Design Tool Research Articles

A New Paradigm for Semiconductor Manufacturing: Integrated Synthesis, Delivery, and Consumption of Source Chemicals for IC Fabrication

The semiconductor industry is being radically impacted by the placing of greater emphasis on the development of hetero-devices and systems that will act as essential drivers for a wide spectrum of technological applications. The introduction of new materials and their integration with currently used materials are projected to replace integrated circuitry (IC) design and device scaling as the key enablers to the realization of improved device performance and larger density gains. Yet material selection has been constrained by existing fabrication process technology. To date, fabrication processes have dictated material selection by limiting chemical sources or precursors to those that match existing process tools associated with chemically based vapor phase processes and their variants, which in turn limits material compositions in ICs. The processing and integration of new materials compositions and structures will require the introduction of new deposition and etching processes, and manufacturing worthy tool designs and associated protocols that provide new methods for atomic-level control. To this end, a novel manufacturing paradigm is presented comprising a method and system for real-time, closed-loop monitoring and control of synthesis, supply, and consumption of precursors in process intensification techniques including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), atomic layer etching (ALE), and other IC manufacturing processes. This intelligent automated manufacturing approach is consistent with a central component of the semiconductor industry’s recent adoption of Industry 4.0., including vertical integration of IC manufacturing through robotization, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. Furthermore, the approach eliminates several redundant steps in the synthesis, handling, and disposal of source precursors and their byproducts for CVD, ALD, ALE and other chemically based manufacturing processes, and thus ultimately lowers the manufacturing cost for both conventional and new IC materials. Further, by eliminating the issues associated with precursor thermal, chemical, and pyrophoric instabilities, this new paradigm enables the deposition of a myriad of new thin-film materials and compositions for IC applications that are practically unattainable with existing precursors. Preliminary and planned demonstration examples for the generation and deposition of highly toxic and unstable source precursors are provided.

Mechanical Inter- and Intra-Row Weed Control for Small-Scale Vegetable Producers

Small-scale vegetable producers often do not have modern mechanical equipment; as a result, a significant amount of inter-row and all intra-row weeding is performed manually. The development of small, affordable machines increases the competitiveness of organic vegetable production, improves sustainable land use, and reduces dependence on unwanted herbicides. In this study, a simple modular lightweight e-hoe with the capability for both inter-row (1st degree of freedom) and intra-row (2nd degree of freedom) weeding was proposed. The e-hoe uses battery-powered in-wheel drives to move the platform (3rd degree of freedom) and additional drives to operate the tools. The e-hoe was evaluated in a small greenhouse using three different tools: a traditional hoe, an adjusted rounded hoe, and an adjusted spring tine narrow hoe. The experiments were conducted at four different tool rotation speeds, using specially designed 3D-printed models for crops and weeds for evaluation. The results indicate that the efficiency of the e-hoe rates up to 95% when the right tool design and rotation speed are combined. Based on the battery capacity, the machine can be operated for approximately 3.7 h, enabling the weeding of about 3050 plants.

THE EFFECT OF CUTTING FORCES ON BONE RELATED OPERATIONAL PROCESSES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Cutting mechanics must be known in terms of solving the mechanistic problems to be encountered as a result of the operational processes on the bone. In today's applications, operational procedures such as milling, drilling, cutting and screwing can be performed on the bone as a surgical procedure. The uncontrollable cutting forces that occur as a combination of the microstructure of the bone and the geometric features of the cutting tools and the resulting localized heat (fracture and necrosis) may cause bone damage. The fracture of the cutting tool or the cut bone due to the cutting force depends on the intensity and direction of the forces applied during the operation. In this study, a review of the studies in the literature on what the factors causing bone damage and their effects are reduced. In addition, the information given in this study will be useful as a one-stop document for technicians, engineers and researchers who need information on tool design, cutting force measurements in bone processing operations (in surgical applications such as milling, drilling, cutting, etc.) of cutting forces.

