a)
Provide a brief description on the technology that you have chosen
– generally, what does it promote? (e.g. environmental awareness, managing
diseases, living happily etc.) Please give examples (with annotated pictures)
to show how the users use/operate the technology. (2m)
A hybrid in context of automobile is a vehicle that is operated
with both an electric motor and a traditional gasoline engine. These two system
works directly with one another to power up the wheels.
A hybrid car
has raised awareness in society towards the importance of environmental
preservation. Most automobile that are used today works solely on gasoline alone.
Carbon monoxide gas produced by them can be harmful to not just the people and
living beings, but also to nature, ozone layer being one of the examples.
Hybrid cars provide an alternative option for people to use them as equally as
effective without affecting the environment. In addition, using an electric
motor system means reducing fuel consumption for the vehicles, thus also
reducing the cost for refilling fuel.
To
put it simply, the electric motor acts as a primary source of propulsion for
the wheels, while the gas engine is secondary. The electric motor then drives
the wheel by powering through the transmission whenever the throttle is
depressed. It acts solely to accelerate the car from a standstill. Once the car
moves on a certain speed, the gas engine kicks in to assist the electric motor
by sending more power through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The
computer prioritizes on the use of electric motor more than the gas engine,
with the thought of fuel economy as the primary goal.
b) Explain the way the technology
affect how well the users attend (attention), perceive (perception), and recall
(memory) when interacting with it. Please give examples (with annotated
pictures) to illustrate your points for each of the three cognitive aspects.
(3m for each cognitive aspect)
In operating
the car, the system has provided a Graphical User Interface (GUI) placed on the
car’s dashboard. It displays the condition of the system parts, some setting
options for the user, navigation services and some other information regarding
the system.
1. Attention
The GUI screen is well positioned at
the center of the dashboard to easily attract the users’ attentions as they
enter the car.
2. Perception
The interface design is also simplistic to help users understand on how to operate it easily. Most hybrid cars provide a simple, easy-to-navigate menu (with icons and folder/application name) and it is not too crowded so that the user can go through the menu with ease. The icons are distinct and each are color coded, making them easy to be identified or interpreted.
3. Memory
Because of the simple interface layout, it is not so hard for the
users to recall back the buttons and navigations whenever they get back to
using it. Plus, the buttons are labeled with names that imply their functions.
c)
From your own experience, how would you describe your emotions when
interacting with the technology? Identify each of those emotions (joy, shock,
dread, thrill etc.) and at which point of interaction did the emotion occur
(can provide pictures). Discuss, for any negative emotions that you
experienced, how you would change the design to elicit positive emotions
instead. Or, give reason why do you think experiencing the negative emotion is
necessary for this particular technology? (5m - discussion must be elaborated)
There are some
areas of hybrid cars that may be of interest to consumers, or the enthusiast.
In addition to terrific gas mileage with lower
emissions than a typical gasoline car, hybrid cars are fun to drive. The
fact that hybrids are low to the ground also helps these technologies to be
even more effective. Hybrid cars give you more
of that feeling than conventional cars do. This team believes that
experienced driving in a way to save fuel is a challenge and can even be fun.
People like them since they are better for the environment, better on gas, and
reliable. Having an electric motor means faster
acceleration from a dead stop. People just love the feel of being pushed back
in the seat when they tromp on the gas pedal.
Although hybrid
cars provide amazing conveniences and safety features, but the amount of
radiation being emitted is immense. A report from the National Research
Council shows that the energy required to produce electricity and batteries
makes hybrids more harmful to human health than
conventional cars. Hybrid cars pose more hazards to your health than
conventional cars. The technology of hybrid cars continues to advance but the
radiation danger of using the cars also increases. Some hybrid owners fear the
magnetic fields inside their cars. They fears that exposure to their
car’s electromagnetic fields could cause cancer. With the batteries and
power cables in hybrids often placed close to the driver and passengers, some
exposure to electromagnetic fields is unavoidable. There is a legitimate
scientific reason for raising the issue. The flow of electrical current to the
motor that moves a hybrid vehicle at low speeds produces magnetic fields, which
some studies have associated with serious health matters, including a possible
risk of leukemia among children.
