Browsing by Author "Zhao, Haixia"
Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Dynamic Query Chloropleth Maps for Information Seeking and Decision Making (2003)(2005) Norman, Kent L.; Zhao, Haixia; Shneiderman, Ben; Golub, Evan; ISRInformation retrieval and visualization can be combined in dynamic query systems that allow users unparalleled access to information for decision making. In this paper, we report on the development and evaluation of a dynamic query system (YMap) that displays information on a chloropleth map using double thumb sliders to select ranges of query variables. The YMap prototype is a Java-Applet that supports panning and zooming. Several usability studies were conducted on early prototypes that resulted in the current version. Applications of YMap for decision making tasks are discussed.Item ļ Hear the Patternļ ļ Interactive Sonification of Geographical Data Patterns (2004)(2005) Zhao, Haixia; Plaisant, Catherine; Shneiderman, Ben; ISRIn this paper we describe our investigation of using interactive sonification (non-speech sound) to present the geographical distribution pattern of statistical data to vision impaired users. We first discuss the design space in the dimensions of interaction actions, data representation forms, input devices, navigation structures, and sound feedback encoding. Two interfaces have been designed according to the design space, one using a keyboard and another using a smooth surface touch tablet. A study with three blind users shows that they are able to perceive patterns of 5-category values on both familiar and unknown maps, and learn new map geography, in both interfaces.Item 'I Hear the Pattern' ļ Interactive Sonification of Geographical Data Patterns (2004)(2005) Zhao, Haixia; Plaisant, Catherine; Shneiderman, Ben; ISRIn this paper we describe our investigation of using interactive sonification (non-speech sound) to present the geographical distribution pattern of statistical data to vision impaired users. We first discuss the design space in the dimensions of interaction actions, data representation forms, input devices, navigation structures, and sound feedback encoding. Two interfaces have been designed according to the design space, one using a keyboard and another using a smooth surface touch tablet. A study with three blind users shows that they are able to perceive patterns of 5-category values on both familiar and unknown maps, and learn new map geography, in both interfaces.Item Image-based highly interactive Web mapping for geo-referenced data publishing(2003-01-21) Zhao, Haixia; Shneiderman, BenThis paper describes an image-based technique that enables highly interactive Web choropleth maps for geo-referenced data publishing and visual exploration. Geographic knowledge is encoded into raster images and delivered to the client, instead of in vector formats. Differing from traditional raster-image-based approaches that are static and allow very little user interaction, it allows varieties of sub-second fine-grained interface controls such as dynamic query, dynamic classification, geographic object data identification, user setting adjusting, as well as turning on/off layers, panning and zooming, with no or minimum server support. Compared to Web GIS approaches that are based on vector geographic data, this technique has the features of short initial download time, near-constant performance scalability for larger numbers of geographic objects, and download-map-segment-only-when-necessary which potentially reduces the overall data transfer over the network. As a result, it accommodates general public users with slow modem network connections and low-end machines, as well as users with fast T-1 connections and fast machines. The client-side (browser) is implemented as light-weight Java applets. YMap, an easy-to-use, user-task-oriented highly interactive mapping tool prototype for visual geo-referenced data exploration is implemented using this technique. (UMIACS-TR-2003-02) (HCIL-TR-2002-26)Item Image-Based Highly Interactive Web Mapping for Geo-Referenced Data Publishing (2002)(2005) Zhao, Haixia; Shneiderman, Ben; ISRThis paper describes an image-based technique that enables highly interactive Web choropleth maps for geo-referenced data publishing and visual exploration. Geographic knowledge is encoded into raster images and delivered to the client, instead of in vector formats. Differing from traditional raster-imagebased approaches that are static and allow very little user interaction, it allows varieties of sub-second fine-grained interface controls such as dynamic query, dynamic classification, geographic object data identification, user setting adjusting, as well as turning on/off layers, panning and zooming, with no or minimum server support. Compared to Web GIS approaches that are based on vector geographic data, this technique has the features of short initial download time, near-constant performance scalability for larger numbers of geographic objects, and download-map-segment-only-when-necessary which potentially reduces the overall data transfer over the network. As a result, it accommodates general public users with slow modem network connections and low-end machines, as well as users with fast T-1 connections and fast machines. The client-side (browser) is