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Investigating the impact of audio degradations on users: subjective vs objective assessment methods

Wilson, GM; Sasse, MA; (2000) Investigating the impact of audio degradations on users: subjective vs objective assessment methods. In: Proceedings of the the Annual Conference of CHISIG, OZCHI 2000: Interfacing Reality in the New Millennium. (pp. pp. 135-142). CHISIG: the Computer Human Interaction Special Interest Group of the Ergonomics Society of Australia: Sydney, Australia. Green open access

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Abstract

Low-cost multimedia conferencing (MMC) is increasing in popularity, but it is often questioned whether the quality of the audio and video provided is usable. Traditionally, subjective methods have been employed to assess this. However, recent findings suggest that subjective ratings, which are cognitively mediated, may not reliably detect the impact of quality on users. To address this problem, we are taking physiological indicators of stress as a measure of user cost. In a study with 24 participants, physiological and subjective responses were taken to six types of audio degradation. Results show that the most physiologically stressful condition (audio recorded using a bad microphone) was not subjectively rated as poor. This discrepancy between subjective and physiological responses illustrates the peril of using subjective assessment alone, and supports our proposal for a three-tier approach to media quality assessment of task performance, user satisfaction and user cost.

Type: Proceedings paper
Title: Investigating the impact of audio degradations on users: subjective vs objective assessment methods
Event: the Annual Conference of CHISIG, OZCHI 2000: Interfacing Reality in the New Millennium
Dates: December 4000
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Publisher version: http://www.ozchi.org/ozchi2009/history.html
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: evaluation methods, empirical evaluation, subjective assessment, user cost, audio, multimedia conferencing, physiological measurements
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Computer Science
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/119054
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