bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Perception of Built Environment in Urban Street: A Text Emotion Analysis Approach
Authors: Li Lingyue , Wang Lie , Chen Yiwen
Published: November 2024

Liveability can be measured by various factors that matter for quality of life, but people’s perception and feelings toward the city, especially the built environment, is considered fundamental to the evaluation of urban liveability. Most previous studies described liveability-oriented urban built environments as spaciousness, bright and convenient with objective indicators, but attributes such as pleasant and comfortable are difficult to assess objectively. Traditional methods such as questionnaire surveys or interviews are likely to produce bias with small sample size or are time consuming if collecting large sample of data. Development of big data and machine learning approach makes it possible to evaluate people’s subjective perceptions toward the built environment. Exploring an urban street area in Shanghai, this research applies a Chinese natural language processing (NLP) tool to the text database and assesses the public perception toward built environment through a 0-1 score system. NLP is a machine learning technology that enables computers to interpret, manipulate and comprehend human language. The result indicates that the NLP emotion analysis is able to quantify people’s perceptions toward built environment and reveals the extent of the perceptions, which would significantly aid human-centred design of urban built environment.
Circular materials for Eco-Craftsmanship - Development of a Wool-based Biocomposite for 3D printing of Abruzzo region craft products
Authors: Camplone Stefania , Di Bucchianico Giuseppe , Petrucci Gabriella
Published: November 2024

The Abruzzo region, in Italy, has a strong artisan tradition. Among the many artisan sectors is also the textile artisan, present in many towns in the area, which uses sheep's wool as a raw material. However, artisan workshops (goldsmiths, ceramists, leather workers, embroiderers, etc.) tend to disappear due to insufficient generational turnover, as young people are interested in more innovative activities. This also results in the loss of cultural identity and the abandonment of internal territories, with serious damage to local socio-economic systems. Furthermore, some artisan productions are unsustainable from an environmental point of view, especially assuming an extension of production to optimize economies of scale. Wool mills, for example, in their textile production, produce large quantities of waste in terms of wool dust and threads, "waste" that cannot be easily recycled.Innovating in the artisan sectors, even the most traditional ones, through the use of digital technologies and 3D printing, could represent an excellent incentive to bring young people closer to ancient professions, thus encouraging a generational change and the creation of new job opportunities. The digitalization of some productions, moreover, associated with the recovery of some waste materials, would also positively interpret some of the UN 2030 objectives.This paper reports the results of a research aimed at reusing production waste from wool fabrics and filaments to generate a new, ecological and circular composite material. The new material involves the use of a bioplastic matrix, PLA (polylactic acid), loaded with wool filaments, to obtain a fiber-reinforced biocomposite printable with 3D digital printing technologies. This new material, based on the use of a typically local material, can be used to create artisanal products that recall some traditional Abruzzo productions, effectively complementing more conventional craftsmanship.
Design Maturity Frameworks and Enjoyable Design Processes
Authors: Giri Nandhini , Stolterman Erik
Published: November 2024

Maturity frameworks provide a structure for assessing key performance metrics of an organization and provide guidelines for assessment and growth in various areas of an organization.Design maturity frameworks focus more on a human-centered approach in assessing the human motivational factors that create enjoyable and sustainable workplace practices. Identifying factors that improve or inhibit the productivity of processes can help individuals and organizations design better workplace experiences. This presentation will introduce audience to the theoretical foundations of design maturity frameworks and suggest ways to build a human-centered model that is built around enjoyable and sustainable design processes, customized for individual and organizational growth. Participants will learn • Concepts of maturity frameworks and stages of design expertise • Identify issues with existing design processes at an individual and/or organizational level • Discuss practical solutions and develop a customized maturity framework for enjoyable and sustainable workplace experiencesThe session aims at identifying human factors that motivate individuals and organizations in developing design processes that generate enjoyable and sustainable workplace experiences. The content of the session will benefit novice to experienced professionals and managers to rethink their own professional practices in terms of design expertise development and motivational processes at workplace.Session Structure: • This session will include both presentations and practical work • The presentations introduce concepts of design maturity and expertise development in professional practices • Presentations will be followed by individual exercises and group discussions to identify motivational factors and productivity inhibiting factors at workplaceTarget Audience: The session is designed for novice to experienced professionals in the academic and professional fields who are interested in learning more about design maturity frameworks and guidelines to apply these structures in their professional practices. The presentation provides guidelines to adopt design practices and human-centered processes at individual and organizational levels. Target audience roles include: Designers, Managers, Developers, Researchers, Educators
FULL PAPER IN BOOKS: How a human-centred design approach can speed up market acceptance of long-term ECG monitoring devices
Authors: Laparra Hernández Jose , Redón Mónica , Valero Jorge , Espíritu García-molina Ignacio , Navarro Carlos , Piqueras Paola , Navarro José , Jesús Solera María , Atienza Carlos , Enrique Sara , Palomares Nicolás
Published: November 2024

