21 research outputs found
Alvina: um protocolo para orientar o desenvolvimento e validação de tecnologias baseadas em aba para o tratamento do autismo
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects about
1-2% of the global population and leads to long-term challenges in the daily social lives
of individuals with the disability. Based mainly on behavioral symptoms, the ASD is
usually diagnosed after the second year of life. Beyond that, research indicates that the
prevalence rates of this disorder have increased during the last three decades. Early interventions
based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) have contributed to good results
in treatments, demonstrating significant improvements in language, cognitive ability and
social skills for many individuals diagnosed with ASD. Besides ABA, Assistive Technologies
(ATs) such as games, robots, among others, contribute positively to the development
and learning process compared to other instructional methods. Then, associating ABA
practices with the use of technology can contribute to controllable intervention, structured,
adaptable, stimulating and increasingly effective processes. However, it is observed
that ATs designed based on ABA principles for ASD treatment do not meet the criteria
proposed by this science. Thus, this paper’s main objective was to propose ALVINA:
A Protocol to Guide the Development and Validation of ABA-Based Technologies for
the Treatment of Autism. As a way of expanding reflections and reinforcing the importance
and benefits of ALVINA, an evaluation was carried out, which took place through
the application of questionnaires, in which computer professionals and Behavior Analysts
participated. As a result of this assessment, these professionals highlighted the relevance
of ALVINA information, considering it capable of involving important and essential points
in the understanding process of how to validate and design ABA-based ATs for the ASD
treatment, besides intelligibly meeting the criteria for the fundamental principles of this
science. All this demonstrates the professionals involved in the ALVINA assessment have
recognized the importance and need of a protocol for the development and validation
of a proposed AT to be used during the intervention process. Furthermore, as a way of
demonstrating the applicability of ALVINA, it was used to validate the SEIA: Teaching
System Based on Artificial Intelligence and ABA and TEO: An Interactive Game
Suite To Support The Treatment Of Children With Autism. Through this validation,
the Behavior Analysts analyzed the weaknesses and strengths of SEIA and TEO. The
guidelines described by ALVINA were also used for the development of a prototype called
AUTISMALG: Application to Assist in Teaching Identification and Counting Number for
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This prototype aimed to identify and understand
the application of the recommendations of each guideline proposed by ALVINA in
the development of an AT. Finally, it is expected that the guidelines proposed by this protocol
be efficient in the validation and development of ATs, aiming to ensure the correct
execution of ABA practices during the intervention process, thus providing improvements
for the treatment of individuals with ASD.O Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) é uma condição do neurodesenvolvimento
que afeta cerca de 1-2% da população global e leva a desafios de longo prazo na vida
social diária dos indivíduos com o transtorno. Baseado principalmente em sintomas comportamentais,
o diagnóstico do TEA geralmente se dá a partir do segundo ano de vida.
