Search Results (1,472)

Quick visual balance perception in layouts is essential for a positive user experience. However, existing computational models often struggle to accurately capture this key aesthetic aspect, particularly in interfaces with asymmetric elements. This paper introduces Visual Moment Equilibrium (VME), a new cognitive model that redefines visual balance as a unified perceptual force field, similar to moment equilibrium in physical systems. Based on principles from Gestalt psychology, spatial cognition, and psychophysics, we incorporate three main innovations: (1) a Measured Balance index enhanced with psychophysical transformations to enable sensitive quantification of visual imbalance; (2) a nine-grid visual weighting system combined with Manhattan distance to reflect human attentional distribution and non-Euclidean spatial reasoning; and (3) a Shape Sparsity Ratio with a piecewise compensation function that formally operationalizes the Gestalt principle of closure, especially for irregular visual elements. Validation against human perceptual benchmarks from the Analytic Hierarchy Process shows that the VME model has a strong correlation with expert judgments regarding regular interfaces (Pearson’s r = 0.942, accounting for 88.8% of the variance), outperforming the widely used model (33.9%). VME also maintains high predictive accuracy for irregular interfaces (r = 0.890), emphasizing its wide applicability across various design configurations. Full article

Bridge health diagnosis plays a vital role in ensuring structural safety and extending service life while reducing maintenance costs. Traditional structural health monitoring approaches rely on sensor-based measurements, which are costly, labor-intensive, and limited in coverage. To address these challenges, we propose a three-phase solution that integrates the Dynamic Lightweight Vision-Language Model (DL-VLM), domain adaptation, and knowledge-enhanced reasoning. First, as the core of the framework, the DL-VLM consists of three components: a visual information encoder with multi-scale feature selection, a text encoder for processing inspection-related language, and a multimodal alignment module. Second, to enhance practical applicability, we further introduce domain-specific fine-tuning on the Bridge-SHM dataset, enabling the model to acquire specialized knowledge of bridge construction, defects, and structural components. Third, a knowledge retrieval augmentation module is incorporated, leveraging external knowledge graphs and vector-based retrieval to provide contextually relevant information and improve diagnostic reasoning. Experiments on high-resolution bridge inspection datasets demonstrate that DL-VLM achieves competitive diagnostic accuracy while substantially reducing computational cost. The combination of domain-specific fine-tuning and knowledge augmentation significantly improves performance on specialized tasks, supporting efficient and practical deployment in real-world structural health monitoring scenarios. Full article

Eye gaze plays an essential role in the organisation of human goal-directed behaviour. Stationary gaze entropy and gaze transition entropy are two informative measures of visual scanning in different tasks. In this work, we discuss the benefits of these eye gaze entropy measures in the context of driving behaviour. In our large-scale study, participants performed driving tasks in a simulator (N = 380, 44% female, age: 20–73 years old) and in on-road urban environments (N = 241, 44% female, age: 19–74 years old). We analysed measures of eye gaze entropy in relation to driving experience and compared their dynamics between the simulator and on-road driving. The results demonstrate that, in both driving conditions, gaze transition entropy is higher, whereas stationary gaze entropy is lower, in more experienced drivers of both genders. This suggests that gaining driving experience may be accompanied by a decrease in overall gaze dispersion and an increased unpredictability of visual scanning behaviour. These results are in line with previously reported trends on experience-related dynamics of eye gaze entropy measures. We discuss our findings in the framework of the system-evolutionary theory, which explains the organisation of behaviour through the history of individual development, corresponding to the growing complexity of individual–environment interactions. Experience-related dynamics of eye gaze complexity can be a useful factor in the development of practical applications, such as driver monitoring systems and other human–machine interfaces. Full article

