Peripheral Visual Motion Sensitivity in Previously Concussed, Asymptomatic Individuals

Background: Individuals acquire information about self-motion from the environment which specifies actions necessary to be successful (Fajen & Matthis, 2011). However, concussed individuals demonstrate residual disturbance in execution of postural movement at 30 days post injury, depicting an impaired ability to perceive self-motion in a visually conflicting environment (Slobounov et al. 2006). The objective of this thesis was to investigate the extent to which one’s behaviours on a central field of view task are influenced by the amount and type of peripheral visual movement during a collision avoidance task, as well as to determine the additive effects of changes to balance control through the examination of the behaviours of a previously concussed population. The study utilized the closing doors of a virtual subway train to create an aperture for passage. For the purposes of this study, peripheral visual stimuli was a technique in which objects located within an individual’s peripheral field of view were manipulated to be absent, stationary/relatively stationary (veridical optic flow), or move independent of the participant’s movements (non-veridical optic flow). It was hypothesized that individuals would perform best when the environment provided visual information regarding one’s own self motion. It was expected that a critical point (i.e., when the limits of action are reached and a transition phase into a different action occurs (Warren & Whang, 1987)) would emerge, which would be impacted by the different levels of peripheral visual environment, eliciting a change in critical point. Furthermore, it was anticipated that previously concussed asymptomatic individuals would elicit more variable behaviours (i.e., inconsistent path selection when aperture width remains constant) compared to non-concussed counterparts (Baker & Cinelli, 2014), as a product of the peripheral visual environment. Methods: Previously concussed (3-12 months prior) asymptomatic young adults (N=12) were recruited, along with age and gender matched non-concussed controls (N=12). Participants walked along a 7m virtual path (via HTC Vive) towards a set of subway doors and were instructed to safely board the train without colliding with the doors. When the participants were 2m from the doors, they began to close at a constant rate such that the final door aperture width at the time of crossing ranged from 35-85cm (in 10cm increments). Participants performed aperture crossing trials during one of four peripheral environments: 1) ground plane only; 2) ground plane plus stationary poles in the peripheral environment; 3) ground plane with stationary humanoids in the peripheral environment; or 4) randomly moving humanoids. Participants were exposed to three trials of each aperture width within each environment for a total of 72 walking trials (6 widths x 4 conditions x 3 trials). Kinematic data was collected using a 3D motion capture system (Optotrak, NDI). Results: The results revealed that participants executed significant shoulder rotations regardless of aperture width at time of crossing. It was found that non-concussed control subjects executed slightly larger shoulder rotations for smaller apertures (i.e., 35, 45, and 55cm) compared to the largest aperture (p.05), coefficient of variation of velocity (p\u3e.05), or medial-lateral stability during the approach phase (p\u3e.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that although a significant difference was found between aperture sizes for non-concussed controls, all individuals were found to employ a more conservative approach (i.e., “one solution fits all” strategy) to ensure success within each of the peripheral visual environments. As such, further research is required to assess the contributions of peripheral body information during an aperture crossing task and further the understanding of the behaviours demonstrated by each group. In addition, a more comprehensive sample of previously concussed asymptomatic individuals from various time points since concussion recovery will provide further insight into potential visuomotor deficits within this population

Eliciting Music Performance Anxiety of Vocal and Piano Students Through the Use of Virtual Reality

Despite the growth of virtual reality technologies, there is a lack of understanding of implementing these technologies within the collegiate classroom. This case study provides a mixed-method insight into a virtual reality (VR) asset deployed in a music performance environment. The study examined the effectiveness of a virtual reality environment as measured by the physiological response and user feedback. Ten voice and four piano college students participated in the study. Each participant performed musical works within an authentic practice room and the virtual concert hall via a Virtual Reality (VR) headset. Data was collected across four criteria. Participants’ heart rates were recorded before and after the performances. A State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test was presented to participants before and after the performances. Each performance was recorded and then blindly evaluated by two licensed music adjudicators. After the performances, participants completed a self-evaluation. Results indicated that virtual concert hall sessions caused a change in some categories of physiological, performance, and anxiety compared to an authentic practice room. No statistical difference was recorded in heart rate for vocalists between both environments. This project serves as a proof of concept that VR technologies can effectively elicit change in music performance anxiety. Furthermore, the study could encourage further research on mitigating music performance anxiety through virtual environment exposure

Evaluating a VR System for Collecting Safety-Critical Vehicle-Pedestrian Interactions

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) require comprehensive and reliable pedestrian trajectory data to ensure safe operation. However, obtaining data of safety-critical scenarios such as jaywalking and near-collisions, or uncommon agents such as children, disabled pedestrians, and vulnerable road users poses logistical and ethical challenges. This paper evaluates a Virtual Reality (VR) system designed to collect pedestrian trajectory and body pose data in a controlled, low-risk environment. We substantiate the usefulness of such a system through semi-structured interviews with professionals in the AV field, and validate the effectiveness of the system through two empirical studies: a first-person user evaluation involving 62 participants, and a third-person evaluative survey involving 290 respondents. Our findings demonstrate that the VR-based data collection system elicits realistic responses for capturing pedestrian data in safety-critical or uncommon vehicle-pedestrian interaction scenarios.Comment: In submission to CHI 202

