Simple Task Research Articles

Action of the Euclidean versus projective group on an agent’s internal space in curiosity driven exploration

According to the Projective Consciousness Model (PCM), in human spatial awareness, 3-dimensional projective geometry structures information integration and action planning through perspective taking within an internal representation space. The way different perspectives are related to and transform a world model defines a specific perception and imagination scheme. In mathematics, such a collection of transformations corresponds to a ‘group’, whose ‘actions’ characterize the geometry of a space. Imbuing world models with a group structure may capture different agents’ spatial awareness and affordance schemes. We used group action as a special class of policies for perspective-dependent control. We explored how such a geometric structure impacts agents’ behaviors, comparing how the Euclidean versus projective groups act on epistemic value in active inference, drive curiosity, and exploration. We formally demonstrate and simulate how the groups induce distinct behaviors in a simple search task. The projective group’s nonlinear magnification of information transformed epistemic value according to the choice of frame, generating behaviors of approach toward objects with uncertain locations due to limited sampling. The Euclidean group had no effect on epistemic value: no action was better than the initial idle state. In structuring a priori an agent’s internal representation, we show how geometry can play a key role in information integration and action planning. Our results add further support to the PCM.

When Random Practice Makes you More Skilled: Applying the Contextual Interference Principle to a Simple Aiming Task Learning

Abstract Contextual interference (CI)—the practice of tasks in a random rather than blocked order—is known to impair immediate performance while enhancing long-term learning and transfer. In simple aiming tasks, CI has been shown to improve movement accuracy. However, whether these greater improvements extend to unpracticed parameters, such as novel distances or the contralateral hand—a relationship informed by schema theory—remains unexplored. Additionally, in non-sequential tasks, CI has been shown to affect processes that are preprogrammed before movement initiation, leaving reaction time and speed unaffected, yet this has not been empirically tested in simple aiming tasks. To address these gaps, we trained thirty-six participants over nine sessions on a computer-based aiming task involving three target distances. Participants were assigned to either a High Contextual Interference (HCI) group, practicing distances in random order, or a Low Contextual Interference (LCI) group, practicing in a blocked order. Performance was assessed in pretest, posttest, and retention sessions under both conditions, with evaluations extending to untrained parameters, including new distances and the contralateral hand. Despite reduced accuracy during training, the HCI group demonstrated significantly higher accuracy in retention and transfer tests compared to the LCI group across both trained and untrained parameters. Consistent with our hypothesis, no differences were observed in reaction time or movement speed, supporting that in simple aiming tasks, CI primarily affects pre-movement initiation processes. These findings confirm the robustness of CI effects in parameterization learning and extend its benefits to unpracticed motor parameters in simple aiming tasks.

Quantifying sighting dominance using on-display projections of monocular and binocular views.

Sighting dominance is an important behavioral property which has been difficult to measure quantitatively with high precision. We developed a measurement method that is grounded in a two-camera model that satisfies these aims. Using a simple alignment task, this method quantifies sighting ocular dominance during binocular viewing, identifying each eye's relative contribution to binocular vision. The method involves placing a physical target between the viewer and a display. The viewer indicates the perceived target's projection on the display with both eyes open and with only one eye open. The relative location of the binocular projection in relation to the two monocular projections is the index of dominance. The method produces a continuous variable with robust test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.96). The unit of measurement for the computed quantity is physiologically grounded: it is proportional to the distance between the monocular projections, which we show is predictable from interpupillary distance and phoria. Comparisons with the classic 'hole in card' sighting dominance test show good agreement, but also hint at potential bias for determining right-eye dominance in the latter. Interestingly, we find that some individuals systematically demonstrate nearly balanced vision, a phenomenon previously construed as mixed dominance or noisy responses. We also present ways to quantify and mitigate sources of random noise in this measurement. Overall, this new method allows for precise estimation of sighting dominance during binocular viewing. We expect it will allow a more effective understanding of the neural basis of dominance and improved effectiveness when using sighting dominance as a covariate in more complex analyses.

