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Attention Regulation Framework: Designing Self-Regulated Mindfulness Technologies
Abstract
Mindfulness practices are well-known for their benefits to mental and physical well-being. Given the prevalence of smartphones, mindfulness applications have attracted growing global interest. However, the majority of existing applications use guided meditation that is not adaptable to each user's unique needs or pace. This article proposes a novel framework called Attention Regulation Framework (ARF), which studies how more flexible and adaptable mindfulness applications could be designed, beyond guided meditation and toward self-regulated meditation. ARF proposes mindfulness interaction design guidelines and interfaces whereby practitioners naturally and constantly bring their attention back to the present moment and develop non-judgmental awareness. This is achieved by the performance of subtle movements, which are supported by non-intrusive detection-feedback mechanisms. We used two design cases to demonstrate ARF in static and kinetic meditation conditions. We conducted four user evaluation studies in unique situations where ARF is particularly effective, vis-à-vis mindfulness practice in busy environments and mindfulness interfaces that adapt to the pace of the user. The studies show that the design cases, compared with guided meditation applications, are more effective in improving attention, mindfulness, mood, well-being, and physical balance. Our work contributes to the development of self-regulated mindfulness technologies.
... benefits of kinetic meditation (e.g., Tai Chi, Yoga, walking meditation) practices. With the development of interactive technology, many studies have explored kinetic meditation in sitting [23,112,113] or walking [22,44,56,88] environments using virtual reality devices or mindfulness-based mobile applications. However, there has been limited study on running meditation, a relatively new form of meditation practice. ...
... Running meditation represents a novel fusion of physical exercise and meditation practice [95,107,143]. Furthermore, previous studies [96,112,114] suggest that incorporating meditation into physical activities, such as running, has the potential to address modern life stresses and enhance our understanding of mental health, particularly within the context of interactive meditation technologies. ...
... Our study tackles three key design challenges in the development and evaluation of an adaptive sound system for running meditation. These challenges are derived from a synthesis of prior work in both running dynamics and interactive meditation techniques [31,63,109,110,112,119]. ...
Running has emerged as an alternative to traditional meditation practices that involve sitting with closed eyes. The rhythmic nature of running establishes a connection between mind and body to promote mindfulness and improve the overall experience and benefits of running. The use of technology-supported meditation is gaining attention in the fields of mental and physical wellness. However, existing meditation technologies primarily focus on one-way stimuli for sitting or walking meditation, with little emphasis on adaptive design and development for running meditation. To address this issue, we present the design framework and system development of RunMe, an adaptive sound system specifically designed for running meditation. RunMe integrates stimulation and regulation mechanisms to enhance adaptive data interactions between the sounds and runners’ biodata. We compared the significance of the RunMe group with three other groups: use of non-adaptive sound, use of favorite music and use of no music/sound. The results show that the RunMe group outperforms the other groups in attention regulation, body awareness, exercise motivation, and mindfulness. Importantly, RunMe has the potential to allow users to engage in running meditation without specialized equipment, making it accessible for daily practice. We also discuss the design framework and practical distinctions of RunMe, as well as the design implications and future directions for advancing running meditation.
... Individuals are often discouraged from incorporating these practices into their daily routines due to one or more of these factors (Hunt et al. 2020). Accordingly, researchers are evaluating new and novel techniques to improve accessibility and the outcomes of restorative and meditative interventions to increase participation by those unmotivated by traditional techniques Niksirat et al. 2019;Rupp et al. 2017). We continued in this vein by exploring the potential of virtual reality (VR) to offer innovative and accessible solutions relating to MBIs and restorative environments. ...
... A common entry point for mindfulness practitioners is focused attention meditation (FAM) which involves training the ability to sustain and monitor attention, disengage attention from distractions, and redirect attention to an intended object, body sensation, or movement (Lippelt et al. 2014;Lutz et al. 2008;Tops et al. 2014). During FAM, Feedback helps meditators to detect when attention has drifted and direct their focus back on task (Niksirat et al. 2019). This cannot be achieved using pre-defined vocal guidance only. ...
... A largely unexplored mindfulness approach is the integration of FAM with mindful movements. Mindful movements typically involve paying attention to slow, continuous, gentle bodily movements which encourage present moment awareness (Salmon et al. 2010) and induce a state of relaxation (Benson et al. 1974;Niksirat et al. 2019). When integrated with FAM, it has been suggested that mindful movements provide additional opportunities to detect mind wandering, and that physical movement can mitigate some of the incurred cognitive demands (Clark et al. 2015). ...
The restorative and mental state enhancing effects of brief mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and restorative environments such as nature has been supported in the research literature. However, regular adoption of these practices is limited by practical constraints and motivational barriers. The current study addressed these challenges by introducing two novel approaches which utilise the immersive and interactive qualities of virtual reality (VR). This included an interactive MBI and an abstract restorative environment using fractal-like imagery. These approaches were explored using a comparative evaluation of two short (6 min) VR interventions: Passive VR (applying principles from restorative interventions) and Interactive VR (implementing a focused attention form of mindfulness meditation). A mixed methods approach revealed increased state mindfulness, reduced mental fatigue, and enhanced aspects of mood (calm/relaxation, anxiety) consistently between conditions. Between group differences revealed additional benefits for cognition (focus), mood (happiness and sadness), and motivational value with the interactive intervention. The abstract environment, used in both interventions, maintained comparable levels of perceived restoration with a nature VR control condition. The results provide preliminary evidence supporting the use of interactive approaches for mindfulness interventions and abstract versions of restorative environments.
... Rhythm can be sensed, felt, and interpreted in an interaction between humans and interactive systems (Costello, 2020a(Costello, , 2020b. In interaction design, rhythm has been recognized as a crucial design element for designing promising interactive systems (Costello, 2020a;Jylh€ a et al., 2012;Niksirat et al., 2019). For instance, interaction designers are beginning to integrate rhythm as a design element or pattern into interactive systems to help users efficiently engage in tasks, such as improving rhythmic self-regulation in Parkinson's disease (Georgiou et al., 2016;Mazilu et al., 2015) and mindfulness meditation (Choi & Ishii, 2020;Niksirat et al., 2019). ...
... In interaction design, rhythm has been recognized as a crucial design element for designing promising interactive systems (Costello, 2020a;Jylh€ a et al., 2012;Niksirat et al., 2019). For instance, interaction designers are beginning to integrate rhythm as a design element or pattern into interactive systems to help users efficiently engage in tasks, such as improving rhythmic self-regulation in Parkinson's disease (Georgiou et al., 2016;Mazilu et al., 2015) and mindfulness meditation (Choi & Ishii, 2020;Niksirat et al., 2019). Rhythm began to be seen by designers as a positive design quality and is now being embedded in the design of interactive systems. ...
... interactive system design (Hommelsen et al., 2017;Noghani et al., 2023). Designers are increasingly exploring promising interactions between the detection of human rhythms within the feedback of interactive systems, such as the implementation of adaptive rhythm feedback based on users' physiological and behavioral rhythms (Niksirat et al., 2019;Zheliazkov et al., 2022). Notably, empirical summarization of rhythm qualities is beginning to inform future interactive system design across various rhythm genres (Costello, 2020a). ...
Rhythm can create a sense of structure or order, making it easier for users to understand and navigate interactive systems, thereby making user engagement more enjoyable and motivating. Recently, designers are increasingly interested in integrating rhythm into the design of interactive systems. However, the existing literature on this topic is fragmented, making it difficult for designers to find comprehensive guidance. This paper presents the first literature review of rhythm research for designing an interactive system based on the PRISMA method. Through an analysis of 59 papers based on the critical review method (e.g., research through design), we identify six research genres and provide a map to help future researchers locate their research position. Because there is currently no clear classification framework to guide designers in integrating rhythm into interactive systems, we propose a classification framework that includes six design qualities: three human rhythm-driven qualities and three computer rhythm-driven qualities based on the literature review. This classification framework provides a foundation for designers to regulate rhythm in interactive systems. In addition, we discuss emerging issues related to rhythm genres and rhythm classification framework and design qualities. We reflect on the effectiveness of our proposed framework by revisiting previous works on designing interactive systems, and provide potential directions for future research in this area. Overall, this paper aims to provide comprehensive guidance for designers who wish to integrate rhythm into the design of interactive systems, and to advance the understanding of the role of rhythm in interactive system design.
... The rest of the technologies were designed for meditation sessions (e.g., [112]), lab contexts (e.g., [132]), and craft activities (e.g., [70]) (see Figure 3). Paper examples for technologies that were designed for everyday activity [33,38,73,96,104,111,140], video games [4,17,26,67,76,77,110,137], meditation [29,86,108,112], lab context [109,124,132,133], and craft [70]. ...
... The rest of the technologies used self-report (e.g., [118,120]), behavioral input, (e.g., [26]), data about physical location (e.g., [91]), tangible interaction during interaction with a fidget [74], and body movement (e.g., [30]) (see Figure 4). [64,70,117], and body movement [30,86]. ...
... Four (4) technological interventions used abstract representations that required users to make sense of their emotional state explicitly, such as reflecting on shapes of clay [70]. Paper examples for technologies that used concrete representation [32,40,64,91,94,112], metaphoric representation [18,60,67,76,100,135], analogical representation [19,25,48,77,117,140], and abstract representation [70,86,106,111]. ...
Emotion regulation is foundational to mental health and well-being. In the last decade there has been an increasing focus on the use of interactive technologies to support emotion regulation training in a variety of contexts. However, research has been done in diverse fields and no cohesive framework exists that explicates what features of such systems are important to consider, and what remains unknown which should be explored in future research. To address this gap, this paper presents the findings of a scoping review of 65 peer-reviewed papers. Through qualitative and frequency analysis we have analyzed the quality of published research, categorized the technologies that were used, reviewed their theoretical foundations, identified the opportunities that appear to provide unique benefits, and raised the challenges that require further exploration. Based on the findings we outline sensitizing concepts and considerations that researchers and designers may find useful for future designs and research. Where there are gaps in research, we propose gateways into non-HCI disciplines that may inform the design of future technologies and research designs for emotion regulation training.
