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Journal articleRiley S, Vamvakeros A, Quino G, et al., 2026, , Communications Materials, Vol: 7
Understanding the strain tolerance of both standard and mechanically flexible battery electrodes is prerequisite for optimizing performance, safety, and longevity, particularly in heavy-duty applications, flexible electronics and wearables. Achieving this requires a deeper understanding of how mechanical strain drives electrode degradation. In this work, we directly compare the strain response of electrospun (flexible) and slurry-cast (conventional) electrodes. To simulate acute mechanical stress, electrodes underwent a controlled 180° folding, pressing, and unfolding protocol designed to induce measurable damage, we then employed a combination of characterization techniques, including synchrotron X-ray nano-computed tomography, X-ray diffraction mapping, electrochemical analysis, and in situ Tensiometer-scanning electron microscopy to assess both structural and electrochemical degradation modes and provide a standardised upper-bound for strain induced damage. Our results reveal that electrospun electrodes exhibit significantly greater resilience to deformation, attributed to their freestanding architecture and fibrous morphology. These findings underscore the importance of characterizing deformation mechanisms to guide the design of high-performance batteries.
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Journal articleMalone L, Cardin MA, Cilliers J, et al., 2026, , Acta Astronautica, Vol: 246, Pages: 745-759, ISSN: 0094-5765
As human exploration of the Moon and Mars transitions from temporary missions to long-term habitation, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is expected to play a pivotal role in enabling future sustainable economic and scientific activities in space. Designing and operating ISRU systems under such extreme and uncertain conditions, however, presents major challenges, ranging from dealing with harsh environmental conditions, regulatory complexity, to differing stakeholder risk tolerance profiles and unpredictable technological system behavior. This study introduces a novel experimental methodology to investigate how human factors playing an important role in situational awareness can influence ISRU-related design decision-making and associated performance under uncertainty. Specifically, this study addresses the following research question: What are the main and interaction effects of different levels of visual fidelity and emotional cues on users’ ability to manage remote lunar resource production systems under uncertainty? A controlled user study involving 33 participants used a serious game platform to explore the effects of two key variables: visual fidelity of the simulation and presence of emotional cues. In a realistic though simplified mission, participants were tasked with operating a simulated lunar ISRU system to supply water sustainably to a lunar habitat. Results show that emotional cues can significantly enhance participants’ performance, measured through a novel operational sustainability metric, particularly in low-fidelity visual environments. The results provide no evidence of statistically significant correlation between situational awareness and system performance. These findings highlight the importance of immersive and affective elements in simulation-based training platforms. The proposed methodology provides a structured, replicable framework to evaluate decision-making in complex space systems, and offers valuable insights into how
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Journal articleDemirel P, Kesidou E, Wu L, 2026, , Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol: 230, ISSN: 0040-1625
The impact of different policy instruments and policy mixes on innovation novelty remains unclear, particularly in emerging economies. This study contributes to the literature by examining the context-specific associations between innovation policies and different magnitudes of novelty in innovation outcomes. Our findings suggest that exposure to R&D tax credits is associated with increases in innovations that can be considered both as relatively more novel and less novel, in line with the market conforming design R&D tax credits that mimic firms' existing R&D portfolios. Conversely, R&D subsidies, often characterised by ‘picking the winners’, are mainly associated with relatively less novel innovation outcomes. We further show that policy mixes that involve R&D subsidies are more likely to support relatively less novel, domestic innovations. Building on Sanjaya Lall's technological capability approach, we propose a conceptualization of incremental innovation and argue that R&D subsidies should not be viewed merely as a misallocation of resources toward relatively less novel innovations at the expense of more novel alternatives. Instead, they should be seen as a context-specific policy mechanism for enabling emerging economies to build and accumulate the technological capabilities necessary for innovation. We empirically test these hypotheses using a unique longitudinal dataset (2013−2021) of 4162 publicly traded firms in China and estimate conditional treatment effects using a propensity score matching method. Our results underscore the nuanced and context-specific effects of R&D tax credits and subsidies on innovation novelty, offering new insights for innovation policy in emerging economies.
