Nigel Newbutt's Outputs (39)

Co-designing a social robot in a special educational needs school: Listening to the ambitions of autistic children and their teachers (2022)
Journal Article

Social robots have the potential to support autistic school children with their wellbeing. This research reveals how a co-design approach with autistic children and their teachers was undertaken. Focus groups with autistic children and teachers colla... Read More about Co-designing a social robot in a special educational needs school: Listening to the ambitions of autistic children and their teachers.

“It’s important to think of Pepper as a teaching aid or resource external to the classroom”: A social robot in a school for autistic children (2022)
Journal Article

For a period of 3 weeks in June 2021, we embedded a social robot (Softbank Pepper) in a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school for autistic children. The robot’s behaviours and integration into the school were co-designed with the children and teache... Read More about “It’s important to think of Pepper as a teaching aid or resource external to the classroom”: A social robot in a school for autistic children.

Exposure to green, blue and historic environments and mental well-being: A comparison between virtual reality head-mounted display and flat screen exposure (2022)
Journal Article

Improving the mental health of urban residents is a global public health priority. This study builds on existing work that demonstrates the ability of virtual exposure to restorative environments to improve population mental health. It compares the r... Read More about Exposure to green, blue and historic environments and mental well-being: A comparison between virtual reality head-mounted display and flat screen exposure.

UNICEF guidance on AI for children: Application to the design of a social robot for and with autistic children (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

For a period of three weeks in June 2021, we embedded a social robot (Softbank Pepper) in a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, with a focus on supporting the well-being of autistic children. Our methodology to design and embed the robot among th... Read More about UNICEF guidance on AI for children: Application to the design of a social robot for and with autistic children.

The possibility and importance of immersive technologies during COVID-19 for autistic people (2020)
Journal Article

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify three key areas where autistic people may find themselves impacted through COVID-19, namely, education; employment; and anxiety. Design/methodology/approach: This p... Read More about The possibility and importance of immersive technologies during COVID-19 for autistic people.

Participatory technology design for autism and cognitive disabilities: a narrative overview of issues and techniques. (2019)
Book Chapter

Abstract. Participatory design (PD) refers to the involvement of users in the design and development process. Those who may be identified as eventual users of such technology are often involved in the development process as testers or as informants.... Read More about Participatory technology design for autism and cognitive disabilities: a narrative overview of issues and techniques..

Using virtual reality head-mounted displays with autistic children: Views, experiences and future directions (2019)
Journal Article

This article seeks to place children on the autism spectrum at the centre of a study examining the potential of virtual reality head-mounted displays used in classrooms. In doing so we provide data that addresses three important and often overlooked... Read More about Using virtual reality head-mounted displays with autistic children: Views, experiences and future directions.

Design thinking as a pedagogic tool (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This presentation shares the findings of research study that explored ways in which the use of design thinking might contribute to innovations in teaching and learning approaches in a range of different subject areas. Funded by a UWE Pedagogic Projec... Read More about Design thinking as a pedagogic tool.

Case studies of users with neurodevelopmental disabilities: Showcasing their roles in early stages of VR training development (2019)
Book Chapter

In this chapter we will reflect on two projects that have enabled disabled groups to be involved in designing and influencing technology that will be used by them. In addition, we will reflect on the process, limitations, barriers and actual involve... Read More about Case studies of users with neurodevelopmental disabilities: Showcasing their roles in early stages of VR training development.

Using virtual reality with autistic pupils (2018)
Other

In the guide Nigel explores the two main options for VR-HMD; HTC Vive and cardboard VR with a smartphone/device. Focussing on the cardboard VR option, he then offers some guidance on using this technology with autistic pupils and recommends some cont... Read More about Using virtual reality with autistic pupils.

Towards a framework for implementation of virtual reality technologies in schools for autistic pupils (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Virtual reality and associated technologies offer unique potential for learning in special educational contexts. Research studies have demonstrated applications of collaborative VR for encouraging and enabling children with autism to communicate and... Read More about Towards a framework for implementation of virtual reality technologies in schools for autistic pupils.

Virtual reality tour: Experiences of autistic children (2018)
Report

We worked with 11 autistic children in a school setting. The age ranged from 10-14 with a mean age of 12.4. Of the 12 children invited to take part, eleven (11) completed the process. The process comprised five parts:

1. Answering questions relate... Read More about Virtual reality tour: Experiences of autistic children.

Autism and virtual reality head-mounted displays: a state of the art systematic review (2018)
Journal Article

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The use of virtual reality (VR) technologies in the education of autistic children has been a focus of research for over two decades. It is argued that this form of technology can provide authentic “real w... Read More about Autism and virtual reality head-mounted displays: a state of the art systematic review.

Assisting people with Autism Spectrum Disorder through technology (2018)
Book Chapter

This chapter seeks to provide a review and overview of technology that has been used to support autistic people. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of technology used by autistic groups contextually and historically. Materials covere... Read More about Assisting people with Autism Spectrum Disorder through technology.

The process of involving children with autism in the design of a museum-based application (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Museums are considered active institutions that facilitate the possibility of self- directed learning and exploration. Decades have passed since the implementation of Disability Act (1995) and we have seen the incorporation of inclusive practices in... Read More about The process of involving children with autism in the design of a museum-based application.

Virtual reality in pediatric psychology (2017)
Journal Article

Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Virtual reality (VR) technologies allow for controlled simulations of affectively engaging background narratives. These virtual environments offer promise for enhancing emotionally relevant expe... Read More about Virtual reality in pediatric psychology.

Listening to the user's voice: Designing a museum application for children with autism (2017)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This study seeks to understand the design requirements reported by two autistic groups by co-designing an ‘app’ with the aim of delivering a meaningful museum experience. The objective of engaging an autistic group in the co-design is due to a lack o... Read More about Listening to the user's voice: Designing a museum application for children with autism.

Technology and applications for collaborative learning in virtual reality (2017)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

In this symposium we explore the immense potential for virtual reality to be applied in educational settings. We discuss recent technological developments against a backdrop of several decades of research. Six presentations, including four from acade... Read More about Technology and applications for collaborative learning in virtual reality.

The acceptance, challenges, and future applications of wearable technology and virtual reality to support people with autism spectrum disorders (2017)
Book Chapter

This chapter provides a brief review of how virtual reality technologies (VRTs) have been used within research-contexts to support people on the autism spectrum. One area of innovation and research that has evolved since the mid-1990s to aid people w... Read More about The acceptance, challenges, and future applications of wearable technology and virtual reality to support people with autism spectrum disorders.

Brief report: A pilot study of the use of a virtual reality headset in autism populations (2016)
Journal Article

The application of virtual reality technologies (VRTs) for users with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been studied for decades. However, a gap remains in our understanding surrounding VRT head-mounted displays (HMDs). As newly designed HMDs have b... Read More about Brief report: A pilot study of the use of a virtual reality headset in autism populations.