News

We plan to start up a special project / ”task force” under the SAFER umbrella: Hygiene procedures in testing. The background to the project is the ongoing pandemic, how can we ensure that we conduct our studies involving humans in a healthy and safe way in our research and test activities to not spread viruses? The work will include e.g. how can experiments involving test persons still be conducted sharing an enclosed cabin or VR equipment? What might standard safe hygiene procedures be? Will we have to require drivers to wear masks? How do we implement distancing while being in preparation or post-experiment interviews?

Description:
The main concern for this task force is the health of research persons and test persons (from now on called test persons) and own personnel in the use of driving simulator, VR studio, vehicle or similar test facility. We all are aware of our corporate responsibility for the well-being and safety of all people in our activities. Now, under- and after the corona pandemic, health concerns are put in focus and we must take appropriate measures also in our research and testing activities. How can experiments involving test persons still be conducted sharing an enclosed cabin or VR equipment? What might standard safe hygiene procedures be? Will we have to require drivers to wear masks? How do we implement distancing while being in preparation or post-experiment interviews?
We can all say that there will be a major impact on our procedures and most likely, we will have to deal with this for quite some time. Hygiene protocols for experiments involving test persons will be a concern for all organizations executing these activities, both in industry and academia. It is a must in order to assure health among both personnel and participating test persons. Hygiene quality in research will be an important (or maybe mandatory) topic to add to the general testing standards, such as ethical approval, GDPR compliance etc.
As this topic is of concern for all organizations having activities involving test persons, SAFER will have a Task Force during September to December 2020. The purpose of the Task Force is to jointly discuss and share hygiene protocols/procedures to be used in tests involving test persons.

Project execution:
The Task Force will web-meet every third week with mail conversation in-between. All SAFER partners are invited to participate and give their input on the topic. The task force will discuss and share hygiene procedures in practice or procedures intended to be used. The result will be documented as guidelines and/or checklists in a written report. A progress report will be distributed to all interested SAFER partners after each meeting. A final report will be issued in December. A presentation is proposed at a SAFER lunch seminar. The result will be available to all SAFER partners.

Web-meetings:
September 1, 10:00-11-00
September 22, 13:00-14:00
October 14, 10:00-11:00
November 3, 10:00-11:00.
November 24, 10:00-11:00

Deliverables:
Draft report, December 2.
Final report, December 9.