Contemporary Home Research Articles

Looking to the past: Investigating 10-year place histories as a determinant of home food environments in the Healthy Communities Study

Emerging research suggests there is a need to consider the importance of place histories in studying neighborhood effects. Guided by a life course of place framework, the objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between two place history exposures and three contemporary home food environment outcomes. Exposures included 10-year neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) histories and multi-year nutrition community programming and policy (CPP) histories. Outcomes included the availability of healthy foods in the home, the availability of unhealthy foods in the home, and household food insecurity. Associations are investigated using cross-sectional and retrospective data on 4210 US families in the national, observational Healthy Communities Study (2013–2015). Multilevel regression models, adjusted for household income and other factors, were fit for each exposure and outcome. Households residing in neighborhoods with intermittently low, consistently moderate, intermittently high, and consistently high SES histories had greater availability of healthy foods in the home than households in neighborhoods with consistently low SES histories (adjusted βs: 0.11 [95% CI: 0.02, 0.20], 0.13 [95% CI: 0.06, 0.21], 0.23 [95% CI: 0.13, 0.34], and 0.24 [95% CI: 0.15, 0.33], respectively). Households in consistently high SES neighborhoods also had a lower likelihood of household food insecurity than those in consistently low SES neighborhoods (adjusted OR: 0.54 [95% CI: 0.42, 0.71]). Neighborhood SES histories were not significantly associated with the availability of unhealthy foods in the home. Nutrition CPP histories were not significantly associated with food insecurity or the availability of unhealthy foods in the home. However, more intense nutrition CPP histories were significantly associated with greater availability of healthy foods in the home. Moreover, effect estimates increased with more long-term historical accounts of CPPs (adjusted βs: 1-year CPP histories, 0.21 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.39]; 3-year CPP histories, 0.22 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.41]; 6-year CPP histories, 0.25 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.46]; 10-year CPP histories, 0.28 [95% CI: 0.05, 0.50]). To curb food insecurity and promote the availability of healthy foods, the findings suggest considering how neighborhoods develop and evolve over time with respect to SES and nutrition CPP implementation.

Design and Development from the Qing Dynasty Armchair Inspired for Modern Home Decoration Business

Background and Aims: Chinese traditional culture is extensive and profound, among which the Qing Dynasty culture has a more profound influence on modern home decoration. The Qing Dynasty was a period of rapid development of Chinese furniture culture, and many representative works appeared in the history of furniture. In these works, the chair of the Qing Dynasty has a unique style, unique design, atmospheric beauty, and simple beauty. Thus, this paper aims (1) to define and characterize the Qing Dynasty Armchair. (2) to study 5 well-known brands of new Chinese-style chairs in the market. And (3) to develop and design new Chinese chairs based on the Qing Dynasty style. Methodology: Three new Chinese chairs that skillfully combine tradition and innovation are the result of the research process, which carefully combined cultural heritage with modern design trends. The final designs were confirmed to be in line with modern consumers' preferences for distinctive shapes, eco-friendly materials, and functional versatility through surveys and expert interviews. This strategy emphasizes how important it is to respect cultural heritage while satisfying the changing needs of the modern furniture market. Results: Nowadays, the progress of modern home improvement enterprises has brought new changes to people's needs, so the design of the chair must also change. The main consumers of the modern home improvement market are young customers, so it is important to meet their needs. We should make some chairs that conform to the trend of The Times and have Chinese characteristics. To sum up, the author thinks that this research should develop and design a new Chinese chair based on the Qing Dynasty style. Through the questionnaire survey of 30 people and the interview of 3 people, we understand the consumers' evaluation and expectations of the existing 3 new Chinese chair design cases and then improve the chair cases to determine the final design innovation scheme. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for contemporary home improvement companies to modify chair designs while preserving Chinese cultural elements to satisfy the changing demands of younger consumers. The study emphasizes the significance of creating new Chinese chairs with Qing Dynasty design inspirations and incorporating customer and expert interview feedback to improve designs that meet modern trends and expectations.

