Human performance in rail: determining the potential of physiological data from wearable technologies

This research focuses on how personal data from wearable physiological measures can be used to assess the Mental Workload (MWL) of staff in the rail industry. Automation technologies are being implemented in the rail industry to improve operational performance and capacity. These new technologies are changing the role of staff. This research considers how temporal physiological data present an opportunity to supplement existing workload assessment methods to measure the impact of these technology changes. The research explores how wearable physiological measures could be applied in live operations to collect real-time data with minimal task interference. Whilst the research focuses on railway signallers, the research has implications for other roles in the rail industry and other industries. The research included three studies and two literature reviews. The initial industry interview study identified the benefit of more continuous data to assess human performance, including successful performance. A detailed review of candidate technologies was then performed solely on physiological measures to extend the knowledge in this area. To assess the potential of physiological measures to provide this continuous data, a simulation study of railway signalling tasks was conducted with an Electrodermal Activity (EDA) wrist strap for alertness and stress and a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) chest strap for uncertainty and increased MWL. The limited application of these measures in rail research provided a suitable research gap for the research to pursue. The simulation study found physiological data provided visibility of individuals’ personal experience of workload. The interplay of EDA, HRV, task demand and subjective workload over time were visible in the storyboard for each participant. The simulation study provided two key contributions to the thesis. Firstly, EDA identified moments in workload during the task, indicating moments of realisation, and periods of uncertainty, or strain due to time pressure. Such data could be used in staff debriefs to better understand their workload, and tailor training. Secondly, average HRV had a strong negative correlation with average subjective workload. HRV could provide a real time indicator of workload and provide visibility of staff effort to managers. The final study was an interview and survey study of staff perspectives on the potential use of these measures. This study replaced a live trial which could not proceed during COVID-19 related restrictions. The study found wearable devices suit use in the live operational environment, with the wrist strap rated the most suitable due to low distraction. Trust emerged as a key factor for staff to accept the use of wearables, particularly if named data is shared. Tangible benefits that lead to improvement in operations was identified as one way to build this trust. An additional contribution of the thesis, drawing on all studies and literature reviews, was to propose a new theoretical perspective on MWL, based on physiological data. A Novelty of Events and Autonomic State (NEAS) model is proposed as a preliminary conceptualisation. It shows how individuals may vary in the impact workload has on their performance and how physiological data may be used to identify this. The concept of Novelty of Events includes aspects of tasks that an individual has not performed before, including those introduced by new technology or procedures. The NEAS model suggests how support in the form of tailored training, or shift breaks, could be used to support improved human performance. Following on from this thesis, a priority for further empirical work would be to trial EDA using a wrist strap that uses a repeated measures approach to determine to what extent individual physiological data changes over time

Developing a dynamic model of anomalous experiences and functional outcome in young people with or without psychosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study protocol

Introduction: Anomalous experiences are common within the general population, but the frequency and intensity is increased in young people with psychosis. Studies have demonstrated that perceptual biases towards noticing these phenomena plays a role, but the way one thinks about one’s experience (metacognition) may also be relevant. Whilst poor metacognitive function has been theoretically associated with anomalous experiences, this relationship is currently unclear. However, metacognition may work along a continuum with various metacognitive levels, many of which have been demonstrated as impaired in psychosis. These metacognitive components may interact via processes that maintain poor metacognition across levels, and that potentially impact both what people do in their everyday lives (functional outcome) and how people feel about their everyday lives (subjective recovery outcome) in young people with psychosis compared to healthy control participants. Methods and analysis: This study will investigate the association and contribution of metacognition to anomalous experiences and outcome measures cross-sectionally, and longitudinally in a 36-month follow-up. Firstly, young people with psychosis will be compared with healthy control participants on selected measures of anomalous experience, metacognition, and function, using ANCOVA to identify group differences. Next, the relationship between metacognitive components and processes will be explored, including processes connecting the different components, using regression analyses. Finally, mediation analyses will be used to assess the predictive value of metacognitive measures on outcome measures, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally at 36-months, whilst controlling for symptoms and cognition. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical and Health Research Authority approval has been obtained through Camberwell St. Giles Research Ethics Committee (reference number: 17/LO/0055). This research project will be reported within a PhD thesis and submitted for journal publication. Once key predictive components of poor outcome in psychosis are identified, this study will develop a series of dynamic models to understand influences on outcome for young people with psychosis

Human performance in rail: determining the potential of physiological data from wearable technologies

