Three studies were conducted to better understand the current status of the industry and create a design process and taxonomy. Study 1 assessed current industry usage of dust control technologies and stakeholder perceptions in the concrete and masonry trades. Study 2 was similar but assessed emission control technologies in the asphalt roofing trade. Study 3 used the information from studies 1 and 2 to select a tool for further evaluation. The handheld cutoff concrete saw was chosen. An iterative design process was utilized to evaluate the saw. The design process and subsequent usability inspection engendered a taxonomy, or set of design recommendations can be applied to large handheld powered tools. / Ph. D. / Three studies were conducted to better understand the current perceptions of risks associated with the construction industry and create a process for designing tools that mange the associated risks. Study 1 and Study 2 assessed current industry use of technologies for managing health hazards present when working in the concrete, masonry, and asphalt roofing industries; and the interested party’s perceptions of the industries. Study 3 used the information from Studies 1 and 2 to select a tool for further evaluation. The handheld cut-off concrete saw was chosen. An iterative design process was utilized to evaluate the saw. The design process and subsequent usability test created a set of design recommendations which can be applied to large handheld powered tools. A telephone survey was conducted to assess the concrete, masonry, and asphalt roofing industries. The survey measured decision makers’ perceptions of health hazard control technologies. Finally, it assessed business factors affecting adoption of the control technologies and projects specifying the use of health hazard control technologies. The results show the concrete and masonry industries understand the risks associated with working in the industry and are more likely to adopt health hazard management technologies. The asphalt roofing industry is unsure if they view heated asphalt to be a health hazard and are more resistant to adopting current technologies. There are more projects specifying the use of control technologies in concrete and masonry and a decreasing number of projects are specifying the use of control technologies in asphalt roofing. The business factors for adopting technologies are the same across industries, specifically worker safety and government regulation. Those looking to have an impact on the construction industry should focus on the concrete and masonry industries over asphalt roofing. In the final study, a design process and guidelines were created for large handheld powered equipment. The researcher used an iterative design process whose goal was to better equip industry with a dust control device, specifically a vacuum based system for the gasoline powered handheld cut-off concrete saw. Results from Studies 1 and 2 influenced the direction of the design process. The design did not yield a prototype fit for testing, so the researcher assessed the usability of a commercially available system. The results were transformed into design guidelines for anyone interested in creating better hazard controls for similar power tools. The guidelines created are: have clear symbols, efficiently provide feedback, provide feedback when attaching parts, make attaching parts easy, have efficient design to reduce dangers inherent with the tool, increase visibility, reduce overexposure to dangers, ensure it is easy to move, and enable a wide variety of users to be able to use the saw. The process used to design the prototype can be used to design similar large handheld powered tools. The design process starts with looking at how the tool is currently used, then brings stakeholders together to discuss the problem, then create prototypes, and finally test the prototypes for performance and/or usability which will create the design guidelines.

