CO-CREATION WORKSHOP FOR INTERFACE DESIGN - DESIGNING INNOVATIVE HMI FOR AUTOMATED VEHICLES

 The increasing growth in the development of new technology is changing the way users interact with products. Thus, designers must re-think the human-machine interfaces (HMI) for communicating information regularly. Co-creation – the process of joint creation of users and designers – is an approach to product and experience development that can substantially benefit the generation of innovative product proposals. The present paper aims to assess the feasibility of co-creation workshops for the development of proposals for interfaces of Artificial Intelligence derived products through a case study on interfaces for autonomous vehicles. For this purpose, two sessions of co-creation workshops using group brainstorming techniques were conducted with undergraduate and graduate Design students and professors, who are specialists in interaction and information design. The results showed that the interfaces proposed by the designers were communicated information in a wide range of ways, making use of existing technologies to present messages in an innovative manner, meeting autonomous vehicles’ users’ needs.The increasing growth in the development of new technology is changing the way users interact with products. Thus, designers must re-think the human-machine interfaces (HMI) for communicating information regularly. Co-creation – the process of joint creation of users and designers – is an approach to product and experience development that can substantially benefit the generation of innovative product proposals. The present paper aims to assess the feasibility of co-creation workshops for the development of proposals for interfaces of Artificial Intelligence derived products through a case study on interfaces for autonomous vehicles. For this purpose, two sessions of co-creation workshops using group brainstorming techniques were conducted with undergraduate and graduate Design students and professors, who are specialists in interaction and information design. The results showed that the interfaces proposed by the designers were communicated information in a wide range of ways, making use of existing technologies to present messages in an innovative manner, meeting autonomous vehicles’ users’ needs

Identicars: uno strumento per migliorare la resa testimoniale nelle indagini per omissione di soccorso stradale

L’articolo descrive uno studio sperimentale volto a testare l’efficacia dello strumento Identicars, un catalogo di immagini di automobili e di parti di esse ideato per aiutare i testimoni di omissione di soccorso stradale nel compito di riconoscimento dell’auto fuggita senza prestare soccorso. L’ipotesi di partenza dei ricercatori è quella per cui tale strumento dovrebbe aiutare i testimoni a fornire una descrizione più dettagliata e più accurata dell’auto che si è data alla fuga. Nell’articolo verrà dimostrata la potenziale utilità dello strumento Identicars attraverso l’esposizione dei risultati di un esperimento condotto presso l’Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, i cui risultati mostrano un’accuratezza maggiore del resoconto testimoniale per i soggetti che hanno utilizzato Identicars rispetto ai soggetti che hanno fornito un resoconto testimoniale con il metodo tradizionale di assunzione delle informazioni. L’article décrit une étude pilote conçue pour vérifier l’efficacité du système Identicars. Cet outil est un catalogue d’images de voitures et de pièces de voiture créé pour aider les témoins de délits de fuite à reconnaître la voiture en question. L’hypothèse des chercheurs est que cet outil devrait effectivement aider les témoins à fournir des descriptions plus détaillées et précises. Les auteurs veulent démontrer l’utilité potentielle du système Identicars par le biais des résultats obtenus par une expérience réalisée à l’Université de Bologne (Italie). Ces résultats montrent une plus grande qualité du témoignage de la part des personnes qui ont employé l’outil Identicars par rapport à celles qui ont témoigné en employant les méthodes traditionnelles pour obtenir les informations. The article describes a pilot study designed to test the effectiveness of the Identicars system. This tool is a catalogue of images of cars and car parts created to help the witnesses of hit-and-run driving accidents to recognise the car in question. The researcher’s initial concept is that such a tool should help witnesses to provide more detailed and accurate descriptions. The authors will demonstrate the potential usefulness of the Identicars tool through the results achieved by an experiment carried out at the University of Bologna. These results show a greater accuracy of identification by those witnesses who used the Identicars tool in comparison to those who gave evidence using the traditional method for obtaining the information