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Journal articleWen H, Pinson P, 2026, , European Journal of Operational Research, Vol: 332, Pages: 492-504, ISSN: 0377-2217
Forecast reconciliation is considered an effective method to achieve coherence (within a forecast hierarchy) and to improve forecast quality. However, the value of reconciled forecasts in downstream decision-making tasks has been mostly overlooked. In a multi-agent setup with heterogeneous loss functions, this oversight may lead to unfair outcomes, hence resulting in conflicts during the reconciliation process. To address this, we propose a value-oriented forecast reconciliation approach that focuses on the forecast value for all individual agents. Fairness is ensured through the use of a Nash bargaining framework. Specifically, we model this problem as a cooperative bargaining game, where each agent aims to optimize their own gain while contributing to the overall reconciliation process. We then present a primal-dual algorithm for parameter estimation based on empirical risk minimization. From an application perspective, we consider an aggregated wind energy trading problem, where profits are distributed using a weighted allocation rule. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through several numerical experiments, showing that it consistently results in increased profits for all agents involved.
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Journal articleDawber W, Baker CE, Sharp D, et al., 2026, , Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol: 232, Pages: 108545-108545, ISSN: 0001-4575
Children’s cycle helmets are certified using the same impact conditions as adult helmets, which can overlook important factors contributing to child head injuries. Our objective is to identify common patterns in traumatic brain injury pathologies, age, sex, riding environment, cause of injury, helmet use, and helmet injury reduction in child cyclists to inform child-specific test methods.We reviewed 48,074 head injury cases in cyclists under 17 years across 24 studies. An aggregate data meta-analysis was conducted to identify recurring patterns overall and in studies with a high proportion of severe injuries (n = 3,542 cases).Cases most often involved male riders (71.8%, CI: 71.6–72.1%), aged 10–13 years (40.2%, CI: 39.1–41.3%), occurring on paved roads (75.0%, CI: 74.2–75.9%) without prior collision (84.4%, CI: 84.1–84.8%). Injuries were predominantly intracranial (73.7%, CI: 71.6–75.8%). Studies with mostly severe injuries included significantly more males, on-road incidents, motor vehicle collisions, intracranial haemorrhages, and skull fractures. Helmets reduced odds of head injuries (OR = 0.44, CI = 0.41–0.47), but the efficacy was lower for severe injuries (OR = 0.61, CI = 0.58–0.65), which contrasts most findings for adult helmets.The identified factors associated with severe injuries in child cyclists, such as vehicle collisions and intracranial injuries with rotational mechanisms, are not represented in current child helmet test procedures. This work provides a foundation for further work aimed at quantifying representative head impact biomechanics in typical and severe child cycling incidents, with the ultimate goal of developing helmet test procedures tailored specifically to children.
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Journal articleCaltabiano A, Akin AD, Martina DS, et al., 2026, , Virtual Reality, Vol: 30, ISSN: 1434-9957
Objective: This systematic scoping review mapped the empirical literature on Virtual Reality Exposure-Based Therapy (VRET) delivered via commercially availablehead-mounted displays for adult anxiety-related disorders, to characterize study targets, methods, and gaps. Methods: A comprehensive database search yielded 1097 records. Publications were excluded if anxiety was not a measured outcome; if exposure was paired with other techniques (e.g., relaxation or additional therapies) in a way that prevented evaluation of exposure as a stand-alone component; or if virtual reality was delivered via methods other than head-mounted displays. Thirty studies met inclusion criteria and were charted for synthesis. Results: The 30 included studies examined phobias (n = 11), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (n = 4), public speaking anxiety and social anxiety (n = 13), and other anxiety presentations (n = 2; social physique anxiety; MRI anxiety). Most studies reported pre- to post-intervention reductions in anxiety symptoms, but study designs and outcome measures varied substantially. Acceptability and engagement were generally favorable when assessed, but measurement approaches were inconsistent and adverse effects were not uniformly reported. Methodological heterogeneityand limited replication constrained cross-study comparability. Conclusions: The current evidence base indicates growing application of HMD-based VRET across multiple anxiety-related targets and suggests potential clinical benefit in many studies; however, heterogeneity and small samples limit the strength of inferences regarding comparative outcomes. Future research would benefit from standardized reporting of intervention parameters and equipment, consistent measurement of acceptability, and adequately powered comparative designs with longer follow-up to clarify where HMD-based VRET is most feasible and beneficial.
