Alumni Member
Riasat Islam (Alumni) 
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
The SENSE project is a novel initiative aimed at enhancing sensory exploration of nature through cutting-edge technology. The project involves testing a haptic device that has been integrated with a web application containing textures from nature such as fur, scales, tree barks, and bees.
This haptic device offers a unique and interactive way for school kids to experience and learn about the textures of nature in a hands-on manner. The web application is designed to be user-friendly, allowing children to navigate and explore the different textures with ease.
The project also involves using the think-aloud protocol to gather data and feedback from the children as they use the haptic device and web application. The data collected will be analysed to further refine and improve the SENSE project, making it an even more valuable tool for sensory exploration and education.
The SENSE project has the potential to revolutionize the way children learn about and experience nature, and we are excited to see what the future holds for this innovative initiative.
Keys: SENSE project, haptic device, sensory exploration, nature, web application, textures, fur, scales, tree barks, bees, school kids, think-aloud protocol, data analysis, hands-on, user-friendly, education, innovation.
Team: Shuang Ao, Stefan Rueger, Nirwan Sharma, Advaith Siddharthan
News
Publications
Colucci-Gyay, L., Hancock, J., Manches, A., Lakeman-Fraser, P., Newman, J., Islam, R., Sharma, N., Dodd, M., Ansine, J., Bowers, L., Rüger, S. and Siddharthan, A. (2025). To touch is to know’: haptic inquiry for primary school citizen science. International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 15(3), pp. 360–376. https://oro.open.ac.uk/104267/.
Islam, R., Bennasar, M., Holland, S., Mulholland, P. and Price, B. (2024). Democratizing Clinical Movement Analysis: Assessing the Versatility of MoJoXlab with Open-protocol Inertial Sensors. Procedia Computer Science, 246 pp. 2360–2369. https://oro.open.ac.uk/97622/.
Colucci-Gray, L., Hancock, J., Islam, R., Sharma, N., Manches, A., Bowers, L., Lakeman-Fraser, P., Mozier, S., Newman, J., Reuger, S. and Siddharthan, A. (2024). Seeing with hands and touching with eyes: recovering sensorial attention to nature in primary schools. In: First International Conference on Embodied Education, 15-17 May 2024, Danish School of Education (DPU), Tuborgvej 164, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark. https://oro.open.ac.uk/97621/.
Hancock, J., Colucci-Gray, L., Siddharthan, A., Manches, A., Sharma, N., Islam, R., Bowers, L., Reuger, S., Lakeman-Fraser, P., Newman, J., Mozier, S. and Barry, R. (2023). “We felt the textures from nature and it gave us new ideas”: Investigating sustainability education through primary school children’s natural and digital haptic touch explorations. In: SERA Conference 2023, Wednesday 22 - Friday 24 Nov 2023, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh, United Kingdom. https://oro.open.ac.uk/97619/.
Islam, R., Gooch, D., Karlakki, S. and Price, B. (2023). A Device for Prehabilitation of Total Knee Replacement Surgery (Slider): Usability Study. JMIR Formative Research, 7 https://oro.open.ac.uk/94357/.
Islam, R., Gooch, D., Sampath, S., Karlakki, S., Jones, T., Sayers, C. and Price, B. (2023). Slider®-A Novel Device For Remote Tracking Of Physiotherapy Exercises In Patients With Osteoarthritis Of The Knee: An Early Report. In: EFORT Annual Congress 2023, 24 to 26 May 2023, Vienna, Austria. https://oro.open.ac.uk/88374/.
Georgiou, T., Islam, R., Holland, S., Linden, J.V.D., Price, B., Mulholland, P. and Perry, A. (2020). Rhythmic Haptic Cueing Using Wearable Devices as Physiotherapy for Huntington Disease: Case Study. JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, 7(2), https://oro.open.ac.uk/71609/.
Islam, R. and Al-Amri, M. (2020). MoJoXlab. Open Research Data Online. https://oro.open.ac.uk/70900/.
Islam, R., Bennasar, M., Nicholas, K., Button, K., Holland, S., Mulholland, P., Price, B. and Al-Amri, M. (2020). A Nonproprietary Movement Analysis System (MoJoXlab) Based on Wearable Inertial Measurement Units Applicable to Healthy Participants and Those With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Across a Range of Complex Tasks: Validation Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 8(6), https://oro.open.ac.uk/69997/.
Islam, R., Holland, S., Price, B. and Mulholland, P. (2019). Gait Rehabilitation for Neurological Conditions using Wearable Devices. In: Workgroup on Interactive Systems in Health, CHI 2019: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 5 May 2019, Glasgow, United Kingdom. https://oro.open.ac.uk/66556/.
Islam, R. (2018). Wearable Haptic Devices for Gait Re-education by Rhythmic Haptic Cueing. In: 32nd International BCS Human Computer Interaction Conference (HCI 2018), 2-6 Jul 2018, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. https://oro.open.ac.uk/55976/.
Islam, R., Holland, S., Georgiou, T., Price, B. and Mulholland, P. (2018). Wearable Haptic Devices for Long-Term Gait Re-education for Neurological Conditions. In: Haptic Technologies for Healthcare, EuroHaptics 2018, 13-16 Jun 2018, Pisa, Italy. https://oro.open.ac.uk/55243/.
Islam, R., Holland, S., Price, B., Georgiou, T. and Mulholland, P. (2018). Wearables for Long Term Gait Rehabilitation of Neurological Conditions. In: A Short Workshop on Next Steps Towards Long Term Self Tracking, CHI 2018: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 21-26 Apr 2018, Montreal, QC, Canada. https://oro.open.ac.uk/53902/.
Islam, R., Holland, S., Georgiou, T., Price, B. and Mulholland, P. (2018). A longitudinal rehabilitation case study for hemiparetic gait using outdoor rhythmic haptic cueing via a wearable device. In: 27th European Stroke Conference, 11-13 Apr 2018, Athens, Greece. https://oro.open.ac.uk/53032/.
Islam, R., Georgiou, T., Holland, S., Price, B. and Mulholland, P. (2018). How can rhythmic haptic cueing using wearable haptic devices help gait rehabilitation for stroke survivors: a longitudinal pilot study. In: 2nd Digital Health & Wellbeing Conference 2018, 01-03 May 2018, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK. https://oro.open.ac.uk/53030/.
Islam, R., Holland, S., Georgiou, T., Price, B. and Mulholland, P. (2018). Gait rehabilitation by outdoor rhythmic haptic cueing using wearable technology for neurological conditions: a case study. In: ACPIN International Neurophysiotherapy Conference, 19-20 Mar 2018, Manchester, UK. https://oro.open.ac.uk/53033/.