Cardiovascular diseases constitute a significant portion of preventable fatalities, underscoring the necessity for early detection and diagnosis to enhance quality of life and mitigate healthcare expenses. While conventional monitoring tools are typically confined to hospital environments, limiting continuous monitoring of high-risk individuals, ambulatory monitoring devices improve the yield of detected pathologies. However, few solutions allow comfortable long-term monitoring systems and still fewer combine event monitoring and real-time access to data, limiting the potential to detect critical and sporadic events like atrial fibrillation or tachycardia, potentially resulting in sudden fatalities. This paper presents the design of an ambulatory ECG monitoring system based on wearable technology, guided by Human Factors, User Experience, and Lean methodologies for expediting market deployment and ensuring acceptance by clinicians, patients, and markets, thereby reducing time and costs. The work described covers the initial phase of the development process, including conceptual designs, dummy prototypes, detailed designs, and prototype validation with participants. In European and US body shape databases, anthropometric research was conducted to comprehend population variability and determine device shapes and dimensions for signal accuracy and comfort optimisation.An iterative design approach was employed to streamline design and development, aligning with regulatory standards required by regulatory bodies such as MDR and FDA to facilitate defining and validating functionalities, risks, ease of use, comfort, privacy, and satisfaction.
Autonomous Behavior of Bipedal Robot by Learning Time-series Camera Images
Authors: Motegi Manabu
Published: November 2024

The author is conducting basic research on the autonomous behavior of a small biped robot. The system under study acquires behavioral data when a human controls the small biped robot. This system then learns from this behavioral data and image data obtained from the robot’s onboard camera. However, our previous method did not account for time-series behaviors, resulting in the repetition of certain behaviors. To address this issue, this paper utilizes Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), which are well-suited for learning time-series information. As a result, it was confirmed that the robot could behave autonomously without frequently repeating specific behavioral patterns.
Evaluation of Feedback in Manual Assembly Assistance Systems
Authors: Rodriguez Gasca Mariannys , Queiroz Diego , Giannecchini Isabel , Cesar Macedo Barbalho Sanderson , Markus Antonia
Published: November 2024

Despite the technological advancements of Industry 4.0 and automation in many industries, the variability and complexity of products to meet market demands require a level of flexibility that is not yet achieved with machinery. Consequently, manual assembly processes have become the core of manufacturing in organizations that aim to keep up with the accelerated pace of market growth. However, increased flexibility and manual assembly have the disadvantage of increased manufacturing errors, which are more likely due to the complexity of processes, operator fatigue, etc. This paper highlights the crucial role of feedback in the assembly process, presenting an evaluation of human operator performance using a simulation of two types of intelligent assembly assistance systems, one that only provides task instructions and another that, in addition to instructions, displays errors in task execution. A 3D-printed toy truck model was used to simulate assembly. As a result, a total of 12 participants participated in the experiment. The research primarily evaluates the metrics of assembly completion time and the number of errors. Data analysis suggests a difference in the two groups' assembly performance. The group of participants whose assistance system provided feedback on errors appears to have been more efficient, taking less time to recover from errors.
Mobile Phone Accessibility Solution for People with Upper Limb Dysfunction
Authors: Jinghong Chen , Hu Xin
Published: November 2024

