The PRECEPT Team has been working hard to create a study that can realistically be conducted face to face at NCSU this year.
We used last year to conduct the Force and and Motion Usability study and have been cleaning up the Simulation for the best possible user experience. With everything going on, we want to make sure we use our time wisely with participants and assure that the SIM being used is as user friendly as it can be. During the last year, the PERCEPT team has continued to work on the NSF Grant and will continue to move forward while following CDC and University guidelines for COVID-19.
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Because of COVID-19 regulations and restrictions put in place at NCSU, the first part of this year's study is being conducted online. The goal is to use this first part of the study as a usability test to ensure that, when we are able to test in person again, the simulation works well for the users.
Creating a simulation similar to the buoyancy study but placing it online (eliminating the haptic aspects for the time being) allows for us to test the usability of the simulation and ensure all HCI issues are accounted for and changed before moving on to in person testing. Part 1 of the study has also allowed us to focus on every detail of the study before sending it out as a full study and has led to making some changes that should result in a study that looks at many aspects of haptics, HESSs, and physics in general. Above is a picture created to show one of the main misconceptions in the assessments we are seeing. The red arrows are what students are using to show that the block would sink and then float back up to the surface to rest. This is showing the misunderstanding that the block itself is the force rather than the gravity and buoyancy playing a role on what the block is doing. To show a correct answer, the black arrows are more of what we are hoping to see.
So far, there has been some interesting, preliminary findings showing up in the study. It is being suggested that the combination of Haptic + Visual is resulting in a better Post assessment/better understanding of the material being explained. This is compared to Haptic or visual alone.
The hope is that this trend continues and we are able to see more of how beneficial having both Haptic feedback and visual aids on the screen are helping these participants understand on a deeper level what these themes and core concepts of buoyancy are truly about. One interesting thing, from a HCI perspective, is that almost no one is using the balance in the simulation. They are also not interacting with the Falcon as much as we had anticipated. These two factors have made it interesting to see how participants are able to gather enough information out of the simulation in order to correctly explain what's going on. This will be something to keep an eye on as we move forward. Scene 1
Interaction: Users select among various size (volume) spheres that are all made of the same material (thus the same density). Idea: Density is an intensive property of matter and a change is size alone does not change the object’s density or ability to sink or float (buoyancy). Scene 2 Interaction: Users make selections on two dimensions, size (volume) & material (mass). The densities of the three materials vary as depicted by the varying shades (light=low density; dark=high density). Idea: One must consider both the size (volume) of an object & the mass of an object to determine if it will sink or float. The density of an object is the ratio of its mass to volume. Scene 3 Interaction: Users can change the object on two dimensions, material (mass) & its shape. The densities of the three materials vary as depicted by the varying shades (light=low density; dark=high density). Idea: The shape of the object does impact its ability to float. If an object displaces a volume of water that has a mass that is greater than the mass of the object itself then it will float. Archimedes’ principle states that any object completely or partially submerged in a fluid at rest is acted upon by an upward, or buoyant, force the magnitude of which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. If the buoyant force is greater than the gravitational force, the object floats. [Note: I think we need a shape that allows a “sinker” to float...still pushing for a “boat shape...] Scene 4 Interaction: Users can vary both the density of the object & the density of the liquid it is placed in. The densities of both object & liquid are depicted with varying shades (light=low density; dark=high density). Idea: One must also consider the density of the liquid in relation to the density of the object to determine if it will sink or float. If the density of the liquid increases than the volume of the displaced volume has to be smaller in order to give the same buoyancy force. Scene 5 Interaction: Users can vary both the density of the liquid & the amount (volume) of the liquid that the object is placed in. Idea: The amount (volume) of the liquid does not impact an object’s sinking or floating. Sinkers sink & floaters float regardless of how liquid it is placed in. Scene 6 Sandbox where users can interact with all of the dimensions presented in the previous scenes. Added 7.26 Meniscus added to highlight water displacement. Displaced water in the container is shown in a different color to highlight water displacement. Different container shape options are available to highlight that the shape of the container does not impact whether an object floats or sinks. Visualizations of the displaced liquid and the submerged object are shown on a balance scale (upper right corner). The object (left side of scale), displaced liquid (right side of scale), and their force arrows change in size and appearance according to the settings selected through the option menu. The scale tilts to either side, or remains balanced, depending on the weight of the object and displaced liquid. Users have the ability to “feel” the weight of the object or displaced liquid by picking them up off the scale. “Ghost” versions of the grabbed object remain on the scale to make it clear that the grabbed object’s weight is still being compared to the other object. In the upcoming weeks, the team will be meeting with our advisory board to show what we have been working on for the last seven months.
James, David, Tabitha, Emily, and Kern are looking forward to each sharing what they have accomplished and what they will be working on as the new school year begins. Some key accomplishments include a successful focus group with feedback, a new design for the Falcon, and pilot testing to set up a study for the Fall. Currently, Tabitha and Kern are running pilot testing and will soon be running participant testing for the newer design of the buoyancy simulation. Feedback from this study will lead to a final simulation design that will be testing this Fall.
NCSU and Davidson will be running parallels of this study at the same time during the first few months and will come together to review the results. |
Our team's blogHere are a few things we have been working on! Archives
September 2021
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