Towards a Realistic Description of Competence for New Radiology Graduates in South Africa

In this article, we trouble the notion of competence in current use to describe new radiological graduates. Against the backdrop of inequalities, a diverse set of experiences and scarce human and clinical resources alongside a lack of criterion-referenced descriptions, we argue that ‘competence’ is open to various interpretations and may unrealistically, include skills that an incumbent may not have acquired but is assumed to have. In this position piece, we suggest that a model to clarify radiological competence is possible by rearticulating Dreyfus and Dreyfus’ model of skills development. We posit that a re-articulated model could be useful to distinguish the nature of expert from novice radiological competence, using perceptual skill as an example. We conclude with an invitation to engage in a conversation with a wider audience to arrive at a consensual framework for a realistic description of competence for new radiologists

Postural control: Visual and cognitive manipulations

Numerous questions exist regarding the utilization of sensory information for postural control. Past research establishes the possibility that cognitive tasks requiring visual perception may affect the processing of visual information for postural control. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of varying demands of visual perception associated with a concurrent cognitive task on postural control in healthy, young adults (N = 30). The postural sway of each participant was tested in six conditions, 2 (Eye Movement) x 3 (Cognitive (none, visual, auditory)) on a Kistler force platform. Significant differences were observed between the No Cognitive condition and one or both of the other cognitive conditions. No differences were present between the Visual and Auditory Cognitive tasks. Significant differences were also observed between Eye Movement and No Eye Movement conditions. In conclusion, specific visual and cognitive manipulations can effect postural control in young healthy adults

Quiet Eye research – Joan Vickers on target

In this target article (TA; CISS2016_100), Joan Vickers gives an overview of 20 years of research on her discovery that a relatively long lasting fixation before movement initiation enhances complex-motor performance, the so-called Quiet Eye (QE) phenomenon. Vickers’ main article (CISS2016_101) is the focus of sixteen peer commentaries (CISS2016_102 – CISS2016_117), authored by sport scientists with a special focus on the QE (Causer; Farrow & Panchuk; Klostermann, Vater & Kredel; Mann, Wright & Janelle; Schorer, Tirp & Rienhoff; Williams; Wilson, Wood & Vine), by sport scientists with different research foci (Baker & Wattie; Davids & Araujo; Frank & Schack; Helsen, Levin, Ziv & Davare; Rodrigues & Navarro), and by experts in human perception from disciplines beyond sport science (Foulsham; Gegenfurtner & Szulewski; Spering & Schütz; Watson & Enns). Finally, critiques, suggestions, and extensions brought forward by the commentators are acknowledged by Vickers in her closing response (CISS2016_118)

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 344)

This bibliography lists 125 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during January, 1989. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Approaching Manual Intelligence

Maycock J, Dornbusch D, Elbrechter C, Haschke R, Schack T, Ritter H. Approaching Manual Intelligence. KI - Künstliche Intelligenz. 2010;24(4):287-294.Grasping and manual interaction for robots so far has largely been approached with an emphasis on physics and control aspects. Given the richness of human manual interaction, we argue for the consideration of the wider field of ”manual intelligence” as a perspective for manual action research that brings the cognitive nature of human manual skills to the foreground. We briefly sketch part of a research agenda along these lines, argue for the creation of a manual interaction database as an important cornerstone of such an agenda, and describe the manual interaction lab recently set up at CITEC to realize this goal and to connect the efforts of robotics and cognitive science researchers towards making progress for a more integrated understanding of manual intelligence

Increasing ecological validity in studies of facial attractiveness : effects of motion and expression on attractiveness judgements

