Intelligent Voice Assistants (IVAs) have become integral to many users' daily lives, using advanced algorithms to automate various tasks. Nevertheless, many users do not understand the underlying algorithms and how they work, posing potential risks to the competent and self-determined use of IVAs. This work develops three online training modules to promote algorithm awareness, providing (1) basic knowledge of algorithms, (2) risks posed by algorithms in IVAs, and (3) scientific evidence on algorithm aversion. A total of 110 participants were studied to analyze the training effects on various perception levels relevant to IVAs, including usage perception (attitude, exploration), privacy aspects (trustworthiness, privacy control), persuasion aspects (persuasion knowledge, anthropomorphic perception), and self-determined interaction variables (reflection, indulgence). The results show that the modules increase awareness of IVA algorithms, influence user perceptions (e.g., higher exploration intentions), and promote critical engagement with IVAs (e.g., lower trustworthiness). Moreover, the modules contribute to a higher sense of privacy control, reduce persuasive perceptions of IVAs (e.g., anthropomorphic perception), and promote self-determined interaction (e.g., higher indulgent use). The modules offer a new approach to promoting the competent use of IVAs in society and provide a starting point for further research and educational institutions to increase algorithm awareness for IVAs and other AI-based systems.

It is commonly believed that our own Milky Way is on a collision course with the neighbouring Andromeda galaxy. As a result of their merger, predicted in around 5 billion years, the two large spiral galaxies that define the present Local Group would form a new elliptical galaxy. Here we consider the latest and most accurate observations by the Gaia and Hubble space telescopes, along with recent consensus mass estimates, to derive possible future scenarios and identify the main sources of uncertainty in the evolution of the Local Group over the next 10 billion years. We found that the next most massive Local Group member galaxies---namely, M33 and the Large Magellanic Cloud---distinctly and radically affect the Milky Way--Andromeda orbit. Although including M33 increases the merger probability, the orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud runs perpendicular to the Milky Way--Andromeda orbit and makes their merger less probable. In the full system, we found that uncertainties in the present positions, motions and masses of all galaxies leave room for drastically different outcomes and a probability of close to 50% that there will be no Milky Way--Andromeda merger during the next 10 billion years. Based on the best available data, the fate of our Galaxy is still completely open.

In the spirit of the Curry-Howard correspondence between proofs and programs, we define and study a syntax and semantics for classical logic equipped with a computationally involutive negation, using a polarised effect calculus. A main challenge in designing a denotational semantics is to accommodate both call-by-value and call-by-name evaluation strategies, which leads to a failure of associativity of composition. Building on the work of the third author, we devise the notion of dialogue duploid, which provides a non-associative and effectful counterpart to the notion of dialogue category introduced by the second author in his 2-categorical account, based on adjunctions, of logical polarities and continuations. We show that the syntax of the polarised calculus can be interpreted in any dialogue duploid, and that it defines in fact a syntactic dialogue duploid. As an application, we establish, by semantic as well as syntactic means, the Hasegawa-Thielecke theorem, which states that the notions of central map and of thunkable map coincide in any dialogue duploid (in particular, for any double negation monad on a symmetric monoidal category).

A negative body image can have an impact on developing and maintaining obesity. Using virtual reality (VR) to conduct cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an innovative approach to treat people with obesity. This multicenter non-randomized pilot study examined the feasibility and the effect on eating behavior and body perception of a newly developed VR system to conduct body image exercises.

