frustration contributed to the subjective workload of two end-users. Nevertheless, most end-users accepted the BCI application well and rated satisfaction medium to high. Sources for dissatisfaction were (1) electrode gel and cap, (2) low effectiveness, (3) time-consuming adjustment and (4) not easy-to-use BCI equipment. All four end-users indicated ease of use as being one of the most important aspect of BCI. Effectiveness and efficiency are lower as compared to applications using the event-related potential as input channel. Nevertheless, the SMR-BCI application was satisfactorily accepted by the end-users and two of four could imagine using the BCI application in their daily life. Thus, despite moderate effectiveness and efficiency BCIs might be an option when controlling an application for entertainment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. The Development of a Graphical User Interface Engine for the Convenient Use of the HL7 Version 2.x Interface Engine

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hwa Sun; Cho, Hune

    2011-01-01

    Objectives The Health Level Seven Interface Engine (HL7 IE), developed by Kyungpook National University, has been employed in health information systems, however users without a background in programming have reported difficulties in using it. Therefore, we developed a graphical user interface (GUI) engine to make the use of the HL7 IE more convenient. Methods The GUI engine was directly connected with the HL7 IE to handle the HL7 version 2.x messages. Furthermore, the information exchange rules (called the mapping data), represented by a conceptual graph in the GUI engine, were transformed into program objects that were made available to the HL7 IE; the mapping data were stored as binary files for reuse. The usefulness of the GUI engine was examined through information exchange tests between an HL7 version 2.x message and a health information database system. Results Users could easily create HL7 version 2.x messages by creating a conceptual graph through the GUI engine without requiring assistance from programmers. In addition, time could be saved when creating new information exchange rules by reusing the stored mapping data. Conclusions The GUI engine was not able to incorporate information types (e.g., extensible markup language, XML) other than the HL7 version 2.x messages and the database, because it was designed exclusively for the HL7 IE protocol. However, in future work, by including additional parsers to manage XML-based information such as Continuity of Care Documents (CCD) and Continuity of Care Records (CCR), we plan to ensure that the GUI engine will be more widely accessible for the health field. PMID:22259723

  10. The Development of a Graphical User Interface Engine for the Convenient Use of the HL7 Version 2.x Interface Engine.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hwa Sun; Cho, Hune; Lee, In Keun

    2011-12-01

    The Health Level Seven Interface Engine (HL7 IE), developed by Kyungpook National University, has been employed in health information systems, however users without a background in programming have reported difficulties in using it. Therefore, we developed a graphical user interface (GUI) engine to make the use of the HL7 IE more convenient. The GUI engine was directly connected with the HL7 IE to handle the HL7 version 2.x messages. Furthermore, the information exchange rules (called the mapping data), represented by a conceptual graph in the GUI engine, were transformed into program objects that were made available to the HL7 IE; the mapping data were stored as binary files for reuse. The usefulness of the GUI engine was examined through information exchange tests between an HL7 version 2.x message and a health information database system. Users could easily create HL7 version 2.x messages by creating a conceptual graph through the GUI engine without requiring assistance from programmers. In addition, time could be saved when creating new information exchange rules by reusing the stored mapping data. The GUI engine was not able to incorporate information types (e.g., extensible markup language, XML) other than the HL7 version 2.x messages and the database, because it was designed exclusively for the HL7 IE protocol. However, in future work, by including additional parsers to manage XML-based information such as Continuity of Care Documents (CCD) and Continuity of Care Records (CCR), we plan to ensure that the GUI engine will be more widely accessible for the health field.

  11. Tangible User Interfaces and Contrasting Cases as a Preparation for Future Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schneider, Bertrand; Blikstein, Paulo

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we describe an experiment that compared the use of a Tangible User Interface (physical objects augmented with digital information) and a set of Contrasting Cases as a preparation for future learning. We carried out an experiment (N = 40) with a 2 × 2 design: the first factor compared traditional instruction ("Tell & Practice") with a constructivist activity designed using the Preparation for Future Learning framework (PFL). The second factor contrasted state-of-the-art PFL learning activity (i.e., students studying Contrasting Cases) with an interactive tabletop featuring digitally enhanced manipulatives. In agreement with prior work, we found that dyads of students who followed the PFL activity achieved significantly higher learning gains compared to their peers who followed a traditional "Tell & Practice" instruction (large effect size). A similar effect was found in favor of the interactive tabletop compared to the Contrasting Cases (small-to-moderate effect size). We discuss implications for designing socio-constructivist activities using new computer interfaces.

  12. mcaGUI: microbial community analysis R-Graphical User Interface (GUI).

    PubMed

    Copeland, Wade K; Krishnan, Vandhana; Beck, Daniel; Settles, Matt; Foster, James A; Cho, Kyu-Chul; Day, Mitch; Hickey, Roxana; Schütte, Ursel M E; Zhou, Xia; Williams, Christopher J; Forney, Larry J; Abdo, Zaid

    2012-08-15

    Microbial communities have an important role in natural ecosystems and have an impact on animal and human health. Intuitive graphic and analytical tools that can facilitate the study of these communities are in short supply. This article introduces Microbial Community Analysis GUI, a graphical user interface (GUI) for the R-programming language (R Development Core Team, 2010). With this application, researchers can input aligned and clustered sequence data to create custom abundance tables and perform analyses specific to their needs. This GUI provides a flexible modular platform, expandable to include other statistical tools for microbial community analysis in the future. The mcaGUI package and source are freely available as part of Bionconductor at http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/mcaGUI.html

  13. The second generation intelligent user interface for the crustal dynamics data information system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Short, Nicholas, Jr.; Wattawa, Scott L.

    1988-01-01

    For the past decade, operations and research projects that support a major portion of NASA's overall mission have experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of generated data and resultant information that is unparalleled in the history of the agency. The effect of such an increase is that most of the science and engineering disciplines are undergoing an information glut, which has occurred, not only because of the amount, but also because of the type of data being collected. This information glut is growing exponentially and is expected to grow for the foreseeable future. Consequently, it is becoming physically and intellectually impossible to identify, access, modify, and analyze the most suitable information. Thus, the dilemma arises that the amount and complexity of information has exceeded and will continue to exceed, using present information systems, the ability of all the scientists and engineers to understand and take advantage of this information. As a result of this information problem, NASA has initiated the Intelligent Data Management (IDM) project to design and develop Advanced Information Management Systems (AIMS). The first effort of the Project was the prototyping of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI) to an operational scientific database using expert systems, natural language processing, and graphics technologies. An overview of the IUI formulation and development for the second phase is presented.

  14. A Graphical User Interface for Parameterizing Biochemical Models of Photosynthesis and Chlorophyll Fluorescence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kornfeld, A.; Van der Tol, C.; Berry, J. A.

    2015-12-01

    Recent advances in optical remote sensing of photosynthesis offer great promise for estimating gross primary productivity (GPP) at leaf, canopy and even global scale. These methods -including solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) emission, fluorescence spectra, and hyperspectral features such as the red edge and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) - can be used to greatly enhance the predictive power of global circulation models (GCMs) by providing better constraints on GPP. The way to use measured optical data to parameterize existing models such as SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes) is not trivial, however. We have therefore extended a biochemical model to include fluorescence and other parameters in a coupled treatment. To help parameterize the model, we then use nonlinear curve-fitting routines to determine the parameter set that enables model results to best fit leaf-level gas exchange and optical data measurements. To make the tool more accessible to all practitioners, we have further designed a graphical user interface (GUI) based front-end to allow researchers to analyze data with a minimum of effort while, at the same time, allowing them to change parameters interactively to visualize how variation in model parameters affect predicted outcomes such as photosynthetic rates, electron transport, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Here we discuss the tool and its effectiveness, using recently-gathered leaf-level data.

  15. The second generation intelligent user interface for the crustal dynamics data information system. [for nasa space missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Short, Nicholas, Jr.; Wattawa, Scott L.

    1988-01-01

    For the past decade, operations and research projects that support a major portion of NASA's overall mission have experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of generated data and resultant information that is unparalleled in the history of the agency. The effect of such an increase is that most of the science and engineering disciplines are undergoing an information glut, which has occurred, not only because of the amount, but also because of the type of data being collected. This information glut is growing exponentially and is expected to grow for the foreseeable future. Consequently, it is becoming physically and intellectually impossible to identify, access, modify, and analyze the most suitable information. Thus, the dilemma arises that the amount and complexity of information has exceeded and will continue to exceed, using present information systems, the ability of all the scientists and engineers to understand and take advantage of this information. As a result of this information problem, NASA has initiated the Intelligent Data Management (IDM) project to design and develop Advanced Information Management (IDM) project to design and develop Advanced Information Management Systems (AIMS). The first effort of the Project was the prototyping of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI) to an operational scientific database using expert systems, natural language processing, and graphics technologies. An overview of the IUI formulation and development for the second phase is presented.