Interactive Voice Response systems for informing citizens about the COVID-19 pandemic: A study on Brazil's Disque Saúde

In order to slow down the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, it is vital to adopt measures to inform citizens about preventive actions. Such an operation requires a wide-ranged system that comprises a variety of interfaces as channels between citizens and healthcare authority’s information services. Amongst such interfaces, the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems can present benefits for informing citizens about the pandemic. Although the literature shows that IVR systems have been used for healthcare, the extent of the COVID-19 pandemic demands new examinations on the role of IVR systems on a multiplatform system for delivering information. This paper aimed to identify gaps and opportunities for the use of IVR systems to inform citizens about the COVID-19 pandemic. A case study was conducted by mapping the Brazilian Ministry of Healthcare’s channels of information about the coronavirus and analyzing the Disque Saúde IVR system – a phone-based ombudsman channel -  based on literature recommendations. The results showed that while IVR systems have great potential for accessibility, it is essential that all types of information are available and continuously updated for citizens. Furthermore, the vast and mutable availability of information in a pandemic scenario may be a challenge for the usability of such systems.

Re-examining “Practice” in Interpreter Education

In this commentary, the authors explore “practice” in interpreter education. They outline differences in meaning and usage of the term, including the notions of “reflective practice” and “deliberate practice,” discuss the importance of high-quality skill development-focused practice (SDFP) in skill acquisition, and call for a systematic program of research into SDFP in interpreter education, particularly within the context of dialogue interpreting

Fabrication of anisotropically aligned nanofibrous scaffolds based on natural/synthetic polymer blends reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals for tendon tissue engineering

[Excerpt] Introduction: Tendon disorders and injuries are among the most common musculoskeletal problems and their regeneration after injury remains a significant challenge. Given the prevalent fibrous nature of tendons’ ECM, which exhibits an aligned and hierarchical organization in structures from the nano to the macro scale, uniaxial aligned electrospun nanofibers produced from natural/synthetic polymer blends are among the most successful tendon scaffolds in tissue engineering (TE) strategies[1]. These biomaterials can provide the topographical cues to direct cell adhesion and proliferation, as well as positively affecting cell’s differentiation, phenotype maintenance and matrix deposition. However, the limited mechanical properties of electrospun biomaterials restrict their potential application in this field. In the present study, we propose the use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), the “nature carbon nanotubes”, as a strategy for the reinforcement of electrospun poly­ɛ­caprolactone­chitosan (PCL­C) nanofiber scaffolds without compromising their biological performance and thus expand their potential range of application in tendon TE strategies. (...

Human amniotic fluid-derived and dental pulp-derived stem cells seeded into collagen scaffold repair critical-size bone defects promoting vascularization

INTRODUCTION: The main aim of this study is to evaluate potential human stem cells, such as dental pulp stem cells and amniotic fluid stem cells, combined with collagen scaffold to reconstruct critical-size cranial bone defects in an animal model. METHODS: We performed two symmetric full-thickness cranial defects on each parietal region of rats and we replenished them with collagen scaffolds with or without stem cells already seeded into and addressed towards osteogenic lineage in vitro. After 4 and 8 weeks, cranial tissue samples were taken for histological and immunofluorescence analysis. RESULTS: We observed a new bone formation in all of the samples but the most relevant differences in defect correction were shown by stem cell–collagen samples 4 weeks after implant, suggesting a faster regeneration ability of the combined constructs. The presence of human cells in the newly formed bone was confirmed by confocal analysis with an antibody directed to a human mitochondrial protein. Furthermore, human cells were found to be an essential part of new vessel formation in the scaffold. CONCLUSION: These data confirmed the strong potential of bioengineered constructs of stem cell–collagen scaffold for correcting large cranial defects in an animal model and highlighting the role of stem cells in neovascularization during skeletal defect reconstruction

Novel genipin cross-linked chitosan-silk fibroin sponges for cartilage engineering strategies