With the rapid development of smartphones and digital technology, it has become the norm for people with upper limb dysfunction to use smartphones to access the Internet. This study applies the methodology of qualitative research, combining semi-structured in-depth interviews and observation strategies, to examine the daily lives of people with upper limb dysfunction in detail, and to compare and analyze existing solutions, aiming at exploring better solutions for smartphone accessibility, and proposing rationalized suggestions for future development, in order to promote the development of cell phone use experience for people with upper limb dysfunction. In this study, the upper limb dysfunction population is firstly divided into six categories according to the cause of the injury, and the research object does not include the people who have no arm or complete loss of upper limb function due to various reasons. The study first focused on existing smartphone accessibility solutions, focusing on a number of features including voice recognition technology, screen reader technology, "accessibility menu" buttons, magnification, high contrast and color adjustment, etc. The results show that although existing accessibility solutions provide a certain level of support for people with upper limb dysfunction, they do not provide the same level of support for people with upper limb dysfunction, but they do not provide the same level of support for people with upper limb dysfunction. The results show that although existing accessibility solutions provide a certain degree of support for people with upper limb dysfunction, there are still a number of limitations, including, but not limited to, shortcomings in technical applicability, user satisfaction and personalized design. Future accessibility technologies should focus more on personalization and ease-of-use design, and could incorporate mechanisms such as eye-tracking technology and head movement control to meet the needs and abilities of different users. The findings of this study provide a useful solution to the digital connectivity problem for people with upper limb dysfunction, and also provide important references and insights for the continued development of accessible technology and social progress.
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Mobility and Usability in Industrial Devices for Operational Efficiency
Authors: Khayamian Esfahani Bahar , Boundaouda Camara Souleymane , Bourma Rita
Published: November 2024

A shift from traditional pen and paper to advanced industrial devices can pose significant ergonomic challenges that impede efficiency and adoption, especially among refinery workers on the front lines. Due to usability and mobility issues, frontline workers in these industries resist adopting new technology which get in the way of their daily work. Consequently, duplication of work, manual data entry and human errors become common occurrences in this safety critical environment, where accuracy and timely data collection is key. In this paper, we present a mixed-methods case study to highlight the effectiveness of a user-centric approach to enhancing technology adoption, by prioritising human factors and ergonomic design principles. A design research exercise was conducted with 15 refinery operators leading to an iterative development process with continuous feedback sessions. This systematic approach allowed us to address user pain points, optimise their daily work, and improve their acceptance and adoption of mobility devices. Post-intervention data showed a significant increase in user satisfaction from 2/10 to 8/10 and a significant surge in device usage.
Understanding Stress Responses: Exploring Facial Expressions in the Context of Individual Performance and Automated Agents
Authors: Singh Lokesh , Ramchurn Sarvapali , Dong Yi
Published: November 2024

Understanding and effectively detecting stress is paramount across various domains, including healthcare and business, where individuals often operate under pressure. This paper proposes a novel approach that employs facial expression analysis to discern stress levels during both stressful and non-stressful phases. Our study aims to understand the impact of automated agents on individual performance and how performance, in turn, influences facial expression dynamics. Utilizing facial video data, we scrutinize the facial expressions exhibited by individuals under induced stress conditions, comparing them with relaxed states. Building upon prior research in stress detection, we conduct in-person experiments to study facial expressions indicative of stress responses, examining features such as facial muscle movements, microexpressions, and overall expression dynamics. Machine learning techniques are leveraged to classify stress levels based on facial expressions extracted from video data. Preliminary findings reveal distinct patterns of facial expressions associated with stress, encompassing heightened muscle tension, altered facial symmetry, and changes in expression intensity. By contrasting these patterns between stressful and non-stressful phases, our objective is to formulate a robust model for real-time stress detection using facial analysis. This research contributes to the advancement of stress detection methodologies, offering potential applications in healthcare, psychology, and human-computer interaction. Future directions include refining the classification model and exploring additional contextual factors that influence facial expressions during stress.
Enhancing Construction Industry Training Through Augmented Reality: A Study of Student Inspectors
Authors: Kim Jeffrey , Olsen Darren
Published: November 2024

In the construction industry, ensuring timely and precise material installations is paramount. However, reliance on two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional structures in paper documents often leads to errors and inefficiencies, particularly among inexperienced installers. With seasoned professionals leaving the workforce, there is a growing expertise gap, undermining the industry's ability to deliver high-quality products. Augmented Reality (AR) emerges as a promising solution to these challenges, offering enhanced training and comprehension opportunities. This study evaluates the reliability of AR devices for construction inspections, focusing on their potential to bridge the aforementioned skills gap and improve quality control procedures. The research replicates a typical construction scenario involving the positioning of underground utilities before concrete placement, emphasizing the importance of accuracy in layout and placement. Results indicate significant differences in accuracy and precision among AR devices, with the HoloLens demonstrating superior performance. Despite not meeting stringent industry requirements in this study, AR tools show promise as educational resources, fostering active engagement and improving student comprehension. Future research should address environmental factors, sample size limitations, and disparities in device operation to further refine AR effectiveness in construction inspections. Leveraging AR's immersive features can lead to a transformative shift in educational paradigms within the industry, revitalizing productivity, and quality control practices for future success.
Technology relationship, algorithmic thinking and task performance with UxV
Authors: Okkonen Jussi , Laine Mia , Andersson Christian
Published: November 2024

