With the increasing demand for sustainable energy, advanced characterization methods are becoming more and more important in the field of energy materials research. With the help of X-ray imaging technology, we can obtain the morphology, structure and stress change information of energy materials in real time from two-dimensional and three-dimensional perspectives. In addition, with the help of high penetration X-ray and high brightness synchrotron radiation source, in-situ experiments are designed to obtain the qualitative and quantitative change information of samples during the charge and discharge process. In this paper, X-ray imaging technology based on synchrotron and its related applications are reviewed. The applications of several main X-ray imaging technologies in the field of energy materials, including X-ray projection imaging, transmission X-ray microscopy, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy and coherent diffraction imaging, are discussed. The application prospects and development directions of X-ray imaging in the future are prospected.
Iran has one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and many elements of today’s urban planning and design have their origins in the country. However, mass country-city migration from the 1960s onwards brought enormous challenges for the country’s main cities in the provision of adequate housing and associated services, resulting in a range of sub-standard housing solutions, particularly in Tehran, the capital city. At the same time, and notably in the past decade, Iran’s main cities have had significant involvement in the smart city movement. The Smart Tehran Program is currently underway, attempting to transition the capital towards a smart city by 2025. This study adopts a qualitative, inductive approach based on secondary sources and interview evidence to explore the current housing problems in Tehran and their relationship with the Smart Tehran Program. It explores how housing has evolved in Tehran and identifies key aspects of the current provision, and then assesses the main components of the Smart Tehran Program and their potential contribution to remedying the housing problems in the city. The article concludes that although housing related issues are at least being raised via the new smart city technology infrastructure, any meaningful change in housing provision is hampered by the over centralized and bureaucratic political system, an out of date planning process, lack of integration of planning and housing initiatives, and the limited scope for real citizen participation.
The holding of soccer events has an important impact on modern urban activities, which is conducive to the economic development, social harmony, cultural integration and regional integration of cities. However, massive energy is consumed during the event preparation and infrastructure construction, resulting in an increase in the city’s carbon emissions. For the sustainable development of cities, it is important to explore the theoretical mechanism and practical effectiveness of the relationship between soccer events and urban carbon emissions, and to adopt appropriate policy management measures to control carbon emissions of soccer events. With the development of green technology, digitalization, and public transportation, the preparation and management methods of soccer events are diversified, and the possibility of carbon reduction of the event is further increased. This paper selects 17 cities in China from 2011 to 2019 and explores the complex impact of soccer events on urban carbon emissions by using green technology innovation, digitalization level and public transportation as threshold variables. The results show that: (1) Hosting soccer events increases carbon emissions with an impact coefficient of 0.021; (2) There is a negative single-threshold effect of green innovation technology, digitalization level and public transportation on the impact of soccer events on carbon emissions, with the impact coefficients of soccer events decreasing by 0.008, 0.01 and 0.06, respectively, when the threshold variable crosses the threshold. These findings will enhance the attention of city managers to the management of carbon emissions from soccer events and provide guidance for reducing carbon emissions from soccer events through green technology innovation, digital means and optimization of public transportation.
Over the past decade, the integration of technology, particularly gamification, has initiated a substantial transformation within the field of education. However, educators frequently confront the challenge of identifying suitable competitive game-based learning platforms amidst the growing emphasis on cultivating creativity within the classroom and effectively integrating technology into pedagogical practices. The current study examines students and faculty continuous intention to use gamification in higher education. The data was collected through an online survey with a sample size of 763 Pakistani respondents from various universities around Pakistan. The structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data and to investigate how continuous intention to use gamification is influenced by, extended TAM model with inclusion of variables such as task technology fit, social influence, social recognition and hedonic motivation. The results have shown that task technology has no significant influence on perceived usefulness (PU) where as it has a significant influence on perceived ease of use (PEOU). Social influence (SI) indicates no significant influence on perceived ease of use. Social recognition (SR) indicates positive influence on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and continuous intention. The dimensional analysis indicated that perceived ease of use has insignificant influence on perceived usefulness. Both PEOU and PU exhibit positive influence on attitude. Hedonic motivation (HM) and attitude were observed to have a positive influence on continuous intention (CI). Moreover, gamification is found to efficiently and effectively achieve meaningful goals by tapping intrinsic motivation of the users through engaging them in playful experiences.
The purpose of this study is to investigate different factors associated with remote online home-based learning (thereafter named OHL), including technical system quality, perceived quality of contents, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness in relation to the satisfaction of undergraduate students following the post-COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Additionally, the mediating roles of attitude are also investigated. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed using judgmental sampling method and 156 completed responses were collected. The data were subsequently analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings imply that the OHL system is an effective method although it is challenging to operate. In terms of perceived technical system quality, OHL is currently more gratifying for students; however, some have reported that the quality of the content delivered via the remote system is still unsatisfactory. Moreover, the study found that attitude is a significant determinant of undergraduates’ satisfaction with OHL. This study contributes to the advancement of current knowledge by inspecting the factors of the Undergraduate Level OHL System using the mediating roles of attitude. In terms of underpinning theories, Technology Acceptance Model and Information System Model were employed as the guiding principles of the current study.
This article explores the application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework in the context of integrating self-driving tractors into agricultural practices. With a focus on understanding the factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of this transformative technology, we delve into the implications for farmers, industry stakeholders, and the future of sustainable agriculture and rural tourism.
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