a web browsing and manipulation environment by multiple ... · i a web browsing and manipulation...
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Master Thesis
A Web Browsing and ManipulationEnvironment by Multiple Displayswith Automatic Behavior Addition
Supervisor Professor Katsumi TANAKA
Department of Social Informatics
Graduate School of Informatics
Kyoto University
Tomoyuki UCHIYAMA
February 9, 2005
i
A Web Browsing and Manipulation Environment
by Multiple Displays with Automatic Behavior Addition
Tomoyuki UCHIYAMA
Abstract
With the spread of Personal Computer, Cellular phones, the Internet, a lot
of information which utilizes Web information is used in various fields. The
user uses Web browsers, such as InternetExplorer and Netscape, in order to
browse these information. When the user discovers the information which the
user judges to be suitable out of a lot of information, the user mainly inputs a
keyword into a search engine using a keyboard, and selects suitable information
using a mouse. Moreover, if the information to collect increases, much load is
given to the user. So we desire a mechanism which can retrieve and arrange
information efficiently. Recently such work is done not only individually but also
in the space in which many people gather, such as room and classroom. At that
time in many cases users are having a dialog. But the browsing technique does
not change with what is performed individually. So we need to propose the new
browsing technique which can perform efficient group work and communication.
The efficient group work which we consider is the group work which makes light
of the information operation performed during a dialog and think as important
the dialog performed within a group. So we pay attention to the function which
document originally has and is not taken into consideration until now in the
Web browser implemented for the purpose of the display of a Web page. And
we propose a mechanism which can retrieve and arrange information efficiently.
When using paper media, such as the conventional book, we have them in
a hand and look at the content by turning over a page. We use a document
printed in paper, not only reading it but also copying or clipping the part of
it. Therefore, paper media have the function which changes the range in which
we can read information potentially and the function in which it can be used
as new information by copying a part of information.
On the other hand, the Web page is described in HTML, and acquires the
figure as a document by the browser. Moreover, it depends for the operation to
a document on the browser, and processing oneself autonomously according to
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the environment where the Web page itself is used is not considered.
In this paper we focus attention on that the user can perform Web browsing
by more nearly intuitive operation, when the Web content itself have the prop-
erty which the conventional media have and the contents processing function of
digital media. We propose the concept of ”Functional Web” which adds vari-
ous behavior to a static Web page and the system ”WebBoard” which enables
cooperative reference and edit of Web contents.
The Functional Web is Web content which acts autonomously. The func-
tion is executed when performing interaction to Functional Web. In order to
realize Functional Web, We prepare the virtual space called WebBoard which
can display the Web content into the six displays in a meeting room and use
the space called Field on which Web pages can be stuck in WebBoard. The
specific function is given to each Field. When the user sticks a Web page into a
Field, the function added to the Field is performed to the Web page. This case
is limited when Web content is in the Fields.
The prototype system of WebBoard implemented based on the above con-
cept has mainly five functions, such as similar content retrieval and image ex-
traction and autonomic scrolling and autonomic update and linked content re-
trieval. We conduct an evaluation experiment using this implemented prototype
system, and we evaluate the validity of the technique which we propose.
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振る舞いの自動付加機能を有する複数ディスプレイに基づくWeb閲覧・操作環境
内山 智之
内容梗概
PCや携帯電話, インターネットなどの普及に伴い，あらゆる分野でWebを
情報源とした大量の情報が利用されている．ユーザはこれらの情報を閲覧する
ために InternetExplorerや NetscapeなどのWebブラウザを用いる．大量の情
報の中からユーザが適切と判断する情報を探し出す時には，主にキーボードを
用いてユーザが検索エンジンに検索キーワードを入力し，マウスを用いて適切
な情報を取捨選択する．また，収集する情報が多くなればなるほど，ユーザに
は多くの負担がかかることになる. この時，効率的に情報を入手し，整理する
ことができる機構があることが望ましい. 最近では，このような作業は個別だ
けではなく，部屋や教室などの多くの人が集まる空間でも行われるようになり，
ユーザ間で対話を行いながら行われることが多い．しかし，そのブラウジング
手法は個人で行うものと変わらない．よって，効率的なグループワーク，コミュ
ニケーションを行うことができる新しいブラウジング手法について考える必要
がある．効率的なグループワークとは，対話中における情報操作を軽視し，グ
ループ内で行われる対話を重視したグループワークのことである．そこで，我々
は情報を効率よく入手し，整理することができる機構を開発するために，Web
ページの表示を目的として実装されているWebブラウザにおいて今まで考慮さ
れずにいた，ドキュメント本来が持っている機能に着目し，容易にWebコンテ
ンツを扱える手法を提案する.
従来の本などの紙メディアを利用する時は，我々はそれらを手に持ち，ペー
ジをめくりながら書かれている内容を眺める．また，文書を読むだけではなく
一部をコピーしたり，切り抜いたりしながら紙に印刷されたドキュメントを利
用する．よって，紙メディアは潜在的に情報の可読範囲を切り替える機能や，情
報の一部を取り出し，新しい情報として利用できるという機能を持っている．
一方，Webページは単なる htmlで記述された情報であり，ブラウザによって
ドキュメントとしての姿を得る．またドキュメントへの操作はブラウザに依存
しており，Webページ自身が利用される環境に合わせて自律的に自分自身を処
理することは考えられていない．
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そこで本研究では,このような従来のメディアが持つ性質を含み,デジタルメ
ディアのコンテンツ処理機能をWebコンテンツ自身が持つことによって，より
直観的な操作を実現するWeb閲覧が可能となることに注目し，静的なWebペー
ジに様々な振る舞いを付加する「機能付きWeb」(Functional Web)の概念を提
案する．また，機能付きWebの概念を導入することによって，Webコンテンツ
の協調的参照および編集を可能とするシステム「WebBoard」を提案する．
機能付きWebとは，自律的に振る舞いを行うWebコンテンツのことである．
この機能付きWebに対して，インタラクションを行うことでその機能は実行さ
れる．機能付きWebを実現するにあたって，ミーティングルームの 6枚のディ
スプレイにWebBoardと呼ばれるWebコンテンツを表示することができる仮想
空間を用意し，その中にある「場」と呼ばれるWebページを貼り付けることが
できる領域を利用する．場には特定の機能が付与されており，ユーザが場の中
にWebページを貼り付けることで，Webページに対してその場に付加されてい
る機能が実行される．これはWebコンテンツが場にある場合に限定される．
以上の概念に基づいて作成したWebBoardのプロトタイプシステムには，類
似検索，画像抽出，自動更新，自動スクロール，自動ナビゲーションといった
5つの機能が実装されている．この作成したプロトタイプシステムを用いて評
価実験を行い，本手法の有効性を考察する．
A Web Browsing and Manipulation Environment
by Multiple Displays with Automatic Behavior Addition
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 2 Motivation and Basic Concepts 3
2.1 Web Browsing Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1.1 WWW Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1.2 Web Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2 Web Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter 3 Functional Web 12
3.1 Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2 Interaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.3 Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3.1 Putting the Web Content onto the Field . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3.2 Expanding the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 4 WebBoard Prototype System 17
4.1 Meeting Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 Five Different Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.1 Similar Content Retrieval Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.3.2 Image Extraction Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.3.3 Autonomic Update Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.3.4 Autonomic Scrolling Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.3.5 Linked Content Retrieval Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.4 Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.5 Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.6 Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.6.1 Meeting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.6.2 Study Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.6.3 Guide Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Chapter 5 Experiments and Evaluation 34
5.1 Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.2 Questionnaire about WebBoard Prototype System . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.3 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
5.4 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.4.1 WebBoard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.4.2 Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter 6 Related Work 43
Chapter 7 Conclusions 45
Acknowledgments 47
References 48
Chapter 1 Introduction
With the spread of Personal Computer, Cellular phones, the Internet, a lot of
information which utilizes Web information is used in various fields. A user uses
Web browsers, such as InternetExplorer and Netscape, in order to browse these
information. When the user discovers the information which the user judges to
be suitable out of a lot of information, the user mainly inputs a keyword into a
search engine using a keyboard, and selects suitable information using a mouse.
