Integrated Design Research Articles

Innovative Design of Ideological and Political Education in Art Courses in Higher Education: A Case Study of “Creative Design Thinking and Methods”

This study focuses on the innovative design of ideological and political education in art courses in higher education, using the course “Creative Design Thinking and Methods” as a case study. It begins by analyzing the significance and research objectives of integrating ideological and political education into art courses, systematically elaborating on its connotations, objectives, and unique advantages in art education. By showcasing practical examples of curriculum integration, such as "Campus Culture Integration Design," "Tribute to Red Culture," and "Course Project Outcome Reports," the study explores innovative methods for deeply integrating ideological and political education with professional courses. The research summarizes the outcomes of these practices and envisions future directions, including optimizing teaching methods, enhancing faculty capabilities, expanding practical teaching channels, and establishing a scientific evaluation system. This study provides theoretical support and practical insights for the construction of ideological and political education in art courses in higher education.

Alignment of polarization volume gratings using semi-circular arc patterns via nanofabrication technology

Polarization volume gratings have the potential for future applications such as AR due to their high single-order diffraction efficiency and large angular and wavelength response range. However, the preparation method of photo alignment, which is currently employed, presents challenges to the application of PVGs due to issues of poor uniformity and difficulty in preparing large sizes. To promote the application, a scheme for fabricating the alignment layer of PVGs by nanofabrication technology is proposed. The alignment structure, where the basic unit is a semicircular arc, was designed. We prepared the structure using EBL and spin-coated a layer of chiral liquid crystals (CLC) on top of it. The dispersion effect in white light indicates that the designed alignment structure imparts lateral periodicity to the CLC. The device could efficiently reflect specific right-polarized light and efficiently transmit specific left-polarized light. Therefore, the diffraction performance of the device can be considered to be consistent with the photo-alignment PVGs within the error allowance. This work provides what we believe to be a novel scheme for the alignment of PVGs, creating a new platform for mass production and multifunctional integrated design of PVGs.

Empowering a Limpopo rural community to Integrate Ubuntu in caring for PLWHIV/AIDS or TB.

Globally, few studies were conducted mostly in Africa on Ubuntu and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). These studies did not incorporate empowering communities on integrating Ubuntu HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis (TB). As such, this study used empowerment as a tool to raise awareness in the community about how they can integrate Ubuntu when caring for people living with HIV (PLWHIV)/AIDS or TB. This study aimed to empower community members to use Ubuntu philosophy when caring for PLWHIV/AIDS or TB in the rural community of Limpopo province. An integrative qualitative research design was used in which data were collected through a workshop with participants. The population was unemployed matriculants, traditional health professionals and community healthcare workers who were purposefully sampled and divided into eight groups. Data were collected through a focus group discussion and analysed using content analysis. Ethical considerations and measures to ensure trustworthiness were followed. Integrating Ubuntu philosophy can reduce stigma, discrimination and lack of disclosure. This might be achieved through humanity, attitude changing and formation of a support group. The principles of Ubuntu (caring, sharing, support, humility, attitude change) came up strongly in preventing stigma and discrimination in the care of PLWHIV/AIDS or TB.Contribution:Community empowerment and integration of Ubuntu philosophical values might have a positive impact on improving the social status of PLWHIV or TB, their families and the community at large.

THE ROLE OF A CLIENT-ORIENTED APPROACH IN MANAGING WEB DESIGN PROJECTS

The article is devoted to the study of the place of the client-oriented approach in the management mechanism of web design projects. In the context of the dynamic development of the digital economy, as well as increased competition in the market of services in this area, the task of adapting development processes to individual customer needs becomes urgent. The purpose of the study is to identify the most effective methods of implementing a client—oriented approach to web design project management and characterize their impact on the final result. There are contradictions in understanding the optimal level of client participation in the project: on the one hand, high customer engagement helps to ensure that their needs are met, on the other hand, it sometimes significantly slows down the development process and significantly increases costs. It was concluded that the use of a client-oriented approach, provided that there is a well-organized process of interaction with the customer, can improve the quality of services and customer satisfaction, which, in turn, contributes to the successful implementation of projects. The novelty lies in the fact that an innovative methodology "Integrative client-centered design" is proposed. It is based on the synthesis of best practices of project management, design thinking, Agile approaches adapted to the specifics of web design projects. The article will be useful for web design project managers, developers, as well as management and marketing specialists who seek to implement effective strategies for interacting with customers.