In
2002 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified static
and low-frequency magnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic. This was based on
epidemiological studies that suggest that long-term and durable exposure to
magnetic fields in the low-dosage area of 1 μT or even lower (< 0.4 μT)
could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease or of childhood leukaemia .
Hybrid
cars generate a mixture of magnetic fields, at frequencies of 5 to 500 Hertz.
The strength of the magnetic fields changes constantly as the car travels
along, and is greatly dependent on the way the car is advancing or breaking. The magnetic
fields on the front passenger's seat and in the driver's foot well are of the
same order as those on the child's seat.
Given
that electromagnetic fields exposure, the hybrid cars should be re-designed to
minimize radiation risks as drivers and passengers spend considerable amounts
of time in these vehicles and health risks increase with the duration of
exposure. All power
cables should be positioned as far away as possible from the passenger seat
area, and their layout should not form a loop. If cable distance is less than
200mm away from the passenger seats, some forms of shielding should be adopted.
A thin layer of ferromagnetic shield is recommended as this is cost-effective
solution for the reduction of EMF emission as well EMI emission.
d)
The Fogg Behavior Model (BFM) asserts that for target behavior to
happen, a person must have sufficient motivation, sufficient ability and an
effective trigger. Describe TWO specific task or feature of technology that
requires the user to execute “target behavior”. By referring to the Fogg
Behavior model in the reference paper given, discuss how the three principal
factors (trigger, motivation, ability) persuade the user to execute that task
or feature. Please provide examples (with annotated pictures) to support your
discussions. You can refer to the two reference videos. (3m for each
task/feature – for each task/feature discussion must include the three
principal factors)
1. Ability
Hybrid cars
have the unique ability to recycle energy other cars waste, benefit from fuel
economy of up to 94mpg. That’s up to 40% better fuel efficiency than an
equivalent diesel engine. Conventional cars utilize petrol or gasoline to power
an internal combustion engine. Hybrid cars also utilize petrol or gasoline and
fuelled just like conventional cars, what makes it a bit special is that hybrid
cars can be completely or partly powered by electricity. Because hybrid cars
utilize both traditional gasoline engine and electric engine, they achieve far
more fuel efficiency compared to conventional cars. This means they save the
driver a lot of out-of-pocket fuel costs.
The electric
motor, fitted inside the card is the primary source for moving the car at slow
speed up to about 15 miles per hour. At higher speeds, the gasoline engine
takes hold and becomes the primary workhorse for the car. When you need extra
speed both, engines work extra together and give it extra boost. Driver will
save a lot of time instead of keep going to refill the petrol, this is why
hybrid cars use half of electronic so whenever they go to mall, mall already
provided the space for hybrid cars to recharge their battery so the user can
spend their time to shopping while the battery fully charge.
2. Motivation
Air pollution
has been an ongoing problem in many countries in the Southeast Asia region, and
Malaysia is one of the worst affected. For the past 5 years, emissions from
mobile sources (motor vehicles) have been the major source of air pollution,
contributing to at least 70–75% of the total air pollution. In addition,
long-term exposure to air pollution can cause cancer and damage to the immune,
neurological, reproductive, and respiratory systems. In extreme cases, it can
even cause death. Along with harming human health, air pollution can cause a
variety of environmental effects like acid rain, haze, effect on wildlife,
ozone depletion, global climate change and many more.
By using Hybrid
cars is one of the initiatives to motivate people to help involving in green
move. Small action makes a big impact. A hybrid vehicle helps save environment
from gas emissions creating pollution and breaking ozone layer. Over its entire
life cycle from production to disposal, the hybrid cars have a lower impact on
the environment than conventional cars.
Hybrid cars
with low gas emissions work better and effectively compared with the
conventional cars. It is pertinent to highlight different ways of reducing gas
emission and promoting green environment. In other words, hybrid cars can be
labelled as 'environment-friendly' because of combining electric motor with
internal combustion engine which is helpful in reducing dangerous effects of
emission noxious gasoline combustion products.
