Search results for: virtual collaboration
1242 The Next Frontier for Mobile Based Augmented Reality: An Evaluation of AR Uptake in India
Authors: K. Krishna Milan Rao, Nelvin Joseph, Praveen Dwarakanath
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Augmented and Virtual Realties is quickly becoming a hotbed of activity with millions of dollars being spent on R & D and companies such as Google and Microsoft rushing to stake their claim. Augmented reality (AR) is however marching ahead due to the spread of the ideal AR device – the smartphone. Despite its potential, there remains a deep digital divide between the Developed and Developing Countries. The Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) and Hofstede cultural dimensions also predict the behaviour intention to uptake AR in India will be large. This paper takes a quantified approach by collecting 340 survey responses to AR scenarios and analyzing them through statistics. The Survey responses show that the Intention to Use, Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Enjoyment dimensions are high among the urban population in India. This along with the exponential smartphone indicates that India is on the cusp of a boom in the AR sector.Keywords: mobile augmented reality, technology acceptance model, Hofstede, cultural dimensions, India
Procedia PDF Downloads 2471241 A Parallel Approach for 3D-Variational Data Assimilation on GPUs in Ocean Circulation Models
Authors: Rossella Arcucci, Luisa D'Amore, Simone Celestino, Giuseppe Scotti, Giuliano Laccetti
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This work is the first dowel in a rather wide research activity in collaboration with Euro Mediterranean Center for Climate Changes, aimed at introducing scalable approaches in Ocean Circulation Models. We discuss designing and implementation of a parallel algorithm for solving the Variational Data Assimilation (DA) problem on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). The algorithm is based on the fully scalable 3DVar DA model, previously proposed by the authors, which uses a Domain Decomposition approach (we refer to this model as the DD-DA model). We proceed with an incremental porting process consisting of 3 distinct stages: requirements and source code analysis, incremental development of CUDA kernels, testing and optimization. Experiments confirm the theoretic performance analysis based on the so-called scale up factor demonstrating that the DD-DA model can be suitably mapped on GPU architectures.Keywords: data assimilation, GPU architectures, ocean models, parallel algorithm
Procedia PDF Downloads 4101240 The Impact of Digitalization and Sustainability on Professionals’ Performance in the Built Environment in Nigeria
Authors: Taiwo, Richard Oluseyi, Morakinyo, Kolawole O., Oyeniran, Demilade O.
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This study examines the effects of digitalization and sustainability on professionals' performance within the built environment. By examining the interplay between these two transformative forces, the study seeks to unravel the complexities and opportunities presented by digital technologies in fostering sustainable practices across various professional disciplines. Through an extensive analysis of literature and expert interviews, this research explores how digitalization can enhance professionals' abilities to incorporate sustainability principles, optimize resource utilization, and promote resilient and inclusive built environments. Furthermore, it examines the challenges and barriers professionals face in adapting to and harnessing the potential of digital tools and processes. The findings will contribute to a greater comprehension of the beneficial interactions between digitalization and sustainable development and provide valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and educators in fostering an ecosystem that supports professionals' capacity building, collaboration, and innovation toward achieving sustainable goals in the built environment.Keywords: digitisation, sustainability, professional performance, built environment
Procedia PDF Downloads 281239 A False Introduction: Teaching in a Pandemic
Authors: Robert Michael, Kayla Tobin, William Foster, Rachel Fairchild
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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in education, particularly in the teaching of health and physical education (HPE). This study examined a cohort of teachers that experienced being a preservice and first-year teacher during various stages of the pandemic. Qualitative data collection was conducted by interviewing six teachers from different schools in the Eastern U.S. over a series of structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The pandemic significantly impacted the way HPE was taught as schools shifted to virtual and hybrid models. Findings revealed five major themes: (a) You want me to teach HOW?, (b) PE without equipment and six feet apart, (c) Behind the Scenes, (d) They’re back…I became a behavior management guru, and (e) The Pandemic Crater. Overall, this study highlights the significant challenges faced by preservice and first-year teachers in teaching physical education during the pandemic and underscores the need for ongoing support and resources to help them adapt and succeed in these challenging circumstances.Keywords: teacher education, preservice teachers, first year teachers, health and physical education
Procedia PDF Downloads 1831238 A Design Methodology and Tool to Support Ecodesign Implementation in Induction Hobs
Authors: Anna Costanza Russo, Daniele Landi, Michele Germani