Além disso, as pesquisas apontam que as taxas de prevalência desse transtorno têm aumentado
durante as últimas três décadas. Intervenções precoces baseadas na Análise do
Comportamento Aplicada (ABA) tem contribuído com bons resultados nos tratamentos,
demonstrando melhorias significativas na linguagem, capacidade cognitiva e habilidades
sociais para muitos indivíduos com TEA. Além da ABA, Tecnologias Assistivas (TAs)
como jogos, robôs entre outras, contribuem positivamente no processo de desenvolvimento
e aprendizagem em comparação com outros métodos instrucionais. Assim, associar
as práticas da ABA ao uso da tecnologia pode contribuir para processos de intervenção
controláveis, estruturados, adaptáveis, estimulantes e cada vez mais efetivos. No entanto,
observa-se que as TAs projetadas com base nos princípios da ABA para o tratamento do
TEA não atendem aos critérios propostos por esta ciência. Dessa maneira, o principal
objetivo deste trabalho foi propor o ALVINA: (A Protocol to Guide the Development
and Validation of ABA-Based Technologies for the Treatment of Autism) um protocolo
que orienta o desenvolvimento e validação de TAs fundamentadas nos princípios
da ABA para o tratamento do autismo. Como forma de ampliar as reflexões e reforçar
a importância e os benefícios do ALVINA, foi realizada uma avaliação, a qual ocorreu
por meio da aplicação de questionários, em que participaram profissionais da computação
e Analistas do Comportamento. Como resultado dessa avaliação, estes profissionais
destacaram a relevância das informações do ALVINA, considerando-o capaz de envolver
pontos importantes e essenciais no processo de compreensão de como validar e projetar
TAs baseadas em ABA para o tratamento do TEA, além de atender de forma inteligível
os princípios fundamentais desta ciência. Tudo isso demonstra o reconhecimento por
parte dos profissionais envolvidos na avaliação do ALVINA sobre a importância e necessidade
de um protocolo para o desenvolvimento e validação de uma TA proposta para
ser utilizada durante o processo de intervenção. Ademais, como forma de demonstrar a
aplicabilidade do ALVINA, este foi utilizado para validar o SEIA: Sistema de Ensino Baseado
em Inteligência Artificial e ABA e o TEO: Uma Suíte De Jogos Interativos Para
Apoio ao Tratamento De Crianças Com Autismo. Por meio desta validação, os Analistas
do Comportamento analisaram as fragilidades e potencialidades do SEIA e do TEO. As
orientações descritas pelo ALVINA também foram utilizadas para o desenvolvimento de
um protótipo chamado AUTISMALG: Aplicativo para Auxiliar no Ensino da Identificação
e Contagem de Algarismos para Crianças com Transtorno do Espectro Autista. Esse
protótipo, se propôs identificar e compreender a aplicação das recomendações de cada
diretriz proposta pelo ALVINA no desenvolvimento de uma TA. Por fim, espera-se que as
orientações propostas por este protocolo sejam eficientes na validação e desenvolvimento
de TAs, visando garantir a execução correta das práticas da ABA durante o processo
de intervenção, proporcionando, assim, melhorias para o tratamento dos indivíduos com
TEA
Digital innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Management
Due to innovation in technology, a new type of patient has been created, the e-patient, characterized by the use of electronic communication tools and commitment to participate in their own care. The extent to which the world of digital health has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely recognized. Remote medicine has become part of the new normal for patients and clinicians, introducing innovative care delivery models that are likely to endure even if the pendulum swings back to some degree in a post-COVID age. The development of digital applications and remote communication technologies for patients with multiple sclerosis has increased rapidly in recent years. For patients, eHealth apps have been shown to improve outcomes and increase access to care, disease information, and support. For HCPs, eHealth technology may facilitate the assessment of clinical disability, analysis of lab and imaging data, and remote monitoring of patient symptoms, adverse events, and outcomes. It may allow time optimization and more timely intervention than is possible with scheduled face-to-face visits. The way we measure the impact of MS on daily life has remained relatively unchanged for decades, and is heavily reliant on clinic visits that may only occur once or twice each year.These benefits are important because multiple sclerosis requires ongoing monitoring, assessment, and management.The aim of this Special Issue is to cover the state of knowledge and expertise in the field of eHealth technology applied to multiple sclerosis, from clinical evaluation to patient education
Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications
The International Workshop on Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications (MAVEBA) came into being in 1999 from the particularly felt need of sharing know-how, objectives and results between areas that until then seemed quite distinct such as bioengineering, medicine and singing. MAVEBA deals with all aspects concerning the study of the human voice with applications ranging from the neonate to the adult and elderly. Over the years the initial issues have grown and spread also in other aspects of research such as occupational voice disorders, neurology, rehabilitation, image and video analysis. MAVEBA takes place every two years always in Firenze, Italy. This edition celebrates twenty years of uninterrupted and succesfully research in the field of voice analysis
Supporting Communication Accessibility and Inclusion in Online Meetings for Persons with Complex Communication Access Needs
Communication is said to be one of the greatest predictors of quality of life and life expectancy. One’s ability to effectively communicate largely impacts their well-being, interpersonal relationships, and participation in society. The global transition to online meetings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, clarified that the ways we meet online and stay connected with our friends, families, and communities, are fundamentally concerned with communication. Therefore, ensuring access to communication when meeting online is more important than ever. Whether online or in-person, interactions can be hard for people with disabilities that affect their communication. Despite the advancement of communication disability rights and web accessibility, what remains unknown are the impacts of online meetings on communication access for persons with complex communication access needs (CCAN)—those with communication disabilities who may or may not use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Further complicating this gap is the limited availability of guidance and strategies for supporting CCAN throughout the process of designing, organizing, and running online meetings. These gaps revealed an important design opportunity and area for consideration for the study.
