Implementation Options Research Articles

CONTEMPORARY ASPECTS OF AUTOMATED VISUAL OBJECTS CREATION IN GAMIFICATION TASKS

This paper investigates the utilization of gamification in the creation and use of virtual objects, analyzing methodical aspects of automated visual object generation. Various analogues of automatic virtual object creation are examined, assessing their effectiveness in gamification tasks. The strengths and weaknesses of automated techniques for building virtual objects are discussed, and user feedback on “gamification principles” is collected to evaluate user satisfaction. Based on the findings, the paper concludes on the efficiency of gamification as pedagogical means and proposes implementation options for visual object design and user feedback. The developed methodology is valuable for designers and developers seeking to create engaging gaming approaches in IT. The article identifies the need for improvement in data generation and processing methods used in gamification tasks. It presents a literature review on the topic, focusing on the selection, processing, and comparison of statistical data. The available generation methods and methodical aspects of automated visual object creation in gamification tasks are explored. Analogues of automated virtual object creation are presented, evaluating their characteristic features, strengths, and weaknesses. The paper outlines the main challenges in implementing more effective approaches to visual object creation. It discusses the planning, implementation, control, optimization, and enhancement of existing approaches using artificial intelligence methods. The necessity of developing new methods for automated visual object construction in gamification tasks is established in this article. Furthermore, future research directions are proposed, including the simultaneous application of gamification and virtual reality technology to enhance user engagement, and learning outcomes. The paper concludes with the comparative analysis, research plans, and the potential outcomes of this study in terms of scientific novelty in the field of automated visual objects creation in gamification tasks.

Technical Review of Radio Frequency Identification and Internet of Things Technologies in Business Operations and Automated Indoor Location

The technological diversity applied in practical examples entails the identification and the analysis of different implementation options, thus opening the way to a world of technology. The goal of this paper is to spot novel prospects for incorporating sensors and Big Data techniques for better property administration strategies, through an indoor localization and navigation architecture. The hereby analysis uses an approach that combines Radio Frequency Identification technology, performance efficient algorithms for calculating routes in very large datasets, methodologies for optimizing spatial representations and Internet of Things specific hardware distribution techniques to properly address challenging logistics issues and complex facilities management. The proposed solution is tailored for a large underground parking area in a commercial center, enabling easy car location identification, automatic parking time calculation and dynamically determined occupancy levels, along with descriptive statistics about busy time intervals or visiting patterns.

A Review of Planned, Ongoing Clinical Studies and Recent Development of BNCT in Mainland of China.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising cancer treatment modality that combines targeted boron agents and neutron irradiation to selectively destroy tumor cells. In mainland China, the clinical implementation of BNCT has made certain progress, primarily driven by the development of compact neutron source devices. The availability, ease of operation, and cost-effectiveness offered by these compact neutron sources make BNCT more accessible to cancer treatment centers. Two compact neutron sources, one being miniature reactor-based (IHNI-1) and the other one being accelerator-based (NeuPex), have entered the clinical research phase and are planned for medical device registration. Moreover, several accelerator-based neutron source devices employing different technical routes are currently under construction, further expanding the options for BNCT implementation. In addition, the development of compact neutron sources serves as an experimental platform for advancing the development of new boron agents. Several research teams are actively involved in the development of boron agents. Various types of third-generation boron agents have been tested and studied in vitro and in vivo. Compared to other radiotherapy therapies, BNCT in mainland China still faces specific challenges due to its limited clinical trial data and its technical support in a wide range of professional fields. To facilitate the widespread adoption of BNCT, it is crucial to establish relevant technical standards for neutron devices, boron agents, and treatment protocols.

Development, Acceptability, and Usability of a Virtual Intervention for Vertebral Fractures.