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Nowadays, the European Ecodesign Directive has emerged as a new approach to integrate environmental concerns into the product design and related processes. Ecodesign aims to minimize environmental impacts throughout the product life cycle, without compromising performances and costs. In addition, the recent Ecodesign Directives require products which are increasingly eco-friendly and eco-efficient, preserving high-performances. It is very important for producers measuring performances, for electric cooking ranges, hobs, ovens, and grills for household use, and a low power consumption of appliances represents a powerful selling point, also in terms of ecodesign requirements. The Ecodesign Directive provides a clear framework about the sustainable design of products and it has been extended in 2009 to all energy-related products, or products with an impact on energy consumption during the use. The European Regulation establishes measures of ecodesign of ovens, hobs, and kitchen hoods, and domestic use and energy efficiency of a product has a significant environmental aspect in the use phase which is the most impactful in the life cycle. It is important that the product parameters and performances are not affected by ecodesign requirements from a user’s point of view, and the benefits of reducing energy consumption in the use phase should offset the possible environmental impact in the production stage. Accurate measurements of cooking appliance performance are essential to help the industry to produce more energy efficient appliances. The development of ecodriven products requires ecoinnovation and ecodesign tools to support the sustainability improvement. The ecodesign tools should be practical and focused on specific ecoobjectives in order to be largely diffused. The main scope of this paper is the development, implementation, and testing of an innovative tool, which could be an improvement for the sustainable design of induction hobs. In particular, a prototypical software tool is developed in order to simulate the energy performances of the induction hobs. The tool is focused on a multiphysics model which is able to simulate the energy performances and the efficiency of induction hobs starting from the design data. The multiphysics model is composed by an electromagnetic simulation and a thermal simulation. The electromagnetic simulation is able to calculate the eddy current induced in the pot, which leads to the Joule heating of material. The thermal simulation is able to measure the energy consumption during the operational phase. The Joule heating caused from the eddy currents is the output of electromagnetic simulation and the input of thermal ones. The aims of the paper are the development of integrated tools and methodologies of virtual prototyping in the context of the ecodesign. This tool could be a revolutionary instrument in the field of industrial engineering and it gives consideration to the environmental aspects of product design and focus on the ecodesign of energy-related products, in order to achieve a reduced environmental impact.Keywords: ecodesign, energy efficiency, induction hobs, virtual prototyping
Procedia PDF Downloads 2501237 A Rural Journey of Integrating Interprofessional Education to Foster Trust
Authors: Julia Wimmers Klick
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Interprofessional Education (IPE) is widely recognized as a valuable approach in healthcare education, despite the challenges it presents. This study explores IP surface anatomy lab sessions, with a focus on fostering trust and collaboration among healthcare students. The research is conducted within the context of rural healthcare settings in British Columbia (BC), where a medical school and a physical therapy (PT) program operate under the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC). While IPE sessions addressing soft skills have been implemented, the integration of hard skills, such as Anatomy, remains limited. To address this gap, a pilot feasibility study was conducted with a positive outcome, a follow-up study involved these IPE sessions aimed at exploring the influence of bonding and trust between medical and PT students. Data were collected through focus groups comprising participating students and faculty members, and a structured SWOC (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges) analysis was conducted. The IPE sessions, 3 in total, consisted of a 2.5-hour lab on surface anatomy, where PT students took on the teaching role, and medical students were newly exposed to surface anatomy. The focus of the study was on the relationship-building process and trust development between the two student groups, rather than assessing the acquisition of surface anatomy skills. Results indicated that the surface anatomy lab served as a suitable tool for the application and learning of soft skills. Faculty members observed positive outcomes, including productive interaction between students, reversed hierarchy with PT students teaching medical students, practicing active listening skills, and using a mutual language of anatomy. Notably, there was no grade assessment or external pressure to perform. The students also reported an overall positive experience; however, the specific impact on the development of soft skill competencies could not be definitively determined. Participants expressed a sense of feeling respected, welcomed, and included, all of which contributed to feeling safe. Within the small group environment, students experienced becoming a part of a community of healthcare providers that bonded over a shared interest in health professions education. They enjoyed sharing diverse experiences related to learning across their varied contexts, without fear of judgment and reprisal that were often intimidating in single professional contexts. During a joint Christmas party for both cohorts, faculty members observed students mingling, laughing, and forming bonds. This emphasized the importance of early bonding and trust development among healthcare colleagues, particularly in rural settings. In conclusion, the findings emphasize the potential of IPE sessions to enhance trust and collaboration among healthcare students, with implications for their future professional lives in rural settings. Early bonding and trust development are crucial in rural settings, where healthcare professionals often rely on each other. Future research should continue to explore the impact of content-concentrated IPE on the development of soft skill competencies.Keywords: interprofessional education, rural healthcare settings, trust, surface anatomy
Procedia PDF Downloads 681236 The Veil of Virtuality: Anonymity and Trust in the Metaverse's New Frontier
