Section: New Results

Physiological computing

Physiological computing

Participants : Jérémy Frey

While physiological sensors enter the mass market and reach the general public, they are still mainly employed to monitor health. Over the course of a thesis that explored the new possibilities offered by physiological computing in terms of communication and social presence, we described several use-cases involving the externalization of inner states through novel user interfaces.

For example, we created an application that uses heart rate feedback as an incentive for social interactions. A traditional board game was “augmented” through remote physiological sensing (Figure 12), using webcams to account for the subtle changes in blood flow that occur with each heartbeat. Projection helped to conceal the technological aspects from users and merged the biofeedback with the physical environment. We detailed how players reacted – stressful situations could emerge when users are deprived from their own signals – and we gave directions for game designers to integrate physiological sensors.

We envisioned a second application, that merges virtual reality, interactive fiction and physiological computing in order to craft truly immersive stories; narratives that evolve depending both on the actions and on the inner states of the user/reader, stretching a medium that shaped for ages humanity (Figure 13) [32].