Technology-based Solutions Research Articles

Implementation and Effects of an Information Technology-Based Intervention to Support Speech and Language Therapy Among Stroke Patients With Aphasia: Protocol for a Virtual Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundMobile app–based therapies are increasingly being employed by speech-language pathologists in the rehabilitation of people with aphasia as adjuncts or substitutes for traditional in-person therapy approaches. These apps can increase the intensity of treatment and have resulted in meaningful outcomes across several domains.ObjectiveVoiceAdapt is a mobile therapy app designed with user and stakeholder feedback within a user-centered design framework. VoiceAdapt uses two evidence-based lexical retrieval treatments to help people with aphasia in improving their naming abilities through interactions with the app. The purpose of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) proposed here is to examine the feasibility and clinical efficacy of training with VoiceAdapt on the language and communication outcomes of people with aphasia.MethodsA multicenter RCT is being conducted at two locations within Canada. A total of 80 people with aphasia will be recruited to participate in a two-arm, waitlist-controlled, crossover group RCT. After baseline assessment, participants will be randomized into an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group participants will engage in 5 weeks of training with the app, followed by posttreatment and follow-up assessments after an additional 5 weeks. Those in the waitlist control group will have no training for 5 weeks; this is followed by pretreatment assessment, training for 5 weeks, and posttreatment assessment. All trial procedures are being conducted remotely given the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsRecruitment of participants started in September 2020, and the study is expected to be completed by March 2022. Publication of results is expected within 6 months of study completion.ConclusionsThe results of the RCT will provide information on evidence-based practice using technology-based solutions to treat aphasia. If positive results are obtained from this RCT, the VoiceAdapt app can be recommended as an efficacious means of improving lexical retrieval and communicative functioning in people with aphasia in an easily accessible and a cost-effective manner. Moreover, the implementation of this RCT through remote assessment and delivery can provide information to therapists on telerehabilitation practices and monitoring of app-based home therapy programs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04108364; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04108364International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/30621

Ensuring Equitable and Accessible Technology: A View From the CEC Division of Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET)

Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET;formally TAM) is a division of the Council for Exceptional Children focused on providing educators (current and future), professionals, and family members innovative technology-based solutions for today's educational needs. Technology is incorporated into many aspects of teaching and learning. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Teaching Exceptional Children is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Identification of Aphasia using Natural Language Processing

Aphasia is a neurological disorder of language that precludes a person’s ability to speak, understand, read or write in any language. By virtue of this disorder being inextricably connected to language, there is a vast potential for the application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) for the diagnosis of the disorder. This paper surveys the automated machine-learning-based classification methodologies followed by an attempt to discuss a potential way in which an NLP-backed methodology could be implemented along with its accompanying challenges. It is seen that the need for standardized technology-based diagnostic solutions necessitates the exploration of such a methodology.

Data Analysis of Plastic Surgery Instrument Trays Yields Significant Cost Savings and Efficiency Gains.

Inpatient surgery costs have risen 30% over the past 5 years, and the operating room accounts for up to 60% of total hospital operational expense. On average, only 13.0% to 21.9% of instruments opened for a case are used, contributing to significant avoidable reprocessing, repurchase, and labor expense. A comprehensive review of 40 major instrument trays at UNC Rex Hospital was conducted using a technology service (OpFlow; Operative Flow Technologies, Raleigh, NC). Among the full scope of the project, the general plastics tray and breast reconstruction tray were evaluated for the plastic surgery service line over a 3-month period. Intraoperative data collection was performed on the exact instruments used across a standard breadth of cases. Data analytics were conducted stratifying instrument usage concordance among surgeons by tray and procedure type. After a surgeon-led review of the proposed new tray configurations, the optimized versions were implemented via a methodical change management process. A total of 183 plastic surgery cases were evaluated across 17 primary surgeons. On average, the instrument usage per tray was 15.8% for the general plastics tray and 23.5% for the breast reconstruction tray. After stakeholder review, 32 (45.1%) of 71 instruments were removed from the general plastics tray and 40 (36.7%) of 109 were removed from the breast reconstruction tray, resulting in a total reduction of 2652 instruments. This resulted in a decrease of 81,696 instrument sterilization cycles annually. The removal of the instruments yielded an estimated cost avoidance of US $163,800 for instrument repurchase and US $69,441 in annual resterilization savings. The instrument volume reduction is projected to save 383.5 hours of sterile processing personnel time in tray assembly annually. An analytics-driven method applying empirical data on actual case-based instrument usage has implications for better efficiency, improved quality, and cost avoidance related to instrument repurchase and sterile processing. Given increasing cost constraints and the transition to value-based care models, leveraging a technology-based solution enables meaningful change in the sterile processing department as a source for cost reduction and quality of care improvement.