Evaluating the strength characteristics of mixtures of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash and reddish laterite clay for sustainable construction

This study examines effects of mixing municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWI-BA) with reddish laterite clay (RLC), evaluating factors such as vertical stress, mixing ratio, curing period, and the addition of lime. A total of 153 direct shear tests were conducted to thoroughly assess the mixture's strength characteristics. Vertical stress levels of 85.5 kPa, 172.4 kPa, and 259.3 kPa were used to simulate varying stress conditions, while mixing ratios of 40 %, 80 %, 100 %, and 120 % were applied to explore potential applications of recycled MSWI-BA with clayey soils. A fast-curing approach was employed, with curing periods of 24, 48, and 72 h, to investigate the time-dependent strength development under controlled conditions. A three-way ANOVA analysis confirmed that mixing ratio, curing period, and vertical stress significantly impacted both peak and residual shear strength. The 100 % MSWI-BA mixture, with or without 1 % lime, exhibited optimal performance, providing the pronounced shear strengths and dilative behavior. The study found that MSWI-BA significantly improved shear strength ratios compared to the RLC, with improvement ratios ranging from 1.439 to 2.460 across stress levels. Additionally, upper and lower bound equations for peak and residual strength ratios were developed, providing predictive tools for mixture design. Cohesion values in the range of 8.3–128.9 kPa and friction angles from 40.6° to 44.1° were achieved, surpassing or matching those reported in similar research. The study employed Bolton's (1986) dilatancy model, finding α values between 0.61 and 0.71, comparable to those in studies of granular materials. These results highlight the effectiveness of adding MSWI-BA and lime in enhancing reddish laterite soil stabilization through both chemical and mechanical means, making it a sustainable and cost-effective approach for civil engineering projects by improving material strength, reusing local soils, recycling waste, and reducing carbon footprints.

Time To Navigate (TTN): A practical objective clinical measure for freezing of gait severity in people with Parkinson's disease

ObjectivesTo provide an easy-to-use measure, as existing objective assessments for freezing of gait (FOG) severity may be unwieldy for routine clinical practice, this study explored time taken to complete the recently-validated FOG Severity Tool and its components. DesignCross-sectional SettingOutpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital ParticipantsPeople with Parkinson's who could independently ambulate eight-metres, understand instructions, and without co-morbidities affecting gait were consecutively recruited. Thirty-five participants were included [82.9%(n=29)male; Median(IQR): age – 73.0(11.0)years; disease duration – 4.0(4.5)years]. InterventionsNot applicable Main outcome measuresParticipants were assessed with FOG Severity Tool in a test-retest design, with time taken for each component recorded using a stopwatch during video-analysis. Validity of total FOG Severity Tool time, time taken to complete its turning and narrow-space components (i.e., Time To Navigate, TTN), and an adjusted-TTN were examined through correlations with validated FOG severity outcomes. To facilitate clinical interpretation, TTN cutoff was determined using scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) regression whilst minimal important change (MIC) was calculated using predictive modelling. ResultsFOG Severity Tool time, TTN, and adjusted-TTN similarly demonstrated moderate correlations with the FOG Questionnaire and percentage-FOG, and very-high correlations with FOG Severity Tool-Revised. TTN was nonlinearly related to FOG severity, with a positive relationship observed in the first 300-seconds and plateauing after. MIC for TTN was 15.4-seconds reduction in timing (95%CI 3.2 to 28.7). ConclusionsTTN is a feasible, interpretable, and valid test of FOG severity. In busy clinical settings, TTN can provide a viable alternative when use of existing objective FOG measures is (often) unfeasible.

An Improved Artificial Electric Field Algorithm for Determining the Maximum Length of Gravel Packing in Deep-Water Horizontal Well

Gravel packing in deep-water horizontal wells is an effective and practical sand control method, which is a key technical method to ensure efficient exploitation of deep-water oil and gas. To ensure the successful implementation of gravel packing in deep water horizontal wells, it is crucial to carry out effective optimization design of packing parameters. This paper proposes a novel optimization design approach for gravel packing in deep-water horizontal wells. In the proposed approach, an optimization model is proposed for gravel packing in deep-water horizontal wells, in which the gravel packing length is regarded as the objective function. Then, an improved artificial electric field algorithm (IAEFA) is introduced for optimizing the key gravel packing parameters so as to determine the maximum gravel packing length. For a specific case study, we conducted optimization calculations for gravel packing in a deep-water horizontal well. Results of the case study demonstrate that the optimization design approach based on the IAEFA algorithm can effectively address the parameter optimization problem of deep-water horizontal well gravel packing. For the target well of the case study, the maximum packing length obtained by the IAEFA algorithm could reach 1000.22 m, and the corresponding 3 sets of optimal packing parameters were also obtained. In the scenario of optimal packing parameters, the total time of gravel packing in target well is 566.6 min, and the total amount of sand consumption is 54,050.94 lbs. The bottom hole pressure during the injection stage remains stable with about 9780 psi, then slowly rises from 9788 psi to 9837 psi in the α-wave packing stage, and rapidly increases from 9837 psi to 9986 psi in the β-wave packing stage. The proposed approach provides an efficient and practical optimization tool for the optimal design of gravel packing in deep water horizontal wells.

