End-user Applications Research Articles

PerFC: An Efficient 2D and 3D Perception Software-Hardware Framework for Mobile Cobot

In this work, we present an end-to-end software-hardware framework that supports both conventional hardware and software components and integrates machine learning object detectors without requiring an additional dedicated graphic processor unit (GPU). We design our framework to achieve real-time performance on the robot system, guarantee such performance on multiple computing devices, and concentrate on code reusability. We then utilize transfer learning strategies for 2D object detection and fuse them into depth images for 3D depth estimation. Lastly, we test the proposed framework on the Baxter robot with two 7-DOF arms and a four-wheel mobility base. The results show that the robot achieves real-time performance while executing other tasks (map building, localization, navigation, object detection, arm moving, and grasping) with available hardware like Intel onboard GPUs on distributed computers. Also, to comprehensively control, program, and monitor the robot system, we design and introduce an end-user application. The source code is available at https://github.com/tuantdang/perception_framework.

Revisiting maize Brittle endosperm-2 reveals new insights in BETL development and starchy endosperm filling

Rerouting the starch biosynthesis pathway in maize can generate specialty types, like sweet corn and waxy corn, with a drastically increasing global demand. Hence, a fine-tuning of starch metabolism is relevant to create diverse maize cultivars for end-use applications. Here, we characterized a new maize brittle endosperm mutant, referred to as bt1774, which exhibited decreased starch content but a dramatic increase of soluble sugars at maturity. Both endosperm and embryo development was impaired in bt1774 relative to the wild-type (WT), with a prominently arrested basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL). Map-based cloning revealed that BRITTLE ENDOSPERM2 (Bt2), which encodes a small subunit of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), is the causal gene for bt1774. A MuA2 element was found to be inserted into intron 2 of Bt2, leading to a severe decrease of its expression, in bt1774. This is in line with the irregular and loosely packed starch granules in the mutant. Transcriptome of endosperm at grain filling stage identified 1,013 differentially expressed genes in bt1774, which were notably enriched in the BETL compartment, including ZmMRP1, Miniature1, MEG1, and BETLs. Gene expression of the canonical starch biosynthesis pathway was marginally disturbed in bt1774. Combined with the residual 60 % of starch in this nearly null mutant of Bt2, this data strongly suggests that an AGPase-independent pathway compensates for starch synthesis in the endosperm. Consistent with the BETL defects, zein accumulation was impaired in bt1774. Co-expression network analysis revealed that Bt2 probably has a role in intracellular signal transduction, besides starch synthesis. Altogether, we propose that Bt2 is likely involved in carbohydrate flux and balance, thus regulating both the BETL development and the starchy endosperm filling.

Interrelationships between cotton fiber quality traits and tensile properties of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics

Cotton fibers can be used to produce nonwovens suitable for numerous single use applications including hygiene, wipes, and medical products among others. Cotton comprises a relatively small amount of total raw materials used in nonwovens production compared to the synthetic fibers of polyester and polypropylene, but the use of cotton fibers in nonwovens continues to increase due to demand for disposable products containing natural, sustainable, and biodegradable materials. However, the relationship between cotton fiber classification measurements and nonwoven fabric physical and functional properties are not well characterized. A better understanding of the effects of cotton fiber properties on nonwovens fabric properties will facilitate fiber selection for specific end-use applications. In this study, cotton fibers with broad distributions of fiber quality measurements from 10 recombinant inbred lines of a multi parent advanced generation intercross multiparent advanced generation intercross population were harvested and processed in their greige state into hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics of two distinct basis weights. Tensile testing of lightweight nonwovens indicated fiber length and tensile strength at break were positively correlated with fabric strength, whereas micronaire (air permeability of a fiber bundle) was negatively correlated indicating finer fibers contributed to increased fabric strength. Increased strength of heavyweight fabrics was mainly correlated with higher fiber uniformity index. These results suggest that cotton fibers could be selectively sourced based on fiber quality for specific nonwoven applications and establishes alternative market opportunities for cotton fibers classified as inferior and subject to discount pricing in the woven textile market.

