Benefits Of Flexibility Research Articles

The ‘Climate Adaptation Problem’ in Biodiversity Conservation: The Value of Spatial Flexibility in Land Purchase

AbstractExisting reserve networks become less suitable as species’ ranges shift under climate change and the scarcity and value of habitats change. Reserve sites hence have to be reallocated to reflect these changing values and to remain cost-effective, but restrictions on selling reserve sites limit this adaptation. Under climate change, a novel ‘sale’ policy that provides resale flexibility by allowing increasingly less cost-effective sites to be sold to free funds for purchasing increasingly cost-effective sites may hence be preferable over a typical ‘no sale’ policy. Here, we develop a conceptual climate-ecological-economic model to examine under what conditions resale flexibility provides cost-effectiveness advantages. We find that the benefits of resale flexibility provided by the ’sale’ policy are particularly high when little funding is available for climate change adaptation. Due to this budget effect, the value of resale flexibility also decreases with increasing interest rates. The value of resale flexibility is particularly high when creating reserves for species that are highly mobile as new reserve sites may then be chosen freely (in comparison to the case that new sites have to be located in the proximity of existing reserve sites). We further examine to what extent the ‘sale’ policy reduces the permanence of habitat within a specific location (“site habitat permanence”), and identify a new trade-off: ’sale’ provides advantages for habitat types that become increasingly rare, while ’no sale’ improves site habitat permanence mainly for expanding habitat types.

The psychological experience of flexibility in the workplace: How psychological job control and boundary control profiles relate to the wellbeing of flexible workers

Rather than studying workplace flexibility as the availability or usage of flexible work practices, in this study, we theorize workplace flexibility as a subjective psychological experience influenced by employees' perceptions of control over where and when they work (psychological job control) and control over their social boundaries (boundary control). Based on boundary and border theory, using a two-wave study conducted at an Italian bank (N = 1423) and adopting a person-centered approach through latent transition analysis (LTA), we identified four flexibility profiles characterized by different levels of psychological job control and boundary control, with the same structure, dispersion, and sizes over time. The four profiles were: (1) flexible non-dividers (3.46 %), marked by high psychological job control and low boundary control; (2) flexible dividers (34.83 %), characterized by high levels of both psychological job control and boundary control; (3) non-flexible dividers (50.74 %), featuring low psychological job control but high boundary control; and (4) non-flexible non-dividers (10.97 %), with low levels of both types of control. Three of these profiles exhibited high within-person stability across time, while the flexible non-dividers profile was highly unstable, with many members transitioning to profiles with higher boundary control at Time 2. Organizational investments in training and communication programs may have contributed to these transitions from low to high boundary control profiles. Gender and age emerged as significant predictors of profile membership, with gender effects shifting over time: at Time 1, men were more likely to be in non-flexible dividers profile, while at Time 2, they were more likely to be in the flexible non-dividers profile. Age effects also changed: older workers were more likely to be in the flexible non-dividers profile at Time 1 but shifted toward the flexible dividers profile by Time 2. Parental status was not significant, whereas carer status was significant only at Time 1, where being a carer increased the likelihood of employees belonging to the flexible dividers profile compared to the non-flexible dividers. Our findings further revealed that the psychological experience of work flexibility positively impacts wellbeing when employees experience control over both work and social boundaries. Flexible dividers consistently exhibited the highest levels of work engagement, job satisfaction, and work-life balance across both Time 1 and Time 2. In contrast, flexible non-dividers showed a significant decline in these outcomes over time. Profiles with low boundary control, especially flexible non-dividers and non-flexible non-dividers, reported the lowest levels of wellbeing. Despite some improvements in non-flexible non-dividers profile from Time 1 to Time 2, it remained to have the lowest scores on all outcomes, emphasizing the critical role of boundary control in maintaining employee wellbeing over time. These findings provide a possible explanation regarding the “autonomy-control paradox,” where flexibility in work location and timing may reduce autonomy unless social boundaries are effectively managed. Having control over one's social domains allows for the benefits of workplace flexibility and reduces the risk that flexibility in where and when to work undermines the autonomy it is meant to provide.

