Martina Schuß

Inhalt des Fachwissenschaftliches Seminars:

Das fachliche Thema des Seminars wechselt von Semester zu Semester (sowie von Dozent zu Dozent). Gegenstand des Seminars ist ein Problem aus dem Nahebereich des Studiengangs, zu dem es geeignete Fachliteratur und wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen gibt. Nach einer Einführung in das Thema (basierend auf der Basisliteratur) und einer initialen Diskussion, wählen Studierende ein Thema aus dem Themenpool und bereiten das schriftlich (Seminararbeit) bzw. mündlich (Vortrag) auf. Unterstützt werden kann das Seminar durch eine Prototypenimplementierung und kleine Benutzerstudien.

Description:

Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI) is a growing research field in science as well as in industry. Researchers and practitioners in this area investigate how humans interact with computers or design technologies. Thereby, approaches from psychology, ergonomics, cognitive sciences, social sciences, and design come together and build the foundations of user experience (UX) design.

Typically, software applications rely primarily on screens to interact with the user. While sounds or vibrations may accompany the visual information, this usually requires a user’s focused attention. However, humans can see, hear, feel, taste, and smell, and experience heat, pain, and balance. These senses do not necessarily require focused attention. Being aware of them and modalities that address them helps to develop innovative systems with novel interactions or design interactions to be more accessible. Examples include systems for drivers that do not need to focus off the road, blind people who can navigate through the streets without having their hearing obstructed with auditory instructions or office workers who taste the kind of an upcoming appointment without getting distracted from their current task.

In this seminar, we will investigate examples of ambient displays in HCI, addressing different senses. Based on an individual literature review, students will have to develop innovative interface concepts for scenarios in which users cannot or do not want to rely on focused vision. Students work in teams of two to three and document their results in a short paper and a poster. At the end of the semester, students present their results in an internal mini-conference with a “poster session”. 

Possible topics:

• Will be developed together in a dedicated brainstorming session and refined/substantiated by the individual teams (with feedback from lecturers)

Proof of performance:

•        Carry out a literature review

•        Development of a concept

•        Progress reports (short presentations) during the semester

•        Submission of a short scientific paper

•        Design of a poster summarizing the results

Requirements:

•        Interest in state-of-the art research

•        Team player

•        Attendance is mandatory (6-7 appointments per semester); no weekly meetings!

The seminar will be taught in English. A participation in “Studiendesign und Durchführung von UX-Tests (SDUT)” is mandatory.