This paper aims to provide an analytical assessment of country-level experience in moving towards agricultural decarbonization—from ideas around decarbonization measures to assessment of their potential, including evaluations of political goals and practical implementation success. This paper is based on 10-year cycle that highlights the main steps in building decarbonization awareness using an approach that can monitor, quantify, and evaluate the contribution of agricultural practices to climate change mitigation. This approach is based on a marginal abatement cost curve (MACC), which serves as a convenient visual tool for evaluating the effectiveness of various greenhouse gas emission reduction measures in agriculture, as well as climate policy planning. This study reveals the experiences to date and the main directions for developing the MACC approach, which serves as a basis for analyzing the potential of moving towards decarbonization in agriculture for a specific European Union Member state, i.e., Latvia. The results of the study are of practical use for the development of agricultural, environmental, and climate policies or legal frameworks, policy analysis, and impact assessment. Additionally, the findings are useful for educating farmers and the public about measures to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions. Full article

Background: The present study aimed to identify the differences between experiences, in terms of oral health-related quality of life, pain, side effects and/or other complications, of adults undergoing orthodontic treatment using removable aligners and fixed labial or lingual appliances. Methods: The review was registered with PROSPERO, and a comprehensive electronic search was undertaken without language or date restrictions. Randomised and non-randomised trials and prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies along with case series were included. The Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias 2 Tool, Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and The Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies—of Interventions tools were used to assess quality. Data were grouped in terms of oral health-related quality of life, pain side effects and/or other complications. Results: Data from 35 studies were included; 9 were eligible for meta-analysis. Thus 2611 participants were included related to removable aligners (n = 513), fixed labial (n = 1816) and lingual (n = 218) appliances or a combination (n = 64) of appliances. The standardised mean differences in visual analogue scale pain reports between 24 h and 7 days were −10.02 (95% CI: −11.13, −8.91) for aligners and −6.40 (95%CI: −10.42, −2.38) for labial appliances (p = 0.09). There was a significant improvement in dental self-confidence following fixed labial appliance treatment (p = 0.001). Conclusions: No difference was detected in short-term pain with aligners and labial appliances. Aligners may have less impact on oral health-related quality of life measures compared to labial appliances. Lingual appliances have a persistent impact on speech, despite some adaptability. Any deterioration in oral health-related quality of life measures during treatment appears temporary. Further randomised trials using validated assessment tools and comparing aligners and labial and lingual appliances are required. Full article

Nishikigoi are highly valued ornamental fish whose evaluation affects their market price. However, the judging criteria of the exhibitions remain unclear. This study applies a generative artificial intelligence model to explore potential factors behind non-award-winning Kohaku Nishikigoi. An improved Variational Autoencoder (VAE) is developed based on the standard VAE as follows: introducing perceptual loss to enhance detail, adding mask loss to maintain body shape consistency, and replacing transposed convolutions with UpSampling layers to reduce artifacts. With the improved VAE, we propose a method to evaluate a non-award-winning Koi. Specifically, when the non-award-winning images are input into the model, differences between the input and output images become large to identify visual deficiencies of the inputs, since the improved VAE is designed to generate images that potentially win competitions. For experiments, synthetic non-award-winning Koi images were created by modifying award-winning ones. The synthesized non-award-winning images were input into the improved VAE and the generated images were obtained. Experimental results showed that shape consistency measured by Multi-layer Sliding Window was lower for award-winning images (0.110) than for non-award-winning images (0.141). Also, the average difference in color was smaller for award-winning Koi (4.75%) than for non-award-winning Koi (28.7%). Full article

The combustion diagnostics of rotating detonation engines (RDE) based on excited-state hydroxyl radical (OH*) chemiluminescence imaging is an important method used to characterize combustion flow fields. Overcoming the limitations of imaging devices to achieve nanosecond-scale temporal resolution is crucial for observing the propagation of high-frequency detonation waves. In this work, a nanosecond-scale imaging system with an ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution was designed and constructed. The system employs four near ultraviolet (NUV)-visible ICMOS, equipped with a high-gain, dual-microchannel plate (MCP) architecture fabricated using a new atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The system has a maximum electronic gain of 10⁷, a minimum integration time of 3 ns, a minimum interval time 4 ns, and an imaging resolution of 1608 × 1104 pixels. Using this system, high-spatiotemporal-resolution visualization experiments were conducted on RDE, fueled by H₂–oxygen-enriched air and NH₃–H₂–oxygen-enriched air. The results enable the observation of the detonation wave structure, the cellular structure, and the propagation velocity. In combination with optical flow analysis, the images reveal vortex structures embedded within the cellular structure. For NH₃-H₂ mixed fuel, the results indicate that detonation wave propagation is more unstable than in H₂ combustion, with a larger bright gray area covering both the detonation wave and the product region. The experimental results demonstrate that high spatiotemporal OH* imaging enables non-contact, full-field measurements, providing valuable data for elucidating RDE combustion mechanisms, guiding model design, and supporting NH₃ combustion applications. Full article

