Control Unit Research Articles

Development and field evaluation of a VR/AR‐based remotely controlled system for a two‐wheel paddy transplanter

AbstractOperating a two‐wheel paddy transplanter traditionally poses physical strain and cognitive workload challenges for farm workers, especially during headland turns. This study introduces a virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR)based remote‐control system for a two‐wheel paddy transplanter to resolve these issues. The system replaces manual controls with VR interfaces, integrating gear motors and an electronic control unit. Front and rear‐view cameras provide real‐time field perception on light‐emitting diode screens, displaying path trajectories via an autopilot controller and real‐time kinematic global navigation satellite systems module. Human operators manipulate the machine using a hand‐held remote controller while observing live camera feeds and path navigation trajectories. The study found that forward speed necessitated optimization within manageable limits of 1.75–2.00 km h−1 for walk‐behind types and 2.00–2.25 km h−1 for remote‐controlled systems. While higher speeds enhanced field capacity by 11.67%–12.95%, they also resulted in 0.74%–1.17% lower field efficiency. Additionally, Operators' physiological workload analysis revealed significant differences between walk‐behind and remotely controlled operators. Significant differences in energy expenditure rate (EER) were observed between walk‐behind and remote‐controlled paddy transplanters, with EER values ranging from 8.20 ± 0.80 to 27.67 ± 0.45 kJ min⁻¹ and 7.56 ± 0.55 to 9.72 ± 0.37 kJ min⁻¹, respectively (p < 0.05). Overall, the VR‐based remote‐control system shows promise in enhancing operational efficiency and reducing physical strain in paddy transplanting operations.

The effect of adding layers of date stones on the profitability of brackish water solar desalination process

Lately, there has been a pronounced and alarming up tick in the global demand for fresh water, resulting in a limited availability of this precious resource. Solar desalination emerges as a promising solution, particularly for supplying the sparsely populated desert regions in the southern regions of Algeria, where plentiful solar energy and subterranean brackish water resources are present.The current paper seeks to optimize the performance of traditional solar stills and elevate the quality of distilled water by incorporating layers of blackened date stones as an additional heat storage medium. Date stones, typically discarded post-date consumption, undergo a process of washing and blackening before being introduced in two forms (stone and powder). They are then uniformly distributed across the horizontal surface of solar still’s absorber.Three solar stills of identical design featuring glass sides were designed, manufactured, and subjected to testing to compare their productivity with that of a control unit. Experimental trials conducted at Ouargla University reveal significant enhancements the inclusion of a single layer of date stones (approximately 2.210 kg/ (m2 of absorber area)) leads to a remarkable 45.66 % increase in yield. Conversely, an equivalent amount (≈ 504 g) of date stones in powder form results in a 29.42 % improvement in yield. Notably, the distillate quality is substantially enhanced in both cases contrasted with the conventional setup.

Evaluating Lean Combustion Cycle Stability and Emissions in Spark Ignition Engines with Gasoline, Ethanol, and Methanol Blends

Abstract Fuels for vehicles account for a large portion of the world’s total energy demand, which in turn leads to increased carbon emissions. Ethanol and methanol are a fuel with a simple carbon chain and OH- bonds. It has similar properties to gasoline, and ethanol can be made from the fermentation of plant carbohydrates, called bioethanol. The advantage of using bioethanol is that it contributes to carbon neutrality. This paper will investigate the use of three manually blended gasoline ethanol and methanol (GEM) fuels in a spark ignition engine to address cycle-to-cycle variation (CCV), knock potential, and emissions with lean blend conditions. In the experiments conducted, the air-fuel ratio was conditioned lean by utilizing an electronic control unit to adjust the injector spray duration. This experiment provides results that there is a potential for mild knocking on the use of alcohol fuel with lean fuel mixture conditions at engine speed 4000 RPM, while at engine speed 6000 RPM and 8000 RPM the use of GEM tends to be stable, but in the CCV results the increase in COV (coefficient of variation) value using GEM fuel tends to be more sloping, especially with the addition of more methanol. Emission results from the use of GEM produce top emission CO2 value obtained by the E5M15 mixture at λ=1.2 and an engine speed of 8000 RPM, with a value of 13.75% and then peak CO2 emissions at a value of λ = 1.2 whereas in the use of pure gasoline peak CO2 is at a value of λ = 1.1.

