Technology Providers Research Articles

Road Accident and Safety Issue in Bangladesh: A Critical Review

Road accidents are a major public health concern in Bangladesh, causing significant harm to individuals and society as a whole. Despite various initiatives taken by the government, the number of road accidents continues to increase, highlighting the need for a legal approach to address this issue. This study aims to analyze the current legal framework in Bangladesh with regards to road safety and identify potential areas for improvement. The study found that the current legal framework in Bangladesh contains several provisions aimed at promoting road safety, including the Bangladesh Road Transport Act, the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Act, and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Act. However, these laws lack effective enforcement mechanisms, and there is limited accountability for those who violate traffic rules. This has led to widespread flouting of traffic regulations and a high incidence of road accidents. The study recommends the introduction of stricter penalties for those who violate traffic rules, including fines and imprisonment. It also suggests the establishment of an independent road safety commission to monitor compliance with traffic rules and to ensure effective implementation of road safety measures. The commission should have the authority to investigate road accidents and to take appropriate actions against those found responsible persons. Additionally, the study recommends the introduction of mandatory training programs for all drivers and the provision of better infrastructure and technology to support road safety. This may include the installation of traffic lights and speed cameras, as well as the use of innovative technologies such as GPS-based monitoring systems. In conclusion, a legal approach is crucial in addressing the problem of road accidents in Bangladesh. By introducing stricter penalties, establishing an independent road safety commission, and investing in road safety infrastructure and technology, the government can help to reduce the number of road accidents and save lives. Further research is needed to understand the impact of these measures and to identify additional ways to promote road safety in Bangladesh.

Industry 4.0: An investigation of benefits and barriers with managers of Brazilian manufacturers adopters

This study aims to understand how Brazilian manufacturers’ managers perceive the benefits and barriers to adopting I4.0. The study collected data from 194 managers who implemented I4.0 solutions developed by technology suppliers supported by Finep Inovacred 4.0. Our results show that large and high-technology-intensity manufacturers considered managerial benefits more critical, while small-medium sized and medium-low technology-intensity manufacturers evaluate operational benefits as the most important. Data security and employee skills were evaluated as the main barriers by large and international manufacturers’ managers while high investments and government regulations were figured as the main barriers by small-medium sized and high-tech manufacturers’ managers.

State and development prospects of the agricultural tractor fleet in the context of digital transformation of agriculture

BACKGROUND: The digital transformation of various sectors of the national economy including agriculture is one of the main tasks of economic development. The implementation of digital technologies in production processes helps to improve the technical and economic indicators of production by ensuring the timely adoption of optimal management decisions, increasing labor productivity, and reducing the impact of the human factor on production. To ensure the digital transformation of agricultural production, first of all, it is necessary to assess the state of machinery and technology provision for agriculture, in particular, the tractor fleet, in terms of the level of equipment readiness for being equipped with digital systems and the availability of standard technical solutions for equipment adaptation to digital agriculture.
 AIMS: Determination the expected values of indicators of the level of technical and technological state of agricultural production by developing a forecast for the development of the agricultural tractor fleet and the level of provision with these types of equipment for the period up to 2030 taking into account current trends.
 METHODS: For the tractor fleet state assessment, the data taken from specialized databases on the tractor fleet and the area of arable land retired from active agricultural circulation, statistical materials of the Rosstat and Avtoselkhozmash-Holding organizations were used. Statistical extrapolation methods implemented in the Microsoft Excel environment were used to predict the development of the tractor fleet.
 RESULTS: The forecast for the tractor fleet development was made according to two scenarios: pessimistic and optimistic, taking into account the use of digital technologies.
 CONCLUSIONS: The development forecast made it possible to assess the state of the tractor fleet by 2030 according to various scenarios.

