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Threat Modeling is a vital approach to implementing ”Security by Design” because it enables the discovery of vulnerabilities and mitigation of threats during the early stage of the Software Development Life Cycle as opposed to later on when they will be more expensive to fix. This thesis makes a review of the current threat Modeling approaches, methods, and tools. It then creates a meta-model adaptation of a fictitious cloud-based shop application which is tested using STRIDE and PASTA to check for vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and impact risk. The Analysis is done using Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool and IriusRisk. Finally, an evaluation of the results is made to ascertain the effectiveness of the processes involved with highlights of the challenges in threat modeling and recommendations on how security developers can make improvements.
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.
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.
It is generally agreed that the development and deployment of an important amount of IoT devices throughout the world has revolutionized our lives in a way that we can rely on these devices to complete certain tasks that may have not been possible just years ago which also brought a new level of convenience and value to our lives.
This technology is allowing us in a smart home environment to remotely control doors, windows, and fridges, purchase online, stream music easily with the use of voice assistants such as Amazon Echo Alexa, also close a garage door from anywhere in the world to cite some examples as this technology has added value to several domains ranging from household environments, cites, industries by exchanging and transferring data between these devices and customers. Many of these devices’ sensors, collect and share information in real-time which enables us to make important business decisions.
However, these devices pose some risks and also some security and privacy challenges that need to be addressed to reach their full potential or be considered to be secure. That is why, comprehensive risk analysis techniques are essential to enhance the security posture of IoT devices as they can help evaluate the robustness and reliability towards potential susceptibility to risks, and vulnerabilities that IoT devices in a smart home setting might possess.
This approach relies on the basis of ISO/IEC 27005 methodology and risk matrix method to highlight the level of risks, impact, and likelihood that an IoT device in smart home settings can have, map the related vulnerability, threats and risks and propose the necessary mitigation strategies or countermeasures that can be taken to secure a device and therefore satisfying some security principles. Around 30 risks were identified on Amazon Echo and the related IoT system using the methodology. A detailed list of countermeasures is proposed as a result of the risk analysis. These results, in turn, can be used to elevate the security posture of the device.
It is demonstrated that microwave structures incorporating dielectric resonators (DR) are accurately characterised by means of a 3-dimensional finite-difference CAD package. All major assumptions made so far have been dropped, offering the possibility of a rigorous analysis of the embedding of dielectric resonators into microwave structures. In particular, a finite thickness for the microstrip conductor has been taken into account. The coupling of the DR to a microstrip placed in a metallic housing has been theoretically and experimentally investigated. Theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement and give new insight into DR coupling to microstrip circuits.
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.
This Master's Thesis discusses intelligent sensor networks considering autonomous sensor placement strategies and system health management. Sensor networks for an intelligent system design process have been researched recently. These networks consist of a distributed collective of sensing units, each with the abilities of individual sensing and computation. Such systems can be capable of self-deployment and must be scalable, long-lived and robust. With distributed sensor networks, intelligent sensor placement for system design and online system health management are attractive areas of research. Distributed sensor networks also cause optimization problems, such as decentralized control, system robustness and maximization of coverage in a distributed system. This also includes the discovery and analysis of points of interest within an environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate a method to control sensor placement in a world with several sources and multiple types of information autonomously. This includes both controlling the movement of sensor units and filtering of the gathered information depending on individual properties to increase system performance, defined as a good coverage. Additionally, online system health management was examined in this study regarding the case of agent failures and autonomous policy reconfiguration if sensors are added to or removed from the system. Two different solution strategies were devised, one where the environment was fully observable, and one with only partial observability. Both strategies use evolutionary algorithms based on artificial neural networks for developing control policies. For performance measurement and policy evaluation, different multiagent objective functions were investigated. The results of the study show that in the case of a world with multiple types of information, individual control strategies performed best because of their abilities to control the movement of a sensor entity and to filter the sensed information. This also includes system robustness in case of sensor failures where other sensing units must recover system performance. Additionally, autonomous policy reconfiguration after adding or removing of sensor agents was successful. This highlights that intelligent sensor agents are able to adapt their individual control policies considering new circumstances.
