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Journal articleChurkin A, Pinson P, Pozo D, et al., 2027,
Penalising forecast accuracy? Data valuation challengesin power distribution systems
, Electric Power Systems Research, Vol: 263, ISSN: 0378-7796Operation of modern power systems depends on high-quality data and forecasts. As the provision of valuable forecasts shifts to independent providers, such as renewable and distributed generators, there is a growing need for forecast-sharing markets. However, existing forecast valuation mechanisms, often inspired by game theory, overlook physical network constraints and the dispersed locations of forecast providers in realistic power systems. This work shows that widely used valuation methods, such as the Shapley value, can yield counterintuitive results when applied to load forecasting in distribution networks. Specifically, due to the location of providers and voltage constraints, less accurate forecasts may appear more valuable than precise ones, while some providers may even be penalised. Moreover, value-oriented mechanisms lack incentive compatibility, as certain providers may systematically misreport load forecasts to receive higher payments. These findings expose the limitations of existing forecast valuation approaches and suggest that incorporating accuracy-based scoring may enhance value-oriented mechanisms.
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Journal articlePeters A, Pinson P, Banovic O, et al., 2027,
Developing an open-source and Europe-wide wind power forecasting platform
, Electric Power Systems Research, Vol: 263, ISSN: 0378-7796This work presents the novel open-source platform Wind Power Forecast for open and accessible wind power forecasting across Europe. The platform is motivated by the limited accessibility of wind power forecasting tools, which are often not openly available, difficult to adapt to arbitrary wind power plants (WPPs), or restricted by limited data availability. To address this, a model based on Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLPs) is developed to generalise across arbitrary WPPs, enabling forecasts for existing and custom WPPs without asset-specific training. In this work, ”real-time forecast” refers to forecasts that are automatically updated using the most recent available weather forecast data. The model is trained on wind speeds at 100 m and WPP data, namely turbine type, hub height, age, and recorded production data, and it outperforms a power-curve benchmark. A web application renders the forecasts publicly available, visualises them on an interactive map, and allows users to define custom WPPs. In addition, a crowdsourcing feature enables users to upload production time series in order to extend the database and continuously improve the model. The platform is intended to particularly benefit smaller stakeholders and researchers by improving accessibility, transparency, interpretability, and opportunities for community-based contribution.
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Journal articleAmatuni L, Clemm C, Sprecher B, et al., 2026,
Second-hand smartphones reduce carbon emissions, yet shorter use times limit actual gains
, Communications Earth and Environment, Vol: 7Product reuse advances circular economy by reducing material demand. However, environmental assessments often assume reused products fully replace new ones, or they overlook market changes and shortened lifespans driven by resale and repurchase opportunities. This study presents an empirically based analysis of the second-hand smartphone market and its cumulative effects on manufacturing demand and carbon emissions. Integrating consumer survey data and product lifetime estimates in a stock-and-flow model, we find that in the United States, each second-hand transaction currently extends smartphone use time by 40%, displaces 0.40 new devices, and that circular consumption results in a 34% lower annual carbon footprint. With 25% of consumers purchasing used phones, production demand and carbon emissions are lowered by 15% and 14%, respectively. Yet, shortened use times offset nearly half the potential gains. If reuse became the norm, manufacturing demand could decline by one-third, revealing both the promise and the limits of reuse.
