Alen Hajnal

Bio: Alen Hajnal is an academic researcher from University of Southern Mississippi. The author has contributed to research in topics: Haptic perception & Affordance. The author has an hindex of 14, co-authored 42 publications receiving 592 citations. Previous affiliations of Alen Hajnal include University of Connecticut & Swarthmore College.

Transfer of Calibration Between Hand and Foot: Functional Equivalence and Fractal Fluctuations

Abstract: Transfer of competency in a perceptual task often depends on shared information between anatomically different perceptual subsystems. The problem of studying transfer involves isolating conditions of similarity and then trying to account for any resulting differences in transfer. To respect this twofold aspect, this article takes a two-pronged approach to transfer in dynamic touch. The present research first tests the hypothesis that functional equivalence supports the transfer of dynamic touch. Participants were trained to wield unseen objects with the hand or foot and were then tested on anatomically disparate limbs (i.e., the foot or hand, respectively). Next, we examined motion capture of these wielding behaviors for predictors of any asymmetry in transfer. Temporally fractal fluctuations of exploratory behavior can modulate information detection, and we tested whether the fractality of wielding might predict asymmetries in transfer across disparate limbs. Results suggest that transfer of training to anatomically disparate limbs respects functional conditions of similarity and also that the degree of temporally fractal fluctuations predicted limb differences in transfer.

Slant Perception in Near Space is Categorically Biased: Evidence for a Vertical Tendency

Abstract: The geographical slants of hills are known to appear quite exaggerated. Here, we examine the visual and haptic perception of the geographical slant of surfaces within reach under full-cue conditions and show that the perceived orientation of even these surfaces is biased. An exaggeration with respect to deviations from horizontal is shown to be present cross-modally. Experiment 1 employed numerical estimation to show the effect for visually observed surfaces, while controlling for verbal numerical bias. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the bias is present even when manual measures show good calibration. Experiment 3 controlled for direction of gaze. Experiment 4 measured the same bias for haptic surfaces. Experiment 5 showed that the bias can also be observed using the nonnumeric task of angle bisection. These results constrain theories of geographical slant perception and appear most consistent with functional scale expansion of deviations from horizontal.

Comparison of dynamic (effortful) touch by hand and foot.

Abstract: Spatial perception by dynamic touch is a well-documented capability of the hand and arm Morphological and physiological characteristics of the foot and leg suggest that such a capability may not generalize to that putatively less dexterous limb The authors examined length perception by dynamic touch in a task in which weighted aluminum rods were grasped by the hand and wielded about the wrist or secured to the foot and wielded about the ankle Participants' (N = 10) upper and lower extremities were comparable in terms of (a) the accuracy and consistency of length perception and (b) their sensitivity to manipulations of the moments of the mass distribution of the rods The authors discuss those results in terms of the field-like structure of the haptic perceptual system, an organization that may underlie what appears to be functional, rather than anatomical, specificity

The Perceptual Experience of Slope by Foot and by Finger

Abstract: Historically, the bodily senses have often been regarded as impeccable sources of spatial information and as being the teacher of vision. Here, the authors report that the haptic perception of slope by means of the foot is greatly exaggerated. The exaggeration is present in verbal as well as proprioceptive judgments. It is shown that this misperception of pedal slope is not caused by calibration to the well-established visual misperception of slope because it is present in congenitally blind individuals as well. The pedal misperception of slope is contrasted with the perception of slope by dynamic touch with a finger in a force-feedback device. Although slopes feel slightly exaggerated even when explored by finger, they tend to show much less exaggeration than when equivalent slopes are stood on. The results are discussed in terms of a theory of coding efficiency.

The Perception of the Visual World. By James J. Gibson. U.S.A.: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1950 (George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., London). Price 35s.

Abstract: Let's read! We will often find out this sentence everywhere. When still being a kid, mom used to order us to always read, so did the teacher. Some books are fully read in a week and we need the obligation to support reading. What about now? Do you still love reading? Is reading only for you who have obligation? Absolutely not! We here offer you a new book enPDFd the perception of the visual world to read.

The Senses Considered As Perceptual Systems

Abstract: Thank you for downloading the senses considered as perceptual systems. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have search hundreds times for their favorite novels like this the senses considered as perceptual systems, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some malicious bugs inside their desktop computer. the senses considered as perceptual systems is available in our book collection an online access to it is set as public so you can get it instantly. Our books collection hosts in multiple locations, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Kindly say, the the senses considered as perceptual systems is universally compatible with any devices to read.

Societal implications of nanoscience and nanotechnology

Abstract: Executive Summary. 1. Introduction. 2. Nanotechnology Goals. 3. Nanotechnology and Societal Interactions. 4. Social Science Approaches for Assessing Nanotechnology's Implications. 5. Recommendations. 6. Statements on Societal Implications. Bibliography. Appendices.

Systematic review of Kinect applications in elderly care and stroke rehabilitation

Abstract: In this paper we present a review of the most current avenues of research into Kinect-based elderly care and stroke rehabilitation systems to provide an overview of the state of the art, limitations, and issues of concern as well as suggestions for future work in this direction. The central purpose of this review was to collect all relevant study information into one place in order to support and guide current research as well as inform researchers planning to embark on similar studies or applications. The paper is structured into three main sections, each one presenting a review of the literature for a specific topic. Elderly Care section is comprised of two subsections: Fall detection and Fall risk reduction. Stroke Rehabilitation section contains studies grouped under Evaluation of Kinect’s spatial accuracy, and Kinect-based rehabilitation methods. The third section, Serious and exercise games, contains studies that are indirectly related to the first two sections and present a complete system for elderly care or stroke rehabilitation in a Kinect-based game format. Each of the three main sections conclude with a discussion of limitations of Kinect in its respective applications. The paper concludes with overall remarks regarding use of Kinect in elderly care and stroke rehabilitation applications and suggestions for future work. A concise summary with significant findings and subject demographics (when applicable) of each study included in the review is also provided in table format.

Who is being deceived? The experimental demands of wearing a backpack

Abstract: A growing literature argues that wearing a heavy backpack makes slopes look steeper and distances seem longer (e.g., Proffitt, 2006). To test for effects of experimental demand characteristics in a backpack experiment, we manipulated the experimental demand of the backpack and then used a postexperiment questionnaire to assess participants’ beliefs about the purpose of the backpack. For participants in the low-demand condition, an elaborate deception was used to provide an alternative explanation of the requirement to wear a heavy backpack (i.e., that it held EMG equipment). The highest slope judgments were found for those undeceived participants who guessed that the backpack was intended to affect their slope perception and also reported that they thought they were affected by it. When persuaded that the backpack served another purpose, participants’ slope estimates were no different from those of participants not wearing a backpack. These findings suggest that backpack effects, and other reported effects of effort on perception, are judgmental biases that result from the social, not physical, demands of the experimental context.