title: What to look for in energy efficiency policy

authors: Barton, Barry

subjects: energy efficiency policy

abstract: Some energy and climate change stories are easier to tell than others. Electric vehicles and renewable energy are easy to talk about as elements of an energy transition to a low-carbon future. Energy efficiency is harder, and that’s a paradox, because it offers some of the most rapid, permanent, and profitable ways to make progress in greening our way of life. So it is pleasing to hear that the government has started a policy refresh on the subject. Here’s a list of the features we should look for in good energy efficiency policy.

text: What to look for in energy efficiency policy Some energy and climate change stories are easier to tell than others. Electric vehicles and renewable energy are easy to talk about as elements of an energy transition to a low-carbon future. Energy efficiency is harder, and that’s a paradox, because it offers some of the most rapid, permanent, and profitable ways to make progress in greening our way of life. So it is pleasing to hear that the government has started a policy refresh on the subject. Here’s a list of the features we should look for in good energy efficiency policy.

year: 2016

title: Incorporating contact area in soft finger grasp models

authors: Fernandez-Ritchie, Tara

subjects: Grasp

abstract: The ability to grasp is a significant function of many robotic hands, whether it be for fruit-picking or manufacturing tasks. Two major theories often used in conjunction to model grasping are Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s friction law. Both theories model the contact between the fingers and the object in grasp as at a point. This runs true when the fingers and the object in grasp are made of hard materials. However, when the fingers or the object are soft, they deform around each other and result in a contact area between the objects rather than a contact point. This contact area means that soft-fingered grasps can apply an additional moment to balance any external moments, of which hard fingers cannot. To account for this, the soft-fingered grasp is often modelled as a point contact with a moment about the normal direction. However, in scenarios where there is no external moment both soft and hard fingers would exert a moment of 0 Nm and their grasps are modelled identically using Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s law. Since soft-fingered grasping has been used extensively due to its superiority to hard-fingered grasping it does give rise to the question of whether the soft fingered grasp should be modelled identically to the hard fingered grasp in this case.  

This research expands the current grasp models to better showcase the differences between soft and hard finger grasps. The approach taken to achieve this was to incorporate the contact area of soft fingered grasping into the contact model so as to highlight the differences between soft and hard fingers when grasping an object. The research utilised this expansion in the contact model employing Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s friction law. Nguyen’s theorem is a condition that must be met for a grasp to be in force closure, while Coulomb’s friction model limits the forces that can be applied by a finger onto an object to being within a friction cone at a point for no slipping to occur. Both Nguyen’s and Coulomb’s theories model the friction cone of the soft finger at the centre-point of the area of contact. A set-of-cones theory was proposed, where the area of contact is comprised of many friction cones corresponding to the points that make up the contact area instead of a single friction cone. 

An experiment was devised for a two-fingered symmetrical grasp of a cylinder, where the maximum angle of contact above the horizontal before slipping was investigated. The set-of-cones approach was made into a resultant friction cone model. The resultant cone model and the original centre-point cone model were used to predict the forces due to Coulomb’s theory at the maximum angle of contact. The predictions were compared to the data obtained from the experiment. It was found that the resultant cone contact model predicted the normal force applied at the maximum angle before slipping more accurately than the centre-point contact model for both soft finger materials being investigated in this research. 

When the resultant cone model was translated for use in the prediction of a force closure grasp by using Nguyen’s theorem, the range of positions where the object was grasped in force closure increased as compared to when using the centre-point contact model. If further verified, the resultant cone model would be used for soft fingers while the centre-point model would be used for hard fingers. This extends the modelling of soft finger contact so as to illustrate the differences in the stability of a grasp between hard and soft finger contact.