Exploring the synergy: AI and ML in very large scale integration design and manufacturing

Exploring the synergy: AI and ML in very large scale integration design and manufacturing

Design and Implementation of a High-Performance VLSI Architecture for Canonical Huffman Encoding

A key component of contemporary computer systems, data compression makes it possible for information to be stored and transmitted efficiently. A popular technique for lossless data compression, Huffman coding can drastically cut down on data size without sacrificing intensity. But conventional Huffman encoding techniques can have scalability and speed issues, especially when used in hardware. A high-throughput Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) design for a Canonical Huffman Encoder is shown in this study. To accomplish quick and effective encoding, the suggested approach makes use of parallel processing and improved algorithms. The system's use of the canonical Huffman algorithm lowers computational complexity and streamlines hardware implementation without sacrificing compression performance. The architecture incorporates real-time operation-optimized modules for frequency analysis, code generation, and symbol encoding. Results from simulations show that the suggested design achieves significantly higher throughput compared to conventional approaches, making it suitable for applications in data storage, multimedia, and communication systems. This study contributes to advancing VLSI designs for high-performance hardware Key Words: Data Compression, Huffman Coding, Lossless Compression, Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI), Canonical Huffman Encoder, High-Throughput Encoding, Parallel Processing, Efficient Encoding, Hardware Implementation, Computational Complexity, Code Generation, Symbol Encoding, Frequency Analysis, Real-Time Operation, Throughput Optimization, Multimedia Systems, Communication Systems, Data Storage, Hardware Architecture, VLSI Design, Performance Optimization, Simulations, Compression Performance, Hardware Design, Throughput Enhancement, System-Level Optimization, Power Efficiency, Resource Management, Data Transfer Efficiency, Low-Cost Implementation.

INTEGRATING CLIMATE POLICY OBJECTIVES INTO MUNICIPAL LAND POLICIES: From conceptualization to empirical evidence from Finland

AbstractUrban development ties in closely with climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, little is known about how climate policy objectives are incorporated into municipal land policies. Addressing this knowledge gap, we draw from the literature on policy integration and policy design to propose a framework for conceptualizing the ways in which policy objectives driven by climate concerns are incorporated into land policy. This framework incorporates three dimensions: 1) the alignment and prioritization of climate policy objectives in land policy; 2) the concreteness of the final integrated policy design; and 3) the commitment to promoting the objectives set through choices of policy instruments. We apply this framework to explore the level of integration in 30 highly populated municipalities in Finland. We identify three levels of climate policy objective integration within this sample, with only three municipalities demonstrating high integration. Our findings suggest that raising the level of climate policy integration into land policy may require institutional support.

An investigation on the thermo-hydraulic and electrochemical performance of a novel vanadium-based embedded cooling system for synergistic energy supply and heat dissipation

Miniaturization and integration of electronics require advanced heat dissipation techniques and efficient power interconnections. Integrating energy supply and heat dissipation into one fluidic network presents a viable approach to support compact, highly integrated chip designs. This study introduces an innovative microfluidic system that utilizes embedded cooling with vanadium electrolytes, enabling synergistic near-junction thermal management and power generation. The thermo-hydraulic and electrochemical performance of the system was evaluated under various conditions and subsequently applied to a real GaN chip. Results indicated that the system effectively dissipated a heat flux up to 317.06 W/cm2 at a flow rate of 15 mL/min and an inlet temperature of 20 °C. When the flow rate was 2 mL/min, the system’s COP reached 113368. After heat absorption by the coolant, the system’s output power increased by 11.74 % with the temperature rise. High-temperature coolant enhanced ion transport and electrochemical kinetics, demonstrating the system’s potential for waste heat recovery. Upon integration with the GaN semiconductor, the system achieved power supply via waste heat recovery, reducing the hot spot temperature by 70.18 % and increasing the output current signal by 4.75 % compared to the thermally insulated devices.

Four-element LC-baluns for power matching arbitrary impedances

Abstract Six four-element balun topologies are introduced that enable complex impedance matching in addition to common-mode rejection. Design equations for these topologies are presented. Three of these networks are universal, while the other three are capable of performing only specific impedance transformations. Examples of these networks were designed and fabricated along with a traditional lattice balun network for an operating frequency of 300 MHz. These networks were verified through extensive electromagnetic simulations and by measuring the fabricated networks. The fabricated novel network examples were able to achieve common-mode rejection ratios above 20 dB, power wave reflection coefficients below −20 dB, and insertion losses of approximately 0.1 dB; these results were similar to or better than the performance of the fabricated traditional lattice balun. The design example networks also provided power matching and low insertion loss over a greater bandwidth compared to the fabricated traditional network. These networks will allow for the footprints of lumped-element balun circuitry to be reduced, which is particularly useful in integrated circuit design. These topologies are also expected to further increase radio-frequency (RF) circuit design flexibility by offering more alternative realizations.

