Search results for: design and development the information technology architecture

Authors: Yeo Leng Leng

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Blended learning, with its combination of online and face-to-face instruction, presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities in terms of cultivating student agency. While it offers flexibility and personalized learning pathways, it also demands a higher degree of self-regulation and motivation from students. This paper presents the design of blended learning in a Chinese lesson and discusses the framework involved. It also talks about the Edtech tools adopted to engage the students. Some of the students’ works will be showcased. A qualitative case study research method was employed in this paper to find out more about students’ learning experiences and to give them a voice. The purpose is to seek improvement in the blended learning design of the Chinese lessons and to encourage students’ self-directed learning.

Keywords: blended learning, student agency, ed-tech tools, self-directed learning

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Authors: Jared Beard, Ali Baheri

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As autonomous systems become more prominent in society, ensuring their safe application becomes increasingly important. This is clearly demonstrated with autonomous cars traveling through a crowded city or robots traversing a warehouse with heavy equipment. Human environments can be complex, having high dimensional state and action spaces. This gives rise to two problems. One being that analytic solutions may not be possible. The other is that in simulation based approaches, searching the entirety of the problem space could be computationally intractable, ruling out formal methods. To overcome this, approximate solutions may seek to find failures or estimate their likelihood of occurrence. One such approach is adaptive stress testing (AST) which uses reinforcement learning to induce failures in the system. The premise of which is that a learned model can be used to help find new failure scenarios, making better use of simulations. In spite of these failures AST fails to find particularly sparse failures and can be inclined to find similar solutions to those found previously. To help overcome this, multi-fidelity learning can be used to alleviate this overuse of information. That is, information in lower fidelity can simulations can be used to build up samples less expensively, and more effectively cover the solution space to find a broader set of failures. Recent work in multi-fidelity learning has passed information bidirectionally using “knows what it knows” (KWIK) reinforcement learners to minimize the number of samples in high fidelity simulators (thereby reducing computation time and load). The contribution of this work, then, is development of the bidirectional multi-fidelity AST framework. Such an algorithm, uses multi-fidelity KWIK learners in an adversarial context to find failure modes. Thus far, a KWIK learner has been used to train an adversary in a grid world to prevent an agent from reaching its goal; thus demonstrating the utility of KWIK learners in an AST framework. The next step is implementation of the bidirectional multi-fidelity AST framework described. Testing will be conducted in a grid world containing an agent attempting to reach a goal position and adversary tasked with intercepting the agent as demonstrated previously. Fidelities will be modified by adjusting the size of a time-step, with higher-fidelity effectively allowing for more responsive closed loop feedback. Results will compare the single KWIK AST learner with the multi-fidelity algorithm with respect to number of samples, distinct failure modes found, and relative effect of learning after a number of trials.

Keywords: multi-fidelity reinforcement learning, multi-fidelity simulation, safety validation, falsification

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Authors: Agus Sahri, Cahya Putra Dinata, Faishal Andhi Rokhman

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Intersection is a critical area on a highway which is a place of conflict points and congestion due to the meeting of two or more roads. Conflicts that occur at the intersection include diverging, merging, weaving, and crossing. To deal with these conflicts, a crossing control system is needed, at a plot of intersection there are two control systems namely signal intersections and non-signalized intersections. The control system at a plot of intersection can affect the intersection performance. In Indonesia there are still many intersections with poor intersection performance. In analyzing the parameters to measure the performance of a plot of intersection in Indonesia, it is guided by the 1997 Indonesian Road Capacity Manual. For this reason, this study aims to develop laboratory diagnostics at plot intersections to analyze parameters that can affect the performance of an intersection. The research method used is research and development. The laboratory diagnosis includes anamnesis, differential diagnosis, inspection, diagnosis, prognosis, specimens, analysis and sample data analysts. It is expected that this research can encourage the development and application of laboratory diagnostics at a plot of intersection in Indonesia so that intersections can function optimally.

Keywords: intersection, the laboratory diagnostic, control systems, Indonesia

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Authors: Amirul Al-Ashraf Abdullah, Hema Ramachandran, Iszatty Ismail

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Oleochemical industry in Malaysia has been diversifying significantly due to the abundant supply of both palm and kernel oils as raw materials as well as the high demand for downstream products such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols and glycerine. However, environmental awareness is growing rapidly in Malaysia because oleochemical industry is one of the palm-oil based industries that possess risk to the environment. Glycerine pitch is one of the scheduled wastes generated from the fatty acid plants in Malaysia and its discharge may cause a serious environmental problem. Therefore, it is imperative to find alternative applications for this waste glycerine. Consequently, the aim of this research is to explore the application of glycerine pitch as direct fermentation substrate in the biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)] copolymer, aiming to contribute toward the sustainable production of biopolymer in the world. Utilization of glycerine pitch (10 g/l) together with 1,4-butanediol (5 g/l) had resulted in the achievement of 40 mol% 4HB monomer with the highest PHA concentration of 2.91 g/l. Synthesis of yellow pigment which exhibited antimicrobial properties occurred simultaneously with the production of P(3HB-co-4HB) through the use of glycerine pitch as renewable carbon resource. Utilization of glycerine pitch in the biosynthesis of P(3HB-co-4HB) will not only contribute to reducing society’s dependence on non-renewable resources but also will promote the development of cost efficiency microbial fermentation towards biosustainability and green technology.

