Chance would be a fine thing : digitally driven practice-based research at Huddersfield

Emerging software based processes are challenging the role of the maker as author as well as introducing new areas of practice. Recent developments in digital art and design at the School of Design Technology, University of Huddersfield have included two areas covering the application of digital techniques to the process of making in very different contexts: Product Design and manufacture; and Visual Arts. Much of this work represents a convergence of art and science, of aesthetics and technology, of process and production. These developments have emerged from two programmes of practice-based research at the University and at the Digital Research Unit at The Media Centre, Huddersfield. The first of these is the Designer in Residence programme based in the Design Department, which aims to employ professional designers in order to embed practice-based research activity into the department’s delivery of 3D design pathways. In the second of these, the Department of Architecture has been working with the Digital Research Unit to deliver a dynamic and challenging range of work from artists at the forefront of digital media practice, bringing new ideas and working practices to the fore. Together, these programmes bridge academia, commercial R&D and the cultural and creative industries. Though they utilise very different approaches, the projects are connected in the ways in which they explore the role of chance, of unforeseen elements in the production of the ‘finished’ work. In a research context, the accidental, the random and even the unaware as contributory constituents are considered as aspects which have considerable impact on the definitions, roles and expectations of the author, the mediating technology and the consumer within the creative process. Aspects of ‘control’ over the results of creative endeavour which are normally taken as a given are here questioned and ownership of the process debated. As high level pieces of original practice-based research such uncertainty is understandably problematic. Through the presentation of two case studies, this paper will explore the implications of these approaches to making. The first of these case studies is the ‘Future Factories’ project by the designer Lionel Theodore Dean, which explores the creation, selection and digital manufacture of randomly generated computer models to produce finished physical artefacts via rapid prototyping technologies. The second case study is the ‘QQQ’ commission by the artist and programmer Tom Betts, which is an interactive installation constructed from the code of the graphics engine for the computer game ‘Quake’, modified using generative programming techniques. The two case studies will then be analysed through the perspective of the writings of Alfred Jarry, with particular respect to his notion of ‘Pataphysics’ and the writings on chance and play of Paul Virilio, in order to highlight how both projects utilise real-time networked technologies in their final manifestation. The case studies also contextualise the shifting relationships between the maker, software techniques and the participation of the audience or consumer in playful and game-like processes in the production of the finished environment or artefact.</p

Assimilating the Deleuzian Objectile to a Pataphysical Clinamen: A pataphysical objectile for design research

The following thesis is an investigation of the objectile and the clinamen to demonstrate how one is assimilable to the other. If, at the time of writing the thesis, the concept objectile was already lodged on the plane or strata of architectural computing, then it is a supposition of the following that the objectile might be re-mobilised for speculative design research by assimilating it to a pataphysical clinamen. Clinamen, the following research will show, serves as a prototype for the science fictional, philosophical and architectural machines to be claimed as speculative objectiles for interdisciplinary design research cultures: Clinamen exemplifies the paradigmatic pataphysical and bachelor machines of schizoanalysis and the speculative research object or objectile. Which is to say, the concept clinamen possesses an interdisciplinary mobility as philosophical object and as a pataphysical machine, the Clinamen, a painting machine designed by Alfred Jarry’s pataphysician Dr Faustroll, named after the Lucretian atomistic concept resurrected by Jarry for the twentieth century. The following Thesis therefore composes a research plane on which to create an encounter between philosophy, speculative culture and design research, such that pataphysical concepts can be productively put into confluence with discourse on speculative design as a mode of practice-based research in pursuit of its principal claim: that the concept of the technical object objectile, created by philosopher Gilles Deleuze, can be assimilated to a pataphysical Clinamen

Getting on to a PhD

Over the last decade, there has been a 25% rise in the number of students applying for doctoral-level study across the UK (Universities UK, 2017). Prior to committing to a PhD, applicants must make an informed decision as to whether working towards a PhD is valuable for them in terms of personal and professional development. By answering some of the most frequent questions asked by PhD applicants, this article aims to de-mystify common myths associated with doctoral-level study

