Time-based task expectancy: perceptual task indicator expectancy or expectancy of post-perceptual task components?

The temporal predictability of upcoming events plays a crucial role in the adjustment of anticipatory cognitive control in multitasking. Previous research has demonstrated that task switching performance improved if tasks were validly predictable by a pre-target interval. Hence, far, the underlying cognitive processes of time-based task expectancy in task switching have not been clearly defined. The present study investigated whether the effect of time-based expectancy is due to expectancy of post-perceptual task components or rather due to facilitation of perceptual visual processing of the coloured task indicator. Participants performed two numeric judgment tasks (parity vs. magnitude), which were each indicated by two different colours. Each task was either more or less frequently preceded by one of two intervals (500 ms or 1500 ms). Tasks were indicated either by colours that were each more frequently (or in Exp. 1 also less frequently) paired with the interval or by colours that were equally frequent for each interval. Participants only responded faster when colour and task were predictable by time (expected colour), not when the task alone was predictable (neutral colour). Hence, our results speak in favour of perceptual time-based task indicator expectancy being the underlying cognitive mechanism of time-based expectancy in the task switching paradigm.

Development of a Semantically Related Emotional and Neutral Stimulus Set

When measuring memory performance for emotional and neutral stimuli many studies are confounded by not controlling for differential semantic relatedness between stimulus sets. This could lead to the misattribution of the cause of an emotional enhancement of memory effect (EEM), because differential semantic relatedness also contributes to the EEM. Participants rated static visual emotional and neutral scenes on measures of arousal, valence, and semantic relatedness. These measures were used to create a novel stimulus set, which – in addition to demonstrating significant differences in measures of valence and arousal – also controlled for within-set semantic relatedness; thus resolving a crucial issue that has not previously been addressed in the use of visual emotional stimuli. As an added advantage, the stimulus set developed here are controlled for measures of objective visual complexity, also implicated as confounding to the investigation of memory. This article introduces a collection of emotional and neutral colour images which can be organised flexibly according to experimental requirements. These stimuli are made freely available for non-commercial use within the scientific community.

Semitransparent organic solar cells based on PffBT4T-2OD with a thick active layer and near neutral colour perception for window applications

Semitransparent organic solar cells (STOSCs) are of great interest in both academic and industrial fields since they can be easily used as building windows to achieve solar power generation in building façades.

Effect of Coloured Agro-Net Covers on Insect Pest Control and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon Mill)

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon Mill) is one of the most important vegetable crops consumed throughout the world; and is rich in important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Production of the crop in open fields is however constrained by several biotic and abiotic stresses that lead to low tomato yields and quality. This study aimed at determining the effects of coloured agro-net covers on microclimate, pest infestation and yield of tomato cultivar ‘‘Rio Grande’’. The study consisted of two trials conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications and six treatments. Tomato plants were grown under blue, yellow, grey, white or multi-coloured net covers with a no net cover as the control. Data were collected on microclimate (temperature, soil moisture, relative humidity and photosynthetically active radiation), pest counts and crop yield variables. Net covering modified the tomato crop microclimate with highest temperatures and soil moisture and, relative humidity levels recorded under white (21.03 oC), blue (30.03%) and multi-coloured net covers (76.26%), respectively compared to the no net control treatment (16.32 oC, 14.82% and 64.90%). Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was lowest under the blue agro-net cover (416.09 µmol m-2 s-1) and highest under control treatment (985.00 µmol m-2 s-1). Tomato plants grown under coloured-colour nets (yellow and blue) had lower population of silverleaf whitefly, thrips and aphids while mite population was lower under neutral-colour net covers (white, grey and multi-coloured). The neutral-colour net covers (24938.87, 19525.16 and 21541.93 kg/ha) resulted in higher yields compared to coloured-colour net covers (16804.62 and 14551.05 kg/ha). Results of the study indicate that use of agro-net covers especially the neutral-colour net cover can improve microclimate, protect tomato against insect pests and can be considered a viable strategy for tomato production by smallholder growers.

Effects of Colour, Area, and Height on Space Perception

Colours and the spatial properties of the workplace are primarily visually conveyed. The aim of this study determines how colour, area and height influence space perception. 80 interior designers participated in this experiment to evaluate the sixteen workspace images on the internet-based questionnaires. Four factors of space perception; spaciousness, openness, complexity, and order, were assessed using a semantic differential scale. The outcomes revealed that variations in space perception were significantly associated with the difference in colour, area, and height. Neutral colour in all area and height obtained the highest rating of the overall factors, followed by cool colours.

Effects of colour, area and height on space perception

Colours and the spatial properties of the workplace are primarily visually conveyed. The aim of this study determines how colour, area and height influence space perception. 80 interior designers participated in this experiment to evaluate the sixteen workspace images on the internet-based questionnaires. Four factors of space perception; spaciousness, openness, complexity, and order, were assessed using a semantic differential scale. The outcomes revealed that variations in space perception were significantly associated with the difference in colour, area, and height. Neutral colour in all area and height obtained the highest rating of the overall factors, followed by cool colours.

Effects of interior wood finishes on the lighting ambiance and materiality of architectural spaces

Wood is a material often used by architects to enhance the overall ambience of a space, but few researches have been reported to discuss its actual impact on visual impression and luminous effects. This research studies the influence of wood materiality in relation to creating specific lighting ambiances in architecture. In particular, it focuses on the impact of decorative wood indoor panels on the creation of daylighting diversity in interior space and the potential to improve daylighting quality and energy efficiency. The research uses scaled models for their accuracy in rendering complex daylighting ambiances. The photo-luminance meter enables the comparison between different settings of interior spaces created by a selection of wood type materiality: ratio (percentage), colour (Oak, Cape Cod Grey and Dark Walnut coatings) and gloss concerning illuminance patterns obtained from Ecotect software. The CIE L*a*b* colour space is used to classify luminous ambiances. Results indicate that bright colour Oak favours a deeper daylighting penetration and increases the colour temperature of the space by about 300% when applied on the floor. Cape Cod Grey coating provided a neutral colour balance even under sunlighting. High gloss Dark Walnut located on the ceiling produces the highest luminance values, enlarging the window-lighting pattern. The research underlines the role of wood materiality in achieving luminous diversity and creating visually comfortable interior ambiances.

AMBER/VLTI Snapshot Survey on Circumstellar Environments

OHANA is an interferometric snapshot survey of the gaseous circumstellar environments of hot stars, carried out by the VLTI group at the Paranal observatory. It aims to characterize the mass-loss dynamics (winds/disks) at unexplored spatial scales for many stars. The survey employs the unique combination of AMBER's high spectral resolution with the unmatched spatial resolution provided by the VLTI. Because of the spatially unresolved central OBA-type star, with roughly neutral colour terms, their gaseous environments are among the easiest objects to be observed with AMBER, yet the extent and kinematics of the line emission regions are of high astrophysical interest.