Using Genetic Algorithms to Design an Optimized Keyboard Layout for Brazilian Portuguese

Currently, keyboards are the most common means of communicating with computers. Despite being the most commonly used keyboard layout, QWERTY has had various issues raised concerning its effectiveness, as it is not efficient in English (target language) or in fact other languages. Therefore, this paper presents the development process of a Genetic Algorithm with the intention of generating a more adequate and coherent layout proposal for Brazilian Portuguese, which has its focus on ergonomics and user productivity. Using five ergonomic criteria and a statistical analysis of the characters and sequences of most frequently used pairs in Brazilian Portuguese, a layout approximately 53% better than QWERTY was obtained.

A Comparison of Near-Field Gesture, Touch, and Mouse Input

Near-field gesture (NFG) is an input method that involves in-air gesticulation. Increasingly, system designers must decide whether to employ it or a more traditional method such as touch-or mouse-based input. Existing comparisons of NFG-, touch-, and mouse-based input had several noteworthy limitations. The present experiment compared NFG-, touch-, and mouse-based input in such a way as to avoid the limitations that were present in existing comparisons. The results indicated that NFG-based input led to a) worse user productivity, b) lower general comfort, c) lower preference ratings, and d) lower usability ratings than touch-and mouse-based input. These results suggest that designers must carefully weigh whether the benefits associated with NFG-based input, e.g., interacting with the system without physical contact, outweigh its costs. Further, they suggest future research such as investigating ways to reduce the fatigue associated with NFG-based input.

A Domain-Specific Language for High-Level Parallelization

There are several ongoing research efforts in the High Performance Computing (HPC) domain that are employing Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) as the means of augmenting end-user productivity. A discussion on some of the research efforts that can positively impact the end-user productivity without negatively impacting the application performance is presented in this chapter. An overview of the process of developing a DSL for specifying parallel computations, called High-Level Parallelization Language (Hi-PaL), is presented along with the metrics for measuring its impact. A discussion on the future directions in which the DSL-based approaches can be applied in the HPC domain is also included.