Mouse Button Research Articles

Triboelectric sensor-empowered intelligent mouse combined with machine learning technology strides toward a computer security system

The computer mouse is one of the most common tools used for human-machine interfacing. The human behavior studying by click operation using an intelligent mouse and related security identification of computers remains a great challenge. Here, we develop an intelligent mouse embedded with a contact-separation adaptable triboelectric sensor based on the intrinsic mouse button click operation. With the unique characteristics of different individuals who use the intelligent mouse and machine learning algorithms, an identity recognition system was designed. Through processes such as signal processing, feature extraction, and model training, high-accuracy (98.4 %) identification of different individuals based on the signals from the embedded triboelectric sensor in the mouse was achieved. In addition, we have developed a security alarm system for detecting unauthorized users operating the computer, and successfully validated the practicality of this system. A system for monitoring user behaviors while operating the computer has been designed to meet the monitoring needs of user computer usage states. This system can monitor users' gaming, working, or studying states, while effectively protecting users' privacy. In general, this work reveals a new strategy for security identification of computers which can be potentially applied in cyber and information security.

AirMouse and AirWrite Intuitive Digital Interaction

The primary purpose of this project is to redefine the way people will interact with their systems more easily, and this will be achieved by eliminating the touchpads and keyboards to connect to the computer. This cutting-edge system eliminates the need for a regular mouse or a keyboard, allowing for easier device user-interface adaptation. The implementation of the latest gesture recognition technology lets the system not only pick up and decipher the movements of users' hands but also translate them into wider operations that are similar to those of a mouse and keyboard. Central to the design of the metaphoric system is the "virtual mouse," which enables the cursor movement and the performance of various mouse buttons without touching anything physically. So, it is a virtual mouse with an on-the-screen cursor that reacts to hand gestures in real-time. The system utilizes certain hand gestures enough to enable the effortless execution of actions commonly associated with a traditional mouse including left-clicking, right-clicking, and dragging across the screen. The virtual mouse feature is enhanced by the air writing technique, commonly acknowledged as a milestone in input development. This capability precisely reads and decodes the movements developed in the space by the fingertips while conveying them to the screen as written words. The air writing system would predict the characters from the user's gestures, creating a fresh, secure, and user-friendly method that favors the option of air typing rather than relying on a physical keyboard. This project brings innovation in human-computer interaction when implemented using powerful computer vision and machine learning techniques and promotes accessibility and usability of the system where the traditional inputs become inapplicable. On the other hand, its feasible justifications range from medical uses to pioneering in virtual reality, gaming, and education that drives brilliantly the new options in interaction across various fields.

MouseClicker: Exploring Tactile Feedback and Physical Agency for People with Hand Motor Impairments

Assistive technology (AT) design is critical in enabling functionality for people with disabilities, blending essential elements of both practical utility and user experience. Traditionally, AT has successfully addressed core functional needs, such as enabling cursor movement and clicking actions with devices like computer mice. However, a comprehensive approach to AT design also necessitates a thorough consideration of sensory feedback, including tactile sensations, ergonomics, and auditory cues like button click sounds. These aspects are not merely supplementary but are integral to the device’s functionality, enhancing user interaction and long-term comfort, especially for individuals with motor impairments. In this work, we present MouseClicker, a mechatronic AT to surrogate physical agency over a computer mouse and to foster the haptic sensory experience of clicking on it tailored specifically for an individual with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) who faces challenges in using a standard mouse due to severe hand motor impairments. Our design aims at replicating the holistic experience of clicking a mouse, from its functional mechanical actions to its nuanced tactile and auditory feedback. This work details the MouseClicker’s design and reports on an exploratory user study aimed at identifying optimal vibrotactile feedback parameters – such as location, and intensity – that represent mouse button clicks. MouseClicker presents a step forward in AT design by integrating the functionality, sensory feedback, and the overall experience of taking control over non-AT devices.

