Over 70 students have enrolled for the HCI discipline within the Master on Software Engineering and Master of Computational Linguistics course at the A.I. Cuza University.
Led by Dr. Sabin Buraga, the teams of students are tackling solutions from a list of HCI projects is focused on several topics of interest as proposed by the Mozilla Labs Student Outreach initiative.
Background
The Human-Computer Interaction course (available since 2000) provides a comprehensible vision of the user interface design aspects and the user-computer interaction types. During the semester (16 weeks long), the students are involved in designing ergonomic and attractive interfaces for specific types of users, applications, platforms, and devices, including Web and mobile ones.
Among the topics already discussed, we can mention: human factor, design models and methodologies, information architecture, design patterns, model-based user interaction, and emotion-oriented systems.
Evaluation of Projects
This year, the evaluation procedure consists of:
- Midterm assessment: From the primary design to wireframing & storytelling of the proposed practical project; [completed]
- Final assessment: From prototype to concrete implementation; [in progress]
- Lab activity: Student’s involvement during the laboratory, plus contribution and/or participation to the HCI-related events — e.g. workshops, conferences, contests, other major public projects;
The HCI course team also includes two teacher assistants:
- Ecaterina Moraru (née Valica): Currently Interaction Designer at XWiki, honored with Best in Class by Mozilla Labs for the Design Challenge, Spring 2009. Also, Ecaterina is the author of a very useful collection of interaction design patterns.
- Stefan Negru: PhD student having research interests in HCI, affective computing, physical computing, and organic computing.
Project Proposals
After the completion of midterm assessments, be sure to check out some of the highly rated projects:
- Patient Eye Tracking Interface by Adriana Florea, Emanuela Boros, Alexandru Metzak, Alexandru Ginsca
Due to the large number of patients with various motor and speech impediments or paralysis, the medical staff has developed a system that helps them communicate with these kinds of patients. The system is based on the movement of a patient’s eyes and eyelids. For example, the medical staff wants to determine where the pain is on a patient’s body. The patients using eye or eyelid movement can answer a series of questions addressed by the medical staff. The medical staff needs a team of developers to propose an implementation of this system on a mobile device: tablet or smartphone. - Blind Beethoven by Marina Cufliuc, Cristian Dragusanu, Andreea Iuga and Petronela Stan
In a parallel universe, Ludwig van Beethoven is born in an era where ubiquitous computing is highly developed. Over time, he lost his sight, but he can still compose and play the piano and also recognize several musical scores. However, he will enjoy to use a device to help him to compose music, including to manage different versions of a certain musical work, and/or navigate on the Web (e.g., for example, to share his musical preferences with Franz Schubert or Goethe on Last.fm). Propose a working prototype for an application – to be deployed on at least 2 different devices – that helps Beethoven. - Social Trivia by Mihai Sterpu, Dumitru Emciuc, Cristian Ursache, Cristina Tanase
Imagine a series of serious games which test the user knowledge regarding the Web history and evolution, starting with 1990. Propose a multilingual trivia system based on services provided by a social Web platform such as Facebook or Twitter. - My Web Browser by Roxana Boicu, Dorin Solomon, Anda Turcanu, Alexandra Mihu
Provide an innovative solution for a better interaction between very busy people and their favorite browser. Consider factors like user profile (demographics, social status, background knowledge, preferences, mood,…), current agenda, environment, and other significant aspects. - Social Web Interaction by Andreea Stanciu, Ioana Schiopu, Alecsandru Grigoriu, Ioana Lazar
Imagine an innovative solution concerning the interaction with an actual social Web application (e.g., a social network platform like Facebook, a resource sharing Web system such as Delicious, Digg, Slideshare, Vimeo, etc.) by using new devices. For example, the users could employ Kinect or Wiimote devices and/or could use smartphones and tablets.
About A.I. Cuza
The Faculty of Computer Science is one of the 15th faculties of the oldest Romanian University A.I. Cuza University of Iasi (UAIC), Romania.
Encouraging excellency in study and research, the Faculty provides a high-level education in Computer Science, as well as a flexible and stimulative scientific environment.
About Dr. Sabin Buraga
At the Master of Science level, currently there is available a MSc program on Software Engineering which offer a course on Human-Computer Interaction taught by Dr. Sabin Buraga.
Sabin Buraga is an Associate Professor at UAIC having a wide research and teaching experience in Web Technologies and related fields, including human-computer interaction and social and semantic Web.
He achieved a PhD in Information Sciences (Cum Laude) and he (co)authored more than 80 papers (published by IEEE Press, Springer, AAAI Press, IOS Press, Elsevier, etc.) and 11 books, having more than 50 citations. He served many times as a member of research grants, program committees or/and organizing committees of different (inter)national scientific events, summer schools or student contests. He was involved in mentoring several student teams. He also has 7 years experience in the academic management as Chancellor and Vice-Dean.
What is Student Outreach?
It’s a Mozilla Labs Concept Series channel to give industry related experience exposure to students at global institutions – via co-created and collaborative Design (UX, UCD, HCI, IxD) courses.
We aim to directly work together to propose and structure a engaging course module that’s relevant to the institutions own goals, interests and timing schedules.
A number of globally located institutions are already collaborating with us on a number of interesting & challenging topics for 2011.
If you or your institution would like to get involved please contact Desigan Chinniah via email {dchinniah[at]mozilla[dot]com}