The Psychophysical Response to Music in Canines

The creation of music is well known to be considered “human nature”, but is it possible that music can influence other species? This study focuses on the psychophysical, or emotional and physical, responses of canines in response to musical stimuli. For support, literature including the basics of ear anatomy and sound processing in both canines and humans, the fundamentals of music creation and expression, the impact of music on human neuroscience and emotional conveyance, as well as past research of the impact of music on canine behavior and expression. To expand on this under-researched field, a voluntary survey was created using “Google Forms” that allowed canine owners to anonymously share their previous findings and experiences upon exposing their canine(s) to musical stimuli. Upon analysis of the 96 received responses, it was found over 70% (70.84%) of canines had observable physical and/or emotional changes when presented with music from a variety of different genres including classical, pop, rock, and heavy metal. Overall, 83.56% of the canines impacted by the musical stimuli showed what can be considered “positive” physical and/or behavioral changes that can be used in settings where canines are presented and susceptible to increased levels of stress and anxiety including animal shelters and veterinary offices

Vibrotactile Stimulus Frequency Optimization for the Haptic BCI Prototype

The paper presents results from a psychophysical study conducted to optimize vibrotactile stimuli delivered to subject finger tips in order to evoke the somatosensory responses to be utilized next in a haptic brain computer interface (hBCI) paradigm. We also present the preliminary EEG evoked responses for the chosen stimulating frequency. The obtained results confirm our hypothesis that the hBCI paradigm concept is valid and it will allow for rapid stimuli presentation in order to improve information-transfer-rate (ITR) of the BCI.Comment: The 6th International Conference on Soft Computing and Intelligent Systems and The 13th International Symposium on Advanced Intelligent Systems, 201

Hand-arm equal sensation curves for steering wheel rotational vibration

The present study has established equal sensation curves for steering wheel handarm rotational vibration. Psychophysical response tests of 20 participants were performed using the category-ratio Borg CR10 scale procedure. The test stimuli used were sinusoidal vibrations at 22 third octave band centre frequencies in the range from 3 to 400 Hz, with amplitudes in the range from 0.06 to 30 m/s2 r.m.s. A multivariate regression analysis was performed on the mean Borg CR10 intensity values as a function of the two independent parameters of the vibration frequency and amplitude. The results suggested a nonlinear dependency of the perceived intensity on both the steering wheel rotational vibration frequency and amplitude. A sixth-order polynomial model has been proposed as a best fit regression model

Cardiovascular and Psychophysical Response to Repetitive Lifting Tasks in Women

BACKGROUND: Understanding the cardiovascular and psychophysical demands of repetitive lifting tasks is important in job design strategies. This study determined the cardiovascular (oxygen consumption (VO) and heart rate (HR) and psychophysical response to repetitive lifting tasks in women. METHODS: Ten female (age 27 ± 5 yrs) participants transferred 11.4, 15.9, and 20.5 kg weights back and forth from a rung 40.6 cm high to a rung 156.2 cm high. Rungs were 195.6 cm apart horizontally. Three, 10 minute bouts (1 = 11.4 kg; 2 = 15.9 kg; 3 = 20.5 kg) were performed at 6 lifts per minute. Cardiovascular and psychophysical (rating of perceived exertion, RPE) parameters were monitored throughout the bouts. VOmax and HRmax were determined via a maximal treadmill test. RESULTS: VO, HR, and RPE were significantly different between each work bout (p \u3c 0.01), with each outcome variable increasing as load increased. VOmax and HRmax equaled 46.5 ± 7.5 mL·kg·min and 191 ± 11 bpm, respectively. Work at 11.4 kg was performed at 38% VOmax and 63% HRmax; at 15.9 kg at 41% VOmax and 72% HRmax; and at 20.5 kg at 49% VOmax and 81% HRmax. RPE at 11.4, 15.9, and 20.5 kgs were: 8.4 ± 1.6, 11.4 ± 1.9, and 15.0 ± 2.2. CONCLUSION: During these repetitive lifting tasks, metabolic cost and perceived exertion increased with weight lifted; average work intensity ranged from 63 to 81% of HRmax and 38 to 49% of VOmax. Results have important implications in relation to job pacing and design, and worksite health promotion strategies aimed at reducing work place injury

Effects of gender differences on the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration based on a multivariate regression model