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Utilizing a preregistered randomized experiment, this study explores the effects of anonymity and curated identity on trust within the Metaverse. Participants were randomly assigned to different conditions of anonymity and identity curation and engaged in a series of tasks designed to mirror the complexities of trust in real-world social interactions. Trust was measured using the classical trust game, allowing for a nuanced understanding of how these factors interact and influence trust. The findings reveal that higher levels of anonymity negatively impact trust, while identity curation can moderate this effect. Mechanism analysis uncovers how anonymity influences perceived reciprocity and group cohesion, and how curation can moderate these relationships. The results demonstrate a nuanced interaction between anonymity and trust, with variations across different curation levels. These insights provide a multifaceted understanding of trust within virtual environments, contributing valuable knowledge to the design, policy-making, and ethical considerations of the MetaverseKeywords: metaverse, anonymity, curated identity, social behavior, trust
Procedia PDF Downloads 1361235 Using the Timepix Detector at CERN Accelerator Facilities
Authors: Andrii Natochii
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The UA9 collaboration in the last two years has installed two different types of detectors to investigate the channeling effect in the bent silicon crystals with high-energy particles beam on the CERN accelerator facilities: Cherenkov detector CpFM and silicon pixel detector Timepix. In the current work, we describe the main performances of the Timepix detector operation at the SPS and H8 extracted beamline at CERN. We are presenting some detector calibration results and tuning. Our research topics also cover a cluster analysis algorithm for the particle hits reconstruction. We describe the optimal acquisition setup for the Timepix device and the edges of its functionality for the high energy and flux beam monitoring. The measurements of the crystal parameters are very important for the future bent crystal applications and needs a track reconstruction apparatus. Thus, it was decided to construct a short range (1.2 m long) particle telescope based on the Timepix sensors and test it at H8 SPS extraction beamline. The obtained results will be shown as well.Keywords: beam monitoring, channeling, particle tracking, Timepix detector
Procedia PDF Downloads 1791234 Efficient Management through Predicting of Use E-Management within Higher Educational Institutions
Authors: S. Maddi Muhammed, Paul Davis, John Geraghty, Mabruk Derbesh
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This study discusses the probability of using electronic management in higher education institutions in Libya. This could be as sampled by creating an electronic gate at the faculties of Engineering and Computing "Information Technology" at Zaytuna University or any other university in Libya. As we all know, the competitive advantage amongst universities is based on their ability to use information technology efficiently and broadly. Universities today value information technology as part of the quality control and assurance and a ranking criterion for a range of services including e-learning and e-Registration. This could be done by developing email systems, electronic or virtual libraries, electronic cards, and other services provided to all students, faculty or staff. This paper discusses a range of important topics that explain how to apply the gate "E" with the faculties at Zaytuna University, Bani Walid colleges in Libya.Keywords: e-management, educational institutions (EI), Libya, Zaytuna, information technology
Procedia PDF Downloads 4531233 Performance Evaluation of Routing Protocols for Video Conference over MPLS VPN Network
Authors: Abdullah Al Mamun, Tarek R. Sheltami
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Video conferencing is a highly demanding facility now a days in order to its real time characteristics, but faster communication is the prior requirement of this technology. Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) address this problem and it is able to make a communication faster than others techniques. However, this paper studies the performance comparison of video traffic between two routing protocols namely the Enhanced Interior Gateway Protocol(EIGRP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). The combination of traditional routing and MPLS improve the forwarding mechanism, scalability and overall network performance. We will use GNS3 and OPNET Modeler 14.5 to simulate many different scenarios and metrics such as delay, jitter and mean opinion score (MOS) value are measured. The simulation result will show that OSPF and BGP-MPLS VPN offers best performance for video conferencing application.Keywords: OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, MPLS, Video conference, Provider router, edge router, layer3 VPN
Procedia PDF Downloads 3301232 Sharing and Developing Cultural Heritage Values through a Co-Creative Approach
Authors: Anna Marie Fisker, Daniele Sepe, Mette Bøgh Jensen, Daniela Rimei
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In the space of just a few years, the European policy framework on cultural heritage has been completely overhauled, moving towards a people-centred and holistic approach, and eliminating the divisions between the tangible, intangible and digital dimensions. The European Union regards cultural heritage as a potential shared resource, highlighting that all stakeholders share responsibility for its transmission to future generations. This new framework will potentially change the way in which cultural institutions manage, protect and provide access to their heritage. It will change the way in which citizens and communities engage with their cultural heritage and naturally influence the way that professionals deal with it. Participating in the creation of cultural heritage awareness can lead to an increased perception of its value, be it economic, social, environmental or cultural. It can also strengthen our personal identity, sense of belonging and community citizenship. Open Atelier, a Creative Europe project, is based on this foundation, with the goal through co-creation to develop the use, understanding and engagement with our cultural heritage. The project aim to transform selected parts of the heritage into an “experience lab” – an interactive, co-creative, dynamic and participatory space, where cultural heritage is the point of departure for new interactions and experiences between the audience and the museum and its professionals. Through a workshop-based approach built on interdisciplinary