Pakistan Journal of Scientific Research

A FRAMEWORK FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN OBE BASED CLASSROOMS ENVIRONMENT USING YOLO MODEL

A. S. khan — 2025-03-15

The most important aspect of effective learning in an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) classroom environment is student involvement and attentiveness during the lecture. This study examines various student behaviors and evaluates attention of students during lectures using deep learning techniques, YOLO v8. The classroom representative visuals were perceived from online available dataset containing student’s images that has been recorded during the lecture. These photos are subjected to YOLO, which classifies different student activities into those that contribute positively or negatively to attention in class room. Positive markers of attention include actions like raising hands, concentrating on the front, reading, writing, and interacting with the teacher. On the other hand, distractions like eating, drinking, using a phone, or seeming drowsy have a detrimental impact. The results assist teachers to enhance their teaching methodologies and offer insights into patterns of classroom involvement.

HAIR-BASED CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT: A NOVEL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION

R. Soomro — 2025-03-15

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective construction materials has led to innovative approaches in concrete reinforcement. This study investigates the impact of human hair fibre as a reinforcement material in concrete pavements, focusing on variations in mechanical properties such as compressive strength, flexural strength, skid resistance, and workability. Human hair, an abundant and biodegradable waste material, possesses high tensile strength comparable to that of copper wire of similar diameter. Its integration into concrete provides potential benefits in enhancing structural integrity while addressing environmental concerns associated with waste disposal. The research involved experimental testing of concrete specimens with different percentages of human hair fibre reinforcement, ranging from 0% to 3% by weight of cement. The findings indicate that the addition of hair fibres up to a certain threshold improves the flexural and compressive strength of concrete while enhancing skid resistance. However, excessive fibre content reduces workability and introduces challenges in uniform mixing. This study underscores the viability of human hair as an eco-friendly and cost-efficient reinforcement alternative in concrete pavement construction, contributing to sustainable engineering practices.

NANO SILICA-MODIFIED ASPHALT: ENHANCING RESISTANCE TO RUTTING, CRACKING, AND MOISTURE DAMAGE

R. Soomro — 2025-03-15

Road infrastructure durability with extended lifespan through asphalt pavement determines its potential for sustainable development. The asphalt material experiences different types of damage throughout its existence. However, fatigue cracking is combined with rutting and moisture damage, which create major pavement failures that demand ongoing maintenance efforts. The exploration of Nano Silica (NS) nanomaterial modification of asphalt represents an emerging technique to bolster the mechanical and rheological capabilities. Nano Silica shows promise as an improving agent for asphalt binders because of its tiny particles and expansive surface area, which enhances stiffness and aging resistance while boosting rutting resistance. This study investigates the effect of Nano Silica on the physical properties of asphalt mixtures. Laboratory tests such as penetration and softening point while also evaluating ductility and Marshall Stability were conducted on traditional mixtures and mixtures that included NS modification. The evaluation of Asphalt performance enhancement required the addition of Nano Silica from 1% to 5% to identify the most effective amount. Lab results confirm that Nano Silica addition results in asphalt mixtures with higher stiffness levels, better thermal stability, and stronger permanent deformation resistance. Adding NS enhances the adhesive qualities between aggregate particles and asphalt binders, thus minimizing their susceptibility to moisture damage. Research determined the best NS addition level by weighing the mixture's performance outcomes against its ability to be easily worked. Research results confirm that Nano Silica is a successful modifier for improving asphalt pavement mechanical strength and service life capabilities. This research proves that nanotechnology investigations in pavement engineering can be valuable by examining asphalt mixture development for long-term usage in busy road networks.

SULATA ISOFT: NAVIGATING STARTUP REALITIES IN PAKISTAN’S SOFTWARE INDUSTRY

M. Khan — 2025-06-30

Sulata Isoft is a software house founded in 2000 in Lahore, Pakistan by a passionate young man named Tahir Barry trying to make a name for himself in the software industry. The idea to start a software house was planted in a young Tahir much before he actually went through with it. As someone with no formal education in the IT sector, Tahir, a self-taught young man, finally had enough preparation and knowledge of the industry to have the confidence to start his own software house. With no formal IT background, Tahir’s motivation to start a software house purely came from his passion for software and his years of interest in the IT field, which also encouraged him to be completely self-taught in the first place while also being competitive with any of his peers in the industry as a developer.

Initially, Tahir was running his software house primarily alone with some help of a regular office boy for chores such as advertising and running errands. For the first almost 2 months, he was the one doing all the coding and technical work, only after he acquired his first two young developers to help him with the code and to keep the business afloat. With the small team of 3 developers and one office boy, his company ran for a handful of years acquiring customers by advertising in the most old-fashioned ways such as newspaper advertising or even cold-calling people offering their services.

The key challenges this case study explored is how Sulata Isoft navigated in their early years, their primarily logistical hurdles and social hurdles including competing against the demand for the usage of expensive technology vs. their own open-sourced technology, navigating through the negative reputation Pakistan had as a whole in that era of early 2000s. Despite these obstacles, the software house succeeded in establishing a trustworthy name and lasting for long 25 years in the global tech industry.

The purpose of this case study is to explore the dynamics of starting a software company in a developing country as an individual with no formal IT background, highlighting both the opportunities and difficulties that tech entrepreneurs face. It is particularly relevant for aspiring founders in the emerging markets, as it provides insight into grassroot-level growth, bootstrapped innovation and the importance of self-learning and motivating. By examining Sulata Isoft and its founder Tahir’s strategies and setbacks, this case study aims to inspire, educate and prepare future entrepreneurship, especially the ones who have aspirations to break into the IT industry but lack the formal education that is expected.