Omsorgsfull, välkommen beröring har funnits vara avgörande för barns tillväxt och utveckling. Samspel mellan pedagoger och barn ses som det viktigaste för barns utveckling och lärande i förskolan. I flera förekommande diskurser inom förskolan i Sverige värderas emellertid fysisk distans mellan barn och pedagoger. Dit hör diskursen om det kompetenta barnet som kan mycket mer än de vuxna tror; diskursen om att barn måste tränas i självständighet av vuxna samt No touch-diskursen, vars syfte sägs vara att skydda barnen från sexuella övergrepp. Syftet med denna undersökning är att undersöka hur samspel mellan barn och pedagoger i form av beröring kan komma till uttryck i förskolans vardag. Den övergripande forskningsfrågan handlar om hur beröringsklimatet är på de undersökta förskolorna.En observationsstudie med mixed methods genomfördes på tre småbarnsavdelningar på olika förskolor i en sydsvensk stad, med sammanlagt 29 barn och 15 pedagoger. De teoretiska begrepp som användes vid analysen kommer från anknytningsteori, intersubjektivitetsteori, Educare-modellen och omsorgsetik.Resultatet visade att pedagoger framför allt initierade beröring av barnen i samband med den praktiska fysiska omsorgen med på- och avklädning av ytterkläder samt barnens hygien samt vid förflyttningar. De initierade beröring av barnen i socialt och kommunikativt syfte; i lek, för att påkalla uppmärksamhet samt för att skapa lugn. Vid några tillfällen uppstod situationer när beröring uteblev men möjligen hade ökat barnens fokus om det förekommit. Pedagogerna initierade även beröring i känslomässigt påfrestande situationer, som när barn grät, vid överlämningen från föräldrarna samt i samband med att barnen lades till vila och vaknade efter vilan. Pedagogerna, med undantag för en pedagog, initierade beröring i situationer när de hade en för observatören uppenbar anledning. Barnen å sin sida initierade beröring som till större del handlade om sökande av emotionell bekräftelse. Barnen kunde röra vid pedagogen med en hand eller fot när de var tillräckligt nära eller luta sig mot eller klamra sig intill pedagogen när de befann sig i pedagogens famn eller knä. Olika pedagoger förhöll sig olika inbjudande till beröring.Barnen vidrörde påfallande ofta pedagogernas ben eller fötter, även om pedagogen satt på golvet och hela kroppen var inom räckhåll. Barnen behövde beröring för att återfå jämvikt när de grät. Försök till avledning misslyckades och pedagogerna övergick till att trösta med beröring. I några fall vände sig barnen till en annan pedagog för att få tröst. De barn sin fick mest beröring fanns bland de som såg yngst ut. Dock fick inte alla de yngsta barnen mycket beröring. Några barn förhöll sig mer passiva och då uteblev beröring. Detta blev ytterligare betonat utomhus, där ytorna var större och bemanningen lägre på två av förskolorna. När ingen pedagog fanns till hands hände det att barn vände sig till en främmande vuxen (observatören) eller till äldre barn.Beröringsklimatet kan beskrivas som vänligt och tillåtande, men inom vissa gränser. Barnen fick beröring av pedagogerna i situationer som kan tänkas vara emotionellt krävande som när de grät eller skulle somna eller vakna, men de fick sällan beröring för dess egen skull. För barnens del innebar det att de till stor del hölls ansvariga för att de skulle få beröring i annat än den praktiska omsorgen. En enda pedagog bjöd in till beröring och fysisk kontakt utan att det fanns någon uppenbar anledning, och hen blev också oftare berörd av barn än andra pedagoger. Kompetensdiskursen och den kvardröjande självständighetsdiskursen kan ge vid hand att det är ”duktigt” att avstå från beröring.Ser man relaterande som barns främsta utvecklingsuppgift kan barns sökande efter beröring av pedagogerna kan räknas in i ett vidgat kompetensbegrepp. Kulturella och diskursiva föreställningar om att även små barn ska vara självständiga och fysiskt separerade från föräldrarna och andra omsorgsgivare kan försvåra barns anpassning till förskolan. Föreliggande undersökning ger inte stöd för idén att fysisk närhet blir en (dålig) vana som pedagoger aktivt måste träna bort.Omsorg i form av fysisk och känslomässig närhet har ett eget värde som behöver lyftas och kläs i ord. Eftersom långvarig fysisk kontakt mellan barn och pedagoger framför allt ägde rum när pedagogen satt ner behövs också soffor och andra sittmöbler såväl inomhus som utomhus på förskolorna.Pedagogers och barns beröring av varandra är ett ämne som är angeläget att utforska vidare. Är den diskrepans mellan pedagogers och barns syfte med att initiera beröring generell? Beröring har visats vara avstressande. Blir barn som får rika tillfällen till beröring med pedagogerna mindre stressade än barn med större fysisk distans till pedagogerna? Även pedagogernas förhållningssätt till beröring, och huruvida utbildning eller andra parametrar påverkar om och hur pedagoger berör barnen kan vara föremål för framtida forskning. / Caring, human touch has been found to be crucial for young children’s growth and development. However, in several discourses regarding Swedish preschools value is placed on physical distance between children and caregivers. The aim of this investigation is to increase knowledge about how physical care of young children might be expressed in Swedish preschools, by observing physical interaction between teachers and children. The dominant research question is: What is the touch climate between teachers and young children in Swedish preschools like? An observational study was conducted of 3 preschool groups constituted by 29 children ages 1-2, and 15 teachers. Data was analyzed using mixed methods with several theoretical concepts including care ethics, the Educare framework, attachment theory and inter-subjectivity theory.The results showed that teachers initiated physical contact primarily through their roles as physical caregivers (i.e. in satisfying the children’s physical needs such as helping to put on clothes, toilet training, help with mobility). Touch was also used while teaching and playing, but to a lesser extent, and seemingly not necessarily in a self conscious way, by the teachers. Physical contact also occurred during social interactions between caregivers and children. Of the contact initiated by the teachers, 20% was “emotional”, or comfort giving touch, i.e., touch not related to the execution of other specific duties such as diaper changing or helping to put on clothes. In contrast, 76% of the touch initiated by the children was “emotional”, or comfort seeking. The children strikingly often touched the teachers’ hips, legs and feet. The children initiated physical contact more frequently with teachers who were more receptive and open to physical contact. The youngest children tended to receive the most physical contact. However, children who were vague in the cues used to communicate a desire for physical contact tended to receive less attention in this regard. This was more pronounced during outdoor activities. When a child began to cry, they would eventually be comforted. Attempts to divert the child’s attention tended to fail. Some children experienced extended periods of contact, some as long as 15- 27 minutes, when they were being put to sleep. Older preschool children would sometimes care for the younger children when no teachers were immediately available. There was a discrepancy between the kind of physical contact the teachers offered the children, and the kind of contact the children sought. When children are seen as subjects that actively relate to fellow humans, a greater emphasis on the emotional component of child care is required. The children’s touching of the lower parts of the teachers’ bodies may indicate a slight feeling of distance. Whereas the teachers offered contact mostly in the conduct of practical circumstances, the children sought emotional support. Thus, the children were, to some extent, responsible for physical contact.Touching the children gently, while respecting the childrens’ integrity, can be seen as a means to unite caring and teaching within the Educare framework.