Soft Phononic Crystal with Tunable Bandgap Through Pneumatic Actuation

Pneumatic manipulation has the advantages of low cost, lightweight design, fast response, and ease of integration. However, its application in the field of phononic crystals remains limited. Inspired by pneumatic soft robots, this article proposes a pneumatic soft phononic crystal arranged in a square lattice, incorporating four pneumatic actuators within the scatterer. By manipulating air pressure, the bandgap can be effectively opened and closed. The finite element analysis is employed to examine the deformation and bandgaps of the pneumatic soft phononic crystal under varying air pressures. Moreover, the effect of the scatterer's rotation angle on the bandgap evolution in the phononic crystal is parametrically investigated. The results show that varying both the volume and the rotation angle of the scatterer can achieve bandgap opening, closing, and tuning. The proposed phononic crystal presents obvious practical applications and provides important insights for the design of soft‐tunable acoustic devices.

The Integrative Single-Case Design as a Biosemiotic-Systemic Research Tool in Psychoneuroimmunology.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a field of research that deals with the interactions between psyche, nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Investigating these complex PNI relationships under asecologically validas possible conditions ("life as it is lived") necessitates a paradigm change in research. This shift placesfactors such as "time" and "subjective meaning" of personal experiences at the center of the research methodology. For this purpose, the biosemiotic-systemic research design "Integrative Single-Case Study" was developed. Initial results from healthy individuals as well as patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), breast cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis(RA) support the validity of the research approach. Specifically, in connection with the occurrence ofemotionally meaningful everyday incidents, we repeatedlyobserved stress system reactions, which were(1) delayed over several days, (2) cyclically patterned, (3) anticipatory, and (4) opposing, depending on a)whether participants experienced emotionally positive or negative everyday incidents, b)whether they were healthy or ill, and c)which stress system parameter was investigated. In this chapter, the Integrative Single-Case Study design is introduced as a holistic research option, presented in detail in its methodology, and critically discussed in terms of its limitations.

Mechanistic model advancements for optimal calcium removal in water treatment: Integral operation improvements and reactor design strategies

Drinking water softening has primarily prioritized public health, environmental benefits, social costs and enhanced client comfort. Annually, over 35 billion cubic meters of water is softened worldwide, often utilizing three main techniques: nanofiltration, ion exchange and seeded crystallization by pellet softening. However, recent modifications in pellet softening, including changes in seeding materials and acid conditioning used post-softening, have not fully achieved desired flexibility and optimization. This highlights the need of an integral approach, as drinking water softening is just one step in the drinking water treatment chain, which includes ozonation, softening, biological active carbon filtration (BACF) and sand filtration among others. In addition, pellet softening is often practiced based on operator knowledge, lacking practical key reactor performance indicators (KPIs) for efficient control. For that reason, we propose a newly and improved integral mechanistic model designed to accurately predict (1) calcite removal rates in drinking water through seeded crystallization in pellet softening reactors, (2) the saturation of the filter bed in the subsequent treatment step, (3) values for the KPIs steering the softening efficiency. Our new mechanistic model integrates insights from hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, mass transfer kinetics, nucleation and reactor engineering, focussing on critical variables such as temperature, linear velocity, pellet particle size and saturation index with respect to calcite. Our model was validated with data from the Waternet Weesperkarspel drinking water treatment plant in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, but implies universal applicability for addressing industrial challenges beyond drinking water softening. The implementation of our model proposes five effective KPIs to optimize the softening process, chemical usage, and reactor design. The advantage of this model is that it eliminates the application of numerical methods and fills a significant gap in the field by providing predictions of the carry-over (i.e., the produced CaCO3 fines leaving the fluidized bed) from water softening practices. With our model, the calcium removal rate is predicted with an average standard deviation (SD) of 40 % and the consequential clogging prediction of the BACF bed with an average SD of 130 %. Ultimately, our model provides crucial insights for operational management and decision-making in drinking water treatment plants, steering towards a more circular and environmentally sustainable process.

