Introduction to the special issue on the 50th anniversary of IJHCS

This special issue celebrates the 50th anniversary of the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (IJHCS), which published its first volume in January 1969. The special issue comprises 15 contributions from a number of experts in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and other areas relevant to IJHCS. These contributions are best characterized as ‘landscape papers’, providing insightful analyses about the evolution (i.e., the past, the present and the future) of research areas relevant to IJHCS. The areas covered in this special issue include: the history and scope of the journal; foundational concerns in HCI; critical discussions about the issues surrounding digital living in a variety of areas, from healthcare and cybersecurity to digital games and art; the making of interactive products and services, as seen through the viewpoints defined by research in psychology of programming, end-user development and participatory design; and, finally, the issues associated with adapting to various novel emerging technologies, including automated systems, online personalisation, human augmentations, mixed reality, and sonic interfaces. In this short essay, we introduce the special issue, reflecting on the nature and evolution of the journal, before providing short outlines of each of the contributions to this special issue

Introduction to the Special Issue on the 50th Anniversary of IJHCS

This special issue celebrates the 50th anniversary of the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (IJHCS), which published its first volume in January 1969. The special issue comprises 15 contributions from a number of experts in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and other areas relevant to IJHCS. These contributions are best characterized as ‘landscape papers’, providing insightful analyses about the evolution (i.e., the past, the present and the future) of research areas relevant to IJHCS. The areas covered in this special issue include: the history and scope of the journal; foundational concerns in HCI; critical discussions about the issues surrounding digital living in a variety of areas, from healthcare and cybersecurity to digital games and art; the making of interactive products and services, as seen through the viewpoints defined by research in psychology of programming, end-user development and participatory design; and, finally, the issues associated with adapting to various novel emerging technologies, including automated systems, online personalisation, human augmentations, mixed reality, and sonic interfaces. In this short essay, we introduce the special issue, reflecting on the nature and evolution of the journal, before providing short outlines of each of the contributions to this special issue

Problems in developing bilingual education programs in Switzerland

Erworben im Rahmen der Schweizer NationallizenzenOn the basis of the preceding contributions to this issue, this paper presents the project 'Unterrichtssprache Französisch/Deutsch' (UFD), which was undertaken by an interdisciplinary group of researchers and educators in Switzerland. Its goals are to improve the level of communicative competence of Swiss learners in a second national language and thereby to attempt to enhance the rapports between the various language groups. An outline of the concepts of communicative competence and individual (functional) bilingualism serves as a backdrop against which current models of bilingual (immersion) education are presented. The paper reports the discussions and suggestions of a Symposium in Berne that brought together academics, educators and interested parties with a view to implementing forms of bilingual education in Switzerland

Prenatal and Postnatal Serum PCB Concentrations and Cochlear Function in Children at 45 Months of Age

Background: Some experimental and human data suggest that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may induce ototoxicity, though results of previous epidemiologic studies are mixed and generally focus on either prenatal or postnatal PCB concentrations exclusively. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the association between pre- and postnatal PCB concentrations in relation to cochlear status, assessed by distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), and to further clarify the critical periods in development where cochlear status may be most susceptible to PCBs. Methods: A total of 351 children from a birth cohort in eastern Slovakia underwent otoacoustic testing at 45 months of age. Maternal pregnancy, cord, and child 6-, 16-, and 45-month blood samples were collected and analyzed for PCB concentrations. At 45 months of age, DPOAEs were assessed at 11 frequencies in both ears. Multivariate, generalized linear models were used to estimate the associations between PCB concentrations at different ages and DPOAEs, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Maternal and cord PCB-153 concentrations were not associated with DPOAEs at 45 months. Higher postnatal PCB concentrations at 6-, 16-, and 45-months of age were associated with lower (poorer) DPOAE amplitudes. When all postnatal PCB exposures were considered as an area-under-the-curve metric, an increase in PCB-153 concentration from the 25th to the 75th percentile was associated with a 1.6-dB SPL (sound pressure level) decrease in DPOAE amplitude (95% CI: –2.6, –0.5; p = 0.003). Conclusions: In this study, postnatal rather than maternal or cord PCB concentrations were associated with poorer performance on otoacoustic tests at age 45 months. Citation: Jusko TA, Sisto R, Iosif AM, Moleti A, Wimmerová S, Lancz K, Tihányi J, Šovčíková E, Drobná B, Palkovičová L, Jurečková D, Thevenet-Morrison K, Verner MA, Sonneborn D, Hertz-Picciotto I, Trnovec T. 2014. Prenatal and postnatal serum PCB concentrations and cochlear function in children at 45 months of age. Environ Health Perspect 122:1246–1252; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.130747

A quantum vocal theory of sound

Concepts and formalism from acoustics are often used to exemplify quantum mechanics. Conversely, quantum mechanics could be used to achieve a new perspective on acoustics, as shown by Gabor studies. Here, we focus in particular on the study of human voice, considered as a probe to investigate the world of sounds. We present a theoretical framework that is based on observables of vocal production, and on some measurement apparati that can be used both for analysis and synthesis. In analogy to the description of spin states of a particle, the quantum-mechanical formalism is used to describe the relations between the fundamental states associated with phonetic labels such as phonation, turbulence, and supraglottal myoelastic vibrations. The intermingling of these states, and their temporal evolution, can still be interpreted in the Fourier/Gabor plane, and effective extractors can be implemented. The bases for a quantum vocal theory of sound, with implications in sound analysis and design, are presented

