Empathy and idea generation for color vision deficiency in virtual reality

Abstract. Virtual reality allows immersive experiences of life and the activities of others in an unprecedented way. Immersed in such experiences, operators can understand and empathize with the life challenges of others. Such empathy and understanding can be pivotal for generating ideas on how to create products that improve the lives of people with specific needs. In this project, the effect of a virtual reality experience on empathy and the generation of ideas was investigated. We experimentally examined operators’ experiences of color vision deficiencies with their own eyes in a game. We evaluated if the immersive virtual reality experience will allow the operator to gain a deeper understanding and establish empathy with color vision deficiency users. Through this, we will identify the needs of color vision deficiency users. We further investigated should such experience lead the operators to generate better design ideas. We examined two virtual environments representing commonly experienced real-life places, a grocery store and a library. They were interacted with as games. The experiment was conducted in two sessions: a virtual environment on a computer screen and a virtual reality experience of the same environment using a head-mounted display. We measured if the experiences deepened the understanding and empathy with a color vision deficiency experience in the same game. The empathy of the 23 participants was tested with questionnaires after each of the experiences, on a computer screen and in virtual reality. We also inquired about lists of the five most common issues color vision deficiency users perceived by the operators on three occasions, before the experiment, between the two sessions and at the end. At the end of the experiment, the operators were asked to generate as many as possible ideas for tangible products that might help people with color vision deficiencies. The results show that the virtual reality experience helped participants deepen their understanding of the needs of people with color vision deficiencies. The idea generation was not found to be statistically significantly affected by the VR experience. Future work is needed to measure the difference between traditional virtual environments and virtual reality on humans understanding and empathy

Multiscale modelling of microstructure formation in polymerc asting

A data bank approach to multi-scale modelling of polymer solidification under flow and holding conditions is presented with applications to injection molding. The latent heat of solidification, which acts as an input parameter for large scale simulations, is determined as a function of different process dependent parameters such as the flow speed, supersaturation and geometric properties including the seed density of emerging spherulitic microstructures. Supersaturation and flow velocities are obtained from the larger scale simulation code as input values as function of which the released latent heat can be obtained from the pre-computed data bank thereby offering a possibility to circumvent the spatial and temporal coarse-graining problem associated with large scale simulations

Safety considerations of plant polysaccharides for food use: a case study on phenolic-rich softwood galactoglucomannan extract

A growing population and concern over the sufficiency of natural resources for feeding this population has motivated researchers and industries to search for alternative and complementary sources of food ingredients and additives. Numerous plant species and parts of plants are explored as raw materials for food production. An interesting example is wood; to date, few wood-based additives or ingredients are authorized for food use. Wood hemicelluloses, such as softwood galactoglucomannans (GGM), constitute an abundant bioresource that shows a highly potential functionality in edible materials. Spruce GGM—“spruce gum”—acts as a multi-functional emulsion stabilizer, and it could be used in various processed food products, replacing less effective, conventional emulsifiers. Before new materials can be released onto the food market, their safety must be evaluated, according to the Novel Food regulation. This review focuses on the safety aspects that must be considered before polysaccharide- and phenolic-rich plant extracts can be awarded the status of authorized food ingredients. In this review, GGM is presented as a case study and examples are given of plant-based polysaccharides that are already authorized for food purposes. The legislation regarding Novel Food ingredients in Europe is also briefly reviewed.Peer reviewe

Sedimentological characterization of Antarctic moraines using UAVs and Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry

In glacial environments particle-size analysis of moraines provides insights into clast origin, transport history, depositional mechanism and processes of reworking. Traditional methods for grain-size classification are labour-intensive, physically intrusive and are limited to patch-scale (1m2) observation. We develop emerging, high-resolution ground- and unmanned aerial vehicle-based ‘Structure-from-Motion’ (UAV-SfM) photogrammetry to recover grain-size information across an moraine surface in the Heritage Range, Antarctica. SfM data products were benchmarked against equivalent datasets acquired using terrestrial laser scanning, and were found to be accurate to within 1.7 and 50mm for patch- and site-scale modelling, respectively. Grain-size distributions were obtained through digital grain classification, or ‘photo-sieving’, of patch-scale SfM orthoimagery. Photo-sieved distributions were accurate to <2mm compared to control distributions derived from dry sieving. A relationship between patch-scale median grain size and the standard deviation of local surface elevations was applied to a site-scale UAV-SfM model to facilitate upscaling and the production of a spatially continuous map of the median grain size across a 0.3 km2 area of moraine. This highly automated workflow for site scale sedimentological characterization eliminates much of the subjectivity associated with traditional methods and forms a sound basis for subsequent glaciological process interpretation and analysis