The positive interaction of materials with tissues is an important step in regenerative medicine strategies. Hydrogels that are obtained from polysaccharides and proteins are expected to mimic the natural cartilage environment and thus provide an optimum milleu for tissue growth and regeneration. In this work, novel hydrogels composed of blends of chitosan and Bombyx mori silk fibroin were cross-linked with genipin (G) and were freeze dried to obtain chitosan/silk (CSG) sponges. CSG sponges possess stable and ordered structures because of protein conformational changes from R-helix/random-coil to -sheet structure, distinct surface morphologies, and pH/ swelling dependence at pH 3, 7.4, and 9. We investigated the cytotoxicity of CSG sponge extracts by using L929 fibroblast-like cells. Furthermore, we cultured ATDC5 cells onto the sponges to evaluate the CSG sponges’ potential in cartilage repair strategies. These novel sponges promoted adhesion, proliferation, and matrix production of chondrocyte-like cells. Sponges’ intrinsic properties and biological results suggest that CSG sponges may be potential candidates for cartilage tissue engineering (TE) strategies.S.S.S. and M.T.R. thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for Ph.D. scholarships (SFRH/BD/8658/2002 and SFRH/BD/30745/2006, respectively). A.F.M.P. thanks the FCT and FEDER for a grant (POCI/FIS/61621/2004). This work was partially supported by the European-Union-funded STREP project HIPPOCRATES (NMP3-CT-2003-505758) and was carried out under the scope of the European NoE EXPERTISSUES (NMP3-CT-2004-500283). We also acknowledge Adriano Pedro for his contribution to the micro-CT analysis

Therapeutic efficacy of milbemycin oxime/praziquantel oral formulation (Milbemax®) against Thelazia callipaeda in naturally infested dogs and cats

BACKGROUND: Over the last few decades, canine and feline thelaziosis caused by Thelazia callipaeda eye worms has gained the attention of the veterinary community due to the spread of this ocular infestation in geographical areas previously regarded as non endemic. The therapeutic efficacy of milbemycin oxime/praziquantel tablets (Milbemax®) against T. callipaeda was tested in naturally infested dogs and cats. METHODS: From January 2009 to July 2011 a placebo controlled and randomized field study was conducted in T. callipaeda endemic areas of Switzerland (CH) and Italy (ITA) involving client-owned animals. Dogs (n = 56) and cats (n = 31) were physically examined at enrolment Day 0 (D0) and twice afterwards (D7 and D14). Infested animals were orally treated with Milbemax® or with placebo tablets on D0 and, if an animal was found still infested with T. callipaeda, also on D7. On D14 nematodes were flushed from the conjunctiva, identified and counted. RESULTS: Out of 56 dogs, 43 were included in the statistical analysis, whereas 13 were excluded because the products under investigation were not administered with food, as required by the label. On D7 and D14, 72.7% and 90.9% of treated dogs were eye worm free, whereas in the placebo group 95.2% and 76.2% still harbored nematodes, resulting in a mean percentage worm count reduction for the Milbemax® group of 86.1% and 96.8%, respectively. Both results were significantly higher (p = 0.0001) than the placebo group. Out of the 31 cats included in the study at D7 and D14, 53.3% and 73.3% treated with Milbemax® were free of T. callipaeda, while 81.3% and 73.3 in the placebo group were still harbouring eye worms, resulting in a mean percentage worm count reduction for the treated group of 62.2% and 80.0%, respectively. Both results were significantly higher (p = 0.0106 and p = 0.0043) than the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: The commercial formulation of milbemycin oxime at the minimal dose of 0.5 mg/kg and 2 mg/k in dogs and cats, respectively, showed a high therapeutic efficacy in curing T. callipaeda infestations. The advantages of an oral application are additionally increased by the large spectrum of activity of praziquantel and milbemycin oxime against Cestodes and Nematodes infesting dogs and cats