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Journal articleClemm C, Amatuni L, Chun YY, et al., 2027,
Which smartphone reuse interventions actually reduce new device production? A stated-preference market-level analysis
, Resources Conservation and Recycling, Vol: 237, ISSN: 0921-3449Manufacturing dominates the environmental impact of smartphones, and reuse is widely promoted to reduce production, yet not all reuse interventions achieve this. We integrated stated-preference data from 441 German consumers with a calibrated market model to quantify how four interventions affect smartphone lifetimes and production: new batteries, extended warranties, free data transfer and erasure services, and trade-in programs. The battery intervention produced the largest modelled reduction in manufacturing (32%), followed by warranties (18%). Supply-side interventions increased recirculation but did not reduce production. Combining all four reduced production by 35%, barely exceeding battery alone owing to overlapping segments and rebound effects. Risk perception was the dominant predictor of consumer response. Production reduction in mature reuse markets thus appears gated by demand-side risk mitigation rather than supply-side facilitation. Voluntary interventions alone may be insufficient for sector-level targets and likely require regulatory complements; field-based evidence is needed to confirm these patterns.
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Journal articleGao C, Blackman B, Ding Z, et al., 2027,
Isothermal and non-isothermal friction at thermoplastic composite interfaces
, Composites Part B Engineering, Vol: 329, ISSN: 1359-8368Interfacial friction plays a critical role in thermoplastic composite forming, and the governing mechanisms depend on the interface type and thermo-mechanical conditions. In this study, interfacial friction in a CF/PA6 system was experimentally characterised under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions using a newly developed pull-through rig with independently controlled normal pressure, temperature, slip-rate and fibre orientation. The investigated interfaces included two ply-ply interfaces, namely woven-woven and UD-woven, and two metal-ply interfaces, namely UD-aluminium and UD-steel. Woven-woven contact was examined as a fully molten interface under isothermal conditions, whereas UD-woven, UD-aluminium and UD-steel contacts were examined under non-isothermal conditions to demonstrate the methodology for characterising diverse interface configurations and thermal states. Under isothermal conditions, woven-woven friction exhibited systematic dependencies on pressure, temperature and slip-rate, consistent with viscous lubrication behaviour. Under non-isothermal conditions, the friction response became interface dependent. For the UD-woven interface, friction depended on the individual pre-contact temperatures of the UD and woven plies, as different temperature pairs with the same average temperature produced different friction levels. In contrast, the UD-aluminium and UD-steel interfaces exhibited limited temperature sensitivity within the tested range. Phenomenological friction models were formulated and calibrated for the four interface types. The calibrated models reproduce the measured parameter trends and provide consistent early-stage and dynamic friction descriptions within a common modelling framework. The study establishes an integrated experimental and modelling framework for interfacial friction characterisation under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions, which can be extended to other thermoplastic composite systems and can provide a basis for si
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Journal articleGao C, Tran J, Ding Z, et al., 2027,
Cohesive-friction transition in compressed unidirectional thermoplastic composite interfaces
, Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol: 328, ISSN: 1359-8368Thermoplastic composite interfaces can transfer shear through cohesive bonding before local separation. After cohesive load transfer is lost, the separated surfaces may still remain in compressive contact and resist sliding through friction. These two regimes are often characterised separately, although they can occur sequentially at the same compressed interface during thermomechanical processing. Here, a matched debonding-sliding dataset is used to define a cohesive-friction transition law for compressed UD CF/PA6 interfaces. A predefined 0°/90° interlaminar interface is used to identify the apparent nominal shear traction-separation response, while 0°/0° and 0°/90° UD ply contacts are used to quantify residual sliding resistance under controlled and overlapping pressure, temperature and rate conditions. Within the investigated parameter ranges, the apparent cohesive response showed clear changes with normal pressure, temperature and loading rate, whereas the contact-mediated sliding response showed more pronounced changes with normal pressure and fibre orientation than with temperature and loading rate over the tested below-melting window of 190–210 °C. A bilinear cohesive law, a pressure-dependent friction law and a damage-controlled transition formulation are then combined to describe the transfer from cohesive load carrying to residual contact-mediated sliding resistance under compression. The resulting formulation provides a calibrated interface-level description of the debonding-sliding branch and a basis for future forming-relevant assessment of damaged compressed thermoplastic composite interfaces.
