Reduced Power Requirements Research Articles

Exoskeletons vs. exosuits: A comparative analysis using biological-based computer simulation

Background:Interest in the design of gait assistance devices has experienced significant growth in recent years. Among various uses of assistive devices, those aimed at supporting the elderly have gained importance due to the rising population of this age group. Methods:This study aims to compare the efficacy of two types of assistive devices through musculoskeletal simulations. One case is an ideal device, simulating the motor actuation as it would be in a rigid exoskeleton, and, cable-assisted devices, simulating the assistance of an exosuit. The simulations were based on data obtained from 9 subjects. OpenSim, an open-source software, was employed to conduct the simulations. Results:Our findings indicate that the cable-assisted device outperforms the traditional exoskeleton by achieving a more significant reduction in the metabolic cost with relatively lower assistance power. Conclusion:Cable-assisted gait assistance devices have shown comparable results to traditional exoskeletons, with the added advantage of improved performance through reduced power requirements.

Super resolution using sparse sampling at portable ultra-low field MR

Ultra-low field (ULF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) holds the potential to make MRI more accessible, given its cost-effectiveness, reduced power requirements, and portability. However, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) drops with field strength, necessitating imaging with lower resolution and longer scan times. This study introduces a novel Fourier-based Super Resolution (FouSR) approach, designed to enhance the resolution of ULF MRI images with minimal increase in total scan time. FouSR combines spatial frequencies from two orthogonal ULF images of anisotropic resolution to create an isotropic T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) image. We hypothesized that FouSR could effectively recover information from under-sampled slice directions, thereby improving the delineation of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions and other significant anatomical features. Importantly, the FouSR algorithm can be implemented on the scanner with changes to the k-space trajectory. Paired ULF (Hyperfine SWOOP, 0.064 tesla) and high field (Siemens, Skyra, 3 Tesla) FLAIR scans were collected on the same day from a phantom and a cohort of 10 participants with MS or suspected MS (6 female; mean ± SD age: 44.1 ± 4.1). ULF scans were acquired along both coronal and axial planes, featuring an in-plane resolution of 1.7 mm × 1.7 mm with a slice thickness of 5 mm. FouSR was evaluated against registered ULF coronal and axial scans, their average (ULF average) and a gold standard SR (ANTs SR). FouSR exhibited higher SNR (47.96 ± 12.6) compared to ULF coronal (36.7 ± 12.2) and higher lesion conspicuity (0.12 ± 0.06) compared to ULF axial (0.13 ± 0.07) but did not exhibit any significant differences contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) compared to other methods in patient scans. However, FouSR demonstrated superior image sharpness (0.025 ± 0.0040) compared to all other techniques (ULF coronal 0.021 ± 0.0037, q = 5.9, p-adj. = 0.011; ULF axial 0.018 ± 0.0026, q = 11.1, p-adj. = 0.0001; ULF average 0.019 ± 0.0034, q = 24.2, p-adj. < 0.0001) and higher lesion sharpness (−0.97 ± 0.31) when compared to the ULF average (−1.02 ± 0.37, t(543) = −10.174, p = <0.0001). Average blinded qualitative assessment by three experienced MS neurologists showed no significant difference in WML and sulci or gyri visualization between FouSR and other methods. FouSR can, in principle, be implemented on the scanner to produce clinically useful FLAIR images at higher resolution on the fly, providing a valuable tool for visualizing lesions and other anatomical structures in MS.

A 12-Bit 1.2-GS/s Current-Steering DAC in 45-NM CMOS Technology

This research paper presents a 12-bit 8–4-segmented current-steering DAC (digital-to-analog converter) that offers notable advantages, particularly in terms of its reduced power consumption compared to other similar designs. The exceptional performance of our DAC can be attributed to two key factors: the use of a thermometer encoder and an efficient digital input bit segmentation. These features contribute to enhanced precision and reduced power requirements, setting our DAC apart from the existing solutions in the field. These enhancements significantly reduce glitches and improve the accuracy of the DAC’s output. DAC dissipates a total power of about 44.95[Formula: see text]mW when running at a sample rate of 1.2[Formula: see text]GHz with the CMOS technology of 45[Formula: see text]nm. While the supply input voltage is held constant at 1.2[Formula: see text]V, the DAC’s digital input is pulsating in nature in which the ON voltage is 1[Formula: see text]V and OFF voltage is 0[Formula: see text]V. Also, the DAC has a spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 41.77[Formula: see text]dB.

