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This master's thesis focuses on developing a robust framework for co-simulating microscopic traffic scenarios and vehicle dynamics, leveraging the capabilities of SUMO and CARLA. The essence of this research lies in its meticulous analysis of existing simulation tools, leading to identifying the most effective co-simulation strategies and intercommunication methods. A comparative study elucidates the strengths and limitations of these methodologies, guiding the selection of an optimal approach.
Central to the methodology is a thorough understanding and application of SUMO and CARLA, enhanced by the strategic implementation of intercommunication methods. The detailed integration of these tools and the introduction of test automation significantly boost simulation efficacy. The framework's reliability and accuracy are rigorously validated through well-defined procedures and metrics, ensuring fidelity in simulation results.
Key to this research is the design of experimental scenarios that reflect real-world traffic conditions underpinned by carefully chosen simulation parameters. These scenarios are pivotal in validating the co-simulation framework's performance, supplemented by a performance cost analysis focusing on processing efficiency. The thesis culminates with a critical discussion of the findings, addressing the research objectives and posing solutions to identified challenges. Potential areas for future enhancements are explored, highlighting the framework's limitations.
In conclusion, this thesis contributes significantly to the field of traffic simulation for autonomous driving technologies. It presents a comprehensive co-simulation framework, offering researchers and engineers a sophisticated tool for advanced testing and validation. The insights and recommendations provided are instrumental for ongoing research and development in this rapidly evolving domain.
The book 'Reinforcment Learning: An Introduction' by Sutton and Barto is the standard text book for introductory courses to reinforcement learning. Next to concrete algorithms and extensive examples the book contains several fundamental results related to Markov decision processes (MDPs) and Bellman equations in Chapters 3 and 4. Unfortunately some proofs are missing, some theorems lack precise formulation, and for some results the line of arguments is quite garbled.
In this note we provide all missing proofs, give precise formulations of theorems and untangle the line of arguments. Further, we avoid using random variables and their expected values. Since we (like Sutton/Barto) restrict our attention to finite MDPs all expected values can be made explicit avoiding overloaded notation and murky conclusions.
This article bridges the gap between introductory literature like Sutton/Barto and research literature containing exact formulations and proofs of relevant results, but being less accessible to beginners due to higher generality and complexity.
The book is the second of four volumes on data science and artificial intelligence. This second volume covers data visualization tool and techniques as well as fundamentals of supervised machine learning: linear regression, artificial neural networks, support-vector machines, decision trees, ensemble methods and more.
Sustainable Integration of Digitalisation in Nursing Education - An International Scoping Review
(2024)
Abstract: This article reconstructs the path of the German economist Friedrich A. Lutz (1901–75) to American economics. The correspondence with his former teacher Walter Eucken, the founder of the Freiburg school, constitutes a crucial yet unexplored source for the article. Through Lutz's case, this article demonstrates the growing gulf between German and Anglo-Saxon economics during the late 1930s. In his native Germany, Lutz was trained in methodologically and institutionally focused economics, which differed fundamentally from the mathematical economics dominating Anglo-Saxon academia. He realized that an academic career in the United States would be impossible if he did not adapt to the new methods and if he did not abandon the methods of the German tradition. This gave rise to his internal Methodenstreit. After his emigration in 1938, he constantly experienced doubts and tensions because he was convinced that without considering institutions, mathematical economics could never explain the occurrence and essence of macroeconomic phenomena. Despite his stellar career at Princeton, it was only after his move to Zurich in 1953, where he taught history and theory of socioeconomics for the rest of his life, that Lutz could reconcile this internal Methodenstreit.
The traffic calming measures aim to slow down traffic speed, accident frequency, and reduction of through traffic caused mainly by motorized vehicles in residential areas. These measures are primarily addressed to the specific streets and lead the necessary or remaining traffic to drive in a restrained or considerate manner. While these measures are designed to prevent conflicts between pedestrians and motorists, they impose unstable traffic patterns and are sometimes unable to accommodate the increasing motor vehicle flows, as they are concentrated only on certain streets.
This paper investigates area-wide urban traffic calming techniques from existing projects. It explains how traffic regulatory and structural measures link together or separately to restrict the movement of motor vehicles traveling through neighborhood streets and divert them to main roads. The implemented sample measures were illustrated and described with photos of their current locations.
In this thesis, the district Äußere Neustadt was defined as a model area in Dresden to analyze and redesign the existing mobility plan in order to reduce the MIV flows with the main objectives of giving space for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. The district's street infrastructure is heavily impacted by the presence of parked vehicles, raising challenges to the safe movement of both bicyclists and oncoming motor vehicles. In the frame of the model project initiative - "Woche des guten Lebens", the volunteer team has designed a traffic experiment and carried out an online survey to assess citizens' opinions of the Äußere Neustadt. The analyses demonstrate and emphasize the necessity of political support and interactive communication with citizens regarding the area-wide radical sustainable mobility plan. Considering the positive feedback of the citizens, the new mobility plan was realized in this paper.
Area-specific traffic calming techniques such as diagonal or cross barriers, zone speed limits, offsets, one-way streets, etc. were analyzed from the implemented projects to determine the appropriate solutions for the specified streets. The district's existing traffic network and the new solutions offered were visualized using QGIS software.
The implemented new traffic plan will lead to more space for pedestrians and bicycle traffic and a reduction in traffic noise.
