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"outdoor environments"
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Renovation of Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel—A Case Study on the Effect of the Combination of Visual Information and Environmental Grade in a Sequential Space on Human Psychological Response
This project is based on the hypothesis that the combination of visual information and environmental grades—such as airflow and temperature—in a uniform, sequential space can influence psychological responses. To explore this hypothesis, we selected the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel as a case study. This tunnel provides a controlled spatial environment with limited external visual stimuli and includes four viewing decks that open to the outside, allowing natural light, air, and temperature variation to enter the interior. The renovation was intended to couple visual stimuli with airflow variation, under the hypothesis that this co‐variation may strengthen psychological responses. Architectural elements, including water ponds and reflective mirrors, were introduced to enhance airflow or reflection from the exterior and intensify sensory engagement. Through this combination of visual and environmental cues, the project sought to create a cohesive, immersive experience throughout the entire tunnel.
Journal Article
Effects of various environmental grades on thermal comfort in semi‐outdoor spaces
The introduction of semi‐outdoor spaces to urban spaces and offices has increased in recent years. In previous studies, environmental grade has been defined as the level of control for the thermal environment set for an architectural space based on the use, where “semi‐outdoor environment” is an environmental grade division that exists as a gradation between indoors and outdoors. This study aims to clarify effects of various environmental grades on thermal comfort. Field surveys were conducted in five semi‐outdoor spaces in Tokyo from 9 to 25 September 2021, consisting of thermal environment measurement, questionnaires about thermal comfort and impression of surveyed spaces and real‐time sensation voting. By impression evaluation and comparison of the regression curves of standard new effective temperature (SET*) against percentage of “uncomfortably warm,” the surveyed spaces were classified into two categories: “outdoor tendency” and “indoor tendency.” The difference in thermal comfort for the diverse semi‐outdoor environment could be evaluated by the difference in spatial characteristics such as “sense of weight” of the top surface in addition to the difference in environment control. By regression analysis of real‐time sensation voting result using hierarchical Bayesian approach, environmental grade was clarified to affect the correlation between pleasantness/unpleasantness and air velocity.
Journal Article
Large-Area Monitoring of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Levels from Mobile Phone Base Stations and Broadcast Transmission Towers by Car-Mounted Measurements around Tokyo
Car-mounted measurements of radiofrequency electromagnetic exposure levels were carried out in a large area around Tokyo. Prior to the electric field (E-field) measurements using a car, the effect of the car body was evaluated in an anechoic chamber. The measurements between May 2021 and February 2022 were carried out within a radius of 100 km centering on Nihonbashi, Tokyo, with a measurement distance of about 13,800 km. The measurement results were averaged in the reference area mesh (1 km2). It was found that the E-field strengths of FM/TV frequency bands are lower than that of mobile phone base stations. It was also found that the E-field strength of only the 5G frequency band is approximately 20–30 dB lower than that of all mobile phone systems. However, note that it is possible to depend on the data traffic of 5G. The E-field strength of all bands is higher in Tokyo than in other prefectures. Additionally, repeated measurements were carried out to investigate the reproducibility of the measured E-field. The standard deviation is less than 3 dB along the same route, and a similar tendency of E-field strength by the car to the time-averaged results of spot measurements in the past was confirmed. Finally, the relationship of E-field strength with population density was investigated. It was found that the E-field strength from mobile phone base stations has a positive relationship with population density.
Journal Article
Multi-sensor-based online positive learning for drivable region detection
A new method for detecting drivable regions in an unrehearsed and unstructured outdoor environment using multi-sensor information is presented. To achieve this goal, two key methods are developed: (i) robust and effective feature definition using colour and geometry and (ii) online learning algorithm using positive samples for detecting drivable regions. With real data sets, the effect of sensor modality is evaluated and is compared the performance of the algorithm to a cluster-based approach.
Journal Article
Greenspace as Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Essentialities in the Physical Environment
There is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the potential benefits of human–nature contact within the context of working life. Even more limited is the research that focuses on working outdoors and the setting in which it takes place. This study aimed to obtain insight into key aspects of the physical environment relevant for the experienced benefits and challenges of workers exploring office work outdoors. We conducted interviews with key informants as well as photo registration and mapping of the different green spaces in the environments of six small or medium-sized workplaces. The information gathered was used as background knowledge for exploratory qualitative interviews, which were conducted while walking in natural settings chosen by the interviewees. With a landscape architectural perspective and an inductive approach, we explored employees’ experiences of bringing office work outdoors. The following themes emerged: ‘Simplicity,’ ‘Safeness’, ‘Comfort’, and ‘Contact with Nature’ were experienced as key aspects in relation to the physical environment, whereas ‘Sociality’, ‘Well-being’, and ‘Functioning’ stood out as the main benefits and, ‘Digital dependency’ and ‘Illegitimacy’ as challenges to overcome. Based on the identification of potential benefits and their prerequisites, we propose implications for practice and research that can be useful when focusing on bringing office work outdoors.
