Household Technology Research Articles

Financial Inclusion Effect on Core Poverty During The Pandemic Period in East Java

Poverty is increasing globally at this time especially the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the banking sector has a role to play in controlling the growing poverty, one of which is through financial inclusion. In some areas, the financial inclusion index has improved, indicated by the number of people who have switched from traditional savings to financial institution savings and have also reached the infrastructure of conventional commercial banks, but the fact has not yet reached the “usefulness of banking services”. So that financial inclusion is not really felt by the community. This study uses data from the March 2020 National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas) and Podes 2020 to determine the effect of financial inclusion on core poverty. From the results of the logit regression estimation, it was found that financial inclusion had a strong effect on the status of core poverty in households when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in East Java (2020). Ownership of bank accounts has a strong and negative effect on poverty. The farther the distance to banking facilities, the greater the chance of experiencing poverty. Access to formal credit has the opportunity to move away from poverty. Education remains a key variable if you want to be free from poverty. The added value of farming households is still not optimal in increasing welfare, because they still have the opportunity to experience poverty. Access to information technology in households can increase opportunities to be more prosperous. From these results, the government should seek to increase public participation in having a bank account through banking literacy, through formal education, adding infrastructure for financial institutions evenly to villages, expanding access to formal credit services, and adding cellular/internet network infrastructure up to suburbs (rural/remote areas).

Greywater reuse: an assessment of the Jordanian experience in rural communities.

Water conservation is a critical issue, particularly in arid countries and countries that suffer a lack of natural water resources. Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world; this fact has forced the search for alternative sustainable solutions. With the support of several regional and international organizations, tens of projects were implemented across the country over the past 30 years that aimed to reuse greywater in rural communities. The current review provides a wide overview of Jordan's experience in greywater treatment and its reuse for non-potable purposes in rural areas. To the best knowledge of the authors, the present review is the first to assess the Jordanian experience in this field. Many governmental authorities and non-governmental organizations have been involved in Jordan's experience. The greywater reuse systems were established to achieve advantageous environmental and socio-economic consequences on the rural communities. The strategy of greywater treatment was based on a local on-site greywater treatment system in households or the so-called 'autonomous water management'. The applied greywater treatment technologies in households were found efficient in rendering greywater adequate for agricultural uses. However, further improvements and territorial expansion of the experiment are needed.

Nutritional, antioxidant and organoleptic properties of therapeutic-complementary-food formulated from locally available food materials for severe acute malnutrition management

BackgroundThe prevalence of severe acute malnutrition among children (< 5 years) due to low energy-protein density of local complementary foods and poor feeding practices is a great concern in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive. Hence, the aimed of this study was to formulate and evaluate the chemical composition, functional, antioxidant and organoleptic properties of low-cost complementary foods from locally accessible food material using household technologies. Using UNCEF guidelines, three complementary foods were formulated and their nutritional characteristics were compared with local complementary food (100% sorghum) and ready-to-using therapeutic food.ResultsProtein (g/100 g) and energy values (kcal./100 g) of formulated complementary foods varied from 16.16 to 16.93 and 418.08 to 474.13, respectively, and were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than OG (7.72; 378.71) (a 100% sorghum flour), but lower than P0 (539.8) (a read-to-eat therapeutic food). Mineral elements (mg/100 g) in the food samples were K (4175–6350.5), Ca (341.5–949), Fe (23.5–50.5) Zn (28–38.5), P (3855.6–4501), and Na (343.5–950.5), and were significantly lower than in P0, but higher in K, Fe and Zn than for OG. Sodium/Potassium and Calcium/Phosphorous molar ratios of the complementary foods ranged from 0.16 to 0.92 and 0.07 to 0.16 and were lower than P0 (0.64, 0.19) and OG (1.71, 0.2), respectively. Total essential amino acids (g/100 g protein) of the food samples varied from 23.53 to 25.94, and were comparable to OG (28.40) and P0 (32.74). Predicted biological value and essential amino acid index of P2 sample (53.53%, 59.85%) had the highest values, while P1 (46.0%, 52.94%) had the lowest, and these values were comparatively lower than P0 (67.53%, 72.69%), OG (55.91%, 62.03%), and recommended value (> 70%). Functional properties varied from 0.61 to 0.83, 124.2 to 176.2, 102.2 to 257.19, 0 to 1 and 164.7 to 373.3 for bulk density, oil absorption capacity, water absorption capacity, least gelation and swelling capacity, respectively. Antioxidant activity of formulated complementary foods ranged from 2.07 to 3.24%, 8.61 to 9.87 mg/g, 21.6 to 40.95% and 62.42 to 87.0% for DPPH, FRAP, Fe-chelation and OH-free radicals, respectively, and were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in OG and PO. Sample P1 was significantly (p < 0.05) rated highest in appearance, aroma, taste, texture and overall acceptability above P2 and P3.ConclusionThe formulated complementary foods had enough nutrient and energy values to meet the requirements for infants as recommended for complementary foods and for amelioration of severe acute malnutrition in children. Nutritional and sensory evaluation revealed that addition of full fat milk to the P1 sample significantly improved its nutrient composition and organoleptic quality and contributed to its high acceptance compared to other formulations. Therefore, this complementary food is potentially suitable for use as complementary food and diet to manage severe acute malnutrition in Nigeria and other developing countries. However, there is a need for biological evaluation.

