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Strong security measures are required to protect sensitive data and provide ongoing service as a result of the rising reliance on online applications for a range of purposes, including e-commerce, social networking, and commercial activities. This has brought to light the necessity of strengthening security measures. There have been multiple incidents of attackers acquiring access to information, holding providers hostage with distributed denial of service attacks, or accessing the company’s network by compromising the application.
The Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) has published a comprehensive set of information security principles and standards that can be utilized as a solid basis for the development of a web application that is secure.
The purpose of this thesis is to build and construct a secure web application that adheres to the requirements established in the BSI guideline. This will be done in order to answer the growing concerns regarding the security of web applications. We will also evaluate the efficacy of the recommendations by conducting security tests on the prototype application and determining whether or not the vulnerabilities that are connected with a web application that is not secure have been mitigated.
The research employed HPTLC Pro System and other HPTLC instruments from CAMAG® to conduct various laboratory tests, aiming to compile a database for subsequent analyses. Utilizing MATLAB, distinct codes were developed to reveal patterns within analyzed biomasses and pyrolysis oils (sewage sludge, fermentation residue, paper sludge, and wood). Through meticulous visual and numerical analysis, shared characteristics among different biomasses and their respective pyrolysis oils were revealed, showcasing close similarities within each category. Notably, minimal disparity was observed in fermentation residue and wood biomasses with a similarity coefficient of 0.22. Similarly, for pyrolysis oils, the minimal disparity was found in fermentation residues 1 and 3, with a disparity coefficient of 1.41. Despite higher disparity coefficients in certain results, specific biomasses and pyrolysis oils, such as fermentation residue and sewage sludge, exhibited close similarities, with disparity coefficients of 0.18 and 0.55, respectively. The database, derived from triplicate experimentation, now serves as a valuable resource for rapid analysis of newly acquired raw materials. Additionally, the utility of HPTLC PRO as an investigation tool, enabling simultaneous analysis of up to five samples, was emphasized, although areas for improvement in derivatization methods were identified.
Though the basic concept of a ledger that anyone can view and verify has been around for quite some time, today’s blockchains bring much more to the table including a way to incentivize users. The coins given to the miner or validator were the first source of such incentive to make sure they fulfilled their duties. This thesis draws inspiration from other peer efforts and uses this same incentive to achieve certain goals. Primarily one where users are incentivised to discuss their opinions and find scientific or logical backing for their standpoint. While traditional chains form a consensus on a version of financial "truth", the same can be applied to ideological truths too. To achieve this, creating a modified or scaled proof of stake consensus mechanism is explored in this work. This new consensus mechanism is a Reputation Scaled - Proof of Stake. This reputation can be built over time by voting for the winning side consistently or by sticking to one’s beliefs strongly. The thesis hopes to bridge the gap in current consensus algorithms and incentivize critical reasoning.
In a randomized controlled cross-over study ten male runners (26.7 ± 4.9 years; recent 5-km time: 18:37 ± 1:07 min:s) performed an incremental treadmill test (ITT) and a 3-km time trial (3-km TT) on a treadmill while wearing either carbon fiber insoles with downwards curvature or insoles made of butyl rubber (control condition) in light road racing shoes (Saucony Fastwitch 9). Oxygen uptake, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate, blood lactate concentration, stride frequency, stride length and time to exhaustion were assessed during ITT. After ITT, all runners rated their perceived exertion, perceived shoe comfort and perceived shoe performance. Running time, heart rate, blood lactate levels, stride frequency and stride length were recorded during, and shoe comfort and shoe performance after, the 3-km TT. All parameters obtained during or after the ITT did not differ between the two conditions [range: p = 0.188 to 0.948 (alpha value: 0.05); Cohen's d = 0.021 to 0.479] despite the rating of shoe comfort showing better scores for the control insoles (p = 0.001; d = −1.646). All parameters during and after the 3-km TT showed no differences (p = 0.200 to 1.000; d = 0.000 to 0.501) between both conditions except for shoe comfort showing better scores for control insoles (p = 0.017; d = −0.919). Running with carbon fiber insoles with downwards curvature did not change running performance or any submaximal or maximal physiological or biomechanical parameter and perceived exertion compared to control condition. Shoe comfort is impaired while running with carbon fiber insoles. Wearing carbon fiber insoles with downwards curvature during treadmill running is not beneficial when compared to running with control insoles.
Garbage in, Garbage out: How does ambiguity in data affect state-of-the-art pedestrian detection?
(2024)
This thesis investigates the critical role of data quality in computer vision, particularly in the realm of pedestrian detection. The proliferation of deep learning methods has emphasised the importance of large datasets for model training, while the quality of these datasets is equally crucial. Ambiguity in annotations, arising from factors like mislabelling, inaccurate bounding box geometry and annotator disagreements, poses significant challenges to the reliability and robustness of the pedestrian detection models and their evaluation. This work aims to explore the effects of ambiguous data on model performance with a focus on identifying and separating ambiguous instances, employing an ambiguity measure utilizing annotator estimations of object visibility and identity. Through accurate experimentation and analysis, trade-offs between data cleanliness and representativeness, noise removal and retention of valuable data emerged, elucidating their impact on performance metrics like the log average miss-rate, recall and precision. Furthermore, a strong correlation between ambiguity and occlusion was discovered with higher ambiguity corresponding to greater occlusion prevalence. The EuroCity Persons dataset served as the primary dataset, revealing a significant proportion of ambiguous instances with approximately 8.6% ambiguity in the training dataset and 7.3% in the validation set. Results demonstrated that removing ambiguous data improves the log average miss-rate, particularly by reducing the false positive detections. Augmentation of the training data with samples from neighbouring classes enhanced the recall but diminished precision. Error correction of wrong false positives and false negatives significantly impacts model evaluation results, as evidenced by shifts in the ECP leaderboard rankings. By systematically addressing ambiguity, this thesis lays the foundation for enhancing the reliability of computer vision systems in real-world applications, motivating the prioritisation of developing robust strategies to identify, quantify and address ambiguity.
The interest of scientists to study motion sequences exists in the fields of sports science, clinical analysis and computer animation for quite some time. While in the last decades mainly markerbased motion capture systems have been used to evaluate movements, the interest in markerless systems is growing more and more. Nevertheless, in the field of clinical analysis, markerless methods have not yet proven their value, partly due to a lack of studies evaluating the quality of the obtained data. Therefore, this study aims to validate two markerless motion capture softwares from Simi Reality Motion Systems. The software Simi Shape, which is a mixture of traditional image-based tracking supported by an artificial intelligence net (AI net), and the software Crush, that uses a completely AI-based method. For this purpose, all motion data was recorded with two in-house motion capture systems. One system for recording the movements for a markerbased evaluation as gold standard and one system for markerless tracking. Within a laboratory environment, eight cameras per system were mounted around the area of motion. By placing two cameras in the same position and using the same calibration, deviations in the image data between those for markerbased and markerless tracking were extremely minimal. Based on this data, markerbased tracking was performed using the Simi Motion program, markerless tracking was performed using the Simi Shape software system and the latest software from Simi Reality Motion Systems, Crush. When comparing the markerless data with the markerbased data, an average root mean square error of 0,038 m was calculated for Simi Shape and a deviation of 0,037 m for Crush. In a direct comparison of the two markerless systems, a root mean square error of 0,019 m was scored. Based on these data, conclusions could be drawn about the accuracies of the two markerless systems. The obtained kinematic data of the tracking are in the range of high accuracy, which is limited to a deviation of less than 0,05 m according to the literature.
As the Industry 4.0 is evolving, the previously separated Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) is converging. Connecting devices in the industrial setting to the Internet exposes these systems to a broader spectrum of cyber-attacks. The reason is that since OT does not have much security measures as much as IT, it is more vulnerable from the attacker's perspective. Another factor contributing to the vulnerability of OT is that, when it comes to cybersecurity, industries have focused on protecting information technology and less prioritizing the control systems. The consequences of a security breach in an OT system can be more adverse as it can lead to physical damage, industrial accidents and physical harm to human beings. Hence, for the OT networks, certificate-based authentication is implemented. This involves stages of managing credentials in their communication endpoints. In the previous works of ivESK, a solution was developed for managing credentials. This involves a CANopen-based physical demonstrator where the certificate management processes were developed. The extended feature set involving certificate management will be based on the existing solution. The thesis aims to significantly improve such a solution by addressing two key areas that is enhancing functionality and optimizing real-time performance. Regarding the first goal, firstly, an analysis of the existing feature set shall be carried out, where the correct functionality shall be guaranteed. The limitations from the previously implemented system will be addressed and to make sure it can be applied to real world scenarios, it will be implemented and tested in the physical demonstrator. This will lay a concrete foundation that these certificate management processes can be used in the industries in large-scale networks. Implementation of features like revocation mechanism for certificates, automated renewal of the credentials and authorization attribute checks for the certificate management will be implemented. Regarding the second goal, the impact of credential management processes on the ongoing CANopen real-time traffic shall be a studied. Since in real life scenarios, mission-critical applications like Industrial control systems, medical devices, and transportation networks rely on real-time communication for reliable operation, delays or disruptions caused by credential management processes can have severe consequences. Optimizing these processes is crucial for maintaining system integrity and safety. The effect to minimize the disturbance of the credential management processes on the normal operation of the CANopen network shall be characterized. This shall comprise testing real-time parameters in the network such as CPU load, network load and average delay. Results obtained from each of these tests will be studied.
Increasing global energy demand and the need to transition to sustainable energy sources to mitigate climate change, highlights the need for innovative approaches to improve the resilience and sustainability of power grids. This study focuses on addressing these challenges in the context of Morocco's evolving energy landscape, where increasing energy demand and efforts to integrate renewable energy require grid reinforcement strategies. Using renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic systems and energy storage technologies, this study aims to develop a methodology for strengthening rural community grids in Morocco.
Traditional reinforcement measures such as line and transformer upgrades will be investigated as well as the integration of power generation from photovoltaic systems, which offer a promising way to utilise Morocco's abundant solar resources. In addition, energy storage systems will be analysed as potential solutions to the challenges of grid stability and resilience. Using comprehensive data analysis, scenario planning and simulation methods with the open-source simulation software Panda Power, this study aims to assess the impact of different grid reinforcement measures, including conventional methods, photovoltaic integration, and the use of energy storage, on grid performance and sustainability. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a more resilient and sustainable energy future in Morocco.
Based on a rural medium-voltage grid in Souihla, Morocco, three scenarios were carried out to assess the impact of demand growth in 2030 and 2040. The first scenario focuses on conventional grid reinforcement measures, while the second scenario incorporates energy from residential photovoltaic systems. The third scenario analyses the integration of storage systems and their impact on grid reinforcement in 2030.
The simulations with energy from photovoltaic systems show a reduction in grid reinforcement measures compared to the scenario without solar energy. In addition, the introduction of a storage system in 2030 led to a significant reduction in the required installed transformer capacity and fewer congested lines. Furthermore, the results emphasized the role of storage in stabilizing grid voltage levels.
In summary, the results highlighted the potential benefits of integrating energy from photovoltaics and storage into the grid. This integration not only reduces the need for transformers and overall grid infrastructure but also promotes a more efficient and sustainable energy system.
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of approaches to the determination of isocontours and isosurfaces from given data sets. Different algorithms are reported in the literature for this purpose, which originate from various application areas, such as computer graphics or medical imaging procedures. In all these applications, the challenge is to extract surfaces with a specific isovalue from a given characteristic, so called isosurfaces. These different application areas have given rise to solution approaches that all solve the problem of isocontouring in their own way. Based on the literature, the following four dominant methods can be identified: the marching cubes algorithms, the tessellation-based algorithms, the surface nets algorithms and the ray tracing algorithms. With regard to their application, it can be seen that the methods are mainly used in the fields of medical imaging, computer graphics and the visualization of simulation results. In our work, we provide a broad and compact overview of the common methods that are currently used in terms of isocontouring with respect to certain criteria and their individual limitations. In this context, we discuss the individual methods and identify possible future research directions in the field of isocontouring.
Background: Assistive Robotic Arms are designed to assist physically disabled people with daily activities. Existing joysticks and head controls are not applicable for severely disabled people such as people with Locked-in Syndrome. Therefore, eye tracking control is part of ongoing research. The related literature spans many disciplines, creating a heterogeneous field that makes it difficult to gain an overview.
Objectives: This work focuses on ARAs that are controlled by gaze and eye movements. By answering the research questions, this paper provides details on the design of the systems, a comparison of input modalities, methods for measuring the performance of these controls, and an outlook on research areas that gained interest in recent years.
Methods: This review was conducted as outlined in the PRISMA 2020 Statement. After identifying a wide range of approaches in use the authors decided to use the PRISMA-ScR extension for a scoping review to present the results. The identification process was carried out by screening three databases. After the screening process, a snowball search was conducted.
Results: 39 articles and 6 reviews were included in this article. Characteristics related to the system and study design were extracted and presented divided into three groups based on the use of eye tracking.
Conclusion: This paper aims to provide an overview for researchers new to the field by offering insight into eye tracking based robot controllers. We have identified open questions that need to be answered in order to provide people with severe motor function loss with systems that are highly useable and accessible.
"Ad fontes!"
Francesco Petrarca (1301–1374)
In the beginning, there was an idea: the reconstruction of the first "Iron Hand" of the Franconian imperial knight Götz von Berlichingen (1480–1562). We found that with this historical prosthesis, simple actions for daily use, such as holding a wine glass, a mobile phone, a bicycle handlebar grip, a horse’s reins, or some grapes, are possible without effort. Controlling this passive artificial hand, however, is based on the help of a healthy second hand.
