Reality-based interaction affecting mental workload in virtual reality mental arithmetic training

ABSTRACT

The concept of digital game-based learning (DGBL) evolves rapidly together with technological enhancements of virtual reality (VR) and smart phones. However, the mental workload (MWL) that VR-training applications demand and motivational qualities originating from user experience (UX) should be identified in order to create effective and enjoyable training/learning challenges that fit with individual users’ capabilities. This study examined the effects of reality-based interaction (RBI) and VR on measures of student motivation and MWL, in a mental arithmetic game for secondary school pupils. In a randomised controlled trial with sixty school children, a mental arithmetic game was tested with three different interaction and two different presentation methods – VR RBI, VR head-mounted-display tapping and tablet flick-gesture. Results found a significant effect of RBI on MWL but no differences in enjoyment of training were found between VR-experience and tablet training-experience. In fact, adding the gaming-context to the mental arithmetic task created an enjoyable, motivating experience regardless of presentation or interaction-style.     

Aripiprazole as a potential pharmacotherapy for stimulant dependence: Human laboratory studies with d-amphetamine.

Amphetamine and cocaine dependence present significant public health concerns, yet no broadly effective pharmacotherapy for stimulant dependence has been developed. Two human laboratory studies are reviewed that tested the ability of aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic with partial agonist activity at D2 dopamine receptors, to alter the behavioral effects of stimulants using d-amphetamine as a model agent. In each of these experiments, volunteers learned to discriminate 15 mg d-amphetamine (i.e., ≥80% drug-appropriate responding over 4 consecutive sessions). The effects of a range of doses of d-amphetamine (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 mg) were then tested alone and following pretreatment with aripiprazole (20 mg in Experiment 1; 10 mg in Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, aripiprazole (20 mg) attenuated the discriminative stimulus and many of the subject-rated effects of amphetamine. Aripiprazole alone produced performance decrements. To determine whether a lower dose of aripiprazole would also attenuate the behavioral effects of d-amphetamine without impairing performance, Experiment 2 was conducted. Aripiprazole (10 mg) failed to alter the discriminative-stimulus effects but attenuated some of the subject-rated effects of d-amphetamine. This dose of aripiprazole did not impair performance. The results of these experiments indicate that aripiprazole may have clinical utility in treating stimulant dependence. Future human laboratory research should better model the clinical use of aripiprazole by examining the effects of chronic aripiprazole combined with either methamphetamine or cocaine in dependent individuals. A large-scale clinical trial is also needed to evaluate the efficacy of aripiprazole for the treatment of stimulant dependence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding silica-supported metal catalysts: Pd/silica as a case study

Supported metal catalysts, particularly noble metals supported on SiO₂, have attracted considerable attention due to the importance of the silica–metal interface in heterogeneous catalysis and in electronic device fabrication. Several important issues, e.g., the stability of the metal–oxide interface at working temperatures and pressures, are not well-understood. In this review, the present status of our understanding of the metal–silica interface is reviewed. Recent results of model studies in our laboratories on Pd/SiO₂/Mo(1 1 2) using LEED, AES and STM are reported. In this work, epitaxial, ultrathin, well-ordered SiO₂ films were grown on a Mo(1 1 2) substrate to circumvent complications that frequently arise from the silica–silicon interface present in silica thin films grown on silicon.     

SIMPLIS环境中开关电源集成电路控制器模型的开发及应用

介绍现代开关电源行业仿真工作的意义和现状,以及专用仿真软件包SIM etrix/SIMPLIS的优点和不足。通过实例给出SIMPLIS环境中集成电路控制芯片的建模过程,并就其中的关键技术予以简单讨论。     

浅谈计算软件的开发

软件开发重要的是 :确定编程语言 ,代码设计 ,程序设计 ,软件试验 ,人员培训等步骤     

Solution intercalation of polystyrene and the comparison with poly(ethyl methacrylate)

Polystyrene nanocomposites have been prepared via solution intercalation method. Combination of wide-angle X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis is used to study the effect of solvents on the morphology of the nanocomposites as a function of the amount of residual solvent. d-Spacing of the polystyrene nanocomposites has a minimum value when the residual solvent concentration is between 2 and 4 wt%. Different interaction level between the solvent molecules and polymer chains is considered to be the reason for this special d-spacing change behavior. By comparing the solution intercalation of polystyrene and poly(ethyl methacrylate) from different solvents, it is concluded that the interactions between polymer-surfactant, solvent-surfactant, and polymer-solvent play important role for the solution intercalation of polymers.     

Magnetotransport Calculations for Two-Dimensional Electrons with Spin-Orbit Interaction

We present calculations of the magnetoconductivity in a two-dimensional electron system including the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. Essential for these calculations is an extension of the self-consistent Born approximation which takes into account the electron spin degree of freedom. The calculated magnetoconductivity exhibits, besides the beating in the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, a modulation related to the spin-orbit induced crossings of Landau levels, as a consequence of spin-conserving scattering between spin-orbit coupled states.     

从"天人合一"到"物我合一"——设计艺术中我国观念的转化

通过我国设计艺术中人与自然以及人与物古今观念的对比，试图分析这种观念的转化产生的深层社会背景和对设计的影响。     

古陶片年龄与烧结温度测定中的计算机模拟

介绍用已知年龄和烧结温度的古陶片穆斯堡尔超精细参数与年龄和烧结温度的实验关系曲线作基础，应用计算机模拟程序，自动求出未知陶片的年龄和最高烧结温度的方法。     

井场信息系统建设体系结构

对井场钻井数据实时远程传输的研究和实践进行了总结,从数据远传作用、数据远传通信方式、数据通信网络体系结构、未来发展等几个方面对井场数据远程传输进行了探讨。