In forensic casework it is often necessary to obtain genetic profiles from crime scene samples that contain increasingly smaller amounts of genetic material, called Low Template DNA (LTDNA). Two examples of LTDNA sources are touch DNA evidence and dust bunnies. Touch DNA refers to DNA that is left behind through casual contact of a donor with an object or another person. Touch DNA can be used to prove a suspect was present at a crime scene. Dust bunnies, or dust conglomerates, typically contain trapped shed skin cells of anyone in the vicinity along with fibers, dirt, hair, and other trace materials. Dust specimens are a potential source of forensic evidence that has been widely underutilized in the forensic community. This is unfortunate because a dust bunny could not only be used to associate a person or crime scene – through trace materials such as fibers – but also to positively identify – through a DNA profile. For example, if a dust specimen is found on a piece of evidence suspected of being moved from its original location, for instance as a body that is too heavy to carry and therefore collects dust while being dragged, then it could be used to link a suspect to a crime scene. Standard methods for obtaining and analyzing touch DNA have been established, but the techniques are not ideal. First, by nature, the 'blind-swabbing' technique, which involves cotton swabs or adhesive tape being applied to an area of interest, can artificially create mixtures of biological material that was originally spatially separated. Second, because the amount of DNA present is typically very low, standard analysis methods may not be sensitive enough to produce probative profiles. In the case of mixtures, the minor component's DNA may go undetected. Dust specimens contain degraded genetic material that has been accumulating for an unknown amount of time. Additionally, dust is usually a conglomeration of genetic material from multiple donors so a mixed profile, if any, is likely to be recovered if standard analysis methods are used. In order to overcome these obstacles presented by LTDNA, a micro-manipulation and combined cell lysis/direct PCR amplification technique has been developed that is sensitive enough to obtain full or probative STR profiles from single or clumped bio-particles collected from touch DNA and dust evidence. Sources of touch DNA evidence such as worn clothing items, touched objects, and skin/skin mixtures are easily sampled using an adhesive material on a microscope slide. Dust specimens can be dispersed onto an adhesive material as well. Targeted bio-particles are then "picked" with a water-soluble adhesive on a tungsten needle and deposited into a micro-volume STR amplification mix. Individual selection and analysis of isolated bio-particles reduces the chance of mixed profile recovery. To aid in the release of genetic material present in the bio-particles, a lysis mix containing a thermostable proteinase is then added to the sample. Samples are then analyzed using standard capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods. In addition to identifying the donor source of these LTDNA sources, it would be beneficial to a criminal investigation to identify the tissue source of the biological material as well. While it is widely speculated that the material originates from shed skin cells, there is little confirmatory evidence proving this assertion. Knowledge of the nature of the evidence could be vital to prevent its misinterpretation during the investigation and prosecution of a crime. Here tissue specific mRNA biomarkers have been evaluated for their use in tissue source determination using a highly sensitive High Resolution Melt (HRM) temperature assay that detects the selectively amplified targets based on their melt temperatures. Using the enhanced genetic analysis technique described above, DNA profile recovery has been markedly enhanced in sources of Touch DNA evidence and dust specimens compared to standard methods. Additionally, the molecular-based characterization method could potentially provide a better understanding of the meaningfulness of the recovered DNA profiles. This optimized strategy provides a method for recovering highly probative data from biological material in low template samples in an efficient and cost effect manner.