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.
Global energy demand is still on an increase during the last decade, with a lot of impact on the climate change due to the intensive use of conventional fossil-based fuels power plants to cover this demand. Most recently, leaders of the globe met in 2015 to come out with the Paris Agreement, stating that the countries will start to take a more responsible and effective behaviour toward the global warming and climate change issues. Many studies have discussed how the future energy system will look like with respecting the countries’ targets and limits of greenhouse gases and their CO2 emissions. However, these studies rarely discussed the industry sector in detail even though it is one of the major role players in the energy sector. Moreover, many studies have simulated and modelled the energy system with huge jumps of intervals in terms of years and environmental goals. In the first part of this study, a model will be developed for the German electrical grid with high spatial and temporal resolutions and different scenarios of it will be analysed meticulously on shorter periods (annual optimization), with different flexibilities and used technologies and degrees of innovations within each scenario. Moreover, the challenge in this research is to adequately map the diverse and different characteristics of the medium-sized industrial sector. In order to be able to take a first step in assessing the relevance of the industrial sector in Germany for climate protection goals, the industrial sector will be mapped in PyPSA-Eur (an open-source model data set of the European energy system at the level of the transmission network) by detailing the demand for different types of industry and assigning flexibilities to the industrial types. Synthetically generated load profiles of various industrial types are available. Flexibilities in the industrial sector are described by the project partner Fraunhofer IPA in the GaIN project and can be used. Using a scenario analysis, the development of the industrial sector and the use of flexibilities are then to be assessed quantitatively.
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.
The Lattice Boltzmann Method is a useful tool to calculate fluid flow and acoustic effects at the same time. Although the acoustic perturbation is much smaller than normal pressure differences in fluid flow, this direct calculation is a great advantage of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). But each border used in calculation produces a multitude of reflections with the acoustic waves, which lead to an unusable result. Therefore, it is worked on different absorbing techniques.
In this thesis three absorbing layer techniques are described, explained and reviewed with different simulations. The absorbing layers are implemented in a basic LBM code in C++, and with this umpteen simulations within a box were performed to compare the different absorbing layers. The Doppler effect and a cylinder flow are also examined to compare the damping efficiencies.
The three studied absorbing techniques are the sponge layer, the perfectly matched layer and a force based Term II absorbing layer. The sponge layer is easy to implement but gives worse results than a calculation without any absorbing layer. The perfectly matched layer and a force based absorbing term provide very good results but the perfectly matched layer has problems with instability. The force based absorbing layer represents the best compromise between the additional computation time due the absorbing layer and the achieved damping efficiency.
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.
One of the most critical areas of research and expansion has been exploiting new technologies in supply chain risk management. One example of this is the use of Digital Twins. The performance of physical systems can be analyzed and simulated using digital twins, virtual versions of these systems that use real-time data, and sophisticated algorithms. Inside the supply chain risk management field, digital twins present a one-of-a-kind opportunity to improve an organization's ability to anticipate, address, and react to the possibility of problems within the supply chain.
The objective of this study is to identify and assess the advantages that accrue to supply chain risk management as a result of Digital Twins' adoption into the system, as well as to identify the challenges associated with achieving those benefits. In the context of supply chain risk management, a thorough literature study is conducted to analyze the essential traits and capabilities of digital twins and how these qualities lead to enhanced risk management methods. This study investigates the essential properties and capacities of digital twins. In addition, the state of digital twin technology and its applications in supply chain risk management are evaluated, and prospective areas for further study and development are highlighted.
The primary purpose of this investigation is to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the digital twins' role in supply chain risk management through the utilization of digital twins, as well as to highlight the potential benefits and challenges associated with the implementation of digital twins. The research was carried out based on the existing body of written material and the replies of 27 individuals who had previous experience making use of digital twins and took part in an online questionnaire.
