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32 pages, 3202 KiB  
Article
An Integrated Framework for Urban Water Infrastructure Planning and Management: A Case Study for Gauteng Province, South Africa
by Khathutshelo Godfrey Maumela, Tebello Ntsiki Don Mathaba and Mahalieo Kao
Water 2025, 17(15), 2290; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152290 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 183
Abstract
Effective water infrastructure planning and management is key to sustainable water supply globally. This research assesses water infrastructure planning and management in Gauteng, South Africa, amid growing challenges from rapid urbanisation, high water demand, climate change, and resource scarcity. These challenges threaten the [...] Read more.
Effective water infrastructure planning and management is key to sustainable water supply globally. This research assesses water infrastructure planning and management in Gauteng, South Africa, amid growing challenges from rapid urbanisation, high water demand, climate change, and resource scarcity. These challenges threaten the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 11; hence, an integrated approach is required for water sustainability. The study responds to a gap in the literature, which often treats planning and management separately, by adopting an integrated, multi-institutional approach across the water value chain. A mixed-methods triangulation strategy was employed for data collection whereby surveys provided quantitative data, while two sets of structured interviews were conducted: the first round to determine causal relationships among the critical success factors and the second round to validate the proposed framework. The findings reveal a misalignment between infrastructure planning and implementation, contributing to infrastructure backlogs and a short- to medium-term focus. Infrastructure management is further constrained by inadequate system redundancy, leading to ineffective maintenance. External factors such as delayed adoption of 4IR technologies, lack of climate resilient strategies, and fragmented institutional coordination exacerbate these issues. Using Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) analysis, the study identified Strategic Alignment and a Value-Driven Approach as the most influential critical success factors in water asset management. The research concludes by proposing an integrated water infrastructure and planning framework that supports sustainable water supply. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Urban Water Management)
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25 pages, 6843 KiB  
Article
Design and Experimental Investigation of Pneumatic Drum-Sieve-Type Separator for Transforming Mixtures of Protaetia Brevitarsis Larvae
by Yuxin Yang, Changhe Niu, Xin Shi, Jianhua Xie, Yongxin Jiang and Deying Ma
AgriEngineering 2025, 7(8), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering7080244 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 137
Abstract
In response to the need for separation and utilization of residual film mixtures after transformation of protaetia brevitarsis larvae, a pneumatic drum-sieve-type separator for transforming mixtures of protaetia brevitarsis larvae was designed. First, the suspension velocity of each component was determined by the [...] Read more.
In response to the need for separation and utilization of residual film mixtures after transformation of protaetia brevitarsis larvae, a pneumatic drum-sieve-type separator for transforming mixtures of protaetia brevitarsis larvae was designed. First, the suspension velocity of each component was determined by the suspension speed test. Secondly, the separation process of residual film, larvae, and insect sand was formulated on the basis of biological activities, shape differences, and aerodynamic response characteristics. Eventually, the main structural parameters and working parameters of the machine were determined. In order to optimize the separation effect, a single-factor experiment and a quadratic regression response surface experiment containing three factors and three levels were carried out, and the corresponding regression model was established. The experimental results showed that the effects of the air speed at the inlet, inclination angle of the sieve cylinder, and rotational speed of the sieve cylinder on the impurity rate of the residual film decreased in that order, and that the effects of the rotational speed of the sieve cylinder, inclination angle of the sieve cylinder, and air speed at the inlet on the inactivation rate of the larvae decreased in that order. Through parameter optimization, a better combination of working parameters was obtained: the rotational speed of the sieve cylinder was 24 r/min, the inclination angle of the sieve cylinder was −0.43°, and the air speed at the inlet was 5.32 m/s. The average values of residual film impurity rate and larval inactivation rate obtained from the material sieving test under these parameters were 8.74% and 3.18%, with the relative errors of the theoretically optimized values being less than 5%. The results of the study can provide a reference for the resource utilization of residual film and impurity mixtures and the development of equipment for the living body separation of protaetia brevitarsis. Full article
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50 pages, 11611 KiB  
Review
The Quest Towards Superhydrophobic Cellulose and Bacterial Cellulose Membranes and Their Perspective Applications
by Iliana Ntovolou, Despoina Farkatsi and Kosmas Ellinas
Micro 2025, 5(3), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/micro5030037 (registering DOI) - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 83
Abstract
Over the last few decades, the growing demand for sustainable resources has made biopolymers increasingly popular, as they offer an eco-friendly alternative to conventional synthetic polymers, which are often associated with environmental issues such as the formation of microplastics and toxic substances. Functionalization [...] Read more.