Strong communication is central to the translation of breast cancer screening availability into uptake. This experiment tests the role of design features of screening advertisements in directing visual attention in screening-eligible women (≥40 years). To this end, a within-subjects eye-tracking experiment (N = 30) was conducted in which women viewed six static public service advertisements. Predefined Areas of Interest (AOIs), Text, Image/Visual, Symbol, Logo, Website/CTA, and Source/Authority—were annotated, and three standard measures were calculated: Time to First Fixation (TTFF), Fixation Count (FC), and Fixation Duration (FD). Analyses combined descriptive summaries with subgroup analyses using nonparametric methods and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) employing participant-level random intercepts. Within each category of stimuli, detected differences were small in magnitude yet trended towards few revisits in each category for the FC mode; TTFF and FD showed no significant differences across categories. Viewing data from the perspective of Areas of Interest (AOIs) highlighted pronounced individual differences. Narratives/efficacy text and dense icon/text callouts prolonged processing times, although institutional logos and abstract/anatomical symbols generally received brief treatment except when coupled with action-oriented communication triggers. TTFF timing also tended toward individual areas of interest aligned with the Scan-Then-Read strategy, in which smaller labels/sources/CTAs are exploited first in comparison with larger headlines/statistical text. Practically, screening messages should co-locate access and credibility information in early-attention areas and employ brief, fluent efficacy text to hold gaze. The study adds PSA-specific eye-tracking evidence for breast cancer screening and provides immediately testable design recommendations for programs in Greece and the EU. Full article

Mobile games have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the digital economy, and in-app advertisements represent a major source of revenue while shaping consumer attention and memory processes. This study examined the relationship between visual attention and brand recall of in-app advertisements in a mobile sports game using mobile eye-tracking technology. A total of 79 participants (47 male, 32 female; Mage = 25.8) actively played a mobile sports game for ten minutes while their eye movements were recorded with Tobii Pro Glasses 2. Areas of interest (AOIs) were defined for embedded advertisements, and fixation-related measures were analyzed. Brand recall was assessed through unaided, verbal-aided, and visual-aided measures, followed by demographic comparisons based on gender, mobile sports game experience and interest in tennis. Results from Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) revealed that brand placement was the strongest predictor of recall (p < 0.001), overriding raw fixation duration. Specifically, brands integrated into task-relevant zones (e.g., the central net area) achieved significantly higher recall odds compared to peripheral ads, regardless of marginal variations in dwell time. While eye movement metrics varied by gender and interest, the multivariate model confirmed that in active gameplay, task-integration drives memory encoding more effectively than passive visual salience. These findings suggest that active gameplay imposes unique cognitive demands, altering how attention and memory interact. The study contributes both theoretically by extending advertising research into ecologically valid gaming contexts and practically by informing strategies for optimizing mobile in-app advertising. Full article

