Design Of Aids Research Articles

Toward a science of delivering aid with dignity: Experimental evidence and local forecasts from Kenya

How can governments and nonprofits design aid programs that afford dignity and facilitate beneficial outcomes for recipients? We conceptualize dignity as a state that manifests when the stigma associated with receiving aid is countered and recipients are empowered, both in culturally resonant ways. Yet materials from the largest cash transfer programs in Africa predominantly characterize recipients as needy and vulnerable. Three studies examined the causal effects of alternative aid narratives on cash transfer recipients and donors. In study 1, residents of low-income settlements in Nairobi, Kenya (N = 565) received cash-based aid accompanied by a randomly assigned narrative: the default deficit-focused "Poverty Alleviation" narrative, an "Individual Empowerment" narrative, or a "Community Empowerment" narrative. They then chose whether to spend time building business skills or watching leisure videos. Both empowerment narratives improved self-efficacy and anticipated social mobility, but only the "Community Empowerment" narrative significantly motivated recipients' choice to build skills and reduced stigma. Given the diverse settings in which aid is delivered, how can organizations quickly identify effective narratives in a context? We asked recipients to predict which narrative would best motivate skill-building in their community. In study 2, this "local forecasting" methodology outperformed participant evaluations and experimental pilots in accurately ranking treatments. Finally, study 3 confirmed that the narrative most effective for recipients did not undermine donors' willingness to contribute to the program. Together these studies show that responding to recipients' psychological and sociocultural realities in the design of aid can afford recipients dignity and help realize aid's potential.

Different Designs of Feeding Aids for Cleft Palatal Defects

Different Designs of Feeding Aids for Cleft Palatal Defects

A Comparative Study in Real-Time Scene Sonification for Visually Impaired People.

In recent years, with the development of depth cameras and scene detection algorithms, a wide variety of electronic travel aids for visually impaired people have been proposed. However, it is still challenging to convey scene information to visually impaired people efficiently. In this paper, we propose three different auditory-based interaction methods, i.e., depth image sonification, obstacle sonification as well as path sonification, which convey raw depth images, obstacle information and path information respectively to visually impaired people. Three sonification methods are compared comprehensively through a field experiment attended by twelve visually impaired participants. The results show that the sonification of high-level scene information, such as the direction of pathway, is easier to learn and adapt, and is more suitable for point-to-point navigation. In contrast, through the sonification of low-level scene information, such as raw depth images, visually impaired people can understand the surrounding environment more comprehensively. Furthermore, there is no interaction method that is best suited for all participants in the experiment, and visually impaired individuals need a period of time to find the most suitable interaction method. Our findings highlight the features and the differences of three scene detection algorithms and the corresponding sonification methods. The results provide insights into the design of electronic travel aids, and the conclusions can also be applied in other fields, such as the sound feedback of virtual reality applications.

Structural design and motion simulation of walking aid

The advantages and disadvantages of existing walking aids on the market are analyzed and improved. The overall structure is designed and analyzed, and the length of each segment is considered comprehensively from the perspective of adapting to human body. The 3D model was established in SOLIDWORKS, and the motion simulation analysis was conducted in ADAMS to obtain the speed, step distance and other parameters during the movement. The results were compared and analyzed with the applicable human motion parameters to verify its feasibility.

A Content Analysis on Interface Design Principles and Characteristics of Tertiary Teaching Aids

The digital multimedia technology has transformed the tertiary education environment, changing lecturers’ role who are required to develop multimedia teaching aids to sustain effective teaching and learning engagement. As interface designers, it is vital to produce good design, which effectively communicates the teaching and learning content. This paper provides an empirical evaluation on what are the interface design principles characteristics contributing to multimedia teaching aid design appearance, outlined from analysis towards interface design principles applied in Malaysian tertiary institutions’ multimedia teaching aids. Although the sample of this study is locally based, the outcomes of this paper could extensively be a guideline for other countries. Keywords: Interface design; interface design principles; tertiary education. eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.2312

A Fundamental Cognitive Taxonomy for Cognition Aids.

