Task Performance Research Articles

Enhancing individual task performance and productivity: an ethnographic observational study of supported employment among social services clients in Finland

BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to investigate the various aspects of employees’ work environment, including their job characteristics; the level of support provided by supervisors, job coaches and coworkers; and their perceptions of job performance and productivity from the perspectives of both employees and supervisors in the context of sustainable employability in supported employment interventions. This study was part of the Finnish Work Ability Programme Evaluation Study (2020–2024).MethodsThis study is theoretically informed by the concepts of specific work ability and sustainable employability, as well as how health affects productivity at the task level—approach. The research is based on qualitative data obtained through ethnographic fieldwork, nonparticipating observing with interaction at work, which includes observing employed individuals in their workplaces. Additionally, we recorded discussions, took photos at work, and conducted interviews with supervisors and job coaches.ResultsThe main findings were that persons with disability or decreased work ability were employed in precarious low-productivity work, with limited opportunities for more sustainable employment. Several means from public employment services to decrease the employer’s personnel costs were used. The supervisors appeared to have a strong grasp of each employee’s task-specific productivity level. Supervisors had to adapt their usual tasks to provide extra support for employees, often focusing more on work performance. The role of coworkers and the work community as whole was also important. The personal support of job coaches during the employment phase was crucial, but their role in the workplace was unclear, especially to employers.ConclusionsTo strengthen sustainable careers, the matching of jobs and individuals should be promoted through closer and productivity-oriented cooperation with employers and work communities in vocational rehabilitation and re-employment. The chosen qualitative research strategy, ethnographic fieldwork at work and multi-perspective data collection provided new interpretations of the possibilities for sustainable employability using the Supported Employment method. From the perspectives of both enabling prolonged working careers for employees and providing a clear understanding of task-performance-based productivity to employers, there is a need for more microlevel data on what happens in work and workplaces, particularly the social mechanisms through which results are achieved.

Aging effects on control ability: an ERP study using the AX continuous performance task in middle-aged and older adults

Abstract The dual mechanisms of control model (DMC model) assumes that aging leads to decline in proactive control and reactive control abilities in various aspects of daily life. However, the methods adopted by previous ERP studies limit their capacity to provide in-depth information on the aging effects of neural processes, such as N2 (reactive control), P3b, and CNV (proactive control). This study aims to clarify the aging effects on proactive control and reactive control by controlling additional (potentially confounding) variables (e.g., physical fitness level) and utilizing N2, CNV, and P3b to specify neural processes in the DMC model. To achieve this goal, a total of sixty-two middle-aged and fifty-nine older adults were recruited. Participants underwent the Senior Fitness Test to measure physical fitness level. Furthermore, participants were required to perform the AX-CPT task while ERPs were recorded. The results were primarily focused on the analysis of N2 in AY trials and the analysis of P3b and CNV in BX trials. Notably, older adults exhibited faster reaction times (RT) than middle-aged adults in AY trials. Conversely, in BX trials, older adults displayed slower RT compared with middle-aged adults. Furthermore, our findings indicated that older adults had higher CNV amplitude at the parietal region in comparison with middle-aged adults in BX trials. We suggest that older adults may tend to engage more attentional resources in avoiding the false alarm in AY trials. In contrast, middle-aged adults may engage in a predictive function that directs attention to a particular response in BX trials.

Utility of Parent and Teacher Behavior Ratings for Self-Regulatory Outcomes of Preschool Children: A Multi-Study Examination.