... Thus, as all mental states are based on body perceptions, the state of mindfulness as well must be body based. Niksirat et al. (2019) adopted the concept of embodied cognition to expand the framework of Salehzadeh Niksirat et al. (2017). The resulting framework includes the detection of body movements in order to assess the user's state of mindfulness, an assistance in self regulation via slow and continuous interactions, as suggested in Benson and Klipper (1975) and a variety of feedback to add to the state of mindfulness. ...
... While the above-mentioned frameworks are not specifically bound to XR interactions, Roo et al. (2017) developed a set of guidelines to support the design of XR-based mindfulness support. However, the proposed guidelines are closely related to those of Zhu et al. (2017) or Niksirat et al. (2019), with only a few guidelines specifically addressing XR-related design challenges. They too emphasize the importance of subtle guidance, while on the other side proposing the idea of challenging the user's focus via subtle distractors to train their ability to concentrate (distraction vs. guidance). ...
... They too emphasize the importance of subtle guidance, while on the other side proposing the idea of challenging the user's focus via subtle distractors to train their ability to concentrate (distraction vs. guidance). In accordance with the idea of avoiding complex, judgment-provoking stimuli in mobile-based mindfulness interaction (Salehzadeh Niksirat et al., 2017;Niksirat et al., 2019), they stress that virtual environments in XR-based mindfulness support should be kept minimal and contribute to non-judgment. Also, similarly to the more general guidelines, they highlight that XR-based mindfulness support should avoid quantified performance feedback. ...
Mindfulness is considered an important factor of an individual's subjective well-being. Consequently, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has investigated approaches that strengthen mindfulness, i.e., by inventing multimedia technologies to support mindfulness meditation. These approaches often use smartphones, tablets, or consumer-grade desktop systems to allow everyday usage in users' private lives or in the scope of organized therapies. Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality (VR, AR, MR; in short: XR) significantly extend the design space for such approaches. XR covers a wide range of potential sensory stimulation, perceptive and cognitive manipulations, content presentation, interaction, and agency. These facilities are linked to typical XR-specific perceptions that are conceptually closely related to mindfulness research, such as (virtual) presence and (virtual) embodiment. However, a successful exploitation of XR that strengthens mindfulness requires a systematic analysis of the potential interrelation and influencing mechanisms between XR technology, its properties, factors, and phenomena and existing models and theories of the construct of mindfulness.
This article reports such a systematic analysis of XR-related research from HCI and life sciences to determine the extent to which existing research frameworks on HCI and mindfulness can be applied to XR technologies, the potential of XR technologies to support mindfulness, and open research gaps. Fifty papers of ACM Digital Library and National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (PubMed) with and without empirical efficacy evaluation were included in our analysis. The results reveal that at the current time, empirical research on XR-based mindfulness support mainly focuses on therapy and therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, most of the currently investigated XR-supported mindfulness interactions are limited to vocally guided meditations within nature-inspired virtual environments. While an analysis of empirical research on those systems did not reveal differences in mindfulness compared to non-mediated mindfulness practices, various design proposals illustrate that XR has the potential to provide interactive and body-based innovations for mindfulness practice. We propose a structured approach for future work to specify and further explore the potential of XR as mindfulness-support. The resulting framework provides design guidelines for XR-based mindfulness support based on the elements and psychological mechanisms of XR interactions.
... When designing for novice practitioners on their mindfulness journey, it is critical to understand the experience of the practice. Most studies in HCI and traditional mindfulness tend to focus on experimental design and quantitative data [13,14,33,43,47,50,53,57,59,62]. While necessary, the experimental approach can limit our understanding of the quality of practitioners' experiences, particularly those who are novices. ...
... In HCI, there is a large body of work for technology interventions to support sitting meditation. Many of the related studies employ pre-and post-measurements to establish the efficacy of solutions based on outcome measures such as focus and stress [13,14,33,43,47,50,53,57,59,62]. However, there is limited qualitative investigation on the experience. ...
Mindfulness meditation is a beneficial approach to managing stress; however, establishing a practice can be difficult for novice meditators. Interactive soundscapes using brainwave data offer new avenues, yet how to design such novel interfaces is underexplored. We present Mediscape, an interactive ocean soundscape modulated by brainwave data to teach awareness of breathing to novices. Through an exploratory study with 20 participants, we collected interview and questionnaire data on their experience with Mediscape and impact on their stress and wellbeing. Findings revealed the complex nature of the meditation experience for novices, analysed as key themes of shifting state, attention, self-regulation strategy, and immersion. Preliminary design guidelines are proposed to assist designers in creating interactive soundscapes for breath-awareness meditation, through consideration of how sound can be used for rhythmic entrainment of breathing, information on the state of meditation, and the creation of immersive environments.
... Other approaches include using scent [4] or social robots [17] to influence affective states and soothe emotions through comforting somatic sensation [100,121]. The cognitive change strategy in ER is also prevalent in HCI studies, often based on therapeutic methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) [5,56,127], Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) [54,98,107], exposure therapy [89], cognitive restructuring [1,34,125], mindfulness [30,81,97,101,115,119,120], and so on. Additionally, some studies focused on the promotion of emotional awareness through self-reporting of emotions and/or through monitoring bio-signals in mobile applications [27,42,86,88] or tangible objects [62]. ...
Desk workers may often experience more negative than positive emotions in office settings, making emotion regulation (ER) crucial for their mental health. Squeezable interfaces have shown the potential to reduce anxiety and stress in digital and non-digital ER. However, few studies have explored how they can be leveraged to provide tangible and embodied support for workplace ER. We interviewed five mental health experts and 16 desk workers and conducted five co-design workshops with 17 desk workers, aiming to understand how validated practices can be integrated into squeezable interfaces and how they should be designed to support ER and accommodate diverse needs in the context of the workplace. This study contributes to digital ER by identifying design opportunities for squeezable interfaces and by outlining design considerations and challenges for tangible and embodied interactions in ER support within the workplace. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in HCI; • Social and professional topics → Socio-technical systems.
... HCI research on mindfulness has largely focused on designing, developing, and evaluating interactive technologies that facilitate mindfulness meditation [14,60,62,70,71,73,90,93]. Such interactive technologies include online mindfulness classes [41], wearables [13,40], and virtual reality environments [2,70,71]. ...
Mindfulness, a practice of bringing attention to the present non-judgmentally, has many mental and physical well-being benefits, especially when practiced consistently. Many technologies, such as mobile apps, live streams, virtual reality environments, and wearables, have been invented to support solo or group mindfulness practice. In this paper, we present findings from an interview study with 20 experienced mindfulness practitioners about their everyday mindfulness practices and technology use. Participants identify the benefits and challenges of developing long-term commitment to mindfulness practice. They employ various strategies, such as brief mindfulness exercises, social accountability, and guidance from teachers, to sustain their practice. While conflicted about technology, they adopt and appropriate a range of technologies in their practice for reminders, emotion tracking, connecting with others, and attending online sessions. They also carefully consider when to use technology, when and how to limit its use, and ways to incorporate technology as an object for mindfulness. Based on our findings, we discuss expanding the definition of mindfulness and the tension between supporting short- and long-term mindfulness practice. We also propose a set of design recommendations to support everyday mindfulness, including through the lens of metaphor, reappropriating non-mindfulness technology, and bringing community support into personal practice.
... One potential issue in the current study concerns the distinction between passive and active regulation of attention while the user engages in a creative task while walking. Some studies indicate that passive attention regulation often leads users to experience psychological tension and fatigue, while active attention regulation may increase the risk of mind wandering, especially after the completion of tasks (Eastwood et al., 2012;Niksirat et al., 2019;Thomson et al., 2015). Our user study reveals that pedestrians often experience fluctuating attention states that alternate between distraction and focus while walking. ...
Existing research has explored how walking can stimulate creativity through the rhythm of footsteps. Researchers have also studied the positive effects of various sounds on creativity and creative thinking. However, the effects and potential benefits on creativity of the combination of footsteps and sounds remain unexplored. To fill this gap, we designed a FSI framework which we call Footstep and Sound Interactions. FSI encompasses three modes - Footstep-driven Sound Stimulation (FSS), Sound-driven Footstep Regulation (SFR), and Random Footstep and Sound Interactions (RFSI). We then conducted a user study in indoor and outdoor environments which compares the effects of three FSI modes with a walking only condition. Our results indicate that: (1) The FSS mode demonstrated higher performance in body awareness and attention regulation in both indoor and outdoor environments; (2) the creativity scores of indoor participants were higher than those of outdoor participants; (3) The indoor FSS mode produced greater creativity compared to the indoor RFSI mode; (4) Participants in the indoor FSS mode showed a significant correlation between heart rate and cadence with creativity compared to other groups; etc. Based on the findings, we discuss the FSI framework, the effects of FSI related to attention and creativity in the context of the walking experience, and we also discuss design implications and future work for the investigation and development of interactive (Footstep and Sound) technologies aimed at enhancing creativity while walking.
... We focus on mindfulness as a case study, a practice increasingly recognized for its extensive benefits in improving mental health, reducing stress, improving emotional regulation, and fostering overall well-being [107,113,142,179]. A popular method of learning mindfulness is through tutorial videos. ...
Although engagement in self-directed wellness exercises typically declines over time, integrating social support such as coaching can sustain it. However, traditional forms of support are often inaccessible due to the high costs and complex coordination. Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise in providing human-like dialogues that could emulate social support. Yet, in-depth, in situ investigations of LLMs to support behavior change remain underexplored. We conducted two randomized experiments to assess the impact of LLM agents on user engagement with mindfulness exercises. First, a single-session study, involved 502 crowdworkers; second, a three-week study, included 54 participants. We explored two types of LLM agents: one providing information and another facilitating self-reflection. Both agents enhanced users' intentions to practice mindfulness. However, only the information-providing LLM, featuring a friendly persona, significantly improved engagement with the exercises. Our findings suggest that specific LLM agents may bridge the social support gap in digital health interventions.
