Xiaoyu Chen, Ph.D. Candidate

Ph.D. Dissertation Research:

I passed my Dissertation Proposal Defence on June 27, 2005.

Dissertation Title:	Designing Non-Visual Multimodal Interactions for Sighted and Blind Users
Dissertation Committee:	Dr. Marilyn Tremaine (Chair)
	Dr. Murray Turoff
	Dr. Quentin Jones
	Dr. Brian Whitworth
	Dr. Ephraim Glinert (NSF)
Dissertation Objectives:
Investigates users' multimodal usage strategies Comparing multimodal usage patterns of sighted users and visually impaired users Derive useful implications for designing non-visual multimodal interactions for visually impaired users and for non-visual interaction applications for sighted users
Expected Completion Date:	August 2006

  

State of the Art (SOTA) paper:

During the stage of searching for and determining my dissertation topic, I wrote a 177-page State of the Art paper (SOTA), which surveyed research areas related to designing non-visual multimodal interfaces. 

Click here to view the Table of Contents of my SOTA paper.

  

Research Projects:

February 2004 - present
Investigating User Interaction Patterns in a Non-Visual Multimodal Context 
 
This individual project researches both sighted and visually impaired users’ use of a non-visual multimodal speech and touch input mechanism coupled with auditory output. I designed and conducted lab experiments, video analysis, interviews, surveys, and quantitative analysis for user behavior modeling.

February 2004 - present
Designing a Gesture and Touch Input Mechanism on a PDA for the Visually Impaired
 
This team project aims to design a PDA system that allows visually impaired users to access newspapers, maps, music, calendar, address book, e-books, etc through touch and speech. My responsibilities include designing and conducting field studies and interviews, designing use scenarios, generating and comparing design alternatives, designing user interaction, and conducting formal usability evaluation.
 
September 2002 - October 2004
Designing a Non-Visual Multimodal Information Access on Desktop Computers
 
This team project designed and implemented a non-visual multimodal system for visually impaired users to access Web information. My responsibility included user research and requirement gathering, designing speech input and auditory output, directing implementation, designing and conducting usability evaluation.

September 2002 - December 2004
Surveying the State of the Art of Non-Visual Human-Computer Interaction Design
 
TDuring the stage of searching for and determining my dissertation topic, I did a comprehensive survey on theories, methodologies, research and practices in the field of non-visual human-computer interaction design. This individual research project produced a 200-page State of the Art paper.

September 2003 - December 2004
Evaluating an Online Chat System Used in Distance Learning
  
This two-person team project included two parts: 
- Investigating how synchronous communication via an online chat system affected distance-learning experience (in terms of students’ motivation to study, course material comprehension, and social presence)
- Evaluating the usability of an online chat system for distance learning using expert heuristic evaluation and problem severity rating. A list of functional and usability requirements for such systems was generated.

March 2001 - May 2001
Survey of Participatory Design in Software Lifecycle
 
This individual project thoroughly surveyed and compared methods for user involvement in the software development lifecycle.

   

Late update: June 12, 2006