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Journal articleMcmeeking A, Wang CT, Tsuge T, et al., 2026, , Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications, Vol: 14, ISSN: 2666-8939
Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a renewable polymer valued for its strength and purity, but its brittleness and hydrophilicity limit wider application. Incorporating biodegradable polyester polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) offers a pathway to functional, scalable composites. We establish two complementary routes for producing bacterial nanocellulose-polyhydroxybutyrate composites. In-situ co-cultures of Komagataeibacter rhaeticus (KR) and Cupriavidus necator (CN) were optimised through inoculation timing, medium screening, and pH buffering. 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) at 50 mM stabilised culture conditions, improved cellulose output, and enabled PHB co-localisation of 4% total wet weight. These natural incorporation levels provided benchmarks for a solvent-free blending strategy, in which powdered PHB was introduced into plasticised sterilised BNC using Gellan gum, Glycerol, PEG400, and CaClâ‚‚ at loadings of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.7%, and 2.0% (approximately 10%, 30%, 70%, and 200% relative to dry BNC mass) and heat pressed. Blended films reproduced co-culture PHB levels and tolerated up to 0.7% (wet weight) before shrinkage and brittleness were observed. Heat pressing promoted PHB diffusion between cellulose fibrils, enhancing interfibre bonding; in blended films at 0.3 % PHB (heat-pressed), this yielded a 6.3-fold increase in ultimate tensile strength and a 9.5-fold increase in Young's modulus. Co-culturing defined the biological starting point, while blending enabled scalable processing and systematic characterisation, offering complementary routes to manufacture BNC-PHB composites.
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Journal articleLa Magna N, Bettelli A, Nenna F, et al., 2026, , Virtual Reality, Vol: 30, ISSN: 1359-4338
A promising trend in Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of embodied interfaces, systems that involve full-body motion within a Virtual Environment. These devices enhance immersion and user experience while reducing cybersickness when compared to hand-held interfaces, such as gamepads. However, existing embodied interfaces often lack comprehensive motion cues and control. In this study, we evaluated the VitruvianVR, a novel embodied interface, providing self-motion cues through 3-axes rotation, suitable for multiple VR experiences such as flight simulations. This gyroscopic VR device allows users to rotate their entire body in all directions, simulating the sensation of flying. VitruvianVR has been compared to a traditional hand-held interface (i.e., gamepad) during a flight simulation. Combining both self-reported and objective data, we focused on performance metrics (i.e., flight accuracy, failures, birds report), cybersickness, User eXperience (UX), sense of presence, acceptance, mental load and participants’ head and body rotation behaviours. Our main findings show that users’ flight accuracy performance with Vitruvian VR is reduced when compared to the gamepad, and generates more mental workload than a hand-held interface. VitruvianVR is associated with greater head rotations compared to the gamepad session, while being associated with lower perceived cybersickness symptoms than the counterpart. Furthermore, VitruvianVR leads to higher scores of UX, including overall satisfaction, enjoyment, realism, novelty, perceived safety and sense of presence compared to the gamepad. The results broaden the knowledge regarding full motion cueing interfaces and provide a step forward in the design of effective bodily rotating devices. VitruvianVR suggests promising opportunities of application in various flight-related contexts.
