Digital Commons Network^™

Visualization Without Vision – How Blind And Visually Impaired Students And Researchers Engage With Molecular Structures, Croix J. Laconsay, Henry B. Wedler, Dean J. Tantillo

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This article examines the tools and techniques currently available that enable blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals to visualize three-dimensional objects used in learning chemistry concepts. How BVI individuals engage with and visualize molecular structure is discussed and recent tactile (or haptic) and auditory methods for visualization of various chemistry concepts are summarized. Remaining challenges for chemistry education researchers are described with the aim of highlighting the potential value of educational research in further enabling BVI students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Current State And Development Potential Of Luxury Heritage Hospitality In Old City Center Of Split, Croatia, Lucia Koprčina

Theses

Tourism is one of the main lines of profit for Split; however there is no unified strategy reflected in one line of tourism. In order to protect that UNESCO heritage site and assure long-term industry success it is proposed to take a shift to building a luxury brand that connects all business located in the site in a unified manner. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the current state and context of the luxury tourism industry, specifically considering the accommodation and dining services in the old city center are of Split, Croatia. The objective is …

Domestic Food Waste Reduction System In The U.A.E., Eman Alsuwaidi, Nawar Al Sammarraie, Vilas Vijaykumar, Zaid Nayaz Syed

Theses

The emerging need for a domestic food waste management system in UAE has opened the door for innovations in managing food activities to minimizing waste. At present, there are no specific strategies or solutions effective enough to considerably reduce domestic food waste. This project mainly covers objective, methodology, waste identification tools and techniques, and strategy creation for system improvement. The results obtained from several surveys conducted to study the food habits of the people were used in this project to develop a strategy to reduce food waste. Smart systems are gaining high demand in various fields of the markets as …

Domestic Food Waste Reduction System In The U.A.E., Eman Alsuwaidi, Nawar Al Sammarraie, Vilas Vijaykumar, Zaid Nayaz Syed

Theses

The emerging need for a domestic food waste management system in UAE has opened the door for innovations in managing food activities to minimizing waste. At present, there are no specific strategies or solutions effective enough to considerably reduce domestic food waste. This project mainly covers objective, methodology, waste identification tools and techniques, and strategy creation for system improvement. The results obtained from several surveys conducted to study the food habits of the people were used in this project to develop a strategy to reduce food waste. Smart systems are gaining high demand in various fields of the markets as …

Domestic Food Waste Reduction System In The U.A.E., Eman Alsuwaidi, Nawar Al Sammarraie, Vilas Vijaykumar, Zaid Nayaz Syed

Theses

The emerging need for a domestic food waste management system in UAE has opened the door for innovations in managing food activities to minimizing waste. At present, there are no specific strategies or solutions effective enough to considerably reduce domestic food waste. This project mainly covers objective, methodology, waste identification tools and techniques, and strategy creation for system improvement. The results obtained from several surveys conducted to study the food habits of the people were used in this project to develop a strategy to reduce food waste. Smart systems are gaining high demand in various fields of the markets as …

Vr Tangram Puzzle Game And 360-Degree Panoramic Video, Jingyi Liu

Frameless

For this demo, I have created two projects—VR Tangram puzzle and 360-degree panoramic video—using Unreal Engine. The VR Tangram puzzle game was created using an environment built and modeled by a student peer in the 3D Digital Design program at RIT, Regina Niu. I then scripted the visual with blueprint in Unreal Engine using gravity, grabbing, and absorption. This game is made to show the traditional tangram puzzle game in a new interactive form, with the goals of arousing childhood memories in adults and helping youth have a better understanding of the past culture. The 360-degree panoramic video is a …

Virtual Docent For A Living History Museum, Gary D. Jacobs, Juilee Decker, Joe Geigel, Amanda Doherty

Frameless

No abstract provided.

Transeuntis Mundi: An Installation About Migration And Human Legacy, Cândida Borges, Gabriel Mario Vélez

Frameless

Transeuntis Mundi is a journey through transcultural and transnational humanity and geography. It is presented as an immersive installation, powered by virtual reality, projection mapping, sound sculptures and performative actions, the audience is able to transit through places and ethnicities.