Keywords: biopolymer, glycerine pitch, natural pigment, P(3HB-co-4HB)

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Authors: Asma Omri, Iheb Sifaoui, Sofiane Sayahi, Hichem Besbes

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Future vehicle systems demand advanced capabilities, notably in-cabin life detection and driver monitoring systems, with a particular emphasis on drowsiness detection. To meet these requirements, several techniques employ artificial intelligence methods based on real-time vital sign measurements. In parallel, Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar technology has garnered considerable attention in the domains of healthcare and biomedical engineering for non-invasive vital sign monitoring. FMCW radar offers a multitude of advantages, including its non-intrusive nature, continuous monitoring capacity, and its ability to penetrate through clothing. In this paper, we propose a system utilizing the AWR6843AOP radar from Texas Instruments (TI) to extract precise vital sign information. The radar allows us to estimate Ballistocardiogram (BCG) signals, which capture the mechanical movements of the body, particularly the ballistic forces generated by heartbeats and respiration. These signals are rich sources of information about the cardiac cycle, rendering them suitable for heart rate estimation. The process begins with real-time subject positioning, followed by clutter removal, computation of Doppler phase differences, and the use of various filtering methods to accurately capture subtle physiological movements. To address the challenges associated with FMCW radar-based vital sign monitoring, including motion artifacts due to subjects' movement or radar micro-vibrations, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks are implemented. LSTM's adaptability to different heart rate patterns and ability to handle real-time data make it suitable for continuous monitoring applications. Several crucial steps were taken, including feature extraction (involving amplitude, time intervals, and signal morphology), sequence modeling, heart rate estimation through the analysis of detected cardiac cycles and their temporal relationships, and performance evaluation using metrics such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and correlation with reference heart rate measurements. For dataset construction and LSTM training, a comprehensive data collection system was established, integrating the AWR6843AOP radar, a Heart Rate Belt, and a smart watch for ground truth measurements. Rigorous synchronization of these devices ensured data accuracy. Twenty participants engaged in various scenarios, encompassing indoor and real-world conditions within a moving vehicle equipped with the radar system. Static and dynamic subject’s conditions were considered. The heart rate estimation through LSTM outperforms traditional signal processing techniques that rely on filtering, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and thresholding. It delivers an average accuracy of approximately 91% with an RMSE of 1.01 beat per minute (bpm). In conclusion, this paper underscores the promising potential of FMCW radar technology integrated with artificial intelligence algorithms in the context of automotive applications. This innovation not only enhances road safety but also paves the way for its integration into the automotive ecosystem to improve driver well-being and overall vehicular safety.

Keywords: ballistocardiogram, FMCW Radar, vital sign monitoring, LSTM

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Authors: Jihong Liang, Huiling Feng, Linqing Ma, Tianjiao Qi

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Confucius is the first sage in Chinese culture. Confucianism, the theories represented by Confucius, has long been at the core of Chinese traditional society, as the dominating political ideology of centralized feudal monarchy for more than two thousand years. Confucius Worship Ceremony held in the Confucian Temple in Qufu (Confucius’s birthplace), which is dedicated to commemorate Confucius and other 170 elites in Confucianism with a whole set of formal rites, pertains to “Auspicious Rites”, which worship heaven and earth, humans and ghosts. It was first a medium-scaled ritual activity but then upgraded to the supreme one at national level in the Qing Dynasty. As a national event, it was celebrated by Emperor as well as common intellectuals in traditional China. The Ceremony can be solemn and respectful, with prescribed and complicated procedures, well-prepared utensil and matched offerings operated in rhythm with music and dances. Each participant has his place, and everyone follows the specified rules. This magnificent ritual Ceremony, while embedded with rich culture connotation, actually symbolizes the social acknowledgment for orthodox culture represented by Confucianism. Rites reflected in this Ceremony, is one of the most important features of Chinese culture, serving as the key bond in the identification and continuation of Chinese culture. These rites and ritual ceremonies, as culture memories themselves, are not only treasures of China, but of the whole world. However, while the ancient Chinese Rite has been one of the thorniest and most complicated topics for academics, the more regrettable is that due to their interruption in practice and historical changes, these rites and ritual ceremonies have already become a vague language in today’s academic discourse and strange terms of the past for common people. Luckily, we, today, by virtue of modern digital technology, may be able to reproduce these ritual ceremonies, as most of them can still be found in ancient manuscripts, through which Chinese ancestors tell the beauty and gravity of their dignified rites and more importantly, their spiritual pursuits with vivid language and lively pictures. This research, based on review and interpretation of the ancient literature, intends to construct the ancient ritual ceremonies, with the Confucius Worship Ceremony as a case and by use of digital technology. Using 3D technology, the spatial scenes in the Confucian Temple can be reconstructed by virtual reality; the memorial tablet exhibited in the temple by GIS and different rites in the ceremonies by animation technology. With reference to the lyrics, melodies and lively pictures recorded in ancient scripts, it is also possible to reproduce the live dancing site. Also, image rendering technology can help to show the life experience and accomplishments of Confucius. Finally, lining up all the elements in a multimedia narrative form, a complete digitalized Confucius Worship Ceremony can be reproduced, which will provide an excellent virtual experience that goes beyond time and space by bringing its audience back to that specific historical time. This digital project, once completed, will play an important role in the inheritance and dissemination of cultural heritage.

Keywords: Confucius worship ceremony, multimedia narrative form, GIS, visual representation

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Authors: Keyvan Molanorouzi, Selina Khoo, Tony Morris

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In recent years, there has been a decline in physical activity among adults. Motivation has been shown to be a crucial factor in maintaining physical activity. The purpose of this study was to whether PA motives measured by the Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale PALMS predicted actual amount of PA at a later time to provide evidence for the construct validity of the PALMS. A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed. The Demographic Form, PALMS, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short form (IPAQ-S) questionnaires were used to assess motives and amount for physical activity in adults on two occasions. A sample of 640 (489 male, 151 female) undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years (mean ±SD; 22.30±8.13 years) took part in the study. Male participants were divided into three types of activities, namely exercise, racquet sport, and team sports and female participants only took part in one type of activity, namely team sports. After 14 weeks, all 640 undergraduate students who had filled in the initial questionnaire (Occasion 1) received the questionnaire via email (Occasion 2). Of the 640 students, 493 (77%; 378 males, 115 females) emailed back the completed questionnaire. The results showed that not only were pertinent sub-scales of PALMS positively related to amount of physical activity, but separate regression analyses showed the positive predictive effect of PALMS motives for amount of physical activity for each type of physical activity among participants. This study supported the construct validity of the PALMS by showing that the motives measured by PALMS did predict amount of PA. This information can be obtained to match people with specific sport or activity which in turn could potentially promote longer adherence to the specific activity.Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed. The Demographic Form, PALMS, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short form (IPAQ-S) questionnaires were used to assess motives and amount for physical activity in adults on two occasions. A sample of 640 (489 male, 151 female) undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years (mean ±SD; 22.30±8.13 years) took part in the study. Male participants were divided into three types of activities, namely exercise, racquet sport, and team sports and female participants only took part in one type of activity, namely team sports. After 14 weeks, all 640 undergraduate students who had filled in the initial questionnaire (Occasion 1) received the questionnaire via email (Occasion 2). Of the 640 students, 493 (77%; 378 males, 115 females) emailed back the completed questionnaire. Results: The results showed that not only were pertinent sub-scales of PALMS positively related to amount of physical activity, but separate regression analyses showed the positive predictive effect of PALMS motives for amount of physical activity for each type of physical activity among participants. This study supported the construct validity of the PALMS by showing that the motives measured by PALMS did predict amount of PA. Conclusion: This information can be obtained to match people with specific sport or activity which in turn could potentially promote longer adherence to the specific activity.

