Search results for: cost saving
1064 Scaling up Potato Economic Opportunities: Evaluation of Youths Participation in Potato Value Chain in Nigeria
Authors: Chigozirim N. Onwusiribe, Jude A. Mbanasor
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The potato value chain when harnessed can engage numerous youths and aid in the fight against poverty, malnutrition and unemployment. This study seeks to evaluate the level of youth participation in the potato value chain in Nigeria. Specifically, this study will examine the extent of youth participation in potato value chain, analyze the cost, benefits and sustainability of youth participation in the potato value chain, identify the factors that can propel or hinder youth participation in the potato value chain and make recommendations that will result in the increase in youth employment in the potato value chain. This study was conducted in the North Central and South East geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A multi stage sampling procedure was used to select 540 youths from the study areas. Focused group discussions and survey approach was used to elicit the required data. The data were analyzed using statistical and econometric tools. The study revealed that the potato value chain is very profitable.
Keywords: Potato, youths, value, chain, participation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 7581063 Teaching Light Polarization by Putting Art and Physics Together
Authors: Fabrizio Logiurato
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Light Polarization has many technological applications, and its discovery was crucial to reveal the transverse nature of the electromagnetic waves. However, despite its fundamental and practical importance, in high school, this property of light is often neglected. This is a pity not only for its conceptual relevance, but also because polarization gives the possibility to perform many brilliant experiments with low cost materials. Moreover, the treatment of this matter lends very well to an interdisciplinary approach between art, biology and technology, which usually makes things more interesting to students. For these reasons, we have developed, and in this work, we introduce a laboratory on light polarization for high school and undergraduate students. They can see beautiful pictures when birefringent materials are set between two crossed polarizing filters. Pupils are very fascinated and drawn into by what they observe. The colourful images remind them of those ones of abstract painting or alien landscapes. With this multidisciplinary teaching method, students are more engaged and participative, and also, the learning process of the respective physics concepts is more effective.
Keywords: Light polarization, optical activity, multidisciplinary education, science and art.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 10951062 Electronic Markets has Weakened the “Tradeoff between Reach and Richness“ in the Internet
Authors: Haroon Altarawneh, Sattam Allahawiah
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This paper has two main ideas. Firstly, it describes Evans and Wurster-s concepts “the trade-off between reach and richness", and relates them to the impact of technology on the virtual markets. Authors Evans and Wurster see the transfer of information as a 'trade'off between richness and reach-. Reach refers to the number of people who share particular information, with Richness ['Rich'] being a more complex concept combining: bandwidth, customization, interactivity, reliability, security and currency. Traditional shopping limits the number of shops the shopper is able to visit due to time and other cost constraints; the time spent traveling consequently leaves the shopper with less time to evaluate the product. The paper concludes that although the Web provides Reach, offering Richness and the sense of community required for creating and sustaining relationships with potential clients could be difficult.
Keywords: Internet, Web sites, Richness and Reach, Ecommerce, virtual markets.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 37661061 Application of GAMS and GA in the Location and Penetration of Distributed Generation
Authors: Alireza Dehghani Pilehvarani, Mojtaba Hakimzadeh, Mohammad Jafari Far, Reza Sedaghati
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Distributed Generation (DG) can help in reducing the cost of electricity to the costumer, relieve network congestion and provide environmentally friendly energy close to load centers. Its capacity is also scalable and it provides voltage support at distribution level. Hence, DG placement and penetration level is an important problem for both the utility and DG owner. DG allocation and capacity determination is a nonlinear optimization problem. The objective function of this problem is the minimization of the total loss of the distribution system. Also high levels of penetration of DG are a new challenge for traditional electric power systems. This paper presents a new methodology for the optimal placement of DG and penetration level of DG in distribution system based on General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and Genetic Algorithm (GA).
Keywords: Distributed Generation, Location, Loss Reduction, Distribution Network, GA, GAMS.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 26341060 The Hybrid Socio-Technical Approach as a Strategic Program for Social Development in Geo-disaster Prone Area in Indonesia
Authors: D. Karnawati, T.F. Fathani , B. Andayani, Suharto
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This paper highlights the importance of integrating social and technical approach (which is so called a “hybrid socio-technical approach") as one innovative and strategic program to support the social development in geodisaster prone area in Indonesia. Such program mainly based on public education and community participation as a partnership program by the University, local government and may also with the private company and/ or local NGO. The indigenous, simple and low cost technology has also been introduced and developed as a part of the hybrid sociotechnical system, in order to ensure the life and environmental protection, with respect to the sustainable human and social development.