... HCI research on mindfulness has largely focused on designing, developing, and evaluating interactive technologies that facilitate mindfulness meditation [14,58,60,68,69,71,88,91]. Such interactive technologies include online mindfulness classes [41], wearables [13,40], and virtual reality environments [2,68,69]. ...
Mindfulness, a practice of bringing attention to the present non-judgmentally, has many mental and physical well-being benefits, especially when practiced consistently. Many technologies have been invented to support solo or group mindfulness practice such as mobile apps, live streams, virtual reality environments, and wearables. In this paper, we present findings from an interview study with 20 experienced mindfulness practitioners about their everyday mindfulness practices and technology use. Participants identify the benefits and challenges of developing long-term commitment to mindfulness practice. They employ various strategies, such as brief mindfulness exercises, social accountability, and guidance from teachers, to sustain their practice. While conflicted about technology, they adopt and appropriate a range of technologies in their practice for reminders, emotion tracking, connecting with others, and attending online sessions. They also carefully consider when to use technology, when and how to limit its use, and ways to incorporate technology as an object for mindfulness. Based on our findings, we discuss expanding the definition of mindfulness and the tension between supporting short- and long-term mindfulness practice. We also propose a set of design recommendations to support everyday mindfulness including such as through the lens of metaphor, reappropriating non-mindfulness technology, and bringing community support into personal practice.
... Such an approach facilitates the integration of a plethora of tools, customized to address a myriad of environmental challenges, thereby necessitating a creative, flexible, and pluralistic stance on environmental regulation (Kajander and Solarte-Vasquez, 2022). They also can bolster safety and ecological outcomes and results-oriented strategies over prescriptive mandates (Niksirat et al., 2019). ...
The paper explores maritime environmental regulations, analyzing industry perspectives and their operational execution. It critically assesses the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations' effectiveness in mitigating climate challenges within the shipping domain. The central argument is that the evolving and intricate nature of maritime regulations often impedes policy goal realization, enforcement, impact evaluation, and equity perception. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this research gathers, analyses, and interprets data via surveys and interviews. This exploration seeks to evaluate the regulations' impact on reducing shipping's negative impact, especially concerning emissions, waste management, and noise pollution, under the umbrella of smart regulations. The results indicate that the current regulatory approach is neither comprehensive nor immediate, necessitating a more agile, digitally enabled framework to adapt to fast-changing industry conditions.
... A growing number of HCI researchers and industry practitioners have been developing technologies to support people in learning and practicing mindfulness as a tool to obtain health outcomes [91], such as mobile mindfulness apps (e.g., Calm, Headspace), web-based mindfulness classes [49], wearable devices [19,48], and virtual reality environments [5,77,81]. One kind of mindfulness technology aims to detect the user's state and deliver timely mindfulness interventions through different modalities (e.g., audio, visual, haptics) [20,72,81,83]. Another kind of mindfulness technology focuses on providing guided mindfulness sessions through websites [49], commercial mobile applications (e.g., Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer), and immersive virtual reality environments [29,32]. ...
Mindfulness practice has many mental and physical well-being benefits. With the increased popularity of live stream technologies and the impact of COVID-19, many people have turned to live stream tools to participate in online meditation sessions. To better understand the practices, challenges, and opportunities in live-stream meditation, we conducted a three-month autoethnographic study, during which two researchers participated in live-stream meditation sessions as the audience. Then we conducted a follow-up semi-structured interview study with 10 experienced live meditation teachers who use different live-stream tools. We found that live meditation, although having a weaker social presence than in-person meditation, facilitates attendees in establishing a practice routine and connecting with other meditators. Teachers use live streams to deliver the meditation practice to the world which also enhances their practice and brand building. We identified the challenges of using live-stream tools for meditation from the perspectives of both audiences and teachers, and provided design recommendations to better utilize live meditation as a resource for mental wellbeing.
... One kind of mindfulness technology aims to detect a user state and deliver timely mindfulness interventions through different modalities (e.g, audio, visual, haptics) [16,50,56,60,65]. Accurate detection of the users' state of mind, such as when they are being mindful or mind-wandering, is a difficult technical problem and the physiological signals may be different from people's subjective feelings [40]. ...
Many digital technologies have been invented to support mindfulness, the practice of bringing attention to the present moment without judgment. While most technologies focus on mindfulness meditation training for novices, in this paper, we explore designing technology to support everyday mindfulness activities for people with varying levels of experience. Through 9 magic machine workshops, 30 mindfulness practitioners explored and reflected on their personal experiences of everyday mindfulness, and generated designs that support their daily practice. Our findings identified six categories of designs conceptualized by our participants: everyday objects, physical spaces, wearables, metaphorical art, companions, and toys. We further analyze the practitioners’ thought processes and considerations for designs that support everyday mindfulness, such as eliciting and regulating emotion and associating mindfulness with routine daily activities. Finally, we discuss the implications of designing individualized mindfulness products and the potential of using co-design magic machine workshops to explore a practical design space.
... For example, according to Vaitl's classification [81], ASCs can be categorised into five categories (spontaneously occurring, physically and physiologically induced, psychologically induced, disease induced, pharmacologically induced), depending on how the episode occurs or is induced. While some studies dealt with spontaneously occurring [28,36] or physically and physiologically induced ASCs [1,2,20,23,43,44,56,58,74,77,97], their presence is still minimal. In light of this information, while physically or physiologically induced and spontaneously occurring ASCs have been subject to deeper exploration and expansion within the HCI field, there was no mention of disease or pharmacologically induced ASCs in relation to HCI technologies. ...
There has been increasing interest shown in experiences such as lucid dreams, hallucinations, or awe that arise in HCI. Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) is the umbrella term for these experiences, yet it has been subject to fragmented study, and design knowledge to help individuals working on technology-driven ASCs is lacking. This paper investigates HCI studies involving ASC artefacts through a scoping review. The findings relate to (1) ASC induction methods, (2) ASC experiences through artefacts, (3) ASC artefacts, and (4) the technology of ASC artefacts. The returned literature shows that HCI studies have mainly explored psychologically induced ASCs, and XR technologies and embodied interaction are widely used in ASC research. Meanwhile, physical artefact design including active body movements and the integration of games and play approaches featured as prospective directions. These results will contribute to the knowledge of those studying and designing ASC artefacts.
... Mindfulness is among the most studied meditation styles and may be included in (Niksirat et al., 2019). They describe their instructions for implementing mindfulness applications as "Attentional Focus Strategies" recognizing the effect this particular component of utilizing bodily awareness has on attention; however, they did not test this component of meditation on sustained attention. ...
This was an experimental between-subjects design utilizing single-session mindfulness meditation to assess effects on sustained attention and self-concept. Electroencephalogram was incorporated to further test how EEG power spectral density in decibels differed between groups when sustaining attention during the Psychomotor Vigilance Task and a task in which participants focused on sustaining the Troxler effect optical illusion (compared to resting baseline). Overall, this study aimed to test the underlying theoretical proposition of Graziano's Attention Schema Theory of Consciousness, and results do not provide support. Although there were null findings, there were some limitations that should be acknowledged when taking this study into account.
... If counselors cannot recover themselves, these negative experiences can accumulate after much work, leading to mental health problems. This phenomenon is known as "compassion fatigue" [19]. ...
... While the effects of static FAM practices such as sitting meditation have been extensively studied in psychology and neuroscience with proven benefits for physical and mental wellbeing, secular mindfulness practices such as mandala coloring have only started to receive scientific attention (Campenni & Hartman, 2020;Chen et al., 2019;Khademi et al., 2021;Rose & Lomas, 2020). HCI work in FAM practices follows a similar trend, with a well-established body of work exploring the design of meditation technologies (Terzimehić et al., 2019); whereas non-static FAM practices such as mandala coloring have just recently started to receive attention in HCI (Cochrane et al., 2021;Liang et al., 2020;Mah et al., 2020;Niksirat et al., 2019). ...
... Numerous digital technologies have been created to support sitting meditation and walking practices. Prior research in psychology and human-computer interaction (HCI) has tended to evaluate the efficacy of technology on mindfulness practices, using pre-and post-measurements of stress and focus found using established questionnaires, often originating in psychology [16,17,54,65,68,84,92,99,103,106]. Other related works are described as proof of concepts and limited to design decisions informed by qualitative semi-structured interviews or questionnaires [4,19,24,94,95,122,123]. Less explored are methods for understanding the moment-by-moment lived experience of practising meditation, and the influence of technology on that experience. ...
Walking meditation is a form of mindfulness training, where the act of walking provides a rhythmic meter for attentional focus. Numerous digital technologies have been created to support sitting meditation and walking practices, however, less explored is the influence of these technologies on the first person in-the-moment experience of walking meditation. In this paper, we present a study of group walking meditation,with and without an interactive soundscape that is modulated by one practitioner’s brain wave data. In orderto understand and design the interactive experience, we developed qualitative methods for data collection of the first person experience of walking meditation. Six workshops were conducted with both novice and more advanced practitioners, involving a guided walking meditation with body scan, structured writing and drawing exercises for elicitation and reflection, and a group interview. Our contribution is twofold: a descriptive model of the experience of walking meditation as represented by the analytic themes of shifting state, attention,self-regulation strategy, and immersion and reflection, together with body maps and experience timelines that visually represent patterns in the data; and a workbook comprising the set of phenomenologically inspired data collection methods, which helps participants articulate their first person experience and enhances their ability to reflect on the practice of walking meditation. The results provide insight into how practitioners divide and shift their attention between the rhythm of walking, breathing and the soundscape; and how some are able to harmonise the multiple dimensions towards a flow experience. Our study contributes to and provide resources for the experience design of interactive technologies to support mindfulness practices of walking meditation, as well as other practices where the mind/body experience is central.
