Digital Commons Network^™

Hyflex Engagement Tracking, Jane Courtney

Case studies: Digital Education

While authentic assessment methods can be easily implemented in modules that lend themselves to problem-based learning, quality assessment is harder to achieve in more technically rigorous subjects. For these modules, there has been an over-reliance to date on traditional exams. The move online due to COVID-19 made summative assessment of these technical subjects very difficult and also had many academics reporting reduced engagement in the online environment. However, in the technically rigorous Power Systems Analysis module, this challenge was approached as an opportunity to modernise and test online assessment possibilities. This was done through three mechanisms: Numbas*, Rubrics+ and Engagement …

Building Services Engineering May/June 2025

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Level Of Integration (Loint): A Conceptual Framework For Bim-Gis Data Integration,, Peshawa Mohammed, Barry Mcauley, Dympna O Sullivan, Avril Behan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Building Information Modelling (BIM) – Geographic information System (GIS) data integration constitutes a crucial component in the development of urban digital twins. This integration can be achieved through a variety of techniques and methodologies; however, numerous challenges arise during the integration process that hinder seamless interoperability. Although several attempts have been made to address these challenges, prior studies tend to address these challenges in isolation, and the literature stills lacks from a standardized approach to perform the integration. This paper proposes a conceptual framework designed to support standardizing the integration practices by synthesizing these challenges into a progressive, structured model. …

Exploring Bim Capabilities For Life Cycle Assessment In Structural Projects: A Valencian Barraca Case Study For Sustainable Material Choices, Oscar Selfa, Barry Mcauley, Kieran Lakhera O'Shea

Conference Papers

The construction sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, resource consumption, and waste generation, with structural materials accounting for up to 40% of embedded carbon. This study investigates the integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools to promote sustainable structural design. Using a BIM model of a Valencian barraca, three scenarios were evaluated: traditional materials (adobe and wood), concrete with steel, and concrete with Cross- Laminated Timber (CLT). Results show that natural materials generate lower impacts, while steel and concrete exhibit higher emissions. This work proposes a workflow integrating BIM, …

Exploring Models Of Reflective Practice To Aid The Understanding Of Pilgrimage Experience, Chris Hall

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper explores the use of models of reflective practice to aid reflection and sense making for a walking pilgrimage experience and analyses the challenges of using such a model in this context. The paper then examines whether Greenia’s definition of pilgrimage experience can be used as a model to aid reflection. This is subsequently applied to a 5-day walking pilgrimage experience and its effectiveness assessed.

Harnessing Eco-Friendly Practices And Transforming Communities Through Social Entrepreneurship: Exploring The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Mode, Iqra Sajad Khan Scholar, Ashaq Hussain Najar Dr, Manik Arora Dr

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study examines the influence of religious tourism on regional development, with a specific focus on eco-friendly practices and social entrepreneurship. Religious pilgrimages play a significant role in stimulating the tourism sector, hence, creating economic prospects on a global scale. Nevertheless, the extent of scholarly investigation about the impact of implementing eco-friendly practices on nearby communities, particularly within the context of religious pilgrimage destinations, remains minimal. The primary objective of this research centres on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir renowned for its widespread praise and profound cultural importance. A qualitative methodology was employed to …

The Skills And Knowledge Of Design Professionals Working In The Energy Retrofit Of External Wall Insulation In Ireland., Olivia Golden, Marek Rebow, Dr. Róisín Murphy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

In this paper, we examine the challenges associated with External Wall Insulation (EWI) as a key component of energy retrofits, currently being implemented in Ireland under the government’s initiative to upgrade 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 (or equivalent in cost optimality or carbon emissions) by 2030. Drawing parallels with documented cases of EWI failure in the UK, where issues such as moisture ingress, inadequate detailing, cold bridging, and insufficient ventilation have been cited, we aim to investigate how such issues can be addressed in the Irish context.Our research includes a review of existing literature on design …

A Design Decision Support Tool To Visualise Embodied Carbon At Early Design Stage, Malachy Mathews Dr, Killian Collins