Jamaliyat al-Lughah al-'Arabiyyah wa al-Wasail al-Iliktruniyah wa Isykaliyat al-Adab al-Raqmi

: What has been mentioned in this article represents the elements involved in creating interactive digital text, the components that are verbal and non-verbal signs. The visual and audio components that accompany every poetic or prose text. The (interactive) recipient clicks the mouse button on a specific link, connection, or options. In the form of files, icons, or links that appear on the screen, and this matter cannot be implemented on paper together, then the animated effects and the text hypertext technique, especially in the poetic sentence. We then realize how much we have missed in terms of civilization, so we accept today what we rejected yesterday and on a wide table of interpretations, explanations, and defenses. Nearly four years ago, specifically in June 2004, a creative Iraqi writer, the poet (Salman Daoud Muhammad), launched an appeal in the Iraqi newspaper (Al-Adeeb), a distinguished cultural lung with an active presence in the contemporary Iraqi cultural scene, about the electronic book and the digital realist novel. Especially regarding the novel (Muhammad Sanajla) Shadows of the One / The Vision of Digital Realism, it awakens the questions of the present with an eye to the past about how to absorb this technical newness to replace the paper novel and what is the state of the next novel, imagination and language.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Hazard Types on the Visual Search Patterns and Hazard Response Times of Taxi Drivers.

The present study attempted to explore the effects of sleep deprivation on the visual search patterns and hazard response times of taxi drivers when they encountered different types of hazards. A two (driver groups: sleep deprivation or control) × two (hazard types: covert hazard or overt hazard) mixed experimental design was employed. A total of 60 drivers were recruited, half of whom were in the sleep-deprived group and half of whom were in the control group. A validated video-based hazard perception test that either contained covert hazards (12 video clips) or overt hazards (12 video clips) filmed from the drivers' perspective was presented to participants. Participants were instructed to click the left mouse button quickly once they detected a potentially dangerous situation that could lead to an accident. Participants' response time and eye movements relative to the hazards were recorded. The sleep-deprived group had a significantly longer response time and took a longer time to first fixate on covert hazards than the control group, while they had a shorter response time to overt hazards than the control group. The first fixation duration of sleep-deprived drivers was longer than that of the control group for overt hazards, while the duration of the first fixation of the two driver groups was similar for covert hazards. Sleep deprivation affects the visual search patterns and response times to hazards, and the adverse effects of sleep deprivation were worse in relation to covert hazards. The findings have some implications for classifying and evaluating high-risk taxi drivers whose hazard perception ability might be affected by insufficient sleep.

Effects of sensory modality and task relevance on omitted stimulus potentials.

Omitted stimulus potentials (OSPs) occur when a sensory stimulus is unexpectedly omitted. They are thought to reflect predictions about upcoming sensory events. The present study examined how OSPs differ across the sensory modalities of predicted stimuli. Twenty-nine university students were asked to press a mouse button at a regular interval of 1-2s, which was immediately followed by either a visual or auditory stimulus in different blocks. The stimuli were sometimes omitted (p = 0.2), to which event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. The results showed that stimulus omissions in both modalities elicited ERP waveforms consisting of three components, oN1, oN2, and oP3. The peak latencies of these components were shorter in the auditory modality than in the visual modality. The amplitudes of OSPs were larger when participants were told that the omission indicated their poor performance (i.e., they pressed a button at an irregular interval) than when it was irrelevant to their performance. These findings suggest that OSPs occur from around 100ms in a modality-specific manner and increase in amplitude depending on the task relevance of stimulus omissions.

Remote, Touchless Interaction with Medical Images and Telementoring in the Operating Room Using a Kinect-Based Application—A Usability Study

