Production-quality video over broadband networks: a systemdescription and two interactive applications

The Washington University MultiMedia eXplorer (MMX) is a complete, host-independent multimedia system capable of transmitting and receiving JPEG-compressed video, CD-quality audio, and high-resolution radiographic images over the Washington University broadband ATM network. If the host is equipped with an ATM interface card, normal network traffic can be supported via an ATM extension port on the MMX. The major components of the MMX are an ATMizer and three multimedia channels. The ATMizer implements the host interface, the interface to the ATM network, and the interface to the three multimedia channels. This paper describes the architecture of the MMX, the software used with the system, and two applications that have been developed to demonstrate the capability of broadband ATM networks for multimedia applications     

Relations between anger expression and cardiovascular reactivity: Reconciling inconsistent findings through a matching hypothesis.

Previous psychophysiological research (e.g., E. L. Diamond; see record 1983-01361-001) has demonstrated that both anger expression and anger suppression are related to cardiovascular responses, but in an inconsistent fashion. The present study tested the following hypotheses: (a) that the influence of anger expression style on psychophysiological responses would be limited to Ss exposed to an anger instigation, and (b) that the specific pattern of psychophysiological responses would vary as a function of whether Ss were induced to use their preferred vs. nonpreferred mode of anger expression style in response to the instigation. 78 male college undergraduates were randomly assigned to work on a task with either an annoying or a pleasant confederate and subsequently to write either a negative or a positive evaluation of the confederate. Blood pressure was measured intermittently and heart rate continuously throughout task performance and a subsequent 15-min rest period. Ss' preferred method of anger expression had been previously assessed by a self-report questionnaire. Systolic blood pressure results generally were consistent with the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bias in spatial location due to categorization: Comment on Tversky and Schiano.

B. Tversky and D. J. Schiano (1989) reported bias in reproducing the angle of a line in an "ell" frame. When no conceptual interpretation of the task was given, they argued that the bias was due to a perceptual process that produced an apparent tilt in the line (D. J. Schiano & B. Tversky, 1992). We propose that J. Huttenlocher, L. V. Hedges, and S. Duncan's (1991) model of category effects on estimates of stimulus values provides a better explanation of this bias. Two experiments are presented that examine these alternative views. The results show effects of the orientation of the frame and of an interference task on bias that are more consistent with J. Huttenlocher et al.'s model than with the perceptual explanation adopted by D. J. Schiano and B. Tversky. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Benefits of digital hearing aids

The author examines the physiological and psychological characteristics of the impaired ear and attempts to develop an understanding that can be used as the basis for designing a hearing aid. In addition, the limitations of today's hearing aids are examined. Secondly, new technology, such as digital signal processing, are examined as to its potential in hearing aid applications. Is digital processing practical and what are the potential benefits? Lastly, future directions of hearing aid research and development are discussed     

Influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostile attitudes and behaviors.

Studied the influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostility indices that have been related to rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). Ss were 119 girls and 95 boys (aged 6–18 yrs) and 141 women and 120 men (aged 31–62 yrs) from 142 families. Results showed little familial aggregation of Type A behavior and hostility. Adults had higher Structured Interview (SI) potential-for-hostility ratings than did children, whereas children had higher MMPI-derived hostility scores and SI anger-in ratings than did adults. Male adults and male children had higher SI potential-for-hostility ratings and MMPI-derived hostility scores than did their female counterparts. The heightened hostility of males may account, in part, for their heightened risk of CHD relative to females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vaudeville: A High Performance,Voice Activated Teleconferencing Application

We present Vaudeville, a voice-activated, hands-free, ATM-based video conferencing application. This system is scalable; although video bandwidth is normally a limiting factor in the number of conferences participants, the bandwidth attributed to the video is not a function of conference size. This is achieved through an automatic, distributed floor control mechanism that gives the appearance of an open floor. Audio and video are encoded in hardware using a platform-independent, ATM hardware multimedia interface. Vaudeville features digitally transmitted NTSC video, voice-activated audio transmission, audio bridging of two audio streams, and voice-activated video switching. Multiple simultaneous multiparty conferences are supported. Users can move freely among conferences without knowledge of the underlying network structure. We describe how Vaudeville was built using a component-based distributed programming environment. We also describe the algorithms used to control the audio and video of the application.