Academic literature on the topic 'Olfactory and auditory environmental stimuli'

This thesis is concerned with memory modularity. Recognition and serial position recall for sequences of odours, unfamiliar-faces and pure-tones is examined and compared. In the first set of experiments, 2-alternative-forced-choice (2AFC) recognition produced qualitatively equivalent serial position functions across the three stimulus types. Recency in the absence of primacy was apparent for the backward testing procedure, in contrast, the forward testing procedure produced an absence of serial position effects. This item-based task, therefore, provides some evidence for amodal processing. A second set of experiments employed a single-probe serial position recall paradigm and produced qualitatively different functions for the three stimulus types. Unfamiliar-faces showed both primacy and recency, pure-tones showed recency only and, in contrast, odours showed neither recency nor primacy. These functions were consistent across sequence length, i.e. 4-6 items. Primacy for unfamiliar-faces was immune to articulator suppression suggesting a non-verbally based representation. A third set of Experiments employed a modified serial order reconstruction paradigm in which test-items were presented sequentially rather than simultaneously. Unfamiliar-face and pure-tone stimuli demonstrated both primacy and recency, in contrast, odours demonstrated recency only. The absence of cross-stimuli functional equivalence for both order-based tasks contrasts with that for the item-based task, suggesting that item- and order-based memorial processes impact differentially upon arguments for modularity (see Guerard and Tremblay, in press). A fourth set of experiments investigated the role of verbal coding in modified-reconstruction. The functions produced for both odour and unfamiliar-face stimuli were shown not to be characteristic of verbal memory. A final study in this set employed nonwords presented both visually and aurally. Results showed that, regardless of modality of input, the functions replicated those reported above for nonverbal visual and auditory stimuli. The findings demonstrate that the functions for modified-reconstruction are not underpinned by the processes of verbalisation. In summary, the order-based tasks are consistent with modularity, where the item-based tasks support amodal processing. The findings suggest that for order memory at least, olfactory memory is qualitatively different to that of visual and auditory memory.

The conventional Von Neumann architecture imposes strict constraints on the development of intelligent adaptive systems. The requirements of substantial computing power to process and analyse complex data make such an approach impractical to be used in implementing smart systems. Neuromorphic engineering has produced promising results in applications such as electronic sensing, networking architectures and complex data processing. This interdisciplinary field takes inspiration from neurobiological architecture and emulates these characteristics using analogue Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI). The unconventional approach of exploiting the non-linear current characteristics of transistors has aided in the development of low-power adaptive systems that can be implemented in intelligent systems. The neuromorphic approach is widely applied in electronic sensing, particularly in vision, auditory, tactile and olfactory sensors. While conventional sensors generate a huge amount of redundant output data, neuromorphic sensors implement the biological concept of spike-based output to generate sparse output data that corresponds to a certain sensing event. The operation principle applied in these sensors supports reduced power consumption with operating efficiency comparable to conventional sensors. Although neuromorphic sensors such as Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS), Dynamic and Active pixel Vision Sensor (DAVIS) and AEREAR2 are steadily expanding their scope of application in real-world systems, the lack of spike-based data processing algorithms and complex interfacing methods restricts its applications in low-cost standalone autonomous systems. This research addresses the issue of interfacing between neuromorphic sensors and digital neuromorphic circuits. Current interfacing methods of these sensors are dependent on computers for output data processing. This approach restricts the portability of these sensors, limits their application in a standalone system and increases the overall cost of such systems. The proposed methodology simplifies the interfacing of these sensors with digital neuromorphic processors by utilizing AER communication protocols and neuromorphic hardware developed under the Convolution AER Vision Architecture for Real-time (CAVIAR) project. The proposed interface is simulated using a JAVA model that emulates a typical spikebased output of a neuromorphic sensor, in this case an olfactory sensor, and functions that process this data based on supervised learning. The successful implementation of this simulation suggests that the methodology is a practical solution and can be implemented in hardware. The JAVA simulation is compared to a similar model developed in Nengo, a standard large-scale neural simulation tool. The successful completion of this research contributes towards expanding the scope of application of neuromorphic sensors in standalone intelligent systems. The easy interfacing method proposed in this thesis promotes the portability of these sensors by eliminating the dependency on computers for output data processing. The inclusion of neuromorphic Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board allows reconfiguration and deployment of learning algorithms to implement adaptable systems. These low-power systems can be widely applied in biosecurity and environmental monitoring. With this thesis, we suggest directions for future research in neuromorphic standalone systems based on neuromorphic olfaction.

