Introductions

This is the introduction to the book with the overall description: This is a critical time in design. Concepts and practices of design are changing in response to historical developments in the modes of industrial design production and consumption. Indeed, the imperative of more sustainable development requires profound reconsideration of design today. Theoretical foundations and professional definitions are at stake, with consequences for institutions such as museums and universities as well as for future practitioners. This is ‘critical’ on many levels, from the urgent need to address societal and environmental issues to the reflexivity required to think and do design differently

Concluding dialogue

This is a chapter in a book with the overall description: This is a critical time in design. Concepts and practices of design are changing in response to historical developments in the modes of industrial design production and consumption. Indeed, the imperative of more sustainable development requires profound reconsideration of design today. Theoretical foundations and professional definitions are at stake, with consequences for institutions such as museums and universities as well as for future practitioners. This is ‘critical’ on many levels, from the urgent need to address societal and environmental issues to the reflexivity required to think and do design differently

The Relationship Between Low Vision and Musculoskeletal Complaints. A Case Control Study Between Age-related Macular Degeneration Patients and Age-matched Controls with Normal Vision

AbstractIntroductionAge-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) patients often describe complaints from neck and scapula area muscles and a decreased postural control. In clinical assessment, these complaints are considered to be due to old age.PurposeThis study focuses on low-vision patients with ARMD, comparing them to age-matched controls without any eye disease, in order to evaluate if the linkage between self-rated visual complaints and musculoskeletal complaints is more prominent when low vision is present.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, 24 ARMD patients, aged 65 to 85, were compared to a group of 24 controls without visual problems having a similar age distribution. Visual acuity, the need for magnification plus other optical and visual parameters were assessed. Visual, musculoskeletal and balance/proprioceptive complaints were collected by means of a self-rating questionnaire. The Visual Functioning Questionnaire - Near Activities Subscale (VFQ–NAS) was used to evaluate visual function and related complaints.ResultsThe correlation between visual complaints and musculoskeletal complaints yielded significant values of the correlation coefficient when performed separately within each group, as well as when calculated on the entire data set [ARMD, Spearman's rho (ρ)=0.60, P=0.002; control group ρ=0.59, P=0.004; both groups together ρ=0.50 P<0.001]. Stepwise multiple regression analysis supported the hypothesized effect of vision (Visual complaints + Minimum readable typefaces) on musculoskeletal complaints, (r2=0.42, P<0.05).ConclusionsThe results in this study support the hypothesis that a relationship exists between visual and musculoskeletal problems

Visual, musculoskeletal, and balance symptoms in people with visual impairments

Background: Worldwide, about 300 million people have some kind of visual impairment (VI). Most people with VI are in the older age range, as visual deficits increase with age. It is not unusual that people with VI suffer both from neck pain or scapular area symptoms and reduced balance, which they consider to be symptoms of old age. However, their symptoms may not be attributable to age, but rather to poor vision. Aims: First, to identify associations between visual, musculoskeletal and balance symptoms in people engaging in near work every day and in people with VI. Second, to design and validate a suitable instrument for gathering information about visual, musculoskeletal and balance symptoms in people with VI. Third, to explore differences in perceived symptoms between VI patients and people with normal vision in cross-sectional studies and by following a group of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients in a longitudinal study. Fourth, to identify the most specific predictors of higher levels of visual, musculoskeletal and balance symptoms. Methods: A specific instrument was developed: the Visual, Musculoskeletal and Balance symptoms (VMB) questionnaire. Patients with VI were compared to an age-matched reference group with normal vision in three different studies in order to detect differences in self-reported symptoms between the groups. In addition, a follow-up was conducted in a group of AMD patients. Results: Patients with VI reported higher levels of VMB symptoms than controls, and this increased over time. Visual deficits and the need for visual enhancement increased the risk of VMB symptoms. Conclusion: People with VI run a potentially higher risk of VMB symptoms than age-matched controls

Introductions

This is the introduction to the book with the overall description: This is a critical time in design. Concepts and practices of design are changing in response to historical developments in the modes of industrial design production and consumption. Indeed, the imperative of more sustainable development requires profound reconsideration of design today. Theoretical foundations and professional definitions are at stake, with consequences for institutions such as museums and universities as well as for future practitioners. This is ‘critical’ on many levels, from the urgent need to address societal and environmental issues to the reflexivity required to think and do design differently.The book is available in a limited print edition and as an electronic book (Creative Commons license) - see the URLs listed for details.Forms of SustainabilityDesigning Social InnovationDESIGN AC