Waterloo Research

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Assemblies of Resistance: Feminist Stories, Protest, and Dissent in the Digital Age
(Lexington Books, 2023-02-15) Wiens, Brianna I.; MacArthur, Michelle; MacDonald, Shana
Stories of Feminist Protest and Resistance: Digital Performative Assemblies foregrounds the importance of storytelling for coalition building, solidarity, and performative assembly. Bringing together scholars and activists from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, this book offers creative explorations, analyses, personal stories, and case studies of digital feminist activism that speak directly to the many ways that feminist communities assemble for the purposes of protest and resistance. Through various forms of feminist media mobilizations, from hashtag feminism and platform activism to personal blogs and meme accounts, these chapters explore how digital feminists use the long-standing tactics of storytelling to counter the dominant narratives of white supremacy, colonialism, heteropatriarchy, and the intersecting oppressions that accompany such structures, both online and offline. By sharing stories of intersectional feminist assembly for collective justice, this book contributes to larger conversations about establishing alternative ways of seeing and being in the world, inviting others to assemble with us.
Operation Optimization of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle-to-Grid in Alberta by Mixed Integer Linear Programming
(IEEE, 2023) Ding, Daniel; Wu, Xiao-Yu
Hydrogen is expected to play a vital role in decarbonizing the transportation sector, especially heavy-duty trucks due to the short fuelling time and high gravimetric energy density. These fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) can be employed as mobile electricity generators to support grid peak shaving which can be both economically and environmentally desirable. This study uses a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model to simulate a dedicated vehicle-to-grid (V2G) refuelling station that allows FCEVs to use their onboard fuel cells to supply electricity to the grid by consuming hydrogen that is produced by an on-site electrolyzer or from the hydrogen fuel market. The simulation based on data in Alberta shows a considerable potential of FCEV-to-grid (FCEV2G) to generate profit and reduce carbon emissions. When the maximum number of grid connected vehicles is 4 or more, the station provides electricity that is cleaner than grid electricity and generates positive profits. This shows that FCEV2G can be a solution to reduce the variation and carbon intensity of the electricity in Alberta.
Paintings in the Age of VR Reproductions: Examining the Design of Virtual Reality Galleries
(ACM, 2024-10-14) Soltani, Samira; Harley, Daniel
Galleries, museums, and designers have been adopting virtual reality (VR) technologies to display paintings and create novel experiences with artwork. We contribute an analysis of 20 examples of these applications to examine the design of VR reproductions of existing paintings, raising questions about how art is mediated by VR applications. Our findings show that current design strategies dominantly reproduce many of the relatively passive characteristics of a traditional museum experience, signalling opportunities for design that leverages the affordances of VR to offer additional spatial, embodied, and playful experiences with paintings.
Sharing Play Spaces: Design Lessons from Reddit Posts Showing Virtual Reality in the Home
(Association for Computing Machinery, 2023) Harley, Daniel; MacArthur, Cayley
With the increasing availability of consumer virtual reality (VR) devices for personal and recreational use, the domestic contexts of VR design are increasingly important. Given that much of the current interaction design research for VR is conducted in lab-based settings, there is a need for design considerations that engage with the complexities of these real-world spaces. We present an analysis of visual data (e.g., GIFs, videos, photographs) collected from a manual search of Reddit posts that show “play spaces” and other home-based contexts of VR. Our findings offer insight into the diverse and dynamic characteristics of VR spaces, with set-ups ranging from bedrooms to garages, and with the people, objects, impediments, and affordances of individual spaces demonstrating a variety of ways that VR is used in the home. We conclude by discussing directions for future interaction design research that seeks to incorporate physical actions and environments while also engaging with the complex realities of domestic VR.