... Interactive technologies are unique, as they encourage the user to modify the form and content of digital environments in real time (Steuer, 1992;Rubio-Tamayo et al., 2017). This is typical of challenge-based interactions found in digital games (Jin, 2012), certain mobile apps, and experimental setups designed for positive human functioning (Kitson et al., 2018;Niksirat et al., 2019). For the wider population, interactive experiences are most prominent within video games, ranging from simplistic, satisfying interactions in casual video games like Bejeweled (PopCap Games, 2001) or Angry birds (Rovio Entertainment, 2009), to more fast-paced, demanding interactions in action video games like Call of Duty (Infinity Ward, 2003) or League of Legends (Riot Games, 2009). ...
Interactive and immersive technologies such as video games, exergames, and virtual reality are typically regarded as entertainment mediums. They also offer a multitude of health and well-being benefits. They have the capacity to incorporate established well-being techniques (e.g., mindfulness, exercise, and play) and expose users to beneficial environment settings with greater ease, improved access, and a broader appeal. The authors conducted a scoping review to explore whether these technologies could be used to benefit attention in healthy adults, that is, in a regulatory sense such as during periods of cognitive fatigue or attention-critical tasks. Research efforts have typically focused on long-term practice methods for attention enhancement with these technologies. Instead, this review provides the first attempt to unify a broad range of investigations concerned with their immediate impact on attention through state-change mechanisms. This applies the concept of attention state training and a growing evidence base, which suggests that meditative practices, exercise bouts, and nature exposures can provide short-term improvements in attentional performance following brief interactions. A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO databases resulted in 11 peer-reviewed articles (13 experimental trials) each including at least one objective measure of attention directly following the use of an interactive or immersive technology. Most studies involved interactive technologies (i.e., video games and exergames), whereas there were three immersive interventions in the form of virtual reality. The comparisons between baseline and postintervention showed mostly no effect on attention, although there were five cases of improved attention. There were no instances of negative effects on attention. The results are significant considering mounting concerns that technology use could be detrimental for cognitive functioning. The positive effects reported here indicate a need to specify the type of technology in question and bring attention to positive vs. negative technology interactions. Implications for the literature concerning attention state training are discussed considering promising effects of technology exposures geared toward flow state induction. Significant gaps in the literature are identified regarding the implementation of traditional attention state training practices.
... The idea is that all functions, techniques, tasks, and microtasks find optimal integrity, harmony, and efficiency through the mindful engagement of the attentive user. To practice HEC, researchers also need to consciously and deliberately develop their own inner human capacities of awareness and flow, through mindful attention to interactive tasks (Niksirat, Silpasuwanchai, Mohamed Hussien Ahmed, Cheng, & Ren, 2017;Niksirat, Silpasuwanchai, Cheng & Ren, 2019), through aesthetics (Wang, Sarcar, Kurosu, Bardzell, Oulasvirta, Miniukovich & Ren, 2018), trust, focus, sensitivity, and empathy, all of which HEC considers to form the basis for profitable and sustainable human expression in outer performance. HEC considers that the facilitation of deep user engagement with technologies is significantly affected by the corresponding engaging qualities of technologies, which are, in turn, dependent on the researcher/developer's own capacity to fully engage in the development process. ...
During the coronavirus global pandemic crisis, we have received information from authentic and inauthentic sources. Fake news, continuous rumors, and prejudiced opinions from digital platforms and social media have the capacity to disrupt social harmony, to stall personal development, and to undermine trust on all levels of human interaction. Despite the wide plurality of perspectives, the diversity of contents, the variety of voices, and the many often-conflicting reasons for publishing, our interactions with information on digital devices are progressively shaping such situations and affecting decisions on all levels. We look at the limitations of existing designs and guidelines in the current paradigm, and we ask to what extent researchers and developers can focus and contribute, through their innovations, to the reduction of uncertainty and cases of misdirection, how they can mitigate tensions between information and humans, and how they can contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of worthy human values. Human-engaged computing (HEC) calls for innate user capacities to be enhanced rather than displaced by digital technologies so that the human factor in interactions is fully exploited and truly efficient symbiotic relationships between humans and devices can be achieved. Under the framework of HEC, we propose 12 research agendas from the theoretical, principled, and practical aspects, in order to develop future synergized interactions between humans and information. The present crisis presents us with a good opportunity to reflect on the need to empower humans in relation to the tools they use and to consider the next paradigm shift for designing information interaction.
... "imagery" which "alter intention, belief, and expectation. " We also studied the "technology-mediated attentionregulation process" proposed in literature on meditative HCI [54,60], which advocates the use of non-judgemental feedback to highlight slow movement that in turn brings attention to the body. ...
Somaesthetics—motivated by improving life quality via appreciation
for bodily and sensory experiences—is increasingly
influencing HCI designs. Investigating the potential
of drones as a material for somaesthetic HCI, we designed
Drone Chi: a Tai Chi-inspired close-range human-drone interaction
experience. The design process for Drone Chi has
been informed by the soma design approach and the Somaesthetic
Appreciation concept from HCI literature. The
artifact expands somaesthetic HCI by exemplifying dynamic
and intimate somaesthetic interactions with a robotic design
material, and body movements in expansive 3D space.
To characterize the Drone Chi experience, we conducted
an empirical study with 32 participants. Analysis of participant
accounts revealed 4 themes that articulate different
aspects of the experience: Looping Mental States, Environment,
Agency vs. Control, and Physical Narratives. From
these accounts and our craft knowledge, we derive 5 design
implications to guide the development of movement-based
close-range drone interactions.
... This is mainly because laypeople may not gain enough skills to make effective adjustments. Meanwhile, realtime feedback is also important to the users as they need to obtain a contextual understanding of their current states during the training (Niksirat et al., 2019). Although biofeedback technologies have been proved to have the potential to improve people's mental health (Lehrer et al., 1993;Olpin and Hesson, 2015), there still remain challenges to be addressed when designing the visual feedback of guided stress management training with biofeedback techniques. ...
The prevalence of functional and affordable wearable biosensors has led to an increase in stress management applications for learning about and improving one’s mental health. Previous research suggests that different types of graphical interfaces may evoke diverse user experiences with biofeedback interpretations and related interventions. In this research, we systematically investigate the effect of various biofeedback visual designs on supporting user engagement during a guided stress management practice. Specifically, we hypothesize that certain visual designs will affect user engagement and, thus, the training attention and physiological measures, due to their specific design features. Following a series of design studies, we assess five different styles of visual design and, for each style, we identify a suitable representative (i.e., raw numbers for the numerical style, bar charts for the analytical style, waves for the illustrative style, butterfly drawings for the artistic style, and table lamps for the ambient style). In a controlled within-subject experiment with 35 participants, we assess these five designs through a biofeedback-assisted stress management practice. We find that, overall, visual representation of data increases engagement and, thus, better facilitates stress management training when compared to a numerical display. The analysis through the results suggests that a certain level of abstraction in the interpretation of data encoding helps users move away from being judgmental; whereas animations and transitions augment the experience of being in the present moment.
Background:
Addressing the negative impact of substance use disorders (SUDs) on individuals, families, and communities is a public health priority. Most treatments and interventions require engagement with a healthcare provider or someone who can offer recovery support. The need for interventions that facilitate self-management of relapse triggers at the moment they occur is also critical. Our study aimed to explore the user experience of individuals using a just-in-time smartphone episodic resonance breathing (eRPB) intervention to address stress, anxiety, and drug cravings.
Methods:
We conducted an 8-week pilot study of the eRPB with 30 individuals in recovery from SUD. Data on 3 indicators of user experience-acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility-were collected using survey questions (n = 30) and semi-structured interviews (n = 11). We performed univariate analysis on the survey data and deductive thematic analysis on the qualitative data.
Results:
A majority of the survey respondents agreed that the application (app) was acceptable (> 77%), appropriate (> 82%), and feasible (> 89%). Several interview participants stated that the app helped them relax and manage stress and cravings and expressed appreciation for the simplicity of its design. Participants also reported barriers to feasibility (such as forgetting to use the app) and recommendations for improvement (such as the addition of motivational messages).
Conclusions:
Our findings show that individuals in recovery from SUD had highly positive experiences with the eRPB app. A positive user experience may improve adherence to the intervention and, ultimately, the self-management of stress, anxiety, and craving relapse triggers.
Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems hold the potential to foster human flourishing and self-actualization. However, we believe contemporary BCI system design approaches unnecessarily limit these potentialities as they are approached from a traditional interaction perspective, producing command-response experiences. This article proposes to go beyond “interaction” and toward a paradigm of human-computer integration. The potential of this paradigm is demonstrated through three prototypes: Inter-Dream, a system that integrates with the brain's autonomic physiological processes to drive users toward healthy sleep states; Neo-Noumena, a system that integrates with the user's affective neurophysiology to augment the interpersonal communication of emotion; and PsiNet, a system that integrates interpersonal brain activity to amplify human connection. Studies of these prototypes demonstrate the benefits of the integration paradigm in realizing the multifaceted benefits of BCI systems, and this work presents the brain-computer integration framework to help guide designers of future BCI integrations.
Human-Engaged Computing (HEC) is a framework that addresses “synergized interaction” sustaining both humans and computers in the right balance, a relationship that consciously honors human inner capabilities over device creativity. Due to the growing interest and demand on voice search for older adults, it is critical to research on how to engage older adults with voice search to improve their healthiness and wellbeing. This paper presents two case studies to discuss the approaches and thoughts about applying HEC to the current voice search systems, in particular, how HEC can engage older adults with interaction of voice search systems and how we can measure older adults’ engagement with such systems.