Journal Article
A Critical Review of the Propagation Models Employed in LoRa Systems
LoRa systems are emerging as a promising technology for wireless sensor networks due to their exceptional range and low power consumption. The successful deployment of LoRa networks relies on accurate propagation models to facilitate effective network planning. Therefore, this review explores the landscape of propagation models supporting LoRa networks. Specifically, we examine empirical propagation models commonly employed in communication systems, assessing their applicability across various environments such as outdoor, indoor, and within vegetation. Our investigation underscores the prevalence of logarithmic decay in most empirical models. In addition, we survey the relationship between model parameters and environmental factors, clearing their nuanced interplay. Analyzing published measurement results, we extract the log-distance model parameters to decipher environmental influences comprehensively. Drawing insights from published measurement results for LoRa, we compare them with the model’s outcomes, highlighting successes and limitations. We additionally explore the application of multi-slope models to LoRa measurements to evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing the accuracy of path loss prediction. Finally, we propose new lines for future research in propagation modelling to improve empirical models.
Journal Article
A Comprehensive Survey of the Recent Studies with UAV for Precision Agriculture in Open Fields and Greenhouses
The increasing world population makes it necessary to fight challenges such as climate change and to realize production efficiently and quickly. However, the minimum cost, maximum income, environmental pollution protection and the ability to save water and energy are all factors that should be taken into account in this process. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agriculture to meet all of these criteria serves the purpose of precision agriculture. As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can easily obtain real-time data, they have a great potential to address and optimize solutions to the problems faced by agriculture. Despite some limitations, such as the battery, load, weather conditions, etc., UAVs will be used frequently in agriculture in the future because of the valuable data that they obtain and their efficient applications. According to the known literature, UAVs have been carrying out tasks such as spraying, monitoring, yield estimation, weed detection, etc. In recent years, articles related to agricultural UAVs have been presented in journals with high impact factors. Most precision agriculture applications with UAVs occur in outdoor environments where GPS access is available, which provides more reliable control of the UAV in both manual and autonomous flights. On the other hand, there are almost no UAV-based applications in greenhouses where all-season crop production is available. This paper emphasizes this deficiency and provides a comprehensive review of the use of UAVs for agricultural tasks and highlights the importance of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for a UAV solution in the greenhouse.
Journal Article
Heat-Mitigation Strategies to Improve Pedestrian Thermal Comfort in Urban Environments: A Review
Thermal comfort is one of the main factors affecting pedestrian health, and improving thermal comfort enhances walkability. In this paper, the impact of various strategies on thermal-comfort improvement for pedestrians is thoroughly evaluated and compared. Review studies cover both fieldwork and simulation results. These strategies consist of shading (trees, buildings), the orientation and geometry of urban forms, vegetation, solar-reflective materials, and water bodies, which were investigated as the most effective ways to improve outdoor thermal comfort. Results showed that the most important climatic factors affecting outdoor thermal comfort are mean radiant temperature, wind speed, and wind direction in a microclimate. The best heat-mitigation strategy for improving thermal comfort was found to be vegetation and specifically trees because of their shading effect. The effect of height-to-width (H/W) ratio in canyons is another important factor. By increasing H/W ratio, the thermal-comfort level also increases. Deploying highly reflective materials in urban canyons is not recommended, as several studies showed that they could reflect solar radiation onto pedestrians. Results also showed that, in order to achieve a satisfactory level of thermal comfort, physiological and psychological factors should be considered together.
Journal Article
UV Solar Energy and Erythemal Exposure: Mathematical Models to Assess the Dose on Vertical and Inclined Planes in Different Sky Conditions
Ultra violet (UV) solar energy can cause several negative effects to the skin and eyes in case of overexposure. To protect people from erythemal damage, personal erythemal exposure must be carefully assessed when outdoor activities are carried out. The direct measure with scientific instruments is impracticable to common people, and indirect methods assess the exposure only on the horizontal plane: this work developed a mathematical model to assess erythemal exposure to all the body districts. UVA irradiance and erythemal irradiance were measured on several inclined planes, oriented to the four cardinal directions, in seven environments with multiple sky conditions. The UV erythemal (UVE) ratio between erythemal irradiance on an inclined plane (Iery°) and UVA irradiance on a horizontal plane (IUVAh) was calculated. The results indicate that the UVE = Iery°/IUVAh is variable across the day and depends on the plane orientation, its degree of inclination, and sky conditions. Mathematical models to calculate erythemal exposure in clear, intermediate and overcast sky conditions on planes with different inclinations and orientations were derived from the daily trends of the UVE = Iery°/IUVAh. The application procedure of the mathematical model to the vertical plane oriented to the south is provided as an example.
Journal Article