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The purpose of this paper is to propose a whole set of methods for underwater target detection, because most underwater objects have small samples, low quality underwater images problems such as detail loss, low contrast and color distortion, and verify the feasibility of the proposed methods through experiments.

The improved RGHS algorithm to enhance the original underwater target image is proposed, and then the YOLOv4 deep learning network for underwater small sample targets detection is improved based on the combination of traditional data expansion method and Mosaic algorithm, expanding the feature extraction capability with SPP (Spatial Pyramid Pooling) module after each feature extraction layer to extract richer feature information.

The experimental results, using the official dataset, reveal a 3.5% increase in average detection accuracy for three types of underwater biological targets compared to the traditional YOLOv4 algorithm. In underwater robot application testing, the proposed method achieves an impressive 94.73% average detection accuracy for the three types of underwater biological targets.

Underwater target detection is an important task for underwater robot application. However, most underwater targets have the characteristics of small samples, and the detection of small sample targets is a comprehensive problem because it is affected by the quality of underwater images. This paper provides a whole set of methods to solve the problems, which is of great significance to the application of underwater robot.

The innovativeness of dressmakers is a concern to respondents to satisfy their clothing needs. The purpose of this study is to determine the criteria that respondents use to judge the quality of clothing and its influences on the innovative ability of dressmakers in the clothing manufacturing industries.

Three hundred and ninety-seven (397) respondents in the Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana filled out a questionnaire, and the results were used to compile data for the study. The sample size was calculated using Miller and Brewer formula. The data was analysed using structural equational modelling with the SmartPLS v.4 software.

The results showed that respondents are very interested in the calibre of clothing produced by their dressmakers. However, the study revealed that when evaluating the quality of a garment, respondents do not simply accept what has been sewn for them but also consider the performance, appearance, fit and shape of the garment. Findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between garment appearance quality (t = 2.605; p < 0.05), garment performance quality (t = 3.915; p < 0.05), garment shape quality (t = 6.248; p <0.05) and fashion innovations. Subsequently, the evaluation of garment fit quality by respondents revealed it does not bring about innovations (t = 1.310; p > 0.05).

The continuous evaluation of custom-made clothing from customers will go a long way towards highlighting the relative criteria they use to evaluate the innovation of dressmakers. This will help improve the creativity of the dressmakers since such feedback will help them understand and innovate their production skills to meet the preferences of customers.

The present study provides an in-depth understanding of how garment quality evaluation by customers influences the innovation of dressmakers in Takoradi, Ghana. The constructs were developed for the study to capture the appropriate data from customers for the study. This presents an evaluation criterion on four garment quality variables imperative for use or modification by other studies.

The purpose of this research is to develop an environmentally friendly antimicrobial dyeing of cotton fabric from the root of Euclea racemosa. Textile phytochemical finishing is in high demand worldwide because of its low toxicity, low pollution, ease of availability, renewability, pharmacological effects and non-carcinogenic properties, as well as its multifunctionality, rapid process stages and potential health benefit.

The cotton fabric was dyed with aqueous extracts of Euclea racemosa root dyes. Dyes were extracted for 20 min at pH 7.43 at room and boiling temperatures with material-to-liquor ratios (MLRs) of 1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20, altering one variable at a time, and the cotton fabric was colored using a post-mordanting procedure at 50°C with an MLR of 1:20. Using a properly cleaned Petri plate, the colored samples were tested in vitro for antibacterial activity. A spectrophotometer was used to assess color strength and shade depth, as well as wash fastness and annual rubbing fastness tests for both wet and dry.

L* = 36.29, a* = 58.56, b* = 32.46 and K/S = 0.51 were the CIELAB values for dye extracted at boiling temperature. L* = 47.14, a* = 42.23, b* = 49.61 and K/S = 0.38 were the CIELAB values for dye extracted at room temperature. The wash and rubbing fastness of the dyed samples were outstanding and the dyed cotton fabrics were found antibacterial against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli.

Dyes derived from the E. racemosa root could be used to develop a new antibacterial cotton fabric dye.

This paper aims to present a case study of virtual-reality-based product demonstrations featuring items of furniture. The results will be of use in further design and development of virtual-reality-based product demonstration systems and could also support effective student learning.

