PhyUM is the acronym for Physical User Modeling and emerged in 2014 as a new research line led by UNED researcher Olga C. Santos. This initiative extends beyond both her predoctoral work focused on personalized recommender systems for e-learning platforms, resulting in the TORMES methodology (RPI: 16/2015/1477), and her postdoctoral research, in which recommender systems were expanded with affective computing through multisensory signals, leading to the AICARP platform for delivering multisensory affective personalized support. Thus, after addressing cognitive aspects in her predoctoral research and affective aspects in her postdoctoral work (acknowledged by the IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology with the Young Researcher Award in 2014), Dr. Santos initiated the PhyUM research line focusing on integrating the user modelling perspective in the human motion computing research to build personalized psychomotor learning systems. This research aims to provide intelligent personalized multisensory support for learning complex motor tasks while analyzing how body movements impact learning, thus covering the three domains defined in Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives.
The initial steps in PhyUM involved defining the research problem and situating it within the state of the art. The first contribution was presented at the 17th Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2015) conference, laying the groundwork for the article «Training the Body: The Potential of AIED to Support Personalized Motor Skills Learning» in the Special Issue «The Next 25 Years: How Advanced Interactive Learning Technologies will Change the World» of the IJAIED journal. The article highlighted the need to consider the psychomotor aspect for developing intelligent psychomotor systems and outlined existing challenges, while introducing the SMDD framework as a process model for their development. The technological conceptualization of PhyUM was supported by two enriching technological exploration visits to the United States, specifically Silicon Valley in March 2016 and New York in May 2017. In the 25th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (ACM UMAP 2017), Dr. Santos discussed the relevance of the martial arts domain for the psychomotor research, although other domains are also being explored in PhyUM (see Projects). PhyUM research is also part of the Handbook of Artificial Intelligence in Education presenting a systematic review of the field. In addition, we are currently exploring how to take into account the hybrid intelligence to develop human centric personalized psychomotor recommender systems, as presented in the 31st ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (ACM UMAP 2023).
PhyUM research carried out so far, which covers intelligent psychomotor learning, has also received relevant recognitions (see Awards tab above). To celebrate the 10th anniversary of PhyUM, we created the PhyUM Research Center, launched in January 2024.
The PhyUM Research Center at UNED focuses its activities on the emerging field of intelligent psychomotor systems with an interdisciplinary approach, encompassing computer science, artificial intelligence, psychology, ethics, and other relevant areas. Its primary objectives include research, innovation, knowledge transfer, outreach, and training in scientific and technical aspects, both in basic and applied research. The center aims to develop intelligent psychomotor learning systems that address specific citizen needs, following the paradigm of hybrid intelligence that enhances human-system collaboration. There is a special emphasis on developing technologies and methodologies adhering to software engineering best practices, placing humans and their needs at the center. This approach facilitates effective utilization in real-world contexts, extending beyond conceptual studies conducted solely within laboratories.
The creation of the PhyUM Research Center responds to the perceived need of the professors and researchers involved in the PhyUM research line. We seek to drive and promote scientific, technological, and social studies on leveraging intelligent technologies to address citizens’ needs related to physical activity, with the goal of assisting individuals in enhancing their psychomotor capabilities and skills in a personalized way. This involves developing intelligent systems based on ethical user modeling that aid psychomotor learning, focusing on tasks requiring the acquisition and refinement of movements in various motor activities. These activities span from sports practices to surgical procedures, encompassing playing musical instruments, enhancing sports rehabilitation, or recovering from a stroke, among many others. In this way, PhyUM Research Center aims to contribute to the development and dissemination of high-level, interdisciplinary, and empirically focused research.
The main goals of the PhyUM Research Center are:
- Foster studies in intelligent. psychomotor learning
- Pursue knowledge transfer in intelligent psychomotor learning.
- Contribute to the dissemination of an ethical and responsible approach in using Artificial Intelligence to develop intelligent systems for psychomotor learning.
- Become an international reference center in intelligent psychomotor learning.
Specific goals include:
- Promote and conduct research that can advance the field of intelligent psychomotor learning.
- Provide scientific and technical advice to public or private entities regarding their expertise on developing intelligent psychomotor systems.
- Offer specialized postgraduate training for new researchers based on the research lines being explored.
- Evaluate and identify best practices or experiences in applying and integrating intelligent technologies for intelligent psychomotor learning.
- Disseminate research, works and materials of interest through publications, specialized courses, seminars, lecture series, videos or podcasts, awards, or any other suitable means.
- Participate in international initiatives, such as relevant scientific conferences, researcher associations, user communities, etc.
To achieve the main and specific goals, the PhyUM Research Center can undertake various types of actions, such as:
- Development of various products made available to UNED and the public.
- Organization and participation in training activities.
- Creation of an observatory focused on technological monitoring.
- Scientific and technical advisory activities.
- Participation in the organization of scientific events and/or scientific outreach.
- Promotion of the mobility of group members.
The PhyUM Research Center recognizes the development of employment relationships based on equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and respect for diversity as a strategic objective. It promotes a supportive environment, facilitates work-life balance measures, complies with current legislation, and strives to follow best practices, specifically in taking care both of mental and physical health.
Some of the awards granted to members of the PhyUM Research Center are:
- PhyUM: XII Teaching Innovation Conference at UNED. Honorable Mention for the best communication on educational innovation not belonging to a UNED educational innovation research project. Awarded to Olga C. Santos, Alberto Casas, Jon Echeverría and Miguel Portaz (2022).
- KUMITRON: Candidate for best poster at AIED (2023).
- KUMITRON: COIE Awards 2022 – VIII Call for the Business Creation Program (1st Accesit) and ECIJA Lawyers special Award (2022).
- KSAS: Mention to the Master’s Final Project addressed to Alberto Casas by the eMadrid network (2021).
- KSAS: Final phase in CAEPIA. Competition on mobile Apps with AI techniques organized by CAEPIA (2021).
- KUMITRON: eMadrid Award for the best Final Degree Project addressed to Jon Echeverria by the eMadrid network (2021).
- KUMITRON: Finalists to the Toribio Echeverria Awards in the “Business Ideas/Projects” category (2021).