Garments serve a number of purposes, from protection and physiological comfort to social and cultural expressions. With the recent developments of active textiles, sensors and actuators with shapes and sizes similar to textiles, the real multifunctional garments have been realized. The functions of such garments can be regulating heat by changing the spacing between the strands of yarn, giving massage or assisting lifting movement by expanding and contracting one or more actuators.   This project is a part of a main project targeting on reconfigurable hybrid wearables. The main started from studying possible actuators that could have textile-like properties, where pneumatic actuators were chosen. A model of different forces, strains and braiding angles of a pneumatic actuator sometimes called a McKibben muscle was made. It should be noted that such garments with pneumatic actuators to be functional and applicable each segment needed an external pump. For local actuation, miniaturized servo valves were needed. Hence, study on super coiled actuators (SCAs) was initiated to investigate their potential of controlling the valves for constricting the flow when needed. In this project different SCAs were developed and their performances were recorded. To assist with heating of the SCAs Galinstan and Gallium were used as electric resistors to provide for Joule heating.  A contraction of over 19% and an efficiency of 0.29% were achieved but could most likely be improved by optimizing the fabrication and testing process.

No description available.

No description available.

Denna studie undersökte hur smartklockors gränssnitt kan utformas för att upplevas användbara samt bidra till minimal kognitiv belastning under fysisk aktivitet. Smartklockors skärmar ställer andra krav på gränssnittet samt medför ett antal utmaningar för hur information kan presenteras på bästa sätt. Utöver detta brukar smartklockor användas i samband med fysisk aktivitet, som ställer höga krav på användarens uppmärksamhet. För att bibehålla hög kvalitet på träningen bör den kognitiva belastningen minska. För att undersöka detta har Cognitive Load Theory applicerats för att kunna optimera arbetsminnets kapacitet. Studien gjorde på personer i 20 års ålder. En kvalitativ datainsamling gjordes genom ett användartest och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Användartestet utfördes på en stationär cykel där deltagarna utförde ett antal uppgifter på en smartklocka. Efteråt skedde semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet analyserades genom kategorisering och jämfördes med tidigare studier. Utifrån de mest förekommande resultaten skapades åtta designförslag. Resultaten visade att eliminering av viss information på gränssnitt kan minska den kognitiva belastningen samt höja användbarheten. Ett konsekvent gränssnitt skulle kunna minimera antal fel samt underlätta för användaren att korrigera fel. En tillämpning av de framtagna designförslagen kan eventuellt minimera den kognitiva belastningen vid interaktion med smartklockors gränssnitt vid fysisk aktivitet. Detta kan underlätta för användaren att fokusera på träningen samt uppleva klockan som mer användbar. / This study examined how an interface for smartwatches can be designed to be perceived as useful and reduce cognitive load during physical activity. Smartwatch screens have other demands on the interface and face several challenges regarding how information can be presented. In addition to this, smartwatches are often used in physical activity, which places high demands on user's attention. To maintain high-quality training, the cognitive load should be reduced. To investigate this, cognitive load theory has been applied to optimize the capacity of the working memory. The study looked at people in their 20s. Qualitative data collection was done through a user test and semi-structured interviews. The user test was done on a stationary bike, the participants performed several tasks on the smartwatch. The participants rode a stationary bicycle while performing tasks on a smartwatch, followed by semistructured interviews. The results were analyzed by thematization and compared with previous studies. Based on the most common results, eight design proposals were created. The results showed that by eliminating unnecessary information, the interface can reduce cognitive load and increase usability. A consistent interface could minimize the number of errors and make it easier for the user to correct errors. An application of the developed design proposals may minimize the external load when interacting with the smartwatch interface during physical activity. This can support users can focus on training and experience the watch as more useful.