Applications, limitations and advancements of ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging: A scoping review.

Ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging (ULF-MRI) has emerged as an alternative with several portable clinical applications. This review aims to comprehensively explore its applications, potential limitations, technological advancements, and expert recommendations. A review of the literature was conducted across medical databases to identify relevant studies. Articles on clinical usage of ULF-MRI were included, and data regarding applications, limitations, and advancements were extracted. A total of 25 articles were included for qualitative analysis. The review reveals ULF-MRI efficacy in intensive care settings and intraoperatively. Technological strides are evident through innovative reconstruction techniques and integration with machine learning approaches. Additional advantages include features such as portability, cost-effectiveness, reduced power requirements, and improved patient comfort. However, alongside these strengths, certain limitations of ULF-MRI were identified, including low signal-to-noise ratio, limited resolution and length of scanning sequences, as well as variety and absence of regulatory-approved contrast-enhanced imaging. Recommendations from experts emphasize optimizing imaging quality, including addressing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and resolution, decreasing the length of scan time, and expanding point-of-care magnetic resonance imaging availability. This review summarizes the potential of ULF-MRI. The technology's adaptability in intensive care unit settings and its diverse clinical and surgical applications, while accounting for SNR and resolution limitations, highlight its significance, especially in resource-limited settings. Technological advancements, alongside expert recommendations, pave the way for refining and expanding ULF-MRI's utility. However, adequate training is crucial for widespread utilization.

Investigation of the impact of probes and internals on power and flow in stirred tank reactors

This study characterises the power requirements and flow patterns in several commercial stirred tank bioreactors with working volumes ranging from 60 mL to 1 L, and investigates the isolated impact of internals, i.e. baffles and probes, on the power number, P0. Results show that the presence of probes leads to a rise of the turbulent power number, P0, equivalent to the presence of baffles, and as the number of internals increases the variation of P0 gets smaller until it plateaus for large probe quantity and high-volume blockage. Internals have a greater impact on flow with radial flow impellers, causing a significant increase in P0 in comparison to axial flow impellers. An experimental and computational flow dynamics study is also conducted to investigate the interaction between the probe wake and the impeller trailing vortices, and an estimate is provided of the form drag from the pressure distribution acting on the probe, with a good agreement to the corresponding power number increase. A comparison between P0 data obtained from conventional-cylindrical and novel-streamlined probe configurations shows that optimising probe geometry and location with respect to the incoming flow can be an effective approach for reducing power requirements, local values energy dissipation rate and stress levelsinside the tank. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of internal components and flow type on power input per unit volume, P/V, in small-scale bioreactors and supports the development of more robust scaling procedures for the biopharma industry.

A Drone-Based Multisensory Payload for Maritime Pollutants Detections

Surface floating marine pollution is responsible for a wide range of environmental hazards for marine fauna. Surface sea pollution monitoring is usually carried out by visual inspection from aircrafts or ships. However, human inspection is costly and results can vary from observer to observer. Remote sensing technology is a valid alternative to in situ measurements that can reduce costs and risks compared to in situ missions. In this context, aerial platforms provide a convenient tradeoff between coverage and resolution, both spatial and temporal, compared to ship or satellite based surveys. As well, small, unmanned aircrafts have the potential to be very inexpensive to operate, offer more flexibility of operation, and will benefit from active research on reducing size, weight, and power (SWAP) requirements of various sensors. However, the use of a multisensory system on board a commercial small drone is hard to implement considering that it is desirable to make a system reliable and robust. This article shows the main results of POSEIDON Project. Within this project, a commercial drone has been equipped with a radar system and a multispectral camera jointly observing a common area of interest. Flights have been performed in Spain in February 2021 and the main achievements are reported in this article.

