Abstract
This integrative literature review synthesizes insights from multiple disciplines to address the challenges and opportunities in designing digital communication interfaces for persons with Locked-In Syndrome (LIS). The paper highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that includes ethical co-design, visual design principles, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). It emphasizes how important it is to have user-friendly, visually appealing, and accessible interfaces to help persons with LIS to communicate more effectively. Important technologies are evaluated for their potential to improve communication, including Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR), Eye Tracking, and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). To guarantee that the emerging technologies are both efficient and considerate of user demands, the review emphasizes the significance of ethical considerations and patient-centered design. This study intends to direct future design-based action research in constructing functional digital communication systems, using head-mounted Extended Reality (XR) technologies, by combining the various research findings from the review.

Abstract
Introduction Immersive virtual reality (iVR) offers a multisensory environment for education, yet the integration of olfaction remains underexplored. This study examined whether incorporating ambient olfactory stimuli into an iVR environment enhances foreign language vocabulary retention and the user's sense of presence.Methods A between-subjects experiment was conducted with 59 participants who learned German vocabulary in a virtual airport scenario. Participants were assigned to one of five ambient olfactory conditions systematically selected to represent distinct quadrants of the circumplex model of affect: no scent (control), spearmint (pleasant-arousing), lavender (pleasant-calming), burning wood (unpleasant-arousing), or sewage (unpleasant-calming). Vocabulary retention was measured using matching pre- and post-tests, while subjective presence was assessed using the standardised Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQp).Results The results indicated that ambient olfactory stimulation, regardless of affective valence or arousal level, did not significantly improve immediate vocabulary retention compared to the control condition. However, scent did impact the subjective experience of presence; notably, an unpleasant, high-arousal scent (burning wood) served as a distraction, significantly reducing perceived spatial presence.Discussion These findings establish an important boundary condition for multisensory educational VR. They demonstrate that the simple addition of ambient, affective scents as a background stimulus is insufficient to drive immediate cognitive learning gains, and may even detract from immersion if unpleasant. Multisensory iVR design must be guided by pedagogical priorities rather than novelty alone, suggesting that relying solely on ambient emotional modulation via olfaction is not a viable strategy for complex cognitive tasks.

Abstract
We consider the problem of selecting bases for firefighting activities (e.g., vigilance, water refill, initial attack) and links between them in the context of wildfire promptness. Bases can be facilities, such as watchtowers and water tanks, or positions from where an initial attack is conducted. It is assumed that it is advantageous to connect bases in such a way that resources (e.g. ground crews) can quickly move between them. The general problem is modelled in a general way as integration of a set covering problem (for selecting the location of the bases) and a travelling salesman problem where the cities are the selected locations and the arcs the links that connect them. We propose a mixed integer programming model where objectives are addressed by lexicographic optimization. The first objective is related to cover potential ignition points with a high estimate of their initial spread rate of the fire at the detection time. Computational experiments are discussed for a scenario, of an actual landscape, with parameters estimated from a fire behaviour model that takes into account slope, fuels, and wind. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

Abstract
Shipping container unloading is a physically demanding task often carried out under challenging conditions, which motivates the use of automation. However, automating this process is complex due to the unpredictable sizes and quantities of each shipment. Existing solutions tend to be task-specific, rely on closed software stacks, and offer limited information on performance in non-controlled environments, which restricts their adaptability. We present CARGO, a modular pipeline that enables a mobile manipulator equipped with regular sensors and actuators to unload containers autonomously. The pipeline employs a predefined, layered workflow composed of reconfigurable modules that can be adapted to various robots, ensuring that all boxes in a stack are systematically handled. In simulation, the pipeline successfully unloaded a full container without collisions, thereby validating the complete workflow. Laboratory tests further confirmed these results, with the mobile manipulator successfully unloading boxes across multiple trials, with a success rate of 97%. These results demonstrate that a versatile mobile manipulator can handle mixed box sizes and chaotic layouts using a generic, modular pipeline, highlighting a promising direction for flexible container-unloading automation. © 2026 IEEE.

Abstract
The present letter proposes the implementation of Vernier-effect harmonics through the virtualization of different reference cavities. A Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), actuated by a piezoelectric transducer (PZT), was employed as the sensing element. Subsequently, the sensitivity of the dynamic range was investigated for both the individual interferometer and the implementation of the Virtual Vernier effect. A sensitivity of (8 +/- 0.05)x10(-3) nm/nm was achieved for the single sensor measurement. Considering the implementation of the Vernier effect, the following sensitivities were obtained: (65.6 +/- 0.08)x10(-3) nm/nm for the fundamental, (132 +/- 1)x10-3 nm/nm for the first harmonic, and (192 +/- 1)x10(-3) nm/nm for the second harmonic. Furthermore, a maximum dynamic range of 11.25 mu m and a maximum resolution of 5 pm were achieved. This study highlights the advantages of simultaneously measuring both a single sensor cavity and a harmonic of the Virtual Vernier effect, in order to achieve large dynamic ranges along with high resolution.

Abstract
Highlights What are the main findings? The SLAM method, based on the registration of 3D profiling sonar scans using the 3DupIC method, avoids the construction of submaps and thereby overcomes the limitations of other state-of-the-art approaches. Simultaneous optimization of the trajectory and extrinsic parameters, using the proposed SLAM and calibration method, ensures high accuracy in trajectory and map estimation. What is the implication of the main finding? Direct registration of raw scans supports two distinct applications. On the one hand, it enables pose estimation through odometry. On the other hand, it provides loop-closure constraints for the SLAM process. 3D profiling sonars are highly effective sensors for mapping, localization, and SLAM applications. This demonstration is particularly important as newer, smaller, and more affordable sonars in this category become available, contributing to their wider adoption.Highlights What are the main findings? The SLAM method, based on the registration of 3D profiling sonar scans using the 3DupIC method, avoids the construction of submaps and thereby overcomes the limitations of other state-of-the-art approaches. Simultaneous optimization of the trajectory and extrinsic parameters, using the proposed SLAM and calibration method, ensures high accuracy in trajectory and map estimation. What is the implication of the main finding? Direct registration of raw scans supports two distinct applications. On the one hand, it enables pose estimation through odometry. On the other hand, it provides loop-closure constraints for the SLAM process. 3D profiling sonars are highly effective sensors for mapping, localization, and SLAM applications. This demonstration is particularly important as newer, smaller, and more affordable sonars in this category become available, contributing to their wider adoption.Abstract High resolution underwater mapping is fundamental to the sustainable development of the blue economy, supporting offshore energy expansion, marine habitat protection, and the monitoring of both living and non-living resources. This work presents a pose-graph SLAM and calibration framework specifically designed for 3D profiling sonars, such as the Coda Octopus Echoscope 3D. The system integrates a probabilistic scan matching method (3DupIC) for direct registration of 3D sonar scans, enabling accurate trajectory and map estimation even under degraded dead reckoning conditions. Unlike other bathymetric SLAM methods that rely on submaps and assume short-term localization accuracy, the proposed approach performs direct scan-to-scan registration, removing this dependency. The factor graph is extended to represent the sonar extrinsic parameters, allowing the sonar-to-body transformation to be refined jointly with trajectory optimization. Experimental validation on a challenging real world dataset demonstrates outstanding localization and mapping performance. The use of refined extrinsic parameters further improves both accuracy and map consistency, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed joint SLAM and calibration approach for robust and consistent underwater mapping.