Search Results (56)

Smart city infrastructures are evolving from centralized cloud systems to distributed Cyber-Physical Systems of Systems (CPSoS), requiring integration across heterogeneous administrative domains. This work presents a flexible, modular, multi-domain architecture for automated orchestration and management of IoT services across heterogeneous environments. It relies on a recursive federation model, where autonomous local domains manage their own resources while higher-level components coordinate cross-domain operations. Interoperability is achieved through standardized interfaces using TM Forum Open APIs and ETSI NGSI-LD, while a Secure Integration Fabric enables secure, policy-based coordination across public and private domains. The architecture is validated in a real-world Smart Waste Management pilot, demonstrating support for flexible workflows, cross-platform collaboration, real-time decision-making, and avoidance of vendor lock-in. Experimental results show that dynamic, context-driven service orchestration improves scalability, interoperability, and resource efficiency compared to static deployments. Full article

Cyberattacks in education are a serious concern (e.g., breaches and system intrusions) that teachers need to respond to by cultivating cybersecurity awareness, engaging in continuous professional development, and modeling safe digital practices in their daily work, while technical prevention and mitigation are primarily the responsibility of institutional IT services and system-level governance. Strengthening cybersecurity depends on fostering awareness of how information is collected, analyzed, and used, thereby enabling users to take proactive steps to protect data, which are key components of teachers’ professional media literacy, particularly in managing personal and student information across social media, email, and cloud platforms. This quantitative study was conducted in Hong Kong with 120 early childhood, primary, secondary, and tertiary education teachers (88.3% female, age range = 18–54, Mage = 23.76) via an online survey. The study focused on social media, email, and cloud storage, and administered the Perceived Severity, Perceived Vulnerability, and Self-Efficacy Scales; the Data Protection Strategies Scale; and the Data Fabrication Strategies Scale, along with questions assessing awareness of data protection. Results revealed significant positive relationships among data protection awareness, psychological factors, and use of protection strategies. Awareness and protection strategies were also moderately linked to data fabrication behaviors. The findings indicate concerning gaps in teachers’ awareness of cyberattacks and their limited understanding of media literacy concepts, highlighting the need to integrate comprehensive media literacy training into teacher education programs and also provide intensive, mandatory on-site training for in-service early childhood, primary, secondary, and tertiary education teachers. Full article

This work advances a 6G-ready, micro-granular SDN fabric that unifies high-performance edge data planes with intent-driven, multi-domain orchestration and cloud offloading. First, edge and cell-site whiteboxes are upgraded with Smart Network Interface Cards and embedded AI accelerators, enabling line-rate processing of data flows and on-box learning/inference directly in the data plane. This pushes functions such as traffic classification, telemetry, and anomaly mitigation to the point of ingress, reducing latency and backhaul load. Second, an SDN controller, i.e., ETSI TeraFlowSDN, is extended to deliver multi-domain SDN orchestration with native lifecycle management (LCM) for whitebox Network Operating Systems—covering onboarding, configuration-drift control, rolling upgrades/rollbacks, and policy-guarded compliance—so operators can reliably manage heterogeneous edge fleets at scale. Third, the SDN controller incorporates a new NFV-O client that seamlessly offloads network services—such as ML pipelines or NOS components—to telco clouds via an NFV orchestrator (e.g., ETSI Open Source MANO), enabling elastic placement and scale-out across the edge–cloud continuum. Together, these contributions deliver an open, programmable platform that couples in-situ acceleration with closed-loop, intent-based orchestration and elastic cloud resources, targeting demonstrable gains in end-to-end latency, throughput, operational agility, and energy efficiency for emerging 6G services. Full article

Recycled materials are employed in several areas to reduce the environmental burden. Therefore, recycling textiles is a vast domain being investigated by several researchers. Functionalization of textiles using active nanomaterials is a growing area of interest nowadays. However, functionalized textiles with antibacterial properties still do not employ the incorporation of recycled materials. The huge consumer need for different types of functional textiles necessitates a focus on recycled textiles in this area. Hence, this research focuses on the development of metal oxide nanoparticle-functionalized antibacterial textiles using recycled cotton and polyester yarns. Two different finishes have been used with a 50:50 ratio. Using a two-fold approach, antibacterial finishes were applied during both the yarn and fabric stages to analyze the differences in performance. Agar plate qualitative antibacterial analysis revealed efficient antibacterial function both before and after commercial laundering. However, thermo-physiological comfort properties were found to be variable for recycled yarn types and finishing stages. The air permeability of fabric-finished specimens was found to be about 47% lower than yarn-finished specimens owing to reduced porosities. However, the overall moisture management capability (OMMC) index was found to be 21% higher than that of yarn-finished specimens. Among serviceability parameters, bursting strength was found to decrease with increasing concentration, as the finishing treatments made the yarns crispier which eventually compromised yarn strength. Full article