Measured spectral, directional radiative behavior of corrugated surfaces

Spacecraft thermal control is entirely reliant upon radiative heat transfer with its surroundings for temperature regulation. Current methods are often static in nature and do not provide dynamic control of radiative heat transfer. As a result, modern spacecraft thermal control systems are typically ‘cold-biased’ with radiators that are larger than necessary for many operating conditions. Deploying a variable radiator as a thermal control technique in which the projected surface area can be adjusted to provide the appropriate heat loss for a given condition can reduce unnecessary heat rejection and reduce power requirements. However, the radiative behavior of the apparent surface representing the expanding/collapsing radiator changes in addition to the projected surface area size. This work experimentally quantifies the spectral, directional emissivity of an apparent surface comprised of a series of V-grooves (e.g. corrugated surface), as a function of angle and highlights its emission characteristics that trend toward black behavior. The experimental setup for quantifying this apparent radiative surface behavior is described and utilized to show the influence of surface geometry, direction and wavelength. Experiments on test samples were performed at 573 K. The experimental design is validated and demonstrated using fully oxidized, nearly diffuse, copper, corrugated test samples. The results presented in this work demonstrate, for the corrugated oxidized copper surfaces tested, that (1) higher emissivity values correspond to higher wavelengths in the spectral range of 2.5 to 15.4 µm (2) apparent emissivity values increase with decreasing V-groove angle resulting in less spectral variation in emissivity and greater blackbody like behavior, (3) azimuth dependence can be relatively small despite the obvious pattern associated with a corrugated surface, and (4) as the V-groove angle decreases, higher emissivity values are associated with θ→0∘ and ϕ→0∘. Results provide a foundation for future radiator design, improved spacecraft thermal control methods, and improved emissivity testing methods for patterned or angular surfaces.

Shock-Augmented Ignition Approach to Laser Inertial Fusion

Shock ignition enables high gain at low implosion velocity, reducing ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth, which can degrade conventional direct drive. With this method, driving a strong shock requires high laser power and intensity, resulting in inefficiencies in the drive and the generation of hot electrons that can preheat the fuel. A new "shock-augmented ignition" pulse shape is described that, by preconditioning the ablation plasma before launching a strong shock, enables the shock ignition of thermonuclear fuel, but importantly, with substantially reduced laser power and intensity requirements. The reduced intensity requirement with respect to shock ignition limits laser-plasma instabilities, such as stimulated Raman and Brillouin scatter, reducing the risk of hot-electron preheat and restoring the laser coupling advantages of conventional direct drive. Simulations indicate that, due to the reduced power requirements, high gain (∼100) ignition of large-scale direct drive implosions (outer radius ∼1750 μm, deuterium-tritium ice thickness ∼165 μm) may be possible within the power and energy limits of existing facilities such as the National Ignition Facility. Moreover, this concept extends to indirect drive implosions, which exhibit substantial yield increases at reduced implosion velocity. Shock-augmented ignition expands the viable design space of laser inertial fusion.

Novel UAS Propeller Design Part 1: Using an Unloaded Tip to Reduce Power Requirements and Lower Generated Sound Levels for Propellers Designed for Minimum Induced Drag

Abstract Today, over 500 eVTOL vehicles are being developed for everything from Urban Air Mobility to package delivery. In addition, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) are used in a variety of applications to include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) as well as resupply for the military. Most of these vehicles utilize electric propulsion systems with propellers. Efficient propellers with reduced noise generation are necessary for these vehicles to coexist in urban environments or be used for ISR missions. Traditional propeller design uses Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) to minimize induced losses. The current investigation describes a novel propeller design approach that minimizes induced drag by reducing the thrust loading near tip. This reduces the tip vortex strength lowering the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) and power required. A parametric study of 18 propellers examined performance using traditional BEMT design near the hub and progressing to zero thrust loading at the tip. A microphone on a traverse mounted behind the propeller was used to measure the peak SPL and its location in a wind tunnel. The best performing unloaded tip propeller showed 5.2% reduction in power required and 12 dB SPL reduction compared to a commercial propeller at the same test conditions. Keywords: UAS propeller, propeller design, airfoil