Every year, people are injured or even drowns in pools all over the world. Even in pools with monitoring lifeguards, accidents happen. One reason for submerge injuries or drownings is that they often are silent, which make incidents hard to detect. Lately, more reliable systems for pool surveillance have entered the market: Technology ranging from camera monitoring systems to wearables that detects if a person lying lifeless in the pool. This to, ensure good safety for bathing visitors around the world and make the work of the lifeguards easier. This master thesis project regards the development of a new wristband for a Pool Safety and Drowning Detection System. This involved studying the system, investigate the involved stakeholders, gather information about the current wristband and analyse the current situation. However, the primary focus for this master thesis project has been to create and design a; “One-size fit all” wristband, based on human measures, a more robust design, and with a higher resistance against wear. The master thesis project is done with Sentag AB as clients together with third party developers. Sentag´s system includes three sizes of wristband, sensors in the water to pick up signals, and a central unit from where the system is operated. When the alarm is triggered the wristband sends a signal in the water which the sensors pick up, and pass the information to the central unit, which notifies the lifeguards. Also, the wristbands contain a RFID tag which allows the user to use the wristband as a key card which can be used for lockers, make payments, and passing gates. Sentag aims to be a leader in high quality drowning detection technology on an international market. They want to improve their product to reach a broader market and prevent accidents. The project has followed a human-centred design process to understand the perspective of the lifeguards who operate the system, and also to better understand the users wearing the wristband. The project was performed in five phases, starting with a Project Plan and Research, followed by Context Immersion, Ideation, and Implementation. The work is based on demands form Sentag and third party consultants and findings from the Context Immersion phase where the team interviewed and observed stakeholders, analysed the system, and investigated materials. The team worked iterative within each phase, meaning the methods were repeated if necessary. In the Ideation phase the creative work was performed, and in Implementation phase were prototypes and evaluations performed to find a final solution. The project resulted in a “one-size fit all” wristband concept, which can be worn by people from three years upwards. The new design consists of several parts, most of which is a soft wristband casing, which protects the technology unit against wear and scratches. It is now possible to replace the bracelet without tools, which previously required and exposed electronics. The work presented in 3D visualizations and 3D printed prototype. / Varje år skadas eller till och med drunknar människor i pooler världen över. Även i poolområden med övervakning händer olyckor. En orsak till detta är att drunkning ofta sker helt ljudlöst, vilket gör att incidenter är mycket svåra att upptäcka. På senare tid har mer tillförlitliga system för poolövervakning kommit in på marknaden. Allt från kameraövervakningssystem och personliga larm som upptäcker om en person ligger livlös i poolen. Detta för att säkerställa en god säkerhet för besökare och göra arbetet som badvakt lättare. Detta examensarbete handlar om utveckling av ett nytt armband för ett säkerhetssystem i poolmiljöer. I arbetet studerades nuvarande poolbevakningssystem, intressenter, information om de aktuella armbanden och arbetet omfattade analysering av nuläget. Huvudfokus under detta projekt har varit att skapa och designa ett armband som passar alla och som baseras på människors kroppsmått. Det nya armbandet skulle vara mer motståndskraftig mot slitage. Detta examensarbete utförs med Sentag AB som klienter tillsammans med tredjepartsutvecklare. I Sentags system ingår tre storlekar av armband, sensorer i vattnet för att plocka upp signaler, och en central enhet där systemet styrs ifrån. När larmet utlöses sänder armbandet en signal i vattnet, som sensorerna plockar upp, sensorerna vidarebefordrar informationen till centralenheten, som meddelar badvakterna. Armbanden innehåller också en RFID-tagg som tillåter användaren att använda armbandet som ett passerkort, nyckel till skåp, göra betalningar, och passera grindar. Sentag strävar efter att vara ledande i högkvalitativa drunkningslarm på en internationell marknad. Nu vill de förbättra sin produkt för att nå en större marknad och förebygga olyckor. Projektet har följt en designprocess som är centrerad kring människan för att förstå badvakternas perspektiv som använder systemet, och även för att bättre förstå användarna som bär armbandet. Projektet genomfördes i flera faser där processen började med en projektplan och litteraturstudie, följt av informationsinsamling, Idégenerering och Implementation. Arbetet bygger på önskningar från Sentag och tredjepartskonsulter och den information som framkom under informationsinsamlingen, där gruppen intervjuade och observerade intressenter, analyserade systemet och sökte efter lämpliga material. Processen var iterativ, vilket innebär att metoder som användes inom faserna repeterades efter behov. I idégenereringsfasen skedde det kreativa arbetet och i implementeringsfasen gjordes prototyper, 3D modeller och utvärderingar för att finna en slutgiltig lösning. Projektet resulterade i ett armband med en storlek som kan bäras av alla. Det kan bäras av personer från tre år och uppåt. Den nya designen består av flera delar, varav huvuddelen är ett mjukt armbandshölje, som skyddar teknikenheten mot slitage och repor. Det är nu möjligt att byta ut armbandet utan verktyg vilket tidigare krävdes samt exponerade elektroniken. Arbetet presenterades i 3D visualiseringar och en 3D printad prototyp.

