Design Environment Research Articles

Enhancing AR‐based learning environments for STEM education: A design‐based study on design features, kinematics learning and mathematics self‐efficacy

AbstractThis design‐based research project explored how various design features of AR‐based learning environments (ARLE) influence students' mathematics self‐efficacy and learning of kinematics. Specifically, five ARLEs with different design features were developed and implemented with 136 seventh‐grade students in two rounds. Data were gathered from pre‐ and post‐mathematics self‐efficacy tests, interviews, classroom observation records and reflective journals, to identify which design features promote or hinder students' learning and self‐efficacy. Results revealed that adopting a well‐designed ARLE is a viable way to promote students' learning and mathematics self‐efficacy, and the success of ARLE lies in (1) coherent tasks with proper time for self‐exploration, progressive levels, useful problem contexts and a certain degree of open‐endedness, and (2) sufficient technological affordances with strengthened authenticity, clarity and integrated media presentation, as well as engaging interactions with decent flexibility, embodied actions and feedback. These results validated the applicability of the proposed checklist for ARLE designers and practitioners in their design and implementation of ARLEs, within the domain of mathematics, physics and beyond. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic AR‐based learning environments (ARLEs) have demonstrated substantial advantages in STEM education, but ARLEs can be a drawback if they are not adequately designed. ARLE may facilitate students' mathematics self‐efficacy, and relevant design features are underexplored. Design‐based research sustains interventions combining empirical research and theory‐driven design of innovative learning environments, for example, ARLEs. What this paper adds Demonstrates the potential of ARLEs that can be used in classrooms to support STEM learning. Identifies a collection of effective and ineffective design features of ARLEs that promote or hinder students' STEM learning and mathematics self‐efficacy. Tackles the challenges for the design of ARLEs for classrooms by taking AR technological affordances and the pedagogical perspective together. Implications for practice and/or policy Five ARLEs for STEM topics were developed and implemented in secondary schools. Evidence of positive impacts of ARLEs on students' learning and mathematics self‐efficacy. Our research produces useful guidelines for designers and practitioners in their development and implementation of ARLEs in real classrooms.

Design and vibration test of first mirror mount assembly for ITER divertor VUV spectrometer

The divertor vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer is a diagnostic system in the ITER tokamak, monitoring impurity content and behavior in the divertor region. The first mirror of the spectrometer, made of silicon carbide (SiC), is exposed to harsh environmental conditions, including high temperatures and significant inertial loads from electromagnetic disruption events. To ensure its reliable performance, we have designed and tested a robust mirror holder assembly. This paper introduces a novel design of the first mirror holder assembly for the ITER divertor VUV spectrometer and presents the results from comprehensive vibration tests conducted on a full-scale mock-up. The design features a double-holder structure with spring plate assemblies to accommodate thermal expansion and resist vibrational loads. The mock-up underwent a series of resonance search, sine dwell, and random vibration tests, replicating the expected loads during vertical displacement events in ITER. The mirror holder assembly and the dummy mirror successfully withstood the vibration tests without damage, validating the design for the ITER environment. The results demonstrate the robustness and reliability of the mirror holder assembly, ensuring the accurate and reliable operation of the divertor VUV spectrometer in ITER.

Form Equals Function: Influence of Coacervate Architecture on Drug Delivery Applications.

Complex coacervates, formed through electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged polymers, present a versatile platform for drug delivery, providing rapid assembly, selective encapsulation, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. The architecture and properties of coacervates can be tuned by controlling structural and environmental design factors, which significantly impact the stability and delivery efficiency of the drugs. While environmental design factors such as salt, pH, and temperature play a crucial role in coacervate formation, structural design factors such as polymer concentration, polymer structure, mixing ratio, and chain length serve as the core framework that shapes coacervate architecture. These elements modulate the phase behavior and material properties of coacervates, allowing for a highly tunable system. In this review, we primarily analyze how these structural design factors contribute to the formation of diverse coacervate architecture, ranging from bulk coacervates to polyion complex micelles, vesicles, and cross-linked gels, though environmental design factors are considered. We then examine the effectiveness of these architectures in enhancing the delivery and efficacy of drugs across various administration routes, such as noninvasive (e.g., oral and transdermal) and invasive delivery. This review aims to provide foundational insights into the design of advanced drug delivery systems by examining how the origin and chemical structure of polymers influence coacervate architecture, which in turn defines their material properties. We then explore how the architecture can be tailored to optimize drug delivery for specific administration routes. This approach leverages the intrinsic properties derived from the coacervate architecture to enable targeted, controlled, and efficient drug release, ultimately enhancing therapeutic outcomes in precision medicine.

Age-Friendly Environment Design of High-Speed Railway Stations from a Healthy Ageing Perspective: A Case Implementation in Nanjing, China

China stands out as one of the countries with the largest and fastest-growing elderly populations. Elderly requirements for the quality of high-speed railway stations environment are increasing. The relationship between the built environment of high-speed railway stations and elderly health has become an urgent problem to be solved. The challenge necessitates a systematic approach to age-friendly design. Based on the practical experience of the authors in an age-friendly design of an indoor environment at Nanjing South Railway Station, questionnaire surveys and user interviews were employed to profile four types of typical elderly passengers. Data collection methods were used to create behavior maps. (1) This study identifies the age-friendly needs of elderly passengers, pinpointing the key environment issues. (2) It proposes age-friendly design strategies for various functional areas of Nanjing South Railway Station. (3) It introduces an age-friendly module combination design system, which including basic type I, enhanced type II, and optimized type III, in order to meet the demands for six levels of high-speed railway stations in China. This study promotes the age-friendly transformation of environments at a high-speed railway station, offering theoretical foundations and methodological references for constructing an age-friendly environment from a healthy ageing perspective.

Exploring the Impact of Digital Technologies on Team Collaborative Design

This paper presents the results of a protocol study exploring the impact of various digital technologies on team collaborative design processes. Previous studies have suggested that compared to traditional methods such as sketching, digital technologies can provide further benefits for collaborative processes. However, there persists a lack of understanding about the impacts of digital technologies on such processes, particularly in relation to emerging significant digital technologies such as immersive Virtual Reality (VR). Therefore, this study aims to fill that gap by exploring team collaboration behaviours of two groups of professionals working in two digital design environments—desktop 3D modelling with Revit and immersive VR using Hyve-3D—as well as their behaviours during traditional sketching sessions for benchmarking purposes. Utilising protocol analysis method, the think-aloud data of participants was recorded, transcribed and coded using an adapted collaborative practice model. Team collaboration activities are broadly categorised as ‘Content’ or ‘Process’: content referring to design task-based activities, while process refers to activities related to the organising of group processes. The results suggest that during the design collaboration process, designers allocated the majority of their efforts towards process-oriented design activities. Differences between design environments only had a minor impact on the amount of effort expended on process-oriented activities and content-oriented activities. Moreover, traditional sketching design environments were shown to be potentially beneficial for problem-solution and associated negotiation activities. Additionally, immersive environments were associated with a reduction in the designers’ cognitive effort that was expended on exploring the design environment.

Research on the Influencing Factors of Art Intervention in the Environmental Graphics of Rural Cultural Tourism Space

In the development of rural revitalization, the art intervention in rural cultural tourism has become a hot topic recently. With the advent of the new media era, it is particularly important to study the factors that affect the artistic value of environmental graphic design. This study proposes six dimensions of environmental graphic design for rural cultural tourism through literature analysis and experience summary, which are refined into 21 impact indicators. It is based on the case of the environmental graphic publicity of cultural tourism in Chongqing Nanshan Cattle Village, using the SBE beauty evaluation method to evaluate the influencing factors, while using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to measure each indicator. The consistency of the two evaluation methods verifies the feasibility of the influencing factors, and this study found the influence of visuality, cultural nature, artistic nature, interactivity, spatiality, and communicativeness on aesthetic value. Moreover, the core of environmental graphic design lies in information transmission, in which artistic nature occupies an important position, while cultural nature, although it has a relatively small weight in aesthetic value, cannot be ignored in social media communication. In terms of visual design, a reasonable layout of equipment significantly enhances visual appeal, while spatial adaptability is considered a key factor. This paper emphasizes the integration of art principles into design to promote sustainable development, while also pointing out that the identification of rural cultural symbols can enhance visitors’ cultural experience. In terms of interactivity, it is crucial to encourage visitors to actively participate and share their experiences, while communication emphasizes the important impact of exposure to rural scenes on brand communication. This research provides systematic theoretical support and practical guidance for the environmental graphic design of rural cultural tourism.

Research on the restorative effects and perception of privacy driven activities in Chinese classical gardens-Case studies of three Suzhou gardens.

The need for privacy, recognized as a fundamental psychological requirement, has garnered increasing attention as researchers explore the restorative effects of privacy driven activities (PDA). This study employs quantitative experiments and analyses to assess the restorative benefits of PDA within three classical Chinese gardens, demonstrating their superiority over conventional leisure activities in promoting emotional recovery, reducing stress, and restoring attention. The experiment quantifies the restorative effects of PDA versus standard leisure activities using a classic restorative scale and physiological indicators reflecting emotional relief. Regression analyses then identify five key factors influencing the occurrence of PDA, derived from preferred locations and behavioral tendencies observed in the three gardens. Further analyses reveal significant differences in the impacts of these five environmental feature dimensions on the evaluation indicators of "preference for privacy-oriented activities" and "restorative effects". Among these dimensions, "spatial scale and accessibility" has the greatest impact on the "preference for privacy-oriented environments", while "spatial atmosphere" and "activity facilities" have the most significant impact on "restorative effects". The findings suggest that behavioral activities mediate the relationship between environmental factors and restorative effects, highlighting the potential of PDA as a mediating variable for a comprehensive investigation into the pathways and mechanisms influencing restorative environments in research and design.

Machine Learning Approach to Rapidly Evaluate Curling of Concrete Pavement

This paper focuses on the methodology for evaluating the degree of total curling in concrete pavement using machine learning. Deflection induced by falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing is known as a direct correlation to total curling including built-in and daily curling. However, deflection measurement in the in-service road is also affected by others, such as environmental conditions, pavement geometry, subgrade stiffness, and mixture design. Thus, it is challenging to determine the level of curling from FWD data due to the complexity of influencing parameters. To navigate this complexity, prominent machine learning models are exploited to identify a non-linear relationship between curling and FWD deflections. A finite-element simulation of FWD is conducted to generate a vast data set, and a robust regression model is trained to estimate the total effective temperature difference (TETD) to quantify the effects of curling. Since input parameters for testing pavements can be measurable in the field, curling from TETD can be readily obtained using the proposed methodology. Comparative simulations highlight that the proposed models, with an MAE less than 0.5 °C significantly outperform the multiple regression performance, which registers an MAE of 3.45 °C in TETD, particularly in offering cost-effective and noise-tolerant prediction.

Compensation landscapes

In this contribution, I explore compensation landscapes as a concept through which we can question the nature of ecological urbanism today, as an alliance of environmental degradation, urban development and landscape design. In urbanism and landscape studies, there is currently almost no debate on the spatial dynamics created by the compensation of environmental harm. This is remarkable, as green urban landscapes are increasingly developed through biodiversity offsetting, i.e. the process where open space assets that have been destroyed through urban development are replaced elsewhere. While the literature on these topics is booming in critical geography and political ecology, I explore three scopes in which biodiversity offsetting can be studied as part of urbanism and landscape studies. Through the spatialization of compensation, the linking of offsetting to planning research, and by giving attention to landscape design, this paper frames compensation as a socio-spatial urbanisation project.

Environmental Design Teaching with the Integration of Traditional and Modern Techniques

Background: Environmental management considers the architecture in design, planning, programming, or manufacturing. It intends to create places that recover the cultural, social, ecological, and physical architecture of certain locations. However, traditional teaching methods are indeed employed. Modern technologies serve as supplemental tools. The current method of instruction is a step toward contemporary technology.Objective: Examining environmental design training using conventional and contemporary techniques was the aim of the study. Method:We collected survey data for this investigation. 400 students completed and submitted the questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to present the data. The research examines well-known visualization tools and traditional contemporary presentation techniques.Result: According to the study, architecture students rated modern technologies more satisfactory than traditional methods, indicating higher quality facilities and services. Modern technology in Environmental Design Teaching enhances learning experiences by reducing time consumption (65%), increasing efficiency (85%), offering flexibility (65%) and improved visualization (90%), and facilitating better documentation (80%), leading to higher student satisfaction (87%).Conclusion: Integrating traditional and modern architectural design techniques enhances learning experiences and efficiency, resulting in more effective and innovative design solutions through advanced tools and methods.

Interactive Cycles between Energy Education and Energy Preferences: A Literature Review on Empirical Evidence

The ultimate goal of energy education is to cultivate citizens with energy literacy, which in turn influences the energy preferences of the general public. Various aspects, such as teaching, practice, publicity, and participation, all profoundly impact the formation of energy literacy. This study reviews the role of energy education in educational policy-making, the operation of educational systems, the design of innovative energy industry environments, and public participation. Through a systematic review, this study integrates empirical research across various contexts and environments. The relevant topics of empirical research include ‘energy education’, ‘energy literacy’, ‘energy preferences’, ‘energy education policy’, ‘operation of energy education systems’, ‘creation of a renewable energy industry environment’, and ‘public participation’. These studies indicate that energy education can enhance participants’ awareness of energy through knowledge transfer, enabling them to adopt more effective energy solutions and cultivate citizens with energy literacy. Energy education not only shapes the public’s energy literacy but also further influences energy preferences, which in turn can have profound effects on social interactions, market outcomes, and political and social systems. Finally, from the perspectives of ‘educational shaping’ and ‘cultural shaping’, the research explores the impact of energy education on the energy environment and people’s values. The findings reveal that society gradually forms a consensus on energy through long-term interactions, establishing a unique energy culture that subsequently influences the direction and implementation of national energy policies. There exist interactive cycles between energy education and energy policy: energy education influences public energy preferences, while energy culture, in turn, affects policy formulation.

Overview of “Landscape Architecture Research and Design for Urban and Peri-Urban Environments”

Landscape architecture and design research is becoming increasingly relevant due to rapid urbanization and its impact on urban and peri-urban environments [...]

Morphological Analysis of Public Spaces and Their Contribution to Urban Resilience in Guelma, Algeria

Modern Algerian cities are facing various uncertainties, both natural and human-made. To address these risks, urban areas need to be more adaptable and responsive. The increasing impact of climate change and the recent pandemic have emphasized the importance of outdoor spaces. As people spend a significant amount of time in these areas, public spaces have become essential for urban life. This study conducts a comparative analysis of public spaces, using a grid-based methodology to identify similarities and differences between two resilient public spaces and the square of Guelma. The analysis is preceded by a literature review that establishes key conceptual frameworks. The main objective is to develop recommendations for resilient public spaces and their contribution to a city's environmental resilience, particularly its capacity to withstand climate change. By understanding how these spaces can mitigate the effects of climate change, this research aims to guide the design and management of urban environments.

Evaluation Method of Teaching Effect of Environmental Art and Design in Universities Based on Multi-Source Data Fusion Technology

The evaluation of teaching reform satisfaction is crucial for improving teaching quality. In the evaluation of satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design, issues such as the low reliability of evaluation indicator data can lead to unsatisfactory results. To address this, this paper proposes a new method for evaluating satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design based on multi-source data integration. By establishing principles for constructing a multi-source indicator system for evaluating satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design, a four-level multi-source indicator system was determined. This system mainly includes one first-level indicator, four second-level satisfaction evaluation indicators, and several third- and fourth-level evaluation indicators. The construction of the multi-source indicator system for evaluating satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design was completed. Using a four-part graph model and entropy weight calculation, the importance of the evaluation indicators for satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design was classified. The expert scoring method was introduced to correct the multi-source indicator data for evaluating satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design. Based on standardized indicator data, a penalty rule was added to the loss function of the multiple linear regression model to remove data noise, achieving pre-processing of the multi-source indicators for evaluating satisfaction with teaching reforms in environmental art and design. After completing the above process, first collect multi-source data from questionnaire surveys, student feedback, etc., and preprocess and map it to a unified ontology class. Subsequently, data features are extracted through non-negative matrix factorization, and the similarity between object types is calculated. Finally, based on the importance, redundancy, and interaction of data sources, an integrated quality model is designed to effectively integrate multiple sources of data, construct a satisfaction evaluation model, and output the score of satisfaction evaluation. The experimental results show that the proposed method has the highest satisfaction index, reaching about 0.99, indicating a high degree of recognition for the reform; when the amount of integrated data changes, the proposed method maintains the best integratison reliability. Even with an increase in data volume, its reliability only slightly decreases and stabilizes at a high level; meanwhile, the average absolute error of the proposed method is the lowest, consistently below 2.5%, indicating a high level of stability and accuracy in its evaluation results. The above results confirm that the proposed method can effectively evaluate the satisfaction of environmental art design teaching reform and improve teaching quality.

A systematic assessment of robustness in CNS safety pharmacology.

Irwin tests are key preclinical study elements for characterising drug-induced neurological side effects. This multicentre study aimed to assess the robustness of Irwin tests across multinational sites during three stages of protocol harmonisation. The projects were part of the Enhanced Quality in Preclinical Data framework, aiming to increase success rates in transition from preclinical testing to clinical application. Female and male NMRI mice were assigned to one of three groups (vehicle, MK-801 0.1and 0.3 mg kg-1). Irwin scores were assessed at baseline and multiple times following intraperitoneal injection of MK-801 using local protocols (Stage 1), shared protocols with harmonised environmental design (Stage 2) and fully harmonised Irwin scoring protocols (Stage 3). The analysis based on the four functional domains (motor, autonomic, sedation and excitation) revealed substantial data variability in Stages 1 and 2. Although there was still marked overall heterogeneity between sites in Stage 3 after complete harmonisation of the Irwin scoring scheme, heterogeneity was only moderate within functional domains. When comparing treatment groups versus vehicle, we found large effect sizes in the motor domain and subtle to moderate effects in the excitation-related and autonomic domains. The pronounced interlaboratory variability in Irwin datasets for the CNS-active compound MK-801 needs to be carefully considered when making decisions during drug development. While environmental and general study design had a minor impact, the study suggests that harmonisation of parameters and their scoring can limit variability and increase robustness.

Multi-Fidelity Aeromechanical Design Framework for High Flow Speed Multistage Axial Compressors

Abstract The development of novel engine architectures is vital in achieving the aviation sector’s net-zero carbon emission target by 2050. With today’s digital decade providing support for an accelerated technology maturation, the challenge for turbomachinery design remains to significantly push the limits of current performance within an ambitious development lead time. In this context, it is essential to adopt a design framework where the predictive models or simulations employed target a sufficiently reliable performance assessment. These models must be tailored to the dynamics of evolving industrial design processes, and therefore continuously balance required design flexibility, robust evaluation, appropriate fidelity (i.e. the level of detail and accuracy they provide), and resulting evaluation time. This paper discusses a framework for designing axial compressors and its application to the aeromechanical optimisation of a high-speed compressor rotor. The design environment integrates geometry parametrisation, modular evaluation with different levels of fidelity for the aerodynamic and structural models, and surrogate-based optimisation (SBO) capabilities. It is shown how the combination of a modular sequencing of the different models and the acceleration enabled by high-performance computing (HPC) and machine learning allows for a more advanced preliminary design. A significant gain in isentropic efficiency is attained while satisfying all structural constraints. At the same time, it is demonstrated that the framework is compatible with the characteristics of the preliminary design phase: both in its ability to adapt to cycle and design changes as well as regarding the turnaround time of the optimisation itself.

Development of Post-Industrial Heritage Landscape Design Based on Visual Cognitive Schema Theory: A Case Study of the Shou Gang Industrial Cultural Heritage Site

Post-industrial landscapes serve as crucial markers of industrial cultural heritage. This study focuses on the urban environmental form design of post-industrial civilization. Facing challenges posed by the incompatibility of traditional industrial lands with modern society, the urban renaissance of post-industrial landscapes emerges as a pivotal topic. This article defines the concepts of visual cognition, the cognitive schema, and the post-industrial landscape from the perspective of environmental psychology through literature research, case studies, and on-site investigation methods. It elaborates on the design process of the Shou Gang Industrial Cultural Heritage Site. This study shows how to create a living space that has both historical memory and meets modern needs through steps such as extracting core elements, constructing spatial schema, and promoting scene integration. The study found that, by extracting and integrating the four key visual cognitive elements of humans, objects, paths, and event, a dynamic and interactive living space schema—scene relationship—can be constructed. Finally, by summarizing the overall consciousness of the visual cognitive schema, it further emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the harmony and unity of people, behavior, and environment in the design process and realizing the sustainable utilization and development of space.

