text:
Sometimes, you see a celebrity moment so over-the-top luxurious that it looks to be literally dripping with Dom Pérignon and gold. Victoria Beckham wearing a white gown while yachting with Elton John in the South of France is one of them. This, apparently, is how the rich do vacation.
The singer-turned-fashion designer has been working up to this moment since she and her family commenced their grand European holiday three weeks ago. It started with a humble anniversary celebration at the ornate Palace of Versailles. Casual, right?
Soon after, the family jetted over to Puglia, where they went for bike rides, lounged beachside, and photographed a handful of sunsets, which they shared on their respective social media accounts. It all started to seem fairly normal until the Beckhams flooded our Instagram feeds with photos of Elton John.
The picture of OBE recipient Victoria Beckham and Sir Elton John is one for the history books, especially because John's Hawaiian shirt, printed shorts, and bedazzled sneakers were a hilarious contrast to Beckham's elegant white gown.
It had to be the chicest thing any non-bride has ever worn on a yacht. Miles of delicate fabric, it seemed, held together by a stringy halter top made for one of the designer's most extra moments yet.
Beckham shares Anna Wintour's philosophy of never dressing too casually, even when she's surrounded by her kids and husband, who are all in soaking-wet swimsuits on a boat. Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, are both in their weekend outfits, consisting of Stetson hats and Aloha shirts. Meanwhile, the fashion mogul is dressed in what could very well be a wedding gown.
David Beckham joked about his wife's outfit in an Instagram Story, saying, "I mean come on really," with the rolling eyes emoji. "Boat wear @victoriabeckham style." She later got revenge by posting a photo of him sleeping in a printed-silk Versace top.
Beckham, known for her extraordinary style, is constantly dressed to the nines. This latest gown moment, though, reached new levels of chicness, even for her. While she did say on Instagram that she wears that long gold pendant necklace with all her Victoria Beckham maxis, this number doesn't look to be one of her own designs (for once).
Feeling inspired by her extravagant look? A few sleek gowns that are from her Pre-Fall/Winter collection, ahead.


text:
Teens and Mobile Phones Over the Past Five Years: Pew Internet Looks Back | Pew Research Center - Demographic effect of mobiles on teen
- Views: 99 982
Since then mobile phone use has climbed steadily among teens to 63% in at teen cell phone owners (71% of the teen population in the survey), . The Pew Internet Project explores the impact of the internet on. Of the 75% of teens who own cell phones, 87% use text messaging at by parents do not seem to impact patterns of cell phone use by teens.

domain: sociology


A man who slapped a security guard across the face at Asda and called him a “f****** Muslim” insists he is not racist.
Adrian West was banned from the supermarket in Pegler Way, West Green, in April for shoplifting but returned when he was drunk on September 15. The security guard who had detained him in April recognised West and asked him to leave, at which point West became verbally abusive.
He called Adriano Brito a “mother f*****” and told him: “You shouldn’t be allowed in this country. F*** off to your own country.”
West, 50, from Ditchling Hill, Southgate, appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court for sentencing last Thursday, having pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault at a previous hearing on November 19.
The court heard that, after verbally abusing Mr Brito, West left through one exit but made his way around to the other exit, by McDonald’s, where the guard again confronted him and told him to leave.
West then called him a “f****** Muslim” and again shouted: “F*** off to your own country” before slapping him across the face.
When interviewed by police he said he had no recollection of the incident but accepted it had happened when he was shown CCTV footage from the supermarket. He told police he may have made racist comments but was not racist.
A report from the Probation Service stated that the only possible reason West could think of for making such comments was the amount of alcohol he had drunk coupled with “negative reports in the media” about Muslims, which he claimed may have influenced his thoughts subconsciously.
Geoff White, defending, said: “The difficulty is that he can’t remember what happened. He was shown the CCTV and he identified himself on that CCTV. He said to me ‘I’m genuinely surprised by what I said’.
“His only explanation is that he was intoxicated and, looking back at his record, when he gets intoxicated, he gets himself into trouble.” The court heard West has a string of convictions for violent behaviour while drunk.
Mr White added: “Through me he is publicly apologising to that man [Mr Brito]. He says he has no ill feeling towards people of that particular ilk.”
In August 2009 West stabbed a 16-year-old boy, Alex Head, in the neck in Tilgate Park after an all-day drinking session. He was jailed for three-and-a-half years for the attack.
After looking at his previous convictions, magistrate Alan Tait said, when sentencing for this latest incident: “You have – I don’t need to remind you – a very bad record of using violence.
“It stopped some years ago, then about four years ago you had a serious incident and we have to do something about trying to prevent that sort of thing happening again. Yes, it seems that alcohol is a trigger, but it’s not an excuse.”
West was given a 12-month community order which includes 100 hours of unpaid work.
He must also attend an alcohol intervention programme and pay £100 compensation to Mr Brito.