Despite frequent reliance on teacher and parent ratings of children's behavior for multi-informant assessment, agreement between teachers' and parents' ratings is low. This study examined the predictive utility of teacher and parent ratings for children's self-regulatory outcomes (i.e., executive function, continuous performance task) in four studies. Study 1 included 163 children ranging from 31 to 84 months of age (M = 55.58 months, SD = 8.43). Study 2 included 1,088 children ranging from 48 to 63 months of age (M = 55.15, SD = 3.65). Study 3 included 246 bilingual Spanish-speaking children ranging from 40 to 72 months of age (M = 56.66, SD = 6.06). Study 4 included 280 children ranging from 38 to 75 months of age (M = 55.92, SD = 4.16). Across studies, parents and teachers rated children's externalizing behaviors on the Conners' Rating Scale, the Strength and Weaknesses of ADHD-Symptoms and Normal Behavior Scale, or both; children completed a variety of performance-based self-regulation tasks. The strength of associations of parent and teacher ratings with self-regulatory outcomes was compared, and regression analyses determined the unique and overlapping variance accounted for by different raters. Teachers' ratings had larger associations with self-regulation than did parents' ratings across outcomes and studies-except for two instances in Study 4 where the associations for teachers' and parents' ratings were equal. These findings indicate that teachers supply more useful information than parents, possibly because teachers have better-informed expectations of children's behavior, and they raise questions about the utility of multi-informant assessment, at least with preschool children.

Multiview attention networks for fine-grained watershed categorization via knowledge distillation.

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, an increasing number of village-related modeling problems have been addressed. However, first, the exploration of village-related watershed fine-grained classification problems, particularly the multi-view watershed fine-grained classification problem, has been hindered by dataset collection limitations; Second, village-related modeling networks typically employ convolutional modules for attentional modeling to extract salient features, yet they lack global attentional feature modeling capabilities; Lastly, the extensive number of parameters and significant computational demands render village-related watershed fine-grained classification networks infeasible for end-device deployment. To tackle these challenges, we introduce a multi-view attention mechanism designed for precise watershed classification, leveraging knowledge distillation techniques, abbreviated as MANet-KD. Specifically, first, we have developed the inaugural multi-view watershed classification dataset, termed MVWD.Second, we introduce a cross-view attention module (CVAM), which models salient features from intersecting views with global attention, enhancing the accuracy and precision of watershed classification. This module enhances fine-grained classification accuracy. Based on the above proposed CVAM, we propose a heavyweight MANet-Teacher and a lightweight MANet-Student, and finally, we introduce an Attention Knowledge Distillation (AKD) strategy that effectively transfers critical feature knowledge from the teacher network to the student network, utilizing the AKD approach for enhanced learning outcomes. The experimental results show that the proposed MANet-Teacher achieves state-of-the-art performance with 78.51% accuracy, and the proposed MANet-Student achieves comparable performance to MANet-Teacher with 6.64M parameters and 1.68G computation. The proposed MANet-KD achieves a good balance of performance and efficiency in the multi-view fine-grained watershed classification task. To facilitate further research in multi-view fine-grained watershed classification, all datasets, codes, and benchmark outcomes will be made available to the public. https://github.com/Jack13026212687/MANet-KD.

Theta and beta power in the subthalamic nucleus respond to conflict across subregion and hemisphere

Abstract The subthalamic nucleus is thought to play a crucial role in controlling impulsive actions. Networked among the basal ganglia and receiving input from several cortical areas, the subthalamic nucleus is well-positioned to influence action selection when faced with competing and conflicting action outcomes. The purpose of this study was to test the dissociable roles of the dorsal and ventral aspects of the subthalamic nucleus during action conflict in patients with Parkinson’s disease undergoing intraoperative neurophysiological recording and to explore a potential mechanism for this inhibitory control. We hypothesized that modulations of neurophysiological activity during action conflict would be more pronounced in the dorsal subthalamic nucleus compared to the ventral subthalamic nucleus, due to the dissociation of cortical afferents to subthalamic nucleus subregions and previous findings of deep brain stimulation targeting subthalamic nucleus subregions in Parkinson’s disease. We recorded neurophysiological activity while ten participants with Parkinson’s disease performed the Simon task during deep brain stimulation surgery. Response-locked local field potentials in the theta and beta band (associated with conflict control and movement inhibition, respectively) were analyzed across subthalamic nucleus subregions and hemispheres relative to the motor response (ipsilateral/contralateral). In the presence of action conflict, the dorsal subthalamic nucleus, connected to cortical motor regions, exhibited larger theta power relative to the ventral subthalamic nucleus subregion which is linked to the limbic circuits (P<0.05). This evidence supports independent subregion function in conflict control. However, both subregions had relatively increased beta power for conflict trials compared to non-conflict in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the motor response. The conflict related beta modulation was not present in the contralateral hemisphere. This indicates the importance of the ipsilateral hemisphere in the inhibition of incorrect action impulses. Additionally, higher inter-trial beta power in the ventral subregion correlated with reduced accuracy on conflict trials, which we propose could serve as a biomarker for impaired task performance. The results of the study support the existence of a functional dissociation within subthalamic nucleus subregions, emphasizing the role of the dorsal subthalamic nucleus in modulating action conflict.

