SplitBody: Reducing Mental Workload while Multitasking via Muscle Stimulation

Techniques like electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) offer promise in assisting physical tasks by automating movements, e.g., shaking a spray-can or tapping a button. However, existing actuation systems improve the performance of a task that users are already focusing on (e.g., users are already focused on using the spray-can). Instead, we investigate whether these interactive-actuation systems (e.g., EMS) offer any benefits if they automate a task that happens in the background of the user's focus. Thus, we explored whether automating a repetitive movement via EMS would reduce mental workload while users perform parallel tasks (e.g., focusing on writing an essay while EMS stirs a pot of soup). In our study, participants performed a cognitively-demanding multitask aided by EMS (SplitBody condition) or performed by themselves (baseline). We found that with SplitBody performance increased (35% on both tasks, 18% on the non-EMS-automated task), physical-demand decreased (31%), and mental-workload decreased (26%).