Specific Design Research Articles

Contrastive Graph Pooling for Explainable Classification of Brain Networks.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a commonly used technique to measure neural activation. Its application has been particularly important in identifying underlying neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Autism. Recent analysis of fMRI data models the brain as a graph and extracts features by graph neural networks (GNNs). However, the unique characteristics of fMRI data require a special design of GNN. Tailoring GNN to generate effective and domain-explainable features remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a contrastive dual-attention block and a differentiable graph pooling method called ContrastPool to better utilize GNN for brain networks, meeting fMRI-specific requirements. We apply our method to 5 resting-state fMRI brain network datasets of 3 diseases and demonstrate its superiority over state-of-the-art baselines. Our case study confirms that the patterns extracted by our method match the domain knowledge in neuroscience literature, and disclose direct and interesting insights. Our contributions underscore the potential of ContrastPool for advancing the understanding of brain networks and neurodegenerative conditions. The source code is available at https://github.com/AngusMonroe/ContrastPool.

Application and optimization of residual connection neural network in spacecraft thermal design

In thermal analysis modeling, the finite element method (FEM) is commonly used; however, it incurs high computational costs and complicates the global optimization of thermal parameters. To address these challenges, developing simplified surrogate models is crucial for enhancing analysis efficiency. Yet, constructing such models demands exceptional predictive accuracy, making conventional parameter adjustment methods inadequate for design needs. This paper introduces a novel Residual connection Neural Network model, called Res-NN, designed to approximate the CMOS finite element model. By employing residual connections, the Res-NN model significantly reduces fitting errors between networks, achieving a predictive accuracy of 94.6 %, which is 6.6 % higher than that of comparable Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) models. Moreover, Res-NN is over 100 times faster than traditional FEM in prediction speed, effectively circumventing the difficulties associated with parameter adjustments. To optimize the temperature fluctuations of the CMOS model, we utilized the Res-NN model as an iterative object within an optimization algorithm. Through experimental comparisons, we identified the PSO algorithm as the most effective option. The PSO optimization results demonstrated a chip temperature difference of 0.045 °C, with a simulation error of only 0.0649 °C, meeting design specifications and achieving a 61.7 % reduction in temperature variance compared to traditional thermal design method. This validates the superiority of the entire optimization process.

Space Environments Applied to the Gateway Program

NASA’s Gateway is a crewed space station with a planned mission duration of 15 years in lunar orbit. It is an international collaboration, including partnerships with the European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Japan Aerospace Explorations Agency. Additionally, the program relies on important partnerships with industry for designing and building hardware. This complex mission poses significant challenges related to space environments. Gateway’s hardware will be directly exposed to the extremes of space weather posing challenges to avionics and materials as well as operations planning. The space environments are defined in the “Design Specification for Natural Environments” and applied through program requirements to all design partners. This paper describes the space environments applicable to the Gateway program, the flow of the environments to system requirements, and the challenges that the program is currently facing with regard to the space environments.

Optimized Selective Assembly using Hungarian Algorithm

Assembly of discrete parts guided by hardware design specification constitutes the final phase in product manufacturing. In the course of mass production of components, mating parts with geometric or dimensional deviation from their intended design can be made acceptable by the identification of suitable pairs after analysing design fit and tolerance limits. By transforming this application-specific problem into a unified mathematical model, an optimal solution can be achieved that minimizes the rejection of non-conforming fabricated parts. Regardless of the type and range of a design fit, the problem can be mapped into a matrix using a ranking function defined by the user. The ranking function is modifiable as per the user requirements and may vary based on the selection criteria for an assembly. Based on the type of ranking function used, the tabulated matrix is solved using the Hungarian minimization/maximization algorithm, which is a powerful combinatorial optimization algorithm that solves the classical assignment problem in mathematics. This approach ensures maximum number of suiting pairs as well as nominal suiting of parts with each other resulting in high-quality products and maximum utilization of fabricated resources.

