Data visualizations are used widely to help people see patterns in data across research, policy, education, and business. Computer screens allow these visualizations to become animated, which can effectively show processes of change. While animations can be engaging, ineffective design can also make them confusing or overwhelming. We develop new guidelines for designing effective animated data visualizations by reviewing 40 real-world visualization examples, and categorizing the visual tasks people perform when viewing them. These categories include tracking tasks, holistic judgments, and noticing objects added to or removed from a display. We then evaluate the known capacity limits of each task from human motion processing literature and use these to inform design techniques that enable visualizations to respect these capacity limits. Together, the tasks, limits, and corresponding techniques form new, broadly applicable guidelines that should help designers create effective animated visualizations informed by theory of human perception.
Inadequate nutritional knowledge among hemodialysis (HD) patients can lead to poor fluid and dietary adherence, increasing the risk of complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a nurse-led, animated video-based nutrition education program on dietary knowledge and fluid-diet adherence in individuals receiving HD. This experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design and included 107 HD patients, 48 in the intervention group and 59 in the control group. Data were collected using a patient information form, a nutritional knowledge survey, and the Dialysis Diet and Fluid Non-Adherence Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and initial data entry were conducted using SPSS 24.0. The difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis was performed in Stata 18.0. The intervention group received nurse-led nutrition education supported by a 10-min animated video. Measurements were taken at baseline and 12 weeks after the intervention. There were no significant differences between groups in baseline nutritional knowledge or fluid-diet adherence scores. However, at week 12, the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in nutritional knowledge and a decrease in fluid-diet nonadherence compared to the control group (p < .05). A DiD analysis revealed that the educational intervention resulted in a 4.4-point increase in knowledge scores, which was statistically significant (p < .05). Nurse-led animated video education significantly improved nutritional knowledge and fluid-diet adherence among HD patients. This approach may be an effective tool for supporting patient education and self-management of chronic kidney disease.
The Chinese animated film market is developing fast and some of them have great success, such as "Nezha: The Monster Boy in the Sea" and the "Boonie Bears" series. But to understand the impact of traditional cultural symbols on viewing intent is underexplored. To bridge the gap between external cultural stimuli and internal cognitive evaluations, this paper conceptually integrates the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework with the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). By positioning TPB's psychological mechanisms (attitudes, norms, perceived control) as the 'Organism' state, this study constructs a theoretical model examining how traditional symbols drive viewing intentions, with cultural identity acting as a moderator. Surveying 441 Chinese animated film viewers, structural equation modeling indicates that traditional symbols positively impact attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, which subsequently drive the intention to watch films. Notably, attitude exerts the strongest effect on viewing intention, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Cultural identity was found to moderate the relationship between attitude and intention, but it did not influence subjective norms or perceived behavioral control, indicating an asymmetric effect. Specifically, cultural identity enhanced the connection between attitude and intention without affecting the pathways related to subjective norms or perceived behavioral control. Additionally, a multigroup analysis (MGA) based on gender was conducted to confirm the model's stability across different groups. Multi-group analysis verifies the structural invariance of the model across different genders, highlighting its robustness and general applicability. This study brings a new framework of understanding the consumption of cultural virtual products.
The increasing development of large language models (LLM) in healthcare research is taking place without patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE). Part of the challenge is the lack of accessible educational resources to promote literacy around LLMs. We employed a co-design approach with 6 PPIE contributors from Tower Hamlets, London to develop educational animations about LLMs. We conducted 7 pilot sessions that included hands-on interactive activities to develop scripts and storyboards for the animations. Animations were external validated by additional PPIE groups and experts before professional animation production. Two accessible 2-minute animated videos were successfully co-designed in English and Bengali. The first explains LLMs in the context of daily life and the second on LLMs in healthcare research. Both animations use a factory analogy to describe LLMs functionality while avoiding anthropomorphisation that could mislead audiences about LLMs inner workings and capabilities. Both animations are freely available for reuse. The co-design process allowed us to prioritise diverse PPIE voices throughout development, ensuring that animations are appropriate for a wide audience. Challenges included incorporating sometimes conflicting perspectives and achieving balanced portrayals of LLM benefits and risks. We hope these animations will support PPIE contributors to have a say in how LLMs are used in healthcare and research.
