Paper Reading #27: Sensing cognitive multitasking for a brain-based adaptive user interface

Sensing cognitive multitasking for a brain-based adaptive user interface

Chi '11

By:
Erin Treacy Solov, Francine Laloosesis, Krysta Chauncey, Douglas Weaver, Margarita Parasi, Angelo Sassaroli, Sergio Fantini, Paul Schermerhorn, Audrey Girouard, and Robert Jacob.

• Erin Treacy Solov is currently a Post Doctoral fellow at MIT.
• Francine Laloosesis is currently a PhD student at Tufts University.
• Krysta Chauncey is currently a Post Doctoral resarcher at Tufts
• Douglas Weaver has a doctorate from Tufts University.
• Margarita Parasi is currently a Masters student at Tufts University.
• Angelo Sassaroli is currently a research assistant Professor at Tufts University. He also holds a PhD from University of Electro-Communication.
• Sergio Fantini is currently a Professor at Tufts University in the department of Biomedical Engineering.
• Paul Schermerhorn is currently a post doctoral researcher at Tufts University and was previously at Indiana University.
• Audrey Girouard is currently an assistant Professor at Queen's University and holds a PhD from Tufts University.
• Robert Jacob is currently a Professor at Tufts University.

Summary
Hypothesis
The researchers aim to work on a device that can recognise cognitive multitasking tasks and help humans with their completion.

Methods
In the first experiment the participants were asked to interact with a simulated robot on Mars that was collecting and sorting rocks. Based upon the classification data was taken in relation to delay, dual tasking and branching. In the second experiment they attempted to work more specifically with branching tasks to see whether they could more specifically distinguish between random branches and predictive branches. Then they repeated the first experiment except this time with only two experimental states.

Results
Statistical analysis done to the results of the first experiment involving all variables showed significant response time between delay and dual along with delay and branching. There were however no strong correlations and therefore no learning curve was discovered. Statistical analysis to the second experiment showed absolutely no significant relationships found between any of the variables. Furthermore there were absolutely no correlations found between any of the variables.

Contents
The paper describes the objective and then the studies done to get data to attain that objective. Their attempts to asses cognitive multitasking to allow for human-robot interaction is chronicled. It connects current research to some related works and attempts to expand upon pre-existing research.

Discussion
While the scientists were unable to completely fulfil their hypothesis, they did make considerable progress in certain direction allowing for future research in the area. Their testing and research was exceptionally and thorough and thus any further work based upon this research is being build upon a solid foundation.