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Abstract
Remote participation in school is possible today with the help of telepresence robots. Such technologies can offer great opportunities for children with long-term illnesses to continue attending school. Consequently, telepresence robots are already used in some schools when children are absent for long periods. However, despite their positive impact, such robots also create challenges for the privacy of people involved in such a setting. Therefore, in this paper, we discuss the user needs of such robots in this specific and privacy-sensitive application field. We held three workshops with different user groups with and without experience with the robots. Among them were formerly and currently ill children, parents, teachers, head teachers, media educators, and supporting personnel. We discussed their experiences (if any), ideas, expectations, and concerns with a focus on privacy aspects to find out about the user needs of different user groups. Our results reveal various interrelationships and conflicts between the individual actors. They serve as a basis to discuss the implications for the design of future telepresence robots for schoolchildren.
Abstract
Future social robots will act autonomously in the world. Autonomous behavior is usually realized by using AI models built with real-world data, which often reflect existing inequalities and prejudices in society. Even if designers do not intend it, there are risks that robots will be developed that discriminate against certain users, e. g. based on gender. In this work, we investigate the implications of a gender-biased robot that disadvantages women, which unfortunately is a bias in AI that is often reported. Our experiment shows that both men and women perceive the gender-biased robot to be unfair. However, our work indicates that women are more aware that a gender bias causes this unfairness. We also show that gender bias results in the robot being perceived differently. While the gender bias resulted in lower likability and intelligence ratings by women, men seem to lose trust in the robot if it behaves unfairly.
Abstract
Telepresence robots offer great opportunities for children with long-term illnesses to continue attending school. Consequently, they are already used if children are absent for long periods. When designing such systems, the privacy of various stakeholders must be considered. However, conflicts often arise because the privacy requirements of different user groups cannot be fulfilled simultaneously. In this paper, we analyze the corresponding trade-offs that have to be made when designing telepresence robots under conflicting privacy requirements. We analyzed previous literature and held three workshops with different user groups (children, parents, teachers, head teachers, media educators, and supporting personnel) with and without experience with telepresence robots in schools. Based on the literature and the workshop results, we present four major privacy trade-offs we identified and discuss design approaches for them. With this work, we contribute to the design research on telepresence robots in schools by revealing the major privacy-related conflicts and potential design approaches to overcome the conflicts.
Abstract
Video tutorials are an effective method of knowledge transfer and learning. However, they are often time-consuming to create and difficult to access during work. This paper introduces an approach that simplifies the creation of video tutorials in the workplace and promotes their use during work. By utilizing smart glasses, practitioners can record video tutorials during their daily work processes and utilize them for knowledge transfer to other employees without much additional effort. This offers the advantage of directly and easily sharing expertise in the workplace without being constrained by time or location. Given the intended simplicity of this approach, the question arises whether it creates video tutorials that help people in their learning. The paper presents a study that compares the effectiveness of knowledge transfer using these video tutorials against traditional personal training methods in the workplace. With 18 participants from the nursing and production sectors, we observed the training and learning outcomes of using video tutorials on smart glasses over multiple sessions, comparing them with personal training, which is considered the standard for practical onboarding. The study results indicate that learning with video tutorials does not significantly differ in terms of learning outcomes from traditional personal training methods. Overall, this study highlights the potential of video tutorials with smart glasses for knowledge transfer in workplaces, while also identifying challenges and opportunities for optimizing onboarding processes for employees.
Abstract
Robots are gradually being freed from their safety fences due to the advances in safety features integrated with most new robots. These robots enable a new form of human-robot interaction in which contact is possible. There are two robot-related factors that play a decisive role in the interaction dynamics and human perception in such a case - the motion speed and distance the robot keeps away from the human. Literature indicates that these factors influence whether humans perceive trust, safety, and comfort, which are essential components in the acceptance of robots by their end users. However, although speed and distance were intensively investigated in isolation, little is known about their combined effect. To this end, we conducted an experiment investigating the impact of the industrial robot arm’s approaching speed and stopping distance on the users’ trust, safety, and comfort while they were performing a collaborative task. Our results provide interesting insights into the implications of speed and trust. While we were able to replicate former studies in terms of implications of speed and distance, our data does not show any interaction effect between the two variables. However, our participants’ observations indicated that distance impacts the dependent variables more severely than speed.
ABSTRACT
Trust is important for collaboration. In hybrid teams of humans and robots, trust enables smooth collaboration and reduces risks. Just as collaboration between humans and robots differs from interpersonal collaboration, so does the nature of trust in human-robot interaction (HRI). Therefore, further investigations on trust formation and dissolution in HRI, factors affecting it, and means for keeping trust on an appropriate level are needed. However, our knowledge of interpersonal trust and trust in autonomous agents cannot be transferred directly to HRI. In this paper, we present a study with 32 participants on trust formation and dissolution as well as forecasting to influence trust in an industry robot. Results show differences in dynamics and factors of trust formation and dissolution. Additionally, we find that the effect of forecasting on trust depends on task success. These findings support the design of trustful human-robot interaction and corresponding robotic team members.
Abstract
Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait characterized by a high sensitivity to sensory stimuli (Aron & Aron, 1997). On the basis of environmental sensitivity theory (Pluess & Boniwell, 2015) as well as the job characteristics model (Hackman & Oldham, 1976), we investigated the moderating impact of SPS (HSP Scale; Aron & Aron, 1997; Konrad & Herzberg, 2019) on the relationship between job characteristics (Work Design Questionnaire; Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006; Stegmann et al., 2010) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB Scale; Podsakoff et al., 1990). The results of our two-wave survey study with 199 employees from a broad range of industries and students indicate that SPS strengthens the relationship between feedback as well as task significance and OCB, but SPS weakens the relationship between autonomy (work methods) as well as task variety and OCB.