There is evidence that subjectively assessed technology relationship, sense of self-efficacy, algorithmic thinking and operation with unmanned vehicles are in correlation. The complex skillset required for both operators and UxV operators requires understanding on nature of information, algorithmic, computational, and epistemic thinking. Based on framework of algorithmic thinking this paper connection between algorithmic thinking, technology relationship, and task performance in operation supported with fleet of unmanned land vehicles. The paper is based on extensive quasi-experiment (n=500) in simulation environment. Key results presented are related to connections between different personal attributes, digital literacy and tasks performance with autonomous systems in the battlefield.
Effects of Daylight Intensity on Emotion Regulation in a Virtual Healing Space
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhou Diyu
Published: November 2024

With increasing social pressure, the youth population in colleges and universities generally faces increasingly severe negative emotional problems, which not only affect academic performance but also significantly reduce the quality of daily life. In response to this challenge, numerous educational institutions have established psychological healing rooms to provide emotional support and stress management services. However, existing psychological healing spaces often fail to achieve the expected healing effects and affect student engagement due to a lack of sufficient privacy and interactivity. To address this issue, this study proposes a virtual psychological healing space design based on the audiovisual fusion effect, aiming to improve students' emotional regulation and mental health management by enhancing privacy and interactivity. The design prototype incorporates four natural environments: water and sky, woodland and sky, grassland and sky, and elemental uniform distribution environments. Each environment is paired with customized Lofi music to enhance the healing effect through a multi-sensory experience. Additionally, by utilizing Unreal Engine's dynamic sky and weather simulation system for natural light, real-time transitions between four lighting environments (early morning, midday, dusk, and night) were achieved in virtual reality to explore the specific effects of light intensity on emotion regulation. This study surveyed 30 college student participants to collect the subjective effects of environmental lighting on emotions in a virtual healing space through semi-structured interviews. This study demonstrates that varying lighting conditions have a significant impact on participants' emotional states. It underscores the critical necessity of customizing lighting to accommodate the specific needs of users in the design of virtual healing spaces, thereby minimizing the influence of inter-individual differences on therapeutic outcomes. The results of this study provide an empirical basis for designing virtual healing spaces and are expected to offer a theoretical reference and practical basis for implementing personalized healing strategies in virtual environments.
Patient Gender Treatment Gaps in Tactical Combat Casualty Care of Gunshot Wounds Mitigated by Training Experience
Authors: Morris Nichole , Craig Curtis , Drahos Bradley , Schwieters Katelyn , Floersch Eugene , Mazzeo Mark , Norfleet Jack
Published: November 2024

Optimizing Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) in the golden hour of care is critical to improve patient outcomes. Previous research demonstrates performance gaps in treating female soldiers compared to their male counterparts. This study examines TCCC performance of N = 29 combat lifesavers and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets presented with two high-fidelity simulators, male and female, experiencing polytrauma. Participants were less likely to locate the female’s gunshot wound (GSW) to the chest and more likely to commit sealing errors. There was a significant patient gender x order interaction with more sealing errors and longer times to expose the female patient when the female was presented first. More training experience with female human patients was significantly associated with greater success in locating GSWs and fewer sealing application errors. A follow-up analysis found the beneficial effect of practice with female humans remained when controlling for practice with male humans.
Minimizing Chat-Bot Risks in Telemedical Applications: A Semi-Rule-Based System Approach for Large Language Model (LLM) Interactions in an Outpatient Setting
Authors: Stock Simon , Gerdes Marius , Mazura Florian , Schinle Markus , Helmond Jonathan , Stork Wilhelm
Published: November 2024

We present a patient-centric system integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into medical applications, focusing on a diverse set of use cases. An initial use case for symptom reporting was explored using natural language, addressing the limitations of traditional questionnaires. This collected data can be analysed by healthcare professionals during visits. Designed within the EU's Medical Device Regulation (MDR), our system incorporates a semi-rule-based approach to guide conversations, ensuring control over the LLM's outputs. With modular architecture and open standards like FHIR, our system supports personalized medicine and future advancements in AI-driven healthcare tools.
Design for multiverse healthcare: The innovation spaces and transformation paths of the medical and health industry in the Digital Era
Authors: Liu Yuqi
Published: November 2024