This project aimed to develop a virtual intervention for vertebral fractures (VIVA) to implement the international recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and to test its acceptability and usability. VIVA was developed in accordance with integrated knowledge translation principles and was informed by the Behavioral Change Wheel, the Theoretical Domains Framework, and the affordability, practicability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, acceptability, side effects/safety, and equity (APEASE) criteria. The development of the prototype of VIVA involved 3 steps: understanding target behaviors, identifying intervention options, and identifying content and implementation options. The VIVA prototype was delivered to 9 participants to assess its acceptability and usability. VIVA includes 7 1-on-1 virtual sessions delivered by a physical therapist over 5weeks. Each session lasts 45minutes and is divided in 3 parts: education, training, and behavioral support/goal setting. Four main themes emerged from the acceptability evaluation: perceived improvements in pain, increased self-confidence, satisfaction with 1-on-1 sessions and resources, and ease of use. All of the participants believed that VIVA was very useful and were very satisfied with the 1-on-1 sessions. Four participants found the information received very easy to practice, 4 found it easy to practice, and 1 found it somewhat difficult to practice. Five participants were satisfied with the supporting resources, and 4 were very satisfied. Potential for statistically significant improvements was observed in participants' ability to make concrete plans about when, how, where, and how often to exercise. VIVA was acceptable and usable to the participants, who perceived improvements in pain and self-confidence. The virtual implementation of the recommendations for the nonpharmacological management of vertebral fractures showed high acceptability and usability. Future trials will implement the recommendations on a larger scale to evaluate their effectiveness.

Ray phase verification at the Cassegrain antenna aperture

Large sections in textbooks and monographs on antenna technology, as well as publications in numerous periodicals are devoted to Cassegrain two-mirror antennas. In them it is possible to find various ratios for calculating the dimensions of the structural elements of the antenna system, which, at the same time, need preliminary verification of their accuracy by checking of the ray phase at the exit of the paraboloid aperture. In addition, it is necessary to develop a procedure for assessing the sensitivity of the system to the phase mismatch of the output rays at the antenna aperture caused by the deviation of the actual dimensions of the structural elements from the calculated ones. The purpose of the article is to develop a methodology for estimating the in-phase output rays at the aperture of the Cassegrain antenna parabolic mirror at the calculated values of the design parameters, as well as when they deviate from the nominal values. A simple method of computer-aided configuration construction of the ray structure in a two-mirror Cassegrain antenna has been developed. The influence of the deviation of the emitter position from a given starting point, as well as the shift of the focus of the counter-reflector from the focus of the parabola on the phasing of the rays has been investigated. The presented methodology makes it possible to verify the applicability of the calculated ratios borrowed from the literature. The presented method of estimating the common phase of the rays at the aperture of the Cassegrain antenna may be useful for the rapid verification of the ratios used in the design of its geometric structure. Also it can be used to estimate the permissible deviations of the geometric dimensions of the elements from the nominal values. Finally, the visibility of the focus graphic illustration facilitates the rejection of obviously unacceptable antenna implementation options.

Allergenic tree pollen in Johannesburg and Cape Town as a public health risk: towards a sustainable implementation framework for South African cities

South Africa’s urban population is increasing, and in parallel, urban green infrastructure has shown an increase in alien tree species, e.g., mulberry (Morus sp.), oak (Quercus spp.) and plane trees (Platanus spp.) to name a few. This causes ecological problems since alien trees are often more water-demanding and competitive than indigenous trees, but they also increase the abundance of respiratory diseases often triggered by an allergic reaction towards the pollen of those alien taxa. In the current study, utilizing 7-day volumetric spore traps, we illustrate that the most abundant tree pollen in the two largest cities of South Africa, Cape Town and Johannesburg, is produced by alien trees with a high risk of allergenicity. This adds another aspect related to public health when evaluating plant species composition in urban forestry and urban ecology, which underlines the urgency of more intense monitoring. More importantly, this—for South Africa—newly emphasized risk for public health underlines the applicability of current directives [i.e., Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs), localized Precinct Plans, Land Use Schemes (LUSs)] and implementation options in urban planning. Here, we present ideas that may be implemented in such a framework. From both a public health and an ecological perspective, it is recommended to plant indigenous trees like Combretum erythrophyllum, Vachellia and Senegalia spp. that have fewer ecosystem disservices, like a lower impact on public health due to lower allergenicity/lower pollen occurrence and providing more ecosystem services such as lower water needs.

