Digital Commons Network^™

Multifunctional Glazing System: Solution For Modern Smart Glazing, Aritra Ghosh, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Conference papers

Multifunctional glazing combines various glazing ,that have potential to control solar heat gain by changing the window transmittance and low heat loss. In autonomous multifunctional glazing it s function will be powered by PV layer attached to the glazing. This glazing obviates the necessity for shading devices to control the glare. Glare control for such a small scale south facing vertical surface multifunctional glazing is discussed.

Inter-University International Collaboration For An Online Course: A Case Study, John O'Connor, Claudia Igbrude, Dudley Turner

Conference papers

This paper is a practical account of the experience of collaboration between two international partners – one in Europe and the other in the United States. This collaboration experience is a lens through which the authors outline the origin, design and implementation of an inter-university teaching experience. The processes, strengths and difficulties are outlined and the rationale for utilising a virtual world is given, along with the participants’ perspectives of the experience. No institutional changes or formal agreements were needed.

The same course was validated and accredited by each institution and designed to address the requirements of each with the …

An Empirical Estimation Of Statistical Inferences For System Dynamics Model Parameters, Mohammed Mesabbah, Wael Rashwan, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

For system dynamics simulation (SD) models, an estimation of statistical distributions for uncertain parameters is crucial. These distributions could be used for testing models sensitivity, quality of policies, and/or estimating confidence intervals for these parameters. Assumptions related to normality, independence and constant variation are often misapplied in dynamic simulation. Bootstrapping holds a considerable theoretical advantage when used with non-Gaussian data for estimating empirical distributions for unknown parameters. Although it is a widely acceptable approach, it has had only limited use in system dynamics applications. This paper introduces an application of Direct Residual Bootstrapping (DRBS) for statistical inference in system dynamic …

The Pain Of (Organisational) Change, Philomena Hanlon

Conference papers

Abstract

Ireland is the third most globalised nation in the world - Ernest and Young 2013 report

This reflective paper addresses key drivers of organisational change (including globalisation as referred to in the quote above) and what this means at the level of the organisation and at the level of the Lacanian subject[1] (individual employee). It looks at strategies organisations are adopting to survive in a hyper competitive environment and how these strategies are interpreted / responded to by the subject. The paper utilises a Freudian / Lacanian lens to interrogate subjective responses to organisational change. For some subjects …

Analysing The Impact Of Digital Photography Projects On Student Engagement And Performance In A Higher Education Engineering Discipline, Michael Gleeson

Conference papers

Developing and implementing engaging activities aligned with the learning outcomes of a module within a higher education programme is essential to successful teaching practice in the 21^st century. Substantial research evidence indicates that student engagement plays a pivotal role in the academic performance and success of the student. The aim of this research is to compare student performance after adopting an alternative pedagogic approach utilising digital photography as a tool to engage the student in an engineering discipline. The activity was designed to promote student engagement by integrating digital photography, replicating authentic construction professional practice and focusing on images …

An Agile Implementation Within A Medical Device Software Organisation, Martin Mchugh, Fergal Mc Caffery, Garret Coady

Conference papers

Three surveys conducted over a 6 year period revealed that medical device software organisations have difficulties in the area of requirements management, namely accommodating changes in requirements. Medical device software is traditionally developed in accordance with a plan driven software development lifecycle (SDLC). These SDLCs are rigid and inflexible to changes once the requirements management stage has been completed. Agile methods are gaining momentum in non-regulated industries but as of yet, the adoption of these methods in regulated industries such as the medical device software domain remains low. This study presents an implementation of agile methods within a medical device …

Conceptualization Of A Photovoltaic Powered Electrochromic Switching Of A Multifunctional Glazing, Aritra Ghosh, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Conference papers

A multifunctional glazing system has the potential to reduce the heat loss through a window with control of solar heat gain and daylight. Thus it can reduce both the cooling load and heating load depending on weather, occupancy and building construction. A photovoltaic (PV) panel can be used to generate energy to change the colour of the electrochromic (EC) material. Battery storage system has been included to activate the EC behaviour using stored solar electricity. PV area and cost can thus be smaller. As a window can be placed in different sides of a building, incident solar irradiation on a …

Shaping The Axial-Ratio Footprint Of Crossed-Dipole Antennas, Adam Narbudowicz, Max J. Ammann, Janusz Przewocki

Conference papers

A method is proposed to adaptively change the axial-ratio beam of simple circularly-polarized antennas. It is shown, that by varying the phase shift between two orthogonal elements the axial-ratio beam shape can be dynamically adjusted. This allows control of the direction of minimum axial-ratio and the ability to increase or decrease the beamwidth in one of two planes. The method is intended for satellite navigation systems: it can improve the rejection of reflected signals in varying propagation conditions (e.g. urban canyons), while using simple and low-cost circularly-polarized antennas.

Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Engineering education is facing many challenges: a decline in core mathematical skills; lowering entry requirements; and the diversity of the student cohort. One approach to confronting these challenges is to make subject content appropriate to the communication styles of today’s student. To achieve this, a pedagogical shift from the traditional hierarchical approach to learning to one that embraces the use of technology as a tool to enhance the student learning experience is required. By including the student as co-creator of course content, a greater sense of engagement is achieved and a change to one where students become agents of their …

Spatial Skills As Predictors Of Success In First-Year Engineering, Sheryl Sorby, Edmund Nevin, Avril Behan, Eileen Mageean, Sarah Sheridan

Conference papers

Numerous research studies have highlighted the importance of well-developed 3-D spatial skills for success in STEM related programs. Poor spatial skills, particularly among first-year students, can place them at a distinct disadvantage when completing introductory courses in mathematics, CAD, descriptive geometry, and graphic communications - first-year requirements in many STEM related programs. This in turn can lead to poor grades and retention issues. Women are disproportionally among the group of students with weak or poorly developed 3-D spatial skills meaning that they are at a greater risk of leaving engineering when compared to their male counterparts. In this study, the …

An Optimal Calibration Procedure For A Telemac-2d Model Of The Eastern Coast Of Ireland, Garrett Keane, Andrew Stokes, Zeinab Bedri, John O'Sullivan

Conference papers

A review of the literature shows that most model calibrations involve the adjustment of the bottom friction coefficient to minimise the error between predicted and measured tidal elevations. In this study, an alternative procedure is adopted when calibrating a Telemac2D model covering an area on the Eastern coast of Ireland. The model is forced with eight principal tidal constituents derived from the MIKE 21 global model. It is calibrated separately for the two principal constituents, M2 and S2. The field data comprises tidal elevations recorded at five locations over a full lunar cycle in October 1998 and Spring and Neap …

Designing And Constructing For A Sustainable Future: Community Urban Housing In Timber: Projects By 4th. Year Architecture Students At Dit, Jim Roche

Conference papers

There is some agreement and much debate among interested parties about what constitutes ‘sustainable housing’. The term ‘sustainable’ is used somewhat liberally to mean different things to different listeners. Governments, institutions, interest groups and individual designers often address certain aspects while ignoring the bigger picture. But the bigger picture is such a multivalent issue that includes aspects outside the architect’s immediate remit such as location, transport, security, procurement policy and post-occupancy analysis and management. Or are these outside the architect’s remit?

Teaching sustainable housing within conventional architecture programmes means educators are restricted to identifying certain key issues that students should …

Initial Investigation Into Spatial Skills As Predictors Of Success In First-Year Stem Programmes, Sheryl Sorby, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean, Sarah Sheridan, Avril Behan

Conference papers

Through numerous research studies conducted over the past fifty years, the importance of well-developed 3-D spatial skills for success in engineering and other STEM fields has been widely demonstrated. Research conducted in the U.S. and elsewhere, has demonstrated the high level of 3-D spatial skills found in engineering students; however, not all of our first-year students have strong spatial skills when they start their post-secondary studies. Poor spatial skills put these students at a distinct disadvantage when completing introductory courses in mathematics, CAD, descriptive geometry, and graphic communications - first-year requirements in many engineering and STEM programs. In turn, this …

The Development Of An Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education As A Means To Increase Student Engagement And Retention, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean, Marisa Llorens

Conference papers

There is currently a growing interest in improving the retention levels of undergraduate students on STEM related programmes. Students’ prior knowledge of mathematics is a key factor in predicting whether they will succeed in engineering or not. A poor grasp of key mathematical skills typically leads to students failing to achieve the learning outcomes of technical modules. Consequently, mathematics is often the focus of engineering education research. A decline in core mathematical skills; the lowering of entry requirements and the diversity of the student cohort, all contribute to the need for a more comprehensive learning support system. Today’s students are …

Behaviour-Based Wood Connection As A Base For New Tectonics, Marcin Wójcik, Jan Strumiłło

Conference papers

This paper joins into the debate on sustainable architecture and construction and the resilience of the architectural practice. It takes up the case of solid wood construction. Heterogeneity of timber is considered a disadvantage in construction. Wood industry utilises expensive processes in order to overcome rather than exploit natural wood properties. We suggest a different approach that could lead to the reduction of environmental pollution and more economic use of resources that is discussed with a proposed wood connection method based on harnessing material behaviour induced by a change of moisture relationships -- i.e. shrinkage. Two design paths are presented: …

Nudgealong: A Case-Based Approach To Changing User Behaviour, Eoghan O'Shea, Sarah Jane Delany, Rob Lane, Brian Mac Namee

