scholarly journals Can a Low-Cost Eye Tracker Assess the Impact of a Valent Stimulus? A Study Replicating the Visual Backward Masking Paradigm

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-141
Author(s):  
Dimitris D Vlastos ◽  
Markos Kyritsis ◽  
Vasiliki-Alexia Varela ◽  
Stephen R Gulliver ◽  
Afroditi Papaioannou-Spiroulia
Keyword(s):  
Pupil Size ◽  
Bayes Factor ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Repeated Measure ◽  
Eye Tracker ◽  
Backward Masking ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Visual Backward Masking ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Capturing affective response to valent stimuli using eye tracking is of interest not only to academic research but also to commercial equipment developers (e.g. car dashboards). In order to investigate whether a low-cost eye tracker can effectively detect participants’ physiological response to negatively valent stimuli, 44 participants aged 19–24 (mean = 24.7, SD = 5.8) were recruited to complete the visual backward masking paradigm in a repeated-measure experimental design. Saccadic duration and pupil sizes were recorded using a lower-end 60-Hz tracker. Data was analysed using a mix of parametric and non-parametric tests. Our results suggest that valence in the form of fearful vs neutral faces has a significant main effect on both saccadic duration [V = 931, P < 0.001, d = 0.96] and pupil size [t(43) = 29.81, P < 0.001, d = 3.91)]. Our findings were further supported by Bayes factor analysis, which showed that saccadic duration data was 24 times more likely to occur, and pupil size measurement data was 89 times more likely, under the alternative hypothesis, showing that differences in valence had a main effect. The combined evidence produced by our Bayesian analysis, the large effect sizes of our frequentist analysis and the significant effect on two separate measurements lead us to suggest that, under the right conditions, low-cost eye trackers can successfully detect changes in saccadic duration and pupil sizes as a result of physiological responses to threat-relevant visual stimuli.

scholarly journals 0271 Effects of Experimentally Shortened Sleep on Dietary Outcomes in Adolescents

SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A103-A103
Author(s):  
K M Duraccio ◽  
K N Krietsch ◽  
D W Beebe
Keyword(s):  
Glycemic Index ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Glycemic Load ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Repeated Measure ◽  
Added Sugars ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Sleep Condition ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction Adolescents who sleep less may consume more calories during the day; however, shortened sleep may have greater impact on the dietary quality of foods, particularly foods high in sugar content. This study examined the impact of shortened sleep on total caloric intake, macronutrients of food (fats, proteins, carbohydrates), added sugars consumed, and glycemic load/index of foods consumed. Methods 110 adolescents (ages 14–17, M = 15.73(1.80); 63.6% female) underwent a within-subject counterbalanced experimental sleep manipulation, spending either 6.5 or 9.5 hours/night in bed for five nights. During each sleep period, adolescents completed three dietary recalls (reporting amounts and types of foods consumed over a 24-hour period) administered by dietary core study staff. We conducted a series of repeated-measure general linear models comparing averaged weekly dietary outcomes of interest by sleep condition. We also explored whether experimental order of the sleep conditions, family income, or adolescent gender, body mass index (BMI), or race moderated the main effects of sleep condition on dietary outcomes. Alpha was set at .05 for primary analyses and .01 for exploratory analyses. Results We observed a main effect of sleep on carbohydrates (p=.038) and added sugars (p=.009) consumed, as well as the glycemic index (p=.013) and glycemic load (p=.009) of foods consumed. We did not observe a main effect of sleep on total calories or total grams of fat or protein consumed. Exploratory analysis found no significant interactions of the moderators with sleep condition on dietary outcomes. Conclusion Adolescents are consuming more carbohydrates, added sugars, and foods higher in glycemic index and load when sleep restricted, compared to well-rested, despite eating comparable amounts of calories. Sleep restricted adolescents may be drawn to foods that provide quick releases of energy to counteract sleepiness experienced during the day. Support R01 HL120879

The Impact of Endorsing the Belief in a Just World on Social Judgments

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoît Testé ◽  
Samantha Perrin
Keyword(s):  
Social Desirability ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Social Utility ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Social Judgments ◽  
Just World ◽  
The Social ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
The Impact

The present research examines the social value attributed to endorsing the belief in a just world for self (BJW-S) and for others (BJW-O) in a Western society. We conducted four studies in which we asked participants to assess a target who endorsed BJW-S vs. BJW-O either strongly or weakly. Results showed that endorsement of BJW-S was socially valued and had a greater effect on social utility judgments than it did on social desirability judgments. In contrast, the main effect of endorsement of BJW-O was to reduce the target’s social desirability. The results also showed that the effect of BJW-S on social utility is mediated by the target’s perceived individualism, whereas the effect of BJW-S and BJW-O on social desirability is mediated by the target’s perceived collectivism.