A new method was introduced to guide the experiment by confirming orthogonal arrays. User interactions were then planned, and a furniture demonstration system was implemented. The experiment comprised two stages. In the evaluation stage, participants were invited to experience the virtual-reality (VR)-based furniture demonstration system and complete a user experience (UX) survey. Taguchi-style robust design methods were used to design orthogonal table experiments and planning and design operation methods were used to implement an experimental display system in order to obtain optimized combinations of control factors and levels. The second stage involved a confirmatory test for the optimized combinations. A pilot questionnaire was first applied to survey demonstration scenarios that are important to customers.

The author found in terms of furniture products, product interactive display through VR can achieve good user satisfaction through quality design planning. VR can better grasp the characteristics of products than paper catalogs and website catalogs. And VR can better grasp the characteristics of products than online videos. For “interactive inspection”, “function simulation”, “style customization” and “set-out customization” were the most valuable demonstration scenarios for customers. The results of the experiment confirmed that the “overall rating”, “hedonic appeal” and “practical quality” were the three most important optimized operating methods, constituting a benchmark of user satisfaction.

The author found that it is possible to design and build a VR-based furniture demonstration system with a good level of usability when a suitable quality design method is applied. The optimized user interaction indicators and implementation experience for the VR-based product demonstration presented in this study will be of use in further design and development of similar systems.

The purpose of this study is to modify the FDM 3D printer to print with polystyrene (PS) microspheres as the printing material, thus enabling bottom-up structural color printing and evaluating structural color printing.

This study chose a range of different heated bed temperatures to determine a suitable temperature for accelerating the self-assembly of photonic crystals and printing structural colors on various substrates. In addition, this study enhanced the structural color by doping PS microspheres with different contents of Acid Black 210 dye and evaluated the color-enhanced structural color by eye and spectrophotometer under different light sources.

The results show that the modified 3D printer can be used for structural color printing, and 50°C is determined as the heated bed temperature. There are significant differences in structural colors when printing under different color backgrounds and material substrates, and corresponding suitable substrates should be selected according to the application. The doping of PS microspheres with varying contents of dye results in different color levels of structural color. As with pigment colors, the visual perception of structural color varies when viewed under different light sources.

This paper proposes to print structural colors low-costly, analyze structural colors under substrate and light source conditions, and expand the structural color gamut by enhancing structural colors, which has positive implications for further research on structural colors as printing colors.

Establishing and developing digital science and education evaluation platforms (DSEEPs) have several practical implications for the development of China's science, technology and education. Identifying and analyzing the key factors influencing DSEEP user experience (UX) can improve the users' willingness to use the platform and effectively promote its sustainable development.

First, a literature survey, a five-element model of UX and semi-structured interviews were used in this study to develop a DSEEP UX-influencing factor model, which included five dimensions and 22 influencing factors. Second, the model validity was verified using questionnaire data. Finally, the key influencing factors were identified and analyzed using a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (fuzzy-DEMATEL) method.

Fourteen influencing factors, including diverse information forms and comprehensive information content, are crucial for the DSEEP UX. Its optimization path is “‘Function Services’ → ‘Information Resources’ → ‘Interaction Design’ → ‘Interface Design’ and ‘Visual Design’.” In this regard, platform managers can take the following measures to optimize UX: strengthening functional services, improving information resources, enhancing the interactive experience and considering interface effects.

This study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to determine the key influencing factors and optimization path of DSEEP UX. Optimization suggestions for UX are proposed from the perspective of platform managers, who provide an effective theoretical reference for innovating and developing a DSEEP.

The purpose of this paper was to study the color change kinetics of lac dye in response to aldehydes, carbon dioxide and other food spoilage metabolites for its potential application in intelligent food packaging.

UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to study the color change of dye solution. Ratio of absorbance of dye solution at 528 nm (peak of ionized form) to absorbance at 488 nm (peak of unionized form) was used to study the color change. Color change kinetics was studied in terms of change in absorbance ratio (A₅₂₈/A₄₈₈) with time using zero and first-order reaction kinetics. Lac dye-based indicator was prepared to validate the result of study for monitoring quality of strawberries.