In the driving task, vision, hearing, and the haptic senses are all used by the driver to gather required information. Future Intelligent Transportation Systems components are likely to further increase the volume of information available to or required by the driver, particularly in the case of commercial vehicle operators. The use of alternate modalities to present in-vehicle information is a possible solution to the potential overload of the visual channel. Auditory icons have been shown to improve operator performance and decrease learning and response times, not only in industrial applications, but also as emergency braking warnings. The use of auditory icons in commercial truck cabs has the potential to increase the number of auditory displays that can be distinguished and understood by commercial vehicle operators, and this experiment sought to determine the utility of auditory icons in that situation. Nine auditory icons were evaluated by commercial vehicle operators as they drove an experimental vehicle over public roads. A comparison of the data collected in the truck-cab environment to data collected in a laboratory study on the same auditory icons revealed some differences in the perceived meaning, perceived urgency, and association with the auditory icons' intended meanings between the two conditions. The presence of these differences indicates that driver evaluations of auditory icons can be affected by the environment, and testing should therefore be conducted in a situation that approximates the end-user environment as closely as possible. A comparison of the drivers' brake response times across the three warning conditions (no warning, auditory icon, and soft braking) was also conducted on a closed, secure handling course. Dependent measures included overall brake reaction time and its components, steering response time, time to initial driver action, and categorical measures of driver responses (steering, swerving, braking, and stopping). The results indicated numerically shorter mean response times (on the order of 0.5 seconds for Total Brake Response Time) for the two conditions with warnings, but the differences were not statistically significant. The most likely reason for this lack of significance is the extreme between-subject variability in response times in the no warning condition. An analysis of the response time variance across the three conditions did indicate significantly less variability in operator responses in the two warning conditions. Two of the five dependent measures (Brake Pedal Contact Time and Total Brake Response Time) exhibited significantly reduced variance in the auditory icon warning condition compared to the no warning condition. The soft braking warning condition exhibited significantly reduced variance for four of the dependent measures (Accelerator Reaction Time, Brake Pedal Contact Time, Total Brake Response Time, and First Reaction Time). These results indicate that a soft braking stimulus like that used in this study could potentially prove to be a more effective emergency braking warning than simple auditory warnings alone. / Master of Science

<p dir="ltr">Each year, approximately 1.35 million people die globally due to vehicle crashes, and in the United States alone, 42,915 traffic fatalities were recorded in 2021, reflecting a 10.5% increase from 2020 and an 18% increase from 2019. Driver fatigue and drowsiness significantly contribute to these fatalities, as fatigue severely impairs a driver’s alertness and responsiveness, leading to a higher risk of accident. Given the prevalence of drowsy driving accidents, it is crucial to implement advanced systems that alert drivers to their drowsy condition, significantly reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries. While these systems have shown significant effects in reducing the risks related to drowsy driving, most commercially available and widely researched alert systems heavily rely on auditory and visual sensory channels. These modalities may cause "alarm fatigue," leading drivers to ignore or deactivate the systems entirely, and result in a lower driving experience. Due to their frequent occurrence and potential annoyance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that auditory warnings, which are the most commonly used modality in current driver alert systems, are generally unsuitable for first-stage cautionary alerts. Despite NHTSA human factors guidance, most in-vehicle warning systems consist of auditory and visual modalities, even in the first cautionary stage alerts. Therefore, advanced alerting systems that balance the functionality of alerts and driving experience, using non-audio and non-visual modalities, are needed.</p><p dir="ltr">With this motivation, the purpose of this Ph.D. dissertation work is to propose a novel approach to both olfactory and climate adaptive alerting systems and demonstrate their usability in in-vehicle engagement experiences. In Study 1 (Chapter 3), the use of behavioral metrics and physiological sensing was validated to assess drivers' cognitive states during driving. This validation laid the groundwork for the future evaluation of the effects of the proposed alerting system in Study 2(Chapter 4) and Study 3 (Chapter 5). In Study 2, the impact of olfactory and climate stimuli on drivers' cognitive states was investigated by studying time-variant changes. This investigation helped determine if the proposed stimuli can be effectively utilized in driver alerting systems. In Study 3, the proposed sensory-integrated alerting adaptive systems were developed and evaluated for their effect on drivers in a drowsy state. The evaluations focused on the systems’ abilities to provide a sufficient salient effect, sustained arousal effect, and driver satisfaction.</p><p dir="ltr">This dissertation introduces a new approach to driving alert systems to ensure both alert functionality and driving experience. Ultimately, this work offers a new direction for developing advanced alerting systems, particularly for first-stage warnings.</p>

