880 research outputs found
Sort by
AUGMENTING LANDMARKS: EXTENDING “PLACES” IN THE HYBRID CITY
Get PDFSeveral recent technological advancements are substantially altering how we interact with urban spaces. The existing physical space as we know it now encompasses a plethora of emerging realities into which we shift in and out, resulting in what is called Hybrid Spaces. Augmented Reality (AR) today gives way to forms of hybrid realities that are accessible through our handheld devices, and which allow us to engage with our physical reality in a new way. These devices allow us to access and view digital information that is saturating our urban spaces, and yet appear invisible to the naked eye. When this information is localized, it can be used to augment physical space with virtual overlays. These augmentations may become physically linked to the environment, establishing virtual landmarks that could only be accessed via these handheld or wearable digital portals through digital applications. This gives way to new forms of engaging in real-time with our socio-cultural daily activities. The literature shows that urban space is reimagined through augmented reality (AR) which plays a significant role in introducing new augmented “places” supporting our physical ones as hybrid realities. This paper, accordingly, investigates the notion of location-based AR experiences on landmarks in the urban space in accordance with our spatial memory, and how augmented reality through mobile devices, plays an important role as a gateway between our physical space and the virtual one. It also seeks to understand how these augmentations might insert and employ symbolic or personal meanings to the space, based on our different interpretations. In doing so, we conducted an integrative analytical review of the most recent literature, to study the forms of augmentations in multiple cities, and how they are used as agents in our spatial experience. The paper then introduced a framework that could be used to assess users’ satisfaction and the design considerations of the AR spatial experience. Finally, the paper adopts a few recent AR practices to be assessed by the proposed framework
THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL TAX AND TECHNOLOGY ON DIFFERENT AIR POLLUTION EMISSIONS IN OECD COUNTRIES
Get PDFAlthough countries continuously employ taxation and technological measures to control air pollution in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the results of these practices should be evaluated to determine whether they reach their intended outcomes. This study used panel autoregressive distributed lag model to establish how environmental taxes and technology affects the emission of air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, Carbon dioxide, and particulate matter 2.5). Using secondary data present in the OECD Database and The World Bank, EViews panel was derived to create 3 model in which each of the three variables would be sufficiently explained by environmental tax, abatement technology, patented technology, gross domestic product, and population. In these models, the carbon dioxide was found to exhibit a long-term relationship with these independent variables unlike the other two dependent variables. However, in all the cases, both environmental tax and technology significantly affected the emissions of air pollutant. Increments in the technology, annual growth rate, and taxes demonstrated positive relationships. In this regard, it was deduced that governments should take charge in enforcing stiffer taxation measures as population increases to account for economic growth and control existing pollution levels
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: EVIDENCE FROM ARAB COUNTRIES
Get PDFAir pollution is among the most convincing environmental threats in the Arab region. The knowledge economy has the potential to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by promoting sustainable development and encouraging the creation and implementation of clean technology products that are more efficient and less environmentally harmful. The knowledge-pollution relationship and the validity of the EKC hypothesis were examined in this paper during the period 2000–2020 for a sample of 11 Arab countries, namely: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, and Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, using the extended environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) framework. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is applied to achieve this aim. The long-term results refuted the validity of the EKC theory by showing that knowledge has no quadratic relationship to CO2. By substituting the sub-indicators for the knowledge index, the long-run coefficients reveal that only the ICT pillar significantly impacted pollution since it accelerates CO2 emissions. In the short term, the obtained outcomes demonstrate that ICT raises the quality of the environment while EIR increases pollution levels. The paper shows that the Arab countries should make greater efforts to accelerate their transition to knowledge economies in order to benefit from the beneficial effects of this economy in combating environmental pollution and increase investment in knowledge bases to lessen environmental deterioration. Therefore, in light of the effect of ICTs on environmental pollution, Arab governments are advised to advance their emissions targets by encouraging the successful implementation of effective ICT strategies and projects in the environmental field
ANALYSIS OF EVOLUTION AND MORPHOLOGY OF URBAN AND ROAD NETWORKS: CASE STUDY LEBANON-NABATIYEH AREA
Get PDFThis study examines the morphology and evolution of urban and road networks and their relationship with topography in the Lebanon-Nabatiyeh area, by using GIS and remote sensing data. and calculate the annual urban growth percentage rate. The results reveal a clear relationship between the morphology of urban and road networks and their evolution over four periods, as well as the influence of the surrounding topography on their configuration. The study recommends that urban areas should be developed in areas with a slope range of 15º or more to improve the urban structure and infrastructure surrounding them. Understanding the evolution and morphology of urban and road networks is essential for urban planners and policymakers to design efficient and sustainable urban development. Future research should use the method employed in this study and supplement it with the creation of a land suitability map using GIS and remote sensing technology to improve current urban planning protocols. The study provides helpful insights for urban developers, planners, and designers in creating successful approaches to urban development and management
THE INFLUENCE OF BIO-INHIBITOR ON THE CORROSION RESISTANCE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS CONTAINING MSWI-BA AS A PARTIAL SAND REPLACEMENT
Get PDFIn this paper, the corrosion behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWI-BA) as a partial sand replacement and Ceratonia siliqua extract as a green corrosion inhibitor was investigated. Four mixes were prepared: (0 and 20% replacement of sand by MSWI-BA with and without Ceratonia siliqua extract). Tests conducted were UPV, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and elastic modulus. RC beams were prepared for determining the flexural performance. Eight beams were casted. Four beams were exposed to accelerated corrosion test and four beams were kept at room temperature. It was found that the compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus decreased when 20% of fine aggregate was substituted by MSWI-BA and when adding Ceratonia siliqua extract. In addition, the deflection and strain of beams increased. However, the presence of corrosion also affected the deflection and strain and led to increase their values
