scholarly journals Developing a BIM-Based MUVR Treadmill System for Architectural Design Review and Collaboration

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6881
Author(s):  
Calvin Chung Wai Keung ◽  
Jung In Kim ◽  
Qiao Min Ong

Virtual reality (VR) is quickly becoming the medium of choice for various architecture, engineering, and construction applications, such as design visualization, construction planning, and safety training. In particular, this technology offers an immersive experience to enhance the way architects review their design with team members. Traditionally, VR has used a desktop PC or workstation setup inside a room, yielding the risk of two users bump into each other while using multiuser VR (MUVR) applications. MUVR offers shared experiences that disrupt the conventional single-user VR setup, where multiple users can communicate and interact in the same virtual space, providing more realistic scenarios for architects in the design stage. However, this shared virtual environment introduces challenges regarding limited human locomotion and interactions, due to physical constraints of normal room spaces. This study thus presented a system framework that integrates MUVR applications into omnidirectional treadmills. The treadmills allow users an immersive walking experience in the simulated environment, without space constraints or hurt potentialities. A prototype was set up and tested in several scenarios by practitioners and students. The validated MUVR treadmill system aims to promote high-level immersion in architectural design review and collaboration.

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-189
Author(s):  
O. U. Manafa ◽  
T. S. Awolola ◽  
A. N. Isamah

A study in human Onchocerciasis was undertaken in four endemic communities in Ondo State, Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted on peoples' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Onchocerciasis aetiology, treatment, prevention, and symptoms. These were complemented by key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Based on this information, an educational program was set up which included the training of selected villagers (motivators) and community intervention organized by these motivators. Evaluation used a control group where intervention was focused on other health problems in the area. Onchocerciasis education took place only with the intervention group. At the start of the project, peoples' knowledge about Onchocerciasis, its cause, treatment, prevention, and symptoms were varied and only a small proportion could link the bite of the blackfly to Onchocerciasis. The educational intervention achieved a high level of participant satisfaction which was expressed in continuous attendance at workshops and keeping appointments with motivators. The intervention helped to bring a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the respondents. The knowledge of Onchocerciasis aetiology increased to 79.8 percent, 71.5 percent, and 74 percent from 48.5 percent, 48.7 percent, 34 percent, and 45 percent pre-intervention in the four study areas used. The project demonstrated that a community-based health education can be effective in Onchocerciasis control.


Author(s):  
Alberto Portera ◽  
Marco Bassani

Current design manuals provide guidance on how to design exit ramps to facilitate driving operations and minimize the incidence of crashes. They also suggest that interchanges should be built along straight roadway sections. These criteria may prove ineffective in situations where there is no alternative to terminals being located along curved motorway segments. The paper investigates driving behavior along parallel deceleration curved terminals, with attention paid to the difference in impact between terminals having a curvature which is the same sign as the motorway segment (i.e., continue design), and those having an opposite curvature (i.e., reverse design). A driving simulation study was set up to collect longitudinal and transversal driver behavioral data in response to experimental factor variations. Forty-eight drivers were stratified on the basis of age and gender, and asked to drive along three randomly assigned circuits with off-ramps obtained by combining experimental factors such as motorway mainline curve radius (2 values), terminal length (3), curve direction (2), and traffic conditions (2). The motorway radius was found to be significant for drivers’ preferred speed when approaching the terminal. Terminal length and traffic volume do not have a significant impact on either longitudinal or transversal driver outputs. However, the effect of curve direction was found to be significant, notably for reverse terminals which do not compel drivers to select appropriate speeds and lane change positions. This terminal type can give rise to critical driving situations that should be considered at the design stage to facilitate the adoption of appropriate safety countermeasures.


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Abraham Yezioro ◽  
Isaac Guedi Capeluto

Improving the energy efficiency of existing and new buildings is an important step towards achieving more sustainable environments. There are various methods for grading buildings that are required according to regulations in different places for green building certification. However, in new buildings, these rating systems are usually implemented at late design stages due to their complexity and lack of integration in the architectural design process, thus limiting the available options for improving their performance. In this paper, the model ENERGYui used for design and rating buildings in Israel is presented. One of its main advantages is that it can be used at any design stage, including the early ones. It requires information that is available at each stage only, as the additional necessary information is supplemented by the model. In this way, architects can design buildings in a way where they are aware of each design decision and its impact on their energy performance, while testing different design directions. ENERGYui rates the energy performance of each basic unit, as well as the entire building. The use of the model is demonstrated in two different scenarios: an office building in which basic architectural features such as form and orientation are tested from the very beginning, and a residential building in which the intervention focuses on its envelope, highlighting the possibilities of improving their design during the whole design process.


Author(s):  
Stefan Delorme ◽  
Rudolf Kaaks

Purpose For screening with low-dose CT (LDCT) to be effective, the benefits must outweigh the potential risks. In large lung cancer screening studies, a mortality reduction of approx. 20 % has been reported, which requires several organizational elements to be achieved in practice. Materials and Methods The elements to be set up are an effective invitation strategy, uniform and quality-assured assessment criteria, and computer-assisted evaluation tools resulting in a nodule management algorithm to assign each nodule the needed workup intensity. For patients with confirmed lung cancer, immediate counseling and guideline-compliant treatment in tightly integrated regional expert centers with expert skills are required. First, pulmonology contacts as well as CT facilities should be available in the participant’s neighborhood. IT infrastructure, linkage to clinical cancer registries, quality management as well as epidemiologic surveillance are also required. Results An effective organization of screening will result in an articulated structure of both widely distributed pulmonology offices as the participants’ primary contacts and CT facilities as well as central expert facilities for supervision of screening activities, individual clarification of suspicious findings, and treatment of proven cancer. Conclusion In order to ensure that the benefits of screening more than outweigh the potential harms and that it will be accepted by the public, a tightly organized structure is needed to ensure wide availability of pulmonologists as first contacts and CT facilities with expert skills and high-level equipment concentrated in central facilities. Key Points:  Citation Format


