サーカー, サヤン
Graduate research guidance policy for 2021
氏 名：Sarcar Sayan（サーカー, サヤン）
所 属：Knowledge Information Systems Course（知識情報システム主専攻）
研究室：7D315
Research area
The research of this laboratory fits within the general goal of improving human individual abilities through developing intelligent systems using human-centered design and modelling practices, specifically focused on individual differences in users’ sensorimotor abilities toward technology adoption. Research topics include Computational User Interface Design, Aging & Accessibility, Input and Interaction modelling, and Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
In recent years, following are the focused research areas on this laboratory.
1. Computational User Interface Design for People with Impairment
We involved in a project of designing novel user interfaces for smartphones that suit to elderly people’s movement and reading capabilities. The specific goal was to create scientific foundations for designing user interfaces for smartphones that better suit the individual abilities of older adults. We proposed a new concept called "Ability-based Optimization" which leverages mathematical models of user performance that predict improvements in user interface throughput and functionality. The outcomes are interface designs that improve usability, usefulness, and help older adults avoid expensive and socially stigmatizing specialized devices.
- Developed a computational design approach for improving user interface designs for people with sensorimotor and cognitive impairments, including older adults
- Developed a model to understand visual search and learning in text entry
- Developed a model on how people learn to search graphical layouts and how search adapts when the layout changes
- Developed a model to understand visual search and learning in text entry
- Developed a model on how people learn to search graphical layouts and how search adapts when the layout changes
Currently we are generalizing the context towards universality, and currently focusing on ageing and accessibility domain
- Developing a model to dynamically adjust smartphone game difficulty to adapt with the playing performance of individual elderly person (ongoing)
- Evaluating the designed interfaces with the designated users (older people with motor and reading impairment) (ongoing)
- Understanding how the model-based optimized solutions can be actually usable to the end-users
2. Improving the Learnability of Mobile Device Interfaces for Older Adults
We sought to better understand how older adults learn to use mobile devices, their preferences and barriers, in order to find new ways to support them in their preferred learning process.
- Designed a mobile interface, namely HelpKiosk (HK), to support older adults’ learning to use mobile devices
Also, here, we aim to expand the scope of the initial research covering the ageing and accessibility user community.
- Conducting research on how well the various features in HK (e.g., live view, demo video, instructions on a separate display) support learning (ongoing)
- Exploring applying HK’s features to different devices (e.g., medical device) or apps (ongoing)
- Conducting research on how different scaffolding strategy affect on users', specifically older users', learning (ongoing) performance
- Enhancing the prototype towards developing virtual agent suitable for touchscreen devices (mobile phone, tablet) to help older adults and people with specific impairments
3. Exploring Performance of Thumb Input for Pointing and Dragging
We conducted an exploratory user experiment results of one-thumb pointing and dragging task performance, based on three factors, namely mobile size, target size and postures.
- Analyzed users performance based on basic HCI tasks on touchscreen depending on three factors namely target size, mobile size and posture
- Creating meaningful visualization of collected data to clearly understand effect of factors such as reachability, gripping, movement of phone over hand etc. (ongoing)
- Upgrading the existing models on predicting next touch location and functional area of thumb on touchscreen (ongoing) Extending the project for two-handed interactions of touchscreens
4. Designing Mid-air Two-handed Gestures
We sought to better understand how older adults learn to use mobile devices, their preferences and barriers, in order to find new ways to support them in their preferred learning process.
- Investigated mid-air TV gestures for blind people
- Exploring the concept of combination of gestures performed by two hands to improve memorability and ease of gesturing (ongoing)
- Enhancing the gesture set by including other body parts as well as exploring new contexts where the gesture can be applied
5. Exploring Text Typing Techniques in Virtual Reality
Of late, Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D User Interfaces (3DUI) gain popularity, especially in terms of providing consumer-ready hardware and software. While, related to VR, the technology for input as well as output devices is market ready, only a few solutions for text input exist, and empirical knowledge about performance and user preferences is lacking. In this project, we aim to (1) study text entry in VR by selecting characters or words (from the prediction lists) on a virtual keyboard, (2) discuss the design space towards classifying different text entry techniques in VR. Finally, (3) we will implement methods that span different parts of the design space and evaluate their performance and user preferences.
Prior to the interview, the candidate student should understand the relevant information about one or several of the above topics (the website is at https://sayansarcar.github.io/). They can even come and meet me at the laboratory to clear their doubts before choosing the topics they are interested in.
Research guidance ・ Seminar overview
The reason to hold multiple discussion sessions between teachers and students is to shape up their project idea and novelty. Continuously after doing this for multiple time, the idea will get mature and the work can be presented in top tier conferences (such as CHI, ASSETS, Mobile HCI).
- We will check the progress every week through presentation. If students have any doubt in reading papers or understanding the problem, they can send email to me and I will try to answer it in 1-2 working days.
- Graduate students should come to the laboratory every day to make some (even very little) progress in research. They are also expected to conduct experiment with human subjects
- For the annual publication schedule of graduate students, we will prepare a submission for CHI late-breaking research category in January, submit a full paper of MobileHCI in February, post a demonstration paper in ASSETS conference in July, full paper of CHI conference in September, submit to WISS conference, prepare the graduation thesis.
Preferred conditions for promoting research
- This laboratory is a laboratory that aims at the impact of top conferences, top journals in HCI and Accessibility research area worldwide. It is expected from the students to have motivation to work hard and ambition to solve practical research problems maintained throughout the project period.
- A person with a high ability to communicate research topic (both in Japanese and English), and who can ask questions to me directly without any hesitation, will be always preferred.
Accepting conditions
(1) Students should be willing to read English papers.
(2) Have good coding skills in Python, Android and C# programming
(2) We judge based on the formal discussion and interview session conducted in English (I will make the discussion comfortable to students, even use Japanese sometimes in the conversation)
(2) Have good coding skills in Python, Android and C# programming
(2) We judge based on the formal discussion and interview session conducted in English (I will make the discussion comfortable to students, even use Japanese sometimes in the conversation)
Selection method
Please think about the topics you are interested in before the meeting and write down your specific questions. Based on the performance in the interview, we will select the candidates. If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, the students who:
(1) Students with high English ability.
Discussion period (all applicants): Monday, October 12, 2020 - Friday, October 30, 2020
(2) Students who are willing to pursue master level study and research.
Other
Students are requested to reserve an discussion date and time by e-mail (to sayans@slis.tsukuba.ac.jp) by specifying their full names and student IDs. The discussion is about 30 minutes.Discussion period (all applicants): Monday, October 12, 2020 - Friday, October 30, 2020
