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This chapter describes three general strategies to master uncertainty in technical systems: robustness, flexibility and resilience. It builds on the previous chapters about methods to analyse and identify uncertainty and may rely on the availability of technologies for particular systems, such as active components. Robustness aims for the design of technical systems that are insensitive to anticipated uncertainties. Flexibility increases the ability of a system to work under different situations. Resilience extends this characteristic by requiring a given minimal functional performance, even after disturbances or failure of system components, and it may incorporate recovery. The three strategies are described and discussed in turn. Moreover, they are demonstrated on specific technical systems.
A new trend in automation is to deploy so-called cyber-physical systems (CPS) which combine computation with physical processes. The novel RoboCup Logistics League Sponsored by Festo (LLSF) aims at such CPS logistic scenarios in an automation setting. A team of robots has to produce products from a number of semi-finished products which they have to machine during the game. Different production plans are possible and the robots need to recycle scrap byproducts. This way, the LLSF is a very interesting league offering a number of challenging research questions for planning, coordination, or communication in an application-driven scenario. In this paper, we outline the objectives of the LLSF and present steps for developing the league further towards a benchmark for logistics scenarios for CPS. As a major milestone we present the new automated referee system which helps in governing the game play as well as keeping track of the scored points in a very complex factory scenario.
Cyber-physical systems are ever more common in manufacturing industries. Increasing their autonomy has been declared an explicit goal, for example, as part of the Industry 4.0 vision. To achieve this system intelligence, principled and software-driven methods are required to analyze sensing data, make goal-directed decisions, and eventually execute and monitor chosen tasks. In this chapter, we present a number of knowledge-based approaches to these problems and case studies with in-depth evaluation results of several different implementations for groups of autonomous mobile robots performing in-house logistics in a smart factory. We focus on knowledge-based systems because besides providing expressive languages and capable reasoning techniques, they also allow for explaining how a particular sequence of actions came about, for example, in the case of a failure.
This work describes a procedure to yield attenuation maps from MR images which are used for the absorption correction (AC) of brain PET data. Such an approach could be mandatory for future combined PET and MRI scanners, which probably do not include a transmission facility. T1-weighted MR images were segmented into brain tissue, bone, soft tissue, and sinus; attenuation coefficients corresponding to elemental composition and density as well as to 511 keV photon energy were respectively assigned. Attenuation maps containing up to four compartments were created and forward projected into sinograms with attenuation factors which then were used for AC during reconstruction of FDG-PET data. The commonly used AC based on a radioactive (68Ge) transmission scan served as reference. The reconstructed radioactivity values obtained with the MRI-based AC were about 20% lower than those obtained with PET-based AC if the skull was not taken into account. Considering the skull the difference was still about 10%. Our investigations demonstrate the feasibility of a MRI-based AC, but revealed also the necessity of a satisfying delineation of bone thickness which tends to be underestimated in our first approach of T1-weighted MR image segmentation.
Around 60% of the paper worldwide is made from recovered paper. Especially adhesive contaminants, so called stickies, reduce paper quality. To remove stickies but at the same time keep as many valuable fibers as possible, multi-stage screening systems with several interconnected pressure screens are used. When planning such systems, suitable screens have to be selected and their interconnection as well as operational parameters have to be defined considering multiple conflicting objectives. In this contribution, we present a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Program to optimize system layout, component selection and operation to find a suitable trade-off between output quality and yield.
Bio-feedstocks
(2011)
Wind loads have great impact on many engineering structures. Wind storms often cause irreparable damage to the buildings which are exposed to it. Along with the earthquakes, wind represents one of the most common environmental load on structures and is relevant for limit state design. Modern wind codes indicate calculation procedures allowing engineers to deal with structural systems, which are susceptible to conduct wind-excited oscillations. In the codes approximate formulas for wind buffeting are specified which relate the dynamic problem to rather abstract parameter functions. The complete theory behind is not visible in order to simplify the applicability of the procedures. This chapter derives the underlying basic relations of the spectral method for wind buffeting and explains the main important applications of it in order to elucidate part of the theoretical background of computations after the new codes. The stochasticity of the wind processes is addressed, and the analysis of analytical as well as measurement based power spectra is outlined. Short MATLAB codes are added to the Appendix 3 which carry out the computation of a single sided auto-spectrum from a statistically stationary, discrete stochastic process. Two examples are presented.
Today the most accurate and cost effective industrial codes used in aircraft design are based on the full potential equation coupled with boundary layer equations. However, these are not capable to solve complicated three-dimensional problems of vortical flows and shocks. On the other hand Euler and Navier-Stokes codes are too expensive and not accurate enough for design purposes, especially in regard of drag and interference prediction. The reasons for these deficiencies are investigated and a way to overcome them by future developments is demonstrated.
In the preceeding chapters on “Son of Concorde, a Technology Challenge” and “Aerodynamic Multipoint Design Challenge” it was explained, that a well balanced contribution of new technologies in all major disciplines is required for realisation of a new Supersonic Commercial Transport (SCT). One of these technologies - usually one of the most important for aircraft-is aerodynamics. Here, the required “pure” aerodynamic technologies are specified in more detail, according to our present knowledge. Increasing insight into the problems may change the balance of importance of the individual technologies and may require some more contributions. We must never confine our knowledge to the knowledge base of an expert at a given time, but must stay open for new insights.