The implementation study of nurses’ work related low back pain prevention and care guideline: A quasi-experimental study

AimTo understand the implementation process and outcomes of nurses' work related low back pain (WLBP) prevention and care guideline. BackgroundWLBP is a common occupational injury for clinical nurses. We developed the first evidence-based guideline of nurses' WLBP prevention and care of its kind both at home and abroad, and it is necessary for us to explore its feasibility, appropriateness and effectiveness in practice. MethodsBased on the model of the integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, we performed a four-phase implementation study in a tertiary hospital. The study was a non-randomized concurrent controlled trial design，and multilevel measures were examined including implementation outcomes and clinical outcomes. ResultsFor the implementation outcomes, the tailored recommendations of the guideline were found to be acceptable, appropriate, feasible, and well adopted both at the unit level and the hospital level. The clinical outcomes indicated that, compared with the control unit, nurses of the treatment unit performed better in awareness, knowledge, practice of WLBP prevention and care. ConclusionsThe implementation study supports the successful application of the guideline, which can serve as a valuable evidence-based document to improve back health of nursing personnel.

Using Biodegradable Materials in Crab Pots to Mitigate Ghost Fishing Effects

The modification of crab traps using biodegradable cotton rope, particularly on panel ropes and trap mouth ropes, aims to reduce the impact of ghost fishing. While the characteristics of cotton rope have been tested in the laboratory, they have not been directly tested in field fishing operations. This research aims to analyze cotton ropes' technical use and damage levels, compare crab catches in control and modified traps, and provide recommendations for fishermen to use modified traps. Experimental fishing involved operating 500 units of modified traps with cotton ropes and 500 units of control traps used by fishermen. The trap operations were conducted over 30 trips in Gebang Mekar, Cirebon Regency, and West Java, Indonesia. The results indicate that the modified and control traps use the same operating techniques and damage levels. The crab catches in the modified traps reached 1101 individuals with a total weight of 130.9 kg, not significantly different from the control traps, which reached 1110 individuals with a total weight of 129.8 kg (p > 0.05, T-test). Based on technical use, damage levels, and catch results, fishermen can use modified traps made from cotton rope as an effective alternative to prevent ghost fishing in crab trap fisheries.

Evolution of flight control systems and aerial photography in unmanned agricultural aircraft

The advancement of UAV technologies has enabled the automated capture of photos and videos, eliminating the need for manual intervention in flight control. (Research purpose) This research aims to conduct a retrospective analysis of the evolution offlight control systems and the development of aerial photography equipment for agricultural land, covering the period from the mid-19th century to present. (Materials and methods) A systematic literature review was conducted using the historical-analytical method. The paper examines original works by both domestic and international authors, including monographs, scientific journals, conference proceedings, museum exhibitions, photographic archives, and open-source software code. (Results and discussion) The paper identifies six distinct phases in the development of aerial photography and flight control systems. The classification is based on key innovations in camera types, control systems, and aircraft designs. Each phase highlights the predominant cameras, control systems, and aircraft utilized for agricultural applications. (Conclusions) Over the past 165 years, notable changes have occurred in aerial photography parameters, including the type of photographic material, image spatial and spectral resolution, camera weight and mounting, shutter types and their mechanisms, inertial control units, integrated GPS/GLONASS receivers, and light sensors. In terms of flight control systems for UAVs, significant developments over the last 106 years include variations in flight control types, the number offlight-stabilizing sensors, obstacle detection systems, size of the flight control units, flight modes, and takeoff/landing techniques, along with interfaces for attachments. It is anticipated that future intellectualization and miniaturization of flight control systems will not only boost UAV performance but also reduce the economic costs associated with the aerial monitoring of agricultural biological assets.

The Dynamic Change in the Reliability Function Level in a Selected Fire Alarm System during a Fire.

This article discusses fundamental issues associated with the functional reliability of selected fire alarm systems (FASs) in operation during building fires. FASs operate under diverse external or internal natural environmental conditions, and the operational process of FAS should take into account the impacts of physical phenomena that occur during fires. Their operation is associated with the constant provision of reliability. FAS designers should also consider the system's reliability when developing fire control matrices, tables, algorithms, or scenarios. All functions arising from an FAS control matrix should be implemented with a permissible reliability level, RDPN(t), prior to, as well as during, a fire. This should be assigned to the controls saved in the fire alarm control unit (FCP). This article presents the process by which high temperatures generated during a fire impact the reliability of FAS functioning. It was developed considering selected critical paths for a specific scenario and the control matrix for an FAS. Such assumptions make it possible to determine the impact of various temperatures generated during a fire on the reliability of an FAS. To this end, the authors reviewed that the waveform of the R(t) function changes for a given FAS over time, Δt, and then determined the fitness paths. The critical paths are located within the fire detection and suppression activation process, using FAS or fixed extinguishing devices (FEDs), and the paths were modeled with acceptable and unacceptable technical states. The last section of this article defines a model and graph for the operational process of a selected FAS, the analysis of which enables conclusions to be drawn that can be employed in the design and implementation stages.

