bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospective Effects of Marital Satisfaction on Depressive Symptoms in Established Marriages: A Dyadic Model
Authors: Beach Steven R. H. , Katz Jennifer , Kim Sooyeon , Brody Gene H.
Published: July 2003

Much evidence suggests that marital discord is related to depressive symptoms in married couples. In the present research, potential sex-related differences in the prospective effect of marital discord on depression were explored. Further, extending previous work, cross-spouse effects (i.e., the associations between one spouse's marital discord and his or her partner's later levels of depressive symptoms) were examined. Spouses from randomly sampled married couples ( N = 166) with adolescent children provided reports of their marital quality and depressive symptoms at baseline and one year later. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted. Results revealed that Time 1 marital quality was associated with Time 2 depressive symptoms, the magnitude of this effect was similar for both husbands and wives, and spouses' own marital quality at Time 1 predicted their partners' Time 2 depressive symptoms net of other predictors in the model. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are discussed.
Attachment to God: Measurement and Dynamics
Authors: Sim Tick N. , Loh Bernice S. M.
Published: July 2003

The present study was conducted to explore the attachment to God construct. A new measure of this construct was developed using the conceptual foundations of attachment theory, comprising four aspects (God as a safe haven, God as a secure base for exploration, seeking/maintaining proximity to God, and responding to separation from God). This measure was examined in terms of its internal properties as well as subjected to validation assessments. In terms of internal properties, the measure demonstrated good item and scale characteristics. Results indicated that God attachment was a unitary construct, even with its different aspects. In terms of validation, God attachment was distinguished from religious belief and practice, and also from father and mother attachments. In terms of links with particular correlates, attachment to God provided for incremental validity (over and above attachment to father and to mother) for optimism.
Expectancies and Communication Behavior in Marriage: Distinguishing Proximal-Level Effects from Distal-Level Effects
Authors: Sanford Keith
Published: July 2003

This study investigates the relationship between married couples' communication behavior during problem-solving conversations and their pre-conversation expectancies. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to distinguish between proximal-level and distal-level effects. A proximal-level effect is when fluctuations in a person's expectancies are followed by immediate changes in communication behavior. A distal-level effect is when a person's average expectancies across multiple conversations correlate with average communication behavior across multiple conversations. Married couples completed measures of pre-conversation expectancies and engaged in a sequence of four, videotaped problem-solving discussions. At the proximal level, wives' expectancies predicted communication behavior for both wives and husbands. Husbands' expectancies were largely nonsignificant at the proximal level. At the distal level, both wives' and husbands' expectancies predicted communication behavior.
Markets, Governments, Communities and Global Governance
Authors: Martinelli Alberto
Published: July 2003

In this article the author introduces the argument by stating what should be changed in our sociological perspectives, stressing the contradictory character of the social world in the 21st century as a single system and a fragmented world, and identifying global integration and global governance as key problematic questions. He then addresses these questions from a sociological perspective, updating existing theories and discussing the role of markets, government organizations and communities as institutional mechanisms of social integration and governance of the world system. More specifically, he examines: (1) international markets and transnational corporations (TNCs) as institutions that operate largely, although not exclusively, according to the exchange principle; (2) nation-states, international organizations, and supranational unions as institutions that operate largely, although not exclusively, according to the legitimate authority principle; and (3) collective movements and epistemic communities as institutions that operate largely, although not exclusively, according to the solidarity principle. Finally, the author explains his notion of democratic global governance and analyses the main factors favouring or hindering peaceful integration and democratic governance at the world level.
Process Rationality as Legal Governance
Authors: Heydebrand Wolf
Published: July 2003

This article offers a comparative sociological perspective on the transformation of law and legal rationality in the US and continental Europe during the 20th century. It takes off from Max Weber's categories of formal and substantive legal rationality and proposes to examine post-Weberian developments in common and civil law from a new perspective, namely the rise of negotiated process rationality and its variants as emergent modes of legal governance. Process rationality is embedded in social networks as structures-in-process. In contrast to conventional forms of institutional government, governance is a series of informal, flexible and expedient strategies of problem-solving and crisis management based on bargaining and negotiation. The incipient privatization, commercialization and denationalization of law are understood as consequences of the postwar transnational expansion of American common law in the wake of globalization and the growth of US economic and political influence. The theoretical and practical implications of the rise of process rationality for constitutional jurisprudence and adjudication are profound, but require a separate technical analysis and critical discussion.
On the Theoretical and Methodological Context of Cross-National Inequality Data
Authors: Moran Timothy Patrick
Published: July 2003

