Multisensory modelling of wetness perception during baby hygiene absorbent products interactions

该项目将使用一种新的多感觉神经科学方法，研究和模拟婴儿卫生吸收产品相互作用过程中的湿度感知，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。感知湿度是舒适度和卫生吸收产品的可接受性的最关键决定因素，其中婴儿尿布；然而，在婴儿吸收性产品相互作用过程中，我们对感官线索（即视觉、热、触觉、嗅觉、声音）对湿度感知的影响知之甚少。婴儿纸尿裤是独特的吸收性产品，因为它们的舒适度和可接受性主要是由婴儿的照顾者而不是由穿戴者（即婴儿）来评估的。这对了解产品的哪些方面以及护理人员和婴儿之间的互动可以得到改善，以减少潮湿感并最大限度地提高护理人员和穿戴者在尿布更换过程中的舒适度提出了重大挑战。将人类感觉神经科学应用于产品工程的独特组合，提出的研究旨在：1。量化不同感官线索（即视觉、热、触觉、嗅觉、声音）在标准化护理人员/婴儿换尿布场景中对湿度感知的个体和互动贡献；2 .识别感官线索之间的任何相加性、增效性或拮抗性相互作用；开发第一个经验模型的生物物理和知觉因素，有助于湿润感知在婴儿吸收产品的相互作用；所产生的知识将为人类多感觉整合的神经机制提供新的见解，并将支持以用户为中心的设计和工程创新，为婴儿和成人提供更舒适和有效的卫生吸收产品。

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.