Conference Papers

As designers increasingly recognise the crucial role of the built environment in combating climate change, the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology can become pivotal. BIM offers a transformative approach to design and construction processes through digital models and now data visualisation. With the urgency of addressing embodied carbon emissions in construction, this research aims to develop an automated BIM workflow that enables designers to visualise and mitigate the environmental impact of material selection within domestic construction projects in Ireland and the UK, aligning with national targets for emissions reduction by 2030. Using comprehensive data mapping and digital visualisation …

Improving Independent Living And Quality Of Life For Dementia Patients With Open-Interface Sensor-Based Home Monitoring, Harish Kambampati, Damon Berry, Julie Doyle, Orla Moran, Jonathan Turner, Michael Wilson, Suzanne Smith, Dympna O'Sullivan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Living with dementia is a challenging journey for both those with dementia and their families. Besides memory loss and cognitive decline, persons with dementia often face challenges of independent living and loss of quality of life. To enhance and extend the period of independent living, an open-source software and commercial sensor-based home monitoring system is being developed. These sensors are relatively compatible with home environments, can be personalized for different users, and provide constant support including reminders, also allowing for early identification of physical or behavioural changes. They assist not only in managing everyday activities of people with dementia but …

Improving The Readability Of Dementia Information Documents Using Chatgpt, Jonathan Turner, Damon Berry, Julie Doyle, Harish Kambampati, Orla Moran, Suzanne Smith, Michael Wilson, Dympna O'Sullivan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

There is much information available on dementia, but information may not be written at an appropriate level for a lay reader. One aim of the CoDESIGN project is to simplify information available for those who have lower levels of literacy. We investigate the potential to simplify documents to reflect the literacy abilities of the reader. We report on the ability of ChatGPT to modify documents to such target reading levels while retaining the accuracy and completeness of the documents, while avoiding the introduction of errors. Results suggest that human supervision is required before documents can be made available to readers.

Hidden Scientists/Hidden Creatives Exhibition 2025, Con Kennedy, Niamh Ann Kelly, Claire Wynne, Jesus Maria Frias, Steve Meaney

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Hidden Scientists/Hidden Creatives is an annual exhibition about underrepresented women in STEM and Design.

The students from the TU Dublin School of Art and Design, TU973 B.A. (hons) Visual Communication Design, completed this assignment in their Design and Career Management module.

This year, all the students who participated in this module are Erasmus students from our international partners. This international cohort joined us from IADE - Universidade Europeia - Faculdade de Design, Tecnologia e Comunicação da Universidade Europeia, Lisbon, Portugal and Escuela de Arte San Telmo, Malaga, Spain.

This exhibition ran from 6-9 May 2025, East Quad Atrium, TU Dublin, …

Optimising Non-Cycloplegic Screening Strategies For Early Detection Of Pre-Myopia And Myopia In Young Children, Síofra Harrington, Michael Moore, James Loughman, Ian Flitcroft, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Purpose: Early detection of myopia is essential to delay its onset and progression. Pre-myopia, defined by an inadequate hyperopic reserve, increases myopia risk in childhood. However, effective screening methods remain limited. This study aimed to develop practical non-cycloplegic screening methods for pre-myopia and myopia in 6- to 7-year-olds to support earlier interventions.

Methods: This cross-sectional study of 621 Irish schoolchildren (mean age: 7.12 ± 0.45 years; 51.8% boys) assessed uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA). Cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) classified refractive status (myopia: SER ≤ −0.50D; pre-myopia: SER > −0.50 ≤ 0.75D). Pre- and post-cycloplegic SER were measured using the Welch …

Holographic Multi-Waveguide System: Towards Implementation In Wearable Sensor Technologies, Pamela Stoeva, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, Suzanne Martin, Maria Antonietta Ferrara, Giuseppe Coppola, Izabela Naydenova

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Holographic optical elements (HOEs) are integral to advancements in optical sensing, augmented reality, solar energy harvesting, biomedical diagnostics, and many other fields, offering precise and versatile light manipulation capabilities. This study, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is the first to design and fabricate an HOE mutliwaveguide system using a thermally and environmentally stable photopolymerizable hybrid sol-gel (PHSG) for sensing applications. Using a 476.5 nm recording wavelength, 60% diffraction efficiency PHSG holographic waveguides of spatial frequency of 1720 lines/mm were successfully fabricated to function as in- and out-couplers at 632.8 nm and 700 nm wavelength, respectively. The waveguides were …

