Gesture-sound causality from the audience’s perspective: : investigating the aesthetic experience of performances with digital musical instruments.

In contrast to their traditional, acoustic counterparts, digital musical instruments (DMIs) rarely feature a clear, causal relationship between the performer’s actions and the sounds produced. They often function simply as systems for controlling digital sound synthesis, triggering computer-generated audio. This study aims to shed light on how the level of perceived causality of DMI designs impacts audience members’ aesthetic responses to new DMIs. In a preliminary survey, 49 concert attendees listed adjectives that described their experience of a number of DMI performances. In a subsequent experiment, 31 participants rated video clips of performances with DMIs with causal and acausal mapping designs using the eight most popular adjectives from the preliminary survey. The experimental stimuli were presented in their original version and in a manipulated version with a reduced level of gesture-sound causality. The manipulated version was created by placing the audio track of one section of the recording over the video track of a different section. It was predicted that the causal DMIs would be rated more positively, with the manipulation having a stronger effect on the ratings for the causal DMIs. Our results confirmed these hypotheses, and indicate that a lack of perceptible causality does have a negative impact on ratings of DMI performances. The acausal group received no significant difference in ratings between original and manipulated clips. We posit that this result arises from the greater understanding that clearer gesture-sound causality offers spectators. The implications of this result for DMI design and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved

Using thermal stimuli to enhance photo-sharing in social media

Limited work has been undertaken to show how the emotive ability of thermal stimuli can be used for interaction purposes. One potential application area is using thermal stimuli to influence emotions in images shared online such as social media platforms. This paper presents a two-part study, which examines how the documented emotive property of thermal stimuli can be applied to enhance social media images. Participants in part-one supplied images from their personal collection or social media profiles, and were asked to augment each image with thermal stimuli based on the emotions they wanted to enhance or reduce. Part-one participants were interviewed to understand the effects they wanted augmented images to have. In part-two, these augmented images were perceived by a different set of participants in a simulated social media interface. Results showed strong agreement between the emotions augmented images were designed to evoke and the emotions they actually evoked as perceived by part-two participants. Participants in part-one selected thermal stimuli augmentation intended to modulate valence and arousal in images as a way of enhancing the realism of the images augmented. Part-two results indicate this was achieved as participants perceived thermal stimuli augmentation reduced valence in negative images and modulated valence and arousal in positive images

Thermal and wind devices for multisensory human-computer interaction: an overview

In order to create immersive experiences in virtual worlds, we need to explore different human senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). Many different devices have been developed by both industry and academia towards this aim. In this paper, we focus our attention on the researched area of thermal and wind devices to deliver the sensations of heat and cold against people’s skin and their application to human-computer interaction (HCI). First, we present a review of devices and their features that were identified as relevant. Then, we highlight the users’ experience with thermal and wind devices, highlighting limitations either found or inferred by the authors and studies selected for this survey. Accordingly, from the current literature, we can infer that, in wind and temperature-based haptic systems (i) users experience wind effects produced by fans that move air molecules at room temperature, and (ii) there is no integration of thermal components to devices intended for the production of both cold or hot airflows. Subsequently, an analysis of why thermal wind devices have not been devised yet is undertaken, highlighting the challenges of creating such devices.Espírito Santo Research and Innovation Foundation (FAPES, Brazil) - Finance Code 2021-GL60J), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) - Finance Code 88881.187844/2018-01 and 88887.570688/2020-00 and by the National Council for Scientific and Technological (CNPq, Brazil) - Finance Code 307718/2020-4. The work was also funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement no. 688503. E. B. Saleme additionally acknowledges aid from the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo

Exploration of mid-air haptics experience design

Ultrasonic Mid-air Haptics (UMH) is a novel technology that uses the mechanical properties of sound waves to create a pressure point in mid-air. This pressure point, called focal point, can slightly bend the skin and be felt in mid-air without any attachment to the body. This thesis focuses on both studying how to integrate this technology with other senses (i.e. vision and audition) and exploring the range of tactile sensations it can provide. The first two projects presented in this document present the integration of ultrasonic mid-air haptics with audio-visual content. The first project describes the process of creating a unique haptic experience that was part of a six-weeks multisensory exhibition in a museum. The second project moved from the museum to a controlled environment and explored the creation of haptic experiences based on physiologic measurements for six short films. Both studies showed the positive value of adding ultrasonic mid-air haptics to traditional media through higher reported arousal and participants’ high enthusiasm for multisensory content. In the two latter projects of this thesis, it was explored how we could extend the range of possible tactile sensations provided by UMHs. We introduced a new technique called Spatio-Temporal Modulation (STM). It enabled the creation of brand-new tactile experiences, including more salient shapes and wider range of textures. We also provided some guidelines on how to control some of the tactile properties of the sensation, including strength,roughness,or regularity. The findings of those four projects contribute to the growing body of knowledge of UMHs. A summary of the key contributions is provided at the end of the thesis as well as several leads for future works

