Advanced workstations and collaborative robots: exploiting eye-tracking and cardiac activity indices to unveil senior workers' mental workload in assembly tasks.

Introduction: As a result of Industry 5.0's technological advancements, collaborative robots (cobots) have emerged as pivotal enablers for refining manufacturing processes while re-focusing on humans. However, the successful integration of these cutting-edge tools hinges on a better understanding of human factors when interacting with such new technologies, eventually fostering workers' trust and acceptance and promoting low-fatigue work. This study thus delves into the intricate dynamics of human-cobot interactions by adopting a human-centric view. Methods: With this intent, we targeted senior workers, who often contend with diminishing work capabilities, and we explored the nexus between various human factors and task outcomes during a joint assembly operation with a cobot on an ergonomic workstation. Exploiting a dual-task manipulation to increase the task demand, we measured performance, subjective perceptions, eye-tracking indices and cardiac activity during the task. Firstly, we provided an overview of the senior workers' perceptions regarding their shared work with the cobot, by measuring technology acceptance, perceived wellbeing, work experience, and the estimated social impact of this technology in the industrial sector. Secondly, we asked whether the considered human factors varied significantly under dual-tasking, thus responding to a higher mental load while working alongside the cobot. Finally, we explored the predictive power of the collected measurements over the number of errors committed at the work task and the participants' perceived workload. Results: The present findings demonstrated how senior workers exhibited strong acceptance and positive experiences with our advanced workstation and the cobot, even under higher mental strain. Besides, their task performance suffered increased errors and duration during dual-tasking, while the eye behavior partially reflected the increased mental demand. Some interesting outcomes were also gained about the predictive power of some of the collected indices over the number of errors committed at the assembly task, even though the same did not apply to predicting perceived workload levels. Discussion: Overall, the paper discusses possible applications of these results in the 5.0 manufacturing sector, emphasizing the importance of adopting a holistic human-centered approach to understand the human-cobot complex better.

Modeling the Conversation with Digital Health Assistants in Adherence Apps: Some Considerations on the Similarities and Differences with Familiar Medical Encounters.

Digital health assistants (DHAs) are conversational agents incorporated into health systems' interfaces, exploiting an intuitive interaction format appreciated by the users. At the same time, however, their conversational format can evoke interactional practices typical of health encounters with human doctors that might misguide the users. Awareness of the similarities and differences between novel mediated encounters and more familiar ones helps designers avoid unintended expectations and leverage suitable ones. Focusing on adherence apps, we analytically discuss the structure of DHA-patient encounters against the literature on physician-patient encounters and the specific affordances of DHAs. We synthesize our discussion into a design checklist and add some considerations about DHA with unconstrained natural language interfaces.

Exploiting Mobile Gamification to Foster Physical Activity: A Remotely-Managed Field Study.

Physical inactivity is a plague for public health, especially in Western Countries. Among the countermeasures, mobile applications promoting physical activity seem particularly promising, thanks to the spread and adoption of mobile devices. However, the dropout rates of users are high, thereby calling for strategies to increase retention rates. Moreover, user testing can be problematic, because it is typically conducted in a laboratory, leading to a limited ecological validity. In the present research, we developed a custom mobile app to promote physical activity. Three versions of the app were implemented, each featuring a different pattern of gamification elements. Moreover, the app was designed to work as a self-managed experimental platform. A remote field study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the different versions of the app. Behavioral log data of physical activity and interaction with the app were collected. Our results show the feasibility of using a mobile app running on personal devices as an independently managed experimental platform. Moreover, we found that gamification elements per se do not ensure higher retention rates, rather it emerged that the richer combination of gamified elements was effective.

Co-Design in Electrical Medical Beds with Caregivers.

Among the plethora of instruments present in healthcare environments, the hospital bed is undoubtedly one of the most important for patients and caregivers. However, their design usually follows a top-down approach without considering end-users opinions and desires. Exploiting Human-centered design (HCD) permits these users to have a substantial role in the final product outcome. This study aims to empower caregivers to express their opinion about the hospital bed using a qualitative approach. For a holistic vision, we conducted six focus groups and six semi-structured interviews with nurses, nursing students, social-health operators and physiotherapists belonging to many healthcare situations. We then used thematic analysis to extract the themes that participants faced during the procedures, providing a comprehensive guide to designing the future electrical medical bed. These work results could also help overcome many issues that caregivers face during their everyday working life. Moreover, we identified the User Experience features that could represent the essential elements to consider.

Smart Co-housing for People With Disabilities: A Preliminary Assessment of Caregivers' Interaction With the DOMHO System.