Since certification of Concorde new certification standards were introduced including many new regulations to improve flight safety. Most of these standards are to prevent severe accidents in the future which happened in the past (here: after Concorde’s certification). A new SCT has to fulfill these standards, although Concorde had none of these accidents. But accidents - although they sometimes occurred only for a specific aircraft type - have to be avoided for any (new) aircraft. Because of existing aircraft without typical accident types having demonstrated their reliability, they are allowed to go on based on their old certification; although sometimes new rules prevent accident types which are not connected to specific aircraft types - like e.g. evacuation rules. Anyway, Concorde is allowed to fly based on its old certification, and hopefully in the future will fly as safely as in the past. But a new SCT has to fulfill updated rules like any other aircraft, and it has to be “just another aircraft” [75].
Supersonic laminar flow
(1997)
Supersonic transports are very drag sensitive. Technology to reduce drag by application of laminar flow, therefore, will be important; it is a prerequisite to achieve very long range capability. In earlier studies it was assumed that SCTs would only become possible by application of laminar flow [376]. But today, we request an SCT to be viable without application of laminar flow in order to maintain its competitiveness when laminar flow becomes available for subsonic and supersonic transports. By reducing fuel burned, laminar flow drag reduction reduces size and weight of the aircraft, or increases range capability -whereas otherwise size and weight would grow towards infinity. Transition mechanisms from laminar to turbulent state of the boundary layer flow (ALT, CFI, TSI) function as for transonic transports, but at more severe conditions: higher sweep angles, cooled surfaces; higher mode instabilities (HMI) must at least be taken into account, although they may not become important below Mach 3. Hitherto there is a worldwide lack of ground test facilities to investigate TSI at the expected cruise Mach numbers between 1.6 and 2.4; in Stuttgart, Germany one such facility -a Ludwieg tube- is still in the validation phase. A quiet Ludwieg tunnel could be a favourable choice for Europe. But it will require a new approach in designing aircraft which includes improved theoretical predictions, usage of classical wind tunnels for turbulent flow and flight tests for validation.
Concorde (Figure 9) is the only supersonic airliner which has been introduced into regular passenger service. It is still in service at British Airways and Air France without any flight accidents, and probably will stay in service for at least for ten more years.
In the chapter “Son of Concorde, a Technology Challenge” one of the new challenges for a Supersonic Commercial Transport (SCT) is multi-point design for the four main design points:
- supersonic cruise
- transonic cruise
- take-off and landing
- transonic acceleration.
The technology programme “Reduction of aerodynamic drag (RaWid)” for high speed aerodynamics at Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus is sponsered by the German ministry for education, research and technology since July 1, 1995. Connected to this industrial programme are the cooperation programmes “MEGAFLOW” under leadership of the DLR and “Transition” by the DFG, and several contributions by DLR and universities.
The programme is oriented towards technologies required for a MEGALINER which gains momentum by the ambitious plans for a new large Airbus A3XX.
In the first year new technological steps were undertaken in theory, design and experiment. Some critical steps were verified by wing designs checked in wind tunnel tests.
A technology reference study for a displaced Lagrange point space weather mission is presented. The mission builds on previous concepts, but adopts a strong micro-spacecraft philosophy to deliver a low mass platform and payload which can be accommodated on the DLR/ESA Gossamer-3 technology demonstration mission. A direct escape from Geostationary Transfer Orbit is assumed with the sail deployed after the escape burn. The use of a miniaturized, low mass platform and payload then allows the Gossamer-3 solar sail to potentially double the warning time of space weather events. The mission profile and mass budgets will be presented to achieve these ambitious goals.
Biocomposite Materials Based on Carbonized Rice Husk in Biomedicine and Environmental Applications
(2020)
This chapter describes the prospects for biomedical and environmental engineering applications of heterogeneous materials based on nanostructured carbonized rice husk. Efforts in engineering enzymology are focused on the following directions: development and optimization of immobilization methods leading to novel biotechnological and biomedical applications; construction of biocomposite materials based on individual enzymes, multi-enzyme complexes and whole cells, targeted on realization of specific industrial processes. Molecular biological and biochemical studies on cell adhesion focus predominantly on identification, isolation and structural analysis of attachment-responsible biological molecules and their genetic determinants. The chapter provides a short overview of applications of the biocomposite materials based of nanostructured carbonized adsorbents. It emphasizes that further studies and better understanding of the interactions between CNS and microbial cells are necessary. The future use of living cells as biocatalysts, especially in the environmental field, needs more systematic investigations of the microbial adsorption phenomenon.
A technology reference study for a solar polar mission is presented. The study uses novel analytical methods to quantify the mission design space including the required sail performance to achieve a given solar polar observation angle within a given timeframe and thus to derive mass allocations for the remaining spacecraft sub-systems, that is excluding the solar sail sub-system. A parametric, bottom-up, system mass budget analysis is then used to establish the required sail technology to deliver a range of science payloads, and to establish where such payloads can be delivered to within a given timeframe. It is found that a solar polar mission requires a solar sail of side-length 100–125 m to deliver a ‘sufficient value’ minimum science payload, and that a 2.5 μm sail film substrate is typically required, however the design is much less sensitive to the boom specific mass.