Social media has emerged as an important channel for mental health education, allowing health educators to communicate mental health knowledge to the public via short-form videos. Drawing on critical multimodal discourse analysis, this paper examines the use of multimodal metaphors in animated depression educational videos on the Chinese social media platform Bilibili.com and considers the broader social implications of these metaphors for understanding and managing depression. The findings show that multimodal metaphors are employed to represent the nature of depression, its symptoms, potential causes, and treatments. Conventional metaphors (e.g., Experiencing Depression is Being Engulfed by a Blanket of Darkness) transform mental distress into a visible and embodied presence, thereby validating the sufferers' illness experiences; creative metaphors (e.g., Depression is the Grim Reaper and Depression is a Black Dog) reframe depression as external agents, while also attributing a certain level of agency to individuals and combating social stigma. Moreover, by personifying brain chemicals and simplifying neurological mechanisms, multimodal biomedical metaphors make complex knowledge more understandable to the audience. While these metaphors play an important role in removing barriers to public understanding, by prioritizing a biomedical account, they also risk dehumanizing and overmedicalizing individuals who are affected by depression. Therefore, we argue that a more balanced approach that incorporates both biomedical and psychosocial aspects of depression is needed for a more holistic and socially oriented mental health education.
The use of audiovisual aids in the consent process may improve comprehension and willingness to participate in research. However, data supporting this hypothesis are lacking. To determine the impact of audiovisual augmentation of the consent process on willingness to participate in research and on consent comprehension. The Personalizing Cardiovascular Health: A Population Approach to Promoting Cardiovascular Disease Resistance and Resilience Among Individuals With Obesity (RESILIENCE) nonrandomized cohort study embedded this multiarm randomized clinical trial to test different participant consent modalities. RESILIENCE recruited participants between September 2019 and March 2022, with the analysis for this randomized substudy conducted from July to December 2025. No follow-up was undertaken for this study. This component of the study was conducted exclusively virtually and completed online within a single large US academic health system. Potential participants were randomized for this trial in a 1:1:1:1 allocation to receive consent information via (1) text-only (2) text and physician-featured video, (3) text and patient-featured video, or (4) text and animated video. The primary outcome was provision of consent to participate in the cohort clinical study. The secondary outcome was consent comprehension, based on a score of at least 5 of 7 on a follow-up comprehension survey. Robust log-linear Poisson regression was used to determine the relative risks (RRs) of outcomes in comparison with the text-only arm. Analyses were conducted with the evaluable population. Of 1535 participants (968 [63.1%] female; 658 [42.9%] ≥60 years of age; 380 randomized to text-only, 386 to text and physician-featured video, 383 to text and patient-featured video, and 386 to text and animated video) who began the consent process, 888 (57.9%) overall gave consent to participate in the study. Patient consent rates were similar across the 4 consent delivery strategies (text only [comparator], 221 of 380 [58.2%]; text and physician video, 241 of 386 [62.4%]; RR, 1.07 [96% CI, 0.95-1.21]; text and patient video, 203 of 383 [53.0%]; RR, 0.91 [96% CI, 0.8-1.04]; and text and animated video, 223 of 386 [57.8%]; RR, 0.99 [96% CI, 0.88-1.13]). Among 884 individuals who consented and completed the consent comprehension survey, the rate of comprehension of the consent process was high 86.4% (n = 764) and did not vary among the intervention delivery strategies (text only, 193 of 221 [87.3%]; text and physician video, 207 of 241 [85.9%]; text and patient video, 177 of 203 [87.2%]; and text and animated video, 187 of 223 [83.9%]). Compared with the text-only arm, the RRs of consent comprehension were not different for the text and physician-featured video arm (RR, 1.00; [95% CI, 0.93-1.07]), the text and patient-featured video arm (RR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.93-1.07]) and the text and animated video arm (RR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.89-1.04]). In this randomized clinical trial of virtual consent delivery, the rates of patient consent and consent comprehension were similar regardless of whether they were delivered by text only or text augmented by physician, patient, or animated videos. Further evaluation of these consent delivery processes across different study types and patient populations is suggested to optimize the recruitment of diverse, informed populations. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04551872.
