Vision, ambiguity and perceptual possibility : why pictures matter in the critique of stereo-immersive VR

The acquisition of three-dimensional immersive space through advanced digitial imaging technology, suggests a profound shift from the relatively impoverished representational stratgies of two-dimensional pictorial imagery.  This entails an epistemological shift from pictorial representation, to the presentation of actual three-dimensional space through stereoscopic (3D) imagery.  Moreover, it suggests that visuality rather than 'virtuality' is the core issue in understanding the nature of the epistemological shift associated with stereo-immersive VR.

A shift in visual epistemology from 'flat' pictorial representation to three-dimensional stereo-immersion suggests a gainful move toward a visuality imbued with spatial possibilities.  In quantitative terms, these visual-spatial gains may seem self-evident.  However, certain aspects peculiar to pictorial representation are missing from stereo-immersive imaging.  That is lost in stereo-immersive imaging, and how it can be measured?

This thesis proposes that the inherent ambiguity of two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional spatial structure in pictures, invokes a perceptual response in which pictorial spaces elicit 'perceptual possibility'.  The robust three-dimentional spatiality of stereo-immersvie VR foreclosures such possibility.  Through examining stereo-immersive VR in terms of its visuality, the thesis develops a new appraoch to understanding VR that solves some of the issues associated with the problematic concept of 'virtuality'.  In addition, the thesis finds that by placing stereo-immersive VR and pictures within the shared paradigm of 'the visual', an important dimension of pictures that has been overlooked in past analyses re-emerges : the thesis proposes the concept of 'artifactuality' to account for the way pictures are fundamentally, and in the first instance, aesthetic objects for visual perception.  It is in their manner of appearing as pictures, that they are perceived as pictures of something.  It is from this fundamental basis that their many levels of meaning and signification - their manifold 'realisms' - can arise.

This thesis therefore addresses two intersecting problems within the paradigm of the visual: it proposes 1) that analyses of 'the virtual' be grounded in the 'artifactuality' of pictorial perception, and 2) that the spatiality of stereo-immersive VR be reinvigorated by purposefully 'under-contraining' its key percept - the robust, 'solid' stereoscopic structuring of visual space.  This approach opens up the discourse of stereo-immersive VR to new visual paradigms.  The thesis proposes that these be modelled not on the impossibility of 'the virtual', but on the possibilities of visual ambiguity drawn from the analysis of pictorial perception.

Stereoscopic theatre: the impact of gestalt perceptual organization in the stereoscopic theatre environment

This paper argues that it is essential for live theatre that incorporates stereoscopic imagery to reconceptualise the performance space to facilitate a successful audience experience. While 3D technology greatly increases artistic possibilities, the risks of perceptual confusion exist in live theatre just as in stereoscopic cinema, indeed more so given the coexistence of live performers. This paper argues that Gestalt perceptual organization theory can be valuable in informing how best to employ stereoscopic imagery within a live theater environment, with reference to the artistic works of one of the authors.

Instant rivalry: the Melbourne Victory versus Melbourne Heart derby

The Australian A-League football (soccer) competition only began in 2005 after a major reconstruction of the governance of the game. The model adopted was one team per city so local derbies, often the focus of intense and long-running rivalries in football overseas, did not exist. In 2010 a second team began in Melbourne where previously Melbourne Victory had a monopoly. Within a couple of seasons an intense local rivalry has developed attracting over 40,000 fans to games between Victory and newcomer Melbourne Heart. This is the story of that rivalry and how it has become one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting occasions in a country where historically soccer has been a minority sport.

Viewpoints, creativity and embodied learning : developing perceptual and kinaesthetic skills in non-dancers studying undergraduate university drama

Viewpoints are a structural approach to training and directing for theatre. Originating from the innovative, inventive and exploratory approach of Mary Overlie and the self- confessed scavenger approach of Anne Bogart, Viewpoints offers a practical philosophy of working. As a training approach it begins with a disciplined engagement  of the body in space and time. The tangible elements of the Viewpoints provide a set of tasks on which the student can focus, thus freeing the imagination and spirit to  create. Yet at the same time the systematic logic of Viewpoints supports novice practitioners to begin to question their perception, invest in creative practice that demands action and exploration, and to deconstruct, re-organise and rebuild scores and sequences in the pursuit of theatre that is visceral and visual. This essay reports on undergraduate student experiences of learning Viewpoints. It interrogates the demands of embodied learning of the movement/structural system on non- ancers and examines student-actor experiences of embodied learning from multiple of subject positions – observer/participant/creator/reflector/actor.  