BIM Implementation in Public Construction Projects in Indonesia

The delayed of BIM advancement in Indonesia has proffered that Indonesian government awareness to generate an optimum knowledge and research in BIM implementation is frequently low. In order to catalyst some infrastructure projects which based government projects, the contractor companies should put their creativity and their improved knowledge to win the government projects. Regarding the existing challenges that frequently exist in several projects, BIM has been appeared as a sophisticated technology-based solution to overcome them. However, the level of BIM development in Indonesia nowadays has not been confirmed yet due to the BIM research evolvement is slowly. Even though, there are some companies which has utilised BIM either in their companies or their project such as the construction of Bakauheni - Terbanggi Besar toll road, the construction of Solo - Kertosolo toll road, etc. Nevertheless, the effectiveness and efficiency of BIM utilisation in a contractor company need to measure as an attempting to assist BIM research evaluation in Indonesia. By the questionnaire survey, this research is going to find out how BIM take the responsibility to reduce the complexity of diversity project. Moreover, the benefits and drawbacks which BIM contributes for several projects which have already through BIM’s role need to assembly as a further consideration for Indonesian government to arrange the convenience regulation regards to adopt BIM as the obligations later. Additionally, the assessment of the stakeholder’s role in BIM also necessary to evaluate since the optimum of BIM’s assignment in construction industry involving not only the contractor but also the consultant and the owner. Thus, the research is expected to endowment the further knowledge for BIM implementation in Indonesia.

Addressing Biodisaster X Threats With Artificial Intelligence and 6G Technologies: Literature Review and Critical Insights.

BackgroundWith advances in science and technology, biotechnology is becoming more accessible to people of all demographics. These advances inevitably hold the promise to improve personal and population well-being and welfare substantially. It is paradoxical that while greater access to biotechnology on a population level has many advantages, it may also increase the likelihood and frequency of biodisasters due to accidental or malicious use. Similar to “Disease X” (describing unknown naturally emerging pathogenic diseases with a pandemic potential), we term this unknown risk from biotechnologies “Biodisaster X.” To date, no studies have examined the potential role of information technologies in preventing and mitigating Biodisaster X.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore (1) what Biodisaster X might entail and (2) solutions that use artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging 6G technologies to help monitor and manage Biodisaster X threats.MethodsA review of the literature on applying AI and 6G technologies for monitoring and managing biodisasters was conducted on PubMed, using articles published from database inception through to November 16, 2020.ResultsOur findings show that Biodisaster X has the potential to upend lives and livelihoods and destroy economies, essentially posing a looming risk for civilizations worldwide. To shed light on Biodisaster X threats, we detailed effective AI and 6G-enabled strategies, ranging from natural language processing to deep learning–based image analysis to address issues ranging from early Biodisaster X detection (eg, identification of suspicious behaviors), remote design and development of pharmaceuticals (eg, treatment development), and public health interventions (eg, reactive shelter-at-home mandate enforcement), as well as disaster recovery (eg, sentiment analysis of social media posts to shed light on the public’s feelings and readiness for recovery building).ConclusionsBiodisaster X is a looming but avoidable catastrophe. Considering the potential human and economic consequences Biodisaster X could cause, actions that can effectively monitor and manage Biodisaster X threats must be taken promptly and proactively. Rather than solely depending on overstretched professional attention of health experts and government officials, it is perhaps more cost-effective and practical to deploy technology-based solutions to prevent and control Biodisaster X threats. This study discusses what Biodisaster X could entail and emphasizes the importance of monitoring and managing Biodisaster X threats by AI techniques and 6G technologies. Future studies could explore how the convergence of AI and 6G systems may further advance the preparedness for high-impact, less likely events beyond Biodisaster X.

Neurorehabilitation From a Distance: Can Intelligent Technology Support Decentralized Access to Quality Therapy?