Tendo em vista a convergência entre a moda, a tecnologia e o universo Internet of Things (IoT), em português, Internet das Coisas, esta pesquisa procura considerar que o corpo e o vestuário podem ir além das aparências. Por meio de uma perspectiva abrangente, as questões que delineiam o contexto das wearables technologies foram levantadas. Aparatos estes que, por meio da união com a tecnologia ressignificaram a compreensão das funções das roupas e dos acessórios, e funcionam no corpo e para o corpo como extensões das capacidades limitantes atreladas a ele. Mediante a um cenário interdisciplinar, a pesquisa busca problematizar essas tecnologias pela visão da comunicação, do design, do consumo e também direcionar a indagações pertencentes à cultura do trans-humanismo. Engloba-se o contexto histórico e teórico da concepção dos primeiros vestíveis tecnológicos, as instâncias conceituais e comerciais, e os entraves, bem como possibilidades no âmbito de custo, funcionalidade e privacidade. Considera-se por meio desta pesquisa, o fomento quanto a uma recente área do saber, no qual a moda atua como um objeto de disseminação de padrões de consumo implicando diretamente na atuação do humano-computador o que permite que ele exista simultaneamente, estendendo os limites entre os espaços físicos na esfera virtual / In view of the convergence between fashion, technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), this research seeks to consider that body and clothing can go beyond appearances. From a comprehensive perspective, the issues that outline the context of wearables technologies have been raised. Devices that, through union with technology, have redefined the understanding of the functions of clothing and accessories, and function in the body and for the body as extensions of the limiting capacities attached to it. Through an interdisciplinary scenario, the research seeks to problematize these technologies through the vision of communication, design, consumption and also to direct inquiries pertaining to the culture of transhumanism. It encompasses the historical and theoretical context of the conception of the first technological garments, the conceptual and commercial instances, and the obstacles, as well as possibilities in the scope of cost, functionality and privacy. It is considered through this research, the promotion of a recent area of knowledge, in which fashion acts as an object of dissemination of patterns of consumption implying directly in the human-computer performance that allows it to exist simultaneously, extending the limits between physical spaces in the virtual sphere

Background: Internet of Things is one of the most important areas of future technology and countless of industries are directing attention towards it. IoT has now started to appear in the sport industry. One sport that has not been investigated to the same extent within the terms of IoT is ice hockey. Problem Statement: Numerous teams in ice hockey have not yet realized the impact IoT may have on their team performance. With an absence in research on the use of IoT in the Swedish ice hockey industry, there is a knowledge gap on how Swedish ice hockey teams can grasp this opportunity and the main factors that affect their adoption. Research Purpose: IoT creates an opportunity for Swedish ice hockey teams to achieve a competitive advantage and thus a chance to gain new grounds in managing their teams. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate to what extent teams in the Swedish Hockey League are using IoT devices and explore the factors affecting the adoption process. Research Questions: To what extent are IoT devices used by teams in the Swedish Hockey League to increase teams’ performance? What main factors affect the adoption of IoT devices into teams in the Swedish Hockey League? Method: With an inductive approach, this qualitative research explores the IoT phenomenon in the context of ice hockey in SHL. With semi-structured interviews, this research gather data from the perspectives of seven SHL teams on IoT. By using a conventional content analysis, the data collected is categorized and divided into themes. Results: The use of IoT devices in SHL is low. The interest to adopt IoT devices is shared amongst many interview participants. When conducting the conventional content analysis on the data gathered from the interviews, certain themes became evident. The findings could be traced down to either their attitude, their competence within the field or their resources. Conclusion: The Internet of Things is changing the way professional sport teams are managed, coached, and led. The benefits that could be harvested from adopting IoT devices are undeniable, but there are several factors that facilitate a successful adoption. The culture and atmosphere in the organization, the skills and know-how, and the financial situation are all important parts of a successful adoption.