Disgust causes specific reaction patterns, observable in mimic responses and body reactions. Most research on disgust deals with visual stimuli. However, pictures may cause another disgust experience than sounds, odors, or tactile stimuli. Therefore, disgust experience evoked by four different sensory channels was compared. A total of 119 participants received 3 different disgusting and one control stimulus, each presented through the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory channel. Ratings of evoked disgust as well as responses of the autonomic nervous system (heart rate, skin conductance level, systolic blood pressure) were recorded and the effect of stimulus labeling and of repeated presentation was analyzed. Ratings suggested that disgust could be evoked through all senses; they were highest for visual stimuli. However, autonomic reaction toward disgusting stimuli differed according to the channel of presentation. In contrast to the other, olfactory disgust stimuli provoked a strong decrease of systolic blood pressure. Additionally, labeling enhanced disgust ratings and autonomic reaction for olfactory and tactile, but not for visual and auditory stimuli. Repeated presentation indicated that participant's disgust rating diminishes to all but olfactory disgust stimuli. Taken together we argue that the sensory channel through which a disgust reaction is evoked matters.

Disgust causes specific reaction patterns, observable in mimic responses and body reactions. Most research on disgust deals with visual stimuli. However, pictures may cause another disgust experience than sounds, odors, or tactile stimuli. Therefore, disgust experience evoked by four different sensory channels was compared. A total of 119 participants received 3 different disgusting and one control stimulus, each presented through the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory channel. Ratings of evoked disgust as well as responses of the autonomic nervous system (heart rate, skin conductance level, systolic blood pressure) were recorded and the effect of stimulus labeling and of repeated presentation was analyzed. Ratings suggested that disgust could be evoked through all senses; they were highest for visual stimuli. However, autonomic reaction toward disgusting stimuli differed according to the channel of presentation. In contrast to the other, olfactory disgust stimuli provoked a strong decrease of systolic blood pressure. Additionally, labeling enhanced disgust ratings and autonomic reaction for olfactory and tactile, but not for visual and auditory stimuli. Repeated presentation indicated that participant's disgust rating diminishes to all but olfactory disgust stimuli. Taken together we argue that the sensory channel through which a disgust reaction is evoked matters.

Mestrado em Marketing<br>Efetuou-se um estudo experimental em contexto real num cinema, com o objetivo de compreender se os estímulos aromáticos podem influenciar o comportamento do consumidor, testar se o aroma ambiente é, ou não, um instrumento de marketing eficaz. O estudo foi realizado através de uma investigação quantitativa entre a presença e ausência de aroma ambiente na aferição de respostas dos espetadores no seu ambiente de cinema. A Investigação teve por base a revisão da literatura, para o enquadramento do tema e desenvolvimento do modelo conceptual conducente à formulação da questão de pesquisa e das hipóteses a testar, tendo como alicerce a construção do questionário e desenho da experiência. A coleta dos dados foi efetuada durante quatro semanas e teve por base pesquisas similares. As análises dos dados recolhidos incluíram técnicas de estatística descritiva e teste das hipóteses relativas à avaliação do cinema, do seu ambiente, dos seus produtos, dos gastos e por último da intenção de retorno do espetador ao cinema. Foram identificadas relações de causa efeito na presença de aroma, os resultados revelaram que a presença de aroma ambiente aumentou as avaliações testadas.<br>A real life experimental study was conducted in a movie theatre in order to try to understand if the aromatic stimuli can influence consumer behavior, that way testing if the aroma present in the environment is an effective marketing tool. The study was a quantitative investigation of the answers given by spectators in the presence or absence of aroma in their cinema environment. The research was based on a literature revision, in order to develop both the guidelines and the conceptual model, which in turn led to the formulation of the research question and the definition of the hypothesis to be tested, which constitute the basis upon which the questionnaire and experience design were construed. The data collection was performed during a period of four weeks and based on a similar research. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing on movie theatre, environment, product and cost evaluations and finally the intention of the spectator to return to the movie theatre. Cause and effect relations were identified in the presence of aroma. The results showed that the presence of aroma in the environment increased the evaluations tested.

