Laura Freina

Immersion’s Impact on Performance in a Spatial Reasoning Task

The present paper presents the results of a first experiment aimed at assessing if different levels of immersion can affect performance in a Spatial Perspective Taking (SPT) task. Since SPT is an embodied skill, the hypothesis was that the more immersive a tool is, the better the performance should be. Ninety-eight students from a local primary school have played with three different versions of a game: immersive using a Head Mounted Display, semi immersive played on a computer screen and non-immersive in which no movement was possible for the player. Results do not support the initial hypothesis: no significant impact from the immersion level has been found on performance.

Cloud-mobile Assistive Technologies for People with Intellectual Impairments: A Microsoft Azure-based Solution

A cloud-mobile platform under development in the framework of the SMART ANGEL project co-financed by the Italian Liguria Region is presented . The platform is meant to address the needs of people with intellectual disabilities; it is oriented to support and enhance their autonomy and in particular their mobility in urban environments, and can be regarded as an innovative assistive technology. The platform is a concrete instance of how cutting-edge ICT technologies can act as assistive technologies to empower e-inclusion. The potential benefits for the final users (subjects with the Down syndrome and/or similar intellectual disabilities) are outlined as well as those for health professionals and care givers in charge of their assistance.

A Mobile Guardian Angel Supporting Urban Mobility for People with Dementia - An Errorless Learning based Approach

Dementia is one of the main causes of dependency for old people in the world, and, according to several studies, the number of people affected by such a problem is bound to grow significantly in future. This represents a high social cost. Memory loss and disorientation to space and time are among the most common problems in the early stages of dementia, causing worry in caregivers and consequently social isolation for the people involved. A mobile system in support of the autonomous mobility around town would offer a double advantage: allowing for more independence of the dementia affected people and reassuring caregivers. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of adapting an existing mobile system, developed for intellectually impaired young adults, to these specific target users. We identify in the errorless learning approach a possible method to support the learning of a new, technologically based system accessible to people with mild dementia, highlighting some potential issues that still need further investigation, in particular learning transfer and spontaneous use.

Social Empowerment of Intellectually Impaired through a Cloud Mobile System

There is not a unique definition of “empowerment”, nevertheless the idea that it involves, on the one hand, people having control over their own lives and, on the other, some social aspects seems to be a common characteristic. Most authors recognize three levels of empowerment: individual, group, and community level, which are interconnected and changes at one level influence the others. Enhancing individual competence and self-esteem has a direct effect on the control of one’s own life and, in turn, on the social components of empowerment. In this paper we present Smart Angel, a project that aims at creating a network involving families, caregivers, experts, and tutors, as well as the final users and their friends, based on a mobile cloud system in support of both everyday living and urban mobility for people with medium-mild intellectual disabilities, with particular attention to the Down syndrome. The system can be seen as a tool to empower its users to be more independent and therefore increasing their possibility to have an active role in their life and an active participation to the community.

Training of Spatial Abilities with Digital Games: Impact on Mathematics Performance of Primary School Students.

The “A me gli occhi project” has been organized to support the development and consolidation of visuospatial abilities in students of the last two years of primary school, with the hypothesis that such a training would have a positive impact on their performance in mathematics. The present paper focuses on the second phase of the project, during which twenty game based training sessions have been organized along the whole school year. Students’ mathematical abilities have been measured at the beginning of the project and at the end using a standardized math test. Results show some improvements in the experimental group compared to the control one, confirming the initial hypothesis.

FROM E-LEARNING TO VR-LEARNING: AN EXAMPLE OF LEARNING IN AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL WORLD

A first experience of use of “In Your Eyes”, an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) game to foster Spatial Perspective Taking (SPT) skills in young adults with mild cognitive impairments is described along with a brief discussion of the outcomes. IVR is an innovative tool thanks to which a new chapter in the history of e-learning begun. It is now possible to have a personal direct experience of virtual situations as if they were real, involving all the five senses and allowing for a kinaesthetic approach to learning. All those skills that have an embodied component find in the immersive world a perfect training situation. Spatial Perspective Taking is an important skill for orientation in space and mastering it supports independent mobility in town. The fact that the virtual world is perceived as if it was real, and the possibility to move freely into it, allows stimulating the embodied component of spatial reasoning. The gaming situation helps in keeping the player’s interest high and therefore helps in having as much training as needed. Furthermore, IVR makes learning transfer to real situations easier, especially for our target users.