Search results for: usability performance metrics

Authors: Clare Victoria Martin

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With reports of increased mental health problems and a lack of proactive, consistent well-being initiatives, well-being is a topical issue in the workplace, as well as a wider public health concern. Additionally, workplace well-being is closely linked to performance, both from a business perspective and in psychological research. Businesses are therefore becoming increasingly motivated to promote well-being, yet there are still barriers, including a lack of evidence-based workplace interventions, issues with measuring effectiveness and problems creating lasting cultural change. This review aimed to collate workplace well-being research to propose a comprehensive new model for delivering evidence-based workplace well-being training with a real potential for lasting impact. Method: A narrative review was conducted to meta-synthesise relevant research. Thematic analysis was then adopted as a systematic method of identifying key themes from the review to lead to practical recommendations. Interventions focusing on strengths, psychological capital, mindfulness and positivity (SPMP) dominated the research in this area, suggesting benefits of incorporating all four into training. However, to avoid a ‘quick fix’ mentality, the concept of training ‘well-being ambassadors’ as a preventative counterpart to mental health ‘first aiders’ was proposed alongside a new ‘REST and RISE’ model: well-being interventions should be ‘relatable’, ‘enjoyable’, ‘sociable’ and ‘trackable’ (REST) in order to increase ‘resilience’, ‘innovation’, ‘strengths’ and ‘engagement’ (RISE). If the REST principles are applied to interventions focusing on SPMP, research suggests individuals will RISE. Future research should empirically test this new well-being ambassador programme and REST/RISE model in an applied setting.

Keywords: performance, positive psychology, thriving, workplace well-being

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Authors: Hyun-Woo Cho

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The monitoring of industrial production quality has to be implemented to alarm early warning for unusual operating conditions. Furthermore, identification of their assignable causes is necessary for a quality control purpose. For such tasks many multivariate statistical techniques have been applied and shown to be quite effective tools. This work presents a process data-based monitoring scheme for production processes. For more reliable results some additional steps of noise filtering and preprocessing are considered. It may lead to enhanced performance by eliminating unwanted variation of the data. The performance evaluation is executed using data sets from test processes. The proposed method is shown to provide reliable quality control results, and thus is more effective in quality monitoring in the example. For practical implementation of the method, an on-line data system must be available to gather historical and on-line data. Recently large amounts of data are collected on-line in most processes and implementation of the current scheme is feasible and does not give additional burdens to users.

Keywords: detection, filtering, monitoring, process data

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Authors: T. Ito, K. Kawaguchi, R. Ohta

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The purpose of this study is to provide a guideline to assist globally-minded companies in developing task-based English-language programs for their employees. After conducting an online self-assessment questionnaire comprised of 45 job-related tasks, we analyzed responses received from 3,000 Japanese company employees and developed a checklist that considered three areas: (i) the percentage of those who need to accomplish English-language tasks in their workplace (need for English), (ii) a five-point self-assessment score (task performance level), and (iii) the impact of previous task experience on perceived performance (experience factor). The 45 tasks were graded according to five proficiency levels. Our results helped us to create a core guideline that may assist companies in two ways: first, in helping determine which tasks employees with a certain English proficiency should be able to satisfactorily carry out, and secondly, to quickly prioritize which business-related English skills they would need in future English language programs.

Keywords: business settings, can-do statements, English language training programs, self-assessment, task experience

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Authors: Arjun Goutham, Chaitanya Sridhar, Sunita Maheshwari, Robin Uthappa, Prasanna Gopinath

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In alignment with the growth in the sporting industry, a number of people playing and competing in sports are growing exponentially across the globe. However, the number of sports psychology experts are not growing at a similar rate, especially in the Asian and more so, Indian context. Hence, the access to actionable mental training solutions specific to individual athletes is limited. Also, the time constraint an athlete faces due to their intense training schedule makes one-on-one sessions difficult. One of the means to bridge that gap is through technology. Technology makes individualization possible. It allows for easy access to specific-qualitative content/information and provides a medium to place individualized assessments, analysis, solutions directly into an athlete's hands. This enables mental training awareness, education, and real-time actionable solutions possible for athletes in-spite of the limitation of available sports psychology experts in their region. Furthermore, many athletes are hesitant to seek support due to the stigma of appearing weak. Such individuals would prefer a more discreet way. Athletes who have strong mental performance tend to produce better results. The mobile application helps to equip athletes with assessing and developing their mental strategies directed towards improving performance on an ongoing basis. When an athlete understands their strengths and limitations in their mental application, they can focus specifically on applying the strategies that work and improve on zones of limitation. With reports, coaches get to understand the unique inner workings of an athlete and can utilize the data & analysis to coach them with better precision and use coaching styles & communication that suits better. Systematically capturing data and supporting athletes(with individual-specific solutions) or teams with assessment, planning, instructional content, actionable tools & strategies, reviewing mental performance and the achievement of objectives & goals facilitate for a consistent mental skills development at all levels of sporting stages of an athlete's career. The mobile application will help athletes recognize and align with their stable attributes such as their personalities, learning & execution modalities, challenges & requirements of their sport, etc and help develop dynamic attributes like states, beliefs, motivation levels, focus etc. with practice and training. It will provide measurable analysis on a regular basis and help them stay aligned to their objectives & goals. The solutions are based on researched areas of influence on sporting performance individually or in teams.

