Digital Interface Research Articles

Exploring Intuitive Visuo-Tactile Interaction Design for Culture Education: A Chinese-Chess-Based Case Study

Gamified and immersive educational interventions have proven to be powerful motivators to encourage participation in unattractive activities, and human–computer interaction (HCI) is crucial for the successful development of such educational interventions. However, existing interaction methods suffer from either visuo-tactile inconsistency or unfriendly interaction methods, resulting in an unenjoyable user experience. Hence, in this article, the visuo-tactile interaction design based on Norman’s design principles (visibility, feedback, constraint, consistency, affordance, and mapping) and spatial augmented reality (SAR) for intuitive cultural education is proposed for the first time, and an application for Chinese chess, SARChess, is implemented as a case study. Players interact with tangible chess pieces rather than through a digital interface, and the visual output and tangible input are integrated seamlessly to achieve high-level visuo-tactile consistency. Furthermore, a mixed investigation method based on pretest–posttest design, subjective questionnaires, and theme-based interviews was designed and performed to evaluate the user experience, learning performance, and player motivation of SARChess from both objective and subjective perspectives. The results show that SARChess has a significantly better user experience, learning performance, and player motivation than conventional chess and mouse-interaction-based chess, and the unique gameplay and visual cues in SARChess make it more engaging to participants. Additionally, this study finds and summarizes some design implications for applying design principles to traditional cultural education applications.

DIGITAL PARTICIPATION AND HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION: AN INTERFACE FOR SURVEYING ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES OF ARCHITECTURAL RUINS IN LARANJEIRAS, SERGIPE, BRAZIL

Abstract. In the 21st century, participation is a key factor for ensure effectiveness of safeguarding culturally significant buildings. Integration of local communities in the process of architectural conservation is seen as complex task, but also an excellent strategy to avoid top-bottom processes – “made by experts” – that tend to fail more often. Recording heritage buildings often need some level of expertise but also tend to support biases, in which the “expert” operator might reproduce his perception away from the values acknowledged by the different communities that live and support the heritage itself. This paper presents a prototype of a digital interface designed to record the values’ perception of derelict buildings of Laranjeiras’ heritage site, an 18th century urban settlement classified since 1996 and valued as a Brazilian national heritage by its architecture and historical significance in the Cotinguiba river basin in the State of Sergipe. The project used as a case study the ancient “Cinema Iris”, a popular building in the main street (“calçadão”). The methodology adopted the following procedures: 1) Survey; 2) Pre-selection of material attributes; 3) Integration; 4) Data collection; 5) Evaluation. As a primary product, yet to be perfected, the creation and application of the digital interface gave attention to the need for an integrated survey database of Laranjeiras’ ruins as perceived by the local community. Turning them into a collection of balanced values, the interface proved to be a positive tool to support the development of further conservation actions (design, management, and monitoring) in the heritage site.

Inductance-to-digital converters (LDC) based integrative multi-parameter eddy current testing sensors for NDT&E

Sensors’ signal conditioning and digital interface are important for sensor technologies, digital transformation, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in particular. Frequency output sensors and inductance-to-digital converters (LDC) offer distinct advantages over Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) interfaces. To miniaturize the eddy current testing system and achieve multi-parameter measurements, this paper reviews eddy current signal conditioning and digital interfaces in the field of displacement sensors and non-destructive tests & evaluation (NDT&E). After review and comparison of different signal conditioning and digital interfaces, the LDC chip is used in eddy current testing for multiple parameter measurements including lift-off distance and defect detection. An LDC-based integrative eddy current non-destructive testing method is proposed. The LDC chip provides AC to drive the LC resonator composed of the sensor coil and the parallel capacitor. By measuring the resonance frequency and parallel resistance (Rp) of the LC resonator, the simultaneous measurement of the lift-off distance and the defect is achieved. Based on the method, the testing experiments of two kinds of specimens made of aluminium and steel were carried out under different lift-offs. Experimental results show that both parameters of frequency and Rp of the LC resonator can intuitively reflect the defect depth and lift-off. Frequency- Rp curves can be used to quantify defect depth and lift-off distance and differentiate the material. This work also illustrates an integrated approach of signal conditioning and digital interface for multiple parameters or feature measurement for integrated eddy current NDT&E. The work opens a new way for addressing multiple parameter measurements of eddy current NDT & E including lift-off estimation and defect characterization via digital interfaces. It has the potential to bridge the gaps in metrology of geometry, displacement measurement, and NDT&E for defect detection and material characterization.

