Technological Milieu Research Articles

The Need for Partnership Between the University and Industry: Nigerian Perspective

Background: Partnership between the university and the industry is now seen as an inevitable vehicle for the modern world's knowledge-driven innovative and competitive socio-economic and technological milieu. Description: The traditional role and stereotyping of the university as only academic and the industry as profit-based is no longer sustainable in light of the emergence of a worldwide knowledge-based economy driven by world-leading research universities in symbiosis with an industrial sector that thrives on innovative knowledge exchange. Lessons learned: The world's developed economies have increasingly sustained university-industry collaborations for socio-economic growth, but the same cannot be said of West African countries, especially Nigeria. Myriads of developmental challenges currently facing Nigeria, not least of which is unemployment, especially the issue of unemployable university graduates and the depletion of the manufacturing/industrial sector. Conclusion: This paper aims to identify the developmental issues that call for the urgent need for university-industry partnership, as a socio-economic and technological development vehicle.

A Bibliometric Analysis Exploring the Acceptance of Virtual Reality among Older Adults: A Review

In recent years, there has been a widespread integration of virtual reality (VR) technology across various sectors including healthcare, education, and entertainment, marking a significant rise in its societal importance. However, with the ongoing trend of population ageing, understanding the elderly’s acceptance of such new technologies has become a focal point in both academic and industrial discourse. Despite the attention it garners, there exists a gap in understanding the attitudes of older adults towards VR adoption, along with evident needs and barriers within this demographic. Hence, gaining an in-depth comprehension of the factors influencing the acceptance of VR technology among older adults becomes imperative to enhance its utility and efficacy within this group. This study employs renowned databases such as WoS and Scopus to scrutinize and analyze the utilization of VR among the elderly population. Utilizing VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20), statistical analysis is conducted on the pertinent literature to delve into research lacunae, obstacles, and recommendations in this domain. The findings unveil a notable surge in literature studies concerning VR usage among older adults, particularly evident since 2019. This study documents significant journals, authors, citations, countries, and research domains contributing to this area. Furthermore, it highlights pertinent issues and challenges surrounding the adoption of VR by older users, aiming to identify prevailing constraints, research voids, and future technological trajectories. Simultaneously, this study furnishes guidelines and suggestions tailored towards enhancing VR acceptance among the elderly, thereby fostering a more inclusive technological milieu. Ultimately, this research aspires to establish an encompassing technological ecosystem empowering older adults to harness VR technology for enriched engagement, learning, and social interactions.

Reduce energy consumption - causes of CMOS inverter switching delay and its influencing factors

This paper offers a comprehensive examination of the Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) inverter, a quintessential component in contemporary digital integrated circuits, renowned for its minimal power consumption, robust noise resistance, and adaptability. The focus of this investigation is the switching delay of the CMOS inverter, a pivotal attribute that exerts substantial influence on the overall functionality of the circuitry. This discourse undertakes a detailed exploration of the factors contributing to the CMOS inverter switching delay, dissecting the influence of both intrinsic and extrinsic elements. Initially, the analysis delineates the origins of the switching delay in CMOS inverters, categorizing them into internal and external determinants. Subsequently, the study meticulously examines methodologies to modulate these factors, thereby achieving effective control over the delay. By implementing strategic optimizations, this research aims to diminish latency and enhance operational efficiency. Through a theoretical lens, this paper elucidates the complex interplay between these inherent and external factors, culminating in the optimization of the CMOS inverter switching delay. The insights garnered from this analysis are poised to offer a substantive theoretical foundation for the design of more efficient and reliable digital circuits in the current technological milieu.

Application of Metamaterial in Renewable Energy: A Review

Metamaterial advancements hold promise for compact renewable energy harvesting, capturing acoustic, electromagnetic, mechanical, and solar energy on a modest scale across global industries. Engineered structures surpass natural material limitations, offering capabilities unattainable in traditional counterparts. This investigation explores metamaterials' manipulation of acoustic, electromagnetic, mechanical, and solar energy. Mechanical metamaterials convert strain into electrical energy, applicable from interstellar travel to terrestrial infrastructure. Precision-configured acoustic metamaterials efficiently harness dispersed acoustic energy, improving renewable energy methodologies. Integration into photovoltaic cells showcases metamaterials' solar potential, with innovative designs enhancing solar energy conversion efficiency. Electromagnetic metamaterials efficiently absorb and convert frequencies into usable energy from communications and monitoring systems, in the agricultural and environmental sectors. Comparative analyses highlight noteworthy efficiency advancements, underscoring metamaterials' transformative influence on renewable energy. As they redefine the sector, implications extend to both small-scale devices and large-scale applications, positioning them as pivotal contributors. The paper critically evaluates metamaterial effectiveness in harnessing diverse energy sources, guiding future research. Metamaterial adaptability to different sizes and integration into technology reveals possibilities for compact energy sources. Ongoing research addresses scientific and economic challenges, paving the way for scaling metamaterial applications to commercial operations and emphasizing their importance in incorporating renewable energy into our technological milieu.

