Design Perspective Research Articles

Suicide attempt survivors' recovery-related agency in the relational context of services: a qualitative analysis.

Suicidal persons' contacts with services present a key opportunity for suicide prevention. However, interventions by services are not always effective. A deeper understanding of suicidal service users' agency and its implications may facilitate the provision of meaningful responses to help-seeking during suicidal crises. This abductive study explores the recovery-related agency of suicide attempt survivors and the perceived role of interactions with services in facilitating or hindering it. Fourteen Finnish suicide attempt survivors were interviewed in-depth on their experiences of interacting with services during a recent suicidal episode. An operationalization of recovery-related agency as the expressed ability to take (mental or physical) action in a direction perceived as aiding recovery from suicidality (i.e., the coupling of recovery-related intentionality and power) was used to explore transcribed interviews through directed content analysis. Data were further categorized based on whether the service context was perceived as helpful or unhelpful to recovery efforts. All participants expressed both agency and non-agency in relation to their recovery process. The relational context provided by services was presented as highly relevant for the achievement and sustainability of recovery-related agency as well as for participants' experience of safety in instances when agency was lacking. The results are presented as a typology of recovery-related agency in its perceived relational context, with the categories of sustained agency, strained agency, contained non-agency and uncontained non-agency. The concept of agency helped capture important aspects of suicidal individuals' recovery-related efforts and the role of services in facilitating or hindering them. The findings illuminate the value of viewing suicidal service users as agents of their own recovery process as well as the potential costs of ignoring this perspective in service delivery and design.

Bimodal Droplet-Based Electricity Generation Through Semi Cassini Oval Dynamic Morphology Control.

Droplet-based electricity generator (DEG) is the promising energy harvesting technology applicable in versatile scenarios. Despite numerous optimizations in DEG's materials and structures, few has paid attention to the droplet dynamics and morphology control. Here the droplet's spread-retraction dynamics and the resultant semi Cassini oval (SCO) morphology are reported, characterized by convex at both ends and concave in the middle. The lifted top electrode (LTE) is designed to respond to the dynamic SCO morphology in two steps: 1) LTE first contacts the leading edge of the spreading droplet, generating a negative voltage peak; 2) LTE second contacts the trailing edge of the retracting droplet, generating a positive voltage peak. In this way, bimodal electrical output is obtained, which exhibits 25% increase in peak-to-peak voltage and 33% increase in average power compared to the traditional DEG with only one voltage peak. These results prove that incorporating the droplet dynamics and morphology control into DEG design uplifts the energy harvesting limit from individual droplet. The proposed LTE-DEG inspires alternative route for DEG power enhancement by maximizing energy utilization of individual droplet from the perspective of droplet dynamic morphology design.

Kengo Kuma’s renovation of Gaudí’s Casa Batlló: A non-western designerly approach to addressing built heritage

This paper emerges from a wider doctoral thesis on the influence and relationships between Antoni Gaudí’s buildings and current Chinese architecture. In light of understanding the connections between Eastern and Western designerly approaches to built heritage, we studied the specific case of the renovation of Casa Batlló in Barcelona by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Starting from the general framework of built heritage renovation and transformation techniques and styles, we analysed the approach of this case as a replicable mindset and toolkit for addressing urban and architectural renewal. Kengo Kuma’s dissolution of materiality is key to his design approach This methodological case study delves into the potential of a complementary vision of the world where Eastern and Western design approaches retrofit each other. The research results are related to current global urban renewal, historic building protection, and renewal needs from a global design perspective.

Secondary Voltage Control for DC Microgrids: A Design Perspective for SoC With Voltage Restoration Provision

Secondary Voltage Control for DC Microgrids: A Design Perspective for SoC With Voltage Restoration Provision

Pedestrian-level wind speed analysis: a case study

This study analyses wind speed and wind comfort at the Auckland University of Technology, addressing a research gap in how urban contexts influence wind comfort in Auckland. Field surveys assessed public perceptions of wind speed during summer and winter, while computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations used historical data to examine the effects of street orientations, aspect ratios and building arrangements. High-risk areas, defined by average wind speeds exceeding 3.3 m/s, were identified, and mitigation scenarios were proposed. The findings show that street orientation has the greatest impact on wind speed, with areas angled 45 degrees to the predominant wind direction facing the most significant challenges. This research offers insights into wind comfort from an architectural and design perspective.