The range of Huawei P40 will be deprived of lite version in favor of a Pro Plus model which will be equipped with an optical unit of five rear cameras and 3 front sensors including a Time-of-Flight.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Huawei still has not rejected the presentation of the range Huawei P40 we are waiting for the March 26. The Chinese glove even has a surprise in store for us. Last year, the P30 was marketed in three models, the standard version, the Pro version and a Lite version. In 2020, the firm would have chosen to follow the same srange breeding strategy than Samsung. The Lite model would be abandoned in favor of a version Pro Plus or Pro +. Hope that Huawei succeeds, sales of the Galaxy S20 are disappointing for the moment for the coren which is catching up with its foldable smartphones, in particular the Galaxy Z Flip.
On Twitter, Ishan Agarwal confirms the presence of 5 photo sensors that we discovered on the first images of the Huawei P40, but according to him, it would be the Pro + version which would also have 3 sensors on its front face. Two 12 MP cameras that come with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor for augmented reality applications. As for the rear optical unit, it would consist of a main Sony camera of 64 MP, a wide-angle of 20 MP, a telephoto lens of 12 MP, a macro, and finally a ToF camera. In its entry-level version, the P40 is full with only 3 sensors, including a main camera of at least 50 MP.
Huawei: the future of the P40 remains uncertain in Europe and the United States
Despite the intervention of Google with the White House, the Chinese glove is still on the black list, and must do without Google services, including the Play Store. A difficult handicap overcoming the short term that has led Huawei to revise its smartphone sales estimates downward. Predictions that have just been confirmed: in February, the company fell from the second to the fourth world rank of smartphone manufacturers.


text:
(Faber Piano Adventures ). Adult Piano Adventures enables the adult beginner to play music for pleasure while developing musical understanding.
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
(Faber Piano Adventures ). Adult Piano Adventures enables the adult beginner to play music for pleasure while developing musical understanding. This comprehensive "All-In-One" book includes lessons, technique, and theory in a single volume for ease of use. Book 1 presents the fundamentals of music notation, chord playing, and musical form. The redesigned layout improves information hierarchy, putting focus on key concepts and step-by-step learning. Online support is now included, with over two hours of instructional videos and audio accompaniment tracks that inspire rhythmic vitality and artistic expression. Songs include: Amazing Grace * The Can-Can * Catch a Falling Star * Danny Boy * Eine Kleine Nachtmusik * The Entertainer * Greensleeves * The Lion Sleeps Tonight * and more!
1 Electronic Courseware Systems , Inc. Video Voice Speech Training System Version : Apple lle , Ilgs 4.0 Combination of ... Alfred's Adult Piano Theory : Level 1 Version : 3.1 Correlates with Alfred's Adult Piano Course Book 1.
1Q11 Female impersonator / I ! Bert Savoy, an American gay man who is flamboyantly effeminate offstage and on, achieves unprecedented fame, second only to Julian Eltinge, who steers a careful course of masculinity and heterosexu- ality ...
The Advocate is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) monthly newsmagazine. Established in 1967, it is the oldest continuing LGBT publication in the United States.
In her adventures Evangeline meets a reformed headhunter , a toothpick entrepreneur , a frantic ballerina , and makes friends with the “ animal nuts . ” References throughout the book makes one think of the Lemony Snicket books ...
A Guide to Print Music, Software, Instructional Media, and Web Sites for Musicians Elizabeth C. Axford. 1-3 ... Children's Piano Method Level 1 ( www.melbay.com ) : Comprehensive piano course for young beginners ; colorful presentation ...
Author: Elizabeth C. Axford
The third edition of Song Sheets to Software: A Guide to Print Music, Software, Instructional Media, and Web Sites for Musicians includes completely revised and updated listings of music software, instructional media, and web sites of use to all musicians, whether hobbyist or professional. New to the third edition is a CD-ROM with sections including Live Links, an expanded and easily searchable Tech Talk, and sample print music scores. Also new to the third edition are sections on digital sheet music and video game music, as well as an updated bibliography.
Now there's no )E Y E M 1 1, Y Y O T 'W PHOTOGRAPH "/place I'd rather be than fright here." Pardon Doumani if she sounds like an ^adoring disciple of a spiritual adviser. Until landscape designer Brian Tichenor came along, she couldn't ...
Los Angeles magazine is a regional magazine of national stature. Our combination of award-winning feature writing, investigative reporting, service journalism, and design covers the people, lifestyle, culture, entertainment, fashion, art and architecture, and news that define Southern California. Started in the spring of 1961, Los Angeles magazine has been addressing the needs and interests of our region for 48 years. The magazine continues to be the definitive resource for an affluent population that is intensely interested in a lifestyle that is uniquely Southern Californian.

domain: hobby


text:
Front: Portrait King Willem I to the right - ★ WILLEM KONING DER NED. G.H.V.L.
Reverse: Crowned Dutch coat of arms between 5 - G - • COIN OF THE KONINGRYK OF THE NETHERLANDS • 1826
Material : Au 900/1000
Weight: 3.34 grams
Reference : Sch. 197
Quality : XF
The quality indication is MuntMarkt's professional assessment, but take a good look at the images for your own impression.
This lot will be shipped registered and sufficiently insured. For this auction we use an adjusted shipping rate.


text:
By Tim Chappell
Read or Download Ethics and Experience: Life Beyond Moral Theory (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought) PDF
Best ethics & morality books
The valuable philosophical problem of metaethics is to account for the normativity of ethical judgment with no leaving behind or heavily compromising ethical realism. In Morality in a flora and fauna, David Copp defends a model of naturalistic ethical realism which can accommodate the normativity of morality.
May still legislation approximately intercourse and pornography be in accordance with social conventions approximately what's disgusting? should still felons be required to show bumper stickers or put on T-shirts that announce their crimes? This strong and skillfully written publication, via one among America's such a lot influential philosophers, offers a critique of the position that disgrace and disgust play in our person and social lives and, specifically, within the legislation.
This booklet is an creation to the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, written in a full of life, own variety. Hannan emphasizes the odd inconsistencies and tensions in Schopenhauer's thought--he was once torn among idealism and realism, and among denial and confirmation of the person will. as well as offering an invaluable precis of Schopenhauer's major principles, Hannan connects Schopenhauer's inspiration with ongoing debates in philosophy.
This choice of essays offers the 1st systematic research of useful necessity and provides novel views in this fascinating phenomenon. whereas debates on necessity frequently happen within the realm of metaphysics, there's a kind of necessity that's pertinent to practical philosophy. “Here I stand.
- Antología de textos de ética (Spanish Edition)
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Additional resources for Ethics and Experience: Life Beyond Moral Theory (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought)
Ethics and Experience: Life Beyond Moral Theory (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought) by Tim Chappell