Current neurorehabilitation models primarily rely on extended hospital stays and regular therapy sessions requiring close physical interactions between rehabilitation professionals and patients. The current COVID-19 pandemic has challenged this model, as strict physical distancing rules and a shift in the allocation of hospital resources resulted in many neurological patients not receiving essential therapy. Accordingly, a recent survey revealed that the majority of European healthcare professionals involved in stroke care are concerned that this lack of care will have a noticeable negative impact on functional outcomes. COVID-19 highlights an urgent need to rethink conventional neurorehabilitation and develop alternative approaches to provide high-quality therapy while minimizing hospital stays and visits. Technology-based solutions, such as, robotics bear high potential to enable such a paradigm shift. While robot-assisted therapy is already established in clinics, the future challenge is to enable physically assisted therapy and assessments in a minimally supervized and decentralized manner, ideally at the patient’s home. Key enablers are new rehabilitation devices that are portable, scalable and equipped with clinical intelligence, remote monitoring and coaching capabilities. In this perspective article, we discuss clinical and technological requirements for the development and deployment of minimally supervized, robot-assisted neurorehabilitation technologies in patient’s homes. We elaborate on key principles to ensure feasibility and acceptance, and on how artificial intelligence can be leveraged for embedding clinical knowledge for safe use and personalized therapy adaptation. Such new models are likely to impact neurorehabilitation beyond COVID-19, by providing broad access to sustained, high-quality and high-dose therapy maximizing long-term functional outcomes.

Clinical Faceoff: How Will Recent Price Transparency Policies Impact Orthopaedic Surgery and its Patients?

Clinical Faceoff: How Will Recent Price Transparency Policies Impact Orthopaedic Surgery and its Patients?

Biofeedback-Based Connected Mental Health Interventions for Anxiety: Systematic Literature Review.

BackgroundConnected mental health, which refers to the use of technology for mental health care and technology-based therapeutic solutions, has become an established field of research. Biofeedback is one of the approaches used in connected mental health solutions, which is mainly based on the analysis of physiological indicators for the assessment and management of the psychological state. Biofeedback is recommended by many therapists and has been used for conditions including depression, insomnia, and anxiety. Anxiety is associated with several physiological symptoms, including muscle tension and breathing issues, which makes the inclusion of biofeedback useful for anxiety detection and management.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify interventions using biofeedback as a part of their process for anxiety management and investigate their perceived effectiveness.MethodsA systematic literature review of publications presenting empirically evaluated biofeedback-based interventions for anxiety was conducted. The systematic literature review was based on publications retrieved from IEEE Digital Library, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. A preliminary selection of papers was identified, examined, and filtered to include only relevant publications. Studies in the final selection were classified and analyzed to extract the modalities of use of biofeedback in the identified interventions, the types of physiological data that were collected and analyzed and the sensors used to collect them. Processes and outcomes of the empirical evaluations were also extracted.ResultsAfter final selection, 13 publications presenting different interventions were investigated. The interventions addressed either primarily anxiety disorders or anxiety associated with health issues such as migraine, Parkinson disease, and rheumatology. Solutions combined biofeedback with other techniques including virtual reality, music therapy, games, and relaxation practices and used different sensors including cardiovascular belts, wrist sensors, or stretch sensors to collect physiological data such as heart rate, respiration indicators, and movement information. The interventions targeted different cohorts including children, students, and patients. Overall, outcomes from the empirical evaluations yielded positive results and emphasized the effectiveness of connected mental health solutions using biofeedback for anxiety; however, certain unfavorable outcomes, such as interventions not having an effect on anxiety and patients’ preferring traditional therapy, were reported in studies addressing patients with specific physical health issues.ConclusionsThe use of biofeedback in connected mental health interventions for the treatment and management of anxiety allows better screening and understanding of both psychological and physiological patient information, as well as of the association between the two. The inclusion of biofeedback could improve the outcome of interventions and boost their effectiveness; however, when used with patients suffering from certain physical health issues, suitability investigations are needed.