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2009 ElsevierThe aims of this study were to determine equal sensation curves for hand-arm steering wheel rotational vibration and to investigate the effect of gender on the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel hand-arm vibration. Psychophysical response tests of 40 participants (20 mates and 20 females) were performed using a steering wheel rotational vibration simulator using the category-ratio Borg CR10 scale procedure for direct estimation of perceived intensity. The test stimuli were sinusoidal vibrations at 22 third octave band centre frequencies in the range from 3 to 400 Hz, with acceleration amplitudes in the range from 0.04 to 27 m/s(2) r.m.s. Multivariate regression procedures were applied to the experimentally acquired data in order to establish a regression model expressing the Borg CR10 perceived intensity values as a function of the two independent parameters of the frequency and amplitude of vibration. The equal sensation curves suggested a non-linear dependency of the subjective perceived intensity on both frequency and amplitude. Females were found to provide higher Borg CR10 perceived intensity values than males (p < 0.05), particularly at the higher intensity levels above approximately 1.0 m/s(2) r.m.s and at the higher frequencies above approximately 20 Hz.Relevance to industry: For the manufacturers of steering systems and of other automobile components this study provides vibration perception curves and identifies the possible importance of gender towards the perception of vibration which arrives at the steering wheel. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Non-linear dependency of the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2009 ElsevierThe present study has established equal sensation curves for steering wheel hand-arm rotational vibration. Psychophysical response tests of 20 participants were performed in a steering wheel rotational vibration simulator using the category-ratio Borg CR10 scale procedure for direct estimation of perceived vibration intensity. The test stimuli used were sinusoidal vibrations at 22 third octave band centre frequencies in the range from 3 to 400 Hz, with acceleration amplitudes in the range from 0.06 to 30 m/s(2) r.m.s. A multivariate regression analysis was performed on the mean perceived intensity Borg CR10 values as a function of the two independent parameters of the vibration frequency and amplitude. The results suggested a non-linear dependency of the subjective perceived intensity on both the steering wheel rotational vibration frequency and amplitude. The equal sensation curves were found to be characterised by a decreased sensitivity to hand-arm vibration with increasing frequency from 10 to 400 Hz, but by an increased sensitivity with increasing frequency from 4 to 10 Hz. A 6th order polynomial model has been proposed as a best fit regression model from which the equal sensation curves for steering wheel rotational vibration are derived.Relevance to industry: For the manufactures of automobiles, steering systems and other automobile components this study provides a mathematical model from which one or more new frequency weightings for the use in evaluating the perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration are derived. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The characteristics and effects of motivational music in exercise settings: The possible influence of gender, age, frequency of attendance, and time of attendance

Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the characteristics and effects of motivational music in British gymnasia. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the characteristics and effects of motivational music were invariant in relation to gender, age, frequency of gymnasium attendance, and the time of day at which exercise participants attended gymnasia. Methods: Participants (n=532) from 29 David-Lloyd exercise facilities across Britain responded to a questionnaire that was designed to assess music preferences during exercise via two open-ended questions and one scaled-response item. Results: A content analysis of the questionnaire data yielded 45 analytic properties that were grouped into the following categories: Specific music factors, general music factors, music programme factors, delivery factors, televisual factors, personal factors, contextual factors, and psychophysical response factors. The relative incidence of these analytic properties across gender groups (male/female), age groups (16-26 yrs., 27-34 yrs., 35-45 yrs., 46+ yrs.), frequency of attendance groups (low, medium, high), and time of attendance groups (morning, afternoon, evening) was tested by use of 2 analyses. Of the personal variables tested, age exerted the greatest influence on musical preference during exercise; older participants expressed a preference for quieter, slower, and generally less overtly stimulative music. Conclusions: Music programmes that are prescribed to accompany exercise should be varied in terms of musical idiom and date of release. Such programmes will account for the preferences of different groups of exercise participants that attend gymnasia at different times of the day. Further, the music chosen should be characterised by a strong rhythmical component

Human Perception of Diesel Engine Idle Vibration

While the human perception of diesel engine noise has been the subject of numerous studies, the perception of the vibrational disturbance reaching the driver has not previously been investigated. This contribution presents the results of a recent research study performed at Sheffield University which analysed the nature of diesel engine idle, and modelled the associated human growth function. The results have shown that the largest component of diesel idle irregularity arriving at the steering wheel is amplitude modulation of the firing frequency and that the human subjective response grows with a power exponent greater than 1.0 for modulation values greater than 0.2

Sensory Systems as Cybernetic Systems that Require Awareness of Alternatives to Interact with the World: Analysis of the Brain-Receptor Loop in Norwich's Entropy Theory of Perception

Introduction & Objectives: Norwich’s Entropy Theory of Perception (1975 [1] -present) stands alone. It explains many firing-rate behaviors and psychophysical laws from bare theory. To do so, it demands a unique sort of interaction between receptor and brain, one that Norwich never substantiated. Can it now be confirmed, given the accumulation of empirical sensory neuroscience? Background: Norwich conjoined sensation and a mathematical model of communication, Shannon’s Information Theory, as follows: “In the entropic view of sensation, magnitude of sensation is regarded as a measure of the entropy or uncertainty of the stimulus signal” [2]. “To be uncertain about the outcome of an event, one must first be aware of a set of alternative outcomes” [3]. “The entropy-establishing process begins with the generation of a [internal] sensory signal by the stimulus generator. This is followed by receipt of the [external] stimulus by the sensory receptor, transmission of action potentials by the sensory neurons, and finally recapture of the [response to the internal] signal by the generator” [4]. The latter “recapture” differentiates external from internal stimuli. The hypothetical “stimulus generators” are internal emitters, that generate photons in vision, audible sounds in audition (to Norwich, the spontaneous otoacoustic emissions [SOAEs]), “temperatures in excess of local skin temperature” in skin temperature sensation [4], etc. Method (1): Several decades of empirical sensory physiology literature was scrutinized for internal “stimulus generators”. Results (1): Spontaneous photopigment isomerization (“dark light”) does not involve visible light. SOAEs are electromechanical basilar-membrane artefacts that rarely produce audible tones. The skin’s temperature sensors do not raise skin temperature, etc. Method (2): The putative action of the brain-and-sensory-receptor loop was carefully reexamined. Results (2): The sensory receptor allegedly “perceives”, experiences “awareness”, possesses “memory”, and has a “mind”. But those traits describe the whole human. The receptor, thus anthropomorphized, must therefore contain its own perceptual loop, containing a receptor, containing a perceptual loop, etc. Summary & Conclusions: The Entropy Theory demands sensory awareness of alternatives, through an imagined brain-and-sensory-receptor loop containing internal “stimulus generators”. But (1) no internal “stimulus generators” seem to exist and (2) the loop would be the outermost of an infinite nesting of identical loops