ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Comput. Sci.
Sec. Human-Media Interaction
This article is part of the Research TopicUnderstanding Human-Media Interaction Through Design, Ergonomics, and CommunicationView all articles
Graphical user interface design for a calibration device for infrared tympanic thermometers
Provisionally accepted
Margarita Kaplun Mucharrafille1
Alberto Rossa-Sierra1*Rita Q. Fuentes-Aguilar2Mariel García-Hernández3David Vidaña-Zavala1- 1Universidad Panamericana, Facultad de Ingeniería, Zapopan, Mexico
- 2Tecnológico de Monterrey, Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Zapopan, Mexico
- 3Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García, Mexico
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This study presents the development of a laboratory calibration device for infrared tympanic thermometers (ITTs), incorporating a high-stability grey-body cavity as an approximation to a blackbody radiation source. Particular emphasis is placed on the design of a graphical user interface (GUI) developed under a user-centered design framework. The interface was iteratively refined through field observations, usability testing, and direct collaboration with healthcare professionals and calibration technicians. The GUI structures the calibration process into four sequential phases - selection, warm-up, calibration, and cooling - using color coding, animated feedback, and high-resolution temperature controls with a minimum resolution of 0.01 °C. Usability evaluations demonstrated high levels of intuitive interaction, reduced cognitive load, and efficient task execution. The visual design contributed to safe operation by clearly communicating system status and preventing common user errors. This work introduces an innovative interface approach within the field of medical metrology and proposes transferable design principles applicable to other precision calibration instruments. The results highlight the importance of integrating human–machine interaction design with metrological rigor to improve transparency, efficiency, and safety in both laboratory and clinical environments.
Keywords: Calibration, graphical user interface, healthcare, Infrared tympanic thermometer, Medicalmetrology
Received: 06 Dec 2025; Accepted: 29 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Kaplun Mucharrafille, Rossa-Sierra, Fuentes-Aguilar, García-Hernández and Vidaña-Zavala. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Alberto Rossa-Sierra
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