Search results for: merchant support systems

Authors: Ahmed ElShafee, Karim Alaa Hamed

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This paper presents a design and prototype implementation of new home automation system that uses WiFi technology as a network infrastructure connecting its parts. The proposed system consists of two main components; the first part is the server (web server), which presents system core that manages, controls, and monitors users- home. Users and system administrator can locally (LAN) or remotely (internet) manage and control system code. Second part is hardware interface module, which provides appropriate interface to sensors and actuator of home automation system. Unlike most of available home automation system in the market the proposed system is scalable that one server can manage many hardware interface modules as long as it exists on WiFi network coverage. System supports a wide range of home automation devices like power management components, and security components. The proposed system is better from the scalability and flexibility point of view than the commercially available home automation systems.

Keywords: Home automation, Wireless LAN, WiFi, MicroControllers

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Authors: Iasha Meskhia, Rusudan Seturidze

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Free access for Georgian goods to the EU markets is one of the important factors for Georgia’s economic development, attraction of investments and raising the standard of living. The European Union is the most important trade partner for Georgia. Great experience has been accumulated with respect to removing trade barriers between Georgia and the European Union. Despite it, certain problems still persist.

In the present article, we have reviewed the systems of preferences with the European Union, the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the essence of ongoing reform; we have assessed weak and strong sides of relations established between the European Union and Georgia in this regard; analyzed Georgia’s export and import over the past years; also reviewed the prospect of a unified database; established existing and anticipated positive and negative factors. Based on the analysis, we have provided the relevant recommendations. 

Keywords: EU-Georgia trade, EU’s GSP reform, Georgia’s export-import, REX system.

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Authors: D. Sasikala, K. Premalatha

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The use of eXtensible Markup Language (XML) in web, business and scientific databases lead to the development of methods, techniques and systems to manage and analyze XML data. Semi-structured documents suffer due to its heterogeneity and dimensionality. XML structure and content mining represent convergence for research in semi-structured data and text mining. As the information available on the internet grows drastically, extracting knowledge from XML documents becomes a harder task. Certainly, documents are often so large that the data set returned as answer to a query may also be very big to convey the required information. To improve the query answering, a Semantic Tree Based Association Rule (STAR) mining method is proposed. This method provides intentional information by considering the structure, content and the semantics of the content. The method is applied on Reuter’s dataset and the results show that the proposed method outperforms well.

Keywords: Semi--structured Document, Tree based Association Rule (TAR), Semantic Association Rule Mining.

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Authors: C. Ardil

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Multiplicative multiple criteria decision making analysis (MCDMA) method is a systematic decision support system to aid decision makers reach appropriate decisions. The application of multiplicative MCDMA in the military aircraft selection problem is significant for proper decision making process, which is the decisive factor in minimizing expenditures and increasing defense capability and capacity. Nine military fighter aircraft alternatives were evaluated by ten decision criteria to solve the decision making problem. In this study, multiplicative MCDMA model aims to evaluate and select an appropriate military fighter aircraft for the Air Force fleet planning. The ranking results of multiplicative MCDMA model were compared with the ranking results of additive MCDMA, logarithmic MCDMA, and regrettive MCDMA models under the L₂ norm data normalization technique to substantiate the robustness of the proposed method. The final ranking results indicate the military fighter aircraft Su-57 as the best available solution.

Keywords: Aircraft Selection, Military Fighter Aircraft Selection, Air Force Fleet Planning, Multiplicative MCDMA, Additive MCDMA, Logarithmic MCDMA, Regrettive MCDMA, Mean Weight, Multiple Criteria Decision Making Analysis, Sensitivity Analysis

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Authors: James Dunia, Bakari M. M. Mwinyiwiwa

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Photovoltaic (PV) energy is one of the most important energy resources since it is clean, pollution free, and endless. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is used in photovoltaic (PV) systems to maximize the photovoltaic output power, irrespective the variations of temperature and radiation conditions. This paper presents a comparison between Ćuk and SEPIC converter in maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of photovoltaic (PV) system. In the paper, advantages and disadvantages of both converters are described. Incremental conductance control method has been used as maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. The two converters and MPPT algorithm were modelled using MATLAB/Simulink software for simulation. Simulation results show that both Ćuk and SEPIC converters can track the maximum power point with some minor variations. 