Keywords: athletes, mental training, mobile application, performance, sports

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Authors: Khalid Abdullah Alshuhail, Syrif Junidi, Ideisan Abu-Abdoum, Abdulsalam Aldawoud

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For the intention of reducing energy consumption, a proposed construction brick was made of imitation termite mound soil referred here as termite brick (TB). To calculate the thermal performance, a real case model was constructed by using this biomimetic brick for testing purposes. This paper aims at investigating the thermal performance of this brick during different climatic months. Its thermal behaviour was thoroughly studied over the course of four months by using continuous method (CMm). The main parameters were focused on temperature and relative humidity. It was found that the TB does not perform similarly in all four months and/or in all orientations. Each four-month model study was deeply analyzed. By using the CMm method, the model was also examined. The measuring period shows generally that internal temperature and internal humidity are higher in the roof within 2 degrees and lowest at north wall orientation. The relative humidity was also investigated systematically. The paper reveals more interesting findings.

Keywords: building material, continious monitoring, orientation, wall, temprature

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Authors: Ehsan Ahmadifar

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In this research, the effects of different levels (control group (T0), (T1)1, (T2)2 and (T3)3 gr Inulin per Kg diet) of prebiotic Inulin as nutritional supplement on Danio rerio were investigated for 4 month. Since the beginning of feeding larvae until adult (average weight: 67.1 g, length: 4.5 cm) were fed with experimental diets. The survival rate of fish had no significant effect on rate survival (P > 0.05). The highest food conversion ratio (FCR) was in control group and the lowest was observed in T3. Treatment of T3 significantly caused the best feed conversion ratio in Zebra fish (P < 0.05). By increasing the inulin diet during the experiment, specific growth rate increased. The highest and the lowest body weight gain and condition factor were observed in T3 and control, respectively (P < 0.05). Adding 3 gr inulin in Zebra fish diet can improve the performance of the growth indices and final biomass, also this prebiotic can be considered as a suitable supplement for Cyprinidae diet. In the first sampling stage for feeding fish, fat and muscle protein was significantly higher than the second sampling stage (P < 0.05). Given that the second stage fish were full sexual maturity, the amount of fat in muscle decreased (P < 0.05). Moisture and ash levels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the second stage sampling than the first stage. Overall, different stage of living affected on muscle chemical composition muscle. Reproductive performance in treatment T2 and T3 were significantly higher than other treatments (P < 0.05). According to the results, the prebiotic inulin does not have a significant impact on the sex ratio in zebrafish (P > 0.05). Based on histology of the gonads, the use of dietary inulin accelerates the process of gonad development in zebrafish.

Keywords: inulin, zebrafish, reproduction, histology

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Authors: Jenny Lee

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Fat Studies is emerging as an interdisciplinary area of study, intersecting with Gender Studies, Sociology, Human Development and the Creative Arts. A focus on weight loss, and, therefore, fat hatred, has resulted in a form of discriminatory institutional practice that impacts women in the Western world. This focus is sanctioned by a large dieting industry, medical associations, the media, and at times, government initiatives. This paper will discuss the emergence of the so-called ‘Obesity Epidemic’ in Australia and the Western world and the stereotypes that thin equals healthy and fat equals unhealthy. This paper will argue that, for those with a health focus, ‘Health at every size’ is a more effective principle, which involves striving for healthy living, without a focus on weight loss. This discussion will contextualise an autoethnographic exploration of how fat acceptance and Health at Every Size can be encouraged through fat activism and fat political art. As part of this paper, a selection of the recent performance, writing and art in Australia will be presented, including Aquaporko, the fat femme synchronised swim team and VaVaBoomBah, the Melbourne fat burlesque performances.

Keywords: activism, fat, health, obesity, performance

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Authors: Faruk Ozdemir, Roy Kalawsky, Peter Hubbard

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Accurate estimation of RUL provides a basis for effective predictive maintenance, reducing unexpected downtime for industrial equipment. However, while models such as the Random Forest have effective predictive capabilities, they are the so-called ‘black box’ models, where interpretability is at a threshold to make critical diagnostic decisions involved in industries related to aviation. The purpose of this work is to present a prognostic framework that embeds Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques in order to provide essential transparency in Machine Learning methods' decision-making mechanisms based on sensor data, with the objective of procuring actionable insights for the aviation industry. Sensor readings have been gathered from critical equipment such as turbofan jet engine and landing gear, and the prediction of the RUL is done by a Random Forest model. It involves steps such as data gathering, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation. These critical components’ datasets are independently trained and evaluated by the models. While suitable predictions are served, their performance metrics are reasonably good; such complex models, however obscure reasoning for the predictions made by them and may even undermine the confidence of the decision-maker or the maintenance teams. This is followed by global explanations using SHAP and local explanations using LIME in the second phase to bridge the gap in reliability within industrial contexts. These tools analyze model decisions, highlighting feature importance and explaining how each input variable affects the output. This dual approach offers a general comprehension of the overall model behavior and detailed insight into specific predictions. The proposed framework, in its third component, incorporates the techniques of causal analysis in the form of Granger causality tests in order to move beyond correlation toward causation. This will not only allow the model to predict failures but also present reasons, from the key sensor features linked to possible failure mechanisms to relevant personnel. The causality between sensor behaviors and equipment failures creates much value for maintenance teams due to better root cause identification and effective preventive measures. This step contributes to the system being more explainable. Surrogate Several simple models, including Decision Trees and Linear Models, can be used in yet another stage to approximately represent the complex Random Forest model. These simpler models act as backups, replicating important jobs of the original model's behavior. If the feature explanations obtained from the surrogate model are cross-validated with the primary model, the insights derived would be more reliable and provide an intuitive sense of how the input variables affect the predictions. We then create an iterative explainable feedback loop, where the knowledge learned from the explainability methods feeds back into the training of the models. This feeds into a cycle of continuous improvement both in model accuracy and interpretability over time. By systematically integrating new findings, the model is expected to adapt to changed conditions and further develop its prognosis capability. These components are then presented to the decision-makers through the development of a fully transparent condition monitoring and alert system. The system provides a holistic tool for maintenance operations by leveraging RUL predictions, feature importance scores, persistent sensor threshold values, and autonomous alert mechanisms. Since the system will provide explanations for the predictions given, along with active alerts, the maintenance personnel can make informed decisions on their end regarding correct interventions to extend the life of the critical machinery.

