750 research outputs found
Boosting children's creativity through creative interactions with social robots
Creativity is an ability with psychological and developmental benefits. Creative levels are
dynamic and oscillate throughout life, with a first major decline occurring at the age of 7 years
old. However, creativity is an ability that can be nurtured if trained, with evidence suggesting an
increase in this ability with the use of validated creativity training. Yet, creativity training for
young children (aged between 6-9 years old) appears as scarce. Additionally, existing training
interventions resemble test-like formats and lack of playful dynamics that could engage children
in creative practices over time. This PhD project aimed at contributing to creativity stimulation
in children by proposing to use social robots as intervention tools, thus adding playful and
interactive dynamics to the training. Towards this goal, we conducted three studies in schools,
summer camps, and museums for children, that contributed to the design, fabrication, and
experimental testing of a robot whose purpose was to re-balance creative levels. Study 1 (n =
140) aimed at testing the effect of existing activities with robots in creativity and provided initial
evidence of the positive potential of robots for creativity training. Study 2 (n = 134) aimed at
including children as co-designers of the robot, ensuring the robot’s design meets children’s
needs and requirements. Study 3 (n = 130) investigated the effectiveness of this robot as a tool
for creativity training, showing the potential of robots as creativity intervention tools. In sum,
this PhD showed that robots can have a positive effect on boosting the creativity of children.
This places social robots as promising tools for psychological interventions.Criatividade Ă© uma habilidade com benefĂcios no desenvolvimento saudável. Os nĂveis de
criatividade sĂŁo dinâmicos e oscilam durante a vida, sendo que o primeiro maior declĂnio
acontece aos 7 anos de idade. No entanto, a criatividade Ă© uma habilidade que pode ser nutrida se
treinada e evidĂŞncias sugerem um aumento desta habilidade com o uso de programas validados
de criatividade. Ainda assim, os programas de criatividade para crianças pequenas (entre os 6-9
anos de idade) sĂŁo escassos. Adicionalmente, estes programas adquirem o formato parecido ao
de testes, faltando-lhes dinâmicas de brincadeira e interatividade que poderão motivar as crianças
a envolverem-se em práticas criativas ao longo do tempo. O presente projeto de doutoramento
procurou contribuir para a estimulação da criatividade em crianças propondo usar robôs sociais
como ferramenta de intervenção, adicionando dinâmicas de brincadeira e interação ao treino.
Assim, conduzimos três estudos em escolas, campos de férias, e museus para crianças que
contribuĂram para o desenho, fabricação, e teste experimental de um robĂ´ cujo objetivo Ă© ser uma
ferramenta que contribui para aumentar os nĂveis de criatividade. O Estudo 1 (n = 140) procurou
testar o efeito de atividade já existentes com robôs na criatividade e mostrou o potencial positivo
do uso de robôs para o treino criativo. O Estudo 2 (n = 134) incluiu crianças como co-designers
do robô, assegurando que o desenho do robô correspondeu às necessidades das crianças. O
Estudo 2 (n = 130) investigou a eficácia deste robô como ferramenta para a criatividade,
demonstrando o seu potencial para o treino da criatividade. Em suma, o presente doutoramento
mostrou que os robôs poderão ter um potencial criativo em atividades com crianças. Desta
forma, os robôs sociais poderão ser ferramentas promissoras em intervenções na psicologia
Mapping the evolving landscape of child-computer interaction research: structures and processes of knowledge (re)production
Implementing an iterative sequential mixed methods design (Quantitative → Qualitative → Quantitative) framed within a sociology of knowledge approach to discourse, this study offers an account of the structure of the field of Child-Computer Interaction (CCI), its development over time, and the practices through which researchers have (re)structured knowledge comprising the field.
Thematic structure of knowledge within the field, and its evolution over time, is quantified through implementation of a Correlated Topic Model (CTM), an automated inductive content analysis method, in analysing 4,771 CCI research papers published between 2003 and 2021. Detailed understanding of practices through which researchers (re)structure knowledge within the field, including factors influencing these practices, is obtained through thematic analysis of online workshops involving prominent contributors to the field (n=7). Strategic practices utilised by researchers in negotiating tensions impeding integration of novel concepts in the field are investigated through analysis of semantic features of retrieved papers using linear and negative binomial regression models.