Innovative technologies can improve user usability and satisfaction in computer-based activities in the work environment, including surgeons working in the operating room (OR). A scrubbed surgeon must ask unscrubbed staff to retrieve medical images from a surgical PACS system on a monitor in a hybrid operating room. The study aimed to check users’ usability and satisfaction with the designed and developed Ortho_Kinect_OR application, which enables contactless control of access to medical images during surgery. The application also facilitates access to telemedicine applications such as intraoperative telementoring during orthopedic procedures or tele-education. The application’s usability was tested by assigning standardized tasks to surgeons for PACS and teleconferencing in the operating room. Hand gestures were recognized and translated to function like mouse buttons. Field tests conducted among orthopedic surgeons showed high usability and user satisfaction. PACS access in the operating room did not distract the orthopedic surgeon during orthopedic surgery procedures. All surgeons completed the tests and tasks without any problems. OR field test results showed high agreement among users and were very satisfactory. Junior surgeons and residents pointed out that people with average computer knowledge could use the application. It has been shown that the contactless system designed and built based on the Kinect sensor available on the shelves meets the requirements of the operating room environment and is easy to use. Touchless controller technology provides the opportunity to increase the use of intraoperative imaging previews and improve the safety of surgical patients by improving sterility and reducing unnecessary staff in the operating room. Using the Ortho_Kinect_OR application and the Kinect sensor, it is possible to provide contactless access to videoconference telementoring and PACS in the operating room without an orthopedic surgeon’s unnecessary distraction in the operating room environment.

Development and Validation of a System for Game Control Based on a Force Plate

A force plate is a device that measures the ground reaction force caused by a shift in the human body’s center of mass (CoM). Using a controlled change in the human body’s CoM, the human body’s center of pressure (CoP) is shifted in a 2D plane, along with an acceleration of the CoM along the plane perpendicular to the force plate, which allows for a generation of reference values for game control. In this paper, the development and validation of a system for game control based on a force plate are described. The game control system consists of a force plate, an electronic board used for measuring and PC communication via USB, and a PC application for data acquisition, system calibration, and game control. Based on the measured values of the player’s CoP and the CoM acceleration along a plane perpendicular to the force plate, the game control system simulates pressing the UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT, and SPACE keyboard keys or moving the mouse and clicking the left mouse button, which allows players to control simple games. A mathematical model has been developed for the game control system which includes running system calibration procedures in the system for each individual player. The mechatronic game control system is described in detail, and experiments were run on said system for the purpose of system validation.

치과진료의자에서 사용되어지는 유·무선 컴퓨터 마우스의 표면오염 조사에 관한 연구

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide the importance of surface management through the identification of bacteria detected on the surface of a computer mouse attached to a dental unit chair.
 Methods: After rubbing with a sterilized cotton swab in the center of the left mouse button in the range of 1 cm × 1 cm, it was immediately put into 1.5 mL of sterile saline. colony forming units (CFUs) grown on Lysogeny broth (LB) agar plates were analyzed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
 Results: About 8 types of bacteria, gram-negative and gram-positive, were detected on the surface of the computer mouse attached to the dental unit chair.
 Conclusions: Infection control in the dental office should be prevented through surface contamination management of computer mouse attached to dental unit chairs.

Застосування тест-тренажерів для контролю психофізіологічного стану юних спортсменів

The purpose of the study was to find out the effectiveness of using computer tests simulators, in particular the "MY_TIMER" program, to assess the functional state of students before and after training and to choose the optimal load in the training process. Materials and methods. The methods which were used in the study were theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific theoretical literature, computer test simulators, the "MY_TIMER" program, which was designed to assess a person's condition based on the analysis of his/her subjective perception of different periods of time. Standard test procedure: 1) Install time interval of 10 seconds on the scale. 2) Instructions to the subject: "After the start of the stopwatch, press the left mouse button 12 times every 10 seconds". 3) The subject, looking at the stopwatch, fixes 12 times by pressing buttons for a time interval of 10 seconds (we get objective indicators). 4) Then close the eyes and perform the same task without visual control (we get subjective indicators). 5) Comparison of results shows a subjective shift of subjective assessment of a time interval of 10 seconds. 14 participators of the experiment are 12-14-year-old students of Slavutych secondary school, who regularly attend swimming training in the pool. Statistical processing of data was carried out using Microsoft Excel. Results and discussion. Analysis of the obtained results before objective and subjective training of perception of different periods of time showed an increased level of mental activity, that is, the state of excitement of young athletes, their optimal readiness for surgery activity. After the training, there are only qualitatively unreliable changes in the results of schoolchildren. Negative average result (subjective shift of subjective assessment) is an indicator that it will be possible to increase the load of swimmers on the next training. Out of 14 subjects, only one had a positive subjective test result (just over one second). Increasing the subjective assessment of the interval time longer than 3 seconds is usually accompanied by a decrease in the level of mental activity due to fatigue, decreased concentration of attention, drowsiness – that is, it characterizes a state of apathy, emotional "burnout". Therefore, for this student, physical and emotional load was quite significant. In other students, in whom psychophysiological indicators were determined, unspent resources after training were remained. Conclusion. Use of computer test simulators, in particular the program "MY_TIMER" is relevant and promising, it gives an opportunity to determine readiness of schoolchildren to perform physical exercise and psychophysiological control states of young athletes after training. The obtained negative average result (subjective shift of subjective assessment) after training by young swimmers is an indicator for increasing the physical load in the next training session. Computer test simulators with other programs for determination psychophysiological indicators must be used for correcting construction training and determining the individual workload for every athlete