The growing threat posed by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), represents a significant challenge in modern medicine. Traditional antibiotic therapies are often ineffective against these pathogens, leading to high mortality rates. MDR Kp infections pose a novel challenge in military medical contexts, particularly in Medical Biodefense, as they can be deliberately spread, leading to resource-intensive care in military centres. Recognizing this issue, the European Defence Agency initiated a prioritised research project in 2023 (EDF Resilience PHAGE- SGA 2023). To address this challenge, the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB) leads BMBF- (Federal Ministry of Education and Research) and EU-funded projects on the use of bacteriophages as adjuvant therapy alongside antibiotics. Since 2017, the IMB has isolated and characterised Kp phages, collecting over 600 isolates and optimizing their production for therapy, in compliance with the EMA (European Medicine Agency) guidelines. This involves in vitro phage genome packaging to minimize endotoxin load, reduce manufacturing costs, and shorten production times. The goal of this work was to establish MinION sequencing (Oxford Nanopore Technology) as a quick and reliable way for initial identification and characterisation of phage genomes. Especially as a quick screening method for isolated on Kp, prior to more precise but also more expensive and time consuming sequencing methods like Illumina. This characterisation is crucial for developing a personalized pipeline aimed at producing magistral or Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality medicinal phage solutions tailored individually for each patient. DNA extraction methods were compared to identify suitable input DNA for sequencing purposes. Additionally, the quality of this DNA was as- sessed to determine its suitability for in vitro phage packaging, which was successfully done achieving a phage titer of 103, confirming that the DNA used for MinION sequencing could indeed be used for acellular packaging. The created genomes were annotated and compared with Illumina sequencing, revealing high similarity in all five individually tested cases. Between the generated sequences only a 4% maximal percentual difference in genome size was observed, while simultaneously showing high similarity in the actual sequence. Throughout the course of this study, a total of 645.15 GB of sequencing data were generated. In total, 38 phages were successfully characterised, with 21 phage genomes assembled and annotated, and saved in the IMB database.
In 2015, Google engineer Alexander Mordvintsev presented DeepDream as technique to visualise the feature analysis capabilities of deep neural networks that have been trained on image classification tasks. For a brief moment, this technique enjoyed some popularity among scientists, artists, and the general public because of its capability to create seemingly hallucinatory synthetic images. But soon after, research moved on to generative models capable of producing more diverse and more realistic synthetic images. At the same time, the means of interaction with these models have shifted away from a direct manipulation of algorithmic properties towards a predominance of high level controls that obscure the model's internal working. In this paper, we present research that returns to DeepDream to assess its suit-ability as method for sound synthesis. We consider this research to be necessary for two reasons: it tackles a perceived lack of research on musical applications of DeepDream, and it addresses DeepDream's potential to combine data driven and algorithmic approaches. Our research includes a study of how the model architecture, choice of audio data-sets, and method of audio processing influence the acoustic characteristics of the synthesised sounds. We also look into the potential application of DeepDream in a live-performance setting. For this reason, the study limits itself to models consisting of small neural networks that process time-domain representations of audio. These models are resource-friendly enough to operate in real time. We hope that the results obtained so far highlight the attractiveness of Deep-Dream for musical approaches that combine algorithmic investigation with curiosity driven and open ended exploration.
This paper describes the authors' first experiments in creating an artificial dancer whose movements are generated through a combination of algorithmic and interactive techniques with machine learning. This approach is inspired by the time honoured practice of puppeteering. In puppeteering, an articulated but inanimate object seemingly comes to live through the combined effects of a human controlling select limbs of a puppet while the rest of the puppet's body moves according to gravity and mechanics. In the approach described here, the puppet is a machine-learning-based artificial character that has been trained on motion capture recordings of a human dancer. A single limb of this character is controlled either manually or algorithmically while the machine-learning system takes over the role of physics in controlling the remainder of the character's body. But rather than imitating physics, the machine-learning system generates body movements that are reminiscent of the particular style and technique of the dancer who was originally recorded for acquiring training data. More specifically, the machine-learning system operates by searching for body movements that are not only similar to the training material but that it also considers compatible with the externally controlled limb. As a result, the character playing the role of a puppet is no longer passively responding to the puppeteer but makes movement decisions on its own. This form of puppeteering establishes a form of dialogue between puppeteer and puppet in which both improvise together, and in which the puppet exhibits some of the creative idiosyncrasies of the original human dancer.
Generative machine learning models for creative purposes play an increasingly prominent role in the field of dance and technology. A particularly popular approach is the use of such models for generating synthetic motions. Such motions can either serve as source of ideation for choreographers or control an artificial dancer that acts as improvisation partner for human dancers. Several examples employ autoencoder-based deep-learning architectures that have been trained on motion capture recordings of human dancers. Synthetic motions are then generated by navigating the autoencoder's latent space. This paper proposes an alternative approach of using an autoencoder for creating synthetic motions. This approach controls the generation of synthetic motions on the level of the motion itself rather than its encoding. Two different methods are presented that follow this principle. Both methods are based on the interactive control of a single joint of an artificial dancer while the other joints remain under the control of the autoencoder. The first method combines the control of the orientation of a joint with iterative autoencoding. The second method combines the control of the target position of a joint with forward kinematics and the application of latent difference vectors. As illustrative example of an artistic application, this latter method is used for an artificial dancer that plays a digital instrument. The paper presents the implementation of these two methods and provides some preliminary results.
Steroid hormones (SHs) are a rising concern due to their high bioactivity, ubiquitous nature, and prolonged existence as a micropollutants in water, they pose a potential risk to both human health and the environment, even at low concentrations. Estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone are the three important types of steroids essential for human development and maintaining multiorgan balance, are focus to this concern. These steroid hormones originate
from various sources, including human and livestock excretions, veterinary medications, agricultural runoff, and pharmaceuticals, contributing to their presence in the environment. According to the recommendation of WHO, the guidance value for estradiol (E2) is 1 ng/L. There are several methods been attempted to remove the SH micropollutant by conventional water and wastewater technologies which are still under research. Among the various methods, electrochemical membrane reactor (EMR) is one of the emerging technologies that can address the challenge of insufficient SHs removal from the aquatic environment by conventional treatment. The degradation of SHs can be significantly influenced by various factors when treated with EMR.
In this project, the removal of SH and the important mechanism for the removal using carbon nanotube CNT-EMR is studied and the efficiency of CNT-EMR in treating the SH micropollutant is identified. By varying different parameters this experiment is carried out with the (PES-CNTs) ultrafiltration membrane. The study is carried out depending upon the SH removal based on the limiting factor such as cell voltage, flux, temperature, concentration, and type of the SH.
Batteries typically consist of multiple individual cells connected in series. Here we demonstrate single-cell state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) diagnosis in a 24 V class lithium-ion battery. To this goal, we introduce and apply a novel, highly efficient algorithm based on a voltage-controlled model (VCM). The battery, consisting of eight single cells, is cycled over a duration of five months under a simple cycling protocol between 20 % and 100 % SOC. The cell-to-cell standard deviations obtained with the novel algorithm were 1.25 SOC-% and 1.07 SOH-% at beginning of cycling. A cell-averaged capacity loss of 9.9 % after five months cycling was observed. While the accuracy of single-cell SOC estimation was limited (probably owed to the flat voltage characteristics of the lithium iron phosphate, LFP, chemistry investigated here), single-cell SOH estimation showed a high accuracy (2.09 SOH-% mean absolute error compared to laboratory reference tests). Because the algorithm does not require observers, filters, or neural networks, it is computationally very efficient (three seconds analysis time for the complete data set consisting of eight cells with approx. 780.000 measurement points per cell).
This thesis focuses on the development and implementation of a Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) communication framework within the ns-3 network simulator, specifically targeting the LoRaWAN model network. The primary aim is to analyse the behaviour and performance of DTLS protocols across different network conditions within a LoRaWAN context. The key aspects of this work include the following.
Utilization of ns-3: This thesis leverages ns-3’s capabilities as a powerful discrete event network simulator. This platform enables the emulation of diverse network environments, characterized by varying levels of latency, packet loss, and bandwidth constraints.
Emulation of Network Challenges: The framework specifically addresses unique challenges posed by certain network configurations, such as duty cycle limitations. These constraints, which limit the time allocated for data transmission by each device, are crucial in understanding the real-world performance of DTLS protocols.
Testing in Multi-client-server Scenarios: A significant feature of this framework is its ability to test DTLS performance in complex scenarios involving multiple clients and servers. This is vital for assessing the behaviour of a protocol under realistic network conditions.
Realistic Environment Simulation: By simulating challenging network conditions, such as congestion, limited bandwidth, and resource constraints, the framework provides a realistic environment for thorough evaluation. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of DTLS in terms of security, performance, and scalability.
Overall, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of DTLS protocols by providing a robust tool for their evaluation under various and challenging network conditions.
Strings P
(2021)
Strings is an audiovisual performance for an acoustic violin and two generative instruments, one for creating synthetic sounds and one for creating synthetic imagery. The three instruments are related to each other conceptually , technically, and aesthetically by sharing the same physical principle, that of a vibrating string. This submission continues the work the authors have previously published at xCoAx 2020. The current submission briefly summarizes the previous publication and then describes the changes that have been made to Strings. The P in the title emphasizes, that most of these changes have been informed by experiences collected during rehearsals (in German Proben). These changes have helped Strings to progress from a predominantly technical framework to a work that is ready for performance.
Strings
(2020)
This article presents the currently ongoing development of an audiovisual performance work with the title Strings. This work provides an improvisation setting for a violinist, two laptop performers, and two generative systems. At the core of Strings lies an approach that establishes a strong correlation among all participants by means of a shared physical principle. The physical principle is that of a vibrating string. The article discusses how this principle is used in both natural and simulated forms as main interaction layer between all performers and as natural or generative principle for creating audio and video.
Implementation and Evaluation of an Assisting Fuzzer Harness Generation Tool for AUTOSAR Code
(2024)
The digitalization in vehicles tends to add more connectivity such as over-the-air (OTA) updates. To achieve this digitization, each ECU (Electronic Control Unit) becomes smarter and needs to support more and more different externally available protocols such as TLS, which increases the attack surface for attackers. To ensure the security of a vehicle, fuzzing has proven to be an effective method to discover memory-related security vulnerabilities. Fuzzing the software run- ning on a ECU is not an easy task and requires a harness written by a human. The author needs a deep understanding of the specific service and protocol, which is time consuming. To reduce the time needed by a harness author, this thesis aims to develop FuzzAUTO, the first assistant harness generation tool targeting the AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) BSW (Basic Software) to support manual harness generation.
The progress in machine learning has led to advanced deep neural networks. These networks are widely used in computer vision tasks and safety-critical applications. The automotive industry, in particular, has experienced a significant transformation with the integration of deep learning techniques and neural networks. This integration contributes to the realization of autonomous driving systems. Object detection is a crucial element in autonomous driving. It contributes to vehicular safety and operational efficiency. This technology allows vehicles to perceive and identify their surroundings. It detects objects like pedestrians, vehicles, road signs, and obstacles. Object detection has evolved from being a conceptual necessity to an integral part of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and the foundation of autonomous driving technologies. These advancements enable vehicles to make real-time decisions based on their understanding of the environment, improving safety and driving experiences. However, the increasing reliance on deep neural networks for object detection and autonomous driving has brought attention to potential vulnerabilities within these systems. Recent research has highlighted the susceptibility of these systems to adversarial attacks. Adversarial attacks are well-designed inputs that exploit weaknesses in the deep learning models underlying object detection. Successful attacks can cause misclassifications and critical errors, posing a significant threat to the functionality and safety of autonomous vehicles. With the rapid development of object detection systems, the vulnerability to adversarial attacks has become a major concern. These attacks manipulate inputs to deceive the target system, significantly compromising the reliability and safety of autonomous vehicles. In this study, we focus on analyzing adversarial attacks on state-of-the-art object detection models. We create adversarial examples to test the models’ robustness. We also check if the attacks work on a different object detection model meant for similar tasks. Additionally, we extensively evaluate recent defense mechanisms to see how effective they are in protecting deep neural networks (DNNs) from adversarial attacks and provide a comprehensive overview of the most commonly used defense strategies against adversarial attacks, highlighting how they can be implemented practically in real-world situations.
Privacy is the capacity to keep some things private despite their social repercussions. It relates to a person’s capacity to control the amount, time, and circumstances under which they disclose sensitive personal information, such as a person’s physiology, psychology, or intelligence. In the age of data exploitation, privacy has become even more crucial. Our privacy is now more threatened than it was 20 years ago, outside of science and technology, due to the way data and technology highly used. Both the kinds and amounts of information about us and the methods for tracking and identifying us have grown a lot in recent years. It is a known security concern that human and machine systems face privacy threats. There are various disagreements over privacy and security; every person and group has a unique perspective on how the two are related. Even though 79% of the study’s results showed that legal or compliance issues were more important, 53% of the survey team thought that privacy and security were two separate things. Data security and privacy are interconnected, despite their distinctions. Data security and data privacy are linked with each other; both are necessary for the other to exist. Data may be physically kept anywhere, on our computers or in the cloud, but only humans have authority over it. Machine learning has been used to solve the problem for our easy solution. We are linked to our data. Protect against attackers by protecting data, which also protects privacy. Attackers commonly utilize both mechanical systems and social engineering techniques to enter a target network. The vulnerability of this form of attack rests not only in the technology but also in the human users, making it extremely difficult to fight against. The best option to secure privacy is to combine humans and machines in the form of a Human Firewall and a Machine Firewall. A cryptographic route like Tor is a superior choice for discouraging attackers from trying to access our system and protecting the privacy of our data There is a case study of privacy and security issues in this thesis. The problems and different kinds of attacks on people and machines will then be briefly talked about. We will explain how Human Firewalls and machine learning on the Tor network protect our privacy from attacks such as social engineering and attacks on mechanical systems. As a real-world test, we will use genomic data to try out a privacy attack called the Membership Inference Attack (MIA). We’ll show Machine Firewall as a way to protect ourselves, and then we’ll use Differential Privacy (DP), which has already been done. We applied the method of Lasso and convolutional neural networks (CNN), which are both popular machine learning models, as the target models. Our findings demonstrate a logarithmic link between the desired model accuracy and the privacy budget.
This study investigates the impact of global payroll outsourcing on organizational efficiency and cost reduction based on the analysis of diverse implications stemming from thirty one (31) survey results. The findings reveal multifaceted challenges and benefitsassociated with outsourcing global payroll processing.
The research also unveils the most benefits of global payroll outsourcing. Notably, there's a consensus on the reduction in time-to-process payroll, cost per payroll processed, and improved payroll accuracy rate. Outsourcing streamlines processes, enhances operational efficiency, and contributes to faster, more accurate financial reporting.
Despite these benefits and challenges, statistical analysis reveals weak correlations between outsourcing global payroll and cost reduction or improved efficiency in various parameters, indicating a lack of a significant relationship. Consequently, the results, suggest no substantial correlation between global payroll outsourcing and enhanced efficiency or cost reduction based on this study's data.