collaboration and co-creative processes, Open Atelier has started to design, develop, test, and evaluate a set of Experiences. The first collaborative initiative was set out in the discourse and knowledge of a highly creative period in Denmark where a specific group of Scandinavian artists, the Skagen Painters, gathered in the village of Skagen, the northernmost part of Denmark from the late 1870s until the turn of the century. The Art Museums of Skagen have a large collection of photos from the period, that has never been the subject of more thorough research. The photos display a variation of many different subjects: community, family photos, reproductions of art works, costume parties, family gatherings etc., and carry with them the energies of those peoples’ work and life and evoke instances of communication with the past. This paper is about how we in Open Atelier connect these special stories, this legacy, with another place, in another time, in another context and with another audience. The first Open Atelier Experience – the performance “Around the Lighthouse” – was an initiative resulted from the collaboration between AMAT, an Italian creative organisation, and the Art Museums of Skagen. A group of Italian artists developed a co-creative investigation and reinterpretation of a selection of these historical photos. A poetic journey through videos and voices, aimed at exploring new perspectives on the museum and its heritage. An experiment on how to create new ways to actively engage audiences in the way cultural heritage is explored, interpreted, mediated, presented, and used to examine contemporary issues. This article is about this experiment and its findings, and how different views and methodologies can be adopted to discuss the cultural heritage in museums around Europe and their connection to the community.Keywords: cultural heritage, community, innovation, museums
Procedia PDF Downloads 791231 A Qualitative Study for Establishing Critical Success Factors for PPPs in Research Reactors
Authors: Khalid Almarri
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The UAE is currently developing a peaceful nuclear energy program as part of its low Carbon energy strategy to meet future energy demands. Research of nuclear energy technologies is required to support nuclear energy generation projects and maximize their performance. Research of this type will require building an operating a research reactor (RR), a costly undertaking in most circumstances. Collaboration between government and private parties through public, private partnerships (PPP) can maximize the benefits expected from the adoption of an RR project. The aim of this research is to establish the critical success factors (CSF) for developing an RR project for newcomer countries, with the UAE taken as a case study, through the utilization of public, private partnerships (PPP). The results of this study were arrived at through the use of semi-structured interviews conducted with ten experts in the field of research reactors, using grounded theory method. Underutilization was identified as the main stumbling block that impairs the success of research reactors.Keywords: public private partnerships, research reactors, grounded theory, critical success factors
Procedia PDF Downloads 2801230 Using Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) Project-Based Learning Programs to Transition towards Whole School Pedagogical Shift
Authors: M. Richichi
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Evidencing the learning and developmental needs of students in specific educational institutions is central to determining the type of whole school pedagogical shift required. Initiating this transition by designing and implementing STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) project-based learning opportunities, in collaboration with industry, exposes teachers to new pedagogical and assessment practices. This experience instills confidence and a renewed sense of energy, which contributes to greater efficacy. Championing teachers in such learning environments leads to “bleeding” of inventive pedagogical understanding and skills as well as motivation. This contributes positively to collective teacher efficacy and the transition towards more cross-disciplinary initiatives and opportunities, and hence an innovative pedagogical shift. Evidence of skill and knowledge development in students, combined with greater confidence, work ethic and interest in STEAM areas, are further indicators of the success of the transitioning process.Keywords: efficacy, pedagogy, transition, STEAM
Procedia PDF Downloads 1281229 Integration of Internet-Accessible Resources in the Field of Mobile Robots
Authors: B. Madhevan, R. Sakkaravarthi, R. Diya
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The number and variety of mobile robot applications are increasing day by day, both in an industry and in our daily lives. First developed as a tool, nowadays mobile robots can be integrated as an entity in Internet-accessible resources. The present work is organized around four potential resources such as cloud computing, Internet of things, Big data analysis and Co-simulation. Further, the focus relies on integrating, analyzing and discussing the need for integrating Internet-accessible resources and the challenges deriving from such integration, and how these issues have been tackled. Hence, the research work investigates the concepts of the Internet-accessible resources from the aspect of the autonomous mobile robots with an overview of the performances of the currently available database systems. IaR is a world-wide network of interconnected objects, can be considered an evolutionary process in mobile robots. IaR constitutes an integral part of future Internet with data analysis, consisting of both physical and virtual things.Keywords: internet-accessible resources, cloud computing, big data analysis, internet of things, mobile robot
Procedia PDF Downloads 3861228 A Timed and Colored Petri Nets for Modeling and Verify Cloud System Elasticity
Authors: Walid Louhichi, Mouhebeddine Berrima, Narjes Ben Rajed
