2023 - (Vol. 03, Issue 01)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/21411

Browse

Now showing 1 - 18 of 18

item: Article-Full-text
A Conceptual framework to adopt circular economy principles in managing municipal solid waste in Sri Lanka
(2023-08) Thayaparan, M
Circular Economy (CE) is a fast-emerging concept globally, taking a visible transformation from the mainstream linear economic model across key sectors, due to decrease in natural resources and the increase in waste generation. CE defines the efficient utilisation and value enhancement of resources beyond their useful life. Waste management is one of the key sectors that has increasing potential for circular economy growth.
item: Article-Full-text
How can we turn heat into useful energy using nanotechnology?
(2023-08) Henadeera, P; Samaraweera, N; Ranasinghe, C; Wijewardane, A
In 1821, the German physicist Thomas Seebeck made a groundbreaking discovery that revealed the direct conversion of heat energy into electricity. He did so by bringing two different metals together and holding one end heated and the other end cooled. This process is famously known as the Seebeck effect. William Thomson, a British physicist later known as Lord Kelvin, further developed the concept of thermoelectric circuits and introduced the idea of a temperature-dependent voltage in a circuit made of two dissimilar metals. Lord Kelvin’s contribution to the field of thermoelectricity paved the way for various applications in temperature sensors, power generators, refrigeration, and cooling systems.
item: Article-Full-text
Folklore in fashion- preserving intangible cultural heritage through fashion.
(2023-08) Thilakarathne, S; Gopura, S; Wickramasinghe, A; Payne, A
Folklore has been an integral part of Sri Lankan culture for centuries and the story of Kuweni is one such entrancing narrative with historical significance, since it is directly linked to the origin of the Sinhalese nation. Kuweni’s importance extends beyond folk narratives and is also evident in ancient literature, describing her as a superhuman being, yet her true identity remains shrouded in mystery. Her shape-shifting abilities, as described in various legends, make Kuweni a fascinating character worthy of contemplation from many perspectives. Folklore is distinct from mythology, as it contains factual elements such as practices and customs that have a solid sociological background. Therefore, it is essential to preserve them ensuring that future generations can benefit from the sociocultural and anthropological values embedded to narratives. Folklore in Fashion PhD study addresses the crucial question of how to preserve folklore in a way that resonates with contemporary society.
item: Article-Full-text
Intention-behavior gap in greener consumption among young Sri Lankan consumers
(2023-08) Kosgoda, D
In today’s world, we heavily rely on natural resources for activities, business, and survival. We are consuming resources at an unsustainable rate. However, our planet can only produce a finite number of resources and can only withstand a certain degree of greenhouse gas emissions. With the unbearable increase in natural resource consumption and green gas emissions, we are forced to experience various global challenges including climate change, desertification, lack of resources, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, etc. There is a burgeoning movement to adopt sustainable practices to mitigate these adverse consequences. Some companies have even developed sustainability programs, guidelines and plans to achieve sustainable goals [1]. Specifically, people are moving towards green consumption. As a result, studies on green consumption have emerged as a significant new frontier over the past few years attracting attention from both academics and professionals.