Conference papers

Companies want to change the way that users interact with their services. One of the main ways to do this is through messaging. It is well known that different users are likely to respond to different types of messages. Targeting the right message type at the right user is key to achieving successful behaviour change. This paper frames this as a case based reasoning problem. The case representation captures a summary of a user’s interactions with a company’s services over time. The case solution represents a message type that resulted in a desired change in the user’s behaviour. This paper …

Conference Presentation: The Power Of Words In Tension: Enterprise/Strategy As A Dilemma In Neoliberalism’S Persistence., Brendan O'Rourke

Conference papers

We address how enterprise is related to, another important discourse, strategy. From a discourse analysis of the talk of small firm owner-managers, emerges a view of strategy and enterprise as a single, integrated entity, bound together by some commonalities but more importantly by paired opposites reminiscent of ideological dilemmas (Billig, Condor, Edwards, Gane, Middleton & Radley, 1988). This dilemmatic nature of enterprise/strategy discourse adds to explanations for the persistence of the neoliberal form of enterprise, with the entrepreneur as the heroic saviour of all, based on the entrepreneur as an empty signifier (Jones & Spicer, 2009; Kenny & …

The Power Of Words In Tension: Enterprise/Strategy As A Dilemma In Neoliberalism’S Persistence., Brendan O'Rourke

Conference papers

We address how enterprise is related to, another important discourse, strategy. From a discourse analysis of the talk of small firm owner-managers, emerges a view of strategy and enterprise as a single, integrated entity, bound together by some commonalities but more importantly by paired opposites reminiscent of ideological dilemmas (Billig, Condor, Edwards, Gane, Middleton & Radley, 1988). This dilemmatic nature of enterprise/strategy discourse adds to explanations for the persistence of the neoliberal form of enterprise, with the entrepreneur as the heroic saviour of all, based on the entrepreneur as an empty signifier (Jones & Spicer, 2009; Kenny & …

Knowledge Creating Routines: Dialogical Exchanges To Guide Repertoires Of Potential Action, Conor Horan, John Finch

Conference papers

We substantiate how generative routines, from a dialogical exchange perspective, guide repertoires of potential actions. Research on generative and emergent qualities of organisational routines, and their ability to assist actors arriving at new distinctions in practice, remains underdeveloped. Researchers have established that routines have the qualities of being generative, emergent and producers of ideas. Recent contributions argue for a dialogical approach to creating new organisational knowledge. This paper further develops the explanatory power of routines by combining dialogical exchanges within the ostensive-performative theory of routines. We examine the power of dialogical exchanges using words, understood as imaginal others within schemas, …

Multi-Valued Argumentation Frameworks, Pierpaolo Dondio

Conference papers

In this paper we explore how the seminal Dung’s abstract argumentation framework can be extended to handle arguments containing gradual concepts. We allow arguments to have a degree of truth associated with them and we investigate the degree of truth to which each argument can be considered accepted, rejected and undecided by an abstract argumentation semantics. We propose a truth-compositional recursive computation, and we discuss examples using the major multi-valued logics such as Godel’s, Zadeh’s and Łukasiewicz's logic. The findings are a contribution in the field of non-monotonic approximate reasoning and they also represent a well-grounded proposal towards the introduction …

The Effect Of Sensor Errors In Situated Human-Computer Dialogue, Niels Schütte, John D. Kelleher, Brian Mac Namee

Conference papers

Errors in perception are a problem for computer systems that use sensors to perceive the environment. If a computer system is engaged in dialogue with a human user, these problems in perception lead to problems in the dialogue. We present two experiments, one in which participants interact through dialogue with a robot with perfect perception to fulfil a simple task, and a second one in which the robot is affected by sensor errors and compare the resulting dialogues to determine whether the sensor problems have an impact on dialogue success.

Exploring Economists & Society: Constructing Expert Identity, Joseph Fitzgerald, Brendan O'Rourke

Conference papers

The recent economic crisis has created a heightened interest in economics and greater demand for economics experts. The media has played an important role in meeting this demand as mediated expertise is relied upon to understand the complex relationships within society (Albaek, Christiansen and Togeby 2003; Beck 1992; Boyce 2006; Giddens 1990). Such interactions of experts with media are a key element of the knowledge flows within society (Sturdy et al. 2009) and so have attracted research attention (Ekstrom and Lundell 2011; Hutchby 2006; Montgomery 2008). This paper contributes to this literature by focusing on the under-researched area of the …

A Discourse Analytical Approach To Understanding Institutional Changes In The Irish Advertising Industry, Rosie Hand, Dalvir Samra-Fredericks Professor, Polly Pick