User Experience (UX) is a key factor and an opportunity for improvement in digital interfaces. Traditionally, it has been evaluated retrospectively through surveys and interviews. However, this is not always the optimal approach, as it does not measure UX at the moment of human-machine interaction and is therefore prone to human error due to inaccurate recall. Thus, physiological monitoring is emerging as a promising technique to assess UX during interactions. This paper aims to identify UX case studies carried out with physiological monitoring by means of a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The results of the 33 UX case studies reviewed show that interest in incorporating physiological technologies in UX studies is growing and expanding into different fields. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was found to be the most used physiological tool, and the most used set of tools was the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) with the electrocardiogram (ECG). In addition, the average number of participants was obtained depending on the physiological tool used. The research opportunities identified are: 1) the combination of different methods and tools in the assessment of UX, and 2), the validation of a sample size for UX tests performed with physiological monitoring.
The World Health Organization (WHO) survey reported that in 2030 most people are affected by mental health problems due to work pressure, stress, and depression. Due to the serious issue of mental problems, people need attention to cure and improve their health in the beginning stage. This study utilizes the Adaptive Integrated Support Vector Machine (AISVM) to classify meditation experiences and validate the interaction between meditation experience and emotional stability. The response signals have been collected via physiological examination through electroencephalography (EEG). Different courses are conducted to relieve mental illness; stress provides primary care to maintain people's health. Among the various course, practice meditation is one of the effective ways to reduce mental health problems. In this work, analyzing the various mental problems related to risk is examined to learn about the seriousness. After that taijiquan Meditation Exercise process is analyzed to minimize the mental illness effectively. This study is then used to investigate the efficiency of the taijiquan Meditation Exercise process in the mental health management system. The numerical results show that the proposed method achieves a high-efficiency ratio of 96.7%, an accuracy ratio of 98.7%, a prediction ratio of 95.6%, and an f1 score ratio of 97.8% and reduces the depression ratio of 18.5% compared to other existing methods.
Mindfulness meditation has significant benefits for health and well-being but requires training. A wealth of mindfulness meditation apps have been developed in the last years. However, there has been limited academic work evaluating these technologies. This paper reports an auto-ethnographic and expert evaluation study of 16 most popular iPhone mindfulness apps. Findings indicate that these apps focus mostly on guided meditation with limited support for monitoring intrinsic meditation processes and measuring the effectiveness of the training. We propose a more nuanced discourse around such apps concluding with implications for design including new tools for supporting intrinsic meditation processes and bodily kinetic aspects fostering mindfulness, together with the call for developing guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of such applications.
For millennia, humans have focused their attention on the breath to develop mindfulness, but finding a scientific way to harness mindful breathing has proven elusive. Existing attempts to objectively measure and feedback on mindfulness have relied on specialist external hardware including electroencephalograms or respirometers that have been impractical for the majority of people learning to meditate. Consequently, training in the key skill of breath-awareness has lacked practical objective measures and guidance to enhance training. Here, we provide a brief technology report on an invention, The MindfulBreather® that addresses these issues. The technology is available to download embedded in a smartphone app that targets, measures and feedbacks on mindfulness of breathing in realtime to enhance training. The current article outlines only the technological concept with future studies quantifying efficacy, validity and reliability to be reported elsewhere. The MindfulBreather works by generating Motion Guided Mindfulness through interacting gyroscopic and touchscreen sensors in a three phase process: Mindfulness Induction (Phase I) gives standardized instruction to users to place their smartphone on their abdomen, breathe mindfully and to tap only at the peak of their inhalation. The smartphone’s gyroscope detects periodic tilts during breathing to generate sinusoidal waveforms. Waveform-tap patterns are analyzed to determine whether the user is mindfully tapping only at the correct phase of the breathing cycle, indicating psychobiological synchronization. Mindfulness Maintenance (Phase II) provides reinforcing pleasant feedback sounds each time a breath is mindfully tapped at the right time, and the App records a mindful breath. Lastly, data-driven Insights are fed back to the user (Phase III), including the number of mindful breaths tapped and breathing rate reductions associated with parasympathetic engagement during meditation. The new MGM technology is then evaluated and contrasted with traditional mindfulness approaches and a novel Psychobiological Synchronization Model is proposed. In summary, unlike existing technology, the MindfulBreather requires no external hardware and repurposes regular smartphones to deliver app-embedded Motion-Guided Mindfulness. Technological applications include reducing mindwandering and down-regulation of the brain’s default mode through enhanced mindful awareness. By objectively harnessing breath awareness, The MindfulBreather aims to realize the ancient human endeavor of mindfulness for the 21st century.
This book presents the latest neuroscience research on mindfulness meditation and provides guidance on how to apply these findings to our work, relationships, health, education and daily lives. Presenting cutting-edge research on the neurological and cognitive changes associated with its practice Tang aims to explain how it reaps positive effects and subsequently, how best to undertake and implement mindfulness practice. Mindfulness neuroscience research integrates theory and methods from eastern contemplative traditions, western psychology and neuroscience, and is based on neuroimaging techniques, physiological measures and behavioural tests. The Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation begins by explaining these foundations and then moves on to themes such as the impact of personality and how mindfulness can shape behaviour change, attention and self-control. Finally, the book discusses common misconceptions about mindfulness and challenges in future research endeavours. Written by an expert in the neuroscience of mindfulness this book will be valuable for scholars, researchers and practitioners in psychotherapy and the health sciences working with mindfulness, as well as those studying and working in the fields of neuroscience and neuropsychology.
Digital technology has been completely integrated into our daily lives, yet the potential of technology to improve its users' life satisfaction is still largely untapped. Mindfulness, the act of paying a deliberate and non-judgmental attention to the present moment, has been shown to have a positive impact on a person's health and subjective well-being--commonly called "happiness". Based on an iterative process with meditation teachers and practitioners, we designed a new tool to support mindfulness practices. This tool takes the shape of an augmented sandbox, designed to inspire the user's self-motivation and curiosity. By shaping the sand, the user creates a living miniature world that is projected back onto the sand. The natural elements of the garden are connected to real-time physiological measurements, such as breathing, helping the user to stay focused on the body. Moreover, using a Virtual Reality headset, they can travel inside their garden for a dedicated meditation session. Preliminary results seem to indicate that the system is well suited for mindfulness and induces a calm and mindful state on the user. The meditation teachers envisioned the use of Inner Garden in their practice.
In our fast-paced society, stress and anxiety have become increasingly common. Meditation for relaxation has received much attention. Meditation apps exploit various senses, e.g., touch, audio and vision, but the relationship between human senses and interactive meditation is not well understood. This paper empirically evaluates the effects of single and combined human senses on interactive meditation. We found that the effectiveness of human senses can be defined by their respective roles in maintaining the balance between relaxation and focus. This work is the first to attempt to understand these relationships. The findings have broad implications for the field of multi-modal interaction and interactive meditation applications.
While most rehabilitation technologies target situated exercise sessions and associated performance metrics, physiotherapists recommend physical activities that are integrated with everyday functioning. We conducted a 1-2 week home study to explore how people with chronic pain use wearable technology that senses and sonifies movement (i.e., movement mapped to sound in real-time) to do functional activity (e.g., loading the dishwasher). Our results show that real-time movement sonification led to an increased sense of control during challenging everyday tasks. Sonification calibrated to functional activity facilitated application of pain management techniques such as pacing. When calibrated to individual needs, sonification enabled serendipitous discovery of physical capabilities otherwise obscured by a focus on pain or a dysfunctional proprioceptive system. A physiotherapist was invited to comment on the implications of our findings. We conclude by discussing opportunities provided by wearable sensing technology to enable better functioning, the ultimate goal of physical rehabilitation.
Compelling evidence suggests that physical activity is an effective intervention for cancer survivors, including for those undergoing active cancer treatments. However, to date most evidence has emerged from interventions that have promoted moderate to vigorous physical activity. In this conceptual review, we argue that attention should be given to the entire continuum of physical activity from reducing sedentary behavior to increasing higher levels of physical activity when possible. In addition, considerable evidence in the cancer literature supports the value of mindfulness-based interventions as a means of helping patients and survivors cope with the variety of threats that accompany this disease. Based on the success of these two areas of research, we argue for conceptualizing and promoting physical activity as Mindfulness-Based Movement, using Polyvagal Theory as a theoretical framework to understand the role and value of Mindfulness-Based Movement as a potential intervention for cancer care and control.
We present the experience of using the prototypes Soma Mat and Breathing Light. These are designed with a somaesthetic approach to support a meditative bodily introspection. We use light and heat as modalities to subtly guide participants to turn their gaze inwards, to their own bodies. People trying our prototypes reports on a feeling of relaxation, softer movements, and an increased awareness of their own breathing.
Meditation in general and mindfulness in particular have been shown to be useful techniques in the treatment of a plethora of ailments, yet they can be challenging for novices. We present RelaWorld: a neuroadaptive virtual reality meditation system that combines virtual reality with neurofeedback to provide a tool that is easy for novices to use yet provides added value even for experienced meditators. Using a head-mounted display , users can levitate in a virtual world by doing meditation exercises. The system measures users' brain activity in real time via EEG and calculates estimates for the level of concentration and relaxation. These values are then mapped into the virtual reality. In a user study of 43 subjects, we were able to show that the RelaWorld system elicits deeper relaxation, feeling of presence and a deeper level of meditation when compared to a similar setup without head-mounted display or neurofeedback.
Three studies investigated the use of a 5-minute, computer-mediated mindfulness practice in increasing levels of state mindfulness. In Study 1, 54 high school students completed the computer-mediated mindfulness practice in a lab setting and Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) scores were measured before and after the practice. In Study 2 (N = 90) and Study 3 (N = 61), the mindfulness practice was tested with an entirely online sample to test the delivery of the 5-minute mindfulness practice via the internet. In Study 2 and 3, we found a significant increase in TMS scores in the mindful condition, but not in the control condition. These findings highlight the impact of a brief, mindfulness practice for single-session, computer-mediated use to increase mindfulness as a state.
