Does the method for Military Utility Assessment of Future Technologies provide utility?

The Military Utility Assessment of Future Technologies (MUAFT) method was developed as a cost-efficient alternative to methods such as NATO's Disruptive Technology Assessment Games, to be used as a part of the Swedish Armed Forces' long-term capability development process. The question addressed in this study is whether MUAFT can be considered to have validity in its context and thus if it has potential to be useful to other small to medium size states. The analysis was based on an operationalization of Clark's framework for science and technology intelligence analysis, combined with a military capability centric view of military utility. MUAFT reports from 2012 to 2018 were reviewed in terms of how they satisfy five key criteria. The study shows that MUAFT provides utility, if used by a suitably composed group of experts, who are aware of the method's limitations. The limitations mainly originate from a lack of explicit support for assessing the impact of forces for change, other than technological forces, on military capability development. The expert group serves as the synthesizing bridge between technology forecasts and military utility assessments. Therefore, comprehensive expertise is needed in various military technology specialisations, in the sponsor's military capabilities and in subjects necessary to master in order to assess other influential societal forces for change.     

Influence of lanthanum on enhancement of mechanical and electrical properties of Cu-Al_2O_3 composites

Two kinds of Cu-Al_2O_3 composites(with and without La) were prepared via mechanical alloying-spark plasma sintering(MA-SPS) method. Microstructure, mechanical properties and electrical resistivity were investigated systematically using metallography, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, mechanical and electrical properties testing. The results indicate that an appropriate amount of La can homogenize the distribution of Al_2O_3. As such, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation of Cu-Al_2O_3-La are greatly increased. Some semi-coherent interface between Cu and Al_2O_3 is found, which means a low interface energy. The grain shape of Cu changes to irregular band with the addition of La. This change results in a density decrease of grain boundary and reduces electrical resistance. Lanthanum may exist in the form of La_2O_3.     

Validating the moderating role of age in multi-perspective acceptance model of wearable healthcare technology

The recent trend of aging population, not to mention the unprecedented pandemic, draws great attention from the general public about health concerns. Since healthcare information technology is different from non-healthcare information technology, additional contexts should be properly incorporated into technology acceptance research to accurately identify influential factors affecting the acceptance of wearable healthcare technology. Thus, we selectively reconfigured factors from health, privacy, and socio-demographic contexts to formulate a health-aware acceptance model. Then, it was empirically analyzed using structural equation modeling. Based on the results, whereas privacy concerns were directly associated with intention to use wearable healthcare technology, health concerns were not. Moreover, age had a moderating effect on social influence and facilitating conditions. These findings suggest valuable insights that the adoption rate of healthcare technology is increased by 1) keeping personal information securely, 2) facilitating social interaction among users, and 3) offering intuitive user experience for elderly people.     

A new DEA common-weight multi-criteria decision-making approach for technology selection

This paper addresses an advanced manufacturing technology selection problem by proposing a new common-weight multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach in the evaluation framework of data envelopment analysis (DEA). We improve existing technology selection models by giving a new mathematical formulation to simplify the calculation process and to ensure its use in more general situations with multiple inputs and multiple outputs. Further, an algorithm is provided to solve the proposed model based on mixed-integer linear programming and dichotomy. Compared with previous approaches for technology selection, our approach brings new contributions. First, it guarantees that only one decision-making unit (DMU) (referring to a technology) can be evaluated as efficient and selected as the best performer while maximising the minimum efficiency among all the DMUs. Second, the number of mixed-integer linear programs to solve is independent of the number of candidates. In addition, it guarantees the uniqueness of the final optimal set of common weights. Two benchmark instances are used to compare the proposed approach with existing ones. A computational experiment with randomly generated instances is further proceeded to show that the proposed approach is more suitable for situations with large datasets.     

The paradox of technology innovativeness and risk perceptions – A profile of Asian smartphone users

Risk perceptions and technology innovativeness are the two primary factors related to the adoption of mobile technologies. The current study examines the role of technology innovativeness and risk perceptions on smartphone use and dependence in an Asian context. A total of 9086 participants were recruited through online surveys from ten Asian countries. Ordinary least squares regression analyses revealed the effects of technology innovativeness, information security, privacy concern, and their interactions on smartphone use and dependence. Moreover, based on users’ smartphone usage patterns and perceptions, this paper identified four homogeneous groups using cluster analysis. Results shows that Asian smartphone users can be segmented into four groups: innovators, conservatives, moderators, and laggards. The four clusters show significant differences in demographic features. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed based on these findings.     