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Journal articleBatcup C, Almukhtar A, Menon A, et al., 2026,
Exploring the overuse of non-sterile gloves in operating theatres: A cross-sectional survey and interview study
, BMJ Open, ISSN: 2044-6055Objectives: To identify factors influencing unnecessary non-sterile glove use in operating theatres, and to estimate how common these factors are across the UK.Design: Mixed-methods study using interviews and a cross-sectional survey.Setting: ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ College Healthcare Trust for interviews, and nationally across the UK for the survey. Participants: 19 interviewees and 329 survey respondents, all clinical staff working in UK operating theatres.Outcome measures: Barriers and facilitators to unnecessary non-sterile glove use in operating theatres.Results: The findings highlight a combination of key drivers leading to the unnecessary use of non-sterile gloves: (1) lack of prioritisation of sustainability, (2) fears around negative patient outcomes, (3) strong social influences such as norms to use gloves, (4) the absence of clear guidelines and limited training on glove use, (5) availability of alternatives and quality of gloves, and (6) beliefs about personal safety and habitual glove use. Respondents also suggested potential intervention strategies.Conclusions: 67% of participants reported using gloves unnecessarily. Our findings highlight the role of habitual behaviour, social influences and unclear guidelines in driving this practice. Interventions should address these factors, for example by clearly communicating when gloves should and should not be worn, encouraging changes to local social norms towards waste reduction, improving access to hand gel, and supporting habit change to reduce unnecessary glove use and associated environmental impact.Keywords: environmental impact; sustainability; healthcare; operating theatres; non-sterile gloves; safety; hygiene; behavioural determinants; behaviour change; Theoretical Domains FrameworkStrengths and limitations of this study:• The use of a mixed methods approach strengthens the findings through triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data. • Use of the Theoretical Domains Framework, an established mode
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Journal articleLi H, Zhao Y, Zhou H, et al., 2026, , Results in Engineering, ISSN: 2590-1230
Crashworthiness is a key performance measure in the design of safety-critical vehicle panel components such as B-pillars. Finite element (FE) simulations are widely used to evaluate crash responses but remain computationally expensive for large-scale, nonlinear impact scenarios, particularly when integrated into iterative design and optimisation processes. Although machine learning-based surrogate models have been developed for rapid crashworthiness analysis, they exhibit limitations in detailed representation of complex 3-dimensional components. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have emerged as a promising solution for processing data with complex structures. However, existing GNN models often lack sufficient accuracy and computational efficiency to meet industrial demands. This paper proposes Recurrent Graph U-Net (ReGUNet), a graph-based surrogate model for crashworthiness analysis of vehicle panel components. By representing FE meshes in graph form, the model naturally accommodates complex irregular structural geometries. Its hierarchical architecture improves computational efficiency and accuracy, while the introduction of recurrence enhances stability of temporal predictions over multiple time steps. A side-impact case study of hot-stamped steel B-pillars with varying geometries is used to generate training dataset. The trained model demonstrates high accuracy in predicting the dynamic deformation behaviour and crashworthiness indicators of previously unseen component designs. ReGUNet achieves over a 52% reduction in the average deformation prediction error relative to baseline methods, together with markedly improved computational efficiency. ReGUNet provides rapid and reliable crashworthiness assessments, which in turn accelerates the design cycle of vehicle panel components.
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Journal articleMeyer J, Picinali L, 2026, , Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, ISSN: 0001-4966
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Journal articleZhou J, Corbett F, Byun J, et al., 2026, , Communications Psychology, ISSN: 2731-9121
Interactive intelligent agents are being integrated across society. Despite achieving human-like capabilities, humans’ responses to these agents remain poorly understood, with research fragmented across disciplines. We conducted a systematic synthesis comparing a range of psychological and behavioural responses in matched human-agent vs. human-human dyadic interactions. A total of 162 eligible studies (146 contributed to the meta-analysis; 468 effect sizes) were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, which integrated frequentist and Bayesian approaches. Our results indicate that individuals exhibited less prosocial behaviour and moral engagement when interacting with agents vs. humans. They attributed less agency and responsibility to agents, perceiving them as less competent, likeable, and socially present. In contrast, individuals’ social alignment (i.e., alignment or adaptation of internal states and behaviours with partners), trust in partners, personal agency, task performance, and interaction experiences were generally comparable when interacting with agents vs. humans. We observed high effect-size heterogeneity for many subjective responses (i.e., social perceptions of partners, subjective trust, and interaction experiences), suggesting context-dependency of partner effects. By examining the characteristics of studies, participants, partners, interaction scenarios, and response measures, we also identified several moderators shaping partner effects. Overall, functional behaviours and interaction experiences with agents can resemble those with humans, whereas fundamental social attributions and prosocial/moral concerns lag in human-agent interactions. Agents are thus afforded instrumental value on par with humans but lack comparable intrinsic value, providing implications for the development of interactive intelligent agents.
