Patent Application
20180012506
The world today attaches a great deal of importance on an individual's cognitive abilities. Most high skill based activities such as sports, military activities, firefighting etc. require improved cognitive abilities and hence there is a constant need of keeping these honed. Every now and then, new methods are introduced so as to improve a person's cognitive skills. However, most of these methods involve the age old techniques of physical and mental exercises, on field training, increasing attention to detail etc., which prove to be only a partial success. This is mainly due to the fact that these techniques try to enhance the overall cognitive abilities rather than focusing on specific abilities. Individual attention to each cognitive function would play a great role in developing specific cognitive skills in individuals.
The need for highly specific cognitive skill development activities has been rightly identified and efforts are made to fill this vacuum. Among the activities employed now, one of the most popular ones is the interactive video occlusion training wherein the user is required to give quick responses to real life cognitive skill building scenarios. Another preferred mode of cognitive skill development is through video games. These video games stimulate various scenarios in which the cognitive abilities of the player are tested and put to use. In these games, an interruption is caused at which point the player will be required to enter an appropriate response based on the scenarios created by the game. The player's response is analyzed and compared to the most ideal outcome. However, this too is present in a limited and rudimentary form. The video game occlusion training methods currently available suffer from two major setbacks; firstly, it is a stimulated scenario and hence may not be able to take into effect all of the real world stimuli and other external factors that may have an impact on the real life outcome of such a scenario and secondly, most of these video games are limited in their interactive capabilities i.e., there are only a limited set of responses that the user may enter and the mode of response is mostly through additional hardware such as controllers, keyboards, mouse and other input devices. Most of the times either the occlusion is not at the right frame of the video or once the video is occluded the user finds it difficult to answer questions with respect to multiple frames that passed before the occlusion. Hence, these games are unable to track the performance of the player/user appropriately and cannot provide accurate feedback as to the development of the player's cognitive abilities.
There is a great need of a highly interactive system wherein the player is required to continuously respond to highly specific questions with regard to the right occlusion point. Continuous interaction by the player would better enable the player in enhancing his or her cognitive skills as the scenarios are created and responses are to be entered at the point of occlusion. The video games should ensure that the questions are highly specific and that the player is continuously engaged. The player's response should ideally be obtained at the point of occlusion so that the player is able to recollect and respond in a much more accurate manner. The game must also evaluate the performance of the player based on the various responses and an accurate analysis of the development of the cognitive skill should be provided to the player. Furthermore, these games should ensure that the scenarios are neither repetitive nor predictable and that the player is continuously challenged.
The method provided herein relates to a method for specific cognitive skill development of a user. The method comprises adding data to a video, the combination of data and the video thereby resulting in a data added video. Presenting the data added video to a user on a user device. Once the user plays the data added video, interrupting the data added video at a predetermined time in accordance with the data added to the video. Once the video is interrupted, presenting the user with at least one question in relation to the data added video and soliciting user's response to the question. The method may further comprise of analyzing the user's response by comparing the response with the actual outcome. After the user records his/her response, the data added video may continue playing to show the actual outcome to the user.
The method may further comprise automatically increasing or decreasing the difficulty level of the interruption or the question asked to the user based on the accuracy of user responses. In one embodiment, a video tool is used to export data for addition of such data to a video. The user device is configured to run a video output module that is configured to import the data and the video and play the data added video in accordance with the data. A remote server or a cloud server may be used to store the data and the video wherein the user device may be permitted to download/import the data and the video.
In one embodiment, the system architecture capable of utilizing the method provided herein comprises a first computing device configured to export data for addition of the data to a video resulting in a data added video. A user device is configured to play the data added video in accordance with the data. A processor associated with the user device is configured to interrupt the data added video in accordance with the data and the processor further configured to present at least one question in relation to the data added video to the user. An input means is configured to receive the user's response to said question.
The method and system provided herein is capable of utilizing a real life video, simulated video or an animated video and may be used in any domain including but not limited to sports, firefighting, military training, driving and pilot training etc.
Furthermore, a system is provided for developing specific cognitive ability of a user, in some embodiments, the system comprising: a first computing device configured to export data for addition of said data to a video resulting in a data added video;
a user device configured to play said data added video in accordance with said data; a processor associated with said user device configured to interrupt said data added video in accordance with said data and said processor further configured to present at least one question in relation to said data added video to said user; and an input means configured to receive said user's response to said question.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said user device is a computing or mobile device
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said user device is a video game console.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, the system further comprises a server configured to store said data and said video wherein said first computing device is capable of exporting data to said server and said user device is capable of downloading said data and said video from said server.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said first computing device is configured to run a video tool capable of exporting said data in a predetermined format for use of said data by said user device.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said user device is configured to run a video output module capable of importing said data and said video and play said data added video in accordance with said data.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said interruption is in the form of video occlusion.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said video occlusion of said data added video is achieved by replacing the occluded video by a freeze frame.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said video is a real life video.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said video is a simulated video.
Additionally, when referring to the system above, in some embodiments, said video is an animated video.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the scope of this patent application and the claims contained herein should not be construed as limited to the illustrative embodiments.
The cognitive skill development method for enhancing specific cognitive skills of users as provided herein comprises adding interactive and other data to a video and presenting such data added video to a user on a user device which may be a smart phone, tablet, laptop, video game console or any such device with display and processing capabilities. The video presented to the user is interrupted based on the data added and appropriate response is sought to such questions from the user. Though the video may be interrupted in many different ways, video occlusion is used as an illustrative scenario throughout this document. Additional features such as data analysis, performance analysis etc. may also be provided.
The interactive data may be used to ask specific questions related to the scenario presented in the video. For example, for volleyball videos the interactive data modules may include blocking 322, defense 308, serve receive 310, setter 312 and ball path modules. The blocking module 322 focuses on the blockers upfront and may require the user to find the direction the blockers should jump to block the incoming ball. The user may respond by determining the direction of jump (left, up or right). The defense module 308 focuses on the players behind the blockers and may require the user to point out which direction (which zone) a specific player should go for correct defensive position i.e. to defend a current hit or tip. The serve reception 310 module helps players receive serve and aiding in defensive position when receiving a service. A specific player is highlighted and the user is asked about the direction that the highlighted player should go to for the correct defensive position. The setter module 312 requires the user to tap where the setter needs to be to receive an incoming pass. The interactive data module may also require the user to track the movements of a specific player by highlighting the player using the set highlight data element 320 or the player may be told to track the movement of the ball by allowing the user to draw the path of the ball. The video output module 302 may also provide hints 314 to users when the user's find it difficult to respond correctly. The user may respond to the questions raised in the interactive data module using various input mechanisms such as keyboard, mouse, interactive touch display of the user device, gestures through an augmented reality system etc. The quiz related data module may contain additional questions that the user may be asked with respect to a specific scenario.
The video interruption may be carried out in various ways such as pausing the video and showing written question on top of the paused screen, occluding the video by showing a black/blank screen etc.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
