Search Results (161)

The increasing need for precise testing in battery and electronic component development has driven the demand for modular and scalable laboratory systems. This paper presents the design and initial implementation of a LabVIEW-based measurement system tailored for ISO/IEC 17025-compliant testing environments. The system’s software architecture is modular and built around a Hardware Abstraction Layer, enabling the integration of various remotely controlled instruments, such as programmable power supplies, electronic loads, and climate chambers. LabVIEW’s object-oriented programming and multi-threaded execution environment allows synchronized control and real-time data acquisition. Test procedures are defined using a JSON-based sequence structure, supporting repeatable testing. A graphical editor provides an intuitive interface for configuring test steps, ensuring ease of use. The system is designed to support future expansion, including high-speed measurement modules and parallel test execution. This solution lays the foundation for a reliable and extensible automated testing platform that aligns with modern industrial and regulatory standards. Full article

This study presents a heterogeneous PLC-based distributed controller integrating an embedded logic-monitoring blackbox for real-time failover and fault detection in industrial control environments. Industrial automation and water treatment systems heavily rely on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for process and equipment control. However, frequent failures, transient errors, and unknown malfunctions threaten system reliability and operational continuity. To address these issues, this study proposes a heterogeneous redundancy architecture consisting of a primary PLC and a standby distributed controller equipped with a logic-monitoring blackbox. The blackbox continuously monitors the I/O logic status of the primary PLC, records abnormal behaviors such as I/O faults, and enables the standby controller’s I/O to selectively execute failover operations. Unlike conventional homogeneous redundancy, which depends on identical hardware, the proposed approach adopts a Linux-based platform, offering advantages in flexibility, cost efficiency, and elimination of vendor lock-in. Furthermore, the standby controller integrates both a ladder editor and an HMI editor, allowing for direct on-site modification and editing of faulty I/O without external tools. Experimental validation was conducted using a laboratory testbed, while durability and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) assessments were performed by an accredited institute to verify industrial applicability. Quantitatively, the mean time between failures (MTBF) increased by 17.2%, the average switchover latency was reduced to 41 ms, and the detection probability ($g$) reached 0.986 under multi-vendor configurations. All tests were performed under controlled industrial conditions using IEC 61508-compliant PLC testbeds. The results confirm that the proposed heterogeneous redundancy method significantly enhances fault detection capability, ensures rapid failover, and improves overall operational reliability in industrial automation systems. Full article

Incorporating cyclodextrins (CDs) into ionically crosslinked polysaccharide matrices offers a promising strategy for developing well-defined, safe-by-design and biocompatible carrier systems with tunable rheological properties. In this study, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was functionalized with citric acid (CDC) and maleic anhydride (CDM) using solvent-free synthesis to improve compatibility with alginate hydrogels. The modified CDs were characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR, DLS, zeta potential, and MS, confirming successful esterification (4.0 and 3.4 –OH substitution for CDC and CDM, respectively) and stable aqueous dispersion. Rheological measurements showed that native CD accelerated gelation (within approximately 30 s), while CDC and CDM delayed crosslinking (by 2 to 13 min) and reduced gel strength, narrowing the linear viscoelastic range to 0.015–0.089% strain due to competition between polycarboxylated CDs and alginate chains for Ca²⁺ ions. Vibrational prilling produced alginate microbeads with diameters of 800–1000 µm and a simultaneous increase in size and CD concentration. Hydrogels demonstrated high CD retention (>80% after 28 h) and slightly greater release of CDC and CDM than native CD. Overall, solvent-free modification of CDs with citric and maleic acids provides a sustainable approach to tailoring the gelation kinetics, viscoelasticity, and release behavior of alginate-based hydrogels, offering a versatile, food- and health-compliant platform for controlled delivery of bioactive compounds. Full article

As the increasing demand for clean-label, plant-based, and functional food systems, bigels, an innovative biphasic structured system composed of both hydrogels and oleogels, have emerged as promising research focus for delivering functional ingredients in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic fields. Plant-based bigels, formulated from edible biopolymers and vegetable oils, represent a sustainable and regulatory-compliant delivery platform. This review critically reviews the recent advances in the structural design and stabilization of plant-based bigels, with an emphasis on the regulation of phase behavior and interfacial interactions. Advanced strategies, including stimuli-responsive gelation, Pickering interfaces, and semi-interpenetrating networks, are explored to improve stability and enable targeted gastrointestinal release. Applications in the delivery of polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, lipophilic vitamins, and probiotics are highlighted, underscoring the relationship between structural construction and delivery performance. Furthermore, current challenges and potential solutions concerning stability enhancement, bioavailability improvement, and industrial scalability are outlined. Future research directions are proposed to address existing gaps and to further exploit the potential of plant-based bigels for functional compound delivery. Full article