The impact of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on anterior cingulate cortex activity in a cognitive control task.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) offers a non-invasive method to enhance noradrenergic neurotransmission in the human brain, thereby increasing cognitive control. Here, we investigate if changes in cognitive control induced by tVNS are mediated through locus coeruleus-induced modifications of neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Young healthy participants engaged in a simple cognitive control task focusing on response inhibition and a more complex task that involved both response inhibition and working memory, inside a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. The tasks were executed using a randomized within-subject design, with participants undergoing auricular tVNS and sham stimulation in separate sessions. tVNS significantly changed performance in the simple control task reflected in a greater propensity to respond. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex during the simple cognitive control task under tVNS. Functional connectivity analyses revealed positive coupling between neural activity in the locus coeruleus and anterior cingulate cortex, however, this was not modulated by tVNS. The findings suggest that non-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve can modulate neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. While these neural effects suggest an impact of tVNS in a key region involved in conflict monitoring and cognitive control, the behavioral effects are more indicative of a shift in response bias rather than enhanced cognitive control.

Examining the predictive power of L2 writing anxiety on L2 writing performance in simple and complex tasks under task-readiness conditions

Examining the predictive power of L2 writing anxiety on L2 writing performance in simple and complex tasks under task-readiness conditions

Effects of Age and Atomoxetine on Olfactory Perception and Learning and Underlying Plasticity Mechanisms in Rats.

The locus coeruleus (LC) plays a vital role in cognitive function through norepinephrine release. Impaired LC neuronal health and function is linked to cognitive decline during ageing and Alzheimer's disease. This study investigates age-related alterations in olfactory detection and discrimination learning, along with its reversal, in Long-Evans rats, and examines the effects of atomoxetine (ATM), a norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, on these processes. Adult (6-9 months) and aged (22-24 months) Long-Evans rats underwent odour detection threshold experiments with saline and two doses of ATM (0.3 and 1 mg/kg). Reward-based odour discrimination learning included simple, difficult and reversal learning tasks. LC neuron density, dopamine beta-hydroxylase and norepinephrine transporter expression in the piriform cortex (PC) and orbitofrontal cortex were measured. Reversal learning and olfactory threat extinction were used to measure behavioural flexibility. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to analyse phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB) and cFos expression and exvivo electrophysiology assessed long-term depression (LTD) in the PC. Whereas adult and aged cohorts showed similar odour detection and discrimination learning, fewer aged rats acquired reversal learning successfully. ATM improved reward-based odour discrimination in adults but hindered learning reversal. A delayed CREB phosphorylation in the posterior PC associated with atomoxetine administration possibly underlies learning enhancement. ATM resulted in less freezing behaviour in a threat conditioning and extinction paradigm at moderate, but not at higher doses. ATM administration exvivo prevented PC LTD. These findings highlight the intricate effects of atomoxetine, influenced by target structures, and suggest potential interactions with other neurotransmitters. Our results contribute to understanding the impact of ageing and norepinephrine enhancers on cognitive processes.

Using a Functional Upper Limb Motor Task to Predict Cognitive and Functional Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Predicting the rate of cognitive and functional decline over the course of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is vital for advancing clinical care and research initiatives. Objectives: The current study examined if a functional upper limb motor task could predict 1-year change in cognition (Mini Mental Status Examination [MMSE]) and daily function (Quick Dementia Rating System [QDRS]) from a sample of 61 cognitively intact, 35 MCI, and 32 AD subjects. Results: Analyses adjusted for age, sex, and education showed that performance speed and variability on the motor task significantly predicted change in performance on the MMSE and QDRS over 1 year, and that these effects were small to medium in size (η2 = 0.04-0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest the potential of a simple motor task to estimate disease progression in MCI and AD, which could be used to provide additional clinical resources for and enrich clinical trials with those most likely to decline.