In order to maximize the possible travel distance of battery electric vehicles with one battery charge, it is mandatory to adjust all components of the powertrain carefully to each other. While current vehicle designs mostly simplify the powertrain rigorously and use an electric motor in combination with a gearbox with only one fixed transmission ratio, the use of multi-gear systems has great potential. First, a multi-speed system is able to improve the overall energy efficiency. Secondly, it is able to reduce the maximum momentum and therefore to reduce the maximum current provided by the traction battery, which results in a longer battery lifetime. In this paper, we present a systematic way to generate multi-gear gearbox designs that—combined with a certain electric motor—lead to the most efficient fulfillment of predefined load scenarios and are at the same time robust to uncertainties in the load. Therefore, we model the electric motor and the gearbox within a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Program, and optimize the efficiency of the mechanical parts of the powertrain. By combining this mathematical optimization program with an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, we are able to derive global-optimal gearbox designs for practically relevant momentum and speed requirements.
The energy-efficiency of technical systems can be improved by a systematic design approach. Technical Operations Research (TOR) employs methods known from Operations Research to find a global optimal layout and operation strategy of technical systems. We show the practical usage of this approach by the systematic design of a decentralized water supply system for skyscrapers. All possible network options and operation strategies are modeled by a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Program. We present the optimal system found by our approach and highlight the energy savings compared to a conventional system design.
There is a broad international discussion about rethinking engineering education in order to educate engineers to cope with future challenges, and particularly the sustainable development goals. In this context, there is a consensus about the need to shift from a mostly technical paradigm to a more holistic problem-based approach, which can address the social embeddedness of technology in society. Among the strategies suggested to address this social embeddedness, design thinking has been proposed as an essential complement to engineering precisely for this purpose. This chapter describes the requirements for integrating the design thinking approach in engineering education. We exemplify the requirements and challenges by presenting our approach based on our course experiences at RWTH Aachen University. The chapter first describes the development of our approach of integrating design thinking in engineering curricula, how we combine it with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as well as the role of sustainability and social responsibility in engineering. Secondly, we present the course “Expanding Engineering Limits: Culture, Diversity, and Gender” at RWTH Aachen University. We describe the necessity to theoretically embed the method in social and cultural context, giving students the opportunity to reflect on cultural, national, or individual “engineering limits,” and to be able to overcome them using design thinking as a next step for collaborative project work. The paper will suggest that the successful implementation of design thinking as a method in engineering education needs to be framed and contextualized within Science and Technology Studies (STS).
Epilepsy
(2010)
For a wide acceptance of E-Mobility, a well-developed charging infrastructure is needed. Conductive charging stations, which are today’s state of the art, are of limited suitability for urbanised areas, since they cause a significant diversification in townscape. Furthermore, they might be destroyed by vandalism. Besides for those urbanistic reasons, inductive charging stations are a much more comfortable alternative, especially in urbanised areas. The usage of conductive charging stations requires more or less bulky charging cables. The handling of those standardised charging cables, especially during poor weather conditions, might cause inconvenience, such as dirty clothing etc. Wireless charging does not require visible and vandalism vulnerable charge sticks. No wired connection between charging station and vehicle is needed, which enable the placement below the surface of parking spaces or other points of interest. Inductive charging seems to be the optimal alternative for E-Mobility, as a high power transfer can be realised with a manageable technical and financial effort. For a well-accepted and working public charging infrastructure in urbanised areas it is essential that the infrastructure fits the vehicles’ needs. Hence, a well-adjusted standardisation of the charging infrastructure is essential. This is carried out by several IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and national standardisation committees. To ensure an optimised technical solution for future’s inductive charging infrastructures, several field tests had been carried out and are planned in near future.
Names of individuals
(2017)
Small Claims Regulation
(2017)
The term ocular rigidity is widely used in clinical ophthalmology. Generally it is assumed as a resistance of the whole eyeball to mechanical deformation and relates to biomechanical properties of the eye and its tissues. Basic principles and formulas for clinical tonometry, tonography and pulsatile ocular blood flow measurements are based on the concept of ocular rigidity. There is evidence for altered ocular rigidity in aging, in several eye diseases and after eye surgery. Unfortunately, there is no consensual view on ocular rigidity: it used to make a quite different sense for different people but still the same name. Foremost there is no clear consent between biomechanical engineers and ophthalmologists on the concept. Moreover ocular rigidity is occasionally characterized using various parameters with their different physical dimensions. In contrast to engineering approach, clinical approach to ocular rigidity claims to characterize the total mechanical response of the eyeball to its deformation without any detailed considerations on eye morphology or material properties of its tissues. Further to the previous chapter this section aims to describe clinical approach to ocular rigidity from the perspective of an engineer in an attempt to straighten out this concept, to show its advantages, disadvantages and various applications.
