The GUIDE project aims to create tools to help Connected TV developers integrate accessibility and personalization features for elderly users. It provides automatic adaptation of user interfaces, such as gesture and voice control, to users' impairments and preferences. A virtual user simulation allows developers to test designs "through the eyes" of elderly users. The project focuses on Connected TV platforms and develops example applications to simplify daily life for elderly citizens.

1. GUIDE – CONNECTED TV FOR THE ELDERLY
Developer tools for automatic user interface adaptation
and simulation-based user-centred design
The European project GUIDE (“Gentle user interfaces for elderly people”) creates a software
framework and design tools for Connected TV developers to support them in efficiently
integrating accessibility and personalisation features into their applications and services.
GUIDE provides automatic multi-modal integration and adaptation of
various legacy and next-generation user interface technologies, such as
gesture interaction, voice control, avatars, second screen multi-touch
devices and gyroscopic remote controls. A virtual user simulation
software supports the developer at design-time, providing a view
“through the eyes” of a user, by simulating vision-, hearing-, motor-,
and cognitive impairments as well as interaction scenarios. GUIDE-
enabled applications and services can automatically adapt their user
interface to the specific impairments and preferences of elderly users.
The project puts a dedicated focus on the emerging Connected TV
platforms and services (Internet-connected Digital TVs, Set-Top
Boxes). GUIDE develops a set of references applications (home
automation, video conferencing, tele-learning, media access) that
can help elderly citizens to simplify their daily life, stay connected in
their social network and enhance their understanding of the world.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
www.guide-project.eu
Modal Input Modal Output
Transformation Transformation
CONTACT: Video
Speech Click! content Rendering,
Project coordination: Christoph Jung | Fraunhofer-Institut für Graphische Datenverarbeitung IGD | Fraunhoferstrasse 5, Commands Adaptive GUI
Multimodal Output Fission
select! Components
D-64283 Darmstadt | Tel: +49 6151 155-614 Fax: +49 6151 155-480 | E-mail: christoph.jung@igd.fraunhofer.de
Multimodal Input Fusion
Remote Control: content Audio
Buttons & Rendering
Gyroscopic select! ICT
BRIDGING THE GAPS Application
Logic
content
Visual Haptic
Gestures select! Feedback
■
Technical barriers: Connected TV services are not easy to use for elderly people. Many people
still are not able to connect their device to the internet. Adaptive content Speech
Multi-Touch Guidance/
■
Awareness: There is still lack of awareness and acceptance of accessibility in the industry. Control select! Avatars
■
Cost: User-centred design is costly and time-consuming, due to user involvement.
Development of user interfaces for heterogeneous user groups with individual preferences Multimodal Adaptation
and capabilities is not feasible.
User
■
Accessibility APIs: Software support and assistive technologies are there, but do not support Simulation
User Model
and Profile The GUIDE Principle
automatic personalisation and adaptation.
■
Design support: Existing design guidelines do not specifically address Connected TV scenarios ■
User Interface Adaptation Framework: This software framework supports applications at run-time.
and multi-modal interaction design. User simulation is still widely unknown in the industry. It integrates various types of user interface technologies, ranging from remote control, free-hands
and gesture control and speech control to avatars and second screen devices. The framework
performs automatic multi-modal adaptation (in terms of selection, configuration and “weighting”
Elderly society
organisations Wider public
audience
of individual modalities in concurrent use) of user interfaces to the impairments and preferences
Public authorities of elderly users. The GUIDE Framework is being developed for multiple platforms and can be
Connected installed on legacy and future Connected TV platforms, and integrates with legacy applications
TV / STB
Assistive manufacturers by implementing a simple communication protocol through the GUIDE JavaScript API.
technology
developers ■
User Simulator: The GUIDE virtual user simulation software allows developers to perceive their
develop UI and applications “through the eyes” of a virtual user. The software simulates vision,
Connected TV
application hearing, cognition and motor functions of elderly users with ageing-related impairments. The
Research developers
community use of the simulator shall allow to identify design problems early, and thereby decrease the need
of human resources in the user-centred design process, reducing cost and time.
Connected TV / TV service & content
■
User Model Standards: GUIDE is developing a novel user model that reflects impairments and
STB middleware providers preferences of elderly people.The user model is an enabling technology for multi-modal adaptation
developers
in the GUIDE Framework and the GUIDE Simulator. In the European VUMS cluster (“Virtual User
Modelling & Simulation”, http://www.vums-cluster.eu) GUIDE performs joint development
User interface Standardisation
technology
Web browser bodies activities to derive a common inter-operable user model standard on an international level.
developers
developer ■
Developer Web Portal: The GUIDE “Handbook” will be a web portal dedicated to Connected
TV developers. It shall support the industry in reaching the elderly society with their products
and create awareness for e-Accessibility among European DTV developers. It provides access to
APPROACH relevant user-centred design knowledge for application developers, service operators and device
manufacturers, for example guidelines, regulation, events, as well documentation of the GUIDE
The GUIDE project will support the Connected TV industry with software tools and knowledge Framework.
to make their services better accessible by elderly users. To achieve this GUIDE follows a user- ■
User Interface Technologies: The GUIDE UI components (remote control, free-hands & gesture
centred design approach, which involves elderly users at all stages of the project development.
control, speech recognition and synthesis, avatars, multi-touch tablet PC) being developed in the
Through user modelling GUIDE software can create individual profiles of users, representing
project will be used in the user trials in the project and demonstrate the feasibility of the GUIDE
both preferences and capabilities. This knowledge can be used in a multi-modal adaptation
multi-modal adaptation approach. Furthermore, some of the components will be distributed
process, where the user interface is automatically configured to meet the needs of the user,
together with the GUIDE Framework as open source, to serve as development examples.
based on the profile and contextual information. In User Simulation the profiles are used to
render a UI for the developer, that reflects the effect of impairments and diseases of a possible
■
Applications: The GUIDE applications (home automation, media access, video conferencing and
real end user. tele-learning) will be developed by strong end user involvement. They have been selected as valid
use cases for improving social inclusion, assisted living and continuous learning of elderly users.
The applications will validate the feasibility of GUIDE concepts for developers, and will partially
GUIDE is member of the European VUMS cluster (Virtual User Modelling & Simulation)
be distributed with the GUIDE Framework as development examples.
The project has received funding from the
European Commission’s Seventh Framework
Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Consortium:
Agreement no. 248893.