—Immersive learning environments are increasingly being adopted as modern alternative presentatio... more —Immersive learning environments are increasingly being adopted as modern alternative presentation modes in training scenarios. Presently, the improved levels of engagement and interactions offered by these systems are expected to potentially motivate the learners more than conventional 2D interfaces. This study compares the effectiveness of immersive environments with conventional 2D learning content for a motorcycle labeling task by evaluating knowledge retention and recall. The study was conducted with two groups of participants: a VR interaction group and a tablet based 2D interaction group. The enhanced spatial interaction capability of VR was hypothesized to promote knowledge retention and improve the instructional utility of immersive learning solutions.
Medicine in India has an emerging need for balance rehabilitation due to its growing population o... more Medicine in India has an emerging need for balance rehabilitation due to its growing population of elderly, diabetics and stroke patients. In this paper, we describe the design of a cost effective system that provides static and dynamic balance training through interactive virtual reality games. The intention is to positively influence the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients suffering from balance disorders. The test-retest reliability of the balance platform is evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of the measurement (SEM). Thirty healthy individuals performed quiet standing with eyes opened/eyes closed and activities of daily living for twenty seconds. The center of pressure (COP) path length, mean velocity and range of displacement are computed to demonstrate device consistency across different trials. We also discuss the results of a pilot study on the utility of the device among clinical practitioners of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
—While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator descri... more —While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator described in this paper addresses a problem with a phenomenal social impact that addresses teaching of vocational skills to the growing unskilled and impoverished populations in India. This is an unconventional attempt at designing a multi-tool haptic trainer that could potentially replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stages of vocational skill training. After an exhaustive analysis of all the tools used in the various vocational trades of the construction industry, we categorized and sorted the tools based on their properties and functions. Using this information, we designed Amrita Progressive Training Assistance using Haptic simulation (APTAH), a cost effective haptic simulator that can train the use of over nineteen hand-held and powered tools used in several vocations. The simulator provides audio, visual and haptic cues that can help the novice master the use of the tools in the absence of a human trainer. This paper also discusses the preliminary trials conducted to study training effectiveness of the haptic simulator proposed.
We present Haathi Mera Saathi (My Elephant Friend), a game concept which serves as a tool for tea... more We present Haathi Mera Saathi (My Elephant Friend), a game concept which serves as a tool for teaching programming and computational thinking to underprivileged children in rural India. It provides a metaphor and gameplay for embodied and tangible games, and creates a soft early ramp up into the conceptual and digital space of learning to code. We discuss the urgency of digital inclusion for Indian rural children, with reference to technology as an amplifier which they need to learn to direct. We contrast the grounded, embodied style of Haathi Mera Saathi with the current crop of mini-languages and coding games, with particular emphasis on the need for physicality and tangibility in the very early stages of learning to code. We further discuss our experience conducting workshops for students from the tribal and rural belts of India, where we see HMS as an effective approach for taking them from a state of having no background in computers or computing, to a state where they create interactive applications in a Java based environment. Recommendations are given for researchers interested in working with rural village children.
2014 IEEE International Symposium on Haptic, Audio and Visual Environments and Games (HAVE), 2014
The objective of this work is to augment actual hands-on conventional vocational training worksho... more The objective of this work is to augment actual hands-on conventional vocational training workshop with simulated training using virtual haptic simulations as part of computer-based vocational education and training. We have developed a system to simulate various common tool exercises and procedures in virtual environments for vocational training programs targeted towards illiterate and semi-literate populations. In our previous work, we designed a cost-effective multi-tool haptic simulator that can train the use of 19 hand-held and powered tools. This simulator is designed to replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stage of vocational skill training. This paper discusses the design and computational modelling of the virtual training interface that allow this simulator to be used for training in multiple vocational trades - with a special focus on plumbing-that bring the experience of a vocational workshop training environment to the end user. This approach of a virtual, computer-based vocational training environment holds the potential to offer vocational training to a diverse audience with varying skill sets.
Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Applied Computing - ICONIAAC '14, 2014
Human motor skill training forms a large portion of the curriculum for any vocational education a... more Human motor skill training forms a large portion of the curriculum for any vocational education and training course. Construction personnel such as carpenters, plumbers and masons require long hours of training in order to gain expertise and workmanship to perform complex tasks skillfully. Poor skill in the use of tools results in sub-optimal outcome; compromised work quality and consumes additional cost.
In this paper, we describe the design of a novel do-it-yourself educational tool that is built using low cost materials, open source software and hardware, the designs for which are freely downloadable. This educational toolkit uses haptic technology to augment the need for realism and is used to provide skill training in the use of vocational tools. The aim is to generate interest in vocational education and to provide greater accessibility for base level skill training.