Factors determining teleworking before and during COVID-19: some evidence from Spain and Andalusia

PurposeThis study aims to analyse the inequalities in access to teleworking in Spain. More specifically, the study examines what factors determine remote working in a pre-pandemic period and during the state of alarm (March 2020). Moreover, the study examines whether telecommuting is related to the likelihood of suffering emotional disorders during lockdowns.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach followed to analyse access to teleworking mainly consists of the estimation of ordered response models. Two datasets are used: the first is the Survey on Equipment and Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Households, conducted by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) in the pre-pandemic period (2018). The second is the Social Survey 2020. Habits and Living Conditions of the Andalusian Population during the State of Alarm, conducted by the Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalusia (IECA) once the state of alarm was declared in Spain.FindingsThe results obtained indicate that ICT training is a key element in helping to explain the likelihood of working from home. However, some groups of workers might experience difficulties in their transition to teleworking. This could increase labour market segmentation and hinder the transition to the knowledge economy. Moreover, the findings detect that employees working both on the company premises and from home are more likely to suffer emotional disorders.Originality/valueThe paper sheds new empirical evidence on teleworking in Spain and Andalusia, including some novel methodological aspects to estimate the regressors’ effects on the probability of working from home.

Renewable energy technologies in households: Challenges and low carbon energy transition justice

uropean Union (EU) has set the target of achieving carbon neutral society by 2050. The main way to ensure low carbon energy transition is to accelerate the penetration of renewables in households. However, there are many economic, social, technical, and behavioural barriers to this. In addition, the technologies for renewable energy generation are not affordable for low income households which are experiencing energy poverty and energy affordability problems. The paper critically analyses the barriers and state policies and measures for the support of renewable energy micro generation technologies in households. Based on the conducted analysis, the paper discusses the best ways to combat energy poverty and transition to low carbon energy in the EU. The main findings of the paper indicate that developing well-targeted policy measures for support of renewable energy technologies and energy renovation would be more beneficial than paying energy bills of low-income vulnerable population. Such policies would also help to solve the problem of just low carbon energy transition, as currently the vulnerable population are facing greater economic, social, behavioural, infrastructure and other barriers to using renewable energy in their homes.

Determinants of the Sustained Use of Household Clean Fuels and Technologies: Lessons from Vihiga County, Kenya

Determinants of the Sustained Use of Household Clean Fuels and Technologies: Lessons from Vihiga County, Kenya

Are Economics and Psychology Operating on Different Margins? Evidence from a Natural Experiment on Household Technology Diffusion

Are Economics and Psychology Operating on Different Margins? Evidence from a Natural Experiment on Household Technology Diffusion

Voice assistants in hospitality: using artificial intelligence for customer service