Moreover if the information to collect increases, the user must bear the load. So
we desire a mechanism which can retrieve and arrange information efficiently.
Recently such work is done not only individually but also in the space in which
many people gather, such as room and classroom. At that time in many cases
users are having a dialog. So we have to consider the Web browsing which many
users perform by gathering for a place.
In the dialog in the real world, it was general that we discussed using books
or paper. But at the present when we usually use Internet, the opportunity for
Web content to play a role of bibliographies, such books and paper has increased.
When we use Web content as reference information, we print Web content and
perform information presentation in many cases in the same procedure as the
conventional media. On the other hand, since functions of Web content are
lost by changing Web content into the conventional media, the possibility of
Web content should not fully be utilized. We think that the factor is we cannot
use Web content by the same operation as conventional media. If there is a
mechanism including the interface which enables intuitive operation of touching
information media and putting it in order physically same as the conventional
media and the function which enables processing as digital media which Web
content have, it will become possible to mitigate the load given to the user when
Web content is used during a dialog.
On the other hand, it is difficult to perform dialog and information operation
synchronously. When two or more persons discuss, the information required for
the discussion is prepared to some extent in many cases. By drawing related in-
formation and its surrounding information in a participant’s viewpoint based on
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the information, it becomes possible to refer to more information in accordance
with the flow of a discussion.
However, in information retrieval, it is necessary to input a keyword in or-
der to find out the information to need. Moreover, it is desirable to acquire the
information needed from the information shown at the time of the start of a
discussion. But it is much more difficult to find the keyword to find out related
information and surrounding information from such shown information. So it is
effective to use the related information to need interactively using shown con-
tents. We think that organization to operate intuitively and function utilizable
by interactive operation are required towards such this purpose. By using this
mechanism, the user does not get confused and it becomes possible to use var-
ious functions intuitively. In this paper we propose the Web content operation
browser of the multiscreen for arranging information efficiently
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: Chapter 2 explains our
motivation and basic concepts, Chapter 3 explains the mechanism required in
order to realize ”Functional Web”, Chapter 4 explains the prototype system
of WebBoard, Chapter 5 explains the experiments and the evaluation to this
system, Chapter 6 explains related work, and we conclude in Chapter 7.
2
Chapter 2 Motivation and Basic Concepts
2.1 Web Browsing Style
When the user performs Web browsing, the user has to move the scrollbar of
the end of a browser using the mouse up and down, or choose the link anchor
indicating the place of the information which the user is searching for. When
the user searches using a search engine, the user has to input keywords to input
to a search engine using the keyboard. Because Web page which users treat is
the structured text displayed in the window and in the state where operation
by the user is always awaited. In other words it results from the fact that Web
page itself does not perform. Since the present Web browsing environment is
the interface which requires active operation of the users, the more there is
much information which the user is searching for, the more great time and load
will be needed for information operation.
Input a word
Scroll a Scrollbar
Click a Link Anchor Select a Link Anchor
Figure 1: conventional Web browsing style
Next explains the case that the user performs Web browsing talking with
other users. First, the users discuss that what plan should be prepared and
what Web contents should be needed before the users perform the task. Next,
the users select the information needed in the information shown by inputting
relative keywords into a search engine or inputting URL indicating the place
of useful Web contents for the users or by using Bookmark and the Portal site
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registered beforehand. It is required that this browsing style should be concen-
trated on the operation. So when the user performs Web browsing synchronizing
the dialog, the user may fail in an understanding of the contents of the dialog.
This gives the user much load. We think that the efficiency of the group work
at that time improve when Web browsing is performed along with the flow of
the dialog.
In this paper we propose the new Web browsing method of taking into
consideration much load given to the user in Web browsing. The following
points are taken into consideration in proposing the method.
• Mitigating the load given to the user in Web browsing the minimum
• Treating Web page intuitively without dependent on the user’s skill and
history of Web browsing
• Treating fully Web page also in group work
2.1.1 WWW Media
Unlike other media, WWW media has a lot of original features. First, it is
retrieval function. When many users search the information, they use some
search engines, such as google[1] and yahoo[2]. By giving the query to a search
engine, the user can get the list of search results which suit the query in an
instant. And the user selects the information needed from two or more search
results currently displayed on the window and browses the Web page. Through
this process, it enables the user to get the information which the user is searching
for. On the other hand, in paper media, such as books, when the user searches
the documents which the user wants out of two or more documents, the user
has to need much time and load.
Second, it is that Web pages are seamless relations by the hyperlink. For
example, it supposes that there is a Web page about a certain soccer club. In
this case, Web pages linked to this Web page are many Web pages which have
relation in the soccer club, that are the Web page about the player belong to
the soccer club and the page about the person who is supporting the soccer
club. Thus, two or more Web pages are link relations to one Web page in many
cases. Therefore by forming such structure, the user acquires the right to select
two or more Web pages which have relation in the Web page as soon as the
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user visits a Web page. Navigation to this user is performed in many cases,
after retrieval results are outputted. On the other hand in paper media, such
as books, unless the documents are put in order in accordance with an order,
in order to arrange documents, the user arranges documents, as the documents
belonging to the same field are in near place. It becomes difficult for the user
as the number of documents increases. Thus, WWW media has some different
advantages from the conventional media.
However, some points that WWW media is inferior compared with paper
media are mentioned. First, it is about the flexibility of paper media. Paper
media can change its own form according to a situation which the user treats.
For example, when the user puts into a pocket the document which the user
already finished reading, the user can fold it small and pack. Since the magazine
can be changed round, the user can have it by hand. And the user can read the
newspaper when the page of the newspaper is opened. But WWW media cannot
change its own form. By the browser it acquires the figure as the document.
It depends for the operation to the document on the browser, and processing
oneself autonomously according to the environment where the Web page itself
is used is not taken into consideration.
Second, it is about the stability of paper media. If paper media are neatly
arranged, even if paper media has be left for a long time, the user can read
them for about one-hundred years. Because it is obvious that many documents
written by people one-hundred years ago are discovered and are decoded now.
However as for WWW media, the content may be updated frequently. So if
several years pass even if it is the same URL, it may be the page of differ-
ent contents. In this case the user cannot browse the Web page before being
changed. Therefore it is difficult for the user to browse the content of the Web
page written by people one-hundred years ago unlike paper media.
In this paper the model that we propose in which Web browsing can be
performed by intuitive operation and not the user but the Web content itself
work on the user is desirable. Therefore we propose the concept which makes
Web browsing by more nearly intuitive operation possible by giving not only the
contents processing function of digital media but also the property which the
5
conventional media have to the Web contents itself. the Web browsing method
by more nearly intuitive operation
2.1.2 Web Browser
In order to browse the Web page, the user uses the software called Web browser.
Now the various kinds of the Web browser exist and the most famous Web
browser is InternetExplorer[3] of Microsoft Corp. Since it is prepared at the
time of the setup of Windows, this Web browser is used by many people. This
is the strong point of this browser. Therefore Web page makers tend to create
Web pages supposing almost all users browsing Web pages by InternetExplorer,
and it enables the users to browse almost all pages by using InternetExplorer.
But many users use this browser so that this browser tends to become the target
of an attack of various viruses and spywares. Next it is possible for the user to
add the various extension function to InternetExplorer. For example it is the
google tool bar equipped with the retrieval function by Google search engine
and the asahi.com tool bar which is possible to browse the news in the site
of AsahiShimbun[4]. On the other hand, the weak point of InternetExplorer
is that it is difficult for the user to browse many pages simultaneously. Since
InternetExplorer is a SDI(Single Document Interface) browser which displays
only a Web page on a window, the user needs to open the window of the same
number as a page. Therefore if the number of Web pages the user browse
increases, the number of the windows will also increase and it is difficult for the
user to understand which Web page is opened in which window in an instant.