Simultaneous localization and mapping are essential components for the operation of autonomous vehicles in unknown environments. While localization focuses on estimating the vehicle's pose, mapping captures the surrounding environment to enhance future localization and decision-making. Localization is commonly achieved using external GNSS systems combined with inertial measurement units, LiDARs, and/or cameras. Automotive radars offer an attractive onboard sensing alternative due to their robustness to adverse weather and low lighting conditions, compactness, affordability, and widespread integration into consumer vehicles. However, they output comparably sparse and noisy point clouds that are challenging for pose estimation, easily leading to noisy trajectory estimates. We propose a modular approach that performs radar-inertial SLAM by fully leveraging the characteristics of automotive consumer-vehicle radar sensors. Our system achieves smooth and accurate onboard simultaneous localization and mapping by combining automotive radars with an IMU and exploiting the additional velocity and radar cross-section information provided by radar sensors, without relying on GNSS data. Specifically, radar scan-matching and IMU measurements are first incorporated into a local pose graph for odometry estimation. We then correct the accumulated drift through a global pose graph backend that optimizes detected loop closures. Contrary to existing radar SLAM methods, our graph-based approach is divided into distinct submodules and all components are designed specifically to exploit the characteristics of automotive radar sensors for scan matching and loop closure detection, leading to enhanced system performance. Our method achieves state-of-the-art accuracy on public autonomous driving data.

We present the class of extreme nuclear transients (ENTs), including the most energetic single transient yet found, Gaia18cdj. Each ENT is coincident with its host-galaxy nucleus and exhibits a smooth (\<10\% excess variability), luminous (2 × 1045 to 7 × 1045 erg per second), and long-lived (\>150 days) flare. ENTs are extremely rare (≥1\ ×\ 10–3 cubic gigaparsec per year) compared to any other known class of transients. They are at least twice as energetic (0.5 × 1053 to 2.5 × 1053 erg) as any other known transient, ruling out supernova origins. Instead, the high peak luminosities, long flare timescales, and immense radiated energies of the ENTs are most consistent with the tidal disruption of high-mass ( ≳3M⊙ ) stars by massive ( ≳108\ M⊙ ) supermassive black holes (SMBHs). ENTs will be visible to high redshifts (z ~ 4 to 6) in upcoming surveys, providing an avenue to study the high-mass end of the SMBH mass distribution, complementing recent studies of actively accreting SMBHs at high redshifts with the James Webb Space Telescope. ENTs, the most energetic transients, will provide a unique probe of the properties of massive black holes in the early universe.

Dieser Studienreport beschreibt das Projekt „Algorithmische Vorhersage und Mitbestimmung“ (AVuM), welches den Einsatz von algorithmischen Verfahren für das Risikomanagement („Predictive Risk Intelligence“ oder PRI) in zunehmend komplexen Wertschöpfungsnetzwerken untersucht. Neueste Modelle solcher PRI-Software sollen nun, unter anderem auf Basis von öffentlichen Daten und Daten von Social-Media-Plattformen, auch soziale Ereignisse wie Demonstrationen, Streiks und Kundgebungen vorhersagen können. Damit werden Fragen der betrieblichen und überbetrieblichen Mitbestimmung berührt.

Acroyoga practitioners either follow predefined choreographies or play freely to create compositions of two bodies’ poses and transitions. To support their free play, we created the training technology probe Acrosuit. The Acrosuit gives visual or vibrotactile cues to propose a novel point of contact without instructions how to get there. We invited acroyogis to exploratively play with the suit and gained qualitative insights on whether and how they used the cues. The suit influenced their practice and in some cases also the way of communication between the partners. Experiencing the shifts in communication caused by the Acrosuit made acroyogis more conscious about their interaction without the technology.

Digitale Lösungen kommen überall zum Einsatz und werden auch in der Rechtsberatung vermehrt diskutiert. Eine aktuelle Studie zeigt, wie sich der Markt für Legal Technologies im Arbeits- und Sozialrecht entwickelt.

Die Digitalisierung krempelt viele Arbeitsbereiche um. Auch klassische Anwaltskanzleien verspüren Druck von einer zuvor nicht da gewesenen Konkurrenz.

