Digital Commons Network^™

“The Rubber Lung” - An Original Instrument Design, San Gonzalez

2026 Symposium

This project presents an experimental sensor-based instrument designed to produce unconventional sound textures for horror media. The device uses a flex sensor on a balloon that is then connected to an Arduino, which responds to bending and movement, sending data to a Max/MSP patch where the input controls sound processing such as filters and frequency. The physical motion of flexing the sensor on the balloon mimics the expansion and contraction of lungs, creating a breathing like interaction between performer and instrument. This design allows subtle gestures to alter the sound in real time. By using a bodily, breathing motion into …

Can Textiles Be Alive? Exploring Transitional Materialities Through Microbial Biosensors And Textile Fluidics, Avantika Velho, Saurabh Mhatre, Varenya Sethumadhavan, Hann Tu, Neel Joshi, Katia Zolotovsky

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper explores materials in transition through Living Textiles, a platform that integrates genetically engineered whole-cell biosensors into textiles for on-body physiological and environmental sensing. The project investigates how textiles can act as computational and ecological systems, integrating living cells that sense their environment and communicate through material change. By combining biological sensing with textile craft, Living Textiles reframes smart materials as regenerative and cohabited rather than extractive and disposable. The research contributes to the field of transitional materials design by: (1) presenting new interaction possibilities with microbial cells; (2) developing methods for designing microenvironments that sustain life and sensing; …

Not Just One "Best" Green: Soundscape Determines The Optimal Green Wall Form, Wenbo Li, Yihe Li, Hengji Wang, Yang Liu

DRS Biennial Conference Series

In high-density cities, window-view green walls (GWs) are implemented to improve psychological well-being, but their design often ignores context. Existing research overlooks how GW geometric forms interact with ambient urban soundscapes. This study investigates this critical audio-visual interaction. We conducted a 4 (sound: between-subjects) × 4 (visual: within-subjects) experiment in Virtual Reality (N=80). Participants were exposed to four visual forms (No-GW, Triangle, Square, Rectangle) within four dominating soundscapes (No Sound, Traffic, Conversation, Ventilation), reporting their Stress and recovery results. Results revealed a significant interaction effect, showing the optimal GW shape for psychological well-being was context-dependent: rectangular forms were best for …

Strategic Thermal Design For Smartphones: An Experimental Analysis Of Zonal Heat Perception Across Hand Contact Regions, Ke Zeng, Xing Xiao, Haining Wang

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Technical solutions dominate current approaches to smartphone overheating, yet user-centred strategies that exploit zonal thermal perception remain underexplored. This study examined how contact region (thumb, index finger, thenar eminence), surface temperature (36.0-43.5°C), and exposure duration (0s vs. 120s) jointly shape thermal experience. Thirty adults completed trials with a prototype featuring hotspots at high-frequency grip locations, rating perceived heat and thermal dissatisfaction using two Borg CR-10 items. A PERMANOVA revealed a significant Area × Temperature interaction (F = 10.35, p < .001): the thenar eminence showed disproportionately higher ratings at ≥ 42 °C than the other areas. Main effects of temperature and duration were also significant (p < .001), indicating discomfort intensifies with hotter surfaces and prolonged contact. These findings provide an empirical basis for strategic thermal zoning, placing or redirecting heat away from high-sensitivity regions, and complement hardware-level cooling with ergonomically informed design.

Psychological Responses To Green-Wall Layouts In Office Environments: A Virtual-Environment Study, Hengji Wang, Wengbo Li, Yihe Li, Yang Liu

DRS Biennial Conference Series

As office practices improve, green walls are increasingly deployed to ease work stress; however, research on whether their overall geometry yields differential individual effects remains limited.In this study, virtual reality was used to construct four office scenarios: curvilinear green wall (CGW), linear green wall (LGW), polyline green wall (PGW), and no green wall (NGW). Restorative effects after stress induction with the MAST were evaluated using two subjective scales, the fatigue scale and the restorative outcome scale. Results showed that all three green-wall forms significantly promoted post-stress psychological recovery at the subjective level. Further comparisons indicated that CGW produced the strongest …