INDUSTRY 4.0 – AS A TECHNOLOGY ENABLER FOR CSR

Corporate social responsibility now has become a global phenomenon where businesses all over the world are trying to create and well accepted image in the eyes of stakeholders as well as gain competitive advantage out of such initiatives. The newly evolving themes around corporate social responsibility are not restricted to the social consequences of business action but are built around the aspects like sustainability, resource conservation, waste management, customer satisfaction, power saving and employee satisfaction. These new areas of CSR encompass almost all activities of business and all the systems within the business management. There is ample amount of the research showing correlation between management practices and CSR. The fourth Industrial Revolution is one of the technology-based solutions that is been globally adopted by almost all businesses. This involves cyber physical system-based integration of technology and human effort.This research paper’s purposes is to analyse the influence of Industry 4.0 practices independently as well as along with general management practices of the business on CSR. as per the review of literature, the authors have attempted to understand CSR from the evolving perspective of the concept taking it forward from mere business consciousness to socially responsible business practices. The paper analyses how Industry 4.0 based technologies play an effect on cross functional business activities creating a positive impact on CSR initiatives. This study’s findings suggest that Industry 4.0 has a positive along with cross functional business activities effect on the CSR practices of organizations. Although individually both Industry 4.0 and cross functional business activities have a positive impact on CSR but combined impact of both Industry 4.0 and cross functional business activities is slightly better. Looked from this perspective Industry 4.0 can serve as a technology enabler for CSR.The research has created a guideline for improving CSR activities of organisations. It is also revealed how human technology interaction-based Industry 4.0 solutions impact the CSR performances of the organisations.The paper proposes a novel approach of integrating Industry 4.0 technology solutions with business activities for solving CSR issues. It is bringing forth impact of Industry 4.0 as a technology enabler on CSR, which never been thought earlier and it contributes the addition in literature available.

Unity Is Intelligence: A Collective Intelligence Experiment on ECG Reading to Improve Diagnostic Performance in Cardiology.

Medical errors have a huge impact on clinical practice in terms of economic and human costs. As a result, technology-based solutions, such as those grounded in artificial intelligence (AI) or collective intelligence (CI), have attracted increasing interest as a means of reducing error rates and their impacts. Previous studies have shown that a combination of individual opinions based on rules, weighting mechanisms, or other CI solutions could improve diagnostic accuracy with respect to individual doctors. We conducted a study to investigate the potential of this approach in cardiology and, more precisely, in electrocardiogram (ECG) reading. To achieve this aim, we designed and conducted an experiment involving medical students, recent graduates, and residents, who were asked to annotate a collection of 10 ECGs of various complexity and difficulty. For each ECG, we considered groups of increasing size (from three to 30 members) and applied three different CI protocols. In all cases, the results showed a statistically significant improvement (ranging from 9% to 88%) in terms of diagnostic accuracy when compared to the performance of individual readers; this difference held for not only large groups, but also smaller ones. In light of these results, we conclude that CI approaches can support the tasks mentioned above, and possibly other similar ones as well. We discuss the implications of applying CI solutions to clinical settings, such as cases of augmented ‘second opinions’ and decision-making.

Modern technology against falls – A description of the MoTFall project

To meet future challenges from an older and physically less active population innovative solutions are needed. Modern Technology against Falls (MoTFall) aims to prevent falls, increase physical activity and improve self-rated health among older people by means of an information and communication technology based system. The project has developed technology-based solutions, focusing on person-centred care. A participatory research design was applied in the development of a mobile application, a wearable inertial movement measurement unit (IMMU), called the Snubblometer ('snubbla' is 'stumble' in Swedish) and a web-based education programme for health care professionals. The mobile application includes a fall risk index, exercises and information related to falls prevention. By linking the app to the IMMU, person-centred interventions can be developed and implemented in various health care settings and with different target populations. The IMMU has shown good validity and reliability for measuring postural sway and high sensitivity and specificity for measuring a near fall. The education programme is directed at non-graduate health care professionals in nursing homes and home care. The technical solutions have potential for use in research and in clinical practice.

The Imperative for Integrating Public Health and Health Care Delivery Systems

Summary Health care leaders in Dallas County, Texas, are bringing together population-level public health and patient-level individual care by rethinking the roles of care delivery. While such initiatives are not new, the coronavirus pandemic creates an impetus to accelerate such efforts. Leaders at Parkland Health & Hospital System (PHHS) and the county Health and Human Services Department are integrating clinical health care delivery methods with the core public health functions of collecting and analyzing data, contact tracing, outbreak investigation, immunizations, isolation, quarantine, and social services support. Technology-based solutions are being developed and deployed to identify people most at risk of exposure to the virus. PHHS’s affiliated Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation has developed a Social Needs Index, a Proximity Index, and a Vulnerability Index to help identify, educate, and care for the county’s high-risk population.