Generating deceleration behavior of automatic driving by reinforcement learning that reflects passenger discomfort

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using participants' discomfort as a reward for reinforcement learning (RL) to control autonomous driving. Twelve students (six males and six females) participated in this study. The participants' discomfort was detected by pressing the mouse button while 18 autonomous deceleration scenes were presented in the virtual reality space. Discomfort evaluation functions were created for each participant, and the RL's results with and without reflecting the participants' discomfort for a reward were compared. The discomfort reflected models of several participants had two-step braking, whereas the non-reflected model had one-step breaking. The discomfort reflected models started decelerating from a farther position than the discomfort non-reflected model and stopped at almost the same position. Subjective evaluations for the discomfort reflected model were slightly improved as compared with the non-reflected model, whereas the difference was not statistically significant.

Automated measurement of alpha angle on 3D-magnetic resonance imaging in femoroacetabular impingement hips: a pilot study

BackgroundFemoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is an established pre-osteoarthritic condition. Diagnosis is based on both clinical and radiographic parameters. An abnormal manually calculated alpha angle in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is traditionally utilized to diagnose abnormal femoral head-neck offset. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of automated alpha angle measurements in patients with FAI syndrome, and to compare automated with manual measurements data with regard to the time and effort needed in each method.MethodsAlpha angles were measured with manual and automated techniques, using postprocessing software in nineteen hip MRIs of FAI syndrome patients. Two observers conducted manual measurements. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility and correlation of manual and automated alpha angle measurements were calculated using intra-class correlation (ICC) analysis. Both techniques were compared regarding the time taken (in minutes) and effort required, measured as the amount of mouse button presses performed.ResultsThe first observer’s intra-observer reproducibility was good (ICC 0.77; p < 0.001) while the second observer’s was good-to-excellent (ICC 0.93; p < 0.001). Inter-observer reproducibility between both observers in the first (ICC 0.45; p < 0.001) and second (ICC 0.56; p < 0.001) manual alpha angle assessment was moderate. The intra-class correlation coefficients between manual and automated alpha angle measurements were ICC = 0.24 (p = 0.052; observer 1, 1st measurement), ICC = 0.32 (p = 0.015; observer 1, 2nd measurement), ICC = 0.50 (p < 0.001; observer 2, 1st measurement), and ICC = 0.45 (p < 0.001; observer 2, 2nd measurement). Average runtime for automatic processing of the image data for the automated assessment was 16.6 ± 1.9 min. Automatic alpha angle measurements took longer (time difference: 14.6 ± 3.9 min; p < 0.001) but required less effort (difference in button presses: 231 ± 23; p < 0.001). While the automatic processing is running, the user can perform other tasks.ConclusionsThis pilot study demonstrates that objective and reliable automated alpha angle measurement of MRIs in FAI syndrome hips is feasible.Trial registration The Ethics Committee of the University of Düsseldorf approved our study (Registry-ID: 2017084398).

Survey Paper on Touchify: Smart Solution to Convert Any Surface into Touchscreen.

