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Animal and object stories
No full textThe association of animal and child in children's books is so common that it is easy to forget the figurative nature of this alliance - the way we have penned the animals in - whether it be Kermit the Frog, Rupert Bear, Bugs Bunny, the Cat in the Hat, Peter Rabbit or Toad of Toad Hall. In this chapter I want to explore this relationship, showing how it has been used in children's literature both to support the dominant order, and also to subvert it. There are wider issues to explore too, for the word 'animal' has its etymological roots in 'breath' and 'soul', which link it to that which is 'animate', and this is exactly the transformation that writers and illustrators so readily perform, making animals live in all manner of anthropomorphic ways. And not only animals, for other 'things' are just as easily animated: from puppets and dolls (Pinocchio, Winnie-the-Pooh, Woody in Toy Story) to more everyday objects such as coins, peg-tops and looking-glasses.So, first of all, we need to ask why there is such a close association between animals and children in narratives for children. Perry Nodelman suggests that, in terms of 'humanized animals', the association happened 'more or less by accident', in so far as Aesop's fables provided a suitable early example of didactic literature for children, which was then emulated by others. Karín Lesnik-Oberstein, on the other hand, sees the key association being forged by the Romantics, where the child is linked to nature, existing outside culture and language in some Edenic space
Chemically Sensitized Thin-Film Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonators as Humidity Sensors
No full textA humidity sensor based on a thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBARs) operating at sub gigahertz frequencies has been developed in this work. The FBAR was microfabricated, electrically characterized, and then coated with the hygroscopic polymer poly[vinylpyrrolidone] (PVP). The FBAR was electrically connected to 50 Omega transmission lines and sealed within a temperature stabilized environmental isolation chamber. Changes in the moisture content of a nitrogen stream were measured with FBAR and verified with external hygroscopes. Response time, sensitivity, and hysteresis of the prototype sensor were examined. In some experiments, the thickness of the PVP polymer film exceeded the total thickness of the FBAR, yet the device still continued to resonate with sufficient quality Q factor to allow for continuous tracking of frequency changes in response to humidity change. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3496003] All rights reserved
The in-plane linear elastic constants and out-of-plane bending of 3-coordinated ligament and cylinder-ligament honeycombs
No full textFour novel cylinder-ligament honeycombs are described, where each cylinder has 3 tangentially-attached ligaments to form either a hexagonal or re-entrant hexagonal cellular network. The re-entrant cylinder-ligament honeycombs are reported for the first time. The in-plane linear elastic constants and out-of-plane bending response of these honeycombs are predicted using Finite Element (FE) modelling and comparison made with hexagonal and re-entrant hexagonal honeycombs without cylinders. A laser-crafted re-entrant cylinder-ligament honeycomb is manufactured and characterized to verify the FE model. The re-entrant honeycombs display negative Poisson's ratios and synclastic curvature upon out-of-plane bending. The hexagonal and 'trichiral' honeycombs possess positive Poisson's ratios and anticlastic curvature. The 'anti-trichiral' honeycomb (short ligament limit) displays negative Poisson's ratios when loaded in the plane of the honeycomb, but positive Poisson's ratio behaviour (anticlastic curvature) under out-of-plane bending. These responses are understood qualitatively through considering deformation occurs via direct ligament flexure and cylinder rotation-induced ligament flexure
Uncanny behaviour in survival horror games
No full textThis study investigates the relationship between the perceived strangeness of a virtual character and the perception of human likeness for some attributes of motion and sound. Participants (N=100) were asked to rate thirteen video clips of twelve different virtual characters and one human. The results indicate that attributes of motion and sound do exaggerate the uncanny phenomenon and how frightening that character is perceived to be. Strong correlations were identified for the perceived strangeness of a character with how human-like a character's voice sounded, how human-like the facial expression appeared and how synchronized the character's sound was with lip movement; characters rated as the least synchronized were perceived to be the most frightening. Based on the results of this study, this article seeks to define an initial set of hypotheses for the fear-evoking aspects of character facial rendering and vocalization in survival horror games that can be used by game designers seeking to increase the fear factor in the genre, and that will form the basis of further experiments, which, it is hoped, will lead to a conceptual framework for the uncanny
The transverse elastic properties of chiral honeycombs
No full textThis work describes the out-of-plane linear elastic mechanical properties of trichiral, tetrachiral and hexachiral honeycomb configurations. Analytical models are developed to calculate the transverse Young's modulus and the Voigt and Reuss bounds for the transverse shear stiffness. Finite Element models are developed to validate the analytical results, and to identify the dependence of the transverse shear stiffness vs. the gauge thickness of the honeycombs. The models are then validated with experimental results from flatwise compressive and simple shear tests on samples produced with rapid prototype (RP)-based techniques
The scripting of male and female rape
No full textPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how male and female rape is scripted.Design/methodology/approach – In total, 100 (50 male, 50 female) participants were asked to write down in their own words what they considered to be the typical rape when the victim was either an adult male or female.Findings – Results revealed that men’s and women’s rape scripts did not dramatically differ, though several differences were revealed between male and female rape scripting, focussing around the gender stereotypes of men verses women.Originality/value – Results are discussed in relation to gender role stereotyping and wider implications are considered