Chronic (persistent) pain (CP) affects one in ten adults; clinical resources are insufficient, and anxiety about activity restricts lives. Technological aids monitor activity but lack necessary psychological support. This paper proposes a new sonification framework, Go-with-the-Flow, informed by physiotherapists and people with CP. The framework proposes articulation of user-defined sonified exercise spaces (SESs) tailored to psychological needs and physical capabilities that enhance body and movement awareness to rebuild confidence in physical activity. A smartphone-based wearable device and a Kinect-based device were designed based on the framework to track movement and breathing and sonify them during physical activity. In control studies conducted to evaluate the sonification strategies, people with CP reported increased performance, motivation, awareness of movement and relaxation with sound feedback. Home studies, a focus group and a survey of CP patients conducted at the end of a hospital pain management session provided an in-depth understanding of how different aspects of the SESs and their calibration can facilitate self-directed rehabilitation and how the wearable version of the device can facilitate transfer of gains from exercise to feared or demanding activities in real life. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings on the design of technology for physical rehabilitation.
Chronic persistent pain CP affects 1 in 10 adults; clinical resources are insufficient, and anxiety about activity restricts lives. Technological aids monitor activity but lack necessary psychological support. This article proposes a new sonification framework, Go-with-the-Flow, informed by physiotherapists and people with CP. The framework proposes articulation of user-defined sonified exercise spaces SESs tailored to psychological needs and physical capabilities that enhance body and movement awareness to rebuild confidence in physical activity. A smartphone-based wearable device and a Kinect-based device were designed based on the framework to track movement and breathing and sonify them during physical activity. In control studies conducted to evaluate the sonification strategies, people with CP reported increased performance, motivation, awareness of movement, and relaxation with sound feedback. Home studies, a focus group, and a survey of CP patients conducted at the end of a hospital pain management session provided an in-depth understanding of how different aspects of the SESs and their calibration can facilitate self-directed rehabilitation and how the wearable version of the device can facilitate transfer of gains from exercise to feared or demanding activities in real life. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings on the design of technology for physical rehabilitation.
Exercising with the use of augmented visual feedback for improving functional motor behavior and particularly balance and locomotion has expanded over the late years. As a result, several visual feedback protocols, systems and devices have been developed and commercialized promising an effective means of improving balance function in aging and disease alleviating the risk of falling. A major challenge however, is how efficiently these devices improve balance and prevent falling. Through visually guided practice a specific internal visuo-motor transformation of the practiced visuo-motor task is acquired. Lately however, the generalization of the acquired visuo-motor transformation to other motor tasks has been questioned. In this chapter we review research evidence showing how the human brain uses visual information to control and improve motor performance and postural control in particular and what are the task and stimuli characteristics that optimize visuo-motor learning. Studies examining the effectiveness of visual feedback protocols in older adults’ balance rehabilitation are reviewed and directions for future research and development are discussed in the final section.
Mu/beta rhythms are well-studied brain activities that originate from sensorimotor cortices. These rhythms reveal spectral changes in alpha and beta bands induced by movements of different body parts, e.g., hands and limbs, in electroencephalography (EEG) signals. However, less can be revealed in them about movements of different fine body parts that activate adjacent brain regions, such as individual fingers from one hand. Several studies have reported spatial and temporal couplings of rhythmic activities at different frequency bands, suggesting the existence of well-defined spectral structures across multiple frequency bands. In the present study, spectral principal component analysis (PCA) was applied on EEG data, obtained from a finger movement task, to identify cross-frequency spectral structures. Features from identified spectral structures were examined in their spatial patterns, cross-condition pattern changes, detection capability of finger movements from resting, and decoding performance of individual finger movements in comparison to classic mu/beta rhythms. These new features reveal some similar, but more different spatial and spectral patterns as compared with classic mu/beta rhythms. Decoding results further indicate that these new features (91%) can detect finger movements much better than classic mu/beta rhythms (75.6%). More importantly, these new features reveal discriminative information about movements of different fingers (fine body-part movements), which is not available in classic mu/beta rhythms. The capability in decoding fingers (and hand gestures in the future) from EEG will contribute significantly to the development of non-invasive BCI and neuroprosthesis with intuitive and flexible controls.
A recent interest in interaction design is towards the development of novel technologies emphasizing the value of mindfulness, monitoring, awareness, and self-regulation for both health and wellbeing. Whereas existing systems have focused mostly on relaxation and awareness of feelings, there has been little exploration on tools supporting the self-regulation of attention during mindfulness sitting meditation. This paper describes the design and initial evaluation of MeditAid, a wearable system integrating electroencephalography (EEG) technology with an adaptive aural entrainment for real time training of mindfulness state. The system identifies different meditative states and provides feedback to support users in deepening their meditation. We report on a study with 16 meditators about the perceived strengths and limitations of the MeditAid system. We demonstrate the benefits of binaural feedback in deepening meditative states, particularly for novice meditators.
Because the nature of chronic pain is complex, pharmacological analgesics are often not enough to achieve an ideal treatment plan. Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have emerged within medical research in recent years for treating acute pain, and proved to be an effective strategy based on pain distraction. This paper describes a VR system designed for chronic pain patients. The system incorporates biofeedback sensors, an immersive virtual environment, and stereoscopic sound titled the " Virtual Meditative Walk " (VMW). It was designed to enable chronic pain patients to learn Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a form of meditation. By providing real-time visual and sonic feedback, VMW enables patients to learn how to manage their pain. A proof-of-concept user study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the VR system with chronic pain patients in clinical settings. Results show that the VMW was more effective in reducing perceived pain compared to the non-VR control condition.
Bodily movement has long been employed as a foundation for cultivating mental skills such as attention, self-control or mindfulness, with recent studies documenting the positive impacts of mindful movement training, such as yoga and tai chi. A parallel “mind-body connection” has also been observed in many developmental disorders. We elaborate a spectrum of mindfulness by considering ADHD, in which deficient motor control correlates with impaired (disinhibited) behavioral control contributing to defining features of excessive distractibility and impulsivity. These data provide evidence for an important axis of variation for wellbeing, in which skillful cognitive control covaries with a capacity for skillful movement. We review empirical and theoretical literature on attention, cognitive control, mind wandering, mindfulness and skill learning, endorsing a model of skilled attention in which motor plans, attention, and executive goals are seen as mutually co-defining aspects of skilled behavior that are linked by reciprocal inhibitory and excitatory connections. Thus, any movement training should engage “higher-order” inhibition and selection and develop a repertoire of rehearsed procedures that coordinate goals, attention and motor plans. However, we propose that mindful movement practice may improve the functional quality of rehearsed procedures, cultivating a transferrable skill of attention. We adopt Langer’s spectrum of mindful learning that spans from “mindlessness” to engagement with the details of the present task and contrast this with the mental attitudes cultivated in standard mindfulness meditation. We particularly follow Feldenkrais’ suggestion that mindful learning of skills for organizing the body in movement might transfer to other forms of mental activity. The results of mindful movement training should be observed in multiple complementary measures, and may have tremendous potential benefit for individuals with ADHD and other populations.
MoodLight is an interactive ambient lighting system that responds to biosensor input related to an individual's current level of arousal. Changes in levels of arousal correspond to fluctuations in the color of light provided by the system, altering the immediate environment in ways intimately related to the user's private internal state. We use this intervention to explore personal and social implications of the ambient display of biosensor data. This study provides greater understanding of the ways in which the representations of personal informatics, with a focus on ambient feedback, influence our perceptions of ourselves and those around us.
It is well documented that interacting with a mobile phone is associated with poorer performance on concurrently performed tasks because limited attentional resources must be shared between tasks. However, mobile phones generate auditory or tactile notifications to alert users of incoming calls and messages. Although these notifications are generally short in duration, they can prompt task-irrelevant thoughts, or mind wandering, which has been shown to damage task performance. We found that cellular phone notifications alone significantly disrupted performance on an attention-demanding task, even when participants did not directly interact with a mobile device during the task. The magnitude of observed distraction effects was comparable in magnitude to those seen when users actively used a mobile phone, either for voice calls or text messaging. (PsycINFO Database Record
(c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Software developers working on change tasks commonly experience a broad range of emotions, ranging from happiness all the way to frustration and anger. Research, primarily in psychology, has shown that for certain kinds of tasks, emotions correlate with progress and that biometric measures, such as electro-dermal activity and electroencephalography data, might be used to distinguish between emotions. In our research, we are building on this work and investigate developers' emotions, progress and the use of biometric measures to classify them in the context of software change tasks. We conducted a lab study with 17 participants working on two change tasks each. Participants were wearing three biometric sensors and had to periodically assess their emotions and progress. The results show that the wide range of emotions experienced by developers is correlated with their progress on the change tasks. Our analysis also shows that we can build a classifier to distinguish between positive and negative emotions in 71.36% and between low and high progress in 67.70% of all cases. These results open up opportunities for improving a developer's productivity. For instance, one could use such a classifier for providing recommendations at opportune moments when a developer is stuck and making no progress.
Electroencephalography (EEG) is challenged by high cost, immobility of equipment and the use of inconvenient conductive gels. We compared EEG recordings obtained from three systems that are inexpensive, wireless, and/or dry (no gel), against recordings made with a traditional, research-grade EEG system, in order to investigate the ability of these ‘non-traditional’ systems to produce recordings of comparable quality to a research-grade system. The systems compared were: Emotiv EPOC (inexpensive and wireless), B-Alert (wireless), g.Sahara (dry) and g.HIamp (research-grade). We compared the ability of the systems to demonstrate five well-studied neural phenomena: (1) enhanced alpha activity with eyes closed versus open; (2) visual steady-state response (VSSR); (3) mismatch negativity; (4) P300; and (5) event-related desynchronization/synchronization. All systems measured significant alpha augmentation with eye closure, and were able to measure VSSRs (although these were smaller with g.Sahara). The B-Alert and g.Sahara were able to measure the three time-locked phenomena equivalently to the g.HIamp. The Emotiv EPOC did not have suitably located electrodes for two of the tasks and synchronization considerations meant that data from the time-locked tasks were not assessed. The results show that inexpensive, wireless, or dry systems may be suitable for experimental studies using EEG, depending on the research paradigm, and within the constraints imposed by their limited electrode placement and number.