Interactive Fiction in Cinematic Virtual Reality: Epistemology, Creation and Evaluation

This dissertation presents the Interactive Fiction in Cinematic Virtual Reality (IFcVR), an interactive digital narrative (IDN) that brings together the cinematic virtual reality (cVR) and the creation of virtual environments through 360\ub0 video within an interactive fiction (IF) structure. This work is structured in three components: an epistemological approach to this kind of narrative and media hybrid; the creation process of IFcVR, from development to postproduction; and user evaluation of IFcVR. In order to set the foundations for the creation of interactive VR fiction films, I dissect the IFcVR by investigating the aesthetics, narratological and interactive notions that converge and diverge in it, proposing a medium-conscious narratology for this kind of artefact. This analysis led to the production of an IFcVR functional prototype: \u201cZENA\u201d, the first interactive VR film shot in Genoa. ZENA\u2019s creation process is reported proposing some guidelines for interactive and immersive film-makers. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the IFcVR as an entertaining narrative form and a vehicle for diverse types of messages, this study also proposes a methodology to measure User Experience (UX) on IFcVR. The full evaluation protocol gathers both qualitative and quantitative data through ad hoc instruments. The proposed protocol is illustrated through its pilot application on ZENA. Findings show interactors' positive acceptance of IFcVR as an entertaining experience

Impact de la cécité sur le système nociceptif

La vision joue un rôle très important dans la prévention du danger. La douleur a aussi pour fonction de prévenir les lésions corporelles. Nous avons donc testé l’hypothèse qu’une hypersensibilité à la douleur découlerait de la cécité en guise de compensation sensorielle. En effet, une littérature exhaustive indique qu’une plasticité intermodale s’opère chez les non-voyants, ce qui module à la hausse la sensibilité de leurs sens résiduels. De plus, plusieurs études montrent que la douleur peut être modulée par la vision et par une privation visuelle temporaire. Dans une première étude, nous avons mesuré les seuils de détection thermique et les seuils de douleur chez des aveugles de naissance et des voyants à l’aide d’une thermode qui permet de chauffer ou de refroidir la peau. Les participants ont aussi eu à quantifier la douleur perçue en réponse à des stimuli laser CO2 et à répondre à des questionnaires mesurant leur attitude face à des situations douloureuses de la vie quotidienne. Les résultats obtenus montrent que les aveugles congénitaux ont des seuils de douleur plus bas et des rapports de douleur plus élevés que leurs congénères voyants. De plus, les résultats psychométriques indiquent que les non-voyants sont plus attentifs à la douleur. Dans une deuxième étude, nous avons mesuré l’impact de l'expérience visuelle sur la perception de la douleur en répliquant la première étude dans un échantillon d’aveugles tardifs. Les résultats montrent que ces derniers sont en tous points similaires aux voyants quant à leur sensibilité à la douleur. Dans une troisième étude, nous avons testé les capacités de discrimination de température des aveugles congénitaux, car la détection de changements rapides de température est cruciale pour éviter les brûlures. Il s’est avéré que les aveugles de naissance ont une discrimination de température plus fine et qu’ils sont plus sensibles à la sommation spatiale de la chaleur. Dans une quatrième étude, nous avons examiné la contribution des fibres A∂ et C au traitement nociceptif des non-voyants, car ces récepteurs signalent la première et la deuxième douleur, respectivement. Nous avons observé que les aveugles congénitaux détectent plus facilement et répondent plus rapidement aux sensations générées par l’activation des fibres C. Dans une cinquième et dernière étude, nous avons sondé les changements potentiels qu’entrainerait la perte de vision dans la modulation descendante des intrants nociceptifs en mesurant les effets de l’appréhension d’un stimulus nocif sur la perception de la douleur. Les résultats montrent que, contrairement aux voyants, les aveugles congénitaux voient leur douleur exacerbée par l’incertitude face au danger, suggérant ainsi que la modulation centrale de la douleur est facilitée chez ces derniers. En gros, ces travaux indiquent que l’absence d’expérience visuelle, plutôt que la cécité, entraine une hausse de la sensibilité nociceptive, ce qui apporte une autre dimension au modèle d’intégration multi-sensorielle de la vision et de la douleur.Vision is important for avoiding encounters with objects in the environment that may imperil physical integrity. Since pain also plays a major role in preventing bodily injury, we tested whether, in the absence of vision, pain hypersensitivity would arise from an adaptive shift to other sensory channels. Indeed, a wealth of literature indicates that blindness leads to sensory compensation and crossmodal plasticity. Furthermore, studies have shown that pain perception can be modulated by vision and by temporary visual deprivation. In a first study, we measured innocuous and noxious thermal thresholds using a Peltier-based thermotester in congenitally blind and normal sighted participants. We also assessed their suprathreshold pain ratings using a CO2 laser device and evaluated their attitude towards daily pain encounters using questionnaires on attention and anxiety. Results show that congenitally participants have lower pain thresholds and higher suprathreshold pain ratings. The psychometric data further indicates that they are more attentive to pain compared to their sighted peers. In a second study, we investigated whether visual experience has an impact on pain perception by replicating the first study in late blind participants. Results indicate that individuals who lost sight later in life are similar to the sighted in every aspect of pain perception that we measured. In a third study, we tested whether blind individuals have supranormal skills in detecting small and quick increases in temperature, as these thermal cues of the environment might help identifying and avoiding potentially harmful objects. Results show that congenitally blind participants outperform their sighted peers and that they are more susceptible to spatial summation of heat. In a fourth study, we examined the contribution of A∂ and C-fibres to blind individuals’ nociceptive processing, as these fibres are thought to signal the first and second pain, respectively. Our findings indicate that congenital blindness leads to an enhanced detection to C-fibre mediated sensations and to faster reaction times to these nociceptive inputs. In a fifth and final study, we probed the potential changes in the descending modulation of nociceptive inputs following visual deprivation by measuring the effects of psychological factors like anticipation and anxiety on blind individuals’ pain perception. Results show that congenitally blind participants are more sensitive to pain in response to uncertainty about threat, suggesting that they are more susceptible to top-down modulation of pain. Overall, this work indicates that visual deprivation from birth, but not later in life, causes a leftward shift in the stimulus–response function to nociceptive stimuli and lends new support to a model of sensory integration of vision and pain processing