item: Article-Full-text
Unveiling the unusual: a task view for anomaly dection in R
(2023-08) Talagala, P
Anomalies play a critical role in statistical analysis, as their presence in data can lead to biased parameter estimation, model misspeci cation, and misleading results if classical analysis techniques are blindly applied. Additionally, anomalies can themselves be carriers of signi cant and critical information, and identifying these critical points can be the primary goal of investigations in many elds such as fraud detection, object tracking, system health monitoring, and environmental monitoring (e.g., for bush res, tsunamis, oods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions)
item: Article-Full-text
Plagiarism at crossroads
(2023-08) Rathnayake, P
Considered in academia a serious offence, plagiarism is an act of copying or stealing someone else’s ideas or work and presenting them as one’s own [1]. In a broader sense, plagiarism is using an author’s words, ideas, reflections and thoughts without properly acknowledging them [2]. A well-known and growing issue in academia, plagiarism constitutes a significant proportion of the serious deviations from ethical research practice [3]. The advancement of technology and the widespread use of the Internet and the emerging AI assistance available for all have made it easier to commit plagiarism. Yet, on the flip side, avoiding plagiarism is now more convenient due to the abundance of plagiarism detection tools. Plagiarism applications generate a similarity report that highlights potential manifestations of plagiarism. The accuracy of plagiarism checker tools and their reports on determining the academic integrity of emerging academic writing contents becomes questionable due to the contradicting nature of the concerned variables of plagiarism tool algorithms and that of academic writing ethics. Academic writing ethics taught across global curriculums places a significant value on the use of duly cited direct quotations (verbatim copies) as a strong evidential strategy while plagiarism reports count textual similarity as a key 52 variable to flag plagiarism.
item: Article-Full-text
Modeling the dengue risk in Sri Lanka
(2023-08) Piyatilake, T
Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads from infected mosquitoes to humans. This is a leading cause for most of the deaths in the tropical and subtropical areas around the globe. Dengue virus spread has risen largely in urban and semi-urban areas. This has become a main public health concern problem in the world. Dengue virus was discovered in early 1950s in Sri Lanka. Country experienced several outbreaks of dengue until the disease became endemic in 1989. In the early stages dengue was considered as a sporadic disease. Most of the dengue patients were found in Colombo. The human population was high in Colombo at that time. The number of infected patients exponentially increased in the year 1989. This happens in a severe form. The highest incident was informed in the year 2017. It was reported as 186,101 patients and 440 deaths [3]. The majority of reported from Colombo and Gampaha districts [3]. Gampaha is another district with a higher human population. Now, dengue is one of the noticeable among epidemic diseases in find in children and adults admitted to hospitals. Rapid urbanization is one of the key reasons that worsens dengue disease. Dengue has become significantly noticeable in other districts in Sri Lanka.
item: Article-Full-text
Risk assessment in project supply chains in Maldives hospitality sector
(2023-08) Sugathadasa, R; Weerasinghe, B
The article evaluates the enabling factors of risks in the project management supply chain process within the Maldives hospitality sector within identification of needs in procurement process. The tourist arrivals in the Maldives have been increased rapidly. This trend is found as 64% from 2017 to 2021. The identified trend encourages investments in the hospitality sector in Maldives. Therefore, more accommodations are built to cater upcoming trend of tourist arrivals in Maldives. Statistics show 1.4 million tourist arrivals to Maldives in 2018, setting a new record. The Minister of Tourism, Ali Waheed, reported that the number of tourists who visited Maldives in 2018 was 1,484,276, which is 6.8% (or 94,734 tourists) which is higher than in 2017[1]. Tourism contributes 60% of foreign exchange receipts, making it a crucial part of the Maldives’ economy.
item: Article-Full-text
The Evocative wardrobe : establishing emotional durability to accelerate circular economy in fashion
(2023-08) Fernando, N; Rathnayaka, R
Global fashion waste, sustainability, and the circular economy are concepts that are increasingly gaining popularity not only in the world but also in Sri Lanka. The Fashion Revolution, organizations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and brands such as Patagonia spearhead this movement in which the idea of circular economy is promoted, and action is taken to reduce the impact on global fashion waste and issues such as overconsumption and overproduction of clothes. Sri Lanka’s capital city Colombo itself, contains landfills filled with unwanted clothes and materials. Furthermore, garment manufacturing is Sri Lanka’s single biggest industry, but it also produces tens of thousands of textile waste every year. However, it can be seen that there is an increase in online Thrift Stores selling secondhand clothing, fashion brands that upcycle clothes, movements such as the Goodlife Foundation, and companies such as the Hirdaramani Group carrying out projects related to fashion waste. It can also be seen that The Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) in association with the Responsible Fashion Movement (RFM), has come out with a specific action-oriented impact on each garment presented on the ramp, under a program titled Responsibility In Fashion.