An ever more sedentary lifestyle is a serious problem in our society. Enhancing people's exercise adherence through technology remains an important research challenge. We propose a novel approach for a system supporting walking that draws from basic findings in neuroscience research. Our shoe-based prototype senses a person's footsteps and alters in real-time the frequency spectra of the sound they produce while walking. The resulting sounds are consistent with those produced by either a lighter or heavier body. Our user study showed that modified walking sounds change one's own perceived body weight and lead to a related gait pattern. In particular, augmenting the high frequencies of the sound leads to the perception of having a thinner body and enhances the motivation for physical activity inducing a more dynamic swing and a shorter heel strike. We here discuss the opportunities and the questions our findings open.
Yoga is assuming importance in improving mental healt
h and quality of life and in the treatment
of a number of psychiatric and psychosomatic disorder
s. Medical students are foundation of the
medical profession; hence they must be aware of the
alternative and adjunct therapy for the
betterment of their patients. One of the most benefi
cial alternative therapies is Yoga therapy.
Medical students must know how yoga is useful for t
heir patients. Keeping this objective in
mind, the present study was conducted on medical stu
dents to make them aware what yoga is
and to encourage them to incorporate yoga in their l
ife and to use it for the benefits of their
patients as an adjunct to the medicinal treatment. T
he study was conducted on healthy medical
students (21 males and 15 females) of age group 17-2
1 years in the department of physiology,
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, and Mahara
ja Yashwantrao Hospital, Indore. After
obtaining an informed consent; and satisfying the i
nclusion and exclusion criteria, the
psychological well being of the subjects was assesse
d by “Psychological General Well Being
Schedule Score (Sajatovic 2003)” on the first day b
efore the subjects started yoga practices. The
students performed the yoga practices in the morning
for one hour, six days in a week, for four
weeks under expert’s observation. The yoga practices
consisted of Prayer, Omkar recitation,
asana, and Pranayama. Psychological well being was
assessed using the same schedule score on
the last day of yoga programme. Data thus collected
were compiled, tabulated and analyzed by
using students’ ‘t’ test. There was highly signific
ant improvement in psychological well being of
the students as denoted by p value of
Meditation can be defined as a form of mental training that aims to improve an individual's core psychological capacities, such as attentional and emotional self-regulation. Meditation encompasses a family of complex practices that include mindfulness meditation, mantra meditation, yoga, tai chi and chi gong 1. Of these practices , mindfulness meditation — often described as non-judgemental attention to present-moment experiences (BOX 1) — has received most attention in neuroscience research over the past two decades 2–8. Although meditation research is in its infancy, a number of studies have investigated changes in brain activation (at rest and during specific tasks) that are associated with the practice of, or that follow, training in mindfulness meditation. These studies have reported changes in multiple aspects of mental function in beginner and advanced meditators, healthy individuals and patient populations 9–14. In this Review, we consider the current state of research on mindfulness meditation. We discuss the methodological challenges that the field faces and point to several shortcomings in existing studies. Taking into account some important theoretical considerations, we then discuss behavioural and neuroscientific findings in light of what we think are the core components of meditation practice: attention control, emotion regulation and self-awareness (BOX 1). Within this framework, we describe research that has revealed changes in behaviour, brain activity and brain structure following mindfulness meditation training. We discuss what has been learned so far from this research and suggest new research strategies for the field. We focus here on mindfulness meditation practices and have excluded studies on other types of meditation. However, it is important to note that other styles of meditation may operate via distinct neural mechanisms
Emerging evidence suggests that meditation engenders prosocial behaviors meant to benefit others. However, the robustness, underlying mechanisms, and potential scalability of such effects remain open to question. The current experiment employed an ecologically valid situation that exposed participants to a person in visible pain. Following three-week, mobile-app based training courses in mindfulness meditation or cognitive skills (i.e., an active control condition), participants arrived at a lab individually to complete purported measures of cognitive ability. Upon entering a public waiting area outside the lab that contained three chairs, participants seated themselves in the last remaining unoccupied chair; confederates occupied the other two. As the participant sat and waited, a third confederate using crutches and a large walking boot entered the waiting area while displaying discomfort. Compassionate responding was assessed by whether participants gave up their seat to allow the uncomfortable confederate to sit, thereby relieving her pain. Participants' levels of empathic accuracy was also assessed. As predicted, participants assigned to the mindfulness meditation condition gave up their seats more frequently than did those assigned to the active control group. In addition, empathic accuracy was not increased by mindfulness practice, suggesting that mindfulness-enhanced compassionate behavior does not stem from associated increases in the ability to decode the emotional experiences of others.
Assistive technology for cognition is technology which can be used to enable, enhance, or extend cognitive function. This book systematically examines how cutting-edge digital technologies can assist the cognitive function of people with cognitive impairments, with the potential to revolutionize rehabilitation. Technologies are reviewed which direct attention, remind, recognize, prompt, and generally guide people through activities of daily living. Written by experts in neuropsychology and technology development, Assistive Technology for Cognition provides a comprehensiveoverview ofthe efficacy of technologies to assist people with brain impairments. Based on the list provided by the International Classification of Function, each chapter covers a different cognitive function; namely, attention, memory, affect, perception, executive function, language, numeracy, sequencing, and navigation onto which existing and future assistive technologies for cognition are mapped. This structure provides in-depth research in an accessible way, and will allow practitioners to move from an assessment of cognitive deficits to the prescription of an appropriate assistive technology for cognition. The chapters also make suggestions for future developments.
In the rod and frame test (RFT), participants are asked to set a tilted visual linear marker (i.e., a rod), embedded in a square, to the subjective vertical, irrespective of the surrounding frame. People not influenced by the frame tilt are defined as field-independent, while people biased in their rod verticality perception are field-dependent. Performing RFT requires the integration of proprioceptive, vestibular and visual signals with the latter accounting for field-dependency. Studies indicate that motor experts in body-related, balance-improving disciplines tend to be field-independent, i.e., better at verticality perception, suggesting that proprioceptive and vestibular expertise acquired by such exercise may weaken the influence of irrelevant visual signals. What remains unknown is whether the effect of body-related expertise in weighting perceptual information might also be mediated by personality traits, in particular those indexing self-focusing abilities. To explore this issue, we tested field-dependency in a class of body experts, namely yoga practitioners and in non-expert participants. Moreover we explored any link between performance on RFT and self-transcendence (ST), a complex personality construct, which refers to tendency to experience spiritual feelings and ideas. As expected, yoga practitioners (i) were more accurate in assessing the rod's verticality on the RFT, and (ii) expressed significantly higher ST. Interestingly, the performance in these two tests was negatively correlated. More specifically, when asked to provide verticality judgments, highly self-transcendent yoga practitioners were significantly less influenced by a misleading visual context. Our results suggest that being highly self-transcendent may enable yoga practitioners to optimize verticality judgment tasks by relying more on internal (vestibular and proprioceptive) signals coming from their own body, rather than on exteroceptive, visual cues.
The attentional focus of an individual can influence performance and physiological outcomes during strength training exercises. However, prior research has largely investigated this issue with male participants performing a biceps curl exercise and has not investigated the full range of attentional focus strategies. In the present experiment, 24 females did a sit-up exercise while adopting an associative or dissociative strategy of attending to cues that were external or internal to result in four conditions: external association, internal association, external dissociation, and internal dissociation. The external association condition produced the lowest electromyographic activity of the abdominal muscles, the lowest heart rate, and the greatest range of movement. The internal dissociation condition produced the lowest level of exercise satisfaction. The results suggest that a focus on the effects of muscle action is the most economical and least strenuous way to exercise with sit-ups and similar forms of exercise.
A 4‐year qualitative study examined the influence of teaching hatha yoga, meditation, and qigong to counseling graduate students. Participants in the 15‐week, 3‐credit mindfulness‐based stress reduction course reported positive physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and interpersonal changes and substantial effects on their counseling skills and therapeutic relationships. Students expressed different preferences for and experiences with the 3 mindfulness practices. Most students reported intentions of integrating mindfulness practices into their future profession.
Meditative movement involves regulating attention to the body whilst moving, to create a state of meditation. This can be difficult for beginners, we propose that drones can facilitate this as they can move with and give feedback to whole body movements. We present a demonstration that explores various ways drones could facilitate meditative movement by drawing attention to the body. We designed a two-handed control map for the drone that engages multiple parts of the body, a light foam casing to give the impression that the drone is floating and an onboard light which gives feedback to the speed of the movement. The user will experience both leading and following the drone to explore the interplay between mapping, form, feedback and instruction. The demonstration relates to an expansion of the attention regulation framework, which is used to inform the design of interactive meditative experiences and human-drone interactions.
During extraordinary moments of consciousness—shock, meditative states and sudden mystical revelations, out-of-body experiences, or drug intoxication—our senses of time and self are altered; we may even feel time and self dissolving. These experiences have long been ignored by mainstream science, or considered crazy fantasies. Recent research, however, has located the neural underpinnings of these altered states of mind. In this book, neuropsychologist Marc Wittmann shows how experiences that disturb or widen our everyday understanding of the self can help solve the mystery of consciousness.
Wittmann explains that the relationship between consciousness of time and consciousness of self is close; in extreme circumstances, the experiences of space and self intensify and weaken together. He considers the emergence of the self in waking life and dreams; how our sense of time is distorted by extreme situations ranging from terror to mystical enlightenment; the experience of the moment; and the loss of time and self in such disorders as depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Dostoyevsky reported godly bliss during epileptic seizures; neurologists are now investigating the phenomenon of the epileptic aura. Wittmann describes new studies of psychedelics that show how the brain builds consciousness of self and time, and discusses pilot programs that use hallucinogens to treat severe depression, anxiety, and addiction.
If we want to understand our consciousness, our subjectivity, Wittmann argues, we must not be afraid to break new ground. Studying altered states of consciousness leads us directly to the heart of the matter: time and self, the foundations of consciousness.