Interactive communication in virtual reality can be used in experimental paradigms to increase the ecological validity of hearing device evaluations. This requires the virtual environment to elicit natural communication behavior in listeners. This study evaluates the effect of virtual animated characters' head movements on participants' communication behavior and experience. Triadic conversations were conducted between a study participant and two confederates. To facilitate the manipulation of head movements, the conversation was conducted in telepresence using a system that transmitted audio, head movement data and video with low delay. The confederates were represented by virtual animated characters (avatars) with different levels of animation: Static heads, automated head movement animations based on speech level onsets, and animated head movements based on the transmitted head movements of the confederates. A condition was also included in which the live videos of the confederates' heads were embedded in the visual scene. Sixteen young adults (19-32 years) with self-reported normal hearing participated in the study, i.e., 16 triads were measured. The results show significant effects of animation level on the participants' speech and head movement behavior as recorded by physical sensors, as well as on the subjective experience. The largest effects were found for the range of head orientation while speaking, the head orientation while listening, and the perceived realism of avatars. We therefore conclude that the representation of conversation partners affects communication behavior, which may be considered when natural speech and movement behavior is desired.
Social anxiety (SA) is marked by a persistent fear of social scrutiny, but its neurocognitive mechanisms remain incompletely understood. We tested whether SA is associated with altered engagement of theory of mind (ToM) systems supporting inferences about others' thoughts and emotions or with broader interpretive tendencies biasing social information processing toward more internally guided responses. Functional magnetic resonance imaging, heart rate, and pupil diameter were recorded from 43 individuals with elevated SA and 43 control individuals with low SA during viewing of a nonverbal animated film. ToM engagement was assessed via scene-specific neural activation, while broader interpretive processing was indexed using dynamic intersubject correlation (ISC), quantifying the degree to which neural responses were shared versus idiosyncratic across viewers over time. Participants with elevated SA showed reduced activation in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus during ToM-relevant scenes, as well as preserved engagement of the broader ToM network. Dynamic ISC analyses revealed increased alignment in early sensory regions and reduced alignment in higher-order regions outside the ToM network, consistent with more individualized processing at higher levels. These effects occurred without group differences in autonomic arousal or pupil-linked attention, and an exploratory comparison with an autism cohort revealed opposite alignment patterns in overlapping higher-order regions. SA is associated with focal alterations in ToM-related processing and broader shifts in movie-driven neural alignment across the cortical hierarchy. Divergent alignment patterns in SA and autism suggest that movie-driven neural alignment may serve as a transdiagnostic marker distinguishing mechanistically distinct forms of atypical social cognition. Social anxiety is marked by fear of being judged by others, but it remains unclear how it shapes the interpretation of social situations. We measured brain activity, heart rate, and eye responses while people with higher or lower social anxiety watched a short animated film depicting social interactions. Individuals with elevated social anxiety showed subtle changes in brain activity related to understanding others, as well as more individualized brain responses during the movie, even without signs of increased arousal or attention. These findings suggest that social anxiety alters how social information is processed even in situations that are not overtly threatening.