This study aimed to organize the literature on cognitive aids to allow comparison of findings across studies and link the applied work of aid development to psychological constructs and theories of cognition. Numerous taxonomies have been developed, all of which label cognitive aids via their surface characteristics. This complicates integration of the literature, as a type of aid, such as a checklist, can provide many different forms of support (cf. prospective memory for steps and decision support for alternative diagnoses). In this synthesis of the literature, we address the disparate findings and organize them at their most basic level: Which cognitive processes does the aid need to support? Which processes do they support? Such processes include attention, perception, decision making, memory, and declarative knowledge. Cognitive aids can be classified into the processes they support. Some studies focused on how an aid supports the cognitive processes demanded by the task (aid function). Other studies focused on supporting the processes needed to utilize the aid (aid usability). Classifying cognitive aids according to the processes they support allows comparison across studies in the literature and a formalized way of planning the design of new cognitive aids. Once the literature is organized, theory-based guidelines and applied examples can be used by cognitive aid researchers and designers. Aids can be designed according to the cognitive processes they need to support. Designers can be clear about their focus, either examining how to support specific cognitive processes or improving the usability of the aid.

PIH70 FORMATIVE RESEARCH TO DEVELOP A CLINICAL TRIAL DECISION AID THAT INTEGRATES QUANTITATIVE PATIENT PREFERENCE DATA

Stated-preference methods have been used in patient-focused drug development to inform the drug development process. Few studies have utilized preference methods to facilitate individual-level decision making. This study employed formative research in the design of a decision aid that integrates a quantitative preference method to support deliberation and values clarification. Best Worst Scaling (BWS) and threshold technique were potential preference approaches. The decision aid is customizable to any pediatric clinical trial. We conducted 20 in-depth cognitive interviews with parents of children with rare disease (n=11) and professionals who educate/consent for trials (n=9). Researchers employed a ‘think aloud’ approach and used targeted prompts to obtain feedback on decision aid approach, educational content, preference elicitation activity, and output. In addition, an Advisory Committee (comprising parents and professionals) provided input during all stages of tool development, including choice of preference methodology (threshold technique for risk/side-effect acceptance and/or BWS for protocol-related burdens and trial design). Advisors did not support the face validity of employing the threshold technique in the tool. In cognitive interviews an alternative direct estimation approach was approved as meaningful to clarify risk acceptance. Participants endorsed content as patient-friendly, important, and easily customizable. The BWS prioritization and associated output required additional instruction but were thereafter found to support education and values clarification by most participants. Participants anticipated the tool would facilitate shared decision making. Formative research resulted in a customizable decision aid comprising educational content, direct estimation of risk acceptability, BWS prioritization of protocol and burden attributes, and a customized output. The decision aid and integrated preference activity were endorsed as supporting deliberation and values clarification. Future research will assess the utility of the decision aid in improving informed choice.

Pathology, diagnostics, and classification of medulloblastoma.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common CNS embryonal tumor. While the overall cure rate is around 70%, patients with high‐risk disease continue to have poor outcome and experience long‐term morbidity. MB is among the tumors for which diagnosis, risk stratification, and clinical management has shown the most rapid advancement. These advances are largely due to technological improvements in diagnosis and risk stratification which now integrate histomorphologic classification and molecular classification. MB stands as a prototype for other solid tumors in how to effectively integrate morphology and genomic data to stratify clinicopathologic risk and aid design of innovative clinical trials for precision medicine. This review explores the current diagnostic and classification of MB in modern neuropathology laboratories.

Cognitive Aids in Obstetric Units: Design, Implementation, and Use.

Obstetrics has unique considerations for high stakes and dynamic clinical care of ≥2 patients. Obstetric crisis situations require efficient and coordinated responses from the entire multidisciplinary team. Actions that teams perform, or omit, can strongly impact peripartum and perinatal outcomes. Cognitive aids are tools that aim to improve patient safety, efficiency in health care management, and patient outcomes. However, they are intended to be combined with clinician judgment and training, not as absolute or exhaustive standards of care for patient management. There is simulation-based evidence showing efficacy of cognitive aids for enhancing appropriate team management during crises, especially with a reader role, with growing literature supporting use in obstetric and nonobstetric clinical settings when combined with local customization and implementation efforts. The purpose of this article is to summarize current understanding and available resources for cognitive aid design, implementation, and use in obstetrics and to highlight existing gaps that can stimulate further enhancement in this field.

Mental Maps and the Use of Sensory Information by Blind and Partially Sighted People

This article aims to fill an important gap in the literature by reporting on blind and partially sighted people's use of spatial representations (mental maps) from their perspective and when travelling on real routes. The results presented here were obtained from semi-structured interviews with 100 blind and partially sighted people in five different countries. They are intended to answer three questions about the representation of space by blind and partially sighted people, how these representations are used to support travel, and the implications for the design of travel aids and orientation and mobility training. They show that blind and partially sighted people do have spatial representations and that a number of them explicitly use the term mental map. This article discusses the variety of approaches to spatial representations, including the sensory modalities used, the use of global or local representations, and the applications to support travel. The conclusions summarize the answers to the three questions and include a two-level preliminary classification of the spatial representations of blind and partially sighted people.