Why accurate info matters in agri-food and climate change

Why accurate info matters in agri-food and climate change Dr Ataharul Chowdhury from the School of Environmental Design & Rural Development explores the importance of an agri-food, climate change, and rural misinformation research platform to combat information disorder and facilitate agri-food innovation and sustainable development. While information is an essential element for facilitating innovation and sustainable development, it is also evident that information can be politicized and used intentionally to favor ideology, values, and support groups as well as benefit economically. This creates many challenges for inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient food systems. The intentional nature of information has been evident since the early stages of civilization. The intentional nature of information creates division among nations, fuels wars and conflicts, and impedes development – some recent examples include the Middle Eastern war, Ukraine wars, and COVID-19.

Gender, Racial, and Academic Authorship Diversity in the Otolaryngology Clinical Trial Literature.

To investigate the state and trajectory of gender, racial, and academic authorship diversity in the otolaryngology clinical trial literature over the past 2 decades. Bibliometric analysis. Otolaryngology clinical trial literature. Clinical trials published in the 9 major otolaryngology journals between 2000 and 2020 were included. The gender, race, and academic seniority of the first, senior, and corresponding authors were recorded for each trial. Multivariable regression models assessed the temporal trajectory of authorship diversity over time and the disparity in citations across author characteristics. Models adjusted for relevant confounders pertaining to publication environment and study design. Among 2117 trials, first, senior, and corresponding authors have been predominantly White (60%-64%), male (76%-80%), and attending physicians (63%-69%). Trials led by Black (<1%) and Hispanic (<5%) authors were severely underrepresented. Over time, the representation of female (adj. β 0.8%, 95% CI [0.5%, 1.1%] per year), Asian (1.0% [0.7%, 1.3%] per year), and MD resident (0.4% [0.1%, 0.7%] per year) first authorship increased, but representation of female (0.2% [-0.1%, 0.5%] per year), Black (0% [-0.03%, 0.02%] per year), Hispanic (-0.2% [-0.33%, -0.02%] per year) senior authorship remained persistently low. Asian-led trials were cited significantly less compared to White-led trials even after adjusting for study design and publication year (aIRR 0.82 [0.73, 0.92]). Despite promising signs of improving authorship diversity over time, persistent underrepresentation of female, Black, Hispanic senior authorship underscore the need for additional efforts to diversify the otolaryngology clinical science workforce.

Development of a highly stable IrO2-RuO2-Ta2O5/Ti with fluorine doped nanotube interlayer

Fluorine-doped titanium oxide nanotubes were studied as a coating interlayer for IrO2-RuO2-Ta2O5/Ti to retard the passivation of titanium substrates and enhance anode life and corrosion characteristics. Nanotubes were produced by anodizing the substrate at 10, 20, and 40 V in HF, and their effect on the microstructure of the coating was assessed using FE-SEM. Additionally, EIS and ALT measurements were conducted to investigate this coating's electrochemical behavior. Results showed that titanium oxide nanotubes with a smaller diameter would improve the performance and increase the life of the anode (IrO2-RuO2-Ta2O5/Ti). Likewise, the diameter of the nanotubes demonstrates a direct relationship with anodizing voltage. Furthermore, high voltages during anodizing resulted in an etched surface that was not ideal for an interlayer. All an all, it was concluded that the layer anodized at 10 V, with smaller-diameter tubes and a higher number of walls, could result in a product with high corrosion resistance and 80 % excess lifetime compared to a bare titanium substrate. This study provides valuable insights for engineering applications, demonstrating the potential for enhanced anode design in corrosion-sensitive environments in electrochemical engineering, water treatment, or fuel cells and electrolyzers where durability of the anodes are crucial.