Petri Pulli

Remote assistance using visual prompts for demented elderly in cooking

This paper presents a smart kitchen system for supporting demented elderly cooking in a kitchen. In this system, a remote supporter provides a user with verbal and visual prompts manually. As a prompting method for this system projection should be chosen as a priority because it enables direct pointing of targets in a real scene. Even if projection is used as a priority, this system should be designed to solve three practical problems: 1) there are many areas where sharp images cannot be projected in a kitchen, 2) kitchen is a too complex environment to display visual prompts using only a single method, 3) remote supporters do not know the kitchen environment well enough. In this paper we propose a novel system overcoming the above problems as follows, respectively.1) The system first tries indirect projection of circular markers as visual prompts around target objects.2) Proper method is automatically selected from using projector, embedded monitor and illumination devices based on environmental information.3) The system automatically acquires flat surfaces to project on and their reflectance properties as the environmental information. Based on an observation of two elderly suffering from dementia, we discuss the feasibility and concrete problems in displaying visual prompt and how to solve them technically.

Wireless User Perspectives in Europe: HandSmart Mediaphone Interface

HandSmart is one example of wearable device that can be used as a user interface for advanced mediaphones and it is based on MARISIL a Mobile Augmented Reality Interface Sign Interpretation Language. This paper will describe the interface and some of the applications of these new types of personal devices. The user-centered development methodology is discussed in brief at the end of the paper. Evolutions in technology have provided a variety of new opportunities for exploring and discovering virtual 3D worlds. Head-mounted displays and data gloves enable us to interact and immerse much better into the artificial generated 3D environment. Such devices have been advertised in the entertainment media and are recognized by the public as the symbols of virtual reality (VR). Augmented Reality that has the attribute of being more related to real world than VR by overlaying virtual sounds, feelings or visions onto our senses within the real world, can therefore extend our natural experiences. The authors believe that the new generation of mediaphones can embed these new techniques.

PiTaSu: wearable interface for assisting senior citizens with memory problems

Abstract Little research has been carried out on specialized wearable input interfaced designs to assist memory impaired senior citizens. This paper proposes and implements PiTaSu (Picture based Tapping on wall Surfaces) to realize a direct input interface system to offer visual feedback and tactile feedback. PiTaSu is based on a pictorial based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system. PiTaSu consists of a body-worn or shoulder-attached mobile projector, a camera and an accelerometer wrist band. The projector shows information that will help assist the memory impaired senior citizen in their daily task. The camera and the accelerometer detect a tapping position and tapping trigger. Experimental results have demonstrated that a senior citizen can use PiTaSu without learning special skills, and the projection based user interface has potential. Therefore, PiTaSu can assist memory-impaired senior citizens as a daily task reminder.

A picocell-based architecture for a real-time mobile virtual reality

A real time mobile virtual (VR) reality allows users to have much better capabilities to move and access virtual reality services than in conventional distributed VR environments, which are mainly based on desktop computers and VR equipment wired to them. The wireless communication of the system is based on in-building picocellular mobile personal surrounding networks, which enables the usage of simple hand held and battery operated mobile terminals, but still provides enough communication bandwidth for multimedia and VR applications. We present an architecture for this kind of virtual reality system, being developed in the University of Oulu (Finland) and VTT electronics. The architecture supports real time cooperation of two or more concurrent users and freedom to easily move inside a building from one cell to another. A protocol architecture, which will be used in the current implementation project of the system is based on mobile IP and streaming protocols, so any user in Internet can join the system. In addition to system and protocol architectures, we discuss the real time requirements of position tracking and accurate intra cell synchronization methods and suggest, how these requirements can be achieved using inexpensive off the shelf components.

User interaction in smart ambient environment targeted for senior citizen

Many countries are facing a problem when the age-structure of the society is changing. The numbers of senior citizen are rising rapidly, and caretaking personnel numbers cannot match the problems and needs of these citizens. Using smart, ubiquitous technologies can offer ways in coping with the need of more nursing staff and the rising costs of taking care of senior citizens for the society. Helping senior citizens with a novel, easy to use interface that guides and helps, could improve their quality of living and make them participate more in daily activities. This paper presents a projection-based display system for elderly people with memory impairments and the proposed user interface for the system. The user’s process recognition based on a sensor network is also described. Elderly people wearing the system can interact the projected user interface by tapping physical surfaces (such as walls, tables, or doors) using them as a natural, haptic feedback input surface.

Requirements guideline of assistive technology for people suffering from dementia

This paper presents valid concerns on current status of elderly population suffering from dementia, why societies should focus more attention in helping them and how this could impact healthcare and social services. This paper also discusses the requirements and methods, which can be used to improve the design process of wearable procam device using Picture based Input Method Using Tapping on Wall Surfaces (PiTaSu) that can help people suffering from dementia. A guideline of proposed requirements is presented that takes into account several different types of problems people suffering from dementia face. An improved user interface (UI) is proposed for people suffering from dementia, as well as the need to implement separate tele-assistance functionality for the informal and formal caretakers.