While much attention in location-based game and wearable research is about their benefits as in-class education or is aimed at children, rather less research has been done about the combination of location-based games and wearables in private use. This paper investigates a game solution for the low history knowledge of German teenagers and focuses on the learning success of the combination of a proposed location-based mobile game and wearable, called ‘Geocation’ for educational purposes as well as the enjoyment of it. Two prototype sets, functional and appearance, about the location-relevant topic ‘King Ludwig II’ were created and tested with 36 teenagers in Munich. To analyze the learning success pre-and post-test surveys were conducted and applied to the strategy of gamification. The enjoyment of the combination of the location-based mobile game and wearable was evaluated by connecting it to the GameFlow theory and conducting post-test interviews. The study has shown that the connected wearable was not crucial for the player’s learning success; however, it contributed to the user’s motivation and enjoyment.

Les objets connectés ont aujourd’hui pénétré les foyers et, poussés par une société tournée de plus en plus vers le bien-être, ces capteurs mesurent et proposent dorénavant une grande variété de données physiologiques. L’arrivée à maturité des technologies de la réalité virtuelle, couplée avec l’avènement des objets connectés, permet et favorise dès lors de nouvelles perspectives dans la proposition d’expériences immersives enrichies. De nombreux travaux dans le domaine de la réalité virtuelle rapportent l’exploitation des signaux physiologiques. Ceux-ci se basent principalement sur du matériel médical, qui possède des contraintes d’utilisation forte, reste souvent encombrant et limite de fait la mobilité des utilisateurs. Pour tenter de pallier ces limites, nos travaux se concentrent donc sur l’utilisation originale des wearables (objets connectés portés) comme substituts aux capteurs physiologiques traditionnels dans le cadre d’applications immersives. Ce travail de thèse se positionne à mi-chemin entre une étude de faisabilité technologique et une étude fondamentale sur l’expérience utilisateur (UX).Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de nos recherches est de contribuer à la connaissance concernant l’impact de l’utilisation des données physiologiques dans des environnements virtuels immersifs. Nous étudierons en particulier l’influence d’un biofeedback cardiaque, via des capteurs connectés grand public, sur l’engagement utilisateur et le sentiment d’agentivité. Nous avons ainsi mené deux expérimentations nous permettant d’étudier l’impact des différentes modalités de biofeedback sur l’expérience utilisateur. Notre première expérimentation met en place un biofeedback cardiaque dans un jeu d’horreur en réalité virtuelle, permettant d’augmenter le sentiment de peur. Les résultats de cette expérimentationconfortent l’intérêt de l’utilisation de capteurs connectés comme moyen de captation physiologique dans des expériences de réalité virtuelle immersive. Ils mettent également en avant l’impact positif de ce biofeedback sur la dimension d’engagement de l’expérience utilisateur. La deuxième expérience porte sur l’utilisation de l’activité cardiaque comme une mécanique d’interaction obligatoire. Elle est découpée en deux parties, la première permettant de quantifier le niveau de compétence des participants dans le contrôle de leur activité cardiaque et la seconde les plongeant dans une suite de tâches en réalité virtuelle ; le contrôle cardiaque est de fait nécessaire pour les réussir. Les résultats de cette expérience démontrent la possibilité d’utiliser la dite mécanique pour des expériences virtuelles immersives et indiquent un impact positif sur le sentiment d’agentivité, lié au niveau de compétence des participants. Sur un plan théorique, cette thèse propose une synthèse des modèles de l’expérience utilisateur en environnement virtuel et soumet par ailleurs les bases d’un modèle que nous nommons « l’immersion physiologique ». / The internet of things has now entered every home and, with a society more and more focused towards wellness, these sensors measure and offer henceforth a wide variety of physiological data. Virtual reality technologies reaching maturity, coupled with the advent of the internet of things, allow consequently new opportunities to propose improved immersive experiences. If we identify nowadays many virtual reality studies reporting the usage of physiological data, they mainly use medical equipment, which poses strong usability constraints, is often cumbersome and limits mobility. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, this study therefore focuses on the original usage of smart wearables as substitutes for traditional sensors in immersive applications. Thus, this thesis is positioned halfway between a technological feasibility study and a fundamental user experience study.In this context, the objective of our study is to contribute to knowledge about the impact of the use of physiological data in immersive virtual environments. More precisely, the impact of biofeedback, via off-the-shelf smart wearables, on user engagement and the sense of agency. We have thus carried out two experiments allowing us to study the impacts of the different biofeedback modalities on user experience. Our first experiment implements a biofeedback based on heart rate in a virtual reality horror game, allowing to enhance the feeling of fear. The results of this experiment confirm the interest of using smart wearables to capture physiological data for immersive virtual reality experiences. They also highlight the positive impact of this biofeedback on user engagement. The second experiment focuses on the use of cardiac activity as a mandatory interaction mechanism. This experiment is divided into two parts, the first one quantifying the participants’ level of competency in heartrate control and the second one immersing them in a series of tasks in virtual reality ; heartrate control is necessary to complete the different steps of the experience. The results of this experiment demonstrate the possibility of using the said interaction mechanic for virtual reality experiences and indicate a positive impact on the sense of agency, linked with the level of competency of the participants. On a theoretical level, this thesis proposes a synthesis of user experience models in virtual environment and submit the foundations of a model that we call "physiological immersion".

