Feature Innovation Papers (Closed)

Skin plays an important role as a defense mechanism against environmental pathogens in organisms such as humans or animals. Once the skin integrity is disturbed by a wound, pathogens can penetrate easily into a deeper part of the body to induce disease. By this means, it is important for the skin to regenerate quickly upon injury to regain its protective barrier function. Traditionally, scientists use rodents or mammals as experimental animals to study skin wound healing. However, due to concerns about animal welfare and increasing costs of laboratory animals, such as rodents, scientists have considered alternative methods of implementing replace, reduce, and refine (3Rs) in experimentation. Moreover, several previous studies on skin wound healing in fish used relatively expensive medical-grade lasers with a low calculation efficiency of the wound area, which led to human judgment errors. Thus, this study aimed to develop a new alternative model for skin wound healing by utilizing zebrafish together with a new rapid and efficient method as an alternative in investigating skin wound healing. First, in order to fulfill the 3Rs concept, the pain in the tested zebrafish was evaluated by using a 3D locomotion assay. Afterward, the obtained behavior data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons tests; later, 3 watts was chosen as the power for the laser, since the wound caused by the laser at this power did not significantly alter zebrafish swimming behaviors. Furthermore, we also optimized the experimental conditions of zebrafish skin wound healing using a laser engraving machine, which can create skin wounds with a high reproducibility in size and depth. The wound closure of the tested zebrafish was then analyzed by using a two-way ANOVA, and presented in 25%, 50%, and 75% of wound-closure percentages. After imparting wounds to the skin of the zebrafish, wound images were collected and used for deep-learning training by convolutional neural networks (CNNs), either the Mask-RCNN or U-Net, so that the computer could calculate the area of the skin wounds in an automatic manner. Using ImageJ manual counting as a gold standard, we found that the U-Net performance was better than the Mask RCNN for zebrafish skin wound judgment. For proof-of-concept validation, a U-Net trained model was applied to study and determine the effect of different temperatures and the administration of antioxidants on the skin wound-healing kinetics. Results showed a significant positive correlation between the speed of wound closure and the exposure to different temperatures and administration of antioxidants. Taken together, the laser-based skin ablation and deep learning-based wound-size measurement methods reported in this study provide a faster, reliable, and reduced suffering protocol to conduct skin wound healing in zebrafish for the first time. Full article

Open-source 3-D printing has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the additive manufacturing (AM) landscape by making distributed manufacturing economic, democratizing access, and fostering far more rapid innovation than antiquated proprietary systems. Unfortunately, some 3-D printing manufacturing companies began deviating from open-source principles and violating licenses for the detriment of the community. To determine if a pattern has emerged of companies patenting clearly open-source innovations, this study presents three case studies from the three primary regions of open-source 3-D printing development (EU, U.S., and China) as well as three aspects of 3-D printing technology (AM materials, an open-source 3-D printer, and core open-source 3-D printing concepts used in most 3-D printers). The results of this review have shown that non-inventing entities, called patent parasites, are patenting open-source inventions already well-established in the open-source community and, in the most egregious cases, commercialized by one (or several) firm(s) at the time of the patent filing. Patent parasites are able to patent open-source innovations by using a different language, vague patent titles, and broad claims that encompass enormous swaths of widely diffused open-source innovation space. This practice poses a severe threat to innovation, and several approaches to irradicate the threat are discussed. Full article

The idea of an extension of life for CubeSats is proposed to reduce space debris in a low-earth orbit. In this work, a gripper is designed for geometry-based grasping in berthing tasks. The grasping operation is outlined for square- and rectangle-shaped CubeSats. Equilibrium conditions are formulated to design the fingertips’ shape and parameters for grasping CubeSat bodies. A design scheme is proposed to provide the required accuracy. A design concept is developed into a lab prototype by using low-cost 3D printing manufacturing, and a mock-up grasping task that is representative of the berthing operation is evaluated with the lab prototype. Center-mass hanging setup for the prototype and grasped body is used to evaluate the impact of grasping, partially replicating the conditions in space by reducing the effect of gravity on the system. Full article

Since 2021, the prefectural authorities of the Attica Region in Greece have been operating a rewarding recycling program for the collection of clean recyclable waste in collaboration with the “Specialist Integrated Association of the Prefecture of Attica” (EDSNA, in Greek) and private contractors, called “THE GREEN CITY”. This program mobilizes almost 30 mobile green points (MGPs) daily, which are self-propelled trucks that collect clean recyclable materials from citizens and businesses across the Attica Region. After one year of operation, this program has shown promising results, having more than 100,000 registered citizens and having already collected over 500 tons of clean recyclable municipal solid wastes in more than 60 municipalities of Attica. However, these promising results are accompanied by some significant financial and environmental costs. This study presents two different practical improvement scenarios for THE GREEN CITY recycling program’s current situation that ensure (a) the shortening of the annual kilometers and time on the remote routes of all programs, (b) the annual fuel-cost decrease for the MGPs and (c) the annual reduction of their CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. Afterwards, we compare these two scenarios and conclude that the “first improvement scenario with main depot decentralization” is more realistic, feasible and has a bigger total sum of positive impacts than the second one. Therefore, this study strongly suggests the implementation of the “first improvement scenario with main depot decentralization” and opens the road to future improvement scenarios for various waste-management systems or recycling programs. Full article

To improve accessibility, this article describes a static, four-legged walker that can be constructed from materials and fasteners commonly available from hardware stores coupled by open-source 3D-printed joints. The designs are described in detail, shared under an open-source license, and fabricated with a low-cost open-source desktop 3D printer and hand tools. The resulting device is loaded to failure to determine the maximum load that the design can safely support in both vertical and horizontal failure modes. The experimental results showed that the average vertical failure load capacity was 3680 ± 694.3 N, equivalent to 375.3 ± 70.8 kg of applied weight with the fractured location at the wood dowel handlebars. The average horizontal load capacity was 315.6 ± 49.4 N, equivalent to 32.2 ± 5.1 kg. The maximum weight capacity of a user of 187.1 ± 29.3 kg was obtained, which indicates that the open-source walker design can withstand the weight requirements of all genders with a 95% confidence interval that includes a safety factor of 1.8 when considering the lowest deviation weight capacity. The design has a cost at the bottom of the range of commercial walkers and reduces the mass compared to a commercial walker by 0.5 kg (19% reduction). It can be concluded that this open-source walker design can aid accessibility in low-resource settings. Full article

In the contemporary automobile scene, environmental effect abatement is being increasingly sought; this demands a full rethinking of the entire system and entails more than just the reduction in exhaust pollutant emissions. Currently, the most popular approach is the electrification of automobiles, which significantly reduces pollution in major urban areas while simultaneously posing a new set of problems. The two types of zero-emission vehicles that are now being developed the most are hydrogen fuel cells and battery electric cars, but another option is the Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (HYICE) engine, which is highly advantageous in terms of pollutants, aside from Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), which can be considerably decreased. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel vehicle design that transports this type of technology into a sporting context while striving for considerable environmental benefits and integrating them into a society where the love of automobiles still has a strong following. The cutting-edge Industrial Design Structure (IDeS) methodology is used in this work, and a sample structure was created to demonstrate how the problems and technical limitations represented can be solved. The steps of the methodology are followed to shape the final product, with careful consideration given to the design of the styling component through the use of the Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE) method. With the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable driving pleasure, the study looks into whether recyclable materials can be used for the body and whether extremely light materials can be used for the chassis. Full article

While impressive progress has been already achieved in wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors such as 4H-SiC and GaN technologies, the lack of intelligent methodologies to control the gate drivers has prevented exploitation of the maximum potential of semiconductor chips from obtaining the desired device operations. Thus, a potent ongoing trend is to design a fast gate driver switching scheme to upgrade the performance of electronic equipment at the system level. To address this issue, this work proposed a novel intelligent scheme for the control of gate driver switching using the concept of quantum computation in machine learning. In particular, the quantum principle was incorporated into deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to address the hardware limitations of conventional computers and the growing amount of data sets. Taking potential benefit of the quantum theory, the DRL algorithm influenced by quantum specifications (referred to as QDRL) not only ameliorates the performance of the native algorithm on traditional computers but also enhances the progress of relevant research fields like quantum computing and machine learning. To test the practicability and usefulness of QDRL, a dc/dc parallel boost converter feeding constant power loads (CPLs) was chosen as the case study, and several power hardware-in-the-loop (PHiL) experiments and comparative analysis were performed. Full article

Developing countries in Asia widely use manual seed broadcasting methods due to a lack of appropriate seeding machinery. The agricultural sector is currently facing labor shortages and high labor costs, especially seasonal labor shortages for broadcasting and transplanting operations. However, the primary constraint in adopting existing broadcasting seeders for small-scale farmers in developing countries is the high initial purchase costs. Therefore, developing locally commercial accessible technology for small-scale farmers is an urgent requirement. In this regard, attempt was taken to develop a new low-cost 3D printed seeder that can be used for multi-crop seed broadcasting operations when integrated with an autonomous terrain vehicle. A new seed metering mechanism was proposed for seed broadcasting that can be controlled electronically from the autonomous terrain vehicle. Positional sensors based on the real time kinematics—global navigation satellite system (RTK-GNSS) were used to record positional information. The best observation was noted at a vehicle operational speed of 0.351 ms⁻¹ and had a coefficient of variation (CV) referring to the distribution uniformity of seeds of 19% for green peas, 22% for cowpeas, and 25% for chickpeas. The developed seeder could spread multi-crop seeds and adjust the seed rates electronically at the different ranges of rotational speeds. Therefore, the use of 3D printed fabricated prototype seed broadcasting units with small-scale autonomous vehicles can be implemented to help in labor supplements and perform the broadcasting of different seeds. Full article

This paper presents a microcontroller-based solution for generating real-time normal walking knee angle of a powered transfemoral prosthetic leg prototype. The proposed control algorithm was used to determine the prosthetic knee angle by utilizing seven hip angle movement features generated from only the inertia measurement unit (IMU) deployed on the prosthetic socket on the thigh of the same side. Then, a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller is developed to control the motor to reach the desired knee angle in real time. Furthermore, a novel parallel four-bar linkage-based master–slave validation framework combining a motion capture system was introduced to evaluate the performance of the knee angle generation on a speed-adjustable treadmill with able-bodied subjects. In the framework evaluation, 3 different walking speeds were applied to the treadmill to validate different speed adaptation capabilities of the prosthetic leg control system, precisely 50 cm/s, 60 cm/s, and 70 cm/s. Through the proposed 4-bar linkage framework, the prosthesis’s movement can simulate able-bodied subjects well with maximum RMSE never exceeding 0.27° in the swing flexion phase, 4.4° to 5.8° in the stance phase, and 1.953° to 13.466° in the swing extension phase. The treadmill results showed that the prosthetic leg is able to perform a normal walking gait following different walking speeds of the subject. Finally, a corridor walking experiment with a bypass adapter was successfully performed to examine the feasibility of real prosthetic walking situations. Full article