The objective of the study is to improve the functionality of the Virtual Reality Laboratory (VR Labs) of the Faculty of Automotive Engineering and enhance its applicability in Road Traffic Engineering education and training at the University of Applied Sciences Zwickau (WHZ). In this study, a comprehensive description of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) as well as their wide application in education has been given.
An insight into the VR Labs of the Faculty of Automotive Engineering at WHZ is provided. The study built and proposed eight use cases of VR Labs in road traffic engineering training and education at WHZ. The limitations and barriers in deploying application cases are analyzed and suitable solutions are given. The adoption of virtual reality can be an easy transition based on BIM modeling software development, and 3D and 360 degrees scanning.
An extension of the VR Labs application for other areas of education at WHZ has been identified. In addition, technologies, areas of application, and future research directions are mentioned. Innovations such as 3D modeling and BIM-based workflows that are being encouraged through the development of content-created engines will provide students with opportunities for using VR/AR on road traffic and infrastructure projects in the future.
BIM (Building information modeling) is becoming a reliable method for the planning, design, implementation, and maintenance stages of construction projects due to its ability to improve the quality of project stages, reduce project time, and ensure costs. From 2000 onwards, the trend of using BIM method increased in the world. And in the last decade, many developed countries have introduced BIM as a reasonable and efficient method with the aim of optimizing project stages, and many employers have paid attention to training and persuading consulting and contracting companies.
In the meantime, the BIM method is constantly being updated. Many researchers are looking to modify existing sub-methods to help the project achieve all of the great BIM goals.
Although BIM has great goals such as those mentioned, in some cases, projects are not able to achieve all of them for various reasons.
This thesis has put its hypothesis on the existence of deficiencies in the content of the EIR (Employer's Information Requirements) document and its writing methods.
This document, which is a kind of project guide in BIM format, is compiled by the client and its task is to announce the needs of the client to the members involved in the project and to clarify the different stages of the project. In many construction projects, due to the complexity of the EIR, the employer's lack of attention to some information, or the failure to include the opinions and views of the project's stakeholders in the writing of this document, the EIR cannot fulfill its key role with its maximum potential performance in the project.
This thesis is written with the aim of finding a comprehensive solution to maximize the power of the BIM method in a project through correct and complete document writing.
Also, this thesis seeks to prove its claims by focusing on the ABS 38 project as a case study. In addition, a literature review on important and key issues in the field of BIM and EIR documents has been done. After that, a scoring system (Relative rating method) was used to find the best variant and compare it to prove the proposed hypothesis.
Finite element Analysis is a powerful tool that enables a thorough examination of the physical and mechanical aspects of various objects, yielding insights that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. In the context of the guitar industry, this technology can be used to determine the role of internal bracing structures with a high degree of precision. Specifically, FEM is commonly utilized to analyze the natural vibration frequency of guitars and to gain a better understanding of their vibrational behaviour. Although there are many sources that describe the impact of braces on the natural frequencies of guitar tops, there exists a paucity of research that delves into how these structures achieve their effects.
The purpose of this paper is to employ FEM to examine the effect of braces on the soundboard and to contrast the results with those obtained from an actual soundboard fabricated by the author. Through simulation, we aim to elucidate the influence of various factors such as position, height, and profile on the soundboard's performance. However, it is important to note that there may be discrepancies between the simulation results and the actual performance of the soundboard owing to measurement errors and constraints associated with manual production. As a result, the data generated by this study should not be regarded as reference data.
Objective: Sagittal balance (SB) plays important role in the successful treatment of spinal disorders. Segmental lordosis is an important SB parameter in spinal surgery and diagnosis, which can help to ensure proper surgical planning and better postoperative outcomes. The manual measurement of segmental lordosis is associated with problems such as time-consuming procedures, high error rates, and poor reproducibility.
The bachelor thesis proposes a solution by exploring and evaluating a more efficient and reliable AI-based method for determining segmental lordosis in preoperative patients, which is compared to measurements made by experienced physicians.
Methods: hidden due to a non-disclosure agreement.
Results: hidden due to a non-disclosure agreement.
Conclusions: hidden due to a non-disclosure agreement.
In this project we develop an intelligent water meter based on software solutions offered by the IOTA Foundation. The water meter allows the customer to map water usage in real-time and pay water on demand, as well as the water provider to map water usage on a greater scale, regulate water supply during low- demand phases and offers regulatory functions to prepare for drought or humid climate, and to incentivise sustainable water usage in high-demand fields like agriculture. This functionality is phrased into a research issue:
Invention of a working prototype to demonstrate the IOTA Streams and Wallet protocols for a meter with additional focus on economic efficiency and the technical preparation of scalability.
Utilizing the IOTA streams protocol, a next generation secure data connection is established between the water meter and a server-sided software application. On this connection, water consumption is mapped into a data bench, and informative data and commands are issued to the graphical interface of the meter.
The IOTA wallet library is leveraged to provide customer accounts corresponding to their meter. IOTA tokens can be send to the account, which grants access to water in a matter of seconds. Depending on the regulatory scenario, water flow can be stopped as soon as the account is exhausted (i.e. public well), or an overdraw can be established in order to guarantee fulfilment of basic human rights (i.e. private households).
Since pricing data can be calculated server-sided and water consumption is mapped in very narrow intervals of as low as 4 seconds, the price can be used as tool to regulate consumption.
The physical components include an electrical ball valve to shut down water flow automatically, a command line interface to provide informative data,, a Raspberry Pi running the client-sided software application, and a water meter with MBus-Interface, as well as a Controlling Board to connect the Raspberry Pi with both peripheral devices.