Keywords: predictive maintenance, explainable artificial intelligence, prognostic, RUL, machine learning, turbofan engines, C-MAPSS dataset

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Authors: Lukas Vierus, Thomas Schuster

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A general framework is examined for dynamic tensor field tomography within an inhomogeneous medium characterized by refraction and absorption, treated as an inverse source problem concerning the associated transport equation. Guided by Fermat’s principle, the Riemannian metric within the specified domain is determined by the medium's refractive index. While considerable literature exists on the inverse problem of reconstructing a tensor field from its longitudinal ray transform within a static Euclidean environment, limited inversion formulas and algorithms are available for general Riemannian metrics and time-varying tensor fields. It is established that tensor field tomography, akin to an inverse source problem for a transport equation, persists in dynamic scenarios. Framing dynamic tensor tomography as an inverse source problem embodies a comprehensive perspective within this domain. Ensuring well-defined forward mappings necessitates establishing existence and uniqueness for the underlying transport equations. However, the bilinear forms of the associated weak formulations fail to meet the coercivity condition. Consequently, recourse to viscosity solutions is taken, demonstrating their unique existence within suitable Sobolev spaces (in the static case) and Sobolev-Bochner spaces (in the dynamic case), under a specific assumption restricting variations in the refractive index. Notably, the adjoint problem can also be reformulated as a transport equation, with analogous results regarding uniqueness. Analytical solutions are expressed as integrals over geodesics, facilitating more efficient evaluation of forward and adjoint operators compared to solving partial differential equations. Certainly, here's the revised sentence in English: Numerical experiments are conducted using a Nesterov-accelerated Landweber method, encompassing various fields, absorption coefficients, and refractive indices, thereby illustrating the enhanced reconstruction achieved through this holistic modeling approach.

Keywords: attenuated refractive dynamic ray transform of tensor fields, geodesics, transport equation, viscosity solutions

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Authors: Bharatendra Rai

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The sequence of words in text data has long-term dependencies and is known to suffer from vanishing gradient problems when developing deep learning models. Although recurrent networks such as long short-term memory networks help to overcome this problem, achieving high text classification performance is a challenging problem. Convolutional recurrent networks that combine the advantages of long short-term memory networks and convolutional neural networks can be useful for text classification performance improvements. However, arriving at suitable hyperparameter values for convolutional recurrent networks is still a challenging task where fitting a model requires significant computing resources. This paper illustrates the advantages of using convolutional recurrent networks for text classification with the help of statistically planned computer experiments for hyperparameter tuning.

Keywords: long short-term memory networks, convolutional recurrent networks, text classification, hyperparameter tuning, Tukey honest significant differences

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Authors: Khalid Mahmoud Gaafar

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In human diets , ω-6 and ω-3 are important essential fatty acids for immunity and health. However, considerable alteration in dietary patterns and contents has resulted in change of the consumption of such fatty acids ,with subsequent increase in the consumption of ω-6 fatty acids and a marked decrease in the consumption of ω-3 fatty acids. This dietary alteration has led to an imbalance in the ratio for ω-6/ω-3, which at 20:1 now differs considerably from the original ratio (1:1). Therefore, dietary supplements such as eggs and meat enriched with omega 3 are necessary to increase the consumption of ω-3 to meet the recommended need for ω-3. Foods that supply ω-6 fatty acids include soybean, palm , sunflower, and rapeseed oils, whereas foods that supply ω-3 fatty acids such as linseed and fish oils. Lin seed oils contain Alpha – linolenic acid (ALA), which can be converted to DHA and EPA in the birds body, with linseed oil containing more than 50% ALA. On the other hand, high doses of omega 6 sources in the diet may have deleterious effects on humans. Maintaining an optimum ratio of ω-3 and ω-6fatty acids not only improves performance but also prevents these health risks. The ratio of n-6:ω-3 fatty acids also plays an important role in the immune response, production performance of broilers and designing meat enriched with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Birds of three experimental groups fed on basal starter (0-2nd weeks), grower (3rd -4th weeks) and finisher (5th week) rations. The first is control group fed during the grower-finisher periods on basic diet with two replicate (one fed on basic diet contain vegetable oil and the other don’t) without any additives. The three experimental groups (T1 – T2 –T3) fed during the grower- finisher periods on diets free from vegetable oils and contain of 5% of extruded mixture of soybean and linseed (60%:40%). The second (T2) and third (T3) experimental groups supplemented with vitamin B12 and enzyme mixture. The first experimental groups don’t receive vitamins or enzymes. The obtained results showed a significant increased growth performance, immune response, highest antioxidant activity and serum HDL with lowest serum LDL and triglycerides levels in all experimental groups compared with control group, which was highly significant in group fed on vitamin B6.