  16. Decision Analysis for Remediation Technologies (DART) user`s manual

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sebo, D.

    1997-09-01

    This user`s manual is an introduction to the use of the Decision Analysis for Remediation Technology (DART) Report Generator. DART provides a user interface to a database containing site data (e.g., contaminants, waste depth, area) for sites within the Subsurface Contaminant Focus Area (SCFA). The database also contains SCFA requirements, needs, and technology information. The manual is arranged in two major sections. The first section describes loading DART onto a user system. The second section describes DART operation. DART operation is organized into sections by the user interface forms. For each form, user input, both optional and required, DART capabilities,more » and the result of user selections will be covered in sufficient detail to enable the user to understand DART, capabilities and determine how to use DART to meet specific needs.« less

  17. GeMS: an advanced software package for designing synthetic genes.

    PubMed

    Jayaraj, Sebastian; Reid, Ralph; Santi, Daniel V

    2005-01-01

    A user-friendly, advanced software package for gene design is described. The software comprises an integrated suite of programs-also provided as stand-alone tools-that automatically performs the following tasks in gene design: restriction site prediction, codon optimization for any expression host, restriction site inclusion and exclusion, separation of long sequences into synthesizable fragments, T(m) and stem-loop determinations, optimal oligonucleotide component design and design verification/error-checking. The output is a complete design report and a list of optimized oligonucleotides to be prepared for subsequent gene synthesis. The user interface accommodates both inexperienced and experienced users. For inexperienced users, explanatory notes are provided such that detailed instructions are not necessary; for experienced users, a streamlined interface is provided without such notes. The software has been extensively tested in the design and successful synthesis of over 400 kb of genes, many of which exceeded 5 kb in length.

  18. Project Ukko - Design of a climate service visualisation interface for seasonal wind forecasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hemment, Drew; Stefaner, Moritz; Makri, Stephann; Buontempo, Carlo; Christel, Isadora; Torralba-Fernandez, Veronica; Gonzalez-Reviriego, Nube; Doblas-Reyes, Francisco; de Matos, Paula; Dykes, Jason

    2016-04-01

    Project Ukko is a prototype climate service to visually communicate probabilistic seasonal wind forecasts for the energy sector. In Project Ukko, an interactive visualisation enhances the accessibility and readability to the latests advances in seasonal wind speed predictions developed as part of the RESILIENCE prototype of the EUPORIAS (EC FP7) project. Climate services provide made-to-measure climate information, tailored to the specific requirements of different users and industries. In the wind energy sector, understanding of wind conditions in the next few months has high economic value, for instance, for the energy traders. Current energy practices use retrospective climatology, but access to reliable seasonal predictions based in the recent advances in global climate models has potential to improve their resilience to climate variability and change. Despite their potential benefits, a barrier to the development of commercially viable services is the complexity of the probabilistic forecast information, and the challenge of communicating complex and uncertain information to decision makers in industry. Project Ukko consists of an interactive climate service interface for wind energy users to explore probabilistic wind speed predictions for the coming season. This interface enables fast visual detection and exploration of interesting features and regions likely to experience unusual changes in wind speed in the coming months.The aim is not only to support users to better understand the future variability in wind power resources, but also to bridge the gap between practitioners' traditional approach and the advanced prediction systems developed by the climate science community. Project Ukko is presented as a case study of cross-disciplinary collaboration between climate science and design, for the development of climate services that are useful, usable and effective for industry users. The presentation will reflect on the challenge of developing a climate

  19. Computer program user's manual for advanced general aviation propeller study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Worobel, R.

    1972-01-01

    A user's manual is presented for a computer program for predicting the performance (static, flight, and reverse), noise, weight and cost of propellers for advanced general aviation aircraft of the 1980 time period. Complete listings of this computer program with detailed instructions and samples of input and output are included.

