Publications

Abstract

Advances in interactions with computers, smartphones, and other devices have introduced new challenges, particularly in ensuring optimal usability for diverse types of users. Adaptive User Interface (AUI) systems offer a potential solution by dynamically adjusting the user interface to meet individual user needs. However, developing such systems is a complex task, requiring capturing user characteristics and preferences and constantly adapting the system interface accordingly. In this work, we argue that ontologies, by providing structured knowledge about AUI systems, play a crucial role in understanding their functioning and helping to develop them. This doctoral research aims to explore the use of networked ontologies to support the development of AUI systems. Following the Design Science Research paradigm and organizing experimental studies in learning iterations, we developed OADAPT (Ontology-based Approach to Develop AdaPtive user inTerface systems), which has two components: a knowledge framework about AUI systems, represented through networked ontologies; and a process to guide the development of AUI systems using the ontologies. The ontologies are integrated into the Human-Computer Interaction Ontology Network (HCI-ON) and aim to establish a structured knowledge for understanding and designing AUI systems, defining relevant conceptualization for interfaces that can automatically adjust to the needs and contexts of different users. The process uses networked ontologies to support the development of AUI systems, both to structure the system at the conceptual level and to identify the necessary interface adaptations at runtime. The first version of OADAPT was the result of an exploratory case study in which networked ontologies were used in the development of an AUI system. Subsequently, the approach was applied to two other case studies and evolved based on the results obtained. The studies demonstrated that the ontologies (i.e., the knowledge component of OADAPT) helped to provide a structured and reusable representation of the knowledge required for UI adaptation, while the process guided the development stages of AUI systems. These results are promising and indicate that OADAPT is a useful and viable approach to support the development of AUI systems, supporting researchers in structuring knowledge about AUI systems and practitioners in understanding the domain and guiding development steps.

Bibtex Copy

@phdthesis{Freitas2025,
  author  = {Freitas, Alexandre Adler Cunha de},
  title   = {Using Networked Ontologies to Develop Adaptive User Interface Systems},
  school  = {Federal University of Espírito Santo},
  address = {Vit{\'o}ria, ES, Brazil},
  year    = {2025},
  type    = {Doctoral Thesis}
}

Abstract

This paper investigates how ontologies have been used to support the development of Adaptive User Interface (AUI) systems through a Systematic Mapping Study (SMS). A total of 165 publications were identified, from which 30 addressed AUI development with ontologies. After grouping complementary studies, 23 proposals were analyzed. Results indicate that ontologies are mainly used as a conceptual foundation to organize elements such as user profiles, devices, and context of use, supporting dynamic UI adaptations, especially in the implementation phase. The study also highlights gaps and opportunities for improving systematic ontology-based approaches in AUI systems development.

Bibtex Copy

@article{Freitas_2025-AO,
                            title={Unveiling the Use of Ontologies in Adaptive User Interface Systems Development: A Systematic Mapping Study},
                            author={Freitas, Alexandre Adler Cunha de and Costa, Simone Dornelas and Scalser, Murilo Borghardt and Barcellos, Monalessa Perini},
                            journal={Applied Ontology},
                            url={}, 
                            DOI={}, 
                            year={2025},
                            note={Accepted with minor revision}
                            }

Abstract

The new ways of interacting with computers, smartphones, and other devices have brought new challenges, such as the need to ensure that different types of users can easily use the same system. Adaptive User Interface (AUI) systems have been recognized as a solution to this matter. They change the user interface to better meet the needs of different users. However, developing such systems is not trivial. It is necessary to capture the users’ characteristics and preferences and constantly adapt the system accordingly. In this paper, we discuss the use of ontologies to support the development of AUI systems. We argue that by providing structured knowledge about such systems, ontologies help understand how they work and offer a basis to structure them, identify the necessary adaptations and implement mechanisms to make them happen in run-time. We have explored the use of ontologies from an ontology network (i.e., networked ontologies) to develop a social network about academic subjects that automatically adapts its interface according to the low vision and colorblind user’s needs and usage characteristics. This exploratory study showed that using networked ontologies to develop an AUI system is useful and feasible. The ontology was useful at the conceptual level by serving as a basis to define the system’s structural model and at the operational level by providing the semantics used in a reasoning engine to adapt the UI at run-time. The first version of an ontology-based process to guide the development of AUI systems emerged from this experience and it is also presented in this paper.

