Blending Real and Virtual Worlds Using Self-reflection and Fiducials

Part 12: DemonstrationsInternational audienceThis paper presents an enhanced version of a portable out-of-the-box platform for semi-immersive interactive applications. The enhanced version combines stereoscopic visualization, marker-less user tracking, and multi-touch with self-reflection of users and tangible object interaction. A virtual fish tank simulation demonstrates how real and virtual worlds are seamlessly blended by providing a multi-modal interaction experience that utilizes a user-centric projection, body, and object tracking, as well as a consistent integration of physical and virtual properties like appearance and causality into a mixed real/virtual world

Лингвистические и культурологические традиции и инновации: сборник материаов XIV Международной научно-практической конференции, Томск, 12-15 ноября 2014 г.

В сборнике представлены материалы выступлений участников XIV Международной научно-практической конференции "Лингвистические и культурологические традиции инновации", проведённой 12–15 ноября 2014 года кафедрой иностранных языков Энергетического института Национального исследовательского Томского политехнического университета. Сборник включает два раздела: первый посвящён актуальным проблемам современной теории и методики профессионального образования, преподавания иностранных языков и культур, теории и практики межкультурной коммуникации, исторического, сравнительного и сопоставительного языкознания; второй – вопросам прикладной лингвистики, связанным с разработкой концепции научно-образовательного комплекса "Интеллектуальные энергосистемы (Smart Grid)". Сборник предназначен для научных работников, преподавателей, аспирантов, студентов

User-Centered Design of Immersive Research Applications for Understanding Written Artefacts

Writing is an essential cultural technique that shaped our world's societies and is an important cultural heritage. The Cluster of Excellence 'Understanding Written Artefacts' is an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural long-term project dedicated to studying so-called 'Written Artefacts (WA)', which include all sorts of objects on which visual signs are applied by hand. Through our work, the research field of human-computer interaction is represented in the Cluster for the first time. This paper introduces our interdisciplinary research on immersive applications for understanding WA. We motivate the usage of virtual reality (VR) technologies for the novel field of WA research, in which we explore new immersive ways of studying WA. Currently, only fieldwork provides the spatial context to the WA in the inscribed spaces. Immersive applications could provide researchers with virtual access to the spatial and even temporal context at any time, but so far, VR has not been used in academia for this use case. We developed two immersive VR systems with a user-centred design approach in close cooperation with academic experts from ancient history, classical archaeology, and theology, among other fields. Our VR systems visualize WA with their temporal and spatial context and provide additional content such as reconstructions, hidden layers, and meta information. Our tool was developed for two different application scenarios, (1) a large outdoor scenario of the ancient Roman theatre of Miletus, and (2) an interior scenario of the church at the Rittergut Lucklum

Immersive Inscribed Spaces - Bringing Virtuality to Written Artefacts for Humanities

Writing is an essential cultural technique, and the resulting artefacts are an important part of cultural heritage. The Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ is an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural long-term project dedicated to studying so-called ‘written artefacts (WA)’. Our work introduces immersive technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality to the research cluster for the first time. In this paper, we outline the scope of our research project and present our current implementations of immersive applications based on two scenarios involving inscribed spaces. So far, immersive technologies have not been used in academia to create research focused applications for exploring, analysing, and understanding WA within their inscribed space, including providing access to appropriate spatial and temporal contexts. Thus, we collaborate closely with researchers from the humanities to create interactive and immersive applications for the novel field of WA research. The results of our preliminary user study show high ratings in the sense of presence in the virtual environments and indicate that immersive spatial context could add new perspectives for understanding WA. We hope to provide valuable insights on the design of immersive applications to support future research in novel fields

Kidney Function and White Matter Disease in Young Stroke Patients Analysis of the Stroke in Young Fabry Patients Study Population