New high-field side magnetic probe array system for three-dimensional magnetic fluctuation measurements on EAST

To better study the magnetic fluctuations in the high-field side of EAST tokamak, a new high-field side magnetic probe array (HFS-MPA) has been developed on EAST recently. The HFS-MPA consists of 12 identical three-dimensional (3D) magnetic probes, which are mounted on the HFS wall with carefully designed arrangement. The HFS-MPA magnetic probes bring additional toroidal magnetic fluctuation measurements compared with the HFS regular magnetic probes which can only provide poloidal and radial magnetic fluctuation measurements. The upper limits of frequency and toroidal mode number (n) measurements of the magnetic fluctuations have been improved by comparing HFS-MPA with the HFS regular magnetic probes, i.e., 650 kHz vs 100 kHz and n = 23 vs n = 1. In developing the HFS-MPA diagnostic system, many practical challenges have been overcome and many special designs have been developed. These will be mentioned in the main subsystem description of the HFS-MPA diagnostic in this paper, which might be useful for developing new magnetic probe diagnostics in the future on EAST or other magnetically confined fusion devices. The calibration of the effective area and frequency response of the HFS-MPA is also described. The preliminary application in studying the frequency and propagation characteristics of the magnetic fluctuations with HFS-MPA compared with EAST regular magnetic probes shows that the HFS-MPA is well developed for plasma physics studies.

Design specifications and capabilities of a 3D simulation software for clinical education of physiotherapy students in the neurology department

IntroductionIn this revolutionized era, thanks to cutting-edge technological breakthroughs like 3-dimensional (3D) computerized environments, physiotherapy trainers can improve their knowledge and confidence by using such training tools. Hence, there is room for developing these technologies for training medical students to expand their skills and expertise. This study aims to identify the design requirements and key functionalities of a 3D simulation software for the clinical education of physiotherapy students in neurology departments.MethodFirst, by carefully reviewing neurological books, scientific articles, curriculum, and medical records, and consulting with experts, a scenario was compiled. In the next step, a researcher-developed questionnaire was designed. Then, experts’ opinions were considered to confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The designed questionnaire was distributed among several neurological physiotherapists. Finally, the information elements, contents, and functional capabilities of the 3D software were determined by analyzing the data obtained from the questionnaire.FindingsThe main components for the design of physiotherapy educational software were identified based on the findings of the literature review, curriculum analysis, and medical record review. A survey of physiotherapy professors was conducted using a questionnaire created by the researcher in order to enhance the capabilities of simulation software and ascertain its primary functions. Following an analysis of the data from the distributed questionnaire, 37 essential features and contents have been proven to be more crucial than the rest for the creation of 3D simulation software. As a result, the essential and fundamental needs for the patient’s training in reading their medical records and performing muscle strength assessments were recognized and extracted. Based on these findings, a researcher-developed scenario for the various real cases was then established. In the patient’s medical record reading scenario, the student is required to read the patient’s record in text format. Similarly, in the section on cranial nerves, pictures are utilised to reinforce the student’s assessment skills in addition to textual content. Together with the audio and pop-up texts, the simulated 3D environment also offers training for the assessment of muscle strength.ConclusionAs an educational tool, this software can enhance students’ learning and assist in addressing the drawbacks of conventional teaching methods like lectures and hospital visits.

English Tense Analysis in Civil Engineering Book Using AntConc Application

Civil engineering, as a discipline, depends on accurate communication to deliver complex design specifications, construction methodologies, and structural analyses. English tenses in technical writing contributes to a crucial role in ensuring that information is not only conveyed accurately, but also comprehensively understood by students within the learning processes. Since most of the learning books in civil engineering field use English, thus students’ comprehension of English also becomes necessary. One of the approaches to improve the English learning process in the classroom is by utilizing technology, namely AntConc 4.2.0 Software. This study aims to observe the frequency of sentences in the AntConc related to the present tense used in the civil engineering book. The method used in this study was a mixed-method design. The quantitative method was used in the early stages of research to obtain data to be studied, involving the selection of a relevant civil engineering e-book. Moreover, qualitative method was used to analyze sentences that have been grouped into using simple present tense to obtain general linguistic patterns. The finding reveals that the most used tense in civil engineering book chosen is the simple present tense. Furthermore, it also demonstrates how AntConc 4.2.0 Software facilitates vocabulary acquisition and reveals patterns of language usage within the context of civil engineering literature. Keywords: AntConc, civil engineering, simple present tense