Electrolyzer and Fuel Cell Recycling for a Circular Hydrogen Economy

AbstractElectrolyzers and fuel cells will be crucial for achieving global clean hydrogen and industrial decarbonization goals. However, the nascent clean hydrogen sector faces uncertainties around material supply chains and technology end‐of‐life management. This work aims to guide the transition to a circular hydrogen economy by using process modeling, techno‐economic analysis, and life cycle assessment to evaluate the material cost, energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, toxicity, and water use of five potential recycling strategies for proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (PEMWE) and fuel cells (PEMFC). Hydrometallurgy, acid dissolution, and electrochemical dissolution are shown to offer 2–7 times improvement across all assessed metrics relative to the manufacturing of PEMWE and PEMFC from raw materials. Recycling can also lower the raw material demand, material cost, energy use, and GHG emissions associated with PEMWE and PEMFC deployment in the United States in 2050 by 23%, 19%, 21%, and 16%, respectively. This study provides key insights into the costs, benefits, and complexities of recycling strategies for PEMWE and PEMFC, aiding the development of a circular economy that is synergistic with clean hydrogen deployment.

New technologies and geographies in performing art: A study on environments and relationships in some recent shows in Europe

Digitization has had a significant impact on live performance, specifically influencing the environments of representation and giving rise to new trends in performative language. Certain performances from the last fifteen years that have circulated in Europe are taken into consideration, experienced by audiences with various technological provisions (audio headphones, video conferencing, and 3D goggles) and outside traditional theater spaces. In light of certain theories about learning dynamics, a geo-relational approach is pursued to understand what potential formal evolutions could occur in the realm of performance with reference to the use of technologies, and in which cases the complexity of multisensory experience in traditional in-person theater has yet to be fully achieved.

MitoHOPE: Embryological Aspects

Mitochondrial diseases are a group of rare genetic disorders that affect the function of mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells. These disorders result from mutations in either nuclear DNA or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), disrupting normal energy production process, with vital organs such as the brain, heart, muscles, and nervous system suffering from insufficient energy supply. Symptoms of mitochondrial disease are diverse however commonly include muscle weakness, fatigue, neurological issues, developmental delays, and organ dysfunction. Treatment options for mitochondrial disease are limited and primarily focus on managing symptoms and supporting affected organ systems. Currently, no cure exists, making early detection crucial to better manage the condition’s progression. Research efforts and advances in genetic technology offer hope for improved diagnostic methods and potential therapies in the future and for patients where the disease is caused by mutations in mtDNA, mitochondrial donation technology has also been developed in the hope of providing patients a means of having a family, with a reduced likelihood of passing on mtDNA disease to their offspring. Mitochondrial donation technology, also known as mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), is a ground-breaking medical technique designed to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases from mother to child. This cutting-edge procedure involves replacing defective mitochondria in a woman’s egg with healthy mitochondria/cytoplasm from an egg donor using primarily either miotic spindle transfer (MST) or pro-nuclear transfer (PNT). Recently in Australia a MRFF grant has been awarded to facilitate bringing MRT to patients in Australia who have mtDNA disease and offering it as part of a clinical trial (mitoHOPE). As part of this, considerations must be given to how this technology is applied in a clinical IVF lab setting, specifically the equipment used, the technology that is selected (MST vs PNT) and optomised, the training of the clinical embryologists and the management of the oocyte donor program, all of which are crucial to ensure optimal clinical trial and technology provision.

Environmental Impact Analysis of Residential Energy Solutions in Latvian Single-Family Houses: A Lifecycle Perspective

This study aims to compare the technological solutions that can contribute to more sustainable energy use in the residential sector. Specifically, the goal of the study is to evaluate the environmental impact of different energy (heat and electricity) supply technologies applicable for an average size single-family building in Latvia, a country known for climatic condition characterized by cold winters with frequent snowfall. The study applies the lifecycle assessment methodology of ISO 14040 and the impact assessment method known as ReCiPe 2016 v1.1, which has not been used before for the scope addressed in the study in the context of single-family building energy supply technologies for climatic conditions in Latvia. Thus, the results of the study will provide new information for more sustainable energy solutions in this area of study. The technologies included in the defined scenarios are conventional boiler, electricity from the grid, Stirling engine, and solar photovoltaics (PV). The results of the lifecycle impact assessment for damage categories revealed that all scenarios have a high impact on human health due to fine particulate matter formation followed by global warming. Regarding the damage to the ecosystem, the terrestrial ecotoxicity category has highest impact, followed by global warming. Sensitivity analyses affirmed the model’s validity and also showed that the impacts of conventional systems were most sensitive to changes in electricity consumption, and therefore, the scenarios with electricity supply from a Stirling engine or PV can be considered a more robust solution under changing electricity demands from an environmental perspective.