Keywords: Hybrid socio-technical system, indigenoustechnology, life and environmental protection, public education.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17221059 Using Submerge Fermentation Method to Production of Extracellular Lipase by Aspergillus niger
Authors: Masoumeh Ghasemi, Afshin Farahbakhsh, Arman Farahbakhsh, Ali Asghar Safari
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In this study, lipase production has been investigated using submerge fermentation by Aspergillus niger in Kilka fish oil as main substrate. The Taguchi method with an L9 orthogonal array design was used to investigate the effect of parameters and their levels on lipase productivity. The optimum conditions for Kilka fish oil concentration, incubation temperature and pH were obtained 3 gr./ml 35°C and 7, respectively. The amount of lipase activity in optimum condition was obtained 4.59IU/ml. By comparing this amount with the amount of productivity in the olive oil medium based on the cost of each medium, it was that using Kilka fish oil is 84% economical. Therefore Kilka fish oil can be used as an economical and suitable substrate in the lipase production and industrial usages.
Keywords: Lipase, Aspergillus niger, Kilka Fish oil, Submerge Fermentation method.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 28761058 Development of Knowledge Portal using Open Source Tools: A Case Study of FIIT, UNISEL
Authors: Nur Razia Mohd Suradi, Hema Subramaniam, Marina Hassan, Siti Fatimah Omar
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Knowledge sharing culture contributes to a positive working environment. Currently, there is no platform for the Faculty of Industrial Information Technology (FIIT), Unisel academic staff to share knowledge among them. As it is done manually, the sharing process is through common meeting or by any offline discussions. There is no repository for future retrieval. However, with open source solution the development of knowledge based application may reduce the cost tremendously. In this paper we discuss about the domain on which this knowledge portal is being developed and also the deployment of open source tools such as JOOMLA, PHP programming language and MySQL. This knowledge portal is evidence that open source tools also reliable in developing knowledge based portal. These recommendations will be useful to the open source community to produce more open source products in future.Keywords: Knowledge management, Portal, ContentManagement, JOOMLA.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 24941057 Link Availability Estimation for Modified AOMDV Protocol
Authors: R. Prabha, N. Ramaraj
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Routing in adhoc networks is a challenge as nodes are mobile, and links are constantly created and broken. Present ondemand adhoc routing algorithms initiate route discovery after a path breaks, incurring significant cost to detect disconnection and establish a new route. Specifically, when a path is about to be broken, the source is warned of the likelihood of a disconnection. The source then initiates path discovery early, avoiding disconnection totally. A path is considered about to break when link availability decreases. This study modifies Adhoc On-demand Multipath Distance Vector routing (AOMDV) so that route handoff occurs through link availability estimation.Keywords: Mobile Adhoc Network (MANET), Routing, Adhoc On-demand Multipath Distance Vector routing (AOMDV), Link Availability.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 16171056 Video-Based Tracking of Laparoscopic Instruments Using an Orthogonal Webcams System
Authors: Fernando Pérez, Humberto Sossa, Rigoberto Martínez, Daniel Lorias, Arturo Minor
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This paper presents a system for tracking the movement of laparoscopic instruments which is based on an orthogonal system of webcams and video image processing. The movements are captured with two webcams placed orthogonally inside of the physical trainer. On the image, the instruments were detected by using color markers placed on the distal tip of each instrument. The 3D position of the tip of the instrument within the work space was obtained by linear triangulation method. Preliminary results showed linearity and repeatability in the motion tracking with a resolution of 0.616 mm in each axis; the accuracy of the system showed a 3D instrument positioning error of 1.009 ± 0.101 mm. This tool is a portable and low-cost alternative to traditional tracking devices and a trustable method for the objective evaluation of the surgeon’s surgical skills.
