Towards NFC payments using a lightweight architecture for the Web of Things

The Web (and Internet) of Things has seen the rapid emergence of new protocols and standards, which provide for innovative models of interaction for applications. One such model fostered by the Web of Things (WoT) ecosystem is that of contactless interaction between devices. Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is one such enabler of contactless interactions. Contactless technology for the WoT requires all parties to agree one common definition and implementation and, in this paper, we propose a new lightweight architecture for the WoT, based on RESTful approaches. We show how the proposed architecture supports the concept of a mobile wallet, enabling users to make secure payments employing NFC technology with their mobile devices. In so doing, we argue that the vision of the WoT is brought a step closer to fruition

The Bionic Radiologist: avoiding blurry pictures and providing greater insights

Radiology images and reports have long been digitalized. However, the potential of the more than 3.6 billion radiology examinations performed annually worldwide has largely gone unused in the effort to digitally transform health care. The Bionic Radiologist is a concept that combines humanity and digitalization for better health care integration of radiology. At a practical level, this concept will achieve critical goals: (1) testing decisions being made scientifically on the basis of disease probabilities and patient preferences; (2) image analysis done consistently at any time and at any site; and (3) treatment suggestions that are closely linked to imaging results and are seamlessly integrated with other information. The Bionic Radiologist will thus help avoiding missed care opportunities, will provide continuous learning in the work process, and will also allow more time for radiologists’ primary roles: interacting with patients and referring physicians. To achieve that potential, one has to cope with many implementation barriers at both the individual and institutional levels. These include: reluctance to delegate decision making, a possible decrease in image interpretation knowledge and the perception that patient safety and trust are at stake. To facilitate implementation of the Bionic Radiologist the following will be helpful: uncertainty quantifications for suggestions, shared decision making, changes in organizational culture and leadership style, maintained expertise through continuous learning systems for training, and role development of the involved experts. With the support of the Bionic Radiologist, disparities are reduced and the delivery of care is provided in a humane and personalized fashion

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAMS ON HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEE’S WEIGHT

Introduction: Over 32% of employees in healthcare are clinically overweight with a BMI over 30. This level of obesity is more significant in healthcare than in other professions. (Aldana, 2021). The growing prevalence of diseases among employees in healthcare settings has increased the concern about their health, well-being, and productivity. (Aldana, 2021). Notably, the reduction of obesity rates holds the potential to avert 40 million instances of chronic diseases, encompassing hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular ailments. (Milken Institute Study, 2022) Therefore, maintaining a healthy body weight or shedding excess pounds is crucial to reduce the risk of developing these. As a response, employers are adopting employee wellness programs to proactively prevent illnesses or identify and address health issues early, preventing complications. One way to prevent health issues would be to have a strategic focus that involves addressing obesity being the root cause of numerous chronic diseases. This research aims to assess the impact of Advocate Aurora’s healthy living programs Weight Watchers (WW), Health Management Resources (HMR), Healthy Habits, and Noom in comparison to their new added “Foodsmart” program on weight loss among overweight/obese employees measured by BMI (Body Mass Index). The findings of this research seek to determine the effectiveness of employee wellness programs (EMPs) on weight loss and overall health and well-being, providing recommendations for future research. This study aims to contribute to the existing literature on holistic health, wellness promotion/education, and behavioral economics. This study will employ the use of two theoretical approaches to explain the patterns of participation in the EWPs: the self-care deficit theory, and behavioral economics theories, specifically present bias, and nudging.Methods: This is a retrospective study, analyzing participants in Advocate Aurora\u27s recent healthy living program, Foodsmart, and comparing them with participants from their other wellness programs. The examination will encompass demographic differences among Foodsmart participants and participants in alternative wellness programs. Additionally, it will assess changes in BMI among participants in employee wellness programs from 2022 to 2023. Result: Out of the 6,708 healthcare workers, 595 engaged in Foodsmart, 1,635 in Weight Watchers (WW), 3,290 in Noom, 438 in Healthy Habits, and 230 in Health Management Resources (HMR). The Foodsmart program demonstrated a minor reduction in the average BMI from 31.8 to 31.6 post-intervention, indicating a slight positive impact on participants\u27 weight status (-0.2). Similarly, HMR participants exhibited a slight decrease in average BMI from 32.5 in 2022 to 32.3 in 2023 (-0.2). In contrast, WW, Healthy Habits, and Noom recorded slight increases in average BMI post-intervention (0.1-0.2). The collective average BMI for all programs in 2022 was 33.12, experiencing a marginal uptick to 33.14 in 2023 post-intervention. Despite being a minimal increase, it implies that, on average, there was a minor alteration in participants\u27 BMI due to involvement in EWPs. Although the statistical analysis indicates no significant change, it is crucial to consider practical significance. The slight rise in average BMI may not reach statistical significance, yet it suggests that, on average, there was no improvement in participants\u27 BMI following the intervention