The finished prototype shows, that water consumption can be mapped on a highly secure level, in near real-time, from afar, flexible for most applications.
Despite lacking sufficient evidence, the shift to automated mobility has often been regarded as progress towards a safer road transport system. Following the introduction of the first production car that has been officially certified as Level 3 earlier in 2022, the driver can shift their role to only as a fallback when the automated driving system reaches its limit of the Operational Design Domain. In the event of an accident, though, the matter will only get even more complicated, especially in the process of unravelling the party that was performing the Dynamic Driving Task at the time of the collision. An accident investigation is done to provide insight into how it occurred and uncover the liable parties. This thesis reviews various methods reconstructing an accident scene, such as photogrammetry and laser scanning, as well as elaborating the relevant data that has already available in the vehicle and from the infrastructure. Recommendations are also presented on for the future data collection, specifically in the scenario of automated driving, to improve such practice.
Automotive transportation plays an important role in everyday urban life. The motorization is increasing along with rising population every year. The constant increase of cars causes various problems in big cities. One of the major problems is parking. Parking search traffic contributes to about 30% of the traffic volume in city centers. This leads to problems like congestion, road accidents, increase of fuel emission due to the circling of cars inside the city looking for parking facilities, environmental pollution etc. Most of the cities face this problem not because of the unavailability of parking spots in parking facilities but rather because drivers don't have the right information on where to park. This can be solved by providing proper guidance about the parking facilities to the drivers. For this, efficient parking space management including the design of a suitable parking guidance system is required. The Entsorgungs and Vekehrsbetrieb (EVB) Wismar has been responsible for the parking space management in the city since 2012 and is implementing the parking space concept in Wismar that was approved by the town council. So far, there is a static parking guidance system in Wismar, which consists of 20 locations with signs pointing to six parking facilities. The Entsorgungs und Vekehrsbetrieb (EVB) intends to replace the static parking guidance system of the Hanseatic City of Wismar with a dynamic parking guidance system (DPGS). The aim of my master thesis is to create a concept for the development of a dynamic parking guidance system in the Hanseatic city of Wismar, including the technical operation and possible implementation, taking autonomous driving into account.
This research investigates the Leipzigerstraße and Gießereistraße intersection in Rackwitz to enhance safety and sustainable transportation. The study analyzes existing designs that experience accidents and proposes a design plan of mini roundabout to improve safety while using the guideline Anlage von Kreisverkehren. In this project, the roundabout is planned according to the currently valid guidelines from phase 2 of the HOAI (Fee Structure for Architects and Engineers). Rainwater management strategies and traffic quality of the roundabout are considered. Additionally, cyclist-friendly paths connecting Rackwitz and Zschölkau are developed in line by using guideline ERA. The proposed roundabout design and elevated cycle paths are identified as effective solutions to enhance safety and support eco-friendly transportation. By adhering to established guidelines and prioritizing safety, this research contributes to creating a secure and sustainable urban transportation network.
WHO estimates that 1.25 million people worldwide pass away in traffic accidents each year. Accidental damage to the economy costs USD 520 per year. Road traffic accidents account for 2.1% of all fatalities worldwide. In total, 50,000 people die in Europe each year. One of the most significant economic and social issues, traffic accidents result in thousands of fatalities and serious injuries each year in Germany and around the world. Whenever there is an accident involving vehicles, trucks, motorized two-wheelers, bicycles, or pedestrians that results in casualties or property damage, the questions of what caused the accident and how it could have been prevented naturally arises: whether it was due to human factors (e.g., carelessness, speeding, or drinking), vehicular flaw (e.g., faulty brakes, a faulty chassis, or old tires), road surface, poor visibility, and so on. The list of possible explanations is really long. The problem is to implement effective steps to prevent accidents from happening in the first place, regardless of what caused the mishap.
The German federal states of Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Hessen, and cities of Hamburg, and Bremen are examined in this study's analysis of accidents. This study aims to (i) identify the human factors, environmental factors, and road/infrastructural factors that lead to human failures which cause road accidents, and (ii) explore ways of mitigating these accidents.
1 In an increasingly populated and technological world, manufacturing processes have become faster and data more voluminous. With this comes the need to store this massive production data and use real-time data monitoring tools to facilitate decision making in a plant. Concepts, derived from Pharma 4.0.
| 2 In the manufacturing environment there is, however, a big challenge in data collection and transmission, i.e. the communication between different equipments, sensors, and software. Since each manufacturer tends or has tended to use its own standards for programming and manufacturing the devices and tools.
| 3 Another major challenge is the secure transmission of data to avoid theft and cyber attacks, thus affecting the company's credibility and financial losses.
| 4 In this project the data transfer from Programmable Logic Controller (PLCs) was performed through the Matrikon Server and an interface belonging to the OPC Foundation, this technology allows the collection of data from different sources and delivers them safely to the process visualization software in a single language.
| 5 For software and hardware installation in a regulated environment, standards and validation methods need to be followed before, during and after installation of the required system.
| 6 This project aims to transfer data continuously and contemporaneously from a local source to the could environment and present the validation method used by pharmaceutical industries to validate this process in a GMP-regulated environment.
| 7 For the performance of the software installation, documents have been prepared and used to record and evidence the procedure. These documents were prepared and executed based on standards and methods relevant to the validation process.
| 8 The workers were also trained to know how to handle the data coming from production, and to be able to extract the value from it for different sectors, such as quality, raw material sector, energy sector, etc.
| 9 Finally, improvements were suggested for the documents and validation process used in this project. Since this installation will be used as a basis for future customer installations, not only for interfaces, but also for 1st and 2nd generation connectors.
