Is virtual reality a valid tool for restorative environments research?

This study examines the validity of virtual reality for assessing the restorative quality of environments. In Study 1, participants (N = 23) visited a real natural and a real urban environment, after completing a task to induce mental fatigue (i.e., a Sudoku task). We found that perceived restorative characteristics, preference ratings, experienced pleasure and self-reported restoration were higher in a real natural environment compared to a real urban environment. Perceived restorative characteristics could predict pleasure and restoration for both the real natural and urban environments, as well as preference for the real natural environment. In Study 2, participants (N = 26) visited a virtual natural and a virtual urban environment, again following a mental fatigue induction. Findings showed that virtual simulations of a natural and urban environment elicit similar effects as real counterparts of these environments. Perceived restorative characteristics, preference, pleasure and restoration were higher in a virtual natural environment compared to a virtual urban environment. Additionally, perceived restorative characteristics could predict pleasure and restoration for both the virtual natural and urban environments, and preference for the virtual natural environment. We did not find significant differences in perceived restorative characteristics between the real and virtual butterfly garden. Moreover, similar restorative characteristics predicted preference, pleasure and restoration in the real butterfly garden and the virtual butterfly garden. These findings indicate that virtual reality can be a valid tool for restorative environments research

Real-Time Decoding of Brain Responses to Visuospatial Attention Using 7T fMRI

Brain-Computer interface technologies mean to create new communication channels between our mind and our environment, independent of the motor system, by detecting and classifying self regulation of local brain activity. BCIs can provide patients with severe paralysis a means to communicate and to live more independent lives. There has been a growing interest in using invasive recordings for BCI to improve the signal quality. This also potentially gives access to new control strategies previously inaccessible by non-invasive methods. However, before surgery, the best implantation site needs to be determined. The blood-oxygen-level dependent signal changes measured with fMRI have been shown to agree well spatially with those found with invasive electrodes, and are the best option for pre-surgical localization. We show, using real-time fMRI at 7T, that eye movement-independent visuospatial attention can be used as a reliable control strategy for BCIs. At this field strength even subtle signal changes can be detected in single trials thanks to the high contrast-to-noise ratio. A group of healthy subjects were instructed to move their attention between three (two peripheral and one central) spatial target regions while keeping their gaze fixated at the center. The activated regions were first located and thereafter the subjects were given real-time feedback based on the activity in these regions. All subjects managed to regulate local brain areas without training, which suggests that visuospatial attention is a promising new target for intracranial BCI. ECoG data recorded from one epilepsy patient showed that local changes in gamma-power can be used to separate the three classes

[Club Siero III] [Material gráfico]

Contiene fotografías pertenecientes al archivo fotográfico del diario "Región", publicadas entre 1976 y 1982Algunas fotos no indican autoría; el resto firmadas por Foto E. Gar (Oviedo), Foto Tino (Pola de Siero), Foto Sierra (Oviedo

[Futbolistas asturianos XX] [Material gráfico]

Contiene fotografías pertenecientes al archivo fotográfico del diario "Región", publicadas entre 1976 y 1977Algunas fotos no indican autoría; el resto firmadas por Foto E. Gar (Oviedo), Foto Sierra (Oviedo), Tino (Pola de Siero

Mindergie: A pervasive learning game for pro-environmental behaviour at the workplace

This chapter reports about a pervasive learning game to increase the environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour at the workplace. Based on a discussion of the theoretical background and related work we introduce the game design and game elements. Results of a formative evaluation study are presented and discussed. Results show that incentive mechanisms are less important than challenging game components that involve employees in proposing solutions for energy conservation at the workplace. Conclusions are drawn for future games and energy conservation activities at the workplace.This project has been partially funded by a SURFnet innovation grant for sustainable ICT solutions and partially by the Welten Institute – Research Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology of the Open University of the Netherlands

[Club Siero I] [Material gráfico]

Contiene fotografías pertenecientes al archivo fotográfico del diario "Región", publicadas entre 1972 y 1983Algunas fotos no indican autoría; el resto firmadas por Foto E. Gar (Oviedo), Ángel Ricardo (Oviedo), Antonio Rodríguez Fernández (Carbayín, Siero), Foto Sierra (Oviedo), Tino (Pola de Siero

[Ganadería] [Material gráfico]

Contiene fotografías pertenecientes al archivo fotográfico del diario "Región", publicadas entre 1970 y 1982Algunas de las fotos indica autoría; el resto por Información Gráfica Sierra (Oviedo), Foto Gar (Oviedo), Salvador Hevia (Oviedo), Reportajes fotográficos Marcos (Avilés), Foto Cifra Gráfica, Antonio Rodríguez Fernández (Carbayín, Siero), Foto Arsenio (Trubia), Establecimiento Fotográfico Hnos. Esteban (Moreda, Aller), Foto Paco (Mieres), Foto Gudin (Luarca), Foto Tino (Siero), Foto Rea (La Pola Siero), Foto Sanso (Avilés

[Licinio de la Fuente] [Material gráfico]: [(Ministro de Trabajo (I)]

Contiene fotografías pertenecientes al archivo fotográfico del diario "Región", publicadas entre 1970 y 1977Algunas fotos no indican autoría; el resto firmadas por Cifra Gráfica, Información Gráfica Sierra, Salvador Hevia (Oviedo), Foto Tino (Pola de Siero), Gyenes (Madrid), Foto Matilla (Gijón), Establecimiento Fotográfico Hnos. Esteban Moreda (Moreda, Aller

Continuation for thin film hydrodynamics and related scalar problems

This chapter illustrates how to apply continuation techniques in the analysis of a particular class of nonlinear kinetic equations that describe the time evolution through transport equations for a single scalar field like a densities or interface profiles of various types. We first systematically introduce these equations as gradient dynamics combining mass-conserving and nonmass-conserving fluxes followed by a discussion of nonvariational amendmends and a brief introduction to their analysis by numerical continuation. The approach is first applied to a number of common examples of variational equations, namely, Allen-Cahn- and Cahn-Hilliard-type equations including certain thin-film equations for partially wetting liquids on homogeneous and heterogeneous substrates as well as Swift-Hohenberg and Phase-Field-Crystal equations. Second we consider nonvariational examples as the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation, convective Allen-Cahn and Cahn-Hilliard equations and thin-film equations describing stationary sliding drops and a transversal front instability in a dip-coating. Through the different examples we illustrate how to employ the numerical tools provided by the packages auto07p and pde2path to determine steady, stationary and time-periodic solutions in one and two dimensions and the resulting bifurcation diagrams. The incorporation of boundary conditions and integral side conditions is also discussed as well as problem-specific implementation issues

"Super" Cocktails for Heavy Ion Testing

The 4.5 MeV/nucleon heavy ion cocktail at the 88-Inch Cyclotron has been expanded by incorporating beams from solid material to fill in the linear energy transfer curve. This supercocktail is available by special request and is useful when only normal incidence between the beam and the device under test is possible or desirable