An account of my latest visit to the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, with a mention of my website, http://www.londontu.be and plenty of photographs from today.
INTRODUCTION
Today I paid a visit to the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge to participate in a study entitled “VISUAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSES IN PEOPLE WITH ASC”. Just in case anyone failed to work it out, ASC is shorthand for Autistic Spectrum Conditions. If you have an ASC, can get to Cambridge, and would be interested in participating you could email Jan Freyberg for more details.
GETTING THERE
I decided, in keeping my usual rule for such situations, to take the earlier of two possible trains and be certain barring a major incident of being able to be there in time. I was therefore at Cambridge train station before nine, the train having run like clockwork on this occasion. I took a slightly longer than necessary route to the Autism Research Centre, getting some interesting photos along the way…
The first of four pictures from the Roman Catholic Church.
Three pictures from this building, the Scott Polar Research Institute
The first of four pictures from the Chemical Laboratories. This stonework reminded me of a Matthew Reilly novel – probably a Jack West adventure with Lily decoding the symbols.Following on from the previous caption, the next book in the Jack West series should feature the number four in its title!
The device on the left as you look at this picture could a be the framework for “The Machine” in the Jack West novels.
The river alongside Trumpington Road (the Autism Research Centre in based in Douglas House, a.k.a 18 Trumpington Road) .
Ironwork on a bridge over the river.
THE STUDY
This study was monitoring electrical activity in the brain, which meant me wearing what was effectively a bathing cap with connections for 64 electrodes. After a preliminary which involved keeping the eyes open for a minute and then closed for a minute and repeating that process, the proper tests began. The first featured white and grey lines flashing across the centre of the screen while I kept my eye on a cross right at the heart of the screen. There was then a sequence of trials in which real pictures flashed up on the screen very fast, for a minute at a time. The final trial involved grey and white “gratings” once again, but this time the box in which they would appear had a solid black border.
There were also of course various bits of paperwork to fill out and sign.
Once I had finished everything, Jan showed be back into the main building and I headed to the exit, making a single stop en route due to something I had noticed on the way to the testing room…
WEBSITE FODDER
On the way to the testing room I had noticed an intriguing poster, which on closer inspection was entitled “Tastes of London” and was a very interesting variation on the classic London Underground Map. I photographed it, and made it the centrepiece of this post on www.londontu.be.
HOMEWARD BOUND
The journey back was uneventful, save for a small delay between Littleport and Downham Market. I conclude withe the photographs from the return journey…
The first of two picttures showing some of Douglas House’s external decor.
A new development near the train station in Cambridge, still not complete.Three pictures of silver plaques with ink faces on them that are set into the pavements at the bus station that adjoins Cambridge station.
Two samles (this and the next of deocrations at the train station).
Pictures taking through train windows are always difficult, but these last four all came out OK.
A personal account of taking part in a study at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge,, accompanied by photographs, with some interesting and important links and some more photographs.
INTRODUCTION
The main body of this post is a personal account of my involvement in the study whose title I have used for the whole post, run as so often at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge. I also have a variety of links and a few photos that are not directly connected with the title piece but which I wish to share. I hope you will all enjoy this post and that you will take the opportunity of sharing it.
ATTENTION AND PERCEPTION IN AUTISM SPECTRUM CONDITIONS
THE PRELIMINARIES
i found out about this study just five days ago, and made contact with the person conducting it. A brief exchange of emails concluded with an arrangement for me to attend at 11AM today. As part of the preparation I had to answer various questions and solve various puzzles online.
GETTING THERE
An scheduled start of 11AM meant getting the 8:57 from King’s Lynn, and to make sure that I got my travel expenses reimbursed I carefully got a receipt. It was shortly after getting on to the platform that I brought the camera into action for the first time of the day…
Pictures taken through the windows of moving trains are tough to get right, but these two worked out okay…
“A goods train: the shame of it” Gordon the Big Engine in the Rev W Awdry seriesI could not get a clear shot of the whole of Ely Cathedral, but this shows the main tower and the octagonal construction designed by a 14th century Prior known only and uninformatively as Alan of Norwich.
Arriving in Cambridge I decided to take a longer route than usual to the Autism Research Centre, heading towards town as far as this church…
Turning on to the link road that connects to the town end of Trumpington Road I passed the Scott Polar Research Institute, named in honour of Robert Falcon Scott, one of the most famous runners up in history. Scott also gave his name to an itinerant cricket team some of whose deeds are chronicled in Penguins Stopped Play by Harry Thompson and Rain Men by Marcus Berkmann. Although I could not get a shot of the whole building without crossing to the wrong side of a busy road I did get these shots…
Next up was the Cambridge University Chemical Laboratory…
At the very point of turning onto Trumpington Road I passed Hobson’s Conduit…
This is the first major building on Trumpington Road itself, on the opposite side of ti to me…
A shot of the water alongside Trumpington Road…
I next passed the public entrance to Cambridge Botanic Gardens (the admission price convinced me to go no further than the gates)…
A little bit further along I passed a locked gate into the same establishment, with some red flowers growing next to it…
The last shot I got before arriving at the Autism Research Centre was of this dragon fly (or similar), which although quite large was moving exceedingly fast, hence why I got only the one usable shot…
AT THE AUTISM RESEARCH CENTRE
I arrived at the centre at about 10:40, and did not have to wait too long for Owen Parsons, who was conducting the study, to put in an appearance. After the usual preliminaries of form signing and checking the experiment itself ran in three parts…
MIND YOUR TS AND LS
For this test one had eight seconds in total to view an intermittent display of red and blue letters, most of which were Ls but one of which was a T. The task was to identify which colour the T was and click the appropriate button to record that identification. A wrong identification, or wrong button pressed, or being timed out generated a horrible beep.