THE MODELLING OF CARGO TRANSSHIPMENT OPERATIONS USING THE BUSINESS PROCESS MODELLING TOOLS

This paperwork explores the transshipment operations at the Port of Constanta, Romania, focusing on the unloading of big bags from barges. Utilizing Business Process Management (BPM) software, the study models the transshipment process to identify optimization opportunities. The investigation reveals challenges such as coordination complexities and potential cargo damage, alongside the benefits of cost-efficiency and flexibility offered by transshipment services. Through literature review and analysis, the study emphasizes the importance of efficient business processes and the role of BPM software in enhancing operational efficiency. By employing Aura Portal Modeller for simulation, the study identifies bottlenecks and proposes optimization strategies for the transshipment process. The proposed measures include real-time cargo assessment, inventory tracking systems, equipment analysis, and storage layout optimization. This research contributes to the understanding of transshipment operations and highlights the effectiveness of BPM software in process visualization and analysis, offering insights for enhancing efficiency and mitigating delays in supply chain management.

Power system benefits of simultaneous domestic transport and heating demand flexibility in Great Britain’s energy transition

The increasing share of variable renewables in power generation leads to a shortage of affordable and carbon neutral options for grid balancing. This research assesses the potential of demand flexibility in Great Britain to fill this gap using a novel linear optimisation model PyPSA-FES, designed to simulate optimistic and pessimistic transition pathways in National Grid ESO Future Energy Scenarios. PyPSA-FES models the future power system in Great Britain at high spatiotemporal resolution and integrates demand flexibility from both smart charging electric vehicles and thermal storage-coupled heat pumps. The model then optimises the trade-off between reinforcing the grid to align charging and heating profiles with renewable generation versus expanding dispatchable generation capacity. The results show that from 2030, under optimistic transition assumptions, domestic demand flexibility can enable an additional 20–30 TWh of renewable generation annually and reduce dispatchable generation and distribution network capacity by approximately 20 GW each, resulting in a total cost reduction of around £5bn yearly. However, our experiments suggest that half of the total system cost reduction is already achieved by only 25% of electric vehicles alone. Further, the findings indicate that once smart electric vehicle charging reaches this 25% penetration rate in households, minimal benefits are observed for implementing smart 12-hour thermal storages for heating flexibility at the national level. Additionally, smart heating benefits decrease by 90% across all metrics when only pre-heating (without thermal storages) is considered. Spatially, demand flexibility is often considered to alleviate the need for north–south transmission grid expansion. While neither confirmed nor opposed here, the results show a more nuanced dynamic where generation capacities are moved closer to demand centres, enhancing connectivity within UK sub-regions through around 1000 GWkm of additional transmission capacity.

Impact of a social media-delivered distance learning program on mhGAP training among primary care providers in Jalisco, Mexico

BackgroundThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in non-specialized healthcare settings. However, implementing these guidelines remains a challenge due to various factors, including limited training opportunities for primary care providers. This study con the effectiveness of a social media-delivered distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide, to overcome barriers of technology access and digital literacy, providing a familiar and accessible platform for primary care providers in Jalisco.MethodsA quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design was conducted. Primary care providers from Jalisco were invited to participate in a distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide. The program consisted of online modules, webinars, and discussion forums facilitated by mental health experts. Knowledge assessments were conducted before and after the intervention using a standardized questionnaire. Participant satisfaction and perceived utility were also evaluated through surveys and focus group discussions.ResultsA total of 1,096 primary care providers completed the program. The mean knowledge score significantly improved from 58.2% (SD = 12.8%) in the pre-test to 81.4% (SD = 9.6%) in the post-test (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 2.04). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent knowledge gains across different demographic and professional characteristics. Participant satisfaction was high, with 92% rating the program’s overall quality as “good” or “excellent.” Qualitative findings highlighted the benefits of accessibility, flexibility, interactivity, and practical applicability of the distance education approach.ConclusionsThe social media-delivered distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide effectively improved the knowledge of primary care providers in Jalisco, Mexico. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and perceived utility. This study demonstrates the potential of distance education strategies to disseminate evidence-based guidelines and enhance mental health service delivery in primary care settings, particularly in resource-limited areas.

Systematic Review Analysis (SRA): Society 5.0 and Its Impact on Employee Work-Life Balance (WLB)

This research analyzes the impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on employees' work-life balance. The SDGs promote work flexibility and technological integration, influencing the dynamics of work and personal life. Using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, relevant studies were systematically collected and analyzed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria guided the selection process, and data were sourced from academic databases. The analysis highlights that SDG technologies significantly affect work-life balance, enhancing work engagement and productivity while posing risks of increased work stress. Comparisons with prior studies reveal consistent findings on work flexibility benefits but varying perspectives on stress management. Practical implications emphasize the importance of fostering balanced work cultures, delivering time and stress management training, and offering robust organizational support. This study underscores the importance of comprehending SDG technology impacts for developing policies that enhance employee welfare. Collaborative efforts between companies and employees are crucial for fostering a sustainable work environment amidst the challenges and opportunities of the SDG technology era.