Superman And Coca-Cola, Karen Pepper

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

One crisis we currently face is the rising incidence of diabetes worldwide, arguably due to the inclusion of sugar, in one form or another, in nearly all processed foods. Superman and Coca Cola, two symbols prominent in the American cultural landscape, suggest an association of sugar consumption and power. Indeed, sweetness appeals to us both as a taste and as a concept, and sugar, accordingly, is often marketed not as nourishing but as empowering. Superman may seem far removed from discussions of food. However, the possibility of acquiring greater-than-human strength was apparently uppermost in the minds of mid-twentieth century Americans, …

Dft Modeling Of Steroid–Phospholipid Noncovalent Interactions: Conformations, Binding Energy, And Solvation Effects, Sohan Mothkur

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Steroids (STRs) have essential roles in human physiology and disease, regulating processes such as metabolism and immunity. STRs exert their effects through receptor-mediated pathways and by modulating cell membrane properties. STRs can intercalate into phospholipid (PL) bilayers, altering membrane properties that can influence downstream biological processes. While STR-protein interactions have been widely studied, little is known about how STR-PL interactions influence membrane properties. In this study, we used density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the interactions between testosterone (TST) and cholesterol (CHOL) with three representative PLs: phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). STR-PL complexes were modeled using an aqueous …

Integrating Neuroscience And Technology: Experiential Learning Through Muscle-To-Robot Systems, Dr. Ashwin Mohan, Dr. Mark Carlson

Professional Learning Day

In this interdisciplinary module, participants engage in hands-on exploration of neuroengineering by recording and interpreting electromyographic (EMG) signals to control robotic devices, bridging human physiology and technology. Through guided experimentation, they investigate neural pathways, signal processing, and biofeedback to understand brain-machine interfaces. The module highlights real-world applications of neuroscience, engineering, and computer science in biomimetics, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity through experiential, technology-driven learning.  *It would be helpful for participants to have the Spike Recorder App from BackyardBrains downloaded on a laptop*

Integrating Neuroscience And Technology: Experiential Learning Through Muscle-To-Robot Systems, Dr. Ashwin Mohan, Dr. Mark Carlson

Professional Learning Day

In this interdisciplinary module, participants engage in hands-on exploration of neuroengineering by recording and interpreting electromyographic (EMG) signals to control robotic devices, bridging human physiology and technology. Through guided experimentation, they investigate neural pathways, signal processing, and biofeedback to understand brain-machine interfaces. The module highlights real-world applications of neuroscience, engineering, and computer science in biomimetics, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity through experiential, technology-driven learning. *It would be helpful for participants to have the Spike Recorder App from BackyardBrains website downloaded on a laptop*

Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education: A Study Of The Impact Of Creative Mindsets On Design Students' Ai Self-Efficacy, Qian Hui Shen, Chi Fai Ma

IASDR Conference Series

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology into design education presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI tools can improve learning efficiency, research remains limited in understanding the impact on students’ creative thinking—particularly in relation to the interplay between creative mindset (i.e., growth vs. fixed) and AI self-efficacy. This study adopted a cross- sectional survey design, administering the Creative Mindset Scale and the AISelf-Efficacy Scaleto243 design students. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM) with IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 24. Results indicated that growth mindset served as a significant positive predictor of AI self-efficacy (β = 0.565, …

Breathing Beside The Leaf That Guides Us: An Experimental Study On A Plant-Human Symbiotic Meditation System Design, Yule Chen, Shengbo Sun, Yiwen Wang, Ying Hu, Wenyu Xu, Yuexin Zhu, Yiming Bai

IASDR Conference Series

Unlike interactions with electronic devices—which demandthe full focus ofhuman cognition through screen-based interfaces—our engagement with nature is subtle, embodied, and continuously perceived, even without conscious attention. In the context of a decent connection between human and nature life rhythms, this study introduces a novel plant- human symbiotic meditation system that transforms real-time photosynthetic signals into generative soundscapes, enablingaform ofcross-species interaction in which plant rhythms serve as perceptual cues in human meditative regulation. Distinct from prior human-plant interaction work that treats plants as passive background elements or aesthetic artifacts, this research emphasizes the expressive role of living plants in shaping human …

