Search Results (372)

This study presents a standardized method for multimodal monitoring of exercise execution in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments, addressing the need for reproducible assessment of neuromuscular and cardiovascular responses under space- and equipment-limited conditions. The method integrates wearable surface electromyography (sEMG), inertial measurement units (IMU), and electrocardiography (ECG) to capture muscle activation, movement, and cardiac dynamics during space-efficient exercise. Ten exercises suitable for confined habitats were implemented during analog missions conducted in the DeepLabH03 facility, with feasibility evaluated in a seven-day campaign involving three adult participants. Signals were synchronized using video-verified repetition boundaries, sEMG was normalized to maximum voluntary contraction, and sEMG amplitude- and frequency-domain features were extracted alongside heart rate variability indices. The protocol enabled stable real-time data acquisition, reliable repetition-level segmentation, and consistent detection of muscle-specific activation patterns across exercises. While amplitude-based sEMG indices showed no uniform main effect of exercise, robust exercise-by-muscle interactions were observed, and sEMG mean frequency demonstrated sensitivity to differences in movement strategy. Cardiac measures showed limited condition-specific modulation, consistent with short exercise bouts and small sample size. As a proof-of-concept feasibility study, the proposed protocol provides a practical and reproducible framework for multimodal physiological monitoring of exercise in ICE analogs and other constrained environments, supporting future studies on exercise quality, training load, and adaptive feedback systems. The protocol is designed to support near-real-time monitoring and forms a technical basis for future exercise-quality feedback in confined habitats. Full article

Family-implemented interventions are evidence-based practices used to support a range of developmental outcomes, including social communication. Social communication is a broad construct that encompasses a variety of skills, from foundational abilities such as joint attention (i.e., two people attending to the same object or event) to more advanced behaviors like triadic interactions (i.e., responding to or initiating conversation that involves reciprocal interactions). In a previous study, we examined the effects of a brief, parent-implemented Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI), delivered over telepractice with video feedback coaching. The intervention resulted in increased strategy use by all mothers and the frequency of communication for three young children. In the current study, we conducted a secondary analysis of those data to explore whether the communication-focused intervention produced a collateral effect on activity-engaged triadic interactions (i.e., mother–child–mother or child–mother–child exchanges while simultaneously engaging in a joint activity). Although a functional relation was not established, critical theoretical implications are posed. These findings highlight the need for future research to break apart complex skills into subskills to detect any subtle changes in child outcomes. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. Full article

Background: We explored a new approach for increasing participation in daily life for individuals with severe movement impairments. The core of the approach is an application designed to Translate Intentions into Action (TIA) as a motivational tool for both leisure and clinical training sessions. Methods: The TIA application was developed to enable users to activate motivational feedback, like sounds, music, or videos, through movement measured with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). IMUs were calibrated to user-specific thresholds based on individual movement potential. TIA was tested in two different age groups to assess applicability throughout lifespan and across different motor capacities. Results: The results indicated that TIA can be used for improved participation when positive feedback is provided during the intervention sessions. Observations demonstrated that regardless of age and motor capabilities, increased participation was achieved. TIA demonstrated the far-reaching potential to enhance the engagement and motivation of individuals with different levels of severe disabilities. Conclusions: By providing personalized, positive feedback through movement-activated outputs, TIA can be used by a wide range of people, with or without motor disabilities, to control digital outputs, such as video and audio. These findings suggest that TIA can be a valuable tool in both clinical and leisure settings to promote meaningful participation in activities. Full article

Existing video inpainting methods typically combine optical flow propagation with Transformer architectures, achieving promising inpainting results. However, they lack adaptive inpainting strategy optimization in diverse scenarios, and struggle to capture high-level temporal semantics, causing temporal inconsistencies and quality degradation. To address these challenges, we make one of the first attempts to introduce reinforcement learning into the video inpainting domain, establishing a closed-loop framework named CLIP-RL that enables adaptive strategy optimization. Specifically, video inpainting is reformulated as an agent–environment interaction, where the inpainting module functions as the agent’s execution component, and a pre-trained inpainting detection module provides real-time quality feedback. Guided by a policy network and a composite reward function that incorporates a weighted temporal alignment loss, the agent dynamically selects actions to adjust the inpainting strategy and iteratively refines the inpainting results. Compared to ProPainter, CLIP-RL improves PSNR from 34.43 to 34.67 and SSIM from 0.974 to 0.986 on the YouTube-VOS dataset. Qualitative analysis demonstrates that CLIP-RL excels in detail preservation and artifact suppression, validating its superiority in video inpainting tasks. Full article