item: Article-Full-text
Soft robotics to ensure safe food handling
(2023-08) Lihini, C; Kulasekara, A; Chathuranga, D; Gopura, R
Soft robotics is a subfield of robotics that concerns the design, control, and fabrication of robots composed of compliant materials, instead of rigid links [1]. Using softer materials similar to those found in living organisms, researchers have developed a variety of actuators that are lightweight, fast acting, and compliant. Soft actuators are trending due to their increased flexibility and adaptability for different tasks like manipulating and grasping fragile objects, agricultural products, and food items. Harvesting, sorting, and packaging fragile food items like delicate fruits and vegetables have been predominantly done using human labour. Such exhausting and repetitive work leads to increased food wastage due to rough handling and human errors. The use of soft robotics for food handling could reduce damage during processing stages. This could enhance production efficiency and leads to improved food security in the future.
item: Article-Full-text
Review of methodologies used in electricity supply and demand forecasting
(2023-08) Dissanayake, B; Perera, N; Velmanickam, L
The electricity market is a critical component of modern society, providing the essential energy needed to power our homes, businesses, and industries. European countries began to liberalize their electricity markets in an effort to increase competition and reduce prices for consumers (Sousa & Soares, 2020). In a liberalized electricity market, electricity is treated as a tradable commodity like any other product. This implies that European electricity markets are subject to the same economic principles of supply and demand as other markets, with prices rising when demand outstrips supply and falling when supply exceeds demand.
item: Article-Full-text
Bolgoda chat: the era of transformation
(2023-08) Karunathilake, H; Witharana, S
Mahamendige Wilfred Joseph Gerard Mendis was born in Moratuwa on 7th day of November 1942. Popularly known as “Willie”, did his entire schooling at the St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya, and excelled in studies, in debating and in leadership. In a school science event, young Willie was happened to meet satellite guru Dr Arthur C Clarke, without a clue that they would become colleagues four decades later at the prestigious University of Moratuwa.
item: Article-Full-text
Stones that stand the test of time: exploring the durability and weathering of metamorphic Rocks of Sri Lanka
(2023-08) Kanagasundaram, G; Dassanayake, A; Jayawardena, C; Samarasuriya, C
Weathering and durability are the key properties of the rock to evaluate the suitability and end-use for different kinds of applications such as building and construction material and engineering structures. Weathering is simply known as the alteration or breaking down of rocks due to air, water, etc. whereas durability of rock can be defined as the ability to resist the weathering to maintain the characteristics of strength under various environmental conditions. To evaluate the strength of rock, the degree of weathering and durability can be used as main indicators[1] as the measure of strength depends on the external force resistance.
item: Article-Full-text
Unlocking the Power of Big Data: How Remote Sensing and Land Zoning Data are Revolutionizing Urban Planning
(2023-08) Senarathna, T; Kanagasundaram, G; Samarasuriya, C
Urbanization is a rapidly growing trend, and cities are facing unprecedented challenges in managing growth, ensuring sustainability, and promoting social equity. Urban planning is a complex and challenging process, as it involves the coordination of various stakeholders and the management of different resources. So, utilizing conventional methods for urban planning can lead to limited data availability, inaccurate data, and a lack of stakeholder engagement, which can affect the quality and effectiveness of the planning process for highly populated areas. There fore, with the advent of big data and remote sensing technology, urban planners now have powerful tools to tackle these challenges. Remote sensing is the use of satellites, aerial imagery, and other sensor-based technologies to gather data about the earth’s surface. Land zoning data, on the other hand, provides information about the designated use of land in each area. When combined, these two types of data can provide a comprehensive view of land use, environmental conditions, and social dynamics. One of the main benefits of remote sensing and land zoning data is their ability to provide real-time monitoring of urbanization patterns. By tracking changes in land use and environmental conditions, urban planners can make informed decisions about infrastructure development, environmental protection, and social equity. This information can also be used to anticipate future trends and respond proactively to emerging challenges.