As for other Web browsers, there is a MDI(Multiple Document Interface)
browser which is the browser which displays two or more Web pages on a win-
dow. For example it is Sleipnir[5], as shown in Fig2. It is a tab browser im-
plemented by Mr. Kashiwagi and is the browser equipped with the highest
function in the browsers which operates on Windows. Sleipnir uses the Web
page drawing function of InternetExplorer, and has realized GUI which is easy
for the users to deal with. This browser has many functions. For example
it is the launcher function which is possible to arrange the application which
the user registered in advance to a tool bar and the retrieval function which is
prepared at the right corner of this browser and the mouse gesture which the
6
user can customize. However, there are too many functions. Because of too
many functions, for the beginner it is hard to treat. This is a weak point of
this browser. As mentioned above, various Web browsers exist. However, the
method of choosing and clicking a link anchor or operating a scroll bar using
the mouse is almost the same method in every browser. In these browsers the
user cannot perform a set up when to show the Web page and which part is
shown for and how the Web page is shown to the user.
Retrieval EngineTab
Tab Window
Figure 2: sleipnir
Any Web browsers need the active operation by the user. Some researches
develop the Web browser by that the user can perform effective Web browsing.
Compared with the conventional Web browser, InfoLead[6] is developed with
intent to browse more results of retrieval. The Web browsers that are used
widely at the present day are not prepared for a function to change the Web
page into the thumbnail of Web page and browse many Web pages at a time.
So the user has to browse the results of retrieval one by one. When there are
too many results of retrieval, much load is given to the user. InfoLead prepares
the function to display the thumbnail of Web page. The thumbnail of Web page
is not Web page image which is reduced the size to scale and is the Web page
object which is arranged in the 3-dimensional space. However, by increasing
7
the number of the Web page objects which is displayed at a time, the Web page
objects overlap each other. In InfoLead a degree of clearness of the Web page
objects is changed by hand, and the user can read the part in which the Web
page objects overlap each other. In addition to the degree of clearness, the user
can express the interaction by the giving color to the Web page objects and
setting down the certain window frame. By using these functions, it is possible
to browse many Web pages at a time. However, in order to understand the
content of the Web page with accuracy the user has to click the Web page and
browse as usual. Therefore this does not go to the root of the problem. The
system is shown in Fig3．
Figure 3: InfoLead
ZeroClick[8] is developed with intent to lift the rate to browse information
by reducing the operation which is needed in the conventional Web browsing.
In ZeroClick it is possible to display the Web page which a link anchor indicates
only by positioning the mouse cursor on a link anchor on the pop-up window.
The advantage of displaying the Web page which a link anchor indicates on the
pop-up window is that the user can browse the linked Web page in the same
8
window without operating the mouse and by only moving the mouse cursor
from the link anchor it is possible to close the window. Therefore the user does
not need the operation which is performed in the conventional Web browsing.
It is considered that this browser can lift the rate to operate the Web pages
in Web browsing. However, it is not thought of the method for displaying and
controlling in the case that the user positions the mouse cursor on the link
anchor included in the Web page displayed in the pop-up window. This system
is shown in Fig4.
Figure 4: Zero-Click
And, the Web browsers implemented based on the situation in that the users
perform Web browsing talking with other users also exist. Christa Sommerer[9]
propose the system ”Riding the net” which provides the Web browsing method
that have entertainment element. This system is used at the situation which two
users sit in front of this system and talk each other. At this time the voice verifi-
cation engine of this system verifies the dialog and extracts the various keywords
from this dialog. The system searches the image information that corresponds
to the extracted keywords. And this downloaded image information pass in
9
front of the user. The users have a dialog looking at passing image information
and look at the image information by touching the image information on the
screen. And the users can also check the URL of the image information. This
research is a aesthetic research and simple algorithm is applied to this system.
The similarity to our research is not to need many interaction to the Web page.
However the difference from our research is that the system utilizes the voice
verification engine. The appearance of Web browsing in Riding the net is shown
in Fig5.
Figure 5: Riding the net
2.2 Web Service
Web service is the technology of making the application which carries out auton-
omy on the network by switching the message of SOAP(Simple Object Access
Protocol)/XML(eXtensible Markup Language) form cooperating, or its appli-
cation of its. As for the conventional Web system, it was general that Web
application has received the input data from the browser and has displayed
the processing results on the browser. At this time, since exchanging data
is performed between the client and the Web server and the results are re-
turned in HTML form, the data are not able to be processed further. But
it is possible by exchanging the XML form data using Simple Object Access
Protocol. The software, service, development environment, specification etc
which serves as the base of such environment are proposed from each company,
10
and UDDI(Universal Description Discovery and Integration) which Microsoft
and IBM[7] take the lead and are promoting is famous. WSDL(Web Service
Description Language) is expected that it spreads as a standard of the descrip-
tion language of Web service. Serge Abiteboul[10] has proposed AXML(Active
XML) as a suitable framework for the integration of independent data and Web
service in Peer-to-Peer. This means that the order which calls Web service is
contained in the XML document. The view that the mere XML document and
the dynamic service call have unified is also possible. In AXML framework it is
possible to use the Web service based on SOAP and the more complex service.
Although this research resembles our research in that a Web page is changed
into a dynamic document by adding the function to a static Web page, this
research differs from our research in that the function does not affect the whole
Web page.
11
Chapter 3 Functional Web
3.1 Field
In this research, we prepare the virtual space called WebBoard which can display
the Web contents into the six displays in a meeting room and prepare a number
of spaces called Fields on which Web pages can be stuck in WebBoard. The
specific function is added to the each Field. When the user sticks the Web
page into the Field, the function added to the Field is executed to the stuck
Web page. The Field is expressed in a certain size. By expanding the Field,
the property of the function added to the Field is changed and new results
are displayed on the expanded Field. In other words, the size of the Field has
a close relation to the property of the function, and the changed function is
performed autonomously. But it is impossible to create a new Field and to
remove a Field and to combine the ”Fields”. Next when the Field is caught
by three dimensions, the figure which is looked at the Field from the side is as
shown in Fig6.
Figure 6: field
As shown in Fig6, the Field consists of two portions which play a certain role.
One is called Functional Execution Field. This is the core part of ”Functional
Web” and changing the property of the function performed to the Web page and
12
the function performed to the Web page is described here. This part means the
Field to add the function to the Web page. The other is called Result Output
Field. In this field the Web page stuck on the Field and the Output Web page
which is outputted after the function is executed are displayed. This part means
the Field to display the Web page. When the function is executed against the
Web page, the exchange of the message is performed also in the Field. What
message is exchanged is explained in 3.3.
3.2 Interaction
When the user performs intuitive operation at Web contents or the Field, it
is possible to realize ”Functional Web”. This intuitive operation is similar
to the operation by which the user treats the paper in the real world. For
example it is possible for the user to stick the Web page on the Field and to
expand the Field on which the Web page is stuck. Although there are many
researches[11][12] which treats an object by such real world-oriented operation,
most of them are not the things for Web contents. For example, Ishii[13] has
proposed interface vision ”TangibleBits” in the next generation. He aims at
revolution and fusion from the world of bits to the world of atoms and has
developed the new interface design which made the feeling and the atmosphere
of the market. The organic combination with the actual physics world and
the digital information which exists in cyberspace is the core part of this idea.
By changing the active Web page in the physical world and the digital world
into the interface of real world, the physical object which can be held and
operated and on-line digital information becomes a link relation. As an example
of some projects, an inTouch interface is mentioned. this project is based on
the concept of sharing and operating the same physics object regardless of
distance. The device of three rollers in a remote place is connected in a network,
and communication using the sense of touch is possible in this project. In our
research touchable Web is realized by operating the Web page when the function
is executed against the Web page autonomously. However, the user touched the
Web page indirectly using a mouse in the implemented prototype system.