Missing Data Imputation in Balanced Construction for Incomplete Block Designs

Observational data with massive sample sizes are often distributed on many local machines. From an experimental design perspective, investigators often desire to identify the effect of new treatments (even ML algorithms) on many blocks of experimental data. With time requirements or budget constraints, assigning all treatments to each block is not always feasible. This creates incomplete responses with respect to a randomized complete block design (RCBD). These incomplete responses are missing by design. However, whether they can be estimated with missing imputation methods is not well understood. Thus, it is challenging to correctly identify the treatment effects with missing data. To this end, this paper provides a method for imputation and analysis of the responses with missing data. The proposed method consists of three steps: Reconstruction, Imputation, and `Complete’-data Analysis (RICA). The incomplete responses are imputed with the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The RCBD model is then fitted by the resulting dataset. The identifiability result suggests that the missing may be nonignorable for each block, but the whole data of an incomplete design are missing by design when the design is balanced. Theoretical results on relative efficiency also inform us when the missingness should be imputed for incomplete designs with the role of balanced variance. Applications on real-world data verify the efficacy of this method.

Architectural Narratives of Aesthetic Form: Exploring the Perception and Psychological Design in Church Architecture

This article examines church architecture to explore the role of formal beauty in architectural spatial narratives and how perception and psychological design influence people's experiences and emotions. First, the article reviews the theoretical foundations of formal beauty in architecture, elaborating on the application of aesthetic elements such as proportion, symmetry, rhythm, and light and shadow in buildings. Then, through case studies of typical churches from different historical periods (such as Gothic, Baroque, and modern churches), it reveals how architects utilize spatial layout, verticality, light, and decoration to create unique spiritual atmospheres and enhance religious experiences. The article focuses on how architectural space guides people's perception processes, stimulates psychological resonance, and achieves emotional elevation. Finally, it summarizes the key role of formal beauty in architectural narratives, emphasizing the importance of perceptual and psychological design in enhancing the quality of architectural spaces. By deeply exploring church architecture, this study aims to provide new perspectives for modern architectural design, advocating for the creation of formal beauty to enrich the narrative and appeal of spaces while meeting functional requirements.

Comparing Virtual and Real-Life Rapid Prototyping Methods for User Testing Smart City Interfaces: A Case Study

In the development of complex embedded interactive systems, a tension arises between, on the one hand, ever shorter and highly iterative design processes, and, on the other hand, the need for user testing with early prototypes to validate systems from a user-centred design perspective. This study focuses on the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into prototyping embedded interactive systems, examining its potential to bridge the gap between rapid prototyping and user-centered design validation. Adopting a comparative research approach, we analyze a case study: the development of a cultural smart city experience. It juxtaposes in situ, low-fidelity prototype testing with VR-based testing, evaluating their realism, interactivity, functionality, presence and task difficulty. This mixed-method research design incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, engaging 27 design students in a comparative study, conducting participatory research and 8 expert interviews. These findings reveal divergent roles in field testing and VR in the new product development process, highlighting VR’s strengths in visualizing procedures and facilitating discussion. This study identifies the limitations of VR in mimicking realistic interactions and incorporating social context yet underscores its superiority over paper prototypes in its realism and interactivity. Where field testing can hold broader contextual insights, the VR prototype gives more concrete and applied insights. The main advantage of VR testing is its visualisation of procedures and its final materialisation according to the participants interviewed. According to the experts interviewed, VR can be used as a useful tool within the development process especially for visualisation and testing user flows of complex interfaces.

Multi-Objective Optimization and Design for Industrial Vinyl Chloride Reactor by Hybrid Model

The acetylene conversion rate and vinyl chloride production capacity are the main economic indexes for vinyl chloride synthesis, and the reaction temperature is an important operating parameter to prevent the Hg active component from being loss. These three factors have not been taken into consideration simultaneously in the traditional optimization process, making it difficult to achieve optimization targets perfectly for industrial application. To overcome this problem, an efficient strategy framework was proposed based on a hybrid model. Compared with conventional paradigms, the proposed framework could not only reduce computational expense but optimize these two economic indexes with a constrained reaction temperature simultaneously. In addition, a machine learning method was used to conduct a feature analysis, which can reveal the potential interaction between different variables so key variables of this reactor could be identified. To demonstrate and verify this framework, multi-objective optimization involving multiple variables with constrained conditions for the industrial reactor was conducted from design and operation perspectives, respectively. The proposed strategy could provide optimal operational direction for the industrial reactor from these design and operation aspects, which contribute to the sustainable and highly efficient process development in this field. For the first section of an industrial vinyl chloride reactor, this strategy could realize significant improvement in the acetylene conversion rate from 81.34% to over 95.00% and in the vinyl chloride production capacity from 2.60 to above 3.40 mol/h in the operation scenarios, which can meet production requirements. So, the second section of the traditional reactor system is not needed at all.