A2CWiC '10 Proceedings of the 1st Amrita ACM-W Celebration on Women in Computing in India, 2010
Vocational Education and Training (VET) helps bridge the gap between limited education and gainfu... more Vocational Education and Training (VET) helps bridge the gap between limited education and gainful employment. However, it is difficult to make VET readily accessible to economically and educationally challenged communities. To meet this challenge, we introduce a novel solution that adds unique elements to the realms of education technology: vocational education enhanced through both multimedia and haptic technology. This paper will present conceptual elements of revolutionary haptic technology to be applied in vocational education settings as well as present two different vocational training tested in the field using multimedia and haptic technologies. Through the application of multimedia, virtual reality and haptic technology to VET, we demonstrate that this enhanced vocational education and training has the capacity to convey complex concepts and skill sets to illiterate and semi-literate individuals. We also show the vast potential for applicability of such enhanced VET across India, and the resulting promise of increased employment and improved livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.
2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference: South Asia Satellite (GHTC-SAS), 2013
This paper proposes a software toolkit that Physiotherapists can use to integrate physical therap... more This paper proposes a software toolkit that Physiotherapists can use to integrate physical therapy exercises with a variety of video games. The toolkit will support a variety of motion tracking technologies and the data from these sensors will help the therapist monitor the performance of the patients and control parameters to advance the therapy appropriately. This technique will be especially useful for disabled patients in developing nations with little access to quality rehabilitation facilities but where computers and mobile phones have penetrated extensively. Using popular games for therapy helps the patient become motivated enough to perform therapy exercise steps repeatedly.
IECON 2013 - 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2013
While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator describ... more While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator described in this paper addresses a problem with a phenomenal social impact that addresses teaching of vocational skills to the growing unskilled and impoverished populations in India. This is an unconventional attempt at designing a multi-tool haptic trainer that could potentially replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stages of vocational skill training. After an exhaustive analysis of all the tools used in the various vocational trades of the construction industry, we categorized and sorted the tools based on their properties and functions. Using this information, we designed Amrita Progressive Training Assistance using Haptic simulation (APTAH), a cost effective haptic simulator that can train the use of over nineteen hand-held and powered tools used in several vocations. The simulator provides audio, visual and haptic cues that can help the novice master the use of the tools in the absence of a human trainer. This paper also discusses the preliminary trials conducted to study training effectiveness of the haptic simulator proposed.
—Immersive learning environments are increasingly being adopted as modern alternative presentatio... more —Immersive learning environments are increasingly being adopted as modern alternative presentation modes in training scenarios. Presently, the improved levels of engagement and interactions offered by these systems are expected to potentially motivate the learners more than conventional 2D interfaces. This study compares the effectiveness of immersive environments with conventional 2D learning content for a motorcycle labeling task by evaluating knowledge retention and recall. The study was conducted with two groups of participants: a VR interaction group and a tablet based 2D interaction group. The enhanced spatial interaction capability of VR was hypothesized to promote knowledge retention and improve the instructional utility of immersive learning solutions.
Medicine in India has an emerging need for balance rehabilitation due to its growing population o... more Medicine in India has an emerging need for balance rehabilitation due to its growing population of elderly, diabetics and stroke patients. In this paper, we describe the design of a cost effective system that provides static and dynamic balance training through interactive virtual reality games. The intention is to positively influence the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients suffering from balance disorders. The test-retest reliability of the balance platform is evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of the measurement (SEM). Thirty healthy individuals performed quiet standing with eyes opened/eyes closed and activities of daily living for twenty seconds. The center of pressure (COP) path length, mean velocity and range of displacement are computed to demonstrate device consistency across different trials. We also discuss the results of a pilot study on the utility of the device among clinical practitioners of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
—While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator descri... more —While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator described in this paper addresses a problem with a phenomenal social impact that addresses teaching of vocational skills to the growing unskilled and impoverished populations in India. This is an unconventional attempt at designing a multi-tool haptic trainer that could potentially replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stages of vocational skill training. After an exhaustive analysis of all the tools used in the various vocational trades of the construction industry, we categorized and sorted the tools based on their properties and functions. Using this information, we designed Amrita Progressive Training Assistance using Haptic simulation (APTAH), a cost effective haptic simulator that can train the use of over nineteen hand-held and powered tools used in several vocations. The simulator provides audio, visual and haptic cues that can help the novice master the use of the tools in the absence of a human trainer. This paper also discusses the preliminary trials conducted to study training effectiveness of the haptic simulator proposed.
We present Haathi Mera Saathi (My Elephant Friend), a game concept which serves as a tool for tea... more We present Haathi Mera Saathi (My Elephant Friend), a game concept which serves as a tool for teaching programming and computational thinking to underprivileged children in rural India. It provides a metaphor and gameplay for embodied and tangible games, and creates a soft early ramp up into the conceptual and digital space of learning to code. We discuss the urgency of digital inclusion for Indian rural children, with reference to technology as an amplifier which they need to learn to direct. We contrast the grounded, embodied style of Haathi Mera Saathi with the current crop of mini-languages and coding games, with particular emphasis on the need for physicality and tangibility in the very early stages of learning to code. We further discuss our experience conducting workshops for students from the tribal and rural belts of India, where we see HMS as an effective approach for taking them from a state of having no background in computers or computing, to a state where they create interactive applications in a Java based environment. Recommendations are given for researchers interested in working with rural village children.