  20. Marine Web Portal as an Interface between Users and Marine Data and Information Sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palazov, A.; Stefanov, A.; Marinova, V.; Slabakova, V.

    2012-04-01

    Fundamental elements of the success of marine data and information management system and an effective support of marine and maritime economic activities are the speed and the ease with which users can identify, locate, get access, exchange and use oceanographic and marine data and information. There are a lot of activities and bodies have been identified as marine data and information users, such as: science, government and local authorities, port authorities, shipping, marine industry, fishery and aquaculture, tourist industry, environmental protection, coast protection, oil spills combat, Search and Rescue, national security, civil protection, and general public. On other hand diverse sources of real-time and historical marine data and information exist and generally they are fragmented, distributed in different places and sometimes unknown for the users. The marine web portal concept is to build common web based interface which will provide users fast and easy access to all available marine data and information sources, both historical and real-time such as: marine data bases, observing systems, forecasting systems, atlases etc. The service is regionally oriented to meet user needs. The main advantage of the portal is that it provides general look "at glance" on all available marine data and information as well as direct user to easy discover data and information in interest. It is planned to provide personalization ability, which will give the user instrument to tailor visualization according its personal needs.

  1. First Prototype of a Web Map Interface for ESA's Planetary Science Archive (PSA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manaud, N.; Gonzalez, J.

    2014-04-01

    We present a first prototype of a Web Map Interface that will serve as a proof of concept and design for ESA's future fully web-based Planetary Science Archive (PSA) User Interface. The PSA is ESA's planetary science archiving authority and central repository for all scientific and engineering data returned by ESA's Solar System missions [1]. All data are compliant with NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) Standards and are accessible through several interfaces [2]: in addition to serving all public data via FTP and the Planetary Data Access Protocol (PDAP), a Java-based User Interface provides advanced search, preview, download, notification and delivery-basket functionality. It allows the user to query and visualise instrument observations footprints using a map-based interface (currently only available for Mars Express HRSC and OMEGA instruments). During the last decade, the planetary mapping science community has increasingly been adopting Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and standards, originally developed for and used in Earth science. There is an ongoing effort to produce and share cartographic products through Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Services, or as standalone data sets, so that they can be readily used in existing GIS applications [3,4,5]. Previous studies conducted at ESAC [6,7] have helped identify the needs of Planetary GIS users, and define key areas of improvement for the future Web PSA User Interface. Its web map interface shall will provide access to the full geospatial content of the PSA, including (1) observation geometry footprints of all remote sensing instruments, and (2) all georeferenced cartographic products, such as HRSC map-projected data or OMEGA global maps from Mars Express. It shall aim to provide a rich user experience for search and visualisation of this content using modern and interactive web mapping technology. A comprehensive set of built-in context maps from external sources, such as MOLA topography, TES

  2. Examining the Relationships of Different Cognitive Load Types Related to User Interface in Web-Based Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheon, Jongpil; Grant, Michael

    2012-01-01

    This study proposes a new instrument to measure cognitive load types related to user interface and demonstrates theoretical assumptions about different load types. In reconsidering established cognitive load theory, the inadequacies of the theory are criticized in terms of the adaption of learning efficiency score and distinction of cognitive load…

  3. MeV+R: using MeV as a graphical user interface for Bioconductor applications in microarray analysis

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Vu T; Gottardo, Raphael; Raftery, Adrian E; Bumgarner, Roger E; Yeung, Ka Yee

    2008-01-01

    We present MeV+R, an integration of the JAVA MultiExperiment Viewer program with Bioconductor packages. This integration of MultiExperiment Viewer and R is easily extensible to other R packages and provides users with point and click access to traditionally command line driven tools written in R. We demonstrate the ability to use MultiExperiment Viewer as a graphical user interface for Bioconductor applications in microarray data analysis by incorporating three Bioconductor packages, RAMA, BRIDGE and iterativeBMA. PMID:18652698

  4. Version 1.00 programmer`s tools used in constructing the INEL RML/analytical radiochemistry sample tracking database and its user interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Femec, D.A.

    This report describes two code-generating tools used to speed design and implementation of relational databases and user interfaces: CREATE-SCHEMA and BUILD-SCREEN. CREATE-SCHEMA produces the SQL commands that actually create and define the database. BUILD-SCREEN takes templates for data entry screens and generates the screen management system routine calls to display the desired screen. Both tools also generate the related FORTRAN declaration statements and precompiled SQL calls. Included with this report is the source code for a number of FORTRAN routines and functions used by the user interface. This code is broadly applicable to a number of different databases.