Assessment of AI-Generated Pediatric Rehabilitation SOAP-Note Quality
(University of Waterloo, 2025-02-19) Amenyo, Solomon; Grossman, Maura; Brown, Daniel; Wylie-Toal, Brendan
This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) or large language models (LLMs) into pediatric rehabilitation clinical documentation, focusing on the generation of SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes, which are essential for patient care. Creating complex documentation is time-consuming in pediatric settings. We evaluate the effectiveness of two AI tools; Copilot, a commercial LLM, and KAUWbot, a fine-tuned LLM developed for KidsAbility Centre for Child Development (an Ontario pediatric rehabilitation facility), in simplifying and automating this process. We focus on two key questions: (i) How does the quality of AI-generated SOAP notes based on short clinician summaries compare to human-authored notes, and (ii) To what extent is human editing necessary for improving AI-generated SOAP notes? We found no evidence of prior work assessing the quality of AI-generated clinical notes in pediatric rehabilitation. We used a sample of 432 SOAP notes, evenly divided among human-authored, Copilot-generated, and KAUWbot-generated notes. We employ a blind evaluation by experienced clinicians based on a custom rubric. Statistical analysis is conducted to assess the quality of the notes and the impact of human editing. The results suggest that AI tools such as KAUWbot and Copilot can generate SOAP notes with quality comparable to those authored by humans. We highlight the potential for combining AI with human expertise to enhance clinical documentation and offer insights for the future integration of AI into pediatric rehabilitation practice and other settings for the management of clinical conditions.
How Do Different Modes of Verbal Expressiveness of a Student Robot Making Errors Impact Human Teachers' Intention to Use the Robot?
(Association for Computing Machinery, 2021-11-09) Aliasghari, Pourya; Ghafurian, Moojan; Nehaniv, Chrystopher L.; Dautenhahn, Kerstin
When humans make a mistake, they often try to employ some strategies to manage the situation and possibly mitigate the negative effects of the mistake. Robots that operate in the real world will also make errors and therefore might benefit from such recovery strategies. In this work, we studied how different verbal expression strategies of a trainee humanoid robot when committing an error after learning a task influence participants’ intention to use it. We performed a virtual experiment in which the expression modes of the robot were as follows: (1) being silent; (2) verbal expression but ignoring any errors; or (3) verbal expression while mentioning any error by apologizing, as well as acknowledging and justifying the error. To simulate teaching, participants remotely demonstrated their preferences to the robot in a series of food preparation tasks; however, at the very end of the teaching session, the robot made an error (in two of the three experimental conditions). Based on data collected from 176 participants, we observed that, compared to the mode where the robot remained silent, both modes where the robot utilized verbal expression could significantly enhance participants' intention to use the robot in the future if it made an error in the last practice round. When no error occurred at the end of the practice rounds, a silent robot was preferred and increased participants' intention to use.
#Girlhood: Why Memetic Aesthetics of Hyperfemininity Matter for Feminist Media Studies
(Brill, 2025-01-31) Wiens, Brianna I.; McWebb, Anna
There is a pressing need to focus attention on hyperfemininity as a valid and valued form of gender expression and feminist protest within contemporary social media. As resistance against the heteropatriarchal gender expectations that influence femininity and that produce femmephobia, we focus our analysis on the social media #girlhood meme trend that, we suggest, embraces a wide range of femme practices through the re-mixing of fem(me)ininity and femme-ness, while critiquing heteropatriarchal norms. We trace the circulation of #girlhood, including coquette aesthetics, #barbiecore, and #bimbofeminism, outlining how these playful expressions of femininity contribute to subverting expectations of “successful” femme bodies. We argue that if gender norms are scripts that prescribe and describe how we must act, then widening the range of acceptable feminine behaviour through hyperfemininity, as manifest in #girlhood memes, is crucial for changing how we discipline femme bodies and how we analyze femininity within media studies.
