The following paper, "Transformer-based AI framework for optimising English teaching evaluation strategies: a data-driven and explainable approach" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Transforming educational data analytics: developing a reinforcement learning framework for real-time decision-making and resource optimisation" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Trajectory planning for enhanced multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient-based multi-UAV assisted maritime communication" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
In a sector as complex and capital-intensive as oil and gas, the decision-making process surrounding supplier selection is pivotal to operational success and long-term competitiveness. Research from Oman’s oil and gas sector published in the International Journal of Services and Operations Management (IJSOM) highlights the need for more structured, data-driven approaches to supplier evaluation. This research explores the application of advanced decision-making techniques to improve transparency, reduce risk, and enhance operational efficiency within the industry.
At the core of this research is the application of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. MCDM methods are analytical tools that can be used to evaluate options based on different, often conflicting, criteria. MCDM is particularly important in this industry where decision-makers must balance factors such as cost, safety, regulatory compliance, past performance, and environmental impact. Conventional supplier-selection methods often rely too heavily on subjective judgement, which can lead to the wrong decisions being made.
The IJSOM findings suggest that these methods can create a nuanced framework for supplier selection. In the case study, the approach shows itself to be invaluable in cases where specific contract requirements demand a more tailored, context-sensitive evaluation of suppliers.
The researchers suggest that supplier selection should no longer be driven by price alone. The volatile nature of the oil and gas industry, shaped, as ever, by geopolitical tensions, fluctuating markets, and evolving environmental regulations, requires a broader focus. Supplier experience, commitment to health, safety, and environmental standards, and the ability to manage operational risks have become more important than initial pricing, particularly in contracts that involve sensitive operations.
The research shows that an MCDM-based framework might be beneficial not only to individual companies, but also to national regulatory bodies and tendering authorities. By embedding these methods into procurement practices, the industry could achieve greater operational resilience, better align with sustainability objectives, and strengthen its contribution to the economy.
Kamran, M.A., Afsharfar, S., Al Fori, S., Babazadeh, R. and Al Balushi, M. (2025) ‘Supplier selection in oil and gas industry’, Int. J. Services and Operations Management, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp.1–27.
The following paper, "Gomoku game recognition and localisation using image processing and deep learning" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
A tool to help make important choices in the financing of building energy upgrades is discussed in the International Journal of Decision Support Systems. The system offers the promise of clarifying this often murky process given the Europe’s ageing buildings, and could improve necessary investment.
Ioanna Andreoulaki, Aikaterini Papapostolou, Charikleia Karakosta, and Vangelis Marinakis of the National Technical University of Athens in Greece, used their home country as a case study, but their findings will be equally applicable throughout the European Union. Indeed, they demonstrate how a structured decision-making framework can better align private capital with the sustainability targets.
Buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy consumption and over a third of carbon emissions in the EU. They are thus a major focus of the bloc’s climate and energy agenda. As such, the European Commission has launched initiatives such as the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renovation Wave, aimed at accelerating the upgrade of inefficient buildings. Yet despite these policies, actual renovation rates have remained disappointingly low.
One of the main obstacles is the financial uncertainty surrounding investment in sustainable power options. Investors face a difficult task in evaluating which energy-saving measures offer the most compelling combination of cost-effectiveness, carbon reduction, and, of course, long-term financial returns. After all, they are not going to invest simply for the green credibility, but expect a profit. Conventional financial models often fall short of accounting for the full complexity of this kind of decision.
The researchers adapted multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to the context of building renovations. MCDA is a structured framework that supports decision-making when multiple, sometimes conflicting, factors must be taken into account. The specific approach employed in this study is called TOPSIS—the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution. It works by scoring and ranking alternatives according to how closely they resemble a hypothetical “ideal” option that performs best across the various criteria.
Applying this method, the researchers evaluated 48 real-world renovation projects in Greece, focusing on private office buildings in the Attica region. The projects included a diverse range of interventions, from installing energy-efficient lighting and solar panels to upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and adding smart automation for energy control.
The analysis showed a clear hierarchy in investor appeal. Heating system upgrades stood out as particularly attractive, combining relatively low upfront costs with substantial energy savings. Other high-ranking measures included efficient lighting and renewable energy integration. In contrast, building automation technologies were rated lower, largely due to higher perceived complexity and longer payback periods, even though they have great potential for long-term savings.
The results offer a roadmap for public policymakers seeking to tweak incentive schemes and encourage sustainability investment. This suggests that while market forces may naturally gravitate towards HVAC and lighting upgrades, more strategic policy support is needed to encourage investment in less immediately appealing, but important, technologies such as automation.
Andreoulaki, I., Papapostolou, A., Karakosta, C. and Marinakis, V. (2025) ‘A decision-making approach based on the TOPSIS method for supporting energy efficiency financing in buildings’, Int. J. Decision Support Systems, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp.1–36.
