Invited talk at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan) about user needs in wearable computing

I gave a talk about user needs in wearable computing at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan) on 04 October 2007 during the 10th Horizons for Information Societies seminar, which was dedicated to ubiquitous computing.

My 45-minutes talk entitled "Needs in Wearable Computing: a User-centred Approach" was a subset of the talk I gave at 연세대학교 (Yonsei university) in 서울 (Seoul, South Korea) on 07 September 2007, which was about the general public's needs in ubiquitous computing.

Several questions from attendees dealt with the universality and completeness of Maslow's theories as a base for my work. Maslow's hierarchical organization of basic needs (physhiology, safety, belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualisation) has been investigated in several cultures, which hinted at a certain universality of his theories. However, people's priorities may not match his model, for example when a person's salient needs are related to belongingness whereas safety needs have not yet been gratified, or when a person gives her life willingly due to value choices (e.g. martyrdom). In the first case, the person is recognized as mentally ill, and in the second case as somebody potentially exceptional. Finally, Maslow did not consider in details what he called unmotivated needs, related to e.g. aesthetics and entertainment. For this, complementary models are required.

Finally, one attendee asked about the industrial impact of my findings. I explained that so far I had taken few successful contacts with Japanese researchers and industrials. However, my worked seemed useful to some Korean researchers interested in the creation of smart clothes, who may select the services to create and their design based on my findings.

One remark about my presentation was that I had not shown clearly that my conclusions particularly apply to wearables. One solution is to make similar analyses applied to intelligent environments, and highlight the differences, which are bound to exist because (1) wearables are used by only one user, (2) wearables can potentially acquire physiological information through direct contact with the body, (3) wearables have limited resources, notably in energy.

Publication #16 - 基本欲求を満たすウェアラブル・コンピュータ：子供と高齢者の特徴 (Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Specificities of Young People and Older Adults)

My 4-pages paper "基本欲求を満たすウェアラブル・コンピュータ：子供と高齢者の特徴" ("Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Specificities of Young People and Older Adults") written with 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) was published at the 日本バーチャルリアリティ学会第12回大会 (12^th annual conference of the Virtual Reality Society of Japan) the 21 September 2007 (see post on VRSJ大会 2007).

Abstract: Young people and older adults have specific needs reflected by their growth and decline, activities and use of technology. First, we briefly present their cognitive, physical, and sensory characteristics. Then, based on impacts on fundamental needs, we discuss dedicated systems that exploit wearable computers, and the proper design of such systems. Our most significant contribution is to provide the first overview of age-related specific needs in wearable computing.

Publication: <http://horizons.free.fr/home/documents/publications/2007-09-21_vrsj_needs-wearable-young-older.pdf>

Co-author: 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) obtained his Ph.D. of engineering in Japan from the electric engineering section of 東京大学 (University of Tokyo). He is currently professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).

日本バーチャルリアリティ学会第12回大会 (12th annual conference of the Virtual Reality Society of Japan) in 福岡 (Fukuoka, Japan), 19-21 September 2007

The 日本バーチャルリアリティ学会 (Virtual Reality Society of Japan) organized its 12^th annual conference in 福岡 (Fukuoka, Japan) between the 19 and 21 September 2007. My talk "基本欲求を満たすウェアラブル・コンピュータ：子供と高齢者の特徴" ("Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Specificities of Young People and Older Adults") occurred during the session on wearable computing.

After my 10-minutes talk, the chairman asked me to discuss the importance of psychology in wearable computing. This request was pertinent because Japanese research usually focuses on wearable technologies without considering broad issues related to human factors. I indicated that psychology, culture, and age considerations are critical for the creation of wearables suited to the general public, and for the adoption of the technologies. One could ignore this point, develop technologies and wait for somebody else to properly exploit them but this has several drawbacks: (1) nobody may do the proper work because our wearable community is quite small, (2) some features may conflict with human needs and may be difficult to correct afterwards, (3) delays in technological adoption limits potential users' benefits and inventor's financial benefits.

