Engineering data compendium. Human perception and performance. User's guide

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a research and development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design and military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from the existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by systems designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is the first volume, the User's Guide, containing a description of the program and instructions for its use

Change blindness: eradication of gestalt strategies

Arrays of eight, texture-defined rectangles were used as stimuli in a one-shot change blindness (CB) task where there was a 50% chance that one rectangle would change orientation between two successive presentations separated by an interval. CB was eliminated by cueing the target rectangle in the first stimulus, reduced by cueing in the interval and unaffected by cueing in the second presentation. This supports the idea that a representation was formed that persisted through the interval before being 'overwritten' by the second presentation (Landman et al, 2003 Vision Research 43149–164]. Another possibility is that participants used some kind of grouping or Gestalt strategy. To test this we changed the spatial position of the rectangles in the second presentation by shifting them along imaginary spokes (by ±1 degree) emanating from the central fixation point. There was no significant difference seen in performance between this and the standard task [F(1,4)=2.565, p=0.185]. This may suggest two things: (i) Gestalt grouping is not used as a strategy in these tasks, and (ii) it gives further weight to the argument that objects may be stored and retrieved from a pre-attentional store during this task

An Analytical model for the colorimetric characterization of color CRTs

To be a viable instrument for color appearance research, the color Cathode Ray Tube has to be very well calibrated and characterized. The purpose of this research was to develop the techniques and methods used to carry out such characterization, and also to evaluate to what degree of precision and accuracy can such a characterization be performed. A new model for predicting the CRT behavior is presented along with the experimental results that validate it