Reduction in power requirement and flow enhancement by reducing the inertia masses of reciprocating air compressor

Weight of reciprocating components in the design of a reciprocating compressor plays an important role. The reciprocating masses such as piston, piston rod, connecting rod, crosshead, etc in a reciprocating compressor results in inertia load on the compressor. The inertia load along with other loads like gas load and total load consumes the power from the electric motor to drive the compressor. To increase the flow, the rpm of the compressor must be increased. But as the rpm increases the inertia load also increases. Excess inertia load leads to failure of the piston rod and ultimately this leads to failure of the reciprocating compressor. Thus inertia load has its significance in the designing of reciprocating compressors. The aim of the research is to reduce the weight of the piston in a system of reciprocating masses and to study its effect on the power consumption, flow enhancement from the compressor and to analyze the piston assembly for safe design. The compressor under study is Kirloskar Pneumatic reciprocating air compressor. Weight reduction is achieved by changing the material of the piston from Al alloy to AZ91. Changing of the material resulted in a 20% reduction in power requirement during unloading condition. The flow of the compressor is increased by 9%. The piston assembly was modeled on Autodesk Inventor 2018 and analyzed in Ansys Workbench 19.0. Analysis of the piston made from Al alloy and AZ91 was done. The stresses induced in the piston were below the yield strength. Thus the piston was safe in design. Reduction in power requirement leads to reduction in operating cost of the compressor. More flow from the compressor gives it an added advantage for the compressors to be used for a broad range of applications with the same design.

Analysis of Self-propulsion Test for Propeller KP-505 with and without Pre-Swirl Stator

In recent times, environmental issues have become a major concern. The installation of Energy Saving Device (ESD) on ships is an alternative method developed to reduce energy use. One type of ESD that is widely used is the installation of a Pre-Swirl Stator (PSS). PSS consists of stator blades mounted in front of the propeller to regulate flow before entering the propeller. This paper describes the effect of PSS installation on the hull of a KP-505 propeller. The asymmetrical PSS design was developed with three blades on the port side and one on the starboard side. The analysis was carried out to obtain the Propulsive Coefficient (PC). The research was conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD)-based simulation. The simulation results show that the addition of PSS increases the ship’s resistance up to 4%. However, the PC has also increased significantly up to 10.3, so it can reduce power requirements by up to 5.6%.

Resonant Adaptive MEMS Mirror

A novel MEMS continuous deformable mirror (DM) is presented. The mirror can be integrated into optical systems to compensate for monochromatic and chromatic aberrations. It is comprised of a 1.6 mm circular plate supported by eight evenly spaced flexural springs. Unlike traditional bias actuated DMs, it uses resonant electrostatic actuation (REA) to realize low- and high-order Zernike modes with a single drive signal. Instead of the hundreds or thousands of electrodes deployed by traditional DMs, the proposed DM employs only 49 electrodes and eliminates the need for spatial control algorithms and associated hardware, thereby providing a compact low-cost alternative. It also exploits dynamic amplification to reduce power requirements and increase the stroke by driving the DM at resonance. The DM was fabricated using a commercial silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MEMS process. Experimental modal analysis was carried out using laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) to identify mode shapes of the DM and their natural frequencies. We are able to observe all of the lowest eight Zernike modes.

Applications of submerged and staged membrane systems for pollutant removal from effluents and mechanism studies - a review.

Membrane based filtration is one of the promising technologies for rehabilitation of wastewater streams for reuse and recycle. Many advancements have emerged with the use of novel materials and innovative integrated technologies. The present investigation focuses on the treatment methods based on submerged and stages systems of membranes for water purification. Ceramic, polymeric and mixed matrix type of membranes fabricated for specific type of effluents, their modification methods for accelerating the rejection efficiency, permeability, durability, stability and antifouling properties are detailed in this review. Graphene oxide is the most considered membrane material for adsorption purposes as it exhibits larger surface area, abundant functional groups contain oxygen and has good supply of ligands which is responsible in metal adsorption as it enhances electrostatic interaction by bonding metal ions with graphene oxide nanosheets. Energy derivation in terms of biogas production was also reported in some integrated methods. In many cases, embedded nanomaterial matrices yielded maximum efficiencies in both the submerged and staged operations. However, submerged type of membranes are reported more than the staged type due to simpler configuration with relatively lesser equipment, operational and maintenance issues. In treatment of a low strength wastewater, aluminum oxide based membrane in fluidized bed assembly was reported to yield promising results with reduced power requirement.