Keywords: Ćuk Converter, Incremental Conductance, Maximum Power Point Tracking, PV Module, SEPIC Converter.

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Authors: Nina Danišová, Roman Ružarovský, Karol Velíšek

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In this paper is described a new conception of the Cartesian robot for automated assembly and also disassembly process. The advantage of this conception is the utilization the Cartesian assembly robot with its all peripheral automated devices for assembly of the assembled product. The assembly product in the end of the lifecycle can be disassembled with the same Cartesian disassembly robot with the use of the same peripheral automated devices and equipment. It is a new approach to problematic solving and development of the automated assembly systems with respect to lifecycle management of the assembly product and also assembly system with Cartesian robot. It is also important to develop the methodical process for design of automated assembly and disassembly system with Cartesian robot. Assembly and disassembly system use the same Cartesian robot input and output devices, assembly and disassembly units in one workplace with different application. Result of design methodology is the verification and proposition of real automated assembly and disassembly workplace with Cartesian robot for known verified model of assembled actuator.

Keywords: Cartesian robot, design methodology, assembly, disassembly, pneumatic

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Authors: K. C. Meher, R. K. Swain, C. K. Chanda

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This paper gives an intuition regarding glowworm swarm optimization (GSO) technique to solve dynamic economic dispatch (DED) problems of thermal generating units. The objective of the problem is to schedule optimal power generation of dedicated thermal units over a specific time band. In this study, Glowworm swarm optimization technique enables a swarm of agents to split into subgroup, exhibit simultaneous taxis towards each other and rendezvous at multiple optima (not necessarily equal) of a given multimodal function. The feasibility of the GSO method has been tested on ten-unit-test systems where the power balance constraints, operating limits, valve point effects, and ramp rate limits are taken into account. The results obtained by the proposed technique are compared with other heuristic techniques. The results show that GSO technique is capable of producing better results.

Keywords: Dynamic economic dispatch, Glowworm swarm optimization, Luciferin, Valve–point loading effect, Ramp rate limits.

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Authors: Choulseung Hyun, Hunki Kwon, Jaeho Kim, Eujoon Byun, Jongmoo Choi, Donghee Lee, Sam H. Noh

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Most file systems overwrite modified file data and metadata in their original locations, while the Log-structured File System (LFS) dynamically relocates them to other locations. We design and implement the Evergreen file system that can select between overwriting or relocation for each block of a file or metadata. Therefore, the Evergreen file system can achieve superior write performance by sequentializing write requests (similar to LFS-style relocation) when space utilization is low and overwriting when utilization is high. Another challenging issue is identifying performance benefits of LFS-style relocation over overwriting on a newly introduced SSD (Solid State Drive) which has only Flash-memory chips and control circuits without mechanical parts. Our experimental results measured on a SSD show that relocation outperforms overwriting when space utilization is below 80% and vice versa.

Keywords: Evergreen File System, Overwrite, Relocation, Solid State Drive.

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Authors: Khalid Ghoulam, Belaid Bouikhalene, Zakaria Harmouch, Hicham Mouncif

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The goal of engineering education is to prepare students to cope with problems of real devices and systems. Usually there are not enough devices or time for conducting experiments in a real lab. Other factors that prevent the use of lab devices directly by students are inaccessible or dangerous phenomena, or polluting chemical reactions. The technology brings additional strategies of learning and teaching, there are two types of online labs, virtual and remote labs RL. We present an example of a successful development and deployment of a remote lab in the field of engineering education, integrated in the Moodle platform, using very low-coast, high documented devices and free software. The remote lab is user friendly for both teachers and students. Our web 2.0 based user interface would attract and motivate students, as well as solving the problem of larger classes and expensive lab devices.

Keywords: Remote lab, online learning, Moodle, Arduino, SMSU, lab experimentation, engineering education, online engineering education.

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Authors: R. Sridevi, G. Jagajothi

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Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), inspired by the human immune system, are algorithms and mechanisms which are self-adaptive and self-learning classifiers capable of recognizing and classifying by learning, long-term memory and association. Unlike other human system inspired techniques like genetic algorithms and neural networks, AIS includes a range of algorithms modeling on different immune mechanism of the body. In this paper, a mechanism of a human immune system based on apoptosis is adopted to build an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to protect computer networks. Features are selected from network traffic using Fisher Score. Based on the selected features, the record/connection is classified as either an attack or normal traffic by the proposed methodology. Simulation results demonstrates that the proposed AIS based on apoptosis performs better than existing AIS for intrusion detection.