A wireless triboelectric sensing system with polygonal synchronous driven by bipolar electromagnetic generators for wide wind speed monitoring

The change of wind speed has an important impact on the ecological balance in the wind-eroded grassland. Using the wind speed monitoring technology can promote the sustainable management of grasslands, but commercial wind speed sensors pose certain challenges to energy consumption. Here, a self-powered wide wind speed sensor (SWSS) is proposed, consisting of polygonal cam synchronous driven triboelectric nanogenerator and stereoscopic electromagnetic nanogenerator. The circumferential array cam drive mechanism and the double-optimized silicone film realize the synergistic enhancement effect of force-electric coupling, which makes the synchronous sensing unit output wind speed signals with high sensitivity and up to 0.991 linearity. In addition, at 8 m/s wind speed, the transducer unit with the three-dimensional magnetic field enhanced layout and the energy capture unit with the semi-cylindrical blade designed for installation angle jointly achieved a power output of 69.35 mW, and the energy conversion efficiency reached 6.91 %. Owing to the intermittency of wind energy, the energy closed loop is realized through solar-assisted energy supply and energy management technology. In short, the design, optimization and integration of SWSS provide an innovative strategy for wide wind speed monitoring and sustainable management of wind-eroded grassland.

Comparing Power Supply Technologies for Public Transport Buses through the AHP and the Fuzzy DEMATEL Method

The selection of power supply technology for buses is a critical task given the increasing attention paid to environmental sustainability in the public transport sector. Indeed, the compliance of vehicle operational requirements with service characteristics is essential to provide users with an efficient offer. To this end, this study investigates the factors affecting such choices by performing two evaluation procedures, with the integration of different techniques and the engagement of an expert panel. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to identify the best power supply technology among a few solutions in both procedures, which differed in the number of analyzed criteria. A literature review suggested a wide set of criteria considered in the first assessment, which were then limited to the most influential criteria using the fuzzy DEcision-MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Notably, the latter enabled the reduction in the number of the criteria owing to the revealing of cause–effect relationships among them. The methodology was applied to a case study in the city of Trieste, Italy, comparing rankings obtained from the two appraisal procedures, which showed the predominance of internal combustion engine buses over hybrid and electric buses in terms of operational and financial aspects, despite their environmental impact.

Public perception and acceptance of CCUS: preliminary findings of a qualitative case study in Greece

The development and implementation of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies plays an increasingly important part in European Union (EU) and global decarbonisation policies and strategies that seek to address climate change to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. Several studies have shown the important role social acceptance plays in determining the outcomes of CCUS projects and how social acceptance is shaped by the national and local contexts. Yet most studies on CCUS and social acceptance have focused on countries in northern Europe and North America despite the increasing numbers of CCUS projects in other regions of the world. This study seeks to help address this gap by conducting a case study on how local dynamics shaped people's acceptance and awareness of CCUS in a Greek community. Based on semi-structured interviews with community members near a CCUS pilot plant, this single case study explores the factors and dynamics that shaped the interviewees' perceptions of CCUS technologies. Our findings indicate that, despite the low level of awareness of CCUS technologies, participants could draw on their situated knowledge to identify potential drawbacks with their application. We identified scepticism regarding the adoption of new technologies and the organisations involved based on past experiences, and a notable lack provision of technology and location-specific information as well public engagement by the project consortium. Our recommendations for future projects and community engagement include the early involvement of the public in project development, location-based transparent information, appropriate channels to facilitate knowledge exchange, and educational initiatives to build communities' capability to influence projects.