Before finishing, a researcher working on head-mounted displays asked: "How shall we prepare our experiments with children?". I indicated that this is a thorny issue because experiments with children raise ethical problems: our experiments may negatively affect children's health or development due to our ignorance regarding human development from birth to adulthood. Therefore we should at least work with experienced and authorized psychologists and medical doctors.

Read the post "Publication #16" for details about the publication. An overview of my work on young people and older adults was presented two weeks before during a seminar (see related post) at 연세대학교 (Yonsei university) in 서울 (Seoul, South Korea). Details about the specificities of older adults were published in France in April (Publication #12), and details about young people will be presented in South Korea in November (Publication #17).

The conference went on finely and I could benefit from a tour of 九州大学大橋キャンパス (campus Oohashi of Kyushu university). I was particularly impressed by the 環境適応研究実験施設 (research center for human environmental adaptation), which was created to clarify the conditions for healthy and comfortable living environments, with a focus on human environmental adaptability. Its 744m² building contains: (1) an hyperbaric & hypobaric chamber to simulate deep sea and high altitude air pressure, (2) an illumination chamber to test feelings about light and its impact on e.g. the biological clock, (3) a combined factor chamber with control over air temperature, air humidity and air velocity, (4) a thermal chamber to simulate cold places, (5) a living environment chamber with a bathroom, kitchen and toilets but without windows and clocks, (6) a water immersion chamber, and (7) a thermal radiation chamber. The knowledge gathered by this center as well as the potential for experiments are particularly suited to the development of wearable computers and intelligent environments dedicated to the improvement of the general public's quality of life.

Finally, I discussed with 佐藤 誠 (SATO Makoto), who was my supervisor at 東京工業大学 (Tokyo Institute of Technology) in 2002, and who is still developing haptic systems such as the SPIDAR.

Publication #15 - Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Constraints on Features & Universal Access

My 6-pages paper "Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Constraints on Features & Universal Access" written with 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) was published at the 10^th IFAC symposium on Human-Machine Systems the 4 September 2007 (see post on HMS 2007).

Abstract: The creation of wearable systems should take into account human fundamental needs and diversity as well as ecological settings but they are often neglected in favour of core functions. To guide further research and development, we present and discuss issues related to the variety and evolution of human characteristics, psycho-social needs, fashion, legal frames, interactions between technologies, and physical environments. These elements highlight critical assumptions as well as constraints imposed on the features of wearable computers, and on universal access.

Publication: <http://horizons.free.fr/home/documents/publications/2007-09-04_hms_needs-wearable-constraints-access.pdf>

Co-author: 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) obtained his Ph.D. of engineering in Japan from the electric engineering section of 東京大学 (University of Tokyo). He is currently professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).

10th IFAC symposium on Human-Machine Systems in 서울 (Seoul, South Korea), 4-6 September 2007

The International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) successfully organized the 10^th international symposium on Analysis, Design, and Evaluation of Human-Machine Systems in 서울 (Seoul, South Korea) between the 4 and 6 September 2007. My talk "Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Constraints on Features & Universal Access" occurred during the first session on interface design.

My 15-minutes talk went well and I was just asked one question at the end: "Are you developing a system based on this work?". The answer was yes: we are developing a system for bonding and support within the family. This system should deepen our understanding of human needs in ubiquitous computing, and hopefully validate more strongly the work done so far. Read the post "Publication #15" for details about the publication.

The conference was well-managed every day: the talks were properly selected, most speakers were present, excellent lunches and dinners were included, and a Korean-style show with music and songs gave a charming touch to the banquet.

I met a few interesting people including a South Korean psychologist working for 웅진코웨이 (WoongJin Coway), who was interested in the implications of my research for the design of robots for the general public. We may discuss this more deeply during my next visit.

Publication #12 - Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Specificities for the Third Age

My 4-pages paper "Fundamental Needs in Wearable Computing: Specificities for the Third Age" written with 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) was published at the 9^th Virtual Reality International Conference (aka Laval Virtual) the 19 April 2007.

