Positive Technology Journal

Brainport: an alternative input to the brain

J Integr Neurosci. 2005 Dec;4(4):537-50

Authors: Danilov Y, Tyler M

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology is one of the most rapidly developing areas of modern science; it has created numerous significant crossroads between Neuroscience and Computer Science. The goal of BCI technology is to provide a direct link between the human brain and a computerized environment. The objective of recent BCI approaches and applications have been designed to provide the information flow from the brain to the computerized periphery. The opposite or alternative direction of the flow of information (computer to brain interface, or CBI) remains almost undeveloped. The BrainPort is a CBI that offers a complementary technology designed to support a direct link from a computerized environment to the human brain - and to do so non-invasively. Currently, BrainPort research is pursuing two primary goals. One is the delivery of missing sensory information critical for normal human behavior through an additional artificial sensory channel around the damaged or malfunctioning natural sensory system. The other is to decrease the risk of sensory overload in human-machine interactions by providing a parallel and supplemental channel for information flow to the brain. In contrast, conventional CBI strategies (e.g., Virtual Reality), are usually designed to provide additional or substitution information through pre-existing sensory channels, and unintentionally aggravate the brain overload problem.

Preoperative Biofeedback Assisted Behavioral Training to Decrease Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

J Urol. 2006 Jan;175(1):196-201

Authors: Burgio KL, Goode PS, Urban DA, Umlauf MG, Locher JL, Bueschen A, Redden DT

PURPOSE: We tested the effectiveness of preoperative biofeedback assisted behavioral training for decreasing the duration and severity of incontinence, and improving quality of life in the 6 months following radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing preoperative behavioral training to usual care. The volunteer sample included 125 men 53 to 68 years old who elected radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Patients were stratified according to age and tumor differentiation, and randomized to 1 preoperative session of biofeedback assisted behavioral training plus daily home exercise or a usual care control condition, consisting of simple postoperative instructions to interrupt the urinary stream. The main outcome measurements were duration of incontinence (time to continence), as derived from bladder diaries, incontinence severity (the proportion with severe/continual leakage), pad use, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, psychological distress (Hopkins Symptom Checklist) and health related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey). RESULTS: Preoperative behavioral training significantly decreased time to continence (p = 0.03) and the proportion of patients with severe/continual leakage at the 6-month end point (5.9% vs 19.6%, p = 0.04). There were also significant differences between the groups for self-reported urine loss with coughing (22.0% vs 51.1%, p = 0.003), sneezing (26.0% vs 48.9%, p = 0.02) and getting up from lying down (14.0% vs 31.9%, p = 0.04). No differences were found on return to work and usual activities or quality of life measures. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative behavioral training can hasten the recovery of urine control and decrease the severity of incontinence following radical prostatectomy.

Visual and nonvisual contributions to three-dimensional heading selectivity in the medial superior temporal area.

J Neurosci. 2006 Jan 4;26(1):73-85

Authors: Gu Y, Watkins PV, Angelaki DE, DeAngelis GC

Robust perception of self-motion requires integration of visual motion signals with nonvisual cues. Neurons in the dorsal subdivision of the medial superior temporal area (MSTd) may be involved in this sensory integration, because they respond selectively to global patterns of optic flow, as well as translational motion in darkness. Using a virtual-reality system, we have characterized the three-dimensional (3D) tuning of MSTd neurons to heading directions defined by optic flow alone, inertial motion alone, and congruent combinations of the two cues. Among 255 MSTd neurons, 98% exhibited significant 3D heading tuning in response to optic flow, whereas 64% were selective for heading defined by inertial motion. Heading preferences for visual and inertial motion could be aligned but were just as frequently opposite. Moreover, heading selectivity in response to congruent visual/vestibular stimulation was typically weaker than that obtained using optic flow alone, and heading preferences under congruent stimulation were dominated by the visual input. Thus, MSTd neurons generally did not integrate visual and nonvisual cues to achieve better heading selectivity. A simple two-layer neural network, which received eye-centered visual inputs and head-centered vestibular inputs, reproduced the major features of the MSTd data. The network was trained to compute heading in a head-centered reference frame under all stimulus conditions, such that it performed a selective reference-frame transformation of visual, but not vestibular, signals. The similarity between network hidden units and MSTd neurons suggests that MSTd may be an early stage of sensory convergence involved in transforming optic flow information into a (head-centered) reference frame that facilitates integration with vestibular signals.

