The purpose of this study was to investigate of how assistive cutlery design effects perception of the user. Studies regarding the usage and development of assistive cutlery have primarily focused on the ergonomics, whereas research into the aesthetics of assistive cutlery has been minimal. A method based on Canter's "Room Inference Protocol" from the field of environmental psychology was used to evaluate the aesthetics of the assistive cutlery. A series of images were digitally composited and a survey was deployed online, with an outcome of 562 usable responses. The results demonstrated that the female model with assistive cutlery was perceived to be less attractive, less stylish and less sporty in comparison with the male model that was utilising identical pieces of assistive cutlery. The research contributes to the existing literature in the field, complimenting the study by Torrens and Smith and validating the need for greater aesthetic consideration in addition to an ergonomically acceptable response for assistive cutlery. This in turn highlights the importance of industrial design for the context and adaptations of use, rather than just a design response given to the physical manifestation of a product. Implications for Rehabilitation Reduced grip can be not only physically debilitating but also socially isolating through stigmatisation. Current assistive cutlery may be ergonomically sound, but aesthetically lacking. Large, multinational study demonstrates significant gender effect relating to the perception of women using these devices.

In Industrial Design, new design visualisation tools are emerging offering significant benefits to the designers. However, studies show alongside some benefits, new tools can also inhibit designers' creativity or cause time inefficiency if used in the wrong context. Thus, understanding which tools to use and when during the design process is increasingly necessary to ensure the best use of resources in design practice. Existing research on understanding the performance of design tools and the resulting frameworks for comparing tools are either specific to certain tools or highly generalised making evaluation across different design tools challenging. As such, this paper reports the creation of a more comprehensive framework of design tool characteristics to facilitate a better understanding of design tools and their uses. Demonstration of application of the framework is also given in the form of a case study on the use of Digital Sketching and its comparable tools with four practising designers. In conclusion, we show how the Design Tool Characteristics (DTCs) framework is an effective way to understand design tools, with further implications for design tool development.

Research on perceptions of discrimination has focused on group-based differential treatment that is widely accepted as being illegitimate (e.g., based on race or gender). The present research investigates how individuals interpret less obvious forms of group-based exclusion based on age (Study 1) and vision correction status (Study 2). We propose that individuals will not question the legitimacy of such treatment, unless they are provided with explicit cues to do so. Participants who merely encountered exclusion (baseline control) did not differ from those who were directed to consider the legitimate reasons for this treatment, with respect to perceived legitimacy, felt anger, and collective action intentions. In contrast, individuals who were directed to consider the illegitimate reasons for the exclusion perceived it to be less legitimate, felt more anger, and reported higher collective action intentions. Participants' own status as potential victims or mere observers of the exclusion criterion did not influence their legitimacy perceptions or felt anger. Results suggest that when confronted with forms of group-based exclusion that are not commonly defined as discrimination, people do not perceive an injustice unless explicitly directed to seek it out.

Diagnosis of trisomy 18 was made following prenatal screening at 11 weeks' gestation for ultrasonographically detected nuchal translucency and subsequent chorionic villus sampling. An intact fetus was therapeutically aborted and pathological examination was undertaken. We conclude that, although the etiology of nuchal translucency remains unclear, it does not appear to be lymphatic or cardiac in origin.

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