"Braking bad": The influence of haptic feedback and tram driver experience on emergency braking performance.

Trams are experiencing a resurgence with worldwide network expansion driven by the need for sustainable and efficient cities. Trams often operate in shared or mixed-traffic environments, which raise safety concerns, particularly in hazardous situations. This paper adopts an international, mixed-methods approach, conducted through two interconnected studies in Melbourne (Australia) and Birmingham (UK). The first study involved qualitative interviews, while the second was an experimental study involving a virtual reality (VR) simulator and haptic master controller (i.e., speed lever). In tram operations, master controllers play a critical role in ensuring a smooth ride, which directly influences passenger safety and comfort. The objective was to understand how a master control system, enhanced with additional haptic feedback, could improve tram driver braking performance and perceptions in safety-critical scenarios. Interview results indicate that the use of the emergency brake is considered the final or ultimate choice by drivers, and their driving experience is a moderating factor in limiting its application. Combined with the experimental results, this paper highlights how implementing haptic feedback within a master controller can reduce the performance disparity between novice and experienced tram drivers.

Smooth and safe tram journeys: tram driver perspectives and opportunities using a haptic master controller in a virtual reality environment.

Tram drivers operate a master controller to control the acceleration and braking of the tram. Operation should ensure passenger comfort and safety through smooth tram motion and the avoidance of jerkiness that may cause passengers to fall in the carriage. This work investigates current driver practices and strategies for tram driving in normal operations through interviews and the capacity of a new haptic master controller to support drivers in achieving smooth and safe tram journeys. A haptic feedback algorithm based on viscosity was implemented on the master controller to provide drivers with feedback on the rate at which they were accelerating and braking the tram. This aspect was tested in a virtual tram within a simulated inner city virtual reality environment. Results indicate that the haptic master controller and coupled viscosity feedback algorithm did not increase smoothness of driving during the simulated experiences. Despite this, the drivers indicated a preference for the provision of further haptic information to support driving tasks and the overall journey safety and smoothness. Practitioner Summary: This research comprises two studies. The first investigates strategies currently used by drivers to operate a tram smoothly in order to elicit design requirements for a haptic tram master controller. The second study evaluates the impact of a novel haptic master controller on journey smoothness within a virtual environment.

Leveraging human factors in cybersecurity: an integrated methodological approach.

Computer and Information Security (CIS) is usually approached adopting a technology-centric viewpoint, where the human components of sociotechnical systems are generally considered as their weakest part, with little consideration for the end users' cognitive characteristics, needs and motivations. This paper presents a holistic/Human Factors (HF) approach, where the individual, organisational and technological factors are investigated in pilot healthcare organisations to show how HF vulnerabilities may impact on cybersecurity risks. An overview of current challenges in relation to cybersecurity is first provided, followed by the presentation of an integrated top-down and bottom-up methodology using qualitative and quantitative research methods to assess the level of maturity of the pilot organisations with respect to their capability to face and tackle cyber threats and attacks. This approach adopts a user-centred perspective, involving both the organisations' management and employees, The results show that a better cyber-security culture does not always correspond with more rule compliant behaviour. In addition, conflicts among cybersecurity rules and procedures may trigger human vulnerabilities. In conclusion, the integration of traditional technical solutions with guidelines to enhance CIS systems by leveraging HF in cybersecurity may lead to the adoption of non-technical countermeasures (such as user awareness) for a comprehensive and holistic way to manage cyber security in organisations.

Stakeholder Requirements for an Ethical Framework to Sustain Multiple Research Projects in an Emerging Living Lab Involving Older Adults.

Living Lab (LL) research should follow clear ethical guidelines and principles. While these exist in specific disciplinary contexts, there is a lack of tailored and specific ethical guidelines for the design, development, and implementation of LL projects. As well as the complexity of these dynamic and multi-faceted contexts, the engagement of older adults, and adults with reducing cognitive and physical capacity in LL research, poses additional ethical challenges. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 26 participants to understand multistakeholder experiences related to user engagement and related ethical issues in emerging LL research. The participants' experiences and concerns are reported and translated into an ethical framework to guide future LL research initiatives.

Elderly-technology interaction: accessibility and acceptability of technological devices promoting motor and cognitive training.

As the world population is ageing, studies on the socio-economic and health consequences are proliferating. Little has been done on the effectiveness and impact elderly may benefit from the use of technology in their everyday life. The pilot study, implemented within a funded project aimed at identifying sustainable actions to promote Seniors' quality of life, intended to investigate this kind of interaction in terms of accessibility and acceptability that senior citizen experience with technological devices promoting motor and cognitive training. In the hypothesis, interfaces and technological artifacts, that still take in little account the seniors' physical characteristics (e.g. physiological limitations in sight, hearing, movement) and cognitive processes (selective memory often driven by practical needs), can cause elderly to mistrust technology. Study participants were twenty over seventy-year-old people, who were observed and interviewed in context in a two-hour training session regarding the technological devices user experience. The results are presented with scenario-based techniques that help represent typologies of users in different use situations. Findings confirm the hypothesis, highlighting that elderly may accept technological artifacts when they perceive them as bringing benefits in terms of well-being and health.