Li, H. – VEMI Lab

Assessment of between-floor structural and topological properties on cognitive map development in multilevel built environments

eblackwood — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 14:48:38 +0000

The present study investigated cognitive map development in multilevel built environments. Three experiments were conducted in complex virtual buildings to examine the effects of five between-floor structural factors that may impede the accuracy of humans’ ability to build multilevel cognitive maps. Results from Experiments 1 and 2 (of three experiments) revealed that difficulties in developing multilevel cognitive maps are not solely caused by the z-axis offset, as is suggested in the literature, but are due to the factorial combination of a between-floor overlap and a z-axis offset. Results from Experiment 2 showed that this process becomes substantially more difficult when the reference directions between different floors have an angular offset from each other. Finally, results from Experiment 3 demonstrated that confusing between-floor heading shifts in aligned buildings did not make it reliably harder to build multilevel cognitive maps. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of theories of mental representations in multilayered three-dimensional spaces, as well as for architectural design.

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Evaluation of multi-level cognitive maps for supporting between-floor spatial behavior in complex indoor environments

eblackwood — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 18:52:10 +0000

Hengshan Li. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, May 2016, University of Maine. (N.A. Giudice: thesis advisor)

People often become disoriented when navigating in complex, multi-level buildings. To efficiently find destinations located on different floors, navigators must refer to a globally coherent mental representation of the multi-level environment, which is termed a multi-level cognitive map. However, there is a surprising dearth of research into underlying theories of why integrating multi-level spatial knowledge into a multi-level cognitive map is so challenging and error-prone for humans. This overarching problem is the core motivation of this dissertation.

We address this vexing problem in a two-pronged approach combining study of both basic and applied research questions. Of theoretical interest, we investigate questions about how multi-level built environments are learned and structured in memory. The concept of multi-level cognitive maps and a framework of multi-level cognitive map development are provided. We then conducted a set of empirical experiments to evaluate the effects of several environmental factors on users’ development of multi-level cognitive maps. The findings of these studies provide important design guidelines that can be used by architects and help to better understand the research question of why people get lost in buildings. Related to application, we investigate questions about how to design user-friendly visualization interfaces that augment users’ capability to form multi-level cognitive maps. An important finding of this dissertation is that increasing visual access with an X-ray-like visualization interface is effective for overcoming the disadvantage of limited visual access in built environments and assists the development of multi-level cognitive maps. These findings provide important human-computer interaction (HCI) guidelines for visualization techniques to be used in future indoor navigation systems.

In sum, this dissertation adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining theories from the fields of spatial cognition, information visualization, and HCI, addressing a long-standing and ubiquitous problem faced by anyone who navigates indoors: why do people get lost inside multi-level buildings. Results provide both theoretical and applied levels of knowledge generation and explanation, as well as contribute to the growing field of real-time indoor navigation systems.

Assessment of Visualization Interfaces for Assisting the Development of Multi-level Cognitive Maps

eblackwood — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 17:38:59 +0000

Abstract:

People often become disoriented and frustrated when navigating complex, multi-level buildings. We argue that the principle reason underlying these challenges is insufficient access to the requisite information needed for developing an accurate mental representation, called a multi-level cognitive map. We postulate that increasing access to global landmarks (i.e., those visible from multiple locations/floors of a building) will aid spatial integration between floors and the development of these representations. This prediction was investigated in three experiments, using either direct perception or Augmented Reality (AR) visualizations. Results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that increasing visual access to a global landmark promoted multi-level cognitive map development, supporting our hypothesis. Experiment 2 revealed no reliable performance benefits of using two minimalist (icon-based and wire-frame) visualization techniques. Experiment 3, using a third X-ray visualization, showed reliably better performance for not only a no-visualization control but also the gold standard of direct window access. These results demonstrate that improving information access through principled visualizations benefit multi-level cognitive map development.

Citation:

Li, H., Corey, R.R., Giudice, U., and Giudice, N.A. (2016). Assessment of visualization interfaces for assisting the development of multi-level cognitive maps. In D.D. Schmorrow & M.C. Fidopiastis (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10^th International Conference of Foundations of Augmented Cognition, Part of HCI International. Toronto, CA. July 17-22 (pp. 308-321). Springer International. (corresponding author).

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The effects of 2D and 3D maps on learning virtual multi-level indoor environments

eblackwood — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 20:00:54 +0000

It is known that people have problems when wayfinding in multi-level buildings. We propose that this challenge is largely due to development of inaccurate multi-level cognitive maps of the 3D building structure. We argue that better visualization of the layered structure of the building could facilitate multi-level cognitive map development and significantly improve spatial behaviors requiring cross-floor knowledge. To address this issue, we compare two viable mobile digital visualization methods (2D top-down view maps and 3D bird’s eye view maps), each showing users’ real-time position as they navigated. Participants first learned a multi-level virtual building using each of these conditions, as well as a third control (non-assisted) condition. Their task was to find and learn four targets situated at two different landmark types (e.g., contiguous landmarks that were vertically aligned on each floor and non-contiguous landmarks that had no obvious alignment between floors). Participants then took part in three cross-level testing tasks performed without the map assistant used during learning: pointing between targets, vertical navigation (e.g., navigate from point A on floor 1 to the corresponding vertically aligned point on floor 2) and paper-based drilling (e.g., drawing circles to indicate floor 1’s target locations on floor 2’s layout). Preliminary results showed that both 2D and 3D map significantly improved pointing and vertical navigation accuracy compared to the control condition with no map assistance. However, no significant differences were found for either condition between the two map conditions. By contrast, in the paper-based drilling task, users showed significantly higher accuracy in the 2D map condition than in both the 3D map and control conditions, giving 2D interactive maps the advantage for supporting multi-level spatial behaviors.