The results of this study will be relevant to a diverse group of stakeholders, including specialists in risk management and researchers, amongst others.
Android is the most popular mobile operating system. Its omnipresence leads to the fact that it is also the most popular target amongst malware developers and other computer criminals. Hence, this thesis shows the security-relevant structures of Android’s system and application architecture. Furthermore, it provides laboratory exercises on various security-related issues to understand them not only theoretically but also deal with them in a practical way. In order to provide infrastructure-independent education, the exercises are based on Android Virtual Devices (AVDs).
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.
In each company Top Managers have the responsibility to take major decisions that supports the success of their company, Adopting TQM is one of these decisions, the decision to carry out companies’ operations and procedures within TQM frameworks. (ASQ , n.d.). Applying TQM, involves implementing practices that needs putting extra efforts, otherwise there will be no use of the practices and the execution. (Nicca Jirah F Campos1, 2022).
Specifically in service sector, where the key to success and increased profit, comes directly through a satisfied customer. Therefor there is a need for both management and staff to have big tolerance and willingness to achieve the needed satisfaction, in order to attain the results that every company wants. (Charantimath, 2013)
In Germany in terms of customer care practices there is a famous stereotype ‘Customer is not the king’ A reputation That after DW investigated it, DW expressed it as a phenomenon where both expats and Germans tend to believe that service companies in Germany should do a better job of treating their consumers. (DW, 2016)
New concepts of business have emerged in the late century, for example strategy, leadership, marketing, entrepreneurship and others, these concepts spread internationally among most of the companies around the world. Many studies have been done reviewing these new business structures, some of them addressed the cultural differences within countries upon the applying them. But not many studies concentrated on taking into consideration how cultural differences affects the Implementation of TQM. (Lagrosen, 2002). It was concluded in general that although the comprehensive fundamentals of quality management are applicable and similar worldwide in all nations, but when coming to real practice accurate tunning must be made, it must be taken into account aligning different standards, due to different work cultures and traditions in Europe. (Krueger, 1999)
The effects of climate change, including severe storms, heat waves, and melting glaciers, are highlighted as an urgent concern, emphasising the need to decrease carbon emissions to restrict global warming to 1.5°C. To accomplish this goal, it is vital to substitute fossil fuel-based power plants with renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and biofuels. Despite some progress being made, the proportion of renewables used in generating electricity is still lower than the levels needed for 2030 and 2050. Decarbonising the power grid is also critical in lowering the energy consumption of buildings, which is responsible for a substantial percentage of worldwide electricity usage. Even though there has been substantial expansion in the worldwide renewable energy market in the past 15 years, the transition to renewable energy sources also requires taking into account the importance of energy trading.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity trading is an emerging type of energy exchange that can revolutionise the energy sector by providing a more decentralised and efficient way of trading energy. This research deals about P2P electricity trading in a carbon-neutral scenario. 'Python for Power System Analysis' (PyPSA) was used to develop models through which the P2P effect was tested. Data for the entire state of Baden-Württemberg (BW) was collected. Three scenarios were taken into consideration while developing models: 2019 (base), 2030 (coal phase-out), and 2040(climate neutral). Alongside this, another model with no P2P trading was developed to make a comparison. In addition, the use case of community storage in a P2P trading network is also presented.
The research concludes that P2P has a significant positive effect on a pathway to achieve climate neutrality. The findings show that the share of renewables in electricity generation is increasing compared to conventional sources in BW, which can be traded to meet the demand. From the storage analysis, it can be concluded that community storage can be effectively utilised in P2P trading. While the emissions are reduced, the operating costs are also reduced when the grid has P2P trading available. By highlighting the benefits of P2P trading, this research contributed to the growing body of research on the effectiveness of P2P trading in an electricity network grid.