Via Networked performance 

Call for Papers--PERVASIVE 2006 WORKSHOP: Privacy, Trust and Identity Issues for Ambient Intelligence--Submissions are invited to this workshop, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland at the 4th International Conference on Pervasive Computing, May 7th--10th 2006. Deadline for submissions - 6th February 2006.

Privacy, trust and identity issues for ambient intelligence: Ambient Intelligence (AmI) has been described as a 'paradigmatic shift in computing and society' and has become one of the key concepts in the FP6 IST programme 2002-2006. However most of the current work on AmI is driven by technological concerns, despite claims that it is fundamentally a human-centred development that will essentially set people free from the desktop, hence it has been argued that the societal and user implications of AmI should be made more explicit.

One of the particular challenges of AmI, which marks it out from other E-Society developments, is that the user will be involved in huge numbers of moment-to-moment exchanges of personal data without explicitly sanctioning each transaction. Agent technologies will be required to manage the flow of information, and a great deal of exciting technical work is ongoing in this field. But personal and social concerns remain unanswered, particularly concerning issues of privacy, trust and identity. The AmI challenge is particularly pressing, since in future there will be no obvious physical markers to tell us when we move from private to public cyberspaces (Beslay and Punie, 2002) and so individuals must be given a clearer vision of how and when to control personal data.

For further details see here

Organising Committee: * Pamela Briggs (Northumbria) * Linda Little Northumbria) * Steve Marsh (NRC Canada) * Steve Love (Brunel) * Ishbel Duncan (St Andrews) * Tim Storer (St Andrews)

Contact: Professor Pamela Briggs, PACT Lab, Cognition and Communication Research Centre, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST

Brainport: an alternative input to the brain

J Integr Neurosci. 2005 Dec;4(4):537-50

Authors: Danilov Y, Tyler M

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology is one of the most rapidly developing areas of modern science; it has created numerous significant crossroads between Neuroscience and Computer Science. The goal of BCI technology is to provide a direct link between the human brain and a computerized environment. The objective of recent BCI approaches and applications have been designed to provide the information flow from the brain to the computerized periphery. The opposite or alternative direction of the flow of information (computer to brain interface, or CBI) remains almost undeveloped. The BrainPort is a CBI that offers a complementary technology designed to support a direct link from a computerized environment to the human brain - and to do so non-invasively. Currently, BrainPort research is pursuing two primary goals. One is the delivery of missing sensory information critical for normal human behavior through an additional artificial sensory channel around the damaged or malfunctioning natural sensory system. The other is to decrease the risk of sensory overload in human-machine interactions by providing a parallel and supplemental channel for information flow to the brain. In contrast, conventional CBI strategies (e.g., Virtual Reality), are usually designed to provide additional or substitution information through pre-existing sensory channels, and unintentionally aggravate the brain overload problem.

Via pasta and vinegar

Games and culture is a new academic journal about interactive media:

Games and Culture: A Journal of Interactive Media is a new, quarterly international journal (first issue due January 2006) that aims to publish innovative theoretical and empirical research about games and culture within the context of interactive media. The journal will serve as a premiere outlet for ground-breaking work in the field of game studies.

Games and Culture’s scope will include the socio-cultural, political, and economic dimensions of gaming from a wide variety of perspectives, including textual analysis, political economy, cultural studies, ethnography, critical race studies, gender studies, media studies, public policy, international relations, and communication studies. Other possible arenas include:

- Issues of gaming culture related to race, class, gender, and sexuality
- Issues of game development
- Textual and cultural analysis of games as artifacts
- Issues of political economy and public policy in both US and international arenas

 

The fist issue is available online

Via Mind Hacks

Time has an interesting article about neuroscience of meditation. Taking advantage of advanced brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET, scholars are casting light on how the practice of meditation affects brain structure and its functions. Moreover, psychological research is collecting evidence that meditation can improve key cognitive capabilities such as attention and memory

Via Networked performance

The Prix Ars Electronica - International Competition for Cyberarts is being conducted for the 19th time in 2006. In addition to the classic categories-Interactive Art, Net Vision, Computer Animation / Visual Effects and Digital Musics-Digital Communities and [the next idea] Art and Technology Grant competition that debuted last year will be reprised.