The surface layer determines the physical properties of aviation materials and, based on these properties, the calculation of surface energy anisotropy can be implemented. Moreover, the value of the surface energy determines the service time and the destruction of aircraft structures surface layer, while the surface layer thickness determines the distance at which this process usually takes place. In this work, a new atomically smooth crystal empirical model is built without considering the surface roughness. This model can be used to theoretically predict the surface energy anisotropy and surface layer thickness of metals and other compounds, in particular the aviation materials. The work shows that the surface layer of an atomically smooth metal, like other compounds, consists of two nanostructured layers: d(I) and d(II). Having sufficient accuracy, the proposed model would allow the prediction of aviation materials performance properties without the need for ultrahigh vacuum or other complicated theoretical methods to analyze the surfaces of nanosystem atomic structures. Full article

The DSF (double-skin facade) system is an important element in building design and is used in adjacent spaces to control the inlet solar radiation, heat the air, reduce energy consumption, decrease the acoustics levels, and produce photovoltaic energy, among other improvements. The DSF system can, for example, be used in winter conditions to heat the air, which is then transported to non-adjacent spaces to improve the thermal comfort level and the indoor air quality that the occupants are subjected to. Smooth DSF systems, which are a focus in the literature, are subjected to higher solar radiation levels at a specific hour of the day. The semi-circular DSF system used in this work, which was built from a group of smooth DSF systems with different orientations, guarantees the reception of the highest incident solar radiation throughout the entire day. This work presents a numerical study of a new DSF system, called the semi-circular DSF. The DSF system consists of a set of 25 smooth DSFs with different orientations, each one consisting of an outer glazed surface and an inner surface provided by the outer facade of the auditorium, both separated by an air channel. In this work, the influence of the radius of the semi-circular DSF system and the opening angle of the DSF system on the thermal response of the auditorium was analysed. Thus, six auditoriums were considered: two sets of three auditoriums with radii of 5 m and 15 m, with each of the auditoriums having a different DSF opening angle (45°, 90°, and 180°). It was found that the greater the radius of the semi-circular DSF and the opening angle of the DSF system, the greater the area of its glazed surface and, consequently, the greater the availability of solar heating power. Therefore, during the occupation period, only the set of auditoriums with the largest semi-circular DSF radius managed to present acceptable levels of thermal comfort, which were verified from mid-morning until late afternoon. As for the opening angle of the DSF system, the influence was not very significant, although slight improvements in thermal comfort were noted when the value of this angle was reduced (see Case F as an example) due to the corresponding decrease in the volume of indoor air to be heated. In all auditoriums (see Case A to Case F), it was verified that the indoor air quality was acceptable for the occupants, so the airflow rate was adequately promoted by the ventilation system. Full article

This paper aims toward the successful detection of harmful materials in a substance by integrating machine learning (ML) into laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS is used to distinguish five different synthetic polymers where eight different heavy material contents are also detected by LIBS. Each material intensity-wavelength graph is obtained and the dataset is constructed for classification by a machine learning (ML) algorithm. Seven popular machine learning algorithms are applied to the dataset which include eight different substances with their wavelength-intensity value. Machine learning algorithms are used to train the dataset, results are discussed and which classification algorithm is appropriate for this dataset is determined. Full article

Ankle sprains are among the most prevalent musculoskeletal system injuries. Prevention of ankle sprains is important, given the frequency of occurrence of an ankle sprain, the risk of reinjury, and its long-term effects. A systematic patent review using the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s PATENTSCOPE database has been performed to study the current development of ankle sprain prevention methods. Using the PRISMA statement as a basis, a total of 426 patent documents have been selected for review, consisting of 150 granted patents and 276 patent applications. In the past decade, China and the United States of America (43% and 29% of the patent applications, respectively) have shown great interest in developing ankle sprain prevention methods. Approximately 49% (or 74) of the patents from the 150 granted are associated with braces, 46% (or 68) are related to orthosis, 3% (or 5) are related to tape, and the remaining 2% (or 3) are associated with other types of ankle sprain prevention methods. This patent review shows that inventors are leaning towards braces and orthosis as the main prevention methods for ankle sprains, with greater interest in orthosis in recent years. Additionally, patents on smart wearable devices suggest initial commercial interest in the development of smart wearable devices as an ankle sprain prevention method. Full article

In this paper, the authors introduce the reader to the state of the art of Metal Wire Additive Manufacturing (MWAM) and provide a comparison between Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), Wire Laser Additive Manufacturing (WLAM), and Laser Arc Hybrid Wire Deposition (LAHWD) based on their characteristics and potential future applications, since MWAM is expected to have a promising future in various areas, such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and energy fields. A detailed discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of each Metal Wire Additive Manufacturing process can help to improve our understanding of the unique characteristics of metal wire application. Therefore, this paper offers a comprehensive analysis that can serve as a reference for upcoming industrial projects and research initiatives, with the aim of helping industries choose the most appropriate WAM technique for their specific applications. Full article

An electromagnetic thruster is proposed and successfully tested. Its design is inspired by theoretical considerations whose qualitative predictions are well matched with the experimental results. The efficiency is higher than any other device so far reported in the literature, producing a directional thrust of approximately $2.7\times {10}^{-6}m$, where m is the mass of the thruster itself, with a nominal power injected of approximately 10 Watts. The prototype has the shape of a ring and is powered by both radio frequency signals and a stationary high voltage. Improvements and generalizations can be easily devised by adjusting the geometry of the device. Full article

Despite the growing demand for improving smile aesthetics and occlusal functionality, a significant percentage of patients still refuse or discontinue orthodontic treatment because of pain and discomfort related to this therapy. As consequence, controlling the pain experienced by patients during the same therapy represents a primary concern for both patients and clinicians. Recent pieces of evidence have suggested that photobiomodulation can reduce pain experienced by patients during the decrowding stage or during specific protocols, for example, rapid maxillary expansion. PBM can be performed with lasers and also with a light-emitting diode (LED) device. Nonetheless, few studies on the latter are still present in the literature. The aim of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) with Laser devices in pain management in fixed orthodontic treatment. Only 14 of all articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were therefore used to conduct the research. The different studies compared, in most cases, patients whose mouths were divided into a part treated with PBM and a placebo part. Most of their results show a statistically significant difference in perceived pain between the irradiated arch and the nonirradiated arch. Three authors did not find statistically significant results in favor of PBM, but they used different laser parameters. To obtain generally valid studies, with consistent and reproducible results, it is necessary to standardize the different laser parameters used. LED is less operator-dependent than laser and PBM using this technology seems to have a biological basis similar to that with lasers. In some studies, its clinical efficacy in pain reduction in some orthodontic therapies has been verified. Finally, this article aims to consider LED technology as a future prospect of research on PBM use in orthodontics. Full article

Recent analysis has shown deteriorating traffic conditions in urban areas, caused by an increase in the motorization rate, which has risen to 66.6 vehicles per 100 inhabitants. As a result of the pandemic, individuality has grown, hence private vehicles are becoming more prevalent whilst public transport and sharing are negatively affected. Therefore, European policies have encouraged and innovated more sustainable mobility. Thus, the developed project aims to achieve more efficient mobility and more sustainable environments, towards social and economic well-being. The proposed means of transport aims to appeal to an audience with a reduced ability to drive a car as intended. The IDeS methodology was applied to develop a self-driving, urban micro mobility vehicle, aimed to give enough room and equipment for people with moving disabilities. The innovation of the IDeS method is state-of-the-art and ought to satisfy current product needs, which leads to an innovative micromobility vehicle and portrays a design for a car that will help to close the gaps in urban mobility. These design processes, which are distinguished by the fusion of several industrial techniques, enabled the development of a plan that addresses current mobility issues for disabled people and opens to new mobility prospects. Full article

This paper presents a model-based and neural network-based innovative design of single-ended transistor resonant DC/AC converters with zero voltage switching (ZVS). A characteristic of the proposed design method is that the determination of the circuit elements of the converter is performed with an automated procedure, as their values are determined by the output of a previously trained neural network. The use of the proposed method is justified in cases where there is no methodology for the design of the specific power electronic device, or such a methodology exists, but it is either too complex or based on a large number of assumptions. This is usually due to the increasing complexity of power circuits, their possible modes of operation, and the inevitable assumptions and limitations in the analyses and methodologies based on them. In this way, a natural combination of classic design methods and innovative processes is developed based on applied techniques for artificial intelligence. Full article

The Personal Mobility Vehicle (PMV), which has an inward-tilting angle, turns with lateral force due to a large camber angle, so it is necessary to consider the lateral movement of the tire vertical load axis during turning. Although the steering torque mechanisms are very different from those of automobiles, there are not many studies of the steering torque mechanisms of PMVs. In this paper, based on the effects of the force of six components acting on the tires, a method for setting the steering axis specifications is derived, including the geometrical minimization of steering moment disturbance due to the vertical load reaction force during turning. Automobile tires have a significant ground camber angle when traveling on rutted roads, but they do not have it on slanted roads because the vehicle body tilts along the road surface. On the other hand, in PMVs, the vehicle body always keeps upright when traveling both on slanted roads and on rutted roads. Therefore, the tires have ground camber angles on both types of road surface. We study the straight running ability under such road surface disturbances based on the geometrical minimization of steering moment disturbance due to the vertical load reaction force during turning. This straight running ability can be a remarkable strong point of PMVs with an inward tilt mechanism. In this study, it was proved that the steering axis parameters can be derived uniquely by taking into consideration the requirement to zero the moment (disturbance) around the steering axis due to the reaction force against the vertical load at all internal tilt angles. Full article

In this paper, an original mathematical model and experimental results for the vibration generator and the magnetic spring prototype that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy are proposed. The magnetic spring model is developed by a robotic approach based on Denavit–Hartenberg’s notation and designed by the 2-degrees of freedom kinematic chain for determination of its motion and estimation of several resonance frequencies useful in many energy harvesting applications. The vibration generator that moves the magnetic spring is modeled by neural networks and the magnetic spring potential energy is calculated by the finite elements method (FEM). Furthermore, the magnetic spring and the vibration generator are designed by the Simulink block diagram. Testing results of the magnetic spring and vibration generator displacement conducted in laboratory have shown good agreement with simulation results. Full article