domain: library


text:
"Cover it in cheese and bacon - £2"
This should be an option everywhere.
McPizza would've been good to try
Hamburger or cheeseburger between two Krispy Kreme donuts instead of buns.
Nothing, all I need is my sweet, sweet McChicken
I don't really care for those plain ass skinny french fries that most places sell. Give me waffle fries, tots, or even mashed potatoes as an option.
Personal Pizzas would be nice to see more often.
A real amount of vegetarian/vegan options that aren't just salad. Taco Bell has the right end of it, where as McDonald's literally has a veggie burger that tastes like cardboard with one sliver of lettuce. Despicable.
/r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions.
Other useful resources

domain: food


text:
Proceedings of the Creative Construction Conference (2018)
Edited by: Miroslaw J. Skibniewski & Miklos Hajdu
Corresponding author: firstname.lastname@example.org
Creative Construction Conference 2018, CCC 2018, 30 June - 3 July 2018, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Rethinking the roles in the AEC industry to accommodate digital
Borja García de Sotoa,b,*, Isolda Agustí-Juanc, Samuel Jossd, Jens Hunheviczd, Guillaume Habertc,
aNew York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Saadiyat Island, Experimental Research Building, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE
bNew York University (NYU), Tandon School of Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
cInstitute of Construction and Infrastructure Management, ETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
dETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
As robots and other technologies take over tasks previously performed by construction workers and planners, the concern about the
future of jobs and wages will increase. While digital fabrication (dfab), and particularly the use of robotic technology, has the
potential to improve productivity, it should not necessarily reduce total employment in the construction sector in the long run. It is
expected that existing roles will evolve, mainly related to the human-robot interaction, and new roles will be created (e.g., in addition
to designers there would be a need for employees with digital skills). Particular attention should be made to the transition phase in
which conflicts may occur between the old and new systems and planning methods. This will occur for different functions and
services during the planning and execution of construction projects. Focusing on the construction phase of a concrete wall using
additive dfab for the NEST building located in Dübendorf, Switzerland, the different roles were evaluated. From this study, it seems
that robotic technologies and conventional construction will coexist next to each other for a while, leading to a higher job variability
and the creation of new roles, such as dfab managers to support coordination required, dfab programmers to develop computer
numerical control that can be implemented with industrial robots, or dfab technicians to support robotic systems. However, there is
still a lot of uncertainty, making it difficult to quantify employment impacts. Therefore, further research is needed to evaluate the
impacts of using dfab to the functional division, supply chain and business models of the AEC industry, and to assess additional
social impacts, such as changes in education schemes.
© 2018 The Authors. Published by Diamond Congress Ltd.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2018.
Keywords: construction automation; digital fabrication (dfab); human-robot interaction; industrialized construction; integrated project delivery
(IPD); project delivery and contract strategies, robotic construction; roles in the AEC industry
Construction is distinguished from manufacturing in that the bulk of the production tasks typically occurs in a field
setting and is undertaken in an uncontrolled environment . Moreover, buildings are complex systems that cannot be
conceived as serial products, such as an automobile for example . Each building is designed and constructed
according to specific conditions and stakeholder decisions, making automation harder to implement when compared to
other industries (e.g., manufacturing). Automation involves machines, tools, devices, installations, and systems that are
all platforms developed by humans to perform a given set of activities without human involvement. Although there are
many definitions for automation, mostly depending on the sector in which it is used, there is no doubt that it is powerful.
As Nof  said, automation “has a tremendous impact on civilization, on humanity, and it may carry risks.” For this
study, the concept of automation is directly related to the use of robotic systems or robots to assist construction workers
or to perform construction tasks during onsite operations. In particular, this study deals with onsite robotic fabrication
applied to additive construction, referred in this study as digital fabrication (dfab).
Despite the fact that the construction industry is one of the oldest and represents a significant part of a country’s
GDP, it is also one of the most unfamiliar regarding the R&D fields for the automation community . However, the
research of robotic fabrication and robotic systems applied to construction operations is not new and has been around
since the 80s. In 1984 Warszawski  published one of the first critiques about the use of robots in the building sector,
trying to examine robot requirements, implementation and economic feasibility of their application. Exploratory studies
were conducted in the fields of infrastructure (, , , ), digital design and production , surveying ,
prefabrication (, ) and assembly . In addition, researchers started investigating the feasibility of robotic
applications in various architecture and construction activities (, , ) and also for freeform construction
(, ). Combination of construction automation with robotics has also been investigated (, ). However,
early attempts in robotic construction did not succeed mostly because of the lack of computation power, and partly
because of the highly specialized character of the robot developed and used .
Although the use of robotic systems, mainly those used onsite, is still very limited (a few examples include the
Semi-Automated Mason  and the In situ Fabricator ), they are becoming technically and economically possible,
and it is expected that they will gradually be used in the industry as cost-effective solutions are found. Another driving
force pushing contractors to give a more serious look at robotics and automation is the shortage of construction
workers. The aging working population coupled with the lack of new generation joining the construction workforce
are giving construction companies a hard time finding qualified labor . According to a survey by Autodesk and the
Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), 70% percent of construction firms are having difficulties finding
qualified craft workers to hire during growing construction demand . This interest is not new. Something similar
happened in the 1980s in Japan, where construction demand was booming. However, construction jobs were not
attractive to young Japanese generations which triggered a substantial investment and research into construction
robotics. After a significant amount of resources invested in the development of highly customized automation systems
and robots, the technical excellence was never matched by economic success, causing the abandonment of the robotic
pursuit in construction .
The study presented in this paper provides an outlook of the findings during the evaluation of an ongoing project in
Switzerland in which robots are used for digital fabrication on site. Particular attention was given to the changing roles
during the construction execution phase. Given the research and prototype nature of the case study, the observations
from this study should only be considered as exploratory and not as a generalization for the construction industry.
However, this type of studies can be useful to evaluate trends and changes in the roles of other projects and eventually
forge new directions in the construction sector.
2. Current situation
2.1. Uncertain impacts on labor and workforce
As robots and other technologies take over tasks previously performed by construction workers, there will be a
disruption in the current roles, from laborers to designers. This transformation in the construction sector will be
accompanied by the concern about the future of jobs and an increase in wages. According to  41% of construction
jobs in Germany are at high risk of automation by 2030. 35% in the US, 26% in Japan and 24% in the UK. Studies for
other industries have also investigated the effect of robots and automation to the social dimension. Frey and Osborne
 estimated that around 47% of total US employment has a “high risk of computerization” by the 2030s, while the
estimations by Arntz et al.  were quite a bit lower, only 10%. The findings in  are somewhere in between,
estimating that 35% of US jobs are in danger of being lost to the robots. Recent debates about the future of jobs have
mainly focused on whether or not they are at risk of automation (, , , ). Most studies have minimized
