Modular System Research Articles

Response to 'Is the Brain Mostly a Modular System or Do We Need Distributed Processing Frameworks?': Contemplating the Questions We Ask in Cognitive Neuroscience

Response to 'Is the Brain Mostly a Modular System or Do We Need Distributed Processing Frameworks?': Contemplating the Questions We Ask in Cognitive Neuroscience

Controlled enzyme cargo loading in engineered bacterial microcompartment shells.

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are nanometer-scale organelles with a protein-based shell that serve to co-localize and encapsulate metabolic enzymes. They may provide a range of benefits to improve pathway catalysis, including substrate channeling and selective permeability. Several groups are working toward using BMC shells as a platform for enhancing engineered metabolic pathways. The microcompartment shell of Haliangium ochraceum (HO) has emerged as a versatile and modular shell system that can be expressed and assembled outside its native host and with non-native cargo. Further, the HO shell has been modified to use the engineered protein conjugation system SpyCatcher-SpyTag for non-native cargo loading. Here, we used a model enzyme, triose phosphate isomerase (Tpi), to study non-native cargo loading into four HO shell variants and begin to understand maximal shell loading levels. We also measured activity of Tpi encapsulated in the HO shell variants and found that activity was determined by the amount of cargo loaded and was not strongly impacted by the predicted permeability of the shell variant to large molecules. All shell variants tested could be used to generate active, Tpi-loaded versions, but the simplest variants assembled most robustly. We propose that the simple variant is the most promising for continued development as a metabolic engineering platform.

Theoretical investigation on crash performance of bamboo-inspired energy absorption systems based on systematic experimental and numerical analysis

The need for energy-absorbing devices with adaptable crashworthiness is increasingly urgent in various engineering fields with diverse load environments. For this aim, bamboo-inspired modular energy absorption systems have recently been proposed to integrate mechanical efficiency, tunability, and robustness. However, their mechanical responses under varying load velocities have not been systematically studied, which limits the effective prediction and optimization of their crashworthiness. In this study, quasi-static and dynamic experiments were performed on bamboo-inspired systems, discretely assembled using 3D printed steel tube specimens. Matched finite element simulations were conducted using ABAQUS/Explicit. Specific energy absorption and efficiency of these systems respectively exceeded 12.9 J/g and 47 %, surpassing existing discretely assembled systems and rivaling typical cellular materials. Efficient deformation mode with self-locking capability was observed, and sharp impact peak was avoided when the crash velocity was less than 50 m/s. Building upon these findings, a modified spherical shell theory under crashing was developed to predict energy absorption performance of bamboo-inspired system based on the traveling plastic hinge model. The average relative error between the analytical solution and finite element results was found less than 6.5 %. The mean effective stress of the system could exceed 35 MPa under thickness-to-diameter ratio of 5 %. This work presents an efficient and effective approach for optimizing and estimating the crash performance of modular protective devices.

3D digital technology in upcycling apparel design: the creation of a modular redesign system and designer perspectives

ABSTRACT Despite advancements in sustainable apparel design, upcycling practices still face challenges limiting creativity and efficiency. This study develops a Modular Redesign System (MRS) using 3D digital technology to improve the upcycling process. The MRS was created with CLO3D and Aftereffects, producing ten redesign samples and demonstration videos. In-depth interviews with South Korean upcycling apparel designers were conducted to assess the system’s perceived effectiveness and explore key issues in upcycling design. The MRS involves four stages: Selection, Virtualisation, Virtual Ideation, and Construction and Fitting. Findings highlight the MRS’s ability to enhance ideation, reduce material waste, and save time and costs, offering practical solutions to current challenges in apparel redesign. The MRS also shows potential for mass customisation, serving as an effective communication tool for personalised upcycling services. This study bridges a gap in the literature by integrating 3D virtual simulation with modular design to advance sustainable and efficient upcycling practices.

Architectural Imaginaries in Chinese Jiehua

A review of Leqi Yu, Painting Architecture: Jiehua in Yuan China, 1271–1368, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2022, 216 pages, 54 halftones, 12 color plates. ISBN: 978-988-8754-23-6. Yu’s book on Yuan jiehua, a traditional Chinese painting genre centered on architectural subjects and tectonic structures, examines its relationship with real buildings, painters, and politics. This review highlights her discussions on architectural representations, focusing on her accounts of the degree of accuracy in pictorial depictions, utilization of modular systems by painters, and artistic techniques employed to achieve verisimilitude.