Background and Purpose-Impaired kidney function is thought to be associated with small vessel disease, outcome, and mortality in the general stroke population. Data are limited regarding young patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of kidney function and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in young patients with first ischemic stroke. Methods-We analyzed 2500 young (18-55 years) patients with first-ever ischemic stroke from the prospective observational Stroke in Young Fabry Patients (SIFAP1) study with available MRI data on WMH. Of these, 2009 had available data concerning estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Kidney function was expressed as eGFR by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease method. Deep WMHs on MRI were classified by the Fazekas score. Multivariate analysis was performed using a regression model with random effects. Results-Mean eGFR was 96.7 mL/min in those with WMH Grade 0 to 1 (none to mild), 90.7 mL/min in WMH Grade 2 (moderate), and 89 mL/min in WMH Grade 3 (severe). Univariate analysis revealed WMH to be associated with age (P25 kg/m(2); P=0.013), current smoking (P=0.044), and eGFR (P=0.009). In multivariate analysis, age, hypertension, and eGFR remained associated with WMH severity. Conclusions-In young patients with acute ischemic stroke, lower eGFR values in the normal range are associated with the presence of moderate to severe WMH

A support programme for secondary prevention in patients with transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke (INSPiRE-TMS): an open-label, randomised controlled trial

Background: Patients with recent stroke or transient ischaemic attack are at high risk for a further vascular event, possibly leading to permanent disability or death. Although evidence-based treatments for secondary prevention are available, many patients do not achieve recommended behavioural modifications and pharmaceutical prevention targets in the long-term. We aimed to investigate whether a support programme for enhanced secondary prevention can reduce the frequency of recurrent vascular events. Methods: INSPiRE-TMS was an open-label, multicentre, international randomised controlled trial done at seven German hospitals with acute stroke units and a Danish stroke centre. Patients with non-disabling stroke or transient ischaemic attack within 2 weeks from study enrolment and at least one modifiable risk factor (ie, arterial hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, or smoking) were included. Computerised randomisation was used to allocate patients (1:1) either to the support programme in addition to conventional care or to conventional care alone. The support programme used feedback and motivational interviewing strategies with eight outpatient visits over 2 years aiming to improve adherence to secondary prevention targets. The primary outcome was the composite of major vascular events consisting of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and vascular death, assessed in the intention-to-treat population (all patients who underwent randomisation, did not withdraw study participation, and had at least one follow-up). Outcomes were assessed at annual follow-ups using time-to-first-event analysis. All-cause death was monitored as a safety outcome. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01586702. Findings: From Aug 22, 2011, to Oct 30, 2017, we enrolled 2098 patients. Of those, 1048 (50·0%) were randomly assigned to the support programme group and 1050 (50·0%) patients were assigned to the conventional care group. 1030 (98·3%) patients in the support group and 1042 (99·2%) patients in the conventional care group were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The mean age of analysed participants was 67·4 years and 700 (34%) were women. After a mean follow-up of 3·6 years, the primary outcome of major vascular events had occurred in 163 (15·8%) of 1030 patients of the support programme group and in 175 (16·8%) of 1042 patients of the conventional care group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·92, 95% CI 0·75–1·14). Total major vascular event numbers were 209 for the support programme group and 225 for the conventional care group (incidence rate ratio 0·93, 95% CI 0·77–1·12; p=0·46) and all-cause death occurred in 73 (7·1%) patients in the support programme group and 85 (8·2%) patients in the conventional care group (HR 0·85, 0·62–1·17). More patients in the support programme group achieved secondary prevention targets (eg, in 1-year-follow-up 52% vs 42% [p<0·0001] for blood pressure, 62% vs 54% [p=0·0010] for LDL, 33% vs 19% [p<0·0001] for physical activity, and 51% vs 34% [p=0·0010] for smoking cessation). Interpretation: Provision of an intensified secondary prevention programme in patients with non-disabling stroke or transient ischaemic attack was associated with improved achievement of secondary prevention targets but did not lead to a significantly lower rate of major vascular events. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of support programmes in selected patients who do not achieve secondary prevention targets soon after discharge. Funding: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Pfizer, and German Stroke Foundation