Cross Disciplinary Virtual Reality For Lighting And Composition: Research Update, Shaun Foster, Ihab Mardini

Frameless

Advanced technology has made Virtual Reality a viable tool for widespread multidisciplinary use. We saw an opportunity to use VR to benefit multiple departments at RIT; 3D Digital Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and the School of Film and Animation. All departments wrestle with the problem of effectively allowing the students the speed to iteratively light, compose and compare work. The complexity and length of rendering time using previous generation (CPU rendering) 3D applications distracts learners from focusing on design. Light and Composition are two major elements of designs that are often buried under overwhelming technical obstacles.

Smirk It: Goal Setting Through Augmented Reality, Ilene Kang, Anesi Ikhianosime

Frameless

This paper attempts to list one possible healing solution for those that suffer from a lack of happiness. We will be making an assumption that goal setting and working through goals will help those people by creating opportunities for happiness. Through an AR game application, we hope to reinforce good habits and hopefully inspire them to continue those tasks in regular day life.

Transmedia Storytelling, Immersive Storyworlds, And Virtual Reality, Trent Hergenrader

Frameless

This paper considers the role of virtual reality (VR) experiences in major media franchises’ storyworlds, including Star Wars, the Marvel Universe, the DC Extended Universe, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter. The paper opens with a brief description of transmedia storyworlds and the concept of narrative extensions, which are new stories that are added to existing narratives across a range of media. To distinguish different types of experiences, I use four categories to describe fifteen VR experiences across these five major: sneak peeks, short demos, action games, and narrative extensions. For each experience, I consider the types of user interactions …

Evaluating Audience Engagement Of An Immersive Performance On A Virtual Stage, Victoria J. Kraj, Thomas Maranzatto, Joe Geigel, Reynold Bailey, Cecillia Ovesdotter Alm

Frameless

Presenting theatrical performances in virtual reality (VR) has been an active area of research since the early 2000's. VR provides a unique form of storytelling, which is made possible through the use of physically and digitally distributed 3D worlds.

We describe a methodology for determining audience engagement in a virtual theatre performance. We use a combination of galvanic skin response (GSR) data, self-reported positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS), post-viewing reflection, and a think aloud method to assess user reaction to the virtual reality experience.

In this study, we combine the implicit physiological data from GSR with explicit user feedback …

Symposium Program 2019 Final, Joe Geigel

Frameless

No abstract provided.

Introduction To The 2019 Frameless Vr/Ar/Xr Symposium, Joe Geigel

Frameless

No abstract provided.

Motivational Principles And Personalisation Needs For Geo-Crowdsourced Intangible Cultural Heritage Mobile Applications, Federica Lucia Vinella, Ioanna Lykourentzou, Konstantinos Papangelis

Presentations and other scholarship

Whether it’s for altruistic reasons, personal gains, or third party’s interests, users are influenced by different kinds of motivations when making use of mobile geo-crowdsourcing applications (geoCAs). These reasons, extrinsic and/or intrinsic, must be factored in when evaluating the use intention of these applications and how effective they are. A functional geoCA, particularly if designed for Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), is the one that persuades and engages its users, by accounting for their diversity of needs across a period of time. This paper explores a number of proven and novel motivational factors destined for the preservation and collection of Intangible …

Fallen Leaves, Bo Gao

Theses

This thesis demonstrates the process of creating my thesis film - FALLEN LEAVES, and it describes how this short film is completed from a simple idea to a finished project. Secondly, the documentation also depicts how my initial thought is shaped, and the background story from the aspects of cultural differences and family relationship. Furthermore, this paper discusses how I used cinematic techniques to help to improve the storytelling of my thesis film. The documentation also includes the research I did for writing the script and making this film.