21st Century Learning Trends : What Educators Need to Know

In the 21st century, a paramount emphasis lies on the education of the 21st century and the cultivation of multifaceted skills that bolster students in acclimating to dynamic transformations. A pivotal trajectory in educational paradigms manifests through the amalgamation of technology and the adoption of digital pedagogical methodologies. The transition towards this technological integration is propelled by the imperative to assimilate 21st-century proficiencies, fortifying students for an ever-evolving technological milieu. Concurrently, there is an accentuation on honing students' faculties of critical reasoning and amplifying scientific acumen. Character education assumes a centrality, underscoring its resonance with the perspectives of students navigating the complexities of the 21st century. Moreover, 21st-century education encompasses the advocacy for innovative aptitudes and entrepreneurial prowess. Global educational trends steer towards STEM-oriented frameworks, augmenting students' adeptness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In summation, education in the 21st century is intricately entwined with technology, globalization, and the imperative for students to foster competencies germane to an expeditiously evolving world.

‘Information, Please’: Brian O’Nolan and the Radio

This article proposes Irish radio broadcasting as an unexplored context for new directions in Flann O’Brien studies. Brian O’Nolan’s involvement in Irish radio spans at least two decades, from the early 1930s into the 1950s, yet the contributions of O’Nolan and his literary circle to Radio Éireann and the BBC remain an under-researched area of Flann O’Brien scholarship. Scholars are faced with the absence of a sound archive to refer to; but this article argues that such absences are part of the ephemeral nature of radio as a medium, and that we must view O’Nolan’s work in radio as an emerging, amateur practice within a wider, sustained artistic project. Though we cannot resurrect the live performances themselves, the article draws on new archival evidence to offer a short history of O’Nolan’s radio appearances. It attempts to fill the gaps produced by lost media with original radio schedules, reviews, letters, and typescript drafts, and by contextualising O’Nolan’s portrayals of radio within a wider social and technological milieu, via the radio-related activity of his circle (Niall Sheridan, Donagh MacDonagh, Niall Montgomery). This context helps us to see how radio aesthetics influenced O’Nolan’s metafictional writing, as demonstrated through close readings of how the modernist ‘radio’ mode informed ‘!CEÓL!’ (1932), Blather (1934), and At Swim-Two-Birds (1939).

Revolutionizing Application Monitoring : A Review of DizBoard's Unified Dashboard Approach

In today's software landscape, the continuous and flawless operation of applications stands as a pivotal requirement. The genesis of the "DizBoard: Server and Database Manager" project stemmed from a pressing necessity to guarantee the seamless functionality and resilience of client-server applications. This imperative emerged from firsthand encounters with the escalating intricacies inherent in modern application ecosystems. An exploration of the existing technological milieu unveiled a diverse array of tools and solutions dedicated to application monitoring. However, the discerned need for a unified dashboard catering to databases, web services, and application servers became increasingly apparent. Current fragmented solutions often resulted in monitoring gaps and an absence of holistic insights into overall application health. The implementation of the "DizBoard: Server and Database Manager" project is geared towards bridging these gaps, addressing limitations highlighted in the literature review. Through a fusion of frontend technologies, Python-backed backend logic, and the automation prowess of shell scripting, this endeavor endeavors to craft a unified dashboard offering real-time visibility into critical components' statuses. This review paper embarks on a journey to expound upon the aspirations and methodologies driving the "DizBoard" project. It aims not only to present a comprehensive view of application health but also to delineate the voids that prevailing technologies leave. Envisioned as a user-friendly and automated monitoring dashboard, "DizBoard: Server and Database Manager" aspires to redefine the paradigm of application health management. Its ultimate goal is to elevate reliability, proactively address issues, and ultimately augment user satisfaction in the realm of application management.

