Seven HCI Grand Challenges

This article aims to investigate the Grand Challenges which arise in the current and emerging landscape of rapid technological evolution towards more intelligent interactive technologies, coupled with increased and widened societal needs, as well as individual and collective expectations that HCI, as a discipline, is called upon to address. A perspective oriented to humane and social values is adopted, formulating the challenges in terms of the impact of emerging intelligent interactive technologies on human life both at the individual and societal levels. Seven Grand Challenges are identified and presented in this article: Human-Technology Symbiosis; Human-Environment Interactions; Ethics, Privacy and Security; Well-being, Health and Eudaimonia; Accessibility and Universal Access; Learning and Creativity; and Social Organization and Democracy. Although not exhaustive, they summarize the views and research priorities of an international interdisciplinary group of experts, reflecting different scientific perspectives, methodological approaches and application domains. Each identified Grand Challenge is analyzed in terms of: concept and problem definition; main research issues involved and state of the art; and associated emerging requirements

State of the art of audio- and video based solutions for AAL

Working Group 3. Audio- and Video-based AAL ApplicationsIt is a matter of fact that Europe is facing more and more crucial challenges regarding health and social care due to the demographic change and the current economic context. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has stressed this situation even further, thus highlighting the need for taking action. Active and Assisted Living (AAL) technologies come as a viable approach to help facing these challenges, thanks to the high potential they have in enabling remote care and support. Broadly speaking, AAL can be referred to as the use of innovative and advanced Information and Communication Technologies to create supportive, inclusive and empowering applications and environments that enable older, impaired or frail people to live independently and stay active longer in society. AAL capitalizes on the growing pervasiveness and effectiveness of sensing and computing facilities to supply the persons in need with smart assistance, by responding to their necessities of autonomy, independence, comfort, security and safety. The application scenarios addressed by AAL are complex, due to the inherent heterogeneity of the end-user population, their living arrangements, and their physical conditions or impairment. Despite aiming at diverse goals, AAL systems should share some common characteristics. They are designed to provide support in daily life in an invisible, unobtrusive and user-friendly manner. Moreover, they are conceived to be intelligent, to be able to learn and adapt to the requirements and requests of the assisted people, and to synchronise with their specific needs. Nevertheless, to ensure the uptake of AAL in society, potential users must be willing to use AAL applications and to integrate them in their daily environments and lives. In this respect, video- and audio-based AAL applications have several advantages, in terms of unobtrusiveness and information richness. Indeed, cameras and microphones are far less obtrusive with respect to the hindrance other wearable sensors may cause to one’s activities. In addition, a single camera placed in a room can record most of the activities performed in the room, thus replacing many other non-visual sensors. Currently, video-based applications are effective in recognising and monitoring the activities, the movements, and the overall conditions of the assisted individuals as well as to assess their vital parameters (e.g., heart rate, respiratory rate). Similarly, audio sensors have the potential to become one of the most important modalities for interaction with AAL systems, as they can have a large range of sensing, do not require physical presence at a particular location and are physically intangible. Moreover, relevant information about individuals’ activities and health status can derive from processing audio signals (e.g., speech recordings). Nevertheless, as the other side of the coin, cameras and microphones are often perceived as the most intrusive technologies from the viewpoint of the privacy of the monitored individuals. This is due to the richness of the information these technologies convey and the intimate setting where they may be deployed. Solutions able to ensure privacy preservation by context and by design, as well as to ensure high legal and ethical standards are in high demand. After the review of the current state of play and the discussion in GoodBrother, we may claim that the first solutions in this direction are starting to appear in the literature. A multidisciplinary 4 debate among experts and stakeholders is paving the way towards AAL ensuring ergonomics, usability, acceptance and privacy preservation. The DIANA, PAAL, and VisuAAL projects are examples of this fresh approach. This report provides the reader with a review of the most recent advances in audio- and video-based monitoring technologies for AAL. It has been drafted as a collective effort of WG3 to supply an introduction to AAL, its evolution over time and its main functional and technological underpinnings. In this respect, the report contributes to the field with the outline of a new generation of ethical-aware AAL technologies and a proposal for a novel comprehensive taxonomy of AAL systems and applications. Moreover, the report allows non-technical readers to gather an overview of the main components of an AAL system and how these function and interact with the end-users. The report illustrates the state of the art of the most successful AAL applications and functions based on audio and video data, namely (i) lifelogging and self-monitoring, (ii) remote monitoring of vital signs, (iii) emotional state recognition, (iv) food intake monitoring, activity and behaviour recognition, (v) activity and personal assistance, (vi) gesture recognition, (vii) fall detection and prevention, (viii) mobility assessment and frailty recognition, and (ix) cognitive and motor rehabilitation. For these application scenarios, the report illustrates the state of play in terms of scientific advances, available products and research project. The open challenges are also highlighted. The report ends with an overview of the challenges, the hindrances and the opportunities posed by the uptake in real world settings of AAL technologies. In this respect, the report illustrates the current procedural and technological approaches to cope with acceptability, usability and trust in the AAL technology, by surveying strategies and approaches to co-design, to privacy preservation in video and audio data, to transparency and explainability in data processing, and to data transmission and communication. User acceptance and ethical considerations are also debated. Finally, the potentials coming from the silver economy are overviewed.publishedVersio

Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197

Goal Lifecycles and Ontological Models for Intention Based Assistive Living within Smart Environments

Current ambient assistive living solutions have adopted a traditional sensor-centric approach, involving data analysis and activity recognition to provide assistance to individuals. The reliance on sensors and activity recognition in this approach introduces issues with scalability and ability to model activity variations. This study introduces a novel approach to assistive living which intends to address these issues via a paradigm shift from a sensor centric approach to a goal-oriented one. The goal-oriented approach focuses on identification of user goals in order to pro-actively offer assistance by either pre-defined or dynamically constructed instructions. This paper introduces the architecture of this goal-oriented approach and describes an ontological goal model to serve as its basis. The use of this approach is illustrated in a case study which focuses on assisting a user with activities of daily living

Current trends on ICT technologies for enterprise information s²ystems

The proposed paper discusses the current trends on ICT technologies for Enterprise Information Systems. The paper starts by defining four big challenges of the next generation of information systems: (1) Data Value Chain Management; (2) Context Awareness; (3) Interaction and Visualization; and (4) Human Learning. The major contributions towards the next generation of information systems are elaborated based on the work and experience of the authors and their teams. This includes: (1) Ontology based solutions for semantic interoperability; (2) Context aware infrastructures; (3) Product Avatar based interactions; and (4) Human learning. Finally the current state of research is discussed highlighting the impact of these solutions on the economic and social landscape

How 5G wireless (and concomitant technologies) will revolutionize healthcare?

The need to have equitable access to quality healthcare is enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which defines the developmental agenda of the UN for the next 15 years. In particular, the third SDG focuses on the need to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. In this paper, we build the case that 5G wireless technology, along with concomitant emerging technologies (such as IoT, big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning), will transform global healthcare systems in the near future. Our optimism around 5G-enabled healthcare stems from a confluence of significant technical pushes that are already at play: apart from the availability of high-throughput low-latency wireless connectivity, other significant factors include the democratization of computing through cloud computing; the democratization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cognitive computing (e.g., IBM Watson); and the commoditization of data through crowdsourcing and digital exhaust. These technologies together can finally crack a dysfunctional healthcare system that has largely been impervious to technological innovations. We highlight the persistent deficiencies of the current healthcare system and then demonstrate how the 5G-enabled healthcare revolution can fix these deficiencies. We also highlight open technical research challenges, and potential pitfalls, that may hinder the development of such a 5G-enabled health revolution