Decarbonisation Strategies in Energy Systems Modelling: APV and e-tractors as Flexibility Assets
(2023)
This work presents an analysis of the impact of introducing Agrophotovoltaic technologies and electric tractors into Germany’s energy system. Agrophotovoltaics involves installing photovoltaic systems in agricultural areas, allowing for dual usage of the land for both energy generation and food production. Electric tractors, which are agricultural machinery powered by electric motors, can also function as energy storage units, providing flexibility to the grid. The analysis includes a sensitivity study to understand how the availability of agricultural land influences Agrophotovoltaic investments, followed by the examination of various scenarios that involve converting diesel tractors to electric tractors. These scenarios are based on the current CO2 emission reduction targets set by the German Government, aiming for a 65% reduction below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieving zero emissions by 2045. The results indicate that approximately 3% of available agricultural land is necessary to establish a viable energy mix in Germany. Furthermore, the expansion of electric tractors tends to reduce the overall system costs and enhances the energy-cost-efficiency of Agrophotovoltaic investments.
Introduction: Subjects with mild to moderate hearing loss today often receive hearing aids (HA) with open-fitting (OF). In OF, direct sound reaches the eardrums with minimal damping. Due to the required processing delay in digital HA, the amplified HA sound follows some milliseconds later. This process occurs in both ears symmetrically in bilateral HA provision and is likely to have no or minor detrimental effect on binaural hearing. However, the delayed and amplified sound are only present in one ear in cases of unilateral hearing loss provided with one HA. This processing alters interaural timing differences in the resulting ear signals.
Methods: In the present study, an experiment with normal-hearing subjects to investigate speech intelligibility in noise with direct and delayed sound was performed to mimic unilateral and bilateral HA provision with OF.
Results: The outcomes reveal that these delays affect speech reception thresholds (SRT) in the unilateral OF simulation when presenting speech and noise from different spatial directions. A significant decrease in the median SRT from –18.1 to –14.7 dB SNR is observed when typical HA processing delays are applied. On the other hand, SRT was independent of the delay between direct and delayed sound in the bilateral OF simulation.
Discussion: The significant effect emphasizes the development of rapid processing algorithms for unilateral HA provision.
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and variable air volume (VAV) systems are considered among the best heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) thanks to their ability to provide cooling and heating in different thermal zones of the same building. As well as their ability to recover the heat rejected from spaces requiring cooling and reuse it to heat another space. Nevertheless, at the same time, these systems are considered one of the most energy-consuming systems in the building. So, it is crucial to well size the system according to the building’s cooling and heating needs and the indoor temperature fluctuations. This study aims to compare these two energy systems by conducting an energy model simulation of a real building under a semi-arid climate for cooling and heating periods. The developed building energy model (BEM) was validated and calibrated using measured and simulated indoor air temperature and energy consumption data. The study aims to evaluate the effect of these HVAC systems on energy consumption and the indoor thermal comfort of the building. The numerical model was based on the Energy Plus simulation engine. The approach used in this paper has allowed us to reach significant quantitative energy saving along with a high level of indoor thermal comfort by using the VRF system compared to the VAV system. The findings prove that the VRF system provides 46.18% of the annual total heating energy savings and 6.14% of the annual cooling and ventilation energy savings compared to the VAV system.
In the past ten years, applications of artificial neural networks have changed dramatically. outperforming earlier predictions in domains like robotics, computer vision, natural language processing, healthcare, and finance. Future research and advancements in CNN architectures, Algorithms and applications are expected to revolutionize various industries and daily life further. Our task is to find current products that resemble the given product image and description. Deep learning-based automatic product identification is a multi-step process that starts with data collection and continues with model training, deployment, and continuous improvement. The caliber and variety of the dataset, the design selected, and ongoing testing and improvement all affect the model's effectiveness. We achieved 81.47% training accuracy and 72.43% validation accuracy for our combined text and image classification model. Additionally, we have discussed the outcomes from the other dataset and numerous methods for creating an appropriate model.
As the population grows, so does the amount of biowaste. As demand for energy grows, biogas is a promising solution to the problem. Lignocellulosic materials are challenged of slow degradability due to the presence of polymers such as cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. There are several pretreatment methods available to enhance the degradability of such materials, including enzymatic pretreatment. In this pretreatment, there are few parameters that can influence the results, the most important being the enzyme to solid ratio and the solid to liquid ratio. During this project, experiments were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for those two factors. It was discovered that a solid to liquid ratio of 31 g of buffer per 1 gram of organic dry matter produced the highest reducing sugar release in flasks when combined with 34 mg of protein per 1 gram of organic dry mass. Additionally, another experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of enzymatic pretreatment on biogas production using artificial biowaste as a substrate. Artificial biowaste produced 577,9 NL/kg oDM, while enzymatically pretreated biowaste produced 639,3 NL/kg oDM. This resulted in a 10,6% rise in cumulative biogas production compared to its use without enzymatic pretreatment. By the conclusion of the investigation, specific cumulative dry methane yields of 364,7 NL/kg oDM and 426,3 NL/kg oDM were obtained from artificial biowaste without and with enzymatic pretreatment, respectively. This resulted in a methane production boost of 16,9%. Additionally in case of the reactors with enzymatically pretreated substrate kinetic constant was lower more than double, where maximum volume of biogas increased, comparing to the reactors without enzymatic pretreatment.
Recently, photovoltaic (PV) with energy storage systems (ESS) have been widely adopted in buildings to overcome growing power demands and earn financial benefits. The overall energy cost can be optimized by combining a well-sized hybrid PV/ESS system with an efficient energy management system (EMS). Generally, EMS is implemented within the overall functions of the Building Automation System (BAS). However, due to its limited computing resources, BAS cannot handle complex algorithms that aim to optimize energy use in real-time under different operating conditions. Furthermore, islanding the building's local network to maximize the PV energy share represents a challenging task due to the potential technical risks. In this context, this article addresses an improved approach based on upgrading the BAS data analytics capability by means of an edge computing technology. The edge communicates with the BAS low-level controller using a serial communication protocol. Taking advantage of the high computing ability of the edge device, an optimization-based EMS of the PV/ESS hybrid system is implemented. Different testing scenarios have been carried out on a real prototype with different weather conditions, and the results show the implementation feasibility and technical performance of such advanced EMS for the management of building energy resources. It has also been proven to be feasible and advantageous to operate the local energy network in island mode while ensuring system safety. Additionally, an estimated energy saving improvement of 6.23 % has been achieved using optimization-based EMS compared to the classical rule-based EMS, with better ESS constraints fulfillment.
For the treatment of bone defects, biodegradable, compressive biomaterials are needed as replacements that degrade as the bone regenerates. The problem with existing materials has either been their insufficient mechanical strength or the excessive differences in their elastic modulus, leading to stress shielding and eventual failure. In this study, the compressive strength of CPC ceramics (with a layer thickness of more than 12 layers) was compared with sintered β-TCP ceramics. It was assumed that as the number of layers increased, the mechanical strength of 3D-printed scaffolds would increase toward the value of sintered ceramics. In addition, the influence of the needle inner diameter on the mechanical strength was investigated. Circular scaffolds with 20, 25, 30, and 45 layers were 3D printed using a 3D bioplotter, solidified in a water-saturated atmosphere for 3 days, and then tested for compressive strength together with a β-TCP sintered ceramic using a Zwick universal testing machine. The 3D-printed scaffolds had a compressive strength of 41.56 ± 7.12 MPa, which was significantly higher than that of the sintered ceramic (24.16 ± 4.44 MPa). The 3D-printed scaffolds with round geometry reached or exceeded the upper limit of the compressive strength of cancellous bone toward substantia compacta. In addition, CPC scaffolds exhibited more bone-like compressibility than the comparable β-TCP sintered ceramic, demonstrating that the mechanical properties of CPC scaffolds are more similar to bone than sintered β-TCP ceramics.
Background/Purpose
Several methods are used to evaluate the outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA), however, their relationship at different time points after surgery is unclear. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate correlations between self-report function, performance-based tests (PBTs) and biomechanical parameters in patients 12 months after THA.
Methods
Eleven patients were included in this preliminary cross-sectional study. Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) was completed for self-reported function. As PBTs, the Timed-up-and-Go test (TUG) and 30-Second-Chair-Stand test (30CST) were used. Biomechanical parameters were derived from analyses of hip strength, gait and balance. Potential correlations were calculated using Spearman correlation coefficient r.
Results
HOOS scores and parameters of PBTs showed moderate to strong correlations (0.3 < r < 0.7). Correlation analysis between HOOS scores and biomechanical parameters revealed moderate to strong correlations for hip strength whereas correlations with gait parameters and balance were rather weak (r < 0.3). Moderate to strong correlations were also found between parameters of hip strength and 30CST.
Conclusion
For THA outcome assessment 12 months after surgery, our first results indicate that self-report measures or PBTs could be used. Analysis of hip strength also appears to be reflected in HOOS and PBT parameters and may be considered as an adjunct. Given the weak correlations with gait and balance parameters, we suggest that gait analysis and balance testing should be performed in addition to PROMs and PBTs as they may provide supplementary information, especially for THA patients that are at risk for falls.
The increasing diffusion of rapidly developing AI technologies led to the idea of the experiment to combine TRIZ-based automated idea generation with the natural language processing tool ChatGPT, using the chatbot to interpret the automatically generated elementary solution principles. The article explores the opportunities and benefits of a novel AI-enhanced approach to teaching systematic innovation, analyses the learning experience, identifies the factors that affect students' innovation and problem-solving performance, and highlights the main difficulties students face, especially in interdisciplinary problems.
Inner Congo
(2023)
This research-creation project, part of the DE\GLOBALIZE artistic research cycle presented at the #IFM2022 Conference, investigates the complexities of Congo violence, care, and colonialism. Drawing on Michel Serres' metaphor of the great estuaries, the study explores the topology of interactive documentaries, blending theory, emotion, and personal experiences. Accessible through the interactive web documentation at http://deglobalize.com, the platform offers a media-archaeological archive for speculative ethnography, enabling the forensic processing of single documents in line with actor-network theory.
Blockchain interoperability: the state of heterogenous blockchain-to-blockchain communication
(2023)
Blockchain technology has been increasingly adopted over the past few years since the introduction of Bitcoin, with several blockchain architectures and solutions being proposed. Most proposed solutions have been developed in isolation, without a standard protocol or cryptographic structure to work with. This has led to the problem of interoperability, where solutions running on different blockchain platforms are unable to communicate, limiting the scope of use. With blockchains being adopted in a variety of fields such as the Internet of Things, it is expected that the problem of interoperability if not addressed quickly, will stifle technology advancement. This paper presents the current state of interoperability solutions proposed for heterogenous blockchain systems. A look is taken at interoperability solutions, not only for cryptocurrencies, but also for general data-based use cases. Current open issues in heterogenous blockchain interoperability are presented. Additionally, some possible research directions are presented to enhance and to extend the existing blockchain interoperability solutions. It was discovered that though there are a number of proposed solutions in literature, few have seen real-world implementation. The lack of blockchain-specific standards has slowed the progress of interoperability. It was also realized that most of the proposed solutions are developed targeting cryptocurrency-based applications.
This paper presents an overview of EREMI, a two-year project funded under ERASMUS+ KA203, and its results. The project team’s main objective was to develop and validate an advanced interdisciplinary higher education curriculum, which includes lifelong learning components. The curriculum focuses on enhancing resource efficiency in the manufacturing industry and optimising poorly or non-digitised industrial physical infrastructure systems. The paper also discusses the results of the project, highlighting the successful achievement of its goals. EREMI effectively supports the transition to Industry 5.0 by preparing a common European pool of future experts. Through comprehensive research and collaboration, the project team has designed a curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the evolving manufacturing landscape. Furthermore, the paper explores the significance of EREMI’s contributions to the field, emphasising the importance of resource efficiency and system optimisation in industrial settings. By addressing the challenges posed by under-digitised infrastructure, the project aims to drive sustainable and innovative practices in manufacturing. All five project partner organisations have been actively engaged in offering relevant educational content and framework for decentralised sustainable economic development in regional and national contexts through capacity building at a local level. A crucial element of the added value is the new channel for obtaining feedback from students. The survey results, which are outlined in the paper, offer valuable insights gathered from students, contributing to the continuous improvement of the project.
Method and system for extractin metal and oxygen from powdered metal oxides (EP000004170066A2)
(2023)
A method for extracting metal and oxygen from powdered metal oxides in electrolytic cell is proposed, the electrolytic cell comprising a container, a cathode, an anode and an oxygen-ion-conducting membrane, the method comprising providing a solid oxygen ion conducting electrolyte powder into a container, providing a feedstock comprising at least one metal oxide in powdered form into the container, applying an electric potential across the cathode and the anode, the cathode being in communication with the electrolyte powder and the anode being in communication with the membrane in communication with the electrolyte powder, such that at least one respective metallic species of the at least one metal oxide is reduced at the cathode and oxygen is oxidized at the anode to form molecular oxygen, wherein the potential across the cathode and the anode is greater than the dissociation potential of the at least one metal oxide and less than the dissociation potential of the solid electrolyte powder and the membrane.
Enhancing engineering creativity with automated formulation of elementary solution principles
(2023)
The paper describes a method for the automated formulation of elementary creative stimuli for product or process design at different levels of abstraction and in different engineering domains. The experimental study evaluates the impact of structured automated idea generation on inventive thinking in engineering design and compares it with previous experimental studies in educational and industrial settings. The outlook highlights the benefits of using automated ideation in the context of AI-assisted invention and innovation.
Lithium-ion batteries exhibit slow voltage dynamics on the minute time scale that are usually associated with transport processes. We present a novel modelling approach toward these dynamics by combining physical and data-driven models into a Grey-box model. We use neural networks, in particular neural ordinary differential equations. The physical structure of the Grey-box model is borrowed from the Fickian diffusion law, where the transport domain is discretized using finite volumes. Within this physical structure, unknown parameters (diffusion coefficient, diffusion length, discretization) and dependencies (state of charge, lithium concentration) are replaced by neural networks and learnable parameters. We perform model-to-model comparisons, using as training data (a) a Fickian diffusion process, (b) a Warburg element, and (c) a resistor-capacitor circuit. Voltage dynamics during constant-current operation and pulse tests as well as electrochemical impedance spectra are simulated. The slow dynamics of all three physical models in the order of ten to 30 min are well captured by the Grey-box model, demonstrating the flexibility of the present approach.
