J G Trafton - Storming Media

Gaze-Following and Awareness of Visual Perspective in Chimpanzees

Jul-2009

7 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Anthony M Harrison; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC

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Recent research suggests that chimpanzees are capable of level 1 perspective taking (Flavell, 1992), but that its expression is limited to situations of increased competition (Brauer, Call, & Tomasello, 2007). We present a model utilizing gaze-following that learns in response to the behavior of a competitor. The model not only learns the proper application of the perspective taking strategy but also the critical spatial characteristics that influence the competitive pressure. ...

A Measure of Search Efficiency in a Real World Search Task (PREPRINT)

16-Feb-2009

25 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Melissa R Beck; Maura C Lohrenz; LOUISIANA STATE UNIV BATON ROUGE

In visual search, preattentive processes locate potential target regions and selective attention is directed to potential target locations. The current experiments examined the role of global visual clutter in participants' ability to deploy attention to target regions containing relatively more or less local clutter. Participants searched maps of high, medium, or low global clutter for a target in a high or low local clutter region. Global and local clutter influenced ...

An Embodied Model of Infant Gaze-Following

Jan-2009

7 pages

Authors: Magdalena Bugajska; J G Trafton; Benjamin Fransen; Anthony M Harrison; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC

We present an embodied model of gaze-following. The model learns how to follow another's gaze by using cognitively plausible mechanisms. It matches a classic gaze-following experiment (Corkum & Moore, 1998) and runs on an embodied robotic system.

A Measure of Search Efficiency in a Real World Search Task

Dec-2008

25 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Melissa R Beck; Maura C Lohrenz; LOUISIANA STATE UNIV BATON ROUGE

Incorporating Mental Simulation for a More Effective Robotic Teammate

Jul-2008

7 pages

Authors: William Adams; J G Trafton; Magdalena D Bugajska; Alan C Schultz; William G Kennedy; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC

How can we facilitate human-robot teamwork? The teamwork literature has identified the need to know the capabilities of teammates. How can we integrate the knowledge of another capabilities for a justifiably intelligent teammate? This paper describes extensions to the cognitive architecture, ACT - R, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive science approaches to produce a more cognitively-plausible, autonomous robotic system that mentally simulates the decision-making of its ...

Computer-Aided Visualization in Meteorology

01-Jan-2007

23 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Robert R Hoffman; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Our topic in this chapter is not so much what happens when experts have to work "out of context," but how cognitive engineering might help weather forecasters, in particular, remain within familiar decision-making spaces by improving on their display technology. Most weather forecasters get data, charts, and satellite images from Internet sources. In this chapter, we discuss some of what we know about how weather forecasters use information technology to ...

The Relationship Between Spatial Transformations and Iconic Gestures

01-Jan-2006

30 pages

Authors: Lelyn Saner; J G Trafton; Susan B Trickett; Cara A Stitzlein; Christian D Schunn; Susan S Kirschenbaum; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Current theories of gesture production all suggest that spatial working memory is a critical component of iconic gesture production. However, none of the models has a selection mechanism for what aspect of spatial working memory is gestured. We explored how expert and journeyman scientists gestured while discussing their work. Participants were most likely to make iconic gestures about change over time (spatial transformations), less likely to gesture about spatial relations ...

Shedding Light on the Graph Schema

01-Jul-2005

7 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Raj M Ratwani; GEORGE MASON UNIV FAIRFAX VA

The current theories of graph comprehension have posited the graph schema as providing us the necessary knowledge to interpret any graph type. Yet, little is known about the nature of the graph schema, and no empirical data exist showing that there actually is a graph schema. In experiment 1 we show evidence that a graph schema does exist, and that graph schemas are not specific to each and every graph ...

Turning Pictures into Numbers: Extracting and Generating Information From Complex Visualizations

01-Jan-2000

25 pages

Authors: J G Trafton; Susan S Kirschenbaum; Ted L Tsui; Robert T Miyamoto; James A Ballas; Paula D Raymond; NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION SECTION

We present a study of complex visualization usage by expert meteorological forecasters. We performed a protocol analysis and examined the types of visualizations they examined. We present evidence for how experts are able to make use of complex visualizations. Our findings suggest that users of complex visualizations create qualitative mental models from which they can then generate quantitative information. In order to build their qualitative mental models, forecasters integrated information ...

Making Graphical Inferences: A Hierarchical Framework

7 pages

Authors: Raj M Ratwani; J G Trafton; GEORGE MASON UNIV FAIRFAX VA

A hierarchical framework suggesting how graph readers go beyond explicitly represented data to make inferences is presented. According to our hierarchical framework, graph readers use read-offs, integration and pattern extrapolation to make inferences. Verbal protocol data demonstrates high-level differences in the way inferences are made and eye track data examines these processes at the perceptual level.