scholarly journals Designing Socially Assistive Robots for People With Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 401-401
Author(s):  
Kimberly Mitchell ◽  
Xiaopeng Zhao ◽  
Jinxiao Yu ◽  
Luke MacDougall
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Social Robot ◽  
Raspberry Pi ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unpaid Care ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Levels Of Care ◽  
Long Duration

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is associated with memory loss and cognitive impairments that affect daily life. Approximately 5.8 million older adults in the U.S. are living with AD. People with AD often require high levels of care and assistance to maintain daily activities. The majority of care provided to a person living with AD or other forms of dementia is from a family caregiver, representing 18.6 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $244 billion. The long duration, time-intensive nature of caregiving imposes high burdens on caregivers. We designed a socially assistive robot to engage in conversation with people with AD, by engaging in conversation, helping them conduct simple daily tasks, and relieving caregivers of some of their responsibilities. Using design-thinking methodology, a prototype social robot has been created using 3-d printing technology and a single board computer based on raspberry Pi. Interaction between human and robot is implemented using the Mycroft open source voice assistant. The authors demonstrated that the robot is able to have natural conversations with human users. The overall cost of the robot is estimated to be less than $300, rendering it possible for wide distribution among the public. Future research includes further implementation of various cognitive assessment and cognitive training programs using the social robot to improve the quality of life for people living with AD.

A “crescendo” model: designing food experiences for psychological well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Zarantonello ◽  
Silvia Grappi ◽  
Marcello Formisano ◽  
Bernd H. Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Life Satisfaction ◽  
Consumer Experiences ◽  
Mind Set ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to advance the design-thinking approach in food from an engineering mind-set toward a positive psychology perspective by investigating how consumer experiences evoked by food-related activities can facilitate, stimulate and enhance individuals’ happiness and perceptions of life satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A diary field experiment was conducted. Participants from a major European city were asked to reflect on their food-related activities, provide descriptions and answer questions on experiential stimulation derived from these activities in relation to happiness and perceived life satisfaction. Findings Food-related activities generally result in positive consumer experiences and psychological well-being. Experiential stimulation resulting from food activities is positively related to perceived life satisfaction directly and indirectly via pleasure and meaning. Although the authors found an overall positive relationship between these constructs, they also found differences based on the experience type considered. A “crescendo model” of experiences that details how experiences lead to happiness and perceived life satisfaction is presented. Research limitations/implications This study is largely exploratory. Future research should adopt an experimental approach and further test the relationship between experiential stimulation, happiness and perceived life satisfaction in the context of food. Practical implications The paper offers innovation teams in food companies a practical “crescendo model” that can be used to design product–consumer interactions. Originality/value The research bridges literatures on design thinking, psychological well-being and consumer experiences. By studying the relationship between experiences, happiness and perceived life satisfaction in the context of food, the findings contribute to research on food well-being by expanding the notion of happiness seen only as pleasure. The research also contributes to work on design thinking by offering an experiential framework that contributes to the notion of consumer empathy.

scholarly journals Communicating through music: creating accessible songs for Individuals with memory loss

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hallie Anthony
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Human Communication ◽  
Information Retention ◽  
Scholarly Literature ◽  
Musical Compositions ◽  
Original Musical ◽  
With Memory

This Major Research Paper (MRP) is a research-­creation project that explores the role, impact and influence of music n human communication. More specifically, this MRP investigates the way that music can assist in cognitive comprehension and information retention in individuals with varied forms of memory loss and considers the ways that music can be used to assist in aiding verbal memory and communicating emotion. It also offers insight on methods that could be utilized to further study this area of research. As a research-­creation project, this MRP includes three original musical compositions (Composition A1, Composition B2, and Composition C3) that were developed in response to the scholarly literature on this topic. The three musical compositions that have been produced for this project aim to communicate emotion, create aesthetic satisfaction, and aid in reinforcing the production of memories based on the information presented in the compositions. The composition creation process was informed by information gathered throughout the research process that addresses topics such as: the influence of music on individual listeners, emotion in music, and musical techniques that can be used to successfully communicate ideas. Beyond the scope of this MRP/research-­creation project, these compositions aim to serve as a basis for testing cognitive function in individuals with varied forms of memory loss. Detailed discussion of the design of the musical compositions, including information related to the composition influences, and a breakdown of each composition are included alongside the MRP’s focus on scholarly literature and research. Furthermore, the potential implications of these compositions, including the ways they could assist in future research, is discussed.