Lac dye was orange-red in acidic medium and purple in alkaline medium. Color change of dye in response to benzaldehyde followed zero-order reaction kinetics, whereas for carbon dioxide first-order model was found best. No color change of dye solution was observed for alcohols, ketones and sulfur compounds. In the validation part, the color of the indicator label changed from purple to orange when the strawberries spoiled.

The study expands application area for lac dye as sensing reagent in intelligent food packaging for spoilage or ripeness detection of fruits and vegetables.

The South African wool industry is integral to the country's agricultural sector, particularly sheep farming and wool production. Small-scale farmers play a vital role in this industry and contribute to employment and food security in rural communities. However, these farmers face numerous challenges, including a lack of funding, poor farming practices and difficulty selling their wool at fair prices. This study aims to address these challenges, the University of Free State launched a wool value chain project for small-scale farmers.

In this project, one of the studies conducted assessed the effectiveness of different detergents suitable for traditional wool scouring methods for small-scale farmers who lack access to sophisticated machinery. The investigation was conducted by scouring 160 wool samples using three different detergents and filtered water as a control. The wool samples were then evaluated for their cleanliness, brightness and fibre properties through a combination of scanning electron microscopy, spectrophotometry and statistical analysis at different scouring times (3, 10, 15 and 20 min, respectively).

The results showed that the combination of scouring time and the type of scouring solution used could significantly impact wool quality. It was found that using a combination of standard detergent or Woolwash as a scouring solution with a scouring time of 10–15 min resulted in the best outcome in terms of fibre property, wool colour and scouring loss.

This study demonstrated that traditional wool scouring methods could be an option for small-scale farmers and anyone who want to learn how to scour wool without expensive machinery to make wool products.

The purpose of this study is to extract and characterize a novel natural dye from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica and the extraction with finding ways of dyeing cotton fabric using three mordants.

The colouring agents were extracted from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica using an aqueous extraction method. The extract was characterized using analysis methods of pH, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and cyclic voltammetry measurement. The extract was applied to cotton fabric samples using a non-mordant and three mordants under the two mordanting methods. The dyeing performance of the extracted colouring agent was evaluated using colour fastness properties, colour strength (K/S) and colour space (CIE Lab).

The aqueous dye extract showed reddish-brown colour, and its pH was 5.94. The GC-MS analysis revealed that the dye extract from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica contained active chemical compounds. The UV-vis and FTIR analyses found that groups influenced the reddish-brown colour of the dye extraction. The cyclic voltammetry measurements discovered the electrochemical properties of the dye extraction. The mordanted fabric samples showed better colour fastness properties than the non-mordanted fabric sample. The K/S and CIE Lab results indicate that the cotton fabric samples dyed with mordants showed more significant dye affinities than non-mordanted fabric samples.

Researchers have never discovered that the Lannea coromandelica leaf extract is a natural dye for cotton fabric dyeing. The findings of this study showed that natural dyes extracted from Lannea coromandelica leaf could be an efficient colouring agent for use in cotton fabric.

To significantly adopt and improve indoor energy efficiency in building infrastructure in developing countries can be a challenging venture. Thus, this study aimed to assess the satisfaction of indoor environmental quality and its effect on energy use intensity and efficient among student housing.

The study is quantitative and hinged on the contrast theory. A survey of 1,078 student residents living in purpose-built student housing was contacted. Using Post-Occupancy Evaluation and Multiple Linear Regression, critical variables such as thermal comfort, visual comfort and indoor air quality and 21 indicators were assessed. Data on annual energy consumption and total square metre of the indoor area were utilised to assess energy use intensity.

The study found a direct relationship between satisfaction with indoor environmental quality and energy use intensity. The study showed that students were more satisfied with thermal comfort conditions than visual and indoor air quality. Overall, these indicators contributed to 75.9% kWh/m² minimum and 43.2% kWh/m² maximum energy use intensity in student housing in Ghana. High occupancy and small useable space in student housing resulted in high energy use intensity.

Inclusions of sustainable designs and installation of smart mechanical systems are feedback to student housing designers. Again, adaptation to retrofitting ideas can facilitate energy efficiency in the current state of student housing in Ghana.

Earlier studies have argued for and against the satisfaction of indoor environmental quality in student housing. However, these studies have neglected to examine the impact on energy use intensity. This is novel because the assessment of energy use intensity in this study has a positive influence on active design incorporation among student housing.