HFAC Dose Repetition and Accumulation Leads to Progressively Longer Block Carryover Effect in Rat Sciatic Nerve.

This paper describes high-frequency nerve block experiments carried out on rat sciatic nerves to measure the speed of recovery of A fibres from block carryover. Block carryover is the process by which nerve excitability remains suppressed temporarily after High Frequency Alternative (HFAC) block is turned off following its application. In this series of experiments 5 rat sciatic nerves were extracted and prepared for ex-vivo stimulation and recording in a specially designed perfusion chamber. For each nerve repeated HFAC block and concurrent stimulation trials were carried out to observe block carryover after signal shutoff. The nerve was allowed to recover fully between each trial. Time to recovery from block was measured by monitoring for when relative nerve activity returned to within 90% of baseline levels measured at the start of each trial. HFAC block carryover duration was found to be dependent on accumulated dose by statistical test for two different HFAC durations. The carryover property of HFAC block on A fibres could enable selective stimulation of autonomic nerve fibres such as C fibres for the duration of carryover. Block carryover is particularly relevant to potential chronic clinical applications of block as it reduces power requirements for stimulation to provide the blocking effect. This work characterizes this process toward the creation of a model describing its behavior.

Beam dynamics challenges in linear colliders based on laser-plasma accelerators

In this paper we discuss design considerations and beam dynamics challenges associated with laser-driven plasma-based accelerators as applied to multi-TeV-scale linear colliders. Plasma accelerators provide ultra-high gradients and ultra-short bunches, offering the potential for compact linacs and reduced power requirements. We show that stable, efficient acceleration with beam quality preservation is possible in the nonlinear bubble regime of laser-plasma accelerators using beam shaping. Ion motion, naturally occuring for dense beams (i.e., low emittance and high energy) severely damps transverse beam instabilities. Coulomb scattering by the background ions is considered and it is shown that the strong focusing in the plasma strongly suppresses scattering-induced emittance growth. Betatron radiation emission from the transverse motion of the beam in the plasma will result in beam power loss and energy spread growth; however for sub-100 nm emittances, the beam power loss and energy spread growth will be sub-percent for multi-TeV-class plasma linacs.

Promotion of Carbon Dioxide Biofixation through Metabolic and Enzyme Engineering

Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas, and its fixation and transformation are receiving increasing attention. Biofixation of CO2 is an eco–friendly and efficient way to reduce CO2, and six natural CO2 fixation pathways have been identified in microorganisms and plants. In this review, the six pathways along with the most recent identified variant pathway were firstly comparatively characterized. The key metabolic process and enzymes of the CO2 fixation pathways were also summarized. Next, the enzymes of Rubiscos, biotin-dependent carboxylases, CO dehydrogenase/acetyl-CoA synthase, and 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductases, for transforming inorganic carbon (CO2, CO, and bicarbonate) to organic chemicals, were specially analyzed. Then, the factors including enzyme properties, CO2 concentrating, energy, and reducing power requirements that affect the efficiency of CO2 fixation were discussed. Recent progress in improving CO2 fixation through enzyme and metabolic engineering was then summarized. The artificial CO2 fixation pathways with thermodynamical and/or energetical advantages or benefits and their applications in biosynthesis were included as well. The challenges and prospects of CO2 biofixation and conversion are discussed.

