Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 12th International Conference on Applied System Innovation 2026 (ICASI 2026) will be held in Kyoto, Japan, from April 14 to 17, 2026, and the International Conference on Innovation, Communication, and Engineering 2026 (ICICE 2026) will be held in November 2026. These conferences will provide a unified communication platform for a wide range of topics. The Topic of “Innovation, Communication and Engineering” is not only expected to select excellent papers presented at ICICE 2026 and ICASI 2026, but also to welcome other submissions related to novel materials, electronics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering. We welcome studies from both academic and practical engineering fields that involve systematic technological materialization through scientific principles and engineering designs. Technological innovation by electrical/mechanical engineering includes IT-based intelligent mechanical systems, mechanics and design innovations, and applied materials in nanosciences and nanotechnology. These new technologies, which implant intelligence in machine systems, are an interdisciplinary area combining conventional mechanical technology and new information technology. The main goal of this Topic is to discover new scientific knowledge relevant to IT-based intelligent mechanical systems, mechanics and design innovations, and applied materials in nanosciences and nanotechnology. We invite investigators interested in applied system innovation to contribute original research articles to this Topic. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Intelligent electronic/electrical engineering, including novel materials, device fabrication, IC design, and related applications;
• Intelligent mechanical manufacturing systems;
• Mathematical problems on mechanical system designs;
• Smart electromechanical system analysis and designs;
• Optical system design and optoelectronic engineering;
• Sustainability, green technology, and biomedical technology;
• Computer-aided methods for electrical/mechanical design procedures and manufacturing;
• Artificial intelligence, computers, virtual reality, entertainment, and human–machine interactions;
• Internet technology impacts on mechanical system innovation and IoTs;
• Machine diagnostics and reliability;
• Information systems, computer networking, and the Internet;

Prof. Dr. Sheng-Joue Young
Prof. Dr. Shoou-Jinn Chang
Prof. Dr. Liang-Wen Ji
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.9	6.1	2011	15 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Computers computers	5.2	9.1	2012	15.4 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Electronics electronics	2.9	7.0	2012	14.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Inventions inventions	2.4	5.7	2016	18.1 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Micromachines micromachines	3.5	7.1	2010	16.6 Days	CHF 2100	Submit
Sensors sensors	4.0	9.4	2001	17.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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All Applied Sciences Computers Electronics Sensors Micromachines Inventions

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17 pages, 3964 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Temperature-Controlled Surface Plasmon Polariton Propagation in InSb–Uniaxial Chiral–InSb Waveguides for Near-Infrared Optical Communication

by Bader Alhasson

Micromachines 2026, 17(9), 1099; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17091099 (registering DOI) - 18 Sep 2026

Abstract

Highly integrated photonic devices have attracted considerable attention for data-transmission systems. However, conventional metal-based photonic devices provide limited tunability and control over electromagnetic surface waves. Therefore, dynamically tunable integrated photonic devices are needed. This paper presents a theoretical model of an indium antimonide–uniaxial [...] Read more.

Highly integrated photonic devices have attracted considerable attention for data-transmission systems. However, conventional metal-based photonic devices provide limited tunability and control over electromagnetic surface waves. Therefore, dynamically tunable integrated photonic devices are needed. This paper presents a theoretical model of an indium antimonide–uniaxial chiral–indium antimonide (InSb-UAC-InSb) structure operating in the near-infrared frequency regime. Electromagnetic wave theory is used for numerical analysis, and the characteristic equation is obtained by applying the appropriate boundary conditions. The propagation constant is examined for different values of chirality, core-width, InSb temperature, and incident-wave frequency for two types of uniaxial chiral media. Variation in temperature and chirality demonstrate the tunability of the interface under different operating conditions, enabling enhanced light confinement and low-loss propagation modes in the near-infrared region. The results show that the propagation constant in Case II exhibits greater sensitivity than that in Case I and shows a high value even at lower frequencies. This study provides a promising platform for thermally reconfigurable photonic components, temperature-sensitive optical devices, and near-infrared optical communication applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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30 pages, 5984 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Design of a Wireless-Controlled Powered Transport Chair with Transfer-Assist Functions and Integrated Seated Weight Measurement

by Charin Intarapanich, Sittinun Tawkaew, Teerapath Limboonruang and Nittalin Phunapai

Inventions 2026, 11(5), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11050090 - 31 Aug 2026

Viewed by 246

Abstract

This study presents the concept design of a wireless-controlled powered transport chair for caregiver-assisted handling and short-duration seated movement in care facilities. No prototype has been fabricated and no structural, metrological, or human testing has been performed; every value reported is a design [...] Read more.

