Multisensory modelling of wetness perception during baby hygiene absorbent products interactions

该项目将调查和模拟婴儿卫生吸收产品相互作用过程中的湿度感知，使用一种新颖的多感官神经科学方法，该方法基于Davide Filingeri博士最近发现的人类皮肤湿度感知的神经机制。湿度的感觉是卫生吸收产品的舒适性和可接受性的最关键决定因素，其中包括婴儿尿布;但我们对感官线索知之甚少在婴儿吸收性产品相互作用期间，湿度（即，视觉、热、触觉、气味、声音）对湿度感知有贡献。婴儿尿布是独特的吸收性产品，因为它们的舒适性和可接受性主要由婴儿的护理者而不是由穿戴者（即婴儿）来评估。这对理解产品的哪些方面以及护理人员和婴儿之间的互动可以改进，以减少潮湿感并最大限度地提高护理人员和穿着者在尿布更换过程中的舒适度提出了重大挑战。使用独特的人类感觉神经科学组合应用于产品工程，拟议的研究旨在：1.量化不同感官线索（即视觉、热、触觉、气味、声音）对标准化护理者/婴儿换尿布场景期间的湿度感知的个体和交互贡献;2.识别感官线索之间的任何加性、协同或拮抗相互作用;3.开发第一个经验模型的生物物理和感知因素有助于在婴儿吸收产品的相互作用过程中的湿度感知;产生的知识将提供新的见解的神经机制的多感官整合在人类，并将支持创新以用户为中心的设计和工程更舒适和有效的卫生吸收产品的婴儿和成人。

This project will investigate and model wetness perception during baby hygiene absorbent products interactions, using a novel multisensory neuroscience approach that is based on Dr Davide Filingeri' s recent discovery of the neural mechanisms underlying human skin wetness perception. The perception of wetness is the most critical determinant of comfort and acceptability of hygiene absorbent products, amongst which baby nappies; yet we know very little on what sensory cues (i.e. visual, thermal, tactile, smell, sound) contribute to wetness perception during baby absorbent products interactions.Baby nappies are unique absorbent products, as their comfort and acceptability is primarily assessed by the baby's caregiver rather than by the wearer (i.e. the baby). This poses a major challenge to understanding what aspects of the product and of the interaction between carer and baby can be improved, to reduce wetness perceptions and maximize carer and wearer's comfort during nappy changes.Using a unique mix of human sensory neuroscience applied to product engineering, the proposed research aims to:1. Quantify the individual and interactive contribution of different sensory cues (i.e. visual, thermal, tactile, smell, sound) to the perception of wetness during a standardised caregiver/baby nappy-changing scenario;2. Identify any additive, synergistic or antagonistic interaction between sensory cues;3. Develop the first empirical model of the biophysical and perceptual factors contributing to wetness perception during baby absorbent products interactions;The knowledge produced will provide novel insights on the neural mechanisms of multisensory integration in humans and will support innovation in user-centered-design and engineering of more comfortable and effective hygiene absorbent products for both babies and adults.