The growing interest in economic inequality across the social sciences has coincided with a proliferation of new, cross-national survey data and research findings. In this article, the author argues for a more critical and careful interpretation of the data and techniques used to quantify and analyze income distributions. First, the theoretical underpinnings of the popular Gini index are discussed in relation to what the index does and does not measure. Then, two issues involving the application of inequality measures such as the Gini index are assessed: (1) the high sensitivity of the index to the methodological decisions upon which it is based; and (2) the subjectivity necessarily involved with interpreting its absolute magnitude and intertemporal change. The impact of these issues is substantiated via an analysis of the most recent data on inequality in the industrialized countries of the world, demonstrating how researchers' methodological choices can significantly impact their sociological conclusions. The article ends by discussing various solutions to these conceptual problems.
Resisting Globalization?
Authors: Rumford Chris
Published: July 2003

Turkey's relationship with the European Union (EU) is dominated by issues of democratization and human rights and is best approached from a perspective which understands the nature of the cosmopolitan regimes which work to regulate the democratic practices of nation-states and animate citizens and minority groups striving to assert their rights. Cosmopolitan or transnational processes of democratization are frequently perceived by Turkey's Kemalist political elites as being contrary to the interests of domestic harmony and a threat to national integrity. It is argued that the apparent reluctance of the Kemalist elites to embrace greater pluralism and align with the EU's Copenhagen criteria is in fact an attempt to `remake' themselves through political choices framed by global opportunities. In this sense, the mobilization of nationalist resistance to outside `interference' is calculated to secure legitimacy in an increasingly uncertain political environment. In addition, Turkey is increasingly dependent upon the very global processes that are perceived as a threat to national sovereignty, and EU standards and norms offer the means by which Turkey can safeguard national integrity.
The Sociological Analysis of Professionalism
Authors: Evetts Julia
Published: July 2003

The paper analyses and explains the appeal of the concepts of profession and professionalism and the increased use of these concepts in different occupational groups, work contexts and social systems. The paper begins with a brief preliminary section on defining the field where it is suggested that a shift of focus is required from a preoccupation with defining `profession' to analysis of the appeal to `professionalism' as a motivator for and facilitator of occupational change. Then the paper examines two past, alternative and contrasting, sociological interpretations of professionalism (as normative value system and as ideology of occupational powers). In the third section the paper argues that, in the 1990s, a third interpretation has developed which includes both normative and ideological elements. Sociologists have returned to the concept of professionalism in attempts to understand occupational and organizational change and the prominence of knowledge work in different social systems and global economies. The fourth section returns to the question of the appeal of the concept of professionalism in promoting and facilitating occupational change, and considers how the balance between the normative and ideological elements of professionalism is played out differently in occupational groups in very different employment situations.
Multiple-Camera Tracking of Rigid Objects
Authors: Martin Frédérick , Horaud Radu
Published: June 2003

In this paper we describe a method for tracking rigid objects using one or several cameras. The tracking process consists of aligning a 3-D model representation of an object with image contours by measuring and minimizing the image error between predicted model points and image contours. The tracker behaves like a visual servo loop where the internal and external camera parameters are updated at each new image acquisition. We study in detail the Jacobian matrix associated with this minimization process in the presence of both point-to-point and point-to-contour matches. We establish the minimal number of matches that are needed as well as the singular configurations leading to a rank-deficient Jacobian matrix. We find a mathematical link between the point-to-point and point-to-contour cases. Based on this link we show that the latter has the same kind of singularities as the former. Moreover, we study multiple-camera configurations which optimize the robustness of the method in the presence of single-camera singularities, bad, noisy, or missing data. Extensive experiments done with a complex ship part and with up to three cameras validate the method. In particular we show that the tracker may well be used as a camera calibration procedure.
Free Gaits for Quadruped Robots over Irregular Terrain
Authors: Estremera Joaquin , Gonzalez de Santos Pablo
Published: June 2003

Although walking machines exhibit many advantages over wheeled or tracked vehicles, legged vehicles have yet to be introduced in real applications because of the primitive development of specific techniques such as gait generation. This article addresses the design, implementation and experimentation of gaits to negotiate uneven terrain with a real machine. The gaits presented are a mixture of free and discontinuous gaits. Discontinuous gaits were selected because of their ground adaptability features and ease of implementation, while free gaits were chosen because they facilitate path tracking. The fusion of these two main gaits plus the addition of extra constraints to avoid leg-transfer deadlocking produced a new free-crab gait, a free-spinning gait and a free-turning gait. Some experiments have been conducted to illustrate the features of these gaits on a real machine.
General Methodology for Type Synthesis of Symmetrical Lower-Mobility Parallel Manipulators and Several Novel Manipulators
Authors: Huang Z. , Li Q.C.
Published: June 2003

