Search results

Despite the importance of cognitive monitoring, limited studies attempted to continuously monitor cognitive status of workers regarding mental fatigue effects on fall hazard. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate and understand the effects of working at height on mental fatigue development for fall hazard prevention.

A quantitative framework using two well-known methods, i.e. Wavelet Packet Decomposition and Sample entropy, is developed to analyze the captured brain signals from Electroencephalography (EEG) to quantitatively assess mental fatigue levels, and seven mental fatigue indices were obtained. Between-subjects lab experiment was designed and conducted to assess mental fatigue in Virtual Reality (VR) environment.

Both of the quantitative methods confirmed that height exposure can adversely affect subjects' vigilance levels and indicated higher levels of mental fatigue. Significant differences were found between the two tested groups (i.e. working at height or on the ground) for six out of seven indices. The results suggested that working-at-height group had higher mental fatigue levels.

One limitation of this study is the limited number of subjects recruited for the experiment. Overall, this study is a preliminary and exploratory work towards mental fatigue monitoring and assessment in subjects exposed to fall risk.

This is the first study to explore and focus on mental fatigue assessment, particularly for construction falling-from-height hazard prevention by continuously monitoring mental fatigue levels of workers. The research provides insight into construction safety enhancement using smart technologies.

This chapter examines the role of multimodal rhetoric in processes of theorization. Empirically, we investigated the theorization process of a highly disruptive innovation in the history of architecture: reinforced concrete. Relying on archival data from a prominent French architectural journal in the period from 1885 to 1939, we studied the rhetorical modes at play in the theorization of reinforced concrete. First, we found that theorization entailed two recursive activities: dramatization and evaluation. While dramatization relies on both verbal and visual (i.e., multimodal) means, evaluation relies on verbal means. We integrated these components into a dynamic model of theorization that explains how visual discourse contributes to theorization beyond the effects of verbal discourse.

This study aims to generate theory that represented charity peer leader experiences, facilitating well-being interventions to two specific groups of people: new mothers and refugees.

Part 1 of this study used in-depth interviews (n = 8) and phone calls with experienced mothers (called “peer leaders”) who had facilitated well-being interventions to new mothers. These interviews were analysed using Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) (Charmaz, 2014) generating a theory. Following a systematic literature review using the theory categories as search terms, a training approach was devised: The Modelled Training Approach (MTA). Refugees (n = 16) were trained to facilitate another well-being intervention using the MTA followed by a further set of interviews (n = 6). These interviews were analysed using CGT.

A theory was generated representing the “journey” the peer leaders took: their lived experience triggered empathic feelings towards their peers, which motivated them to build a rapport where they gave hope. As a result, the peer leaders felt rewarded.

The literature search did not find any studies looking at the experiences of peer leaders in the above settings. The theory generated could support mental health peer work offsetting statutory health costs.