ObjectiveIn two experiments, we examined how quickly different visual alerts on a head-worn display (HWD) would capture participants’ attention to a matrix of patient vital sign values, while multitasking.BackgroundAn HWD could help clinicians monitor multiple patients, regardless of where the clinician is located. We sought effective ways for HWDs to alert multitasking wearers to important events.MethodsIn two preclinical experiments, university student participants performed a visuomotor tracking task while simultaneously monitoring simulated patient vital signs on an HWD to detect abnormal values. Methods to attract attention to abnormal values included highlighting abnormal vital signs and imposing a white flash over the entire display.ResultsExperiment 1 found that participants detected abnormal values faster with high contrast than low contrast greyscale highlights, even while performing difficult tracking. In Experiment 2, a white flash of the entire screen quickly and reliably captured attention to vital signs, but less so on an HWD than on a conventional screen.ConclusionVisual alerts on HWDs can direct users’ attention to patient transition events (PTEs) even under high visual-perceptual load, but not as quickly as visual alerts on fixed displays. Aspects of the results have since been tested in a healthcare context.ApplicationPotential applications include informing the design of HWD interfaces for monitoring multiple processes and informing future research on capturing attention to HWDs.

The relevance of user experience in safety–critical domains has been questioned and lacks empirical investigation. Based on previous studies examining user experience in consumer technology, we conducted an online survey on positive experiences with interactive technology in acute care. The participants of the study consisted of anaesthesiologists, nurses, and paramedics (N = 55) from three German cities. We report qualitative and quantitative data examining (1) the relevance and notion of user experience, (2) motivational orientations and psychological need satisfaction, and (3) potential correlates of hedonic, eudaimonic, and extrinsic motivations such as affect or meaning. Our findings reveal that eudaimonia was the most salient aspect in these experiences and that the relevance of psychological needs is differently ranked than in experiences with interactive consumer technology. We conclude that user experience should be considered in safety–critical domains, but research needs to develop further tools and methods to address the domain-specific requirements.

It is generally accepted that task interruptions have a harmful effect on human performance in cognitively demanding tasks. This is evident in both the increased processing time and vulnerability to errors in interrupted tasks compared to non-interrupted tasks. Besides the definition of task interruptions and a description of the difference between task interruptions and related multitasking situations, the present chapter provides an overview of how the performance decrement in task-interruption situations is measured as well as of the major empirical findings observed in fundamental and applied task-interruption research. Moreover, we review task-related, situational, and personal factors that affect the disruptiveness of task interruptions and present theoretical accounts that explain these task-interruption effects, along with recommendations for task-interruption management.

Aim Cardiac arrests require fast, well-timed, and well-coordinated interventions delivered by several staff members. We evaluated a cognitive aid that works as an attentional aid to support specifically the timing and coordination of these interventions. We report the results of an experimental, simulation-based evaluation of the tablet-based cognitive aid in performing guideline-conforming cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods In a parallel group design, emergency teams (one qualified emergency physician as team leader and one qualified nurse) were randomly assigned to the cognitive aid application (CA App) group or the no application (No App) group and then participated in a simulated scenario of a cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was a cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance score ranging from zero to two for each team based on the videotaped scenarios in relation to twelve performance variables derived from the European Resuscitation Guidelines. As a secondary outcome, we measured the participants’ subjective workload. Results A total of 67 teams participated. The CA App group (n = 32 teams) showed significantly better cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance than the No App group (n = 31 teams; mean difference = 0.23, 95 %CI = 0.08 to 0.38, p = 0.002, d = 0.83). The CA App group team leaders indicated significantly less mental and physical demand and less effort to achieve their performance compared to the No App group team leaders. Conclusions Among well-trained in-hospital emergency teams, the cognitive aid could improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation coordination performance and decrease mental workload.

Simulation-based medical training is an increasingly used method to improve the technical and non-technical performance of clinical staff. An essential part of training is the debriefing of the participants, often using audio, video, or even eye tracking recordings. We conducted a practice-oriented feasibility study to test an eye tracking data preparation procedure, which automatically provided information about the gaze distribution on areas of interest such as the vital sign monitor or the patient simulator. We acquired eye tracking data during three simulation scenarios and provided gaze distribution data for debriefing within 30 minutes. Additionally, we qualitatively evaluated the usefulness of the generated eye tracking data for debriefings. Participating students and debriefers were mostly positive about the data provided; however, future research should improve the technical side of the procedure and investigate best practices regarding how to present and use the data in debriefings.