Yes / This study explored healthcare quality issues affecting the reporting and investigation levels of digital incident reporting systems. Methods: A total of 38 health information technology-related incident reports (free-text narratives) were collected from one of Sweden’s national incident reporting repositories. The incidents were analysed using an existing framework, i.e., the Health Information Technology Classification System, to identify the types of issues and consequences. The framework was applied in two fields, ‘event description’ by the reporters and ‘manufacturer’s measures’, to assess the quality of reporting incidents by the reporters. Additionally, the contributing factors, i.e., either human or technical factors for both fields, were identified to evaluate the quality of the reported incidents. Results: Five types of issues were identified and changes made between before-and-after investigations: Machine to software- related issues (n = 8), machine to use-related issues (n = 5), software to software-related issues (n = 5), use to software- related issues (n = 4) and use to use-related issues (n = 1). Over two-thirds (n = 15) of the incidents demonstrated a change in the contributing factors after the investigation. Only four incidents were identified as altering the consequences after the investigation. Conclusion: This study shed some light on the issues of incident reporting and the gap between the reporting and investigation levels. Facilitating sufficient staff training sessions, agreeing on common terms for health information technology systems, refining the existing classifications systems, enforcing mini-root cause analysis, and ensuring unit-based local reporting and standard national reporting may help bridge the gap between reporting and investigation levels in digital incident reporting.

The learnability principle relates to improving usability of software, performance and productivity. It was formulated mainly for the adult user group. Children represent an important user group, but fewer guidelines exist for their educational and entertainment applications. This study compares these groups, addressing the question: “Does learnability of software interfaces have a different meaning for children and adults?”. A literature survey conducted on learnability and learning processes considered the meaning of learnability across generations. Users learning software systems were observed in a usability laboratory where eye tracking data could also be recorded. Insights emerged, from data analysis, showing different tactics when children and adults approached unfamiliar software and revealing aspects of interfaces they approached differently. The findings will help designers distinguish varying needs of users and improve learnability. An additional subprinciple of learnability, „engageability‟, is proposed. Factors that make products engaging for children are different from those engaging adults. / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

The aim of this study was to investigate how air traffic controllers cope with stress and also to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in the coping behaviour of air traffic control staff from different groups. The study was conducted on a sample of Air Traffic Controllers who control civilian aircraft in the South African airspace. The coping resources inventory (CRI) assessment was used to collect data and analysed to determine how controllers cope with stress and whether there are differences in the coping behaviour of air traffic control staff from different groups. The results showed that air traffic controllers use emotional coping resources to cope with stressful work situations and make less use of cognitive coping resources. The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the coping behaviour of air traffic control staff from different groups. / Industrial and organisational psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Medication safety and improving communication at care transitions are an international priority. There is vast evidence on the scale of error associated with medicines reconciliation and some evidence of successful interventions to improve reconciliation. However, there is insufficient evidence on the factors that contribute towards medication error at transitions, or the roles of those involved. This thesis examined current UK medicines reconciliation practice within primary and secondary care, and the role of HCPs and patients. Using a mixed-method, multi-centre design, the type and severity of discrepancies at admission to hospital were established and staff undertaking medicines reconciliation across secondary and primary care were observed, using evidence-informed framework, based on a narrative literature review. The overall processes used to reconcile medicines were similar; however, there was considerable inter and intra-organisational variation within primary and secondary care practice. Patients were not routinely involved in discussions about their medication, despite their capacity to do so. Various human factors in reconciliation-related errors were apparent; predominantly inadequate communication, individual factors e.g. variation in approach by HCP, and patient factors e.g. lack of capacity. Areas of good practice which could reduce medicines reconciliation-related errors/discrepancies were identified. There is a need for increased consistency and standardisation of medicines reconciliationrelated policy, procedures and documentation, alongside communication optimisation. This could be achieved through a standardised definition and taxonomy of error, the development of a medicines reconciliation quality assessment framework, increased undergraduate and post-graduate education, improved patient engagement, better utilisation of information technology and improved safety culture.