Over the last few decades, the growing demand for sustainable resources has made biopolymers increasingly popular, as they offer an eco-friendly alternative to conventional synthetic polymers, which are often associated with environmental issues such as the formation of microplastics and toxic substances. Functionalization of biomaterials involves modifying their physical, chemical, or biological properties to improve their performance for specific applications. Cellulose and bacterial cellulose are biopolymers of interest, due to the plethora of hydroxyl groups, their high surface area, and high porosity, which makes them ideal candidates for several applications. However, there are applications, which require precise control of their wetting properties. In this review, we present the most effective fabrication methods for modifying both the morphology and the chemical properties of cellulose and bacterial cellulose, towards the realization of superhydrophobic bacterial cellulose films and surfaces. Such materials can find a wide variety of applications, yet in this review we target and discuss applications deriving from the wettability control, such as antibacterial surfaces, wound healing films, and separation media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Microscale Materials Science)
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19 pages, 1370 KiB  
Article
Airborne-Platform-Assisted Transmission and Control Separation for Multiple Access in Integrated Satellite–Terrestrial Networks
by Chaoran Huang, Xiao Ma, Xiangren Xin, Weijia Han and Yanjie Dong
Sensors 2025, 25(15), 4732; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25154732 (registering DOI) - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
Currently, the primary random access protocol for satellite communications is Irregular Repetition Slotted ALOHA (IRSA). This protocol leverages interference cancellation and burst repetition based on probabilistic distributions, achieving up to 80% channel utilization in practical use. However, it faces three significant issues: (1) [...] Read more.
Currently, the primary random access protocol for satellite communications is Irregular Repetition Slotted ALOHA (IRSA). This protocol leverages interference cancellation and burst repetition based on probabilistic distributions, achieving up to 80% channel utilization in practical use. However, it faces three significant issues: (1) low channel utilization with smaller frame sizes; (2) drastic performance degradation under heavy load, where channel utilization can be lower than that of traditional Slotted ALOHA; and (3) even under optimal load and frame sizes, up to 20% of the valuable satellite channel resources are still wasted despite reaching up to 80% channel utilization. In this paper, we propose the Separated Transmission and Control ALOHA (STCA) protocol, which introduces a space–air–ground layered network and separates the access control process from the satellite to an airborne platform, thus preventing collisions in satellite channels. Additionally, the airborne-platform estimates the load to ensure maximum access rates. Simulation results demonstrate that the STCA protocol significantly outperforms the IRSA protocol in terms of channel utilization. Full article
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20 pages, 1508 KiB  
Article
Using Community-Based Social Marketing to Promote Pro-Environmental Behavior in Municipal Solid Waste Management: Evidence from Norte de Santander, Colombia
by Myriam Carmenza Sierra Puentes, Elkin Manuel Puerto-Rojas, Sharon Naomi Correa-Galindo and Jose Alejandro Aristizábal Cuellar
Environments 2025, 12(8), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12080262 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 305
Abstract
The sustainable management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) relies heavily on community participation in separating it at the source and delivering it to collection systems. These practices are crucial for reducing pollution, protecting ecosystems, and maximizing resource recovery. However, in the Global South [...] Read more.