The research was carried out for the selection of optimal options for the heat supply of multi-apartment buildings, taking as an example several new buildings in Yerevan. The purpose of the study is to confirm the choice of the best method of providing heat in apartment complexes. It was used to calculate and analyze the energy-economic and operational-technical indicators of individual heating boilers, small centralized systems, and hybrid systems to solve this problem. The calculations considered both natural gas tariffs and fluctuations in the value of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. The value of 1 kWh of thermal energy or specific heat capacity has been determined as an important criterion for choosing the most efficient method of heat supply, considering the careful analysis of almost all variable factors.
Conceptual Approach to an AI-Based Adaptive Study Support System for Individualized Higher Education
(2023)
In the context of the digital transformation, the targeted implementation of AI-based or AI-supported technologies in "teaching & learning" as well as "administration & service" holds considerable potential for organizational change and quality enhancement for higher education institutions. The use of AI in higher education teaching and services lags behind the level in research. Therefore, holistic solutions must be planned and implemented in unity of teaching and research for the AI-based support of the stakeholders’ inclusive administration, the further development or the establishment of new digital study programs and offers as well as the prospective qualification of university staff in the field of AI. The solutions must be analyzed, systematized, and structured to generate a conceptual approach via an integrated architecture with adaptive services.
This paper is an evolution of the concept presented at the Learning Ideas Conference 2022 and includes, in addition to explanations of the current state of the arts, the presentation of a systems-oriented approach for AI in higher education as well as the conception of the student lifecycle management at the author’s university. The paper ends with the presentation of a concept regarding a decision support system for individualized studying.
Abstract: The demand for thorough disinfection within ambulances is essential, given the in-vehicle medical procedures and the potential high risk of infections due to patients' open wounds. One solution that can address this hygiene challenge involves the application of reactive products generated from atmospheric (air) oxygen and water vapor, activated through the use of cold plasma. Cold plasma's charged particles perforate the cell membranes of microorganisms. This process does not work in human cells, as proteins in the form of enzymes within the body break down the cold plasma and protect the cells. The study was done on an ambulance that was contaminated in eight places. Samples were taken from each site, and two surfaces measuring approximately 8 × 8 cm were carefully sealed and marked. These surfaces were deliberately contaminated by applying an Enterococcus faecium suspension of 8.5 × 107 CFU/mL using a sterile cotton swab. It was followed by the disinfection procedure, that was initiated with the PLASMOCAR device. It was positioned on the front workspace and operated for a duration of 30 min, utilizing the vehicle's onboard voltage. Throughout the operation, all doors and windows were closed and the vehicle's air conditioning system remained active. After the completion of the disinfection process, samples were collected from the surfaces for bacterial counts. A reduction of 3.73 log levels in initial bacteria was accomplished within the rescue vehicle for Enterococcus faecium, equivalent to a 10–fourfold reduction in bacteria, eliminating up to 99.99% of the initial microorganisms. This success makes the process well-suited and convenient as an ongoing "background" procedure to enhance the established disinfection procedures. The established disinfection procedures outlined in the hygiene plan must be promptly implemented whenever mechanical surface cleaning is required. The use of PLASMOCAR offers an extra layer of protection and security, significantly decreasing the risk of microorganism transmission through cross-contamination and aerosols. This is a significant benefit for the well-being of both staff and patients.
The book is the first of four volumes on data science and artificial intelligence. This first volume covers fundamentals of data science: an introduction to Python programming, software libraries for data management, techniques for working with big data. It contains many exercises and projects with real-world data.
Since Carbon emissions are soaring all over the atmosphere, the world suffers from significant problems daily. It has become apparent that reliance on single occupancy vehicle transportation is unsustainable, expensive, and primarily harmful to humankind. Rural areas are frequently abandoned while expanding
transportation infrastructure as urbanisation grows. In rural areas, a lack of adequate and inexpensive transportation options leads to seclusion and restricted access to products, facilities, and job opportunities.
This study explores the potential of alternative transportation methods to improve mobility in rural areas. The objectives of the research are to expand knowledge on sustainable alternative transportation in rural regions and to offer practical solutions for enhancing accessibility and mobility for rural residents.
The study employed a mixed-method approach, including a literature review, a survey, and interviews with participants in two rural regions, Mosel and Oberrothenbach. The findings suggest that the transportation challenges faced by rural inhabitants can be effectively and sustainably addressed through walking and by using alternative transportation modes, such as cycling and public transit. This thesis provides a range of ideas and strategies to improve regulations, programs, and infrastructure related to alternative transportation modes in rural areas. This study dives into the characteristics and requirements
of these places using a combination of quantitative and qualitative surveys done in representative two rural regions to recommend successful alternative transportation solutions of On-Demand Transport Services and Electric or Trolley bus Services for daily commutes. The findings underline the need for flexible, multimodal, and on-demand transit choices, as well as the need for community participation and technology integration.
Natural varnishes have been used for centuries by musical instrument makers to protect the instruments for climatic, aesthetic and acoustic reasons. The effects of varnishes on the protection of the wood surface, as well as their aesthetic parameters, are easier to verify and compare visually, but the comparison of their acoustic effects has always been challenging and debated.