Refractive Error And Axial Length (Real) Study: Feasibility Of A Population Study In The United States, Sarah Elizabeth Singh, Lisa A. Ostrin, Kristen L. Kerber, Cayle Concepcion, Celia Gong, Barsha Lal, Ian Flitcroft, Síofra Harrington, James Loughman, Kathryn Saunders, Fuensanta A. Vera-Diaz

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

SIGNIFICANCE: Myopia is the most common eye disease and a leading cause of blindness. A contemporary, large, and ethnically and geographically diverse study of ocular biometry and refractive error in children in the United States is needed to help better describe differences between myopic and nonmyopic eyes. PURPOSE: This is an initial cross-sectional report from the Refractive Error and Axial Length Growth Curve Study that includes ocular component data as a function of age, gender, and geographic location. This feasibility report will inform a planned larger longitudinal ocular growth study in children in the United States. METHODS: Cross-sectional data on …

Cytotoxicity And Surface Area Analysis Of Silver Nanoparticles Encapsulated In Liposomes, Pvp, And Bsa: Effects On Caco-2 And U251 Cells, Rita Byrne, Vinayak Sharma, Bilal Javed, Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, Ahmed Barhoum, Furong Tian

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Lost Synchronous Generation On The Rate Of Change Of Frequency In Electrical Power Systems, Damien Doheny

Doctoral

Renewable energy targets have resulted in high penetration of non-synchronous generation and consequently reducing power system inertia, and this could lead to power system frequency instability following a disturbance, such as the loss of generation. A concern to power system operators is the rate of change of frequency (ROCOF) following the loss of generation. Fast ROCOF presents many challenges for power systems but the primary concern is that fast ROCOF reduces the time-frame that primary frequency control has to arrest a frequency decline following the loss of generation. Therefore, power system operators need to develop strategies to operate power systems …

Refractive Error And Axial Length (Real) Study: Feasibility Of A Population Study In The United States, Sarah E. Singh Dr, Lisa A. Ostrin, Kristen Kerber Dr, Concepcion Cayle, Celia Gong Dr, Lal Barsha Dr, Ian Flitcroft, Síofra Harrington, James Loughman, Kathryn Saunders Prof, Fuensanta Vera-Diaz Dr

Articles

Myopia is the most common eye disease and a leading cause of blindness. A contemporary, large, and ethnically and geographically diverse study of ocular biometry and refractive error in children in the United States is needed to help better describe differences between myopic and nonmyopic eyes.

This is an initial cross-sectional report from the Refractive Error and Axial Length Growth Curve Study that includes ocular component data as a function of age, gender, and geographic location. This feasibility report will inform a planned larger longitudinal ocular growth study in children in the United States.

Cross-sectional data on children, ages 3 …

The Importance Of Optimising Performance Within Retrofit Programmes, Seamus Harrington, Mark Mulville

Conference Papers

Ireland’s Climate Action Plan details a roadmap of measures that seek to achieve net-zero target carbon emissions by 2050. In this context, Ireland has introduced the National Retrofitting Scheme (NRS) which has set a goal of retrofitting c. 30% of existing dwellings to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2 by 2030. The route to attaining this rating is dependent on the current specification and configuration of each individual property, therefore it can promote the adoption of retrofit techniques that achieve the required BER rating as opposed to focussing on optimisation of dwelling performance. The pre-cursor to the NRS was …

An Empirical Evaluation Of Communication Technologies And Quality Of Delivery Measurement In Networked Microgrids, Ruairí De Fréin, Yasin Emir Kutlu

Articles

Networked microgrids (NMG) are gaining popularity as an example of smartgrids (SG), where power networks are integrated with communication technologies. Communication technologies enable NMGs to be monitored and controlled via communication networks. However, ensuring that communication networks in NMGs satisfy quality of delivery (QoD) metrics such as the round trip time (RTT) of NMG control data is necessary. This paper addresses the communication network types and communication technologies used in NMGs. We present various NMG deployments to demonstrate real-life applicability in different contexts. We develop a real-time NMG testbed using real hardware such as Cisco 4331 Integrated Services Routers (ISR). …

