FIRST PRINCIPLES OF PHYSIO INFORMATIC SYSTEMS

The conceptual, theoretical and experimental basis for a general systems reference architecture for Physio-informatic systems

                                                                       

Dave Warner MD PhD

Medical Neuroscientist

Dir. Medical Intelligence

MindTel

 

Physio-informatics is a new systems model for linking human physiologic systems to information systems in the most general way. This general systems model has been derived through an ever evolving series of experiments and explorations.

 

The conceptual, theoretical and analytical basis for establishing a general systems based  reference architecture for Physio-informatic systems necessarily crosses many disciplines. It must be emphasized  from the onset that the following discussion of the derivation and  development of a general model (aka.. reference architecture ) for describing “meaningful”  information flow between humans and informatic systems is a broad topic area which covers many scientific disciplines, engineering techniques and a continually expanding array of technologies. Including but not limited to Physiology, Physics, Mathematics, Philosophy, General Systems, Bio-Cybernetics Systems, Cognitive Neuroscience, Perceptual Psycho-Physics, Perceptual State Space Modulation, Bio-Sensors, Quantitative Human Performance, Expressional Interface Systems, Physio-Informatics, Intelligent Interface-Metrics, User Tracking Interface Systems, Distributed Tele-Robotic Controllers and Intermental Networking. 

 

A general perspective of this effort is that it is an attempt at integrating these areas of human scientific endeavor (as mentioned above) in a manner which will not require that future researchers in Physio-Informatics  master all of them before they can contribute meaningfully to the process of optimizing the coupling between humans and informatic systems in an interactive interface system. Thus the intent of this effort is to establish a general conceptual framework (a reference architecture) which can be used as a guiding heuristic tool when confronted with the challenge of designing and developing interactive interface systems for human computer interaction. Specifically one which extends perceptual dimensionality and facilitates enhanced expressivity. 

 

Physioinformatics

 

A systems based, physiologically robust, reference architecture for designing and refining interactive human-computer interface systems in ways which increase operational throughput of information.

 

The term“ physio-informatics” will be used in this dissertation to denote informatic systems which are either biologically/physiologically based (primarily neurologic i.e. neuro informatic) information systems and/or informatic systems which are designed to support interaction (dynamic exchange of information) with such systems

The intent of this work is to develop a systems based, physiologically robust, reference architecture for designing and refining interactive human-computer interface systems in ways which increase operational throughput of information. Extending the perceptual dimensionality of information presented to the human and enhancing the expressional capacity of the human to convey intent to the informatic system achieve this increased throughput.

 

 

Interactive Human-Computer Interface Systems

 

In the various traditional models of human computer it is customary to think in terms of inputs and outputs. Input from the computer to the human and out from the human to the computer or input from the human to the computer and output of the computer to the human. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a systems model for interactive human-computer interface systems which is thought to be more representative of reality than traditional models in that it is consistent with the phenomenological aspects. That is the development of a physiologic based reference architecture for designing and developing interactive human computer interface systems to match the human nervous system's ability to transduce, transmit, and render to consciousness the necessary information to interact intelligently with information.

 

"The physiologic basis of a reference architecture for designing interactive human-computer interface systems"

 

 

Context And Initial Motivation

 

The capacity of computers to receive, process, and transmit massive amounts of information is continually increasing. Current attempts to develop new human-computer interface technologies have given us devices such as gloves, motion trackers,3-D sound and graphics. Such devices greatly enhance our ability to interact with this increasing flow of information. Interactive interface technologies emerging from the next paradigm of human-computer interaction are directly sensing bio-electric signals (from eye, muscle and brain activity) as inputs and rendering information in ways that take advantage of psycho-physiologic signal processing of the human nervous system (perceptual psychophysics). The next paradigm of human-computer interface will optimize the technology to the physiology -- a biologically responsive interactive interface.

 

INTERACTIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Interactive information technology is any technology which augments our ability to create / express / retrieve / analyze / process / communicate / experience information in an interactive mode. Biocybernetics optimizes the interactive interface, promising a technology that can profoundly improve the quality of life of real people today. The next paradigm of interface technology is based on new theories of human-computer interaction, which are physiologically and cognitively oriented. This emerging paradigm of human computer interaction incorporates multi-sense rendering technologies, giving sustained perceptual effects, and natural user interface devices which measure multiple physiological parameters simultaneously and use them as inputs. Biologically optimized interactive information technology has the potential to facilitate effective communication. This increase in effectiveness will impact both human-computer and human-human communication, "enhanced expressivity".