Survival of the (Data) Fit : Self-Surveillance, Corporate Wellness, and the Platformization of Healthcare

The emergence and proliferation of smart sensor technologies has enabled the self-tracking of everyday life in an unprecedented manner as the logic of quantification and datafication extends to diverse aspects of life, including education, work, and healthcare. This development is epitomized by the numerous corporate wellness programs that are based on the use of self-tracking tools. Faced with increased competition, Fitbit, one of the most popular brands in wearable self-tracking devices, recently launched the Fitbit Care platform. Its aim is to establish itself as the leading actor in employee corporate wellness programs by providing comprehensive offerings that include self-tracking tools, apps, digital interventions, and personalized health coaching. Focusing on the Fitbit Care platform, this paper examines the intersection of self-surveillance, corporate wellness, and healthcare, highlighting the socioeconomic inequalities propagated by the ideology of dataism that privileges those who are able to engage in activities that generate desirable data.Peer reviewe

Workplace primary prevention programmes enabled by information and communication technology

As the workforce is ageing across the globe, employers are implementing primary prevention programmes to encourage their employees to live healthier lives. Information and communication technology (ICT) can support these programmes by collecting, storing and processing data, and by visualizing health progress. However, there is a lack of knowledge of how ICT is utilized in primary prevention programmes at workplaces and how its utilization affects social issues. This paper fills that gap by presenting an illustrative case of a primary prevention programme in Finland. We find that offering employees the opportunity to use ICT for data collection, storage and sharing, contributes to their acceptance of the programme. Moreover, our findings show that while visualizing the effects of the programme through ICT contributes to lifestyle change, such soft factors as the involvement of doctors are just as important.</span

Enhancing Proprioception and Regulating Cognitive Load in Neurodiverse Populations through Biometric Monitoring with Wearable Technologies

This paper considers the realm of wearable technologies and their prospective applications for individuals with neurodivergent conditions, specifically Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The study undertakes a multifaceted analysis that encompasses biomarker sensing technologies, AI-driven biofeedback mechanisms, and haptic devices, focusing on their implications for enhancing proprioception and social interaction among neurodivergent populations. While wearables offer a range of opportunities for societal advancement, a discernable gap remains: a scarcity of consumer-oriented applications tailored to the unique physiological and psychological needs of these individuals. Key takeaways underscore the emergent promise of tailored auditory stimuli in workplace dynamics and the efficacy of haptic feedback in sensory substitution. The investigation concludes with an urgent call for multidisciplinary research aimed at the development of specific consumer applications, rigorous empirical validation, and an ethical framework encompassing data privacy and user consent. As the pervasiveness of technology in daily life continues to expand, the article posits that there is an imperative for future research to shift from generalized solutions to individualized applications, thereby ensuring that the spectrum of wearable technology truly accommodates the full scope of human neurodiversity