When the user decides the Field to stick the Web page, the content of
13
the executed function is decided. Also, by expanding the Field of the similar
content retrieval function, the property of the function is decided. In other
words, by expanding the Field the space in which the results of the Similar
Content Retrieval Function are displayed is expanded and more retrieval results
are displayed on the Field. The details of Similar Content Retrieval Function
are as shown in 4.3.1. When the user operates, exchange of the messages is
performed between the Field and the Web page. The details are as shown in
3.3.
3.3 Concept
In order to realize ”Functional Web”, the user has to operate the Web page. At
this time the exchange of the messages is performed between the Web page and
the Field. Therefore both the Field and the Web page have the function. And
it is impossible to realize ”Functional Web” if either is missing. Therefore it is
impossible to realize ”Functional Web” except the Field in WebBoard. In the
implemented prototype system both functions are described in advance. So it
is impossible to customize the functions according to the purpose of the user or
the group. Next explains the exchange of the messages between the Web page
and the Field when the user operates.
3.3.1 Putting the Web Content onto the Field
When the user sticks the Web page on the Field, the exchange of the messages
between the Web page and the Field and the exchange of the messages between
the Functional Execution Field and Result Output Field are performed. This
exchange of the messages at this time is as shown in Fig7.
First, the Functional Execution Field judges whether the object is Web page
or not. And when the Web page allows to receive the message from Functional
Execution Field, the Functional Execution Field commands to extract a part
of the Web page. For example they are textual information in Similar Content
Retrieval Field or the tag information like img tag or a tag in Image Extraction
Field and Autonomic Scrolling Field and Linked Content Retrieval Field or
URL information in Autonomic Update Field. And when these information is
provided to Functional Execution Field, based on these information the function
14
is executed in Functional Execution Field. In the above process the Web page
stuck on the Field can becomes Functional Web page. The Web page stuck on
the Field and result Web pages are displayed on Result Output Field. When
these Web pages are displayed on Result Output Field, Result Output Field tells
to Functional Execution Field that the results are displayed in safety. Therefore
When the user sticks the Web page stuck on the Field on the another Field, the
Web page will be in the state before being stuck on the Field and the function
of the Field on which the Web page is stuck is not inherited. The Web pages
outputted as execution results is the same thing.
Figure 7: The exchange between the Web page and the Field
3.3.2 Expanding the Field
The operation of expanding the Field is limited in Similar Content Retrieval
Field. This is because its operation uses the metaphor of the conventional
interface in which the user can receive new information by opening the paper
folded up. When the user expands the Similar Content Retrieval Field where
the Web page is stuck, the exchange of the messages between the stuck Web
page and the Similar Content Retrieval Field is performed. First, when the user
expands the Field, Functional Execution Field tells that the Field is expanded
15
to Result Output Field. When Result Output Field receives the message from
Functional Execution Field, the new function is executed based on the new
property. New execution results are displayed on the expanded Result Output
Field. Any results are not outputted though the Field is expanded in the state
where the Web page is not stuck on the Field.
16
Chapter 4 WebBoard Prototype System
4.1 Meeting Room
We prepared the six displays for displaying WebBoard into the meeting room.
The specifications of the display are described below.
• Maker:Panasonic
• Display Type:Hi-Vision Plasma Display
• Display Panel:50V type
Using WebBoard prepared into the meeting room, we perform an experiment
to evaluate prototype system of WebBoard. The appearance of the meeting
room is as shown in Fig8.
Figure 8: Meeting Room
4.2 Overview
The implemented prototype system of WebBoard is described below. The pro-
totype system is implemented in above-mentioned method in Chapter 3. The
prototype system is implemented in this environment and the program of this
system is described in the object-oriented language. Each Field consists of one
17
form and the WebBoard itself is a form. The command to the Web page is
described in each Field. The implementing environment is as follows.
• OS:Windows XP
• CPU:Xeon 3.20GHz× 4
• Memory:2GB
• Development Environment:Microsoft Visual C#.NET
The figure of the prototype system is as shown in Fig9. First, the user has to
input the word or words characterized with the theme to investigate. Next, the
inputted word or words are provided with GoogleAPI and the retrieval work
is done. By doing so, the user can get the Web page characterized with the
inputted word or words. By dragging the Web page and dropping the Web
page into the Field suitable for the user’s purpose, the Web page becomes
Functional Web and the function added to the Field is executed and the results
are displayed on the Field. The user can stick the outputted Web pages on
another Field again and again. However, it is impossible for the user to stick
the image outputted in Image Extraction Field on another Fields.
Similar Content
commentcommentAnalyze
comments
Google API
Field
Similar Content Retrieval
Webboard
Image Extraction
AutonomicUpdate
AutonomicScrolling
Linked ContentRetrieval
Linked Content Updated Webpage
Scrolled Webpage
Image
Browser
Webpage
Drag & Drop
Input/output
Interaction
Figure 9: Prototype System
18
The overview of the prototype system is as shown in Fig10. The Fig10
expresses the scene where the user is utilizing all Fields.
Figure 10: Overview
4.3 Five Different Functions
In order to realize Functional Web, A certain function is added to the Field in
advance. The function is required in order to support Web browsing in individ-
ual browsing and group work, and utilizes the Web service of the search engine
and the structural feature of Web page stuck on the Field. In addition, although
various complex functions are mentioned, we first consider making the function
the original fundamental feature of the Web page. In the implemented prototype
system of WebBoard, five different functions are implemented. They are Simi-
lar Content Retrieval Function, Image Extraction Function, Autonomic Update
Function, Autonomic Scrolling Function, Linked Content Retrieval Function.
Although the dynamic Web pages described by JavaScript also exist in all Web
pages, they operate as they are decided beforehand. On the other hand, in
Functional Web, the Web page itself quotes its own information and performs
19
processes as digital media. Therefore the each performance is various thing.
The Field is expressed in a certain size in advance. In Similar Content
Retrieval, the property of the function added to the Field is changed and the
new execution results are displayed on the expanded Field by expanding the
Field. Therefore the size of the Field has a close relation to the property of
the function, and the Field performs the changed function autonomously. It is
possible to compare the relation between the function of the Field and the user’s
operation to the relation between the class and the method in the class in object-
oriented language. Although it is desirable to make the class of the function
of the Web page when designing this system, in the implemented prototype
system, it is not realizable. Moreover, although it is desirable to create new
Field by the means of superposition of the Field when creating two or more
prepared functions and generating the new function, it is not realizable in the
implemented prototype system of WebBoard.
4.3.1 Similar Content Retrieval Function
The Similar Content Retrieval Function is a function that the user needs to get
new information. In order to realize the Similar Content Retrieval Function
the Google[1] search engine is used. This function is possible to search the
contents to support the user’s comment in the meeting and to create a new
discussion theme. Therefore it is possible to have a new discussion one after
another convincing the other users.
When the user sticks the Web page on the Similar Content Retrieval Field,
the stuck Web page is displayed on the Field. Next by expanding the Field,
the Web pages which is relevant from the Web page stuck on the Field are
chosen from the surrounding information of the stuck Web page. They are
displayed on the expanded Field. Therefore when the user expands the Field
most greatly, the Web page which is outside most is the Web page which does
not have relation in the Web page stuck in the surrounding information of
the stuck Web page. Therefore, the similar content which is not original Web
page is displayed in the Similar Content Retrieval Field. This mechanism is as
shown in Fig11. This explains that by expanding the Field, the new retrieval
results(b1, · · · , b9, c1, · · · , c13) are displayed on the generated Area B, Area C
20
when the Web page 1© is stuck on the Field and most detailed results(a1, · · · , a4)
are displayed on the Area A. In the implemented prototype system five retrieval
results are displayed when the user expands the Field most greatly. The appear-
ance when using Similar Content Retrieval Function in the prototype system is
described in Fig12. The left side is in the state before expanding the Field, and
the right side is in the state after expanding the Field.
Figure 11: The relation between the stuck Web page and outputted Web pages
In order to realize Similar Content Retrieval Function, we employ the Vector
Space Model as the retrieval model, and the Cosine Correlation Value as the
similarity measure of the vector.
The Vector Space Model is the model which can express both retrieved object
21
Expandingthe Field
Before After
Stuck Web pageStuck Web page Result Web pages
Expandingthe Field
Before After
Stuck Web pageStuck Web page Result Web pages
Figure 12: The Apperance of Similar Content Retrieval Field
and query by unified vector expression. By using this model, the similarity
between the documents is estimated based on the similarity between the vectors.
Therefore that the both vectors are in a near position means that there is a
strong possibility that both documents of the vector are similar. In our research
the vector is the feature vector. The feature vector is the n-dimensional vector
which used the ingredient as the product of tf value and idf value in the word
which forms the text information on the Web page. The tf value is the frequency
of appearance of the keywords which appears in a document. The idf value is
the reciprocal of the number of the documents containing a certain word in
a certain document group. n is the number of the all different words which
appears in a certain group. So we estimate the feature vector based on the
below steps.
When the user expands the Field in which the Web page is stuck or sticks the
Web page on the Similar Content Retrieval Field, the morphological analysis
is performed to the text information which constitutes the Web page except
tag information. The morphological analysis is the method for dividing the
documents written in natural language into the sequence of the morpheme which
is the minimum unit with a meaning, and classifying them for every word class.
22
Figure 13: The process in Similar Content Retrieval Field
We pay attention to only the noun. In order to perform the morphological
analysis, the software chasen[14] to analyze the Japanese morpheme unit is used.
The software extracts the word Ki which appears frequently most, that is, the
word which the tf value is the highest in the obtained words (K1, K2, K3 · · ·).Next, the word Ki as the query to the search engine is used, and a set of the
retrieval results with the word Ki is obtained. And we measure the similarity
between the feature vector of the Web page which is stuck on the Field and
the feature vector of a set of the retrieval results. At this time the document
group needed in order to calculate the idf value is a set of the retrieval results
obtained by the word Ki. In this prototype system the number of a set of the
retrieval results is thirty. Therefore the Web page which is the highest similarity
in a set of the retrieval results is selected and a set of the retrieval results is
arranged in order with the high similarity. The Cosine Correlation Value as
the degree of similarity measure is defined as follows. j is the number of the
obtained documents by retrieval. w and q is the ingredient of every vector. q
that means the ingredient of the query vector Q is 1 when a certain word tn is
included, and is 0 when a certain word tn is not included. This process is shown
in Fig13
23
sim(D, Q) = cos(D, Q) =D · Q|D||Q| (1)
Dj = (wj1, wj2, wj3, · · · , wjn) (2)
wjn = tfjn ∗ idfn (3)
Q = (q1, q2, q3, · · · , qn) (4)
4.3.2 Image Extraction Function
Image Extraction Function is the function that extracts only the image infor-
mation from the Web page that is stuck on the Field autonomously. When
the user wants to extract the contents that the user needs from the displayed
Web pages or to create the original contents by putting the extracted image
information together, this function is the necessary function. By sticking the
Web page on the Image Extraction Field, the exchange of the message is per-
formed, and the image information described in the img tag is displayed. At
this time, the obtained images are saved at the certain folder and shown at the
Field in order with large file size. Because many images which are prepared for
the design of homepage like banners or icons are not related with the content of
the Web page at all. This idea is based on the hypothesis that there is a close
relation between file size and the importance of the image. In prototype system
the maximum number of the images which are displayed at a time is ten. The
appearance when using Image Extraction Function in the prototype system is
described in Fig14.
4.3.3 Autonomic Update Function
The Autonomic Update Function is the function that update the Web page
which is stuck on the Field at regular intervals autonomously. In prototype
system the interval is the twenty seconds. There are some Web pages which
are described the occurrences which happens in accordance with a series at the
times, such as news and events. For example, in the Asahi.com[4], the contents
of the top page are changed periodically. However in the case of many Web
pages, the contents continue being to display in case the user does not give
any operations to the Web page. So when the user wants to browse the new
24
Stuck Web page
The images included in stuck Web page
<tr><td align="center"><a href="present/index.html"><img src="present/img/pre_136.gif" width="115" height="105" border="1" alt="present"><br></a></td></tr><tr><td><img src="img/space.gif" width="1" height="3" border="0" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td class="cap" align="center">DVD
<br><a href="present/index.html">
</a></td>
Figure 14: The Appearance of Image Extraction Field
information, the user has to update the Web page or search the other Web page
which displays the new information when the user cannot access the Web page.
Therefore by using the Autonomic Update Function, the user can always browse
the new information. By applying this function, it becomes possible to display
various Web pages on the display. So it becomes possible to treat the Web page
like the poster which can be stuck without operating by hand. In prototype
system, the Web page which is stuck on the Field is accessed the URL of the
Web page at regular intervals. When accessed the URL and the Web page is not
found, the root page of the Web page is accessed autonomously. The example
is as shown below. The appearance when using Autonomic Update Function in
the prototype system is described in Fig15.
• (Before):http://www.dl.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp/outline.html
• (After):http://www.dl.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp/
4.3.4 Autonomic Scrolling Function
When the user browses a Web page, the user has to perform active operation
like reading, scrolling, clicking. Therefore we take the necessity of the operation
to the Web page and propose the function which performs the operation itself
autonomously. The Autonomic Scrolling Function is the function that scrolls
25
Time passes
Changes the content autonomously
Time passes
Changes the content autonomously
Figure 15: The Appearance of Autonomic Update Field
the scroll bar autonomously. At this time the scroll bar is always scrolled below,
and the user can stop the autonomic scrolling when the user finds the part the
user wants to read. By using this function, it is possible for the user to browse
the overview of the Web page without operating the scroll bar. Therefore it is
possible to talk with other users browsing the overview of the Web page without
operating the scroll bar. In prototype system, the speed of the scrolled the scroll
bar is ten pixels in a second. And the autonomic scrolling is finished when the
scroll bar is scrolled until the bottom. At this time in some Web pages the
scroll bar is not scrolled. They are Web pages described in FLASH, and Web
pages that the vertical length is short. The appearance when using Autonomic
Scrolling Function in the prototype system is described in Fig16.
4.3.5 Linked Content Retrieval Function
The Linked Content Retrieval Function is the function that the Web pages
which are link relation to the Web page which is stuck on the Field by using
the link anchor information that the Web page which is stuck on the Field has.
This function is realized by the using the URL information of linked Web page.
This information is described in the a tag in the Web page which is stuck on the
Field. By using this function, it is possible for the user to browse the overview
26
Scrolling a scroll bar autonomously
Figure 16: The Appearance of Autonomic Scrolling Field
of the all Web page linked to the Web page which is stuck on the Field, and to
select the needed Web page in all linked Web page. The appearance when using
Linked Content Retrieval Function in prototype system is described in Fig17.
In the left side the Web page which is stuck on the Field is displayed and in the
right side the Web page which is linked to the Web page which is stuck on the
Field is displayed. In prototype system, the number of the Web pages which
are displayed at a time is one, and the following Web page is displayed after
ten seconds. This work is constantly repeated. However, when the number of
the Web page linked to the Web page which is stuck on the Field is numerous,
it takes the user much time to browse all Web page. Also in the evaluation
experiment of prototype system, two or more subjects have pointed out this
point.
4.4 Feature
Compared with the conventional Web browser, the prototype system of Web-
Board has many features.
