MagiBricks: Fostering Intergenerational Connectedness in Distributed Play with Smart Toy Bricks

Playing together is crucial to the unique and invaluable bond between grandparents and grandchildren. However, co-located interactions and play can be limited due to time, distance, or pandemic-related restrictions. To facilitate distributed play, we developed MagiBricks, a system comprised of 3D-printed smart toy bricks and baseplates that provide feedback regarding their placement. The familiarity and appeal of toy bricks to both older adults and children make them ideal for intergenerational play. We conducted a within-subjects study with six grandparent-grandchildren pairs. We compared the interactions and perceived connectedness of the pairs while playing over a distance with either i) MagiBricks or ii) identical regular toy bricks. We found that MagiBricks affected communication dynamics, role taking, nature of play, and perception of connectedness during playtime compared to regular bricks, and were unanimously preferred. We contribute design implications for future systems leveraging (smart) tangibles and fostering intergenerational connectedness

MagiBricks: Fostering Intergenerational Connectedness in Distributed Play with Smart Toy Bricks

Playing together is crucial to the unique and invaluable bond between grandparents and grandchildren. However, co-located interactions and play can be limited due to time, distance, or pandemic-related restrictions. To facilitate distributed play, we developed MagiBricks, a system comprised of 3D-printed smart toy bricks and baseplates that provide feedback regarding their placement. The familiarity and appeal of toy bricks to both older adults and children make them ideal for intergenerational play. We conducted a within-subjects study with six grandparent-grandchildren pairs. We compared the interactions and perceived connectedness of the pairs while playing over a distance with either i) MagiBricks or ii) identical regular toy bricks. We found that MagiBricks affected communication dynamics, role taking, nature of play, and perception of connectedness during playtime compared to regular bricks, and were unanimously preferred. We contribute design implications for future systems leveraging (smart) tangibles and fostering intergenerational connectedness

Home-Based Activities for Children with Speech Sound Disorders:Requirements for a Tangible User Interface for Internet of Things Artefacts

This paper presents the state of the art regarding the use of tangible user interfaces for internet of artefacts (IoA) targeting health applications, with a focus on speech and language therapy and related areas, targeting home-based interventions, including data security and privacy issues. Results from a systematic literature review, focus group, and a nationwide questionnaire have been used to determine the system requirements for an artefact prototype to be developed. The aim of this study was to understand what is the usual practice of clinicians and to contribute to a better intervention or post-intervention approach for children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD). The literature review revealed that some studies proposed technological solutions while others used a social approach and/or gamified activities. We could conclude that more research is needed and that a unified method or framework to address SSD intervention or post-intervention tools is lacking. Clinicians need more and better tools to be able to quantify and qualitatively assess the activities developed at home

Desenvolvimento de um protótipo de artefacto tangível para tratar crianças com perturbações dos sons da fala