The Grassmannian space GC(2, 4) embedded in CP5 as the Klein quadric of twistor theory has a natural interpretation in terms of the geometry of “round” 2-spheres in S4. The incidence of two lines in CP3 corresponds to the contact properties of two 2- spheres, where contact is generalized from tangency to include “half-tangency:” 2-spheres may be in contact at two isolated points. There is a connection between the contact properties of 2-spheres and soliton geometry through the classical Ribaucour and Darboux transformations. The transformation theory of surfaces in S4 is investigated using the recently developed theory of “Discrete Differential Geometry” with results leading to the conclusion that the discrete conformal maps into C of Hertrich-Jeromin, McIntosh, Norman and Pedit may be defined in terms a discrete integrable system employing halftangency in S4.

In dimensional metrology, contact and non-contact measurement methods each have their own respective strengths and weaknesses. Touch-trigger probes have low uncertainty, and perform well inside deep holes, but have a relatively slow data acquisition speed. By contrast, non-contact digitizers collect high density surface point clouds in seconds, and are much less likely to suffer from sensor collision with the part, but have a higher uncertainty than touch probes. In sheet metal forming, iterative design of the stamping die is needed due to the springback of the sheet metal part. Holes or other features of first article parts may be significantly out of tolerance, so the tactile measurement path created from the Computer Aided Design (CAD) nominal has to be adjusted to avoid cosine error. In more serious cases, probe collisions or missed touches may occur. When measuring holes in thin sheet metal, determination of the touch probe path height is also a challenge if the actual surface location differs from the nominal. To solve this problem and seize the complimentary advantages of contact and non-contact measurement methods, a multi-sensor blue Light Emitting Diode (LED) snapshot sensor and touch-trigger probe inspection system was developed, and affixed to a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). The tactile measurement path was adjusted according to the approximate positions and sizes of the features obtained from the scanner data. The system includes an in-house designed calibration target for scanner calibration and a lightweight 2-axis rotary table for multiple-orientation scanning as well. Software in programming language C for interacting with the scanner and the CMM was developed. A sample stamped sheet metal automobile part was experimentally measured. This system is currently applied to an orthogonal CMM. Suggested future works include implementation on non-Cartesian CMMs, such as articulated arm CMMs, or Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

The birth experience is a highly subjective phenomenon that leaves a lasting impression for mothers and their families and friends. Although the passage of a child from the mother's womb into the world is typically joyous, the experience is not always as positive. Negative physical and psychological factors may greatly impact a woman's impression of the childbirth experience. Among childbearing women, the two main concerns of childbirth are pain and safe management. Similarly among healthcare providers, management of labor pain is one of the main goals of maternity care. Pain is a highly subjective phenomenon that is expected during the birth experience. Pharmacologic interventions have significantly reduced pain perception, but have left many women dissatisfied with the overall birth experience due to their potential adverse effects. Energy therapies have been studied for their role in creating a positive birth experience in relation to pain. This literature review examines the empirical evidence and makes suggestions for research and practice regarding energy therapies during labor and childbirth published between 1986 and 2012. Energy therapies, specifically Reiki, Therapeutic touch (TT), and Healing touch (HT) were examined in regards to pain perception and the childbirth process. Although pharmacologic interventions have been successful in reducing some childbirth concerns, the addition of complementary therapies such as Reiki, TT, and/or HT provides a holistic approach to pain management during labor and childbirth.

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Today multi-touch technology is the basis for many new techniques designed to improveinteractions with computers and mobile devices. It seems that multi-touch screen interfacemakes the user handling very natural in the sense that there is no need for a manual in how tointeract with the object on the screen.The aim with this paper is to establish a fundamental set of design principles intendedspecifically for large multi-touch interfaces. To reach this goal we have implemented a coupleof sub-goals beforehand:It was essential that we acquired a good understanding of the current state of the multi-touchinterface and the different implementations that exist today. To make this possible weconstructed a multi-touch display, "Rosie". Knowing how the hardware is produced today willhelp us understand the limitations and also the possibilities of the design implementationstoday and in the future.We also needed to devise a sound interaction design process that conveys the moderndesigners work. During this design process four methods were implemented that gave usdeeper understanding how to reach the result in this paper (design principles). The methodsare: Qualitative conceptualisation, Qualitative user-testing, Participatory design, and Iterativeprototyping. Doing these methods we gained knowledge through the process and experienceof for example, building, running workshops, doing video-prototypes and etc. Creative designwas very relevant in our design process.The result in this paper is a foundation for a set of design principles with relevance for multitouchinterfaces and a interesting design process for developing multi-touch applications.