Immersive Participation:Futuring, Training Simulation and Dance and Virtual Reality

Dance knowledge can inform the development of scenario design in immersive digital simulation environments by strengthening a participant’s capacity to learn through the body. This study engages with processes of participatory practice that question how the transmission and transfer of dance knowledge/embodied knowledge in immersive digital environments is activated and applied in new contexts. These questions are relevant in both arts and industry and have the potential to add value and knowledge through crossdisciplinary collaboration and exchange. This thesis consists of three different research projects all focused on observation, participation, and interviews with experts on embodiment in digital simulation. The projects were chosen to provide a range of perspectives across dance, industry and futures studies. Theories of embodied cognition, in particular the notions of the extended body, distributed cognition, enactment and mindfulness, offer critical lenses through which to explore the relationship of embodied integration and participation within immersive digital environments. These areas of inquiry lead to the consideration of how language from the field of computer science can assist in describing somatic experience in digital worlds through a discussion of the emerging concepts of mindfulness, wayfinding, guided movement and digital kinship. These terms serve as an example of how the mutability of language became part of the process as terms applied in disparate disciplines were understood within varying contexts. The analytic tools focus on applying a posthuman view, speculation through a futures ethnography, and a cognitive ethnographical approach to my research project. These approaches allowed me to examine an ecology of practices in order to identify methods and processes that can facilitate the transmission and transfer of embodied knowledge within a community of practice. The ecological components include dance, healthcare, transport, education and human/computer interaction. These fields drove the data collection from a range of sources including academic papers, texts, specialists’ reports, scientific papers, interviews and conversations with experts and artists.The aim of my research is to contribute both a theoretical and a speculative understanding of processes, as well as tools applicable in the transmission of embodied knowledge in virtual dance and arts environments as well as digital simulation across industry. Processes were understood theoretically through established studies in embodied cognition applied to workbased training, reinterpreted through my own movement study. Futures methodologies paved the way for speculative processes and analysis. Tools to choreograph scenario design in immersive digital environments were identified through the recognition of cross purpose language such as mindfulness, wayfinding, guided movement and digital kinship. Put together, the major contribution of this research is a greater understanding of the value of dance knowledge applied to simulation developed through theoretical and transformational processes and creative tools

The Proteus Effect and Gaming: The Impact of Digital Actors and Race in a Virtual Environment

Race and racial identity is a frequently discussed topic in the media today. This topic is driven by what oftentimes amounts to culture clashes, and a system that claims impartiality yet is rampant with implicit bias demonstrating favorable treatment of one race over another. An example of this favoritism resides within video game design, where over 50% of player-controlled game characters are White, and less than 40% are Black (Leonard, 2007). Leonard also wrote that Black game characters are more likely to conform to Black stereotypes (e.g. play sports, or involved in gangs) than Whites (e.g. middle class citizen or unhygienic). Minimal research exists on understanding what information a video game character, or avatar, conveys to a game player, and whether this information is platform dependent or not. Furthermore, limited information exists on what the personification of agency really means within a digital environment. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship that race may exert within video game play and, by extension, video game design in regards to the control of in-game avatars. Moreover, the goal is to determine if the Proteus effect, the central psychological theory under analysis, exists for console video game players in regards to race and skin color. Originating from the world of virtual reality, the Proteus effect emphasizes conformity to an avatar’s identity cues (Yee & Bailenson, 2007). Specifically, this study examines how the similarity or mismatch between in game avatars and the individual controlling them affects game-world behaviors. Ninety male university students comprised of 3 different races (Middle Eastern, African American, and Caucasian American) played Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV) on PlayStation 3 with an assignment of either White (Michael) or Black (Franklin) game character condition. Data were collected on a behavioral metric with two primary categories: Crime against people and crimes against property. They also completed a personality inventory (HEXACO), and performed an implicit association task to further scientific exploration of the Proteus effect. The results indicated that behavioral outcomes between the Middle-Eastern and Caucasian Americans contained significant differences, and this was regardless of their digital actor (DA) assignment. However, African American gamers had significant performance differences between the two DA conditions (White, Black); there were more crimes committed against in-game people and in-game property when playing as a White DA than when playing as a Black DA when compared against the other two groups. For the game play itself, no significant performance differences were observed between the White and Black DA conditions when collapsed across race conditions indicating that the platform selected offered equal opportunity for all gamers, and that one DA did not facilitate extra crimes above and beyond the other DA. Personality factors were controlled for through the use of the HEXACO model and demonstrated that the three faces did not significantly differ in terms of personality. However, when considering game play and crime specifically, individuals scoring high in the Honesty-Humility dimension of the personality inventory committed fewer crimes against property during their gameplay as indicated by a significant regression analysis. The Proteus effect exists for console video games, and was observed within this study because a change in self representation via the DA caused an observable change in behavior. The African American participants experimentally depicted this in that they committed significantly less crimes while playing as a Black DA than the crimes they committed while playing as a White DA that did not occur for the other two races. The significance of this finding lies in the fact that this discovery bolsters understanding of DA-man relationships, and the nature of agency within digital environments. This study also demonstrates that DAs can alter gameplay, and the gaming community needs richer designs incorporating racial inclusivity within video games