Keywords: physical activity, motivation, level of physical activity, type of physical activity

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Authors: Hengameh Hosseini

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Design of large healthcare facilities – such as hospitals, multi-service line clinics, and nursing facilities - that can accommodate patients with wide-ranging disabilities is a challenging endeavor and one that is poorly understood among healthcare facility managers, administrators, and executives. An even less-understood extension of this problem is the implications of weakly or insufficiently accommodative design of facilities for healthcare workers in physically-intensive jobs who may also suffer from a range of disabilities and who are therefore at increased risk of workplace accident and injury. Combine this reality with the vast range of facility types, ages, and designs, and the problem of universal accommodation becomes even more daunting and complex. In this study, we focus on the implication of facility design for healthcare workers suffering with low vision who also have physically active jobs. The points of difficulty are myriad and could span health service infrastructure, the equipment used in health facilities, and transport to and from appointments and other services can all pose a barrier to health care if they are inaccessible, less accessible, or even simply less comfortable for people with various disabilities. We conduct a series of surveys and interviews with employees and administrators of 7 facilities of a range of sizes and ownership models in the Northeastern United States and combine that corpus with in-facility observations and data collection to identify five major points of failure common to all the facilities that we concluded could pose safety threats to employees with vision impairments, ranging from very minor to severe. We determine that lack of design empathy is a major commonality among facility management and ownership. We subsequently propose three methods for remedying this lack of empathy-informed design, to remedy the dangers posed to employees: the use of an existing open-sourced Augmented Reality application to simulate the low-vision experience for designers and managers; the use of a machine learning model we develop to automatically infer facility shortcomings from large datasets of recorded patient and employee reviews and feedback; and the use of a computer vision model fine tuned on images of each facility to infer and predict facility features, locations, and workflows, that could again pose meaningful dangers to visually impaired employees of each facility. After conducting a series of real-world comparative experiments with each of these approaches, we conclude that each of these are viable solutions under particular sets of conditions, and finally characterize the range of facility types, workforce composition profiles, and work conditions under which each of these methods would be most apt and successful.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, healthcare workers, facility design, disability, visually impaired, workplace safety

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Authors: Issam Jebreen, Eman Al-Qbelat

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Outsourcing software development projects can be challenging, and there are several common challenges that organizations face. A study was conducted with a sample of 46 papers on outsourcing challenges, and the results show that there are several common challenges faced by organizations when outsourcing software development projects. Poor outsourcing relationship was identified as the most significant challenge, with 35% of the papers referencing it. Lack of quality was the second most significant challenge, with 33% of the papers referencing it. Language and cultural differences were the third most significant challenge, with 24% of the papers referencing it. Non-competitive price was another challenge faced by organizations, with 21% of the papers referencing it. Poor coordination and communication were also identified as a challenge, with 21% of the papers referencing it. Opportunistic behavior, lack of contract negotiation, inadequate user involvement, and constraints due to time zone were also challenges faced by organizations. Other challenges faced by organizations included poor project management, lack of technical capabilities, vendor employee high turnover, poor requirement specification, IPR issues, poor management of budget, schedule, and delay, geopolitical and country instability, the difference in development methodologies, failure to manage end-user expectations, and poor monitoring and control. In conclusion, outsourcing software development projects can be challenging, but organizations can mitigate these challenges by selecting the right outsourcing partner, having a well-defined contract and clear communication, having a clear understanding of the requirements, and implementing effective project management practices.

Keywords: software outsourcing, vendor, outsourcing challenges, quality model, continent, country, global outsourcing, IT workforce outsourcing.

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Authors: Tshephang Bright Molale

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Much is written on the importance of participatory communication and its role in uplifting indigent communities. As the closest government sphere to communities, local government is charged with directly improving the lives of the poor and is required by legislation to conduct Integrated Development Planning (IDP). This requires a municipality to utilise participatory communication aspects including dialogue, empowerment, and planning. These are most important pillars of community development. However, many studies have warned that elements such as modernisation, dependency and bureaucracy need to be observed with caution since they have the potential to impede and limit the extent of participatory communication in community development. These concepts serve as the basic points of departure and theoretical background underpinning this study, which is tasked with exploring the extent of participatory communication in the IDP context of Jouberton Township in the Matlosana Local Municipality, South Africa. In her public address on challenges facing South Africa’s local municipalities in January 2014, former premier, Thandi Modise, emphasised the need for communities to attend municipal IDP meetings, approve earmarked IDP projects, and learn about municipal budget spending. It is evident from theory and higher echelon of government that participatory communication is seen as cardinal to the existence of municipal government. From this background, this study was carried out under the assumption that the practice of participatory communication in contemporary local government only exists on paper; while in reality the public does not enjoy active participation in municipal IDP consultative frameworks. This is despite much discourse being available in government and in academia around the importance of participatory communication in community development. The study espoused a qualitative research approach to gather data and purposive sampling was used to select respondents linked to two IDP projects in Jouberton Township from the 2012/13 financial year. Its purpose was to explore perceptions among municipal representatives and community members in Jouberton Township on the extent of participatory communication in the IDP context. The empirical part of the study comprised of focus group, unstructured interviews, and participant observation. The study revealed that Jouberton communities are passive participators in municipal IDP consultative frameworks where they participate by just being informed about what is going to happen or has already happened and feedback is minimal. This is opposed to a desired form of empowered participation which is recommended by scholars in development communication where stakeholders granted space to participate in joint analysis and joint decision-making about what should be achieved and how. It has been discovered that there is a lack of active participation in community development in the IDP context of Matlosana Municipality and the study makes recommendations on how transformative participatory communication can be applied to improve current norms and standards in local government.

