Positive Technology Journal

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2005;117:218-222

Authors: Crosbie J, McDonough S, Lennon S, McNeill M

Virtual reality (VR) provides a three-dimensional computer representation of a real world or imaginary space through which a person can navigate and interact with objects to carry out specific tasks. One novel application of VR technology is in rehabilitation following stroke, particularly of the upper limb. This paper describes the development of a VR system for use in this field. This system gives the user the ability to interact with objects by touching, grasping and moving their upper limb.

IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2005 Nov-Dec;11(6):611-3

Authors: Burdea GC, Lin MC, Ribarsky W, Watson B

 

IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2005 Nov-Dec;11(6):706-21

Authors: Nguyen TH, Qui TC, Xu K, Cheok AD, Teo SL, Zhou Z, Mallawaarachchi A, Lee SP, Liu W, Teo HS, Thang le N, Li Y, Kato H

A real-time system for capturing humans in 3D and placing them into a mixed reality environment is presented in this paper. The subject is captured by nine cameras surrounding her. Looking through a head-mounted-display with a camera in front pointing at a marker, the user can see the 3D image of this subject overlaid onto a mixed reality scene. The 3D images of the subject viewed from this viewpoint are constructed using a robust and fast shape-from-silhouette algorithm. The paper also presents several techniques to produce good quality and speed up the whole system. The frame rate of our system is around 25 fps using only standard Intel processor-based personal computers. Besides a remote live 3D conferencing and collaborating system, we also describe an application of the system in art and entertainment, named Magic Land, which is a mixed reality environment where captured avatars of human and 3D computer generated virtual animations can form an interactive story and play with each other. This system demonstrates many technologies in human computer interaction: mixed reality, tangible interaction, and 3D communication. The result of the user study not only emphasizes the benefits, but also addresses some issues of these technologies.

Cortical reorganization and associated functional motor recovery after virtual reality in patients with chronic stroke: an experimenter-blind preliminary study

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Nov;86(11):2218-23

Authors: Jang SH, You SH, Hallett M, Cho YW, Park CM, Cho SH, Lee HY, Kim TH

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2005 Nov;17(11):1744-52

Authors: Morris JP, Pelphrey KA, McCarthy G

Abstract. We investigated the necessity of biological motion for activation of the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in circumstances in which the rapid approach of the observer to a virtual human induced the observer to make inferences about the characters intentions. Using a virtual reality environment, subjects experienced themselves walking towards a complex scene composed of animate and/or inanimate objects. During "person" trials, the scene contained a virtual human either making a simple gesture such as scratching his face (Study 1) or standing completely still (Study 2). During "object" trials, the scenes contained items such as furniture, a face portrait, and a clock, but not the virtual human. Using functional MRI to measure brain activity, we demonstrated strong activity in the pSTS while the observer approached the social scene, but only when the virtual human was making gestures. This result emphasizes the importance of biological motion in inferring the intentions of others.

Via Networked performance

eMoto is a mobile messaging service for sending and receiving affective messages. The application extends on both the input and output channels when sending text messages between mobile phones. The aim is to convey more of the emotional content through the very narrow channel that a text message otherwise provides. Emotional communication between people meeting physically in the "real world" make use of many different channels, such as facial expression, body posture, gestures, or tone of voice, little of this physicality of emotions is used in a similar digital context. In eMoto users therefore use affective gestures to convey the emotional content of their messages which are then translated and communicated in colors, shapes and animations.

A study recently published by Andersson and co-workers in British Journal of Psychiatry has found that psychological treatment for depression, delivered over the internet, is reliable and effective.
117 people with mild to moderate depression who met a number of inclusion criteria were included in this randomised controlled trial. The majority came from smaller cities, villages and places outside the larger cities (where university clinics are usually based). 36 participants in the treatment group and 49 in the control group completed post-treatment measures. In total the rate of withdrawal from the programme was 27%. The main reason given was that the treatment was too demanding. Thus the rates of withdrawal differed between the treatment group (37%) and the control group (18%).

It was found that the active treatment, which included standard cognitive-behavioural approaches and behavioural changes, resulted in decreased depressive symptoms immediately after treatment and at the six-month follow-up. There were also benefits in terms of anxiety symptoms and quality of life.

Reference

Andersson G, Bergstrom J, Hollandare F, Carlbring P, Kaldo V and Ekselius L (2005) Internet based self-help for depression: randomised controlled trial, British Journal of Psychiatry, 187, 456-461.