Automatic eye blink detection using consumer web cameras

This research aims to advance blinking detection in the context of work activity. Rather than patients having to attend a clinic, blinking videos can be acquired in a work environment, and further automatically analyzed. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology to perform the automatic detection of eye blink using consumer videos acquired with low-cost web cameras. This methodology includes the detection of the face and eyes of the recorded person, and then it analyzes the low-level features of the eye region to create a quantitative vector. Finally, this vector is classified into one of the two categories considered —open and closed eyes— by using machine learning algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology was demonstrated since it provides unbiased results with classification errors under 5%

Contribution to an efficient transmission of information to the textile fashion consumer and the influence in sustainable attitudes

The concepts involved in sustainable textile fashion, demanding good knowledge about raw materials, processes, end use properties and circuits amongst others, are able to determine the way the textile product is designed and the behavior of the consumer, regarding life style and buying decisions. The textile product`s life integrates raw materials, their processing, distribution, use by the consumer and destination of the product after useful lifetime, this is, his complete life cycle. It is very important to recognize the power of the consumer to influence parameters related to sustainability, namely when he decides how, when and why he buys and afterwards by the attitudes taken during and after use. The conscious act of consumption involves ethical, ecological and technical knowledge in which the concern is overall lifecycle of the fashion product and not exclusively aesthetic and symbolic values strongly related with its ephemeral nature. The present work proposes the classification of textile products by means of an innovative label aiming to establish a rating related to the Life of Fashion Products, by using parameters considered with especial impact in lifecycle, as textile fibers, processing conditions, generated wastes, commercialization circuits, durability and cleaning procedures. This label for sustainable fashion products aims to assist the stakeholders with informed attitudes and correct decisions in order to promote the objectives of sustainable fashion near designers, consumers and industrial experts.

The marginal utility of money: A modern Marshallian approach to consumer choice

We reformulate neoclassical consumer choice by focusing on lambda, the marginal utility of money. As the opportunity cost of current expenditure, lambda is approximated by the slope of the indirect utility function of the continuation. We argue that lambda can largely supplant the role of an arbitrary budget constraint in partial equilibrium analysis. The result is a better grounded, more flexible and more intuitive approach to consumer choice.

Tractable Consumer Choice

We derive a rational model of separable consumer choice which can also serve as a behavioral model. The central construct is [lambda] , the marginal utility of money, derived from the consumer's rest-of-life problem. We present a robust approximation of [lambda], and show how to incorporate liquidity constraints, indivisibilities and adaptation to a changing environment. We fi nd connections with numerous historical and recent constructs, both behavioral and neoclassical, and draw contrasts with standard partial equilibrium analysis. The result is a better grounded, more flexible and more intuitive description of consumer choice.

Consumer Behaviour in a Social Context: Implications for Environmental Policy

In this paper we summarise some of our recent work on consumer behaviour, drawing on recent developments in behavioural economics, in which consumers are embedded in a social context, so their behaviour is shaped by their interactions with other consumers. For the purpose of this paper we also allow consumption to cause environmental damage. Analysing the social context of consumption naturally lends itself to the use of game theoretic tools, and indicates that we seek to develop links between economics and sociology rather than economics and psychology, which has been the more predominant field for work in behavioural economics. We shall be concerned with three sets of issues: conspicuous consumption, consumption norms and altruistic behaviour. Our aim is to show that building links between sociological and economic approaches to the study of consumer behaviour can lead to significant and surprising implications for conventional economic policy prescriptions, especially with respect to environmental policy.

Mobile termination, network externalities, and consumer expectations

We re-examine the literature on mobile termination in the presence of network externalities. Externalities arise when firms discriminate between on- and off-net calls or when subscription demand is elastic. This literature predicts that profit decreases and consumer surplus increases in termination charge in a neighborhood of termination cost. This creates a puzzle since in reality we see regulators worldwide pushing termination rates down while being opposed by network operators. We show that this puzzle is resolved when consumers' expectations are assumed passive but required to be fulfilled in equilibrium (as defined by Katz and Shapiro, AER 1985), instead of being rationally responsive to non-equilibrium prices, as assumed until now.

Consumer populations and nutritional transition in Spain in the 20th century: a methodology for their reconstruction

One feature of the modern nutrition transition is the growing consumption of animal proteins. The most common approach in the quantitative analysis of this change used to be the study of averages of food consumption. But this kind of analysis seems to be incomplete without the knowledge of the number of consumers. Data about consumers are not usually published in historical statistics. This article introduces a methodological approach for reconstructing consumer populations. This methodology is based on some assumptions about the diffusion process of foodstuffs and the modeling of consumption patterns with a log-normal distribution. This estimating process is illustrated with the specific case of milk consumption in Spain between 1925 and 1981. These results fit quite well with other data and indirect sources available showing that this dietary change was a slow and late process. The reconstruction of consumer population could shed a new light in the study of nutritional transitions.

IPH responds to EC Director-General for Health and Consumer Affairs consultation on EU action to reduce health inequalities

The aim of the consultation was to collect views on how the European Union can contribute to reducing health inequalities both within and between member states. The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is an all-island body which aims to improve health in Ireland, by working to combat health inequalities and influence public policies in favour of health.  The Institute promotes co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in research, training, information and policy to contribute to policies which tackle inequalities in health. IPH acknowledges and appreciates the benefits of information sharing and joint action in relation to policy and practice between European countries and we are proud to have been the Irish/Northern Irish partner in several projects, most recently as Work Package Leader for DETERMINE, coordinated by EuroHealthNet and as collaborating partner for I2SARE, coordinated by Federation National des Observatories de Sante (FNORS).  Both projects are funded by the European Commission.

Consumer Focused Review of the Chicken Food Chain

safefood research into consumer concerns about the food chain has indicated that more than 40 per centof consumers are most concerned aboutchicken in terms of how it is produced, packaged, sold and handled at home. Our review of theindustry foundit was highly regulated while adhering to rigorous international standards. This review found that chicken is the main protein source for many consumers on the island of Ireland. It alsooutlined the need for consumers to ensure that chicken is cooked andhandled properly to avoid food borne illnesses.

Consumer Focused Review of the Finfish Food Chain

Our review into the finfish food chain on the island of irelandrevealed that despite a highly regulated industry producing a very nutritious food source, the consumption of fish remains low and consumer barriers to purchasing and eating fish still remain.

Consumer Focused Review of the Pork Supply Chain

Pig meat production was valued at €290 (£198) million at farm gate in Republic of Ireland (ROI) in 2007. In Northern Ireland (NI) in 2006, pig meat was estimated to account for almost seven percent of gross turnover in the food and drinks processing sector at £190 (€280) million. Whilst researching for this report it emerged that comparable figures for the value of the pig meat industry on ROI and NI are not available. This report showed that pig production on the IOI has changed from a small-scale enterprise carried out by a large number of mixed farmers to a modern industry comprised of a small number of specialist producers operating large-scale units. Most products for retailers are prepared and packed in specialised cutting and processing units which may or may not be integrated in the slaughter plant. For some pork products, various additives such as salt, herbs and flavour enhancers are added. Pork products are then stored and transported, frozen or chilled to wholesale, retail and catering facilities for ultimate sale to consumers.

Consumer Food Safety Knowledge, Microbiology & Refrigeration Temperatures in Domestic Kitchens

This study examined consumer food safety knowledge on the island of Ireland. Domestic refrigerators were tested for the presence of a range of pathogenic bacteria.