bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EXPLORING THE LIMITS OF MCTS IN PAC-MAN: MAZE SIZE, SIMULATIONS, AND PERFORMANCE
Authors: NOVIKOV ARTEM , YANOVSKY VOLODYMYR
Published: December 2024

This paper explores the performance and limitations of Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) when applied to the Pac-Man game, with a particular focus on how maze complexity and the number of simulations affect the agent’s decision-making process. The game serves as a dynamic environment where the MCTS agent must navigate mazes filled with rewards (capsules and food) and avoid adversarial agents (ghosts), creating a challenging testbed for decision-making algorithms.
The primary objective of this work is to assess the efficiency of MCTS across mazes of varying sizes and configurations, from small, optimized layouts to large, non-optimized ones. We aim to understand the trade-offs between computational resources (e.g., number of simulations) and the agent's overall performance, particularly in terms of score, win rate, and decision-making time. The experiments were conducted using different numbers of simulations per move, allowing the MCTS agent to build decision trees that guide its actions. This enabled us to observe how performance metrics evolve as the complexity of the environment increases.
The findings indicate that MCTS performs effectively in smaller, optimized mazes where paths are clearer, and the decision space is more manageable. However, as maze complexity grows—particularly in non-optimized environments filled with obstacles and unpredictable paths—the agent's performance deteriorates. A key insight is that increasing the number of simulations does improve decision quality to an extent, but only up to a point; beyond that, additional simulations incur a computational overhead that does not yield proportional gains in performance. Moreover, the experiments reveal that optimized maze designs allow the MCTS agent to make more informed and efficient decisions, while non-optimized mazes exacerbate the agent’s struggle with unpredictability and more complex decision spaces. These findings underscore the limitations of MCTS in handling dynamic and irregular environments.
Key conclusions include the necessity of enhancing MCTS for complex scenarios by incorporating more advanced heuristic functions to evaluate game states more accurately, along with adaptive simulation strategies to better manage computational resources. Additionally, combining MCTS with reinforcement learning or neural networks could offer more robust solutions for tackling the growing complexity of both in-game and real-world environments. This research highlights several promising avenues for future exploration, particularly in applying MCTS to more intricate AI challenges such as autonomous navigation and real-time decision-making in robotics.
Sex Differences in Outcomes Among Patients with High-Output Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Elias Tony , Elmalh Mena , Brahmbhatt Priya , Girgis Kyrillos , Syed Taha , Valderrama Michael , Beshai Rafail
Published: December 2024

There is limited data specifically looking for sex differences in patients with high output heart failure (HOHF).

We sought to examine the national inpatient sample database to describe in-hospital outcomes among female patients.
Microqualification Programs at Universities: A New Educational Trajectory for Adult Education
Authors: Shepel M. O. , Veledinskaya S. B. , Diyskaya E. A. , Feshchenko A. V. , Korshunov I. A. , Shirkova N. N.
Published: December 2024

Traditional models of vocational education are decreasing their relevance due to rapid technological progress. The need to update skills and competencies leads to the emergence of new educational trajectories, including short programs for acquiring competencies to perform certain work functions and enter the labor market. The article examines the features of microqualification programs, their potential for employee training and their impact on the labor market. The analysis was carried out on the basis of data from the federal project “Employment Promotion”, data on vacancies on recruitment platforms and the results of focus groups with employers. Microqualification is interpreted as a set of highly specialized skills necessary to perform certain work functions that do not require a document on basic education. The authors of the article consider models based on the use of additional professional education and vocational training programs, as well as models that form individual educational trajectories within the framework of basic professional educational programs. An analysis of the salary data of participants in the federal project “Employment Promotion” shows that the passage of programs for the development of digital competencies provides a significant increase in wages after training. The results of the study demonstrate the high potential of microqualification programs for adult education and the formation of competitive specialists. The article offers recommendations on the implementation of microqualification programs in the Russian education system.
Safe Driving Behavior Model Construction for L2 and L3 Automated Driving
Authors: Sun Yiteng , Li Fan , Chang Danni , Lee Ching-Hung , Han Su , Chen Chun-Hsien
Published: December 2024