Finite Element Analysis and Comfort Assessment Conducted on the Visual Aid Design for Monocular Vision Patients

Finite Element Analysis and Comfort Assessment Conducted on the Visual Aid Design for Monocular Vision Patients

The timing of cognitive aid access during simulated pediatric intraoperative critical events.

Many cognitive aids are formatted in a step-by-step fashion with the intent that the aid will be accessed at the beginning of a critical event and that key behaviors will be performed in sequence. We hypothesized that, during simulated pediatric intraoperative critical events, anesthesia clinicians may not use cognitive aids immediately after the onset of a critical event but instead access the aid only after first performing several key behaviors. This manuscript is a re-analysis of previously published simulation data. The original study involved 89 clinicians participating in 143 pediatric intraoperative events divided into 6 types: arrhythmia, venous air embolus, hypoxemia, malignant hyperthermia, hypotension, and supraventricular tachycardia. For each trial involving cognitive aid use, we measured the time from event trigger to cognitive aid use, and the number and type of key behaviors performed by simulation participants prior to cognitive aid access. Cognitive aid use was sought in 66 of 93 trials where it was available. Sufficient data for this analysis were available in 65 trials. The average time from event trigger to first cognitive aid use was 258seconds. In 62/65 trials (95%), the cognitive aid was accessed after at least one key behavior had already been performed. The time from event trigger to cognitive aid use varied by type of scenario (P=.03, df 5, adjusted H 12.78), with the shortest time for "supraventricular tachycardia" (90 [66,156] seconds (median [IQR]) and the longest time for "hypoxemia" (354 [192,492] seconds). In simulated critical events, anesthesia residents and student nurse anesthetists often consulted a cognitive aid only after first performing at least some key behaviors. Incorporating the possibility of delayed access into critical event cognitive aid design may facilitate the effectiveness of that aid.

Complex Portfolio as one of the Means of the Future Primary School Teachers Training of the New Ukrainian School

The article deals with the problem of improving of the future primary school teachers training by means of a complex subject portfolio in a particular course of study in the context of education system reforming in Ukraine. The aim of this study is to track and prove the value of the subject portfolio in the “Methods of Teaching Subjects of Language and Literary Education” course. The article substantiates and validates the hypothesis that a complex portfolio with the proposed structure and developed assignments is an effective tool for the future primary school teachers training. Analyzing the results of the questionnaires, observing the process of students' fulfilling of problem-solving and creative assignments (mind maps, reflective essays, pedagogical diaries, their own media products and audio books for schoolchildren, lesson plans and visual aids design) confirmed that a complex portfolio is an relevant means for development of critical thinking, intrinsic motivation, ensures the autonomy and self-sufficiency of each student, forms confidence in their abilities and readiness to work in New Ukrainian School. The study involved 180 students of the first (bachelor’s) degree in specialty 013 Primary Education on the Faculty of Primary Education and Philology in Khmelnytskyi Humanitarian- Pedagogical Academy (2017–2019 academic years). The quality dynamics of the students’ knowledge and skills before and after the implementation of the complex portfolio in “Methods of Teaching Subjects of Language and Literary Education” course allows to acknowledge the expediency of its implementing.

The experiences of people with Alzheimer’s dementia and their caregivers in acquiring and using a mobility aid: a qualitative study

Purpose Cognitive deficits and gait and balance problems are progressive in people with Alzheimer’s dementia. Yet, mobility aids are associated with an increased falls risk in people with dementia. Our objectives were to identify the perceptions of people living with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s dementia, and their caregivers, on the use of mobility aids. Methods A qualitative study using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews was conducted. Community-dwelling older adults with dementia attending a day hospital program were recruited. Thematic analysis was conducted and the text was coded into broad themes aligned with the research questions. The coded text was examined for patterns and similarities, and grouped to form inductive themes. Results Twenty-four people (12 living with dementia and their 12 caregivers) participated. Five themes were identified: (1) acknowledgement of need; (2) protecting a sense of self; (3) caregiver oversight and relief of burden; (4) healthcare professional involvement; (5) environment and design of aids. Conclusions The findings suggest that people with Alzheimer’s dementia and their caregivers regard mobility aid use as increasing independence. There is a role for healthcare professionals to be involved in the prescription, provision and training for use of mobility aids among people living with dementia to ensure uptake and safety. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Mobility aid use is regarded as increasing independence by people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Falls risk associated with mobility aid use was not well known and caregivers perceived mobility aids as a means to reduce falls. Most people do not see a healthcare professional when they acquire a mobility aid and there is a role for healthcare professionals to be involved in the prescription, provision and training of people living with dementia in the use of mobility aids in order to increase the uptake of aids and their safe use.