Optimal tracking control of the coal mining face fluid supply system via adaptive dynamic programming

Emulsion pump station is widely used to provide power for full-mechanized coal mining face equipment. With the development of the mining technique of longwall face and the extensive use of large mining height and high working resistance of the hydraulic support, the fluid supply pressure is more unstable and the pressure impact is increasingly intensified. The intelligent control of the emulsion pump station is the key to the development of the stable fluid supply technology at the working face. This paper develops a new on-line adaptive learning technique to improve the response speed of pumping station based on the optimal control algorithm of adaptive dynamic programming (ADP). The state space model of the working face fluid supply system in the process of no-load column lifting of hydraulic support is first established using the flow relationship, and the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm is then verified by simulation validation. Moreover, combined with a certain fluid supply system of a fully mechanized caving face in Shandong Energy Xinwen Group XinJulong Co., Ltd, a technical scheme of adaptive stable fluid supply is verified in engineering practice. The results indicate that the fluid supply system using the proposed control algorithm has a favorable tracking effect on the ideal trajectory, and the tracking error can converge to near zero. The output pressure of the fluid supply system using the stable fluid supply technology is more stable, and the practical effect is good, which meets the demand of stable fluid supply in the mining face.

Технології електрогенерації та теплопостачання для підвищення енергетичної незалежності окремих територіальних громад

Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system, which led to the blackout of entire cities and the termination of district heating, highlighted the risks and disadvantages of relying on large-scale district energy supply for communities. In this context, it is important to consider the development of the energy supply of communities in the direction of their energy independence. The purpose of the article is to form a list of electricity generation and heat supply technologies for increasing the energy independence of individual territorial communities, which are appropriate for implementation in Ukraine. The article considers the criteria for the analysis and selection of technologies for distributed power generation and heat supply. An analytical overview of the following power generation and heat supply technologies is presented: solar and wind power plants, gas piston and gas turbine plants, generators, batteries, co- and trigeneration plants, biofuel power plants and heat-generating boilers, heat pumps and electric boilers, and their grouping is performed according to the established criteria. All the considered technologies contribute to reducing the external supply of communities with energy resources and reducing losses during the transmission and distribution of electricity. Technologies that use renewable energy sources and local fuels are appropriate for implementation in communities in accordance with the availability of sufficient amounts of resources. Still, in most cases, they are not able to fully provide communities with electrical and thermal energy due to their insufficient quantity and high cost of equipment, such as batteries and heat pumps. Decisions regarding the implementation of a specific technology of distributed generation should be made after a thorough analysis of the conditions and possibilities of the energy supply of each individual community. This article is aimed at discussing the options of increasing energy independence and ensuring the reliability of the energy supply of territorial communities in Ukraine. Keywords: distributed generation, power generation, heat supply, renewable energy sources, cogeneration, biofuels, heat pumps.

An economic and environmental optimization model for sizing a hybrid renewable energy and battery storage system in off-grid farms

This paper presents a model for optimizing the life cycle economic and environmental impacts of a hybrid renewable energy and battery storage system – as energy supply technologies (EST) for off-grid farms. Micro-hydropower and photovoltaics represent the primary renewable energy (RE) sources, with batteries and a diesel generator considered as possible back-up systems. A modified Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) was developed and applied to a case study farm in Southern Spain and provided different EST solutions to optimize a design based on economic (life cycle costing or LCC) and environmental (life cycle assessment or LCA) constraints. The results highlighted that cases with a strong dependence on batteries could achieve minimum costs and lower impacts for climate change and energy resources (non-renewable fuels). In contrast, the optimal system for minimizing the consumption of material resources (metals/minerals) resulted in higher fuel use, which was up to 25% more expensive. The optimal EST solutions used up to 37% of the total energy generated; however, the results were sensitive to energy production-demand distributions. This methodology can help identify the most cost-effective solutions with the lower environmental impacts for decarbonizing the agricultural sector.

Research on water supply model, technology, and management mechanism for villages in China

China's village drinking water has poor protection of water sources, water purification technology and equipment, water supply pipeline network leakage rate, the high risk of secondary pollution, operation and management mechanism, and other issues. How to enhance China's village drinking water through the whole process of the amount of water and the ability to ensure water quality has become the current problem to be resolved urgently. The study summarizes China's village water supply model selection, conventional and non-conventional water sources of water supply key technologies and applications, as well as long-term management measures, and through the application of China's northwestern Gansu's Huanxian and southeastern Zhejiang's Shangyu District, summarizes the success of the experience of the different regional characteristics, and strengthens the leading demonstration. Relevant countermeasures and suggestions are put forward to realize the long-term operation of rural safe drinking water projects.