The arrival of Level 2 (L2) and Level 3 (L3) of automated driving places new demands on driving behavior, yet drivers who have been accustomed to manual driving do not seem to be adequately prepared. Therefore, to improve driving safety, this study proposes an integrated approach to establishing a safe driving behavior model by combining Hierarchical Task Analysis and Information Decision Action model. Initially, 11 key driving scenarios at the L2 and L3 levels were identified through literature review; Five automated driving experts were invited to grade the importance of the scenarios through the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Additionally, their safety recommendations for each scenario at the L2 and L3 levels were analyzed. Finally, a model of drivers’ safe behavior under L2 and L3 conditions was constructed accordingly. The results of this study can not only guide the cultivation of drivers’ driving habits, but also provide test scenarios with human-machine co-driving perspectives for the development of automated driving.
An Approach to Determine Similarity and Critical Path of Functions for Conceptual Design of Complex Products
Authors: Alcântara Lobo José Roberto , Szejka Anderson Luis , Canciglieri Junior Osiris , Chrusciak Camilla Buttura
Published: December 2024

The demand of current markets for innovative products with the latest technologies and meeting environmental and sustainable requirements has increased the demand in the product engineering areas within organizations. Furthermore, regardless of the growing complexity involved in the new product development process, delivery/launch times have been increasingly tight. In this context, it is identified that these market/society demands have affected the current development patterns, leading to situations such as input data inaccuracy, incompatibilities between project requirements and engineers’ knowledge, interface errors or output data inconsistency. These and other harmful consequences lead to increased costs, delays in the product development process, and deterioration in the quality of delivered products. Therefore, this research proposes an approach to determine similarity and critical path of functions that help to reduce the time and information inconsistency during the conceptual phase of the complex product development process. The proposed approach contributes to reducing the conceptualization and synthesis time of new products from the application of function similarity and concurrent engineering concepts. Such a method called SuC (Step up Concept) determines the functional groupings and their synthesis complexities. With this, it is possible to identify the critical path that will lead to mitigation actions by the Engineering teams. The proposed method was tested using an experimental case applied to different types of real products, confirming its potential for the development of complex products, as it offers new perspectives in aspects of conceptualization and synthesis in the development of different complex products.
Transdisciplinary Platform Assets – A Boundary Object Perspective
Authors: Hussmo Daniel , Raudberget Dag
Published: December 2024

In product platforms, reusable assets play an important role in supporting the realization of new products and systems. Asset governance is key to ensure their relevance and useability. Assets can have different aims for different stakeholders, where design engineers might use design guidelines as platform assets within their organizational function, while other assets aim to support transdisciplinary collaboration, such as the production preparation process. Although assets used within functions have received previous attention, the literature has not yet presented a clear path forward for how the transdisciplinary perspective on platform asset governance can be supported. To shed light on this topic, we therefore introduce the concept of Transdisciplinary Platform Assets. We do this by conceptualizing these Transdisciplinary Platform Assets from a boundary object perspective. Boundary objects can enable transdisciplinary collaboration and integration of knowledge across diverse communities. By viewing assets from a boundary object perspective, we can illuminate how assets can be tailored for transdisciplinary usage; subsequently becoming more effective. In this paper we put forward a way to classify assets based on the width of the transdisciplinary gap between the users. The concept is further illuminated in its implications through an illustrative discussion on A3 templates. We conclude by highlighting potential paths for future research and potential industrial use cases.
Scenario-Based Analysis of Smart Product Acceptance for the Elderly in Home-Based Care
Authors: Jiang Yilin , Shen Tingwei , Chang Danni , Hu Peiyao , Li Fan
Published: December 2024

With the increasing aging population, home-based care has become a main nursing mode for the elderly. To better assist the elderly with daily activities, healthcare management and emotional support, smart technologies and products have been widely considered. However, the gap between the high requirements of smart products on users and the physical and cognitive degradation of the elderly has made it difficult for the elderly to accept new technologies. Therefore, this study aims to deeply investigate the smart product acceptance of the elderly in home-based care. For the purpose, a scenario-based analysis approach was adopted to investigate different living scenarios and analyze their smart product acceptance in different contexts. The combination of questionnaire survey and interview was employed, and 95 participants (age > 60) were involved. Statistical analysis and DEMATEL (Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory) were applied to reveal the structure and co-relations of the influencing factors. It shows that gender, age, health status, economic status, and technical proficiency have impacts on the smart product selection. Indicative and safe were identified with the most important influence on smart product acceptance in daily activities and healthcare scenarios. Trustful and efficient have moderate influence on entertainment and sports scenarios, and the influence of enjoyable and dependent factors is not that significant. Generally, this research can contribute to suggestions on the smart product design with full consideration of elderly’s physical and cognitive capacity. Moreover, it provides governments and the society with insights on the further reform of more practical elderly-care policies and social support strategies.
Automated Usability and User Experience Assessment for Smart Products
Authors: Sinha Anoop Kumar , Choi Christina Youngmi , Rosen David W.
Published: December 2024