item: Article-Full-text
Waste Minimization in Agri-Food Supply Chains through Digitization
(2023-08) Jayalath, M; Perera, N; Ratnayake, C; Thibbotuwawa, A
The agricultural industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, with advancements in machinery leading to increased scale, speed, and productivity of farm equipment. These improvements, combined with advancements in genetically modified seeds, irrigation systems, and fertilizers, have led to more efficient cultivation of land and higher yields. However, the industry is now on the brink of another transformation, driven by data and connectivity. In Sri Lanka, agriculture is a vital sector of the economy, contributing significantly to 7.1% of the Gross Domestic Product in 2020 and employing 27.12% of the labor force directly and indirectly [1]. The output of the agriculture industry has a significant impact on industries such as consumer packaged goods, retail, and tourism, further emphasizing its importance.
item: Article-Full-text
Should We Care about how Birds Fly?
(2023-08) De Silva, L; Samaraweera, N; Jayaweera, N; Sugathapala, T
Bird flight has intrigued human minds ever since the Stone Age. Paintings in Lascaux cave in France are considered the oldest representation of birds in flight made by early ancestors of humans. The ability to fly has been interpreted as a divine power by some cultures which proceeded to include wings in drawings and sculptures of their deities. In the Renaissance period, Polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci studied birds and their motion in detail. His codex of birds mentions the objective of this study as to develop a human-powered flying machine. Even, the Wright brothers used warping wings in their flight tests mimicking the flight patterns of birds. The wing and fuselage design of fixed-wing aircraft from the earliest versions to modern jet-powered airliners is directly inspired by the bio-mechanics of large birds. However, with the success of fixed-wing aircraft, the flapping wing concepts saw declining interest as a viable design option for air vehicles. During this time, the aerodynamics of bird wings was only studied in fundamental science to answer the questions on their aerodynamic performance. However, the popularization of Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) renewed the interest in bird-inspired air vehicles with flapping wings as a possible design.
item: Article-Full-text
Nickel phytomining potential in serpentine soil of Sri Lanka: an implication for sustainable mining
(2023-08) Dilshara, P; Abeysinghe, B; Premasiri, R; Ratnayake, N; Senarath, S; Ratnayake, A; Dushyantha, N; Batapola, N
The world is experiencing rapid growth of nickel (Ni) demand, especially for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, while high-grade Ni deposits are being depleted due to expanding economics, growing populations, and disorganized industrialization. Therefore, a major transformation from high-grade low-bulk ores to low-grade high-bulk ores is necessary to secure the future supply chain of Ni [1]. In this context, ultramafic soil is considered a low-grade high-bulk Ni ore, mostly found in tropical countries. However, conventional mining practices are high energy-consuming and generate a tremendous amount of waste, making it impracticable to recover Ni from ultramafic soil. Therefore, phytomining (or farming for metals) is identified as a viable and innovative method for Ni recovery from low-grade high-bulk sources such as ultramafic soil.
item: Article-Full-text
Integrating user psychology in road transport safety: a model for low and middle-income countries, based on Sri Lanka
(2023-08) Kandanaarachchi, T; Sugathadasa, R
Every person qualifies as a road user including you and me. This makes it a paramount interest to make our roads safe. It is unfortunate to accept that Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), which include Sri Lanka, account for 90% of road collisions that occur globally. These collisions account for 17.63 million serious injuries and deaths while costing LMIC economies 1.7 trillion USD amounting to 6.5% of aggregate annual GDP [1] which is significant enough to rethink the focus we have given towards improving road safety. One important piece of this multi-faceted problem is understanding the factors that contribute to road safety incidents. Though there are many models on road transport safety, only a few addresses the impact of user psychology and the contextual environment in LMICs on road safety. This article highlights the outcomes of a study that was conducted to develop a theoretical model integrating user psychology into road safety in LMICs using Sri Lanka as a case study.

Browse

Recent Submissions