Dr. Angelo Rega, a psychologist and psychotherapist at the University of Naples Federico II, integrates augmented reality and interactive objects to enhance children's learning through the Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab. The 'Block Magic' project combines traditional educational methodologies with low-cost technologies, utilizing RFID/NFC systems to create interactive learning experiences that support active teaching methodologies. A functional prototype system was developed to enhance educational blocks with integrated RFID sensors, allowing for personalized learning through an adaptive tutor system that tracks student progress.

1. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Integrating augmented reality technology and interactive objects to enhance
children's learning.
NAPOLI - 03/12/2015

2. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities

3. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
We try to explain the psychological processes through the construction of artificial
adaptive systems (digital agents, autonomous robots)
Cognition and behavior are the two sides of our psychological
processes.
We believe that to understand our mental life is important to study and explain the
interactions and the dynamics between the brain (s), the body (s), social environment (s) in a
developmental perspective.
In our laboratory we explore how cognition can emerge from
evolutionary processes, trying to replicate the structures and functions
of living things by building robots and digital agents.

4. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Develop adaptive technologies to enhance / support learning, education and training
Learning, education and teaching are human activities that use
massively various technological tools.
When technologies are completely isomorphic to our neuro-cognitive
structures we consider them as a natural extension of our mind / body.
Our laboratory seeks to explore the possibility of
transferring the "adaptive" technology, developed for theoretical purposes, in the
"educational".

5. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Use technology of Augmented Reality (Augmented Reality, AR) and the Internet of
things (Internet of Things, IOT)
Technological systems isomorphic to the human neuro-cognitive structures and easy to
understand and use.
Considering also that the technologies of the Internet of Things can be used on
communication projects for the general public to make interesting and interactive
visitor experiences for museums and science parks.

6. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Block Magic start considering that:
the physical educational games and the traditional psycho-pedagogical methodologies are
deeply based on the manipulation of objects.
The opportunity derived by some low-cost technologies could join the physical world with
the digital tools creating Augmented Reality Environments based on the concepts of
Internet of Things (IoT).
The objective of the project was to recover some traditional psycho-pedagogical,
Montessori-inspired approaches, finalized at active learning/teaching for real
inclusion of children, exploiting the opportunity of current technologies.

7. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
In this field, the RFID/NFC technology seems to be a natural candidate due to its natural
predisposition to be heavily connected to real objects and send the signal to the digital devices.

8. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Block Magic developed a functional prototypal system that enhanced the Logical
Blocks Box (Dienes, 1971, 1972), a structured material widely used in
kindergartens, primary schools, rehabilitation centres, baby-parks, children’s
hospitals and the home.
The Block Magic research of developed an active desk/board able to recognize
concrete blocks equipped with the RFID passive tag and to communicate with a PC
or a tablet.

9. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Each augmented magic block had
an integrated/attached passive
RFID sensor for wireless
identification of each single block.
A specially designed wireless RFID
reader device, an active board,
was used which could read the
RFID of a block and transmit the
result to the Block Magic
software engine.

10. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it

11. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it
Dedicated software embedded in the engine exploited the
Artificial Intelligence with a double task:
• on the one hand, to represents a trainer, able to seek the
specific learning curve of each child
• on the other to provide teacher or parents with a tracking
system for evaluating the session played (see video at
www.blockmagic.eu).
The Adaptive Tutor System embedded in the engine that ensures
autonomous interaction between the user and the system, receiving
active support, corrective indications, feedback and positive
reinforcement from the digital assistant.

12. Dr. Angelo Rega - Psychologist - Psychotherapist - PhD in psychology. - Natural and Artificial Cognition Lab - Department of Humanities -
University of Naples Federico II http://www.nac.unina.it