the potential effects of automation on job creation, and have tended to ignore other relevant trends, including
globalization, population aging, urbanization, and the rise of the green economy .
Although some studies and projections are pessimistic about the impacts to labor , others give a more optimistic
view (, ), which is shared by the authors. The creation of new and specialized roles always happens when new
technologies are introduced, and it is expected that the same will occur in the construction sector. While dfab will
increase productivity (, ) it should not necessarily reduce total employment in the long run. On the contrary,
robots and automation will create new jobs and provide new opportunities. It is expected that existing roles will evolve,
especially during the transition phase (i.e., human-robot interaction), and new roles will be created. As indicated by
, instead of drafters there would be a need for workers with more digital skills. This will occur for different
functions and services, including planning and execution. The exact impact of the need of new roles, such as dfab
Technicians to support robotic systems, dfab Programmers to develop computer numerical control that can be
implemented with industrial robots, or dfab Managers and Coordinators, needs to be investigated in future research.
One of the main advantages of using robotics in construction has to do with the potential to assist construction workers
during the performance of repetitive or dangerous construction tasks in an autonomous manner, or with little
supervision from laborers. This has the potential to make workers safer and reduce hazards, while also increasing
CCC 2018 Proceedings
productivity and benefitting the whole construction industry . In addition, quality is expected to improve as robots
would be able to deal with quality issues during production .
When comparing to traditional construction project phases, digital fabrication brings a significant change,
particularly during the planning and construction phases. Digital fabrication introduces sophisticated human-robot
collaboration based on robot sensory inputs. This builds a common base for exchange and collaboration among
participants of different skillsets and machines. Many publications are about robots taking our jobs , or how
machine learning, artificial intelligence, and automation, with the potential of outperforming humans, will eventually
cause manual jobs to disappear (, ). The reality is far from those views, and current robotic systems and
artificial intelligence are limited in their abilities to replace humans due to their inability to understand the complexity
of our most basic real environment (). Despite the unquestionable advancements in those areas, robots will not
replace humans but will help them to make some tasks more efficient.
2.2. Traditional roles and responsibilities
The number of stakeholders in construction projects varies significantly, but in general, their number is
considerable, and their interactions are complex . The most basic parties can be grouped into the owner (or project
sponsor), the designer/engineer, the contractor, financial/legal/marketing institutions, and the general public/user.
These main parties have different important roles involved. For purposes of this study, we will focus on the
designer/engineer and the contractor during the design and execution phases as indicated in Table 1. The different
terminology used and key responsibilities are according to the service model from the Swiss Society of Engineers and
Architects . Slight variations regarding their name and responsibilities might be observed in different countries.
Table 1. Main roles and their key responsibilities
Leading designer/planner (project manager)
To coordinate the design/planning team
To design a particular part of the project and often does the specialist site management
for the part planned/designed
To prepare detailed technical plans or drawings
To coordinate the planning and execution of work on-site as a representative of the
To manage contractor’s team by assisting with the monitoring of onsite operations.
Typically under the supervision of the construction manager
To do the manual execution of the planned work, in most cases with the support of
machines and tools
3. Case study
The investigation of the different processes and interaction among the project participants was done from February
to July 2017 by graduate students doing their Master Theses at the department of Civil Engineering in ETH Zurich.
They used the planning and execution of some elements from the NEST (Next Evolution in Sustainable Building
Technologies) building, a research and innovation building being built at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials
Science and Technology (Empa by its German acronym) in Dübendorf, Switzerland. The observations made are only
an excerpt of the ongoing processes of the NEST building. The NEST building is the backbone of several units aimed
to test and advance technologies, materials, and systems under real conditions. One of those units is the DFAB HOUSE,
a project lead by Empa in collaboration with the NCCR Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich, and industrial partners. The
unit consists of a three-story building (Figure 1).
Having several floors was done on purpose to show that dfab is possible for multi-story buildings. The DFAB
HOUSE consists of four sub-projects, each carried out by a research team. The sub-projects are the Mesh Mould Wall,
the Smart Slab, the Smart Dynamic Casting, and the Spatial Timber Assemblies. The different projects are summarized
in Table 2.
CCC 2018 Proceedings
Fig. 1. (a) Empa’s NEST building; (b) Different components of the DFAB HOUSE (source: NCCR Digital Fabrication, 2017).
The organization of the DFAB HOUSE project is rather complex since the two big entities EMPA and NCCR, as
well as all other consultants and contractors, have to be integrated. The complicated organizational form is a direct
consequence of the different research projects, involving many parties and decision makers. However, given the
research nature of the project, there is a collaborative interaction among all the stakeholders not common in most public
construction projects. The project delivery approach used was a combination between the Design-Build and Integrated
Project Delivery System (IPD) , which allowed a superposition between the planning and execution phases as well
as a fusion between the planner, designer, and contractor through collaborative interaction, particularly during the early
phases of the project.
Table 2. Different projects for the DFAB HOUSE and general description
Mesh Mould Wall
To produce freeform loadbearing walls that can contain building services, with a steel mesh, assembled robotically
on site with the In situ Fabricator
Smart Slab Team
To investigate the potential of additive manufacturing (3D printing) for the prefabrication of large-scale lightweight
integrative building components
To automatically produce structures with variable geometry using the slip-forming technology
To prefabricate a timber module robotically and assemble the elements on site
The project schedule was done using lean principles, in particular, the use of the Last Planner System. In addition,
frequent meetings were also conducted among the different teams to ensure proper coordination. Although those
meetings did not strictly follow the scrum concept , mostly because many of the artifacts were not considered, they
followed a similar structure. As a coordination tool for the architect, the project manager, the designers and the research
teams, several systems (e.g., Favro, Trimble) were used. The shared online platform was accepted and used by all
participants since it was intuitive and familiar for most team members.
3.1. Evolution of existing roles and creation of new ones
The evaluation of the traditional roles observed during the planning and execution during the five months of
interaction with the different participants at the DFAB HOUSE is summarized below. Only the roles related to the case
study are addressed. There might be a number of additional roles which would be affected or would be created but are
not considered in this study; therefore, the roles identified here should be used for illustration purposes only and not
meant for generalization to the construction industry adopting automation and new technologies.
CCC 2018 Proceedings
3.1.1. Planning phase
During the planning phase, most of the traditional roles are still applicable, but with some modifications regarding
their primary tasks. For example, the project manager maintains most tasks as they are now, but as the projects become
more automated or influenced by new technology, the coordination among the different project participants will be
shifted towards new roles (e.g., dfab Manager). The role of engineers and designers during this phase will also remain
very similar. Main changes were related to the implementation of the new working platform (e.g., using BIM) and
using new software applications, such as the specialized plug-ins developed for the DFAB HOUSE. Similarly, CAD
drafters would not change too much, only they will need to adapt to the new parametric software used to represent the