  5. Graphical User Interface for an Observing Control System for the UK Infrared Telescope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, M.; Bridger, A.; Wright, G. S.; Adamson, A. J.; Currie, M. J.; Economou, F.

    A Graphical user interface for the observing control system of UK Infrared Telescope has been developed as a part of the ORAC (Observatory Reduction and Acquisition Control) Project. We analyzed and designed the system using the Unified Modelling Language (UML) with the CASE tool Rational Rose 98. The system has been implemented in a modular way with Java packages using Swing and RMI. This system is component-based with pluggability. Object orientation concepts and UML notations have been applied throughout the development.

  6. Explicet: graphical user interface software for metadata-driven management, analysis and visualization of microbiome data.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Charles E; Harris, J Kirk; Wagner, Brandie D; Granger, David; Browne, Kathy; Tatem, Beth; Feazel, Leah M; Park, Kristin; Pace, Norman R; Frank, Daniel N

    2013-12-01

    Studies of the human microbiome, and microbial community ecology in general, have blossomed of late and are now a burgeoning source of exciting research findings. Along with the advent of next-generation sequencing platforms, which have dramatically increased the scope of microbiome-related projects, several high-performance sequence analysis pipelines (e.g. QIIME, MOTHUR, VAMPS) are now available to investigators for microbiome analysis. The subject of our manuscript, the graphical user interface-based Explicet software package, fills a previously unmet need for a robust, yet intuitive means of integrating the outputs of the software pipelines with user-specified metadata and then visualizing the combined data.

  7. User's manual for interfacing a leading edge, vortex rollup program with two linear panel methods

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Desilva, B. M. E.; Medan, R. T.

    1979-01-01

    Sufficient instructions are provided for interfacing the Mangler-Smith, leading edge vortex rollup program with a vortex lattice (POTFAN) method and an advanced higher order, singularity linear analysis for computing the vortex effects for simple canard wing combinations.

  8. AutoAssemblyD: a graphical user interface system for several genome assemblers.

    PubMed

    Veras, Adonney Allan de Oliveira; de Sá, Pablo Henrique Caracciolo Gomes; Azevedo, Vasco; Silva, Artur; Ramos, Rommel Thiago Jucá

    2013-01-01

    Next-generation sequencing technologies have increased the amount of biological data generated. Thus, bioinformatics has become important because new methods and algorithms are necessary to manipulate and process such data. However, certain challenges have emerged, such as genome assembly using short reads and high-throughput platforms. In this context, several algorithms have been developed, such as Velvet, Abyss, Euler-SR, Mira, Edna, Maq, SHRiMP, Newbler, ALLPATHS, Bowtie and BWA. However, most such assemblers do not have a graphical interface, which makes their use difficult for users without computing experience given the complexity of the assembler syntax. Thus, to make the operation of such assemblers accessible to users without a computing background, we developed AutoAssemblyD, which is a graphical tool for genome assembly submission and remote management by multiple assemblers through XML templates. AssemblyD is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/autoassemblyd. It requires Sun jdk 6 or higher.

  9. User Interface on the World Wide Web: How to Implement a Multi-Level Program Online

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cranford, Jonathan W.

    1995-01-01

    The objective of this Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars (LARSS) research project was to write a user interface that utilizes current World Wide Web (WWW) technologies for an existing computer program written in C, entitled LaRCRisk. The project entailed researching data presentation and script execution on the WWW and than writing input/output procedures for the database management portion of LaRCRisk.

  10. ShelXle: a Qt graphical user interface for SHELXL.

    PubMed

    Hübschle, Christian B; Sheldrick, George M; Dittrich, Birger

    2011-12-01

    ShelXle is a graphical user interface for SHELXL [Sheldrick, G. M. (2008). Acta Cryst. A64, 112-122], currently the most widely used program for small-molecule structure refinement. It combines an editor with syntax highlighting for the SHELXL-associated .ins (input) and .res (output) files with an interactive graphical display for visualization of a three-dimensional structure including the electron density (F(o)) and difference density (F(o)-F(c)) maps. Special features of ShelXle include intuitive atom (re-)naming, a strongly coupled editor, structure visualization in various mono and stereo modes, and a novel way of displaying disorder extending over special positions. ShelXle is completely compatible with all features of SHELXL and is written entirely in C++ using the Qt4 and FFTW libraries. It is available at no cost for Windows, Linux and Mac-OS X and as source code.

