2019 Spring Course
WEEK 1 – 2/8 INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the class and expectations. What is cognitive enhancement and why should you care? Historical context.t.
Introduction – Pattie Maes
WEEK 2 – 2/15 USER MODELING, SELF AWARENESS AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE
Devices can now “read” our internal state and external context in great detail and detect patterns, including some that we may not be aware of. They can mirror this data back to us, even in real time, to enable us to learn about ourselves. This functionality can be used to support deliberate “life hacking” or indirect behavior change. But this massive capturing of our most private data also raises dangers and big ethical questions.
Self Awareness and Behavior Change (Pal) – Mina Khan
Fluid BCI – Guillermo Bernal
Homo Deus – Pat Pataranutaporn
WEEK 3 – 2/22 AUGMENTING MEMORY
We will discuss the various systems that have been built in the research community to enhance a person’s memory. Some of these help a person improve their innate ability to remember things, while others act as an external memory that a person can rely on when their own memory is declining.
Memory – Neo Mohsenvand
NeverMind – Oscar Rosello
WEEK 4 – 3/1 SUBCONSCIOUS INTERFACES AND EMBODIED COGNITION
Today’s devices and interfaces require our undivided focus and attention. Can we design systems that interact with us without requiring our complete attention? How can we exploit the theories of the embodied mind and physical intelligence in our designs of HCI systems?
Unconscious Interfaces – Judith Amores
Placebo Effect and Mindset – Adam Horowitz
WEEK 5 – 3/8 INTERFACING WITH THE BRAIN
Computers today communicate with our brains indirectly. But what if they could read and write to our brains directly? What is the state of BCIs? What are the different types of BCI for reading and for stimulation? What are these systems capable of?
Neurotechnology Overview + AttentiveU – Nataliya Kosmina
Reconstructing Images from Brain Signals – Neo Mohsenvand
BCIs that Stimulate – Abhinandan Jain
WEEK 6 – 3/15 PROJECT PROPOSAL # 1
Student groups present designs for some sort of novel Cognitive Enhancement system. What is the motivation? What is the core idea? How could it be realized? Why should we care (usage scenarios)? What is some related work and relevant background research?
WEEK 7 – 3/22 Perceptual Engineering and Physical Intelligence
We will review theories of embodied cognition, and discuss how wearable and immersive devices can alter our bodily self-perception and how such means to “write to the body” can be used to change our beliefs and behavior.
Sense, Perception and Cognition – Pattie Maes
NO CLASS – 3/29
WEEK 8 – 4/5 SLEEP & DREAMS
Can we design interfaces for sleep and harness the power of dreams to help with learning, memory, creativity, and processing of emotions?
WEEK 9 – 4/12 EMOTION REGULATION
How can devices help us understand and regulate our emotions?
Emotion Regulation – Angela Vujic
Mindfulness and Olfactory Interfaces – Judith Amores
WEEK 10 – 4/19 PROJECT UPDATE # 2
Student groups give an update (first prototype) on their designs for some sort of novel Cognitive Enhancement system.
WEEK 11 – 4/26 PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS
What are the ethical considerations for Cognitive Enhancement systems?
Ethical Issues of Enhancement – Pattie Maes
WEEK 12 – 5/3 ENHANCING REASONING & DECISION MAKING
The field of AI aims to reproduce human-level intelligence in machines. But a more exciting and important goal may be that of IA or intelligence augmentation. How can people augmented with technology make smarter and better-informed decisions? We will survey related topics such as Extended Intelligence and more.
WEEK 13 – 5/10 FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Students groups present their final project. An implementation and testing/evaluation is required, as well as a short paper (CHI late breaking work format) describing: What is the motivation for this work? What is the related work and relevant background literature? What is the core idea and how was it realized? What did you learn?