VERITAS organised a successful 2nd User Forum in Nottingham on the 20th September 2011, with the participation of designers, developers and beneficiaries (people with disabilities, older people) from various European countries.

Below you can find the presentations that were made that day:

User Forum 2011

VERITAS organised a successful 2nd User Forum in Nottingham on the 20th September 2011, with the participation of designers, developers and beneficiaries (people with disabilities, older people) from various European countries.

Presentations:

• The VERITAS Project at a Glance
• VERITAS comments from 1st User Forum
• Introduction to task models

You will find below short interviews with some of the participants/stakeholders.

Interview with Ms. Adenike Pearse (Brunel University, UK) at VERITAS User Forum, 20th September 2011, Nottingham UK.

Interview with Ms. Qin Gao (Assistant professor at Tsinghua University, P.R.C.) at VERITAS User Forum, 20th September 2011, Nottingham UK.

Interview with Mr. Lino Brundu (Atlha Onlus of Milan, Italy) at VERITAS User Forum, 20th September 2011, Nottingham UK.

In addition, the project demonstrated some of the simulations via videos:

Video: Automotive – Pull Handbrake (dynamic, hard handbrake and easy handbrake)
Subjects: Normal & Elderly

This video describes a scenario where the designer performs accessibility evaluation of a car’s handbrake prototype for a fully capable user and an elderly user with limited force exertion capabilities. The designed prototype is evaluated via the framework by following step by step the a scenario containing four subtasks: a) locate the handbrake, b) reach it, c) grab it and d) pull it. Two different handbrake models were tested: the first had a resistance torque of 17Nm, which loosely speaking can be translated into lifting a weight of about 4.8kgr, while in the second the resistance was 6Nm (~1.7kgr).
The results of the simulation process showed that the normal user was able to perform the requested tasks in both prototypes. However, it was clearly revealed that were accessibility issues for the elderly user regarding the first handbrake: the user failed to complete the task because of his limited strength capabilities. However, when the resistance torque was reduced, the elderly user managed to complete the task.

Video: Workplace – Open Drawer (kinematic, drawer above desk and drawer below desk)
Subjects: Normal & User having Rheumatoid Arthritis on the left arm.

In these 2 videos, two different desk prototypes were evaluated: one having its drawers above the desk and one having them below. Two virtual user models were tested: normal user and user having rheumatoid arthritis on his left arm. The users asked to perform four tasks: a) locate the bottom drawer, b) reach its handle, c) grab it and d) pull the drawer.
The results of the simulation process clearly revealed accessibility issues of the rheumatoid arthritis user. More specifically, while the normal user performed successfully in both designs, the reumatoid arthritis user could not reach the drawer above the desk, because of his left arm’s limited range of motion. As it is shown, the impaired user managed to open the drawer when it was placed below the desk.

Video: Infotainment – Navigate to a visible location, Navigate to audio source. (Vision, Hearing)
Subjects: Normal & various Vision and Hearing impairments among which (colour blindess (3 kinds), Macular Degeneratio, Autitis, Otosclerosis, etc.)

This video demonstrates the scenario where the user wants to enter a 3D metaverse environment, in this case Second Life. The user must be able to acces both the 2D elements of the GUI but also to navigate the avatar inside the 3D space both towards visible locations but also to locations defined by distinct audio sources. The virtual user models that correspond to visual impairments demonstrated include Macular Degeneration, Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia, Cataract etc. and the virtual user models that correspond to hearing impairments Otosclerosis, Otitis, Presbycusis etc. while some virtual user models combining both types of impaiments are also used. The simulation of the effects of these impairments help the designer/developer of such an application to identify directly any accessibility problems in an interactive manner.

Below is the agenda for the forthcoming User forum on Tuesday 20th September from 13h00 till 17h00, hosted at Crown Plaza in Nottingham.

• 12.00 – 13.00 Sandwich lunch
• 13.00 – 13.10 Welcome and roundtable of participants AGE Platform Europe
• 13.10 – 13.40 The VERITAS project at a glance (Fraunhofer IAO)
• 13.40 – 14.00 Outcomes of the 1st User Forum (AGE Platform Europe)
• 14.00 – 14.30 Introducing the VERITAS task models – Demonstration of simulation environment (MCA & CERTH-HIT)
• 14.30 – 15.00 Coffee Break
• 15.00 – 16.00 Discussion in groups per application area (automotive, work and home environment, ehealth and infotainment) on the task models (Moderated by partners per application area and coordinated by MCA & CERTH-HIT)
• 16.00 – 16.45 Presentations in plenary on outcome of group discussions (Coordinated by AGE, MCA & CERTH-HIT)
• 16.45 – 17.00 Wrap-up and goodbye (AGE Platform Europe)

Following events are planned to take place in Nottingham, UK:

• Tuesday morning 20/09: Scientific Advisory Board meeting
• Tuesday afternoon 20/09: 2nd Pan-European VERITAS User Forum
• Wednesday morning 21/09: VUMS cluster meeting
• Wednesday afternoon 21/09: 2nd Pan-European VERTAS workshop at JVRC 2011

The next VERITAS User Forum entitled “Defining simulation task models for everyday solutions, designed for all”, takes place on Tuesday 20th September from 13h00 till 17h00, hosted at Crown Plaza in Nottingham.

