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Two books and review/research articles in Italian have disseminated the findings from the underpinning research on creating false autobiographical memories and the dangers of inadequate interviewing techniques. This work has critically increased awareness in the Italian legal system amongst both barristers and judges, to the point of shaping the practice of interviewing witnesses in that country. It has also informed all verdicts on child sexual abuse by the Supreme Court of Cassation.
Mathematically-based image processing techniques developed at the University of Cambridge have helped bring about a revolution in the ability to extract quantitative measurements from laboratory experiments in fluids. Techniques and software tools developed from this research and incorporated into commercial software are now used in engineering, physics and mathematics research laboratories around the world on projects ranging from fundamental research to ones with strong industrial connections.
This case study focuses on the development and usage of self-help material designed to aid people in feeling and performing better. It has achieved impact through raising awareness via mass media and professional outlets. Research informed self-help materials are available for open access via media links, academic organisations, service organisations (NHS), commercial organisations (London Marathon), national governing bodies (Research Councils), and professional bodies (British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences). An on-line project, run in conjunction with BBC Lab UK, developed and tested self-help interventions with 75,000 users each receiving personalised feedback from former Olympian Michael Johnson.
Autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects around 700,000 people in the UK. Until recently knowledge of autism prevalence was mainly restricted to children, but in 2007 the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) included for the first time a measure of ASD. Professor Traolach (Terry) Brugha and his group developed an innovative methodology to measure the prevalence of autism in adults — previously not thought possible — and found it to be just over 1% of the population studied. The evidence collated by the Social and Epidemiological Psychiatry group has led to a range of actions across central and local government as well as the charitable sector, and since 2010, has transformed diagnostic and support services. It has also improved professional training, changed attitudes across society and reduced the isolation and exclusion that adults with autism often face.
Brunel's research identified the ways in which electrically powered indoor/outdoor chair (EPIOC) use improves the quality of life (QoL) of people with disabilities; key findings have been used to inform public policy, enhance professional standards and international evidenced based guidelines for professional practice and improve the health and social welfare through the empowerment of disabled person's organisations. The impacts are based on the newly gained recognition, based on the research findings, that young people need an EPIOC to provide opportunities for social inclusion, positive risk taking behaviours, successful transition into the work environment and to enable general healthy development and capacity for independent living. Older people need EPIOCs to reduce the physical and emotional stress on elderly carers. The impacts have ensured more effective policies are developed, professional practice is enhanced and more appropriate assessment and prescription services are provided for these service users.
Listing an endangered DPS under US law (governed by the Endangered Species Act, ESA, of 1973) requires the use of genetic markers to assess the extent of reproductive isolation, direction and pattern of gene flow, and effective size of the DPS under assessment. Professor Hoelzel's group provided these essential data from work in multiple peer-review publications, and in a commissioned report in 2004 in support of a successful petition by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to protect the killer whale population residing in the inland waters of Washington State, USA, after it was shown to have declined by 20% in 10 years (Krahn et al. 2004; see volume 79, No.222 of the Federal Register for DPS listing). This formed the foundation for on-going impact on policy and regulation between 2008 and the present, including support in response to petitions filed in 2012 and 2013 (see testimonial from the Branch Chief, NOAA Fisheries). Killer whale sustainability in this region reflects general ecosystem health and supports an economically important whale-watch industry.
Our research has had substantial impact on the mental health and welfare of children with suspected autistic disorders, on their education, on the well-being of their families, and on the activities of healthcare professionals and their services for children in both paediatric and psychiatric practice. We developed a new diagnostic test for autistic spectrum disorders, which allows for better, more reliable diagnosis of these conditions. The test has been included in healthcare guidelines and professional standards in the UK and many other countries around the world, including influencing the revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5).
Internationally, immersion is a leading cause of accidental death and the leading cause of death of sportspeople (221 of the 635 UK immersion deaths in 2012 were sports-related). The Extreme Environmental Medicine & Science Research Group (EEMSRG) publishes widely, from scientific papers to specific reports for a wide range of international end-users, including various emergency services. Our research has had global impact on (i) The protection, rescue and treatment of immersion casualties, (ii) International standards, guidelines, policies, campaigns and training manuals of those responsible for the protection, rescue and resuscitation of casualties, (iii) Raised public awareness of immersion issues.
Professor Hani Hagras' research into type-2 Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLCs) underpins novel control systems which avoid the drawbacks and shortcomings of the type-1 FLCs used in numerous real world applications. Type-2 FLCs, developed at Essex, enable challenging applications to be realised and managed with better accuracy and robustness. Such applications include:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition, but has almost never been examined in adults over the age of forty years. Following an earlier bid for funding to examine this issue, Prof. Stuart-Hamilton was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Govt (WAG) via the charity Autism Cymru to conduct a quantitative survey of problems faced by older adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A companion qualitative survey, involving interviews with a small sample, was conducted by colleagues at Bangor University. A formal report (consisting of Prof Stuart-Hamilton's and Bangor's findings) and a refereed paper (solely of Stuart-Hamilton's findings) have been published, predating other studies in this field that have since begun to appear in the UK and internationally. The report was formally adopted by WAG, leading to a national awareness-raising publication campaign and presentation of the report as part of WAG's ongoing strategy. Integration of the report's recommendations into government policy is anticipated when the ASD policy is revised in early 2014.