Comparative knock analysis of HCNG fueled spark ignition engine using different heat transfer models and prediction of knock intensity by artificial neural network fitting tool

Hydrogen and its careers have a lot of potential in transportation industry due to lesser emissions and better performance. Performance of hydrogen enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) fueled engine is limited by Knock. The purpose of this study is to investigate knock intensity (KI) by different convective heat transfer models. This study can be used to train electronic control unit (ECU) of engine operating on different loads from low to high speed. In present study, experimentation have been performed on HCNG fueled spark ignition engine at different operating conditions by varying hydrogen amount in HCNG, by varying load of engine, by varying exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate in air and by varying speed of engine to calculate in-cylinder pressure, knock intensity (KI) and heat transfer rate (HTR). Six convective heat transfer models (Assanis, Eichelberg, Han, Hohenberg, Nusselt and Woschni) have been incorporated in quasi dimensional combustion model (QDCM) to calculate the parameters of HCNG engine. Comparative and predictive analysis using artificial neural network fitting tool (ANNFT) of aforementioned simulated models have been performed with experimental findings to attain the efficient model for knock intensity of HCNG engine. Woschni model, predicts the minimum error of 0.37 % & 0.86 % b/w experimental and simulated in-cylinder pressure and indicated mean effective pressure respectively. Han model predicts the minimum error of 3.8 % b/w experimental and simulated knock intensity operating at 11.2 % EGR. Maximum error of 20.3 % at 2.4 % EGR is attained by using Woschni model in knock intensity calculation. The best suited algorithm for present data set is Bayesian regularization utilized in ANNFT to predict knock intensity effectively. The findings of this study can be utilized in the development of HCNG engine.

MT27 Comparison of Quality Parameters from Control Units Processed with Semi-Automated and Automated Processing Systems in the Colombian Blood Bank Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe

MT27 Comparison of Quality Parameters from Control Units Processed with Semi-Automated and Automated Processing Systems in the Colombian Blood Bank Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe

Optimizing Sensor-Controlled Systems with Minimal Intervention: A Fuzzy Relational Calculus Approach

This article describes an approach for optimizing sensor-controlled systems through minimal intervention, utilizing fuzzy linear systems of equations (FLSEs). Starting with a generalized model of the system behavior, we incorporate an array of control units, environmental sensors, and an expert knowledge base. The described problems of detecting the level of intervention needed to change the system state to another is handled with the help of developed methods for solving the inverse problem faced by FLSEs. By achieving minimal intervention, we ensure that the system adjustments are effective, economically optimal, and non-intrusive. A MATLAB-based implementation is presented.

Affordable and customizable electrospinning set-up based on 3D printed components

The widespread use of electrospinning, a technique widely used for fabricating micro/nanofibrous materials, has been limited by the high acquisition costs of commercial equipment. This study introduces an accessible alternative by leveraging 3D-printing technology, providing detailed insights into the design and functionality of each component. Specifically, a cost-effective syringe pump, a rotating collector that allows fiber orientation control, and a user-friendly control unit are described. The affordability and customizability of the proposed setup are emphasized, demonstrating its versatility in accelerating material research. Experimental results on polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) showcase successful electrospinning, validating the efficacy of the 3D-printed electrospinning device. This innovative solution aims to increase the method’s availability and broader utilization in research and development applications.

A hybrid energy harvesting approach for transmission lines based on triboelectric nanogenerator and micro thermoelectric generator

To effectively detect faults in transmission lines, monitoring the operating status of these lines is imperative. However, providing power to monitoring devices for transmission line status presents a significant challenge. In this research, a hybrid energy harvesting approach based on micro thermoelectric generator (MTEG) and triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is proposed, and a theoretical model for MTEG-TENG hybrid energy harvesting is established. This study develops an integrated energy harvesting prototype, which incorporates oscillating-TENG (O-TENGs), MTEGs, and a power management control unit. This prototype not only harvests energy from the vibrations of transmission lines but also converts the lines thermal energy into electricity. The Experiment results show that the maximum open-circuit voltages of O-TENG and MTEG reach 80.3 V and 1.094 V, respectively. Compared to a single MTEG energy harvesting device, the prototype of the MTEG-TENG hybrid energy harvesting device demonstrates a 5.36% improvement in energy harvesting and battery charging performance. Consequently, this approach achieves self-powered monitoring with excellent stability and lower manufacturing costs. It provides an efficient and durable power approach for transmission line status monitoring devices.