Effects of multiple wetting incidents, shear and sliding friction on lubricant stability in SLIPS

Surface icing almost invariably derives from the precursory step of liquid water encountering the surface. Thus, slippery liquid infused porous surfaces, SLIPS, must possess steady wetting durability, and lubricant stability to function as a reliable hydro−/icephobic surface design especially in outdoor applications. Additionally, they should maintain their phobic performance under shear forces, and possess low sliding friction to act as a slippery, multirepellent surfaces. These characteristics are needed in variable applications ranging from moving and rotating blades to steady surfaces, operating in altering climate conditions. More profound durability testing is needed to examine the loss of surface functionality when the lubricant is depleted from the structure via various routes. In addition, the durability tests should be designed to serve the application-related purposes and thus, to reveal performance differences between slippery surfaces for further analysis and targeted end-use development. Here, we tested the wetting durability and stability of SLIPS with multicycle Wilhelmy plate by dipping the surfaces multiple times in water bath. Additionally, we examined the effects of centrifugal and friction-based shear stress to investigate the lubricant depletion from the structure. Tests that measure the durability and the stability of SLIPS designs are in great need in further developing functional slippery surfaces for real outdoor application coatings which encounter environmental stresses, e.g., wetting and icing. Acknowledging the material differences under specific stresses will guide designing the slippery surfaces towards more specific and functionable end-use applications.

Effect of Cholesterol on Biomimetic Membrane Curvature and Coronavirus Fusion Peptide Encapsulation.

Biomimetic cubic phases can be used for protein encapsulation in a variety of applications such as biosensors and drug delivery. Cubic phases with a high concentration of cholesterol and phospholipids were obtained herein. It is shown that the cubic phase structure can be maintained with a higher concentration of biomimetic membrane additives than has been reported previously. Opposing effects on the curvature of the membrane were observed upon the addition of phospholipids and cholesterol. Furthermore, the coronavirus fusion peptide significantly increased the negative curvature of the biomimetic membrane with cholesterol. We show that the viral fusion peptide can undergo structural changes leading to the formation of hydrophobic α-helices that insert into the lipid bilayer. This is of high importance, as a fusion peptide that induces increased negative curvature as shown by the formation of inverse hexagonal phases allows for greater contact area between two membranes, which is required for viral fusion to occur. The cytotoxicity assay showed that the toxicity toward HeLa cells was dramatically decreased when the cholesterol or peptide level in the nanoparticles increased. This suggests that the addition of cholesterol can improve the biocompatibility of the cubic phase nanoparticles, making them safer for use in biomedical applications. As the results, this work improves the potential for the biomedical end-use applications of the nonlamellar lipid nanoparticles and shows the need of systematic formulation studies due to the complex interplay of all components.

Optimization of Uniaxial Tensile Stress-Strain Response of 3D Angle Interlock Woven Fabric Composite using Weft Density and Draw-In Plan Variables

Currently, 2D woven composites are extensively incorporated into a variety of technical automotive body parts and protective body armor owing to their excellent fabric strength performance. However, there is still a lack of attempts to utilize 3D woven fabrics for the same technical application. Hence, it is vital to examine the fundamental tensile strength of woven fabric composite materials when determining their suitability for end-use applications. This study aimed to investigate the novel effects of two parameters on the uniaxial tensile strength of a high-tenacity polyester three-layer 3D angle interlock (3DAI) woven fabric composite, namely, weave drafting draw-in insertion and weave density. Four different drafting patterns were considered: pointed (DRW 1), broken (DRW 2), broken mirror (DRW 3), and straight (DRW 4), for weft density at 14 and 25 pick.cm-1. Samples of the 3DAI woven fabric reinforced with epoxy composite at different drafting patterns and weft density combinations were produced and tested. Consequently, the maximum tensile stress and strain were recorded in the woven fabric composite sample with DRW 4 and 25 pick.cm-1 at 113 MPa and 11%, respectively. The study shows that different weft densities and draw-in plan settings play a significant role in the tensile strength performance of the 3DAI woven composite.