We aimed to investigate the developmental trajectories of social responsiveness and theory of mind (ToM) from childhood to adolescence in offspring at familial high risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) and population-based controls (PBC). The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study is a longitudinal cohort study investigating offspring at FHR-SZ (n = 202) or FHR-BP (n = 120) and PBC (n = 200), assessed at age 7, 11 and 15. Social responsiveness was measured with The Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition, completed by a teacher and the primary caregiver, and ToM was assessed using the Animated Triangles Task. Developmental differences and cross-sectional between-group differences were ascertained with multi-level mixed effects linear regression models. We found non-significantly different development of social responsiveness and ToM across groups. At age 15, offspring at FHR-SZ displayed social responsiveness impairments compared with PBC, both according to teachers and primary caregivers. Offspring at FHR-BP only displayed social responsiveness impairments compared with PBC according to the primary caregivers. Significantly more offspring at FHR-SZ displayed clinically significant impairments in social responsiveness compared with PBC. We found no significant between-group difference in ToM at age 15. Especially offspring at FHR-SZ, but also offspring at FHR-BP, show developmental deficits in social responsiveness and normal ToM development from childhood to adolescence, indicating that social responsiveness impairments may constitute a vulnerability marker. Additional studies are needed to validate our findings and to investigate the long-term impact of social responsiveness impairments in offspring at FHR-SZ or FHR-BP.
Traditional anatomical donor-based dissection has long served as the cornerstone of anatomical education. However, with increasingly condensed curricula and diverse student learning preferences, multimedia tools have become vital adjuncts to support engagement, comprehension, and accessibility. At the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED), we developed a student-led educational module combining cadaveric dissection, a step-by-step dissection guide, and a virtual reality (VR) video to teach the muscles of facial expression. A human anatomical donor facial dissection was performed and documented to develop a comprehensive, three-part dissection guide covering muscular anatomy, dissection steps, and clinical correlations. An accompanying VR video was created using the Meta Quest two headset and 3D Organon XR, featuring animated muscle movements and cultural references (e.g., Spider-Man, Mrs. Doubtfire) to reinforce anatomical concepts. Fifty-two medical students viewed the VR video and completed an anonymous Likert scale survey assessing clarity, engagement, educational value, and technical performance. Survey responses were highly favorable across all categories. Students rated the video highly for explaining muscle function (mean = 4.37), maintaining engagement (4.42), and enhancing understanding through visual quality (4.27). Cultural references were particularly well received (4.46), with 86.5% agreeing they enhanced educational value. The VR experience was considered technically smooth (4.23) and effective as a supplement to anatomical donor dissection (4.29). Qualitative feedback indicated strong interest in expanding VR modules to cover musculoskeletal and vascular anatomy, sports medicine, and clinically integrated case scenarios. This study supports the pedagogical value of integrating VR and cinematic references into anatomy education. The module successfully reinforced student understanding of facial anatomy while enhancing engagement and motivation. As a student-created resource, it also illustrates the value of learner-driven content development in addressing curricular gaps and promoting active learning. Student-developed VR modules are a promising complement to traditional anatomy education. Future efforts aim to expand VR video production to additional anatomical regions beyond the face and incorporate VR-based clinical case assessments to support deeper learning and knowledge integration.
Due to substantial differences in appearance and movement between cartoon faces and real human faces, directly applying existing speech-driven speaker generation techniques to cartoon face images often fails to accurately capture key points, resulting in distorted expressions and animation artifacts. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a speech-driven cartoon face animation generation model called CartoonTalk, which integrates 2D cartoon key points with 3D motion coefficients. The model comprises three modules: face annotation, motion extraction, and 3D facial rendering. The face annotation module first annotates a cartoon image, capturing its 2D key points. Subsequently, the motion extraction module derives 3D motion coefficients for head and facial expressions from speech data. Finally, the 3D facial rendering module uses these 2D and 3D features to generate the animated cartoon face. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations demonstrate that our model significantly outperforms existing approaches in both lip-sync accuracy and visual quality, establishing new state-of-the-art benchmarks on cartoon datasets.
Chemotaxis receptor complexes sense chemical gradient in the cellular environment to direct swimming towards favorable environments. The core signaling units of these complexes are made up of two trimers-of-dimers of chemoreceptors, two CheW and a CheA dimer, which further assemble into large hexagonal signaling arrays. Structural and biochemical studies have provided important information on the architecture and interfaces of these complexes. However, the signaling pathway of these complexes that controls the kinase is not fully understood. In this review, we highlight the highest resolution models of this system and examine the current consensus on the protein-protein interfaces based on models and interface experiments. We also highlight differences observed between signaling states for the individual proteins and the protein interfaces that are proposed to be part of the signaling mechanism. Overall, we conclude that there is strong structural consensus for the protein interfaces but, despite some intriguing results, more information is needed to understand how the interfaces change between signaling states and the role they play in signaling. An animated Interactive 3D Complement (I3DC) is available in Proteopedia at https://proteopedia.org/w/Journal:FEMS_Microbiology_Reviews:1.
