Juan Carlos Torrado Vidal

• Schulz, Trenton; Torrado, Juan Carlos; Sandhaug, Maren Kristiansen; Eide, Hilde; Guldberg, Karen & Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide (2026). Quality of Child-Robot Interaction for Pupils with Autism Across Multiple Sessions. In Kurosu, Masaaki & Hashizume, Ayako (Ed.), Human-Computer Interaction: Thematic Area, HCI 2026, Held as Part of the 28th HCI International Conference, HCII 2026, Montreal, QC, Canada, July 26–31, 2026, Proceedings, Part II. Springer. ISSN 9783032295866. p. 177–193. doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-29586-6_13. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We ran a study examining how socially assistive robots can help children with autism in their education at school. Twenty pupils at a special school in Norway used a repertoire of different activities centered around a NAO robot. We present the complete study design and the types of data that have been collected. We then focus on presenting the results from rating the quality of child-robot interaction in the 55 recorded sessions from the study. Three raters rated each session on the quality of interaction between the child and robot, with two to four sessions for each pupil. Raters were in substantial agreement. We calculated the average quality of interaction and calculated the change of quality over the sessions and found that most children had a positive or fair quality of interaction with the robot. Discussions with teachers also provided additional insight into the sessions. Overall, the repertoire can lead to good interaction with pupils, but it is necessary to involve teachers and parents in deciding if it is appropriate for a pupil.

• Reithe, Haakon; Patrascu, Monica; Torrado, Juan Carlos; Førsund, Elise; Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska & Kverneng, Simon Ulvenes [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Wavelet-Based Tremor Quantification From Wrist-Worn Sensor Data in Home-Dwelling People With Parkinson’s Disease. IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine. 14, p. 19–28. doi: 10.1109/JTEHM.2025.3648704. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective: Tremor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are challenging to assess due to low resolution and subjectivity from standard clinical scales. To address this, wearable devices have been used, but algorithms have been relying on controlled or limited activity conditions. Our objective is to create a context-independent metric quantifying tremor in free-living conditions to bridge the gap between biomedical engineering and the PD field. Methods and Procedures: We designed an algorithm which computes a tremor index (TI) from accelerometer data, collected via the Empatica E4 worn on the wrist by home dwelling people with PD. For validation, we use a within-participant design, comparing the TIs of the most and least tremor-affected hand. We included seven participants with unilateral tremor, monitored for two weeks each. The algorithm is able to compute TIs for a set of frequencies identified in literature as associated with different tremor types (3–12 Hz), over adjustable sampling time windows. Results: We show that the most tremor-affected hand yields a higher TI than the other hand for frequency sets that are individual to each person, in particular around 5-6 Hz where rest tremor typically occurs. We find that we can disambiguate tremor across 3-12 Hz from general movement and resting states. The number of frequencies with inter-hand separation correlate with the MDS-UPDRS part III tremor items. Conclusion: The designed tremor quantification algorithm can quantify tremor symptoms over time for people with PD and can be used to identify the individualized frequency ranges where these movements happen, in free-living conditions.

• Guldberg, Karen; Eide, Tom; Eide, Hilde; Flatås, Bjørn Aksel; Jensen, Renate & Larsen, Kenneth [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2026). Methodological principles to guide innovation in robot-mediated education for autistic pupils. International Journal of Research & Method in Education. ISSN 1743-727X. 49(3), p. 333–352. doi: 10.1080/1743727x.2026.2650196. Full text in Research Archive
• Reithe, Haakon; Marty, Brice Sylvain Daniel; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Førsund, Elise; Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska & Erdal, Ane [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2025). Cross-evaluation of wearable data for use in Parkinson’s disease research: a free-living observational study on Empatica E4, Fitbit Sense, and Oura. Biomedical engineering online. 24. doi: 10.1186/s12938-025-01353-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Established assessment scales used for Parkinson’s disease (PD) have several limitations in tracking symptom progression and fluctuation. Both research and commercial-grade wearables show potential in improving these assessments. However, it is not known whether pervasive and affordable devices can deliver reliable data, suitable for designing open-source unobtrusive around-the-clock assessments. Our aim is to investigate the usefulness of the research-grade wristband Empatica E4, commercial-grade smartwatch Fitbit Sense, and the Oura ring, for PD research. Method: The study included participants with PD (N = 15) and neurologically healthy controls (N = 16). Data were collected using established assessment scales (Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire, Hoehn and Yahr Stage), self-reported diary (activities, symptoms, sleep, medication times), and 2-week digital data from the three devices collected simultaneously. The analyses comprised three steps: preparation (device characteristics assessment, data extraction and preprocessing), processing (data structuring and visualization, cross-correlation analysis, diary comparison, uptime calculation), and evaluation (usability, availability, statistical analyses). Results: We found large variation in data characteristics and unsatisfactory cross-correlation. Due to output incongruences, only heart rate and movement could be assessed across devices. Empatica E4 and Fitbit Sense outperformed Oura in reflecting self-reported activities. Results show a weak output correlation and significant differences. The uptime was good, but Oura did not record heart rate and movement concomitantly. We also found variation in terms of access to raw data, sampling rate and level of device-native processing, ease of use, retrieval of data, and design. We graded the system usability of Fitbit Sense as good, Empatica E4 as poor, with Oura in the middle. Conclusions: In this study we identified a set of characteristics necessary for PD research: ease of handling, cleaning, data retrieval, access to raw data, score calculation transparency, long battery life, sufficient storage, higher sampling frequencies, software and hardware reliability, transparency. The three analyzed devices are not interchangeable and, based on data features, none were deemed optimal for PD research, but they all have the potential to provide suitable specifications in future iterations.

• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Schulz, Trenton; Guldberg, Karen; Søfting, Bente; Eide, Hilde & Thygesen, Hilde [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Lessons Learned from Two Pilots Using Social Robots with Children with Autism in a Special Education School in Norway. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 15781, p. 215–227. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-93851-1_17. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Children with autism present some difficulties regarding social communication and emotional regulation. These difficulties are addressed by special education programs in several ways – for instance, peer-to-peer communication using pictograms or tablet-based games to rehearse social situations and learn about facial expressions. Social robots have shown potential as vehicles for these activities. They can be perceived as “safe” interaction partners, as well as entail a special motivation for children who are fascinated by technology. In this paper, we describe the experience of two pilot studies study using a NAO robot for social communication at a special education school in Norway involving five and fifteen (N1=5, and N2=15) children with autism, respectively. Each child used the robot for1-2 sessions with the help of their main teacher and an additional teacher operating the robot. The teachers could select from a repertoire of activities that utilized the robot in various ways. The sessions were videotaped and analyzed by a multidisciplinary team composed of pedagogists, teachers, and researchers on ICTs, ethics, health, pedagogy and technology. The videos show that some children initiated and reciprocated communication with the robot in different contexts and with various degrees of support from the teachers. This paper describes design recommendations towards a longer study and pedagogical and ethical reflections on particular experiences observed in the pilot study.

• Førsund, Elise; Torrado, Juan Carlos; Reithe, Haakon; Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska; Nedreskår, Kjersti & Patrascu, Monica [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). The Function of Friction–a Narrative Exploration of Older Adults Relocating to a Community-Based Living Environment. Journal of Aging and Environment. ISSN 2689-2618. doi: 10.1080/26892618.2025.2515585. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Growing numbers of older adults relocate to living environments supporting aging in place. However, knowledge about this relocation process is limited. This study aims to investigate the experiences of older adults moving to a community-based living environment in Norway. We used a narrative approach based on unstructured interviews of 13 residents (10 female, 3 male, ages 62–84). The overarching narrative consists of anticipation of future uncertainties, attraction to conceptual predictability, challenges in the new environment, exploration of alternative strategies, and transformation through challenge resolution. Initial friction related to the physical and social environment caused the participants to take an active role in creating the community, resulting in increased ownership and appreciation. This was largely achieved by collaboration and relying on each other and the community. These findings highlight important social processes taking place during the development of a community. Actively and collectively shaping the environment can foster place-attachment and a culture of interdependence, thus enhancing resilience to repeated relocations and promoting aging in place.

• Iversen, Kasper; Magnussen, Knut Ole Kvilhaug; Cerutti, Paolo & Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2024). Guttastemning in a Box - Fostering Emotional Connections Beyond the Screen. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 14698, p. 246–258. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-60884-1_17. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the Norwegian gendered term of guttastemning through the design and creation of a digital box (the “Guttastemning Box”) that captures moments of lively and cheerful atmosphere when a group of people is having a great time together. The paper recognizes the importance of capturing and reliving such moments, emphasizing the challenges posed by the digital era, such as fluctuations in emotions, digital overload, and the lack of emotional resonance in digital photos. We carried out a Research through Design (RtD) process to assess the effectiveness of the Guttastemning Box in capturing and preserving these moments while fostering emotional connections. We evaluated this artifact through a pilot study in a natural setting in addition to a pre- and post-questionnaire. The results shed light on the Guttastemning Box’s ability to capture and preserve guttastemning moments, as well as foster connections. The box has shown promising results, with high overall impressions, positive usability feedback, and intention to use among participants.

• Førsund, Elise; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Fæø, Stein Erik; Reithe, Haakon; Patrascu, Monica & Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska (2024). Exploring active ageing in a community-based living environment: an ethnographic study in the Western Norway context. Frontiers in Public Health. 12. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1380922. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Age-friendly environments intend to promote active ageing by facilitating social, mental, and physical participation. This could potentially delay the onset of chronic complex conditions, enabling people to live longer independently at home, and prevent loneliness. This study investigates a community-based living environment in Norway called Helgetun and aims to explore how it can facilitate active ageing. Method: We chose an ethnographic approach consisting of observation, informal conversations, and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 residents (11 female, 4 male, ages 62–84). We analysed the data using reflexive thematic analysis. Result: We developed three themes on facilitating active ageing in this living environment: maintaining self-identity, experiencing growth and development, and feeling a sense of belonging. These themes were related to physical activity levels, social engagement, and overall satisfaction with the living environment. Maintaining self-identity concerned getting a new role in life as well as access to meaningful activities. Experiencing growth and development involved being exposed to new activities, learning new skills, and experiencing mastery. Lastly, feeling a sense of belonging meant feeling safe and part of a group, as well as receiving social support and help. This feeling of social connectedness and safety was reflected in their experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, in which most felt relatively unaffected, suggesting that this way of living could increase reliance among this age group. Conclusion: Having a flexible structure, adapting to the core needs and individual resources of the residents, can facilitate active ageing in community-based living environments. Our findings contribute to the growing evidence that these environments increase social and physical engagement, whilst reducing social isolation and loneliness. These findings may be particularly relevant in a Norwegian context—where older adults are less dependent on family for care—and are meant as grounding points for policymakers to reflect upon designing future senior living.

• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Haugan, Anne-Bjørg; Wiborg, Berit Lilly; Andersen, Rita & Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide (2024). Attitudes of Employees in Tourism Towards Guests with Disabilities in Norway: A Survey Study. In Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Leister, Wolfgang & Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (Ed.), Universal Design 2024: Shaping a Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Future for All. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Oslo, Norway, 20-22 November 2024. IOS Press. ISSN 9781643685526. p. 340–347. doi: 10.3233/SHTI241025. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Associations for people with disabilities in Norway receive much feedback about negative experiences with travel. Little research has been done on this topic, and thus there is little knowledge about what can be done to improve these experiences. In this study, we have mapped travel experiences of people with disabilities and attitudes from employees in the tourism industry with two digital surveys. The questions were created in a workshop by collaboration with researchers, user representatives from a national association for people with disabilities, and employees from the tourism industry. The results show that some of the employees’ attitudes that are perceived as discriminatory by guests with disabilities are paradoxically caused by fear of doing something wrong. There seemed also to be a need for more knowledge about invisible disabilities, and a company-level and practice-based strategy for implementation of universal design in the customer service.

• Chinchay, Yussy; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Gomez, Javier & Montoro, Germán (2023). Towards more supportive ICT for children with autism spectrum disorders: lessons learned from COVID-19 pandemic. Behaviour and Information Technology. ISSN 0144-929X. doi: 10.1080/0144929X.2023.2268734. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines, causing isolation and quarantine. Technology has emerged as a crucial tool for sustaining essential activities, but children with autism spectrum disorders have faced distinct challenges due to their intricate interaction with it. We employed an online survey to analyse the impact of technology use in online learning, remote assistance and daily life of children with autism along COVID-19, and we have identified benefits and challenges with assistive technology exposed by the pandemic. Findings are divided in (1) seven themes where COVID-19 impacted this population the most and their relationship with technology (remote communication, learning, emotional management, entertainment management, executive functions, activities of daily living, and physical activity and motor skills), and (2) a mapping of technological categories that define the working areas specifically aimed to cover the special needs of children with autism whenever face-to-face interactions are not possible (attention, authoring tools, calculation, e-learning, emotions, entertainment, experience of self, language and communication, memory, planning and time management, social networking, and social skills). These results help provide a more well-rounded knowledge of how to improve technology to make it accessible to autistic children, to handle and avoid services interruption in similar scenarios.

• Shurid, Safayet Anowar; Moezzi, Mahta; Emon, Md Mohaiminul Islam; Das, Pritam & Torrado, Juan Carlos (2023). HIØF Easy Navigator: An Augmented Reality App Which Guides a User to Reach Their Destination. Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS). ISSN 1865-0929. 1958, p. 236–244. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-49215-0_29. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  New students often have trouble finding classrooms, laboratories, libraries, or other places inside a new study place. At Østfold University Col lege (HIØF), they provide paper maps to the students to find locations inside the university which are difficult to understand and hard to use. To solve this problem, we have developed an app named “HIØF Easy Navigator”. The application guides new students to find the inside location here at HIØF, Norway. We also conducted a survey of eight students to check the user experience and opinions of paper maps and the HIØF Easy Navigator. Our findings demonstrate that the app is easier to use than paper maps to locate locations inside the university

• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Bakke, Caroline & Gabarron, Elia (2023). Chatbots and Children with Special Educational Needs Interaction. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 14021, p. 443–452. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-35897-5_32. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Introduction and aim. Chatbots could have a strong potential for competence training, overcoming barriers, and wellbeing management for individuals with special educational needs. We carried out a review to describe the existing knowledge on design characteristics, and user involvement in research on chatbots related to individuals with special educational needs. Methods. We searched for publications on the topic in ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, Education Source, and proceedings from conferences on special needs education, and on health informatics. Results. A total of 9 studies were included in this review. Most of the studies used authoring tools to implement the chatbots or parts of them. Smartphones, tablets and PCs were the most common target devices for chatbots. End-users participated in the research mostly as experimental subjects to test the chatbot. Only one study involved participants as co-designers. Conclusions. Research on chatbots for individuals with special education seems to be in earlier stages. More high-quality research is needed, involving individuals with special educational needs in all stages of development and incorporating evidence-based training strategies.

