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Check Self Out: Subverting Supermarket Surveillance Through Critical Game Design Practice
No full textCheck Self Out is a subversive art-game installation that critiques the growing presence of surveillance technologies in Australian supermarkets. By transforming the self-checkout into a playful and provocative interface, the project invites players to engage with the systems that categorise, track, and discipline consumers. Using facial recognition and speculative design, the game highlights the tensions between convenience, control, and datafication, creating space for audiences to reflect on their roles within these surveillant environments. This paper explores the philosophical grounding, design process, and audience responses to the work, reflecting on the success of its design and considering future directions.</p
Fabrication of nano-structured biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics to promote bone regeneration
No full textObjectivesIn recent years, inorganic non-metallic bone graft materials have attracted growing attention in bone defect repair. Among these, biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) bioceramics, consisting of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2, β-TCP), have been widely used in bone regeneration and dental therapies due to their biocompatibility, degradability, and osteoconductivity. However, traditional artificial BCP bioceramics have limitations, such as poor osteogenic and angiogenic capacities, which restrict their broader clinical applicationsMethodsTo better mimic hierarchical structure of natural bone, a nano-structured BCP bioceramic composed of HAp nano-wires and β-TCP components was fabricated via in-situ hydrothermal treatment using α-TCP/β-TCP ceramic as the precursor. The nano-structured BCP bioceramic was evaluated with in vitro and in vivo experimentsResultsCompared to conventional BCP bioceramic, the fabricated nano-structured BCP bioceramic promoted the proliferation, adhesion, and osteogenic and angiogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs). Furthermore, it significantly promoted bone defect repair in vivo, as demonstrated in a rat cranial defect modelConclusionsThrough composition-structure-function design, nano-structured BCP bioceramics not only resolves the donor crisis associated with autologous bone grafting but also propels bone repair from ‘structural replacement’ to ‘functional regeneration’. Clinical significance: This advancement is reshaping clinical practice standards in orthopedic, oral, and plastic surgery.</p
Engineered biochar-attapulgite clay composite: A novel slow-release phosphorus fertilizer
No full textSustainable agricultural practices are in high demand, and the development of innovative materials for slow nutrient release holds utmost importance. Phosphorus (P) stratification limits plant P availability in no-till farming systems. To address this, a nano composite-based P fertilizer to release nutrients in the root zone following surface soil application is constructed. The nanocomposite fertilizers (BAP-SRFs) were formed by a combination of different amounts of biochar (BC), attapulgite clay (ATP) and KH2PO4, followed by a high-temperature treatment (500 °C). XANES analysis revealed the enrichment of the surface with carbon (C), oxygen (O) and P-containing functional groups, and the bond formation of P with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and organic C. Batch desorption and dynamic release experiments provided conclusive evidence that an interplay between ATP and P contents is crucial for the optimum delivery of P in both aqueous and soil media. The slowest release of P in water was achieved in BAP-SRF, which had a BC to ATP ratio of 2 and was loaded with 200 mg of KH2PO4. Pseudo-second-order kinetics presented the best fit for P release, demonstrating that the release mechanism of P is primarily based on diffusion. The visual diffusion of P in soil provides critical evidence of the slow-release nature of the BAP-SRFs as compared to commercial single super phosphate. The experimental findings were further corroborated by the first principles density functional theory calculations, which highlighted that BC and ATP make an excellent combination to interact with the KH2PO4 and slow down its release. The engineered nanocomposite P fertilizers developed here may provide a solution for the intractable issue of P stratification in no-till farming systems.</p
Bodying the War Correspondent: Deploying Creative Practice to Explore the Reporter's Body as a Sense-Making Tool
No full textIn her 2021 essay, Bodying the Journalist, Chantal Francoeur acknowledges that journalists’ bodily experiences – “that complex assemblage of impulses, reactions, senses, emotions, energies and physical states” – are not easy to categorise or analyse. She argues that foregrounding the body both as an object of study and as a key resource for conducting research lies in part with journalists themselves investigating how they use their bodies as sense-making tools. This article operationalises Francoeur's three-dimensional framework for understanding how journalists deploy their bodies through the creation and analysis of a personal essay about the lived experience of a Reuters staff correspondent who was assigned to Afghanistan in 2011. The essay was written by one of the authors in journalism's creative non-fiction genre to explore her everyday encounters and embodied routines during a key period in the conflict that saw a surge in violence and coincided with the major news event of Osama Bin Laden's death. The personal essay's focus on how the journalist mobilised her body in her daily encounters with the new environment and interactions with others contributes to growing recognition of the emotional and physical work performed behind news headlines.</p
Exploring the Role of Local Fashion MSEs in Vietnam’s Creative Economy