Healthclockface: Design Of Glanceable Health Data Visualization For Smartwatches, Tianqin Lu, Bin Yu, Jun Hu

IASDR Conference Series

Remote measurement technologies (RMTs) hold promises for health tracking, yet current health data visualizations in RMTs primarily target data-savvy experts, posing challenges for those with limited expertise. Although researchers have explored creative visualization methods, they often fall short in aiding data comprehension and neglect the needs of individuals and informal caregivers. This paper introduces Health Clockface, a smartwatch clockface that offers a glanceable visualization of health data using abstract and dynamic visuals generated by chaotic attractors. Designed for non-expert users, the system translates real-time inputs into ambient, glanceable feedback that supports awareness of one’s health. The system was developed through …

2009 - Appalachian Student Research Forum Program Booklet, Appalachian Student Research Forum, East Tennessee State University

Appalachian Student Research Forum

No abstract provided.

Design Thinking Pedagogy In A Culture Of Information Immediacy, Ahu Yolac, Philip Plowright

Learn X Design Conference Series

This paper investigates design thinking pedagogy within the context of information immediacy, analysing student work from the Design Principles studio, an interdisciplinary introductory course for first-year students enrolled in five professional design programs. The course emphasizes foundational design thinking skills, including divergent and convergent thinking, abstraction, coherence, cohesiveness, and the hierarchical organization of project information. Through qualitative analysis of student projects, we identify three distinct patterns of engagement: procedural application, emerging integration, and flexible, critical workflow. These patterns reveal how students navigate and internalize design thinking tactics in an era of abundant information and digital tools. We discuss the pedagogical …

The Correlation Between Students’ Academic Workload And Salivary Ph Levels, Yves Zidane J. Biscocho, Lorenzo Miguel S. Carpio, Giovanni Paolo C. Salceda

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Stress has been known to have negative and positive effects on humans. Studies have shown that academic stress, which comes from overwhelming academic demands, causes various negative effects on the well-being of students. Salivary cortisol levels can also be a predictor of academic stress. Concurrently, salivary pH levels are affected by changes in the salivary cortisol, and it can be inferred that salivary pH levels can predict the increase in academic workloads. To prove this relationship between students’ academic workloads and salivary pH levels, the researchers conducted a study utilizing a prospective research design. The data was collected from sixteen …

Relationship Identification Between Triggers And Electrophysiological Changes In The Brain And The Overall Human Physiology During Migraines, Dominic Sandell

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This research aims to reinforce that migraines have environmental triggers, establish that migraines cause changes in the brain’s electronics and the body’s overall electrophysiology, and define the relationship between the changes and the triggers. The hypothesis is that there is a relationship between environmental triggers and specific electrophysiological changes in the brain and the overall human electrophysiology. The population will be the young adults of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the sample size will be determined using the aforementioned gender split between female and male as well as the Sample Size for Known Population equation. Throughout the study, the participants will …

Impact Of Topical Capsaicin Cream On Thermoregulation And Perception While Walking In The Cold, Alice L. Held, Jessica L. Moler, Alejandro M. Rosales, Andrew C. Engellant

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Capsaicin, a chili pepper extract, can stimulate increased skin blood flow (SkBF) with a perceived warming sensation on application areas. Larger surface area application may exert a more systemic thermoregulatory response. Capsaicin could assist with maintaining heat transport to the distal extremities, minimizing cold weather injury risk. However, the thermoregulatory and perceptual impact of topical capsaicin cream application prior to exercise in the cold is unknown. METHODS: Following application of either a 0.1% capsaicin or control cream to the upper and lower extremities (10 g total, 40-50% body surface area), 11 participants in shorts and a t-shirt were exposed to …

A Natural Interaction Paradigm To Facilitate Cardiac And Nerve Anatomy Education Using Augmented Reality And A Surgical Metaphor, Shashikala S V, Amith D, Lekhana H L, Disha T S, Likith R

International Conference on ‘NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY'

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Creativity On Alpha Activity, Serena Bruneaux

EKU Libraries Research Award for Undergraduates

No abstract provided.

