High User Research Articles

An attainable site suitability index for utility-scale solar facilities

Large, utility-scale solar energy facilities are increasingly being deployed throughout the United States, with nearly 10 000 projects over 1 megawatt completed by the end of 2023. One understudied aspect of the decision making process for these solar projects concerns site suitability. The current body of literature on this topic has identified core infrastructure, such as substations or transmission lines, as important in this process, yet other variables serve as potentially important drivers. This research aims to provide policymakers, planners, and regulators with a practically applicable method to better identify areas that are suitable candidates for such solar facilities. In particular, this paper develops a replicable method that produces a site suitability index that accounts for a suite of variables that are considered key, positive factors in where solar facilities ought to locate, including: (1) economic factors; (2) critical infrastructure and high energy users; and (3) workforce. Ultimately, our work is valuable to government and local officials such as policymakers and planners with limited resources and in-house capacity to understand the suitability for energy infrastructure. In fact, providing an attainable index for the site suitability of utility-scale solar facilities reduces the burden on policy and planning related stakeholders to understand the competitive advantage of their regions and to convey it to interested developers.

WhatsApp-based intervention in urban Colombia to support the prevention of arboviral diseases: a feasibility study

ABSTRACT Arboviral diseases remain a significant health concern worldwide, with over half the world’s population at risk for dengue alone. Without a vaccine or targeted treatment, the most effective strategy of prevention is vector management with community involvement. mHealth interventions, like WhatsApp, offer promising results for engaging communities and promoting healthier behaviors. This study explores the feasibility of integrating WhatsApp in vector control activities to improve arbovirus prevention in Colombia. A mixed-methods approach was employed to assess the WhatsApp-based intervention. WhatsApp messages were sent to 45 community women for 5 weeks to increase their knowledge and practices about dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Pre-and-post surveys and focus group discussions were conducted in community settings to measure the feasibility and acceptability of this intervention. Chat reviews were done to assess the usability of users. A total of 1566 messages were exchanged in 45 WhatsApp chats. High acceptance and good usability (82% of users used the app for replying) were reported in this study. WhatsApp messages were perceived as short, clear, and enjoyable. Users liked the frequency, and design of messages. Pre- and post-surveys demonstrated improvements in the knowledge and practices of arboviral diseases. The intention to apply this knowledge in practice was reflected in a significant improvement, particularly in cleaning the laundry tank once a week (pre 62.1% to post 89.6%, p < 0.008). This study suggests that using WhatsApp as an additional tool could be a feasible, acceptable, and affordable strategy for improving the adoption of better practices in the prevention of arboviral diseases.

Simulating climate policies influences how laypersons evaluate the effectiveness of climate protection measures

AbstractClimate change simulations allow the experience of complex processes in rapid progression. Additionally, they hold the potential to enable citizens to quickly evaluate the impact of measures offered as political options to mitigate climate change. Taking En-roads as a test case, we investigated whether exposure to a web-based climate simulation influences laypersons’ views on effectiveness of such measures with an experiment in Germany (N = 271). High usability ratings ascertained that the simulation can be used by lay-persons without detailed support. In line with this, app usage was effective. Using the climate simulation led to higher self-efficacy with regard to being able to evaluate policies with the help of tools. Moreover, comparisons with the control group suggested that app usage affects beliefs about the impact of specific measures such as CO2 pricing. Taken together, the results suggest that online climate simulations such as En-roads can help inform and empower citizens in the process of mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.

Dynamic edge clustering and task scheduling for edge assisted metaverse system in the field of remote work and collaboration