Preschoolers' body-knowledge inaccuracy: perceptual self-deficit and attitudinal bias

Body image research with young children has typically examined their body satisfaction and overlooked developmental theories pertaining to their emergent body-knowledge. Though existing research suggests that preschoolers do demonstrate anti-fat attitudes and weight-related stigmatisation, body dissatisfaction can be difficult to assess in preschoolers due to developmental differences in their (i) ability to perceive their actual body size accurately and (ii) make comparisons with a hypothetical ideal. We review current findings on the attitudinal component of body image in preschoolers, together with findings on the accuracy of their body size perceptions and their emergent body awareness abilities. Such an integration of the cognitive development literature is key to identifying when and how young children understand their physical size and shape; this in turn is critical for informing methodological design targeted at assessing body dissatisfaction and anti-fat attitudes in early childhood.

The perceptual and anti-Inflammatory effects of oleocanthal, an olive oil phenolic

 Oleocanthal a virgin olive oil phenolic produces varying intensities of irritation in the oropharanx in individuals and is also a naturally occuring NSAID effective in reducing inflammatory markers and increasing protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells. There may be a link between the variation in throat sensitivity to oleocanthal and its effects on muscle growth processes and inflammation.

Perceptual and cerebro-spinal responses to graded innocuous and noxious stimuli following aerobic exercise

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise on perceptual and cerebro-spinal responses to graded electrocutaneous stimuli. The design comprised 2 x 30 min of cycling exercise at 30% and 70% of peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) on separate occasions in a counter-balanced order in 10 healthy participants. Assessment of nociceptive withdrawal reflex threshold (NWR-T), pain threshold (PT), and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to graded electrocutaneous stimuli were performed before and after exercise. Perceptual magnitude ratings and SEPs were compared at 30%PT, 60%PT, 100%PT before (Pre), 5 min after (Post1), and 15 min after (Post2) aerobic exercise. There was no difference in the NWR-T and the PT following exercise at 30% and 70% of VO2 peak. ANOVA for the perceptual response within pooled electrocutaneous stimuli show a significant main effect for time (F2,18=5.41, P=0.01) but no difference for exercise intensity (F1,9=0.02, P=0.88). Within-subject contrasts reveal trend differences between 30%PT and 100%PT for Pre-Post1 (P=0.09) and Pre-Post2 (P=0.02). ANOVA for the SEPs peak-to-peak signal amplitude (N1-P1) show significant main effect for time (F2,18=4.04, P=0.04) but no difference for exercise intensity (F1,9=1.83, P=0.21). Pairwise comparisons for time reveal differences between Pre-Post1 (P=0.06) and Pre-Post2 (P=0.01). There was a significant interaction for SEPs N1-P1 between exercise intensity and stimulus intensity (F2,18=3.56, P=0.05). These results indicate that aerobic exercise did not increase the electrocutaneous threshold for pain and the NWR-T. Aerobic exercise attenuated perceptual responses to innocuous stimuli and SEPs N1-P1 response to noxious stimuli.

Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction: An examination of the acute and chronic neuromuscular, haemodynamic, and perceptual responses

 This thesis provides evidence of central nervous system adaptations as well as reduced exercising haemodynamics and perceptual responses when light-load resistance exercise/training is performed with blood flow restriction. In addition, this type of training appears beneficial in order to target gains in strength and muscle mass in healthy young populations.

The perceptual properties of the virgin olive oil phenolic oleocanthal are not associated with PROP taster status or dietary intake

Oleocanthal, has been identified as the sole oropharyngeal irritant in virgin olive oil with large individual variation in the perceived intensity of irritation. In this study participants were screened for sensitivity to the oropharyngeal irritation of oleocanthal and bitterness of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), and categorized as hypersensitive (extremely sensitive) or hyposensitive (extremely insensitive). In addition, we determined if a relationship existed between sensitivity to oleocanthal and PROP and dietary intake. Participants (n = 168) took part in the initial screening for irritation to oleocanthal (gLMS range 1.70-70.31). From this sample 87 participants also completed a 4-day diet diary and rated the intensity of oropharyngeal irritation of olive oil and the bitterness of PROP using a gLMS scale. There was large variability in the perceived intensity of irritation from olive oil (gLMS range 4.26-57.15) and the perceived bitterness of PROP (gLMS range 0.0-62.52) with no association between PROP sensitivity and oleocanthal irritation (r = -0.04, p = 0.71). We report no relationship between oleocanthal sensitivity and total energy intake (r = 0.13, p = 0.29), carbohydrate intake (r = 0.12, p = 0.92), protein intake (r = -0.11, p = 0.37), or fat intake (r = 0.14, p = 0.22). There was no association between PROP sensitivity and total energy intake (r = -0.08, p = 0.46), carbohydrate intake (r = 0.12, p = 0.31), protein intake (r = 0.12, p = 0.32), or fat intake (r = -0.08, p = 0.53). We did find a significant negative correlation between PROP sensitivity status and the intake of broccoli (r = -0.24, p< 0.05). In the present study individual variation in sensitivity to the irritation of virgin olive oil or bitterness of PROP was not related to diet with the exception of PROP sensitivity and broccoli intake.

