Training Effects of Adaptive Emotive Responses From Animated Agents in Simulated Environments

Humans are distinct from machines in their capacity to emote, stimulate, and express emotions. Because emotions play such an important role in human interactions, human-like agents used in pedagogical roles for simulation-based training should properly reflect emotions. Currently, research concerning the development of this type of agent focuses on basic agent interface characteristics, as well as character building qualities. However, human-like agents should provide emotion-like qualities that are clearly expressed, properly synchronized, and that simulate complex, real-time interactions through adaptive emotion systems. The research conducted for this dissertation was a quantitative investigation using 3 (within) x 2 (between) x 3 (within) factorial design. A total of 56 paid participants consented to complete the study. Independent variables included emotion intensity (i.e., low, moderate, and high emotion), levels of expertise (novice participant versus experienced participant), and number of trials. Dependent measures included visual attention, emotional response towards the animated agents, simulation performance score, and learners\u27 perception of the pedagogical agent persona while participants interacted with a pain assessment and management simulation. While no relationships were indicated between the levels of emotion intensity portrayed by the animated agents and the participants\u27 visual attention, emotional response towards the animated agent, and simulation performance score, there were significant relationships between the level of expertise of the participant and the visual attention, emotional responses, and performance outcomes. The results indicated that nursing students had higher visual attention during their interaction with the animated agents. Additionally, nursing students expressed more neutral facial expression whereas experienced nurses expressed more emotional facial expressions towards the animated agents. The results of the simulation performance scores indicated that nursing students obtained higher performance scores in the pain assessment and management task than experienced nurses. Both groups of participants had a positive perception of the animated agents persona

Computational intelligence approaches to robotics, automation, and control [Volume guest editors]

No abstract available

Adaptive physical human-robot interaction (PHRI) with a robotic nursing assistant.

Recently, more and more robots are being investigated for future applications in health-care. For instance, in nursing assistance, seamless Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) is very important for sharing workspaces and workloads between medical staff, patients, and robots. In this thesis we introduce a novel robot - the Adaptive Robot Nursing Assistant (ARNA) and its underlying components. ARNA has been designed specifically to assist nurses with day-to-day tasks such as walking patients, pick-and-place item retrieval, and routine patient health monitoring. An adaptive HRI in nursing applications creates a positive user experience, increase nurse productivity and task completion rates, as reported by experimentation with human subjects. ARNA has been designed to include interface devices such as tablets, force sensors, pressure-sensitive robot skins, LIDAR and RGBD camera. These interfaces are combined with adaptive controllers and estimators within a proposed framework that contains multiple innovations. A research study was conducted on methods of deploying an ideal HumanMachine Interface (HMI), in this case a tablet-based interface. Initial study points to the fact that a traded control level of autonomy is ideal for tele-operating ARNA by a patient. The proposed method of using the HMI devices makes the performance of a robot similar for both skilled and un-skilled workers. A neuro-adaptive controller (NAC), which contains several neural-networks to estimate and compensate for system non-linearities, was implemented on the ARNA robot. By linearizing the system, a cross-over usability condition is met through which humans find it more intuitive to learn to use the robot in any location of its workspace, A novel Base-Sensor Assisted Physical Interaction (BAPI) controller is introduced in this thesis, which utilizes a force-torque sensor at the base of the ARNA robot manipulator to detect full body collisions, and make interaction safer. Finally, a human-intent estimator (HIE) is proposed to estimate human intent while the robot and user are physically collaborating during certain tasks such as adaptive walking. A NAC with HIE module was validated on a PR2 robot through user studies. Its implementation on the ARNA robot platform can be easily accomplished as the controller is model-free and can learn robot dynamics online. A new framework, Directive Observer and Lead Assistant (DOLA), is proposed for ARNA which enables the user to interact with the robot in two modes: physically, by direct push-guiding, and remotely, through a tablet interface. In both cases, the human is being “observed” by the robot, then guided and/or advised during interaction. If the user has trouble completing the given tasks, the robot adapts their repertoire to lead users toward completing goals. The proposed framework incorporates interface devices as well as adaptive control systems in order to facilitate a higher performance interaction between the user and the robot than was previously possible. The ARNA robot was deployed and tested in a hospital environment at the School of Nursing of the University of Louisville. The user-experience tests were conducted with the help of healthcare professionals where several metrics including completion time, rate and level of user satisfaction were collected to shed light on the performance of various components of the proposed framework. The results indicate an overall positive response towards the use of such assistive robot in the healthcare environment. The analysis of these gathered data is included in this document. To summarize, this research study makes the following contributions: Conducting user experience studies with the ARNA robot in patient sitter and walker scenarios to evaluate both physical and non-physical human-machine interfaces. Evaluation and Validation of Human Intent Estimator (HIE) and Neuro-Adaptive Controller (NAC). Proposing the novel Base-Sensor Assisted Physical Interaction (BAPI) controller. Building simulation models for packaged tactile sensors and validating the models with experimental data. Description of Directive Observer and Lead Assistance (DOLA) framework for ARNA using adaptive interfaces