Keywords: Apoptosis, Artificial Immune System (AIS), Fisher Score, KDD dataset, Network intrusion detection.

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Authors: A. Derardja, L. Baroura, M. Brioua

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The nanotechnology based on epitaxial systems includes single or arranged misfit dislocations. In general, whatever is the type of dislocation or the geometry of the array formed by the dislocations; it is important for experimental studies to know exactly the stress distribution for which there is no analytical expression [1, 2]. This work, using a numerical analysis, deals with relaxation of epitaxial layers having at their interface a periodic network of edge misfit dislocations. The stress distribution is estimated by using isotropic elasticity. The results show that the thickness of the two sheets is a crucial parameter in the stress distributions and then in the profile of the two sheets. A comparative study between the case of single dislocation and the case of parallel network shows that the layers relaxed better when the interface is covered by a parallel arrangement of misfit. Consequently, a single dislocation at the interface produces an important stress field which can be reduced by inserting a parallel network of dislocations with suitable periodicity.

Keywords: Parallel array of misfit, interface, isotropic elasticity, single crystalline substrates, coherent interface

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Authors: Othman Maklouf, Abdurazag Ghila, Saleh Gashoot, Ahmed Abdulla

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Flight management system (FMS) is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that modern aircraft no longer carry flight engineers or navigators. The primary function of FMS is to perform the in-flight management of the flight plan using various sensors (such as GPS and INS often backed up by radio navigation) to determine the aircraft's position. From the cockpit FMS is normally controlled through a Control Display Unit (CDU) which incorporates a small screen and keyboard or touch screen. This paper investigates the performance of GPS/ INS integration techniques in which the data fusion process is done using Kalman filtering. This will include the importance of sensors calibration as well as the alignment of the strap down inertial navigation system. The limitations of the inertial navigation systems are investigated in order to understand why INS sometimes is integrated with other navigation aids and not just operating in standalone mode. Finally, both the loosely coupled and tightly coupled configurations are analyzed for several types of situations and operational conditions.

Keywords: GPS, INS, Kalman Filter.

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Authors: Aijaz A. Shaikh, Richard Glavee-Geo, Heikki Karjaluoto

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Adoption of Information Systems (IS) is receiving increasing attention such that its implications have been closely monitored and studied by the IS management community, industry and professional gatekeepers. Building on previous research regarding the adoption of technology, this paper develops and validates an integrated model of the adoption of mobile banking. The model originates from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). This paper intends to offer a preliminary scrutiny of the antecedents of the adoption of mobile banking services in the context of a developing country. Data was collected from Pakistan. The findings showed that an integrated TAM and TPB model greatly explains the adoption intention of mobile banking; and perceived behavioural control and its antecedents play a significant role in predicting adoption Theoretical and managerial implications of findings are presented and discussed.

Keywords: Developing country, mobile banking service adoption, technology acceptance model, theory of planned behaviour.

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Authors: Farzaneh Akhavan Mahdavi, Siti Anom Ahmad, Mohd Hamiruce Marhaban, Mohammad-R. Akbarzadeh-T

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Electromyography (EMG) signal processing has been investigated remarkably regarding various applications such as in rehabilitation systems. Specifically, wavelet transform has served as a powerful technique to scrutinize EMG signals since wavelet transform is consistent with the nature of EMG as a non-stationary signal. In this paper, the efficiency of wavelet transform in surface EMG feature extraction is investigated from four levels of wavelet decomposition and a comparative study between different mother wavelets had been done. To recognize the best function and level of wavelet analysis, two evaluation criteria, scatter plot and RES index are recruited. Hereupon, four wavelet families, namely, Daubechies, Coiflets, Symlets and Biorthogonal are studied in wavelet decomposition stage. Consequently, the results show that only features from first and second level of wavelet decomposition yields good performance and some functions of various wavelet families can lead to an improvement in separability class of different hand movements.

Keywords: Electromyography signal, feature extraction, wavelettransform, means absolute value.