Fair Energy Trading in Blockchain-Inspired Smart Grid: Technological Barriers and Future Trends in the Age of Electric Vehicles

The global electricity demand from electric vehicles (EVs) increased by 3631% over the last decade, from 2600 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2013 to 97,000 GWh in 2023. The global electricity demand from EVs will rise to 710,000 GWh by 2030. These EVs will depend on smart grids (SGs) for their charging requirements. Like EVs, SGs are a booming market. In 2021, SG technologies were valued at USD 43.1 billion and are projected to reach USD 103.4 billion by 2026. As EVs become more prevalent, they introduce additional complexity to the SG landscape, with EVs not only consuming energy, but also potentially supplying it back to the grid through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies. The entry of numerous independent sellers and buyers, including EV owners, into the market will lead to intense competition, resulting in rapid fluctuations in electricity prices and constant energy transactions to maximize profit for both buyers and sellers. Blockchain technology will play a crucial role in securing data publishing and transactions in this evolving scenario, ensuring transparent and efficient interactions between EVs and the grid. This survey paper explores key research challenges from an engineering design perspective of SG operation, such as the potential for voltage instability due to the integration of numerous EVs and distributed microgrids with fluctuating generation capacities and load demands. This paper also delves into the need for a synergistic balance to optimize the energy supply and demand equation. Additionally, it discusses policies and incentives that may be enforced by national electricity carriers to maintain grid reliability and manage the influx of EVs. Furthermore, this paper addresses emerging issues of SG technology providing primary charging infrastructure for EVs, such as incentivizing green energy, the technical difficulties in integrating diverse hetero-microgrids based on HVAC and HVDC technologies, challenges related to the speed of energy transaction processing during fluctuating prices, and vulnerabilities concerning cyber-attacks on blockchain-based SG architectures. Finally, future trends are discussed, including the impact of increased EV penetration on SGs, advancements in V2G technologies, load-shaping techniques, dynamic pricing mechanisms, and AI-based stability enhancement measures in the context of widespread SG adoption.

Sequencing dengue control policy in Singapore: an evolutionary perspective for policy design

ABSTRACT About half the global population is now at risk of contracting dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection that can cause severe morbidity and fatalities. Effective dengue control depends on controlling the mosquito vector, but finding the right mix of vector control policies has proved challenging. Using a content analysis of 208 Hansard records from parliamentary proceedings in Singapore, where dengue outbreaks have significantly increased in both frequency and magnitude since the early 1990s, we trace the processual evolution of Singapore’s anti-dengue policy mix from 1960 to 2023 and conclude that the evolution of dengue control policies is consistent with a customized initial policy design with a ‘smart patching’ mode of policy change via layering over time. This article contributes to both the environmental public health and policy design literatures.

Platinum‐Metformin Conjugates Acting as Promising PD‐L1 Inhibitors through the AMP‐Activated Protein Kinase Mediated Lysosomal Degradation Pathway

AbstractWith the development of metalloimmunology, the potential of platinum drugs in cancer immunotherapy has attracted extensive attention. Although immunochemotherapy combining PD‐1/PD−L1 antibodies with platinum drugs has achieved great success in the clinic, combination therapy commonly brings new problems. Herein, we have developed a platinum‐metformin conjugate as a promising alternative to antibody‐based PD−L1 inhibitors, not only disrupting PD‐1/PD−L1 axis on cell surface but also down‐regulating the total PD−L1 levels in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells comprehensively, thus achieving highly efficient immunochemotherapy by a single small molecule. Mechanism studies demonstrate that Pt‐metformin conjugate can selectively accumulate in lysosomes, promote lysosomal‐dependent PD−L1 degradation via the AMPK‐TFEB pathway, and modulate the upstream regulatory proteins related to PD−L1 expression (e.g. HIF‐1α and NF‐κB), eventually decreasing the total abundance of PD−L1 in NSCLC, overcoming tumor hypoxia, and activating anti‐tumor immunity in vivo. This work suggests an AMPK‐mediated lysosomal degradation pathway of PD−L1 for the first time and provides a unique design perspective for the development of novel platinum drugs for immunochemotherapy.