With the popularization of intelligent technology and digital survival methods, the medical and health industry faces numerous opportunities, challenges and changes. This study aims to explore the innovation space and transformation path of the medical and health industry in the era of digital survival. First of all, this study starts with the concepts of big health and big health industry, and summarizes the whole life cycle of individual health and the multiple innovation spaces of health design. In the exploration of multiverse healthy design, the study starts with the analysis of human identity, and defines the way of human existence in the future society as conscious human, physical human, social human, and digital human; thus, different types of health are derived, namely mental health, physical health, social health, and digital health; and the multiple innovation spaces of the medical and health industry are analyzed, namely, consciousverse (conscious space), physicalverse (physical space), socialverse (social space), and digitalverse (digital space). Each innovation space has its own unique characteristics and functions, and they can influence, intersect and interact with each other, providing new possibilities for improving people's health level and quality of life. Secondly, the study analyzes the five major transformation paths of the health industry, namely"Digitalization&Intelligence","Inclusion&Accessibility","Personalization&Customization","Systematicness&Intersectionality", and "Globalization&Localization". The content of this study will expand new innovation space, provide new innovation inspiration and transformation ideas for designers, technicians, researchers engaged in the development of health products, services and experiences, as well as institutions, organizations, enterprises and practitioners related to the health industry.
A user-centered design approach in the development of a modular AI-system for detection of cerebral palsy in infants
Authors: Jankowski Natalie , Waldheim Vivian , Lorenz Katharina , Mittag Christina
Published: November 2024

One in 500 newborns is born with cerebral palsy (CP), a malformation of the brain that results in restricted movement and muscle spasticity. The earlier CP is diagnosed and targeted therapy is initiated, the more potential there is to reduce the physical impairments of the affected children and the resulting consequential damage and costs. However, the diagnosis depends largely on the qualifications of the clinicians. In the CP-Diadem project, a modular sensor AI-system is being developed to objectively support paediatricians in the diagnosis. The aim is to develop a support system that automatically detects conspicuous movement patterns, which can then be examined more closely by experts. In this paper, we address the following research questions (1) How should an AI-diagnostic tool for clinicians to detect CP be developed that is accepted by all those involved (clinicians, parents and infants) in the treatment? (2) How can the diagnostic system be integrated into the clinical routine (treatment pathway)? Based on the human-centered approach according to DIN EN ISO 62366 the following formative studies were conducted iteratively. Initially, the prototype of the modular sensor system was tested in a field study with 50 infants, their parents and clinicians during regular treatment. It consists of a sensor mat with eight piezo sensors, on which the infant is placed, and seven inertial measurement units (IMUs), which are attached to the child's limbs. Two cameras record the infant's movements. Parents and clinicians evaluated the system in terms of their user experience and assessed the challenges of integrating it into standard pediatric care for the early detection of neurological movement impairments. Based on the results, a click prototype was developed. The AI-system was evaluated with clinicians as part of a workshop. The aim was to achieve a high level of usability and user experience and to identify challenges in the use of AI in the diagnosis of CP in infants. All UCD methods used in the project involve clinicians, parents and children with their requirements, needs and ideas for active co-decision and participation.
Smart Packaging: overcoming barriers to medication adherence for older adults
Authors: Khayamian Esfahani Bahar , Milisavljevic-syed Jelena , C Lee Kalok
Published: November 2024

Medication adherence is essential for managing ageing illnesses due to the growing population of older adults who are increasingly multi-medicated. This paper explores the current challenges and future opportunities in enhancing medication adherence for older adults. It highlights the importance of leveraging home-based healthcare technologies for older adults based on their needs. There are various types of healthcare technologies and smart packaging options available in the market today. Some examples include smart pill and medication dispensers with smart packaging features, Mobile applications with reminders, manual pill boxes and organisers. These devices use features such as alarms, reminders, and tracking systems to help older adults with their routine. However, older adults' medication management can be affected by changing needs associated with ageing. As a result of ageing, their cognitive and physical abilities are rapidly changing due to various conditions including dementia, reduced vision, and decreased dexterity. Exploratory interviews were conducted with five older adults age 65 and over. The interviews focused on the participants' experiences with managing their medications, including challenges associated with rapidly changing medical conditions and capabilities. The major concern identified by participants was the complexity of managing multiple medications due to rapidly changing health conditions including forgetfulness, sensory impairments, neurological conditions, and reduced dexterity. The results have opened new avenues for future research in 1) smart packaging and design features that prioritises accessibility and ease of use, 2) leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in smart packaging towards more personalised products to improve medication adherence in older adults.
Preventive Medicine: The most prestigious profession of the near future
Authors: Maciej Kalina Roman
Published: November 2024