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Journal articleBigestans D, Cardin MA, Dowell NM, et al., 2027,
Direct air capture portfolio analysis: technology allocation and modular deployment strategies under demand and cost uncertainty
, Applied Energy, Vol: 427, ISSN: 0306-2619Meeting national or corporate net zero targets requires addressing residual emissions that persist after wide-scale electrification, efficiency increases and point-source carbon capture. Direct air capture (DAC) has emerged as a leading option, offering permanent, verifiable removals at gigaton scale, with cost projections ranging from $100 to more than $1000/tCO<inf>2</inf>. DAC comprises two competing technologies: liquid solvent systems benefiting from economies of scale, and solid sorbent systems offering modular deployment and cost reduction through economies of large numbers. This creates a strategic dilemma for CDR investors: concentrate on a single technology or diversify to hedge technology-specific risks? We address this with two-stage stochastic MILP optimising DAC portfolio allocation strategies under demand and cost uncertainty, optimising facility deployment, energy sourcing and expansion decisions for fixed and flexible facility designs across four regions (US, UK, Australia, Brazil) and three demand scenarios (0.5–2.5 Mtpa, 0.1–0.3 Mtpa, 10–100 ktpa) with sample average approximation. Three findings emerge. (1) Under fixed allocation shares, pure-technology portfolios outperform diversified ones: pure liquid solvent achieves $204–490/tCO<inf>2</inf> versus $636–1451/tCO<inf>2</inf> for pure solid sorbent. Diversification paradoxically increases costs because fixed shares force deployment of expensive technology even when cheaper alternatives could meet demand alone. (2) Except for UK, liquid solvent preference reverses only below 100 ktpa, where solid sorbent learning rates (18%) dominate, though realising these benefits requires coordinated procurement beyond any single country's capacity. (3) Flexible deployment reduces mean levelised costs by 16–45% through demand-responsive capacity addition. Findings offer direct guidance for DAC investors: prioritise pure-technology strateg
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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 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 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 articleSunilkumar P, Cogulu E, Nanayakkara T, 2026,
Synergistic roles of hard and soft structures in fingertip tactile sensing
, Soft Robotics, ISSN: 2169-5172 -
Journal articleDawber W, Baker C, Yu X, et al., 2026,
Are collapsible bicycle helmets as protective against head injuries as conventional designs?
, Accid Anal Prev, Vol: 239Collapsible bicycle helmets address portability as a barrier to helmet use, particularly for bicycle share scheme users, but whether they provide equivalent protection to conventional helmets is unknown. We determined whether head injury risk differs between designs and whether any difference is explained by mass and rotational protection technology. Thirty commercially available helmets, 24 conventional and 6 collapsible, were tested at 6.5 m/s onto a 45° anvil at four locations using an EN 17950:2024 headform. AIS4 + linear and AIS2 + rotational injury risks were estimated from peak linear acceleration and Brain Injury Criterion (BrIC). Linear mixed effects models (360 observations; design as fixed effect, helmet ID as random effect) assessed injury risk before and after adjustment for mass and rotational technology. Collapsible helmets had greater linear injury risk than conventional (0.242 ± 0.086 vs. 0.197 ± 0.051, p < 0.001), but this was non-significant after adjustment for mass and rotational protection. Rotational risk did not differ between designs. Collapsible helmets were heavier (461 ± 58 g vs. 294 ± 53 g), and mass predicted linear risk by + 0.002 per 10 g. Rotational technology reduced linear risk by - 0.026 and rotational risk by - 0.073 on average. Collapsible helmets exhibited greater linear injury risk than conventional designs, potentially through their greater mass and the absence of rotational protection technology. These findings guide safer collapsible designs that have the potential to facilitate helmet use and reduce head injuries, particularlyfor bicycle share scheme users.