This study presents the concept design of a wireless-controlled powered transport chair for caregiver-assisted handling and short-duration seated movement in care facilities. No prototype has been fabricated and no structural, metrological, or human testing has been performed; every value reported is a design requirement, not a measured result. The intended users are adult patients who tolerate supported sitting and retain enough trunk control to remain seated with the support rails and restraint engaged, together with a trained caregiver; patients needing full postural support or a lying transfer are outside the intended use. The device integrates powered low-speed mobility, height adjustment, a powered fore–aft seat extension that bridges the residual gap left at the bed base, local and wireless control, an independent hardwired emergency stop, and load-cell seated weight measurement. The frame is designed to accommodate a patient of up to 150 kg. A Raspberry Pi provides the user interface, while an independent hardware layer governs all powered motion. Candidate frame materials are compared qualitatively. Verification covers proof-load testing, worst-case static stability, load-cell calibration, control and emergency-stop response, power-loss recovery, battery endurance, and usability testing with caregivers and patients. Participatory design with wheelchair users and caregivers is planned before fabrication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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13 pages, 3756 KB  

Open AccessCommunication

Automated Road Marking Wear Assessment via Multimodal Fusion of LiDAR Intensity and YOLOv11 Semantic Segmentation

by Pin-Yung Chen, Shu-Wei Hsu, Po-Wei Chen, Hao-Chu Lin, Chien-Chiang Tung and Shin-Hung Chang

Sensors 2026, 26(17), 5549; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26175549 - 31 Aug 2026

Viewed by 450

Abstract

Road markings support lane guidance, traffic regulation, and machine perception, but their field inspection still depends largely on manual surveys or local retroreflectivity measurements. This study presents a vehicle-mounted inspection framework that fuses LiDAR intensity with camera-based semantic segmentation for automated road marking [...] Read more.

Road markings support lane guidance, traffic regulation, and machine perception, but their field inspection still depends largely on manual surveys or local retroreflectivity measurements. This study presents a vehicle-mounted inspection framework that fuses LiDAR intensity with camera-based semantic segmentation for automated road marking wear assessment. The platform integrates LiDAR, a stereo camera, IMU, GNSS, and an industrial computer. LiDAR-inertial mapping provides spatial alignment, while ground filtering, region-of-interest extraction, and adaptive intensity thresholding generate preliminary marking candidates. A YOLOv11 segmentation model produces pixel-level marking masks, and LiDAR candidates are projected onto the image plane for semantic confirmation. Confirmed points are accumulated into grid cells and evaluated using reflectance, point density, fusion retention, and geometric coverage indicators. In a representative route, 2441 grid units were analyzed: 1210 units were valid for formal grading, with 1060 good, 131 slightly worn, and 19 moderately worn units; 1231 units were reserved for review. The mean composite score of the valid grids was 0.906. A five-report aggregate further showed that 87.2% of the units received valid wear categories. The results indicate that multimodal fusion transforms road marking inspection into a quantitative, spatially referenced, and reportable process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 11322 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Potential and Usability Evaluation of a VR-Based Art Restoration Education System

by Pin-Chia Huang, I-Cheng Li, Hsiao-Meng Su, Wan-Ting Yang, Lun-Chuan Lin and Chun-Hsueh Lin

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(15), 7734; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16157734 - 4 Aug 2026

Viewed by 270

Abstract

This study explores the potential of integrating Virtual Reality technology into art restoration education and conducts a preliminary usability evaluation for an immersive training prototype. Amidst the digital transformation of cultural heritage preservation, traditional apprenticeship-based education faces challenges such as irreversible damage risks [...] Read more.

This study explores the potential of integrating Virtual Reality technology into art restoration education and conducts a preliminary usability evaluation for an immersive training prototype. Amidst the digital transformation of cultural heritage preservation, traditional apprenticeship-based education faces challenges such as irreversible damage risks to artifacts, high costs of restoration materials, and a lack of error tolerance for beginners. To address these issues, virtual environments provide a “zero-risk” simulation laboratory, allowing learners to engage in repetitive practice with real-time feedback. This research focuses on a prototype of a “Virtual Conservation and Restoration Education system” (V-CARE system) and conducted usability testing with 20 students at Cheng Shiu University. A mixed-method evaluation approach was employed, combining the System Usability Scale (SUS) for quantitative measurement and the 12 VR Heuristics proposed by Sutcliffe and Gault for qualitative verification. The evaluation suggests preliminary evidence in terms of learnability, interaction naturalness, and immersion. Finally, the study discusses potential layout considerations for prospective virtual environments, aiming to provide a baseline reference for virtual applications in cultural preservation training. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 2814 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Layer Control with Disturbance Observers for a Long-Travel Dual-Stage Precision Positioning Platform

by Fu-Cheng Wang, Yu-Chi Zane Wang, Yan-Teng Chang, Bo-Xuan Zhong, Yu-Cheng Hsueh, Tien-Tung Chung and Jia-Yush Yen

Micromachines 2026, 17(7), 773; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17070773 - 25 Jun 2026

