An analysis of visual adaptation and contrast perception for tone mapping

Tone Mapping is the problem of compressing the range of a High-Dynamic Range image so that it can be displayed in a Low-Dynamic Range screen, without losing or introducing novel details: The final image should produce in the observer a sensation as close as possible to the perception produced by the real-world scene. We propose a tone mapping operator with two stages. The first stage is a global method that implements visual adaptation, based on experiments on human perception, in particular we point out the importance of cone saturation. The second stage performs local contrast enhancement, based on a variational model inspired by color vision phenomenology. We evaluate this method with a metric validated by psychophysical experiments and, in terms of this metric, our method compares very well with the state of the art.

Self-Development of Competences for Social Inclusion Using the TENCompetence Infrastructure

This paper describes a pilot study centred on the technology-enhanced self-development of competences in lifelong learning education carried out in the challenging context of the Association of Participants Àgora. The pilot study shows that the use of the TENCompetence infrastructure, i.e. in this case the Personal Development Planner tool, provides various kinds of benefits for adult participants with low educational profiles and who are traditionally excluded from the use of innovative learning technologies and the knowledge society. The selforganized training supported by the PDP tool aims at allowing the learners to create and control their own learning plans based on their interests and educational background including informal and non-formal experiences. In this sense, the pilot participants had the opportunity to develop and improve their competences in English language (basic and advanced levels) and ICT competence profiles which are mostly related to functional and communicative skills. Besides, the use of the PDP functionalities, such as the self-assessment, the planning and the self-regulating elements allowed the participants to develop reflective skills. Pilot results also provide indications for future developments in the field of technology support for self-organized learners. The paper introduces the context and the pilot scenario, indicates the evaluation methodology applied and discusses the most significant findings derived from the pilot study.

Collage, a Collaborative Learning Design Editor Based on Patterns

This paper introduces Collage, a high-level IMS-LD compliant authoring tool that is specialized for CSCL (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning). Nowadays CSCL is a key trend in elearning since it highlights the importance of social interactions as an essential element of learning. CSCL is an interdisciplinary domain, which demands participatory design techniques that allow teachers to get directly involved in design activities. Developing CSCL designs using LD is a difficult task for teachers since LD is a complex technical specification and modelling collaborative characteristics can be tricky. Collage helps teachers in the process of creating their own potentially effective collaborative Learning Designs by reusing and customizing patterns, according to the requirements of a particular learning situation. These patterns, called Collaborative Learning Flow Patterns (CLFPs), represent best practices that are repetitively used by practitioners when structuring the flow of (collaborative) learning activities. An example of an LD that can be created using Collage is illustrated in the paper. Preliminary evaluation results show that teachers, with experience in CL but without LD knowledge, can successfully design real collaborative learning experiences using Collage.

Quantifying urban attractiveness from the distribution and density of digital footprints

In the past, sensors networks in cities have been limited to fixed sensors, embedded in particular locations, under centralised control. Today, new applications can leverage wireless devices and use them as sensors to create aggregated information. In this paper, we show that the emerging patterns unveiled through the analysis of large sets of aggregated digital footprints can provide novel insights into how people experience the city and into some of the drivers behind these emerging patterns. We particularly explore the capacity to quantify the evolution of the attractiveness of urban space with a case study of in the area of the New York City Waterfalls, a public art project of four man-made waterfalls rising from the New York Harbor. Methods to study the impact of an event of this nature are traditionally based on the collection of static information such as surveys and ticket-based people counts, which allow to generate estimates about visitors’ presence in specific areas over time. In contrast, our contribution makes use of the dynamic data that visitors generate, such as the density and distribution of aggregate phone calls and photos taken in different areas of interest and over time. Our analysis provides novel ways to quantify the impact of a public event on the distribution of visitors and on the evolution of the attractiveness of the points of interest in proximity. This information has potential uses for local authorities, researchers, as well as service providers such as mobile network operators.