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Journal articleLaizet S, Murthy S, Demirel P, et al., 2026,
Sustainable high performance computing in the UK: a position paper on public investment, accountability, and the path to net zero
, Journal of Supercomputing, ISSN: 0920-8542The UK invests significantly in High Performance Computing (HPC), yet has no coherent national strategy that addresses sustainability, accountability, orlong-term infrastructure planning. This paper proposes and promotes three key messages: first, that there turn on public investment cannot be assessed withoutconsistent public reporting on utilisation, research outputs, and cost-effectiveness for all publicly funded HPC systems; second, that publicly funded HPC systems should be subject to mandatory, standardised reporting on energy consumption, carbon emissions, within formation on what happens when a system is decommissioned; and third, that the conflation of AI and HPC in UK policy is a strategic error. Instead, HPC is the underpinning infrastructure, and AI is one of many types of applications using that infrastructure, alongside numerical modelling and simulation. Treating AI and HPC as separate, competing workloads risks under-serving the wider research community that depends upon that shared infrastructure, resulting in a weakening rather than strengthening of the UK’s national compute capability.
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Conference paperBinyamini Ben-Meir N, Hong H, Oka M, et al., 2026,
Mediating More-Than-Human Encounters Across Spatio-Temporal Distance
, NordiCHI '26: Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Publisher: ACM, Pages: 1-19 -
Journal articleMcmeeking A, Ignuta-Ciuncanu MC, Stevens M, et al., 2026,
Directed growth of bacterial nanocellulose in constructal scaffolds
, Materials & Design, ISSN: 0264-1275Bacterial nanocellulose is a strong, highly crystalline and biodegradable biopolymer, but its use has stayed largely confined to flat sheets. Its potential as a three-dimensional design material remains untested. This research investigates how the geometry of a solid scaffold directs where the material forms. Within a material-driven design framework, we combined hands-on exploration with parametrically defined channels, bio-inspired flow architectures and porous gyroid lattices. We followed growth in situ by time-lapse imaging under static batch feeding. Scaffold geometry influenced deposition through capillary transport at the air-liquid interface. Below a critical channel width of about 1 to 1.3 mm, capillary rise lifted and destabilised the interface, producing uneven, vertically inclined pellicles and trapped fluid pockets. Highly permeable architectures suppressed capillary rise, held the interface flat and gave uniform colonisation. Scaffolds of 10% solidity reached a mean cellulose area fraction of 65 ± 3.7%, compared with 7.0 ± 1.6% at 40% solidity. Geometry is therefore an active design parameter that determines where cellulose grows, and it offers a route to programming grown composites through physical boundary conditions rather than through post-growth assembly.
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Journal articleDewa LH, Servi A, Gardner-Bougaard E, et al., 2026,
Exploring the acceptability and feasibility of a blended imagery-based digital intervention for self-harm in young people (Imaginator 2.0): a co-produced qualitative study.
, Child Adolesc Ment Health, ISSN: 1475-357XBACKGROUND: Around 20% of 12- to 25-year-olds experience self-harm, but interventions deemed both acceptable and effective in reducing self-harm behaviour are rare. Digital interventions can be effective; however, they often lack sustained engagement and co-design. Imaginator 2.0 is a brief, blended intervention with a co-designed app using mental imagery to help young people manage self-harm. This study explores the acceptability and perceived feasibility of Imaginator 2.0 with young people. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams with a purposive sample of young people who had used Imaginator 2.0 in the United Kingdom between April 2022 and December 2023. Open questions covered therapy and app experience, mental imagery and intervention experience overall. Three young people with lived experience of self-harm (co-researchers) informed all research stages from design to dissemination. Thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Ten participants were interviewed (all female). Four themes were generated: Imaginator 2.0 therapy impact, mental imagery efficacy and limitations, app experience and engagement, and Imaginator 2.0 expectations and need for improvement. The app was deemed acceptable as a support tool for self-harm and a useful adjunct to therapy. Most participants described imagery plans, audios, mood tracker and crisis support features as helpful, whereas journal and goal tracker features were less favoured. Mental imagery was considered beneficial in reducing self-harm, though not always sufficient during crises. Overall, participants indicated Imaginator 2.0 helped them manage their emotions and behaviour, and they valued the therapist-patient relationship. However, most felt the app required better therapy integration and greater personalisation. CONCLUSION: These findings support Imaginator 2.0 as a brief early intervention for young people accessing mental health services to help manage and contain self-harm. The next step
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Journal articleAurisicchio M, Pathan RK, 2026,
The comprehensive circularity indicator for FMCG packaging: accounting for systemic realities in the CE transition
, Journal of Cleaner Production, ISSN: 0959-6526 -
Conference paperBoguslavskiy M, Chappell D, Nanayakkara T, 2026,
Towards passively actuated short-range telehaptics for astronauts
, SpaceCHI 4.0 at the European Astronaut Centre, Publisher: Schloss Dagstuhl, Pages: 21:1-21:16Human extra-vehicular activity (EVA) plays a vital role in current and near future space exploration for two reasons: the superior dexterity exhibited by human astronauts, and their flexible problem-solving and decision-making capabilities. However, the dexterity of astronauts during EVA is limited by the flexibility and tactility of their EVA suit gloves, which are primarily designed to provide thermal insulation and pressure for the hand. This creates a compromise between utility and protection. To address this compromise, a Passively Actuated Short-range Telehaptic (PAST) device is proposed. The PAST device couples the motion of fingers between a robotic hand and a human hand through a hydraulically actuated linkage. It also transfers tactile information, including pressure, direction of motion, and position of contact, via a taxel array. Results demonstrate that the proposed prototype PAST device surpasses an unpressurised benchmark heavy work glove (HWG) in tasks involving tactile position and motion direction identification. This provides evidence supporting the feasibility of enhancing astronaut dexterity during EVA through the use of PAST devices as an alternative paradigm to gloves.