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Journal articleCieslak C, Rivers S, Childs P, 2026, , Journal of Fluids Engineering, Transactions of the ASME, Vol: 148, ISSN: 0098-2202
Offshore and onshore wind turbine blades present significant inspection, maintenance and repair challenges arising from location, economic drivers, environment and the specific blade architecture concerned. In-situ tasks have traditionally been undertaken by people abseiling from the tower or use of gantries. Harsh conditions associated with windy environs, along with pressures to limit downtime, have led to a range of new technologies becoming available. This paper presents results from the use of ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT) measurements of subsurface blade topography arising from in situ and static blade inspection for a range of wind turbine types. The measurements have been enabled using a hexapod robot that can accommodate NDT scanners within its chassis and can, using pneumatic suction for the robot pedipulators, navigate the convex, concave, and flexing form of in situ wind turbine blades. The arising NDT tomographic scans provide detailed information on blade integrity, the presence or otherwise of bonding materials, and local feature condition. Measurements, presented over a 600 mm traverse span, have confirmed the reliability of the robotic platform to deliver high-quality, consistent, and reliable data to be acquired with limited NDT experience and to allow subsurface inspections to be performed and analyzed remotely. In addition to detailed measurement of subsurface blade features, the robot system has also demonstrated the capacity to undertake functions such as lightning protection system verification.
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Journal articleBallou N, Peters D, Villalobos-Zuniga G, et al., 2026, , Interacting with computers, Vol: 38, Pages: 331-341, ISSN: 0953-5438
Self-determination theory (SDT) has been widely successful in HCI. It offers ready concepts, measures, and theoretical propositions for third wave HCI topics like user experience, fun, wellbeing, motivation, or user autonomy. Still, HCI applications of SDT have been partial, at times superficial, and disconnecting– leaving great unfulfilled potential which motivated the present special issue. In this introduction, we present SDT to interested scholars; chart its use across HCI to date; and outline six advances to move HCI toward more intentional applications of SDT. As the articles from this issue illustrate, future growth areas of SDT in HCI are in extending domain-specific models and applications; harnessing underused parts of theory; computational formalisation; extending levels of analysis; facilitating design translation; and engaging in a cross-disciplinary dialogue on autonomy.
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Journal articleKormushev P, Zou Y, CHEN W, et al., 2026, , Design for Augmented Humanity, ISSN: 2977-6481
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Journal articleBallou N, Deterding S, 2026, , Interacting with computers, Vol: 38, Pages: 469-486, ISSN: 0953-5438
Existing theories of how game use relates to mental health have important limitations: few account for both quantity and quality of use, differentiate components of mental health (hedonic wellbeing, eudaimonic wellbeing and illbeing), provide an explanation for both positive and negative outcomes or readily explain the well-evidenced absence of playtime effects on mental health. Many also lack the specificity to be readily falsifiable. In response, we present the Basic Needs in Games (BANG) model. Grounded in self-determination theory, BANG proposes that mental health outcomes of game use are in large part mediated by the motivational quality of play and the extent to which play quantity and quality lead to need satisfaction or frustration. We show how BANG addresses the limitations of current theories and aligns with emerging evidence on the etiologies of disordered play. Thus, BANG advances HCI theory on the impact of games and other interactive technologies on mental health.
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Journal articleVicente T, González-Toledo D, Cuevas-RodrÃguez M, et al., 2026, , Hear Res, Vol: 475
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Journal articleBarumerli R, Geronazzo M, Cesari P, 2026, , Sci Rep
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Journal articleZhou Y, Lukow K, Bonkile MP, et al., 2026, , Journal of Energy Storage, Vol: 155
Improving the safety characteristics of lithium-ion batteries is essential for mass adoption of the technology, with external short circuit (ESC) tests being one of the most common benchmarks. These tests are most commonly applied at beginning-of-life (BOL), however, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding how the physics of ESCs evolve with cell ageing. In this study, we simulate the ESC behaviour from BOL to 1000 full cycles. At BOL, we identify two regimes of behaviour for the ESC current, an initially high but rapidly decreasing current phase, and a lower quasi-steady state current phase. The initial phase is characterised by the low but emerging overpotential, whilst the latter phase is defined by depletion of lithium-ions in the cathode-domain electrolyte phase and diffusion limitations. When ESC initial conditions are varied across state-of-charge (SOC) and initial cell/ambient temperatures, higher SOC and initial cell/ambient temperatures both result in more severe ESC behaviour due to higher voltage driving forces and lower overpotentials respectively. As the cell is degraded in a solid-electrolyte interphase growth dominated regime, the increased cell resistance, reduces the severity of the ESC across all conditions, with the 2-phase ESC current behaviour suppressed due to the lower current. We map these behaviours across a range of conditions providing indicative safety maps and underpinning insight into ESC behaviour from BOL towards aged states.