Computational Representation of Collaborative Learning Flow Patterns Using IMS Learning Design

The identification and integration of reusable and customizable CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) may benefit from the capture of best practices in collaborative learning structuring. The authors have proposed CLFPs (Collaborative Learning Flow Patterns) as a way of collecting these best practices. To facilitate the process of CLFPs by software systems, the paper proposes to specify these patterns using IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD). Thus, teachers without technical knowledge can particularize and integrate CSCL tools. Nevertheless, the support of IMS-LD for describing collaborative learning activities has some deficiencies: the collaborative tools that can be defined in these activities are limited. Thus, this paper proposes and discusses an extension to IMS-LD that enables to specify several characteristics of the use of tools that mediate collaboration. In order to obtain a Unit of Learning based on a CLFP, a three stage process is also proposed. A CLFP-based Unit of Learning example is used to illustrate the process and the need of the proposed extension.

Morphodynamic analysis of cerebral aneurysm pulsation from time-resolved rotational angiography

This paper presents a technique to estimate and model patient-specific pulsatility of cerebral aneurysms over onecardiac cycle, using 3D rotational X-ray angiography (3DRA) acquisitions. Aneurysm pulsation is modeled as a time varying-spline tensor field representing the deformation applied to a reference volume image, thus producing the instantaneousmorphology at each time point in the cardiac cycle. The estimated deformation is obtained by matching multiple simulated projections of the deforming volume to their corresponding original projections. A weighting scheme is introduced to account for the relevance of each original projection for the selected time point. The wide coverage of the projections, together with the weighting scheme, ensures motion consistency in all directions. The technique has been tested on digital and physical phantoms that are realistic and clinically relevant in terms of geometry, pulsation and imaging conditions. Results from digital phantomexperiments demonstrate that the proposed technique is able to recover subvoxel pulsation with an error lower than 10% of the maximum pulsation in most cases. The experiments with the physical phantom allowed demonstrating the feasibility of pulsation estimation as well as identifying different pulsation regions under clinical conditions.

Personal and household care giving for adult children to parents and social stratification

Using SHARE database the paper explores the factors conditioning personalcare giving from adult children to their parents. Frequency and intensity ofpersonal care is contrasted with the reciprocal expectations that children haveabout wealth inheritance from their parents and with the opportunity costs of helping, as well as with the capacity of parents of getting help from othersources of personal care. The results may help to understand how inequalitiesin accessing to formal services relate with intergenerational solidarity.

O fotojornalismo depois da fotografia: Modelos de configuração da cadeia produtiva do fotojornalismo em tempos de convergência digital

This research report concerns about the post-doctoral activities, conducted betweenSeptember 2010 and March 2011 at the University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. It comes to identify the consequences of the convergence phenomenon on photojournalism.Thus, in a more general approach, the effort is to to recovery the structural elements of the convergence concept in journalism. It aims to map, as well, the current debates about the repositioning of photographic practices linked to the news produced in a widespread adoption of digital devices in contemporary workflow. It is also specified,the analysis of photographic collectives as a result of the convergence frameworkapplied to photojournalism; the debate on ways of funding; alternatives facing thealleged crisis of press photography and, finally, proposes to create qualifying stages ofdevelopment of photojournalism in the digital age as well as the proposition of hypotheses concerning the structure of the productive routines. In addition, we present three cases to be analyzed in order to explore and verify the occurrence ofcharacteristics that may identify the object of research in the state of practice. Finally,we work in a series of conclusions, revisiting the main hypotheses. With this strategy, ispossible to define an sequence of analysis capable of addressing the characteristics present in the studied cases and other ones in future, thus, be able to affirm this stage as a step, in the continuous historical course of photojournalism.

