Search

The thesis delves into the restoration and design aspects of traditionally repurposed children’s cloaks, shedding light on the prevalent practice of transform adult’s attires into children’s garments in folk traditions. From a design perspective, it distills the underlying design wisdom behind the campaign, seeing the big from small. The motivation for this study stems from three main perspectives. First, while scholarly research on traditional children’s clothes is abundant based on history, folk culture, children’s clothes collection ranging from clothes patterns, types to characteristics, there exists a relative dearth of focused studies on children’s cloaks. Second, during the late Qing Dynasty to the early days of the People’ Republic of China, “old clothes repurposing” was a common daily practice due to economic scarcity and material shortages. Some scholars have already used newspapers and periodicals as research materials to discuss the development, formation and practice process of the old clothes repurposing in the early years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, yet there is still a lack of in-depth research on the structure, process, craft and design considerations of altering old clothes. Third, 15 samples have already apparently been altered among 64 samples of children’s cloaks, signifying the widespread folk practice of repurposing old garments into new children’s cloaks. The research employed literature review, field investigation, and material analysis methods to comprehensively analyze the reasons for its emergence, developing situation, sources of old clothes, repurposing behavior, and design characteristics. Leveraging the resources from the Folk Costume Museum of Jiangnan University and field surveys conducted by the authors, the thesis scrutinized repurposed children’s cloaks to infer the sources of old clothes through an examination of the background, craft, and garments. The empirical case study focused on the restorative process of transforming horse-face skirts and women’s coats into children’s cloaks, culminating in the identification of design characteristics inherent in repurposed children’s cloaks of traditional folk. Four major conclusions are drawn. First, against the backdrop of economic and material shortages, “old clothes repurposing” came about as a common choice grounded in traditional utilitarian values and societal opposition to wastefulness which showed the common choice of meeting clothes’ needs both of the state and the public. Second, due to the basic form and decorative requirements of children’s cloaks, folk tailors typically opted for materials with large fabric areas, delicate embroidery, and decorative features from traditional folk costumes for alteration. Furthermore, through the analysis of the repurposing traces, patterns and the process of its appearance, it is found that the cloaks were made mainly from horse-face skirts, followed by other skirt types, robes, shirts and other textiles. Third, the repurposing process was influenced by social customs in the Central Plains, the way cloaks used in life day scenes, and folk aesthetics, which is manifested in making color choices for the purpose of blessings, reorganizing pattern to meet presenting needs, and deciding detailed decorations based on the standard of tuning with the overall style. Fourth, garments repurposing adheres to the basic principles of “turning adult’s attires to children’s cloaks”, “turning ones old into new ones”, and “passing on the beauty heritage”. The spontaneous campaign of garment repurposing is a part of folk traditional culture, reflecting a simple and pragmatic design ethos. “Old clothes repurposing” has been inherited till nowadays, transitioning from the need for frugality during economic difficulties to the sustainability-oriented design need of economic development. Through the study, repurposing and utilization of adult’s attires into children’s cloaks, such a folk practice not only preserves Chinese traditional culture but also offers new insights for modern clothes design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMaterials and methodsResultsConclusions\nImplications for rehabilitationAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common and devastating neurological ailment that affects millions of the elderly worldwide. Therapeutic toys and games have emerged as potential non-pharmacological interventions for AD. However, despite a growing number of documents on the subject, research on the future direction of therapeutic toys and games for AD remains scarce. To address this gap, this study aims to (1) map the future trends of therapeutic toys and games for AD and (2) identify the categories and design characteristics.Using a thematic review framework, a systematic literature search was conducted in two electronic databases (Scopus and WoS) using established criteria. Thematic analysis was done using ATLAS.ti 23 to identify prominent themes, patterns and trends.A total of 180 documents were found. Twenty-five articles met the inclusion criteria. A thematic review of these 25 articles identified 13 initial codes, which were been clustered into four themes: detection and evaluation; intervention; toy/game category; and design characteristics. The word “Cognitive” appears most frequently in documents according to word cloud.Therapeutic toys and games are used to detect and as an intervention for AD. Most of the current studies focused on specific cognitive functions. More research is needed about play therapy for neuropsychiatric symptoms. This thematic review also proposed a conceptual framework for designing toys and games tailored to the needs of the elderly with AD, offering valuable insights to future researchers focusing on this domain.Most studies focused on cognitive function among Alzheimer’s patients.More research is needed about the rehabilitation of neuropsychiatric symptoms among Alzheimer’s patients.Games and toys have been evaluated as beneficial for detecting and as an intervention for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). More research is needed about how to design games or toys tailored to the needs of the elderly with AD.Most studies focused on cognitive function among Alzheimer’s patients.More research is needed about the rehabilitation of neuropsychiatric symptoms among Alzheimer’s patients.Games and toys have been evaluated as beneficial for detecting and as an intervention