The critical role of technologies in neonatal care

Neonatal care has made significant advances in the last few decades. As a result, mortality and morbidity in high-risk infants, such as extremely preterm infants or those infants with birth-related brain injury, has reduced significantly. Many of these advances have been facilitated or delivered through development of medical technologies allowing clinical teams to be better supported with the care they deliver or provide new therapies and diagnostics to improve management.The delivery of neonatal intensive care requires the provision of medical technologies that are easy to use, reliable, accurate and ideally developed for the unique needs of the newborn population. Many technologies have been developed and commercialised following adult trials without ever being studied in neonatal patients despite the unique characteristics of this population. Increasingly, funders and industry are recognising this major challenge which has resulted in initiatives to develop new ideas from concept through to clinical care.This review explores some of the key medical technologies used in neonatal care and the evidence to support their adoption to improve outcomes. A number of devices have yet to realise their full potential and will require further development to optimise and find their ideal target population and clinical benefit. Examples of emerging technologies, which may soon become more widely used, are also discussed.As neonatal care relies more on medical technologies, we need to be aware of the impact on care pathways, especially from a human factors approach, the associated costs and subsequent benefits to patients alongside the supporting evidence.

Road Accident and Safety Issue in Bangladesh: A Critical Review

Road accidents are a major public health concern in Bangladesh, causing significant harm to individuals and society as a whole. Despite various initiatives taken by the government, the number of road accidents continues to increase, highlighting the need for a legal approach to address this issue. This study aims to analyze the current legal framework in Bangladesh with regards to road safety and identify potential areas for improvement. The study found that the current legal framework in Bangladesh contains several provisions aimed at promoting road safety, including the Bangladesh Road Transport Act, the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Act, and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Act. However, these laws lack effective enforcement mechanisms, and there is limited accountability for those who violate traffic rules. This has led to widespread flouting of traffic regulations and a high incidence of road accidents. The study recommends the introduction of stricter penalties for those who violate traffic rules, including fines and imprisonment. It also suggests the establishment of an independent road safety commission to monitor compliance with traffic rules and to ensure effective implementation of road safety measures. The commission should have the authority to investigate road accidents and to take appropriate actions against those found responsible persons. Additionally, the study recommends the introduction of mandatory training programs for all drivers and the provision of better infrastructure and technology to support road safety. This may include the installation of traffic lights and speed cameras, as well as the use of innovative technologies such as GPS-based monitoring systems. In conclusion, a legal approach is crucial in addressing the problem of road accidents in Bangladesh. By introducing stricter penalties, establishing an independent road safety commission, and investing in road safety infrastructure and technology, the government can help to reduce the number of road accidents and save lives. Further research is needed to understand the impact of these measures and to identify additional ways to promote road safety in Bangladesh.

Portable triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid biomechanical energy harvester for driving various functional light-emitting diodes with a wide range of wavelengths

As the application range of light-emitting diode (LED) has rapidly expanded in various fields and functional LED-implanted electronic devices have deeply permeated human daily lives, research on the electrically off-grid power supply method for LEDs is being widely conducted around the world in order to further strengthen and utilize the strong points of LEDs. In this study, a shaft-shared triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid portable energy harvester (STEP) considering the electromotive force-based hybridization is proposed to drive various functional LEDs with a wide range of wavelengths using biomechanical energy. The respective roles and functionalities of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and electromagnetic generator (EMG) in a hybrid energy harvester are experimentally and visually demonstrated by comparative investigation in parallel and series circuits. Then, based on the experimental result, the necessity of hybridization of TENG and EMG is described from the perspective of both electromotive force and current for the LED-involved devices. When the STEP operation speed is 500 rpm, the average output voltage and current of the TENG and EMG parts are experimentally characterized, and the average output voltage from TENG is 238 V and the average output current from EMG is 18 mA. The maximum peak powers of TENG and EMG are 1.92 and 26.7 mW when the external load resistances are 30 MΩ and 400 Ω, respectively. STEP is portable in size and weight, and it can be operated by human force thanks to an optimally designed gearbox. When STEP is driven by human power, it can power a variety of functional LEDs ranging from 275 to 850 nm of wavelengths, including 250 visible, 50 infrared, and dozens of UV LEDs. Given that the superior functionalities of LEDs have been validated, and that the synergistic effect through convergence with electrical grid-independent power supply technology is thought to have great potential in a variety of fields, STEP is expected to serve as a guideline for effective energy supply strategy to various functional LEDs in related fields such as lighting, engineering, security, and healthcare industries.