  11. The Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility Advancing Nuclear Technology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    T. R. Allen; J. B. Benson; J. A. Foster

    2009-05-01

    To help ensure the long-term viability of nuclear energy through a robust and sustained research and development effort, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designated the Advanced Test Reactor and associated post-irradiation examination facilities a National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF), allowing broader access to nuclear energy researchers. The mission of the ATR NSUF is to provide access to world-class nuclear research facilities, thereby facilitating the advancement of nuclear science and technology. The ATR NSUF seeks to create an engaged academic and industrial user community that routinely conducts reactor-based research. Cost free access to the ATR and PIE facilities ismore » granted based on technical merit to U.S. university-led experiment teams conducting non-proprietary research. Proposals are selected via independent technical peer review and relevance to DOE mission. Extensive publication of research results is expected as a condition for access. During FY 2008, the first full year of ATR NSUF operation, five university-led experiments were awarded access to the ATR and associated post-irradiation examination facilities. The ATR NSUF has awarded four new experiments in early FY 2009, and anticipates awarding additional experiments in the fall of 2009 as the results of the second 2009 proposal call. As the ATR NSUF program mature over the next two years, the capability to perform irradiation research of increasing complexity will become available. These capabilities include instrumented irradiation experiments and post-irradiation examinations on materials previously irradiated in U.S. reactor material test programs. The ATR critical facility will also be made available to researchers. An important component of the ATR NSUF an education program focused on the reactor-based tools available for resolving nuclear science and technology issues. The ATR NSUF provides education programs including a summer short course, internships, faculty

  12. Assessment of Application Technology of Natural User Interfaces in the Creation of a Virtual Chemical Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jagodzinski, Piotr; Wolski, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Natural User Interfaces (NUI) are now widely used in electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles. We have tried to apply this technology in the teaching of chemistry in middle school and high school. A virtual chemical laboratory was developed in which students can simulate the performance of laboratory activities similar…

  13. Enabling User to User Interactions in Web Lectures with History-Aware User Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketterl, Markus; Mertens, Robert; Wiesen, Christoph; Vornberger, Oliver

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a user interface for web lectures for engaging with other users while working with video based learning content. The application allows its users to ask questions about the content and to get answers from those users that currently online are more familiar with it. The filtering is based on the…

  14. A Graphical User Interface for a Method to Infer Kinetics and Network Architecture (MIKANA)

    PubMed Central

    Mourão, Márcio A.; Srividhya, Jeyaraman; McSharry, Patrick E.; Crampin, Edmund J.; Schnell, Santiago

    2011-01-01

    One of the main challenges in the biomedical sciences is the determination of reaction mechanisms that constitute a biochemical pathway. During the last decades, advances have been made in building complex diagrams showing the static interactions of proteins. The challenge for systems biologists is to build realistic models of the dynamical behavior of reactants, intermediates and products. For this purpose, several methods have been recently proposed to deduce the reaction mechanisms or to estimate the kinetic parameters of the elementary reactions that constitute the pathway. One such method is MIKANA: Method to Infer Kinetics And Network Architecture. MIKANA is a computational method to infer both reaction mechanisms and estimate the kinetic parameters of biochemical pathways from time course data. To make it available to the scientific community, we developed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for MIKANA. Among other features, the GUI validates and processes an input time course data, displays the inferred reactions, generates the differential equations for the chemical species in the pathway and plots the prediction curves on top of the input time course data. We also added a new feature to MIKANA that allows the user to exclude a priori known reactions from the inferred mechanism. This addition improves the performance of the method. In this article, we illustrate the GUI for MIKANA with three examples: an irreversible Michaelis–Menten reaction mechanism; the interaction map of chemical species of the muscle glycolytic pathway; and the glycolytic pathway of Lactococcus lactis. We also describe the code and methods in sufficient detail to allow researchers to further develop the code or reproduce the experiments described. The code for MIKANA is open source, free for academic and non-academic use and is available for download (Information S1). PMID:22096591