The project is to create affordable and easy to set up touch interface on any flat surface. The project mostly uses commonly available items that most people should have access to. Main part of this project is "runtime" application that uses two neural networks: vision based and sound based. Vision based neural network is used to track pointer on the screen. Sound network is used to detect events such as knocking on screen that will be recognized as mouse click and scratching that will be recognized as moving cursor with left mouse button pressed. Considering that the overall cost of this project is abysmal compared to commercially available touch boards, I think that it can be used for educational purposes in poorer or developing countries. We have used Open CV, Qtcreator, TensorFlow. It also can be used to digitize content of traditional "analog" blackboard.

Touchless Head-Control (THC): Head Gesture Recognition for Cursor and Orientation Control.

The touchless techniques in human-computer interaction (HCI) can effectively expand computer access capabilities for disabled people. This paper presents Touchless Head-Control (THC), an assistive system method for computer cursor control based on head pose captured with an RGB camera. Our work aimed to replace the standard cursor control using a device on the user's head. The convolutional neural networks with predicted fine-grained feature maps and binned classification were applied to estimate the head pose angles. The mouse pointer or cursor is moved to actual locations on the screen based on head movement (yaw and pitch) and the center position of the face. Head tilt to the right or left (roll) to control the mouse button. In addition, the proposed method can be used to simulate the movement of the robot or joystick using the head to control objects within three degrees of freedom (DOF). Various participants were involved in the interaction design evaluation, in which target selection accuracy, travel time, and path efficiency were measured. This technology allows people with limited motor skills to easily control a PC cursor and 3D object orientation without the use of additional equipment or sensors.

Сравнительный анализ инструментов непрерывной онлайн-аутентификации и систем обнаружения аномалий для постоянного подтверждения личности пользователя

Problem statement: increasing the security of the system actualizes issues related to the confirmation of the user's identity by various methods. Known ways to increase security, continuous authentication by biometric parameters, such as the movement of a computer mouse, the speed of clicking mouse buttons is complex and does not give one hundred percent accuracy. The purpose of the work: is to study the existing solutions in the field of anomaly detection and continuous authentication systems. It is proposed to develop parameters for removing data from a computer mouse, requirements for creating a DataSet, the effectiveness of analysis and extraction of the main features from the raw data. Consider the DL models for CA and AD, allowing to verify the user, to make their qualitative comparison. Methods used: the study uses a comparative analysis of technologies. Such as differentiated machine learning (ML), including the decision tree classifier (DT), the k-nearest neighbor method (k-NN), the random forests algorithm (RF) and ultra-precise neural networks (CNN). Result: based on a comparative analysis of continuous online authentication tools and anomaly detection systems for permanent confirmation of the user's identity. As a result of the work, it was determined that the existing methods related to CA and AD describe mainly laboratory studies, and are in the nature of confirming hypotheses. The considered studies describe the parameters used to develop software for taking data about mouse actions. Studies show that the collection tools have little effect on the quality of the data obtained, provided that the data is preprocessed using algorithms for identifying key features. Most studies consider data sets obtained either from free sources or from groups of volunteers ranging from 10 to 60 people. It should be noted that the number exceeding 10 can be considered sufficient to determine a representative sample. It was determined that the greatest value on the result was given by signs describing the movement of the mouse between two locations of the screen. The DL models for CA and AD that allow user verification are considered, and their qualitative comparison is made. Practical significance: the conducted research makes it possible to judge the possibility of implementing a solution for continuous online authentication and anomaly detection systems for permanent confirmation of the user's identity within the framework of the RemoteTopology remote championship system developed earlier.