Reduction of lighting power consumption through lighting control using the KNX/digital addressable lighting interface protocol in liquefied natural gas carrier accommodation mock-up

Lighting in ships is the main energy consumer in the overall power system and is closely associated with the creation of visual comfort and a safe work environment for the crew. A convergence point between the energy efficiency of ship lighting and a safe work environment for the crew can be achieved in various ways. This study applied the KNX and Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) systems to a mega-ship. A mock-up identical to an accommodation unit in an actual Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier in construction was developed, where the lighting for ships was installed and the KNX/DALI protocol, and occupancy sensors were applied as the lighting control system. The measurement of the 24 h power consumption with a conventional lighting arrangement design and the KNX/DALI system indicated that the lighting power consumption decreased from 12,935.2 to 2830.3 W h, implying a ≥80% reduction. This lighting solution involves control based on the traffic line of the crew at work, which plays a key role in enhancing the energy efficiency of the ship, promoting a safe work environment and visual comfort for the crew, and maximizing integration with other digital systems of the ship.

DESIGN AND MODELLING OF GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM (GPWS) FOR TRAINING AID

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is the most common type of aircraft crashes in the world of aviation today. Following the sheer volume of terrain collisions, there was an introduction of CFIT classification to enable the grouping into one category of all crashes involving aircrafts colliding with terrains. To avert CFIT accidents, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) was introduced onboard the aircraft for the flight crew to be aware of the moment the aircraft is approaching a ground terrain via automatic and very distinct acoustic warning. This paper presents a digital display ground proximity warning system as a teaching aid with audio prompt using ultrasonic sensor to produce forward distance from aircraft to obstacle ahead, height, inclination of aircraft in relation to its terrain beneath the aircraft and a digital computer interface for instrument visualization for better performance using graphic user interface (GUI) thereby enabling clearer understanding on GPWS. The Arduino IDE using Arduino sketch and C language were used on the Arduino Uno. The aircraft was integrated with different electronic modules which includes Arduino single board, Ultrasonic sensor, accelerometer and transceiver module, and all these uses the Arduino to read the signal from the sensor, processes and transmit to the base station wirelessly via radio frequency. Simulation results indicates that the responses of the models are a replica of the actual aircraft operations.

Design and Control of a Three-Axis Motion Servo Control System Based on a CAN Bus

The paper presents a DSP-based design and control of a three-axis servo motion system that effectively divides control tasks between the master control terminal and four slave drives. The proposed architecture enhances the immediacy of platform positioning and the integration between software and hardware. The paper utilizes a high-accuracy encoder as a reference value for accuracy improvement and integrates firmware via the proposed embedded execution program, thereby reducing the accuracy error of the low-accuracy encoder. The main control core employs a digital signal processor (DSP) for input and output signal reading and writing, digital communication interface processing, and user interface. The slave controller utilizes four digital signal processors to accomplish servo position control in a digital way. The paper employs encoder calibration technology to upgrade the positioning accuracy of the surge axis. Finally, the paper validates the correctness and feasibility of the proposed method through experimental results from a set of adjustable experimental platforms of linear motion stroke and rotary motion stroke. In summary, the paper underscores the integration of hardware and software to attain high-precision and dependable control of the motion system.