Metadata recommendations for light logging and dosimetry datasets

BackgroundLight exposure significantly impacts human health, regulating our circadian clock, sleep–wake cycle and other physiological processes. With the emergence of wearable light loggers and dosimeters, research on real-world light exposure effects is growing. There is a critical need to standardize data collection and documentation across studies.ResultsThis article proposes a new metadata descriptor designed to capture crucial information within personalized light exposure datasets collected with wearable light loggers and dosimeters. The descriptor, developed collaboratively by international experts, has a modular structure for future expansion and customization. It covers four key domains: study design, participant characteristics, dataset details, and device specifications. Each domain includes specific metadata fields for comprehensive documentation. The user-friendly descriptor is available in JSON format. A web interface simplifies generating compliant JSON files for broad accessibility. Version control allows for future improvements.ConclusionsOur metadata descriptor empowers researchers to enhance the quality and value of their light dosimetry datasets by making them FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable). Ultimately, its adoption will advance our understanding of how light exposure affects human physiology and behaviour in real-world settings.

Regulation of the power of a wind turbine of a special design by changing the length of the blades

The object of this research is a model of a wind turbine with retractable blades. This model allows for the adjustment of the turbine’s screw radius by extending or retracting the blades, providing a basis for examining the impact of blade radius on turbine performance. The primary problem addressed by this study is to determine how changes in the screw radius, achieved by altering the blade length, affect the wind turbine’s performance, specifically its electrical output (voltage and current) and rotational speed, under constant wind conditions. The experimental results showed that when the turbine blades are fully extended (R1), the wind turbine generates higher voltage and current compared to when the blades are retracted (R2). This confirms that the turbine’s electrical output is significantly influenced by the screw radius. These results are explained by the aerodynamic principles governing wind turbines. An increased screw radius allows the turbine blades to capture more wind energy, leading to greater force applied to the blades, thus increasing the rotational speed and the amount of electrical energy generated. The linear relationship between the screw radius and the turbine’s performance was as summed to simplify the analysis, though the actual relationship may be more complex. The finding soft its study can be practically applied in the design and operation of wind turbines. Turbines with adjust table blade lengths can optimize performance across varying wind conditions, maximizing efficiency and power output. These results are particularly useful in environments where wind speed is variable, as turbine scan adjust their blade radius to maintain optimal performance. The study assumes consistent wind conditions and uniform air flow for the results to be accurate, so these conditions should be considered when implementing the findings in real-world scenarios

Prime number-based multistep measurement for separation of roundness errors

Roundness measurement is critical in manufacturing, as it ensures that products conform to precise design specifications. However, traditional multistep measurements for roundness error separation are time-consuming and limited in their ability to separate specific Fourier components. In this study, we propose a novel combined multistep measurement method with prime numbers that overcomes these limitations. We demonstrate this method through three experimental cases, achieving high levels of Fourier components in error separation with a limited number of measurements. Our method combines two ( p and q) or three ( p, q, and r) steps of prime numbers to achieve high levels of Fourier components for error separation, compared to traditional multistep measurements that require more steps. In the first experimental case, we use a 2-step and 5-step measurement to achieve traditional multistep measurement in ten steps. In the second case, we use 3-step and 5-step measurements, and in the third, we combine the 2-step, 3-step, and 5-step measurements. We achieve roundness deviations (RONt) of 12.7, 7.8, and 9.9 nm, respectively, and maximum En-values of 0.8, 0.8, and 0.7, respectively. Our proposed combined multistep measurement method using prime numbers has practical applications in manufacturing, as it reduces the time and resources required for roundness error separation while achieving a higher level of Fourier components. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method and its potential to revolutionize roundness measurement in industry.