The application of human-centered design approaches in health research and innovation: a systematic review of current practices. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Göttgens ◽  
Sabine Oertelt-Prigione
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Human Centered Design ◽  
Health Innovations

BACKGROUND Design-based approaches to healthcare strive to support the development of innovative, effective and person-centered solutions for healthcare. Although their use is increasing, there is no systematic overview describing the details of human centered design (HCD) methods in health innovations. OBJECTIVE This study aims to provide an overview of human centered design approaches applied for the development of health innovations, with the aim of assisting healthcare workers and design researchers in selecting suitable methods for participatory and human centered design processes. METHODS We performed electronic searches in Pubmed, CINHAL, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Sociological Abstracts (2000 – 2020) using search terms related to “human-centered design”, “design thinking”(DT) and “user-centered design”(UCD). Abstracts and full-text articles were screened by two reviewers independently based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data extraction focussed on (a) the methodology employed throughout the research process, (b) the choice of methods in different phases of the innovation cycle and (c) the level of engagement of end-users. RESULTS A wide variation of design-based practices are increasingly applied in health research. Design-based approaches are applied in health research in combination with traditional qualitative and quantitative approaches. All included studies structured the innovation process using a variation of the following phases: understand – define – generate ideas – test. HCD/DT-based research primarily targeted understanding the context and defining the problem whereas UCD-based work focused mainly on the direct generation of solutions. CONCLUSIONS Design-based researchers should tailor their choice of design methods according to their primary focus; problem identification or solution development. Design techniques are challenging to evaluate with traditional biomedical research methods, limiting the opportunity for standardized assessment. Future research on HCD practices should focus on the development of specific standards, transdisciplinary evaluation methods, and guidelines for stakeholder engagement.

The Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

2016 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Yanna Ren ◽  
Weiping Yang ◽  
Xiaoyu Tang ◽  
Fengxia Wu ◽  
Satoshi Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Cerebral Atrophy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Genetic Examination ◽  
Imaging Detection

Alzheimer's disease, a common form of dementia, is a type of neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 30% of the population older than 85. Clinically, it is characterized as memory loss and cognitive decline. Pathologically, its symptoms include cerebral atrophy, amyloid plaques and NFTs. Generally, the life expectancy is no more than nine years after the definite diagnosis, and life expectancy exceeds 14 years in only 3% of patients. Presently, there is no effective treatment to stop the process; the only measures we can take are to ease or improve symptoms temporarily. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnosis the disease in the early stage, such as through imaging detection via CT, MRI, PET and MSR, or prediction before the disease (genetic examination). However, literature data have supported the notion that Alzheimer's disease patients show cognitive reserve abilities to some degree. In the future, research perspectives may focus on the cognitive training paradigms in compensatory and restorative strategies.

The Design and Implementation of Net English Teaching System Based on WEB Technology

2014 ◽  
Vol 687-691 ◽  
pp. 1852-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Ping Gong
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Resources ◽  
Web Based ◽  
College English ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Regulated Learning ◽  
Evaluation Platform

In this paper, the author first analyze the current situation of the present domestic Web-based college English learning platform, analyze and summarize the problems exists, and propose research objectives of this subject. Then, to explore the guidance of theory that design and develop a web-based college English self-regulated learning platform required for; On this basis, according to relevant learning theories and principles of design and development in light of the characteristics of college English and the actual needs, put forward the overall design thinking of developing a web-based College English self-regulated learning platform, constructed the whole platform, design the function and the database detailed, and to carry out specific development. The platform provides students with learning tools, learning resources, exchange platform, test and evaluation platform; can evaluate the learning action, learning processes and learning outcomes of students, students can understand their own learning from the evaluation platform, and then adjust their own learning to obtain high quality and efficiency of learning. Teachers can also use the course release module to enrich the learning resources and realize to share labor of a number of teachers. In order to test the real application of this platform, tested this platform in practice teaching to analyze self-learning process of the students, and an analysis of the data collated. Finally, sum up the characteristics of the platform, as well as inadequacies, and in the basis, outlook the future research direction and focus for future research.

Concept Diagramming Software for Engineering Design Support: A Review and Synthesis of Studies

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan L. Eng ◽  
Rob H. Bracewell ◽  
P. John Clarkson
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
University Of Cambridge ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Software Interfaces ◽  
The University

Engineering design thinking combines concepts from heterogeneous sources like personal experience, colleagues, digital and hardcopy media. Despite this challenge, modes of thinking across levels of abstraction through multi-dimensional (spatial) representations are widely neglected in digital support systems. This paper aims to summarize lessons learned through years of experience with software tools that augment this visio-spatial conceptual thinking. This work cuts across disciplines to provide a needed, coherent starting point for other researchers to examine complex outstanding issues on a class of promising support tools which have yet to gain widespread popularity. Three studies are used to provide specific examples across design phases, from conceptual design to embodiment. Each study also focuses on an exemplar of diagrammatic software: the University of Cambridge Design Rationale editor (DRed), the Institute for Human Machine Cognition’s (IHMC) CmapTools and the Open University’s Compendium hypermedia tool. This synthesis reiterates how hypermedia diagrams provide many unique, valuable functions while indicating important practical boundaries and limitations. Future research proposed includes: a need to build more diagrammatic literacy into engineering practice, the need for more detailed studies with experts in industry and specific directions for refining the hypermedia diagram software interfaces.

