Offentlig upphandling av immersiv teknik

Immersiv teknik har många lovande användningsområden. Inom utbildning kan en användare kliva in i en tredimensionell värld som tillhandahåller interaktiva övningsmoment. De pedagogiska momenten kan efterlikna verkligheten på ett trovärdigt sätt samt tillgängliggöra mer utbildning oberoende av tid och plats. Det är också möjligt att öva på momenten om och om igen med mindre resursanvändning. En förutsättning för att åstadkomma detta är att det finns leverantörer som kan skapa innehållet till denna 3D värld och leverera tekniken till användarna på ett tillräckligt smidigt och ekonomiskt hållbart.

Vi har i detta projekt utforskat hur immersiv teknik kan användas i akademiska grundutbildning som leder till veterinärexamen, samt för fortbildning och vidareutbildning av personer som arbetar med offentlig kontroll i samband med slakt och vilthantering. För att nå dit behöver tekniken upphandlas. Förenklat är upphandling ett hjul med tre delar. Den första delen handlar om att förbereda upphandlingen. Den andra delen handlar om att genomföra upphandlingen och den tredje delen handlar om att utvärdera upphandlingen för att sedan börja om på nytt. Vårt projekt är en förstudie där fokus huvudsakligen ligger på den första delen i upphandlingshjulet där teknik, organisation och policy står i centrum. Följande forskningsfrågor har identifierats.

 Teknik: Hur långt framme är tekniken, vilka leverantörer finns, vad kostar tekniken och hur kan den användas i utbildningssyfte för detta ändamål (hårdvara och mjukvara)? Hur kan tekniken möta organisationens behov utifrån funktionskrav alternativt tekniska krav? Hur säkerställa att tekniken är effektiv och trygg att använda på lika villkor för kvinnor och män? Hur kan kravställan ske utan att denna blir föråldrad pga. snabb teknikutveckling? IT-säkerhet behöver också utredas då data är Klass 2.

Organisation: Vilka behov har myndigheterna som kan mötas med immersiv teknik t.ex. utifrån resiliens? Vilka delar av myndighetens organisation behöver aktiveras? Hur påverkas kraven för att få examen och kursplaner vid övergång till immersiv teknik dvs slopa eller ändra krav på fysisk närvaro på en viss plats? Hur säkerställa bibehållen kvalitet i utbildningen vid övergång till immersiv teknik? Finns det andra alternativ för att möta myndigheternas behov?

Policy/regelverk: Vilka regler gäller för immersiv teknik? Går det att gå över till digital undervisning i stället för fysisk dito? Vilket upphandlingsförfarande är lämpligt? Hur kan innehållet i upphandlingsunderlaget se ut utifrån villkor, kriterier och krav? Immersiv teknik innebär att frågor om personlig integritet/etik samt hur datadelning ska gå till behöver utredas. Hur hantera risker t.ex. utifrån cybersäkerhet och krav på god arbetsmiljö? Hur kan olika moment eventuellt spelas in och sparas i olika system för examination?

Scientifically grounded and reliable methods are essential when important decisions are made based on data and measurements. Surveys are increasingly used for data collection, but the questions and response scales are often not designed according to research on survey methodology and questionnaire design. In addition, survey-based measurements rarely undergo rigorous scientific quality assurance.

Using scientifically validated methods, we help design and refine surveys to ensure that every component contributes effectively to the overall purpose of the measurement.

Quality-Assured Survey Development

Perhaps the most important quality criterion for surveys and response scales is their ability to measure what they are intended to measure, that is, the validity of the survey. At the same time, the respondent experience must be taken into account. In an era of declining response rates and increasing survey fatigue, methods are needed that encourage high participation and elicit honest and reliable responses, ensuring that the results accurately reflect reality.

A thorough understanding of the survey response process, and ensuring that questions are interpreted consistently by all respondents, is essential. RISE has extensive expertise in questionnaire design, response scales, survey methodology, and cognitive testing methods. We can also support data collection methods, fieldwork, and non-response adjustment (see Statistical Analyses).

Quality-Assured Measures of Intangible Constructs

Sometimes what we want to measure is not directly observable, such as experiences, emotions, or attitudes. These constructs are often measured using survey questions with ordinal response categories, for example:

1. Strongly agree
2. Partly agree
3. Hardly agree
4. Do not agree at all

However, such responses are often analyzed as if they were numerical interval data, which can lead to biased estimates of the underlying construct (such as an attitude, ability, or experience).

Using Item Response Theory (IRT) and advanced measurement methods, we can transform ordinal data (category-based data) into interval-level data (data with equally spaced scale steps). RISE has extensive expertise in IRT, enabling us to ensure the validity, precision, and comparability of measurements.

Typical Project Process

1. Needs Assessment and Planning

Initial discussions to understand the purpose, objectives, and measurement needs. We can also provide expertise in impact evaluation and measurement.

2. Survey Design and Development

We identify and map the relevant theoretical frameworks underlying what is to be measured. We design and develop survey questions and response scales, or refine existing ones. For psychometrically based instruments, we place particular emphasis on ensuring validity and reliability. We often recommend pilot studies to test and evaluate survey items before implementation.

3. Analysis and Refinement

We analyze collected data to verify that the measures capture the intended constructs. We conduct quality assessments of the data and provide recommendations for improvement and adjustment.

4. Reporting

Delivery of finalized survey questions and response scales, together with a report containing implementation guidance and analytical recommendations.

Our Areas of Expertise at a Glance

Survey Development Support

Support in developing surveys that reliably measure the intended constructs.

Statistical Analyses

Quality-assured advanced data analysis using modern psychometric methods such as Item Response Theory (IRT) or Classical Test Theory (CTT).

Design of Statistical and Scientific Studies

Design and implementation of statistical and scientific investigations, including research design, sampling methodology, data collection, data analysis, and scientific reporting.

The healthcare sector is a major consumer of single-use plastic products, a high-quality stream that currently only goes to energy recovery. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 85% of the total waste stream from healthcare is ‘non-hazardous’ and therefore potentially suitable for recycling.

The project aimed to identify business models and product designs with the potential to promote separate collection and recycling of plastic and textiles from the healthcare sector.

Practical collection and recycling trials of polypropylene (PP) were carried out. The collection trial took place in selected departments at Lund University Hospital in Region Skåne. By conducting larger collection trials, the project was able to evaluate actual volumes of risk-free plastic as well as quality assessments of the collected and recycled material, and gather information on the actual costs of separate handling of plastic intended for recycling.

In addition to the collection trial, recycling trials of the collected plastic were conducted, including pre-washing. The recycled plastic was evaluated for which products it could be used for, and a container for sharp objects was manufactured. The evaluation of plastic quality from the recycling trial formed the basis for design proposals for improved recycling. This was done in close collaboration with medtech companies and the region.

Some key findings from the project are that the health care personnel is very good at source sorting (>98% correct) but that there is a lack of space in hospitals for source sorting. There is no actor for post-sorting of this type of product. Recyclers are skeptical about plastic from hospitals because of concerns about contamination and incorrect sorting of sharp objects. Plastic volumes from healthcare are relatively small to contribute alone to, for example, chemical recycling; they need to be collected with other streams to become large enough. Plastic from healthcare is interesting because it is regulated and therefore does not contain hazardous additives. The quality of the plastic from the collection showed good properties, as only polypropylene was collected, giving the recycled material had a quality comparable to virgin homo-polypropylene of lower grade. The textiles collected were recycled at lab scale, and more process optimization is needed to achieve good textile quality from the recycled material.