In this paper, the growing significance of data analysis in manufacturing environments is exemplified through a review of relevant literature and a generic framework to aid the ease of adoption of regression-based supervised learning in manufacturing environments. To validate the practicality of the framework, several regression learning techniques are applied to an open-source multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process data set to typify inference-driven decision-making that informs the selection of regression learning methods for adoption in real-world manufacturing environments. The investigated regression learning techniques are evaluated in terms of their training time, prediction speed, predictive accuracy (R-squared value), and mean squared error. In terms of training time ($TT$), k-NN20 (k-Nearest Neighbour with 20 neighbors) ranks first with average and median values of 4.8 ms and 4.9 ms, and 4.2 ms and 4.3 ms, respectively, for the first stage and second stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process, respectively, over 50 independent runs. In terms of prediction speed ($PS$), DTR (decision tree regressor) ranks first with average and median values of $5.6784\times {10}^6$ observations per second (ob/s) and $4.8691\times {10}^6$ observations per second (ob/s), and $4.9929\times {10}^6$ observations per second (ob/s) and $5.8806\times {10}^6$ observations per second (ob/s), respectively, for the first stage and second stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process, respectively, over 50 independent runs. In terms of R-squared value ($R^2$), BR (bagging regressor) ranks first with average and median values of 0.728 and 0.728, respectively, over 50 independent runs, for the first stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process, and RFR (random forest regressor) ranks first with average and median values of 0.746 and 0.746, respectively, over 50 independent runs, for the second stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process. In terms of mean squared error ($MSE$), BR (bagging regressor) ranks first with average and median values of 2.7 and 2.7, respectively, over 50 independent runs, for the first stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process, and RFR (random forest regressor) ranks first with average and median values of 3.5 and 3.5, respectively, over 50 independent runs, for the second stage of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process. All methods are further ranked inferentially using the statistics of their performance metrics to identify the best method(s) for the first and second stages of the predictive modeling of the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process. A Wilcoxon rank sum test is then used to statistically verify the inference-based rankings. $DTR$ and k-NN20 have been identified as the most suitable regression learning techniques given the multi-stage continuous-flow manufacturing process data used for experimentation. Full article

Question generation (QG) is a natural language processing (NLP) problem that aims to generate natural questions from a given sentence or paragraph. QG has many applications, especially in education. For example, QG can complement teachers’ efforts in creating assessment materials by automatically generating many related questions. QG can also be used to generate frequently asked question (FAQ) sets for business. Question answering (QA) can benefit from QG, where the training dataset of QA can be enriched using QG to improve the learning and performance of QA algorithms. However, most of the existing works and tools in QG are designed for English text. This paper presents the design of a web-based question generator for Chinese comprehension. The generator provides a user-friendly web interface for users to generate a set of wh-questions (i.e., what, who, when, where, why, and how) based on a Chinese text conditioned on a corresponding set of answer phrases. The web interface allows users to easily refine the answer phrases that are automatically generated by the web generator. The underlying question generation is based on the transformer approach, which was trained on a dataset combined from three publicly available Chinese reading comprehension datasets, namely, DRUD, CMRC2017, and CMRC2018. Linguistic features such as parts of speech (POS) and named-entity recognition (NER) are extracted from the text, which together with the original text and the answer phrases, are then fed into a machine learning algorithm based on a pre-trained mT5 model. The generated questions with answers are displayed in a user-friendly format, supplemented with the source sentences in the text used for generating each question. We expect the design of this web tool to provide insight into how Chinese question generation can be made easily accessible to users with low computer literacy. Full article

The following scientific paper aims to analyze in detail the methodology for reverse engineering of a racing motorcycle connecting rod. The objective is to start with a product available on the market as a spare part, reconstruct its CAD model with a high standard of accuracy, then proceed with lightening modifications to arrive at a new, improved design. The innovative aspect of the procedure lies in the fact that in order to ensure accuracy on the order of a tenth of a millimeter during reconstruction, it was decided to use a FARO articulated arm laser to scan the component’s outer surface. By taking advantage of appropriate redesign CAD software (Geomagic Design X), a reconstruction can proceed within the high standard of accuracy imposed. In conclusion, the modifications made through material removal allow an improvement in product efficiency, ensuring high performance. Full article

Mechanical systems with inherent chaotic behavior are of notable practical interest due to their applicability in many fields of technology, from industrial mills and concrete mixers to microscopic micromechanical random bit generators. One of the most generic mathematical models for designing chaotic mechanical systems is the Duffing oscillator, which demonstrates chaotic motion under periodic excitation. The mechanical implementation of Duffing oscillator requires nonlinear springs, which can be implemented using different physical principles. In the current study, we propose the mechanical Duffing oscillator with magnetic springs as a low-wear, robust and easy-to-implement solution. We show by simulation and experimentation that the developed mechanical system performs chaotic oscillations in a wide range of parameters. The proposed design can be revised in a problem-specific manner and achieve many practical applications. Full article

This article is devoted to the problem of information security in complexes with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Science knows a new promising method of information protection: moving target defense (MTD). The essence of this method is that due to periodic changes in the parameters of the infocommunication network the information about the information infrastructure collected by the attacker at the reconnaissance stage becomes irrelevant, and the attack becomes ineffective. This article also discusses the features and types of confidential information processed in complexes with UAV and provides a review of the experience of creating systems for protecting information from unauthorized access of complexes with UAV. The proposed hypothesis is tested using a model created using a tool: the GNS3 program. The model in the form of a test network in the GNS3 emulator recreates the proposed method. It was concluded that the effectiveness of the harmful impact on the complex with UAV was reduced by three times. The disadvantages of the proposed method include the problem of ensuring the availability of protected information resources for other legitimate, authorized participants in network interaction, as well as the need to solve the problem of choosing the optimal frequency of changing parameters. Full article

The paper is focused on searching for novel methods aimed at improving the performance and usability of a common decision-making process where a panel of experts are assisted by specialized software systems. An equivalent exchange method (EEM) is considered in the paper as a potential candidate for a versatile method applicable in expert decision-making process for solving problems in various subject domains. The method is formally described in the paper in the form of an iterative algorithm where each iteration leads to the reduce in the number of alternatives under consideration until it converges to the preferable one. The key feature of EEM consists in the fact that the original comparison between multiple alternatives described by many attributes measured in different units is replaced by the sequence of simple exchanges between pairs of alternatives where only two attributes are engaged at once. The numerical example illustrating the full run of the algorithm is thoroughly described, so the actions performed in the steps of the algorithm are explained. The case of the successful implementation of EEM as the module of Expert Decision Support System is also presented. Full article

Execution time is an important topic when using metaheuristic-based optimization algorithms within control structures. This is the case with Receding Horizon Control, whose controller makes predictions based on a metaheuristic algorithm. Because the closed loop’s main time constraint is that the controller’s run time must be smaller than the sampling period, this paper joins the authors’ previous work in investigating decreasing execution time. In this context, good results have been obtained by introducing the “reference control profile” concept that leads to the idea of adapting the control variables’ domains for each sampling period. This paper continues to address this concept, which is adjusted to harmonize with the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm. Moreover, besides adapting the control variables’ domains, the proposed controller’s algorithm tunes these domains to avoid losing convergence. A simulation study validates the new techniques using a nontrivial process model and considering three modes in which the controller works. The results showed that the proposed techniques have practical relevance and significantly decrease execution time. Full article

Hybrid microgrid optimization, integration, and control are becoming increasingly important. Renewable energy source integrations are being used more often in shipping ports, as well as on short-distance cruises and ferries. Several seaports presently lack cold ironing services, which are shore-based power stations that provide electricity to ships from the main utility grids. Furthermore, diesel engines and diesel generator-based shipboards must be continuously running and on-line when docking to provide additional loads of ships due to the absence of cold-ironing services at many ports. In this research, we analytically presented the robustness of our proposed hierarchical control design for the hybrid shipboard Microgrid system containing multiple DGs and renewable energy resource (RES) integrations. The performance comparison of the conventional proportional integral (PI) vs. Sliding Mode Controller (SMC)-based control design is validated with simulation tests under different static and dynamical load conditions for both AC and DC types of loads. We further considered multi-DGs and RES integrations into our system to validate our design’s robustness against noise and unwanted faulty load conditions. The complete system stability analysis and designing of the control law are performed. Mathematical derivations and simulation results prove the robustness of the proposed hierarchical control architecture and compare the performance characteristics of two secondary controllers designed using a MATLAB/Simulink environment. Full article

The last era has witnessed an unprecedented demand for digital content. To meet these rigorous demands, researchers have been busy developing content-sharing applications and services. The advancement in technology has aided this process. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have gained a lot of attention in assisting cellular networks since they play a paramount role in disaster management, capacity enhancement, on-demand communication, and content dissemination. In this study, we consider content-centric UAV communication underlaid device-to-device (D2D) users. Different from the current research trends, this study considers clustering the D2D users (i.e., ground users) and UAV only deliver the requested content to the cluster heads. We considered the clustering approach since the UAV is an energy constraint device and the aim is to reduce the energy consumed by the UAV during the communication phase. Clustering the ground nodes will allow the UAV to communicate to only cluster heads as compared with a bigger group of users. Cluster heads are then responsible to forward the cached contents to their respective cluster members. A comprehensive performance evaluation of the proposed scheme was conducted by benchmarking it against state-of-the-art research works and considering various performance parameters such as throughput, energy consumption, and content delivery delay. The proposed scheme produced promising results for all parameters and against other research works as well. Full article

Urban mobility scenarios are constantly evolving, and today’s solutions may not be adequate in the future. Through innovative analysis and design methods encapsulated by the IDeS methodology, it is possible to plausibly hypothesize a number of key scenarios to be analyzed, for which vehicles can be designed in order to solve the main problems. Scenarios such as the steady growth in public mobility, based on the sharing of electric mini-buses at the expense of the privatization of the means of transport, lead to the gradual rethinking of citizens’ needs and the supporting infrastructure. Problems such as the lack of privacy of public vehicles, the efficiency of the infrastructure and recharging modes of e-buses, and autonomous driving are addressed here through methods such as QFD (quality function deployment) and SDE (stylistic design engineering), with the aim of outlining a proposal that, to date, is futuristic but is designed to be concrete and feasible within the next decade. These methodologies were applied to the design of a sustainable urban transport system consisting of an electric mini-bus, effected by rethinking the layout of the interior spaces in favor of areas enabling greater privacy and a mobile recharging system (MBS) capable of offering a new management strategy for the non-stop recharging phase. Through the use of an MBS, which functions as a mobile ‘energy bank’ module that is capable of autonomously reaching a mini-bus in need of recharging and extending its autonomy by connecting and recharging it, the proposed system can potentially be enabled to perform its required service during the day without any need to spend time making intermediate stops for the purpose of recharging. Full article