Player-vs.-Player Game Design and Pricing: A Tournament Design Perspective

Player-vs.-Player Game Design and Pricing: A Tournament Design Perspective

The Content-Specific Display: Between Medium and Metaphor

This paper examines the current generation of displays, as found primarily in smartphones, laptops and tablet computers, from an interaction design perspective. Today’s displays are multifunctional, versatile devices with a standardized, rectangular shape and a standardized interaction. We distinguish two pitfalls. First, they facilitate an interaction that is isolated and detached from the physical environment in which they are used. Second, their multi-touch interface provides users with few tangible clues and handles. From our background in embodied interaction, we establish an alternate, hypothetical vision of displays: the content-specific display. The content-specific display is defined as a display designed for one specific function and one type of on-screen content. We explore this concept in three student projects from the First Year Master’s program at Product Development, University of Antwerp, and present two key themes that emerge from it: causality and transformation. Both themes reside in the field of coupling, a concept well-known within the field of embodied interaction, and aim at a more seamless integration of on-screen content within the physical world. Finally, we discuss how the content-specific display influences the design process of digital products, and how it fosters collaboration between product designers and designers of graphical user interfaces.

Analysing Flexural Response in RC Beams: A Closed-Form Solution Designer Perspective from Detailed to Simplified Modelling

This paper presents a detailed analytical approach for the bending analysis of reinforced concrete beams, integrating both structural mechanics principles and Eurocode 2 provisions. The general analytical expressions derived for the curvature were applied for the transverse displacement analysis of a simply supported reinforced concrete beam under four-point loading, focusing on key limit states: the initiation of cracking, the yielding of tensile reinforcement and the compressive failure of concrete. The displacement’s results were validated through experimental testing, showing a high degree of accuracy in the elastic and crack propagation phases. Deviations in the yielding phase were attributed to the conservative material assumptions within the Eurocode 2 framework, though the analytical model remained reliable overall. To streamline the computational process for more complex structures, a simplified model utilising a non-linear rotational spring was further developed. This model effectively captures the influence of cracking with significantly reduced computational effort, making it suitable for serviceability limit state analyses in complex loading scenarios, such as seismic impacts. The results demonstrate that combining detailed analytical methods with this simplified model provides an efficient and practical solution for the analysis of reinforced concrete beams, balancing precision with computational efficiency.

3D digital technology in upcycling apparel design: the creation of a modular redesign system and designer perspectives

ABSTRACT Despite advancements in sustainable apparel design, upcycling practices still face challenges limiting creativity and efficiency. This study develops a Modular Redesign System (MRS) using 3D digital technology to improve the upcycling process. The MRS was created with CLO3D and Aftereffects, producing ten redesign samples and demonstration videos. In-depth interviews with South Korean upcycling apparel designers were conducted to assess the system’s perceived effectiveness and explore key issues in upcycling design. The MRS involves four stages: Selection, Virtualisation, Virtual Ideation, and Construction and Fitting. Findings highlight the MRS’s ability to enhance ideation, reduce material waste, and save time and costs, offering practical solutions to current challenges in apparel redesign. The MRS also shows potential for mass customisation, serving as an effective communication tool for personalised upcycling services. This study bridges a gap in the literature by integrating 3D virtual simulation with modular design to advance sustainable and efficient upcycling practices.

AI-assisted Curatorial Research

This thesis explores the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in curation, especially from the screening of photographic works to a new perspective of exhibition design and audience experience. With the rapid development of AI technology, the field of curation is undergoing profound changes.AI improves the efficiency and accuracy of work screening through image recognition and automated processing in photography; in exhibition design, it provides innovative tools for exhibition layout and optimisation by using Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology; and in terms of audience experience, AI enhances interaction and engagement through intelligent guides and personalised recommendations. interactivity and engagement. However, the application of AI also faces challenges, including data privacy, creative constraints, costs and technical thresholds. Future research will focus on the integration of AI with artistic creation, the enhancement of personalised experiences, privacy protection, and the integration of cross-domain technologies. By addressing these challenges, AI is expected to drive continued innovation and development in the curatorial industry, providing smarter and more efficient solutions for art presentation and audience experience.