The sustainable management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) relies heavily on community participation in separating it at the source and delivering it to collection systems. These practices are crucial for reducing pollution, protecting ecosystems, and maximizing resource recovery. However, in the Global South context, with conditions of socioeconomic vulnerability, community participation in the sustainable management of MSW remains limited, highlighting the need to generate context-specific interventions. MSW includes items such as household appliances, batteries, and electronic devices, which require specialized handling due to their size, hazardous components, or material complexity. This study implemented a Community-Based Social Marketing approach during the research and design phases of an intervention focused on promoting source separation and management of hard-to-manage MSW in five municipalities within the administrative region of Norte de Santander (Colombia), which borders Venezuela. Using a mixed-methods approach, we collected data from 1775 individuals (63.83% women; M age = 33.48 years; SD = 17.25), employing social mapping, focus groups, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a survey questionnaire. The results show that the source separation and delivery of hard-to-manage MSW to collection systems are limited by a set of psychosocial, structural, and institutional barriers that interact with each other, affecting communities’ willingness and capacity for action. Furthermore, a prediction model of willingness to engage in separation and delivery behaviors showed a good fit (R2 = 0.83). The strongest predictors were awareness of the negative consequences of non-participation and perceived environmental benefits, with subjective norms contributing to a lesser extent. Based on these results, we designed a context-specific intervention focused on reducing these barriers and promoting community engagement in the sustainable management of hard-to-manage MSW. Full article
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21 pages, 10615 KiB  
Article
Cultivated Land Quality Evaluation and Constraint Factor Identification Under Different Cropping Systems in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China
by Changhe Liu, Yuzhou Sun, Xiangjun Liu, Shengxian Xu, Wentao Zhou, Fengkui Qian, Yunjia Liu, Huaizhi Tang and Yuanfang Huang
Agronomy 2025, 15(8), 1838; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15081838 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 172
Abstract
Cultivated land quality is a key factor in ensuring sustainable agricultural development. Exploring differences in cultivated land quality under distinct cropping systems is essential for developing targeted improvement strategies. This study takes place in Shenyang City—located in the typical black soil region of [...] Read more.
Cultivated land quality is a key factor in ensuring sustainable agricultural development. Exploring differences in cultivated land quality under distinct cropping systems is essential for developing targeted improvement strategies. This study takes place in Shenyang City—located in the typical black soil region of Northeast China—as a case area to construct a cultivated land quality evaluation system comprising 13 indicators, including organic matter, effective soil layer thickness, and texture configuration. A minimum data set (MDS) was separately extracted for paddy and upland fields using principal component analysis (PCA) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of cultivated land quality. Additionally, an obstacle degree model was employed to identify the limiting factors and quantify their impact. The results indicated the following. (1) Both MDSs consisted of seven indicators, among which five were common: ≥10 °C accumulated temperature, available phosphorus, arable layer thickness, irrigation capacity, and organic matter. Parent material and effective soil layer thickness were unique to paddy fields, while landform type and soil texture were unique to upland fields. (2) The cultivated land quality index (CQI) values at the sampling point level showed no significant difference between paddy (0.603) and upland (0.608) fields. However, their spatial distributions diverged significantly; paddy fields were dominated by high-grade land (Grades I and II) clustered in southern areas, whereas uplands were primarily of medium quality (Grades III and IV), with broader spatial coverage. (3) Major constraint factors for paddy fields were effective soil layer thickness (21.07%) and arable layer thickness (22.29%). For upland fields, the dominant constraints were arable layer thickness (27.57%), organic matter (25.40%), and ≥10 °C accumulated temperature (23.28%). Available phosphorus and ≥10 °C accumulated temperature were identified as shared constraint factors affecting quality classification in both systems. In summary, cultivated land quality under different cropping systems is influenced by distinct limiting factors. The construction of cropping-system-specific MDSs effectively improves the efficiency and accuracy of cultivated land quality assessment, offering theoretical and methodological support for land resource management in the black soil regions of China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Innovative Cropping Systems)
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29 pages, 6179 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Provision of Ecosystem Services Using Forest Site Classification as a Basis for the Forest Bioeconomy in the Czech Republic
by Kateřina Holušová and Otakar Holuša
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081242 - 28 Jul 2025
Viewed by 198
Abstract
The ecosystem services (ESs) of forests are the benefits that people derive from forest ecosystems. Their precise recognition is important for differentiating and determining the optimal principles of multifunctional forest management. The aim of this study is to identify some important ESs based [...] Read more.