Abstract: Older adults have specific needs reflected by their everyday activities and use of technology. We briefly present elders' cognitive, physical, and sensory characteristics, then describe their impact on fundamental needs. Based on this information, we discuss dedicated services that exploit wearable computers, and the proper design of such systems. Our most significant contribution is to provide the first overview of third age persons' specific needs in wearable computing.

Publication: <http://horizons.free.fr/home/documents/publications/2007-04-19_vric_wearable-third-age.pdf>

Co-author: 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) obtained his Ph.D. of engineering in Japan from the electric engineering section of 東京大学 (University of Tokyo). He is currently professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).

Publication #8 - First evaluation of enhanced jackets' potential to support first encounters with photo slideshows and emotional displays

My 10-pages paper "First evaluation of enhanced jackets' potential to support first encounters with photo slideshows and emotional displays" written with 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) and ANDRES Frédéric was published at the 8^th Virtual Reality International Conference (aka Laval Virtual) the 27 April 2006.

Abstract: We evaluate here the potential and interest of enhanced jackets to support first encounters, based on the automatic generation of photo slideshows, and on emotional displays. Based on social investigations in France and Japan in 2005, we developed a prototype and service that store personal data, process information about context and interlocutors, display photos and comments on the chest and in the back, and evaluate arousal with physiological sensors. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations demonstrate the interest of the system, the impact of first experiences with it on users, and the difficulty to design trusted emotional displays. Finally, we discuss improvements of the system, and propose three guidelines to design social wearables.

Publication: <http://horizons.free.fr/home/documents/publications/2006-04-27_fr_vric_first-eval-jacket-comm.pdf>

Co-author 1: 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) obtained his Ph.D. of engineering in Japan from the electric engineering section of 東京大学 (University of Tokyo). He is currently professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).

Co-author 2: ANDRES Frédéric obtained his Ph.D. of computer science in France at Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, Paris 6 (University Pierre and Marie Curie, PARIS 6). He is currently associate professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).

Publication #6 - Satisfying Fundamental Needs with Wearables: Focus on Face-To-Face Communication

My 10-pages paper "Satisfying Fundamental Needs with Wearables: Focus on Face-To-Face Communication" written with 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) was published in the Transactions of The Virtual Reality Society of Japan in December 2005.

Abstract (Japanese): ウェアラブルコンピュータを活用することで、利用者の生活の質を改善できると期待されているものの、まだ必ずしも一般に広く受け入れられるには至っていない。本論文ではその原因を解明するため、マスローによる人間の基本要求階層を応用することを試みる。本理論を活用することで、一般人に受容されうるウェアラブルコンピュータの特性を解明できる、というのが筆者らの仮説である。そこから導かれるのは人間の基本的要求を満足するウェアラブルコンピュータのコンセプトであり、筆者らはそれをサイバークローズと呼ぶことにする。第一次のアンケート調査を行ない、このコンセプトにより基本要求階層のうち生理レベルと安全性レベルの要求を満たしうることを確認した。しかし社会的帰属レベルについては必ずしも明確な結果を得られなかった。この調査結果をより明確にし、かつ仮説の妥当性を検証するため、プロトタイプ機を製作し実験を行っている。特に初対面での自己紹介に応用する局面について、この実験を紹介した。

Abstract (English): Wearable computers can improve people's quality of life but have not been adopted widely yet. In this paper, we investigate the possible contribution of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Our working hypothesis is that Maslow's theory can be used to foster the adoption of wearables by the general public. Accordingly, we present the concept of cyberclothes, defined to fulfill human fundamental needs. Carrying out investigations with questionnaires, we provide a first confirmation of our theory for physiological and safety needs. However, we obtain mixed results for belonging needs. In order to clarify these results and validate further our hypothesis, we developed a prototype and services focusing on communication in a face-to-face first contact setting.

Publication: <http://horizons.free.fr/home/documents/publications/2005-12_transacvrsj_satisfy-needs-focus-ftf.pdf>

Co-author: 橋爪宏達 (HASHIZUME Hiromichi) obtained his Ph.D. of engineering in Japan from the electric engineering section of 東京大学 (University of Tokyo). He is currently professor at 国立情報学研究所 (National Institute of Informatics) in 東京 (Tokyo, Japan).