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Recent Submissions

Beyond living memory: Why past rainfall extremes misrepresent future risk
(University of Waikato, 2026) Harrington, Luke; McAleer, Annabel; McMaster, Rebecca
Relying on historical observations of rainfall means we underestimate the risk of future, unprecedented extreme rainfall events across New Zealand. Society tends to adapt only to the most extreme events experienced within living memory, which compounds this problem and leaves communities under-prepared. This research finds the range of plausible future rainfall events is far wider than the historical record suggests. Decision-makers must plan for extreme rainfall despite this uncertainty, with confidence that events will become more intense and frequent under climate change.
Dąmbska’s precisification of absolute truth through the concept of language
(Springer, 2026) Ulatowski, Joseph W.
Izydora Dąmbska has argued that since the concept of language is constructed within a language, the concept of truth cannot be exhausted by a choice between the different theories of truth, i.e., correspondence, coherence, or pragmatic. The aim of this paper is to show how Dąmbska’s distinction between the concept and property of truth gives rise to an absolute notion of truth. To achieve this aim, I begin in Section C with a brief history of the problem of truth in the Lvov-Warsaw School. In Section G, I turn to a discussion of the women philosophers in the Lvov-Warsaw School, specifically Kokoszyńska and Dąmbska, who offered novel analyses of the nature of truth. This section permits me to turn in Section J to Dąmbska’s concept of language and how that concept paves the way for a clear distinction between the concept and property of truth. Given that Dąmbska’s work does this, we see relatively immediately how an absolute notion of truth may arise from that distinction and how she carries on the tradition of defending truth against relativistic encroachment.
Beyond the technology: Wearables and the cultural compass
(IEEE, 2024) Owen, Mahonri; König, Jemma Lynette; Head, Mitchell; Hoskens, Merel Cornelie Janna; Sullivan, Katie; Miller, Jadon; Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory
For professionals involved in human interaction and technology usage, engaging with individuals constitutes an integral aspect of our responsibilities. When conducting any form of user study, it becomes crucial to thoroughly examine potential ethical or cultural biases that may exist within us, our data, or our methodologies. Although this consideration is not novel, the integration of wearable technology has introduced new dimensions to user studies that may not have been previously apparent. In this article, we identify cultural factors that need to be taken into account when operating in culturally significant spaces. This is achieved through a user study centred around wearable technology. Cultural considerations revolve around the awareness required for participants' cultural back-grounds and the treatment of their data within this cultural context. This article highlights the need to consider not only usability and commodification, but also the value in returning to foundational theories that underpin this research field. While many of us partake in the feast of innovation and progress, the time has come to strive for a more equitable instrumentation and measurement research landscape. We propose that in situations where cultural and racial differences influence participant expectations and technical outcomes, it is no longer acceptable or appropriate to continue in research without actively investigating the associated cultural factors.
How management control becomes achievement control: “Entrepreneurs of the self” in a social enterprise
(Emerald, 2026) Adhariani, Desi; Akroyd, Chris
This study aims to investigate how a management control system (MCS) package in a social enterprise is enacted in achievement-oriented ways that support employees’ identification as “entrepreneurs of the self.” Design/methodology/approach - An interpretive qualitative case study of Waste4Change (W4C), a waste management enterprise in Indonesia, was carried out drawing on semi-structured interviews and organizational documents, analyzed through Foucault’s biopolitics and Han’s “achievement society.” Findings - MCS in W4C operate in achievement-oriented ways through cultural controls that promote autonomy and self-discipline, supporting employees’ identification as “self-entrepreneurs.” These cultural controls support planning, cybernetic and reward mechanisms so individuals internalize organizational goals as personal aspirations. As a result, control extends beyond coordination and monitoring to align behavior with W4C’s dual aims of financial performance and social impact. Practical implications - The study shows how social enterprises can design achievement-oriented MCS by using cultural controls to connect mission, targets and feedback, while monitoring unintended consequences such as uneven cultural alignment across departments and excessive performance pressure. Originality/value - This paper introduces achievement control systems as a conceptual extension of MCS packages, offering a theoretically grounded explanation of how control operates through autonomy, cultural embedding and internalized achievement norms. It advances understanding of management control in social enterprises by linking accounting, biopolitics and entrepreneurial subjectivity.
Muscle myography for human-machine interfaces: A review of sensing modalities and control interfaces
(Frontiers, 2026) Zhuwawu, Sudhir Solomon; Owen, Mahonri; Bifet, Albert; Dwivedi, Anany
Muscle myography encompasses a family of techniques for sensing muscle activity through its electrical, mechanical, and optical manifestations, offering non-invasive and embodied pathways for human–machine interaction. Unlike traditional input devices that are hand-centric and device-bound, myography-based interfaces enable hands-free, inclusive control for prosthetics, exoskeletons, teleoperation, and immersive computing, while also opening opportunities in rehabilitation and health monitoring. This review surveys the state of muscle myography with an emphasis on its implications for human–machine interfaces (HMIs). We examine established and emerging modalities—including electromyography (EMG), mechanomyography (MMG), forcemyography (FMG), electrical impedance myography (EIM), optomyography (OMG), and the recently introduced lightmyography (LMG)—highlighting their respective strengths, weaknesses, and the trade-offs between signal quality, robustness, and wearability. We also identify recurring challenges such as limb position effects, motion artifacts, sensor reliability, and clinical acceptability, and discuss strategies such as hybrid sensing, sensor fusion, and machine learning aimed at mitigating these issues. For the HMI community, the significance of muscle myography lies not only in technical performance but also in its potential to redefine interaction design, shifting toward interfaces that operate less as external devices and more as natural extensions of the human body.