Constructing Effective Customer Feedback Systems -- A Design Science Study Leveraging Blockchain Technology

Organizations have to adjust to changes in the ecosystem, and customer feedback systems (CFS) provide important information to adapt products and services to changing customer preferences. However, current systems are limited to single-dimensional rating scales and are subject to self-selection biases. This work contributes design principles for CFS and implements a CFS that advances current systems by means of contextualized feedback according to specific organizational objectives. It also uses blockchain-based incentives to support CFS use. We apply Design Science Research (DSR) methodology and report on a longitudinal DSR journey considering multiple stakeholder values. We conducted expert interviews, design workshops, demonstrations, and a four-day experiment in an organizational setup, involving 132 customers of a major Swiss library. This validates the identified design principles and the implemented software artifact both qualitatively and quantitatively. Based on this evaluation, the design principles are revisited and conclusions for the construction of successful CFS are drawn. The findings of this work advance the knowledge on the design of CFS and provide a guideline to managers and decision makers for designing effective CFS

Optical, vibrational, thermal, electrical, damage and phase-matching properties of lithium thioindate

Lithium thioindate (LiInS$_{2}$) is a new nonlinear chalcogenide biaxial material transparent from 0.4 to 12 $\mu$m, that has been successfully grown in large sizes and good optical quality. We report on new physical properties that are relevant for laser and nonlinear optics applications. With respect to AgGaS(e)$_2$ ternary chalcopyrite materials, LiInS$_{2}$ displays a nearly-isotropic thermal expansion behavior, a 5-times larger thermal conductivity associated with high optical damage thresholds, and an extremely low intensity-dependent absorption allowing direct high-power downconversion from the near-IR to the deep mid-IR. Continuous-wave difference-frequency generation (5-11$\mu$m) of Ti:sapphire laser sources is reported for the first time.Comment: 27 pages, 21 figures. Replaces the previous preprint (physics/0307082) with the final version as it will be published in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 21(11) (Nov. 2004 issue

On the Extension of Digital Ecosystems for SCM and Customs with Distributed Ledger Technologies: Requirements Anlysis, Innovation Assessment, and Prototype Design for the Lake Constance Region

Global supply chains represent the backbone of the modern manufacturing industry. Planning of global supply chains still represents a major hurdle, mainly because of the high complexity and unforeseen disruptions that have to be mastered for meeting the different logistics windows in a globally distributed production environment. Trust in supply chains is an additional challenge. A major – albeit sometimes overlooked - part of Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the management and integration of customs processes, clearing of tariffs, (re-)billing of customers, and fulfilling other legal requirements related to crossing borders, ranging from environmental standards over goods inspection to general paper work. With the exception of work offered by the World Customs Organization (WCO) the issue of customs and blockchain is still underrepresented in research and practice. In this paper, we look at innovations that drive the current ICTenabled SCM research and how these can be combined with smart customs management. After a literature review and introduction to the state-of-the-art, we list potential trust-based innovations for SCM and customs in digital business ecosystems. Based upon the innovations we also describe a requirements analysis of existing distributed ledger technologies (requirements for system layout, system configuration, system governance). A description of the prototype for the Lake Constance region – on which we are currently working – concludes the paper

Virtual Reality Extension for Digital Twins of Machine Tools

ISSN:2196-8705ISSN:2196-871

Work-in-Progress-Enhancing Training in Virtual Reality with Hand Tracking and a Real Tool

The main goal of Virtual Training Environments(VTEs) is to maximize training success, which can be achievedby increasing the degree of immersion. While prior work mainlyfocused on the visual, auditory, and navigational aspects of im-mersion, proprioceptive aspects may be particularly important.In this work-in-progress paper, we explore this potential byimplementing an industrial VTE, which can be interacted with,using VR gloves and a tracked real tool. Further, we evaluatethe VTE in a pilot study with industry apprentices, providinginitial evidence that participants experienced high presence andlow task load, while being generally satisfied with the training

Designing Virtual Training Environments: Does Immersion increase Task Performance?

One of the main characteristic of virtual reality (VR) is immersion, which leads to the creation of sophisticated illusions of reality. Accordingly, VR is already used for a wide spectrum of applications like entertainment, marketing, and training. Especially in training applications, the effect of immersion on training success is still not entirely clear, since too much immersion may cause side effects such as users experiencing high mental demand whereas too little may disturb users’ well-being. To further investigate the matter, we developed two virtual training environments, wherein users train a typical industrial assembly task either in low or high immersive VR. In a controlled pilot study, we additionally introduced a third condition, the control group, which justifies the necessity of the training. Immediately after the VR Training session, each participant completed the corresponding real assembly task in which their performance was measured. Preliminary results from our pilot study show that participants trained in high immersive VR performed better, while negative side effects could not be detected

Work-in-Progress: Effects of Attention Guidance on Virtual Reality Training for an Industrial Assembly Task

One of the main objectives of Virtual Training Environments (VTEs) for industrial training is to train workers for a real world task. Prior work identified a multitude of factors influencing a VTE’s effectiveness. In this work-in-progress paper, we add to this body of research by evaluating the effect of attention guidance (AG) on a VTE’s effectiveness. In a controlled between-subject design pilot study with 42 participants, participants were trained in a VTE either with or without AG. Subsequently, learning transfer was assessed in a Real-World Evaluation (RWE). Our findings indicate that, while not necessary for a VTE’s efficacy, AG appears to be a substantial factor in a VTE’s effectiveness

Data driven value creation in AEC along the building lifecycle

Interest in the field of data analytics among researchers and practitioners has been rising over the last few years. The digitalization of the built environment leads to increased availability of data, enabling the introduction of data analytics. In this paper we propose a novel framework for data driven value creation in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). The framework consists of four value creating categories, which are mapped on a building's lifecycle. Additionally, we analyse over ten data analytics applications by the value they create along the building lifecycle. The paper concludes by suggesting future research for data analytics in AEC.ISSN:1742-6588ISSN:1742-659

Subtle Attention Guidance for Real Walking in Virtual Environments

Virtual reality is today being applied to an increasing number of fields such as education, industry, medicine, or gaming. Attention guidance methods are used in virtual reality to help users navigate the virtual environment without being overwhelmed by the overabundance of sensory stimuli. However, visual attention guidance methods can be overt, distracting and confusing as they often consist of artefacts placed in the center of the user’s field of view. This is the case for the arrow method, which consists of an arrow pointing towards a target object and which serves as a reference for our study. In this paper, we compare such an arrow to two methods that are less distracting and more subtle: haptic feedback and temporal luminance modulation. The haptic feedback method guides a user to a target using controller vibration. The temporal luminance modulation method makes use of flickering visual artefacts placed at the user’s peripheral field of view and thus do not cover regions of interest that are typically in the central field of view. This creates a subtle attention guidance since these flickering artefacts can be perceived by the user, but not recognized in terms of form and shape. To compare the different attention guidance methods, we designed a virtual environment that can be explored through real walking, wherein a user performs a search task. We then conducted a pilot study with seven participants to compare the haptic feedback and the temporal luminance modulation methods to the arrow method and to a baseline condition of navigation without any attention guidance. The preliminary results suggest that all three methods are more effective than the condition without guidance. Moreover, the temporal luminance modulation method appears to be comparable to the more effective, but non-subtle arrow method in terms of task completion time