Developing Human Resources (HR) Competencies to Face the Industrial Revolution 4.0: Literature Review Method

This research analyzes the impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on employees' work-life balance. The SDGs promote work flexibility and technological integration, influencing the dynamics of work and personal life. Using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, relevant studies were systematically collected and analyzed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria guided the selection process, and data were sourced from academic databases. The analysis highlights that SDG technologies significantly affect work-life balance, enhancing work engagement and productivity while posing risks of increased work stress. Comparisons with prior studies reveal consistent findings on work flexibility benefits but varying perspectives on stress management. Practical implications emphasize the importance of fostering balanced work cultures, delivering time and stress management training, and offering robust organizational support. This study underscores the importance of comprehending SDG technology impacts for developing policies that enhance employee welfare. Collaborative efforts between companies and employees are crucial for fostering a sustainable work environment amidst the challenges and opportunities of the SDG technology era.

A STUDY ON FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AT KELANTAN STATE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

The modern workplace increasingly values flexible working arrangements (FWA) as a vital component, particularly in response to global events like pandemics, increasing workloads and evolving organizational dynamics. Moreover, technological advancements and a re-orientation of traditional management frameworks toward adaptability further propel this paradigm shift. Additionally, numerous international bodies and agencies have lauded this transition. While the evolving work culture acknowledges the benefits of flexibility for certain employee groups, its impact on productivity remains varied. While governments worldwide recognize the importance of FWA, its full integration into public sectors remains a gradual process and is subject to governmental decisions. A complete and comprehensive implementation of FWA has yet to be realized. This paper investigates the relationship between FWA and various factors influencing its adoption within public sector organizations. By applying SPSS methods in this study, findings have revealed a positive correlation between FWA and organizational dynamics, highlighting the need for public sector entities to prioritize offering diverse FWA options to their employees. This emphasizes the importance of accommodating changing work patterns and promoting employee well-being in today's dynamic work environments.

Benefits of flexibility in current and future IM-DD based TDM-PON [Invited

Due to continuously emerging high bandwidth applications, research and standardization of time division multiplexed passive optical networks (TDM-PONs) have focused on increasing the peak bitrate. However, increasing the bitrate while supporting the stringent optical power budget of a PON becomes increasingly challenging because of the larger chromatic dispersion penalties as well as reduced receiver sensitivity when the bitrate of the intensity modulation with direct-detection (IM-DD) based PON is increased. Also, increasing bitrate generally causes higher power consumption, which leads to more challenging thermal designs and misalignment with environmental targets. In this paper we give an overview of flexible concepts that can help achieve the required optical power budget and support reduced power consumption of a future IM-DD based TDM-PON. We demonstrate that a flexible PON can provide an increased overall throughput or an extended reach and power budget with the use of flexible modulation formats, probabilistic and geometric shaping, and flexible rate forward error correction (FEC). Another dimension of flexibility in the form of a configurable optical distribution network (ODN) is described and its merits and challenges are discussed. Flexible concepts based on interleaving of FEC codewords can align signal processing like FEC decoding and the protocol processing closer to the user-rate of an optical network unit (ONU), which leads to reduced power consumption. Flexibility based on multiple channels based on wavelength multiplexing or spatial multiplexing enables optimization of the power consumption to the amount of traffic on the PON. Several flexible concepts have already been adopted in the PON standards. We highlight flexible gain FEC for upstream 50G PON, the transmitter dispersion eye closure (TDEC) metric, and the flexible split-ratio ODN for power saving. Flexible modulation has not been adopted yet in PON standards, but it is expected that flexibility is more and more needed to support the performance, cost effectiveness, and power conservation of future optical access systems.

The brain can develop conflicting multisensory principles to guide behavior.