Java coding using artificial intelligence

This study explores the potential of chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, in Java software development. The aim is to classify tasks for effective use of industrial code and develop recommendations for applying chatbot assistance, identifying boundaries where human intervention remains essential. The methodology included analyzing scientific literature and empirically testing ChatGPT-3.5 on various Java development tasks. The tasks were divided into simple (working with XML, JSON, multithreading, and data input/output) and complex (writing MVC applications, REST services, and GUI). The results showed that ChatGPT successfully handles simple tasks but struggles with complex problems. The study identified scenarios where the chatbot can effectively use existing codebases and design patterns to accelerate development. The conclusions highlight ChatGPT’s potential in improving developer productivity, optimizing certain development tasks, and more efficiently allocating human resources in projects. However, the study also points out the need for human intervention to verify, correct, and improve generated code. The study contributes to understanding the practical usefulness of chatbots in real development scenarios and offers recommendations for integrating AI tools into the software development process.

Motor Learning Deficits in a Neonatal Mouse Model of Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury

Background/Objectives: Motor deficits following neonatal brain injury, from cerebral palsy to subtle deficits in motor planning, are common yet underreported. Rodent models of motor deficits in neonatal hypoxia–ischemia (HI) allow improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms and neuroprotective strategies. Our goal was to test motor performance and learning in a mouse model of neonatal HI. Methods: We induced HI in postnatal day (p)10 C57/Bl6 mice through unilateral carotid ligation followed by 60 min of 8% oxygen exposure, or a sham procedure. At p30, we assessed complex motor performance and learning using the accelerating rotarod and complex running wheel tasks. Results: In the rotarod task, HI mice performed worse than sham mice, with shorter latencies to fall (n = 6 sham, 9 HI; day 1, p = 0.033; day 2, p = 0.013; day 3, p = 0.023). Sham mice demonstrated improved performance across days (p = 0.005), and HI mice did not (p = 0.44). During the simple running wheel task, we observed no difference in wheel rotation and speed between groups (n = 5/group; day 1, p = 0.67; day 4, p = 0.53). However, when navigating a wheel with a random pattern of spokes removed (complex task), HI mice took longer than sham mice to reach a plateau in performance (n = 5/group; day 1, p = 0.02; day 4, p = 0.77). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that young adult mice exposed to HI exhibit significant deficits and delayed learning in complex motor performance compared to sham mice. HI mice do not show deficits in gross motor performance; however, more subtle impairments are present in complex motor performance and learning. This HI model exhibits subtle motor deficits relevant to findings in humans and may be a useful tool in testing further neuroprotective strategies.

Solving Multi-Objective Satellite Data Transmission Scheduling Problems via a Minimum Angle Particle Swarm Optimization

With the increasing number of satellites and rising user demands, the volume of satellite data transmissions is growing significantly. Existing scheduling systems suffer from unequal resource allocation and low transmission efficiency. Therefore, effectively addressing the large-scale multi-objective satellite data transmission scheduling problem (SDTSP) within a limited timeframe is crucial. Typically, swarm intelligence algorithms are used to address the SDTSP. While these methods perform well in simple task scenarios, they tend to become stuck in local optima when dealing with complex situations, failing to meet mission requirements. In this context, we propose an improved method based on the minimum angle particle swarm optimization (MAPSO) algorithm. The MAPSO algorithm is encoded as a discrete optimizer to solve discrete scheduling problems. The calculation equation of the sine function is improved according to the problem’s characteristics to deal with complex multi-objective problems. This algorithm employs a minimum angle strategy to select local and global optimal particles, enhancing solution efficiency and avoiding local optima. Additionally, the objective space and solution space exhibit symmetry, where the search within the solution space continuously improves the distribution of fitness values in the objective space. The evaluation of the objective space can guide the search within the solution space. This method can solve multi-objective SDTSPs, meeting the demands of complex scenarios, which our method significantly improves compared to the seven algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate that this algorithm effectively improves the allocation efficiency of satellite and ground station resources and shortens the transmission time of satellite data transmission tasks.