Informatization of the professional training of future teachers of physical education in the conditions of distance education

The article shows the importance of the use of new information technologies in the process of professional training of future teachers of physical education at the current stage of the development of society in the conditions of distance learning. The main directions and tasks regarding the use of info-communication and multimedia learning tools in the professional training of students from the specialty 014 Secondary education are defined. (physical culture). The educational component "sports-pedagogical informatics" was introduced into the educational process, the curriculum and diagnostic technology for assessing success according to the modular rating system for this course were developed. It has been established that the implementation of such innovative tasks in full will make it possible to significantly optimize the professional training of future specialists in the conditions of distance learning and to quickly integrate into the European educational space. In addition, the main stages of the introduction of computer and multimedia tools into the educational process of future teachers of physical culture are determined. The justified need to introduce the educational component "Sports and pedagogical informatics" into the educational process of students from the specialty 014 Secondary education (physical culture). Carrying out such innovative tasks in full will make it possible to significantly optimize the professional training of students in the specialty 014 Secondary education (physical education) in the conditions of distance learning.

Modular steel panel for walls: life cycle environmental impact, life cycle cost, and potential for material circulation

The impacts of civil construction are widely recognized and justify the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Furthermore, with building users increasingly demanding greater adaptability, strategies such as modularity and flexibility to adapt to changing uses are being discussed. Modular wall panels allow quick installation and have the potential for disassembly, refurbishment, reuse, and recycling. We evaluate a modular steel panel system in two Brazilian case studies through life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost (LCC), and building circularity index (BCI). The study applies the circular reuse and remanufacture, recycling, and life extension strategies for internal and external walls. For the external panel, the life extension strategy (SE02) stands out positively in all impact categories, with the lowest environmental impact and costs. However, the SE02′s BCI does not have the best result. The second best option is reuse (SE03), with the highest percentage of circularity. Furthermore, the differences between SE02 and SE03 are reduced in several impact categories, and the sensitivity analysis (transport, damage, and the number of reuses) shows that the differences could be even smaller. For the internal panel, life extension (SI02) and reuse (SI03) scenarios are the best options. Recycling (SI04) has the highest environmental impact and the best potential for circularity. BCI communication must be aligned with LCA and LCC, such that an increase in circularity is accompanied by a decrease in environmental impacts or with infeasible costs, especially for developing countries.

Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of Reconfigurable Modular Reactor Systems for Renewable Methanol Synthesis

Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of Reconfigurable Modular Reactor Systems for Renewable Methanol Synthesis

Prediction of the Future Trends of Housing Project Development with Modified Delphi Technique

This research was initiated to study the trend of the housing projects in the next ten years (2022-2031), with the applied Modified Delphi Technique. The research was conducted by interviewing five experts with more than ten years of knowledge and experience in design, construction, technology, location, and marketing. The gathered trends were applied to create questionnaires in order to conduct two rounds of surveys to assess the consensus level of ten experts with at least ten years of experience in the real estate industry, according to the consensus analysis method from the Modified Delphi Technique. Thirteen trends were found from the study. There are four design trends: more beautiful façade, soundproof wall, universal design furniture, and universal design house building. In addition, eco-friendly materials and modular construction systems were found to be construction trends while smart home device installation and active air flow technology were found to be technology trends. Regarding the trend of the project location, the projects tend to be located in areas expanding into the suburbs. Finally, four marketing trends were also reported: Virtual Reality utilization in sales presentation, advertising to reach more customers, inviting social media influencers to play a role in reviewing projects, providing credit consulting services and refunding of reservation money if a customer’s loan is not approved. The results of the study provide information to all parties involved in planning strategies and operating a business in developing housing estates in the future.

Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method Based on Dual-Path Interaction Network with Multiscale Feature Fusion and Dynamic Weight Adaptation

In fields such as manufacturing and aerospace, remaining useful life (RUL) prediction estimates the failure time of high-value assets like industrial equipment and aircraft engines by analyzing time series data collected from various sensors, enabling more effective predictive maintenance. However, significant temporal diversity and operational complexity during equipment operation make it difficult for traditional single-scale, single-dimensional feature extraction methods to effectively capture complex temporal dependencies and multi-dimensional feature interactions. To address this issue, we propose a Dual-Path Interaction Network, integrating the Multiscale Temporal-Feature Convolution Fusion Module (MTF-CFM) and the Dynamic Weight Adaptation Module (DWAM). This approach adaptively extracts information across different temporal and feature scales, enabling effective interaction of multi-dimensional information. Using the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation (C-MAPSS) dataset for comprehensive performance evaluation, our method achieved RMSE values of 0.0969, 0.1316, 0.086, and 0.1148; MAPE values of 9.72%, 14.51%, 8.04%, and 11.27%; and Score results of 59.93, 209.39, 67.56, and 215.35 across four different data categories. Furthermore, the MTF-CFM module demonstrated an average improvement of 7.12%, 10.62%, and 7.21% in RMSE, MAPE, and Score across multiple baseline models. These results validate the effectiveness and potential of the proposed model in improving the accuracy and robustness of RUL prediction.

Consolidating building greening: Integrating mobile modular vertical greening systems into prefabricated building

Vertical greening systems increase green plant coverage within built environments, enhancing urban air quality while reducing building energy consumption. But they encounter challenges related to intensive maintenance and significant costs. As a mainstream future building form, the characteristics of modularization and factory customization inherent in prefabricated buildings can effectively address the demands of vertical greening system. This study employs structural equation model and cloud model to examine the feasibility of integrating mobile modular vertical greening system into prefabricated structures, based on a survey of 403 respondents in Shandong Province, China. The study highlights the supportive roles and mediating effects of two maintenance management measures. It confirms the strong correlations between cost control strategies and the successful integration of mobile modular vertical greening system into prefabricated building. The results indicate that integrating intelligent technology and plant-microalgae combined systems are essential exogenous and endogenous maintenance management strategies. They exert a positive influence on prefabricated modular vertical greening systems. A positive interconnection exists between integrating intelligent technology and the plant-microalgae combined system. Carbon credit trading incentive proves more advantageous in reducing mobile modular vertical greening system costs. Plant-microalgae combined system playing a partial mediating role. Although crowdfunding-community participation does not significantly reduce the costs of mobile modular vertical greening system, integrated intelligent technology mediates this relationship. This highlights the indirect role of crowdfunding-community participation in facilitating cost control for these systems.

Making waves: Harnessing stormwater for resilient water supply - A blueprint for vulnerable continental coasts and oceanic islands

At the forefront of climate change and natural disasters, small islands like Puerto Rico confront immense challenges in sustaining an adaptive water supply. The challenges are further exacerbated when the islands’ constraints, such as geographic isolation, limited resources, aging infrastructure, constrained capacity, and environmental fragility, are compounded. As these issues increasingly impact low-lying continental coasts, home to approximately 40 % of the global population, similar water supply crises have already emerged or are anticipated in these regions. To surmount these widespread challenges, harnessing stormwater as a non-conventional water source presents a promising solution. A stormwater-enabled water supply system, collectively characterized by water source diversification, decentralization, and modularity, can enhance the resilience of water supply in these vulnerable regions, both in routine situations and during emergencies. This article identifies barriers to the implementation of stormwater-to-drinking water (STDW) practices in Puerto Rico and advocates for engineering solutions to utilize stormwater at both community and household scales in vulnerable continental coasts and small oceanic islands. The primary barriers in Puerto Rico include uncertainty in water quality, insufficient data on local stormwater availability and domestic water demand, economic constraints, and the lack of an adaptive power supply. To overcome these obstacles, we emphasize engineering strategies focused on modular system design, assessments of local stormwater capture and demand dynamics, advancements in treatment technologies, and the enhancement of energy resilience. By analyzing the Puerto Rican context, we propose a conceptual framework that outlines pathways to adaptive STDW strategies for other oceanic islands and larger, more complex continental coasts in the face of similar challenges. These pathways encompass enhancing system modularity, understanding the dynamics of local stormwater supply and water consumption, applying tailored treatment technologies, and strengthening the resilience of supporting infrastructures. The insights gained from Puerto Rico's experience can guide current and future efforts for resilient water supply solutions in increasingly vulnerable coastal, island, and other regions.