Tensile performance prediction of CFRPs with voids using multiscale analysis and neural networks

The overall work provides a novel multiscale modeling strategy applicable to the mechanical response prediction of arbitrarily laid porous laminates under uniaxial tension by establishing representative defective volumes (RDVs) for the inter-ply and intra-ply regions. A representative defective volume modeling method based on void characterization results using X-ray computed tomography for the interlaminar region was proposed. Elastic properties, tensile strength, and fracture energies of porous and poreless microscale models were obtained and used in the macroscale model. Defective properties were assigned to partial elements in the macroscale model according to the preset distribution mode. The Extended Finite Element Method was taken to simulate the failure process. Tensile properties of porous laminates with stacking sequences of [90]8, [90/0/90/0]2S, and [45/90/-45/0]2S were experimentally tested and numerically simulated. The predicted tensile properties and crack propagation behavior coincide well with the test results. Besides, the effects of micro-voids and macroscopic void distribution were discussed in detail. Further, a back-propagation neural network was used to achieve a fast prediction of the tensile properties and save computational costs. The computation time (<1 s) greatly improved compared with multiscale modeling (>38 h). This work provides an efficient tool for composite performance prediction, design, and optimization.

Multivariate approaches for assessing dissolution behaviour of spironolactone. Dissolution-driven determination of polymorphic purity limits

Spironolactone (SPN) is an aldosterone antagonist effective for preventing and controlling cardiovascular diseases. Form I and Form II exhibit different behaviour in their dissolution properties, which can compromise the quality of the pharmaceutical formulation. Hence, in the present work, we propose the combination of two multivariate approaches to estimate the polymorphic purity of SPN in commercial tablets and predict the dissolution behaviour of these formulations considering their polymorphic composition. Multiple linear regression (MLR) approach was applied to model the dissolution behaviour of formulations depending on their polymorphic composition, showing excellent agreement among actual vs. predicted dissolution curves. This model was applied to establish a design space were the risks of dissolution failure due to the polymorphic purity was avoided. Next, to evaluate the purity of Form II of SPN in formulated products, two quantitative partial least squares (PLS) models were developed based on near (NIR) and mid (MIR) infrared spectroscopies. Training (n=14) and validation (n=8) sets were prepared by mixing both polymorphs and the excipient matrix to simulate commercial tablets. Methodologies showed recoveries non-statistical different from 100%, but MIR-PLS model showed a higher dispersion (100.1 ± 1.82% and 99.5 ± 6.94% for NIR and MIR, respectively). Similar values of Form II content (1.02 ± 0.01 w/w with NIR and 1.03 ± 0.03 w/w with MIR) were obtained during the analysis of commercial and spiked SPN tablets. Finally, NIR-PLS was coupled to MLR model for the prediction of dissolution in entire tablets based on polymorphic composition to act as Quality by Design (QbD) tool. The full coincidence among actual and NIR-MLR predicted curves validated the final purpose of this approach.

DESIGN OF WEB-BASED ACADEMIC SERVICE SATISFACTION INFORMATION SYSTEM OF WEST SUMATERA SHIPPING POLYTECHNIC

The design of a web-based information system for academic service satisfaction at the West Sumatra Shipping Polytechnic aims to overcome the problems of the survey system which is still manual. This can slow down the process of information at the West Sumatra Shipping Polytechnic. The system design in this Final Project (TA) was built using a website platform and run online. The research method uses the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with the Waterfall model approach which consists of 5 stages, namely, a) Analysis b) Design c) Implementation d) Maintenance e) Planing. The programming language used is PHP, and the database application uses the MySql data processor as the database. The system design tool uses the unified Modeling Language (UML) method using 5 (five) diagrams according to design needs, namely Usecase Diagrams, Activity Diagrams, Sequence Diagrams, Class Diagram and database design. This final project produces an effective and efficient Web-based design of an information system for academic service satisfaction at the West Sumatra Shipping Polytechnic that produces accurate and timely survey resultss