Colloidal features of softwood galactoglucomannans-rich extract

Development of a sustainable bioeconomy requires valorization of renewable resources, such as wood hemicelluloses. The intra- and inter-molecular associations of hemicelluloses within themselves or with other wood components can result in complex macromolecular features. These features exhibit functionality as hydrocolloids, however macromolecular characterization of these heterogeneous materials are challenging using conventional techniques such as size-exclusion chromatography. We studied galactoglucomannans (GGM) -rich softwood extracts at two grades of purity—as crude extract and after ethanol-precipitation. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) was optimized and utilized to fractionate size classes in GGM extracts, and subsequent characterization was performed with light scattering and microscopy techniques. Both GGM extracts contained polysaccharides of around 10,000 g/mol molar mass, and colloidal assemblies and/or particles in sub-micron size range. The optimized AF4 method facilitates the characterization of complex biomass-derived carbohydrates without pre-fractionation, and provides valuable understanding of their unique macromolecular features for their future application in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.Peer reviewe

Suorapäätössuosituksia ja kuntoutusohjauksen kehittämistä koskeva arviointitutkimus : Koppi kuntoutuksesta -hankkeen kehittävän arvioinnin loppuraportti

Kuntoutussäätiö toteutti Kelan tilaamana ja rahoittamana vuosina 2015–2016 toteutetun Kelan Koppi kuntoutuksesta -hankkeen kehittävän arvioinnin. Hankkeessa kehitettiin perusterveydenhuollon, erikoissairaanhoidon ja työterveyshuollon kanssa uutta ohjauksen mallia Kelan harkinnanvaraiseen kuntoutukseen. Hankkeessa pilotoitiin harkinnanvaraisen kuntoutuksen suorapäätösten tekemisen toimintamallia terveydenhuollossa. Lisäksi hankkeessa kehitettiin uusia toimintatapoja yhteistoimintaan ja uusia tiedottamisen väyliä Kelan kuntoutuksen sidosryhmäyhteistyöhön. Arvioinnissa käytettiin aineistoina terveydenhuollolle ja sen asiakkaille sekä Kelan etuuskäsittelijöille laadittuja itsearviointikyselyitä, haastatteluita sekä Skype-ohjelman avulla toteutettua verkkotyöpajatyöskentelyä. Arvioinnin perusteella kuntoutuksen suorapäätös osoittautui toimivaksi malliksi harkinnanvaraisille kuntoutuskursseille ja sopeutumisvalmennukseen ohjauksessa. Terveydenhuollon toimijat kokivat suorapäätöksissä esitetyt kriteerit selkeiksi sekä suorapäätösten tekemisen vaivattomaksi ja sujuvaksi. Suorapäätösten tekemiseen oli käytettävissä riittävästi taustatietoa ja asiakkaat ohjautuivat suorapäätöksillä kuntoutukseen heidän kannaltaan oikea-aikaisesti. Suorapäätökset helpottivat terveydenhuollon asiakastyötä ja kevensivät kuntoutukseen ohjaamisen vaatimaa työpanosta. Kelan näkökulmasta suorapäätöslomakkeilla tehdyt ohjaukset harkinnanvaraiseen kuntoutukseen olivat kriteereiden mukaisesti oikein tehtyjä. Etuuskäsittelijät pystyivät tekemään kuntoutuspäätökset suorapäätöslomakkeiden ja niiden liitteissä olevan tiedon perusteella. Arviointitulosten mukaan kehittämistyöllä on saatu aikaan asiakaslähtöistä ja asiakkaiden valinnanvapautta tukevaa kuntoutustarpeiden arviointia ja kuntoutukseen ohjausta. Hankkeeseen osallistuneet asiakkaat olivat erittäin tyytyväisiä kuntoutukseen ohjauksen kokonaisuuteen sekä kuulluksi ja huomioiduksi tulemiseen kuntoutustarpeiden selvittämisen yhteydessä. Kelan etuuskäsittelijöiden näkökulmasta asiakkaat ohjattiin kuntoutukseen lähes poikkeuksetta oikea-aikaisesti. Asiakkaiden valinnanvapautta edistettiin siten, että heille tarjottiin aktiivisesti mahdollisuus vaikuttaa kurssivalintaan ja ajankohtaan. Hankkeen eri toimijoiden välisen tiedonkulun ja yhteistyön kehittämisen avulla voitiin luoda asiakaslähtöisen kuntoutuksen asiakaspolun malli. Terveydenhuollon edustajat olivat yhteydessä Kelaan asiakaskohtaista palveluohjausta tarjoavan Skypen ja yleistä tiedollista tukea tarjoavan chatin välityksellä. Nämä tarjosivat sujuvan viestintäkanavan kuntoutuksen vaihtoehtojen pohdintaan, mikä helpotti asiakkaalle sopivan kuntoutuskurssin löytämistä. Mallin kehittämiseen liittyen terveydenhuollon yksiköissä selkiytettiin kuntoutustarpeiden tunnistamisen ja kuntoutukseen ohjauksen työprosesseja. Myös yleinen kuntoutusta ja Kelan kurssitarjontaa koskeva tietous lisääntyi hankkeessa mukana olleissa terveydenhuollon yksiköissä. Arvioinnin pohjalta esitetään ehdotuksia asiakaslähtöisen kuntoutuksen edelleen kehittämiseksi. Kehittämisehdotukset liittyvät terveydenhuollon osaamisen ja tiedonkulun kehittämiseen, Kelan ja terveydenhuollon tiedonvaihdon ja yhteistyön tiivistämiseen sekä suorapäätössuositusmalliin

