Mastering the correct use of laboratory equipment is a fundamental skill for undergraduate science students involved in laboratory-based training. However, hands-on laboratory time is often limited, and remote students may struggle as their absence from the physical lab limits their skill development. An air displacement micropipette was selected for this investigation, as accuracy and correct technique are essential in generating reliable assay data. Handling small liquid volumes demands hand dexterity and practice to achieve proficiency. This research assesses the importance of tactile authenticity during training by faithfully replicating the micropipette's key physical and operational characteristics. We developed a custom haptic training approach called 'Smart Pipette' which promotes accurate operation and enhances laboratory dexterity training. A comparative user study with 34 participants evaluated the effectiveness of the Smart Pipette custom haptic device against training with off-the-shelf hardware, specifically the Quest VR hand controller, which was chosen because it is held mid-air similar to a laboratory micropipette. Both training conditions are integrated with the same self-paced virtual simulation displayed on a computer screen, offering audiovisual instructions and real-time guidance. Results demonstrated that participants trained with the Smart Pipette custom haptic exhibited increased accuracy and precision while making fewer errors than those trained with off-the-shelf hardware. The Smart Pipette and the Quest VR controller had no significant differences in cognitive load or system usability scores. Tactile authentic interaction devices address challenges faced by online learners, while their applicability extends to traditional classrooms, where real-time feedback significantly enhances overall training performance outcomes.

This research explores various Augmented Reality (AR) annotations for supporting performance and decision-making in a time-critical task. The task was designed in collaboration with defence contacts to mimic a command and control scenario, requiring rapid decisions under time pressure. A set of annotations was derived from previous literature, and modifications were made to suit the tasking requirements. The annotations chosen were based on their level of abstraction from least to most abstract: Animations, StickyNotes, Icons, and Highlights. The study compared five conditions (Animations, StickyNotes, Icons, Highlights, and no annotations) for their effectiveness in supporting performance and decision-making in a time-critical task. StickyNotes was found to be the most effective for supporting performance. The study’s results also identify that annotations for assisting with time-critical tasking should be easy and quick to understand, contain sufficient complexity, and not be too abstract in detail.

Data videos are a highly impactful method of communication and are becoming a prevalent medium for communicating information. While the majority of current research focuses on the cinematic aspects of data videos, very little is known about the narrative methodologies involved. This paper presents our insights derived from an initial exploration of this area. We present a taxonomy based on the analysis of 70 existing data videos examining their narrative and visual approaches. We propose that our taxonomy can be used to explain the characteristics or design of data videos. Applying this taxonomy, we present our observations, including the trend of popular technologies applied in current data videos, the under-utilization of promising methods, and highlight research opportunities in the field.

This paper investigates the use of Spatial Augmented Reality in the prototyping of new human-machine interfaces, such as control panels or car dashboards. The prototyping system uses projectors to present the visual appearance of controls onto a mock-up of a product. Finger tracking is employed to allow real-time interactions with the controls. This technology can be used to quickly and inexpensively create and evaluate interface prototypes for devices. In the past, evaluating a prototype involved constructing a physical model of the device with working components such as buttons. We have conducted a user study to compare these two methods of prototyping and to validate the use of spatial augmented reality for rapid iterative interface prototyping. Participants of the study were required to press pairs of buttons in sequence and interaction times were measured. The results indicate that while slower, users can interact naturally with projected control panels.

Techniques of cartoon animation, when applied to the interface, provide the user with greater visual cues, and convey a feeling of substance to the objects being manipulated. The paper describes the effects used to animate many of the interactions in a structured graphical editor. The editor is used as a tool in a visual parallel programming environment and provides a new large application to test the effectiveness of the concept of animated direct manipulation. Also described are the implementation issues in order to provide animated graphical feedback for direct manipulation.