酒店管理中的语音助理：运用人工智能为客户服务研究目的语音（数码, 虚拟或者人工智能）(VAs) 助理能够识别真人声音和系统指令声音从而为人机互动提供助力。 本研究基于酒店业已有的案例探索了酒店和客人语言支持的互动的本质。本研究探索了关于客房服务的表现和实用性的顾客认知和顾客期望。研究设计/方法/途径本研究借用了定性半结构化深入访谈来收集一手数据, 调查了酒店环境中的语音助理目前的运用情况和未来影响。本研究访谈了7位酒店科技服务提供者和21位有使用个人智能扬声器经验的酒店客人。本研究以供需模型来全方位解决此项问题。研究发现研究结论强调了从双方使用者（酒店和客人）角度考量, 并且考虑到语音仪器带来的所有的优势和挑战的重要性。基于顾客之前对这些仪器的使用经验, 本论文深入阐述了对公共空间这些语音助理的使用功能。本分析证明了由AI技术支持下, VAs 可以灵活的识别语音。VAs理解词汇内容并且也懂得词汇作为数据助手来支持智能家庭的自动化以及履行商业职责背后的意义来。酒店从业人员可以尝试运用此科技来提高用户体验, 扩展运营空间和减少成本。从访谈的数据可以证明, 尽管还在初级阶段, VAs 科技已经对酒店运营优化和晋级客户服务做出了显著的贡献和成就。本研究提出了一项介于酒店和客人之间的VA 语言支持的互动模型。研究原创性/价值之前的研究主要针对私人使用, 而不是商业或者酒店空间。考虑到敌对环境和客人和酒店的文化差异, 旅游和酒店成为了尤其有挑战性的领域。本研究通过语音识别革新了酒店服务。本研究针对VAs接受程度和运用进行详细研究从而为酒店领域的AI和IoT提供了专业文献。本文为酒店服务中的VAs使用做出了开拓性的调查并且探讨了正面以及负面的特征和未来展望。研究局限/意义本研究为酒店和旅游管理补充了文献, 尤其是在酒店业人机互动领域。本研究通过语音识别技术对酒店服务的转型革新做出贡献。此项研究可以受益于以酒店管理者为视角的进一步研究。相比于收集科技设备供应方的见解, 对酒店管理者进行访谈可以提供更直接的信息来了解酒店员工对数码语音助理和对语音科技的总体接受程度。实践意义酒店经常寻求途径来提高和客户的互动。本论文对酒店管理和人机互动领域提供了应用典例。本研究提供了酒店客人针对语音设备功能性的总体评价作为有价值的信息, 进而帮助科技提供者来重新审视针对顾客需要从而量身定制服务的策略和方式。最终, 本研究在提高行业战略竞争力层面分享了关于发展和采用此项强大有力科技的见解。

The impact of buyer shopping orientations and demographic factors on the purchasing for different product types- in the context of online shopping

The impact of buyer shopping orientations and demographic factors on the purchasing for different product types- in the context of online shopping

Taboos, toilets and biogas: Socio-technical pathways to acceptance of a sustainable household technology

Toilet-linked anaerobic digesters (TLADs) can provide users with a clean gaseous fuel and a fertiliser product as well as offer waste management services. Socio-cultural resistance towards domestic TLADs, due to the use of human excreta as a feedstock, is often articulated as a finite barrier to adoption. However, no research has specifically investigated the issues associated with TLADs separately from those associated with domestic digesters without toilet connections, consequently, there has been little attempt to discover what motivates users to use TLADs. Drawing on qualitative data from Nepal this paper explores how socio-cultural resistance impacts TLAD adoption and subsequent use of the biogas, and how adoption and transition pathways evolve. We argue that socio-cultural resistance is not a finite barrier to adoption and the opportunity to observe or trial a TLAD can positively influence adoption, especially amongst the older generations. Technical issues affected how TLADs were utilised more than socio-cultural norms and we discuss how socio-technical factors might co-evolve to influence sustainable adoption and use of TLADs. Caste and gender were not found to influence adoption pathways as much as the leadership or ‘risk-taking’ characteristics of specific adopters. Adoption of TLADs can occur within a year of a user first observing or trialling a TLAD; however, most users still do not use biogas for ritual cooking, despite having had a TLAD for many years. Grassroots initiatives that understand the diversity of localised socio-cultural norms will likely be imperative for successful TLAD dissemination.