47 Burn Injury Assessment Study (BIAS): Is There Room To Improve?

Abstract Introduction The treatment of burn injured patients requires accurate wound assessment to determine appropriate interventions. Clinical assessment of burn depth, even by experts in the field, has an accuracy of only 60–80%. The purpose of this study is to estimate the performance of burn wound assessment by burn care professionals from still images. Methods This was an IRB-approved prospective cohort study in which burn care providers used a tablet-based digital interface to answer a 10-item questionnaire and to identify non-healing burn wounds from 5 patients scenarios. Each wound was evaluated using a polygon software interface to mark non-healing regions within the wound. Each wound had a ground truth determined by a consensus panel of study investigators using still photograph at 21-days post-injury to discern healing and non-healing regions. A power analysis and sample size of 100 participants produced a two-sided 95% confidence interval with a width equal to 0.20 when the sample proportion is 0.60. Continuous variables were analyzed by mean, standard deviations, median and quartiles while categorical data was analyzed as exact number and percentage. Burn wound assessment performance metrics for the providers were calculated for the whole cohort and then for subgroups using point estimate at a pixel level. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area positive predictive value (APPV), and area negative predictive value (ANPV) were calculated from the ground truth and participants selected regions of non-healing wounds. Results One hundred fifty-six healthcare providers enrolled (50 physicians, 14 APPs, 63 nurses, 24 therapists, and 5 paramedics) with 9.96 ± 9.49 mean years of experience and 70% employed at a verified burn center. All five regions were represented in the analysis (Eastern Great Lakes (4%), Midwestern (6.5%), Northeastern (22%), Southern (53.5%), and Western (14%). 29.3% of the participants selected “schedule for surgery” when reviewing images of wounds that healed without surgery. 28.7% of the participants selected, “local wound care no surgery needed or, “local wound care, reassess in 7+ days for possible surgery.” Performance measures were not associated with years of experience. Overall performance is available in Table 1. Conclusions Improving burn wound assessment performance could improve our use of limited resources in burn care by optimizing patient transfers/treatments and avoiding unnecessary surgeries. Our study expands upon prior work in the field and demonstrates that burn wound assessment has significant room for improvement. These findings open the proverbial door for diagnostic devices found in other fields of medicine and our partnership with emergency room providers to advance burn care. Applicability of Research to Practice More accurate wound assessment will lead to improved treatment and triage by EM and Burn practitioners.

The idea of evolution in digital architecture: Toward united ontologies?

Humans have always sought to grasp nature’s working principles and apply acquired intelligence to artefacts since nature has always been the source of inspiration, solution and creativity. For this reason, there is a comprehensive interrelationship between the philosophy of nature and architecture. After Charles Darwin’s revolutionary work, living beings have started to be comprehended as changing, evolving and developing dynamic entities. Evolution theory has been accepted as the interpretive power of biology after several discussions and objections among scientists. In time, the working principles of evolutionary mechanisms have begun to be explained from genetic code to organism and environmental level. Afterwards, simulating nature’s evolutionary logic in the digital interface has become achievable with computational systems’ advancements. Ultimately, architects have begun to utilise evolutionary understanding in design theories and methodologies through computational procedures since the 1990s. Although several studies about technical and pragmatic elements of evolutionary tools in design, there is still little research on the historical, theoretical and philosophical foundations of evolutionary understanding in digital architecture. This paper fills this literature gap by critically reviewing the evolutionary understanding embedded in digital architecture theories and designs since the beginning of the 1990s. The original contribution is the proposed intellectual framework seeking to understand and conceptualise how evolutionary processes were defined in biology and philosophy, then represented through computational procedures, to be finally utilised by architectural designers. The network of references and concepts is deeply connected with the communication between natural processes and their computational simulations. For this reason, another original contribution is the utilisation of theoretical limits and operative principles of computation procedures to shed light on the limitations, shortcomings and potentials of design theories regarding their speculations on the relationship between natural and computational ontologies.

Development of a Digital Interface for Personalized Dosing in Renal Impaired Patients: A Case-Study Using the ACE-Inhibitor Benazepril.

Personalized dosing regimens have great potential to improve the standard level of care from "one-fits-all" to the "right dose, to the right patient at the right time". Development of a digital interface that can inform healthcare professionals on the dosing of an ACE inhibitor on an individual basis. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model and a one-compartment model were implemented for the prodrug benazepril and its metabolite benazeprilat, respectively. In sequence, to capture inter-individual differences the models were extended to a population based one (PopPBPK). Both models predicted the pharmacokinetic data in the observed ranges. Application of the models help identify the factors influencing drug concentrations in the body and to find subgroups of patients, in which a dose adjustment is recommended, or a higher degree of caution is required. The use of the models via a practical user interface can help inform clinical decisions and design optimal dosing based on the individual anthropometric characteristics and stage of renal impairment.