Keywords: Laparoscopic Surgery, Orthogonal Vision, Tracking Instruments, Triangulation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 26431055 Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Algorithm for Voltage Stability in Large Power Systems
Authors: Mohamad R. Khaldi, Christine S. Khoury, Guy M. Naim
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The steady-state operation of maintaining voltage stability is done by switching various controllers scattered all over the power network. When a contingency occurs, whether forced or unforced, the dispatcher is to alleviate the problem in a minimum time, cost, and effort. Persistent problem may lead to blackout. The dispatcher is to have the appropriate switching of controllers in terms of type, location, and size to remove the contingency and maintain voltage stability. Wrong switching may worsen the problem and that may lead to blackout. This work proposed and used a Fuzzy CMeans Clustering (FCMC) to assist the dispatcher in the decision making. The FCMC is used in the static voltage stability to map instantaneously a contingency to a set of controllers where the types, locations, and amount of switching are induced.Keywords: Fuzzy logic, Power system control, Reactive power control, Voltage control
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18851054 Game based Learning to Enhance Cognitive and Physical Capabilities of Elderly People: Concepts and Requirements
Authors: Aurelie Aurilla Bechina Arntzen
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The last decade has seen an early majority of people The last decade, the role of the of the information communication technologies has increased in improving the social and business life of people. Today, it is recognized that game could contribute to enhance virtual rehabilitation by better engaging patients. Our research study aims to develop a game based system enhancing cognitive and physical capabilities of elderly people. To this end, the project aims to develop a low cost hand held system based on existing game such as Wii, PSP, or Xbox. This paper discusses the concepts and requirements for developing such game for elderly people. Based on the requirement elicitation, we intend to develop a prototype related to sport and dance activities.Keywords: Elderly people, Game based learning system, Health systems, rehabilitation
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 25171053 Comparison of Machine Learning Models for the Prediction of System Marginal Price of Greek Energy Market
Authors: Ioannis P. Panapakidis, Marios N. Moschakis
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The Greek Energy Market is structured as a mandatory pool where the producers make their bid offers in day-ahead basis. The System Operator solves an optimization routine aiming at the minimization of the cost of produced electricity. The solution of the optimization problem leads to the calculation of the System Marginal Price (SMP). Accurate forecasts of the SMP can lead to increased profits and more efficient portfolio management from the producer`s perspective. Aim of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of various machine learning models such as artificial neural networks and neuro-fuzzy models for the prediction of the SMP of the Greek market. Machine learning algorithms are favored in predictions problems since they can capture and simulate the volatilities of complex time series.
Keywords: Deregulated energy market, forecasting, machine learning, system marginal price, energy efficiency and quality.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 13111052 A Taguchi Approach to Investigate Impact of Factors for Reusability of Software Components
Authors: Parvinder S. Sandhu, Pavel Blecharz, Hardeep Singh
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Quantitative Investigation of impact of the factors' contribution towards measuring the reusability of software components could be helpful in evaluating the quality of developed or developing reusable software components and in identification of reusable component from existing legacy systems; that can save cost of developing the software from scratch. But the issue of the relative significance of contributing factors has remained relatively unexplored. In this paper, we have use the Taguchi's approach in analyzing the significance of different structural attributes or factors in deciding the reusability level of a particular component. The results obtained shows that the complexity is the most important factor in deciding the better Reusability of a function oriented Software. In case of Object Oriented Software, Coupling and Complexity collectively play significant role in high reusability.Keywords: Taguchi Approach, Reusability, SoftwareComponents, Structural Attributes.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17191051 Areas of Lean Manufacturing for Productivity Improvement in a Manufacturing Unit
Authors: Hudli Mohd. Rameez, K.H.Inamdar
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Many organisations are nowadays interested to adopt lean manufacturing strategy that would enable them to compete in this competitive globalisation market. In this respect, it is necessary to assess the implementation of lean manufacturing in different organisations so that the important best practices can be identified. This paper describes the development of key areas which will be used to assess the adoption and implementation of lean manufacturing practices. There are some key areas developed to evaluate and reduce the most optimal projects so as to enhance their production efficiency and increase the purpose of the economic benefits of the manufacturing unit. Lean manufacturing is becoming lean enterprise by treating its customers and suppliers as partners. This gives the extra edge in today-s cost and time competitive markets. The organisation is becoming strong in all the conventional competition points. They are Price, Quality and Delivery. Lean enterprise owners can deliver high quality products quickly, with low price.Keywords: Competitive points, implementation, Leanmanufacturing, tools and techniques
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 33161050 Comparative study of the Genetic Algorithms and Hessians Method for Minimization of the Electric Power Production Cost
Authors: L. Abdelmalek, M. Zerikat, M. Rahli