Key Strategies for Continuous Seawater Splitting for Hydrogen Production: From Principles and Catalyst Materials to Electrolyzer Engineering

AbstractDue to the high cost of ultra‐pure water supply and the mismatch between water sources and renewable energy distribution, the large‐scale production of green hydrogen through seawater electrolysis has generated significant interest. This presents an attractive potential technology within the framework of carbon‐neutral energy production. However, owing to the complex composition of seawater, particularly the competitive oxidation reactions and corrosion issues involving Cl−, seawater electrolysis has suffered from low selectivity and poor stability in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which severely impact the efficiency of hydrogen production and hinder the practical applications. To further promote in‐depth research and practical applications of seawater electrolysis, this review introduces the principles, key advantages, and challenges of seawater electrolysis. Specifically, the design strategies are categorized for highly active OER electrocatalysts for seawater electrolysis, including catalyst design, design of chemical reaction systems, and other special process design. To ensure long‐term operational stability of seawater electrolysis, various strategies such as employing self‐supporting materials, surface protection strategies, and electrolyzer design, are discussed. Finally, current challenges and future prospects for the industrialization of seawater electrolysis are proposed and discussed. It is expected that this review provides new insights for large‐scale seawater‐based hydrogen production in the future.

Flexural behavior of high-strength steel-precast prestressed concrete composite beams with grouped demountable bolts under hogging moment

To study the bending behavior of high-strength steel (HSS)-precast reinforced concrete (PRC) slab composite beams with grouped demountable bolts under hogging moment, single-point loading tests were carried out to evaluate the bending behavior of the five prefabricated composite beams, and the key parameters are shear connection degree, shear pocket spacing in the PRC slab, and applying precompression to the concrete or not. The test results indicate that the HSS composite beams have good overall bending behavior, and two failure modes are recorded including the flexural failure, and the concrete damage in the shear pocket region. The prestressing force can effectively increase the anti-cracking performance of the slab and slightly improve the bending behavior, while increasing the shear connection degree from 1.80 to 3.61 or the shear pocket spacing from 360 mm to 800 mm (the limit value in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications is 610 mm) under the same shear connection degree has a limited influence on the bending behavior, and the composite beams still have the effective composite action. The existing formulas are conservative in calculating the bending capacity of HSS composite beams but have a high degree of consistency in stiffness.

High‐Lying Triplet Excitons Utilization of Silole Derivatives Enables their Efficiency Breakthrough in OLEDs

AbstractSiloles are routinely studied in the application of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) due to their high performances of solid‐state fluorescence property and carrier mobility. The structures of siloles used in electroluminescence device reported so far can only utilize singlet excitons, limiting the device efficiency and commercialization. Seeking to build appliable molecular structures to achieve triplet excitons utilization in silole‐core emitters, two derivatives are designed, Silole‐1DPA‐TRZ and Silole‐1Cz‐TRZ, in which electron acceptor of triazine (TRZ) together with electron donors of diphenylamine (DPA) and carbazole (Cz) modified at 1‐position of silole unit form silole‐D‐A structures. This special molecular design, for the first time, enables triplet excitons harvest via high‐lying reverse intersystem crossing (hRISC) process in silole derivatives with hybridized local and charge‐transfer (HLCT) characteristics. Experimental and theoretical studies show that relative to a stronger charge transfer state of Silole‐1Cz‐TRZ, a more equal local excitation/charge transfer distribution in the HLCT state of Silole‐1DPA‐TRZ is realized, making its application in silole‐based OLED with an efficiency breakthrough of ≈9.1% maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax).