The ecosystem services (ESs) of forests are the benefits that people derive from forest ecosystems. Their precise recognition is important for differentiating and determining the optimal principles of multifunctional forest management. The aim of this study is to identify some important ESs based on a site classification system at the lowest level—i.e., forest stands, at the forest owner level—as a tool for differentiated management. ESs were assessed within the Czech Republic and are expressed in units in accordance with the very sophisticated Forest Site Classification System. (1) Biomass production: The vertical differentiation of ecological conditions given by vegetation tiers, which reflect the influence of altitude, exposure, and climate, provides a basic overview of biomass production; the highest value is in the fourth vegetation tier, i.e., the Fageta abietis community. Forest stands are able to reach a stock of up to 900–1200 m3·ha−1. The lowest production is found in the eighth vegetation tier, i.e., the Piceeta community, with a wood volume of 150–280 m3·ha−1. (2) Soil conservation function: Geological bedrock, soil characteristics, and the geomorphological shape of the terrain determine which habitats serve a soil conservation function according to forest type sets. (3) The hydricity of the site, depending on the soil type, determines the hydric-water protection function of forest stands. Currently, protective forests occupy 53,629 ha in the Czech Republic; however, two subcategories of protective forests—exceptionally unfavorable locations and natural alpine spruce communities below the forest line—potentially account for 87,578 ha and 15,277 ha, respectively. Forests with an increased soil protection function—a subcategory of special-purpose forests—occupy 133,699 ha. The potential area of soil protection forests could be up to 188,997 ha. Water resource protection zones of the first degree—another subcategory of special-purpose forests—occupy 8092 ha, and there is potentially 289,973 ha of forests serving a water protection function (specifically, a water management function) in the Czech Republic. A separate subcategory of water protection with a bank protection function accounts for 80,529 ha. A completely new approach is presented for practical use by forest owners: based on the characteristics of the habitat, they can obtain information about the fulfillment of the habitat’s ecosystem services and, thus, have basic information for the determination of forest categories and the principles of differentiated management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Economics, Policy, and Social Science)
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22 pages, 5613 KiB  
Article
Generative Design-Driven Optimization for Effective Concrete Structural Systems
by Hossam Wefki, Mona Salah, Emad Elbeltagi and Majed Alinizzi
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2646; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152646 - 27 Jul 2025
Viewed by 410
Abstract
The process of designing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings has traditionally relied on manually evaluating a limited number of layout alternatives—a time-intensive process that may not always yield the most functionally efficient solution. This research introduces a parametric algorithmic model for the automated optimization [...] Read more.
The process of designing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings has traditionally relied on manually evaluating a limited number of layout alternatives—a time-intensive process that may not always yield the most functionally efficient solution. This research introduces a parametric algorithmic model for the automated optimization of RC buildings with solid slab systems. The model automates and optimizes the layout process, yielding measurable improvements in spatial efficiency while maintaining compliance with structural performance criteria. Unlike prior models that address structural or architectural parameters separately, the proposed framework integrates both domains through a unified generative design approach within a BIM environment, enabling automated evaluation of structurally viable and architecturally coherent slab layouts. Developed within the parametric visual programming environment in Dynamo for Revit, the model employs a generative design (GD) engine to explore and refine various design alternatives while adhering to structural constraints. By leveraging a BIM-based framework, this method enhances efficiency, optimizes resource utilization, and systematically balances structural and architectural requirements. The model was validated through three case studies, demonstrating cost reductions between 2.7% and 17%, with material savings of up to 13.38% in concrete and 20.87% in reinforcement, achieved within computational times ranging from 120 to 930 s. Despite the current development being limited to vertical load scenarios and being most suitable for regular slab-based configurations, the results demonstrated the model’s effectiveness in optimizing grid dimensions and reducing material quantities and costs, and highlighted its ability to streamline early-stage design processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Construction and Design Practices Using BIM)
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16 pages, 3829 KiB  
Article
Process Development for Concentrating Valuable Metals Present in the Non-Valorized Solid Fractions from Urban Mining
by Nour-Eddine Menad and Alassane Traoré
Metals 2025, 15(8), 834; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15080834 (registering DOI) - 26 Jul 2025
Viewed by 225
Abstract
Global resource consumption continues to grow each year, exerting increasing pressure on their availability. This trend could lead to a shortage of raw materials in the coming years. Aware of the risks associated with this situation, the European Union has implemented policies and [...] Read more.