Midbrain multisensory neurons undergo a significant postnatal transition in how they process cross-modal (e.g. visual-auditory) signals. In early stages, signals derived from common events are processed competitively; however, at later stages they are processed cooperatively such that their salience is enhanced. This transition reflects adaptation to cross-modal configurations that are consistently experienced and become informative about which correspond to common events. Tested here was the assumption that overt behaviors follow a similar maturation. Cats were reared in omnidirectional sound thereby compromising the experience needed for this developmental process. Animals were then repeatedly exposed to different configurations of visual and auditory stimuli (e.g. spatiotemporally congruent or spatially disparate) that varied on each side of space and their behavior was assessed using a detection/localization task. Animals showed enhanced performance to stimuli consistent with the experience provided: congruent stimuli elicited enhanced behaviors where spatially congruent cross-modal experience was provided, and spatially disparate stimuli elicited enhanced behaviors where spatially disparate cross-modal experience was provided. Cross-modal configurations not consistent with experience did not enhance responses. The presumptive benefit of such flexibility in the multisensory developmental process is to sensitize neural circuits (and the behaviors they control) to the features of the environment in which they will function. These experiments reveal that these processes have a high degree of flexibility, such that two (conflicting) multisensory principles can be implemented by cross-modal experience on opposite sides of space even within the same animal.

Analysis of Common Exercise Modalities in Improving Athletic Performance in Older Adults: A Narrative Review.

Exercise leads to robust cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and psychological benefits that improve quality of life and longevity for older adults, but accompanying improvements in athletic parameters are less well explored. The aim of this review is to summarize some of the most common exercise modalities, namely, Pilates, martial arts (tai chi, Japanese-style karate, hard martial arts), locomotion (brisk walking/jogging and running), Masters sports, resistance training, and high-intensity interval training, in improving athletic performance for older adults. Regular participation in these activities can have robust yet unique impacts on physical performance that prolong exercise participation. In particular, this review will explore benefits in cardiorespiratory fitness, power, strength, flexibility, and balance, thereby hopefully improving endurance, exercise adherence, and overall fall risk. A narrative literature review was performed to explore benefits, pitfalls, and recommendations for some of the most popular exercise modalities for older adults.

Flexibility of the home and residents’ psychological wellbeing

BackgroundFlexible homes provide residents with choice and control in how they use and modify their homes to suit their changing needs, but the psychological benefits of flexibility for residents' wellbeing have been underexplored. This paper examines to what extent flexible homes support residents’ wellbeing, what architectural qualities (Architectural Flexibility) are important for wellbeing, and to what extent residents can use these qualities to make changes to home (Behavioural Flexibility) to achieve wellbeing. StudiesThree studies were conducted to examine the relationship between flexibility of the home and residents' psychological wellbeing. Study 1 (N = 187) explored the association between Flexibility and wellbeing. Study 2 (N = 212) examined the mediating nature of the Behavioural Flexibility component in the relationship between Architectural Flexibility of the home and residents' wellbeing. Study 3 (N = 300) examined this relationship further by exploring the influence of residents’ individual factors of Capability and Motivation in the Study 2 model using the COM-B model of behaviour. ResultsStudy 1 showed that residents’ perceptions of flexibility of their homes were positively associated with their hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing at home, explaining 21% and 15.3% of variance respectively. Study 2 showed that Behavioural Flexibility significantly mediated the relationship between Architectural Flexibility and hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. Among the three types of Architectural Flexibility explored in Study 3, the COM-B model of Availability of spaces at home explained the most variance in hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing, compared to Modifiability and Multifunctionality of spaces. In all models, COM-B components showed varying influence on wellbeing. The mediating nature of Behavioural Flexibility was confirmed in the COM-B model of Modifiability. ConclusionsFlexibility in the built home environment and residents' behaviour of making changes to it is important for their wellbeing. Individual factors like residents’ abilities and motivations to engage with flexibility may need to be considered when designing flexible homes for wellbeing.

Deciphering Microbial Adaptation in the Rhizosphere: Insights into Niche Preference, Functional Profiles, and Cross-Kingdom Co-occurrences

Rhizosphere microbial communities are to be as critical factors for plant growth and vitality, and their adaptive differentiation strategies have received increasing amounts of attention but are poorly understood. In this study, we obtained bacterial and fungal amplicon sequences from the rhizosphere and bulk soils of various ecosystems to investigate the potential mechanisms of microbial adaptation to the rhizosphere environment. Our focus encompasses three aspects: niche preference, functional profiles, and cross-kingdom co-occurrence patterns. Our findings revealed a correlation between niche similarity and nucleotide distance, suggesting that niche adaptation explains nucleotide variation among some closely related amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Furthermore, biological macromolecule metabolism and communication among abundant bacteria increase in the rhizosphere conditions, suggesting that bacterial function is trait-mediated in terms of fitness in new habitats. Additionally, our analysis of cross-kingdom networks revealed that fungi act as intermediaries that facilitate connections between bacteria, indicating that microbes can modify their cooperative relationships to adapt. Overall, the evidence for rhizosphere microbial community adaptation, via differences in gene and functional and co-occurrence patterns, elucidates the adaptive benefits of genetic and functional flexibility of the rhizosphere microbiota through niche shifts.