Zusammenfassung:
Bislang existierte keine deutschsprachige, validierte Übersetzung der Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist daher die Validierung einer deutschen Übersetzung der AMS in zwei Studien. Die Übersetzung der AMS folgte dem TRAPD-Modell, einer Weiterentwicklung der Back-Translation-Methode. Die erste zweiwellige Studie (N = 211) zeigte gute bis sehr gute interne Konsistenzen und mit den Originalversionen der AMS weitgehend übereinstimmende Retest-Reliabilitäten. Die postulierte siebenfaktorielle Struktur wies gegenüber einem ein- bzw. dreifaktoriellen Modell den besten Modell-Fit auf. Die zweite zweiwellige Studie (N = 221) analysierte die konvergente und divergente Validität, sowie die Kriteriumsvalidität. Zusammenfassend verfügt die deutsche Version der AMS über gute psychometrische Eigenschaften und kann daher in Forschung und Praxis eingesetzt werden.
In der öffentlichen Debatte wird die Generation Z häufig als zentrale Herausforderung für die zukünftige Arbeitswelt dargestellt. Es wird behauptet, dass diese Generation, geprägt durch digitale und gesellschaftliche Umbrüche, andere Erwartungen an Arbeitgeber hat als ihre Vorgänger. Unsere Studie untersucht, ob diese Annahme wissenschaftlich haltbar ist und ob sich die Relevanz von Arbeitgeberattraktivitätsfaktoren zwischen den Generationen Baby Boomer, Generation X, Y und Z signifikant unterscheidet.
Basierend auf einem neuen empirischen Ansatz analysieren wir mit einer umfangreichen deutschen Stichprobe (N=1133) mittels multipler Regressionen die Vorhersagekraft von 19 Arbeitgeberattraktivitätsfaktoren für die allgemeine Arbeitgeberattraktivität. Dabei prüfen wir, ob und inwieweit die Generationszugehörigkeit moderierende Effekte auf die Bedeutung dieser Faktoren hat.
Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass wesentliche Attraktivitätsfaktoren wie Identifikation mit dem Unternehmen, Management und Führung sowie die Arbeitsaufgabe generationsübergreifend relevant sind. Unterschiede zeigen sich lediglich in einzelnen Dimensionen wie Arbeitsplatzsicherheit, Corporate Social Responsibility, Work-Life-Balance und Unternehmensimage, wobei die Varianzaufklärung durch Generationsunterschiede äußerst gering ist (<2 %) und die signifikanten Regressionskoeffizienten im Durchschnitt nur bei .23 liegen.
Die Studie liefert eine empirische Basis für die Diskussion über Generationsunterschiede bei arbeitsrelevanten Einstellungen. Unsere Ergebnisse stellen die gängige Praxis von generationsspezifischem Employer Branding und eine Überschätzung von Generationsunterschieden, die auf stereotypen Annahmen beruhen, infrage. Selbst Alters- und Lebensphaseneffekte lassen sich in unseren Ergebnissen kaum nachweisen. Zukünftige Forschung sollte verstärkt longitudinale Designs verwenden, um die Dynamik von Alter, Lebensphasen und Generationen besser zu verstehen.
Mit „Blindterni" wird ein inklusives Spiel für Menschen mit Sehbehinderung nach der Methode Design Thinking entwickelt. Für die Fertigung wird ein verbreitetes und günstiges additives Verfahren gewählt. Iterationsschleifen bei Entwicklung und Testung sorgen dabei für eine hohe Nutzerakzeptanz. Die Resonanz der Testgruppe einer Schule mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Sehen ist durchweg positiv und trägt ihrerseits maßgeblich zur Verbesserung bei. Das Spiel verfolgt den opensource-Ansatz und kann so von enthusiastischen Laien mit Zugang zu einem 3D Drucker einfach und günstig gefertigt werden.
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of expressive writing in reducing work stress. Expressive writing involves structured written exercises of self-disclosure for cognitive and affective processing of stressful experiences over several writing sessions. Using a 3x3 mixed design, we examined the effects of the intervention on work stress as well as work-related motivation and attitudes in 62 German participants. We found a sex-specific effect in the significant reduction of exhaustion in men in the experimental group. In contrast, women in the control group showed significantly higher levels of exhaustion. This effect was not found for women in the experimental group. Despite the limitations of our research in terms of sample differences in baseline levels, our research identifies an alleviating effect of expressive writing on emotional exhaustion as the core facet of burnout. Future research should specifically select individuals with higher levels of stress to address the limitations mentioned.