Optimal Layout of Modular Systems by Geometric Perturbations

In this study, we investigate the potential of integrating geometric perturbations into the design process to optimise modular systems such as floor coverings, façade claddings, and masonry walls. By allowing small geometry adjustments of the initial design, we achieve significant reductions in material waste or labour requirements, leading to cost-saving and environmental benefits without compromising the design concept. We compared our approach to traditional methods, where the layout of the modular system is determined after the geometry of the design is finalised. To illustrate our method, we present case studies for two- and three-dimensional modular designs.

Response to 'Is the Brain Mostly a Modular System or Do We Need Distributed Processing Frameworks?': Pessoa’s Question Assumes a False Dichotomy

Response to 'Is the Brain Mostly a Modular System or Do We Need Distributed Processing Frameworks?': Pessoa’s Question Assumes a False Dichotomy

Modulating phytoremediation: How drip irrigation system affect performance of active green wall and microbial community changes

A recent innovation in air phytoremediation is active green walls, which utilises biofiltration technology with airflow from mechanical ventilation. While this novel technology is gaining traction, the influence of irrigation on soil moisture, and subsequently the microbial communities that play a role in air filtration is untested. In this study, the application of drip irrigation techniques in active green walls were investigated for their influence on system performance. A modular green wall system was tested, with tests across 7 different plant species, as well as a substrate only control. Water distribution across the modules, the water-carrying capacity and airflow through the substrate were measured. The microbial community present, which is critical to the phytoremediation process, was quantified by identifying individual microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) within the substrate. Results demonstrated that the lower-speed drip irrigation reduced water consumption compared to the rapid system, and had generally more uniform moisture distribution. High flow drip irrigation resulted in a water pathway phenomenon, leading to uneven moisture distribution within the green wall, and this effect was accentuated with fibrous root plant species. Drip irrigation did not change microbial community composition across planted modules, apart from increasing fungi by 6%, but did wash out bacteria at the high flow rate used (−56.67%), thus low flow rate irrigation rate is more beneficial for both plant growth and microbial community composition. The current work provides evidence that drip irrigation has considerable effects on both substrate airflow rate and substrate microbial density: both key to system air cleaning performance.

Feasibility Test of A Testing Station Trainer Situated in Virtual Reality Integrates Computational Thinking Concepts

This research focuses on integrating the Computational Thinking (CT) concept of automation system in vocational education to address the high costs and scarcity of educational resources in practical learning. The rapid industrial expansion of automation, particularly in Modular Production Systems (MPS), necessitates that students grasp both the components' functionalities and operational principles. Another point that needs to be considered is the integrated CT concept in the learning process. The CT for 21st-century skills, this research aims to facilitate knowledge absorption through systematic problem-solving strategies. To reduce cost and scarcity, this research developed an Interactive Virtual Reality Testing Station (IVRTS) employing a CT methodology to replicate MPS functions effectively in a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) Laboratory setting. Developing an Interactive Virtual Reality Testing Station (IVRTS) with a CT approach to simulate the working process is expected to overcome this problem in the Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) Laboratory. The research procedure adopted from Lee Owens' ADDIE development procedure aims to create a CT-based IVRTS as an innovative educational tool. Experimental validation will compare the efficacy of CT-enhanced IVRTS against traditional methods among 36 students from higher schools. Based on the results of research on the IVRTS indicates its significant potential, receiving mainly "Good/Worth It" feedback. Despite the overall positive reception, users reported issues regarding its complex nature and the necessity for ongoing technical support. Refinements to make the system more intuitive and autonomous by streamlining the interface and clarifying functions are essential for broader user adoption.

A multi-bionic design strategy for modular energy absorption system based on interlocking suture integrated with Bouligand-like arranged perforations

Thin-walled tubes are widely used in the field of cushioning energy absorption as an ideal structural unit. However, the performance of the thin-walled tube system is greatly limited by the presence of redundant connection structures. To address these issues, a multi-bionic design strategy for high-performance modular system was developed in this work, which innovatively combines the robust joint structure of the interlocking suture with the efficient deformation mode of the Bouligand structures. In the design process, the suture-inspired system was studied separately, and its mechanical behaviors were investigated by FEM simulations and experiments. The results showed that the modular system has good structural scalability and tunable deformation mode, and can be adjusted on demand to accommodate different loads and geometric features. Furthermore, in order to reduce the weight and improve the deformation degree of the system, an optimization strategy inspired by the efficient deformation mode of the Bouligand structure was proposed by perforating a sequence of helix-arranged guide holes in the sidewalls of the tubes. The results showed that the double-helix perforated system can reduce the weight by 10% while increasing the specific energy absorption by 58% compared with the unperforated system. In addition, the specific energy absorption and energy absorption efficiency of the system are as high as 48.25 J/g and 56.17%, which is comparable to traditional honeycomb sandwich panels while retaining structural stability and adjustable performance. Therefore, this multi-bionic strategy can integrate the advantages of various natural structures and provide new insights for the design of high-performance protective systems.

