User testing and design iteration of the ProVAR user interface

The ProVAR (Professional Vocational Assistant Robot) system is designed for use by a person with a high-level physical disability to manipulate physical objects in an office desktop environment and to access the functions of a networked personal computer. Typical objects (e.g., computer media, cups, videotapes, medication, sheets of paper) support vocational tasks and activities of daily living. The ProVAR interface is programmed to platform-independent Web-based software standards, notably HTML, VRML and Java, to facilitate future development efforts and the use of the software by all personal computer users. This paper will discuss recent developments in the interface design and user testing of the first iteration of the interface.