Software Design Research Articles

Study on Improving Physical–Mechanical Properties and Frost Resistance of Straw–Mortar Composite Wall Materials by Pretreatment

In recent years, China has increased the material utilization of crop straw, and the strength of straw–mortar composite wall materials is low, which limits their large-scale utilization. Pretreatment can improve the physico-mechanical and frost resistance properties of straw–mortar composite wall materials. In this study, the Box–Behnken design in the Design-Expert software was used to design and carry out a three-factor and three-level interactive experiment and freeze–thaw cycle experiment with the straw content, pretreatment time, and reagent concentration as influencing factors, and the compressive strength, water absorption rate, and dry density as response values. The results showed that the impact of each factor on the response value, from high to low, was the straw content, pre-preparation time, and reagent concentration. When the straw content was 10%, the preparation time was 5 min, and the reagent concentration was 5%, the physical and mechanical properties of the straw–mortar composite wall material were the best. At the same time, the compressive strength was 6.52 MPa, the water absorption rate was 17.7%, and the dry density was 1396.33 kg·m−3, which was 67% higher, 31% lower, and 37% higher than that of the untreated straw–mortar composite wall materials. After the freeze–thaw cycle, the mass loss rate of the composite materials was less than 5%, which met the requirements of the frost resistance specifications; the strength loss rate of the composite materials varied between 19.7% and 27.8%, although some test blocks did not meet the requirements of less than 25% in the specification. The compressive strength was greatly improved compared with the untreated composite materials in the related research, and the water absorption rate was about 25% lower than that of the untreated straw–mortar composite wall materials. Pretreatment significantly improved the physico-mechanical and frost resistance properties of the straw–mortar composite wall materials.

Applied methods for 3D modeling of radio engineering devices

The aim of the paper is to present applied methods for engineering 3D modeling of pyramidal and conical horn antennas, which can contribute to the implementation of experimental research, both in a simulation and in a physical environment. The practical results presented at each step of the model building process are represented by screenshots of the work screen showing the used toolbars from the Autodesk 123D Design software menu. This is done with a view to improving the quality of training in areas related to the study of radio engineering devices, such as telecommunications engineering and aerospace engineering, in which the design and manufacture of various types of antennas help to conduct independent empirical research by the trainees with the help of measuring equipment.

A NEW TEMPORARY TRAINING PROSTHESIS FOR PEOPLE WITH TRANSTIBIAL AMPUTATION: A TECHNICAL NOTE

BACKGROUND: While waiting to receive a prosthesis, individuals with amputations could benefit from using a temporary training prosthesis to expedite the rehabilitation process and prepare them for subsequent walking with their prosthesis. OBJECTIVES: To design and build a temporary training prosthesis for people with a transtibial amputation. METHODOLOGY: Various temporary training prostheses were designed and simulated using SolidWorks software, followed by fabricating and testing multiple prototypes. Initial tests were conducted on five able bodied subjects without amputation to evaluate comfort, ensure the prototype functioned as intended, and to refine the design. The final prototype design had no weight-bearing on the residual limb end and required the person to wear a shrinker or silicone liner. FINDINGS: SolidWorks simulations showed that the device could tolerate up to 200 kg load. Subjective feedback indicated that body weight is primarily supported by the thigh section, while partially utilizing the patellar tendon and tibial flares. The thigh section can be shifted 5 cm up or down and 2.5 cm to the front or back from the knee joint center (to enhance knee stability or function). Additionally, the thigh angle can be adjusted to 0, 5, 10, or 15 degrees to accommodate hip flexion contracture. The shank section width is adjustable and can be shifted up or down based on the residual limb shape. All five able-bodied participants successfully walked with the non-amputee version of the temporary prosthesis prototype and the device withstood walking, sitting, and standing loads. CONCLUSION: An adjustable temporary training prosthesis was successfully designed, and pilot tested by five able-bodied individuals. Future testing will involve five experienced prosthetic users before conducting trials with individuals with a new transtibial amputation. Layman's Abstract A novel temporary training prosthesis was developed for individuals with new transtibial amputations while they await the healing of their residual limb and the receipt of a prosthesis. Utilizing SolidWorks computer-aided design software, various designs were explored, and rigorous testing was conducted to ensure durability and functionality. Adjustable features were incorporated to accommodate different body shapes and sizes. Initial testing on five people without amputations confirmed device effectiveness in supporting walking, sitting, and standing. Next, performance will be assessed on five experienced prosthetic users before proceeding to trials with individuals with a new transtibial amputation. This temporary prosthesis aims to expedite rehabilitation, enabling people to regain mobility and independence more efficiently. Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/43034/32865 How To Cite: Gholizadeh H, Baddour N, Dudek N, Lemaire E.D. A new temporary training prosthesis for people with transtibial amputation: A technical note. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2024; Volume 7, Issue 1, No.2. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v7i1.43034 Corresponding Author: Hossein Gholizadeh, PhD, CP (Canada)Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.E-Mails: hgholizadeh@uottawa.ca, gholizadeh87@yahoo.comORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5847-7985

