1
|
Pizzolante M, Bartolotta S, Sarcinella ED, Chirico A, Gaggioli A. Virtual vs. real: exploring perceptual, cognitive and affective dimensions in design product experiences. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:10. [PMID: 38167121 PMCID: PMC10763259 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01497-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virtual Reality (VR) has already emerged as an effective instrument for simulating realistic interactions, across various domains. In the field of User Experience (UX), VR has been used to create prototypes of real-world products. Here, the question is to what extent the users' experience of a virtual prototype can be equivalent to that of its real counterpart (the real product). This issue particularly concerns the perceptual, cognitive and affective dimensions of users' experiences. METHODS This exploratory study aims to address this issue by comparing the users' experience of a well-known product, i.e., the Graziella bicycle, presented either in Sumerian or Sansar VR platform, or in a physical setting. Participants' Emotional Engagement, Sense of Presence, Immersion, and Perceived Product Quality were evaluated after being exposed to the product in all conditions (i.e., Sumerian, Sansar and Physical). RESULTS The findings indicated significantly higher levels of Engagement and Positive Affect in the virtual experiences when compared to their real-world counterparts. Additionally, the sole notable distinction among the VR platforms was observed in terms of Realism. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests the feasibility and potential of immersive VR environments as UX evaluation tools and underscores their effectiveness in replicating genuine real-world experiences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pizzolante
- Research Center in Communication Psychology (PsiCom), Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sabrina Bartolotta
- Research Center in Communication Psychology (PsiCom), Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alice Chirico
- Research Center in Communication Psychology (PsiCom), Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Gaggioli
- Research Center in Communication Psychology (PsiCom), Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, I.R.C.C.S, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mohaghegh Montazeri M, Raeiszadeh M, Taghipour F. Radiation modeling of microplasma UV lamps for design analysis and optimization. J Environ Chem Eng 2023; 11:110040. [PMID: 37197715 PMCID: PMC10162474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2023.110040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplasma UV lamps have recently emerged as viable excimer-based sources of UV radiation, garnering significant attention during the recent COVID-19 pandemic for their use in disinfection applications because of their ability to emit human-safe far-UVC (200-240 nm) spectrums. An accurate model to simulate the radiation profile of microplasma UV lamps is of paramount importance to develop efficient microplasma lamp-implemented systems. We developed a 3D numerical model of microplasma UV lamps using the ray optics method. The simulation results for lamp irradiance and fluence rate were experimentally validated with standard optical radiometry and actinometry measurements, respectively. To improve the optical efficiency of microplasma lamps, an in-depth analysis of radiation behavior inside the standard commercially available lamp was performed using the geometrical optics method, and several potential scenarios were explored. A 2D modeling of an individual microcavity indicated that the current common lamp design can be significantly improved by preventing radiation loss, and small modifications in optical design can greatly increase the energy performance of the system. Based on the findings of this study, several virtual design concepts were proposed, and their performances were numerically compared with that of the original design of commercial microplasma lamps. The developed model can potentially be integrated with hydrodynamic and kinetic models for the virtual prototyping of complex photoreactors operating with UV microplasma lamps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahyar Mohaghegh Montazeri
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Milad Raeiszadeh
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Fariborz Taghipour
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mohaghegh Montazeri M, Taghipour F. Virtual prototyping and characterization of a point-of-entry UV-LED water disinfection reactor with the synergic effect of radiation, hydrodynamics, and inactivation kinetics. Water Res 2023; 230:119581. [PMID: 36638732 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We developed and studied one of the first high-flow UV-LED water disinfection reactors applicable to point-of-entry (POE) water disinfection. A multiphysics computational model was created to predict the performance of UV reactor design concepts by modeling the synergic effect of radiation, hydrodynamics, and the inactivation kinetics of microorganisms. The geometrical optics that describe light propagation in terms of rays were employed to model the radiation profile of multiple UV-LEDs with optical components in complex reactor geometries, the first account of such an approach. The computational solution of the mass, momentum, and species equations was applied to model the hydrodynamics and kinetics. We designed a reactor through a detailed computational study of the optical and hydrodynamic performance of various design strategies. Highly efficient UV fluence distribution in the reactor was achieved by creating nearly collimated UV radiation beams across the reactor and managing the hydrodynamics using a flow distributor. We fabricated a prototype of the optimized reactor design for experimental studies. Biodosimetry tests were conducted for various flow rates and UV transmittances (UVTs), and the experimental results were compared with the model predictions. The design, which employed 14 UV-LEDs assembled over custom-made optical modules, resulted in a reduction equivalent dose (RED) of 65 mJ/cm2 at a flow rate of 20 liters per minute (LPM) while consuming about 50 W energy. This reactor design required only 0.05 W radiant power per LPM flow rate to achieve an NSF Class A UV dose equivalent of 40 mJ/cm2. The findings of this study provide insights into UV-LED reactor development strategies as well as the creation and application of reactor virtual prototyping tools for designing and optimizing highly efficient UV-LED reactors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahyar Mohaghegh Montazeri
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Fariborz Taghipour
