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During September 10-14, 1984, we held a Research Workshop at the Lake Arrowhead Conference Center, California, bringing togeth er leaders in the field of electronic spatial sensors for the blind from the psychology, engineering, and rehabilitation areas. Our goal was to engage these groups in discussion with one another about prospects for the future of electronic spatial sensing, in the light of emerging technologies and the increasing sophistica tion of behavioral research related to this field. The papers in this book give an update on several of the key research traditions in thi s fi e 1 d. Broader overvi ews are provi ded in the paper by Brabyn, and in our Historical Overview, Final Commentary and the Introductions to each section. In a field as complex as this, some overlap of discussion is desirable and the reader with a serious interest in this field is advised to sample several opinions. This volume, and the conference on which it is based, received assistance from many people and organizations. The Scientific Affai rs Divi sion of the North Atl antic Treaty Organization sup ported the conference as part of their program of Advanced Research Workshops, and the Science and Technology to Aid the Handicapped Program of the National Science Foundation provided additional major financial support. The Center for Social and Behavioral Sciences Research of the University of California, Riverside provided financial as well as major logistical support.
As optical fiber communication systems have moved out of the laboratory and into commercial use over the past several years, the general field of guided wave and coherent optics has undergone a radical transformation. Research in optical communication has turned heavily towards single-mode technology and, totally new phenomena and applications of the existing technology, outside the communication field, have begun to proliferate. It was for this reason that we decided to organize a NATO Advanced Study Institute assembling the leading workers in this new domain, in order to define the state of the art, and, develop an idea of the new directions the field might take. The lectures and seminars presented at this Advanced Study Institute form the basis for this book. The subjects treated can be roughly grouped as : - New phenomena in optical fibers such as non-linear effects, soliton propagation and polarization conservation. - New applications of fibers, to measurements of rotation pressure, temperature etc ... and medical uses. - Advanced and exploratory work on single-mode fiber communica tion systems including the use of coherent transmission schemes and optical amplification. - Recent developments of optical information treatment based on four-wave mixing. - Integrated optical devices and technologies including bistable devices, parametric oscillators, and optical logic. In addition to these major topics, a number of national reviews and specialized seminars treating new guided wave structures and materials are included. The co-editors admit being rather pleased with the result.
As optical fiber communication systems have moved out of the laboratory and into commercial use over the past several years, the general field of guided wave and coherent optics has undergone a radical transformation. Research in optical communication has turned heavily towards single-mode technology and, totally new phenomena and applications of the existing technology, outside the communication field, have begun to proliferate. It was for this reason that we decided to organize a NATO Advanced Study Institute assembling the leading workers in this new domain, in order to define the state of the art, and, develop an idea of the new directions the field might take. The lectures and seminars presented at this Advanced Study Institute form the basis for this book. The subjects treated can be roughly grouped as : - New phenomena in optical fibers such as non-linear effects, soliton propagation and polarization conservation. - New applications of fibers, to measurements of rotation pressure, temperature etc ... and medical uses. - Advanced and exploratory work on single-mode fiber communica tion systems including the use of coherent transmission schemes and optical amplification. - Recent developments of optical information treatment based on four-wave mixing. - Integrated optical devices and technologies including bistable devices, parametric oscillators, and optical logic. In addition to these major topics, a number of national reviews and specialized seminars treating new guided wave structures and materials are included. The co-editors admit being rather pleased with the result.
This comprehensive reference source is a state-of-the-art guide to the scientific, clinical, rehabilitative, and policy aspects of vision impairment and blindness. More than 100 original contributions from physicians, therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and policy makers cover everything from the basic science of vision and its diseases to assistive technologies, treatment, and care.
This book presents studies of self-motion by an international group of basic and applied researchers including biologists, psychologists, comparative physiologists, kinesiologists, aerospace and control engineers, physicians, and physicists. Academia is well represented and accounts for most of the applied research offered. Basic theoretical research is further represented by private research companies and also by government laboratories on both sides of the Atlantic. Researchers and students of biology, psychology, physiology, kinesiology, engineering, and physics who have an interest in self-motion -- whether it be underwater, in space, or on solid ground -- will find this volume of interest. This book presents studies of self-motion by an international group of basic and applied researchers including biologists, psychologists, comparative physiologists, kinesiologists, aerospace and control engineers, physicians, and physicists. Academia is well represented and accounts for most of the applied research offered. Basic theoretical research is further represented by private research companies and also by government laboratories on both sides of the Atlantic. Researchers and students of biology, psychology, physiology, kinesiology, engineering, and physics who have an interest in self-motion -- whether it be underwater, in space, or on solid ground -- will find this volume of interest.
