Jul 1 2019
Smart wearable technology that heats up, changes in color, vibrates, or squeezes as the wearer’s emotions are heightened holds the promise to help people with affective disorders to control their feelings more effectively.
(Image credit: Lancaster University)
Scientists from Lancaster University’s School of Computing and Communications have worked with smart materials on wrist-worn prototypes that can help people diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders in monitoring their emotions.
Wristbands that change their color based on the level of emotional arousal enable users to easily view or feel what is taking place without the need to refer to desktop or mobile devices.
“Knowing our emotions and how we can control them are complex skills that many people find difficult to master,” co-author Muhammad Umair, who will present the study at DIS 19 in San Diego.
We wanted to create low-cost, simple prototypes to support understanding and engagement with real-time changes in arousal. The idea is to develop self-help technologies that people can use in their everyday life and be able to see what they are going through. Wrist-worn private affective wearables can serve as a bridge between mind and body and can really help people connect to their feelings.
Muhammad Umair, Study Co-Author, Lancaster University
He further added: “Previous work on this technologies has focused on graphs and abstract visualizations of biosignals, on traditions mobile and desktop interfaces. But we have focused on devices that are wearable and provide not only visual signals but also can be felt through vibration, a tightening feeling or heat sensation without the need to access other programs—as a result we believe the prototype devices provide real-time rather than historic data.”
The scientists worked with thermochromic materials that change in color upon heating, and also devices that squeeze or vibrate the wrist. During the tests of the devices, participants were observed wearing the prototypes over the course of 8–16 hours, reporting between four and eight occasions each when it activated—at the time of events such as working, playing games, watching movies, having conversations, relaxing, laughing, and becoming frightened.
Our prototypes capture physiological arousal. If we talk about sadness, then as this is associated with low arousal—or what we call emotional intensity—the device will most likely reflect low arousal. On the other hand, anxiety tends to be associated with high-intensity arousal, so that device will most likely reflect this. The device does not differentiate between positive or negative emotions, but between high and low-intensity ones.
Professor Corina Sas, Study Co-Author, Lancaster University
A skin response sensor detected changes in stimulation—via galvanic skin response, which quantifies the electrical conductivity of the skin—and represented it via different prototype designs. Those smart materials, which were instant as well as constant and which had a physical instead of a visual output, were found to be most effective.
Muhammad further stated: “Participants started to pay attention to their in-the-moment emotional responses, realizing that their moods had changed quickly and understanding what it was that was causing the device to activate. It was not always an emotional response, but sometimes other activities—such as taking part in exercise—could cause a reaction.
“One of the most striking findings was that the devices helped participants started to identify emotional responses which they had been unable to beforehand, even after only two days.”
“We believe that a better understanding of the materials we employed and their qualities could open up new design opportunities for representing heightened emotions and allowing people a better sense of sense and emotional understanding.”
According to Professor Sas: “We think there are a range of opportunities in both clinical and non-clinical settings for the devices, as most of us can benefit for being more aware and able to control or what we call regulate our emotional responses.”
“The ability to be more in touch with one’s emotions and to regulate them is key for emotional well-being in general and mental health in particular.”