Ultra-low-power ring-based wireless tinymouseWireless mouse rings offer subtle, reliable pointing interactions for wearable computing platforms. However, the small battery below 27 mAh in the miniature rings restricts the ring's continuous lifespan to just 1-10 hours, because even low-powered wireless communication such as BLE is power-consuming for ring's continuous use. The ring's short lifespan frequently disrupts users' mouse use with the need for frequent charging. This paper presents picoRing mouse, enabling a continuous ring-based mouse interaction with ultra-low-powered ring-to-wristband wireless connectivity. picoRing mouse employs a coil-based impedance sensing named semi-passive inductive telemetry, allowing a wristband coil to capture a unique frequency response of a nearby ring coil via a sensitive inductive coupling between the coils. The ring coil converts the corresponding user's mouse input into the unique frequency response via an up to 449 uW mouse-driven modulation system. Therefore, the continuous use of picoRing mouse can last approximately 600 (8hrs use/day)-1000 (4hrs use/day) hours on a single charge of a 27 mAh battery while supporting subtle thumb-to-index scrolling and pressing interactions in real-world wearable computing situations.2025YLDongchi Li et al.Foot & Wrist InteractionContext-Aware ComputingUIST
FlexEar-Tips: Shape-Adjustable Ear Tips Using Pressure ControlWe introduce FlexEar-Tips, a dynamic ear tip system designed for the next-generation hearables. The ear tips are controlled by an air pump and solenoid valves, enabling size adjustments for comfort and functionality. FlexEar-Tips includes an air pressure sensor to monitor ear tip size, allowing it to adapt to environmental conditions and user needs. In the evaluation, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the size control accuracy and the minimum amount of variability of haptic perception in the user's ear. We then evaluated the user's ability to identify patterns in the haptic notification system, the impact on the music listening experience, the relationship between the size of the ear tips and the sound localization ability, and the impact on the reduction of humidity in the ear using a model. We proposed new interaction modalities for adaptive hearables and discussed health monitoring, immersive auditory experiences, haptics notifications, biofeedback, and sensing.2025TATakashi Amesaka et al.Keio University, Lifestyle Computing LabHaptic WearablesShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsCHI
Paragraph-based Faded Text Facilitates Reading ComprehensionWe propose a new text layout that facilitates reading comprehension. By sequentially fading out characters sentence-by-sentence from the beginning of each paragraph, we highlight the paragraph structure of the entire text and the relative positions of the sentences. To evaluate the effectiveness of the paragraph-based faded text in a reading comprehension, we measure the comprehension, eye movements, and recognition for both the proposed method and a conventional standard method. In the proposed method, rates of correct answers to text comprehension questions are improved. Moreover, the proposed method leads to slower reading speeds and better recognition rates for the first sentences of paragraphs, which are displayed in a relatively thicker mode. With the paragraph-based faded text, the reader is naturally facilitated to pay attention to the first sentence of each paragraph, suggesting that this reading style could result in a more accurate text comprehension.2019JKJumpei Kobayashi et al.Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. & Future University HakodateCognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Visualization Perception & CognitionCHI
Exploring Factors that Influence Connected Drivers to (Not) Use or Follow Recommended Optimal RoutesNavigation applications are becoming ubiquitous in our daily navigation experiences. With the intention to circumnavigate congested roads, their route guidance always follows the basic assumption that drivers always want the fastest route. However, it is unclear how their recommendations are followed and what factors affect their adoption. We present the results of a semi-structured qualitative study with 17 drivers, mostly from the Philippines and Japan. We recorded their daily commutes and occasional trips, and inquired into their navigation practices, route choices and on-the-fly decision-making. We found that while drivers choose a recommended route in urgent situations, many still preferred to follow familiar routes. Drivers deviated because of a recommendation's use of unfamiliar roads, lack of local context, perceived driving unsuitability, and inconsistencies with realized navigation experiences. Our findings and implications emphasize their personalization needs, and how the right amount of algorithmic sophistication can encourage behavioral adaptation.2019BSBriane Paul V. Samson et al.De La Salle University & Future University HakodateRecommender System UXPublic Transit & Trip PlanningCHI
Effects of Viewing Multiple Viewpoint Videos on Metacognition of Collaborative ExperiencesThis paper discusses the effects of multiple viewpoint videos for metacognition of experiences. We present a system for recording multiple users' collaborative experiences by wearable and environmental sensors, and another system for viewing multiple viewpoint videos automatically identified and extracted to associate to individual users. We designed an experiment to compare the metacognition of one's own experience between those based on memory and those supported by video viewing. The experimental results show that metacognitive descriptions related to one's own mind, such as feelings and preferences, are possible regardless whether a person is viewing videos, but such episodic descriptions as the content of someone's utterance and what s/he felt associated with it are strongly promoted by video viewing. We conducted another experiment where the same participants did identical metacognitive description tasks about half a year after the previous experiment. Through the experiments, we found the first-person view video is mostly used for confirming the episodic facts immediately after the experience, whereas after half a year, even one's own experience is often felt like the experiences of others therefore the videos capturing themselves from the conversation partners and environment become important for thinking back to the situations where they were placed.2018YSYasuyuki Sumi et al.Future University HakodateSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
How Information Sharing about Care Recipients by Family Caregivers Impacts Family CommunicationPrevious research has shown that tracking technologies have the potential to help family caregivers optimize their coping strategies and improve their relationships with care recipients. In this paper, we explore how sharing the tracked data (i.e., caregiving journals and patient’s conditions) with other family caregivers affects home care and family communication. Although previous works suggested that family caregivers may benefit from reading the records of others, sharing patients’ private information might fuel negative feelings of surveillance and violation of trust for care recipients. To address this research question, we added a sharing feature to the previously developed tracking tool and deployed it for six weeks in the homes of 15 family caregivers who were caring for a depressed family member. Our findings show how the sharing feature attracted the attention of care recipients and helped the family caregivers discuss sensitive issues with care recipients.2018NYNaomi Yamashita et al.NTT Communication Science LabsElderly Care & Dementia SupportAging-in-Place Assistance SystemsCHI