Nanotubular tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles and RNA-free lower-order coat protein (CP) aggregates have been employed as enzyme carriers in different diagnostic layouts and compared for their influence on biosensor performance. In the following, we describe a label-free electrochemical biosensor for improved glucose detection by use of TMV adapters and the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOD). A specific and efficient immobilization of streptavidin-conjugated GOD ([SA]-GOD) complexes on biotinylated TMV nanotubes or CP aggregates was achieved via bioaffinity binding. Glucose sensors with adsorptively immobilized [SA]-GOD, and with [SA]-GOD cross-linked with glutardialdehyde, respectively, were tested in parallel on the same sensor chip. Comparison of these sensors revealed that TMV adapters enhanced the amperometric glucose detection remarkably, conveying highest sensitivity, an extended linear detection range and fastest response times. These results underline a great potential of an integration of virus/biomolecule hybrids with electronic transducers for applications in biosensorics and biochips. Here, we describe the fabrication and use of amperometric sensor chips combining an array of circular Pt electrodes, their loading with GOD-modified TMV nanotubes (and other GOD immobilization methods), and the subsequent investigations of the sensor performance.
Successful bone sawing requires a high level of skill and experience, which could be gained by the use of Virtual Reality-based simulators. A key aspect of these medical simulators is realistic force feedback. The aim of this paper is to model the bone sawing process in order to develop a valid training simulator for the bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, the most often applied corrective surgery in case of a malposition of the mandible. Bone samples from a human cadaveric mandible were tested using a designed experimental system. Image processing and statistical analysis were used for the selection of four models for the bone sawing process. The results revealed a polynomial dependency between the material removal rate and the applied force. Differences between the three segments of the osteotomy line and between the cortical and cancellous bone were highlighted.
Interior transmission eigenvalue problems for the Helmholtz equation play an important role in inverse wave scattering. Some distribution properties of those eigenvalues in the complex plane are reviewed. Further, a new scattering model for the interior transmission eigenvalue problem with mixed boundary conditions is described and an efficient algorithm for computing the interior transmission eigenvalues is proposed. Finally, extensive numerical results for a variety of two-dimensional scatterers are presented to show the validity of the proposed scheme.
For the sterilisation of aseptic food packages it is taken advantage of the microbicidal properties of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Especially, when applied in vapour phase, it has shown high potential of microbial inactivation. In addition, it offers a high environmental compatibility compared to other chemical sterilisation agents, as it decomposes into oxygen and water, respectively. Due to a lack in sensory detection possibilities, a continuous monitoring of the H2O2 concentration was recently not available. Instead, the sterilisation efficacy is validated using microbiological tests. However, progresses in the development of calorimetric gas sensors during the last 7 years have made it possible to monitor the H2O2 concentration during operation. This chapter deals with the fundamentals of calorimetric gas sensing with special focus on the detection of gaseous hydrogen peroxide. A sensor principle based on a calorimetric differential set-up is described. Special emphasis is given to the sensor design with respect to the operational requirements under field conditions. The state-of-the-art regarding a sensor set-up for the on-line monitoring and secondly, a miniaturised sensor for in-line monitoring are summarised. Furthermore, alternative detection methods and a novel multi-sensor system for the characterisation of aseptic sterilisation processes are described.
The production and assembly of customized products increases the demand for flexible automation systems. One approach is to remove the safety fences that separate human and industrial robot to combine their skills. This collaboration possesses a certain risk for the human co-worker, leading to numerous safety concepts to protect him. The human needs to be monitored and tracked by a safety system using different sensors. The proposed system consists of a RGBD camera for surveillance of the common working area, an array of optical distance sensors to compensate shadowing effects of the RGBD camera and a laser range finder to detect the co-worker when approaching the work cell. The software for collision detection, path planning, robot control and predicting the behaviour of the co-worker is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). A first prototype of the work cell shows that with advanced algorithms from the field of mobile robotics a very flexible safety concept can be realized: the robot not simply stops its movement when detecting a collision, but plans and executes an alternative path around the obstacle.
The adoption of the Digital Health Transformation is a tremendous paradigm change in health organizations, which is not a trivial process in reality. For that reason, in this chapter, it is proposed a methodology with the objective to generate a changing culture in healthcare organisations. Such a change culture is essential for the successful implementation of any supporting methods like Interactive Process Mining. It needs to incorporate (mostly) new ways of team-based and evidence-based approaches for solving structural problems in a digital healthcare environment.
Concentrating solar power
(2022)
The focus of this chapter is the production of power and the use of the heat produced from concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) systems.
The chapter starts with the general theoretical principles of concentrating systems including the description of the concentration ratio, the energy and mass balance. The power conversion systems is the main part where solar-only operation and the increase in operational hours.
Solar-only operation include the use of steam turbines, gas turbines, organic Rankine cycles and solar dishes. The operational hours can be increased with hybridization and with storage.
Another important topic is the cogeneration where solar cooling, desalination and of heat usage is described.
Many examples of commercial CSP power plants as well as research facilities from the past as well as current installed and in operation are described in detail.
The chapter closes with economic and environmental aspects and with the future potential of the development of CSP around the world.
Concentrating Solar Power
(2021)
The focus of this chapter is the production of power and the use of the heat produced from concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) systems.
The chapter starts with the general theoretical principles of concentrating systems including the description of the concentration ratio, the energy and mass balance. The power conversion systems is the main part where solar-only operation and the increase in operational hours.
Solar-only operation include the use of steam turbines, gas turbines, organic Rankine cycles and solar dishes. The operational hours can be increased with hybridization and with storage.