A Bipolar 3-Level High-Voltage Pulser for Highly Integrated Ultrasound Imaging Systems

This paper presents a design solution for a bipolar return to zero (RZ) 3-level high-voltage TX pulser for high performance portable ultrasound medical imaging systems. Designed to be integrated in the front end of a PMUT probe composed by a 64-channel array working in the 1-10 MHz frequency range, the pulser is compact and power efficient as it employs minimum number of power transistors while ensuring high transmitting linearity because of the implementation of the RZ state. The circuit presents programmable features such as variable delays and rise/fall times to be controlled independently through a digital interface and it dissipates only 4.5 mW to bias the PMUT in RX state while achieving a small Req (2.24 Y). Transistor level and post-layout simulations performed in a BCD-SOI 0.16-lm technology are reported to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.

Mobile apps used for people living with multiple sclerosis: A scoping review

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder. People living with MS (plwMS) require long-term, multidisciplinary care in both clinical and community settings. MS-specific mHealth interventions have advanced in the form of clinical treatments, rehabilitation, disease monitoring and self-management of disease. However, mHealth interventions for plwMS appear to have limited proof of clinical efficacy. As native mobile apps target specific mobile operating systems, they tend to have better interactive designs leveraging platform-specific guidelines. Thus, to improve such efficacy, it is pivotal to explore the design characteristics of native mobile apps used for plwMS. This study aimed to explore the design characteristics of native mobile apps used for adults living with MS in academic settings. A scoping review of studies was conducted. A literature search was performed through PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library. Per native mobile apps, characteristics, persuasive technology elements and evaluations were summarized. A total of 14 native mobile apps were identified and 43% of the identified apps were used for data collection (n=6). Approximately 70% of the included apps involved users (plwMS) whilst developing (n=10). A total of three apps utilized embedded sensors. Videos or photos were used for physical activity interventions (n=2) and gamification principles were applied for cognitive and/or motor rehabilitation interventions (n=3). Behavior change theories were integrated into the design of the apps for fatigue management and physical activity. Regarding persuasive technology, the design principles of primary support were applied across all identified apps. The elements of dialogue support and social support were the least applied. The methods for evaluating the identified apps were varied. The findings suggest that the identified apps were in the early stages of development and had a user-centered design. By applying the persuasive systems design model, interaction design qualities and features of the identified mobile apps in academic settings were systematically evaluated at a deeper level. Identifying the digital functionality and interface design of mobile apps for plwMS will help researchers to better understand interactive design and how to incorporate these concepts in mHealth interventions for improvement of clinical efficacy.

Preview the Products on Display at Display Week 2023

Preview the Products on Display at Display Week 2023

Measuring Café Lovability Using Google’s HEART and Understanding the Roles of Usability, Sustainability Innovation, and Innovation Cocreation in Café Lovability

This research paper explores and investigates the contemporary, developing, and under-researched concept of product lovability in the UAE café industry to introduce a scientific measure for café lovability using Google’s HEART framework for developing lovable product experiences. Taking a pragmatic view to drawing comparisons between the café ecosystem and layout and digital product interface and experience, the research elaborates on mediating roles of product (café) usability and innovation (by virtue of innovation cocreation and sustainability innovation) in the existence of café lovability. Using a deductive and quantitative approach, a measure of café lovability is devised using Google’s HEART framework to assess levels of happiness, engagement, adoption, retention, and task success at cafés and validates findings using the brand love scale. Once measurable, café lovability is then examined for having possible associations with café usability (a measure of experience, aesthetic, and quality) and café innovation (a measure of innovation cocreation, sustainability innovation and sustainability knowledge), and we also study the mediating impact of café innovation and usability on café lovability and brand love. The resulting model for café lovability provides the means for measuring café lovability and provides grounds for understanding the roles of usability and innovation in this phenomenon. Comparing contemporary café experience with a digital product interface in order to produce a lovable coffee experience is a non-conventional approach; like product lovability, the comparison, measurement, and application relies on pragmatic and innovative strategic decision making; it is therefore considered a practical approach due to the onset of digital and creative new-age customers. Further, the concept of product lovability is gaining popularity in practice but remains undiscussed and unexplored in academic research. This study provides grounds for further scientific research—both quantitative and qualitative—to define, test, and apply the measures of lovable products to businesses outside of technology and digital offerings, as well as providing us with the opportunity to study the overlap of product and café lovability with sustainability.