Eye tracking scanpaths encode the temporal sequence and spatial distribution of eye movements, offering insights into visual attention and aesthetic perception. However, analysing scanpaths still requires substantial manual effort and specialised expertise, which limits scalability and constrains objectivity of eye tracking methods. This paper examines whether and how multimodal large language models (MLLMs) can provide objective, expert-level scanpath interpretations. We used GPT-4o as a case study to develop eye tracking scanpath analysis (ETSA) approach which integrates (1) structural information extraction to parse scanpath events, (2) knowledge base of visual-behaviour expertise, and (3) least-to-most and few-shot chain-of-thought prompt engineering to guide reasoning. We conducted two studies to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of the approach, as well as an ablation analysis to quantify the contribution of the knowledge base and a cross-model evaluation to assess generalisability across different MLLMs. The results of repeated-measures experiment show high semantic similarity of 0.884, moderate feature-level agreement with expert scanpath interpretations (F1 = 0.476) and no significant differences from expert annotations based on the exact McNemar test (p = 0.545). Together with the ablation and cross-model findings, this study contributes a generalisable and reliable pipeline for MLLM-based scanpath interpretation, supporting efficient analysis of complex eye tracking data. Full article

The atmosphere of an interior space within an architectural built form can be defined by the interactions between the material and immaterial elements surrounding the inhabitant of a space, expressed through our own responding embodied experience. These psychologically tangible yet often immaterial experiences are deeply embodied, realised through our interconnected visual perception, haptic engagement, auditory characteristics, temporal movement and thermal comfort. The study questions how we can harvest useful data to explore atmosphere as an “in-between” state between perceiver and surroundings, through aligning physical environmental recordings with felt personal responses over parallel time-based studies. The approach explored analyses a set of existing spaces through the harvesting of sensory elements using on-site, temporal recordings and participatory haptic engagement. Physical presence is recorded through measured environmental data and audited through a theoretical stance of “conservation of mass”, as each extracted element is replaced and balanced by the other sensorial elements, supporting a holistic experience. Evolving thinking around design approaches promoting an awareness of atmospheric sensibilities can ensure that we do not lose the rich opportunities that sensory design can provide for contemporary architectural design practice. Harvesting atmospheres seeks to describe the broad, elemental nature of sensory design, defining examples of real-time temporary, elusive boundaries and fluid domains that shift spaces between atmospheric experiences, whilst supporting the interconnected collage of the “in-between” complexity of designing with this realm. Full article

Background/Objectives: Children with hearing loss (HL) could experience significant fatigue which compromises their performance. The effort related to the combination of HL and visual impairment in children affected by Usher syndrome (USH) could compromise mental health, socio-emotional behavior and academic achievement. The aim of the present study was to analyse the listening effort in USH cases types 1 and 2 and its relation to age, molecular diagnosis, visual field, visual acuity, degree of HL, vestibular impairment and spatial orientation. Methods: This was a retrospective monocentric study. Twenty children with genetically confirmed USH (USH2 in 15/20–75% and USH1 in 5/20–25%), age range 3–17 years (mean 9.6 ± 4.7), underwent: the Vanderbilt fatigue scale questionnaire (VFS), audiological and vestibular assessment including the Oldenburg Matrix test in Italian and video head impulse test (VHIT), sound localization test and ophthalmologic examination. Results: We observed a more pronounced HL and deteriorated vestibular function in those with USH1. They also employed significantly more time and head movements to localize sounds compared to USH2 and had the worst visual field on eye examination. The VFS did not show significant differences between the two groups, with the exception of the physical fatigue reported by parents. Mean VFS was linearly related to age, the hearing threshold of the worse ear, data logging hours of hearing device, time and head movements of the localization test, VHIT asymmetry and balance problems referred by parents and the visual field. USH type 1 had no greater risk of fatigue than USH2. Profound hearing loss, data logging of hearing device < 8 h a day, difficult localization test, balance problems and low retinal sensitivity represented risk factors for listening effort measured with VFS. Conclusions: Listening effort in difficult environments such as school rooms in USH patients is not only associated to hearing function but also to the spatial awareness determined in part by vestibular and visual function. Teachers should be informed and made aware of multiple comorbidities in order to facilitate learning. Full article

Gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) serves as the core equipment in substations. Its partial discharge detection requires ultrasonic sensors to be precisely aligned with millimeter-level measurement points. However, existing technologies face three major bottlenecks: the lack of surface texture on GIS makes visual feature extraction difficult; strong electromagnetic interference in substations causes image noise and loss of feature point tracking; and fixed gain control easily leads to end-effector jitter, reducing positioning accuracy. To address these challenges, this paper first employs AprilTag visual markers to define GIS measurement point features, establishing an image-based visual servo model that integrates GIS surface curvature constraints. Second, it proposes an adaptive gain algorithm based on model predictive control, dynamically adjusting gain in real-time according to visual error, electromagnetic interference intensity, and contact force feedback, balancing convergence speed and motion stability. Finally, experiments conducted on a GIS inspection platform built using a Franka Panda robotic arm demonstrate that the proposed algorithm reduces positioning errors, increases positioning speed, and improves positioning accuracy compared to fixed-gain algorithms, providing technical support for the engineering application of GIS partial discharge detection robots. Full article

Precise, seamless, and high-rate navigation remains a major challenge, particularly when relying on low-cost sensors. With the decreasing cost of cameras, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, tightly coupled fusion frameworks, such as GVINS, have gained considerable attention. GVINS is an optimization-based factor-graph framework that integrates visual and inertial measurements with single-frequency GNSS-code pseudorange observations to provide robust and drift-free navigation. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of applying GVINS to low-cost, low-power, and single-frequency GNSS receivers, particularly those embedded in smartphones, by integrating 1 Hz GNSS measurements collected in three challenging urban scenarios into the GVINS framework to produce seamless 10 Hz positioning estimates. The experiments were conducted using an Xsens MTi-1 IMU and global-shutter (GS) cameras, as well as a Samsung A51 smartphone and a u-blox ZED-F9P GNSS receiver. GVINS was modified to process 1 Hz GNSS measurements. Differential corrections from a nearby GNSS reference station were also incorporated to assess their impact on optimization-based filters, such as GVINS. The performance of GVINS and Differential GVINS (D-GVINS) solutions using smartphone measurements was compared against standard point positioning (SPP) and differential GPS (DGPS) results obtained from the same smartphone GNSS receiver, as well as the GVINS solution derived from u-blox ZED-F9P measurements sampled at 1 Hz. Experimental results show that GVINS effectively operates with smartphone GNSS measurements, reducing 3D RMS errors by 80.4%, 64.9%, and 83.8% for the sports field, campus-walking, and campus-driving datasets, respectively, when differential corrections are applied relative to the SPP solution. These results highlight the potential of smartphone GNSS receivers within the GVINS framework: Even though they observe fewer constellations, lower signal quality, and a lower number of satellites, they can still achieve a performance comparable to that of a relatively higher-end dual-frequency GNSS receiver, the u-blox ZED-F9P. Further studies will focus on adapting the GVINS algorithm to run directly on smartphones to utilize all the available measurements, including the camera, IMU, barometer, magnetometer, and additional ranging sensors. Full article

Research has shown that nostalgia can have psychological benefits, for example, by recreating comforting memories from the past. These memories often unfold in mental space, where one recreates events, people, objects, etc. Therefore, individual differences in nostalgic experience may relate to the ability to process spatial information. The aim of the current study was to investigate the links among spatial ability, imagery, nostalgia, and well-being. In total, 521 participants (Mage 27.7 years; SD = 12.14; 400 women) completed the following measures: Well-Being Inventory (WHO5), Neuroticism scale from BFI-2-S, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Inventory (GAD7), Southampton Nostalgia Proneness test, Nostalgia Content test, and Paper Folding—a spatial visualization test (SV). The SV did not correlate with nostalgia proneness. However, when only spatially related items were selected from the Nostalgia Content Questionnaire, the “Spatial Nostalgia Score” was positively linked with the SV and nostalgia proneness. This measure is also positively linked with well-being after controlling for anxiety (but not neuroticism). The current study provided new insights into the links between nostalgia and well-being by incorporating spatial visualization as an important element of nostalgia. Taken together, the results suggest that individual differences in the SV may be linked to spatial aspects of nostalgic experiences. This study identified directions for further measurement development and future experimental studies. Full article