Cell-based therapeutics are redefining interventions for vision loss by enabling tissue replacement, regeneration, and neuroprotection. This review surveys contemporary cellular strategies in ophthalmology through the lenses of therapeutic effectiveness, translational readiness, and governance. We profile principal sources—embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, retinal pigment epithelium, retinal progenitor and limbal stem cells—and enabling platforms including extracellular vesicles, encapsulated cell technology and biomaterial scaffolds. We synthesize clinical evidence across age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal dystrophies, and corneal injury/limbal stem-cell deficiency, and highlight emerging applications for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Delivery routes (subretinal, intravitreal, anterior segment) and graft formats (single cells, sheets/patches, organoids) are compared using standardized structural and functional endpoints. Persistent barriers include GMP-compliant derivation and release testing; differentiation fidelity, maturation, and potency; genomic stability and tumorigenicity risk; graft survival, synaptic integration, and immune rejection despite ocular immune privilege; the scarcity of validated biomarkers and harmonized outcome measures and ethical, regulatory, and health-economic constraints. Promising trajectories span off-the-shelf allogeneic products, patient-specific iPSC-derived grafts, organoid and 3D-bioprinted tissues, gene-plus-cell combinations, and cell-free extracellular-vesicle therapeutics. Overall, cell-based therapies remain investigational. With adequately powered trials, methodological harmonization, long-term surveillance, scalable xeno-free manufacturing, and equitable access frameworks, they may eventually become standards of care; at present, approvals are limited to specific products/indications and regions, and no cell therapy is the standard of care for retinal disease. Full article

As cyberattacks grow increasingly sophisticated, the timely exchange of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) has become essential to enhancing situational awareness and enabling proactive defense. Several challenges exist in CTI sharing, including the timely dissemination of threat information, the need for privacy and confidentiality, and the accessibility of data even in unstable network conditions. In addition to security and privacy, latency and throughput are critical performance metrics when selecting a suitable platform for CTI sharing. Substantial efforts have been devoted to developing effective solutions for CTI sharing. Several existing CTI sharing systems adopt either centralized or blockchain-based architectures. However, centralized models suffer from scalability bottlenecks and single points of failure, while the slow and limited transactions of blockchain make it unsuitable for real-time and reliable CTI sharing. To address these challenges, we propose a DDS-based framework that automates data sanitization, STIX-compliant structuring, and real-time dissemination of CTI. Our prototype evaluation demonstrates low latency, linear throughput scaling at configured send rates up to 125 messages per second, with 100% delivery success across all scenarios, while sustaining low CPU and memory overheads. The findings of this study highlight the unique ability of DDS to overcome the timeliness, security, automation, and reliability challenges of CTI sharing. Full article

Despite the widespread adoption of network monitoring tools, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), specifically small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), continue to face persistent challenges in achieving predictive, multi-tenant-aware visibility across distributed client networks. Existing monitoring systems lack integrated predictive analytics and edge intelligence. To address this, we propose an AI- and IoT-driven monitoring and visualisation framework that integrates edge IoT nodes (Raspberry Pi Prometheus modules) with machine learning models to enable predictive anomaly detection, proactive alerting, and reduced downtime. This system leverages Prometheus, Grafana, and Mimir for data collection, visualisation, and long-term storage, while incorporating Simple Linear Regression (SLR), K-Means clustering, and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models for anomaly prediction and fault classification. These AI modules are containerised and deployed at the edge or centrally, depending on tenant topology, with predicted risk metrics seamlessly integrated back into Prometheus. A one-month deployment across five MSP clients (500 nodes) demonstrated significant operational benefits, including a 95% reduction in downtime and a 90% reduction in incident resolution time relative to historical baselines. The system ensures secure tenant isolation via VPN tunnels and token-based authentication, while providing GDPR-compliant data handling. Unlike prior monitoring platforms, this work introduces a fully edge-embedded AI inference pipeline, validated through live deployment and operational feedback. Full article