Analytical Study of Different Parameters of Antenna for Wireless Networks

In this paper, we studied about Wireless networks which is a relatively new and promising key technology for next generation wireless networking that have recently attracted both the academic and industrial interest. Their popularity comes from the fact that they are self-organized, self-configurable and easily adaptable to different traffic requirements and network changes. The high-capacity needs of the access nodes which have to forward the accumulated traffic of their underling users. They have to cope with the delay and other strict quality-of-service (QoS) requirements of the end user applications. They must provide a large enough effective communication range to ensure that no APs (or groups of APs) are isolated from the Internet gateways. In order to satisfy the above requirements, a range of novel techniques has to be exploited. Such technology enablers include but not limited to multi-hopping, various multiple antennas techniques and novel medium access control (MAC) and routing algorithms.

MateJam: Multi-Material Teeth-Clutching Layer Jamming Actuation for Soft Haptic Glove.

Most existing force feedback gloves use rigid exoskeleton with large structural dimensions, making it challenging to meet the future demand of virtual reality (VR) applications for large-scale end users. There is an urgent need to develop soft and ultrathin gloves similar to daily gloves. Different from the idea of regulating the friction between layers, here we propose a multi-material teeth-clutching layer jamming (MateJam) actuator, which can achieve distinctive bending stiffness in free and constrained space. The actuator consists of multi-material layers whose modulus span three orders of magnitude, including flexible substrate layer, limiting layer, rigid micro-teeth clutching structure layer, sliding film boundary layer, and sealed shell layer. In free space, the flexible substrate, and the rigid micro-teeth array structure form flexible hinges, ensuring low resistance. In constrained space, the engagement degree of the rigid micro-teeth array is controlled by vacuum pressure to continuously adjust the output resistance. Reliable switching between free and constrained space is ensured by introducing the sliding film boundary layer and the optimized design of the micro-teeth cross-sectional shape. The force output ratio between free and constrained space reaches over 20 times (0.45N vs. 11.95N). The thickness of the actuator is as low as 3.8mm (clutched state), and the weight of the glove is 44.03g. The ultrathin formfactor and the low cost fabrication process makes the MateJam glove a promising solution for VR applications in home entertainment and social interactions.

Guest Editorial: How To Leverage E&P Expertise for the New Energy Economy

_ The term “new energy economy” broadly refers to the transition to a low-carbon future for sustaining human development while reducing CO2 emissions. Such a shift is considered to be the third energy transition of the modern era, after the shift from biomass to coal as the primary source of energy in the early 1900s, followed by oil overtaking coal’s dominant position in the 1960s–1970s. This trend towards decarbonization (i.e., diversification from carbon-intensive fossil fuels to sustainable greener energy feedstocks and carriers) is motivated by the understanding that emissions need to be reduced to moderate the potential impacts of global temperature rise on future climatic changes. Strategies common to proposed decarbonization pathways include - Improving energy efficiency (i.e., slower increase in energy demand compared to GDP/population increase). - Increasing energy supply from renewable sources (i.e., wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear) coupled with hydrogen underground storage (HUS) as a way of storing surplus electrical energy. - Switching to low-carbon energy carriers (i.e., hydrogen) for end-use applications in transportation, buildings, and industry. - Removing carbon emissions, via carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), from fossil-fuel-fired power plants and hard-to-abate industrial sources. The key takeaway for readers is how the two subsurface-oriented decarbonization strategies—CCUS and HUS—are relevant for application/adaptation of expertise from the exploration and production (E&P) sector of the oil and gas industry. Their rise will be built upon decades of experience with CO2-EOR, gas injection, produced-water disposal, and underground natural gas storage (NGS). Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) As shown in Fig. 1, CCUS involves capturing CO2 from a fossil-fuel-fired power plant or industrial facility and processing it to a practically pure form, transporting it to a nearby geologic storage site using pipelines, and injecting it into saline aquifers for long-term sequestration or depleted oil/gas fields for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and associated storage. Research and field demonstration projects over the past few decades have demonstrated that CCUS is a viable technology for curtailing atmospheric CO2 emissions buildup. Some of the key elements of CCUS projects and their overlap with corresponding E&P expertise are summarized below.

