Di\v{s}imo: Anchoring Our Breath

We present a system that raises awareness about users' inner state. Di\v{s}imo is a multimodal ambient display that provides feedback about one's stress level, which is assessed through heart rate monitoring. Upon detecting a low heart rate variability for a prolonged period of time, Di\v{s}imo plays an audio track, setting the pace of a regular and deep breathing. Users can then choose to take a moment to focus on their breath. By doing so, they will activate the Di\v{s}imo devices belonging to their close ones, who can then join for a shared relaxation session

Interface: assessment of human-computer interaction by monitoring physiological and other data with a time-resolution of only a few seconds

Earlier publications have shown that a Heart Period Variability (HPV) -based methodology, after careful adaptation, could be a powerful technique for monitoring mental effort in Human-Computer Interaction. This paper outlines the INTERFACE testing workstation developed by researchers of our department. This system is based on the simultaneous assessment of HPV, time data of keystroke and mouse events, video images of users’ behaviour and screen content, etc. It is capable of identifying quality attributes of software elements with a time-resolution of only a few seconds. Our series of experiments demonstrate the practical usability of this improved methodology for testing user interfaces. The method of analysis allows us to decide what types of problems are significant to the users, and what types of problems set back the users only slightly. On the other hand, the method allows us to decide, to what extent the found problems and their assessed severity concern all the users in general, or how these things depend on the type and characteristics of the users. At the end of this paper, we will give a brief description of the further development of this INTERFACE methodology: we are in the process of integrating also another physiological channel – Skin Conductance (SC)

Monitoring Cognitive and Emotional Processes Through Pupil and Cardiac Response During Dynamic Versus Logical Task

The paper deals with the links between physiological measurements and cognitive and emotional functioning. As long as the operator is a key agent in charge of complex systems, the definition of metrics able to predict his performance is a great challenge. The measurement of the physiological state is a very promising way but a very acute comprehension is required; in particular few studies compare autonomous nervous system reactivity according to specific cognitive processes during task performance and task related psychological stress is often ignored. We compared physiological parameters recorded on 24 healthy subjects facing two neuropsychological tasks: a dynamic task that require problem solving in a world that continually evolves over time and a logical task representative of cognitive processes performed by operators facing everyday problem solving. Results showed that the mean pupil diameter change was higher during the dynamic task; conversely, the heart rate was more elevated during the logical task. Finally, the systolic blood pressure seemed to be strongly sensitive to psychological stress. A better taking into account of the precise influence of a given cognitive activity and both workload and related task-induced psychological stress during task performance is a promising way to better monitor operators in complex working situations to detect mental overload or pejorative stress factor of error

Using Real-time Biofeedback of Heart Rate Variability Measures to Track and Help Improve Levels of Attention and Relaxation

The main purpose of the study was to investigate if it was possible for a person to use the real-time biofeedback of their heart rate variability (HRV), recorded from a heart rate monitor watch, to help improve their level of attention and relaxation. Attention and relaxation are important factors affecting creativity, so improvements in ‘relaxed concentration’ could help enhance creativity. New HRV analysis algorithms were developed and tested together with three different user interfaces to explore how the interaction design affects user performance. Initial results suggest that it is possible to estimate levels of attention and relaxation, at least at a crude level, and that people are able to use this information to help improve their level of attention and relaxation. In addition, the results suggest that the interaction design of the application has a very important role to play in supporting user engagement and to maintain motivation levels

TOBE: Tangible Out-of-Body Experience

We propose a toolkit for creating Tangible Out-of-Body Experiences: exposing the inner states of users using physiological signals such as heart rate or brain activity. Tobe can take the form of a tangible avatar displaying live physiological readings to reflect on ourselves and others. Such a toolkit could be used by researchers and designers to create a multitude of potential tangible applications, including (but not limited to) educational tools about Science Technologies Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and cognitive science, medical applications or entertainment and social experiences with one or several users or Tobes involved. Through a co-design approach, we investigated how everyday people picture their physiology and we validated the acceptability of Tobe in a scientific museum. We also give a practical example where two users relax together, with insights on how Tobe helped them to synchronize their signals and share a moment

A complex physiology-based empirical usability evaluation method in practice

This paper outlines the INTERFACE usability evaluation methodology developed by researchers of our department. It is based on the simultaneous assessment of Heart Period Variability (HPV), Skin Conductance (SC), and other data. One of the highlights of this methodology is its capability to identify quality attributes of software elements with a time-resolution of only a few seconds: in particular cases it can assess 2- or 3-second events. The Department of Ergonomics and Psychology at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics carried out applied research projects assessing very various software. After these, we can show different types of typical software problems identified by our method. The method of analysis allows us not only to decide what types of problems are significant to the users; however, on the other hand, the method allows us to decide, to what extent the found problems and their assessed severity concern all the users in general, or how these things depend on the type and characteris tics of the users