In the area of parallel robots, the use of lower-mobility parallel manipulators for many tasks requiring fewer than six degrees of freedom (DoF) has drawn a lot of interest. This paper treats one fundamental problem in the study of lower-mobility parallel manipulators: type synthesis. Using reciprocal screw theory, we define the mechanism constraint system and limb constraint system. We then investigate the relations between the mechanism constraint system and the limb constraint system under different geometrical conditions. Three tables describing the relations are presented. Based on the three tables, we propose a constraint-synthesis method for type synthesis of symmetrical lower-mobility parallel manipulators. The method used in the paper to construct the kinematic structure of the limb of lower-mobility parallel manipulators with prescribed DoF is simple and systematic. Examples are included to illustrate the application of the method and some novel lower-mobility parallel manipulators with 3-, 4- and 5-DoF are synthesized.
Identification of the Special Configurations of the Octahedral Manipulator using the Pure Condition
Authors: Downing D.M. , Samuel A.E. , Hunt K.H.
Published: June 2003

This paper presents a technique, known as the Pure Condition, which has found use in analysing the rigidity of truss-like structures. The analysis is applied to the Stewart Platform where it can be used to identify special configurations. The conditions that produce special configurations in the octahedral manipulator are compared to previously known conditions and the associated geometry is seen to be more revealing with this method than was the case previously. The results lead to a simple and clear method for identifying special configurations in the octahedral manipulator and other specializations of the Stewart Platform.
Maximum Likelihood Identification of a Dynamic Robot Model: Implementation Issues
Authors: Olsen Martin M. , Swevers Jan , Verdonck Walter
Published: June 2003

This paper considers the practical implementation of a new maximum likelihood robot identification method, developed by Olsen and Petersen. In particular, the practical issue concerning the estimation of the joint velocities and accelerations from joint angle measurements, and its consequence on the parameter estimation and accuracy, is considered. Simulation and experimental results on a KUKA IR 361 industrial robot are discussed, and compared with models obtained using a much simpler weighted least squares method.
Neuroethological Concepts and their Transfer to Walking Machines
Authors: Dürr Volker , Krause André F. , Schmitz Josef , Cruse Holk
Published: July 2003

A systems approach to animal motor behavior reveals concepts that can be useful for the pragmatic design of walking machines. This is because the relation of animal behavior to its underlying nervous control algorithms bears many parallels to the relation of machine function to electronic control. Here, three major neuroethological concepts of motor behavior are described in terms of a conceptual framework based on artificial neural networks (ANN). Central patterns of activity and postural reflexes are both interpreted as a result of feedback loops, with the distinction of loops via an internal model from loops via the physical environment (body, external world). This view allows continuous transitions between predictive (centrally driven) and reactive (reflex driven) motor systems. Motor primitives, behavioral modules that are elicited by distinct commands, are also considered. ANNs capture these three major concepts in terms of a formal description, in which the interactions and mutual interdependences of the various output parameters are comprised by the weight matrix of the net. Based upon behavioral observations of insect walking, we further demonstrate how a decentralized network of separate modules, each one described by an ANN, can account for adaptive behavior. Complex coordination patterns of several manipulators are controlled by imposing simple interaction rules between limbs, and by exploiting the interaction of the body with its physical environment. Finally, we discuss the technical use of leg-like active tactile sensors for obstacle detection, and we show how specific design of such active sensors may increase efficiency of walking on rough terrain. Applied to active sensors, an example of parallel, self-organizing forward models on the basis of extended Kohonen maps is presented to emphasize the potential of adaptive forward models in motor control.
Parallel Complementary Strategies for Implementing Biological Principles into Mobile Robots
Authors: Quinn Roger D. , Nelson Gabriel M. , Bachmann Richard J. , Kingsley Daniel A. , Offi John T. , Allen Thomas J. , Ritzmann Roy E.
Published: July 2003

Our goal is to use intelligent biological inspiration to develop robots that capture the capacity of animals to traverse complex terrain. We follow two distinct but complementary strategies to meet this goal. In one, we have produced a series of robots that have mechanical and control designs increasingly more similar to those of a cockroach. The leg designs of these robots ensure that they can generate movements used by the cockroach to walk and climb over a range of objects. However, in order to take advantage of these complex designs, we must first solve difficult problems in actuation, proprioception and control. The second parallel strategy seeks to capture the principles of biological movement, but in an abstract form that does not require complex platforms. Following the second strategy, we designed and built two new robots that each use only one propulsion motor to generate a nominal tripod gait. Gait changes similar to those used by the animal are accomplished through passive mechanisms. Rearing movements in anticipation of climbing are accomplished by way of a body flexion joint, which also allows the robot to avoid high-centering. The parallel development of these robotic lines provides the best of both worlds. The multi-segmented leg designs will ultimately be more versatile and agile than the abstracted line, but will take more effort to perfect. The simplified line provides short-term solutions that can be deployed immediately and confirm, in principle, the value of biological properties for complex locomotion.
Adaptive Dynamic Walking of a Quadruped Robot on Irregular Terrain Based on Biological Concepts
Authors: Fukuoka Yasuhiro , Kimura Hiroshi , Cohen Avis H.
Published: July 2003

