170,045 research outputs found
Mobile and pervasive computing in construction: An introduction
No full textProjects in construction industries normally produce a large quantity of information that needs to be accessed by different stakeholders, such as architects, engineers, project managers, superintendent, even foreman. This information usually has to be retrieved in a remote manner from numerous locations in or outside of the construction site, and even under varied conditions. The current practice of a field team's project information access and retrieval, information editing, and decision making is still limited to 2D paper-based technical drawing and specifications. As the entire industry moves towards more digital information management, mobile and pervasive computing will become an effective means for information access by enhancing and maximizing human abilities involved in performing construction tasks, and in collaborating among numerous parties. This chapter, as an introductory one, covers the basic aspects of mobile and pervasive computing, introducing the fundamentals and principles of mobile and pervasive computing which could prepare audiences for better understanding the paradigms, theories, metaphors in the other technical chapters in this book
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Framework for effective collaborative working in construction
No full textThe potential benefits of collaborative working in construction projects have yet to be fully realised in the sector. This is in part due to the misunderstanding of the use of the information and communication technologies (ICT) and tools associated with working collaboratively. There are, however, isolated pockets of experts that have realised that in order to fully embrace the potential of collaborative working in their businesses, the role of ICT has to be closely aligned with the people that use it, and should relate to the overall goals of the business. The aim of the Planning and Implementation of Effective Collaboration in Construction (PIECC) project is to develop a decision-making framework that enables organisations to fully integrate ICT and its associated people and business issues into their projects and individual businesses. This paper reports on the development processes used to develop the framework, and its evaluation and testing within the UK construction sector. The paper presents the different processes that should be followed to develop a joint collaboration strategy, and the results and implications of using the PIECC framework to manage collaborative working
Tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in the construction industry
No full textThe importance of knowledge as a key determinant of organisational
competitiveness and better performance is increasingly appreciated by both
academics and practitioners. However, the concept of tacit knowledge still lacks
sufficient attention within the construction industry, despite the fact that proper
understanding and management of this resource is of immense importance for
the achievement of better organisational performance. As the initial step
towards the management of tacit knowledge, this paper examines the factors
affecting tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in the construction industry.
The study integrates theories of experiential learning, cognitive science and
knowledge creation, in order to articulate the process of tacit knowledge
generation and utilisation. The exploratory phase of the case study identified
several factors affecting tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in an
organisational context in terms of Individual level: Intra-personal drivers;
Group level: Inter-personal drivers; and Organisational level: Situational drivers
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Unstable Building: Virtual Environments and Real Relevance
No full textDesign is often romanticised as a solitary pursuit and the pedagogical framework within educational environments often cements this perception with the demand for individual student assessment. In popular journals the architect as artist is celebrated for singular vision and the tenacity to realise that vision. However, in practice as designs evolve into construction the process becomes decidedly collaborative, with engineers, interior designers and contractors contributing unique parts as the design evolves to accommodate revision and change. This paper will bring evidence to bear that suggests the value in using Virtual Environments (VE’s) is in their potential to facilitate collaboration, and not just in the popularised phenomenon of 3D or 4D model creation. We use design theorist Brian Lawson’s design problem/solution mapping of analysis, appraisal and synthesis as a framework to scrutinize design and construction in the VE Second Life. Within this framework we draw on philosophical reflects by Ludwig Wittgenstein and appropriate cultural theory from Richard Sennett, Mary Douglas and Lewis Hyde. Which provides a theoretical underpinning to our observational evidence that suggests VE’s contribute to Lawson’s constituents of analysis and appraisal as well as 3D synthesis. Striations, breakdown and friction are brought to centre stage during collaboration in this virtual environment; we argue these facets to collaboration have value for emergent designers as important source of opportunity and innovation. Observations challenge attempts by popular collaborative software to expunge these clashes and conflicts from the design and construction process. VE’s bring breakdown and conflict into focus, sensitising emergent practitioners to it’s inherent potential for both problematic conflict and creative opportunity. Findings suggest that VE’s have considerable influence not only for verisimilitude but for simulating the fluid or ‘unstable’ design and construction process and promoting the development of skills that Lawson contents are fundamental to the designer and which cultural theorist Richard Sennett posits are critical to the notion of craft
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Planning and implementation of effective collaboration in construction projects
No full textThe 21st century is now seen as the time for the construction industry to embrace new ways of working if it is to continue to be competitive and meet the needs of its ever demanding clients. Collaborative working is considered by many to be essential if design and construction teams are to consider the whole lifecycle of the construction product. Much of the recent work on collaborative working has focused on the delivery of technological solutions with a focus on web (extranets), CAD (visualisation), and knowledge management technologies. However, it is now recognised that good collaboration does not result from the implementation of information technology solutions alone. The organisational and people issues, which are not readily solved by pure technical systems, need to be resolved. However, approaches that exclusively focus on organisational and people issues will not reap the benefits derived from the use of technology, especially in the context of distributed teams which are the norm in construction. Work currently being undertaken at Loughborough University aims to bring together the benefits enabled by the technology, with the organisational, and its people issues to provide a framework enabling high level strategic decisions to be made to implement effective collaboration. This paper reports on the initial stages of the project: the background to the project, the methodology used, and findings from the literature survey and the requirements capture survey conducted as part of the project
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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A review of the use of demonstration projects to achieve widespread adoption of innovative practices
No full textThe UK construction industry has embarked on one of the largest experiments in the implementation of innovative technologies and practices in its history. Following Rethinking Construction[1], generally known as the Egan Report, the Movement for Innovation was established with the aim of using demonstration projects as practical examples of innovation in order to encourage others to follow the example. The number of demonstration projects has exceeded the original plans and more are being added. This paper reviews the approach in terms of the practice of using demonstration projects to achieve widespread take up of innovation, the modifications to the programme and its management and considers future developments to improve its, effectiveness
A Multi-Language Comparison of Influences on Author Verification using Character N-Grams
No full textWe create a new multi-language corpus for author verification based on Wikipedia talkpages, and evaluate the influence that differences in topic and time have on character n-gram author profiles. Topic alignment between two texts is found to increase author verification precision, and an authors writing style is found to change over time, but not more significantly after 3 years than after 1 year.Information ArchitectureWISElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
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