Existing detection-based trackers exploit temporal contexts by updating appearance models or modeling target motion. However, the sequential one-shot integration of temporal priors risks amplifying error accumulation, as frame-level template matching restricts comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis. To address this, we propose SCT-Diff, a video-level framework that holistically estimates target trajectories. Specifically, SCT-Diff processes video clips globally via a diffusion model to incorporate bidirectional spatiotemporal awareness, where reverse diffusion steps progressively refine noisy trajectory proposals into optimal predictions. Crucially, SCT-Diff enables iterative correction of historical trajectory hypotheses by observing future contexts within a sliding time window. This closed-loop feedback from future frames preserves temporal consistency and breaks the error propagation chain under complex appearance variations. For joint modeling of appearance and motion dynamics, we formulate trajectories as unified discrete token sequences. The designed Mamba-based expert decoder bridges visual features with language-formulated trajectories, enabling lightweight yet coherent sequence modeling. Extensive experiments demonstrate SCT-Diff’s superior efficiency and performance, achieving 75.4% AO on GOT-10k while maintaining real-time computational efficiency. Full article

Background: Effective communication is a fundamental competency in veterinary medicine that shapes the quality of veterinarian–client relationships, shared decision-making, and animal welfare. However, consistent and systematic integration of communication training across veterinary curricula remains uneven worldwide. Methods: This scoping review mapped and analyzed educational programs aimed at developing communication competencies in veterinary education and professional practices. A systematic search was conducted according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, identifying 37 eligible studies published between 2005 and 2024. Results: Most publications were in English and originated from North America, particularly Canada (n = 15) and the United States (n = 8). Regarding target populations, 15 studies (40.5%) focused on veterinary students, 12 (32.4%) on practicing veterinarians, 8 (21.6%) on animal owners or clients, and 2 on veterinary educators. 18 studies (48.7%) described structured programs that used active learning strategies such as role-play, clinical simulations, peer-assisted learning, and formative feedback. The competencies frequently emphasized include empathy, active listening, nonverbal communication, conflict resolution, and rapport building. Notable best practices included the Calgary–Cambridge model, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and reflective video analysis. Conclusions: The available evidence indicates a growing emphasis on clinical communication within veterinary education, primarily implemented through experiential and practice-based approaches. However, substantial gaps persist in the representation of Latin American contexts and in the systematic, longitudinal integration of communication skills across veterinary curricula. Addressing these gaps may contribute to more coherent, equitable, and context-sensitive communication training in veterinary education. Full article

Introduction: Motorized components on power wheelchairs (PWC) enable repositioning to pre-programmed positions (e.g., tilt, leg support, verticalization) to prevent prolonged static positions. Smart technologies can track positioning information and give feedback according to clinical recommendations and personal goals. This study aimed to explore users’ and clinicians’ perceptions of an intelligent dynamic seating (IDS) system prototype comprising a PWC with motorized multi-components connected to a web interface. Methods: A purposive sample of six PWC users and eight clinicians were recruited in this exploratory descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews included viewing a video of the IDS and images of the web interface. Interviews were transcribed, deductively coded, and thematically analyzed using a conceptual model for evaluating eHealth interventions. Results: Clinicians found the IDS system intuitive to use, customizable, relevant in terms of positioning and clinical recommendations, and timesaving. Powered wheelchair users perceived benefits that could motivate behavioural change, autonomy, health, and inclusion. Concerns related to familiarity with complex technology, funding, cognitive requirements, and technical and health risks were raised. Conclusion: The results inform improvements for the integration of the IDS in clinical practice to respond to the positioning needs of PWC users. Full article