The research paper provides important findings about the development, difficulties and perception of the support measures for exporters introduced by the Austrian government in times of COVID-19 crisis. Based on a literature review using secondary data, eight qualitative interviews were conducted with experts from the Austrian economy and government, among them the Austrian ECA ‘Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG’. To balance the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Austrian economy, a broad coverage with financing instruments for a wide range of target groups was established. Although the support measures have been well received by companies, insolvencies cannot completely be prevented. Nevertheless, the actual effects are not yet predictable and need to be assessed in further research at a later point in time.
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.
Automation research has become one of the most important tools for future thinking organizations. It includes studying the economic and social aspects to determine how accountants were affected by automating the accounting profession. Moreover, this research studied the social aspect of automation, including the accountants' satisfaction and agreement towards the shift from manual-based accounting to automated accounting. Additionally, the purpose of the research was to comprehend the aspects that affect the variance of the satisfaction and agreement levels before and after automation and whether there is a relationship between those satisfaction and agreement levels and the demographic profile of accountants.
A quantitative method was used to answer the research questions. The findings and results were gathered through an online survey. The respondents in the study represent forty-three accountants who are located and working in Germany. The implications and conclusions of the research were observed from the accountants' perspective.
The research results presented that the automation of accounting significantly impacted the accountants' profession. It indicated that accountants are satisfied with automated accounting and agree with its effects and impacts on their profession. Accountants agreed that automated accounting tasks made the accounting process more effective and valuable. The findings also showed that educational level and length of experience in automated accounting are correlated with the satisfaction of accountants towards automated accounting. It presented that the more experience in automation and higher education accountants have, the more satisfied they are with automated accounting. Due to this phenomenon, higher qualifications and more basic IT knowledge are required in comparison with previous times.
This seminar paper examines government measures to support export-oriented companies in Belgium. After a short overview of the Belgian economy and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, the paper introduces the available government measures for exporters. In particular, the role of Credendo as a Belgian export-credit insurance company will be discussed, and its measures will be examined in more detail. In addition, federal measures of the Belgian government will be identified, and a summary of the most important regional measures will be provided. The entirety of government measures available to export-oriented companies will be reviewed and options for the future activities of export-oriented companies will be pointed out.
As society continues to age, the implementation of hip stems increases every year. However, there are a variety of different hip stem designs.
The aim of this project is to analyze which hip stem design implemented in a femur is most effective under different static loading conditions such as gait and sideways falling. In addition, a four-point-bending test was carried out. Therefore, the tech-niques were simulated in silico by FEA with Abaqus/CAE 2019.
A short stem, a straight stem and an anatomical stem were tested. All prosthesis are cementless press-fit stems. Each hip stem was examined in physiological and osteoporotic bone applying all three tests. To compare the stems the tests were also applied on a native bone model as a reference. Boundary conditions were used in order to simulate the tests.
The average von Mises stress, tension, compression and the risk of fracture were extracted and compared.
Biomechanical results show that the straight stem induces higher von Mises stresses compared to the anatomical stem. The risk of fracture is higher for osteo-porotic bone than for physiological bone. However, there is no risk of fracture as all the results are below the risk of value.
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.
British Government long-term Measures for Exporters in the Manufacturing Sector in Times of COVID-19
(2020)
The authors of this paper have addressed the question of what measures have been taken by the British government to support exporters in the manufacturing sector in the era of COVID-19. A classification of the manufacturing export industry in the British economy as a whole and the impending economic impact of COVID-19 were also examined. It should be noted that the United Kingdom is facing major structural changes as a result of the Corona pandemic and its withdrawal from the European Union, which are examined more in detail in this paper. The UKEF, in cooperation with other institutions, provides a number of finance facilities for exporters already before Corona crisis. The access to get this support has been facilitated for the COVID-19 affected exporters, but no additional measures were made available.