We have been trying to induce a quadruped robot to walk with medium walking speed on irregular terrain based on biological concepts. We propose the necessary conditions for stable dynamic walking on irregular terrain in general, and we design the mechanical system and the neural system by comparing biological concepts with those necessary conditions described in physical terms. A PD controller at the joints can construct the virtual spring-damper system as the visco-elasticity model of a muscle. The neural system model consists of a central pattern generator (CPG) and reflexes. A CPG receives sensory input and changes the period of its own active phase. The desired angle and P-gain of each joint in the virtual spring-damper system is switched based on the phase signal of the CPG. CPGs, the motion of the virtual spring-damper system of each leg and the rolling motion of the body are mutually entrained through the rolling motion feedback to CPGs, and can generate adaptive walking. We report on our experimental results of dynamic walking on terrains of medium degrees of irregularity in order to verify the effectiveness of the designed neuro-mechanical system. We point out the trade-off problem between the stability and the energy consumption in determining the cyclic period of walking on irregular terrain, and we show one example to solve this problem. MPEG footage of these experiments can be seen at http://www.kimura.is.uec.ac.jp.
An Activation-Based Behavior Control Architecture for Walking Machines
Authors: Albiez Jan , Luksch Tobias , Berns Karsten , Dillmann Rüdiger
Published: July 2003

The high complexity of the mechanical system and the challenging task of walking itself makes the task of designing the control for legged robots a difficult one. Even if the implementation of parts of the desired functionality, such as posture control or basic swing/stance movement, can be solved by the use of classical engineering approaches, the control of the overall system tends to be very inflexible. In this paper we introduce a new method to combine aspects of classical robot control and behavior-based control. Inspired by the activation patterns in the brain and the spinal cord of animals, we propose a behavior network architecture using special signals such as activity or target rating to influence and coordinate the behaviors. We describe the general concept of a single behavior as well as their interaction within the network. This architecture is tested on the four-legged walking machine, BISAM, and experimental results are presented.
Enhanced Modelling and Performance in Braided Pneumatic Muscle Actuators
Authors: Davis Steve , Tsagarakis N. , Canderle J. , Caldwell Darwin G.
Published: July 2003

Pneumatic technology has been successfully applied for over two millennia. Even today, pneumatic cylinder based technology forms the keystone of many manufacturing processes where there is a need for simple, high-speed, low-cost, reliable motion. But when the system requires accurate control of position, velocity or acceleration profiles, these actuators form a far from satisfactory solution. Braided pneumatic muscle actuators (pMAs) form an interesting development of the pneumatic principle offering even higher power/weight performance, operation in a wide range of environments and accurate control of position, motion and force. This technology provides an interesting and potentially very successful alternative actuation source for robots as well as other applications. However, there are difficulties with this approach due to the following. (i) Modeling errors. Models of the force response are still nonoptimal and for good results these models are highly complex, which makes accurate design difficult. (ii) Low bandwidth—the bandwidth of the actuator—link assemblies are often considered to be too low for practical success in many applications, particularly robotics.

In this paper we address these limitations and show how the performance in each area can be enhanced with overall improvements in the response and utility of the braided pMAs.
Sensors and Control Concept of Walking “Johnnie”
Authors: Löffler K. , Gienger M. , Pfeiffer F.
Published: July 2003

One key problem to achieve a dynamically stable walking motion with biped robots is to measure and control the actual state of the robot with respect to its environment. Dynamically stable walking on unstructured terrain and fast walking can only be achieved with an orientation sensor. The control system of the biped robot “Johnnie” is designed such that the orientation of the upper body is controlled throughout all phases of the gait pattern. Furthermore, a sophisticated measurement and control of the foot torques has been implemented. In this way, the interaction forces and torques between robot and environment are controlled and tilting of the foot is avoided.
Non-Bio-Mimetic Walkers
Authors: Yoneda Kan , Ota Yusuke
Published: July 2003