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Elasticity is the essential property of cloud computing. As the name suggests, it constitutes the ability of a cloud system to adjust resource provisioning in relation to fluctuating workload. There are two types of elasticity operations, vertical and horizontal. In this work, we are interested in horizontal scaling, which is ensured by two mechanisms; scaling in and scaling out. Following the sizing of the system, we can adopt scaling in in the event of over-supply and scaling out in the event of under-supply. In this paper, we propose a formal model, based on colored and temporized Petri nets, for the modeling of the duplication and the removal of a virtual machine from a server. This model is based on formal Petri Nets modeling language. The proposed models are edited, verified, and simulated with two examples implemented in CPNtools, which is a modeling tool for colored and timed Petri nets.Keywords: cloud computing, elasticity, elasticity controller, petri nets, scaling in, scaling out
Procedia PDF Downloads 1521227 What We Know About Effective Learning for Pupils with SEN: Results of 2 Systematic Reviews and of a Global Classroom
Authors: Claudia Mertens, Amanda Shufflebarger
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Step one: What we know about effective learning for pupils with SEN: results of 2 systematic reviews: Before establishing principles and practices for teaching and learning of pupils with SEN, we need a good overview of the results of empirical studies conducted in the respective field. Therefore, two systematic reviews on the use of digital tools in inclusive and non-inclusive school settings were conducted - taking into consideration studies published in German: One systematic review included studies having undergone a peer review process, and the second included studies without peer review). The results (collaboration of two German universities) will be presented during the conference. Step two: Students’ results of a research lab on “inclusive media education”: On this basis, German students worked on “inclusive media education” in small research projects (duration: 1 year). They were “education majors” enrolled in a course on inclusive media education. They conducted research projects on topics ranging from smartboards in inclusive settings, digital media in gifted math education, Tik Tok in German as a Foreign Language education and many more. As part of their course, the German students created an academic conference poster. In the conference, the results of these research projects/papers are put into the context of the results of the systematic reviews. Step three: Global Classroom: The German students’ posters were critically discussed in a global classroom in cooperation with Indiana University East (USA) and Hamburg University (Germany) in the winter/spring term of 2022/2023. 15 students in Germany collaborated with 15 students at Indiana University East. The IU East student participants were enrolled in “Writing in the Arts and Sciences,” which is specifically designed for pre-service teachers. The joint work began at the beginning of the Spring 2023 semester in January 2023 and continued until the end of the Uni Hamburg semester in February 2023. Before January, Uni Hamburg students had been working on a research project individually or in pairs. Didactic Approach: Both groups of students posted a brief video or audio introduction to a shared Canvas discussion page. In the joint long synchronous session, the students discussed key content terms such as inclusion, inclusive, diversity, etc., with the help of prompt cards, and they compared how they understood or applied these terms differently. Uni Hamburg students presented drafts of academic posters. IU East students gave them specific feedback. After that, IU East students wrote brief reflections summarizing what they learned from the poster. After the class, small groups were expected to create a voice recording reflecting on their experiences. In their recordings, they examined critical incidents, highlighting what they learned from these incidents. Major results of the student research and of the global classroom collaboration can be highlighted during the conference. Results: The aggregated results of the two systematic reviews AND of the research lab/global classroom can now be a sound basis for 1) improving accessibility for students with SEN and 2) for adjusting teaching materials and concepts to the needs of the students with SEN - in order to create successful learning.Keywords: digitalization, inclusion, inclusive media education, global classroom, systematic review
Procedia PDF Downloads 811226 The Role of Stakeholders in the Development of Sustainable Supply Chain Policy Framework in the Upstream Pharmaceutical Industry in Ghana
Authors: Gifty Kumadey, Albert Tchey Agbenyegah
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This study explores the role of stakeholders in developing a sustainable supply chain policy framework in Ghana's pharmaceutical industry. It employs a qualitative research design to analyze policy documents, academic articles, and reports, shedding light on stakeholder involvement. The findings highlight the contributions of government agencies, regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers, and civil society organizations. Key policies such as green procurement, waste management, and recycling initiatives are identified. However, challenges such as limited transparency, supplier engagement, and regulatory complexity impede implementation. The study recommends strengthening collaboration and promoting transparency to overcome these challenges. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers seeking to advance sustainable supply chain practices in Ghana's pharmaceutical industry.Keywords: stakeholders, sustainable supply chain, policy framework, pharmaceutical industry
Procedia PDF Downloads 911225 Tracked Robot with Blade Arms to Enhance Crawling Capability
Authors: Jhu-Wei Ji, Fa-Shian Chang, Lih-Tyng Hwang, Chih-Feng Liu, Jeng-Nan Lee, Shun-Min Wang, Kai-Yi Cho