This paper gives an overview of the impact that the corona pandemic has on the export industry in Canada and analyzes the different Canadian government measures for exporters. In addition, the measures are subsequently evaluated in order to identify if the support measures can help Canadian exporters to overcome the crisis. The basis of this paper are semi-structured expert interviews with experts from the financial sector, scientific literature and studies. The results have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on Canada’s export economy and it’s GDP. Trade is only possible to a limited extent, as many borders are closed. The Canadian government reacted with an economic response plan to support Canadian individuals and businesses. This paper depicts and assesses the most eligible measures for export companies.
Organizations striving to achieve success in the long term must have a positive brand image which will have direct implications on the business. In the face of the rising cyber threats and intense competition, maintaining a threat-free domain is an important aspect of preserving that image in today's internet world. Domain names are often near-synonyms for brand names for numerous companies. There are likely thousands of domains that try to impersonate the big companies in a bid to trap unsuspecting users, usually falling prey to attacks such as phishing or watering hole. Because domain names are important for organizations for running their business online, they are also particularly vulnerable to misuse by malicious actors. So, how can you ensure that your domain name is protected while still protecting your brand identity? Brand Monitoring, for example, may assist. The term "Brand Monitoring" applies only to keep tabs on an organization's brand performance, reception, and overall online presence through various online channels and platforms [1]. There has been a rise in the need of maintaining one's domain clear of any linkages to malicious activities as the threat environment has expanded. Since attackers are targeting domain names of organizations and luring unsuspecting users to visit malicious websites, domain monitoring becomes an important aspect. Another important aspect of brand abuse is how attackers leverage brand logos in creating fake and phishing web pages. In this Master Thesis, we try to solve the problem of classification of impersonated domains using rule-based and machine learning algorithms and automation of domain monitoring. We first use a rule-based classifier and Machine Learning algorithms to classify the domains gathered into two buckets – "Parked" and "Non-Parked". In the project's second phase, we will deploy object detection models (Scale Invariant Feature Transform - SIFT and Multi-Template Matching – MTM) to detect brand logos from the domains of interest.
Server Side Rendering (SSR), Single Page Application (SPA), and Static Site Generation (SSG) are the three most popular ways of making modern Web applications today. If we go deep into these processes, this can be helpful for the developers and clients. Developers benefit since they do not need to learn other programming languages and can instead utilize their own experience to build different kinds of Web applications; for example, a developer can use only JavaScript in the three approaches. On the other hand, clients can give their users a better experience.
This Master Thesis’s purpose was to compare these processes with a demo application for each and give users a solid understanding of which process they should follow. We discussed the step-by-step process of making three applications in the above mentioned categories. Then we compared those based on criteria such as performance, security, Search Engine Optimization, developer preference, learning curve, content and purpose of the Web, user interface, and user experience. It also talked about the technologies such as JavaScript, React, Node.js, and Next.js, and why and where to use them. The goals we specified before the program creation were fulfilled and can be validated by comparing the solutions we gave for user problems, which was the application’s primary purpose.
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.
Die Vision vom "Internet der Dinge" prägt seit Jahren Forschung und Entwicklung, wenn es um smarte Technologien und die Vernetzung von Geräten geht. In der Zukunft wird die reale Welt zunehmend mit dem Internet verknüpft, wodurch zahlreiche Gegenstände (Dinge) des normalen Alltags dazu befähigt werden, zu interagieren und sowohl online als auch autark zu kommunizieren. Viele Branchen wie Medizin, Automobilbau, Energieversorgung und Unterhaltungselektronik sind gleichermaßen betroffen, wodurch trotz Risiken auch neues wirtschaftliches Potential entsteht. Im Bereich "Connected Home" sind bereits Lösungen vorhanden, mittels intelligenter Vernetzung von Haushaltsgeräten und Sensoren, die Lebensqualität in den eigenen vier Wänden zu erhöhen. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Thread Protokoll; einer neuen Technologie zur Integration mehrerer Kommunikationsschnittstellen innerhalb eines Netzwerks. Darüber hinaus wird die Implementierung auf Netzwerkebene (Network Layer) vorgestellt, sowie aufbereitete Informationen bezüglich verwendeter Technologien dargestellt.