Concept for Digital Product Twins in Battery Cell Production

This paper presents an approach for the design and derivation for establishing a digital product twin for battery cells. A digital product twin is a virtual replica of a physical battery cell and can be used to predict and optimize quality properties and performance in real-time. The study focuses on pouch cell manufacturing and aims to map the large amount and variety of process information down to purchased parts and interim products. The approach for this study was to collect and analyze data from the physical production process and use this information to structure a digital battery product twin based on its product architecture. The main findings of this study indicate that a digital product twin can be effectively structured and implemented in a digital interface based on its product architecture in combination with data from the physical production process. The results of this study show the potential of digital product twins, in which statements about material, design, and behavior can be made using real information from production. Further research will focus on the practical application and implementation of digital product twins in a battery cell pilot production.

Research on Copyright Protection Technology based on MIDI Music Structural Features

<p>Due to the extensive use of Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) music in education, entertainment and business, copyright infringements of MIDI music are increasing rapidly. The low robustness of existing MIDI music watermarking is the main problem. Therefore, this paper proposes two novel MIDI music watermarking algorithms to comprehensively protect the copyright of MIDI music. We first propose a dual threshold audio watermarking algorithm based on MIDI note time difference and velocity value. It extracts a main melody audio track of MIDI music through a Ho-Kashyap (H-K) algorithm, generates an adaptive em-bedding double threshold for the main melody audio track, and uses a time fluctuation algorithm to embed the watermark information. We also propose a MIDI music watermarking algorithm in frequency domain using Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). It converts the pitch of MIDI music to the fundamental frequency, obtains the Direct Current (DC) component of the fundamental frequency by DCT transform, combines the watermark information and the DC component to obtain the secret pitch, and takes the difference between the secret pitch and the original pitch as the new watermark information. Finally, a general attack experiment was conducted on the two watermarking algorithms to verify the feasibility and security. In this paper, the mean square error method and the normalized correlation coefficient method are selected to evaluate the quality of MIDI music objectively. An absolute information entropy evaluation model is proposed to evaluate MIDI music quality. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithms can extract effective watermark after MIDI command attacks with a MIDI music cutting rate of more than 88% and tampering rate of less than 5%, which means that the proposed algorithms are robust against attacks.</p> <p> </p>

SENS+: A Co-Existing Fabrication System for a Smart DFA Environment Based on Energy Fusion Information.

In factories, energy conservation is a crucial issue. The co-fabrication space is a modern-day equivalent of a new factory type, and it makes use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as sensors, software, and online connectivity, to keep track of various building features, analyze data, and produce reports on usage patterns and trends that can be used to improve building operations and the environment. The co-fabrication user requires dynamic and flexible space, which is different from the conventional user's usage. Because the user composition in a co-fabrication space is dynamic and unstable, we cannot use the conventional approach to assess their usage and rentals. Prototyping necessitates a specifically designed energy-saving strategy. The research uses a "seeing-moving-seeing" design thinking framework, which enables designers to more easily convey their ideas to others through direct observation of the outcomes of their intuitive designs and the representation of their works through design media. The three components of human behavior, physical manufacture, and digital interaction are primarily the focus of this work. The computing system that connects the physical machine is created through communication between the designer and the digital interface, giving the designer control over the physical machine. It is an interactive fabrication process formed by behavior. The Sensible Energy System+ is an interactive fabrication process of virtual and real coexistence created by combining the already-existing technology, the prototype fabrication machine, and SENS. This process analyzes each step of the fabrication process and energy, fits it into the computing system mode to control the prototype fabrication machine, and reduces the problem between virtual and physical fabrication and energy consumption.