Smart workplaces: a system proposal for stress management

Over the past last decades of contemporary society, workplaces have become the primary source of many health issues, leading to mental problems such as stress, depression, and anxiety. Among the others, environmental aspects have shown to be the causes of stress, illness, and lack of productivity. With the arrival of new technologies, especially in the smart workplaces field, most studies have focused on investigating the building energy efficiency models and human thermal comfort. However, little has been applied to occupants’ stress recognition and well-being overall. Due to this fact, this present study aims to propose a stress management solution for an interactive design system that allows the adapting of comfortable environmental conditions according to the user preferences by measuring in real-time the environmental and biological characteristics, thereby helping to prevent stress, as well as to enable users to cope stress when being stressed. The secondary objective will focus on evaluating one part of the system: the mobile application. The proposed system uses several usability methods to identify users’ needs, behavior, and expectations from the user-centered design approach. Applied methods, such as User Research, Card Sorting, and Expert Review, allowed us to evaluate the design system according to Heuristics Analysis, resulting in improved usability of interfaces and experience. The study presents the research results, the design interface, and usability tests. According to the User Research results, temperature and noise are the most common environmental stressors among the users causing stress and uncomfortable conditions to work in, and the preference for physical activities over the digital solutions for coping with stress. Additionally, the System Usability Scale (SUS) results identified that the system’s usability was measured as “excellent” and “acceptable” with a final score of 88 points out of the 100. It is expected that these conclusions can contribute to future investigations in the smart workplaces study field and their interaction with the people placed there.Nas últimas décadas da sociedade contemporânea, o local de trabalho tem se tornado principal fonte de muitos problemas de saúde mental, como o stress, depressão e ansiedade. Os aspetos ambientais têm se revelado como as causas de stress, doenças, falta de produtividade, entre outros. Atualmente, com a chegada de novas tecnologias, principalmente na área de locais de trabalho inteligentes, a maioria dos estudos tem se concentrado na investigação de modelos de eficiência energética de edifícios e conforto térmico humano. No entanto, pouco foi aplicado ao reconhecimento do stress dos ocupantes e ao bem-estar geral das pessoas. Diante disso, o objetivo principal é propor um sistema de design de gestão do stress para um sistema de design interativo que permita adaptar as condições ambientais de acordo com as preferências de utilizador, medindo em tempo real as características ambientais e biológicas, auxiliando assim na prevenção de stress, bem como ajuda os utilizadores a lidar com o stress quando estão sob o mesmo. O segundo objetivo é desenhar e avaliar uma parte do projeto — o protótipo da aplicação móvel através da realização de testes de usabilidade. O sistema proposto resulta da abordagem de design centrado no utilizador, utilizando diversos métodos de usabilidade para identificar as necessidades, comportamentos e as expectativas dos utilizadores. Métodos aplicados, como Pesquisa de Usuário, Card Sorting e Revisão de Especialistas, permitiram avaliar o sistema de design de acordo com a análise heurística, resultando numa melhoria na usabilidade das interfaces e experiência. O estudo apresenta os resultados da pesquisa, a interface do design e os testes de usabilidade. De acordo com os resultados de User Research, a temperatura e o ruído são os stressores ambientais mais comuns entre os utilizadores, causando stresse e condições menos favoráveis para trabalhar, igualmente existe uma preferência por atividades físicas sobre as soluções digitais na gestão do stresse. Adicionalmente, os resultados de System Usability Scale (SUS) identificaram a usabilidade do sistema de design como “excelente” e “aceitável” com pontuação final de 88 pontos em 100. É esperado que essas conclusões possam contribuir para futuras investigações no campo de estudo dos smart workplaces e sua interação com os utilizadores

Investing in Entry-Level Talent

Even in today's competitive economic environment, there is much that companies can do to reduce entry-level turnover costs, increase employee engagement and retention, and create a talent pipeline for the future. Many companies pursue basic strategies to address turnover and promote advancement, such as offering competitive benefits and developing internal career paths. But our research found pioneering companies that are going beyond the basics and addressing turnover in remarkable ways. In examining the practices of these leading companies, we identified four strategies, outlined below, that markedly improve entry-level retention and advancement. This report is designed to share those strategies and practical suggestions for implementation with corporate leaders across the United States who are seeking to engage, retain, and advance their entry-level workforce