The low-altitude economy (LAE), encompassing urban air mobility, drone logistics and sub 3000 m aerial surveillance, demands secure, intelligent infrastructures to manage increasingly complex, multi-stakeholder operations. This survey evaluates the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) networks, artificial intelligence (AI) decision-making and blockchain trust mechanisms as foundational enablers for next-generation LAE ecosystems. IoT sensor arrays deployed at ground stations, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and vertiports form a real-time data fabric that records variables from air traffic density to environmental parameters. These continuous data streams empower AI models ranging from predictive analytics and computer vision (CV) to multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) and large language model (LLM) reasoning to optimize flight paths, identify anomalies and coordinate swarm behaviors autonomously. In parallel, blockchain architectures furnish immutable audit trails for regulatory compliance, support secure device authentication via decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and automate contractual exchanges for services such as airspace leasing or payload delivery. By examining current research and practical deployments, this review demonstrates how the synergistic application of IoT, AI and blockchain can bolster operational efficiency, resilience and trustworthiness across the LAE landscape. Full article

This study evaluates the application of metal additive manufacturing—specifically the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process—for producing aluminium die-casting mould components, comparing 300-grade maraging steel inserts with conventional H13 tool steel. Efficient thermal management and mould durability are critical in aluminium injection moulding. Still, traditional machining limits the design of cooling channels, resulting in hot spots, accelerated wear, and a reduced service life. LPBF allows the fabrication of complex geometries, enabling conformal cooling channels to enhance thermal control. Component samples were manufactured using maraging steel via LPBF, machined to final dimensions, and subjected to duplex surface treatment (plasma nitriding + CrAlN PVD coating). Thermal performance, dimensional stability, mechanical properties, and wear resistance were experimentally assessed under conditions simulating industrial production. The results demonstrate that LPBF components with optimised cooling channels and surface engineering achieve higher thermal efficiency, an extended service life (up to 2.6×), improved hardness profiles (545 HV0.05 core, 1230 HV0.05 on nitrided surface and 2850 HV0.05 after PVD film deposition), and reduced maintenance frequencies compared to H13 inserts. The study confirms that additive manufacturing, combined with tailored surface treatments and optimised cooling design, overcomes the geometric and thermal limitations of conventional manufacturing, offering a reliable and productive solution for aluminium die-casting moulds. Full article

Pocket parks, recognized globally as compact yet multifunctional green spaces, promise a range of urban benefits. To realize these effectively, planners must understand the factors that drive park usage. However, development priorities vary across regions, necessitating analysis tailored to specific contexts. Existing research on park usage predominantly focuses on factors either external (factors outside the park’s boundaries, such as location and surrounding urban fabric) or internal (factors within the park’s boundaries, pertaining to design, amenities, and management), leaving room for refinement in indicator selection and model construction. To address this, we developed a comprehensive analytical framework incorporating 22 macro-, meso-, and micro-level factors spanning internal and external influences. This study investigated 40 pocket parks in Nanjing’s main urban area, employing visitor frequency and activity type diversity as quantitative indicators of usage efficiency. Park usage efficiency was compared for weekdays and weekends. Using correlation and regression models, we examined primary factors including accessibility, surrounding environment, layout, landscape features, amenities, and maintenance. The results showed that weekday and weekend patterns vary significantly in terms of visitor frequency and activity type diversity. The key determinants of pocket park usage efficiency were identified: proportion of recreational space (r = 0.609 on weekdays, r = 0.573 on weekends), plant species richness (r = 0.699 on weekdays, r = 0.761 on weekends), seat facility density (r = 0.645 on weekdays, r = 0.654 on weekends), and maintenance quality (r = 0.630 on weekdays, r = 0.667 on weekends). Service area coverage, green space ratio, and garbage bin density showed weaker but significant correlations. Based on these findings, targeted strategies were proposed to better accommodate diverse regional land-use demands. Full article

Climate change and rapid urbanization are underscoring the need for urban green spaces that offer a wide range of ecosystem services, which can provide irreplaceable benefits to residents. Cultural services are the ones that affect visitation patterns the most and may be the easiest to influence via investment or neglect. The main aim of this research was to evaluate and cluster the urban green spaces of a Hungarian city, Szeged, based on their potential cultural ecosystem service values, to uncover their investment and management differences. Regarding the methodology, we performed three field observations on each of the selected 19 sample areas, assessing their potential cultural ecosystem services and visitation patterns. The green spaces were evaluated on a total of 36 criteria, which we analysed using principal component analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. As a result of our research, we defined four main urban green space clusters: city centre squares, suburban playgrounds, central parks, and informal green spaces. The differences in their potential cultural ecosystem service values significantly affect their usage patterns and are indicators of investment inequities. Understanding and tackling the uncovered environmental injustices requires a complex assessment of the local urban fabric along with its usage and management practices. Full article

