Selected Publications

Latest Publication

SCRAT Group - Semantic and Cognitive Research Adaptivity Technologies

Web-site: http://scrat.cs.ucy.ac.cy

SCRAT Group's reasearch focus is on Web Personalization and Adaptation, eLearning, Semantics, Meta Information, Intelligent Systems.

Our Vision is to develop a dynamic comprehensive personalization filter that will be based on the automatic extraction of humans' most intrinsic values, namely, User Perceptual Preference Characteristics, and serve as the prime element of any entity (Web-based system, advanced training system, mobile system, virtual environment, spacecraft, aircraft, robot, etc.), liable to accept any type of semantic content, alter and return it, adjusted to the unique characteristics and preferences of the user. User Perceptual Preference Characteristics (UPPC) are all "the critical factors that influence the visual, mental and emotional processes liable of manipulating the newly information received and building upon prior knowledge, that is different for each user or user group. These characteristics determine the visual attention, cognitive and emotional processing taking place throughout the whole process of accepting an object of perception (stimulus) until the comprehensive response to it".

Main Research Objectives:

• An extensive research of the Cognitive Psychology domains related to visual, cognitive and emotional processing.
• The development of a three-dimensional model composed of the following optimized parameters: (a) Visual attention, cognitive processing (speed of processing, control of processing and working memory span), (b) cognitive styles, and (c) emotion control (core anxiety, application specific anxiety, current anxiety, and emotion regulation).
• The creation of a comprehensive user profile, that is composed of the "traditional" user characteristics (i.e. knowledge, goals, background, experience, preferences, activities, etc.), device / channels characteristics (i.e. device screen size, bandwidth, input method etc.), and the UPPC (cognitive and emotional parameters).
• The development of an open and interoperable Web-based architecture, that is based on the abovementioned characteristics (profile).
• The evaluation of the system and model's impact into the computer-mediated information space.
• The extension of the system's scope on more generic Web structures and the evaluation of the extended system.
• The measurement of the users' emotional state with the automatic extraction of body signals (blood pressure, galvanic skin etc.) in relation to users' performance. Subsequent research objectives:
• The identification of the effect of the rules formulated by the combination of data extracted from sensors and the psychological state of a user, onto the actual content (i.e. marketing, eHealth, etc.) that could be delivered to him/her;
• The definition of the Intelligent User Interface and rules that will alter the content to be delivered based on the signals taken and the individual differences (as well as current emotional state) of the users. This will signify the importance of adopting the incoming content in such a way that will be most suitable for the users;
• The further identification of rules with regards to the quantity or the form data need to be altered and delivered, so to be more efficient and effective when conveyed to each user in terms of comprehension and information assimilation;
• The combination of the users' anxiety levels, taken with the use of biometrical sensors metrics (blood pressure, galvanic skin etc.), with various cognitive typologies and the potential mapping rules of these values to any content, for delivering a personalized and adapted results to their current emotional states.
• The construction of a Semantic Web editor for automated development of personalized content.
• The further evaluation of the impact of cognitive aspects into computer-mediated environments with the use of an Eye-tracker device.
• The further investigation of the constraints and challenges arise from the implementation of such issues and implement the abovementioned model into more advanced computer-mediated entities in order to further evaluate the validity of their impact.

Participating Projects

PersonaWeb, smartag, EKPAIDEION, AdaptiveWeb

Selected Publications