FIRST MEETING IN PERSON AT THE HOSPITAL

FIRST MEETING IN  PERSON AT THE HOSPITAL.

I arrive at the hospital on Thursday, May 23, 2013 to talk with the director of the Department of Education, Anahi and meet the rest of the team of teachers: Jose, Esther, Begona, Yolanda and Cristina. Anahi introduces me to the rest of the team who is very interested in installing and developing the project as well as in finding a way to carry it out. Apparently the word "Installation" creates considerable confusion because in spanish it evokes a permanent exhibition work rather than an active and dynamic arkwork in development. Once understood the confusion, we choose to talk about "workshops" rather than "installation".

Soon Boro arrives, the professional photographer from the hospital. I show prototype samples of the shadows and puppets as well as the interactive digital game "Dr. Giggles ". Boro takes photos for the press and for the hospital's official website. 

(Ruth. Hospital. 2013)

(Anahi, Ruth and Belen. Hospital. 2013)

Anahi explains me the operation of the classroom. The way to work in the classroom is based on projects that children and teachers develop every week. Proposals for volunteers or workshops are on par with the topic of the projects, which this week is about "Performing arts". Dates are all mostly closed and because of the characteristics of my project, they propose me to make the workshops the next day, Friday, to enter into the subject matter. A little bit scared at the same time that excited I reply, "Okay, if there is no choice. You caught me a litter bit surprised, but no matter ... ". However, we decided to postpone it for the next week, whose theme is 'The Hospital'. "Uff.." I breath.

This new decision fits perfectly by the developed method (Disensititation) and allows me to prepare all the material for the weekend: dye bandages and gauzes with different colors (red, orange, blue, yellow, green and purple), stretch them and dry them, prepare the sticks with metal latches for shadow puppets, cut different templates of animals, preparing cotton heads hand puppets, as well as collect and organize all materials: paints, X-rays, cotton, bandages, plasters, tape, gauze, scissors, glue, cardboard, and the questionnaire for the Kids. All organized by the moment. I feel really excited and happy! :)

HOSPITALS IN SPAIN. WORKING WITH CHILDREN (2)

HOSPITALS IN SPAIN. WORKING WITH CHILDREN (2)

FIRST PILOT STUDY. "X-SAFARI"

FIRST PILOT STUDY. "X-SAFARI"

CISR + MIX REALITY PERFORMANCE LAB (PART II)

CISR + MIX REALITY PERFORMANCE LAB (PART II)

Designing Doctor Giggles: Kinect or ScreenTouch?

Designing Doctor Giggles: Kinect or ScreenTouch?

8th International Conference of Persuasive Technology. Sydney 2013

PERSUASIVE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE. SYDNEY 2013

The 8th International Conference on Persuasive Technology
April 3-5, Sydney, Australia.

"Persuasive Technology is an interdisciplinary research field that focuses on how interactive technologies and services can be designed to influence people’s attitudes and support positive behavior change. The 8th International Conference on Persuasive Technology featured insights into how mobile and internet-based applications can be designed to support positive behaviors changes in areas such as health, safety, and education". (http://pt2013.csiro.au/)

We were invited to present our short paper "Three Themes for Designing Games that Aim to Promote Positive Body Perception in Hospitalized Children. We presented it as a Poster. Our poster was very well received. We received very good feedback with comments such as "it is the best poster I've ever seen" or" I love it because there is almost no text".

The conference discussed many different topics, starting with its title, "Persuasive Technology". The word 'persuasive' has negative connotations, as the speaker Anthony Jameson highlighted in the first panel. He propossed different alternatives such as "Persusive and Choice - Supporting Technology". All different suggestions were related to concepts such as "Learning while doing" and "Taking Decitions". Learning from experiences is a way of Self-Monitoring and therefore more positive and appealing approach. The suggested names stress Support Choice, Empowerment and Changing Behaviour. The main message of the panel was to identify the uncomfortable aspect of the title and hence try to find a solution with a name that does not rely on the binary of positive/negative but rather on Thought Provoquing (even if it comes from taking pleasure from negative experiences).

Among all different projects' presentation and panel I felt more interested, because the filework, themes and issues, on the following ones:

- Reducing Texting and Driving.- A device project created to meassure and manage drivers texting on road as a way to decrease car accidents. The project was based on a video that participants visualized before signing to participate in the study. During several days (months) participant received sms everyday to remind them about the consequences of texting while driving. The aim of the project was to encourage them to stop texting. I personally found the project useful for society, interesting and inspiring.

- The Scrabble of Language- An interesdting project to 

Design Strategies for "The Healing Path" & "Doctor Giggles"

"THE HEALING PATH" & "DOCTOR GIGGLES"

DESIGN STRATEGIES

"THE HEALING PATH"

"DOCTOR GIGGLES"