Research
Making Sense of Co-Creation: An Empirical Investigation of Collaborative Drawing
Davis, N., Abdellahi, S., Algarni, A. and Rezwana , J.
Abstract. Co-creation is a form of creative collaboration that refers to two or more agents working together to produce a shared creative product. This work studies human collaboration to inform the design of co-creative systems that feature a human and a creative AI agent working together. We present a study of collaborative drawing in two different conditions, structured and open-ended collaboration. Structured collaboration features specific turn-taking processes and guidance on the content of the drawing, while open-ended collaboration is completely freeform. The results are used to inform a discussion of how a co-creative agent might potentially collaborate with a user utilizing the drawing behaviors and interaction dynamics found in the studies.
Patterns Of Cortical Activation When Using Concept Generation Techniques Of Brainstorming, Morphological Analysis, And TRIZ
Shealy , T., Hu, M. and Gero, J. S.
Abstract. This paper presents the results of an experimental study comparing cortical activation in the brain when generating solutions using brainstorming, morphological analysis, and TRIZ. Twelve engineering students were given the same three design tasks, respectively, using the three solution generation techniques. Students generated solutions while change in oxygenated blood along the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The results show that generating solutions using brainstorming, morphological analysis, and TRIZ leads to differences in cortical activation, specifically along the region of the brain associated with spatial working memory, cognitive flexibility, and abstract reasoning, called the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left DLPFC). Brainstorming evokes a high average blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response in the left DLPFC early during the solution generation process but this high response is not sustained. In comparison, morphological analysis and TRIZ evoke multiple high average BOLD responses across the solution generation process. Not only was the high average BOLD response sustained but the density of network coordination among brain regions across the PFC was greater for morphological analysis and TRIZ. Higher density is a proxy for higher cognitive effort. The brain regions most central to coordination also varied. During brainstorming the right hemisphere, in a region associated with memory encoding (right PFC), was most activated. During morphological analysis, the left hemisphere, the left DLPFC was most activated. During TRIZ, both the middle and left hemisphere included regions of high activation. These results indicate neuro-cognitive differences of activation patterns, cognitive effort over time, and brain regions central for coordination when using these three concept generation techniques. Future research can begin to explore neuro-cognitive differences as a result of these techniques over multiple uses and the effects of design education
The Neurocognition of Three Engineering Concept Generation Techniques
Shealy, T. and Gero, J. S
Abstract. Techniques and processes used for concept generation rely on composing new concepts and analysis given situational context. Composition and analysis require distinct neurocognitive function. For instance, jazz composition relies heavily on the right brain, while math relies on the left. Similar to music and math, is concept generation hemisphere dominant? What differences exist when using varying techniques? Twelve graduate engineering students were given three design tasks and instructed to use brainstorming, morphological analysis and TRIZ. A device called fNIRS measured cognitive activation. The results find left hemisphere dominance. More specifically, the left dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), which is central to spatial working memory and filtering information. Temporal differences do exist. Morphological analysis and TRIZ reinforced the use of the left dlPFC, while brainstorming increased the use of the right dlPFC and medial PFC (mPFC) late during concept generation. The right dlPFC contributes to divergent thinking and mPFC facilitates memory retrieval. One explanation is designers relaxed rule constraints and more deeply searched for associations during brainstorming.
Studying the Neurophysiology of Designing Through an EEG Study of Layout Design: Preliminary Results
Vieira, S., Gero, J. S., Delmoral, J., Fernandes, C., Gattol, V. and Fernandes, A.
Abstract. The study described in this workshop paper is part of a larger research project whose goal is to correlate design cognition with brain behavior. This paper presents preliminary results from an experiment using EEG to measure brain activation to study design cognition. In this study, we adopted and then extended the tasks described in a previous fMRI study of design cognition reported in the literature. The block experiment consists of a sequence of 3 tasks: problem solving, basic design and open design using a physical interface. The block is preceded by a familiarizing pre-task using the physical interface and then extended to a fourth task using free-hand sketching. We have collected brainwaves in experiments with 44 participants with backgrounds in industrial design, architecture, engineering design and graphic design. This paper shows preliminary neurophysiological results from 12 participants, comparing industrial designers and mechanical engineers. Preliminary results indicate task-related power differences in activation between the problem- solving task and the design tasks, differences in band power levels and temporal resolution across participants and across backgrounds. The results from this study will contribute to the correlation of brain behavior during designing with design cognition.
How Veridical are Different Modalities of Digital Representation?
Gero, J. S., Shields, J. and Yu, R.
Abstract. This paper presents the methodology and results of a pilot study comparing the eye movements of architecture students when looking at different modalities of digital spatial representation. The two participant groups consisted of third and fourth year undergraduate architecture students from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA and from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China. The two modalities studied were a computer-generated line drawn perspective and a digitized photograph of the same architectural space. The results of this study show that student designers’ physiological response varies with different representation modalities.
Insights from an EEG Study of Mechanical Engineers Problem-solving and Designing
Vieira, S., Gero, J. S., Delmoral, J. , Gattol, V., Fernandes, C., Parente, M. and Fernandes A.
Abstract. This paper presents results from an experiment to determine brain activation differences between problem-solving and designing of mechanical engineers. The study adopted and extended the tasks described in a prior fMRI study of design cognition and measured brain activation using EEG. The experiment consists of multiple tasks: problem-solving, basic design and open design using a tangible interface. Statistical analyses indicate increased activation when designing compared to problem-solving.
Neurocognitive Feedback: A Prospective Approach to Sustain Idea Generation During Design Brainstorming
Ho, M., Shealy, T., Milovanovic, J. and Gero, J. S.
Abstract. Ideation is a key phase in engineering design and brainstorming is an established method for ideation. A limitation of the brainstorming process is idea production tends to peak at the beginning and quickly decreases with time. In this exploratory study, we tested an innovative technique to sustain ideation by providing designers feedback about their neurocognition. We used a euroimaging technique (fNIRS) to monitor students’ neurocognitive activations during a brainstorming task. Half received real-time feedback about their neurocognitive activation in their prefrontal cortex, a brain region associated with working memory and cognitive flexibility. Students who received the neurocognitive feedback maintained higher cortical activation and longer sustained peak activation. Students receiving the neurocognitive feedback demonstrated a higher percentage of right-hemispheric dominance, a region associated to creative processing, compared to the students without neurocognitive feedback. The increase in right-hemispheric dominance positively correlated with an increase in the number of solutions during concept generation and a higher design idea fluency. These results demonstrate the prospective use of neurocognitive feedback to sustain the cognitive activations necessary for idea generation during brainstorming. Future research should explore the effect of neurocognitive feedback with a more robust sample of designers and compare neurocognitive feedback with other types of interventions to sustain ideation.