치매 예방을 위한 교구재 디자인 색상 적용 연구 -노인의 색 지각 변화 특성에 기반하여-

우리나라는 저출산 및 인구의 고령화로 인하여 노인인구 수가 점차 증가하는 추세이며, 노인인구 수 만큼 치매 환자 수 또한 증가할 것으로 예상되며 2024년에는 그 수가 100만 명에 이를 것으로 추산되고 있다. 기억력, 문제 해결력, 지남력이 악화되고 감정의 변화가 잦아지는 치매 초기에는 비약물적 치료를 통하여 인지능력의 저하를 늦출 수가 있다. 이러한 비약물 치료의 보편화된 방법이 치매 예방 교구를 사용하는 것이다. 교구란 특정한 학습 목표를 이루기 위하여 사용되는 것을 말하는데, 노인치매 예방 교구는 그 대상과 교구를 활용해 달성하고자 하는 목표가 확실하기 때문에 노인의 특징을 고려하여 교구 디자인이 이루어져야 하지만 국내의 치매 예방 교구는 치매 환자만을 고려한 것이 아니라, 인지 능력 개발이 필요한 다수를 대상으로 하므로 치매 환자가 사용하기에 어려움이 있다. 본 연구는 노인의 시각 능력 특징을 분석하여 치매 초기 비약물 치료의 한 종류인 치매 예방 교구에 사용된 색상의 사례 분석을 통하여 현재 치매 예방 교구의 한계점을 확인하고 향후 치매 예방 교구 색채디자인의 방향성을 제시하는 데 그 목적이 있다. 이를 위한 연구 방법으로는 첫 번째, 문헌 및 인터넷 조사를 통하여 치매 환자의 특징과 국내 치매 환자의 일반적 특징을 조사하였고, 둘째, 비약물 치료에 대해 알아보았다. 세 번째로는 노인의 일반적 특징을 심리, 신체, 지각 능력으로 구분하여 그 특징을 알아보았다. 네 번째로 교구는 시각 정보를 바탕으로 학습자를 사고하게 하여 학습 목표에 맞는 행동을 끌어내기 때문에 시각 정보 중 중요한 색상에 관하여 노인의 특징 중 시각 능력의 특징을 문헌 연구를 통하여 정리하였다. 다섯 번째로 국내 치매 환자 요양원에서 실제 사용하고 있는 치매 예방 교구를 유선 조사하여 제품에 사용된 색상을 조사, 분석하였다. 그리고 마지막으로는 치매 환자의 시각적 능력을 바탕으로 색상 선정 시 고려해야 할 요소를 정리하여 색상 선정과 제품에 적용하는 과정을 정리하였다. 본 연구는 국내 치매 환자의 실정을 바탕으로 국내 치매 환자 요양원에서 사용하는 제품을 사례 조사하였기 때문에 제품의 적용을 국내에 판매중인 제품으로 한정하였으며, 노인의 색 지각 능력 또한 황변화 증상을 가진 노인으로 한정하여 연구의 결과를 도출하였다. 노인의 시각 능력의 특징은 황변화로 인하여 파란색, 보라색과 같은 단파장의 색상이 검은색과 구별이 어려우며, 심한 경우 명도 차이를 통해 색상을 구분한다는 것이었다. 이에 따라, 가시광선의 7가지 색상이 각각 배경색으로 사용되었을 때를 앞의 2가지 노인의 시각 특징을 바탕으로 하여 치매 환자를 위한 교구에 색채 적용을 위한 고려 요소를 정리하였고, 이를 바탕으로 현재 국내에 시판 중인 치매 예방 교구 3가지를 대상으로 하여 제품에 사용된 색상을 분석하였는데, 3가지 제품 모두 노인의 시각 능력을 고려하지 않은 것으로 분석되었다. 앞서 정리한 고려 요소를 바탕으로 치매 환자를 위한 제품의 색상 선정 과정을 정리하여 2가지, 3가지 색상을 선정하는 과정을 예시로 정리하였다. 비록 이렇게 선정된 색상이 실제 노인 치매 환자를 통한 사용성 평가를 하지 못했다는 한계점이 있지만 본 연구가 치매를 예방하려는 노인 혹은 치매 환자에게 필요한 제품 디자인 제안을 위한 기초자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