Primed into security: can attachment security priming affect attachment-related biases on early attention?

ABSTRACT Attachment avoidance is associated with deactivation of the attachment system when distressed, and disengagement from distressing information to maintain felt security. This study investigated how experimentally induced priming to enhance felt security might influence avoidant strategies at an attentional level. In a randomized, mixed design (N=104), we assessed attentional vigilance/disengagement towards contemptuous/neutral facial expressions using a variation of the dot-probe task, considering priming and attachment avoidance and anxiety. Attachment avoidance predicted attentional disengagement from the facial stimuli, particularly in individuals with low anxiety. By contrast, attachment anxiety predicted attentional vigilance regardless of level of avoidance. Task performance improved pre- to post-priming, driven by the neutral priming condition, suggesting that emotionally charged memories in security priming may deplete attentional resources. Priming did not affect highly avoidant individuals, suggesting they may disengage early from the task and remain unaffected by it. Findings highlight the complex interplay between attachment styles and attentional processes.

A comprehensive assessment of current methods for measuring metacognition

One of the most important aspects of research on metacognition is the measurement of metacognitive ability. However, the properties of existing measures of metacognition have been mostly assumed rather than empirically established. Here I perform a comprehensive empirical assessment of 17 measures of metacognition. First, I develop a method of determining the validity and precision of a measure of metacognition and find that all 17 measures are valid and most show similar levels of precision. Second, I examine how measures of metacognition depend on task performance, response bias, and metacognitive bias, finding only weak dependences on response and metacognitive bias but many strong dependencies on task performance. Third, I find that all measures have very high split-half reliabilities, but most have poor test-retest reliabilities. This comprehensive assessment paints a complex picture: no measure of metacognition is perfect and different measures may be preferable in different experimental contexts.

Auditory decision-making deficits after permanent noise-induced hearing loss

Loud noise exposure is one of the leading causes of permanent hearing loss. Individuals with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) suffer from speech comprehension deficits and experience impairments to cognitive functions such as attention and decision-making. Here, we investigate the specific underlying cognitive processes during auditory perceptual decision-making that are impacted by NIHL. Gerbils were trained to perform an auditory decision-making task that involves discriminating between slow and fast presentation rates of amplitude-modulated (AM) noise. Decision-making task performance was assessed across pre- versus post-NIHL sessions within the same gerbils. A single exposure session (2 h) to loud broadband noise (120 dB SPL) produced permanent NIHL with elevated threshold shifts in auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). Following NIHL, decision-making task performance was tested at sensation levels comparable to those prior to noise exposure in all animals. Our findings demonstrate NIHL diminished perceptual acuity, reduced attentional focus, altered choice bias, and slowed down evidence accumulation speed. Finally, video-tracking analysis of motor behavior during task performance demonstrates that NIHL can impact sensory-guided decision-based motor execution. Together, these results suggest that NIHL impairs the sensory, cognitive, and motor factors that support auditory decision-making.