Through the combined lenses of ecofeminism, masculinity studies, and critical animal studies, this article examines the cultural functions of animal metamorphosis in two Walt Disney animated feature films, Beauty and the Beast and The Princess and the Frog. It argues that animality operates as a narrative and symbolic space in which dominant gender norms and human-animal hierarchies are temporarily destabilized and reconfigured. Drawing on film analysis, this study shows how the animal figure enables the emergence of alternative masculinities-sensitive, relational, and ecologically attuned-while simultaneously exposing the structural limits of this apparent subversion. Although these films challenge toxic masculinity and propose more egalitarian interspecific relationships, their narrative resolutions ultimately reinstate anthropocentric and heteronormative frameworks by reasserting human centrality and normative romantic closure. By situating Disney's representations within broader Western dualistic logics of domination (culture/nature, masculine/feminine, human/animal), I demonstrate that animality functions less as an autonomous mode of existence than as a transitional narrative device facilitating human self-transformation. In doing so, this article contributes to current discussions on how culturally mediated representations of animals shape human social imaginaries, ethical frameworks, and understandings of interspecies relationships.
Youth are responsible for approximately 30% of the sexual harm cases involving children under age nine (termed nonconsensual sexual behavior hereafter). For a variety of reasons, young people who may initiate nonconsensual sexual behavior are not easily reached with prevention services or research. In the current study, we assess the feasibility of online recruitment of young people aged 14-21 years who may engage in nonconsensual sexual behavior to participate in a longitudinal survey study. A single animated advertisement was launched on Snapchat for approximately 2.5 weeks. Outcome measures included advertisement reach, impressions, and engagement. We reviewed the number of participants who completed each stage of participation and calculated the cost to obtain a participant at each stage based on the total advertisement spend during the study period. The advertisement was viewed 136,588 times by 86,746 users and achieved 1,572 click/swipes. The overall cost per click was $.59 USD. With an overall spend of $921.64 USD, the advertisement cost to recruit a potential participant was $1.07 USD. The cost to get a potential participant to each stage of participation incrementally increases with the final cost to attain a survey completion of $10.34 USD. This study provides evidence that it is both feasible and cost-effective to recruit the highly stigmatized, hard-to-reach population of youth at-risk for sexually harming children for research using a social media platform.
This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and preliminary effects of a 12-week self-exercise program delivered via a three-dimensional (3D) animation-based mobile application for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Fifteen manual wheelchair users with SCI participated in a progressive 12-week intervention. The program utilised a smartphone application featuring 3D animated exercises designed to enhance motor learning and rehabilitation adherence. Primary outcomes included adherence rates, user satisfaction, and physical function (muscle strength, arm circumference). Secondary outcomes included metabolic markers and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The intervention demonstrated high feasibility, with an 81.0% adherence rate and a satisfaction score of 39.8/50. Significant improvements were observed in upper extremity strength, including elbow flexors, extensors, and grip strength (p < 0.001). However, no significant changes were found in cardiometabolic markers or HRQoL. This divergence likely reflects the strategic focus of the protocol on musculoskeletal strengthening rather than intensive cardiorespiratory conditioning. No serious adverse events occurred; minor events, such as transient muscle soreness (28.6%), resolved spontaneously. A 3D animation-based mobile exercise program is a feasible and well-accepted tool for SCI rehabilitation, showing significant potential for enhancing upper extremity strength. While metabolic and quality-of-life changes were limited - potentially due to the specificity and short duration of the intervention - the high adherence and safety profiles suggest this platform is a reliable tool for long-term rehabilitation. Further investigation through large-scale randomised controlled trials is warranted to optimise multi-modal protocols. The use of a 3D animation-based mobile application significantly improved adherence to self-directed exercise programs, suggesting that interactive, visual guidance can sustain long-term engagement in home-based rehabilitation for individuals with SCI.The intervention demonstrated substantial improvements in upper extremity strength, which is critical for activities of daily living, wheelchair mobility, and overall independence for individuals with SCI, underscoring the potential of this technology in functional rehabilitation.The success of this pilot study in integrating mobile health technology offers a promising pathway for scalable, individualised rehabilitation programs that can be tailored to the unique needs of patients with SCI, potentially reducing barriers to access and enhancing the continuity of care beyond clinical settings.