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This paper presents a tracked robot with blade arms powered to assist movement in difficult environments. As a result, the tracked robot is able to pass a ramp or climb stairs. The main feature is a pair of blade arms on both sides of the vehicle body working in collaboration with previously validated transformable track system. When the robot encounters an obstacle in a terrain, it enlists the blade arms with power to overcome the obstacle. In disaster areas, there usually will be terrains that are full of broken and complicated slopes, broken walls, rubbles, and ditches. Thereupon, a robot, which is instructed to pass through such disaster areas, needs to have a good off-road capability for such complicated terrains. The robot with crawling-assisting blade arms would overcome the obstacles along the terrains, and possibly become to be a rescue robot. A prototype has been developed and built; experiments were carried out to validate the enhanced crawling capability of the robot.Keywords: tracked robot, rescue robot, blade arm, crawling ability, control system
Procedia PDF Downloads 4091224 An Integrated Emergency Management System for the Tourism Industry in Oman
Authors: Majda Al Salti
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Tourism industry is considered globally as one of the leading industries due to its noticeable contribution to countries' gross domestic product (GDP) and job creation. However, tourism is vulnerable to crisis and disaster that requires its preparedness. With its limited capabilities, there is a need to improve links and the understanding between the tourism industry and the emergency services, thus facilitating future emergency response to any potential incident. This study aims to develop the concept of an integrated emergency management system for the tourism industry. The study used face-to-face semi-structured interviews to evaluate the level of crisis and disaster preparedness of the tourism industry in Oman. The findings suggested that there is a lack of understanding of crisis and disaster management, and hence preparedness level among Oman Tourism Authorities appears to be under-expectation. Therefore, a clear need for tourism sector inter- and intra-integration and collaboration is important in the pre-disaster stage. The need for such integrations can help the tourism industry in Oman to prepare for future incidents as well as identifying its requirements in time of crisis for effective response.Keywords: tourism, emergency services, crisis, disaster
Procedia PDF Downloads 1171223 A Design-Based Approach to Developing a Mobile Learning System
Authors: Martina Holenko Dlab, Natasa Hoic-Bozic, Ivica Boticki
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This paper presents technologically innovative and scalable mobile learning solution within the SCOLLAm project (“Opening up education through Seamless and COLLAborative mobile learning on tablet computers”). The main research method applied during the development of the SCOLLAm mobile learning system is design-based research. It assumes iterative refinement of the system guided by collaboration between researches and practitioners. Following the identification of requirements, a multiplatform mobile learning system SCOLLAm [in]Form was developed. Several experiments were designed and conducted in the first and second grade of elementary school. SCOLLAm [in]Form system was used to design learning activities for math classes during which students practice calculation. System refinements were based on experience and interaction data gathered during class observations. In addition to implemented improvements, the data were used to outline possible improvements and deficiencies of the system that should be addressed in the next phase of the SCOLLAm [in]Form development.Keywords: adaptation, collaborative learning, educational technology, mobile learning, tablet computers
Procedia PDF Downloads 2701222 Selfie: Redefining Culture of Narcissism
Authors: Junali Deka
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“Pictures speak more than a thousand words”. It is the power of image which can have multiple meanings the way it is read by the viewers. This research article is an outcome of the extensive study of the phenomenon of‘selfie culture’ and dire need of self-constructed virtual identity among youths. In the recent times, there has been a revolutionary change in the concept of photography in terms of both techniques and applications. The popularity of ‘self-portraits’ mainly depend on the temporal space and time created on social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram. With reference to Stuart’s Hall encoding and decoding process, the article studies the behavior of the users who post photographs online. The photographic messages (Roland Barthes) are interpreted differently by different viewers. The notion of ‘self’, ‘self-love and practice of looking (Marita Sturken) and ways of seeing (John Berger) got new definition and dimensional together. After Oscars Night, show host Ellen DeGeneres’s selfie created the most buzz and hype in the social media. The term was judged the word of 2013, and has earned its place in the dictionary. “In November 2013, the word "selfie" was announced as being the "word of the year" by the Oxford English Dictionary. By the end of 2012, Time magazine considered selfie one of the "top 10 buzzwords" of that year; although selfies had existed long before, it was in 2012 that the term "really hit the big time an Australian origin. The present study was carried to understand the concept of ‘selfie-bug’ and the phenomenon it has created among youth (especially students) at large in developing a pseudo-image of its own. The topic was relevant and gave a platform to discuss about the cultural, psychological and sociological implications of selfie in the age of digital technology. At the first level, content analysis of the primary and secondary sources including newspapers articles and online resources was carried out followed by a small online survey conducted with the help of questionnaire to find out the student’s view on selfie and its social and psychological effects. The newspapers reports and online resources confirmed that selfie is a new trend in the digital media and it has redefined the notion of beauty and self-love. The Facebook and Instagram are the major platforms used to express one-self and creation of virtual identity. The findings clearly reflected the active participation of female students in comparison to male students. The study of the photographs of few selected respondents revealed the difference of attitude and image building among male and female users. The study underlines some basic questions about the desire of reconstruction of identity among young generation, such as - are they becoming culturally narcissist; responsible factors for cultural, social and moral changes in the society, psychological and technological effects caused by Smartphone as well, culminating into a big question mark whether the selfie is a social signifier of identity construction.Keywords: Culture, Narcissist, Photographs, Selfie