A psychology based framework for cultivating and respecting user attitudes
No full textIn social and cognitive psychology, theories related to human attitude change are well established. In recent years, it has become increasingly common for those who seek to change attitudes towards computer based information systems to employ attitude change notions that originate from psychology.In this paper, the findings of those who have employed ‘attitude change psychology’ to understand or change user attitudes, are synthesised to create a prototype framework by which it is proposed that user attitudes could be cultivated as part of a system implementation. Operating as a summary of existing knowledge, this frame work also unveils significant areas of empirical deficit, providing a basis for future investigation
A time domain approach to power integrity for printed circuit boards
No full textPower integrity is becoming increasingly relevant due to increases in device functionality and switching speeds along with reduced operating voltage. Large current spikes at the device terminals result in electromagnetic disturbances which can establish resonant patterns affecting the operation of the whole system.These effects have been examined using a finite difference time domain approach to solve Maxwell?s equations for the PCB power and ground plane configuration. The simulation domain is terminated with a uniaxial perfectly matched layer to prevent unwanted reflections. This approach calculates the field values as a function of position and time and allows the evolution of the field to be visualized.The propagation of a pulse over the ground plane was observed demonstrating the establishment of a complex interference pattern between source and reflected wave fronts and then between multiply reflected wave fronts. This interference which affects the whole ground plane area could adversely affect the operation of any device on the board. These resonant waves persist for a significant time after the initial pulse. Examining the FFT of the ground plane electric field response showed numerous resonant peaks at frequencies consistent with the expected values assuming the PCB can be modelled as a resonant cavity with two electric and four magnetic field boundaries
More than a feeling: Measurement of sonic user experience and psychophysiology in a first-person shooter game
No full textThe combination of psychophysiological and psychometric methods provides reliable measurements of affective user experience (UX). Understanding the nature of affective UX in interactive entertainment, especially with a focus on sonic stimuli, is an ongoing research challenge. In the empirical study reported here, participants played a fast-paced, immersive first-person shooter (FPS) game modification, in which sound (on/off) and music (on/off) were manipulated, while psychophysiological recordings of electrodermal activity (EDA) and facial muscle activity (EMG) were recorded in addition to a Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Results indicate no main or interaction effects of sound or music on EMG and EDA. However, a significant main effect of sound on all GEQ dimensions (immersion, tension, competence, flow, negative affect, positive affect, and challenge) was found. In addition, an interaction effect of sound and music on GEQ dimension tension and flow indicates an important relationship of sound and music for gameplay experience. Additionally, we report the results of a correlation between GEQ dimensions and EMG/EDA activity. We conclude subjective measures could advance our understanding of sonic UX in digital games, while affective tonic (i.e., long-term psychophysiological) measures of sonic UX in digital games did not yield statistically significant results. One approach for future affective psychophysiological measures of sonic UX could be experiments investigating phasic (i.e., event-related) psychophysiological measures of sonic gameplay elements in digital games. This could improve our general understanding of sonic UX beyond affective gaming evaluation
A novel odour-adsorbing biopolymer dressing for managing infected wounds
No full textMalodour in wounds is mainly associated with exudating chronic wounds such as venous leg ulcer, pressure ulcer, diabetic foot ulcer, fungating and malignant wounds. It is caused by the presence of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. Foul odour is caused by anaerobes, and aerobic Gram-negative bacilli, pseudomonas and klebsiella species produce fishy and fruity odours. Patients with malodour wounds are often embarrassed because undesirable smell creates a social stigma. Currently Activated Charcoal Cloth (ACC) dressing is employed to adsorb the gaseous compounds responsible for the undesirable odours. However, ACC dressing is not welcomed by patients and clinicians because it is black and the broken fragments of carbon fibres could contaminate wounds, hi addition the efficacy of malodour adsoption is severely compromised once the dressing is saturated with wound exudates. It is in this background, the University of Bolton has carried out a research and development programme to develop an alternative to ACC dressing with enhanced malodour adsoption capability without compromising the essential properties of an ideal wound dressing. A wide range of biopolymers such as Manuka honey, neem oil, aloe vera were utilised and systematically investigated for their odour adsorption characteristics in wound dressing. A novel composite wound dressing has been engineered by using aloe vera and its odour adsoption property was tested and compared with that of commercial odour adsorption dressings. During the course of research, odour adsorption test equipment was modified and standardised. The results showed that aloe vera possesses not only odour adsorption properties but also antimicrobial properties. The developed novel wound dressing possesses the following attributes: environmental friendly; - aloe vera polymer is biodegradable and safe to use to open wounds; - antimicrobial and enhanced odour adsorption; - suitable for both medium and highly exudating chronic wounds; and - maintains moist environment at the wound bed for faster wound healing