A mixed reality telepresence system for collaborative space operation

This paper presents a Mixed Reality system that results from the integration of a telepresence system and an application to improve collaborative space exploration. The system combines free viewpoint video with immersive projection technology to support non-verbal communication, including eye gaze, inter-personal distance and facial expression. Importantly, these can be interpreted together as people move around the simulation, maintaining natural social distance. The application is a simulation of Mars, within which the collaborators must come to agreement over, for example, where the Rover should land and go. The first contribution is the creation of a Mixed Reality system supporting contextualization of non-verbal communication. Tw technological contributions are prototyping a technique to subtract a person from a background that may contain physical objects and/or moving images, and a light weight texturing method for multi-view rendering which provides balance in terms of visual and temporal quality. A practical contribution is the demonstration of pragmatic approaches to sharing space between display systems of distinct levels of immersion. A research tool contribution is a system that allows comparison of conventional authored and video based reconstructed avatars, within an environment that encourages exploration and social interaction. Aspects of system quality, including the communication of facial expression and end-to-end latency are reported

The Crescent Student Newspaper, November 15, 1985

Student newspaper of Pacific College (later George Fox University). 4 pages, black and white.https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/the_crescent/2005/thumbnail.jp

Challenges and Opportunities: What Can We Learn from Patients Living with Chronic Musculoskeletal Conditions, Health Professionals and Carers about the Concept of Health Literacy Using Qualitative Methods of Inquiry?

The field of health literacy continues to evolve and concern public health researchers and yet remains a largely overlooked concept elsewhere in the healthcare system. We conducted focus group discussions in England UK, about the concept of health literacy with older patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions (mean age = 73.4 years), carers and health professionals. Our research posed methodological, intellectual and practical challenges. Gaps in conceptualisation and expectations were revealed, reiterating deficiencies in predominant models for understanding health literacy and methodological shortcomings of using focus groups in qualitative research for this topic. Building on this unique insight into what the concept of health literacy meant to participants, we present analysis of our findings on factors perceived to foster and inhibit health literacy and on the issue of responsibility in health literacy. Patients saw health literacy as a result of an inconsistent interactive process and the implications as wide ranging; healthcare professionals had more heterogeneous views. All focus group discussants agreed that health literacy most benefited from good inter-personal communication and partnership. By proposing a needs-based approach to health literacy we offer an alternative way of conceptualising health literacy to help improve the health of older people with chronic conditions

Putting You First: First-Generation Student Perceptions, Needs, and Engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University

You First at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) submitted a Request for Assistance with the need for increased engagement with VCU first-generation (FG) students. To address this request, a doctoral Capstone team conducted problem and context analysis, a literature review, a mixed-methods study analyzing institutional data, a survey of current FG students at VCU, and focus group sessions with FG students at VCU. The goal was to identify FG student perceptions of their FG identities, determine the needs of FG students, and uncover factors that impact FG students’ engagement with You First. Findings suggested that the underlying cause of minimal engagement with FG students is the lack of awareness of You First services and programs. The Capstone team identified key challenges for FG students and ways for You First to continue to improve its support of FG students. Recommendations focused on increasing awareness of You First, promoting FG student connections, providing more accessible information, formalizing partnerships across the institution, and cultivating inclusivity among FG students’ families

With you – an experimental end-to-end telepresence system using video-based reconstruction

We introduce withyou, our telepresence research platform. A systematic explanation of the theory brings together the linked nature of non-verbal communication and how it is influenced by technology. This leads to functional requirements for telepresence, in terms of the balance of visual, spatial and temporal qualities. The first end-to-end description of withyou describes all major processes and the display and capture environment. This includes two approaches to reconstructing the human form in 3D, from live video. An unprecedented characterization of our approach is given in terms of the above qualities, and influences of approach. This leads to non-functional requirements in terms of number and place of cameras and the avoidance of a resultant bottlekneck. Proposals are given for improved distribution of processes across networks, computers, and multi-core CPU and GPU. Simple conservative estimation shows that both approaches should meet our requirements. One is implemented and shown to meet minimum and come close to desirable requirements

Archway Commencement Issue, May 2013

2013 Archway Commencement Issu

POLITICAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN JAPAN

Social media has become a powerful platform for political communication across the world. However, despite high internet and social media penetration rates in Japan, research has shown political social media use to be significantly lower in Japan when compared to other Asian states with similar social, political, and cultural characteristics. This thesis seeks to understand why political social media use in Japan has remained low by using a comparative approach to examine polarization levels, conventional media environments, and government systems across Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. It concludes that Japan’s low political social media use arises from a combination of its low levels of political polarization, the strength of the conventional media, and its stable government structure, institutions, and norms.Major, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The Crescent Student Newspaper, March 8, 1978

Student newspaper of Pacific College (later George Fox University). 12 pages, black and white.https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/the_crescent/1934/thumbnail.jp