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Journal articleGao C, Wu H, Blackman B, et al., 2026, , Key Engineering Materials, Vol: 1051, Pages: 105-111
<jats:p>Fibre metal laminates (FMLs), combining metal alloy sheets with fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs), offer high specific strength and good fatigue resistance for lightweight structural applications. However, conventional manufacturing routes for thermoplastic FMLs rely on separately forming and bonding or hot pressing, which involve multi-stage forming routes, long heating cycles, high energy consumption and limited industrial scalability. To address these limitations, a novel non-isothermal one-shot forming route integrating hot form quench (HFQ) with FRP stamp forming is proposed in this study. In this process, separately heated metal and FRP blanks are stamped together in cold tools, enabling simultaneous forming and adhesive-free bonding within a single operation. U-bending forming trials were conducted using AA6082 aluminium alloy sheets and carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide 6 (CF/PA6) laminates. The influence of FRP temperature state and aluminium surface condition on forming quality and interfacial bonding performance was systematically examined. Solid-state FRP forming limited excessive polymer flow, resulting in stable bonding but a higher intra-ply void content, whereas molten-state forming promoted polymer redistribution and reduced void content at the expense of bonding performance, leading to local debonding in highly deformed regions. In addition, chromic acid etching of the aluminium surface improved bonding and mitigated debonding after forming and post-form T6 artificial ageing. These results highlight the importance of balancing polymer flow behaviour and aluminium surface condition in non-isothermal one-shot forming, providing a practical and energy-efficient route for manufacturing thermoplastic FML components.</jats:p>
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Journal articleSebastian S, Canghizer D, Forward M, et al., 2026, , CoDesign, ISSN: 1571-0882
Social desirability bias (SDB) can shape how participants narrate sensitive experiences in participatory research and co-design, limiting the authenticity of data generated. This study examines how creative, arts-based sensitisation can mitigate SDB and support more genuine storytelling in health-related co-design. Adopting a design research approach, we developed a comic-making sensitisation intervention grounded in literature on reflective storytelling, safe expression, and participatory preparedness. The intervention was deployed in ‘Designing for Women’s Health’ workshops with 10 women (aged 18–24) with lived experiences of gynaecological and other health conditions. Generative and evaluative follow-up interviews were analysed thematically, drawing on established SDB frameworks. Findings show that the intervention supported memory resurfacing, emotional processing, and self-reflection, enabling participants to construct narratives oriented towards themselves rather than an external audience. We identify self-audience framing as a key mechanism through which creative sensitisation enhances storytelling authenticity in sensitive participatory contexts. The study contributes to co-design by theorising sensitisation as an epistemic intervention that shapes the social conditions of knowledge production and informs inclusive participatory design.
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Journal articleWu H, Mohamed M, Gao C, et al., 2026, , Solid State Phenomena, Vol: 387, Pages: 95-101
<jats:p> To address the challenges met in the manufacturing of state-of-the-art multi-material structures, this work employs a novel one-shot stamping process with single-stamp forming of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS)-based multi-material structures consisting of dual-phase steel (DP780) and low-cost glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 6 (GF/PA6). The effects of DP780 surface treatment and forming temperature on interfacial bonding with GF/PA6 were first assessed using double cantilever beam (DCB) tests, alongside tensile tests of DP780 to assess post-stamping performance. Sandblasting on DP780 significantly improved bonding strength compared to non-treated surface, while the interfacial fracture energy ( <jats:italic>G</jats:italic> <jats:sub>C</jats:sub> ) increased with forming temperature up to 350 °C before decreasing at higher temperatures, which is attributed to PA6 squeeze-out and DP780 surface oxidation. Although the tensile strength for DP780 decreased with increasing temperature, the yield strength peaked at 350 °C, identifying sandblasting and a forming temperature of 350 °C as the optimal processing conditions for DP780. Based on the optimal conditions determined, high-quality U-shaped demonstrator components were successfully produced with good surface finish, minimal polymer squeeze-out, and no observable defects, via further optimisation of the forming conditions. </jats:p>
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Conference paperLee H, Cho Y, Kwak SS, et al., 2026,
Sleep is vital for health, yet access to data alone does not guarantee improvement. While wearables and health apps enable tracking, users face a “Data-Action Gap,” struggling to interpret metrics and translate them into action. Current interventions fail to bridge this: static dashboards lack context, rule-based agents rely on rigid scripts, and LLM-agents lack grounding in personal data, causing trust issues. We propose SAGE (Sensor-Augmented Grounding Engine) for an LLM-powered sleep care agent. SAGE normalizes continuous sleep, physiological, and activity data from the sensors into a queryable time-series layer. It supports (1) selective system-initiated monitoring that triggers notifications only upon detecting meaningful deviations against personal baselines to reduce alert fatigue, and (2) user-initiated Q&A where natural language is translated into executable database queries. By ensuring responses are grounded in precise period, comparison, and metric data, SAGE aims to enhance personalization, traceability, and trust, articulating a novel design space for evidence-based messaging in sleep care.
