Tallinn University of Technology

Extracurricular activities are increasingly being recognized for developing practical skills among entrepreneurial learners and connecting entrepreneurship curricula with real life. They offer socially situated learning experiences that can be cognitively stimulating and elicit reflective practices. However, the theoretical and pedagogical underpinnings of extracurricular activities in entrepreneurship are still in early stages, with their contribution towards entrepreneurship education requiring more empirical support. Moreover, current entrepreneurship pedagogies lack a much-needed integration of ecosystem actors’ inputs, who posses specific expertise with regards to extracurricular entrepreneurial activities. To address these issues, this study gathered the views of entrepreneurship mentors, consultants, and investors on the extracurricular activities that can be deployed to improve the skills of entrepreneurial learners, through conducting 22 in-depth interviews with experts from 13 countries across the world. We analyzed the results through a hybrid, inductive and deductive, approach. The experts recommended 34 extracurricular activities, that were discursively mapped against relevant learning theories: cognitive, experiential, social, situated, and existential. The study adds to the limited theoretical discussion on the origins of extracurricular activities and paves the way for theoretical evaluations in entrepreneurship education. It can aid educators in effectively integrating extracurricular activities in their curricula to better develop students’ entrepreneurial competences.

The ageing global population puts heavy pressure on healthcare systems everywhere. Addressing ageing-related chronic conditions requires employment of novel innovative solutions. Telehealth technologies, including telepresence robots (TPRs), are being rapidly developed to provide healthcare services efficiently wherever needed. This article explores the role of TPRs in addressing the challenges of providing healthcare to an ageing population, emphasizing their potential advantages and drawbacks. Employing an exploratory research approach with qualitative data collection techniques, we tested three TPR usage scenarios in simulated healthcare settings: anamnesis, measurements, and falls and frailty. The study employed a non-random purposive sample comprising 25 participants, and was conducted at a medical facility in June 2023. The findings suggest that TPRs offer promising solutions for healthcare professionals and patients, especially in scenarios when physical presence is impossible or physical isolation is required to prevent contagion. However, the technology is not yet ready to substitute fully human medical workers, potentially causing patient reluctance and emphasizing the need for patient-centered approaches to technology adoption. In addition, more studies are needed to address ethical, privacy, and scalability concerns.

This paper presents a new common grounded converter based on a switched capacitor (SC). The converter can be used as a suitable interface for single-phase AC or two-wire DC grids. The direct connection between the negative terminal of the input voltage source and the null terminal of the output source enables the elimination of the leakage current in renewable energy systems, especially in photovoltaic power generation. The proposed topology offers voltage-boosting capability, so there is no need for an additional boost converter and it is possible to inject power into the grid at DC input voltages lower than the peak value of the output voltage, which helps improve the efficiency of the converter. In addition, the proposed topology has the ability to handle reverse current, hence, it feeds non-unity power factor loads. The operating modes and design of passive components are described in detail. The performance and advantages of the proposed converter are compared with other converters. Finally, through the experiment on a (3.78 kW/7 kW) converter, the performance of the proposed converter is validated.

The globalization of the semiconductor industry has introduced security challenges to Integrated Circuits (ICs), particularly those related to the threat of Hardware Trojans (HTs) – malicious logic that can be introduced during IC fabrication. While significant efforts are directed towards verifying the correctness and reliability of ICs, their security is often overlooked. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive framework that integrates a suite of methodologies for both front-end and back-end stages of design, aimed at enhancing the security of ICs. Initially, we outline a systematic methodology to transform existing verification assets into potent security checkers by repurposing verification assertions. To further improve security, we introduce an innovative methodology for integrating online monitors during physical synthesis – a back-end insertion providing an additional layer of defense. Experimental results demonstrate a significant increase in security, measured by our introduced metric, Security Coverage (SC), with a marginal rise in area and power consumption, typically under 20%. The insertion of online monitors during physical synthesis enhances security metrics by up to 33.5%. This holistic framework offers a comprehensive defense mechanism across the entire spectrum of IC design.