Keywords: development communication, government communication, integrated development plan, participatory communication

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Authors: Minho Kwak, Suhwan Yun, Choonsoo Park

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Nose shape optimizations of high-speed train are performed for the improvement of aerodynamic characteristics. Based on the commercial train, KTX-Sancheon, multi-objective optimizations are conducted for the improvement of the side wind stability and the micro-pressure wave following the optimization for the reduction of aerodynamic drag. 3D nose shapes are modelled by the Vehicle Modeling Function. Aerodynamic drag and side wind stability are calculated by three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes solver, and micro pressure wave is done by axi-symmetric compressible Navier-Stokes solver. The Maxi-min Latin Hypercube Sampling method is used to extract sampling points to construct the approximation model. The kriging model is constructed for the approximation model and the NSGA-II algorithm was used as the multi-objective optimization algorithm. Nose length, nose tip height, and lower surface curvature are design variables. Because nose length is a dominant variable for aerodynamic characteristics of train nose, two optimization processes are progressed respectively with and without the design variable, nose length. Each pareto set was obtained and each optimized nose shape is selected respectively considering Honam high-speed rail line infrastructure in South Korea. Through the optimization process with the nose length, when compared to KTX Sancheon, aerodynamic drag was reduced by 9.0%, side wind stability was improved by 4.5%, micro-pressure wave was reduced by 5.4% whereas aerodynamic drag by 7.3%, side wind stability by 3.9%, micro-pressure wave by 3.9%, without the nose length. As a result of comparison between two optimized shapes, similar shapes are extracted other than the effect of nose length.

Keywords: aerodynamic characteristics, design variable, multi-objective optimization, train nose shape

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Authors: A. T. Muruviwa

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Empirical studies of the current CSR agenda have been dominated by literature from the North at the expense of the nations from the South where most TNCs are located. Therefore, owing to the limitations of the current discourse that is dominated by Western ideas such as voluntarism, philanthropy, business case and economic gains, scholars have been calling for a new CSR agenda that is South-centred and addresses the needs of developing nations. The development theme has dominated in the recent literature as scholars concerned with the relationship between business and society have tried to understand its relationship with CSR. Despite a plethora of literature on the roles of corporations in local communities and the impact of CSR initiatives, there is lack of adequate empirical evidence to help us understand the nexus between CSR and development. For all the claims made about the positive and negative consequences of CSR, there is surprisingly little information about the outcomes it delivers. This study is a response to these claims made about the developmental aspect of CSR in developing countries. It offers some empirical bases for assessing the major CSR projects that have been fulfilled by a major mining company, Zimplats in Mhondoro-Ngezi Zimbabwe. The neo-liberal idea of capitalism and market dominations has empowered TNCs to stamp their authority in the developing countries. TNCs have made their mark in developing nations as they stamp their global private authority, rivalling or implicitly challenging the state in many functions. This dominance of corporate power raises great concerns over their tendencies of abuses in terms of environmental, social and human rights concerns as well as how to make them increasingly accountable. The hegemonic power of TNCs in the developing countries has had a tremendous impact on the overall CSR practices. While TNCs are key drivers of globalization they may be acting responsibly in their Global Northern home countries where there is a combination of legal mechanisms and the fear of civil society activism associated with corporate scandals. Using a triangulated approach in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were used the study found out that most CSR projects in Zimbabwe are dominated and directed by Zimplats because of the power it possesses. Most of the major CSR projects are beneficial to the mining company as they serve the business plans of the mining company. What was deduced from the study is that the infrastructural development initiatives by Zimplats confirm that CSR is a tool to advance business obligations. This shows that although proponents of CSR might claim that business has a mandate for social obligations to society, we need not to forget the dominant idea that the primary function of CSR is to enhance the firm’s profitability.

Keywords: hegemonic power, projects, reciprocity, stakeholders

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Authors: Neil Fourati

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Collaboration between public and private stakeholders for agricultural development are today lacking in Tunisia. The last dictatorship witnessed by the country has deteriorated the necessary trust between the state and small farmers for the realization of development projects, in particular in the interior, disadvantaged regions of the country. These regions, where the youth unemployment rate is above 30%, have been the heart of the uprising that preceded the revolution. The transitional period that the country is going through since 2011 is an opportunity for the emergence of new governance systems in the context of the decentralization. The latter is recognized in the 2nd Tunisian Republic constitution as the basis of regional management. Civil society participation to the decision-making process is considered as a mean to identify measures that are more coherent with local populations’ needs. The development of agriculture and food value chains in rural areas is relevant within the framework of the implementation of new decisions systems that require public-private collaborations. These new systems can lead to actions in favor of improving living conditions of rural populations. The diverisification of activities around agriculture can be a solution for job creation and local value creation. The project for the promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development in Tunisia has designed and implemented a multi-stakeholder dialogue process for the development of local value chains platforms in disadvantaged areas of the country. The platforms gather public and private organizations ; as well civil society organizations ; that intervene in a locality in relation to the production transformation or product’s commercialization. The role of these platforms is to formulate realize and evaluate collaborative actions or projects for the promotion of the concerned product and territory. The dialogue process steps allow to create the necessary collaboration conditions in order to promote viable collectivities, dynamic economies and healthy environments. Effectively, the dialogue process steps allow to identify the local leaders. These leaders recognize the development constraints and opportunities. They deal with key and gathering subjects around the collaborative projects or actions. They take common decisions in order to create effective coalitions for the implementation of common actions. The plateforms realize quick success so as to build trust. The project has supported the formulation of 22 collaborative projects. Seven priority collaborative projects have been realized. Each collaborative project includes 3 parts : the signature of the collaboration conventions between public and private organizations, investment in the relevant material in order to increase productivity and the quality of local and products and finally management and technical training in favour of producers’ organizations for the promotion of local products. The implementation of this process has enabled to enhance the capacities of collaboration between local actors : producers, traders, processors and support structures from public sector and civil society. It also allowed to improve the efficiency and relevance of actions and measures for agriculture and rural development programs. Thus, the process for the development of local value chain platform is a basis for sustainable development of agriculture.

