Projects Exploring Cognition and Design: Enhancing Experiences Through Research

Through our projects, we explore the dynamic relationship between human cognition and design, focusing on how psychological principles can optimize user experiences and enhance memory, attention, and engagement. By combining cutting-edge technology with rigorous research methodologies, we strive to bridge the gap between theory and practice, advancing our understanding of human behavior in both digital and real-world contexts.

Accuracy Heatmap by Screen Position During Memory Recall Task. This heatmap illustrates accuracy across different screen positions, measured by absolute response error during the memory recall task. Cooler colors (blue) denote higher accuracy (lower errors), while warmer colors (red) indicate lower accuracy (higher errors). The visualization emphasizes the influence of spatial positioning on recall precision, particularly highlighting how alignment with Rule of Thirds (RoT) points may enhance accuracy.

Mastering Memory: The Rule of Thirds in Visual Design

This study investigates the cognitive influence of the Rule of Thirds (RoT), a design principle commonly used in visual arts, on memory recall and reaction times during a visual search task. By aligning visual stimuli with RoT positions on a screen, the research explores how strategic spatial placement impacts memory encoding and processing efficiency.

Key Contributions:

Demonstrated that aligning stimuli with RoT significantly enhances memory recall accuracy.
Showed no significant effect of RoT alignment on reaction times, highlighting its impact on accuracy rather than speed.
Bridged aesthetic principles with cognitive psychology, emphasizing the practical applications of RoT in user interface design, advertising, and education.

Impact:
The findings offer valuable insights into how spatial alignment influences attention and memory encoding. This research contributes to the design of more effective visual tools, optimizing both engagement and recall in real-world applications.

Investigating Cognitive, Social, and Behavioral Impacts in Cooperative vs. Competitive Games

This project explores how cooperative and competitive gaming environments influence players' emotional states, social behaviors, and physiological responses. The study uses advanced tools like eye tracking, EEG, GSR, and facial expression detection to measure stress, engagement, and social bonding during gameplay.

Key Contributions:

Investigated how cooperative games foster social bonding and reduce stress.
Examined the stress-inducing effects of competitive games and their implications for game design.
Utilized cutting-edge physiological tools to gather objective data on player experiences.

Impact:
The findings aim to inform game developers about designing games that enhance emotional well-being and social interaction. This research bridges cognitive psychology with game design, offering insights into how gaming environments shape human behavior and relationships.

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The results illustrate that the innovative shoe design consistently outperformed the traditional design in terms of reaction time across both tasks:Side-Cut Task: Participants wearing innovative shoes demonstrated faster reaction times, with a tighter distribution, indicating both improved performance and consistency during sudden directional changes.Start-Stop Task: While the difference was less pronounced, the innovative shoes still showed a trend toward reduced reaction times, suggesting better responsiveness and reduced cognitive load during rapid acceleration and deceleration.These findings highlight the potential of advanced shoe design to enhance athletic performance in football-specific movements.

Investigating the Impact of Shoe Design on Athletic Performance

This project examines how advanced shoe upper construction affects athletes' reaction times during football-specific movements. By comparing innovative shoe designs to traditional footwear, the study evaluates the role of fit, comfort, and stability in enhancing both cognitive and physical performance.

Key Contributions:

Identified significant improvements in reaction times for sudden directional changes and start-stop movements with advanced footwear.
Showed how superior upper construction can optimize focus, reduce cognitive load, and enhance proprioceptive feedback.
Provided actionable insights for the design of performance-enhancing athletic footwear.

Impact:
The findings emphasize the importance of innovative shoe design in improving athletic performance and reducing injury risks. This research bridges sports science and footwear innovation, offering a foundation for designing footwear that enhances both cognitive and physical capabilities.

Investigating the Cognitive and Biomechanical Impact of Footwear Upper Vibrations

This study explores the influence of vibrations applied to the top of the foot (footwear upper) on cognition, locomotor coordination, and comfort during locomotory tasks. By examining both walking and standing conditions, the research highlights the interplay between vibration intensity, cognitive function, and biomechanical performance.

Key Contributions:

Identified a linear relationship between vibration intensity and perceived comfort, with increased vibrations leading to reduced comfort levels.
Demonstrated that during standing, higher vibration intensity significantly increased reaction time and body sway non-linearly, suggesting impaired cognitive and postural control.
Showed no linear correlation between vibration intensity and reaction time during walking, indicating task-specific effects.
Highlighted that achieving optimal comfort levels can enhance attention and cognitive processes.

Impact:
The findings underscore the importance of footwear uppers in cognitive and biomechanical performance. Insights from this study can inform footwear design to balance comfort and performance, optimizing both cognitive focus and movement stability.

Undergoing Projects

Crafting the Optimal Medium for AI-Based Emotional Support Systems

This project investigates the most effective medium text, voice, or video for AI-driven emotional support systems. The study focuses on how different mediums influence user comfort, trust, and emotional connection, aiming to optimize AI interactions for providing empathetic and accessible support.

Key Contributions:

Analyzed user preferences and experiences with text, voice, and video interfaces in AI emotional support scenarios.
Identified unique strengths of each medium: text offers privacy and control, voice enables conversational ease, and video conveys non-verbal emotional cues.
Explored the influence of medium choice on user satisfaction, trust, and the perceived effectiveness of the AI system.

Impact:
The findings provide actionable insights for designing AI emotional support systems tailored to diverse user needs. By understanding how different mediums affect engagement and emotional connection, developers can create systems that enhance accessibility, foster trust, and improve the overall user experience in mental health and emotional support contexts.

Comparing VR and In-Person Psychological Interactions

This project examines the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) compared to in-person settings in psychological meetings and emotional support scenarios. The study investigates differences in user engagement, comfort, emotional connection, and perceived effectiveness between the two mediums.

Key Contributions:

Evaluated how VR creates immersive environments that may replicate or enhance aspects of in-person interactions.
Assessed user comfort, trust, and emotional responses in VR and face-to-face settings.
Identified the strengths and limitations of VR in fostering therapeutic relationships and delivering psychological support.

Impact:
The findings aim to inform the integration of VR technologies into psychological and emotional support services. By understanding the differences between VR and in-person interactions, this research provides insights into leveraging VR to increase accessibility, scalability, and effectiveness in mental health care.