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- Creating emotions through digital media art: building empathy in immersive environmentsPublication . Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Sá, Vítor J.; Marques, António; Donga, João; Correia, António; Loureiro, Javier PereiraArt has a power different from all other human actions; it can produce a variety of human emotions like nothing else. The main purpose of this chapter is to study the relation between media arts and emotions. Virtual environments are increasingly being used by artists; the use of immersive environments allows the media art artist to go further than express himself, allows that through contemplation and interaction the participant also becomes part of the artistic artefact. Immersive environments can induce emotional changes capable of generating states of empathy. Considering an immersive environment as a socio-technical system, where human and non-human elements interact, establishing strong relationships, the authors used actor-network theory as an approach to design an immersive artifact of digital media art. The use of neurofeedback mechanisms during the participant's exposure to immersive environments opens doors to new types of interaction, allowing to explore emotional states to generate empathy.
- Software requirements definition processes in gamification development for immersive environmentsPublication . Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Donga, João; Sá, Vítor J.The implementation of gamification in emmersive environments is a complex and multidimensional process. A socio-technical approach is necessary to cover all the specifications that the system needs to satisfy the needs and the purpose of its genesis. The use os virtual reality (VR) techonologies in mental healthcare associated with gamification mechanisms has been gaining popularity. Two projects were deveoped using VR, one that allows people to experience and better understand mental health conditions through empathy construct ant the other can be used to help patients with social phobia or Arachnophobia to reduce their phobias using VR solutions and real-time bbiofeedback. The authors analyze the aspects that influence the development of immersive environments and gamification mechanisms and propose a socio-technical methodology baser on actor-network theory for the survey and definition requirements. (68-78)
- The use of artificial intelligence in interactive virtual reality adaptive environments with real-time biofeedback applied to phobias psychotherapyPublication . Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Sá, Vítor J.; Donga, João; Marques, António; Gomes, Bárbara; Almeida, Raquel Simões de; Pereira, JavierExposure therapy is a type of psychotherapy where the patient is gradually exposed to a fear situation. Patients may present different degrees of phobia, and the degree of phobia of each patient changes throughout the treatment. The use of Interactive Virtual Reality Adaptive Environments, where the interaction is personalized through real-time biofeedback mechanisms, allows the environment to adapt to the patients and their evolution throughout the treatment. The Artificial Intelligence affective algorithms continuously monitor the patient’s behavioral data and physiological responses to adjust the intensity and number of the stimuli. This real-time adaptation aims to personalize and optimize the exposure process, gradually desensitizing patients to their fears
- Study of the means of online payment in the portuguese populationPublication . Castro, Nuno; Santos, Henrique; Sá, Vítor J.; José Magalhães, MariaNowadays it is possible to verify that there is a change in the way of buying, that is, the traditional means of shopping is increasingly giving way to the electronic medium and, consequently, electronic payment means. The Internet, by making it possible to purchase and pay online, through means such as PayPal, Credit Cards, PaySafeCard, among others, has contributed to greater convenience, speed and efficiency, making the daily life of the population easier. This phenomenon gives rise to a new generation of consumers, the online consumers [1]. Therefore, the objective of this research was to understand which means of online payments are most used by consumers. As a way of responding to this objective, a quantitative methodology was used, in which an online questionnaire was created to collect data Some results corroborate with the literature, but others contradict it, especially regarding the age range of online consumers.
- Autonomous creative learning strategy directed to higher education students in health areaPublication . Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Magalhães, Renato; Donga, João; Sá, Vítor J.; Ferreira, SandraAs digital native learners, Z and Alpha generation students upcoming new challenges for Higher Education Institutions. Their early contact with technological devices does not in itself confer the necessary digital skills to correctly apply technology in academic or professional contexts. Digital skills are fundamental to the future health professionals, improving their academic performance and prepares them for their integration into the labor market. The integration of information and communication technologies in the curricula of higher education courses in the health area is a differentiating factor for academic and professional enhancement. The Autonomous Creative Learning Strategy directed to higher education students in the health area is based on project-oriented approaches, combined with interactive and immersive based-gaming learning activities that appeal to creativity, autonomy and encourage proactivity, self-learning, and the constant search for continuous improvement.