Multi-classification in-vehicle intrusion detection system using packet- and sequence-level characteristics from time-embedded transformer with autoencoder

In recent years, the increased application of controller area network (CAN) protocols has made it the de facto standard for communication between electronic control units (ECUs) in the automotive and transportation fields. This widely used protocol was designed as a reliable and straightforward broadcast-based protocol that connects ECUs without considering security concerns such as node authentication or traffic encryption. Despite its efficiency, this tradeoff makes the CAN bus vulnerable to attacks. Implementing intrusion detection systems (IDSs) based on machine learning (ML) can address these security challenges effectively. However, existing ML-based IDSs have limited classification capabilities, lack adaptability and time sensitivity, incomprehensive analysis, and produce high false-negative rates (FNR), while attack schemes are becoming increasingly complex, resulting in insufficient capability of intrusion detection in real-time and insufficient ability to offer reliable protection. Therefore, our study proposes a novel in-vehicle IDS for multiclass classification using both packet- and sequence-level characteristics extracted from an autoencoder and a variant transformer (Time-embedded Transformer) with an improved position encoding mechanism, which analyses CAN traffic in-depth from various perspectives to overcome the existing challenges above. Both standard (Car-Hacking) and advanced (ROAD) datasets are used to evaluate the capabilities of our proposed IDS. The evaluation results demonstrated 100 % detection accuracy and 0 % FNR for both the Car-Hacking and ROAD Masquerade datasets, which also peaked at the highest F1 score for the ROAD Fabrication dataset, emphasizing superior intrusion detection to minimize FNR of the proposed model with high adaptability through its multi-dimensional analysis at packet- and sequence-level.

Efficient portable thermoelectric refrigerator developed with a temperature control system mode at best COP for different seasons and conditions of the year

ABSTRACT Global energy scarcity and pollution resulting from excessive energy consumption are among the most important causes of global warming, in addition to using Freon, which poses a danger to the environment. This led to searching for sustainable alternatives that use less energy to alleviate environmental difficulties and are eco-friendly. The portable thermoelectric refrigerator was developed to control the temperature required in different seasons of the year, for those who live in rural areas in Egypt (such as deserts). The main control unit has five modes (Economic, Minimum, Medium, Fast and Fast not Economic) based on the best coefficient of performance (COP) and minimum energy. The results showed the highest COP, for the economic mode with an 8°C difference in temperature, and the lowest COP with a 26.4°C difference in temperature for the fast not economic mode. On the other hand, the difference temperatures of 12.5°C,18.2°C and 23°C of the mode minimum, medium and, fast, respectively.

Optimized Design and Operation Control of Refrigerant Direct Cooling Thermal Management System for Power Battery

In order to solve the compatibility problem of lithium batteries thermal management and cabin comfort in electric vehicles, a refrigerant direct cooling thermal management system is designed in this article, which is expected to balance the temperature demands of entire vehicle at different driving conditions. A one‐dimensional model is established to investigate the system performance, whose accuracy has been verified by the testing bench of a prototype fixed with a 16‐battery module. By the aid of this model, the thermal characteristics of the battery pack and the passenger cabin are obtained, and the compressor speed as well as the valves are selected as control units by sensitivity analysis of the important components. Subsequently, detailed control strategies around the variable frequency of compress speed and switch regulation for the valves are proposed based on the temperature changes, torque, and operating power consumption of the system in different control modes. Under the test conditions of the global light‐duty vehicle test procedure, it is found that cabin temperature can be quickly stabilized about 26 °C under different ambient temperatures. Additionally, the battery pack can be effectively maintained within the safe operating temperature range of 20–40 °C.