Highly textured and strongly anisotropic TiB2 ceramics prepared using magnetic field alignment (9T)

Highly textured TiB₂ ceramics were prepared by slip casting an aqueous suspension in a magnetic field of 9 T, followed by sintering using Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST). Particle size refinement by ball milling improved both the degree of texturing and densification of the material (RD > 98 %). The sintered material exhibited a Lotgering orientation factor of 0.90, with the c-axis of TiB₂ oriented parallel to the magnetic field and FAST pressing direction. The texturing effect induced by the uniaxial pressing was negligible. The textured TiB₂ material exhibited a significant anisotropy in mechanical properties; the values of hardness and indentation elastic modulus measured along directions transverse to the c-axis of TiB₂ were 37 % and 13 % higher than the ones measured along the c-axis direction. Moreover, the specific wear rate of a surface of textured TiB₂ parallel to the field was one order of magnitude lower than a surface perpendicular to the field.     

Office of Technology Assessment: History,implementation, and participatory critique

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), which was created by the Technology Assignment Act of 1972, was—and still remains even after its abolishment in 1995—a unique congressional agency. OTA provided members of Congress with their own means of understanding and evaluating complex science and technology matters—of which there are no shortages. It spurred an entire literature of academic research both about OTA and the idea of technology assessment more generally. Understanding the legislative history and implementation of the Technology Assessment Act is crucial not just for scholarship, though. OTA was a blueprint for institutionalizing politically accountable technology assessment. Even as technologies advance at rapid rates, OTA still offers valuable lessons that scholars and policy-makers alike ought to glean. This paper places OTA in a contemporary context of (institutionalized) technology assessment. It contributes to a better understanding of OTA's origins by tracing its lineage to a set of federal reports beginning in 1929. It then analyzes OTA's response to pragmatic implementation questions of how to strike a balance between speed, depth, scope, and temporal focus. Lastly, it uses a public values framework to critique OTA's failure to adequately incorporate participatory elements into its processes.     

Agent-based modeling of energy technology adoption: Empirical integration of social,behavioral, economic,and environmental factors

Agent-based modeling (ABM) techniques for studying human-technical systems face two important challenges. First, agent behavioral rules are often ad hoc, making it difficult to assess the implications of these models within the larger theoretical context. Second, the lack of relevant empirical data precludes many models from being appropriately initialized and validated, limiting the value of such models for exploring emergent properties or for policy evaluation. To address these issues, in this paper we present a theoretically-based and empirically-driven agent-based model of technology adoption, with an application to residential solar photovoltaic (PV). Using household-level resolution for demographic, attitudinal, social network, and environmental variables, the integrated ABM framework we develop is applied to real-world data covering 2004–2013 for a residential solar PV program at the city scale. Two applications of the model focusing on rebate program design are also presented.     

Challenges for technology diffusion policy to achieve socio-economic goals

The aim of this contribution is to analyze the challenges for technology diffusion policies to achieve expected socio-economic goals and to deduce conclusions for an adequate policy design. Based on hypotheses from theoretical contributions, we review two rather distinct technology fields. One is biobased products, the other health technologies with bioethanol and magnetic resonance imaging respectively as case studies in order to derive rather general insights regarding those policies. The case studies highlight the difficulties in achieving the aimed societal goals by promoting technology diffusion. The dominant innovation design (e.g. techniques or resources used) which diffuses or its application fields (e.g. indication, patient characteristics) differ from those assumed in impact assessments and side-effects which occur in other markets. The direct linkage of policy measures to societal criteria may avoid some of those undesired developments but may have side effects of their own, such as trade distortions or shifting the environmental burden to other activities. However, there is considerable scope for improvement in policy design compared to the status-quo. Overall, a more balanced policy mix regarding various socio-economic goals is vital and unintended side effects have to be considered more in decision making.     

Factors involved in associations between Facebook use and college adjustment: Social competence,perceived usefulness,and use patterns

Although previous research has investigated widespread use of social media, especially Facebook, by youth attending college, the conditions under which these media foster adjustment to college remain unclear. This study tested a model illuminating pathways linking social competence to college adjustment via students’ perceptions about the usefulness of Facebook and ways in which they used the medium. Self-report survey data from 321 college students (M age = 20.09; 58% female; 84% Caucasian) attending a major Midwestern university supported the proposed model, indicating that higher social competence could foster or impede college adjustment, depending upon how it was related to beliefs about the usefulness of different Facebook functions and how these perceptions, in turn, were associated with patterns of Facebook use. Findings underscore the importance of considering connections among personal attributes, perception of media effectiveness, and media behaviors in assessing the implications of social media for users’ psychosocial well-being.