Video calls via Zoom or Microsoft Teams effectively replaced face-to-face interactions during the early days of the pandemic, and many companies have not looked back since.
The term “zoom fatigue” has been created as a result, which refers to a unique kind of exhaustion after being on video calls for extended periods of time.
It turns out the term is more than just a mere feeling. A study that was published in the journal Scientific Reports in October, conducted an experiment scanning the brain and heart activities of 35 students attending a lecture at Graz University of Technology in Austria.
With electrodes attached to their heads and chest, half of the students attended the 50-minute lecture via video conference, while the rest went in-person. Researchers used electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) instruments to record electrical activity in the students' brains, as well as their heart rhythms.
The researchers looked for hints of mental fatigue, including brain waves, reduced heart rate and signs that the nervous system was overworking to combat exhaustion.
The results revealed that video conferencing caused higher levels of fatigue, and the participants' brains were struggling to remain attentive. They also felt drowsy and “fed up” in comparison to in-person students, who reported feeling happier and more active during the lecture.
Rene Riedl, a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and a co-author of the study, says they found “that with 50 minutes of videoconferencing, significant changes in physiological and subjective fatigue could be observed”.
“Based on our research results, we recommend a break after 30 minutes,” he adds, as quoted by science news outlet IEEE Spectrum. The researchers also suggested that video conferencing “should be considered as a possible complement to face-to-face interaction, but not as a substitute”.
“Our results suggest that use of videoconferencing may lead to cognitive costs, which must not be ignored by individuals and organisations,” said the researchers.
They also claimed their study is the first to provide neurophysiological evidence regarding “zoom fatigue”, as previous studies only relied on self-reporting by participants in the form of questionnaires.
They also suggested further studies should be conducted to determine “effective countermeasures to reduce the fatigue and stress potential of videoconferencing”, especially in an increasingly digital world.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
