The experience of enchantment in human–computer interaction

Improving user experience is becoming something of a rallying call in human–computer interaction but experience is not a unitary thing. There are varieties of experiences, good and bad, and we need to characterise these varieties if we are to improve user experience. In this paper we argue that enchantment is a useful concept to facilitate closer relationships between people and technology. But enchantment is a complex concept in need of some clarification. So we explore how enchantment has been used in the discussions of technology and examine experiences of film and cell phones to see how enchantment with technology is possible. Based on these cases, we identify the sensibilities that help designers design for enchantment, including the specific sensuousness of a thing, senses of play, paradox and openness, and the potential for transformation. We use these to analyse digital jewellery in order to suggest how it can be made more enchanting. We conclude by relating enchantment to varieties of experience.An earlier version of this paper was presented at Chi’2004 Fringe.     

Buildings and Bibles Between Profanization and Sacralization: Semiotic Ambivalence in the Protestant Dutch Bible Belt

Based on an ethnographic case study of three recently erected church buildings in the Dutch Bible Belt, this article demonstrates how orthodox Reformed congregations in the Netherlands define church buildings—especially the auditoria—and bibles as simultaneously profane and mediating the sacred. These at first glance ambivalent discourses are informed by a particular semiotic ideology, which maintains that material spaces and objects like these are sacralized if, and only if, individual believers can meaningfully relate them to their personal spiritual experiences. This ideology makes a primary attitude of profanization of material forms indispensable, because any preexistent sacredness of matter would precisely rule out these personal spiritual experiences.     

From information processing to dialogical meaning making: an experiential approach to cognitive ergonomics

In this paper, we argue that modelling human action as the execution of predetermined goals and cognition as information processing does not account for peoples experience with emerging technologies, which is as much about values, trust and identity as about executing tasks. We offer a complementary approach to information processing within cognitive ergonomics, which builds on Bruners characterisation of cognition as meaningmaking, and which sees human action as simultaneously creating and executing goals and human cognition as dialogical meaning making. An analysis of field work carried out in two ambulance control centres is employed to exemplify aspects of the creativity and responsivity of work activity that are central to our approach. Finally, in this context, we briefly consider how technological artefacts could be conceptualised as centres of value in an approach to cognitive ergonomics that attempts to accommodate the intellectual, emotional and valuative aspects of work activity.     

Isolation and synthesis of shark-repelling saponins

Saponins are complex compounds that are composed of a saccharide attached to a steroid or triterpene. They are natural surfactants, or detergents. Several important biological effects have been ascribed to saponins. They have been isolated from a great number of terrestrial plants. In the animal kingdom they are found in most sea cucumbers and starfish, whereas they are found only rarely in alcyonarians, gorgonians, sponges, and as shark-repelling compounds in fish. The present review deals with the isolation and some syntheses of the shark-repelling saponins mosesins-1 to −5 and pavoninins-1 to −6 obtained from the fish species Pardachirus.     

Measuring the quality of computer-mediated communication

There is a growing literature of experiments whose purpose is to compare different configurations for computer-mediated communication. If the results of these experiments are to be useful they must: ( i ) use the right experimental tasks; and ( ii ) measure the right dependent variables. This paper is concerned with the latter problem which is illustrated using data collected in experimental comparisons of three configurations of a text-based conferencing system. No significant differences were found using a measure of task outcome. This accords with numerous previous findings. However, a numberof process-related dependent variables were devised that did show significant effects. These included common ground, as measured by shared recall, and references to the topic of one message in the next available turn. Another, the use of first and second person pronouns in conversation approached significance. Finally, an approach to the selection of measures for use in studies of computer-mediated communication is commended.     

Assessing Variation in Development Effort Consistency Using a Data Source with Missing Data

In this study the authors analyse the International Software Benchmarking Standards Group data repository, Release 8.0. The data repository comprises project data from several different companies. However, the repository exhibits missing data, which must be handled in an appropriate manner, otherwise inferences may be made that are biased and misleading. The authors re-examine a statistical model that explained about 62% of the variability in actual software development effort (Summary Work Effort) which was conditioned on a sample from the repository of 339 observations. This model exhibited covariates Adjusted Function Points and Maximum Team Size and dependence on Language Type (which includes categories 2nd, 3rd, 4th Generation Languages and Application Program Generators) and Development Type (enhancement, new development and re-development). The authors now use Bayesian inference and the Bayesian statistical simulation program, BUGS, to impute missing data avoiding deletion of observations with missing Maximum Team size and increasing sample size to 616. Providing that by imputing data distributional biases are not introduced, the accuracy of inferences made from models that fit the data will increase. As a consequence of imputation, models that fit the data and explain about 59% of the variability in actual effort are identified. These models enable new inferences to be made about Language Type and Development Type. The sensitivity of the inferences to alternative distributions for imputing missing data is also considered. Furthermore, the authors contemplate the impact of these distributions on the explained variability of actual effort and show how valid effort estimates can be derived to improve estimate consistency.     

Photodegradation of Famotidine by Integrated Photocatalytic Adsorbent (IPCA) and Kinetic Study

Abstract  

Integrated photocatalytic adsorbents (IPCAs) comprised of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and activated carbon (AC) were prepared using an ultrasonic impregnation technique. The IPCAs were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and were employed as catalysts for the photodegradation of famotidine-an active pharmaceutical ingredient-in aqueous solutions using illumination from a 125 W medium pressure mercury lamp. The degradation kinetics were found to follow a pseudo-first-order rate law and varying TiO₂ loadings induced different increases in the apparent first-order rate constant of the process. The kinetic behaviour can be described in terms of a modified Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) model. The IPCA prepared using a 10% TiO₂ to AC loading exhibited the highest rate constant with a K _C and k _r of 0.0172 L/mg and 0.237 mg/L/min, respectively. The LH model fits the experimental data and elucidates the effect of the TiO₂ content of the IPCA on the degradation rate. The use of calcination (heat treatment) in IPCA preparation and its effect on photocatalytic and adsorption performance were also investigated. The present work demonstrates that the combination of TiO₂ and AC results in a promising material for application in the degradation of organic pollutants.     

Support of opportunities for shopfloor involvement through information and communication technologies

More companies are understanding the benefits of designing work to enhance, rather than minimise, the contributions of their employees within human-centred systems. To do this, they require their supportive subsystems (such as training, job, and team design, performance measurement and information) to provide people with the ability, motivation and opportunity to become increasingly involved. Opportunity for involvement will require different communication interfaces, providing data and background information both personally and at the work site or process. In the past few years, the media available for visualisation and communication have become much more numerous and have much greater capabilities. This paper examines the information requirements of certain features of modern manufacturing enterprises—local control, skills, knowledge and training, function allocation and team communications. It then assesses the utility of three broad types of information display—Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Multimedia/Closed-circuit Television (CCTV) and Virtual Environments (VEs)—for shopfloor systems.