Search results

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of mobile learning platforms on users' study efficiency and develop cognitive indicators to evaluate users' study efficiency on mobile learning platforms.

Layout style was the only independent factor that was investigated. A between-group experimental design was employed. Eye movement data were recorded during the experiment, following which participants were asked to complete an after-scenario questionnaire. This study evaluated the usability of the proposed new design using both subjective and objective data. The computer system usability questionnaire V3 (CSUQ) was used to measure subjective data. For the eye-tracking measure, gaze entropy, the proportion of fixation count and duration of each AOI were calculated. Gaze entropy reflects the complexity of information organization. Fixation counts and AOI duration represent the difficulty of information processing and attention distribution, respectively during the task.

The results indicated that interface layout presents significant effects on user's learning efficiency, usability and cognitive load. Sequential layout improved efficiency and satisfaction among participants and reduced information complexity. The results provided useful insights for designers whose goal is to improve user's learning efficiency under mobile learning scheme.

This study investigated the effects of interface layout on usability, user performance and cognitive load using subjective ratings and eye-tracking technology. Gaze entropy was used to measure the complexity of information organized by the interface design. Fixation count and duration proportion were used to identify the difficulty of information processing and distinguish users' distribution of cognitive resources. The results indicated that a vertical layout panel design was more efficient than a horizontal layout panel design. The design implications of the eye tracking indicators and research results were then summarized. This study is expected to encourage designers to optimize their design proposals using eye tracking testing.

This paper aims to propose a type of T-shaped two-axis force sensor for measuring the forces in x- and z-axes. The developed sensor has a simple structure and can be effectively assembled into compact devices.

A T-shaped plate, with both ends fixed on a base, is used as the substrate of the sensor. Eight strain gauges are placed in the root of the plate or near the sensor head, which can construct two full Wheatstone bridges on the upper and lower surfaces of the plate. When the x- or z-axes forces are applied to the sensor head, different deformation can be generated to the strain gauges. Therefore, the two Wheatstone bridges can be constructed with a different configuration for measuring the forces in x- or z-axes, respectively.

A prototype was designed and constructed and experiments were carried out to test the basic performance of the sensor. It has been verified that the developed sensor could measure the x- and z-axes forces independently with a high resolution of 2.5 and 5 mN, respectively.

Only one thin plate was used in the design, the forces in x- and z-axes could be measured independently and simultaneously, which made the sensor with a simple structure and compact size. Experiments were also verified that there was no crosstalk error occurred in one axis when the force was applied to the other axis.

The purpose of this paper is to obtain liquid acrylate oligomers containing carboxyl groups as excellent toughening agents for epoxy resins.

Liquid acrylate oligomers containing carboxyl groups were synthesised by the solution polymerisation of butyl acrylate (BA), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylonitrile (AN) as monomers. The liquid acrylate oligomers were used as the toughening agents for epoxy resins. The chemical structure of the oligomers was characterised by ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscope. The morphology of modified epoxy networks was analysed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical and thermodynamic properties were measured by universal testing machine and dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA).

The results show that AA and oligomer concentrations have great influence on the morphology, mechanical and thermodynamic properties of the modified epoxy networks. When the 10 wt percent oligomer containing BA and AN and AA in the ratio of 75/20/5 is used to modify the epoxy resin, the increase in impact strength of the modified epoxy network is 291.5 percent over the unmodified epoxy network due to addition of the oligomers without a sacrifice in heat‐resistance properties. Fracture surface analysis by SEM indicates the presence of a two‐phase microstructure.

The modified epoxy networks can be used as high performance materials such as adhesives, sealants and matrices of composites.

The liquid acrylate oligomers containing carboxyl and nitrile groups which were synthesised with BA, AA and AN as monomers by the solution polymerisation are novel and can greatly increase the toughness of epoxy resins without loss of thermal resistance.

This study aims to explore the effect of corrosion monitoring technology for ensuring concrete structure safety.

A new monitoring system scheme with unattended operation to evaluate the durability of concrete structures is presented, which includes four components, namely, a multi-function embedded sensor, a microprocessor data collecting module, a system data analysis and storage module, and a remote server module.

The system carries out monitoring of chloride ion concentration and pH in concrete, corrosion current density and of the self-corrosion potential of the reinforcing steel bar.

This system provides real-time, online, lossless monitoring for concrete structures.

A novel sexual adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) based on Baldwin effect for global optimization is proposed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional GAs, such as premature convergence, stochastic roaming, and poor capabilities in local exploring. This paper seeks to discuss the issues.

The proposed algorithm simulates sexual reproduction and adopts an effective gender determination method to divide the population into two subgroups of different genders. Based on the competition, cooperation, and innate differences between two gender subgroups, the proposed algorithm adjusts adaptively sexual genetic operators. Furthermore, inspired by the acquired reinforcement learning theory based on Baldwin effect, the proposed algorithm guides individuals to forward or reverse learning and enables the transmission of fitness information between parents and offspring to adapt individuals' acquired fitness.

Global convergence of the proposed algorithm is proved in detail. Numerical simulations are conducted for a set of benchmark functions with different dimensional decision variables. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with that of the other evolutionary algorithms published recently. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm can find optimal or closer‐to‐optimal solutions, and is more competitive than the compared algorithms.