Efficient and Flexible Long-Tail Recommendation Using Cosine Patterns

With the increasing use of recommender systems in various application domains, many algorithms have been proposed for improving the accuracy of recommendations. Among various dimensions of recommender systems performance, long-tail (niche) recommendation performance remains an important challenge in large part because of the popularity bias of many existing recommendation techniques. In this study, we propose CORE, a cosine pattern–based technique, for effective long-tail recommendation. Comprehensive experimental results compare the proposed approach with a wide variety of classic, widely used recommendation algorithms and demonstrate its practical benefits in accuracy, flexibility, and scalability in addition to the superior long-tail recommendation performance. 1 History: Accepted by Ramaswamy Ramesh, Area Editor for Data Science &amp; Machine Learning. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72031001, 72072091, 72242101]. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.0194 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2022.0194 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .

Comparative Analysis of Thermal Properties in Molybdenum Substrate to Silicon and Glass for a System-on-Foil Integration

Advanced electronics technology is moving towards smaller footprints and higher computational power. In order to achieve this, advanced packaging techniques are currently being considered, including organic, glass, and semiconductor-based substrates that allow for 2.5D or 3D integration of chips and devices. Metal-core substrates are a new alternative with similar properties to those of semiconductor-based substrates but with the added benefits of higher flexibility and metal ductility. This work comprehensively compares the thermal properties of a novel metal-based substrate, molybdenum, and silicon and fused silica glass substrates in the context of system-on-foil (SoF) integration. A simple electronic technique is used to simulate the heat generated by a typical CPU and to measure the heat dissipation properties of the substrates. The results indicate that molybdenum and silicon are able to effectively dissipate a continuous power density of 2.3 W/mm2 as the surface temperature only increases by ~15 °C. In contrast, the surface temperature of fused silica glass substrates increases by &gt;140 °C for the same applied power. These simple techniques and measurements were validated with infrared camera measurements as well as through finite element analysis via COMSOL simulation. The results validate the use of molybdenum as an advanced packaging substrate and can be used to characterize new substrates and approaches for advanced packaging.

Hierarchical pore structure with a confined resonant mode for improving the solar energy utilizing efficiency of ultra-thin perovskite solar cells

The perovskite solar cell (PSC) has the benefits of flexibility, inexpensiveness, and high efficiency, and has important prospective applications. However, serious optical losing and low solar energy-utilizing efficiency remain a challenge for the ultra-thin PSCs because of the interface reflection of traditional planar structure. In this study, a hierarchical pore structure with a confined resonant mode is introduced and optimized by electromagnetic theory to improve the solar energy absorbing and utilizing efficiency of ultra-thin PSCs. The large pores in the top layer that support a whispering gallery mode can focus and guide the incident light into the solar cell. The small pores in the bottom layer enable backward scattering of the unabsorbed light and can improve the effective absorption of active layer. The finite-difference time-domain method is employed to optimize the geometric parameters of hierarchical pore structure to improve the light absorption of PSCs. The proposed resonant hierarchical pore structure can greatly improve sunlight absorption of ultra-thin PSCs, and the effective light absorption and photocurrent of PSCs with a hierarchical pore structure is 20.7% higher than that of PSCs with traditional planar structure. This work can offer a beneficial guideline for improving solar energy utilizing efficiency of various thin-film solar cells.

Optimising decision support tools for the agricultural sector

AbstractSeveral challenges threaten the viability of agriculture in the Mediterranean region, for instance, climate change and variability, land degradation and desertification, environmental and social pressures in rural areas, and the arrangement and extent of properties. These challenges require the attention of farm managers and effective decision-making that can safeguard the natural resource base, enhance resilience and food security, and promote sustainable production landscapes. Decision Support Tools (DSTs) offer valuable assistance in addressing these challenges by improving the decision-making process for both farmers and advisors. They enable data-informed decisions that can enhance the sustainability performance of agricultural businesses in the region. A crucial component of designing a proficient DST is the prompt involvement of stakeholders using a participatory approach to define the needs and requirements of end users. In this study, we engaged twenty-nine stakeholders, including farmers, advisors, extension officers, policy makers, and industry representatives from the Argolida regional unit and the Greek National Ministry of Rural Development and Food. This engagement was aimed at conducting a comprehensive analysis of user needs. To achieve this, we employed the Q-methodology approach to gain a thorough comprehension of the viewpoints and requirements of these diverse stakeholder groups. The results illustrated factors such as the need for user-friendly interfaces, the importance of data accuracy and reliability, the benefit of flexibility and adaptability, and the need for appropriate training and support. These findings can aid the effective development of DSTs so that emerging challenges can be framed in a manner that will facilitate solutions.