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Aromaa S, Väänänen K. Suitability of virtual prototypes to support human factors/ergonomics evaluation during the design. Appl Ergon 2016; 56:11-18. [PMID: 27184306 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the use of virtual prototyping has increased in product development processes, especially in the assessment of complex systems targeted at end-users. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of virtual prototyping to support human factors/ergonomics evaluation (HFE) during the design phase. Two different virtual prototypes were used: augmented reality (AR) and virtual environment (VE) prototypes of a maintenance platform of a rock crushing machine. Nineteen designers and other stakeholders were asked to assess the suitability of the prototype for HFE evaluation. Results indicate that the system model characteristics and user interface affect the experienced suitability. The VE system was valued as being more suitable to support the assessment of visibility, reach, and the use of tools than the AR system. The findings of this study can be used as a guidance for the implementing virtual prototypes in the product development process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Aromaa
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Tekniikankatu 1, 33101 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Kaisa Väänänen
- Human-Centered Technology (IHTE), Department of Pervasive Computing, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 6, P.O.Box 589, 33101 Tampere, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
This article presents a virtual prototyping study of a semi-active lower limb prosthesis to improve the functionality of an amputee during prosthesis-environment interaction for level ground walking. Articulated ankle-foot prosthesis and a single-axis semi-active prosthetic knee with active and passive operating modes were considered. Data for level ground walking were collected using a photogrammetric method in order to develop a base-line simulation model and with the hip kinematics input to verify the proposed design. The simulated results show that the semi-active lower limb prosthesis is able to move efficiently in passive mode, and the activation time of the knee actuator can be reduced by approximately 50%. Therefore, this semi-active system has the potential to reduce the energy consumption of the actuators required during level ground walking and requires less compensation from the amputee due to lower deviation of the vertical excursion of body centre of mass.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wei Lui
- Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation (iDRO), School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Mohammed I Awad
- Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation (iDRO), School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK Mechanical Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alireza Abouhossein
- Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation (iDRO), School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Abbas A Dehghani-Sanij
- Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation (iDRO), School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Neil Messenger
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vali S, Pallavi R, Kapoor S, Tatu U. Virtual prototyping study shows increased ATPase activity of Hsp90 to be the key determinant of cancer phenotype. Syst Synth Biol 2009; 4:25-33. [PMID: 19856130 PMCID: PMC2816227 DOI: 10.1007/s11693-009-9046-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2009] [Revised: 09/22/2009] [Accepted: 10/06/2009] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Hsp90 is an ATP-dependent molecular chaperone that regulates key signaling proteins and thereby impacts cell growth and development. Chaperone cycle of Hsp90 is regulated by ATP binding and hydrolysis through its intrinsic ATPase activities, which is in turn modulated by interaction with its co-chaperones. Hsp90 ATPase activity varies in different organisms and is known to be increased in tumor cells. In this study we have quantitatively analyzed the impact of increasing Hsp90 ATPase activity on the activities of its clients through a virtual prototyping technology, which comprises a dynamic model of Hsp90 interaction with clients involved in proliferation pathways. Our studies highlight the importance of increased ATPase activity of Hsp90 in cancer cells as the key modulator for increased proliferation and survival. A tenfold increase in ATPase activity of Hsp90 often seen in cancer cells increases the levels of active client proteins such as Akt-1, Raf-1 and Cyclin D1 amongst others to about 12-, 8- and 186-folds respectively. Additionally we studied the effect of a competitive inhibitor of Hsp90 activity on the reduction in the client protein levels. Virtual prototyping experiments corroborate with findings that the drug has almost 10- to 100-fold higher affinity as indicated by a lower IC50 value (30–100 nM) in tumor cells with higher ATPase activity. The results also indicate a 15- to 25-fold higher efficacy of the inhibitor in reducing client levels in tumor cells. This analysis provides mechanistic insights into the links between increased Hsp90 ATPase activity, tumor phenotype and the hypersensitivity of tumor Hsp90 to inhibition by ATP analogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shireen Vali
- Cellworks Group Inc., 13962 Pierce Road, Saratoga, CA 95070 USA
- Cellworks Research India Pvt. Ltd, #303 Block A, 3rd Floor, 60 Feet Road, AECS Layout, Marathahalli Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560037 India
| | - Rani Pallavi
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 India
| | - Shweta Kapoor
- Cellworks Group Inc., 13962 Pierce Road, Saratoga, CA 95070 USA
- Cellworks Research India Pvt. Ltd, #303 Block A, 3rd Floor, 60 Feet Road, AECS Layout, Marathahalli Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560037 India
| | - Utpal Tatu
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
Present-day computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques can be used to analyze the behavior of fluid flow in a variety of pumps. CFD can be a powerful tool during the design stage for rapid virtual prototyping of different designs, analyzing performance parameters, and making design improvements. Computational flow solutions provide information such as the location and size of stagnation zones and the local shear rate. These parameters can be correlated to the extent of hemolysis and thrombus formation and are critical to the success of a blood pump. CFD-ACE, an advanced commercial CFD code developed by CFD Research Corporation, has been applied to fluid flows in rotary machines, such as axial flow pumps and inducers. Preprocessing and postprocessing tools for efficient grid generation and advanced graphical flow visualization are integrated seamlessly with CFD-ACE. The code has structured multiblock grid capability, non-Newtonian fluid treatment, a variety of turbulence models, and an Eulerian-Lagrangian particle tracking model. CFD-ACE has been used successfully to study the flow characteristics in an axial flow blood pump. An unstructured flow solver that greatly automates the process of grid generation and speeds up the flow simulation is under development.
Collapse
|