Keywords: governance, public private collaboration, rural development, value chains

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Authors: Darwin Junnior Sabino Diego, Brando Burgos Guerrero, Diego Arroyo Villanueva

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Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has revolutionized modern manufacturing by enabling the agile creation of complex objects. However, challenges persist in the consistency and quality of printed parts, particularly in their mechanical properties. This study focuses on addressing these challenges through the optimization of printing parameters in FDM technology, using Machine Learning techniques. Our aim is to improve the mechanical properties of printed objects by optimizing parameters such as speed, temperature, and orientation. We implement a methodology that combines experimental data collection with Machine Learning algorithms to identify relationships between printing parameters and mechanical properties. The results demonstrate the potential of this methodology to enhance the quality and consistency of 3D printed products, with significant applications across various industrial fields. This research not only advances understanding of additive manufacturing but also opens new avenues for practical implementation in industrial settings.

Keywords: 3D printing, additive manufacturing, machine learning, mechanical properties

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Authors: Sara Muhammad Elqudah, Vigh László Gergely

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Catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, are sudden, short, and devastating, threatening lives, demolishing futures, and causing huge economic losses. Current seismic analyses and design standards are based on life safety levels where only some residual strength and stiffness are left in the structure leaving it beyond economical repair. Consequently, it has become necessary to introduce and implement the concept of resilient design. Resilient design is about designing for ductility over time by resisting, absorbing, and recovering from the effects of a hazard in an appropriate and efficient time manner while maintaining the functionality of the structure in the aftermath of the incident. Resilient analysis is mainly based on the fragility, vulnerability, and functionality curves where eventually a resilience index is generated from these curves, and the higher this index is, the better is the performance of the structure. In this paper, seismic performances of a simple two story reinforced concrete building, located in a moderate seismic region, has been evaluated using the conventional seismic analyses methods, which are the linear static analysis, the response spectrum analysis, and the pushover analysis, and the generated results of these analyses methods are compared to those of the resilient analysis. Results highlight that the resilience analysis was the most convenient method in generating a more ductile and functional structure from a socio-economic perspective, in comparison to the standard seismic analysis methods.

Keywords: conventional analysis methods, functionality, resilient analysis, seismic performance

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Authors: N. Ojaroudi Parchin, H. Jahanbakhsh Basherlou, Y. Al-Yasir, A. M. Abdulkhaleq, R. A. Abd-Alhameed, P. S. Excell

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A compact design of multi-sector patch antenna array for 60 GHz applications is presented and discussed in details. The proposed design combines five 1×8 linear patch antenna arrays, referred to as sectors, in a multi-sector configuration. The coaxial-fed radiation elements of the multi-sector array are designed on 0.2 mm Rogers RT5880 dielectrics. The array operates in the frequency range of 58-62 GHz and provides switchable directional/omnidirectional radiation beams with high gain and high directivity characteristics. The designed multi-sector array exhibits good performances and could be used in the fifth generation (5G) cellular networks.

Keywords: mm-wave communications, multi-sector array, patch antenna, small cell networks

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Authors: Mohammed Qutishat, Omar Al-Omari, Kholoud Al-Damery, Mohammed Al-Qadiri

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Objective: The current study aims to explore the relationship between Night Eating Syndrome and the experiences of Fear of Missing out (FOMO) among college students in Oman. Methods: The study adopted a descriptive correlational design. The total sample was 366 based on defined inclusion criteria. The questionnaires were distributed over one month during the spring semester of 2020. We used a self-report instrument as a measurement tool to investigate the extents of the research phenomena, and it consists of two major sections: fear of missing out Questionnaires and Night Eating Questionnaire. Results: The respondents' age ranged between 18 and 30. The majority of the participants were female 76.7% (204), single 97.7% (266), in their third academic year 28.6% (76), live in –campus, 57.1% (152). The findings of this study showed that fear of missing out experiences are significantly correlated with age (P=.010), gender (P= .005), and daily sleeping hours (P= .007). However, night eating experiences are significantly associated with age (p=018), living arrangement (P= .017), and sleeping hours (P= .000). Conclusion: This article can define a limiting aspect of the relationship between fear of missing out and night eating behaviors. During academic life, students may find themselves overloaded and use their smartphones to do the simplest tasks they have, leading them to skip their meals frequently and interfere with their eating patterns and psychological function. Health awareness programs or the implementation of healthy eating standards and technology uses can be introduced for undergraduates.

Keywords: fear of missing out, night eating syndrome, smartphone, addiction

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Authors: Rong-Yang Lai, Jia-Yu Wu, Chih-Han Chang, Yung-Chung Chen

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The dental bridge is one of the clinical methods of the treatment for missing teeth. The dental bridge is generally designed for two layers, containing the inner layer of the framework(zirconia) and the outer layer of the porcelain-fused to framework restorations. The design of a conventional bridge is generally based on the antagonist tooth profile so that the framework evenly indented by an equal thickness from outer contour. All-ceramic dental bridge made of zirconia have well demonstrated remarkable potential to withstand a higher physiological occlusal load in posterior region, but it was found that there is still the risk of all-ceramic bridge failure in five years. Thus, how to reduce the incidence of failure is still a problem to be solved. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop mechanical designs for all-ceramic dental bridges framework by reducing the stress and enhancing fracture resistance under given loading conditions by finite element method. In this study, dental design software is used to design dental bridge based on tooth CT images. After building model, Bi-directional Evolutionary Structural Optimization (BESO) Method algorithm implemented in finite element software was employed to analyze results of finite element software and determine the distribution of the materials in dental bridge; BESO searches the optimum distribution of two different materials, namely porcelain and zirconia. According to the previous calculation of the stress value of each element, when the element stress value is higher than the threshold value, the element would be replaced by the framework material; besides, the difference of maximum stress peak value is less than 0.1%, calculation is complete. After completing the design of dental bridge, the stress distribution of the whole structure is changed. BESO reduces the peak values of principle stress of 10% in outer-layer porcelain and avoids producing tensile stress failure.