for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). More research is needed about how to design games or toys tailored to the needs of the elderly with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: primary objective of periodontal therapy is to remove supra and subgingival deposits from the tooth surface to stop disease progression. The purpose of the study is to address the instrument selection and its efficacy in calculus removal. Methods: A total of 50 subjects who fulfilled the criteria were included in the study. Participants were subjected to a complete periodontal examination, and the responses from 50 dental house surgeons were compared based on the instrument design, handling characteristics, and efficacy of calculus removal by using two sets of instruments. Results: The LM instrument was rated as best (40 out of 50 participants) based on usability features like weight, the diameter of the handle, material, and surface characteristics. Handgrip, static friction, and surface characteristics features (43&7; 45&5; 40&10) were more for LM instruments when compared to Hu-friedy instruments. When compared to efficacy in calculus removal it was easy with Hu-Friedy instruments. Conclusion: Handling characteristics and efficacy of instruments depend on the design and type of material used to manufacture instruments. Cooperation between researchers, manufacturers, and experienced dental professionals is needed for an active and open-minded process during the development of dental instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Publishing Journal is the property of Wuhan University, School of Information Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study was carried out from March, 21 to February, 2022 to assess the fishing gears and craft operated in Anchar Lake, Jammu and Kashmir. The study revealed that the fishers of this area are accustomed to traditional fishing techniques. One wooden, plank-built craft (Naav) and three types of fishing gears namely, lift nets (Khurizal), multiple head spears (Panzri) and double pronged spear (Narchoo) were found to be used in the lake for fishing operations. The design characteristics, construction aspects and operational techniques of the gears and the fishing craft have been documented in the study. Lift net (Khurizal), made of PA multifilament was the main gear operated in the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provision of accommodation for students is one of the primary responsibilities of the managements of Federal Government owned universities in Nigeria. The designs of these students’ halls of residence are institutional in nature, possessing certain common physical design features. The study focuses on 17 halls of residence in 4 federal universities in Southwest, Nigeria. The data collected on the physical design features (hall size, dwelling floor level, corridor length and loading) were analyzed in relation to crime experienced in the halls of residence. The findings suggest that residents in larger hall sizes experienced more crime and a significant relationship established between dwelling floor level and assault/beaten-up [λ² (6, N=618) = 17.46, p= .008] and between corridor loading and burglary/break-in [λ² (2, N=567) = 8.93, p= .012]. Hence architects and other professionals should take a critical look at these physical design features when dealing with crimes in future student housing design.

Problem. The relevance of the problem under consideration is due, firstly, to the traditionally highest share of road transport in the structure of passenger transportation, and, secondly, the predominance (more than 75 %) of transportation by large class city buses in the structure of road passenger transportation. Under such conditions, improving the performance of large class city buses is of particular relevance. Goal. The goal of the article is to study the influence of design characteristics on the performance of large class city buses. Methodology. The research on the influence of design characteristics on the performance of city buses employs the following methods: the method of analysis and synthesis, systems approach, the observation method, comparative analysis, factor analysis, simulation modeling, and the experimental method. Results. The results of the conducted analysis have allowed the authors to develop and test a methodology for assessing the effect of carrying capacity on the performance of large-class city buses; to develop and test a methodology for assessing the impact of speed characteristics on the performance of large-class city buses; to conduct a factor analysis of the influence of design characteristics on the performance of large-class city buses. Originality. The research has made it possible to get an insight of the influence of design characteristics (in particular, carrying capacity and speed) on the performance of large class city buses. Practical value. The results obtained can be recommended to enterprises engaged in passenger urban transportation for determining the carrying capacity of buses, which is the major characteristic set when designing a new model of a city bus.

In terms of heterogeneous devices and sensors, man and machine collaborate seamlessly, giving birth to the Internet of People, Internet of Things, and Internet of the Future. Within a short period, 30 billion intelligent devices in the form of smart applications will get connected to make an individual's life smoother, more comfortable, faster and accessible from anywhere at any time. IoT combines the power of IPv6 for network connectivity, sensing and nextgen communication technologies to meet future demands. Due to constraint environment in terms of memory, computation, and energy, this review paper will provide in-depth analysis of different OS'es. Candidate OS and Simulator is selected, keeping in mind various barriers and critical design characteristics. By doing this survey, it is possible for other research communities to make an appropriate choice for OS and making IoT a reality. Finally, the case study is also discussed which provides protocol stack implementation details along with deployable testbed, its size in terms of nodes supported and other security challenges. Critical preference level in terms of programming language and application areas from a developer perspective is also analysed and discussed to provide further research direction. IoT integration with future domains, along with various challenges, is explored at the end.