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Journal articleDel Giovane M, Darvishi V, David MCB, et al., 2026,
Modelling the effect of ventricular expansion on white matter in normal pressure hydrocephalus.
, BrainThe mechanism by which idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) causes cognitive impairment, gait dysfunction and urinary incontinence is unclear. The key radiological feature is ventriculomegaly, and symptoms can be treated with surgery. We hypothesise that ventricular expansion causes clinical effects by stretching and/or compressing white matter tracts. We define disease-specific white matter abnormalities, explore their relationship to clinical features and test whether they can be explained by a computational model of ventricular expansion in iNPH. In this observational study, diffusion tensor imaging with Tract-Based Spatial Statistics analysis was used to investigate white matter abnormalities in 22 patients with iNPH (14 males, mean age=71.91, SD=7.06), 28 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (18 males, mean age=74.80), 23 with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (15 males, mean age=69.87) and 30 healthy controls (16 males, mean age=73.80). We developed a finite-element biomechanical model of hydrocephalus, which predicts patterns of white matter stretch and compression generated to deform from healthy to iNPH brain, and studied their effect on the extracted diffusion properties. Increased ventricular size relative to controls was found in both iNPH, AD and TBI. However, iNPH showed a unique pattern of increased and decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in distinct sections of the corticospinal tract and corona radiata compared to AD, TBI and controls. Biomechanical modelling revealed that stretch in these tracts was associated with increased FA, driven by increased axial diffusivity (AxD) with little change or a reduction in radial diffusivity (RD). In contrast, compression was associated with reduced FA, resulting from increases in both AxD and RD. Parcel-based correlation analysis showed that strain predicted by the biomechanical model in these tracts was strongly and positively correlated with FA and negatively correlated with RD. The corpus call
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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), Vol: 71, Pages: 4553-4570Electrochemical 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 articleTANG T, Nanayakkara T, 2026,
Marker information efficacy: guiding marker design through deformation information encoding in vision-based tactile sensing
, npj Robotics, Vol: 4, Pages: 1-24, ISSN: 2731-4278Tactile perception is fundamental to manipulation and sensing, yet marker design in vision-based tactile sensors (VTS) remains largely unexplored. Conventional approaches assume that marker displacement alone suffices to characterise soft tissue deformation, without optimising marker geometry or spatial distribution. We introduce a systematic and design centric framework based on Marker Information Efficacy (MIE) that formalises how marker properties govern the encodingof deformation information. Starting from generic marker matrices, we systematically examine how marker geometry and spatial distribution affect deformation encoding, force prediction, and computational efficiency. This analysis reveals that marker performance depends on how effectively marker design captures the dominant structure of the deformation field, thereby enabling the principled design of deformation-aligned markers for different sensing scenarios. As a representative case, the derived deformation-aligned marker demonstrates that MIE-guided marker design enables accurateforce prediction using simpler predictive models with reduced computational cost. These findings establish MIE as a general and extensible design framework for VTS, effectively transforming optical markers from passive tracking tools into deformation-information-encoding components, and enabling efficient, real-time tactile sensing in contact-rich robotic manipulation.
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Journal articleRanjan A, Perera S, Zhang Z, et al., 2026,
Bioinspired hooves for robotics: structural, material, and functional insights.
