Laboratory for Robotics and Engineering Systems

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Publications

Coaching or gaming? Implications of strategy choice for home based stroke rehabilitation

Publication . Cameirão, Mónica S.; Smailagic, Asim; Miao, Guangyao; Siewiorek, Dan P.

Background: The enduring aging of the world population and prospective increase of age-related chronic diseases urge the implementation of new models for healthcare delivery. One strategy relies on ICT (Information and Communications Technology) home-based solutions allowing clients to pursue their treatments without institutionalization. Stroke survivors are a particular population that could strongly benefit from such solutions, but is not yet clear what the best approach is for bringing forth an adequate and sustainable usage of home-based rehabilitation systems. Here we explore two possible approaches: coaching and gaming. Methods: We performed trials with 20 healthy participants and 5 chronic stroke survivors to study and compare execution of an elbow flexion and extension task when performed within a coaching mode that provides encouragement or within a gaming mode. For each mode we analyzed compliance, arm movement kinematics and task scores. In addition, we assessed the usability and acceptance of the proposed modes through a customized self-report questionnaire. Results: In the healthy participants sample, 13/20 preferred the gaming mode and rated it as being significantly more fun (p < .05), but the feedback delivered by the coaching mode was subjectively perceived as being more useful (p < .01). In addition, the activity level (number of repetitions and total movement of the end effector) was significantly higher (p <.001) during coaching. However, the quality of movements was superior in gaming with a trend towards shorter movement duration (p=.074), significantly shorter travel distance (p <.001), higher movement efficiency (p <.001) and higher performance scores (p <.001). Stroke survivors also showed a trend towards higher activity levels in coaching, but with more movement quality during gaming. Finally, both training modes showed overall high acceptance. Conclusions: Gaming led to higher enjoyment and increased quality in movement execution in healthy participants. However, we observed that game mechanics strongly determined user behavior and limited activity levels. In contrast, coaching generated higher activity levels. Hence, the purpose of treatment and profile of end-users has to be considered when deciding on the most adequate approach for home based stroke rehabilitation.

2016Journal article

Open access

Comparison of visual and auditory modalities for Upper-Alpha EEG-Neurofeedback

Publication . Bucho, Teresa; Caetano, Gina; Vourvopoulos, Athanasios; Accoto, Floriana; Esteves, Ines; Bermúdez i Badia, Sergi; Rosa, Agostinho; Figueiredo, Patricia

Electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback (NF) training has been shown to produce long-lasting effects on the improvement of cognitive function as well as the normalization of aberrant brain activity in disease. However, the impact of the sensory modality used as the NF reinforcement signal on training effectiveness has not been systematically investigated. In this work, an EEG-based NF training system was developed targeting the individual upper alpha (UA) band and using either a visual or an auditory reinforcement signal, so as to compare the effects of the two sensory modalities. Sixteen healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to the Visual or Auditory group, where a radius varying sphere or a volume-varying sound, respectively, reflected the relative amplitude of UA measured at EEG electrode Cz. Each participant underwent a total of four NF sessions, of approximately 40 min each, on consecutive days. Both groups showed significant increases in UA at Cz within sessions, and also across sessions. Effects subsequent to NF training were also found beyond the target frequency UA and scalp location Cz, namely in the lower-alpha and theta bands and in posterior brain regions, respectively. Only small differences were found on the EEG between the Visual and Auditory groups, suggesting that auditory reinforcement signals may be as effective as the more commonly used visual signals. The use of auditory NF may potentiate training protocols conducted under mobile conditions, which are now possible due to the increasing availability of wireless EEG systems.

2019Conference object

Open access

To Binge or not To Binge: viewers’ moods and behaviors during the consumption of subscribed video streaming

Publication . Cabral, Diogo; Castro, Deborah; Rigby, Jacob M.; Vasanth, Harry; Cameirão, Mónica S.; Bermúdez i Badia, Sergi; Nisi, Valentina

The popularity of internet-distributed TV entertainment services, such as Netflix, has transformed TV consumption behavior. Currently, the level of control viewers have over their TV experiences, along with the release of com plete seasons at once, are some of the factors that stimulate the so-called binge watching phenomenon (the consumption of several episodes of a program in a single sitting). Most of binge-watching studies have focused on viewers’ habits and health effects. This paper presents a study that relates to viewers’ behaviors and moods. It was carried out with 13 young participants at their home, watching online content, collecting physiological, inertial, and self-reported data. We iden tify and compare binge-watching with non-binge-watching behaviors. Our results suggest that while viewers recur to online serial entertainment in pursuit of lei sure related needs, such as relaxation, relief from boredom and escapism, the act of binge-watching tends to make them feel rather unsatisfied with no change in Arousal. Nevertheless, in binge-watching the Positive Affect increases while the Negative decreases. Moreover, watching a single episode only, tends to result in increased arousal and but not necessarily in increased satisfaction. This prelimi nary finding can be the starting point of fruitful future investigations on unpack ing further motives and nuances from this outcome.

2020Conference object

Open access

Reducing children’s psychological distance from climate change via eco-feedback technologies

Publication . Dillahunt, Tawanna; Lyra, Olga; Barreto, Mary L.; Karapanos, Evangelos

Empirical environment and behavior research has found that empathy improves environmental attitudes and behaviors. Emotionally persuasive icons (EPIs) show promise for creating empathy and for the design of effective eco-feedback technologies, particularly among children. Yet studies using these icons have focused on adults, with little research devoted to eco-feedback design for children. We explore the affective reactions to EPIs among children ages 9–11. To understand which types of EPIs generate the most empathy, we vary them in two dimensions: (1) metaphorical versus literal representations and (2) animal scenes versus environmental scenes. Our findings suggest that the impact of EPIs extends beyond metaphorical or literal images; to improve eco-feedback technologies that employ EPIs, designers must link the causes and effects of climate change to concrete, tangible actions that are associated with personal experiences, which could lead to stronger engagement and emotional responses among children. These results are consistent with the construal level theory of psychological distance, which is the cognitive and affective perception of how close or far something is. We extend this theory to sustainable HCI and contribute a space for future eco-feedback design among children.

2017Journal article

Open access

Providing adaptive traffic routing based on user and network context

Publication . Spinola, Sergio S.; Oliveira, André L. C.; Silva, Joatham P. S.; Muakad, Carlos F. J.; Sampaio, Paulo N. M.; Brito, Lina M. P. L.

Providing real-time traffic guarantees and fairness based on the availability of network resources has been a major issue presented in the literature. However, due the convergent nature of digital architectures, the increasing demand of upcoming real-time sensitive traffic, such as VoIP, and a higher user´s adaptability (devices, global positioning, content quality, etc.), solutions based on Quality of Service (QoS) turned out to be insufficient in order to meet user´s requirements. Indeed, QoS metrics are network-centered, and mostly related to the dynamic nature of the traffic (such as throughput, delay, jitter, among others). In order to meet the need for a user-centered network, this paper proposes a context-aware solution where the concepts of Quality of Service, Quality of Experience and Adaptive Routing are integrated in order to provide a more dynamic and pro-active approach for the delivery of context-oriented time-sensitive traffic.

2015Conference object

Open access