In fact, varnish layers have a small effect on the vibration properties of wood. For example, the effect of a decrease or increase in humidity on the vibration properties of wood is sometimes equal to the effect of several layers of varnish. Because of this small amount of effect, measuring this effect is also difficult and challenging.
Our strategy in this study is to obtain the clearest possible results by comparing the effect of only two types of oil varnishes with completely opposite elastomechanical properties and increasing the number of samples varnished.
The samples were measured before and after each varnish layer using conventional methods for measuring vibration properties, and the average results of the same samples were discussed and analyzed.
Overall, the amber varnish obviously has a more negative effect on the vibration properties of the violin plates compared to the colophony varnish.
This paper deals with systematic approaches for the analysis of stability properties and controller design for nonlinear dynamical systems. Numerical methods based on sum-of-squares decomposition or algebraic methods based on quantifier elimination are used. Starting from Lyapunov’s direct method, these methods can be used to derive conditions for the automatic verification of Lyapunov functions as well as for the structural determination of control laws. This contribution describes methods for the automatic verification of (control) Lyapunov functions as well as for the constructive determination of control laws.
Liquid deposition modeling is an energy-efficient, additive manufacturing process for pasty materials. Physical material properties were determined for a water-based paste consisting of the binder carboxymethyl cellulose and wood flour. A continuously operating dual screw extruder was developed, which was used to manufacture a table frame with a height of 18 cm.
Electrical and thermal measurements were conducted during the plasma electrolytic polishing (PEP) of cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) materials to characterize energetic aspects of the process in relation to the temporal development of the gaseous layer near the workpiece. The power transferred to the workpiece is determined using a calorimetric probe and employing the time derivative of the temperature curve. It shows distinct heating phases due to the generation of the gaseous layer. At the beginning of the process, a typical power of 367 ± 17 W is transferred to the workpiece of a surface area of 14 cm2. At longer process times, a stabilized gaseous layer limits the power transferred to the workpiece to 183 ± 3 W. In an attempt to describe the heat transferred to the electrolyte, the electrolyte temperature was measured using a thermocouple situated 15 mm away from the workpiece. The local electrolyte temperature increases from 70 to 81 °C for an immersion depth of 20 mm. Moreover, the spatiotemporal development of the electrolyte temperature was obtained by 2D-hydrodynamic modeling using COMSOL Multiphysics®. The modeling results for the local temporal temperature development are in excellent agreement with the experimental values when the turbulent model is applied up to t = 65 s. Afterward, the laminar model leads to a better agreement. Furthermore, line scan x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that aliphatic carbon was preferentially removed. Only a slight compositional gradient in the vertical direction after the PEP process was observed.
Models of artificial root canals are used in several fields of endodontic investigations and pre-clinical endodontic training. They allow the physical testing of dental treatments, the operating of instruments used and the interaction between these instruments and the tissues. Currently, a large number of different artificial root canal models exist whose geometry is created either on the basis of selected natural root canal systems or to represent individual geometrical properties. Currently, only a few geometric properties such as the root canal curvature or the endodontic working width are taken into consideration when generating these models. To improve the representational capability of the artificial root canal models, the aim of the current study is therefore to generate an artificial root canal based on the statistical evaluation of selected natural root canals. Here, the approach introduced by Kucher for determining the geometry of a root canal model is used, which is based on the measurement and statistical evaluation of the root canal center line’s curvatures and their cross-sectional dimensions. Using the example of unbranched distal root canals of mandibular molars (n = 29), an artificial root canal model representing the mean length, curvature, torsion and cross-sectional dimensions of these teeth could be derived.
The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of different disinfection protocols in a novel Enterococcus faecalis biofilm model based on a visualization method and to evaluate the potential alteration of dentinal surface. A total of 120 extracted human premolars were allocated to 6 groups with different irrigation protocols. The assessment of the effectiveness of each protocol and the alteration of dentinal surface were visualized by using SEM and fluorescence microscopy (DAPI). A dense E. faecalis biofilm with a penetration depth of 289 μm (medial part of the root canal) and 93 μm (apical part) validated that the biofilm model had been successfully implemented. A significant difference between the 3% NaOCl groups and all the other groups in both observed parts of the root canal (p < 0.05) was detected. However, the SEM analysis revealed that the dentinal surface in the 3% NaOCl groups was severely altered. The established biofilm model and the visualization method based on DAPI are appropriate for bacterial quantification and evaluation of the depth effect of different disinfection protocols in the root canal system. The combination of 3% NaOCl with 20% EDTA or MTAD with PUI allows the decontamination of deeper dentine zones within the root canal but simultaneously alters the dentinal surface.
Certifying Fully Dynamic Algorithms for Recognition and Hamiltonicity of Threshold and Chain Graphs
(2023)
Solving problems on graphs dynamically calls for algorithms to function under repeated modifications to the graph and to be more efficient than solving the problem for the whole graph from scratch after each modification. Dynamic algorithms have been considered for several graph properties, for example connectivity, shortest paths and graph recognition. In this paper we present fully dynamic algorithms for the recognition of threshold graphs and chain graphs, which are optimal in the sense that the costs per modification are linear in the number of modified edges. Furthermore, our algorithms also consider the addition and deletion of sets of vertices as well as edges. In the negative case, i.e., where the graph is not a threshold graph or chain graph anymore, our algorithms return a certificate of constant size. Additionally, we present optimal fully dynamic algorithms for the Hamiltonian cycle problem and the Hamiltonian path problem on threshold and chain graphs which return a vertex cutset as certificate for the non-existence of such a path or cycle in the negative case.