Artificial Intelligence and Dynamic Pricing: A Systematic Literature Review
(Taylor & Francis, 2025-02) Chenavaz, Regis Y.; Dimitrov, Stanko
With dynamic pricing becoming more widespread across various industries, artificial intelligence has made it even more sophisticated and widespread. The authors conducted a systematic literature review and analyzed a dataset of 95 peer-reviewed articles from international journals selected in Web of Science and Scopus to better understand artificial intelligence’s impact on dynamic pricing. The authors identified four clusters related to financial modeling, market dynamics, commodity markets, and behavior and decision-making. They also found that China has overtaken the USA in the number of published articles. They identified the themes of market simulation investment, crude oil commodity dependence, and behavior traders’ prices. A systematic literature review is essential to understand the impact of artificial intelligence on dynamic pricing and its implications for businesses, consumers, and society.
The great AI witch hunt: Reviewers’ perception and (Mis)conception of generative AI in research writing
(Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, 2024-10-24) Hadan, Hilda; Derrick, Wang; Mogavi, Reza Hadi; Tu, Joseph; Zhang-Kennedy, Leah; Nacke, Lennart
Generative AI (GenAI) use in research writing is growing fast. However, it is unclear how peer reviewers recognize or misjudge AI-augmented manuscripts. To investigate the impact of AI-augmented writing on peer reviews, we conducted a snippet-based online survey with 17 peer reviewers from top-tier HCI conferences. Our findings indicate that while AI-augmented writing improves readability, language diversity, and informativeness, it often lacks research details and reflective insights from authors. Reviewers consistently struggled to distinguish between human and AI-augmented writing but their judgements remained consistent. They noted the loss of a “human touch” and subjective expressions in AI-augmented writing. Based on our findings, we advocate for reviewer guidelines that promote impartial evaluations of submissions, regardless of any personal biases towards GenAI. The quality of the research itself should remain a priority in reviews, regardless of any preconceived notions about the tools used to create it. We emphasize that researchers must maintain their authorship and control over the writing process, even when using GenAI's assistance.
Microstructural Evolution and Formation Mechanism of the Halo Ring in Resistance Spot Welding of a 3G Advanced High Strength Steel
(Springer, 2024-09-09) Ramachandran, Dileep Chandran; Salandari-Rabori, Adib; Macwan, Andrew; Biro, Elliot
The microstructure of the halo ring has been studied in quenched and partitioned (Q&P) steel resistance spot welds. The TEM and EBSD characterizations revealed the presence of an upper bainitic microstructure in the halo ring of the three-sheet stack-up welds. Stalking faults accompanied by nano-twins were identified surrounding the cementite. Diffusion of carbon towards the molten weld pool during solidification led to the formation of bainite at the fusion boundary, triggered the localized softening.
Effect of Paint Baking Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Resistance Spot Welded Q&P 980 Steel
(ISIJ International, 2024-05-15) Ramachandran, Dileep Chandran; Salandari-Rabori, Adib; Midawi, Adbelbaset R.H.; Macwan, Andrew; Biro, Elliot
This study investigates the impact of paint baking on the macro and micro-mechanical properties of resistance spot welds in quenched and partitioned 980 steels. It is observed that paint baking enhances both peak load and energy absorption during cross-tension tests, as indicated by load-displacement curves. Four different regions were identified from the load-displacement curves after paint baking. An intriguing observation was a quick increase in the loading rate following a prior decrease, attributed to change in crack propagation behavior rather than improved work hardening. The study further simulated the upper-critical heat-affected zone using a Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator to evaluate flow strength and work hardening. The Kocks-Mecking strain-hardening model was employed to analyze work hardening behavior in the studied conditions.
Effect of Paint Baking on the Fusion Boundary Softening and Fracture Behavior of Q&P 980 Steel Resistance Spot Welds
(Elsevier, 2023-10-14) Ramachandran, Dileep Chandran; Betiku, Olakunle Timothy; Shojaee, Mohammad; Salandari-Rabori, Adib; Midawi, Abdelbaset R.H.; Kim, Ji-Ung; Bakhtiari, Reza; Macwan, Andrew; Biro, Elliot
During automotive assembly, vehicles undergo low-temperature heat treatment (paint baking) to harden the paint. Although paint baking occurs at a relatively low temperature, it can remarkably affect the weld's mechanical and fracture behavior. This work studies how paint baking improving the strength and fracture behavior of Q&P 980 spot welds exhibiting a halo ring; a low carbon enriched zone in the weld nugget. The mechanical behavior of the paint-baked welds reveals an increase in cross-tensile strength and absorbed energy when baked at 180 °C for 27 min. Microstructural observation showed that the martensite present in the as-welded conditions started to decompose into tempered martensite with ε-carbide in the martensitic matrix. Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulations of the upper-critical heat-affected zone (UCHAZ) were produced to understand the mechanical and fracture micro-and macro-mechanisms, before and after the paint baking process, by widening the regions of UCHAZ. The transmission electron microscopic analysis of the Gleeble simulated sample reveals the segregation of C, Mn, Al, and Cr along the prior austenitic grain boundary which will change the nature of bonding at these boundaries. Nevertheless, paint baking treatment helps to redistribute the segregated elements from the grain boundary to the grain interior and to eliminate the solidified liquation formed at the grain boundaries during welding. The transformation of martensite to decomposed martensite, elimination of solidified liquation due to the enhanced atomic mobility and growth of surrounding grains, and the redistribution of C, Mn, Al, and Cr from the grain boundary to interior regions of grains, are the main reasons for the improvement of mechanical properties and fracture behavior of the spot welds.
A Study on Improving the Mechanical Performance by Controlling the Halo Ring in the Q&P 980 Steel Resistance Spot Welds
(Elsevier, 2022-01-17) Ramachandran, Dileep Chandran; Figueredo, Bruna; Sherepenko, Oleksii; Jin, Woosung; Park, Yeong-Do; Biro, Elliot
This study focuses on improving the mechanical performance of third-generation Q&P steel resistance spot welds using a double-pulse welding cycle. Single and double-pulse welding schedules were implemented to assess the mechanical performance of the welds. Single-pulse welds exhibited poor cross-tension strength (CTS) values, failed around the fusion zone, and were accompanied by poor energy absorption capability. However, the double-pulse schedule showed improved CTS values by 33%, with an associated 110% increase in absorbed energy. The failure path observed from interrupted cross-tension tests showed that, in welds made using both pulsing schedules, failure proceeded along the fusion boundary and CGHAZ. In the single-pulse welds failed in brittle fashion, whereas the welds made with a double-pulse schedule exhibited a mixed (ductile and brittle) fracture morphology. The high-density microhardness mapping confirmed the presence of a localized softened zone (halo ring) adjacent to the fusion boundary in single-pulse welds. Strong elemental partitioning of Mn, Si, and C in the vicinity of the fusion boundary during long welding time was the primary cause for the halo formation. However, the halo ring was eliminated by performing a double-pulse weld schedule with 30 ms cooling time in between pulses; resulting in improved mechanical properties.
Planting Imagination: Community Co-Design 'How-to-Guide'
(2025-01-01) Zhang, Linda; Fox, Tyler
This How-to Guide details how a group of architects, residents, community organizers, and public health researchers embarked on a journey to explore more radical ways of designing, working, and building together. Our aim was to go beyond the usual (and at times disempowering) community consultation methods commonly used in neighbourhood design, to see if we can develop an ethical co-design approach that starts and ends with the local community. Through a combination of virtual reality (VR) centric visioning sessions and co-design workshops, we worked together to redesign Cecil’s community garden located in Toronto’s Chinatown West. This process helped us build community power to address ‘neighbourhood health’ as a collective resource in the context of COVID-19, and encouraged us to think beyond individualized health outcomes. This guide is our way of sharing what we learned. We hope to encourage others to design and build in a more authentic and generative way by collaborating with local communities, and be open to bringing together diverse skills, practices, knowledge, and people. We’re excited to see how you might take, build, and make use of our insights in your own work and community. Let’s get started!