The Effect of Cooperation with Conspecifics on a Pigeon’s Behavior under the Random Ratio Schedule

Abstract Social behavior involves interactions among individuals of the same species, and the presence or behavior of other individuals plays important roles. An individual’s performance in any particular task is improved or facilitated when others are present. The phenomenon of social facilitation has been studied for over a century, and it has implications for important behaviors like substance use, gambling, or choice behavior. The present study aimed to explore how the presence of conspecifics affects the behaviors of pigeons under a random ratio schedule. Four homing pigeons were used in various conditions to analyze response rates and bout-pause patterns. Experimental conditions were set up to examine the effects of conspecifics based on the following factors: the mere presence of conspecifics, simultaneous engagement in the same task, and sharing gains. Pigeon performance in each condition was compared based on the response rate and bout-and-pause patterns of key pecking behavior. The results suggest that sharing gain would work as an abolishing operation, although it does not produce a systematic effect on bout-pause patterns.

Observing Changes in Motoneuron Characteristics Following Distorted Sensorimotor Input via Blood Flow Restriction.

Disruption of the blood supply to a limb in conjunction with active movement boosts muscle growth, aids in rehabilitation, and allows controlled exploration of the sensorimotor system. Yet, the underlying neuromechanical changes have not been observed in great detail. This study aims to report the acute neuromuscular effects of temporary blood flow restriction (BFR) through behavioral changes at the level of motor units (MUs) using high-density surface electromyography on the abductor digiti minimi muscle during 20 trapezoidal and sinusoidal isometric force tracking tasks (5 pre-BFR, 5 during BFR, and 10 post-BFR). Unsurprisingly, during BFR, reported discomfort levels increased significantly (ρ < 0.001) regardless of the task (+239% trapezoidal, +228% sinusoidal). However, BFR had very little impact on task tracking performance, though the reconstructed force derived from the underlying neural drive (smoothed cumulative spike train of MUs) deviated substantially during BFR (-40% in trapezoidal, -47% in sinusoidal). Regardless of the condition, the numbers of extracted MUs were consistent (20-26 in trapezoidal, 23-29 in sinusoidal). Interestingly, the inter-spike interval (ISI) of these units increased by 28% in trapezoidal and 24% in sinusoidal tasks during BFR, with ISI steadily returning to original values post-BFR. These results indicate that acute BFR transiently alters the active MU pool, and MU firing behavior, yet only slightly affects the resulting task performance. However, pre-BFR motor function is gradually restored after BFR release. These findings provide insights into the resulting effects of acute BFR administration and the complex response it elicits from the sensorimotor system.

Age-specific effects of a sustained cognitive activity on perceived cognitive fatigue as well as single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance.

During their daily lives humans are often confronted with sustained cognitive activities (SCA) leading to state fatigue, a psychobiological state characterized by a decrease in cognitive and/or motor performance and/or an increase in perception of fatigue. It was recently shown that performing SCA can impair overground dual-task gait performance in older adults, but it is currently unknown whether there is a task- and/or age-specific modulation in gait performance during treadmill walking. Therefore, the effect of a SCA on single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance was investigated in young and old adults. Using a crossover design, spatio-temporal gait parameters of 24 young and 23 older healthy participants were measured using motion capturing during single- and dual-task (including three cognitive interference tasks: word list generation, arithmetic, and Stroop-task) treadmill walking before and after SCA (30min Stroop-task) and a control task (reading). Moreover, cognitive fatigue, wakefulness, mood, and arousal were assessed. Although the SCA induced age-specific perceptual responses, no difference was found for cognitive performance during the Stroop-task. The cognitive interference task performance (word list generation, arithmetic, and Stroop-task) during walking on the treadmill did not decrease after the SCA. Single- and dual-task gait performance (e. g., step width and step length) specifically changed after the SCA and after the reading control task in both groups. Data indicate that perceived cognitive fatigue has an impact on single- and dual-task treadmill walking performance, with task- and age-specific differences. Although no general age-specific changes in single- and dual task gait performance following SCA were identified, perceived cognitive fatigue should be considered as an intrinsic risk factor for falls.

