Uso de un sistema de elearning como intranet en la Fac. de Biblioteconomia i Documentació de la Univ. de Barcelona

Se presenta la adaptación de un programa de gestión de aprendizaje (Moodle) a las necesidades de gestión de una intranet administrativa. Se describen los requisitos, su estructura y se analiza su grado de utilización cuatro años después de su puesta en marcha, indicando los principales puntos débiles del sistema y las posibles aplicaciones complementarias para contrarrestarlas.

Computer-aided procedure for optimization of layer thickness uniformity in thermal evaporation physical vapor deposition chambers for lens coating

A computer-aided method to improve the thickness uniformity attainable when coating multiple substrates inside a thermal evaporation physical vapor deposition unit is presented. The study is developed for the classical spherical (dome-shaped) calotte and also for a plane sector reversible holder setup. This second arrangement is very useful for coating both sides of the substrate, such as antireflection multilayers on lenses. The design of static correcting shutters for both kinds of configurations is also discussed. Some results of using the method are presented as an illustration.

Automatic Prediction of Facial Trait Judgments: Appearance vs. Structural Models

Evaluating other individuals with respect to personality characteristics plays a crucial role in human relations and it is the focus of attention for research in diverse fields such as psychology and interactive computer systems. In psychology, face perception has been recognized as a key component of this evaluation system. Multiple studies suggest that observers use face information to infer personality characteristics. Interactive computer systems are trying to take advantage of these findings and apply them to increase the natural aspect of interaction and to improve the performance of interactive computer systems. Here, we experimentally test whether the automatic prediction of facial trait judgments (e.g. dominance) can be made by using the full appearance information of the face and whether a reduced representation of its structure is sufficient. We evaluate two separate approaches: a holistic representation model using the facial appearance information and a structural model constructed from the relations among facial salient points. State of the art machine learning methods are applied to a) derive a facial trait judgment model from training data and b) predict a facial trait value for any face. Furthermore, we address the issue of whether there are specific structural relations among facial points that predict perception of facial traits. Experimental results over a set of labeled data (9 different trait evaluations) and classification rules (4 rules) suggest that a) prediction of perception of facial traits is learnable by both holistic and structural approaches; b) the most reliable prediction of facial trait judgments is obtained by certain type of holistic descriptions of the face appearance; and c) for some traits such as attractiveness and extroversion, there are relationships between specific structural features and social perceptions.

Grimm

Durant molts anys els infants d'arreu del món varen adquirir gran part deis seus coneixements mitjançant els contes transmesos oralment. Els germans Grimm varen col-laborar de manera rellevant a passar aquesta informació del suport oral al paper, a la tradició escrita. El projecte Grimm pretén introduir a les aules d'educació infantil un canvi: del paper al multimedia, la qual cosa su posa una nova manera d'aprendre.

Grimm

Durant molts anys els infants d'arreu del món varen adquirir gran part deis seus coneixements mitjançant els contes transmesos oralment. Els germans Grimm varen col-laborar de manera rellevant a passar aquesta informació del suport oral al paper, a la tradició escrita. El projecte Grimm pretén introduir a les aules d'educació infantil un canvi: del paper al multimedia, la qual cosa su posa una nova manera d'aprendre.

La incidencia de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación en los programas de formación continuada de jueces y magistrados

[spa] Los programas de formación continuada a distancia para jueces presentan problemas de ejecución debido de un lado a la dispersión geográfica de los destinatarios y de otra, a la necesidad de alcanzar cierto nivel de competencias tanto para su uso como para su diseño. En este contexto cobran especial significación la determinación de los objetivos así como el diseño curricular del programa que se pretende ejecutar.

Mobile Robot Local Predictive Control under Perception Constraints

This research extends a previously developed work concerning about the use of local model predictive control in mobile robots. Hence, experimental results are presented as a way to improve the methodology by considering aspects as trajectory accuracy and time performance. In this sense, the cost function and the prediction horizon are important aspects to be considered. The platformused is a differential driven robot with a free rotating wheel. The aim of the present work is to test the control method by measuring trajectory tracking accuracy and time performance. Moreover, strategies for the integration with perception system and path planning are also introduced. In this sense, monocular image data provide an occupancy grid where safety trajectories are computed by using goal attraction potential fields

Autorregulación de aprendizajes en educación superior mediante la escritura de blogs

La importancia de mecanismos de regulación de los propios aprendizajes por parte de los estudiantes, así como de la calidad de la retroalimentación y de la evaluación formativa por parte de los profesores está en las agendas internacionales de la calidad de la enseñanza superior. El uso de herramientas de lectura, escritura e interacción web 2.0 se enmarca claramente en ese propósito general. El artículo ofrece resultados de una investigación-acción interuniversitaria sobre la evaluación de competencias con blogs. Más concretamente, presenta tres escenarios formativos en los que el blog se utiliza como herramienta de evaluación reflexiva; indaga el grado en que el alumnado se hace consciente de su proceso de aprendizaje, cómo lo evidencia y cómo lo autorregula; y, finalmente, analiza el tipo de feed-back utilizado por el profesorado. Se presentan resultados del análisis documental tanto de las producciones llevadas a cabo en los blogs como del feed-back facilitado por el profesorado. Los resultados muestran el peso que tiene la calidad del feed-back que facilita el profesorado en el proceso de acompañamiento de construcción de competencias.