Simulation-based medical training is an increasingly used method to improve the technical and non-technical performance of clinical staff. An essential part of training is the debriefing of the participants, often using audio, video, or even eye tracking recordings. We conducted a practice-oriented feasibility study to test an eye tracking data preparation procedure, which automatically provided information about the gaze distribution on areas of interest such as the vital sign monitor or the patient simulator. We acquired eye tracking data during three simulation scenarios and provided gaze distribution data for debriefing within 30 minutes. Additionally, we qualitatively evaluated the usefulness of the generated eye tracking data for debriefings. Participating students and debriefers were mostly positive about the data provided; however, future research should improve the technical side of the procedure and investigate best practices regarding how to present and use the data in debriefings.

Supervising anesthesiologists overseeing several operating rooms must be aware of the status of multiple patients, so they can consult with the anesthetist in single operating rooms or respond quickly to critical events. However, maintaining good situation awareness can be challenging when away from patient bedsides or a central monitoring station. In this proof-of-concept study, we evaluated the potential of a head-worn display that showed multiple patients’ vital signs and alarms to improve supervising anesthesiologists’ situation awareness.

It is often necessary to retrieve intentions once a certain cue occurs in the environment. However, such prospective memory (PM) tasks can also be erroneously recalled even though they are no longer relevant and may result in commission errors. According to the dual mechanism account, commission errors occur because the intention is spontaneously retrieved, and there is a subsequent failure to suppress the associated action, resulting in erroneous instant execution. In three experiments, we tested whether failed response suppression is a prerequisite for commission errors. We set up a response lag condition in which participants had to delay their response to ongoing task trials for 1 s (Experiment 1) or 2 s (Experiments 2 and 3) and a pause condition in which the delay occurred between ongoing task trials. In both conditions, participants learned about a PM task and were then told that the PM task was cancelled. In addition, a control group with response lag executed the PM task and was subsequently told the task was finished. Later, all participants encountered several irrelevant PM cues. If failed response suppression is a prerequisite for commission errors, commission error rates should be non-existent in the response lag conditions, because participants had designated time to suppress the PM action. However, commission errors occurred at an equal rate in all lag and pause conditions. Due to this contradiction to the dual mechanism account, we suggest that the process for commission error occurrence should be reconsidered. Because commission errors appear not to be caused by failed response suppression, we discuss the idea that erroneous intentions might be formed when encountering the former PM cue and persist over delays between formation and execution.

Objective:We address the problem of how researchers investigate the actual or potential causal connection between interruptions and medical errors, and whether interventions might reduce the potential for harm.Background:It is widely assumed that interruptions lead to errors and patient harm. However, many reviewers and authors have commented that there is not strong evidence for a causal connection.Method:We introduce a framework of criteria for assessing how strongly evidence implies causality: the so-called Bradford Hill criteria. We then examine four key “metanarratives” of research into interruptions in health care—applied cognitive psychology, epidemiology, quality improvement, and cognitive systems engineering—and assess how each tradition has addressed the causal connection between interruptions and error.Results:Outcomes of applying the Bradford Hill criteria are that the applied cognitive psychology and epidemiology metanarratives address the causal connection relatively directly, whereas the quality improvement metanarrative merely assumes causality, and the cognitive systems engineering metanarrative either implicitly or explicitly questions the feasibility of finding a direct causal connection with harm.Conclusion:The Bradford Hill criteria are useful for evaluating the existing literature on the relationship between interruptions in health care, clinical errors, and the potential for patient harm. In the future, more attention is needed to the issue of why interruptions usually do not lead to harm, and the implications for how we approach patient safety.