A novel peptidyl-lys metalloendopeptidase (Tc-LysN) from Tramates coccinea was recombinantly expressed in Komagataella phaffii using the native pro-protein sequence. The peptidase was secreted into the culture broth as zymogen (~38 kDa) and mature enzyme (~19.8 kDa) simultaneously. The mature Tc-LysN was purified to homogeneity with a single step anion-exchange chromatography at pH 7.2. N-terminal sequencing using TMTpro Zero and mass spectrometry of the mature Tc-LysN indicated that the pro-peptide was cleaved between the amino acid positions 184 and 185 at the Kex2 cleavage site present in the native pro-protein sequence. The pH optimum of Tc-LysN was determined to be 5.0 while it maintained ≥60% activity between pH values 4.5—7.5 and ≥30% activity between pH values 8.5—10.0, indicating its broad applicability. The temperature maximum of Tc-LysN was determined to be 60 °C. After 18 h of incubation at 80 °C, Tc-LysN still retained ~20% activity. Organic solvents such as methanol and acetonitrile, at concentrations as high as 40% (v/v), were found to enhance Tc-LysN’s activity up to ~100% and ~50%, respectively. Tc-LysN’s thermostability, ability to withstand up to 8 M urea, tolerance to high concentrations of organic solvents, and an acidic pH optimum make it a viable candidate to be employed in proteomics workflows in which alkaline conditions might pose a challenge. The nano-LC-MS/MS analysis revealed bovine serum albumin (BSA)’s sequence coverage of 84% using Tc-LysN which was comparable to the sequence coverage of 90% by trypsin peptides.
This article presents the development, parameterization, and experimental validation of a pseudo-three-dimensional (P3D) multiphysics aging model of a 500 mAh high-energy lithium-ion pouch cell with graphite negative electrode and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) positive electrode. This model includes electrochemical reactions for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation at the graphite negative electrode, lithium plating, and SEI formation on plated lithium. The thermodynamics of the aging reactions are modeled depending on temperature and ion concentration and the reactions kinetics are described with an Arrhenius-type rate law. Good agreement of model predictions with galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is observed over a wide range of operating conditions. The model allows to quantify capacity loss due to cycling near beginning-of-life as function of operating conditions and the visualization of aging colormaps as function of both temperature and C-rate (0.05 to 2 C charge and discharge, −20 °C to 60 °C). The model predictions are also qualitatively verified through voltage relaxation, cell expansion and cell cycling measurements. Based on this full model, six different aging indicators for determination of the limits of fast charging are derived from post-processing simulations of a reduced, pseudo-two-dimensional isothermal model without aging mechanisms. The most successful aging indicator, compared to results from the full model, is based on combined lithium plating and SEI kinetics calculated from battery states available in the reduced model. This methodology is applicable to standard pseudo-two-dimensional models available today both commercially and as open source.
Design and Implementation of a Camera-Based Tracking System for MAV Using Deep Learning Algorithms
(2023)
In recent years, the advancement of micro-aerial vehicles has been rapid, leading to their widespread utilization across various domains due to their adaptability and efficiency. This research paper focuses on the development of a camera-based tracking system specifically designed for low-cost drones. The primary objective of this study is to build up a system capable of detecting objects and locating them on a map in real time. Detection and positioning are achieved solely through the utilization of the drone’s camera and sensors. To accomplish this goal, several deep learning algorithms are assessed and adopted because of their suitability with the system. Object detection is based upon a single-shot detector architecture chosen for maximum computation speed, and the tracking is based upon the combination of deep neural-network-based features combined with an efficient sorting strategy. Subsequently, the developed system is evaluated using diverse metrics to determine its performance for detection and tracking. To further validate the approach, the system is employed in the real world to show its possible deployment. For this, two distinct scenarios were chosen to adjust the algorithms and system setup: a search and rescue scenario with user interaction and precise geolocalization of missing objects, and a livestock control scenario, showing the capability of surveying individual members and keeping track of number and area. The results demonstrate that the system is capable of operating in real time, and the evaluation verifies that the implemented system enables precise and reliable determination of detected object positions. The ablation studies prove that object identification through small variations in phenotypes is feasible with our approach.
Phytases are widely used food and feed enzymes to improve phosphate availability and reduce anti-nutritional factors. Despite the benefits, enzyme usage is restricted by the harsh conditions in a gastrointestinal tract (pH 2–6) and feed pelleting conditions at high temperatures (60–90 °C). The commercially available phytase Quantum® Blue has been immobilized as CLEAs using glutardialdehyde and soy protein resulting in a residual activity of 33%. The influence of the precipitating agent, precipitant concentration, cross-linker concentration and cross-linking time, sodium borohydride as well as the proteic feeders gluten, soy protein and bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been optimized. The best conditions were 90% (v/v) ethyl lactate as precipitating reagent, 100 mM glutardialdehyde and a soy protein concentration of 227 mg/L with a cross-linking time of 1 h. The intrinsically stable phytase remained its high thermal stability and temperature optimum. The phytase-CLEA achieved a 425% increase of residual activity under harsh acidic conditions between pH 2.2 and 3.5 compared to the free enzyme. The free and immobilized phytase were deployed in an in vitro assay simulating the acidic conditions in the gizzard of poultry at pH 2. The hydrolysis of phytate was monitored using a novel high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis and DAD scanner to study the InsPx fingerprint. All lower inositol phosphate pools (InsP1–InsP6) and free phosphate were separated and analyzed. The phytase-CLEA efficiently released 80% of the total phosphate within 180 min, whereas the free enzyme only released 6% in the same time under the same conditions.
Established robot manufacturers have developed methods to determine and optimize the accuracy of their robots. These methods vary from robot manufacturers to their competitors. Due to the lack of published data, a comparison of robot performance is difficult. The aim of this article is to find methods to evaluate important characteristics of a robot with an accurate and cost-effective setup. A laser triangulation sensor and geometric referenced spheres were used as a base to compare the robot performance.
In the framework of electro-elasticity theory and the finite element method (FEM), a model is set up for the computation of quantities in surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices accounting for nonlinear effects. These include second-order and third-order intermodulations, second and third harmonic generation and the influence of electro-acoustic nonlinearity on the frequency characteristics of SAW resonators. The model is based on perturbation theory, and requires input material constants, e.g., the elastic moduli up to fourth order for all materials involved. The model is two-dimensional, corresponding to an infinite aperture, but all three Cartesian components of the displacement and electrical fields are accounted for. The first version of the model pertains to an infinite periodic arrangement of electrodes. It is subsequently generalized to systems with a finite number of electrodes. For the latter version, a recursive algorithm is presented which is related to the cascading scheme of Plessky and Koskela and strongly reduces computation time and memory requirements. The model is applied to TC-SAW systems with copper electrodes buried in an oxide film on a LiNbO3 substrate. Results of computations are presented for the electrical current due to third-order intermodulations and the displacement field associated with the second harmonic and second-order intermodulations, generated by monochromatic input tones. The scope of this review is limited to methodological aspects with the goal to enable calculations of nonlinear quantities in SAW devices on inexpensive and easily accessible computing platforms.
An in-depth study of U-net for seismic data conditioning: Multiple removal by moveout discrimination
(2024)
Seismic processing often involves suppressing multiples that are an inherent component of collected seismic data. Elaborate multiple prediction and subtraction schemes such as surface-related multiple removal have become standard in industry workflows. In cases of limited spatial sampling, low signal-to-noise ratio, or conservative subtraction of the predicted multiples, the processed data frequently suffer from residual multiples. To tackle these artifacts in the postmigration domain, practitioners often rely on Radon transform-based algorithms. However, such traditional approaches are both time-consuming and parameter dependent, making them relatively complex. In this work, we present a deep learning-based alternative that provides competitive results, while reducing the complexity of its usage, and, hence simplifying its applicability. Our proposed model demonstrates excellent performance when applied to complex field data, despite it being exclusively trained on synthetic data. Furthermore, extensive experiments show that our method can preserve the inherent characteristics of the data, avoiding undesired oversmoothed results, while removing the multiples from seismic offset or angle gathers. Finally, we conduct an in-depth analysis of the model, where we pinpoint the effects of the main hyperparameters on real data inference, and we probabilistically assess its performance from a Bayesian perspective. In this study, we put particular emphasis on helping the user reveal the inner workings of the neural network and attempt to unbox the model.
Seismic data processing involves techniques to deal with undesired effects that occur during acquisition and pre-processing. These effects mainly comprise coherent artefacts such as multiples, non-coherent signals such as electrical noise, and loss of signal information at the receivers that leads to incomplete traces. In the past years, there has been a remarkable increase of machine-learning-based solutions that have addressed the aforementioned issues. In particular, deep-learning practitioners have usually relied on heavily fine-tuned, customized discriminative algorithms. Although, these methods can provide solid results, they seem to lack semantic understanding of the provided data. Motivated by this limitation, in this work, we employ a generative solution, as it can explicitly model complex data distributions and hence, yield to a better decision-making process. In particular, we introduce diffusion models for three seismic applications: demultiple, denoising and interpolation. To that end, we run experiments on synthetic and on real data, and we compare the diffusion performance with standardized algorithms. We believe that our pioneer study not only demonstrates the capability of diffusion models, but also opens the door to future research to integrate generative models in seismic workflows.
The paper compares different anti-windup strategies for the current control of inverter-fed permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) controlled by pulse-width modulation. In this respect, the focus is on the drive behavior with a relatively large product of stator frequency and sampling time. A requirement for dynamically high-quality anti-windup measures is, among other things, a sufficiently accurate decoupling of the stator current direct axis and quadrature axis components even at high stator frequencies. Discrete-time models of the electrical subsystem of the PMSM are well suited for this purpose, of which the method found to be the most accurate in a preliminary investigation is used as the basis for all anti-windup methods examined. Simulation studies and measurement results document the performance of the compared methods.
A report from the World Economic Forum (2019) stated loneliness as the third societal stressor in the world, mainly in western countries. Moreover, research shows that loneliness tends to be experienced more severely by young adults than other age groups (Rokach, 2000), which is the case of university students who face profound periods of loneliness when attending university in a new place (Diehl et al., 2018). Digital technology, especially mental health apps (MHapps), have been viewed as promising solutions to address this distress in universities, however, little evidence on this topic reveals uncertainty around how these resources impact individual well-being. Therefore, this research proposed to investigate how the gamified social mobile app Noneliness reduced loneliness rates and other associated mental health issues of students from a German university. As little work has focused on digital apps targeting loneliness, this project also proposed to describe and discuss the app’s design and development processes. A multimethod approach was adopted: literature review on high-efficacy MHapps design, gamification for mental health and loneliness interventions; User Experience Design and Human-centered Computing. Evaluations occurred according to the app’s development iterations, which assessed four versions (from prototype to Beta) through quantitative and qualitative studies with university students. The main results obtained regarding the design aspects were: users' preference for minimalistic interfaces; importance in maintaining privacy and establishing trust among users; students' willingness to use an online support space for emotional and educational support. Most used features were those related to group discussions, private chats and university social events. Preferred gamification elements were those that provided positive reinforcement to motivate social interactions (e.g. Points, Levels and Achievements). Results of a pilot randomized controlled trial with university students (N = 12), showed no statistically significant interactions in reducing loneliness among experimental group members (n = 7, x² = 3.500, p-value = 0.477, Cramer’s V = 0.27) who made continued use of the app for six weeks. On the other hand, the app showed effects of moderate magnitude on loneliness reduction in this group. The app also demonstrated relatively strong magnitude effects on other associated variables, such as depression and stress in the experimental group. In addition to motivating the conduct of further studies with larger samples, the findings point to a potential app effectiveness not only to reduce loneliness, but also other variables that may be associated with the distress.
Predictive control has great potential in the home energy management domain. However, such controls need reliable predictions of the system dynamics as well as energy consumption and generation, and the actual implementation in the real system is associated with many challenges. This paper presents the implementation of predictive controls for a heat pump with thermal storage in a real single-family house with a photovoltaic rooftop system. The predictive controls make use of a novel cloud camera-based short-term solar energy prediction and an intraday prediction system that includes additional data sources. In addition, machine learning methods were used to model the dynamics of the heating system and predict loads using extensive measured data. The results of the real and simulated operation will be presented.
Study of impact of change in market economics of Biosimilars due to SPC waiver on EU 469/2009
(2023)
This research was conducted to understand and investigate the impact of SPC waiver EU 933/2019 made as an amendment to EU 469/2019. The research was conducted for analysis and extraction of the data to compile the exact number of biological products impacted with the SPC waiver. The highest sale top-5 products were identified according to the expert’s opinion. The sales revenue opportunity valuable to the top-5 products in the top-5 non-EU markets for early exports is investigated. Additionally, a survey was conducted to assess the readiness of the industry for these changes. The information from this study will be very useful to students of the biopharmaceutical market research and to the stakeholders from the biopharmaceutical industry.
Novel approaches for the design of assistive technology controls propose the usage of eye tracking devices such as for smart wheelchairs and robotic arms. The advantages of artificial feedback, especially vibrotactile feedback, as opposed to their use in prostheses, have not been sufficiently explored. Vibrotactile feedback reduces the cognitive load on the visual and auditory channel. It provides tactile sensation, resulting in better use of assistive technologies. In this study the impact of vibration on the precision and accuracy of a head-worn eye tracking device is investigated. The presented system is suitable for further research in the field of artificial feedback. Vibration was perceivable for all participants, yet it does not produce any significant deviations in precision and accuracy.
Digital, virtual environments and the metaverse are rapidly taking shape and will generate disruptive changes in the areas of ethics, privacy, safety, and how the relationships between human beings will be developed. To uncover some of some of the implications that will impact those areas, this study investigates the perceptions of 101 younger people from the generations Y and Z. We present a first exploratory analysis of the findings, focusing on knowledge and self-perception. Results show that these young generations are seriously doubting their knowledge on the metaverse and virtual worlds – regarding both the definition and the usage. It is interesting to see only a medium confidence level, considering that the participants are young and from an academic environment, which should increase their interest in and the affinity towards virtual worlds. Males from both generations perceive themselves as significantly more knowledgeable than females. Regarding a fitting definition, almost 40% agreed on the metaverse as a “universal and immersive virtual world that is made accessible using virtual reality and augmented reality technologies”. Regarding the topic in general, several participants (almost 40%) considered themselves sceptics or “just” users (38%). Interestingly, generation Y participants were more likely than the younger generation Z participants to identify themselves as early adopters or innovators. In result, the considerable amount of “mixed feelings” regarding digital, virtual environments and the metaverse shows that in-depth studies on the perception of the metaverse as well as its ethical and integrity implications are required to create more accessible, inclusive, safe, and inclusive digital, virtual environments.