Global resource consumption continues to grow each year, exerting increasing pressure on their availability. This trend could lead to a shortage of raw materials in the coming years. Aware of the risks associated with this situation, the European Union has implemented policies and strategies aimed at diversifying its supply sources, including waste recycling. In this context, the present study was conducted with the objective of developing innovative processes to concentrate valuable metals present in the non-recovered fractions of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Three types of samples were studied: washing table residues (WTRs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and powders from cathode-ray tube screens (CRT powders). Several separation techniques, based on the physical properties of the elements, were implemented, including electrostatic separation, magnetic separation, and density and gravity-based separations. The results obtained are promising. For WTRs and PCBs, the recovery rates of targeted metals (Cu, Al, Pb, Zn, Sn) reached approximately 91% and 80%, respectively. In addition to these metals, other valuable metals, present in significant quantities, deserve further exploration. Regarding CRT powders, the performances are also encouraging, with recovery rates of 54.7% for zinc, 57.1% for yttrium, and approximately 71% for europium. Although these results are satisfactory, optimizations are possible to maximize the recovery of these critical elements. The techniques implemented have demonstrated their effectiveness in concentrating target metals in the treated fractions. These results confirm that recycling constitutes a viable alternative to address resource shortages and secure part of the supplies needed for the European Union’s industry. Full article
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18 pages, 6124 KiB  
Article
Extraction of Alumina and Alumina-Based Cermets from Iron-Lean Red Muds Using Carbothermic Reduction of Silica and Iron Oxides
by Rita Khanna, Dmitry Zinoveev, Yuri Konyukhov, Kejiang Li, Nikita Maslennikov, Igor Burmistrov, Jumat Kargin, Maksim Kravchenko and Partha Sarathy Mukherjee
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6802; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156802 - 26 Jul 2025
Viewed by 410
Abstract
A novel strategy has been developed for extracting value-added resources from iron-lean, high-alumina- and -silica-containing red muds (RMs). With little or no recycling, such RMs are generally destined for waste dumps. Detailed results are presented on the carbothermic reduction of 100% RM (29.3 [...] Read more.
A novel strategy has been developed for extracting value-added resources from iron-lean, high-alumina- and -silica-containing red muds (RMs). With little or no recycling, such RMs are generally destined for waste dumps. Detailed results are presented on the carbothermic reduction of 100% RM (29.3 wt.% Fe2O3, 22.2 wt.% Al2O3, 20.0 wt.% SiO2, 1.2 wt.% CaO, 12.2 wt.% Na2O) and its 2:1 blends with Fe2O3 and red mill scale (MS). Synthetic graphite was used as the reductant. Carbothermic reduction of RM and blends was carried out in a Tamman resistance furnace at 1650 °C for 20 min in an Ar atmosphere. Reduction residues were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), elemental mapping and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Small amounts of Fe3Si alloys, alumina, SiC and other oxide-based residuals were detected in the carbothermic residue of 100% RM. A number of large metallic droplets of Fe–Si alloys were observed for RM/Fe2O3 blends; no aluminium was detected in these metallic droplets. A clear segregation of alumina was observed as a separate phase. For the RM/red MS blends, a number of metallic Fe–Si droplets were seen embedded in an alumina matrix in the form of a cermet. This study has shown the regeneration of alumina and the formation of alumina-based cermets, Fe–Si alloys and SiC during carbothermic reduction of RM and its blends. This innovative recycling strategy could be used for extracting value-added resources from iron-lean RMs, thereby enhancing process productivity, cost-effectiveness of alumina regeneration, waste utilization and sustainable developments in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Materials, Waste Management, and Recycling)
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23 pages, 1784 KiB  
Article
Study on the Adsorption Characteristics of Spirulina Dry Powder Biomass for Rare Earth Element Praseodymium(III): Adsorption Isotherms, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics Analysis
by Zhenxiang Hu, Caixia Zhang and Qing Shu
Separations 2025, 12(8), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12080195 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 322
Abstract
Aimed at developing an economical and efficient biosorbent for the adsorption and separation of rare earth ions, this study employed Spirulina dry powder biomass as a biosorbent to investigate its removal performance for Pr3+ in aqueous solutions. Experimental results demonstrated that under [...] Read more.