Another important topic is the cogeneration where solar cooling, desalination and of heat usage is described.
Many examples of commercial CSP power plants as well as research facilities from the past as well as current installed and in operation are described in detail.
The chapter closes with economic and environmental aspects and with the future potential of the development of CSP around the world.
Concentrating solar power
(2012)
Solar thermal concentrated power is an emerging technology that provides clean electricity for the growing energy market. To the solar thermal concentrated power plant systems belong the parabolic trough, the Fresnel collector, the solar dish, and the central receiver system.
For high-concentration solar collector systems, optical and thermal analysis is essential. There exist a number of measurement techniques and systems for the optical and thermal characterization of the efficiency of solar thermal concentrated systems.
For each system, structure, components, and specific characteristics types are described. The chapter presents additionally an outline for the calculation of system performance and operation and maintenance topics. One main focus is set to the models of components and their construction details as well as different types on the market. In the later part of this article, different criteria for the choice of technology are analyzed in detail.
Solar thermal concentrated power is an emerging technology that provides clean electricity for the growing energy market. To the solar thermal concentrated power plant systems belong the parabolic trough, the Fresnel collector, the solar dish, and the central receiver system.
For high-concentration solar collector systems, optical and thermal analysis is essential. There exist a number of measurement techniques and systems for the optical and thermal characterization of the efficiency of solar thermal concentrated systems.
For each system, structure, components, and specific characteristics types are described. The chapter presents additionally an outline for the calculation of system performance and operation and maintenance topics. One main focus is set to the models of components and their construction details as well as different types on the market. In the later part of this chapter, different criteria for the choice of technology are analyzed in detail.
Industrial production systems are facing radical change in multiple dimensions. This change is caused by technological developments and the digital transformation of production, as well as the call for political and social change to facilitate a transformation toward sustainability. These changes affect both the capabilities of production systems and companies and the design of higher education and educational programs. Given the high uncertainty in the likelihood of occurrence and the technical, economic, and societal impacts of these concepts, we conducted a technology foresight study, in the form of a real-time Delphi analysis, to derive reliable future scenarios featuring the next generation of manufacturing systems. This chapter presents the capabilities dimension and describes each projection in detail, offering current case study examples and discussing related research, as well as implications for policy makers and firms. Specifically, we discuss the benefits of capturing expert knowledge and making it accessible to newcomers, especially in highly specialized industries. The experts argue that in order to cope with the challenges and circumstances of today’s world, students must already during their education at university learn how to work with AI and other technologies. This means that study programs must change and that universities must adapt their structural aspects to meet the needs of the students.
This chapter introduces performance and acceptance testing and describes state-of-the-art tools, methods, and instruments to assess the plant performance or realize plant acceptance testing. The status of the development of standards for performance assessment is given.
It has been observed that carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are present in the atmosphere. Combustion processes are considered the most important sources for PAH. Among these, the burning of coal produces the highest emission, but in cities with high traffic density and low meteorological exchange activities, vehicle emissions determine the immission situation, especially in narrow streets. For estimating the potential health effects caused by PAH, it is sufficient to characterize the emission of PAH with respect to their physical state, concentrations, and, as far as the particulate phase is concerned, size distribution. The size distribution is important for transport phenomena, inhalation, and deposition in the respiratory tract. These parameters mainly depend on the combustion system, on system operating conditions, on the exhaust system, and on exhaust cooling conditions. At exhaust-gas temperatures in the range of ambient air temperatures, almost the whole emission of PAH is made up of particulate matter.
Tristan und Isolde, Samson und Dalila, Capriccio : 3D illustration for posters of Cologne Opera
(2009)
Ceramic hot gas filters are widely used in combined cycles based on pressurised fluidised beds. They fulfil most of the demands with respect to cleaning efficiency and long time durability, but their operation regarding the consumption of pulse gas and energy still has to be optimised. Experimental investigations were carried out to measure the flow field, the pressure and the gas temperature inside the filter candle during pulse jet cleaning. These results are compared with the results of a numerical procedure based on a solution of the two - dimensional conservation equations for momentum and energy. The observed difficulties handling different flow regimes like highly turbulent flow as well as Darcy flow simultaneously are discussed.
The connective tissues such as tendons contain an extracellular matrix (ECM) comprising collagen fibrils scattered within the ground substance. These fibrils are instrumental in lending mechanical stability to tissues. Unfortunately, our understanding of how collagen fibrils reinforce the ECM remains limited, with no direct experimental evidence substantiating current theories. Earlier theoretical studies on collagen fibril reinforcement in the ECM have relied predominantly on the assumption of uniform cylindrical fibers, which is inadequate for modelling collagen fibrils, which possessed tapered ends. Recently, Topçu and colleagues published a paper in the International Journal of Solids and Structures, presenting a generalized shear-lag theory for the transfer of elastic stress between the matrix and fibers with tapered ends. This paper is a positive step towards comprehending the mechanics of the ECM and makes a valuable contribution to formulating a complete theory of collagen fibril reinforcement in the ECM.