Increasing daylighting levels contributes to improving the energy efficiency of buildings and consequently to the fight against climate change. This work presents a new illuminator based on a previous single-axis polar heliostat. This heliostat allows redirecting sunlight to a specific space to be illuminated at any time of the day. The system presented is simple but compact in size. It has been manufactured by 3D printing with recyclable PETG plastics. Three-dimensional printing has allowed reduction of the mass of the system to less than 5 kg, which means high stability and manageability. Moreover, the system has been provided with an assembly structure that facilitates its correct installation by a single operator. The result is a heliostatic illuminator with an average pointing error of 10 mrad, an acceptable error for urban applications. Finally, a low-cost and high-replicability device has been achieved, which makes it an easily reproducible illuminator and favors its extensive installation. Full article

This article is devoted to the study of means and methods for non-destructive testing mechanical properties of polyethylene gas pipelines that have been in operation for 25–55 years. In order to assess mechanical properties, stress at yield was chosen as a key parameter. Stress at yield is determined from the results of tensile tests and is associated with the limiting circumferential (hoop) stress, determined from the results of tests for short-term pressure. Tensile tests require sample cutting and the shutdown of pipelines’ service. To solve this problem of nondestructive testing of pipelines, tests were carried out using the methods of Shore, Leeb and dynamic instrumental indentation. According to the test results, it was revealed that the correlation coefficient between the values of stress at yield and hardness, obtained by the method of dynamic instrumental indentation, is 0.98 which confirms the possibility of the evaluation of the mechanical properties of pipelines by the method of dynamic instrumental indentation. Full article

There are many inventions to avoid the risk of electric contact in the plug. However, the objective of the invention resulting from the research is the proposal of a complementary measure to the existing ones, solving the specific problem of electrocutions that occur in the action of connection and disconnection, due to the contact of the user with the active parts of the plug. The research has focused on the proposal of a design solution that solves the problem of electrocution in these particular and common cases. The objective of this article is the disclosure of a male plug protection mechanism, which has been carried out solely with the use of mechanical methods. Its importance lies in the simplicity and feasibility of the registered utility model as well as in the importance that its implementation may entail for the prevention of serious accidents in the electrical field for domestic and industrial use. The work shows the mechanism and operation of the invention of the proposed male plug in terms of protection against electrical hazards. Full article

The issues were reviewed in assessing external electromagnetic fields’ effect on the parameters of an electrical power line probing system based on three-component ferroprobes for detecting active underground power cable lines during microtunnel construction using the thrust boring method (by tunneling shield) in densely populated urban areas. A study was conducted on the change in the topology of the energized cable magnetic field located in the external magnetic field area created by operating electrical equipment under the influence of an external electromagnetic field and a tunneling shield with installed magneto-sensitive detectors. Experimental studies of the probing system were made. Options have been proposed for compensating the inductance component of the external magnetic field during tunnel driving in urban development and industrial area conditions. Full article

Metal matrix composites with a matrix of refractory metals (niobium, tungsten) and reinforcing nanodiamond particles were prepared for studying the possibility of decreasing the starting temperature of carbide synthesis. The size of primary nanodiamond particles was 4–6 nm, but they were combined in large-sized agglomerates. Mechanical alloying was used for producing the composites by crushing agglomerates and distributing nanodiamonds evenly in the metal matrix. The initial and fabricated materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Thermal processing leads to the reaction for carbide synthesis. Studies have found that the usage of carbon nanoparticles (nanodiamonds) as precursors for fabricating carbides of refractory metals leads to a dramatic decrease in the synthesis temperature in comparison with macro-precursors: lower than 200 °C for tungsten and lower than 350 °C for niobium. Full article

Nemo’s Garden^® Project aims at creating a green, alternative, and original agriculture system based on underwater greenhouses (biospheres) developed for areas where plant growth is difficult in the terrestrial environment due to climate conditions and new global warming issues. Experiments were designed and performed to measure the thermal and hygrometric behaviour inside the biosphere; a simple theoretical model was developed to analyse the temperature and humidity of the air inside the biosphere in dynamic conditions and to interpret the experimental observations. The main findings of this research were: (i) the photosynthetically active radiation measured inside the underwater biosphere was 25–30% of that at sea level, (ii) the air temperature and relative humidity inside the biosphere showed cyclic daily variations that permitted a water evaporation/vapour condensation process, allowing the self-production of water for plant irrigation, and (iii) the results given by the lumped-parameter theoretical model were in a good agreement with the experiments. Full article

Aiming at the problem of low intelligence in the automatic navigation of the cuttage and film covering multi-functional machine for low tunnels, this study proposed a navigation line extraction method based on the improved YOLOv5s model, which can achieve the accurate extraction of navigation lines based on two planting methods of seedling transplanting and direct seeding. Firstly, we pre-processed the acquired images using inverse perspective transformation. Next, the Coordinate Attention and Ghost modules were applied to improve the YOLOv5s architecture, increasing the detection accuracy and speed of field targets. Finally, we extracted the feature points and fit the navigation lines based on the shape features of the targets using the geometric method. The experimental results showed that, compared with other algorithms, the accuracy of the proposed algorithm could reach more than 96%, the accuracy of navigation line extraction reached 98%, and the average detection time was 51 ms. The proposed method was robust and universal, and it can provide reliable navigation paths for the cuttage and film covering multi-functional machine. Full article

Sign language is designed as a natural communication method for the deaf community to convey messages and connect with society. In American sign language, twenty-six special sign gestures from the alphabet are used for the fingerspelling of proper words. The purpose of this research is to classify the hand gestures in the alphabet and recognize a sequence of gestures in the fingerspelling using an inertial hand motion capture system. In this work, time and time-frequency domain features and angle-based features are extracted from the raw data for classification with convolutional neural network-based classifiers. In fingerspelling recognition, we explore two kinds of models: connectionist temporal classification and encoder-decoder structured sequence recognition model. The study reveals that the classification model achieves an average accuracy of 74.8% for dynamic ASL gestures considering user independence. Moreover, the proposed two sequence recognition models achieve 55.1%, 93.4% accuracy in word-level evaluation, and 86.5%, 97.9% in the letter-level evaluation of fingerspelling. The proposed method has the potential to recognize more hand gestures of sign language with highly reliable inertial data from the device. Full article

Modern weapon systems’ survival hinges on their detection capabilities more than anything else. In the active sonar equation, the acoustic target strength is crucial. Under the assumption of plane wave propagation, the standard target strength equation is used to forecast the reradiated intensity for the far field. The ability of a submarine to remain unnoticed while on patrol or accomplishing a mission is its primary defense. Sonar, sometimes known as sound navigation ranging, is a popular method for locating submarines. This is because saltwater effectively absorbs radio frequencies. Sonar technology is used in more than just the commercial fishing business; it is also used in undersea research. The submarine’s designers consider the reflection of acoustic waves to minimize the amount of space required for such reflections. The Target Strength (TS) metric is used to assess the sonar objects’ size. This manuscript explains and demystifies the Benchmark Target Echo Strength Simulation (BeTTSi) benchmark submarine’s TS analysis. This model’s Pressure Acoustic-Boundary Element Model (PA-BEM) interface has been stabilized, and the model itself is pretty huge acoustically. Full article

Image stacking is a crucial method for micro or macro photography. It captures images at different focal planes and then merges them into a single, all-in-focus image with extended focus. This method has been extensively used for digital documentation by scientists working at museums or research institutions. However, the traditional image stacking method relies on expensive instruments to conduct precise image stacking using a computer-based stepper motor controller. In this study, we reported how to conduct image focus extensions with comparable quality to those done by a motorized stepper using a cost-effective instrument setting and an efficient manual stacking method. This method provides a shorter operation time and capability to capture images of living objects and high flexibility in obtaining the images of objects from cm to mm scale. However, it also has some limitations, including the inability to control aperture and exposure time, relatively short working distance at high magnification, requires additional steps to convert the video into images, and heavily relies on the user’s manual observation prior to a video recording. Nevertheless, the authors believe that the current method can be applied as an alternative method to conduct image stacking. The development of such an instrument and method offers a promising avenue for scientists to perform image stacking with greater flexibility and speed in macro photography. Full article

This case study aims to develop a new innovative SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) model exploiting IDeS (Industrial Design Structure), which is an engineering approach conceived to optimize car design projects in the automotive industry like never before. A compact SUV was chosen because it is a type of vehicle that is highly requested by customers, and it is extremely successful in the market due to its versatility. In fact, compact SUVs are mixed vehicles that combine the pragmatism of a car with the typical robustness of an off-road vehicle making them suitable both for urban and off-road scenarios. The following pages will illustrate the steps followed for the realization of the final product using the SDE (Stylistic Design Engineering) method and other various design technologies, such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Benchmarking (BM) and Top Flop Analysis (TPA). In the final part of this project, the virtual prototyping of the product is carried out using Additive Manufacturing (AM) with an FDM 3D printer. The combination of these methods forms, to all intents and purposes, the IDeS, a newly developed innovative and cutting-edge discipline capable of schematically guiding the new product development process in companies with unprecedented efficiency. Full article

Objective: The aim of this research was to assess how the application of an oral irrigator modifies the subgingival bacterial flora in patients undergoing periodontal maintenance therapy. We used a qualitative microbiological analysis with a phase contrast microscope that can differentiate a non-pathogenic (immobile) bacterial flora from a pathogenic (mobile). Methods: In this study, 60 patients with a diagnosis of moderate periodontitis were enrolled. They were treated with non-surgical laser-assisted causal therapy and after one month a re-evaluation was performed that established the stabilization of the periodontal pathology. They were instructed in the home oral hygiene protocol with sonic toothbrush, interdental brushes and oral irrigator, and were included in the periodontal maintenance therapy program with a phase contrast microscope control every 6 months. At T₀ phase contrast–phase microscopic examinations, the existence of non-pathogenic bacterial flora was displayed in all patients. They were then randomly divided into two groups, A and B. After professional oral hygiene treatment, group B suspended the usage of oral irrigator. Patients of group A, after the professional oral hygiene treatment, were motivated to continue their oral hygiene protocol at home. After three months, the patients underwent microscopic analysis of the bacterial plaque. Results: At T₁ in Group B, 90% of patients had undergone a pathogenic bacterial flora change. In group A, in which patients kept using the oral irrigator for the three months, 100% of them showed immobile plaque on phase contrast microscopic analysis. Conclusions: This research showed that oral irrigator in the practice of home hygiene protocols plays a role in the long-term maintenance of a non-pathogenic bacterial flora in periodontal patients. Full article

This article is devoted to study of vector functions in Banach algebras and Banach spaces over normed fields. A structure of their Banach algebras is investigated. Banach algebras of vector functions with values in ∗-algebras, finely regular algebras, $B^{\ast }$-algebras, and operator algebras are scrutinized. An approximation of vector functions is investigated. The realizations of these algebras by operator algebras are studied. Full article

