A single sensor system for mapping in GNSS-denied environments

Autonomous robotic vehicles need accurate positioning to navigate. For outdoor autonomous vehicles, the localization problem has been solved using GNSS systems. However, many places suffer from problems in the signal of those systems, known as GNSS-denied environments. To face such a problem, several approaches first map the environment to thereafter localize the vehicle within it. The solutions for mapping in GNSS-denied places, mostly, are tested indoors, and the revisited areas are generally close from the starting position. In this work, we develop a single sensor system for mapping in large-scale GNSS-denied sites, based exclusively on a 3D LiDAR system. The proposed work consists of a 3D-LiDAR with a LiDAR Odometry approach (LO) estimating movements between frames thus providing of dead-reckoning estimates of the vehicle. The LiDAR Odometry is the input to a virtual GNSS system based on a Particle Filter Localization which matches the estimated dead-reckoning with a road map, with the assumption that the vehicle usually navigates on roads. The global position produced by the virtual GNSS is used to detect and correct loop closures in case of revisited areas. A GraphSLAM implementation fuses the outcomes from LiDAR Odometry, virtual GNSS and loop closure, and yield a feasible pose of the vehicle. Finally, a mapping procedure places every 3D frame and builds 2D occupancy grid maps. The system developed here is evaluated empirically using two datasets collected in a dynamic environment with paths of 3.7 and 6.5 km long, respectively. For both datasets, the system presents an RMS of 6.5 m according to GNSS sensor readings used for comparison purposes.     

Bioinspired decision-making for a socially interactive robot

Nowadays, robots and humans coexist in real settings where robots need to interact autonomously making their own decisions. Many applications require that robots adapt their behavior to different users and remember each user’s preferences to engage them in the interaction. To this end, we propose a decision making system for social robots that drives their actions taking into account the user and the robot’s state. This system is based on bio-inspired concepts, such as motivations, drives and wellbeing, that facilitate the rise of natural behaviors to ease the acceptance of the robot by the users. The system has been designed to promote the human-robot interaction by using drives and motivations related with social aspects, such as the users’ satisfaction or the need of social interaction. Furthermore, the changes of state produced by the users’ exogenous actions have been modeled as transitional states that are considered when the next robot’s action has to be selected. Our system has been evaluated considering two different user profiles. In the proposed system, user’s preferences are considered and alter the homeostatic process that controls the decision making system. As a result, using reinforcement learning algorithms and considering the robot’s wellbeing as the reward function, the social robot Mini has learned from scratch two different policies of action, one for each user, that fit the users’ preferences. The robot learned behaviors that maximize its wellbeing as well as keep the users engaged in the interactions.     

Driver brake vs. steer response to sudden forward collision scenario in manual and automated driving modes

In autonomous vehicle operation, situations may arise when the driver is required to re-engage in manual control of the vehicle. Whether the control handoff from vehicle to human is done in a structured or unstructured manner, the process may be affected by the driver’s state, i.e. distracted or not. The study reported here was designed to measure a non-distracted driver’s response to a sudden forward collision (FC) event, in which the driver would assume manual control of the autonomous vehicle. Three driving scenarios were investigated: autonomous vehicle driven with full collision avoidance support, autonomous vehicle driven without collision avoidance support, and vehicle driven in manual mode.Forty-eight volunteers participated in a simulator study conducted in VIRTTEX. It was found that, at handoff, (1) drivers in manual mode tended to use evasive steering, rather than braking, compared to drivers in both the autonomous modes, (2) between subjects variations in speed were higher for the automation with collision support condition than for the other two scenarios, (3) for both autonomous driving scenarios, drivers reaction times were longer than for manual driving. In some cases the driver response was so late and the distance remaining so reduced that crash avoidance might be unfeasible. At a minimum, results of this study suggest that drivers may benefit from appropriate driver assistance technologies when a crash imminent situation is suddenly encountered.     

情绪感染的发生机制

原始性情绪感染理论认为, 情绪感染是一个“情绪觉察-无意识模仿-生理反馈-情绪体验”的过程, 情绪感染是一个由生理诱发情绪的过程。早在1884年, 詹姆士和兰格就提出了情绪外周学说, 同样描述了从身体变化到情绪变化的关系路径, 但没有描述从刺激事件到外周身体变化的发生机制。对情绪感染的发生机制的研究能揭示这一“自下而上”的情绪产生机制。研究选取有效大学生被试62名, 参与下列研究：(1) 在眼动实验中使用情绪图片作为感官情绪信息, 以考察觉察者的情绪觉察水平。(2) 在生物反馈实验中, 使用仿真课堂教学视频作为感官情绪信息, 以考察觉察者的无意识模仿水平和生理反馈水平。使用路径分析证实了情绪感染的路径机制, 在真实情境的诱发下, 这种通过生理唤醒而诱发情绪的机制是可能的。     