This thesis investigates the design of inclusive services by integrating theory and approaches from the domains of Service Design and Inclusive Design. This integration was used to evaluate bus service use by younger and older people and the role of other stakeholders. The research was carried out through the case study of the bus service in Guadalajara, Mexico. As a result of this research, an inclusive service design approach and a tool are proposed to guide the design of inclusive services. Using an inclusive service design approach led to the application of a mixed methodology for data collection, which included: 1) a series of individual and group interviews with stakeholders as well as a document analysis; 2) structured focus groups with younger and older people; 3) observation of younger and older passengers using the service; and 4) accompanied journeys with older people. Data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, and the results facilitated 1) the understanding of the service operation; 2) the identification of the main barriers for interaction with the service along a door-to-door journey; and 3) the determination of the gap between what younger and older users need and desire and what bus operators actually provide. The research then focussed on visualising and communicating the findings to stakeholders. An inclusive service blueprint was developed to graphically represent the level of difficulty in using the service by younger and older people across the door-to-door journey, and to highlight areas for service improvements. A final study was undertaken to assess the usefulness of the inclusive service approach and the blueprint in improving the bus service. Collectively, the findings indicate that integrating inclusive principles along with a Service Design approach provided several benefits in investigating and improving the bus service. The uniqueness of data generated by younger and older users and the understanding of inclusive principles by the stakeholders already shows the potential to lead to a more inclusive service given the activities now happening in Guadalajara. This research contributes to the discussion of how the design of services can evolve through the incorporation of inclusive principles in the design process. Whilst the research was undertaken in the context of the bus service in Guadalajara, the approach and some outcomes from this research may be applicable for designing inclusive services in other contexts around the world.

This thesis is about ‘Dual View’ displays. These are displays that can show different images to different people. For example, the driver of a car could view a GPS map, whilst the passenger who looks at the display from a different angle, could watch a movie. This thesis describes some of the research that took the project from an idea to a refined product. Sharp’s first dual view display is prototyped, and problems such as crosstalk between the two views are seen. These problems are analysed and rectified to bring the device up to a high standard. In July 2005 Sharp used this technology to launch the world’s first dual view product. Since then a new design of dual view display has been investigated. This design is theoretically optimised and experimentally tested. The new design is shown to provide dual view with greater head freedom, greater efficiency, and lower crosstalk than the original parallax barrier design.

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / A persons' well-being is characterized as health, happiness, prosperity and as being in a good state of existence. The way in which we maintain our body, by eating the correct foods to exercising on a daily basis, is an important part of maintaining our well-being. Medical authorities regard South Africa a shaving one of the healthiest environments and climates in the world. South Africans get to enjoy sport and outdoor activities, fresh fruit and vegetable sand some of the planets cleanest air (Health issues in South Africa 2011: [sp]). This however is not the case for many South Africans living in poor overcrowded conditions with the lack of basic facilities. Within the medical field are large areas of controversy, particularly with HIV/ AIDS treatments between Traditional medicine and Bio-medicine. The dissertation will not focus on the study of one specific ailment and space related to health care. Instead an attempt is made to create a space where a multitude of medical functions can operate and share space in a symbiotic relationship. This would ultimately create a place of well-being and healing, where public health can be re-invent for a broader audience through mixed use facilities, social interaction and nature. The investigation area of the dissertation takes place in Yeoville and the function of the building will examine the notion of a Mixed Use Healthcare Centre. The architecture will look at the human scale and needs whilst Nature will deal with form and function. The Design intervention attempts to dissect the existing healthcare system and inject new and fresh responses to the ailing problems in the industry. There are currently large gaps in the public and private sectors of South Africa as well as the dialog between Traditional medicine and Bio-medical practices (Richter 2003: [sp]). The concept of the intervention is to provide a closed loop Healthcare system where the project becomes self sustaining within the Social conditions, Function of space and the Well-being of people This will be done by investigating the existing typologies of healthcare systems in South Africa and by combining both Traditional Medicine and Bio-Medicine. This could allow a better communication network to establish between the two disciplines and provide more information about heath and well being to the public. The intervention can become a framework for future health care establishments where a multitude of functions can operate under one roof providing affordable treatment and advice to...