Text Comprehension as a Mediator in Solving Mathematical Reality-Based Tasks: The Impact of Linguistic Complexity, Cognitive Factors, and Social Background

Successfully solving reality-based tasks requires both mathematical and text comprehension skills. Previous research has shown that mathematical tasks requiring language proficiency have lower solution rates than those that do not, indicating increased difficulty through textual input. Therefore, it is plausible to assume that a lack of text comprehension skills leads to performance problems. Given that different sociodemographic characteristics and cognitive factors can influence task performance, this study aims to determine whether text comprehension mediates the relationship between these factors and competence in solving reality-based tasks. Additionally, it examines the impact of systematic linguistic variation in texts. Using an experimental design, 428 students completed three reality-based tasks (word count: M = 212.4, SD = 19.7) with different linguistic complexities as part of a paper-pencil test. First, students answered questions about the situation-related text comprehension of each text, followed by a mathematical question to measure their competence in solving reality-based tasks. The results indicate that: a) Tasks with texts of lower linguistic complexity have a significantly higher solution rate for both text comprehension (d = 0.189) and mathematical tasks (d = 0.119). b) Cognitive factors are significant predictors of mathematical solutions. c) Text comprehension mediates the relationship between the impact of students’ cultural resources and cognitive factors and their competence to solve reality-based tasks. These findings highlight the importance of linguistic complexity for mathematical outcomes and underscore the need to reinforce text comprehension practice in mathematical education owing to its mediating role.

Dynamic switching between brain networks predicts creative ability

Creativity is hypothesized to arise from a mental state which balances spontaneous thought and cognitive control, corresponding to functional connectivity between the brain’s Default Mode (DMN) and Executive Control (ECN) Networks. Here, we conduct a large-scale, multi-center examination of this hypothesis. Employing a meta-analytic network neuroscience approach, we analyze resting-state fMRI and creative task performance across 10 independent samples from Austria, Canada, China, Japan, and the United States (N = 2433)—constituting the largest and most ethnically diverse creativity neuroscience study to date. Using time-resolved network analysis, we investigate the relationship between creativity (i.e., divergent thinking ability) and dynamic switching between DMN and ECN. We find that creativity, but not general intelligence, can be reliably predicted by the number of DMN-ECN switches. Importantly, we identify an inverted-U relationship between creativity and the degree of balance between DMN-ECN switching, suggesting that optimal creative performance requires balanced brain network dynamics. Furthermore, an independent task-fMRI validation study (N = 31) demonstrates higher DMN-ECN switching during creative idea generation (compared to a control condition) and replicates the inverted-U relationship. Therefore, we provide robust evidence across multi-center datasets that creativity is tied to the capacity to dynamically switch between brain networks supporting spontaneous and controlled cognition.

Impact of irrelevant speech and non-speech sounds on serial recall of verbal and spatial items in children and adults

Short-term memory for sequences of verbal items such as written words is reliably impaired by task-irrelevant background sounds, a phenomenon known as the “Irrelevant Sound Effect” (ISE). Different theoretical accounts have been proposed to explain the mechanisms underlying the ISE. Some of these assume specific interference between obligatory sound processing and phonological or serial order representations generated during task performance, whereas other posit that background sounds involuntarily divert attention away from the focal task. To explore the roles of phonological processing, serial order retention, and attention control, we analyzed the effects of environmental non-speech sounds and unfamiliar speech on serial recall of verbal items (pictures representing German nouns) and spatial items (dot locations) in children (n = 137) and adults (n = 98). In the verbal task, both age groups were equally affected by background sounds, with speech impairing recall more than environmental sounds. In the spatial task, no ISE was found in adults and fourth graders, but third graders exhibited significant performance impairment from both sounds. There was no habituation to the sound effects across the experimental trials. The findings indicate that both specific interference and attention capture may contribute to the ISE, with the impact of attention capture potentially decreasing with age.

