An architectural counterpoint in Universal Everything: Fluid Bodies exhibition

ABSTRACT

This exhibition review focuses on the quest for weaving boundaries between body-form-space-and material relationship using immersive technologies. Emerging as an architectural counterpoint, Universal Everything: Fluid Bodies exhibition held in Borusan Contemporary focuses on how we perceive the motion and form in relation to it, as well as fusing senses of kinaesthetic and synaesthetic through a data driven and motion-based visual representation. Through these algorithms, the exhibition displays how neuroarchitecture reminds us of the senses of perception. The architectural counterpoint, intention as an interaction and encounter of the body with ‘the machine’ as the ‘voyeur body’ and how this observational dialogue becomes a research methodology in understanding the nature of movement in space through digital tools.     

Application of particle swarm optimization in epileptic spike EEG source localization

Surgical therapy has become an important therapeutic alternative for patients with medically intractable epilepsy. Correct and anatomically precise localization of an epileptic focus is essential to decide if resection of brain tissue is possible. The inverse problem in EEG-based source localization is to determine the location of the brain sources that are responsible for the measured potentials at the scalp electrodes. We propose a new global optimization method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) to solve the epileptic spike EEG source localization inverse problem. In a forward problem a modified subtraction method is proposed to reduce the computational time. The good accuracy and fast convergence are demonstrated for 2D and 3D cases with realistic head models. The results from the new method are promising for use in the pre-surgical clinic in the future.     

Towards long term monitoring of electrodermal activity in daily life

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a common and severe form of mental disorder. The European research project MONARCA aims at developing and validating mobile technologies for multi-parametric, long term monitoring of physiological and behavioral information relevant to bipolar disorder. One aspect of MONARCA is to investigate the long term monitoring of Electrodermal activity (EDA) to support the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder patients. EDA is known as an indicator of the emotional state and the stress level of a person. To realize a long-term monitoring of the EDA, the integration of the sensor system in the shoe or sock is a promising approach. This paper presents a first step towards such a sensor system. In a feasibility study including 8 subjects, we investigate the correlation between EDA measurements at the fingers, which is the most established sensing site, with measurements of the EDA at the feet. The results indicate that 88% of the evoked skin conductance responses (SCRs) occur at both sensing sites. When using an action movie as psychophysiologically activating stimulus, we have found weaker reactivity in the foot than in the hand EDA. The results also suggest that the influence of moderate physical activity on EDA measurements is low and has a similar effect for both recording sites. This suggests that the foot recording location is suitable for recordings in daily life even in the presence of moderate movement.     

More applicable environmental scanning systems leveraging “modern” information systems

With Ansoff’s article about weak signals as a flagship example, a substantial body of knowledge about environmental scanning systems exists. However, these concepts often go unused in practice. The 2008/2009 economic crisis provided a strong, ongoing impulse for redesigning such information systems (IS). This article develops six guidelines for the conceptual design of environmental scanning systems that are more applicable than those specified by previous research. We start with literature research, which reveals three gaps in existing approaches. Then we develop design guidelines to fill these gaps with the help of “modern” IS. To address the lack of sound requirements analysis, our first design principle proposes 360-degree environmental scanning systems for executives and suggests how to select the most important scanning areas. Three further findings cover weaknesses in the IS model perspective, focusing on more effective implications of weak signals. In terms of method, we propose incorporating scanning results more closely into executives’ decision-making processes. Applying the design guidelines at a raw materials and engineering company, we arrive at a prototype we call the “corporate radar.” It includes an IS-based tree with economic value added at risk on top. The resulting lessons learned help to evaluate our findings and the research method presented here, as well provide concrete starting points for future research.     

