Mauro Mosconi

The Cognitive Effectiveness of Subtitle Processing

In an experimental study, we analyzed the cognitive processing of a subtitled film excerpt by adopting a methodological approach based on the integration of a variety of measures: eye-movement data, word recognition, and visual scene recognition. We tested the hypothesis that the processing of subtitled films is cognitively effective: It leads to a good understanding of film content without requiring a significant tradeoff between image processing and text processing. Following indications in the psycholinguistic literature, we also tested the hypothesis that two-line subtitles whose segmentation is syntactically incoherent can have a disruptive effect on information processing and recognition performance. The results highlighted the effectiveness of subtitle processing: Regardless of the quality of line segmentation, participants had a good understanding of the film content, they achieved good levels of performance in both word and scene recognition, and no tradeoff between text and image processing was detected. Eye-movement analyses enabled a further characterization of cognitive processing during subtitled film viewing. This article discusses the theoretical implications of the findings for both subtitling and multiple-source communication and highlights their methodological and applied implications.

Iteration constructs in data-flow visual programming languages

Many visual programming languages (VPLs) rely on the data-flow paradigm, probably because of its simple and intuitive functioning mechanism. However, there are cases where more powerful programming constructs are needed to deal with complex problems. For example, iteration is undoubtedly an important aspect of programming, and should allow repetitive behaviors to be specified in compact and easy ways. Most existing data-flow VPLs provide special constructs to implement iterations, therefore infringing the pure data-flow paradigm in favor of program simplicity. This paper has three main purposes: (1) To provide a survey of the mechanisms used by some representative data-flow VPLs to carry out iterations; (2) To investigate, given a pure data-flow VPL, what should be the minimum set of characteristics which, after being added to the VPL, allow iterations to be implemented; and (3) To show real data-flow iteration implementations which rely on the characteristics pertaining to such a minimum set.

Designing new programming constructs in a data flow VL

A powerful and useful Data-Flow Visual Programming Language (DFVPL) must provide the necessary programming constructs to deal with complex problems. The main purpose of this paper is to give a contribution to the debate on DFVPL constructs, by presenting the solutions we devised for the VIPERS language.

Looking for convenient alternatives to forms for querying remote databases on the Web: a new iconic interface for progressive queries

The enormous popularity of the World Wide Web has made putting public access databases on the Web practically mandatory. Forms embedded within the Web clients (e.g. Netscape) are therefore emerging as the most common interfaces in database querying. Should this solution be considered completely satisfactory?We highlight some of the important limits we experienced with forms and we propose a convenient alternative solution, based on direct manipulation of icons. The system we have developed is easy to use and provides comfortable mechanisms for browsing, manipulating and reusing queries results as well as previous queries thus making feasible effective non-motonic, progressive query processes.

Progressive HTTP-based querying of remote databases within the Marmotta iconic VQS

The Marmotta system described serves as a graphical interface for querying remote databases which have already been provided with a software layer to communicate with the WWW world. It can be used as a convenient alternative to the forms embedded within the WWW clients. Within Marmotta, icons are used to present the domain of interest and the retrieval requests in an original way, and are managed by the user in a direct manipulation style. The ease-of-use characterizing form-based interfaces is preserved (users need not know the structure of the database) while expressive power is greatly increased. Moreover, Marmotta provides comfortable mechanisms for browsing, manipulating and reusing query results as well as previous queries, thus strongly supporting non-motonic, progressive query processes.

A data-flow visual approach to symbolic computing: implementing a production-rule-based programming system through a general-purpose data-flow VL

The main aim of this paper is to investigate how the production-rule-based computational paradigm can be implemented through visual data-flow techniques. We propose a simple yet effective system for visually composing rule preconditions and actions, through a general purpose data-flow visual language.

Program development and coding on a fine-grained vision machine

The advantages of programmable massively parallel fine-grained machines for vision applications are well known. During the design of a new one, the study of its behavior and performance (through simulation) is paramount to achieve optimum tailoring. Furthermore, software development demands convenient tools to achieve maximum results from the machine capabilities and the efforts of the programmer.In this paper we focus our attention on programming environments at the machine level for massively parallel homogeneous systems, and more specifically, we present the one that we have developed for the pyramidal PAPIA2 machine, including tools for program development, result monitoring and the “visual editing” of codes. The synergic approach of combining a hardware simulator and a group of graphical tools is a new, easy, and effective means of creating and testing primitives in the early stages of system development.

Programming Web-based applications within a data-flow VL

This paper shows how a general purpose data flow visual programming environment can be effectively used to find, collect and manipulate information available on the web. The discussion highlights the elementary functions that are needed to implement such applications, as well as the language control structures that can make program development easier. Starting from the analysis of a simple application, some advice is given about the potential of this approach. We also explain how we intend to make a suitable portion of the programming environment available through a common web browser.

Pavia 1878: Volta Celebrations and Honorary Degrees — The Exhibition at the University of Pavia's Historical Archive

Asolemn centenary celebration of Alessandro Voltas university chair was held at the University of Pavia in April 1878. To celebrate this important event, Pavia organized a sumptuous ceremony, with vast echoes both in Italy and abroad. To immortalize the great scientist, a statue was inaugurated in the University courtyard by the Prime Minister, Benedetto Cairoli (a hero of Italian unification), with the backing of Francesco De Sanctis, Minister for National Education.

Direct manipulation of pictorial items within web sites: a drag & drop approach to on-line interaction

We present here a working prototypal Web site where a new approach for on-line interaction has been implemented and tested. Our intention is to improve the usability of Web sites (particularly e-commerce ones) by letting users directly interact with pictorial representations of objects (e.g. items on sale) in a way that resembles their behavior in real-world stores. Our discussion focuses both on the manifold usability benefits of the approach and on practical implementation issues.