2018
Antle, Alissa N., Chesick, Leslie, Mclaren, Elgin-Skye
Opening up the Design Space of Neurofeedback Brain--Computer Interfaces for Children Journal Article
In: ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact., vol. 24, no. 6, 2018, ISSN: 1073-0516.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Brain-computer interfaces, children, conceptual framework, design, mental health, mindfull, self-regulation, strong concepts
@article{10.1145/3131607,
title = {Opening up the Design Space of Neurofeedback Brain--Computer Interfaces for Children},
author = {Alissa N. Antle and Leslie Chesick and Elgin-Skye Mclaren},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3131607},
doi = {10.1145/3131607},
issn = {1073-0516},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
urldate = {2018-01-01},
journal = {ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact.},
volume = {24},
number = {6},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {New York, NY, USA},
abstract = {Brain--computer interface applications (BCIs) utilizing neurofeedback (NF) can make invisible brain states visible in real time. Learning to recognize, modify, and regulate brain states is critical to all children's development and can improve learning, and emotional and mental health outcomes. How can we design usable and effective NF BCIs that help children learn and practice brain state self-regulation? Our contribution is a list of challenges for this emerging design space and a conceptual framework that addresses those challenges. The framework is composed of five interrelated strong concepts that we adapted from other design spaces. We derived the concepts reflectively, theoretically, and empirically through a design research process in which we created and evaluated a NF BCI, called Mind-Full, designed to help children living in Nepal who had suffered from complex trauma learn to self-regulate anxiety and attention. We add rigor to our derivation methodology by horizontally and vertically grounding our concepts, that is, relating them to similar concepts in the literature and instantiations in other artifacts. We illustrate the generative power of the concepts and the inter-relationships between them through the description of two new NF BCIs we created using the framework for urban and indigenous children with anxiety and attentional challenges. We then show the versatility of our framework by describing how it inspired and informed the conceptual design of three NF BCIs for different types of self-regulation: selective attention and working memory, pain management, and depression. Last, we discuss the contestability, defensibility, and substantiveness of our conceptual framework in order to ensure rigor in our research design process. Our contribution is a rigorously derived design framework that opens up this new and emerging design space of NF BCI's for children for other researchers and designers.},
keywords = {Brain-computer interfaces, children, conceptual framework, design, mental health, mindfull, self-regulation, strong concepts},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Brain--computer interface applications (BCIs) utilizing neurofeedback (NF) can make invisible brain states visible in real time. Learning to recognize, modify, and regulate brain states is critical to all children's development and can improve learning, and emotional and mental health outcomes. How can we design usable and effective NF BCIs that help children learn and practice brain state self-regulation? Our contribution is a list of challenges for this emerging design space and a conceptual framework that addresses those challenges. The framework is composed of five interrelated strong concepts that we adapted from other design spaces. We derived the concepts reflectively, theoretically, and empirically through a design research process in which we created and evaluated a NF BCI, called Mind-Full, designed to help children living in Nepal who had suffered from complex trauma learn to self-regulate anxiety and attention. We add rigor to our derivation methodology by horizontally and vertically grounding our concepts, that is, relating them to similar concepts in the literature and instantiations in other artifacts. We illustrate the generative power of the concepts and the inter-relationships between them through the description of two new NF BCIs we created using the framework for urban and indigenous children with anxiety and attentional challenges. We then show the versatility of our framework by describing how it inspired and informed the conceptual design of three NF BCIs for different types of self-regulation: selective attention and working memory, pain management, and depression. Last, we discuss the contestability, defensibility, and substantiveness of our conceptual framework in order to ensure rigor in our research design process. Our contribution is a rigorously derived design framework that opens up this new and emerging design space of NF BCI's for children for other researchers and designers.
2017
McLaren, Elgin-Skye, Antle, Alissa N.