Pediatric chronic pain affects up to one-third of youth and is associated with significant disruptions in social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Although behavioral treatments are effective, access remains limited due to geographic, financial, and systemic barriers. Digital behavioral health interventions offer a promising solution, but many lack user-centered design, iterative refinement, and implementation-informed development strategies that support usability and scalability. This study aimed to develop and iteratively refine iGET Living, a digital graded exposure intervention for youth with chronic pain, using a combined user-centered and implementation-informed framework, and to evaluate its preliminary acceptability, feasibility, and user-perceived success. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the mHealth (mobile health) Agile Development and Lifecycle model, intervention development proceeded through 3 phases. Phase 0 translated an evidence-based in-person graded exposure treatment (GET Living) into an initial digital prototype. Phase 1 involved iterative user-centered refinement across 3 cycles of qualitative development sessions with youth with chronic pain (n=15), incorporating think-aloud usability testing, Likert-rated feedback, and rapid qualitative analysis mapped to CFIR constructs to guide real-time modifications to content, design, and functionality. Phase 2 piloted the refined intervention with a new sample of youth (n=38, n=30 completers) recruited from a tertiary pediatric pain clinic to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, treatment credibility and expectancy, and user-perceived functional improvements. Quantitative outcomes were summarized descriptively, and qualitative exit interview data were analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis. Across development cycles, youth feedback informed substantive refinements to the intervention, including reducing text density, incorporating animated educational videos, enhancing interactive features, and improving navigation and layout. These changes resulted in progressive improvements in clarity, satisfaction, and acceptability across prototypes. In the Phase 2 pilot study, participants reported moderate-to-high treatment credibility (mean of 19.71 out of 30) and expectancy (mean of 17.96 out of 30), as well as high satisfaction (mean of 46.12 out of 60). Acceptability ratings across domains of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability were favorable. Qualitative exit interviews highlighted the interventions' perceived role in helping youth re-engage in valued activities. Using a combined CFIR and agile development approach, iGET Living emerged as a feasible, acceptable, engaging digital graded exposure intervention for youth with chronic pain. These findings highlight the value of integrating implementation frameworks and participatory design early in digital intervention development and support further evaluation in a preliminary efficacy trial.
Adolescents living with HIV face higher rates of mental health morbidity compared to other age groups, particularly depressive symptoms, while access to specialized services remains limited in many low- and middle-income countries. Chatbots offer a promising, low-cost approach to delivering structured mental health support in resource-constrained settings; however, practical guidance on how to develop such tools with end-user involvement remains scarce. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to the human-centered design and development of a mental health chatbot for adolescents living with HIV, illustrated through the creation of EVA (Educación, Vinculación, y Autoayuda), a chatbot cocreated with adolescents living with HIV in Peru. Guided by human-centered design principles, the tutorial covers three key steps: (1) understanding user needs through qualitative research, (2) iterative chatbot development with a Youth Advisory Board across five structured sessions, and (3) external review and testing before launch. Throughout the process, adolescents contributed to defining the chatbot's tone, visual identity, navigation structure, and content priorities. The chatbot was built using a low-cost messaging platform and incorporated multimedia components, including brief animated videos, to enhance engagement. Throughout development, iterative testing with the Youth Advisory Board and external health care professionals informed refinements in usability, content clarity, emotional tone, and accessibility. This tutorial synthesizes key methodological decisions, lessons learned, and challenges encountered, providing practical guidance for researchers and practitioners seeking to develop similar adolescent-centered digital mental health tools in low- and middle-income countries. Key takeaways include the importance of early and sustained adolescent involvement, the value of iterative prototyping, and the feasibility of building functional chatbots with limited resources to help address the health service gap experienced by adolescents living with HIV.