• Berge, Line Iden; Gedde, Marie H.; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska; Hynninen, Kia Minna & Knardal, Solgunn [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). The acceptability, adoption, and feasibility of a music application developed using participatory design for home-dwelling persons with dementia and their caregivers. The “Alight” app in the LIVE@Home.Path trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 13:949393, p. 1–18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.949393. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Music interventions for persons with dementia can improve health and interaction with caregivers, yet the reach is often restricted to institutions. We describe the participatory design process of a prototype music application for patients affiliated with a gerontopsychiatric hospital and evaluate the acceptability, adoption, and feasibility of use for dyads of home-dwelling persons with dementia and their informal caregivers. Methods: The application “Alight” was developed following an iterative, expert-driven participatory design approach, which includes a requirement elicitation phase and two rounds of prototyping and testing in real-world settings. End users and stakeholders were involved in all steps, that is, workshops, interviews, field observation, ethnographic inquiries, and beta testing sessions with music therapists, patients, and caregivers in collaboration with a commercial music and technology company. The last prototyping and testing took place in the LIVE@Home.Path trial, a stepped-wedge multicomponent randomized controlled trial to improve resource utilization and caregiver burden in municipal dementia care during 2019–2021. Results: Mean age of the person with dementia in the LIVE@Home.Path trial was 82 years, 62% were female, and the majority had Alzheimer's dementia (44%) of mild severity (71%). Sixty-three dyads were offered Alight in the multicomponent intervention, of which 13% (n = 8) accepted use. The dyads accepting Alight did not differ in demographic and clinical characteristics compared to those not interested. The feasibility was high among those accepting Alight, 75% (n = 6) reported a positive impact on mood, 50% (n = 4) experienced a positive impact on activity, and 50% (n = 4) gooduser-friendliness. The adoption was high with daily use or use several times a week reported by 63% (n = 5). Obstacles emerged when updating the application in homes without wireless Wi-Fi, and some participants were unfamiliar with using touchscreens. Conclusion: The feasibility and adoption of the application were high and accepting dyads did not differ on demographic and clinical variables from those not reached. This suggests a high potential for utilization in dementia care. This study contributes methodologically to the field of participatory design and mHealth interventions by demonstrating a specific design approach that throughout the process successfully involved researchers, industry partners, health care practitioners, and end users.

• Martinez-Millana, Antonio; Michalsen, Henriette; Berg, Valter; Anke, Audny Gabriele Wagner; Martinez, Santiago & Muzny, Miroslav [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2022). Motivating Physical Activity for Individuals with Intellectual Disability through Indoor Bike Cycling and Exergaming. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH). ISSN 1661-7827. 19(5). doi: 10.3390/ijerph19052914. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People with intellectual disabilities have more sedentary lifestyles than the general population. Regular physical activity is of both medical and social importance, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and promoting functioning in everyday life. Exergames have been envisioned for promoting physical activity; however, most of them are not user-friendly for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In this paper, we report the design, development, and user acceptance of a mobile health solution connected to sensors to motivate physical activity. The system is mounted on an indoor stationary bicycle and an ergometer bike tailored for people with intellectual disabilities. The development process involved the application of user-centered design principles to customize the system for this group. The system was pilot-tested in an institutional house involving six end-users (intervention group) and demonstrated/self-tested to relatives of persons with ID and staff (supervision group). A System Usability Scale and open-ended interview in the supervision group were used to assess the user acceptance and perceived usefulness. Results indicate that the users with an intellectual disability enjoyed using the system, and that respondents believed it was a useful tool to promote physical activity for the users at the institution. The results of this study provide valuable information on beneficial technological interventions to promote regular physical activity for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska; Allore, Heather G.; Erdal, Ane; Fæø, Stein Erik & Reithe, Haakon [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Digital phenotyping by wearable-driven artificial intelligence in older adults and people with Parkinson's disease: Protocol of the mixed method, cyclic ActiveAgeing study. PLOS ONE. 17:e0275747(10), p. 1–19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275747. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Active ageing is described as the process of optimizing health, empowerment, and security to enhance the quality of life in the rapidly growing population of older adults. Meanwhile, multimorbidity and neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), lead to global public health and resource limitations. We introduce a novel user-centered paradigm of ageing based on wearable-driven artificial intelligence (AI) that may harness the autonomy and independence that accompany functional limitation or disability, and possibly elevate life expectancy in older adults and people with PD. Methods ActiveAgeing is a 4-year, multicentre, mixed method, cyclic study that combines digital phenotyping via commercial devices (Empatica E4, Fitbit Sense, and Oura Ring) with traditional evaluation (clinical assessment scales, in-depth interviews, and clinical consultations) and includes four types of participants: (1) people with PD and (2) their informal caregiver; (3) healthy older adults from the Helgetun living environment in Norway, and (4) people on the Helgetun waiting list. For the first study, each group will be represented by N = 15 participants to test the data acquisition and to determine the sample size for the second study. To suggest lifestyle changes, modules for human expert-based advice, machine-generated advice, and self-generated advice from accessible data visualization will be designed. Quantitative analysis of physiological data will rely on digital signal processing (DSP) and AI techniques. The clinical assessment scales are the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), and the REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ). A qualitative inquiry will be carried out with individual and focus group interviews and analysed using a hermeneutic approach including narrative and thematic analysis techniques. Discussion We hypothesise that digital phenotyping is feasible to explore the ageing process from clinical and lifestyle perspectives including older adults and people with PD. Data is used for clinical decision-making by symptom tracking, predicting symptom evolution, and discovering new outcome measures for clinical trials.

