Abstract: Embodied embedded cognition (EEC) has gained support in cognitive science as well as in human–computer interaction (HCI). EEC can be characterized both by its action-centeredness as well as its roots in phenomenology. The phenomenological aspects of EEC could be seen as support for trends in design emphasizing the user experience. Meanwhile, usability issues often are still approached using traditional methods based on cognitivist assumptions. In this paper, I argue for a renewed focus on improving usability from an EEC perspective. I draw mainly on a behavior-oriented interpretation of the theory, the key aspects of which are reviewed. A tentative sketch for an embodied embedded usability is proposed, doing justice to the embodied embedded nature of interaction while retaining the goal of developing technology that is easy to use in everyday practice.
This review of meta-analyses of outcome studies of adults receiving Computer-Based Health Education (CBHE) has two goals. The first is to provide an overview of the efficacy of CBHE interventions, and the second is to identify moderators of these effects. A systematic literature search resulted in 15 meta-analyses of 278 controlled outcome studies. The meta-analyses were analysed with regard to reported (overall) effect sizes, heterogeneity and interaction effects. The results indicate a positive relationship between CBHE interventions and improvements in health-related outcomes, with small overall effect sizes compared to non-computer-based interventions. The sustainability of the effects was observed for up to six months. Outcome moderators (31 variables) were studied in 12 meta-analyses and were clustered into three categories: intervention features (20 variables), participant characteristics (five variables) and study features (six variables). No relationship with effectiveness was found for four intervention features, theoretical background, use of internet and e-mail, intervention setting and self-monitoring; two participant features, age and gender; and one study feature, the type of analysis. Regarding the other 24 identified features, no consistent results were observed across meta-analyses. To enhance the effectiveness of CBHE interventions, moderators of effects should be studied as single constructs in high-quality study designs. http://www.journalofinterdisciplinarysciences.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/leontienvreeburg/
Research into automatic text simplification aims to promote access to information for all members of society. To facilitate generalizability, simplification research often abstracts away from specific use cases, and targets a prototypical reader and an underspecified content creator. In this paper, we consider a real-world use case – simplification technology for use in Dutch municipalities – and identify the needs of the content creators and the target audiences in this scenario. The stakeholders envision a system that (a) assists the human writer without taking over the task; (b) provides diverse outputs, tailored for specific target audiences; and (c) explains the suggestions that it outputs. These requirements call for technology that is characterized by modularity, explainability, and variability. We argue that these are important research directions that require further exploration
Het aantal winkelbezoekers loopt in Europa al jaren terug, vooral in economisch zwakkere regio’s. Dit geldt in het bijzonder voor ouderen, waarvan de verwachting is dat ze in de toekomst fysieke winkels nog meer de rug zullen toekeren. Om de winkelervaring te verbeteren, investeren winkeliers steeds meer in opkomende digitale technologieën zoals apps, interactieve en digitale schermen, sociale robots en zelfscankassa’s. Deze instore technologieën slaan vooral bij jongere klanten aan, oudere klanten blijken door hun beperkingen (o.a. zien, horen, mobiliteit, informatieverwerking en digitale vaardigheden) nog steeds veel barrières te ervaren bij het bezoek aan winkels en het gebruik van instore technologieën. Dit is niet alleen nadelig voor winkeliers omdat ouderen een substantieel, stijgend, en koopkrachtig deel van de bevolking vertegenwoordigen dat relatief trouw is aan regionale winkelgebieden, maar het zet ook de inclusie van ouderen in Europa onder druk omdat winkelbezoek bijdraagt aan hun sociale welbevinden. Met dit onderzoeksproject onderzoekt het nieuwe consortium van twee hogescholen en drie buitenlandse universiteiten hoe instore technologieën ouderen in Europa kunnen helpen bij het wegnemen van barrières om tot een goede winkelervaring te komen. Het project brengt de onderzoeksprogramma’s van het lectorenplatform Retail Innovation Platform (Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Hogeschool Saxion), de Retail en Marketingtechnologie groep (University of Bristol), de human-computer interaction groep (University of Calabria), en de engaging co-design research group (Aalto University) samen. Het project sluit aan bij nationale en Europese initiatieven zoals de Kennis- en Innovatieagenda Sleuteltechnologieën 2024-2027, The DIGITAL Europe Programme en de Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030. Door de relaties tussen ouderen, opkomende digitale technologie, en winkelgedrag over verschillende Europese regio’s te onderzoeken, sluit het project tevens aan bij Interreg Europa en het Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling.