The effects of "thin ideal" media on women's body image concerns and eating-related intentions: the beneficial role of an autonomous regulation of eating behaviors

The present study examines the protective role of an autonomous regulation of eating behaviors (AREB) on the relationship between trait body dissatisfaction and women's body image concerns and eating-related intentions in response to “thin ideal” media. Undergraduate women (n = 138) were randomly assigned to view a “thin ideal” video or a neutral video. As hypothesized, trait body dissatisfaction predicted more negative affect and size dissatisfaction following exposure to the “thin ideal” video among women who displayed less AREB. Conversely, trait body dissatisfaction predicted greater intentions to monitor food intake and limit unhealthy foods following exposure to the “thin ideal” video among women who displayed more AREB.     

认知储备的测量及其在认知老化中的应用

认知储备是指个体自适应利用神经网络对不断增加的脑损伤进行补偿的能力, 它能显著影响个体的生理功能、认知功能和行为结果。当前有关认知储备的研究主要集中在认知储备的测量及其在认知老化研究中的应用方面。现有研究尽管已在认知储备的测量及其与认知老化的关系上取得越来越多的共识, 但在诸如认知储备测量的标准化、认知储备与认知衰退率、认知储备与脑病理的关系等问题上还存在较大争议。未来研究除应进一步标准化对认知储备的测量, 进而探讨认知储备的病理机制, 还应关注认知储备对老化的干预研究。     

Decision‐making styles and physiological correlates of negative stress: Is there a relation?

There are 5 independent, although not mutually exclusive, styles used by military officers when making decisions: rational, intuitive, dependent, avoidant, and spontaneous (Scott & Bruce, 1995). The rational and intuitive styles are part of the cognitive style concept, whereas the conceptual foundation of the remaining 3 styles is less clear. The dependent and the avoidant styles were expected to be accompanied by increased levels of negative stress, while this was not expected of the remaining 3 styles. This hypothesis was put to test. Twenty-three male Swedish Army majors were asked to make decisions in 2 different military situations. Their decision styles were measured by the General Decision Making Style inventory (GDMS; Scott & Bruce, 1995). Saliva cortisol release indicated negative stress and was measured on 4 occasions: twice before, after the first decision, and after the second decision. The avoidant style was related to negative stress, as predicted. There was, however, no difference between the base-line measurements and the after-decision measurements, suggesting that officers with an avoidant decision style may, in general, have higher levels of cortisol secretion (i.e., being more of the worrying kind).     

When earning is beneficial for learning: The relation of employment and leisure activities to academic outcomes

The present study investigates the joint effect of the quantity and quality of out-of-school activities (i.e., employment and leisure) on academic outcomes (i.e., well-being, study attitude, and academic performance) among 230 undergraduates. A series of hierarchical regression analyses show that spending too much time in both employment and leisure activities has negative relations with undergraduates’ academic outcomes. Work-study interference fully mediated the effect of time engagement in student employment on students’ reported well-being. These findings support a conflict perspective on multiple role engagement. However, results also show positive effects of activities depending on job demand and autonomy and level of autonomous motivation to engage in these activities. We conclude that out-of-school activities can be beneficial for students’ academic outcomes and preparation for the labor market when perceived as relevant for their academic study and performed in a balanced, autonomous way.     

NATURALISTIC METHODOLOGY IN AN EMERGING SCIENTIFIC PSYCHOLOGY: LOTZE AND FECHNER IN THE BALANCE

The development of a methodologically naturalistic approach to physiological and experimental psychology in the nineteenth century was not primarily driven by a naturalistic agenda. The work of R. Hermann Lotze and G. T. Fechner help to illustrate this claim. I examine a selected set of central commitments in each thinkers philosophical outlook, particularly regarding the human soul and the nature of God, that departed strongly from a reductionist materialism. Yet, each contributed significantly to the formation of experimental and physiological psychology. Their work was influenced substantively by their respective philosophical commitments. Nevertheless, the evaluation of the merits of their specific proposals, Fechner's psychophysics and Lotze's local sign hypothesis respectively, did not depend upon sharing their metaphysical views regarding the human soul or the nature of God. A moderate, but significant, distinction between the contexts of discovery and of justification aids in understanding this balancing act.     

Violent computer games and their effects on state hostility and physiological arousal

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the impact of violent computer games on state hostility, state anxiety and arousal. Participants were undergraduate students, aged from 18 to 25 years. Before the experimental sessions, participants filled in self‐report measures concerning their video game habits and were also pre‐tested for aggressiveness and trait anxiety. Physiological responses (heart rate and skin conductance) were measured during the experiment. After playing, information about state hostility and state anxiety was collected. The results showed that participants who played the violent game reported significantly higher state hostility, and support the assumption that an aggressive personality moderates the effect of playing a violent game on state hostility. Aggr. Behav. 32:146–158. 2006 © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.