, Bioinspir Biomim, Vol: 21Hoofed 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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Journal articleDocherty R, Riley S, Morley JD, et al., 2026,
Battery Imaging Library: multi-length scale and multi-modal synchrotron and laboratory battery imaging data for all
, Digital Discovery, ISSN: 2635-098XBattery research increasingly relies on advanced imaging, yet open access to such data remains rare, scattered across various sources, and difficult to find. The Battery Imaging Library (BIL) is the first open, curated collection ofmulti-modal and multi-length scale battery imaging datasets, accompanied by a searchable, FAIR-compliant website. Distinctive features include the release of raw experimental data (radiographs, sinograms, X-ray and electron diffraction patterns) together with rare operando and multi-resolution datasets. Each dataset is linked to Zenodo DOIs with metadata, ensuring persistence and citability; open-source Python scripts for preprocessing and reconstruction are also provided for various CT modalities. BIL enables algorithm benchmarking, machine learning, and teaching using experimental and industrially relevant data. By combining coverage across modalities, length scales, and chemistries with raw data accessibility and a FAIR-aligned web platform, the Battery Imaging Library provides a foundation for openness and reproducibility in battery imaging. The library is available here: https://www.batteryimaginglibrary.com
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Journal articleNutbeam T, Cottey L, Dungay K, et al., 2026,
Correction: Identifying research priorities for post-collision care in the United Kingdom: outcomes and methodological adaptations from the final prioritisation workshop.
, Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med, Vol: 34 -
Journal articleChilds P, 2026,
Preface: Robotics and design for augmented humanity
, Design for Augmented Humanity, Vol: 1, Pages: 197-199, ISSN: 2977-6481 -
Journal articleVan Zalk N, 2026,
Designing minds: toward systematic integration of psychological science in design for augmented humanity
, Design for Augmented Humanity, Vol: 1, Pages: 200-212, 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 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 articleAstolfi A, Bhattacharjee D, Manca G, et al., 2026,
Steady-State Optimal Filtering for Linear and Nonlinear Systems
, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol: 71, Pages: 6068-6083, ISSN: 0018-9286The steady-state optimal filtering problem for linear systems is revisited with the objective of establishing further insights on the structure of the underlying solution. It is shown that, in addition to the invariance property of a suitably defined hyperplane, the optimal filter is related to a triangularizing change of coordinates for certain Hamiltonian dynamics associated to the filtering problem. The implication of the above observation is twofold. First, the novel interpretation admits a conceptually straightforward counterpart in the nonlinear setting in terms of invariant distributions. The latter then permit the design of local steady-state optimal filters for nonlinear systems that only rely upon the solutions of linear partial differential equations, the solution of which is independent from the specific time history of the measured output. The conditions may be further leveraged to determine a polynomial algebraic equation, which characterizes the solution of the filtering problem and which is expressed in the entries of the optimal filter gain alone, hence circumventing the need for solving the underlying Riccati equation.
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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 articleHua T, Xu M, Jia Z, et al., 2026,
Biocompatibility Assessment of Lithium-Ion Battery Materials in Medical Devices
, Small Structures, Vol: 7The rapid integration of battery technology into biomedical applications, such as wearable, implantable, and ingestible medical devices, has raised significant biosafety concerns. This review systematically evaluates the biocompatibility of battery materials, with a focus on their antimicrobial performance, cytotoxicity, and biotoxicity. Importantly, a multidimensional risk assessment framework is established, classifying materials into high-, moderate-, and low-risk categories. The toxicity risk of battery materials primarily stem from organ accumulation, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress, collectively influenced by factors such as particle size, morphology, and ion release. Strategies for balancing functionality and safety via surface functionalization and material design are discussed. Finally, future research directions for batteries are prospected, focusing on establishing standardized toxicity testing protocols and advancing controllable and degradable materials. This work not only addresses a critical gap in the biocompatibility evaluation of medical batteries, but also provides foundational insights and safety guidelines for the development of high-performance, high-safety batteries.