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Journal articleRiley S, Vamvakeros A, Quino G, et al., 2026,
Acute deformation characteristics of standard and flexible lithium-ion battery electrodes
, Communications Materials, Vol: 7Understanding 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 articleDing Z, Wang H, Gao C, et al., 2026,
A novel one-shot forming technology for ultra-high strength multi-material structures: Process design, simulation and proof of concept
, Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol: 210, ISSN: 1359-835XFibre–metal laminates (FMLs) combining fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) with ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) are promising for high-performance multi-material structures, but their manufacture is limited. The forming temperature mismatch commonly necessitates separate forming and adhesive bonding, increasing cycle time, tooling complexity and recycling difficulty. This study introduces a novel one-shot forming process for UHSS-based FMLs. Separately heated FRP and UHSS blanks are stacked immediately before cold-die forming; the pre-cooled austenitised steel locally melts the adjacent FRP surface, while the remaining laminate forms predominantly in the solid state. The process enables concurrent forming, composite-metal bonding, and steel quench hardening. A U-shaped CF/PEEK–22MnB5 demonstrator was designed to validate the feasibility. A two-step simulation framework guided process-window selection by predicting through-thickness temperature evolution during stacking and inter-ply damage during forming. Preferred stacking temperatures of 280 °C for CF/PEEK and 520 °C for 22MnB5 were identified, consistent with forming trials. Under these conditions, the demonstrator exhibited good composite-metal bonding, minimal delamination and a 22MnB5 hardness of 453 HV10, corresponding to an ultimate tensile strength above 1400 MPa. Dimensional assessment showed good geometrical accuracy, although residual springback/spring-in indicated scope for further optimisation. The results demonstrate the feasibility of rapidly manufacturing UHSS-based FML components for larger-scale adoption.
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Journal articleDemirel P, Kesidou E, Wu L, 2026,
R&D tax credits and subsidies: implications for innovation novelty in emerging economies
, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol: 230, ISSN: 0040-1625The 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 articleMalone L, Cardin MA, Cilliers J, et al., 2026,
Controlled user study on the role of situational awareness in design decisions for future lunar In-situ resource utilization systems
, Acta Astronautica, Vol: 246, Pages: 745-759, ISSN: 0094-5765As 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 articleBaker C, Wang Z, Low L, et al., 2026,
Face the facts: a characterisation of 2013–2025 UK motorcycle collisions, head impact locations and injury outcomes supporting facial impact testing
, Traffic Safety Research, ISSN: 2004-3082There is limited contemporary evidence on head impact conditions and injuries in motorcyclists, despite substantial recent changes in vehicles, helmet design and test standards. This constrains evidence-driven improvements to helmet protection and impact test protocols, particularly for underrepresented facial impacts. We quantified head impact locations and associated head and facial injury distributions in 12 years of motorcycle collisions from Great Britain’s Road Accident In-Depth Studies (RAIDS) database (1 April 2013–31 March 2025). Injuries were classified using Abbreviated Injury Scale codes augmented with free-text identification of clinically utilised Mayo-classified brain injury, and primary helmet impact location was derived from investigator summaries and helmet photographs. Most of the 353 motorcyclists were injured (93%) and male (90%) and 2% were unhelmeted. One third sustained at least one head injury and 23.6% sustained Mayo-classified traumatic brain injury (16.9% moderate–severe). Facial injuries occurred in 12.2%, including 4.4% with facial fracture. Skull fractures (including basilar) and intracranial haemorrhage were also common. Head and facial injuries were more prevalent in fatally injured motorcyclists than survivors. Primary helmet impact location was determined for 125 motorcyclists with 50.4% of impacts were to the facial region. Head injury rates and patterns were similar across primary impact locations. When primary facial impacts caused head injury, upper face and chinbar impacts dominated visor impacts. Facial impacts are both frequent and associated with clinically important head injuries. Helmet standards and consumer ratings should incorporate facial impact assessments and adopt injury risk criteria reflecting skull fractures, focal brain injury and intracranial haemorrhage.
