Hand detection has many important applications in HCI, yet it is a challenging problem because the appearance of hands can vary greatly in images. In this paper, we propose a novel method for efficient pixel-level hand detection. Unlike previous method which assigns a binary label to every pixel independently, our method estimates a probability shape mask for a pixel using structured forests. T...

This research paper focuses on the relationship between flow experience and multimodal learning environments. Flow experience has been defined as the state in which an individual feels completely absorbed and fully engaged in an activity. This concentration and complete engagement can lead to optimal learning. Several scholars in the areas of distance learning [2] and game-based learning [3] hi...

Cameras are a useful source of input for many interactive applications, but computer vision programming requires specialized knowledge that is out of reach for many HCI practitioners. My thesis is that by using visual examples to train computer vision classifiers, and combining trained classifiers into graphs, people with minimal programming experience, and no specialized knowledge of computer ...

This position paper outlines previous work on design thinking and creativity methods in interaction design, followed by a proposal of topics for discussion at the workshop Innovation in HCI: What Can We Learn from Design Thinking. Author

Recently HCI researchers have taken an interest in the concept of cool and how it can be harnessed in the design process. This is due to cool’s potential positive impact on adoption and the wider user experience. In this paper we explore the concept of cool and the challenges faced in the study of cool in design. We highlight the lack of rigorous research and causal understanding of cool, the s...

Thee need of literacy intervention and of tools for deaf people is largely documented in the literature of deaf studies. This paper aims at eliciting the interests of HCI researchers and practitioners alike on the creation of more intelligent web tools for the literacy of deaf people. Our paper overviews several e-tools for the literacy of the deaf, and it assesses them according to the user ce...

There is an ongoing discussion in HCI on the need for new theories, methods and techniques to assist researchers and practitioners in both the design of better digital artifacts and effective evaluation of them. As part of this discussion we observe a recent trend where researchers from the IT domain present various definitions of ecologies, approaching the question, “What is a digital ecology?...

In this paper we describe the results of a study which compares explicit synchronous collaborative web search with searching the web individually when users are utilizing the web for the purpose of social planning tasks, in specific travel planning. We explore both co-located and distributed collaborative search within groups of two and three participants. The distributed collaborative search i...

We discuss the physiological metrics that can be measured with electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRs). We address the functional and practical limitations of each device, and technical issues to be mindful of when combining the devices. We also present machine learning methods that can be used on concurrent recordings of EEG and fNIRs data. We discuss an ...