Communicating

UI Issues for Communication MMM 8-22-00

Source: Missing File (/brain-ui/uploads/design-descriptions%2Fcommunication.doc)

Users are locked-in or physically unable to communicate via voice or traditional keyboard and mouse oriented methods-
Users may not have enough control of muscles or eyegaze to operate specialized devices.
Input bandwidth is extremely limited (eyeblinks, eye movements) without computer assistance.
Goals fall into three categories:
- Quick/High Priority: Typically a small number of predictable concepts are extremely important to express quickly (in pain, too hot, uncomfortable position, need medical attention)
- Quick/Low Priority: Other concepts can be predicted (questions such as "how are the kids")
- Open: Also need to be able to express unpredictable concepts (user freedom to express any thought) Observation: Johnny prefers the very slow spelling on a virtual keyboard to the much faster TalkAssist iconic program because of the freedom of expression.

Express high priority concepts quickly
Efficiently express predictable concepts
Express arbitrary concepts
Speed of expression is important - two way communication needs to be possible (real time interactive)
Asynchronous communication (letters, email) also important
User must be able to get the attention of a communication partner (ie, sound production, etc.)
Must be able to follow conversational semantics (Alan Newell - Dundee, UK) context dependent on flow of conversation:
- Greeting
- Acknowledgement
- Subject
- Wrapup

Typically the user or attendant needs to have control of content
Communication is an ongoing (pervasive) task - the technology needs to be readily available at any time

Managed care situation - users need 24 hour care
There may be no technical experts present, needs to be easily understood by caretakers
Learning curve is important - user and communication partner must be able to understand the concepts (ie, does the communication partner need to learn a communication style?)
Patient cannot adjust equipment manually. If the system becomes inoperational the patient can't even communicate this fact.
Contexts: Expanding predictability
- Identity/Classification of visitor
- Roles (ie, is partner in role of nurse, friend, etc.)
- Time of day
- Mood (pain threshold, etc)
- Time of year
- Structure component of conversation
- What conversant says - what can we recognize (analyze speech for possible responses)
Automated body monitoring might inform context - temp, pain, stress, respiration

(Logical locations in terms of navigation)

Icons - could represent words, phrases, concepts (Minspeak), letters or numbers
Stages in a conversation - ie, greeting, message, questions, goodbye
Possible: direct connection to actions (ie, thinking a letter, phrase, concept and having it spoken… instantaneous selection)
Domain or context-specific: "I'm hungry" might navigate to food choice locations (hierarchical location traversal)