Dissociation between perception and smooth pursuit eye movements in speed judgments of moving Gabor targets.

The relationship between eye movements and subjective perception is still relatively poorly understood. In this study, participants tracked the movement of a Gabor patch and made perceptual judgments of its speed using a two-interval forced choice task. The Gabor patch could either have a static carrier or a carrier moving in the same or opposite direction as the overall envelope motion. We found that smooth pursuit speed was strongly affected by the internal motion of the Gabor carrier, with faster smooth pursuit being made to targets with internal motion in the same direction as overall motion compared to targets with internal motion in the opposite direction. However, we found that there were only small and highly variable differences in the perceptual speed judgments made simultaneously, and that these perceptual and smooth pursuit measures did not significantly correlate with each other. This contrasts with the number of catch-up saccades (saccades made in the direction of overall target motion), which was significantly correlated with the simultaneous perceptual judgments. There was also a significant correlation between perceptual judgments and the difference between the target and eye position immediately before a saccade. These results suggest that it is possible to see dissociations between vision and action in this task, and that the specific type of visual action studied may determine the relationship with perception

The Other Child: Health Narratives of Adults Raised with a Chronically Ill Sibling

The sibling relationship brings with it a powerful experience and unique effects on individual development. Within this paper the personal health narratives of adult siblings who grew up with a chronically ill brother or sister are explored in depth. Using a naturalistic, qualitative paradigm and approach to the research a small sample of participants (N=7) provided in depth, semi-structured interviews geared to explore their experiences growing up with their siblings, and later effects on the development of personal health narratives. Using thematic analysis, a number of themes were identified including: (a) at home: finding out, the early relationship, early environment, and family role; (b) retrospective early needs; (c) anxiety; (d) guilt; e) increased empathy, compassion, and awareness; (f) a different worldview; (g) the sibling turn; (h) health perspective and experiences: retrospective health narratives at the family level, mediated adult health narratives, and general self-care. A model of understanding the development of health narratives and general self-care is offered for well siblings. The utility of these themes for clinical practice and directions for future research are discussed

The Other Child: Health Narratives of Adults Raised with a Chronically Ill Sibling

The sibling relationship brings with it a powerful experience and unique effects on individual development. Within this paper the personal health narratives of adult siblings who grew up with a chronically ill brother or sister are explored in depth. Using a naturalistic, qualitative paradigm and approach to the research a small sample of participants (N=7) provided in depth, semi-structured interviews geared to explore their experiences growing up with their siblings, and later effects on the development of personal health narratives. Using thematic analysis, a number of themes were identified including: (a) at home: finding out, the early relationship, early environment, and family role; (b) retrospective early needs; (c) anxiety; (d) guilt; e) increased empathy, compassion, and awareness; (f) a different worldview; (g) the sibling turn; (h) health perspective and experiences: retrospective health narratives at the family level, mediated adult health narratives, and general self-care. A model of understanding the development of health narratives and general self-care is offered for well siblings. The utility of these themes for clinical practice and directions for future research are discussed

The re-use of qualitative data is an under-appreciated field for innovation and the creation of new knowledge in the social sciences

The value and potential of data re-use and the associated methodology of qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) is often overlooked. Dr Anna Tarrant and Dr Kahryn Hughes propose, that as COVID-19 limits opportunities for qualitative research for the foreseeable future, now, more than ever the social sciences need to address the under-use of existing qualitative data

Bio-inspired soft robotic systems: Exploiting environmental interactions using embodied mechanics and sensory coordination

Despite the widespread development of highly intelligent robotic systems exhibiting great precision, reliability, and dexterity, robots remain incapable of performing basic manipulation tasks that humans take for granted. Manipulation in unstructured environments continues to be acknowledged as a significant challenge. Soft robotics, the use of less rigid materials in robots, has been proposed as one means of addressing these limitations. The technique enables more compliant interactions with the environment, allowing for increasingly adaptive behaviours better suited to more human-centric applications. Embodied intelligence is a biologically inspired concept in which intelligence is a function of the entire system, not only the controller or `brain'. This thesis focuses on the use of embodied intelligence for the development of soft robots, with a particular focus on how it can aid both perception and adaptability. Two main hypotheses are raised: first, that the mechanical design and fabrication of soft-rigid hybrid robots can enable increasingly environmentally adaptive behaviours, and second, that sensing materials and morphology can provide intelligence that assists perception through embodiment. A number of approaches and frameworks for the design and development of embodied systems are presented that address these hypotheses. It is shown how embodiment in soft sensor morphology can be used to perform localised processing and thereby distribute the intelligence over the body of a system. Specifically in soft robots, sensor morphology utilises the directional deformations created by interactions with the environment to aid in perception. Building on and formalising these ideas, a number of morphology-based frameworks are proposed for detecting different stimuli. The multifaceted role of materials in soft robots is demonstrated through the development of materials capable of both sensing and changes in material property. Such materials provide additional functionality beyond their integral scaffolding and static mechanical characteristics. In particular, an integrated material has been created exhibiting both sensing capabilities and also variable stiffness and `tack’ force, thereby enabling complex single-point grasping. To maximise the intelligence that can be gained through embodiment, a design approach to soft robots, `soft-rigid hybrid' design is introduced. This approach exploits passive behaviours and body dynamics to provide environmentally adaptive behaviours and sensing. It is leveraged by multi-material 3D printing techniques and novel approaches and frameworks for designing mechanical structures. The findings in this thesis demonstrate that an embodied approach to soft robotics provides capabilities and behaviours that are not currently otherwise achievable. Utilising the concept of `embodiment' results in softer robots with an embodied intelligence that aids perception and adaptive behaviours, and has the potential to bring the physical abilities of robots one step closer to those of animals and humans.EPSR

Active Learning in Library Instruction: Using Piktocharts to Engage Faculty

Librarians know it is a common theme throughout the literature that library instruction does not necessarily leave audiences riveted. Attention can be typically lost early on, and therefore the information we intend to impart never seems to hit its mark. Librarians, therefore, must find a way to be more engaging within their own realm of teaching. We must strive to create active learners within all patron populations, including faculty. One method of engaging faculty, in particular, involves the introduction of Piktocharts in the library classroom. Piktocharts enables the user to create a visual representation of basic information given or used in a classroom setting. In our own library workshop with faculty, attendees are encouraged to create one Piktochart that contains basic library services information as well as specific information about a single database related to their field. This acts as both a means of engaging the faculty member in the learning process directly as well as fostering the creation of handouts that can then be used by faculty personally and within their own classrooms. Faculty are also encouraged to exchange their Piktocharts with colleagues in other departments. Because the Piktocharts are simplistic in nature and meld visual with prose, they are beneficial for a number of learning styles thus making them perfect for students and faculty alike. In addition to a basic presentation on Piktocharts in the library classroom, we will discuss best practices for a similar seminar that both academic and public librarians can use at their own institutions

Michigan’s uneven and unequal approach to taking over municipal governments in financial distress is linked to local drinking water crises.

From 2015 to 2019 the city of Flint, Michigan experienced a drinking water crisis which saw thousands of residents exposed to water-borne diseases and potential lead contamination. In new research, Sara Hughes and Anna Kopec examine the role of Michigan’s municipal takeover laws – which are intended to tackle local financial distress – in shaping water crises in Flint and elsewhere. They find that the state’s municipal takeover policies were often applied unevenly and inequitably, with cities placed under emergency management more likely to experience rising water rates, water service shutoffs, and attempts at privatization, often without public input