Comparative analysis of energy impacts of traditional and partly electronic environmental auditing.

This paper does a comparative analysis and assessment of energy impacts of traditional and partly electronic ISO 14001 environmental management system auditing that using videoconferencing systems. The focus is on the Japanese automotive industry. The idea is to quantify the environmental impacts of auditing and resolve the important question on whether or not the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in environmental auditing reduces environmental impacts in ISO 14001 environmental management systems

Survey of Concurrent Engineering Environments and the Application of Best Practices towards the Development of a Multiple Industry, Multiple Domain Environment

This thesis investigates the best practices of fifteen existing Concurrent Engineering Environments (CEE). A CEE is defined as any environment, from physical to virtual, designed to facilitate concurrent engineering with multiple domain experts real time. All existing environments surveyed have been focused on the aerospace industry showing significant reductions in design time and cost. I have identified hardware, software, and peopleware as three major classifications as well as sixteen subcategories with which to compare the different CEEs. The success in reducing time and cost of designs seen in the aerospace industry with the introduction of CEEs can and should be leveraged into additional domains and industries. This thesis explores the attributes of existing environments, the needs of additional industries, and the recommended concurrent engineering environment configuration appropriate for a multi-industry/multi-domain focus

Portable color multimedia training systems based on monochrome laptop computers (CBT-in-a-briefcase), with spinoff implications for video uplink and downlink in spaceflight operations

This report describes efforts to use digital motion video compression technology to develop a highly portable device that would convert 1990-91 era IBM-compatible and/or MacIntosh notebook computers into full-color, motion-video capable multimedia training systems. An architecture was conceived that would permit direct conversion of existing laser-disk-based multimedia courses with little or no reauthoring. The project did not physically demonstrate certain critical video keying techniques, but their implementation should be feasible. This investigation of digital motion video has spawned two significant spaceflight projects at MSFC: one to downlink multiple high-quality video signals from Spacelab, and the other to uplink videoconference-quality video in realtime and high quality video off-line, plus investigate interactive, multimedia-based techniques for enhancing onboard science operations. Other airborne or spaceborne spinoffs are possible

Towards Smart Business Travel

Business travel is an area that Government policy has left largely untouched, but in London with the percentage of business trips for an average weekday at 8% in 2007/08 (Transport for London, 2009, table 9.3, pp 137) and the average distance travelled accounting for 15% of all the distances travelled (Transport for London, 2009, table 9.7, pp 148), they account for an important proportion of daily journeys. However, this research has shown more notably, particularly for businesses that do a significant amount of business travel, there is an opportunity for TfL to engage with businesses in a new and effective way at a number of levels. These include: • The strategic level, to outline TfLs strategy for the network and to gain feedback on these plans • The detail level including journey planning information with carbon emissions and cost, and corporate ticketing opportunities. • Managing the commute on a voluntary basis as part of wider Corporate Responsibility programmes. What became clear in this research was that many businesses wanted to engage with TfL, but found it hard to find a point of contact. They also wanted to engage in different ways from the current engagement programme of workplace travel plans and the planning process. The structure of the report is to review the existing literature covering both academic and practitioner work, but focussing on the London data where available. The paper will then go on to report the individual perspective from the findings of a survey of business travellers in London. This survey outlines the purpose of business journeys into London, the alternatives to a physical journey and their barriers to use. The final part of the report will explore the business perspective of business travel using data drawn from a series of face-to-face interviews with businesses and stakeholders. This section will look first at the support and engagement issues raised by the companies participating and then to go on to develop a picture of the business travel area within organisations. The report then covers the drivers and barriers to developing a sustainable business travel policy and the practices and methods of communication to support the policy, including the use of virtual meeting technologies. It then concludes by looking at how business travels links into the commute and the attitude of business to electric vehicles. Finally, the report draws together recommendations for TfL about alternative ways to engage with businesses. Details of the methodology used to generate this report are given in the appendix. In brief, it involved: • Completion of 150 on-line surveys by business travellers, identified through the National Business Travel Network (NBTN), TfLs clients, Open University staff across the regions and Open University students across a range of courses. • Meetings with five stakeholder organisations to identify potential case studies, and • Meetings with eight case study businesses, who were identified by stakeholders as being involved in managing business travel in a more sustainable way

