New Domain Of Application Research Articles

A bio-inspired emergent control approach for distributed processes

The complexity of industrial processes has grown exponentially, with high degrees of dependency, non-linearity, imprecision, among other aspects, which motivates the interest in developing distributed control systems for their management. In this sense, this work proposes a bio-inspired distributed control approach, where control actions emerge from the component interactions. The distributed control approach is based on the response threshold model to solve the control problem by imitating the behavior of ants. Particularly, our approach is inspired by the way as the ants carry out the division of labor in a colony. Thus, our control approach based on the threshold response model refers to the possibility of reacting to stimuli associated with the distributed control tasks. It has the ability to stabilize the process in the presence of abrupt/successive changes and various initial conditions, with a minimum effort of the actuators to achieve the objectives. Also, it has shown its versatility in different operational contexts with the same parameter tuning. The bio-inspired control approach is proved in a quadruple tank process, a complex system due to its multivariate nature. In this way, our paper introduces a new domain of application of the response threshold model in industrial processes. Several experiments were carried out in different contexts to evaluate its stability, robustness, etc., and compare it with other similar works. In general, the control performance metrics show satisfactory results, which reflects its ability to adapt to changes in the dynamics of the process, which encourages additional studies.

Reliability test for subsea power semiconductors

Following the demand from a new domain of application, a test setup was developed to evaluate the performance of high-power semiconductor device when exposed to a dielectric liquid and high pressure. The specific test conditions were established to emulate the conditions inside a tank place in a deep-sea environment. Those conditions can be characterized by two key parameters: the pressure and the chosen dielectric/thermal liquid. The power semiconductor device is to be tested at high and low temperature to simulate operation under maximum load as well as when turned off, respectively. The reliability tests outlined here serve to support the development and the validation of Subsea technology for semiconductors power modules.

Ionic Liquids as Antifungal Agents for Wood Preservation.

Ionic liquids represent a class of highly versatile organic compounds used extensively in the last decade for lignocellulose biomass fractionation and dissolution, as well as property modifiers for wood materials. This review is dedicated to the use of ionic liquids as antifungal agents for wood preservation. Wood preservation against fungal attack represents a relatively new domain of application for ionic liquids, emerging in the late 1990s. Comparing to other application domains of ionic liquids, this particular one has been relatively little researched. Ionic liquids may be promising as wood preservatives due to their ability to swell wood, which translates into better penetration ability and fixation into the bulk of the wood material than other conventional antifungal agents, avoiding leaching over time. The antifungal character of ionic liquids depends on the nature of their alkyl-substituted cation, on the size and position of their substituents, and of their anion. It pertains to a large variety of wood-colonizing fungi, both Basidiomycetes and Fungi imperfecti.

Machine Learning for Active Gravity Compensation in Robotics: Application to Neurological Rehabilitation Systems

Robotic rehabilitation for poststroke therapies is an emerging new domain of application for robotics with proven success stories and clinical studies. New robotic devices and software applications are hitting the market, with the aim of assisting specialists carrying out physical therapies and even patients exercising at home. Rehabilitation robots are designed to assist patients performing repetitive movements with their hemiparetic limbs to regain motion. A successful robotic device for rehabilitation demands high workspace and force feedback capabilities similar to a human physiotherapist. These desired features are usually achieved at the expense of other important requirements, such as transparency and backdrivability, degrading the overall human-machine interaction experience.

Video game–induced tourism: a new frontier for destination marketers

PurposeThis paper aims to expand the media-related tourism literature in a new domain of application by highlighting a connection between the world of video games and tourism.Design/methodology/approachThrough deductive content analysis, this study looks at 137 online comments posted on popular gaming and travel websites that connect two popular video games (Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed Unity) and travel motivation.FindingsResults establish that video games share similar travel motivation elements with film and should be considered as a driver of tourism. It argues that destinations should consider video games as a platform for motivating tourists before they consider investing in virtual reality. It outlines opportunities for destinations interested in video game-induced tourism and calls for more research and case studies that link video games with destinations.Originality/valueThis is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first paper to investigate this connection. As such, it outlines untapped opportunities for destinations interested in video game-induced tourism and opens up a new line of research within media-related tourism literature.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITIN co-(ACETATE/SUCCINATE) COPOLYMERS