This community-based, participatory research study explores how online sessions can be designed to support complex communication access needs. The use of a community-led co-design approach resulted in a deeper understanding of the individual communication accessibility requirements, barriers, and lived experiences of persons who use AAC, within the online meeting context. Participants (‘co-designers’) designed and took part in collaborative design sessions aimed at developing ideas for supporting communication access and inclusion throughout the process of meeting online. Through cross-community collaboration, we co-designed an open-source communication access toolkit for online meetings. The toolkit includes accessibility guidelines with a protocol for holding accessible and inclusive online sessions; suggested accessibility features and plugins for meeting platforms; and a template for a collaborative participant notebook. The design outcomes provide guidance to the general population on how we might ensure that online meetings of all forms are inclusive and accessible for diverse and complex communicators, as we all have a right to communicate with dignity in ways where we understand and are understood
MeetDurian: A Gameful Mobile App to Prevent COVID-19 Infection
The COVID-19 problem has not gone away with the passing of the seasons. Even
though most countries have achieved remarkable results in fighting against
epidemic diseases and preventing and controlling viruses, the general public is
still far from understanding the new crown virus and lacks imagination on its
transmission law. In this paper, we propose MeetDurian: a cross-platform mobile
application that exploits a location-based game to improve users' hygiene
habits and reduce virus dispersal. We present its main features, its
architecture, and its core technologies. Finally, we report a set of
experiments that prove the acceptability and usability of MeetDurian. An
illustrative demo of the mobile app features is shown in the following video:
https://youtu.be/Vqg7nFDQuOU.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
GROWING OLD AS A ROCK STAR: A FOUR-PART STUDY OF THE AGING VOICE
This dissertation focuses on the aging voice - specifically the aging elite vocal athlete. It is comprised of four components; a series of research studies and a viewpoint piece designed to explore the awareness, struggles, and vocal compensations of aging singers dealing with age related vocal and performance problems. The overarching goal of these studies is to inform the development of a voice care protocol for the aging rock star to guide customized intervention for these elite vocal athletes that is focused on optimizing both vocal output and performance.
First, the dissertation introduces and identifies characteristics of the exceptional voice. This involves a new vocal continuum that includes the normal voice, the trained voice, and the exceptional voice. The second component is a qualitative study of older contemporary commercial music (CCM) singers adjustments and accommodations associated with their aging. From this, four overarching themes are identified: modest self-perception of their vocal prowess and its relationship to performance, acute sensitivity to changes in vocal quality, recognition of the critical association of voice quality with their identity as a performer, and an array of accommodations to aging-related vocal changes.
The third component of the dissertation is a randomized control trial examining the efficacy of Vocal Function Exercises as a treatment modality for presbyphonia. Analysis revealed that the experimental group improved in select outcome measures including decreased glottic gap, increased upper range, and maximum phonation time at the 6-week post-treatment re-evaluation with no such changes in the control group. The final study investigated the vocal and performing trajectories of six CCM male singers through analysis of video performances across their career. Singers were shown to make accommodations consistent with the reported findings from component two. Such accommodations include decreased total time singing for some singers, accommodations for range changes, and changes to performance. From this study, the Exceptional Voice Protocol was created to provide a customized vocal and performance blueprint for each artist that meets their unique needs for their exceptional voices.