To make a walking machine more active and practical, reducing its weight without reducing its working ability is the key issue of design. A robot with many actuators that produce a function of a real animal's joint-base kinematics tends to be too heavy for a light-step animal-like walking. In this paper we propose the concept of reducing the number of actuators, which is extremely effective for reducing the weight of a walker. Considering the essence of walking locomotion, absolutely indispensable functions are an arbitrary movement of a swinging leg and some translation of the center of gravity to maintain balance. Seven actuators for a biped, four for a quadruped, six for a hexapod are the minimum numbers for essential functions. A six-actuator hexapod is realized by trial manufacturing. Furthermore, as a practical solution, more reduction is available by restricting walking functions. A five-actuator biped and a three-actuator quadruped are introduced in the experiments.
Application of CLAWAR Machines
Authors: Armada Manuel , de Santos Pablo González , Jiménez María A. , Prieto Manuel
Published: July 2003

In the last two decades in particular, climbing and walking robots have been the subject of important research activity worldwide. However, the practical use of these robots is still limited and only a few are in actual use in live situations. In the general framework of the CLAWAR Thematic Network, several working groups have been established to formulate requirements, to define specifications and to investigate those aspects of climbing and walking robot technology that are more relevant with respect to selected application domains. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the investigations carried out by the CLAWAR network, and to show various realizations that could offer a good picture of how to rise above the barriers to exploit this innovative class of robotic systems.
CLAWAR Modularity for Robotic Systems
Authors: Virk Gurvinder S.
Published: July 2003

This paper presents the activities of the CLAWAR TN project to identify the status for the area of applied robotics and how the traditional robotics industry can evolve to meet the wider needs of industry, society and citizens of the future. The modular philosophy that has been developed by the CLAWAR partnership using the concept of the interaction space is presented. This identifies the different types of inter-connections needed to design the components for achieving the connectivities and functionalities required for the robotic systems for specific applications. The results on the technical tasks carried out over the four years of the project are summarized and the current and future works of CLAWAR are also described.
Safety Evaluation Method of Design and Control for Human-Care Robots
Authors: Ikuta Koji , Ishii Hideki , Nokata Makoto
Published: July 2003

We propose the world's first general method of evaluating safety for human-care robots. In the case of a careless collision between a robot and a human, impact force and impact stress are chosen as evaluation measures, and a danger-index is defined to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of each safety strategy used for design and control. As a result, this proposed method allows us to assess the contribution of each safety strategy to the overall safety performance of a human-care robot. In addition, a new type of three-dimensional robot simulation system for danger evaluation is constructed on a PC. The system simplifies the danger evaluation of both the design and control of various types of human-care robots to quantify the effectiveness of various safety strategies.
Programing by Demonstration: Coping with Suboptimal Teaching Actions
Authors: Chen Jason , Zelinsky Alex
Published: July 2003

The difficulty associated with programing existing robots is one of the main impediments to them finding application in domestic environments such as the home. A promising method for simplifying robot programing is Programing by Demonstration (PbD). Here, an end user can provide a demonstration of the task to be programed, with a PbD “interface” interpreting the demonstration in order to determine low-level control details for the robot. A key aspect of the interpretation process is to make it robust to the noise typically included in a demonstration by the human. In this paper we present a method to help identify and eliminate any noise present in the demonstration. Our method involves two steps. The first step uses the demonstration to build up a partial knowledge of the geometry present in the task. Statistical regression analysis is used on demonstrated trajectories to determine equations describing curved surfaces in configuration space. The second step in our method uses the geometric information obtained in the first step to determine if there are more optimal paths than those demonstrated for completing the task. If there are, our method proposes these as the appropriate control commands for the robot. We show the validity of our approach by presenting successful experiments on a realistic household-type task—changing rolls on a paper roll holder.
Engineering Test Satellite VII Flight Experiments for Space Robot Dynamics and Control: Theories on Laboratory Test Beds Ten Years Ago, Now in Orbit
Authors: Yoshida Kazuya
Published: July 2003

The Engineering Test Satellite VII (ETS-VII), an unmanned spacecraft equipped with a 2-m long, six-degree-of-freedom manipulator arm, was developed and launched by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). ETS-VII has successfully carried out a variety of on-board experiments with its manipulator arm, and these key technologies are essential for an orbital free-flying robot. These results will provide a solid basis for future satellite servicing missions. This paper highlights manipulator control utilizing the concepts of the generalized Jacobian matrix and the reaction null-space. These concepts have been proposed and discussed for the past ten years using laboratory test beds, and their practical application has now been demonstrated in orbit.
Integrated Task Planning and Control for Mobile Manipulators
Authors: Tan Jindong , Xi Ning , Wang Yuechao
Published: July 2003

