Corinna E. Lathan

The effects of operator spatial perception and sensory feedback on human-robot teleoperation performance

Teleoperation requires a complex combination of the operators cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills. Our experiment tested the ability of subjects to teleoperate a remote robot under different conditions of increasing sensory feedback. We also evaluated each operators spatial perception skills using a battery of tests to understand the effect of spatial perception on the operators ability to perform the teleoperation task. The experiment showed that the spatial ability of an operatoras reflected by a test battery of two spatial recognition and two spatial manipulation testswas significantly correlated with the ability to teleoperate the robot through a maze. Surprisingly, providing different combinations of visual, auditory, and vibrotactile feedback to the operator did not significantly change performance. However, there was an interaction between spatial ability and feedback condition that affected teleoperation performance.

Aspects of human factors engineering in home telemedicine and telerehabilitation systems.

Human factors engineering and system design are critical elements in the newly developing field of telerehabilitation. Telerehabilitation is the remote delivery of rehabilitative services such as monitoring, training, and long-term care of persons with disabilities using telecommunications technology. This paper describes projects at the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Telerehabilitation in the context of three conceptual models: telecounseling and training, telemonitoring and assessment, and teletherapy. Issues pertaining to human factors engineering design are identified, and ongoing challenges are discussed.

The Impact of Multiple Concussions on Emotional Distress, Post-Concussive Symptoms, and Neurocognitive Functioning in Active Duty United States Marines Independent of Combat Exposure or Emotional Distress

Controversy exists as to whether the lingering effects of concussion on emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms is because of the effects of brain trauma or purely to emotional factors such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. This study examines the independent effects of concussion on persistent symptoms. The Defense Automated Neurobehavioral Assessment, a clinical decision support tool, was used to assess neurobehavioral functioning in 646 United States Marines, all of whom were fit for duty. Marines were assessed for concussion history, post-concussive symptoms, emotional distress, neurocognitive functioning, and deployment history. Results showed that a recent concussion or ever having experienced a concussion was associated with an increase in emotional distress, but not with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) or neurocognitive functioning. Having had multiple lifetime concussions, however, was associated with greater emotional distress, PPCS, and reduced neurocognitive functioning that needs attention and rapid discrimination, but not for memory-based tasks. These results are independent of deployment history, combat exposure, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Results supported earlier findings that a previous concussion is not generally associated with post-concussive symptoms independent of covariates. In contrast with other studies that failed to find a unique contribution for concussion to PPCS, however, evidence of recent and multiple concussion was seen across a range of emotional distress, post-concussive symptoms, and neurocognitive functioning in this study population. Results are discussed in terms of implications for assessing concussion on return from combat.

Therapeutic play with a storytelling robot

We are developing a prototype storytelling robot for use with children in rehabilitation. Children can remotely control a furry robot by using a variety of body sensors adapted to their disability or rehabilitation goal. We believe this robot can motivate children and help them reach their therapy goals through therapeutic play, either by exercising muscles or joints (e.g. for physically challenged children) or by reflecting on the stories (e.g. for children with developmental disabilities). To develop this technology we use an innovative design methodology involving children as design partners.

Changes in the vertical size of a three-dimensional object drawn in weightlessness by astronauts

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of weightlessness on mental representation of spatial cues. Two astronauts drew two groups of three-dimensional cubes with their eyes closed, one on Earth (preflight) and the other under weightless conditions during a 7-day orbital flight (inflight). Differences in the average height of the two groups of cubes were observed. The ratio of average length of the horizontal vs. the vertical lines of the inflight cubes increased significantly compared to that of the preflight cubes. The disappearance of the gravitational reference system, which determines on Earth the vertical direction, seems to influence the internal representation of the vertical dimension, (i. e. the height) of a three-dimensional object.

Distance and Size Perception in Astronauts during Long-Duration Spaceflight.

Exposure to microgravity during spaceflight is known to elicit orientation illusions, errors in sensory localization, postural imbalance, changes in vestibulo-spinal and vestibulo-ocular reflexes, and space motion sickness. The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether an alteration in cognitive visual-spatial processing, such as the perception of distance and size of objects, is also taking place during prolonged exposure to microgravity. Our results show that astronauts on board the International Space Station exhibit biases in the perception of their environment. Objects’ heights and depths were perceived as taller and shallower, respectively, and distances were generally underestimated in orbit compared to Earth. These changes may occur because the perspective cues for depth are less salient in microgravity or the eye-height scaling of size is different when an observer is not standing on the ground. This finding has operational implications for human space exploration missions.

