In the research discussed here, in addition to extracting meta-models from numerous existing Agent architectures and frameworks, we looked at several Task meta-models, with the aim of creating a more comprehensive Agent meta-model with respect to the analysis, design and development of computer games. From the agent-oriented perspective gained by examining the resultant extensive agent meta-mod...

The aim of the EVALITA Parsing Task (EPT) is at defining and extending Italian state-of-the-art parsing by encouraging the application of existing models and approaches, comparing paradigms and annotation formats. Therefore, in all the editions, held respectively in 2007, 2009 and 2011, the Task has been organized around two tracks, namely Dependency Parsing and Constituency Parsing, exploiting...

W HO's Director-General recently put the so-called failure of WHO to respond rapidly and adequately to the Ebola epidemic squarely on the shoulders of the member states, who year after year have restricted WHO's budget options and never contributed to the emergency fund that was called for after the H1N1 influenza scare in 2009. WHO has GOARN, a Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, which...

We present a computational model performing the n-back task. This task requires a number of cognitive processes including rapid binding, updating, and retrieval of items in working memory. The model is implemented in spiking leakyintegrate-and-fire neurons with physiologically constrained parameters, and anatomically constrained organization. The methods of the Semantic Pointer Architecture (SP...

Cognitive processes do not occur in isolation. Interactions between cognitive processes can be observed as a cost in performance following a switch between tasks, a cost that is greatest when the cognitive requirements of the sequential tasks compete. Interestingly, the long-term mnemonic goals associated with specific cognitive tasks can also directly compete. For example, encoding the sequent...

In this paper, we propose a new approach to compliant taskspace control for high degree-of-freedom manipulators driven by positioncontrolled actuators. The actuators in our approach are back-drivable and allow to limit the torque used for position control. Traditional approaches frequently achieve compliance through redundancy resolution. Our approach not only allows to adjust compliance in the...

Poor muscle strength, relative to the physical demands of specific jobs, is considered a risk factor for low back pain. To gain an understanding of the underlying mechanisms, this study questioned whether muscle strength was related to task performance and low back load in nursing tasks. Trunk extension, elbow flexion and knee extension strength were therefore measured in 17 nurses. The indepen...

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The N-back task is widely used in cognitive research. Furthermore, the cerebellum's role in cognitive processes is becoming more widely recognized. Studies using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have demonstrated effects of cerebellar stimulation on several cognitive tasks. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cerebellar tDCS on cognitive performance ...

It has been speculated that humans have an inherent ability to overcome sleepiness that counteracts homeostatic sleep pressure. However, it remains unclear which cortical substrate activities are involved in the ability to overcome sleepiness during the execution of cognitive tasks. Here we sought to confirm that this ability to overcome sleepiness in task execution improves performance on cogn...