*Corresponding Author Email: sksingh_gju@rediffmail.com ABSTRACT Chitin, composed of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glucose structural units interlinked through β-(1→4) bridges, is the second most plentiful natural polymer in the world. Crab and shrimp shells are the economic sources of chitin, despite the fact that it is synthesized by a large number of living organisms. The applicability of this biocompatible and biodegradable polymer is limited in the context of pharmaceutical and biomedical area owing to its insolubility in common solvents. In the present investigation, a series of chitin acetate/succinate copolymers with different content of acetyl and succinyl groups has been synthesized by reacting chitin with different ratios of acetic and succinic anhydride in the presence of perchloric acid as the catalyst of the reaction under heterogenous conditions. Pure chitin diacetate was also synthesized by using the same reaction and their structures were confirmed by FTIR and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The degree of substitution of the acetyl group and succinyl groups were in the range of 0.22-1.34 and 0.64-1.76, respectively as determined by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The expected solubility of these compounds in common solvents would open new domain of applications in the field of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.

Schrödinger Approach to Mean Field Games.

Mean field games (MFG) provide a theoretical frame to model socioeconomic systems. In this Letter, we study a particular class of MFG that shows strong analogies with the nonlinear Schrödinger and Gross-Pitaevskii equations introduced in physics to describe a variety of physical phenomena. Using this bridge, many results and techniques developed along the years in the latter context can be transferred to the former, which provides both a new domain of application for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and a new and fruitful approach in the study of mean field games. Utilizing this approach, we analyze in detail a population dynamics model in which the "players" are under a strong incentive to coordinate themselves.

Global hydrology 2015: State, trends, and directions

AbstractGlobal hydrology has come a long way since the first introduction of the primitive land surface model of Manabe (1969) and the declaration of the “Emergence of Global Hydrology” by Eagleson (1986). Hydrological submodels of varying complexity are now part of global climate models, of models calculating global terrestrial carbon sequestration, of earth system models, and even of integrated assessment models. This paper reviews the current state of global hydrological modeling, discusses past and recent developments, and extrapolates these to future challenges and directions. First, established domains of global hydrological model applications are discussed, in terms of societal and science questions posed, the type of models developed, and recent advances therein. Next, a genealogy of global hydrological models is given. After reviewing recent efforts to connect model components from different domains, new domains are identified where global hydrology is now starting to become an integral part of the analyses. Finally, inspired by these new domains of application, persistent and emerging challenges are identified as well as the directions global hydrology is likely to take in the coming decade and beyond.

HR-MAS NMR Spectroscopy of Reconstructed Human Epidermis: Potential for the in Situ Investigation of the Chemical Interactions between Skin Allergens and Nucleophilic Amino Acids

High-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) is a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique that enables the characterization of metabolic phenotypes/metabolite profiles of cells, tissues, and organs, under both normal and pathological conditions, without resorting to time-consuming extraction techniques. In this article, we explore a new domain of application of HR-MAS, namely, reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) and the in situ observation of chemical interactions between skin sensitizers and nucleophilic amino acids. First, the preparation, storage, and analysis of RHE were optimized, and this work demonstrated that HR-MAS NMR was well adapted for investigating RHE with spectra of good quality allowing qualitative as well as quantitative studies of metabolites. Second, in order to study the response of RHE to chemical sensitizers, the ((13)C)methyldodecanesulfonate was chosen as an NMR probe, and we compared adducts formed on human serum albumin (HSA) in solution and adducts formed in RHE. Thus, while the modification of proteins or peptides in solution takes several days to lead to a significant amount of modification, in RHE the modifications of nucleophilic amino acids were observable already at 24 h. The chemioselectivity also appeared to be different with major modifications taking place on histidine, methionine, and cysteine residues in RHE, while on HSA, significant modifications were observed on lysine residues with the formation of methylated and dimethylated amino groups. We thus demonstrated that RHE could be used to investigate in situ chemical interactions taking place between skin sensitizers and nucleophilic amino acids. This opens perspectives for the molecular understanding of the skin immune system activation by sensitizing chemicals.