A Modular Neural Motion Retargeting System Decoupling Skeleton and Shape Perception.

Motion mapping between characters with different structures but corresponding to homeomorphic graphs, meanwhile preserving motion semantics and perceiving shape geometries, poses significant challenges in skinned motion retargeting. We propose M-R 2 ET, a modular neural motion retargeting system to comprehensively address these challenges. The key insight driving M-R 2 ET is its capacity to learn residual motion modifications within a canonical skeleton space. Specifically, a cross-structure alignment module is designed to learn joint correspondences among diverse skeletons, enabling motion copy and forming a reliable initial motion for semantics and geometry perception. Besides, two residual modification modules, i.e., the skeleton-aware module and shape-aware module, preserving source motion semantics and perceiving target character geometries, effectively reduce interpenetration and contact-missing. Driven by our distance-based losses that explicitly model the semantics and geometry, these two modules learn residual motion modifications to the initial motion in a single inference without post-processing. To balance these two motion modifications, we further present a balancing gate to conduct linear interpolation between them. Extensive experiments on the public dataset Mixamo demonstrate that our M-R 2 ET achieves the state-of-the-art performance, enabling cross-structure motion retargeting, and providing a good balance among the preservation of motion semantics, as well as the attenuation of interpenetration and contact-missing.

Demonstration of the carbon capture with building make-up air unit

Building-integrated carbon capture technology has the potential to reduce the cost of CO2 capture while improving indoor air quality (IAQ). To promote the adoption of CO2 capture in a building environment, this study investigated the possibility of integrating carbon capture technology with an existing rooftop make-up air unit (MAU) system to trap CO2. Here, a modular compact CO2 capture system containing amine-functionalized polymer fibers was examined. The system, which was installed at the exhaust of the MAU, captures CO2 before it leaves the building to enter the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. The demonstrated average amount of CO2 captured was 1.1–1.4 mmol/g of absorbent material. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) was further performed on the CO2 capture system, considering material costs, energy costs, as well as transportation and regeneration costs. These results were then used to estimate the levelized cost per ton CO2 captured (LCOC). To achieve LCOC below $100/t-CO2, adsorbents should have working capacities of 4.9 t and 3 t-CO2/year for 5 years and 10 years of operation, respectively. In summary, this study highlights a viable path toward the decarbonization of the commercial buildings sector and provides quantitative performance and economic insight on the suitability of building-integrated carbon capture technology.

Research and Application of Flexible Fracturing Manifold in Volumetric fracturing

Abstract In order to solve the problems of high pressure pipe valves in Volumetrictric fracturing, such as large demand of high pressure pipe and valve parts, high pressure manifold for fracturing complex connection, fracturing pipeline connections are complex, long fracturing construction preparation period. The economy and timeliness of pipeline connection seriously affect the speed and efficiency of Volumetrictric fracturing operations. This paper designed and developed the high pressure flexible composite pipe and carried out its performance evaluation test. Combined with Volumetrictric fracturing operation conditions, supporting functional modular manifold system, overcome flexible pipeline and rigid pipeline fast connection technology, flexible fracturing manifold system was formed. Through the large-scale field application in the unconventional reservoir Volumetric fracturing field, The flexible fracturing manifold is compared with the conventional high-pressure pipe valve connection and the single pipe universal connection, the flexible fracturing manifold can reduce the use of high-pressure pipe valves by 1/3, increase the efficiency of fracturing manifold connection by 50%, and reduce the labor intensity by 50%, enables efficient, reduce high pressure manifold connection points by 70%. The timeliness and safety of fracturing manifold connections have been greatly improved. Flexible fracturing manifold fundamentally change the connection mode of Volumetrictric fracturing high-pressure manifold, and realizes the speed and efficiency of reservoir transformation.