SummaryThe metaverse, a future digital world for living, working, learning, and interacting, is rapidly gaining significance, particularly in the domain of remote work and collaboration. This emerging digital landscape demands high‐performance, low‐latency, and scalable services to provide an immersive user experience. The current technology used in metaverse systems has some limitations, which emphasize the importance of adopting emerging technologies like Edge Computing (EC). However, as the number of users and data volume increases, it can impact both system performance and scalability of the edge‐assisted metaverse system. Additionally, the uneven distribution of edge servers can cause inconsistencies and result in high latency. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes a dynamic edge clustering and task scheduling approach for edge‐assisted metaverse systems (DTAM) in the field of remote work and collaboration. The proposed approach addresses the challenges of high user volume and uneven resource distribution by incorporating dynamic clustering and edge server assistance to improve clustering performance. Furthermore, a Prioritized Experience Replay‐based Deep Q‐learning algorithm with state augmentation (PERDQSA) for task scheduling is introduced to improve sample efficiency and performance. The performance of the proposed DTAM is evaluated against existing techniques, and experimental results demonstrate its significant superiority in terms of specific metrics such as bandwidth, task response time, energy efficiency, and latency. The experiments demonstrated that DTAM outperforms Transformation‐based Edge Computing Deep Q‐Learning (TransEC‐DQL) in several key metrics. Specifically, DTAM achieves 28.5% reduction in latency, 13.7% reduction in response time, and 6.4% improvement in bandwidth compared to TransEC‐DQL. These results signify that DTAM can deliver a significantly enhanced user experience in the metaverse, particularly in the context of remote work and collaboration.

Introducing a digital emergency obstetric and newborn care register for indoor obstetric patient management: An implementation research in selected public health care facilities of Bangladesh.

Digital health records have emerged as vital tools for improving health care delivery and patient data management. Acknowledging the gaps in data recording by a paper-based register, the emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) register used in the labour ward was digitised. In this study, we aimed to assess the implementation outcome of the digital register in selected public health care facilities in Bangladesh. Extensive collaboration with stakeholders facilitated the development of an android-based electronic register from the paper-based register in the labour rooms of the selected district and sub-district level public health facilities of Bangladesh. We conducted a study to assess the implementation outcome of introducing the digital EmONC register in the labour ward. The digital register demonstrated high usability with a score of 83.7 according to the system usability scale, and health care providers found it highly acceptable, with an average score exceeding 95% using the technology acceptance model. The adoption rate reached an impressive 98% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 98-99), and fidelity stood at 90% (95% CI = 88-91) in the digital register, encompassing more than 80% of data elements. Notably, fidelity increased significantly over the implementation period of six months. The digital system proved a high utility rate of 89% (95% CI = 88-91), and all outcome variables exceeded the predefined benchmark. The implementation outcome assessment underscores the potential of the digital register to enhance maternal and newborn health care in Bangladesh. Its user-friendliness, improved data completeness, and high adoption rates indicate its capacity to streamline health care data management and improve the quality of care.

Democratizing Data Visualization and Insights Extraction with Pandas, Generative AI, and CSV Data

Data visualization and insights extraction are crucial components of modern data-driven decision-making processes. However, traditional methods often require extensive coding knowledge, creating barriers for non-technical users. This whitepaper presents a comprehensive solution that integrates the powerful data manipulation capabilities of the Pandas library with cutting-edge Generative AI and natural language processing techniques. By leveraging a fine-tuned GPT-3 model trained on a diverse corpus of data analysis and visualization resources, our approach enables users to upload CSV data files and receive automated insights, default visualizations, and the ability to generate custom visualizations through intuitive natural language prompts. The solution streamlines the workflow, eliminating the need for coding expertise while ensuring data privacy and integrity within a secure execution environment. User studies and benchmarking demonstrate increased productivity, time savings, and high user satisfaction. This solution has the potential to democratize data analysis and visualization, empowering decision-makers across various industries with data-driven insights and informed decision-making processes.

Boosting self-efficacy and improving practices for smoking prevention and cessation among South American cancer care providers with a web-based algorithm