Abstract
In this experimental study, we investigated the impact of a mindfulness intervention on knowledge sharing and knowledge collecting (de Vries et al. 2016) during a 2-day command post exercise of German senior police officers. The setting of the experiment took place under the terms of a command post exercise (Stabs-Rahmenübung), held once a year at the Federal Academy for Civil Defense and Civil Protection (Bundesakademie für Bevölkerungs- und Zivilschutz—BABZ). The BABZ provides premises and technical facilities for advanced training, and the police officers spend a week focusing exclusively on learning and training for police staff work (polizeiliche Stabsarbeit). Mayring (2010) identified three aspects (cognition, emotion, action) influencing communication’s semiotic aspect. These three aspects were addressed during the mindfulness intervention used in the field study, with participants being asked to provide a short statement about their current state of cognition, emotion, and physical experience. The intervention was conducted before and after each of the two daily command post exercises for the experimental group (N = 46), while no intervention occurred for the control group (N = 58). Knowledge sharing and knowledge collecting were assessed with the Knowledge Donating and Knowledge Collecting Items (de Vries et al. 2016). While planned contrast analyses revealed no effect on knowledge donating, our data suggest a tendency for a
positive influence of the mindfulness intervention on knowledge collecting. These differences between knowledge sharing and collecting might occur because knowledge collecting is more implicit and part of the process of building a shared mental model (Cannon-Bowers et al. 1993). The impact of knowledge collecting will be discussed in light of the self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci 2000) and the impact of individual and collective mindfulness in high-reliability organizations (Weick and Sutcliffe 2001), respectively high-responsibility teams (Hagemann et al. 2012).
Zusammenfassung:
Der letzte Beitrag des Themenhefts fasst die Debatte um Subjektivität, Intuition und Bauchgefühl als Entscheidungsgrundlagen in der Personalauswahl zusammen, wie sie ausgehend vom Schwerpunktartikel von Deters und Klopprogge (2025a) zur Diskussion gestellt wurde. Die Herausgeber reflektieren die Kernaussagen der Autoren, die eine Balance zwischen objektiver Diagnostik und subjektiver Intuition fordern und eine deutliche Diskrepanz zwischen wissenschaftlicher Theorie und unternehmerischer Praxis wahrnehmen. Die Rezeption im Themenheft zeigt ein breites Spektrum von Positionen: Während Intuition teils als wertvoller Impuls in komplexen Entscheidungsprozessen gesehen wird, warnen Kritiker vor ihrer Anfälligkeit für Biases. Die Herausgeber plädieren für integrative Verfahren und diagnostische Zugänge, die subjektive und objektive Ansätze verbinden, und betonen die Notwendigkeit eines differenzierten, praxisnahen Dialogs zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis, um fundierte und zugleich flexible Entscheidungsprozesse zu gestalten.
Wirtschaftspsychologie
(2025)
Silicon carbide (SiC)-bonded diamond materials, comprising approximately 50% diamond by volume, represent innovative composites with exceptional mechanical and thermal properties, including high hardness, wear and corrosion resistance, and elevated thermal conductivity. Despite these advantageous properties, the machining of these composites presents formidable challenges due to their extremely high hardness. Grinding with diamond tools is commonly employed among the limited viable machining methods. However, the efficiency of this process is hindered by high grinding forces, elevated temperatures, and significantly high tool wear. Additionally, the surface integrity, form, and dimensional accuracy of the workpiece are compromised by the effects of tool wear and high cutting forces. To address these technological constraints in the grinding of SiC-bonded diamond materials, a laser-assisted grinding process has been developed. Ultra-short pulsed laser radiations were effectively utilized to induce material ablation with controlled structural damages, enhancing the productivity and efficiency of the grinding process through reduced grinding forces, temperatures, and tool wear. Furthermore, this study investigated the influence of grinding tools’ specifications, design variations, and parameters on key aspects such as grinding forces, surface quality, and tool wear. Substantial reductions of up to 70% in tangential grinding forces, 83% in normal grinding forces, and a modest improvement in surface roughness achieved. The surface integrity analysis revealed a damage-free ground surface when utilizing laser assistance. Furthermore, there was a substantial enhancement in the grinding ratio (G-ratio), achieving an increase of up to 247%, concurrently with a noteworthy improvement in the actual removal depth, reaching up to 99%, when compared to conventional grinding processes. Compared to the utilized segmented metal bonded diamond grinding wheel, the vitrified bonded diamond grinding wheel induced lower grinding forces and higher actual removal rates.
NGS Detects Extensive Genomic Alterations in Survivors of Irradiated Normal Human Fibroblast Cells
(2024)
Abstract
It is thought that cells surviving ionizing radiation exposure repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and restore their genomes. However, the recent biochemical and genetic characterization of DSB repair pathways reveals that only homologous recombination (HR) can function in an error-free manner and that the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways canonical NHEJ (c-NHEJ), alternative end joining (alt-EJ), and single-strand annealing (SSA) are error-prone, and potentially leave behind genomic scars and altered genomes. The strong cell cycle restriction of HR to S/ G2 phases and the unparalleled efficiency of c-NHEJ throughout the cell cycle, raise the intriguing question as to how far a surviving cell reaches after repairing the genome back to its pre-irradiation state. Indeed, there is evidence that the genomes of cells surviving radiation treatment harbor extensive genomic alterations. To directly investigate this possibility, we adopted next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and tested a normal human fibroblast cell line, 82-6 hTert, after exposure up to 6 Gy. Cells were irradiated and surviving colonies expanded and the cells frozen. Sequencing analysis using the Illumina sequencing platform and comparison with the unirradiated genome detected frequent genomic alterations in the six investigated radiation survivor clones, including translocations and large deletions. Translocations detected by this analysis and predicted to generate visible cytogenetic alterations were frequently (three out of five) confirmed using mFISH cytogenetic analysis. PCR analysis of selected deletions also confirmed seven of the ten examined. We conclude that cells surviving radiation exposure tolerate and pass to their progeny a wide spectrum of genomic alterations. This recognition needs to be integrated into the interpretation of biological results at all endpoints, as well as in the formulation of mathematical models of radiation action. NGS analysis of irradiated genomes promises to enhance molecular cytogenetics by increasing the spectrum of detectable genomic alterations and advance our understanding of key molecular radiobiological effects and the logic underpinning DSB repair. However, further developments in the technology will be required to harness its full potential.
