Semantic integration of multidimensional perceptual information in L1 sentence comprehension

Many studies have substantiated the perceptual symbol system, which assumes a routine generation of perceptual information during language comprehension, but little is known about the processing format in which the perceptual information of different dimensions is conveyed simultaneously during sentence comprehension. The current study provides the first experimental evidence of how multidimensional perceptual information (color and shape) was processed during online sentence comprehension in Mandarin. We designed three consecutive sentence–picture verification tasks that only differed in the delay of the display of pictures preceded by declarative sentences. The processing was analyzed in three stages based on time intervals (i.e., 0ms, +750ms, +1500ms). The response accuracy and response time data were reported. The initial stage (i.e., ISI=0ms) attested the match effect of color and shape, but the simulated representation of color and shape did not interact. In the intermediate stage (i.e., ISI=750ms), the routinely simulated color and shape interacted, but the match facilitation was found only in cases where one perceptual information was in mismatch while the other was not. In the final stage (i.e., ISI=1500ms), the match facilitation of one particular perceptual property was influenced by a mismatch with the other perceptual property. These results suggested that multiple perceptual information presented simultaneously was processed in an additive manner to a large extent before entering into the final stage, where the simulated perceptual information was integrated in a multiplicative manner. The results also suggested that color and shape were comparable to object recognition when conjointly conveyed. In relation to other evidence from behavioral and event-related potential studies on sentence reading in the discussion, we subscribed to the idea that the full semantic integration became available over time.

Optimal Dyadic Integration of Complementary Perceptual Judgments Under Condition of Prescribed Agreement

We investigated whether prescribing an agreement can result in optimal inter-individual integration of perceptual judgments in absence of verbal communication. Participants in pairs performed a localization task in a virtual 3D environment, where the goal was to make projections from an upper plane to the target on the bottom plane. Partners were provided with complementary viewpoints and could be optimal if each took over one orthogonal dimension. In the Revision condition partners saw each other’s individual judgments and could rely on them. In the Agreement condition they provided a joint response. In both conditions communication was not allowed. We found that participants could optimally distribute the dimensions, but only when agreement was mandated. Without the agreement requirement, participants failed to properly rely on their partner on the dimension where the latter were more accurate. We also found, that prescription of agreement exerts a general positive effect on individual performance.Our results demonstrate that even in absence of verbal communication, interacting in a shared environment can result in optimal integration of perceptual information under the condition that an agreement is reached.

Rear-End Crash Risk Analysis considering Drivers’ Visual Perception and Traffic Flow Uncertainty: A Hierarchical Hybrid Bayesian Network Approach

Rear-end crashes or crash risk is widely recognized as safety-critical state of vehicles under comprehensive conditions. This study investigated the association between traffic flow uncertainty, drivers’ visual perception, car-following behavior, roadway and vehicular characteristics, and rear-end crash risk variation and compared the crash risk variation prediction with and without specific flow-level data. Two datasets comprising 5055 individual vehicles in car-following state were collected through on-road experiments on two freeways in China. A hierarchical hybrid BN model approach was proposed to capture the association between drivers’ visual perception, traffic flow uncertainty, and rear-end crash risk variation. Results show that (1) the BN model with flow-level data outperformed the BN model without flow-level data and could predict 85.3% of the cases of crash risk decrease, with a false alarm rate of 21.4%; (2) the hierarchical hybrid BN models showed plausible spatial transferability in predicting crash risk variation; and (3) the incorporation of specific flow-level variables and data greatly benefited the successful identification of rear-end crash risk variations. The findings of this study suggest that rear-end crash risk is inherently associated with both individual driving behaviors and traffic flow uncertainty, and appropriate visual perceptual information could compensate for crash risk and improve safety.

Mechanical Effects of Canes on Postural Control: Beyond Perceptual Information

BackgroundNumerous studies showed that postural balance improves through light touch on a stable surface highlighting the importance of haptic information, seemingly downplaying the mechanical contributions of the support. The present study examined the mechanical effects of canes for assisting balance in healthy individuals challenged by standing on a beam. MethodsSixteen participants supported themselves with two canes, one in each hand, and applied minimal, preferred, or maximum force onto the canes. They positioned the canes in the frontal plane or in a tripod configuration. ResultsResults showed that canes significantly reduced the variability of the center of pressure and center of mass to the same level as when standing on the ground. In the preferred condition, participants exploited the altered mechanics by resting their arms on the canes and, in the tripod configuration, allowing for larger CoP motions in the task-irrelevant dimension. Increasing the exerted force beyond the preferred level yielded no further benefits, in fact had a destabilizing effect on the canes: the displacement of the hand on the cane handle increased with the force. ConclusionsDespite the challenge of a statically unstable system, these results show that, in addition to augmenting perceptual information, using canes can provide mechanical benefits and challenges. First, the controller minimizes effort channeling noise in the task-irrelevant dimensions and, second, resting the arms on the canes but avoiding large forces that would have destabilizing effects. However, if maximal force is applied to the canes, the instability of the support needs to be counteracted, possibly by arm and shoulder stiffness.