• Stellander, Magnus; Henriksen, André; Michalsen, Henriette; Anke, Audny Gabriele Wagner; Ursin, Daniel & Martinez, Santiago [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2022). Sorterius - An augmented reality app for encouraging outdoor physical activity for people with intellectual disabilities. In Henriksen, André; Gabarron, Elia & Vimarlund, Vivian (Ed.), Proceedings of the 18th Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics. Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings. ISSN 9789179293444. p. 88–91. doi: 10.3384/ecp187015. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many with intellectual disabilities (ID) have difficulties adhering to current physical activity guidelines. The goal of this study was to develop a mobile app for assisting people with ID to be more physically active. We implemented a solution that combines the digital and real world using augmented reality (AR). Eight people working with people with ID (special education teachers, social workers, psychologists, and researchers) tested the app and completed a usability test. Results indicate that a mobile app focusing on everyday life scenarios can have a potential value for the targeted user group, but AR solutions can be challenging.

• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia; Pelagatti, Susanna & Wold, Ida (2022). HikePal: A mobile exergame to motivate people with intellectual disabilities to do outdoor physical activities. Entertainment Computing. ISSN 1875-9521. 42. doi: 10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100477. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People with intellectual disabilities often have a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to long-term issues like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and depression. Although literature shows that the main reason for this is the lack of motivation to do physical activity, scarce research has been done in accessible apps to track and foster physical activities that address motivation. This paper presents HikePal, a game-inspired app to motivate individuals with intellectual disabilities to do physical activity outdoors. We have followed a design and creation research strategy using 1) semi-structured interviews with five experts (health care workers, special education experts and software engineers); 2) a focus group with an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and four software engineers; 3) a pilot user test with three individuals with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. Having social interaction during the physical activity turned out to be a major motivational aspect of the system, whereas reward systems did not attract much of the users’ attention. Regarding the adapted navigational assistance, we found out that easy-to-read text, visual communication and street-level pictures were the key features to achieve successful and understandable guidance outdoors for people with intellectual disabilities. It proved useful to perform a test on the field and to refine the design guidelines in view of a forthcoming large-scale experimental test involving a larger number of persons with intellectual, sensory and motor disabilities.

• Quayyum, Farzana; Bueie, Jonas; Cruzes, Daniela Soares; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia & Torrado, Juan Carlos (2021). Understanding parents' perceptions of children's cybersecurity awareness in Norway. In Palazzi, Claudio; Gaggi, Ombretta & Manzoni, Pietro (Ed.), GoodIT '21: Proceedings of the Conference on Information Technology for Social Good. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ISSN 9781450384780. p. 236–241. doi: 10.1145/3462203.3475900. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Children are increasingly using the internet nowadays. While internet use exposes children to various privacy and security risks, few studies have examined how parents perceive and address their children's cybersecurity risks. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study with 25 parents living in Norway with children aged between 10 to 15. We conducted semi-structured interviews with the parents and performed a thematic analysis of the interview data. The results of this paper include a list of cybersecurity awareness needs for children from a parental perspective, a list of learning resources for children, and a list of challenges for parents to ensure cybersecurity at home. Our results are useful for developers and educators in developing cybersecurity solutions for children. Future research should focus on defining cybersecurity theories and practices that contribute to children's and parents' awareness about cybersecurity risks, needs, and solutions.

• Quayyum, Farzana; Bueie, Jonas; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado & Jaccheri, Maria Letizia (2020). Understanding coding activities for teens: a focus on school teachers' perspectives. In ACM, Digital Library (Eds.), IDC 2020 Extended Abstract Proceedings. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ISSN 9781450380201. p. 187–192. doi: 10.1145/3397617.3397833. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Over the last few years, researchers, teachers, parents, volunteers, and even IT companies have joined efforts to develop coding activities for children in K-12 education. These efforts include technological tools and programming environments as well as activities descriptions. Kodeløypa is a coding activity offered by NTNU, which focuses on engaging teens in creative programming. In this paper, we report about the design and implementation of an empirical investigation with 13 teachers who attended Kodeløypa as associated school teachers of the pupils from their respective schools. In this study, we have addressed the following research question: What are the teachers' understandings of coding activities for teens outside the schools? The goal of this study was to identify various factors that will help us to acquire knowledge on this important kind of stakeholders, and improve the design and implementation of Kodeløypa and other similar efforts. We have conducted a thematic analysis with the data and we expect the results of this study will help teachers and researchers to design and organize computer science learning activities more efficiently and collaboratively.

• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Gomez, Javier & Montoro, Germán (2020). Hands-On Experiences With Assistive Technologies for People With Intellectual Disabilities: Opportunities and Challenges. IEEE Access. 8, p. 106408–106424. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3000095. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In the recent years, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to enhance the educational and developmental interventions of individuals with intellectual disabilities has increased drastically. Current literature about the efficacy of assistive technologies for people with intellectual disabilities includes numerous examples of co-design and research involving people with intellectual disabilities and their stakeholders. However, literature regarding the challenges and opportunities presented by this research is scarce. The discussion and reflection presented in this work is based on the authors’ previous experience and ground-breaking literature in the field. After a review of relevant work, the the authors’ research is described in detail, in order to reflect on the challenges encountered, and on opportunities for new researchers and open questions. The paper concludes with a reflection on the use of technologies to support people with intellectual disabilities, adopted strategies and limitations.