Rolling in Fun, Paying the Price: A Thematic Analysis on Purchase and Play in Tabletop Games
(Association for Computing Machinery New York, NY, United States, 2024-12-12) Joseph Tu; Derrick Wang; Lydia Choong; Aj Abistado; Stuart Hallifax; Katja Rogers; Lennart Nacke
The tabletop games industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. A deeper exploration of the factors motivating players to invest time and money in these games would help game companies better cater to their target audience and increase profits. We conducted a reflexive thematic analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews with tabletop game players. Our analysis revealed five themes concerning purchasing decision influences: (1) childhood past experiences and cultural norms, (2) representation and inclusivity, (3) social connections and shared fun, (4) overcoming gameplay hindrances with digital assistance, and (5) economic constraints. These findings suggest that game companies should focus on presenting easily understandable information, minimizing idle time, and exploring opportunities for inclusivity in digital interactions to effectively engage players and drive sales. Based on our valuable insights into player motivations, we offer actionable recommendations for the tabletop games industry.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Tempering Kinetics on 3rd Generation Advanced High Strength Steels
(Elsevier, 2022-12-02) Dileep Chandran Ramachandran; Elliot Biro
Emerging third-generation advanced high strength steels (3G AHSS) grades are being increasingly considered for autobody applications owing to their complex microstructures providing an excellent combination of strength and ductility. When welded with RSW, 3G AHSS such as 3G 1180 and 3G 980, exhibits a solid-state transformation in the sub-critical-heat-affected-zone (SCHAZ) due to the heat generated during the RSW process. The resulting changes in microstructure can affect the mechanical properties of the material within and around the spot welds and thereby influence the performance of welded components in case of a vehicle crash event. To study metallurgical transformations in the SCHAZ during the RSW process, 3G 1180 and 3G 980, and a reference martensitic press hardened steel, PHS 1500, were selected. These materials were subjected to isothermal tempering experiments at temperatures ranging between 350 °C and 650 °C and different tempering times from 0.2 s to 24 h. It was shown that the Hollomon-Jaffe model accurately describes the tempering kinetics of 3G 1180 and PHS 1500 but does not predict the transformation processes in the SCHAZ of 3G 980. The PHS 1500 and 3G 1180 showed softening (tempering) for all combinations of investigated tempering times and temperatures due to the decomposition of martensite. In contrast, the 3G 980 showed a combination of softening by the formation of martensite and secondary ferrite combined with secondary hardening due to the formation of fine M2C typed plate-like carbides. Furthermore, during long tempering, the M2C particles dissolve into the matrix and were replaced by cementite particles in 3G 980.
Effect of Material Chemical Composition on the Formation of Halo Ring in Gen 3 Q&P 980 Steel
(Springer, 2024-12-17) Dileep Chandran Ramachandran; Elliot Biro
This study investigates how fusion zone (FZ) chemical composition influences the formation of the halo ring, a transient softening region that can form along the fusion boundary (FB) of resistance spot welds in Q&P980. For this purpose, spot welds were made in both similar Q&P steel joints as well as joints sandwiching low carbon (LC) or high carbon (HC) steels with Q&P steels, which tailored the chemical composition of the FZ. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) characterization was performed on a spot-welded sample to understand the effect of material chemical composition on the halo formation. Alloying elements such as C, Mn, and Si were significantly less in the FZ composition of the welds made with LC steel, as compared to 3-sheet Q&P weld, which resulted in associated 33% reduction in hardness of the LC steel FZ. On the contrary, the C and Mn were higher in the FZ of the weld made with HC steel compared to that of the 3-sheet Q&P weld. However, like the welds made with the LC steel the FZ of the welds with the HC steel had a lower Si content than the FZ of the 3-sheet Q&P steel. The increase in C and Mn contents in the welds made with the HC steel resulted in an 14% increase in FZ hardness compared to the FZ of the 3-sheet Q&P steel. The halo formation is more prominent in welds made with LC steel. It was wider in welds where the FZ had a lower alloy content than the Q&P steel as compared to the higher alloyed FZ of the weld made with the HC steel. In LC steel weld a high Mn and Si segregated region inside the FZ was also observed. It was shown that the transient softened zone can be affected by the difference in chemical composition between the FZ and heat-affected zone (HAZ). Therefore, any changes in mechanical properties associated with the halo are more likely to be more prominent in dissimilar welds where high and low alloy steels are combined.
