Dustin C. Smith

Shifting the paradigm of music instruction: implications of embodiment stemming from an augmented reality guitar learning system.

Musical instruction often includes materials that can act as a barrier to learning. New technologies using augmented reality may aid in reducing the initial difficulties involved in learning music by lowering these barriers characteristic of traditional instructional materials. Therefore, this set of studies examined a novel augmented reality guitar learning system (i.e., the Fretlight® guitar) in regards to current theories of embodied music cognition. Specifically, we examined the effects of using this system in comparison to a standard instructional material (i.e., diagrams). First, we review major theories related to musical embodiment and specify a niche within this research space we call embodied music technology for learning. Following, we explicate two parallel experiments that were conducted to address the learning effects of this system. Experiment 1 examined short-term learning effects within one experimental session, while Experiment 2 examined both short-term and long-term effects across two sessions spaced at a 2-week interval. Analyses demonstrated that, for many of our dependent variables, all participants increased in performance across time. Further, the Fretlight® condition consistently led to significantly better outcomes via interactive effects, including significantly better long term retention for the learned information across a 2 week time interval. These results are discussed in the context of embodied cognition theory as it relates to music. Potential limitations and avenues for future research are described.

Meta-analyses of the effects of standardized handoff protocols on patient, provider, and organizational outcomes

Objective: The overall purpose was to understand the effects of handoff protocols using meta-analytic approaches. Background: Standardized protocols have been required by the Joint Commission, but meta-analytic integration of handoff protocol research has not been conducted. Method: The primary outcomes investigated were handoff information passed during transitions of care, patient outcomes, provider outcomes, and organizational outcomes. Sources included Medline, SAGE, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed, searched from the earliest date available through March 30th, 2015. Initially 4,556 articles were identified, with 4,520 removed. This process left a final set of 36 articles, all which included pre-/postintervention designs implemented in live clinical/hospital settings. We also conducted a moderation analysis based on the number of items contained in each protocol to understand if the length of a protocol led to systematic changes in effect sizes of the outcome variables. Results: Meta-analyses were conducted on 34,527 pre- and 30,072 postintervention data points. Results indicate positive effects on all four outcomes: handoff information (g = .71, 95% confidence interval [CI] [.63, .79]), patient outcomes (g = .53, 95% CI [.41, .65]), provider outcomes (g = .51, 95% CI [.41, .60]), and organizational outcomes (g = .29, 95% CI [.23, .35]). We found protocols to be effective, but there is significant publication bias and heterogeneity in the literature. Due to publication bias, we further searched the gray literature through greylit.org and found another 347 articles, although none were relevant to this research. Our moderation analysis demonstrates that for handoff information, protocols using 12 or more items led to a significantly higher proportion of information passed compared with protocols using 11 or fewer items. Further, there were numerous negative outcomes found throughout this meta-analysis, with trends demonstrating that protocols can increase the time for handover and the rate of errors of omission. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that handoff protocols tend to improve results on multiple levels, including handoff information passed and patient, provider, and organizational outcomes. These findings come with the caveat that publication bias exists in the literature on handoffs. Instances where protocols can lead to negative outcomes are also discussed. Application: Significant effects were found for protocols across provider types, regardless of expertise or area of clinical focus. It also appears that more thorough protocols lead to more information being passed, especially when those protocols consist of 12 or more items. Given these findings, publication bias is an apparent feature of this literature base. Recommendations to reduce the apparent publication bias in the field include changing the way articles are screened and published.

Cybernetic Teams: Towards the Implementation of Team Heuristics in HRI

This paper examines a future embedded with “cybernetic teams”: teams of physical, biological, social, cognitive, and technological components; namely, humans and robots that communicate, coordinate, and cooperate as teammates to perform work. For such teams to be realized, we submit that these robots must be physically embodied, autonomous, intelligent, and interactive. As such, we argue that use of increasingly social robots is essential for shifting the perception of robots as tools to robots as teammates and these robots are the type best suited for cybernetic teams. Building from these concepts, we attempt to articulate and adapt team heuristics from research in human teams to this context. In sum, research and technical efforts in this area are still quite novel and thus warranted to shape the teams of the future.