Our senses are constantly bombarded with information. How does the brain integrate such a variety of inputs to generate appropriate behaviours? Innate defensive behaviours are a good model to address this question. They are essential for animal survival and the brain circuits that control them are highly conserved across species. Moreover, the sensory inputs and behavioural outputs can be well defined and reliably reproduced in the lab. This allows us to study function of the individual components of the circuit controlling these behaviours. Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is a key brain region for controlling responses to predators; it has been shown that inactivating the VMH can reduce defensive behaviours. Interestingly, activating the VMH output neurons (SF1+ cells) can produce a variety of different behaviours, from immobility to escape, depending on the intensity of activation. During my PhD I used a variety of approaches to address the question of the function of the VMH in control of defensive behaviours. At first I hypothesised that the VMH might act as a centre responsible for choosing an appropriate behavioural response according to the stimulus. I set to investigate how different activation levels of SF1+ neurons can produce such different behavioural outputs, and how this activity is modulated in vivo in response to predator stimuli. I began the project by quantifying mouse defensive behaviours in response to olfactory and auditory predator cues, as well as to the optogenetic activation of SF1+ neurons. I then questioned whether there was heterogeneity within the population of SF1+ neurons, which could explain their ability to trigger different behaviours. I performed patch clamp recordings from acute brain slices and conducted a study of the electrophysiological properties of SF1+ neurons. I next investigated how SF1+ neurons integrate excitatory inputs from the medial amygdala, a region which receives olfactory inputs from the accessory olfactory bulb. By combining optogenetics with slice electrophysiology and behavioural assessment, I described the physiology and relevance of this connection. Finally, I investigated in vivo activity in the VMH in response to predator cues by performing calcium imaging of the VMH neurons in freely moving mice. By presenting different sensory stimuli, I addressed the question of heterogeneity of the input pattern to the VMH neurons and the relationship between the VMH activity and the behavioural output. Taken all together, the results of this project have led to a hypothesis whereby the function of the VMH is to facilitate rather than directly control the choice of an appropriate behavioural response.