Submitted by PPG Comunica??o Social (famecos-pg@pucrs.br) on 2018-04-23T19:28:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LUCIELE_COPETTI_DIS.pdf: 2336913 bytes, checksum: 11a44c7d0a0ef6f716884301d9d4e826 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Sheila Dias (sheila.dias@pucrs.br) on 2018-05-07T17:09:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 LUCIELE_COPETTI_DIS.pdf: 2336913 bytes, checksum: 11a44c7d0a0ef6f716884301d9d4e826 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-07T17:18:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LUCIELE_COPETTI_DIS.pdf: 2336913 bytes, checksum: 11a44c7d0a0ef6f716884301d9d4e826 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-20 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / The Internet is said to be giving rise to a new area of expertise on health communication, increasingly ubiquitous and constantly improving from the huge amount of information that can be easily and quickly retrieved by those concerned with their health. For testing this hypothesis, the researcher conducted a quantitative study with Brazilian women between the ages of 20 and 60 years using wearable apps and devices suitable to monitoring their health, supposedly stimulating in them the development of good preventive habits. The reading of authors like Michel Foucault, Nikolas Rose, Lucien Sfez and David Le Breton gave the study a theoretical scope, drawing relations between health, culture and society. This discussion gives prominence to mobility and digital media, especially those devices developed in the last ten years or so. The researcher then depicts the resources for three case studies: networks, apps and wearables, concentrating on the female public. The quantitative research shows that education and social backgrounds affect the use of technology in personal healthcare. In conclusion, this study confirms the body as an effective network agent embedded in cultural, social and technological practices. / Uma nova ?rea na comunica??o da sa?de est? surgindo via Internet, atrav?s da qual aquela primeira se torna ub?qua e se beneficia de fluxos de informa??o pass?veis de apropria??o cada vez mais ?gil e imediata por parte dos interessados. Com base nessa premissa, realizou-se uma pesquisa quantitativa com brasileiras entre 20 e 60 anos que utilizam aplicativos e dispositivos vest?veis capazes de auxiliar no monitoramento da pr?pria sa?de e, assim, estimular o desenvolvimento de h?bitos preventivos. Para dar sustenta??o ? pesquisa, aborda-se a rela??o entre sa?de, cultura e sociedade, a partir da leitura das obras de Michel Foucault, Nikolas Rose, Lucien Sfez e David Le Breton. Introduz-se o tema da comunica??o na ?rea da sa?de, com destaque para o papel adquirido pela Internet em particular o aspecto da mobilidade, integrado tamb?m pelos dispositivos digitais desenvolvidos no ?ltimo dec?nio. Passo cont?nuo, procede-se ? exemplifica??o destes recursos atrav?s da an?lise de tr?s casos: redes, aplicativos e dispositivos vest?veis. O recorte foi feito com vistas a focar no uso de redes, dispositivos e wearables pelo p?blico feminino. A pesquisa quantitativa concluiu que aparentemente as vari?veis educacionais e de classe social influenciam nos usos dessas tecnologias na sa?de. Dessa forma, o estudo proposto confirmou que o corpo ? agente efetivo nas redes, envolvendo pr?ticas sociais, culturais e tecnol?gicas.