implemented as light-weight Java applets. YMap, an easy-to-use, user-task-oriented highly interactive mapping tool prototype for visual georeferenced data exploration is implemented using this technique.Item Improving Accessibility and Usability of Geo-referenced Statistical Data(2003-06-04) Zhao, Haixia; Plaisant, Catherine; Shneiderman, BenSeveral technology breakthroughs are needed to achieve the goals of universal accessibility and usability. These goals are especially challenging in the case of geo-referenced statistical data that many U.S. government agencies supply. We present technical and user-interface design challenges in accommodating users with low-end technology (slow network connection and low-end machine) and users who are blind or vision-impaired. Our solutions are presented and future work is discussed. (UMIACS-TR-2003-37) (HCIL-2003-11)Item Improving Accessibility and Usability of Geo-referenced Statistical Data (2003)(2005) Zhao, Haixia; Plaisant, Catherine; Shneiderman, Ben; ISRSeveral technology breakthroughs are needed to achieve the goals of universal accessibility and usability. These goals are especially challenging in the case of geo-referenced statistical data that many U.S. government agencies supply. We present technical and user-interface design challenges in accommodating users with low-end technology (slow network connection and low-end machine) and users who are blind or vision-impaired. Our solutions are presented and future work is discussed.Item Interactive Sonification of Abstract Data - Framework, Design Space, Evaluation, and User Tool(2006-04-24) Zhao, Haixia; Shneiderman, Ben; Computer Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)For people with visual impairments, sound is an important information channel. The traditional accommodation for visually impaired users to access data is to rely on screen readers to speak the data in tabular forms. While speech can accurately describe information, such data presentation tends to be long and hard to realize complex information. This is particularly true in exploratory data analysis in which users often need to examine the data from different aspects. Sonification, the use of non-speech sound, has shown to help data comprehension. Previous data sonifications focus on data to sound attribute mapping and typically lack support for task-oriented data interaction. This dissertation makes four contributions. (1) An Action-by-Design-Component (ADC) framework guides auditory interface designs for exploratory data analysis. The framework characterizes data interaction in the auditory mode as a set of Auditory Information Seeking Actions (AISA). It also discusses design considerations for a set of Design Components to support AISAs, contrasted with actions in visualizations. (2) Applying the framework to geo-referenced statistical data, I explore its design space. Through user evaluations, effective design options were identified and insights were obtained regarding human ability to perceive complex information, especially those with spatial structures, from interactive sounds. (3) A tool, iSonic, was developed, with synchronized visual and auditory displays. Forty-two hours of case studies with seven blind users show that iSonic enables them to effectively explore data in highly coordinated map and table views without special devices, to find facts and discover data trends even in unfamiliar geographical contexts. Preliminary algorithms are also described to automatically generate geographical region spatial sweep orders for arbitrary maps. (4) The application to geo-referenced data demonstrated that the ADC framework provided a rich set of task-oriented actions (AISAs) that were effective for blind users to accomplish complex tasks with multiple highly coordinated data views. It also showed that some widely used techniques in visualization can adapt to the auditory mode. By applying the framework to scatterplots and line graphs, I show that the framework could be generalized and lead to the design of a unified auditory workspace for general exploratory data analysis.Item Listening to Maps: User Evaluation of Interactive Sonifications of Geo-Referenced Data (2004)(2005) Zhao, Haixia; Smith, Benjamin K.; Norman, Kent L.; Plaisant, Catherine; Shneiderman, Ben; ISRIn this paper, we summarize the Auditory Information Seeking Principle (AISP) (gist, navigate, filter, and details-ondemand). To improve blind access to geo-referenced statistical data, we developed several interactive sonifications, adhering to the above AISP. Two user studies are presented. In the first user study with nine sighted subjects, a preliminary map design is compared with an enhanced table design. The study shows subjects can recognize geographic data distribution patterns on a real map with 51 geographic regions, in both designs. The map-based design was strongly preferred. The study also shows evidence that AISP conforms to peopleļ³ information seeking strategies. Based on the observations from the first user study, a second user study was conducted with forty-eight sighted subjects comparing four map designs. The effects of using sound to encode vertical geographic positions and two map navigation methods were compared. The result is presented and future work is discussed.