Sometimes cranioplasty is necessary to reconstruct skull bone defects after a neurosurgical operation. If an autologous bone is unavailable, alloplastic materials are used. The standard technical approach for the fabrication of cranial implants is based on 3D imaging by computed tomography using the defect and the contralateral site. A new approach uses 3D surface scans, which accurately replicate the curvature of the removed bone flap. For this purpose, the removed bone flap is scanned intraoperatively and digitized accordingly. When using a design procedure developed for this purpose creating a patient-specific implant for each bone flap shape in short time is possible. The designed skull implants have complex free-form surfaces analogous to the curvature of the skull, which is why additive manufacturing is the ideal manufacturing technology here. In this study, we will describe the intraoperative procedure for the acquisition of scanned data and its further processing up to the creation of the implant.
Research and studies have indicated that rural highways globally exhibit a disproportionately high incidence of accidents and fatalities, which can be attributed to inadequate traffic safety measures. This paper primarily examines the causes of inadequate traffic safety, with a particular emphasis on factors associated with road conditions. These causes can be broadly categorized into human factors, road factors, and vehicle factors. Indeed, the movement of vehicles on these rural roads is characterized by unrestricted traffic flow, whereby the driving stability of a vehicle is primarily impacted by factors such as road alignments and surface conditions. Single-vehicle run-off-road crashes frequently exhibit a correlation with insufficient road conditions. Hence, enhancing the alignment design of roadways can prove to be efficacious in minimizing the occurrence of traffic accidents. However, constraints may arise in the context of rural roads, thereby imposing limitations on designers and engineers in their ability to modify road design. Therefore, it is imperative to explore alternative measures to enhance road safety as required. The objective of this study is to analyse driving behaviour on a two-lane rural road in Germany, taking into consideration the varying alignments of the road. The WHZ static simulator is an innovative technological tool utilized within the field of road design analysis, specifically for the purpose of evaluating driving behaviour. Speed, lateral positions, and are the primary parameters utilized in the evaluation of driving behaviours.
Keywords: Driving Simulators, Driving Behaviour, Traffic Safety, Trajectory Classification
This article aims to identify the status quo of sustainability covenants firstly, secondly analyze their possibilities in enhancing sustainability performance and thirdly present further research directions. Covenants are additional contractual agreements mainly used in financial contracts, e.g. loans. They often focus on financial performance indicators, e.g., equity and net debt ratio, which the borrower must fulfil. However, the purpose of this article is to present a new approach to non-financial covenants, so-called sustainability covenants. Therefore, also nowadays ecological and social challenges are addressed. Banks have a huge impact on sustainable development by introducing more non-financial indicators in evaluating the creditability of borrowers. As a key hypothesis, this article argues that the approach of integrating ecological and social objectives through non-financial covenants is underrepresented in economic and business practice. Therefore, this article wants to examine how those objectives can be integrated into the financial concept of covenants and rely on research towards an integrative sustainability approach. In addition, a systematic literature review was conducted from October 2022 to July 2023 to analyze the status quo and derive future research directions. The review was based on two databases – Google Scholar and Scopus. As one key result, it was revealed that there is scarce existing literature on sustainability covenants, which refers to them as a policy measure. Only a few publications analyze their usage in financial contracts. However, this study implies the necessity for further research on sustainability covenants, emphasizing that they are powerful indicators to enhance the sustainability performance of the borrower.
Model predictive control (MPC) is a promising approach to the lateral and longitudinal control of autonomous vehicles. However, the parameterization of the MPC with respect to high-level requirements such as passenger comfort, as well as lateral and longitudinal tracking, is challenging. Numerous tuning parameters and conflicting requirements need to be considered. In this paper, we formulate the MPC tuning task as a multi-objective optimization problem. Its solution is demanding for two reasons: First, MPC-parameterizations are evaluated in a computationally expensive simulation environment. As a result, the optimization algorithm needs to be as sample-efficient as possible. Second, for some poor parameterizations, the simulation cannot be completed; therefore, useful objective function values are not available (for instance, learning with crash constraints). In this work, we compare the sample efficiency of multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO), a genetic algorithm (NSGA-II), and multiple versions of Bayesian optimization (BO). We extend BO by introducing an adaptive batch size to limit the computational overhead. In addition, we devise a method to deal with crash constraints. The results show that BO works best for a small budget, NSGA-II is best for medium budgets, and none of the evaluated optimizers are superior to random search for large budgets. Both proposed BO extensions are, therefore, shown to be beneficial.
Abstract: Duplex steels are used for applications that require high strength and ductility combined with good corrosion resistance. An economical welding technology to handle these steels is achieved by combining the MIG and TIG arc processes. The aim is to improve welding speed and quality by utilizing a TIG-MIG hybrid welding process to join 1.4462 duplex steel with a thickness of 2 mm. The interaction between the two arcs, caused by the blowing effect, is an enormous challenge that can be counteracted with a defined torch position and current modulation. For this purpose, a variation of the MIG (pulsed and AC pulsed arc) and TIG process (AC and pulsed DC) took place. The influence of electrical parameters on process stability and material transfer was investigated. For analysis, an evaluation of high-speed recordings (5000 frames per second) and synchronized measured current/voltage curves (200 kHz) is carried out. Based on a number of selected specimens, a welding procedure test according to ISO 15614-1 is performed to determine the welding seam quality. The test includes the characterization by tensile and hardness testing and macroscopic and microscopic examination. Additionally, the specimens are examined according to ISO 5817.
