An Evidence Based Multi-Activity Handwashing Education Program in Children

Proper handwashing is one of the simplest, most affordable and effective means of stopping the spread of infection. Due to the close proximity of children in schools and child care settings, there is a high risk for the spread of infectious disease. The purpose of this project was to improve handwashing behaviors of three to six year old children in a community school setting by implementing an evidence based multi-activity handwashing education program. The objective was to increase understanding of the relationship between germs and handwashing, as well as increase the frequency and correct technique procedure of handwashing behavior in children in the community. The evidence based handwashing education program was implemented over several weeks and included multiple activities that were found in the literature to be effective. These activities included a lecture and presentation, a return demonstration, a Glo Germ™ training device, and a video and story on handwashing. The results of the statistical analysis found that the program was effective in increasing both the frequency and correct technique procedure of the children. Most parents (80%) reported that they noticed an increase in how often their child washes his/her hands. A majority of parents (83%) noticed an increase in the duration of how long their child washes his/her hands; a larger majority (90%) noticed a decrease in how often they needed to prompt their child to wash his/her hands. Nurses working collaboratively with other disciplines in the community can implement evidence based practice handwashing education programs in a variety of public child care settings. The effects of the handwashing programs may significantly decrease child healthcare costs associated with prescriptions, visits to the provider, hospital admissions and emergency room visits and influence positive health promotion behaviors in children. Implementing affordable and effective handwashing education programs can lead to a reduction in infectious diseases, absenteeism, antibiotic resistance and health care costs. By fostering positive health promotion practices, such as proper handwashing behaviors in children, habits may be instilled that carry into adulthood. These habits can increase the health of a child and the community

‘Listening back’ : exploring the sonic interactions at the heart of historical sound effects performance

The cinematic sound design practice of Foley developed from a rich history of performative sound design through materials, objects and mechanical devices created for theatrical performance, magic lantern shows and silent cinema screenings in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Now, as virtual and digital methods become available in film sound design production, it is time to evaluate the contribution of these historical sound design methods through the discipline of Sonic Interaction Design (SID). Exploring the use of everyday objects and sound effects devices in the creation of a soundtrack allows us to ‘listen’ back and forward simultaneously. Our knowledge of historical sound practice can be updated and new practices can be generated, at the same time deepening our understanding of sound for screen that is performative in nature. This article investigates the interactivity inherent in historical sound effects performance through a case study of a mechanical and digital wind machine reconstruction, and explores its potential to inform new interactive digital methods for sound design

The P scales: level descriptors P1 to P8

"These are the level descriptors for pupils working below level 1 of the national curriculum... To support teachers in making judgements about pupils’ attainment below level 1 of the national curriculum" - Back cover. This booklet is part of the DVD and print booklet package 'Using the P scales: assessing, moderating and reporting pupil attainment at levels P1 to P8' (QCA/09/4060

From action to sound : a challenging perspective for haptics

International audienceThe link from action to sound is under-explored in Virtual Realities. The article categorizes the action-sound relations, proposing the term "ergotic" to refer to the case when there is a mechanical interaction between the subject and the sound source. Force- feedback devices and physically-based models are indeed required for implementing virtual ergotic action-sound systems, able to engrave the energetic consistency of the physical action in the sound

Active Tactile Sensing for Texture Perception in Robotic Systems

This thesis presents a comprehensive study of tactile sensing, particularly on the prob- lem of active texture perception. It includes a brief introduction to tactile sensing technology and the neural basis for tactile perception. It follows the literature review of textural percep- tion with tactile sensing. I propose a decoding and perception pipeline to tackle fine-texture classification/identification problems via active touching. Experiments are conducted using a 7DOF robotic arm with a finger-shaped tactile sensor mounted on the end-effector to per- form sliding/rubbing movements on multiple fabrics. Low-dimensional frequency features are extracted from the raw signals to form a perceptive feature space, where tactile signals are mapped and segregated into fabric classes. Fabric classes can be parameterized and sim- plified in the feature space using elliptical equations. Results from experiments of varied control parameters are compared and visualized to show that different exploratory move- ments have an apparent impact on the perceived tactile information. It implies the possibil- ity of optimising the robotic movements to improve the textural classification/identification performance

Multisensory contributions to skin‐cosmetic product interactions

The human face is one of the most salient regions of the body surface. Ratings of facial attractiveness, as well as judgements of a person's age, are influenced by the appearance of facial skin (not to mention the presence/absence of wrinkles). Unsurprisingly, many consumers spend huge amounts of money on trying to protect, maintain, and/or enhance their facial appearance. As highlighted by the evidence presented in this narrative review, both the skin and the cosmetic products that many consumers use are fundamentally multisensory in nature. The complex interaction between the particular skin site stimulated and the multisensory attributes of the product (e.g., when it is applied) can exert a number of effects on an individual's mood, their emotions, as well as on their self‐perception (and self‐confidence), over‐and‐above any functional effects that the cream or lotion may have on the skin itself. In this narrative historical review, the literature on the multisensory perception of facial skin is summarized and critically evaluated. Multisensory interactions taking place between the cosmetic product, its packaging, as well as its use/application at the sensory, cognitive, and emotional levels are all discussed