different elements specified by the engineers/designers, their involvement would also be reduced as the automation of
the project increases, but their need will not disappear completely. Also, new roles would be required. For example,
dfab Managers, dfab Coordinators, or dfab Programmers.
The dfab Manager is a new role. This role arises once dfab becomes more preponderant in a project (similar to BIM
managers in BIM-based projects). Some of the key tasks of the dfab Manager include:
Writing and enforcing the dfab report (a report defining the scope of dfab) in cooperation with the project
manager, the owner, and the involved designers.
Defining the dfab goals.
Defining the tasks, competencies, and liabilities concerning dfab for the different project participants.
Defining the standards for the BIM models, model use, model exchange during planning, execution, and operation
(at least the model handover to the owner).
Defining the standards of dfab on the construction site. This includes soft- and hardware standards and interface
and communication protocols used.
The dfab Manager is a highly experienced the field of dfab and knows the constraints of automated construction
systems in general, and what are the elements to implement during the planning phase in order to have an efficient
execution. She or he advises the owner regarding which level of automation might be optimal for the project. Since
the whole set up of the project is done at the beginning of the project, the dfab Manager is also required then, or at the
latest when the planner is hired. Once the set-up is done, the dfab Manager service for the project is done, and she or
he might only be called for further strategic question arising during the planning process. The BIM manager could be
brought into the project either as a client advisor or (specialist) consultant.
The role of the dfab Coordinator arises as soon as there is model coordination in a standardized way. Her or his
level of expertise in the field of dfab is not as much as that of the dfab Manager. Since the planning of automated
construction is suggested to be added to the BIM software, the main tasks of the dfab Coordinator include:
Determining the coordination and methods required.
Checking and validating of partial models (clash-detection), including the automated construction planning on
Determining the necessary corrections, together with the project manager and the involved planners.
The dfab Coordinator is required in the project as soon as the BIM platform is set up. Her or his mandate would
normally be included in the mandate for the project manager, meaning the planning office must have the necessary
dfab knowledge and people. This is usually during the preliminary project or the construction project. Her or his role
only ends once the models are delivered to the client during the close-out.
The role of the designer’s dfab Programmer is related to software design, which could be adapted from project to
project. The main tasks would include coordination of the software (including fixing compatibility issues between
participants and installation of plug-ins) and organization of the data storage and backup. The dfab Programmer is in
charge of everything related to software, preparing it, so that the planners can work at their level of understanding of
informatics. The dfab Programmer is mainly required in the planning process, as soon as the BIM platform is set-up,
which is done in the preliminary project. It could be thinkable that the organization that is managing the project also
brings in the programmer since their work is related. She or he stays available for the construction manager during the
The utilization of these roles, or their participation share, changes depending on the amount of automation or
technology (i.e., the level of digitalization) used in a project. A qualitative representation of this participation based on
the level of digitalization is shown in Figure 2. Only the roles being discussed are considered (other roles might be
applicable) and the variation shown is a qualitative assessment from the author’s observation of the case study. As
depicted in Figure 2, the dfab Manager and the dfab Programmer only appear at an increased level of digitalization,
since at low levels the tasks lay within the competences and knowledge of the current roles.
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Fig. 2. Qualitative share of participation of each role vs. degree of digitalization during in the planning phase.
3.1.2. Execution phase
During the execution phase, most of the traditional roles are still applicable, but with some modifications regarding
their main tasks or level of involvement. For example, the construction manager maintains most tasks as they are now;
however, there is a shift of their workload due to the availability and reliability of information (e.g., fewer efforts to
monitor and control schedule and cost, but more efforts to coordinate with programmers). Similar to the construction
manager, the site supervisor’s scope does not change a lot, but the workload shifts towards detail planning and
monitoring of the robotic systems from a control room. With regards to the construction worker, her or his presence
would be affected based on the amount of automation and digitalization used. One can think of this as an evolution
from construction worker to dfab Technician. This would be an individual with experience in the execution of specific
tasks, and that has been trained to operate or provide support to one or a few automated systems, similar to operators
of heavy machinery (e.g., cranes, excavators) in current projects. Some of their tasks would include setting up the
machine on site, supply the system with raw material. In essence, the dfab Technician does all standard tasks that are
required to ensure a smooth development of the automated construction processes.
Another new role is the contractor’s dfab Programmer. The scope defined for the designers’ dfab Programmer
during the planning phase is also applicable to her or him, but only internally to the contractor. However, for the
internal task, there is a main difference: while the tasks of the designer’s programmer are about creating the framework
for planning, the tasks for the contractor’s programmer consist of deducing the necessary codes for the robots from the
BIM model. This also consists of the temporal planning (4D, in active interaction with the site supervisor and
coherently to the timeline defined by the planners). The whole planning can then be checked by the dfab Coordinator,
including the planning of all different contractors, showing the problematic points easily. The dfab Programmer is
involved in the process as soon as the contractor is involved. Her or his work is then ongoing for detail-programming
and adaption until the building is erected.
Similar to the planning phase, the participation share of the different roles would change depending on the level of
digitalization of a project. A qualitative representation of their participation, based on the level of digitalization, is
shown in Figure 3. Only the roles being discussed are considered (other roles might be applicable) and the variation
shown is a qualitative assessment from the author’s observation of the case study.
Fig. 3. Qualitative share of participation of each role vs. degree of digitalization during in the execution phase.
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4. Conclusion and outlook
The creation of new and specialized roles always happens when new technologies are introduced, and it is expected
that the same will occur in the construction sector. When comparing to traditional construction project phases, digital
fabrication brings a significant change, particularly in the planning and execution phases. As a result, it is expected
that current construction roles evolve, and new roles are created. There will always be tasks that will not be fully
automated. The construction workers will not disappear, but their number will be reduced as the level of digitalization
of a project increases. What is expected to occur is that the responsibilities of the construction workers will shift from
unsafe and hard conditions to safer and less labor intensive, such as to monitor and control automated processes by
transferring their know-how to the robotic systems. Although this study is not meant to be an exact representation of
how the AEC roles will change, it opens the debate and research in this area, so that future studies can use this work
as a guideline.
Further research is needed to evaluate the impacts of using dfab to the functional division, supply chain, and business
models, as wells as the project delivery and contract strategies of the AEC industry, and to assess additional social
impacts, such as changes in education and training schemes.
This research was supported by the National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR Digital Fabrication, which
was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (project number 51NF40_141853). We would like to thank the
different research teams from the DFAB HOUSE at the NEST building; special thanks are given to Konrad Graser and
Pascal Breitenstein for their support during the work conducted in this study.
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domain: design


