Jack Shen-Kuen Chang

Design of embodied interfaces for engaging spatial cognition

Aspects of spatial cognition, specifically spatial skills, are strongly correlated with interest and success in STEM courses and STEM-related professions. Because growth in STEM-related industries is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, it is important to develop evidence-based and theoretically grounded methods and interventions that can help train relevant spatial skills. In this article, we discuss research showing that aspects of spatial cognition are embodied and how these findings and theoretical developments can be used to influence the design of tangible and embodied interfaces (TEIs). TEIs seek to bring interaction with digital content off the screen and into the physical environment. By incorporating physical movement and tangible feedback in digital systems, TEIs can leverage the relationship between the body and spatial cognition to engage, support, or improve spatial skills. We use this knowledge to define a design space for TEIs that engage spatial cognition and illustrate how TEIs that are designed and evaluated from a spatial cognition perspective can expand the design space in ways that contribute to the fields of cognitive science and human computer interaction.

The Design and Evaluation of Embodied Interfaces for Supporting Spatial Ability

Shown in many longitudinal studies, spatial ability is important to learning and career success. This paper, inspired by [2,14], presents the 2nd generation of TASC (Tangibles for Augmenting Spatial Cognition) to illustrate how (re)design lessons can be learned, how existing evaluation methods can be applied, and how new evaluations may be generated or envisioned, when a TEI (tangible and embodied interaction) system is built to study spatial ability.

Evaluating the effect of tangible virtual reality on spatial perspective taking ability

As shown in many large-scale and longitudinal studies, spatial ability is strongly associated with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning and career success. At the same time, a growing volume of research connects cognitive science theories with tangible/embodied interactions (TEI) and virtual reality (VR) to offer novel means to support spatial cognition. But very few VR-TEI systems are specifically designed to support spatial ability, nor are they evaluated with respect to spatial ability. In this paper, we present the background, approach, and evaluation of TASC (Tangibles for Augmenting Spatial Cognition), a VR-TEI system built to support spatial perspective taking ability. We tested 3 conditions (tangible VR, keyboard/mouse, control; n=46). Analysis of the pre/post-test change in performance on a perspective taking test revealed that only the VR-TEI group showed statistically significant improvements. The results highlight the role of tangible VR design for enhancing spatial cognition.

Tangible and Virtual Interactions for Supporting Spatial Cognition

Manipulating objects spatially is important to post-WIMP interaction design. Meanwhile, spatial ability has been shown to be a strong predictor for STEM learning and career success. However, many current training or testing materials for spatial ability are still paper- or surface based. My research is about how establishing embodiment for spatial problem solving, using tangible and virtual interactions, can lead to new design opportunities and even spatial ability improvement. I envision my research to benefit interaction design and STEM education.

Combining Mobile, Tangible and Virtual World Platforms to Support Participatory Campus Planning

Urban planning, and campus planning in particular, can benefit greatly from technology that fosters and leverages collaborative, participatory planning which includes all affected stakeholders. Interactive surfaces such as tabletops and walls, and spaces such as 3D environments are examples of such technologies. Our research aims to explore and assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of such technologies in participatory campus planning. We present here a prototype system that combines the tangible and multitouch surfaces with a virtual world platform to provide a participatory planning approach for campus development projects.