Aging and spatial abilities : age-related impact on users of a sign language

Introduction. Les fonctions cognitives évoluent avec l’âge : certaines tendent à diminuer dans leur efficacité alors que d’autres se maintiennent. Des recherches ont montré que le vieillissement affecte la rotation mentale, la perception spatiale, la visualisation spatiale et la prise de perspective. Des facteurs sociodémographiques et comportementaux peuvent aussi influencer le cheminement du vieillissement cognitif des personnes âgées. À titre d’exemple, l'expérience langagière, comme le bilinguisme, agit comme un facteur neuroprotecteur contribuant à la réserve cognitive. L’impact de l’utilisation d’une langue des signes sur la cognition spatiale a suscité beaucoup d’intérêt chez les chercheurs s’intéressant aux langues des signes. Pourtant, aucune recherche n’a encore abordé l’effet de l’utilisation à long terme d’une langue des signes sur la cognition spatiale des signeurs aînés. Objectif. Le but de cette thèse est d’examiner s’il existe des différences sur le plan des habiletés spatiales entre signeurs (sourds et entendants) et non-signeurs de différents groupes d’âge. Plus précisément, cette thèse a examiné i) si la performance à des tâches d’habiletés spatiales diffère selon l’âge (jeunes adultes/aînés) et l’expérience linguistique (signeurs sourds/entendants signeurs/entendants non-signeurs) et ii) si la performance diffère selon la sous-composante d’habiletés spatiales ciblée (perception spatiale; visualisation spatiale; rotation mentale; prise de perspective). Méthode. Pour investiguer l’effet de l’âge et de l’expérience linguistique sur les habiletés spatiales, une collecte de données auprès de 120 participants a été effectuée : 60 adultes âgés de 64 à 80 ans (20 sourds signeurs, 20 entendants signeurs, 20 entendants non-signeurs) et 60 jeunes adultes de 18 à 35 ans (20 sourds signeurs, 20 entendants signeurs, 20 entendants non-signeurs). Afin de s’assurer de l’admissibilité des participants, une évaluation de l’acuité visuelle, de l’acuité auditive, des compétences langagières (français et langue des signes québécoise), de la santé cognitive et de l’intelligence a été effectuée. Les participants ont été appariés entre groupes d’expérience linguistique selon leur niveau d’éducation et d’intelligence. Les quatre sous-composantes d’habiletés spatiales ciblées (perception spatiale; visualisation spatiale; rotation mentale; prise de perspective) ont été testées par l’entremise d’une batterie de sept tests psychométriques. Résultats. Conformément à ce qui a été précédemment observé sur l’effet de l’âge sur les habiletés spatiales, les résultats en termes de justesse de la réponse ont révélé que les jeunes signeurs sourds obtiennent globalement de meilleurs résultats que les signeurs sourds aînés dans toutes les tâches d’habiletés spatiales. De plus, les résultats ont montré un avantage des entendants signeurs sur les entendants non-signeurs aux tâches de rotation mentale et de prise de perspective, quel que soit leur âge. Un avantage général des signeurs aînés (sourds et entendants) par rapport aux non-signeurs aînés a été observé uniquement pour les tâches de visualisation spatiale en termes de justesse de la réponse. Ces résultats suggèrent que les changements cognitifs associés au vieillissement ont un effet sur le traitement de l’information spatiale quelle que soit la modalité linguistique utilisée et que l’effet de l’utilisation de la langue des signes sur les processus spatiaux semblent différer entre les signeurs sourds et les signeurs entendants. Discussion. Cette recherche transversale a permis d’étudier pour la première fois l’impact du vieillissement sur les habiletés spatiales des utilisateurs d’une langue des signes. Également, elle explore le facteur potentiellement atténuant de l’utilisation de la langue des signes quant aux effets de l’âge sur la performance à des tâches d’habiletés spatiales. Sur la base des résultats, il est proposé que l’effet de l’utilisation d’une langue des signes sur la cognition spatiale est spécifique aux sous-domaines d’habiletés spatiales (perception spatiale; visualisation spatiale; rotation mentale; prise de perspective), et que l’expérience linguistique, telle que le bilinguisme bimodal, est un facteur d’intérêt dans la relation entre l’utilisation d’une langue des signes et les processus spatiaux. Conclusion. Les résultats rapportés dans la présente thèse seront utiles aux futurs chercheurs intéressés par l’étude de la cognition chez les aînés signeurs. Des recherches futures devraient se poursuivre dans cette direction afin de préciser l’impact du bilinguisme bimodal sur la cognition spatiale à la lumière de ce qui est connu des effets protecteurs du bilinguisme unimodal face au vieillissement. De plus, les recherches futures devraient envisager d’élargir la perspective de l’effet de l’âge sur les habiletés spatiales des signeurs, en tenant compte des données cognitives et linguistiques. Ces recherches pourraient investiguer la cause de la distinction dans le traitement d’informations spatiales sur la production et la compréhension d’une langue des signes.Introduction. Across the adult lifespan, cognitive abilities change: some tend to decrease with age whereas others are maintained. The results of previous studies have shown that performance on tasks spatial perception, spatial visualization, mental rotation and perspective taking are poorer in older adults than in younger adults. Sociodemographic and behavioral factors may influence the cognitive aging trajectories of older adults. For example, language experience, such as bilingualism, may be a neuroprotective factor contributing to the cognitive reserve. The impact of language experience in another modality, as it is the case for visual-spatial language, on spatial cognition has generated much interest. To date, no research has addressed this issue with regards of the potential effect of longtime use of sign language on the spatial cognition of older signers. Aim. The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether there are differences in spatial abilities among signers (deaf and hearing) and non-signers of different age groups. More specifically, this thesis examined i) if performance on tasks of spatial abilities differs according to age (younger/older) and linguistic experience (deaf signers/hearing signers/hearing non-signers) and ii) if performance differs according to the type of spatial abilities subcomponent targeted (spatial perception; spatial visualization; mental rotation; perspective taking). Methods. To examine the effect of age and linguistic experience on spatial abilities, data were collected from 120 participants: 60 older adults from 65 to 80 years of age (20 deaf signers, 20 hearing signers, 20 hearing non-signers) and 60 young adults ranging in age from 18 to 35 years (20 deaf signers, 20 hearing signers, 20 hearing non-signers). Prior to the experiment, participants were tested for visual and hearing acuity, language proficiency (Quebec Sign Language and French), cognitive health and intelligence. Based on their linguistic experience, the participants were matched on the basis of their educational level as well as their level of intelligence. The four subcomponents of spatial abilities were tested using a battery of seven tests. Results. Consistent with previously published data on the effect of age on spatial abilities, accuracy results revealed that the younger deaf signers constantly performed better than the older deaf signers on all tasks. Results also highlighted a specific advantage of hearing signers over hearing non-signers in terms of accuracy on mental rotation and perspective taking tasks regardless of age. A general advantage of older signers (deaf and hearing) over older non-signers was observed on spatial visualization tasks only. These results suggest that age-related cognitive changes impact the processing of spatial information regardless of the linguistic modality used. Also, the effect of sign language use on spatial processes may differ between deaf signers and hearing signers. Discussion. This cross-sectional research made it possible to investigate for the first time the impact of aging on spatial abilities among sign language users, as well as to explore the potential effect of sign language use with regards to performance on tasks of spatial abilities in an older population. Based on the results, it is proposed that the effect of sign language use is subdomain specific and that language experience such as bimodal bilingualism is a factor of interest in the relation between sign language use and spatial processing. Conclusion. The results reported in the present thesis will be helpful to future researchers interested in investigating aspects of cognition throughout the lifespan of older signers. Future research should be pursued in order to investigate the impact of bimodal bilingualism on spatial cognition in the light of the aging factor. In addition, future research should consider broadening the scope of this research area by examining in detail the interaction between cognitive skills and linguistic modality. Researches could address the effect of the distinction observed between deaf signers and hearing signers in terms of spatial processing and investigate links between spatial processing and sign language production and comprehension