Hard-X-ray Zone Plates: Recent Progress

The technology to focus hard-X-rays (photon energy larger than 1–2 keV) has made great progress in the past three years. The progress was particularly spectacular for lenses based on the Fresnel zone plate concept. The spatial resolution notably increased by a factor of three, opening up entirely new domains of application, specifically in biomedical research. As we shall see, this evolution is the result of a painstaking optimization of many different aspects rather than of a single technical breakthrough.

Influence of laminate thickness on composite durability for long term utilisation at intermediate temperature (100–150 °C)

To increase the utilisation of composite material, new domain of application should be investigated such as intermediate temperature (up to 150 °C) for long term utilisation. Under these conditions, oxidation could not be neglected. This paper investigates material durability with the shape ratio influence of sample on oxidation behaviour during ageing at isothermal temperature. Weight loss evolution is discussed according to different shape ratio. Evolution of mechanical properties is also investigated to compare the thickness influence on the evolution of properties with ageing time. The weight loss due to oxidation could be assimilated to a degraded material flux going out of the sample from the exposed surface (and edges). A first estimation gives a coefficient of 2.3 for the degraded material quantity going out of the sample per cm 2 of laminate edges compared to cm 2 of laminate surface. In fact we have 2.3 times more degraded material going out of edges per cm 2 than going out of surface per cm 2.

Speciation through entrepreneurial spin-off: The Acorn-ARM story

Can the concept of speciation explain evidence on how technologies branch and advance? Can evidence on innovation through spin-off usefully inform the concept of speciation? These questions are addressed through a case study of detailed processes enabling the shift of technology to new domains of application. An innovative IT firm developed its own semiconductor technology to remedy supplier deficiencies but it required a joint venture with a completely new business model to adapt and move the technology into new market domains. We propose the concept of techno-organizational speciation to delineate this phenomenon. Competing perspectives on speciation (compatibility, niche and lineage approaches) are found to illuminate the evidence, while complementarities between these conceptual dimensions are revealed by the case. Causal processes uncovered include the following: (1) Techno-organizational speciation through spin-off may be needed to launch a dominant technical standard, compatible with multiple applications. (2) This can be achieved through niche creation from which develops a new business ecosystem. (3) Inherited knowledge together with organizationally based learning foster the branching and renewal of technological lineages.

Design acceleration in chemical engineering

Nowadays, chemical engineering has to face a new industrial context with, for example, the gradually falling of hydrocarbon reserves after 2020–2030, relocation, emerging of new domains of application (nano-micro technologies) which necessitate new solutions and knowledges … All these tendencies and demands accelerate the need of tool for design and innovation (technically, technologically). In this context, this paper presents a tool to accelerate innovative preliminary design. This model is based on the synergy between: TRIZ (Russian acronym for Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) and Case Based Reasoning (CBR). The proposed model offers a structure to solve problem, and also to store and make available past experiences in problems solving. A tool dedicated to chemical engineering problems, is created on this model and a simple example is treated to explain the possibilities of this tool.

High-resolution, back-side illuminated monolithic active pixel sensor for low-energy electron imaging

A new domain of application of monolithic active pixel sensors, with respect to particle tracking, has been triggered by the innovative idea of a nondestructive beam monitoring system in the extraction lines of a hadron-therapy center. The beam monitoring exploits secondary electrons emitted from a submicrometer thick Al foil, intersecting the beam. Electrons are accelerated in an electrostatic field. The detection of low-energy electrons, up to 30 keV, is required. The sensitivity to these energies is obtained by thinning the detector, originally fabricated in a standard VLSI technology, down to the thickness of the radiation sensitive layer. A thin entrance window, in the order of 100 nm, is provided. Monolithic active pixel sensors for low-energy electron imaging can be prospectively used in several domains: in bioscience for cell process study using radiotracers, e.g., /sup 3/H(18 keV/spl beta//sup -/) or fluorescence imaging exploiting the Hybrid Photodiodes principle, in safety or environmental studies for neutron imaging with converters directly deposited or in micro-beam facilities for position resolving in studies of living cell irradiations. The low-energy electron imaging capabilities for installation inside an HPD test facility and the results obtained with a /sup 3/H marked source are shown. The detector used is the 1/spl times/10/sup 6/ pixel MIMOSA V chip. The back-thinning up to the epitaxial layer was applied, resulting in a high resolution, back-side illuminated imager.