The training of healthcare staff is an important aspect in reducing adverse events related to medical devices. For medical devices, e-learning has been shown to be a successful method for knowledge acquisition (e.g., Grundgeiger et al, 2016). However, research addressed the learning of clinical skills to a lesser extent. Hands-on learning seems to be superior to conventional classroom learning when it comes to long-term-memory performance (e.g., Hearns, Miller, & Nelson, 2010). This study examined whether using a syringe pump while learning improves the skills to operate the pump, subjective confidence when using the pump, and knowledge about the pump compared to a training without the pump.We tested two groups of nursing students. One group received training with an e-learning module and a syringe pump for hands-on practice (e-learning + pump, n = 25), whereas the other group used the e-learning module only (e-learning only, n = 26). In the first session, the participants were asked to conduct a 35-minute training session, followed by a questionnaire, a knowledge test, and a skills test. In a follow-up session, the tests were repeated but these results are not part of this abstract. Ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee and the participants gave their informed consent.The independent variable was learning method and was manipulated between participants. One group was instructed to make use of a syringe pump placed next to the e-learning computer during the e-learning module (e-learning + pump). The second group did not have the syringe pump while learning (e-learning only). The main dependent variable was the number of tasks solved in the skills test. In addition, we investigated the participants? subjective confidence in operating the syringe pump, their knowledge about the pump, and the amount of assistance that the participants needed to solve the tasks. Based on the literature, we expected that the e-learning + pump group would solve more tasks in the skill test, is more confident in using the pump, and would require less assistance compared to the e-learning only group.The difference of the proportion of solved tasks in the skills test between e-learning + pump group and the e-learning only group was not significant. There was even a slight descriptive advantage for the e-learning only group. For the confidence rating, we observed no significant difference between the groups. In the knowledge test, the e-learning + pump group performed slightly better than the e-learning only group, but the difference was not statistically significant. To assess the amount of required assistance, we counted every sub-task for which a participant needed assistance, regardless of the amount of assistance given per sub-task. Again, there was no effect of the learning method.The results suggest that, with the current study design, there is no benefit of having the device at hand. One may argue that the power of our study might have been too low to find a statistically significant difference between the learning methods. However, because our main independent variable indicated a trend in the opposite direction, we conclude that the current e-learning + pump training does not provide any benefits over e-learning only.The null-effect found in the present study may be due to the split-attention effect. Participants in the e-learning + pump group were told to use the syringe pump combined with the e-learning application. Therefore, they had to switch between the e-learning application and the syringe pump in an unsteady manner to receive all of the relevant information. Considering the split-attention effect (Ayres & Sweller, 2014), switching back and forth might have increased the participants? cognitive extraneous load (Sweller et al., 1998).Although our results are somewhat unexpected, our study showed that ?just? providing a device and instructing healthcare staff to use the device alongside a e-learning module does not improve learning outcomes. Based on the literature (Keers et al., 2013), however, there s a need to improve learning. Future studies should develop and evaluate innovative approaches to teach clinical skills in order to improve overall patient safety.

ABSTRACTIn safety-critical domains, frequently intentions need to be delayed until an ongoing task is completed. Research using the delay-execute paradigm showed that interruptions during the delay cause forgetting. However, staff members often handle an initial distraction not by interrupting the ongoing task but by acknowledging the distraction or multitasking. In Experiments 1a and 1b, we observed that, compared to a no distraction condition, multitasking significantly decreased remembering of intentions and interrupting decreased remembering even further. In Experiment 2, interruptions with context change reduced remembering of intentions compared to uninterrupted delays, and at the same time, interruptions without context change improved memory performance compared to uninterrupted delays. However, improved memory performance resulted in decreased interrupting task performance. Theoretically, the results support the contextual cueing mechanism of delay-execute tasks. Considering safety-critical domains, multitasking, interruptions and context changes can contribute to forgetting of tasks.