Synthesis and characterization of a novel TiO2@chitosan/alginate nanocomposite sponge for highly efficient removal of As(V) ions from aqueous solutions: Adsorption isotherm, kinetics, experiment and adsorption mechanism optimization using Box-Behnken design

This research uses a novel TiO2@CSC.Alg composite sponge was created by encasing TiO2 nanoparticles in the natural polymers alginate and chitosan, resulting in a nanocomposite that is both ecologically friendly and biocompatible. Using the generated nanocomposite as a new environmentally friendly adsorbent, As(V) heavy metal ions were effectively removed from aqueous media. The following techniques were used to analyse the physicochemical properties of the obtained materials: pHZPC, FTIR, XRD, BET, SEM, and XPS. Utilizing nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, the TiO2@CSC.Alg composite sponge's textural properties were identified. This revealed a BET surface area of 168.42 m2/g and a total pore volume of 1.18 cc/g, indicating its porous nature and potential for high adsorption capacity. Examine the effects of temperature, pH, dose, and beginning concentration on adsorption. The adsorption characteristics were determined based on equilibrium and adsorption kinetics measurements. The adsorption process was both pseudo-second-order (PSOE) and Langmuir isothermally fit. Chemisorption was the adsorption method since the adsorption energy was 25.45 kJ·mol−1. An endothermic and spontaneous adsorption process was indicated by more metal being absorbed as the temperature increased. The optimal conditions for adsorption were optimized via Box-Behnken design software to be pH of 5 in the solution, a dosage of 0.02 g of the TiO2@CSC.Alg composite sponge per 25 mL, and an arsenate (As(V)) solution the adsorption capacity was 202.27 mg/g are ideal for efficient adsorption. These parameters are critical in achieving the maximum adsorption capacity of the composite sponge for arsenate, which could be beneficial for water purification applications. Utilizing Design-Expert software's response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design (BBD), the adsorption process was optimized with the fewest planned tests. After six successive cycles of adsorption and desorption, the adsorbent stability was confirmed by the adsorbent reusability test without any noticeable decrease in removal efficacy. Additionally, it displayed good efficiency, the same XRD and XPS data before and after reuse, and no change in chemical composition.

Design and Manufacturing of Air Conditioning Coil

This paper consists of the detail design process of a cooling coil which is used in Evaporator of VARC System for given cooling load. The process consists of designing a part using the calculation and various other parameters. The stability of long-term materials is becoming increasingly important as the demand for air conditioning systems in commercial and residential applications grows. Because of temperature variations and heat flow, materials in air conditioning systems can fail, reducing the cooling effect of the system. Low thermal transitions through the coil's material cause a significant amount of heat to be wasted in the evaporator coil, which lowers the system's overall efficiency. This paper outlines the methodology used to choose the right material for the evaporator coil in an air conditioning system using the CES Granta design software. Based on design and functional requirements, nickel-chromium alloys, pure titanium, copper, low alloy steel, cast iron, and pure titanium are the candidates that made the shortlist for evaporator coils. The best candidates are low alloy steel, titanium, and stainless steel.

Enhancing Monitoring Performance: A Microservices Approach to Monitoring with Spyware Techniques and Prediction Models.

