SiBed – Simulation of User Interfaces for Industrial Machines based on Cognitive Models

Goal of the SiBed  project is the development of software tools for computer based usability analysis of Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) of industrial machines. The effective improvement of the usability results in efficient and safe operation of the machines. Two main development goals for the project: (1) Automatically identify typical use cases by monitoring user interactions (e.g. mouse events) while the user interacts with the GUI of the existing machine. These use cases will be mapped in a workflow oriented re-design of the GUI. (2) The interaction with the prototype of the redesigned GUI is simulated based on a cognitive model. Basis for this cognitive analysis is a computer based model of selected aspects of cognitive structures and processes of a human being. The outcome of the project will allow a comparative analysis of different versions of the GUI. Predictive analysis of interaction concepts are relevant for a multitude of application areas, e.g. production engineering, medical engineering or the service sector. The results of the project are of interest for the associated partners from manufacturing engineering for a goal-oriented optimization and standardization of the interactions to increase continuously the production outcome.

The Fraunhofer IDMT works on the recording and analysis of interaction sequences.