Digital technologies in additional professional education curricula as a mean for developing professional competencies in polytechnic university students

Digitalization of education plays an important role in the implementation of programs to train highly qualified personnel for the digital economy. The project “Digital departments”, implemented since 2022 at the intersection of additional education and information technologies within the framework of the national program “Digital economy of the Russian Federation”, creates a unique educational format, not only changing the organizational forms of training but also allowing the use of digital technologies as means of developing the vocational competencies of students. The article presents data on the first implementation results of the additional professional education program “Information technologies in design” at the “digital department” of Perm National Research Polytechnic University and aimed at training specialists in the field of industrial design. The digital technologies considered in the article act not only as tools in the operational activity of an industrial designer but also as means for the vocational development of special design thinking skills. The author’s teaching methods are of practical value for achieving the effect of “creativization” of design solutions developed by the program participants. It is proved that in such context, digital technologies contribute to the formation of students’ skills of creative actions carrying artistic, aesthetic, and economic value. The presented results may be of practical interest to heads of university design education, to teachers — researchers of the problems of digital transformation of engineering and graphic education, as well as methodologists and teachers­practitioners who provide training in the programs of higher and additional vocational education in the IT sphere.

Optimized Surface Ion Trap Design for Tight Confinement and Separation of Ion Chains

Qubit systems based on trapped ultracold ions win one of the leading positions in the quantum computing field, demonstrating quantum algorithms with the highest complexity to date. Surface Paul traps for ion confinement open the opportunity to scale quantum processors to hundreds of qubits and enable high-connectivity manipulations on ions. To fabricate such a system with certain characteristics, the special design of a surface electrode structure is required. The depth of the trapping potential, the stability parameter, the secular frequency and the distance between an ion and the trap surface should be optimized for better performance. Here, we present the optimized design of a relatively simple surface trap that allows several important high-fidelity primitives: tight ion confinement, laser cooling, and wide optical access. The suggested trap design also allows us to perform an important basic operation, namely, splitting an ion chain into two parts.

Novel machine learning-driven multi-objective optimization method for EDM trajectory planning of distorted closed surfaces

Highly distorted closed surfaces pose significant challenges for machining trajectory planning due to their intricate surface constraints and closed structures. Despite these challenges, components with such features are prevalent in industries like aerospace. This paper presents a machine learning-driven multi-objective optimization method for electrical discharge machining (EDM) trajectory planning of highly distorted closed surfaces. The method transforms the structural design of forming electrodes and trajectory planning into a multi-objective decision problem. And a discrete point trajectory planning method, guided by surface average curvature, is employed to determine the optimal position and orientation of the electrode. Additionally, an elite dataset, generated using the Monte Carlo method and Arena's Principle, is utilized to train an artificial neural network (ANN). This network predicts hyperparameters for the nonlinear optimization problem. Based on the proposed method, a multi-objective optimization model is formulated for an integral shrouded blisk, considering minimization of iteration count, axial motion, and maximization of machining surface quality. The Pareto front is utilized to obtain the optimal EDM trajectory. Experimental results demonstrate a 17.38 % reduction in the overall machining cycle duration using this trajectory, and the surface roughness and profile accuracy satisfy the design specifications, which proves the effectiveness of this method.

Backend Infrastructure and Specifications Design Using OpenAPI and API-First on CV Elang Java Mandiri

Digital transformation brings changes to the business world by increasing efficiency, convenience, security, certainty and operational speed. CV Elang Java Mandiri experienced the positive impact of this by creating software to increase operational efficiency. However, the use of direct communication between the desktop application and the database causes vulnerabilities. The lack of a bridge between the desktop application and the database also indicates a lack of flexibility when adding other applications. Ransomware attacks on desktop applications cause losses and limitations in development. This research focuses on backend updates that use API as an integrator with the API-First method. OpenAPI standards and OWASP security principles are used to increase resilience against security threats. These steps were tested with OWASP ZAP and http test. The goal is to provide solutions to company problems, meet the need for more secure applications, and make application development easier.