Exploring and Evaluating Sound for Helping Children Self-Regulate with a Brain-Computer Application Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 2017 Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 393–398, Association for Computing Machinery, Stanford, California, USA, 2017, ISBN: 9781450349215.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: adhd, brain-computer interfacing, children, design, neurofeedback, sound
@inproceedings{10.1145/3078072.3084299,
title = {Exploring and Evaluating Sound for Helping Children Self-Regulate with a Brain-Computer Application},
author = {Elgin-Skye McLaren and Alissa N. Antle},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3078072.3084299},
doi = {10.1145/3078072.3084299},
isbn = {9781450349215},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2017 Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {393–398},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Stanford, California, USA},
series = {IDC '17},
abstract = {Children in North America are more likely to suffer from attentional challenges than any other mental health issue. Studies suggest that neurofeedback treatments may be useful for helping these children learn to self-regulate. Applying neurofeedback treatments in real-world, school settings poses a challenge, however, as these environments are often noisy and filled with distractions. The addition of ambient audio to neurofeedback systems may help reduce these disruptions. Further, research suggests that certain auditory treatments, such as binaural beats and white noise, may improve children's focus and aid memory recall. In the following paper we present the theories supporting this idea as well as a mixed methods framework for evaluating whether sound can help children focus while learning to self-regulate using a neurofeedback system. Specifically, we wish to investigate whether these treatments may help children (1) achieve an attentive state sooner and (2) maintain an attentive state for longer, when compared to the same system without sound.},
keywords = {adhd, brain-computer interfacing, children, design, neurofeedback, sound},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Children in North America are more likely to suffer from attentional challenges than any other mental health issue. Studies suggest that neurofeedback treatments may be useful for helping these children learn to self-regulate. Applying neurofeedback treatments in real-world, school settings poses a challenge, however, as these environments are often noisy and filled with distractions. The addition of ambient audio to neurofeedback systems may help reduce these disruptions. Further, research suggests that certain auditory treatments, such as binaural beats and white noise, may improve children's focus and aid memory recall. In the following paper we present the theories supporting this idea as well as a mixed methods framework for evaluating whether sound can help children focus while learning to self-regulate using a neurofeedback system. Specifically, we wish to investigate whether these treatments may help children (1) achieve an attentive state sooner and (2) maintain an attentive state for longer, when compared to the same system without sound.
2016
Cramer, Emily S., Antle, Alissa N., Fan, Min
The Code of Many Colours: Evaluating the Effects of a Dynamic Colour-Coding Scheme on Children's Spelling in a Tangible Software System Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 473–485, Association for Computing Machinery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2016, ISBN: 9781450343138.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: children, design, Dyslexia, evaluation, phonoblocks, spelling, tangibles
@inproceedings{10.1145/2930674.2930692,
title = {The Code of Many Colours: Evaluating the Effects of a Dynamic Colour-Coding Scheme on Children's Spelling in a Tangible Software System},
author = {Emily S. Cramer and Alissa N. Antle and Min Fan},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/2930674.2930692},
doi = {10.1145/2930674.2930692},
isbn = {9781450343138},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
urldate = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {473–485},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Manchester, United Kingdom},
series = {IDC '16},
abstract = {Dyslexia is a severe impairment in reading and spelling that affects 10% of children in English-speaking countries. One area of difficulty is learning spelling rules that require attention to other letters within a word (i.e., context): for example, why grapple requires two ps while staple requires one. Poor visual attention contributes to children's difficulties. Computer-based programs that use multisensory cues have helped children learn simple letter-sound relations, but not contextual spelling rules. In this paper we present three theoretically derived principles that can be used to design dynamic colour codes for a variety of contextual spelling rules in software systems. We discuss how we used our principles to design the colour scheme for a single contextual spelling rule in our tangible software system, called PhonoBlocks. We evaluate its effectiveness in a field study with nine dyslexic children. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that our approach to using dynamic colour may help children with dyslexia to learn contextual spelling rules, but that individual factors impact the colours' effectiveness. We conclude by suggesting ways our dynamic colour-coding principles can be implemented in other systems taking into consideration individual factors that also impact their effectiveness.},
keywords = {children, design, Dyslexia, evaluation, phonoblocks, spelling, tangibles},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Dyslexia is a severe impairment in reading and spelling that affects 10% of children in English-speaking countries. One area of difficulty is learning spelling rules that require attention to other letters within a word (i.e., context): for example, why grapple requires two ps while staple requires one. Poor visual attention contributes to children's difficulties. Computer-based programs that use multisensory cues have helped children learn simple letter-sound relations, but not contextual spelling rules. In this paper we present three theoretically derived principles that can be used to design dynamic colour codes for a variety of contextual spelling rules in software systems. We discuss how we used our principles to design the colour scheme for a single contextual spelling rule in our tangible software system, called PhonoBlocks. We evaluate its effectiveness in a field study with nine dyslexic children. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that our approach to using dynamic colour may help children with dyslexia to learn contextual spelling rules, but that individual factors impact the colours' effectiveness. We conclude by suggesting ways our dynamic colour-coding principles can be implemented in other systems taking into consideration individual factors that also impact their effectiveness.