Liquid-Glass Transition of a Fluid Confined in a Disordered Porous Matrix: A Mode-Coupling Theory

We derive an extension of the mode-coupling theory for the liquid-glass transition to a class of models of confined fluids, where the fluid particles evolve in a disordered array of interaction sites. We find that the corresponding equations are similar to those describing the bulk, implying that the methods of investigation which were developed there are directly transferable to this new domain of application. We then compute the dynamical phase diagram of a simple model system and show that new and nontrivial transition scenarios, including reentrant glass transitions and higher-order singularities, can be predicted from the proposed theory.

Supplementarity and Surplus: Moving between the Dimensions of Otherness

I start by attempting to clarify the ways in which Coelho and Figueiredo (2003) use the logic of supplementarity to conceptualize the discourses on intersubjectivity in terms of four dimensions of otherness. A new domain of application is proposed and the limits of the approach are pointed to. In the second section I critically examine the extent to which these four dimensions, and the movements of supplementarity between them, adequately capture the theories of intersubjectivity. The use of these dimensions seems, on the one hand, to obfuscate several interesting contradictions between the theoretical approaches within the dimensions, and, on the other hand, to artificially partition the theoretical traditions between the four dimensions. In the final section, Mead's account of intersubjectivity, and the constitution of subjectivity, is presented, and developed, as operating in the spaces between the proposed dimensions of otherness.

WiFi: what's next?

WiFi, also known as 802.11b, has become the preferred technology for wireless local area networking in both business and home environments. Even though it was designed primarily for private applications, WiFi is also being deployed in public places to create so-called hotspots, where WiFi-capable users can obtain broadband Internet access. This new domain of application could be the major future market opportunity for WiFi, but in order to take advantage of it, several key challenges, both technical and business-related, must be overcome. We outline these challenges and discuss approaches to solutions.

The Emergence of Emerging Technologies

What is discontinuous about the moment of radical technological change? Discontinuity typically does not lie in a radical advancement in technology itself; rather, it stems from a shift of an existing technical lineage to a new domain of application. Seeming revolutions such as wireless communication and the Internet did not stem from an isolated technical breakthrough; rather, their spectacular commercial impact was achieved when an existing technology was re-applied in a new application domain. The biological notion of speciation events, which form the basis for the theory of punctuated equilibrium, can reconcile the process of incremental technical change with the radical change associated with the shift of an existing technology to a new application domain. This concept can assist managers to cope with, and potentially exploit, such change processes.

Imaging soft samples in liquid with tuning fork based shear force microscopy

We present a study of the dynamic behavior of tuning forks and the application of tuning fork based shear force microscopy on soft samples in liquid. A shift in resonance frequency and a recovery of the tip vibration amplitude have been observed upon immersion into liquid. Conservation of the vibration mode is confirmed by both direct stroboscopic observation and by detection of the tip vibration amplitude of the tuning fork. Thanks to the partial recovery of the Q factor upon complete immersion into liquid, it is possible to obtain high-resolution images on soft samples in liquid. This opens a new domain of applications for tuning fork based near-field scanning optical microscopes.

The Slow Pace of Rapid Technological Change: Gradualism and Punctuation in Technological Change

Discussions of technological change have offered sharply contrasting perspectives of technological change as gradual or incremental and the image of technological change as being rapid, even discontinuous. These alternative perspectives are bridged using the punctuated equilibrium framework of evolutionary biology. Using this framework, it is argued that the critical event is not a transformation of the technology, but speciation—the application of existing technology to a new domain of application. As a result of the distinct selection criteria and the degree of resource abundance in the new domain, a new technological form may emerge. The new technological form may be able to penetrate other niches and, in particular, may precipitate a process of 'creative destruction' and out-compete prior technologies. This framework is applied to an historical study of wireless communication from the early experimental efforts of Hertz to the modern development of wireless telephony.