No full textThis study examines the opportunities and challenges that local fashion Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) face as they contribute to Vietnam’s creative economy. A key strength of these enterprises is their commitment to sustainability, reflected in their localised production processes and strong community engagement. This approach sets them apart from international competitors and provides a model for how fashion can foster a broader, more holistic notion of prosperity, one that goes beyond economic growth to encompass social and environmental well-being. The research is grounded in semi-structured interviews with local designers and an observational analysis of these MSEs’ digital presence. Through this exploration, the paper contributes to the discourse on “Prosperity Fashion”, demonstrating how localised, sustainable fashion practices can support a more inclusive and culturally rich economy.</p
Improving Visual Attention Patterns Training and its Integration in the Pilot Monitoring Training Curriculum
No full textPilots are sometimes unaware of basic flight indicators even after training and certification due to overreliance on automation, poor habit formation, complacency, fatigue and distraction, cognitive overload, and spatial disorientation. Errors that persist despite pilots having the correct knowledge and ability to perform flight tasks have been associated with diagnostic errors, poor situational assessment, and poor hazard awareness. Inadequate pilot monitoring training also arises from overemphasis on complex systems and procedures over basic flight indicator awareness, causing pilots to underappreciate their importance. Improving pilot monitoring training can help in addressing these challenges and reduce cases of loss of control and controlled flight into terrain associated with complete loss of monitoring capability. The current study aims to improve visual attention behavior through integrating eye tracking into the pilot monitoring training curriculum. A pretest-posttest control group experimental research design was adopted in the study. The study utilized advanced Frasca 242 simulator, Pupil Lab Eye Tracker, and BPM Heart Rate Sensor, to examine pilot training outcomes. Participants were 32 final-year students in RMIT’s aviation program, divided into PPL and CPL participants and allocated into two training groups: conventional vs. eye-tracking training. The circuit training procedures focused on standard circuit traffic, emphasizing critical flight phases with high accident probabilities, such as takeoff, climb, approach, and landing, as per CASA guidelines for non-controlled aerodromes, with pre-flight, in?flight, and post-flight briefings led by instructors. Participants (PPL and CPL pilots) underwent 15-minute training, two trials, and a 30-minute exam at 500ft altitude and 55–150kt speed. Eye?tracking data were collected for the eye-tracking group. Post-training, NASA-TLX and SART questionnaires assessed workload and situational awareness, while instructors evaluated compliance with circuit procedures and flight task performance.Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney U tests) was used to compare situational awareness, cognitive workload, compliance with circuit operational thresholds, and flight task performance, between PPL and CPL students in conventional vs eye tracking training groups. For situational awareness, no significant differences were observed overall, though eye-tracking training improved critical awareness for CPL participants (p=0.010). Subjective cognitive workload was significantly lower for eye-tracking training across all participants, particularly in effort and frustration (pOrdinary Least Squares (OLS) linear regression model was used to establish the effects of situational awareness, cognitive workload, and compliance with operational thresholds on flight performance in pilots trained using conventional methods and eye-tracking technology. In the conventional group, situational awareness negatively impacted performance (β = -0.364, p = .015) due to cognitive overload. In the eye-tracking group, the relationship was positive (β = 0.164, p = .134) but not statistically significant. Cognitive workload had a non-significant negative impact in both groups (conventional: β = -0.142, p = .161; eye-tracking: β = -0.090, p = .048). Compliance significantly improved performance in the eye-tracking group (β = 0.542, p = .002) but was non?significant in the conventional group (β = 0.059, p = .565). Eye-tracking enhanced adherence to procedures and task success but required workload management strategies to optimize flight task performance.MATLAB (R2024b) programming language was used to develop the code to analyze fixation and gaze data from a Pupil lab tracker, to evaluate the changes in visual attention on AOIs between PPL and CPL pilots, and across training iterations. Further analysis was done using Mann-Whitney U tests and Jonckheere-Terpstra test. The five AOIs were: five AOIs: primary flight display (PFD), multi-function flight displays (MFD), out of the window left view (OTWL), out of the window right view (OTWR), and out of the window middle view (OTWM). The Mann-Whitney U test showed that there were no significant differences between PPL and CPL participants. Both groups demonstrated increased efficiency in visual scanning, with both groups prioritized PFD. The Jonckheere-Terpstra test showed significant trends: fixation counts increased on the PFD as training advanced, indicative of improved prioritization of critical information, while decreasing trends on the MFD and Out-the-Window (OTW) areas was reflective of enhanced task efficiency. The findings demonstrated the role of training in refining visual attention strategies and supports the use of eye-tracking in pilot training to improve task prioritization and flight safety.MATLAB (R2024b) programming language was also used to develop the code for Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The SEM regression results