First, it is mentioned about the operationality of the prototype system. Un-
like the conventional Web browser, it is possible to operate the Web page by
27
Stuck Web page The Web page which is linked to stuck Web page
Link anchor
Link anchor
Stuck Web page The Web page which is linked to stuck Web page
Link anchor
Link anchor
Figure 17: The Appearance of Linked Content Retrieval Field
more nearly intuitive operation in the prototype system of WebBoard. The nec-
essary operation to treat the prototype system of WebBoard is only the sticking
the Web page on the Field and expanding the Field except the operation to in-
put the keyword to retrieve the Web page which is needed in the beginning. So
it is possible to perform the Web browsing by the limited and unified operation
without needing the various active operation. Therefore it is considered that
this model is not a model that the user works the Web page but a model that
the Web page works the user and the processing is performed autonomously.
At this time, it is also considered that the intuitive operation does not need the
specific technique so that it is also possible to perform the Web browsing for
the beginner like a elementary school student or an old man.
Second, it is mentioned about the functionality of the prototype system.
In the prototype system of WebBoard, when the user sticks the Web page on
the Field, the Web page becomes the Functional Web and the function which
is added on the Field is executed. In the prototype system of WebBoard,
there are five Fields and each Field has an each function. They are Similar
28
Content Retrieval Function, Image Extraction Function, Autonomic Update
Function, Autonomic Scrolling Function, Linked Content Retrieval Function.
These functions exist independently so that it is possible to convey the user’s
intent to other users by sticking the Web page on the Field which is added the
certain function. Also, it is possible to browse various aspects of the Web page
by sticking the Web page on the various Field. And it is possible to stick the
outputted Web page on the other Fields again. The sticking and the browsing
and the evaluation are performed in cycles. Therefore WebBoard is created
based on the two information operation organizations that includes a function
to process autonomously by the Functional Web and a Field to add the function
and to activate the Functional Web.
Next, we explain some points that it is impossible to perform in the proto-
type system of WebBoard.
First, it is sticking the various Web pages on a Field at a time. The user
can have many pieces of paper in hand, but the user can not select two or more
Web pages in the prototype system of WebBoard. But it is considered that
the user can retrieve the Web pages in more detail in Similar Content Retrieval
Field by adding the interface to select two or more Web pages.
Second, it is generating the conference proceeding by gathering the collected
Web pages. When the group uses the prototype system, it is impossible to refer
the history of their browsing. Therefore it is impossible to generate the original
content by gathering collected content. When the group uses the prototype
system for the discussion mining, it is desired that the necessary functions for
the discussion mining are added to the Field.
Third, it is processing by the coordination with Fields. In the prototype
system, it is possible to move the Field directly. However, it is impossible to
process the Web page according to the relation of the Fields that the position
is changed by moving. Because the autonomic function is executed only when
the user sticks the Web page on the Field or expands the Field. It is considered
that by adding the above process to the prototype system, the prototype system
becomes more flexible system.
Last, it is not prepared for the interface to control the speed of autonomic
29
scrolling and autonomic display of linked Web page. In the prototype system,
a certain speed is set. So it is impossible to browse the Web page depending
on the speed of user’s browsing. In order to prepare the interface, we have to
design the interface to give the less load to the user than it of the conventional
Web browsing.
4.5 Scenario
The following can be considered as a scenario that a user performs Web browsing
using the prototype system of WebBoard based on that theme. It is possible
for the user to perform following browsing by using the system that we propose
in this paper. For example the user that does not know about soccer at all uses
WebBoard and performs Web browsing to get the information about soccer.
The example is as shown below.
• The user inputs the word(soccer), and clicks the button to start retrieval
by google.
• As the result of above work, Web page (like Yahoo!Sports) is displayed on
the browser.
• When the user wants to browse the Web page without scrolling the scroll
bar, the scroll bar is scrolled autonomously by sticking the Web page on
Autonomic Scrolling Field.
• When the user finds an interesting Web page and wants to browse more de-
tailed Web page, the user sticks the Web page on Similar Content Retrieval
Field to perform Similar Content Retrieval Function.
• In order to browse the Web page which is obtained by performing Similar
Content Retrieval Function, the user expands the Similar Content Retrieval
Field.
• As the result, Web pages are displayed on the expanded Field.
• When the user wants to browse the all Web pages which are linked the Web
page which the user is browsing, the user sticks the Web page on Linked
Content Retrieval Field.
• There are some Web pages that include many image. When the user
browses the Web pages and wants to browse only the image in the Web
30
pages, the user sticks the Web page on Image Extraction Field.
• All images included in the Web page which is stuck on Image Extraction
Field are extracted.
4.6 Example
There are many cases in WebBoard except the case that the individual uses
WebBoard indoors. The following can be considered as the example of applica-
tion.
4.6.1 Meeting Support
In the conventional discussion and argument, it is general that the presenter
prepares the data of the presentation by using an application like PowerPoint.
The participants in the presentation collect up questions that arouse in their
mind, and discuss with the presenter after the presentation. Also participants in
the presentation with various knowledge may discuss the comments of the other
participants. At this time, it is easy for the participant to do suitable comments
and to ask questions by finding the Web page used as the basis of the question
or opinion in the discussion. However, it is not easy thing to access the Web
page in accordance with the flow of a discussion. By displaying the Web page
which is relative to the question, there is a possibility that the discussion which
has the more contents is performed. The discussion like this can be performed
by retrieving or classifying or displaying the information for the discussion in
WebBoard with the interface for which intuitive operation needed.
4.6.2 Study Support
Integrated Study is the abbreviation for ”time for the integrated study”, and
a part of YUTORI education, and as a trial in which the children can study
the subjects that the children cannot study in the conventional class. The
following can be considered as the situation of summarizing the information
about the town where they live into a newspaper or text in the classroom where
the information machines for education connected to the network are prepared.
As a groupware of education support, there is an electronic classroom[15] where
the children can exchange the information actively between the teacher and the
children by implementing the network and multimedia machine. However, this
31
system is for the general lesson and differs from the Integrated Study greatly.
In the past the children had been divided into some groups, and the member
of the group had retrieved using a personal computer. And by integrating
the retrieval results , many children had made a newspaper talking with other
children. At this time, only the Web page which is obtained by the retrieval
which an individual performs is viewed when they are talking with. Therefore
the Web page which is obtained by the retrieval is not reflected the dialog
content in the group. Since the user who does Integrated Study is a elementary
school student or junior high school student, many users do not get used to
the treatment of personal computer and do not have enough the technique
of retrieval. Therefore we propose the interface which can be operated by the
method which anyone can treat to visual information, and the environment that
the user can perform the retrieval talking with other users without performing
retrieval in an individual.
4.6.3 Guide Support
There are many opportunities that the information on the Web are used in
various fields, and will be used outside in the future. And the various devices
except personal computer are connected with the expanding network. Many
devices do not have the function of high quality like personal computer, that is,
they do not have the specific function. In this ubiquitous environment the user
selects the device according to the user’s purpose, and gets the information. At
this time the browsing environment of the displayed information is determined
according to the devices that the user uses and the purpose that the user uses
and the related contents. Kidawara[17] propose Atmospheric Computing to
distribute and use the new contents in the ubiquitous environment. This indi-
cates the process for reconstructing browsing environment dynamically based
on the context information, that is, the relativity between the users and devices
and contents.under the environment where distributed devices and contents are
connected. When WebBoard is arranged in various place as a guidance board
of a town, many users who have various devices exist in front of WebBoard.
If Webboard has the function to transmit a Web page to another devices, new
Web pages which are obtained by operating the Web page in front of WebBoard
32
are transmitted to the device that the user has. At this time not only the Web
contents but also the context information that is the various profile information
that the users or group have and the situation that WebBoard is placed may
be used in new WebBoard.
33
Chapter 5 Experiments and Evaluation
5.1 Task
In order to evaluate the prototype system of WebBoard, a total of six sets (a
set is two subjects), that is twelve subjects (subject number:A-L) experiment
in twice. They are college students or graduate students. On six displays Inter-
netExplorer is displayed in the first experiment, and WebBoard is displayed in
the second experiment. But three sets(six subjects) experiment the second ex-
periment at first in order to take into account the influence exerted by the order
of the experiment. It is the task that two subjects get some information about
a certain person to explain the third person that does not know about a cer-
tain person at all by using InternetExplorer or WebBoard. As the result of two
experiments, two subjects can get some information about two persons. The
acquired information is described by a run of the item. The example of item-
ization is as shown below. Time limit is ten minutes. After two experiments,
they answer the questionnaire about the ease of using of the system.