Effects of approach velocity and foot-target characteristics on the visual regulation of step length

Two questions emerge from the literature concerning the perceptual-motor processes underlying the visual regulation of step length. The first concerns the effects of velocity on the onset of visual control (VCO), when visual regulation of step length begins during goal-directed locomotion. The second concerns the effects of different obstacles such as a target or raised surface on step length regulation. In two separate experiments, participants (Experiment 1 & 2: n=12, 6 female, 6 male) walked, jogged, or sprinted towards an obstacle along a 10 m walkway, consisting of two marker-strips with alternating black and white 0.50 m markings. Each experiment consisted of three targeting or obstacle tasks with the requirement to both negotiate and continue moving (run-through) through the target. Five trials were conducted for each task and approach speed, with trials block randomised between the six participants of each gender. One 50 Hz video camera panned and filmed each trial from an elevated position, adjacent to the walkway. Video footage was digitized to deduce the gait characteristics. Results for the targeting tasks indicate a linear relationship between approach velocity and accuracy of final foot placement (r=0.89). When foot placement was highly constrained by the obstacle step length shortened during the entire approach. VCO was found to occur at an earlier tau-margin for lower approach velocities for both experiments, indicating that the optical variable ‘tau' is affected by approach velocity. A three-phase kinematic profile was found for all tasks, except for the take-off board condition when sprinting. Further research is needed to determine whether this velocity affect on VCO is due to ‘whole-body' approach velocity or whether it is a function of the differences between gait modes.

The role of local grouping and global orientation contrast in perception of orientation-modulated textures

We explored the contribution to perception of orientation-modulated textures of visual processes selective either for orientation contrast or orientation grouping. To distinguish between these two processes we manipulated the axis of local grouping of texture elements independently of the direction of global orientation modulation. The general question posed was whether visibility of texture structure (measured as threshold for discriminating spatial-frequency of texture structure) is dependent on the magnitude of orientation contrast, strength and direction of local grouping, or some combination of the two. We demonstrated that the factor of primary importance is the amplitude of global orientation contrast rather than the presence of local grouping content. Using orientation-interleaved textures (containing two superimposed textures modulated around orthogonal orientations), we further showed that orientation single-opponent processes are a more likely candidate for detecting orientation contrast than double-opponent processes.

Neoconservatism, US-China conflict, and Australia's 'great and powerful friends' dilemma

Following its time-honoured 'great and powerful friends' foreign policy tradition, Australia has been cultivating close ties simultaneously with the United States and China. Yet, as a rivalry between the two powers apparently looms large, Australia faces an acute dilemma. While the rise of China and the question of Taiwan are often cited as main causes of US-China discord, this article argues that the American neoconservative policy on China, underpinned by a belief in both military strength and moral clarity, is integral to this growing competition and is, by extension, partly responsible for the emergence of Australia's predicament. To avoid such a difficult choice, the article suggests that Australia should strive to curb the policy influence of neoconservatism both in the United States and at home by pursuing a more independent foreign policy, making clear its strategic postures on US-China relations, and helping establish a trilateral strategic forum between Australia, the United States, and China.

Accuracy of body size estimation: Role of biopsychosocial variables

This study evaluated factors related to the perceptual disturbances of body image. Using a digital body image computer program, 191 participants (107 women, 82 men) adjusted an image of their body to the perceived actual size at five body regions; chest, waist, hips, thighs and calves. A neutral object (a vase) was also adjusted to partial out the level of perceptual distortion present with a neutral object. Men and women overestimated the size of the neutral object and their body image. Among women, overestimation was primarily predicted by high levels of depression, and media and peer influences to be thinner and increase muscles. Among men, overestimation was predicted by high BMI, media influences to lose weight and increase muscles, and peer influences to increase muscles. These findings suggest that perceptual accuracy of body image is primarily predicted by biopsychosocial influences.

The profit-driven action sport industry working within the not-for-profit Australian sport system : the case of freestyle BMX Australia and the Australian sports commission

When not-for-profit organisations and for-profit organisations are forced to work together, conflict can arise. This paper explores the tensions that have resulted in the Australian sport setting when the Australian Sport Commission (ASC), with its emphasis predominantly directed at not for profit sport, sought to embrace the traditionally for profit sport of Freestyle BMX into the mainstream sport system. This case study traces the development and implementation of the ASC's Street Active program through Freestyle BMX. It was found that Freestyle BMX experienced mission drift and did not provide a product or service relevant to its consumers by adhering to the guidelines required by the ASC. Further, in the development of the program, the ASC did not expect the rivalry between suppliers in the free market action sport industry when it engaged three management groups to deliver the Street Active program. As a result the action sport industry is further fragmented into for-profit agencies, and farther removed from the Australia's federal governing agency, the ASC.