In this paper we present an approach to decoupled force/position control of the end-effector along the same direction for redundant robots, and an approach to nonholonomic cart pushing with mobile manipulators. The mobile manipulator is considered as a redundant robot, and a unified dynamic model for an integrated mobile platform and on-board manipulator is developed. The dynamic model is decoupled and linearized using the nonlinear feedback technique in a unified frame. Combining the event-based planning and control method with singularity analysis of the robot arm, a task level action controller is designed and an online kinematic redundancy resolution scheme is developed. The system is stable during normal operation as well as at the occurrence of unexpected obstacles. In addition, explicit force/position control along the same task direction for redundant robots is proposed. The kinematic redundancy of mobile manipulators enables independent control of force and position along the same task directions. To verify the decoupled force/postion scheme, an integrated task planning and control approach is further proposed for the mobile manipulator to complete complicated tasks by regulating its output force. A cart pushing task, which requires both force and position control along the same task direction, is discussed. The cart manipulation task fully integrates trajectory and force planning of the cart, and planning and control of the mobile manipulators. The approaches have been tested on a mobile manipulator consisting of a Nomadic XR4000 and a Puma 560 robot arm. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach for the mobile manipulation of a nonholonomic cart.
Recognizing Walking People
Authors: Carlsson Stefan
Published: July 2003

We present a method for the recognition of walking people in monocular image sequences based on the extraction of coordinates of specific point locations on the body. The method works by a comparison of sequences of recorded coordinates with a library of sequences from different individuals. The comparison is based on the evaluation of view invariant and calibration independent view consistency constraints. These constraints are functions of corresponding image coordinates in two views and are satisfied whenever the two views are projected from the same three-dimensional (3D) object. By evaluating the view consistency constraints for each pair of frames in a sequence of a walking person and a stored sequence, we obtain a matrix of consistency values that ideally are zero whenever the pair of images depict the same 3D posture. The method is virtually parameter free and computes a consistency residual between a pair of sequences that can be used as a distance for clustering and classification. Using interactively extracted data we present experimental results that are superior to those of previously published algorithms both in terms of performance and generality.
Estimating Articulated Human Motion with Covariance Scaled Sampling
Authors: Sminchisescu Cristian , Triggs Bill
Published: July 2003

We present a method for recovering three-dimensional (3D) human body motion from monocular video sequences based on a robust image matching metric, incorporation of joint limits and non-self-intersection constraints, and a new sample-and-refine search strategy guided by rescaled cost-function covariances. Monocular 3D body tracking is challenging: besides the difficulty of matching an imperfect, highly flexible, self-occluding model to cluttered image features, realistic body models have at least 30 joint parameters subject to highly nonlinear physical constraints, and at least a third of these degrees of freedom are nearly unobservable in any given monocular image. For image matching we use a carefully designed robust cost metric combining robust optical flow, edge energy, and motion boundaries. The nonlinearities and matching ambiguities make the parameter-space cost surface multimodal, ill-conditioned and highly nonlinear, so searching it is difficult. We discuss the limitations of CONDENSATION-like samplers, and describe a novel hybrid search algorithm that combines inflated-covariance-scaled sampling and robust continuous optimization subject to physical constraints and model priors. Our experiments on challenging monocular sequences show that robust cost modeling, joint and self-intersection constraints, and informed sampling are all essential for reliable monocular 3D motion estimation.
Ambiguities in Visual Tracking of Articulated Objects Using Two- and Three-Dimensional Models
Authors: Rehg James M. , Morris Daniel D. , Kanade Takeo
Published: July 2003

Three-dimensional (3D) kinematic models are widely-used in video-based figure tracking. We show that these models can suffer from singularities when motion is directed along the viewing axis of a single camera. The single camera case is important because it arises in many interesting applications, such as motion capture from movie footage, video surveillance, and vision-based user-interfaces.

We describe a novel two-dimensional scaled prismatic model (SPM) for figure registration. In contrast to 3D kinematic models, the SPM has fewer singularity problems and does not require detailed knowledge of the 3D kinematics. We fully characterize the singularities in the SPM and demonstrate tracking through singularities using synthetic and real examples.

We demonstrate the application of our model to motion capture from movies. Fred Astaire is tracked in a clip from the film “Shall We Dance”. We also present the use of monocular hand tracking in a 3D user-interface. These results demonstrate the benefits of the SPM in tracking with a single source of video.
Automatic Determination of Shoulder Joint Limits Using Quaternion Field Boundaries
Authors: Herda Lorna , Urtasun Raquel , Fua Pascal , Hanson Andrew
Published: July 2003

