Nicola Doering

Robot companion for domestic health assistance: Implementation, test and case study under everyday conditions in private apartments

This paper presents the implementation and evaluation results of the German research project SERROGA (2012 till mid 2015), which aimed at developing a robot companion for domestic health assistance for older people that helps keeping them physically and mentally fit to remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible. The paper gives an overview of the developed companion robot, its system architecture, and essential skills, behaviors, and services required for a robotic health assistant. Moreover, it presents a new approach allowing a quantitative description and assessment of the navigation complexity of apartments to make them objectively comparable for function tests under real-life conditions. Based on this approach, the results of function tests executed in 12 apartments of project staff and seniors are described. Furthermore, the paper presents findings of a case study conducted with nine seniors (aged 68-92) in their own homes, investigating both instrumental and social-emotional functions of a robotic health assistant. The robot accompanied the seniors in their homes for up to three days assisting with tasks of their daily schedule and health care, without any supervising person being present on-site. Results revealed that the seniors appreciated the robots health-related instrumental functions and even built emotional bonds with it.

Integration of spatial sound in immersive virtual environments an experimental study on effects of spatial sound on presence

Sound is an important part of an immersive virtual environment, contributing to immersion, presence, and user performance. The experimental study presented analyzed the effect of spatial-sound vs. no-sound display on presence experienced in a 3D virtual scene. Results indicate a medium to strong effect of spatial sound, leading to higher levels of presence experienced.

Virtual training for Fear of Public Speaking — Design of an audience for immersive virtual environments

Virtual Reality technology offers great possibilities for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Fear of Public Speaking: Clients can be exposed to virtual fear-triggering stimuli (exposure) and are able to role-play in virtual environments, training social skills to overcome their fear. This poster deals with the design of a realistic virtual presentation scenario based on an observation of a real audience.

Responsive audiences — Nonverbal cues as reactions to a speaker's behavior

Presentation skills that involve public speaking are an asset that many recognize to be important for their careers or during their study. One way to learn how to maintain eye contact and address clearly as a speaker is to use virtual audiences (VA) that simulate the reactions of a live public. A mixed-methods exploratory study has been conducted to conceptualize the design of such a VA. The purpose was to research how the nonverbal cues of live audiences vary depending on a speakers gaze patterns (gazing towards the audience vs. gazing towards the presentation slides or notes) and vocal loudness (low vs. normal). 36 students (listeners) were videotaped during a public speaking situation. The analysis shows that the speakers gaze patterns and vocal loudness influenced several nonverbal cues the audience displayed. The results could be implemented in the design of VAs by making them responsive in real time to variations in gazing patterns and voice loudness of the speakers (trainees).

Virtual speech anxiety training — Effects of simulation fidelity on user experience

Realistic models in VR training applications are considered to positively influence presence and performance. The experimental study presented analyzed the effect of simulation fidelity (static vs. animated audience) on presence, perceived realism, and anxiety in a virtual speech anxiety training application. No influence on presence and perceived realism was shown, although an animated audience led to significantly higher effects in anxiety during giving a talk.

Virtual audience customization for public speaking training procedures

Virtual reality (VR) applications for fear of public speaking pose several design challenges with regard to the adaptability of the scenarios to the training/treatment requirements of each person. The present study focuses on three major aspects identified in literature that would help customize the virtual audience for fear of public speaking applications: interaction, group dynamics, and personalization. Eight experts from VR-related fields of study have been interviewed to share the expertise on how to achieve and implement these aspects.