Keywords: dental bridge, finite element analysis, framework, automatic program

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Authors: Amir Halabianfar, Jamshid Razmjoo

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In order to evaluate the competitive effects of Lambsqua on the germination and early growth of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties, an experiment was conducted in laboratory conditions in researches of agronomy, College of agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology in 2015. A laboratory experiment was conducted on a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete design with four replications. Testing factors include two wheat cultivars (Flat and Atila -4) and three level of Lambsqua (Chenopodium album) extract (30, 60 and 90 percent) plus control with no extract. Twenty-five seeds of each wheat varieties were placed in petri dish, then the root extract of lambsqua, which was prepared previously at three levels, was poured on the seeds in each petri dish. The result showed that allelopathic effect of Lambsquarter on germination, root, and shoot dry weight of two varieties was highly significant. Among varieties, the Atila–4 showed minimum germination at 60% while the Flat showed minimum germination at 90% concentration. In case of root dry weight, Atila–4 was more suppressed as compared to Flat at 60% concentration but at 90% concentration, the both wheat varieties were reduced non-significantly. Shoot dry weight of Flat were decreased non-significantly concentrations except Atila -4 that was more reduced at 60 % than 90% concentration.

Keywords: allelopathy, Chenopodium album, extract, germination, wheat, early growth

Procedia PDF Downloads 178

Authors: Alica Höpken, Hergen Pargmann

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The resource-efficient planning of the complex production planning processes in the meat industry and the reduction of food waste is a permanent challenge. The complexity of the production planning process occurs in every part of the supply chain, from agriculture to the end consumer. It arises from long and uncertain planning phases. Uncertainties such as stochastic yields, fluctuations in demand, and resource variability are part of this process. In the meat industry, waste mainly relates to incorrect storage, technical causes in production, or overproduction. The high amount of food waste along the complex supply chain in the meat industry could not be reduced by simple solutions until now. Therefore, resource-efficient production planning by conventional methods is currently only partially feasible. The realization of intelligent, automated production planning is basically possible through the application of machine learning algorithms, such as those of reinforcement learning. By applying the adapted design thinking method, machine learning methods (especially reinforcement learning algorithms) are used for the complex production planning process in the meat industry. This method represents a concretization to the application area. A resource-efficient production planning process is made available by adapting the design thinking method. In addition, the complex processes can be planned efficiently by using this method, since this standardized approach offers new possibilities in order to challenge the complexity and the high time consumption. It represents a tool to support the efficient production planning in the meat industry. This paper shows an elegant adaption of the design thinking method to apply the reinforcement learning method for a resource-efficient production planning process in the meat industry. Following, the steps that are necessary to introduce machine learning algorithms into the production planning of the food industry are determined. This is achieved based on a case study which is part of the research project ”REIF - Resource Efficient, Economic and Intelligent Food Chain” supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany and the German Aerospace Center. Through this structured approach, significantly better planning results are achieved, which would be too complex or very time consuming using conventional methods.

Keywords: change management, design thinking method, machine learning, meat industry, reinforcement learning, resource-efficient production planning

Procedia PDF Downloads 123

Authors: Hector G. Perez-Gonzalez, Miriam Vazquez-Escalante, Sandra E. Nava-Muñoz, 
 Francisco E. Martinez-Perez, Alberto S. Nunez-Varela

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The software engineering teaching process has been the subject of many studies. To improve this process, researchers have proposed merely illustrative techniques in the classroom, such as topic presentations and dynamics between students on one side or attempts to involve students in real projects with companies and institutions to bring them to a real software development problem on the other hand. Simulators and serious games have been used as auxiliary tools to introduce students to topics that are too abstract when these are presented in the traditional way. Most of these tools cover a limited area of the huge software engineering scope. To address this problem, we have developed D6tions, an educational serious game that simulates the software engineering process and is designed to experiment the different stages a software engineer (playing roles as project leader or as a developer or designer) goes through, while participating in a software project. We describe previous approaches to this problem, how D6tions was designed, its rules, directions, and the results we obtained of the use of this game involving undergraduate students playing the game.

Keywords: serious games, software engineering, software engineering education, software engineering teaching process

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Authors: Abdulwahab Alalyani, Mahbub Rashid

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Public green space promotes community health including daily activities, but these resources may not be available enough or may not equitably be distributed. This paper measures and compares the availability of public green spaces (PGS) among low, middle, and high-income neighborhoods in the Riyadh city. Additionally, it compares the total availability of PGS to WHO standard and Dubai availability of PGS per person. All PGS were mapped using geographical information systems, and total area availability of PGS compared to WHO and Dubai standards. To evaluate the significant differences in PGS availability across low, medium, and high-income Riyadh neighborhoods, we used a One-way ANOVA analysis of covariance to test the differences. As a result, by comparing PGS of Riyadh neighborhoods to WHO and Dubai-availability, it was found that Riyadh PGS were lower than the minimum standard of WHO and as well as Dubai. Riyadh has only 1.13 m² per capita of PGS. The second finding, the availability of PGS, was significantly different among Riyadh neighborhoods based on socioeconomic status. The future development of PGS should be focused on increasing PGS availability and should be given priority to those low-income and unhealthy communities.

Keywords: spatial equity, green space, quality of life, built environment

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Authors: Abduladim Maitieg, Kevin Lynch, Mark Johnson

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The goal of the Libyan Environmental General Authority (EGA) and National Oil Corporation (Department of Health, Safety & Environment) during the last 5 years has been to adopt a common approach to coastal and marine spatial planning. Protection and planning of the coastal zone is a significant for Libya, due to the length of coast and, the high rate of oil export, and spills’ potential negative impacts on coastal and marine habitats. Coastal resource scenarios constitute an important tool for exploring the long-term and short-term consequences of oil spill impact and available response options that would provide an integrated perspective on mitigation. To investigate that, this paper reviews the Misratah coastal parameters to present the physical and human controls and attributes of coastal habitats as the first step in understanding how they may be damaged by an oil spill. This paper also investigates costal resources, providing a better understanding of the resources and factors that impact the integrity of the ecosystem. Therefore, the study described the potential spatial distribution of oil spill risk and the coastal resources value, and also created spatial maps of coastal resources and their vulnerability to oil spills along the coast. This study proposes an analysis of coastal resources condition at a local level in the Misratah region of the Mediterranean Sea, considering the implementation of coastal and marine spatial planning over time as an indication of the will to manage urban development. Oil spill contamination analysis and their impact on the coastal resources depend on (1) oil spill sequence, (2) oil spill location, (3) oil spill movement near the coastal area. The resulting maps show natural, socio-economic activity, environmental resources along of the coast, and oil spill location. Moreover, the study provides significant geodatabase information which is required for coastal sensitivity index mapping and coastal management studies. The outcome of study provides the information necessary to set an Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) for the Misratah shoreline, which can be used for management of coastal resources and setting boundaries for each coastal sensitivity sectors, as well as to help planners measure the impact of oil spills on coastal resources. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools were used in order to store and illustrate the spatial convergence of existing socio-economic activities such as fishing, tourism, and the salt industry, and ecosystem components such as sea turtle nesting area, Sabkha habitats, and migratory birds feeding sites. These geodatabases help planners investigate the vulnerability of coastal resources to an oil spill.