Usability Analysis of Mobile Applications Used for Foreign Language Learning

The aim of this study is to evaluate the usability of mobile applications for learning foreign languages. The study examined the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of the selected applications. The research was conducted using a user-based approach and observed the behavior of real users while using the applications and collected their opinions. The study participants consisted of 10 university students. The participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. This method allowed researchers to quickly reach existing participants. Participants performed five different tasks using applications they had never used before. Applications included Duolingo, Cake and Memrise. In the efficiency dimension, Cake had the highest success rate (54%), while Duolingo had the lowest success rate (34%). In the efficiency dimension, Duolingo had the fastest task completion time, while Cake took the longest. In terms of user satisfaction, Cake received the highest satisfaction rating. Participants reported that Cake was easier to use due to its simple tasks and user-friendly interface. On the other hand, Duolingo's complex interface and repetitive structure made it difficult for users to use the application long-term. Overall, all applications were rated as moderately user-friendly. The study highlights the importance of user-centered design to increase the effectiveness of mobile language learning applications and provides insights into future research.

Adolescent and adult mice use both incremental reinforcement learning and short term memory when learning concurrent stimulus-action associations.

Computational modeling has revealed that human research participants use both rapid working memory (WM) and incremental reinforcement learning (RL) (RL+WM) to solve a simple instrumental learning task, relying on WM when the number of stimuli is small and supplementing with RL when the number of stimuli exceeds WM capacity. Inspired by this work, we examined which learning systems and strategies are used by adolescent and adult mice when they first acquire a conditional associative learning task. In a version of the human RL+WM task translated for rodents, mice were required to associate odor stimuli (from a set of 2 or 4 odors) with a left or right port to receive reward. Using logistic regression and computational models to analyze the first 200 trials per odor, we determined that mice used both incremental RL and stimulus-insensitive, one-back strategies to solve the task. While these one-back strategies may be a simple form of short-term or working memory, they did not approximate the boost to learning performance that has been observed in human participants using WM in a comparable task. Adolescent and adult mice also showed comparable performance, with no change in learning rate or softmax beta parameters with adolescent development and task experience. However, reliance on a one-back perseverative, win-stay strategy increased with development in males in both odor set sizes, but was not dependent on gonadal hormones. Our findings advance a simple conditional associative learning task and new models to enable the isolation and quantification of reinforcement learning alongside other strategies mice use while learning to associate stimuli with rewards within a single behavioral session. These data and methods can inform and aid comparative study of reinforcement learning across species.

The Impact of an External Compared to an Internal Focus of Attention on Simple and Complex Motor Skills Acquisition in Novice Female Volleyball Players

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of external (EXT) versus internal (INT) focus of attention on acquiring and transferring simple and complex motor skills in novice female volleyball players. Methods: Fifty-seven participants were assigned to one of the three groups: The external focus (EXT), the internal focus (INT), and the control group (CON). Over a 6-week intervention, participants practiced a simple skill (volleyball passing) and a complex skill (overhead tennis serve). Pre-tests, post-tests, and transfer tests (conducted two weeks later) assessed movement form and accuracy. Results: The results showed a statistically significant interaction among focus methods, skill complexity, and testing periods for movement form and performance outcome. The EXT group showed higher movement form and performance outcome improvements during the simple skill (passing) compared to the INT and CON groups. For the complex skill (serving), the EXT group outperformed the INT and CON groups regarding movement outcome; however, no differences in movement form were observed between the EXT and INT groups. Post hoc Tukey tests indicated that the EXT group scored higher than the INT and CON groups in the post-test and transfer test for the simple skill, with movement form improving from 1.68 ± 0.48 to 2.32 ± 0.58. In the complex skill, the EXT group’s movement outcome improved from 11.32 ± 6.83 to 44.47 ± 16.57. Conclusions: External focus significantly enhances movement form and outcome in simple tasks and performance outcomes in more complex skills among novice athletes.