Abstract
A low-cost plasma nozzle/setup was developed to allow demonstrations, and it invites hands-on experimentation with nonthermal plasmas of air and other gases. Several high-tech plasma applications, such as surface cleaning and activation, as well as mild but effective sterilization, will be explained and adapted to be eagerly explored by undergraduate and senior high school students. The results were surprisingly similar to those obtained with a commercial plasma treatment system. While the focus is on the experimental introduction to plasma physics and chemistry, it will be highlighted how a multidisciplinary approach enables the study and discussion of important concepts ranging from surface energies and contact angles to environmental or microbiological control.
Abstract
Electrospinning has been widely used as a versatile technique to generate nanofibers of various materials. It is also helpful in teaching topics ranging from macromolecular chemistry to physics, safety, and sustainability at various levels of difficulty and student involvement. Simple and safe hands-on experiments/manual assays can be realized for less than 30 euros to demonstrate polymer viscosity and nanofiber alignment and solubility. Students can further study (super)hydrophobicity and even upcycle packaging waste into useful filter materials but also improve the electrospinning setup from a manual assay to an inexpensive Arduino-based 3D printed research platform. Alternatively, the latter can be used for teacher demonstrations of more challenging experiments that can also be easily done using a commercial syringe-pump.
Abstract
Femtosecond laser-induced nano structuring offers a novel approach to enhance the performance of porous transport layers (PTLs) in anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis. By applying ultrashort laser pulses to nickel felts, distinct surface morphologies were generated, including high-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures (HSFL-LIPSS), irregular ablated surfaces, and hybrid structures. Surface area analysis revealed increases of up to 4-fold for LIPSS, 6-fold for hybrid structures (LIPSS+Ablation), and 9-fold for ablated surfaces compared to untreated fibers. Electrochemical testing showed reduced overpotentials for laser-treated samples, comparable to state-of-the-art electrodes despite the absence of catalyst layers. Overpotentials could be reduced by up to 6.5 % at 10 mA cm−2 and by up to 9.6 % at 100 mA cm−2 compared to the unprocessed felt. Notably, ablated structures, with the highest surface areas, exhibited microcavities that may entrap oxygen bubbles, limiting active site and reaction rates. The LIPSS structures demonstrated the lowest activation losses and highest current density (1.32 A cm⁻² at 2.0 V) due to their periodic morphology and enhanced electrolyte flow, representing a 17 % improvement at 2.0 V compared to the untreated felts. Moreover, Tafel slopes down to 66 mV dec−1 denote a performant kinetic while oxidation charge measurements revealed pronounced peaks for laser-treated samples, with ablated surfaces achieving the highest charge of 16.76 ± 1.64 C cm⁻². Chronopotentiometry revealed the LIPSS structures showing the highest resistance to degradation among the structured samples.
These findings suggest femtosecond laser nano structuring as a promising method to improve PTL performance. Further application of catalyst layers could amplify the electrochemical efficiency of these advanced materials.
Abstract
The synergistic combination of various sorbitol-based organogelators with polyolefins allows the preparation of porous support structures for immobilized phase change materials (PCMs). Using a PCM as a solvent for the preparation leads to dimensionally stable composite materials with extremely high loading rates and low leakage of PCMs. Detailed investigations were performed on the kind of polyolefin support and its mass fraction concentration in the PCM, the temperature-dependent softening and failure under superimposed load, the efficiency of heat transport and the retention capacity over several melting/solidification cycles in various measurement setups. In particular, paraffin wax in combination with 1,2,3-trideoxy-4,6:5,7-bis-O-[(4-propylphenyl)methylene]-nonitol (TBPMN) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) showed the best results in terms of high dimensional stability, low leakage, excellent processability and competitive heat capacity. The herein-established one-step preparation method saves time and energy compared to the loading of pre-formed porous supports and improves application-related properties at the same time.
MARGE (Germany)
(2024)
Abstract
This case describes the difficulties of business succession from a successor’s perspective. The case is based on a real metalworking family business in an old industrial region in Germany. The key issues are challenges that, Michelle and Adrian, two second-generation successors within one company, face in teambuilding and finding their own place within the corporation and their team. The case is divided into two parts: Part 1 is a newspaper article about the succession process that points out stereotypes and writing styles in reporting on entrepreneurship/succession in the media. Part 2 is the succession story written from Michelle’s perspective and highlights challenges that female successors face in traditional male-dominated areas, for instance, when it comes to questions of balancing work and family needs. The case addresses issues relating to entrepreneurship and business succession classes, with sociological and psychological overtones.
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to address the impact of formal and informal institutions on women’s entrepreneurship and to extend our understanding of issues influencing women-owned businesses and women’s entrepreneurship in the context of a transition economy, such as Georgia. Our work specifically addresses formal institutions, such as governmental initiatives, financial institutions, and business-relevant education. It also addresses informal institutions, such as women’s role in society, the use of informal networks of connections and acquaintances, and gift-giving practices. Drawing on results from an online focus group discussion with women entrepreneurs in Georgia, we provide initial insights into the critical constraints and supporting factors that local women entrepreneurs experience. Based on the interrelation of institutions and women’s entrepreneurship, we conclude that changes in formal institutions do not lead directly to changing informal institutions. Due to the lack of trust in formal institutions, women entrepreneurs are more likely to look for business development solutions outside the official frames, including illegal or unethical means of survival. Nevertheless, increased opportunities – induced by specific entrepreneurship policies and programs – encourage women to enter entrepreneurship. In addition to this, entrepreneurship enables women in Georgia to overcome gender discrimination issues, which is more prevalent in employment relationships in the local labor market than in entrepreneurial activities.