Raum und Rhythmus: Radio-Design im Diskurs der Zeitschrift Innendekoration in den 1920er und 1930er Jahren

Abstract From the mid-1920s onward, radio, which in its early days had still been experimental in many respects, became a companion of everyday life. The professionalization of program content was accompanied by a change in the appearance of the radio itself: simple receivers with headphones were replaced by elegant radio furniture with a modernist touch meant to blend in with contemporary home design. The interior magazine Innendekoration, published by Alexander Koch in Darmstadt, commented on the integration of the Zeitgeist medium radio into the private interior in a number of essays that present radio as a technological interface between the private and the public sphere, individuation and the masses, location and the dissolution of boundaries.

”No son humanos, pero lo parecen”: un estudio cuasiexperimental sobre la experiencia y perceptión con modelos de robots virtuales entre personas de la tercera edad y menores en Italia, Rumania y España


 
 
 The strong presence of products infused with AI in many of our homes has made such an impact on the evolution of human needs that technology has become key to our daily lives. In turn, the need to have such products in contemporary homes has different consequences for different user groups. This study is based on the development of six virtual robot models as part of the Tele-Encounters project, whose objective is to understand how elderly people and children evaluate their experience when interacting with these virtual robot models. A total of 150 children and 60 elderly people from Spain, Romania, and Italy are involved, using a quasi-experimental research design generated from each research location. The study highlights how both groups have different preferences in their use of virtual robots, which is important to take into account for future AI projects. 
 
 

Design and implementation of a digital clock using a seven-segment display

A digital electronic clock is a sophisticated timing instrument that employs digital technology to showcase the hours, minutes, and seconds. Distinct from traditional timekeeping devices, these clocks offer unparalleled precision, eliminating the need for mechanical transmission components. Their displays are not only clear and easy to read but also streamlined, which enhances their appeal. In the ever-evolving urban landscape, where aesthetics and functionality are paramount, digital electronic clocks have carved out a significant niche. These modern marvels can now be found gracing numerous settings, from state-of-the-art office spaces to contemporary homes. Their widespread adoption can be attributed to their ability to blend seamlessly with diverse interior designs while offering the primary benefit of precise timekeeping. Additionally, their low maintenance requirements and resilience to wear and tear make them a preferred choice for many. As architectural and interior trends continue to emphasize sleekness and modernity, the prevalence of digital electronic clocks is expected to further soar, underscoring their relevance in todays fast-paced world.

Crafts in the Time of Coronavirus

Crafts in the Time of Coronavirus

Discussion on the Application of Tang Dynasty Dunhuang Flying Sky Elements in Household Textiles

This article provides a specific analysis and research on the research background, application feasibility, and innovative application methods of the Tang Dynasty Dunhuang Feitian image. It explores the application significance of the Dunhuang Feitian image in household textiles and endows it with emotional value, breaking the inherent sense of the times in Dunhuang Feitian and giving it a new visual image and experience, so that traditional culture can be reflected in contemporary home textile design, It has enhanced the cultural value of household textiles and promoted the inheritance and development of Dunhuang Feitian culture.

IoT Based Smart Home Automation and Security

Abstract: Over the past few decades, home automation systems have been increasingly popular because they increase comfort and quality of life. A microcontroller and a smartphone are the main components of most contemporary home automation systems. A smart phoneapplication is used to manage and monitor the home appliances via various types of communication. Due of their narrow scope, the current techniques have limitations. The implementation of this project, "IOT- based smart security and smart home automation," has been completed in order to overcome these problems. The concept focuses on "home automation," which is the control of lights and fans, as well as smart security by sending a picture taken by email to the owner via the internet when an object is recognized. This project will be carried out using the "Raspberry Pi" module. This will be especially beneficial to the crippled and elderly.

Exploring the Implementation of Multimedia Technology in Contemporary Home Product Design for Regional Culture Inheritance and Innovation

Exploring the Implementation of Multimedia Technology in Contemporary Home Product Design for Regional Culture Inheritance and Innovation

Beyond the visuality of Western architecture. The Chinese home from inward haven to outward representation

This paper aims at discussing the recent evolutions experienced by housing in Contemporary China through the study of the living habits of wealthy families in the fringes of Shanghai and Chongqing. The copycat phenomenon widespread across Chinese cities is one example, on the one hand, of the transformations of social uses of the house which gains a dimension of visibility; and, on the other hand, of an object that so far has been studied only through Western-centred conceptions of visuality and materiality. This research offers a different perspective, one of the inhabitants of neighbourhoods with exotic atmospheres. The analysis of the discourse of the residents as well as their daily practices of space appropriation and home decoration reveals that the house plays a new role in social interactions. As a social mean of representing the status of its occupants, the outside part of the building, its surroundings and some of the interior are assigned a visual dimension destined to the outside viewers and guests of the family, transforming the relationships between the public and private spheres which duality do not match the one of what is visible and what is invisible. Contrariwise to general views about the Western style neighbourhoods, what is offered to the view does not convey a process of westernisation or acculturation of the daily life, but expresses the will for a liberation from certain social constraints experienced in the former place of residency. The Chinese contemporary home is then, among this wealthier part of the population where domestic space is a valuable resource, the place of production of a new urbanity where different forms of sociality and representations coexist.