Aimed at developing an economical and efficient biosorbent for the adsorption and separation of rare earth ions, this study employed Spirulina dry powder biomass as a biosorbent to investigate its removal performance for Pr3+ in aqueous solutions. Experimental results demonstrated that under optimized conditions (pH = 5, adsorbent dosage = 2.0 g/L, initial Pr3+ concentration = 100 mg/L, and adsorption time = 60 min), the removal efficiency of Pr3+ reached 79.0%. FT-IR and XPS characterization confirmed the participation of various functional groups on the Spirulina surface in the adsorption process. When 0.1 mol/L HNO3 was used as the desorption agent, the desorption rate of Pr3+ from Spirulina reached 91.7%, demonstrating excellent regeneration performance. At different temperatures (298–318 K), the adsorption data were fitted using Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Redlich–Peterson models. Among them, the Langmuir model (R2 ranged from 0.993 to 0.999) provided the best fit, and the adsorption capacity of Spirulina for Pr3+ was in the range of 51.10 to 55.31 mg/g. Kinetic studies revealed that the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.999) best described the adsorption process, with a rate constant of 0.054 g/(mg·min) (R2 was 0.999) at an initial Pr3+ concentration of 300 mg/L, indicating chemisorption-controlled behavior. Thermodynamic parameter analysis showed that within the experimental temperature range, ΔG0 < 0 and ΔS0 > 0, confirming that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. This study provides a novel technical approach for the green recovery of rare earth elements and highlights the potential of Spirulina biomass in rare earth resource recycling. Full article
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14 pages, 1419 KiB  
Article
GhostBlock-Augmented Lightweight Gaze Tracking via Depthwise Separable Convolution
by Jing-Ming Guo, Yu-Sung Cheng, Yi-Chong Zeng and Zong-Yan Yang
Electronics 2025, 14(15), 2978; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14152978 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 172
Abstract
This paper proposes a lightweight gaze-tracking architecture named GhostBlock-Augmented Look to Coordinate Space (L2CS), which integrates GhostNet-based modules and depthwise separable convolution to achieve a better trade-off between model accuracy and computational efficiency. Conventional lightweight gaze-tracking models often suffer from degraded accuracy due [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a lightweight gaze-tracking architecture named GhostBlock-Augmented Look to Coordinate Space (L2CS), which integrates GhostNet-based modules and depthwise separable convolution to achieve a better trade-off between model accuracy and computational efficiency. Conventional lightweight gaze-tracking models often suffer from degraded accuracy due to aggressive parameter reduction. To address this issue, we introduce GhostBlocks, a custom-designed convolutional unit that combines intrinsic feature generation with ghost feature recomposition through depthwise operations. Our method enhances the original L2CS architecture by replacing each ResNet block with GhostBlocks, thereby significantly reducing the number of parameters and floating-point operations. The experimental results on the Gaze360 dataset demonstrate that the proposed model reduces FLOPs from 16.527 × 108 to 8.610 × 108 and parameter count from 2.387 × 105 to 1.224 × 105 while maintaining comparable gaze estimation accuracy, with MAE increasing only slightly from 10.70° to 10.87°. This work highlights the potential of GhostNet-augmented designs for real-time gaze tracking on edge devices, providing a practical solution for deployment in resource-constrained environments. Full article
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25 pages, 19515 KiB  
Article
Towards Efficient SAR Ship Detection: Multi-Level Feature Fusion and Lightweight Network Design
by Wei Xu, Zengyuan Guo, Pingping Huang, Weixian Tan and Zhiqi Gao
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(15), 2588; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17152588 - 24 Jul 2025
Viewed by 353
Abstract
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provides all-weather, all-time imaging capabilities, enabling reliable maritime ship detection under challenging weather and lighting conditions. However, most high-precision detection models rely on complex architectures and large-scale parameters, limiting their applicability to resource-constrained platforms such as satellite-based systems, where [...] Read more.