In today's digital landscape, organizations face significant challenges, including sensitive data leaks and the proliferation of hate speech, both of which can lead to severe consequences such as financial losses, reputational damage, and psychological impacts on employees. This work considers a comprehensive solution using a microservices architecture to monitor computer usage within organizations effectively. The approach incorporates spyware techniques to capture data from employee computers and a web application for alert management. The system detects data leaks, suspicious behaviors, and hate speech through efficient data capture and predictive modeling. Therefore, this paper presents a comparative performance analysis between Spring Boot and Quarkus, focusing on objective metrics and quantitative statistics. By utilizing recognized tools and benchmarks in the computer science community, the study provides an in-depth understanding of the performance differences between these two platforms. The implementation of Quarkus over Spring Boot demonstrated substantial improvements: memory usage was reduced by up to 80% and CPU usage by 95%, and system uptime decreased by 119%. This solution offers a robust framework for enhancing organizational security and mitigating potential threats through proactive monitoring and predictive analysis while also guiding developers and software architects in making informed technological choices.

Sistem Kontrol Dan Monitoring Hidrogen - Oksigen (HHO) Generator Berbasis Internet Of Things (IoT)

Electrolysis is a way to separate water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) gas by using an electric current through the water. The aim of this research is to create an Internet of Things (IoT) based prototype system that can monitor and control the hydrogen gas (H2) production process using the water electrolysis method. This research was carried out in several stages starting with a technology survey, then continuing with prototype design (including hardware design, software design, and circuit schematic design). This monitoring system device is designed with 3 sensors, namely: MQ-8 gas sensor, ACS712 current sensor, and BME280 pressure-temperature sensor. The MQ-8 sensor is set with a reading scale of 200-1000 ppm (parts per million) with an RMSE value obtained of 0.0288%. The ACS712 current sensor has an accuracy of 88.35% with a reading scale of 0-3.3 amperes, and the BME280 sensor has an accuracy of 94.47% for temperature and 99.37% for pressure with an ambient air reading scale. The results of water electrolysis testing of the entire system show that the system can work well in measuring parameters in accordance with the data sheet provisions, as well as providing flexibility in monitoring for users via smartphone.

Heterogeneous Fenton process using GO@Fe3O4/Cu catalyst for the degradation of reactive dyes from aqueous solutions: modeling and optimisation

ABSTRACT Various industries such as textile, paper, rubber, plastic, and cosmetics use dyes to produce their products. Some dyes used in textile industries are teratogenic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and dangerous for humans and other organisms. This study aimed to determine the amount of removal of reactive dyes from aqueous solutions during the heterogeneous Fenton process. In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles and copper nanoparticles were loaded on graphene oxide (GO). GO@Fe3O4/Cu catalyst was synthesised and applied to remove reactive dyes from aqueous solutions in a heterogeneous Fenton process. Contact time, pH, catalyst dose, dye concentration, and H2O2 dose were considered effective parameters. Experiments were designed according to the Box-Behnken design in the Design Expert software. Catalyst properties were determined using SEM, VSM, XRD, and FTIR analysis. The ANOVA showed that the selected statistical model with R2 0.965, p < 0.0001, and F-value 27.79 was significant. In the optimal conditions of pH 3, H2O2 dose 0.48 mL, catalyst dose 0.34 g/L, dye concentration 22 mg/L, and contact time 9 min, the degradation efficiency of Reactive Blue 21 (RB21), Reactive Red 195 (RR195) and Reactive Red 19 (RR19) were 92, 97, and 80%, respectively. The results showed that after 5 cycles of recycling, the catalyst had a high efficiency in pollutant removal and could be utilised many times for dye decomposition. GO@Fe3O4/Cu catalyst was successfully synthesised using a simple method. The heterogeneous Fenton process with a magnetic catalyst in the presence of H2O2 has a high potential to remove reactive dyes from the aqueous solution.