• Targeted name : Thatcher of Kesteven, Margaret Hilda Roberts Thatcher,
Baroness
– Her birthday is 1925/10/13
– She is from Grantham in England.
– She is a female politician in England.
– Her nickname is Iron Lady.
– She graduates of Oxford University.
– She is a member of conservative party.
– She is a first female prime minister
– She is related to the Falklands War.
And each set searches the information about the various different persons.
At this time, the task of the same level is needed to be experimented. In
order to stabilize the amount of the information, we selected the persons that
the number of retrieval results by google search engine is stabilized. In this
experiment the number is five thousands. The combination of set number of
subjects and targeted names are as shown below.
34
Table 1: The combination of set number of subjects and targeted names
A set of subjects Targeted names
A and B Antoni Gaudi and Ernest Hemingway
C and D Flank Lloyd Wright and Lewis Carroll
E and F Margaret Hilda Roberts Thatcher and Jodie Foster
G and H Louis XVI and Russell Crowe
I and J Gioacchino Antonio Rossini and John H Glenn
K and L Niccolo Paganini and Mamoru Mouri
We evaluate the operationality to the Web page and the Field in the pro-
totype system of WebBoard. The method is mainly based on the qualitative
assessment by questionnaire. And in order to evaluate the influence exerted by
the Web browsing to the dialog, we make a videotape record of the experiments.
5.2 Questionnaire about WebBoard Prototype System
We evaluate the operationality to the Web page and the Field in the prototype
system of WebBoard. The method is mainly based on the qualitative assessment
by questionnaire. In the questionnaire, the questions about Physical accessi-
bility and Cognitive accessibility and Functionality as three parameter in the
usability are described. And the questionnaire also asks the new functions that
the subjects want to use in the prototype system of WebBoard and the idea of
the subjects to the experiment. The item of questionnaire is shown as follows.
• Q.1:Do you feel stress for the display of a Web page?
• Q.2:Do you think that you often operate the mouse and the keyboard?
• Q.3:Do you think that it’s easy to read the character displayed on six
displays?
• Q.4:Do you think that it’s easy to operate fields?
• Q.5:What do you consider the design of a field?
• Q.6:Do you think that WebBoard had all required functions?
• Q.7:Do you think that WebBoard is a useful system compared with Internet
Explorer?
35
• Q.8:What function do you think you need to add to WebBoard?
• Q.9:Please write your comment to an experiment
5.3 Results
The result of each experiment is shown as follows. The evaluation of the result
of the experiment is as shown in 5.4
Table 2: Q.1:Do you feel stress for the display of a Web page?
InternetExplorer WebBoard
Not at all 3 1
Not a little 6 2
Neutral 3 6
A little 2
A lot 1
Table 3: Q.2:Do you think that you often operate the mouse and the keyboard?
InternetExplorer WebBoard
Infrequently
Sometimes 1 4
Often 7 5
Usually 2 3
Always 2
• Q.8:What function do you think you need to add to WebBoard?
– The functions to support existing functions.
∗ The function to select the Web pages which can not be selected
in Linked Content Retrieval Field.
∗ The function to adjust the speed of displaying the Web page in
Linked Content Retrieval Field.
∗ The function to omit the Web page which the subjects have al-
36
Table 4: Q.3:Do you think that it’s easy to read the character displayed on six
displays?
InternetExplorer WebBoard
Very Easy 6 5
Easy 2 2
Neutral 1
Difficult 3 4
Very Difficult 1
Table 5: Q.4:Do you think that it’s easy to operate fields?
WebBoard
Very Easy 4
Easy 5
Neutral 2
Difficult 1
Very Diffucult
Table 6: Q.5:What do you consider the design of a field?
WebBoard
Very Good 2
Good 7
Neutral 1
Bad 2
Very Bad
ready looked.
– the new functions that the subjects want to use.
∗ The function to create the original contents by integrating the
collected contents.
∗ The function to display the summary of the Web page.
∗ The function to compare with the Web pages.
37
Table 7: Q.6:Do you think that WebBoard had all required functions?
WebBoard
Very Good
Good 6
Neutral 4
Bad 2
Very Bad
Table 8: Q.7:Do you think that WebBoard is a useful system compared with
Internet Explorer?
WebBoard
Very Useful
Useful 4
Neutral 6
Useless 2
Very Useless
∗ The function to customize the function of the Field
∗ The function to collect up the contents of the dialog.
∗ The function to communicate with other users in a remote place.
• Q.9:Please write your comment to an experiment
– I want to retrieve by google search engine as usual.
– I cannot understand the relation between the window and the Field
easily.
– It’s a hard work for me to move the mouse in six displays.
5.4 Evaluation
5.4.1 WebBoard
We evaluate the prototype system of WebBoard based on the results of the
experiments described in 5.3.
First we evaluate the answers in seven questions described in Table2 · · ·
38
Table8. In Table2 · · · Table4, we work out the t-test and check whether sig-
nificance difference is between the case of InternetExplorer and the case of the
prototype system of WebBoard or not. In three results, significance differences
do not appear. At this time the level of significance α is five percent. However,
this results from that the number of the subjects is too little and the major
differences between the data do not appear. The formula of t-test is shown as
follows. |X| is the average of the difference and SD2 is the variance and N is
the number of the difference. three results of t-test are shown as follows.
t =|X|√SD2
N−1
Table 9: The results of t-test(α = 0.05)
Degrees of Freedom t-Value Significance Difference
Q.1 11 1.136277 No
Q.2 11 0.727487 No
Q.3 11 0.795894 No
Next we evaluate the comments to the question which is a ”what function
do you think you need to add to WebBoard?”. The functions that the subjects
need are categorized into the functions to support existing functions and the new
functions that the subjects want to use. Since the subjects experimented and
felt that it was not easy to treat the prototype system of WebBoard, the former
was acquired. Some comments indicate the matters that are not problems in
conventional Web browsing. The latter is about the functions that each subject
feels requisite, and it is possible to implement the new WebBoard by adding
their functions to the prototype. As for the function to create the original
contents by integrating the collected contents, its function is effective in the
situation described in 4.6.1. It is possible to get the Web pages which the users
need by using the WebBoard. However, the users need to organize the Web
contents which the user collected up in the cases that the users want to save the
collected Web contents temporarily to use the next time or the user wants to
39
create the original Web pages by using the collected Web contents. This work
corresponds with the conventional registration of Bookmark and URL and the
keywords to input the search engines. So we need to consider the automation
of these works to organize the Web contents. Since the method to organize the
collected Web contents is determined according to the purpose of the user or the
group, the mechanism to set the method to organize the Web contents for the
purpose is needed. In order to realize this mechanism, preparing the Field that
has various style sheets is thought to be important. But it is a little possibility
to give much load to the user by using too many Fields. As for the function to
display the summary of the Web page, the narrowness of the area to display the
Web page is the factor because of the physical restriction of displays. Therefore
it is proper that many Web pages are displayed by summarizing the content of
the Web page. However the method to summarize the content of the Web page is
different for the purpose of the user and it is difficult to provide many methods
to summarize the content of the Web page. As for the function to compare
with the Web pages, it is effective to provide the mechanism that can work the
users to excite their senses. Because all existing functions are functions to work
the users visually. For example they are Web pages that moves between the
Fields and the expanded Field. As for the function to customize the function
of the Field, it is inevitable problem in the case that WebBoard is used for the
various situations. The prototype system of WebBoard has five functions. But
the method to combine the various functions is not prepared. Therefore, it is
impossible to perform the two function simultaneously. It is necessary to create
the Field that has a new function by integrating existing functions. We think
that this work should be done at low cost. It is considered that the best way is
the superposition of the Fields that is the intuitive operation. In the prototype
of WebBoard, the Field is a fixed area so that it is impossible to move the Field.