BackgroundDigital technologies have positively impacted the availability and usability of clinical algorithms through the advancement in mobile health. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if a web-based algorithm designed to support the decision-making process of cancer care providers (CCPs) differentially impacted their self-reported self-efficacy and practices for providing smoking prevention and cessation services in Peru and Colombia.MethodsA simple decision-making tree algorithm was built in REDCap using information from an extensive review of the currently available smoking prevention and cessation resources. We employed a pre-post study design with a mixed-methods approach among 53 CCPs in Peru and Colombia for pilot-testing the web-based algorithm during a 3-month period. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the CCPs’ self-efficacy and practices before and after using the web-based algorithm. The usability of the web-based algorithm was quantitatively measured with the system usability scale (SUS), as well as qualitatively through the analysis of four focus groups conducted among the participating CCPs.ResultsThe pre-post assessments indicated that the CCPs significantly improved their self-efficacy and practices toward smoking prevention and cessation services after using the web-based algorithm. The overall average SUS score obtained among study participants was 82.9 (± 9.33) [Peru 81.5; Colombia 84.1]. After completing the qualitative analysis of the focus groups transcripts, four themes emerged: limited resources currently available for smoking prevention and cessation in oncology settings, merits of the web-based algorithm, challenges with the web-based algorithm, and suggestions for improving this web-based decision-making tool.ConclusionThe web-based algorithm showed high usability and was well-received by the CCPs in Colombia and Peru, promoting a preliminary improvement in their smoking prevention and cessation self-efficacy and practices.

Gen Transcribe

The Advanced Speech Interaction System integrates STT, NLP, and TTS components, achieving high accuracy, multilingual support, and user satisfaction, with a focus on future development for enhanced multimodal capabilities and user-centric features.

Tackling Comprehensive Asthma Education for Providers One Breath at a Time: Evaluation of an Online Continuing Medical Education Program for Asthma

BackgroundExponential growth of knowledge in asthma has advanced the diagnosis and treatment of personalized, phenotype- endotype-driven care in asthma leading to improved clinical outcomes. However, many knowledge and practice gaps persist among healthcare professionals. Microlearning has demonstrated efficacy in educational outcomes but is often limited by fragmentation and incomplete information. In order to integrate the benefits of microlearning into a comprehensive asthma curriculum that addresses knowledge gaps in this rapidly growing field, we built an extensive curriculum in bite-sized, “one breath at a time” portions for clinicians managing asthma. MethodsThe CHEST® Curriculum Pathway for Asthma was published online on the CHEST® learning management site in September 2022. It was derived from existing asthma education at CHEST® and was vetted by asthma experts. Pre- and post-tests, satisfaction surveys, and user engagement data were collected. ResultsIn the first 6 months, 523 participants engaged with the CHEST® Curriculum Pathway for Asthma. Participant satisfaction was high, and participants answered 68% of the knowledge pre-test correctly and 82% of the post-test correctly.1 Participants completed 82.8% of the individual videos that they opened. Completion rates for each asthma chapter ranged from 22.6% to 57.9%. DiscussionThis educational program is the first comprehensive, microlearning, online curriculum issued by a medical association on asthma. Our results suggest that the CHEST® Curriculum Pathway for Asthma was effective in improving knowledge and had high user satisfaction. Comprehensive online educational programs broken into microlearning components may be useful in other topics in pulmonary medicine.

What supports are people with intellectual disability living in group homes provided to access health care? A case study

AbstractBackgroundPeople with intellectual disabilities living in group homes often have complex health needs, are high health service users and need support from their service provider to access health services. In Australia, little is known about the types and amounts of these supports.MethodsA case study was conducted on a large Western Australian disability provider of group homes to 160 people with intellectual disability. Over an 18‐month period, including during the COVID‐19 pandemic, the study quantified health service use in hospital‐ and community‐based settings, ways by which the person was supported to access health care and the impact on other people supported by the provider. Economic costs of supporting access to health services were estimated.FindingsOverall, the disability provider supported 160 people in accessing health services an average of 23 times each (n = 3617, median = 20, interquartile range = 10–33) over the 18 months. Support included staff attending with the person (96%), following up with guardian/decision‐maker (50%), additional resourcing via overtime or staff backfills (6%) and transport (94%). The average cost of supporting one health visit was estimated at $78.51 AUD (2021). Impact on the person's household included loss of opportunity for housemates (30%), reduced supervision within the home (79%) and longer timeframes to complete care needs (32%). The impact of COVID‐19 restrictions saw a reduction in allied and mental health service use that did not return to prepandemic levels following the cessation of restrictions. Primary care, specialist, outpatient, pathology and emergency service use was also lower in the postrestriction period compared to the prepandemic period.ConclusionsFor people living in group homes, the disability provider plays an essential role in supporting health service access, primarily through the provision of support staff and transport. The change in health service utilisation following the COVID‐19 restriction period indicates that altered health system priorities can potentially exacerbate access inequality for people with intellectual disability.