text: Incorporating contact area in soft finger grasp models The ability to grasp is a significant function of many robotic hands, whether it be for fruit-picking or manufacturing tasks. Two major theories often used in conjunction to model grasping are Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s friction law. Both theories model the contact between the fingers and the object in grasp as at a point. This runs true when the fingers and the object in grasp are made of hard materials. However, when the fingers or the object are soft, they deform around each other and result in a contact area between the objects rather than a contact point. This contact area means that soft-fingered grasps can apply an additional moment to balance any external moments, of which hard fingers cannot. To account for this, the soft-fingered grasp is often modelled as a point contact with a moment about the normal direction. However, in scenarios where there is no external moment both soft and hard fingers would exert a moment of 0 Nm and their grasps are modelled identically using Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s law. Since soft-fingered grasping has been used extensively due to its superiority to hard-fingered grasping it does give rise to the question of whether the soft fingered grasp should be modelled identically to the hard fingered grasp in this case.  

This research expands the current grasp models to better showcase the differences between soft and hard finger grasps. The approach taken to achieve this was to incorporate the contact area of soft fingered grasping into the contact model so as to highlight the differences between soft and hard fingers when grasping an object. The research utilised this expansion in the contact model employing Nguyen’s theorem and Coulomb’s friction law. Nguyen’s theorem is a condition that must be met for a grasp to be in force closure, while Coulomb’s friction model limits the forces that can be applied by a finger onto an object to being within a friction cone at a point for no slipping to occur. Both Nguyen’s and Coulomb’s theories model the friction cone of the soft finger at the centre-point of the area of contact. A set-of-cones theory was proposed, where the area of contact is comprised of many friction cones corresponding to the points that make up the contact area instead of a single friction cone. 

An experiment was devised for a two-fingered symmetrical grasp of a cylinder, where the maximum angle of contact above the horizontal before slipping was investigated. The set-of-cones approach was made into a resultant friction cone model. The resultant cone model and the original centre-point cone model were used to predict the forces due to Coulomb’s theory at the maximum angle of contact. The predictions were compared to the data obtained from the experiment. It was found that the resultant cone contact model predicted the normal force applied at the maximum angle before slipping more accurately than the centre-point contact model for both soft finger materials being investigated in this research. 

When the resultant cone model was translated for use in the prediction of a force closure grasp by using Nguyen’s theorem, the range of positions where the object was grasped in force closure increased as compared to when using the centre-point contact model. If further verified, the resultant cone model would be used for soft fingers while the centre-point model would be used for hard fingers. This extends the modelling of soft finger contact so as to illustrate the differences in the stability of a grasp between hard and soft finger contact.

year: 2021

title: A community psychology-based evaluation of the you good? You Good! program delivered by Jade speaks up educational trust in Aotearoa. Empowering tamariki emotional literacy, supporting mental health and encouraging well-being.

authors: Webbon, Abigail

abstract: This evaluation was completed for Jade Speaks Up (JSU) Educational Trust to provide feedback from school teachers and whānau who were involved in the You Good? You Good! (YG?YG!) program, delivered by JSU Educational Trust to schools across Aotearoa. The evaluation goal was to collate the narratives of participating school staff, whānau, and JSU Educational Trust trainers, contrasting experiences and perspectives to determine program effectiveness.
This program is for schools, management, and teachers who work with tamariki, to help teachers and students understand anxiety and develop skills and strategies to have self-agency. JSU Educational Trust developed YG?YG! in 2021, and in 2022 the YG?YG! pilot program was implemented.
This evaluation had three research objectives: 1) Identify and collate the experiences of school staff and other key stakeholders when implementing the YG?YG!, 2) Identify the strengths and barriers to inclusion for tamariki in schools where the program was delivered, and 3) Draw on the stakeholder narratives to assess the program's ability to achieve its goal: enable tamariki to be more agentic in responding to early signs of anxiety in themselves and others.
Information for this evaluation was collected from four sources: 1) Focus groups with JSU trainers, 2) Interviews with school staff, 3) Online surveys with school staff, 4) Archival supervision, and 5) Literature review. Data collected was interpreted through the use of thematic analysis, informed by Community Psychology principles, and the “Six C” framework, guided by He Awa Whiria.
Thematic analysis was completed by coding themes and categories from data sources. The findings from this empirical research engagement informed the analysis and discussion on program effectiveness. 
The findings and analysis found that forming a program design and approach informed with respect for the community’s needs and world-views can enable recognition, awareness and inclusion. A way for the program to begin to do so is to collaborate with communities.
Including researchers from a local community can enable empowerment, build social power, and create responses that promote the needs of the involved communities. The program can champion the field and those they work with by being accountable and enabling transparency.
The program can take an inclusive approach to sustaining its relationships, content relevance, and development for tamariki emotional well-being. The program can work on cultivating and empowering participants to be active partners, enabling the program to be shaped with equity in mind.
Key to program efficacy is acknowledging change and encompassing adaptation. The way to do this is to consider local health issues driven by who experience them, elevating the voice of the community.
Change and need cannot be determined without considering the voice of involved communities. By taking participants feedback, the program can create change for tamariki mental health, whilst acknowledging system and structural barriers, striving for community competence.
Importance lies within the work the program does to enable and support those affected by external factors. The program can acknowledge these challenges, and provide hope that community competence can be achieved.
To conclude, recommendations are presented for JSU Educational Trust to consider.