We present a robotic tool that autonomously follows a conversation to enable remote presence in video conferencing. When humans participate in a meeting with the help of video conferencing tools, it is crucial that they are able to follow the conversation both with acoustic and visual input. To this end, we design and implement a video conferencing tool robot that uses binaural sound source localization as its main source to autonomously orient towards the currently talking speaker. To increase robustness of the acoustic cue against noise we supplement the sound localization with a source detection stage. Also, we include a simple onset detector to retain fast response times. Since we only use two microphones, we are confronted with ambiguities on whether a source is in front or behind the device. We resolve these ambiguities with the help of face detection and additional moves. We tailor the system to our target scenarios in experiments with a four minute scripted conversation. In these experiments we evaluate the influence of different system settings on the responsiveness and accuracy of the device.
The work presented in this report provides scientific support to building renovation policies in the EU by promoting a holistic point of view on the topic. Integrated renovation can be seen as a nexus between European policies on disaster resilience, energy efficiency and circularity in the building sector. An overview of policy measures for the seismic and energy upgrading of buildings across EU Member States identified only a few available measures for combined upgrading. Regulatory framework, financial instruments and digital tools similar to those for energy renovation, together with awareness and training may promote integrated renovation. A framework for regional prioritisation of building renovation was put forward, considering seismic risk, energy efficiency, and socioeconomic vulnerability independently and in an integrated way. Results indicate that prioritisation of building renovation is a multidimensional problem. Depending on priorities, different integrated indicators should be used to inform policies and accomplish the highest relative or most spread impact across different sectors. The framework was further extended to assess the impact of renovation scenarios across the EU with a focus on priority regions. Integrated renovation can provide a risk-proofed, sustainable, and inclusive built environment, presenting an economic benefit in the order of magnitude of the highest benefit among the separate interventions. Furthermore, it presents the unique capability of reducing fatalities and energy consumption at the same time and, depending on the scenario, to a greater extent.
The chapter initially provides a summary of the contents of Eurocode 8, its aim being to offer both to the students and to practising engineers an easy introduction into the calculation and dimensioning procedures of this earthquake code. Specifically, the general rules for earthquake-resistant structures, the definition of design response spectra taking behaviour and importance factors into account, the application of linear and non-linear calculation methods and the structural safety verifications at the serviceability and ultimate limit state are presented. The application of linear and non-linear calculation methods and corresponding seismic design rules is demonstrated on practical examples for reinforced concrete, steel and masonry buildings. Furthermore, the seismic assessment of existing buildings is discussed and illustrated on the example of a typical historical masonry building in Italy. The examples are worked out in detail and each step of the design process, from the preliminary analysis to the final design, is explained in detail.
Rapid Tooling
(2019)
Modification and testing of an engine and fuel control system for a hydrogen fuelled gas turbine
(2011)
Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CM) today are widely used for the investigation of normal electromechanical cardiac function, of cardiac medication and of mutations. Computational models are thus established that simulate the behavior of this kind of cells. This section first motivates the modeling of hiPS-CM and then presents and discusses several modeling approaches of microscopic and macroscopic constituents of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived and mature human cardiac tissue. The focus is led on the mapping of the computational results one can achieve with these models onto mature human cardiomyocyte models, the latter being the real matter of interest. Model adaptivity is the key feature that is discussed because it opens the way for modeling various biological effects like biological variability, medication, mutation and phenotypical expression. We compare the computational with experimental results with respect to normal cardiac function and with respect to inotropic and chronotropic drug effects. The section closes with a discussion on the status quo of the specificity of computational models and on what challenges have to be solved to reach patient-specificity.
We present an electromechanically coupled Finite Element model for cardiac tissue. It bases on the mechanical model for cardiac tissue of Hunter et al. that we couple to the McAllister-Noble-Tsien electrophysiological model of purkinje fibre cells. The corresponding system of ordinary differential equations is implemented on the level of the constitutive equations in a geometrically and physically nonlinear version of the so-called edge-based smoothed FEM for plates. Mechanical material parameters are determined from our own pressure-deflection experimental setup. The main purpose of the model is to further examine the experimental results not only on mechanical but also on electrophysiological level down to ion channel gates. Moreover, we present first drug treatment simulations and validate the model with respect to the experiments.
AI-based systems are nearing ubiquity not only in everyday low-stakes activities but also in medical procedures. To protect patients and physicians alike, explainability requirements have been proposed for the operation of AI-based decision support systems (AI-DSS), which adds hurdles to the productive use of AI in clinical contexts. This raises two questions: Who decides these requirements? And how should access to AI-DSS be provided to communities that reject these standards (particularly when such communities are expert-scarce)? This chapter investigates a dilemma that emerges from the implementation of global AI governance. While rejecting global AI governance limits the ability to help communities in need, global AI governance risks undermining and subjecting health-insecure communities to the force of the neo-colonial world order. For this, this chapter first surveys the current landscape of AI governance and introduces the approach of relational egalitarianism as key to (global health) justice. To discuss the two horns of the referred dilemma, the core power imbalances faced by health-insecure collectives (HICs) are examined. The chapter argues that only strong demands of a dual strategy towards health-secure collectives can both remedy the immediate needs of HICs and enable them to become healthcare independent.
