Technological University Dublin

Data from psychophysiological measures can offer new insight into control room operators’ behaviour, cognition, and mental workload status. This is particularly helpful when assessing capacity to respond to critical plant conditions such as alarm response scenarios. However, wearable tools such as eye tracking and electroencephalography caps can be perceived as intrusive and unsuitable for daily operations. Therefore, this article examines the potential of using real-time data from process and operator-system interactions during abnormal scenarios, recorded and retrieved from the distributed control system’s historian or process log, to provide insight into operator behaviour and predict their response outcomes without intruding on daily tasks. Data for this study were obtained from a design of experiment using a formaldehyde production plant simulator and four human-in-the-loop support configurations. A comparison between configurations in terms of both behaviour and performance is presented. Then, a step-wise logistic regression and a Bayesian network model were used to predict operator error. The results identified predictive metrics, discussed in terms of their value as precursors of overall system performance in alarm response scenarios. Knowledge of relevant and predictive behavioural metrics accessible in real time can better equip decision-makers to predict outcomes and provide timely support measures for operators.

Patients are turning to the internet to access educational materials to help them make healthcare decisions, making readability an important factor. This cross-sectional study assessed the readability of online patient education materials for myopia management treatments that have regulatory approval. The top 10 Google search results from May 2024 for freely available online patient information on myopia management modalities and regulatory-approved products in Canada and Australia were analysed for readability. The modalities included orthokeratology, myopia control spectacle lenses, myopia control soft contact lenses and atropine. The products included MiYOSMART® [HOYA®], Stellest® [Essilor®], MyoCare® [ZEISS], MiSight® 1 day [CooperVision®], ACUVUE® Abiliti® 1-Day [Johnson & Johnson], NaturalVue® Multifocal 1 Day [VTI], ACUVUE® Abiliti® Overnight [Johnson & Johnson] and Eikance [Aspen Pharmacare Australia]. These searches gave 120 results. Readability was assessed with Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Fog Index (GFI), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index and Coleman Liau Index (CLI). Additionally, websites were scored on Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. Statistical analysis was performed with two-tailed tests. Of 120 websites, none met the recommended sixth-grade reading level across all readability indices. There were 13 websites meeting at least one readability index, 10 being product-related. There were seven websites satisfying all four JAMA benchmarks, while the majority met one. There was a weak positive relationship between product search rank and readability (SMOG p = 0.02, GFI p = 0.02) and a weak negative relationship between JAMA benchmarks and readability for both modality (CLI p = 0.045) and product (CLI p = 0.049). Online information about myopia management is generally written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level and does not meet all JAMA benchmarks. Websites that appear as top search results do not necessarily have easier readability. The readability of online patient education materials may influence access to treatment and outcomes.

Developing the bioeconomy is important for resource management, food security and to protect our fragile environment. Critical to meeting emerging circular ambitions is the effective demonstration of viable biobased products at scale for appropriate business models and to mitigate risk. This case study addresses the use of digital twins (DTs) to support development of a novel integrated-multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) demonstration site in the Irish peatlands for various needs using a living laboratory concept. It highlights the role of harnessing cross-cutting multi-actors for advancing DTs across this IMTA site such as using an integrated Penta Helix hub framework that intimates key measurement and performance indicators for the bioeconomy sector. Combinational use of such digital tools will advance eco-innovation along with linked educational and societal needs from a bottom-up user perspective that will commensurately tailor top-down local and regional policies with a global orientation. Clustering and connecting bioeconomy demonstration activities using DTs will potentially meet expectations for real time diversification and added value that will inform regional resilience, competitiveness and job creations.

Aerodynamic drag is a dominant factor affecting the efficiency and driving range of electric trucks, especially at high speeds. Although previous studies have mainly focused on external drag-reduction devices, internal airflow control strategies such as integrated ducts have received limited attention. This study addresses that gap by analyzing how placing an internal duct in the truck body affects drag and power efficiency. A simplified two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach was employed using ANSYS Fluent to evaluate and compare a baseline truck model and a modified configuration featuring a central internal duct. The simulations assessed the drag coefficient, drag force, propulsion power, and energy consumption over a wide range of inlet velocities (50–140 km/h). The results show that the ducted configuration consistently outperforms the baseline model, achieving up to a 7.5% reduction in drag force, 7.53% savings in energy consumption per kilometer, and an 8.2% extension in driving range at 140 km/h. These findings confirm the aerodynamic and energy-saving potential of internal ducting as a passive design strategy for heavy-duty electric vehicles.