Emotional Design: An Overview

Emotional design has been well recognized in the domain of human factors and ergonomics. In this chapter, we reviewed related models and methods of emotional design. We are motivated to encourage emotional designers to take multiple perspectives when examining these models and methods. Then we proposed a systematic process for emotional design, including affective-cognitive needs elicitation, affective-cognitive needs analysis, and affective-cognitive needs fulfillment to support emotional design. Within each step, we provided an updated review of the representative methods to support and offer further guidance on emotional design. We hope researchers and industrial practitioners can take a systematic approach to consider each step in the framework with care. Finally, the speculations on the challenges and future directions can potentially help researchers across different fields to further advance emotional design.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163319/1/Emotional_Design_Manuscript_Final.pdfSEL

Information richness and trust in V-commerce: implications for services marketing

Purpose: The potential for e-commerce is limited by a trust deficit when traders do not interact in a physical, bricks-and-mortar context. The theory of information richness posits that equivocal interactions, such as ones requiring trust, can be facilitated through communication media that transmit multiple cues interactively. We examine the potential of information-rich virtual worlds to reduce this trust deficit compared with more traditional web-based e-tailing environments. Design/Methodology: Rather than focusing on stated intentions we adopt an experimental approach to measure behaviour. Participants receive performance-related financial incentives to perform trust games in different information-rich treatments that represent three retail environments: a physical environment representing bricks-and-mortar trade, an electronic environment representing web-based online retailing and a virtual environment representing virtual world retail. Findings: We find that the two dimensions of trust significantly differ between the treatments. In particular, as hypothesised, both trustingness and trustworthiness are higher in the virtual than in the electronic environment. However, contrary to our hypotheses, physical trade is not associated with greater trust than virtual trade. Implications: We extend previous research by demonstrating how the information richness of the virtual world interface can promote e-commerce by deepening trust between trading partners. Our research also complements existing work that approaches product and service interfaces through the lens of servicescapes. The findings also contribute towards the development of services marketing practice and the design of e-commerce environments

To Affinity and Beyond: Interactive Digital Humans as a Human Computer Interface

The field of human computer interaction is increasingly exploring the use of more natural, human-like user interfaces to build intelligent agents to aid in everyday life. This is coupled with a move to people using ever more realistic avatars to represent themselves in their digital lives. As the ability to produce emotionally engaging digital human representations is only just now becoming technically possible, there is little research into how to approach such tasks. This is due to both technical complexity and operational implementation cost. This is now changing as we are at a nexus point with new approaches, faster graphics processing and enabling new technologies in machine learning and computer vision becoming available. I articulate the issues required for such digital humans to be considered successfully located on the other side of the phenomenon known as the Uncanny Valley. My results show that a complex mix of perceived and contextual aspects affect the sense making on digital humans and highlights previously undocumented effects of interactivity on the affinity. Users are willing to accept digital humans as a new form of user interface and they react to them emotionally in previously unanticipated ways. My research shows that it is possible to build an effective interactive digital human that crosses the Uncanny Valley. I directly explore what is required to build a visually realistic digital human as a primary research question and I explore if such a realistic face provides sufficient benefit to justify the challenges involved in building it. I conducted a Delphi study to inform the research approaches and then produced a complex digital human character based on these insights. This interactive and realistic digital human avatar represents a major technical undertaking involving multiple teams around the world. Finally, I explored a framework for examining the ethical implications and signpost future research areas

Social touch in human–computer interaction

Touch is our primary non-verbal communication channel for conveying intimate emotions and as such essential for our physical and emotional wellbeing. In our digital age, human social interaction is often mediated. However, even though there is increasing evidence that mediated touch affords affective communication, current communication systems (such as videoconferencing) still do not support communication through the sense of touch. As a result, mediated communication does not provide the intense affective experience of co-located communication. The need for ICT mediated or generated touch as an intuitive way of social communication is even further emphasized by the growing interest in the use of touch-enabled agents and robots for healthcare, teaching, and telepresence applications. Here, we review the important role of social touch in our daily life and the available evidence that affective touch can be mediated reliably between humans and between humans and digital agents. We base our observations on evidence from psychology, computer science, sociology, and neuroscience with focus on the first two. Our review shows that mediated affective touch can modulate physiological responses, increase trust and affection, help to establish bonds between humans and avatars or robots, and initiate pro-social behavior. We argue that ICT mediated or generated social touch can (a) intensify the perceived social presence of remote communication partners and (b) enable computer systems to more effectively convey affective information. However, this research field on the crossroads of ICT and psychology is still embryonic and we identify several topics that can help to mature the field in the following areas: establishing an overarching theoretical framework, employing better research methodologies, developing basic social touch building blocks, and solving specific ICT challenges