The PhD research by Joris Weijdom studies the impact of collective embodied design techniques in collaborative mixed-reality environments (CMRE) in art- and engineering design practice and education. He aims to stimulate invention and innovation from an early stage of the collective design process.Joris combines theory and practice from the performing arts, human-computer interaction, and engineering to develop CMRE configurations, strategies for its creative implementation, and an embodied immersive learning pedagogy for students and professionals.This lecture was given at the Transmedia Arts seminar of the Mahindra Humanities Center of Harvard University. In this lecture, Joris Weijdom discusses critical concepts, such as embodiment, presence, and immersion, that concern mixed-reality design in the performing arts. He introduces examples from his practice and interdisciplinary projects of other artists.About the researchMultiple research areas now support the idea that embodiment is an underpinning of cognition, suggesting new discovery and learning approaches through full-body engagement with the virtual environment. Furthermore, improvisation and immediate reflection on the experience itself, common creative strategies in artist training and practice, are central when inventing something new. In this research, a new embodied design method, entitled Performative prototyping, has been developed to enable interdisciplinary collective design processes in CMRE’s and offers a vocabulary of multiple perspectives to reflect on its outcomes.Studies also find that engineering education values creativity in design processes, but often disregards the potential of full-body improvisation in generating and refining ideas. Conversely, artists lack the technical know-how to utilize mixed-reality technologies in their design process. This know-how from multiple disciplines is thus combined and explored in this research, connecting concepts and discourse from human-computer interaction and media- and performance studies.This research is a collaboration of the University of Twente, Utrecht University, and HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. This research is partly financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).Mixed-reality experiences merge real and virtual environments in which physical and digital spaces, objects, and actors co-exist and interact in real-time. Collaborative Mix-Reality Environments, or CMRE's, enable creative design- and learning processes through full-body interaction with spatial manifestations of mediated ideas and concepts, as live-puppeteered or automated real-time computer-generated content. It employs large-scale projection mapping techniques, motion-capture, augmented- and virtual reality technologies, and networked real-time 3D environments in various inter-connected configurations.This keynote was given at the IETM Plenary meeting in Amsterdam for more than 500 theatre and performing arts professionals. It addresses the following questions in a roller coaster ride of thought-provoking ideas and examples from the world of technology, media, and theatre:What do current developments like Mixed Reality, Transmedia, and The Internet of Things mean for telling stories and creating theatrical experiences? How do we design performances on multiple "stages" and relate to our audiences when they become co-creators?Contactjoris.weijdom@hku.nl / LinkedIn profileThis research is part of the professorship Performative Processes
Prompt and timely response to incoming cyber-attacks and incidents is a core requirement for business continuity and safe operations for organizations operating at all levels (commercial, governmental, military). The effectiveness of these measures is significantly limited (and oftentimes defeated altogether) by the inefficiency of the attack identification and response process which is, effectively, a show-stopper for all attack prevention and reaction activities. The cognitive-intensive, human-driven alarm analysis procedures currently employed by Security Operation Centres are made ineffective (as opposed to only inefficient) by the sheer amount of alarm data produced, and the lack of mechanisms to automatically and soundly evaluate the arriving evidence to build operable risk-based metrics for incident response. This project will build foundational technologies to achieve Security Response Centres (SRC) based on three key components: (1) risk-based systems for alarm prioritization, (2) real-time, human-centric procedures for alarm operationalization, and (3) technology integration in response operations. In doing so, SeReNity will develop new techniques, methods, and systems at the intersection of the Design and Defence domains to deliver operable and accurate procedures for efficient incident response. To achieve this, this project will develop semantically and contextually rich alarm data to inform risk-based metrics on the mounting evidence of incoming cyber-attacks (as opposed to firing an alarm for each match of an IDS signature). SeReNity will achieve this by means of advanced techniques from machine learning and information mining and extraction, to identify attack patterns in the network traffic, and automatically identify threat types. Importantly, SeReNity will develop new mechanisms and interfaces to present the gathered evidence to SRC operators dynamically, and based on the specific threat (type) identified by the underlying technology. To achieve this, this project unifies Dutch excellence in intrusion detection, threat intelligence, and human-computer interaction with an industry-leading partner operating in the market of tailored solutions for Security Monitoring.