Bibtex Copy

@article{Freitas_2023-OADAPT, 
    place={Porto Alegre, RS}, 
    title={Using Networked Ontologies to Support the Development of Software Systems with Adaptive User Interface}, 
    volume={14}, 
    url={https://sol.sbc.org.br/journals/index.php/jis/article/view/3256}, 
    DOI={10.5753/jis.2023.3256}, 
    number={1}, 
    journal={Journal on Interactive Systems}, 
    author={Freitas, Alexandre Adler Cunha de and Costa, Simone Dornelas and Scalser, Murilo Borghardt and Barcellos, Monalessa Perini}, 
    year={2023}, month={Jul.}, pages={257–273} }

Abstract

Advances in technology have introduced new challenges to ensure optimal usability for diverse users. Adaptive User Interface (AUI) systems offer a potential solution by dynamically adjusting the interface to the user. However, developing these systems is complex, requiring capturing user characteristics and preferences. This paper provides an overview of a doctoral proposal that proposes OADAPT, an ontology-based approach to support AUI system development. The approach comprises a knowledge framework about AUI systems (represented through networked ontologies) and a process that guides the steps to use the ontologies to develop AUI systems. OADAPT emerged from developing a social network called SNOPI, which automatically adapts its interface based on users’ needs and characteristics, such as low vision and colorblindness.

Bibtex Copy

@inproceedings{Freitas2024-OADAPT-ONTOBRAS,
    author = {Freitas, Alexandre A. C. de and Barcellos, Monalessa P.},
    title = {An Ontology-Based Approach to Support the Development of Adaptive Interface Systems},
    year = {2024},
    booktitle = {Proceedings of the 17th Seminar on Ontology Research in Brazil (ONTOBRAS 2024) and 8th Doctoral and Masters Consortium on Ontologies (WTDO 2024)},
    location = {Vitória, Brazil}
}

Abstract

The new ways of manipulating computers, smartphones and other devices have brought challenges such as the need to ensure a good usability when different user types use the same system. Adaptive user interface (AUI) systems are a possible solution. They change the user interface to better meet the needs of different users. However, developing such systems is not trivial. It is necessary to capture the users' characteristics and preferences and constantly adapt the system accordingly. In this paper, we discuss the use of ontologies to support the development of AUI systems. We argue that by providing structured knowledge about such systems, ontologies help understand how they work and offer a basis to structure them, identify the necessary adaptations and implement mechanisms to make them happen in run-time. We have explored the use of ontologies from an ontology network to develop a social network about academic subjects that automatically adapts its interface according to the low vision and colorblind user's needs and usage characteristics. The first version of an ontology-based process to guide the development of AUI systems raised from this experience.

Bibtex Copy

@inproceedings{Freitas2022-SNOPI-IHC,
author = {Freitas, Alexandre A. C. de and Scalser, Murilo B. and Costa, Simone D. and Barcellos, Monalessa P.},
title = {Towards an Ontology-Based Approach to Develop Software Systems with Adaptive User Interface},
year = {2022},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3554364.3559139},
doi = {10.1145/3554364.3559139},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 21st Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
location = {Diamantina, Brazil}
}