Current User Experience (UX) tools are not applicable for evaluating the UX of people with moderate to severe dementia as communicating about self-reflection is beyond their abilities. Observational Quality of Live (QoL) methods are frequently used in the dementia context, but not designed for formative evaluations. In this paper we present Proxemo, a prototypical approach combining the strengths of methods from both domains. By enabling evaluators to accurately document emotions of people with dementia Proxemo overcomes the problem of UX tools requiring self-report and the vague timeframes of QoL methods. In a preliminary study experienced evaluators from the domains of UX and dementia interacted with the prototype intuitively and were keen on applying it in an evaluation. In future work we will optimize Proxemo for rating emotions of multiple users.

In anaesthesia, patient simulators have been used for training and research. However, insights from simulator-based research may only translate to real settings if the simulation elicits the same behaviour as the real setting. To this end, we investigated the effects of the case (simulated case vs. real case) and experience level (junior vs. senior) on the distribution of visual attention during the induction of general anaesthesia. We recorded eye-tracking data from 12 junior and 12 senior anaesthetists inducing general anaesthesia in a simulation room and in an actual operating room (48 recordings). Using a classification system from the literature, we assigned each fixation to one of 24 areas of interest and classified the areas of interest into groups related to monitoring, manual, and other tasks. Anaesthetists gave more visual attention to monitoring related areas of interest in simulated cases than in real cases (p = 0.001). We observed no effect of the factor case for manual tasks. For other tasks, anaesthetists gave more visual attention to areas of interest related to other tasks in real cases than in simulated cases (p < 0.001). Experience level did not have an effect on the distribution of visual attention. The results showed that there were differences in the distribution of visual attention by between real and simulated cases. Therefore, researchers need to be careful when translating simulation-based research on topics involving visual attention to the clinical environment.

Visual cues relating to an interrupted task can help people recover from workplace interruptions. However, it is unclear whether visual cues relating to their next steps in a primary task may help people manage interruptions. In a previous intensive care unit simulation study, Grundgeiger et al. (2013) found that nurses performing equipment checks were more likely to defer an interruption from a colleague if they could see the next steps of their task on the equipment screen. We abstracted some elements of the simulation study into a controlled laboratory study to test whether visual cues support interruption management. Participants' primary task was to verify a set of linked arithmetic equations presented on a computer page. From time to time, an animated virtual character interrupted the participant to mimic a social interruption, and the participant chose whether or not to defer a response to the interruptions until they finished their page of equations. In four experiments, the independent variable was visual cue (cue versus no cue) and the primary outcome was the proportion of interruptions from the character that the participant deferred so that she or he could complete the page of equations. Experiment 1 (in English) suggested that the visual cue made participants more likely to defer the interruption. However, a potential confound noted in Experiment 1 was eliminated in Experiment 2 (also in English) and the effect of the visual cue disappeared. Experiment 3 (in German) tested a different way to remove the confound and replicated the results of Experiment 2. Finally Experiment 4 (in German) restored the confound and replicated the results of Experiment 1. Participants’ decisions to defer interruptions can depend on apparently minor properties of their primary task.

Recently, available studies suggest that reminiscence activity can improve cognitive functions and/or mood of people with dementia (PwD). Most current approaches focus on two types: using physical items (e.g. their photos, belonging objects), or using technology (e.g. tablet application). Physical item solutions are associated with more effort as each individual needs their own set of items. Technology solutions are promising but even a device with three buttons may be too complicated for people with moderate-severe dementia [1]. They usually need support to use the application. Based on contextual design, we came up with a chest of drawers using tangible user interface and Ubicomp technologies that can be interactive and adaptive. This approach also lets PwD do reminiscence activity by themselves, consequently enhance their autonomy, independent, and quality of life.

Precise and complete documentation of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitations is important but data quality can be poor. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a tablet-based application for real-time resuscitation documentation used by the emergency team leader on documentation quality and clinical performance of the emergency team.