The proposed algorithm introduces, integrates and simulates correctly and adequately, for the first time, the mechanisms of sexual reproduction, Baldwin effect and adaptation to GAs by referring to the latest research results of modern biology and evolution theory.

We examine whether loan securitization has an impact on bank efficiency. Using a sample of large US commercial banks from 2002 to 2012, we find that bank loan securitization has a significant and positive impact on bank efficiency, and this relationship is stronger for banks with higher capital ratios, higher default risk, and lower level of liquidity and diversification. Our results are robust to Heckman self-selection correction and difference-in-difference (DID) analysis. In addition, these results are found mainly in non-mortgage loan securitizations but not in mortgage loan securitizations. Finally, we show that loan sales also have a positive impact on bank efficiency.

The aim of this study is to understand the knowledge-sharing structure and co-production of trip-related knowledge through online travel forums.

The travel forum threads were collected from TripAdvisor’s Sydney travel forum for the period from 2010 to 2014, which contains 115,847 threads from 8,346 conversations. The data analytical technique was based on a novel methodological approach – visual analytics, including semantic pattern generation and network analysis.

Findings indicate that the knowledge structure is created by community residents who camouflage as local experts and serve as ambassadors of a destination. The knowledge structure presents collective intelligence co-produced by community residents and tourists. Further findings reveal how these community residents associate with each other and form a knowledge repertoire with information covering various travel domain areas.

The study offers valuable insights to help destination-management organizations and tour operators identify existing and emerging tourism issues to achieve a competitive destination advantage.

This study highlights the process of social media mediated travel knowledge co-production. It also discovers how community residents engage in reaching out to tourists by camouflaging as ordinary users.

This paper aims to reschedule the freight train timetable in case of disturbance to restore the train services as soon as possible.

Hence, an integer linear programming model for the real-time freight heavy-haul railway traffic management is developed in case of large primary delays caused by the delayed cargos loading. The proposed model based on the alternative graph at the microscopic level depicts the freight train movements in detail. Multiple dispatching measures such as re-timing and re-ordering are taken into account. Moreover, two objective functions, namely, the total final delays and the consecutive delays, are minimized in the freight trains dispatching problem.

Finally, a real-world computational experiment based on the Haolebaoji-Ji’an freight heavy-haul railway is implemented. The results of all disrupted cases are obtained within 10 s. The results give insight into that the consecutive delays are more than the total final delays when the same disrupted situation and the consecutive or total final delays increase as the primary delays increase.

An integer linear programming model based on the alternative graph for the real-time freight heavy-haul railway traffic management is developed in case of large primary delays caused by the delayed cargos loading. The method can be developed as the computer-aided tool for freight train dispatchers.

This study aims to explore image-based visual price determinants (image features and visual aesthetic perception) and how image features affect Airbnb listing price on a sharing accommodation platform.

The study uses an SOR model and a hedonic price model to examine the connections between the characteristics of image features, visual aesthetic perception and Airbnb listing prices. The model is then examined by an econometric model using data from Insideairbnb.com.

Empirical results revealed that image features have a significant positive effect on visual aesthetic perception, visual aesthetic perception has a significant positive effect on Airbnb listing price and visual aesthetic perception has a significant mediating effect between image features and Airbnb listing price.

This study contributes to the relationship and effect mechanism among image features, visual aesthetic perception and Airbnb listing price and has some implications for both property operators and the sharing accommodation platform.

本研究探讨了基于图像的视觉价格决定因素（图像特征和视觉美学感知）以及图像特征如何影响共享住宿平台Airbnb价格。

本研究采用SOR模型和hedonic价格模型来检验图像特征特征、视觉美感与Airbnb房源价格之间的关系。然后使用Insideairbnb.com上的数据, 通过计量经济学模型对该模型进行检验。

实证结果显示：1）图像特征对视觉美学感知有显著的正向影响; 2）视觉美学感知对Airbnb价格有显著的正向影响; 3）视觉美学感知在图像特征和Airbnb价格之间有显著的中介效应。

本研究有助于探讨图像特征、视觉美学感知和Airbnb价格之间的关系和影响机制, 对房源经营者和共享住宿平台都有一定的借鉴意义。

Este estudio explora los determinantes visuales del precio basados en las imágenes (características de las imágenes y percepción estética visual) y cómo afectan las características de las imágenes al precio de los anuncios de Airbnb en una plataforma de alojamiento compartido.

El estudio emplea un modelo SOR y un modelo de precios hedónicos para examinar las conexiones entre las características de los rasgos de la imagen, la percepción estética visual y los precios de Airbnb. A continuación, se examina el modelo mediante un modelo econométrico utilizando datos de Insideairbnb.com.

Los resultados empíricos revelan que 1) las características de la imagen tienen un efecto positivo significativo sobre la percepción estética visual, 2) la percepción estética visual tiene un efecto positivo significativo sobre el precio de los anuncios de Airbnb, y 3) la percepción estética visual tiene un efecto mediador significativo entre las características de la imagen y el precio de los anuncios de Airbnb.

Este estudio contribuye al mecanismo de relación y efecto entre las características de la imagen, la percepción estética visual y el precio del anuncio de Airbnb, y tiene algunas implicaciones tanto para los operadores inmobiliarios como para la plataforma de alojamiento compartido.