Online Submission Deadline: March 17, 2006; Total Prize Money: 117,500 Euro; 6 Golden Nicas; 12 Awards of Distinction; Up to 12 Honorary Mentions in each category.

INTERACTIVE ART: The "Interactive Art" category is dedicated to interactive works in all forms and formats, from installations to performances. Here, particular consideration is given to the realization of a powerful artistic concept through the especially appropriate use of technologies, the innovativeness of the interaction design, and the work's inherent potential to expand the human radius of action.

COMPUTER ANIMATION/VISUAL EFFECTS

The "Computer Animation / Visual Effects" category has been part of the Prix Ars Electronica since its very inception. It recognizes excellence in independent work in the arts and sciences as well as in high-end commercial productions in the film, advertising and entertainment industries. In this category, artistic originality counts just as much as masterful technical achievement.

DIGITAL MUSICS

Contemporary digital sound productions from the broad spectrum of "electronica" come in for consideration in the "Digital Musics" category, as do works combining sound and media, computer compositions ranging from electro-acoustic to experimental music, or sound installations. This category's programmatic agenda is to expand horizons beyond the confines of individual genres and artistic currents.

NET VISION

The "Net Vision" category singles out for recognition artistic projects in the Internet that display brilliance in how they have been engineered, designed and-especially-conceived, works that are outstanding with respect to innovation, interface design and the originality of their content. The way in which a work of net-based art deals with the online medium is essential in this category.

DIGITAL COMMUNITIES

This category focuses attention on the wide-ranging social impact of the Internet as well as on the latest developments in the fields of social software, mobile communications and wireless networks. "Digital Communities" spotlights bold and inspired innovations impacting human coexistence, bridging the geographical as well as gender-based digital divide, or creating outstanding social software and enhancing accessibility of technological-social infrastructure. This category showcases the political potential of digital and networked systems and is thus designed as a forum for the consideration of a broad spectrum of projects, programs, initiatives and phenomena in which social innovation is taking place, as it were, in real time. A Golden Nica, two Awards of Distinction and up to 12 Honorary Mentions will be awarded in the Digital Communities category in 2006.

[the next idea] Art and Technology Grant

The aim of this grant focusing on the mutually enriching interplay of art and technology is to nurture concepts for the future that young thinkers are coming up with today. This category's target group includes interested persons throughout the world between the ages of 19 and 27, who have developed a not-yet-realized concept in the fields of media art, media design or media technology. The winner will receive a 7,500-euro grant and an invitation to spend a semester as scientific assistant and artist-in-residence at the Ars Electronica Futurelab.

Via pasta and vinegar

A. Dix, A. Friday, B. Koleva, T. Rodden, H. Muller, C. Randell, A. Steed, Managing Multiple Spaces. In P. Turner, E. Davenport (eds.) Space, Spatiality and Technologies, Kluwer, 2005.

The authors' aim is analyse the way in which multiple spaces, both virtual and physical, can co-exist. By this we mean that people and objects may have locations in and relationships to both physical space and one or more virtual spaces, and that these different spaces together interact to give an overall system behaviour and user experience.

They use 4 cases (City, CityWide, the Drift Table and Ambient Wood) to see how multiple physical and virtual spaces interact. The choice of the different environment is pretty pertinent since there are mobile applications and an interactive table. They then discriminate 3 types of space: real space- the locations and activities of actual objects and people in physical space measured space - the representation of that space in the computer and the representation of locations of objects and people from sensor data, etc. virtual space - electronic spaces created to be portrayed to users, but not necessarily representing explicitly the real world. [...]

