Browsing by Author "Paredes, Hugo"
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- Exploring educational immersive videogames: an empirical study with a 3D multimodal interaction prototypePublication . Fernandes, Luis Miguel Alves; Matos, Gonçalo Cruz; Azevedo, Diogo; Nunes, Ricardo Rodrigues; Paredes, Hugo; Morgado, Leonel; Barbosa, Luis Filipe; Martins, Paulo; Fonseca, Benjamim; Cristóvão, Paulo; de Carvalho, Fausto; Cardoso, BernardoGestural interaction devices emerged and originated various studies on multimodal human-computer interaction to improve user experience (UX). However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the use of these devices to enhance learning. We present an exploratory study which analysed the UX with a multimodal immersive videogame prototype, based on a Portuguese historical/cultural episode. Evaluation tests took place in high school environments and public videogaming events. Two users would be present simultaneously in the same virtual reality (VR) environment: one as the helmsman aboard Vasco da Gama's fifteenth-century Portuguese ship and the other as the mythical Adamastor stone giant at the Cape of Good Hope. The helmsman player wore a VR headset to explore the environment, whereas the giant player used body motion to control the giant, and observed results on a screen, with no headset. This allowed a preliminary characterisation of UX, identifying challenges and potential use of these devices in multi-user virtual learning contexts. We also discuss the combined use of such devices, towards future development of similar systems, and its implications on learning improvement through multimodal human-computer interaction.
- The SmartVision Navigation Prototype for Blind UsersPublication . du Buf, J. M. H.; Barroso, João; Rodrigues, J. M. F.; Paredes, Hugo; Farrajota, Miguel; Fernandes, Hugo; José, João; Teixeira, Victor; Saleiro, MárioThe goal of the Portuguese project "SmartVision: active vision for the blind" is to develop a small, portable and cheap yet intelligent and reliable system for assisting the blind and visually impaired while navigating autonomously, both in- and outdoor. In this article we present an overview of the prototype, design issues, and its different modules which integrate GPS and Wi-Fi localisation with a GIS, passive RFID tags, and computer vision. The prototype addresses global navigation for going to some destiny, by following known landmarks stored in the GIS in combination with path optimisation, and local navigation with path and obstacle detection just beyond the reach of the white cane. The system does not replace the white cane but complements it, in order to alert the user to looming hazards. In addition, computer vision is used to identify objects on shelves, for example in a pantry or refrigerator. The user-friendly interface consists of a four-button hand-held box, a vibration actuator in the handle of the white cane, and speech synthesis. In the near future, passive RFID tags will be complemented by active tags for marking navigation landmarks, and speech recognition may complement or substitute the vibration actuator.
- The SmartVision navigation prototype for the blindPublication . du Buf, J. M. H.; Rodrigues, J. M. F.; Paredes, Hugo; Barroso, João; Farrajota, Miguel; José, João; Teixeira, Victor; Saleiro, MárioThe goal of the project "SmartVision: active vision for the blind" is to develop a small and portable but intelligent and reliable system for assisting the blind and visually impaired while navigating autonomously, both outdoor and indoor. In this paper we present an overview of the prototype, design issues, and its different modules which integrate a GIS with GPS, Wi-Fi, RFID tags and computer vision. The prototype addresses global navigation by following known landmarks, local navigation with path tracking and obstacle avoidance, and object recognition. The system does not replace the white cane, but extends it beyond its reach. The user-friendly interface consists of a 4-button hand-held box, a vibration actuator in the handle of the cane, and speech synthesis. A future version may also employ active RFID tags for marking navigation landmarks, and speech recognition may complement speech synthesis.