Human-Centered Systems Thinking in Technology-Enhanced Sustainable and Inclusive Architectural Design

Human-centered systems thinking (HCST) can be seen as a promising enabler of effective Industry 5.0. This study primarily examined whether architecture students consider themselves systems thinkers and how this affects their design thinking, digital competency, and engagement in sustainable and inclusive design practices. Next, this study also examined the students’ HCST profiles, their stability, and the roles of digital competency, design thinking, motivation, and risk propensity in human-centered design. Using a person-oriented approach and cluster analysis, a sample of Polish architecture students from three universities (n = 208) was classified based on their self-perceived HCST ability. Three profiles were identified, namely high, average, and low HCST. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that the HCST profiles differed significantly in terms of design thinking and digital competencies, while multinomial logistic regression (MLR) analysis revealed that perceived intrinsic motivation predicted that students would be more likely to have a high HCST profile. MLR also revealed an undefined role of risk propensity in the context of HCST in inclusive and sustainable architecture design education. The findings indicate that it is essential to recognize and support students with low HCST throughout their education. It is also suggested to change the focus of architecture study programs to promote students’ systems thinking, and to encourage course designers to create novel and tailored technology-enhanced integrated human-centered design and systems thinking.

Strength, Durability, and Aesthetics of Corner Joints and Edge Banding in Furniture Design: A Review

Corner joints and edge banding are essential components that significantly impact the strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal of particleboard furniture. This review examines the critical role of edge banding in enhancing the performance of corner joints, which are fundamental to the overall quality of panel furniture. A targeted literature search was conducted across key databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC), Scopus, and Google Scholar, focusing on scientific resources in the technical and biotechnical sciences. The selection of joint types, materials, and construction methods can substantially influence both the structural integrity and visual design of the furniture. Well-designed corner joints improve durability and longevity by ensuring that furniture can withstand various forces and loads without failure or deformation. These joints enhance the aesthetics of furniture by providing seamless and visually appealing connections between different elements. Edge banding is vital for reinforcing corner joint strength, as different materials exhibit varying degrees of resistance to impact, scratches, and abrasion, thereby safeguarding furniture surfaces. Also, edge banding contributes to the furniture’s longevity, ensuring durability during use as well as through disassembly and transport during remodeling or relocation. This review aims to consolidate existing knowledge and establish parameters for future research on the quality and performance of corner joints and edge bands in particleboard furniture.

Digital Transformation in Healthcare : Leveraging Technology to Enhance Patient Care

This article examines the successful implementation of Pega's Healthcare Customer Service and Care Management solutions at a major healthcare provider, demonstrating how digital transformation can revolutionize patient care delivery while optimizing operational efficiency. The implementation, which focused on integrated care coordination, patient case management, and compliance frameworks, resulted in significant improvements, including a 20% reduction in hospital readmissions, a 30% reduction in administrative costs, and a 25-35% reduction in operational costs. The organization achieved enhanced patient outcomes, streamlined operations, and improved regulatory compliance through comprehensive data integration, automated workflows, and user-centric design. The article highlights how strategic digital transformation initiatives, aligned with industry best practices and supported by robust change management, can successfully address healthcare's complex challenges while positioning organizations for future innovation in care delivery.

Frequency-locked Si3N4 microring for Doppler frequency shift detection

In this paper, we propose to use a homemade all-fiber Si3N4 microring as the frequency discriminator for Doppler frequency shift detection. The full width at half maximum of the microring is 361.83 MHz, which covers the dynamic range of ± 70 m/s for wind measurement applications. By introducing a time-division multiplexing method, we have achieved the frequency locking of the microring to the central frequency of the laser source, which effectively stabilizes the measurement accuracy against perturbations such as temperature fluctuations. By alternatively upshifting and downshifting the pulses, a dual-frequency lasing scheme has been designed to realize the double-edge technique for frequency shift detection. A commercial single-photon detector with 25% quantum efficiency and approximately 1300 Hz dark count rate is used to detect the backscattered signals, which circumvents the need for bulky and expensive superconducting single-photon detectors. The proposed system is validated through an outdoor wind speed detection experiment using a reference anemometer. The experiment results demonstrate the feasibility of using microring as the frequency discriminator and that the precise frequency locking control is able to improve the measurement accuracy to the state-of-the-art level under the influence of perturbations, which highlights the potential for highly integrated direct detection Doppler wind lidar design.

Development and Design of an Online Quality Inspection System for Electric Car Seats.

