Project title:Impact of Gamification in Higher Design Education
Higher Education is critical in social innovation processes for its role in making progress across industries and hence should prepare students to grasp advanced skills. The research aims to contribute to filling the research gap in the area of gamification in higher design education and investigate its significance and effectiveness. Data collected from the students of design majors as well as faculty members from design universities will be analysed using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including participant observations, interviews, and questionnaires. As a result, a gamified framework for future research and pedagogy will be proposed, contributing not only to education but also to social innovation.
Primary Supervisor
Massimo Imparato
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Floriana Grasso
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Luis Felipe Moreno Leyva
Haojun Zhi
Full-time
Project title: Design for improved acceptance of wearable for elderly diabetic
The ageing population will lead to a rapid rise in demand for wearable medical devices among the elderly, particularly those focused on prevention, monitoring, and personal health care. China has the largest base of diabetics and the demand for diabetic wearable medical devices continues to grow, but there is still a low level of acceptance of wearable medical devices among older diabetics. This project will therefore use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct an empirical study to determine the psychological perception mechanisms of acceptance among elderly diabetic users; then obtain and identify key user needs and translate them into specific design elements, and finally combine the psychological perception mechanisms of acceptance with design elements to build a design strategy model to guide design practice.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mariia Zolotova
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Kai Hoettges
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Richard Appleby
Guangyi Wu
Full-time
Project title: AR and UX Design An Evaluation Model for Museums
Augmented Reality (AR) technology has evolved rapidly over the last decade, offering new and innovative ways to enhance the user experience (UX) across a variety of industries. It has also been used prominently in the museum sector, as it meant to provide visitors with an engaging and dynamic experience. This research project aims to develop a model for evaluating UX using AR technology in Chinese museums. The primary outcome will be a validated evaluation model for AR-based UX in museums by integrating a comprehensive literature review, existing case studies pertaining to the project, user testing and feedback, meticulous data analysis, and iterative refinement cycles. The model is intended to provide a theoretical framework for museums to guide AR-based UX development with the purpose of enhancing visitor experience.
Primary Supervisor
Nuno Bernardo
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Konstantinos Tsakalidis
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Cheng Zhang
Jingjing Zhang
Full-time
Project title:How virtual representations influence on user experience in virtual environment
With the continuous development of social productivity, science and technology, the demands for virtual reality (VR) technology from all walks of life are increasingly strong, including education, military training, games marketplace, and medical rehabilitation. It becomes more important to understand how people interact with the virtual world. VR provides immersive virtual environments (VEs) for users, and they can manipulate the handles or use hand tracker to control and interact with the virtual objects by performing specific actions or completing tasks in VEs. When participants enter a fully immersive VE, they cannot see their real bodies because the vision is covered by an opaque screen. However, a virtual avatar can be used to provide a realistic and familiar interface link between users’ own body and the virtual world. To enhance users’ enjoyment and engagement, various virtual avatars are created in VR games for users to perform operations from the first or third perspective. This project aims to investigate how virtual representations influence on user experience in virtual environment.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Hai-Ning Liang, Rui Yang
Liu Wang
Full-time
Project title:The effect of movement reproduction on user experience in virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful and promising tool to support targeted applications in various fields, such as education, military, and health care. Recent advancements in VR technology have led to a renewed interest to this technology in rehabilitation. VR has several advantages that can be leveraged for rehabilitation: increased engagement for repetitive tasks; low-cost and reduced clinical supervision; real-time and historical tracking of the patient’s rehabilitation process; and controllable stimuli and interactions to enhance motor learning. Proven to be more effective and engaging than traditional programs for patients in learning motor skills, virtual rehabilitation has been used for motor rehabilitation, with an aim to achieve motor recovery in patients with stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and acquired brain injury. Movement reproduction which represents movements information of patients in the virtual environment, is provided to facilitate patients’ motor learning and enhance the virtual experience. However, the effect of movement reproduction on user experience has not yet been systematically studied so far. This project aims to obtain data from user’s subjective experience and objective responses on different movement reproduction strategies. This project will contribute to the understanding of experiences in VR, shed lights on the design of virtual rehabilitation applications, and help to support the more effective virtual rehabilitation treatments.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervison
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Hai-Ning Liang, Rui Yang
Wenxin Sun
Full-time
Project title:Measurement and Evaluation of Psychological Feedback in Digital 3D World
From mouse to mid-air, passing through touch enabled surfaces, various approaches have been proposed to more effectively and efficiently position and orient objects in digital 3D world. When interacting within virtual environments, users’ psychological experience can be influenced by those approaches as well. While direct manipulation that mimics interactions in the physical world is the most natural and real approach, it is difficult to place a virtual object in the desired place with a high degree of task performance. Thus, it is interesting that there should be a tradeoff between task performance and psychological experience. Most studies only focus on task performance and ignore psychological experience, while this research project pays particular attention to the latter one and their relationship. Previous research studied users’ psychological feedback with traditional self-reported questionnaire. Although traditional questionnaire can be easily adopted to record people’s psychological feedback, it could only obtain subjective data from people. Other studies demonstrated that people’s brain activity was affected by different types of interactive mode in digital 3D world, and electroencephalogram (EEG) as an objective method could be widely used to measure and evaluate people’s psychological feedback. Therefore, both objective and subjective measurement of psychological feedback will be adopted in this project using EEG and questionnaire to explore the relationship between psychological feedback and task performance.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Yong Yue, Rui Yang
Zitong Wan
Full-time
Project title:Research on Exoskeleton Control System based on Brain-Computer Interface
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is an interdisciplinary technology related to signal detection, neurology, medicine and other fields, which was introduced in 1970s. The applications of BCI in functional brain mapping, neurological rehabilitations and other fields improve the quality of life of patients and significant help to their rehabilitation process. The exoskeleton is the external structure that support and protect the human body. The exoskeleton system detects human movement to replace or enhance these movements through simulation, which is widely applied in the rehabilitation of paralysis, amputation and other diseases. To fortify the adaptability and flexibility of the network kmodel, the concept of transfer learning is proposed to apply the knowledge learned in a pre-trained model into novel tasks.
The objective of this research is to build a transfer learning based method to realize real-time identification of motor imagery signals, which provide closed-loop control of the exoskeleton system with multi-mode physiological signals based on EEG data and human-machine interaction forces. The system is learnt from large amount of labelled EEG data to make a rapid and accurate response to a small number of real-time signals generated by patient through transfer learning, which ensure that the system is adaptable to identify multi-mode signals in closed-loop control.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Roberto Ferrero
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Yong Yue, Rui Yang
Lei Mao
Full-time
Project title: Enhancing the experience of senior citizens in public digital service scenarios through hybrid digital-physical interaction.
The Internet of Things (IoT)-based digital service scenarios offer the public a vast array of valuable services for daily life. As information technology has become more prevalent in public services, an “Invisible wall” is being built that prevents senior citizens from participating in daily life. The research seeks to comprehend the perceptions and expectations of senior citizens in the digital society by employing a hybrid research strategy, investigating the challenges of human-computer interaction with intelligent facilities in public spaces, including but not limited to interaction behaviour, physical characteristics, situational awareness, cultural background, medicine, psychology, and ergonomics, then proposing appropriate strategies for the application of age-friendly design in conjunction with hybrid digital-physical technology solutions. The ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between human-machine interaction and the integration of senior citizens into the public digital society. It is also essential to summarise the results as considerations and design principles for the age-friendly design of public digital services.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Cheng-Hung Lo
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Roberta Piroddi
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Ivan Parati, Prof. Sami Hajjaj
Yubin Guo
Full-time
Project title:Impact of Gamification in Higher Design Education
Higher Education is critical in social innovation processes for its role in making progress across industries and hence should prepare students to grasp advanced skills. The research aims to contribute to filling the research gap in the area of gamification in higher design education and investigate its significance and effectiveness. Data collected from the students of design majors as well as faculty members from design universities will be analysed using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including participant observations, interviews, and questionnaires. As a result, a gamified framework for future research and pedagogy will be proposed, contributing not only to education but also to social innovation.