Wireless technologies, non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and children: Identifying and reducing health risks

Children today are conceived and live in a sea of wireless radiation that did not exist when their parents were born. The launch of the digital age continues to transform the capacity to respond to emergencies and extend global communications. At the same time that this increasingly ubiquitous technology continues to alter the nature of commerce, medicine, transport and modern life overall, its varied and changing forms have not been evaluated for their biological or environmental impacts. Standards for evaluating radiation from numerous wireless devices were first set in 1996 to avoid heating tissue and remain unchanged since then in the U.S. and many other nations. A wide range of evidence indicates that there are numerous non-thermal effects from wireless radiation on reproduction, development, and chronic illness. Many widely used devices such as phones and tablets function as two-way microwave radios, sending and receiving various frequencies of information-carrying microwave radiation on multiple simultaneously operating antennas. Expert groups advising governments on this matter do not agree on the best approaches to be taken. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limited screen time for children under the age of two, but more than half of all toddlers regularly have contact with screens, often without parental engagement. Young children of parents who frequently use devices as a form of childcare can experience delays in speech acquisition and bonding, while older children report feelings of disappointment due to 'technoference'-parental distraction due to technology. Children who begin using devices early in life can become socially, psychologically and physically addicted to the technology and experience withdrawal upon cessation. We review relevant experimental, epidemiological and clinical evidence on biological and other impacts of currently used wireless technology, including advice to include key questions at pediatric wellness checkups from infancy to young adulthood. We conclude that consistent with advice in pediatric radiology, an approach that recommends that microwave radiation exposures be As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) seems sensible and prudent, and that an independently-funded training, research and monitoring program should be carried out on the long term physical and psychological impacts of rapidly changing technological milieu, including ways to mitigate impacts through modifications in hardware and software. Current knowledge of electrohypersensitivity indicates the importance of reducing wireless exposures especially in schools and health care settings.

“I’m Not Trying to Recreate the Classroom”: A Qualitative Study to Help Faculty Make Sense of Online Interactions

ABSTRACT Instructors who are new to online teaching experience negative emotions regarding the transition to online instruction and the experience of teaching online. Meanwhile, experienced online instructors find online instruction to be superior to traditional face-to-face instruction. An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted at a public university in the US to answer the question: How is online teaching conceptualized by faculty who teach online? 25 online instructors with varying levels of experience teaching online participated in the study. Data were gathered through individual semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the IPA methodology. Findings revealed that experienced faculty conceptualized teaching very differently when it was conducted online. They also cognitively reframed their understanding of student-instructor interactions. This paper presents a visual model for understanding online interactions and calls for a reconceptualization of education to better align with the 21st-century technological milieu.

Freedom in the Age of surveillance capitalism: Lessons from Shoshana Zuboff

Abstract The Age of surveillance capitalism is a profound economical, sociological, political, philosophical, and ethical work by the American author, Harvard University Professor Shoshana Zuboff. In this work, she analyzes the new economic system, which she calls “surveillance capitalism.” This system revolves around the commodification of personal data, which allows human behavior to be predicted and “nudged” towards profitable ends. This system is historically unprecedented and has only become possible in the technological milieu of interconnected devices, which appeared in the 21st century. In this article, I look at the issue of freedom in Zuboff’s work. I argue that her understanding of freedom involves three ethical dimensions, namely privacy, autonomy, and authenticity. I take “surveillance capitalism” as a theoretical framework, in which I explore several ethical challenges to freedom in the digital age.

Music, discourse and intuitive technology

This paper proposes that intuitive technologies play a vital role in cognition and cultural reception. The case of music is considered in particular. The perceived temporality of contemporary technology is shown to be an artificial barrier to the acknowledgement of longer-term dynamics. The increased role of explanatory metaphors from technology is traced across various fields of study. Processes of sense-making—conscious or otherwise—are seen as an informal, unreflected repertory of mechanisms ranging from predictive models to instrumental metaphors. It is suggested that these derive by assimilation and induction from the technological milieu within which the subject develops and operates. The acquisition of these models and metaphors is itself an imaginative process, based on experience ranging from partial expertise to fantastical extrapolation.