The need for safety and security is one of the important human needs, as it comes in second place after the basic human needs according to Mauslow's hierarchy of human needs. Therefore, achieving the safety and security factor in the design of buildings is considered one of the important design factors, which must occupy an important space in the architectural designer's thought from the early stages of design until the completion of the design in all its details, because the issue is related to the safety of lives and property. The research adopted the theoretical analytical approach by reviewing the studies and literature that dealt with the topic of research then analyzing them to achieve the objective of the research in reaching a clear and comprehensive classification of design characteristics (architectural and non-architectural) that achieve the factor of safety and security from fire accidents for users of administrative buildings, in addition to classifying these characteristics based on their relationship to the stages of the design process. The results of the research were in the form of a clear and comprehensive table of the above design characteristics, which are design characteristics that contribute to preventing the occurrence of fire, and characteristics that reduce fire damage when it occurs (characteristics that help contain fire and characteristics that facilitate the arrival of firefighters to fight the fire and characteristics that help in the speedy evacuation of building users). The research also reached a set of conclusions, and the results, conclusions reached by the research can be used as a guide for architectural designers and specialists in the field of safety to design administrative buildings that achieve safety and security from fire accidents for their users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studiesthe public outdoor spaces in social housing and the role of design characteristics of the public spaces and their impacts on enhancing social interactions. However, since 1962, one may notice that Algeria has opted for social housing in its housing programmes to meet the growing demand; but social housing did not satisfy the residents' needs as authorities focused on the quantity of residential neighborhoods, but they neglected designs of public spaces, which urged us to study them to see the extent to which the design characteristics of these spaces contribute to theachievement of social interactions between inhabitants. The research relies on the analytical approach by observing and analyzing the design characteristics of public spaces in social housing and their role in promoting social interactions in the neighborhood of 520 in M'sila, Algeria. A questionnaire form is addressed to the neighborhood residents to evaluate social interactions. The results of the study show dissatisfaction of the residents and the need to take into account the design characteristics during planning because of their importance in promoting social interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provision of accommodation for students is one of the primary responsibilities of the managements of Federal Government owned universities in Nigeria. The designs of these students’ halls of residence are institutional in nature, possessing certain common physical design features. The study focuses on 17 halls of residence in 4 federal universities in Southwest, Nigeria. The data collected on the physical design features (hall size, dwelling floor level, corridor length and loading) were analyzed in relation to crime experienced in the halls of residence. The findings suggest that residents in larger hall sizes experienced more crime and a significant relationship established between dwelling floor level and assault/beaten-up [λ² (6, N=618) = 17.46, p= .008] and between corridor loading and burglary/break-in [λ² (2, N=567) = 8.93, p= .012]. Hence architects and other professionals should take a critical look at these physical design features when dealing with crimes in future student housing design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of heterogeneous devices and sensors, man and machine collaborate seamlessly, giving birth to the Internet of People, Internet of Things, and Internet of the Future. Within a short period, 30 billion intelligent devices in the form of smart applications will get connected to make an individual's life smoother, more comfortable, faster and accessible from anywhere at any time. IoT combines the power of IPv6 for network connectivity, sensing and nextgen communication technologies to meet future demands. Due to constraint environment in terms of memory, computation, and energy, this review paper will provide in-depth analysis of different OS'es. Candidate OS and Simulator is selected, keeping in mind various barriers and critical design characteristics. By doing this survey, it is possible for other research communities to make an appropriate choice for OS and making IoT a reality. Finally, the case study is also discussed which provides protocol stack implementation details along with deployable testbed, its size in terms of nodes supported and other security challenges. Critical preference level in terms of programming language and application areas from a developer perspective is also analysed and discussed to provide further research direction. IoT integration with future domains, along with various challenges, is explored at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Video is a popular medium for instructing people how to use software. In 2013, van