In order to realize this function, it is necessary to be able to move the Field and
to describe the events to create the new Field when the Field is superposed in
the program of WebBoard.
Finally we evaluate the comments to the experiments and the prototype sys-
tem of WebBoard. As for the first comment, that the users are not accustomed
40
to the semi-passive browsing and the users can not perform the technique which
can be performed in conventional Web browsing are the factors. For example,
in the prototype system of Webboard, the users can select a result Web page in
only the five result Web pages, but it is possible for the users to select a Web
page in many thousands results Web pages in the conventional Web browsing.
If the operation to select the Web page one by one does not give much load
to the users, this function is thought not to be effective. As for the second
comment, each Field is distinguished in the color and the design of the Field
satisfied many users. This point is described in Table6. However, it is consid-
ered that this comment results from that each Field has the same shape. As
for the comment about the six displays, all subjects are not accustomed to the
operation of six displays and it is not comfortable for all subjects to operate six
displays is the factor. This point is described in Table2, Table4. We think that
it is possible to solve this problem by using a touch panel or pointing device
In this experiment, we got good results about the operation of prototype
system of WebBoard, but not a very good result about the function of prototype
system. And it is considered that the prototype system has to be improved.
5.4.2 Dialog
We evaluate the influence which is given by Web browsing to the dialog by
looking at the appearance of the experiments recorded in a videotape. Because
it is considered that it becomes possible to share the point of view with other
users and to assist understanding each other in a discussion by using WebBoard
talking with other users.
The comment in the experiments is mainly divided into four categories. The
first category includes the comment to assist to other’s Web browsing method
and to offer to perform more effective Web browsing . For example, ”You may as
well input the other word to search engine.” or ”If you click on that link anchor,
you can browse the Web page which we need.” is shown in the experiments. The
second category includes the comment to request the operation to the Web page.
For example, ”Please click on that link anchor” or ”Please let me look at that
Web page again” is shown in the experiments. The third category includes the
comment on the content of the Web pages which are displayed and the reply
41
of some kind. For example, ”Is that information important for us?” and ”All
right. I have already written down it” is shown in the experiments. The last
category includes the comment to confirm the method to the prototype system
of WebBoard or the experiment itself. For example, ”What does this Field
mean?” or ”Where is the results displayed?” is shown in the experiments.
In four categories the most important category is the third category. The
other categories are not important especially. It is considered that these com-
ments do not appear by using the organization that the user can treat easily
without the needing the special skill about the Web browsing.
In two experiments, the obvious differences do not appear between the di-
alogs. It is considered that it results from that the prototype system of Web-
Board does not have greater the functions than Internet Explorer as it is de-
scribed in the results of the questionnaire. Therefore it is considered that not
only the operationality but also the implemented functions have to be improved.
42
Chapter 6 Related Work
Tadika[18] propose the information retrieval interface that the users can operate
the objects like image information in the Field by operating the Field. The Field
is defined as the container in that various objects include. In this system, the
displayed data in the Field is changed and the user can get the new information
by operating this Field. This operation is expanding or reduction of the Field.
In order to realize this mechanism, the container has its own amount of char-
acteristic and the amount of characteristic of the Field is changed dynamically
according to the amount of characteristic of various objects which is included
in the Field. When the user operates the Field, this amount of characteristic of
the Field and the content of the operation are inputted and the query to the
database that is reflected to the user’s purpose and the dataset displayed on
the Field is generated autonomously. This mechanism is shown in Fig18. The
difference from our research is that the documents which the users treat are
only the image information and the users have to operate to the Field to get
the new information frequently.
This is the Field whichcontains a image.
expanding
The similar images are displayed
Figure 18: The mechanism of the Field in Tadika’s research
Kidawara[19] propose the mechanism for working with embedded Web con-
tent in real world situations. A network management device is used to control
various devices indoors and out so that embedded Web content bound to physi-
cal objects can be acquired. Users can operatively acquire desired digital content
43
by providing their own context information such as user properties and device
specifications and configurations. He developed a Functional web mechanism
for processing embedded web content in the real-world without needing to use
a keyboard and built a practical prototype system, which is simple enough for
children to use, that is called ”Virtual Insect Catcher”. The outline of the ex-
periment using this prototype system is shown in Fig19. In test, the prototype
system worked well, and the children could acquire embedded Web content and
search for related Web content from the Internet. In addition, they could create
new Web content by merging the content items they had acquired. The differ-
ence from our research is that it is taken into consideration the situation that
the embedded Web content bound to physical objects is moved from a device
to a device.
Figure 19: The outline of the experiment using Virtual Insect Catcher
44
Chapter 7 Conclusions
We propose the concept of ”Functional Web” which adds various behavior to
a static Web page and developed the system ”WebBoard” which enables coop-
erative reference and edit of Web contents and effective Web browsing. It is
considered that the user can organize the individual information effectively and
have a effective dialog in a group work by using this system.
In the conventional Web browsers, there are SDI(Single Document Inter-
face) browser which displays only a Web page on a window and MDI(Multiple
Document Interface) browser. However, these Web browsers are mainly devel-
oped with intent to display the Web pages so that the functions which WWW
media’s own document originally has are not considered fully.
And unlike other media, WWW media have a lot of original features. The
advantage is that the user can retrieve the information which the user is search-
ing for by using a search engine and acquire the right to select two or more
Web pages which have relation in the Web page as soon as the user visits a
Web page due to the seamless relations by the hyperlink. On the other hand,
the disadvantage is that it is impossible to change its own form autonomously
according to the environment where the Web page itself is used and to browse
the same Web page in a long time by frequent update.
Therefore we propose the Web browsing method by more nearly intuitive
operation by giving not only the property which the conventional media have
but also the contents processing function of digital media to the Web content
itself. We prepare the virtual space called WebBoard which can display the
Web contents into the six displays in a meeting room and prepare a number
of spaces called Field on which Web pages can be stuck in WebBoard. The
specific function is added to each Field. When the user sticks the Web page
into the Field, the function added to the Field is executed to the stuck Web
page. The Field is expressed in a certain size. By expanding the Field, the
property of the function added to the Field is changed and new results are
displayed on the expanded Field. In other words, the size of the Field has
a close relation to the property of the function, and the Field has perform
45
the changed function autonomously. In the implemented prototype system of
WebBoard, five different functions are implemented. They are Similar Content
Retrieval Function, Image Extraction Function, Autonomic Update Function,
Autonomic Scrolling Function, Linked Content Retrieval Function. The details
of These functions are as follows:
• Similar Content Retrieval Function
– The Web pages which has relation in the Web page which is stuck on
the Field are displayed on the Field.
• Image Extraction Function
– The only image information which is included in the Web page which
is stuck on the Field is displayed on the Field.
• Autonomic Update Function
– The same information as the Web page which is stuck on the Field is
continued to be displayed on the Field.
• Autonomic Scrolling Function
– The scroll bar of the Web page which is stuck on the Field is scrolled
autonomously.
• Linked Content Retrieval Function
– The Web pages which are link relation to the Web page which is stuck
on the Field are displayed one after another.
By using this prototype system of WebBoard, it is possible to perform the
Web browsing without needing the specific technique and to mitigate much load
given to the user. In addition , by using this system in a group it is possible to
share the point of view with other users and to assist understanding each other
in a discussion.
46
Acknowledgments
First, the author would like to thank Professor Katsumi TANAKA for support-
ing at all levels of this search.
Second, the author would like to express my thank to Dr.Yutaka KIDAWARA
for supporting this research.
Also the author would like to thank advisers, Professor Toru ISHIDA for
supporting this research.
Moreover the author would like to thank all the members of TANAKA Lab-
oratory for supporting across the varied activity in the TANAKA Laboratory.
47
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