2014 IEEE International Symposium on Haptic, Audio and Visual Environments and Games (HAVE), 2014
The objective of this work is to augment actual hands-on conventional vocational training worksho... more The objective of this work is to augment actual hands-on conventional vocational training workshop with simulated training using virtual haptic simulations as part of computer-based vocational education and training. We have developed a system to simulate various common tool exercises and procedures in virtual environments for vocational training programs targeted towards illiterate and semi-literate populations. In our previous work, we designed a cost-effective multi-tool haptic simulator that can train the use of 19 hand-held and powered tools. This simulator is designed to replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stage of vocational skill training. This paper discusses the design and computational modelling of the virtual training interface that allow this simulator to be used for training in multiple vocational trades - with a special focus on plumbing-that bring the experience of a vocational workshop training environment to the end user. This approach of a virtual, computer-based vocational training environment holds the potential to offer vocational training to a diverse audience with varying skill sets.
Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Applied Computing - ICONIAAC '14, 2014
Human motor skill training forms a large portion of the curriculum for any vocational education a... more Human motor skill training forms a large portion of the curriculum for any vocational education and training course. Construction personnel such as carpenters, plumbers and masons require long hours of training in order to gain expertise and workmanship to perform complex tasks skillfully. Poor skill in the use of tools results in sub-optimal outcome; compromised work quality and consumes additional cost.
In this paper, we describe the design of a novel do-it-yourself educational tool that is built using low cost materials, open source software and hardware, the designs for which are freely downloadable. This educational toolkit uses haptic technology to augment the need for realism and is used to provide skill training in the use of vocational tools. The aim is to generate interest in vocational education and to provide greater accessibility for base level skill training.
A2CWiC '10 Proceedings of the 1st Amrita ACM-W Celebration on Women in Computing in India, 2010
Vocational Education and Training (VET) helps bridge the gap between limited education and gainfu... more Vocational Education and Training (VET) helps bridge the gap between limited education and gainful employment. However, it is difficult to make VET readily accessible to economically and educationally challenged communities. To meet this challenge, we introduce a novel solution that adds unique elements to the realms of education technology: vocational education enhanced through both multimedia and haptic technology. This paper will present conceptual elements of revolutionary haptic technology to be applied in vocational education settings as well as present two different vocational training tested in the field using multimedia and haptic technologies. Through the application of multimedia, virtual reality and haptic technology to VET, we demonstrate that this enhanced vocational education and training has the capacity to convey complex concepts and skill sets to illiterate and semi-literate individuals. We also show the vast potential for applicability of such enhanced VET across India, and the resulting promise of increased employment and improved livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.
2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference: South Asia Satellite (GHTC-SAS), 2013
This paper proposes a software toolkit that Physiotherapists can use to integrate physical therap... more This paper proposes a software toolkit that Physiotherapists can use to integrate physical therapy exercises with a variety of video games. The toolkit will support a variety of motion tracking technologies and the data from these sensors will help the therapist monitor the performance of the patients and control parameters to advance the therapy appropriately. This technique will be especially useful for disabled patients in developing nations with little access to quality rehabilitation facilities but where computers and mobile phones have penetrated extensively. Using popular games for therapy helps the patient become motivated enough to perform therapy exercise steps repeatedly.
IECON 2013 - 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2013
While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator describ... more While mainstream haptics has been focusing on training elite skills, the haptic simulator described in this paper addresses a problem with a phenomenal social impact that addresses teaching of vocational skills to the growing unskilled and impoverished populations in India. This is an unconventional attempt at designing a multi-tool haptic trainer that could potentially replace traditional training tools and materials in the primary stages of vocational skill training. After an exhaustive analysis of all the tools used in the various vocational trades of the construction industry, we categorized and sorted the tools based on their properties and functions. Using this information, we designed Amrita Progressive Training Assistance using Haptic simulation (APTAH), a cost effective haptic simulator that can train the use of over nineteen hand-held and powered tools used in several vocations. The simulator provides audio, visual and haptic cues that can help the novice master the use of the tools in the absence of a human trainer. This paper also discusses the preliminary trials conducted to study training effectiveness of the haptic simulator proposed.
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Papers by Unnikrishnan R
In this paper, we describe the design of a novel do-it-yourself educational tool that is built using low cost materials, open source software and hardware, the designs for which are freely downloadable. This educational toolkit uses haptic technology to augment the need for realism and is used to provide skill training in the use of vocational tools. The aim is to generate interest in vocational education and to provide greater accessibility for base level skill training.
In this paper, we describe the design of a novel do-it-yourself educational tool that is built using low cost materials, open source software and hardware, the designs for which are freely downloadable. This educational toolkit uses haptic technology to augment the need for realism and is used to provide skill training in the use of vocational tools. The aim is to generate interest in vocational education and to provide greater accessibility for base level skill training.