Human Computer Interaction Institute
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Handhelds in the Automobile:
The Denali Navigation System
Brad A. Myers
bam@cs.cmu.edu
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles
General Idea
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How can a handheld augment the
operation of an automobile?
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Not just using a PDA while in a car
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PDA augments and
interoperates with car
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Not for driving
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Examples:
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Setting functions, controls
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Specifying destination for navigation systems
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
2
Pebbles Project
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This research is part of the Pebbles project
Overall goal: investigate use of handhelds
at the same time as PCs and other
computerized devices
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“Multi-Machine User Interfaces”
Assumption: handhelds will frequently be in
close interactive communication with each
other and other computers

Brad Myers
Wireless and wired technologies
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
3
Other Domains for Pebbles
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Also created applications to study use of
PDAs in:
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Brad Myers
Classrooms
Offices
Meeting rooms
Command Post of the Future
Homes
For the Handicapped
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
4
Personal Universal Controller

Two-way communication

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Appliance describes its functions
Personal Universal Controller then:
 Automatically creates user interface
 Controls the appliance
 Displays feedback about appliance status
Specifications
Control
Feedback
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
5
Current PUC Specification Language
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XML
Full documentation for the
specification language
and protocol
Has been used to specify
many appliances

Brad Myers
Stereo, MP3 player,
camera, VCR, room lights,
elevator, etc.
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
6
Previously Reported
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Modeling the
GMC Yukon Denali
SUV
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Brad Myers
Has a sophisticated
Driver Information
Console system
Three-zone HVAC system
LCD screen-based navigation system
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
7
Simulator
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Navigation System
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50+ screens covering most navigation features
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Brad Myers
Limited direct interaction with the map (e.g. scrolling)
Based on interacting with real device
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
8
Navigation Simulator, cont.
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
9
New Work
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More parts of the Navigation Simulator
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Specification of the Navigation System’s
functions in XML

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Audio functions
Various settings
Exercises advanced features of PUC
specification language
Automatic generation of (parts of) Navigation
System on PocketPCs
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
10
Future Work
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Future Work on Simulator
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Simulate XM radio

Conduct a comparison user study
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Similar to our previous comparison study
Measure time/errors for users using both the physical
unit and handheld remote control
Automatic generation with user consistency
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
11
Human Computer Interaction Institute
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Text Input Using EdgeWrite
Brad A. Myers
bam@cs.cmu.edu
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles
Input while physically unstable


GM has sponsored research and patent on a
new text entry technique called EdgeWrite™
First aimed at people with motor impairments
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Unable to make Graffiti or Jot gestures
Physical edges provide physical stability
Instability might be a property of the
environment, not just the person
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Brad Myers
e.g., on a bus, while walking, or in a car
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
13
Stylus EdgeWrite™
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Move along plastic edges inside square hole
Recognition based on order corners are hit
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OK if the path is jittery
No need for:
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Brad Myers
Shift or caps lock
Separate areas for
numbers and letters
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
14
Character Chart
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Three subsets:
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Brad Myers
Alphanumerics
(e.g., abc, 123)
Punctuation
(e.g., !?#$*)
Extended
characters
(e.g., ®¶Øç)
144 characters
with 306 forms
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
15
Stylus EdgeWrite™ Results
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After 15 minutes of practice, able-bodied novices:
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18% more accurate than Graffiti
About the same in speed (~7 WPM with each)
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Note: Tasks included numbers and punctuation
Motor-impaired users were vastly more accurate
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Brad Myers
22/72 in Graffiti, 68/72 in EdgeWrite (Parkinson’s)
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
16
Joystick EdgeWrite™
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Could be useful for game consoles, mobile
phones, or on power wheelchairs
Compared EdgeWrite to Date Stamp and
Selection Keyboard
Tested with unmodified COTS joystick
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
17
Touchpad EdgeWrite™
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Use elevated edges around a Synaptics
touchpad
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
Brad Myers
May be easier for people with motor impairments
Maybe mount on the steering wheel or arm-rest?
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
18
Touchpad Pilot Study
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Two factors
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Output visible
Touchpad visible
Touchpad visibility
a complete nonfactor!
Not seeing output
doesn’t degrade
performance very
much
18
16
14
12
10
Neither
Touchpad
Output
Both
8
6
4
2
0
WPM
Error %
One subject: 22.61 WPM (maximum)
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
19
New!
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Using Joystick on Wheelchair
Custom hardware and
software to interface
to commercial joystick
Informally evaluated with 7
disabled power-wheelchair users


Brad Myers
6 with Cerebral Palsy, 1 with Multiple Sclerosis
Compared to on-screen keyboard and using
EdgeWrite on a touchpad
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
20
Results
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Touchpad worked better
than wheelchair joystick
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
21
EdgeWrite.com
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Download EdgeWrite software
Find abridged and full character charts
Find publications
Order plastic templates
See http://www.edgewrite.com/ or
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~edgewrite/

Same web site
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
22
Future EdgeWrite™ work

Mouse/text disambiguation on touchpad

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Keyboard/mouse replacement for
people with disabilities
Custom (non-commercial) joystick
implementation
Cell phone implementation
More user tests!
Brad Myers
Talk for General Motors – 4/02/04
23
Human Computer Interaction Institute
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Brad A. Myers
bam@cs.cmu.edu
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles