An Adaptive User Interface for Walking While Reading on a Mobile Device

Smartphones are constantly being used in different use scenarios and contexts. This Thesis puts forth the notion that Adaptive User Interfaces (AUIs) can be implemented in mobile devices to help mitigate the negative usability effects associated with certain contexts. Using an auto-scroll and an auto-scroll + zoom function, two different AUIs were implemented to see if it is possible to mitigate the negative effects associated with reading while walking. Participants using these two interfaces, along with a static interface, were tested on reading comprehension tests while either sitting or walking a course with pedestrian traffic. The results indicate that the walking context had an adverse effect on reading comprehension. Participants most preferred an AUI interface while walking, with the auto-scroll AUI resulting in faster walking, faster course completion, and faster reading. It is concluded that AUIs can be used to alleviate some negative effects associated with concurrent reading and walking.