Delong Du, M.Sc.

2024

• A. A. Tehrani, O. Veisi, B. V. Fakhr, and D. Du, „Predicting solar radiation in the urban area: A data-driven analysis for sustainable city planning using artificial neural networking,“ Sustainable cities and society, vol. 100, p. 105042, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.scs.2023.105042
  [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]
  

  Predicting solar radiation in cities using the Artificial Neural Network model (ANN) is a pioneering step in transforming future-oriented city planning using solar energy. This research harnesses vast datasets to forecast the average annual solar radiation, considering minimal urban information across various urban attributes, including coordinates (X, Y, Z), average height, inhabited and non-occupied areas, and the Azimuth angle. Our method employed parametric design and remote sensing to generate this dataset and then used the ANN model to make predictions and simulations. Urban attributes of 20 cities were examined, including Casablanca, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town, Dublin, Havana, Melbourne, Rome, Singapore, Nairobi, Mumbai, New York, Nagoya, Sao Paulo, Tehran, Madrid, Toronto, Antananarivo, Beijing, Lisbon, and Paris. This data-driven approach trains our ANN model to discern complex and nonlinear relationships between independent and dependent variables and thus enables our model to predict solar radiation in urban cities. Our data training results indicate that the output (the minimum solar radiation each year of the cities) can be predicted using the study input variables with a loss of 0.01, a mean squared error of 0.01, and an R2-squared value of 85\%. Such predictions can refine urban designs of buildings, public spaces, and various urban infrastructures to optimize solar energy use, reducing environmental impacts and fossil fuel reliance, thus aiding climate change mitigation and sustainability. Our findings underscore the integral association between solar radiation and sustainable urban evolution, giving urban planners and researchers sustainable strategies for advancing energy efficiency and ecological equilibrium.

  @article{tehrani_predicting_2024,
  title = {Predicting solar radiation in the urban area: {A} data-driven analysis for sustainable city planning using artificial neural networking},
  volume = {100},
  issn = {2210-6707},
  shorttitle = {Predicting solar radiation in the urban area},
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210670723006534},
  doi = {10.1016/j.scs.2023.105042},
  abstract = {Predicting solar radiation in cities using the Artificial Neural Network model (ANN) is a pioneering step in transforming future-oriented city planning using solar energy. This research harnesses vast datasets to forecast the average annual solar radiation, considering minimal urban information across various urban attributes, including coordinates (X, Y, Z), average height, inhabited and non-occupied areas, and the Azimuth angle. Our method employed parametric design and remote sensing to generate this dataset and then used the ANN model to make predictions and simulations. Urban attributes of 20 cities were examined, including Casablanca, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town, Dublin, Havana, Melbourne, Rome, Singapore, Nairobi, Mumbai, New York, Nagoya, Sao Paulo, Tehran, Madrid, Toronto, Antananarivo, Beijing, Lisbon, and Paris. This data-driven approach trains our ANN model to discern complex and nonlinear relationships between independent and dependent variables and thus enables our model to predict solar radiation in urban cities. Our data training results indicate that the output (the minimum solar radiation each year of the cities) can be predicted using the study input variables with a loss of 0.01, a mean squared error of 0.01, and an R2-squared value of 85\%. Such predictions can refine urban designs of buildings, public spaces, and various urban infrastructures to optimize solar energy use, reducing environmental impacts and fossil fuel reliance, thus aiding climate change mitigation and sustainability. Our findings underscore the integral association between solar radiation and sustainable urban evolution, giving urban planners and researchers sustainable strategies for advancing energy efficiency and ecological equilibrium.},
  urldate = {2024-02-06},
  journal = {Sustainable Cities and Society},
  author = {Tehrani, Alireza Attarhay and Veisi, Omid and Fakhr, Bahereh Vojdani and Du, Delong},
  month = jan,
  year = {2024},
  keywords = {Artificial neural networking, Energy simulations, Remote sensing, Solar radiation, Sustainable cities, Urban texture},
  pages = {105042},
  }

2023

• O. Veisi, D. Du, M. A. Moradi, F. C. Guasselli, S. Athanasoulias, H. A. Syed, C. Müller, and G. Stevens, „Designing SafeMap Based on City Infrastructure and Empirical Approach: Modified A-Star Algorithm for Earthquake Navigation Application,“ in Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Advances in Urban-AI, New York, NY, USA, 2023, p. 61–70. doi:10.1145/3615900.3628788
  [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]
  