Production of Large-Sized Ceramic Stones Based on Screenings from Waste Heap Processing Using the Technology of Stiff Extrusion for Molding Products

This article discusses the prospects for using large-format ceramic stones in the construction of contemporary homes, as well as an overview of raw materials and technologies for production. The most promising technology is stiff extrusion with the ability to load the raw products on firing trolleys and accelerate the processes of firing and drying. Characteristics of Eastern Donbass waste heaps processing screenings are given, which are coal mining by-products and are considered to be main raw material for the production of large-sized ceramic stone. It is shown that as a result of introduction of waste heaps into the production of ceramic stones with the lowest prime cost, the density of the resulting products will be less than 800 kg/m3, the thermal conductivity will be less than 0.20 m·°C/W, and the strength grade will be M150 and higher. Thus, the use of ceramic stones in total volume of wall products for residential construction will reach the level of 80% and will increase the competitiveness of the material, especially when compared with gas silicate products, as used in Western Europe. High economic feasibility of the production of such materials based on by-products of waste heap processing is shown as well.

The Home and the Robot: an Onto-topological Attempt

The article “The Home and the Robot: An Onto-topological Attempt” views the idea of proliferation of hybrids within contemporary domestic spaces due to technological innovations such as Alexa, Siri, home robots etc. It focuses on Musk’s symptomatic project called “Optimus” which is a home robot developed for helping with boring and tiresome everyday chores around the house and thus a key example for exploring the paradoxes within the ideas of homeliness and atmosphere considered as kernels in creating a private and intimate space, i.e., a home. Drawing on Luce Irigaray’s critique of Heideggerian ontology, Sloterdijk’s onto-topological project and Latour’s hybrids, the article sees the proliferation of hybrids as a way for tackling these paradoxes and how they influence contemporary subjectivity and one of its key spaces of articulation – the home. The basic problem which the article tries to elucidate is the forgetting of atmosphere in the creation and care for contemporary dwellings. А forgetting expressed precisely by the “becoming smart” of contemporary homes through apps and robots. However, the article’s problem does not come from technological paranoia, but from a need to articulate certain limits of technology and to mark conceptual trajectories that must be accounted for when innovating the spaces of subjectivity.

An IoT Based Smart Home Automation Using Google Assistant

Home automation systems have become an essential component of contemporary homes as a result of the quick spread of smart gadgets and the rising popularity of voice-controlled assistants. This study proposes a comprehensive home automation system that integrates Google Assistant with the goal of improving the ease and efficacy of everyday household tasks. The technology allows users to operate a variety of smart appliances and gadgets using voice commands using the numerous device interoperability and natural language processing capabilities of Google Assistant. In this paper, the Home Automation System’s design, implementation, and assessment are covered, along with some of its advantages, features, and practical uses. The results show whether the system works in the context of home automation to improve comfort, energy efficiency, and all-around user experience.

Long-term monitoring of the European roller (Coracias garrulus) in Ukraine: is climate behind the changes?

The European range of the roller was formerly more extensive, but since the 1980s there has been a long-term decline in numbers and in range, particularly towards the north, including much of north-western Ukraine. Our specific goals were to reconstruct the environmentally suitable range of the species in Ukraine before the 1980s, gain better knowledge on its requirements, compare the past and current suitable areas, infer the regional and environmental variables that best explain its occurrence, and quantify the overall range change in the country. For these purposes we created a database consisting of 584 findings made in Ukraine, based on a lengthy record of occurrences extending back to 1851: 203 for the period prior to 1980, 91 for records made between 1985 and 2009, and 290 records made between 2010 and 2020. We employed a species distribution modelling (SDM) approach to hindcast changes in the suitable range of the roller during historical times across Ukraine and to derive spatially explicit predictions of environmental suitability for the species under current climate and a set of factors that were hypothesised to be of importance to roller presence and securing a sufficient food base. SDMs were created for three time intervals (before 1980, 1985–2009, 2010–2020) using corresponding climate data. SDMs show a decline of suitable for rollers areas in the country from around 86 to 44%. Several factors, including land cover and land use, human population density etc. that could have contributed to the decline of the species in Ukraine, were considered. For example, the loss of area of ‘short vegetation’ appears detrimental, although recent gains in this respect have favoured the bird in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and around, where Landsat images show the change from a previously vibrant agricultural and forestry economy, when crops have been replaced by grasslands. Threats posed to the roller by habitat and land use change are also likely to be compounded by the effects of global climate change. In summary, we suggest climate change, in particular velocity, have been responsible for shaping the contemporary home range of the European roller in Ukraine and perhaps beyond.

„Ucieczka z systemu”. Edukacja domowa z perspektywy rodziców dzieci szkolnych

Homeschooling has gained significant interest in the recent years. Despite this, the number of home schooled pupils in Poland does not exceed 0.5% of all students, making homeschooling a niche alternative. This article attempts to discuss the need to revive the awareness around home education, including reasons for choosing this educational path, its advantages, disadvantages, consequences and the level of parental satisfaction. Starting with the critique of the current schooling system as motivation in moving towards educational alternatives, I conclude homeschooling to be an escape from the traditional schooling system. I have analysed data collected from parents of school-aged children in an attempt to recreate their view of contemporary home education. In contrast to existing research, my findings were collected under conditions of remote learning related to the covid19 pandemic. I believe that embedding my research in a quantitative strategy will allow further systematic exploration of this area and consolidation of reliable comprehension of home education in Poland.

Community Houses to Increase Access to Home Dialysis.

Community Houses to Increase Access to Home Dialysis.

Showing How They Made Them Move: Early Making-of Documentaries on the Production of Animated Films

Contrary to popular belief, ‘making-of’ documentaries are not a phenomenon of contemporary home cinema culture, but have a long pre-DVD history. This article engages with a special subcategory: ‘making-of’ documentaries on the production of animation. With a focus on French and American examples, the author retraces the transition of production imagery from metaleptic cartoons to emergent documentary genres of the 1930s, arguing that this historical shift reformulated the question of how the creation of animated films can be captured cinematically. Providing decidedly nonfiction (but not necessarily ‘objective’) images of the making of animation, the films challenged established concepts to address the realm of cinematic production. The article seeks to examine this theoretical potential, using the notion of a cinematic hors-cadre as a key example.

Faház a réten

This timber framed, timber clad home's design was initiated by the client request stating, "we would not like, to have timber elevations". Following traditional ideas for a low-rise home with a 45o roof pitch and south facing rooms a contemporary home has been developed that embraces local values without need for acts of nostalgia. Privacy is gained by orientating storage functions to the fenced street side of the home and lifestyle areas towards the extensive open garden.

Shaping the urban home garden: Socio-ecological forces in the management of private green spaces

Home gardens represent critical spaces in the configuration of socio-ecological landscapes and an increasing number of local and regional governments have begun including them within their resilience strategies, local biodiversity action plans, and food or health agendas. This paper contributes to the limited literature on contemporary home gardening in the Global North with a pilot study of Czech home gardens. This study aims to: (i) reveal what is the current role of the home garden and how the gardeners themselves perceive the care of their gardens; (ii) asses what is the potential of “scaling up” home gardens to address problems on a larger scale and how the gardeners understand the potential of their contribution to urban environment. This pilot study uses data collected during a questionnaire survey of 464 home gardens in different settlement types in Czechia. The results show that home gardens may provide important amenities for individual gardeners and their families, while at the same time contributing to both intended and unintended environmental consequences at the level of whole neighbourhoods or green space in general. The scaling up of home gardens in making cities more sustainable is possible and desirable, but a strategy for communication must involve both the top-down and bottom-up approaches and tools sensitive to a variety of diverse populations who tend home gardens.

An engineering design approach in implementing contemporary furnishings using patchwork technology in accordance with the sustainable development strategy of Egypt Vision 2030

An engineering design approach in implementing contemporary furnishings using patchwork technology in accordance with the sustainable development strategy of Egypt Vision 2030