The Other Side of Play: Fear and Frustration in the Design, Consumption and Use of Construction Sets

Abstract Play is typically considered to be a highly pleasurable and stress-free activity; nevertheless, there is a strong but neglected connection between toy design and the fear of a technological future. The production and promotion of technology-inspired toys for middle-class children in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries reflected both the great fascination of adults with new technology and their anxiety about its impact. Different types of technical toys were meant not only as playthings, but also as tools for coming to terms with a changing social and technological milieu. For children themselves, playing with construction sets could be a source not only of pleasure, but also of frustration. This essay discusses a range of negative emotions related to construction toys and offers insights into this hitherto under-researched aspect of play. We argue that toys of a technical nature offered a small-scale and safe environment for testing out practices and mentalities related to the tensions and contradictions of modernity.

Immersività distratta. La nuova economia dell'attenzione negli ambienti digitali

The essay focuses on the relationship between attention and immersivity in the experience of digital media. The text aims at showing that this experience can be correctly understood only by developing an historical analysis of the notion of “attention”, and by considering the relationship between attention economy and the technological milieu, in which the subject is located. Therefore, the essay starts with a brief analysis of the concept of “attention” and with some historical remarks about the immersive character of media (with particular reference to the Greek notion of enar-geia).By discussing Walter Benjamin’s theory of cinematic experi-ence and Marshall McLuhan’s distinction between hot and cold media, the essay identifies the disjunction of attention and im-mersive experience as the core element necessary to understand our relationship to digital media.

Gender, love and the Internet: romantic online interactions in Chilean young people

ABSTRACT Romance in modern societies is undergoing a two-fold process of transformation: on the one hand, traditional gender relationships are being revised and criticized; on the other, new digital communication technologies are making possible to initiate, sustain and end romantic relationships through a set of practices that mix physical co-presence and online interactions. Using a qualitative approach (N = 48), this paper explores how young people (ages 18–29) in Chile conceive of romantic relationships in this social and technological context. Our results show that romantic relationships are a significant terrain in which gender is negotiated through digitally mediated practices of courtship and maintenance of established romantic relationships. These mirror the power dynamics involved in the existing gendered normativity, but also provide some leeway to transform it, depending on the resources that individuals bring to the technological milieu.

Siegfried Kracauer and Ernst Jünger

Abstract This article examines how the activity of writing mediates among the private, the public, and the transcendent in the work of Siegfried Kracauer and Ernst Jünger. For each, the task of modern criticism requires personal, embodied, and agonistic participation in a prototypical technological milieu. The article compares Kracauer’s position to Jünger’s on the prospect of an impersonal, transcendent “Beyond,” examines how each thinker diagnoses the deficiencies of the historical present, and shows how Jünger and Kracauer make allied use of modernist writing as a practice for deeply embedding the self in an ambivalent historical context in which coherent subjectivity is impossible.

Cultural Underpinnings of Nanotechnology and Industrial Development Diffusion in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Context of Cultural Determinism in Accounting Innovation

The paper presents a fundamental analysis of how differential interpretations and uses of accounting innovations stimulate technological diffusion and industrial development in the argument of the relevance of accounting within the emergent technological milieu already threatening several professions. It identifies how the meanings and interpretations of accounting innovations contributed to the cultural determinants of various industrial epoch. Relying on the theory of cultural determinism in accounting and using Geert Hofstede 6D Model of National Culture to explain that the diffusion of technology and industrial development is also culturally dependent, the paper shows that the lack of the use of accounting innovation is implicated in the inability to translate technological advancements into industrial developments in parts of the world. The paper recommends that changes in the organizational structure, culture and strategy stimulated by accounting innovations be embraced to tilt the tide in favour of faster-paced translation of nanotechnology and other high-level technological advancements into industrial development in African and other developing economies.

Planetary Epidemiology: Towards First Principles.

To combine evolutionary principles of competition and co-operation with limits to growth models, generating six principles for a new sub-discipline, called "planetary epidemiology." Suggestions are made for how to quantify four principles. Climate change is one of a suite of threats increasingly being re-discovered by health workers as a major threat to civilization. Although "planetary health" is now in vogue, neither it nor its allied sub-disciplines have, as yet, had significant impact on epidemiology. Few if any theorists have sought to develop principles for Earth system human epidemiology, in its ecological, social, and technological milieu. The principles of planetary epidemiology described here can be used to stimulate applied, quantitative work to explore past, contemporary, and future population health, at scales from local to planetary, in order to promote enduring health. It is also proposed that global well-being will decline this century, without radical reform.

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked

Viewing Library Training Through Adult Learning Concepts

To cope with the rapidly changing technological milieu, librarians need to engage in continuous learning to keep abreast of the changes we have seen both in the workplace and across society. Not on...