Hypotrochoidal profile contours have been produced in industrial applications in recent years using two-spindle processes, and they are considered effective high-quality solutions for form-fit shaft and hub connections. This study mainly concerns analytical approaches to determine the stresses and deformations in hypotrochoidal profile shafts due to pure bending loads. The formulation was developed according to bending principles using the mathematical theory of elasticity and conformal mappings. The loading was further used to investigate the rotating bending behaviour. The stress factors for the classical calculation of maximum bending stresses were also determined for all those profiles presented and compiled in the German standard DIN3689-1 for practical applications. The results were also compared with the corresponding numerical and experimental results, and very good agreement was observed. Additionally, based on previous work, the stress factor was determined for the case of torsional loading to calculate the maximum torsional stresses in the standardised profiles, and the results are listed in a table. This study contributes to the further refinement of the current DIN3689 standard.
The purpose of this article is to revise the literature on how theories have been utilized in investigating third-parties (for example, Non-Governmental Organizations, certifying organizations, among others) in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Based on that, we derive future research directions. For revising the literature in a structured manner, the articles use the systematic literature review as the method of choice. Only half of the identified articles utilize theories for investigating third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. In addition, major theories are overweighed. This predomination leads to influencing the conceptualization of third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Future research opportunities exist in broadening the utilization of theories and methods applied in the field, investing in under-explored aspects and broadening the scope of testing and building frameworks. Based on the synthesizing, propositions supplement future research directions. The novelty of this article lies in its investigation of how theories have been used in investigating and conceptualizing third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. By that, it contributes with a state-of-the-art view on the important topic of sustainability and how third-parties could solve sustainability challenges. With that, the article is a first attempt and step for extending the academic literature and practice with rethinking classic ways of managing sustainability and utilize out of the box ideas.
This paper embeds the early political economy of Friedrich August von Hayek in the intellectual milieu of German ordoliberalism. The urgency during the 1930s and 1940s to stabilize the disintegrating societal orders is identified as a crucial driver behind the parallelisms between Hayek and the ordoliberals. Their shared theoretical position is that in such moments, liberty can thrive sustainably only after a framework of general and stable rules has been established. Hayek’s proximity to ordoliberalism was most explicitly discernible in The Road to Serfdom and at the founding meeting of the Mont Pèlerin Society in 1947, culminating in the shared politico-economic vision of the competitive order. The contextual nature of Hayek’s ordoliberalism surfaced in the years after The Constitution of Liberty when his focus shifted, along with the postwar intellectual and institutional stabilization of the West: from how stable orders enable liberty, to how liberty enables the evolution of orders.
The labor market is confronted with social, environmental, and economic developments that affect working conditions and individual labor relations. Lately, the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated and reinforced the importance of inclusive growth and sustainable work relationships. In this chapter, the smart job factory, a metamodel that supports the creation of new forms of work by redefining roles in labor, is introduced. The smart job factory is based on social entrepreneurship principles to drive innovative, sustainable, and long-term solutions to social challenges. For practical application, the model can be translated into a software solution that supports employers in the assessment of current working conditions and job roles within their companies and helps to redefine work relationships and to create new jobs. Thus, the smart job factory supports the labor market transition by systematically and proactively shaping new forms of work based on the triple bottom line of sustainable development.
Dynamically loaded structures made of thermoplastic polymers have been extensively exploited in several demanding industries. Due to the viscoelastic and thermal properties of thermoplastic polymers, self-heating is generally inevitable, especially during dynamic deformations at high frequencies. Therefore, the thermoplastic polyether ether ketone (PEEK), with its high temperature resistance and high specific strength, is a particularly ideal candidate for dynamically loaded applications. Using scanning laser Doppler vibrometry and infrared thermography, an experimental study of the vibration characteristics and the vibration-induced heating of flat-sheet PEEK specimens was carried out. The specimens were base-excited by means of a piezoelectric actuator at high frequencies in the range between 1 and 16 kHz. As a result, a maximum temperature rise of approximately 6.4 K was detected for the highest investigated excitation. A high correlation between the spatial distribution of the velocity along the beam’s axial direction and the resulting temperature increase was measured. To summarize, the occurring self-heating of PEEK due to the dissipation of vibrational energy has to be critically considered for dynamically loaded structural applications, especially areas with high displacement amplitudes, such as antinodes, which yield the highest temperature increase.
The Jupyter ecosystem with JupyterHub and JupyterLab as its most prominent members is the de-facto standard for teaching Python programming and also for research in machine learning and data science. Although the Jupyter project is well documented, there are lots of settings and situations requiring deep knowledge of the internal workings of Jupyter, Linux and related software tools. This report describes three problems and possible solutions arising when installing and configuring a Jupyter-based teaching environment. These three problems are the installation and setup of the autograding tool nbgrader, the interplay between JupyterHub and Linux PAM, and providing access to WebDAV resources for users of JupyterHub.