Abstract
Escape rooms have gained popularity across the globe, be it for entertainment, team building, or learning purposes. Solving puzzles has intrigued humanity since ancient times and playing games together facilitated intercultural encounters, encouraging mutual learning. This situated action builds on the idea of a mobile escape room within a suitcase, which when traveling shares previous encounters and collects new puzzles, thereby ever evolving. A suitcase will arrive in Sibu, Malaysia, with augmented reality stickers that entail puzzles created in Namibia. Visitors need to solve the puzzles to open the suitcase, which contains treats from Namibia, as well as materials to create new puzzles. Visitors participate in creating their own cultural puzzles, upload them to the augmented reality application, and thereby contribute to a new multicultural escape suitcase. The puzzles can also be played back at home, and the suitcase will continue evolving as it travels.
Abstract
Indigenous people across the globe have all too often been marginalised and not been considered in decisions that directly concern their life. We maintain the significance of incorporating indigenous perspectives in society to create a global dialogue through direct participation. In this light we propose a situated action in which our co-author from the Ju/’hoansi tribe, one of the San ethnicity in Southern Africa, digitally records semi-structured conversations with members of other indigenous communities at the conference and public spaces in Sibu. Then participants are engaged into a participatory exploration of processing the audio files into sound installations and soundscapes which “amplify indigenous voices“. We anticipate that the products can be reused for further initiatives in the different countries, raising awareness and calling for action on matters of concern for indigenous people.
Abstract
In this paper we present the co-design and implementation of an extended reality escape room with 26 primary school students. The aim of our study was to explore the co-design process with students and to co-create a playable escape room, providing an asymmetric immersive experience in which players collaborate. We realised the complexity of designing such an escape room with primary students. We share our experiences and learnings in regard to required capacities and skills of co-designers, and adjustment of complexity and timing to players. We also maintain that the integration of extended reality technologies into escape rooms requires further research to realise asymmetric co-located collaboration.
The Integration of Refugees in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Case Studies from Practice
(2024)
Abstract
With the increasing number of refugees seeking protection and a new home in Germany, our society faces the task of optimally integrating those refugees. This includes integration into the labor market. This chapter deals with the integration of refugees into small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We explore why SMEs choose to integrate refugees into their business, what opportunities they see in it, what challenges integration brings, and what management considers as success factors of a successful integration. The results show that a successful integration is based on a combination of the individual commitment of the refugees, the acceptance and support of the management and workforce in the company as well as clear, reliable institutional framework conditions.
Mit der hier vorliegenden Toolbox stellen wir die Ergebnisse des dreijährigen, durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderten, Forschungsprojektes „Westfälische Erfinderinnen“ vor. Das Hauptziel des Projektes umfasste dabei, in den Regionen Ruhrgebiet und Münsterland Innovatorinnen zu identifizieren und die regionalen Mechanismen der (Un-)Sichtbarkeit von Innovatorinnen zu untersuchen und zu verstehen. Aufbauend auf den gewonnenen Erkenntnissen wurden ausgewählte Innovatorinnen zielgerichtet mit unterschiedlichen Kommunikationswerkzeugen ins Licht der regionalen Öffentlichkeit gerückt, um so das gesellschaftliche Bewusstsein für die Vielfalt von Innovationsprozessen und die Rolle von Innovatorinnen zu stärken. Die hier vorliegende Toolbox soll Hochschulen und andere zentrale Akteur:innen in weiteren Regionen ermutigen und anleiten, ihre Innovatorinnen zu finden, zu unterstützen und weithin
sichtbar zu machen.
Journalism and Advertising: On the Separation of Editorial Content and Commercial Communication
(2024)
Abstract
The principle of separation between editorial content and commercial communication protects both the democratic and the commercial function of mass media. This article compiles all available statutory and professional regulations in Germany as an example of the various aspects of the principle of separation, such as the labeling obligation, the prohibition of paid content and tying transactions, as well as the handling of numerous forms of presentation of editorial advertising. Subsequently, the state of research is reported for the individual aspects of the principle of separation, in particular with regard to description and effect. Finally, proposed solutions for current application and desiderata are compiled.
Media Brand Management
(2024)
Abstract
The management of media brands faces challenges. In order to be able to point out possible solutions, this article first explains the concept and the nature of “media brands.” Subsequently, various theoretical approaches to the explanation of media brands and their management are presented. Regardless of theoretical preferences, it is important to keep in mind the brand-strategic complexity of media management that is subsequently described. Due to their specificity,
special attention is paid to the basic strategic positioning options and to the communication management of media brands. In this way, the special features of media brand management become clear in comparison with other products and services.