Conference papers

The central objective of the research upon which this paper draws is to establish how technological, economic and socio-cultural change has impacted the structures, roles and processes of the Irish Advertising Industry. Institutional theory provides the central theoretical framework. The research takes an interpretivist, constructionist and inductivist perspective and employs the methodological approach of discourse analysis to explore how institutions are being shaped and arguably changed by social actors. It draws on a growing body of literature which suggests that language is central to the structuring of organisations. The empirical data and its fine-grained analysis has begun to reveal the …

Optimization Of Resources To Improve Patient Experience In The New Emergency Department Of Mater Hospital Dublin, Heba Habib, Waleed Abo-Hamad, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

Healthcare systems globally are facing capacity issues due to the increased demand of health services, the high cost of resources and the level of quality anticipated of service providers. Emergency Departments (ED) are the most pressurized unit in healthcare systems due to uncertainty in demand and limited resources allocated. Mater Hospital (one of leading hospitals) in Dublin has built a new (state-of-the-art) unit for ED yet faced an issue in resourcing the unit to optimize performance. This paper presents an integrated solution to optimize the capacity of the new ED before opening to public and examine improvement interventions in the …

Integrating Simulation Modelling And Value Stream Mapping For Leaner Capacity Planning Of An Emergency Department, Esmat Swallmeh, Ayman Tobail, Waleed Abo-Hamad, James Gray, Amr Arisha

Conference papers

Recently, the application of lean thinking in healthcare has grown significantly in response to rising demand, caused by population growth, ageing and high expectations of service quality. However, insufficient justifications and lack of quantifiable evidence are the main obstacles to convince healthcare executives to adopt lean philosophies. This paper presents a real application of the successful implementation of a methodology that integrates Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and simulation modelling to improve an emergency department (ED) of a University hospital in Dublin. Appling lean approach in operations will minimize the patient waiting time and improve service time. VSM points out to …

Entropy, Information, Landauer’S Limit And Moore’S Law, Paul Tobin, Jonathan Blackledge

Conference papers

In this paper we explore the link between information and entropy by considering the infamous Maxwell demon thought experiment. A non-rigorous mathematical solution by Le´o Szil´ard established this link for the first time, as did Claude Shannon nineteen years later. In 1961, Rolf Landauer’s mathematical solution resulted in the Landauer limit, which is still being hotly debated, but here we discuss the implication of this limit on Moore’s law and future growth in computing power. A workaround the limit is proposed using an Analogue Artificial Neural Network (AANN). Here, we mimic the action of a human brain synapse formed from …

The Impact Of Fuzzy Requirements On Medical Device Software Development, Martin Mchugh, Abder-Rahman Ali, Fergal Mccaffery

Conference papers

Any software development project can experience difficulties with unclear or vague requirements. Unfortunately, this problem can be experience two fold in regulated environments such as the medical device software development industry. In the medical device software development industry, development organisations must contend with vague or “fuzzy” both the customer and regulatory bodies. As new requirements are introduced they can have a knock on effect on other requirements. These requirements should be analysed to determine if they are conflicting, cooperative, mutually exclusive and irrelevant. Only when the requirement is classified can a clear method be established as how to integrate that …

Aligning Bim And Lean Methodologies Within Capital Works Management Framework In Ireland, Barry Mcauley, Alan Hore, Muiris O'Loingsigh, John Deeney

Conference papers

In 2007, following continued dissatisfaction with the lack of cost certainty on publicly funded projects, the Irish Government introduced the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF). This framework had stated strategic objectives of achieving greater cost certainty at contract award stage; better value for money at all stages during project delivery and, more efficient end-user delivery. The framework, in particular, sought to rebalance risk, so that there was an optimal transfer of risk to the contracting authority and the contractor through the implementation of fixed price contracts. Coinciding with the introduction of the CWMF, there was significant debate around the introduction …

Using Game Engine Technologies For Increasing Cognitive Stimulation And Perceptive Immersion, Garrett Keenaghan, Imre Horváth

Conference papers

With the development of more user friendly game engine packages and software, detailed cognitive stimulation of procedural activities has now become easier to develop in virtual reality environments. With packages offering built-in visual editors, the amount of labour hours required for the development of specific applications are reduced. This paper considers the use of computer supported game engine technology to provide location independent comprehension and procedural skills learning for built environment education.

Work In Progress: Online Resource Platform For Mathematics Education, Marisa Llorens, Edmund Nevin, Eileen Mageean

Conference papers

Mathematics is intrinsic to engineering and as such plays an integral role in the education of engineers. New challenges are being faced in higher education particularly in the areas of student motivation, engagement and attainment. As a result mathematics is often the focus of engineering education research. Traditional methods of delivery such as lectures and tutorials need to evolve to counter these challenges with new pedagogical approaches explored including the use of new technologies. Today’s students are immersed in an increasingly technological world and are willing to adapt to new technological advances. This paper describes a study being undertaken in …