Fluência digital e uso de ambientes virtuais: caracterização de alunos de enfermagem

O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar o perfil de licenciandos de enfermagem, identificar a fluência digital, o conhecimento, a habilidade e o interesse no uso de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quantitativa, exploratório-descritiva realizada com 51 licenciandos de enfermagem por meio de questionário. Dos participantes do estudo 51 (100%) afirmam ter conhecimento em informática, sendo que 26 (49%) indicam um nível intermediário; 47 (92%) fazem uso diário da Internet; 51 (100%) navegam em redes sociais e possuem e-mail; 51(100%) utilizam MSN e 32 (62,7%) Skype; 41 (82%) acessam Chats, 33 (64,7%) Fóruns de discussão e 22 (43%) Blogs; 33 (64,7%) utilizam frequentemente o Moodle e 26 (51%) o COL; e a grande maioria (45- 88,2%) relatou interesse no uso de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem. Os alunos foram considerados fluentes digitais e apresentaram conhecimento, habilidade e expressivo interesse no uso de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem em sua formação acadêmica.

Digital storytelling: un’applicazione didattica per ripensare ai media attraverso i media

El presente trabajo de investigación propone un proyecto de investigación centrado en los pre-adolescentes para estudiar, a través deautobiografías digitales (digital storytelling, DST) producidas por ellos, laspracticas cultural-medial y las representaciones que ellos han construido sobre los medios, en relación con los contextos de uso significativos, como el hogar, la escuela o su grupo de par. Los medios forman parte de las actividades cotidianas de los niños quien los emplean en prácticas de socialización, aprendizaje, juego y de construcción de la identidad y del conocimiento. Los digital storytelling,insertados en el contexto escolar, serán empleados como metodología didácticapara la adquisición de competencias tecnológicas y como instrumento de lainvestigación. Los DST, como practica cultural de los chicos, constituirán nuestrocampo para la observación de las modalidades de uso de los medios por parte delos jóvenes y sus capacidad de recombinar lenguajes y construir contenidos. LosDST proporcionaran, además, la posibilidad de acceder al universo simbólicoinfantil para comprender el significado que las tecnologías tienen en sus cotidianidad

Especificitats de la narrativa audiovisual informativa a Internet: anàlisi de les rutines de producció i dels vídeos produïts per La Vanguardia Digital, VilaWeb i 3cat24.cat

El present projecte d’investigació és el treball de recerca del Doctorat en Comunicació Pública (bienni 2007-2009) i es proposa de desenvolupar-lo com a tesi doctoral. Vol estudiar les especificitats de la narrativa audiovisual informativa a Internet de tres mitjans digitals decomunicació catalans. Per a fer-ho es proposa una metodologia qualitativa dividida en dos blocs: el primer, a partir de l'observació, entrevistes en profunditat i enquestes, vol investigar les novesrutines de producció audiovisual en aquests tres mitjans, condicionades per un nou entorn digital; el segon, a partir de la narratologia, vol analitzar els efectes d'aquestes rutines i d'aquest nou entorn enel producte audiovisual resultant

Desarrollo de Surrogates para la representación dinámica de la información digital

El volumen de información a la que un usuario tiene acceso en Internet esenorme. La representación de la misma ha ido evolucionando a lo largo del tiempo a lavez que se han establecido reglas, recomendaciones y directrices que conforman toda una ingeniería de diseño de interfaces con el propósito de mejorar la representación e interacción entre el usuario y el ordenador. Aún así, hay que ir evolucionando en la manera de tratar esta representación de la información ya que Internet es un espacio donde afloran, día tras día, nuevas tecnologías y servicios.De hecho, en este proyecto trataremos de mejorar la representación de lainformación mediante unos objetos que llamaremos surrogates o sustitutos. Como sunombre indica, estos sustitutos serán la representación de los elementos a reemplazar y cuya función podríamos calificar como de “puerta de enlace”. Dichos objetos estaránformados por elementos propios de la información a la que representan con el objetivo de que el usuario identifique de una manera más rápida y sencilla esta información.En definitiva, desarrollaremos unos surrogates que puedan ser usados endiferentes interfaces independientemente de la tecnología que se haya empleado para sudesarrollo y dotándolos de una serie de características y métodos con el fin de mejorar la interacción entre el usuario y la información.