Choose Your Own Adventure! An empirical study on gamification of postgraduate learning on research project design

It is difficult to teach complex topics such as academic research to student cohorts who are widely heterogeneous in prior knowledge, learning goals, and learning preferences. Exploratory, quest-like approaches show promise for increasing engagement, personalization, and autonomy, however, there is a lack of empirical data on which, if any, aspects of gamification can benefit learning. This paper presents analytics and qualitative responses to a Choose Your Own Adventure for postgraduate design of research projects. It focusses on non-linear navigation for self-directed personalization, digital badges, and the role of narrative within a gamified learning tool. Results highlight high user attrition, effective personalization of learning, high acceptance of gamification approaches, and much lower interest in some gamification elements, contributing value to the pedagogy of learning and teaching research skills.

Privacy-Preserving Gaze Data Streaming in Immersive Interactive Virtual Reality: Robustness and User Experience.

Eye tracking is routinely being incorporated into virtual reality (VR) systems. Prior research has shown that eye tracking data, if exposed, can be used for re-identification attacks [14]. The state of our knowledge about currently existing privacy mechanisms is limited to privacy-utility trade-off curves based on data-centric metrics of utility, such as prediction error, and black-box threat models. We propose that for interactive VR applications, it is essential to consider user-centric notions of utility and a variety of threat models. We develop a methodology to evaluate real-time privacy mechanisms for interactive VR applications that incorporate subjective user experience and task performance metrics. We evaluate selected privacy mechanisms using this methodology and find that re-identification accuracy can be decreased to as low as 14% while maintaining a high usability score and reasonable task performance. Finally, we elucidate three threat scenarios (black-box, black-box with exemplars, and white-box) and assess how well the different privacy mechanisms hold up to these adversarial scenarios. This work advances the state of the art in VR privacy by providing a methodology for end-to-end assessment of the risk of re-identification attacks and potential mitigating solutions. f.

Spatial Flexibility for Housing in Urban Kampung toward Sustainability

Essentially, spatial flexibility and sustainable settlement share the same objective, which is easily adapted to change. The necessity for spatial flexibility in housing design stems from the expectation that houses will accommodate their inhabitants’ changing needs. The difficulty in achieving spatial flexibility might occasionally be attributed to the changing needs of users. This article will discuss the adaptability of space in urban kampung dwellings. A primary survey is utilized in the qualitative research method. Investigating the spatial management carried out by the users is made easier with the use of visual documentation utilizing photographs and drawings during surveys and interviews. Following a comparison of three case studies, it is found that the spatial flexibility of housing in urban kampungs is due to high user activity, particularly in multifunctional areas. Indoor spatial, on the other hand, has less flexibility due to the use of fixed and semi-fixed features.

Photodynamic Skincare: A Prospective Single-Center Study.

Peer-reviewed, clinical studies measuring the efficacy and usability of skin care products enhance their integrity and may guide experts in the field in providing recommendations. A single-blind, prospective clinical study was designed to assess the subject satisfaction, clinical benefit, and safety of three photodynamic topical formulations referred to as MMSRepose (MMSRep), MMSRevive (MMSRev), and MMSBalance (MMSB).&nbsp; Methods: Thirteen male and female patients (mean age 49&nbsp;+/- 17.8 years) applied one of the three topical serums twice daily over a period of 12 weeks. Subjects returned for photography, and blinded investigator evaluation of rhytides (fine lines) and dyspigmentation were measured on a 6- and 4-point scale, respectively. Patient-perceived efficacy of multiple clinical outcomes was measured on a 5-point scale.&nbsp; Results: 100% of subjects reported at least a 1-grade improvement in global aesthetic at the conclusion of the study. Investigator assessment revealed an overall 53.3% decrease in rhytides, correlating to a mean point reduction from 1.65 +/- 0.77 to 0.77&nbsp;+/- 0.53 (P&lt;0.001) from baseline to week 12. Investigator assessment of dyspigmentation revealed a 62.7% decrease, correlating to a mean point reduction of 1.85 +/- 0.68 from week 1 to 0.69&nbsp;+/- 0.48 at week 12 (P&lt;0.001). Photodynamic serums demonstrate clinical efficacy in skin rejuvenation and high user satisfaction. There were no serious adverse events. This study is limited by the inability to randomize to placebo due to the small sample size, as subject retention was heavily impacted by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Future studies may be indicated to undergo comparison with a larger cohort.&nbsp; J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(5):332-337. doi:10.36849/JDD.7167.