Purpose
To (1) identify neuromuscular and biomechanical injury risk factors in elite youth soccer players and (2) assess the predictive ability of a machine learning approach.
Material and Methods
Fifty-six elite male youth soccer players (age: 17.2 ± 1.1 years; height: 179 ± 8 cm; mass: 70.4 ± 9.2 kg) performed a 3D motion analysis, postural control testing, and strength testing. Non-contact lower extremities injuries were documented throughout 10 months. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to identify the most important injury predictors. Predictive performance of the LASSO model was determined in a leave-one-out (LOO) prediction competition.
Results
Twenty-three non-contact injuries were registered. The LASSO model identified concentric knee extensor peak torque, hip transversal plane moment in the single-leg drop landing task and center of pressure sway in the single-leg stance test as the three most important predictors for injury in that order. The LASSO model was able to predict injury outcomes with a likelihood of 58% and an area under the ROC curve of 0.63 (sensitivity = 35%; specificity = 79%).
Conclusion
The three most important variables for predicting the injury outcome suggest the importance of neuromuscular and biomechanical performance measures in elite youth soccer. These preliminary results may have practical implications for future directions in injury risk screening and planning, as well as for the development of customized training programs to counteract intrinsic injury risk factors. However, the poor predictive performance of the final model confirms the challenge of predicting sports injuries, and the model must therefore be evaluated in larger samples.
Photovoltaic-heat pump (PV-HP) combinations with battery and energy management systems are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to increase the autarchy and utilization of self-generated PV electricity. This trend is driven by the ongoing electrification of the heating sector and the growing disparity between growing electricity costs and reducing feed-in tariffs in Germany. Smart control strategies can be employed to control and optimize the heat pump operation to achieve higher self-consumption of PV electricity. This work presents the evaluation results of a smart-grid ready controlled PV-HP-battery system in a single-family household in Germany, using 1-minute-high-resolution field measurement data. Within 12 months evaluation period, a self-consumption of 43% was determined. The solar fraction of the HP amounts to 36%, enabled also due to higher set temperatures for space heating and domestic hot water production. Accordingly, the SPF decreases by 4.0% the space heating and by 5.7% in the domestic hot water mode. The combined seasonal performance factor for the heat pump system increases from 4.2 to 6.7, when only considering the electricity taken from the grid and disregarding the locally generated electricity supplied from photovoltaic and battery units.
Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) technology has been drawing attention recently. Electrification of the heating sector with heat pumps run by carbon-free electricity sources like photovoltaics is setting the ground for the interest. This article gives insight into PVT technologies and collector designs according to application and operating temperatures. For most conventional designs, examples like prototypes from Research & Development projects are presented. In addition, commercial products are listed along these categories, and the influence on the gross thermal and electrical yield is depicted based on Solar Keymark certification data. The process of certification is presented in a comprehensive way, showing current limitations, giving an outlook on the most recent approach for enhanced procedures and specifications. Finally, different system layouts are presented, and examples from installations combined with a heat pump are given with their specific performances. Real performance data of several PVT installations are compared to conventional heat pump systems. The identified seasonal performance factors are in a range from 3.4 to 4.2 and in between air source and ground source heat pumps. Continuous monitoring and derived data are enablers to discover the decisive influence of the system layout and dimensioning on performance indicators like, for example, operating temperatures over the year.
Purpose
To summarize the mechanical loading of the spine in different activities of daily living and sports.
Methods
Since the direct measurement is not feasible in sports activities, a mathematical model was applied to quantify spinal loading of more than 600 physical tasks in more than 200 athletes from several sports disciplines. The outcome is compression and torque (normalized to body weight/mass) at L4/L5.
Results
The data demonstrate high compressive forces on the lumbar spine in sport-related activities, which are much higher than forces reported in normal daily activities and work tasks. Especially ballistic jumping and landing skills yield high estimated compression at L4/L5 of more than ten times body weight. Jumping, landing, heavy lifting and weight training in sports demonstrate compression forces significantly higher than guideline recommendations for working tasks.
Conclusion
These results may help to identify acute and long-term risks of low back pain and, thus, may guide the development of preventive interventions for low back pain or injury in athletes.
Appraising the Methodological Quality of Sports Injury Video Analysis Studies: The QA-SIVAS Scale
(2023)
Background
Video analysis (VA) is commonly used in the assessment of sports injuries and has received considerable research interest. Until now, no tool has been available for the assessment of study quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a valid instrument that reliably assesses the methodological quality of VA studies.
Methods
The Quality Appraisal for Sports Injury Video Analysis Studies (QA-SIVAS) scale was developed using a modified Delphi approach including expert consensus and pilot testing. Reliability was examined through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3,1) and free-marginal kappa statistics by three independent raters. Construct validity was investigated by comparing QA-SIVAS with expert ratings by using Kendall’s tau analysis. Rating time was studied by applying the scale to 21 studies and computing the mean time for rating per study article.
Results
The QA-SIVAS scale consists of an 18-item checklist addressing the study design, data source, conduct, report, and discussion of VA studies in sports injury research. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were excellent with ICCs > 0.97. Expert ratings revealed a high construct validity (0.71; p < 0.001). Mean rating time was 10 ± 2 min per article.
Conclusion
QA-SIVAS is a reliable and valid instrument that can be easily applied to sports injury research. Future studies in the field of VA should adhere to standardized methodological criteria and strict quality guidelines.
The increasingly stringent CO2 emissions standards require innovative solutions in the vehicle development process. One possibility to reduce CO2 emissions is the electrification of powertrains. The resulting increased complexity, as well as the increased competition and time pressure make the use of simulation software and test benches indispensable in the early development phases. This publication therefore presents a methodology for test bench coupling to enable early testing of electrified powertrains. For this purpose, an internal combustion engine test bench and an electric motor test bench are virtually interconnected. By applying and extending the Distributed Co-Simulation Protocol Standard for the presented hybrid electric powertrain use case, real-time-capable communication between the two test benches is achieved. Insights into the test bench setups, and the communication between the test benches and the protocol extension, especially with regard to temperature measurements, enable the extension to be applied to other powertrain or test bench configurations. The shown results from coupled test bench operations emphasize the applicability. The discussed experiences from the test bench coupling experiments complete the insights.
Linux and Linux-based operating systems have been gaining more popularity among the general users and among developers. Many big enterprises and large companies are using Linux for servers that host their websites, some even require their developers to have knowledge about Linux OS. Even in embedded systems one can find many Linux-based OS that run them. With its increasing popularity, one can deduce the need to secure such a system that many personnel rely on, be it to protect the data that it stores or to protect the integrity of the system itself, or even to protect the availability of the services it offers. Many researchers and Linux enthusiasts have been coming up with various ways to secure Linux OS, however new vulnerabilities and new bugs are always found, by malicious attackers, with every update or change, which calls for the need of more ways to secure these systems.
This Thesis explores the possibility and feasibility of another way to secure Linux OS, specifically securing the terminal of such OS, by altering the commands of the terminal, getting in the way of attackers that have gained terminal access and delaying, giving more time for the response teams and for forensics to stop the attack, minimize the damage, restore operations, and to identify collect and store evidence of the cyber-attack. This research will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various security measures and compare and contrast with the method suggested in this research.
This research is significant because it paints a better picture of what the state of the art of Linux and Linux-based operating systems security looks like, and it addresses the concerns of security enthusiasts, while exploring new uncharted area of security that have been looked at as a not so significant part of protecting the OSes out of concern of the various limitations and problems it entails. This research will address these concerns while exploring few ways to solve them, as well as addressing the ideal areas and situations in which the proposed method can be used, and when would such method be more of a burden than help if used.
With the function RooTri(), we present a simple and robust calculation method for the approximation of the intersection points of a scalar field given as an unstructured point cloud with a plane oriented arbitrarily in space. The point cloud is approximated to a surface consisting of triangles whose edges are used for computing the intersection points. The function contourc() of Matlab is taken as a reference. Our experiments show that the function contourc() produces outliers that deviate significantly from the defined nominal value, while the quality of the results produced by the function RooTri() increases with finer resolution of the examined grid.
Maintaining stability while walking on arbitrary surfaces or dealing with external perturbations is of great interest in humanoid robotics research. Increasing the system’s autonomous robustness to a variety of postural threats during locomotion is the key despite the need to evaluate noisy sensor signals. The equations of motion are the foundation of all published approaches. In contrast, we propose a more adequate evaluation of the equations of motion with respect to an arbitrary moving reference point in a non-inertial reference frame. Conceptual advantages are, e.g., getting independent of global position and velocity vectors estimated by sensor fusions or calculating the imaginary zero-moment point walking on different inclined ground surfaces. Further, we improve the calculation results by reducing noise-amplifying methods in our algorithm and using specific characteristics of physical robots. We use simulation results to compare our algorithm with established approaches and test it with experimental robot data.
Featherweight Generic Go (FGG) is a minimal core calculus modeling the essential features of the programming language Go. It includes support for overloaded methods, interface types, structural subtyping, and generics. The most straightforward semantic description of the dynamic behavior of FGG programs is to resolve method calls based on runtime type information of the receiver. This article shows a different approach by defining a type-directed translation from FGG− to an untyped lambda-calculus. FGG− includes all features of FGG but type assertions. The translation of an FGG− program provides evidence for the availability of methods as additional dictionary parameters, similar to the dictionary-passing approach known from Haskell type classes. Then, method calls can be resolved by a simple lookup of the method definition in the dictionary. Every program in the image of the translation has the same dynamic semantics as its source FGG− program. The proof of this result is based on a syntactic, step-indexed logical relation. The step index ensures a well-founded definition of the relation in the presence of recursive interface types and recursive methods. Although being non-deterministic, the translation is coherent.
In 4D printing, an additively manufactured component is given the ability to change its shape or function in an intended and useful manner over time. The technology of 4D printing is still in an early stage of development. Nevertheless, interesting research and initial applications exist in the literature. In this work, a novel methodical approach is presented that helps transfer existing 4D printing research results and knowledge into solving application tasks systematically. Moreover, two different smart materials are analyzed, used, and combined following the presented methodical approach to solving the given task in the form of recovering an object from a poorly accessible space. This is implemented by self-positioning, grabbing, and extracting the target object. The first smart material used to realize these tasks is a shape-memory polymer, while the second is a polymer-based magnetic composite. In addition to the presentation and detailed implementation of the methodical approach, the potentials and behavior of the two smart materials are further examined and narrowed down as a result of the investigation. The results show that the developed methodical approach contributes to moving 4D printing closer toward a viable alternative to existing technologies due to its problem-oriented nature.
In recent years, the demand for reliable power, driven by sensitive electronic equipment, has surged. Even minor deviations from the nominal supply can lead to malfunctions or failure. Despite technological advancements, power quality issues persist due to various factors like short circuits, overloads, voltage fluctuations, unbalanced loads, and non-linear loads.
This thesis extensively explores power quality anomalies in industrial and commercial sectors, using power system data as the primary analytical resource. It addresses the critical need for power supply reliability in today's evolving power grid industry, affected by non-linear loads, renewable energy integration, and electric vehicles. This field of study is paramount for ensuring power supply reliability and stability in the evolving power grid industry.
The core of this thesis involves a comprehensive investigation of power quality, with a focus on frequency, power, and harmonics in voltage and current signals. The research employs Python programming for advanced data analysis, utilizing techniques such as advanced Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) analysis. The primary objective is to provide valuable insights aimed at elevating power supply quality and enhancing reliability in both industrial and commercial environments.
Immunosorbent turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV) particles displaying the IgG-binding domains D and E of Staphylococcus aureus protein A (PA) on every coat protein (CP) subunit (TVCVPA) were purified from plants via optimized and new protocols. The latter used polyethylene glycol (PEG) raw precipitates, from which virions were selectively re-solubilized in reverse PEG concentration gradients. This procedure improved the integrity of both TVCVPA and the wild-type subgroup 3 tobamovirus. TVCVPA could be loaded with more than 500 IgGs per virion, which mediated the immunocapture of fluorescent dyes, GFP, and active enzymes. Bi-enzyme ensembles of cooperating glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase were tethered together on the TVCVPA carriers via a single antibody type, with one enzyme conjugated chemically to its Fc region, and the other one bound as a target, yielding synthetic multi-enzyme complexes. In microtiter plates, the TVCVPA-displayed sugar-sensing system possessed a considerably increased reusability upon repeated testing, compared to the IgG-bound enzyme pair in the absence of the virus. A high coverage of the viral adapters was also achieved on Ta2O5 sensor chip surfaces coated with a polyelectrolyte interlayer, as a prerequisite for durable TVCVPA-assisted electrochemical biosensing via modularly IgG-assembled sensor enzymes.
The cellulase-producing Trichoderma reesei strain RL-P37 exhibits significant potential, yielding 7.3 g/L of cellulase in 241 hours. Microscopic investigations reveal a link between spore formation and enzyme production, suggesting the need for research into the intricate relationship between enzyme production, stress responses, and the nutritional prerequisites of fungi. Comparatively, the use of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment, as opposed to water treatment, results in the reduction of micronutrient content and carbon source extraction as filtrate. Despite these challenges, research by He et al. (2021) highlights NaOH's efficiency in cellulose extraction from plant-based sources. Using NaOH pretreatment can be proven as effective by designing a proper cultivation method. The selection of inducers for enzyme induction gains importance, with soluble inducers, as emphasized by Zhang et al. (2022), exhibiting superior effectiveness. Hence, adopting soluble inducers in designing cultivation methods for improved enzyme production in shaking flasks is recommended. Enzymatic treatment of bio-waste, as outlined by Hu et al. (2021), shows promise in augmenting essential component content by breaking down plant cell walls and intercellular compartments. However, the feasibility of using an artificial bio-waste medium for cultivating Trichoderma reesei is questioned. Investigating the impact of micronutrient levels, particularly the inhibitory role of zinc, on fungal growth becomes essential. These findings underscore the necessity for ongoing research and optimization in cellulase production, emphasizing both strain productivity and cultivation methodologies.
One of the main problematics of the seals tests is the time and money consuming they are. Up to now, there are few tries to do a digitalisation of a test where the seals behaviour can be known.
This work aims to digitally reproduce a seal test to extract their behaviour when working under different operation conditions to see their impact on the pimp’s efficiency. In this thesis, due to the Lomaking effect, the leakage and the forces applied on the stator will be the base of analysis.
