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The uncanny wall
No full textThis paper proposes that increasing technological sophistication in the creation of realism for human-like, virtual characters is matched by increasing technological discernment on the part of the viewer. One of the goals for achieving a realism that is believable for virtual characters is to overcome the Uncanny Valley where perceived strangeness or familiarity is rated against perceived human-likeness. Empirical evidence shows the uncanny can be applied to virtual characters, yet implies a more complex picture than the shape of a deep valley with a sharp gradient as depicted in Mori's original plot of the Uncanny Valley. Our results imply that: (1) perceived familiarity is dependent upon a wider range of variables other than appearance and behaviour; and (2) for realistic, human-like characters the Uncanny Valley is an impossible traverse, is not supported fully by empirical evidence and the concept is better replaced with the notion of an Uncanny Wall
Developing and maintaining collaborative communities of practice in Art, Design & Media: The North West Network experience
No full textThis paper describes and explores the methodologies underpinning the development of the North West Network of the Higher Education Academy's Art, Design & Media Subject Centre(ADM-HEA). Founded in 2006 the network's members are drawn from a range of institutions across the North West(NW) including pre and post '92 Universities and Further Education (FEC) Colleges with Higher Education (HE) provision. To date it has completed and disseminated two major collaborative research projects looking at research informed teaching and aspects of the student experience. The network provides opportunities for staff working at different levels, in different areas of the sector, to work together, to share good practice and to feed these experiences into teaching. It provides a model of co-operation which circumvents the problems posed by increasing competition between institutions, the difficulties presented by limited funding, and time constraints. Here, in order to promote debate about the hierarchies and perceived barriers to collaboration, are outlined the means by which the group has been sustained; the network's research has been achieved; and the ethos of the group developed. The projects outlined here demonstrate that it is possible to provide opportunities for staff working at different levels, in different areas of the sector, to work together to undertake research and to share good practice
Mindfulness, therapy and vocational values: exploring the moral and aesthetic dimensions of vocational education and training
No full textThe debilitation and devaluation of education in general and vocational education and training (VET) in particular has been explored and described in recent years by a wide range of critical commentators. Education stands in dire need of therapy, and this paper suggests a therapeutic process for rejuvenating and enhancing VET through attention to the moral and aesthetic values which, arguably, should underpin all genuinely vocational learning. These processes need to counter the claims made by Ecclestone & Hayes about the so-called 'therapeutic turn' in education. It is suggested that such claims are exaggerated and mistakenly based on a one-sided intellectualist conception of the educational task. On a more positive note, it is argued that the theory and practice of 'mindfulness' - present-moment attention and awareness - can serve to foster moral, social and aesthetic values which can be utilised to enhance and enrich vocational studies at all levels of the system
Extracting intrinsic parameters of film bulk acoustic resonators with different sizes of pads
No full textFilm bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) are typically characterised by a network analyser on a probe station to extract the device parameters, which are then used for circuit design. These measured parameters are different from the intrinsic ones owing to the existence of parasitic effects from the pads and testing environment which may lead to failure of the designed circuits. A method is proposed to extract the intrinsic Q-factor and resonant frequencies of the FBARs from the measured S-parameters. Results show that the intrinsic series resonant frequency could be a few megahertz different from the measured one, and the intrinsic Q-factors could be up to 100% larger than the measured ones
Whole chip ESD Protection for 2.4 GHz LNA
No full textWhole chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for 2.4 GHz low noise amplifier (LNA) under 0.18 mu m radio frequency (RF) CMOS process is proposed in this paper. Complementary silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) with different layouts for I/O pad ESD protection is evaluated and compared with traditional SCR and diode. Results show that the island complementary SCR (MSCRIsland) structure has highest figure of merit (FOM) and its ESD protection for RF I/O passes 6 kV human body model (HBM), while extra 0.28 dB noise figure (NF) and 178 fF capacitance is introduced into LNA by this ESD protection. LNA power clamp ESD protection is also designed as RC triggered various devices, such as NMOS, SCR and their mixture. Results show that RC trigger NMOS-SCR has high robustness and turn-on speed and its power clamp protection passes 5 kV HBM
The effect of numeracy and affect on adherence to rational choice principles in decisions under risk