 

"BIOCYBERNETIC CONTROLLER"

Interactive interface technology renders content specific information onto multiple human sensory systems giving a sustained perceptual effect, while monitoring human response, in the form of physiometric gestures, speech, eye movements and various other inputs.  Such quantitative measurement of activity during purposeful tasks allows us to quantitatively characterize individual cognitive styles. This capability promises to be a powerful tool for characterizing the complex nature of normal and impaired human performance. The systems of the future will monitor a user's actions, learn from them, and adapt by varying aspects of the system's configuration to optimize performance. By immersion of external senses and iterative interaction with biosignal triggered events complex tasks are more readily achieved. This paradigm shift of mass communication and information technologies is providing an exciting opportunity to facilitate the rapid exchange of relevant information thereby increasing the individual productivity of persons involved in the information industry. Areas such as computer-supported cooperative work, knowledge engineering, expert systems, interactive attentional training, and adaptive task analysis will be changed fundamentally by this increase in informatic ability. The psycho-social implications of this technologically mediated human-computer and human-human communication are quite profound.  Providing the knowledge and technology required to empower people to make a positive difference with information technology could foster the development an attitude of social responsibility towards the usage of this technology and may be a profound step forward in modern social development. Applications which are intended to improve quality of life, such as, applications in medicine; education, recreation and communication must become a social priority.

 

PHYSIOLOGICALLY ORIENTED INTERFACE DESIGN

Knowledge of sensory physiology and perceptual psychophysics is being used to optimize our future interactions with the computer. By increasing the number and variation of simultaneous sensory inputs, we can make the body an integral part of the information system, "a sensorial combinetric integrator". We can then identify the optimal perceptual state space parameters in which information can best be rendered. That is what types of information are best rendered to each specific sense modality, "a sense specific optimization of rendered information. Research in human sensory physiology, specifically sensory transduction mechanisms, shows us that there are designs in our nervous systems optimized for feature extraction of spatially rendered data, temporally rendered data, and textures. Models of information processing based on the capacity of these neurophysiological structures to process information will help our efforts to enhance perception of complex relationships by integrating visual, binaural, and tactile modalities. Then by using the natural bioelectric energy as a signal source for input; electroencephalography, electroocculography, and electromyography (brain, eye and muscle) we can generate highly interactive systems in which these biological signals initiate specific events. Such a real-time analysis enables multi-modal feedback and closed-loop interactions.

 

 

The following discussion is concerned with developing a “reference architecture” (a formalized conceptual framework for thinking) for designing physiologically robust interactive human computer interface systems. The purpose of the reference architecture will be to provide insight into the various components of the system in the context of how they might affect the flow of information as information is passed through them The primary focus will be to consider the flow of information between the human and the computer in a sustained, iterative, experiential interaction In the context of this dissertation it will be assumed that the intent of developing this reference architecture is to map the information flow during/caused by the intentional /volitional interaction with information between a conscious human and a computer system An exchange of information between the an experienced perceptual state and an external physical state is mediated by a biologic / physiologic information transporter system This system is multi modal – multi scale – concurrent hetero-purpose poly-dyno- morphic simul-tasking

For this discussion we will assume that interface systems which support Human computer interaction can be modeled as a system where information flows between various components of the system in a specific manner

 

 

Theoretical position

Information can be mapped and represented as a specific state space parameter set.

 

Universe of discourse “Mind happens at an anthroscopic scale.”

The phenomena of interest, (perception and expression), occurs at the anthroscopic scale.

The anthroscopic scale, the natural scale of perceptibility and expressivity of an individual human, is “From meters to millimeters, from decades to deci-seconds.”

 

Assumptions

Time is perceived as a unidirectional vector.

The nervous system is the primary information infrastructure for humans.

The nervous system supports the transduction transmission representation and response to information in the environment.

 

  

 

 Basic principles.

Human perception and expression is mediated, for the most part, by the nervous system.

 

Hypothesis

An understanding of the human neuro physiology allows for exploitation of predictable adaptive capabilities. The assertion is that the information flow between external sources and direct experience is biased/restrained/constrained/limited/enhanced/facilitated in understandable and predictable ways by the physiological mechanisms of human information processing.

 

Physio info metrics --- the quantitative measure of the information carrying capacity of a physiologic system.

