Public defence: Martha Risnes
Martha Risnes will defend her thesis "Exploring human-technology relations: Designing with wearable non-invasive brain-monitoring technologies" for the PhD in Health Sciences.
Martha Risnes will defend her thesis "Exploring human-technology relations: Designing with wearable non-invasive brain-monitoring technologies" for the PhD in Health Sciences.
Trial lecture: Possibilities and challenges of meaning-making between different scientific communities in design of health technologies.
The ordinary opponents are:
The leader of the public defense is Professor Jonas Debesay, OsloMet.
The main supervisor is Professor Arild Berg, OsloMet.
The co-supervisors are Professor Peyman Mirtaheri, OsloMet, Associate Professor Terje Gjøvaag, OsloMet and Professor Olga Korostynska, OsloMet.
An individual’s perception of the mind and brain influences their experience of the world as human beings. Consequently, brain monitoring for health and well-being affects our self-perception and social interactions.
Therefore, designing services and products incorporating technologies such as non-invasive brain monitoring requires caution. This caution is due not only to the technical aspects but also to the socio-cultural, ethical, and philosophical dimensions associated with technology and health.
This thesis presents findings on human experiences and values connected to rehabilitation and sensor technology. These findings emphasise the importance of reflecting upon and challenging the assumptions and norms integrated into the design process.
The research project Patient-Centric Engineering in Rehabilitation (PACER) provided an opportunity for investigating the methods, and considerations involved in the design of health technology as a case study in this thesis. Through this case study, the thesis examined technology from critical and technology optimistic viewpoints, utilising human-centred and participatory methods.
To explore the challenges and opportunities in the PACER project, various perspectives and qualitative methods, including focus groups, workshops, and speculative design scenarios, were employed.
This thesis highlights the influence of technology on our perception of the world and our interactions between humans and technology. It investigates how a wearable, non-invasive brain monitoring technology can influence perspectives on well-being and health, affecting individuals and society.
Moreover, it discusses the concept of framing and its relevance to achieving common goals in interdisciplinary research. The thesis also investigates artefacts, knowledge, and metaphors in the context of creating meaning in interdisciplinary collaboration.
Designing with sensors for health and well-being extends beyond addressing user needs. It involves addressing challenges that require considering specific values, such as values related to control and care.
My work suggest that interdisciplinary research with non-invasive brain monitoring technology requires critical reflection on the assumptions in development and use. The thesis advocates for examining problems from various perspectives, understanding the complexity of human experiences, and questioning normative practices in design.
Furthermore, it emphasises the need to include these perspectives in the design process, thereby influencing the designer’s role. The thesis further explores approaches that enable designers to actively consider values in the design process through reflective practices, such as technological mediation.