Keywords: omega fatty acids, broiler, feeding, human health, growth performance, immunity

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Authors: Hechmi Saidi, Noureddine Hamdi

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The performance of hybrid amplify and forward - decode and forward (AF-DF) hybrid radio frequency/free space optical (RF/FSO) communication system, that adopts M-ary pulse position modulation (MPPM) techniques, is analyzed. Both exact and approximate symbol-error rates (SERs) are derived. The random variations of the received optical irradiance, produced by the atmospheric turbulence, is modeled by the gamma-gamma (GG) statistical distribution. A closed-form expression for the probability density function (PDF) is derived for the whole above system is obtained. Thanks to the use of hybrid AF-DF hybrid RF/FSO configuration and MPPM, the effects of atmospheric turbulence is mitigated; hence the capacity of combating atmospheric turbulence and the transmissitted signal quality are improved.

Keywords: free space optical, gamma gamma channel, radio frequency, decode and forward, error pointing, M-ary pulse position modulation, symbol error rate

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Authors: Abid Fida Masih

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Forced degradation study of Rifaximin was conducted to determine the stability indicating potential of HPLC testing method for detection of Rifaximin in formulated tablets to be employed for quality control and stability testing. The questioned method applied with mobile phase methanol: water (70:30), 5µm, 250 x 4.6mm, C18 column, wavelength 293nm and flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. Forced degradation study was performed under oxidative, acidic, basic, thermal and photolytic conditions. The applied method successfully determined the degradation products after acidic and basic degradation without interfering with Rifaximin detection. Therefore, the method was said to be stability indicating and can be applied for quality control and stability testing of Rifaxmin tablets during its shelf life.

Keywords: forced degradation, high-performance liquid chromatography, method validation, rifaximin, stability indicating method

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Authors: Haji Mohammad Zulfan Farhi Bin Haji Sulaini, Mohammad Azeezudde’en Bin Mohd Ismaon

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The demands placed on military athletes extend beyond physical prowess to encompass cognitive resilience in high-stress environments. This study investigates the effects of resilience training on the cognitive performance of military athletes, shedding light on the potential benefits and implications for optimizing their overall readiness. In a rapidly evolving global landscape, armed forces worldwide are recognizing the importance of cognitive resilience alongside physical fitness. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative cognitive assessments and qualitative data from military athletes undergoing resilience training programs. Cognitive performance is evaluated through a battery of tests, including measures of memory, attention, decision-making, and reaction time. The participants, drawn from various branches of the military, are divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group undergoes a comprehensive resilience training program, while the control group receives traditional physical training without a specific focus on resilience. The initial findings indicate a substantial improvement in cognitive performance among military athletes who have undergone resilience training. These improvements are particularly evident in domains such as attention and decision-making. The experimental group demonstrated enhanced situational awareness, quicker problem-solving abilities, and increased adaptability in high-stress scenarios. These results suggest that resilience training not only bolsters mental toughness but also positively impacts cognitive skills critical to military operations. In addition to quantitative assessments, qualitative data is collected through interviews and surveys to gain insights into the subjective experiences of military athletes. Preliminary analysis of these narratives reveals that participants in the resilience training program report higher levels of self-confidence, emotional regulation, and an improved ability to manage stress. These psychological attributes contribute to their enhanced cognitive performance and overall readiness. Moreover, this study explores the potential long-term benefits of resilience training. By tracking participants over an extended period, we aim to assess the durability of cognitive improvements and their effects on overall mission success. Early results suggest that resilience training may serve as a protective factor against the detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to stressors, potentially reducing the risk of burnout and psychological trauma among military athletes. This research has significant implications for military organizations seeking to optimize the performance and well-being of their personnel. The findings suggest that integrating resilience training into the training regimen of military athletes can lead to a more resilient and cognitively capable force. This, in turn, may enhance mission success, reduce the risk of injuries, and improve the overall effectiveness of military operations. In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that resilience training positively impacts the cognitive performance of military athletes. The preliminary results indicate improvements in attention, decision-making, and adaptability, as well as increased psychological resilience. As the study progresses and incorporates long-term follow-ups, it is expected to provide valuable insights into the enduring effects of resilience training on the cognitive readiness of military athletes, contributing to the ongoing efforts to optimize military personnel's physical and mental capabilities in the face of ever-evolving challenges.