showed that the model explained 70.21% of the variance in flight task performance. Coefficients demonstrated that compliance with circuit SOPs thresholds and situational awareness had a positive effect on performance. Increased cognitive workload had a negative effect on performance. Increasing fixation counts, as a latent variable, had a negative effect on performance, implying that an increase in visual fixations across AOIs could indicate inefficient scanning behavior. High-performing pilots develop efficient visual scanning patterns, focusing only on the most relevant information at the right time, rather than making excessive fixations. In contrast, lower-performing or novice pilots may scan erratically due to uncertainty, cognitive overload, or inefficient search strategies. Fixation counts should be analyzed alongside scan patterns, dwell times, and situational awareness to fully understand pilot interaction with cockpit displays during eye tracking training.</p
System of Systems Framework for Structured Risk Analysis in Complex Engineering Projects Involving Alliance
No full textIn today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, complex engineering projects often involve multiple stakeholders, dynamic alliances, and interacting systems that are interdependent yet operate under mutual goals and constraints as a cohesive system. The alliance-driven complex engineering projects aim to distribute technical responsibilities, risks, uncertainties, resource requirements, and financial burdens across multiple organizations. While beneficial in many perspectives, alliances introduce unique layers of technical, relational, and operational complexities. Inter organizational dependencies, intricate systems integrations and stakeholder’s interactions exacerbate the risk profile of projects. Complex engineering projects such as aircraft manufacturing, submarines developments, mega construction projects, and expensive manufacturing plant upgrades exemplify the challenges and intricacies faced by alliance-driven projects. These alliance complex engineering projects are the form of socio-technical system of systems (SOS), relying on interacting tightly interwoven subsystems including structural, operational, mechanical electrical, and software. Conventional risk management frameworks do not account unpredictable behaviour of SOS where interactions among multiple systems multiply risks. The project's success demands seamless integration of highly specialized systems such as mechanical, electrical, digital, and socio-technical that function interdependently with varying resources, project parameters, objectives, and risk tolerance among multiple organizations. Conventional risk management methods are insufficient for capturing and analysing the high degree of interactions and interdependence among people, process, and product elements of systems, the operational success of each system is reliant on the performance and stability of other interacting elements, creating cascading dependencies and amplifying risks within SOS. The absence of an advanced integrated risk management framework to identify risks in interacting systems heightens the probability of project failures. Traditional risk assessment approaches focus on individual systems rather than the holistic SOS, often overlooking the emergent risks that only manifest due to interactions between multiple systems. These hidden risks can negatively impact project outcomes if not identified and managed early. Such complex projects demand a structured risk analysis framework that can accommodate dynamic interactions and multiple stakeholders. A specialized SOS framework is needed to capture these hidden risks, enabling proactive risk controls. These risks are only detectable through the system of systems approach as failure to model and manage these interdependencies can result in delays, cost overruns, and operational inefficiencies that compromise project success. To address these pressing challenges the research aimed to establish an effective, logical, structured, and an easy-to-use framework that facilitates risk identification, categorization, and evaluation throughout the project life cycle. To do this, the research focused on constructing an advanced risk analysis model capable of mapping activities that could occur among fundamental system elements and visualizing the risks residing within these interconnected links, thereby enabling systematic risk assessment and proactive risk management. After a substantial search through literature and industry consultation, the research aimed to develop an integrated System of Systems (SOS) architecture for comprehensive risk analysis of complex engineering projects involving alliances and to establish a dedicated ontology knowledge base for supporting analysis of the SOS architecture. These objectives helped to define three research questions, each informed by a rigorous, methodological distinct approach to guide the research program in achieving research objectives. The first research question explored the development of an integrated alliance system architecture. The first stage was the analysis of the enterprise and system modelling approaches for the selection of an appropriate system model for alliance modelling. Modelling of alliance SOS requires a system model that has structure and an understanding of the connections. After experimenting with several pre-existing enterprise architectures, the 3PE system model was applied as the base model. This model provided the fundamental elements of organizational segmentation, represented by the interaction of the 3Ps, Product, Process, and People within each participating system to achieve the project goal. The “E” element in the model was extended to represent the operating environment of an alliance system. The SOS characteristics could be modeled by developing interaction matrices among the 3PE partner models. This process has been formalized in this research as 3PESOS. The 3PESOS model constructed the integrated alliance system architecture through the association of 3PE interactions with alliance system architecture elements. The research found that for developing an integrated alliance system architecture for risk management that can manage risks effectively, an alliance system architecture needs to be established by examining its formation requirements, development processes, and alliance critical risks. NVivo is used for qualitative analysis to extract elements of alliance system architecture. This alliance architecture, models the essential structural and operational elements of complex projects, providing a clear pathway to track and mitigate risks across inter-organizational interactions of people, processes, and products.The second research question addressed the identification and categorization of critical alliance complex engineering project risks, considering intricate interactions of the system of systems. A systematic literature review combined with system modelling and NVivo analysis is employed to develop the structured alliance risk ontology framework. This ontology categorizes risks by their nature of interactions within the alliance SOS context, serving as a foundational tool for risk analysis, and offering a standardized approach to categorize and prioritize risks. 3PESOS risk ontology is a knowledge asset that enables organizations to identify and capture interdependent risks stemming from the intricate interactions of people, processes, and products to achieve a project’s goals. The outcome of this research offered a risk ontology particularly applicable to alliance risk analysis. The study produces a comprehensive knowledge asset by synthesizing and organizing risk data within the framework. The research question has dual contributions for practitioners and researchers. For project managers and engineers, it's an effective tool for implementing a formal risk management methodology within complex interacting systems. For researchers, the study provides a starting point to explore the application of risk analysis framework for real-world case studies where systems of systems need to be managed.The third research question is about how to enable industry practitioners to perform risk analysis on their alliance projects so that risks can be mitigated as early as possible. This research question investigates, if possible, designs, validates, and applies the 3PESOS as a risk assessment tool, grounded in the 3PESOS risk ontology framework. This tool quantifies the average risk impact of risks using the Likert scale approach, enabling a comparative analysis of six risk categories within the 3PESOS framework. By capturing quantitative data across risk subclasses, the 3PESOS tool allows engineers and project managers to assess and prioritize risk categories. The risk prioritization matrix and action plan of this tool enable focused mitigation efforts on high-risk impact areas. Empirical validation through a real-world industry case study proved the tool’s practical relevance, demonstrating its value as an effective tool for risk analysis in complex engineering projects. This research project developed a structured system of systems risk analysis framework that significantly contributes to the body of knowledge on risk management in alliance complex engineering projects. The proposed Integrated Alliance System Architecture for risk management, the 3PESOS risk ontology framework, and the 3PESOS risk assessment tool offer a systematic approach to identify, categorize, quantify, and visualize risks across interactions in complex alliance engineering projects, thereby strengthening risk management strategies and enhancing project resilience. This research methodology and outcomes are adaptable to various engineering sectors, paving the way for improved risk management practices in complex engineering projects.</p
Neural substrates of social media addiction
No full textExcessive and problematic use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram, and WhatsApp has been shown to significantly interfere with cognitive processes, behavioural responses, and emotional regulation. Adolescence represents a sensitive developmental period during which deviations from typical neurodevelopmental trajectories can increase vulnerability to psychologically embedded psychiatric disorders. Such disruptions may adversely affect both interpersonal and intrapersonal functioning, ultimately hindering optimal psychosocial development and overall well-being.</p
Inclusive Thinking Cycle for Educators
No full textThe Inclusive Thinking Cycle for Educators has been developed to support educators in framing reflective practice for designing assessments to be more inclusive.</p
“Like Embers in the Tune”: an examination of Burial’s sample reuse
No full textBritish electronic musician, Burial, is best known for Untrue (2007), the Mercury Music Prize-nominated album assembled using unorthodox audio editing software and source materials. This paper identifies and examines one of Burial’s production approaches: the use and reuse of vocal samples. Using ‘unmixing’ software to separate vocal ‘stems’, we analyse four sampled sources from Burial’s body of work and their reuse across a period of seventeen years. Drawing on Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s theoretical approach to repetition and a model of sonic affect from theorist Steve Goodman, we argue that the redeployment of identifiable vocal samples by Burial is a unique affective tool in contemporary electronic dance music. This paper is pertinent to discourse on sampling and music production as it identifies a self-referential approach that transcends single arrangements or albums and presents ideas and qualities shared across a decades-long body of work. It is significant to broader discourse on affect and electronic music in the digital age, as Burial’s self-imposed limitation in defiance of abundant resources manifests as an affective music production tool.</p