Task sequencing on oral performance in Portuguese as a foreign language

This empirical study examined Robinson’s (2010, 2015, 2022) Simplify, Stabilise/ Automatise/ Restructure, Complexify (SSARC) instructional design model of task sequencing. Thirty-four university learners of Portuguese as a foreign language participated in the research. The analysis employed a monologic narrative task and two independent variables: “± here-and-now” and “± planning time”. Measures of syntactic complexity, lexical diversity, accuracy, and fluency were selected to analyse the learners’ output. A between-subjects design was adopted. Participants were divided into two groups: (i) sequencing group, in which the students (n=15) performed three tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity (simple task – complex task – more complex task); (ii) individual performance group (n=19), in which the students performed only one task (simple task, complex task, or more complex task). The inferential statistical tests showed gains in fluency and syntactic complexity (coordination index) regarding the complex task in the sequencing group, and increased accuracy and fluency for the more complex task, as compared to individual group performance. The SSARC model was considered to have pedagogical merit, which can help teachers design task-based syllabuses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to fully test the SSARC model applied to oral task sequencing in Portuguese as a foreign language.

Hospitalization prediction from the emergency department using computer vision AI with short patient video clips

In this study, we investigate the performance of computer vision AI algorithms in predicting patient disposition from the emergency department (ED) using short video clips. Clinicians often use “eye-balling” or clinical gestalt to aid in triage, based on brief observations. We hypothesize that AI can similarly use patient appearance for disposition prediction. Data were collected from adult patients at an academic ED, with mobile phone videos capturing patients performing simple tasks. Our AI algorithm, using video alone, showed better performance in predicting hospital admissions (AUROC = 0.693 [95% CI 0.689, 0.696]) compared to models using triage clinical data (AUROC = 0.678 [95% CI 0.668, 0.687]). Combining video and triage data achieved the highest predictive performance (AUROC = 0.714 [95% CI 0.709, 0.719]). This study demonstrates the potential of video AI algorithms to support ED triage and alleviate healthcare capacity strains during periods of high demand.

Call Center Monitoring for Emergency Services

Speech recognition applications can increase the efficiency of simple tasks and greatly expand the range of tasks that call center operators perform. To increase the productivity of the public security management center, a software module was created which analyzes incoming calls, converts them into text form and places this text in the database. Operators are given the opportunity to read the call text after the end of the call to better understand its content and to improve the quality of the corresponding response. The article discusses the module, which was created to convert the incoming calls into text form. The service is a .NET Core Web API application created using the C# programming language. It uses a NuGet package to communicate with Google’s Speech service. The components of the system are described, the JSON format of the message is given, the structure of the database is discussed, the corresponding software codes of the module are given. The article also shows the customer irritating factors, analyzes the situations that create a series of calls, presents the results of customer surveys, which relate to the needs of customers in terms of waiting time. The paper discusses the mechanism for prioritizing calls, the algorithm for its implementation, as well as ways to manage non-targeted calls. The article shows the pros and cons of a system for queuing priorities.

Evaluation of Task Specific Productivity Improvements Using a Generative Artificial Intelligence Personal Assistant Tool

This study evaluates the productivity improvements achieved using a generative artificial intelligence personal assistant tool (PAT) developed by Trane Technologies. The PAT, based on OpenAI’s GPT 3.5 model, was deployed on Microsoft Azure to ensure secure access and protection of intellectual property. To assess the tool’s productivity effectiveness, an experiment was conducted comparing the completion times and content quality of four common office tasks: writing an email, summarizing an article, creating instructions for a simple task, and preparing a presentation outline. Sixty-three (63) participants were randomly divided into a test group using the PAT and a control group performing the tasks manually. Results indicated significant productivity enhancements, particularly for tasks involving summarization and instruction creation, with improvements ranging from 3.3% to 69%. The study further analyzed factors such as the age of users, response word counts, and quality of responses, revealing that the PAT users generated more verbose and higher-quality content. Writing email content improved by 3.3%, summarizing text improved by 69%, creating instructions improved by 45.9%, and preparing an outline improved by 24.8%. An ’LLM-as-a-judge’ method employing GPT-4 was used to grade the quality of responses, which effectively distinguished between high and low-quality outputs. The findings underscore the potential of PATs in enhancing workplace productivity and highlight areas for further research and optimization.