June 13 to 15th 2006 in Gatineau (Canada)

This year’s theme is Virtual Healing: Designing Reality

The Interactive Media Institute and the Cyberpsychology Lab of the UQO have announced the second call for abstracts for CyberTherapy 11. The submission deadline is February 20th 2006. The electronic submission form is now available at here

A Resilient, Low-Frequency, Small-World Human Brain Functional Network with Highly Connected Association Cortical Hubs

J. Neurosci. 2006; 26: 63-72. 

Sophie Achard, Raymond Salvador, Brandon Whitcher, John Suckling, and Ed Bullmore

Small-world properties have been demonstrated for many complex networks. Here, we applied the discrete wavelet transform to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series, acquired from healthy volunteers in the resting state, to estimate frequency-dependent correlation matrices characterizing functional connectivity between 90 cortical and subcortical regions. After thresholding the wavelet correlation matrices to create undirected graphs of brain functional networks, we found a small-world topology of sparse connections most salient in the low-frequency interval 0.03–0.06 Hz. Global mean path length (2.49) was approximately equivalent to a comparable random network, whereas clustering (0.53) was two times greater; similar parameters have been reported for the network of anatomical connections in the macaque cortex. The human functional network was dominated by a neocortical core of highly connected hubs and had an exponentially truncated power law degree distribution. Hubs included recently evolved regions of the heteromodal association cortex, with long-distance connections to other regions, and more cliquishly connected regions of the unimodal association and primary cortices; paralimbic and limbic regions were topologically more peripheral. The network was more resilient to targeted attack on its hubs than a comparable scale-free network, but about equally resilient to random error. We conclude that correlated, low-frequency oscillations in human fMRI data have a small-world architecture that probably reflects underlying anatomical connectivity of the cortex. Because the major hubs of this network are critical for cognition, its slow dynamics could provide a physiological substrate for segregated and distributed information processing.

Thanks to Pierre Lindenbaum, I discovered a free service similar to Connotea called CiteULike.

As noted by Pierre, both services offer advantages: for example, citeulike allows to store a personnal PDF copy of an article, while connotea can handle geospatial tags.

However, while Connotea is hosted by Nature Publishing Group, CiteULike is based on academic funds.

Via Usability News

Deadine: 27 January 2006
Primary responsibilities include:
* Designing and conducting usability studies, analyzing the results of usability studies, identifying usability defects based on analysis, and reporting the results
* Analyzing the findings of user studies, performing the statistical analysis of data logs, and identifying potential design solutions
* Designing and creating user interface designs
* Representing and interpreting usability data and HCI research during the research and design process
* Writing academic papers for publication at international conferences

Qualifications should include:
* A minimum of 1 year of demonstrated experience conducting user-centered design projects in the commercial software industry
* A PhD in the field of human-computer interaction, including computer scientists with a focus on HCI
* International publications in ACM conferences
* Research design skills in experimental design and observational methods
* The ability to communicate and argue for results, methods, approaches both orally and in writing
* The ability to make group presentations
* The ability to work in an explorative R&D environment where the objectives are responsive to research findings

Please send a copy of your CV to jobs@instrata.co.uk

Two new issues of Journal of Consciousness Studies. They include a hole range of articles including: book reviews, original articles, and continuing debates.

A virtual reality scenario for all seasons: the virtual classroom.

CNS Spectr. 2006 Jan;11(1):35-44

Authors: Rizzo AA, Bowerly T, Buckwalter JG, Klimchuk D, Mitura R, Parsons TD

Treatment and rehabilitation of the cognitive, psychological, and motor sequelae of central nervous system dysfunction often relies on assessment instruments to inform diagnosis and to track changes in clinical status. Typically, these assessments employ paper-and-pencil psychometrics, hands-on analog/computer tests, and rating of behavior within the context of real-world functional environments. Virtual reality offers the option to produce and distribute identical "standard" simulation environments in which performance can be measured and rehabilitated. Within such digital scenarios, normative data can be accumulated for performance comparisons needed for assessment/diagnosis and for treatment/rehabilitation purposes. In this manner, reusable archetypic virtual environments constructed for one purpose can also be applied for applications addressing other clinical targets. This article will provide a review of such a retooling approach using a virtual classroom simulation that was originally developed as a controlled stimulus environment in which attention processes could be systematically assessed in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This system is now being applied to other clinical targets including the development of tests that address other cognitive functions, eye movement under distraction conditions, social anxiety disorder, and the creation of an earthquake safety training application for children with developmental and learning disabilities.

Using FMRI to study the neural correlates of virtual reality analgesia.