The ever-increasing demand for user-centred smart products has driven the need for automation methodologies in product design processes, particularly for assessing usability and user experience (UX). Traditionally, practitioners construct functional (software) or physical (hardware) product prototypes to enable usability and UX assessments. Constructing a prototype followed by human testing are both time consuming and expensive activities. If virtual models and automated methods can replace some components of these activities, the time and cost of smart product development could be reduced while continuing to generate useful and beneficial products. In this paper, we survey the literature related to automated assessment methods for designing user-centric smart products. We identified five key activities on which to focus related to the testing or the design cycle: design thinking, design ideation, prototype creation, user data collection, and data analysis. The review methodology consisted of comprehensive search queries tailored to each activity to encapsulate automation methods pertinent to smart product development in research articles published from 2000-2023. Over 100 relevant articles were identified across engineering, human-computer interaction, human factors, industrial design, and other disciplines. This review highlights the effectiveness and limitations of various automation methods, benchmarked against traditional practice, providing valuable insights and practical recommendations for researchers and designers seeking to optimize smart product design processes for broad usability concerns. We are particularly interested in designing assistive mobility and rehabilitation devices. Development time and resources are often limited yet usability and UX directly impact important outcomes including perceived function, stigma, and device adoption. Improving these requires a transdisciplinary approach.
Harnessing the Power of Digital Twins, BIM and XR-Technologies Elevating Transdisciplinary Research Methodologies
Authors: Kolb Florian , Haeussermann Tim , Rache Alessa , Kastner Kevin , Wuehler Felix , Lehmann Joel , Amann Sebastian , Beisheim Nicolai , Raedle Matthias , Reichwald Julian
Published: December 2024

Digital Twins (DTs) are becoming an empowering and pivotal element in many industries to exploit modern IT technologies across all sectors and gain significant benefits from preexisting as well as greenfield systems. This paper introduces a novel approach to building management and research in laboratory environments, utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM), DTs, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Extended Reality (XR). The work focuses on generating accurate 3D building models from point cloud scans, improving BIM’s utility in structures lacking pre-existing digital models. Central to this approach is the integration of IoT sensors, tracking indoor air quality and occupancy. This data, combined with DTs of laboratory equipment, facilitates dynamic insights of transdisciplinary work at research and educational projects. Our models uniquely provide live data interaction, seamlessly linking the virtual and physical realms through DTs and XR technologies as an immersive interface. One of the problems at research institutes is the broad range of hazardous measuring devices, some of which require urgent safety precautions. Therefore, based on our models and technologies, we propose an XR-based collaborative platform for transdisciplinary research teams enabling immersive and intuitive interaction. By comprehensively gathering all the data, it is possible to continue investigating how social dynamics affect research environments and projects. This approach aims to make technology more attuned to the social dimensions of laboratory use. The paper highlights the potential of BIM, DTs, IoT, and XR to not only create and update models post-construction but also to enrich them with operational data, offering a socially aware perspective in research management.
Transdisciplinary Analysis of System Endurance due to Imbalanced Engineering Capability Using 3PE Modelling Framework
Authors: Cook Matthew C. , Mo John P.T.
Published: December 2024

System endurance characterises how long the system can remain operational without requiring external interference. This concept is particularly important for mission critical systems, where an essential requirement is to stay on mission as long as feasible. The conventional engineering approach focuses on technological advancement and innovative design to increase operation cycles. However, this does not always translate successfully to reality. Over the last century, submarine design changed from diesel power to nuclear propulsion systems. Contemporary submarines theoretically have almost unlimited endurance - they can stay on mission (remain submerged) for years. As this type of system costs billions, it is essential to have clear direction for maximising capability outcome against cost. This research takes a transdisciplinary approach, extending system analysis to much broader perspectives by applying 3PE modelling to assess the endurance of submarines through historical developments. The analysis found “Product” elements such as hull form and power generation have improved tremendously. The “Process” elements have correspondingly adapted to ensure proper operation of the “Product”. However, the “People” elements do not exhibit any recognisable change. In fact, as submarines increase in size, more personnel are required to handle system tasks. Clearly endurance of some parts of the system have been mitigated by design/technology advancements, but other parts within the system remain under-performed. The 3PE framework analysis raises questions including, can these limiting factors be designed out with emerging technologies such as AI? This paper demonstrates a prognostic assessment of where effort should be applied, to achieve advancements in system endurance.
Real-Time Measurement of Trust Dynamics in Global Virtual Teams
Authors: Delkowski Michal , Iyer Divya , Vazquez Ignacio , Moser Bryan R.
Published: December 2024