A cross-sectional study of demographic, environmental and parental barriers to active school travel among children in the United States

[Background] Promoting daily routine physical activities, such as active travel to school, may have important health implications. Practitioners and policy makers must understand the variety of factors that influence whether or not a child uses active school travel. Several reviews have identified both inhibitors and promoters of active school travel, but few studies have combined these putative characteristics in one analysis. The purpose of this study is to examine associations between elementary school children’s active school travel and variables hypothesized as correlates (demographics, physical environment, perceived barriers and norms). [Methods] The current project uses the dataset from the National Evaluation of Walk to School (WTS) Project, which includes data from 4th and 5th grade children and their parents from 18 schools across the US. Measures included monthly child report of mode of school travel during the previous week (n = 10,809) and perceived barriers and social norms around active school travel by parents (n = 1,007) and children (n = 1,219). Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) with log-link functions were used to assess bivariate and multivariate associations between hypothesized correlates and frequency of active school travel, assuming random school effect and controlling for the distance to school. [Results] The final model showed that the most relevant significant predictors of active school travel were parent’s perceived barriers, specifically child resistance (Estimate = −0.438, p < 0.0001) and safety and weather (Estimate = −0.0245, p < 0.001), as well as the school’s percentage of Hispanic students (Estimate = 0.0059, p < 0.001), after adjusting for distance and including time within school cluster as a random effect. [Conclusions] Parental concerns may be impacting children’s use of active school travel, and therefore, future interventions to promote active school travel should more actively engage parents and address these concerns. Programs like the Walk to School program, which are organized by the schools and can engage community resources such as public safety officials, could help overcome many of these perceived barriers to active transport.This study was supported by a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Special Interest Project (SIP 09–02). The project was conducted out of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, a Prevention Research Center funded through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U48-DP001944)

Reliability and validity of the Healthy Home Survey: A tool to measure factors within homes hypothesized to relate to overweight in children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The contribution of the environment to the obesity epidemic is well recognized. Parents have control over their home environment and can, therefore, support healthy dietary and activity habits in their children by manipulating factors such as access to energy-dense foods, availability of physical activity equipment, and restricting screen time. This paper describes the development of the Healthy Home Survey and its reliability and validity. The Healthy Home Survey was designed to assess characteristics of the home environment that are hypothesized to influence healthy weight behaviors in children including diet and physical activity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We recruited 85 families with at least one child between 3–8 years. The Healthy Home Survey was administered to parents via telephone and repeated in a random sample of 45 families after 7 days. In-home observations were performed within 14 days of the first Healthy Home Survey interview. Percent agreement, Kappa statistics, Intra-class correlation coefficients and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate reliability and validity evidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Reliability and validity estimates for the Healthy Home Survey were varied, but generally high (0.22–1.00 and 0.07–0.96 respectively), with lower scores noted for perishable foods and policy items. Lower scores were likely related to actual change in the perishable foods present and the subjective nature or clarity of policy questions and response categories.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Initial testing demonstrated that the Healthy Home Survey is a feasible, reliable, and valid assessment of the home environment; however, it has also highlighted areas that need improvement. The Healthy Home Survey will be useful in future research exploring the relationship between the home environment and child weight.</p

Measuring the Physical Activity Practices Used by Parents of Preschool Children

Parents play a critical role in shaping children’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, including those around physical activity and inactivity. Our ability to identify which practices effectively promote children’s physical activity and limit inactivity is limited by existing measurement instruments. This project will present a newly developed physical activity parenting practices survey, the psychometric properties of this survey’s scales, and their association with child physical activity and screen time behaviors

National youth sedentary behavior and physical activity daily patterns using latent class analysis applied to accelerometry