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In this paper, we present a comparative study of the genetic algorithms and Hessian-s methods for optimal research of the active powers in an electric network of power. The objective function which is the performance index of production of electrical energy is minimized by satisfying the constraints of the equality type and inequality type initially by the Hessian-s methods and in the second time by the genetic Algorithms. The results found by the application of AG for the minimization of the electric production costs of power are very encouraging. The algorithms seem to be an effective technique to solve a great number of problems and which are in constant evolution. Nevertheless it should be specified that the traditional binary representation used for the genetic algorithms creates problems of optimization of management of the large-sized networks with high numerical precision.Keywords: Genetic algorithm, Flow of optimum loadimpedances, Hessians method, Optimal distribution.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 12901049 Packing Theory for Natural and Crushed Aggregate to Obtain the Best Mix of Aggregate: Research and Development
Authors: Mohammed H. Mohammed, Mats Emborg, Roland Pusch, Sven Knutsson
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Concrete performance is strongly affected by the particle packing degree since it determines the distribution of the cementitious component and the interaction of mineral particles. By using packing theory designers will be able to select optimal aggregate materials for preparing concrete with low cement content, which is beneficial from the point of cost. Optimum particle packing implies minimizing porosity and thereby reducing the amount of cement paste needed to fill the voids between the aggregate particles, taking also the rheology of the concrete into consideration. For reaching good fluidity superplasticizers are required. The results from pilot tests at Luleå University of Technology (LTU) show various forms of the proposed theoretical models, and the empirical approach taken in the study seems to provide a safer basis for developing new, improved packing models.Keywords: Aggregate mix, Computer program, Concrete mix design, Models of packing.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 32921048 Energy Consumption and GHG Production in Railway and Road Passenger Regional Transport
Authors: Martin Kendra, Tomas Skrucany, Jozef Gnap, Jan Ponicky
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Paper deals with the modeling and simulation of energy consumption and GHG production of two different modes of regional passenger transport – road and railway. These two transport modes use the same type of fuel – diesel. Modeling and simulation of the energy consumption in transport is often used due to calculation satisfactory accuracy and cost efficiency. Paper deals with the calculation based on EN standards and information collected from technical information from vehicle producers and characteristics of tracks. Calculation included maximal theoretical capacity of bus and train and real passenger’s measurement from operation. Final energy consumption and GHG production is calculated by using software simulation. In evaluation of the simulation is used system “well to wheel”.
Keywords: Bus, energy consumption, GHG, production, simulation, train.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 15671047 Error Correction Codes in Wireless Sensor Network: An Energy Aware Approach
Authors: Mohammad Rakibul Islam
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Link reliability and transmitted power are two important design constraints in wireless network design. Error control coding (ECC) is a classic approach used to increase link reliability and to lower the required transmitted power. It provides coding gain, resulting in transmitter energy savings at the cost of added decoder power consumption. But the choice of ECC is very critical in the case of wireless sensor network (WSN). Since the WSNs are energy constraint in nature, both the BER and power consumption has to be taken into count. This paper develops a step by step approach in finding suitable error control codes for WSNs. Several simulations are taken considering different error control codes and the result shows that the RS(31,21) fits both in BER and power consumption criteria.
Keywords: Error correcting code, RS, BCH, wireless sensor networks.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 32321046 Comparative Analysis of the Software Effort Estimation Models
Authors: Jaswinder Kaur, Satwinder Singh, Karanjeet Singh Kahlon
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Accurate software cost estimates are critical to both developers and customers. They can be used for generating request for proposals, contract negotiations, scheduling, monitoring and control. The exact relationship between the attributes of the effort estimation is difficult to establish. A neural network is good at discovering relationships and pattern in the data. So, in this paper a comparative analysis among existing Halstead Model, Walston-Felix Model, Bailey-Basili Model, Doty Model and Neural Network Based Model is performed. Neural Network has outperformed the other considered models. Hence, we proposed Neural Network system as a soft computing approach to model the effort estimation of the software systems.Keywords: Effort Estimation, Neural Network, Halstead Model, Walston-Felix Model, Bailey-Basili Model, Doty Model.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 22211045 Controllability of Efficiency of Antiviral Therapy in Hepatitis B Virus Infections
Authors: Shyam S.N. Perera
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An optimal control problem for a mathematical model of efficiency of antiviral therapy in hepatitis B virus infections is considered. The aim of the study is to control the new viral production, block the new infection cells and maintain the number of uninfected cells in the given range. The optimal controls represent the efficiency of antiviral therapy in inhibiting viral production and preventing new infections. Defining the cost functional, the optimal control problem is converted into the constrained optimization problem and the first order optimality system is derived. For the numerical simulation, we propose the steepest descent algorithm based on the adjoint variable method. A computer program in MATLAB is developed for the numerical simulations.
