Centro de investigación en Mecatrónica y Sistemas Interactivos
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From Face-to-Face Learning to Virtual Learning: Students’ Perspective

2023 , Cóndor-Herrera, Omar , Bolaños-Pasquel, Mónica , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Cruz Cárdenas, Jorge

This article reports the results found in an investigation which analyzed the perception that students have regarding the virtual learning process developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 38 students from a Latin American institution whose age ranged from 13 to 15 years of age, who carried out their academic activities virtually for a school year, once the school period ended, a survey was applied to collect information on the experience in virtual classes, once the results have been analyzed, it is evident that the vast majority of students issued responses in favor of virtual teaching and that virtual classes served to develop their skills in managing technological resources, on the other hand a number of participants They did not indicate the learning experience as positive or negative. This may be related to the fact that a group of participants did not have good quality internet. In the same way, the results reflect that the students consider that not having adequate equipment and good quality internet quality are a limitation in the learning process virtual lift. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Attentional responses in toddlers: A protocol for assessing the impact of a robotic animated animal and a real dog

2025 , Zapata, Mireya , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Kevin Valencia-Aragón , Jorge Alvarez-Tello , Maheshkumar Baladaniya

Attentional processes in toddlers are characterized by a state of alertness in which they focus their waking state for short periods. It is essential to develop assessment and attention stimulation protocols from an early age to improve this cognitive function and detect possible deficits in the early stages of cognitive development. Methods: This protocol-based article presents a technological approach to assessing the impact of two animated stimuli on toddlers’ attention. The protocol involves presenting a robotic and a real dog to evaluate attentional activation in early development. This dual-stimulus framework may also inform therapeutic and educational programs aimed at fostering cognitive growth in early childhood. Discussion: This protocol contributes to assessing physiological attentional responses in toddlers, offering insights into attention evaluation and stimulation during early cognitive development. By incorporating both a robotic and a live dog, it enables the exploration of individual differences in attentional engagement and identifies which stimulus elicits a stronger response.

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Comparative organizational network analysis considering formal power-based networks and organizational hierarchies

2022 , Ramos V. , Pazmiño P. , Franco-Crespo A. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Tejera E.

Comparative organizational network analysis makes it possible to identify the similarities and differences between organizations according to the content of their networks. This research is a comparative study of organizational networks based on formal power. To accomplish this goal, networks were developed in three organizations from different sectors with workers distributed in high, middle and operational levels in the organizational hierarchy. For the study, 100% of the workers within the identified networks were included. The results indicated that, considering centrality and connectivity network indices, there were no statistically significant differences between organizations according to formal power network behavior. However, we obtained statistically significant differences in terms connectivity and centrality considering the workers’ hierarchy. The representative nodes of high and middle hierarchical levels had higher indices of connectivity and centrality than the nodes representative of the operational level. This study makes it possible to identify the formal roles within networks based on legitimate power, which can serve as a basis for decision-making processes and resource allocations, for the strategic use of the networks created. © 2021 The Author(s)

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Dragon Ball Z, The Legendary Tribes: A Gamified Experience in English

2024 , Harry Chica , Marcos Chacón-Castro , Jadán Guerrero, Janio

Gamification is a methodology as well as a ludic medium that is growing in popularity and is increasingly used to motivate students and enable active learning. The objective of this research is to design and evaluate a contextualized gamification such as “Dragon Ball Z” to improve the communicative skills of students in a high school in Colombia at A1 level of English. This study used a mixed non-experimental design approach, where an intervention was conducted with a sample of 22 high school students, divided into 4 groups (tribes). For the application, interactive digital tools were used in a series of 26 sessions composed of activities divided into “missions”, which allowed students to acquire English skills in a playful and participatory way. Students’ progress was assessed using rubrics and qualitative data were collected. Finally, it was shown to be a successful strategy for learning English; this methodology generated a playful, motivating and enriching environment, which promoted student participation, interest and meaningful learning. The results support the importance of using this type of strategies in language teaching, and suggest that contextualizing learning methods to the students’ current context can improve their academic performance and classroom participation.

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Social Robotic Platform to Strengthen Literacy Skills

2021 , Zapata M. , Gordón J. , Caicedo A. , Alvarez-Tello J.

This work presents a robotic platform with mechanical movements of the head, torso, and arms interact in real-time through the “Tití app” that integrates game sessions to improve literacy skills, relating the development of a new learning scenario. The functionality of the app is based on the reading and writing errors proposed by the T.A.L.E test. The prototype developed for the dynamic interaction with the app, is controlled by an Arduino board, which manages the servo-motors and the Bluetooth communication to establish a wireless connection with a Tablet or mobile device that runs the app. The mechanical design and the control software development allow the execution of operations between the robotic prototype Titíbot and the Tití app. Its design form, function and context were considered to define each of its functions and customize the interaction to reinforce the scenario and context of application. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Real-time execution of SNN models with synaptic plasticity for handwritten digit recognition on SIMD hardware

2024 , Bernardo Vallejo-Mancero , Jordi Madrenas , Zapata, Mireya

Recent advancements in neuromorphic computing have led to the development of hardware architectures inspired by Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) to emulate the efficiency and parallel processing capabilities of the human brain. This work focuses on testing the HEENS architecture, specifically designed for high parallel processing and biological realism in SNN emulation, implemented on a ZYNQ family FPGA. The study applies this architecture to the classification of digits using the well-known MNIST database. The image resolutions were adjusted to match HEENS' processing capacity. Results were compared with existing work, demonstrating HEENS' performance comparable to other solutions. This study highlights the importance of balancing accuracy and efficiency in the execution of applications. HEENS offers a flexible solution for SNN emulation, allowing for the implementation of programmable neural and synaptic models. It encourages the exploration of novel algorithms and network architectures, providing an alternative for real-time processing with efficient energy consumption.