Effects of central vs. peripheral attentional-oculomotor exercise on lexical processing.

Past research from our lab has suggested visual demands in video games serve to exercise attentional-oculomotor (A-O) processing in a manner beneficial to reading. However, testing the effect of video games on reading typically requires long timeframes (e.g., multiweek training or years of accumulated video game experience). The current study manipulated within-experiment peripheral and central demands to evaluate the effects of A-O exercise on task performance. Our study included two tasks: an orthographic lexical decision task (OLDT), designed to optimise orthographic lexical processing, and a novel graphic-based health bar decision task (HBDT). In Experiment 1, the stimuli were presented centrally in one block and peripherally in another block to manipulate A-O exercise. We observed greater improvements in the peripheral-first than the central-first group, particularly for the OLDT. In Experiments 2 and 3, we focused on the OLDT, with the HBDT serving as the A-O exercise task, and observed improvements in both centrally and peripherally trained participants. We additionally observed, through analyses of word and bigram frequency, a double dissociation, whereby increased target word frequency was associated with faster target reaction times and improved error rates, whereas increased foil bigram frequency was associated with slower foil reaction times and worse error rates. Taken together, the experiments demonstrate a mechanism beyond simple task learning that drives reading improvements, and A-O exercise, even if movements are small, appears to play a role in the improvements observed. We suggest future research should further develop this paradigm and examine its utility for reading remediation in dyslexia.

From "invisible" to "audible": Features extracted during simple speech tasks classify patient-reported fatigue in multiple sclerosis.

Fatigue is a major "invisible" symptom in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), which may affect speech. Automated speech analysis is an objective, rapid tool to capture digital speech biomarkers linked to functional outcomes. To use automated speech analysis to assess multiple sclerosis (MS) fatigue metrics. Eighty-four PwMS completed scripted and spontaneous speech tasks; fatigue was assessed with Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). Speech was processed using an automated speech analysis pipeline (ki elements: SIGMA speech processing library) to transcribe speech and extract features. Regression models assessed associations between speech features and fatigue and validated in a separate set of 30 participants. Cohort characteristics were as follows: mean age 49.8 (standard deviation (SD) = 13.6), 71.4% female, 85% relapsing-onset, median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 2.5 (range: 0-6.5), mean MFIS 27.6 (SD = 19.4), and 30% with MFIS > 38. MFIS moderately correlated with pitch (R = 0.32, p = 0.005), pause duration (R = 0.33, p = 0.007), and utterance duration (R = 0.31, p = 0.0111). A logistic model using speech features from multiple tasks accurately classified MFIS in training (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.95, R2 = 0.59, p < 0.001) and test sets (AUC = 0.93, R2 = 0.54, p = 0.0222). Adjusting for EDSS, processing speed, and depression in sensitivity analyses did not impact model accuracy. Fatigue may be assessed using simple, low-burden speech tasks that correlate with gold-standard subjective fatigue measures.

Automatic Distraction by Sexual Images: Gender Differences

Sexual stimuli are thought to be highly salient and have been shown to automatically attract attention at the cost of processing other stimuli. We examined whether this effect was greater for men and whether men would show a category-specific effect with greater effects due to female images than male images. In two studies, participants performed a simple perceptual task while trying to ignore a distractor stimulus that could have sexual or neutral content. As expected, sexual stimuli produced a slowing of decision times under all conditions. The effect of erotic stimuli was greater for men (Experiment 1) and was category-specific (Experiment 2) while the response of women was not category specific (Experiment 2). However, all indices of distraction showed poor levels of reliability. The results show that early automatic distraction from sexual images show both quantitative and qualitative gender differences.