Emotional self-regulation of individuals with autism spectrum disorders: smartwatches for monitoring and interaction

In this paper, we analyze the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to have a pervasive, feasible and non-stigmatizing form of assistance in their emotional self-regulation, in order to ease certain behavioral issues that undermine their mental health throughout their life. We argue the potential of recent widespread wearables, and more specifically smartwatches, to achieve this goal. Then, a smartwatch system that implements a wide range of self-regulation strategies and infers outburst patterns from physiological signals and movement is presented, along with an authoring tool for smartphones that is to be used by caregivers or family members to create and edit these strategies, in an adaptive way. We conducted an intensive experiment with two individuals with ASD who showed varied, representative behavioral responses to their emotional dysregulation. Both users were able to employ effective, customized emotional self-regulation strategies by means of the system, recovering from the majority of mild stress episodes and temper tantrums experienced in the nine days of experiment in their classroomThis work has been partially funded by the projects “e-Training y e-Coaching para la integración socio—laboral” (TIN2013-44586-R) and “eMadrid-CM: Investigación y Desarrollo de Tecnologías Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid” (S2013/ICE-2715). It has been also funded by Fundación Orange during the early stages of the project “Tic-Tac-TEA: Sistema de asistencia para la autorregulación emocional en momentos de crisis para personas con TEA mediante smartwatches

The potential of smartwatches for emotional self-regulation of people with autism spectrum disorder

This paper focuses on the potential of smartwatchers as interventors in the process of emotional self-regulation on individuals with ASD. Parting from a model of assistance in their self-regulation tasks, we review the main advantages of smartwatches in terms of sensors and pervasive interaction potential. We argue the suitability of smartwatches for this kind of assistance, including studies that had used them for related purposes, and the relation of this idea with the affective computing area. Finally, we propose a technological approach for emotional self-regulation assistance that uses smartwatches and applies to the mentioned intervention model.This work has been partially funded by the projects “e-Training y e-Coaching para la integración socio—laboral” (TIN2013--44586--R) and “eMadrid-CM: Investigación y Desarrollo de Tecnologías Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid” (S2013/ICE-2715). It has been also funded by Fundación Orange during the early stages of the project “Tic-Tac-TEA: Sistema de asistencia para la autorregulación emocional en momentos de crisis para personas con TEA mediante smartwatches”

Quality of milk in Manchego sheep flocks. A review

Esta obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.-- et al.[EN]: Improvement of milk quality is one of the principal objectives in dairy sheep production systems. Regulator Council of PDO Manchego Cheese and National Association of Manchega Breeders take part in some milk quality research projects from Dairy Laboratory of the Regional Selection and Animal Reproduction Center, belonging to the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, has developed. The study aims are to find the relationship between the management characteristics of the farms and the quality of bulk tank sheep milk (in differential features of composition, microbiology and technological components). Knowledge of these relationships informs about the main aspects to consider (preservation of milk, feeding systems of sheep, associations, etc.) in sheep milk production for cheese making.[ES]: La mejora de la calidad de la leche es uno de los objetivos fundamentales en los actuales sistemas de producción del ovino lechero. La Fundación Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Queso Manchego y la Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ganado Ovino Selecto raza Manchega participan en los Proyectos de Investigación en materia de calidad de la leche desarrollados por el Laboratorio de Lactología del Centro Regional de Selección y Reproducción Animal de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha. Estos trabajos tienen como objetivo principal el estudio de las relaciones entre las características productivas de las ganaderías y la calidad integral de la leche de oveja (composición, microbiología diferencial y componentes tecnológicos). Los resultados de estos trabajos incluyen el análisis de factores tales como la conservación de la leche, la alimentación de las ovejas de ordeño, el nivel de asociacionismo, etc, en la producción de leche de oveja destinada a la elaboración de queso.Peer Reviewe

An Adapted Wayfinding System for Pedestrians with Cognitive Disabilities

This paper presents a novel wayfinding system adapted to people with cognitive disabilities. It adapts to the user in terms of route calculation, instructions delivery, and interface design. To do so, the system divides the calculated route into atomic instructions and uses street-level photographs at the decision points. To evaluate this approach, we compared it with a commercial navigation application on a field trial with a sample of users (N = 18). From the evaluation, we concluded that our system improves users' performance in terms of the number who reached the destination and were able to identify it correctly.This work has been partially funded by Projects "e-Training y e-Coaching para la Integracion Socio-Laboral" (TIN2013-44586--R) and "eMadrid-CM: Investigacion y Desarrollo de Tecnologias Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid" (S2013/ICE-2715)

AmICog - Tecnologías móviles para la asistencia global a personas con discapacidad cognitiva en el entorno laboral

Versión electrónica de la ponencia presentada en IV Congreso Español de Informática, celebrado en Madrid en 2013En este artículo se presenta el sistema AmICog, diseñado específicamente para asistir a personas con discapacidad cognitiva en el entorno laboral. Para ello se emplean teléfonos móviles para mostrar guías interactivas adaptadas al usuario, tarea y contexto, así como un mecanismo de localización y guiado en entornos interiores.Este proyecto se ha desarrollado bajo la Cátedra UAM-Indra de Inteligencia Ambiental para la Discapacidad Cognitiva

Application of the Laplace transform in electrical circuits

En este artículo se presenta una aplicación de la transformada de Laplace en la solución de los circuitos eléctricos, calculando las corrientes y los voltajes instantáneos que se presentan en diversas partes de un circuito eléctrico dado.In this paper we show an application of Kirchoff ’s laws to the electric networks for the use of the Laplace transform

Mitochondrial activity and forward scatter vary in necrotic, apoptotic and membrane-intact spermatozoan subpopulations

P. 547-556In the present study, we have related mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and forward scatter (FSC) to apoptotic-related changes in spermatozoa. Thawed red deer spermatozoa were incubated in synthetic oviductal fluid medium (37°C, 5% CO2), with or without antioxidant (100 μm Trolox). At 0, 3, 6 and 9 h, aliquots were assessed for motility and were stained with a combination of Hoechst 33342, propidium ioide (PI), YO-PRO-1 and Mitotracker Deep Red for flow cytometry. The proportion of spermatozoa YO-PRO-1+ and PI+ (indicating a damaged plasmalemma; DEAD) increased, whereas that of YO-PRO-1– and PI– (INTACT) spermatozoa decreased. The proportion of YO-PRO-1+ and PI– spermatozoa (altered plasmalemma; APOPTOTIC) did not change. Both DEAD and APOPTOTIC spermatozoa had low ΔΨm. Most high-ΔΨm spermatozoa were INTACT, and their proportion decreased with time. The FSC signal also differed between different groups of spermatozoa, in the order APOPTOTIC > DEAD > INTACT/low ΔΨm > INTACT/high ΔΨm; however, the actual meaning of this difference is not clear. APOPTOTIC spermatozoa seemed motile at 0 h, but lost motility with time. Trolox only slightly improved the percentage of INTACT spermatozoa (P < 0.05). The population of APOPTOTIC spermatozoa in the present study may be dying cells, possibly with activated cell death pathways (loss of ΔΨm). We propose that the sequence of spermatozoon death here would be: (1) loss of ΔΨm; (2) membrane changes (YO-PRO-1+ and PI–); and (3) membrane damage (PI+). INTACT spermatozoa with low ΔΨm or altered FSC may be compromised cells. The present study is the first that directly relates membrane integrity, apoptotic markers and mitochondrial status in spermatozoa. The results of the present study may help us understand the mechanisms leading to loss of spermatozoon viability after thawing.S