Improvement of stereopsis following strabismus surgery in adults: a retrospective analysis.

Adults who undergo strabismus surgery, in addition to cosmesis, could benefit from improved stereopsis. This improvement is associated with the performance of motor skill tasks in young adults; they reduce the risk of tripping or falling during everyday locomotion and improve reading efficiency. This study aimed to assess stereopsis level after strabismus surgery in adults who underwent strabismus surgery for any reason. Retrospective observational study of adult patients who underwent strabismus surgery at our institution between 2010 and 2022. One hundred and thirty-two patients were included. Postoperatively, 48% had a stereo acuity better than 100 seconds of arc, and only 21.5% had no stereopsis. The most significant factor influencing improved stereopsis after surgery was the angle of strabismus postoperatively (p = 0.018). There was a statistically significant correlation between fusion at a distance and the stereo acuity (p = 0.0337). There was no statistically significant correlation between the stereo acuity level and the strabismus angle of deviation, the strabismus direction (vertical, horizontal, or combined), or the type (esotropia or exotropia) before or after the surgery. Although not statistically significant (p = 0.6579), the underlying cause categories were correlated with the stereo level. Patients with neurological causes demonstrated higher levels of stereopsis, followed by TED, whereas patients with childhood strabismus have the lowest probability of regaining stereopsis after surgery. Although long-standing strabismus reduces the potential for binocularity, surgery may be beneficial and improve stereopsis regardless of the cause of strabismus.

Relationship between motivational climate, anxiety and average mark in pre-service physical education teachers: a cross-sectional study based on structural equation modelling approach

BackgroundMotivation is a variable that directly influences task orientation. Within the motivational sphere, the motivational climate determines whether a task is performed with an intrinsic or extrinsic.PurposeIt has been observed that depending on motivational orientations, anxiety levels and task performance can be increased. Likewise, there are differences in interests depending on the gender of individuals.MethodsThis research aims (a) To elaborate and adjust a theoretical model of the causal relationship of motivational climate on anxiety and academic performance and (b) To analyse the causal relationship between the motivational climate on anxiety and the average mark of the participants. Regarding the design, a comparative, cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out on a sample of 558 trainee physical education teachers. The sample for this study is from southern Spain. Likewise, the branch of study of the sample is related to university degrees in education sciences and physical activity and sport sciences. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport-2 and an ad hoc socio-demographic questionnaire were used to collect the data.ResultsIt is observed that the male sex presents a greater causal relationship of task climate (β=−0.259; p ≤ 0.05) and ego climate (β = 0.324; p ≤ 0.001) on anxiety. A stronger causal relationship of task climate (β = 0.340; p ≤ 0.001) and ego climate (β = 0.241; p ≤ 0.05) on mean score is also observed for the male population. The sample presents a negative causal relationship of anxiety on the average mark. This is higher for the male population (β=−0.126).ConclusionsMale students show a greater causal effect of motivational climate on anxiety and grade point average. Likewise, the causal relationship of task climate on the development of anxiety is negative for the study sample. In contrast, the ego climate exerts a positive causal relationship on the development of anxiety.

Larry l. Jacoby (1944-2024).

