Visual Duration but Not Numerosity Is Distorted While Running

There is increasing evidence that action and perception interact in the processing of magnitudes such as duration and numerosity. Sustained physical exercise (such as running or cycling) increases the apparent duration of visual stimuli presented during the activity. However, the effect of exercise on numerosity perception has not yet been investigated. Here, we asked participants to make either a temporal or a numerical judgment by comparing the duration or numerosity of standard stimuli displayed at rest with those presented while running. The results support previous reports in showing that physical activity significantly expands perceived duration; however, it had no effect on perceived numerosity. Furthermore, the distortions of the perceived durations vanished soon after the running session, making it unlikely that physiological factors such as heart rate underlie the temporal distortion. Taken together, these results suggest a domain-selective influence of the motor system on the perception of time, rather than a general effect on magnitude.

Intrinsic somatosensory feedback supports motor control and learning to operate artificial body parts

Objective Considerable resources are being invested to enhance the control and usability of artificial limbs through the delivery of unnatural forms of somatosensory feedback. Here, we investigated whether intrinsic somatosensory information from the body part(s) remotely controlling an artificial limb can be leveraged by the motor system to support control and skill learning. Approach In a placebo-controlled design, we used local anaesthetic to attenuate somatosensory inputs to the big toes while participants learned to operate through pressure sensors a toe-controlled and hand-worn robotic extra finger. Motor learning outcomes were compared against a control group who received sham anaesthetic and quantified in three different task scenarios: while operating in isolation from, in synchronous coordination, and collaboration with, the biological fingers. Main results Both groups were able to learn to operate the robotic extra finger, presumably due to abundance of visual feedback and other relevant sensory cues. Importantly, the availability of displaced somatosensory cues from the distal bodily controllers facilitated the acquisition of isolated robotic finger movements, the retention and transfer of synchronous hand-robot coordination skills, and performance under cognitive load. Motor performance was not impaired by toes anaesthesia when tasks involved close collaboration with the biological fingers, indicating that the motor system can close the sensory feedback gap by dynamically integrating task-intrinsic somatosensory signals from multiple, and even distal, body- parts. Significance Together, our findings demonstrate that there are multiple natural avenues to provide intrinsic surrogate somatosensory information to support motor control of an artificial body part, beyond artificial stimulation.

Catch the star! Spatial information activates the manual motor system

Previous research demonstrated a close bidirectional relationship between spatial attention and the manual motor system. However, it is unclear whether an explicit hand movement is necessary for this relationship to appear. A novel method with high temporal resolution – bimanual grip force registration – sheds light on this issue. Participants held two grip force sensors while being presented with lateralized stimuli (exogenous attentional shifts, Experiment 1), left- or right-pointing central arrows (endogenous attentional shifts, Experiment 2), or the words "left" or "right" (endogenous attentional shifts, Experiment 3). There was an early interaction between the presentation side or arrow direction and grip force: lateralized objects and central arrows led to an increase of the ipsilateral force and a decrease of the contralateral force. Surprisingly, words led to the opposite pattern: increased force in the contralateral hand and decreased force in the ipsilateral hand. The effect was stronger and appeared earlier for lateralized objects (60 ms after stimulus presentation) than for arrows (100 ms) or words (250 ms). Thus, processing visuospatial information automatically activates the manual motor system, but the timing and direction of this effect vary depending on the type of stimulus.

Building a classifier in the personality recognition system based on eye tracking data

Identification systems that use biometric characteristics to solve the problem of access to information systems are becoming more common. The article proposes a new method of biometric identification of computer systems users, based on the determination of the integral Volterra model of the human oculo-motor system (OMS) according to experimental research "input-output" using innovative eye tracking technology. With the help of the Tobii Pro TX300 eye tracker, the data of OMC responses to test visual stimuli were obtained, displayed as bright dots on the computer screen at different distances from the start position in the "horizontal" direction. Based on the data obtained, the transition functions of the first, second and third orders of the OMS for two people were determined. To construct a personality classifier, the informativeness of the proposed heuristic features, determined on the basis of the transition functions in terms of the probability of correct recognition (PCR), is investigated. Pairs of features are established that are resistant to computational errors and have a high PCR value - in the range 0.92 - 0.97. Fig.: 8. Table: 5. Bibliography: 30 items. Key words: biometric identification, personality recognition, Volterra model, oculo-motor system, eye tracking technology, informativeness of features, classification.

