Today's Everyday Research Articles

Experimenting with visual content: online focus group on citizens' perception and trust in science communication.

Background: This paper presents part of a wider research project called TRESCA[1] which aims to develop trust in science through the innovation of communication practices. Connected with the topic of trust in sciences, in terms of the credibility and reliability of scientific information, a part of the project was dedicated to the assessment of the explanatory power of two main elements of communication: audio and video. Particular attention was given to how these two elements relate to the perception of citizens, mediating with the latent imaginaries, emotional charges and value judgements that are the basis of the framing of relevant news, and thus with the ability of people to distinguish between correct and false communication. Methods: To investigate these aspects, an ad hoc workshop was designed and implemented in three European countries with the aim of understanding how people interpret the content of a scientific communication video with particular attention to the role of images and audio. Some probe questions were carefully selected to explore content and latent imaginaries, emotional and critical aspects also related with the trust of the communication. Results: By involving citizens in discussions and innovation efforts, many suggestions and recommendations have been collected. In today's everyday life, where the visual is very widespread, thanks to the ever-growing presence of social media, the power of images can exceed that of audio. Conclusions: Since watching a video without sound can mislead the real content of the message, especially when the source or the speaker aren't recognisable. This can have many repercussions on people's ability to evaluate the truthfulness of a news and, consequently, on the choice to grant trust - or distrust.

Nanotechnology and mobile learning: perspectives and opportunities in young children's education

The adoption of digital technologies in early childhood settings attracts the attention of an increasing number of researchers and scholars throughout the globe. Despite the proliferation of investigations focusing on learning through digital technologies in preschool and early-primary education, there are fields of knowledge in which the impact of digital technologies has yet to be explored. A typical example is that of Nano-Science and Nano-Technology (NST). NST is a new interdisciplinary field with products and applications (apps) that utilise the cutting-edge technology and is increasingly penetrating into today's everyday life, promising to solve global challenges. The objectives of this paper are to (a) examine, based on relevant literature, whether digital technologies could enhance the teaching of concepts related to NST in early childhood settings (b) present the perspectives of mobile devices and their educational apps in young children's learning procedure. The study concludes with a theoretical analysis of the research findings and a brief proposal for future research.

Nanotechnology and mobile learning: perspectives and opportunities in young children's education

The adoption of digital technologies in early childhood settings attracts the attention of an increasing number of researchers and scholars throughout the globe. Despite the proliferation of investigations focusing on learning through digital technologies in preschool and early-primary education, there are fields of knowledge in which the impact of digital technologies has yet to be explored. A typical example is that of Nano-Science and Nano-Technology (NST). NST is a new interdisciplinary field with products and applications (apps) that utilise the cutting-edge technology and is increasingly penetrating into today's everyday life, promising to solve global challenges. The objectives of this paper are to (a) examine, based on relevant literature, whether digital technologies could enhance the teaching of concepts related to NST in early childhood settings (b) present the perspectives of mobile devices and their educational apps in young children's learning procedure. The study concludes with a theoretical analysis of the research findings and a brief proposal for future research.

E HAJA DEUS: CAPITALISMO, RELIGIÃO E A CRIAÇÃO DO INDIVÍDUO CONQUISTADOR NA SOCIEDADE DE HIPERCONSUMO

Neste artigo propomos, por meio de revisão bibliográfica, uma reflexão teórica sobre as transformações do capitalismo e a maneira como a ética protestante incorporou o espírito capitalista na sociedade de hiperconsumo. Constatamos que na contemporaneidade a vida cotidiana é convertida em uma aventura competitiva onde o apelo a autonomia e ao governo de si são competências essenciais para se obter sucesso. Isso dá origem à figura do indivíduo conquistador e seu correlato, o indivíduo incerto. É nesta lacuna entre o ser e o desejo ser que a religião atua.

Unmanned aerial vehicles using machine learning for autonomous flight; state-of-the-art

ABSTRACTIn recent years, since researchers began to study on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), UAVs have been integrated into today's everyday life, including civilian area and military area. Many researchers have tried to make use of UAVs as an ideal platform for inspection, delivery, surveillance, and so on. In particular, machine learning has been applied to UAVs for autonomous flight that enables UAVs do designated task more efficiently. In this paper, we review the history and the classification of machine learning, and discuss the state-of-the-art machine learning that has been applied to UAVs for autonomous flight. We provide control strategies including parameter tuning, adaptive control for uncertain environment, and real-time path planning, and object recognition that have been described in the literature.

Seeing like a donator: guiding communities into better lives in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami

The paper provides an ethnographic insight into a privately initiated housing project conducted in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami in Southern Sri Lanka. Informed by Foucault's concept of governmentality, the aim is to understand how private donators attempt to shape the conduct of beneficiaries thereby governing their mentality through humanitarian aid and its techniques. Foremost the paper analyses the background in which donators create a framework to project their logic and vision to illustrate how their particular socialised knowledge and networks influence the project plan and implementation process. Thereby, most importantly, the paper analyses the way donators define and imagine ‘better lives’ for the recipients of their aid. Subsequently an insight is gained into how today's everyday community life appears in relation to the newly defined ‘modelled’ life.

Women in graphic design, 1890-2012= Frauen und grafik-design, 1890-2012

Why are there so few women in the history of design? Why do previously well-known women become 'forgotten', and at what point can someone be considered 'successful'? Do women create differently to men? What effects of the gender debate are noticeable in today's everyday working life, and are women judged today solely on the basis of their quality of work? This book prompts a look beneath the surface: with numerous contributions from design historians, programmatic texts and a comprehensive collection of biographies, alongside interviews with internationally recognised female designers such as Irma Boom, Paula Scher, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Julia Hoffmann, Tina Roth Eisenberg, Katja M. Becker, Anna Berkenbusch, Heike Grebin, Gisela Grosse, Miriam and Nina Lambert, Iris Utikal and Judith Grieshaber.