Rhythmic light, sound and haptic stimuli can improve cognition through neural entrainment and by modifying autonomic nervous system function. However, the effects and user experience of using wearables for inducing such rhythmic stimuli have been under-investigated. We conducted a study with 20 participants to understand the effects of rhythmic stimulation wearables on attention. We found that combined sound and light stimuli from a glasses device provided the strongest improvement to attention but were the least usable and socially acceptable. Haptic vibration stimuli from a wristband also improved attention and were the most usable and socially acceptable. Our field study (N=12) with haptic stimuli from a smartwatch showed that such systems can be easy to use and were used frequently in a range of contexts but more exploration is needed to improve the comfort. Our work contributes to developing future wearables to support attention and cognition.

NugiTex is a line of interactive, affective wearable garments that convey the embodied experience of plants using device-initiated haptic cues. The haptic cues reflect a plant’s “comfort” level based on proximal environmental conditions, aiming to increase awareness and induce feelings of closeness, symbiosis, and empathy with the user’s natural environment. Composed of inflatable silicone and non-elastic textile layers, NugiTex responds to nearby atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity levels, which are measured in real-time by AirSpec, smart eyeglasses fitted with sensors to collect environmental data. Variations in temperature and humidity in a room are then interpreted and translated into three types of haptic cues - shrinking, hard pushing, and mild pushing - each a metaphorical representation of the plant’s condition. Users are given these real-time haptic cues through FlowIO, a pneumatic platform for controlling the airflow and pressure of soft devices. We predict that the increase in awareness of natural entities through interactive embodied experiences will promote the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS), and encourage pro-environmental behaviors.

Wildfires have played an increasing role in wreaking havoc on communities, livelihoods, and ecosystems globally, often starting in remote regions and rapidly spreading into inhabited areas where they become difficult to suppress due to their size and unpredictability. In sparsely populated remote regions where freshly ignited fires can propagate unimpeded, the need for distributed fire detection capabilities has become increasingly urgent. In this work, we evaluate the potential of a multitude of different sensing modalities for integration into a distributed downwind fire detection system, something which does not exist today. We deployed custom sensor-rich data logging units over a multi-day-controlled burn event hosted by the Marin County Fire Department in Marin County, CA. Under the experimental conditions, nearly all sensing modalities exhibited signature behaviors of a nearby active fire, but with varying degrees of sensitivity. We present promising preliminary findings from these field tests but also note that future work is needed to assess more prosaic concerns. Larger scale trials will be needed to determine the practicality of specific sensing modalities in outdoor settings, and additional environmental data and testing will be needed to determine the sensor system lifetime, data delivery performance, and other technical considerations. Crucially, this work provides the preliminary justification underscoring that future work is potentially valuable and worth pursuit.

This study presents a comprehensive dataset capturing indoor environmental parameters, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions across three global cities. Utilizing wearable sensors, including smart eyeglasses, and a modified Cozie app, environmental and physiological data were collected, along with pre-screening, onboarding, and recurring surveys. Peripheral cues facilitated participant engagement with micro-EMA surveys, minimizing disruption over a 5-day collection period. The dataset offers insights into urban comfort dynamics, highlighting the interplay between environmental conditions, physiological responses, and subjective perceptions. Researchers can utilize this dataset to deepen their understanding of indoor environmental quality and inform the design of healthier built environments. Access to this dataset can advance indoor environmental research and contribute to the creation of more comfortable and sustainable indoor spaces.

Space exploration is expanding, which demands new technologies and enables new scientific questions. Food, as a bridge between disciplines, can bring these fundamental and applied goals together. Here we investigate whether food fermentation in space is possible, and if so, how it compares with fermentation on Earth. We fermented a miso, a traditional Japanese condiment, on the International Space Station over 30 days, and compared it with two earthbound controls. Using a specially-built environmental sensing box, we gathered metadata for temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and radiation. We analyzed the three misos with shotgun metagenomics to investigate the microbial communities’ composition and safety; whole genome sequencing to investigate the mutation rate of Aspergillus oryzae ; untargeted metabolomics to quantify aromatic compounds, amino acids and organic acids; colorimetry to quantify color; and sensory analysis to describe the misos’ flavours and quantify liking and sensory difference. Across these datasets, we found that overall, the space miso is recognizable as a miso, suggesting fermentation in space is possible. We also found certain differences in the space miso: specifically the presence of Bacillus velezensis , a higher mutation rate of A. oryzae , higher attributions of ‘roasted’ and ‘nutty’ flavours, and the most different sensory impression. Taken together, these observations suggest unique features of the space environment—what we might call ‘space terroir’—which could be harnessed to create more flavorful, nourishing foods for long-term space missions and to address fundamental questions about the biology of novel environments. Significance Statement: Our study presents, to our knowledge, the first time a food product has been fermented in space. We demonstrate that fermentation in space is possible with safe and successful results, a proof of concept that offers fermentation as a new tool for space research and future long-term space exploration missions. We also document how the space environment shapes the fermentation process in unique ways, suggesting a ‘space terroir’. These findings on the feasibility and novelty of fermentation in space open up directions for further multidisciplinary research across science, health, systems design, and society and culture.

AirSpec is an extensible, environment-focused, research and development smart glasses platform that evolved from an existing open-source, psychophysiological monitoring system. We created custom supporting software toolkits that allow users to interact with the device, easily view real-time data, and perform remote data collection. In its base configuration, the system includes a variety of sensors that sample physiological and environmental signals and stream that data to a Bluetooth-connected client, either a phone running the AirSpec App or a Bluetooth-equipped computer via our website or a python script. In addition, AirSpecs have been made more extensible with multiple external electrical connections to support more applications and future sensor subsystems.