Keywords: military athletes, cognitive performance, resilience training, cognitive enhancement program

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Authors: Samira Rostom, Robert Symonds, Robin W. Hughes

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Hydrogen is considered as one of the most important clean and renewable energy carriers for a sustainable energy future. However, its efficient and cost-effective purification remains challenging. This paper presents the potential of using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in combination with pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology for syngas based H2 purification. PSA process analysis is done considering high pressure and elevated temperature process conditions, it reduces the demand for off-gas recycle to the fuel reactor and simultaneously permits higher desorption pressure, thereby reducing the parasitic load on the hydrogen compressor. The elevated pressure and temperature adsorption we present here is beneficial to minimizing overall process heating and cooling demand compared to existing processes. Here, we report the comparative performance of zeolite-5A, Cu-BTC, and the mix of zeolite-5A/Cu-BTC for H2 purification from syngas typical of those exiting water-gas-shift reactors. The MOFs were synthesized hydrothermally and then mixed systematically at different weight ratios to find the optimum composition based on the adsorption performance. The formation of different compounds were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption and desorption, SEM, FT-IR, TG, and water vapor adsorption technologies. Single-component adsorption isotherms of CO2, CO, CH4, N2, and H2 over single materials and composites were measured at elevated pressures and different temperatures to determine their equilibrium adsorption capacity. The examination of the stability and regeneration performance of metal–organic frameworks was carried out using a gravimetric system at temperature ranges of 25-150℃ for a pressure range of 0-30 bar. The studies of adsorption/desorption on the MOFs showed selective adsorption of CO2, CH4, CO, and N2 over H2. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that the Ni-MOF-74/Cu-BTC composites are promising candidates for industrial H2 purification processes.

Keywords: MOF, H2 purification, high T, PSA

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Authors: Atiwat Khatpibunchai, Taweesak Kritjaroen

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A social enterprise is the innovative hybrid organizations where its ultimate goal is to generate revenue and use it as a fund to solve the social and environmental problem. Although the evidence shows the clear value of economic, social and environmental aspects, the limitations of most of the social enterprises are the expanding impact of social and environmental aspects through the normal market mechanism. This is because the major sources of revenues of social enterprises derive from the business advocates who merely wish to support society and environment by using products and services of social enterprises rather than expect the satisfaction and the distinctive advantage of products and services. Thus, social enterprises cannot reach the achievement as other businesses do. The relevant concepts from the literature review revealed that dynamic capability is the ability to sense, integrate and reconfigure internal resources and utilize external resources to adapt to changing environments, create innovation and achieve competitive advantage. The objective of this research is to study the influence of dynamic capability that affects competitive advantage and sustainable performance, as well as to determine important elements of dynamic capability. The researchers developed a conceptual model from the related concepts and theories of dynamic capability. A conceptual model will support and show the influence of dynamic capability on competitive advantage and sustainable performance of social enterprises. The 230 organizations in South-East Asia served as participants in this study. The results of the study were analyzed by the structural equation model (SEM) and it was indicated that research model is consistent with empirical research. The results also demonstrated that dynamic capability has a direct and indirect influence on competitive advantage and sustainable performance. Moreover, it can be summarized that dynamic capability consists of the five elements: 1) the ability to sense an opportunity; 2) the ability to seize an opportunity; 3) the ability to integrate resources; 4) the ability to absorb resources; 5) the ability to create innovation. The study recommends that related sectors can use this study as a guideline to support and promote social enterprises. The focus should be pointed to the important elements of dynamic capability that are the development of the ability to transform existing resources in the organization and the ability to seize opportunity from changing market.

Keywords: dynamic capability, social enterprise, sustainable competitive advantage, sustainable performance

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Authors: Noman Shabbir, Roheel Nawaz, Muhammad N. Iqbal, Junaid Zafar

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This paper focuses on the performance evaluation of routing protocols in WLAN based Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). A comparative analysis of routing protocols such as Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector Routing System (AODV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) is been made against different network parameters like network load, end to end delay and throughput in small, medium and large-scale sensor network scenarios to identify the best performing protocol. Simulation results indicate that OLSR gives minimum network load in all three scenarios while AODV gives the best throughput in small scale network but in medium and large scale networks, DSR is better. In terms of delay, OLSR is more efficient in small and medium scale network while AODV is slightly better in large networks.

Keywords: WLAN, WSN, AODV, DSR, OLSR

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Authors: Xiang Shijie, Zhou Dong, Tian Dan

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This paper focuses on the application of real-time semantic segmentation technology in complex road condition recognition, aiming to address the critical issue of how to improve segmentation accuracy while ensuring real-time performance. Semantic segmentation technology has broad application prospects in fields such as autonomous vehicle navigation and remote sensing image recognition. However, current real-time semantic segmentation networks face significant technical challenges and optimization gaps in balancing speed and accuracy. To tackle this problem, this paper conducts an in-depth study and proposes an innovative Guided Image Reconstruction Module. By resampling high-resolution images into a set of low-resolution images, this module effectively reduces computational complexity, allowing the network to more efficiently extract features within limited resources, thereby improving the performance of real-time segmentation tasks. In addition, a dual-branch network structure is designed in this paper to fully leverage the advantages of different feature layers. A novel Hybrid Attention Mechanism is also introduced, which can dynamically capture multi-scale contextual information and effectively enhance the focus on important features, thus improving the segmentation accuracy of the network in complex road condition. Compared with traditional methods, the proposed model achieves a better balance between accuracy and real-time performance and demonstrates competitive results in road condition segmentation tasks, showcasing its superiority. Experimental results show that this method not only significantly improves segmentation accuracy while maintaining real-time performance, but also remains stable across diverse and complex road conditions, making it highly applicable in practical scenarios. By incorporating the Guided Image Reconstruction Module, dual-branch structure, and Hybrid Attention Mechanism, this paper presents a novel approach to real-time semantic segmentation tasks, which is expected to further advance the development of this field.