Measurement of Liver Iron Concentration in a Population of Non-Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Patients Using a Trained Artificial Neural Network to Analyse Magnetic Resonance Images

Background: Measurements of liver iron concentration (LIC) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have become established and validated in several research intensive centers. However, challenges remain with translating these measurement methodologies for routine clinical use. Current methods involve many steps presenting multiple opportunities for human error and can lead to systematic severe measurement error. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be trained to replace human input into image processing and may have a role in providing a simple, robust, and low cost solution for LIC measurement.Aims: The aim of the study wasto determine the limits of agreement between measurements of LIC by a reference standard spin-density-projection-assisted (SDPA) R2-MRI method (FerriScan) and a method using trained ANNs to analyse image data. MR image datasets (400) previously acquired from Siemens scanners were pre-processed and then, together with their corresponding SDPA R2-MRI LIC values, were filtered through publically available ANNs. The ANNs had been pre-trained on large image sets (ImageNet). Relevant features were extracted and then used to train a machine learning (gradient boosting) algorithm to predict LIC values from previously unseen MR image datasets.Methods: Thalassemia patients (N=100) referred by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Hanoi, Vietnam for routine LIC measurement by MRI were prospectively recruited with informed consent. Patients were randomised to be scanned in either a Philips Ingenia or a Siemens Avanto 1.5T scanner. Image data were acquired using the FerriScan protocol. Images were then processed (1) using a quality controlled core laboratory data analysis service using the SDPA R2-MRI method and (2) by a non-radiologically-trained technician using the trained artificial neural network to generate LIC values. The technician was required to trace the outline of the torso and then click a mouse button. The technician using the ANN was blinded from the SDPA R2-MRI results and the analysts generating the SDPA R2-MRI results were blinded from the ANN results. Reported data were analysed using the statistical methods of Bland and Altman.Results: A plot of the ANN-predicted LIC values against the SDPA R2-MRI LIC values (Figure) shows the data scattered about the line of equivalence indicating that the ANN method is generating results that correlate with the validated SDPA R2-MRI reference standard. The geometric mean ratio of ANN LIC to SDPA R2-MRI LIC was 0.93 (95% CI 0.91 -0.96) indicating a small but statistically significant systematic underestimation of LIC by the ANN. The geometric mean ratios of the two LIC measurements were significantly different for the two scanners (0.98 for Philips and 0.90 for Siemens, p = 0.006) indicating that the bias of the ANN method against the reference standard is not universal but is dependent on scanner. Bland Altman analysis indicates that 95% of pairs of measurements are predicted to have ratios between 1.23 and 0.69 indicating a modest random variability between the ANN method and the reference standard that is better than that between biopsy and the reference standard. The performance of the ANN method in predicting SDPA R2-MRI LIC values above the clinically relevant thresholds of 7 and 15 mg Fe/g dw is characterized in Table 1 showing positive predictive values (PPVs) and negative predictive values (NPVs) together with their 95% CIs.Conclusion: The data indicate that the ANN method of measurement of LIC has potential to be used as a fast and robust method of analysing MR image data to generate LIC values. Further testing is required on a wider range of scanner types and with more patients with lower LICs. The performance of the ANN will also likely be improved through training on a larger number of datasets. [Display omitted] DisclosuresSt Pierre:Resonance Health Ltd: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Speakers Bureau. Cooper:Resonance Health Ltd: Consultancy. Boulos:Resonance Health Ltd: Employment. House:Resonance Health Ltd: Employment. Pang:Resonance Health Ltd: Employment. Bangma:Resonance Health Ltd: Employment. Taher:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.

Assessment of Detection of Potential Dog-Bite Risks in the Home Using a Real-Time Hazard Perception Test

ABSTRACT Dog bites are a serious public health concern internationally and children are often at particular risk of them. Because bites to children often occur during apparently benign interactions with a parent present, the need for dog-bite prevention approaches to address adults’ awareness of, and supervision of, child–dog interactions has been highlighted. The aim of this study was to evaluate a hazard perception test of potential dog-bite hazards within a home setting. Six hazards were incorporated in a 2-minute 41-second video, which was embedded into a web-based interface that enabled respondents to identify hazards by clicking the mouse button or tapping the screen of a tablet computer as the video played. The 268 volunteer respondents also completed a short questionnaire. These respondents were predominantly female and appeared more likely to have undertaken higher education and have greater experience with dogs than the general population. Almost one-third (31.8%) of respondents identified all six hazards, and a further quarter (24.5%) missed only one; a quarter (25.2%) identified 3 or fewer; and 43.8% identified 4 or fewer hazards. No one scored zero, and 5.5% and 6.9% identified 1 and 2 hazards, respectively. A range of factors was associated with the identification of specific hazards. Participants with professional or long-term experience with dogs and those with higher educational attainment were more likely to detect some hazards. Older respondents were less likely to identify several of the hazards, and those living with children were less likely to identify cuddling a dog as a hazard. We find that hazard perception testing could be a useful tool for the assessment of knowledge regarding dog-bite risk situations and potentially an educational tool for increasing knowledge and changing practices around dogs.