  Designing routing systems for earthquakes requires frontend usability studies and backend algorithm modifications. Evaluations from subject-matter experts can enhance the design of both the front-end interface and the back-end algorithm of urban artificial intelligence (AI). Urban AI applications need to be trustworthy, responsible, and reliable against earthquakes, by assisting civilians to identify safe and fast routes to safe areas or health support stations. However, routes may become dangerous or obstructed as regular routing applications may fail to adapt responsively to city destruction caused by earthquakes. In this study, we modified the A-star algorithm and designed an interactive mobile app with the evaluation and insights of subject-matter experts including 15 UX designers, 7 urbanists, 8 quake survivors, and 4 first responders. Our findings reveal reducing application features and quickening application use time is necessary for stressful earthquake situations, as emerging features such as augmented reality and voice assistant may negatively backlash user experience in earthquake scenarios due to over-immersion, distracting users from real world condition. Additionally, we utilized expert insights to modify the A-star algorithm for earthquake scenarios using the following steps: 1) create a dataset based on the roads; 2) establish an empty dataset for weight; 3) enable the updating of weight based on infrastructure; and 4) allow the alteration of weight based on safety, related to human behavior. Our study provides empirical evidence on why urban AI applications for earthquakes need to adapt to the rapid speed to use and elucidate how and why the A-star algorithm is optimized for earthquake scenarios.

  @inproceedings{veisi_designing_2023,
  address = {New York, NY, USA},
  series = {{UrbanAI} '23},
  title = {Designing {SafeMap} {Based} on {City} {Infrastructure} and {Empirical} {Approach}: {Modified} {A}-{Star} {Algorithm} for {Earthquake} {Navigation} {Application}},
  isbn = {9798400703621},
  shorttitle = {Designing {SafeMap} {Based} on {City} {Infrastructure} and {Empirical} {Approach}},
  url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3615900.3628788},
  doi = {10.1145/3615900.3628788},
  abstract = {Designing routing systems for earthquakes requires frontend usability studies and backend algorithm modifications. Evaluations from subject-matter experts can enhance the design of both the front-end interface and the back-end algorithm of urban artificial intelligence (AI). Urban AI applications need to be trustworthy, responsible, and reliable against earthquakes, by assisting civilians to identify safe and fast routes to safe areas or health support stations. However, routes may become dangerous or obstructed as regular routing applications may fail to adapt responsively to city destruction caused by earthquakes. In this study, we modified the A-star algorithm and designed an interactive mobile app with the evaluation and insights of subject-matter experts including 15 UX designers, 7 urbanists, 8 quake survivors, and 4 first responders. Our findings reveal reducing application features and quickening application use time is necessary for stressful earthquake situations, as emerging features such as augmented reality and voice assistant may negatively backlash user experience in earthquake scenarios due to over-immersion, distracting users from real world condition. Additionally, we utilized expert insights to modify the A-star algorithm for earthquake scenarios using the following steps: 1) create a dataset based on the roads; 2) establish an empty dataset for weight; 3) enable the updating of weight based on infrastructure; and 4) allow the alteration of weight based on safety, related to human behavior. Our study provides empirical evidence on why urban AI applications for earthquakes need to adapt to the rapid speed to use and elucidate how and why the A-star algorithm is optimized for earthquake scenarios.},
  urldate = {2024-02-05},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of the 1st {ACM} {SIGSPATIAL} {International} {Workshop} on {Advances} in {Urban}-{AI}},
  publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
  author = {Veisi, Omid and Du, Delong and Moradi, Mohammad Amin and Guasselli, Fernanda Caroline and Athanasoulias, Sotiris and Syed, Hussain Abid and Müller, Claudia and Stevens, Gunnar},
  month = nov,
  year = {2023},
  keywords = {A-star algorithm, city infrastructure, earthquake, navigation, routing, user experience},
  pages = {61--70},
  }

• D. Du, S. G. Amirhajlou, A. Gyabaah, R. Paluch, and C. Müller, „Mediating Personal Relationships with Robotic Pets for Fostering Human-Human Interaction of Older Adults,“ , 2023. doi:10.48340/IHC2023_P003
  [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]
  

  Good human relationships are important for us to have a happy life and maintain our well-being. Otherwise, we will be at risk of experiencing loneliness or depression. In human-computer interaction (HCI) and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), robotic systems offer nuanced approaches to foster human connection, providing interaction beyond the traditional mediums that smartphones and computers offer. However, many existing studies primarily focus on the human-robot relationships that older adults form directly with robotic pets rather than exploring how these robotic pets can enhance …