The title of this scientific essay implicitly emphasizes the application goal. Hypothesis: the differences in most indicators of somatic, mental and social health are small (or non-existent) between countries with the formally largest number of weekly physical education lessons in primary schools and those with the smallest number (apart from countries where PE is marginalized). The empirical argumentation of the authors of the 'physiotherapist in every school' project, although sufficient at this stage, is merely a kind of encouragement for researchers and teams from around the world. The implications concern at least two elementary methodological issues. First, the most valuable knowledge about phenomena indicating the counter-effective PE paradigm in many respects can already be published in many natural languages, unavailable in the global scientific space. Second, the idea of replacing PE teachers in schools with preventive medicine experts requires systemic implementations that will most likely cause resistance from many interest groups. As humanity, we are probably at the peak of ‘the turning point’, not only in the sense described by Fritjof Capra (1982). Since the dynamics of depletion of natural resources is still one of the key indicators of identifying this peak, there is no visible turn in the direction that Capra so simply and accurately appealed for: ‘we should invest more in people, our only wealth, which we have in abundance’. Anyone who identifies with the hypothesis on the supreme value criteria of the global civilization should rather not question the validity of preventive medicine as a subject of school education and INNOAGON as science and its mission. However, one may ask a basic question about the way or ways of investing these innovations in people. The answer is only seemingly trivial: effectively, healthily (this term includes ‘safely’), in deeply humanized and attractive forms.
Technological and Engineering Solutions for the Prevention and Reduction of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome in Construction Industry
Authors: Mwaitenda Suma , Musonda Innocent
Published: November 2024

Prolonged exposure to hand arm vibration (HAV) can lead to hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), which poses serious health risks for workers (Lache & Luculescu, 2008). This paper employs a five-stage scoping review to explore technological and engineering solutions to mitigate HAV exposure in the construction sector. Key strategies identified include process modifications, reducing continuous vibration exposure, training programs to promote best practices, and using personal protective equipment such as anti-vibration gloves. Additionally, substituting low-vibration tools is recommended as an effective measure to decrease HAV exposure. The findings indicate that engineering solutions can significantly reduce the health impacts of HAV. The paper calls for further research, especially in developing regions like Africa, to evaluate HAVS prevalence in construction and to adapt control measures to local conditions. Overall, this study provides essential insights into preventing HAV, highlighting the need for global attention to this occupational health issue in the construction industry. S
From Gap to Gain: Advancing Gender Equity in Venture Capital Investing
Authors: Rukare Daniel , Steinhauser Lisa
Published: November 2024

The persistent gender funding gap in the United Kingdom's venture capital sector represents a significant economic and ethical challenge, hindering the realization of substantial new value and exposing systemic inequities. Despite growing awareness and evidence suggesting that women-founded businesses perform equally well or better, growth in investments in such enterprises remains slow. While existing research predominantly explores founder- and funder-driven causes of this gap, limited focus has been placed on effective remedies and the role of venture capitalists' perspectives in addressing this issue.This paper aims to address these deficiencies by exploring venture capitalists' views on the gender funding gap, including perceived causes and their capacity to mitigate it. The study investigates motivations and barriers to adopting inclusive practices and identifies what these practices entail. Employing an inductive, exploratory approach, this research conducted ten interviews with representatives from firms publicly expressing commitment to addressing the gender gap and compared responses to founder gender investment data.Findings reveal diverse opinions on the causes of the gender funding gap among venture capitalists, with some emphasizing supply-side factors while others focus on demand-side explanations. The study indicates that recognition of supply-side factors is crucial in motivating firms to adopt gender-inclusive practices. Additionally, this paper identifies diversity, equity, and inclusion performance management as only the first step and highlights the importance of targeted strategies around an inclusive culture, deal flow, and a diverse ecosystem as critical elements in narrowing the gap.The research culminates in the development of the Gender-Inclusive Venture Capital Investment Framework, detailing the interplay between venture capitalists' perspectives and the adoption of gender-inclusive practices. This framework organizes practice categories by implementation level, serving as a practical guide for developing targeted strategies for inclusive investing while sustaining investment performance. The paper contributes to the growing body of literature on gender equity in venture capital and provides actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers aiming to address the gender funding gap.
Drivers Influencing the Adoption of Innovative Building Materials (IBM) for Sustainable Construction in Nigeria
Authors: Mogaji Iseoluwa , Mewomo Modupe , Kwesi Bondinuba Francis , Aboagye-nimo Emmanuel , Abraham Yewande
Published: November 2024