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Authors: S.T. El Sheltawy, A. A. Refaat

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Until recently, energy security and climate change were considered separate issues to be dealt with by policymakers. The two issues are now converging, challenging the security and climate communities to develop a better understanding of how to deal with both issues simultaneously. Although Egypt is not a major contributor to the world's total GHG emissions, it is particularly vulnerable to the potential effects of global climate change such as rising sea levels and changed patterns of rainfall in the Nile Basin. Climate change is a major threat to sustainable growth and development in Egypt, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Egypt-s capacity to respond to the challenges of climate instability will be expanded by improving overall resilience, integrating climate change goals into sustainable development strategies, increasing the use of modern energy systems with reduced carbon intensity, and strengthening international initiatives. This study seeks to establish a framework for considering the complex and evolving links between energy security and climate change, applicable to Egypt.

Keywords: climate change, climate policy, cnergy policy, energy security, sustainable development

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Authors: Majid Saaly, Shahriar Tavousi Tafreshi, Mehdi Nazari Afshar

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The sandwich composite walls (SCSSC) have more ductility and energy dissipation than conventional reinforced concrete shear walls. SCSSCs have acceptable compressive, shear, in-plane bending, and out-of-plane bending capacities. The use of sandwich-composite walls with J-hook connectors has a significant effect on energy dissipation and reduction of dynamic responses of mid-rise and high-rise structural models. In this paper, incremental dynamic analyses for 10- and 15-story steel structures were performed under seven far-faults by OpenSees. The demand values of 10- and 15-story models are reduced by up to 32% and 45%, respectively, while the structural system change from shear walls (SW) to SCSSC.

Keywords: Sandwich composite wall, SCSSC, fling step, fragility curve, IDA, inter story drift ratio.

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Authors: Urva Maryam

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Private data are more often breached by clever social engineering rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities in the systems. Complete information security requires good data safety practices to go along with technical solutions. Hackers often begin their operation by simply sending spoofed emails or fraudulent URLs to their targets and trick them into providing sensitive information such as passwords or bank account details. This technique is called phishing. Phishing attacks can be launched on email addresses, open ports and unsecured web browsers. This study uses quantitative method of research to execute phishing experiments on the participants to test their response to the phishing emails. These experiments were run on Kali Linux distribution which came bundled with multiple open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools that were used in the study. The aim of this research is to see how successful phishing attacks can be launched using OSINT and to test the response of people to spoofed emails.

Keywords: OSINT, phishing, spear phishing, email spoofing, theHarvester, Maltego.

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Authors: Moeiz Miraoui, Chakib Tadj, Chokri ben Amar

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Devices in a pervasive computing system (PCS) are characterized by their context-awareness. It permits them to provide proactively adapted services to the user and applications. To do so, context must be well understood and modeled in an appropriate form which enhance its sharing between devices and provide a high level of abstraction. The most interesting methods for modeling context are those based on ontology however the majority of the proposed methods fail in proposing a generic ontology for context which limit their usability and keep them specific to a particular domain. The adaptation task must be done automatically and without an explicit intervention of the user. Devices of a PCS must acquire some intelligence which permits them to sense the current context and trigger the appropriate service or provide a service in a better suitable form. In this paper we will propose a generic service ontology for context modeling and a context-aware service adaptation based on a service oriented definition of context.

Keywords: Pervasive computing system, context, contextawareness, service, context modeling, ontology, adaptation, machine learning.

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Authors: Nahid Ghasemi, Morteza Sohrabi, Yasan Soleymani

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The quantified residence time distribution (RTD) provides a numerical characterization of mixing in a reactor, thus allowing the process engineer to better understand mixing performance of the reactor.This paper discusses computational studies to investigate flow patterns in a two impinging streams cyclone reactor(TISCR) . Flow in the reactor was modeled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Utilizing the Eulerian- Lagrangian approach, implemented in FLUENT (V6.3.22), particle trajectories were obtained by solving the particle force balance equations. From simulation results obtained at different Δts, the mean residence time (tm) and the mean square deviation (σ2) were calculated. a good agreement can be observed between predicted and experimental data. Simulation results indicate that the behavior of complex reactor systems can be predicted using the CFD technique with minimum data requirement for validation.