The escalating prevalence of Global Virtual Teams (GVTs) across diverse geographical landscapes underscores their indispensable role in our socio-technical and economic foundations. Increasingly, teams in strategic engineering projects are GVTs and must exhibit coordination and tradeoffs as transdisciplinary engineering (TE) partners. Extensive research has scrutinized the intricate challenges faced by virtual engineering teams. Researchers characterize these challenges as distance factors (geographical, temporal, and perceived), shedding light on associated hurdles concerning motivation, awareness, and the nuanced establishment of trust. Effective decision-making within teams relies on a foundation of trust. Within this context, trust is defined as the perception that team members will act benevolently, prioritizing collective interests over self-interest. Previous studies have demonstrated the pivotal influence of trust on team performance, particularly in sustaining collaborations. The challenge intensifies during the initial stages of projects within GVTs, where face-to-face social exchanges—historically relied upon for trust-building—are difficult or unattainable. Decades of research have yielded qualitative measurement techniques and supportive methodologies, with recent emphasis on computer-mediated communications encompassing face-to-face visuals, audio, and text messages. However, these techniques are commonly evaluated qualitatively at the conclusion of experiments, leaving a gap in understanding and measuring the dynamic nature of trust in global virtual teams. This research proposes an approach by prototyping measurements for real-time assessment of the trust phenomenon in GVTs. By outlining the subsequent steps for integrating these methods, the work aspires to contribute to the advancement of GVT research, offering practical insights to fortify trust in virtual teams and enhance collaborative efficacy in the digital era.
Transdisciplinary Engineering and Co-Creation Towards Human-Centric Smart Automation
Authors: Eriksson Kristina M. , Olsson Anna Karin , Danielsson Fredrik
Published: December 2024

The need for human-centric perspectives on smart automation are increasing as new technological advancements and global societal changes continuously re-shapes the manufacturing industry. Meeting this need is challenging and cannot be accomplished by one sole field of research expertise and requires university-industry collaboration. The research presented combines expertise from different disciplines, i.e., industrial engineering, automation and control, business administration, management, informatics, and work-integrated learning. The research group has extensive experience of such collaborations and is presently applying previous research and experiences in studies of human-centric smart automation striving to build unique research. Transdisciplinary research offers many opportunities; however, challenges include, combining methodologies, communication jargon, mutual respect for different disciplines and designing joint research studies. The research presented addresses such challenges by taking a transdisciplinary and collaborative approach bringing forth the human-centric perspective when advancing smart robotic automation. The aim is to exemplify and illustrate how to design transdisciplinary research in collaboration with industry for knowledge exchange and co-creation of new knowledge. The collaborative design emphasises the value of a transdisciplinary approach in university-industry collaboration when studying, understanding, and evolving the human-centric perspective of technological advancement in the manufacturing industry. Findings contribute design for synergizing technology development and manufacturing management to reach human-centric smart automation. The implication of the research relates to broader societal issues aligned with Industry 5.0, placing humans at the centre when introducing novel production processes and new technologies.
Transdisciplinary Engineering Education: The Student Perspective
Authors: Wint Natalie , Lazar Irina
Published: December 2024

Engineering problems are becoming increasingly complex, ill-defined, and socially relevant, and thus require us to combine insights and methods from different disciplinary fields, and to seek input from non-engineers, including communities and public organisations. If graduates are to be successful in working towards such problems, they need to develop meta-disciplinary skills, attitudes and understanding, and learn how to talk critically across disciplinary perspectives. Teaching the required competencies explicitly is essential because students are unlikely to have learnt them previously, primarily because of the focus on disciplinary teaching within most education systems. Supporting the evolution of engineering practice and emergence of transdisciplinary engineering therefore necessitates a change in teaching and learning methods. One approach to this has been the emergence of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary programmes primarily at postgraduate, but increasingly at an undergraduate level. Such degree schemes are relatively understudied due to their recent emergence. This paper reports the findings from the first part of a longitudinal study into the lived experiences of students studying on a transdisciplinary undergraduate programme and focuses on expectations and motivations of incoming students. Data was obtained from semi-structured interviews with first year students. A summary of the perceived benefits of studying such courses, as well as the associated challenges, is provided. The paper ends with recommendations in terms of fostering transdisciplinary approaches to engineering education.
Catching the Wanderer: Temporal and Visual Analysis of Mind Wandering in Digital Learning
Authors: Li Zhimin , Li Fan , Lee Ching-hung , Han Su
Published: December 2024