Choroby i ich objawy w XIX-wiecznym Słowniku polsko-łacińsko-łotewskim Jana Kurmina

This article presents an analysis of the names of diseases and their symptoms in Słownik polsko-łacińsko-łotewski (The Polish-Latin-Latvian dictionary) by Jan Kurmin (ed. Vilnius, 1858). The number of excerpted lexical items (377) is presented in 11 semantic fields (from the most expanded to the smallest one): diseases of the motor system, skin diseases, respiratory system diseases, symptoms of multiple diseases, internal diseases, infectious diseases, diseases of the sensory organs, wounds and cuts, digestive system diseases, mental diseases, cardiovascular diseases. The analysis shows that despite the high ability to observe symptoms, the knowledge of treatments remained limited, which is why the dictionary presents mostly diseases that can be easily observed with the unaided eye. The non-professional character of the dictionary is also evidenced by the use of synonymous sequences, vocabulary with indistinct meaning, and descriptive names of diseases.

Switched Reluctance Motor for Electric Submersible Pump

Switched reluctance motors may be advantageous when used as the primary motor for an electric submersible pump system. They are less susceptible to jamming failures due to their high starting torque and ability to reverse direction. Driving these motors requires well-timed pulse waveforms and precise control of the motor based on its rotational position. In general, voltage-based sensing and control systems at the surface see highly unpredictable waveforms with excessive ringing behaviour due to the impedance characteristics of the long cabling between the surface controller and the downhole motor system. In this work, a system is detailed which monitors the current waveforms on the motor coil excitation conductors at the surface as a source of motor performance feedback and control. State-space modelling of the system shows stable current waveforms at the surface controller for both short and long interconnect cable systems. A laboratory demonstration of the surface controller, interconnect cabling, and motor system is shows excellent agreement with the current and voltage waveforms predicted by the state-space system model.

Azo-dye Antibacterial with Nanotube-[SiO2(OH)2]9 System for Drug Delivery Investigation

Azo dye, [SiO2(OH)2]9 molecular ring, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (4,4) SWCNT were considered like an axle, a wheel, and stoppers, respectively. The combination of the azo dye on the [SiO2(OH)2]9 molecular ring with (4,4) SWCNTs may be thought of as a non-covalent system in UV light-isomer- machine. A new molecular motor system that runs like a hinge motion is demonstrated like light-powered molecular hinges. A new molecular motor system that acts as a hinge motion has been demonstrated and introduced as light-moving molecular hinges. By emitting various ultraviolet, visible lights, the [SiO2 (OH)2]9 molecular ring in the system can be reversed with the various dumb-bell size on one side attached halogens and fixing it on the other side of the (4,4) SWCNTs surface, a variety of systems in a wide variety of ultraviolet sensors can be designated to a better model of molecular machines and can be used for drug delivery of some antibiotics that are difficult to administer by straight injection. Molecular machines containing a wide variety of ultraviolet sensors have been designed with the combination of azo derivatives formed by replacing different halogens with hydrogen in the azo dye on the [SiO2(OH)2]9 molecular ring to the (4,4) SWCNTs surface.