O uso de estímulos olfativos em estudos de discriminação simples e complexa em ratos tem fornecido dados relevantes à área de controle de estímulos porque esta modalidade de estímulo é mais saliente à espécie do que as comumente utilizadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito da combinação entre as modalidades de estímulo olfativa e auditiva sobre o responder discriminado em um procedimento de bloqueio de estímulos em ratos. Quatro ratos machos Wistar (Rattus norvegicus) foram treinados em três tarefas de discriminação de acordo com o delineamento de bloqueio de estímulos. Na Fase I discriminação prévia, dois ratos foram treinados usando estímulos auditivos (A+/A-) e outros dois usando estímulos olfativos (B+/B-) como S+/S-. Na Fase II discriminação de estímulo composto, um estímulo composto (A+B+/A-B-) foi usado como S+/S- e na Fase III discriminação pós-composto, os estímulos usados na Fase I foram removidos do composto e o treino continuou com os estímulos restantes. Em seguida, foram treinados em fases adicionais: IV - (mesmo treino da Fase II), V (mesmo treino da Fase III) e Fase VI em duas etapas primeira, treino com A+/A- e B+/B- na mesma sessão sem configuração de estímulo composto e segunda, treino de competição de dicas A+B- e B+A-. Todas as fases foram realizadas a partir de um procedimento Go/No-Go. Respostas em esquema de razão fixa três na condição S+ (A+, A+B+ e B+) foram consequenciadas com acesso à solução de sacarose e resposta na condição S- (A-, A-B- e B-) resultou em timeout de 2s após o final da tentativa. Não foi programada consequência específica para o não responder. Para todas as fases o critério de aquisição foi 90% ou mais de índice discriminativo. Na Fase I os resultados mostraram uma aquisição mais rápida do responder discriminado com estímulos olfativos. Os dados das Fases II e III indicaram que houve ocorrência de bloqueio de estímulos para todos os sujeitos, independente da ordem de treino com as modalidades de estímulos. As Fases IV e V indicaram uma replicação do fenômeno de bloqueio apesar do treino realizado na Fase III. A Fase VI sugeriu que o responder discriminado se diferenciou segundo o tipo de configuração de estímulo e que a repetição de bloqueio foi produzida pela discriminação prévia. Os resultados do estudo indicaram que a modalidade de estímulo foi determinante na aquisição de discriminação, mas não para bloqueio de estímulos, discordando da ideia de que odores não são bloqueados quando usados em estímulo composto em ratos e mostrando também que a saliência dos estímulos olfativos foi modulada pela discriminação prévia com outra modalidade<br>Use of olfactory stimuli in simple and complex discrimination studies with rats has produced important data to stimuli controls area because this stimulus modality is more salient than others usually used. The objective of this study was to investigate combinations effects between olfactory and auditory stimuli modalities on discriminative responding to stimuli blocking design. Four male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were trained in three discriminative tasks according to the stimuli blocking design. In Phase I prior discrimination, two rats were trained using auditory stimuli (A+/A-) and two rats using olfactory stimuli (B+/B-) as S+/S-. On Phase II compound stimulus discrimination, a compound stimuli (A+B+/A-B-) were used as S+/S- and in Phase III post-compound stimulus discrimination, the stimuli used on Phase I were remove from the compound. After discriminative training, subjects were trained on additional phases: Phase IV (same training Phase II), Phase V (same training Phase III) and Phase VI with two stages: first - A+/A- and B+/B- training presented in the same session without stimulus compound configuration, second - cue competition training (A+B- and B+A-).Discriminative training was carried under a Go/No-Go procedure. Responses on a fixed-ratio three schedule was reinforced by access to a sucrose solution when S+ (A+, A+B+ and B+) was presented and responding in S- (A-, A-B- and B-) resulted in 2s-timeout after trials ending. No consequence was programmed to non-responding. The acquisition criterion was a 90% or more discriminative index. Phase I data showed a discriminative responding acquisition faster with olfactory stimuli compared to auditory stimuli. Phases II and III data revealed stimuli blocking for all subjects regardless of training order with stimulus modalities. Phases IV and V showed a replication of stimuli blocking despite the training occurred on Phase III. Phase VI indicated that discriminative responding differed by type stimulus configuration presented and that stimulus blocking replication was produced by prior discrimination. Thus, results indicated that stimuli sensory modality was relevant for discriminative responding but not for blocking, disagreeing from the idea that odors are not blocked when it are used in compound stimulus in rat and showing also that olfactory stimulus saliency can be changed by prior discrimination training by other modality