A perceptual sound space for auditory displays based on sung-vowel synthesis

When designing displays for the human senses, perceptual spaces are of great importance to give intuitive access to physical attributes. Similar to how perceptual spaces based on hue, saturation, and lightness were constructed for visual color, research has explored perceptual spaces for sounds of a given timbral family based on timbre, brightness, and pitch. To promote an embodied approach to the design of auditory displays, we introduce the Vowel-Type-Pitch (VTP) space, a cylindrical sound space based on human sung vowels, whose timbres can be synthesized by the composition of acoustic formants and can be categorically labeled. Vowels are arranged along the circular dimension, while voice type and pitch of the vowel correspond to the remaining two axes of the cylindrical VTP space. The decoupling and perceptual effectiveness of the three dimensions of the VTP space are tested through a vowel labeling experiment, whose results are visualized as maps on circular slices of the VTP cylinder. We discuss implications for the design of auditory and multi-sensory displays that account for human perceptual capabilities

Análisis Químico del Cacao Criollo Porcelana (Theobroma cacao L.) en el Sur del Lago de Maracaibo Chemical analysis of Criollo Porcelana Cocoa (Theobroma cocoa L.) in the South of Maracaibo Lake

Resumen El estudio de algunos compuestos químicos, tiene gran relevancia en la calidad y desarrollo aromático del cacao, ya que en función del tratamiento al cual sean sometidas las almendras, dependerá el contenido de estos. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar la evolución de algunos compuestos quí-micos en función de la fermentación, tomando en cuenta los siguientes factores: tipo de fermentador (TF), frecuencia de remoción (FR), aguante de la mazorca (AM) y el tiempo de fermentación (TPF). La metodología consistió en un arreglo factorial 2 3 x 5 donde se estudiaron tres factores (TF, FR y AM), a dos niveles y el tiempo de fermentación a cinco. Las variables estudiadas fueron: pH, acidez, taninos, azúcares reductores y totales. Los resultados reflejan para el cotiledón y pulpa + testa mayores valores de pH y taninos en el fermentador rectangular y de acidez, azúcares reductores y totales en el cuadrado. La frecuencia de remoción cada 24 horas, mostró mayor pH, azúcares y taninos y menor acidez en el cotiledón y menores valores en la pulpa + testa y un aumento en los azú-cares y taninos en este. El aguante determinó un incremento del pH para cinco días y un descenso de la acidez y azúcares. En la pulpa + testa se observó la misma tendencia. Para el tiempo de fermentación hubo variación de todas las variables durante el proceso para ambas fracciones, donde el contenido de ellas disminuyo durante fermentación en su gran mayoría. Estos resultados tienen relación con la calidad final del cacao. Abstract This study has as purpose the evaluation of the biochemical parameters that allow to establish the fermentation conditions for producing the best quality chocolate for the "Criollo Porcelana" cacao, by evaluating the chemical compounds through the parameters used during the fermentation like: Ferment Type (FT) square and rectangular drawer, Removal Frequency (RF) 12 and 24 hours, Ear Endurance (EE) at zero and five days and the fermentation time (FTT) at the 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The methodology consisted on a factorial arrangement 2 3 x 5 in where three factors were studied (TF, FR and AM), at two levels and the time of fermentation at five. The studied variables were: pH, acidity, tannins, sugars reducers and total of sugars. Results reflect for the cotyledon and pulp and testa makes a will bigger pH values and tannins in the rectangular fermenting and of acidity, sugars reducers and total in the square. The removal frequency each 24 hours, it showed bigger pH, sugars and tannins and littler acidity in the cotyledon and littler values in the pulp and testa makes a will and an increase in the sugars and tannins in this. The endurance determined an increment of the pH for five days and a descent of the acidity and sugars. In the pulp and testa makes a will the same tendency it was observed. With regard to the fermentation time, there was a variation of all the variables during the process for both fractions. These results are related with the final quality of chocolate

Interaction by Ear

Speech-based interaction is now part of our everyday experiences, in the home and on the move. More subtle is the presence of designed non-speech sounds in human-machine interactions, and far less evident is their importance to create aural affordances and to support human actions. However, new application areas for interactive sound, beyond the domains of speech and music, have been emerging. These range from tele-operation and way-finding, to peripheral process monitoring and augmented environments. Beyond signalling location, presence, and states, future sounding artifacts are expected to be plastic and reconfigurable, and take into account the inherently egocentric nature of sonic interaction and representation. This contribution presents a subjective outlook on body-centered sound as a mediator of interactions in future mixed realities, populated by humans, artifacts and virtual representations. Scholars and practitioners are expected to address design issues, to develop evaluation methods, and to expand interaction design practices to be truly multisensor