First of all, among all the literature available for very different kind of seals and inner patterns, it has been chosen the most appropriate and precise data. The data chosen is “Test results for liquid Damper Seals using a Round-Hole Roughness Pattern for the Stator” from Fayolle, P. and “Static and Rotordynamic Characteristics of Liquid Annular Seals with Circumferentially/Grooved Stator and Smooth Rotor using three levels of circumferential Inlet-Fluid” from Torres J.M.
From the literature, dimensions of the test rig and the seals will be extracted to model them into a 3D CAD software. With the 3D CAD digitalisation, the fluid volumes for a rotor-centred position, meaning without eccentricity, will be extracted, and used. The following components have been modelled:
- Smooth Annular Liquid Seal (Grooved Rotor)
- Grooved Annular Liquid Seal (Smooth Rotor)
- Round-Hole Pattern Annular Liquid Seal (𝐻𝑑=2 𝑚𝑚) (Smooth Rotor)
- Straight Honeycomb Annular Liquid Seal (Smooth Rotor)
- Convergent Honeycomb Annular Liquid Seal (Smooth Rotor)
- Smooth Rotor / Smooth Annular Liquid Seal (Smooth Rotor)
As there is just one test rig, all the components have been adapted to the different dimensions of the seals by referencing some measures. This allows to test any seal with the same test rig.
Afterwards a CFD simulation that will be used to obtain leakage and stator forces. The parameters that will be changed are the rotational velocity of the fluid (2000 rpm, 4000 rpm, and 6000 rpm) and the pressure drop (2,068 bar, 4,137 bar, 6,205 bar, and 8,274 bar).
Those results will be compared to the literature ones, and they will determine if digitalisation can be validated or not. Even though the relative error is higher than 5% but the tendency is the same and it is thought that by changing some parameters the test results can be even closer to the literature ones.
To date, many experiments have been performed to study how the internal geometrical shapes of the annular liquid seal can reduce internal leakage and increase pump efficiency. These can be time-consuming and expensive as all rotordynamic coefficients must be determined in each case.
Nowadays, accurate simulation methods to calculate rotordynamic coefficients of annular seals are still rare. Therefore, new numerical methods must be designed and validated for annular seals.
The present study aims to contribute to this labour by providing a summary of the available test rig and seals dimensions and experimental results obtained in the following experiments:
− Kaneko, S et al., Experimental Study on Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Liquid Annular Convergent-Tapered Seals with Honeycomb Roughness Pattern (2003) [1] − J. Alex Moreland, Influence of pre-swirl and eccentricity in smooth stator/grooved rotor liquid annular seals, static and rotordynamic characteristics (2016) [2]
A 3D CAD simulation with Siemens NX Software of the test rig used in J. Alex Moreland’s experiment has been made. The following annular liquid seals have also been 3D modelled, as well as their fluid volume:
− Smooth Annular Liquid Seal (SS/GR) (J. Alex Moreland experiment)
− Grooved Annular Liquid Seal (GS/SR)
− Round-Hole Pattern Annular Liquid Seal (𝐻𝑑=2 mm) (GS/SR)
− Straight Honeycomb Annular Liquid Seal (GS/SR)
− Convergent Honeycomb Annular Liquid Seal (No. 3) (GS/SR)
− Smooth Annular Liquid Seal (SS/SR) (S. Kaneko experiment)
In the case of the seals used in S. Kaneko’s experiments, the test rig has been adapted to each seal, defining interpart expressions which can be easily modified.
Afterwards, it has been done a CFD simulation of the Smooth Annular Liquid Seal using Ansys CFX Software. To do so, the fluid volume geometry has been simplified to do a first approximation. Results have been compared for an eccentricity 𝜀0=0.00 for the following ranges of rotor speeds and differential of pressure:
− Δ𝑃= 2.07, 4.14, 6.21, and 8.27 bar,
− 𝜔= 2, 4, 6 and 8 krpm.
Even results obtained have the same trend as the one proportionated by the literature, they cannot be validated as the error is above 5%. It is also observed that as the pressure drop increases, the relative error decreases considerably.
In this paper, the performance of different continuous-time and discrete-time models of the electrical subsystem of induction machines and permanent-magnet synchronous machines as well as methods based on them for decoupling the direct and
quadrature axis components of the stator current are investigated and compared. The focus here is on inverter-fed, pulse width modulated drives when operated with a relatively large product of stator frequency and sampling time, where significant
differences between the models and decoupling methods used come to light. Recommendations for a discrete-time model to be used uniformly in the future are made, as well as statements on whether feedforward or feedback decoupling structures are better suited and whether state controllers improve decoupling measures for very steep speed ramps. Simulation studies and measurement results support the statements made above.
This research presents a comprehensive exploration of hydroponic systems and their practical applications, with a focus on innovative solutions for managing environmental and analytical sensors in hydroponic setups. Hydroponic systems, which enable soilless cultivation, have gained increasing importance in modern agriculture due to their resource-efficient and high-yield nature.
The study delves into the development and deployment of the SensVert system, an adaptable solution tailored for hydroponic environments. SensVert offers adaptability and accessibility to farmers across various agricultural domains, addressing contemporary challenges in supervising and managing environmental and analytical sensors within hydroponic setups. Leveraging LoRa technology for seamless wireless data transmission, SensVert empowers users with a feature-rich dashboard for real-time monitoring and control. The study showcases the practical implementation of SensVert through a single sensor node, seamlessly integrating temperature, humidity, pressure, light, and pH sensors. The system automates pH regulation, employing the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, and precisely controls liquid dosing using a PID controller. At the core of SensVert lies an architecture comprising The Things Stack as the network server, Node-Red as the application server, and Grafana as the user interface. These components synergize within a local network hosted on a Raspberry Pi; effectively mitigating challenges associated with data packet transmission in areas with limited internet connectivity.
As part of ongoing research, this work also paves the way for future advancements. These include the establishment of a wireless sensor network (WSN) utilizing LoRa technology, enabling seamless over-the-air sensor node updates for maintenance or replacement scenarios. These enhancements promise to further elevate the system's reliability and functionality within hydroponic cultivation, fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
AI-based Ground Penetrating Radar Signal Processing for Thickness Estimation of Subsurface Layers
(2023)
This thesis focuses on the estimation of subsurface layer thickness using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) A-scan and B-scan data through the application of neural networks. The objective is to develop accurate models capable of estimating the thickness of up to two subsurface layers.
Two different approaches are explored for processing the A-scan data. In the first approach, A-scans are compressed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and a regression feedforward neural network is employed to estimate the layers’ thicknesses. The second approach utilizes a regression one-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1-D CNN) for the same purpose. Comparative analysis reveals that the second approach yields superior results in terms of accuracy.
Subsequently, the proposed 1-D CNN architecture is adapted and evaluated for Step Frequency Continuous Wave (SFCW) radar, expanding its applicability to this type of radar system. The effectiveness of the proposed network in estimating subsurface layer thickness for SFCW radar is demonstrated.
Furthermore, the thesis investigates the utilization of GPR B-scan images as input data for subsurface layer thickness estimation. A regression CNN is employed for this purpose, although the results achieved are not as promising as those obtained with the 1-D CNN using A-scan data. This disparity is attributed to the limited availability of B-scan data, as B-scan generation is a resource-intensive process.
Much of the research in the field of audio-based machine learning has focused on recreating human speech via feature extraction and imitation, known as deepfakes. The current state of affairs has prompted a look into other areas, such as the recognition of recording devices, and potentially speakers, by only analysing sound files. Segregation and feature extraction are at the core of this approach.
This research focuses on determining whether a recorded sound can reveal the recording device with which it was captured. Each specific microphone manufacturer and model, among other characteristics and imperfections, can have subtle but compounding effects on the results, whether it be differences in noise, or the recording tempo and sensitivity of the microphone while recording. By studying these slight perturbations, it was found to be possible to distinguish between microphones based on the sounds they recorded.
After the recording, pre-processing, and feature extraction phases we completed, the prepared data was fed into several different machine learning algorithms, with results ranging from 70% to 100% accuracy, showing Multi-Layer Perceptron and Logistic Regression to be the most effective for this type of task.
This was further extended to be able to tell the difference between two microphones of the same make and model. Achieving the identification of identical models of a microphone suggests that the small deviations in their manufacturing process are enough of a factor to uniquely distinguish them and potentially target individuals using them. This however does not take into account any form of compression applied to the sound files, as that may alter or degrade some or most of the distinguishing features that are necessary for this experiment.
Building on top of prior research in the area, such as by Das et al. in in which different acoustic features were explored and assessed on their ability to be used to uniquely fingerprint smartphones, more concrete results along with the methodology by which they were achieved are published in this project’s publicly accessible code repository.
Estimation and projecting total steel industry production costs from 2019 to 2030 for Germany
(2023)
This thesis analyses the total production cost of the German steel industry from 2019 to 2022, as well as a projection of the German steel industry's total production cost until 2030. The research separates the costs of steel production into their primary components, such as raw materials, energy, CO2 cost, capital expenses and operating expenses. The cost of steel production is determined separately for primary steelmaking with the blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) and secondary steelmaking with the electric arc furnace (EAF).
The analysis indicates that, following the COVID-19 disaster and the fuel crisis, the overall cost of producing steel in Germany has progressively risen over the previous few years, reaching its peak in the first half of 2022. In addition, there are considerable disparities between the production costs of primary and secondary steelmaking processes, with primary steelmaking generally being more expensive.
In this analysis, the total cost of production for the German steel industry in the year 2030 has been estimated by taking into account historical trends as well as other predictions that are currently available.
This thesis provides overall insights on the economics of the German steel sector. By giving thorough information on production costs and changes over time, this research can assist guide crucial future investment decisions in this essential industry. To ensure long-term success, our findings emphasize the significance of investing in more sustainable and ecologically friendly steel production processes.
Truth is the first causality of war”, is a very often used statement. What rather intrigues the mind is what causes the causality of truth. If one dives deeper, one may also wonder why is this so-called truth the first target in a war. Who all see the truth before it dies. These questions rarely get answered as the media and general public tends to focus more on the human and economic losses in a war or war like situation. What many fail to realize is that these truthful pieces of information are critical to how a situation further develops. One correct information may change the course of the whole war saving millions and one mis-information may do the opposite.
Since its inception, some studies have been conducted to propose and develop new applications for OSINT in various fields. In addition to OSINT, Artificial Intelligence is a worldwide trend that is being used in conjunction witThe question here is, what is this information. Who transmits this and how? What is the source. Although, there has been an extensive use of the information provided by the secret services of any nation, which have come handy to many, another kind of information system is using the one that is publicly available, but in different pieces. This kind of information may come from people posting on social media, some publicly available records and much more. The key part in this publicly available information is that these are just pieces of information available across the globe from various different sources. This could be seen as small pieces of a puzzle that need to be put together to see the bigger picture. This is where OSINT comes in place.
h other areas (AI). AI is the branch of computer science that is in charge of developing intelligent systems. In terms of contribution, this work presents a 9-step systematic literature review as well as consolidated data to support future OSINT studies. It was possible to understand where the greatest concentration of publications was, which countries and continents developed the most research, and the characteristics of these publications using this information. What are the trends for the next OSINT with AI studies? What AI subfields are used with OSINT? What are the most popular keywords, and how do they relate to others over time?A timeline describing the application of OSINT is also provided. It was also clear how OSINT was used in conjunction with AI to solve problems in various areas with varying objectives. Private investigators and journalists are no longer the primary users of open-source intelligence gathering and analysis (OSINT) techniques. Approximately 80-90 percent of data analysed by intelligence agencies is now derived from publicly available sources. Furthermore, the massive expansion of the internet, particularly social media platforms, has made OSINT more accessible to civilians who simply want to trawl the Web for information on a specific individual, organisation, or product. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union was implemented in the United Kingdom in May 2018 through the new Data Protection Act, with the goal of protecting personal data from unauthorised collection, storage, and exploitation. This document presents a preliminary review of the literature on GDPR-related work.
The reviewed literature is divided into six sections: ’What is OSINT?’, ’What are the risks?’ and benefits of OSINT?’, ’What is the rationale for data protection legislation?’, ’What are the current legislative frameworks in the UK and Europe?’, ’What is the potential impact of the GDPR on OSINT?’, and ’Have the views of civilian and commercial stakeholders been sought and why is this important?’. Because OSINT tools and techniques are available to anyone, they have the unique ability to be used to hold power accountable. As a result, it is critical that new data protection legislation does not impede civilian OSINT capabilities.
In this paper we see how OSINT has played an important role in the wars across the globe in the past. We also see how OSINT is used in our everyday life. We also gain insights on how OSINT is playing a role in the current war going on between Russia and Ukraine. Furthermore, we look into some of these OSINT tools and how they work. We also consider a use case where OSINT is used as an anti terrorism tool. At the end, we also see how OSINT has evolved over the years, and what we can expect in the future as to what OSINT may look like.
Cloud computing is a combination of technologies, including grid computing and distributed computing, that use the Internet as a network for service delivery. Organizations can select the price and service models that best accommodate their demands and financial restrictions. Cloud service providers choose the pricing model for their cloud services, taking the size, usage, user, infrastructure, and service size into account. Thus, cloud computing’s economic and business advantages are driving firms to shift more applications to the cloud, boosting future development. It enlarges the possibilities of current IT systems.
Over the past several years, the ”cloud computing” industry has exploded in popularity, going from a promising business concept to one of the fastest expanding areas of the IT sector. Most enterprises are hosting or installing web services in a cloud architecture for management simplicity and improved availability. Virtual environments are applied to accomplish multi-tenancy in the cloud. A vulnerability in a cloud computing environment poses a direct threat to the users’ privacy and security. In our digital age, the user has many identities. At all levels, access rights and digital identities must be regulated and controlled.
Identity and access management(IAM) are the process of managing identities and regulating access privileges. It is considered as a front-line soldier of IT security. It is the goal of identity and access management systems to protect an organization’s assets by limiting access to just those who need it and in the appropriate cases. It is required for all businesses with thousands of users and is the best practice for ensuring user access control. It identifies, authenticates, and authorizes people to access an organization’s resources. This, in turn, enhances access management efficiency. Authentication, authorization, data protection, and accountability are just a few of the areas in which cloud-based web services have security issues. These features come under identity and access management.