Contributing an extensive mapping, results portray the field of CCI as a varied research landscape, comprising 48 major themes of study, which has evolved dynamically over time. Research priorities throughout the field have been subject to influence from a range of endogenous and exogenous factors which researchers actively negotiate through research and publication practices. Tacitly structuring research practices, these factors have broadly sustained a technology-driven, novelty-dominated paradigm throughout the field which has failed to substantively progress cumulative knowledge. Through strategic negotiation of persistent tensions arising as consequence of these factors, researchers have nonetheless affected structural change within the field, contributing to a shift towards a user needs-driven agenda and progression of knowledge therein. Findings demonstrate that the field of CCI is proceeding through an intermediary phase in maturation, forming an increasingly distinct disciplinary shape and identity through the cumulative structuring effect of community members’ continued negotiation of tensions
Collaboration and competition in groups of humans and robots: effects on socioemotional and task-oriented behaviors
Advancements in technology have allowed the emergence of novel forms of social interaction.
More specifically, in the last decades, the emergence of social robots has triggered a
multidisciplinary effort towards achieving a better understanding of how humans and robots
interact. In this dissertation, our goal was to contribute towards that effort by considering the
role of goal orientation displayed by the robot (i.e. competitive vs. cooperative) and the role
displayed by each player (partners and opponents). Sixty participants engaged in a typical
Portuguese card-game called Sueca (two robots and two humans). Each participant played three
games with each of the other players and the goal orientation was manipulated by the set of
pre-validated verbal utterances displayed by the robot. The interactions were video-recorded,
and we used a coding scheme based on Bales Interaction Process Analysis (1950) for small
groups to analyze socioemotional positive, negative and task-oriented behaviors. A MultiLevel Modelling analysis yielded a significant effect of the role for all dimensions. Participants
directed more socioemotional positive and task-oriented behaviors towards the human playing
as a partner than as opponent and also interacted more with the other human in comparison to
both robots. Comparing both robots, participants displayed more positive and task-oriented
behaviors when interacting with robots as opponents than as partners. These results suggest the
occurrence of different behavioral patterns in competitive and collaborative interactions with
robots, that might be useful to inform the future development of more socially effective robots.O desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias tem proporcionado a emergĂŞncia de novas formas de
interação social. Mais especificamente, nas últimas décadas, o desenvolvimento de robôs
sociais tem despoletado um esforço interdisciplinar orientado para o estabelecimento de uma
melhor compreensão acerca da forma como pessoas e robôs interagem. Com esta dissertação,
pretendemos contribuir para esse esforço considerando o efeito da orientação estratégica
exibida pelo robĂ´ (i.e. competitivo vs. colaborativo) e o efeito do papel assumido pelos
jogadores (parceiro ou oponente). Sessenta participantes jogaram Ă Sueca (dois robĂ´s e dois
humanos). Cada participante jogou trĂŞs jogos em parceria com cada um dos outros jogadores e
a orientação estratégica foi manipulada através do conjunto pré-validado de interações verbais
exibido pelos robôs. As interações foram filmadas e analisadas usando o guião de análise
sugerido por Bales (1950) que inclui interações socioemocionais negativas, positivas e
relacionadas com a tarefa. Uma análise Multi-nĂvel dos resultados revelou um efeito principal
do papel para todas as dimensões. Os participantes dirigiram mais comportamentos positivos e
relacionados com a tarefa para os humanos no papel de parceiros do que oponentes e
interagiram mais frequentemente com o humano do que com os robôs. Os participantes também
direcionaram mais interações positivas e relacionadas com a tarefa para os robôs quando estes
assumiram o papel de oponentes, em comparação com quando jogaram como parceiros. Estes
resultados sugerem a ocorrência de diferentes padrões comportamentais quando interagindo
com robĂ´s competitivos e colaborativos que poderĂŁo ser Ăşteis para informar o desenvolvimento
de robĂ´s mais socialmente eficazes
KEER2022
AvanttĂtol: KEER2022. DiversitiesDescripciĂł del recurs: 25 juliol 202
Collaborative storytelling with an embodied conversational agent
Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2003.Leaves not numbered.Includes bibliographical references (leaves [60]-[64]).This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.When children tell stories to their peers, they naturally collaborate with each other: coauthoring stories, corroborating when in doubt, and acting as active listeners. Their reliance on each other during, as well as the creative process itself, benefits their literacy development. If an interactive system were to engage a child in collaborative narrative, it would be able to exert greater influence over the child's language processes, without becoming overly intrusive as to obstruct his/her natural behaviors. However, due to the spontaneous nature of improvisational play, the problem becomes a challenging one from both a technical, and a behavioral standpoint. This thesis studies children's collaborative behaviors during storytelling and presents a model of the participants' roles, and how to initiate and participate in collaboration with appropriate speech acts and turn-taking cues. Furthermore, it demonstrates how technologies such as speech recognition, natural language processing with commonsense reasoning, multimodal interfaces, and floor management are critical to realizing a real-time collaborative interaction between children and an embodied conversational agent.bu Austin J. Wang.M.Eng
The Augmented Learner : The pivotal role of multimedia enhanced learning within a foresight-based learning model designed to accelerate the delivery of higher levels of learner creativity
The central theme for this dissertation lies at the intersection of multisensory technology enhanced learning, the field of foresight and transformative pedagogy and their role in helping to develop greater learner creativity. These skills will be key to meeting the needs of the projected growing role of the creative class within the emerging global workforce structure and the projected growth in R&D and the advancement of human-machine resource management. Over the past two decades, we have traversed from the Industrial Age through the Information Age into what we now call postnormal times, manifested partly in Industry 4.0. It is widely considered that the present education system in countries with developed economies is not optimised for delivering the much-needed creative skills, which are prominent amongst the critical 21st C skills required by the creative class, (also known as creatives), which will be increasingly dominant in terms of near future employability. Consequently, there will be a potential shortfall of creatives unless this issue is rapidly addressed.
To ensure that the creative skills I aimed to enhance were relevant and aligned with emerging demands of the changing landscape, I deconstructed the critical dimensions, context, and concept of creativity in postnormal times as well as undertaking in-depth research on the potential future workscape and the future of education and learning, applying a comprehensive foresight approach to the latter using a 2030-2040 horizon.
Based upon the outcomes of these studies I designed an experimental integrative learning system that I have applied, researched, and evolved over the past 4 years with over 150 students at PhD and master’s level. The system is aimed at generating higher levels of creative engagement and development through a focus on increased immersion and creativity-inducing approaches. The system, which I call the Living Learning System, is based upon eight integrated elements, supported by course development pillars aimed at optimizing learner future skill competencies and levels of creativity for which I apply severalevaluation techniques and metrics.
Accordingly, as the central hypothesis of this dissertation, I argue that by integrating the critical elements of the Living Learning System, such as emerging multisensory technology enhanced learning coupled with optimised transformative and experiential learning approaches, framed within the field of foresight, with its futures focus and decentralised thinking approaches, students increase their ability to be creative. This increased ability is based on the student attaining a richer level of personal ambience through deeper immersion generated through higher incidence of self-direction, constructivism-based blended pedagogy, futures literacy, and a balance of decentralised and systems-based thinking, as well as cognitive and social platforms aimed at optimizing learner creative achievement.
This dissertation demonstrates how the application of the combined elements of the Living Learning System, with its futures focus and its ensuing transdisciplinary curricula and courses, can provide a clear path towards significantly increased learner creativity.
The findings of the quantitative, questionnaire-based research set out in detail in Chapter 9, together with the performance and creativity evaluation models applied against the selected case studies of student projects substantiate the validity of the hypothesis that the application of the Living Learning System with its futures focus leads to increased creativity in line with the needs of the postnormal era.publishedVersio
Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation
This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion
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