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Journal articleStoffer R, Ulas GO, Demirel P, 2026,
Implementing Design Thinking in Early‐Stage Start‐Up Innovation Processes: The Case of MedTech/HealthTech Sector
, Creativity and Innovation Management, ISSN: 0963-1690<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>Although the value of design thinking (DT) in the innovation processes of large organisations is widely examined within the literature, its role and value for early‐stage start‐up innovation processes remains less well understood. This study investigates how start‐up founders implement DT practices in the early‐stage start‐up innovation processes in UK‐based MedTech/HealthTech start‐ups using 38 semi‐structured interviews with start‐up founders, DT experts and investors. The key findings shed light on the limited use of DT within the time‐pressured context of start‐up ecosystems and call for unique adaptations that can better support start‐up firms to benefit from DT. Furthermore, the study highlights the challenges in implementing DT in highly regulated contexts, like the MedTech/HealthTech sector, where stringent regulations limit user engagement of innovators during experimentation. The study contributes to the theoretical DT literature by extending insights on the barriers to the effective implementation of DT in different organisational and sectoral contexts. Additionally, it provides practitioner insights directed to entrepreneurship educators such as start‐up accelerators and incubators for better deployment of DT education for entrepreneurs.</jats:p>
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Journal articleRanjan A, Perera S, Zhang Z, et al., 2026,
Bioinspired Hooves for Robotics: Structural, Material, and Functional Insights.
, Bioinspir BiomimHoofed animals such as mountain goats, camels, horses, cows, and pigs exhibit exceptional capability in managing complex contact dynamics within their ecological niches, ranging from steep rocky slopes to loose sand and muddy ground. Recent numerical modelling and experimental work have demonstrated that the passive dynamics of mountain goat hooves can significantly reduce slippage without the need for active closed-loop control, provided that joint compliance lies within an appropriate range. In this paper, we review the biomechanics of biological hooves in relation to their environmental specialisations and examine the corresponding design principles, advantages, and limitations of robotic feet. By integrating evidence from biological morphology, robotic prototypes, and contact mechanics, we identify the critical morphological and material features required for robotic feet to perform effectively across diverse terrains. The paper highlights that: (a) layered and anisotropic material organisation in biological hooves enables passive, terrain-adaptive contact dynamics that provide stability and traction without active control; (b) anticipatory and morphology-driven contact modulation can replace high-bandwidth control in legged robots. This involves tunability of mechanical parameters, such as stiffness, damping, and contact geometry; (c) future robotic feet should combine bio-informed minimalism with adaptive compliance to achieve terrain-general locomotion.
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Conference paperWan EC, Mougenot C, Sadek M, 2026,
KNIT-C: Exploring Conversational AI Facilitation of Group Convergence Through Computational Boundary Objects
Conversational AI is widely explored for supporting brainstorming and creative collaboration, yet its potential to guide groups through convergence, where differing perspectives must be reconciled into a shared direction, remains largely unexamined. We introduce KNIT-C, a conversational system that operationalises computational boundary objects within synchronous multi-user dialogue, eliciting individual viewpoints, synthesising group perspectives, and guiding discussion toward negotiated outcomes. Across four public workshop sessions (14 non-expert participants), we find that conversational engagement deepened individual reflection but created pacing and coordination challenges in group interaction. AI-generated summaries anchored discussion, though their similarity demanded careful comparison rather than simplifying choices. Participants frequently reported feeling heard without fully endorsing outcomes, pointing to productive disagreement as a form of convergence that preserves visible tension rather than resolving it. We discuss implications for adaptive pacing, context-sensitive stance-shifting, and evaluation frameworks that assess whether differences were genuinely engaged rather than suppressed.
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Conference paperSadek M, Mougenot C, 2026,
Using Anti-Values as Conversational AI Design Constraints: Deciding on What We Shouldn't Build
Human values are increasingly foregrounded in AI design, particularly through work on value alignment examining which values AI systems should promote and how this can occur. However, this focus leaves a critical gap in terms of explicitly articulating what AI systems should not align with. This gap is especially consequential for AI-powered Conversational User Interfaces (CUIs), whose relational, persuasive, and longitudinal interaction styles can give rise to subtle forms of misalignment which are currently not well-captured. In this provocation, we introduce the notion of anti-values as design constraints for CUIs. Anti-values are defined as normative commitments that conversational systems should not promote, embody, or optimise for. Drawing on prior empirical work in which CUI creators and users articulated anti-values unprompted, as well as related interdisciplinary lenses, we argue that anti-values offer a complementary and participatory way to reason about value alignment during CUI design. We outline how anti-values can inform design, evaluation, and governance, and present provocations that reframe CUI design as shaping a conversational action space through refusal and restraint.
