Enhancing the customer experience with virtual and augmented reality: The impact of content and device type

Virtual and augmented reality are changing how companies interact with customers. However, previous research has paid little attention to compare their effectiveness. This study focuses on the perceptions of presence elicited by different types of contents (real or digital) and embodied devices (head-mounted display or smartphone), and their impact on user''s pre-experiences with hotels. Results from a lab experiment show that contents with high levels of factual realism (360-degree videos) have a positive influence on perceptions of presence, ease of imagination, and visual appeal, and on booking intentions. These effects are stronger when high embodied devices (head-mounted displays) are applied. Additionally, presence positively influences ease of imagination and visual appeal, which mediate the impact of content on booking intentions. These findings stress the importance of inducing presence as a key driver for behavioral intentions in hospitality. The comparative influence of conventional VR and AR experiences is also discussed

Numerical study of the one-dimensional quantum compass model

The ground state magnetic phase diagram of the one-dimensional quantum compass model (QCM) is studied using the numerical Lanczos method. A detailed numerical analysis of the low energy excitation spectrum is presented. The energy gap and the spin-spin correlation functions are calculated for finite chains. Two kind of the magnetic long-range orders, the Neel and a type of the stripe-antiferromagnet, in the ground state phase diagram are identified. Based on the numerical analysis, the first and second order quantum phase transitions in the ground state phase diagram are identified.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1105.211

Geometrical entanglement of highly symmetric multipartite states and the Schmidt decomposition

In a previous paper we examined a geometric measure of entanglement based on the minimum distance between the entangled target state of interest and the space of unnormalized product states. Here we present a detailed study of this entanglement measure for target states with a large degree of symmetry. We obtain analytic solutions for the extrema of the distance function and solve for the Hessian to show that, up to the action of trivial symmetries, the solutions correspond to local minima of the distance function. In addition, we show that the conditions that determine the extremal solutions for general target states can be obtained directly by parametrizing the product states via their Schmidt decomposition.Comment: 16 pages, references added and discussion expande

La orientación entre profesorado universitario para el desarrollo de experiencias de Aprendizaje-Servicio: un análisis desde las percepciones de los implicados

Como una propuesta basada en el servicio a la comunidad y la adquisición de multitud de aprendizajes por parte del alumnado universitario, se aborda una experiencia de innovación sobre Aprendizaje-Servicio fundamentada en la orientación entre profesorado universitario. La iniciativa pretendía evaluar el impacto de un programa de asesoramiento entre profesorado con amplia experiencia en la implementación de prácticas de ApS y profesorado novel. En este estudio con una metodología mixta, participaron un total de 14 profesores de Educación Superior, quienes realizaron una entrevista semi-estructurada y un breve cuestionario. El análisis de la información recabada apunta a una valoración general positiva en lo que respecta a los beneficios que este programa ha suscitado sobre la enseñanza de prácticas de Aprendizaje-Servicio al alumnado universitario. Una utilidad que se ha visto reflejada a través del desarrollo de competencias relacionadas con la innovación y la inclusión, entre otras, y de una implicación en los procesos de bienestar social de la ciudadanía del entorno en el que las acciones se han desarrollado. In the shape of a proposal based in volunteer service to the community and the acquisition of a large number of learnings on the part of university students, we approach a teaching innovation experience about Service-Learning founded on the orientation among university professors. The initiative intends to evaluate an orientation program among professors with extensive experience in the implementation of Service-Learning practices and new professors. In this study with a mixed methodology, a total of 14 higher education professors participated, who were given a short questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The analysis of the collected information points to an overall positive valuation regarding the benefits that this programme has produced on the teaching of Service-Learning practices to university students. This is an application that has arisen from the development of competencies related to innovation and inclusion, among others, and from an implication on the welfare of the people in the context where the actions have been carried out

