Application of the Internet-connected operational devices in the heating, ventilation and conditioning (HVAC) systems has extended the cyber-attack surface by introducing different malicious scenarios. The analysis of the HVAC data may provide insight on typical patterns of the system operations. Implementation of the thoroughly elaborated visualization models may significantly increase the efficiency of the suspicious activity identification in the HVAC systems. In the paper we present the results of the laboratory usability testing of three visualization models used to analyze HVAC data – matrix-based visualization technique, non-linear multidimensional visualization technique RadViz and timeline chart. Matrix-based visualization and RadViz visualization are often used in anomaly detection process, while timeline charts are a traditional way to present operational HVAC data. We describe the experiment design and discuss the results obtained. The usability testing revealed advantages and limitations of these visualization techniques in behavior pattern and anomaly identification tasks. The results can further serve as guidelines for task-dependent selection of a visualization technique.

The paradigm of communication between people is changing along with global changes in the modern world. This process is related to the integration of technology into everyday life and represents an expansion of the signs and symbolic environment in the field of communication: more and more new images are appearing designed to mark the attributes of the modern world. Pictorial form of communication is a simplified, cost-effective means of communication. That is why it is widely used in education, rehabilitation, navigation systems of public spaces, web and human interaction with cyberphysical systems. However, modern pictographic systems are fragmented and poorly systematized in a constant race for compliance with the requirements of the modern world. They are almost not investigated in their practical application and are limited in their expressive possibilities. This article is devoted to the description of the initial stage of empirical research of pictographic language LoCoS and the stages of development of an alternative keyboard for communication based on it. The conclusion is made about the possibility of the existence of a universal pictographic language on the basis of its semantic and technological improvement.