Millions of people with motor and cognitive disabilities face hardships in daily life due to the limited accessibility and inclusiveness of living spaces which limit their autonomy and independence. The DOMHO project deals with these fundamental issues by leveraging an innovative solution: a smart co-housing apartment. Besides, the project aims at exploiting the well know effects of co-housing on individuals' health and well-being in combination with ambient assisted living technologies. The present study focused on the interaction of caregivers with the control application of an integrated smart system. Participants performed different tasks, fill out a questionnaire, and were interviewed. Performance and usability of the user interface, trust in technology, privacy, and attitudes towards home automation were explored. A series of guidelines for domotic technology control interfaces design was identified, and a high level of trust in these advanced tools was shown. Caregivers considered smart technologies as a work aid and a means for enhancing autonomy and life quality for users with disabilities.

Sharing the Space With the "Victim" Can Increase Help Rates. A Study With Virtual Reality.

A typical protocol for the psychological study of helping behavior features two core roles: a help seeker suffering from some personal or situational emergency (often called "victim") and a potential helper. The setting of these studies is such that the victim and the helper often share the same space. We wondered whether this spatial arrangement might affect the help rate. Thus, we designed a simple study with virtual reality in which space sharing could be manipulated. The participant plays the role of a potential helper; the victim is a humanoid located inside the virtual building. When the request for help is issued, the participant can be either in the same spatial region as the victim (the virtual building) or outside it. The effect of space was tested in two kinds of emergencies: a mere request for help and a request for help during a fire. The analysis shows that, in both kinds of emergencies, the participants were more likely to help the victim when sharing the space with it. This study suggests controlling the spatial arrangement when investigating helping behavior. It also illustrates the expediency of virtual reality to further investigate the role of space on pro-social behavior during emergencies.

Designing "Safer Water." A Virtual Reality Tool for the Safety and the Psychological Well-Being of Citizens Exposed to the Risk of Natural Disasters.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a popular technology to recreate reality-like scenarios, including dangerous ones, in a realistic but safe way. Because of this potential, VR based research has been applied in psychology studies to provide training and education about how to behave in emergencies such as fires, earthquakes, floods, or typhoons. All these different virtual scenarios have been built to observe how people react to emergencies, what behaviors they adopted, what level of stress is generated, and finally, how to increase citizens' safety. However, there is still little research that shows how Virtual Environment (VE) should be designed to convey appropriate social and psychological "cues" to participants. In this work, we present the result of a series of co-design sessions aiming to bring experts to collaborate in setting up virtual scenarios to increase the quality of life, safety perception, and risk awareness in people living in the proximity of a river. Floods are one of the most threatening climate events, and because of climate change, they are expected to become even more frequent. These disasters have a devastating impact on communities, increasing anxiety and stress levels in citizens living close to rivers. We involved relevant stakeholders to design "Safer Water," an immersive, interactive, virtual experience to support citizens in psychologically and behaviorally managing pre and post riverbank breakdown situations. HCI experts, hydrogeological and hydraulic engineers, psychologists, and VEs designers took part in affinity diagram and brainstorming activities. Results show how the adopted method was able to generate suitable virtual scenarios, to highlight and classify relevant design requirements, and to find strategies that could improve the quality of life and psychological well-being in "risk-exposed citizens." The discussion includes a set of open-access guidelines derived from the co-design activities, to support the design of VE for the purposes discussed in the paper.

Neurophysiological and behavioural effects of conventional and high definition tDCS.

High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) seems to overcome a drawback of traditional bipolar tDCS: the wide-spread diffusion of the electric field. Nevertheless, most of the differences that characterise the two techniques are based on mathematical simulations and not on real, behavioural and neurophysiological, data. The study aims to compare a widespread tDCS montage (i.e., a Conventional bipolar montage with extracephalic return electrode) and HD-tDCS, investigating differences both at a behavioural level, in terms of dexterity performance, and a neurophysiological level, as modifications of alpha and beta power as measured with EEG. Thirty participants took part in three sessions, one for each montage: Conventional tDCS, HD-tDCS, and sham. In all the conditions, the anode was placed over C4, while the cathode/s placed according to the montage. At baseline, during, and after each stimulation condition, dexterity was assessed with a Finger Tapping Task. In addition, resting-state EEG was recorded at baseline and after the stimulation. Power spectrum density was calculated, selecting two frequency bands: alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (18-22 Hz). Linear mixed effect models (LMMs) were used to analyse the modulation induced by tDCS. To evaluate differences among the montages and consider state-dependency phenomenon, the post-stimulation measurements were covariate-adjusted for baseline levels. We observed that HD-tDCS induced an alpha power reduction in participants with lower alpha at baseline. Conversely, Conventional tDCS induced a beta power reduction in participants with higher beta at baseline. Furthermore, data showed a trend towards a behavioural effect of HD-tDCS in participants with lower beta at baseline showing faster response times. Conventional and HD-tDCS distinctively modulated cortical activity. The study highlights the importance of considering state-dependency to determine the effects of tDCS on individuals.