Keywords: Virus infection model, Optimal control, Adjoint system, Steepest descent
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 12531044 Development of Autonomous Cable Inspection Robot for Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Jae-Kyung LEE, Byung-Hak CHO, Kyung-Nam Jang, Sun-Chul Jung, Ki-Yong OH, Joon-Young PARK, Jong-Seog Kim
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The cables in a nuclear power plant are designed to be used for about 40 years in safe operation environment. However, the heat and radiation in the nuclear power plant causes the rapid performance deterioration of cables in nuclear vessels and heat exchangers, which requires cable lifetime estimation. The most accurate method of estimating the cable lifetime is to evaluate the cables in a laboratory. However, removing cables while the plant is operating is not allowed because of its safety and cost. In this paper, a robot system to estimate the cable lifetime in nuclear power plants is developed and tested. The developed robot system can calculate a modulus value to estimate the cable lifetime even when the nuclear power plant is in operation.Keywords: Autonomous robot, Cable Inspection, Indenter, Nuclear Power Plant
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20131043 Micromechanical Modeling of Fiber-Matrix Debonding in Unidirectional Composites
Authors: M. Palizvan, M. T. Abadi, M. H. Sadr
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Due to variations in damage mechanisms in the microscale, the behavior of fiber-reinforced composites is nonlinear and difficult to model. To make use of computational advantages, homogenization method is applied to the micro-scale model in order to minimize the cost at the expense of detail of local microscale phenomena. In this paper, the effective stiffness is calculated using the homogenization of nonlinear behavior of a composite representative volume element (RVE) containing fiber-matrix debonding. The damage modes for the RVE are considered by using cohesive elements and contacts for the cohesive behavior of the interface between fiber and matrix. To predict more realistic responses of composite materials, different random distributions of fibers are proposed besides square and hexagonal arrays. It was shown that in some cases, there is quite different damage behavior in different fiber distributions. A comprehensive comparison has been made between different graphs.
Keywords: Homogenization, cohesive zone model, fiber-matrix debonding, RVE.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 7871042 Modeling of Reusability of Object Oriented Software System
Authors: Parvinder S. Sandhu, Harpreet Kaur, Amanpreet Singh
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Automatic reusability appraisal is helpful in evaluating the quality of developed or developing reusable software components and in identification of reusable components from existing legacy systems; that can save cost of developing the software from scratch. But the issue of how to identify reusable components from existing systems has remained relatively unexplored. In this research work, structural attributes of software components are explored using software metrics and quality of the software is inferred by different Neural Network based approaches, taking the metric values as input. The calculated reusability value enables to identify a good quality code automatically. It is found that the reusability value determined is close to the manual analysis used to be performed by the programmers or repository managers. So, the developed system can be used to enhance the productivity and quality of software development.Keywords: Neural Network, Software Reusability, Software Metric, Accuracy, MAE, RMSE.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20811041 Soil Improvement using Cement Dust Mixture
Authors: Mohie Eldin Mohamed Afifiy Elmashad
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Day by day technology increases and problems associated with this technology also increase. Several researches were carried out to investigate the deployment of such material safely in geotechnical engineering in particular and civil engineering in general. However, different types of waste material have such as cement duct, fly ash and slag been proven to be suitable in several applications. In this research cement dust mixed with different percentages of sand will be used in some civil engineering application as will be explained later in this paper throughout filed and laboratory test. The used mixer (waste material with sand) prove high performance, durability to environmental condition, low cost and high benefits. At higher cement dust ratio, small cement ratio is valuable for compressive strength and permeability. Also at small cement dust ratio higher cement ratio is valuable for compressive strength.Keywords: cement dust, cement, soil improvement, permeability
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 29251040 Intelligent Condition Monitoring Systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Robots
Authors: A. P. Anvar, T. Dowling, T. Putland, A. M. Anvar, S.Grainger
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This paper presents the application of Intelligent Techniques to the various duties of Intelligent Condition Monitoring Systems (ICMS) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Robots. These Systems are intended to support these Intelligent Robots in the event of a Fault occurrence. Neural Networks are used for Diagnosis, whilst Fuzzy Logic is intended for Prognosis and Remedy. The ultimate goals of ICMS are to save large losses in financial cost, time and data.Keywords: Intelligent Techniques, Condition Monitoring Systems, ICMS, Robots, Fault, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV, Neural Networks, Diagnosis, Fuzzy Logic, Prognosis, Remedy.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23541039 Optimization Using Simulation of the Vehicle Routing Problem