Over the past 20 years, transalveolar techniques have progressively improved. They have become increasingly predictable and reliable, with the additional advantage of simplified procedures that are less operator dependent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new technique to lift the maxillary sinus through a transalveolar approach, Simple Minimal Safe (SMS), with use of activated plasma albumin gel (APAG). A total of 33 patients (22 female and 11 male), aged between 36 and 79, were consecutively operated on, with 44 implants positioned using the SMS technique. All were placed in the premolar or molar areas of the maxillary bone. No implant was lost during the follow-up period (6 months) and all implants were then prosthetically loaded. The average bone gain was 4.43 mm. In the first quadrant, sites 15, 16 and 17 were involved with an average bone gain of 3.5 mm, 4.6 mm and 4.5 mm, respectively. In the second quadrant the sites 24, 25, 26 and 27 were involved with an average bone gain of 4.25 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.4 mm and 4.5 mm, respectively. Analyzing the data considering the sex, implants in women had an average gain of 4.66 mm, while in men the average gain was 3.83 mm. With the SMS technique, we achieved a reduction in post-operatory morbidity and in the frequency of Schneiderian membrane perforation. In conclusion, maxillary sinus augmentation via the transalveolar approach has become a more predictable surgical procedure and an easier technique due to less operator-dependent processes. Full article

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of ozone gel and Er:YAG laser treatment in respect of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) for normal procedures. Consequently, the following techniques are compared in the study: medical therapy (MT); MT + conservative surgery with rotary/piezoelectric instruments; MT + ozone therapy; MT + surgical treatment + laser Er:YAG; and MT + ozone therapy + surgical treatment + laser Er:YAG. Fifty-seven patients with MRONJ stages I, II, and III were treated. The protocol was different for each group of patients and included MT, the application of an ozone gel, an Er:YAG laser surgery session, conservative surgery with rotary/piezoelectric instruments, or surgical treatment, and then the monitoring of healing for at least 12 months. The protocols were performed once a week until complete recovery. Patients were reassessed weekly for the first month after treatment, monthly for the following quarter, and then every 3 months until the end of one year. The radiographic surveys were carried out 6 and 12 months after the last treatment. All of the patients in Group 4 (treated with medical therapy + ozone therapy + surgical treatment + laser Er:YAG) achieved complete clinical and radiographic recovery (100%) with complete remission of osteonecrosis. The proposed combined treatment of ozone therapy using laser Er:YAG and the MT + surgical treatment allowed us to obtain excellent results in the resolution of MRONJ. This success was explained by a series of characteristics specific to laser technology; in fact, thanks to its photoacoustic, photochemical, photothermal, and photomechanical properties, the laser made it possible to reduce the bacterial load at the intervention site. Full article

We demonstrate a cost-effective, highly reliable/stable and environmentally friendly approach for the patterned colouring of a commercial transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET). We show that different colour patterns (transparent, white/translucent, complete white/silver and different combinations of these three colours) can be realised in PET strips upon varying the speed during continuous stretching. The conditions for good quality colour patterns are investigated, and the length of transient region during speed change is investigated. Full article

This study is on the conception of the DS700 HYBRID project by the application of the Industrial Design Structure method (IDeS), which applies different tools sourced from engineering and style departments, including QFD and SDE, used to create the concept of a hybrid motorbike that could reach the market in the near future. SDE is an engineering approach for the design and development of industrial design projects, and it finds important applications in the automotive sector. In addition, analysis tools such as QFD, comprising benchmarking and top-flop analysis are carried out to maximize the creative process. The key characteristics of the bike and the degree of innovation are identified and outlined, the market segment is identified, and the stylistic trends that are most suitable for a naked motorbike of the future are analyzed. In the second part the styling of each superstructure and of all the components of the vehicle is carried out. Afterwards the aesthetics and engineering perspectives are accounted for to complete the project. This is achieved with modelling and computing tools such as 3D CAD, visual renderings, and FEM simulations, and virtual prototyping thanks to augmented reality (AR), and finally physical prototyping with the use of additive manufacturing (AM). The result is a product conception able to compete in the present challenging market, with a design that is technically feasible and also reaches new lightness targets for efficiency. Full article

This study focuses on the possibility of constructing a database on friction coefficients for actual roads from the viewpoint of traffic safety. A measurement algorithm is established to construct a road friction-measuring device. Next, the tires are selected for use in the measurements and their characteristics are measured using a bench tire characteristic tester. The measuring device is designed and constructed based on these characteristics. Finally, using this device, the measurement results of the road friction characteristics for two types of road surfaces are presented. Full article

This manuscript describes the application of a fixed-length ultrasonic spectrometer to determine the kinetics of heat- and photo-induced damage to biological membranes and protein complexes and provides examples of the test measurements. We implemented a measurement scheme using the digital analysis of harmonic signals. To conduct the research, the fixed-length ultrasonic spectrometer was modernized: the speed was increased; lighting was supplied to the sample cells; the possibility of changing the gas atmosphere and mixing the sample was given. Using solutions containing natural concentrations of deuterium oxide, a high sensitivity of the spectrometer was shown. The spectrometer performed well in the measurement of phase state of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, both in the absence and in the presence of additions, which are capable of changing the lipid properties (sodium dodecyl sulfate, palmitic acid, and calcium ions). The heat- and photo-induced changes in the state of photosystem II core complexes were demonstrated using a fixed-length ultrasonic spectrometer. Transitions at 35.5 °C, 43.5 °C, 56.5 °C, and 66.7 °C were revealed. It is proposed that the transitions reflect the disassembly of the complexes and protein denaturation. Thus, the present study demonstrates that a fixed-length ultrasonic spectrometer can be applied to determine the kinetics of heat- and photo-induced damage to biological membranes and protein complexes. Full article

The problem of detecting moving and stationary people in a room with a specialized radar system sensing through the wall is considered in the paper. The high-range resolution of the system is achieved by effective processing of reflected ultra-wideband stepped-frequency continuous-wave signals (SFCW). The paper presents a new method which is based on normalization of complex-valued samples of the received SFCW signals and extends traditional processing steps including quadrature-phase demodulation, sampling and inverse discrete Fourier transform. The proposed method is aimed at improving the performance of the interperiodic difference and variance of sample algorithms which are briefly described in relation to the SFCW radar system. The computer modeling showed that the introduced normalization mitigates the background noise and merely decreases the artifacts commonly appearing in radar images due to the non-uniform amplitude-frequency characteristics of the radar circuits. The described algorithms were implemented in a software part of the real-time working prototype of the radar system designed and assembled at the University research center. The results of field experiments confirmed the advantage of the proposed method in typical scenarios and showed the increase of the signal-to-noise ratio to 5 dB compared to traditional radar algorithm-processing SFCW signals. Full article

The paper considers the development of a technological scheme for preparing metal matrix nanocomposites based on the interaction between nanodiamond reinforcing particles and a chromium matrix when being heated, forming chromium carbide nanoparticles. These carbides are in situ synthesized ceramic reinforcing nanoparticles. The first stage of preparing composites is to obtain composites with the chromium matrix and nanodiamond reinforcing particles. For this purpose, mechanical alloying is used, i.e., processing in planetary mills. The size of a primary nanodiamond particle is 5 nm, but they are combined in agglomerates that are hundreds of micrometers in size. The time of processing in the planetary mill defines the crushing degree of the agglomerates. In this study, processing was carried out for 0.5 h, 2 h, and 4 h. The second stage for obtaining composites with reinforcing particles of chromium carbides is thermal processing. Explorations using the method of differential scanning calorimetry showed that reducing the size of nanodiamond reinforcing particles (by prolonging the time of processing in the planetary mill) leads to a decrease in the initial temperature of the reaction for developing carbides. The worked-out technique for obtaining composites was patented in the Russian Federation (the patent for invention 2772480). Full article

Nanocomposites based on polymers and nanoparticles are used in agriculture for photoconversion of solar radiation, as a basis for covering material, as a packaging material, and as functional films. At the same time, nanocomposites are almost never used in agriculture as biosafe structural materials. In this work, we have developed a technology for obtaining a nanocomposite based on PLGA and iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanocomposite has unique physical and chemical properties and also exhibits pronounced antibacterial properties at a concentration of iron oxide nanoparticles of more than 0.01%. At the same time, the nanocomposite does not affect the growth and development of pepper and is biocompatible with mammalian cells. Nanocomposites based on PLGA and iron oxide nanoparticles can be an attractive candidate for the manufacture of structural and packaging materials in agriculture. Full article

In the process of manufacturing products from high-temperature superconductors (HTS), quality control must be carried out. Traditionally, for HTS coils, electrical tests are carried out to determine critical current. In the case of an unacceptable result, it is necessary to determine the cause. Therefore, it is necessary to develop nondestructive testing methods. This article proposes a technology for manufacturing quality evaluation. It is based on determining the actual location of the tape and the gaps between the turns and rows of the coil and analyzing these values. For this purpose, samples were scanned using computed tomography (CT) with a Nordson Dage XD7600NT X-ray inspection system with a μCT module. The obtained data were analyzed using VolumeGraphics VGStudio 2.2 software. Furthermore, the proposed technology can be used as part of a predictive analysis of the state of HTS coils in the windings of electrical machines. Full article

The most effective and environmentally safe fossil fuel power production facilities are the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) ones. Electric efficiency of advanced facilities is up to 58% in Russia and up to 64% abroad. The further improvement of thermal efficiency by increase of the gas turbine inlet temperature (TIT) is limited by performance of heat resistance alloys that are used for the hot gas path components and the cooling system efficiency. An alternative method for the CCGT efficiency improvement is utilization of low potential heat of the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) exhaust gas in an additional cycle operating on a low-boiling heat carrier. This paper describes a thermodynamic analysis of the transition from binary cycles to trinary ones by integration of the organic Rankine cycle (ORC). A mathematical model of a cooled gas turbine plant (GT) has been developed to carry out calculations of high-temperature energy complexes. Based on the results of mathematical modeling, recommendations were made for the choice of the structure and parameters of the steam turbine cycle, as well as the ORC, to ensure the achievement of the maximum thermal efficiency of trinary plants. It is shown that the transition from a single pressure CCGT to a trinary plant allows the electric power increase from 213.4 MW to 222.7 MW and the net efficiency increase of 2.14%. The trinary power facility has 0.45% higher efficiency than the dual pressure CCGT. Full article

A calculation-experimental study of durability of titanium booster drum of gas turbine engine (GTE) was carried out. A methodology of experimental estimation of titanium component life of GTE using structurally similar elements (SSE) has been proposed. A series of three-dimensional calculations by the finite element method of SSE cut out of the finished part was carried out to estimate the strength of the booster drum. A methodology for testing the durability of SSE in the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) area was developed, and statistical processing of the test results was performed. Tests of SSE allowed carrying out advanced-edge assessment of the durability of a full-size drum, taking into account the manufacturing technology. Full article