To provide efficient tools for the capture and modeling of acceptable virtual human poses, we propose a method for constraining the underlying joint structures based on real life data. Current tools for delimiting valid postures often employ techniques that do not represent joint limits in an intuitively satisfying manner, and furthermore are seldom directly derived from experimental data. Here, we propose a semi-automatic scheme for determining ball-and-socket joint limits by actual measurement and we apply it to modeling the shoulder complex, which—along with the hip complex—can be approximated by a three-degree-of-freedom ball-and-socket joint. Our first step is to measure the joint motion range using optical motion capture. We next convert the recorded values to joint poses encoded using a coherent quaternion field representation of the joint orientation space. Finally, we obtain a closed, continuous implicit surface approximation for the quaternion orientation-space boundary whose interior represents the complete space of valid orientations, enabling us to project invalid postures to the closest valid ones.
Doing Time: A Group-Analytic Perspective on the Emotional Experience of Time in a Men's Prison
Authors: Parker Michael
Published: July 2003

A group-analytic approach is described within the context of a therapeutic community setting in a high security prison. In group therapy inmates are described gradually unfreezing and speaking about the locked and secret internal world experiences that have been sources of pain and trauma to them. The concept of trauma being frozen in time and undisclosed unless appropriate therapeutic space is available for its unfolding is contrasted with the prison inmate culture which normally discourages emotional openness.
Time Across Cultures, Ages and Therapies
Authors: Maratos Jason
Published: July 2003

Time is often thought of in absolute terms and scientists have sought its ever more precise definition. Indeed, time is often treated as an object or even a commodity. This article focuses on the writings of Norbert Elias on the different concepts and perception of time, also with reference to Bion's views on thinking linked to life experiences - views often endorsed by many poets writing about the concept of a human life of whatever length seen as a period of time complete in itself.
Marking Time
Authors: Boswood Bryan
Published: July 2003

We experience time, like space, as something through which we journey. We speak of `looking forward' to an event in the future, and `looking back' on an event in the past. We describe the clock as `put forward' at the beginning of local summer time and `put back' at the end. When we say that an appointment has been `put back' we can get confused: some will take that as earlier, i.e. `back in time', others as later, i.e. `further away in time'. Nevertheless both parties to the confusion use words of location and of distance to speak about time.
Kairos, Chronos and Chaos
Authors: Roberts Jeff
Published: July 2003

This paper explores the ancient Greek quasi-mystical concepts of Chronos and then Kairos, particularly in relation to group analysis and individual analytic psychotherapy. It concludes with some thoughts on the nature of time and space and introduces Chaos, a third Greek concept, with a consideration of the chaotic patterns of movement in space-time which are, it seems, self-organizing and have led to the emergence from the matrix of space-time of matter, life and ultimately mind.
Time in Literature
Authors: Stuart-Smith Sue
Published: July 2003

The subject of Time is one of the great themes of Literature. It is intrinsic to so many aspects of what it is to be human - the transience of beauty, loss and mourning, the importance of memory, hopes for the future and the nature of the creative act itself. Within a short space of time, it can only be possible to touch on some aspects of its representation in Western literature and for the most part I will focus on poetry.
The Time Unlimited Group
Authors: Pines Malcolm
Published: July 2003

The Time Unlimited Group was an event within the Millennium `Time' Winter Workshop, 2000. This article focuses on a questionnaire devised by the author as convenor/conductor of this innovative group and a summary of some of the responses from those taking part, revealing many different concepts of and views on Time, both inside and outside the group.
Community Group Analysis: A Post-Crisis Synthesis
Authors: Borg Mark B.
Published: July 2003

This article describes some ideas, theoretical and clinical, related to group treatment of residents in a New York City homeless shelter for mentally ill persons immediately subsequent to the World Trade Center disaster. I provide details concerning this group as it dealt with community-level crises that were both acute, as they related to the World Trade Center disaster, and chronic, as they dealt with the ongoing condition of being mentally ill and homeless. I discuss my experience in the group and the ways that a synthesis of group, interpersonal psychoanalytic, and community psychology principles formed a framework for working through traumatic experiences in this community.
The Culture of the Group and Groups from Different Cultures
Authors: Weinberg Haim
Published: July 2003

Culture and groups are intertwined. Culture is essential in crystallizing our social identity and provides the common understandings that allow the social world to have a meaning. Culture is constituted from many groups that have common values. The social unconscious of a certain culture is reflected in groups, especially in large groups. This paper explores different aspects of the social unconscious and describes how the individual and the group/society always coexist. The concept of the binocular vision is used to integrate between two approaches to the social unconscious. Groups from different cultures and their unique features are described and entering a group is analyzed as a kind of immigration to a new culture.
The Significance of Group Dynamics for the Inpatient Psychotherapy in the Hospital Menterschwaige, Munich - A Clinical Illustration of Günter Ammon's Concept of Dynamic Psychiatry
Authors: Fabian Egon
Published: July 2003