Visual Attention-Related Processing: Perspectives from Ageing, Cognitive Decline and Dementia

Visual attention is essential for environmental interactions, but our ability to respond to stimuli gradually declines across the lifespan, and such deficits are even more pronounced in various states of cognitive impairment. Examining the integrity of related components, from elements of attention capture to executive control, will improve our understanding of related declines by helping to explain behavioural and neural effects, which will ultimately contribute towards our knowledge of the extent of dysfunctional attention processes and their impact upon everyday life. Accordingly, this Special Issue represents a body of literature that fundamentally advances insights into visual attention processing, featuring studies spanning healthy ageing, mild cognitive impairment, and dementi

OLEDs AND E-PAPER. Disruptive Potential for the European Display Industry

DG ENTR and JRC/IPTS of the European Commission have launched a series of studies to analyse prospects of success for European ICT industries with respect to emerging technologies. This report concerns display technologies (Organic Light Emitting Diodes and Electronic Paper - or OLEDs and e-paper for short). It assesses whether these technologies could be disruptive, and how well placed EU firms would be to take advantage of this disruption In general, displays are an increasingly important segment of the ICT sector. Since the 1990s and following the introduction of flat panel displays (FPDs), the global display industry has grown dramatically. The market is now (2009) worth about ¿ 100 billion. Geo-politically, the industry is dominated by Asian suppliers, with European companies relegated to a few vertical niches and parts of the value chain (e.g. research, supply of material and equipment). However, a number of new technologies are entering the market, e.g. OLEDs and electronic paper. Such emerging technologies may provide an opportunity for European enterprises to (re-)enter or strengthen their competitive position. OLEDs are composed of polymers that emit light when a current is passed through them. E-paper, on the other hand, is a portable, reusable storage and display medium, typically thin and flexible. Both OLEDs and e-paper have the potential to disrupt the existing displays market, but it is still too soon to say with certainty whether this will occur and when. Success for OLEDs depends on two key technical advances: first, the operating lifetime, and second, the production process. E-paper has a highly disruptive potential since it opens the door to new applications, largely text-based, not just in ICTs but also in consumer goods, pictures and advertising that could use its key properties. It could also displace display technologies that offer text-reading functions in ICT terminals such as tablet notebooks. There are three discrete segments in the OLED value chain where any discontinuity could offer EU firms the opportunity to play a more significant part in the displays sector: (1) original R&D and IPR for devices and for the manufacturing process and material supply/verification; (2) bulk materials for manufacture and glass; and (3) process equipment:. For the e-paper value chain, we can see that the entry of EU suppliers is perhaps possible across more value chain segments than for OLEDs. Apart from the ones mentioned for OLEDs, there are opportunities to enter into complete devices and content provision. In terms of vertical segments, the point of entry in OLED FPDs for Europe is most likely to be in the mass production of smaller FPDs for mobile handsets. In conclusion, OLEDs and e-paper have the potential to disrupt current displays market and in so doing they may enable EU companies to enter at selected points in the value chain to compete with the Asian ICT industry.JRC.J.4-Information Societ

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 333)

This bibliography lists 122 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during January, 1990. 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

Colorimetric tolerances of various digital image displays

Visual experiments on four displays (two LCD, one CRT and hardcopy) were conducted to determine colorimetric tolerances of images systematically altered via three different transfer curves. The curves used were: Sigmoidal compression in L*, linear reduction in C*, and additive rotations in hab. More than 30 observers judged the detectability of these alterations on three pictorial images for each display. Standard probit analysis was then used to determine the detection thresholds for the alterations. It was found that the detection thresholds on LCD\u27s were similar or lower than for the CRT\u27s in this type of experiment. Summarizing pixel-by-pixel image differences using the 90th percentile color difference in E*ab was shown to be more consistent than similar measures in E94 and a prototype E2000. It was also shown that using the 90th percentile difference was more consistent than the average pixel wise difference. Furthermore, SCIELAB pre-filtering was shown to have little to no effect on the results of this experiment since only global color-changes were applied and no spatial alterations were used

Engineering data compendium. Human perception and performance, volume 3

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a research and development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design of military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by system designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is Volume 3, containing sections on Human Language Processing, Operator Motion Control, Effects of Environmental Stressors, Display Interfaces, and Control Interfaces (Real/Virtual)