In competition with other modes of transport, rail freight transport is looking for solutions to become more attractive. Short-term success can be achieved through the data-driven optimization of operations and maintenance as well as the application of novel strategies such as prescriptive maintenance. After introducing the concept of prescriptive maintenance, this paper aims to prove that vehicle-focused applications of this approach indeed have the potential to increase attractiveness. However, even greater advantages can be activated if data from the horizontal network of the vehicle is available. Drawing on the state of the art in research and technology in the field of cyber-physical systems (CPS) as well as digital twins and shadows, our work serves to design a system of systems for the horizontal interconnection of a rail vehicle and to conceptualize a draft for a digital twin of a locomotive.
Additive manufacturing (AM) works by creating objects layer by layer in a manner similar to a 2D printer with the “printed” layers stacked on top of each other. The layer-wise manufacturing nature of AM enables fabrication of freeform geometries which cannot be fabricated using conventional manufacturing methods as a one part. Depending on how each layer is created and bonded to the adjacent layers, different AM methods have been developed. In this chapter, the basic terms, common materials, and different methods of AM are described, and their potential applications are discussed.
We present an automated pipeline for the generation of synthetic datasets for six-dimension (6D) object pose estimation. Therefore, a completely automated generation process based on predefined settings is developed, which enables the user to create large datasets with a minimum of interaction and which is feasible for applications with a high object variance. The pipeline is based on the Unreal 4 (UE4) game engine and provides a high variation for domain randomization, such as object appearance, ambient lighting, camera-object transformation and distractor density. In addition to the object pose and bounding box, the metadata includes all randomization parameters, which enables further studies on randomization parameter tuning. The developed workflow is adaptable to other 3D objects and UE4 environments. An exemplary dataset is provided including five objects of the Yale-CMU-Berkeley (YCB) object set. The datasets consist of 6 million subsegments using 97 rendering locations in 12 different UE4 environments. Each dataset subsegment includes one RGB image, one depth image and one class segmentation image at pixel-level.
Magnetic nanoparticle relaxation in biomedical application: focus on simulating nanoparticle heating
(2021)
Software development projects often fail because of insufficient code quality. It is now well documented that the task of testing software, for example, is perceived as uninteresting and rather boring, leading to poor software quality and major challenges to software development companies. One promising approach to increase the motivation for considering software quality is the use of gamification. Initial research works already investigated the effects of gamification on software developers and come to promising. Nevertheless, a lack of results from field experiments exists, which motivates the chapter at hand. By conducting a gamification experiment with five student software projects and by interviewing the project members, the chapter provides insights into the changing programming behavior of information systems students when confronted with a leaderboard. The results reveal a motivational effect as well as a reduction of code smells.
In the past decade, many IS researchers focused on researching the phenomenon of Big Data. At the same time, the relevance of data protection gets more attention than ever before. In particular, since the enactment of the European General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018 Information Systems research should provide answers for protecting personal data. The article at hand presents a structuring framework for Big Data research outcome and the consideration of data protection. IS Researchers might use the framework in order to structure Big Data literature and to identify research gaps that should be addressed in the future.
Architecture is a university subject with educational roots in both the technical university and art/specialized architecture schools, yet it lacks a strong research orientation and is focused on professional expertise. This chapter explores the particular role of research within architectural education in general by discussing two different cases for the implementation of undergraduate research in architecture: during the late 1990s and early 2000s at the University of Sheffield, UK, and during the 2010s at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. These examples illustrate the asynchronous beginnings of similar developments, and also contextualize differences in disciplinary habitus and pedagogical approaches between Sheffield, where research impulses stemmed from within the Architectural Humanities, and Aachen with its strong tradition as a technical university.
The development prospects of the world markets for petroleum and other liquid fuels are diverse and partly contradictory. However, comprehensive changes for the energy supply of the future are essential. Notwithstanding the fact that there are still very large deposits of energy resources from a geological point of view, the finite nature of conventional oil reserves is indisputable. To reduce our dependence on oil, the EU, the USA, and other major economic zones rely on energy diversification. For this purpose, alternative materials and technologies are being sought, and is most obvious in the transport sector. The objective is to progressively replace fossil fuels with renewable and more sustainable fuels. In this respect, biofuels have a pre-eminent position in terms of their capability of blending with fossil fuels and being usable in existing cars without substantial modification. Ethanol can be considered as the primary renewable liquid fuel. In this chapter enzymes, micro-organisms, and processes for ethanol production based on renewable resources are described.
Reconstructive surgery and tissue replacements like ureters or bladders reconstruction have been recently studied, taking into account growth and remodelling of cells since living cells are capable of growing, adapting, remodelling or degrading and restoring in order to deform and respond to stimuli. Hence, shapes of ureters or bladders and their microstructure change during growth and these changes strongly depend on external stimuli such as training. We present the mechanical stimulation of smooth muscle cells in a tubular fibrin-PVDFA scaffold and the modelling of the growth of tissue by stimuli. To this end, mechanotransduction was performed with a kyphoplasty balloon catheter that was guided through the lumen of the tubular structure. The bursting pressure was examined to compare the stability of the incubated tissue constructs. The results showed the significant changes on tissues with training by increasing the burst pressure as a characteristic mechanical property and the smooth muscle cells were more oriented with uniformly higher density. Besides, the computational growth models also exhibited the accurate tendencies of growth of the cells under different external stimuli. Such models may lead to design standards for the better layered tissue structure in reconstructing of tubular organs characterized as composite materials such as intestines, ureters and arteries.