Perancangan Sistem Kunci Otomatis Berbasis Qr Code Menggunakan Sensor Gm66

The security system plays an important role for the comfort of human life today. Moreover, in the development of the times which are increasing day by day. In the world of technology, many things are implemented in security systems to increase consumer confidence. One of the main factors of the security system is theft by breaking into the building door. This security problem can be overcome by utilizing existing technology, for example with a QR Code. The design of this device will be carried out using two paths, namely hardware design and software design. This is done so that the design of this automatic lock system can work in accordance with the design which includes a circuit block diagram and circuit realization with the working principles of each circuit that has been designed. From some of the results of testing QR Code-based automatic door locks using the GM66 sensor which can be seen from several tables of test results, it can be concluded that the tool can work properly.

Automatic Specification and Analysis of Software Reliability Using Alloy: Selecting the Best Use Case Scenario in Terms of Reliability

Software reliability modeling, as a non-functional characteristic of software quality to achieve high reliability, is of particular importance. To obtain software systems with high reliability, it is important to select the best scenario, from the various scenarios produced, in a short time during the software design stage. Since the scenario includes interactions between the user and use case, producing various scenarios and selecting the best among them in terms of reliability is a difficult and time-consuming task for software designers. Therefore, it is of great importance to use a modeling language that has a tool-based evaluation modeling approach and does the analysis automatically. In this paper, Alloy modeling language has been used to model and analyze software reliability. Compared to other lightweight modeling languages, Alloy has such advantages as being more concise, accurate and abstract. The primary objective of this paper aims to present a modeling framework based on the Alloy modeling language with which reliability of target systems can be efficiently examined. The results indicate that the use of Alloy analyzer facilitates the immediate production of various scenarios and allows for the selection of the best one in terms of reliability.

Безопасный конвейер доставки программного обеспечения

The presence of vulnerabilities in software is a pressing problem. Vulnerabilities can serve as a basis for breach of confidentiality and information leakage. The purpose of this study is to increase the level of software security at all stages of the life cycle from development and implementation to operation. Achieving this goal is possible through automated analysis of program code and increasing the types of vulnerabilities detected. The work proposes a secure software delivery pipeline that allows for static and dynamic analysis of program code, analysis of the search for vulnerabilities in third-party components and Docker images. The article reviewed popular software tools, their distinctive features, and provided justification for the choice of software solutions that form the basis of the developed secure delivery pipeline. The novelty of the work is the ability of the pipeline to automatically detect vulnerabilities at all stages of the software life cycle, from planning and design to testing, deployment and monitoring in a production environment, which allows you to eliminate vulnerabilities at an early stage, thereby increasing the level of software security. Conducted testing and approbation of a secure software delivery pipeline. Based on the assessment results, the developed secure software delivery pipeline showed that on average 98% of vulnerabilities were identified using the Semgrep tool, 90% of vulnerabilities using the OWASP ZAP tool, 96% of vulnerabilities using the Dependency-Track tool, and 88% using the Trivy tool. The results of the study and experimental data showed that on average, as a result of testing, the accuracy of detecting vulnerabilities is 93%. The practical value of the work lies in the fact that the developed secure software delivery pipeline can be used as a tool for detecting program code vulnerabilities by software development specialists, as well as information security specialists of IT companies. The results obtained can be used in the field of secure software development, formalization and interpretation of vulnerabilities in program code, which will make it possible to create new rules for their identification and development of countermeasures to neutralize them.

Graphic Design Vietnam - Problems and Solutions

The field of design in the world in general, and Graphic Design in particular tends to converge and interfere strongly with other art disciplines (such as fine arts, movies, and music...). Graphic design will flourish with cutting-edge technology, and this will certainly continue to grow in the future. Graphic design today needs to identify several common concerns with themes: boundaries and interlinkages between the arts and graphic design, the importance of content, and impact of advanced technology, the desire for emotional connection, limitations in creativity due to, imposed design software, the uncertainty of commercialization, the need to simplify the design to increase the speed at which information is perceived by visual cues, and, ultimately, the need to be ethical in design. The above problems have never been raised for the Vietnamese contemporary graphic design industry. The study of Contemporary Graphic Design in the development of Vietnamese culture is necessary to create a connection between the past and the present in terms of culture and spirit, because before or after, a production includbelongso belongs to a particular ethnic group.