As a rapidly rising trend, digital learning redefines educational boundaries with its accessibility and adaptability. However, this transformation reduced availability of non-verbal cues like facial expressions and body language. While platforms like Teams allow for the possibility of viewing student expressions when cameras are on, this is often not the case. The limited visual interaction hinders teachers’ ability to gauge student engagement and detect mind wandering of students —a significant barrier to effective learning. Current research on mind wandering focuses on attention control and visual processing, but it fails to capture the dynamic nature of mind wandering in digital contexts and the potential of eye movement correlations for real-time interventions. This study addresses this challenge by examining the temporal patterns and dynamics of eye movement features over 26 lessons in a controlled online setting. Our findings reveal a periodic attention drift every 15 minutes, yet the focus notably intensifies during the final 15 minutes of class. Through significance and correlation matrix analyses, we identify three critical gaze metrics from 34 indicators—fixation dispersion, fixation quality, and blink frequency—as precise markers for distinguishing between focused and wandering minds. This research contributes to transdisciplinary engineering by integrating insights from educational technology and cognitive psychology to reveal the underlying attention mechanism behind mind wandering through a reduced set of reliable gaze metrics. It also provides a scientific basis for course designers to enhance learning engagement, such as timely interactive prompts or attention-capturing cues, fostering a healthier and sustainable digital learning environment.
IP Dispute Analysis for Multidisciplinary UAV Technologies and Their Patent Claims
Authors: Chou Roger S.C. , Lee Chiao Y.C. , Trappey Amy J.C. , Trappey Charles
Published: December 2024

The progress of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology development has spanned in a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary science and engineering research, with respect to fundamental technologies and various application domains. The growing UAV demands have prompted global manufacturers into large-scale R&D efforts, resulting transformative impacts on intellectual property (IP) domains, subsequently escalating IP right (IPR) litigation (e.g., patent invalidation and infringement disputes). This trend reflects the competitive landscape of technological innovations, unveiling the legal and business challenges brought about by the pursuit of emerging technologies and their wide adoptions in society. To gain a deeper understanding of the development and transformation within the UAV domains, we employed methods including, literature/patent bibliometric analysis, and text mining to identify the knowledge ontology structure in this multidisciplinary field. It conducted comprehensive patent analyses (e.g., Technology Function Matrix, Latent Dirichlet allocation). This study contributes to insightful examinations of patent holders and technological shifts within the UAV industry, supporting subsequent investigations into infringement cases involving major global UAV manufacturers and technology leaders, such as SZ DJI Technology and Autel. The study found that “object detection”, “controllers”, and “power systems” are the most sought-after sub-domains for research and development. The R&D trends and subsequent IPR issues indicate that societal transformation brings about changes in technology and industry structures, driving the evolution of intricate IPs and their industrial applications. Furthermore, to ensure IPR protection in the UAV industry, the study encompasses the global patent landscape, their legal dispute characteristics through case example, and IP/patenting strategies tailored toward the industry’s current IP legal status.
Human Decision Making Assisted by Artificial Intelligence: Electricity Demand Forecasting in Japan
Authors: Zhang Yichuan , Hiekata Kazuo
Published: December 2024

Transdisciplinary engineering bridges the gap between diverse fields of expertise, fostering innovative solutions to complex problems. This study investigates the synergy of human expertise and artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of electricity prediction. The accurate forecasting of electricity demand is a critical component of sustainable engineering practice, particularly in energy-intensive economies like Japan. The contribution of this paper is the development and evaluation of a transdisciplinary human-AI collaborative approach to enhance the precision and reliability of electricity demand forecasts. This research addresses the pressing challenge of utilizing algorithms for future electricity demand forecasting by AI-driven predictions. Specifically, it considers the shortcomings of algorithmic predictions in dealing with sparse datasets and unforeseen events. By revisiting actual past cases of Tokyo electricity demand prediction and providing participants (both technical and non-technical individuals) with foundational industry knowledge and an interactive data analysis interface, the research collects comprehensive data throughout the forecasting tasks in user experiments. The findings indicate that human-AI collaboration can significantly refine forecast accuracy under certain conditions. A notable enhancement is observed when AI predictions are constrained by data limitations and unexpected events. Additionally, individuals with strong technical backgrounds excel in augmenting AI forecasts, although the risk of human-induced biases and over-adjustments presents a challenge. Confirming the benefits of a human-AI collaborative model, we identify potential strategies for AI to better support human decision-making in energy engineering.
System Design of Behavioural Change Platform Service Using Digital Healthcare Technologies
Authors: Kawai Shingo , Toriya Masako , Toma Tetsuya
Published: December 2024

