Exploring new hardware as natural interaction support

• Grant number: 12/08173-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science
• Principal Investigator: Junia Coutinho Anacleto
• Grantee: João Paulo de Souza Soares
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Here is presented a Scientific Initiation research program that aims to explore new hardware platforms, like Microsoft's Kinect, to support Natural User Interfaces (NUI) as a new interaction paradigm. More specifically, we aim at verifying if it is possible to improve the human-technology interaction by adopting Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) solutions based on user gestures, sounds and movement record making such interaction more natural. This work is a branch of the MSR-FAPESP project no 2010/52135-9 named UNITY (Using Natural Interfaces to promoTe empathY), which the main goal is to research the adoption of ICT associated with NUI in a paper-based workflow psychiatric hospital focused on the patient transition from the institution to the society, according to the Brazilian law. This project it is researched the adoption of ICT-based communication by the health professionals, migrating from a paper-based nomadic work environment to a NUI, pervasive and ubiquitous based environment, providing technical support to the patients' normalization. This work, specifically, focuses on exploring the Microsoft Kinect device's potential, for possible adoption in support systems to the physiotherapy activities executed in a psychiatric hospital, aiming to contribute with the cognitive and motor development of the patient to control the head, the torso in order to allow him to be able to sit, crawl, and then walk, striving the self-sufficiency of the patient as well as his/her mobility. A pilot study will be developed using Kinect, inside a broader application, according to a certain scenario, about the control of a therapeutic session, in which the health professional will be able to control, in real-time, the sensorial stimulation provided to the patient. Semi-functional prototypes will be developed adopting participatory design, observation of the therapy activities in loco at the hospital, as well as the health professionals' interviews, scenario definition, diagrams, storyboards, and discussion for its representation.(AU)