Leaders are made: Learning acquisition of consistent leader-follower relationships depends on implicit haptic interactions.

Are leaders made or born? Leader-follower roles have been well characterized in social science, but they remain somewhat obscure in sensory-motor coordination. Furthermore, it is unknown how and why leader-follower relationships are acquired, including innate versus acquired controversies. We developed a novel asymmetrical coordination task in which two participants (dyad) need to collaborate in transporting a simulated beam while maintaining its horizontal attitude. This experimental paradigm was implemented by twin robotic manipulanda, simulated beam dynamics, haptic interactions, and a projection screen. Clear leader-follower relationships were learned despite participants not being informed that they were interacting with each other, but only when strong haptic feedback was introduced. For the first time, we demonstrate the emergence of consistent leader-follower relationships in sensory-motor coordination, and further show that haptic interaction is essential for dyadic co-adaptation. These results provide insights into neural mechanisms responsible for the formation of leader-follower relationships in our society.

Assessment the Visual Clarity of the Projector in Classroom and Innovative Asymmetric Distribution LED Tube Applications

The paper aims to explore the relationship between the vertical plane luminance on projection screens and human visual clarity in the classroom or meeting room. While controlling the lighting environment conditions of the classroom to create different luminous distributions and luminance on the projection screen, a survey is conducted to understand students’ visual experience about screen clarity during the field experiment. The luminance of each picture on the projection screen is measured under the specified lighting conditions of luminaires in the classroom, and the relationship is formulated between the average luminance on the projection screen and the visual satisfaction based on clarity of experience. This will be useful for further studying the acceptable threshold of luminance distribution in the classroom to provide a better visual clarity and lighting quality of projection screens while teaching. In this study, the measurement and performance evaluation on a projection screen were carried out at a classroom in the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST). By using an image luminance meter and analyzing the research results, we propose an improvement strategy for asymmetric luminous distribution design of LED light tube and light switch control mechanism of luminaires to resolve the inadequate luminance of the vertical projection screen area to improve the lighting quality and visual clarity of the projection screen while teaching with the least cost.

On the Contemporary Debate About the Headscarf in Austria

The aim of this paper is to trace the debates around the Muslim headscarf in Austria and the related political measures. Looking back over a period of 30 years, the changes in public opinion and in political attitudes concerning the Muslim headscarf are analysed in greater detail. The headscarf functioned as a projection screen for extremely diverse questions and attitudes and the resulting narratives are a barometer of public opinion within the majority society regarding issues like migration, women rights or Islam. At the same time, they show the need for self-assurance about personal identity in a multioptional society and the tension between secularism and the traditional Austrian cooperation model on religious matters. The paper touches on the question of equal opportunities for men and women and on the relationship between the inner-Muslim discourse and the external perspective.

Can politically oriented interventions in built heritage contribute to its authenticity? Erbil Citadel’s Babylonian Gate as a case study

Today, the concept of built heritage authenticity is a projection screen for conflicting demands and thus a ‘contested field’. Short-sighted readings started to drag the concept behind different ill-considered treatises, in which some heritage aspects loosely outweighed other aspects. Archaeological perspectives that tend to freeze heritage structures in time, such as those that are privileged upon other contemporary socio-cultural issues, while political takes also overshadowed other epistemological prospects, and vice versa. Repercussions have made inclusion of what is regarded as ‘inevitable changes’ within the built context problematic as to the re-interpretation and thus assessment of its authenticity. Despite their possible momentary threat to the latter, these changes may add to the cultural value of the context over time, granting new potential that may instead boost its authenticity. This paper investigates the potential continuity of Erbil Citadel’s Babylonian Gate as an inevitable change within the site’s built context by studying the Gate’s controversial political impacts on the context’s authenticity. This study affirms that authenticity is a transcendental value of an open-ended progressive nature, which cannot be reduced to a specific period or properties within the historical chronology of built heritage. Hence, authenticity should be approached as a meaningful existential issue, while revelation of its essence and thus its dimension entails precise scrutiny of both the tangibles and intangibles of the context. However, to be part of its authenticity, any change in the context should be adaptable and possibly incorporated as a new value within its cultural strata, thus enabling progressive support for site authenticity.

Projection Screen with Wide-FOV and Motion Parallax Display for Teleoperation of Construction Machinery

The teleoperation of construction machinery has been introduced to mines and disaster sites. However, the work efficiency of teleoperations is lower than that of onboard operations owing to limitations in the viewing angle and insufficient depth information. To solve these problems and realize effective teleoperations, the Komatsu MIRAI Construction Equipment Cooperative Research Center is developing the next-generation teleoperation cockpit. In this study, we develop a display for teleoperations with a wide field-of-view, a portable projection screen, and a system that reproduces motion parallax, which is suitable for depth perception in the operating range of construction machinery.

Reliability of Perceptual-Cognitive Skills in a Complex, Laboratory-Based Team-Sport Setting

The temporal occlusion paradigm is often used in anticipation and decision-making research in sports. Although it is considered as a valid measurement tool, evidence of its reproducibility is lacking but required for future cross-sectional and repeated-measures designs. Moreover, only a few studies on decision making in real-world environments exist. Here, we aimed at (a) implementing a temporal occlusion test with multi-dimensional motor response characteristics, and (b) assessing intra- and inter-session item reliability. Temporally occluded videos of attack sequences in a team handball scenario were created and combined with the SpeedCourt® contact plate system. Participants were instructed to perform pre-specified defensive actions in response to the video stimuli presented on a life-size projection screen. The intra- and inter-session (after at least 24 h) reproducibility of subjects’ motor responses were analyzed. Significant Cohen’s (0.44–0.54) and Fleiss’ (0.33–0.51) kappa statistics revealed moderate agreement of motor responses with the majority of attack situations in both intra- and inter-session analyses. Participants made faster choices with more visual information about the opponents’ unfolding action. Our findings indicate reliable decisions in a complex, near-game test environment for team handball players. The test provides a foundation for future temporal occlusion studies, including recommendations for new explanatory approaches in cognition research.

Diffractive optics based automotive lighting system

Information projection using laser-based illumination systems in the automotive area is of keen interest to enhance communication between road users. Numerous work on laser-based front end projection employing refractive and reflective optics has been reported so far, while for rear end illumination efforts are more scarce and a different optical design concept due to limited volumetric size and field of view regulations is required. Here, we report on a new and versatile approach for a laser-based rear end lighting system for automotive application which enables projection of information or signals to support other road users. The design is based on thin diffractive optical elements projecting the desired patterns upon illumination. Also, for protection of the road users from the steering laser beam, a diffusive back projection screen is designed to project information while fulfilling both the field of view and safety requirements. The projection system is based on a periodic diffusive structure made of an array of biconic lenses with sizes in the millimeter range. The field of view (FOV) from the simulated lens arrays complies with the angular requirements set by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). As a proof of concept, the diffusive screen is fabricated using microfabrication technology and characterized. In future, the screen will be combined with thin diffractive optical elements to realize an entire integrated projection system.