Keywords: Impinging streams reactor, Residence timedistribution, CFD, Eulerian-Lagrangian approach

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Authors: E. Muzenda

Abstract:

Group contribution methods such as the UNIFAC are of major interest to researchers and engineers involved synthesis, feasibility studies, design and optimization of separation processes as well as other applications of industrial use. Reliable knowledge of the phase equilibrium behavior is crucial for the prediction of the fate of the chemical in the environment and other applications. The objective of this study was to predict the solubility of selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in glycol polymers and biodiesel. Measurements can be expensive and time consuming, hence the need for thermodynamic models. The results obtained in this study for the infinite dilution activity coefficients compare very well those published in literature obtained through measurements. It is suggested that in preliminary design or feasibility studies of absorption systems for the abatement of volatile organic compounds, prediction procedures should be implemented while accurate fluid phase equilibrium data should be obtained from experiment.

Keywords: Volatile organic compounds, Prediction, Phaseequilibrium, Environmental, Infinite dilution.

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Authors: Aidil Azwin Zainul Abidin, Farrukh Hafiz Nagi, Agileswari K. Ramasamy, Izham Zainal Abidin

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In power system protection, the need to know the load current together with the fault level detected by a relay is important. This is due to the fact that the relay is required to isolate the equipment being protected if a fault is present and keep the breaker associated with it closed if the current level is lower than the maximum load level. This is not an issue for a radial system. This is not the same however in a looped power system. In a looped power system, the isolation of an equipment system will contribute to a topology change. The change in the power system topology will then influence or change the maximum load current and the fault level detected by each relay. In this paper, a method of data collection for changing topology using matlab and sim-power will be presented. The method will take into consideration the change in topology and collect data for each possible topology.

Keywords: Topology Change, Power System Protection, Power System simulation, Matlab, Sim-power.

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Authors: K. Balamurugan, V. Dharmalingam, R. Muralisachithanandam, R. Sankaran

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This paper deals with the optimal choice and location of FACTS devices in deregulated power systems using Differential Evolution algorithm. The main objective of this paper is to achieve the power system economic generation allocation and dispatch in deregulated electricity market. Using the proposed method, the locations of the FACTS devices, their types and ratings are optimized simultaneously. Different kinds of FACTS devices such as TCSC and SVC are simulated in this study. Furthermore, their investment costs are also considered. Simulation results validate the capability of this new approach in minimizing the overall system cost function, which includes the investment costs of the FACTS devices and the bid offers of the market participants. The proposed algorithm is an effective and practical method for the choice and location of suitable FACTS devices in deregulated electricity market.

Keywords: FACTS Devices, Deregulated Electricity Market, Optimal Location, Differential Evolution, Mat Lab.

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Authors: Aurea Lúcia Georgi Vendramin, Carlos Itsuo Yamamoto, Carlos Eduardo Camargo Nogueira, Anderson Miguel Lenz, Samuel N. Souza Melegari

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The thermal performance of a solar water heating with 1.00 m2 flat plate collectors in Cascavel - PR, is which presented in this article, paper presents the solution to leverage the marketing of solar heating systems through detailed constituent materials of the solar collector studies, these abundant materials in construction, such as expanded polyethylene, PVC, aluminum and glass tubes, mixing them with new materials to minimize loss of efficiency while decreasing its cost. The system was tested during months and the collector obtained maximum recorded temperature of outlet fluid of 55°C, while the maximum temperature of the water at the bottom of the hot water tank was 35°C. The average daily energy collected was 19.6 MJ/d; the energy supplied by the solar plate was 16.2 MJ/d; the loss in the feed pipe was 3.2 MJ/d; the solar fraction was 32.2%, the efficiency of the collector was 45.6% and the efficiency of the system was 37.8%.

Keywords: Recycled materials, energy efficiency, solar collector.

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Authors: Seok-In Sohn, Dae-Hwan Park, Yeon-Seung Lee, Il-Kwon Oh

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This paper presents an optimization of the hull separation, i.e. transverse clearance. The main objective is to identify the feasible speed ranges and find the optimum transverse clearance considering the minimum wave-making resistance. The dimensions and the weight of hardware systems installed in the catamaran structured fuel cell powered USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) were considered as constraints. As the CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) platform FRIENDSHIP-Framework was used. The hull surface modeling, DoE (Design of Experiment), Tangent search optimization, tool integration and the process automation were performed by FRIENDSHIP-Framework. The hydrodynamic result was evaluated by XPAN the potential solver of SHIPFLOW.

Keywords: Full parametric modeling, Hull Separation, Wave-making resistance, Design Of Experiment, Tangent search method

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Authors: A. Abdulla Khairi Mohamed, Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, Gehan Selim

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Walkability in civic and public spaces in Libyan cities is challenging due to the lack of accessibility design, informal merging into car traffic, and the general absence of adequate urban and space planning. The lack of accessible and pedestrian-friendly public spaces in Libyan cities has emerged as a major concern for the government if it is to develop smart and sustainable spaces for the 21st century. A walkable urban space has become a driver for urban development and redistribution of land use to ensure pedestrian and walkable routes between sites of living and workplaces. The characteristics of urban open space in the city centre play a main role in attracting people to walk when attending their daily needs, recreation and daily sports. There is significant gap in the understanding of perceptions, feasibility and capabilities of Libyan urban space to accommodate enhance or support the smart design of a walkable pedestrian-friendly environment that is safe and accessible to everyone. The paper aims to undertake observations of walkability and walkable space in the city of Tripoli as a benchmark for Libyan cities; assess the validity and consistency of the seven principal aspects of smart design, safety, accessibility and 51 factors that affect the walkability in open urban space in Tripoli, through the analysis of 10 local urban spaces experts (town planner, architect, transport engineer and urban designer); and explore user groups’ perceptions of accessibility in walkable spaces in Libyan cities through questionnaires. The study sampled 200 respondents in 2015-16. The results of this study are useful for urban planning, to classify the walkable urban space elements which affect to improve the level of walkability in the Libyan cities and create sustainable and liveable urban spaces.

Keywords: Walkability, sustainability, liveability, accessibility, safety.

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Authors: Armando Cartenì, Ilaria Henke

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The perceived public transport quality is an important driver that influences both customer satisfaction and mobility choices. The competition among transport operators needs to improve the quality of the services and identify which attributes are perceived as relevant by passengers. Among the “traditional” public transport quality attributes there are, for example: travel and waiting time, regularity of the services, and ticket price. By contrast, there are some “non-conventional” attributes that could significantly influence customer satisfaction jointly with the “traditional” ones. Among these, the beauty/aesthetics of the transport terminals (e.g. rail station and bus terminal) is probably one of the most impacting on user perception. Starting from these considerations, the point stressed in this paper was if (and how munch) the travel experience of the overall travel (e.g. how long is the travel, how many transport modes must be used) influences the perception of the public transport quality. The aim of this paper was to investigate the weight of the terminal quality (e.g. aesthetic, comfort and service offered) within the overall travel experience. The case study was the extra-urban Italian bus network. The passengers of the major Italian terminal bus were interviewed and the analysis of the results shows that about the 75% of the travelers, are available to pay up to 30% more for the ticket price for having a high quality terminal. A travel experience effect was observed: the average perceived transport quality varies with the characteristic of the overall trip. The passengers that have a “long trip” (travel time greater than 2 hours) perceived as “low” the overall quality of the trip even if they pass through a high quality terminal. The opposite occurs for the “short trip” passengers. This means that if a traveler passes through a high quality station, the overall perception of that terminal could be significantly reduced if he is tired from a long trip. This result is important and if confirmed through other case studies, will allow to conclude that the “travel experience impact" must be considered as an explicit design variable for public transport services and planning.

Keywords: Transportation planning, sustainable mobility, decision support system, discrete choice model, design problem.

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Authors: Harriet Koshie Lamptey, Richard Boateng