A Case Study on PV-Aided Net Zero-Energy Building: the Daycare in IKCU

At the core of our growing societies, energy supply stands as one of the major concerns today, and it will be an inevitable challenge for our near future. As the nations are looking to find solutions for the transition from fossil fuels – depleting at a high rate – to alternative energy sources, solar energy through PV cells is getting attention as an affordable and easily implemented option especially for power supply in commercial and residential buildings. This work consists in analyzing the possibility to cover the entire energy needs of a building via PV solar cells for the case of a constructed daycare. In this case study, HVAC energy requirement has been calculated by the TS825 standard. The standard specifies a method for calculating the net heating/ventilation energy need and provides the rules for calculating the maximum allowable temperature in buildings. First, dimensions of the investigated building are taken and characteristics affecting the thermal insulation are assessed. Then, other energy needs, mainly lighting and electrical devices, are computed in the analysis as internal electricity needs. The scope of this work extends to the assessment of indoor air quality for occupants of building, which is an important aspect in our case study where the occupants are children. ASHRAE standards 62.1 is utilized for this purpose. The standard specifies minimum ventilation rates and other measures intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality to human occupants and that minimizes adverse health effects. The results are obtained for monthly varying solar exposition in the specified area where the building is located to provide supply for the determined energy demand via solar energy. Finally, monocrystalline PV panel system has been proposed with proper orientation and adequate power potential. Based on the obtained results, as well as the economical aspect, inferences and suggestions are made for improvements.

UNIVERSITIES – A NEW WAY FOR DEVELOPMENT

This research analyses the role of universities as a driving force of development, as part of a developing high-tech society that sets different standards and focus areas. The reversed top-down direction with the set requirements and criteria for growth gave university education and science a high formalism, which is expressed in self-sufficient academic growth, not particularly effective project funding and untapped potential for society.
 European and national policies in the field of education and science are being analyzed, which are expected to generate ideas and new models for development, form new focus areas and positions that will not reflect everyday life in the system, but will look years ahead. Reforming universities has long been on the agenda mainly, but not only, due to changes in the social environment, in the economy, in technologies, in risks and pandemics. Universities are the ones that “produce” human resources for the leadership of the state, for the management and maintenance of each system.
 This work attempts to discuss knowledge sharing as part of the Open Science movement. It attempts to briefly analyse its historical development and the options for modern implementation of the open science idea. It discusses the process of knowledge sharing as an element of recognition of scientific works and part of social development. It seeks a solution to the established national and other restrictions for sharing of knowledge, as well as its importance in the situation of limited sharing. The article also discusses the process of changes in the higher education system in Bulgaria related to the consolidation of Bulgarian universities

Transforming a university campus into a sustainable energy district: Multi-criteria mapping of implementation options

Graz University of Technology’s largest campus shall be turned into a low-carbon energy district. We explore ways of transformation by using a deliberative multi-criteria approach, in order to “open up” stakeholder perspectives. The results shed light on discrepancies among the participants: While they share doubt about carbon capture, utilization and storage, the experts differ widely in their assessments of other options. We conclude by outlining a strategy harmonizing divergent assumptions and expectations.Low-carbon energy districts are considered to play important roles for achieving the ambitious climate targets set by the Paris Agreement. While such districts are expected to integrate all dimensions of sustainability, assessing their sustainability performance remains challenging. Against this background, we take multi-criteria mapping (MCM), a deliberative and stakeholder-driven multi-criteria decision-making approach, to evaluate Graz University of Technology’s current efforts to turn its largest campus into a low-carbon energy district. Based on scoping interviews, a focus group, and eleven mapping sessions with key stakeholders, nine core options were identified and assessed. By analyzing quantitative assessments and the specific criteria and argumentation patterns that underlie these assessments, our study “opens up” different perspectives on potential implementation options and highlights the complex and contradictory nature of sustainable (energy) transformations at the district level. The study concludes with the suggestion of using future workshops to align diverging perspectives and expectations.

Designing a behaviour change intervention to address the behavioural risk factors for stillbirth: A study protocol

Introduction Stillbirth is a devastating outcome that, in some cases, has the potential to be prevented by addressing some of its modifiable risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, high maternal weight, lack of attendance to antenatal care, and sleep position. The aim of this study will be to design a behaviour change intervention focusing on the behavioural risk factors for stillbirth and based on the COM-B model and the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) systematic framework. Methods The first stage of the BCW framework involves understanding the target behaviour and defining the problem in behavioural terms. The second stage involves identifying intervention options, including intervention functions and policy categories. Finally, the third stage involves identifying content and implementation options, including behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and the mode of delivery. We will use multiple studies already conducted in our research team to inform the different stages of the BCW framework, these include a series of systematic reviews of the literature, qualitative interviews with pregnant women, and a survey study with healthcare professionals. Further, we will utilise a stakeholder group to obtain input through the process of the design of the intervention. Discussion This protocol provides a systematic and evidence-based approach to intervention design. The systematic review of the literature, qualitative interviews, and expert consensus workshops will ensure that the intervention design is based on the needs and preferences of pregnant women, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders involved in stillbirth prevention. The proposed intervention could be adapted and implemented in other settings to prevent stillbirth in high-risk populations.

