806 research outputs found

    University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Biomechanics Annual Report Spring 2019

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    This report contains: A letter from the Director: Dr. Nick Stergiou Articles about Updates: Center for Research in Human Movement Variability Articles about the Updates: Department of Biomechanics Articles on Exciting News Article about Beyond the Boarders Articles on Outreach and Highlightshttps://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/nbcfnewsletter/1015/thumbnail.jp

    A case of design-enabled public policy formulation process

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    Governments are increasingly applying design practices to address public challenges. While the study of these practices evidences their utility for designing public services, the specific design activities and their value for policy formulation are rather unclear. To shed light in this direction, this paper presents a case study on the collaboration of LABgobar and SENASA in reforming the Bovine Tuberculosis regulations in Argentina. By analysing the project’s documentation and interviewing project members, this study illustrates design practices that complement traditional policy formulation processes. These practices include methods for problem understanding and reframing, idea generation, and collaborative policy prototyping. Interestingly, these adapt elements coming from multiple disciplines. Despite the potential value of design in policy formulation processes, real adoption remains tied to local -and often small scale- experiments. This paper adds further studies for a more robust understanding of design's contribution to addressing policy challenges

    2016 Academic Excellence Showcase Proceedings

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    Future Climate Rhetorics of Belize: A Counter-Apocalyptic Inquiry into Belize’s Possible, Probable, and Preferable Futures

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    This dissertation investigates future climate rhetorics of Belize through a variety of methods in order to mediate the various conceptions of the future professed in climate policy, experiential phenomenology, and acoustic ecologies of agroecology. Chapter one considers the values embedded in climate change policy documents, specifically the Nation Communications documents composed by Belize’s various ministries since the country signed to the Paris Agreement in 2016. Using the People’s Agreement of Cochamba as an alternative lens, the chapter explores how people-centered, as opposed to market-centered, attunements informing climate policy can potentially lead to a more just, equitable future that does not rely on technocratic knowledge and the maintenance of colonial relations. Chapter two delves into a case study undertaken by the researcher at the Trio Farms Cacao Association’s cacao agroforestry concession to glean how the farmers working in this system conceive of changes in their labors as a result of increased temperatures, increased rainfall volatility, and increased incidents of natural disasters, proposing the ‘rhetoric of hope’ to discuss the futures projected by the farmers in spite of the industry’s bleak outlook. Chapter three builds from the case study through a sonic rhetoric performance writing experiment using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) devices deployed in the concession to discuss audible perceptions of biodiversity and harmony in order to demonstrate mediations rhetoricians can provide to discussions about the role of human ‘ear ring’ amid the rise in machine ‘listening.’ The fourth chapter uses the insights of the previous chapters to develop a narrative in the method of what Aja Martinez’s terms ‘counter story’ in order to conceive of alternate futures wherein Belizeans might alter their political trajectory towards equity and wellbeing during a time of extreme heating events and collapsed global supply chains. The dissertation then concludes by discussing insights about the methods used in the dissertation that might be improved for repeatability as well as how aspects of the researcher’s life as an environmental activist have informed the work herein

    Novel Foods and Edible Insects in the European Union

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    This open access book proposes an in-depth study on a vast range of issues connected to the regulation of Novel Foods in the European Union, pursuing an interdisciplinary approach and thus providing a comprehensive picture of this complex topic. Particular attention is paid not only to the current EU legislative framework, its positive innovations, unsolved problems and limits, but also to food safety issues and the potential impact of Novel Foods on sustainability and food security. In addition, the book focuses on a particular category of Novel Foods: insects for human consumption. These products recently gained momentum after the first EU Commission authorisation of dried yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)in 2021. The book contributes to the lively public debate following this long-awaited authorisation by examining the legal issues arising from the application of the Novel Foods Regulation to these peculiar new foods; the EFSA risk assessment evaluations; the consumers’ perceptions and potential future of insect-based products’ market in the EU. By providing such an extensive analysis, including recent developments and future prospects, the book represents a valuable tool for students and academics, but also institutions and public authorities, helping them understanding the various challenges related to Novel Foods and edible insects. Furthermore, it seeks to promote an informed debate in order to find innovative solutions to pressing problems concerning how to feed the world of tomorrow

    Undergraduate Review, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2021

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    Autonomous behaviour in tangible user interfaces as a design factor

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    PhD ThesisThis thesis critically explores the design space of autonomous and actuated artefacts, considering how autonomous behaviours in interactive technologies might shape and influence users’ interactions and behaviours. Since the invention of gearing and clockwork, mechanical devices were built that both fascinate and intrigue people through their mechanical actuation. There seems to be something magical about moving devices, which draws our attention and piques our interest. Progress in the development of computational hardware is allowing increasingly complex commercial products to be available to broad consumer-markets. New technologies emerge very fast, ranging from personal devices with strong computational power to diverse user interfaces, like multi-touch surfaces or gestural input devices. Electronic systems are becoming smaller and smarter, as they comprise sensing, controlling and actuation. From this, new opportunities arise in integrating more sensors and technology in physical objects. These trends raise some specific questions around the impacts smarter systems might have on people and interaction: how do people perceive smart systems that are tangible and what implications does this perception have for user interface design? Which design opportunities are opened up through smart systems? There is a tendency in humans to attribute life-like qualities onto non-animate objects, which evokes social behaviour towards technology. Maybe it would be possible to build user interfaces that utilise such behaviours to motivate people towards frequent use, or even motivate them to build relationships in which the users care for their devices. Their aim is not to increase the efficiency of user interfaces, but to create interfaces that are more engaging to interact with and excite people to bond with these tangible objects. This thesis sets out to explore autonomous behaviours in physical interfaces. More specifically, I am interested in the factors that make a user interpret an interface as autonomous. Through a review of literature concerned with animated objects, autonomous technology and robots, I have mapped out a design space exploring the factors that are important in developing autonomous interfaces. Building on this and utilising workshops conducted with other researchers, I have vi developed a framework that identifies key elements for the design of Tangible Autonomous Interfaces (TAIs). To validate the dimensions of this framework and to further unpack the impacts on users of interacting with autonomous interfaces I have adopted a ‘research through design’ approach. I have iteratively designed and realised a series of autonomous, interactive prototypes, which demonstrate the potential of such interfaces to establish themselves as social entities. Through two deeper case studies, consisting of an actuated helium balloon and desktop lamp, I provide insights into how autonomy could be implemented into Tangible User Interfaces. My studies revealed that through their autonomous behaviour (guided by the framework) these devices established themselves, in interaction, as social entities. They furthermore turned out to be acceptable, especially if people were able to find a purpose for them in their lives. This thesis closes with a discussion of findings and provides specific implications for design of autonomous behaviour in interfaces

    Manufacturing equipment data collection framework

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    Estágio realizado na Qimonda Portugal, S. A. e orientado pelo Eng.º Nuno SoaresTese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

    The NEBLINE, September 2011

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    Contents: Feature: 4-H Helps Build Successful Scientists Farm Views Horticulture Food & Fitness Home & Family Living Environmental Focus Urban Agriculture 4-H & Youth Community Focus Extension Calendar Nutrition Education Program Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs and other extension news and event
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