PsiNet: Toward Understanding the Design of Brain-to-Brain Interfaces for Augmenting Inter-Brain Synchrony

Nathan Semertzidis, Michaela Vranic-Peters, Xiao Zoe Fang, Rakesh Patibanda, Aryan Saini, Don Samitha Elvitigala, Fabio Zambetta, Florian 'Floyd' Mueller

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference PaperResearchpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Underlying humanity's social abilities is the brain's capacity to interpersonally synchronize. Experimental, lab-based neuropsychological studies have demonstrated that inter-brain synchrony can be technologically mediated. However, knowledge in deploying these technologies in-the-wild and studying their user experience, an area HCI excels in, is lacking. With advances in mobile brain sensing and stimulation, we identify an opportunity for HCI to investigate the in-the-wild augmentation of inter-brain synchrony. We designed “PsiNet,” the first wearable brain-to-brain system aimed at augmenting inter-brain synchrony in-the-wild. Participant interviews illustrated three themes that describe the user experience of modulated inter-brain synchrony: hyper-awareness; relational interaction; and the dissolution of self. We contribute these three themes to assist HCI theorists' discussions of inter-brain synchrony experiences. We also present three practical design tactics for HCI practitioners designing inter-brain synchrony, and hope that our work guides a HCI future of brain-to-brain experiences which fosters human connection.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Sytems
EditorsMax L. Wilson, Phoebe Toups Dugas, Irina Shklovski
Place of PublicationNew York NY USA
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)9798400703300
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventInternational Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2024: Surfing the World - Hybrid, Honolulu, United States of America
Duration: 11 May 202416 May 2024
https://chi2024.acm.org/
https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/3613904 (proceedings)
https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/3613905 (Extended Abstracts)

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2024
Abbreviated titleCHI 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States of America
CityHybrid, Honolulu
Period11/05/2416/05/24
Internet address

Keywords

  • Brain-to-Brain Interface
  • EEG
  • Inter-Brain Synchrony
  • Neural Synchrony
  • tES

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