The following paper, "Intelligent motor fault diagnosis based on deep learning" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "An explicable machine learning approach for predicting 30-day septic mortality for ICU patients" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(9) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "A study on the application of 3DHOG-assisted technology in physical education movement recognition" (International Journal of Computational Systems Engineering 9(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Adaptive assessment in English language teaching: implementing fuzzy logic for intelligent evaluation" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
Where are the humans in human-centred design? That is the question researchers answer in their paper in the Journal of Design Research.
In an area increasingly defined by its responsiveness to human needs, a new piece of research from the University of Michigan suggests that the act of drawing a person into a design sketch can prompt a deeper and more sustained consideration of the human experience. The findings offer a quietly transformative approach to a long-standing challenge: how to ensure that design thinking remains rooted in the lives of the people it aims to serve. This is critical in the earliest, most abstract phases of idea generation.
Human-centred design, a methodology that emphasizes empathy with users and attention to their emotional, social, and physical experiences, is now common across many disciplines, from product development and architecture to public services. Yet despite this, it remains difficult to realize in practice. Designers, particularly when working independently or under tight constraints, often struggle to take the human angle into account. This later manifests itself as the end-product being disconnected from users.
The new research tackles this dilemma by introducing a subtle but purposeful intervention. In two empirical studies involving student designers, participants were first asked to generate design ideas as they normally would. In a second round, they were given one additional instruction: to include a visual representation of a person in every sketch they produced.
While the change might seem trivial, almost naïve and childlike, its impact was not. The researchers saw a noticeable shift in cognitive patterns as the student engineers in each group worked. Those that included people in their sketches began to discuss their ideas differently. They speculated more readily about how users would physically interact with a product, how the design might make someone feel, and what implications it might have for others beyond the immediate user. This is obviously a positive effect in terms of ensuring that the final design is connected to human reality rather than disconnected.
Murphy, L.R., Makhlouf, T., Daly, S.R. and Seifert, C.M. (2025) ‘Where are the humans in human centred design? Intentionally representing people during idea generation deepens consideration of needs’, J. Design Research, Vol. 22, No. 5, pp.1–26.
The following paper, "Sentiment analysis of text based on emoji attention mechanisms: a new approach to online course evaluation" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Personalised foreign language learning path recommendation strategy based on disciplinary knowledge graph" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
A new life-cycle assessment comparing the production impacts of three materials used in carbon dioxide capture technology has highlighted the environmental trade-offs involved in using such materials. The research, published in the International Journal of Global Warming, analysed the emissions associated with manufacturing, a so-called “cradle-to-gate” analysis. The results offer new insights into whether the use of such materials can truly be sustainable in part of how we address climate change.
Namra Mir, Yusuf Bicer, Fadwa El-Mellouhi, Elumalai Palani, Satyanarayana Bonakala, and Abdulkarem I. Amhamed of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar, have looked at various porous materials, which can “adsorb” gases from the air. These include natural minerals known as zeolites and their synthetic counterparts, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Depending on the exact chemical structure of these materials, they can be produced to adsorb specific gases, such as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, in preference to others.
As global efforts to reach net-zero emissions are intensifying, so carbon dioxide capture technology continues to be of interest. It could be used to offset emissions from industrial and other sectors that would be very hard to decarbonize, such as cement production and transport.
The study focused on three porous materials with potential for carbon capture. Specifically, the team looked at TCM-14, referred to as MOF-1, and two hybrid zeolite-based materials, zeolite 13X with diethylenetriamine (MOF-2) and zeolite A with methanol (MOF-3). They then calculated the emissions associated with producing these materials for use in carbon capture technology.
Among the three, MOF-1 had the lowest environmental footprint at 3.5 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of material. The two hybrid zeolite materials had significantly higher emission potential at around 14 kg of carbon dioxide each per kilogram manufactured. This suggests that despite its greater chemical complexity, MOF-1 may be the more sustainable option in terms of its initial environmental burden.
However, the team points out that despite this advantage, manufacturing MOF-1 is an energy-intensive process because it has to be carried out at a very high temperature. For the zeolite-based materials, the chemical modifiers used can lead to even worse manufacturing emissions, with one particular additive used to improve adsorption, leading to carbon dioxide emissions of well over 40 kilograms per kilogram of adsorbent material produced.
The work emphasises that we cannot evaluate a technology developed to combat climate change solely on its performance, we must take into account the energy and emissions costs as well as the resources costs of manufacturing and maintaining that technology.
Mir, N., Bicer, Y., El-Mellouhi, F., Palani, E., Bonakala, S. and Amhamed, A.I. (2025) ‘Life cycle assessment of sustainable metal-organic frameworks and zeolites’, Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp.23–33.