Transfer of MPEG-2 Transport Stream over MPLS

This study examines how MPEG-2 Transport Stream, used in DVB-T video transmission, can be reliably and efficiently transferred to remote locations over an MPLS network. All the relevant technologies used in this scenario are also discussed in the study. This study was done for Digita Oy, which is a major radio and television content distributor in Finland. The theoretical part of the study begins with the introduction to MPLS technology and continues with explanation of IP Multicast and its components. The fourth section discusses MPEG-2 and the formation and content of MPEG-2 Transport Stream. These technologies were studied in relevant literature and RFC documentation. After the theoretical part of the study, the test setup and the test cases are presented. The results of the test cases, and the conclusions that can be drawn based on them, are discussed in the last section of the study. The tests showed that it is possible to transfer digital video quite reliably over an MPLS network using IP Multicast. By configuring the equipment correctly, the recovery time of the network in case of a failure can be shortened remarkably. Also, the unwanted effect of other traffic on the critical video traffic can be eliminated by defining the Quality of Service parameters correctly. There are, however, some issues that need to be tested further before this setup can be used in broadcast networks. Reliable operation of IP Multicast and proper error correction are the main subjects for future testing.

Determination of Transmembrane Water Fluxes in Neurons Elicited by Glutamate Ionotropic Receptors and by the Cotransporters KCC2 and NKCC1: A Digital Holographic Microscopy Study.

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is a noninvasive optical imaging technique that provides quantitative phase images of living cells. In a recent study, we showed that the quantitative monitoring of the phase signal by DHM was a simple label-free method to study the effects of glutamate on neuronal optical responses (Pavillon et al., 2010). Here, we refine these observations and show that glutamate produces the following three distinct optical responses in mouse primary cortical neurons in culture, predominantly mediated by NMDA receptors: biphasic, reversible decrease (RD) and irreversible decrease (ID) responses. The shape and amplitude of the optical signal were not associated with a particular cellular phenotype but reflected the physiopathological status of neurons linked to the degree of NMDA activity. Thus, the biphasic, RD, and ID responses indicated, respectively, a low-level, a high-level, and an "excitotoxic" level of NMDA activation. Moreover, furosemide and bumetanide, two inhibitors of sodium-coupled and/or potassium-coupled chloride movement strongly modified the phase shift, suggesting an involvement of two neuronal cotransporters, NKCC1 (Na-K-Cl) and KCC2 (K-Cl) in the genesis of the optical signal. This observation is of particular interest since it shows that DHM is the first imaging technique able to monitor dynamically and in situ the activity of these cotransporters during physiological and/or pathological neuronal conditions.

Maston ympärille asennetun antenniryhmän säteilykuvion laskeminen

Tämän insinöörityön tavoitteena oli tehdä MATLAB-sovellus, jolla voidaan laskea ja tulostaa yleisradiotoiminnassa käytettävien dipolipaneeliantennien säteilykuvioita. Toinen tavoite oli saattaa tämän työn valvojan Antti Koivumäen vuoden 1980 diplomityön laskenta ja grafiikka modernimmalle tasolle. Aluksi työssä tarkasteltiin yleisiä asioita VHF- ja UHF-taajuuksien lähetystavoista ja lähetinantennityypeistä. Alussa käytiin läpi myös antennijoukon ja -ryhmän käsite. Seuraavaksi tutustuttiin tarkemmin lähetinantennien rakenteeseen ja ominaisuuksiin. Antennien ominaisuuksista tarkasteltiin säteilykuviota, suuntaavuutta, vahvistusta, hyötysuhdetta ja polarisaatiota. Näistä säteilykuvio oli tarkimman tutkinnan kohteena. Säteilykuvion laskeminen esitettiin kaavojen ja havainnoillistavien kuvien avulla. Lopuksi perehdyttiin antennin säteilykuvion laskemiseen tietokoneella, etenkin MATLABilla. Osuudessa tarkasteltiin graafisen käyttöliittymän tekemistä, laskennan suorittamista ja horisontaalisen säteilykuvion esittämistä graafisesti. Työn tuloksena saatiin tehdyksi MATLAB-sovellus, joka laskee elementtiantennin horisontaalisen säteilykuvion annettujen parametrien avulla ja tulostaa sen.