Advanced virtual reality applications and intelligent agents for construction process optimisation and defect prevention

Defects and errors in new or recently completed construction work continually pervade the industry. Whilst inspection and monitoring processes are established vehicles for their 'control', the procedures involved are often process driven, time consuming, and resource intensive. Paradoxically therefore, they can impinge upon the broader aspects of project time, cost and quality outcomes. Acknowledging this means appreciating concatenation effects such as the potential for litigation, impact on other processes and influence on stakeholders' perceptions—that in turn, can impede progress and stifle opportunities for process optimisation or innovation. That is, opportunities relating to for example, logistics, carbon reduction, health and safety, efficiency, asset underutilisation and efficient labour distribution. This study evaluates these kinds of challenge from a time, cost and quality perspective, with a focus on identifying opportunities for process innovation and optimisation. It reviews—within the construction domain—state of the art technologies that support optimal use of artificial intelligence, cybernetics and complex adaptive systems. From this, conceptual framework is proposed for development of real-time intelligent observational platform supported by advanced intelligent agents, presented for discussion. This platform actively, autonomously and seamlessly manages intelligent agents (Virtual Reality cameras, Radio-Frequency Identification RFID scanners, remote sensors, etc.) in order to identify, report and document 'high risk' defects. Findings underpin a new ontological model that supports ongoing development of a dynamic, self-organised sensor (agent) network, for capturing and reporting real-time construction site data. The model is a 'stepping stone' for advancement of independent intelligent agents, embracing sensory and computational support, able to perform complicated (previously manual) tasks that provide optimal, dynamic, and autonomous management functions

10 out of 10 for Scottish school design? : providing an accessible, sustainable environment for 21st century education

This paper describes an on-going research project which aims to measure the extent to which the social model of disability is embedded within the school design process in Scotland. Proponents of the disability movement have called for societal structures to be reconceived based on the divergent capacities of the individual. The social model of disability can be used to explain the way in which disability is conceptualised as a barrier created by external factors which is imposed over and above an individual’s impairment. This model is used as a basis for conceiving a ‘social model of architecture’ and exploring the progress of architectural practice in responding to change. The largest school building programme in the history of Scotland has taken place, yet there is no conclusive research evaluating the performance of accessible design. This project investigates the inclusive education discourse in Scotland and its relevance to the built environment, the extent to which best practice guidelines are being met and the degree to which accessibility is considered throughout different stages of the design process. Results will be analysed to discuss the extent to which the social model is embedded within current school design and the case of Scotland’s schools will be used to develop a framework for implementation which takes into consideration a holistic view of the entire design process

10 out of 10 for Scottish school design? Providing an accessible, sustainable environment for 21st century education

This paper describes an on-going research project which aims to measure the extent to which the social model of disability is embedded within the school design process in Scotland. Proponents of the disability movement have called for societal structures to be reconceived based on the divergent capacities of the individual. The social model of disability can be used to explain the way in which disability is conceptualised as a barrier created by external factors which is imposed over and above an individual’s impairment. This model is used as a basis for conceiving a ‘social model of architecture’ and exploring the progress of architectural practice in responding to change. The largest school building programme in the history of Scotland has taken place, yet there is no conclusive research evaluating the performance of accessible design. This project investigates the inclusive education discourse in Scotland and its relevance to the built environment, the extent to which best practice guidelines are being met and the degree to which accessibility is considered throughout different stages of the design process. Results will be analysed to discuss the extent to which the social model is embedded within current school design and the case of Scotland’s schools will be used to develop a framework for implementation which takes into consideration a holistic view of the entire design process

Sensory architecture in silent vision : an investigation through designing public architectural spaces for visually impaired users

This abstract describes ongoing PhD research on how to improve the quality of architectural public spaces for visually impaired people, investigating the semiotics of architecture and environmental psychology, translating and changing the focus of architectural spaces from vision (40% of the brain is devoted to vision), to other senses such as: sound, touch, smell. Interaction with others, way finding around the building and responses to different elements used in design are the three main categories which have enticed researchers in this field. The main focus of the research is hearing and sound, the most important sense after vision. The project intends to investigate the quality of sound and echo in space and the way sound resonates in architectural spaces, and suggest how sound could be a useful way to guide visually impaired people, specifically how different shapes, surfaces and materials forming an architectural space can help the sound last more, and echo in different directions of the building, acting like a virtual map in the mind. Visually impaired people will have a sensory perception and may feel that they can interpret the space within the building with the mind’s eye. By exploring the mental image that visually impaired people have in their brain and how they imagine the space, we can then change the mental image by trying to produce different sounds in different directions of the space. The echo can guide visually impaired people and they can walk easily in different directions, producing different images in different parts of the building, this sound will become the picture of the space in their memory. The research method will be quantitative and qualitative; involving questionnaires and interviews with visually impaired users and local authorities such as, RNIB, Deaf Blind Scotland, and the results will be used to create public architectural spaces for visually impaired users