der Meij and van der Meij proposed eight guidelines for the design of instructional videos for software training. Since then, production techniques and video features evolved, and new insights about characteristics of effective video instructions emerged. Methods: Based on recent study outcomes and our reflections on instructional video designs, the original set of eight guidelines was restructured, updated, and extended. Results: A new framework with 11 guidelines was constructed. For these guidelines the article provides scientifically-based advice for the design of instructional videos for software training. Conclusion: The new framework and the illustrations of how the guidelines were applied in videos should provide useful insights for further practice and research on instructional video design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart homes represent an effective approach to improve one's quality of life. Developing user interfaces that are both comfortable and understandable can assist users, particularly the elderly, embrace smart home technologies. It's critical to concentrate on the characteristics of smart home interface design and their impact on people of various ages. Since sliders are one of the most common components utilized in the smart home user interface, this article aimed to investigate the effects of slider design characteristics (e.g., button size, track color, and sliding orientation) on user performance and preference. Thirty-four participants were recruited for the experiment (16 for the young group, aged between 18 and 44 years; 18 for the middle-aged and elderly group, aged between 45 years and above). Our results revealed that both groups had shorter task completion time, less fixation time, and saccades on horizontal sliding orientation and larger buttons, which means better user performance. For the older group, the slider with color gradient track led to better user performance, while the track color only had less effect on the performance of the younger group. In terms of user preference, the results and performance of the older group were basically consistent, while the younger group had no significant difference in sliding orientation and track color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart homes represent an effective approach to improve one’s quality of life. Developing user interfaces that are both comfortable and understandable can assist users, particularly the elderly, embrace smart home technologies. It’s critical to concentrate on the characteristics of smart home interface design and their impact on people of various ages. Since sliders are one of the most common components utilized in the smart home user interface, this article aimed to investigate the effects of slider design characteristics (e.g., button size, track color, and sliding orientation) on user performance and preference. Thirty-four participants were recruited for the experiment (16 for the young group, aged between 18 and 44 years; 18 for the middle-aged and elderly group, aged between 45 years and above). Our results revealed that both groups had shorter task completion time, less fixation time, and saccades on horizontal sliding orientation and larger buttons, which means better user performance. For the older group, the slider with color gradient track led to better user performance, while the track color only had less effect on the performance of the younger group. In terms of user preference, the results and performance of the older group were basically consistent, while the younger group had no significant difference in sliding orientation and track color.

Background: Dyspepsia represents a symptom domain rather than a diagnostic condition and covers a wide range of complex, underlying pathophysiologies that are not well understood. The review explores comparative effectiveness interventions for the treatment of symptomatic dyspepsia along a pragmatic-explanatory continuum. The aim is to identify relevant design characteristics applicable to future upper gastrointestinal comparative effectiveness research employing integrative medicine. Methods: Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and WHO Clinical Trials were systematically searched until January 2019. Included articles were original research with two or more comparative intervention arms for the primary outcome; relief of symptomatic dyspepsia. Evaluation of the studies was conducted using the pragmatic-explanatory continuum indicator summary (PRECIS-2) tool. Results: Thirty-six articles were included in the review. A total of 68 Patient Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs), utilizing 50 different formats were deployed across the studies. The appraisal process revealed eligibility, flexibility in adherence, flexibility in delivery and organization domains further aligned towards an explanatory design. Conclusion: This review identified three design characteristics relevant for future comparative effectiveness research for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal disorders in a community setting. Extensive exclusion eligibility criteria limited the generalization of comparative effectiveness study results by removing sub-groups of the target populations more at risk of dyspeptic symptoms. The requirement for entry endoscopy was found to be common and not always pragmatically justifiable. Development of validated PROMs appropriate for a generic application to upper gastrointestinal disorders would be advantageous for future comparative effectiveness research within integrative medicine.