Comparison of Finnish meat inspection records and average daily gain for cattle herds differing in Mycoplasma bovis test-status

Detecting Mycoplasma bovis on cattle farms represents a challenge in the absence of an outbreak or cases of M. bovis mastitis, yet identification of an infection is essential to control the spread of the disease successfully. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine whether meat inspection records can aid identification of cattle farms supporting M. bovis infection, and (2) to compare the average daily weight gain estimated from carcass weight for cattle originating from farms differing in M. bovis test-status. Meat inspection records were collected from two abattoirs in 2015; 80 677 animals in total. All the dairy and mixed breed cows and bulls used for meat production were categorized according to known M. bovis infection status of the farms from which the cattle were derived; positive, contact or control farms. The associations between animals from different M. bovis categories and lung lesions of bulls and cows (pneumonia and pleuritis), identified during meat inspection, and estimated average daily gain (ADG) of bulls, were investigated. The odds ratios for lung lesions, especially pleuritis, were higher in M. bovis test-positive or contact farms compared with control farms. Additionally, odds ratios for pleuritis were higher among animals from M. bovis test-positive farms and animals from contact slaughtering farms originating from M. bovis-free rearing farms. Bulls originating from M. bovis test-positive farms had higher estimated average daily gain than cattle from control farms. Meat inspection records can be used alongside other methods to detect M. bovis-positive farms where M. bovis causes lung lesions. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Functionality of spruce galactoglucomannans in oil-in-water emulsions

For a sustainable food chain, the demand for plant-based, functional, and cost-effective food hydrocolloids is on a high-rise. Hemicelluloses from the renewable lignocellulosic biomass are available in abundance from side-streams of the forestry industry to fulfill this demand. Their effective valorization requires a safe, economic extraction method that can be up-scaled to an industrial scale and, simultaneously, understanding of their functionality to develop applications. In this study, an aqueous-based extraction method, pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) of spruce saw meal was used to obtain galactoglucomannans (GGM), "spruce gum". Ethanol precipitation was performed to remove non-polysaccharide extractives such as free phenolic compounds, and the emulsion component ratio-dependent interfacial saturation capacity of the remaining purified fraction was studied to understand its functionality. GGM resulted in good to excellent emulsification and stabilization of oil-in-water emulsions and exhibited adsorption at the oil droplet interface, which depended on the amount of oil and droplet size of emulsions. The adsorbed GGM content was determined by gas chromatography after acid methanolysis, and their macromolecular characteristics were studied by size-exclusion chromatography. At GGM to oil ratios 2, 1, and 0.4, stable emulsions with predicted several months of shelf life at room temperature were achieved. The results indicated mechanisms affecting the physical stabilization and breakdown of emulsions containing spruce gum, a novel sustainable hydrocolloid. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe