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Climate change is raising the length and intensity of the warm season in the academic year, with a very significant impact on indoor classroom conditions. Increasingly frequent episodes of extreme heat are having an adverse effect on school activities, whose duration may have to be shortened or pace slackened. Fitting facilities with air conditioning does not always solve the problem and may even contribute to discomfort or worsen health conditions, often as a result of insufficient ventilation. Users have traditionally adopted measures to adapt to these situations, particularly in warm climates where mechanical refrigeration is absent or unavailable. Implementation of such measures or of natural ventilation is not always possible or their efficacy is limited in school environments, however. Such constraints, especially in a context where reasonable energy use and operating costs are a primary concern, inform the need to identify the factors that contribute to users’ perceptions of comfort. This study deploys a post-occupancy strategy combined with participatory action to empower occupants as agents actively engaging in their own comfort. It addresses user-identified classroom comfort parameters potentially applicable in the design and layout of thermally suitable spaces meriting occupant acceptance.

Advances in artificial intelligence technology have raised new possibilities for the effective evaluation of daily dietary intake, but more empirical study is needed for the use of such technologies under realistic meal scenarios. This study developed an automated food recognition technology, which was then integrated into its previous design to improve usability for meal reporting. The newly developed app allowed for the automatic detection and recognition of multiple dishes within a single real-time food image as input. App performance was tested using young adults in authentic dining conditions. A 2-group comparative study was conducted to assess app performance using metrics including accuracy, efficiency, and user perception. The experimental group, named the automatic image-based reporting (AIR) group, was compared against a control group using the previous version, named the voice input reporting (VIR) group. Each application is primarily designed to facilitate a distinct method of food intake reporting. AIR users capture and upload images of their selected dishes, supplemented with voice commands where appropriate. VIR users supplement the uploaded image with verbal inputs for food names and attributes. The 2 mobile apps were subjected to a head-to-head parallel randomized evaluation. A cohort of 42 young adults aged 20-25 years (9 male and 33 female participants) was recruited from a university in Taiwan and randomly assigned to 2 groups, that is, AIR (n=22) and VIR (n=20). Both groups were assessed using the same menu of 17 dishes. Each meal was designed to represent a typical lunch or dinner setting, with 1 staple, 1 main course, and 3 side dishes. All participants used the app on the same type of smartphone, with the interfaces of both using uniform user interactions, icons, and layouts. Analysis of the gathered data focused on assessing reporting accuracy, time efficiency, and user perception. For the AIR group, 86% (189/220) of dishes were correctly identified, whereas 68% (136/200) of dishes were accurately reported. The AIR group exhibited a significantly higher degree of identification accuracy compared to the VIR group (P<.001). The AIR group also required significantly less time to complete food reporting (P<.001). System usability scale scores showed both apps were perceived as having high usability and learnability (P=.20). The AIR group outperformed the VIR group concerning accuracy and time efficiency for overall dish reporting within the meal testing scenario. While further technological enhancement may be required, artificial intelligence vision technology integration into existing mobile apps holds promise. Our results provide evidence-based contributions to the integration of automatic image recognition technology into existing apps in terms of user interaction efficacy and overall ease of use. Further empirical work is required, including full-scale randomized controlled trials and assessments of user perception under various conditions.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities of prioritizing tasks, actual sharing of libraries, collaboration policies and the directions via quantifying the relative importance of services for each value based on users’ perceptions observed from in-depth analysis of the investigation results. Through this, the study expects that libraries will provide high – level the sharing economy services, reflecting users’ needs. Design/methodology/approach This study surveyed public library users across the country have through the survey method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to examine the perceptions of users on the roles of libraries in the sharing economy’s environment to deduce the directions and priorities to activate the roles and functions of libraries in the era of the sharing economy. Findings The research results are as follow: first, public library users’ awareness of the concept of the sharing economy was low, but they observed a relation between the two concepts after understanding the concept of the sharing economy. Second, The users’ personal characteristics were observed to mostly affect knowledge information service, experience talent sharing, material sharing and space sharing. Lastly, the study sought to identify the relative importance (preference) of various library services which pursue the value of the sharing economy through AHP analysis method. The values of the sharing economy were preferred in the order of social>economic>technical>relational values which can be enumerated to convenience>knowledge>space>education>contents>new technology>experienced talent>object>network. Originality/value This study has a great significance in that it analyzed actual library users’ perceptions on the concept of the sharing economy and the functions and roles of libraries in the era of the sharing economy from a multifaceted angle. In addition, this study carries an important meaning as it provided an opportunity to vitalize libraries and explored the measures to actualize the roles of libraries in tandem with the environment of the sharing economy by recognizing the values of libraries based on the new concepts and values of the sharing economy and presenting the functions and roles of the libraries from the aspects of the sharing economy.

This study examines the perception of accessibility provisions in selected art centres in Lagos, Nigeria. The research investigated how architecture influences the people and their development, enabling or hindering them across many facets which influences economic growth. The concept of accessibility significantly affects a society's interaction with its architecture and infrastructure. With a focus on accessibility, this study investigated the perception of users towards accessibility provisions in selected art centres alongside with how these provisions affect usability of these centres. A quantitative methodology of research was carried out via the distribution of questionnaires to workers and users of three selected art centres in Lagos state, Nigeria. Data collected was analysed using SPSS 21 and interpreted accordingly. The findings suggested that not all necessary access provisions are available and of the available ones, very few were effective. Inadequate accessibility leads to less utilisation of these facilities, which is having a negative effect on the users of the investigated facilities. The study concludes that in order to promote poverty alleviation, and the creation and sale of art, accessibility provisions need to be present and appropriate for all users to access the necessary facilities. It was recommended that, fully functional art centres are attainable by integrating accessibility from the onset of design.