  @article{du_mediating_2023,
  title = {Mediating {Personal} {Relationships} with {Robotic} {Pets} for {Fostering} {Human}-{Human} {Interaction} of {Older} {Adults}},
  issn = {2510-2591},
  url = {https://dl.eusset.eu/handle/20.500.12015/5016},
  doi = {10.48340/IHC2023_P003},
  abstract = {Good human relationships are important for us to have a happy life and maintain our well-being. Otherwise, we will be at risk of experiencing loneliness or depression. In human-computer interaction (HCI) and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), robotic systems offer nuanced approaches to foster human connection, providing interaction beyond the traditional mediums that smartphones and computers offer. However, many existing studies primarily focus on the human-robot relationships that older adults form directly with robotic pets rather than exploring how these robotic pets can enhance ...},
  language = {en},
  urldate = {2023-10-03},
  author = {Du, Delong and Amirhajlou, Sara Gilda and Gyabaah, Akwasi and Paluch, Richard and Müller, Claudia},
  year = {2023},
  }

2022

• J. Duval, R. Thakkar, D. Du, K. Chin, S. Luo, A. Elor, M. S. El-Nasr, and M. John, „Designing Spellcasters from Clinician Perspectives: A Customizable Gesture-Based Immersive Virtual Reality Game for Stroke Rehabilitation,“ Acm transactions on accessible computing, vol. 15, iss. 3, p. 26:1–26:25, 2022. doi:10.1145/3530820
  [BibTeX] [Abstract] [Download PDF]
  

  Developing games is time-consuming and costly. Overly clinical therapy games run the risk of being boring, which defeats the purpose of using games to motivate healing in the first place [10, 23]. In this work, we adapt and repurpose an existing immersive virtual reality (iVR) game, Spellcasters, originally designed purely for entertainment for use as a stroke rehabilitation game—which is particularly relevant in the wake of COVID-19, where telehealth solutions are increasingly needed [4]. In preparation for participatory design sessions with stroke survivors, we collaborate with 14 medical professionals to ensure Spellcasters is safe and therapeutically valid for clinical adoption. We present our novel VR sandbox implementation that allows medical professionals to customize appropriate gestures and interactions for each patient’s unique needs. Additionally, we share a co-designed companion app prototype based on clinicians’ preferred data reporting mechanisms for telehealth. We discuss insights about adapting and repurposing entertainment games as serious games for health, features that clinicians value, and the potential broader impacts of applications like Spellcasters for stroke management.

  @article{duval_designing_2022,
  title = {Designing {Spellcasters} from {Clinician} {Perspectives}: {A} {Customizable} {Gesture}-{Based} {Immersive} {Virtual} {Reality} {Game} for {Stroke} {Rehabilitation}},
  volume = {15},
  issn = {1936-7228},
  shorttitle = {Designing {Spellcasters} from {Clinician} {Perspectives}},
  url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3530820},
  doi = {10.1145/3530820},
  abstract = {Developing games is time-consuming and costly. Overly clinical therapy games run the risk of being boring, which defeats the purpose of using games to motivate healing in the first place [10, 23]. In this work, we adapt and repurpose an existing immersive virtual reality (iVR) game, Spellcasters, originally designed purely for entertainment for use as a stroke rehabilitation game—which is particularly relevant in the wake of COVID-19, where telehealth solutions are increasingly needed [4]. In preparation for participatory design sessions with stroke survivors, we collaborate with 14 medical professionals to ensure Spellcasters is safe and therapeutically valid for clinical adoption. We present our novel VR sandbox implementation that allows medical professionals to customize appropriate gestures and interactions for each patient’s unique needs. Additionally, we share a co-designed companion app prototype based on clinicians’ preferred data reporting mechanisms for telehealth. We discuss insights about adapting and repurposing entertainment games as serious games for health, features that clinicians value, and the potential broader impacts of applications like Spellcasters for stroke management.},
  number = {3},
  urldate = {2023-08-25},
  journal = {ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing},
  author = {Duval, Jared and Thakkar, Rutul and Du, Delong and Chin, Kassandra and Luo, Sherry and Elor, Aviv and El-Nasr, Magy Seif and John, Michael},
  month = aug,
  year = {2022},
  keywords = {digital therapeutics, game design, games for health, immersive virtual reality, serious games, Stroke rehabilitation, therapy},
  pages = {26:1--26:25},
  }