Marc Fabri

Emotionally expressive avatars for chatting, learning and therapeutic intervention

We present our work on emotionally expressive avatars, animated virtual characters that can express emotions via facial expressions. Because these avatars are highly distinctive and easily recognizable, they may be used in a range of applications. In the first part of the paper we present their use in computer mediated communication where two or more people meet in virtual space, each represented by an avatar. Study results suggest that social interaction behavior from the real-world is readily transferred to the virtual world. Empathy is identified as a key component for creating a more enjoyable experience and greater harmony between users. In the second part of the paper we discuss the use of avatars as an assistive, educational and therapeutic technology for people with autism. Based on the results of a preliminary study, we provide pointers regarding how people with autism may overcome some of the limitations that characterize their condition.

The Emotional Avatar: Non-verbal Communication Between Inhabitants of Collaborative Virtual Environments

Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) are distributed virtual reality systems with multi-user access. Each inhabitant is represented by a humanoid embodiment, an avatar, making them virtually present in the artificial world. This paper investigates how inhabitants of these CVEs can communicate with each other through channels other than speech, and it is primarily concerned with the visualization and perception of facial expressions and body postures in CVEs. We outline our experimental work and discuss ways of expressing the emotional state of CVE inhabitants through their avatars.

Enhancing User Immersion and Virtual Presence in Interactive Multiuser Virtual Environments through the Development and Integration of a Gesture-Centric Natural User Interface Developed from Existing Virtual Reality Technologies

Immersion, referring to the level of physical or psychological submergence of a user within a virtual space relative to that user’s consciousness of the real-world environment, has predominantly been established as an indispensable part of interactive media designs. This is most prevalent in Virtual Reality (VR) platforms, as their applications are typically reliant on user believability. With a wide variation of possible methodologies for the enhancement of this feature, the collectively recognised paradigm lies on the emphasis of naturalism in the design of the virtual system [7].

Changing Eating Behaviors through a Cooking-Based Website for the Whole Family

This paper reports on the results of a study investigating how nutritional eating behaviors can be improved by presenting a cooking-based website for parents to use with their children. Participants’ eating behaviors were closely monitored via questionnaires and food diaries. Results show that over the course of the study, children’s willingness to consume fruit and vegetables had improved and they enjoyed participating in food preparation. This was supported by the participants’ food diaries, which showed a statistically significant increase in the number of portions of fruit and vegetables consumed by both children and parents. An attempt was made to place participants in a stage of change before and after the study (Transtheoretical Model). This was flawed, however, due to inaccurate measurements and the short study duration. Overall, this study provides support for the use of educational websites, in particular a cooking website, to improve nutritional eating behaviors in children.

Human-Centered Design with Autistic University Students: Interface, Interaction and Information Preferences

This paper reports on a study aimed at creating an online support toolkit for young autistic people to navigate the transition from school to university, thereby empowering this group in developing their full potential. It is part of the AutismU visual design should be minimal; content ought to be organized in a logical and hierarchical manner; the tone of language ought to be genuine yet not too negative or patronizing; and images or video are only useful if they illustrate places or people, in other words information that cannot easily be conveyed in other ways.

Using design thinking to engage autistic students in participatory design of an online toolkit to help with transition into higher education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on engaging young autistic people in the participatory design of the Autism & Uni online toolkit. The purpose of the toolkit is to provide autistic students with information and strategies for dealing with the challenges they may encounter when entering higher education. The study adds to existing research on participatory design by considering the specific needs and contributions of autistic people who are of average or higher intelligence, academically competent and generally articulate, a group that has received limited attention hitherto. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a five-step design thinking approach and engaged multiple stakeholders at different points. The paper covers the whole process, paying particular attention to the final two steps of prototyping and testing. During three participatory design workshops, autistic people acted as co-designers and co-creators. Findings – The workshops were effective in engaging participants i...

Thinking with a New Purpose: Lessons Learned from Teaching Design Thinking Skills to Creative Technology Students

This paper reports on the insights gained from introducing Design Thinking into the final year of a UK university course where students created positive behavior change interventions. The rationale for course design and teaching process is outlined, with a discussion of design as an engineering process versus an innovation process. The students followed Stanford University’s d.school 5-step approach of Empathize-Define-Ideate-Prototype-Test, and their journey is described in detail. We observed that initially students found the Design Thinking approach counter-intuitive and confusing, yet on further progress they recognized the strengths and opportunities it offers. On the whole, students reflected positively on their learning and the re-evaluation of their role as a designer of digital artefacts. Lessons learned from a teaching point of view are outlined, the most poignant being the realization that it was required to ‘un-teach’ certain design practices students had come to adopt, in particular the view of design as a self-inspired process where users are consulted for feedback but not as a source for innovation.

Running to Behavior Change

Levels of overweight and obese individuals have been seen as rising across the globe. This has caused concerns with regard to how active individuals are and realization that a high percentage of the population do not meet the weekly requirement of physical activity. Current focus has been on the capabilities that new technologies can offer as an intervention technique. This paper offers an initial investigation into one such technology, namely the iPod Nike+ kit, which acts as a tracker for running behaviors. This scoping study was conducted via a questionnaire and analysis of customer reviews. Participants were assessed on their stage of change for physical activity behavior, based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), before and after using the technology. The results from this study showed that the technology was received positively from those who used it and the predominant outcome was that individuals were more enthusiastic about running.

User Participatory Methods for Inclusive Design and Research in Autism: A Case Study in Teaching UX Design

User participatory design is considered to be one of the best methods for understanding the needs of a target audience and creating high quality, well designed solutions to meet their needs. For many design students, the principles of participatory design in the creation of new user experiences are part of their curriculum. However, the involvement of disabled persons into the user experience design (UXD) process can be difficult in an educational setting. Often persons with autism and cognitive disabilities are excluded from user experience data collection due to their lack of sufficient cognitive ability and language skills to participate in these research methods in meaningful ways. Further, educators may shy away from involving this group due to institutional regulations and ethical concerns. This paper presents a case study introducing design students to inclusive UXD strategies and observing autistic children, using an approach called the “Connectivity Model”. The model avoids the requirement for complex ethical clearance by facilitating observations via recorded videos. We present outcomes and evaluate the model against the most pertinent needs of these children.

Keeping Creative Writing on Track: Co-designing a Framework to Support Behavior Change

The application of persuasive technology in web-based and mobile phone-based systems is well established, particularly in the health domain. However, a greater understanding of the effectiveness of the techniques deployed is needed to facilitate the successful transfer of research findings into practical applications. The context explored here is that of creative writing and the potential use of persuasive technology to foster and support a productive writing routine. Employing a user-centered design approach, we conducted surveys and a co-creation workshop with writers. Goal setting and regular writing, combined with self-monitoring, were key indicators of an effective writing practice. Group and mentor support were also highlighted. Based on our findings, we developed the architecture for a mobile personal writing coach. We evaluated the architecture against existing frameworks, finding good congruence. This supports our long-term goal of creating a universal framework, applicable to a wider range of behavior change interventions, domains and users. The design considerations reported in this paper go some way towards that goal.