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Journal articleZhao C, Zhang Y, Zhang F, et al., 2026,
Olfactory experience and visual representation: a review of research contexts and frontiers in odor visualization and perception
, Design for Augmented Humanity, Vol: 1, Pages: 268-286, ISSN: 2977-6481This study addresses three core questions: the knowledge structure and evolutionary path of global odor visualization research, technical and design bottlenecks hindering industrialization, and application-oriented innovative development paths. Based on 525 valid English-language articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, this paper adopts bibliometric analysis and CiteSpace 6.4 to conduct multi-dimensional knowledge mapping, including publication trend analysis, disciplinary distribution analysis, institutional collaboration network analysis, reference co-citation analysis, and thematic cluster analysis. The results show that the field has experienced three phases: initial exploration (1940–1980), fluctuating accumulation (1981–2010), and rapid expansion (2011–2025). Neuroscience, sensing engineering, and design form its core disciplinary domains of this field. Five major bottlenecks are identified: inconsistent cross-modal mapping rules, separation of engineering and design, insufficient cross-disciplinary collaboration, limited scenario scalability, and personalized perception challenge. Unlike previous reviews mainly focusing on single disciplinary perspectives, this paper constructs an integrated “Theory–Technology–Design–Application” systematic framework, identifies the “design turn” as the core frontier trend, and proposes a real-time multisensory closed-loop interaction paradigm to balance objective data and subjective experience. This research provides quantitative evidence and operable theoretical references for multi-sensory design, olfactory sensing engineering, and industrial transformation of odor visualization technology.
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Journal articleMariani A, Baxter W, Amengu A, et al., 2026,
Behaviour settings theory as a pragmatic framework for intervention transferability and adaptation
, Frontiers in Health Services, ISSN: 2813-0146Background: Implementation outcomes vary widely across contexts, yet existing theories, models and frameworks (TMFs) flag context as important without specifying its causal structure. We argue that ecological psychology's Behaviour Settings Theory (BST) can serve as a pragmatic framework for surfacing the setting-level mechanisms by which a setting produces regularised patterns of behaviour across contexts. Methods: We explore BST's explanatory and practical value by examining the transfer of a self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring intervention from the United Kingdom (UK) to rural Ghana, where SMBP monitors are less commonly available. We used a multistep approach to assess transfer potential. First, we mapped the UK at-home SMBP monitoring setting using the Behaviour Setting Canvas (BSC), a tool designed to capture BST insights. We then compared this with the at-home SMBP setting in Ghana, where a field experiment was conducted. We analysed differences in routines, role enactment, and setting-specific mechanisms affecting intervention functioning. We frame this study as an exploratory, qualitative comparative case study serving as a proof-of-concept demonstration of BST as an analytic and prescriptive lens, not as an empirical test or validation of BST's causal claims, nor as a measure of implementation or proof of the transferability of outcomes. Results: Applying BST, we interpret synomorphy—alignment between a setting's elements and its overarching objective—as shaping SMBP monitoring within and across contexts, yielding both localised and generalisable learning. In the UK, SMBP monitoring is oriented toward real-time sharing with clinicians, supported by infrastructure and props, user knowledge and skills, and maintenance mechanisms enforcing adherence. In Ghana, weaker synomorphy stemmed from resource gaps, limited capabilities, and distributed roles. Routines were less established, and maintenance mechanisms were nascent and inconsistent
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Journal articleGeorgiev D, Xie R, Reumann D, et al., 2026,
Label-free biochemical imaging and timepoint analysis of neural organoids via deep learning-enhanced Raman microspectroscopy
, Science Advances, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2375-2548Three-dimensional (3D) organoids have emerged as powerful models for studying human development, disease, and drug response in vitro. Yet, their analysis remains constrained by standard imaging and characterization techniques, which are invasive, require exogenous labeling, and offer limited multiplexing. Here, we present a noninvasive, label-free imaging platform that integrates Raman microspectroscopy with deep learning–based hyperspectral unmixing for unsupervised, spatially resolved biochemical analysis of neural organoids. Our approach enables 2D and 3D mapping of cellular and subcellular structures in both cryosectioned and intact organoids, achieving improved imaging accuracy and robustness compared to conventional methods for hyperspectral analysis. Using our platform, we demonstrate volumetric imaging of a neural rosette within a neural organoid and interrogate changes in biochemical composition during early developmental stages in intact neural organoids, revealing spatiotemporal variations in lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. This work establishes a versatile framework for high-content, label-free (bio)chemical phenotyping with broad applications in organoid research and beyond.
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