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malene Hovgaard Vested ◽  
Erik Damgaard Christensen

Abstract The forces on marine and offshore structures are often affected by spilling breakers. The spilling breaker is characterized by a roller of mixed air and water with a forward speed approximately equal to the wave celerity. This high speed in the top of the wave has the potential to induce high wave loads on upper parts of the structures. This study analyzed the effect of the air content on the forces. The analyses used the Morison equation to examine the effect of the percentage of air on the forces. An experimental set-up was developed to include the injection of air into an otherwise calm water body. The air-injection did introduce a high level a turbulence. It was possible to assess the amount of air content in the water for different amounts of air-injection. In the mixture of air and water the force on an oscillating square cylinder was measured for different levels of air-content, — also in the case without air. The measurements indicated that force coefficients for clear water could be use in the Morison equation as long as the density for water was replaced by the density for the mixture of air and water.


The selection of hospital sites is one of the most important choice a decision maker has to take so as to resist the pandemic. The decision may considerably affect the outbreak transmission in terms of efficiency , budget, etc. The main targeted objective of this study is to find the ideal location where to set up a hospital in the willaya of Oran Alg. For this reason, we have used a geographic information system coupled to the multi-criteria analysis method AHP in order to evaluate diverse criteria of physiological positioning , environmental and economical. Another objective of this study is to evaluate the advanced techniques of the automatic learning . the method of the random forest (RF) for the patterning of the hospital site selection in the willaya of Oran. The result of our study may be useful to decision makers to know the suitability of the sites as it provides a high level of confidence and consequently accelerate the power to control the COVID19 pandemic.


2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 1499-1508
Author(s):  
Abdelhak Kessili ◽  
Jes Vollertsen ◽  
Asbjørn Haaning Nielsen

Abstract This study is related to distribution temperature sensing (DTS) in sewers for tracing illicit or unintended inflows to foul sewers. A DTS measurement is performed with a fiber optic cable that is installed at the invert of a sewer pipe in combination with a standalone laser/computer instrument. This set-up generates in-sewer temperature measurements with high resolutions in time (every minute) and space (every metre) along the cable over long periods of time (weeks on end). The prolonged monitoring period in combination with the high level of detail in the dataset allows the study of anomalies (i.e., unexpected temperatures and/or temperature variations at certain locations), even if these only occur very infrequently. The objective of this paper is to develop an automated tool to analyze the large data masses and identify anomalies caused by illicit or unintended inflows. In this study, an algorithm for detecting the temperature changes that are caused by both wastewater discharge and inflow of stormwater are developed. A comparison of the results of the automated procedure to the results of a manual assessment of the datasets (Elmehaven, Denmark) shows that the automated procedure performs very well.


10.29007/cfr2 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zunoon Parambath ◽  
Nilupa Udawatta

Recession is considered as a major threat to the economy as it slows down economic activities. The property development sector is extremely responsive to these economic conditions. Thus, it is crucial to understand causes, effects and strategies for property developers to survive in a recession without any ill effects. Thus, this research aimed to develop a framework for property developers to identify appropriate survival strategies in recession. A comprehensive literature review was conducted in this research to achieve the above mentioned aim. The results of this study indicated that recession prompts negative impacts on property development sector resulting in unemployment, lower demand, production and revenue, decline in resources and high level of competition. According to the results, the survival strategies were classified into short-term and long-term strategies. The short term strategies include: implementing management tactics, cut down of operating costs, keeping financing lines set up, timely repayment of debts, setting vital new objectives for the future, undertaking shorter time span developments, specialisation in favoured market, renegotiating deals and contracts. The long-term strategies include retrenchment, restructuring, investment and ambidextrous strategies. Similarly, attention should be paid to predict any changes in the economic environment that can influence property development activities and it is necessary to carefully evaluate investment activities to increase sales, profits and market shares of property developers. Preparing for a crisis is doubtlessly the ideal approach as it can facilitate both survival and growth. Thus, the property developers can implement these suggested strategies in their businesses to enhance their practices.


Author(s):  
Idrissa Dieng ◽  
Mignane Ndiaye ◽  
Marie Henriette Ndione ◽  
Safietou Sankhe ◽  
Moussa Moïse Diagne ◽  
...  

Globally 390 millions of people are at risk of dengue infection; over the past 50 years the virus incidence increased thirty-fold. In Senegal, an unprecedented occurrence of outbreaks and sporadic cases was noticed since 2017. In October 2018 an outbreak of DENV-2 was reported in Rosso area in the north of Senegal at the border with Mauritania. Out of the 187 blood specimen samples collected, 27 were positives by qRT-PCR and 8 were serologically positive for DENV IgM. Serotyping using qRT-PCR reveals that isolates were positive for DENV-2. A subset of DENV-2 positives samples was selected and subjected to full genome sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis. Analysis of 06 nearly completed genome sequences (n= 6) revealed that isolates belong to the cosmopolitan genotype and are closely related to the Mauritanian strains detected between 2017 and 2018 and those detected in many West African countries such as Burkina Faso or Cote d’Ivoire. Our results suggest a transboundary circulation of the DENV-2 cosmopolitan genotype between Senegal and Mauritania and call for a need of coordinated surveillance of arboviruses between these two countries. Interestingly, high level of homology between West African isolates highlights endemicity and call for a set-up of sub-regional viral genomic surveillance which will lead to a better understanding of viral dynamic, transmission and spread across Africa.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document