Telehealth Transformation: A Mixed-Methods Study on Organizational Change Processes and Outcomes in a Private Medical Practice.

This mixed-methods case study investigated the impacts, costs, barriers, and facilitators associated with implementing telehealth services across a private pediatric clinic system. The research examined the effects of telehealth on provider engagement and financial performance. Twenty-three clinicians, administrators, and staff across the pediatric clinics were interviewed before and after enterprise-level telehealth adoption to examine change processes amid this innovation. Twelve months of pre- and post-implementation financial records underwent statistical analysis to assess revenue and cost dynamics. Quantitative outcome measures encompassed expenses, revenues, and telehealth visit utilization rates, while qualitative analysis of interviews and focus groups revealed key implementation themes through rigorous inductive coding of participant narratives. Results showed significantly increased costs (44%) and revenues (47%) at clinics following virtual care expansion. Monthly telehealth visits per provider exponentially rose over 450%. Qualitatively, 83% of providers appreciated scheduling flexibility benefits, but 68% of staff cited workflow disruptions. Interpretatively, findings demonstrated catalyzed financial and productivity transformations and nuanced perceived disruption amid pronounced appointment capacity expansions. Recommendations encompass updated care coordination protocols, enhanced training and support resources, incentivizing provider usage, and modulating implementation pacing responding to user feedback during large-scale organizational innovation.

Is it beneficial to invest in flexible capacity for hybrid remanufacturing?

Firms that aim to close the loop via remanufacturing returned products face uncertainties on both the demand and supply side. Inspired by industrial circular business models, we study the capacity investment problem of a manufacturer. The manufacturer can invest in a flexible (shared) resource to share capacity across processes and/or less costly dedicated manufacturing and remanufacturing resources. We model the capacity investment problem as a two-stage stochastic programme and provide structural results. Our analysis shows how the optimal resource selection depends on margin (price) and cost differentials and highlights the focal role of capacity coefficients. We identify conditions under which an investment in flexibility is beneficial even if remanufacturing is a lower-margin process. Moreover, an investment in flexible capacity can be optimal if demand and returns are perfectly positively correlated, and thus, return risk is eliminated. Contrary to intuition, optimal profits may decrease in demand-return correlation if the optimal investment includes a flexible resource. The analysis of investment thresholds shows two benefits of resource flexibility: (a) mitigation of demand and return mismatches and (b) an ex-post revenue maximisation option to allocate capacity to the more profitable process.

Fin-Bayes: A Multi-Objective Bayesian Optimization Framework for Soft Robotic Fingers.

Computational design is a critical tool to realize the full potential of Soft Robotics, maximizing their inherent benefits of high performance, flexibility, robustness, and safe interaction. Practically, computational design entails a rapid iterative search process over a parameterized design space, with assessment using (frequently) computational modeling and (more rarely) physical experimentation. Bayesian approaches work well for these expensive-to-analyze systems and can lead to efficient exploration of design space than comparative algorithms. However, such computational design typically entails weaknesses related to a lack of fidelity in assessment, a lack of sufficient iterations, and/or optimizing to a singular objective function. Our work directly addresses these shortcomings. First, we harness a sophisticated nonlinear Finite Element Modeling suite that explicitly considers geometry, material, and contact nonlinearity to perform rapid accurate characterization. We validate this through extensive physical testing using an automated test rig and printed robotic fingers, providing far more experimental data than that reported in the literature. Second, we explore a significantly larger design space than comparative approaches, with more free variables and more opportunity to discover novel, high performance designs. Finally, we use a multiobjective Bayesian optimizer that allows for the identification of promising trade-offs between two critical objectives, compliance and contact force. We test our framework on optimizing Fin Ray grippers, which are ubiquitous throughout research and industry due to their passive compliance and durability. Results demonstrate the benefits of our approach, allowing for the optimization and identification of promising gripper designs within an extensive design space, which are then 3D printed and usable in reality.