Abstract

Com a popularização dos computadores pessoais e smartphones, novas formas de interação com dispositivos eletrônicos surgiram. Isso impulsionou o desenvolvimento de um novo campo de estudo chamado Interação Humano-Computador (IHC). Um problema comum em IHC é a baixa usabilidade quando diferentes usuários utilizam o mesmo sistema. Uma solução para esse problema são os sistemas adaptativos, que podem ajustar aspectos de sua estrutura ou funcionalidades para melhor se adequar às necessidades dos diferentes usuários e suas alterações ao longo do tempo. IHC é um campo interdisciplinar que envolve diversos especialistas e áreas de conhecimento, o que pode levar a uma falta de consenso em relação a conceitos e terminologias. Isso pode gerar conflitos semânticos na compreensão e modelagem das características do usuário, entre outros aspectos. Este trabalho propõe a utilização de ontologias no processo de desenvolvimento e evolução de sistemas adaptativos, particularmente aqueles cuja adaptabilidade inclui sua interface. Ontologias têm sido amplamente empregadas em diversos campos para capturar e estruturar conhecimento, com o objetivo de solucionar problemas relacionados à interoperabilidade e à gestão de informações e conhecimento. Neste trabalho, utilizando a abordagem OADAPT (Ontology-based Approach to Develop AdaPtive inTerfaces) foram propostas e implementadas novas adaptações na interface do sistema SNOPI, uma rede social com interface adaptativa baseada em ontologia desenvolvido em um trabalho anterior. Foram implementadas duas novas adaptações na interface adaptativa do SNOPI, incluindo a navegação e postagem no sistema por meio de comandos de voz e a navegação por gestos das mãos e dedos. Como resultado, SNOPI foi aprimorado com essas novas adaptações, que foram projetadas e implementadas com sucesso.

Bibtex Copy

@monography{Risso2023,
    address={VIT{\'O}RIA, ES},
    author={Risso, Vinícius de Oliveira},
    pages={69},
    school={Federal University of Espírito Santo},
    title={APLICA{\c{C}}{\~A}O DE UMA ABORDAGEM BASEADA EM ONTOLOGIA NA EVOLU{\c{C}}{\~A}O DE UM SISTEMA COM INTERFACE ADAPTATIVA},
    type={Monography},
    year={2023}}

Abstract

Desde a criação e democratização de computadores pessoais e smartphones, novas formas de manusear dispositivos foram surgindo. Com isso, também surgiu um novo ramo de estudos, sendo este conhecido atualmente como Interação Humano-Computador (IHC). Um problema relacionado a IHC conhecido e, muito discutido atualmente, é a baixa usabilidade quando diferentes tipos de usuários utilizam o mesmo sistema. Uma solução possível para este problema são os sistemas adaptativos, pois eles conseguem alterar aspectos de sua estrutura ou funcionalidades e, com isso, acomodar e atender melhor às necessidades de diferentes usuários e suas mudanças ao longo do tempo. Porém, o campo da IHC envolve diferentes áreas de conhecimento, com diferentes especialistas envolvidos, fazendo com que conceitos muitas vezes não possuam um significado consensual, criando, assim, conflitos semânticos no entendimento e na modelagem das características do usuário, entre outros. Diante disto, este trabalho propõe o uso de ontologias no desenvolvimento de sistemas adaptativos. Ontologias têm sido usadas com sucesso em vários domínios para capturar e organizar conhecimento, visando lidar com interoperabilidade e problemas relacionados ao conhecimento. No Núcleo de Estudos em Modelagem Conceitual e Ontologias (NEMO), no qual este trabalho foi realizado, encontra-se em desenvolvimento HCI-ON (Human-Computer Interaction Ontology Network), uma rede de ontologias que trata aspectos relacionados a IHC. Nessa rede, no contexto da pesquisa de doutorado do coorientador deste trabalho, estão sendo desenvolvidas ontologias que tratam aspectos relevantes para o desenvolvimento de interfaces adaptativas (e.g., caracterização do usuário). Neste trabalho, um extrato de HCI-ON foi utilizado no desenvolvimento de SNOPI (Social Network with Ontology-based Adaptive Interface), uma rede social com interface adaptativa baseada em ontologia. O extrato de HCI-ON foi utilizado na modelagem conceitual de SNOPI e para construção da ontoSNOPI (ontologia operacional de SNOPI). Uma versão inicial de SNOPI foi projetada e desenvolvida, incluindo algumas adaptações de interface de acordo com o perfil do usuário.

Bibtex Copy

@techreport{scalser2022,
abstract = {Desde a criação e democratização de computadores pessoais e smartphones...},
title = {{SNOPI: Um Sistema de Interface Adaptativa baseada em Ontologia}},
author = {Scalser, Murilo Borghardt},
institution = {Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo},
year = {2022},
note = {in Portuguese only},
type={Monography}
}