Securing Public Interest Cybersecurity Researchers in Canadian Universities
(University of Ottawa Press, 2024) Molnar, Adam
Rooted in democratic ideals, public interest cybersecurity research is essential for understanding the complex relationship between cybersecurity, human rights, and social justice. Universities, with their long tradition of independent inquiry, provide a crucial space for challenging the dominant influence of private industry in shaping our understanding of cybersecurity. Researchers in these institutions are uniquely positioned to generate knowledge that goes beyond profit-driven narratives and encompass a wider range of concerns, including those of civil society organizations, activists, journalists, and marginalized communities. However, researchers employing established computer security methods in public interest cybersecurity work at Canadian universities face their own crisis of the “security of self” due to substantial legal uncertainties surrounding the lawful permissibility of their research. These uncertainties not only threaten the personal and professional security of researchers, but also hinders the ability to contribute to a broader critical understanding of cybersecurity risks, ultimately limiting our collective “security of self” in the digital age. Building upon Deibert’s (2018) call for a human-centric approach to cybersecurity that prioritizes digital security alongside public interest values, this chapter argues that the legal ambiguities surrounding cybersecurity research in Canadian universities threaten researchers’ ability to conduct meaningful research in the public interest. It examines common methodological practices in this field and their interaction with legal considerations, exploring implications under criminal and copyright law, as well as civil issues like breach of contract and negligence. By scrutinizing potential interpretations of computer security methods under relevant law, the chapter highlights the need to protect researchers and foster an environment conducive to critical knowledge production in human-centred cybersecurity. Ultimately, it poses a series of recommendations for governments to strengthen legal safeguards for public interest cybersecurity research in Canadian universities.
Culture Clash: When Deceptive Design Meets Diverse Player Expectations
(Association for Computing Machinery, 2024-10-14) Hadan, Hilda; Sgandurra, Sabrina; Zhang-Kennedy, Leah; Nacke, Lennart
Deceptive game designs that manipulate players are increasingly common in the gaming industry, but the impact on players is not well studied. While studies have revealed player frustration, there is a gap in understanding how cultural attributes affect the impact of deceptive design in games. This paper proposes a new research direction on the connection between the representation of culture in games and player response to deceptive designs. We believe that understanding the interplay between cultural attributes and deceptive design can inform the creation of games that are ethical and entertaining for players around the globe.
Computer-based Deceptive Game Design in Commercial Virtual Reality Games: A Preliminary Investigation
(Association for Computing Machinery, 2024-10-14) Hadan, Hilda; Zhang-Kennedy, Leah; Nacke, Lennart
As Virtual Reality (VR) games become more popular, it is crucial to understand how deceptive game design patterns manifest and impact player experiences in this emerging medium. Our study sheds light on the presence and effects of manipulative design techniques in commercial VR games compared to a traditional computer game. We conducted an autoethnography study and developed a VR Deceptive Game Design Assessment Guide based on a critical literature review. Using our guide, we compared how deceptive patterns in a popular computer game are different from two commercial VR titles. While VR’s technological constraints, such as battery life and limited temporal manipulation, VR’s unique sensory immersion amplified the impact of emotional and sensory deception. Current VR games showed similar but evolved forms of deceptive design compared to the computer game. We forecast more sophisticated player manipulation as VR technology advances. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how deceptive game design persists and escalates in VR. We highlight the urgent need to develop ethical design guidelines for the rapidly advancing VR games industry.

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