Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Quito
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hugoarias@uti.edu.ec
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57210802646

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Development of Behavior Profile of Users with Visual Impairment

2020 , Guevara Maldonado, César Byron , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Varela Aldas, José , Castillo Salazar, David Ricardo , Borja M. , Fierro-Saltos W. , Rivera R. , Hidalgo-Guijarro J. , Yandún-Velasteguí M.

The interaction of the user with visual impairment with assistive technologies, and in particular with screen readers, generates a group of actions and events during their navigation. These interactions are defined as behavioral patterns, which have a sequence that occurs at specific time slot. Understanding user behavior by analyzing their interaction with applications, in addition, details the characteristics, relationships, structures and functions of the sequence of actions in a specific application domain. The objective of this document is to find activity patterns from a set of commands used by the user, combining data mining and a Bayesian model. This model calculates the probability of the functions used with the screen reader and generates a behavior profile to improve the user experience. For this study, the screen reader JAWS version 2018, the Open Journal Systems platform version 3.0.1 and a computer with Windows 10 operating system were used. During the first phase, command history used by the user by interacting with the Open Journal Systems platform were collected. The result is that the accessibility of users with visual impairment to interact with the computer and its applications has been improved by applying this model. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.

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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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Advancements in Assistive Robotics: A Systematic Review of Inclusive Technologies for People With Disabilities

2025 , Zapata, Mireya , Diego Guevara , Jennifer Obregón , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the global population lives with some form of disability, be it physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychosocial. Individuals with disabilities face numerous challenges related to mobility, communication, access to education, and other essential aspects of daily life. In this context, robotic technologies have emerged as innovative solutions aimed at improving autonomy, rehabilitation, and social inclusion. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize the scientific evidence on robotic technologies developed to support people with disabilities. More specifically, the review sought to analyze the temporal and geographical distribution of research, classify the types of robotic technologies and their applications, examine methodological characteristics and participant demographics, and highlight the key contributions and gaps reported in the included studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. From an initial pool of 6,290 articles, 89 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The results were categorized into five main themes: publication trends, types of robotic technologies and applications, methodological characteristics, participant demographics, and key contributions. The findings reveal a strong concentration of research on articulated robots for physical disabilities, alongside limited exploration of intellectual, sensory, and psychosocial contexts. While robotic interventions demonstrate significant potential for rehabilitation and daily assistance, challenges remain regarding sample sizes, diversity of disabilities addressed, and long-term validation studies. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the state of the art in assistive robotics and identifies future research directions to enhance inclusion, accessibility, and clinical integration

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Usability Evaluation for Cloud-Based Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

2025 , Sandra Sanchez-Gordon , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , María-Elena Cruz-Artieda , Tania Calle-Jimenez

This study proposes a practical model to evaluate the usability of cloud-based ERP systems. The proposed model involves quantitative and qualitative methods, that is, we propose a mixed-methods approach that includes four dimensions: customized heuristics assessment with usability experts, use of automated tools, usability testing with users, and social factors assessment with organizational experts. This novel model differs from others in that it incorporates social factors into the usability assessment, recognizing the broad impact of the technology on the organization and vice versa. This last dimension ensures that the proposed usability assessment model is more relevant than traditional models in real business environments. The viability of the proposed model was demonstrated by providing case study results.

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Design Thinking, Game Thinking, and Democracy Thinking

2025 , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Patricia Acosta-Vargas , Maria Elena Cruz-Artieda

Democracy is a fundamental value for every citizen, which has to do with human rights, societal development, peace, and security. Unfortunately, in recent times, it has faced ethical challenges at various levels, from the educational environment to political actors. It is imperative to inculcate these values from childhood, with the aim of sensitizing future generations to the importance of democratic governance, highlighting its values and principles as fundamental to achieving active participation, equality, security, and integral development in society. This study presents an experience with 150 primary and secondary school teachers who, through the application of Design Thinking and Game Thinking, collaborated in the design of educational resources supported by technology in order to promote the values and principles of democracy. The result of this process included the creation of interactive books, electronic voting systems, board games, and Escape Rooms that immersively encapsulate concepts and practices related to honesty and good practices of human beings. The purpose of these resources was to cultivate an interactive educational approach committed to democratic values. This initiative allowed teachers to immerse themselves in innovative and participatory educational experiences, thus enriching learning through interactivity and commitment to democratic principles.

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Control of an Arm-Hand Prosthesis by Mental Commands and Blinking

2020 , Varela Aldas, José , Castillo Salazar, David Ricardo , Borja Galeas, Carlos , Guevara Maldonado, César Byron , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Fierro-Saltos, W. , Rivera, R. , Hidalgo-Guijarro, J. , Yandún-Velasteguí, M.