Organoid technology has emerged as a revolutionary tool in cancer research, offering physiologically accurate, three-dimensional models that preserve the histoarchitecture, genetic stability, and phenotypic complexity of primary tumors. These self-organizing structures, derived from adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, or patient tumor biopsies, recapitulate critical aspects of tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and microenvironmental interactions. Organoids serve as powerful systems for modeling tumor progression, assessing drug sensitivity and resistance, and guiding precision oncology strategies. Recent innovations have extended organoid capabilities beyond static culture systems. Integration with microfluidic organoid-on-chip platforms, high-throughput CRISPR-based functional genomics, and AI-driven phenotypic analytics has enhanced mechanistic insight and translational relevance. Co-culture systems incorporating immune, stromal, and endothelial components now permit dynamic modeling of tumor–host interactions, immunotherapeutic responses, and metastatic behavior. Comparative analyses with conventional platforms, 2D monolayers, spheroids, and patient-derived xenografts emphasize the superior fidelity and clinical potential of organoids. Despite these advances, several challenges remain, such as protocol variability, incomplete recapitulation of systemic physiology, and limitations in scalability, standardization, and regulatory alignment. Addressing these gaps with unified workflows, synthetic matrices, vascularized and innervated co-cultures, and GMP-compliant manufacturing will be crucial for clinical integration. Proactive engagement with regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines will be pivotal to ensuring safe, responsible, and equitable clinical translation. With the convergence of bioengineering, multi-omics, and computational modeling, organoids are poised to become indispensable tools in next-generation oncology, driving mechanistic discovery, predictive diagnostics, and personalized therapy optimization. Full article

The evolution of decentralized clinical trials, driven by advanced digital technologies, is transforming traditional clinical research. It introduces innovative methods for informed consent, remote patient monitoring, and data analysis, enhancing study efficiency, validity, and participation while reducing patient burden. Some clinical procedures can be conducted remotely, increasing trial accessibility and reducing population selection biases, particularly for cardiovascular patients. However, this also presents complex regulatory and ethical challenges. The article explores how digital platforms and emerging technologies like block chain, AI, and advanced cryptography can promote traceability, security, and transparency throughout the trial process, ensuring participant identification and documentation of each procedural step. Clear, legally compliant informed consent, often managed through electronic systems, both for research participation and data management in line with GDPR, is essential. Ethical considerations include ensuring participants understand trial information, with adaptations such as simplified language, visual aids, and multilingual support. The transnational nature of decentralized trials highlights the need for coordinated regulatory standards to overcome jurisdictional barriers and reinforce accountability. This framework promotes trust, shared responsibility, and the protection of participants rights while upholding high ethical standards in scientific research. Full article

Ducted fan flying robots with robotic arms can perform physical interaction tasks in complex environments such as indoors. However, the coupling effects between the aerial platform, the robotic arm, and physical environment pose significant challenges for the robot to accurately approach and stably contact the target. To address this problem, we propose a unified control framework for a ducted fan flying robot that encompasses both flight planning and physical interaction. This contribution mainly includes the following: (1) A nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC)-based trajectory optimization controller is proposed, which achieves accurate and smooth tracking of the robot’s end effector by considering the coupling of redundant states and various motion and performance constraints, while avoiding potential singularities and dangers. (2) On this basis, an easy-to-practice hierarchical control framework is proposed, achieving stable and compliant contact of the end effector without controller switching between the flight and interaction processes. The results of experimental tests show that the proposed method exhibits accurate position tracking of the end effector without overshoot, while the maximum fluctuation is reduced by up to 75.5% without wind and 71.0% with wind compared to the closed-loop inverse kinematics (CLIK) method, and it can also ensure continuous stable contact of the end effector with the vertical wall target. Full article

Free-space optical (FSO) communication systems face significant challenges from atmospheric turbulence, which induces time-correlated fading and burst errors that critically affect link reliability. This paper presents a comprehensive end-to-end CCSDS O3K simulation platform with detailed atmospheric channel and pointing error modeling, enabling realistic performance evaluation. The atmospheric channel model follows ITU-R P.1622-1 recommendations and incorporates amplitude scintillation with temporal correlation using Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes, while the pointing error model captures beam misalignment effects inherent in satellite optical links. Through extensive Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate the impact of coherence time, and interleaving depth on system performance. Results show that deeper interleaving significantly improves reliability under realistic channel conditions, providing valuable design guidance for CCSDS-compliant optical communication systems. This study does not propose new algorithms or protocols; rather, it delivers the first end-to-end CCSDS-compliant simulation framework under realistically modeled turbulence and pointing errors. Accordingly, the results offer meaningful reference value and practical benchmarks for inter-satellite optical communication research and system design. Full article

Smart routing has emerged as a critical enabler of sustainable shipping, addressing the growing demand for energy-efficient, safe, and adaptive vessel navigation in both maritime and inland waterborne transport. This review examines the current landscape of trajectory optimization approaches by analyzing selected peer-reviewed studies and categorizing them into six thematic areas: AI/ML-based prediction, optimization and path planning algorithms, data-driven methods using AIS and GIS, weather routing and environmental modeling, digital platforms and decision support systems, and hybrid or rule-based frameworks for autonomous navigation. The analysis highlights recent advances in deep learning for trajectory forecasting, multi-objective and heuristic optimization techniques, and the use of real-time environmental data in routing decisions. Supplemental review using Scopus-based topic mapping confirms the centrality of integrated digital strategies, high-performance computing, and physics-informed modeling in emerging research. Despite notable progress, the field remains fragmented, with limited real-time integration, underexplored regulatory alignment, and a lack of explainable AI applications. The review concludes by outlining future directions, including the development of hybrid and interpretable optimization frameworks, and expanding research tailored to inland navigation with its distinct operational challenges. These insights aim to support the design of next-generation navigation systems that are robust, intelligent, and environmentally compliant. Full article