As the proportion of older adults increases globally, raising healthy life expectancy is becoming an urgent issue. To address this, shifting the medical system from conventional disease treatment to disease prevention, early diagnosis, and early treatment is desirable. It is necessary to utilise digital technologies not only to acquire and visualise health-related data, but also to link it to people’s behavioural changes. However, there is a limit to the extent that individuals can change their behaviour and maintain their health through their own efforts. A social system is required to achieve behavioural changes with the support of the surrounding environment. This should be a platform service encompassing various stakeholders. In this study, we perform a system design on how to construct a behavioural change platform (BCPF) service to promote behavioural changes based on the support of the surroundings, and how to make it into a platform service. First, the system structure of the BCPF service is described using object process methodology to identify main objects, processes, and system boundaries. Second, customer value chain analysis is conducted to identify the primary value streams among service providers and users of the BCPF service as stakeholders. Finally, the number of BCPF service users over time is simulated using system dynamics. We find that the number of BCPF service users effectively increases by improving vital data which directly related to the reduction of the morbidity rate of target diseases and by conducting appropriate promotions that lead to the reputation of this service.
Professor-Course Affinity: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Standardize Faculty Staffing
Authors: Coronel Roberto , Trigos Federico , Juarez Tonatzin
Published: December 2024

High education institutions face significant challenges in hiring part-time faculty, a process that is often tedious and ineffective. Part-time professors struggle to find employment that aligns with their skills, experience, and preferences. This issue arises from the lack of national/international standards for profiling professors and courses, leading to ambiguity in matching faculty with appropriate courses. The importance of resolving this issue lies in its direct impact on the quality and efficiency of educational institutions. This research seeks to address the primary gap in the literature, which is the absence of an inter-institutional mechanism for the standardized profiling and matching of educators to courses in higher education. While there are governmental efforts to catalogue fields of knowledge, they rarely translate into practical, regulated applications within the educational sector. The contribution of this paper relies on developing a transdisciplinary profiling standard utilizing national and international methodologies, coupled with artificial intelligence, to create a profiling and coding algorithm. This approach is validated through quantitative analysis using actual data from a university system, including pre and post-implementation variations in key performance indicators. By standardizing and enhancing the match between educators’ skills and competencies versus course requirements, reducing costs, and increasing opportunities for educators, this research fosters a more efficient and socially responsive educational environment aligned with all stakeholders (faculty, students, accreditation bodies, and university managers, among others). It encapsulates the essence of engineering for societal advancement, improving the quality of education and creating a more dynamic and equitable academic landscape.
The Challenge of Ending Fuel Poverty: A Transition Engineering Research Sprint
Authors: Cherubini Paolo , Ahrens Florian , Andoni Merlinda , Couraud Benoit , Kilgour Jonathan , Kirli Desen , Iqbal Zafar , Norbu Sonam , Papathanasi Androniki , Webb Lynda , Krumdieck Susan
Published: December 2024

The pressure to accelerate just transitions to Net Zero is felt across all disciplines. Moreover, researchers face challenges of developing research aims directed at wicked problems that arise in engineering transitions. Engineering research groups in particular face the challenge of incumbency, following their vested disciplinary inquiries when the just transition challenges are transdisciplinary and require new perspectives. Recent research in transition engineering has developed a transdisciplinary process to navigate a solution space that includes long term sustainability goals, social good outcomes and viable technological enterprises. This paper reports the experience and results of the Transition Engineering Sprint process undertaken by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded Decarbonisation Pathways for Cooling and Heating (DISPATCH) project research group to reframe research questions around the just transition issue of fuel poverty. A Transition Engineering Sprint is a methodology using a series of whole-systems explorations which creates a new narrative around wicked problems and unveils a creative space exploring direct routes to transitions. The sprint team included PhD students and Post Docs in energy, power system and transition engineering, along with data and social scientists. The process resulted in uncovering a root cause for fuel poverty and generating exploratory concepts for research in a sandbox. The new concepts re-framed ongoing research activities in the group and opened novel transdisciplinary research agendas. The results of a critical self-reflection exercise show that the Transition Engineering Sprint proved effective and that it can be applied in similar trandisciplinary engineering research contexts.
Anthropometric data reduction using confirmatory factor analysis
Authors: Adeyemi  , Rohani Jafri Mohd. , Olusegun Akanbi Gabriel , Rani Mat Rebi Abdul
Published: December 2024

OBJECTIVE: The unavailability of anthropometric data especially in developing countries has remained a limiting factor towards the design of learning facilities with sufficient ergonomic consideration. Attempts to use anthropometric data from developed countries have led to provision of school facilities unfit for the users. The purpose of this paper is to use factor analysis to investigate the suitability of the collected anthropometric data as a database for school design in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

PARTICIPANTS: Anthropometric data were collected from 288 male students in a Federal Polytechnic in North-West of Nigeria. Their age is between 18–25 years.