3. Triggers
The engineers have completely re-designed the dashboard to
help the user to drive more environmentally friendly. Hybrid cars also have a lots of features like idle-off,
regenerative breaking, power assist, electric-only drive and many more which
is, benefit for user. Usually for
conventional car dashboards, give mainly feedback on driving speed and fuel
tank status. Meanwhile the Hybrid cars have updated new ‘eco assist’ dashboard
and many persuasive elements have been added. The dashboard has a little
display field, on which ‘leaves icons’ virtually grow, if the user is driving
in an environmentally friendly manner.
In addition, the speed display changes its background colour
to signal sustainable or less sustainable driving behavior. This will give a
lot of benefits to the user, as the dashboard give more information and
delivers the feeling to the user that they are indeed are saving the earth,
with the small leaves are turned on. Plus, it can detect the driver or
passenger who does not wear the seat belt and the icon will appear at the
dashboard to remind to wear the seat belt. Hybrid cars have a lot features that
will respond to user, whenever the battery of the car almost ends it will
remind to the user earlier to change/charge the battery. When the driver left
behind the electronic item like phone inside the car, the hybrid cars will
detect car alarm will activated this is why because safety comes first.
e)
Choose one feature of the technology which in your opinion fails to
achieve an intended outcome. Using the FBM, discuss on why you think it fails
and give suggestions/recommendations how the design of that feature can be
improved. Please provide examples (with annotated pictures) to support your
discussions. (3m – discussion must be
elaborated)
Technically,
Economy Mode inhibits the performance of transmission and engine, by reducing
the throttle response in favor of fuel economy. Consequently, the acceleration
of the vehicle becomes less responsive and leads to less fuel consumption which
although it doesn’t
actually change the vehicle’s engine power means the accelerator will not be as
sensitive and, therefore, not use as much fuel when pressed at the same
interval. Drivers find that real mileage from hybrids is actually about 10%
less than claimed. In some extreme cases during stops the car will turn off the
air conditioner system.
Much of the fuel efficiency comes from improvements in aero dynamics,
weight reduction and, the biggest change: a smaller, less powerful gas engine.
In fact, any car will get substantially better mileage just by reducing the
engine size. The main reason this is not done has to do customer demand.
In
our opinion, car manufacturers should make hybrid cars be more dependent on
electrical motor engine than gasoline engine. As most hybrid cars rely heavily
on gasoline engine on a daily basis. This would lessen use of gasoline thus
limit pollution to the world. The ECO
mode would also be reviewed of its usability as well besides reduce fuel
consumption to cater consumer’s needs for performance and acceleration.
f) Consider the ethical implication of
your chosen persuasive technology. In your opinion, does it have, even
remotely, any ethical issues? For example, does the design aim to keep users
spending time they didn’t intend to? Does the design protect users’ privacy and
give them control over their settings? Do any of the features use deception,
manipulation, misrepresentation, or other dishonest techniques? Will the design
put users in harm’s way or make them vulnerable, intentionally or
unintentionally? Please provide examples (with annotated pictures) to support
your discussions. You can also choose any other example than your chosen
technology to answer this question. (5m– discussion must be elaborated)
i.
Do hybrid cars have, even remotely, any ethical issues?
After learning
about the creation process of hybrids, I believe that the auto industry is not
being entirely honest in the way they market hybrids. The cars are “green” once
they are created and they do not give off pollution while running. However,
they can only be as environmentally friendly as the energy used to recharge
their batteries. At this point, most of this energy comes from burning fossil
fuels, which pollute the environment considerably. This causes an ethical
dilemma. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers Code of
Ethics, engineers may not act in ways that deceive the public. Taking that into
account, it does not make sense that the general public should think that
hybrid cars are “green” when they are harmful to the environment.
However,
the engineers are involved in the design and creation of the cars. There are
other professionals that market the products and therefore the engineers never
do anything against the code that could be considered deceiving to the public.
However, in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code of Ethics of
Engineers, it states, “Engineers shall consider environmental impact and
sustainable development in the performance of their professional duties”. If
the engineers have to take into account the environmental impact, then clearly
hybrid cars would not be polluting the earth, but they are.
Examining that
part of the code closer, we see it also mentions that mechanical engineers must
also consider sustainable development. This means that they must also take into
account where they believe their development will take the product in the
future. While hybrids might not be environmentally friendly now, they are
making progress toward becoming the green vehicle they were initially intended
to be. They have increased in efficiency over the past few years.
ii.