Keywords: hybrid attention mechanism, image reconstruction, real-time, road status recognition

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Authors: Stephanie J. Sedberry, William J. Gerace, Ian D. Beatty, Michael J. Kane

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Increasing the number of US university students who attain degrees in STEM and enter the STEM workforce is a national priority. Demographic groups vary in their rates of participation in STEM, and the US produces just 10% of the world’s science and engineering degrees (2014 figures). To address these gaps, we have developed and tested a practical, 30-minute, single-session classroom-based intervention to improve students’ self-efficacy and academic performance in University STEM courses. Self-efficacy is a psychosocial construct that strongly correlates with academic success. Self-efficacy is a construct that is internal and relates to the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of student motivation and performance. A compelling body of research demonstrates that university students’ self-efficacy beliefs are strongly related to their selection of STEM as a major, aspirations for STEM-related careers, and persistence in science. The development of an intervention to increase students’ self-efficacy is motivated by research showing that short, social-psychological interventions in education can lead to large gains in student achievement. Our intervention addresses STEM self-efficacy via two strong, but previously separate, lines of research into attitudinal/affect variables that influence student success. The first is ‘attributional retraining,’ in which students learn to attribute their successes and failures to internal rather than external factors. The second is ‘mindset’ about fixed vs. growable intelligence, in which students learn that the brain remains plastic throughout life and that they can, with conscious effort and attention to thinking skills and strategies, become smarter. Extant interventions for both of these constructs have significantly increased academic performance in the classroom. We developed a 34-item questionnaire (Likert scale) to measure STEM Self-efficacy, Perceived Academic Control, and Growth Mindset in a University STEM context, and validated it with exploratory factor analysis, Rasch analysis, and multi-trait multi-method comparison to coded interviews. Four iterations of our 42-week research protocol were conducted across two academic years (2017-2018) at three different Universities in North Carolina, USA (UNC-G, NC A&T SU, and NCSU) with varied student demographics. We utilized a quasi-experimental prospective multiple-group time series research design with both experimental and control groups, and we are employing linear modeling to estimate the impact of the intervention on Self-Efficacy,wth-Mindset, Perceived Academic Control, and final course grades (performance measure). Preliminary results indicate statistically significant effects of treatment vs. control on Self-Efficacy, Growth-Mindset, Perceived Academic Control. Analyses are ongoing and final results pending. This intervention may have the potential to increase student success in the STEM classroom—and ownership of that success—to continue in a STEM career. Additionally, we have learned a great deal about the complex components and dynamics of self-efficacy, their link to performance, and the ways they can be impacted to improve students’ academic performance.

Keywords: academic performance, affect variables, growth mindset, intervention, perceived academic control, psycho-social variables, self-efficacy, STEM, university classrooms

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Authors: Jawairia Umar, Tanveer Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, Muhammad Maqsood

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Different knitted structures and knitted parameters play a vital role in the stretch and recovery management of compression sportswear in addition to the materials use to generate this stretch and recovery behavior of the fabric. The present work was planned to predict the different performance indicators of a compression sportswear fabric with some ground parameters i.e. base yarn stitch length (polyester as base yarn and spandex as plating yarn involve to make a compression fabric) and linear density of the spandex which is a key material of any sportswear fabric. The prediction models were generated by response surface method for performance indicators such as stretch & recovery percentage, compression generated by the garment on body, total elongation on application of high power force and load generated on certain percentage extension in fabric. Certain physical properties of the fabric were also modeled using these two parameters.

Keywords: Compression, sportswear, stretch and recovery, statistical model, kikuhime

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Authors: Gezahegn Bekele Welldgiyorgise

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It is obvious that the economics, politics and social conditions of a country are determined by the quality and standard of its education. Indeed, education plays a vital role in changing the consciousness and awareness of society and transforming it on a large scale. Moreover, education contributes a lot to the advancement of science and technology, information and communication, and above all, it speeds up its progress in no time if it focuses mainly on the qualitative approach to education. Education brings about universal change and transformation and lightens mankind in all dimensions. It creates an educated, enlightened and brightened generation in society. The generation will be sharped, sharpened and well-oriented if it gets modern, sophisticated and standardized education in its field of study. The main goal of education is to produce well-qualified, well-trained and disciplined young offers in a given community. If the youth is well trained and well-mannered, he will certainly be enlightened, problem solvers and solution seekers, researchers, and innovators. In this respect, we have to provide the youth with modern education, a teaching-learning process led by active learning and a participatory approach with a new curriculum preparation for the age of children supported by modern facilities (ICT).In addition to that, the curriculum should have to give attention to mathematics and science lessons that include international experience in a comfortable school and classrooms. Therefore, the generation that will be created through such kinds of the guided education system will make the students active participants, self-confident, researchers and problem solvers, besides that result in changed life standards and a developed country. Similarly, our country, Ethiopia, has aimed to get such change in youth (generation) through modern education, designing a new educational policy and curriculum which was implemented for many years, although the goal of education has not reached the required level. To get the main idea of the article, I should have answered the question of why our country's educational goal had not reached the desired level because it is necessary to lay the foundation for research in finding out problems seen through students learning performance, the first task is selecting primary-school as a sample. Therefore, we selected “Dilla primary school (5-8)” which is a workplace for a teacher and gives me a chance to recognize students’ learning performance to recognize their learning grades (internal and external) and measure performance (achievement) of students easily’.