A Novel Prediction-Dependent Service Discovery for Wireless End-User Applications

Service-focused wireless computer applications rely on the connecting infrastructure to assist different end-user applications. Seamless application support relies on infrastructure availability and swift discovery of the services. In this article, service discovery based on predictive availability (SD-PA) is introduced. This proposed technique relies on the operating and available occurrences of the infrastructure to provide reliable service discovery. A predictive machine learning technique is used in this service discovery process to mitigate failures in random infrastructures. The response and discovery of applications and services in the IoT environment are balanced using the predictive discoveries of finite infrastructures. The performance of the proposed technique is assessed using the metrics of discovery time, service availability, outage probability, and failures.

Evaluating the effect of solid lubricant inclusion on the friction and wear properties of Laser Sintered Polyamide-12 components

The processing of Polyamide-12 (PA12) by Laser Sintering is one of the most well-established Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes for producing functional components for end-use applications. However, its further adoption within industry remains hindered by an incomplete understanding of resultant part quality and the impact this has on component wear. The scope of this research was to investigate the dry sliding behaviour of Laser Sintered Polyamide-12, as well as evaluate whether the inclusion of solid lubricant fillers effect the friction and wear properties of parts produced. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Graphite and Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) were added to Polyamide-12 powder in 1 : 100 mass ratios, respectively, to create three different polymeric composites. Mechanical blending and Laser Sintering then ensued; the latter was performed using identical processing parameters throughout. Tribological performance was evaluated by ball-on-flat uni-directional wear testing. Tensile testing was also carried out to help elucidate what wear mechanisms were active during sliding, as well as identify whether solid lubricant inclusion impacted mechanical performance. Results showed that in all instances solid lubricant inclusion significantly influenced the friction and wear properties of resultant composites, without compromising their mechanical performance when compared with neat-PA12. More specifically, it was demonstrated that the individual additions of PTFE and MoS2 could reduce the coefficient of friction and specific wear rate of Laser Sintered PA12 components by as much as 50% and 78%, respectively.

Automatic Normalization of Temporal Expressions

Dates, periods and timespans are described in archaeological datasets using a number of different textual patterns for which myriad variations exist, rendering direct automated comparison difficult. The issue can occur even within records from the same dataset and is further compounded when attempting to integrate multilingual data – particularly where dates may be expressed in words rather than numbers. The same problem can be found in temporal metadata, whether manually entered or generated via Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques from reports and grey literature. Resolving and normalizing dates and periods to internationally agreed standard formats enables efficient data integration, interchange, search, comparison and visualization. This paper reports on the design and implementation of a tool to normalize temporal expressions to a numerical time axis and reflects on key issues. Textual patterns for seven categories of temporal expression have been normalized: Ordinal named or numbered centuries; Year spans; Single year (with tolerance); Decades; Century spans; Single year with prefix; Named periods. The following languages are currently supported: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Welsh. Methods are described together with an (open source) normalization tool developed in Python and four applications of the method are discussed, together with limitations and future work. Results are presented from diverse data sets and languages. The input is a temporal text string and a language code (ISO639-1). The output is a tab delimited text file with start/end years (in ISO 8601 format), relative to Common Era (CE). The normalized outputs are provided as additional attributes along with the original text expression for consuming software to employ in end-user applications.

Experimental Investigation on Friction Behavior of Selective Laser Sintering Processed Parts.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process that uses polymer powders to produce functional parts directly from digital 3D models. SLS supports small- to medium-batch fabrication of customized products for various end-use applications. These parts can be used as tooling to support conventional manufacturing and inspection where mechanical and tribological behaviors are important. This article evaluates the friction behavior of parts fabricated by SLS polyamide (PA12) and glass bead-filled polyamide (PA-GF) materials. Pin-on-Disk tribometer was used to characterize the behavior in dry sliding conditions with part build orientation, load, and speed as factors. Taguchi's approach and analysis of variance are used to quantify the influence of these factors on the friction coefficient. Both materials show reduction in friction coefficient with the increase in load; on the other hand, an increase in speed affects adversely. However, the influence of part orientation is comparatively lesser than the other two factors considered in this study. The debris, pin, and disk wear surfaces were examined to learn wear mechanisms. It is observed that surface porosity resulting from the fabrication process plays a significant role in friction behavior. The glass beads in PA-GF material function as reinforcement against load and influences the friction behavior. Low friction and wear characteristics make both materials as a prospective contender for tooling application.