- Pointer dynamics as cognitive biometricsPublication . Cunha, Liliana; de Magalhães, Sérgio Tenreiro; Sá, Vítor J.; Santos, HenriqueBiometric authentication technologies aim to increase the precision of security systems and have given proof of their effectiveness. Cognitive biometrics, in particular, has shown the potential of raising security levels, although lacking somewhat in terms of precision and adequate research. Therefore, this study analyses the viability of the usage of the Pointer Dynamics biometric technique as cognitive biometrics, under certain conditions. To this end, an algorithm was developed, whose identity validation criterion is the execution of the individual pattern in the manner of interaction with the mouse, when selecting the grids of the graphic secret. Authentication and fraudulent authentication tests were conducted with two types of images, one with a supposed emotional meaning for the user, and one without. This was done so as to allow the comparison of results brought forth by the application of the technique with and without cognitive stimulus. Although results do not allow definite conclusions to be drawn, the fact is that the False Acceptance Rate of both the cognitive tests and graphs present marked relative variations, for thresholds between 4 and 7, which indicate that it is likely that the cognitive stimulus has increased the resistance to attempts of fraudulent authentication.
- Interaction devices for multi-sensory exploration in immersive environmentsPublication . Donga, João; Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Sá, Vitor; Marques, António; Pereira, Javier; Machado Veloso Gomes, Paulo Sérgio; Sá, Vítor J.; Pereira da Silva Marques, António JoséImmersive environments, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), provide users with experiences that blend digital and physical worlds. Interaction devices play a critical role in facilitating these experiences by engaging multiple human senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and vestibular. This paper explores the various interaction devices designed for multi-sensory exploration, their applications, and the challenges associated with creating a fully immersive multi-sensory experience. We analyze input and output devices, hybrid systems, and emerging technologies while addressing the challenges in synchronization, user comfort, and accessibility.
- Virtual reality exposure therapy for Arachnophobia: A pilot studyPublication . Lopes, Inês; Almeida, Raquel Simões de; Gomes, Paulo Veloso; Sá, Vítor J.; Oliveira, Gonçalo; Marques, António; Machado Veloso Gomes, Paulo Sérgio; Sá, Vítor J.; Pereira da Silva Marques, António José; Simões de Almeida, RaquelArachnophobia is a chronic disorder leading to significant avoidance of spider-related situations. This pilot study examines the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for treating arachnophobia. The study included 25 participants who completed fear questionnaires and avoidance tests before, after and two weeks after the intervention. The intervention consisted of a session of progressive exposure to a novel and gamified virtual environment containing spiders. The results showed a significant reduction in fear and anxiety in relation to the phobic stimulus, suggesting that VRET is a promising approach for treating phobias, in controlled and safe environments.
- NewBiopython library to support molecular biologyPublication . Nogueira, Patrícia; Sá, Vítor J.; Sá, Vítor J.; Nogueira, PatríciaBiopython is a library that facilitates the development of applications for Bioinformatics, using the Python programming language. Maintained by an international association of programmers - the Open Bioinformatics Foundation - since 1999, it provides tools for analyzing biological sequences and accessing online databases like NCBI. It features modules for sequence alignment, protein structures, population genetics, and more. Since the library is open-source with the collaboration of several developers, the project aimed to create a new library that used to existing API services such as Expasy, Blast, Uniprot and DrugBank. This enabled a single-call module to reference multiple services, obtain results, and generate a final report for a searched sequence. The first step to start the project was a study of existing Biopython libraries to assess their alignment with the proposed objectives. Access to the DrugBank service required a formal request. It was necessary to justify the request, explaining how and why the data would be used within the scope of the project. After the preceding steps, the entire architecture and design of the solution were conceptualized and, subsequently, we started the development. As a result of this project, there was an endpoint that, when invoked by any software or platform, returns all information found for a genetic sequence in JSON format. A small user interface was also developed to display the search results as an alternative to using only the API. Because BioPython is a free package and science is the motivation, a new library will be available for several services such as Expasy, Blast, Uniprot, and DrugBank. It will be free for all schools, labs, researchers, and developers who want to use it.