Conflict Resolution System for Environmental Sensitivity Accommodation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals with sensitivities to specific sounds or visuals, such as those with autism spectrum disorder, face productivity issues due to environmental factors like loud voices or bright lights, which existing speech recognition systems fail to accommodate effectively, leading to impaired communication and presentation effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A system analyzes user data to identify sensitive environmental factors and provides accommodations, such as altering voices or lighting, to mitigate negative emotional states by creating a data model linking emotional responses to environmental conditions and suggesting adjustments for upcoming events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If speech recognition systems are used for communication and command identification, then productivity is improved, but individuals with sensitivities to environmental factors experience negative emotional states and communication impairment

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveproductivityVSAvoidnegative emotional state

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of user data to identify environmental factors that trigger negative emotional states before communication events occur. By proactively creating accommodation plans and notifying users in advance, the system prevents communication impairment rather than addressing it reactively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system acts as an intermediary between the user and environmental factors by analyzing user data, identifying sensitive environmental factors, and providing accommodations that mediate the interaction between the user and potentially harmful environmental conditions during communication events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If standard speech recognition systems are deployed without environmental factor accommodation, then system simplicity is maintained, but communication effectiveness is impaired for sensitive individuals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcommunication effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables users to self-report their sensitivities and environmental triggers through user data input. The system then automatically generates accommodation plans tailored to individual needs, allowing users to serve themselves without requiring complex manual configuration or intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts communication parameters based on identified environmental factors and user sensitivities. By modifying system behavior parameters in response to detected triggers, the system maintains simplicity while adapting to individual communication needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If environmental factor analysis and accommodation systems are implemented, then communication effectiveness for sensitive individuals is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the complex task of accommodating sensitive users into distinct functional modules: user data collection, environmental factor identification, trigger analysis, accommodation generation, and notification systems. This modular segmentation manages complexity while maintaining comprehensive functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If accommodations are provided for environmental sensitivities, then negative emotional responses are reduced, but additional processing time and resources are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenegative emotional responseVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs user data analysis and environmental factor identification in advance, before communication events occur. By preparing accommodation plans beforehand, the system reduces negative emotional responses without adding significant processing time during actual communication events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11640821B2Conflict resolution enhancement system

Publication Date: 2023.05.02 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A method for controlling a plurality of environmental factors that trigger a negative emotional state is provided. The method may include analyzing a plurality of user data when a user experiences a plurality of various environmental factors. The method may also include determining an emotional state experienced by the user when each of the plurality of various environmental factors is present based on the plurality of user data. The method may include receiving a plurality of calendar information associated with a user account. The method may also include identifying an upcoming event based on the plurality of calendar information. The method may include identifying an environmental factor within the plurality of various environmental factors is present at the upcoming event. The method may also include, in response to determining the environmental factor causes the user to experience a negative emotional state, executing an accommodation method based on the environmental factor.