—In this paper, we introduce the " Garden Alive " system that allows users to interact with an emotionally intelligent virtual garden by manipulating tangible user interfaces. The Garden Alive aims to provide both entertainment and education. The proposed system is composed of three components. In the first module, tangible user interfaces bridge to the garden in a virtual world. In the second ...

The increasing availability of GPS-enabled mobile devices can utilize position to provide a safer tracked environment allowing vulnerable people to continue with their daily activities, as much as possible. This paper investigates the technology options for alert escalation. The aim is to provide a safety net, without triggering unnecessary alarms. The escalation procedure involves initial spee...

Theory predicts that cold environments will select for strategies that enhance the growth of ectotherms, such as early emergence from nests and more efficient use of resources. We used a common garden experiment to detect parallel clines in rates of embryonic growth and development by eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). Using realistic thermal conditions, we measured growth efficienci...

Abiotic global change drivers affect ecosystem structure and function, but how they interact with biotic factors such as invasive plants is understudied. Such interactions may be additive, synergistic, or offsetting, and difficult to predict. We present methods to test the individual and interactive effects of drought and plant invasion on native ecosystems. We coupled a factorial common garden...