Percorrer por autor "Loyens, Dirk"
A mostrar 1 - 3 de 3
Resultados por página
Opções de ordenação
- Impact of telehealth on health outcomes and quality of life in the older adults population: a systematic reviewPublication . Fernandes, Gonçalo; Figueiredo, Teodora; Costa, Elísio; Coelho, Luís; Loyens, DirkBackground: The rapid aging of populations poses major challenges to health and social care systems. Supporting older adults in managing chronic conditions while promoting independence and quality of life requires innovative approaches that extend beyond senior institutional care. Telehealth has emerged as a promising approach to enhance access, continuity, and patient engagement. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness and best practices remains fragmented. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on telehealth interventions for adults aged 65 years and older, focusing on their effects on health outcomes, quality of life, and well-being. Methods: A search across three databases in the last five years identified 37 eligible studies, and data analysis was guided by a comprehensive taxonomy. Interventions were diverse, spanning disease management, rehabilitation, health promotion, clinical decision support, and psychological support. Results: Reported benefits included improved physical function, better chronic disease control, greater health knowledge, and reductions in avoidable hospitalizations. Video-based programs showed greater effectiveness, while telephone-only interventions were most useful when combined with remote monitoring. Adherence was strengthened by professional guidance, caregiver support, and real-time feedback. Discussion: Despite encouraging findings, evidence remains inconsistent regarding quality-of-life outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and scalability across populations, with many studies limited by small samples, short duration, and methodological heterogeneity. Telehealth holds the potential to complement traditional care for older adults across multiple clinical domains, and future research must adopt consistent and comprehensive reporting practices to strengthen decision-making and ensure that this pathway evolves with patients’ needs.
- Insights on designing a novel 99% biodegradable FFP2 BioMask through interdisciplinary applied researchPublication . Chakraborty, Shujoy; Loyens, Dirk; Aston, Jeremy; Jain, Harshit; Ornelas, Marta; Gouveia, Rosa deObjective: This research developed an environmentally sustainable alternative, called BioMask, to non-biodegradable polypropylene FFP2 masks, addressing the dual challenge of medical waste reduction and public health protection through interdisciplinary collaboration. Approach: The study employed Research through Design (RtD) methodology integrating expertise from design, nanomaterial science, fibre engineering, and medicine within a 15-month applied research project. RtD facilitated concurrent product-process development by using iterative prototyping as a common language across disciplines, enabling real-time problem-solving rather than traditional sequential development. The interdisciplinary consortium developed a novel sandwich material consisting of an electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibre filtration layer combined with viscose and banana fabric substrates, utilising design thinking to bridge technical knowhow across the disciplines mentioned. Results: The BioMask achieved key performance metrics that surpass conventional alternatives: 1. Filtration efficiency: 98.3% for 0.3-micron particles (vs. 65-94% for standard FFP2 masks) 2. Biodegradability: 100% decomposition in 83 days (vs. 0% for polypropylene masks) 3. Material composition: 99% biodegrahen possibledable components 4. Technology readiness: Achieved Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL) validated with a provisional Portuguese patent protection. Interdisciplinarity: The collaborative approach revealed disciplinary synergies: nanomaterial scientists provided the core filtration technology, designers identified user-centred concerns and optimised morphology, fibre engineers ensured manufacturing feasibility, and medical professionals validated clinical applicability. Insights: This interdisciplinary process model provides transferable insights and a replicable structure for addressing complex sustainability challenges in medical product development. The approach demonstrates design thinking serving as a bridge between disciplines, translating laboratory innovations into commercially viable, environmentally responsible solutions. Broader impact: The output demonstrated a proof-of-concept utilizing nano material manufacturing with electrospinning and machine stitching the BioMask sandwich material achieving 25 functional prototypes, integrating banana fabric, cellulose acetate, and viscose. Future commercialization depends on scaling up manufacturing and achieving EN149 / FFP2 certification.
- Product ideation in the age of artificial intelligence: insights on design process through shape coding social robotsPublication . Chakraborty, Shujoy; Loyens, Dirk; Aston, JeremyThis research explores the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on ideation and concept design of social robots capable of undertaking sustained long-duration human–robot interaction. The work reported here was developed between 2021 and 2024 through classroom teaching executed in four editions of 3-day project workshops involving 36 product design master students producing 27 concept design proposals in a European Higher Education Institute (HEI). The first two workshop editions used only classical methods utilising semantic moodboarding, sketching, virtual 3D modelling, and rendering. The last two editions employed mixed methods blending classical methods with computational methods using text-to-image and sketch-to-image GenAI tools, like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Vizcom. The findings suggest that using mixed methods, which co-creates by combining organic and synthetic creativity, enhances the concepts’ numeric quantity, although the concepts’ creative quality remains questionable. The advantage of the computationally enhanced mixed methods over the traditional classical methods is the greater potential to overcome creative blockages in novice designers with weak ideation skills. Increasing the volume of concept exploration increases the serendipitous probability of arriving at successful outcomes. This research is a case study of GenAI implementation in classroom teaching, highlighting its benefits and limitations for design courses in HEIs.