WEB-BASED MATHEMATICS LEARNING APPLICATION AT SMPN 9 KOTO XI TARUSAN

The web-based mathematics learning application at SMPN 9 Koto XI Tarusan aims to make the teaching and learning process more effective and efficient so that the time required is less than the conventional teaching and learning process. The data collection methods used are primary and secondary data, the system development method used is SDLC with UML (Unified Modeling Language) system design tools and uses a computerized system using black techniques. This learning application produces output in the form of information on student learning outcomes accurately and in a timely manner. This learning application apart from producing an effective and efficient teaching and learning process also produces more interesting learning information, namely by having a learning method using multimedia learning media compared to conventional learning.

WEB-BASED ONLINE FINAL ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE INFORMATION SYSTEM IN DIII INFORMATICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, EKASAKTI UNIVERSITY, PADANG

The design of this system aims to design an effective and efficient WEB-based Online Final Assignment guidance information system for the Department of Informatics Management and can produce WEB-based Online Final Assignment guidance that can be applied in DIII Information Management at Ekasakti University, Padang. System design in this Final Project (TA) was built using a website platform that runs online. The system development method uses the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Waterfall which consists of 5 stages, namely, Analysis, Design, Implementation, Testing Maintenance,. The programming language used is PHP with MariaDb database. System design tools use the Unified Modeling Language (UML) method, namely UseCase Diagrams, Activity Diagrams, Sequence Diagrams, and Class Diagrams. This final project resulted in the design of an Online Final Assignment guidance information system based on the Informatics Management Department's WEB which can assist in improving guidance services that provide convenience quickly and accurately. The design of Web-based applications in the Informatics Management DIII program is expected to help and facilitate students and supervisors in the guidance process in the Informatics Management DIII major more quickly

BP neural network multi-module green roof thermal performance prediction model optimized based on sparrow search algorithm

Green roofs, as a passive building energy-saving technology, offer a range of benefits including reduced energy consumption and mitigation of the urban heat island effect. To analyze the thermal performance of green roofs more accurately and efficiently, this study introduces a novel predictive model that utilizes a Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) optimized Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN) for forecasting the thermal performance of green roofs in subtropical regions. Compared to traditional BPNN, the SSA-BPNN model enhances the network's convergence and generalization capabilities by optimizing initial weights and thresholds. The model, established using meteorological data from Guangzhou, China, and simulated green roof temperature data, underwent rigorous training and validation. The results indicate that predictive accuracy has significantly improved across all seasons, with substantial reductions in all 12 evaluation metrics, and the model GR3 (SSA-BP) emerging as the optimal model. Particularly in summer, the SSA-BPNN model exhibits the highest accuracy, underscoring its effectiveness for subtropical climates. The findings suggest that the SSA-BPNN model is a powerful tool for sustainable urban planning and green roof design in subtropical regions, marking a significant advancement in the integration of artificial intelligence in environmental engineering.

Future ecosystem business model tool: Design science and field test in the efuel ecosystem towards the sustainability transition

This paper presents a novel business model design tool called Future ecosystem business model (FEBM). The FEBM aims to address the lack of managerial tools linking business models, foresight, and ecosystem strategizing in the context of systemic technological changes, as those characterizing the sustainability transition in a multi-level perspective. The tool has been shaped through a design science approach building on a structured review of the literature. A field test was conducted through a case study to test the proposed tool. The empirical context was that of a publicly funded project in the field of electrofuels (efuels). The project foresaw the development and integration of several technologies, whose adoption was likely to have significant implications within and across industries. The proposed approach contributes to the literature on business model design in the context of technology-driven transformations characterized by high uncertainty and interdependence, such as those related to the sustainability transition. Strategy and innovation managers may find in the proposed FEBM tool an actionable approach to shape decision-making against far-reaching technological and societal challenges.