Gaming on the Rift: How Virtual Reality Affects Game User Satisfaction

Virtual reality (VR) headsets like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR can provide a unique experience different from traditional computer monitors. Research demonstrates some support for VR resulting in more immersive gaming than traditional games using a computer or TV monitor. This study investigates how VR technology impacts game user satisfaction. Participants played the same strategy video game using the Oculus Rift, a VR headset, and a computer monitor. Game user satisfaction was measured by the psychometrically validated Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS) which consists of nine constructs. Results from this study showed that VR enhanced overall satisfaction, enjoyment, engrossment, creativity, sound, and graphics quality.

Picking Up STEAM: Educational Implications for Teaching with an Augmented Reality Guitar Learning System

Incorporation of the arts into the current model of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) may have a profound impact on the future of education. In light of this, we examined a novel technology at the intersection of these disciplines. Specifically, an experiment was conducted using augmented reality to learn a musical instrument, namely the guitar. The Fretlight® guitar system uses LED lights embedded in the fretboard to give direct information to the guitarist as to where to place their fingers. This was compared to a standard scale diagram. Results indicate that the Fretlight® system led to initial significant gains in performance over a control condition using diagrams, but these effects disappeared over the course of 30 trials. Potential benefits of the augmented reality technology are discussed, and future work is outlined to better understand how embodied cognition and augmented reality can increase learning outcomes for playing musical instruments.

Review of Combat Identification Training: Technologies, Metrics, and Individual Differences

Combat identification (CID) has been studied throughout the 20th and into the 21st century, with a renewed interest in the topic in the past few decades. CID research has demonstrated that an emerging set of technologies could potentially mitigate some of the negative battlefield outcomes of failures in CID, including high rates of fratricide due to friendly fire. This paper discusses major CID research and provides an update on previous CID research by the authors. We review training technologies, effective measurement tools in this research, and important individual differences to consider for others researching training outcomes in relation to learning to differentiate between highly similar combat vehicles.

Considerations for Multiteam Systems in Emergency Medical Services.

Objective Despite good intentions, mishaps in teamwork continue to affect patients lives and plague the medical community at large and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in particular. Effective and efficient management of patient care necessitates that sets of multiple teams (i.e., multiteam systems [MTSs] - EMS ground crews, EMS air crews, dispatch, and receiving hospital teams) seamlessly work together. Although advances have been made to improve teams, little research has been dedicated to enhancing MTSs especially in the critical yet often under studied domain of EMS. The purpose of this paper is to assist the pre-hospital community in strengthening patient care by presenting considerations unique to multiteam systems. Methods We synthesized the literature pertinent to multi-team systems and emergency medical services. Results From this synthesis, we derived five unique considerations: goals, boundary spanning, adaptation, leadership, and social identity. Conclusions MTSs are prevalent in prehospital care, as they define how multiple component healthcare teams work together to intervene in emergency situations. We provided some initial directions regarding considerations for success in EMS MTSs based on existing research, but we also recognize the need for further study on these issues.

Novelty and Retention for Two Augmented Reality Learning Systems

Studies were conducted to measure novelty and learning retention while utilizing augmented reality (AR) in two learning systems. The first taught participants the basics of guitar and either a melody or scale using an AR guitar with an LED-embedded fret board. The guitar provided digital representations of learning patterns that users would otherwise need to visualize during the learning process. Results of three studies indicate that participants using the AR learning tool were able to perform more of the melody or scale after two-weeks. The second taught participants the basic functioning and anatomy of the heart, using either an AR model or a fiberglass model. Learning and technology acceptance were measured. Results indicated that the AR learning tool was as effective for participant learning when compared to the conventional fiberglass model learning tool. Furthermore, the AR learning tool was rated more enjoyable, curiosity inducing, and easier-to-use than the fiberglass model.

Learning Team Theories and Measurement Through the Game Pandemic

Teamwork is paramount in many modern day career fields. It is important for HF students and professionals to understand the knowledge, skills, and attitudes requisite for excellent teamwork and to grasp the many hurdles that exist in appropriately measuring its major constructs. Although theories can be imparted didactically, and ideas for measurement discussed, conducting team based research continues to be extremely difficult in particular for measuring team behaviors. This article discusses a potential remedy to this issue through the team-based game “Pandemic

A Student and Early Career Professional Perspective of Human Factors Career Options

The goal of this panel is to facilitate a discussion among current students and recent graduates about their decision-making process in choosing one of the three main sectors in human factors as a career: academia, government, and industry. Panelists will present their relevant academic and applied experiences and describe how theses experiences shaped their career path. Major themes of the panel will include a student perspective on the increasing interest in industry as opposed to academia among individuals pursuing a career in human factors and how this may affect future education and training of human factors professionals.