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Questioning gender is about taking an active, critical role in the technological design of our daily behaviour. It is a deconstruction of the oppositions that exist in the discourses of Ambient Intelligence designers, the ICT industry and computer scientists. What underlies the assumption that Ambient Intelligence will, by disappearing into our environment, bring humans both an easy and entertaining life? The gender perspective can uncover power relations within the promotion and realisation of Ambient Intelligence that satisfy an obvious wish for a technological heaven. The deconstruction of the promise of progress and a better life reveals what is overvalued, what is undervalued and what is ignored. This paper is a deconstruction of the view, currently prevalent in the discourses of Ambient Intelligence; a view of humans and the way they live. A view that will influence the way women and men will be allowed to construct their lives.

The study in this article aims to focus on a novel design concept of virtual 3D garment which is realized with the help of traditional patternmaking methodology and the CAD softwares in order to directly conceive the virtual clothing on a mannequin morphotype in cyberspace in consideration of the ease allowance between the body shape and the garment.

The method of acquisition of 3D human body was explained at first. Then the process of creation of garment 3D model associated with the draping technique was presented. The superposition of patterns from the 3D modeling and the traditional method used in industries was done in order to visualize the right results. At last, the dynamic validation of the garment was carried out in order to analyze the fitting results of try‐on simulation.

The 3D modeling technique method based on the draping technique shows that the garment fits perfectly to the body shape of the wearer.

For the ready‐to‐wear manufacture, this method can be also involved on the parametric mannequin in order to reduce the lifetime of development by eliminating the process of pattern grading in the future.

The originality of this article comes from the combination of the traditional draping technique with the advanced CAD softwares in consideration of the fitting and draping of the garment. This concept is used not only in the context of mass customized product but also in mass production for the ready‐to‐wear apparel industries. The patterns are directly adjusted in 3D and can immediately be tried on in 3D simulation. As a result, the process in 2D patternmaking design can be eliminated.

This paper aims to describe the creation of innovative and intelligent systems to optimise energy efficiency in manufacturing. The systems monitor energy consumption using ambient intelligence (AmI) and knowledge management (KM) technologies. Together they create a decision support system as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems.

Energy consumption data (ECD) are processed within a service-oriented architecture-based platform. The platform provides condition-based energy consumption warning, online diagnostics of energy-related problems, support to manufacturing process lines installation and ramp-up phase and continuous improvement/optimisation of energy efficiency. The systems monitor energy consumption using AmI and KM technologies. Together they create a decision support system as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems.

The systems produce an improvement in energy efficiency in manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The systems provide more comprehensive information about energy use and some knowledge-based support.

Prototype systems were trialled in a manufacturing company that produces mooring chains for the offshore oil and gas industry, an energy intensive manufacturing operation. The paper describes a case study involving energy-intensive processes that addressed different manufacturing concepts and involved the manufacture of mooring chains for offshore platforms. The system was developed to support online detection of energy efficiency problems.

Energy efficiency can be optimised in assembly and manufacturing processes. The systems produce an improvement in energy efficiency in manufacturing SMEs. The systems provide more comprehensive information about energy use and some knowledge-based support.

This research addresses two of the most critical problems in energy management in industrial production technologies: how to efficiently and promptly acquire and provide information online for optimising energy consumption and how to effectively use such knowledge to support decision making.

This research was inspired by the need for industry to have effective tools for energy efficiency, and that opportunities for industry to take up energy efficiency measures are mostly not carried out. The research combined AmI and KM technologies and involved new uses of sensors, including wireless intelligent sensor networks, to measure environment parameters and conditions as well as to process performance and behaviour aspects, such as material flow using smart tags in highly flexible manufacturing or temperature distribution over machines. The information obtained could be correlated with standard ECD to monitor energy efficiency and identify problems. The new approach can provide effective ways to collect more information to give a new insight into energy consumption within a manufacturing system.

This paper aims to describe research work to create an innovative, and intelligent solution for energy efficiency optimisation.

A novel approach is taken to energy consumption monitoring by using ambient intelligence (AmI), extended data sets and knowledge management (KM) technologies. These are combined to create a decision support system as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems. Standard energy consumption data are complemented by information from AmI systems from both environment-ambient and process ambient sources and processed within a service-oriented-architecture-based platform. The new platform allows for building of different energy efficiency software services using measured and processed data. Four were selected for the system prototypes: condition-based energy consumption warning, online diagnostics of energy-related problems, support to manufacturing process lines installation and ramp-up phase, and continuous improvement/optimisation of energy efficiency.

An innovative and intelligent solution for energy efficiency optimisation is demonstrated in two typical manufacturing companies, within one case study. Energy efficiency is improved and the novel approach using AmI with KM technologies is shown to work well as an add-on to currently used energy management systems.

The decision support systems are only at the prototype stage. These systems improved on existing energy management systems. The system functionalities have only been trialled in two manufacturing companies (the one case study is described).

A decision support system has been created as an innovative add-on to currently used energy management systems and energy efficiency software services are developed as the front end of the system. Energy efficiency is improved.