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Conference paperJing Q, Lu H, Huang S, et al., 2026, , CHI 2026: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Publisher: ACM, Pages: 1-25
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Conference paperWang T, Deterding S, 2026,
Galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM) increasingly use conversational agents (CA) to enrich heritage relations, yet most CA designs focus information delivery over relation-building. Here we present a design framework based on technological mediation theory to rethink how CAs can shape heritage relations. We demonstrate its utility by analysing eighteen archetypal CA projects in GLAM, tracking how interaction paradigms and relational configurations have co-evolved. We further illustrate how the framework can help ideate new forms of heritage relations.
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Conference paperBawah FU, Abdulai JD, Baxter W, et al., 2026,
Febrile illness contributes significantly to mortality and socioeconomic burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical decision-making is complex due to overlapping symptoms, limited lab infrastructure, resource constraints, and the cognitive demands placed on healthcare professionals. Despite growing deployment of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) and point-of-care diagnostics, adoption and sustained use remain limited, as many tools prioritize tests or guideline enforcement while overlooking diagnostic reasoning and contextual realities. We report findings from semi-structured interviews with 26 healthcare professionals in Ghana examining cognitive and contextual challenges in febrile illness diagnosis. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identify interacting cognitive challenges (e.g., reasoning under uncertainty, heuristic decision-making, premature closure) and contextual constraints (test availability, patient costs, communication barriers, fragmented documentation) that shape diagnostic trajectories. We show how these challenges accumulate across diagnostic stages and reinforce empirical treatment. We outline implications for designing workflow-aligned CDSS that support diagnostic reasoning under real-world constraints in low-resource settings.
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Conference paperSarlos D, Baxter W, 2026, , CHI 2026: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Publisher: ACM, Pages: 1-21
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Conference paperLissillour O, Deterding S, Evans A, 2026, , New York, 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’26), Publisher: ACM
Points are widely used design elements in gamified systems. Yet how they motivate is still unclear: what motivational meaning or functional significance do users ascribe to points and when? To answer this question, we conducted a semi-structured interview study with 27 users of two popular gamified platforms, Duolingo and Habitica. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we constructed six different types of functionalisation variously proposed in prior gamification and personal informatics work but often not empirically supported. We highlight the importance of functional design detail (such as points should proportionally reward effort) and derive design guidelines.
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Conference paperDavison M, McPherson A, 2026, , CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Direct interaction with digital synthesisers using audio signals can offer opportunities for intimate and nuanced interaction in digital musical instrument designs. Unlike acoustic instruments, these hybrid instruments tend to follow a unidirectional interaction structure: tactile gestures generate audio signals that are fed into a synthesiser, but there is no vibrotactile feedback from the instrument back to the musician. This paper presents the HaptiCoupler system that enables bidirectional tactile interaction with digital musical instruments using a single voice coil transducer. A study is undertaken with experienced digital musical instrument designers to explore the design implications of introducing closely coupled, collocated haptic feedback in musical systems. The potential creative implications for designers are discussed.
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Conference paperWan E, Yin C, Ito A, et al., 2026, , chi
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