Pokémon Go players will get their in-game refills in more PokéStops. Niantic Labs, the top mobile game’s maker, has partnered with stores in the U.S. to become new PokéStops, with some Starbucks drinks added to the mix.
The augmented reality game is known for making players do the actual legwork and going to real world locations in order to catch Pokémons, battle in gyms, claim in-game items, and more. With that, Niantic Labs has expanded its scope by partnering with thousands of stores in the U.S. to turn into PokéStops.
Play Pokémon Go in Starbucks and Sprint
Getting one’s much-needed dose of caffeine will also get players with refills of PokéBalls, potions and revives as 7,800 company-run Starbucks stores are turned into PokéStops. Moreover, the coffeehouse chain will also create a special edition Starbucks drinks of the mobile games in order to celebrate the collaboration.
The team up follows Niantics’ recent partnership with Sprint, the fourth largest wireless carrier in the U.S. Previously, 10, 500 stores of Sprint, Boost Mobile and Sprint at Radioshack are all turned into PokéStops as well.
With the mobile game’s popularity, many local businesses have jumped in on the bandwagon to make use of the game’s foot traffic necessities. Many local businesses who already have PokéStops in their vicinities have placed Lures that literally lures Pokémons, which in turn, lures customers.
Nearby Pokémon Tracker Update
In relation to PokéStops, the recent update to the game’s Nearby feature has received mixed views. The new Nearby tracker can now more specifically show locations of Pokémons around the area – but only in PokéStops.
Rural players, who do not have many PokéStops in the area, are quite upset with the update. With that, some changes are made in the Nearby Pokémon feature functions when there are only a few PokéStops within the area.
Playing Pokémon Go, coupled with some Starbucks drinks, will definitely be on the next itinerary of things-to-do for many.
Photo source: Flickr