Radu, Iulian, Antle, Alissa N.
All Creatures Great and Small: Becoming Other Organisms through the EmbodySuit Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 751–758, Association for Computing Machinery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2016, ISBN: 9781450343138.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: augmented reality, children, cyborgs, design, education, embodied empathy, experiential learning, nanorobots
@inproceedings{10.1145/2930674.2955209,
title = {All Creatures Great and Small: Becoming Other Organisms through the EmbodySuit},
author = {Iulian Radu and Alissa N. Antle},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/2930674.2955209},
doi = {10.1145/2930674.2955209},
isbn = {9781450343138},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {751–758},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Manchester, United Kingdom},
series = {IDC '16},
abstract = {The EmbodySuit augmented human system allows students to experience life from the perspectives of different organisms, by virtually and physically becoming birds, spiders, ants and even bacteria. Inspired by current advances in nanorobotics, Star Trek's holodeck and the Magic school bus, Embodysuit makes learning embodied and experiential. The student becomes a real organism, part of a real, natural ecosystem. The student's senses are adapted to those of the organism, and the student's actions map to the actions of an organism-sized robot inside a real environment. Our system is based on our projection of advances that will occur in the next 35 years in augmented reality, cybernetics and micro robotics. By about 2050 EmbodySuit type systems will be feasible to prototype, enabling us to address key research questions in classroom scientific inquiry; experiential and embodied learning; technology development; and design for 3D embodied cyber-systems.},
keywords = {augmented reality, children, cyborgs, design, education, embodied empathy, experiential learning, nanorobots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The EmbodySuit augmented human system allows students to experience life from the perspectives of different organisms, by virtually and physically becoming birds, spiders, ants and even bacteria. Inspired by current advances in nanorobotics, Star Trek's holodeck and the Magic school bus, Embodysuit makes learning embodied and experiential. The student becomes a real organism, part of a real, natural ecosystem. The student's senses are adapted to those of the organism, and the student's actions map to the actions of an organism-sized robot inside a real environment. Our system is based on our projection of advances that will occur in the next 35 years in augmented reality, cybernetics and micro robotics. By about 2050 EmbodySuit type systems will be feasible to prototype, enabling us to address key research questions in classroom scientific inquiry; experiential and embodied learning; technology development; and design for 3D embodied cyber-systems.
2011
Antle, Alissa N., Wise, Alyssa F., Nielsen, Kristine
Towards Utopia: Designing Tangibles for Learning Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, pp. 11–20, Association for Computing Machinery, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2011, ISBN: 9781450307512.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: children, design, learning, sustainability, sustainability education, tangible computing, Tangible User Interfaces
@inproceedings{10.1145/1999030.1999032,
title = {Towards Utopia: Designing Tangibles for Learning},
author = {Alissa N. Antle and Alyssa F. Wise and Kristine Nielsen},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/1999030.1999032},
doi = {10.1145/1999030.1999032},
isbn = {9781450307512},
year = {2011},
date = {2011-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children},
pages = {11–20},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan},
series = {IDC '11},
abstract = {We describe a tangible user interface-based learning environment for children called Towards Utopia. The environment was designed to enable children, aged seven to ten, to actively construct knowledge around concepts related to land use planning and sustainable development in their community. We use Towards Utopia as a research prototype to investigate how and why tangible users interfaces can be designed to support, augment, or constrain learning opportunities. We follow a design-oriented research approach that includes a theoretically grounded analysis of design features of Towards Utopia to understand how and why design choices influence the kinds of learning opportunities created. We also describe the results of our empirical evaluation of learning outcomes in order to validate the effectiveness of our design. We conclude with general guidelines for the design of tangibles for learning.},
keywords = {children, design, learning, sustainability, sustainability education, tangible computing, Tangible User Interfaces},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
We describe a tangible user interface-based learning environment for children called Towards Utopia. The environment was designed to enable children, aged seven to ten, to actively construct knowledge around concepts related to land use planning and sustainable development in their community. We use Towards Utopia as a research prototype to investigate how and why tangible users interfaces can be designed to support, augment, or constrain learning opportunities. We follow a design-oriented research approach that includes a theoretically grounded analysis of design features of Towards Utopia to understand how and why design choices influence the kinds of learning opportunities created. We also describe the results of our empirical evaluation of learning outcomes in order to validate the effectiveness of our design. We conclude with general guidelines for the design of tangibles for learning.
