Welcome to the December 2018 SIGCHI edition of ACM TechNews.

ACM TechNews - SIGCHI Edition is a sponsored special edition of the ACM TechNews news-briefing service focused on issues in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). This service serves as a resource for ACM-SIGCHI Members to keep abreast of the latest news in areas related to HCI and is distributed to all ACM SIGCHI members the first Tuesday of every month. ACM TechNews is a benefit of ACM membership and is distributed three times per week on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays to over 100,000 ACM members from over 100 countries around the world. ACM TechNews provides timely coverage of established and emerging areas of computer science, the latest trends in information technology, and related science, society, and technology news. For more information on ACM TechNews and joining the ACM, please click. The Interactions mobile app is available for free on iOS, Android, and Kindle platforms. Download it today and flip through the full-color magazine pages on your tablet or view it in a simplified low-bandwidth text mode on your phone. And be sure to check out the Interactions website, where you can access current and past articles and read the latest entries in our ever-expanding collection of blogs.

Helping the Blind to Navigate
Caltech News
Lori Dajose
November 27, 2018

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) researchers have combined augmented reality technology with computer vision algorithms into a device to help blind people navigate unfamiliar spaces. The team integrated a portable headset and software that enables objects to "talk," translating the optical world into plain English audio. Caltech's Markus Meister said the Cognitive Augmented Reality Assistant (CARA) was envisioned to function so "wherever you point your gaze, the different objects you focus on are activated and speak their names to you." CARA works in conjunction with Microsoft's HoloLens headset, and incorporates spatialized sound, causing objects to sound different depending on their location. CARA was programmed with multiple modes to avoid objects communicating simultaneously. The team is implementing new CARA frameworks for real-time identification of objects and pedestrians, and aims to make the system available for venues like banks, hotels, and shopping malls.

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Using Skype to Beat the Blues
OHSU News
Erik Robinson
November 19, 2018

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researchers found video chat appears to have the greatest impact of four analyzed communication technologies on relieving depression among seniors. The team compared video chat, email, social networks, and instant messaging among adults 60 and older, then measured their symptoms of depression based on survey results after two years of use. Participants who used email, instant messaging, or social media platforms exhibited virtually the same rate of depressive symptoms compared with older adults who did not use any communication media. Meanwhile, participants who used video chat tools like Skype and FaceTime had nearly 50% the estimated likelihood of depressive symptoms, after adjusting for potentially confusing variables such as pre-existing depression and level of education. Said the study authors, "To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a potential link between use of video chat and prevention of clinically significant symptoms of depression over two years in older adults."

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Space Making the Virtual a Reality
European Space Agency
November 15, 2018

The European Space Agency (ESA) is exploring the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to transform human perception. With satellite communications, Earth observation, and navigation data, VR and AR experiences can be extended outside of terrestrial networks, with up-to-the-minute live mapping and specific location-based data. For example, the ESA-funded CapeOutdoors3D VR mobile app overlays Sentinel-2 maps of South Africa with location-tracked recreational data for tourists and fire risk spatial data for wildlife park management, overcoming the limitations of terrestrial network coverage. Said ESA's Nick Appleyard, "We think space can add a great deal of value...both in terms of helping industry capitalize on the business opportunities, and helping the technology and its positive applications for people develop further." Another area of investigation is the use of satellites to facilitate 5G VR and AR data services and propagate always-on, ultra-fast connectivity worldwide to supplement terrestrial networks.

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A Computer Game's Edible Controller Lets You Play It With Your Gut
New Scientist
Paul Marks
November 16, 2018

Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia are exploring the development of video games using ingestible computer game controllers that can capture video, or detect chemicals, temperature, pH, or pressure. RMIT's Zhuying Li and Floyd Mueller came up with the two-player Guts Game, which requires players to adjust their internal temperatures at certain points 24 to 36 hours after swallowing a pill-like sensor, to kill a virtual parasite. The temperature changes are accomplished by consuming hot or cold beverages and meals, spicy meals that cause perspiration, and exercising as the sensor transmits temperature data to a smartphone app; the winner is the player who gets closest to a target temperature at the right times most frequently. Mueller believes gamifying pill-taking could help researchers learn strategies to help patients better adhere to medical regimens.

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A Stitch in Simulation Saves Nine
Cornell Chronicle (NY)
Melanie Lefkowitz
November 26, 2018

Cornell University and Stanford University researchers have developed a digital tool for predicting the appearance of knitting patterns, while offering a nearly 100-fold speed upgrade over existing methods. The yarn pattern simulator can generate image predictions using data about the kinds of stitches and patterns to be employed, and the qualities of the yarn. The researchers designed algorithms to be performed by a graphics processing unit, contributing to the simulator's high speed in conjunction with a more efficient technique for predicting which bits of yarn are likely to collide with other bits. Cornell's Steve Marschner said, "If you can tweak the design and see what the simulation is doing, then you can have the simulation as your partner in understanding how the design is going to work."