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Conference paperCho M, Di Simplicio MC, Calvo RA, 2026,
The Role of Generative Summarisation in Agent-Mediated Reflection for Youth Social Prescribing
Social prescribing offers a promising approach to supporting youth mental health through community resources. However, challenges remain in sustaining engagement and adapting care to the ongoing participation. To address these gaps, we developed Reflective Companion, a conversational agent that facilitates reflection through generative dialogue and provides structured summaries. Through user testing with 12 young people and 8 link workers, we examined the role of agent-generated summaries in social prescribing context. Our findings reveal that summaries function as interactional artefacts rather than mere recaps. They showed potential to transform reflection from a temporal interaction into a cumulative process, potentially fostering longitudinal continuity across broader care journey. Furthermore, the summary may strengthen data agency, establish relational bond based on functional trust, and provide mediated visibility, offering clinical oversight without compromising personal privacy. These findings reframe the role of generative summaries in reflective systems and demonstrate their potential for effective and responsible technology use within human-led care.
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Conference paperSadek M, Mougenot C, 2026,
Whose Values? Demographic Influences on Perceptions of Conversational AI Value Alignment
Efforts to align conversational AI systems with human values often overlook whose values are being prioritised. This paper examines how demographic factors shape perceptions of conversational AI value alignment. It does so through a secondary analysis of survey data from 269 participants across 34 countries, revealing a previously overlooked dimension of alignment evaluation. Participants rated conversational AI transcripts along dimensions of value alignment, and responses were analysed with ANCOVA and post-hoc tests. Results show that demographic variables such as nationality, country of residence, ethnicity, and age significantly influence perceptions of alignment. They also highlight how aggregation can hide demographic divergence. These findings (i) demonstrate that value alignment is not a universal property of conversational AI, but is contextually situated, and (ii) highlight the importance of more mindful and inclusive participant sampling during conversational AI user evaluations, especially in relation to users' values.
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Journal articleWang W, Bhattacharya D, Tang K, et al., 2026,
Robotic fabric alignment system for sewing using global local weighted ICP
, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, Vol: 23, Pages: 13391-13406, ISSN: 1545-5955Accurate fabric alignment is a critical step that must be performed before sewing. This paper presents a novel automated fabric alignment system. The system estimates the poses of top and bottom fabric panels—lying flat and wrinkle-free in arbitrary positions—using a new Global Local Weighted Iterative Closest Point (GLW-ICP) method. The system then manipulates the top panel to achieve precise alignment at both edges and sewing lines. Unlike conventional approaches, GLW-ICP robustly aligns both global edges and local sewing lines by globally aligning fabric edge points and locally aligning sewing line points to their corresponding CAD model points, while removing unmatched points in occluded regions. Real-world experiments with various fabric shapes show that the system consistently achieves millimeter-level alignment accuracy under both occlusion and non-occlusion conditions, demonstrating its effectiveness and suitability for automated fabric alignment in practical scenarios. Note to Practitioners—Fabric panel alignment before sewing is a time-consuming and skill-dependent task in garment production. Misaligned edges or sewing lines can lead to defects, rework, and production delays. This work presents a novel robotic system that automates the alignment of wrinkle-free fabric panels, even when portions of the panel are occluded by the manipulator. The system uses a novel Global Local Weighted Iterative Closest Point (GLW-ICP) method, which separately aligns overall panel edges and local sewing lines to a digital CAD model while ignoring unreliable points from occluded regions. A roller-based end-effector then picks up, re-positions, and releases the top panel to achieve precise alignment with the bottom panel. This method achieves millimeter-level accuracy across various garment components under both unoccluded and partially occluded views. This reduces operator dependency, improves consistency, and shortens preparation time. The approach is read
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Journal articleWen H, Pinson P, 2026,
Value-oriented forecast reconciliation for renewables in electricity markets
, European Journal of Operational Research, Vol: 332, Pages: 492-504, ISSN: 0377-2217Forecast 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 articleNiu Z, Zhao W, Jackson L, et al., 2026,
Closing the loop with generative AI and automated experimentation in electrochemical energy innovation.