Enhancing Performance of Power Allocation for VLC Networks by Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access-MIMO

Visible light communication, or VLC, networks emerged as a viable option for data access, particularly indoors. Their cost-effectiveness, protection to radio frequency (RF) intrusion, and extraordinarily high data speeds make them a desirable option for the upcoming generation of indoor networking technologies. In this paper, we propose the Exponential Gain Ratio Power Allocation (EGRPA), an effective and low-complex power splitting method, to increase the attainable sum amount in Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) VLC downlink networks. Using numerical simulations, we assess the enactment of an indoor 2x2 MIMO VLC downlink model for several users. We also use Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) for enhancing spectrum efficacy. The usefulness and resilience of the suggested power splitting approach are established by the simulation outcomes, especially in scenarios with a high user count. In particular, the EGRPA power allocation algorithm shows a sum rate enhancement of more than 38.7%, 7.86%, and 7.04% for a system with three users when compared to the GRPA method, Normalized Gain Difference Power Allocation (NGDPA) method, and Logarithmic GRPA (NLGRPA) method, correspondingly.

Construction Path of Rural Study Base Based on Service Design Concept

The establishment of rural study bases offers a promising opportunity to improve educational opportunities and community development in remote areas. This research investigates the development path of rural study bases using service design concepts that emphasize user-centric methods, stakeholder interaction, and iterative improvement procedures. Understanding rural communities' particular needs and goals allows remote study bases to plan and implement meaningful and impactful educational programs and services. Rural study bases strive to build favourable learning settings that encourage active engagement and cooperation by combining physical infrastructure development, digital resource integration, and community outreach efforts. This paper, using examples from diverse industries and situations, discusses essential issues and best practices for efficiently adopting service design principles in the establishment of rural study bases. Finally, rural studies based on service design concepts show promise for improving socioeconomic outcomes and empowering rural people through education. As an outcome, it provides high user satisfaction (94%), effective community outreach, excellent digital resource integration, enhanced academic performance, and strong stakeholder engagement

Evaluating the Usability of a Gamified Virtual Course Designed to Teach Cultural Heritage

Virtual courses represent a major innovation in online teaching and learning, offering diverse training options tailored to individual needs and interests. Proposals have been developed in the field of didactics to provide heritage-related instruction using methodologies and strategies supported by digital sources and offered online. However, there is no comprehensive data compilation available on the evaluation of the usability of digital resources developed for imparting learning about cultural heritage. Hence, this study aims primarily to present the instructional design and usability evaluation of an expert-validated gamified virtual course titled “Cultural Heritage Guardians.” The study results show high usability scores for the designed course, as measured by the system usability scale. This study significantly contributes to aspects related to user evaluations of the usability experiences of virtual courses focused on pedagogy related to cultural heritage.

Stimulating Preconception Care Uptake by Women With a Vulnerable Health Status Through a Mobile Health App (Pregnant Faster): Pilot Feasibility Study.