METHODS: Nine vertical anthropometric dimensions related to heights were collected using the conventional traditional equipment. Exploratory factor analysis was used to categorize the variables into a model consisting of two factors. Thereafter, confirmatory factor analysis was used to investigate the fit of the data to the proposed model.

RESULTS: A just identified model, made of two factors, each with three variables was developed. The variables within the model accounted for 81% of the total variation of the entire data. The model was found to demonstrate adequate validity and reliability. Various measuring indices were used to verify that the model fits the data properly. The final model reveals that stature height and eye height sitting were the most stable variables for designs that have to do with standing and sitting construct.

CONCLUSION: The study has shown the application of factor analysis in anthropometric data analysis. The study highlighted the relevance of these statistical tools to investigate variability among anthropometric data involving diverse population, which has not been widely used for analyzing previous anthropometric data. The collected data is therefore suitable for use while designing for Nigerian students.
The model of human occupation: a return to work case study
Authors: Kathi Brenneman Baron  , Michael J. Littleton
Published: December 2024

This paper presents a case example which illustrates application of the model of human occupation along with the biomechanical model in the treatment of a patient with hand injury, which resulted in inability to work. The case illustrates application of the model of human occupation's concepts in assessing and treating the client. By combining the two models, a more holistic and effective approach to treatment was developed. Treatment resulted in a positive employment outcome.
Psychometric properties of the work environment impact scale: a	cross-cultural study
Authors: Gary Kielhofner  , Jin Shei Lai  , Linda Olson  , Lena Haglund  , Elin Ekbadh  , Malin Hedlund
Published: December 2024

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Work Environment Impact Scale in the United States and Sweden. Thirteen American and four Swedish occupational therapists used the scale (in English and Swedish respectively) to rate 21 (11 American and 10 Swedish) subjects. Results of a Rasch analysis of the data, indicate that the items work well together to measure the construct of work environment impact. The scale is also suitably matched to the clients in this study and effectively discriminated different levels of work environment impact. The findings also suggest that both language versions of the scale are equivalent and that the scale is culture-free.
Part II: the effect of long-term exposure to organic solvents on	senso-motor skills: a cross sectional study
Authors: Navah Z. Ratzon  , Estela Derazne  , Mario Sculsky
Published: December 2024

A heterogeneous population, with cultural and linguistic differences, could benefit from nonverbal assessment. This was the case with this research population, and in this constellation we felt that for continuity to cognitive evaluation of industrial painters we had to add at least two tests limited mainly to senso-motor aspects of human behavior. Moreover, this practical strategy decreased workers' tension regarding testing circumstances and yielded fewer possibilities for compensating an impaired function by use of other, unaffected ones. Reaction Time and Finger Tapping were the tests we chose because of their well-circumscribed elemental functional sensitivity to neurotoxic exposures. The research design was cross-sectional. Study population included 31 industrial painters who were exposed at work to organic solvents and 31 unexposed workers. Workers after long term exposure to organic solvents showed significantly higher response rate and decline in Finger Tapping scores in comparison to unexposed workers.

The results showed a significant negative correlation between exposure index and number of finger tapping with dominant hand, non dominant hand and altering with both hands indicating that the higher the exposure index was the lower the number of finger tapping. It was also found that the affect of age on Reaction Time and Finger Tapping of dominant hand was significant among workers after long term exposure to organic solvents, whereas for the unexposed workers those basic functions were unaffected.
Enhancing parental power and flexibility in the transition from	welfare to work
Authors: Susan Eberhard
Published: December 2024

Recent welfare reforms in the United States shifted the emphasis from income maintenance to preparation for employment. Many families receiving welfare benefits have members with disabilities, which can complicate the process of transition into the workforce. Rehabilitation professionals have a unique set of skills, expertise and experiences which could enhance work transition outcomes for welfare recipients. This purpose of this article is to (a) familiarize rehabilitation professionals with welfare reform changes in the United States, (b) summarize the experiences of families affected by those changes who participated in a recent study, and (c) present a service delivery model to enhance parental power and flexibility based on rehabilitation principles.
Assessment and collaboration: Key elements in comprehensive and	cohesive transition planning
Authors: Pamela Luft
Published: December 2024