, Sci Bull (Beijing)Electrochemical energy technologies are central to the net-zero transition, yet their multiscale characteristics ranging from atomic materials to device architectures present critical challenges in research and development (R&D). Although artificial intelligence (AI) has accelerated discovery and design in this field, commonly used predictive AI methods remain limited in enabling disruptive advances. Generative AI has shown transformative potential in disciplines such as biology and medicine, though its impact on electrochemical energy R&D is only beginning to emerge. Here we review recent progress in applying generative AI to molecular and crystal discovery, electrode microstructure design, and system optimization, with particular attention to the role of large language models in electrochemical engineering. We argue for a paradigm shift toward generative electrochemical intelligence (GenE), a physics-informed, multimodal framework that integrates human expertise with automated experimentation. We anticipate that GenE will redefine the R&D paradigm for rapidly deployable electrochemical energy technologies and accelerate their translation into real-world applications.
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Journal articleVan Zalk N, 2026,
Designing Minds: Toward Systematic Integration of Psychological Science in Design for Augmented Humanity
, Design for Augmented Humanity, ISSN: 2977-6481Design for augmented humanity increasingly operates at the level of human cognition, emotion, and behaviour. As technologies extend and reconfigure human capabilities, design decisions play a constitutive role in shaping how individuals perceive, think, and act. Despite this, the integration of psychological science into design practice remains fragmented and unsystematic. While psychological concepts are widely referenced, they are often applied in selective and decontextualised ways, limiting both explanatory depth and practical effectiveness.This paper advances the position that the central challenge is not the absence of psychological science in design, but the lack of its systematic integration. Building on this critique, it introduces a framework of levels of psychological grounding, describing progressive forms of integration from informal awareness and ad hoc application to structured incorporation in design processes, evaluation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The framework provides a conceptual basis for analysing current practice and guiding more coherent integration.The paper argues that such integration is essential for designing in the context of augmented humanity, where systems increasingly participate in cognition and behaviour. Systematic psychological integration is therefore positioned as a necessary condition for developing design practices that are not only effective, but also transparent, accountable, and aligned with human well-being.
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Journal articleDaubner S, Lagnoni M, Kench S, et al., 2026,
The Tortuosity of Graded Electrodes: Electrochemical Impedance and Microstructure-Aware Cell Models
, ECS Meeting Abstracts, Vol: MA2026-01, Pages: 649-649<jats:p>Microstructure design of battery electrodes is key to enable fast charge and higher capacity in next-generation lithium and sodium ion batteries. While porous-electrode (Doyle–Fuller–Newman-type) models capture the coupled transport–reaction physics governing cell performance, they typically treat the electrode as a homogenized medium and encode microstructure only through fitted, scalar “effective” parameters (e.g., Bruggeman-type tortuosity). This assumption is often adequate for uniform electrodes, but it breaks down for modern architectures with graded porosity, binder migration, bimodal particle distributions, or bilayer designs, where transport resistance is heterogeneous and reaction rates localize, leading to non-uniform utilization and premature rate limitations.</jats:p> <jats:p> Here we introduce an approach that efficiently bridges 3D image-based electrode simulations and microstructure-aware cell-scale modelling using volume-averaged microstructure descriptors. We compute spatially resolved, directional tortuosity factors <jats:italic>τ(x)</jats:italic> along with spatial porosity <jats:italic>ε(x)</jats:italic> and specific surface area <jats:italic>a(x)</jats:italic> and embed these closures directly into DFN-type cell models. This replaces ad hoc, globally fitted transport factors with architecture-dependent descriptors that can represent graded and bilayer electrodes in a physically interpretable way. We further show that common characterization and parameter-identification workflows implicitly assume electrode homogeneity, and can therefore misattribute microstructure-driven limitations to “material” kinetics when applied to structured electrodes. </jats:p>