Reconfigurable Filter Bank Design Techniques for Hearing Aid Performance Improvement

Hearing is one of the most crucial sense for human beings as it connects them to external world. Hearing loss impairs communication which is an essential human function. Hearing disability has massive negative impact on life, work, physical and emotional well-being as well as relationships and is rated as the third most common health problem affecting relations and quality of life. Hearing aid devices can selectively intensify sound signals in order to suit the hearing characteristics of the patients and is a boon for people with hearing misfortune. However, there is a huge gap between the potential and actual hearing aid users. This work provides a critical look into the various challenges posed by hearing aid users, the comparative of the existing state-of-art hearing devices and throws light on bottlenecks in hearing aid design and performance. Filter bank, being the holy grail of Digital Hearing aid, needs special attention for improving the hearing aid performance. Reconfigurability is the need of the hour for providing flexible and tailormade hearing aids that can suit individual hearing requirements. The paper discusses and gives an in-depth insight into the techniques for reconfigurable Filter bank design for performance augmentationin terms of parameters like Signal quality, Auditory compensation, Computational and Hardware complexity, area, speed, power, etc.

Informatics teacher’s training for design of innovative learning aids

In accordance with its goal, the paper covers practical aspects and experience of Informatics teachers’ preparation for the design of innovative learning aids as one of the important components of the renewed model of teachers’ training. Theoretical background of the research includes holistic educational approach and functional basics of electronic didactic aids development. The specific example of such an experience (students’ project activity on the design of English multimedia tutorial for schoolchildren) is depicted in details. The prospects of further research are outlined.

Research on Key Technologies of Elders’ Exoskeleton Robot Assisted by Physical Exercise Based on Fuzzy PID Control

In the past, walking aids (such as crutches and walking aids) widely used by the elderly in physical exercise had relatively single functions, low intelligence, insufficient safety and comfort, and could not meet the needs of users for independent living. Therefore, it is necessary to apply robot technology to the field of traditional walking aid equipment and design a more intelligent, comfortable and safe walking aid robot system. The gait control of the exoskeleton robot assisted by physical exercise for the elderly is studied, and an algorithm based on fuzzy PID is proposed. Firstly, a fuzzy PID control algorithm for the exoskeleton robot assisted by physical exercise for the elderly is given. Secondly, membership functions are selected according to the parameters of the robot joint angle error and error variation. Finally, combined with practical operation experience, a fuzzy rule table is established, and online self-tuning of PID parameters is completed. The experimental results show that the fuzzy PID control method can make the exoskeleton robot move smoothly and realize the gait control of the robot initially.

Research and Application of a Reverse Design Method for Noncircular Gear

The traditional design method of noncircular gear is broken through. A reverse design method of noncircular gear is presented. Take the design of noncircular gear teaching aid with variable transmission ratio for example, the mathematical model is established. Based on determined reducer box, the parameter criterion of noncircular gear oriented to unchanged center distance is deduced. And elliptical gear mechanism suitable for the reducer box is obtained. The design example of noncircular gear teaching aid with variable transmission ratio shows the validity of reverse design method of noncircular gear, which facilitates the standardization design for reducer for noncircular gear.

Integrated miRNA-/mRNA-Seq of the Habenulo-Interpeduncular Circuit During Acute Nicotine Withdrawal

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of mortality in the world. The limited number of smoking cessation aids currently available are minimally effective, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic interventions. We describe a genome-wide approach to identify potential candidates for such interventions. Next-generation sequencing was performed using RNA isolated from the habenulo-interpeduncular circuit of male mice withdrawn from chronic nicotine treatment. This circuit plays a central role in the nicotine withdrawal response. Differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs were validated using RT-qPCR. Many of the differentially expressed mRNAs are predicted targets of reciprocally expressed miRNAs. We illustrate the utility of the dataset by demonstrating that knockdown in the interpeduncular nucleus of a differentially expressed mRNA, that encoding profilin 2, is sufficient to induce anxiety-related behavior. Importantly, profilin 2 knockdown in the ventral tegmental area did not affect anxiety behavior. Our data reveal wide-spread changes in gene expression within the habenulo-interpeduncular circuit during nicotine withdrawal. This dataset should prove to be a valuable resource leading to the identification of substrates for the design of innovative smoking cessation aids.