We present a new two-step approach for automatized a posteriori decision making in multi-objective optimization problems, i.e., selecting a solution from the Pareto front. In the first step, a knee region is determined based on the normalized Euclidean distance from a hyperplane defined by the furthest Pareto solution and the negative unit vector. The size of the knee region depends on the Pareto front’s shape and a design parameter. In the second step, preferences for all objectives formulated by the decision maker, e.g., 50–20–30 for a 3D problem, are translated into a hyperplane which is then used to choose a final solution from the knee region. This way, the decision maker’s preference can be incorporated, while its influence depends on the Pareto front’s shape and a design parameter, at the same time favorizing knee points if they exist. The proposed approach is applied in simulation for the multi-objective model predictive control (MPC) of the two-dimensional rocket car example and the energy management system of a building. Full article

In this paper, industrial design structure (IDeS) is applied for the development of two new full-electric sports sedan car proposals that go by the names Blitz Vision AS and Retro. With a deep analysis of the trends dominating the automotive industry, a series of product requirements was identified using quality function deployment (QFD). The results of such analysis led to the definition of the technical specifications of the product via benchmarking (BM) and top-flop analysis (TFA). The product architecture was then defined by making use of a modular platform chassis capable of housing a variety of vehicle bodyworks. The structured methodology of stylistic design engineering (SDE) was used. This can be divided in six phases: (1) stylistic trends analysis; (2) sketches; (3) 2D CAD drawings; (4) 3D CAD models; (5) virtual prototyping; (6) solid stylistic model. The chassis of the CAD model was verified structurally by means of FEM analysis, whereas the drag coefficients of the two vehicle proposals were compared with one of the main competitor’s vehicles via CFD simulations. The resulting car models are both aesthetically appealing and can be further developed, leading eventually to the production stage. This proves the effectiveness of IDeS and SDE in car design. Full article

As an attempt to enable a further increase in the power-to-weight ratio of an electric motor by improving its cooling performance, rotating thermosyphon loops in a rotor of a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor are proposed. The effective thermal conductivity and airflow heat-transfer rate of the rotating thermosyphon loop and the convective heat-transfer coefficient over the annular interior surface of the air chamber are measured to permit the definition of the thermal boundary conditions for simulating the temperature fields of the electric motors. The axial heat-transfer pathway with extremely high effective thermal conductivity attributing to the phase-change activities in the rotating thermosyphon loop acts synergistically with the heat convection enhancement induced by the stirring effect of the spinning condenser bend in the air chamber to improve the heat transmission out of the rotor core. The spatially average temperature gradients in the rotor with the thermosyphon loops are considerably moderated from those without the thermosyphon loop. At rotor speeds and electrical currents in the ranges of 1200–1500 rev/min and 1000–1200 A, the maximum temperatures in the rotors with the single- and twin-end rotating thermosyphon loops are, respectively, reduced 8–14 °C and 10–22 °C from those without a rotor-cooling scheme, affirming the effectiveness of a phase-change cooling device in a rotor for thermal performance improvement of an electric motor. Full article

The present study was set to validate two different suburban-type sportscar bodies with shared common underpinnings. The chosen method to develop this project was the Industrial Design Structure (IDeS), which characterizes the ability to use the different innovative techniques known within the industrial field, across the whole organization. This method is embodied by following a series of structured analysis tools, such as QFD (Quality Function Deployment), Benchmarking (BM), Top-Flop analysis (TFA), Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE), Prototyping, Testing, Budgeting and Planning. This project aims to study the present-day car market and to foresee deployment in the near future. This attempt was confirmed by delivering the complete styling and technical feasibility characteristics of two different sports cars, obtained by the IDeS methodology. This approach of embodying design together with phases of product development would provide a better engineered, target-oriented product, that uses state-of-the-art style and CAD environments to reduce product development time and, hence, overall Time to Market (TTM). Full article

The cleaning of the ear canal is very important, and it is crucial that it is performed by an otolaryngologist as it requires a high level of competence and skill. The accumulation of cerumen or earwax in the ear canal is one of the most commonly observed problems in patients, and ignoring it may cause hearing loss, irritation and discomfort. There are a number of techniques that have been utilized in the past for cleaning the ear canal, including irrigation, i.e., curettage and water pick, and syringing. There are many patients who are unable to clean their ear canal through a natural self-cleaning process. The main aim of this study is to develop a unique model for ear cleaning free of irritation or discomfort, especially for those patients who have disorders of the self-cleaning ear canal process. The tool is designed specifically considering patient safety and comfort. However, the commercialization of this tool requires research and modification for improved quality results considering primarily the patient’s health. Full article

Present-day technologies used in SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) systems in many implementations are based on wireless sensor networks (WSN). In the context of the continuous development of these systems, the costs of the elements that form the monitoring system are decreasing. In this situation, the challenge is to select the optimal number of sensors and the network architecture, depending on the wireless system’s other parameters and requirements. It is a challenging task for WSN to provide scalability to cover a large area, fault tolerance, transmission reliability, and energy efficiency when no events are detected. In this article, fundamental issues concerning wireless communication in structural health monitoring systems (SHM) in the context of non-destructive testing sensors (NDT) were presented. Wireless technology developments in several crucial areas were also presented, and these include engineering facilities such as aviation and wind turbine systems as well as bridges and associated engineering facilities. Full article

The production, transportation, and storage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a promising area in the gas industry due to a number of the fuel’s advantages, such as its high energy intensity indicators, its reduced storage volume compared to natural gas in the gas-air state, and it ecological efficiency. However, LNG storage systems feature a number of disadvantages, among which is the boil-off gas (BOG) recovery from an LNG tank by flaring it or discharging it to the atmosphere. Previous attempts to boil-off gas recovery using compressors, in turn, feature such disadvantages as large capital investments and operating costs, as well as low reliability rates. The authors of this article suggest a technical solution to this problem that consists in using a gas ejector for boil-off gas recovery. Natural gas from a high-pressure gas pipeline is proposed as a working fluid entraining the boil-off gas. The implementation of this method was carried out according to the developed algorithm. The proposed technical solution reduced capital costs (by approximately 170 times), metal consumption (by approximately 100 times), and power consumption (by approximately 55 kW), and improved the reliability of the system compared to a compressor unit. The sample calculation of a gas ejector for the boil-off gas recovery from an LNG tank with a capacity of 300 m³ shows that the ejector makes it possible to increase the boil-off gas pressure in the system by up to 1.13 MPa, which makes it possible to not use the first-stage compressor unit for the compression of excess vapours. Full article

The digital signal processing (DSP) processor-in-the-loop tests based on automatic code generation technology are studied. Firstly, the idea of model-based design is introduced, and the principle and method of embedded code automatic generation technology are analyzed by taking the automatic code generation of the DSP control algorithm for pulse width modulation (PWM) output as an example. Then, the control system model is established on MATLAB/Simulink. After verifying the model through simulation, the target board platform is established with DSP as the core processor, and the automatically generated code is tested by the processor-in-the-loop (PIL). The results show that the technology greatly shortens the development cycle of the project, improves the robustness and consistency of the control code, and can be widely used in the complex algorithm development process of the controller, from intelligent design and modeling to implementation. Full article

The paper presents data on the problems of monitoring and diagnosing the technical conditions of critical production facilities, such as torpedo ladle cars, steel ladles. The accidents with critical production facilities, such as torpedo ladle cars, lead to losses and different types of damages in the metallurgical industry. The paper substantiates the need for a mathematical study of the operation process of the noted critical production facilities. A Markovian graph has been built that describes the states of torpedo ladle cars during their operation. A mathematical model is presented that allows determining the optimal frequency of diagnostics of torpedo ladle cars, which, in contrast to the existing approaches, take into account the procedures for preventive diagnostics of torpedo ladle cars, without taking them out of service. Dependence of the utilization coefficient on the period of diagnostics of PM350t torpedo ladle cars was developed. The results (of determining the optimal period of diagnostics for PM350t torpedo ladle cars) are demonstrated. The system for automated monitoring and diagnosing the technical conditions of torpedo ladle cars, without taking them out of service, has been developed and described. Full article

Hemp and flax fibers are among the most interesting vegetable fibers that can be used to reinforce polymeric matrices. In line with the global environmental requests, the use of these fibers especially coupled with thermoforming polymers are increasing more and more in order to expand their applications and replace synthetic fibers and thermosetting plastics. However, one of the major limitations of vegetable fibers is their poor adhesion with polymeric matrices that is often overcome by fibers chemical treatments or by using coupling agents within the matrix. Aiming to produce polypropylene (PP) bio composite laminates reinforced by hemp and flax fibers without additional process steps, this paper deals on the study of their production via the compression molding technique by using woven fabrics characterized by a large mesh size able to ensure a mechanical anchoring between fibers and matrix. Two different forming strategies that differ in the time required for reaching the maximum values of compression pressure and in the dwelling time at this value were used in order to investigate how the yarn impregnation was affected by them. To expand the applications of composites under investigation, tensile, bending, Izod, heat deflection temperature (HDT) and bearing tests were carried out. The results highlighted how the use of a waiting time before the reaching of the maximum moulding pressure allowed a better matrix flow within the vegetable yarn leading to higher mechanical performances. Full article

The aim of this study is the aerodynamic degradation of a three-bladed Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) under the influence of a hailstorm. The importance and originality of this study are that it explores the aerodynamic performance of an optimum wind turbine blade during a hailstorm, when hailstones and raindrops are present. The commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code ANSYS Fluent 16.0 was utilized for the simulation. The first step was the calculation of the optimum blade geometry characteristics for a three-bladed rotor, i.e., twist and chord length along the blade, by a user-friendly application. Afterwards, the three-dimensional blade and the flow field domain were designed and meshed appropriately. The rotary motion of the blades was accomplished by the application of the Moving Reference Frame Model and the simulation of hailstorm conditions by the Discrete Phase Model. The SST k–ω turbulence model was also added. The produced power of the wind turbine, operating in various environmental conditions, was estimated and discussed. Contours of pressure, hailstone and raindrop concentration and erosion rate, on both sides of the blade, are presented. Moreover, contours of velocity at various cross sections parallel to the rotor are demonstrated, to understand the effect of hailstorms on the wake behavior. The results suggest that the aerodynamic performance of a HAWT degrades due to impact and breakup of the particles on the blade. Full article

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a renowned commodity polymer for additive manufacturing, particularly fused deposition modelling (FDM). The recent large-scale applications of 3D-printed ABS require stable mechanical properties than ever needed. However, thermochemical scission of butadiene bonds is one of the contemporary challenges affecting the overall ABS stability. In this regard, literature reports melt-blending of ABS with different polymers with high thermal resistance. However, the comparison for the effects of different polymers on tensile strength of 3D-printed ABS blends was not yet reported. Furthermore, the cumulative studies comprising both blended polymers and in-process thermal variables for FDM were not yet presented as well. This research, for the first time, presents the statistical comparison of tensile properties for the added polymers and in-process thermal variables (printing temperature and build surface temperature). The research presents Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to explain the thermochemical reasons behind achieved mechanical properties. Overall, ABS blend with PP shows high tensile strength (≈31 MPa) at different combinations of in-process parameters. Furthermore, some commonalities among both blends are noted, i.e., the tensile strength improves with increase of surface (bed) and printing temperature. Full article

