Resumen de Dtui: desarrollo de interfaces de interfaces de usuario distribuidas y tangibles
In recent years, technology has expanded in such a way that, nowadays, any person is surrounded by multiple devices (tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, smartdevices, etc.) that are connected together to provide services to the user. This type of scenarios that surround us are called Multi-Device Environments (MDEs). At present the interaction between users and these new multi-device environments is complicated and poses new challenges that remain unresolved because, among other things, the method of interaction does not take into account the natural way in which the user operates in the real world.
Many research works related to human-computer interaction have focused on the development of interaction techniques that are more natural for the user. Out of this has come an area of research, called Distributed User Interfaces (DUIs), that addresses the distribution of interfaces over different devices to adapt the interaction to the needs of the user. However, the profusion of devices separates the user from their natural environment. In order to enhance and enrich the real world with the digital, in a non-invasive way, but at the same time providing functionality, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have been created. These give physical form to digital information, allowing users to manipulate real physical objects to interact with the system.
This thesis focuses on the study of multi-device environments that are based on distributed and tangible user interfaces (DTUIs). First, we define the concept of a DTUI environment as a space for interaction made up of multiple devices and tangible interaction objects that combined offer more natural and intuitive interaction mechanisms. Specifically, we have studied three interaction techniques, including two tangible ones: T2R (Tag to Reader), which consists in taking a tangible interaction object and bringing it up close to a digital device that incorporates a reader-type component; and R2T (Reader to Tag), where the user brings the reader up close to the tangible interaction object in order to interact. The third interaction technique is Tactile, and this is based on interacting with the digital device through the sense of touch.
The overall objective of this thesis is to provide a solution for the development of multi-device environments that offer natural and intuitive interaction mechanisms between the user and the system through distributed and tangible user interfaces. The aim is to advance the development of DTUI environments in order to obtain more intuitive interaction systems that make it possible to bridge the technological gap and improve the user's involvement and the collaboration between multiple users. In order to achieve this, we propose different tools that allow the construction of DTUI environments with these characteristics.
The method used during the research process has been based on the analysis, design, development and assessment of different prototypes of DTUI environments to conduct individual and group tasks of different natures. Specifically, these were to facilitate tasks related to education and cognitive rehabilitation, work meetings and tourism. The process was sequential and made use of the latest technologies (mobile devices, wearables, NFC, etc.) in order to obtain information on their suitability depending on the type of end user. Each DTUI environment was focused on a group of users with different profiles and characteristics (users with disabilities, ADHD, Alzheimer's, children, etc.).
As a result of this process and the lessons learned in the development of each system, we have proposed a taxonomy and a DTUI metamodel to define structures and structuring rules that allow the representation of elements contained within a DTUI environment. In addition, we have defined 14 guidelines, called Delaguia-Guidelines, that serve as guidance and an aid in decision-making for the development of the most appropriate DTUI environment for every occasion, depending on environment characteristics such as: physical space, social affordance, the total number of devices and the three types of DTUI interaction techniques (Tactile, T2R and R2T). Furthermore, the guidelines incorporate recommendations for the most appropriate DTUI scenario design for the end user, taking into account whether they have some kind of physical, cognitive or digital impairment. Finally, the taxonomy, the metamodel and the guidelines defined have been applied to a case study, namely Master Chef, in order to assess the validity of the proposal.