EFFECTIVENESS OF TEAM-BUILDING AND TEAMWORK IN REAL AND VIRTUAL WORLDS

Given the increasing importance of globalization and collaboration, this research investigates the possibility of performing team-building training for globally dispersed teams using the capabilities of the virtual world Second Life. Three meeting conditions, the 3D virtual world Second Life, a combination of face-to-face and Second Life and face-to-face were evaluated. Thirty randomly assigned 3 person teams performed an ice-breaker session and then a team-building activity in each meeting condition. Four dependent variables were measured: task completion time; quality of task performance; the subjective satisfaction with the process based on group cohesiveness, perception of the process and satisfaction with the outcome; and subjective satisfaction with the communication modality. Following data collection, univariate analyses were used to analyze each dependent variable to determine the differences, if any, among the meeting conditions. The results did not show significant differences for performance and subjective satisfaction across the meeting conditions; however they did show significant results for subjective satisfaction with the communication modality. This study indicates that the participants found the virtual world productive, enjoyed the experience of using this environment and believed that they could communicate and collaborate in it effectively. Even though participants indicated little previous experience with Second Life, this study found that it has potential as an alternate team meeting space. Cost analyses suggest that in the long run the expense of using a virtual meeting space will be less than the cost of using face-to-face meeting space. Future research could include looking at larger group sizes, other types of team work, different team-building activities, or the effect of features of the virtual meeting space on team performance and user experience

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 6: The relationship between the use of US government technical reports by US aerospace engineers and scientists and selected institutional and sociometric variables

The relationship between the use of U.S. government technical reports by U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists and selected institutional and sociometric variables was investigated. The methodology used for this study was survey research. Data were collected by means of a self-administered mail questionnaire. The approximately 34,000 members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts (AIAA) served as the study population. The response rate for the survey was 70 percent. A dependent relationship was found to exist between the use of U.S. government technical reports and three of the institutional variables (academic preparation, years of professional aerospace work experience, and technical discipline). The use of U.S. government technical reports was found to be independent of all of the sociometric variables. The institutional variables best explain the use of U.S. government technical reports by U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists

Situated Displays in Telecommunication

In face to face conversation, numerous cues of attention, eye contact, and gaze direction provide important channels of information. These channels create cues that include turn taking, establish a sense of engagement, and indicate the focus of conversation. However, some subtleties of gaze can be lost in common videoconferencing systems, because the single perspective view of the camera doesn't preserve the spatial characteristics of the face to face situation. In particular, in group conferencing, the `Mona Lisa effect' makes all observers feel that they are looked at when the remote participant looks at the camera. In this thesis, we present designs and evaluations of four novel situated teleconferencing systems, which aim to improve the teleconferencing experience. Firstly, we demonstrate the effectiveness of a spherical video telepresence system in that it allows a single observer at multiple viewpoints to accurately judge where the remote user is placing their gaze. Secondly, we demonstrate the gaze-preserving capability of a cylindrical video telepresence system, but for multiple observers at multiple viewpoints. Thirdly, we demonstrated the further improvement of a random hole autostereoscopic multiview telepresence system in conveying gaze by adding stereoscopic cues. Lastly, we investigate the influence of display type and viewing angle on how people place their trust during avatar-mediated interaction. The results show the spherical avatar telepresence system has the ability to be viewed qualitatively similarly from all angles and demonstrate how trust can be altered depending on how one views the avatar. Together these demonstrations motivate the further study of novel display configurations and suggest parameters for the design of future teleconferencing systems

Information Communication Technology Through Technical Vocation Education and Training: Experiences from Arusha Tanzania.

This study investigated the use of ICT in TVET by probing the general performance of teachers and students in respect to the use of ICT for teaching and learning. A cross-sectional descriptive survey research design was used with a sample of 403 respondents. Mixed methods approach was employed to conduct the study. The methods used to collect data were questionnaires, observation, documentary reviews, interviews and focus group discussions. Data analysis techniques used were descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and content analysis. Content analysis of data started with individual answers, consensus chosen were from different respondents sorted and then grouped together according to issues raised, agreed and then reported. During inferential statistics the chi-square were used to analyze data. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, mean and tables were used in analyzing data. The study found out that ICT facilities such as simulation practices and Auto-CAD were not enough for all TVET students and teachers at the colleges. The findings also revealed that teachers’ ICT skills were at moderate levels and were moderate users of ICT for teaching. Further, the study findings indicated that teachers use ICT to save time and gain new knowledge and skills for teaching. The teachers indicated such challenges as lack of ICT facilities, support, training, funding and motivation greatly impact on ICT use in participatory teaching and learning processes. It is recommended that NACTE should ensure delivery of ICT facilities for students and teachers for use in the process of learning and teaching. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Tanzania should provide adequate fund to allow in-service training for teachers. Keywords: ICT, TVET, Teaching and Learning