Computer simulation study about the dependence of amorphous silicon photonic waveguides efficiency on the material quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 30502
Author(s):  
Alessandro Fantoni ◽  
João Costa ◽  
Paulo Lourenço ◽  
Manuela Vieira
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Simulation Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Deposition Process ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Sidewall Roughness ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Fabrication Defects ◽  
The Impact

Amorphous silicon PECVD photonic integrated devices are promising candidates for low cost sensing applications. This manuscript reports a simulation analysis about the impact on the overall efficiency caused by the lithography imperfections in the deposition process. The tolerance to the fabrication defects of a photonic sensor based on surface plasmonic resonance is analysed. The simulations are performed with FDTD and BPM algorithms. The device is a plasmonic interferometer composed by an a-Si:H waveguide covered by a thin gold layer. The sensing analysis is performed by equally splitting the input light into two arms, allowing the sensor to be calibrated by its reference arm. Two different 1 × 2 power splitter configurations are presented: a directional coupler and a multimode interference splitter. The waveguide sidewall roughness is considered as the major negative effect caused by deposition imperfections. The simulation results show that plasmonic effects can be excited in the interferometric waveguide structure, allowing a sensing device with enough sensitivity to support the functioning of a bio sensor for high throughput screening. In addition, the good tolerance to the waveguide wall roughness, points out the PECVD deposition technique as reliable method for the overall sensor system to be produced in a low-cost system. The large area deposition of photonics structures, allowed by the PECVD method, can be explored to design a multiplexed system for analysis of multiple biomarkers to further increase the tolerance to fabrication defects.

Advancing dairy farming profitability through research

2001 ◽  
pp. 17-22
Author(s):  
J.R. Caradus ◽  
D.A. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Nitrogen Fertiliser ◽  
Grass Endophyte ◽  
Forage Species ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
Dairy Cow Nutrition ◽  
The Impact

The New Zealand dairy industry recognises that to remain competitive it must continue to invest in research and development. Outcomes from research have ensured year-round provision of low-cost feed from pasture while improving productivity. Some of these advances, discussed in this paper, include the use of white clover in pasture, understanding the impacts of grass endophyte, improved dairy cow nutrition, the use of alternative forage species and nitrogen fertiliser to improve productivity, demonstration of the impact of days-in-milk on profitability, and the use of feed budgeting and appropriate pasture management. Keywords: dairy, profitability, research and development

Assessing the Impact of the Inlet Total Pressure Distortion on the Turbofan Thrust

2018 ◽  
pp. 19-30
Author(s):  
Yu. A. Ezrokhi ◽  
E. A. Khoreva
Keyword(s):  
Total Pressure ◽  
External Compression ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Inlet Distortion ◽  
Air Inlet ◽  
Engine Thrust ◽  
Relative Value ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Pressure Recovery Factor ◽  
The Impact

The paper considers techniques to develop a mathematical model using a method of «parallel compressors». The model is intended to estimate the impact of the air inlet distortion on the primary parameters of the aero-engine.  The paper presents rated estimation results in the context of twin spool turbofan design for two typical cruiser modes of flight of the supersonic passenger jet. In estimation the base values σbase and the average values of the inlet ram recovery σave remained invariable. Thus, parametrical calculations were performed for each chosen relative value of the area of low-pressure region.The paper shows that an impact degree of the inlet distortion on the engine thrust for two modes under consideration is essentially different. In other words, if in the subsonic mode the impact assessment can be confined only to taking into account the influence of decreasing average values of the inlet total pressure, the use of such an assumption in the supersonic cruiser mode may result in considerable errors.With invariable values of the pressure recovery factor at the engine intake, which correspond to the speed of flight for a typical air inlet of external compression σbase, and average value σave, a parameter Δσuneven  has the main effect on the engine thrust, and degree of this effect essentially depends on a difference between σave and σbase values.

