Multifractal Mice: Measuring Task Engagement and Readiness-to-hand via Hand Movement

Abstract

We introduce an unobtrusive, computational method for measuring readiness-to-hand and task-engagement during interaction."Readiness-to-hand" is an influential concept describing fluid, intuitive tool use, with attention on task rather than tool; it has longbeen significant in HCI research, most recently via metrics of tool-embodiment and immersion. We build on prior work in cognitivescience which relates readiness-to-hand and task engagement to multifractality: a measure of complexity in behaviour. We conduct areplication study (N=28), and two new experiments (N=44, N=30), which show that multifractality correlates with task-engagement and other features of readiness-to-hand overlooked in previous measures, including familiarity with task. This is the first evaluation of multifractal measures of behaviour in HCI. Since multifractality occurs in a wide range of behaviours and input signals, we support future work by sharing scripts and data (https://osf.io/2hm9u/), and introducing a new data-driven approach to parameter selection

Allostasis Machines: a model for understanding internal states and technological environments

“…However, the individual can experience large bursts of nonlinear turbulence that occur at multiple scales of complexity [8]. Multi-scale noise can occur in many different types of Neuro-HCI systems, including sensorimotor control [9]. Experiencing noise in this unpredictable way can overwhelm the individual's capacity to recover.…”