Abstract Background Applying latent class analysis (LCA) to accelerometry can help elucidated underlying patterns. This study described the patterns of accelerometer-determined sedentary behavior and physical activity among youth by applying LCA to a nationally representative United States (US) sample. Methods Using 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 3998 youths 6–17 years wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for one week, providing > =3 days of wear for > =8 h/day from 6:00 am-midnight. Cutpoints defined sedentary behavior ( = 2296 counts/minute), and vigorous activity (> = 4012 counts/minute). To account for wear time differences, outcomes were expressed as percent of day in a given intensity. LCA was used to classify daily (Monday through Sunday) patterns of average counts/minute, sedentary behavior, light activity, MVPA, and vigorous activity separately. The latent classes were explored overall and by age (6–11, 12–14, 15–17 years), gender, and whether or not youth attended school during measurement. Estimates were weighted to account for the sampling frame. Results For average counts/minute/day, four classes emerged from least to most active: 40.9 % of population (mean 323.5 counts/minute/day), 40.3 % (559.6 counts/minute/day), 16.5 % (810.0 counts/minute/day), and 2.3 % (1132.9 counts/minute/day). For percent of sedentary behavior, four classes emerged: 13.5 % of population (mean 544.6 min/day), 30.1 % (455.1 min/day), 38.5 % (357.7 min/day), and 18.0 % (259.2 min/day). For percent of light activity, four classes emerged: 12.3 % of population (mean 222.6 min/day), 29.3 % (301.7 min/day), 41.8 % (384.0 min/day), and 16.6 % (455.5 min/day). For percent of MVPA, four classes emerged: 59.9 % of population (mean 25.0 min/day), 33.3 % (60.9 min/day), 3.1 % (89.0 min/day), and 3.6 % (109.3 min/day). For percent of vigorous activity, three classes emerged: 76.8 % of population (mean 7.1 min/day), 18.5 % (23.9 min/day), and 4.7 % (47.4 min/day). Classes were developed by age, gender, and school attendance since some patterns differed when stratifying by these factors. Conclusion The models supported patterns for average intensity, sedentary behavior, light activity, MVPA, and vigorous activity. These latent class derived patterns can be used in other youth studies to explore correlates or outcomes and to target sedentary behavior or physical activity interventions

Effects of a Head Start Obesity Prevention Pilot on Preschoolers’ Physical Activity

Regular participation in physical activity (PA) is important for the healthy growth and development of preschoolers. The Míranos! Look at Us We Are Healthy (Míranos!) is an obesity prevention intervention with age-appropriate structured and unstructured outdoor/indoor play and classroom activities led by teacher. As an objective instrument to provide information on human movements, accelerometer can accurately identify the levels of physical activity and assess the effects of physical activity intervention. PURPOSE: to evaluate the effects of an 8-week Míranos! pilot intervention on increasing physical activity levels during school time in preschoolers. METHODS: Study participants were children aged 3-5 years enrolled in two Head Start Centers in San Antonio, Texas. Assessments of physical activity level were obtained for time spent in light PA (LPA) and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Children wore accelerometers (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT, ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL) for two days at baseline, 4-weeks, and 8-weeks of the intervention. Accelerometers were worn on the wrist when children arrived at the center and collected by the teachers at the end of the day. Accelerometers must be worn for a minimum of 6 hours for data to be included for analysis. Data were processed on ActiLife-6 (Version 6.13.3, Copyright 2009-2015 Actigraph, LLC.) using cut-off points from Johansson (2016) calibration study. Vector magnitude (VM) counts between 4885 and 11292 per minute were classified as LPA, VM counts above 11293 per minute were classified as MVPA. Independent Samples T-Test was used to assess differences in time (minutes) in LPA, MVPA, and total PA from baseline to 4-week and 8-week time point. RESULTS: Valid data were obtained from 30 children. Independent Samples T-Test showed that there was a significant increase (mean difference=-7.59;

Postpartum Physical Activity: Measuring Theory of Planned Behavior Constructs

top develop and examine evidence for factor validity and longitudinal invariance of scales used to measure theory of planned behavior constructs applied to physical activity