Mestrado em Marketing<br>O presente estudo visa determinar se a aplicação do aroma ambiente como estímulo ambiental num ambiente de loja real se trata de uma ferramenta de marketing eficaz, capaz de influenciar os comportamentos e atitudes do consumidor. Trata-se de um estímulo cada vez mais utilizado pelos retalhistas, a fim de conseguirem distinguir¬se da concorrência e oferecer uma experiência de compra única. Através de uma estratégia de investigação quantitativa iremos investigar se a presença do perfume da marca Mango como aroma ambiente afecta positivamente as respostas e avaliações dos consumidores no seu próprio ambiente de compra. Para isso foi conduzida uma experiência numa loja de vestuário da cadeia espanhola Mango na qual desenvolvemos 2 condições de estudo, sem estímulo versus com estímulo olfactivo. Durante 28 dias de estudo procedemos à aplicação de 600 questionários presenciais. Os nossos resultados não permitiram validar muitos dos objectivos propostos na presente investigação. No entanto, verificámos que de uma forma geral os indicadores sofreram ligeiras melhorias aquando a presença do estímulo olfactivo. Destacamos o facto das percepções sobre o ambiente de loja revelarem um impacto significativo nas percepções sobre a qualidade do produto exposto nesse mesmo ambiente. A ausência de resultados positivos da influência do estímulo olfactivo sobre as avaliações do ambiente de loja e qualidade da oferta nos estados emocionais do consumidor e ainda sobre os seus gastos poderá ser explicada pela natureza do próprio perfume da marca que foi aqui usado como aroma ambiente. Talvez a grande limitação deste estudo seja o próprio aroma utilizado pois, apesar de se tratar de um perfume da marca e como tal congruente com a oferta exposta, trata-se de um perfume de uso pessoal o que poderá ter sido inapropriado e dificultado a formulação de respostas positivas por parte do consumidor.<br>This study aims to determine whether the use of ambient scent as environmental stimuli in a real store environment is a powerful marketing tool, capable of influencing behavior and consumer attitudes. This is a stimulus increasingly used by retailers to differentiate from the competition and offer a unique shopping experience. Through a strategy of quantitative research we will investigate whether the presence of the Mango perfume positively affects the responses and evaluations of consumers in their own shopping environment. An experiment was carried out in a clothing store of the Spanish chain Mango. Two groups were studied, one subject to olfactory stimuli and the other not. During 28 days 600 questionnaires were administered via a face-to-face interview. Our results do not validate most of the objectives proposed in this research, though we found indicators were slightly improved in the presence of olfactory stimuli. It was found, nonetheless, that perceptions of the store environment have a significant impact on perceptions of the quality of product displayed. The fact that some hypotheses were not confirmed, including the influence of olfactory stimuli on evaluations of the shopping environment and quality of product, may be explained by the nature of the used scent. Although the perfume is consistent with the offer in store, this is intended for personal use and thus may be inappropriate for ambient scent.

In recent decades there has been an increasing interest in the area of environmental enrichment for captive animals. The central premise of this thesis was that four species in captivity would be enriched, by increasing levels of exploratory and play behaviour and decreasing stereotypical behaviour, by providing them with access to three different types of novel stimuli. It was expected that each type of novelty would elicit different reactions from each species. Various theoretical constructs have been suggested to explain exploratory and play behaviour, however no theory has satisfactorily explained exploratory or play behaviour in all their forms. The experimental component, of the current research, involved presenting three different types of novel stimuli, including novel objects, auditory and olfactory stimuli, to four species. The subject species were Barbary sheep, zebra oriental small-clawed otters, and collared peccaries. The series of studies employed a modified repealed measures design. In each of the studies the animals were presented with a different type of novelty. The novelty included movable and non-movable objects, flood related olfactory stimuli and predator-associated auditory stimuli. Visual inspection was the main form of data analysis due to low subject numbers and because it allowed individual and group reactions to be reported. Results indicated each type of novelty stimulated increases in both exploratory and play behaviour and decreased stereotypical behaviour. In addition to these overall increases, some types of novelty were found to affect these behaviours more than others. Overall these results suggested that the different responses were related to the biological significance of the novel stimuli for the individual and the species concerned. Discussion focussed on factors that can be used to predict how a species will react to novelty, including the ecological niche of the species, feeding patterns and the biological significance of the novel stimuli. In addition to this, other factors, such as the previous experiences of the individual, have to be considered. It was concluded that novelty, including objects, odours and auditory stimuli, is a simple, cheap and effective method of enriching the lives of animals in captivity.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 2002