title: An investigation of wearable and IoT technology for health applications: a user centered approach

authors: Shi, Yigang

abstract: The convergence of wearable technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened new possibilities for health monitoring and older adults care. However, existing systems remain fragmented, often lack interoperability, and tend to overlook the unique usability needs of older adults. This research investigates how a user-centered approach can inform the design and development of a Unified Wearable Device Framework (UWDF) to enhance integration, accessibility, and data visualization across heterogeneous IoT devices. Drawing on qualitative research involving older adults, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and technical personnel, the study identifies key design requirements and develops a working prototype of the UWDF platform. The framework emphasizes simplicity, modularity, and human-centered computing (HCC) principles. Usability testing demonstrates that the platform improves ease of interaction, supports personalized health monitoring, and facilitates caregiver engagement. The research contributes both a practical solution for managing diverse wearable health devices and a methodological reference for designing inclusive healthcare technologies that support aging-in-place.

text: An investigation of wearable and IoT technology for health applications: a user centered approach The convergence of wearable technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened new possibilities for health monitoring and older adults care. However, existing systems remain fragmented, often lack interoperability, and tend to overlook the unique usability needs of older adults. This research investigates how a user-centered approach can inform the design and development of a Unified Wearable Device Framework (UWDF) to enhance integration, accessibility, and data visualization across heterogeneous IoT devices. Drawing on qualitative research involving older adults, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and technical personnel, the study identifies key design requirements and develops a working prototype of the UWDF platform. The framework emphasizes simplicity, modularity, and human-centered computing (HCC) principles. Usability testing demonstrates that the platform improves ease of interaction, supports personalized health monitoring, and facilitates caregiver engagement. The research contributes both a practical solution for managing diverse wearable health devices and a methodological reference for designing inclusive healthcare technologies that support aging-in-place.

year: 2025-08-12

title: A community-based framework for aquatic ecosystem models

authors: Trolle, Dennis

subjects: Ecological modelling

abstract: Here, we communicate a point of departure in the development of aquatic ecosystem models, namely a new community-based framework, which supports an enhanced and transparent union between the collective expertise that exists in the communities of traditional ecologists and model developers. Through a literature survey, we document the growing importance of numerical aquatic ecosystem models while also noting the difficulties, up until now, of the aquatic scientific community to make significant advances in these models during the past two decades. Through a common forum for aquatic ecosystem modellers we aim to (i) advance collaboration within the aquatic ecosystem modelling community, (ii) enable increased use of models for research, policy and ecosystem-based management, (iii) facilitate a collective framework using common (standardised) code to ensure that model development is incremental, (iv) increase the transparency of model structure, assumptions and techniques, (v) achieve a greater understanding of aquatic ecosystem functioning, (vi) increase the reliability of predictions by aquatic ecosystem models, (vii) stimulate model inter-comparisons including differing model approaches, and (viii) avoid ‘re-inventing the wheel’, thus accelerating improvements to aquatic ecosystem models. We intend to achieve this as a community that fosters interactions amongst ecologists and model developers. Further, we outline scientific topics recently articulated by the scientific community, which lend themselves well to being addressed by integrative modelling approaches and serve to motivate the progress and implementation of an open source model framework.

text: A community-based framework for aquatic ecosystem models Here, we communicate a point of departure in the development of aquatic ecosystem models, namely a new community-based framework, which supports an enhanced and transparent union between the collective expertise that exists in the communities of traditional ecologists and model developers. Through a literature survey, we document the growing importance of numerical aquatic ecosystem models while also noting the difficulties, up until now, of the aquatic scientific community to make significant advances in these models during the past two decades. Through a common forum for aquatic ecosystem modellers we aim to (i) advance collaboration within the aquatic ecosystem modelling community, (ii) enable increased use of models for research, policy and ecosystem-based management, (iii) facilitate a collective framework using common (standardised) code to ensure that model development is incremental, (iv) increase the transparency of model structure, assumptions and techniques, (v) achieve a greater understanding of aquatic ecosystem functioning, (vi) increase the reliability of predictions by aquatic ecosystem models, (vii) stimulate model inter-comparisons including differing model approaches, and (viii) avoid ‘re-inventing the wheel’, thus accelerating improvements to aquatic ecosystem models. We intend to achieve this as a community that fosters interactions amongst ecologists and model developers. Further, we outline scientific topics recently articulated by the scientific community, which lend themselves well to being addressed by integrative modelling approaches and serve to motivate the progress and implementation of an open source model framework.

year: 2011

title: The Māori female - her body, spirituality, sacredness and mana : a space within spaces

authors: August, Wikitoria

subjects: Body image in women

abstract: This thesis is an exploration of bodily rituals, practices and cultural spaces of the female Māori body. Critical social theories and Kaupapa Māori research paradigms are combined to disrupt and challenge hegemonic Western knowledges. Qualitative methods - interviews, focus groups and autobiographical experience - are used to understand bodily practices that pertain to being Māori and female. There are three points to my discussion. I argue first, that the embodied relationship between Māori women and urupā and food gathering spaces rests on notions of Papatūānuku and female reproduction. During menstruation or pregnancy most women are restricted from urupā. Many participants, however, view this tikanga positively and describe it as making them feel special. Second, I examine the ways in which Māori female bodies are colonised and positioned between Western patriarchal and traditional ways of being. Due to various reasons surrounding colonisation, there are gaps in younger generations' Māori knowledge and this has led to tensions about which space to occupy. Finally, I discuss mana and conclude by asserting that the Māori female body has not lost individual mana, despite the efforts of colonisation to take mana away from Māori women. Throughout this research I offer cultural perspectives in order to prompt new ways of thinking about the Māori female body. 

The views expressed in this thesis are not the views of all Māori. Practices, tikanga and knowledges vary between different iwi, hapū and rohe.

text: The Māori female - her body, spirituality, sacredness and mana : a space within spaces This thesis is an exploration of bodily rituals, practices and cultural spaces of the female Māori body. Critical social theories and Kaupapa Māori research paradigms are combined to disrupt and challenge hegemonic Western knowledges. Qualitative methods - interviews, focus groups and autobiographical experience - are used to understand bodily practices that pertain to being Māori and female. There are three points to my discussion. I argue first, that the embodied relationship between Māori women and urupā and food gathering spaces rests on notions of Papatūānuku and female reproduction. During menstruation or pregnancy most women are restricted from urupā. Many participants, however, view this tikanga positively and describe it as making them feel special. Second, I examine the ways in which Māori female bodies are colonised and positioned between Western patriarchal and traditional ways of being. Due to various reasons surrounding colonisation, there are gaps in younger generations' Māori knowledge and this has led to tensions about which space to occupy. Finally, I discuss mana and conclude by asserting that the Māori female body has not lost individual mana, despite the efforts of colonisation to take mana away from Māori women. Throughout this research I offer cultural perspectives in order to prompt new ways of thinking about the Māori female body. 

The views expressed in this thesis are not the views of all Māori. Practices, tikanga and knowledges vary between different iwi, hapū and rohe.

year: 2004