Random number generators play a critical role in ensuring information security, supporting encrypted communications, and preventing data leakage. However, the random number generators widely used in hardware are faced with potential threats such as environmental disturbances and fault injection attacks. Especially in automotive-grade environments, chips encounter threat scenarios involving multidimensional fault injection, which may lead to functional failures or malicious exploitation, endangering the security of the entire system. This paper focuses on a Counter Mode Deterministic Random Bit Generator (CTR-DRBG) based on the AES-128 algorithm and implements a hardware prototype system compliant with the NIST SP 800-22 standard on an FPGA platform. Centering on typical fault modes such as temperature disturbances, voltage glitches, electromagnetic interference, and bit flips, single-dimensional and multidimensional fault injection and simulated fault injection experiments were designed and conducted. The impact characteristics and sensitivities of electromagnetic faults, voltage faults, and temperature faults regarding the output sequences of random numbers were systematically evaluated. The experimental results show that this type of random number generator exhibits modular-level differential vulnerability under physical disturbances, especially in the data transmission processes of encryption paths and critical registers, which demonstrate higher sensitivity to flip-type faults. This research provides a feasible analysis framework and practical basis for the security assessment and fault-tolerant design of random number generators, possessing certain engineering applicability and theoretical reference value. Full article

Background/Objectives: Despite progress in antiretroviral therapy, HIV remains a major global health challenge with over one million new infections annually. An effective vaccine is urgently needed. Germline-targeting immunogens show promise in initiating broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) precursors. This study developed a scalable, cGMP-compliant process to manufacture the HIV vaccine booster immunogen HxB2.WT.Core-C4b, a nanoparticle designed to direct bNAb precursor maturation after priming. Methods: A CHO cell platform was established through single-cell cloning from a high-producing stable pool. Upstream and downstream processes were optimized for scalability and yield. Three scales were tested 10 L, 40 L, and 400 L. Key parameters (pH, temperature, feeding, metabolite profiles) were systematically refined. Analytical characterization included glycosylation profiling, electron microscopy, and antigenicity testing. Viral clearance was evaluated per ICH Q5A guidelines. Results: Optimization ensured consistent yields above 130 mg/L, with titers up to 250 mg/L. The selected clone (4E22) demonstrated strong growth, viability, and reproducibility. Glycan occupancy at 18 N-linked sites, including bNAb epitopes (N276, N332), was stable across scales. Over 70% of self-assembling nanoparticle were fully assembled at the GMP level. Antigenicity and purity met cGMP release criteria. Viral clearance achieved >13-log reduction for enveloped and >7-log for non-enveloped viruses. Conclusions: This work establishes a robust, scalable platform for HIV nanoparticle immunogens. Consistent quality and yield across scales support clinical development of HxB2.WT.Core-C4b and provide a model for other glycosylated nanoparticle vaccines. The immunogen is being evaluated in clinical study HVTN 320 (NCT06796686), enabling early testing of next-generation vaccines designed to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies. Full article

The operation of microgravity research missions, such as sounding rockets, CubeSats, and small landers, typically relies on proprietary mission control infrastructures, which limit reproducibility, portability, and interdisciplinary use. In this work, we present an open-source blueprint for a distributed ground-segment architecture designed to support telemetry, telecommand, and mission operations across institutional and geographic boundaries. The system integrates containerized services, broker bridging for publish–subscribe communication, CCSDS-compliant telemetry and telecommand handling, and secure virtual private networks with two-factor authentication. A modular mission control system based on Yamcs was extended with custom plug-ins for CRC verification, packet reassembly, and command sequencing. The platform was validated during the MAPHEUS-10 sounding rocket mission, where it enabled uninterrupted remote commanding between Sweden and Germany and achieved end-to-end command–response latencies of ~550 ms under flight conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first open-source ground-segment framework deployed in a space mission. By combining elements from computer science, aerospace engineering, and systems engineering, this work demonstrates how interdisciplinary integration enables resilient, reproducible, and portable mission operations. The blueprint offers a practical foundation for future interdisciplinary research missions, extending beyond sounding rockets to CubeSats, ISS experiments, and planetary landers. This study is part two of a three-part series describing the apex Mk.2/Mk.3 experiments, open-source ground segment, and service module simulator. Full article