Keywords: curriculum, performance, innovation, learning

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Authors: Che Hsiu Chen, Su Yun Chen, Hon Wen Cheng

Abstract:

Traditional core stability, core endurance, and balance exercises on a stable surface with isometric muscle actions, low loads, and multiple repetitions, which may not improvements the swimming and running economy performance. However, the effects of high intensity core muscle exercise training on jump height, sprint, and aerobic fitness remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine whether high intensity core muscle exercises training could improve sport performances in dancers. Thirty healthy university dancer students (28 women and 2 men; age 20.0 years, height 159.4 cm, body mass 52.7 kg) were voluntarily participated in this study, and each participant underwent five suspension exercises (e.g., hip abduction in plank alternative, hamstring curl, 45-degree row, lunge and oblique crunch). Each type of exercise was performed for 30-second, with 30-second of rest between exercises, two times per week for eight weeks and each exercise session was increased by 10-second every week. We measured agility, explosive force, anaerobic and cardiovascular fitness in dancer performance before and after eight weeks of training. The results showed that the 8-week high intensity core muscle training would significantly increase T-test agility (7.78%), explosive force of acceleration (3.35%), vertical jump height (8.10%), jump power (6.95%), lower extremity anaerobic ability (7.10%) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (4.15%). Therefore, it can be concluded that eight weeks of high intensity core muscle exercises training can improve not only agility, sprint ability, vertical jump ability, anaerobic and but also cardiovascular fitness measures as well.

Keywords: balance, jump height, sprint, maximal oxygen uptake

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Authors: Haithem Elderrat, Huw Davies, Emmanuel Brousseau

Abstract:

Elastomeric polymer foam has been used widely in the automotive industry, especially for isolating unwanted vibrations. Such material is able to absorb unwanted vibration due to its combination of elastic and viscous properties. However, the ‘creep effect’, poor stress distribution and susceptibility to high temperatures are the main disadvantages of such a system. In this study, improvements in the performance of elastomeric foam as a vibration isolator were investigated using the concept of Foam Filled Fluid (FFFluid). In FFFluid devices, the foam takes the form of capsule shapes, and is mixed with viscous fluid, while the mixture is contained in a closed vessel. When the FFFluid isolator is affected by vibrations, energy is absorbed, due to the elastic strain of the foam. As the foam is compressed, there is also movement of the fluid, which contributes to further energy absorption as the fluid shears. Also, and dependent on the design adopted, the packaging could also attenuate vibration through energy absorption via friction and/or elastic strain. The present study focuses on the advantages of the FFFluid concept over the dry polymeric foam in the role of vibration isolation. This comparative study between the performance of dry foam and the FFFluid was made according to experimental procedures. The paper concludes by evaluating the performance of the FFFluid isolator in the suspension system of a light vehicle. One outcome of this research is that the FFFluid may preferable over elastomer isolators in certain applications, as it enables a reduction in the effects of high temperatures and of ‘creep effects’, thereby increasing the reliability and load distribution. The stiffness coefficient of the system has increased about 60% by using an FFFluid sample. The technology represented by the FFFluid is therefore considered by this research suitable for application in the suspension system of a light vehicle.

Keywords: FFFluid, dry foam, anti-vibration devices, elastomeric polymer foam

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Authors: Mei-Fang Wu, Shu-Li Wang, Feng-Tsung Cheng

Abstract:

Highly developed technology and highly competitive global market highlight the important role of competitive advantages and operation performances in sustainable company operation. Activity-Based Costing (ABC) provides accurate operation cost and operation performance information. Rich literature provide relevant research with cases study on Activity-Based Costing application, and yet, there is no research studying on cause relationship between key success factors of applying Activity-Based Costing and its specific outcomes, such as profitability or share market. These relationships provide the ways to handle the key success factors to achieve the specific outcomes for ensuring to promote the competitive advantages and operation performances. The main purposes of this research are exploring the key success paths by Key Success Paths approach which will lead the ways to apply Activity-Base Costing. The Key Success Paths is the innovative method which is exploring the cause relationships and explaining what are the effects of key success factors to specific outcomes of Activity-Based Costing implementation. The cause relationships between key success factors and successful specific outcomes are Key Success Paths (KSPs). KSPs are the guidelines to lead the cost management strategies to achieve the goals of competitive advantages and operation performances. The research findings indicate that good management system design may impact the good outcomes of Activity-Based Costing application and achieve to outstanding competitive advantage, operating performance and profitability as well by KSPs exploration.