Synchronized Communication Used In Collaborative Humanoid Robots With Datacenter Applications, Fatih Dincer, Ahmad Byagowy

UBT International Conference

This manuscript is to describe a communication method used to operate data center related applications where multiple robots are required. In this configuration one of the robots is considered as the leader while the other one performs as a follower. The operations performed from the collective operation of the two robots aim to reach a coherence to allow applications that require multiple robots to be performed seamlessly. The development of this work was based on humanoid robots though it can be expanded to any robot platform based on a given application.

International Conference On Mechatronic, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

UBT Annual International Conference is the 12th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent …

Play With Data: Using Haptic Properties Of Artifacts To Augment Data Representation, Xiang Wei, Lin Siyuan, Jiang Hao, Zhao Shengdong, Sun Lingyun

IASDR Conference Series

This article explores haptic data representation of people’s daily activities. The haptic data representation employs haptic properties of artifacts to represent data. However, the data types represented by haptic properties appear to be constrained, with frequency and average value accounting for the majority. Many other valuable types of information, such as variance, trend, and sample size, are under-represented. These data types are important for people to make decisions and reflect on their activities. To explore the potentials of expressing multiple data types through various haptic properties of artifacts, a user study was conducted to investigate people’s mental mappings of haptic …

The T-Shirt Feels Rough, It Can’T Be Breathable – Exploring The Perception Of Sportswear, Lars Claussen, Alex Lloyd, Daniel Ruiz, George Havenith

Textile Intersections Conference Series

To better understand the perception of sportswear, this paper presents a comprehensive case study comparing the quality of sports t-shirts made from virgin polyester, mechanically recycled polyester and mechanically recycled polyester containing ocean plastic. Based on a field trial, controlled laboratory tests, and physical evaluation, the complex process of garment perception and the challenges of testing it were explored. The features offered by the different levels of garment evaluation were highlighted. The findings from the different levels of garment evaluation led to the hypothesis that in a scenario where consumers interact with sportswear primarily by touching and trying it on, …

Ronald E. Mcnair Scholars Program Profiles And Abstracts 2023, Motutama Sipelii

McNair Symposium

This is the complete event program and provides presentation abstracts and biographies of McNair scholars and their mentors.

An Analysis Of Animal Testing In Medical Research And Ethical Considerations, Diana Santini

Academic Festival

Introduction:

The use of animal testing in medical research has been the gold standard for gathering information and determining safety and efficacy for pharmaceutical candidates. While animal testing has been considered an essential component in medical research, evidence has shown that it has become an ethical issue in not only animals, but humans as well, delaying the development of medical treatments and providing inaccurate predictions of safety use in human administration.

Impact Of A Multi-Month Ultra-Endurance Backpacking Trek On Measures Of Physiological & Psychological Recovery & Readiness: A Case Study, E. Flacke, E. Glick, A. Rainey, H. Scharf, T. Gardner, A. Ragusa, A. M. Stranieri, K. S. Levers

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

Administration Practices Of Antipsychotic Medications Among Hospitalized Adults With Dementia, Sara Torgerson, Teresa Rangel (Collaborator)

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Bicycle Transportation Accessibility: How Electronic-Assist Bicycles Can Supplement Human Physiology, Charles Hruda

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Global environmental and urban planning concerns have resulted in a large push for people to use cycling as a mode of transport. Topography, particularly uphill slopes can be huge deterrents for potential commuter cyclists, but electronic-assist bicycles are able to account for the physiological shortcomings of human beings. This paper analyzes and compares the required power output for professional cyclists against e-bike commuters to discover how much e-bikes can close the physiological gap between the two groups. For cycling on flat terrain, the majority of power is used to overcome aerodynamic resistance, which can vary heavily depending on rider position, …

International Conference Sport, Health And Society, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

UBT Annual International Conference is the 11th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent …

International Conference Sport, Health And Society, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

UBT Annual International Conference is the 11th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent …