Heat strain differences walking in hot-dry and warm-wet environments of equivalent wet bulb globe temperature.

Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a commonly used measure to predict heat strain in workers. Different combinations of environmental conditions can create equivalent WBGT, yet it remains unknown whether biophysical, physiological, and perceptual responses vary when working in different but equivalent hot conditions. The purpose of the study was to compare body heat storage and physiological and perceptual strain during walking in hot-dry and warm-wet conditions of the same WBGT.

Modeling of Learning Processes Using Continuous-Time Markov Chain for Virtual-Reality-Based Surgical Training in Laparoscopic Surgery.

Recent usage of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in surgical training has emerged because of its cost-effectiveness, time savings, and cognition-based feedback generation. However, the quantitative evaluation of its effectiveness in training is still not studied thoroughly. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of a VR-based surgical training simulator in laparoscopic surgery and investigates how stochastic modeling represented as Continuous-time Markov-chain (CTMC) can be used to explicit the training status of the surgeon.

Functional ANOVA for Upper Extremity Fatigue Analysis during Dynamic Order Picking.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSMusculoskeletal disorders are prevalent among warehouse workers who engage in repetitive and dynamic tasks. To prevent such injuries, it is vital to identify the factors that influence fatigue in the upper extremities during these repetitive activities. Our study reveals that task factors, namely the bottle mass and picking rate, significantly influence upper extremity fatigue.

Brain-behavior analysis of transcranial direct current stimulation effects on a complex surgical motor task.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated its potential in enhancing surgical training and performance compared to sham tDCS. However, optimizing its efficacy requires the selection of appropriate brain targets informed by neuroimaging and mechanistic understanding. Previous studies have established the feasibility of using portable brain imaging, combining functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) with tDCS during Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) tasks.

Distinguishing Laparoscopic Surgery Experts from Novices Using EEG Topographic Features.

The study aimed to differentiate experts from novices in laparoscopic surgery tasks using electroencephalogram (EEG) topographic features. A microstate-based common spatial pattern (CSP) analysis with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was compared to a topography-preserving convolutional neural network (CNN) approach. Expert surgeons (N = 10) and novice medical residents (N = 13) performed laparoscopic suturing tasks, and EEG data from 8 experts and 13 novices were analysed.

Assessment of Surgical Tasks Using Neuroimaging Dataset (ASTaUND).

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging tool for studying brain activity in mobile subjects. Open-access fNIRS datasets are limited to simple and/or motion-restricted tasks. Here, we report a fNIRS dataset acquired on mobile subjects performing Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) tasks in a laboratory environment.

Investigating the Use of Changes in Facial Features as Indicators of Physical Workload.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSPhysical workload may lead to negative outcomes, including musculoskeletal disorders. In this study, we found that there were observable changes in facial features over the length of a low intensity, prolonged assembly task, and that these changes were correlated to other measures of physical workload. This method can be implemented by practitioners to evaluate physical workload.

A sensor-based framework for layout and workflow assessment in operating rooms.

Due to their large sizes and impediments to personnel workflows, integrating robotic technologies into the existing operating rooms (OR) is a challenge. In this study, we developed an ultra-wideband sensor-based human-machine-environment framework for layout and workflow assessments within the OR. In addition to providing best practices for use of the framework, we also demonstrated its effectiveness in understanding layout and workflow inefficiencies in 12 robotic-assisted surgeries (RAS) across 4 different surgical specialties.

Changes in functional neuroimaging measures as novices gain proficiency on the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery suturing task.

Significance: As trainees practice fundamental surgical skills, they typically rely on performance measures such as time and errors, which are limited in their sensitivity.

Aim: The goal of our study was to evaluate the use of portable neuroimaging measures to map the neural processes associated with learning basic surgical skills.

Approach: Twenty-one subjects completed 15 sessions of training on the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) suture with intracorporeal knot-tying task in a box trainer.

The relationship between ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and relative strength for a fatiguing dynamic upper extremity task: A consideration of multiple cycles and conditions.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and relative strength with respect to baseline for a fatiguing free dynamic task targeting the upper extremity, namely simulated order picking, and determine whether the relationship remains the same for different conditions (i.e., pace and weight) and with fatigue.

Classifying tasks performed by electrical line workers using a wrist-worn sensor: A data analytic approach.

Electrical line workers (ELWs) experience harsh environments, characterized by long shifts, remote operations, and potentially risky tasks. Wearables present an opportunity for unobtrusive monitoring of productivity and safety. A prerequisite to monitoring is the automated identification of the tasks being performed.

Error-related brain state analysis using electroencephalography in conjunction with functional near-infrared spectroscopy during a complex surgical motor task.

Error-based learning is one of the basic skill acquisition mechanisms that can be modeled as a perception-action system and investigated based on brain-behavior analysis during skill training. Here, the error-related chain of mental processes is postulated to depend on the skill level leading to a difference in the contextual switching of the brain states on error commission. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to compare error-related brain states, measured with multi-modal portable brain imaging, between experts and novices during the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) "suturing and intracorporeal knot-tying" task (FLS complex task)-the most difficult among the five psychomotor FLS tasks.

Engaging in a home-based exercise program: a mixed-methods approach to identify motivators and barriers for individuals with stroke.

Community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke used a novel, portable rehabilitation system, mRehab, that uses a smartphone app coupled with 3D printed objects resembling daily use items. The objectives of this study include evaluating participant's approach and nature of engagement with mRehab and identifying factors that influenced the users' engagement with mRehab. An explanatory mixed-method approach was used.

Simultaneous assessment of motor and cognitive tasks reveals reductions in working memory performance following exercise in the heat.

This study tested the hypothesis that, following exercise in the heat, motor task performance will be impaired when assessed simultaneously with a cognitive task. In a randomized, crossover and counterbalanced design, twelve healthy adults (23 ± 2 years, 5 women) completed four 10-minute exercise circuits involving upper and lower body exercise in a moderate (18.1 ± 1.

Portable neuroimaging differentiates novices from those with experience for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) suturing with intracorporeal knot tying task.

Background: The goal of this study was to compare the brain activation patterns of experienced and novice individuals when performing the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) suture with intracorporeal knot tying task, which requires bimanual motor control.

Methods: Twelve experienced and fourteen novice participants completed this cross-sectional observational study. Participants performed three repetitions of the FLS suture with intracorporeal knot tying task in a standard box trainer.

Error related fNIRS-EEG microstate analysis during a complex surgical motor task.

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) is a standard education and training module with a set of basic surgical skills. During surgical skill acquisition, novices need to learn from errors due to perturbations in their performance which is one of the basic principles of motor skill acquisition. This study on thirteen healthy novice medical students and nine expert surgeons aimed to capture the brain state during error epochs using multimodal brain imaging by combining functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG).

Adjustments in Shoulder and Back Kinematics during Repetitive Palletizing Tasks.

Repetitive task performance is a leading cause of musculoskeletal injuries among order-picking workers in warehouses. The repetition of lifting tasks increases the risk of back and shoulder injuries among these workers. While lifting in this industry is composed of loaded and unloaded picking and placing, the existing literature does not address the separate analysis of the biomechanics of the back and shoulder for these events.

Deep learning-based motion artifact removal in functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a well-established neuroimaging technique, enables monitoring cortical activation while subjects are unconstrained. However, motion artifact is a common type of noise that can hamper the interpretation of fNIRS data. Current methods that have been proposed to mitigate motion artifacts in fNIRS data are still dependent on expert-based knowledge and the post hoc tuning of parameters.

Understanding the Cognitive Demands, Skills, and Assessment Approaches for Endotracheal Intubation: Cognitive Task Analysis.

Background: Proper airway management is an essential skill for hospital personnel and rescue services to learn, as it is a priority for the care of patients who are critically ill. It is essential that providers be properly trained and competent in performing endotracheal intubation (ETI), a widely used technique for airway management. Several metrics have been created to measure competence in the ETI procedure.

A data analytic end-to-end framework for the automated quantification of ergonomic risk factors across multiple tasks using a single wearable sensor.

Existing ergonomic risk assessment tools require monitoring of multiple risk factors. To eliminate the direct observation, we investigated the effectiveness of an end-to-end framework that works with the data from a single wearable sensor. The framework is used to identify the performed task as the major contextual risk factor, and then estimate the task duration and number of repetitions as two main indicators of task intensity.

Neuroimaging guided tES to facilitate complex laparoscopic surgical tasks - insights from functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) is a prerequisite for board certification in general surgery in the USA. In FLS, the suturing task with intracorporeal knot tying is considered the most complex task. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been shown to facilitate FLS surgical skill acquisition where 2mA tDCS for 15min with the anode over F3 (10/10 EEG montage) and cathode over F4 has improved performance score in an open knot-tying task.

Heat Stress Increases Movement Jerk During Physical Exertion.

Movement efficiency can be quantified during physical tasks by measuring the rate of change of acceleration (jerk). Jerk captures the smoothness of a motion and has been used to quantify movement for upper extremity and torso-based tasks. We collected triaxial accelerometer data during four physical tasks commonly performed in the work place to determine if jerk increases with physiologic strain.

Formative Usability of the Online Live Donor Kidney Transplant Education Tool Among Transplant Candidates.

Background: Web-based education may be a powerful tool to support transplant candidates' learning and communication about live donor kidney transplantation. Few educational interventions are web-based and have education sharing for living donor transplant as a primary goal.

Methods: Through user-centered design and iterative usability testing, we developed a web platform, called KidneyTIME, to support an educational intervention for adult transplant candidates.