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A Study Analyzes the Impact of Targeted Facebook Advertising on the Elections
Universidad de Carlos III de Madrid
November 19, 2018

Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain, the University of Warwick in the U.K., and ETH Zurich in Switzerland evaluated micro-targeted political advertising on social media like Facebook in the U.S., suggesting this practice boosted the number of Donald Trump voters in the 2016 presidential election by 10%. The researchers determined the ads increased the likelihood that non-aligned voters would vote for Trump by at least five percentage points, yet the same strategy apparently failed to increase support for Hillary Clinton. The campaign made the biggest difference for voters who used Facebook regularly, those who used the network as their primary news source, and those who lacked university or college-level education. Said Warwick's Michela Redoano, "These online campaign channels are potentially very powerful political instruments. It is therefore vital that we understand how political campaigns on social media work, their impact on voter behavior, and, ultimately, on election results."

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VitalTag to Give Vital Information in Mass Casualty Incidents
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Susan Bauer
November 26, 2018

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed a stick-on sensor that tracks a patient's vital signs to help first responders quickly triage, treat, and transport victims of mass casualty incidents. The VitalTag is equipped with a low-cost suite of sensors that detects, monitors, and wirelessly transmits vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and other metrics. The system attaches to a patient's sternum and securely transmits patient data via Wi-Fi to a mobile device in real time, allowing medical professionals to view each patient's medical status and location on an incident map. The PNNL researchers also developed machine learning algorithms to interact with sensor hardware, as well as an intuitive user interface that helps first responders utilize the system. Said PNNL researcher Luke Gosink, "With VitalTag, many more patients can be monitored simultaneously and continuously."

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How Often Do You Look at Your Phone? Study Finds the Average American Checks Their Handset 52 Times a Day
The Daily Mail
Mark Prigg
November 13, 2018

An annual Deloitte survey calculated that Americans look at their handsets an average 52 times daily, while 39% of consumers are concerned about excessive smartphone use. Sixty percent of 18- to 34-year-olds said they were trying to use smartphones less often, with about 50% of them successful in that. Smartphone penetration climbed 3% year-over-year to 85%, with most growth concentrated among U.S. consumers 45 and older. Broken down by consumer penetration, smartphone use (85%) leads usage of laptops (77%), desktop computers (57%), tablets (57%), fitness bands (21%), smartwatches (14%), and virtual reality (VR) headsets (8%). Said Deloitte's Kevin Westcott, "While interest in other mobile technologies such as voice-assistance and [the Internet of Things] is there, the smartphone remains the go-to device for consumers, enabling them to do anything they desire: communicate, work, socialize, consume entertainment, stay fit, or take care of things at home."

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Amazon Wants to Get Alexa Into Your Car
USA Today
Jefferson Graham
November 29, 2018

Amazon aims to incorporate the Alexa personal assistant into automobiles to help drivers with dashboard tools like mapping and music navigation. Said Amazon's Ned Curic, "Our future is all about having Alexa embedded directly into the car, so you don't have to buy a device. It's there, it's integrated, you don't have to do much, just engage with Alexa." Up to now, car owners have been able to add Alexa functionality with their own tinkering, such as by bringing the compact Echo Dot speaker into the car, plugging it into the cigarette lighter for power, using the Internet signal from their smartphones, and operating Alexa to play music and offer information. Beyond these do-it-yourself hacks, Alexa can be added to vehicles via standalone devices.

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Can AI Eliminate Your Bad Hair Days?
The New York Times
Courtney Rubin
November 26, 2018

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key ingredient in the advancement of customizable hair care by companies like New York City-based Prose. Prose uses AI algorithms and a quiz to synthesize hair-care formulas specifically tailored for individual customers by factoring in data such as environmental variables surmised from customers' ZIP codes. For example, if Prose believes a customer is spending a lot of time in indoor heating due to cold weather, it adds corn derivatives that smooth and condition hair to fight static. Meanwhile, the Schwarzkopf cosmetics giant is engaged in trials of custom-designed products in Japan, with plans to bring them to the U.S. Its AI system features a handheld device with an infrared sensor that can detect a hair's molecular structure and analyze its moisture levels; an in-salon machine concocts products in less than a minute, along with a label printed with a barcode for reordering.

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