This article deals with the reuse of wastepaper. Three components were used to make traditional paper plaster: wastepaper, glue, and water. Whether the glues used to make paper plaster and the quantities of those glues have an impact on the moisture buffering value (MBV) of paper plaster was studied. The scope of the Nordtest method is to evaluate the MBV for materials exposed to indoor air. The test intended to simulate daily variations with relative humidity between 75 % during 8 hours and 33 % during 16 hours. The test specimen was made according to the recipe which contained the following: waste-paper (newspaper paper), three different types of glue (potato starch ( Amylum Solani ) C 6 H 10 O 5 , wallpaper glue Metylan Universal Premium (produced by Henkel), and methylcellulose C 6 H 7 O 2 (OH) x (OCH 3 ) y , and water. Different percentages of glue were used in the specimens. Potato starch ( Amylum Solani ) C 6 H 10 O 5 clearly increased the moisture buffering ability. The tests performed showed that the composition and quantity of glue affected the MBV of paper plaster. The MBV of all the specimens remained in the range of 2.08–2.48 [g/(m ² ·%RH)@8/16h]. The largest MBV was 2.48[g/(m ² ·%RH)@8/16h], and it was registered in the case of a mixture that had a glue made from 100 g of potato starch ( Amylum Solani ) C 6 H 10 O 5 per litre of water and the smallest MBV was 2.08[g/(m ² ·%RH)@8/16h], and it contained glue mixture made of 20 g methylcellulose per litre of water. As a result of the current study, an environmentally friendly plaster with high moisture buffer value using wastepaper as a component of this material was developed.

We explore the complexity of various drivers and local constraints from the viewpoint of developing a feasible re-design of a small harbour that is affected by ultra-refraction of storm waves. Waves propagating towards the Port of Ruhnu on a small island in the central part of the Gulf of Riga are systematically redirected by underwater features so that saturated waves in virtually all storms propagate almost exactly into the harbour entrance. A new design of the port entrance and associated set of breakwaters is largely steered by the location of the port and options for the fairway into the port. The re-design of the breakwaters and possible relocation of the entrance considers the specific features of the local wind, wave, and water level climate, including period-depending refraction of storm waves. We present systematic analysis of these aspects using recorded and modelled wind and water level time series. Wave properties are reconstructed using the WAVE module (SWAN) of the Delft3D suite forced with ERA5 and local wind information. Phase-resolving modelling of waves (REEF3D software) reveals the presence of a bi-modal wave field in the interior of the port and provides alternatives for the design of effective protection options that suppress single wave components. On many occasions, greatly simplified models and local one-point wind properties provide even better match with recorded wave properties than sophisticated models and global data sets.

The UN 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals which it proposes and seeks to attain have vast ramifications and potential in their implementation but a continuing problem is the progress and measurement of them. Government Technology (GovTech) companies in many ways can help governments make steps towards some of the SDGs but the ways through which the national governments manage and measure the SDGs are not the same way that the GovTech companies do the same thing. This study seeks to analyse the ways that GovTech startups and small and medium enterprises communicate their contributions to the SDGs and compare it to the ways the governments measure the same thing. The methodology employed is qualitative methods with the use of secondary data and document analysis. The authors provided an overview of a number of communication channels and tactics of GovTech companies and how they compare with national reports as well as recommendations for companies seeking to improve profitability and have an impact upon their society through sustainability.

The modern labor market faces complex challenges stemming from various factors, such as demographic shifts, the far-reaching impacts of digital and technological evolution, changing job profiles, and job losses due to automation and the green-economy transition. As labor market challenges escalate, it becomes increasingly vital for public employment services (PES) to gain a deeper understanding of their clients and the specific labor markets in which they operate. Although, in their current form, these services often help only unemployed people, implementing AI technologies has the potential to significantly broaden PES support for the wider public. Unfortunately, the EU’s PES sector has been slow to implement AI technologies to support clients with services such as skills extraction from CVs and job offers, jobseeker matching, and recommending relevant jobs or training. This study examines the perspectives of a PES’ external user groups and internal stakeholders to establish a baseline for implementing such technologies into existing self-services. The findings emphasize that while AI has transformative potential, deploying it effectively necessitates a holistic understanding of the existing PES ecosystem and a strategic approach to requirement gathering.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensing serine/threonine kinase involved in metabolic regulation. It is phosphorylated by the upstream liver kinase B1 (LKB1) or calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase 2 (CaMKKβ). In cultured cells, AMPK activation correlates with LKB1 activity. The phosphorylation activates AMPK, shifting metabolism towards catabolism and promoting mitogenesis. In muscles, inactivity reduces AMPK activation, shifting the phenotype of oxidative muscles towards a more glycolytic profile. Here, we compared the basal level of AMPK activation in glycolytic and oxidative muscles, and whether this relates to LKB1 or CaMKKβ. Using Western blotting, we assessed AMPK expression and phosphorylation in soleus, gastrocnemius, extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and heart from C57BL6J mice. We also assessed LKB1 and CaMKKβ expression, and CaMKKβ activity in tissue homogenates. AMPK activation was higher in oxidative (soleus and heart) than glycolytic muscles (gastrocnemius and EDL). This correlated with AMPK α1-isoform expression, but not LKB1 and CaMKKβ. LKB1 expression was sex dependent and lower in male than female muscles. CaMKKβ expression was very low in skeletal muscles and did not phosphorylate AMPK in muscle lysates. The higher AMPK activation in oxidative muscles is in line with the fact that activated AMPK maintains an oxidative phenotype. However, this could not be explained by LKB1 and CaMKKβ. These results suggest that the regulation of AMPK activation is more complex in muscle than in cultured cells. As AMPK has been proposed as a therapeutic target for several diseases, future research should consider AMPK isoform expression and localization, and energetic compartmentalization.

