Biosensing and Actuation-Platforms Coupling Body Input-Output Modalities for Affective Technologies.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Affective Computing
• Mental Health Technology

Background:

• Ubiquitous technologies, tracking systems, and wearables are increasingly used in mental health research.
• Affective technologies have matured, attracting interdisciplinary interest, yet effectively integrating movement and bodily experience remains a challenge.
• The connection between movement, bodily experience, and affective states is established, but technological applications are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To remodel affective technologies for enhanced body and emotional self-awareness.
• To explore novel interactions by combining biosensing with bodily engagement and aesthetic experiences.
• To introduce and define the concept of 'orchestration' in designing affective technology interactions.

Main Methods:

• Overview of standard biosignals in low-cost physiological monitoring.
• Matching biosignals with interaction design methods for bodily engagement.
• Utilizing 'first-person soma design' to create novel sensor-actuator couplings for affective health.

Main Results:

• Development of design toolkits enabling rich embodied interactions.
• Introduction of 'orchestration' as a framework for designing affective technology interactions.
• Elicitation of requirements for broader orchestration mechanisms through prototype development.

Conclusions:

• First-person soma design offers new perspectives on interpreting and experiencing biodata.
• Combining biosensing with body feedback through orchestration creates novel opportunities for affective technologies.
• This approach reshapes affective technologies, enhancing user interpretation, feeling, understanding, and reflection on bodily and emotional experiences.