The relatively recent study of adolescent transitions into adulthood has compiled little consensus on exemplary practices or theoretical models. Despite this, transition planning teams are mandated to develop plans that result in successful achievement of adult roles. This task is predicated upon choosing appropriate assessments, and assembling them into a comprehensive and cohesive transition profile through collaboration among transition team members. States have provided broad guidelines or frameworks but few offer detailed listings of domains to address in the planning process. This article addresses some of the major issues team members face and identifies strategies for their successful resolution.
Technology transfer concerns of college graduates with	disabilities: Profiles in transition from higher education to competitive	careers
Authors: Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr.  , Lynn C. Koch  , Patricia J. Murphy  , Anne Jannarone
Published: December 2024

The article describes the technology transfer concerns reported by a small sample ( $N=14$ ) of recent college graduates with disabilities. In structured, in-depth interviews, researchers asked respondents to reflect on the extent to which they had utilized technology resources during their college years in preparation for the world of work. Results suggest that colleges and universities need to play a more active role in introducing students with disabilities to both generalized and assistive technology services.
The major tasks of adolescence: Implications for transition	planning with youths with cerebral palsy
Authors: Lisa M. Marn  , Lynn C. Koch
Published: December 2024

Adolescents with cerebral palsy are presented with unique challenges as they make the transition to adulthood. There are a number of considerations that need to be addressed in a collaborative manner by rehabilitation professionals, educators, parents, and adolescents to facilitate the transition process. This article (a) explores the challenges that youths with cerebral palsy encounter as they attempt to accomplish the developmental tasks of adolescence and (b) discusses how those tasks can be integrated into transition planning. An overview of the medical aspects of cerebral palsy is also provided.
Transitions related to infection with human immunodeficiency virus	(HIV)
Authors: Christine A. Reid  , Stephen J. Leierer  , Michael J. Millington
Published: December 2024

Discovery of one's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or receiving a diagnosis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), sets in motion a variety of transitions for individuals. Transitions may be characterized by changes in identity or role, changes in physical capacity and functioning, changes in outlook, changes in relationships, changes in routine, etc. Workplaces also face transitions to deal with increasing numbers of workers who are infected with HIV. A model for vocational rehabilitation counselors to assist individuals living with HIV infection in adjusting to their transitions is presented, and resources for providing informational support of individuals and organizations are described.
The study of wrist postures of musicians using the WristSystem	(Greenleaf Medical System)
Authors: Eisuke Sugawara
Published: December 2024

This study examined wrist motions of instrumentalists who have never experienced a cumulative traumatic disorder. Eighteen student musicians ranging from 18 to 29 years of age, with more than 9 years of playing experience participated in this study using the WristSystem (Greenleaf Medical System). The wrist motions were measured while participants played their instrument for five minutes. The results indicated a different pattern of wrist movements for each instrumentalist. Pianists demonstrated more ulnar deviation for both hands and more flexion for the left hand than any of the other instrumentalists. The average wrist range of motion for all four movements was under 15 $^\circ$ for violinists and violists. The right hand of the cellist had more flexion than any other instrumentalists. For both hands, flutists had more wrist extension than any other instrumentalists. This study provided information about wrist motions of musicians as one of the many factors that contribute to cumulative traumatic disorders. However, further research is needed to identify causal factors, and to promote prevention of the injury.
Daily living abilities and work abilities of people with	Parkinson's disease
Authors: Emiko Kikuchi
Published: December 2024

A questionaire survey was conducted on 60 items of daily living abilities linked to 13 basic work abilities such as memory, learning, planning, muscular power and concentration etc. covering a total of 133 subjects with Parkinson's disease. Results of the survey were as follows: 1. Daily living abilities and work abilities decreased in accordance with Yahr's stages and the degree of daily living abilities. 2. Daily living abilities provided clues for aging and prognosis of the Parkinson's disease. 3. ``Cope well with heat and coldness'', ``Being confident in the strength of legs and loins'' and ``Keep balance in the train'' were difficult to do from the early stages of the onset. 4. Audio-visual ability, memory and judgement were well maintained despite the severity of the disease. 5. All subjects showed poor endurance, while learning, planning and manual dexterity showed higher performance in those under 59.
Inclusion and transition: Partners in progress or policy	paradox?
Authors: Bryan G. Cook  , Phillip D. Rumrill, Jr.
Published: December 2024

The article examines the compatibility of inclusion and transition, two of the most important reforms to affect the field of special education in recent years. The main premise is that the noble ideals associated with full inclusion have the potential to contravene the delivery of responsive and proven-effective career services for students with disabilities as they make the transition from public schools to the world of work. Additional emphasis is placed on casting inclusion and transition within the context of contemporary reforms in general education, most notably the quest for academic excellence and the related practice of high-stakes testing.