This article presents the development of an artificial intelligence maturity model (AIMM), specifically tailored for public sector organizations to assess their readiness for AI adoption. Using design science methodology, the research synthesizes insights from academic literature and expert consultations to propose a comprehensive AIMM. Through iterative development and expert feedback, the study refines a model that categorizes AI maturity across eight dimensions. The model’s validity is assessed through expert evaluations and questionnaires, confirming its relevance and utility in guiding public organizations toward effective AI adoption. This research contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of AI implementation in the public sector, addressing unique challenges such as procurement models, legal compliance, and organizational capabilities.

Unicorns are a special breed of an entrepreneurial phenomenon that is gaining increased attention from theoretical and practical perspectives. This emerging niche, however, lacks structurization and sufficient investigation of the development of a unicorn firm. The article aims to investigate the factors influencing the emergence and growth of unicorns, using embeddedness as a theoretical framework. It follows a systematic review of empirical articles investigating the unicorn phenomenon based on a search in Scopus and Web of Science databases. A total of 17 articles were qualified and reviewed in depth for descriptive information and the factors impacting unicorns. The findings confirm that the unicorn phenomenon is a new entrant in entrepreneurship research, with the first study published in 2017. Most of the empirical work relied on secondary data to analyze this phenomenon, with a split of geographical focus between the leading countries (US and China) and the developing ones. The identified influencing factors were analyzed and organized into three levels: context, firm, and individual. They highlight the necessary elements in an entrepreneurship ecosystem, a company’s business and operating models, and the characteristics of founders and unicorns’ leaders for supporting the development of a potential unicorn. This study extends the concept of embeddedness to this special breed of companies and provides insights for ambitious entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies to a unicorn status and to policymakers on providing an enabling environment to attract startups and promote entrepreneurship.

There are several laws, policies, and recommendations providing protection to children from environmental harm. Lack of clean food can be one of such harms. Clean food is not just about food availability or accessibility but also about food safety. This means that food must be free of adverse substances—in other words, it must be healthy food. For decades, there have been discussions and attempts to find solutions on how to reduce the marketing of unhealthy food to children to prevent overweight, obesity, and diseases. It has also been proved that unhealthy food too often reaches children through digital marketing. This article discusses whether the existing legal grounds and policies provide sufficient protection to children from unhealthy food advertised on digital media. It also explores how technology impacts children’s right to clean food and what could be the solutions for managing this issue.

The classical pathway of mass production followed a linear model with trashed products and wasted remaining materials at the final stage of their life cycle. Smart approaches of manufacturing and product life cycle management aim for Circular Economy (CE) models to implement sustainable business models to overcome imbalances between resource supply and demand of goods. Non-Fungible Token (NFT) solutions together with smart contracts seem to have the potential to realise such new sustainable business models in the context of CE. The study demonstrates how NFT technology can become an integral part of smart product life cycle management for batteries of e-cars. The research highlights how circular business models can be developed and implemented in the e-car sector around the life cycle management of batteries as well as how NFT technology can contribute to sustainable conceptualisation for battery recycling.

This study explores the landscape of serious games for sustainable environmental education, focusing on game types, theoretical foundations, and pedagogical approaches to provide valuable insights for educators, researchers, and policymakers. Using an umbrella literature review methodology, it examines empirical studies published between 2006 and 2023 on serious games in this field. The findings reveal a growing interest in serious games for sustainability, highlighting advancements in gaming technologies. It also identifies various game types, theoretical perspectives, and pedagogical strategies used to promote sustainability education. The study offers a comprehensive overview of the role of serious games in fostering sustainable behaviors, synthesizing key empirical studies, frameworks, and practical applications. Its insights can help educators design and implement serious games that effectively integrate diverse pedagogical and theoretical approaches, enhancing learning outcomes and raising sustainability awareness. ARTICLE HISTORY