Facing with Collaborative Robots: The Subjective Experience in Senior and Younger Workers.

In the past few years, collaborative robots (i.e., cobots) have been largely adopted within industrial manufacturing. Although robots can support companies and workers in carrying out complex activities and improving productivity, human factors related to cobot operators have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The present study aims to understand the subjective experience of younger and senior workers interacting with an industrial collaborative robot. Results show that workers' acceptance of cobots is high, regardless of age and control modality used. Interesting differences between seniors and younger adults emerged in the evaluations of user experience, usability, and perceived workload of participants and are detailed and commented in the last part of the work.

Investigating the Accessibility of Voice Assistants With Impaired Users: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Voice assistants allow users to control appliances and functions of a smart home by simply uttering a few words. Such systems hold the potential to significantly help users with motor and cognitive disabilities who currently depend on their caregiver even for basic needs (eg, opening a door). The research on voice assistants is mainly dedicated to able-bodied users, and studies evaluating the accessibility of such systems are still sparse and fail to account for the participants' actual motor, linguistic, and cognitive abilities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to investigate whether cognitive and/or linguistic functions could predict user performance in operating an off-the-shelf voice assistant (Google Home). METHODS: A group of users with disabilities (n=16) was invited to a living laboratory and asked to interact with the system. Besides collecting data on their performance and experience with the system, their cognitive and linguistic skills were assessed using standardized inventories. The identification of predictors (cognitive and/or linguistic) capable of accounting for an efficient interaction with the voice assistant was investigated by performing multiple linear regression models. The best model was identified by adopting a selection strategy based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC). RESULTS: For users with disabilities, the effectiveness of interacting with a voice assistant is predicted by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Robertson Dysarthria Profile (specifically, the ability to repeat sentences), as the best model shows (AIC=130.11). CONCLUSIONS: Users with motor, linguistic, and cognitive impairments can effectively interact with voice assistants, given specific levels of residual cognitive and linguistic skills. More specifically, our paper advances practical indicators to predict the level of accessibility of speech-based interactive systems. Finally, accessibility design guidelines are introduced based on the performance results observed in users with disabilities.

Integrating neurophysiologic relevance feedback in intent modeling for information retrieval.

The use of implicit relevance feedback from neurophysiology could deliver effortless information retrieval. However, both computing neurophysiologic responses and retrieving documents are characterized by uncertainty because of noisy signals and incomplete or inconsistent representations of the data. We present the first-of-its-kind, fully integrated information retrieval system that makes use of online implicit relevance feedback generated from brain activity as measured through electroencephalography (EEG), and eye movements. The findings of the evaluation experiment (N = 16) show that we are able to compute online neurophysiology-based relevance feedback with performance significantly better than chance in complex data domains and realistic search tasks. We contribute by demonstrating how to integrate in interactive intent modeling this inherently noisy implicit relevance feedback combined with scarce explicit feedback. Although experimental measures of task performance did not allow us to demonstrate how the classification outcomes translated into search task performance, the experiment proved that our approach is able to generate relevance feedback from brain signals and eye movements in a realistic scenario, thus providing promising implications for future work in neuroadaptive information retrieval (IR).

False Identity Detection Using Complex Sentences.

The use of faked identities is a current issue for both physical and online security. In this paper, we test the differences between subjects who report their true identity and the ones who give fake identity responding to control, simple, and complex questions. Asking complex questions is a new procedure for increasing liars' cognitive load, which is presented in this paper for the first time. The experiment consisted in an identity verification task, during which response time and errors were collected. Twenty participants were instructed to lie about their identity, whereas the other 20 were asked to respond truthfully. Different machine learning (ML) models were trained, reaching an accuracy level around 90-95% in distinguishing liars from truth tellers based on error rate and response time. Then, to evaluate the generalization and replicability of these models, a new sample of 10 participants were tested and classified, obtaining an accuracy between 80 and 90%. In short, results indicate that liars may be efficiently distinguished from truth tellers on the basis of their response times and errors to complex questions, with an adequate generalization accuracy of the classification models.

Covert lie detection using keyboard dynamics.

Identifying the true identity of a subject in the absence of external verification criteria (documents, DNA, fingerprints, etc.) is an unresolved issue. Here, we report an experiment on the verification of fake identities, identified by means of their specific keystroke dynamics as analysed in their written response using a computer keyboard. Results indicate that keystroke analysis can distinguish liars from truth tellers with a high degree of accuracy - around 95% - thanks to the use of unexpected questions that efficiently facilitate the emergence of deception clues.

