Using eye-tracking to study anaphoric relations processing in European Portuguese

In this study we evaluate processing costs of different types of anaphoric expressions during reading. We consider three types of anaphoric expressions in Subject sentential position: a null pronoun (pro), and two gaps produced by syntactic movement: a WHvariable and a NP copy. Given that coreferential pro exhibits more referential weight than wh- and NP-gaps, and grounded on theories of referential processing based on relations of hierarchy and accessibility of the antecedent, we raise the hypothesis that the more dependent on its antecedent the anaphoric null constituent is, and the more minimal is the distance in terms of hierarchical structure between the anaphoric null element and its antecedent, the lower are the cognitive costs in processing. To test our hypothesis, we registered the eye movements with R6-HS ASL system of 20 Portuguese adult native speakers. Text regions including the selected anaphoric expressions were delimited and tagged. We analyzed the reading time of each region taking into account the number and duration of eye fixations per region; we used the reading time by character in milliseconds in order to compare values between regions of different length. We found a significant advantage in the reading time of the gaps arising from movement over the reading time of pro.

Eye movements of beginning and more skilled readers

The present study aimed to analyze and compare the eye movements of beginning (2nd grade) and more skilled (4th grade) readers, during reading words and pseudo-words aloud, that differ in frequency (just for words), regularity and length. In this way, one intends to analyze the process of visual information extraction, by both groups, and detect experience and practice-related changes in the ocular behavior. The eye movements of 34 children were monitored, while these were reading words/pseudo-words lists, and this was accomplished using eye-tracking technology. The results show statistically significant differences between the two groups, in mean and total fixations duration for high-frequency words, in mean fixation duration for regular words and in the mean saccade amplitude in irregular pseudo-words. However, no significant differences were found between the groups on the study of the other variables. Nevertheless, the results suggest that skilled readers tend to show more effective eye movements, what determined a lesser effect of words’ frequency, regularity and length on this group. Moreover, the pseudo-words processing was more difficult than that of words, in both groups.

Eye tracking data representation and visualization : on information and communication studies at CETAC.MEDIA

Eye tracking has become a preponderant technique in the evaluation of user interaction and behaviour with study objects in defined contexts. Common eye tracking related data representation techniques offer valuable input regarding user interaction and eye gaze behaviour, namely through fixations and saccades measurement. However, these and other techniques may be insufficient for the representation of acquired data in specific studies, namely because of the complexity of the study object being analysed. This paper intends to contribute with a summary of data representation and information visualization techniques used in data analysis within different contexts (advertising, websites, television news and video games). Additionally, several methodological approaches are presented in this paper, which resulted from several studies developed and under development at CETAC.MEDIA - Communication Sciences and Technologies Research Centre. In the studies described, traditional data representation techniques were insufficient. As a result, new approaches were necessary and therefore, new forms of representing data, based on common techniques were developed with the objective of improving communication and information strategies. In each of these studies, a brief summary of the contribution to their respective area will be presented, as well as the data representation techniques used and some of the acquired results.

A simple, intuitive camera calibration tool for natural images

The paper reports an interactive tool for calibrating a camera, suitable for use in outdoor scenes. The motivation for the tool was the need to obtain an approximate calibration for images taken with no explicit calibration data. Such images are frequently presented to research laboratories, especially in surveillance applications, with a request to demonstrate algorithms. The method decomposes the calibration parameters into intuitively simple components, and relies on the operator interactively adjusting the parameter settings to achieve a visually acceptable agreement between a rectilinear calibration model and his own perception of the scene. Using the tool, we have been able to calibrate images of unknown scenes, taken with unknown cameras, in a matter of minutes. The standard of calibration has proved to be sufficient for model-based pose recovery and tracking of vehicles.

Architecture for Living Neuronal Network Control of a mobile robot

The intelligent controlling mechanism of a typical mobile robot is usually a computer system. Research is however now ongoing in which biological neural networks are being cultured and trained to act as the brain of an interactive real world robot – thereby either completely replacing or operating in a cooperative fashion with a computer system. Studying such neural systems can give a distinct insight into biological neural structures and therefore such research has immediate medical implications. The principal aims of the present research are to assess the computational and learning capacity of dissociated cultured neuronal networks with a view to advancing network level processing of artificial neural networks. This will be approached by the creation of an artificial hybrid system (animat) involving closed loop control of a mobile robot by a dissociated culture of rat neurons. This paper details the components of the overall animat closed loop system architecture and reports on the evaluation of the results from preliminary real-life and simulated robot experiments.

Human amygdala responsivity to masked fearful eye whites

The amygdala was more responsive to fearful (larger) eye whites than to happy (smaller) eye whites presented in a masking paradigm that mitigated subjects' awareness of their presence and aberrant nature. These data demonstrate that the amygdala is responsive to elements of.

An inspector's-eye view - The prospective enforcement of work-related fatality cases

This paper concerns the prospective implementation of the proposed 'corporate killing' offence. These proposals suggested that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)-the body currently responsible for regulating work-related health and safety issues-should handle cases in which a 'corporate killing' charge is a possibility. Relatively little attention has been paid to this issue of implementation. An empirical investigation was undertaken to assess the compatibility of the HSE's methodology and enforcement philosophy with the new offence. It was found that inspectors categorize themselves as enforcers of criminal law, see enforcement action as valuable and support the new offence, but disagree over its use. They also broadly supported the HSE taking responsibility for the new offence. This suggests that 'corporate killing' may not necessarily be incompatible with the HSE's modus operandi, and there may be positive reasons forgiving the HSE this responsibility.