• Sharma, Kshitij; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Gomez, Javier & Jaccheri, Letizia (2020). Improving Girls’ Perception of Computer Science as a Viable Career Option through Game Playing and Design: Lessons from a Systematic Literature Review. Entertainment Computing. ISSN 1875-9521. 36, p. 1–13. doi: 10.1016/j.entcom.2020.100387. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The objective of exposing girls to Computer Science as a career option has led to research directed towards gaming activities for girls. These activities include both game play and game design. Research about gaming activities for increasing girls’ interest in computer science has gained much attention over the past few years and has resulted in a number of contributions. We follow up with an overview of the status of research through a Systematic Literature Review. We investigate the relation between the various game playing or designing activities and their impact on girls’ perception of Computer Science as a career choice. We further present the design consideration for the games and related activities to potentially improve the perception of girls towards a Computer Science career. The applied method is a Systematic Literature Review through which we investigate which contributions were made, which knowledge areas were most explored, and which research facets have been used. We identify 25 papers to distill a common understanding of the state-of-the-art. Specifically, we investigate the effects that the game play/design activities had on girls’ perception about Computer Science; and what are the key design factors to be kept in mind while designing a serious game to improve girls’ perception about Computer Science. The results of this systematic literature review show that game playing or designing could indeed improve how girls perceive having a career in CS. The key aspects that such activities require are personalizing, opportunity for collaboration and the presence of a female lead character.

• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Wold, Ida; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia; Pelagatti, Susanna; Gomez, Javier & Hartvigsen, Gunnar [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). Developing software for motivating individuals with intellectual disabilities to do outdoor physical activity. In Rothermel, Gregg & Bae, Doo-Hwan (Ed.), ICSE-SEIS '20: Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE 42nd International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering in Society. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ISSN 9781450371261. p. 81–84. doi: 10.1145/3377815.3381376. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) often have a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to long-term issues like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and depression. Few games and apps promoting physical activity for people with IDs exist, and they do not have a focus on the motivational aspect. This paper aims to find how to develop software that can motivate people with IDs to do physical activity outdoors. For this purpose, we have followed a design and creation research strategy using several qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews with health care workers, special education experts and software engineers; a focus group with occupational therapists, physical therapists and software engineers; and a preliminary pilot user test with 3 users and 2 caregivers aiming to a test of the software on the field and at the refinement of its specifications. Having social interaction during the physical activity turned out to be a major motivational aspect of the system, whereas rewards systems did not attract much of the users' attention. Regarding the adapted navigational assistance, easy-to-read text, visual communication and street-level pictures were the key features to achieve successful and understandable guidance outdoors for people with intellectual disabilities.

• Brevik, Jostein; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia & Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2019). Designing Software to Prevent Child Marriage Globally. In Fails, Jerry (Eds.), Proceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on Interaction Design and Children. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ISSN 9781450351522. doi: 10.1145/3311927.3325322. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Child marriage is any marriage where one or both of the participants is under the age of 18. Today, more than 12 million such marriages happen every year [11]. Giving children and the communities around them access to information about the dangers of child marriage is crucial in order to change the cultural norms that enable and perpetuate it. Mobile applications have so far seen sparse use to combat this problem. This paper covers a project that looks to evaluate the effect of different design options for mobile applications in this field. It covers seven different design approaches, as well as the testing and evaluation of these in a case study amongst youth in Malawi. During Spring 2019, an initial testing round will be held there in cooperation with Plan International. There, we will gather feedback from local youths on what they know and think about child marriage, as well as seeing how they interact with the designs we have made.

• Evensen, Ingrid; Omfjord, Jens Brandsgård; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia & Escribano, Javier Gomez (2019). Designing Game-Inspired Applications to Increase Daily PA for People with ID. In Spek, Erik van der; Göbel, Stefan; Do, Ellen Yi-Luen; Clua, Esteban & Hauge, Jannicke Baalsrud (Ed.), Entertainment Computing and Serious Games. Springer, Cham. ISSN 9783030346447. p. 377–382. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-34644-7_31. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People with intellectual disabilities are less likely to meet the recommended daily levels of physical activity. Meeting these requirements can lower the risk of serious health problems and life threatening diseases. To address this problem, the idea is to exploit mobile applications designed specifically to help increase daily levels of physical activity. The results are: guidelines developed by a literature review and lessons learned during the development of a prototype application. Evaluation issues are based on focus group and usability test.

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• Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Leister, Wolfgang & Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2024). Universal Design 2024: Shaping a Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Future for All. Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Oslo, Norway, 20-22 November 2024. IOS Press. ISBN 9781643685526. 502 p. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This book presents the proceedings of UD2024, the 7th International Conference on Universal Design, held from 20 to 22 November 2024 in Oslo, Norway.

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• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Heimstad-Bergseng, Camilla; Salinas, Veronica & Nicholas, Hanna Marie (2026). Symboler er et viktig språk for mange: – Norge henger etter. [Internet]. Forskning.no. Full text in Research Archive
• Torrado, Juan Carlos (2026). SCERTS som forskningsverktøy i ROSA-prosjektet. doi: https:/nr.no/arrangementer/rosa-prosjektet-sluttseminar-om-robotstottet-laering/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRIwvVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBodkdiRXByMkgxNmU0TUptc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgnC2Edxh92ZFO51ZeV0ghY_Zg33LadenusrZuQgEA53wQkzUSal3tnmZedt_aem_IS3tQ32V8fGFnRJ2_gda7A. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Presentasjon av hvordan SCERTS-rammeverket ble tilpasset og anvendt som forskningsverktøy i ROSA-prosjektet. Innlegget beskriver ulike roller den sosiale roboten Robbie kan ha i læringsmiljøet, blant annet som samhandlingspartner, modelleringsverktøy, læringsverktøy og samtaletema, samt hvordan SCERTS ble brukt til å analysere samhandling og læringsstøtte

