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Consumer perceptions of date labelling and storage advice and its relationship with food waste: A systematic scoping review of the academic & grey literature
No full textConsumer food waste has significant impacts worldwide. Consumers are confused about date labels and are discarding food that is still edible. Inconsistent storage advice contributes to confusion and prevents consumers from properly storing food. This paper examines consumer perceptions and understanding of date labels and on-pack storage advice and how they make decisions about food.A systematic scoping review was undertaken to comprehensively search for existing scholarly and grey literature. Results show that consumers find date labels confusing and hard to understand. The confusion and difficulty are due to interpretation, inconsistent placement, poor legibility, and different label-type meanings. Furthermore, the study did not identify any articles that studied the impact of visual semiotics (i.e., visual cues) of packaging or labels on consumer decision-making about food that leads to household food waste. Of 92 papers, 38 explored the relationship between date labelling and food waste. Six papers explored storage advice in conjunction with food waste. Future research should focus on: 1) understanding packaging design's role in reducing food waste, including visual cues that reduce cognitive load and complexity, 2) studying how Global South countries address consumer food waste, and 3) exploring system tensions and opportunities to improve labels and packaging to reduce consumer food waste.The review establishes that the outcome of consumer confusion is household food waste. By understanding what causes consumer confusion and influences consumer choices, we can improve existing date label and storage advice systems to enable consumers to make informed decisions about food waste more easily.</p
Streamlined robotic hand–eye calibration of multiple 2D-profilers: A rapid, closed-form two-stage method via a single-plane artefact
No full textA 2D laser profiler is commonly utilized in high-precision robotic settings to capture detailed surface profiles for 3D scanning. By collecting and combining numerous such measurements from different viewpoints, it is possible to assemble a comprehensive 3D map. However, to effectively merge these individual 2D profiles into a singular global framework, the spatial relationship between the scanners and the robot's reference frame is required. Traditional hand–eye calibration techniques typically necessitate specific calibration artifacts or extraneous positional sensors, and the process is either manually executed or only partially automated, demanding considerable time and effort. This paper introduces an innovative, closed-form approach to hand–eye calibration that can be applied to a single scanner or an array of multiple scanners. Our method circumvents the requirements for initial parameter estimates or specialized calibration implements, instead employing a flat plane for hand–eye calibration. This method paves the way for a fully automated calibration sequence comprising only three rotational and three translational poses, reducing the total calibration duration. This streamlined process has undergone strict experimental validation utilizing a calibrated sphere, proving its effectiveness not only with a solitary scanner setup but also with an ensemble of three scanners.</p
The role of proton battery technologies in future global energy storage
No full textThe very large global demand for energy storage as inherently-variable renewable-energy sources meet an increasing proportion of total electricity demand will be difficult to meet solely with existing technologies. Hence additional storage technologies that are safe and based on abundant primary resources are likely to come into play to facilitate the transition to zero net emissions at the global level. One such promising technology is the ‘proton battery’, which in its most general form is a rechargeable battery based on proton transfer and reversible electrochemical hydrogen storage. In the present review, a general definition of a proton battery is first proposed, since the term has been used broadly and somewhat inconsistently to date. The literature over the past thirty years on this technology is then critically reviewed, covering both proton batteries that meet the definition proposed in this paper as well as those that are merely self-identified. To the extent possible through published information, the performances of this range of cells are compared in terms of key parameters such as electrical energy stored per unit mass, cyclability, self-discharge and scale reached. The proton battery design developed by our group at RMIT is described in more detail, both theoretically and in terms of experimentally-measured performance, as an exemplar of a system that has already demonstrated a competitive storage capacity at a significant scale. In conclusion, potential future applications for proton batteries, and some directions for the research and development necessary to enable this potential to be realised, are proposed.</p
Toward a Spatial Metaverse: Building Immersive Virtual Experiences with Georeferenced Digital Twin and Game Engine
No full textRecent advancements in geospatial and digital technologies have enabled the efficient capture of three-dimensional representations of the physical environment, giving rise to a virtual counterpart mirroring reality. This virtual replica serves as the foundation for constructing a city digital twin, a cyber-physical system that seamlessly integrates real-time data via the Internet of Things (IoT). In parallel, progress in gamification and virtual reality (VR) has paved the way for novel avenues for immersive engagement, outperforming conventional digital visualization tools.