Consumer Technology-Based Solutions for COVID-19

The articles in this special section focus on leading research addressing COVID-19 Consumer technology solutions. Consumer technologies need to be developed for health and wellbeing during COVID-19 pandemic, that are closely tied to the ground realities, with interdisciplinary expertise of academicians and industry professionals including scientists, engineers, medical professionals, sociologists, and front-line workers. We believe that there are some major thrust areas that broadly relate to consumer electronics.

15000 Exploring team science, professional networks, and innovation success in the THRIVE COVID-19 fellowship program

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Implement and evaluate a fellowship program to foster a new generation of entrepreneurial and collaboratively-minded team scientists, equipped with the knowledge and skills to innovate technology-based solutions for COVID-19 to advance human health OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Mount Sinai Targeted Healthcare Innovation Fellowship (THRIVE) is a 9-month program for participants from diverse professional backgrounds to develop HealthTech innovations related to COVID-19. The program is designed to provide an experiential team science platform for fellows to take an idea from concept to commercially viable innovation. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Following a competitive application process, 16 THRIVE fellows comprise four teams working collaboratively in an online forum with input from experts in the field. Success of the program will be evaluated by:assessing pre- and post- collaborative research orientation among THRIVE fellows using the ROI scale1using social network analysis (SNA) to investigate the social networks of THRIVE fellows to capture patterns of communication and collaboration related to innovation developmentexploring participant experiences of group formation, teamwork and collaboration related to innovation development using one-to-one semi-structured interviewdetermining team success in innovation development, measured by number of publications, funding awarded, provisional patents and viable products. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Paired t-tests will determine whether collaborative orientation of THRIVE fellows changes pre- vs. post- program participation, indicating changes in attitude toward multidisciplinary team work. SNA will be used to describe structural patterns of communication that occur at individual and group levels. Network-level indices will provide insight into patterns of communication that exist in innovation development: degree centrality (number of connections per individual), betweenness centrality (number of bridges to others in a network), closeness centrality (closeness to others in a network). We will also test for associations between network characteristics and team success. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Understanding patterns of formal and informal relationships, interactions, and perceptions of the collaborative process among individuals in THRIVE teams will elucidate whether such a program can provide an effective forum for team science and innovation development related to COVID-19.

Macro Level Measuring of Organization Legitimacy: Its Implication for Open Innovation

Although the field of organizational legitimacy is undergoing great advances, academics are still facing the challenge of its measurement. Currently, academics are focusing on improving and homogenizing legitimacy measurement systems at the micro level. However, measuring legitimacy at the macro level has not evolved according to the needs and possibilities provided by new technologies. This research aims to develop a new methodology to measure organizational legitimacy at the macro level, capable of processing large amounts of information. To this end, an analysis of the news content of the 50 companies that make up the EuroStoxx50 has been conducted for a full year. By doing so, we make three key contributions to managing organizational legitimacy. First, we provide a more complete and reliable measurement of organizational legitimacy thanks to mass information processing techniques, providing a technology-based solution to the obsolescence problem of legitimacy evaluation models at the macro level. Second, we provide empirical evidence of the relationship between legitimacy and organizational success based on the analysis of mass information. Third, we show evidence that a bias is introduced in the measurement of legitimacy due to the use of different sources for this purpose.

Technology-based health solutions for cancer caregivers to better shoulder the impact of COVID-19: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundCancer patients are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, partially owing to their compromised immune systems and curbed or cut cancer healthcare services caused by the pandemic. As a result, cancer caregivers may have to shoulder triple crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, pronounced healthcare needs from the patient, and elevated need for care from within. While technology-based health interventions have the potential to address unique challenges cancer caregivers face amid COVID-19, limited insights are available. Thus, to bridge this gap, we aim to identify technology-based interventions designed for cancer caregivers and report the characteristics and effects of these interventions concerning cancer caregivers' distinctive challenges amid COVID-19.MethodsA systematic search of the literature will be conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus from the database inception to the end of March 2021. Articles that center on technology-based interventions for cancer caregivers will be included in the review. The search strategy will be developed in consultation with an academic librarian who is experienced in systematic review studies. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles will be screened against eligibility criteria developed a priori. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses procedures will be followed for the reporting process.ConclusionsCOVID-19 has upended cancer care as we know it. Findings of this study can shed light on evidence-based and practical solutions cancer caregivers can utilize to mitigate the unique challenges they face amid COVID-19. Furthermore, results of this study will also offer valuable insights for researchers who aim to develop interventions for cancer caregivers in the context of COVID-19. In addition, we also expect to be able to identify areas for improvement that need to be addressed in order for health experts to more adequately help cancer caregivers weather the storm of global health crises like COVID-19 and beyond. Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42020196301

