GazeDrone: Mobile Eye-Based Interaction in Public Space Without Augmenting the User

Gaze interaction holds a lot of promise for seamless human-computer interaction. At the same time, current wearable mobile eye trackers require user augmentation that negatively impacts natural user behavior while remote trackers require users to position themselves within a confined tracking range. We present GazeDrone, the first system that combines a camera-equipped aerial drone with a computational method to detect sidelong glances for spontaneous (calibration-free) gaze-based interaction with surrounding pervasive systems (e.g., public displays). GazeDrone does not require augmenting each user with on-body sensors and allows interaction from arbitrary positions, even while moving. We demonstrate that drone-supported gaze interaction is feasible and accurate for certain movement types. It is well-perceived by users, in particular while interacting from a fixed position as well as while moving orthogonally or diagonally to a display. We present design implications and discuss opportunities and challenges for drone-supported gaze interaction in public

The HH34 outflow as seen in [FeII]1.64um by LBT-LUCI

Dense atomic jets from young stars copiously emit in [FeII] IR lines, which can, therefore, be used to trace the immediate environments of embedded protostars. We want to investigate the morphology of the bright [FeII] 1.64um line in the jet of the source HH34 IRS and compare it with the most commonly used optical tracer [SII]. We analyse a 1.64um narrow-band filter image obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) LUCI instrument, which covers the HH34 jet and counterjet. A Point Spread Function (PSF) deconvolution algorithm was applied to enhance spatial resolution and make the IR image directly comparable to a [SII] HST image of the same source. The [FeII] emission is detected from both the jet, the (weak) counter-jet, and from the HH34-S and HH34-N bow shocks. The deconvolved image allows us to resolve jet knots close to about 1\arcsec from the central source. The morphology of the [FeII] emission is remarkably similar to that of the [SII] emission, and the relative positions of [FeII] and [SII] peaks are shifted according to proper motion measurements, which were previously derived from HST images. An analysis of the [FeII]/[SII] emission ratio shows that Fe gas abundance is much lower than the solar value with up to 90% of Fe depletion in the inner jet knots. This confirms previous findings on dusty jets, where shocks are not efficient enough to remove refractory species from grains.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, note accepted by A&

Giant-dipole Resonance and the Deformation of Hot, Rotating Nuclei

The development of nuclear shapes under the extreme conditions of high spin and/or temperature is examined. Scaling properties are used to demonstrate universal properties of both thermal expectation values of nuclear shapes as well as the minima of the free energy, which can be used to understand the Jacobi transition. A universal correlation between the width of the giant dipole resonance and quadrupole deformation is found, providing a novel probe to measure the nuclear deformation in hot nuclei.Comment: 6 pages including 6 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. Revtex

Geometrical features of (4+d) gravity

We obtain the vacuum spherical symmetric solutions for the gravitational sector of a (4+d)-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory. In the various regions of parameter space, the solutions can describe either naked singularities or black-holes or wormholes. We also derive, by performing a conformal rescaling, the corresponding picture in the four-dimensional space-time.Comment: 10 pages, LateX2e, to appear in Phys.Rev.

Identification and rejection of scattered neutrons in AGATA

Gamma rays and neutrons, emitted following spontaneous fission of 252Cf, were measured in an AGATA experiment performed at INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro in Italy. The setup consisted of four AGATA triple cluster detectors (12 36-fold segmented high-purity germanium crystals), placed at a distance of 50 cm from the source, and 16 HELENA BaF2 detectors. The aim of the experiment was to study the interaction of neutrons in the segmented high-purity germanium detectors of AGATA and to investigate the possibility to discriminate neutrons and gamma rays with the gamma-ray tracking technique. The BaF2 detectors were used for a time-of-flight measurement, which gave an independent discrimination of neutrons and gamma rays and which was used to optimise the gamma-ray tracking-based neutron rejection methods. It was found that standard gamma-ray tracking, without any additional neutron rejection features, eliminates effectively most of the interaction points due to recoiling Ge nuclei after elastic scattering of neutrons. Standard tracking rejects also a significant amount of the events due to inelastic scattering of neutrons in the germanium crystals. Further enhancements of the neutron rejection was obtained by setting conditions on the following quantities, which were evaluated for each event by the tracking algorithm: energy of the first and second interaction point, difference in the calculated incoming direction of the gamma ray, figure-of-merit value. The experimental results of tracking with neutron rejection agree rather well with Geant4 simulations

Evidence for the Jacobi shape transition in hot 46Ti

The gamma-rays from the decay of the GDR in 46Ti compound nucleus formed in the 18O+28Si reaction at bombarding energy 105 MeV have been measured in an experiment using a setup consisting of the combined EUROBALL IV, HECTOR and EUCLIDES arrays. A comparison of the extracted GDR lineshape data with the predictions of the thermal shape fluctuation model shows evidence for the Jacobi shape transition in hot 46Ti. In addition to the previously found broad structure in the GDR lineshape region at 18-27 MeV caused by large deformations, the presence of a low energy component (around 10 MeV), due to the Coriolis splitting in prolate well deformed shape, has been identified for the first time.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, proceedings of the COMEX1 conference, June 2003, Paris; to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Correlates to the variable effects of cannabis in young adults: a preliminary study

Background: Cannabis use can frequently have adverse affects in those that use it and these can be amplified by various characteristics of an individual, from demographic and environmental variations to familial predisposition for mental illnesses. Methods: The current study of 100 individuals, who were cannabis users during their adolescence and may still be users, was a survey of the self perceived effects of cannabis and their correlates. A reliable family member was also interviewed for determination of family history of various major mental illnesses and substance use. Results: As many as 40% of cannabis users had paranoid feelings (suspiciousness) when using cannabis, although the most frequent effect was feeling relaxed (46%). Having a familial background for mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia did not determine the effects of cannabis nor its pattern of use, although the number of subjects with such a history was small. An age at which an individual began using cannabis did have an effect on how heavily it was used and the heavier the cannabis use, the more likely the individual was also to have had psychotic symptoms after use. There were no sex differences in effects of cannabis. These results are tempered by the reliance on self-report for many of the variables ascertained. Conclusion: Cannabis can frequently have negative effects in its users, which can be amplified by certain demographic and/or psychosocial factors. Thus, users with a specific profile may be at a higher risk of unpleasant effects from cannabis use and caution should be noted when cannabis is administered to young people for medicinal purposes