Paper Reading #26: Embodiment in brain-computer interaction

Embodiment in brain-computer interaction

Chi '11

By:
Kenton O'Hara, Abigail Sellen, and Richard Harper.

• Kenton O'Hara is currently a senior researcher at Microsoft Research.
• Abigail Sellen is currently a principal researcher at Microsoft Research and holds a PhD in CS from the University of California, San Diego.
• Richard Harper is currently a principal researcher at Microsoft Research and holds a PhD in CS from Manchester.

Summary
Hypothesis
The authors of this paper attempt to study ways of brain and full body interaction with computers.

Methods
The study was tested using MindFlex, a game that paired with an EEC measure brain activity and controls a fan's speed accordingly. High brain activity results in a greater fan speed and reduced brain activity results in a lower fan speed. Participants were asked to play this game in a relaxed setting and record their game play. This game play was analysed and based on the bodily reactions (gestures, facial and bodily features, audible words) combined with the reaction of the fan allowed scientists to gain a better idea of how things worked. They were able to better describe visible reactions and its relation to brain activity.

Results
Body reactions had a great correlation with task at hand. Tasks requiring concentration resulted in actions such as hunching over or clenching of fists. It was noticed that players gave a certain amount of instructions which exceeded the games requirement and the relation of that to performance.

Contents
The paper spends a fair bit of time listing the need to superior understanding of the human mind and the body's role in affecting and supporting it. Then it describes the testing phrase and further the results of this testing phase the relationships discovered by the researchers and its effects.

Discussion
A rather dull paper to read. While I certainly appreciate the attempt to take computing to a new level and the logical leap from here to ubiquitous computing, this was still a pain to read. A highly intriguing topic, just very poorly and dully written.