Forming a view: a human factors case study of augmented reality collaboration in assembly.

Industry 4.0 technology is promoted as improving manufacturing flexibility, and competitiveness; though Australia has been slow to adopt. The Australian Navy shipbuilding program provides opportunities for accelerating technology adoption, revitalising manufacturing productivity and competitiveness. Adopting a sociotechnical systems lens, our research sought to identify usability, workload, and user experience of an augmented reality head-mounted display (AR-HMD) deployed to complete multiple work tasks in a workflow (electrical assembly, collaborative robot (cobot) mediated inspection, and remote troubleshooting using video call). Usability was rated 'average' (System Usability Scale mean = 69.8) and workload 'acceptable' (NASA Task Load Index mean = 25.8) for the AR-HMD alone, with usability of the integrated work system (IWS) rated 'good' (SUS mean = 79.2). Results suggest software interfaces, tracking, and gesturing methods for the AR-HMD require improvement. This trial shows the AR-HMD provides a versatile platform for integrating multiple digital technologies without hindering effectiveness of end-user performance, potentially benefiting productivity and quality.

Using an augmented reality head-mounted display (AR-HMD) to reduce and correct errors in electrical assembly identified factors influencing technology adoption in shipbuilding. Mental workload, interface design, tracking, and gesturing most hindered successful performance. AR-HMDs can facilitate the use of more complex integrated technologies (i.e. cobot), improving usability and acceptance.

Disruption of specific white matter tracts is associated with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify specific white matter tracts (WMTs) whose disruption is associated with the severity of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) in two independent cohorts of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and NLUTD. METHODS: Cohort 1 consisted of twenty-eight women with MS and NLUTD. The validation cohort consisted of 10 women with MS and NLUTD. Eleven healthy women served as controls. Participants of both MS cohorts had the same inclusion and exclusion criteria. Both MS cohorts and the healthy controls underwent the same clinical assessment and functional MRI (fMRI) protocol, except that the validation MS cohort underwent 7-Tesla fMRI scan. Fifteen WMTs (six coursing to relevant brainstem areas) involved in bladder control were a priori regions of interest (ROI). Spearman's correlation test was performed between each the Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of each WMT and the clinical parameters. RESULTS: Overall, we found a very high degree of overlap (100% of a priori ROI) in the tracts identified by our correlation analysis as having the greatest contribution to NLUTD symptoms in MS women. The right inferior cerebellar peduncle, left posterior limb of internal capsule, and left superior cerebellar peduncle displayed significant associations to the greatest number of clinical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our correlation analysis supports the role of specific WMT disruptions in the contribution of symptoms in women with MS and NLUTD, as confirmed in two independent MS cohorts.

The anti-oxidant Tempol reverses and partially prevents adrenocorticotrophic hormone-induced hypertension in the rat.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the antioxidant Tempol on prevention and reversal of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-induced hypertension in the rat, a model of hypertension characterized by nitric oxide deficiency. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10 in each group) were treated with either saline or ACTH (0.2 mg/kg per day, s.c.) for 12 days. Tempol (1 mmol/l in drinking water) treatment was started on either day 8 (T8) of ACTH or saline treatment (reversal study), or 4 days prior to ACTH or saline treatment (prevention study). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured using tail-cuff sphygmomanometry. Plasma F2-isoprostanes, a marker of oxidative stress, were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: ACTH increased SBP (mean +/- SEM: 119 +/- 5 to 147 +/- 7 mmHg, P < 0.0005) and plasma F2-isoprostane concentration (8.4 +/- 1.2 saline versus 12.9 +/- 1.6 nmol/l ACTH, P < 0.05). Tempol alone did not alter SBP, but administration of Tempol on T8 reversed ACTH-induced hypertension (from 134 +/- 4 T8 to 118 +/- 3 mmHg, P < 0.005). Tempol pre-treatment partially prevented ACTH-induced hypertension (123 +/- 2 mmHg, P' < 0.05). However, Tempol had no effect on F2-isoprostane concentrations at the dose used in this study. CONCLUSIONS: ACTH-induced hypertension in the rat is associated with increased oxidative stress. Tempol treatment reversed, and pretreatment partially prevented ACTH-induced hypertension, independent of improvement in systemic oxidative stress.