IDENTIFYING DUPLICATION
For this part of the process one was required to press the space bar each time the same image was shown twice consecutvely. The images were all of full scenes, but shown at thumbnail size. Again, a misidentification or a failure to identify within the time limit generated a beep. There was then a second part to this section, involving familiarity. One was shown sequences of three images and asked to identify the set that looked more familiar. The pictures were similar in nature and size to those previously shown, but some were definitely new.
WHICH BOX WAS THAT X IN?
For this third and final part of the experiment, there were four boxes in which an X could appear. When it appeared one had to identify the box as follows: X for leftmost, Z for left-centre, N for right-centre, M for rightmost. Thus, the duration of this section of the experiment was spent with the index and middle fingers of each hand poised over the keys in question. There was then a second subsection, involving pattern identification and made more complicated by two factors:
1)Obviously enough, not knowing about this in advance I was not especially looking for a pattern in the first stage of the process.
2)The pattern was not adhered to at all times (about 15% of the time, the X appeared in a box it was not ‘supposed’ to).
All in all, I quite enjoyed performing these tests, and would say that it is a worthwhile study. If you are aged 18-45, have been diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Condition and can get to Cambridge, contact Owen Parsons: oep20@cam.ac.uk about taking part in the study.
GETTING BACK
There was a small delay getting back to the main building from the place where the study had been set up as Owen initially came out without his swipe card, during which I snared this shot…
On my way back to the street I took a shot of the front of the main building…
I opted for the short route back to the station,along Brooklands Avenue and past the new bus interchange to approach the train station from that angle. I got these shots in the course of that walk…
I got a couple of shots en route to the platform as well…
A worthy effort to represent all of Britain’s railways on one map.A somewhat loose definition of London & the Southeast!
On my way off the train at King’s Lynn I took the opportunity to capture this plaque on camera…
LINKS
As regular readers of this blog or those who follow me on twitter will be well aware I regularly sign and share petitions, and my first link is to a piece from Huffington Post detailing the success of one such, concerning the Henry family.
2)A particular impressive post taking on stereotyping.
AN IMPORTANT PETITION
My final link is to a petition on change.org protesting against a planned European law that will mean the end of photography as we know it – PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE!!
A FEW FINAL PICTURES
While my right to do so remains I am sharing these photos…
Stand E, on the occasion I first used it, Tuesday AMThe new electronic displays now at every stand.Vancouver and the Custom HouseI realised before using it as part of my bus fare that this 50p was of a style I had not previously seen.A close up of the detailed board at Stand E
This fairly short post is just reminding people of my existence, as I have not blogged for a few days. On Tuesday and Wednesday I was very busy with James and Sons’ June Auction, and although yesterday, a day out in Norwich with my parents, sister and nephew will yield several posts in due course I have not yet had time to finish prepping the photos. As well as my title piece I have a couple of links to share.
ANATOMY OF A PRESS RELEASE
This was a matter of great urgency, since it was referring to events that will happen tomorrow and on Sunday connected with the Great Centenary Charity Auction. I had some text, detailing the schedule, which is as follows:
Saturday 2PM – 6PM Viewing Session
Saturday 6PM to close – Hog Roast and WWII Concert
Sunday 8PM – 12 noon Viewing Session
Sunday 12 Noon – approx 4PM The first Great Centenary Charity Auction (another is scheduled for March 2016)
Fortunately, I am not required at all on Saturday and on Sunday I will be required to do IT for the auction itself, but have established that arriving at the venue at approximately 10:30 (the earliest I can manage under my own steam) will be sufficient.
As well as the text, I had to select soem good images that had previously not been used in press releases. These were the images I came up with…
I turned the original word document, a link to which is included to end this section, into a jpg for use on social media, which I now reproduce…
A jpg of the press release, and our feature image.
My first link is to details of a new study at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge. If you have a diagnosis of Autism or Asperger’s, are aged 18-45 and can get to Cambridge I urge you to volunteer for this study on attention and perception.
Having signed up to participate in another research project relating to Autism I had to visit Cambridge today to perform some tasks at the Autism Research Centre on Trumptington Road…
Douglas House, 18 Trumpington Road, Cambridge, which houses the Autism Research Centre.Detail from the wall of Douglas House.
This particular study was devoted to assessing how people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions respond to visual stimuli. Apart from the final exercise, which was identifying the odd one out from sets of four pictures, some of which were very tough, it was not too difficult. If you are interested in Autism, are able to travel to Cambridge and would like to take part in this study you can contact Rose Cooper by emailing rahc2@cam.ac.uk.
Both on the way there and on the way back I got some good pictures…
A mist shrouded view of Ely Cathedral.
Metal plaques like this adorn the ground around the bus stops outside Cambridge station.Modern flats near the Railway StationSculpture at one corner of Brooklands Avenue
Moorhen enjoying the botanical gardens
The two towers of Ely Cathedral, homeward journey.The nearest i came to getting a complete picture of Ely Cathedral.
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