Interaction design for supporting communication between Chinese sojourners

In our global village, distance is not a barrier anymore for traveling. People experience new cultures and face accompanying difficulties in order to live anywhere. Social support can help these sojourners to cope with difficulties, such as culture shock. In this paper, we investigate how computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools can facilitate social support when living physically separated from loved-ones in different cultures. The goal is to understand the design considerations necessary to design new CMC tools. We studied communication practices of Chinese sojourners living in the Netherlands and the use of a technology probe with a novel video communication system. These results led to recommendations which can help designers to design interactive communication tools that facilitate communication across cultures. We conclude the paper with an interactive communication device called Circadian, which was designed based on these recommendations. We experienced the design recommendations to be abstract enough to leave space for creativity while providing a set of clear requirements which we used to base design decisions upon.     

Ergonomics evaluation of Picture Archiving and Communication System implementations in two X-ray departments

Two large X-ray departments in the County of Stockholm have changed from traditional analogue technology to digital imaging, including the implementation of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). One of the departments was moved to a completely new purpose-built building and equipped with the latest technology, but for the other one the change merely meant rebuilding and adaptation of existing rooms on the premises. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the ergonomics effects of the new technique in the two X-ray departments and to find out whether the implementation of digital imaging technique came up to expectations of improved ergonomics and work environment. Another purpose was to compare the outcomes for the two departments, in order to learn about the importance of the different implementation approaches. Questionnaires were sent out to the two departments both before the implementation of PACS and after the transition. The questionnaires covered several aspects of work conditions, such as working time, the physical and psychosocial environment, physical work load and musculoskeletal complaints, expectations from the digital technology, etc. The changeover went better than expected and even high expectations were fulfilled and surpassed. However, there were also some unexpected and distressing results; for example, a substantial increase in headaches and musculoskeletal symptoms as well as the use of pain killers among the radiologists of one of the X-ray departments.     

Adaptive signal processing of asset price dynamics with predictability analysis

In this paper we illustrate the optimal filtering of log returns of commodity prices in which both the mean and volatility are modulated by a hidden Markov chain with finite state space. The optimal estimate of the Markov chain and the parameters of the price model are given in terms of discrete-time recursive filters. We provide an application on a set of high frequency gold price data for the period 1973-2006 and analyse the h-step ahead price predictions against the Diebold-Kilian metric. Within the modelling framework where the mean and volatility are switching regimes, our findings suggest that a two-state hidden Markov model is sufficient to describe the dynamics of the data and the gold price is predictable up to a certain extent in the short term but almost impossible to predict in the long term. The proposed model is also benchmarked with ARCH and GARCH models with respect to price predictability and forecasting errors.     

Coupling of scales in a multiscale simulation using neural networks

Multiscale approaches require the coupling of models on different spatial scales. In this paper, a coupling using neural networks is proposed. Based on a set of mesoscale simulations of concrete a system of neural networks is trained to approximate the response. A macroscale constitutive model is obtained by homogenizing the mesoscale response. Special focus is put on the mesh sensitivity, since the mesoscale model includes softening and consequently the width of the localization zone compared to the dimension of the mesoscale model is an additional parameter in the model.     

The Visual Computing of Projector‐Camera Systems

This article focuses on real‐time image correction techniques that enable projector‐camera systems to display images onto screens that are not optimized for projections, such as geometrically complex, coloured and textured surfaces. It reviews hardware‐accelerated methods like pixel‐precise geometric warping, radiometric compensation, multi‐focal projection and the correction of general light modulation effects. Online and offline calibration as well as invisible coding methods are explained. Novel attempts in super‐resolution, high‐dynamic range and high‐speed projection are discussed. These techniques open a variety of new applications for projection displays. Some of them will also be presented in this report.     

Matrix Interpretations for Proving Termination of Term Rewriting

We present a new method for automatically proving termination of term rewriting. It is based on the well-known idea of interpretation of terms where every rewrite step causes a decrease, but instead of the usual natural numbers we use vectors of natural numbers, ordered by a particular nontotal well-founded ordering. Function symbols are interpreted by linear mappings represented by matrices. This method allows us to prove termination and relative termination. A modification of the latter, in which strict steps are only allowed at the top, turns out to be helpful in combination with the dependency pair transformation. By bounding the dimension and the matrix coefficients, the search problem becomes finite. Our implementation transforms it to a Boolean satisfiability problem (SAT), to be solved by a state-of-the-art SAT solver.