Real-time process data acquisition with Bluetooth

Healthcare workflow processes are extremely complicated. Surveys and interviews are a common but a rather expensive way of conducting process research. This paper elaborates a new approach based on wireless technologies for data gathering of healthcare processes. We have developed an automatic process measurement system for collecting real-time process data. The system consists of mobile devices that detect Bluetooth sensors. The identifiers of the detected sensors are stored in log files. We apply the system to three Linux-based platforms. Empirical tests are conducted to evaluate the performance of the system. The Radio Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is used to improve the accuracy of the data collected by the system.

Development in the Growth Base of the ‘Oulu Phenomenon’

Oulu has been a place for business and export industry in Northern Finland. In the 1970s began a difficult period of recession. Then, declining and unemployment-ridden Oulu seemed unexpectedly to start to boom. High technology products were being produced in the city and these products were sold more and more in international market. The main contribution of the paper is to provide a more thorough view of the multi-scientific expertise apparent in the gradual building of the growth base of the’ Oulu phenomenon’. The analysis shows the crucial role of system-theoretical and software-oriented expertise and complements earlier views.

Smart Cane Outdoor Navigation System for Visually Impaired Deaf-blind andBlind Persons

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to build an outdoor navigation system to assist Visually Impaired (VI) persons’ navigation independently in urban areas, regardless of the person’s hearing status. An augmented cane, magnetic point or continuous metallic trails, pulsing magnet apparatuses, and the transmission of serialized vibration braille encoded guidance are the features of the proposed navigation system. Trails of magnetic points or metal and pulsing magnet apparatuses will be installed on the sidewalks in the city centres. People with VI are able to sense the magnet points or the metallic trail through their augmented cane. This system will assist them to walk independently. Pulsing magnet apparatuses will be installed at Point of Interests (POI) on sidewalks, such as turns and other decision points, to inform persons through serialized vibrational messages. Methods: The research follows design science research framework with characteristics of prototype construction validation in Living Lab environment.Qualitative research methods (interviews and questionnaire) are employed to for user centered development process and to evaluate afterwards how well the designed artifacts meet the requirements it was set to resolve. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method will be applied to convert users’ requirements into the features of the system.Usability experiments are defined to evaluate the usability of the proposed system in user tests. Pre-test qualitative interviews were performed in Pakistan with 15 blind or VI persons. All the subjects also participated into the system’s usability testing. Results: The feedback of the test persons on about the proposed system after participating in the practical experiment of the system was positive. Based on the results, this kind of system would aid their navigation. The study also collected usability suggestions for further development of the system. Conclusion: The proposed navigation system receives positive feedback from the potential users and the stakeholders. 13 out of the 15 blind and VI test persons were able to follow the test track successfully with the prototype and they found the proposed infrastructure applicable as navigation aid for the VI as a whole.

Virtual and Augmented Reality supporting group consciousness within collaborative working environments

The economical changes of the last decade, as well as the new customer patterns and global competitiveness demand new methods and tools that will increase the creativity and innovation of the knowledge workers. While the focus in the past was on how to improve the organizations, the current dynamics render the old methods unusable. What is needed are the methods to support the inter-personal communication and productivity in order to maintain a higher level of knowledge entropy that can eventually lead to increase in new ideas. This paper presents a vision of a virtual space of networked individuals, based on Virtual & Augmented Reality, forming ad-hoc groups on the basis of common interests. The basic idea is how to connect people and concepts together, what methods to use, and how to make the collaboration and the exchange of information more fluent and easier to handle. Important issues like how to link collaborative resources together or how to discover new resources within the population of a virtual community and browsing through the people-concepts maps, within a VAR environment, are discussed. A possible platform to stimulate creativity and innovation is envisaged. The paper looks into later collaborative environments and their benefits into providing much faster and broader access to existing knowledge and people know-how, thus providing more tools and new technologies to professionals engaged into knowledge intensive work. New concepts like Augmented Reality are proposed as alternative environment for deploying applications supporting the individual and group collaboration work. The new framework is described and a plan for setting a small empirical study is analysed covering the issues of interaction and collaboration in education and training. This paper is trying to find the methods that can be used first for the evaluation and later for deployment of new tools and techniques that will improve the creativity and innovation within online collaboration sessions. The benefits of the research include providing more supportive, appealing and communicative applications by applying various design theories and practices into virtual enterprise system development. The paper concludes by introducing a new scientific domain branded “Knowledge Connection” which stands at the crossroads of existing scientific domains such as Knowledge Creation, Representation and Visualisation, Collaborative or Shared Workspace., and Virtual & Augmented Reality.