Authors: Nayera E. El-Gharably, Khaled S. El-Kilany, Aziz E. El-Sayed
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A key element of many distribution systems is the routing and scheduling of vehicles servicing a set of customers. A wide variety of exact and approximate algorithms have been proposed for solving the vehicle routing problems (VRP). Exact algorithms can only solve relatively small problems of VRP, which is classified as NP-Hard. Several approximate algorithms have proven successful in finding a feasible solution not necessarily optimum. Although different parts of the problem are stochastic in nature; yet, limited work relevant to the application of discrete event system simulation has addressed the problem. Presented here is optimization using simulation of VRP; where, a simplified problem has been developed in the ExtendSimTM simulation environment; where, ExtendSimTM evolutionary optimizer is used to minimize the total transportation cost of the problem. Results obtained from the model are very satisfactory. Further complexities of the problem are proposed for consideration in the future.Keywords: Discrete event system simulation, optimization using simulation, vehicle routing problem.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 58471038 Development of Electric Performance Testing System for Ceramic Chips using PZT Actuator
Authors: Jin-Ho Bae, Yong-Tae Kim, S K Deb Nath, Seo-Ik Kang, Sung-Gaun Kim
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Reno-pin contact test is a method that is controlled by DC motor used to characterize electronic chips. This method is used in electronic and telecommunication devices. A new electric performance testing system is developed in which the testing method is controlled by using Piezoelectric Transducer (PZT) instead of DC motor which reduces vibration and noise. The vertical displacement of the Reno-pin is very short in the Reno-pin contact testing system. Now using a flexible guide in the new Reno-pin contact system, the vertical movement of the Reno-pin is increased many times of the existing Reno-pin contact testing method using DC motor. Using the present electric performance testing system with a flexible hinge and PZT instead of DC motor, manufacturing of electronic chips are able to characterize chips with low cost and high speed.Keywords: PZT Actuator, Chip test, Mechanical amplifier
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19931037 A Green Method for Selective Spectrophotometric Determination of Hafnium(IV) with Aqueous Extract of Ficus carica Tree Leaves
Authors: A. Boveiri Monji, H. Yousefnia, M. Haji Hosseini, S. Zolghadri
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A clean spectrophotometric method for the determination of hafnium by using a green reagent, acidic extract of Ficus carica tree leaves is developed. In 6-M hydrochloric acid, hafnium reacts with this reagent to form a yellow product. The formed product shows maximum absorbance at 421 nm with a molar absorptivity value of 0.28 × 104 l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, and the method was linear in the 2-11 µg ml⁻¹ concentration range. The detection limit value was found to be 0.312 µg ml⁻¹. Except zirconium and iron, the selectivity was good, and most of the ions did not show any significant spectral interference at concentrations up to several hundred times. The proposed method was green, simple, low cost, and selective.
Keywords: Spectrophotometric determination, Ficus carica tree leaves, synthetic reagents, hafnium.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 7371036 Lightweight Mirrors for Space X-Ray Telescopes
Authors: M. Mika, L. Pina, M. Landova, L. Sveda, R. Havlikova, V. Marsikova, R. Hudec, A. Inneman
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Future astronomical projects on large space x-ray imaging telescopes require novel substrates and technologies for the construction of their reflecting mirrors. The mirrors must be lightweight and precisely shaped to achieve large collecting area with high angular resolution. The new materials and technologies must be cost-effective. Currently, the most promising materials are glass or silicon foils. We focused on precise shaping these foils by thermal forming process. We studied free and forced slumping in the temperature region of hot plastic deformation and compared the shapes obtained by the different slumping processes. We measured the shapes and the surface quality of the foils. In the experiments, we varied both heat-treatment temperature and time following our experiment design. The obtained data and relations we can use for modeling and optimizing the thermal forming procedure.Keywords: Glass, silicon, thermal forming, x-ray
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 13851035 Learning Process Enhancement for Robot Behaviors
Authors: Saeed Mohammed Baneamoon, Rosalina Abdul Salam, Abdullah Zawawi Hj. Talib
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Designing a simulated system and training it to optimize its tasks in simulated environment helps the designers to avoid problems that may appear when designing the system directly in real world. These problems are: time consuming, high cost, high errors percentage and low efficiency and accuracy of the system. The proposed system will investigate and improve the efficiency and accuracy of a simulated robot to choose correct behavior to perform its task. In this paper, machine learning, which uses genetic algorithm, is adopted. This type of machine learning is called genetic-based machine learning in which a distributed classifier system is used to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the robot. Consequently, it helps the robot to achieve optimal action.Keywords: Machine Learning, Genetic-Based MachineLearning, Learning Classifier System, Behaviors.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1529