A State of the Art Overview on Biosignal-based User-Adaptive Video Conferencing Systems

Video conferencing systems are widely used in times of distributed teams since they support flexible work arrangements. However, they have negative impacts on users, such as lacking eye gaze or zoom fatigue. Adaptive interventions in video conferences based on user behavior provide interesting solutions to overcome these challenges, for example, by alerting users when looking tired. Specifically, biosignals measured by sensors like microphones or eye-trackers are a promising basis for adaptive interventions. To provide an overview of current biosignal-based user-adaptive video conferencing systems, we conducted a systematic literature review and identified 24 publications. We summarize existing knowledge in a morphological box and outline further research directions. Thereby, a focus on biooptical signals is visible. Current adaptations target audience feedback, expression understanding and eye gaze mostly by image and representation modifications. In future, we recommend including further biosignals and addressing more diverse problems by investigating adaptation capabilities of further software elements

Fatigued by yourself? Towards understanding the impact of self-view designs in virtual meeting software

Video meetings are essential for our life. Besides their relevance and advantages, users increasingly observe the negative phenomenon of virtual meeting fatigue (VMF). VMF is described as the feeling of exhaustion during virtual meetings when overusing virtual meeting software. Virtual meeting software presents additional technical stimuli that are not present in offline meetings and require additional cognitive resources. One of these stimuli is the self view feature, a mirrored image of oneself shown during the meeting which allows controlling the personal appearance. However, research is scarce about the trade off between the benefits of control and the disadvantages of the additional cognitive load of the self view. In our pilot study with 17 participants, we want to understand the impact of three self view designs (self view on, off, initial) on users’ cognitive load, self awareness, perceived control, and VMF. Therefore, we propose a research model and report initial results

Monitoring Cognitive Load with 3D-Printed EEG Headphones

Real-world cognitive load monitoring promises to be an essential foundation for positive adaptive information systems that foster knowledge workers’ productivity and well- being. Towards this goal, our research combines established EEG load monitoring principles with low-cost, 3D-printed headphones. This provides a means for continuous, unobtrusive, and real-time cognitive load detection. Results from two experiments document strong relationships of cognitive load reports with EEG frequency bands (Theta and Alpha), both around the ears and on top of the head. While limitations with Theta band power sensitivity are observed, Alpha band modulations are robust across sessions, task repetitions, and three tasks. Furthermore, short setup durations are found, and only minimal influences of hairstyle or glasses on setup times and load relationships. With a discussion of the remaining challenges for more naturalistic studies, this article documents the system’s future potential for load sensing during knowledge work

Mass Distributions of HST Galaxy Clusters from Gravitational Arcs

Although N-body simulations of cosmic structure formation suggest that dark matter halos have density profiles shallower than isothermal at small radii and steeper at large radii, whether observed galaxy clusters follow this profile is still ambiguous. We use one such density profile, the asymmetric NFW profile, to model the mass distributions of 11 galaxy clusters with gravitational arcs observed by HST. We characterize the galaxy lenses in each cluster as NFW ellipsoids, each defined by an unknown scale convergence, scale radius, ellipticity, and position angle. For a given set of values of these parameters, we compute the arcs that would be produced by such a lens system. To define the goodness of fit to the observed arc system, we define a chi^2 function encompassing the overlap between the observed and reproduced arcs as well as the agreement between the predicted arc sources and the observational constraints on the source system. We minimize this chi^2 to find the values of the lens parameters that best reproduce the observed arc system in a given cluster. Here we report our best-fit lens parameters and corresponding mass estimates for each of the 11 lensing clusters. We find that cluster mass models based on lensing galaxies defined as NFW ellipsoids can accurately reproduce the observed arcs, and that the best-fit parameters to such a model fall within the reasonable ranges defined by simulations. These results assert NFW profiles as an effective model for the mass distributions of observed clusters.Comment: Submitted to ApJ, 14 figures include

Kombinierte Firmendaten für Deutschland - (KombiFiD) : Handbuch Version 1.0

"This Datenreport provides an overview of the dataset (Version 1.0), which was developed in the project KombiFiD (Kombinierte Firmendaten für Deutschland). Within the project KombiFiD, data from the Statistical Offices, the Federal Employment Agency and the Deutsche Bundesbank was linked for a sample of firms. The aim of this linkage was to generate a dataset with a considerably higher analytical potential than the individual datasets. The dataset is created as a panel covering the years 2003-2006 with an average number of cases of about 14.000 firms per year. The Datenreport is structured as follows. After a short introduction in chapter 1, chapter 2 outlines the sampling procedure, the response rate as well as the results of the linkage procedure. In Chapter 3 the data access and the application procedure are shown. Chapter 4 gives an overview of the linked individual data bases, whilst Chapter 5 lists all variables of the combined KombiFiD dataset. More detailed variable descriptions can be found in the appendices." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Excel-Tabelle der Variablenbeschreibungen der Version 1.0 zu den Kombinierten Firmendaten für Deutschland (KombiFiD) Zip-Datei der Variablenbeschreibungen der Version 1.0 zu den Kombinierten Firmendaten für Deutschland (KombiFiD)IAB-kombinierte Firmendaten, Datensatzbeschreibung, Datenaufbereitung, Unternehmen, Panel, Datenzugang

Building community - or why we need on ongoing conference platform for TA

As a background for current outlooks towards strengthening the technology assessment (TA) community, Scherz et al. give a historical overview of efforts to establish international fora for communication among professionals and researchers in TA. Against this background, the article conveys experiences from the first two bi-annual TA conferences, arranged in the context of the PACITA project. The authors describe experiences of mutual learning across national boundaries and communicate a renewed understanding of the necessity for supporting TA capacities at the national level through professional community building. Ultimately, Scherz et al. argue that a European TA platform is necessary for establishing a common language for TA and for supporting the spread of TA across borders