For the first time, research work has moved into industry to optimise energy efficiency using AmI, extended data sets and KM technologies. An AmI monitoring system for energy consumption is presented that is intended for use in manufacturing companies to provide comprehensive information about energy use, and knowledge-based support for improvements in energy efficiency. The services interactively provide suggestions for appropriate actions for energy problem elimination and energy efficiency increase. The system functionalities were trialled in two typical manufacturing companies, within one case study described in the paper.

The purpose of this study is to review the past technology in hotel and forecast the future direction of technology adoption in hotels.

Academic papers not only from hospitality journals but also from technology-related journals were collected and reviewed to propose the future hospitality technology development trends.

The hospitality software application has moved from local-based to server-based to Web-based to cloud-based platforms. Business data analysis methods have also undergone an evolution from descriptive analysis using historical data to predictive analysis by mining big data collected from the sensors and web-crawlers, which consolidates both commercial data and macro-environment data. Future hotel buildings could provide ambient management that responses to external environments automatically to provide an eco-friendly and cosy environment to hotel guests. Responsive building envelopes, façade systems and autonomous furniture will allow hotel managers to customised the function space layout according to customers’ needs and maximise unoccupied space utilisation.

Reviewed 75 years of IT evolution and forecast future hotel intelligent building with ambient intelligence to provide customizable, eco-friendly and cosy environment for hotel guests.

The ability to project oneself into a future landscape is a critical aspect for studying and practicing the science of foresight and foresight-based learning systems. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how we can construct immersive spatial narratives through multimedia-enhanced learning approaches, to increase deeper learner immersion and levels of creativity to transport the learner into a simulated 2030 landscape by reducing the distance between the projected reality and the Self.

The author designed a foresight-based course on the Future of Mobile Learning underpinned by a new learning system that embraced the concept of immersive spatial narratives, combining physical, virtual and cognitive learning spaces, which enable students to explore complex, undiscovered or unstructured knowledge. Practicing was carried out on 35 students who had completed the course during the preceding three years through a questionnaire and interviews to establish increased levels of creativity in a simulated future landscape.

The paper established that the addition of multimedia learning environments and tools to foresight-based learning creates immersive spatial narratives that increase creativity and learner ability to project him/herself into a simulated future landscape. In all, 75 per cent of the respondents stated that having to think about the future and place themselves in a practicing landscape increased their creative skills.

A new, foresight-based learning system driven by the concept of immersive spatial narratives, enhanced with student-created multimedia learning tools. The system demonstrated how this approach helps to increase learner creativity and the ability to transition from their Present Self to their Future Self.

As the technology evolves, the ways in which supply chain is coordinated improve. During a careful study on the intelligent wireless web (IWW) and its services for future applications, its great potentials for the implementation of a mobile real‐time system for supply chain coordination were realized. This paper seeks to introduce a development process for the IWW. In addition, it aims to explain the concept of mobile real‐time supply chain coordination, and propose and describe a practical model for this subject matter based on the most recent technologies including the IWW and agents.

Objectives were achieved through a thorough study on the IWW, agent technology, and the ways of applying them for mobile real‐time coordination in supply processes. As a method to conduct the research, first, the paper made out what the IWW services are and how one may develop them. Since mobile real‐time coordination is an absolutely innovative concept, the study prepared a comprehensive understanding of it and then, a practical framework was sketched and explained to implement the suggested system. The approach to this topic was a realistic one and an attempt was made to include all the prerequisites and details for the intended system.

In the course of the work, it was found that the IWW and other corresponding technologies have the greatest potentials ever available for the realization of a mobile real‐time supply chain coordination system and most of the chapters illustrate the claim.

Mobile real‐time coordination and its use in supply chains is something new. The development process for IWW proposed here is totally practicable and no other implementation scenario for the application of the IWW in mobile real‐time coordination has been suggested yet.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors impacting customer satisfaction in Indian banks and analyze their effects the level of customer satisfaction through a regression analysis. The primary contribution of this study is the analysis and resulting insights on the critical factors impacting client satisfaction within the Indian retail banking sector.

A 28 item questionnaire was prepared based on literature review and discussions with current customers of Indian banks. The questionnaire was then sent out to current customers of 13 retail banks in India. In total, 420 completed questionnaires were received, out of which 400 were found to have been accurately and completely answered. The 28‐item instrument has been empirically tested for unidimensionality, reliability and validity using Cronbach alpha and exploratory factor analysis.

A factor analysis suggests that there are five factors driving customer satisfaction: “service quality”, “ambience/hygiene”, “client participation/involvement”, “accessibility” and “financial”. Subsequent multiple regression analysis revealed that “service quality”, “ambience and hygiene”, and “client participation and involvement” in that order are the most important factors impacting client satisfaction.

The identified dimensions are expected to bring clarity to the issue of customer satisfaction in retail banking, to aid retail bankers in improving specific parameters of service in order to increase overall customer satisfaction. This would help the management of the banks to create strategies and action plans to retain their current customers and to attract new customers.

The results from the current study are crucial because previous studies have produced scales that bear a resemblance to SERVQUAL, a generic measure of service quality, which may not be solely adequate to assess the perceived quality of service in the Indian banking sector. In contrast, the present study captured customers' satisfaction levels in a 28‐item questionnaire exclusively designed, keeping in mind the unique nature of the Indian banking sector.

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.