Modification of Septic Tank for Sedimentation Optimization in the Public Toilet (Case Study at Wisdom Park UGM)

Septic tank with sedimentation and anaerobic processes in the same tank is commonly used as a domestic wastewater treatment technology in individual households and communal systems. Although simple to construct, such a system has some problems, such as effluent not meeting the quality requirement and blocking by trash and suspended solid before the second treatment chamber. This research aims to develop a new septic tank design that is simpler to construct and improve performance. The new design uses HDPE material, which is easier to build and standardized compared to the conventional concrete structure. The performance of the new design was compared to the conventional septic tank. The start-up process was monitored for flowrate, COD, TSS, NH3N, PO4-P parameters and evaluated against effluent standards. The study was conducted at public toilet facilities at Wisdom Park UGM and Sunday Morning Market. Results from the study show that the new design effectively improves effluent quality and overcomes the trash problem.

Dimensions of inequality in children’s literacy and numeracy in Uganda: Evidence from a household-based assessment

This study examines factors that help to account for the large inequalities in the reading and numeracy skills of children aged 6–14 in Uganda. The analysis is based on a sub-sample of the Uwezo assessment and survey data of 2018. Attention is drawn to the effects of child absenteeism, ‘memory difficulty’, different kinds of household technology, preschool experience, private school attendance and regional poverty. It is argued that interventions needed to achieve more equitable outcomes would imply a stronger commitment to state responsibility for education, both at the pre-primary and the primary level. Further research on school practices that enhance the learning of basic skills is also recommended.

Does the use of multiple agricultural technologies affect household welfare? Evidence from Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT Agricultural intensification has been encouraged through the promotion of various agricultural technologies, but the synergies between different technologies have not been fully explored among various specific crops. Using the multinomial endogenous switching regression model complemented with the multivalued inverse probability regression model, this study determines the impacts of the adoption of combinations of chemical fertiliser, improved rice seeds, and herbicides on household welfare. Data were collected from 900 farm households in Northern Ghana. Our results indicate that the adoption of combinations of agricultural technologies is affected by various socio-economic attributes, resource constraints, institutional factors, and production shocks. We find that adopting multiple technologies improves rice yields, gross rice income, and per capita consumption expenditure. The results point out the crucial synergistic effects of the adoption of agricultural technologies on household welfare. We suggest that policies aimed at strengthening farm household welfare should encourage adopting multiple agricultural technologies in rice-producing farm households to realise the most welfare.

Black Transhuman Liberation Theology: Technology and Spirituality

Black Transhuman Liberation Theology: Technology and Spirituality

Durable Ownership, Time Allocation, and Female Labor Force Participation: Evidence from China’s “Home Appliances to the Countryside” Rebate

We estimate the effect of labor-saving household technologies on female labor force participation. To establish the causal link between home durable ownership and household time allocation, we exploit price shocks generated by the Home Appliances to the Countryside promotion, a rebate offered by the Chinese government to rural households for appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. Following the rebate, eligible households had higher durable ownership, significant reductions in housework, and sizable increases in market work time and female labor force participation. In particular, we find that time reallocation is driven by females, rather than males, in the household. Further, females with primary-only education are most likely to adopt appliances, reduce housework, and participate in the labor market.

Inequalities in digital welfare take-up: lessons from e-government in Spain

ABSTRACT E-government offers opportunities for improving the interactions between citizens, governmental and public institutions, private sector organizations, and public employees. Despite this, the take-up of e-government services has been vastly uneven in many societies with considerable digital divides existing. This study identifies the determinants of use of e-government in Spain through an analysis of the Survey on Equipment and Use of information and Communication Technologies in Households. A Path Analysis Model was used to identity the variables that explain why almost half of the Spanish population does not make use of E-government and how these variables are related. Two large groups of variables were found to be important: digital skills and trust in the Internet. Digital skills were affected by an individual citizens’ resources, such as their educational level and economic resources, as well as by age and gender. Meanwhile, their trust in the Internet was shaped by other attitudes and beliefs – mainly their concern about being targeted by advertising. These findings have important consequences for the design of policies to address digital inclusion across Europe and elsewhere, which need to focus on building citizen's trust.