A framework of physically interactive parameter estimation based on active environmental groping for safe disaster response work

Disaster response robots are expected to perform complicated tasks such as traveling over unstable terrain, climbing slippery steps, and removing heavy debris. To complete such tasks safely, the robots must obtain not only visual-perceptual information (VPI) such as surface shape but also the haptic-perceptual information (HPI) such as surface friction of objects in the environments. VPI can be obtained from laser sensors and cameras. In contrast, HPI can be basically obtained from only the results of physical interaction with the environments, e.g., reaction force and deformation. However, current robots do not have a function to estimate the HPI. In this study, we propose a framework to estimate such physically interactive parameters (PIPs), including hardness, friction, and weight, which are vital parameters for safe robot-environment interaction. For effective estimation, we define the ground (GGM) and object groping modes (OGM). The endpoint of the robot arm, which has a force sensor, actively touches, pushes, rubs, and lifts objects in the environment with a hybrid position/force control, and three kinds of PIPs are estimated from the measured reaction force and displacement of the arm endpoint. The robot finally judges the accident risk based on estimated PIPs, e.g., safe, attentional, or dangerous. We prepared environments that had the same surface shape but different hardness, friction, and weight. The experimental results indicated that the proposed framework could estimate PIPs adequately and was useful to judge the risk and safely plan tasks.

The Link Between Conceptual and Perceptual Information in Memory

We continually draw on, and link, conceptual knowledge with perception as we process and interact with our surroundings. This chapter highlights issues at the intersection of perceptual and conceptual processing in human memory. First, it discusses the role of the brain’s perceptual systems and connected regions during conceptual processing. Next, a case study of real-world (or ‘canonical’) size is used to illustrate questions and issues that arise when seeking to understand phenomena that can require information from both perceptual input and semantic memory to be integrated. The influence of conceptual processing on perception is then described, before outlining some additional related factors: conceptual granularity, episodic memory, and individual differences. The chapter concludes by looking to the future of this research area – a field that requires a unique understanding of issues that lie at the heart of perception, memory, and more.

Motor Development in Context

The study of motor development has traditionally focused on the timing and sequence of the acquisition of motor skills, such as sitting, crawling, or walking, over the first years of life. Because motor skills are directly observable, motor development serves as a useful exemplar for general principles of development. Current frameworks emphasize motor development in and as a context, such as how change in motor skill interacts with simultaneous change in other developmental domains, how the acquisition of new motor skills creates new opportunities for learning, and how the context in which motor development occurs shapes the course of development. For example, the onset of new motor skills changes the allocation of attentional resources, the quality of infants’ sleep, and available perceptual information. Reciprocally, contexts such as culturally specific parenting practices and individual differences in everyday experiences impact the timing and trajectory of new motor skills.

Modality-specific attractor dynamics in dyadic entrainment

Rhythmic joint coordination is ubiquitous in daily-life human activities. In order to coordinate their actions towards shared goals, individuals need to co-regulate their timing and move together at the collective level of behavior. Remarkably, basic forms of coordinated behavior tend to emerge spontaneously as long as two individuals are exposed to each other’s rhythmic movements. The present study investigated the dynamics of spontaneous dyadic entrainment, and more specifically how they depend on the sensory modalities mediating informational coupling. By means of a novel interactive paradigm, we showed that dyadic entrainment systematically takes place during a minimalistic rhythmic task despite explicit instructions to ignore the partner. Crucially, the interaction was organized by clear dynamics in a modality-dependent fashion. Our results showed highly consistent coordination patterns in visually-mediated entrainment, whereas we observed more chaotic and more variable profiles in the auditorily-mediated counterpart. The proposed experimental paradigm yields empirical evidence for the overwhelming tendency of dyads to behave as coupled rhythmic units. In the context of our experimental design, it showed that coordination dynamics differ according to availability and nature of perceptual information. Interventions aimed at rehabilitating, teaching or training sensorimotor functions can be ultimately informed and optimized by such fundamental knowledge.