Awareness Communications by Entertaining Toy Doll Agents

In this paper, we propose a sensor-doll system that provides multiple users at remote locations with an awareness communication channel. A doll is used as the interface agent of the local user, and this agent is connected to a remote doll by local and/or wide area networks. The doll sends out information on the local ambient activities and user’s intentional interactions to the remote agent and, at the same time, displays the received remote activities by adapting its presentation to the local context. Musical sound expression is used to display the remote awareness, mixing the local response and remote activities. Music also provides an entertaining and sympathetic intimacy with the doll and eventually the remote user. The design and implementation of the networked sensordoll, equipped with various tactile sensors and a PC, are described in detail. We also discuss issues of awareness communication and give preliminary experimental results

Cardiovascular reactions for whole-body thermal therapy with a hot pack and Waon therapy

Background Waon therapy (WT) is the predominant thermal therapy for chronic heart failure in Japan, involving use of a far-infrared dry sauna. As sauna therapy requires certain equipment not readily available in hospitals, we tested the use of whole-body hot pack thermal therapy (HPTT). We compared the magnitude of skin vasodilation post-HPTT with that post-WT. Methods We recruited 19 healthy men (age [mean ± S.D.]: 26.8 ± 4.6 years) and employed a simple randomized crossover design. The HPTT required subjects to remain in a supine position on a bed for at least 10 min. Hot packs were then applied on the back, lower abdomen, and popliteal regions for 15 min (warming phase). Participants continued bed rest for 30 min (heat-retention phase) after removal of the hot pack. WT was performed as previously described. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), tympanic temperature (TT), and peak and average flow velocity of the right radial artery (PFV and AFV, respectively) and right brachial artery (BA) diameter were measured during HPTT and WT. Results HR, TT, PFV, and AFV persistently and significantly increased during warming and heat-retention phases of HPTT. In WT, HR and TT significantly increased during warming but decreased and plateaued during heat-retention. BP did not change significantly after either therapy; however, BA was dilated equally in both (HPTT: 3.70 ± 0.57 ⇒ 4.05 ± 0.59 mm, p = .001; WT: 3.63 ± 0.63 ⇒ 3.93 ± 0.61 mm, p < .001). Conclusion HPTT may be equivalent to WT with respect to vasodilation response of the skin