• Torrado, Juan Carlos (2025). Presentasjon av ROSa-studien i RNE-programmet "La Cresta de la Onda" (popularvitenskapelig program i den spanske offentlige radio-broadcast). [Radio]. RNE. doi: https:/www.rtve.es/play/audios/la-cresta-de-la-onda/cresta-onda-tecnologias-accesibles-con-juan-carlos-torrado-desde-noruega/16337127/. Full text in Research Archive
• Torrado, Juan Carlos (2025). Funn og resultater fra spørreundersøkelser til reiselivet og besøkende om inkludering og tilrettelegging i reiselivet. doi: https:/visitbo.no/hjertevarm-reise/. Full text in Research Archive
• Schulz, Trenton; Torrado, Juan Carlos; Badescu, Claudia Andrea & Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide (2025). A Robot Repertoire for Assisting Teaching Children with Autism. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We present a set of components for a robot-based framework (or repertoire) that has been used for assisting teachers in their work with children with autism and how it has been used for two pilots and its main study. We also document challenges that we have encountered while deploying the repertoire and possible future directions.

• Eide, Hilde; Guldberg, Karen; Eide, Tom; Renate, Jensen; Larsen, Kenneth & Schulz, Trenton [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2025). Communicating with «Robbie» - A case study: (How) Does Robbie provide Transactional Support in Learning Situations? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: The prevalence of autistic children is increasing. In the Norwegian project “Robot-supported language development for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ROSA) the robot NAO (called “Robbie” by the pupils) is used to stimulate social interaction and language development. In October-24 pilot 2 in the study will be performed. 8-12 autistic pupils in different language development stages will participate. For each child four robot-child-interactions will be video-recorded. Two teachers will participate in the learning interactions, one being the child’s primary teacher, the other serving as a learning assistant, steering the robot responses with a remote control and providing learning tasks and learning games. The aim of the pilot is to test the feasibility of the robot interactions, establish interrater-agreement of the SCERTS-coding, and determine meaningful outcome measures for a larger study. The SCERTS-method will be used to code the videos SCERTS provides a structured framework and systematic method for selecting educational objectives that are meaningful to the child, family and setting. The original SCERTS Assessment Protocol (SAP) is a curriculum-based assessment tool for gauging individual children’s capacity to use certain skills and to engage in tasks across meaningful, everyday contexts. The emphasis is on understanding the functional role of an individual child’s behaviors and communicative acts. Assessment of a child’s level of social and communicative competence is based on detailed behavioral criteria derived from the SAP. The method focuses on capacity for joint attention and capacity for symbol use. The early language development stage the child has, is identified as a) social partner, b) language partner or c) conversational partner. The different stages require different responses to support learning (transactional support) as well as specific and individual goals. On beforehand the teachers have evaluated the pupils with SCERTS as a baseline. Analyses: The plan is to describe the children´s scores on specifically chosen SCERTS-dimensions as individual cases (social communication; joint attention and symbol use and emotional regulation; mutual regulation and self-regulation). Further the teachers and the robot will be scored on transactional support. Questions to discuss at OCHER: Do these measures reveal meaningful outcomes? Discuss possible issues we ran into establishing interrater-agreement.

• Førsund, Elise; Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Fæø, Stein Erik; Reithe, Haakon; Patrascu, Monica & Husebø, Bettina Elisabeth Franziska (2024). Active ageing in a community-based living environment. Gerontechnology. ISSN 1569-1101. doi: 10.4017/gt.2024.23.s.1109.opp. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2024). Kvalitativ videoanalyse i ROSa. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2024). Robotstøttet læring for barn med autisme. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2023). Use of SCERTS as assessment tool in the context of the ROSa project. Full text in Research Archive
• Stellander, Magnus; Henriksen, André; Michalsen, Henriette; Anke, Audny Gabriele Wagner; Ursin, Daniel & Martinez, Santiago [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2022). Sorterius - An augmented reality app for encouraging outdoor physical activity for people with intellectual disabilities. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2022). Emotional self-regulation strategies for people with autism using wearable devices. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Jaccheri, Maria Letizia & Escribano, Javier Gomez (2019). Supporting self-evaluation for children with mental disabilities through Augmented Reality. Full text in Research Archive
• Heimstad-Bergseng, Camilla; Torrado, Juan Carlos & Salinas, Veronica (2026). Demokratisk tilgang til ASK-symboler i Norge: Sluttrapport. Norsk Regnesentral. ISSN 9788253905822. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Noen mennesker kan ikke kommunisere ved hjelp av talespråk, og vil ha behov for alternativ eller supplerende kommunikasjon (ASK). En av de vanligste formene for ASK er grafiske symboler som står for et ord eller begrep, og brukes av både barn og voksne som deres språklige uttrykksform. Det finnes hverken en gratis symbolbank eller en offisiell standard for grafiske symboler i Norge. Symbolbankene som brukes per i dag krever betaling av lisenser og programmer. Det finnes land som har en åpen, tilgjengelig symbolbank, som Spania (ARASAAC) og Sverige (Bildstöd). Det er lite kunnskap om hva som må løses for å integrere eller utvikle en tilsvarende løsning i Norge. Prosjektet «Demokratisk tilgang til ASK-symboler i Norge» har undersøkt hvordan tilgang til symbolbank oppleves, og om det er behov for en gratis, åpen og universell symbolbank tilgjengelig for alle i Norge. Spørreskjema på nett og to samskapingsverksted med et strategisk utvalg bestående av fagpersoner, ASK-språklige og deres nærpersoner har vært benyttet som metode. På det første samskapingsverkstedet fikk informantene i utvalget beskrive sine erfaringer med tilgang til symbolspråk. Videre ble også et spørreskjema utarbeidet i samarbeid med utvalget. Spørreskjemaet ble sendt ut via nettverk og digitale portaler til hele landet. Forskerne har, sammen med deltakerne i det andre samskapingsverkstedet, systematisert, analysert og dokumentert kunnskapen og erfaringene fra spørreskjemaet. Resultatene fra både spørreskjema og samskapingsverkstedene, viser at tilgang til grafiske symboler oppleves tungvindt og lite tilgjengelig. Det etterspørres en åpen og gratis tilgang for å endre tilgjengelighet, kunnskap om og bruk av et grafisk symbolspråk i Norge. Denne rapporten dokumenterer dette arbeidet. Avslutningsvis er det foreslått et videre arbeid for å nå ambisjonen om en åpen, nasjonal symbolbank i Norge med bakgrunn i studiens funn.

• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide & Haugan, Anne-Bjørg (2025). En hjertevarm reise: fra forskning til konkrete løsninger. Norsk Regnesentral. ISSN 9788253905808. Full text in Research Archive
• Torrado, Juan Carlos; Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Haugan, Anne-Bjørg; Dale, Marianne; Wiborg, Berit Lilly & Andersen, Rita (2025). Bærekraftig og inkluderende reiseliv - sluttrapport. Norsk Regnesentral. ISSN 9788253905761. Full text in Research Archive
• Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Leister, Wolfgang & Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado (2024). Conference Compendium of the Seventh International Conference on Universal Design (UD2024), Shaping a Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Future for All. Norsk Regnesentral. ISSN 9788253905747. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Universal design, inclusive design, design for all, innovation for all, and accessibility are some of the concepts aimed at making products, environments, and services usable and accessible for diverse users, regardless of ability, age, or background. While these terms imply common goals, they each offer distinct approaches to creating inclusive solutions. This compendium comprises of 48 papers, abstracts, and posters presented at UD2024, the 7th International Conference on Universal Design, held from 20 to 22 November 2024 in Oslo, Norway. It can be seen as an addition to the conference proceedings. Although the UD conference series uses the term universal design, it welcomes researchers and practitioners from the other disciplines designing for diverse user groups in the hope that this will result in a wider spectrum of viewpoints and will help to unite these various approaches to advance the field. The contributions are grouped into six chapters, covering design approaches, theoretical perspectives and socio-economic benefits; children, learning environment, and education; universal design in the built environment; inclusive tourism and sustainable communities; digital inclusion, communication and organisation; as well as universal design of ICT and technical aspects.

• Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Halbach, Till; Schulz, Trenton; Simon-Liedtke, Joschua Thomas & Torrado, Juan Carlos (2024). Forskning innen digital inkludering: Erfaringer og anbefalinger for bruk av metoder, verktøy og praktisk tilrettelegging — 2025-utgave: Håndtering av erkjentlighetsgaver, teksting og transkribering av multimedia, verktøy for dataanalyse, personvern og taushetserklæring. Norsk Regnesentral. Full text in Research Archive
• Vidal, Juan Carlos Torrado; Fuglerud, Kristin Skeide; Simon-Liedtke, Joschua Thomas; Haugan, Anne-Bjørg; Dale, Marianne & Wiborg, Berit Lilly [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Se meg - hør meg. Norsk Regnesentral. ISSN 9788253905747. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Interesseorganisasjoner som jobber med tilrettelegging for personer med funksjonsnedsettelser, får mange tilbakemeldinger om negative opplevelser med reiselivet. Det er dessuten gjort lite forskning på dette temaet, og det gjør at det er liten kunnskap om hva som kan gjøres for at disse opplevelsene blir bedre. I prosjektet «Se meg – hør meg» har vi derfor kartlagt disse opplevelsene hos personer med funksjonsnedsettelser. Vi har undersøkt holdninger hos ansatte i reiselivsnæringen når de møter gjester med funksjonsnedsettelser. Målet er å samle kunnskap om situasjonen i reiselivet og gjester med funksjonsnedsettelser, med tanke på å jobbe videre med et opplæringskurs for ansatte i reiselivsnæringen. Metoden var spørreskjema på nett. Vi opprettet et for hver målgruppe og testet det i flere runder – først med partnerne i prosjektet i digitale møter, så intern gjennomgang hos partnernes organisasjoner og bedriftsklynge, og til slutt en workshop med representanter fra interesseorganisasjoner og reiselivet. Alt materialet som er utviklet i forbindelse med gjennomføring av nettskjemaene og workshop, som invitasjon, program, workshopguide og selve skjemaene er lagt ved rapporten som vedlegg. Forskerne har systematisert, analysert og dokumentert kunnskapen og erfaringene fra prosjektet. Vi har dessuten foreslått videre arbeid. Denne rapporten dokumenterer dette arbeidet.

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