CORA
Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) is UCC’s Open Access institutional repository which enables UCC researchers to make their research outputs freely available and accessible.
UCC Research Communities
Recent Submissions
Counterfactual explanation through constraint relaxation
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2025-01-28) Gupta, Sharmi Dev; O'Sullivan, Barry; Quesada, Luis; Science Foundation Ireland
Interactive constraint systems often suffer from infeasibility (no solution) due to conflicting user constraints. A common approach to recover feasibility is to eliminate the constraints that cause the conflicts in the system. This approach allows the system to provide an explanation as: “if the user is willing to drop some of their constraints, there exists a solution”. However, this form of explanation might not be very informative. A counterfactual explanation is a type of explanation that can provide a basis for the user to recover feasibility by helping them understand what changes can be applied to their existing constraints rather than removing them. We propose an iterative method based on conflict detection and maximal relaxations in over-constrained constraint satisfaction problems to help compute a counterfactual explanation. We have evaluated our approach using well known instances that occur in industrial applications and demonstrated the relevance of multi-point relaxations.
Design of a physiologically based feedback loop using biosensors for interactive XR and spatial computing environments
(IEEE, 2024) Ó Riain, Eoghan; McVeigh, Joseph G.; Fullen, Brona M.; Martin, Denis; Murphy, David
This work investigates the signal characteristics of a physiological response (acute stress) and determines the viability of developing a Virtual Reality (VR) integrated physiologically based real-time feedback loop. This work has possible applications in physiotherapy and patient rehabilitation for long-term conditions including long COVID, persistent pain, and chronic fatigue. Using real-time physiological data, this approach can offer an individualised and immersive therapeutic experience. By synchronizing VR experiences with physiological responses, clinicians can optimise treatment efficacy and facilitate targeted rehabilitation efforts. A design and early prototype were developed to include a feedback loop driven by an ensemble of biosignal signatures, correlating with stress responses, that adjusts dynamic components in the environment. The prototype shows the feasibility of developing a physiologically based XR environment suitable for virtual physiotherapy interventions.
Medical device toolkit - Clinical investigations in Ireland and European medical device regulations
(Health Research Board National Clinical Trials Office, 2025-03) Ryan, Fiona; 2025Health Research Board
The toolkit is intended to provide information to investigators wishing to conduct clinical investigations of medical devices in Ireland. The information may be beneficial for both academic and commercial investigators. In addition, the toolkit provides a high-level overview of the primary international standards and European regulations applicable to all medical device developers. Finally, medical device development terminology and considerations are introduced, including classification, risk management and quality management systems. However, the tool kit does not go in-depth into conformity requirements to prepare a device for clinical investigations. Therefore, the toolkit should not replace professional advice from legal, regulatory, quality and design control experts.
Advancing Ireland's medtech clinical research ecosystem: insights, comparisons, and actionable recommendations
(Health Research Board National Clinical Trials Office, 2025-04) Ryan, Fiona; Health Research Board; Enterprise Ireland; IDA Ireland
This report summarises a survey conducted to assess medtech industry stakeholders' experiences and perspectives regarding the conduct of clinical investigations both in Ireland and internationally. Respondents included companies and organisations actively engaged in clinical medtech research, providing insights into regulatory processes, workforce challenges, patient recruitment, and compliance with the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Key findings highlight widespread recognition of Ireland’s strengths—particularly its infrastructure and regulatory clarity—tempered by challenges related to skill gaps and lengthy approval timelines. Recommendations emphasise improving regulatory efficiency, addressing skills shortages, and fostering EU-wide harmonisation to bolster Ireland's competitiveness.
Signatures consistent with multifrequency tipping in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation
(American Physical Society, 2020-11-25) Keane, Andrew; Krauskopf, Bernd; Lenton, Timothy M.; Leverhulme Trust; Royal Society Te Apārangi
The early detection of tipping points, which describe a rapid departure from a stable state, is an important theoretical and practical challenge. Tipping points are most commonly associated with the disappearance of steady-state or periodic solutions at fold bifurcations. We discuss here multifrequency tipping (𝑀 tipping), which is tipping due to the disappearance of an attracting torus. 𝑀 tipping is a generic phenomenon in systems with at least two intrinsic or external frequencies that can interact and, hence, is relevant to a wide variety of systems of interest. We show that the more complicated sequence of bifurcations involved in 𝑀 tipping provides a possible consistent explanation for as yet unexplained behavior observed near tipping in climate models for the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. More generally, this Letter provides a path toward identifying possible early warning signs of tipping in multiple-frequency systems.