With a wealth of scientifically proven health benefits, meditation was enjoyed by about 18 million people in the U.S. alone, as of 2012. Yet, there remains a stunning lack of convenient tools for promoting long-term and effective meditation practice. In this paper, we present MindfulWatch, a practical smartwatch-based sensing system that monitors respiration in real-time during meditation -- offering essential biosignals that can potentially be used to empower various future applications such as tracking changes in breathing pattern, offering real-time guidance, and providing an accurate bio-marker for meditation research. To this end, MindfulWatch is designed to be convenient for everyday use with no training required. Operating solely on a smartwatch, MindfulWatch can immediately reach the growing population of smartwatch users, making it ideal for longitudinal data collection for meditation studies. Specifically, it utilizes motion sensors to sense the subtle “micro” wrist rotation (0.01 rad/s) induced by respiration. To accurately capture breathing, we developed a novel self-adaptive model that tracks changes in both breathing pattern and meditation posture over time. MindfulWatch was evaluated based on data from 36 real-world meditation sessions (8.7 hours, 11 subjects). The results suggest that MindfulWatch offers reliable real-time respiratory timing measurement (70% errors under 0.5 seconds).
Although regular meditation practice is linked to numerous mental health and cognitive benefits, it is often difficult for beginners to maintain focus during practice and persevere with the activity over time. To tackle this issue, we externalised the ability of self reporting loss of focus by developing a feedback loop that helps the user track and maintain their concentration levels in a non-invasive manner. We hypothesise that the change in breathing pattern can indicate a loss of concentration and the act of audibly amplifying a person's breathing sounds during meditation can help them regain and maintain focus on their breathing, leading to a more effective meditation session. We present experimental designs and findings towards this end.
We explore cross-modal correspondence between haptic and audio output for meditation support. To this end, we implement atmoSphere, a haptic ball to prototype several haptic/audio designs. AtmoSphere consists of a sphere shaped device which provides haptic feedback. The users can experience the design aimed at instructing them in breathing techniques shown to enhance meditation.
The aim of the haptic/audio design is to guide the user into a particular rhythm of breathing. We detect this rhythm using smart eyewear (J!NS MEME) that estimates cardiac and respiratory parameters using embedded motion sensors. Once this rhythm is achieved the feedback stops. If the user drops out of the rhythm, the haptic/audio feedback starts again.
We are often overwhelmed by everyday stressors. Mindfulness meditation can help slow things down and bring one’s attention into the present moment. Given the prevalence of smartphones, mindfulness-based mobile applications (MBMAs) have received much attention. Current MBMAs mainly use the guided meditation method which may not be always effective, e.g., users may not be able to follow the pace of instructions and they need a private environment. This paper presents a framework for interactive MBMAs which allows users to self-regulate their attention according to their abilities and conditions. The framework is described by an AttentionRegulation Process and has two components: (1) Relaxation Response and (2) Attention Restoration Theory. The framework is validated by our experiment. It also informs future development for interactive meditation and has broad implications for designing mindfulness and well-being.
Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) is a famous physical exercise and well-known for being able to effectively promote physical well-being. Many people have been interested in learning TCC at the beginning, but eventually failed in mastering it due to the lack of a constantly accompanying master on the side. In this paper, we present an augmented-learning tool, called "My Tai-Chi Coaches", for learning TCC. By wearing an optical see-through Head-Mounted Display (HMD), the users can have their own private coaches-on-demand that will guide them in practicing TCC. To solve the "attention-sticking" problem, we propose the use of "redundant coaches" and high-lighting the primary coach at every instant. When the user wants to adjust his posture to mimic the coach's movement, he can simply suspend his motion, and then the drone will fly to a proper position to capture the images of the user's posture, and display them on an augmented mirror placed near by the highlighted or gazed coach. In addition to learning TCC, the proposed augmented-learning tool can also be used for learning dancing, yoga, sporting, and for rehabilitation.
In recent years, the widespread use of smartphones has become the focus of a discussion on stress and distraction as a negative influence of mobile phones. We argue that this is not just rooted in the cognitive distraction from the present, but also that the style of touch user interface design, while optimized for efficient data manipulation, adds to the stress. With inspiration from the movement qualities of the ancient practice of Tai Chi we investigate if a radical redesign of interaction style can potentially contribute to relieve stress and improve the crucial skill of directing attention at will. In this paper, we present the design and initial evaluation of a stress relief application called PAUSE, which uses Mindful Touch as an interaction style. We suggest that Mindful Touch can co-exist with the current smartphone interaction as a complementary style, to form a more balanced, constructive relationship between people and smartphones.
The purpose of this study was to determine how alternative types of instruction provided during a 6-week balance exercise program affect mindfulness. A sample of 63 college students was recruited for the study. Group 1 (N = 33) received a 6-week balance exercise intervention instructed with an internal focus of attention (IFA). Group 2 (N = 30) received the same intervention, but exercises were instructed with an external focus of attention (EFA). Mindfulness was measured at baseline and at 6 weeks using the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Baseline FMI scores between groups were similar (Group 1:41.6; Group 2:41.3), however, the difference in gain scores at six weeks was statistically significantly different (Group 1:17.5; Group 2:1.7; z = - 4.74, p =.0000, r =.55). The results suggest that internally focused instruction was more effective at increasing mindfulness than externally focused instruction during a 6-week balance exercise program and might be an alternative to meditation as a means of improving mindfulness.
Human-engaged computing aims to synergize innate human capacities and technological capabilities to enable us to realize our full potential and solve complex real-world problems.
EEG Signal Modelling Nonlinearity of the Medium Nonstationarity Signal Segmentation Signal Transforms and Joint Time–Frequency Analysis Coherency, Multivariate Autoregressive (MVAR) Modelling, and Directed Transfer Function (DTF) Chaos and Dynamical Analysis Filtering and Denoising Principal Component Analysis Independent Component Analysis Application of Constrained BSS: Example Signal Parameter Estimation Classification Algorithms Matching Pursuits Summary and Conclusions
A recent review by C3 Collaborating for Health [1] suggested that regular walking is beneficial for enhancing mental health, for example, reducing physical symptoms and anxiety associated with minor stress. Walking meditation, one of the mindfulness techniques proposed by Thich Nhat Hanh [2], has the potential to enable daily access to mindfulness practice eliminating the distress of learning new techniques. Existing mindfulness applications (such as 'Buddify2' and 'Headspace' [3]) provide users with options and guidance for mindfulness techniques, yet they are arguably limited in providing real-time interactive feedback to their user's physical reactions.
'Ambient Walk', inspired by walking meditation, is a mobile application (app) that aims to explore how ambient sound generated by walking and meditative breathing, and the practice itself, will impact on user's affective experience (Figure 1). The prototype is designed to use audio-visual interaction as an interventional medium that provides a novel means to foster mindfulness and relaxation. The app generates real-time ambient sound at certain frequencies according to (i) user's breath detected by the microphone on the phone and (ii) walking pace detected by the accelerometer. Both tones generated by the temporal breathing and walking data potentially form a harmony that captures users' awareness of their 'balancing status' between walking and breathing. Meanwhile, a control beat at 1Hz is added as a reference of time to help the user maintain their activities accordingly. A qualitative study is currently being carried out to investigate user experiences of engaging in the mindful walking activity supported by this app.
Stress is physical response that affects everyone in varying degrees. Throughout history, people have developed various practices to help cope with stress. Many of these practices focus on bringing awareness to the body and breath. Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation and paced breathing are effective tools for stress management [Brown, 2005].
Objective:
Digital mental wellbeing interventions are increasingly being used by the general public as well as within clinical treatment. Among these, mindfulness and meditation programs delivered through mobile device applications are gaining popularity. However, little is known about how people use and experience such applications and what are the enabling factors and barriers to effective use. To address this gap, the study reported here sought to understand how users adopt and experience a popular mobile-based mindfulness intervention.
Methods:
A qualitative semi-structured interview study was carried out with 16 participants aged 25-38 (M=32.5) using the commercially popular mindfulness application Headspace for 30-40days. All participants were employed and living in a large UK city. The study design and interview schedule were informed by an autoethnography carried out by the first author for thirty days before the main study began. Results were interpreted in terms of the Reasoned Action Approach to understand behaviour change.
Results:
The core concern of users was fitting the application into their busy lives. Use was also influenced by patterns in daily routines, on-going reflections about the consequences of using the app, perceived self-efficacy, emotion and mood states, personal relationships and social norms. Enabling factors for use included positive attitudes towards mindfulness and use of the app, realistic expectations and positive social influences. Barriers to use were found to be busy lifestyles, lack of routine, strong negative emotions and negative perceptions of mindfulness.
Conclusions:
Mobile wellbeing interventions should be designed with consideration of people's beliefs, affective states and lifestyles, and should be flexible to meet the needs of different users. Designers should incorporate features in the design of applications that manage expectations about use and that support users to fit app use into a busy lifestyle. The Reasoned Action Approach was found to be a useful theory to inform future research and design of persuasive mental wellbeing technologies.
Elsbeth Stern weighs up two studies probing the idea of the brain as the body's servant.
We reviewed and summarize the extant literature on associative/dissociative cognitive strategies used by athletes and others in circumstances necessitating periods of sustained attention. This review covers studies published since a prior publication by Masters and Ogles (1998), and, in keeping with their approach, offers a methodological critique of the literature. We conclude that the distinction between associative and dissociative strategies has outlived its usefulness since initially proposed in an earlier era of ground-breaking research by Morgan and Pollock (1977) that was influenced to some extent by psychodynamic thinking. In recent years there has been an evolutionary shift in concepts of sustained attention toward mindfulness-moment-by-moment attention-that has had a significant impact on conceptual models and clinical practice in diverse areas including stress management, psychotherapy, and athletic performance. We propose that future research on cognitive activity in sustained performance settings be embedded in a mindfulness-based conceptual model.