Supporting meaningful research partnerships: an interview study applying behavior change theory to develop relevant recommendations for researchers.

Research partnerships, while promising for ensuring translation of relevant and useable findings, are challenging and need support. This study aimed to apply behavior change theory to understand and support researchers' adoption of a research partnership approach and the Integrated Knowledge Translation (IKT) Guiding Principles for conducting and disseminating spinal cord injury (SCI) research in partnership. Using an IKT approach, SCI researchers across Canada and the USA completed a survey (n = 22) and were interviewed (n = 13) to discuss barriers and facilitators to deciding to partner and follow the IKT Guiding Principles. The Behaviour Change Wheel, Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), and Mode of Delivery Ontology were used to develop the survey, interview questions, and guided analyses of interview data. COM-B and TDF factors were examined using descriptive statistics and abductive analyses of barriers and facilitators of decisions to partner and/or use the IKT Guiding Principles. TDF domains from the interview transcripts were then used to identify intervention, content, and implementation options. 142 factors (79 barriers, 63 facilitators) related to deciding to partner, and 292 factors (187 barriers, 105 facilitators) related to deciding to follow the IKT Guiding Principles were identified. Barriers to partnering or use the IKT Guiding Principles were primarily related to capability and opportunity and relevant intervention options were recommended. Interventions must support researchers in understanding how to partner and use the IKT Guiding Principles while navigating a research system, which is not always supportive of the necessary time and costs required for meaningful research partnerships.

Evaluation and Forecasting Analysis of the Association of Conditional Cash Transfer With Child Mortality in Latin America, 2000-2030

Latin America has implemented the world's largest and most consolidated conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs during the last 2 decades. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty rates have markedly increased, and a large number of newly low-income individuals, especially children, have been left unprotected. To evaluate the association of CCT programs with child health in Latin American countries during the last 2 decades and forecast child mortality trends up to 2030 according to CCT alternative implementation options. This cohort study used a multicountry, longitudinal, ecological design with multivariable negative binomial regression models, which were adjusted for all relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and health care variables, integrating the retrospective impact evaluations from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019, with dynamic microsimulation models to forecast potential child mortality scenarios up to 2030. The study cohort included 4882 municipalities from Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico with adequate quality of civil registration and vital statistics according to a validated multidimensional criterion. Data analysis was performed from September 2022 to February 2023. Conditional cash transfer coverage of the target (lowest-income) population categorized into 4 levels: low (0%-29.9%), intermediate (30.0%-69.9%), high (70.0%-99.9%), and consolidated (≥100%). The main outcomes were mortality rates for those younger than 5 years and hospitalization rates (per 1000 live births), overall and by poverty-related causes (diarrheal, malnutrition, tuberculosis, malaria, lower respiratory tract infections, and HIV/AIDS), and the mortality rates for those younger than 5 years by age groups, namely, neonatal (0-28 days), postneonatal (28 days to 1 year), infant (<1 year), and toddler (1-4 years). The retrospective analysis included 4882 municipalities. During the study period of January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019, mortality in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico decreased by 7.8% in children and 6.5% in infants, and an increase in coverage of CCT programs of 76.8% was observed in these Latin American countries. Conditional cash transfer programs were associated with significant reductions of mortality rates in those younger than 5 years (rate ratio [RR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.75-0.76), having prevented 738 919 (95% CI, 695 641-782 104) child deaths during this period. The association of highest coverage of CCT programs was stronger with poverty-related diseases, such as malnutrition (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.31-0.35), diarrhea (RR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.40-0.43), lower respiratory tract infections (RR, 0.66, 95% CI, 0.65-0.68), malaria (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93), tuberculosis (RR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.48-0.79), and HIV/AIDS (RR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.28-0.37). Several sensitivity and triangulation analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. Considering a scenario of moderate economic crisis, a mitigation strategy that will increase the coverage of CCTs to protect those newly in poverty could reduce the mortality rate for those younger than 5 years by up to 17% (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.80-0.85) and prevent 153 601 (95% CI, 127 441-180 600) child deaths by 2030 in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico. The results of this cohort study suggest that the expansion of CCT programs could strongly reduce childhood hospitalization and mortality in Latin America and should be considered an effective strategy to mitigate the health impact of the current global economic crisis in low- and middle-income countries.