WEB-BASED TOURISM INFORMATION SYSTEM IN BUNGUS TELUK KABUNG SUB-DISTRICT OFFICE

This system design aims to develop a web-based tourism information system for Bungus Teluk Kabung sub-district office and create applications that can be implemented in this sub-district office. This system research method is built on a website platform and runs online. The research method uses the system development life cycle (SDLC) with the waterfall model approach, which consists of 5 phases, namely: a) Analysis b) Design c) Implementation d) Maintenance e) Planning. The programming language used is (PHP), and the database application uses a data processor (MySql) as the database (RDBMS). The system design tools use Unified Modeling Language (UML) method with 4 (four) diagrams according to the design requirements, namely use case diagrams, activity diagrams, class diagrams and sequence diagrams. The tourism information application in the sub-district office of Bungus Teluk Kabung facilitates visitors to find information and tourist places in the study area. This system was tested and validated using the software testing method, using black box testing. This system can overcome the problems that exist in the area of Bungus Teluk Kabung sub-district.

WEB BASED APPLICATION FOR BOARDING HOUSE SERVICE IN EKASAKTI UNIVERSITY AREA

A boarding house is one of the accommodation service providers or temporary residences consisting of several rooms, each room has facilities that have been provided by the owner of the boarding house. Searching for student boarding houses takes quite a long time and costs more to find a boarding house that suits your needs. To find information on boarding houses, students usually visit boarding houses between houses, ask local people who are close to the campus, walk around the campus and read advertisements in the mass media. The system development method used in making this final project uses the SDLC waterfall which consists of Planning, Analysis, Design and Implementation, with UML design tools consisting of Usecase Diagrams, Class Diagrams, Activity Diagrams and Sequence diagrams. In making this information system the author uses the PHP programming language, with MySQL database. This research produces a boarding house service application that can make it easier for students to search for and rent boarding houses in the Ekasakti University area. By using this information system, it is hoped that students will be helped in searching for boarding houses, because there are boarding house locations connected to Google Maps in the information system and students can make rentals, without having to directly meet the owner to make transactions, as well as several other menus. Web-based boarding house service application, which can solve the problem of difficulties for students in finding temporary housing such as boarding houses, using the SDLC development method, PHP programming language and MySQL database.

Разработка программного обеспечения для цифровых интерфейсов электромеханического датчика положения

For an electromechanical position sensor to be used in modern motion control systems, it must have technical means to transmit measurement results. It is also necessary to connect the sensor with equipment to configure and test it. In addition, the exchange of information between its elements that calculate, and generate and process signals may be required. To perform the listed functions of information interaction digital interfaces are designed. The choice of interface types depends on their purpose, and the algorithms of their use are implemented using software. The development of such digital interfaces for the controller of a sine-cosine rotary transformer in amplitude mode is an urgent task of modern motion control systems. When developing software for digital interfaces, methods of algorithmization of control and information transfer processes, methods of software development and debugging, as well as experimental research methods have been used. Information interaction between the controller of the electromechanical position sensor and the high-level controller as part of the motion control system and ensuring its operability is carried out using various digital interfaces. The I2C interface is used to communicate the sensor with the high-level controller, and the UART interface is used to communicate with the equipment for configuring and testing. The connection between the generator and signal processor chip and the microcontroller included in the sensor is carried out via the I2C interface. The authors have developed a microcontroller driver for connecting to the I2C network bus in Slave mode, as well as a software handler for the UART interface, which detects received messages of a given format and ensure safe operation in case of receiving corrupted messages. To store the configuration parameters of the sensor, one can access to flash memory of microcontroller. As a result of the use of digital interfaces and algorithms of their implementation that carry out information interaction, the developed controller of electromechanical position sensor becomes a full-fledged element of motion control systems. The use of modern design tools and specialized function libraries based on high-level C language, helps to develop software that implements these algorithms for various interfaces.

CUTTING TOOLS AND THEIR DESIGN FEATURES: FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Cutting tools are fundamental components in manufacturing and engineering processes which are essential for shaping, cutting, and decided materials like metal, wood and composites. The design of these tools calls for a delicate balance between choice of materials, geometry and performance criteria whose parameters are tailored. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has turned this world all upside down. AI first uses machine learning algorithms to analyze large quantities of data about material properties, wear resistance, or cutting conditions leading to new tool designs for a given material. In addition, AI also allows real-time monitoring during machining and with adaptive control. It can improve precision as well as reduce tool wear by selecting the right speed when cutting, while slow down results in prevention of damage. Furthermore, AI-driven simulations have enabled engineers to simulate and optimize tool design in virtual environments prior to physical production. AI will continue to advance in the future holds out the promise of decreasing still further the cost and improving the performance characteristics of cutting tools. It is the combination of AI and cutting tool design to gain maximum benefits of this innovation while minimizing costs for now in the future.

