From left: CoHMed partnership manager Kathrin Eckerlin, academic assistant in the LESSON project Valentin Wunsch and LESSON coordinator Prof. Dr. Verena Wagner-Hartl presented the "LESSON" project.
Project on situation-specific emotion training
At this year's Health Congress, CoHMed (Connected Health in Medical Mountains), HFU's innovation and transfer partnership, presented, among other things, the LESSON (Learning Emotions: Situation Specific ONline) project. In this project, a digital, situation-specific emotion training for people on the autism spectrum is being developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Verena Wagner-Hartl together with Prof. Dr. Knut Möller. The project addresses a central challenge in the area of social interaction in autism: emotions are essential for interpersonal communication and mental well-being − but their perception and interpretation is difficult for many of those affected.
An interactive demonstration format formed the centerpiece of the project presentation at the exhibitor stand − visitors were able to simulate basic emotions such as joy, fear or surprise using scalable 3D avatars on tablets. The innovative training concept combines mimic expressions with emotion recognition and psychophysiological reactions and is being tested and continuously developed in virtual, scenario-based learning environments. The opportunity to experience the avatars directly on site was used many times and met with lively interest.
LESSON is an example of the targeted use of modern technologies to strengthen mental health and promote social participation. The close integration of psychological research, physiological measurement and technological development makes the project a valuable example of practical, interdisciplinary research at HFU.