Many hospitals still lack digital traceability in hygiene and cleaning management, leading to operational inefficiencies and inconsistent quality control. This study aims to establish cleaning and hygiene processes in healthcare services that are planned in accordance with standards, as well as to enhance the traceability and sustainability of these processes through digitalization. This study proposes a Hyperledger Fabric-based blockchain architecture to establish a reliable and transparent quality assurance system in process management. The proposed Quality Assurance Model utilizes digital technologies and IoT-based RFID devices to ensure the transparent and reliable monitoring of cleaning processes. Operational data related to cleaning processes are automatically recorded and secured using a decentralized blockchain infrastructure. The permissioned nature of Hyperledger Fabric provides a more secure solution compared to traditional data management systems in the healthcare sector while preserving data privacy. Additionally, the execute–order–validate mechanism supports effective data sharing among stakeholders, and consensus algorithms along with chaincode rules enhance the reliability of processes. A working prototype was implemented and validated using Hyperledger Caliper under resource-constrained cloud environments, confirming the system’s feasibility through over 100 TPS throughput and zero transaction failures. Through the proposed system, cleaning/hygiene processes in patient rooms are conducted securely, contributing to the improvement of quality standards in healthcare services. Full article

Urbanisation in the context of climate change and rapid population growth presents an urgent need for innovative and sustainable urban planning. This study introduces the Green Blueprint, an original, spatially grounded, and evidence-informed conceptual framework designed to systematically embed ecosystem services into the planning, governance, and design of resilient and equitable cities in the United Kingdom. Unlike existing research that typically treats Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) as a discrete intervention or evaluates its benefits in isolation, the Green Blueprint integrates cross-sectoral governance, multifunctional land use, and participatory planning into a coherent, scalable model for urban resilience. Developed through a qualitative, interpretivist methodology and critical documentary analysis of secondary data including policy documents, academic literature, and case studies from London, Manchester, and Sheffield, this framework highlights how embedding ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, stormwater management, biodiversity enhancement, and public health into the urban fabric can support long-term climate adaptation and social equity. Rather than serving as a review, this paper advances a novel theoretical contribution through empirical synthesis and thematic cross-case comparison. It further identifies enabling governance structures and implementation pathways to support policy innovation and practical application. This study contributes a transferable planning template for cities aiming to achieve systemic UGI integration, offering clear value for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in sustainable urban development in the Anthropocene. Full article

A novel cost-effective, rapid, and eco-friendly method was described for the removal of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the gaseous emissions of gasoline engines. This involved the use of a sandwich filter (~10 cm diameter) made of a nonwoven poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide) (Nomex) fabric loaded with a thin layer of activated carbon. The optimized filter, with an activated carbon mass of 2.89 mg/cm², a thickness of 4.8 mm, and an air permeability of 0.5 cm³/cm²/s, was tested. A simple homemade sampling device equipped with solid-state electrochemical sensors to monitor the concentration levels of CO₂ before and after filtration of the emissions was utilized. The data were transmitted via a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) link to an Internet of Things (IoT)-based gas monitoring system for remote management, and real-time data visualization. The proposed device achieved a 70 ± 3.4% CO₂-removal efficiency within 7 min of operation. Characterization of the filter was conducted using a high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The effects of loaded activated carbon mass, fabric type, filter porosity, gaseous removal time, and adsorption kinetics were also examined. The proposed filter displayed several advantages, including simplicity, compactness, dry design, ease of regeneration, scalability, durability, low cost, and good efficiency. Heat resistance, fire retardancy, mechanical stability, and the ability to remove other gasoline combustion products such as CO, SO_x, NO_x, VOCs, and particulates were also offered. The filtration system enabled both in situ and on-line CO₂ real-time continuous emission monitoring. Full article