An experimental validation study of a numerical modeling approach to predicting post-consolidation dimensions of thermoplastic composites

Consolidation is an important step in the processing of thermoplastic unidirectional (UD) tapes, as it creates a bond between individual tapes to form a semi-finished sheet: The tape stack is first heated and then cooled, both while being subjected to pressure. If the material is in a soft or even molten state and its flow unrestricted, this compression can result in squeeze flow, the direction of which is determined by the fibers of the tapes. Extensive squeeze flow not only results in significant changes in part geometry to the point where it may fail to meet design and application specifications but can also lead to severe distortion and residual stresses. To address this, we developed a model that, given the process parameters and fiber orientation, predicts the effects of squeeze flow. Based on experimental data on UD polycarbonate tapes with 44% carbon fibers by volume consolidated at various process settings, this paper presents the validation of the model for industrial application. We found that at low heating temperatures, where the matrix viscosity is too high and prevents the material from flowing, the simulation results deviated markedly from the experimental data. With these temperatures excluded, however, the overall deviation of the model was 8.7% for thickness change and 5.3% for area change.

Dokumen Software Requirement Specification Sistem Informasi Akuntansi Biaya (Studi Kasus PT. ABC)

This research focuses on the design and development of a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document for the Cost Accounting Information System at PT. ABC, a rubber manufacturing company in Indonesia. In an effort to enhance the company's efficiency and productivity, this SRS document is prepared based on the international standard ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2018, which covers essential aspects such as functional requirements, performance, usability, interfaces, and others. The large number of business processes carried out manually, especially in the scope of cost accounting, means that the absence of an integrated cost accounting information system is one of the main factors preventing PT. ABC from achieving optimal efficiency in its business processes. In the context of the manufacturing industry, cost accounting plays a crucial role in controlling production costs, overhead, raw materials, and indirect labor. The results of this research will produce several modules, including factory overhead cost transactions, raw material cost transactions, direct labor cost transactions, manufacturing goods transactions, finished goods transactions, purchase return transactions, sales transactions, component purchase transactions, component mastering, position mastering, user mastering, cost mastering, supplier mastering, employee mastering, raw material cost reports, factory overhead cost reports, direct labor cost reports, cost of goods sold reports, cost variance reports, budget cost reports, and profit and loss reports.

Seismic Performance of Bridge Expansion Joints with and without Viscous Dampers during the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Expansion joints render bridge structures highly vulnerable to damage during strong ground motions. Failures of expansion joints triggered by earthquakes not only jeopardize the post-earthquake serviceability of the bridge but also have a significant impact on the bridgeâs overall seismic performance. Despite extensive investigations and efforts to integrate these measures into design specifications aimed at mitigating the consequences of relative movements between adjacent bridge spans, major earthquakes have still revealed instances of damage related to expansion joints. On 6 February 2023, strong earthquake sequences occurred in KahramanmaraÅ, Turkey, with magnitudes of M7.7 and M7.6. The fault lines and epicenters of these shallow earthquakes were near the city and town centers and caused severe structural damage to buildings and infrastructures. There are approximately 1000 railway and highway bridges in the earthquake-affected region. Although both highway and railway bridges have generally performed well, some bridges experienced structural damage during the KahramanmaraÅ earthquakes. A large number of damage on the bridges is due to pounding and opening relative movements in expansion joints. This paper presents a comprehensive seismic evaluation of expansion joint failure mechanisms on bridges without viscous dampers during the 2023 KahramanmaraÅ earthquake sequences and an in-depth investigation into the seismic performance of bridge expansion joints equipped with viscous dampers and shock transmission unit devices are implemented utilizing the strong ground motion data collected throughout the earthquake sequences. It can be stated that the near-fault induced significant directivity and fling effects, resulting in notable velocity pulses and permanent tectonic deformations, and that these effects contributed to the failures of expansion joints, viscous damper devices, pot bearings, and shear keys.