Lifestyle intervention using mobile technology and smart devices in patients with high cardiovascular risk: A pragmatic randomised clinical trial

Background and aimsMobile technology-based solutions present promising effects against cardiovascular diseases. Long-term follow-up in mobile phone-based interventions has not yet been elucidated as a primary prevention technique for cardiovascular diseases. The objective of the present trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle intervention on the change in the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score in a 1-year follow-up using smart phone technology in patients with high cardiovascular risk. MethodsThis prospective, randomised, single-centre clinical investigation enrolled 242 and 241 patients to the intervention plus usual care and usual care arms, respectively. The primary outcome of this study was the 1-year ASCVD risk score adjusted to baseline ASCVD risk score. ASCVD risk scores were calculated for every study participant at the randomisation and final stages. ResultsAfter a 1-year follow-up, the intervention plus usual care reduced the ASCVD score by 2.7% (adjusted treatment effect −2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.2,-3.3, p<0.0001). An improvement was observed in favour of the intervention plus usual care arm in the majority of the pre-specified secondary endpoints. The high sensitive troponin and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels at 1 year were similar between the two arms. The treatment effect was homogenous for diabetes mellitus, gender, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and body mass index; however, heterogeneity in the treatment effect was observed for age. ConclusionsThe lifestyle intervention using smart phone technology compared to usual care alone in patients with high cardiovascular risk reduced the ASCVD score at 1-year follow-up.

ENER-BI: Integrating Energy and Spatial Data for Cities’ Decarbonisation Planning

Given the current climate emergency, our planet is suffering. Mitigation measures must be urgently deployed in urban environments, which are responsible for more than 70% of global CO2 emissions. In this sense, a deeper integration between energy and urban planning disciplines is a key factor for effective decarbonisation in urban environments. This is addressed in the Cities4ZERO decarbonisation methodology. This method specifically points out the need for technology-based solutions able to support that integration among both disciplines at a local level, enriching decision-making in urban decarbonisation policy-making, diagnosis, planning, and follow-up tasks, incorporating the spatial dimension to the whole process (GIS-based), as well as the possibilities of the digital era. Accordingly, this paper explores the demands of both integrated urban energy planning and European/Basque energy directives, to set the main requisites and functionalities that Decision Support Systems (DSSs) must fulfil to effectively support city managers and the urban decarbonisation process.

Mixed Reality Technology as a Delivery Mechanism for Psychological Intervention in Adolescents With Asthma: A Qualitative Protocol

Australia has one of the highest asthma prevalence rates in the world, with this chronic and debilitating condition affecting one in nine people. The health and mental wellbeing of young people with asthma are worse than not only their peers without asthma but also worse than that of people with asthma at other ages. Psychological interventions could be beneficial in treating symptoms of elevated psychological distress in patients with asthma. However, evidence suggests that engagement with mental health services is low in this population. Technology-based solutions that engage youth may overcome barriers to service uptake for both mental health and asthma management. To fast-track the successful translation of evidence-based treatment into practice, interactive, mixed-reality technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and holographic technology may provide a novel, low-cost solution, yet to date, methodological rigor in the evaluation of mixed reality for this purpose is lacking. To evaluate the perceived usability and acceptability of these technologies, mixed reality tools will be developed by the author team to deliver a component of a psychological intervention for treatment of elevated psychological distress among young people with asthma. Qualitative research will be conducted through one-on-one interviews with young people with asthma, parents/caregivers of young people with asthma, and with health professionals, during which participants will have time to interact with the resources. Moderator guides will be used to direct interviews, and will be supplemented with a questionnaire, including Likert-type measures of usability and acceptability to facilitate triangulation of data. Understanding and data obtained through this study will be used to develop version 2.0 mixed reality tools, which will be tested for feasibility in a RCT. Improving access to and uptake of evidence-based treatments for elevated psychological distress in young people with asthma may reduce the burden of this highly prevalent disease.