Assessment of the impact of motor development on adaptation to learning

The article renders findings of the study of the development of school children’s reading skills and motor development (n=61). Pedagogical and psychological literature considers visual, auditory, and cognitive impairments as primary causes of difficulties in devel-oping reading skills. It is generalized an idea that all types of perception (visual, auditory, etc.) are of afferent-efferent nature: each of these sensory processes is based on its own motor components. Thepurposeof the research is to analyze the impact of student’s motor skills disorders on mastering reading skills; to find the root of the disorders using neuropsychological tests; to differentiate errors and identify effective correction methods. Researchmethodsareasfollows:O. Luria Neuropsychological Battery adapted to school children by Glozman J.; child dyslexia test by O. Korniev & O. Ishymova. Research results have been processed through mathematical statistics, i.e., Pearson correlation coefficient and point-biserial correlation coefficient. Results. It has been identified the most significant indices of the functioning of the motor system of a child, which influence the progress of mastering reading skills in two age groups of school children (aged 7-9 and 10-12). The research has found the most fundamental errors made by school children while per-forming tests that are a ground for basic neuropsycho-logical correction. Conclusions.It has been substantiated that reading is a multi-factor process, and helping a pupil under some reading difficulties. It cannot be lim-ited to monotonous methods. The research states that neuropsychological diagnostics contributes to finding poorly-developed elements, which affect a child’s learning, discovering errors, and developing an effective intervention plan. The first step of the correction should comprise the work with the child motor system, as proved by this research. It is noted that a sensorimotor correction based on M. Bernstein’s construction of movements may underly the program.Keyw ords: neuropsychological diagnostics, dyslexia, learning difficulties, sensorimotor correction. У статті представлені результати дослідження сформованості навичок читання школярів та їхнього рухового розвитку (n=61). У педагогічній та психологічній літературі основними причинами труднощів формування навичок читання найчастіше визначають зорові, слухові та когнітивні проблеми. Розглянуто черговий чинник у структурі розвитку дитини – руховий розвиток. Узагальнено думку, що всі види сприйняття (зорове, слухове тощо) мають аферентно-еферентний характер, в основі кожного з цих сенсорних процесів беруть участь свої рухові компоненти. Метою дослідження є визначення впливу рухових проблем школяра у оволодіння навичками читання; розуміння причини цих проблем за допомогою нейропсихологічних проб; диференціація помилок і визначення ефективних методів корекції. Методидослідження: класична батарея нейропсихологічних тестів О.Лурії, адаптована до дітей шкільного віку Ж.Глозман; методика діагностики дислексії у дітей О.Корнєва і О.Ішимової. Здійснено обробку результатів методами математичної статистики, а саме – кореляційний аналіз за Пірсоном та точково-бісеріальних коефіцієнтів кореляції. Результати.Визначено найбільш значущі показники роботи рухової системи дитини, які мають вплив на успішність оволодіння навичками читання у двох вікових групах школярів (7-9 та 10-12 років). З’ясовано найбільш значущі помилки при виконанні проб школярами, що є підставою для базових напрямків нейропсихологічної корекції. Висновки.Обґрунтовано, що читання – багаточинниковий процес і допомога дитині при труднощах з ним не може обмежуватися одноманітними методами. Констатовано, що нейропсихологічна діагностика допомагає встановити чинники, які є несформованими і впливають на навчання дитини, диференціювати помилки і побудувати ефективний корекційний маршрут. Першим кроком корекції має бути робота з руховою сферою дитини, що доведено нашим дослідженням. Зазначено, що основою програми може бути сенсомоторна корекція на базі теорії про побудову і біомеханіку рухів М.Бернштейна. Ключовіслова: нейропсихологічна діагностика, дислексія, труднощі навчання, сенсомоторна корекція.

Task-dependent switching of feedback controllers

The separation of distinct motor memories by contextual cues is a well known and well studied phenomenon of feedforward human motor control. However, there is no clear evidence of such context-induced separation in feedback control. Here we test both experimentally and computationally if context-dependent switching of feedback controllers is possible in the human motor system. Specifically, we probe visuomotor feedback responses of our human participants in two different tasks – stop and hit – and under two different schedules. The first, blocked schedule, is used to measure the behaviour of stop and hit controllers in isolation, showing that it can only be described by two independent controllers with two different sets of control gains. The second, mixed schedule, is then used to compare how such behaviour evolves when participants regularly switch from one task to the other. Our results support our hypothesis that there is contextual switching of feedback controllers, further extending the accumulating evidence of shared features between feedforward and feedback control.

A mathematical model of a brushed DC motor system

Mathematical model has been proposed for some system that involves a brushed DC motor and it is widely used in industry. Brushed DC motor ideals for applications with a low- torque, manage to change pace or speed and it is widely used in many applications such as x-y table positioning system, conveyor systems and other system that required to use the features that brushed DC motor have. Mathematical model of brushed DC motor in order to verify the performance of the DC motor. In this paper, mathematical model of brushed DC motor will be derived from a brushed DC motor circuit that consist of two parts that are electrical and mechanical part. To validate the functionality of mathematical model, the performance of the brushed DC motor without any controller will be compared with the brushed DC motor with the presence of PI-PD controller that will be tuned by trial-and-error method. Performances of both brushed DC motor with and without controller will be compared in terms of transient response which are, rise time, Tr, settling time, Ts, steady state error, ess and lastly percentage overshoot. At the end of the study, the brushed DC motor with PI-PD controller show a better performance compared to the brushed DC motor without any controller.