text:
Covid-19: an endothelial disease?
Bernard Ross, Founder and CEO of Sky Medical Technology, discusses the emerging data and clinical opinions that suggest Covid-19 is an endothelial disease. Endothelial cells line blood vessels, and release protective substances which influence everything from blood clotting to the immune response.
Endothelials are critical cells that line all organs and run throughout the miles of arteries throughout the human body. Eight months after the first reported case in China, UK ICU clinicians and leading epidemiologists share the view that endothelial dysfunction is a common clinical manifestation in seriously ill Covid-19 patients. This has given voice to the concept that it is an endothelial disease.
As early as January, studies from China confirmed what many ICU teams in the UK and worldwide were seeing. Hospitalised patients with Covid were presenting with a high risk of blood clotting and bleeds – an incidence rate of over 60 per cent1 in immobile critically ill Covid patients. Collectively, the studies have called for improved blood clot prevention strategies and stressed the importance of individual patient bleed risk assessment, prior to prescribing high-dose blood thinners (which can worsen bleed risk).
Much less reported but now also emerging, and at pace, is the high incidence of lower-limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and resultant pulmonary embolism (a blockage of a lung artery) in hospitalised patients with Covid-19. A compelling study by Zhang et al2 assessed 143 hospitalised Covid patients and found that 46.1 per cent had DVT in their lower limbs. Those with DVT had a worse prognosis, with fewer discharges and a high death rate. The study concludes that the clotting is due to multiple comorbidities, invasive Covid tests and treatments, and prolonged immobilisation. Again, the paper calls for improved lower-limb venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention strategies to prevent lower-limb DVT.
With new data emerging by the day, there is growing widespread opinion that inflammation of the endothelium (endotheliitis) can explain the systemic impaired macro and microcirculatory function that is causing multiple organ failure. This hypothesis is driving the rationale to identify and test therapies that help to stabilise and protect the endothelium. These include anti-inflammatory and anti-cytokine drugs, which are currently being hailed as a breakthrough, as well as ACE inhibitors and statins – all used alongside blood thinners for clot prevention.
A study published in The Lancet has been among the first to report that Covid-19 infects the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. The study reported damage to endothelial cells in the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and intestines of critically ill patients. This study is adding weight to the concept that Covid-19 is not a respiratory illness alone, but rather a respiratory illness that can quickly become vascular.
Impaired blood circulation is also recognised as a mechanism that can trigger endothelial dysfunction3.
Normal blood flow exerts shear stress on the vascular endothelium, which releases protective substances such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin, both of which reduce the risk of thrombosis.
Endothelial dysfunction occurs predominantly at sites of low shear stress, where the blood flow might be reduced or turbulent. This can lead to damage to endothelial cells and in turn can initiate inflammation and blood clotting. In regions of the vasculature that are exposed to shear stresses, where the blood flow is laminar or steady, are protected4.
With blood clotting established as a major contributor to Covid-19 multiple organ failure, anticoagulation (drugs that prevent clotting) is critical and drug prophylaxis is the primary intervention, especially for immobile ICU patients on ventilators. It is important to note that similar increases in thrombotic risk were seen with H1N1m influenza (swine flu). The phenomenon is therefore not new, but has not been seen before on this scale5.
Covid patients at high risk of VTE can have bleeding issues related to the virus or have an unacceptable bleed risk history and, for these patients, drug prophylaxis can cause further bleeding. In these instances, clinicians rely on mechanical compression prophylaxis, using either Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) or more recently the geko™ device to prevent VTE and minimise the risk of bleeding with or without drug prophylaxis. The geko™ device is also clinically proven to produce physiologically normal shear stress on endothelial cells, increasing the production and the release of anti-thrombotic, pro-fibrinolytic, vasodilation agents to help prevent clots6.
The geko™ device represents a unique alternative to IPC prophylaxis. IPC devices enclose the leg in a plastic cuff filled with air from an electric pump. The cuff repeatedly inflates and deflates, moving blood through the veins towards the heart. The blood flow increase helps prevent the blood clot formation. While IPC devices do not cause the same bleed complications as drug therapy, IPC is not suitable for all patients, due to fragile skin, a recent wound, leg ulcer or allergy to cuff materials. The electronic pump is also moved between patients, requiring decontamination – a potential source of virus transmission if not sterilised fully.
Conversely, the daily disposable geko™ device – the size of a wristwatch and discarded after patient use – is a single-use therapy that takes just 60 seconds to fit to one or both legs, ensuring less nurse-to-patient contact time, less exposure to viral load and with no cross-contamination risk. Its small size also ensures greater compliance for patients with fragile skin or cardiovascular-related contraindications.
The device has been in use for over three years for blood clot prevention in immobile, high-risk acute stroke patients, with over 700,000 individual units sold to date. This is alongside 4,700 pairs of devices purchased by the NHS supply chain for use in the London Nightingale Hospital at the peak of the crisis.
The gekoTM device and its mechanism of action
The innovative geko™ device is clinically proven to prevent blood clots and improve endothelial function. Recommended by NICE7 and cleared by the FDA8 for blood clot prevention, the geko™ device is a small battery-powered, disposable, neuromuscular electro-stimulation device that is applied non-invasively to the skin over the common peroneal nerve at the side of the knee. It gently stimulates the nerve, once every second, activating the calf and foot muscle pumps resulting in increased laminar blood flow in the deep veins of the calf, at a rate equal to 60 per cent9 of walking. This exerts systemic protective shear stress on the endothelium in immobile, critically ill Covid-19 patients, without a patient having to move. All other mechanical IPC devices increase blood flow only once every minute.
Prior to the pandemic, the geko™ device has been in routine use to treat and prevent a range of vascular and orthopaedic-related conditions. Sky Medical Technology has proven10, through a real-world study of over 1,000 patients, conducted in partnership with the NHS, that the geko™ device can prevent VTE. Immobile hyper-acute stroke patients had their contraindication or intolerance to IPC reviewed and quantified. The study showed that 68.8 per cent of patients were in need of IPC but 29.5 per cent of these patients were either contraindicated or were unable to tolerate this intervention, revealing a significant unmet need for an alternative anti-stasis intervention. It is to this cohort the geko™ device was fitted for unmet need.
The study measured VTE events at 90 days post-stroke. The data shows that of the patients treated with IPC alone, as the standard of care, 2.4 per cent suffered a VTE event, compared to a 0 per cent incidence of VTE in patients prescribed the geko™ device alone. Patients prescribed the device also showed no adverse events and reported a greater tolerance of the geko™ device compared to IPC. Furthermore, the geko™ device provided an anti-stasis intervention, where previously patients would have had no other intervention available to them – as drugs following acute stroke are not recommended by NICE – ensuring that no immobile stroke patient, with a high risk of VTE, was without a mechanical VTE prophylactic intervention.
NICE guidance health economic analysis also shows that the geko™ device is cost saving compared with the cost consequence of no VTE prophylaxis.
Studies exploring the anti-stasis and endothelial function capabilities of the geko™ device in hospitalised Covid-19 patients are being progressed and Sky Medical Technology is actively seeking wider clinician engagement to collaboratively explore blood flow increase as part of Covid-19 treatment strategies.
The pandemic is without doubt the public health challenge of our time. The scale of the problem is unprecedented but is more than matched by the scale of the response and a spirit of partnership that is willing to embrace innovation – this brave new thinking is defining the new normal.
1. Xu, et al, Risk assessment of venous thromboembolism and bleeding in Covid-19 patients.
2. Zhang L, et al. Deep Vein Thrombosis in Hospitalized Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019. (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcome. Published in Circulation, ahead of print. 18 May 2020.
3. Jeng-Jiann Chiu, et al. Effects of Disturbed Flow on Vascular Endothelium: Pathophysiological Basis and Clinical Perspectives. Physiol Rev. 2011 Jan: 91 (1): 10.1152/physrev.00047.2009.
4. Aamer S, et al. The Endothelium and Its Role in Regulating Vascular Tone. Open Cardiovasc Med J. 2010; 4: 302–312. Published online 23 December 2010doi: 2174/1874192401004010302.
5. Increased risk of VTE found in critically ill H1N1 patients with acute respiratory distress. Venous news. 31 May 2019.
6. Lavi S, et al. Peripheral muscle stimulation increases coronary blood flow. Springer 23 November 2015.
7. NICE medical technologies guidance [MTG19] Published date 20 June 2014.
8. FDA clearance. Data on file Firstkind Ltd.
9. Tucker A, et al. Augmentation of venous, arterial and microvascular blood supply in the leg by isometric neuromuscular stimulation via the peroneal nerve. The International Journal of Angiology: official publication of the International College of Angiology, Inc. 2010 Spring;19(1): e31-7.
10. Williams J, et al. The use of the geko™ device and the activation of the foot and calf pumps for prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients with acute stroke. Data on file Firstkind Ltd.

