Improved approaches to stability criteria for neural networks with time-varying delays

In this paper, the problem of stability analysis for neural networks with time-varying delays is considered. By the use of a newly augmented Lyapunov functional and some novel techniques, sufficient conditions to guarantee the asymptotic stability of the concerned networks are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Three numerical examples are given to show the improved stability region of the proposed works.     

Cultivating divergent thinking in mathematics through an open-ended approach

The purpose of this study was to develop a program to help cultivate divergent thinking in mathematics based on open-ended problems and to investigate its effect. The participants were 398 seventh grade students attending middle schools in Seoul. A method of pre- and post-testing was used to measure mainly divergent thinking skills through open-ended problems. The results indicated that the treatment group students performed better than the comparison students overall on each component of divergent thinking skills, which includes fluency, flexibility, and originality. The developed program can be a useful resource for teachers to use in enhancing their students’ creative thinking skills. An open-ended approach in teaching mathematics suggested in this paper may provide a possible arena for exploring the prospects and possibilities of improving mathematical creativity.     

Social Influences on Terrestrial and Satellite Mobile-TV Adoption in Korea: Affiliation,Positive Self-Image,and Perceived Popularity

Mobile TV is a representative product of media convergence. In South Korea, the diffusion of mobile TV has been in high gear, which provides an exemplary case study of mobile-TV adoption. The study examines the relation between the social influence, adopters' individual factors, and the adoption of the 2 different forms of mobile TV: terrestrial and satellite. Factor analysis identified 3 dimensions of social influences, defined respectively as “affiliation,” “positive self-display,” and “perceived popularity.” Results suggest that these 3 social influences differ in degree in relation to the adopters' demographic characteristics and innovativeness. Adoption of terrestrial or satellite mobile TV was predicted by social influence and, in particular, driven by the motivation to maintain a positive self-image. Because of the implications this may have on media management, the article calls for future research on the social construction of new media technology use to assess how individuals become susceptible to social influences and how social influences affect the diffusion of the technology.     

Delay-dependent stability for uncertain cellular neural networks with discrete and distribute time-varying delays

In this paper, the problem of stability of uncertain cellular neural networks with discrete and distribute time-varying delays is considered. Based on the Lyapunov function method and convex optimization approach, a new delay-dependent stability criterion of the system is derived in terms of LMI (linear matrix inequality). In order to solve effectively the LMI as a convex optimization problem, the interior-point algorithm is utilized in this work. A numerical example is given to show the effectiveness of our results.     

Perception of kinematic characteristics of tennis strokes for anticipating stroke type and direction

The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of visual information used by highly skilled tennis players in anticipating their opponent's shots. In Experiment 1, motion analysis of the strokes showed that the relative motion between the racquet and forearm was different between the ground strokes and lobs, but there were no reliable kinematic differences when shot direction was varied. In Experiment 2, 12 skilled tennis players observed the opponent hitting strokes in a normal video or in a point-light display with different segments occluded. Players' anticipation accuracy was not degraded by the use of the point-light display. Occluding the racquet and forearm significantly reduced the participant's ability to determine the type of stroke produced.     

Effects of light refraction on the accuracy of camera calibration and reconstruction in underwater motion analysis

One of the most serious obstacles to accurate quantification of the underwater motion of a swimmer's body is image deformation caused by refraction. Refraction occurs at the water-air interface plane (glass) owing to the density difference. Camera calibration-reconstruction algorithms commonly used in aquatic research do not have the capability to correct this refraction-induced nonlinear image deformation and produce large reconstruction errors. The aim of this paper is to provide a thorough review of: the nature of the refraction-induced image deformation and its behaviour in underwater object-space plane reconstruction; the intrinsic shortcomings of the Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) method in underwater motion analysis; experimental conditions that interact with refraction; and alternative algorithms and strategies that can be used to improve the calibration-reconstruction accuracy. Although it is impossible to remove the refraction error completely in conventional camera calibration-reconstruction methods, it is possible to improve the accuracy to some extent by manipulating experimental conditions or calibration frame characteristics. Alternative algorithms, such as the localized DLT and the double-plane method are also available for error reduction. The ultimate solution for the refraction problem is to develop underwater camera calibration and reconstruction algorithms that have the capability to correct refraction.     

Guyanese Mass Games: spectacles that “moulded” the nation in a North Korean way

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the Guyanese Mass Games, multi-media spectacles of visual and performing arts initiated by the leader of the Co-Operative Republic of Guyana and performed by Guyanese artists and youth aided by North Korean artists. North Korea and Guyana staged the games as the postcolonial and anti-imperialist expression of a newly established socialist regime in the global South in the context of the Cold War. Staged annually from 1980 to 1992 as part of the national day celebrations, they sparked debate, antagonism, and ethnic and political conflict in Guyana. The encounter of North Korean artists and Guyanese artists resulted in the new cultural tradition of the Guyanese Mass Games, which incorporated elements of Guyana's local culture into the form of the North Korean Mass Games. The paper expands the method of “inter-referencing” to incorporate a cross-continental dimension to analyze the cultural event of the Mass Games in North Korea and Guyana. The analysis in this paper is grounded in archival materials relating to the Guyanese Mass Games, such as sketch paintings, choreography books, photos, and newspaper articles, and examines how the representation of the people and land in the Mass Games captures the ambivalent character of decolonization and modernization projects in the socialist regime of Guyana.     

Inclusion in South Korea: The current situation and future directions

Inclusion has occupied the centre of attention in education in many countries for the past few decades, and it is the same in South Korea. Although most researchers and educators agree that inclusion is necessary for equal educational opportunities and social participation of students with disabilities, there are debates about the most effective and appropriate services for these students and how teachers should deliver these services. The purpose of this article is to introduce the educational system and the unique cultural situation in South Korea to the reader and to suggest future directions for successful inclusion. Inclusion can grow and be meaningful in South Korea if it is based on the thoughtful and sustained efforts of people who have the passion and compassion that inspires others to listen to different opinions. Finally, successful inclusion can come about when the government supports changes in the community and schools.