This paper focuses on Günter Ammon's concept of dynamic psychiatry and how its practice can aid and enhance group dynamics. This is illustrated by an account of group dynamic therapeutic work in the Hospital Menterschwaige in Munich, demonstrating how this work has its roots in the theoretical concept of dynamic psychiatry.
Psychological Studies on Human Structural Dance
Authors: Ammon Maria
Published: July 2003

This article focuses on Human Structural Dance, developed by Günter Ammon in Munich. Following a brief history of the development of dance therapy, the author documents the proven benefits of dance therapy, particularly in enabling patients to verbalize their feelings and supported by research findings relating to a group of 30 patients, all of whom had been diagnosed with `archaic ego disorders' and with all ages represented.
On Irony: An Invitation to Neoclassical Sociology
Authors: Eyal Gil , Szélényi Iván , Townsley Eleanor
Published: July 2003

This article proffers an invitation to neoclassical sociology. This is understood as a Habermasian reconstruction of the fundamental vision of the discipline as conceptualized by classical theorists, particularly Weber. Taking the cases of Eastern and Central Europe as a laboratory, we argue against the idea of a single, homogenizing globalizing logic. Currently and historically what we see instead is a remarkable diversity of capitalist forms and destinations. Neither sociological theories of networks and embeddedness nor economic models of rational action adequately comprehend this diversity. A neoclassical approach enjoins an empirical research agenda comparing capitalisms, and an ironic, historical approach to analysis to inform an immanent critique of capitalist possibilities.
Violence and the Subject
Authors: Wieviorka Michel
Published: July 2003

Violence confronts us increasingly, everywhere: how are we to make sense of it? Its ubiquity begs the question of analytical differentiation. This article seeks to open the field by suggesting a fivefold typology: violence as loss of meaning; violence as non-sense; violence as cruelty; fundamental violence; and founding violence. The idea of analytically differentiating between types of violence cannot avoid the fact that sometimes victims are also perpetrators in other ways, and that even violent activity is not conducted only by essentially violent subjects. Violence needs to be connected to modernity and to problems of identity formation and not only to personal or collective risk.
The Politics of the Word and the Politics of the Eye
Authors: Turner Stephen
Published: July 2003

The concept of worldviews gives a visual sense to the notion of a shared ideological frame, but misleadingly suppresses the visual itself. Against the standard image of worldviews, it is argued that the notion makes sense in connection with particular technologies of representation, notably newspapers, and is no longer informative about political beliefs. The example of Kristin Luker's work on abortion politics is used to show how weak the evidential base is for claims about worldviews. It is then argued that the kind of solidarity produced by ideological or `word', politics is different from the solidarities produced by the visual. Acts of political violence with strong visual representation produce sympathetic responses and are particularly effective in creating a sense of common victimhood. However, images also produce complex and conflicting responses that are less controllable. The visual impact of the World Trade Center attacks is a startling example of the differences between a politics of the eye and a politics of worldviews.
Contribution to the Critique of the Aesthetic Economy
Authors: Böhme Gernot
Published: July 2003

This article charts the emergence since the 1950s of a new value category, staging value, which arises when capitalism moves from addressing people's needs to exploiting their desires. Staging values serve the intensification and heightening of life rather than the satisfaction of primary needs. The article reevaluates successive theories on the relationship between aesthetics and the economy in the light of these changes, and suggests the continued relevance of critical theory in the era of the aesthetic economy.
Illusion Only is Sacred
Authors: Roberts David
Published: July 2003

Integral to the modern paradigm of cultural critique is an entropic vision of the `completion' of modernity reaching from Heidegger and Adorno to Debord and Baudrillard. Are contemporary cultural developments to be grasped in terms of this `completion' or do we need a more open-ended account of capitalism and culture? The article examines two key aspects of contemporary culture, both tied to processes of aestheticization and commodification since the 18th century: the progression from the culture industry (Adorno) to the aesthetic economy (Böhme), premised on the creation of aesthetic value in addition to use and exchange value; the progression from the `age of the world picture' (Heidegger) to culturalism, in which the culturalization of nature and history responds to the reduction of nature and history to standing reserves.
Optimized Mechanical Performance of Welded and Molded Butt Joints: Part I — Similarities and Differences
Authors: Kagan Val
Published: July 2003

Recent developments were oriented on the analysis of the mechanical performance at local (knit lines and welds) and bulk (molded part) areas, with the influence of molding and welding conditions. It has been found that for non-reinforced and reinforced nylon, the mechanical performance in the knit planes and welded areas are approximately equal to the mechanical performance of a base resin (matrix).

The observations on similarities and differences in the formation of knit and weld lines are presented in Part I of this paper.