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Moderator Role of Monitoring in the Inhibitory Control of Adolescents With ADHD

2021 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Pérez-Salas C.

Objective: The aim of this research was to analyze the role of monitoring in the causal relationship between inhibitory control and symptoms of combined ADHD. Method: It has been conducted a quantitative investigation of two phases. Results: In the first study, a moderation model was analyzed (N = 144 adolescents with combined ADHD), where monitoring was considered as a moderating variable in the causal relationship between the inhibitory control and the symptomatology of ADHD F(3, 140) = 28.03, p <.001; R2 =.37. In the second study, the model through an experimental study was tested (N = 52 adolescents with and without ADHD) where it was found that adolescents with ADHD improve in their inhibitory control when they receive external support to the monitoring F(1, 50) = 21.38, p <.001, η2 =.30. Conclusion: Results suggest that monitoring compensates the poor performance of inhibitory control in adolescents with ADHD, which is a contribution to the theoretical construction of ADHD and to the treatments proposed for this condition because it goes beyond the classic conception of a causality chain among the deficit of inhibitory control and ADHD symptomatology to propose a new explanation about this disorder, where neuropsychology intervention of monitoring would diminish ADHD’s symptomatology impact on adolescents. © ©The Author(s) 2018.

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Gamified Proposal to Stimulate Reading in Primary School Students

2024 , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Montenegro B. , Zapata M.

The lack of motivation and interest in reading in students is a fundamental problem since the minimum levels of reading competence for their age and educational level are not being reached. This research was developed with the aim of identifying motivation problems and using gamification as a pedagogical strategy to encourage reading in students. The study had a quantitative and descriptive approach that involved 30 students. Data were collected through the survey technique. The results of the research showed that reading demotivation is due to the lack of support at home, boredom and low reading comprehension that results from the use of traditional resources such as books that fail to capture and maintain the attention and interest of students. In addition, it was identified that the students present as main reading difficulties: problems of recognition of compound phonemes, lack of reading habit and motivation, as well as the deficit of reading comprehension, so it was necessary to implement a virtual strategy based on gamification through the digital tools Genially and Classflow. With the development of the research, it is concluded that the use of gamification as a pedagogical tool allows to motivate the reading of children, since its interactive elements and rewards create a stimulating and pleasant atmosphere that generates a positive impact on the performance of the student body. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Analyzing serious games and literacy

2022 , Pucha G. , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Borja-Galeas C.

Technology allows access to a wealth of resources that facilitate learning, in the case of literacy offers audiovisual resources that streamline cognitive skills. However, pedagogical strategies are required to implement technologies and achieve meaningful learning. Serious games arise as a proposal that seeks the development of learning through the development of activities of the game adjusting to the main way in which it is learned: through what is said and done. In this context, the objective of the research is to establish the use of serious games aimed at reinforcing literacy skills that strengthen the learning of second-year students of EGB. The focus of the research is qualitative with a descriptive scope, in which interviews were conducted with the actors of the educational process. The results show that children fail to develop their literacy skills, due to scarce didactic resources, ignorance of methodologies, lack of practice exercises and poor integration of innovative strategies that stimulate collaborative learning in the learning environment. The development of a strategy based on serious games, from mobile applications for the strengthening of literacy skills, with positive reinforcement and constant feedback, will allow students to maintain interest and develop these skills that are indispensable to continue in the educational process. © 2022 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

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Gender Bias in Chatbots and Its Programming

2023 , Illescas C. , Ortega T. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio

Nowadays, digital transformation in business seeks to maximize the efficiency of its own processes through automation. These changes will be successful if the process of adaptation and change management is properly carried out. One of the main tools to achieve these transformations is the chatbot. This key technology will help embrace these changes and transformations; however, there have been processes in which their interactions show bias, as inclusive interaction is missing. This research focuses on two main points: first, to identify whether the user is capable of recognizing any bias variables in chatbots and second, to analyze if these variables have an impact when there is an adoption of new technologies in any digital transformation and business goals. The faster and more in depth a company understands the bias and its impact in the target audience, the better automation will be adopted. As a result, chatbots will be properly used to achieve and increase business goals. Some undoubtable chatbot uses in marketing are personalized service, facilitate sales, and trigger client’s satisfaction. Most importantly, gathering valuable data for analysis, predictive business models and trends into virtually for any product or service intended to promote. After consulting +150 chatbot users, it can be concluded that it is a proven fact that gender bias is present, also, there is a high trend and acceptance of chatbots with female voices and characteristics, which can be balanced if there is awareness around this topic among developers and change management teams seeking adoption of new technologies. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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