Viewed by 453

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of disturbance observers on a long-travel precision positioning platform. We propose a multi-layer control architecture, including a disturbance observer, a feedforward compensator, gain-scheduling, and control switching. The platform consists of motor and piezoelectric transducer (PZT) stages to enable [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the effects of disturbance observers on a long-travel precision positioning platform. We propose a multi-layer control architecture, including a disturbance observer, a feedforward compensator, gain-scheduling, and control switching. The platform consists of motor and piezoelectric transducer (PZT) stages to enable nanometre-level accuracy within 10 cm travel ranges. We identified the dynamic models of the stages through experiments and applied them to develop control designs. The PZT stage was equipped with feedforward compensators, a disturbance observer and real-time switching control schemes to achieve robust and precise tracking. On the other hand, we applied gain-scheduling and feedforward compensation to the motor stages to track large displacements. The control effects of the integrated platform were validated through simulations and experiments and demonstrated significant improvements in accuracy and robustness. Finally, the platform was incorporated with two-photon polymerisation to fabricate micro-lenses. This work evaluates the lenses’ optical properties to highlight the advantages provided by the multiple control structure for improving precision and microfabrication applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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29 pages, 7068 KB  

Open AccessArticle

A Lightweight Temporal Convolutional Network for Contactless SPPB-Aligned Functional Fall-Risk Stratification in Older Adults Using Monocular RGB Video

by Kai-Chih Lin, Rong-Jong Wai and Hung-Yu Chang Chien

Sensors 2026, 26(12), 3894; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123894 - 18 Jun 2026

Viewed by 574

Abstract

Falls among older adults remain a major public health concern, yet scalable and interpretable sensing approaches for functional fall-risk stratification remain limited. This study presents a lightweight contactless framework for five-level Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)-aligned functional fall-risk stratification using monocular RGB video. [...] Read more.

Falls among older adults remain a major public health concern, yet scalable and interpretable sensing approaches for functional fall-risk stratification remain limited. This study presents a lightweight contactless framework for five-level Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)-aligned functional fall-risk stratification using monocular RGB video. A total of 688 community-dwelling older adults completed SPPB-aligned assessments, including balance, five-times sit-to-stand, and 3 m gait tasks. Because prospective fall-event outcomes were unavailable, supervised labels were constructed from a pre-specified SPPB-aligned functional risk index rather than observed future falls. BlazePose-based two-dimensional keypoints were extracted, normalized using pelvis-centered and height-scaled transformations, and represented as temporal skeletal trajectories. Biomechanical descriptors were fused with embeddings from the proposed Temporal Convolutional Artificial Intelligence Fall-Risk Network (TCAI-FallNet). Participant-level data partitioning was used to reduce data leakage. TCAI-FallNet achieved a macro-averaged area under the curve of 0.91 and an overall accuracy of 81.3%. The trained model had a footprint under 3 MB, and TCN inference latency was below 20 ms per sequence under workstation-based evaluation. These findings suggest that TCAI-FallNet may support contactless SPPB-aligned functional mobility risk stratification, while prospective fall-event validation remains necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 1428 KB  

Open AccessArticle

A Drawer-Type Tablet Charging Cart for K-12 Digital Learning Infrastructure: Human-Centered Engineering Design, Opportunity Scoring, and Prototype Validation

by Chi-Hung Lo and Yi-Lan Sun

Inventions 2026, 11(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030058 - 7 Jun 2026

Viewed by 601

Abstract

Managing classroom tablets involves more than electrical charging; it also requires repeated retrieval and return, storage, plug alignment, custody, and queue control. This article presents the human-centered engineering design and field validation of a drawer-type tablet/laptop charging cart for kindergarten-to-grade-12 digital learning infrastructure. [...] Read more.

Managing classroom tablets involves more than electrical charging; it also requires repeated retrieval and return, storage, plug alignment, custody, and queue control. This article presents the human-centered engineering design and field validation of a drawer-type tablet/laptop charging cart for kindergarten-to-grade-12 digital learning infrastructure. Its main contribution is a bilateral drawer-access architecture that converts a conventional front-door, single-queue cabinet into a two-sided parallel-handling product, with design decisions linked to observed school workflows through Lean Product and Process Development, jobs-to-be-done inquiry, opportunity scoring, competitor benchmarking, product-essence mapping, and prototype testing. Field observations at three schools identified six critical handling events; effective storage with reduced queueing was the highest-priority opportunity (importance = 8.6, satisfaction = 5.7, opportunity score = 11.5). Among four access concepts, the drawer-type concept achieved the shortest handling time (4.4 s/device), outperforming front-opening fixed-shelf (7.2 s/device), front-opening movable-rack (8.2 s/device), and top-opening (6.8 s/device) concepts. In classroom validation, average handling time decreased from 10.9 to 4.8 s/device, and throughput increased from 5.5 to 12.5 devices/min. These design-stage, descriptive results indicate that bilateral drawer access can reduce serial queueing while preserving storage, charging, and custody functions. They support prototype refinement rather than population-level causal inference. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Innovation, Communication and Engineering, 2nd Edition)

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