What to Do about Plastics? Lessons from a Study of United Kingdom Plastics Flows.

Plastics are one of the most widely used materials on the planet, owing to their usefulness, durability, and relatively low cost. Yet, making, using, and disposing of plastics create important environmental impacts, most notably greenhouse gas emissions and waste pollution. Reducing these impacts while still enjoying the benefits of plastic use requires an integrated assessment of all of the life cycles of plastics. This has rarely been attempted due to the wide variety of polymers and the lack of knowledge on the final uses and applications of plastics. Using trade statistics for 464 product codes, we have mapped the flows of the 11 most widely used polymers from production into six end-use applications for the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017. With a dynamic material flow analysis, we have anticipated demand and waste generation until 2050. We found that the demand for plastics seems to have saturated in the UK, with an annual demand of 6 Mt, responsible for approximately 26 Mt CO2e/a. Owing to a limited recycling capacity in the UK, only 12% of UK plastic waste is recycled domestically, leading to 21% of the waste being exported, labeled as recycling, but mostly to countries with poor practices of waste management. Increasing recycling capacity in the UK could both reduce GHG emissions and prevent waste pollution. This intervention should be complemented with improved practices in the production of primary plastics, which currently accounts for 80% of UK plastic emissions.

Graphite Flows in the U.S.: Insights into a Key Ingredient of Energy Transition.

Demand for graphite will grow with expanding use of lithium-ion batteries in the United States. Much graphite is imported, raising supply chain risks. It is therefore imperative to characterize graphite's sources and sinks. Accordingly, we present the first material flow analysis for natural and synthetic graphite in the U.S. The analysis (for 2018) begins with processed graphite trade and includes graphite production, graphite product trade, manufacturing of end products, end product use, and waste management. It considers 11 end-use applications for graphite, two waste management stages, and three recycling pathways. In 2018, 354 thousand tonnes (kt) of processed graphite were consumed in the U.S., including 60 kt natural graphite and 294 kt synthetic graphite. 145 kt of graphite were traded. Refractories and foundries consumed 56% of natural graphite; 42% of synthetic graphite went into making graphite electrodes. Batteries accounted for 10 and 5% of natural and synthetic graphite consumption, respectively; 78% of total graphite used dissipated into the environment; 22% reached the waste disposal stage of which 71% was landfilled and 29% was recycled; and 59 kt of graphite accumulated in in-use stocks. Recycling more graphite and producing graphite from lignin would favorably influence today's supply chain.

Sustainable Composites from Nature to Construction: Hemp and Linseed Reinforced Biocomposites Based on Bio-Based Epoxy Resins.

The present manuscript describes the use of natural fibers as natural and sustainable reinforcement agents for advanced bio-based composite materials for strategic sectors, for example, the construction sector. The characterization carried out shows the potential of both natural hemp and linseed fibers, as well as their composites, which can be used as insulation materials because their thermal conductivity properties can be compared with those observed in typical construction materials such as pine wood. Nevertheless, linseed composites show better mechanical performance and hemp has higher fire resistance. It has been demonstrated that these natural fibers share similar properties; on the other hand, each of them should be used for a specific purpose. The work also evaluates the use of bio matrixes in composites, demonstrating their feasibility and how they impact the final material's properties. The proposed bio-resin enhances fire resistance and decreases the water absorption capacity of the natural fibers, enabling the use of composites as a final product in the construction sector. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to manufacture a biocomposite with non-woven natural fibers. In fact, for properties such as thermal conductivity, it is capable of competing with current materials. Proving that biomaterials are a suitable solution for developing sustainable products, fulfilling the requirements of the end-user applications, as it has been demonstrated in this research with the non-woven fibers for the non-structural components.