Distillation with separate condensation of components as a new way to prepare especially pure GexTe100−x glasses with precisely desired composition

The study is aimed to develop a method for preparing especially pure GexTe100−x glasses that provides low oxygen impurity content and, at the same time, high accuracy of a given, desired composition. It is shown that the conventional distillation of the Ge20Te80 melt can lead to a deviation in the glass composition from 0.5 to 2.1 at.% depending on the number of stages due to the thermal decomposition of GeTe. Such deviations in the composition have a significant effect on the crystallization of glasses upon heating and the values of the characteristic temperatures. A method for purification of GexTe100−x charge that makes it possible to minimize the deviation of the glass composition from the desired value is developed. The method is based on creating a constant tellurium vapor excess over germanium(II) telluride that suppresses its thermal decomposition. This is achieved by separate condensation of tellurium and GeTe and their subsequent successive evaporation. Two options for practical implementation of the method with the same efficiency, differing in the initial stage of the charge synthesis, are proposed. Using the developed method, Ge20Te80 glass samples with an oxygen impurity content of <10 ppb(wt) and a composition deviation of ≤0.2 at.% are prepared.

Evaluating the integration of Esper complex event processing engine and message brokers.

The great advance and affordability of technologies, communications and sensor technology has led to the generation of large amounts of data in the field of the Internet of Things and smart environments, as well as a great demand for smart applications and services adapted to the specific needs of each individual. This has entailed the need for systems capable of receiving, routing and processing large amounts of data to detect situations of interest with low latency, but despite the many existing works in recent years, studying highly scalable and low latency data processing systems is still necessary. In this area, the efficiency of complex event processing (CEP) technology is of particular significance and has been used in a variety of application scenarios. However, in most of these scenarios there is no performance evaluation to show how the system performs under various loads and therefore the developer is challenged to develop such CEP-based systems in new scenarios without knowing how the system will be able to handle different input data rates and address scalability and fault tolerance. This article aims to fill this gap by providing an evaluation of the various versions of one of the most reputable CEP engines-Esper CEP, as well as its integration with two renowned messaging brokers for data ingestion-RabbitMQ and Apache Kafka. For this purpose, we defined a benchmark with a series of event patterns with some of the most representative operators of the Esper CEP engine and we performed a series of tests with an increasing rate of input data to the system. We did this for three alternative software architectures: integrating open-source Esper and RabbitMQ, integrating one instance of Esper enterprise edition with Apache Kafka, and integrating two distributed instances of Esper enterprise edition with Apache Kafka. We measured the usage of CPU, RAM memory, latency and throughput time, looking for the data input rate with which the system overloads for each event pattern and we compared the results of the three proposed architectures. The results have shown a very low CPU consumption for all implementation options and input data rates; a balanced memory usage, quite similar among the three architectures, up to an input rate of 10,000 or 15,000 events per second, depending on the architecture and event pattern, and a quite efficient response time up to 10,000 or 15,000 events per second, depending on the architecture and event pattern. Based on a more exhaustive analysis of results, we have concluded that the different options offered by Esper for CEP provide very efficient solutions for real-time data processing, although each with its limitations in terms of brokers to be used for data integration, scalability, and fault tolerance; a number of suggestions have been drawn out for the developer to take as a basis for choosing which CEP engine and which messaging broker to use for the implementation depending on the of the system in question.

Retraction: Al Said, N, Gorbachev, Y, Avdeenko, A. An unmanned aerial vehicles navigation system on the basis of pattern recognition applications—Review of implementation options and prospects for development. Software: Practice and Experience 2021; 51: 1509–1517. https://doi.org/10.1002/spe.2964

The above article, published online on July 2021 in Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spe.2964 has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor‐in‐Chief and John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd.The retraction has been agreed following concerns regarding manipulation of the peer review and publishing process. Concerns were originally raised by a third party (1). Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process. The retraction has been agreed because the peer review of the article was compromised. The authors disagree with this retraction. Abalkina, A. (2022). Publication and collaboration anomalies in academic papers originating from a paper mill: evidence from a Russia‐based paper mill https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.13322

A high magnetic field sensitivity PCF‐SPR sensor working in the near‐infrared wavelength band