Human factors in the design of sustainable built environments

Scientific research provides convincing evidence that climate change is having significant impacts on many aspects of life. In the built-environment domain, regulatory requirements are pushing the challenges of environmental, economic, and social sustainability at the core of the professional agenda, although the aims of carbon reduction and energy conservation are frequently given a priority over occupants' comfort, well-being, and satisfaction. While most practitioners declare to embrace sustainability as a driver of their professional approach, a general lack of integrated creative and technical skills hinders the design of buildings centred on articulate and comprehensive sustainability goals, encompassing, other than energy criteria, also human-centred and ethical values founded on competent and informed consideration of the requirements of the site, the programme, and the occupants. Built environments are designed by humans to host a range of human activities. In response, this article aims to endorse a sustainable approach to design founded on the knowledge arising from scholarly and evidence-based research, exploring principles and criteria for the creation and operation of human habitats that can respond to energy and legislative demands, mitigate their environmental impacts, and adapt to new climate scenarios, while elevating the quality of experience and delight to those occupying them

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 376)

This bibliography lists 265 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during Jun. 1993. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and physiology, life support systems and man/system technology, protective clothing, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, planetary biology, and flight crew behavior and performance

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

A phenomenological inquiry into the patient\u27s experience of the external application of ginger

This Research Study explores the quality of the experience for the patient of the external application of ginger using a Husserllan phenomenological methodology, In this Study the phenomenon Is the patient\u27s experience of the external application of ginger. A group of Anthroposophical Nurses in the Hawkes Bay of New Zealand personally selected seven appropriate consenting adults to receive one external application of ginger. Following their experience, the patients were asked a series of open-ended questions by the researcher, These Interviews were audio taped. The interview data have been transcribed and reduced to themes that have been explored and reflected on alongside relevant literature in the field. Four Interpretative themes capturing the patients experience were identified. These are patient experience: •warmth in the body as increasing In intensity and radiating outwards; •Increasing stimulation of internal activity within their body; •changes In thought-life, sensory perception and bodily tension; •centredness within themselves and a greater sense of personal boundary In relation to the world. The warmth response was slow and subtle initially and experienced externally on the skin beneath the ginger compress. Gradually the heat Intensified and developed into deep inner warmth. Patients were astonished at the strength and depth the heat generated. The warmth penetrated deep within the body spreading as far as the limbs. There was a definite awareness that this internal heat response was caused by the ginger compress, remaining long after the treatment and stimulating internal body activity. Patients experienced an enlivening of internal activity within the digestive, excretory and circulatory organs of the body. The increasing activity within the circulation moved and energised the metabolism. There was an awareness of increased blood flow throughout the body accompanied by a sense of an opening up within. Digestive disturbances and increased energy ware experienced; It was as If the body received something extra that enabled a movement internally. Patients experienced a stimulated thought life, including a transition from a dreamy to a wakeful state, changing sensations within the skin, activation of the senses and a relief of aches and tensions in the body. Following the ginger compress thinking was alert and active along with a general Increase In vitality and a sense of being present. There was a sense of being more centred, more connected to oneself and more aware of one\u27s physical body. Patients experienced the opportunity to revisit their inner self, the inner core of their being. For all the patients the experience of the ginger compress was positive. Some of the patients expressed the wish to have repeated treatments. Future research on the experience of a series of ginger compresses for patients with specific conditions would be significant

Teaching Complex Content in Healthcare: A Comparison of the Effect of Three Types of Multimedia Pretraining on Schematic Knowledge and Near Transfer

Challenged to teach complex content to students, university educators in healthcare disciplines face a practical need for effective pedagogical approaches. The preponderance of multimedia and digital resources in and beyond college classrooms suggests that solutions to teaching complex content should leverage educational technology and multimedia resources. The multimedia principle of pretraining is one effective way to augment complex content learning. The pretraining principle specifies that learning is more effective when the names and characteristics of main terms and concepts are introduced before more nuanced and complex content is presented. The purpose of this study was to investigate three approaches to pretraining—traditional pretraining, pretraining with a static concept map, and pretraining with an animated concept map—to examine the effect that the method of pretraining had on schematic knowledge and near transfer achievement. Pretraining has been found especially effective with learners who have low prior knowledge, with difficult and conceptual content, and with fast-paced instruction. The study also explored whether student perceptions about the usefulness of concept maps as a learning resource was reflected in achievement. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, 145 occupational therapy students were assigned to one of the three treatment conditions. Following a pretest to obtain a baseline of prior knowledge, the 12-minute pretraining treatment on the topic of sensory integration theory was administered via a video module, and then participants were exposed to a 60-minute multimedia lecture. An immediate posttest was completed, followed two weeks later by a delayed posttest. A questionnaire to measure participant perceptions about concept maps was also administered at the posttest. Data analysis was completed using repeated measures ANOVA to examine gain scores from pretest to posttest to delayed posttest. On the measures of schematic knowledge and near transfer, the static concept map group demonstrated statistically significant gains and stronger scores than the other two groups. The findings suggest that the most effective of these three strategies for learning complex content is pretraining with a static concept map. Traditional pretraining is another viable option but pretraining with an animated concept map is not an efficient approach