Self-Awareness: A Dynamic Poster Design About Self-Awareness Child Development, Shuaiqi Xiong

Theses

Self-awareness is a psychological state in which we see ourselves truthfully and objectively through introspection and reflection. As 90s generation, we are the newest generation of “Chinese-style” individualism, but most of us do not have knowledge of self-awareness. We probably do not acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses, do not accept ourselves, and have no sense of what we do and others think of us. According to our research” says organizational psychologist and researcher Tasha Eurich, “with thousands of people from all around the world, 95 percent of people believe that they’re self-aware, but only about 10 to 15 percent really …

Audio-Visual Caption Evaluation Metric For People Who Are Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Akhter Al Amin

Articles

While the availability of captioned television programming has increased, the quality of this captioning is not always acceptable to Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) viewers, especially for live or unscripted content, broadcast from local television stations, especially in smaller markets. There is a need for formal metrics to evaluate captioning quality, to enable audits or quality assurance. Although some current caption metrics focus on comparing the textual accuracy (comparing the caption text and accurate transcription of what was spoken), there are other properties of captions that may affect quality or usability judgments. We propose to conduct experiments with DHH …

Allocation Of Public Expenditures In The Post-War Kosovo: A Critical Analysis, Leonita Krasniqi

Theses

How public expenditures are allocated can have profound effects on the macro-fiscal environment of a country. This research project analyzes how the Government of Kosovo allocates its public expenditures. Two particular strategic documents are examined—the Economic Vision 2011-2014 and the National Development Strategy 2016-2021. It does so by analyzing whether or not the priorities set in these strategies are translated in Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks and the Budget Laws. Finally, this research project examines how the allocated public expenditures are realized. The research concludes that despite the well-established written strategies, a wide gap exists between the priorities set and their actual …

Connecting Meaningful Moments: Exploring Empathy Through Storytelling, Samantha Maida

Theses

As individuals transition through life, it is growing more and more difficult for everyone to live in the same world when perceptions of situations are skewed. Each individuals’ perception is colored by their life’s experiences which give rise to a distorted view of the world, creating biases, and affirming that our perception is a product of our past that is pushing forward into our future. The more technology promotes isolation and damages in-person communication, the more individuals are growing less aware of those around them, and how their experiences, and life events affect the way they view and respond to …

Start-Ups Through The Lens Of Marketing: The Importance Of Branding For Start-Ups And Brand Awareness, Melisa Uka

Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of branding among start-ups, with a specific focus on start-ups in Kosovo. The role of branding has been drastically increasing in the last decades, as branding is becoming one of the most valuable intangible assets that a company owns regardless of whether it is a matured company or a start-up, the high growth potential newly established companies. In an effort to better understand the role of branding for Kosovo’s start-ups, this study provides qualitative insight obtained directly from start-ups’ representatives to identify whether start-ups in Kosovo recognize branding as an …

Framework To A Design Solution For Downtown Buffalo, Ny, Robert J. Sulli

Theses

Downtown Buffalo, New York is on the verge of a design recovery. Despite once being celebrated for its architectural and engineering achievements of the 1800s, Buffalo spent the near century that followed in a downward trend. Contemporarily considered a forgotten city of the industrial era, it now sits at the precipice of a new beginning. Around the 1980s, a series of investment studies produced reports outlining the different ways downtown Buffalo was struggling. Whether it was measured by loss of residential population, corporate headquarters leaving town, or just general urban decay, Buffalo had been exhibiting all the symptoms of a …

Enhancing Energy Efficiency In Kosovo – Analyzing Behavioral Patterns, Vesa Recica

Theses

Energy efficiency is being considered as a highly important matter among the majority of countries due to its correlation to environmental protection, energy security, and industrial competitiveness. There are multiple factors contributing to efficient usage of energy, one of them being behavioral patterns. This project aimed at analyzing the effect of behavioral patterns in enhancing energy efficiency through looking at the relationship between level of education, level of income, age, gender, place of residence (urban vs rural) and household energy usage trends. The research was completed through four focus group discussions that were conducted in urban and rural areas in …

Corporate Social Responsibility — Introducing A New Model For Improving The Financial Performance Of Large Enterprises: The Case Of Kosovo, Ibrahim Jetullahu