CosmoBot levels the playing field for disabled children

MOST CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES are engaged in some form of therapeutic rehabilitation and receive special education services. Therapists and educators spend much of their time trying to motivate children to perform therapy or participate in educational activities. Technology, specifically robotics, can level the playing field for therapists, educators, and children with disabilities. CosmoBotTM and Mission ControlTM. The CosmoBot system has been designed to provide motivation for children to perform their therapies, thereby assisting therapists and educators to perform their tasks more effectively and efficiently. A primary objective, particularly for children with severe disabilities, is to encourage them to interact as much as possible with their environment. For this reason, the gestural interface technology is enhanced with a robot, designed to act as a child’s friend and companion. By motivating children to interact with a robot, professionals can focus on providing excellent care to these children. The system will also benefit parents and family members of children with disabilities to motivate children to learn while having fun. The technologies have evolved into the CosmoBot system, centered around the CosmoBot robot. We designed CosmoBot to motivate children with and without disabilities to participate in activities that target developmental goals. CosmoBot is controlled through gestures and voice with the use of the Mission Control interface device and modular, gestural components that can be plugged into Mission Control. Mission Control is the first hardware product developed by AnthroTronix, providing gestural and voice interfaces for a child to play with the CosmoBot robot and with software games. Mission Control is a child-friendly, fun computer interface system with four large pressure-sensing buttons and a microphone. Mission Control plugs directly into the USB port of a PC, and can be used to play any joystick, keyboard, or mouse-based game or use any switch-enabled software. Play and Learn Software. While playing with off-the-shelf software games and educational software is beneficial for some children, others become frustrated because the software is not directed to meet their particular needs. Therefore, AnthroTronix has created educational software to complement the

Geometric illusions in astronauts during long-duration spaceflight.

In our previous studies, we have shown that the occurrence of geometric illusions was reduced in vestibular patients who presented signs of otolith disorders and when healthy observers were tilted relative to gravity. We hypothesized that the alteration in the gravitational (otolith) input was responsible for this change, presumably because of a connection between vestibular and visual–spatial cognitive functions. In this study, we repeated similar experiments in astronauts during long-duration spaceflight. In agreement with the data of otolithic patients, the inverted-T geometric illusion was less present in the astronauts in 0g than in 1g. In addition, the vertical length of drawings made by astronauts in orbit was shorter than that on the ground. This result is also comparable with the otolithic patients who perceived the vertical length of line drawings to be smaller than healthy individuals. We conclude that the impairment in the processing of gravitational input in long-duration astronauts affects their mental representation of the vertical dimension similar to the otolithic patients. The astronauts, however, recover to baseline levels within 1 week after returning to Earth.

Human-Centered Design of a Spine Biopsy Simulator and the Effects of Visual and Force Feedback on Path-Tracking Performance

Computed tomography (CT)-directed needle biopsies are routinely performed to gather tissue samples near the spine. As currently practiced, this procedure requires a great deal of spatial reasoning, skill, and training on the part of the interventional radiologist. Our goal was to evaluate the procedure through a task analysis and to make recommendations as to how the procedure could be improved through technological intervention. To this end, a spine biopsy surgical simulator was developed to mimic the current procedure and to serve as a development testbed for procedure innovation. Our methods for looking at the biopsy procedure itself included a task analysis (which produces a detailed list of tasks needed to complete a goal, their order, and time to completion) and an evaluation of human performance measures related to our simulator interface. Experiments were run to examine the effects of force and visual feedback on path-tracking performance and to determine the effects of time delay in the visual feedback on path-tracking performance. Force feedback improved performance in the conditions with visual feedback and in the conditions with visual feedback and time delay.

Human Performance and Rehabilitation Technologies

Sections VIII and IX of this book differ from the previous sections in that they are tied more closely to applied research, especially as related to rehabilitation. This seems appropriate. When addressing the significance of our work, most of us include a statement that our research will ultimately help enhance the quality of life of certain types of persons with disabilities. Often the motivation behind our claim is that the increased knowledge obtained from our collective basic research will ultimately lead to technological or therapeutic innovation that will benefit society. This concept has deep roots that go back to the influential writings of Vannevar Bush, a U.S. presidential science adviser during the 1940s, who helped spawn dramatic increases in government-sponsored research infrastructure (e.g., the creation of NSF and NIH), and subsequently in the number of research-oriented scientists and engineers within most developed societies.