Jean Dubuffet : a study of his concepts pertaining to the alienation of the artist

I decided on an investigation into the nature of Dubuffet's remarks concerning the plight of the artist in modern societies, believing that the difficulties facing the artist are, at the time of this writing, still in force, and perhaps even more so now than they were in his day. These difficulties I believe, arise in the form of curtailments on personal and aesthetic freedoms brought about as the result of the artist's position in, and conformity to, the norms and values of his society. The problem is I believe, that these value systems not only censor or curb artistic freedom but actually restrict all individual enterprises by demanding that the indi vidual conform to the greater wish of the group, at the expense of his own creative and individual potential

Predicting the impacts of climate change on genetic diversity in an endangered lizard species

Many endangered species persist as a series of isolated populations, with some populations more genetically diverse than others. If climate change disproportionately threatens the most diverse populations, the species' ability to adapt (and hence its long-term viability) may be affected more severely than would be apparent by its numerical reduction. In the present study, we combine genetic data with modelling of species distributions under climate change to document this situation in an endangered lizard (Eulamprus leuraensis) from montane southeastern Australia. The species is known from only about 40 isolated swamps. Genetic diversity of lizard populations is greater in some sites than others, presumably reflecting consistently high habitat suitability over evolutionary time. Species distribution modelling suggests that the most genetically diverse populations are the ones most at risk from climate change, so that global warming will erode the species' genetic variability faster than it curtails the species' geographic distributio

Silicon micromachined accelerometer/seismometer and method of making the same

A silicon-based microaccelerometer for seismic application is provided using a low-resonant frequency (10 Hz), large proof mass (1 gram), and high Q suspension to achieve high sensitivity of less than 1 ng with a bandwidth a 0.05 to 50 Hz. The proof mass is cut away from a planar substrate in the form of a disk using abrasive cutting, which disk closely fits but does not touch a surrounding angular frame. The spring of the microaccelerometer between the angular frame and the proof mass is provided from two continuous, 3 microns thick membranes. The fixed capacitive electrodes are provided on separate, subsequently bonded substrates, and movable capacitive plates are provided on the membranes. By fabricating capacitive plates on the separate substrates, the gap between the fixed and movable capacitive plates in the differential capacitive sensor is closely controlled. The use of continuous membranes for the spring produces a shock resistant, robust sensor

Robot companion cats for people at home with dementia: A qualitative case study on companotics

Pike J., Picking R., & Cunningham S. (2021). Robot companion cats for people at home with dementia: A qualitative case study on companotics. Dementia, 20(4), 1300-1318. Copyright © [2021] (The Authors). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.The use of robot companion pets for people in care homes has been extensively studied. The results are largely positive and suggest that they are valuable in enhancing wellbeing, communication and behavioural aspects. However, there has been little research in people’s own homes, possibly due to the cost and complexity of some of the robot pets currently available. As dementia affects people in different ways, this study explores the effects of a robot cat for people in their own homes, without specifically investigating the effects on a particular symptom. We utilised a case study design to investigate the proposition that various factors influence the impact of a robot cat on the person living with dementia and their carer, including acceptability of the robot pet and acceptance of dementia and its symptoms. The qualitative analysis explores the similarities and differences within the data which were gathered during interviews with people with dementia and their families. This analysis revealed four themes: Distraction, Communication, Acceptance and rejection, and Connecting with the cat and connecting with others. These themes were synthesised into two overarching themes: the effect of the cat on mood and behaviour, and The interaction with the cat. We present the acceptability and impact of the robot cat on symptoms of dementia, with data presented across and within the group of participants. Our analysis suggests that benefits of the robot pet were evident, and although this was a small-scale study, where they were accepted, robot pets provided positive outcomes for the participants and their families

Two-way Affect Loops in multimedia experiences

A users interaction with a film typically involves a One Way Affect (1WA), in which the film being consumed has an affect on the consumer. Recent advances in physiological monitoring technology however has facilitated the notion of a Two Way Affect Loop (2WAL), in which a film piece can be dynamically affected by a consumers physiology or behaviour. This paper outlines an agenda for further investigating 2WAL, setting research questions and the influence of related research areas

#Scanners: integrating physiology into cinematic experiences

In this paper we present #Scanners, a digital arts installation that aims to bridge the gap between digital arts and neuroscience. #Scanners is an experience in which an individual wears a wireless brain scanners whilst being presented media which is dynamically affected by the individuals physiology. A prototype system has been successfully trialled on roughly 100 users over the past 18 months and has received unanimously positive feedback. We state the minimal additional requirements for demonstrating a Higher Fidelity prototype system and argue the value of including #Scanners at C&C2015

Two-way Affect Loops in multimedia experiences

A users interaction with a film typically involves a One Way Affect (1WA), in which the film being consumed has an affect on the consumer. Recent advances in physiological monitoring technology however has facilitated the notion of a Two Way Affect Loop (2WAL), in which a film piece can be dynamically affected by a consumers physiology or behaviour. This paper outlines an agenda for further investigating 2WAL, setting research questions and the influence of related research areas

Intellectual Capital Disclosure in Knowledge Rich Firms: The Impact of Market and Corporate Governance Factors

YesIntellectual capital disclosure (ICD) in corporate annual reports has received growing European attention. To date, few studies have undertaken systematic analysis of the factors influencing the decision to disclose Intellectual Capital (IC) related information in annual reports. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the level of hidden value (market-to-book ratio), share price volatility, listing age, board composition, ownership structure, audit committee size and directors’ shareholding, in addition to other firm specific factors influence ICD in 100 UK listed knowledge-rich firms. The dependent variable is measured by a 183 item index score, supported by word count and percentage of IC word count metrics to assess the extent, volume and focus of ICD respectively. Results of the analysis based on the three measures indicate significant association with hidden value, using market-to-book ratio as a proxy, and listing age. We further find firm size, share price volatility, director shareholding, audit committee size, and ownership concentration to be associated with ICD in a manner consistent with theoretical expectations. The implications of these findings, hitherto largely untested, are explored from a number of theoretical perspectives

Intellectual Capital Disclosures in Corporate Annual Reports: A European Comparison

YesThe extent of intellectual capital (IC) disclosures in corporate annual reports has received increasing attention in recent years. This paper is an exploratory study that considers the efficacy of various IC disclosure measures. It draws on annual reports of leading firms within the financial services sector in nine Western European countries. Content analysis was employed to produce measures based on disclosure indexes and word count to assess the variety, volume and focus of IC in annual reports. Disclosure scores were computed using three forms of presentation - any form, numerical form (reflecting more ‘objective’ disclosure), and all forms. Generally, we found that the form of disclosure index did not significantly affect IC sample rankings and were broadly in line with the IC word count rankings. However, very different rankings emerged when using the focus measure (IC word count as a percentage of total word count in Annual Report). We argue that this measure of relative importance is an important measure, particularly because firm size is typically positively associated with disclosure. Variation in the form of IC (human, structural, relational) is also explored. The paper then reports the findings of a time series analysis of the IC disclosure practices within a UK bank over a 10-year period. Significant variation in IC disclosure was found, with a strong movement in IC content from human capital to relational capital. These findings are discussed