Reconstructing Landscape to Reconstruct Regionalism? L'Horta, la Ciutat de les Ciències, and the Ideological Politics of Valencian Modernity

In this paper I explore the ways economic and political “reterritorialization” – such as regionalist politics in Spain – may be negotiated through cultural discourses and landscapes. Few regions exemplify the contradictions of regional politics better than the Comunitat Valenciana, whose capital Valencia has been transformed by the Generalitat Valenciana’s simultaneous pursuit of economic development and political autonomy over two decades and three political administrations. Some of these changes imply the displacement of L’Horta de Valencia, long a regional symbol, by new monumental spaces like the Ciutat de les Arts i de les Ciències. I examine this precipitous substitution of landscapes, in regional space and iconography, to analyze how the Generalitat’s reconstruction of the Valencian landscape may serve to reconstruct Valencian regionalism. In this essay, based on a broader qualitative research project, I suggest that a new regionalist discourse has emerged premised on global competitiveness and obsessed with modernity. Like the Museu de les Ciències itself, however, this new Valencian regionalism may be built for global tourism yet lacking substantial content

Reconstruir el paisatge per a reconstruir el Regionalisme? L'Horta, la Ciutat de les Ciències, i la política ideològica de la modernitat valenciana

En aquest article exploro les formes en què la ‘reterritorialització' econòmica i política –com la de les polítiques regionalistes a Espanya– pot ser negociada a través de discursos i paisatges culturals. Poques regions exemplifiquen les contradiccions de les polítiques regionals millor que la Comunitat Valenciana, la capital de la qual, València, ha estat transformada per la simultània cerca, per part de la Generalitat Valenciana, del desenvolupament econòmic i de l'autonomia política al llarg de dues dècades i tres governs. Alguns d'aquests canvis comporten el desplaçament de l'Horta de València, durant molt de temps un símbol regional, per nous espais monumentals, com és la Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències. Aquí examino aquesta precipitada substitució de paisatges, en l'espai regional i en la iconografia, per tal d'analitzar com la reconstrucció del paisatge valencià per part de la Generalitat pot servir per a reconstruir el regionalisme valencià. En aquest assaig, basat en un projecte de recerca qualitativa més ampli, suggereixo que ha emergit un nou discurs regionalista fonamentat en la competitivitat global i obsessionat amb la modernitat. Tal com el mateix Museu de les Ciències, tanmateix, aquest nou regionalisme valencià pot ser bastit per al turisme global, però en manca en canvi d'un contingut substanciós

Health technology assessment review: Remote monitoring of vital signs - current status and future challenges

Recent developments in communications technologies and associated computing and digital electronics now permit patient data, including routine vital signs, to be surveyed at a distance. Remote monitoring, or telemonitoring, can be regarded as a subdivision of telemedicine - the use of electronic and telecommunications technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants. Depending on environment and purpose, the patient and the carer/system surveying, analysing or interpreting the data could be separated by as little as a few feet or be on different continents. Most telemonitoring systems will incorporate five components: data acquisition using an appropriate sensor; transmission of data from patient to clinician; integration of data with other data describing the state of the patient; synthesis of an appropriate action, or response or escalation in the care of the patient, and associated decision support; and storage of data. Telemonitoring is currently being used in community-based healthcare, at the scene of medical emergencies, by ambulance services and in hospitals. Current challenges in telemonitoring include: the lack of a full range of appropriate sensors, the bulk weight and size of the whole system or its components, battery life, available bandwidth, network coverage, and the costs of data transmission via public networks. Telemonitoring also has the ability to produce a mass of data - but this requires interpretation to be of clinical use and much necessary research work remains to be done

In the moment: designing for late stage dementia

This paper presents international multidisciplinary design research to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia. The LAUGH project aims to develop playful artefacts that will contribute to non-pharmacological personalised approaches to caring for people living with late stage dementia in residential care. This paper presents the context for this research and explains the initial stages of the work currently in progress. An inclusive participatory methodology is described in which key experts including: health professionals, technologists, materials scientists and carers of people living with dementia are informing the development of design concepts. A positive design approach in which designing for pleasure, personal significance and virtue underpin the work. The initial stages of the research have identified the significance of: playfulness, sensory stimulation, hand use and emotional memory. This paper contends that designs should aim to promote ‘in the moment’ living in order to support subjective wellbeing of people living with late stage dementia

LAUGH: Designing to enhance positive emotion for people living with dementia

Dementia comprises a number of degenerative neurological diseases. It is a complex condition and each person’s experience and symptoms are different. There is a growing awareness of the need for well-designed products and services to assist with dementia care and to enhance wellbeing. This paper presents research investigating the design of playful objects for people with late stage dementia. The investigation described is a preliminary stage in the LAUGH (Ludic Artefacts Using Gesture and Haptics) project; an AHRC funded international, interdisciplinary design research project. People living with dementia, informal and professional carers, health professionals, art therapists, charity representatives, arts practitioners and designers are informing the research through a series of expert group participatory workshops and case study interviews. Observation, discussion, video, photography and investigation. Findings presented in this paper focus on the importance of emotional memory and emotional expression in the care of people with late stage dementia; the value of sensory triggers and props to stimulate emotional remembering; and the importance of designing to promote high quality social connections