Laboratory Experimental Investigation on the Structural Optimization of a Novel Coupled Energy Tunnel

Freezing damage to tunnels in cold regions has long posed a threat to the safe operation of high-speed trains and other means of transportation. Finding a reasonable and effective solution to this problem, while also considering green, low-carbon, energy-saving, and environmental protection measures, has garnered widespread attention. Herein, the concept of a novel coupled energy tunnel is proposed, which combines the technologies of an air curtain and ground source heat pump (GSHP). The aim is to effectively address the issue of freezing damage in tunnels located in cold regions, while ensuring traffic safety. First, the multifunctional experimental apparatus for testing the anti-freezing and insulation performance of a coupled energy tunnel was independently designed and developed for laboratory experiments. Second, single-factor experiments and orthogonal experiments are conducted, and the influences of five key factors (i.e., the air outlet hole diameter, air outlet hole spacing, circulating water temperature of the GSHP, wind speed at the tunnel model entrance, and airflow jet angle) on the internal temperature field of the tunnel model are discussed. Third, combined with range analysis and variance analysis, the ranking of importance for each key factor and the optimal scheme of the coupled energy tunnel are obtained as follows: wind speed at the tunnel model entrance D > circulating water temperature of GSHP C > airflow jet angle E > air outlet hole spacing B > air outlet hole diameter A, and the optimal scheme is A2B1C4D1E2, i.e., the air outlet hole diameter is 3 mm, the air outlet hole spacing is 10 mm, the circulating water temperature of GSHP is 50 °C, the wind speed at the tunnel model entrance is 1.5 m/s and the airflow jet angle is 45°. In conclusion, the research achievements presented in this paper can offer a new perspective for the structural design of tunnels in cold regions. Additionally, they contribute to the early achievement of a carbon dioxide emissions peak and carbon neutrality, and provide some valuable and scientific references for both innovators and practitioners.

Construction of LDH-derived CoNiP modified W/Z-CdS homojunction for improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution: Achieving broad solar light response and multiple phases charge transfer

Heterojunction engineering represents a robust strategy for accelerating carrier transfer, thereby enhancing the activity of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this work, a series of innovative CoNiP@W/Z-CdS heterojunctions were prepared for the purpose of investigating the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity under visible light-driven. To achieve high efficiency, lamellar CoNiP was first synthesized through the phosphatisation of CoNi LDH precursor. Subsequently, the W/Z-CdS homojunction was in-situ grown on the CoNiP via the hydrothermal method, resulting in the formation of the CoNiP@W/Z-CdS homojunction/heterojunction. The hydrogen evolution rate of 3% CoNiP@W/Z-CdS composite reaches 60.6 mmol/g/h, which is 3.6 times, 7.0 times and 11.9 times higher than that of W/Z-CdS, W-CdS and Z-CdS, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of 3% CoNiP@W/Z-CdS can be attributed to the introduction of an ultra-thin CoNiP bimetallic phosphide as cocatalyst, which increases the specific surface area to provide a large number of active sites for the catalytic reaction, and broadens the absorption range of sunlight. In particular, the synergistic effect between homojunction and Schottky junction in 3% CoNiP@W/Z-CdS further accelerates separation and migration rate of double interfacial carriers, improving photocatalytic H2 rate. This work offers a new perspective for the rational design of three-phase binary photocatalysts with high activity and stability.

How can we improve AI competencies for tomorrow's leaders: Insights from multi-stakeholders’ interaction

This study investigates factors influencing artificial intelligence (AI) competencies in higher education for sustainable development using learning theories. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, it analyzes responses from 525 students and interviews with 35 faculty members from five Indian universities. The study employs confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to explore relationships between various learning approaches and AI competencies. Findings indicate that collaborative learning, problem-solving, and cognitive competence significantly contribute to AI proficiency. Human-tool collaboration and self-learning also enhance students' understanding of AI concepts, fostering strategic decision-making in business contexts. Additionally, thematic analysis from qualitative interviews identifies critical themes for developing an AI curriculum framework, including curriculum design, pedagogical strategies, ethical considerations, and global perspectives. The research provides an integrated theoretical model and offers practical recommendations for enhancing AI education, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical AI usage in management education.