  15. A graphical user interface for a method to infer kinetics and network architecture (MIKANA).

    PubMed

    Mourão, Márcio A; Srividhya, Jeyaraman; McSharry, Patrick E; Crampin, Edmund J; Schnell, Santiago

    2011-01-01

    One of the main challenges in the biomedical sciences is the determination of reaction mechanisms that constitute a biochemical pathway. During the last decades, advances have been made in building complex diagrams showing the static interactions of proteins. The challenge for systems biologists is to build realistic models of the dynamical behavior of reactants, intermediates and products. For this purpose, several methods have been recently proposed to deduce the reaction mechanisms or to estimate the kinetic parameters of the elementary reactions that constitute the pathway. One such method is MIKANA: Method to Infer Kinetics And Network Architecture. MIKANA is a computational method to infer both reaction mechanisms and estimate the kinetic parameters of biochemical pathways from time course data. To make it available to the scientific community, we developed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for MIKANA. Among other features, the GUI validates and processes an input time course data, displays the inferred reactions, generates the differential equations for the chemical species in the pathway and plots the prediction curves on top of the input time course data. We also added a new feature to MIKANA that allows the user to exclude a priori known reactions from the inferred mechanism. This addition improves the performance of the method. In this article, we illustrate the GUI for MIKANA with three examples: an irreversible Michaelis-Menten reaction mechanism; the interaction map of chemical species of the muscle glycolytic pathway; and the glycolytic pathway of Lactococcus lactis. We also describe the code and methods in sufficient detail to allow researchers to further develop the code or reproduce the experiments described. The code for MIKANA is open source, free for academic and non-academic use and is available for download (Information S1).

  16. Graphical user interface for yield and dose estimations for cyclotron-produced technetium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, X.; Vuckovic, M.; Buckley, K.; Bénard, F.; Schaffer, P.; Ruth, T.; Celler, A.

    2014-07-01

    The cyclotron-based 100Mo(p,2n)99mTc reaction has been proposed as an alternative method for solving the shortage of 99mTc. With this production method, however, even if highly enriched molybdenum is used, various radioactive and stable isotopes will be produced simultaneously with 99mTc. In order to optimize reaction parameters and estimate potential patient doses from radiotracers labeled with cyclotron produced 99mTc, the yields for all reaction products must be estimated. Such calculations, however, are extremely complex and time consuming. Therefore, the objective of this study was to design a graphical user interface (GUI) that would automate these calculations, facilitate analysis of the experimental data, and predict dosimetry. The resulting GUI, named Cyclotron production Yields and Dosimetry (CYD), is based on Matlab®. It has three parts providing (a) reaction yield calculations, (b) predictions of gamma emissions and (c) dosimetry estimations. The paper presents the outline of the GUI, lists the parameters that must be provided by the user, discusses the details of calculations and provides examples of the results. Our initial experience shows that the proposed GUI allows the user to very efficiently calculate the yields of reaction products and analyze gamma spectroscopy data. However, it is expected that the main advantage of this GUI will be at the later clinical stage when entering reaction parameters will allow the user to predict production yields and estimate radiation doses to patients for each particular cyclotron run.

  17. Graphical user interface for yield and dose estimations for cyclotron-produced technetium.

    PubMed

    Hou, X; Vuckovic, M; Buckley, K; Bénard, F; Schaffer, P; Ruth, T; Celler, A

    2014-07-07

    The cyclotron-based (100)Mo(p,2n)(99m)Tc reaction has been proposed as an alternative method for solving the shortage of (99m)Tc. With this production method, however, even if highly enriched molybdenum is used, various radioactive and stable isotopes will be produced simultaneously with (99m)Tc. In order to optimize reaction parameters and estimate potential patient doses from radiotracers labeled with cyclotron produced (99m)Tc, the yields for all reaction products must be estimated. Such calculations, however, are extremely complex and time consuming. Therefore, the objective of this study was to design a graphical user interface (GUI) that would automate these calculations, facilitate analysis of the experimental data, and predict dosimetry. The resulting GUI, named Cyclotron production Yields and Dosimetry (CYD), is based on Matlab®. It has three parts providing (a) reaction yield calculations, (b) predictions of gamma emissions and (c) dosimetry estimations. The paper presents the outline of the GUI, lists the parameters that must be provided by the user, discusses the details of calculations and provides examples of the results. Our initial experience shows that the proposed GUI allows the user to very efficiently calculate the yields of reaction products and analyze gamma spectroscopy data. However, it is expected that the main advantage of this GUI will be at the later clinical stage when entering reaction parameters will allow the user to predict production yields and estimate radiation doses to patients for each particular cyclotron run.