Validating a New Method for Ergonomic Evaluation of Human Computer Interfaces

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is the basic component of using all kinds of information technological systems. This is why examination methods capable of assessing factors influencing users´ performance, current mental effort and well-being during HCI in a well established and scientifically sound way have got great importance. The `current´ attribute for mental effort means here that in addition to overall measures concerning a relatively longer period - several hours or a whole working day - such methods should also provide informative and valid data about users´ mental investments at the temporal resolution corresponding to users´ elementary actions as keystrokes, mouse clicks, etc. It has already been shown that under certain circumstances Heart Period Variability (HPV) could be a measure of momentary mental effort. This paper gives a short overview of applications of HPV in ergonomics in general, and based on empirical evidence intends to prove that this methodology, after a careful adaptation, could be an especially adequate and powerful technique for monitoring mental effort in HCI. The paper outlines the main principles of a new method and the related components of the integrated system (INTERFACE) developed by us for investigating HCI from several aspects with emphasis on assessing mental effort. A detailed application example is also provided

Prefrontal cortex activation upon a demanding virtual hand-controlled task: A new frontier for neuroergonomics

open9noFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive vascular-based functional neuroimaging technology that can assess, simultaneously from multiple cortical areas, concentration changes in oxygenated-deoxygenated hemoglobin at the level of the cortical microcirculation blood vessels. fNIRS, with its high degree of ecological validity and its very limited requirement of physical constraints to subjects, could represent a valid tool for monitoring cortical responses in the research field of neuroergonomics. In virtual reality (VR) real situations can be replicated with greater control than those obtainable in the real world. Therefore, VR is the ideal setting where studies about neuroergonomics applications can be performed. The aim of the present study was to investigate, by a 20-channel fNIRS system, the dorsolateral/ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC/VLPFC) in subjects while performing a demanding VR hand-controlled task (HCT). Considering the complexity of the HCT, its execution should require the attentional resources allocation and the integration of different executive functions. The HCT simulates the interaction with a real, remotely-driven, system operating in a critical environment. The hand movements were captured by a high spatial and temporal resolution 3-dimensional (3D) hand-sensing device, the LEAP motion controller, a gesture-based control interface that could be used in VR for tele-operated applications. Fifteen University students were asked to guide, with their right hand/forearm, a virtual ball (VB) over a virtual route (VROU) reproducing a 42 m narrow road including some critical points. The subjects tried to travel as long as possible without making VB fall. The distance traveled by the guided VB was 70.2 ± 37.2 m. The less skilled subjects failed several times in guiding the VB over the VROU. Nevertheless, a bilateral VLPFC activation, in response to the HCT execution, was observed in all the subjects. No correlation was found between the distance traveled by the guided VB and the corresponding cortical activation. These results confirm the suitability of fNIRS technology to objectively evaluate cortical hemodynamic changes occurring in VR environments. Future studies could give a contribution to a better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying human performance either in expert or non-expert operators during the simulation of different demanding/fatiguing activities.openCarrieri, Marika; Petracca, Andrea; Lancia, Stefania; Basso Moro, Sara; Brigadoi, Sabrina; Spezialetti, Matteo; Ferrari, Marco; Placidi, Giuseppe; Quaresima, ValentinaCarrieri, Marika; Petracca, Andrea; Lancia, Stefania; BASSO MORO, Sara; Brigadoi, Sabrina; Spezialetti, Matteo; Ferrari, Marco; Placidi, Giuseppe; Quaresima, Valentin

An Exploration of the Feasibility of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Neurofeedback Cueing System for the Mitigation of the Vigilance Decrement

Vigilance is the capacity for observers to maintain attention over extended periods of time, and has most often been operationalized as the ability to detect rare and critical signals (Davies & Parasuraman, 1982; Parasuraman, 1979; Warm, 1984). Humans, however, have natural physical and cognitive limitations that preclude successful long-term vigilance performance and consequently, without some means of assistance, failures in operator vigilance are likely to occur. Such a decline in monitoring performance over time has been a robust finding in vigilance experiments for decades and has been called the vigilance decrement function (Davies & Parasuraman, 1982; Mackworth, 1948). One of the most effective countermeasures employed to maintain effective performance has been cueing: providing the operator with a reliable prompt concerning signal onset probability. Most protocols have based such cues on task-related or environmental factors. The present dissertation examines the efficacy of cueing when nominally based on operator state (i.e., blood oxygenation of cortical tissue) in a novel vigilance task incorporating dynamic displays over three studies. Results pertaining to performance outcomes, physiological measures (cortical blood oxygenation and heart rate variability), and perceived workload and stress are interpreted via Signal Detection Theory and the Resource Theory of vigilance

Mental and physical workload in laparoscopic surgery

Imperial Users onl