Experiential learning involves gaining knowledge and understanding from real-life experiences, which helps develop new theories through fresh insights. Kolb described learning as the process of creating knowledge through transforming experience. Its main idea is that challenges and experiences, followed by reflection, lead to learning and growth. An experiential learning module (ELM) is a type of simulation that replicates a real-world situation, simplified to help participants understand complex problems from their perspective. It is based specifically on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. ELMs use pictures, videos, and voice-over presentations to create a rich, contextually relevant, vicarious learning experience for classroom learners. In this study, the main ELM developed in Haiti was based on Kolb’s learning cycle. The primary goal of the ELM was to help global agriculturalists tackle complex issues related to food insecurity in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to explain what experiential learning modules are and how to implement them in a study abroad program. An ELM on plantain production in Haiti was used as a case example. Students completed pre- and post-reflection surveys to evaluate their initial assumptions, expectations, and knowledge about the subject, as well as what they learned. A learning assessment measured their understanding of the ELM content. By analyzing the participants’ comments, the instructional approach proved effective in providing a vicarious experience within the classroom. The results from the initial classroom use of the banana and plantain learning module, along with student reactions, offered valuable feedback that led to proposed revisions and improvements to the tool. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early motherhood is a risk factor for the mother-child relationship during the perinatal period, implying that intrusive or withdrawn maternal behavior and possibly abusive behavior can have short- and long-term consequences for child development. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a short mentalization community video feedback intervention designed to improve maternal mentalization, maternal communication, and behavior quality of adolescent and young mothers. Twenty-six young and adolescent mother-infant dyads were recruited at an Italian outpatient hospital service for adolescent and young parents with a one-group pre-test/post-test design. The participants (n = 15) received four video feedback sessions focused on mentalization and affective communication. At 3 infant months, risk factors associated with young motherhood were assessed. At 3 infant months (pre-intervention) and 9 months (post-intervention), the quality of maternal communication and behavior has been evaluated with Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification (AMBIANCE), and maternal mind-mindedness was assessed. Results: At the end of the intervention, the results showed significant improvements in maternal communication quality and mind-mindedness, especially in decreasing disrupted maternal affective communication (p = 0.005) and non-attuned mind-mindedness comments (p = 0.005). Conclusions: This study highlighted good acceptance of the intervention in a public health context and the effectiveness of a short mentalization community video feedback intervention to improve maternal mind-mindedness and communication quality between young mothers and their infants. The preliminary findings of this pilot study could be useful for implementing similar interventions aimed at young parents in community contexts. Full article

English is the first foreign language most Taiwanese have encountered, yet few have achieved proficient speaking skills. This paper presents a generative AI-based English speaking training system designed to enhance oral proficiency through interactive AI agents. The system employs ChatGPT version 5.2 to generate diverse and tailored conversational scenarios, enabling learners to practice in contextually relevant situations. Spoken responses are captured via speech recognition and analyzed by a large language model, which provides intelligent scoring and personalized feedback to guide improvement. Learners can automatically generate scenario-based scripts according to their learning needs. The D-ID AI system then produces a virtual character of the AI agent, whose lip movements are synchronized with the conversation, thereby creating realistic video interactions. Learning with an AI agent, the system maintains controlled emotional expression, reduces communication anxiety, and helps learners adapt to non-native interaction, fostering more natural and confident speech production. Accordingly, the proposed system supports compelling, immersive, and personalized language learning. The experimental results indicate that repeated practice with the proposed system substantially improves English speaking proficiency. Full article

Wearable technologies, such as smartwatches, are increasingly used by people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for health monitoring and self-management. However, there is limited evidence-informed guidance available to help patients and healthcare practitioners use these tools effectively in everyday life. Objectives: This study aimed to co-create a digital resource for people with COPD and healthcare practitioners to support the use of smartwatches for self-management. Methods: A participatory co-creation methodology was used, based on the Three Co’s Framework (co-define, co-design, co-refine). Participants included people with COPD, carers, family, or friends of people with COPD; healthcare practitioners; and researchers who attended workshops and individual think-aloud interviews to develop a website and video resource. The resource was refined based on real-time feedback. Data were analysed using rapid qualitative analysis. Results: Twenty-one participants engaged and identified key informational needs, including understanding smartwatch features, interpreting health data, and setting personalised goals. The co-created website and video resource were positively received. Participants valued the inclusion of real-life experiences and practical guidance tailored to both patients and healthcare practitioners. Conclusions: This study presents the first co-created resource for COPD and healthcare practitioners on using smartwatches. The co-creation process was successfully delivered online and face-to-face, demonstrating a robust, inclusive approach to managing multiple stakeholders. The resource offers practical value for patients and practitioners and contributes to the growing field of remote interventions for chronic respiratory conditions. Future research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness. Full article