Theses

The purpose of this research project is to show the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on improving long-term corporate financial performance. In line with the literature review, the integration of CSR with Human Resources Management (HRM) and Marketing Strategies were used as the two components of achieving profitability because they were considered as complements of one another. The overall goal is to show how CSR strategies can have positive effects on workforce productivity, employee engagement, brand awareness, and differentiation of the organization in a developing country such as Kosovo. The research method included two primary research tools: (1) semi-structured …

School Violence Prevention In High Secondary Education In Kosovo And The Role Of School Psychologists, Edita Karavidaj

Theses

This present study explores the prevalence of school violence in the pre-university level of education in Kosovo. Despite the underreported cases, school violence is common and a distressing issue. Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST) in Kosovo has adopted prevention-based approach towards school violence since 2014 (with a revision in 2018) and regulated that each school must have at least one School Psychologist (SP). Despite the reform efforts, the implementation of such regulations is incomplete. The current study hypothesized that school violence rates are higher in urban schools thus prevention-based programs are more likely to be implemented in these …

E-Commerce: Kosovo As A Competitive Landscape For Online Shopping, Rina Bulliqi

Theses

This Honors project looks the opportunities for online business in Kosovo, specifically e-commerce. As Kosovo is the country with the highest number of internet users in the Balkans, online business is at a competitive advantage to thrive. This project analyzes the opportunities offered to businesses to thrive in online trade, both within Kosovo and in the region. Businesses of all sectors are quickly understanding the importance of online presence, especially given a handful of successful cases that have already established e-commerce platforms. This project considers the perspective of the customer and that of the business in terms of online shopping …

The Link Between Successful Implementation Of Managerial Practices And The Success Of Family Owned Businesses In Kosovo, Rrezearta Jahiu

Theses

This research project analyzes the link between the successful implementation of managerial practices of family owned businesses in Kosovo and the performance of these companies in terms of the increase in their sales and growth. The four main groups of managerial practices, namely operations, monitoring, targets and incentives, are analyzed. These four main groups of managerial practices are subdivided into sub-practices which enables to examine the different aspects of the business in more detail. This research project provides information regarding family owned businesses and what makes them different from other forms of business ownerships. The important factors for business growth …

Women As Entrepreneurs: The Hardships Of Leading In A Patriarchal System. Case Of Kosovo, Aurora Bucaj

Theses

The business sector in Kosovo is dominated by men, while women are seen as an outsider if deciding to be part of it. The number of women business owners is low compared to men business owners. This research paper will present the many factors that affect the low number of women business owners, how they correlate with one another, and how one can move passed those. A number of these factors relate to the mentality of Kosovo’s society, low financial stability of women, low education of women, and the low number of day-care facilities, and the lack of affordable private …

Freelancing As A Tool Of Increasing Women’S Activity Rate In Kosovo, Ema Baraku

Theses

This research project explores the implications of freelancing in the activity rate of women in the labor market in Kosovo. It specifically analyzes the employment barriers that women encounter such as taking care of children/elders, lack of suitable and flexible jobs, and low wage. It further elaborates on the concept of freelancing and the opportunities for Kosovar youth in general and for women in particular. The research includes a review of secondary data, an online survey, and focus group discussions. Findings from the research confirm the potential of freelancing to impact the participation of women in the job market as …

Effect Of Laser Texturing And Varying Dimple Density On Tribological Properties Of Titanium-Ceramic Contact, Akshay Gaikwad

Theses

The loss of energy due to friction is one of the major problems industries are facing nowadays. Friction reduces the mechanical efficiency of the machine components. It is estimated that an average of 40% energy is lost to overcome the friction. In recent years, surface modification and surface texturing have shown tremendous ability to reduce friction and wear. Microstructures generated on the surface act as a secondary reservoir for lubricants and wear particle receptacles to reduce further abrasion. In addition, surface texturing boost hydrodynamic pressure which increases the elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication regime of the Stribeck curve, reducing friction and wear. There …