This workshop is intended to attract:

• End-users (people with disabilities, older people);
• Designers from the automotive, home and working environment, ehealth, and infotainment area;
• Representatives from end-user organizations;
• Policy makers.

During this highly participative workshop you will be introduced to the VERITAS project, followed by a first demonstration of how accessible design can be simulated in the automotive, working and home environment. You will as such co-influence the project development and, through your input, expertise and feedback as users and designers of accessible solutions, ensure that the developed applications respond to real user needs

Main issues that will be addressed:

• The VERITAS project at a glance
• Outcomes of the 1st User Forum
• Introducing to the VERITAS task models – Demonstration users/task models simulation environment.
• Discussion in groups per application area on the task models
• Presentations in plenary on outcome of group discussions

The full agenda can be downloaded here (accessible pdf).

You are kindly invited to take part in this event. While access is free, places are limited. We therefore kindly ask you to register, using the below form.

Registration is now closed.

Dates: November 29-30, 2010
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Venue address: CVUT FEL, Technicka 2, Praha 6 – Dejvice, Czech Republic
Collocated events: VUMS clustering meeting, VERITAS Scientific Advisory Board meeting, 3rd VERITAS plenary meeting

Ensuring that all products developed in the car, home, work, healthcare and entertainment industry are accessible and designed for all, lies at the core of the VERITAS project. Through the development of virtual user models that can be inserted in simulation environments, any design elements that cause barriers for the beneficiaries (people with disabilities and older people) can be detected at the very beginning, thus allowing the designers to improve their initial design and make it inclusive.
The User Forum aims to bring together on the one hand the developers and designers, and on the other hand the beneficiaries of the developed products and services. The Workshop aims to gain momentum among all affected stakeholders from the aforementioned industries, while offering equally a stage for all involved designers and beneficiaries to discuss their needs with the industry. These events will also introduce already developed virtual user models, and demonstrate a first working prototype.

Program

29 November 2010 – VERITAS Scientific Advisory Board meeting

• 10:00 – 12:00 VERITAS SAB meeting

29 November 2010 – VERITAS User Forum

• 13:30 – 14:00 The VERITAS project at a glance (Fraunhofer IAO)
• 14:00 – 14:15 Why User Involvement is important (AGE Platform Europe)
• 14:15 – 15:00 Presentation of Use cases and user scenarios (HIT and MCA)
• 15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break
• 15:30 – 16:30 Discussion  (end users and beneficiaries) on generic use cases and user scenarios (Coordinated by HIT, AGE and MCA)
• 16:30 – 17:00 Conclusions (Coordinated by HIT, AGE and MCA)
• 17:00 Wrap-up and goodbye (AGE Platform Europe)

29 November 2010 – VUMS clustering meeting

• 13:30 – 17:00 VUMS clustering meeting (in parallel with User Forum)

30 November 2010 – 1st Pan-European VERITAS Workshop

• 9.00 – 9.15 Welcome speech Zbyněk Škvor (Vice-Dean of CVUT FEL)
• 9.15 – 9.30 Project overview Manfred Dangelmaier (FhG)
• 9.30 – 10.00 Technical project description Dimitrios Tzovaras (CERTH-ITI)
• 10.00 – 10.30 Examples from the Developers Nicola Cofelice (LMS), Hans Joachim Wirsching (HS)
• 10.30 – 11.00 Coffee break
• 11.00 – 11.30 User requirements Karel Van Isacker (MCA) / Benchmarking of existing tools  Nicola Cofelice (LMS)
• 11.30 – 12.00 Task analysis Karel Van Isacker (MCA)
• 12.00 – 13.00 Lunch break
• 13.00 – 13.30 Cognitive abstract user model Maria Fernanda Cabrera (UPM)
• 13.30 – 14.00 Abstract physical user model Mauro Da Lio (UNITN)
• 14.00 – 14.30 Psychological  and Behavioural Abstract user model Ana María Navarro Cerdá (ITACA)
• 14.30 – 15.00 Coffee break
• 15.00 – 15.45 Use cases  Eleni Chalkia (CERTH-HIT)
• 15.45 – 16.30 Invited speakers from the VUMS cluster (MyUI, GUIDE, VICON, VAALID)
• 16.30 – 17.00 VERITAS/VUMS Ethics Framework Karel Van Isacker (MCA)
• 17.00 – 17.30 Wrap-up and closing Manfred Dangelmaier (FhG) Dimitrios Tzovaras (CERTH-ITI)