Keywords: coastal and marine spatial planning advancement training, GIS mapping, human uses, ecosystem components, Misratah coast, Libyan, oil spill

Procedia PDF Downloads 360

Authors: Allouache Nadia

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Solid adsorption cooling machines have been extensively studied recently. They constitute very attractive solutions recover important amount of industrial waste heat medium temperature and to use renewable energy sources such as solar energy. The development of the technology of these machines can be carried out by experimental studies and by mathematical modelisation. This last method allows saving time and money because it is suppler to use to simulate the variation of different parameters. The adsorption cooling machines consist essentially of an evaporator, a condenser and a reactor (object of this work) containing a porous medium, which is in our case the activated carbon reacting by adsorption with ammoniac. The principle can be described as follows: When the adsorbent (at temperature T) is in exclusive contact with vapour of adsorbate (at pressure P), an amount of adsorbate is trapped inside the micro-pores in an almost liquid state. This adsorbed mass m, is a function of T and P according to a divariant equilibrium m=f (T,P). Moreover, at constant pressure, m decreases as T increases, and at constant adsorbed mass P increases with T. This makes it possible to imagine an ideal refrigerating cycle consisting of a period of heating/desorption/condensation followed by a period of cooling/adsorption/evaporation. Effect of key parameters on the machine performances are analysed and discussed.

Keywords: activated carbon-ammoniac pair, effect of key parameters, numerical modeling, solar cooling machine

Procedia PDF Downloads 251

Authors: Robin Ratnasingham, Maher Elshakankiri

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This research report will look at how to make a smart washroom to increase public hygiene and cleanliness. The system would use IoT devices to pick up various activities in the washroom and notify the appropriate stakeholders or devices to regulate the condition of the washroom. As more people are required to physically go back to the office or school, ensuring a clean and sanitized washroom is even more important now than before. It would help prevent virus outbreaks and safeguard the organization from shutdowns or slowdowns in their business. A framework of the suggested smart washroom was introduced to help reduce the chances of a virus outbreak. Most organizations outsource renovation or implementation to an external party. Using the smart washroom framework, we looked at vendors that provide smart washroom solutions. There are IoT vendors that cannot match the framework, and there are vendors that can support the framework design. This segment is a niche market, and most of the devices are similar in their basic functions. However, all the vendors have unique characteristics to give them a competitive advantage over the rest of the IoT washroom companies. Ultimately, the organization would need to decide if they want to add IoT devices to enable smart capability or renovate the washroom to create a fluid IoT smart washroom design. The report would introduce an IoT smart washroom framework to help organizations design a cohesive preventive measure network for the daily maintenance routine. The framework is designed to help understand how to manage washroom cleanliness more efficiently and to provide guidance in achieving this goal. The leading result is eliminating potential viral outbreaks that could jeopardize the organization.

Keywords: IoT, smart washroom, public hygiene, cleanliness, virus outbreaks, safeguard

Procedia PDF Downloads 91

Authors: Eunjung Lee

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This research investigates the intricate connection between cultural differences and online consumer behaviors by integrating Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory with analysis methodologies such as text mining, data mining, and topic analysis. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how national cultural differences influence individuals' behaviors when engaging with online reviews. To ensure the relevance of our investigation, we systematically analyze and interpret the cultural nuances influencing online consumer behaviors, especially in the context of online reviews. By anchoring our research in Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, we seek to offer valuable insights for marketers to tailor their strategies based on the cultural preferences of diverse global consumer bases. In our methodology, we employ advanced text mining techniques to extract insights from a diverse range of online reviews gathered globally for a specific product or service like Netflix. This approach allows us to reveal hidden cultural cues in the language used by consumers from various backgrounds. Complementing text mining, data mining techniques are applied to extract meaningful patterns from online review datasets collected from different countries, aiming to unveil underlying structures and gain a deeper understanding of the impact of cultural differences on online consumer behaviors. The study also integrates topic analysis to identify recurring subjects, sentiments, and opinions within online reviews. Marketers can leverage these insights to inform the development of culturally sensitive strategies, enhance target audience segmentation, and refine messaging approaches aligned with cultural preferences. Anchored in Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, our research employs sophisticated methodologies to delve into the intricate relationship between cultural differences and online consumer behaviors. Applied to specific cultural dimensions, such as individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation, the study uncovers nuanced insights. For example, in exploring individualism vs. collectivism, we examine how reviewers from individualistic cultures prioritize personal experiences while those from collectivistic cultures emphasize communal opinions. Similarly, within masculinity vs. femininity, we investigate whether distinct topics align with cultural notions, such as robust features in masculine cultures and user-friendliness in feminine cultures. Examining information-seeking behaviors under uncertainty avoidance reveals how cultures differ in seeking detailed information or providing succinct reviews based on their comfort with ambiguity. Additionally, in assessing long-term vs. short-term orientation, the research explores how cultural focus on enduring benefits or immediate gratification influences reviews. These concrete examples contribute to the theoretical enhancement of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, providing a detailed understanding of cultural impacts on online consumer behaviors. As online reviews become increasingly crucial in decision-making, this research not only contributes to the academic understanding of cultural influences but also proposes practical recommendations for enhancing online review systems. Marketers can leverage these findings to design targeted and culturally relevant strategies, ultimately enhancing their global marketing effectiveness and optimizing online review systems for maximum impact.