The development of secure software systems is of ever-increasing importance. While software companies often invest large amounts of resources into the upkeeping and general security properties of large-scale applications when in production, they appear to neglect utilizing threat modeling in the earlier stages of the software development lifecycle. When applied during the design phase of development, and continuously during development iterations, threat modeling can help in following a “Security by Design” approach. This approach allows issues relating to IT security to be found early during development, reducing the need for later improvement – and thus saving resources in the long term. In this thesis the current state of threat modeling is investigated. Based on this analysis, requirements for a new tool are derived. These requirements are then used to develop a new tool, called OVVL, which utilizes all main components of current threat modeling methodologies, as well as functionality not available in existing solutions. After documenting the development process and OVVL in general, this newly developed tool is used to conduct two case studies in the field of e-commerce and IoT.
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.
The objective of this thesis is the conceptual design of a battery management system for the first prototype of the UWC (University of the Western Cape) Modular Battery System. The battery system is a lithium-ion battery that aims to be used in renewable energy systems and for niche electric vehicles such as golf carts.
The concept that is introduced in this thesis comprises the parameter monitoring, the safety management and has its main focus on an accurate state of charge estimation.
Another battery system that was already implemented is used as base for the parameter monitoring and the safety management for the new battery management system. In contrast to that, the concept for the state of charge estimation must be developed completely.
Different methods for the state of charge estimation which are based on the measured voltage, current and temperature are discussed, evaluated and the chosen method is conceived in this thesis. The method used for the state of charge estimation is different for the time when the battery is active than when it is inactive. During charge and discharge Coulomb counting is used and when the cell is inactive voltage versus state of charge lookup tables are used to update the estimation.
To have an accurate estimation when the cell is inactive only for a short time, a model of the voltage relaxation is used to predict the voltage when the cells are in equilibrium. This allows the algorithm to reset the state of charge that is estimated by Coulomb counting – which tends to have a growing error over time – frequently.
To evaluate the accuracy of the voltage prediction, cell tests were executed where the voltage relaxation was sampled. The recursive least square method to predict the end voltage was tested with a MATLAB programme. With the help of voltage versus state of charge lookup tables it was possible to determine the state of charge accuracy with the accuracy of the voltage prediction.
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.
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.
Decarbonisation Strategies in Energy Systems Modelling: Biochar as a Carbon Capture Technology
(2022)
The energy system is changing since some years in order to achieve the climate goals from the Paris Agreement which wants to prevent an increase of the global temperature above 2 °C. Decarbonisation of the energy system has become for governments a big challenge and different strategies are being stablished. Germany has set greenhouse gas reduction limits for different years and keeps track of the improvement made yearly. The expansion of renewable energy systems (RES) together with decarbonisation technologies are a key factor to accomplish this objective.
This research is done to analyse the effect of introducing biochar, a decarbonisation technology, and study how it will affect the energy system. Pyrolysis is the process from which biochar is obtained and it is modelled in an open-source energy system model. A sensibility analysis is made in order to assess the effect of changing the biomass potential and the costs for pyrolysis.
The role of pyrolysis is analysed in the form of different future scenarios to evaluate the impact. The CO2 emission limits from the years 2030 and 2045 are considered to create the scenarios, as well as the integration of flexibility technologies. Four scenarios in total are assessed and the result from the sensibility analysis considering pyrolysis are always compared to the reference scenario, where pyrolysis is not considered.
Results show that pyrolysis has a bigger impact in the energy system when the CO2 limit is low. Biochar can be used to compensate the emissions from other conventional power plant and achieve an energy transition with lower costs. Furthermore, it was also found that pyrolysis can also reduce the need of flexibility. This study also shows that the biomass potential and the pyrolysis costs can affect a lot the behaviour of pyrolysis in the energy system.
