Eye-tracking analysis of the influence of relief shading on finding labels on tourist maps (original) (raw)
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Analyzing eye movement patterns to improve map design
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Abstract. The usage of road atlases is experiencing a decline due to the rise in popularity of modern GPS navigational systems. However, road atlases are still utilised by some individuals, both in combination with mobile navigation and separately when navigating during the trip. Therefore, road atlases continue to be published. They are regularly updated, and they do gradually change, such as when the map symbology changes or when the creation of maps takes new technological possibilities into account. The changes in map symbology are the main essence of the presented paper. Based on the assumption presented by an expert (head of the largest cartographic publishing house in the Czech Republic) during an expert discussion that the 20-year-old road atlas is easier to read and that the required information was more quickly accessible in the old atlas than in the new atlas, a scientific experiment was designed and performed. Within the comparison of the "old" and "new&qu...
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Every tourist website employs images to attract potential tourists. In particular, destination tourism websites use environmental images, such as landscapes, to attract the attention of tourists and to address their purchase choice. Nowadays the effectiveness of these tools has been enhanced by the use of eye-tracking technology. That allows measuring the exact eye position during the visualization of images, texts, or other visual stimuli. Consequently, eye-tracking data can be processed to obtain quantitative measures of viewing behavior that can be analyzed for several purposes in many fields such as to cluster consumers, to improve the effectiveness of a website and for neuroscience studies. This work is aimed to use eye-tracking technology to investigate user behavior according to different types of images (e.g. natural landscapes, city landscapes). Specifically, we compare different statistical descriptive tools with supervised and unsupervised models. Furthermore, we discuss ...
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She has experience of teaching design theory, design practice and research methods for Design in higher education. Her main areas of research are are: [more specific] Information Design and Typographic Design; [wider] Communication Design and Graphic Design. Her research is notable in the field of Design for its interdisciplinary nature, with collaboration across sectors such as Healthcare, National and Global Security, Education, etc. Her research is also notable in the field of Design for its research based user-centred approach using a wide range of research methods to develop, iterate, test and validate design solutions to particular problems encountered in real-life contexts. At its core, her research focuses on the effective use of design to improve user performance and wellbeing.
Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 2018
We combine eye tracking and a questionnaire-based approach to explore the influence of label density on the perceived visual complexity of maps. We design two experiments in which participants are asked to search for the names of point features on maps and to rate the map complexity and legibility for different label densities. Specifically, we conduct a highly controlled experiment in which all the map variables except the label density are held constant (the controlled experiment). Then, we conduct a second experiment following the same protocol but using real maps as visual stimuli (the real-map experiment) to verify if the results of the controlled experiment were applicable to real maps. The results of both experiments indicate a significantly positive correlation between perceived visual complexity and label density and between the response time in visual search tasks and label density. Surprisingly, we observe a significant inverse correlation between the label density and two eye movement parameters (fixation duration and fixation frequency) between the two experiments. We discuss how the variables of real maps might have affected these eye movement parameters and why the results of the two experiments are inconsistent. Our findings suggest that eye tracking parameters are not reliable indicators of map complexity. These empirical results can be helpful to future map design and map complexity investigation.
Interpreting maps through the eyes of expert and novice users
International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 2012
The experiments described in this article combine response time measurements and eye movement data to gain insight into the users' cognitive processes while working with dynamic and interactive maps. Experts and novices participated in a user study with a ‘between user’ design. Twenty screen maps were presented in a random order to each participant, on which he had to execute a visual search. The combined information of the button actions and eye tracker reveals that both user groups showed a similar pattern in the time intervals needed to locate the subsequent names. From this pattern, information about the users' cognitive load could be derived: use of working memory, learning effect and so on. Moreover, the response times also showed that experts were significantly faster in finding the names in the map image. This is further explained by the eye movement metrics: experts had significantly shorter fixations and more fixations per second meaning that they could interpret a larger part of the map in the same amount of time. As a consequence, they could locate objects in the map image more efficiently and thus faster.
The Cartographic Journal, 2013
Orthoimagery and shaded relief are ways of introducing realism to maps, but each method presents design challenges in achieving consistently readable combinations with overlaid vector symbols and labels. Two studies were conducted to compare the readability of the current United States Geological Survey (USGS) 'US Topo' map series with two original designs incorporating orthoimagery and shaded relief. The studies examined reader design ratings after completing tasks that required analytical use of maps with varied map designs, using maps of diverse locations in the USA. The studies indicated that readability varied with map location to a greater degree than with map design, though design influence on ratings was detected in interaction with location. This variation with landscape is discussed from the perspective of recent theory in landscape aesthetics and preferences. Also, it was statistically demonstrated that either of the two new designs had improved readability over the existing US Topo. These studies reveal that user evaluations of maps are dependent on landscape preferences as well as on design, and demonstrate the importance of national topographic map design evaluation across a wide sample of national landscapes.
Evaluation of color settings in aerial images with the use of eye-tracking user study
The main aim of presented paper is to find the most realistic and preferred color settings for four different types of surfaces on the aerial images. This will be achieved through user study with the use of eye-movement recording. Aerial images taken by the unmanned aerial system were used as stimuli. From each image, squared crop area containing one of the studied types of surfaces (asphalt, concrete, water, soil, and grass) was selected. For each type of surface, the real value of reflectance was found with the use of precise spectroradiometer ASD HandHeld 2 which measures the reflectance. The device was used at the same time as aerial images were captured, so lighting conditions and state of vegetation were equal. The spectral resolution of the ASD device is better than 3.0 nm. For defining the RGB values of selected type of surface, the spectral reflectance values recorded by the device were merged into wider groups. Finally, we get three groups corresponding to RGB color system. Captured images were edited with the graphic editor Photoshop CS6. Contrast, clarity, and brightness were edited for all surface types on images. Finally, we get a set of 12 images of the same area with different color settings. These images were put into the grid and used as stimuli for the eye-tracking experiment. Eye-tracking is one of the methods of usability studies and it is considered as relatively objective. Eye-tracker SMI RED 250 with the sampling frequency 250 Hz was used in the study. As respondents, a group of 24 students of Geoinformatics and Geography was used. Their task was to select which image in the grid has the best color settings. The next task was to select which color settings they prefer. Respondents' answers were evaluated and the most realistic and most preferable color settings were found. The advantage of the eye-tracking evaluation was that also the process of the selection of the answers was analyzed. Areas of Interest were marked around each image in the grid and the sequences of gaze movements were analyzed. Sequence chart was used for visualization and eye-tracking metrics were statistically tested. The presented paper shows the differences in the perception and preferences of aerial images with different color settings.