CNS Spectr. 2006 Jan;11(1):45-51

Authors: Hoffman HG, Richards TL, Bills AR, Van Oostrom T, Magula J, Seibel EJ, Sharar SR

Excessive pain during medical procedures, such as burn wound dressing changes, is a widespread medical problem and is especially challenging for children. This article describes the rationale behind virtual reality (VR) pain distraction, a new non-pharmacologic adjunctive analgesia, and gives a brief summary of empirical studies exploring whether VR reduces clinical procedural pain. Results indicate that patients using VR during painful medical procedures report large reductions in subjective pain. A neuroimaging study measuring the neural correlates of VR analgesia is described in detail. This functional magnetic resonance imaging pain study in healthy volunteers shows that the large drops in subjective pain ratings during VR are accompanied by large drops in pain-related brain activity. Together the clinical and laboratory studies provide converging evidence that VR distraction is a promising new non-pharmacologic pain control technique.

Simulated driving and brain imaging: combining behavior, brain activity, and virtual reality

CNS Spectr. 2006 Jan;11(1):52-62

Authors: Carvalho KN, Pearlson GD, Astur RS, Calhoun VD

Introduction: Virtual reality in the form of simulated driving is a useful tool for studying the brain. Various clinical questions can be addressed, including both the role of alcohol as a modulator of brain function and regional brain activation related to elements of driving. Objective: We reviewed a study of the neural correlates of alcohol intoxication through the use of a simulated-driving paradigm and wished to demonstrate the utility of recording continuous-driving behavior through a new study using a programmable driving simulator developed at our center. Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected from subjects while operating a driving simulator. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to analyze the data. Specific brain regions modulated by alcohol, and relationships between behavior, brain function, and alcohol blood levels were examined with aggregate behavioral measures. Fifteen driving epochs taken from two subjects while also recording continuously recorded driving variables were analyzed with ICA. Results: Preliminary findings reveal that four independent components correlate with various aspects of behavior. An increase in braking while driving was found to increase activation in motor areas, while cerebellar areas showed signal increases during steering maintenance, yet signal decreases during steering changes. Additional components and significant findings are further outlined. Conclusion: In summary, continuous behavioral variables conjoined with ICA may offer new insight into the neural correlates of complex human behavior.

From Molecular Biology to Anti-aging Cognitive-Behavioral Practices: The Pioneering Research of Walter Pierpaoli on the Pineal and Bone Marrow Foreshadows the Contemporary Revolution in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Dec;1057:28-49

Authors: Bushell WC

Evidence is accruing that a cognitive-behavioral regimen integrating cognitive techniques (meditation-based anti-stress, anti-inflammatory techniques, others), dietary modification ("dietary restriction" or modified dietary restriction), and certain forms of aerobic exercise, may prolong the healthy life span in humans. Recent research has identified some of the likely molecular mediators of these potentially broad-ranging, health-enhancing and anti-aging effects; these include DHEA, interleukins -10 and -4 (IL-10, 1L-4), and especially melatonin. Relatedly, what some are calling a revolution in biology and medicine has been emerging from research on stem cells and regeneration processes more generally. Dogma regarding limitations on the regenerative capacities of adult vertebrates is being cautiously yet enthusiastically revised in the wake of rapidly accumulating discoveries of more types of adult stem cells in mammals, including humans. For example, a recent review by D. Krause of Yale concluded that "in the [adult] bone marrow, in addition to hematopoietic stem cells and supportive stromal cells, there are cells with the potential to differentiate into mature cells of the heart, liver, kidney, lungs, GI tract, skin, bone, muscle, cartilage, fat, endothelium and brain." In addition, very recent studies have shown that DHEA, ILs-10 and -4, and melatonin all possess potential regenerative, including stem cell-activating, properties. More than a quarter of a century ago, Walter Pierpaoli initiated a series of extraordinary studies that demonstrated in experimental animals the potential for dramatic regeneration associated with changes in the pineal gland and bone marrow. This appeared to be not only retardation of aging, but also its reversal. Furthermore, as Pierpaoli was attempting to understand both anti-aging regeneration and oncogenesis, he was focusing on both pro- and anti-mitotic mechanisms: recent research now suggests that there is a nonpathologic, "healthy" form of regeneration that is actually antagonistic to oncogenesis, and that melatonin may be important in this form of regeneration. This paper explores Pierpaoli's pioneering studies in light of recent developments in stem cell and regenerative biology, particularly as related to the regenerative potential associated with certain cognitive-behavioral practices, and includes evidence on this subject presented for the first time.