This research focuses on how personal data from wearable physiological measures can be used to assess the Mental Workload (MWL) of staff in the rail industry. Automation technologies are being implemented in the rail industry to improve operational performance and capacity. These new technologies are changing the role of staff. This research considers how temporal physiological data present an opportunity to supplement existing workload assessment methods to measure the impact of these technology changes. The research explores how wearable physiological measures could be applied in live operations to collect real-time data with minimal task interference. Whilst the research focuses on railway signallers, the research has implications for other roles in the rail industry and other industries. The research included three studies and two literature reviews. The initial industry interview study identified the benefit of more continuous data to assess human performance, including successful performance. A detailed review of candidate technologies was then performed solely on physiological measures to extend the knowledge in this area. To assess the potential of physiological measures to provide this continuous data, a simulation study of railway signalling tasks was conducted with an Electrodermal Activity (EDA) wrist strap for alertness and stress and a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) chest strap for uncertainty and increased MWL. The limited application of these measures in rail research provided a suitable research gap for the research to pursue. The simulation study found physiological data provided visibility of individuals’ personal experience of workload. The interplay of EDA, HRV, task demand and subjective workload over time were visible in the storyboard for each participant. The simulation study provided two key contributions to the thesis. Firstly, EDA identified moments in workload during the task, indicating moments of realisation, and periods of uncertainty, or strain due to time pressure. Such data could be used in staff debriefs to better understand their workload, and tailor training. Secondly, average HRV had a strong negative correlation with average subjective workload. HRV could provide a real time indicator of workload and provide visibility of staff effort to managers. The final study was an interview and survey study of staff perspectives on the potential use of these measures. This study replaced a live trial which could not proceed during COVID-19 related restrictions. The study found wearable devices suit use in the live operational environment, with the wrist strap rated the most suitable due to low distraction. Trust emerged as a key factor for staff to accept the use of wearables, particularly if named data is shared. Tangible benefits that lead to improvement in operations was identified as one way to build this trust. An additional contribution of the thesis, drawing on all studies and literature reviews, was to propose a new theoretical perspective on MWL, based on physiological data. A Novelty of Events and Autonomic State (NEAS) model is proposed as a preliminary conceptualisation. It shows how individuals may vary in the impact workload has on their performance and how physiological data may be used to identify this. The concept of Novelty of Events includes aspects of tasks that an individual has not performed before, including those introduced by new technology or procedures. The NEAS model suggests how support in the form of tailored training, or shift breaks, could be used to support improved human performance. Following on from this thesis, a priority for further empirical work would be to trial EDA using a wrist strap that uses a repeated measures approach to determine to what extent individual physiological data changes over time

Opportunity and Access to Informal STEM Learning Environments

The University of Kentucky (UK) STEM Experiences is a collaboration amongst the UK Colleges of Education, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences. Our goal is to expose students to a variety positive learning experiences and career options in the STEM fields. Additionally, the summer experiences

Self-defining memories predict engagement in structured activity in First Episode Psychosis, independent of neurocognition and metacognition

Background: Self-defining memories (SDM) are vivid personal memories, related to narrative identity. Individuals with schizophrenia report less specific, more negative, and extract less meaning from these memories compared to control groups. Self-defining memories have been shown to be predicted by neurocognition, associated with metacognition, and linked to goal outcomes in healthy controls. As neurocognition and metacognition are known predictors of poor functioning in psychosis, self-defining memories may also be a predictor. No study has assessed the relationship to functioning or pattern of SDMs in First Episode Psychosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 71 individuals with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and 57 healthy controls who completed a self-defining memories questionnaire. FEP participants completed measures of neurocognition, metacognition (Metacognitive Assessment Interview), functional capacity (The UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment) and functional outcome (Time-Use Survey). Results: Self-defining memories reported by individuals with FEP were less integrated compared to healthy controls. Within the FEP sample, holding less specific memories was associated with engagement in significantly fewer hours of structured activity per week and specificity of SDMs mediated the relationship between neurocognition and functional outcome, independent of metacognition. Conclusion: This is the first study to assess SDMs in FEP and to explore the important role of SDMs on clinical outcomes, compared to healthy controls. This study suggests that elaborating on specific self-defining memories is a valid therapeutic target and may be considered a tool to improve daily functioning in FEP

Advances in understanding large-scale responses of the water cycle to climate change

