Article-Journal

Supporting collective physical activities by interactive floor projection in a special-needs school setting

This paper presents an algorithm to provide floor projection feedback according to the local distance and density of individuals. It is realized by a large-space floor projection system with a feedback function based on human tracking with laser ranging image sensors. The purpose is to support the cognition of spatial–temporal structures of groups of adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) that are conducting organized physical activity (PA). Observation and evaluation of behavioral changes in adolescents with NDs, when they were active with or without the floor projection based on the proposed algorithm, were conducted to validate its effectiveness. We observed that the proposed algorithm can be implemented in different organized PAs. It had the effect to help individuals in a behavior to keep a close distance to each other as a group rather than to keep the same distance apart from each other while walking.

mika-oki
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An Empathic Design Approach to an Augmented Gymnasium in a Special Needs School Setting

In this paper, we describe a case study of an empathic design approach for designing a technology-assisted teaching in a special needs school setting with involvement of teachers and their students. An advanced design platform with a large-scale spatial augmented and mixed reality system was installed in the gymnasium of the school to enhance the teachers' insights toward a solution. Through careful design consultations with the teachers in the platform, we designed a full-body interactive learning game for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which intends to keep their attention focused on the content provided for learning. A total of 5 researchers, 21 teachers, and 64 students were involved in the study. Three observations, three workshops, six meetings, and two feasibility studies were conducted with the participants in the case study. The game was evaluated in a viability testing in cooperation with 23 children (20 males and 3 females, mild/moderate ASD, 6-12 years-old). The result verified that 95.7 % of the children succeeded in implementing the task provided in the game, which indicated that the game has the potential to help them focus their attention on learning by introducing an element of fun. The case study strengthened the importance of an empathic design approach that relocates a design platform from researchers' environment to a special needs school setting for designing a technology-assisted teaching for children with ASD. The design approach helped the study participants learn more about the problems, needs, and strengths of the children, and provided an appropriate solution together with technology.

issey-takahashi
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Integrase-Mediated Recombination of the bel-1 Gene Cassette Encoding the Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase BEL-1

Integrons are genetic elements that can acquire and rearrange gene cassettes. The blaBEL-1 gene encodes an extended-spectrum β-lactamase, BEL-1, that is present at the second position of the variable region of class 1 integrons identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa The mobility of the bel-1 gene cassette was analyzed under physiological conditions and with the integrase gene being overexpressed. Cassette mobility in Escherichia coli was detected by excision/integration into the recipient integron In3 on the conjugative plasmid R388 with the overproduced integrase. Despite several antibiotic pressures, the bel-1 cassette remained at the second position in the integron, highlighting its stability in P. aeruginosa Overexpression of the integrase gene in E. coli induced bel-1 cassette recombination. However, cassettes containing two genes (blaBEL-1 and smr2 or blaBEL-1 and aacA4) were excised, suggesting that the bel-1 cassette attC site was defective. We show that bel-1 is a stable gene cassette under physiological growth conditions, irrespective of the selective antibiotic pressure, that may be mobilized upon overexpression of the integrase gene.

nacim-bouheraoua
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FUTUREGYM: A gymnasium with interactive floor projection for children with special needs

Interpersonal interaction is one of the fundamental factors for successful inclusion in education for children with special needs, including children suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or intellectual disabilities (ID). In order to increase opportunities for interpersonal interactions among children, an interactive school gymnasium called FUTUREGYM, with a large-scale, interactive floor projection system in a school setting is proposed. As part of this study, high performance projectors (approximately 545-inch of total screen size) and tracking cameras mounted on the ceiling were installed in the gymnasium of a special needs school; these devices facilitated overlaying of individual visual aids for children with special needs. Visual aids help these children to be aware of social cues, a behavior that is considered important for the development of social interaction. Group activities to be conducted in FUTUREGYM were designed through careful consultations with teachers at the school: (1) Group running, called Circle-Run, provides an opportunity to experience a behavior that requires coordination with others, and (2) A group exergame, called Constellation Game, provides a situation to trigger helping behaviors by requiring them to be aware of other players' difficulties. The feasibility of these activities has been confirmed in this study through viability tests with the school's children with ASD and/or ID.

issey-takahashi
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