Keywords: activity-based costing, key success factors, key success paths approach, key success paths, key failure paths

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Authors: Sadik Yigit

Abstract:

The energy consumed in the buildings constitutes a large portion of the total energy consumption in the world. In this study, it was aimed to measure the impact of climate change on the energy consumption of residential building stock by analyzing a typical mid-rise residential building in four different climate regions of Turkey. An integrated system was developed using the "Distribution Evolutionary Algorithms in Python" tool and Energy Plus. By using the developed integrated system, the energy performance of the typical residential building was analyzed under the effect of different climate change scenarios. The results indicated that predicted overheating will be experienced in the future, which will significantly increase the cooling energy loads of the buildings. In addition, design solutions to improve the future energy performance of the buildings were proposed, considering budget constraints. The results of the study will guide researchers studying in this area of research and designers in the sector in finding climate change resilient design solutions.

Keywords: energy_efficient, residential buildings, climate change, energyplus

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Authors: Qiuwen Ma, Sai On Cheung

Abstract:

Incentive contracting has been developed to push the agent team for extra effort. Generally, there are three types of incentive arrangement, namely incentive/penalty for super performance/underperformance, risk/reward sharing and future business opportunities. It is found that there are significant differences in the use of incentive arrangement in private and public projects. In Hong Kong, very few public projects have used future business as incentivizer whereas private developers often signal repeated business coupled with heavy penalty. This study was conducted to identify various attributes affecting the use of I/D in both private and public engineering sectors of Hong Kong. The diverging preferences were unveiled with reference to a literature review and semi-structured interviews with industry experts. The findings reveal the public/private sectors would consider the implementation issues regarding the various performance targets. The most deterministic factor for the public sector is about accountability. The private sector is in general skeptical about the need to provide extra for the contractors for what they have already contracted to perform.

Keywords: construction incentive, public/private projects, semi-structured interview, hong kong

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Authors: Aniruddha Joshi

Abstract:

This paper discusses a simulation study of automated sand casting production system. Therefore, the first aims of this study is development of automated sand casting process model and analyze this model with a simulation software Witness. Production methodology aims to improve overall productivity through elimination of wastes and that leads to improve quality. Integration of automation with Simulation is beneficial to identify the obstacles in implementation and to take appropriate options to implement successfully. For this integration, there are different Simulation Software’s. To study this integration, with the help of “WITNESS” Simulation Software the model is created. This model is based on literature review. The input parameters are Setup Time, Number of machines, cycle time and output parameter is number of castings, avg, and time and percentage usage of machines. Obtained results are used for Statistical Analysis. This analysis concludes the optimal solution to get maximum output.

Keywords: automated sand casting production system, simulation, WITNESS software, performance evaluation

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Authors: Jaylina Rana, Chanakya Arya, John Stehle

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Hybrid precast twinwall concrete units, mainly used in basement, core and crosswall construction, are now being adopted in water retaining tank structures. Their use offers many advantages compared with conventional in-situ concrete alternatives, however, the design could be optimised further via a deeper understanding of the unique load transfer mechanisms in the system. In the tank application, twinwall units, which consist of two precast concrete biscuits connected by steel lattices and in-situ concrete core, are subject to bending. Uncertainties about the degree of composite action between the precast biscuits and hence flexural performance of the units necessitated laboratory tests to investigate the interface shear resistance. Testing was also required to assess both the leakage performance and buildability of a variety of joint details. This paper describes some aspects of this novel approach to the design/construction of tank structures as well as selected results from some of the tests that were carried out.

Keywords: hybrid construction, twinwall, precast construction, composite action

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Authors: Jason Ting Jing Cheng, Lee Foo Wei, Yew Ming Kun, Mo Kim Hung, Yip Chun Chieh

Abstract:

This research delves into the structural characteristics of distinct construction material, rubberized lightweight foam concrete (RLFC) wall panels, which have been developed as a sustainable alternative for the construction industry. These panels are engineered with a RLFC core, possessing a density of 1150 kg/m3, which is specifically formulated to bear structural loads. The core is enveloped with high-strength fiber cement boards, selected for their superior load-bearing capabilities, and enhanced flexural strength when compared to conventional concrete. A thin bed adhesive, known as TPS, is employed to create a robust bond between the RLFC core and the fiber cement cladding. This study underscores the potential of RLFC wall panels as a viable and eco-friendly option for modern building construction, offering a combination of structural efficiency and environmental benefits.

Keywords: structural performance, rubberized concrete wall panel, fiber cement board, insulation performance

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Authors: Juliane P. De Oliveira, Carlos H. Dos Santos, Marcia Shoji, Maria E. C. Ferreira, Natalia U. Yamaguchi

Abstract:

The construction sector is considered a major generator of environmental impacts due to the high consumption of natural resources and waste generation. Thus, this article aims to evaluate the performance of a concrete produced by the partial and total replacement of natural coarse aggregate by recycled coarse aggregate, derived from the concrete residue of buildings and demolitions. The study was made by comparing the compressive strength and absorption of three different concrete traces, keeping the water/cement factor of 0.60 and changing only the proportions of recycled coarse aggregate between 0%, 50% and 100%. Traces 50% and 100% obtained good results by comparing the actual specific mass, because the material used is lighter to the natural coarse aggregate. It was concluded that the concrete produced with recycled aggregates, even with inferior results, can be used where it is not needed a structural function, giving an adequate destination to the construction and demolition waste and consequently reducing the extraction and consumption of natural resources.

Keywords: green concrete, recycled aggregate, recycling, sustainable development

Procedia PDF Downloads 155