Memorializes Larry L. Jacoby (1944-2024), a pioneering cognitive psychologist, who passed away in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 2024. Jacoby earned his undergraduate degree at Washburn University, where he took pride in being a football lineman and met his lifelong partner, Carole. He pursued graduate studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, earning both his MA and PhD under the supervision of Robert Radtke (in 1970). Larry began his academic career at Iowa State before spending nearly 25 years at McMaster University. He later held positions at the University of Utah and New York University, and he served as the David Wechsler chair at the University of Texas at Austin. He concluded his career at Washington University in St. Louis, where he was a faculty member for nearly 2 decades before retiring. Larry was best known for his innovative research on unconscious influences on memory, memory attributions, and the effects of cognitive aging on memory. In the late 1980s, he introduced the "logic of opposition," an innovative method for examining unconscious, automatic processes. This research culminated in the development of the "process dissociation procedure" in 1991, a highly influential method that quantifies the separate contributions of conscious recollection and familiarity-based responses during task performance. His impact extended broadly to fields such as cognitive neuroscience and social, personality, and developmental psychology. Larry's contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including the William James Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science and the Norman Anderson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Experimental Psychologists. His impact on the field continues through the work of his many close colleagues and a generation of researchers he thoughtfully mentored. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Chinese Mathematical Knowledge Entity Recognition Based on Linguistically Motivated Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformers

We assessed whether constructing a mathematical knowledge graph for a knowledge question-answering system or a course recommendation system, Named Entity Recognition (NER), is indispensable. The accuracy of its recognition directly affects the actual performance of these subsequent tasks. In order to improve the accuracy of mathematical knowledge entity recognition and provide effective support for subsequent functionalities, this paper adopts the latest pre-trained language model, LERT, combined with a Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU), Iterated Dilated Convolutional Neural Networks (IDCNNs), and Conditional Random Fields (CRFs), to construct the LERT-BiGRU-IDCNN-CRF model. First, LERT provides context-related word vectors, and then the BiGRU captures both long-distance and short-distance information, the IDCNN retrieves local information, and finally the CRF is decoded to output the corresponding labels. Experimental results show that the accuracy of this model when recognizing mathematical concepts and theorem entities is 97.22%, the recall score is 97.47%, and the F1 score is 97.34%. This model can accurately recognize the required entities, and, through comparison, this method outperforms the current state-of-the-art entity recognition models.

Performance on Activities of Daily Living and User Experience When Using Artificial Intelligence by Individuals With Vision Impairment.

This study assessed objective performance, usability, and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) by people with vision impairment. The goal was to provide evidence-based data to enhance technology selection for people with vision loss (PVL) based on their loss and needs. Using a cross-sectional, counterbalanced, cross-over study involving 25 PVL, we compared performance using two smart glasses (OrCam and Envision Glasses) and two AI apps (Seeing AI and Google Lookout). We refer to these as assistive artificial intelligence implementations (AAIIs). Completion and timing were quantified for three task categories: text, text in columns, and searching and identifying. Usability was evaluated with the System Usability Scale (SUS). The odds ratios (ORs) of being able to complete Text tasks were significantly higher when using AAIIs compared to the baseline. OR when performing "Searching and Identifying" tasks varied among AAIIs, with Seeing AI and Envision improving the performance of more tasks than Lookout or OrCam. Participants expressed high satisfaction with the AAIIs. Despite the findings that performance on some tasks and when using some AAIIs did not result in a greater number of PVL being able to complete the tasks, there was overall high satisfaction, reflecting an acceptance of AI as an assistive technology and the promise of this developing technology. This evidence-based performance data provide guidelines for clinicians when recommending an AAII to PVL.

Effects of short time -30° head-down tilt on time perception.

Exposure to microgravity induces abnormal experiences that may affect the perception of time. Head-down tilts (HDTs) are commonly used to investigate the effects of weightlessness. A -30° HDT is considered an appropriate model to simulate the acute phase of microgravity exposure. Temporal performance in a time reproduction task was assessed before and after 30 min of -30° HDT, using 800, 1,000, and 2,000 ms as standard intervals. Absolute error (AE), relative error (ratio), and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated to quantify performance. Compared to baseline measures obtained prior to HDT, both the mean AE and the ratio were significantly increased after 30 min of -30° HDT at the 800 ms interval. A similar trend was observed at the 1,000 ms interval, but no significant effect was found at the 2,000 ms interval. No significant differences were observed in the CV before and after -30° HDT. Acute exposure to microgravity, simulated by the -30° HDT condition, primarily affects duration perception at sub-second intervals.