No full textThe question of how affective state effects decision making has, in recent years, come to prominence in the field of decision research. The relationship between numeracy and choice, reasoning and judgement has also started to receive an increasing amount of attention. The series of studies reported here investigate the effect of numeracy and affect on the violation of rational choice principles. Preference reversal and violations of (transparent) dominance in decisions under risk are investigated in Study 1, using a lottery choice paradigm, while Study 2 examines the relationship between numeracy and these violations of rationality. Study 3 concerns the development and reliability and validity testing of a numeracy scale designed for use in decision research. Study 4 investigates the extent to which more and less numerate individuals attend to probabilistic and outcome value information, using a think aloud methodology. In Studies 5 and 6 the effect of endogenous and exogenous affect on choice and response time is examined, with Study 6 also investigating whether the effect of affect on dominance violation is mediated by numeracy or propensity to engage in cognitive reflection. Key contributions to theory made by this programme of research included the findings that: 1) probability neglect is a widespread phenomenon that can lead to violations of transparent dominance; 2) those lower in numeracy are more prone to probability neglect than those who are more numerate; 3) endogenous happiness promotes the utilisation of cognitively effortful System 2 processes and thus a reduced rate of probability neglect, while exogenous happiness does not; and 4) the relationship between endogenous happiness and process is not mediated by numeracy, thus indicating that those lower in numeracy can be motivated to expend greater cognitive effort on probabilistic tasks. Two key contributions to methodology are also made: 1) a numeracy scale; and 2) a procedure for eliciting task-endogenous changes in affective state
Imaginary games
No full textCan games be art? When film critic Roger Ebert claimed in 2010 that videogames could never be art it was seen as a snub by many gamers. But from the perspective of philosophy of art this question was topsy turvey, since according to one of the most influential theories of representation all art is a game. Kendall Waltons make-believe theory explains how we interact with paintings, novels, movies and other artworks in terms of imaginary games, like a child's game of make-believe, wherein the artwork acts as a prop prescribing specific imaginings. In this view there can be no question that videogames - in fact, all games - are indeed a strange and wonderful form of art. In Imaginary Games, game designer and philosopher Chris Bateman expands Waltons theory to videogames, board games, collectible card games such as Pokémon and Magic: the Gathering, and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. The book explores the diverse fictional worlds that influence the modern world, the ethics of games, and the curious role imagination plays in everything from religion to science and mathematics
ZnO-Based FBAR Resonators With Carbon Nanotube Electrodes
No full textFilm bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) devices with carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes directly grown on a ZnO film by thermal chemical vapor deposition have been fabricated. CNT electrodes possess a very low density and high acoustic impedance, which reduces the intrinsic mass loading effect resulting from the electrodes' weight and better confines the longitudinal acoustic standing waves inside the resonator, in turn providing a resonator with a higher quality factor. The influence of the CNTs on the frequency response of the FBAR devices was studied by comparing two identical sets of devices; one set comprised FBARs fabricated with chromium/gold bilayer electrodes, and the second set comprised FBARs fabricated with CNT electrodes. It was found that the CNTs had a significant effect on attenuating traveling waves at the surface of the FBARs' membranes because of their high elastic stiffness. Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the devices fabricated was carried out, and the numerical simulations were consistent with the experimental results obtained
The combined effect of epoxy nanocomposites and phosphorus flame retardant additives on thermal and fire reaction properties of fiber-reinforced composites
No full textThis study investigates the thermal stability of an aerospace grade epoxy resin containing a silicate-based nanoclay modified by an organophosphorus moiety (vinyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide; VTP), double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and/or conventional phosphorus containing flame retardants (FRs) at weight fractions up to 20% using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). When FR additives (15 wt%) or VTP containing nanoclay (5 wt%) are used independently, the overall thermal stability enhancement of the epoxy resin follows the order; ammonium polyphosphate (APP) > nanoclay VTP > resorcinol bis-(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) > tris-(tribromoneopentyl) phosphate (TBP). The addition of DWCNTs alone did not significantly alter the thermal stability of the epoxy resin matrix. The concomitant addition of VTP together with RDP, APP, and TBP at a cumulative weight fraction of 20% led to synergistic improvements in the thermal stability of the resin. The fire reaction properties of the glass fiber-reinforced laminates prepared from modified resin formulations were measured under cone calorimetry conditions at an incident heat flux of 50 kW/m2. The addition of conventional FRs with or without the nanoclay significantly reduced the peak value heat release rate and total heat release relative to the control sample. DWCNTs alone did not show a significant effect on the fire reaction properties of the epoxy resin composites. The burning behavior of the flame-retarded samples as evaluated by cone calorimetry correlated very well with TGA and differential thermal analysis (DTA) data. The depolymerization intensity as measured from DTA data agreed with PHRR from cone calorimetry while the TTI showed a direct correlation to the onset of thermal degradation as determined from TGA data. According to a fire risk assessment based on cone calorimetry data, nanocomposites containing APP achieved the highest fire safety rating