Collaborative networks in ambient assisted living

Tese de doutoramento em InformáticaCollaborative Work plays an important role in today’s organizations, especially in areas where decisions must be made. However, any decision that involves a collective or group of decision makers is, by itself, complex, but is becoming recurrent in recent years. In this work we present the VirtualECare project, an intelligent multiagent system able to monitor, interact and serve its customers, in need of care services. In last year’s there has been a substantially increase on the number of people needed of intensive care, especially among the elderly, a phenomenon that is related to population ageing. However, this is becoming not exclusive of the elderly, as diseases like obesity, diabetes and blood pressure have been increasing among young adults. This is a new reality that needs to be dealt by the health sector, particularly by the public one. Given this scenario, the importance of finding new and cost effective ways for health care delivery are of particular importance, especially when it is believed that they should not be removed from their natural “habitat”. Following this line of thinking, the VirtualECare project will be presented, like similar ones that preceded it. On the other hand, this is a growing interest in combining the advances in information society ‐ computing, telecommunications and presentation – in order to create Group Decision Support Systems (GDSSs). Indeed, the new economy, along with increased competition in today’s complex business environments, takes the companies to seek complementarities in order to increase competitiveness and reduce risks. Under these settings, planning takes a major role in a company life. However, effective planning depends on the generation and analysis of ideas (innovative or not) and, as a result, the idea generation and management processes are crucial. In particular if is believed that the use of GDSS in the healthcare arena will allow professionals to achieve better results in the analysis of one’s Electronically Clinical Profile (ECP). This achievement is vital, regarding the explosion of knowledge and skills, together with the need to use limited resources and get the expected outcomes.Hoje em dia, o Trabalho Colaborativo desempenha um papel deveras importante na maioria das organizações, especialmente em áreas em que decisões têm de ser tomadas. No entanto, e muito embora comece a ser recorrente, qualquer decisão que envolva um grupo colectivo de decisores é, por si só, complexa. Nesta tese apresenta‐se o projecto VirtualECare, um sistema inteligente multi‐agente capaz de monitorar, interagir e servir os seus utilizadores, com necessidades de cuidados de saúde. Nos últimos anos têm‐se verificado um aumento substancial no número de pessoas necessitadas de cuidados intensivos, especialmente entre a população mais envelhecida, um fenómeno directamente relacionado com o envelhecimento gradual da população. No entanto, esta é uma problemática que começa a deixar de estar exclusivamente associada aos idosos, uma vez que, doenças como a obesidade, diabetes e a pressão arterial têm vindo a aumentar junto dos, assim chamados, jovens adultos. Esta é uma nova realidade com a qual o sector da saúde necessita de lidar, especialmente o sector público. Apresentados estes cenários, a importância de encontrar novas formas, mais eficazes ao nível dos custos, de providenciar cuidados de saúde, a quem deles necessita, torna‐se ainda mais premente, especialmente quando acreditamos que estes não devem ser deslocalizados do seu “habitat” natural. Seguindo esta linha de raciocínio, vamos apresentar o projecto VirtualECare, bem como similares que o precederam. Recentemente tem‐se vindo a assistir a um interesse crescente em combinar os avanços na, assim chamada, sociedade da informação – computação, telecomunicações e apresentação – de forma a se criarem Sistemas de Apoio à Decisão em Grupo (GDSS). Na realidade, a nova economia, associada ao elevado crescimento da competitividade do, já de si, complexo mundo empresarial, provoca a procura, por parte das empresas e/ou instituições, de outras que as possam complementar para assim se poderem tornar mais competitivas e reduzir os riscos assumidos. Neste cenário, o planeamento assume um papel da maior importância na vida de uma empresa. No entanto, um planeamento eficaz depende da geração e posterior análise de ideias (inovativas ou não) e, como resultado, o processo de geração e análise de ideias também se torna crucial. O nosso objectivo é aplicar os já apresentados GDSS a uma nova área. É de esperar que o uso de GDSS na área da prestação de cuidados de saúde irá permitir que os seus profissionais obtenham melhores e mais imediatos resultados na análise de um qualquer Processo Clínico Electrónico (ECP), sendo este um factor crucial, tendo em conta a explosão de conhecimento e técnicas conjugadas com a necessidade de melhor se utilizar os recursos existentes

Sistemas de diálogo: una revisión

Spoken dialogue systems are computer programs developed to interact with users employing speech in order to provide them with specific automated services. The interaction is carried out by means of dialogue turns, which in many studies available in the literature, researchers aim to make as similar as possible to those between humans in terms of naturalness, intelligence and affective content. In this paper we describe the fundaments of these systems including the main technologies employed for their development. We also present an evolution of this technology and discuss some current applications. Moreover, we discuss development paradigms, including scripting languages and the development of conversational interfaces for mobile apps. The correct modelling of the user is a key aspect of this technology. This is why we also describe affective, personality and contextual models. Finally, we address some current research trends in terms of verbal communication, multimodal interaction and dialogue management.Los sistemas de diálogo son programas de ordenador desarrollados para interaccionar con los usuarios mediante habla, con la finalidad de proporcionarles servicios automatizados. La interacción se lleva a cabo mediante turnos de un tipo de diálogo que, en muchos estudios existentes en la literatura, los investigadores intentan que se parezca lo más posible al diálogo real que se lleva a cabo entre las personas en lo que se refiere a naturalidad, inteligencia y contenido afectivo. En este artículo describimos los fundamentos de esta tecnología, incluyendo las tecnologías básicas que se utilizan para implementar este tipo de sistemas. También presentamos una evolución de la tecnología y comentamos algunas aplicaciones actuales. Asimismo, describimos paradigmas de interacción, incluyendo lenguajes de script y desarrollo de interfaces conversacionales para aplicaciones móviles. Un aspecto clave de esta tecnología consiste en realizar un correcto modelado del usuario. Por este motivo, discutimos diversos modelos afectivos, de personalidad y contextuales. Finalmente, comentamos algunas líneas de investigación actuales relacionadas con la comunicación verbal, interacción multimodal y gestión del diálogo

A review of contemporary work on the ethics of ambient assisted living technologies for people with dementia

Ambient assisted living (AAL) technologies can provide assistance and support to persons with dementia. They might allow them the possibility of living at home for longer whilst maintaining their comfort and security as well as offering a way towards reducing the huge economic and personal costs forecast as the incidence of dementia increases worldwide over coming decades. However, the development, introduction and use of AAL technologies also trigger serious ethical issues. This paper is a systematic literature review of the on-going scholarly debate about these issues. More specifically, we look at the ethical issues involved in research and development (R&D), clinical experimentation, and clinical application of AAL technologies for people with dementia and related stakeholders. In the discussion we focus on: 1) the value of the goals of AAL technologies, 2) the special vulnerability of persons with dementia in their private homes, 3) the complex question of informed consent for the usage of AAL technologies