Patients who lack upper and lower extremities have difficulties in carrying out their daily activities. The new technological advances have allowed the development of robotic applications to support people with disabilities, also, portable electroencephalographic (EEG) sensors are increasingly accessible and allow the development of new proposals which involve the mental control of electronic systems. This work presents the control by mental orders of an arm-hand prosthesis using low-cost devices, the objective is to command the arm using the user’s attention and blinking, where the components are a brain signal sensor, a prosthesis, an Arduino board, six servomotors, and a computer. The developed program in Matlab allows controlling the arm by means of an attention level y blinking. The results show the functioning of the system through experimental tests and a usability test is applied, finally, the conclusions establish adequate coordination in the movements of the prosthesis and the patient indicate satisfaction with the proposal. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.

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Exploring the Effectiveness of Assistive Technology: A Preliminary Case Study Using Makey Makey, Tobii Eye Tracker, and Leap Motion

2024 , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Valencia-Aragón, Kevin , Sandra Sanchez-Gordón

This study evaluates the usefulness and efficacy of three different continuous input devices - Makey Makey, Tobii Eye Tracker 4C, and Leap Motion - in promoting computer engagement for people with disabilities. A preliminary pilot study was conducted with the participation of one person with several disabilities. They were given various tasks to accomplish using each continuous input device, and their performance was assessed. To conduct the study, an experimental environment including two computers and a designed interface had to be setup. The findings showed that Leap Motion had poor perceived usability and that Makey Makey had the best usability, followed by Tobii Eye Tracker 4C. The pilot study also emphasizes the difficulties and modifications needed for people with disabilities to use these input devices in an efficient manner. These results highlight how crucial it is to create inclusive interfaces and technologies in order to improve accessibility for a range of user demographics

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Communication Support for Older Adults Through Pictograms

2023 , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Zapata M. , Sanchez-Gordon S. , Cedillo P.

Changes generated by the pandemic have stimulated new forms of communication through technological devices. Thanks to these, augmentative and alternative communication through the use of pictograms has allowed the development of communicative capacity for people who face health problems, such as speech, limited motor skills, hearing, among others. In particular, for segments of the elderly population with limited communication and technology management skills, it is important to consider usability and accessibility criteria in technological support interfaces design, in order to provide a satisfying and non-intrusive user experience. Support activities must be pleasant and transparent for the effective users’ communication with their environment. In this context, the article presents a methodology for the design of an augmentative communication solution based on pictograms, with the purpose of transmitting the message from the user to the receiver. This article proposes a systematic review of the literature on augmentative and alternative communication, as well as the use of existing pictograms and technologies. The systematic review protocol considered the choice of four digital libraries for the search. The method of search and selection of technological solutions was based on the search for Apps and websites for the use of pictograms through technology to automate and support the communication of elderly. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Kiteracy-PiFo: Technological Tool for Teaching the Rules of Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondence

2025 , María de los Ángeles Carpio-Brenes , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Valencia-Aragón, Kevin

This study presents Kiteracy-PiFo, a technological tool designed to teach grapheme-phoneme correspondence to preschool students. Combining computer engineering and special education, the tool was developed to enhance Human-Computer Interaction in early literacy education. Despite challenges, including unforeseen events and technical issues, the tool was successfully implemented across schools in Cartago, Costa Rica. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in vowel recognition between the experimental group using Kiteracy-PiFo and the control group using traditional methods, with the experimental group achieving higher results in less time. These findings suggest that integrating innovative technologies like Kiteracy-PiFo into educational practices can effectively accelerate learning in early childhood settings. However, successful implementation depends on strong pedagogical support and alignment with psychological principles to meet students’ cognitive and emotional needs.

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Technological Project Management Proposal for Designing a Social Robot

2023 , Zapata M. , Alvarez-Tello J. , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio

Introduction: Social robotics is integrated into everyday activities, addressing social interactions with diverse groups of people. Therefore, the development of Autonomous Social Robot for Ecuadorian Universities (ASREU), an evolutionary social robotic platform in hardware and software that allows the exploratory research of social, technological, and energetic variables for the generation of social robotics prototypes. Method: To improve the management of the project, the structures for the development of technological projects are analyzed from the administrative management of the project, as well as the execution and technological implementation of the Results: A diagram is obtained to identify the interaction of technical, engineering and scientific working groups and the interaction with the project management, as well as a roadmap for the development of technological products defining the systems, the type of prototyping and the intellectual property protection, in addition to the circular strategy for the integration from and for society in the area of social robotics and the identification with the evolution of the prototype with the corresponding intellectual property protection for feasible results to Conclusion: Currently the development of technological projects lead mostly software developments in social robotics, when integrated with physical systems (mechanical, electrical and electronic), there is planning from traditional environments and agile environments, which need a coexistence to jump from one to another environment. Finally, guidelines and tools have been developed to facilitate the management and design of social robots, in the case of ASREU, a 6 DoF and autonomous mobile robot (AMR). © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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