Joint models for noise annoyance and WTP for road noise reduction

Previous CV studies of the WTP for road noise reduction have used stated annoyance as an independent variable. We argue that this may be inappropriate due to potential endogeneity bias. Instead, an alternative model is proposed that treats both WTP and annoyance as endogenous variables in a simultaneous equation model as a combination of a linear regression with an ordered probit with correlated error terms and possibly common parameters. Thus, information on stated annoyance is utilised to estimate WTP without bias. Application of the model to a dataset from Copenhagen indicates a potential for improving the precision of the estimate of WTP for noise reduction with CV data.Road noise, annoyance, WTP, hurdle model, qualitative responses

Manifest domains:analysis and description

Abstract We show that manifest domains, an understanding of which are a prerequisite for software requirements prescriptions, can be precisely described: narrated and formalised. We show that such manifest domains can be understood as a collection of endurant, that is, basically spatial entities: parts, components and materials, and perdurant, that is, basically temporal entities: actions, events and behaviours. We show that parts can be modeled in terms of external qualities whether: atomic or composite parts, having internal qualities: unique identifications, mereologies, which model relations between parts, and attributes. We show that the manifest domain analysis endeavour can be supported by a calculus of manifest domain analysis prompts: is_entity, is_endurant, is_perdurant, is_part, is_component, is_material, is_atomic, is_composite, has_components, has_materials, has_concrete_type, attribute_names, is_stationary, etcetera; and show how the manifest domain description endeavour can be supported by a calculus of manifest domain description prompts: observe_part_sorts, observe_part_type, observe_components, observe_materials, observe_unique_identifier, observe_mereology, observe_attributes. We show how to model attributes, essentially following Michael Jackson (Software requirements &amp; specifications: a lexicon of practice, principles and prejudices. ACM Press, Addison-Wesley, Reading, 1995 ), but with a twist: The attribute model introduces the attribute analysis prompts is_static_attribute, is_dynamic_attribute, is_inert_attribute, is_reactive_attribute, is_active_attribute, is_autonomous_attribute, is_biddable_attribute and is_programmable_attribute. The twist suggests ways of modeling “access” to the values of these kinds of attributes: the static attributes by simply “copying” them, once, the reactive and programmable attributes by “carrying” them as function parameters whose values are kept always updated, and the remaining, the external_attributes, by inquiring, when needed, as to their value, as if they were always offered on CSP-like channels (Hoare, Communicating sequential processes. C.A.R. Hoare series in computer science. Prentice-Hall International, London, 2004 ). We show how to model essential aspects of perdurants in terms of their signatures based on the concepts of endurants. And we show how one can “compile” descriptions of endurant parts into descriptions of perdurant behaviours. We do not show prompt calculi for perdurants. The above contributions express a method with principles, techniques and tools for constructing domain descriptions. It is important to realise that we do not wish to nor claim that the method can describe all that it is interesting to know about domains. </jats:p

Det digitale interaktive fjernsyn i hverdagslivet

Digitaliseringen af tv-mediet er allerede i fuld gang, og der er i Danmark fastlagt en analog slukdato for public servicekanalerne i 2009. I forlængelse heraf leverer denne artikel en række indsigter i, hvordan den nye teknologi potentielt forandrer hverdagen, men samtidig er det også en pointe, at den digitale teknologi indpasses i eksisterende mønstre for tv-sening. Med baggrund i forsøgskanalen TV2/Nord-Digital, som var den første kanal der udsendte digitalt interaktivt tv i Danmark, vil denne artikel give nogle svar på, hvad der sker når digitalt tv (med de øgede interaktive muligheder) vinder indpas i husstanden. Hvem skal bestemme i forhold til hvad der skal ses af interaktivt indhold? Vil digitaliseringen dermed fremme den stigende tendens til at vi ser mere tv hver for sig? Og ønsker seerne overhovedet at være interaktive med deres fjernsyn – og i givet fald om hvad og hvorfor

Using EEG data as Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment in a serious game about the plastic pollution in the oceans

In this work, it is explored whether real-time EEG (Electroencephalography) can adjust the difficulty in a serious game focused on engagement, attention, and learning about plastic pollution in our oceans. Using EEG to balance the game around the players’ affective state by measuring brain activity in real time, it is aimed to better fit the player’s skill level, enabling a stable flow state. The experimental study included 34 participants with an experimental group (n=17), and a control group (n=17). The experimental group played the game about the plastic pollution in our oceans with anadaptive difficulty adjustment (DDA) based on changes in their levels of attention and calm measured by EEG. The evaluation is based on a user engagement questionnaire, structured interviews, the EEG data, and a knowledge test. The results revealed high engagement in the game from both the experimental group and the control group. However, the participants in the control group were more attentive while playing the game and scored higher on all questions in the knowledge test compared to the experimental group. In conclusion, our study cannot provide evidence for usingEEG-DDA to increase the engagement, attention, and learnings about pollution in the oceans in a serious game. However, there are still advantages for including EEG in game related research, and much future research is needed in how to provide optimal learning in serious games

On the value of silence: A comparison of stated and revealed preferences for the external costs of traffic noise

During the last decades several studies have been carried out in order to measure the external costs of traffic noise. Both direct valuation methods, like contingent valuation (CV) and revealed preference studies linking noise levels to house prices, have been used. Though comparison of results from such studies are common, only few studies have carried out such a comparison based on the exact same area/respondents. We present preliminary results from an ongoing research project, which compares valuation results obtained by the CV method and hedonic pricing for residents in urban Copenhagen. The contingent valuation study is carried out by combining a standard socio-acoustic survey on noise annoyance with a CV scenario on the removal of the noise annoyance. Data from the hedonic pricing are partly obtained from survey and partly from the Danish housing register