Using Music as a Signal for Biofeedback
Authors: Bergstrom I, Seinfeld S, Arroyo-Palacios J, Slater M, Sanchez-Vives MVAbstract. Studies on the potential benefits of conveying biofeedback stimulus using a musical signal have appeared in recent years with the intent of harnessing the strong effects that music listening may have on subjects. While results are encouraging, the fundamental question has yet to be addressed, of how combined music and biofeedback compares to the already established use of either of these elements separately. This experiment, involving young adults (N=24), compared the effectiveness at modulating participants' states of physiological ar...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - May 26, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Biofeedback & neurofeedback Source Type: blogs
Application of alpha/theta neurofeedback and heart rate variability training to young contemporary dancers: State anxiety and creativity.
Authors: Gruzelier JH, Thompson T, Redding E, Brandt R, Steffert T Abstract. As one in a series on the impact of EEG-neurofeedback in the performing arts, we set out to replicate a previous dance study in which alpha/theta (A/T) neurofeedback and heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback enhanced performance in competitive ballroom dancers compared with controls. First year contemporary dance conservatoire students were randomised to the same two psychophysiological interventions or a choreology instruction comparison group or a no-training control group. While there was demonstrable neurofeedback learning, there was no imp...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - May 26, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Biofeedback & neurofeedback Source Type: blogs
New LinkedIn group on Positive Technology
Are you interested in Positive Technology? Then come and join us on LinkedIn! Our new group is the place to share expertise and brilliant ideas on positive applications of technology! (Source: Positive Technology Journal)
Source: Positive Technology Journal - May 24, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Positive Technology events Source Type: blogs
An app for the mind
With the rapid adoption of mobile technologies and the proliferation of smartphones, new opportunities are emerging for the delivery of mental health services. And indeed, psychologists are starting to realize this potential: a recent survey by Luxton and coll. (2011) identified over 200 smartphone apps focused on behavioral health, covering a wide range of disorders, including developmental disorders, cognitive disorders, substance-related disorders as well as psychotic and mood disorders. These applications are used in behavioral health for several purposes, the most common of which are health education, assessment, home...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - May 6, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Cybertherapy Self-Tracking Wearable & mobile Source Type: blogs
Humanoid Robots Being Studied for Autism Therapy
Via MedGadgetResearchers at Vanderbilt University are studying the potential benefits of using human-looking robots as tools to help kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their communication skills. The programmable NAO robot used in the study was developed by Aldebaran Robotics out of Paris, France, and offers the ability to be part of a larger, smarter system.Though a child might feel like the pink eyed humanoid is an autonomous being, the NAO robot that the team is using is actually hooked up to computers and external cameras that track the kid’s movements. Using the newly developed ARIA (Adaptive...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - April 5, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: AI & robotics Cybertherapy Source Type: blogs
Is virtual reality always an effective stressors for exposure treatments? Some insights from a controlled trial
.BMC psychiatry, 13(1) p. 52, 2013Federica Pallavicini, Pietro Cipresso, Simona Raspelli, Alessandra Grassi, Silvia Serino, Cinzia Vigna, Stefano Triberti, Marco Villamira, Andrea Gaggioli, Giuseppe RivaAbstract. Several research studies investigating the effectiveness of the different treatments have demonstrated that exposure-based therapies are more suitable and effective than others for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Traditionally, exposure may be achieved in two manners: in vivo, with direct contact to the stimulus, or by imagery, in the person’s imagination. However, despite its effectiveness, both types of ex...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 11, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Cybertherapy Research tools Virtual worlds Source Type: blogs
Permanently implanted neuromuscolar electrodes allow natural control of a robotic prosthesis
Source: Chalmers University of Technology For the first time, a surgical team led by Dr Rickard Brånemark, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, has carried out the first operation of its kind, where neuromuscular electrodes that enable a prosthetic arm and hand to be controlled by thought have been permanently implanted into the nerves and muscles of an amputee.“The new technology is a major breakthrough that has many advantages over current technology, which provides very limited functionality to patients with missing limbs,” Brånemark says.Presently, robotic prostheses rely on electrodes over the skin to pic...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: AI & robotics Neurotechnology neuroinformatics Source Type: blogs
Kibo space robot underwent zero gravity testing
