Junia Coutinho Anacleto

Can Common Sense uncover cultural differences in computer applications

Cultural differences play a very important role in matching computer interfaces to the expectations of users from different national and cultural backgrounds. But to date, there has been little systematic research as to the extent of such differences, and how to produce software that automatically takes into account these differences. We are studying these issues using a unique resource: Common Sense knowledge bases in different languages. Our research points out that this kind of knowledge can help computer systems to consider cultural differences. We describe our experiences with knowledge bases containing thousands of sentences describing people and everyday activities, collected from volunteer Web contributors in three different cultures: Brazil, Mexico and the USA, and software which automatically searches for cultural differences amongst the three cultures, alerting the user to potential differences.

Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2011

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Entertainment Computing, ICEC 2011, held in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2011, under the auspices of IFIP. The 20 revised long papers, 18 short papers and 24 poster papers and demos presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 94 initial submissions. The papers cover all main domains of entertainment computing, from interactive music to games, taking a wide range of scientific domains from aesthetic to computer science. The papers are organized in topical sections on story, active games, player experience, camera and 3D, educational entertainment, game development, self and identity, social and mobile entertainment; plus the four categories: demonstrations, posters, workshop, and tutorial.

Adoption and Appropriation: A Design Process from HCI Research at a Brazilian Neurological Hospital

Through our research on natural ICT solutions for integration into a non-ICT based workflow at a Brazilian chronic care hospital, we created a new design process and two additional HCI design criteria for maintaining natural work processes using information and communication technologies (ICT). For our HCI design we propose two design pathways: 1. iterating on adoption of designed technologies and 2. iterating on appropriation of these technologies. The degree of appropriation provides an indicator of how natural a design is since it allows for users’ inventiveness to uncover latent affordances for use in new contexts. Thus, the use of an interface along with whether its potential is realized in new, user-oriented contexts, are critical elements for designing natural interfaces. We report our insights gained through observations and user-centered design for health professionals at a non-ICT based, large chronic-care hospital to support this perspective.

Planning Learning Activities Pedagogically Suitable by Using Common Sense Knowledge

This paper illustrates the use of common sense knowledge, acquired from volunteers through the web, to support teachers to plan learning activities, which fit to pedagogical issues presented in renowned Learning Theories, so that effective learning can take place. It is approached in this paper how common sense knowledge is related to four Learning Theories, proposed by authors who are aware in the pedagogical area – Freire, Freinet, Ausubel and Gagné – and how computational technologies can make viable the use of this kind of knowledge by professors.

Learning activities on health care supported by common sense knowledge

This paper discusses how common sense knowledge can be used by teachers for planning Learning Activities on health care. Using common sense statements which were automatically collected, we are developing software that can be used to support the teaching and learning process, in a more contextualized form. When teachers consider the knowledge that learners already have, taking into account their common sense knowledge, they can devote their attention to correcting misconceptions, covering ignored topics and avoiding the obvious. Also teachers can consider the common sense knowledge from a group of interest, preparing learners to interact with this group by calling their attention to topics which might be discussed with the group. Through the experiment described here, we demonstrate that common sense can be useful to support the nursing education process, helping teachers to develop learning activities on the health care domain.

Spheree: a 3D perspective-corrected interactive spherical scalable display

We constructed a personal, spherical, multi-projector perspective-corrected rear-projected display called Spheree. Spheree uses multiple calibrated pico-projectors inside a spherical display with content rendered from a user-centric viewpoint. Spheree uses optical tracking for head-coupled rendering, providing parallax-based 3D depth cues. Spheree is compact, supporting direct interaction techniques. For example, 3D models can be modified via 3D interactions on the sphere, providing a 3D sculpture experience.

Transforming a Paper based Process to a Natural user Interfaces Process in a Chronic Care Hospital

Abstract We are investigating the use of natural user interfaces (NUI) applied to information and communication technologies (ICT) supporting workplace dynamics in partnership with mental health providers at a hospital in Brazil. We are using a participatory design (PD) process to uncover their paper-based workflow, defined here as paper user interface workflow (PUI) and their appropriation of mobile technologies supporting patients’ socialization process. We chose this group as they have no experience with graphical user interface (GUI) based interaction, are highly nomadic, have a refined workflow, have a high level of interdependence and are appropriating mobile technologies and social media into their workplace; thus, we believe their perspective within a PD setting provide unique insights into NUI design to provide high fidelity data and real time communication, enhancing data accessibility and fidelity on communication among the professionals. Our PD process has produced workflow representations and we are presenting two scenarios; from them we are proceeding to low- fidelity prototyping.

Machines with good sense: How can computers become capable of sensible reasoning?

Good sense can be defined as the quality which someone has to make sensible decisions about what to do in specific situations. It can also be defined as good judgment. However, in order to have good sense, people have to use common sense knowledge. This is not different to computers. Nowadays, computers are still not able to make sensible decisions and one of the reasons is the fact that they lack common sense. This paper focuses on OMCS-Br, a collaborative project that makes use of web technologies in order to get common sense knowledge from a general public and so use it in computer applications. Here it is presented how people can contribute to give computers the knowledge they need to be able to perform common sense reasoning and, therefore, to make good sense decisions. In this manner, it is hoped that software with more usability can be developed.

Using common sense to recognize cultural differences

This work focuses on evaluating whether cultural differences can be recognized in knowledge bases that store common sense. We are studying this issue using knowledge bases in different languages that contain thousands of sentences describing people and everyday activities, collected from volunteer Web contributors, in three different cultures: Brazil, Mexico and the USA. We describe our experiences with these knowledge bases, and software which automatically searches for cultural differences amongst the three cultures taking into account the eating habits of those cultures, alerting the user to potential differences. Though preliminary, we hope that our work will contribute to software that takes better account of such differences, and fosters inter-cultural collaboration.

Therapist-centred design of NUI based therapies in a neurological care hospital

Through a participatory design (PD) process with therapists at a neurological chronic care hospital that has no ICT based workflow processes we identified three main components where NUI technology can be deployed for physical therapy: patient stimulation, on-demand patient therapy tool control, and data logging and visualization. Based on our study, we created a scenario that encompasses these components for a specific physical therapy activity targeting head and torso movement for children suffering neurological disorders. The scenario includes a Kinect, large screen and mobile pervasive technologies controlling a game-like activity including data logging and visualization in a shared social intranet. Hospital staff liked the game-activity and logging, but expressed concerns about parallel use of technology. They also wanted to expand the use of the NUI technology in the therapy room leading to new scenarios that we are pursuing. We are using our participatory design process with therapists that are not tainted by the use of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to establish scenarios where NUI designs can provide access to ICT tools to help us develop better NUI design principles.