As the market share of electric vehicles continues to rise, consumer demands for comfort within the vehicle interior have also increased. The noise generated by electric seats during operation has become one of the primary sources of in-cabin noise. However, the offline detection methods for electric seat noise severely limit production capacity. To address this issue, this paper presents an online quality inspection system for automotive electric seats, developed using LabVIEW. This system is capable of simultaneously detecting both the noise and electrical functions of electric seats, thereby resolving problems associated with multiple detection processes and low integration levels that affect production efficiency on the assembly line. The system employs NI boards (9250 + 9182) to collect noise data, while communication between LabVIEW and the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) allows for programmed control of the seat motor to gather motor current. Additionally, a supervisory computer was developed to process the collected data, which includes generating frequency and time-domain graphs, conducting data analysis and evaluation, and performing database queries. By being co-located with the production line, the system features a highly integrated hardware and software design that facilitates the online synchronous detection of noise performance and electrical functions in automotive electric seats, effectively streamlining the detection process and enhancing overall integration. Practical verification results indicate that the system improves the production line cycle time by 34.84%, enabling rapid and accurate identification of non-conforming items in the seat motor, with a detection time of less than 86 s, thereby meeting the quality inspection needs for automotive electric seats.

Effectiveness of an integrative model of vocational life design for young rehabilitated drug abusers

ABSTRACT Background The effectiveness of an integrative life design model in preventing drug relapses among rehabilitated youth was evaluated. This model combined Savickas’ narrative life design in vocational counseling, expressive arts groups, and motivational interviewing. Its objective was to enhance life satisfaction and foster long-term resilience against relapse among young individuals recovering from drug abuse. Methods The study involved 70 rehabilitated drug abusers, equally divided into intervention and control groups. After four waves of data collection, 62 participants completed various assessments to monitor drug use behaviors and psychosocial changes. Results The intervention group showed continuous improvement in their self-efficacy to refuse drug use, whereas the control group’s self-efficacy to refuse drugs decreased by T4. The intervention group also had a lower relapse rate than the control group. Participants in both groups demonstrated improvements on various psychometric scales. However, those in the intervention group exhibited more substantial progress over time. Conclusions The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the integrative vocational life design model in preventing relapse among rehabilitated drug abusers. It emphasizes the importance of establishing future expectations and promoting life satisfaction for rehabilitated drug abusers. The study concludes with recommendations for future research and practice.

Cold solar: PVT heat exchanger designs for heat pump integration

There has been an increase in solar photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) research in recent years, however, relatively little research has been dedicated to the design of PVT collectors as part of a heat pump system. This study aims to identify cost-effective design strategies for a PVT collector absorber to be integrated into a ground source heat pump (GSHP) circuit and enhance heat capture from the ambient air. The effect of geometry, material selection, fins, and forced convection on the overall U-value and thermal performance coefficients of the collector, are evaluated under steady state conditions using numerical modelling tool COMSOL Multiphysics. An annual mean fluid temperature profile is derived from a PVT + GSHP system simulation to calculate the annual thermal energy output, energy-to-mass and energy-to-cost ratios of the absorbers. Results show that the addition of fins and forced convection have the greatest influence on collector thermal performance, while material selection has a negligible impact. The corrugated, polycarbonate absorber with 10 mm fins, generates 55 % more thermal energy (1,464kWhth/m2-yr) than the reference metallic sheet and tube collector at an energy-to-cost ratio 1/10th the reference, suggesting good market potential. An exergy analysis reveals that thermal exergy contributes 20 % to 50 % of the total exergy output, highlighting that low-temperature PVT designs exhibiting a smaller thermal share relative to electrical exergy compared to their higher temperature counterparts. This work’s novelty and contribution comes from PVT design specifically for GSHP integration, examined at component and system levels, from both technical and economic perspectives.

The effect of scanning strategies on the defect distribution and mechanical properties of additive manufactured 316L stainless steel components

The effect of scanning strategies on defect distribution and mechanical properties of additive-manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steel components was investigated. Three scanning strategies (A1-stripe, A2-loop, A3-chessboard) were applied to study the defect characteristics using X-ray microscopy (XRM) and evaluate the resulting mechanical behavior through tensile tests. The results indicate that the chessboard strategy produces fewer, smaller, and more uniform defects, contributing to superior tensile strength and reduced anisotropy. In contrast, the loop strategy results in a higher density of elongated defects near the surface, leading to increased stress concentrations and lower tensile performance. This study provides insights into optimizing scanning strategies to enhance defect control, thereby improving the overall mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel in additive manufacturing. These findings are instrumental in advancing the process design for defect mitigation and structural integrity in AM components.