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Journal articleWang W, Bhattacharya D, Tang K, et al., 2026,
Robotic Fabric Alignment System for Sewing Using Global Local Weighted ICP
, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering -
Journal articleDawber W, Baker CE, Sharp D, et al., 2026,
Demographic and causal patterns in child cyclist head Injuries: Informing helmet test methods
, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Vol: 232, Pages: 108545-108545, ISSN: 0001-4575Children’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 articleMohamed M, Ding Z, Wu H, et al., 2026,
Simulation Framework for Cost-Effective One-Shot Forming of Steel-Based Fibre Metal Laminates in Lightweight Automotive Structures
, Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals, Vol: 79, ISSN: 0972-2815Recently, there was an increase in the demand for lightweight, high-performance automotive structures, which has induced an interest in steel-based fibre metal laminates (FMLs). The conventional separate heating and forming stages for the metal and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) are time- and cost-consuming, which limits the industrial applications. This study presents a simulation-driven methodology for cost-effective one-shot forming of steel (DP780) and FRP (GF/PA6). A coupled thermo-mechanical model is created in Abaqus to represent the nonlinear response of FRP stacks, accounting for temperature-dependent material properties and interactions between FRP layers and steel. The simulation predicts key process defects, including steel–FRP interfacial gaps, FRP delamination, and excessive thickness deviations. The results show good agreement with experimental trials, confirming the model’s accuracy. The simulation framework demonstrates its capability to model the novel forming process for FMLs and to implement it in the industrial-scale production of lightweight, high-performance automotive FML components.
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Journal articleAleo O, Dieckmann E, Stephan A, et al., 2026,
Barriers to closed-loop manufacturing: challenges for a circular economy in automotive production
, Journal of Circular Economy, Vol: 4, ISSN: 2752-163XThe transition to closed-loop production is critical for sustainable manufacturing, yet linear models remain dominant due to prioritization of profitability over resource efficiency. This study examines barriers to closed-loop manufacturing in the automotive sector, focusing on inefficiencies in material recirculation in production. Through site observations and interviews with 21 key stakeholders, 12 barriers are identified across strategic, operational, legal, and economic dimensions. Key challenges include fragmented supply chains, lack of standardization and insufficient coordination. Addressing these barriers requires standardized frameworks, improved communication, and integration of waste management into production to enhance resource recovery and economic viability. The study highlights the need for a holistic approach that integrates waste management into production, reducing material loops, and maximizing resource recovery. The work provides actionable insights to support manufacturers in achieving eco-effectiveness through closed-loop manufacturing and improved economic viability.
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Journal articleRossini-Vilchez D, Tateishi-Serruto FJ, Butler C, et al., 2026,
The patient journey for people with dementia and their carers in Peru: From first symptoms to diagnosis and treatment.
, Alzheimers Dement, Vol: 22INTRODUCTION: We explored how people with dementia (PwD) and their carers navigate Peru's health system for diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: We interviewed PwD (n = 4), carers (n = 18), and healthcare workers (n = 17) from four sites. We developed a patient journey map using thematic analysis and participant validation. RESULTS: Three journey stages emerged. Pre-diagnosis: Families seek care across different sub-health systems and facilities 2-4 years after symptom onset. DIAGNOSIS: Specialist consultation is sought in major cities and diagnosis occurs in hospitals based on clinical presentation. Continuity of care: Care focuses on controlling behavioral and psychological symptoms, with limited access to dementia-specific drugs and non-pharmacological interventions, and heavy reliance on carers' resources. Community mental health centers (CMHCs) are preferred facilities due to geographical and specialist accessibility and perceived care quality. DISCUSSION: Without a formal entry point to dementia care, families navigate fragmented pathways, whereas CMHCs emerge as facilities with adequate care procedures for PwD.