The Relationship Between Hardiness, Personality Traits and Coping Styles with Occupational Satisfaction Among the Nurses of Governmental Hospitals in Tabriz

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between hardiness, personality traits and coping styles with job satisfaction among nurses in state hospitals in Tabriz. Methods:This is a descriptive- correlational study and the statistical population is consisted of nurses working in Tabriz hospitals. The sample consisted of 320 people selected by multi-stage random sampling who responded to four questionnaires: job satisfaction, neo personality, hardiness and coping with the stressful situation. The questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS 16. Results: The results of this study showed that job satisfaction and neuroticism have a negative and meaningful relationship. On the other side, job satisfaction has a positive and meaningful relationship with flexibility, conscientiousness and extraversion. There is no meaningful relationship between pleasure and job satisfaction. Also a positive relationship exists between the problem-oriented coping style and pleasure. There is a negative relation between the emotional-avoidance, coping styles and avoidance with the job satisfaction. Hardiness components had a positive and meaningful relationship with job satisfaction. Also, multivariate regression showed that among predictor variables only the psychoanalytic, flexibility and conscientious variables were able to predict the job satisfaction of nurses. Among the coping styles, the problem-based and avoidance style pre-emptive variables on job satisfaction were effective. All three hardiness components were able to predict the job satisfaction of nurses. Conclusion: The results showed that two dimensions of flexibility and neuroticism had a predictive role in the job satisfaction of nurses. According to the results, in addition to evaluating the public talents and abilities in employee selection, these two dimensions of personality may be more noteworthy

Wolbachia induce cytoplasmic incompatibility and affect mate preference in Habrobracon hebetor to increase the chance of its transmission to the next generation

Wolbachia are common intracellular bacteria that are generally found in arthropods, including a high proportion of insects and also some nematodes. This intracellular symbiont can affect sex ratio with a variety of reproductive anomalies in the host, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in haplodiploids. In this study, we questioned if the parasitoid wasp, Habrobracon hebetor (Hym.: Braconidae), an important biological control agent of many lepidopteran larvae, is infected with Wolbachia. To test this, DNA was extracted from adult insects and subjected to PCR using specific primers to Wolbachia target genes. The results showed a high rate of Wolbachia infection in this parasitoid wasp. To determine the biological function of Wolbachia in H. hebetor, we removed this bacterium from the wasps using antibiotic treatment (cured wasps). Results of crossing experiments revealed that Wolbachia induced CI in H. hebetor in which cured females crossed with infected males produced only males, while both male and female progeny were observed for other crosses. Also, we showed that the presence of Wolbachia in females increased fecundity and female offspring of this parasitoid wasp. The presence of Wolbachia in the males had no significant effect on fecundity and female production, but might have incurred costs. We also investigated the effect of Wolbachia on mate choice and found that Wolbachia affects mating behavior of H. hebetor. Together, we showed that Wolbachia induces CI in H. hebetor and affects host mating behavior in favor of its transmission. Wolbachia utilize these strategies to increase the frequency of infected females in the host population

0 out of 10 for Scottish School Design? -Providing an accessible, sustainable environment for 21st century education 10 out of 10 for Scottish School Design? - Providing an accessible, sustainable environment for 21st century education

Abstract This paper describes an on-going research project which aims to measure the extent to which the social model of disability is embedded within the school design process in Scotland. Proponents of the disability movement have called for societal structures to be reconceived based on the divergent capacities of the individual. The social model of disability can be used to explain the way in which disability is conceptualised as a barrier created by external factors which is imposed over and above an individual's impairment. This model is used as a basis for conceiving a 'social model of architecture' and exploring the progress of architectural practice in responding to change. The largest school building programme in the history of Scotland has taken place, yet there is no conclusive research evaluating the performance of accessible design. This project investigates the inclusive education discourse in Scotland and its relevance to the built environment, the extent to which best practice guidelines are being met and the degree to which accessibility is considered throughout different stages of the design process. Results will be analysed to discuss the extent to which the social model is embedded within current school design and the case of Scotland's schools will be used to develop a framework for implementation which takes into consideration a holistic view of the entire design process