Optimal design of transcranial magnetic stimulation coil with iron core

Objective. Iron core coils offer a passive way to increase the induced electric field intensity during transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), but the influences of core position and dimensions on coil performance have not been elaborately discussed before. Approach. In this study, with the basic figure-of-eight (Fo8) and slinky coil structures, iron core coil optimization is performed with the finite element method considering core position and dimensions. A performance factor combining performance parameters, including the maximum induced electric field, stimulation depth, focus, and heat loss, is utilized to evaluate the comprehensive coil performance. Main results. According to the performance factor, both iron core coils obtain the best overall performance with a fill factor 0.4 and the two legs of the iron core close to the inner sides of the coil. Finally, three prototypes are constructed—the basic, optimized, and full-size slinky iron core coil—and magnetic field detection demonstrates a good agreement with the simulation results. Significance. The proposed systematic optimization approach for iron core coil based on Fo8 and slinky basic structure can be applied to improve TMS coil performance, reduce power requirements, and guide the design of other iron core TMS coils.

Discrete Cutaneous Feedback for Reducing Dimensions of Wearable Haptic Devices

In this article, we explore alternative cutaneous haptic feedback for rendering modulation of the grasping force. The aim of the study was to reduce power requirements and in turn dimensions of the actuators, in wearable devices applied to virtual or teleoperated manipulation. This is critical in certain rehabilitation or training scenarios where haptics should not interfere with dexterity of the user. In the study, we experimented discrete, pulsed cutaneous force feedback and compared it with conventional continuous proportional feedback, in a virtual pick and place task. We made use of wearable thimbles based on voice coil actuators in order to provide high-quality, low-noise haptic feedback to the participants. The evaluation was performed on the basis of both objective measurements of task performance (measured virtual forces and correct ratio) and a questionnaire evaluating participants’ preferences for the different feedback conditions. On the basis of the obtained results, in the article, we discuss the possibility of providing high-frequency, discretized cutaneous feedback only, driven by modulation of the grasping force. The opportunity is to reduce volume and mass of the actuators and also to consider alternative design solutions, due to the different requirements in terms of static and high-frequency components of the output force.

A Low-Power Digital Capacitive MEMS Microphone Based on a Triple-Sampling Delta-Sigma ADC With Embedded Gain

A triple-sampling ΔΣ ADC can replace the programmable gain amplifier commonly used in the readout circuit for a digital capacitive MEMS microphone. The input voltage can then be multiplied by subtracting a further half-period delayed differential input and using the feedback capacitor of the DAC as a sampling capacitor. This triple-sampling technique results in a readout circuit with sensitivity and noise performance comparable to recent designs, but with a reduced power requirement. A MEMS microphone incorporating this readout circuit, fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process, had an area of 0.98 mm², achieved an A-weighted SNR of 62.1 dBA at 94 dBSPL with 520 μA current consumption, to which triple-sampling was shown to contribute 4.5 dBA.

Performance of Structure Equipped AP‐TMD Compared with MTMD, ATMD, and PTMD against Earthquake Using Genetic Fuzzy Algorithm

During the past years, different control devices have been introduced and used to reduce the response of structures. This article presents the performance of active‐passive tuned mass dampers (AP‐TMDs) in the reduction of structural responses and a comparison between the uses of different controllers, including tuned mass damper (TMD), active tuned mass damper (ATMD), and multituned mass damper (MTMD). Analyzing and modeling the structure under four near‐ and far‐field earthquakes are performed in MATLAB and SIMULINK. Finally, the responses of controlled and uncontrolled structures equipped with these controllers are investigated. Fuzzy and genetic‐based fuzzy logic controllers are used to determine the control force of ATMD and AP‐TMD, respectively. In order to compare the performance of the dampers, the mass ratio of TMDs is fixed in all cases and is taken to be 5%. Damping of the structure is considered equal to 5%. The frequency and damping ratio of TMDs with maximum and RMS displacement optimization criteria are obtained. The mass ratio of TMDs in controlled structures with MTMD and AP‐TMD is calculated by numerical analysis. It can be inferred that using control force affects response reduction in both ATMD and AP‐TMD controllers significantly. In addition, using AP‐TMD can bring the merits of both passive and active systems by providing active control and reducing power requirements for control forces. All controllers are recommended for structural control although AP‐TMD reduced maximum and RMS displacement by about 50% in the best case, which has better performance than others. On the other hand, ATMD decreased RMS acceleration by 37.5% on average in four earthquakes compared to the uncontrolled structure.