Mlčenlivý přítel

Pokud se někdy zeptáte svého kamaráda, co plánuje na prázdniny a on Vám odpoví pouze zarputilým mlčením, nemějte mu to za zlé. Po přečtení tohoto článku jeho chování jistě porozumíte, ba navíc možná kamarádova cena ve Vašich očích ještě vzroste. Proč vlastně o svých budoucích plánech mlčet nám prozradí Derek Sivers.Pokud se někdy zeptáte svého kamaráda, co plánuje na prázdniny a on Vám odpoví pouze zarputilým mlčením, nemějte mu to za zlé. Po přečtení tohoto článku jeho chování jistě porozumíte, ba navíc možná kamarádova cena ve Vašich očích ještě vzroste. Proč vlastně o svých budoucích plánech mlčet nám prozradí Derek Sivers.If you ask your friend what´s his plan for this summer and he is just quiet still, don´t be angry with him. After reading this article you surely understand what is going on and maybe you appreciate your friend´s behaviour. Why it is better not to speak loud about your plans tells us Derek Sivers

Magnetically Assembled Electronic Digital Materials

The concept of digital materials at the boundary of electric circuits and miniature robotics is studied. The main objective is to develop an experimental framework for the automatic assembly of basic electric circuits from the elementary modules. The framework is demonstrated on tiny modules, so-called bits, which take advantage of magnetic actuation and connection, both electrically and mechanically. The concept has potential application in small-scale robotics, especially for modular reconfigurable and versatile insect-scale robots, which can be used as elementary parts of complex reconfigurable machines.The concept of digital materials at the boundary of electric circuits and miniature robotics is studied. The main objective is to develop an experimental framework for the automatic assembly of basic electric circuits from the elementary modules. The framework is demonstrated on tiny modules, so-called bits, which take advantage of magnetic actuation and connection, both electrically and mechanically. The concept has potential application in small-scale robotics, especially for modular reconfigurable and versatile insect-scale robots, which can be used as elementary parts of complex reconfigurable machines

When the display matters: A multifaceted perspective on 3D geovisualizations

This study explores the influence of stereoscopic (real) 3D and monoscopic (pseudo) 3D visualization on the human ability to reckon altitude information in noninteractive and interactive 3D geovisualizations. A two phased experiment was carried out to compare the performance of two groups of participants, one of them using the real 3D and the other one pseudo 3D visualization of geographical data. A homogeneous group of 61 psychology students, inexperienced in processing of geographical data, were tested with respect to their efficiency at identifying altitudes of the displayed landscape. The first phase of the experiment was designed as non-interactive, where static 3D visual displayswere presented; the second phase was designed as interactive and the participants were allowed to explore the scene by adjusting the position of the virtual camera. The investigated variables included accuracy at altitude identification, time demands and the amount of the participant’s motor activity performed during interaction with geovisualization. The interface was created using a Motion Capture system, Wii Remote Controller, widescreen projection and the passive Dolby 3D technology (for real 3D vision). The real 3D visual display was shown to significantly increase the accuracy of the landscape altitude identification in non-interactive tasks. As expected, in the interactive phase there were differences in accuracy flattened out between groups due to the possibility of interaction, with no other statistically significant differences in completion times or motor activity. The increased number of omitted objects in real 3D condition was further subjected to an exploratory analysis

Magnetically Assembled Electronic Digital Materials

The concept of digital materials at the boundary of electric circuits and miniature robotics is studied. The main objective is to develop an experimental framework for the automatic assembly of basic electric circuits from the elementary modules. The framework is demonstrated on tiny modules, so-called bits, which take advantage of magnetic actuation and connection, both electrically and mechanically. The concept has potential application in small-scale robotics, especially for modular reconfigurable and versatile insect-scale robots, which can be used as elementary parts of complex reconfigurable machines.The concept of digital materials at the boundary of electric circuits and miniature robotics is studied. The main objective is to develop an experimental framework for the automatic assembly of basic electric circuits from the elementary modules. The framework is demonstrated on tiny modules, so-called bits, which take advantage of magnetic actuation and connection, both electrically and mechanically. The concept has potential application in small-scale robotics, especially for modular reconfigurable and versatile insect-scale robots, which can be used as elementary parts of complex reconfigurable machines

Spatial Analysis of Navigation in Virtual Geographic Environments

Human performance and navigation activity in virtual environments can be measured and assessed with the aim to draw specific conclusions about human cognition. This paper presents an original virtual geographic environment (VGE) designed and used for this purpose. The presented research is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach combining knowledge and principles from the fields of psychology, cartography, and information technologies. The VGE was embedded with user logging functionality to provide a basis from which conclusions about human cognitive processes in a VGE could be drawn. The scope of this solution is introduced, described, and discussed under a behavioral measurement framework. An exploratory research design was adopted to demonstrate the environment’s utility in proof-of-concept user testing. Twenty participants were observed in interactive, semi-interactive and non-interactive tasks, their performance and individual differences were analyzed. The behavioral measurements were supplemented by Object-Spatial Imagery and a Verbal Questionnaire to determine the participants’ cognitive styles. In this sample, significant differences in exploration strategies between men and women were detected. Differences between experienced and non-experienced users were also found in their ability to identify spatial relations in virtual scenes. Finally, areas for future research areas and development were pinpointed

Evaluation of User Performance in Interactive and Static 3D Maps

Interactive 3D visualizations of geospatial data are currently available and popular through various applications such as Google EarthTM and others. Several studies have focused on user performance with 3D maps, but static 3D maps were mostly used as stimuli. The main objective of this paper was to identify differences between interactive and static 3D maps. We also explored the role of different tasks and inter-individual differences of map users. In the experimental study, we analyzed effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences, when working with static and interactive 3D maps. The study included 76 participants and used a within-subjects design. Experimental testing was performed using our own testing tool 3DmoveR 2.0, which was based on a user logging method and open web technologies. We demonstrated statistically significant differences between interactive and static 3D maps in effectiveness, efficiency, and subjective preferences. Interactivity influenced the results mainly in ‘spatial understanding’ and ‘combined’ tasks. From the identified differences, we concluded that the results of the user studies with static 3D maps as stimuli could not be transferred to interactive 3D visualizations or virtual reality

Analytic and holistic cognitive style as a set of independent manifests: Evidence from a validation study of six measurement instruments.

Cognitive styles are commonly studied constructs in cognitive psychology. The theory of field dependence-independence was one of the most important cognitive styles. Yet in the past, its measurement had significant shortcomings in validity and reliability. The theory of analytic and holistic cognitive styles attempted to extend this theory and overcome its shortcomings. Unfortunately, the psychometric properties of its measurement methods were not properly verified. Furthermore, new statistical approaches, such as analysis of reaction times, have been overlooked by current research. The aim of this pre-registered study was to verify the psychometric properties (i.e., factor structure, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, discriminant validity with intelligence and personality, and divergent, concurrent and predictive validity) of several methods routinely applied in the field. We developed/adapted six methods based on self-report questionnaires, rod-and-frame principles, embedded figures, and hierarchical figures. The analysis was conducted on 392 Czech participants, with two data collection waves. The results indicate that the use of methods based on the rod-and-frame principle may be unreliable, demonstrating no absence of association with intelligence. The use of embedded and hierarchical figures is recommended. The self-report questionnaire used in this study showed an unsatisfactory factor structure and also cannot be recommended without futher validation on independent samples. The findings also did not correspond with the original two-dimensional theory