Expressive concatenative synthesis by reusing samples from real performance recordings

Here we describe an approach to the expressive synthesis of jazz saxophone melodies that reuses audio recordings and carefully concatenates note samples. The aim is to generate an expressive audio sequence from the analysis of an arbitrary input score using a previously induced performance model and an annotated saxophone note database extracted from real performances. We push the idea of using the same corpus for both inducing an expressive performance model and synthesizing sound by concatenating samples in the corpus. Therefore, a connection between the performers’ instrument sound and performance characteristics is kept during the synthesis process.

An approach to predicting bowing control parameter contours in violin performance

We present a machine learning approach to modeling bowing control parametercontours in violin performance. Using accurate sensing techniqueswe obtain relevant timbre-related bowing control parameters such as bowtransversal velocity, bow pressing force, and bow-bridge distance of eachperformed note. Each performed note is represented by a curve parametervector and a number of note classes are defined. The principal componentsof the data represented by the set of curve parameter vectors are obtainedfor each class. Once curve parameter vectors are expressed in the new spacedefined by the principal components, we train a model based on inductivelogic programming, able to predict curve parameter vectors used for renderingbowing controls. We evaluate the prediction results and show the potentialof the model by predicting bowing control parameter contours from anannotated input score.

Statistical modeling of bowing control applied to violin sound synthesis

Excitation-continuous music instrument control patterns are often not explicitly represented in current sound synthesis techniques when applied to automatic performance. Both physical model-based and sample-based synthesis paradigmswould benefit from a flexible and accurate instrument control model, enabling the improvement of naturalness and realism. Wepresent a framework for modeling bowing control parameters inviolin performance. Nearly non-intrusive sensing techniques allow for accurate acquisition of relevant timbre-related bowing control parameter signals.We model the temporal contour of bow velocity, bow pressing force, and bow-bridge distance as sequences of short Bézier cubic curve segments. Considering different articulations, dynamics, and performance contexts, a number of note classes are defined. Contours of bowing parameters in a performance database are analyzed at note-level by following a predefined grammar that dictates characteristics of curve segment sequences for each of the classes in consideration. As a result, contour analysis of bowing parameters of each note yields an optimal representation vector that is sufficient for reconstructing original contours with significant fidelity. From the resulting representation vectors, we construct a statistical model based on Gaussian mixtures suitable for both the analysis and synthesis of bowing parameter contours. By using the estimated models, synthetic contours can be generated through a bow planning algorithm able to reproduce possible constraints caused by the finite length of the bow. Rendered contours are successfully used in two preliminary synthesis frameworks: digital waveguide-based bowed stringphysical modeling and sample-based spectral-domain synthesis.

Reconeixement de punts clau en imatges mitjançant l'algorisme Random Ferns

Treball final de carrera basat en el reconeixement de punts clau en imatges mitjançant l'algorisme Random Ferns.

Gesture sampling for instrumental sound synthesis: violin bowing as a case study

This paper presents a framework in which samples of bowing gesture parameters are retrieved and concatenated from a database of violin performances by attending to an annotated input score. Resulting bowing parameter signals are then used to synthesize sound by means of both a digital waveguide violin physical model, and an spectral-domainadditive synthesizer.

Videojuegos como un entorno de aprendizaje: el caso de "Monturiol el joc"

Video games in a learning environ-ment and their application to the educational world has become a common study between researchers because the use of videogames in the classroom is coherent with a compe-tence-based education theory. A social science approach to video-games allows an exhaustive under-standing of the video games and of the game experience in the classroom. When a video game gives to the user a high level of immersion, all his interest and energy is focused in the game, this fact together with the motivation in the video game is the basis of interest for educators and researchers in the potentiality of the video games as learning environ-ments. In this presentation, we will show and analyze the importance of the video games in an educational context, using a case study: the video game "Monturiol el joc". In the paper, we describe the video game structure, the instructional function, the practice application and the future work. Also, we discuss the impor-tance of the video games as a learning immersive environment, and we conclude our report with a brief analysis of the importance of the study of video games.

Statistical modeling of violin bowing parameter contours

We present a framework for modeling right-hand gestures in bowed-string instrument playing, applied to violin. Nearly non-intrusive sensing techniques allow for accurate acquisition of relevant timbre-related bowing gesture parameter cues. We model the temporal contour of bow transversal velocity, bow pressing force, and bow-bridge distance as sequences of short segments, in particular B´ezier cubic curve segments. Considering different articulations, dynamics, andcontexts, a number of note classes is defined. Gesture parameter contours of a performance database are analyzed at note-level by following a predefined grammar that dictatescharacteristics of curve segment sequences for each of the classes into consideration. Based on dynamic programming, gesture parameter contour analysis provides an optimal curve parameter vector for each note. The informationpresent in such parameter vector is enough for reconstructing original gesture parameter contours with significant fidelity. From the resulting representation vectors, weconstruct a statistical model based on Gaussian mixtures, suitable for both analysis and synthesis of bowing gesture parameter contours. We show the potential of the modelby synthesizing bowing gesture parameter contours from an annotated input score. Finally, we point out promising applicationsand developments.