Via GizmagThe Japanese communication robot destined to join the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) this summer recently underwent some zero gravity testing. The Kibo Robot Project, organized by Dentsu Inc. in response to a proposal made by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, unveiled the final design of its diminutive humanoid robot and its Earthbound counterpart.Watch the video: (Source: Positive Technology Journal)
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: AI & robotics Source Type: blogs
Call for papers - International Workshop on Intelligent Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion
1st International Workshop on Intelligent Digital Games for Empowerment and InclusionWebsite: http://idgei.fdg2013.org/ 14 May 2013, Chania, Crete, Greece chaired by Björn Schuller, Lucas Paletta, Nicolas Sabouret Paper submission deadline: 11 March 2013 Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion possess the potential to change our society in a most positive way by preparing selected groups in a playful and fun way for their everyday life’s social and special situations. Exemplary domains span as far as from children with Autism Spectrum Condition to young adults preparing for their first job interviews or migrant...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Positive Technology events Serious games Source Type: blogs
Brain-to-brain communication between rats achieved
From Duke Medicine News and CommunicationsResearchers at Duke University Medical Center in the US report in the February 28, 2013 issue of Scientific Reports the successful wiring together of sensory areas in the brains of two rats. The result of the experiment is that one rat will respond to the experiences to which the other is exposed.The results of these projects suggest the future potential for linking multiple brains to form what the research team is calling an "organic computer," which could allow sharing of motor and sensory information among groups of animals."Our previous studies with brain-machine interfaces had...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Brain-computer interface Future interfaces Source Type: blogs
2nd Summer School on Human Computer Confluence
Date: 17th, 18th and 19th July 2013Venue: IRCAM Location: Paris, France Website: http://www.ircam.fr/The 2nd HCC summer school aims to share scientific knowledge and experience among participants, enhance and stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue as well as provide further opportunities for co-operation within the study domains of Human Computer Confluence.The topics of the summer school will be framed around the following issues: • re-experience yourself, • experience being others, • experience being together in more powerful ways, • experience other environments, • experience new senses, • experience abstract ...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - March 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Future interfaces Positive Technology events Source Type: blogs
Social sciences get into the Cloud
Scientific disciplines are usually classified in two broad categories: natural sciences and social sciences. Natural sciences investigate the physical, chemical and biological aspects of Earth, the Universe and the life forms that inhabit it. Social sciences (also defined human sciences) focus on the origin and development of human beings, societies, institutions, social relationships etc. Natural sciences are often regarded as “hard” research disciplines, because they are based on precise numeric predictions about experimental data. Social sciences, on the other hand, are seen as “soft” because they tend to rely o...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - February 8, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Research tools Science 2.0 Source Type: blogs
IEEE Special Issue: Technologies for Affect and Wellbeing
Technologies for Affect and Wellbeing- Special Issue of theIEEE Transaction on Affective Computing. Guest Editors Rafael A. Calvo (The University of Sydney) Giuseppe Riva (ICE-NET Lab- Universitta Catolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan Italy) Christine Lisetti (Florida International University) Background and Motivation There is an increased interest in using computer interaction to detect and support users’ physical and psychological wellbeing. Computers can afford multiple forms of transformational experiences. Some of these experiences can be purposely designed to, for example, detect and regulate students’ affectiv...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - February 8, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Call for papers Positive Technology events Source Type: blogs
The Human Brain Project awarded $1.6 billion by the EU
At the end of January, the European Commission has officially announced the selection of the Human Brain Project (HBP) as one of its two FET Flagship projects. Federating more than 80 European and international research institutions, the Human Brain Project is planned to last ten years (2013-2023). The cost is estimated at 1.19 billion euros.The project is the first attempt to “reconstruct the brain piece by piece and building a virtual brain in a supercomputer”. Lead by neuroscientist Henry Markram, the project was launched in 2005 as a joint research initiative between the Brain Mind Institute at the École Polytechn...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - February 8, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Neurotechnology & neuroinformatics Research institutions funding opportunities Research tools Source Type: blogs