Drawing inspiration from the evolving concept of the “metaverse,” this chapter sets out to pioneer a comprehensive conceptual and methodological framework of “spatial metaverse”, for building immersive realistic virtual experiences, firmly rooted in geospatial science. This endeavor integrates a suite of emerging technologies, including reality capture, digital twins, IoT, gamification, and VR. The framework is demonstrated through the development of a digital university campus in Melbourne, Australia, characterized by its rich historical and contemporary architectural buildings, as well as a complex urban layout. The campus’s physical elements, including buildings, landscapes, and street furniture, were reconstructed into a photorealistic 3D model, leveraging context capture from point clouds and oblique photogrammetry. This model formed the basis for constructing a digital twin, enriched with near-real-time microclimate sensor data streams. Subsequently, a spatial metaverse application was developed within a game engine, offering users a first-person perspective for wayfinding and navigation on campus through VR interactions and personalized avatar characters.
This project represents a critical step in bridging GIS and gamification, leading to the development of a fundamental spatial metaverse prototype. The synchronous sharing of this prototype holds immense potential, offering users a wholly immersive experience grounded in real-world geospatial data. In doing so, this initiative addresses critical gaps in geovisualization, ultimately enabling us to bring abstraction back to reality.</p
What drives the adoption of data analytics at Australian university libraries in the perspective of UTAUT2?
No full textThis study investigates the adoption of data analytics in Australian university libraries from the UTAUT2 perspective, focusing on the factors that influence library professionals' acceptance of analytics. As technology advances, data has become a valuable resource, and the emergence of analytics is often considered a recent development driven by accessible computing power. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on adopting analytics in Australian university libraries, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that influence university library professionals’' perceptions of adopting analytics. This research addresses the main question: What factors drive the adoption of data analytics in Australian university libraries? This qualitative study employs a single case study approach with multiple sites involving 16 university libraries and 25 participants. Data collection methods included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with university librarians and analytics experts. The results show that all UTAUT2 constructs - performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit - influence librarians' attitudes and motivations towards adopting analytics applications. Additionally, this study reveals additional factors beyond the original UTAUT2 model, including the absence of data analytics in LIS education curriculums, algorithm training, and data privacy concerns. The study identifies various benefits of analytics adoption in university libraries, such as enhanced collection development planning, insights into user behaviour, improved financial management, and demonstrating library value. However, challenges like skill shortages, complex IT configurations, and privacy legislation must be addressed to effectively implement data analytics. The findings contribute to our understanding of user acceptance of analytics in university libraries, providing valuable insights for library administrators and analytics vendors. By applying the UTAUT2 model, this research enriches our knowledge of technology adoption in the context of university libraries' analytics.</p
Methods for determining the porosity of powdered basalts using small and ultra-small neutron scattering - data
No full textExtended space exploration is limited by the weight of the spacecraft departing Earth. A key resource for human spaceflight missions is water, however, transporting sufficient water for long-term missions is not viable. Thus, Mars missions will have to rely on Martian water resources such as water bound to minerals in the regolith. Understanding how much water is present in the regolith and how it can be released is thus critical to the success of such missions which is poorly understood. The key to water uptake and release from the regolith is its porosity. This research focuses on developing methods for measuring the porosity in the regolith using small angle neutron scattering which provides a non-destructive method that can detect and quantify pores from 1 nm to 20,000 nm. Using a basalt test sample, akin to Martian regolith, mined from quarries in Manor and Werribee in Victoria, Australia, we describe a method for collecting and analysing small angle neutron scattering patterns of powdered minerals. We further describe a method to calculate the volume of pores that can be filled with water as a fraction of the total pore volume.</p
Comprehension is a double-edged sword: Over-interpreting unspecified information in intelligible machine learning explanations
No full textAutomated decision-making systems are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, which creates an immediate need for their interpretability and explainability. However, it remains unclear whether users know what insights an explanation offers and, more importantly, what information it lacks. To answer this question we conducted an online study with 200 participants, which allowed us to assess explainees’ ability to realise explicated information – i.e., factual insights conveyed by an explanation – and unspecified information – i.e, insights that are not communicated by an explanation – across four representative explanation types: model architecture, decision surface visualisation, counterfactual explainability and feature importance. Our findings uncover that highly comprehensible explanations, e.g., feature importance and decision surface visualisation, are exceptionally susceptible to misinterpretation since users tend to infer spurious information that is outside of the scope of these explanations. Additionally, while the users gauge their confidence accurately with respect to the information explicated by these explanations, they tend to be overconfident when misinterpreting the explanations. Our work demonstrates that human comprehension can be a double-edged sword since highly accessible explanations may convince users of their truthfulness while possibly leading to various misinterpretations at the same time. Machine learning explanations should therefore carefully navigate the complex relation between their full scope and limitations to maximise understanding and curb misinterpretation.</p