In the first part of this Dissertation different approaches - interaction paradigms considered relevant - that can be used to enrich a traditionally physical intervention material and how to turn everything into a coherent whole, a tangible artefact. The advantages that a tangible artefact may hold over a traditional object, as well as its role in children’s learning, are analysed. Three best practices cases are described and from them lessons are drawn for the creation of tangible artefacts. In the second part of the Dissertation the game selected to be transformed into a tangible artefact - the game of Fishing - is presented and described. Aspects of game mechanics, both in the traditional version and in the tangible/digital version, are discussed. The reasons and advantages perceived in the transformation into a tangible artefact are reviewed. The technologies used and the various stages and iterations that both the prototype and the software suffered are described. The reasons and the motivation behind the various decisions made are explained. In order to obtain suggestions and to verify if the prototype was being developed according to the needs of the identified target users, an exploratory test was prepared and carried out, with 10 participants. During this test we used the direct observation method and the following data gathering mechanisms: observation grid and semi-structured questionnaire / interview. This enabled the collection of quantitative and qualitative data, which allowed us to conclude that the prototype addresses the existing needs, has a high replay value and favours immersion. Finally, we present the conclusions and results obtained, as well as an exhaustive list of suggestions, comments and changes to be made to create a tangible artefact with final product characteristics. The artifact produced can be extremely modular and versatile and there is a clear need and interest in similar objects from speech therapists, educators and auxiliaries. However, there are aspects to improve. The process should be even more iterative, with a multidisciplinary team and all end-users able to participate as co-designers.Na primeira parte desta Dissertação são apresentadas diferentes abordagens – paradigmas de interação considerados relevantes – que poderão ser usadas para enriquecer um material de intervenção tradicionalmente físico e como tornar tudo num todo coerente, num artefacto tangível. As vantagens que um artefacto tangível poderá deter sobre um objeto tradicional, bem como o seu enquadramento na forma como as crianças aprendem, são analisados. São ainda descritos três casos considerados de sucesso e deles é produzida uma breve reflexão sobre a criação de artefactos tangíveis.. Na segunda parte da Dissertação é apresentado o jogo escolhido concebido para ser transformado num artefacto tangível – o “Jogo da Pesca”. São abordados aspetos da mecânica de jogo - na versão tradicional e também na versão tangível/digital - e o porquê e as vantagens percecionadas aquando da sua transformação. As tecnologias usadas e os vários momentos e iterações que, tanto o protótipo quanto o software sofreram, são descritos e explicados os motivos e o fio condutor por trás das várias decisões tomadas. A fim de obter sugestões e verificar se o protótipo estava a ser desenvolvido de acordo com as necessidades dos públicos-alvo identificados, realizou-se um teste exploratório, com uma amostra de 10 elementos. Durante esse teste foi utilizado o método de observação direta e os seguintes mecanismos de recolha de dados: grelha de observação e questionário/entrevista semi-estruturada. Isto permitiu a recolha de dados quantitativos e qualitativos, que nos ajudaram a concluir que o protótipo respondia às necessidades existentes, tem uma elevada capacidade de motivar o voltar a jogar e favorece a imersão. Por fim são apresentadas as conclusões e os resultados obtidos, bem como uma lista exaustiva de sugestões, comentários e alterações a realizar para criar um artefacto tangível, com características de produto final. O artefacto produzido pode ser extremamente modular e versátil e existe uma clara necessidade e interesse em objetos similares por parte de terapeutas da fala, educadoras e auxiliares. Há no entanto aspetos a melhorar. O processo deveria ser ainda mais iterativo, com uma equipa multidisciplinar e com todos os utilizadores finais a participar no design/criação.Mestrado em Comunicação Multimédi

積み木遊びデータ解析による子供の行動と心理状態推定

Tohoku University北村喜文課

Designing a parent-driven coaching system for indirect speech therapy

Ph. D. ThesisBased on UK Department of Education annual report 2017, seven percent of preschool children experience speech and language developmental delays. The report goes on to argue that these delays negatively impact success at school. Such delays are more common amongst children with cerebral palsy or autism. Early intervention therapy is recognised as being vital in minimising the long-term impact of such delays and the responsibilities for delivering such therapies most often lies with parents or primary carers. Therapists typically support parents by providing speech and language therapy sessions. The primary goal of these sessions are; to teach the parents techniques to promote the children’s communication skills, identify communication opportunities, and adopt and adapt learned communication strategies in their everyday interactions with the children in their natural environment. While parent-delivered therapies can alleviate the demand on therapists and healthcare services by reducing the amount of professional contact time, they can also create an overwhelming burden on parents. This thesis is an in-depth exploration of early speech therapy programs and identifies the values and support needs that can used to understand the parents’ and therapists’ experiences as well as identify indictors to improve therapy adoption in this context. Additionally, this research investigates the role of coaching technology in improving communication and collaboration between parents. New parent-driven coaching technologies to support reflections on home practices and address the challenges of home therapy delivery is also presented. A case study approach is undertaken to explore this area with two different clinical partners and therapy protocols. Each study commences with a contextual investigation and moves toward co-design and evaluation of digital solutions with therapists and parents. The first case study, eSALT, presents the design of KeepCam, a parent-led selective data capture and sharing tool to support parents of children with cerebral palsy. The second case study presents the design of ePACT, a self-reflection tool to support parents of children with autism. This thesis reports on how mobile video coaching tools can be used as an external drive for continuous engagement with therapy programs and facilitate social support. It also identifies opportunities for technology to play important roles in supporting early therapy programs. The thesis draws upon these case studies to inform the design of a responsive model of support for indirect therapies, through which the role of design and power relations in healthcare are explored.Saudi Ministry of Education, King Saud Universit