Software Architecture and Desgin for Online Registration System

This paper presents an example of SoftwareArchitecture and design for online registration system.Software design is an early phase of the Software DevelopmentLife Cycle (SDLC). During this phase, software designersmodel the system and assess its quality so that improvementsmay be made before the software goes into the productionphase. The goal of software design is to build a model thatmeets all customer requirements and leads to successfulimplementation. As software systems continue to grow inscale, complexity, and distribution, their proper designbecomes extremely important in software production. Thearchitecture design representat ion is derived from the systemrequirement specification and the analysis model. Multi tierarchitecture is commonly used for distributed systems. Itusually consists of three element types: client, middlewareserver, and data server. The Unified Modeling Language( used to model the problem domain; describe the userrequirements; identify significant architecture elementsduring software design, such as classes and objects; describebehavior and interactions among these elements; and organizethe softw are structure, specify its constraints, describe thenecessary attributes, and more.

Design, Development and Application of a Modular Electromagnetic Induction (EMI) Sensor for Near-Surface Geophysical Surveys.

Low-frequency electromagnetic induction (EMI) is a non-invasive geophysical method that is based on the induction of electromagnetic (EM) waves into the subsurface to quantify changes in electrical conductivity. In this study, we present an open (design details and software are accessible) and modular system for the collection of EMI data. The instrument proposed allows for the separations between the transmitter to be adjusted and up to four receiving antennas as well as the acquisition frequency (in the range between 3 and 50 kHz) to permit measurements with variable depth of investigation. The sensor provides access to raw data and the software described in this study allows control of the signal processing chain. The design specifications permit apparent conductivity measurements in the range of between 1 mS/m and 1000 mS/m, with a resolution of 1.0 mS/m and with a sampling rate of up to 10 samples per second. The sensor allows for a synchronous acquisition of a time stamp and a location stamp for each data sample. The sensor has a mass of less than 5 kg, is portable and suitable for one-person operation, provides 4 h of operation time on one battery charge, and provides sufficient rigidity for practical field operations.

Technical note: An open-source, low-cost system for continuous monitoring of low nitrate concentrations in soil and open water

Abstract. Nitrate (NO3-), mainly leaching with soil porewater, is the primary nonpoint source pollutant of groundwater worldwide. Obtaining real-time information on nitrate levels in soils would allow for gaining a better understanding of the sources and transport dynamics of nitrate through the unsaturated zone. However, conventional nitrate detection techniques (e.g., soil sample analysis) necessitate costly, laboratory-grade equipment for analysis, along with human resources, resulting in a laborious and time-intensive procedure. These drawbacks raise the need to develop cost-effective and automated systems for in situ nitrate measurements in field conditions. This study presents the development of a low-cost, portable, automated system for field measurements of nitrate in soil porewater and open water bodies. The system is based on the spectrophotometric determination of nitrate using a single reagent. The system design and processing software are openly accessible, including a building guide, to allow duplicating or changing the system according to user-specific needs. Three field tests, conducted over 5 weeks, validated the system's measurement capabilities within the range of 0–10 ppm NO3-–N with a low RMSE of &lt;0.2 ppm NO3-–N when comparing the results to standard laboratory nitrate analysis. Data derived from such a system allow for tracking of the temporal variation in soil nitrate, thus opening new possibilities for diverse soil and nutrient management studies.

Synthesis of an electronic control module for a selected technological node with a focus on its automation

The article presents problems related to the design of sequential control systems using algorithmic design method. Based on a graph describing the functions of signal processing, the method of fast programming of sequential electro-pneumatic systems and systems with logic elements is presented. The developed sequential system was verified through simulation using the FluidSim computer-aided design software from Festo.