In recent years, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have gained immense popularity and are on a trajectory of constant growth. As a result, power systems are confronted with new issues and challenges, threatening their safety and reliability. PEVs are currently treated as simple loads due to their low penetration. However, as their numbers are growing, PEVs could potentially be exploited as distributed energy storage devices providing ancillary services to the network. Batteries used in PEVs are developed to deliver instantaneously active power, making them an excellent solution for system frequency support. This paper proposes a detailed dynamic model that is able to simulate frequency support capability from a large number of PEVs, using an innovative aggregate battery model that takes into account the most significant constraints at PEV and aggregate battery levels. The cost optimization algorithm, which is the most time-consuming process of the problem, is executed only at the aggregate battery level, thereby reducing the computational requirements of the model without compromising the obtained accuracy. The proposed method is applied to the power system of Crete exploiting detailed statistical data of EV mobility. It is proven that PEVs can effectively support power system frequency fluctuations without any significant deviation from their optimal operation. Full article

The operation safety of rehabilitation devices must be addressed early in the development process and before being tested on people. In this paper, the operation safety of a 2-DoF (degrees of freedom) planar mechanism for arm rehabilitation is addressed. Then, the safety and efficiency of the device operation is assessed through the Transmission Index (TI) distribution in its workspace. Furthermore, the produced stresses on the human arm are assessed via the FEM (finite element method) when the rehabilitation device reaches five critical positions within its workspace. The TI distribution showed that the proposed design has a proper behaviour from a force transmission point of view, avoiding any singular configuration that might cause a control failure and subsequent risk for the user and supporting the user’s motion with a good efficiency throughout its operational workspace. The FEM analysis showed that Nurse operation is safe for the human arm since a negligible maximum stress of 6.55 × 10³ N/m² is achieved by the human arm when the device is located on the evaluated critical positions. Full article

Modern unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can be effectively used for aerial sowing of forests. A feature of aerial sowing is the possibility of rapid reforestation at low costs, which is extremely important in the current environmental situation. The purpose of this study is to develop a set of sowing devices intended for use with UAVs. For this, the metering devices and seed distribution devices were analyzed, used on the UAV or having prospects for such use. The existing studies of metering devices, implemented by numerical methods, are analyzed. Further, the synthesis of eight different designs of sowing devices in the 3D CAD was carried out and their comparative assessment was completed in terms of mass and a set of technological parameters. Based on its results, a sowing device was selected that is most suitable for a specific given technology. Discrete Element Method (DEM) was used to simulate the workflow: imitation of loading of the sowing device, study of work in various modes, study of the process of impact interaction of seeds with the soil environment. The complex of developed sowing devices can provide sowing of almost any type of forest seeds within the framework of various technologies and soil climatic conditions. Full article

The evolution of innovative and systematic design methodologies over time has widened the design concept involvement from the product development phase, which also includes the production and start-up phases. Literature findings have presented to accomplish a Generative Design (GD) approach through the application of an innovative method called Industrial Structure Design (IDeS), a systematic design method able to discover the customer’s needs and the fundamental technical solutions to obtain a good innovative product, involving the whole organization for this achievement. Nevertheless, there is a social demand for solutions to the dramatic and growing problem of marine pollution from plastic materials, encouraging the designers to conceive a new innovative drone for waste collection at sea. Therefore, this study aims to merge all the most advanced design technologies with IDeS in an integrated way, by generating a structure that can also be adopted to plan the organization of a production company. The approach is validated with the design of the Recovery Plastic Drone (RPD) obtained with the IDeS methodology, combining Design and Product development phases, leading to a better and innovative solution for the market. Full article

Rivers close to populated or strategically important areas can cause damages and safety risks to people in the event of a flood. Traditional river flood monitoring systems like radar and ultrasonic sensors may not be completely reliable and require frequent on-site human interventions for calibration. This time-consuming and resource-intensive activity has attracted the attention of many researchers looking for highly reliable camera-based solutions. In this article we propose an automatic Computer Vision solution for river’s water-level monitoring, based on the processing of staff gauge images acquired by a V-IoT device. The solution is based on two modules. The first is implemented on the edge in order to avoid power consumption due to the transmission of poor quality frames, and another is implemented on the Cloud server, where the frames acquired and sent by the V-IoT device are processed for water level extraction. The proposed system was tested on sample images relating to more than a year of acquisitions at a river site. The first module of the proposed solution achieved excellent performances in discerning bad quality frames from good quality ones. The second module achieved very good results too, especially for what it concerns night frames. Full article

Studies overviewed in the paper have yielded a number of new scientific results including the following: suggested is a technique for conducting experimental investigations of electrochemical characteristics of hull structures of ships and floating facilities on the juvenile surface under cathodic polarization in a test seawater solution with the use of the test facility developed for investigating electrochemical characteristics of hull structures of ships and floating facilities on the juvenile surface under cathodic polarization; obtained are the results of laboratory experiments on various shipbuilding steels without surface oxide films in test seawater solutions with a widely ranging salinity spectrum; developed is a neural network-based technique for predicting the protection potential of ships and floating facilities from local corrosion mechanical damages; developed is an algorithm for obtaining the protective potential for hull structures of ships and floating facilities; suggested is a method of protecting hull structures of ships and floating facilities by means of cathodic polarization from local corrosion mechanical damages at the potential of the uncharged surface on the juvenile surface of steel; revealed are beneficial effects of using cathodic polarization by impressed current at the potential of the uncharged surface on the juvenile surface of steel which allow the prolongation of the service life of hull structures of ships and floating facilities. Full article

The current work emphasizes the modelling of the electroosmosis-modulated peristaltic flow of Jeffery liquid. Such flows emerge in understanding the movement of biological fluids in a microchannel, such as in targeted drug delivery and blood flow through micro arteries. The non-Newtonian fluid flows inside a non-uniform cross-section and an inclined microchannel. The effects of wall properties and variable fluid properties are considered. The long wavelength and small Re number approximations are assumed to simplify the governing equations. Debye-Hückel linearization is also utilized. The nonlinear governing equations are solved by utilizing the perturbation technique. MATLAB is used for the solution, velocity, temperature, skin friction, coefficient heat transport, concentration, shear wood number, and streamlines expressions. The obtained result in optimal electroosmotic velocity (or Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity) increases from −1 to 6; the axial circulation has substantial momentum. For larger optimal electroosmotic velocity, a subsequent boost in an axial electric field causes a significant deceleration. Further, the study helps biomedical engineers to create biomicrofluidics devices that may aid in carrying biological fluids. Full article

In this paper, the structure of a separable convolutional neural network that consists of an embedding layer, separable convolutional layers, convolutional layer and global average pooling is represented for binary and multiclass text classifications. The advantage of the proposed structure is the absence of multiple fully connected layers, which is used to increase the classification accuracy but raises the computational cost. The combination of low-cost separable convolutional layers and a convolutional layer is proposed to gain high accuracy and, simultaneously, to reduce the complexity of neural classifiers. Advantages are demonstrated at binary and multiclass classifications of written texts by means of the proposed networks under the sigmoid and Softmax activation functions in convolutional layer. At binary and multiclass classifications, the accuracy obtained by separable convolutional neural networks is higher in comparison with some investigated types of recurrent neural networks and fully connected networks. Full article

Foldable furniture is a trend of the modern furniture industry. However, apart from limitations attributed to multifunctionality and space saving characteristics, a complete design process documentation of foldable furniture is uncommon in furniture research. This study aims to develop a space-saving multipurpose table for improved ergonomic performance. Features and functions are extracted from research articles and patents for concept generation. The final concept is modelled using Autodesk Inventor Professional 2019. Mechanical simulations are done to confirm the structural integrity of the invention before prototyping and testing. The tests accounted for usage efficiency, space and usability. Using Minitab 19, the experimental data are analysed with t-tests. The survey data are analysed using Spearman’s correlation test via IBM SPSS Statistics version 21. Participants were able to complete tasks around 1.1–1.5 times faster with the proposed invention than with single-function furniture items. The amount of space occupied with the proposed invention was approximately 25–80% lesser than with the single-function furniture items placed together. The survey analysis demonstrated that there was a strong, positive and significant correlation between space saving effectiveness and ergonomic performance. Further developments to transition this invention to its commercialisation phase should be done to facilitate daily living domestic activities of society at large. Full article

Biometrics is progressively becoming vital due to vulnerabilities of traditional security systems leading to frequent security breaches. Biometrics is an automated device that studies human beings’ physiological and behavioral features for their unique classification. Iris-based authentication offers stronger, unique, and contactless identification of the user. Iris liveness detection (ILD) confronts challenges such as spoofing attacks with contact lenses, replayed video, and print attacks, etc. Many researchers focus on ILD to guard the biometric system from attack. Hence, it is vital to study the prevailing research explicitly associated with the ILD to address how developing technologies can offer resolutions to lessen the evolving threats. An exhaustive survey of papers on the biometric ILD was performed by searching the most applicable digital libraries. Papers were filtered based on the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was performed for scrutinizing the data extracted from the selected papers. The exhaustive review now outlines the different feature extraction techniques, classifiers, datasets and presents their critical evaluation. Importantly, the study also discusses the projects, research works for detecting the iris spoofing attacks. The work then realizes in the discovery of the research gaps and challenges in the field of ILD. Many works were restricted to handcrafted methods of feature extraction, which are confronted with bigger feature sizes. The study discloses that dep learning based automated ILD techniques shows higher potential than machine learning techniques. Acquiring an ILD dataset that addresses all the common Iris spoofing attacks is also a need of the time. The survey, thus, opens practical challenges in the field of ILD from data collection to liveness detection and encourage future research. Full article

Motor-drive systems have the most significant share in industrial energy consumption, which requires a deep study in every aspect of the field. This paper presents a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) drive system based on Plecs RT box 1. The system’s design provides the opportunity for the open-loop and closed-loop control of the motor and a characteristic performance analysis of the motor. This paper focuses on the hardware implementation of a research laboratory setup and the precise vector control of the SynRM in real-time. The application of the digital controller and inverter to drive SynRM is examined. The voltage, current, and speed transducers were employed for monitoring the protective measures and to control the motor in the closed-loop. The design of the signal conditioning and the intermediary cards for isolation and data acquisition are described in detail. An algorithm is proposed to measure the whole system parameters, including motor, inverter, and cables. Thanks to the RT box 1, the principle of real-time simulation of control algorithms is investigated, and the rapid control prototyping of field-oriented control (FOC) of SynRM was implemented. The simulation of the system was carried out in the Plecs platform, and the results are presented. The experimental results of the implemented control algorithms validate the setup’s performance and the control algorithm. Finally, as a study of the motor’s performance, the efficiency map of the motor is drawn in different speed and torque ranges. Full article

The effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the rheological properties of joint prostheses is still unclear, despite its good lubricity and biocompatibility. In the present work, PVP K30 and PVP 40-50 G solutions at different concentrations were analyzed for rheological and lubrication properties. The rheological properties of the samples were measured at a shear rate range of 0–1800 s⁻¹ (advanced air bearing rheometer Bohlin Gemini 2 and Plate MCR 72/92 rheometer for PVP30 and PVP 40-50 G, respectively). It was found that both the viscosity and shear stress of the samples reduced with a shear rate increase. PVP 40-50 G/sterile water showed higher viscosity as compared to the PVP K30/sterile water sample at a lower shear rate. However, at a higher shear rate, the PVP K30 sample produced better results. Further numerical study results showed the pressure and molecular viscosity distributions. The inclusion of PVP improved the load caring capacity and hence, it is a promising lubrication additive for artificial joints. Full article

This study shows an application of the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) Methodology in the field of medical engineering. This research aims to demonstrate the application of a systematic design approach in the development of the “Ocane”, an innovative concept of smart cane for visually impaired patients which was thought of in answer to the end user’s needs, deploying an easy to transport, locate, and adjust element with ultrasonic sensors and tactile feedback. DFSS is an analytical design methodology meant to organize project workflow in a sequence of specific steps. Other standardized design procedures such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE) have been used to support DFSS in terms of targeting customer requirements and focusing on aesthetics for ergonomics analysis, respectively. First, the QFD process is introduced and applied to gather the final customer needs, completing the analysis with benchmarking and similar-thought products on the market. Afterwards, a description of the DFSS methodology and application to the case study was deployed. Thereafter, the SDE procedure is exposed by identifying the “Ocane” concept and development, and moving towards the completion of an inventive product with a creative design and careful attention to visually impaired clients’ requirements. Full article

Computational and experimental studies have been carried out to evaluate the robustness and durability of components produced of polymer composite materials (PCM), as a part of the modernization of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) of the engine for the regional aircraft. For a preliminary assessment of the static and dynamic strength of the parts, a series of three-dimensional finite element calculations and tests of laboratory specimens, structural elements cut from finished parts, have been performed. Testing the laboratory samples made it possible to compare the obtained mechanical properties with the properties declared by PCM suppliers and to conduct a mor e correct assessment of the safety margins of the parts. To decide whether to install parts on the engine, fatigue and erosion tests of the structural elements cut from the finished parts were carried out. The final decision on the performance of the PCM parts was made after testing them as part of the upgraded LPC on the engine. The criterion for evaluating the erosion resistance of PCM parts has been introduced, which makes it possible to assess their performance during operation. Full article

This study extends a previous research that conceptualised a foldable wheelchair stretcher (FWS) by furthering its design and development process. The material and component selections are accounted for in this study. Simulations are done using different loads to analyse the stress, displacement and safety factor of the stretcher design. Bending and maximum load analyses are used to inspect possibilities of deformation. The usability tests evaluated the (1) regular, (2) folding and (3) alternate functions of the stretcher. The data for tests 1 and 2 are analysed using t-tests, while test 3 data are analysed using an observational checklist. The FWS performed its regular function significantly slower than the normal stretcher by about 2 s due to its heavier weight. Its performance can still be considered akin to a regular stretcher’s performance. The FWS’s folding function performed significantly faster than the normal stretcher due to its simpler design. The angle increment test could not be executed due to technical constraints and the wheelchair function is tested without a seated user. However, the manoeuvrability of the FWS as a wheelchair was successfully verified. Finally, a cost analysis concluded that a commercial-ready FWS can be sold at 600 MYR, which is relatively cheaper compared to its competitors. Full article

Certain obstacle mapping applications require the live evaluation of the measured data to prevent collision with obstacles. The fusion of different or similar sensors usually has a high calculation demand, which increases significantly with the area to be evaluated and the number of sensors. In the present considerations, we propose a wavelet-based adaptive optimization method, which can greatly decrease the number of grid points to be evaluated, and thus the necessary computation time. The basis of the method is to use the fact that the areas to be evaluated mostly face a rather small number of obstacles, which cover a smaller percentage of the whole environment. The first step in a pre-filtering process is the determination of the zones where no obstacles are present. This step can already result in a considerable decrease in the computation time, however with the transformation to polar coordinates, the method will not only be more fitted to the problem to be solved, but the area of the evaluation can also be increased with the same number of grid points. As a last step, we applied wavelet transformation to identify the regions of interest, where the application of a refined raster is necessary, and thus further decreasing the number of grid points where the calculation has to be carried out. We used our previously developed probability-based ultrasonic sensor fusion inverse algorithm to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. Full article

With the advent of the pandemic (e.g., novel corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19)), a tremendous amount of data about individuals are collected by the health authorities on daily basis for curbing the disease’s spread. The individuals’ data collection/processing at a massive scale for community well-being with the help of digital solutions (e.g., mobile apps for mobility and proximity analysis, contact tracing through credit card usage history, facial recognition through cameras, and crowd analysis using cellular networks data etc.) raise several privacy concerns. Furthermore, the privacy concerns that are arising mainly due to the fine-grained data collection has hindered the response to tackle this pandemic in many countries. Hence, acquiring/handling individuals data with privacy protection has become a vibrant area of research in these pandemic times. This paper explains the shift in privacy paradigm due to the pandemic (e.g., COVID-19) which involves more and detailed data collection about individuals including locations and demographics. We explain technical factors due to which the people’s privacy is at higher risk in the COVID-19 time. In addition, we discuss privacy concerns in different epidemic control measures (ECMs) (e.g., contact tracing, quarantine monitoring, and symptoms reporting etc.) employed by the health authorities to tackle this disease. Further, we provide an insight on the data management in the ECMs with privacy protection. Finally, the future prospects of the research in this area tacking into account the emerging technologies are discussed. Through this brief article, we aim to provide insights about the vulnerability to user’s privacy in pandemic times, likely privacy issues in different ECMs adopted by most countries around the world, how to preserve user’s privacy effectively in all phases of the ECMs considering relevant data in loop, and conceptual foundations of ECMs to fight with future pandemics in a privacy preserving manner. Full article

The present study aims to validate a new research method called IDeS (industrial design structure) through the design of an electric bicycle for everyday city life. IDeS is the latest evolution of a combination of innovative and advanced systematic approaches that are used to set a new industrial project. The IDeS methodology is sequentially composed of quality function deployment (QFD), benchmarking (BM), top-flop analysis (TFA), stylistic design engineering (SDE), design for X, prototyping and testing, budgeting, and planning. The present work illustrates how to integrate the abovementioned design methods and achieve a convincing result. In going through the IDeS method step by step, we compare the different solutions on the market in order to understand which are the best performing products and to understand what is missing on the market. This method allowed us to design a bicycle that is as close as possible to the “ideal bike”, obtained with the top/flop analysis. Full article

Nowadays, the new concept of urban living is required as a path to struggle with urbanization challenges in order to maintain the world and make cities better settings for living through creating high quality of life and liveability. To achieve such areas, developing sustainability, urban planning based on Information Technology, Information Communication Technology infrastructure, and innovative management play important roles. So, authors try to find out new concepts of urban life concerned with these indicators through sustainability, innovation, ubiquitous, and smartness to create a sustainable and modern world through smart cities. Based on authors’ researches, Blue-Green infrastructure based on environmentally friendly, green strategies, sustainable water management, and ubiquitous services focusing on digitalization and high technologies are required to make a modern world. Fundamentally, innovation management in technology, business and marketing has important roles in designing such areas by keeping up with growing demands and low resources of energies. In this research, i-Sustainability Plus is introduced as a theory to create Blue-Green Ubiquitous cities as modern sustainable and liveable urban areas. Such areas could make the world a better place for living through sustainable development and improving quality of human life. Full article

As a growing number of companies reject intellectual property (IP) monopoly-based business models to embrace libre product development of free and open source hardware and software, there is an urgent need to refurbish the instruments of university-corporate research partnerships. These partnerships generally use a proprietary standard research agreement (PSRA), which for historical reasons contains significant IP monopoly language and restrictions for both the company and the university. Such standard research agreements thus create an artificial barrier to innovation as both companies using a libre model and universities they wish to collaborate with must invest significantly to restructure the contracts. To solve this problem, this article provides a new Sponsored Libre Research Agreement (SLRA). The differences between the agreements are detailed. The advantages of using an SLRA are provided for any type of company and include: (1) minimizing research investments on reporting requirements; (2) reducing delays related to confidentiality and publication embargos; and (3) reducing both transaction and legal costs as well as research time losses associated with IP. Moving to libre agreements both speeds up and reduces costs for setting up collaborative research. Under the SLRA, university researchers can spend more time innovating for the same investment. Full article

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been one of the principal techniques of molecular biology and diagnosis for decades. Conventional PCR platforms, which work by rapidly heating and cooling the whole vessel, need complicated hardware designs, and cause energy waste and high cost. On the other hand, partial heating on the various locations of vessels to induce convective solution flows by buoyancy have been used for DNA amplification in recent years. In this research, we develop a new convective PCR platform, capillary loop convective polymerase chain reaction (clcPCR), which can generate one direction flow and make the PCR reaction more stable. The U-shaped loop capillaries with 1.6 mm inner diameter are designed as PCR reagent containers. The clcPCR platform utilizes one isothermal heater for heating the bottom of the loop capillary and a CCD device for detecting real-time amplifying fluorescence signals. The stable flow was generated in the U-shaped container and the amplification process could be finished in 25 min. Our experiments with different initial concentrations of DNA templates demonstrate that clcPCR can be applied for precise quantification. Multiple sample testing and real-time quantification will be achieved in future studies. Full article

Although theoretically the patent system is meant to bolster innovation, the current United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is cumbersome and involves a significant time investment to locate inactive patents less than 20 years old. This article reports on the development of an open source database to find these public domain ideas. First, a search strategy is explained. Then the operation and use of free and open source software are detailed to meet the needs of open hardware innovators. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the utility of the approach with 3-D printing. The results showed how the Free Inactive Patent Search enables users to search using plain language text to find public domain concepts and then provides a hyperlinked list of ideas that takes users to the USPTO database for the patent for more information. All of the source code to operate the search and the website are open source themselves and provided in the public domain for free. In the case study on 3-D printing the time to identify public domain patents was cut by a factor of more than 1500. This tool has the potential for accelerating the development of open hardware technologies to create high value for the public. Full article