The Games Institute is coordinating with the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology at the University of Waterloo to host a guest lecture by John Muñoz from the Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute in Portugal on Tuesday, December 4th 2018.
This talk is free and open to all
Physiological sensing in games and VR: From user research to biocybernetic adaptation
Abstract: Overall, physiological sensing has been extensively used as a passive technique to record human responses while interacting with videogames and VR applications. However, those signals have been also utilized either to extend the communication pathways for interfacing the nervous system with the virtual environments or to augment the interaction by means of modulating game variables in response to any detected human state (biocybernetic adaptation). For instance, cardio-adaptive exercise games (Exergames) can use real-time heart rate measurements to persuade older players to exert in recommended levels, thus avoiding risks and maximizing exercise benefits. In this talk, we will discuss the use of physiological sensing from a game-user research perspective, moving towards a more active use of it as input into games and VR applications and showing biocybernetic systems that augment exercise, rehab and neuro-rehab activities based on serious games for health.
Date: Thursday, December 4th, 2018
Time: 2:30 PM
Where: The Games Institute, EC1, Room 1323 (Collaboration Space)
Biography of the Guest Speaker:
John
Muñoz is
a
PhD
student
in
Human-Computer
Interaction
at NeuroRehabLab in
the
Madeira
Interactive
Technologies
Institute,
Portugal.
He
has
been
studying
the
use
of
physiological
signals
to
foster
health
benefits
while
interacting
with
serious
games.
He
has
designed
and
co-developed
a
dozen
videogames
ced
with
physiological
sensors
such
as
brain-computer
interfaces
(BCI),
heart
rate
monitors,
depth
cams,
and
wearable
electromyography
armbands
as
well
as
a
set
of
software
tools
that
to
promote
the
synergy
between
physiological
computing
and
gaming.
His
research
interests
cover
physiological
computing,
biocybernetic
adaptation,
game
user
research,
serious
games
for
health
and
virtual
reality
applications.
He
will
join
the Intelligent
Technologies
for
Wellness
and
Independent
Living
Lab at
the
University
of
Waterloo
as
a
postdoctoral
researcher
at
the
end
of
2018.