Interruptions and distractions are a feature of work in most complex sociotechnical systems in which people must handle multiple threads of work. Over the last 10–15 years there has been a crescendo of reviews and investigations into the impact that interruptions and distractions have on safety-critical aspects of healthcare work, such as medication administration, but findings are still inconclusive. Despite this, many healthcare communities have taken steps to reduce interruptions and distractions in safety-critical work tasks, a step that will usually do no harm but that may have unintended consequences. Investigations with a higher yield of certainty would provide better evidence and better guidance to healthcare communities. In this viewpoint paper we survey some key papers reporting investigations of interruptions and distractions in the field, in simulators, and in the laboratory. We also survey reports of field interventions aimed at minimizing interruptions and distractions with the intention of improving the safety of medication administration and other safety-critical healthcare tasks. To analyse the papers adopting each form of investigation, we use the three dimensions of fidelity, formal control exercised, and the potential generalizability to the field. We argue that studies of interruptions and distractions outside the healthcare clinical context, but intended to generalize to it, should become more formally representative of the cognitive context of healthcare work. Research would be improved if investigators undertook programs of studies that successively achieve fidelity, control, and potential generalizability, or if they strengthened the design of individual studies.

Tracheal intubation requires the anaesthetist to adopt an awkward body posture. To investigate how posture may be improved, we compared the effects of laryngoscopy technique (GlideScope® vs Macintosh blade) and experience (novices vs experts) on body posture angles and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment postural analysis score. Novices (25 medical students) and experts (26 anaesthetists) were video-recorded performing intubation in a manikin using both devices. The GlideScope resulted in smaller deflections for all analysed posture angles (all p values < 0.001) except the wrist compared with the Macintosh blade. Novices showed more trunk (p < 0.001) and neck (p = 0.002) flexion than experts. Using the GlideScope resulted in a lower Rapid Entire Body Assessment score compared with using the Macintosh blade (p < 0.001), indicating that the GlideScope resulted in body posture less likely to induce musculoskeletal injuries. From an ergonomic point of view, the GlideScope should be the preferred technique for laryngoscopy.

Background: The ability to remember future intentions is compromised in both healthy and cognitively impaired older adults. Assistive technology provides older adults with promising solutions to cope with this age-related problem. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of such systems as memory aids is seldom evaluated in controlled, randomized trials. Objectives: We evaluated the effectiveness of a memory aid system, the InBad (engl. InBath), for bathroom-related daily care. Conceptually, the InBad learns user behavior patterns and detects deviations from the learned pattern in order to notify the user of a forgotten task. Methods: We simulated a challenging morning routine consisting of 22 bathroom activities with a sample of 60 healthy older adults. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) 'no memory support', i.e. participants received no support at all, (2) 'list support', i.e. participants could retrieve a list of all activities, and (3) 'system support', i.e. participants received prompts for specific activities that had not yet been executed. Results: Both support groups executed significantly more activities compared to the 'no support' group. In addition, system support resulted in significantly better performance compared to list support with no significant differences between the two groups in overall task duration. Conclusion: The assistive support system was the most effective and efficient memory aid. The results suggest that assistive technology has the potential to enable older adults to remain safe and independent in their own home. Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel

In this paper, the linear stability of a two-fluid, surfactant-laden core-annular flow is asymptotically examined in the thin-annulus limit. The instability of the system is determined by the interplay between interfacial tensions, Marangoni effects and viscosity stratification. A scaling analysis is developed to identify the dominant instability mechanisms in various parameter regimes. With proper scalings, the combined effects of Marangoni forces and viscosity stratification on the leading order stability are examined for both cases in the absence and the presence of the core inertia. For each case, a coupled set of linear evolution equations is derived for the interfacial deflection and the surfactant concentration. In the absence of the core inertia, the system with a more viscous film is always unstable due to the presence of surfactant. When the core fluid is more viscous, the stabilizing effect of the core inertia is compromised by the Marangoni destabilization. The resulting critical Reynolds number, beyond which the instability is completely suppressed by the core inertia, increases with surfactant elasticity.