AbstractA novel form of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) magnetic field sensor, utilizing surface plasmon resonance, has been developed and investigated. By depositing a layer of gold onto the interior surface of the left‐sided air hole and introducing magnetic fluid into the aperture to detect magnetic field changes, the plasma resonance effect was ingeniously combined with a dual‐core PCF to achieve magnetic field measurement. The displacement of the loss peak in the output spectrum was observed to gain insights into the magnetic field changes. By means of modulations in the thickness of the gold film, and the spacing and size of the air holes, the optimal parameters for the sensor were obtained. The optimized sensor exhibited a maximum magnetic field sensitivity of up to 6.23 nm/Oe, and the magnetic field detection resolution was approximately 10 μT, enabling precise detection of weak magnetic fields. This fiber sensor boasts a simple structure, ease of production, high sensitivity, and robust environmental adaptability, making it an attractive option for implementation.

Education for sustainable development - analysis and findings

Abstract Education is defined as a major tool for raising awareness of the principles and functions of sustainable development. The problem of sustainable development, environmental and health education is subject to standards defining both content parameters in subject areas, overlapping integral fields, and options for implementation in pedagogical practice. The article presents an analysis of the problem of climate and energy efficiency, which is present only implicitly within the State educational standard for general education and curricula within the framework of the key competence common to all subjects - skills to support sustainable development and healthy lifestyle and sport.

Role of OT in Aging-in-Place Initiatives

Abstract Date Presented 04/22/2023 This presentation will present evidence for OT-led falls prevention programs to support community-dwelling older adults aging in place. Established programs, multifactorial approaches, and funding options for implementation will be discussed. The authors’ intended context for application is a rural nonprofit Village-to-Village model community. Primary Author and Speaker: Colleen O'Hagan Additional Authors and Speakers: Seira Plouviez, Lauren Chan, Danielle Beck Contributing Authors: Amy Kashiwa, George Tomlin

Sensitivity Analysis and System Attribute Importance for Conceptual Aircraft Design with the Advanced Morphological Approach

The search for a rational design subspace of aircraft configurations can be addressed by using the advanced morphological approach (AMA). It allows the decomposition of design problems into functional and/or characteristic attributes and their technological implementation options. These are systemized in a morphological matrix (MM). Based on expert evaluations of each option, an exhaustive space is generated containing option combinations as possible solutions. Therefore, extensive MMs lead to immense solution spaces that are hard to analyze. However, removing attributes without justification might leave potential rational solutions out of scope. In this context, a sensitivity analysis technique is suggested based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests for use with the AMA. It can be applied to assess the sensitivity of solution scores against the attribute options and their importance. As a result, optimization of the MM and solution space can be achieved and improvement proposals can be drawn for future problem statements with the AMA. This is demonstrated on the data from a previously conducted AMA workshop on the conceptual design of a search and rescue aircraft.

Vacancy-induced spontaneous H2 evolution by overall water splitting on MoTe2/Ti2CO2: A two-dimensional direct Z scheme heterostructure

Photocatalysts with direct Z-scheme heterostructures hold great potential for hydrogen production by solar-driven overall water splitting. However, building highly efficient direct Z-scheme heterostructures is still a challenge. This work develops a novel MoTe2/Ti2CO2 heterostructure as a potential direct Z-scheme photocatalyst for overall water splitting. First-principles computations utilizing density functional theory (DFT) have been used in this study to carefully study several aspects of the heterostructure, including vdW binding energy, formation of the internal electric field, electronic structure, optical properties, and thermodynamic feasibility of water splitting. According to these calculations, the superior interlayer interaction in MoTe2/Ti2CO2 results in a substantial built-in electric field suitable for carrier separation. These findings indicate that the suggested vdW heterostructure is a direct Z-scheme water-splitting photocatalyst with suitable band alignments and a broad light absorption range. This enhanced interaction resulted in a significant increase of photocurrent compared to both the monolayers. Additionally, it is envisaged that the heterojunction will serve as photocatalyst for the oxygen evolution process (OER) and the hydrogen evolution process (HER). The results demonstrate that MoTe2/Ti2CO2 heterostructure with Te vacancy has a low Gibbs free energy of the HER, favoring spontaneous hydrogen evolution in both acidic and neutral conditions. The suggested heterostructure exhibits a commendable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 15.25%, making it a viable option for commercial implementation. This research offers a theoretical foundation for designing novel, two-dimensional overall water-splitting photocatalysts in an effort to produce clean energy.