Globally, thermodynamics explains an increase in atmospheric water vapor with warming of around 7%/°C near to the surface. In contrast, global precipitation and evaporation are constrained by the Earth's energy balance to increase at ∼2–3%/°C. However, this rate of increase is suppressed by rapid atmospheric adjustments in response to greenhouse gases and absorbing aerosols that directly alter the atmospheric energy budget. Rapid adjustments to forcings, cooling effects from scattering aerosol, and observational uncertainty can explain why observed global precipitation responses are currently difficult to detect but are expected to emerge and accelerate as warming increases and aerosol forcing diminishes. Precipitation increases with warming are expected to be smaller over land than ocean due to limitations on moisture convergence, exacerbated by feedbacks and affected by rapid adjustments. Thermodynamic increases in atmospheric moisture fluxes amplify wet and dry events, driving an intensification of precipitation extremes. The rate of intensification can deviate from a simple thermodynamic response due to in‐storm and larger‐scale feedback processes, while changes in large‐scale dynamics and catchment characteristics further modulate the frequency of flooding in response to precipitation increases. Changes in atmospheric circulation in response to radiative forcing and evolving surface temperature patterns are capable of dominating water cycle changes in some regions. Moreover, the direct impact of human activities on the water cycle through water abstraction, irrigation, and land use change is already a significant component of regional water cycle change and is expected to further increase in importance as water demand grows with global population

Equity-Oriented Conceptual Framework for K-12 STEM Literacy

We introduce a conceptual framework of K-12 STEM literacy that rightfully and intentionally positions each and every student, particularly minoritized groups, as belonging in STEM. In order to conceptualize the equity-based framework of STEM literacy, we conducted a systematic review of literature related to STEM literacy, which includes empirical studies that contribute to STEM literacy. The literature on the siloed literacies within STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics literacy) also contributed to formulate the necessity of and what it means to develop STEM literacy. The Equity-Oriented STEM Literacy Framework illuminates the complexities of disrupting the status quo and rightfully transforming integrated STEM education in ways that provide equitable opportunities and access to all learners. The Equity-Oriented STEM Literacy Framework is a research-based, equity and access-focused framework that will guide research, inform practice, and provide a lens for the field that will ensure each and every student, especially minoritized students, develop, and are developing STEM literacy

Perceptual biases and metacognition and their association with anomalous self experiences in first episode psychosis

Anomalous self-experiences have been described as a prerequisite for anomalous perceptual experiences. Later, these anomalous perceptual experiences may then be metacognitively appraised as distressing, maintaining these experiences and later leading to anomalous (delusional) beliefs. This model of anomalous events may potentially be driven by perceptual biases and metacognitive deficits. This cross-sectional study explored the association between perceptual biases, metacognition and anomalous self- and perceptual experiences and delusional beliefs in First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and a matched healthy control sample. Fifty-eight individuals with FEP and seventy-two healthy controls were included in the main analysis. Increased auditory perceptual biases were significantly associated with increased state and trait anomalous self-experiences, in particular alienation from surroundings and emotional numbing. No significant associations were found between metacognitive efficiency and anomalous experiences. These findings may be consistent with the minimal self-disturbance model of schizophrenia spectrum vulnerability, particularly with the hyperreflexivity concept

Cognitive and metacognitive factors predict engagement in employment in individuals with First Episode Psychosis

Background: Research has demonstrated that cognitive abilities predict work outcomes in people with psychosis. Cognitive Remediation Programs go some way in improving work outcomes, but individuals still experience difficulty maintaining employment. Metacognition has been demonstrated to predict work performance in individuals with schizophrenia, but this but this has not yet been applied to First Episode Psychosis (FEP). This study assessed whether metacognition, intellectual aptitude and functional capacity can predict engagement in work and number of hours working in FEP. Methods: Fifty-two individuals with psychosis, from Early Intervention in Psychosis services, completed measures of IQ, metacognition (Metacognitive Assessment Interview), functional capacity (UPSA), and functional outcome (hours spent in structured activity per week, including employment). Results: Twenty-six participants (22 males, 4 females) were employed and twenty-six (22 males, 4 females) were not employed. IQ and metacognition were significantly associated with whether the individual was engaged in employment [IQ (p=.02) and metacognition (p=006)]. When controlling for IQ, metacognition (differentiation subscale) remained significant (p=.04). Next, including only those employed, no cognitive nor metacognitive factors predicted number of hours in employment. Discussion: This is the first study to directly assess metacognition as a predictor of work hours in people with FEP. This study highlights the importance of enhancing metacognitive ability in order to improve likelihood of, and engagement in, employment for those with FEP

Knowledge and Awareness of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Among Women

Background. Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of disabilities in children, yet the general public appears to have little awareness of CMV. Methods. Women were surveyed about newborn infections at 7 different geographic locations. Results. Of the 643 women surveyed, 142 (22%) had heard of congenital CMV. Awareness increased with increasing levels of education (P < .0001). Women who had worked as a healthcare professional had a higher prevalence of awareness of CMV than had other women (56% versus 16%, P < .0001). Women who were aware of CMV were most likely to have heard about it from a healthcare provider (54%), but most could not correctly identify modes of CMV transmission or prevention. Among common causes of birth defects and childhood illnesses, women's awareness of CMV ranked last. Conclusion. Despite its large public health burden, few women had heard of congenital CMV, and even fewer were aware of prevention strategies