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The latest smartphones with GPS, electronic compasses, directional audio, touch screens, and so forth, hold a potential for location-based services that are easier to use and that let users focus on their activities and the environment around them. Rather than interpreting maps, users can search for information by pointing in a direction and database queries can be created from GPS location and compass data. Users can also get guidance to locations through point and sweep gestures, spatial sound, and simple graphics. This paper describes two studies testing two applications with multimodal user interfaces for navigation and information retrieval. The applications allow users to search for information and get navigation support using combinations of point and sweep gestures, nonspeech audio, graphics, and text. Tests show that users appreciated both applications for their ease of use and for allowing users to interact directly with the surrounding environment.

We have developed a new, pervasive system for the monitoring and recording of subjective pain experiences. The system was tested in six healthcare organizations. The testing covered 27 personnel members and 27 test users. During the field testing of the pain monitoring system, we studied the user experience from the perspective of patients and nursing personnel. The study also focused on the system's adoption requirements at home and in the hospital environment. The pervasive pain monitoring system increased the test users' feeling of security and supported their experience of continued treatment. We noticed that the experience of care supports and that acceptance requires observing the users' physical and psychological capacities. The pain meter and patient application supports a patient's pain treatment of acute and long-term pain in hospital conditions and in follow-up treatment at home. It also promotes continuity and enhances the availability of treatment. Also, a clear connection was found between the users' technical abilities and their willingness to start using the system.

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