domain: literature


text:
OU Lancaster Deaf Studies Students Interpret “The Mousetrap”< < Back to
One showing of the Ohio University Lancaster Theater’s The Mousetrap will be done in a different language–sign language.
For the first time, students in the deaf studies program will be interpreting the play using American Sign Language.
"I think it’s really exciting," said Becky Brooks, interim coordinator of the deaf studies program. "I think it’s a great experience for the students, who are participating in something that is giving back to the community. It’s a wonderful experience."
The students will interpret one showing of the Agatha Christie murder mystery on Saturday, May 26 at 2 p.m. The ASL-interpreted show was the brainchild of theater director, A. Victor Jones.
Jones did an internship where he worked with deaf performers and thought having the students interpret the play would make theater more accessible to the deaf community.
There is a lot of dialogue in the play and the interpreting students have to make sure they are conveying the message of each scene and character without trying to be an actor. Each student will be responsible for interpreting more than one character.
"We’re sitting in on the rehearsals for The Mousetrap, said Leigh-Ann Wheeler, a deaf studies and communications major. "Our job as interpreters is to match the characters, but not overshadow. We’re not performers."
"It is a talky, talky murder mystery," said Jones. "It’s going to be interesting to see them doing all of that."
"There is a thin line of balance," said Felicia Wagner, a deaf studies and communications major.
It’s not a challenge any of the interpreters plan to back away from. In fact, they are very excited to have the opportunity to interpret the show for a deaf audience and have put in many long hours of work.
"A play is very difficult," said Brooks. "They are not watching the play when interpreting. They really have to know their lines. They do a lot of preparation."
The Mousetrap runs from May 23 to May 26 at the Wagner Theater on the Ohio University Lancaster campus. The deaf studies students will interpret the play on May 26 at 2 p.m.

domain: news