For your eyes only? Evaluating a coordinated and multiple views tool with a map,a parallel coordinated plot and a table using an eye-tracking approach

Geographic visualization tools with coordinated and multiple views (CMV) typically provide sets of visualization methods. Such configuration gives users the possibility of investigating data in various visual contexts; however, it can be confusing due to the multiplicity of visual components and interactive functions. We addressed this challenge and conducted an empirical study on how a CMV tool, consisting of a map, a parallel coordinate plot (PCP), and a table, is used to acquire information. We combined a task-based approach with eye-tracking and usability metrics since these methods provide comprehensive insights into users’ behaviour. Our empirical study revealed that the freedom to choose visualization components is appreciated by users. The individuals worked with all the available visualization methods and they often used more than one visualization method when executing tasks. Different views were used in different ways by various individuals, but in a similarly effective way. Even PCP, which is claimed to be problematic, was found to be a handy way of exploring data when accompanied by interactive functions.     

场认知方式、性别和惯用空间语对地理空间定向能力影响的实验研究

目前人们对空间定向能力影响因素的研究多关注性别与空间定向能力的关系,较少涉及场认知方式、惯用空间语等因素对空间定向能力的影响。本文以空间认知眼动实验的方式展开研究,通过国内版镶嵌图形测验（EFT）、问卷调查等途径获取被试的场认知方式、性别和惯用空间语等基本信息,使其在控制单一环境变量的虚拟三维空间中完成不同难度的定向任务。进而构建正确率和效率2个指标来衡量空间定向能力,通过统计分析确定空间定向能力的影响因素。研究结果表明：（1）不同场认知方式和不同惯用空间语人群的定向正确率和效率差异统计结果均不显著,场认知方式和惯用空间语对空间定向能力无显著影响;（2）不同性别人群之间定向效率无显著差异而正确率存在显著差异,性别对空间定向能力具有显著影响,男性的空间定向能力较女性更强。     

An Empirical User Study for Measuring the Influence of Colour Distance and Font Size in Map Reading Using Eye Tracking

Abstract

An assessment of British responses to a pan-European questionnaire conducted during the summer of 2003.     

面向室内应急疏散标识的VR眼动感知实验与布局评估

在室内应急疏散的背景下,理解人们如何感知应急疏散标识以及他们的感知如何影响疏散行为十分重要。虚拟地理环境基于虚拟现实（VR）技术构建的沉浸式多维信息空间,是一个符合人类感知认知规律的三维、动态、可交互空间。而基于虚拟地理环境的虚拟地理感知/认知实验,则可以提供一个可定量观测的可控虚拟实验环境,通过设计多种实验方案,定量地获取与空间感知、认知行为相关的客观实验数据。本文将沉浸式虚拟环境与眼动追踪技术相结合,设计了VR眼动感知实验,以室内通道为例,采用定量观测、数据统计、可视化分析等方法,对不同虚拟火灾逃生场景下的疏散时间、眼动注视点、个体移动轨迹数据进行了处理与分析,最后对室内应急疏散标识布局进行评估并提出合理建议。实验结果表明：① 女性参与者比男性更容易被逃生起始位置干扰,拥有较差的虚拟空间感;② 3种场景类型（无标识无烟雾、有标识无烟雾、有标识有烟雾）在疏散时间之间存在明显差异,应急标识、烟雾与逃生起始位置对疏散时间有显著性影响;③ 通道墙贴标识的感知率最高为0.929,在火灾逃生中最容易被识别;④ 安全出口标识感知率最低为0.333,眼动注视点大多在安全门而非安全出口标识上,因此需要提升安全出口标识的视觉吸引力;⑤ 室内通道微观环境的不同（例如通道长度）对应急标识注视时长的变化有较大影响;⑥ 安全出口附近的标识布局、设计有待改进。虚拟眼动感知实验为评估室内应急疏散标识的合理性和布局优化提供了一个有效的科学途径。     

The Impact of Global/Local Bias on Task-Solving in Map-Related Tasks Employing Extrinsic and Intrinsic Visualization of Risk Uncertainty Maps

The form of visual representation affects both the way in which the visual representation is processed and the effectiveness of this processing. Different forms of visual representation may require the employment of different cognitive strategies in order to solve a particular task; at the same time, the different representations vary as to the extent to which they correspond with an individual’s preferred cognitive style. The present study employed a Navon-type task to learn about the occurrence of global/local bias. The research was based on close interdisciplinary cooperation between the domains of both psychology and cartography. Several different types of tasks were made involving avalanche hazard maps with intrinsic/extrinsic visual representations, each of them employing different types of graphic variables representing the level of avalanche hazard and avalanche hazard uncertainty. The research sample consisted of two groups of participants, each of which was provided with a different form of visual representation of identical geographical data, such that the representations could be regarded as ‘informationally equivalent’. The first phase of the research consisted of two correlation studies, the first involving subjects with a high degree of map literacy (students of cartography) (intrinsic method: N?=?35; extrinsic method: N?=?37). The second study was performed after the results of the first study were analyzed. The second group of participants consisted of subjects with a low expected degree of map literacy (students of psychology; intrinsic method: N?=?35; extrinsic method: N?=?27).The first study revealed a statistically significant moderate correlation between the students’ response times in extrinsic visualization tasks and their response times in a global subtest (r?=?0.384, p?<?0.05); likewise, a statistically significant moderate correlation was found between the students’ response times in intrinsic visualization tasks and their response times in the local subtest (r?=?0.387, p?<?0.05). At the same time, no correlation was found between the students’ performance in the local subtest and their performance in extrinsic visualization tasks, or between their scores in the global subtest and their performance in intrinsic visualization tasks. The second correlation study did not confirm the results of the first correlation study (intrinsic visualization/‘small figures test’: r?=?0.221; extrinsic visualization/‘large figures test’: r?=?0.135). The first phase of the research, where the data was subjected to statistical analysis, was followed by a comparative eye-tracking study, whose aim was to provide more detailed insight into the cognitive strategies employed when solving map-related tasks. More specifically, the eye-tracking study was expected to be able to detect possible differences between the cognitive patterns employed when solving extrinsic- as opposed to intrinsic visualization tasks. The results of an exploratory eye-tracking data analysis support the hypothesis of different strategies of visual information processing being used in reaction to different types of visualization.     