ABSTRACT
Advancements in sequencing technologies have revolutionized environmental research, leading to a superior understanding of ecosystem functions. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing techniques evolved from short-read Illumina sequencing to long-read Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing. While Illumina still dominates the sequencing market and offers high accuracy with low error rates, it is limited by shorter read lengths. ONT provides much longer reads, allowing for greater taxonomic resolution but at the cost of higher error rates. Since existing comparative amplicon analyses deal almost exclusively with prokaryotes, it is uncertain if ONT can serve as a reliable alternative to Illumina regarding protistic metabarcoding approaches. Therefore, this study focuses on comparing error rates, taxonomic classification accuracy, and the community composition of sequences obtained from Illumina and ONT sequencing of the 18S V9 rRNA gene region as well as the full-length 18S rRNA gene from sediment samples. In addition, the applicability of the recently updated Natrix2 amplicon processing pipeline for both sequencing approaches was evaluated. While higher error rates were observed for ONT reads, especially for short reads, the full-length ONT 18S sequences achieved greater taxonomic classification accuracy down to the species level. Illumina V9 sequencing, by contrast, provided reliable classification only down to the phylum level. An analysis of community compositions revealed significant taxonomic differences between the sequencing approaches, with ONT identifying more subtle responses of species to external influences. Nevertheless, the basic community patterns were detectable with all sequencing approaches. To conclude, this study showed for the first time that particularly full-length 18S ONT sequencing can serve as a reliable alternative to Illumina V9 sequencing for protist analysis and may even outperform Illumina depending on the specific research objectives.
Abstract
To enhance the operational life of hydraulic machinery, protective coatings against wear, particularly cavitation erosion, and corrosion might be applied on the surfaces of components. The experiments conducted in this study aimed to assess the suitability of 80/20 NiCrBSi/WC-Co composite coatings for this purpose. A coating of NiCrBSi self-fluxing alloy, which served as the reference material, was deposited alongside a NiCrBSi coating reinforced with 20% WC-Co, both applied by flame spraying onto X3CrNiMo13-4 substrates, the martensitic stainless steel type frequently utilized in turbine blade manufacturing. The improved density of the coatings and adhesion to the substrate was achieved by remelting with an oxyacetylene flame. The cavitation and corrosion performance of both the reference and composite coating were evaluated through cavitation tests and electrochemical measurements conducted in the laboratory. The results demonstrate that the addition of 20% WC-Co significantly enhances the cavitation resistance of the composite material, as evidenced by the reduction to 3.76 times of the cumulative erosion (CE), while the stabilization rate remained at half the value observed for the reference self-fluxing alloy coating. Conversely, the addition of WC-Co into the NiCrBSi coating resulted in a slight decrease in the corrosion resistance of the self-fluxing alloy. Nevertheless, the corrosion rate of the composite coating (124.80 µm/year) did not significantly exceed the upper limit for excellent corrosion resistance (100 µm/year).
Reproducible Superinsulation Materials: Organosilica-Based Hybrid Aerogels with Flexibility Control
(2024)
Abstract
In this study, we report highly crosslinked hybrid aerogels with an organic backbone based on vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VMDMS) with tuneable properties. For an improved and highly reproducible synthesis, a prepolymer based on 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4V4) and VMDMS as monomers was prepared and purified. Di-tert-butylperoxide (DTBP) concentrations of 1 mol% initiate the radical polymerization of the mentioned monomers to achieve high yields of polymers. After purification, the obtained viscous polyorganosilane precursor could be reproducibly crosslinked with dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS) or methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) to form gels in benzylic alcohol (BzOH), water (H2O) and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH). Whereas freeze-drying these silica-based hybrid aerogels led to high thermal conductivity (>20 mW m−1K−1) and very fragile materials, useful aerogels were obtained via solvent exchange and supercritical drying with CO2. The DMDMS-based aerogels exhibit enhanced compressibility (31% at 7 kPa) and low thermal conductivity (16.5 mW m−1K−1) with densities around (0.111 g cm−3). The use of MTMS results in aerogels with lower compressibility (21% at 7 kPa) and higher density (0.124 g cm−3) but excellent insulating properties (14.8 mW m−1K−1).
Dieses Open Access essential enthält eine Sammlung praxisnaher Fallstudien, die auf realen Beispielen von Innovatorinnen basieren und einen Einblick in die vielfältigen Rollen von Frauen in Innovationsprozessen geben. Ein besonderes Augenmerk liegt auf der Vermittlung eines breiten Innovationsbegriffs. Zugleich wird herausgearbeitet, wie bedeutend es ist, Innovatorinnen und ihre Leistungen sichtbar zu machen.
Zusammenfassung
Im vorliegenden Beitrag geht es um die Frage, wie personaldiagnostisch gestütztes (Business-)Coaching zur Entwicklung von Führungskompetenzen und Unterstützung wirksamer Führung eingesetzt werden kann. Nach einer kurzen Einführung in aktuelle Herausforderungen und zukünftige Anforderungen an wirksame Führung werden zunächst Grundlagen der Potenzialentwicklung von Führungskräften durch Coaching diskutiert. Neben der Definition und Abgrenzung von Coaching werden hierzu Coachinganlässe und daraus resultierende Anforderungen an die Coaches betrachtet, Wirkmechanismen im Coaching aufgezeigt und grundlegende Einsatzfelder und -möglichkeiten personaldiagnostischer Instrumente im Coaching erläutert. Als Anwendungsbeispiel aus der Praxis wird anschließend der RAUEN Analyzer® als personaldiagnostisches Instrument im Führungskräftecoaching vorgestellt. Neben der wissenschaftlichen Fundierung des Instruments werden exemplarische Ansatzpunkte, die das Instrument zur Unterstützung wirksamer Führung liefert, an zwei Fallbeispielen dargestellt und diskutiert und so Möglichkeiten, aber auch Grenzen eines personaldiagnostisch gestützten Coachings im Führungskontext aufgezeigt.
