An Economist's Guide to Digital Music

In this guide, we discuss the impact of digitalization on the music industry. We rely on market and survey data at the international level as well as expert statements from the industry. The guide investigates recent developments in legal and technological protection of digital music and describes new business models as well as consumers' attitude towards music downloads. We conclude the guide by a discussion of the evolution of the music industry

An Economist's Guide to Digital Music

In this guide, we discuss the impact of digitalization on the music industry. We rely on market and survey data at the international level as well as expert statements from the industry. The guide investigates recent developments in legal and technological protection of digital music and describes new business models as well as consumers' attitude towards music downloads. We conclude the guide by a discussion of the evolution of the music industry.Music; Internet; File-sharing; Peer-to-peer; Piracy; Digital Rights Management; Copyright; E-commerce

Attention-Based Applications in Extended Reality to Support Autistic Users: A Systematic Review

With the rising prevalence of autism diagnoses, it is essential for research to understand how to leverage technology to support the diverse nature of autistic traits. While traditional interventions focused on technology for medical cure and rehabilitation, recent research aims to understand how technology can accommodate each unique situation in an efficient and engaging way. Extended reality (XR) technology has been shown to be effective in improving attention in autistic users given that it is more engaging and motivating than other traditional mediums. Here, we conducted a systematic review of 59 research articles that explored the role of attention in XR interventions for autistic users. We systematically analyzed demographics, study design and findings, including autism screening and attention measurement methods. Furthermore, given methodological inconsistencies in the literature, we systematically synthesize methods and protocols including screening tools, physiological and behavioral cues of autism and XR tasks. While there is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of using XR in attention-based interventions for autism to support autistic traits, we have identified three principal research gaps that provide promising research directions to examine how autistic populations interact with XR. First, our findings highlight the disproportionate geographic locations of autism studies and underrepresentation of autistic adults, evidence of gender disparity, and presence of individuals diagnosed with co-occurring conditions across studies. Second, many studies used an assortment of standardized and novel tasks and self-report assessments with limited tested reliability. Lastly, the research lacks evidence of performance maintenance and transferability.Comment: [Accepted version] K. Wang, S. J. Julier and Y. Cho, "Attention-Based Applications in Extended Reality to Support Autistic Users: A Systematic Review," in IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 15574-15593, 2022, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.314772

Auditory cues for attention management

An exhaustible supply of mental resources necessitate that we are selective for what we attend to. Attention prioritizes what ought to be processed and what ignored, allocating valuable resources to selected information at the cost of unattended information elsewhere. For this purpose it is necessary to know the conditions that help the brain decide when attention should be paid, where to and to what information. The question that is central to this dissertation is how auditory cues can support the management of limited attentional resources based on auditory characteristics. Auditory cues can (1) increase the overall alertness, (2) orient attention to unattended information, or (3) manage attentional resources by informing of an upcoming task-switch and, therefore, indicate when to pay attention to which task. The first study of this dissertation investigated whether different population groups might process auditory cues differently, thus resulting in different levels of alertness (1). Study two examined more specifically whether the type of auditory cue (verbal command or auditory icon) used as in-vehicle notifications can influence the level of alertness (1). Studies three and four investigated the use of a special auditory cue characteristic, the looming intensity profile, for directing attention to regions of interest (2). Here, attention orienting to peripheral events was tested within a dual-task paradigm which required attention shifts between the two tasks (3). Throughout the studies, I show that electroencephalography (EEG) is an indispensable tool for evaluating auditory cues and their influence on crossmodal attention. By using EEG measurements, I was able to demonstrate that auditory cues evoked the same level of alertness across different populations and that differences in behavioral responses are not due to subjective differences of cue processing (Chapter 2). More importantly, I was able to show that verbal commands and auditory cues can be functionally discriminated by the brain. While both sounds are alerting they ought to be used complementary, depending on the intended goal (Chapter 3). The studies that employed the looming sound to redirect spatial attention to an unattended visual target showed a robust benefit in response times at longer cue-target intervals (Chapter 4 and 5). The looming benefit in processing visual targets is also apparent as enhanced neural activity in the right posterior hemisphere 280ms after target onset. Source-estimation results suggest that a preferential activation of frontal and parietal areas, which are involved in attention orienting, give rise to this looming benefit (Chapter 5). Finally, auditory cues improved performance for unattended targets but might also benefit the central visuo-motor task by only directing attention to the periphery without moving the eyes away from the visuo-motor task. This demonstrates that auditory cues also help in managing attention by preparing for task switches such that covert attention is allocated to the respective task when this task has to be performed. Overall this dissertation demonstrates that the careful selection of auditory cues can go a long way in supporting attention management