Exploring the Use of Alternative Promoters for Enhanced Transgene and sgRNA Expression in Atlantic Salmon Cells.

This study facilitates design of expression vectors and lentivirus tools for gene editing of Atlantic salmon. We have characterized widely used heterologous promoters and novel endogenous promoters in Atlantic salmon cells. We used qPCR to evaluate the activity of several U6 promoters for sgRNA expression, including human U6 (hU6), tilapia U6 (tU6), mouse U6 (mU6), zebrafish U6 (zU6), Atlantic salmon U6 (sU6), medaka U6 (medU6), and fugu U6 (fU6) promoters. We also evaluated several polymerase type II (pol II) promoters by luciferase assay. Our results showed that hU6 and tU6 promoters were the most active among all the tested U6 promoters, and heterologous promoters (CMV, hEF1α core) had higher activity compared to endogenous Atlantic salmon promoters sHSP8, sNUC3L, sEF1α. Among endogenous pol II promoters, sEF1α and sHSP8 displayed higher activity than sNUC3L, sHSP703, sHSP7C, sXRCC1L, and sETF. We observed that extending the promoter sequence to include the region up to the start codon (ATG) resulted in a significant increase in expression efficiency for sNUC3L and sEF1α. We also show that mutating the PRDM1 motif will significantly decrease the activity of the sEF1α promoter. The presence of the PRDM1 motif in sHSP8 promoter was also associated with relatively high expression compared to the promoters that naturally lacked this motif, such as sNUC3L. We speculate that this short sequence might be included in other promoters to further enhance the promoter activity, but further experiments are needed to confirm this. Our findings provide valuable insights into the activity of different promoters in Atlantic salmon cells and can be used to facilitate further transgenic studies and improve the efficiency of transgene expression in Atlantic salmon.

Sensor-based isometric contraction examination tool after ankle sprain injury and ankle instability

Background. Previous studies have examined the application and benefits of sensors, both in sports and health. Unfortunately, the design of sensor-based isometric contraction examination tools after ankle sprain injuries and ankle instability is still rarely carried out. Purpose. The aim of this research is to design a sensor-based isometric contraction examination tool after ankle sprain injury and ankle instability. Material and Methods. The design used is research and development involving experts, namely instrumentation physics, sports physiology, and physiotherapy to assess the suitability of the tool before field trials. The tool developed is the “Isometric Contractions Test”, which is designed in the form of a box with dimensions of 10 cm (height) x 10 cm (width) x 25 cm (length). Various electronic components are also used, such as Arduino Pro Mini, Flexi Sensors, switch buttons, and OLED LCD as digital reading output. A total of 10 participants aged 18-23 years participated voluntarily for the field trial. Participants were men and women who had experienced sub-acute or chronic ankle sprains and ankle instability. The data obtained were analyzed using the correlation method. Result. The results of this study report that this sensor-based isometric contraction examination tool is valid, reliable, effective, and practical in detecting and treating post-injury healing of ankle sprains and ankle instability. Conclusions. This tool can be used to assist physiotherapists in carrying out observations and evaluations to treat healing quickly and precisely, both in athletes and non-athletes.

The ERMES chatbot: A conversational communication tool for improved emergency management and disaster risk reduction

The increased occurrence and severity of worldwide disasters, exacerbated by the impact of climate change, pose significant challenges to emergency management, calling for novel and more effective Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) approaches. Despite the phenomenological differences of diverse hazards and the heterogeneity of local policies and governance structures, effective communication systems are needed to better manage the available resources in all phases of the emergency management cycle, especially in the case of cross-border events. In this work, we present the design, implementation, and validation of a novel tool for emergency management, i.e., the ERMES Chatbot: a mobile-based conversational communication system developed to facilitate real-time bidirectional communication between control centres, in-field forces, and citizens. The methodology used to create the ERMES Chatbot is grounded on the user-centred design approach, which entails end-user involvement in all key phases of the development, including the definition of the end-user requirements, the technical design, and the final validation of the proposed solution. The co-design approach involved several organisations belonging to the DRR domain, which includes a gamified experience for citizens and is iteratively validated through four in-field demonstration events based on realistic emergency scenarios with the involvement of emergency practitioners, volunteering organisations, and citizens.