Trees in urban environments play a crucial ecological role, helping to mitigate air pollution, reduce urban heat islands, improve stormwater drainage, and provide essential ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation. Street trees, in particular, form an interconnected network within the urban fabric, offering the potential to link various green spaces across the city. Several cities have implemented dedicated Street Tree Master Plans (STMPs) to manage street trees effectively. A STMP thus serves as both a vital tool for the management and conservation of urban tree heritage and an opportunity to enhance public spaces and the quality of life for citizens. This case study of Rome (Italy) presents a particularly complex challenge, partly due to the city’s rich historical heritage, where street trees contribute to the identity of places and the urban environment in the context of climate change. The tree heritage of Rome requires ongoing maintenance, the improvement of growing conditions, the replacement of hazardous or aging trees along street rows, and the addition of new trees to enhance and diversify the urban tree population. Starting from a new census of street trees and a spatial analysis using GIS methodologies, this study examines the approach taken by Rome’s STMP. It focuses on the different strategies proposed for various types of streets, classified on the specific role that trees play in each context. Specifically, the plan offers a strategic vision for the city’s future, rooted in its urban form and supported by a methodological framework for planning interventions based on the current condition of tree cover. Drawing on insights from the STMP, the findings emphasize that any comprehensive renewal of street trees in large cities with historically significant and aesthetically rich landscapes must be guided by a strategic vision. In the discussion, a comparative analysis was conducted on different STMPs in various cities around the world, and we questioned how significantly historical and spatial considerations, which characterized the formation of Rome’s STMP, should be part of all STMPs. Full article

Salt marshes, which provide vital ecosystem services and play a key role in coastal protection, require innovative restoration strategies to enhance their resilience to sea level rise (SLR) in the context of ongoing climate change. This study evaluated the effectiveness of various eco-engineering structures in promoting sediment accretion within a temperate estuary (Mondego estuary, Portugal). Five experimental cells were tested: (1) a control cell with bare soil, (2) a cell with autochthonous vegetation, (3) a cell with a wooden palisade, (4) a cell with geotextile fabric, and (5) a cell with geotextile bags filled with sand. Sediment accretion was measured seasonally from 2019 to 2022, and sedimentation rates and patterns were compared across the different structures. Environmental variables, including precipitation and tidal flow, were also monitored to assess their influence on sediment dynamics. Results indicated that eco-engineering structures enhanced sedimentation compared to the control. The highest accumulation was observed near the wooden palisades and geotextile bags, particularly in areas aligned with the river flow. This study underscores the potential of eco-engineering approaches to promote localized sediment stabilization and enhance marsh resilience. However, long-term monitoring and adaptive management are essential to address challenges associated with SLR and hydrodynamic variability. The findings provide valuable insights for designing effective and targeted restoration strategies in estuarine environments. Full article

Increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the expansion of EV charging infrastructure present opportunities for enhancing sustainable transportation within smart cities. However, the interconnected nature of EV charging stations (EVCSs) exposes this infrastructure to various cyber threats, including false data injection, man-in-the-middle attacks, malware intrusions, and denial of service attacks. Financial attacks, such as false billing and theft of credit card information, also pose significant risks to EV users. In this work, we propose a Hyperledger Fabric-based blockchain network for EVCSs to mitigate these risks. The proposed blockchain network utilizes smart contracts to manage key processes such as authentication, charging session management, and payment verification in a secure and decentralized manner. By detecting and mitigating malicious data tampering or unauthorized access, the blockchain system enhances the resilience of EVCS networks. A comparative analysis of pre- and post-implementation of the proposed blockchain network demonstrates how it thwarts current cyberattacks in the EVCS infrastructure. Our analyses include performance metrics using the benchmark Hyperledger Caliper test, which shows the proposed solution’s low latency for real-time operations and scalability to accommodate the growth of EV infrastructure. Deployment of this blockchain-enhanced security mechanism will increase user trust and reliability in EVCS systems. Full article

Salt marshes are vital coastal ecosystems, increasingly threatened by rising sea level and human pressures, that provide essential services, including coastal protection, habitat support, and carbon sequestration. This study examines the effectiveness of different eco-engineering structures in restoring salt marshes in the Mondego Estuary, Portugal, by assessing their impacts on benthic macroinvertebrate communities as bioindicators of ecosystem health. The experimental design included five experimental cells: wood palisade (Fence), geotextile fabric (Geotextile), geotextile bags filled with sand (Bags), a cell with autochthonous vegetation (Plants), and a Control cell with bare soil. Monitoring took place from 2019 to 2021, with both before and after intervention sampling to evaluate species composition, biomass, and density. Key ecological indices, such as the AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), Shannon-Wiener Diversity, and Pielou’s Evenness, were calculated alongside measurements of environmental variables. The results indicated minimal impacts on biodiversity, with observed variations primarily attributed to seasonal dynamics. While the wood palisade enhanced species richness and density, geotextile provided better community stability. The findings emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable use of materials to optimize restoration efforts and better inform coastal management strategies in the face of climate change. Full article