Primary Supervisor
Massimo Imparato
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Floriana Grasso
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Luis Felipe Moreno Leyva
Haojun Zhi
Full-time
Project title: Design for improved acceptance of wearable for elderly diabetic
The ageing population will lead to a rapid rise in demand for wearable medical devices among the elderly, particularly those focused on prevention, monitoring, and personal health care. China has the largest base of diabetics and the demand for diabetic wearable medical devices continues to grow, but there is still a low level of acceptance of wearable medical devices among older diabetics. This project will therefore use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct an empirical study to determine the psychological perception mechanisms of acceptance among elderly diabetic users; then obtain and identify key user needs and translate them into specific design elements, and finally combine the psychological perception mechanisms of acceptance with design elements to build a design strategy model to guide design practice.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mariia Zolotova
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Kai Hoettges
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Richard Appleby
Guangyi Wu
Full-time
Project title: AR and UX Design An Evaluation Model for Museums
Augmented Reality (AR) technology has evolved rapidly over the last decade, offering new and innovative ways to enhance the user experience (UX) across a variety of industries. It has also been used prominently in the museum sector, as it meant to provide visitors with an engaging and dynamic experience. This research project aims to develop a model for evaluating UX using AR technology in Chinese museums. The primary outcome will be a validated evaluation model for AR-based UX in museums by integrating a comprehensive literature review, existing case studies pertaining to the project, user testing and feedback, meticulous data analysis, and iterative refinement cycles. The model is intended to provide a theoretical framework for museums to guide AR-based UX development with the purpose of enhancing visitor experience.
Primary Supervisor
Nuno Bernardo
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Konstantinos Tsakalidis
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Cheng Zhang
Jingjing Zhang
Full-time
Project title:How virtual representations influence on user experience in virtual environment
With the continuous development of social productivity, science and technology, the demands for virtual reality (VR) technology from all walks of life are increasingly strong, including education, military training, games marketplace, and medical rehabilitation. It becomes more important to understand how people interact with the virtual world. VR provides immersive virtual environments (VEs) for users, and they can manipulate the handles or use hand tracker to control and interact with the virtual objects by performing specific actions or completing tasks in VEs. When participants enter a fully immersive VE, they cannot see their real bodies because the vision is covered by an opaque screen. However, a virtual avatar can be used to provide a realistic and familiar interface link between users’ own body and the virtual world. To enhance users’ enjoyment and engagement, various virtual avatars are created in VR games for users to perform operations from the first or third perspective. This project aims to investigate how virtual representations influence on user experience in virtual environment.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Hai-Ning Liang, Rui Yang
Liu Wang
Full-time
Project title:The effect of movement reproduction on user experience in virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a powerful and promising tool to support targeted applications in various fields, such as education, military, and health care. Recent advancements in VR technology have led to a renewed interest to this technology in rehabilitation. VR has several advantages that can be leveraged for rehabilitation: increased engagement for repetitive tasks; low-cost and reduced clinical supervision; real-time and historical tracking of the patient’s rehabilitation process; and controllable stimuli and interactions to enhance motor learning. Proven to be more effective and engaging than traditional programs for patients in learning motor skills, virtual rehabilitation has been used for motor rehabilitation, with an aim to achieve motor recovery in patients with stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and acquired brain injury. Movement reproduction which represents movements information of patients in the virtual environment, is provided to facilitate patients’ motor learning and enhance the virtual experience. However, the effect of movement reproduction on user experience has not yet been systematically studied so far. This project aims to obtain data from user’s subjective experience and objective responses on different movement reproduction strategies. This project will contribute to the understanding of experiences in VR, shed lights on the design of virtual rehabilitation applications, and help to support the more effective virtual rehabilitation treatments.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervison
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Hai-Ning Liang, Rui Yang
Wenxin Sun
Full-time
Project title:Measurement and Evaluation of Psychological Feedback in Digital 3D World
From mouse to mid-air, passing through touch enabled surfaces, various approaches have been proposed to more effectively and efficiently position and orient objects in digital 3D world. When interacting within virtual environments, users’ psychological experience can be influenced by those approaches as well. While direct manipulation that mimics interactions in the physical world is the most natural and real approach, it is difficult to place a virtual object in the desired place with a high degree of task performance. Thus, it is interesting that there should be a tradeoff between task performance and psychological experience. Most studies only focus on task performance and ignore psychological experience, while this research project pays particular attention to the latter one and their relationship. Previous research studied users’ psychological feedback with traditional self-reported questionnaire. Although traditional questionnaire can be easily adopted to record people’s psychological feedback, it could only obtain subjective data from people. Other studies demonstrated that people’s brain activity was affected by different types of interactive mode in digital 3D world, and electroencephalogram (EEG) as an objective method could be widely used to measure and evaluate people’s psychological feedback. Therefore, both objective and subjective measurement of psychological feedback will be adopted in this project using EEG and questionnaire to explore the relationship between psychological feedback and task performance.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Ji Han
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Yong Yue, Rui Yang
Zitong Wan
Full-time
Project title:Research on Exoskeleton Control System based on Brain-Computer Interface
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is an interdisciplinary technology related to signal detection, neurology, medicine and other fields, which was introduced in 1970s. The applications of BCI in functional brain mapping, neurological rehabilitations and other fields improve the quality of life of patients and significant help to their rehabilitation process. The exoskeleton is the external structure that support and protect the human body. The exoskeleton system detects human movement to replace or enhance these movements through simulation, which is widely applied in the rehabilitation of paralysis, amputation and other diseases. To fortify the adaptability and flexibility of the network kmodel, the concept of transfer learning is proposed to apply the knowledge learned in a pre-trained model into novel tasks.
The objective of this research is to build a transfer learning based method to realize real-time identification of motor imagery signals, which provide closed-loop control of the exoskeleton system with multi-mode physiological signals based on EEG data and human-machine interaction forces. The system is learnt from large amount of labelled EEG data to make a rapid and accurate response to a small number of real-time signals generated by patient through transfer learning, which ensure that the system is adaptable to identify multi-mode signals in closed-loop control.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Mengjie Huang
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Roberto Ferrero
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Yong Yue, Rui Yang
Lei Mao
Full-time
Project title: Enhancing the experience of senior citizens in public digital service scenarios through hybrid digital-physical interaction.
The Internet of Things (IoT)-based digital service scenarios offer the public a vast array of valuable services for daily life. As information technology has become more prevalent in public services, an “Invisible wall” is being built that prevents senior citizens from participating in daily life. The research seeks to comprehend the perceptions and expectations of senior citizens in the digital society by employing a hybrid research strategy, investigating the challenges of human-computer interaction with intelligent facilities in public spaces, including but not limited to interaction behaviour, physical characteristics, situational awareness, cultural background, medicine, psychology, and ergonomics, then proposing appropriate strategies for the application of age-friendly design in conjunction with hybrid digital-physical technology solutions. The ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between human-machine interaction and the integration of senior citizens into the public digital society. It is also essential to summarise the results as considerations and design principles for the age-friendly design of public digital services.
Primary Supervisor
Dr. Cheng-Hung Lo
UoL Supervisor
Dr. Roberta Piroddi
Second XJTLU Supervisor(s)
Dr. Ivan Parati, Prof. Sami Hajjaj