Procedia PDF Downloads 4061221 A Study of Human Communication in an Internet Community
Authors: Andrew Laghos
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The Internet is a big part of our everyday lives. People can now access the internet from a variety of places including home, college, and work. Many airports, hotels, restaurants and cafeterias, provide free wireless internet to their visitors. Using technologies like computers, tablets, and mobile phones, we spend a lot of our time online getting entertained, getting informed, and communicating with each other. This study deals with the latter part, namely, human communication through the Internet. People can communicate with each other using social media, social network sites (SNS), e-mail, messengers, chatrooms, and so on. By connecting with each other they form virtual communities. Regarding SNS, types of connections that can be studied include friendships and cliques. Analyzing these connections is important to help us understand online user behavior. The method of Social Network Analysis (SNA) was used on a case study, and results revealed the existence of some useful patterns of interactivity between the participants. The study ends with implications of the results and ideas for future research.Keywords: human communication, internet communities, online user behavior, psychology
Procedia PDF Downloads 4961220 On Supporting a Meta-Design Approach in Socio-Technical Ontology Engineering
Authors: Mesnan Silalahi, Dana Indra Sensuse, Indra Budi
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Many research have revealed the fact of the complexity of ontology building process that there is a need to have a new approach which addresses the socio-technical aspects in the collaboration to reach a consensus. Meta-design approach is considered applicable as a method in the methodological model in a socio-technical ontology engineering. Principles in the meta-design framework is applied in the construction phases on the ontology. A portal is developed to support the meta-design principles requirements. To validate the methodological model semantic web applications were developed and integrated in the portal and also used as a way to show the usefulness of the ontology. The knowledge based system will be filled with data of Indonesian medicinal plants. By showing the usefulness of the developed ontology in a web semantic application, we motivate all stakeholders to participate in the development of knowledge based system of medicinal plants in Indonesia.Keywords: socio-technical, metadesign, ontology engineering methodology, semantic web application
Procedia PDF Downloads 4371219 Optical Multicast over OBS Networks: An Approach Based on Code-Words and Tunable Decoders
Authors: Maha Sliti, Walid Abdallah, Noureddine Boudriga
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In the frame of this work, we present an optical multicasting approach based on optical code-words. Our approach associates, in the edge node, an optical code-word to a group multicast address. In the core node, a set of tunable decoders are used to send a traffic data to multiple destinations based on the received code-word. The use of code-words, which correspond to the combination of an input port and a set of output ports, allows the implementation of an optical switching matrix. At the reception of a burst, it will be delayed in an optical memory. And, the received optical code-word is split to a set of tunable optical decoders. When it matches a configured code-word, the delayed burst is switched to a set of output ports.Keywords: optical multicast, optical burst switching networks, optical code-words, tunable decoder, virtual optical memory
Procedia PDF Downloads 6071218 Supply Chain Resilience Strategies and Their Impact on Supply Chain Sustainability of the Export-oriented Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka
Authors: Anuradha Ranawakage, Nimalashanithi Amarasekara
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Supply chain resilience and sustainability have received great attention from both academia and business professionals since last few decades. However, the relationship between supply chain resilience and sustainability has not been empirically tested in the apparel industry, where both concepts play a crucial role. Thus, this study aims to investigate how supply chain resilience strategies (digital connectivity, inventory and reserve capacity, and collaboration) impact the supply chain sustainability of export-oriented apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. An online questionnaire was used to collect data on the impact of supply chain resilience strategies on the supply chain sustainability of 99 apparel companies operating in Sri Lanka. This research makes a significant contribution to the field of supply chain management by assessing the impact of supply chain resilience strategies on supply chain sustainability in the context of the developing country, Sri Lanka, where economic crises and the pandemic have had a profound impact on the apparel industry. The findings have important theoretical and managerial implications for maintaining congruence between supply chain resilience and supply chain sustainability in the long run.Keywords: supply chain resilience, supply chain sustainability, apparel, supply chain
Procedia PDF Downloads 221217 Learning and Practicing Assessment in a Pre-Service Teacher Education Program: Comparative Perspective of UK and Pakistani Universities
Authors: Malik Ghulam Behlol, Alison Fox, Faiza Masood, Sabiha Arshad
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This paper explores the barriers to the application of learning-supportive assessment at teaching practicum while investigating the role of university teachers (UT), cooperative teachers (CT), prospective teachers ( PT) and heads of the practicum schools (HPS) in the selected universities of Pakistan and the UK. It is a qualitative case study and data were collected through the lesson observation of UT in the pre-service teacher education setting and PT in practicum schools. Interviews with UT, HPS, and Focus Group Discussions with PT were conducted too. The study has concluded that as compared to the UK counterpart, PT in Pakistan faces significant barriers in applying learning-supportive assessment in the school practicum settings because of large class sizes, lack of institutionalised collaboration between universities and schools, poor modelling of the lesson, ineffective feedback practices, lower order thinking assignments, and limited opportunities to use technology in school settings.Keywords: assessment, pre-service teacher education, theory-practice gap, teacher education