Entanglement and alpha entropies for a massive Dirac field in two dimensions

We present some exact results about universal quantities derived from the local density matrix, for a free massive Dirac field in two dimensions. We first find the trace of powers of the density matrix in a novel fashion, which involves the correlators of suitable operators in the sine-Gordon model. These, in turn, can be written exactly in terms of the solutions of non-linear differential equations of the Painlev\'e V type. Equipped with the previous results, we find the leading terms for the entanglement entropy, both for short and long distances, and showing that in the intermediate regime it can be expanded in a series of multiple integrals. The previous results have been checked by direct numerical calculations on the lattice, finding perfect agreement. Finally, we comment on a possible generalization of the entanglement entropy c-theorem to the alpha-entropies.Comment: Clarification in section 2, one reference added. 15 pages, 3 figure

Block Spin Density Matrix of the Inhomogeneous AKLT Model

We study the inhomogeneous generalization of a 1-dimensional AKLT spin chain model. Spins at each lattice site could be different. Under certain conditions, the ground state of this AKLT model is unique and is described by the Valence-Bond-Solid (VBS) state. We calculate the density matrix of a contiguous block of bulk spins in this ground state. The density matrix is independent of spins outside the block. It is diagonalized and shown to be a projector onto a subspace. We prove that for large block the density matrix behaves as the identity in the subspace. The von Neumann entropy coincides with Renyi entropy and is equal to the saturated value.Comment: 20 page

Entanglement and Density Matrix of a Block of Spins in AKLT Model

We study a 1-dimensional AKLT spin chain, consisting of spins $S$ in the bulk and $S/2$ at both ends. The unique ground state of this AKLT model is described by the Valence-Bond-Solid (VBS) state. We investigate the density matrix of a contiguous block of bulk spins in this ground state. It is shown that the density matrix is a projector onto a subspace of dimension $(S+1)^{2}$. This subspace is described by non-zero eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors of the density matrix. We prove that for large block the von Neumann entropy coincides with Renyi entropy and is equal to $\ln(S+1)^{2}$.Comment: Revised version, typos corrected, references added, 31 page

The Interspersed Spin Boson Lattice Model

We describe a family of lattice models that support a new class of quantum magnetism characterized by correlated spin and bosonic ordering [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 180405 (2014)]. We explore the full phase diagram of the model using Matrix-Product-State methods. Guided by these numerical results, we describe a modified variational ansatz to improve our analytic description of the groundstate at low boson frequencies. Additionally, we introduce an experimental protocol capable of inferring the low-energy excitations of the system by means of Fano scattering spectroscopy. Finally, we discuss the implementation and characterization of this model with current circuit-QED technology.Comment: Submitted to EPJ ST issue on "Novel Quantum Phases and Mesoscopic Physics in Quantum Gases

Entanglement Entropy dynamics in Heisenberg chains

By means of the time-dependent density matrix renormalization group algorithm we study the zero-temperature dynamics of the Von Neumann entropy of a block of spins in a Heisenberg chain after a sudden quench in the anisotropy parameter. In the absence of any disorder the block entropy increases linearly with time and then saturates. We analyze the velocity of propagation of the entanglement as a function of the initial and final anisotropies and compare, wherever possible, our results with those obtained by means of Conformal Field Theory. In the disordered case we find a slower (logarithmic) evolution which may signals the onset of entanglement localization.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Entanglement properties and moment distributions of a system of hard-core anyons on a ring

We study the one-particle von Neumann entropy of a system of N hard-core anyons on a ring. The entropy is found to have a clear dependence on the anyonic parameter which characterizes the generalized fractional statistics described by the anyons. This confirms the entanglement as a valuable measure to investigate topological properties of quantum states. Furthermore, we determine analytically the large N asymptotics of the anyonic one-particle density matrix. The formula presented here generalizes the Lenard formula obtained for a system of N hard-core bosons. Finally, we present a numerical analysis which confirms the analytical results and provides additional insight into the problem under consideration.Comment: 5 pages, 3 eps figures. v2: Fig 3 changed, Eq 13 changed, minor corrections. References adde