Changes in intestinal microflora in rats induced by oral exposure to low lead (II) concentrations
(2015)
Heterogeneous Composites on the Basis of Microbial Cells and Nanostructured Carbonized Sorbents
(2012)
The fact that microorganisms prefer to grow on liquid/solid phase surfaces rather than in the surrounding aqueous phase was noticed long time ago [1]. Virtually any surface – animal, mineral, or vegetable – is a subject for microbial colonization and subsequent biofilm formation. It would be adequate to name just a few notorious examples on microbial colonization of contact lenses, ship hulls, petroleum pipelines, rocks in streams and all kinds of biomedical implants. The propensity of microorganisms to become surface-bound is so profound and ubiquitous that it vindicates the advantages for attached forms over their free-ranging counterparts [2]. Indeed, from ecological and evolutionary standpoints, for many microorganisms the surface-bound state means dwelling in nutritionally favorable, non-hostile environments [3]. Therefore, in most of natural and artificial ecosystems surface-associated microorganisms vastly outnumber organisms in suspension and often organize into complex communities with features that differ dramatically from those of free cells [4].
Sampling of dry surfaces for microorganisms is a main component of microbiological safety and is of critical importance in many fields including epidemiology, astrobiology as well as numerous branches of medical and food manufacturing. Aspects of biofilm formation, analysis and removal in aqueous solutions have been thoroughly discussed in literature. In contrast, microbial communities on air-exposed (dry) surfaces have received significantly less attention. Diverse surface sampling methods have been developed in order to address various surfaces and microbial groups, but they notoriously show poor repeatability, low recovery rates and suffer from lack of mutual consistency. Quantitative sampling for viable microorganisms represents a particular challenge, especially on porous and irregular surfaces. Therefore, it is essential to examine in depth the factors involved in microorganisms’ recovery efficiency and accuracy depending on the sampling technique used. Microbial colonization, retention and community composition on different dry surfaces are very complex and rely on numerous physicochemical and biological factors. This study is devoted to analyze and review the (a) physical phenomena and intermolecular forces relevant for microbiological surface sampling; (b) challenges and problems faced by existing sampling methods for viable microorganisms and (c) current directions of engineering and research aimed at improvement of quality and efficiency of microbiological surface sampling.
The existence of several mobile operating systems, such as Android and iOS, is a challenge for developers because the individual platforms are not compatible with each other and require separate app developments. For this reason, cross-platform approaches have become popular but lack in cloning the native behavior of the different operating systems. Out of the plenty cross-platform approaches, the progressive web app (PWA) approach is perceived as promising but needs further investigation. Therefore, the paper at hand aims at investigating whether PWAs are a suitable alternative for native apps by developing a PWA clone of an existing app. Two surveys are conducted in which potential users test and evaluate the PWA prototype with regard to its usability. The survey results indicate that PWAs have great potential, but cannot be treated as a general alternative to native apps. For guiding developers when and how to use PWAs, four design guidelines for the development of PWA-based apps are derived based on the results.
Ice melting probes
(2023)
The exploration of icy environments in the solar system, such as the poles of Mars and the icy moons (a.k.a. ocean worlds), is a key aspect for understanding their astrobiological potential as well as for extraterrestrial resource inspection. On these worlds, ice melting probes are considered to be well suited for the robotic clean execution of such missions. In this chapter, we describe ice melting probes and their applications, the physics of ice melting and how the melting behavior can be modeled and simulated numerically, the challenges for ice melting, and the required key technologies to deal with those challenges. We also give an overview of existing ice melting probes and report some results and lessons learned from laboratory and field tests.
"To assess the habitability of the icy environments in the solar system, for example, on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus, the scientific analysis of material embedded in or underneath their ice layers is very important. We consider self-steering robotic ice melting probes to be the best method to cleanly access these environments, that is, in compliance with planetary protection standards. The required technologies are currently developed and tested."
Searching optimal continuous-thrust trajectories is usually a difficult and time-consuming task. The solution quality of traditional optimal-control methods depends strongly on an adequate initial guess because the solution is typically close to the initial guess, which may be far from the (unknown) global optimum. Evolutionary neurocontrol attacks continuous-thrust optimization problems from the perspective of artificial intelligence and machine learning, combining artificial neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. This chapter describes the method and shows some example results for single- and multi-phase continuous-thrust trajectory optimization problems to assess its performance. Evolutionary neurocontrol can explore the trajectory search space more exhaustively than a human expert can do with traditional optimal-control methods. Especially for difficult problems, it usually finds solutions that are closer to the global optimum. Another fundamental advantage is that continuous-thrust trajectories can be optimized without an initial guess and without expert supervision.
A technology reference study for a multiple near-Earth object (NEO) rendezvous mission with solar sailcraft is currently carried out by the authors of this paper. The investigated mission builds on previous concepts, but adopts a strong micro-spacecraft philosophy based on the DLR/ESA Gossamer technology. The main scientific objective of the mission is to explore the diversity of NEOs. After direct interplanetary insertion, the solar sailcraft should—within less than 10 years—rendezvous three NEOs that are not only scientifically interesting, but also from the point of human spaceight and planetary defense. In this paper, the objectives of the study are outlined and a preliminary potential mission profile is presented.