Overall, this research indicates that aging CCM singers appear to be experiencing age and performance related vocal changes and are making detectable accommodations to their performance. Additional findings show that Vocal Function Exercises appear to be an efficacious treatment modality for aging voice. Findings from these studies confirm the need for continued research on age-related vocal and performance changes for these performers and guidelines for appropriate habilitation and rehabilitation so these rock stars can continue performing for as long as they desire
Entrenamiento de la prosodia en personas con síndrome de Down mediante el uso de un videojuego educativo
Las personas con síndrome de Down tienen una serie de limitaciones cognitivas que afectan, entre otras cosas, al desarrollo de sus habilidades lingüísticas. Dentro de las áreas del lenguaje afectadas se encuentra la prosodia, que es la rama de la lingüística que estudia aspectos suprasegmentales del habla, como la entonación, el tono, el acento o el ritmo. La utilización de forma combinada de estos aspectos complementa la intención comunicativa de una producción oral, aportando matices fundamentales para la correcta transmisión del mensaje requerido por el hablante, como pueden ser la expresión de emociones o la adecuación a un contexto social concreto. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es la definición de un videojuego educativo enfocado al entrenamiento de algunos aspectos del lenguaje, especialmente los relacionados con la prosodia. Para lograr este objetivo, es necesario tener en cuenta las limitaciones cognitivas de las personas con síndrome de Down que afectan al uso de este tipo de herramientas y sus particularidades en el empleo de la prosodia. Tanto el diseño del videojuego como la interacción entre éste y el jugador deben motivar a los usuarios a completar las actividades de entrenamiento. Además, otro de los objetivos es definir un sistema de análisis de la calidad de las producciones orales centrado en la prosodia, con el objetivo de poder evaluar automáticamente dichas producciones de los jugadores y potenciar el uso autónomo de la herramienta.Departamento de Informática (Arquitectura y Tecnología de Computadores, Ciencias de la Computación e Inteligencia Artificial, Lenguajes y Sistemas Informáticos)Doctorado en Informátic
Engineering systematic musicology : methods and services for computational and empirical music research
One of the main research questions of *systematic musicology* is concerned with how people make sense of their musical environment. It is concerned with signification and meaning-formation and relates musical structures to effects of music. These fundamental aspects can be approached from many different directions. One could take a cultural perspective where music is considered a phenomenon of human expression, firmly embedded in tradition. Another approach would be a cognitive perspective, where music is considered as an acoustical signal of which perception involves categorizations linked to representations and learning. A performance perspective where music is the outcome of human interaction is also an equally valid view. To understand a phenomenon combining multiple perspectives often makes sense. The methods employed within each of these approaches turn questions into
concrete musicological research projects. It is safe to say that today many of these methods draw upon digital data and tools. Some of those general methods are feature extraction from audio and movement signals, machine learning, classification and statistics. However, the problem is that, very often, the *empirical and computational methods require technical solutions* beyond the skills of researchers that typically have a humanities background. At that point, these researchers need access to specialized technical knowledge to advance their research. My PhD-work should be seen within the context of that tradition. In many respects I adopt a problem-solving attitude to problems that are posed by research in systematic musicology. This work *explores solutions that are relevant for systematic musicology*. It does this by engineering solutions for measurement problems in empirical research and developing research software which facilitates computational research. These solutions are placed in an
engineering-humanities plane. The first axis of the plane contrasts *services* with *methods*. Methods *in* systematic musicology propose ways to generate new insights in music related phenomena or contribute to how research can be done. Services *for* systematic musicology, on the other hand, support or automate research tasks which allow to change the scope of research. A shift in scope allows researchers to cope with larger data sets which offers a broader view on the phenomenon. The
second axis indicates how important Music Information Retrieval (MIR) techniques are in a solution. MIR-techniques are contrasted with various techniques to support empirical research. My research resulted in a total of thirteen solutions which are placed in this plane. The description of seven of these are bundled in this dissertation. Three fall into the methods category and four in the services category. For example Tarsos presents a method to compare performance practice with theoretical scales on a large scale. SyncSink is an example of a service