Does the design of hybrid car aim to keep users spending time they
didn’t intend to?
Yes, because by
having a hybrid car we reduce time needed to go to petrol station. As we know,
hybrid car will use partly or fully rely on electricity. This will reduce the
time needed by the user to go to petrol station and refill the fuel.
Besides that,
hybrid car is equipped with the latest technology. GPS is usually comes
together and the user can just pin the place that they want, and GPS on the car
will do the job. These reduce the time of relying on the user’s smartphone.
Lastly, hybrid
car dashboards have more information about the car condition. This reduces the time for the user
to send the car to the workshop for service. The user can be alert by them, and
arrange their time to go to the workshop if needed.
iii.
Does the design of hybrid cars protect users’ privacy and give them
control over their settings?
Yes, the design
is to protect user’s privacy and give them control over their setting. For
example, when the users are using the car, it’s automatically connected to the
user’s smartphone. This only happens after the setting that being done by the
user or for the first time is being done when the user bought the car. This
will give the user the ability to control over their setting as connected to
their smart phone user can now have their favorite song on the run. They no
need to rely on USB or radio.
This also gives
the opportunity for the user to pick up the important calls during driving. The
speaker will automatically help the user to talk to the caller while driving.
The privacy is still being the first priority as it’s connected to the
smartphone, it’s only available at only one smartphone at a time. If there are
two or more smartphone at that moment, while the user phone is connected. The
information only gains and receive through the user smartphone and the car.
This enables the privacy of the user is being secured and not engage with other
people.
iv.
Does any of the features use deception, manipulation,
misrepresentation, or other dishonest techniques?
Hybrid cars may
be solving several problems dealing with the harmful emissions of gas-powered
vehicles into the environment, but they are also creating some pollution issues
of their own. They may emit a little less greenhouse gases into the environment
while you are driving them, but they are also a more complex car and therefore
require a substantially larger amount of energy to produce. This increased
output of energy increases the amount of pollution emitted into the air,
thereby nullifying the advantages gained through reduced emissions during the
operation of a hybrid vehicle.
Also, since
hybrids have batteries, the materials used to produce them still have to be
gathered and disposed of doing these things can be harmful to the environment
as well. Many proponents of hybrid vehicles will claim that battery-powered
vehicles don’t give off bad emissions, but where is that energy to charge the
battery coming from? If it is not from a clean energy source, it is still
polluting the air. I feel that our environment deserves better, and that the
auto industry should stop leading people to believe that they are having a
positive impact on the environment by buying and driving hybrids.
v.
Will the design of hybrid cars put users in harm’s way or make them
vulnerable, intentionally or unintentionally?
Hybrid cars may
be healthier for the planet due to their reduced emissions, they are unhealthy
for pedestrians. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, hybrid vehicles
are about 20 percent more likely to cause pedestrian accident injuries than
conventional vehicles. They arrived at this conclusion by analyzing the
frequency of bodily injury claims that were made without related collision or
property damage, the assumption being that such claims are likely to result
from pedestrian accidents. They reviewed a total of 25,382 claims filed for 17
hybrid and non-hybrid vehicles.
Their findings
were in line with studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, which found that in areas with speed limits of 35 mph or under,
hybrid vehicles were 50 percent more likely to be involved in pedestrian
accidents than conventional vehicles. Additionally, the NHTSA found that
situations where hybrid cars were slowing, stopping, backing up, or parking
presented the highest risk to pedestrians, with hybrid cars twice as likely to
be involved in accidents under these circumstances. There was no significant
difference in crash rates when the cars were travelling straight down a road. When
hybrids are operating at low speeds in electric-only mode, there is no engine
noise and very little tire noise or wind noise. Pedestrians simply can’t hear
them. This can lead to accidents. Pedestrians might step out in front of a car
they don’t realize is coming or be unable to avoid being hit by a car that is
backing up without looking.
Legislators have been trying to
enact a solution to this problem since 2011. In 2016, the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration announced a rule that would require hybrid
vehicles to make an engine-like noise while driving under 20 mph, as well as any
time the vehicle is stopped but not in park. Manufacturers have until September
1 of 2019 to comply with this rule.
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