Silent witness, using video to record and transmit tacit knowledge in creative practices.

Over the last ten years, the duration of my ongoing practice-led design research work, video recording has developed from an expensive luxury to being ubiquitous. Whilst this opens up many opportunities for documenting and disseminating research projects, there are also potential drawbacks. I am a multimedia designer who makes extensive use of video both as an observational tool and as a means of helping covey tacit / experiential knowledge in creative practices. In this paper I discuss the use of video for such purposes, drawing on my own experiences and the research of others who use video in research. It builds on methods developed undertaking my own practice-led research described in output 1: Wood N, Rust C & Horne G (2009). A tacit understanding: the designer's role in capturing and passing on the skilled knowledge of master craftsmen. International Journal of Design, 3(3). It also builds on two earlier articles: Wood N (2010). A good record? The use of video in practice-led design research. Reflections 13, Sint Lucas School of Architecture, Brussels. ISSN 1784-7052. Wood N (2008). Unlocking the knowledge of others: knowledge elicitation in practice-led design research. Reflections 7, Sint Lucas School of Architecture, Brussels. ISSN 1784-7052. In my continuing research I have been working with a craftsmen, Ulrik Hjort Lassen a doctoral student at the Department of Conservation, Gothenburg University, who has been undertaking research into traditional methods for scribing the timbers for traditional wooden buildings. The methods described in these papers have formed the theoretical basis for Lassen’s research, developed and testing a multimedia learning resources to provide ‘bridges’ for new learners to this knowledge, the successful outcome of which validates the principles developed in my own research and demonstrates transferability of this technique.</p

The new journeyman: The role of an expert learner in eliciting and transmitting skilled knowledge

This paper presents interim research findings of a project which seeks to elicit the skilled knowledge of master craftsmen through use of an expert learner (Horne) acting as intermediary between the craftsmen and a designer (Wood) creating a multimedia resource to support those wishing to learn the skill. It builds on previous research that evolved a set of principles for the design of multimedia learning materials (Wood & Rust 2003) and moved on to develop techniques for elicitation of expert knowledge from craft masters (Wood 2006). The skills involved in undertaking such craft practice involve a high degree of tacit knowledge which is internalised and frequently difficult for the craft expert to articulate. The expert learner has the ability to learn new skills with minimal instruction then articulate those skills before they become too internalised. The role of designer is to assist with this articulation and develop interpretation suitable for transmitting the knowledge to novice learners. This research focuses on the skills of traditional custom knife makers in Sheffield; Horne has worked alongside two traditional craftsmen, video recorded by Wood. Together they have collaborated to analyse the recordings and develop learning materials to disseminate the craft skill. These are currently being developed and tested using a small group of learners with some one-to-one teaching followed by self-directed development work using an on-line resource. The main finding for this stage of the research was that, as Horne had relatively recently acquired this knowledge, it had not become too internalised and she was able to rapidly adapt her understanding of it to improve transmission to the learners in a manner that had not been demonstrated by more experienced craft practitioners. The interactions between Horne and the learners were mediated by Wood, facilitating reciprocal reflection between the them and designing ‘bridges’ to help transmit the knowledge to future generations of learners. Keywords: Multimedia Design; On-Line Learning; Tacit Knowledge; Craft Skills; Knowledge Elicitation</p

‘Plumb line scribe’: using multimedia to preserve traditional craft skills

The skills required in craft practice involve a high degree of tacit knowledge which is frequently difficult for the craft expert to articulate. N. Wood, a multimedia designer, has undertaken extensive research over the last ten years seeking to understand the knowledge of skilled craftsmen and find methods of capturing and passing it on. She has developed an elicitation strategy that employs an expert learner to uncover the skilled knowledge of master craftsmen, and a transmission strategy based on the concept of bridges to assist the design of learning resources for novices. U. H. Lassen has used the techniques developed by Wood to record and transmit the skilled knowledge needed to make timber-framed buildings, knowledge that today is in danger of being lost. The focus of the study has been the procedure for scribing timbers, which is a central part of the building process. The aim of the research was to investigate the possibility of combining the two roles defined in Wood’s research as an expert learner and designer. Being a skilled carpenter, Lassen has acted as an expert learner, learning the skills of scribing through a combination of researching existing documentation, working with master craftsmen and his own experimentation. At the same time, he developed and tested a multimedia learning resource to provide ‘bridges’ for new learners to this knowledge. The outcome of the application of Wood’s elicitation and transmission strategy to plumb line scribing is a demonstration of the transferability of Wood’s methods within this new context. This is important because it reveals the potential for other craft practitioners to apply Wood’s methods to their own learning and teaching, and produce learning resources to provide bridges to their craft knowledge and preserve their unique skills

Dynamics and Thermodynamics of a Novel Phase of NaAlH4

We characterize a novel orthorhombic phase (gamma) of NaAlH4, discovered using first-principles molecular dynamics, and discuss its relevance to the dehydrogenation mechanism. This phase is close in energy to the known low-temperature structure and becomes the stabler phase above 320 K, thanks to a larger vibrational entropy associated with AlH4 rotational modes. The structural similarity of gamma-NaAlH4 to alpha-Na3AlH6 suggests it acts as a key intermediate during hydrogen release. Findings are consistent with recent experiments recording an unknown phase during dehydrogenation.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table + supplementary info; In press (Physical Review Letters

A good record? The use of video in practice-led design research.