  18. JaxoDraw: A graphical user interface for drawing Feynman diagrams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Binosi, D.; Theußl, L.

    2004-08-01

    JaxoDraw is a Feynman graph plotting tool written in Java. It has a complete graphical user interface that allows all actions to be carried out via mouse click-and-drag operations in a WYSIWYG fashion. Graphs may be exported to postscript/EPS format and can be saved in XML files to be used for later sessions. One of JaxoDraw's main features is the possibility to create ? code that may be used to generate graphics output, thus combining the powers of ? with those of a modern day drawing program. With JaxoDraw it becomes possible to draw even complicated Feynman diagrams with just a few mouse clicks, without the knowledge of any programming language. Program summaryTitle of program: JaxoDraw Catalogue identifier: ADUA Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADUA Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. Ireland Distribution format: tar gzip file Operating system: Any Java-enabled platform, tested on Linux, Windows ME, XP, Mac OS X Programming language used: Java License: GPL Nature of problem: Existing methods for drawing Feynman diagrams usually require some 'hard-coding' in one or the other programming or scripting language. It is not very convenient and often time consuming, to generate relatively simple diagrams. Method of solution: A program is provided that allows for the interactive drawing of Feynman diagrams with a graphical user interface. The program is easy to learn and use, produces high quality output in several formats and runs on any operating system where a Java Runtime Environment is available. Number of bytes in distributed program, including test data: 2 117 863 Number of lines in distributed program, including test data: 60 000 Restrictions: Certain operations (like internal latex compilation, Postscript preview) require the execution of external commands that might not work on untested operating systems. Typical running time: As an interactive program, the running time depends on the complexity

  19. Easy-to-use interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blattner, M M; Blattner, D O; Tong, Y

    1999-04-01

    Easy-to-use interfaces are a class of interfaces that fall between public access interfaces and graphical user interfaces in usability and cognitive difficulty. We describe characteristics of easy-to-use interfaces by the properties of four dimensions: selection, navigation, direct manipulation, and contextual metaphors. Another constraint we introduced was to include as little text as possible, and what text we have will be in at least four languages. Formative evaluations were conducted to identify and isolate these characteristics. Our application is a visual interface for a home automation system intended for a diverse set of users. The design will be expanded to accommodatemore » the visually disabled in the near future.« less

  20. The SAMPEX Data Center and User Interface for the Heliophysics Community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, A. J.; Kanekal, S. G.; Looper, M. D.; Mazur, J. E.

    2012-12-01

    The Solar, Anomalous, Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) was the first of NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) series. SAMPEX was launched July 3, 1992 into a 520 by 670 km orbit at 82 degrees inclination. SAMPEX carries four instruments designed to study energetic particles of solar, interplanetary, and magnetospheric origin, as well as "anomalous" and galactic cosmic rays. As an outcome of the Senior Review process, the NASA SAMPEX science mission ended on June 30, 2004, leaving a 12-year continuous record of observations. (The spacecraft and instruments are still operating and returning science data under a partnership between NASA and the Aerospace Corporation). SAMPEX was launched before the development of the WWW and implementation of NASA's open data policy. This, and the complexity of the data analysis have made it difficult for the general community to make full use of the SAMPEX science data set. The SAMPEX Data Center remedies the situation. The data center set-up and operation was funded for 3 years by NASA, and it remains in operation. The goals of the data center are to enable community access to the full SAMPEX data set by developing an up-to-date, flexible web-based system, and to provide for the eventual permanent archiving of this version of the SAMPEX data set at the NSSDC. Knowledgeable members of the SAMPEX science team have prepared the data, and members of the ACE Science Center at Caltech are involved in maintaining the data distribution pipeline and user interface. The system is modeled in part on the ACE Science Center, but enhanced to accommodate the more-complex SAMPEX data set. We will describe the current status of the SAMPEX Data Center, the user interface, and the contents of the data that are available.