While our understanding of what makes a face attractive has been greatly furthered in recent decades, the stimuli used in much of the foregoing research (static images with neutral expressions) bear little resemblance to the faces with which we nonnally interact. In our social interactions, we frequently evaluate faces that move and are expressive, and thus, it is important to evaluate whether motion and expression influence ratings of attractiveness; this was the central aim of the experiments in this dissertation. Using static and dynamic stimuli with neutral or positive expression, the effects of motion and expression were also tested in combination with other factors known to be relevant to attractiveness judgements: personality attributions, sex-typicality and cultural influence. In general, the results from this set of experiments show that judgements of moving, expressive stimuli do differ, sometimes radically, from judgements made of more traditional types of stimuli. Motion and positive expression were both found to increase ratings of attractiveness reliably in most experiments, as well as across cultures, and in some instances, showed strong sex-specific effects. Intriguing sex differences were also found in personality trait ratings of the stimuli, particularly for male faces; while criteria for female faces remained relatively constant across all conditions, trait ratings associated with attractiveness for male faces were dependent on particular combinations of motion and expression. Finally, in line with previous research, cross-cultural experiments showed general agreement between Japanese and Caucasian raters, but also suggested slight, culture-specific differences in preferences for expression and motion. IV This set of experiments has integrated the factors of motion, expression, sextypicality, personality and cultural influence together in order to bring a greater degree of ecological validity into attractiveness studies. These findings offer major implications for researchers studying attractiveness, particularly that of males, and suggest that motion and expression are important dimensions that should be considered in future research while simultaneously placing a caution on the interpretation of findings made with static stimuli. Suggestions are also made for further research in light of the present finding

From narrative to spectacle: An examination of contemporary theatre performance

Drawing on Debord and Baudrillard, this thesis takes its starting point the shift from text to image dominated representations of the world. It argues the parallel shifts in theatre practice and reception away from work which subordinates itself to textual narrative and towards theatre with foreground the non-textual theatrical elements is becoming more defined in Britain. Within there is a concern with the relationship between narrative, the spectacle and disruptive modes of engagement, drawing out in each chapter a different aspect of the implications for creating and engaging with theatre where the spectacle of society is ubiquitous.The introductory chapter will first outline how narrative can be defined and discuss the significance of experience of reality through spectacular representation looking at how the notion of the spectator and the experience of engagement with theatre have changed, then the following six chapters will address the relationship between the spectacle and virtuosity in performance; the implications for politics of identity and for resistance to the spectacle; the experience of immersion through participation in spectacular performance; and distance through engagement with ironic spectacle, before in the final chapter, addressing theatre which constructs itself as international through multilingualism and new media technology.Each chapter focuses on one or two practitioners examining one of their performances in detail in relation to one of the areas outlined above. This analysis will be based on my own experience as a spectator, research into the companies, their reception in the media and academic writing, and where possible through interviews with members of the company

Quantification of human operator skill in a driving simulator for applications in human adaptive mechatronics

Nowadays, the Human Machine System (HMS) is considered to be a proven technology, and now plays an important role in various human activities. However, this system requires that only a human has an in-depth understanding of the machine operation, and is thus a one-way relationship. Therefore, researchers have recently developed Human Adaptive Mechatronics (HAM) to overcome this problem and balance the roles of the human and machine in any HMS. HAM is different compared to ordinary HMS in terms of its ability to adapt to changes in its surroundings and the changing skill level of humans. Nonetheless, the main problem with HAM is in quantifying the human skill level in machine manipulation as part of human recognition. Therefore, this thesis deals with a proposed formula to quantify and classify the skill of the human operator in driving a car as an example application between humans and machines. The formula is evaluated using the logical conditions and the definition of skill in HAM in terms of time and error. The skill indices are classified into five levels: Very Highly Skilled, Highly Skilled, Medium Skilled, Low Skilled and Very Low Skilled. Driving was selected because it is considered to be a complex mechanical task that involves skill, a human and a machine. However, as the safety of the human subjects when performing the required tasks in various situations must be considered, a driving simulator was used. The simulator was designed using Microsoft Visual Studio, controlled using a USB steering wheel and pedals, as was able to record the human ii path and include the desired effects on the road. Thus, two experiments involving the driving simulator were performed; 20 human subjects with a varying numbers of years experience in driving and gaming were used in the experiments. In the first experiment, the subjects were asked to drive in Expected and Guided Conditions (EGC). Five guided tracks were used to show the variety of driving skill: straight, circular, elliptical, square and triangular. The results of this experiment indicate that the tracking error is inversely proportional to the elapsed time. In second experiment, the subjects experienced Sudden Transitory Conditions (STC). Two types of unexpected situations in driving were used: tyre puncture and slippery surface. This experiment demonstrated that the tracking error is not directly proportional to the elapsed time. Both experiments also included the correlation between experience and skill. For the first time, a new skill index formula is proposed based on the logical conditions and the definition of skill in HAM