VIRTUAL HEARINGS IN ARBITRATION
Get PDFThe rapid progress in technology has opened up new opportunities in various fields, including dispute resolution. This study focuses on the emergence and importance of virtual hearings in arbitration, highlighting their potential to bring about significant changes in the digital era. Virtual hearings, also known as remote or online hearings, involve conducting arbitration proceedings through electronic means, using videoconferencing platforms and other digital tools. The use of virtual hearings in the arbitration process has revealed significant benefits, such as overcoming geographical limitations by allowing parties and arbitrators to participate from different locations without the need for travel. As a result, time and costs have been saved, in addition to an improvement in the procedural efficiency. However, some concerns related to virtual hearings have been raised such as technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, confidentiality, and their potential impact on the dynamics of the hearing process. Virtual hearings can ensure fair and accessible resolution of disputes in the digital age as we continue to adapt and integrate technology into the arbitration process
THE SUBJECTION OF SALARIED PARTNERS TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY LAW
Get PDFThe quality of the partner differs from the quality of the employee and is intertwined with it to the same extent, while the business contract imposes a profit and loss sharing, the employee bound to the company by an employment contract remains safe from the risk of total loss, because labor laws have preserved his right to wages, even at the official minimum wage rate if it is a percentage of profit or income.The employee is associated with the element of dependence on the company for which he works, since he exercises his work under the control and supervision of the person in charge of management in it, he receives therefore orders and instructions and executes them under the risk of being subject to disciplinary measures which may go as far as dismissal from work under his own responsibility, and this criterion is the basic criterion which distinguishes the contract of service from the contract of work. However, nothing prevents a person from combining his status as a partner in the company with his qualification as an employee exercising a salaried activity there. Among the most important practical applications in the field of the differentiation between the employment contract and the partnership contract, we find it in the conditions of those who undertake the management of partnerships, fund companies and associates working, which poses a problem on the extent to which they are subject to the provisions of the law on social security. The subjection of salaried partners to the provisions of the Social Security Act differs according to the person who carries out the work, the type of company, the number of shares he owns and the extent of the powers conferred on him by the company contract. This is a subject that has aroused the curiosity of scientists to study it, especially since it has occupied all layers of society, including researchers and managers of companies and the National social security fund organization
THE IMPACT OF STATES EXIT FROM INTERNATIONAL ENTITIES, STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF BRITAIN’S EXIT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
Get PDFThere was an international problematic centered on without knowing what is the appropriate interface in the formation of the contemporary international community. Do countries seek to form entities and unions through which they can have influence and an influential entity at the international level, or do countries seek to strengthen their sovereignty and independence and exit from international entities and unions? The exit of Britain from the European Union had a significant impact? In this regard, as it has been proven that the independence and sovereignty of the state is much more important to some states than any economic gains they can obtain. Its impact is limited to Britain and the European Union only, but its impact extends to different countries of the world, and therefore we have shed light on the reasons that prompted Britain to exit, as well as the stages that the talks went through until the signing. From the British exit agreement from the European Union and Britain’s actual exit from the European Union, and here we had to shed light on the most important effects of Britain after its exit from the European Union and the passage of time after that, as well as the impact of its exit on the European Union and other countries
AI ETHICS BETWEEN ACTUAL OR COSMETIC ADOPTION ADAPTATION OR DECEPTION? A CRITICAL STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY AND ROOTING
Get PDFThis research deals with the main issues and challenges of implementing ethics in artificial intelligence, based on a comparative legal framework, rooted in a cross-cultural approach and supported by relevant case studies. The study will also discuss ways to implement ethics in artificial intelligence in a genuine manner, and shed light on some misleading and deceptive practices in the field. This is according to a research plan centered around two main questions: What intelligence... What ethics?! What ethics... what commitment?! The research shows that the current ethical practices in AI need to be reassessed to ensure that they meet the highest standards of ethics and transparency. The paper recommends the need for companies to move from the theoretical side to the practical side in the institutionalization of ethics, based on an approach which embraces ethics as an intrinsic value and which deals with artificial intelligence from a human viewpoint and not from a commercial viewpoint It is hoped that this research paper will contribute to the field of artificial intelligence by making it more ethical trustworthy, reliable, and responsible, while at the same time driven towards innovation and development
EMBEDDING VIRTUAL REALITY IN ARCHITECTURAL PEDAGOGY: INSTRUCTIONISM VERSUS CONSTRUCTIONISM APPROACH
Get PDFAs more related to the typology of architectural pedagogy, Instructionism and Constructionism theories are used to make more advancement in this domain. They are concerned with the role of both instructor and learner within the outline of a well structured pedagogical framework (education system). However, the developments in information technology and its imprints on all life aspects have profoundly influenced this system. Architecture pedagogy -as in many other domains- is now radically affected by information technology (IT) developments. Virtual reality is one of the leading applications of IT in architecture.
This paper is concerned with embedding virtual reality in architectural pedagogy. It investigates the approach to use this technology best within an understanding of Instructionism and Constructionism theories. It proposes a framework to highlight the role of virtual reality technology in these regards. In its last part, this paper interprets the findings of questionnaire results from students of the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Built Environment at Beirut Arab University (BAU) to validate its proposed framework. The application shows the positive impacts of using virtual reality as a compulsive force to keep ‘Instructionism’/ ‘Constructivism’ vicious circle. This would be of great potential for architecture students to get more in-depth experiences