Cognitive abilities,digital games and arithmetic performance enhancement: A study comparing the effects of a math game and paper exercises

Besides entertainment, games have shown to have the potential to impact a broader variety of cognitive abilities. Research has consistently shown that several aspects in cognition such as visual short-memory, multitasking and spatial skills can be enhanced by game play. In a previous study, it was found that playing Monkey Tales, a game aimed at training arithmetic skills, helped second grade pupils to increase their accuracy in mental calculation as compared to paper exercises. In this follow up study we explore whether traditional methods and game training differ in terms of the cognitive processes that both are able to impact. We incorporated standardized measures of working memory and visuo-motor skills. Additionally, the mathematics game was modified and its contents extracted to allow precise comparison between the gaming and paper exercises condition. Thus each single math exercise, type of question (e.g., multiple choice), quantity and order was perfectly matched in the game training and the traditional training conditions. Gains in arithmetical performance, and self-reported measures of enjoyment were also investigated. We found some evidence suggesting that arithmetic performance enhancement induced by game play and paper exercises differ not only in terms of enjoyment but also of working memory capacity improvements.     

基于路程检测的机器人运动控制研究

机器人比赛赛道日趋复杂,由以往单一的直线、转弯增加了上坡、下坡等难度,鉴于机器人比赛赛道的复杂性,提出一种基于路程检测的控制机器人运动的方法,保证机器人顺利、快速地在各种赛道上行进。采用串口位置控制和光码盘共同进行路程检测方法,通过建立直流伺服电机的数学模型,根据PID算法调整机器人运动姿态,详细计算出不同路段下的机器人速度,给机器人运动轨迹控制提供重要参数。通过实验场地测试,结果表明:采用此方法,机器人能稳定、可靠、快速地在复杂的赛道上行进。     

Analysis of non-linear singular system from fluid dynamics using extended runge-kutta methods

A non-linear singular system from fluid dynamics has been analysed by considering various possibilities using three different fourth order extended Runge–Kutta (RK) methods based on arithmetic mean, harmonic mean and heronian mean. It is observed that the extended RK methods suit well for the nuclear reactor core problem, when compared to the Single Term Walsh Series (STWS) method [1,10]. The simple and direct methods presented here can easily be implemented in a digital computer.     

Arithmetic Expression Evaluations with Membranes

Arithmetic operations and expression eval- uations are fundamental in computing models. This paper firstly designs arithmetic membranes without priority rules for basic arithmetic operations, and then proposes an algo- rithm to construct expression P systems based on several of such membranes after designing synchronous and asyn- chronous transmission strategies among the membranes. For any arithmetic expression, an expression P system can be built to evaluate it effectively. Finally, we discuss differ- ent parallelism strategies through which different expres- sion P systems can be built for an arithmetic expression.     

一种军械物资调运优化模型及算法

研究在有运力限制条件下的多需求点、多供应点、多种物资的调运问题,根据物资调运的特点,建立资源优化调度模型,给出算法,并进行实例计算.实例验证了该方法的可行性和实用性.     

Single Neuron Rational Model of Arithmetic and Logic Operations

This paper will focus on a phase analysis to explore the potential of single neuron local arithmetic and logic operations on their input conductances. The analysis is based on a rational function model of local spatial summation with the equivalent circuits for steadystate membrane potentials. The prototypes of arithmetic and logic operations are then constructed with their input and output range by analyzing the conditions for performing these operations. A mapping from a partition of input conductance space into functionally distinct phases is depicted, and the multiple mode models for arithmetic and logic are then established. This indicates that the single neuron local rational arithmetic and logic is programmable, and the selection of these functional phases can be effectively instructed by presynaptic activities. This programmability makes the single neuron more free to process the input information.     

A dynamic specification to automatically debug and correct various divider circuits

This paper presents a formal technique to verify and debug division circuits on fixed point numbers. The proposed technique is based on a reverse-engineering mechanism of obtaining a high level model of the gate level implementation and also introducing an intermediate representation of the specification that makes equivalence checking between two models possible. The main advantage of this representation is the fact that the specification is dynamically updated according to the information obtained from the implementation. At the end, if two updated models are not equivalent, possible bugs can be localized and then corrected automatically by analyzing the difference, if possible. Experimental results show the robustness of the proposed technique in comparison with other contemporary methods in terms of the run time and also show that two orders of magnitude average speedup is obtained.     

在Direct 3D程序中运用碰撞检测

本文分析了三维场景中的物体之间的碰撞和干涉的原因,提出了一个针对物体与场景之间的碰撞检测的算法,并阐述了它的原理及其如何具体实现,为编写程序代码做了充分准备。     

BP神经网络训练算法的分析与比较

BP神经网络被广泛应用于模式识别、信号处理和自动控制等领域,其广泛性是由于它能实现任何连续映射,但由于BP网络训练所固有的复杂性,目前尚没有任何一种完全的算法能适用于任何BP网络的训练。本文介绍了MATLAB神经网络工具箱中各种训练算法的特点及其函数的参数形式,并对它们的收敛速度和内存消耗情况进行了比较,说明了其各自适用的网络。     

A note on ‘A bivariate optimal replacement policy for a repairable system’

An error appearing in equation (3) of Y.L. Zhang (J. Appl. Prob., 1994, 31, 1123–1127) has been pointed out by S.H. Sheu (Eur. J. Oper. Res., 1999, 112, 503–516) and the correct expressions (25)–(27) given accordingly on pp. 510–511. However, the derivation of the key expression (27), the long-run expected loss rate, was not presented. The purpose of this note is threefold. First, since a monotone process (e.g. an arithmetic, geometric, or arithmetic–geometric process) approach, as discussed by K.N.F. Leung (Eng. Optimiz., 2001, 33, 473–484), is considered to be relevant, realistic, and appropriate to the modelling of a deteriorating system maintenance problem, it is worth explicitly developing this expression, which is of benefit to the subsequent studies. Secondly, equation (3) in Zhang (1994) Zhang, Y. L. 1994. A bivariate optimal replacement policy for a repairable system. J. Appl. Prob., 31: 1123–1127. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] is shown to be fundamentally correct and so it can be viewed as an alternative method of formulating similar bivariate cases. Thirdly, although equations (4) and (5) in Zhang (1994) Zhang, Y. L. 1994. A bivariate optimal replacement policy for a repairable system. J. Appl. Prob., 31: 1123–1127. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] have been logically and correctly derived, both can be readily reduced to their simplest forms which are derived here.