Human-robot interaction: Exploring the ability to express emotions by a social robot

Robots should have characteristics that make the interaction effective and fluent for a successful Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Since the emotions play a fundamental role in the human interaction process, many robots are introduced facial expressions, speech, body movements, among others to deepen the HRI. This chapter presents the exploration, design, and evaluation of the recognition of emotions displayed by a social robot. Initially, a pre-experiment was done to program the emotions in a virtual prototype. Afterwards, a pilot study and two experiments were conducted by manipulating the robot facial expressions and body movements to evaluate the recognition of the emotions. The results show that joy, surprise, and sadness have higher correct recognition and fear, disgust, and anger reported as lower recognition. Further study is needed regarding body movement and displacement of the robot for disgust, fear, and anger. Moreover, a robot should be introduced in a specific context to increase the recognition of emotions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Performance of WDM transport networks

Wavelength division multiplexed point-to-point transport is becoming commonplace in wide area networks. With the expectation that the next step is end-to-end networking of wavelengths (in the optical domain without conversion to electronics), there is a need for new design techniques, a new understanding of the performance issues, and a new performance evaluation methodology in such networks. This paper describes approaches to that end, summarizes research results, and points to open problems

A cibernética e o problema do conhecimento sem corpo

O presente trabalho tem como objectivo estudar mais aprofundadamente o conhecimento proposto pela teoria cibernética da génese, com incidência especial em Norbert Wiener. Com este estudo, pretende-se encontrar uma localização da cibernética dentro da história da filosofia. Iremos tentar explorar os pontos de contacto, partindo do debate clássico da teoria do conhecimento entre racionalistas e empiristas, isto porque, normalmente, as ciências computacionais dão ênfase a aspectos de cognição que remetem para uma razão pura do pensar, própria da teoria cibernética original. Com o estudo de Wiener, mas também de Simon, entre outros, iremos explorar a importância do ambiente e da associação de ideias para a construção de uma teoria da informação onde fica a faltar o elemento corpo. Será neste ponto que iremos encontrar obstáculos ao conhecimento proposto pela teoria da informação, cujo crítico que estudaremos é Hubert Dreyfus. Deste último, iremos tentar perceber como o pensamento de Merleau-Ponty, mas também de Bergson, já conheciam problemas relativos à associação de ideias e à ausência de corpo no conhecimento da realidade. O sem-corpo na cibernética não deve ser confundido com entidades metafísicas como as almas, tal como estudadas pela patrística e escolástica, mas sim como entidades cognoscíveis da realidade simbólica, cujas qualidades não são unas e distintas, mas construídas e não acabadas. É a este ponto que chega o Eu cibernético. Por essa razão, iremos estudar a importância da percepção como associação intelectiva e da memória como, não só, armazenamento da percepção, mas também como capacitante de projecção no real ao ponto de construí-lo em formato intelectual. Deste último ponto, teremos necessidade de explorar o representacionalismo, entendendo-o como a criação de estruturas simbólicas que se possam associar virtualmente, potenciando a organização. É deste representar que surge a internet e o ciberespaço – como suporte de estabelecimento de um conhecimento identificável, sem risco ou compromisso.Abstract: The purpose of this work is the deepening of the study of cybernetic theory on its genesis, regarding especially Norbert Wiener. This study pretends to find the place of cybernetics inside the history of philosophy. We will locate the main topics inside the classic debate between rationalists and empiricists in the theory of knowledge, because, normally, cognitive science considers aspects of cognition that leads to the concept of pure reasoning. With the study of Wiener, as well as Simon, amongst others, we will explore the relationship between ambience and association of ideas for the conceptualization of a theorie of information where it lacks the body element. In this last topic we will find adversities to knowledge as proposed by the theorie of information, criticized by Hubert Dreyfus. From here, we will try to understand how the thought of Merleau-Ponty as well as Bergson already realized problems related to the association of ideas and body absence in the knowledge of reality. The disembodied in cybernetics must not be confused with the metaphysical entities as souls, but as cognoscible entities of symbolic reality at which qualities are not united and distinct but builted and unfinished. This is the definition of the cybernetics self. For this reason, we will study the importance of perception as intellection and memory as association, not only for storage, but also as capable of projection, re-building it as an intellectual form. From this point of view we will need to study representacionalism as a building of symbolic forms capable of virtual association regarding organization. It is this way of representation, and not presentation, that arises in internet and cyberspace – as a support of establishment of an identifiable knowledge without risk and commitment

Morbidity and mortality after anaesthesia in early life: results of the European prospective multicentre observational study, neonate and children audit of anaesthesia practice in Europe (NECTARINE)

Background: Neonates and infants requiring anaesthesia are at risk of physiological instability and complications, but triggers for peri-anaesthetic interventions and associations with subsequent outcome are unknown. Methods: This prospective, observational study recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. The primary aim was to identify thresholds of pre-determined physiological variables that triggered a medical intervention. The secondary aims were to evaluate morbidities, mortality at 30 and 90 days, or both, and associations with critical events. Results: Infants (n=5609) born at mean (standard deviation [SD]) 36.2 (4.4) weeks postmenstrual age (35.7% preterm) underwent 6542 procedures within 63 (48) days of birth. Critical event(s) requiring intervention occurred in 35.2% of cases, mainly hypotension (>30% decrease in blood pressure) or reduced oxygenation (SpO2 <85%). Postmenstrual age influenced the incidence and thresholds for intervention. Risk of critical events was increased by prior neonatal medical conditions, congenital anomalies, or both (relative risk [RR]=1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.28) and in those requiring preoperative intensive support (RR=1.27; 95% CI, 1.15–1.41). Additional complications occurred in 16.3% of patients by 30 days, and overall 90-day mortality was 3.2% (95% CI, 2.7–3.7%). Co-occurrence of intraoperative hypotension, hypoxaemia, and anaemia was associated with increased risk of morbidity (RR=3.56; 95% CI, 1.64–7.71) and mortality (RR=19.80; 95% CI, 5.87–66.7). Conclusions: Variability in physiological thresholds that triggered an intervention, and the impact of poor tissue oxygenation on patient's outcome, highlight the need for more standardised perioperative management guidelines for neonates and infants. Clinical trial registration: NCT02350348