text: A community psychology-based evaluation of the you good? You Good! program delivered by Jade speaks up educational trust in Aotearoa. Empowering tamariki emotional literacy, supporting mental health and encouraging well-being. This evaluation was completed for Jade Speaks Up (JSU) Educational Trust to provide feedback from school teachers and whānau who were involved in the You Good? You Good! (YG?YG!) program, delivered by JSU Educational Trust to schools across Aotearoa. The evaluation goal was to collate the narratives of participating school staff, whānau, and JSU Educational Trust trainers, contrasting experiences and perspectives to determine program effectiveness.
This program is for schools, management, and teachers who work with tamariki, to help teachers and students understand anxiety and develop skills and strategies to have self-agency. JSU Educational Trust developed YG?YG! in 2021, and in 2022 the YG?YG! pilot program was implemented.
This evaluation had three research objectives: 1) Identify and collate the experiences of school staff and other key stakeholders when implementing the YG?YG!, 2) Identify the strengths and barriers to inclusion for tamariki in schools where the program was delivered, and 3) Draw on the stakeholder narratives to assess the program's ability to achieve its goal: enable tamariki to be more agentic in responding to early signs of anxiety in themselves and others.
Information for this evaluation was collected from four sources: 1) Focus groups with JSU trainers, 2) Interviews with school staff, 3) Online surveys with school staff, 4) Archival supervision, and 5) Literature review. Data collected was interpreted through the use of thematic analysis, informed by Community Psychology principles, and the “Six C” framework, guided by He Awa Whiria.
Thematic analysis was completed by coding themes and categories from data sources. The findings from this empirical research engagement informed the analysis and discussion on program effectiveness. 
The findings and analysis found that forming a program design and approach informed with respect for the community’s needs and world-views can enable recognition, awareness and inclusion. A way for the program to begin to do so is to collaborate with communities.
Including researchers from a local community can enable empowerment, build social power, and create responses that promote the needs of the involved communities. The program can champion the field and those they work with by being accountable and enabling transparency.
The program can take an inclusive approach to sustaining its relationships, content relevance, and development for tamariki emotional well-being. The program can work on cultivating and empowering participants to be active partners, enabling the program to be shaped with equity in mind.
Key to program efficacy is acknowledging change and encompassing adaptation. The way to do this is to consider local health issues driven by who experience them, elevating the voice of the community.
Change and need cannot be determined without considering the voice of involved communities. By taking participants feedback, the program can create change for tamariki mental health, whilst acknowledging system and structural barriers, striving for community competence.
Importance lies within the work the program does to enable and support those affected by external factors. The program can acknowledge these challenges, and provide hope that community competence can be achieved.
To conclude, recommendations are presented for JSU Educational Trust to consider.

year: 2024-11-14