Cognition, Serious Gaming, and Behaviourism: The Emotional Dimension

Speaker: Dr. Aladdin Ayesh, De Montfort University
Place: IOCT, DMU
Date and Time: 2pm, 1st December 2008

Abstract:
Video games have advanced greatly in the last few years. Their advance and great popularity can be contributed to a number of reasons. Some of these reasons are very obvious such as the advances of hardware both in increased capability and reduced cost. Another important reason is graphics and visualisation. But there are other reasons that are less noticeable but as important if not more so. Cognitive studies application in developing games can make huge difference and allow a graphic inferior platform such as Wii by pass far superior platforms such as Playstation in terms of overall experience and user attraction.
Applying cognitive studies to develop interfaces is not particularly new. However, games gave a new dimension because of new set of user requirements and expectations. Thus, the cognition we are talking about here relates strongly to the behaviour of the platform and the games played. It also relates to means of interaction and user presence within the game that creates an attachment. In this case, emotions play a big role in developing platforms, games scenarios, games avatars and so on.
Emotion modelling is attracting more researchers in the last two years. There are still only few formal models in computing whilst a great literature in psychology and sociology. In this talk we will look at the current developments in emotion modelling, emotion-based inference, emotion expression and classification. A particular attention will be paid to behaviourist theories of emotions, which are often used in developing the computational models. Serious gaming, which is the use of game technology in developing serious applications such as simulators and training suites (e.g. some companies setup presence and deliver training and advertising services through Second Life), will be used as a context to show the importance of computational models of emotions in an era of parallel living avatars and domestic robots.
The talk will draw on existing projects. One particular project relates to crowd management, especially during disasters and emergencies (e.g. war zones). There are soldiers/police avatars, who are clearly identified, but then there are men, women and children within the crowd. Within that crowd there are also troublemakers. Each one of these characters has different levels of emotions derived from their motivations and perception of the situation and their social relations to others within the crowd. Now, a player or a trainee can become a part of this virtual world as an avatar. It will be shown how through using emotions modelling and social relations rules the avatars can exhibit panic and curiosity as an emergent property similar to what we may observe in the real world.
The talk will conclude with the launch of www.computational-emotions.org web site, which aims to provide a point of reference to researchers in this area and the basis of a new book by the speaker.


If you would like to book a place at this event, please contact Lisa McNicoll on lmcnicoll@dmu.ac.uk