The implementation of identity and access management(IAM) is essential for any business. It’s becoming more and more business-centric, so we need more than technical know-how to succeed. Organizations may save money on identity management and, more crucially, become much nimbler in their support of new business initiatives if they have developed sophisticated IAM capabilities. We used these features of identity and access management to validate the robustness of the cloud computing environment with a comparison of traditional identity and access management.
The current thesis conducts the study on the integration of digitalization techniques aimed at improving energy supply efficiency in off-grid energy systems. The primary objective is to fortify the security of energy supply in remote areas, particularly in instances of adverse weather conditions, unanticipated changes in load and fluctuations in the performance of renewable energy systems. This objective is to be achieved through the implementation of a smart load management strategy in stand-alone photovoltaic systems (SAPVS). This strategy involves deployment of forecasting algorithms on an edge device that operates with limited processing resources in an environment characterized for the lack of internet connection. The edge device is designed to interact with a smart home gateway that prioritizes, and schedules smart appliances based on the forecasted state of charge (SOC) in the 36-hours ahead of the SAPVS operation (the implementation of the loads schedule deployed on the Home Assistant device is out of the scope of the tasks implemented for this project).
The edge device, developed using a Raspberry Pi 3B+, was specifically intended for being implemented along with a SAPVS, in remote areas such as health stations in Africa and tropical islands, providing communities with a reliable source of electrical energy. The deployment of the strategy was carried out in four phases. The first phase involved the implementation of an Extraction-Transformation-Load (ETL) pipeline, where data was gathered from various heterogeneous hardware sources of an implemented test system that served as the enabler and testbench of this research, this test stand is composed of power electronics components such as an inverter, a MPPT solar charge controller, a smart meter, and a BOS LiFePo4 battery prototype. In the transformation stage, a data model was developed to identify the most critical parameters of the energy system, and to eliminate outliers and null values. In the load stage, a local SQL database was established for saving and structuring the data gathered and to ensure high-quality data with defined units and casting.
The second phase involved data analysis to identify the relevant features and potential exogenous variables for the forecasting model to implement. In the third phase, an Auto Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) model with two selected exogenous variables was implemented to forecast the AC load consumption profile for the 36- hours ahead of the off-grid system operation. The final phase involved the information exchange with the Home Assistant device, by transferring to it from the edge device the battery SOC present value and the predicted 36-hour ahead AC load profile information for prioritization and scheduling of loads; this through an MQTT interface.
The outcome of the experiment was a successful deployment of a data engineering and data forecasting approach that enabled data quality strategy implementation, local database storage, and forecasting algorithms on a processing and internet-constrained edge device. The interface with a home assistant implementation resulted in the successful execution of smart load management endeavors in an off-grid system, thereby enhancing the energy security of supply and contributing to the advancement of data-driven strategies in the rural electrification sector.
This thesis emphasizes the significance of digitalization strategies in smart SAPVS and highlights the potential of edge computing solutions in achieving seamless energy management in smart homes.
This paper presents a framework for numerical building validation enhancement based on detailed building specifications from in-situ measurements and evidence-based validation assessment undertaken on a detached sustainable lightweight building in a semi-arid climate. The validation process has been undergone in a set of controlled experiments – a free-float period, and steady-state internal temperatures. The validation was conducted for a complete year with a 1-min time step for the hourly indoor temperature and the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) energy consumption. The initial baseline model was improved by three series of validation steps per three different field measurements including thermal transmittance, glazing thermal and optical properties, and airtightness. Then, the accurate and validated model was used for building energy efficiency assessment in 12 regions of Morocco. This study aims to assess the effect of accurate building characteristics values on the numerical model enhancement. The initial CV(RMSE) and NMBE have improved respectively from 14.58 % and −11.23 %–7.85 % and 1.86 % for the indoor temperature. Besides, from 31.17 % to 14.37 %–20.57 % and 9.77 % for energy consumption. The findings demonstrate that the lightweight construction with the use of a variable refrigerant flow system could be energy efficient in the southern regions of Morocco.
The variable refrigerant flow system is one of the best heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) thanks to its ability to provide thermal comfort inside buildings. But, at the same time, these systems are considered one of the most energy-consuming systems in the building sector. Thus, it is crucial to well size the system according to the building’s cooling and heating needs and the indoor temperature fluctuations. Although many researchers have studied the optimization of the building energy performance considering heating or cooling needs, using air handling units, radiant floor heating, and direct expansion valves, few studies have considered the use of multi-objective optimization using only the thermostat setpoints of VRF systems for both cooling and heating needs. Thus, the main aim of this study is to conduct a sensitivity analysis and a multi-objective optimization strategy for a residential building containing a variable refrigerant flow system, to evaluate the effect of the building performance on energy consumption and improve the building energy efficiency. The numerical model was based on the EnergyPlus, jEPlus, and jEPlus+EA simulation engines. The approach used in this paper has allowed us to reach significant quantitative energy saving by varying the cooling and heating setpoints and scheduling scenarios. It should be stressed that this approach could be applied to several HVAC systems to reduce energy-building consumption.
The purpose of this master's thesis was to set up a test bed for the absorption of chemical compounds by carbon-based sorbents and polymers and to develop a method for the detection of these substances applied by liquid chromatography.
The study made it possible to demonstrate the effectiveness of both polymers and biochars sorbents for the adosorption of specific substances. The results obtained open new paths on the study of biochar for the treatment of contaminated water. Some biochars made from plant-based materials have been shown to be almost as effective as commercial products used in plants. The developed chromatography method allows efficient separation of substances and their detection.
Conceptualization and implementation of automated optimization methods for private 5G networks
(2023)
Today’s companies are adjusting to the new connectivity realities. New applications require more bandwidth, lower latency, and higher reliability as industries become more distributed and autonomous. Private 5th Generation (5G) networks known as 5G Non-Public Networks (5G-NPN), is a novel 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)- based 5G network that can deliver seamless and dedicated wireless access for a particular industrial use case by providing the mentioned application’s requirements. To meet these requirements, several radio-related aspects and network parameters should be considered. In many cases, the behavior of the link connection may vary based on wireless conditions, available network resources, and User Equipment (UE) requirements. Furthermore, Optimizing these networks can be a complex task due to the large number of network parameters and KPIs that need to be considered. For these reasons, traditional solutions and static network configuration are not affordable or simply impossible. Despite the existence of papers in the literature that address several optimization methods for cellular networks in industrial scenarios, more insight into these existing but complex or unknown methods is needed.
In this thesis, a series of optimization methods were implemented to deliver an optimal configuration solution for a 5G private network. To facilitate this implementation, a testing system was implemented. This system enables remote control over the UE and 5G network, establishment of a test environment, extraction of relevant KPI reports from both UE and network sides, assessment of test results and KPIs, and effective utilization of the optimization and sampling techniques.
The research highlights the advantageous aspects of automated testing by using OFAT, Simulated Annealing, and Random Forest Regressor methods. With OFAT, as a common sampling method, a sensitivity analysis and an impact of each single parameter variation on the performance of the network were revealed. With Simulated Annealing, an optimal solution with MSE of roughly 10 was revealed. And, in the Random Forest Regressor, it was seen that this method presented a significant advantage over the simulated annealing method by providing substantial benefits in time efficiency due to its machine- learning capability. Additionally, it was seen that by providing a larger dataset or using some other machine-learning techniques, the solution might be more accurate.
Self-sufficient enzymes belong to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) group and are known for their superior hydroxylation catalytic activity. In the pursuit of identifying new pesticides to combat antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, we employed BM3 wild type (BM3-WT), the fastest monohydroxylating CYP, along with its seven homologs, to investigate the production of potential hydroxylated derivatives from the established pesticide, 4-oxocrotonic acid using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Following the recombinant production of BM3-WT and three other homologs in E. coli, and their subsequent purification using Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC), a novel enzyme assay approach was developed as a substitute for the carbon monoxide (CO) assay. This new method relied on the measurement of NADPH consumption at 340 nm by BM3-WT for palmitic acid. Leveraging this established technique, we explored the substrate specificity of BM3-WT and its homologs not only on palmitic acid but also on other structurally similar compounds, including 4-oxocrotonic acid. The results obtained from the established NADPH assay indicate that all tested enzymes displayed greater catalytic activity on 4-oxocrotonic acid in comparison to other substrates with similar structures. However, the impact of BM3-WT and its homologs on 4-oxocrotonic acid varied in terms of product specificity. Enzymes such as Poh, Trr and Bas-CYP D exhibited specificity in producing solely monohydroxylated products, while others tended to yield dehydroxylated and ketol metabolites.
The aim of this paper is to identify indicators at country level that could prove useful in improving the effectiveness of fraud detection in European Structural and Investment Funds. We analyse data for 454 funds, belonging to the period 2014-2020, from the 28 countries that were members of the European Union in 2014. Explanatory results suggest the convenience of tracking funds, especially in countries with higher GDP and higher transparency levels, and the lesser relevance of the number of irregularities for countries with higher GDP and those receiving larger funds. Fraud and fraud detection rates in individual funds vary significantly across states. Federal states, such as the Federal Republic of Germany, are comparatively successful in detecting fraud in EU funds.
Gamification is increasingly successful in the field of education and health. However, beyond call-centers and applications in human resources, its utilization within companies remains limited. In this paper, we examine the acceptance of gamification in a large company (with over 17,000 employees) across three generations, namely X, Y, and Z. Furthermore, we investigate which gamification elements are suited for business contexts, such as the dissemination of company principles and facts, or the organization of work tasks. To this end, we conducted focus group discussions, developed the prototype of a gamified company app, and performed a large-scale evaluation with 367 company employees. The results reveal statistically significant intergenerational disparities in the acceptance of gamification: younger employees, especially those belonging to Generation Z, enjoy gamification more than older employees and are most likely to engage with a gamified app in the workplace. The results further show a nuanced range of preferences regarding gamification elements: avatars are popular among all generations, badges are predominantly appreciated by Generations Z and Y, while leaderboards are solely liked by Generation Z. Drawing upon these insights, we provide recommendations for future gamification projects within business contexts. We hope that the results of our study regarding the preferences of the gamification elements and understanding generational differences in acceptance and usage of gamification will help to create more engaging and effective apps, especially within the corporate landscape.
The primary objective of this thesis is to examine the lean accounting transformation, which involves applying lean management principles to the accounting domain. In recent years, various sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, and services, have experienced success with lean management practices. Nevertheless, the implementation of lean accounting within financial management has not been as extensively explored. This research aims to bridge that gap by scrutinizing the benefits and potential drawbacks of adopting lean accounting practices in business operations.
This research uses a combination of qualitative techniques and an extensive literature review to better understand the present subject matter. By describing the ideas of lean management and standard accounting and highlighting the fundamental distinctions between the two systems, the literature study lays a theoretical framework. The case studies illustrate the benefits of adopting lean accounting processes with real-world examples of firms that have made the transition effectively.
In the quantitative analysis of lean accounting's impact, both financial and operational factors are examined extensively. The results indicate that companies embracing lean accounting practices experience significant improvements in productivity, cost reduction, and decisionmaking quality. By highlighting the potential gains to be made by incorporating lean techniques into accounting procedures, this study adds to the current body of information on lean management. The findings offer practical implications for accounting professionals, business leaders, and policymakers interested in leveraging lean accounting to drive organizational performance improvement. The thesis finishes with suggestions for further study in this area, lean accounting.
As e-commerce platforms have grown in popularity, new difficulties have emerged, such as the growing use of bots—automated programs—to engage with e-commerce websites. Even though some algorithms are helpful, others are malicious and can seriously hurt e-commerce platforms by making fictitious purchases, posting fictitious evaluations, and gaining control of user accounts. Therefore, the development of more effective and precise bot identification systems is urgently needed to stop such actions. This thesis proposes a methodology for detecting bots in E-commerce using machine learning algorithms such as K-nearest neighbors, Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Neural Network. The purpose of the research is to assess and contrast the output of these machine learning methods. The suggested approach will be based on data that is readily accessible to the public, and the study’s focus will be on the research of bots in e-commerce.
The purpose of the study is to provide an overview of bots in e-commerce, as well as information on the different kinds and traits of bots, as well as current research on bots in e-commerce and associated work on bot detection in e-commerce. The research also seeks to create a more precise and effective bot detection system as well as find critical factors in detecting bots in e-commerce.
This research is significant because it sheds light on the increasing issue of bots in e-commerce and the requirement for more effective bot detection systems. The suggested approach for using machine learning algorithms to identify bots in ecommerce can give e-commerce platforms a more precise and effective bot detection system to stop malicious bot activities. The study’s results can also be used to create a more effective bot detection system and pinpoint key elements in detecting bots in e-commerce.
Decentralized applications (dApp) have proliferated in recent years, but their long-term viability is a topic of debate. However, for dApps to be sustainable, and suitable for integration into a larger service networks, they need to attract users and promise reliable availability. Therefore, assessing their longevity is crucial. Analyzing the utilization trajectory of a service is, however, challenging due to several factors, such as demand spikes, noise, autocorrelation, and non-stationarity. In this study, we employ robust statistical techniques to identify trends in currently popular dApps. Our findings demonstrate that a significant proportion of dApps, across a range of categories, exhibit statistically significant positive overall trends, indicating that success in decentralized computing can be sustainable and transcends specific fields. However, there is also a substantial number of dApps showing negative trends, with a disproportionately high number from the decentralized finance (DeFi) category. Furthermore, a more detailed inspection of time series segments shows a clearly diminishing proportion of positive trends from mid-2021 to the present. In summary, we conclude that the dApp economy might have lost some momentum, and that there is a strong element of uncertainty regarding its future significance.
Singapore’s success in transforming itself from a poor, vulnerable economy to one of the richest countries in the world (IMF, 2016) is nothing short of inspirational to many small economies around the globe. Given its lack of resources, Singapore relied upon foreign investors to fuel its growth not only through cash injection into the economy in the form of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) but also to help upgrade its skills and technological stock. This study looks at how Singapore inspired many Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) into pouring a large sum of investments into this small ailing citystate and if this idea can be generalized to apply it in other economies, especially in Oman.
In a bid to explain the large flow of Capital into an economy, this study moves on further to review most prominent literature in the field since Macdougall (1958) first laid the groundwork for the subsequent theories on FDI. Based on the review of several previous studies, the most significant determinants of FDI were found to be government policy and political stability, inflation rate as a proxy for economic stability, quality of infrastructure and institutions, market size of the host country, openness to trade, tax policies and access to low cost factors of production.