 

Physiologically mediated information is exchanged between external environment and experiential awareness. The fundamental nature of the nervous system (neuro info matrix) determines its operational capacity. Both the physicality and the physiology contribute to the set of bio-physical restraints. The physicality of the nervous system constrains the perception of space, time, mass and energy. Physiology of the human nervous system restrains perception by computational limits of the system. The complexity, functionality and capacity of the intra-activity of the nervous system sustains perception. ERGO - The form and function of the nervous system influence various parameters of perception and expression. That is to say that nervous system is the biologic structure that is considered most likely to be responsible for mediating information flow within the human body

 

The Basic ideas leading to the primary foundations for this thinking can be seen as coming from the following areas

 

Operational Philosophy

-Action directed goals in the pursuit of new knowledge - which start with logical analysis of observed phenomena  and proceed to the point of discerning an operational utility of continuing the pursuit in the current mode of analysis or changing modes to seek a more fruitful mode of investigating the phenomena. (Oppenhiemer)

 

In other words it is a philosophy of scientific investigation which constantly seeks to validate the current mode of analysis for a given set of observed phenomena so as to maintain constant progress in the discovery process of new knowledge.

 

 

General Systems Theory

General systems theory is a useful framework for developing complex models for investigating complex systems, like those of Physio-Informatics, is in as far as it has certain concepts of systems models and principles such as hierarchical order, progressive differentiation  and feedback that can be defined and characterized and elaborated on with set and graph theory which state explicitly conditions for membership and orders of relationship. 

 

The “open systems” approach to a general systems theory  by von Bertalanffy in the late 1930’s was instigated by a perceived need to break out of the “closed systems” model which implicitly separates the system from its environment, as it would lead to incorrect conclusions. His concept was that biological systems necessarily must be considered as being open systems where both information and energy is in continuous flow between the system and the environment. His initial formulation of a general system was an attempt to derive principles which were valid for open systems.

 

A system can be defined as an object consisting of a  set of complex objects or relationships, each of which are in some way associated with other objects with in the system in a way that some quantities (parameters) with in those objects are associated with quantities (parameters) of other objects within the same system.

( von Bertalanffy)

 

Information

The base elements with which information is constructed  is “difference”. A difference can be interpreted as either an ontological fact or as an abstract matter.  Information can be defined as a difference which makes a difference.  (Bateson 1970)  Or a difference with a non zero significance (Warner)

 

The relevant aspects of Information Theory concerning the transmission effects on  information across physical structures, are considered to be important in physio-informatic systems, but are tempered by the fact that biological systems do not adhere  to the neg-entropy formulation of Shannon

 

 

 

Cybernetics

Also of significant importance is theory of Cybernetics, the theoretical model of feedback governed systems whose present state influences in some way the probabilities of any future state occurring in the system. It is interesting to note that the operators which are invoked on the system are a result of past or currents states. This is important to establish that there is a relationship between operators and states beyond the “transformational function” of operators on states.

 

 

 

Definitions

A state of any system is defined by the set values which describe the condition of the system in any given point in time (the value of all the state vectors). A system will have a state space which represents/contains all possible states of that system.

 

State Space, States and Operators

For those systems whose quantities are in continuous flux a special kind of set called a “State Space” can be constructed which has as its elements (set members) an n-tuple of values which are the values of the quantities at a given instant. At any given instant the system is said to have a “state” which is determined by the values of each of the “parameters” at that instant. (Ashby, Zadeh)

 

For a given system whose States are not static (in time) within a given state-space  it can be asserted that a transformational function has been performed on the system which determines the “next” state the system will be in. Such a transformational function is called an operator. Thus it is correct to say that an operator acts on an initial state parameter value and produces a new state parameter value.

 

In an open system is can be asserted that the “evolution of the states in time” i.e. the “state space trajectory” can be considered to be influenced by both the current state of the system (internal factors) and the processes of the environment (external factors) which are acting on the system.

 

States Operators and  Information State-Spaces

A strange but useful mathematical modeling system for elaborating this has been established. A state space of a physio-informatic system can be described as a set of information-based states which behave in a particular manner.

 

The initial assumption is that all the information that is perceived about the external environment is filtered-mediated-biased by the nervous system.  This is known as the “Neuro Cosmological Principle” of epistemology, which has an  “Anthro-scopic scale” and an “Anthro-centric perspective”.