1
|
Robles KE, Gonzales-Hess N, Taylor RP, Sereno ME. Bringing nature indoors: characterizing the unique contribution of fractal structure and the effects of Euclidean context on perception of fractal patterns. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1210584. [PMID: 37691788 PMCID: PMC10488714 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1210584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Imbuing the benefits of natural design into humanmade spaces, installations of fractal patterns have been employed to shape occupant experience. Previous work has demonstrated consistent trends for fractal judgments in the presence of design elements. The current study identifies the extent to which underlying pattern structure and perceptions of pattern complexity drive viewer judgments, and how response trends are altered with the incorporation of Euclidean context reminiscent of indoor spaces. This series of studies first establishes that pattern appeal, interest, naturalness, and relaxation have a fundamentally inverse relationship with perceptions of pattern complexity and that the presence of fractal structure contributes uniquely and positively to pattern perception. Subsequently, the addition of Euclidean structure establishes a discrete pattern boundary that alters fractal perceptions of interest and excitement but not the remaining judgments. The presence of consistent subpopulations, particularly those that contradict overarching perceptual trends is supported across studies, and further emphasizes the importance of adjusting pattern selection to consider the greatest number of possible viewers. Through informed pattern selection, designs can be installed to maximize desired experience of a space while minimizing negative impressions bound to arise in a minority of occupants. This set of studies demonstrates that through control of perceived pattern complexity and whether an emphasis is placed on pattern boundaries, fractal patterns can serve to establish predictable experiences of humanmade spaces in order to inject the benefits of nature into manufactured environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E. Robles
- Integrative Perception Lab, Psychology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Nate Gonzales-Hess
- Integrative Perception Lab, Psychology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Richard P. Taylor
- Material Science Institute, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Margaret E. Sereno
- Integrative Perception Lab, Psychology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hakstol R. A holistic environmental investigation of complementary energy in Alberta. PHYSICAL SCIENCES REVIEWS 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/psr-2021-0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
As Canada progresses toward its pledge of net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, it is worthwhile to thoughtfully examine the current energy landscape and how one might hope to achieve decarbonization within this timeframe. This examination is of particular importance in a fossil fuel producing region such as Alberta. Through an analysis of renewable energy strategies as well as the potential difficulties in this transition, an appropriate strategy may be devised. A combinatorial approach of wind, solar, and geothermal energy sources in the residential, commercial, and industrial spheres may serve as a transition measure, and eventually supplant fossil fuels as the dominant source of energy produced in Alberta with appropriate incentivization. Decarbonization is a pressing need given the imminent climate crisis the world is encountering, and these technologies are capable of serving as a step toward lower carbon emissions and ultimately curbing human-accelerated climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rhys Hakstol
- Lethbridge College School of Environmental Sciences , 3000 College Dr S , Lethbridge T1K 1L6 , AB , Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
What Happens in Your Brain When You Walk Down the Street? Implications of Architectural Proportions, Biophilia, and Fractal Geometry for Urban Science. URBAN SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/urbansci6010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
This article reviews current research in visual urban perception. The temporal sequence of the first few milliseconds of visual stimulus processing sheds light on the historically ambiguous topic of aesthetic experience. Automatic fractal processing triggers initial attraction/avoidance evaluations of an environment’s salubriousness, and its potentially positive or negative impacts upon an individual. As repeated cycles of visual perception occur, the attractiveness of urban form affects the user experience much more than had been previously suspected. These perceptual mechanisms promote walkability and intuitive navigation, and so they support the urban and civic interactions for which we establish communities and cities in the first place. Therefore, the use of multiple fractals needs to reintegrate with biophilic and traditional architecture in urban design for their proven positive effects on health and well-being. Such benefits include striking reductions in observers’ stress and mental fatigue. Due to their costs to individual well-being, urban performance, environmental quality, and climatic adaptation, this paper recommends that nontraditional styles should be hereafter applied judiciously to the built environment.