What’s driving them? A qualitative approach to explore women entrepreneurs’ motivations in STEM
(2024)
Abstract
Purpose
Entrepreneurship and the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are considered important drivers of innovation. At the same time, the representation of women entrepreneurs in STEM remains low. Despite this disparity, a number of women still choose to start ventures and persist in pursuing their innovations in STEM. This study aims to examine the motivational factors that drive women entrepreneurs to approach and consistently pursue their innovations and ventures in STEM.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the concept of the heterogeneity of motivational factors (Graham and Bonner, 2022) and Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986, 2001; Wood and Bandura, 1989), 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted with women entrepreneurs in STEM. This approach allowed for an in-depth exploration of the heterogeneous motivational factors influencing women entrepreneurs in STEM.
Findings
The motivations of women entrepreneurs in STEM are multifaceted, interrelated and dynamic. They encompass personal and cognitive, behavioral and environmental factors and partly change over time. This study reveals two levels of heterogeneity: the heterogeneity of women entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial motivations, and the within-context heterogeneity of women entrepreneurs in STEM themselves.
Originality/value
This study addresses the need for a deeper understanding of women entrepreneurs in STEM. By focusing on nuanced aspects of entrepreneurial motivations that are often overlooked in the existing literature, this research provides valuable insights and discusses implications for theory, policy and education.
Abstract
Sometimes, policing requires a quick and correct assessment of potentially hazardous situations. The training of tactical gaze control and visual attention, and its positive impact on efficient shoot/don’t shoot decisions in police cadets’ use of firearms has recently been demonstrated. On this basis, we designed an individual videobased police firearms training that was grounded on the Four-Component Instructional Design Model (4C/ID). We shifted toward an individual blended learning approach where we applied an intervention training focused on situational awareness, tactical gaze control, and visual attention. In a preregistered lab experiment, N = 45 senior police officers were randomly allocated to the intervention training or an active control training that resembled a traditional police firearms training. Both groups watched a self-produced educational video before proceeding to the practical training in our indoor firing range. In a pre- and post-test, they engaged in realistic shoot/don’t shoot video scenarios. Both groups did very well regarding decision-making, the optimal muzzle position, and the tactical conduct to keep both eyes open before shooting. Although both groups performed on a comparable level in the pre-test’s shoot scenarios, the intervention group significantly improved their response times and time until the first hit. Overall, we were able to provide an adapted, didactically based police firearms training that supplements current standards. We demonstrated that experts are still susceptible to innovative training concepts and therefore substantiate the recommendation to devote more attention to approaches that emphasize the importance of situational awareness, tactical gaze control, and visual attention in police firearms training.
Abstract
This paper presents an integrated approach combining in-person teaching with digital assessments in a mechanical engineering course, leveraging a blended learning environment to enhance both physical and remote instructions. The primary focus is on addressing challenges associated with digital exams, such as hardware and software limitations, connectivity issues, and the risk of cheating. To mitigate these barriers for digital exams, the paper proposes creating unique exam tasks based on student IDs and employing semi-automatic grading of computer drawings using Python scripts, which streamline the assessment process while ensuring accuracy and fairness.
Traditional assessment methods typically involve written exams, computer-based tests, practical labs, oral exams, and project-based assessments. These methods require students to attend exams in person, with activities strictly monitored to prevent cheating. However, this approach highlights the need to transition from traditional methods to digital assessments, focusing on knowledge application rather than simply recalling the information. In order to show the possibility of such a transition, a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) course is employed as a case study, where theoretical knowledge is assessed through digital quizzes and practical skills via design challenges and final exams. By creating unique tasks based on student IDs, the course ensures exam integrity and fairness and still allows students to work on the assigned problem on their own computer device and on their own time schedule. Additionally, a semi-automatic system compares the volumetric properties of student-generated 3D models with reference solutions using Python scripts. This approach significantly reduces manual grading workload while maintaining high assessment standards.
The course structure aligns learning activities with desired outcomes through the Constructive Alignment of Biggs et. al. Weekly quizzes handled via Moodle automatically grade the theoretical knowledge of the students, while biweekly tutorials and practical sessions support the transition from theory to practical application. Design challenges, graded and contributing to the final exam score, motivate students and provide continuous feedback and assessment. This dynamic learning environment not only engages students but also enhances the retention of theoretical knowledge and its practical application through digital tools.
In conclusion, this paper showcases the successful integration of digital assessment methodologies in mechanical engineering education. By addressing and overcoming challenges early, and aligning learning activities with outcomes, the blended learning approach enhances the educational experience. The strategic use of unique exam tasks and semi-automatic grading systems not only ensures fair and accurate assessments but also prepares students for the demands of the digital age in their professional careers.
Stereo Camera Setup for 360° Digital Image Correlation to Reveal Smart Structures of Hakea Fruits
(2024)
Abstract
About forty years after its first application, digital image correlation (DIC) has become an established method for measuring surface displacements and deformations of objects under stress. To date, DIC has been used in a variety of in vitro and in vivo studies to biomechanically characterise biological samples in order to reveal biomimetic principles. However, when surfaces of samples strongly deform or twist, they cannot be thoroughly traced. To overcome this challenge, different DIC setups have been developed to provide additional sensor perspectives and, thus, capture larger parts of an object’s surface. Herein, we discuss current solutions for this multi-perspective DIC, and we present our own approach to a 360° DIC system based on a single stereo-camera setup. Using this setup, we are able to characterise the desiccation-driven opening mechanism of two woody Hakea fruits over their entire surfaces. Both the breaking mechanism and the actuation of the two valves in predominantly dead plant material are models for smart materials. Based on these results, an evaluation of the setup for 360° DIC regarding its use in deducing biomimetic principles is given. Furthermore, we propose a way to improve and apply the method for future measurements.