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provides all-weather, all-time imaging capabilities, enabling reliable maritime ship detection under challenging weather and lighting conditions. However, most high-precision detection models rely on complex architectures and large-scale parameters, limiting their applicability to resource-constrained platforms such as satellite-based systems, where model size, computational load, and power consumption are tightly restricted. Thus, guided by the principles of lightweight design, robustness, and energy efficiency optimization, this study proposes a three-stage collaborative multi-level feature fusion framework to reduce model complexity without compromising detection performance. Firstly, the backbone network integrates depthwise separable convolutions and a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to suppress background clutter and extract effective features. Building upon this, a cross-layer feature interaction mechanism is introduced via the Multi-Scale Coordinated Fusion (MSCF) and Bi-EMA Enhanced Fusion (Bi-EF) modules to strengthen joint spatial-channel perception. To further enhance the detection capability, Efficient Feature Learning (EFL) modules are embedded in the neck to improve feature representation. Experiments on the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Ship Detection Dataset (SSDD) show that this method, with only 1.6 M parameters, achieves a mean average precision (mAP) of 98.35% in complex scenarios, including inshore and offshore environments. It balances the difficult problem of being unable to simultaneously consider accuracy and hardware resource requirements in traditional methods, providing a new technical path for real-time SAR ship detection on satellite platforms. Full article
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21 pages, 1936 KiB  
Article
FFT-RDNet: A Time–Frequency-Domain-Based Intrusion Detection Model for IoT Security
by Bingjie Xiang, Renguang Zheng, Kunsan Zhang, Chaopeng Li and Jiachun Zheng
Sensors 2025, 25(15), 4584; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25154584 - 24 Jul 2025
Viewed by 293
Abstract
Resource-constrained Internet of Things (IoT) devices demand efficient and robust intrusion detection systems (IDSs) to counter evolving cyber threats. The traditional IDS models, however, struggle with high computational complexity and inadequate feature extraction, limiting their accuracy and generalizability in IoT environments. To address [...] Read more.
Resource-constrained Internet of Things (IoT) devices demand efficient and robust intrusion detection systems (IDSs) to counter evolving cyber threats. The traditional IDS models, however, struggle with high computational complexity and inadequate feature extraction, limiting their accuracy and generalizability in IoT environments. To address this, we propose FFT-RDNet, a lightweight IDS framework leveraging depthwise separable convolution and frequency-domain feature fusion. An ADASYN-Tomek Links hybrid strategy first addresses class imbalances. The core innovation of FFT-RDNet lies in its novel two-dimensional spatial feature modeling approach, realized through a dedicated dual-path feature embedding module. One branch extracts discriminative statistical features in the time domain, while the other branch transforms the data into the frequency domain via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to capture the essential energy distribution characteristics. These time–frequency domain features are fused to construct a two-dimensional feature space, which is then processed by a streamlined residual network using depthwise separable convolution. This network effectively captures complex periodic attack patterns with minimal computational overhead. Comprehensive evaluation on the NSL-KDD and CIC-IDS2018 datasets shows that FFT-RDNet outperforms state-of-the-art neural network IDSs across accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score (improvements: 0.22–1%). Crucially, it achieves superior accuracy with a significantly reduced computational complexity, demonstrating high efficiency for resource-constrained IoT security deployments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Internet of Things)
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21 pages, 1616 KiB  
Article
Optimization Design and Operation Analysis of Integrated Energy System for Rural Active Net-Zero Energy Buildings
by Jingshuai Pang, Yi Guo, Ruiqi Wang, Hongyin Chen, Zheng Wu, Manzheng Zhang and Yuanfu Li
Energies 2025, 18(15), 3924; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18153924 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 213
Abstract
To address energy shortages and achieve carbon peaking/neutrality, this study develops a distributed renewable-based integrated energy system (IES) for rural active zero-energy buildings (ZEBs). Energy consumption patterns of typical rural houses are analyzed, guiding the design of a resource-tailored IES that balances economy [...] Read more.
To address energy shortages and achieve carbon peaking/neutrality, this study develops a distributed renewable-based integrated energy system (IES) for rural active zero-energy buildings (ZEBs). Energy consumption patterns of typical rural houses are analyzed, guiding the design of a resource-tailored IES that balances economy and sustainability. Key equipment capacities are optimized to achieve net-zero/zero energy consumption targets. For typical daily cooling/heating/power loads, equipment output is scheduled using a dual-objective optimization model minimizing operating costs and CO2 emissions. Results demonstrate that: (1) Net-zero-energy IES outperforms separated production (SP) and full electrification systems (FES) in economic-environmental benefits; (2) Zero-energy IES significantly reduces rural building carbon emissions. The proposed system offers substantial practical value for China’s rural energy transition. Full article
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