Citation:

Li, H. & Giudice, N.A.(2013). The effects of 2D and 3D maps on learning virtual multi- level indoor environments. Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Map Interaction (MapInteract’13). pp. 7–12. ACM, Orlando, FL, USA. (Corresponding Author).

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The effects of immersion and body-based rotation on learning multi-level indoor virtual environments

eblackwood — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 19:58:57 +0000

Abstract:

The goal of this study was to investigate how the immersion level of virtual environments (HMD vs. desktop) and rotation method (physical vs. imagined) affects wayfinding performance in multi-story virtual buildings and the development of multi-level cognitive maps. Twelve participants learned multi-level virtual buildings using three VE conditions (physical rotation HMD, physical rotation desktop and imagined rotation desktop). They were then tested on four cross-level tasks, including: pointing, route navigation, vertical navigation, and paper-based drilling. Results showed that performance on between-floor trials was reliably worse than for within-floor trials and that this difference was neither improved by the level of immersion of the display nor the rotation behavior used during navigation. Our data suggest that increasing the fidelity of these interface variables does not yield more accurate development of multi-level cognitive maps. Indeed, multi-level indoor wayfinding performance was as effective with the simplest and least expensive desktop display based purely on joystick navigation as the more complex VE platforms. These findings show that spatial cognition research in multi-level virtual buildings need not be limited to immersive VEs with physical body rotation which require considerable equipment cost and increased technical complexity.

Citation:

Li, H. & Giudice, N.A. (2013). The effects of immersion and body-based rotation on learning multi-level indoor virtual environments. Proceedings of the 5th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Indoor Spatial Awareness (ISA 2013). Pp. 8-15. ACM New York, NY, USA (corresponding author).

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Vertical color maps: A data independent alternative to floor plan maps

eblackwood — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 19:09:35 +0000

Abstract:

Location sharing in indoor environments is limited by the sparse availability of indoor positioning and lack of geographical building data. Recently, several solutions have begun to implement digital maps for use in indoor space. The map design is often a variant of floor-plan maps. Whereas massive databases and GIS exist for outdoor use, the majority of indoor environments are not yet available in a consistent digital format. This dearth of indoor maps is problematic, as navigating multi-story buildings is known to create greater difficulty in maintaining spatial orientation and developing accurate cognitive maps. The development of standardized, more intuitive indoor maps can address this vexing problem. The authors therefore present an alternative solution to current indoor map design that explores the possibility of using color to represent the vertical dimension on the map. Importantly, this solution is independent of existing geographical building data. The new design is hypothesized to do a better job than existing solutions of facilitating the integration of indoor spaces. Findings from a human experiment with 251 participants demonstrate that the vertical color map is a valid alternative to the regular floor-plan map.

Citation:

Nossum, A.S., Giudice, N.A., & Li, H. (2013). Vertical color maps: A data independent alternative to floor plan maps. Cartographica. 48(3), 225-236.

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The effects of visual granularity on indoor spatial learning assisted by mobile 3D information displays

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:00:26 +0000

Abstract: There is growing interest in improving indoor navigation using 3D spatial visualizations rendered on mobile devices. However, the level of information conveyed by these visualization interfaces in order to best support indoor spatial learning has been poorly studied. This experiment investigates how learning of multi-level virtual buildings assisted by mobile 3D displays rendered at different levels of visual granularity effect subsequent unaided navigation tasks. The visual granularity levels include: a high fidelity model, low fidelity model, wireframe model and sparse model. Results showed that using the sparse model during learning led to the most accurate and efficient overall pointing and navigation performance and that between-floor judgments were less accurate when assistance during learning was unavailable. These findings demonstrate that more information is not necessarily better and provide new insights into the optimal information content to be included in mobile 3D visualization interfaces supporting indoor spatial learning and cognitive map development.

Citation: Giudice, N. A., & Li, H. (2012). The effects of visual granularity on indoor spatial learning assisted by mobile 3D information displays. In C. Stachniss, K. Schill, and D. Uttal (Eds.). Proceedings of Spatial Cognition VIII: Lecture Notes in computer science (Vol. 7463, pp. 163-172). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

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Using mobile 3D visualization techniques to facilitate multi-level cognitive map development of complex indoor spaces

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:46:51 +0000

Abstract: Several studies have verified that multi-level floors are an obstacle for indoor wayfinding (e.g., navigators show greater angular error when making inter-level pointing judgments and experience more disorientation when wayfinding between floors). Previous literature has also suggested that a multi-level cognitive map could be a set of vertically super-imposed 2D cognitive maps and each level could be viewed as a region. However, little research has studied how one mentally connects / integrates the different levels of the 3D cognitive map. This paper provides new insight into how people may integrate multi-level cognitive maps based on the concept of a “transition point”, a term used to represent the abstract point that connects different levels of the building. Based on transition points, we proposed the concept of simulated global indoor landmarks which are displayed on mobile devices. We predict that users can develop multi-level cognitive maps more efficiently when assisted by these global indoor landmarks. An ongoing behavioral experiment is briefly described aimed at providing empirical verification for these predictions.

Citation: Li, H. & Giudice, N.A. (2012). Using mobile 3D visualization techniques to facilitate multi-level cognitive map development of complex indoor spaces. In C. Graf, N.A. Giudice, & F. Schmid (Eds.) Proceedings of the international Workshop on Spatial Knowledge Acquisition with Limited Information Displays (SKALID’12), pp. 31-36. August, Monastery Seeon, Germany.

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Details-on-demand Mobile Visual Interface for Facilitating Indoor Wayfinding

eblackwood — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:36:29 +0000

Citation:

Li, H. & Giudice, N.A. (2012). Details-on-demand mobile visual interface for facilitating indoor wayfinding. 7th Annual GIScience Conference. September, Columbus, OH.

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