MINET Training Course 2008: Theory and methods of measurements with persons

9-11 June 2008

Palazzo del Principe, Genova, Italy

MINET BOOK:

For more details click here.

PRESENTATIONS:

Available here now!

PHOTOGRAPHS:

COURSE SCHEDULE:

download

Information for participants:

Preliminary Agenda

9th June 2008     9:00    Registration
                           10:00  Lectures begin

11th June 2008   14:30  Course Conclusion and Farewell Cocktails

BROCHURE:

download

AIM:

‘Measurements with Persons’ are measurements to characterise complex quantities and qualities that depend on human perception and interpretation. Providing a means for reproducible measurement of perceptual responses such as pleasure and pain, the perceived attributes of products and services, such as quality or desirability, or the quantification of societal parameters such as security and well-being, has important implications in many areas of commerce, industry, science, medicine and society.
Progress in this area requires the cross-linking of developments across a variety of disciplines, encompassing the physical, biological, psychological and social sciences, for example. Effective collaboration and exchange of information between these areas is essential in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for valid measurements as the basis for decision making.

The course ‘Theory and Methods of Measurements with Persons’ is intended for senior scientists with an interest in understanding and measuring human perceptual responses and behaviours. It will be held in Genova, Italy, in June 2008, organised as a part of an European coordination action, MINET: Measuring the Impossible Network.

In the first part, generic theoretical and methodological issues will be explored, including the conceptual basis of measurement and the approach to experimentation in the various fields involved, the development of formal, representational and probabilistic, theories, and theories and methods for multidimensional problems. In the second part of the course, several application areas will be presented, including sound, visual, touch and smell perception, brain imaging, body language and emotions, and, finally, the use of measurements in decision making.

PROGRAMME:

download

Part I: PRINCIPLES AND METHODS

	Topic	Speaker/Author(s)
1.	Measurement across physical and behavioural sciences	Birgitta Berglund, Giovanni B Rossi & Andrew Wallard
2.	Measurement in psychology	Birgitta Berglund
3.	Measurement in sensory physics	Teresa Goodman
4.	Measurement in behavioural and social science	Beatrice de Gelder
5.	Representational theory of measurement	Fred Roberts
6.	A probabilistic theory of measurement	Giovanni B Rossi
7.	Experimental and quasi experimental methods	Birgitta Berglund
8.	Multivariate measurements	Gerie van der Heijden & Ragne Emardson
9.	Multidimensional scaling	James T Townsend
10.	Foundations of universal Fechnerian scaling	Ehtibar N Dzhafarov
11.	Neural networks and fuzzy sets, fuzzy logic	Christian Eitzinger & Wolfgang Heidl
12.	Measuring and reconstructing multiscale dynamics	Paul Bourgine & Nadine Peyrieras

Part II: IMPLEMENTATION AREAS

	Topic – tentative title	Speaker/Author(s)
13.	Sound perception	Patrick Susini
14.	Skin senses and haptic perception	Rupert Hőltzl
15.	Smell, food and taste	Birgitta Berglund
16.	Visual perception	Boris Velichkovsky
17.	Brain imaging	Daniela Perani & Pasquale Della Rosa
18.	Body language	Beatrice de Gelder
19.	Emotions	Niklas Ravaja
20.	Risk assessment and decision making	Leslie Pendrill

HANDS ON TRAINING

Hands-on training sessions, under the responsibility of the interested lecturers, will be organised in a dedicated room, close to the main hall, in break times and in parallel with the implementation-area session, in order to match the interests of the participants, arranged in small groups.

ELIGIBILITY & COST:

The course is a part of the Coordination Action MINET. Attendance is free of charge for each participant, but travel and accommodation expenses are not covered.

APPLICATION:

The course is limited to a maximum of 40 attendees and it will therefore be necessary to carry out a selection of the participants.
This selection will be based on:

–	motivation of the candidate
–	CV of the candidate
–	Involvement of the candidate in NEST-Measuring The Impossible European Projects

All parts of the application form should be filled in and sent:

–	by email to: minet_course@dimec.unige.it
–	or by fax to: +39 010 353 2834

The deadline for applications is 15th April 2008. Applications made after this date will not be considered. Successful applicants will be notified by 30th April 2008.

REGISTRATION & ACCOMMODATION:

Participant should wait for notification of their acceptance before proceeding with registration and hotel reservation.
For registration and hotel reservation, please complete the electronic forms.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

By plane
Genova is served by the international Cristoforo Colombo Airport, the Genova Airport (GOA). Located west of the city, it connects Genova to the major European cities (Milan, Rome, Paris, London, Munich and Zurich).

Genova Airport is located about 10 km west of the course venue. From Genova airport a shuttle service called VOLABUSprovides a direct connection downtown to Genova Principe Train Station. Usually the bus leaves the airport every hour and the journey time is approximately 20 mins. The ticket costs 4€ and is available at the airport news shop or onboard.

Taxis are also available. The cost of the travel to the course venue is about 20€ depending on the traffic.

By Train
Genova Piazza Principe, usually shortened to Genova Principe and written Genova P.P., is Genova’s main train station. The course venue is 5 minutes walk along Via Doria and Via Principe heading west. If you prefer you can take a bus departing from in front of the station, heading west. The venue is one or two stops from the station depending on which bus you take.

By Car
From the motorwaythe exit nearest to the venue is Genova Ovest, which is about 2 km west of the venue. Follow signs for the Principe Train Station and Palazzo del Principe. There is limited parking available in the Palace (Palazzo). It is therefore necessary to give notice of your arrival at the entrance to the Palace. Alternatively your hotel may have parking facilities.

Travelling downtown from the course venue
To travel downtown from the course venue take the train from Genova Principe to Genova Brignole or take the bus from the bus stop in front of the station, heading east. In both cases you will reach the city centre in approximately 10 minutes.

GENOVA TOURIST INFORMATION:

General information on Genova

Sites to visit very near the course venue:
– Aquarium, Old Port area (Porto antico)
– Palazzo San Giorgio, Piazza della Mercanzia, 2
– Palazzo Reale, Via Balbi, 10
– Church and Commendam of San Giovanni di Prè, Piazza della Commenda, 1.

Tourist information about Genova and Ligure Riviera
www.regione.liguria.it/inglese/index.html
www.apt.genova.it

MINET TRAINING COURSE WEBSITE:

www.minet.wordpress.com/events/trainingcourse2008

CONTACTS:

Prof. Giovanni Battista Rossi
Dr. Francesco Crenna
Dr. Vittorio Belotti
Ing. Matteo Panero

DIMEC – Department of Mechanics and Machine Design
University of Genova
Via all’Opera Pia 15 A – 16145 Genova

Email: minet_course@dimec.unige.it
Tel.:+39 010 353 2231 or +39 010 353 6077
Fax:+ 39 010 353 2834

Palazzo del Principe