The identification of vulnerabilities is an important element of the software development process to ensure the security of software. Vulnerability identification based on the source code is a well studied field. To find vulnerabilities on the basis of a binary executable without the corresponding source code is more challenging. Recent research has shown how such detection can be performed statically and thus runtime efficiently by using deep learning methods for certain types of vulnerabilities.
This thesis aims to examine to what extent this identification can be applied sufficiently for a variety of vulnerabilities. Therefore, a supervised deep learning approach using recurrent neural networks for the application of vulnerability detection based on binary executables is used. For this purpose, a dataset with 50,651 samples of 23 different vulnerabilities in the form of a standardised LLVM Intermediate Representation was prepared. The vectorised features of a Word2Vec model were then used to train different variations of three basic architectures of recurrent neural networks (GRU, LSTM, SRNN). For this purpose, a binary classification was trained for the presence of an arbitrary vulnerability, and a multi-class model was trained for the identification of the exact vulnerability, which achieved an out-of-sample accuracy of 88% and 77%, respectively. Differences in the detection of different vulnerabilities were also observed, with non-vulnerable samples being detected with a particularly high precision of over 98%. Thus, the methodology presented allows an accurate detection of vulnerabilities, as well as a strong limitation of the analysis scope for further analysis steps.
The status quo of PROFINET, a commonly used industrial Ethernet standard, provides no inherent security in its communication protocols. In this thesis an approach for protecting real-time PROFINET RTC messages against spoofing, tampering and optionally information disclosure is specified and implemented into a real-world prototype setup. Therefor authenticated encryption is used, which relies on symmetric cipher schemes. In addition a procedure to update the used symmetric encryption key in a bumpless manner, e.g. without interrupting the real-time communication, is introduced and realized.
The concept for protecting the PROFINET RTC messages was developed in collaboration with a task group within the security working group of PROFINET International. The author of this thesis has also been part of that task group. This thesis contributes by proofing the practicability of the concept in a real-world prototype setup, which consists of three FPGA-based development boards that communicate with each other to showcase bumpless key updates.
To enable a bumpless key update without disturbing the deterministic real-time traffic by dedicated messages, the key update annunciation and status is embedded into the header. By provisioning two key slots, of which only one is in used, while the other is being prepared, a well-synchronized coordinated switch between the receiver and the sender performs the key update.
The developed prototype setup allows to test the concept and builds the foundation for further research and implementation activities, e.g. the impact of cryptographic operations onto the processing time.
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.
In this work, the authors have dealt with the question of what measures have been taken by the Danish government to support exporters during the time of COVID-19. The analysis first looks at Denmark's general economic situation. In the following, Denmark's governmental and financial measures to support exporters are briefly explained. In addition to the economic and financial effects, the issue of green energy has also become a major focus of political attention in times of crisis. Denmark is a pioneer in the wind energy sector and accounts for a large share of exports. For this reason, the impact and possible future developments for the wind sector in connection with the pandemic are also being investigated.
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.
The Projekt-Sweaty is a project of the University of Applied Sciences of Offenburg, an autonomous robot is being developed that competes against a set of several international colleges and universities in the RoboCup.
"Sweaty" is a soccer-playing humanoid robot who participated in the RoboCup World Cup in Brazil for the first time in 2014.
RoboCup is a competition aimed at developing a robot soccer team that surpasses the human world champion team. The competition started in 1997 the first official RoboCup games and conferences were held with great success. More than 40 teams took part and more than 5,000 spectators attended. RoboCup’s rules change to promote advances in robot science and technology and to bring the league’s challenges closer to the real world.
Building a robot that plays football will not in itself generate a significant social and economic impact, but the realization will certainly be considered an important success for the field of robotics.