Through a case study method with the inductive approach, this study finds that Singapore excels in all of the determinants of FDI except for the market size of the host country and access to low-cost factors of production. However, it more than compensates for these shortcomings with its strategic geographical location and numerous bilateral and regional trade agreements that give it access to markets around the region. Oman like Singapore ranks well in many of these determinants that make it a potential destination for investment. However, the sultanate could gain more interest from the MNC’s to help its growth by optimizing its policies to lower existing barriers, easing immigration laws to meet the short term skill shortage, allowing for 100 percent foreign ownership, allowing for more liberal property rights, working to improve corruption perception and opting for more trade agreements to give it easy access to larger markets. Moreover, the economy’s heavy reliance on hydrocarbon exports is seen as a major risk by investors as it creates an economic vulnerability which could potentially overshadow many other benefits of investing in the sultanate. Besides the aforementioned determinants, a lot also depends on the success of Oman’s diversification plans.
Lithium-ion battery cells exhibit a complex and nonlinear coupling of thermal, electrochemical,and mechanical behavior. In order to increase insight into these processes, we report the development of a pseudo-three-dimensional (P3D) thermo-electro-mechanical model of a commercial lithium-ion pouch cell with graphite negative electrode and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide/lithium cobalt oxide blend positive electrode. Nonlinear molar volumes of the active materials as function of lithium stoichiometry are taken from literature and implemented into the open-source software Cantera for convenient coupling to battery simulation codes. The model is parameterized and validated using electrical, thermal and thickness measurements over a wide range of C-rates from 0.05 C to 10 C. The combined experimental and simulated analyses show that thickness change during cycling is dominated by intercalation-induced swelling of graphite, while swelling of the two blend components partially cancel each other. At C-rates above 2 C, electrochemistry-induced temperature increase significantly contributes to cell swelling due to thermal expansion. The thickness changes are nonlinearly distributed over the thickness of the electrode pair due to gradients in the local lithiation, which may accelerate local degradation. Remaining discrepancies between simulation and experiment at high C-rates might be attributed to lithium plating, which is not considered in the model at present.
Organized by the Fraunhofer Additive Manufacturing Alliance, the bi-annual Direct Digital Manufacturing Conference brings together researchers, educators and practitioners from around the world. The conference covers the entire range of topics in additive manufacturing, starting with methodologies, design and simulation, right up to more application-specific topics, e.g. from the realm of medical engineering and electronics.
A balcony photovoltaic (PV) system, also known as a micro-PV system, is a small PV system consisting of one or two solar modules with an output of 100–600 Wp and a corresponding inverter that uses standard plugs to feed the renewable energy into the house grid. In the present study we demonstrate the integration of a commercial lithium-ion battery into a commercial micro-PV system. We firstly show simulations over one year with one second time resolution which we use to assess the influence of battery and PV size on self-consumption, self-sufficiency and the annual cost savings. We then develop and operate experimental setups using two different architectures for integrating the battery into the micro-PV system. In the passive hybrid architecture, the battery is in parallel electrical connection to the PV module. In the active hybrid architecture, an additional DC-DC converter is used. Both architectures include measures to avoid maximum power point tracking of the battery by the module inverter. Resulting PV/battery/inverter systems with 300 Wp PV and 555 Wh battery were tested in continuous operation over three days under real solar irradiance conditions. Both architectures were able to maintain stable operation and demonstrate the shift of PV energy from the day into the night. System efficiencies were observed comparable to a reference system without battery. This study therefore demonstrates the feasibility of both active and passive coupling architectures.
The Internet of Things is spreading significantly in every sector, including the household, a variety of industries, healthcare, and emergency services, with the goal of assisting all of those infrastructures by providing intelligent means of service delivery. An Internet of Vulnerabilities (IoV) has emerged as a result of the pervasiveness of the Internet of Things (IoT), which has led to a rise in the use of applications and devices connected to the IoT in our day-to-day lives. The manufacture of IoT devices are growing at a rapid pace, but security and privacy concerns are not being taken into consideration. These intelligent Internet of Things devices are especially vulnerable to a variety of attacks, both on the hardware and software levels, which leaves them exposed to the possibility of use cases. This master’s thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the Internet of Things (IoT) with regard to security and privacy in the area of applications, security architecture frameworks, a taxonomy of various cyberattacks based on various architecture models, such as three-layer, four-layer, and five-layer. The fundamental purpose of this thesis is to provide recommendations for alternate mitigation strategies and corrective actions by using a holistic rather than a layer-by-layer approach. We discussed the most effective solutions to the problems of privacy and safety that are associated with the Internet of Things (IoT) and presented them in the form of research questions. In addition to that, we investigated a number of further possible directions for the development of this research.
Electrochemical pressure impedance spectroscopy (EPIS) is an emerging tool for the diagnosis of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). It is based on analyzing the frequency response of the cell voltage with respect to an excitation of the gas-phase pressure. Several experimental studies in the past decade have shown the complexity of EPIS signals, and so far there is no agreement on the interpretation of EPIS features. The present study contributes to shed light into the physicochemical origin of EPIS features, by using a combination of pseudo-two-dimensional modeling and analytical interpretation. Using static simulations, the contributions of cathode equilibrium potential, cathode overpotential, and membrane resistance on the quasi-static EPIS response are quantified. Using model reduction, the EPIS responses of individual dynamic processes are predicted and compared to the response of the full model. We show that the EPIS signal of the PEMFC studied here is dominated by the humidifier. The signal is further analyzed by using transfer functions between various internal cell states and the outlet pressure excitation. We show that the EPIS response of the humidifier is caused by an oscillating oxygen molar fraction due to an oscillating mass flow rate.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations to have a Security Operations Center (SOC) in place to effectively defend against them. However, building and maintaining a SOC can be a daunting task without clear guidelines, policies, and procedures in place. Additionally, most current SOC solutions used by organizations are outdated, lack key features and integrations, and are expensive to maintain and upgrade. Moreover, proprietary solutions can lead to vendor lock-in, making it difficult to switch to a different solution in the future.
To address these challenges, this thesis proposes a comprehensive SOC framework and an open-source SOC solution that provides organizations with a flexible and cost-effective way to defend against modern cyber threats. The research methodology involved conducting a thorough literature review of existing literature and research on building and maintaining a SOC, including using SOC as a service. The data collected from the literature review was analyzed to identify common themes, challenges, and best practices for building and maintaining a SOC.
Based on the data collected, a comprehensive framework for building and maintaining a SOC was developed. The framework addresses essential areas such as the scope and purpose of the SOC, governance and leadership, staffing and skills, technologies and tools, processes and procedures, service level agreements (SLAs), and evaluation and measurement. This framework provides organizations with the necessary guidance and resources to establish and effectively operate a SOC, as well as a reference for evaluating the service provided by SOC service providers.
In addition to the SOC framework, a modern open-source SOC solution was developed, which emphasizes several key measures to help organizations defend against modern cyber threats. These measures include real-time, actionable threat intelligence, rapid and effective incident response, continuous security monitoring and alerting, automation, integration, and customization. The use of open-source technologies and a modular architecture makes the solution cost-effective, allowing organizations to scale it up or down as needed.
Overall, the proposed SOC framework and open-source SOC solution provide organizations with a comprehensive and systematic approach for building and maintaining a SOC that is aligned with the needs and objectives of the organization. The open-source SOC solution provides a flexible and cost-effective way to defend against modern cyber threats, helping organizations to effectively operate their SOC and reduce their risk of security incidents and breaches.
Electrochemical pressure impedance spectroscopy (EPIS) has received the attention of researchers as a method to study mass transport processes in polymer electrolyte mem-brane fuel cells (PEMFC). It is based on analyzing the cell voltage response to a harmonic excitation of the gas phase pressure in the frequency domain. Several experiments with a single-cell fuel cell have shown that the spectra contain information in the frequency range typical for mass transport processes and are sensitive to specific operating condi-tions and structural fuel cell parameters. To further benefit from the observed features, it is essential to identify why they occur, which to date has not yet been accomplished. The aim of the present work, therefore, is to identify causal links between internal processes and the corresponding EPIS features.
To this end, the study follows a model-based approach, which allows the analysis of inter-nal states that are not experimentally accessible. The PEMFC model is a pseudo-2D model, which connects the mass transport along the gas channel with the mass transport through the membrane electrode assembly. A modeling novelty is the consideration of the gas vol-ume inside the humidifier upstream the fuel cell inlet, which proves to be crucial for the reproduction of EPIS. The PEMFC model is parametrized to a 100 cm² single cell of the French project partner, who provided the experimental EPIS results reproduced and in-terpreted in the present study.
The simulated EPIS results show a good agreement with the experiments at current den-sities ≤ 0.4 A cm–2, where they allow a further analysis of the observed features. At the lowest excitation frequency of 1 mHz, the dynamic cell voltage response approaches the static pressure-voltage response. In the simulated frequency range between 1 mHz – 100 Hz, the cell voltage oscillation is found to strongly correlate with the partial pressure oscillation of oxygen, whereas the influence of the water pressure is limited to the low frequency region.
The two prominent EPIS features, namely the strong increase of the cell voltage oscillation and the increase of phase shift with frequency, can be traced back via the oxygen pressure to the oscillation of the inlet flow rate. The phenomenon of the oscillating inlet flow rate is a consequence of the pressure change of the gas phase inside the humidifier and in-creases with frequency. This important finding enables the interpretation of experimen-tally observed EPIS trends for a variation of operational and structural fuel cell parame-ters by tracing them back to the influence of the oscillating inlet flow rate.
The separate simulation of the time-dependent processes of the PEMFC model through model reduction shows their individual influence on EPIS. The sluggish process of the wa-ter uptake by the membrane is visible below 0.1 Hz, while the charge and discharge of the double layer becomes visible above 1 Hz. The gas transport through the gas diffusion layer is only visible above 100 Hz. The simulation of the gas transport through the gas channel
without consideration of the humidifier becomes visible above 1 Hz. With consideration of the humidifier the gas transport through the gas channel is visible throughout the fre-quency range. The strong similarity of the spectra considering the humidifier with the spectra of the full model setup shows the dominant influence of the humidifier on EPIS.
A promising observation is the change in the amplitude relationship between the cell volt-age and the oxygen partial pressure oscillation as a function of the oxygen concentration in the catalyst layer. At a frequency where the influence of oxygen pressure on the cell voltage is dominant, for example at 1 Hz, the amplitude of the cell voltage oscillation could be used to indirectly measure the oxygen concentration in the catalyst layer.
Cloud computing has revolutionized the way businesses operate by providing them with access to scalable, cost-effective, and flexible IT resources. This technology has enabled businesses to store, manage, and process data more efficiently, leading to improved competitiveness and increased revenue. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the impacts of using cloud computing from a business perspective. The research employs both primary and secondary sources of data, including a literature review, interviews with employees who have more than 5 years of experience, a questionnaire, and observations from Billwerk+ company.
The findings of this research indicate that cloud computing has had a significant impact on businesses, providing them with cost savings, improved agility and flexibility, and enhanced access to data and applications. However, it has been revealed that the benefits of cloud computing for companies may vary according to the departments of the employees. The results of this research contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the topic of cloud computing and its impact on businesses. The findings of this thesis can be used by business owners, managers, technology professionals, and students to make informed decisions about the adoption and use of cloud computing technology.
In conclusion, this thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of using cloud computing from a business perspective, highlighting the factors that companies consider when deciding to use cloud environments and the views from different departments. The results of this research will be valuable to a wide range of individuals interested in exploring the implications of cloud computing for businesses.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a key tool to have a complete understanding of the costs associated with an investment, as it allows to analyze not only the initial acquisition costs, but also the long-term costs related to operation, maintenance, depreciation, and other factors. In the context of the cement industry, TCO is especially important due to the complexity of the production processes and the wide variety of components and machinery involved in the process.
For this reason, a TCO analysis for the cement industry has been conducted in this study, with the objective of showing the different components of the cost of production. This analysis will allow the reader to gain knowledge about these costs, in the industrial model will be to make informed decisions on the adoption of technologies and practices that will allow them to reduce costs in the long run and improve their operational efficiency.
In particular, this study pursues to give visibility to technologies and practices that enable the reduction of carbon emissions in cement production, thus contributing to the sustainability of industry and the protection of the environment. By being at the forefront of sustainability issues, the cement industry can contribute to the achievement of environmentally friendly technologies and enable the development of people and industry.
The Oxyfuel technology has been selected as a carbon capture solution for the cement industry due to its practical application, low costs, and practical adaptation to non-capture processes. The adoption of this technology allows for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, which is a crucial factor in achieving sustainability in the cement manufacturing process.
Carbon capture storage technologies represent a high investment, although these technologies increase the cost of production, the application of Oxyfuel technology is one of the most economically viable as the cheapest technology per capture according to the comparison. However, this price increase is a technical advantage as the carbon capture efficiency of this technology reaches 90%. This level of efficiency leads to a decrease in taxes for the generation of CO2 emissions, making the cement manufacturing process sustainable.
The goal of this thesis is to thoroughly investigate the concepts of stand-alone and decarbonization of optical fiber networks. Because of their dependability, fast speed, and capacity, optical fiber networks are vital inmodern telecommunications. Their considerable energy consumption and carbon emissions, on the other hand, constitute a danger to global sustainability objectives and must be addressed.
The first section of the thesis presents a summary of the current state of optical fiber networks, their
components, and the energy consumption connected with them. This part also goes over the difficulties of lowering energy usage and carbon emissions while preserving network performance and dependability.
The second section of the thesis focuses on the stand-alone idea, which entails powering the optical fiber network with renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technology. This section investigates and explores the possibilities of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power to power the network. It also investigates energy-efficient technologies like virtualization and cloud computing, as well as their potential to minimize network energy usage.
The third section of the thesis focuses on the notion of decarbonization, which entails lowering carbon emissions linked with the optical fiber network. This section looks at various carbon-reduction measures, such as employing low-carbon energy sources and improving energy efficiency. It also covers the relevance of carbon offsets and the difficulties associated with adopting decarbonization measures in the context of optical fiber networks.
The fourth section of the thesis compares the ideas of stand-alone and decarbonization. It investigates the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy, as well as their potential to minimize energy consumption and carbon emissions in optical fiber networks. It also explores the difficulties in applying these notions as well as potential hurdles to their wider adoption.
Finally, the need of addressing the energy consumption and carbon emissions connected with optical fiber networks is emphasized in this thesis.
It outlines important obstacles and potential impediments to adopting these initiatives and gives insights into potential ways for decreasing them.
It also makes suggestions for further study in this area.