A low socioeconomic status is associated with a vulnerable health status (VHS) through the accumulation of health-related risk factors, such as poor lifestyle behaviors (eg, inadequate nutrition, chronic stress, and impaired health literacy). For pregnant women, a VHS translates into a high incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore pregnancy-related inequity. We hypothesize that stimulating adequate pregnancy preparation, targeting lifestyle behaviors and preconception care (PCC) uptake, can reduce these inequities and improve the pregnancy outcomes of women with a VHS. A nudge is a behavioral intervention aimed at making healthy choices easier and more attractive and may therefore be a feasible way to stimulate engagement in pregnancy preparation and PCC uptake, especially in women with a VHS. To support adequate pregnancy preparation, we designed a mobile health (mHealth) app, Pregnant Faster, that fits the preferences of women with a VHS and uses nudging to encourage PCC consultation visits and engagement in education on healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study aimed to test the feasibility of Pregnant Faster by determining usability and user satisfaction, the number of visited PCC consultations, and the course of practical study conduction. Women aged 18-45 years, with low-to-intermediate educational attainment, who were trying to become pregnant within 12 months were included in this open cohort. Recruitment took place through social media, health care professionals, and distribution of flyers and posters from September 2021 until June 2022. Participants used Pregnant Faster daily for 4 weeks, earning coins by reading blogs on pregnancy preparation, filling out a daily questionnaire on healthy lifestyle choices, and registering for a PCC consultation with a midwife. Earned coins could be spent on rewards, such as fruit, mascara, and baby products. Evaluation took place through the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ), an additional interview or questionnaire, and assessment of overall study conduction. Due to limited inclusions, the inclusion criterion "living in a deprived neighborhood" was dropped. This resulted in the inclusion of 47 women, of whom 39 (83%) completed the intervention. In total, 16 (41%) of 39 participants visited a PCC consultation, with their main motivation being obtaining personalized information. The majority of participants agreed with 16 (88.9%) of 18 statements of the MAUQ, indicating high user satisfaction. The mean rating was 7.7 (SD 1.0) out of 10. Points of improvement included recruitment of the target group, simplification of the log-in system, and automation of manual tasks. Nudging women through Pregnant Faster to stimulate pregnancy preparation and PCC uptake has proven feasible, but the inclusion criteria must be revised. A substantial number of PCC consultations were conducted, and this study will therefore be continued with an open cohort of 400 women, aiming to establish the (cost-)effectiveness of an updated version, named Pregnant Faster 2. RR2-10.2196/45293.

The development and pilot of a novel mobile application to assess clinician perception of workload and work environment.

Traditional measures of workload such as wRVUs may not be adequate to understand the impact of workload on key outcomes. The objective of this study was to develop a mobile application to assess, in near real time, clinicians' perception of workload and work environment. We developed the GrittyWork™ application (GW App) using the Chokshi and Mann process model for user-centered digital development. Study occured at a single academic medical center with hospitalist clinicians. Measures included the System Usability Scale (SUS), use measures from GW App, electronic health record (EHR) event log data and note counts, and qualitative interviews. From October 28, 2022 to November 3, 2022, six hospitalist clinicians provided feedback on the early prototype of the GW App, and from February 28, 2023 to June 8, 2023, 30 hospitalist clinicians participated in the pilot while on clinical service. All 30 clinicians (100%) participated in the pilot submitting data for a total of 122 shifts. Participants reported working 10 ± 1 h per day (mean ± SD) and were responsible for an average of 11 ± 3 patients per day. The postpilot evaluation of the GW App showed a SUS score of 86 ± 11 and a participant preference toward mobile application-based surveys (73% of participants). Regarding workload measures, EHR event log data and notes data correlated with physician-reported workloads. Applying user-centered design techniques, we successfully developed a mobile application with high usability. These data can be paired with EHR event log data and outcomes to provide insights into the impact of workloads and work environments on outcomes.

Team usability testing: development and validation of a groupware usability evaluation method

As virtual teamwork became widespread, the importance of the usability of groupware has increased, as groupware must have high usability in order to properly support teamwork. Several studies have focused on the usability evaluation of groupware, yet, both in terms of science and practice, there is a lack of a method that, like existing empirical single-user methods, can be routinely applied in software development practice. The new Team Usability Testing method differs from previous methods in that it is an empirical method for evaluating synchronous (real-time) collaborative software that explores the team usability problems with the help of real or potential users. The method consists of questionnaires, screen recording videos and group interviews, and the framework of data processing is based on the theory of the mechanics of collaboration. In the four steps of the development of the method, empirical studies under laboratory conditions and real working conditions, and then, for validation purposes, analytical, heuristic evaluation with the involvement of usability experts were performed. During the development and the application of the method, the communication patterns of different teams were examined in terms of their relationship to software usability. In this paper we present the results of the second laboratory study and the heuristic evaluation in details. Overall, the method is able to explore team usability problems of different types of teams, making it a valuable element in existing methods for evaluating the usability of groupware.