Thanks to the interaction of all the faculties, the team consists of professors and students from the fields of mechanical and process engineering, electrical engineering, information technology, and information and media technology. Students can use the project during their studies and use the knowledge acquired in practice to implement and through their own creative ideas complement.
The Project "Schluckspecht" of the University of Offenburg consists of participating in the European marathon called "Shell Eco-Marathon"(SEM) which consists of designing and building from the beginning a vehicle with the greatest possible energy efficiency. The University of Offenburg has participated in this project since 1998.
The team that forms the Schluckspecht project is made up of around 30 students from the faculties of mechanical engineering, process engineering, electrical engineering, medical technology and computer science, as well as the degree in Audiovisual Communication. The team was founded in 1998 and since then students have been developing and building high efficiency vehicles to participate in the European marathon Shell Eco.
In this project, students can put into practice all the theoretical knowledge obtained during their studies. Also can be learned how to work interdisciplinarity as a team, a skill that for now, many companies or require or seek.
The following topics are discussed in the Schluckspecht project, which are also ideal for the work of students:
-Conception construction and production of high efficiency vehicles.
-Computational design and manufacture of lightweight components and sets.
-Development of lightweight components and sets from renewable raw materials.
-Construction and development of special test benches, for example: motor test bench.
-Implementation and optimization of control strategies for autonomous driving
-Mechanical and electrical integration of sensors for autonomous driving
-Ergonomic studies and optimization of the driver's cabin.
The objective of the project is to develop and manufacture research vehicles that make individual mobility as efficient as possible from an energy point of view. To achieve this, current and future issues of the industry are discussed. In this project, both the theoretical and practical part of the light construction of vehicles and the reduction of friction, the variety of propulsion concepts (electric thrusters, fuel cells, diesel/petrol engines, Stirling engines) and autonomous driving are investigated. The services of the University of Offenburg together with some external partners are grouped together to make this wonderful project work.
Annotated training data is essential for supervised learning methods. Human annotation is costly and laborsome especially if a dataset consists of hundreds of thousands of samples and annotators need to be hired. Crowdsourcing emerged as a solution that makes it easier to get access to large amounts of human annotators. Introducing paid external annotators however introduces malevolent annotations, both intentional and unintentional. Both forms of malevolent annotations have negative effects on further usage of the data and can be summarized as spam. This work explores different approaches to post-hoc detection of spamming users and which kinds of spam can be detected by them. A manual annotation checking process resulted in the creation of a small user spam dataset which is used in this thesis. Finally an outlook for future improvements of these approaches will be made.
The Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test aims to assess mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk during walking. The instrumentalization of the TUG is already described in the literature and is beginning to be implemented in the industry. The products proposed by Zhortech and Digitsole, namely connected insoles, as well as additional sensors placed on the sternum and the right and eventually left femur allow the instrumentalization of the test.
An algorithm of detection and evaluation of the TUG has been developed in two versions. The first one (V1) aiming simply to calculate the total duration of the test. A second version is an improvement of V1, allowing to segment the TUG in three sub-phases: Sit-Stand, walking, Stand-Sit. These algorithms have been declined in a variant with the five sensors mentioned, and one without the sensor of the left femur.
The performance of the algorithms was compared to manual labeling performed on video. The comparison includes a bland-Altman plot and a correlation for the total test duration, but also for the sub-phase’s duration according to the two variants.
The TUG duration shows very good results regarding the limits of agreements (lLoA = -0.33 s and uLoA+0.6 s). The bias of 0.13 s indicated that the algorithm overrates the duration of the TUG. The results of the TUG subphases are less accurate. Although the correlation coefficient is between 0.76 and 0.96 for the different subphases, the limits of agreements are still very high, between -0.71 s and -0.5 s for the lLoA and +0.39 s and +0.58 s for the uLoA. These limits of agreements indicated that the Sit-Stand and Stand-Sit transition are not accurate enough yet. The dispersion is high for a transition that could last between about one and six seconds. The two variants, with and without a sensor on the left femur, present similar results.