When present, the voice control in virtual reality (VR) gaming is usually speech-based, while non-verbal voice features (e.g. loudness and pitch) remain underexplored. Consequently, we developed Endless Runner F0, a VR-based endless runner for Meta Quest 2 that integrates non-verbal voice mechanics as core interactions via loudness- and pitch-controlled obstacles. In a counter-balanced within-subjects study (N=16), participants played five variants (no voice control as a baseline; loudness with/without visual indicators; pitch with/without visual indicators). We collected performance scores and questionnaire data, namely state anxiety (STAI-1) and presence (IPQ) after each variant, and pre- and post-simulator sickness (SSQ). Practical comparability across these variants was evaluated using paired Two One-Sided Tests (t-TOST). Results showed practical equivalence for the baseline and voice-enabled variants for comfort, presence, and overall performance within a priori margins; however, pitch control yielded higher voice-obstacle collision rates than loudness. The findings highlight loudness-based mechanics as easier to learn and pitch-based mechanics as viable with appropriate feedback and calibration. We discuss design implications and outline opportunities for applying voice-controlled VR in playful vocal training contexts.
Pozostałe osiągnięcia naukoweArtykuły (zamknięty dostęp)Journal article
Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is used as a biomarker of chronic stress. While evidence linking HCC to physical activity is mixed, associations with cardiorespiratory fitness remain unexplored, and the contribution of long-term ambient air pollution is unclear. This study examined associations of HCC with objectively and subjectively assessed moderate and vigorous physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and estimated lifetime ambient air pollution exposure. Data were obtained from a subsample of adults (N = 133; 87% women) participating in the Healthy Aging in an Industrial Environment-Programme 4 study (4HAIE). HCC was quantified from 3-cm hair segments using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, reflecting cortisol exposure over approximately 3 months. Physical activity was assessed using the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and 14-day Fitbit monitoring, and cardiorespiratory fitness by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Lifetime exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was estimated from residential histories and historical air pollution models. Associations were examined using multiple linear regression and hierarchical models. Vigorous physical activity was positively associated with HCC in both self-reported (LTEQ: B = 0.010, p = 0.042) and objectively measured data (Fitbit: B = 0.006, p = 0.044). VO2peak was initially associated with higher HCC (B = 0.019, p = 0.041), but this association was attenuated after inclusion of vigorous physical activity. Neither moderate physical activity nor lifetime air pollution exposure was significantly associated with HCC. These findings suggest that vigorous physical activity may contribute to higher HCC, highlighting the importance of considering physical activity intensity when interpreting HCC as a biomarker of chronic stress.
The artist's book "The Edge of the Vessel at the Height of My Mouth" presents twenty-five drawings by Alicja Bielawska. The works were originally created in a 42 x 31 cm format using crayon and pencil. They are from 2022-2023 and have not been previously published. The drawings are based on a linear approach to the archetypal shape of a vessel. In the drawings, the outlines of the vessels overlap incrementally, creating multi-layered relationships between shapes. Some drawings feature a grid or grid motif, drawn by hand or as a grid on graph paper, which addresses the issue of error. The drawings are accompanied by a collection of Alicja Bielawska's texts: poetry and prose fragments. The book was published in 2025 in English by Bored Wolves in a limited edition of 500 copies. The publication is printed in color, has 80 pages, measures 19 x 26 cm, and is paperback. The book's graphic design was created by Pilar Rojo and Stefana Lorenzutti. In May 2026, the book received an honorable mention in the 66th Polish Book Publishers Association Competition "Most Beautiful Polish Books 2025" in the Art category.
Osiągnięcia artystycznePrace artystyczneauthorship of an artistic work
Organizator: Instytut Pileckiego, główny partner: Muzeum Architektury we Wrocławiu
Małgorzata Jędrzejczyk, Aleksandra Kędziorek (Wrocław)
Alicja Bielawska's art installation, "Paths of Interwoven Patterns," consists of a 170 x 800 cm jacquard fabric suspended from a 200 x 560 x 150 cm steel frame, reminiscent of a screen. The fabric was made of wool, linen, and cotton using the jacquard technique, in collaboration with themost.pl. The work was created especially for the exhibition "Weaves. Barbara Brukalska, Helena Syrkus, and the Networks of Modernism," running from June 26 to October 4, 2026, at the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław. The exhibition presents the profiles of two female architects: Barbara Brukalska (1899–1980) and Helena Syrkus (1900–1982), who were among the most important creators of European modernism. Their stories are a starting point for reflection on the fate of the avant-garde in Central Europe in the 20th century, as well as on architecture as a relational field based on the flow of people and ideas. The main motifs visible in Alicja Bielawska's fabric design, such as spiral staircases, spherical and radial forms, repetitive cuboid shapes, and branching street grids, are drawn from the work of Barbara Brukalska and Helena Syrkus. The exhibition was organized by the Pilecki Institute, with the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław as its main partner. The exhibition was created as part of the Exercising Modernity program.
Osiągnięcia artystycznePrace artystyczneauthorship of an artwork at an event
Agnieszka Cieślak, Magdalena Linkowska, Aleksandra Skrabek (Lublin)
Alicja Bielawska’s art installation, "At this Time of Day, even the Shadows are in Colour (Pavilion II)," consists of a steel structure measuring 400 x 350 x 275 cm with layers of fabric suspended from it. The installation references the architecture of garden pavilions. Created specifically for a public space along the Bystrzyca River, it features a geometric layout; the pavilion’s footprint resembles the connected points of an imaginary constellation. The fabric colors - shades of red, yellow, orange, and violet - evoke the light of the rising and setting sun as well as the color palette of the nearby apartment blocks. Thanks to their transparency, the fabrics allow viewers to experience the shifting natural light. The installation is a continuation of a work originally created for the 2024 River Art Festival. It was presented as part of the second edition of the "River Art Festival" in Lublin - organized by the Workshops of Culture in Lublin - held from June 26 to August 16, 2026. Artworks created specifically for this location by invited contemporary artists were installed along the Bystrzyca River, offering views of the Old Town skyline. The festival was organized by the European Capital of Culture Lublin 2029 and the City of Lublin. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage served as the festival's patron.
Osiągnięcia artystycznePrace artystyczneauthorship of an artwork at an event