Collapse
|
4
|
Robles KE, Roberts M, Viengkham C, Smith JH, Rowland C, Moslehi S, Stadlober S, Lesjak A, Lesjak M, Taylor RP, Spehar B, Sereno ME. Aesthetics and Psychological Effects of Fractal Based Design. Front Psychol 2021; 12:699962. [PMID: 34484047 PMCID: PMC8416160 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.699962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly prevalent in nature, fractal patterns possess self-similar components that repeat at varying size scales. The perceptual experience of human-made environments can be impacted with inclusion of these natural patterns. Previous work has demonstrated consistent trends in preference for and complexity estimates of fractal patterns. However, limited information has been gathered on the impact of other visual judgments. Here we examine the aesthetic and perceptual experience of fractal ‘global-forest’ designs already installed in humanmade spaces and demonstrate how fractal pattern components are associated with positive psychological experiences that can be utilized to promote occupant wellbeing. These designs are composite fractal patterns consisting of individual fractal ‘tree-seeds’ which combine to create a ‘global fractal forest.’ The local ‘tree-seed’ patterns, global configuration of tree-seed locations, and overall resulting ‘global-forest’ patterns have fractal qualities. These designs span multiple mediums yet are all intended to lower occupant stress without detracting from the function and overall design of the space. In this series of studies, we first establish divergent relationships between various visual attributes, with pattern complexity, preference, and engagement ratings increasing with fractal complexity compared to ratings of refreshment and relaxation which stay the same or decrease with complexity. Subsequently, we determine that the local constituent fractal (‘tree-seed’) patterns contribute to the perception of the overall fractal design, and address how to balance aesthetic and psychological effects (such as individual experiences of perceived engagement and relaxation) in fractal design installations. This set of studies demonstrates that fractal preference is driven by a balance between increased arousal (desire for engagement and complexity) and decreased tension (desire for relaxation or refreshment). Installations of these composite mid-high complexity ‘global-forest’ patterns consisting of ‘tree-seed’ components balance these contrasting needs, and can serve as a practical implementation of biophilic patterns in human-made environments to promote occupant wellbeing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Robles
- Integrative Perception Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Michelle Roberts
- Perception and Aesthetics Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine Viengkham
- Perception and Aesthetics Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julian H Smith
- Material Science Institute, Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Conor Rowland
- Material Science Institute, Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Saba Moslehi
- Material Science Institute, Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | | | | | | | - Richard P Taylor
- Material Science Institute, Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Branka Spehar
- Perception and Aesthetics Lab, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Margaret E Sereno
- Integrative Perception Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Optimization of the Aesthetic Design of an Agronomic Product Inspired by an Asymmetric Shape of Water. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13040561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Industrial products have been highlighted in the agronomic field more for their technical and functional aspects than for their visual aesthetics. Currently, this concept has changed and has favoured the development of innovative products taking into account all the factors involved in the conception of a product. This article describes a real industrial product redesign case that was functionally innovative and a reference in the agronomic domain. Due to the large number of copies that emerged from its competitors, this design required a new image in its aesthetic appearance to differentiate it from the rest. The difficulty of this project lay in the technical limitations to develop it, so a conceptual design process based on analogies and inspired by nature was necessary to find the most appropriate shape. Based on this methodology, a symmetrical and static design was transformed into one with asymmetrical and dynamic shapes inspired by the helicoidal movement of water. This new design gave this product an innovative, symbolic, and differentiating image that allowed its industrial registration in a large number of countries.
Collapse
|
6
|
Browning LA, Watterson W, Happe E, Silva S, Abril Valenzuela R, Smith J, Dierkes MP, Taylor RP, Plank NOV, Marlow CA. Investigation of Fractal Carbon Nanotube Networks for Biophilic Neural Sensing Applications. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11030636. [PMID: 33806365 PMCID: PMC8000135 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We propose a carbon-nanotube-based neural sensor designed to exploit the electrical sensitivity of an inhomogeneous fractal network of conducting channels. This network forms the active layer of a multi-electrode field effect transistor that in future applications will be gated by the electrical potential associated with neuronal signals. Using a combination of simulated and fabricated networks, we show that thin films of randomly-arranged carbon nanotubes (CNTs) self-assemble into a network featuring statistical fractal characteristics. The extent to which the network's non-linear responses will generate a superior detection of the neuron's signal is expected to depend on both the CNT electrical properties and the geometric properties of the assembled network. We therefore perform exploratory experiments that use metallic gates to mimic the potentials generated by neurons. We demonstrate that the fractal scaling properties of the network, along with their intrinsic asymmetry, generate electrical signatures that depend on the potential's location. We discuss how these properties can be exploited for future neural sensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leo A. Browning
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand; (L.A.B.); (E.H.); (N.O.V.P.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
| | - William Watterson
- Materials Science Institute, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, USA; (W.W.); (J.S.); (R.P.T.)
| | - Erica Happe
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand; (L.A.B.); (E.H.); (N.O.V.P.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA; (S.S.); (R.A.V.); (M.P.D.)
| | - Savannah Silva
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA; (S.S.); (R.A.V.); (M.P.D.)
| | - Roberto Abril Valenzuela
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA; (S.S.); (R.A.V.); (M.P.D.)
| | - Julian Smith
- Materials Science Institute, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, USA; (W.W.); (J.S.); (R.P.T.)
| | - Marissa P. Dierkes
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA; (S.S.); (R.A.V.); (M.P.D.)
| | - Richard P. Taylor
- Materials Science Institute, Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, USA; (W.W.); (J.S.); (R.P.T.)
| | - Natalie O. V. Plank
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand; (L.A.B.); (E.H.); (N.O.V.P.)
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
| | - Colleen A. Marlow
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA; (S.S.); (R.A.V.); (M.P.D.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
The Potential of Biophilic Fractal Designs to Promote Health and Performance: A Review of Experiments and Applications. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13020823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fractal objects are prevalent in natural scenery. Their repetition of patterns at increasingly fine magnifications creates a rich complexity. Fractals displaying mid-range complexity are the most common and include trees, clouds, and mountains. The “fractal fluency” model states that human vision has adapted to process these mid-range fractals with ease. I will first discuss fractal fluency and demonstrate how it enhances the observer’s visual capabilities by focusing on experiments that have important practical consequences for improving the built environment. These enhanced capabilities generate an aesthetic experience and physiological stress reduction. I will discuss strategies for integrating fractals into building designs to induce positive impacts on the observer. Examples include fractal solar panels, fractal window shades, and fractal floor patterns. These applications of fractal fluency represent a fundamental and potentially impactful form of salutogenesis.
Collapse
|