Recognising familiar people is an important function of the human visual system that supports daily social interactions. In addition to static visual cues (e.g., face shape and texture), biological motion cues such as idiosyncratic facial motion and gait contribute to identity recognition. Surprisingly, recent research has indicated an individuals' eye movements exhibit idiosyncratic patterns that contain identifiable information, though it is largely unknown to what extent human observers exploit this information. The current study measures sensitivity of human observers to idiosyncratic gaze behaviours when identifying familiar faces. In two experiments, participants familiarised themselves with faces that were generated from three-dimensional scans of human heads. As participants examined each face, the face's eye movements were animated using eye-tracking data from real observers such that the face appeared to be looking around the room. Participants were then tested on how much had been learned about each identity's gaze behaviours. In Experiment 1 (N = 40), we found a small but significant effect of gaze behaviour in spontaneously biasing the perceived facial identity even when other visual cues to facial identity were available. In Experiment 2, participants (N = 51) were sensitive at discriminating the identity of a face based purely on its eye movements after explicit instructions to rely on gaze behaviour to distinguish different individuals. Our results demonstrate an individual's dynamic gaze behaviours can inform how others recognise them, expanding current understanding of the visual cues that contribute to identity recognition and the sensitivity of human observers to others' attentional behaviour.
Oral macroscopic anatomy forms a core component of dental education, requiring both detailed factual knowledge and the ability to recognize complex three-dimensional structures. This study evaluated whether structured digital learning supplements, introduced alongside traditional teaching, improved short-term learning outcomes and long-term knowledge retention among dental students. Four student cohorts from the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, were included. Two earlier cohorts (2016 and 2017; n = 96) received traditional anatomy teaching, while two later cohorts (2018 and 2019; n = 98) also had access to structured digital supplements, including lecture recordings, stepwise digital model presentations, an animated osteology key, and high-resolution images of dissected specimens. Performance was assessed during the second-year practical examination and re-evaluated 2.5 years later during the fifth-year dissection course. Logistic regression mixed-effects models were used to compare outcomes between teaching approaches, and surveys captured student perceptions of the digital resources. Students with access to digital supplements achieved markedly higher scores in the second-year practical examination across osteology and macroscopic anatomy tasks. This performance advantage persisted 2.5 years later during the fifth-year dissection course, indicating enhanced long-term retention. Survey data showed extensive use of digital materials during the second year, with students reporting that the resources improved their understanding and supported examination preparation. Although overall use declined by the fifth year, many students revisited the digital resources when they needed repetition in preparation for clinical activities, such as surgical procedures. Structured digital supplements meaningfully enhanced traditional teaching in oral macroscopic anatomy, improving initial learning outcomes and supporting retention well into clinical training. Digital tools provided flexible, self-paced opportunities for repetition and active recall, while hands-on work with physical models and specimens remained essential. These findings support a blended learning approach in which digital resources complement, but do not replace, practical anatomy teaching.
The walking excavator is a highly complex construction machine, characterized by challenges in control, instruction, and operational safety. In this work, we implemented a virtual reality (VR) walking excavator simulator that integrates real hardware components with kinematic physics simulation. Using the simulator, we conducted two user studies. The first involved 45 participants and examined the effects of user perspectives on performance and preference. The second involved 12 participants and investigated the influence of video passthrough of the controllers. Results show that the choice of perspective should be task-dependent. Third-person view outperformed first-person view in the undercarriage task in which complex leg movements are needed. It supported better planning and allowed complete body visualization. However, it did not reduce motion sickness and was less preferred than first-person view for training. From the second user study, passthrough significantly improved controller learning compared to animated controllers, with participants making fewer errors when using the passthrough design. Based on these findings, we provide design recommendations for user perspectives and controller representation in VR-based training simulators.