This paper introduces a lightweight and accessible interaction system for treadmill-based video games, relying solely on facial tracking via a smartphone’s front camera. The system enables real-time estimation of running cadence and directional control through natural head movements, providing an immersive and hands-free gaming experience. A key contribution is the implementation of a FFT-based cadence estimation method that achieves accuracy errors below 5% using only 128 frames, enabling real-time feedback. Preliminary evaluations with 11 participants demonstrate that the FFT-based approach outperforms traditional peak detection in both accuracy and robustness across multiple running speeds. These results position the system as a practical, efficient, and scalable solution for fitness-oriented human–computer interaction, with promising implications for digital health and exergaming. Full article

This study presents the e[kent-im] model, a map-based crowdsourcing initiative that digitizes and safeguards urban memory and cultural heritage through community participation and digital tools. The model facilitates the collection, archiving, and dissemination of urban memories by fostering intergenerational knowledge transfer and encouraging civic engagement in heritage preservation. Implemented in the historical center of Kütahya/Türkiye, the project gathered 150 memories and stories from 12 senior participants aged 50–85, which were linked to 303 historical visuals sourced from personal archives. These materials were integrated into a custom-designed web and mobile interface (Mapotic Pro) enriched with metadata categories such as type, period, and location, enabling users to filter and navigate content effectively and watch the videos enriched with participant narratives. A digital city archive matrix was also developed to systematically organize the collected data and support the web-based platform. To assess the platform’s effectiveness, a pilot study with 15 young participants aged 18–28 was conducted. During a self-guided city tour, participants engaged with historical content on the platform and provided feedback through pre- and post-test evaluations. Results indicated heightened awareness of and interest in cultural heritage, demonstrating the model’s potential as both an interactive archive and a tool facilitating intergenerational heritage awareness. Overall, this study highlights the model’s adaptability, scalability, and capacity to bridge generational and technological divides. Full article

Screencasts, which are screen-capture videos, have been created by teachers delivering instruction or feedback, reflecting a teacher-centered model of learning. Based on the constructivist principle, this study explores an innovative attempt to position students as screencast creators, who must demonstrate their knowledge by and explain their work in the screencast. This innovative approach has the potential to promote authentic learning and reduce dependence on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools for completing assignments. However, it is uncertain whether students will have positive attitudes towards this new form of assessment. From 2022 to 2025, the authors used screencasts as assessments in computer programming and English language subjects. Survey results were obtained from 203 university students and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that students generally hold positive attitudes toward creating screencasts, with perceived usefulness for future applications exerting the strongest influence on acceptance, followed by perceived performance benefits and ease of use. It is also found that gender, discipline, and study mode did not significantly alter these relationships, although senior students perceived screencast production as more effortful. These findings suggest that student-created screencasts can serve as an effective, student-centered alternative to traditional written assessments. The research results imply that student-created screencasts have the potential to help students develop their skills in an increasingly GenAI-pervasive academic environment. Full article

With the continuous expansion of urban metro systems, balancing passenger experience and operational efficiency has become a central concern in contemporary public transportation design. However, most existing metro service studies continue to focus on perceptual comfort or isolated usability tasks and lack an integrated, behavior-centered perspective that accounts for the full travel chain and diverse user groups. This study develops the Bi-directional Service Behavioral Experience Model (BSBEM), which systematically integrates one-way navigation behaviors and interactive operational behaviors within a unified dual-path framework to identify behavioral patterns and experiential disparities across user groups. Based on the People–Touchpoints–Environments–Messages–Services–Time–Emotion (POEMSTI) behavioral observation framework, this study employs a mixed-method approach combining video-based behavioral coding, usability testing, and subjective evaluation. An empirical study conducted at Beidajie Station on Xi’an Metro Line 2 involved three representative passenger groups: high-frequency commuters, urban leisure travelers, and special-care passengers. Multi-source data were collected to capture temporal, spatial, and interactional dynamics throughout the travel process. Results show that high-frequency commuters demonstrate the highest operational fluency, urban leisure travelers exhibit greater visual dependency and exploratory pauses, and special-care passengers are most affected by accessibility and feedback latency. Further analysis reveals a positive correlation between route complexity and interaction delay, highlighting discontinuous information feedback as a key experiential bottleneck. By jointly modeling one-way and interactive behaviors and linking group-specific patterns to concrete metro touchpoints, this research extends behavioral evaluation in metro systems and offers a novel behavior-based perspective along with empirical evidence for inclusive, adaptive, and human-centered service design. Full article