In the emerging electronic environment, knowing how to create customercentered Web sites is of great importance. This paper reports two studies on user perceptions of Web sites. First, Kano's model of quality was used in an exploratory investigation of customer quality expectations for a specific type of site (CNN.com). The quality model was then extended by treating broader site types/domains. The results showed that (1) customers' quality expectations change over time, and thus no single quality checklist will be good for very long, (2) the Kano model can be used as a framework or method for identifying quality expectations and the time transition of quality factors, (3) customers in a Web domain do not regard all quality factors as equally important, and (4) the rankings of important quality factors differ from one Web domain to another, but certain factors were regarded as highly important across all the domains studied.

Purpose>Libraries worldwide, including Hong Kong, increasingly use social media tools to introduce and promote their services and resources to users. Instagram, in particular, is used to target younger users. This study investigates the effectiveness of Instagram in promoting library services and university students' perceptions of the value of Instagram as a learning support tool.Design/methodology/approach>A major academic library in Hong Kong was chosen for this study. Library users' habits, perceptions, preferences, and views on Instagram's effectiveness as a learning support tool were compared in two age groups. The data were collected using a survey based on the 5E Instructional Model.Findings>Despite the significantly higher frequency of Instagram use by younger students, the results showed that Instagram was probably an ineffective promotion platform for either age group because of low user engagement, relatively neutral perception of Instagram as a learning support tool, and notably low user acceptance of Instagram as a promotional tool.Originality/value>Studies of student perspectives on various social media tools have increased; however, few have explored the use of Instagram, especially in Hong Kong or Asia. This study provides researchers and librarians with practical insights into current Instagram users' engagement, perceptions, and preferences and their view of its effectiveness as a learning support tool. The study also provides suggestions for improving the current situation.

Maintaining engagement is challenging in human–human interaction. When disengagements happen, people try to adapt their behavior with an expectation that engagement will be regained. In human–robot interaction, although socially interactive robots are engaging, people can easily drop engagement while interacting with robots. This paper proposes a multi-layer re-engagement system that applies different strategies through human-like verbal and non-verbal behaviors to regain user engagement, taking into account the user’s attention level and affective states. We conducted a usability test in a robot storytelling scenario to demonstrate technical operation of the system as well as to investigate how people react when interacting with a robot with re-engagement ability. Our usability test results reveal that the system has the potential to maintain a user’s engagement. Our selected users gave positive comments, through open-ended questions, to the robot with this ability. They also rated the robot with the re-engagement ability higher on several dimensions, i.e., animacy, likability, and perceived intelligence.

The quality of the transport system offered at city level constitutes an important and challenging goal for society, for local authorities, and transport operators. Therefore, appropriate evaluation of travellers’ satisfaction is required to support service performance monitoring, benchmarking, and market analysis. This aspect implies the collection of satisfaction levels for different passengers’ groups, as it could provide interesting suggestions for identifying priority areas of action. To this end, an original study aimed at understanding the main aspects affecting the common view of satisfaction among different kinds of travellers at European level is presented in this paper. A specific survey investigating how travellers perceive the quality of their journey is proposed to people living in cities characterised by different sizes. Data are then analysed through a multi-view co-clustering algorithm, an innovative machine learning technique that highlights clusters of respondents grouped according to various categories of features. Such results could be used by local authorities and transport providers to understand the specific actions to be operated to improve the quality of transport service offered in a market segmentation dimension.

This paper presents a literature review of the quality of greywater generated in different, especially developing, countries, constituents found in greywater, some treatment systems, natural materials for treatment, some reuse strategies and public perception regarding greywater reuse. The review shows that generation rates are mostly influenced by lifestyle, types of fixtures used and climatic conditions. Contaminants found in greywater are largely associated with the type of detergent used and influenced by other household practices. Many of the treatment systems reviewed were unable to provide total treatment as each system has its unique strength in removing a group of targeted pollutants. The review revealed that some naturally occurring materials such as Moringa oleifera, sawdust, can be used to remove targeted pollutants in greywater. The study further showed that user perceptions towards greywater treatment and reuse were only favourable towards non-potable purposes, mostly due to perceived contamination or lack of trust in the level of treatment offered by the treatment system.

Introduction: Nowadays the Western mental health system is in transformation to recovery-oriented and trauma informed care in which experiential knowledge becomes incorporated. An important development in this context is that traditional mental health professionals came to the fore with their lived experiences. From 2017 to 2021, a research project was conducted in the Netherlands in three mental health organizations, focussing on how service users perceive the professional use of experiential knowledge.Aims: This paper aims to explore service users’ perspectives regarding their healthcare professionals’ use of experiential knowledge and the users’ perceptions of how this contributes to their personal recovery.Methods: As part of the qualitative research, 22 service users were interviewed. A thematic analysis was employed to derive themes and patterns from the interview transcripts. Results: The use of experiential knowledge manifests in the quality of a compassionate user-professional relationship in which personal disclosures of the professional’s distress and resilience are embedded. This often stimulates users’ recovery process.Conclusions: Findings suggest that the use of experiential knowledge by mental health professionals like social workers, nurses and humanistic counselors, demonstrates an overall positive value as an additional (re)source.