Development and validity of a hazard prediction test for Chinese drivers.

BackgroundHazard perception ability, which develops with driving experience, has been proven to be associated with drivers' traffic involvement. Although classic reaction time-based hazard perception tests have been developed in many developed counties, experience-related differences may not be found in drivers from developing countries due to their increased opportunities to experience hazards on roads. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a hazard prediction test for Chinese drivers based on a predictive paradigm called “What happens next?” and assess its reliability and validity.MethodThirty-six video clips filmed from drivers’ perspectives of Chinese driving settings were presented to 54 novice drivers and 47 experienced drivers. Participants were asked to answer three questions after each video clip was blacked out and to then quickly press the mouse button on a reaction time-based hazard perception test. Both the differences in the test scores between novice and experienced drivers and the differences in scores between drivers with and without traffic violations were compared.ResultsThe final hazard prediction test consisted of 20 video clips. A high internal consistency coefficient of the test, i.e., Cronbach's alpha = 0.862, was obtained. The total scores of the test were positively and significantly correlated with reaction times as measured on the video-based hazard perception test, thus providing evidence regarding the discriminant validity of the test. More importantly, drivers with traffic violations obtained significantly lower total scores on the test than did drivers without traffic violations.ConclusionThe newly developed hazard prediction test exhibited adequate psychometric properties and provided a practical alternative for assessing drivers’ hazard perception ability in China.

SimplePhy: An open-source tool for quick online perception experiments.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are facing unprecedented challenges that affect our ability to run in-person experiments. With mandated social distancing in a controlled laboratory environment, many researchers are searching for alternative options to conduct research, such as online experimentation. However, online experimentation comes at a cost; learning online tools for building and publishing psychophysics experiments can be complicated and time-consuming. This learning cost is unfortunate because researchers typically only need to use a small percentage of these tools’ capabilities, but they still have to deal with these systems’ complexities (e.g., complex graphical user interfaces or difficult programming languages). Furthermore, after the experiment is built, researchers often have to find an online platform compatible with the tool they used to program the experiment. To simplify and streamline the online process of programming and hosting an experiment, I have created SimplePhy. SimplePhy can save researchers’ time and energy by allowing them to create a study in just a few clicks. All researchers have to do is select among a few experiment settings and upload the stimuli. SimplePhy is able to run most psychophysical perception experiments that require mouse clicks and button presses. In addition to collecting online behavioral data, SimplePhy can also collect information regarding the estimated viewing distance between the participant and the monitor, the screen size, and the experimental trial’s timing—features not always offered in other online platforms. Overall, SimplePhy is a simple, free, open-source tool (code can be found here: https://gitlab.com/malago/simplephy) aimed to help labs conduct their experiments online.

A Human–Computer Interface Replacing Mouse and Keyboard for Individuals with Limited Upper Limb Mobility

People with physical disabilities in their upper extremities face serious issues in using classical input devices due to lacking movement possibilities and precision. This article suggests an alternative input concept and presents corresponding input devices. The proposed interface combines an inertial measurement unit and force sensing resistors, which can replace mouse and keyboard. Head motions are mapped to mouse pointer positions, while mouse button actions are triggered by contracting mastication muscles. The contact pressures of each fingertip are acquired to replace the conventional keyboard. To allow for complex text entry, the sensory concept is complemented by an ambiguous keyboard layout with ten keys. The related word prediction function provides disambiguation at word level. Haptic feedback is provided to users corresponding to their virtual keystrokes for enhanced closed-loop interactions. This alternative input system enables text input as well as the emulation of a two-button mouse.