Assistive technology has made it feasible for individuals with a wide range of impairments to engage in many activities, such as education and employment, in ways not previously possible. The key factor is to create consumer-driven technologies that solve the problems by addressing the needs of persons with visual impairments. Assistive Technology for Blindness and Low Vision explores a broad range of technologies that are improving the lives of these individuals. Presenting the current state of the art, this book emphasizes what can be learned from past successful products, as well as what exciting new solutions the future holds. Written by world-class leaders in their field, the chapters cover the physiological bases of vision loss and the fundamentals of orientation, mobility, and information access for blind and low vision individuals. They discuss technology for multiple applications (mobility, wayfinding, information access, education, work, entertainment), including both established technology and cutting-edge research. The book also examines computer and digital media access and the scientific basis for the theory and practice of sensory substitution. This volume provides a holistic view of the elements to consider when designing assistive technology for persons with visual impairment, keeping in mind the need for a user-driven approach to successfully design products that are easy to use, well priced, and fill a specific need. Written for a broad audience, this book provides a comprehensive overview and in-depth descriptions of current technology for designers, engineers, practitioners, rehabilitation professionals, and all readers interested in the challenges and promises of creating successful assistive technology.
Principles and Practice of Restorative Neurology is a collection of topics in clinical neurology where progress through research has brought concepts of patient management. The collection emphasizes research done clinically and in experimental laboratories and attempts to discuss restorative neurology in the larger context, encompassing biology, neurobiology, and rehabilitative engineering. The book discusses the concept that neurology should be more therapeutic instead of being just diagnostic because of advances in techniques and drugs. An epidemiology of disability and the evaluation of restorative neurology are explained. The text also presents the developments in the pharmacotherapy of major neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, and stroke. The use of biomechanical or rehabilitation engineering to treat impaired or lost functions in a patient is compared; the feedback mechanisms and the kinds of treatment including microsurgery, nuerostimulation methods, surgery, and molecular genetics that are applied to specific disorders are discussed extensively. The book also reviews the approaches of gene correction for disorders in the central nervous system. Finally, the future needs of neurology in terms of diagnosis and treatments are dealt with as more research, techniques, and drugs are being discovered and proved useful. The collection is intended for neurologists, neurologists in training, and other physicians whose work lies with neurological disorders. The book can also prove useful for practitioners and academicians in the fields of neurosurgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, and rehabilitation medicine.
and processes which are exclusive to humans in their encoding, storing, decoding and retrieving spatial knowledge for various tasks. The authors present and discuss connectionist models of cognitive maps which are based on local representation, versus models which are based on distributed representation, as well as connectionist models concerning language and spatial relations. As is well known, Gibson's (1979) ecological approach suggests a view on cognition which is diametrically different from the classical main stream view: perception (and thus cognition) is direct, immediate and needs no internal information processing, and is thus essentially an external process of interaction between an organism and its external environment. The chapter by Harry Heft introduces J. J. Gibson's ecological approach and its implication to the construction of cognitive maps in general and to the issue of wayfinding in particular. According to Heft, main stream cognitive sciences are essentially Cartesian in nature and have not as yet internalized the implications of Darwin's theory of evolution. Gibson, in his ecological approach, has tried to do exactly this. The author introduces the basic terminology of the ecological approach and relates its various notions, in particular optic flow, nested hierarchy and affordances, to navigation and the way routes and places in the environment are learned.
The idea for the present volume grew from discussions that the four of us had among ourselves and with our colleagues at recent scientific meetings. All of us were impressed by the wealth of empirical data that was being generated by investigators interested in brain damage and recovery from both behavioral and biological orientations. Nevertheless, we were concerned about the relative paucity of attempts to evaluate the data provided by new technologies in more than a narrow context or to present new theories or reexamine time-honored ideas in the light of new findings. We recognized that science is guided by new technologies, by hard data, and by theories and ideas. Yet we were forced to conclude that, although investi gators were often anxious to publicize new methods and empirical fmdings, the same could not be said about broad hypotheses, underlying concepts, or in ferences and speculations that extended beyond the empirical data. Not only were many scientists not formally discussing the broad implications of their data, but, when stimulating ideas were presented, they were more likely to be heard in the halls or over a meal than in organized sessions at scientific meetings.