Keywords: comparative analysis, cultural dimensions, marketing intelligence, national culture, online consumer behavior, text mining

Procedia PDF Downloads 43

Authors: Joao Ferreira Do Rosario, Maria De Lurdes Calisto, Ana Teresa Machado, Nuno Gustavo, Rui Gonçalves

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The tourism sector is increasingly important to the economic performance of countries and a relevant theme to academic research, increasing the importance of understanding how and why tourists evaluate tourism locations. The city of Lisbon is currently a tourist destination of excellence in the European and world-wide panorama, registering a significant growth of the economic weight of its tourist activities in the Gross Added Value of the region. Although there is research on the feedback of those who visit tourist sites and different methodologies for studying tourist sites have been applied, this research seeks to be innovative in the objective of obtaining insights on the competitiveness in terms of attractiveness of the city of Lisbon as a tourist destination, based the feedback of tourists in the Facebook pages of the most visited museums and monuments of Lisbon, an interpretation that is relevant in the development of strategies of tourist attraction. The intangible dimension of the tourism offer, due to its unique condition of simultaneous production and consumption, makes eWOM particularly relevant. The testimony of consumers is thus a decisive factor in the decision-making and buying process in tourism. Online social networks are one of the most used platforms for tourists to evaluate the attractiveness's points of a tourism destination (e.g. cultural and historical heritage), with this user-generated feedback enabling relevant information about the customer-tourists. This information is related to the tourist experience representing the true voice of the customer. Furthermore, this voice perceived by others as genuine, opposite to marketing messages, may have a powerful word-of-mouth influence on other potential tourists. The relevance of online reviews sharing, however, becomes particularly complex, considering social media users’ different profiles or the possible and different sources of information available, as well as their associated reputation associated with each source. In the light of these trends, our research focuses on the tourists’ feedback on Facebook pages of the most visited museums and monuments of Lisbon that contribute to its attractiveness as a tourism destination. Sentiment Analysis is the methodology selected for this research, using public available information in the online context, which was deemed as an appropriate non-participatory observation method. Data will be collected from two museums (Museu dos Coches and Museu de Arte Antiga) and three monuments ((Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Torre de Belém and Panteão Nacional) Facebook pages during a period of one year. The research results will help in the evaluation of the considered places by the tourists, their contribution to the city attractiveness and present insights helpful for the management decisions regarding this museums and monuments. The results of this study will also contribute to a better knowledge of the tourism sector, namely the identification of attributes in the evaluation and choice of the city of Lisbon as a tourist destination. Further research will evaluate the Lisbon attraction points for tourists in different categories beyond museums and monuments, will also evaluate the tourist feedback from other sources like TripAdvisor and apply the same methodology in other cities and country regions.

Keywords: Lisbon tourism, opinion mining, sentiment analysis, tourism location attractiveness evaluation

Procedia PDF Downloads 232

Authors: Pranjali Sharma, Swati Neogi

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Composite pressure vessels are low weight structures mainly used in a variety of applications such as automobiles, aeronautics and chemical engineering. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials offer the simplicity of design and use, high fuel storage capacity, rapid refueling capability, excellent shelf life, minimal infrastructure impact, high safety due to the inherent strength of the pressure vessel, and little to no development risk. Apart from these preliminary merits, the subsidized weight of composite vessels over metallic cylinders act as the biggest asset to the automotive industry, increasing the fuel efficiency. The result is a lightweight, flexible, non-explosive, and non-fragmenting pressure vessel that can be tailor-made to attune with specific applications. The winding pattern of the composite over-wrap is a primary focus while designing a pressure vessel. The critical stresses in the system depend on the thickness, angle and sequence of the composite layers. The composite over-wrap is wound over a plastic liner, whose geometry can be varied for the ease of winding. In the present study, we aim to optimize the FRP vessel geometry that provides an ease in winding and also aids in weight reduction for enhancing the vessel performance. Finite element analysis is used to study the effect of dome geometry, yielding a design with maximum value of burst pressure and least value of vessel weight. The stress and strain analysis of different dome ends along with the cylindrical portion is carried out in ANSYS 19.2. The failure is predicted using different failure theories like Tsai-Wu theory, Tsai-Hill theory and Maximum stress theory. Corresponding to a given winding sequence, the optimum dome geometry is determined for a fixed internal pressure to identify the theoretical value of burst pressure. Finally, this geometry is used to decrease the number of layers to reach the set value of safety in accordance with the available safety standards. This results in decrease in the weight of the composite over-wrap and manufacturing cost of the pressure vessel. An improvement in the overall weight performance of the pressure vessel gives higher fuel efficiency for its use in automobile applications.

Keywords: Compressed Gas Storage, Dome geometry, Theoretical Analysis, Type-4 Composite Pressure Vessel, Improvement in Vessel Weight Performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Saira Soroya, Khalid Mahmood

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Library catalogs open the door to the library collection. OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) are one of the services offered by automated libraries. The present study aims to explore user’s awareness, the level of use and their searching behavior of OPAC with a purpose to give suggestions and ways to improve user-friendly features of library OPAC. The population consisted of OPAC users of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Convenient sampling technique was carried out. Total sample size was 100 OPAC users. Quantitative research design, based on survey method used to carry out the study. The data collection instrument was adopted. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results revealed that a considerable number of users were not aware of OPAC i.e. (30%); however, those who were aware were using basic features of the OPAC. It was found that lack of knowledge was considered the frequent reason for not using all features of OPAC. In this regard, it is strongly recommended that compulsory information literacy programme should be established.

Keywords: catalog, OPAC, library automation, usability study, university library

Procedia PDF Downloads 333

Authors: Ming Ma, Zhenyu Cai, Rui Li

Abstract:

People are more vulnerable to health problems than ever before, such as overweight and obesity due to the change of built environment. In the high-rise buildings, the core-tube layout is closely associated with user’s physical activities which will affect human’s health in a long-term. As for the white-collars who spends the amount of time working in the office tower, using staircase seems to provide an opportunity for them to increase the physical activities in the workplaces. This paper is aiming to find out the specific relationship between health and core-tube in the office tower through analyzing the correlation between staircase’s layout and user’s health. The variables of staircase’s layout are consisted of two indicators: plan layout and space design, including nine factors while health variable is applying BIM as the only main factor. 14 office towers in downtown Shanghai are selected as the research samples because of its typical users’ pattern and similar core-tube layout. In the result, it is obvious that the users from these 14 cases have higher BMI than average partly because that the staircases are mainly designed for emergency and fire instead of daily use. After the regression and correlation analysis of the variables of health and staircases, it’s found that users’ BMI is significantly associated with the factors of floor guide-signs and distance from lobby to the staircase. In addition, the factors of comfort level of staircase such as width and daylighting have a certain correlation with users’ BMI.

Keywords: office tower, staircase, design, obesity, physical activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 224