Procedia PDF Downloads 1201216 The Efficacy of Open Educational Resources in Students’ Performance and Engagement
Authors: Huda Al-Shuaily, E. M. Lacap
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Higher Education is one of the most essential fundamentals for the advancement and progress of a country. It demands to be as accessible as possible and as comprehensive as it can be reached. In this paper, we succeeded to expand the accessibility and delivery of higher education using an Open Educational Resources (OER), a freely accessible, openly licensed documents, and media for teaching and learning. This study creates a comparative design of student’s academic performance on the course Introduction to Database and student engagement to the virtual learning environment (VLE). The study was done in two successive semesters - one without using the OER and the other is using OER. In the study, we established that there is a significant increase in student’s engagement in VLE in the latter semester compared to the former. By using the latter semester’s data, we manage to show that the student’s engagement has a positive impact on students’ academic performance. Moreso, after clustering their academic performance, the impact is seen higher for students who are low performing. The results show that these engagements can be used to potentially predict the learning styles of the student with a high degree of precision.Keywords: EDM, learning analytics, moodle, OER, student-engagement
Procedia PDF Downloads 3381215 Sentiment Analysis in Social Networks Sites Based on a Bibliometrics Analysis: A Comprehensive Analysis and Trends for Future Research Planning
Authors: Jehan Fahim M. Alsulami
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Academic research about sentiment analysis in sentiment analysis has obtained significant advancement over recent years and is flourishing from the collection of knowledge provided by various academic disciplines. In the current study, the status and development trend of the field of sentiment analysis in social networks is evaluated through a bibliometric analysis of academic publications. In particular, the distributions of publications and citations, the distribution of subject, predominant journals, authors, countries are analyzed. The collaboration degree is applied to measure scientific connections from different aspects. Moreover, the keyword co-occurrence analysis is used to find out the major research topics and their evolutions throughout the time span. The area of sentiment analysis in social networks has gained growing attention in academia, with computer science and engineering as the top main research subjects. China and the USA provide the most to the area development. Authors prefer to collaborate more with those within the same nation. Among the research topics, newly risen topics such as COVID-19, customer satisfaction are discovered.Keywords: bibliometric analysis, sentiment analysis, social networks, social media
Procedia PDF Downloads 2171214 Effectiveness of New Digital Tools on Implementing Quality Management System: An Exploratory Study of French Companies
Authors: Takwa Belwakess
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With the wave of the digitization that invades the modern world, communication tools took their place in the world of business. As for organizations, being part of the digital era necessarily involves an evolution of the management style, mainly in processes management, knowing also as quality management system (QMS). For more than 50 years quality management standards have been adopted by organizations to prove their operational and financial performances. We believe that achieving a high-level of communication can lead to better quality management and greater customer satisfaction, which is essential to make sure long-term competitiveness. In this paper, a questionnaire survey was developed to investigate the use of collaboration tools such as Content Management System and Social Networks. Data from more than 100 companies based in France was analyzed, the results show that adopting new digital communication tools while applying quality management practices over a reasonable period, contributed to delivering a better implementation of the QMS for a better business performance.Keywords: communication tools, content management system, digital, effectiveness, French companies, quality management system, quality management practices, social networks
Procedia PDF Downloads 2661213 The Research of Industrial Space Characteristics, Layout, and Strategy in Metropolitan Area in China: In Case of Wuhan
Authors: Min Zhou, Kaixuan Lin, Yaping Huang
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In this paper, the industrial space of metropolitan area in Wuhan is taken as a sample. First of all, it puts forward that the structure of service economy, circle gradient relocation and high degree of regional collaboration are the rules of industrial spatial development in the modern world cities. Secondly, using the economic statistics and land use vector data (1993, 2004, 2010, and 2013) of Wuhan, it analyzes the present situation of industry development and the characteristics of industrial space layout from three aspects of the industrial economic structure, industrial layout, and industrial regional synergy. Then, based on the industrial development regularity of world cities, it puts forward to construct the industrial spatial level of ‘complex industrial concentration area + modular industry unit’ and the industrial spatial structure of ‘13525’. Finally, it comes up with the optimization tactics of the industrial space’s transformation in the future under the background of new economic era.Keywords: big city of metropolitan area, industrial space, characteristics, layout, strategy
Procedia PDF Downloads 376