Buildings affect people both physically and psychologically, this study analyses this impact which the built environment has on people's lives. This interrelationship between people and the built environment is based on human perception. The study explores this relationship further in order to develop an understanding of the ways in which architecture influences peoples' moods, behaviours and experiences. By determining the importance of this interrelationship and developing a better understanding of it, a deeper analysis of the specialized needs of individuals with altered or impaired perceptions is developed. Focus is placed on individuals with autism spectrum disorders, who are known for their difficulties with perception. In addition, despite its overwhelming prevalence, they have a history of being inadequately catered for within the built environment because their wide range of complex needs are poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to establish an understanding of the unique needs of this particular user group, to interpret the implications of these needs with regards to the built environment, to assess existing facilities in regards to these findings and to provide information which can be used to develop guidelines for creating positive environments which can enhance the daily lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The research was carried out by way of a review of existing relevant literature on the subject of perception, experience and autism spectrum disorders, a review of relevant precedent studies, a critical analysis of relevant case studies and interviews with parents, teachers and principals who have had first-hand experience with individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The built environment, which plays a large role in people's lives, must be carefully considered and designed to ensure that the needs of its users are met and their overall wellbeing is maintained. In contemporary society, where human needs are often ignored, built environments have become ego-driven objects of visual seduction (Pallasmaa, 2005). This study calls for re-humanising architecture, considering human aspects in design and catering for all human needs. By focusing on responding to users particular needs, throughout the design process, buildings which make significant, positive contributions to the lives of individuals can be made. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The neural and sensory mechanisms underlying appropriate muscle recruitment in response to balance challenges remains elusive. We asked whether the decerebrate cat preparation might be employed for further investigation of postural mechanisms. First, we evaluated the muscular activation patterns and three-dimensional whole limb forces generated by a modified premammillary decerebrated cat. We hypothesized that directionally appropriate muscle activation does not require the cerebral cortices. Furthermore, we hypothesized that the muscle responses would generate functionally appropriate and constrained force responses similar to those reported in the intact animal. Data confirmed both of our hypotheses and suggested important roles for the brainstem and spinal cord in mediating directionally appropriate muscular activation. Second, we investigated how individual muscle activation is translated to functional ground reaction forces. We hypothesized that muscles are selectively activated based upon their potential counteractive endpoint force. Data demonstrated that the endpoint force generated by each muscle through stimulation was directed oppositely to the principal direction of each muscle's EMG tuning curve. Further, muscles that have variable tuning curves were found to have variable endpoint forces in the XY plane. We further hypothesized that the biomechanical constraints of individual muscle actions generate the constrained ground reaction forces created in response to support surface perturbations. We found that there was a lack of muscles with strong medial-lateral actions in the XY plane. This was further exaggerated at long stance conditions, which corresponds to the increased force constraint present in the intact animal under the same conditions. Third, we investigated how loss of cutaneous feedback from the footpads affects the muscle recruitment in response to support surface perturbations. We utilized our decerebrate cat model as it allows 1) isolation of the proprioceptive system (cutaneous and muscle receptor) and 2) observation of the cutaneous loss before significant compensation by the animal. We hypothesized that muscle spindles drive directionally sensitive muscle activation during postural disturbances. Therefore, we expected that loss of cutaneous feedback from the foot soles would not alter the directional properties of muscle activation. While background activity was significantly diminished, the directionally sensitive muscular activation remained intact. Due to fixation of the head, the decerebrate cat additionally does not have access to vestibular or visual inputs. Therefore, this result strongly implicates muscle receptors as the primary source of directional feedback. Finally to confirm that muscle receptors, specifically muscle spindles, are capable of generating feedback to drive the directionally tuning, we investigated the response properties of muscle spindles to horizontal support surface perturbations in the anesthetized cat. As previously stated, we hypothesized that muscle spindles provide the feedback necessary for properly directed muscular responses. We further hypothesized that muscle spindles can relay feedback about the perturbation parameters such as velocity and the initial stance condtion. Results confirmed that muscle spindle generate activation patterns remarkably similar to muscular activation patterns generated in the intact cat. This information, along the knowledge that cutaneous feedback does not substantially eliminate directional tuning, strongly suggests that muscle spindles contribute the critical directional feedback to drive muscular activation in response to support surface perturbations.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-186) / Microfiche. / xi, 186 leaves, bound 29 cm

My research investigates the habitual, the non-monumental, the mundane, the ordinary and the everyday. I conceive of this as those moments in life that are not socially or culturally recognised as important. Traditionally, such moments have not been considered worthy of documentation and have been omitted or overlooked by mainstream media. This exegesis examines the importance of the everyday and considers how to make it conspicuous. Historically, these moments have been identified with the feminine, in that much theoretical and artistic work has emerged exploring women's experience of the everyday and testifying to its importance. Three spheres in particular have attracted critical interest: namely the body, the domestic and personal identity. For example, in 1966 Yoko Ono's 'No 4 (Bottoms)' brought the issue of the body and its banality onto centre stage by showing an endless parade of bottoms. In 1975, Chantal Akerman's film 'Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles', showed the everyday routines of a self-contained housewife. More recently, numerous artists have explored the politics of identity. Sadie Benning has made numerous videos that show the mundane and also reveal her personal identity, by exploring large and especially small scale details. / While conventionally newsreels and big budget documentaries have focused on 'big' events, one of the arenas that have investigated the everyday is experimental film and video. My exegesis gives a brief historical overview of this genre. Testimony in this media is often used as a voice to express the everyday. My journal entries (testimonies) deal with everyday experiences, and are interspersed throughout my exegesis. They are also the main threads in my videos. In my studio work, I use movement and dance to express in an abstract manner issues about the everyday, which include personal identity, more specifically issues of illness and sexuality / My research draws on a variety of sources including: 1970's feminist artists and filmmakers (Chantal Akerman and Martha Rosler). Many artists who were involved in the women's movement used their bodies in various art forms including performance art to make radical statements about domesticity and feminism. Contemporary artists' depiction of personal identity that mostly informed my work (in particular, queer identity) are: experimental queer film and media makers Sadie Benning, Marlon Riggs, Isaac Julien and William Yang. / Thesis (MVisualArts)--University of South Australia, 2006.

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