The effects of physical activity on driving ability in older adults

Doutoramento em Motricidade Humana na especialidade de Ciências da MotricidadeThe research described in this thesis aimed to examine the association between physical activity and driving ability in older drivers. Experimental and observational studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of physical activity both in driving-related abilities and on-the-road driving performance. The investigation was grounded mainly in an information processing approach. Visual attention showed a marked decline with aging. Physical activity levels were positively correlated with visual attention measures, namely processing speed and divided attention. Driving-related abilities and on-the-road driving tests performance were enhanced with an intervention that used a type of exercise that intended to simultaneously mobilize perceptual, cognitive, and physical abilities. Improvements resulting from the exercise intervention took place on several measures of visual attention, behavioral speed, and multitask processing. Positive transfer of learning from the exercise program to the driving task was obtained with relatively short time periods of intervention (two to three months). The type of activities to be included in the exercise programs for older drivers should try to target the same cognitive processes that are required in driving. Results also indicated that the practice of sports on a regular basis for several years has the potential to benefit driving performance. Particularly, tennis playing was associated with better speed of behavior during driving than running. Sports that are more challenging in attentional skills and whose performance is very dependent on the speed at which information is processed, may have a positive influence in several aspects of the driving task. The role of physical activity for older adults should not be restricted to the promotion of physical fitness, but should also be considered as a means to enhance cognitive functioning. The type of physical activity seems to be an important mediator of such positive effects. Literature reviewed about the effects of training and differential experience on the brain and behavior also supports this potential role of physical activity.O trabalho apresentado nesta dissertação teve como principal objectivo o estudo da associação entre a prática de actividade física e a capacidade de condução automóvel em pessoas idosas. Estudos experimentais e observacionais foram efectuados para investigar os efeitos da prática de actividade física em capacidades consideradas importantes para conduzir e no desempenho da condução em estrada. A investigação efectuada teve na psicologia cognitiva o seu quadro teórico de referência. Foi encontrado um declínio acentuado da atenção visual com o envelhecimento. Foi também estabelecida uma correlação positiva entre os níveis de actividade física e medidas de atenção visual, designadamente de velocidade de processamento e atenção dividida. Diversas capacidades importantes para conduzir e o desempenho em testes de condução em estrada, beneficiaram da participação num programa exercício planeado para mobilizar simultaneamente capacidades físicas, perceptivas e cognitivas. As melhorias verificaram-se em diversas medidas de atenção visual, velocidade comportamental e no processamento de múltiplas tarefas. Foi possível obter um transfer positivo do programa de exercício para a capacidade de conduzir com relativamente pouco tempo de intervenção (2 a 3 meses). Concluiu-se que o tipo de tarefas incluídas em programas de exercício para condutores idosos deve procurar mobilizar as mesmas funções cognitivas que são requeridas durante a condução. A prática regular de desporto pode influenciar positivamente a capacidade de conduzir de pessoas idosas. A prática de ténis foi associada a melhores resultados em tarefas de velocidade comportamental durante a condução em estrada do que a prática de corrida de longas distâncias. Os resultados sugerem que os desportos mais exigentes em processos atencionais e cuja performance depende muito da velocidade com que a informação é processada, poderão ter maior influência na realização da tarefa de condução. O papel da actividade física para pessoas idosas não deve ser apenas restringido à promoção da aptidão física, mas deve ser considerado também como forma de melhorar o funcionamento cognitivo. O tipo de actividade física parece ser um importante mediador nesta associação. A revisão de literatura efectuada sobre os efeitos de programas de treino e da experiência diferencial sobre o cérebro, suporta este papel potencialmente positivo da actividade física.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologi

Web Accessibility and Digital Businesses: The Potential Economic Value of Portuguese People with Disability

AbstractThe lack of data in Portugal is a crucial problem for a full characterization and thus a full digital integration for people with disabilities. This is not only a problem of ethic dimension or equal opportunities but have also an economic dimension because excludes a consumer group with economical potential. Hence, this article focuses on the importance of the characterization of people with disabilities in a social, economic and digital perspective. It aims to emphasize their disabilities and ageing evolution, potential value in the digital business and design awareness for inclusion for improve the quality of life of people with disabilities

CHORUS Deliverable 2.1: State of the Art on Multimedia Search Engines

Based on the information provided by European projects and national initiatives related to multimedia search as well as domains experts that participated in the CHORUS Think-thanks and workshops, this document reports on the state of the art related to multimedia content search from, a technical, and socio-economic perspective. The technical perspective includes an up to date view on content based indexing and retrieval technologies, multimedia search in the context of mobile devices and peer-to-peer networks, and an overview of current evaluation and benchmark inititiatives to measure the performance of multimedia search engines. From a socio-economic perspective we inventorize the impact and legal consequences of these technical advances and point out future directions of research