Pre-Islamic religious motifs (550 BC to 651 AD) on Iranian minor art with focus on rug motifs

This article reviewed the influence of pre-Islamic religions such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism on decorative elements of ancient Persian rugs. The article then evaluated the effect of the Islamic religion on Persian rugs. This was examined through extant evidence from pre–Islamic empire artefacts and publications in Persian carpet history, iconography and religious studies. Using spiritual motifs on some ancient rugs results from the important position of rugs in ancient Iranians’ lives. Believing the existence of religious motifs on Persian carpets is because the first carpet in history (Pazyryk) was attributed to the ancient Achaemenians, decorated with symbolic motifs from Mithraism and Zoroastrianism. Pazyryk shows how rug-weaving evolved during the Achaemenids, and it represented spiritual foundations through visual concepts. This article reviewed the symbolic Persian rug motifs from ancient religions through Pazyryk, with support from museum collections. With the emergence of religions, these effects are seen in all aspects of life, including the production of rug design. Contribution: The main contribution of this research was that it investigated the effects of religion on Persian art focusing on the Persian rug. The findings showed that religion had directly influenced the decorative motifs of the Persian rug among high-class families that might have cascaded into visual elements found on commoners’ rugs

Production potential of rubberwood in Malaysia: Its economic challenges

Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) has emerged as the most important source of wood raw material in Malaysia. Being a plantation crop, it is regarded as a green and environmental-friendly material that has found applications in almost all sectors of the wood industry. Despite its importance as a socio-economic sector, the future of the rubberwood industry in Malaysia is under scrutiny. The steadily declining rubber cultivation area in the country is raising alarms about the future supply of rubberwood. Although the government provides a replanting subsidy for smallholders, who make up the large proportion of the growers, there is an urgent need to enhance the profitability of rubber growing activities. Efforts to enhance the full recovery of wood biomass available and also expanding the use of rubberwood in high value applications must be pursued rigorously, to arrest the declining interests in rubber cultivation. Policy makers must ensure that rubber cultivation remains economical and the net value of rubberwood is further enhanced through application in non-traditional sectors

A re-evaluation of woods used in Chinese historic furniture

This article discusses popular Chinese historic furniture woods relatively unfamiliar to the non-Asian collections. In this discussion, woods will be called by Chinese names accompanied by Latinate or English names observing macroscopic and some microscopic features. Woods encountered in Ming and Qing hardwood furniture are discussed; Zi-tan (Sandalwood), Huang-hua-li (Yellow flowering pear), Hong-mu (Mahogany - redwood), Ji-chi mu (Chicken Wing Wood), Tie-li mu (Ironwood), Wu-mu (Northern Elm), and Hua-mu (burl). The article is presented in two parts. Part one introduces the reader to the complexities and challenges of understanding these woods, as well as presenting seven invaluable species used in Chinese fine furniture

A re-evaluation of woods used in Chinese historic furniture (part two)

This second article discusses popular Chinese historic furniture woods relatively unfamiliar to the non-Asian collection. In this discussion, woods will be called by Chinese names accompanied by Latinate or English names observing macroscopic features. This second part presents eleven prize woods used in Chinese regional furniture which are observed macroscopically, eight other secondary woods as encountered in Chinese historic furniture and a list of fifteen woods occasionally found in Chinese regional furniture

SHELDON Smart habitat for the elderly.

An insightful document concerning active and assisted living under different perspectives: Furniture and habitat, ICT solutions and Healthcare

An empirical study on the collaborative usability of age-appropriate smart home interface design

IntroductionThe smart home has become a popular product, but with the development of the aging population, the differentiated characteristics of the elderly smart home products in terms of demand and use are becoming more and more significant. The existing smart products are complicated to operate and cumbersome to interact with, which increases the cognitive load of the elderly group and hinders the daily use and user experience feeling of the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to study the interface data information and interface visual design starting from hardware and software, interface interaction, to explore the better interface data information and interface visual design, and to output, a new prototype of the operating interface of smart home system for the elderly, so that the smart products can be better used by the elderly.MethodsThirty-two participants aged 55–75 were invited to conduct the test, and subjective evaluation was conducted at the end of the test. Through the tests, the operability of the prototype structure for smart furniture systems for the elderly was demonstrated.ResultsIn terms of functionality a new task based on a combination of icons and text is proposed. In the control of devices, the switching status of devices, etc., needs to be clearly distinguished visually, eye-protective bright colors are used, paired with low saturation to highlight the focus, and high bright colors with gray to distinguish the device status. In terms of the density of the content, an appropriate proportion of images and text were used to make the information less dense. ln the arrangement of web content, information content relevant to users was placed first as much as possible.DiscussionBased on this, a secondary optimal design was carried out to improve the interactive design of the smart home for the elderly and output it as a prototype interactive interface. Thus, the operability, rationality, and aesthetic comfort of the prototype design of smart home interaction in an age-friendly scenario are improved, allowing the elderly to have a better experience when using the smart home

Current issues in global furniture - Proceedings of the 8th biennial Furniture Research Group Conference. Missenden Abbey. Buckinghamshire New University 20 November 2013

'Current issues in global furniture’ attempted to capture contemporary views of where furniture is currently positioned from a world perspective. The first keynote paper firmly placed kitchen design into the field of furniture products showing that it has a similar stylistic development, but with nuances particular to its form and function. Ecological issues were raised concerning durability and the use of recycled components that perhaps to many is not what is expected within the domestic kitchen. Johnny Grey is no ordinary kitchen designer having designed and built kitchens all over the world within a wide range of budgets. Grey shows innovation in his adoption of green principles and especially in reusing components and materials

Early plastics in furniture 1880-1920: chemistry, conservation, history and manufacture

This book focuses on the two early plastics casein and celluloid encountered in late nineteenth and early twentieth century furniture. The comparison between casein formaldehyde and cellulose nitrate, examines the manufacturing processes of each polymeric material observing physical and chemical properties. The relationship of casein plastic to furniture as decoration is explored through the extant furniture of CR Mackintosh. This establishes Mackintosh as the first designer to use casein as a decorative plastic inlay, not using it as an imitation of semi-precious materials, but as a plastic. Historic material has been evaluated through contemporaneous trade literature, amongst others, illustrating the extent of the employment of cellulose nitrate by furniture makers and fretwork cutters of this period. Identification techniques for these early polymeric materials are reviewed resulting in a standardised approach to analytical, chemical and macroscopic procedures for their examination. Guidance for the conservation of casein formaldehyde is provided through the findings of experimentation conducted for this research

Life Cycle Analysis for Reconstituted Decorative Lumber from an Ecological Perspective: A Review

In response to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Chinese government has pledged to curtail increased carbon dioxide emissions beyond 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, thus achieving a status of an ecological civilization. Reconstituted decorative lumber, with rotary-cut (or planed) veneer from plantation or common species timber as the main raw material, has beneficial development opportunities for forestry from the perspective of an ecological civilization. This paper first discusses China’s current state of ecological civilization, then researches the various life cycles of reconstituted decorative lumber using the life cycle theory and provides a reference for the Chinese reconstituted decorative lumber industry’s development by analyzing progress in related fields. The eco-friendliness of reconstituted decorative lumber is explained via systematic combing, and proposals for the use and promotion of reconstituted decorative lumber in the new period are presented. Research and analysis findings show that it is necessary to comprehensively regulate the production chain of reconstituted decorative lumber based on life cycle. Research on the development and utilization of reconstituted decorative lumber needs to be strengthened. The promotion and marketing of reconstituted decorative lumber can be promoted by emphasizing its ecological significance