Amidst the drive for a more sustainable future, the construction industry faces a significant crossroads, a juncture demanding a reimagining of how we occupy our built environment. Within the dynamic backdrop of developing nations, where growth and progress intersect with pressing ecological concerns, adopting innovative building materials (IBM) emerges as essential for realising sustainable construction practices. This study explores the driving factors that influence the adoption of IBM for promoting sustainable construction practices in Nigeria. Employing a descriptive analysis methodology, explicitly harnessing the mean score ranking technique (MS), this study evaluates and ranks the 14 identified drivers influencing IBM adoption. The findings of this study show that the respondents strongly agreed with all the drivers for IBM. Clients' requirements, government regulations, availability of IBM suppliers and developments in information communication technology (ICT)/technology-push are the top drivers of IBM adoption. These findings also highlight the importance of client demand, regulatory policies, access to suppliers, technological advancements, and improved operational efficiency in driving the adoption of IBM. This analysis illustrates the significant role of specific drivers in shaping adoption decisions, thus providing guidance for future policy formulations, strategic planning, and industry practices in the Nigerian construction industry.
Determination of Women Patentees and Their Impact on Participatory Ergonomics
Authors: Crowell Lake , Williams Quintin , Buhimschi Irina , Weinreich Heather
Published: November 2024

This study examines the role of women inventors in patents and their impact on participatory ergonomics in design. The primary objective was to explore the relationship between the presence of women inventors in patent fields and the academic disciplines from which they graduated. Using correlation testing, the study analyzed the relationship between the number of women inventors in patent sectors and the degrees awarded to women in specific fields. The data was drawn from extensive databases containing patent records and information on the educational backgrounds of women inventors. This approach allowed for an assessment of how participatory ergonomics influences the patenting activities of women, particularly in areas related to their academic training. A similar analysis was conducted for male inventors to provide a comparative perspective. The study showed that women inventors are more likely to engage in patenting within fields that align with their educational backgrounds which differed from that of male inventors. Despite the increasing number of women earning degrees, there remains a significant gender gap in patent filings. This suggests the presence of systemic barriers or disparities. The study also recommends strategies to increase women’s participation in patenting, such as creating supportive environments in academia and the workplace, addressing biases, and encouraging inclusivity in innovation-focused industries. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the contributions of women inventors to participatory ergonomics in the patenting process, and it adds to the ongoing discussion on gender equity in innovation.
Education and Training in the Technological Era: Adopting the Head, Heart, and Hand Approach for Effective Social Media Usage
Authors: Aigbe Fortune , Aigbavboa Clinton , Amusan Lekan , Idowu Ayobami
Published: November 2024

The various industrial revolution from the first industrial revolution birthed water- and steam-powered manufacturing facilities, the second industrial revolution birthed electrically powered mass production, the third industrial revolution led to the birthing of computers and Robots, while the fourth industrial revolution welcomed Cyber-physical systems and the internet. The advent of computers and the internet has led to the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which can be used for work and for communication. The workers who will need these platforms will be those who are already employed, as well as those who need to be employed Hence, requisite skills (which could be both hard and soft) are required to use these platforms effectively. This study is based on the use of secondary data sources such as articles and journals using inductive and semantic approaches and thematic analysis. The study aims to promote the effective utilization of social media for work and communication through the Head, Hand, Heart Approach to Education and Training. The study reveals that the Head and Hand approach, which is cognitive learning and practical doing, provides the workers with the necessary hard skills to use social media. The Heart approach, which is affective learning, relational knowing, and emotional involvement, provides workers with the necessary soft skills to use social media for communication. The study contributes to scholarly discussions on workforce education and training in the digital era, as well as empirically contributes to the effective management of the workforce of the future.
Use of ANSI/HFES Human Readiness Level to ensure safety in automation
Authors: O Johnsen Stig , Aminoff Hedvig
Published: November 2024

