Search results for "Omou"
showing 10 items of 195 documents
An ASSOM neural network to represent actions performed by an autonomous agent
1997
An ASSOM neural network to describe the action performed by an autonomous reactive agent is proposed. The neural network receives in input the sequences of data acquired by the agent internal sensors and it classifies them by generating the corresponding symbolic assertions. Experimental results performed on a RWI B12 autonomous robot are reported.
An architecture for autonomous agents exploiting conceptual representations
1998
An architecture for autonomous agents is proposed that integrates the functional and the behavioral approaches to robotics. The integration is based on the introduction of a conceptual level, linking together a subconceptual, behavioral, level, and a linguistic level, encompassing symbolic representation and data processing. The proposed architecture is described with reference to an experimental setup, in which the robot task is that of building a significant description of its working environment. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Diagnostic delay in oral squamous cell carcinoma: the role of cognitive and psychological variables
2014
This retrospective study investigated, in two cohorts of subjects living in Southern Italy and awaiting treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the variables related to diagnostic delay ascribable to the patient, with particular reference to the cognitive and psychological ones. A total of 156 patients with OSCC (mean age: 62 years, M/F: 2.39∶1) were recruited at the Universities of Palermo and Naples. Risk factors related to patient delay included: sociodemographic, health-related, cognitive and psychological variables. The analysis was conducted by considering two different delay ranges: dichotomous (≤1 month vs. >1 month) and polytomous (3 months) delay. Data were investigated…
Psychophysiological responses to cooperation: The role of outcome and gender
2013
Instances of sustained cooperative behaviour in humans can be considered as an adaptive strategy that enhances the probability of reaching a goal. This study investigates psychophysiological responses to cooperation in healthy subjects, while considering outcome and gender as potential moderators of these responses. Salivary cortisol levels (Csal), heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), nonspecific skin conductance responses (NSRs), and mood states were measured at different points before, during and after a Lego house-building task in undergraduate men (n = 22) and women (n = 20). Once the task was finished, the experimenter informed the participants about the outcome obtained (pos…
Rasch scalability of the somatosensory amplification scale: a mixture distribution approach.
2012
Abstract Objective Somatosensory amplification refers to a person's tendency to experience somatic sensations as inappropriately intense and involves hypervigilance concerning bodily sensations. We applied the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS) in an Internet sample of young adults (N = 3031) to test whether the SSAS is Rasch scalable. Methods We applied mixture distribution extensions of the partial credit and rating scale models to identify possible subgroups that use the response set of the SSAS in different ways. Results A partial credit model, with two latent classes, showed a superior fit to all other models. Still, one of the SSAS items had to be removed because it showed sever…
Dimensionality of depression in acute schizophrenia: a methodological study using the Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (BRMES).
1998
Abstract Despite the great clinical importance of depressive symptoms in schizophrenia there is a lack of studies on the assessment and evaluation of depression in acutely psychotic patients. For the Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (BRMES), among other advantages, the concept of unidimensionality was confirmed in patients with major depression by different methodological approaches including Rasch analysis. The present evaluation was designed to investigate the scale properties of the BRMES in acutely schizophrenic patients with particular emphasis on the dimensionality of the scale. Three different statistical approaches were used: principal component analysis in combination with computer…
Is a female physical empowerment campaign effective in improving positive body image, motivation for physical activity, and physical activity behavio…
2022
This Girl Can is a campaign designed to empower women to increase physical activity. The campaign uses images/videos of women of diverse body weights/shapes, ages and ethnicities being physically active, emphasizing body functionality. First, we examined the effects of multi-session (N = 3) exposures to This Girl Can on body functionality, body appreciation and self-compassion (Study 1). Second, we explored if autonomous motivation for physical activity mediated effects of This Girl Can on physical activity (Study 2). Women (Study 1: N = 186, M (SD) age = 27.55 (14.01); Study 2: N = 153, M (SD) age = 28.31 (11.70)) were randomized to This Girl Can, or control videos/images depicting idealiz…
A Bio-Inspired Cognitive Agent for Autonomous Urban Vehicles Routing Optimization
2017
Autonomous urban vehicle prototypes are expected to be efficient even in not explicitly planned circumstances and dynamic environments. The development of autonomous vehicles for urban driving needs real-time information from vehicles and road network to optimize traffic flows. In traffic agent-based models, each vehicle is an agent, while the road network is the environment. Cognitive agents are able to reason on the perceived data, to evaluate the information obtained by reasoning, and to learn and respond, preserving their self-sufficiency, independency, self-determination, and self-reliance. In this paper, a bio-inspired cognitive agent for autonomous urban vehicles routing optimization…
Perceived benefits and constraints in vehicle automation: Data to assess the relationship between driver's features and their attitudes towards auton…
2019
This data article examines the association driver's features, perceptions and attitudes towards autonomous vehicles (AVs). The data was collected using a structured self-administrable and online-based questionnaire, applied to a full sample of 1205 Spanish drivers. The data contains 4 parts: the full set of bivariate correlations between study variables; descriptive statistics and graphical trends for each main study variable according to gender, age group and city/town size; and, finally, the dataset for further explorations in this regard. For more information, it is convenient to read the full article entitled “Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use a…
Modeling the insect mushroom bodies: application to a delayed match-to-sample task.
2013
Despite their small brains, insects show advanced capabilities in learning and task solving. Flies, honeybees and ants are becoming a reference point in neuroscience and a main source of inspiration for autonomous robot design issues and control algorithms. In particular, honeybees demonstrate to be able to autonomously abstract complex associations and apply them in tasks involving different sensory modalities within the insect brain. Mushroom Bodies (MBs) are worthy of primary attention for understanding memory and learning functions in insects. In fact, even if their main role regards olfactory conditioning, they are involved in many behavioral achievements and learning capabilities, as …