Designing and fabricating a stationary magnetic particle system for Non-destructive testing

The bench unit, also known as the stationary magnetic particle system or the wet horizontal system, has been designed and fabricated to incorporate both circular and longitudinal magnetization techniques. Its primary purpose is to test machine parts commonly used in various industries, including aviation, automotive, and railway. The system comprises several key components: a transformer, a current control unit, a parameter display and adjustment circuit, a head shot, a coil, and wet magnetic irrigation device. This system is in compliance with international standards and is ready for implementation in companies that require it

On the sparsity of synthetic control method

ABSTRACT Synthetic Control Method (SCM) is a popular approach for causal inference in panel data, where the optimal weights for control units are often sparse. But the sparsity of SCM has received little attention in the literature except Abadie (2021), which explores the sparsity from the perspective of predictor space. In this paper, we make three contributions. First, we show that if there is a unique solution, then the number of positive weights is upper-bounded by the number of covariates. Second, we offer a simple alternative explanation about the sparsity of SCM from the perspective of parameter space. Third, we conduct a meta-analysis of empirical studies using SCM in the literature, which shows that the sparsity of SCM decreases with the relative number of covariates. A practical implication is that if the number of positive weights exceeds the number of covariates, there are multiple solutions and possibly unstable weights.

The Performance Comparison of Multiloop PID Controller on NCS Temperature Plant Based on UDP and TCP

Hardware implementations of networked control systems (NCS) are still rarely found in various research publications so that technical issues, such as how to measure random delay and substitute it into the control equation, still need to be studied further. This study is therefore aimed to compare the performance of NCS based on the used protocol in the ethernet network, i.e. user datagram protocol (UDP) or transmission control protocol (TCP), by applying it in room temperature plant. In this study, the controlled plant is influenced by the fan speed, heating, and window position plant. The heating plant is employed as the main control, while the others are set as sub-plants. The three plants use proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller where they are regulated by fuzzy logic as the master control unit (MCU). The MCU and three PID controllers are located in the master terminal unit (MTU) while the actuators and sensors are located in the three different remote terminal units (RTU). The verification experiment shows that there is no overshoot on TCP-based NCS, while UDP has 0.725%. For the risetime, the response on UDP is faster than TCP (110.22 as compared to 138.18 s). The same thing also happened to the settling time, where the time with UDP was 101.86 s and 128.44 s for TCP.

Novel control of PV-wind-battery powered standalone power supply system based LSTM based ANN

Integrated wind-photovoltaic (PV) based standalone electric power supply systems are widely used for various applications. A battery storage system is needed to provide continuous power supply to loads despite changes in loads, wind speed, and solar irradiance. Power quality is crucial in these hybrid systems, as the battery needs to charge from surplus power when generation exceeds the load and discharge to meet load demand. A bidirectional DC to DC converter is used to connect the battery to the network, and maximum power point tracking devices with proper algorithms are incorporated for optimal utilization of PV and wind turbines. Multiple PV systems and wind turbines are considered for proper power supply system ratings. Long short-term memory (LSTM) based artificial neural network (ANN) controllers are implemented for various control units in the hybrid standalone power system. The proposed control techniques improve power quality under various situations. Results are presented using MATLAB/Simulink to evaluate the performance of the proposed method.

Design and Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Power Generation Light Emitting Diode Device

This research focuses on an independent photovoltaic power generation system with supercapacitor energy storage as the study subject. The model is simplified, and the photovoltaic power generation light emitting diode (LED) device is designed based on the given parameters. This system selects a Boost-type step-up converter for the supercapacitor charging circuit, capable of achieving Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). The supercapacitor discharge circuit employs an LM2596 series regulator to power the rated load LED (12 V, 1 W), providing good linear regulation capability. In designing other hardware components of the device, the characteristics of a photoresistor are utilized to implement an automatic load switch circuit. An efficient single-chip integrated circuit LM2575 series is used as a regulator to convert the voltage across the supercapacitor terminals to +15 V and +5 V. Considering the need to collect the output voltage of the photovoltaic cell array and the voltage across the supercapacitor terminals, a resistor divider method is used to sample these two voltages. The sampling circuit includes a resistor divider circuit and a linear optocoupler isolation circuit. An HNC-25LTS series Hall current sensor is used for current sampling to measure AC, DC, and pulse signals under electrical isolation conditions. The supercapacitor, solar photovoltaic panel, control unit, and the main circuit for supercapacitor charging and discharging have been assembled in the experiment. Connecting the charging and discharging circuit with the photovoltaic panel and LED, the system provides power to the LED during the night. Under varying light intensity and temperature conditions, the photovoltaic output voltage waveform, PWM waveform, and Boost circuit output voltage waveform remain stable when reaching the MPPT point. The output power with added MPPT control at different times is compared. The results indicate that the designed system has effectively achieved the functionality of MPPT for solar energy.