{"679512":{"#nid":"679512","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Smart Thermostats, Code-Switching, Video Help for Patients: Recent Research from the Ivan Allen College","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHere are a few quick summaries of recently produced research from faculty and students in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESmart Thermostats Cut Energy Use During Peak Hours\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA study co-authored by the School of Economics\u2019 \u003Cstrong\u003ECasey Wichman\u003C\/strong\u003E found that smart thermostats with automation can help households significantly cut energy use during peak electricity pricing hours, without making residents feel too uncomfortable. Published in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/articles?id=10.1257\/app.20210618\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAmerican Economic Journal: Applied Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the research evaluated the Eco+ feature on Ecobee thermostats, which adjusts cooling based on electricity prices. The randomized study of Ontario households found the feature reduced air conditioning use by 88% during peak times. The savings were modest, less than a quarter per day in U.S. currency. But the researchers say the widespread adoption of such technology could significantly reduce peak electricity demand and reduce the need for more power plants. They say the findings underscore automation\u2019s potential to improve energy efficiency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVideo Tool Could Help Exercisers, Patients\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers \u2014 including one from the School of Literature, Media, and Communication \u2014 have developed a free, easy-to-use toolkit to analyze human movements in real time using video. The tool, called StreamPoseML, can be used to solve movement analysis problems and provide instant feedback on whether movements are executed successfully. As the researchers, report in their \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.21105\/joss.06392\u0022\u003Epaper \u003C\/a\u003Erecently published in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Open Source Software\u003C\/em\u003E, it works by identifying key points on the body, such as joints, and labeling them to understand different actions. It was created by LMC Research Scientist \u003Cstrong\u003EMilka Trajkova; Nathaniel Green,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea former Georgia Tech student and independent researcher; and \u003Cstrong\u003EMinoru Shinohara\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate\u0026nbsp;professor at Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Sciences and Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. The researchers say their tool could be helpful in numerous contexts, including ballet and other artistic sports, physical therapy, and fitness programs \u2014 especially for people who want to do exercises at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudy Explores How Gen Z Japanese Americans Blend Languages in Texts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study from the School of Modern Languages researcher \u003Cstrong\u003EHongchen Wu\u003C\/strong\u003E and recent graduate \u003Cstrong\u003EEma Goh\u003C\/strong\u003E reveals how Gen Z Japanese Americans seamlessly switch between English and Japanese in text messages, showcasing a unique \u0022bilingual texting style.\u0022 In a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.degruyter.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/lingvan-2024-0031\/html\u0022\u003Epaper \u003C\/a\u003Erecently published in \u003Cem\u003ELinguistics Vanguard\u003C\/em\u003E, the researchers reported that participants mixed languages within and between sentences, used Romanized Japanese, and creatively combined writing scripts. The findings suggest that code-switching in digital communication reflects cultural identity and linguistic proficiency, rather than language gaps. The study highlights how digital spaces allow bilinguals to express both linguistic fluency and cultural heritage. This adds new insights to how technology shapes modern multilingual communication.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudy Finds Students Struggle with Project Time Management in Technical Communications Classes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA study co-authored by \u003Cstrong\u003ERebecca E. Burnett\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor emerita in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication; \u003Cstrong\u003EAndy Frazee\u003C\/strong\u003E, director of the Writing and Communication Program; and \u003Cstrong\u003EOlga Menagarishvili\u003C\/strong\u003E, former Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow and now associate professor at Metro State University, found that computer science students in technical communication courses consistently misjudged the time and work needed for assignments. In their \u003Ca href=\u0022doi: 10.1109\/TPC.2024.3477012\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E published recently in \u003Cem\u003EIEEE Transactions on Professional Communication\u003C\/em\u003E, the authors reported that most students overestimated the amount of time needed to complete assignments while underestimating the number of revisions required, exposing gaps in their project management skills. The study also revealed little difference in estimation accuracy between in-person and hybrid learning formats. The researchers say the findings suggest a need for educators to teach time management and planning strategies, which are critical skills for workplace success.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EQuick summaries of recently produced research from faculty and students in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Quick summaries of recently produced research from faculty and students in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts."}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2025-01-13 19:08:52","changed_gmt":"2025-01-13 19:13:44","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676001":{"id":"676001","type":"image","title":"ecobee.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study led by a School of Economics researcher found that smart thermostats can help significantly reduce energy use without compromising comfort. (Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736795507","gmt_created":"2025-01-13 19:11:47","changed":"1736795507","gmt_changed":"2025-01-13 19:11:47","alt":"An Ecobee thermometer installed on a wall.","file":{"fid":"259699","name":"ecobee.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/ecobee.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/ecobee.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2684090,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/13\/ecobee.jpg?itok=QkRw67nL"}}},"media_ids":["676001"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}