Live application programming in the defense industry with the Molecule component framework

At Thales Defense Mission Systems (DMS), software products first go through an industrial prototyping phase. Prototypes are serious applications that we evaluate with our end-users during demonstrations. End-users have a central role in the design process of our products. They often ask for software modifications during demonstrations to experiment new ideas or to focus the existing design on their needs.In this paper, we present how we combined Smalltalk’s live-programming capabilities with software component models to obtain flexible and modular software designs in our context of live prototyping. We present Molecule, an open-source implementation of the Lightweight CORBA Component Model in Pharo. We use Molecule to build HMI systems prototypes, and we benefit from the dynamic run-time modification capabilities of Pharo during demonstrations with our end-users where we explore software designs in a lively way.Molecule is an industrial contribution to Smalltalk, as it capitalizes 20 years of usage and maturation in our prototyping activity. The Molecule framework and tools are now mature, and we started building end-user software used in production at Thales DMS. We present two such end-user software and analyze their component architecture, that are representative of how we (learnt to) build HMI prototypes. Finally, we analyze our technological decisions with regards to the benefits we sought for our industrial activity.

MPPT constraint conditions based on four-parameter cell model for some usual photovoltaic systems

Hitherto there is no work to specially analyze in detail the question when the maximum power point (MPP) of the photovoltaic (PV) system exists and when it disappears. It has caused the difficulty in the hardware and software designs of the PV system when the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control must be implemented all the time. To solve this question, in this paper, the MPPT constraint conditions (MPPTCC) of the 12 usual PV systems are proposed under ideal conditions and expressed by the model parameters of the four-parameter cell model in the engineering application. They are the necessary and sufficient conditions to guarantee the existence of the MPPs of these 12 PV systems. Meanwhile, they also disclose the inherent relationships between load (or bus voltage) and cell parameters when the MPP of the PV system always exists. In addition, to apply them in practice, their expressions in practical application are also presented. Finally, some simulation experiments verify the reasonableness and accuracy of these MPPTCC in practical application, and test the influence of the varying weather to the MPPT range. By this work, the possible failure of the MPPT control arising from the occasional disappearance of the MPP of the PV system can be completely avoided. Therefore, the findings in this work can be used as the theory foundation for the hardware design, theoretical research and product installation of the PV system.

Optical modeling of systematic uncertainties in detector polarization angles for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

We present an estimate of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) detector polarization angle systematic uncertainty from optics perturbation analysis using polarization-sensitive ray tracing in CODE V optical design software. Uncertainties in polarization angle calibration in CMB measurements can limit constraints on cosmic birefringence and other cosmological parameters sensitive to polarization leakage. Our framework estimates the angle calibration systematic uncertainties from possible displacements in lens positions and orientations, and anti-reflection coating (ARC) thicknesses and refractive indices. With millimeter displacements in lens positions and percent-level perturbations in ARC thicknesses and indices from design, we find the total systematic uncertainty for three ACT detector arrays operating between 90 and 220 GHz to be at the 10th of degree scale. Reduced lens position and orientation uncertainties from physical measurements could lead to a reduction in the systematic uncertainty estimated with the framework presented here. This optical modeling may inform polarization angle systematic uncertainties for current and future microwave polarimeters, such as the CCAT Observatory, Simons Observatory, and CMB-S4.

Characterization and Fabrication of Ankle Foot Orthoses using Composite with Titanium Nanoparticles

Orthoses and prostheses were Chosen and laminated based on their high Yield, ultimate stresses, bending stresses, and fatigue limit. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized to find the best values for two parameters reinforcement perlon fiber and percent of Titanium Nanoparticle coupled with the matrix resin during optimization. The response surface methodology combined the expertise of mathematicians and statisticians to construct and analyze experimental models. Using this method, we identified 13 different lamination samples comprising a wide range of perlon number and Ti nano Wt% in their Perlon layer composition. All lamination materials defined by RSM methods and produced by a vacuum system were subjected to a battery of tests, with fatigue tests performed on the ideal laminating material in contrast to laminations created in the first study (Tensile test, Bending test, and Fatigue tests according to the ASTM D638 and D790 respectively). In comparison to the other 12 laminations tested using Design Expert version 10.0.2, the lamination with ten perlon layers and 0.75 percent Ti nano proved to be the strongest overall in terms of Yield, ultimate, and bending loads. This study used composite materials and titanium nanoparticles to characterize and fabricate ankle foot orthoses. Strength in bending should amount to about 70 MPa, around 85 MPa in tensile tension. Two empirical quadratic equations for the models of peak bending strength and maximum tensile stress with 95% confidence were created using the response surface approach and analysis of variance within the design of experiments software.