The effect of spatial distance on the discriminability of colors in maps

ABSTRACT

The spatial distance (gap) between map symbols can have a great impact on their discriminability, however, there is little empirical evidence to establish spatial and attribute thresholds. In this paper, we examine the effect of the spatial gap in discriminability of color hue and value, that is, we conducted an online study to obtain performance metrics; then an eye-tracking study to understand participants’ strategies and cognitive processes. Participants completed two experimental tasks (compare two areas and decide if their color is the same; and compare three areas and rank them from the lightest to the darkest). The color distances and the spatial distances were strictly controlled for the compared areas. Our analyses confirmed that, overall, increasing the gap between colors has a consistent negative impact on the ability to differentiate them with both sequential and qualitative schemes. Furthermore, we observed that sequential schemes require larger color distances than qualitative schemes for discriminability. Finally, our results suggested that for qualitative colors, the largest tested color distance ?E₀₀ = 10 yields considerably higher levels of accuracy in color discrimination (even when the spatial gap between the two colors is large), thus we recommend ?E₀₀ = 10 to practicing cartographers and other information visualization designers.     

Cartographic Design Matters – A Comparison of Thematic Polygon Design

The number of web services providing cartographic data is increasing. A main challenge is to enable a user to combine these services, not only from a technical perspective, but also from a cartographic one. One common use case for these services is to create mashups based on thematic polygons on top of background maps. In this study we compare four cartographic designs of thematic polygons: only boundaries, transparencies, hatches and icons. The aim of the comparison is to investigate whether the designs are good for identifying the extent of the polygons and if the design disturbs the reading of the background map. The comparison is based on an eye-tracking study, where 24 participants performed polygon identification tasks as well as background search tasks. The study revealed that hatches were more efficient than the other designs for polygon identification. Hatches had significantly shorter total fixation times as well as scanpath lengths, possibly since the participants were able to identify the extent of the polygon solely based on the interior (i.e. the hatches), while for the other designs the participants were extensively reliant on the boundaries. However, the results also indicate that the hatches design disturbs the reading of the background map more than the other designs; hatches also appear visually unpleasant for many users. Since each design had its strengths and weaknesses, we recommend producers of services for thematic data to provide several designs so users can select an appropriate design for their own use cases.     

基于眼动实验方法的城市开敞空间视觉研究 ——广州花城广场案例

以广州花城广场为案例,通过设计以认知地图、照片拍摄以及眼动实验环节的视觉研究方法,对花城广场的空间感知进行分析。结果表明：1）通过分析认知地图以及眼动数据可以发现,认知地图中高频率出现的要素和眼动实验得出的参与者感兴趣要素相一致,花城广场的建筑物、边界、场所和区域是参与者比较感兴趣的要素,以上要素在眼动实验中首次进入时间短,在认知地图中出现频率高;2）通过分析注视点注视时间热点图,可以得出在城市开敞空间的规划中应注重建筑物、构筑物、装置和场地的合理结合,注重空间层次和空间秩序,注重营造场所的规划设计结论。在应用上,照片拍摄、眼动实验等视觉的神经科学研究方法的使用可以为城市开敞空间的规划设计提供公众参与的新思路。     

Eye-tracking Study on Different Perception of 2D and 3D Terrain Visualisation

Abstract

The use of computer-generated perspective views, often named as three-dimensional (3D) maps, is growing. These terrain visualisations should be more understandable for users without cartographic education, which are not familiar with contour lines. Within the study, two eye-tracking experiments and online questionnaire were used for investigating the difference between user cognition of classical two-dimensional (2D) visualisation with contour lines and perspective 3D view. Questionnaire was focused on maps understandability, suitability and aesthetics. Results of the questionnaire shows, that the majority of participants prefer 3D visualisation. First eye-tracking experiment was designed as a pair of maps in one stimulus. One shows 2D visualisation, the other 3D visualisation. No significant differences between user preferences of 2D and 3D visualisation were found, but the results were influenced with the order of the maps in the stimuli. Because of that another experiment was designed. In this case stimuli contained only one of two possible visualisations (2D and 3D). ScanPath comparison of this experiment results confirmed that users have different strategies for cognition of 2D and 3D visualisation, although statistically significant difference between both types of visualisation was found in the ScanPath length metric only.     

道路地图示意性表达的可用性评估

当前示意性地图表达主要针对公共交通网络,缺乏对道路地图示意性表达可用性评估研究。本文选取景区和街道两个典型道路场景,采用最新的自动示意化方法生成示意地图,以主观问卷调查结合客观眼动试验的方式,评估道路地图示意性表达的可用性。试验结果表明:①示意性表达能够提升道路地图的简化度、清晰度及用户满意度,尤其对于原始道路形状较为复杂的情况;②示意地图中路径形状简化会造成不同路径感知长度差异的改变,从而影响到人们路径抉择行为;③对于路径示意性结果增加了道路网密集程度的情况,会降低示意地图认知效率。本文研究成果有助于道路地图自动示意性表达规则完善和方法优化,能够进一步提升地图示意性表达的实用性。