Technology and neuroarchitecture

This paper is part of an ongoing research project involving the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa, as well as entities from both the professional training and industrial worlds. The primary objective of this research is the development of a tool that is useful both for designers and for users. Based on the concept of smart mock-ups, previously developed by the authors, the focus has been declined on the world of nautical design, with the aim of measuring, through qualitative parameters, the user experience in a built environment, whether it is a relaxing or working environment. The first and fundamental step involves defining the 'state of the user' through a vector of measurable variables using a network of sensors that do not significantly alter the UX with the surrounding space. This article presents the state of the art of techniques and sensors that can be used for research purposes, as well as the proposed experimental setting to verify the initial working hypotheses. Then we will describe how research will move on to obtain an affordable and efficient tool for nautical designers. Here, we will describe different types of methods that can be used in neuroscience, from standard ones (like emotions recognition software based on FACS, or biometric sensors like heart rate variability, galvanic skin response), to modern ones (like the use of electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging) and eye tracking.