Intention to Use IoT by Aged Indian Consumers

ABSTRACT This study identifies the determinants which impact the intention to use the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices by the aged consumers of India for household purposes. With the help of the Model of Adoption of Technology in Households (MATH), a conceptual model has been developed. The model has been extended by considering two moderators (age and gender). It has been ascertained that the explanative power of the model after consideration of two moderators has been enhanced. Ten constructs of MATH have been considered which were found relevant to this study. The validation of the greater explainability by including two moderators in this modified MATH is considered as a theoretical contribution of this study. This study provides insight to the policy makers to understand how the aged consumers of India can be motivated to use IoT-enabled devices for their household purposes that would eventually improve their quality of life.

Uranium exposed at Expo 58: the colonial agenda behind the peaceful atom

ABSTRACT This research focuses on the staged contrast between atomic modernity and colonial backwardness at Expo 58 in Brussels, as a strategic promise of the peaceful nuclear, powered by Congolese uranium. I analyze the management of nuclear power – ranging from household technologies to European (post)colonial infrastructures of uranium resources and nuclear power plants – to reveal architecture as a geopolitical technology. The article argues that the ‘domestication of the atom’ goes hand in hand with the domestication of power, exercised through architecture on various levels, affecting the politics of visibility, knowledge, and imagination. The article examines Expo 58 as a case study, where global uranium agents such as the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga (UMHK), the US Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC), the Belgian Centre d’Études pour les applications de l’Energie Nucléaire (SKC-CEN), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) met in a setting that constructed both a Western scientific gaze and colonial backwardness.

Impact of solar heating technology installation on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Kabul city

The increasing trend of air pollution in Kabul listed this city, one of the most polluted in the world. The air pollution in Kabul contrasting to other polluted cities in the world is seasonal pollution. According to some reports during the winter season as the demand for heating increases, the majority part of the households and industries in cities use biomass and low-quality fossil fuels to meet their energy demand. The increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions due to the use of conventional energy resources, especially raw coal considered a serious threat to people's lives in Kabul. Due to the abundance of solar energy radiation and the simplicity of technologies, Solar Heating (SH) installation on the rooftop of houses is one of the most prominent solutions to minimize environmental impacts and air pollution related diseases in Kabul. The primary objective of this paper is to assess the potential of GHG reduction with the use of SH technologies in houses. Additionally, the impact of SH installation on non-renewable energy consumption and electricity bill reduction is deliberated in this paper as well. This study is supported by a public web-based survey, which is designed for municipal planned and nonplanned areas in Kabul city. The results of the study indicate, due to poor reliability of electric energy supply, most of the population in Kabul city rely on polluted energy sources to meet their primary demand. The study also points; housing sector in Kabul has the biggest portion of energy consumption, which is mainly used for heating purposes. Employing solar thermal technologies in households can significantly decline the utilization of coal and firewood, which in turn leads to a substantial reduction in GHG emissions. This study could be a good reference for the policymakers and investors in the field of green energy in Afghanistan.

Influence of the characteristics of the house and place of residence in the daily educational activities of children during the period of COVID-19’ confinement

The period of confinement motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic and established by the governments of different countries has influenced the lifestyle of millions of children, not being able to continue carrying out multiple educational activities as they did until confinement. The objective of this research was to determine and analyze whether the living conditions of children during the period of confinement caused by COVID-19 influenced their daily educational activities. A descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional quantitative study with a non-experimental design was carried out, with a single measurement in a single group. Factors associate with living conditions were analyzed, such as the place of residence and the type of house in which Spanish children have been confined, as well as the number and use of technological devices. The parents' perception of the children's state of fatigue, happiness, energy and tiredness was also analyzed. We have worked with a sample of 837 Spanish children. As a data collection instrument, the validated questionnaire on Equipment and Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Households (TIC-H2019) of the National Statistics Institute (INE) was used, following the recommendations of the Statistical Office of the European Union (EUROSTAT).The results confirm some statistically significant influence of the conditions of the house and place of residence on the daily time dedicated to different educational activities such as reading, physical activity, free play or use of technological devices between children residing in small flats and those residing in large flats or houses with garden and those residing in urban and rural settings.