Vidyarthi, Jay, Antle, Alissa N., Riecke, Bernhard E.
Sympathetic Guitar: Can a Digitally Augmented Guitar Be a Social Entity? Proceedings Article
In: CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1819–1824, Association for Computing Machinery, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2011, ISBN: 9781450302685.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: cognitive, communication, design, engagement, expression, interaction, interface, musical instrument, performance, psychology, social, sound, tangible
@inproceedings{10.1145/1979742.1979863,
title = {Sympathetic Guitar: Can a Digitally Augmented Guitar Be a Social Entity?},
author = {Jay Vidyarthi and Alissa N. Antle and Bernhard E. Riecke},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/1979742.1979863},
doi = {10.1145/1979742.1979863},
isbn = {9781450302685},
year = {2011},
date = {2011-01-01},
booktitle = {CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
pages = {1819–1824},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Vancouver, BC, Canada},
series = {CHI EA '11},
abstract = {Previous work suggests that people treat interactive media as if they were social entities. By drawing a parallel between socio-cognitive theory and interface design, we intend to experimentally determine whether deliberate design decisions can have an effect on users' perception of an interactive medium as a social entity. In this progress report, we describe the theoretical underpinnings and motivations which led to the design and implementation of the Sympathetic Guitar: a guitar interface which supplements standard acoustic sound with a spatially-separate audio response based on the user's hand positions and performance dynamics. This prototype will be used for investigating user response to a specific, socially-relevant design decision.},
keywords = {cognitive, communication, design, engagement, expression, interaction, interface, musical instrument, performance, psychology, social, sound, tangible},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Previous work suggests that people treat interactive media as if they were social entities. By drawing a parallel between socio-cognitive theory and interface design, we intend to experimentally determine whether deliberate design decisions can have an effect on users' perception of an interactive medium as a social entity. In this progress report, we describe the theoretical underpinnings and motivations which led to the design and implementation of the Sympathetic Guitar: a guitar interface which supplements standard acoustic sound with a spatially-separate audio response based on the user's hand positions and performance dynamics. This prototype will be used for investigating user response to a specific, socially-relevant design decision.
2010
Tanenbaum, Karen, Tanenbaum, Theresa Jean, Antle, Alissa N., Bizzocchi, Jim, el-Nasr, Magy Seif, Hatala, Marek
Experiencing the Reading Glove Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, pp. 137–144, Association for Computing Machinery, Funchal, Portugal, 2010, ISBN: 9781450304788.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: design, interactive storytelling, Tangible User Interfaces, wearable computing
@inproceedings{10.1145/1935701.1935728,
title = {Experiencing the Reading Glove},
author = {Karen Tanenbaum and Theresa Jean Tanenbaum and Alissa N. Antle and Jim Bizzocchi and Magy Seif el-Nasr and Marek Hatala},
url = {https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1145/1935701.1935728},
doi = {10.1145/1935701.1935728},
isbn = {9781450304788},
year = {2010},
date = {2010-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction},
pages = {137–144},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {Funchal, Portugal},
series = {TEI '11},
abstract = {In this paper we describe the Reading Glove, a wearable RFID reader for interacting with a tangible narrative. Based on interviews with study participants, we present a set of observed themes for understanding how the wearable and tangible aspects of the Reading Glove influence the user experience. We connect our observational themes to theoretical notions from interactive narrative and tangible interaction to create a set of design considerations such as enacting a role, ownership and permission, multiplicity of interpretations and boundary objects.},
keywords = {design, interactive storytelling, Tangible User Interfaces, wearable computing},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
In this paper we describe the Reading Glove, a wearable RFID reader for interacting with a tangible narrative. Based on interviews with study participants, we present a set of observed themes for understanding how the wearable and tangible aspects of the Reading Glove influence the user experience. We connect our observational themes to theoretical notions from interactive narrative and tangible interaction to create a set of design considerations such as enacting a role, ownership and permission, multiplicity of interpretations and boundary objects.