Identification of a specific marker panel for human mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles
No full textHuman mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC‐sEVs) have demonstrated significant immunomodulatory and pro‐regenerative potentials. However, the lack of specific markers to define MSC‐sEVs presents a major challenge for their clinical application. Here, the proteomic datasets of MSC‐sEVs from three cell sources were synchronously analyzed, and several surface antigens commonly found on MSCs were selected as candidate markers due to their high abundances in MSC‐sEVs. Next, MSC‐sEVs from three cell sources (adipose tissue, umbilical cord, and induced pluripotent stem cells) were stained with fluorescein‐conjugated antibodies and analyzed by NanoFCM at single‐vesicle resolution. The positive rates of CD13, CD29, and CD90 all exceeded 60% across sEVs derived from three MSCs sources, whereas other candidates generally exhibited lower positive rates. The high positive rates of them were further verified in MSC‐sEVs purified via other methods. Moreover, high‐resolution microscopy, as an orthogonal method, visually validated their high presence in MSC‐sEVs. Meanwhile, none of the non‐MSC‐sEVs showed concurrent positive rates for CD13, CD29, and CD90 exceeding 40%, suggesting that this marker panel (with a positive rate threshold of 50% for all three markers) could specifically distinguish MSC‐sEVs from non‐MSC‐sEVs. Finally, the positive rates of this panel of markers were assessed in sEVs derived from MSCs at successive passages. The results revealed a progressive diminution of the positive rates of CD29 and CD90 in the sEVs secreted by MSCs with successive passages, accompanied by a reduction in the pro‐proliferative activity of these sEVs. Taken together, we have identified a specific and quantifiable marker panel for MSC‐sEVs characterization, which facilitates the development of standardized assays for defining MSC‐sEVs and ultimately accelerates the clinical translation of MSC‐sEVs.</p
City branding’s influence on social media engagement: the cool factor
No full textConsumers interact with city brands in diverse ways. Through city-related social media engagement, consumers actively shape a city’s brand meaning and communication strategies. Drawing on city branding aspects, defined as physical attributes, functional attributes and personality traits, this study aims to examine how perceptions of city brand coolness mediate the relationship between city branding aspects and social media engagement in terms of cognitive, emotional and behavioral engagement. Data from an online survey conducted in Saudi Arabia of 537 consumers who actively follow their cities on social media platforms was analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that city branding aspects directly influence social media engagement regarding emotion, cognition and behavior. Specifically, perceived city brand coolness mediates the relationship between city branding aspects, namely, physical attributes, functional attributes and personality traits, and cognitive and behavioral engagement on social media. This study advances the branding literature by investigating the notion of brand coolness, which revolves around consumers using brands as instruments for self-expression. It explores the intricate mediational role of coolness in the relationship between city attributes and city-related social media engagement. The findings guide how city branding aspects influence residents’ engagement on social media in relation to their city. Implications for theory and practice related to co-creating city branding within the place branding industry are discussed, and suggestions for future studies are presented.</p
Sustainable performance in public sector universities of Punjab: examining the moderating impact of digital leadership amid digital transformation and innovativeness
No full textThe need for sustainable performance at public universities is growing Due to fast-paced digitalization. This research investigates the role of digital transformation and digital innovativeness in sustainable performance as well as the moderating effect of digital leadership within these relationships in public universities in Punjab, Pakistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted, and data were collected from 174 decision-making authorities (deans, directors, and heads of department) at ten public universities in Punjab using stratified sampling. Data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS, and structural equation modeling was adopted. The findings indicate that digital transformation, digital innovativeness, and digital leadership all exert a significant direct impact on sustainable performance. Particularly, digital leadership strongly moderates the effect of digital innovativeness on sustainable performance, enhancing its positive relationship. However, it did not have a significant moderating impact on the effect of digital transformation on sustainable performance. These results underscore the critical role of strategic digital projects, continuous innovation, and future-oriented digital leadership in driving sustainable results in higher education, particularly in the developing world, such as Pakistan. The research contributes theoretically by explaining the specific direct and moderating functions of digital leadership in shaping sustainable performance and provides applied knowledge for enhancing sustainability through specific digital strategies in higher education.</p