Live Biofeedback as a User Interface Design Element: A Review of the Literature

With the advances in sensor technology and real-time processing of neurophysiological data, a growing body of academic literature has begun to explore how live biofeedback can be integrated into information systems for everyday use. While researchers have traditionally studied live biofeedback in the clinical domain, the proliferation of affordable mobile sensor technology enables researchers and practitioners to consider live biofeedback as a user interface element in contexts such as decision support, education, and gaming. In order to establish the current state of research on live biofeedback, we conducted a literature review on studies that examine self and foreign live biofeedback based on neurophysiological data for healthy subjects in an information systems context. By integrating a body of highly fragmented work from computer science, engineering and technology, information systems, medical science, and psychology, this paper synthesizes results from existing research, identifies knowledge gaps, and suggests directions for future research. In this vein, this review can serve as a reference guide for researchers and practitioners on how to integrate self and foreign live biofeedback into information systems for everyday use

Exploring the Design of mHealth Systems for Health Behavior Change using Mobile Biosensors

A person’s health behavior plays a vital role in mitigating their risk of disease and promoting positive health outcomes. In recent years, mHealth systems have emerged to offer novel approaches for encouraging and supporting users in changing their health behavior. Mobile biosensors represent a promising technology in this regard; that is, sensors that collect physiological data (e.g., heart rate, respiration, skin conductance) that individuals wear, carry, or access during their normal daily activities. mHealth system designers have started to use the health information from physiological data to deliver behavior-change interventions. However, little research provides guidance about how one can design mHealth systems to use mobile biosensors for health behavior change. In order to address this research gap, we conducted an exploratory study. Following a hybrid approach that combines deductive and inductive reasoning, we integrated a body of fragmented literature and conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with mHealth stakeholders. From this study, we developed a theoretical framework and six general design guidelines that shed light on the theoretical pathways for how the mHealth interface can facilitate behavior change and provide practical design considerations

The application of relaxation for mothers expressing breast milk for their infant in the neonatal unit: A feasibility study and clinical research portfolio

Objective: Is it feasible to recruit mothers with infants in a neonatal unit (NNU) to engage in 14 days of data collection and use of relaxation? Background: In a NNU mothers may express breast milk for their infant. The NNU has specific stressors, which may impact on emotional wellbeing and ability to provide expressed milk. Relaxation significantly increased the quantity of expressed milk for American mothers. This has not been replicated in the UK, where rates of breastfeeding are low, therefore a feasibility study is needed. Method: A random allocation (treatment as usual vs relaxation), repeated measures design was used. Mothers providing expressed milk were eligible to participate. If mothers chose not to participate their reasons were recorded. Mothers accessed relaxation through a MP3 or personal CD. Mothers completed expression logs (14 days), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (day 1,7 and 14). Mothers answered questions about their use of relaxation after 14 days. Results: 192 mothers were eligible to participate. Fifteen mothers were recruited (Relaxation n=8, TAU n=7) in 6 months. One dropped out from each group. Not having enough time was the most commonly reported reason for not participating. 100% (n=7) of mothers who used relaxation would recommend it to other mothers. Only 28% (n=2) believed the practice helped them feed their infant. Mothers reported the intervention could be improved by making better use of technology. Due to a small sample no inferential statistics could be completed on milk or emotional wellbeing data. Conclusions: Due to the importance mothers placed on their time, the accessibility of research information and relaxation are discussed. Suggestions of how to reduce barriers in future research, which could determine if relaxation supports mothers’ emotional wellbeing and milk production, are made

Live Biofeedback in Electronic Markets

Decisions in electronic markets are frequently made under time pressure and in competition to others. Both factors can cause the decision maker to experience high levels of arousal. Without sound emotional processing, arousal can have detrimental effects on decision making. In this thesis the use of live biofeedback to support emotion perception and thus, to facilitate emotion regulation during emotionally charged decision making is evaluated. Based on a systematic literature review existing live biofeedback research is analyzed in Chapter 2. A transmission model for live biofeedback is developed that classifies the main components of live biofeedback applications and the flow of information in form of transmission signals. To address the identified research gaps, three experimental studies (study I-III) are designed that investigate the effects of arousal and the use of live biofeedback in electronic markets. Study I in Chapter 3 examines how arousal affects purchasing decisions with and without social interaction to analyze the context dependence of the effects of arousal on decision making. The results reveal that in auctions, where social interaction is a key characteristic, arousal increases final prices. Purchasing decisions without social interaction, however, are not affected by arousal. As social interaction has been identified as an essential factor for arousal to affect decision making, the subsequent studies II and III investigate the effects of live biofeedback in markets experiments that involve social interaction. Study II in Chapter 4 evaluates the effects of live biofeedback on emotional processing in the context of auction bidding. Without prior biofeedback training this novel user interface element alters decision making processes at a cognitive and affective level. Study participants, who suppress emotional expressions, experience higher levels of physiological arousal. When provided with live biofeedback, this effect is mitigated. Furthermore, participants who receive live biofeedback show increased coherence of physiological and perceived arousal. Study III in Chapter 5 examines the use of biofeedback in a game that has frequently been used to model financial markets, that is, the beauty contest game. In this study, participants complete a training in order to familiarize with the live biofeedback prior to the experiment. The analysis reveals that live biofeedback increases arousal perception and reduces suppression of emotional expressions. Importantly, participants who receive live biofeedback yield higher decision making quality. In summary, this thesis provides further insights into the effects of arousal on behavior and how live biofeedback affects emotional processing and decision making in electronic markets. The results of this thesis suggest that live biofeedback is a promising tool to support emotion perception, regulation, and decision making of market participants

Design for relaxation during milk expression using biofeedback

Many women experience difficulty expressing milk using a breast pump. A negative influence upon their success is stress, hampering the milk ejection reflex. We explore biofeedback to enhance relaxation during milk expression. We discuss context, the principles of biofeedback and the design of an experiential prototype. The effect of biofeedback on milk expression shows promising trends towards increased relaxation, shorter time to milk ejection, and more milk production. Themes that emerged are: control, distraction, endorsement, setting of milk expression session, and pragmatism

Design for relaxation during milk expression using biofeedback

Many women experience difficulty expressing milk using a breast pump. A negative influence upon their success is stress, hampering the milk ejection reflex. We explore biofeedback to enhance relaxation during milk expression. We discuss context, the principles of biofeedback and the design of an experiential prototype. The effect of biofeedback on milk expression shows promising trends towards increased relaxation, shorter time to milk ejection, and more milk production. Themes that emerged are: control, distraction, endorsement, setting of milk expression session, and pragmatism