Site visit in Tampere on 30 January 2003

The coordination unit made a site visit at the TAUCHI unit at the University of Tampere on 30 January 2003. Professors Veikko Surakka, Jukka Lekkala, Martti Juhola and Jari Hyttinen presented their PROACT project Wireless Technology and Psychophysiological Computing, also known as Wireless User Interfaces.

The aim of this project is to study and test new lightweight wireless sensor technology that can be used for monitoring of behaviours that are related to human physiological and psychophysiological responses. The group will study monitoring of the functioning of the human heart (electrocardiograms, ECGs), brain activity (electroencephalographs, EEGs), eye movements (electrooculograms, EOGs), and facial muscle activity (electromyograms, EMGs). Wireless monitoring of eye movements and facial activity will be utilized to control a graphical user interface with the use of wireless electrodes.

The project is motivated by the need for wireless technology in hospitals, for monitoring in homes and for disabled and elderly persons. Wireless technology is expected to improve quality of life and well being as the technology is easier to wear in different contexts and it also makes it easier to move freely. In contrast, today's wired technology in the homes of the elderly or disabled could be downright dangerous.

First year plans

The project intends to look at different aspects related to wireless sensor technology and signal analysis and measuring during its first year. The Sensor Technology Group at TUT intends to start by building a wireless electrode by using available technology. The first version of the electrode is intended for measuring the electrocardiograms. The wireless electrode system will consist of measurement electrodes, signal amplification and modulation electronics, a radio link and some kind of a battery or accumulator. Later versions will possibly obtain their power wirelessly. Interesting problems here are to try to find out what kind of signal to transmit and how to do it efficiently. One important factor is also cost: the sensor will be built out of reasonably prized components.

Jari Hyttinen's Group will study how the size and the distance of several electrodes on the body will affect the signal measurements. The group will build simulation models, at first in 2D with few electrodes, and concentrate on ECGs, EMGs and EOGs. Later models including very detailed anatomic structures, e.g., a head with bones, muscles, eyes, etc. tissues will be constructed.  The Signal Processing Unit will study EOG signals for measuring eye movements. The signals will be compared to EMG signals measured simultaneously. It is believed that the EOGs contain EMG noise that could be removed or ignored based on EMG measurements. The Emotions, Sociality and Computing Group will build an agent environment for soothing or accelerating the physiological activity of a test person. Input data is provided from ECGs, EOGs, EMGs, EEGs and eye tracking.

The project expects to present the first prototypes of wireless technology that is attached to the face in early 2004.

More information

For more information, please contact the coordinator of the consortium, Assistant Professor Veikko Surakka at University of Tampere. The consortium consists of the following units and researchers

• University of Tampere (UTA), Department of Computer and Information Sciences
• Emotions, Sociality and Computing Group at TAUCHI: Assistant Professor Veikko Surakka, Researcher Toni Vanhala
• Signal Processing: Professor Martti Juhola, Researcher Pekka Niemenlehto
• Tampere University of Technology (TUT)
• Analysis and Modelling of Physiological Systems Group, Ragnar Granit Insititute: Professor Jari Hyttinen, Researcher Merja Puurtinen
• Sensor Technology Group, Institute of Measurement and Information Technology: Professor Jukka Lekkala, Researcher Antti Vehkaoja

See also the project'sweb pages at http://www.cs.uta.fi/hci/wtpc/ or the project's web page at this site.