The detection of faked identity using unexpected questions and mouse dynamics.

The detection of faked identities is a major problem in security. Current memory-detection techniques cannot be used as they require prior knowledge of the respondent's true identity. Here, we report a novel technique for detecting faked identities based on the use of unexpected questions that may be used to check the respondent identity without any prior autobiographical information. While truth-tellers respond automatically to unexpected questions, liars have to "build" and verify their responses. This lack of automaticity is reflected in the mouse movements used to record the responses as well as in the number of errors. Responses to unexpected questions are compared to responses to expected and control questions (i.e., questions to which a liar also must respond truthfully). Parameters that encode mouse movement were analyzed using machine learning classifiers and the results indicate that the mouse trajectories and errors on unexpected questions efficiently distinguish liars from truth-tellers. Furthermore, we showed that liars may be identified also when they are responding truthfully. Unexpected questions combined with the analysis of mouse movement may efficiently spot participants with faked identities without the need for any prior information on the examinee.

The Persuasive Effect of Social Network Feedback on Mediated Communication: A Case Study in a Real Organization.

This study focuses on social feedback, namely on information on the outcome of users' online activity indirectly generated by other users, and investigates in a real setting whether it can affect subsequent activity and, if so, whether participants are aware of that. SkyPas, an application that calculates, transmits, and displays social feedback, was embedded in a common instant messaging service (Skype(™)) and used during a 7-week trial by 24 office workers at a large business organization. The trial followed an ABA scheme in which the B phase was the feedback provision phase. Results show that social feedback affects users' communication activity (participation, inward communication, outward communication, and reciprocity), sometimes even after the feedback provision phase. At the same time, users were poorly aware of this effect, showing a discrepancy between self-reported and observational measures. These results are then discussed in terms of design transparency and task compatibility.

Evaluating User Experience of Augmented Reality Eyeglasses.

Augmented reality based applications have been experimented with in various contexts. Typically, the interaction is supported by handled devices, which, in specific scenarios, may hinder the interaction and spoil the experience of use, as the user is forced to hold the device and to keep her eyes on it at all times. The recent launch on the market of light-weight, unobtrusive head-mounted displays may change this circumstance. Nevertheless, investigations are needed to understand if such head-worn devices effectively outperform handheld devices in terms of comfort and pleasant experience of use. Here we present two experiments aimed at assessing the comfort of wearing a head-worn, see-through AR viewer in both a controlled and a natural setting. Besides the comfort of wearing the device, aspects related to the user experience were also investigated in the field evaluation. Our findings suggest that the head-mounted display examined is comfortable to wear regardless of the context of use. Interestingly in the field trails, participants did not express concern for the impression they would have made on other people and the experience of use was overall pleasant. Possible issues related to visual fatigue emerged.

Rehabilitation Tool: A Pilot Study On A New Neuropsychological Interactive Training System.

Over the past 20 years, research has led to the development of new technologies to improve the quality of life of brain-damaged user. Introduction of new neuropsychological rehabilitation tools based both on the new knowledge on brain plasticity and on the latest developments in computer sciences is both necessary and scientifically challenging for health professionals, particularly neuropsychologists. Here we present a pilot study in which the use of a new Apple

Test-retest consistency of Virtual Week: A task to investigate prospective memory.

The present study reports test-retest consistency of Virtual Week, a well-known measure of prospective memory (PM) performance. PM is the memory associated with carrying out actions at a specific moment in the future. Patients with neurological disorders as well as healthy older adults often report PM dysfunctions that affect their everyday living. In Experiment 1, 19 younger and 20 older adults undertook the standard version of Virtual Week (version A). Older adults showed lower performance compared to younger participants. However, the discrepancy between groups was eliminated at retest. Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate if remembering of PM content determined the improvement observed in older adults at retest in Experiment 1. To this end we created a parallel version (version B) in which we varied the content of the PM actions. Fifty older adults were assigned to one of the two experimental conditions: Version A at test and version B at retest or vice versa (25 participants in each condition). Results showed no group differences in PM performance between version A and version B; moreover, no effect of test-retest was found. The study confirmed that Virtual Week is a reliable measure of PM performance and also provided a new parallel version that can be useful in clinical setting.

Designing a serious game for in-field interventions to promote nightlife well-being.

Nightlife well-being interventions, although much needed, face several challenges related to the specificity of the context addressed. We argue that a game-facilitated intervention helps with facing these challenges. The characteristics of a game developed to this goal and the results of user tests conducted in situ are presented.