Measuring cognitive load of digital interface combining event-related potential and BubbleView

Helmet mounted display systems (HMDs) are high-performance display devices for modern aircraft. We propose a novel method combining event-related potentials (ERPs) and BubbleView to measure cognitive load under different HMD interfaces. The distribution of the subjects’ attention resources is reflected by analyzing the BubbleView, and the input of the subjects’ attention resources on the interface is reflected by analyzing the ERP’s P3b and P2 components. The results showed that the HMD interface with more symmetry and a simple layout had less cognitive load, and subjects paid more attention to the upper portion of the interface. Combining the experimental data of ERP and BubbleView, we can obtain a more comprehensive, objective, and reliable HMD interface evaluation result. This approach has significant implications for the design of digital interfaces and can be utilized for the iterative evaluation of HMD interfaces.

Distributing and Synchronizing Signals Between the Worlds of SDI and IP

Moving signals between the worlds of serial digital interface (SDI) and Internet Protocol (IP) is not exactly rocket science, but synchronizing these signals may prove to be a challenge. It is these cases that we will discuss in this article and these challenges to which we seek to identify and present a viable and cost-effective solution. We will consider a recent Riedel project with a major U.S. broadcaster. Following the decision to move its operations to ST 2110, this broadcast network experienced synchronization problems between its IP-based flagship station and more than 200 affiliate stations throughout North America relying on SDI. The fact that the remote feed needed to be compressed posed yet another challenge, as it required the decompressed signal to be decoded to ST 2110 before it could be converted to SDI. The Riedel team managed to solve the synchronization issue with a single, powerful device smaller than the size of your thumb: A software-defined processing small form-factor pluggable (SFP) device that enabled the conversion of UHD-1 and ST 2110 signals for bidirectional distribution between the headquarters and the affiliate stations while generating a Precision Time Protocol (PTP) Grand Master clock from the affiliate’s synchronized signal. This greatly reduced both system complexity and the cost of replacing the entire affiliate synchronization system. After a general description of the specific use-case setup, we will present an overview of the various possible solutions and weigh the pros and cons before focusing on the most viable solution. After short explanations of the demarcation switch configuration and the Epoch reference generation at the affiliate sites, we conclude with an outlook on other potential use cases.

An Interface ASIC Design of MEMS Gyroscope with Analog Closed Loop Driving.

This paper introduces a digital interface application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) vibratory gyroscope. The driving circuit of the interface ASIC uses an automatic gain circuit (AGC) module instead of a phase-locked loop to realize a self-excited vibration, which gives the gyroscope system good robustness. In order to realize the co-simulation of the mechanically sensitive structure and interface circuit of the gyroscope, the equivalent electrical model analysis and modeling of the mechanically sensitive structure of the gyro are carried out by Verilog-A. According to the design scheme of the MEMS gyroscope interface circuit, a system-level simulation model including mechanically sensitive structure and measurement and control circuit is established by SIMULINK. A digital-to-analog converter (ADC) is designed for the digital processing and temperature compensation of the angular velocity in the MEMS gyroscope digital circuit system. Using the positive and negative diode temperature characteristics, the function of the on-chip temperature sensor is realized, and the temperature compensation and zero bias correction are carried out simultaneously. The MEMS interface ASIC is designed using a standard 0.18 μM CMOS BCD process. The experimental results show that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of sigma-delta (ΣΔ) ADC is 111.56 dB. The nonlinearity of the MEMS gyroscope system is 0.03% over the full-scale range.

The Music of Heart Rate Variability

AbstractThe variability of the heart rate reflects the regulatory status of the autonomous nervous system. For analytic purposes accessible to laypersons, the authors developed methods to transform heart rate variability into acoustical information, through either direct sound synthesis or the production of MIDI files (musical instrument digital interface) to trigger other devices. The authors describe the methods and some results and discuss applications for analytical and artistic purposes, such as music composition and biofeedback. The resulting “music” is complex and rhythmic and often has unexpected and interesting implied harmony.