Implementing The European Open Science Cloud (Eosc) In Ireland, William Brown, Christopher Burbidge, Diarmuid Collins, Aedin Culhane, Michelle Doran, Lindsay Dowling, Venkatesh Kannan, Beth Knazook, Ruth Patricia Moran, Joan Murphy, Flaithri Neff, Jenny O'Neill, Roberto Sabatino, Laura Whelan, Shirley Wrynn

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This paper proposes the development of a European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Federation national node for Ireland (EOSC Ireland). EOSC Ireland will be a digital platform that connects researchers and research infrastructures across Ireland to the European-wide EOSC Federation. It allows researchers to share and access data, tools, and applications, making national and international collaboration easier. By engaging with EOSC Ireland, researchers can find and contribute new datasets, share analysis, and provide analytical tool and code that others can use, helping to advance scientific discovery. To achieve this, EOSC Ireland must establish essential functions such as resource catalogue and registry …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Holographic Lenses Recorded In Photopolymers With High Refractive Index Modulation For Application In Solar Concentration, Brian Rogers, Paola Galli, Suzanne Martin, Andrea Bianco, Izabela Naydenova

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Holographic optical elements have a history of use in solar concentrating devices. One of the most significant challenges of using these elements in real-life devices is their typically high angular and spectral selectivity. A possible solution to expanding their operational range is using thinner devices, but to achieve high diffraction efficiency, a recording material with a high refractive index is required. In this work, a photopolymer with high refractive index modulation is used to create volume holographic lenses in layers as thin as 10 µm, while maintaining high diffraction efficiency. These lenses are designed for minimal angular selectivity, while still …

Human Error, Human Factors And Production Ergonomics. A Discussion From The Perspective Of Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing, Ann Ryan

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Cost-Effective Photogrammetry Techniques For Surveying, Recording And Documenting Stone Circles In County Wicklow, Maurice Murphy, Garrett Keenaghan, Alain Chenaux, Petra Kajacic

Level 3

No abstract provided.

The Plan-It-Play Project: Where The Circular Economy And The Toy Industry Meet, Janet Mckennedy, Siobhan Enright, Michael Durand

Level 3

No abstract provided.

The Virtual Events Initiative To Facilitate Cpd In Professional Practice For Engineers, John Heffernan, Kevin Delaney, John Coleman, Barry Lowe, Diarmaid Cowhie, Pat Donnellan, Sean Lenihan, Paddy Sheridan

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Is A Hackathon A Good Use Of My Time? Reflections On The Efficacy Of Hackathons For Adult Learners Across Multi-Disciplinary Boundaries, Elaine Edmonds

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Report On Optimal Methodologies For The Education Of Regulatory Assessors, Naomi Beard

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Selective Laser Melted Ti6al4v Tpms Porous Structures For Biomedical Applications, Babak Ziaie, Longjiang Niu, Waqas Saleem, Liyong Ni, Muhammad Faisal Rathore, Xavier Velay

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Metal additive manufacturing methods, particularly powder bed fusion techniques like selective laser melting, have revolutionized the production of complex geometries that were previously unachievable using conventional manufacturing methods. Among these geometries, porous structures, especially Triply Periodic Minimal Surface structures, are particularly interesting for biomedical applications. These structures possess an interconnected open-cell configuration and mechanical properties, which closely mimic the architecture and behavior of natural bone. This characteristic is critical in reducing common issues, such as stress shielding in biomedical implants, where mismatches in stiffness between the implant and the surrounding bone lead to bone resorption and implant failure. This experimental …

Incorporating A Sustainable Eportfolio Model Within The Curriculum For Enhanced Professional Development: Building Bridges In Pharmacy Technician Education, Tao Zhang, Seána Hogan, Kathryn Young, Mary Therese Mcgrath, Jill Barrett, Julie Dunne

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Introducing Apprentices To Brightspace, Peter O'Farrell

Case studies: Brightspace

Apprentice Tradespeople come to Bolton Street to study the theoretical aspect of their trades in blocks of 10 or 11 weeks. The 11-week block of learning includes 10 weeks of learning and 1 week of exams. The students have consistently given feedback that they find the 10 weeks quite busy with substantial amounts of new material to take in during the classes. These are NFC Level 6 students. The MAMF (Mechanical Automation Maintenance Fitter) apprentices taught in the School of Mechanical Engineering undertake a broad range of subject matter over a 35-hour college week, including technical drawing. There are sixteen …