scholarly journals Sunspot observations by Hisako Koyama: 1945–1996

2019 ◽  
Vol 492 (3) ◽  
pp. 4513-4527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisashi Hayakawa ◽  
Frédéric Clette ◽  
Toshihiro Horaguchi ◽  
Tomoya Iju ◽  
Delores J Knipp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sunspot Number ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Number Series ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Baseline Shift ◽  
Group Sunspot Number ◽  
Primary Reference ◽  
Comprehensive Recovery

ABSTRACT Sunspot records are the only observational tracer of solar activity that provides a fundamental, multicentury reference. Its homogeneity has been largely maintained with a succession of long-duration visual observers. In this article, we examine observations of one of the primary reference sunspot observers, Hisako Koyama. By consulting original archives of the National Museum of Nature and Science of Japan (hereafter, NMNS), we retrace the main steps of her solar-observing career, from 1945 to 1996. We also present the reconstruction of a full digital data base of her sunspot observations at the NMNS, with her original drawings and logbooks. Here, we extend the availability of her observational data from 1947–1984 to 1945–1996. Comparisons with the international sunspot number (Version 2) and with the group sunspot number series show a good global stability of Koyama's observations, with only temporary fluctuations over the main interval 1947–1982. Identifying drawings made by alternate observers throughout the series, we find that a single downward baseline shift in the record coincides with the partial contribution of replacement observers mostly after 1983. We determine the correction factor to bring the second part (1983–1996) to the same scale with Koyama's main interval (1947–1982). We find a downward jump by 9 per cent after 1983, which then remains stable until 1995. Overall, the high quality of Koyama's observations with her life-long dedication leaves a lasting legacy of this exceptional personal achievement. With this comprehensive recovery, we now make the totality of this legacy directly accessible and exploitable for future research.

Perceived benefits for informal caregivers after an 8-week yoga intervention for people with Parkinson’s disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Alysha A. Walter, MS, CTRS ◽  
Marieke Van Puymbroeck, PhD, CTRS, FDRT ◽  
Brent L. Hawkins, PhD, LRT/CTRS ◽  
Kathleen Woschkolup, MD ◽  
Enrique Urrea-Mendoza, MD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Data ◽  
Yoga Intervention ◽  
Unpaid Care ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Positive Aspects Of Caregiving

An informal caregiver (ICG) is a family member and/or friend who provides unpaid care to an individual with a disability or chronic disease. ICGs often put their healthcare second while caring for their loved ones; and this may lead to negative impacts on their well-being. ICGs attended an 8-week therapeutic yoga intervention for their care recipients with Parkinson’s disease. ICGs who participated in the yoga classes were assessed utilizing a retrospective pretest and traditional post-test to determine the presence of depressive symptoms and positive aspects of caregiving. Although the sample size was small, data revealed improvements in depressive symptoms and positive aspects of caregiving. Focus group and individual interview data revealed five qualitative categories: yoga engagement, relationship improvement, psychological improvements, functional improvements, and community engagement. Future research should expand participation of ICGs in yoga trials to determine the extent of changes in psychosocial well-being.

scholarly journals A Review of the Internal and External Physiological Demands Associated With Batting in Cricket

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 987-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron T. Scanlan ◽  
Daniel M. Berkelmans ◽  
William M. Vickery ◽  
Crystal O. Kean
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Game Play ◽  
Strength And Conditioning ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Physiological Demands ◽  
Recovery Protocols

Cricket is a popular international team sport with various game formats ranging from long-duration multiday tests to short-duration Twenty20 game play. The role of batsmen is critical to all game formats, with differing physiological demands imposed during each format. Investigation of the physiological demands imposed during cricket batting has historically been neglected, with much of the research focusing on bowling responses and batting technique. A greater understanding of the physiological demands of the batting role in cricket is required to assist strength and conditioning professionals and coaches with the design of training plans, recovery protocols, and player-management strategies. This brief review provides an updated synthesis of the literature examining the internal (eg, metabolic demands and heart rate) and external (eg, activity work rates) physiological responses to batting in the various game formats, as well as simulated play and small-sided-games training. Although few studies have been done in this area, the summary of data provides important insight regarding physiological responses to batting and highlights that more research on this topic is required. Future research is recommended to combine internal and external measures during actual game play, as well as comparing different game formats and playing levels. In addition, understanding the relationship between batting technique and physiological responses is warranted to gain a more holistic understanding of batting in cricket, as well as to develop appropriate coaching and training strategies.

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