Normalized Weighting Schemes for Image Interpolation Algorithms

Image interpolation algorithms pervade many modern image processing and analysis applications. However, when their weighting schemes inefficiently generate very unrealistic estimates, they may negatively affect the performance of the end-user applications. Therefore, in this work, the author introduced four weighting schemes based on some geometric shapes for digital image interpolation operations. Moreover, the quantity used to express the extent of each shape’s weight was the normalized area, especially when the sums of areas exceeded a unit square size. The introduced four weighting schemes are based on the minimum side-based diameter (MD) of a regular tetragon, hypotenuse-based radius (HR), the virtual pixel length-based height for the area of the triangle (AT), and the virtual pixel length for hypotenuse-based radius for the area of the circle (AC). At the smaller scaling ratio, the image interpolation algorithm based on the HR scheme scored the highest at 66.6% among non-traditional image interpolation algorithms presented. However, at the higher scaling ratio, the AC scheme-based image interpolation algorithm scored the highest at 66.6% among non-traditional algorithms presented, and, here, its image interpolation quality was generally superior or comparable to the quality of images interpolated by both non-traditional and traditional algorithms.

Comparative mathematical and data-driven models for simulating the performance of forward osmosis membrane under different draw solutions

Mathematical models have frequently been used to simulate system performance, including forward osmosis (FO)-related processes. More recently, Industry 4.0 has increased in importance, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology has proven to be effective at assisting decision-making across a range of industries, including membrane processes. This study, for the first time, proposes a comparison of the accuracy of predictions for water permeability under various types of draw solutions using conventional models and AI-based models. The results showed that the AI-based models, including artificial neural networks (NN) (2 layers; 10 neurons) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (NFIS) (with grid partition; membership functions = 5) performed significantly better than the conventional mathematical intermediate blocking (CIB) model, with the coefficient values (R) of 0.974, 0.994, and 0.963, respectively. The corresponding errors of these simulations were 0.04, 0.70, and 0.97 LMH, indicating that the AI technique was better suited than the mathematical CIB model for simulating FO-related system performance. Additionally, using AI to forecast system performance is timely (i.e., considerably quicker than developing a sophisticated mathematical model) and cost-effective (i.e., reducing the expense for analysis of environmental factors for CIB model construction). The authors also successfully constructed an application for end-users for better and simpler experiences with modeling and simulation, even for those with varying knowledge in the field.

Study and characterization of Moroccan wool fibers for the development of non-woven products

Wool fibers have been used as textile raw materials for clothing and home textiles for many years. Recently, it has also been increasingly used in technical textile applications. However, man-made fibers dominate the market and minimize the importance of wool in the textile industry. On the other hand, the great future opportunity for wool is the growing interest of consumers in natural, renewable and sustainable materials. In addition, in the past few decades, wool production has improved significantly in terms of yield and quality.In this study we have characterized and applied different analysis on the physical and chemical properties of raw Moroccan wool using various instruments such as FTIR and OFDA, etc., and several test methods according international standards like grease rate, alkali content, acid content, Solubility in alkali and Tensile strength, etc. The aim of our study is to determine the potential use of wool for elaboration of nonwoven textile for a technical use and determine their end-use applications.

Towards the Development of a Blockchain-based Decentralized Digital Credential System using Hyperledger Fabric for Participatory Governance

The Philippines’ ICT agenda to promote participatory e-Governance, industry and countryside development, and ICT user protection and information security can be addressed by Blockchain. This study used Hyperledger Fabric to develop a Blockchain network for a secured and validated system for issuing, distributing, and sharing digital credentials. For the initial prototype, the network was tested on two use cases: national identification system and academic credentials. Chaincodes were developed for each type of digital credential and deployed into designated Channels in the network. Initial results show that a Blockchain-based system using the Hyperledger Fabric framework is feasible for developing a secure digital credential platform. The current architecture can support the implementation of the initial use cases and can also accommodate the addition of new use cases in the future. The current iteration of our work provides the groundwork for developing a production-level ready platform. Future work for this study includes the development of the end-user web application where users can interact with the network and initiate transactions. The deployment of the Blockchain network may pave the way toward decentralized e-Participatory governance.