Reflection Holographic Optical Elements (HOEs) offer a great potential for Augmented Reality (AR) display technologies due to their unique capability to redirect light with the predetermined wavelength in the opposite direction to the reconstructing light. AR displays based on HOEs enable a large variety of potential applications which necessitates the development of HOEs with long-term stable performance in challenging ambient conditions. Here, we present a study of the holographic recording capability of a photopolymerizable hybrid sol-gel (PHSG) which has shown to be a robust and water/temperature resistant material. Using optimal recording conditions, diffraction efficiency up to 18% has been achieved in reflection gratings with a spatial frequency of (5300 ± 50) lines/mm. Effective shrinkage of the PHSG reflection gratings is found to be 1.2 ± 0.2% which is close to values reported for the state-of-the-art photopolymers. Thus, this research provides further evidence of the practical potential of PHSG for the HOE development for applications requiring long-term environmental stability and durability.

Abstract Mental workload (MWL) is a critical factor influencing human performance, particularly in complex and dynamic environments such as driving, aviation, and healthcare. Accurate MWL estimation is essential for optimizing system design and enhancing user performance. With advancements in technology, automated vehicles are becoming a reality, yet the cognitive processes involved in sharing control between drivers and vehicle systems remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the mental workload imposed by these cognitive processes, focusing on the demands of primary executive functions. To achieve this, an experiment was conducted with 36 participants who performed four tasks while data were collected using self-reports and objective physiological measures derived from electroencephalography (EEG). One of the most common method to estimate MWL is using an index/ratio of EEG band powers, known as Mental Workload Index (MWI). This study aimed to enhance MWL estimation by combining features from multiple domains, including statistical, spectral, and complexity-based measures, in contrast to relying solely on the MWI. Using various machine learning classifiers, we demonstrate that combining features from a diverse range of measures significantly improves the accuracy and robustness of MWL estimation. Multilayer perceptron demonstrated superior performance, with an accuracy of 94.5%. Furthermore, the inclusion of additional features beyond MWI leads to improved generalization across subjects and tasks, supporting our hypothesis that a multi-feature approach is more reliable for accurate MWL estimation. These findings provide a more robust solution for real-time MWL estimation, with potential applications in adaptive systems and user-centric design.

Abstract Collective action is essential for tackling social, institutional, and environmental challenges, often fueled by shared identities, common norms, and a belief in the possibility of change. However, the impact of participating in collective action on individual identities, and how this knowledge can shape future efforts to maintain engagement and promote positive change, remains underexplored. This study uses a liminal and identity work approach to examine how precarious Spanish activists, involved in long‐term struggles against precarity, develop and negotiate their identities as activists through protest participation. Based on a qualitative study spanning over 9 years, this research focuses on the experiences of activists from two collectives in Seville, Spain, that emerged in response to the Great Recession. Our findings introduce the concept of necessity activism to describe political engagement driven by survival needs rather than ideological commitment. We show how activists facing precarity undergo a three‐phase identity transformation: forced separation, intensive identity work, and varied outcomes including burnout, withdrawal, or adaptive re‐engagement. This process highlights the emotional and material costs of activism and the ongoing reconstruction of activist identities under the liminal conditions created by precarity.

Energy efficiency retrofits are central to climate policy, yet their implications for indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and occupant health remain underexplored. This study investigates IEQ outcomes following staged retrofits in Irish social housing, where achieving Building Energy Rating (BER) targets is the primary performance metric. Four dwellings, three retrofitted and one control, were monitored over six weeks during the heating season. Built in the 1980s, these homes represent the typical social and private housing stock of that era. Continuous measurements of carbon dioxide, temperature, relative humidity, and thermal performance were complemented by analyses of vapour pressure excess and ventilation rates. While all retrofitted homes achieved BER improvement targets, persistent IEQ challenges were identified. Elevated pollutant concentrations and increased condensation/mould risk occurred in the presence of inadequate ventilation. Thermal anomalies and cold bridging were associated with cavity wall insulation, whereas external wall insulation provided more stable surface temperatures and reduced moisture-related risks. These results underscore the complex interplay between retrofit measures, occupancy patterns, and ventilation performance. The study highlights the need for retrofit strategies that integrate energy efficiency with occupant health objectives. At scale, retrofit programmes risk embedding systemic vulnerabilities unless ventilation and moisture control are prioritised, with implications that extend to health, wellbeing, and long-term building resilience.