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Journal articleVirovec M, Barumerli R, Cesari P, 2026,
Motor cortex excitability during spine shape-judgment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a TMS motor evoked potential study.
, Exp Brain Res, Vol: 244This study investigated the neurophysiological mechanisms linking visual body perception to motor output in females with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), specifically examining how altered body schema influences corticospinal excitability. A two-stage paradigm was employed in participants with AIS and healthy controls. First, psychophysical thresholds for detecting spinal curvature were estimated. Second, single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied over the primary motor cortex (100-125 ms post-stimulus) to assess motor system reactivity to body-relevant stimuli. Corticospinal excitability was recorded via motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from intrinsic hand muscles as a proxy for motor readiness during the observation of spinal distortions. Results revealed that AIS patients exhibited significantly lower perceptual thresholds than controls, indicating hypersensitivity to spinal curvature that correlated with subjective self-perception (Trunk Appearance Perception Scale; TAPS). TAPS scores did not correlate significantly with participants' Cobb angles, indicating that subjective body schema distortion operates independently of mechanical deformity severity. In addition, TMS revealed that AIS patients reached peak corticospinal excitability at their lower perceptual threshold, whereas healthy controls demonstrated peak excitability only when spinal curvatures exceeded their detection thresholds. These findings suggest that AIS involves an increased corticospinal gain in response to body-relevant stimuli. Rather than serving purely as a detection mechanism, the motor system in AIS exhibits a heightened readiness that is tightly coupled with the perception of spinal distortions. Such sensorimotor reorganization suggests that motor excitability is adaptively recalibrated to the patient's lived physical experience.
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Journal articleCaltabiano A, Voruganti A, Nesi J, et al., 2026,
Virtual reality-delivered exposure for contamination concerns in adults with obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a single-arm pilot study
, JMIR Serious Games, ISSN: 2291-9279Background: Exposure and response prevention is a first line intervention for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), yet many individuals with contamination concerns do not access care. Virtual reality exposure (VRET) may improve scalability and acceptability.Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a standardized single-session VRET protocol targeting contamination concerns, whether it elicited within-session anxiety and exploratory contamination symptom change at 1-month follow-up.Methods: We conducted a single-arm, pilot in adults with elevated contamination concerns and no formal OCD diagnosis, recruited via convenience sampling. Participants completed a baseline survey, an in-lab VRET session using a standardized virtual public toilet environment, and a follow-up survey. Outcomes included momentary anxiety (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) during exposure, affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) across time points, and contamination symptoms (Obsessive Compulsive Inventory Revised contamination subscale) at baseline and follow-up. Usability (System Usability Scale; SUS) and VR sickness were also assessed. Within-session outcomes used repeated-measures ANOVA or Friedman tests; symptom change used paired t tests (alpha = .05); point estimates include 95% CIs. Missing data were addressed using multiple imputation (random forest; m = 5); 37.5% of participants did not complete the follow-up survey (overall missingness: 5.47%).Results: Sixteen participants were included (ages 18-32 years). Anxiety increased during exposure tasks and decreased after virtual hand washing in both trials (Exposure 1 Friedman’s Test: χ²(3) = 28.56, P < .001, W = 0.6); Exposure 2 repeated measures ANOVA: F(1.85, 27.81) = 5.35, P = .012, GES = 0.058 (Greenhouse-Geisser corrected). Negative and positive affect both changed significantly across time points (negative affect: Friedman’s Test: χ²(3) = 13.76, P = .003, W =
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Journal articleCash P, Schmidt R, Baxter W, 2026,
Behavioural design as a process ecosystem: a review and synthesis
, Design Science, Vol: 12Behavioural design processes have proliferated in recent years across a diverse set of fields including policy, product development and health. However, this diversity of perspectives also increases ambiguity regarding which (and when) processes should be enacted, which hinders research and practice across fields. This drives two research questions: (1) How are behavioural design processes currently framed, described, and enacted? and (2) How can we consistently understand commonalities and differences across behavioural design processes? In response to these questions, we adopt a critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) approach, reviewing 12 processes from academic and practitioner sources selected through purposive sampling and analysed using a theory-informed coding protocol. Through interpretive synthesis, we re-characterise behavioural design in terms of an ecosystem of distinct but complementary processes rather than its typical presentation in fixed sequences of steps. This increases behavioural design’s ability to respond to different degrees of uncertainty and dynamism in the problem and solution as well as its ability to reflect diverse assumptions about uncertainty, iteration, outcomes and practitioner capability. This research supports an important and developing interdisciplinary area by bringing design process into a design science research context through which many of these topics can be further discussed and developed.
