Policies and conditions

1. Registration following The BMS Lab’s procedure is required for all activities at the lab or using the lab’s equipment, facilities or personnel. By registering a project with The BMS Lab you agree to follow these pre-requisites, policies and conditions. This page is intended to provide an overview of all those that might apply. Additional terms and conditions might however be drafted for your project. The overview is as follows: Your project should be in line with the vision and broad scope of The BMS Lab: It should be related to social sciences and the use of technology to further study human behaviour; Contribution to our BMS Lab identity; Innovation, creativity, pioneering; Involves a suiting multidisciplinary consortium; Is likely to have an impact on society; Is realistic, feasible, and scientifically rigorous 
2. You have to apply for ethical approval for any and all research activities that involve the participation of other people and/or present risks to people. WARNING: Students and employees from outside the BMS faculty require a different process.
3. You are responsible for data gathered at The BMS Lab or with help of The BMS Lab’s personnel or equipment. This includes but is not limited to collecting, storing, safeguarding, anonymizing, and processing your data. You and your work are subject to the special policies concerning data storage and stewardship set out by The BMS Lab, BMS faculty and the University of Twente.
4. You are responsible for caring, protecting and returning our equipment in such a state that the next researcher can use them immediately, this includes: Cleaning equipment and parts that contact the skin, e.g.: wristbands of smartwatches and activity trackers; Tidying, cleaning and locking the rooms you have used; Removing any data related to your research, this for example includes images on cameras; Charging the equipment when possible to a full or nearly full state. Report any damage, missing equipment or misuse as soon as possible to The BMS Lab staff. 
5. The lending of equipment is always done under the conditions mentioned in the latest version of the official document.
6. Prepare your required documents and information before applying, this includes: a valid OFI number has to be present if funding is available. 
7. The BMS Lab can only accept inquiries if it fits with The BMS Lab staff’s current expertise.
8. Familiarise yourself and follow our articles on how to use The BMS Lab facilities, like the Flexperiment cubicles.
9. The person registering the application for use of equipment, and expertise of facilities is the person that should collect them or the corresponding key. If you send someone else, then add their respective student- or employee number and their name to the comment section of the application form.
10. Students and employees of the University of Twente’s BMS faculty can usually use the equipment and facilities for free. Students and employees from other faculties can, depending on the circumstances, make use of the same facilities and equipment, albeit against a fee.

1. Any and all services used or projects pertaining to the development (including alterations) of software in any way shape or form are subject to the latest version of the terms and conditions of software development.

Your data is your responsibility and taking good care is an absolute requirement for any research. When performing research that uses The BMS Lab equipment, expertise or facilities, you are subject to applicable international and Dutch law and the policies and conditions created by both the University of Twente and The BMS Lab. To aid you in understanding your responsibilities and the available tools, you should familiarize yourself with the content on this page.

Storage And Care Of Data

In 2015 the UT published the Research data policy UT. The document sets out minimum criteria for the management and storage of data. Since the way in which research data is handled varies from one academic discipline to another, it is up to each faculty to supplement the university’s policies by setting up their own faculty data policy. These policies specify how scientists within the faculty are required to handle research data. Moreover, researchers must write a Data Management Plan (DMP) in which they specify how they handle their data (read more). Because of national and international laws, regulations and funder requirements, data management soon becomes very important for research departments and researchers. For the BMS Faculty, the data management policies are provided on the BMS Datalab page.

BMS Data Policy

The BMS data policy is available in Dutch & English. Many steps in improving the infrastructure, facilities and support have already been taken, which can be found on the BMS Faculty website.

The following priority regulations are established to transparently decide which project has priority in the utilisation of lab services.

Category 1

• European And Prestigious Research Projects
• Scheduled Education

Category 2

• Contract Research
• National Research Projects
• Demonstrations

Category 3

• Other (Reschedulable) Education
• Other (Reschedulable) Research
• Testing

A maximum of 80 hours of lab support is available per project request. A research project can sign up multiple project requests. Requests for support of more than 80 hours should be filed to the lab management.

The below states the hygiene procedures related to persons. For equipment, follow the disinfection procedure for the instrument. For more details, read the hygiene protocol (link). 

2 – Persons

2.1 – Postpone the study in case of flu, cold or other infection in the trial conductor or subject (V).

2.2 – Ensure good general body and clothing hygiene during the trial period (V).

2.3 – Always wear disposable gloves during the following physiological procedures:

1. cleaning/abrading the subject’s skin (V).
   b. application of electrodes (V).
   c. removal of electrodes (V).
   d. all actions related to blood, sperm or vaginal fluid (V).
   e. working with disinfectants (V).
   f. in the case of clearly visible wounds or skin irritation in the subject or experimenter (V).

2.4 – The simplest disinfection procedure is hand washing. This should be done, regardless of the use of gloves:

a – prior to physiological actions (V).
b – after physiological actions (V).
c – after using the toilet (V).
d – after sneezing, coughing or blowing the nose (use paper tissues) (V).
e – after unexpected contact with blood or other body fluids (V).

2.5 – It is preferable not to wear rings during examination (V).

2.6 – Nails should preferably be kept short and clean during the study period (V).

Damage to Vehicle Fleet BMS:

Fill in claim form/accident report: https://www.anwb.nl/binaries/content/assets/anwb/pdf/verzekeringen/schade-aangifteformulieren/europees-schade-formulier.pdf. (Dutch) or P:\BMS\fz\General-BMS\Handleidingen\Damage form.pdf (English).

After the form is filled in by both parties send it to Robert Ree (In charge of insurance issues), Marco Boevink (In charge of the vehicle fleet), the BMS Lab Secretariat and the other party involved. 

Damage to BMS Properties:

In case of damage, theft or loss to BMS properties a notification has to be made as soon as possible with a maximum of 24 hours at the BMS Lab Secretariat and Robert Ree. If it is possible the usage of the borrowed property has to be blocked. Properties of the BMS faculty which are brought home are insured for a maximum of 9100 euro per address with an own risk of 125 euro.

Someone who borrows something from the BMS Lab needs to make a notification with the police in case of loss, theft or damage done by third parties and send a copy of the declaration certificate to the BMS Lab. Damaged, stolen or lost properties need to be recovered or purchased again and those costs need to be settled by the party responsible for the damage, theft or loss.

The BMS Lab is not responsible for the outcomes of experiments with the help of BMS properties. The BMS Lab is also not responsible for injuries to the borrower or injuries to third parties caused by the borrower of BMS properties as a direct or indirect result of the use of BMS properties.

1. The borrower must exercise due care so as to prevent damage to, theft or loss of the goods.

2. In the event of damage to, theft or loss of the goods, the borrower is obliged to notify the BMS Lab as soon as possible, yet within 24 hours.

3. Furthermore, the borrower is obliged to immediately block any use of the goods (if possible) by means of the appropriate channels.

4. The borrower must immediately report any loss, theft or intentional damage by third parties to the police. The borrower must provide the BMS Lab with a copy of that report.

5. The borrower will fully cooperate in submitting (any) damage claim to the insurance company.

First, check the loan terms and priority regulations to see if it gives an answer to your situation.

If this is not the case, contact the BMS Lab coordinator at bmslab@utwente.nl. If deemed necessary, the lab coordinator will try to find an arrangement for the situation at stake.

Should the issue persist, the BMS Lab management will make a final decision, if necessary after contacting the education programme coordinator or research chair involved.