Specification Techniques for Multi-Modal Dialogues in the U-Wish Project

In this paper we describe the development of a specification\ud technique for specifying interactive web-based services. We\ud wanted to design a language that can be a means of\ud communication between designers and developers of interactive services, that makes it easier to develop web-based services fitted to the users and that shortens the pathway from design to implementation. The language, still under development, is based on process algebra and can be\ud connected to the results of task analysis. We have been\ud working on the automatic generation of executable prototypes\ud out of the specifications. In this way the specification\ud language can establish a connection between users, design\ud and implementation. A first version of this language is\ud available as well as prototype tools for executing the specifications. Ideas will be given as to how to make the connection between specifications and task analysis

St. Lawrence River

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. The boat thrust forward under the power of his arms as he pulled back the oars. Smoother, harder, faster as he went. He had no intention of stopping. He was in his own head now. Harder, faster, the oars back and forth, harder, faster. In his own head not seeing, not hearing. The ripples and the waves that he created were crying out to him, Stop! The river helplessly cried out for his attention but the river\u27s concerns were not his. Not now

Prioritized Selection in Visual Search through Onset Capture and Color Inhibition: Evidence from a Probe-Dot Detection Task.

Observers performed a preview search task in which, on some trials, they had to indicate the presence of a briefly presented probe-dot. Probes could be presented on locations corresponding to old or new elements and prior to or after the presentation of the new elements. After the presentation of the new elements, probes were generally detected faster on new than on old locations, indicating prioritized selection of new elements. Prior to the presentation of the new elements, probes were detected faster on new than on old locations only when old and new elements differed in color. These results suggest that prioritized selection of new elements is mediated not by visual marking but by onset capture. Additionally, observers may apply color-based inhibition. Copyright 2005 by the American Psychological Association

Modelling of silicon condenser microphones

Several models concerning the sensitivity of capacitive pressure sensors have been presented in the past. Modelling of condenser microphones, which can be considered to be a special type of capacitive pressure sensor, usually requires a more complicated analysis of the sensitivity, because they have a strong electric field in the air gap. It is found that the mechanical sensitivity of condenser microphones with a circular diaphragm, either with a large initial tension or without any initial tension, increases with increasing bias voltage (and the corresponding static deflection), whereas the mechanical sensitivity of other capacitive pressure sensors does not depend on the static deflection. It is also found that the mechanical sensitivity increases with increasing input capacitance of a preamplifier. In addition, the open-circuit electrical sensitivity and, consequently, the total sensitivity too, also increases with increasing bias voltage (or static deflection). However, the maximum allowable sound pressure at which the diaphragm collapses, an effect that has to be taken into account, decreases with increasing static deflection in most cases, ulthnately resulting in an optimum value for the bias voltage. The model for microphones with a circular highly tensioned diaphragm has been verified successfully for two microphone types

Buyer focus: evaluation of a new concept for supply chain integration

The goal of integrated supply chains is to remove barriers to ease the flow of materials and information. This article concentrates on an important barrier: shared resources in a supply chain. The removal of these shared resources is closely related to the recently introduced concept of buyer focus. Buyer focus is described as the singling out of resources in order to supply one buyer along the whole range of its products. The value of buyer focus for supply chain integration is evaluated and in two cases illustrated. This article suggests that there are two extreme configurations in supply chains. On the one hand, suppliers with buyer-focused operations to enable high levels of integration in order to cope with uncertainty in volume, mix and leadtime. On the other hand, shared resources and low levels of integration, which are more likely in supply chains that are dominantly cost driven.

Illusory conjunctions are an illusion: The effects of target-nontarget similarity on conjunction and feature errors.

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Prioritizing selection of new elements: on the time-course of the preview effect.

The preview effect demonstrates that if observers in a visual search task are allowed a preview of a subset of elements before another subset of new elements is added, the first subset of elements does no longer compete for attentional selection. The aim of the present study was to investigate how long after the presentation of the new elements the preview effect can be preserved. Observers were presented with displays containing one set of elements (old elements) followed after a certain time interval by a second set of elements (new elements). Observers searched for the presence of a target among the new elements. The target appeared through an equiluminant colour change at varying intervals after the presentation of the new elements. The results indicated that the preview effect disappears beyond 200 ms after the presentation of the new elements. The results are discussed in terms of visual marking, temporal segregation, and onset capture. In everyday life, we are confronted with an enormous amount of visual infor-mation. Yet, our information processing capacity is limited. To behave effi-ciently, the visual system must select only that information that is relevant to th

THE GENERIC NAMES PROPOSED FOR HYMENOMYCETES-III * " Clavariaceae"

1. This third part deals with "Clavariaceae," a family designation used in a traditional and descriptive, rather than a taxonomic, sanse. 2. Two of the author's previously published proposals for the conservation of certain names are replaced by slightly altered ones. They aim at the safeguarding of the names Clavulinopsis Overeem, Lachnocladium. Lev., and Ramaria (Pr.) Bonord. A proposal to conserve Pterula Fr. in its current sense is withdrawn as superfluous. 3. Some forgotten or neglected names are listed, e.g. Scleroglossum Pers. and Xyloglossum Pers. These two names are typified by a species that makes them synonyms of Acrospermum Tode ex Fr. (Ascomycetes). 4. The following typifications, among others, deserve attention: Dendrocladium Lloyd by Lachnocladium giganteum Pat., Holocoryne (Fr.) Bonord. by Clavaria falcata Pers. ex Fr., and Ramaria S. F. Gray by Clavaria pratensis Pers. 5. One new combination is made: Pistilliva typhae (Hohn.) Donk (basinym, Dacryopsis typhae Hohn.)