Over the last eight years, the duration of my ongoing practice-led design research project, video recording has developed from an expensive luxury to being ubiquitous. Whilst this opens up many opportunities for documenting and disseminating research projects, there are also potential drawbacks. I am a multimedia designer who makes extensive use of video both as an observational tool and as a means of helping covey tacit / experiential knowledge in creative practices. In this paper I will discuss the use of video for such purposes, drawing on my own experiences and the research of others who use video in design research

Microalgae for Combined Nutrient Recovery and Biofuel Production from Sewage

It is critical that we move towards a more sustainable society. Three of our largest challenges are the need for sustainable energy generation, currently dominated by fossil fuel combustion, sustainable food supply, reliant on energy intensive fertiliser production, and a sustainable supply of fresh water, the treatment of which is often unreliable or economically prohibitive. The use of microalgae for low-cost and effective nutrient removal in wastewater treatment works (WWTW) was established in the mid-20th century, but microalgae have gained renewed attention for their ability to accumulate lipids for biodiesel production. Furthermore, the ability of microalgae to accumulate high nutrient concentrations offers an opportunity to shift the focus of nutrient control in WWTW from removal to reuse (i.e. in agricultural fertilisers). This project addresses the hypothesis that microalgae may be cultivated within WWTW to simultaneously recover essential nutrients, produce biomass suitable for biodiesel production and contribute to the wastewater treatment process. A new method to measure algal biomass density using digital image analysis was developed. The method facilitates the use of small volume cultures for screening studies without compromising robust growth data. The effect of environmental conditions, present within WWTW, on the growth, nutrient uptake and lipid accumulation in the model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are presented. Results demonstrate that pH control to near-neutral is preferable for nutrient removal, nutrient recovery and biofuel potential, owing to the increase in biomass density. In ammonium-rich wastewaters, pH control is critical to prevent ammonia toxicity. The choice of nitrogen source (ammonium vs. nitrate) had no significant effect on microalgal growth or biomass composition, microalgal nutrient removal therefore facilitates removal of wastewater nitrification processes. Finally, the small molecule, diphenyl methylphosphonate is shown to cause oil retention in C.reinhardtii and offers a means to improve lipid quality for biodiesel production

Ethical Considerations of AR Applications in Smartphones; A Systematic Literature Review of Consumer Perspectives

This study focuses on the ethical considerations that a consumer perceives with augmented reality (AR) in the context of smartphone applications. Through a systematic review, this research can provide an understanding and ability for developers, product managers, digital marketers and associated business professionals to effectively implement and deploy mobile AR related applications and campaigns, with consideration to the perceptions of the ethical considerations that consumers have of this growing technology. The rise in digital transformation and new technologies paved this research agenda. Trends in the data revealed two overarching factors of 'Benefits' and 'Ethical Considerations'. Within these two factors, several consumer perceived themes were identified with regards to AR applications and their association categorised either positive, negative or neutral. 'Benefits' revealed 3 consistent themes of personalisation, interactivity and information acquisition. 'Ethical Considerations' revealed consistent patterns of educational awareness, privacy, transparency and security. From identifying the consumer perceptions, business professionals can strategically address and or challenge the inherent limitations and their associations during AR application development, product adoption strategies or marketing purposes.Comment: 46 pages, 1 figur

KeyPiece: Creating a critical dialogue in contemporary craft.

This paper reports on an experimental pilot project, 'KeyPiece'; a combined research seminar/workshop and public exhibition that brought together 10 leading researchers in metalwork and jewellery. Results from this event indicate possible new methodologies for critical discourse/s in the crafts and was the foundation to develop further initiatives. Starting from the ‘object’, the question of how a ‘key-piece’ can be identified and defined provided the basis for debate between the makers. The works displayed functioned as both a physical reference and a catalyst in the development of the discourse about the nature of research in the field. To enable engagement with the public, whilst still maintaining the seminar situation the exhibits provided a divide of the gallery space; one half public space, the other workshop setting; with paper covering walls and floor for participants to write and draw. After the workshop finished the whole gallery became accessible to the public providing greater insight into the exhibited objects. The event was observed and documented by a writer/curator and a multimedia designer/researcher and the record used to create an online interactive multimedia resource for distribution within and beyond the professional community. This provides an engaging, accessible and durable documentation of the event, which will be of interest to practitioners, educators, researchers and critics within the applied arts field and other creative practices. In this paper we describe both the event and its immediate outcomes. It was not set up to create pre-anticipated results; it was speculative and open-ended, generating relevant insights into creative research. We reflect on the wider implications of the event as a means of eliciting knowledge embodied in such objects and as a way of creating a critical dialogue that moves the discourse away from the sole domain of the Craft Critic and into the realm of the Practitioner.</p

Modelling the risk of airborne infectious disease using exhaled air

AbstractIn this paper we develop and demonstrate a flexible mathematical model that predicts the risk of airborne infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis under steady state and non-steady state conditions by monitoring exhaled air by infectors in a confined space. In the development of this model, we used the rebreathed air accumulation rate concept to directly determine the average volume fraction of exhaled air in a given space. From a biological point of view, exhaled air by infectors contains airborne infectious particles that cause airborne infectious diseases such as tuberculosis in confined spaces. Since not all infectious particles can reach the target infection site, we took into account that the infectious particles that commence the infection are determined by respiratory deposition fraction, which is the probability of each infectious particle reaching the target infection site of the respiratory tracts and causing infection. Furthermore, we compute the quantity of carbon dioxide as a marker of exhaled air, which can be inhaled in the room with high likelihood of causing airborne infectious disease given the presence of infectors. We demonstrated mathematically and schematically the correlation between TB transmission probability and airborne infectious particle generation rate, ventilation rate, average volume fraction of exhaled air, TB prevalence and duration of exposure to infectors in a confined space