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Journal articlePan W, Yang J, Zhao Y, et al., 2026,
Dynamic biophysical coupling in bioelectronic interfaces for peripheral nerve modulation
, Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering, Vol: 3, Pages: 450-464 -
Journal articleRiley S, Marcuccio F, Xu X, et al., 2026,
In Situ Nanoscale Imaging of Cultivated, As-Grown Diatom Frustules Electrochemical Lithiation/Delithiation in Li Ion Battery Anodes
, ACS Applied Energy Materials, Vol: 9, Pages: 7575-7583Silicifying diatoms are unicellular algae that can be cultivated sustainably to aid the battery materials supply chain. Diatom silica frustules (DSF) are explored as active materials or templates for Li ion battery anodes due to the high lithium storage capacity of SiO<inf>2</inf>, particle size diversity, and porosity, and high potential to reduce carbon footprint associated with Si materials production. However, to practically benefit from their complex hierarchical structures in battery electrodes, an understanding of scale-dependent lithiation and delithiation processes is required at the single particle level with high spatial resolution. Here, we used in situ scanning ion conductance and electrochemical cell microscopy to simultaneously image structure and map electrochemical activity upon lithiation and delithiation of untreated DSF collected from as-grown diatom monoculture. Our results demonstrate a direct correlation between structure, composition, and electrochemical activity of DSF as active particles in half cells and their contribution to full-cell battery electrochemistry that can be maintained reversibly with appreciable capacities upon battery cycling. This opens possibilities to directly assess the electrochemical properties of DSF in situ that will enable us to select and tailor optimum structures for high-performance and sustainable battery applications.
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Conference paperBhattacharya D, Tang K, Xu H, et al., 2026,
RTFF: Random-to-Target Fabric Flattening policyusing dual-arm manipulator
, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Publisher: IEEERobotic fabric manipulation remains challenging due to fabric deformability and occlusions from wrinkles and the manipulator. This paper defines Random-to-Target Fabric Flattening (RTFF) as the task of bringing a randomly wrinkled fabric to an arbitrary user-specified wrinkle-free target pose. RTFF requires simultaneous flattening and pose alignment, where the two objectives are inherently coupled since flattening the fabric displaces its pose, while realigning it tends to introduce wrinkles. To solve this task, this paper anchors both the current and target fabric states to the same template mesh, enabling direct vertex-level wrinkle and pose assessment without registration. Building on this representation, a hybrid Imitation Learning--Visual Servoing (IL--VS) RTFF policy is proposed. A novel Mesh Action Chunking Transformer (MACT) leverages structured mesh observations to achieve goal-conditioned coarse alignment from a compact demonstration set, after which VS ensures precise convergence to the target. The policy is validated on a real dual-arm teleoperation system, demonstrating precise alignment to unseen target poses, fabric types, and scales. Code and videos:
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