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Mobile learning (m-learning) is a novel approach to knowledge acquisition and dissemination and is gaining global attention. Steady progress in wireless technologies and the portability of communication devices continue to broaden the scope and use of mobiles. With the convergence of Web functionality onto mobile platforms and the affordability and availability of mobile technology, m-learning has the potential of being the next prevalent channel of education in both formal and informal settings. There is substantive literature on developed countries but the state in developing countries (DCs) however appears vague. This paper is a synthesis of extant literature on mobile learning in DCs. The research interest is based on the fact that in DCs, mobile communication and internet connectivity are popular. However, its use in education is under explored. There are some reviews on the state, conceptualizations, trends and teacher education, but to the authors’ knowledge, no study has focused on mobile learning adoption and integration issues. This study examines issues and gaps associated with its adoption and integration in DCs higher education institutions. A qualitative build-up of literature was conducted using articles pooled from electronic databases (Google Scholar and ERIC). To enable criteria for inclusion and incorporate diverse study perspectives, search terms used were m-learning, DCs, higher education institutions, challenges, benefits, impact, gaps and issues. The synthesis revealed that though mobile technology has diffused globally, its pedagogical pursuit in DCs remains quite low. The absence of a mobile Web and the difficulty of resource conversion into mobile format due to lack of funding and technical competence is a stumbling block. Again, the lack of established design and implementation rules to guide the development of m-learning platforms in DCs is a hindrance. The absence of access restrictions on devices poses security threats to institutional systems. Negative perceptions that devices are taking over faculty roles lead to resistance in some situations. Resistance to change can be a hindrance to the acceptance and success of new systems. Lack of interest for m-learning is also attributed to lower technological literacy levels of the underprivileged masses. Scholarly works on m-learning in DCs is yet to mature. Most technological innovations are handed down from developed countries, and this constantly creates a lag for DCs. Lack of theoretical grounding was also identified which reduces the objectivity of study reports. The socio-cultural terrain of DCs results in societies with different views and needs that have been identified as a hindrance to research. Institutional commitment decisions, adequate funding for the necessary infrastructural development as well as multiple stakeholder participation is important for project success. Evidence suggests that while adoption decisions are readily made, successful integration of the concept for its full benefits to be realized is often neglected. Recommendations to findings were made to provide possible remedies to identified issues.

Keywords: Developing countries, higher education institutions, mobile learning, literature review.

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Authors: Artur Krukowski, Emmanouela Vogiatzaki

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The article presents results from the AF3 project “Advanced Forest Fire Fighting” focused on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)-based 3D surveillance and 3D area mapping using high-resolution photogrammetric methods from multispectral imaging, also taking advantage of the 3D scanning techniques from the SCAN4RECO project. We also present a proprietary embedded sensor system used for the detection of fire ignitions in the forest using near-infrared based scanner with weight and form factors allowing it to be easily deployed on standard commercial micro-UAVs, such as DJI Inspire or Mavic. Results from real-life pilot trials in Greece, Spain, and Israel demonstrated added-value in the use of UAS for precise and reliable detection of forest fires, as well as high-resolution 3D aerial modeling for accurate quantification of human resources and equipment required for firefighting.

Keywords: Forest wildfires, fuel volume estimation, 3D modeling, UAV, surveillance, firefighting, ignition detectors.

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Authors: J. Menčík, B. Culek, Jr., L. Beran, J. Mareš

Abstract:

Large metal and concrete structures suffer by various kinds of deterioration, and accurate prediction of the remaining life is important. This paper informs about two methods for its assessment. One method, suitable for steel bridges and other constructions exposed to fatigue, monitors the loads and damage accumulation using information systems for the operation and the finite element model of the construction. In addition to the operation load, the dead weight of the construction and thermal stresses can be included into the model. The second method is suitable for concrete bridges and other structures, which suffer by carbonatation and other degradation processes, driven by diffusion. The diffusion constant, important for the prediction of future development, can be determined from the depth-profile of pH, obtained by pH measurement at various depths. Comparison with measurements on real objects illustrates the suitability of both methods.

Keywords: Bridges, carbonatation, concrete, diagnostics, fatigue, life prediction, monitoring, railway, simulation, structures.

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Authors: Takashi Shimizu, Tomoaki Hashimoto

Abstract:

Recently, crystal growth technologies have made progress by the requirement for the high quality of crystal materials. To control the crystal growth dynamics actively by external forces is useuful for reducing composition non-uniformity. In this study, a control method based on model predictive control using thermal inputs is proposed for crystal growth dynamics of semiconductor materials. The control system of crystal growth dynamics considered here is governed by the continuity, momentum, energy, and mass transport equations. To establish the control method for such thermal fluid systems, we adopt model predictive control known as a kind of optimal feedback control in which the control performance over a finite future is optimized with a performance index that has a moving initial time and terminal time. The objective of this study is to establish a model predictive control method for crystal growth dynamics of semiconductor materials.

Keywords: Model predictive control, optimal control, crystal growth, process control.

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