Motivating Compliance: Firm Response to Mandatory Disclosure Policies

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-119
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Boland ◽  
Chris E. Hogan ◽  
Marilyn F. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Policy Adoption ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Regulated Firms ◽  
Firm Response ◽  
Disclosure Rules ◽  
The Impact

SYNOPSIS Mandatory existence disclosure rules require an organization to disclose a policy's existence, but not its content. We examine policy adoption frequencies in the year immediately after the IRS required mandatory existence disclosure by nonprofits of various governance policies. We also examine adoption frequencies in the year of the subsequent change from mandatory existence disclosure to a disclose-and-explain regime that required supplemental disclosures about the content and implementation of conflict of interest policies. Our results suggest that in areas where there is unclear regulatory authority, mandatory existence disclosure is an effective and low cost regulatory device for encouraging the adoption of policies desired by regulators, provided those policies are cost-effective for regulated firms to implement. In addition, we find that disclose-and-explain regulatory regimes provide stronger incentives for policy adoption than do mandatory existence disclosure regimes and also discourage “check the box” behavior. Future research should examine the impact of mandatory existence disclosure rules in the year that the regulation is implemented. Data Availability: Data are available from sources cited in the text.

scholarly journals Ears in the Sky: Potential of Drones for the Bioacoustic Monitoring of Birds and Bats

Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Adrien Michez ◽  
Stéphane Broset ◽  
Philippe Lejeune
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Active Species ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
High Resolution Imagery ◽  
Human Operators ◽  
The Impact

In the context of global biodiversity loss, wildlife population monitoring is a major challenge. Some innovative techniques such as the use of drones—also called unmanned aerial vehicle/system (UAV/UAS)—offer promising opportunities. The potential of UAS-based wildlife census using high-resolution imagery is now well established for terrestrial mammals or birds that can be seen on images. Nevertheless, the ability of UASs to detect non-conspicuous species, such as small birds below the forest canopy, remains an open question. This issue can be solved with bioacoustics for acoustically active species such as bats and birds. In this context, UASs represent an interesting solution that could be deployed on a larger scale, at lower risk for the operator, and over hard-to-reach locations, such as forest canopies or complex topographies, when compared with traditional protocols (fixed location recorders placed or handled by human operators). In this context, this study proposes a methodological framework to assess the potential of UASs in bioacoustic surveys for birds and bats, using low-cost audible and ultrasound recorders mounted on a low-cost quadcopter UAS (DJI Phantom 3 Pro). The proposed methodological workflow can be straightforwardly replicated in other contexts to test the impact of other UAS bioacoustic recording platforms in relation to the targeted species and the specific UAS design. This protocol allows one to evaluate the sensitivity of UAS approaches through the estimate of the effective detection radius for the different species investigated at several flight heights. The results of this study suggest a strong potential for the bioacoustic monitoring of birds but are more contrasted for bat recordings, mainly due to quadcopter noise (i.e., electronic speed controller (ESC) noise) but also, in a certain manner, to the experimental design (use of a directional speaker with limited call intensity). Technical developments, such as the use of a winch to safely extent the distance between the UAS and the recorder during UAS sound recordings or the development of an innovative platform, such as a plane–blimp hybrid UAS, should make it possible to solve these issues.

scholarly journals An IoT-Based Participatory Antitheft System for Public Safety Enhancement in Smart Cities

Smart Cities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 919-937
Author(s):  
Nikos Papadakis ◽  
Nikos Koukoulas ◽  
Ioannis Christakis ◽  
Ilias Stavrakas ◽  
Dionisis Kandris
Keyword(s):  
Smart Cities ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Asset Tracking ◽  
Tracking Tasks ◽  
Tracking Process ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Operation Center ◽  
Safety Enhancement ◽  
Selection Of

The risk of theft of goods is certainly an important source of negative influence in human psychology. This article focuses on the development of a scheme that, despite its low cost, acts as a smart antitheft system that achieves small property detection. Specifically, an Internet of Things (IoT)-based participatory platform was developed in order to allow asset-tracking tasks to be crowd-sourced to a community. Stolen objects are traced by using a prototype Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-based system, which sends signals, thus becoming a beacon. Once such an item (e.g., a bicycle) is stolen, the owner informs the authorities, which, in turn, broadcast an alert signal to activate the BLE sensor. To trace the asset with the antitheft tag, participants use their GPS-enabled smart phones to scan BLE tags through a specific smartphone client application and report the location of the asset to an operation center so that owners can locate their assets. A stolen item tracking simulator was created to support and optimize the aforementioned tracking process and to produce the best possible outcome, evaluating the impact of different parameters and strategies regarding the selection of how many and which users to activate when searching for a stolen item within a given area.

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