Effects of pain catastrophising on behavioural and cortical responses to pain-related stimuli

Pain catastrophising is an exaggerated negative mental set brought to bear during actual or anticipated pain experience (Sullivan et al., 2001b). People with high pain catastrophising were reported to perceive stronger pain intensity, attribute more pain to others, and solicit higher levels of social support from others when exposed to pain, relative to low pain catastrophisers (Sullivan et al., 2001b, Quartana et al., 2009). Three important models of pain catastrophising, the appraisal model, the attentional model, and the communal coping model, have been proposed to investigate the influence of pain catastrophising on pain-related outcomes. However, the neural basis of pain catastrophising in the social-emotional context among healthy people is poorly understood. This thesis utilised neuroimaging methods and novel experimental paradigms to explore effects of pain catastrophising on behavioural and cortical responses to pain-related stimuli in healthy people. It also investigates the associations between pain catastrophising and structural brain features. A comprehensive review of previous experimental findings was performed to identify novel research questions. Behavioural, eye movement, EEG and MRI data for 6 unique studies were collected. Chapter One features a review of relevant theories, studies, and findings pertaining to pain catastrophising. The specific research problems and hypotheses investigated in the thesis are explicitly described. Chapter Two describes the theory of the EEG, MRI and eye tracking methods used in the experimental chapters of the thesis. Chapter Three outlines the methods and materials used for each individual study. Chapter Four describes the experimental findings of the thesis. In the first study, a paradigm using a varying level of background noise was applied to evaluate the sensitivity to pain cues in high and low pain catastrophisers. No significant differences were found. In the second and third study, the eye tracking method and a dot-probe paradigm were used to measure the attentional processing to pain-related stimuli. High pain catastrophisers responded to probes after pain scenes slower compared to low pain catastrophisers. In the fourth study, ERP data revealed that high pain catastrophisers exhibited differences in ERP components and source activation patterns during the observation of pain pictures. The first four studies of this thesis reported that high pain catastrophisers attributed stronger pain to pain in others. In the fifth study, LEP data showed that high pain catastrophisers reduced perceived pain during viewing of comforting hand postures, and displayed enhanced ipsilateral operculo-insular activation to pictures not showing comforting gestures. In the final study of the thesis, a morphological analysis of cortical and subcortical structures was performed using high-resolution T1-weighted MR images. It demonstrated that alterations to the morphology of selected cortical regions and the dorsal striatum were associated with pain catastrophising. Chapter Five discusses the findings of each individual study in light of previous research and the implications and inferences that can be drawn from the data. Chapter Six represents a general discussion of the main findings of the thesis. This chapter examines how the findings of each individual study relate to the theories of pain catastrophising. The limitations of the thesis and the implications of the findings for future research are also discussed

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 128, May 1974

This special bibliography lists 282 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in April 1974

Haptics: Science, Technology, Applications

This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2020, held in Leiden, The Netherlands, in September 2020. The 60 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 111 submissions. The were organized in topical sections on haptic science, haptic technology, and haptic applications. This year's focus is on accessibility