Assessing the provision of innovative technologies for the growth of corporate social responsibility in Lithuania

The object of this study is the assessment of the provision of innovative technologies for the growth of corporate social responsibility by types of economic activity in Lithuania. In the course of the research, the problem of determining the level of provision of corporate social responsibility with innovative technologies as a factor of its growth was solved; establishing a benchmark for the regularity of the growth of corporate social responsibility by types of economic activity in Lithuania. As a result of the study, an integral indicator of the provision of innovative technologies for the growth of corporate social responsibility by types of economic activity in Lithuania was obtained, which does not correspond to the reference model of the pattern of growth for each. The peculiarity of this study is the comprehensive approach, which takes into account the multi-component content of corporate social responsibility, its relationship with internal and external elements of the socio-economic system, namely its growth, based on the use of innovative technologies. A distinctive feature of the results, owing to which they made it possible to solve the set tasks, is multidimensionality, that is, the structure, dynamics, relationship of the research object were taken into account, quantitative and qualitative indicators were used, and a complex methodological toolkit of matrix business modeling. The results of the study make it possible to determine in practice the level of assurance of the growth of corporate social responsibility by innovative technologies. Taking into account deviations from the reference model of growth patterns, make decisions about the introduction of certain types of innovative technologies in certain components of corporate social responsibility.

Systematic analysis of the blockchain in the energy sector: Trends, issues, and future directions

The decentralized revolution being ushered in by blockchain, an emerging technology with the potential to bring significant innovation and benefits, has also piqued the interest of major players in the energy supply industry, financial institutions, technology developers, academia, and national governments. How the deep integration of blockchain and energy will impact energy’s prospects and the energy market remains an open question. This study conducts a composite of qualitative and quantitative analyses of 622 selected articles on blockchain in the energy field. It is dedicated to identifying feasible technical paths and potential themes. The results show that (1) Research in this field follows two main approaches: engineering- and management-oriented. (2) Management-oriented research has become mainstream. (3) Research has led to new transaction systems, and the commercialization of energy blockchains has driven research iterations. Thematic predictions call for more attention to the negative impacts of technology, such as new business risks, the problem of lagging regulations, and the drawbacks of high energy consumption. This study provides research references and practical suggestions for researchers, regulators, and enterprises.

Technology licensing contract design considering royalty transparency and demand information asymmetry with downstream co-opetition

This paper studies how technology suppliers can optimally design licensing contracts when there is incomplete information on the licensee’s demand potential for the product in a high-technology supply chain. A licensing contract typically contains an up-front payment and royalties on product sales. The licensor decides to license one technology to a licensee, which designs products based on the supplier’s technology and outsources the product manufacturing to a competitive downstream manufacturer. We apply principal-agent models to formulate the licensor’s contracting problem while considering the transparency of the licensing royalty and find that under demand information asymmetry, the optimal contract structure changes with the demand potential. More specifically, both the separating and pooling strategies can be the optimal strategies for the licensor under the observable contract case. Conversely, under the unobservable case, only the separating strategy is the optimal licensing strategy. And the licensor can always charge zero royalty to a high-type design firm regardless of the menu strategy or the single contract. Furthermore, we examine the effect of licensing royalty transparency on licensing decisions and firms’ profits and highlight the effect of downstream competition on the licensor’s profit. Our results show that the licensor can be better off in the observable contract case. By contrast, the design firm may be better off in the unobservable contract case. We provide a rationale for the licensing contract design under demand information asymmetry and further shed light on the choice between public and secret licensing terms.