The following paper, "Sensitivity analysis of urban planning using random forests and transformers: a case study of residential area renovation" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "The value orientation clustering analysis based on topic models in the social network environment" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
New research has shed light on a critical obstacle facing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the willingness of drivers to accept higher fuel costs. A pair of simultaneous surveys, designed to explore this issue, found that consumers’ readiness to endure economic sacrifices depends heavily on their understanding of climate change’s tangible effects. Details of the results and analysis can be found in the journal Interdisciplinary Environmental Review.
In the study, participants were divided into two groups. One, known as the “treatment group,” was asked to read a short article outlining the destructive impacts of climate change across the USA. The other group, the “control group,” received no such information. The contrast between responses from the two groups was stark. Those exposed to the information were significantly more willing to accept increased fuel prices in the interest of reducing carbon emissions, while those without that context expressed little willingness, if any, to do so.
The findings, from John McCollough of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, USA, highlight the importance of public awareness in environmental policymaking. Carbon emissions are described by economists as a “public bad,” a term referring to harmful by-products of everyday activities. Burning fossil fuels for transport and the associated carbon emissions impose costs on society at large. To mitigate a “public bad”, one widely used strategy is to raise the associated costs through taxation. In this instance, the logic is that by making carbon-intensive activities more expensive, individuals and businesses will be driven to change their behaviour. They might drive less or invest in cleaner vehicles, or even adopt alternative forms of transport.
The strategy is embodied in the concept of a carbon or fuel tax. Economists broadly regard such taxes as among the most efficient, cost-effective, and administratively simple means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The USA remains an outlier among developed economies. It has the lowest fuel taxes among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and ranks high in per capita carbon emissions.
The relationship between fuel taxation and emissions is well-documented. Countries that impose higher taxes on fuel consistently record lower per capita levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Yet despite its economic efficiency, raising fuel prices is politically contentious. Higher taxes would mean higher household expenses, potentially reshaping spending patterns and lifestyle choices. While some households might reduce driving, purchase fuel-efficient vehicles, or shift to public transit, but without increased understanding of why such changes are necessary, there will inevitably be pushback from the public.
The research suggest that designing effective climate policies is not enough. Governments need to communicate the reality of climate change and connect directly with people’s experiences. The success of carbon pricing initiatives, and possibly of broader climate strategies, depends not only on sound economic reasoning but also on cultivating public trust and engagement.
McCollough, J. (2025) ‘Environmental awareness and consumers’ willingness to accept higher fuel prices to reduce carbon emissions’, Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp.112–123.
The following paper, "Lightweight improvement algorithm for target detection of Pu'er tea harvesting robotic arm based on YOLOv8" (International Journal of Information and Communication Technology 26(8) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Analysis of factors affecting job satisfaction of manual workers: a case study from a garment factory in Northern Vietnam" (International Journal of Business and Globalisation 39(5) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
A study in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Review has looked for the presence of microplastics in drinking water sources in Southern India. The work provides new evidence of the spread of plastic pollution and its increasing potential effect on human health. I. Ronald Win Roy and A. Stanley Raj of Loyola College in Chennai, India, analysed tap and tank water in Chennai, focusing on areas near the heavily polluted Cooum River and Great Salt Lake. They found microplastic particles in almost every sample tested.
Microplastics are defined as plastic fragments smaller than five millimetres. They are usually formed through the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic waste through exposure to sunlight, water, and friction. They have been detected in almost every ecosystem from the remote Arctic ice to the deepest parts of the ocean, which is of obvious broad environtmental concern. However, their presence in drinking water is a serious issue with a potentially even more direct effect on public health.
This is the first study of its kind in Southern India and comes at a time when global plastic production is of even more concern than ever before. In 1970, global production stood at 30 million tonnes, by 2020, plastic production had reached 380 million tonnes. Forecasts suggests that figure will have reached 600 million tonnes annually by 2050. As plastic use intensifies around the world, waste management systems, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions, are struggling to keep pace. The result is that plastic debris is increasingly infiltrating both natural and the built environments.
The presence of microplastics in the environment and in drinking water is troubling in itself, but it is their potential to act as vectors for toxic substances that raises even more concern. Fat-soluble compounds can be absorbed on to or even into synthetic polymer particles. Such compounds might include persistent organic pollutants with potentially carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting effects. Furthermore, microplastics might act as hosts for pathogenic microbes or transport toxic heavy metals.
Once ingested, any toxic payload released in the body might then have detrimental effects on health. Given that tests on blood, placental tissue, and even lung samples have already demonstrated the presence of microplastics in humans. Microplastic contamination is becoming a defining feature of the Anthropocene. The development of detection tools, as demonstrated in this study, is urgently needed so that we can more clearly understand the problem and hopefully devise solutions.
Roy, I.R.W. and Raj, A.S. (2025) ‘Identifying microplastic contamination in drinking water: analysis and evaluation using spectroscopic methods’, Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp.97–111.
The following paper, "Building resilience through digital transformation: a systematic literature review and comprehensive framework for large enterprises" (International Journal of Business Innovation and Research 36(5) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