This paper explores and describes the Human Readiness Levels for implementing control centres managing automated system remotely. We have explored a case from the oil and gas industry managing production facilities and a case from an automated ferry in the maritime industry. The concept of Human Readiness Level (HRL) is inspired by the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) originally promoted by NASA in the ´70s. We have not found case description of HRL in the oil and gas industry or in the maritime industry. TRL was used to establish a common understanding of the state of technology development from concept to operations and has been adopted by government and industry. TRL has been adopted by API (API17N) to be used in the oil and gas industry to ensure good decisions about the inclusion, development, and integration of new technology in complex systems. The purpose of the HRL taxonomy is to assess the readiness of a technology to be used by the intended users in a defined operational context. As concepts of automation, AI and remote operations is continuously implemented we have observed the challenge of missing focus on human systems design, Human Factors (HF), and organizational readiness, leading to poor safety, productivity, and usability. Combining technology optimism with the knowledge of human factors as described by the HRL guidelines (ANSI/HFSE 400-2021) should help establish a common understanding of the state of human readiness from concept to operations. This is needed, as we have observed that poor focus on HF design has been a significant root cause (i.e., 60% to 80%) in accidents and failures. We have seen “human errors” as a cause i.e., a result of poor design and poor consideration of human possibilities and limitations. We see the need to prioritize the early phases of development (such as concept and design) since the cost of changes is increasing nearly exponentially as the development moves forward from concept through design. The lifecycle cost may be 100-1,000 higher in later phases than in concept or early design phase. We have used the standard ISO 11064/ISO 9241-200 as a framework for development, and the CRIOP method as a supporting tool to perform verification and validation of the development. The purpose of this paper is to describe key challenges related to automation and meaningful human control from the oil and gas industry and the maritime industry. How the HRL taxonomy can improve and support safety, productivity and usability by key tasks and key products/documentation in relation to a system engineering model as described by ISO 11064/ISO 9241-200. How industry and government can utilize the HRL guidelines to mitigate the key challenges and reduce risks in an optimal manner to reduce cost of change and appropriate Management of Change (MoC).
Human error prevention activities in manufacturing sites based on information from normal work
Authors: Kiryu Taisei , Ino Chikori , Okada Yusaku
Published: November 2024

In factories such as aircraft manufacturing, where the number of productions is small and the defective rate must be reduced to zero, a large number of human error prevention measures are taken. “CRM” in the airline industry is a specific example of ones. However, the burden on workers due to too many measures has exceeded the limit, and there is an urgent need to optimize the management of error prevention measures as a whole. To achieve this, (1)　Detailed collection of human factor information on problematic events such as nonconformity events, (2) Collection of human factor information during normal times of the target work, (3) Structural analysis of human factor, (4) Proposal of guidelines for human error prevention measures based on the analysis results and presentation of multiple specific measures. Of these, (3) and (4) have already been developed in our laboratory and are at the practical stage. Structural analysis methods for human factors include the Swiss cheese model, m-SHELL, PSF list and variation tree. It has been confirmed that (1) can be resolved by measuring human factor management courses for work team leaders through e-learning and factor analysis training incorporating active learning for six months. The realization of safety among business operators has also changed from the traditional "Safety-I" to "Safety-II," and the demand for (2) is increasing, but method (2), which seeks to discover issues when no problems have occurred at all, cannot be addressed with methods such as traditional near-miss event analysis. Therefore, in this study, the image of collected information was changed to "hints that lead to good work" and methods of collecting human factor information from on-site conversations were examined, centering on stimulating constructive communication on-site.
Workflow Optimization in Radiation Oncology
Authors: Fox Colleen J. , Munbodh Reshma
Published: November 2024

Technological advances in radiation oncology that promise improvements in workflow efficiency are frequently adopted in response to pressure to do things faster and to get more done with fewer resources. The results of such improvements hinge not only on the technology but on how they are integrated into the overall clinical system as a whole. Throughout history, other industries have developed theories related to production optimization, and we can learn from their experiences.

Workflow Optimization in Radiation Oncology: From Theory to Clinical Implementation applies these lessons to radiation oncology workflows and explores meaningful avenues to integrate technology into daily operations. Readers will be exposed to the basics of operations theory, as well as project, change, and resource management. They will also learn from radiation oncology experts about techniques for modeling and monitoring workflows as well as implementation strategies for hot topic tools such as auto-contouring, automated planning, and scripting.

The primary audience for this book is therapy medical physicists but radiation oncologists, dosimetrists, therapists, trainees, and managers/directors of radiation oncology departments as well as developers in the healthcare automation space will also find it useful.

This topic is also the theme of the 2024 AAPM summer school at Dartmouth College.