Abstract
In this paper, we shed light on shared hosting services’ security and trust implications and measure their attack surfaces. To do so, we analyzed 30 shared hosters and found that all of them might leak relevant information, which could be abused unnoticed. An adversary could use this attack surface to covertly extract data from various third parties registered with a shared hoster. Furthermore, we found that most hosters suffer from vulnerabilities that can be used by an internal attacker (i.e., someone using the service) to compromise other hosted services or the entire system.
Abstract
For years, researchers have been analyzing mobile Android apps to investigate diverse properties such as software engineering practices, business models, security, privacy, or usability, as well as differences between marketplaces. While similar studies on iOS have been limited, recent work has started to analyze and compare Android apps with those for iOS. To obtain the most representative analysis results across platforms, the ideal approach is to compare their characteristics and behavior for the same set of apps, e. g., to study a set of apps for iOS and their respective counterparts for Android. Previous work has only attempted to identify and evaluate such cross-platform apps to a limited degree, mostly comparing sets of apps independently drawn from app stores, manually matching small sets of apps, or relying on brittle matches based on app and developer names. This results in (1) comparing apps whose behavior and properties significantly differ, (2) limited scalability, and (3) the risk of matching only a small fraction of apps.
In this work, we propose a novel approach to create an extensive dataset of cross-platform apps for the iOS and Android ecosystems. We describe an analysis pipeline for discovering, retrieving, and matching apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store that we used to create a set of 3,322 cross-platform apps out of 10,000 popular apps for iOS and Android, respectively. We evaluate existing and new approaches for cross-platform app matching against a set of reference pairs that we obtained from Google's data migration service. We identify a combination of seven features from app store metadata and the apps themselves to match iOS and Android apps with high confidence (95.82 %). Compared to previous attempts that identified 14 % of apps as cross-platform, we are able to match 34 % of apps in our dataset. To foster future research in the cross-platform analysis of mobile apps, we make our pipeline available to the community.
Abstract
This paper challenges the conventional assumption in cybersecurity that users act as rational actors. Despite numerous technical solutions, awareness campaigns, and organizational strategies aimed at bolstering cybersecurity, these often overlook the prevalence of non-rational user behavior. Our study, involving a survey of 208 participants, empirically demonstrates this aspect. We found that a significant portion of users (55.3%) would accept a substantial risk (35%) to click on a potentially malicious link or attachment. This propensity increases to 61% when users are led to believe there is a 65% chance of facing no adverse consequences. To address this irrationality, we explored the efficacy of nudging mechanisms within email systems. Our qualitative user study revealed that incorporating a simple colored nudge in the email intably enhance the ability of users to discern malicious emails, improving decision-making accuracy by an average of 10%.
Abstract
Blood vessel formation relies on biochemical and mechanical signals, particularly during sprouting angiogenesis when endothelial tip cells (TCs) guide sprouting through filopodia formation. The contribution of BMP receptors in defining tip-cell characteristics is poorly understood. Our study combines genetic, biochemical, and molecular methods together with 3D traction force microscopy, which reveals an essential role of BMPR2 for actin-driven filopodia formation and mechanical properties of endothelial cells (ECs). Targeting of Bmpr2 reduced sprouting angiogenesis in zebrafish and BMPR2-deficient human ECs formed fewer filopodia, affecting cell migration and actomyosin localization. Spheroid assays revealed a reduced sprouting of BMPR2-deficient ECs in fibrin gels. Even more strikingly, in mosaic spheroids, BMPR2-deficient ECs failed to acquire tip-cell positions. Yet, 3D traction force microscopy revealed that these distinct cell behaviors of BMPR2-deficient tip cells cannot be explained by differences in force-induced matrix deformations, even though these cells adopted distinct cone-shaped morphologies. Notably, BMPR2 positively regulates local CDC42 activity at the plasma membrane to promote filopodia formation. Our findings reveal that BMPR2 functions as a nexus integrating biochemical and biomechanical processes crucial for TCs during angiogenesis.
Abstract
The study introduces flexible and scalable manufacturing approach for electrodes utilizing boron-doped silicon as conductive support for iridium nanoparticles, addressing the challenges of cost and scarcity associated with noble catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Colloidal Ir nanoparticles are synthesized via pulsed-laser ablation (≈4–7 nm) and decorated on B-doped Si (≈100 nm) through electrostatic adsorption. Titanium substrates are ultrasonically sprayed with Si:B – Ir and Ir nanoparticles with very low iridium loading of 12 wt.%. Crystalline Ir phases (Ir(111), Ir(200)) are observed and known to enhance the OER mechanism. Additionally, atom probe tomography confirms that the Si support particles contained 0.03-0.5 at.% of boron throughout the entire particle, while electrical permittivity and through-plane measurements reveal a positive impact of B-doped Si on the electrical conductivity of the nanocatalysts and of the ultralow-loaded catalyst coated Ti substrates (0.12 mgIr cm−2), respectively. Rotating disk electrode results show pronounced oxidation peaks for decorated Ir nanoparticles. The Si:B-Ir 4 nm catalyst exhibits the highest turnover frequency (2.62 s−1) and a competitive electrochemical surface area (25 m2 gIr−1) compared to Si:B-Ir 7 nm (0.96 s−1; 37.5 m2 gIr−1) and Ir black (0.24 s−1; 5 m2 gIr−1). The overall analysis of the parameters highlights a performant catalytic efficiency, through balancing activity and reaction kinetics effectively.