Many digital platforms implement feedback mechanisms as a means to control the behavior of their users. However, there is a lack of theoretical explanation regarding the interrelation between design characteristics of feedback mechanisms and their effects. In this study, we interpret feedback mechanisms as a specific type of management control to propose properties as a new theoretical perspective on this problem. Our exploratory study has two objectives. First, we analyze how digital platforms design their feedback mechanisms. Second, we examine to what extent feedback mechanisms comply with standards given in the management control literature for our newly introduced properties. Analyzing the 102 most widely used platforms in Germany, we find dominant patterns in nearly all design characteristics (e.g., query method, submission category and scale level). Furthermore, we find mixed compliance of feedback mechanisms with our introduced properties (e.g., low precision but high sensitivity and verifiability). For a deeper understanding of these results, especially the reasons for the design choices, we conduct 14 semi-structured expert interviews. We find simplicity and inspiration from other platforms to be dominant drivers for design choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research permits refinement of the outline of a low-noise high-efficiency power unit for use in supersonic commercial airplanes of the 2030s. Engines with features that will be feasible by then are considered. The influence of the design parameters of a motor with modified critical nozzle cross section on the outline and effective characteristics of the power unit is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chatbots may have the potential to support healthcare education by enabling personalized learning. Trust is a pre-requisite for the users to accept the chatbots. In this study we analyzed students' assignments of the MSc course "User Needs, Requirements Engineering and Evaluation" at Karolinska Institutet, aiming to explore the chatbots' potential in healthcare education and the design characteristics of chatbots that may enhance the trust. The students identified two courses: pharmacology and medical law, that have the potential to leverage chatbots' characteristics. Our analyses on the design characteristics they suggested resulted in: recognition; visibility of system status; anthropomorphism in communication; knowledge expertise, linguistic consistency; realistic interaction. Our results are in line with previous research. Future studies could investigate the educational impact on the learning outcomes and students' satisfaction when interacting with chatbots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with design characteristics-oriented approach to architectural design based on the combination of three methods – recognition, generation, and evaluation. Design characteristics are understood as a set of specific features which constitute a discriminant of a class of architectural forms. The Biederman recognition-by-components theory is used to recognize the design structure. An evolutionary algorithm, which serves as a generative tool, is driven by the fuzzy evaluation based on Birkhoff's aesthetic measure. Phenotypes of architectural objects are seen as configurations of Biederman's basic components essential for visual perception. Genotypes of these objects are represented by graphs with bonds, where nodes represent object components, node bonds represent component surfaces, while graph edges represent relations between surfaces. Graph evolutionary operators, that is, crossover and mutation, are defined in such a way that they preserve characteristic features seen as design requirements specified for designed objects. The fitness function is determined by the fuzzy evaluation of designs based on Birkhoff's aesthetic measure for polygons adapted for three-dimensional solids. The approach is illustrated by examples of designing objects with the use of a fuzzy evaluation mechanism, which takes into account both aesthetic criteria and the degree to which design requirements corresponding to object characteristic features are satisfied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Wool Textile Journal is the property of National Wool Textile Science & Technology Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Japanese gardens were developed under the influence of China. In the process of development, the Japanese gardens studied the modern Western gardening craft, and developed unique gardening craft with local regional characteristics and national style in accordance with local conditions. This paper analyzed Japanese gardens through the development of Japanese gardens, the development process, the types of gardens and gardening elements, the characteristics of garden design and the implications for modern and contemporary Chinese garden design. In addition, through an in-depth understanding of Japanese gardens and exploring their intrinsic value, this paper summarized their development experience, in the hope of applying them into the future garden landscape design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An experiment is designed to mine the temporal features of EEG data. • EEG data is used as objective data to identify users' preferences for concepts. • A BP neural network-based scheme preference prediction model is trained. • A BP neural network model for predicting forklift schemes regarding DP satisfaction. • A decision support tool is developed for the satisfaction evaluation of other schemes. Customer preference-involved product concept evaluation is a vital stage for developing new products. One of the key factors in this stage is to mine the potential relationships between customers' needs and technical requirements. In most new product development (NPD), design characteristics (DCs) are employed as performance indicators to describe the technical requirements of a scheme. Previous studies have focused on evaluating the degree to which a scheme meets the performance value of DCs, disregarding the relationship between DCs and potential user preferences. This oversight leads to an inability to accurately predict customer satisfaction with the candidate schemes based on their preferences. Previous research, which was aimed at ensuring the preference value of schemes by utilizing mapping data between design preference (DP) and DCs, overlooked users' psychological states and thus failed to accurately capture their cognitive preferences for the schemes. To address these issues, an electroencephalogram (EEG) data-driven, implicit DP prediction approach is proposed. The method characterizes the implicit cognitive relationship between DP and DCs by mining EEG data and utilizes a back propagation (BP) neural network to predict DP. First, a user's DP word pairs were constructed based on the approach of statistical analysis, and the best-worst method (BWM) was introduced to obtain the importance of DCs. Second, an experiment was designed based on the extracted preference word pairs to collect EEG data that reflect a user's DC preference, record the user's stimulation state toward the DCs, and label their DP based on the segmentation results of preference evaluation. Third, a BP neural network was employed to construct a preference prediction model for DCs, and the reliability of the proposed preference prediction model was validated by using the forklift design example. The prediction results further exhibited the potential association between user preferences and DCs that can be acquired by EEG data mining. The results also provide support for designers to promptly acquire design concepts that satisfy user requirements (URs), thereby enhancing the efficiency and quality of product development in a highly competitive market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]