Objective: Four sets of eight audible alarms matching the functions specified in IEC 60601-1-8 (2012) were designed using known principles from auditory cognition, with the intention that they would be more recognizable and localizable than those currently specified in the standard. Background:The audible alarms associated with IEC 60601-1-(2012), a global medical device standard, are known to be difficult to learn and retain, and there have been many calls to update them. There are known principles of design and cognition which might form the basis of more readily recognizable alarms. There is also scope for improvement in the localizability of the existing alarms.Method: Four alternative sets of alarms matched to the functions specified in IEC 60601-1-8 (2012) were tested for recognizability and localizability, and compared with the alarms currently specified in the standard Results: With a single exception, all prototype sets of alarms outperformed the current IEC set on both recognizability and localizability. Within the prototype sets, 'auditory icons' were the most easily recognized, but the other sets, using word rhythms and simple acoustic metaphors, were also more easily recognized than the current alarms. With the exception of one set, all prototype sets were also easier to localize. Conclusion:Known auditory cognition and perception principles were successfully applied to a known audible alarm problem Application: This work constitutes the first (benchmarking) phase of replacing the alarms currently specified in the standard. The design principles used for each set demonstrates the Medical audible alarms 3 relative ease with which different alarm types can be recognized and localized.Keywords: audition; auditory displays; learning; medical device technologies Precis: Four sets of audible alarms matched to the functions specified in IEC 60601-1-8, a global medical device standard, were designed using known principles of successful audible alarm design. When tested for recognizability and localizability, all sets (with one exception for localizability) outperformed the current alarms specified in the standard. This work represents the first phase of updating the alarms specified in that standard

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The ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article can be found under https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201904339.Single molecule measurements are revolutionizing the understanding of the stochastics of behavior of single molecules. There is a common theme referred to as a near-field approach, in how many single molecule measurements are being performed in assays. The term near field is used because the measurement volume is typically very small such that a single molecule, or a single molecule binding pair, within that volume is of an appreciable concentration. The next development in detection will be performing many single molecule measurements at one time such that single molecule measurements can be used as the basis for quantitative analysis. There have already been some notable developments in this direction. Again, all have a common theme in that nanoparticles are used to create many near-field volumes that can be measured simultaneously. Herein, the coupled developments in nanoparticles and measurement strategies that allow nanoparticles to be the backbone of the next generation of sensing technologies are discussed. 8 of 8) www.advmat.de www.advancedsciencenews.com (

The versatile qualities of gold coated magnetic nanoparticles for both optical and electrochemical detection, as well as the separation of analytes, make them an excellent choice for ultrasensitive biosensing applications.

We report on the characterisation of the optical properties and dynamic behaviour of optically trapped single stimuli-responsive plasmonic nanoscale assemblies.