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) as a means of public transportation is set to revolutionize the mobility behavior of elderly people in the coming future. Though the vehicle manufacturers and corporates emphasize on potential benefits of AVs to elderly citizens, very little has been researched and studied about this large cohort (age 65+) in society. This study aims to measure the experience of the elderlies in this Highly Automat Shuttle (HAS) in Berlin and find out the potential pros and cons affecting the design, trust and security, and perception to adopt this technology in the future. Among the elderly respondents surveyed, 93% found the HAS convenient, with minor design issues addressed. Respondents (90%) were willing to use it for their first and last-mile journey and considered that the HAS would help improve the social participation of elderlies with mobility restrictions. However, elderlies still have trust issues integrating a fully driverless vehicle in the domain of public transportation. The significant findings on the difference in the experience of HAS between the elderlies, adults, and younger adults could be adopted to develop the design further, making it more comfortable and trustworthy towards the elderly population.
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a wide area in computer science and software engineering that finds its application not only in such fields as machine learning or artificial intelligence, but also has very quickly become a very popular solution to various questions and issues raised in the academic field. Those issues include information classification, text analysis, performing a so-called “smart search”, information grouping, providing feedback to academic papers, and many more. The application designed and implemented for this thesis targets solving a similar problem, which is described in details below.
The faculty of Physical Engineering and Informatics at the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau uses a software tool called “Quest”. The “Quest” serves as an online platform that enables students to ask questions regarding the module material introduced by the teaching professors. The professors can use these questions in order to keep track of the topics rising the most amount of uncertainty, as well as to clarify those questions during the lectures. Since the modules repeat over time, similar or identical questions are frequently asked by students.
The current functionality of the “Quest” tool, however, does not provide grouping or clustering questions with a similar content into one category. The reason why this is important is because in the future phases of the improvement of the functionality of the “Quest”, professors want to be able to link similar questions with a learning material or online resources that the students can benefit from. This, however, is only possible when each incoming question is labeled with a certain category, and all previously inputted questions associated with this category become visible through the UI of the tool. That would allow students to review the questions referring to the same category that were previously asked by others, as well as to get access to the study materials or resources associated with that category.
The functionality described above would significantly improve the study process and therefore a solution to this problem is needed. One way to solve this issue would be to perform a manual classification of existing questions into associated categories, which given the large size of the question database would be quite time- and effort-consuming. Another option would be to build an application that would be able to analyze the existing dataset of questions and, with the help of the NLP techniques, classify new questions asked by students and identify the similar ones from an existing database.
The tool implemented for the above-mentioned purposes aims to serve as text analytics and classification application that would be able to find and categorize similar text and questions provided by students and/or professors at the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau.
This bachelor thesis demonstrates the process of building a software tool using certain NLP techniques, such as tokenization, model training, categorization, NER (Named Entity Recognition), and POS (Parts of Speech tagging), which are defined and described in Chapter 2: “Literature Overview”. The relevance of these techniques in terms of the classification tool built in the context of this thesis is discussed in the section “Selection of NLP tools and techniques” of the “Methodology” chapter.
The aim of this thesis is to describe the methods and software tools used to develop a restful API for text classification, as well as to compare and analyze the effectiveness of two common NLP classifiers – the Naïve Bayes and Logistic Regression (Entropy Model) algorithms.
This work aimed to apply the Floating Film Transfer Method (FTM), developed by Kaneto et.al., as a new way of coating planar and nonplanar substrates with photoresist. Focus laid on the creation of a workflow to coat the substrate and process it by UV-Lithography and Nanoimprint lithography. Conventional coating methods like spin-, spray- or dip coating are well established in today’s industry but are limited in their capabilities to coat curved and structured surfaces. FTM offers the possibility to overcome these limitations. Therefore, two negative resists AR N 4400 and AR N 4600 10 as well as two positive resists AR P 3110 and AZ MIR 701 were drop cast on deionized water. The resist spreads into a thin film that can be transferred to a planar or curved substrate. Profilometric and ellipsometric measurements were conducted to evaluate the topography of the resist. A non-uniform thickness distribution was found depending on the resist and parameters like solid content, water temperature, and the amount of surfactant. UV-Lithography and Nanoimprintl ithography were successfully performed with these films. Resolutions as low as 2,3±0,4 µm were achieved by UV-Lithography of AR P 3110. A periodic pattern with a pitch of 1,51 µm was transferred by thermal nanoimprint lithography to AR N 4400 10. As proof of concept Laser Direct Writing was performed to structure AZ MIR 701coated on a glass vial.
Level crossings represent high risk for both rail and road users due to the severe consequences of any possible accident. Between 2011-2020, a total of 1602 accidents occurred at level crossings in Germany and resulted in 344 fatalities. Therefore, elimination of accident risk through consolidation of level crossings becomes a priority. However, due to the scarcity of financial resources in comparison to the high costs that level crossings consolidation or safety upgrade projects require, there is a need for the creation of tools that prioritize the level crossings for consolidation projects based on several criteria that is not related to safety only but to social, economic and environmental aspects as well. Such tool would be particularly useful for authorities and decision-makers in Germany to improve the resource allocation process and increase overall safety at German level crossings. In this project, the level crossing prioritization and consolidation models that are applied all over the world are reviewed and analyzed to benefit from the international experiences in this field. Additionally, a literature review to determine the most influencing factors on level crossing safety was performed. After that, a points-based priority score for German level crossings was developed based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methodology after a pairwise comparison survey was conducted to a selected level crossing group of experts. The developed model assigns a priority score from 1000 points to each level crossing. Crossings could be ranked according to their priority for consolidation and safety upgrade based on the points received as crossings with the highest priority score have a higher priority for elimination.
Traffic signal priority for Public Transit vehicle is considered as an effective strategy to reduce the delay times and increase service reliability. This strategy is implemented to stop the vicious cycle of traffic congestion due to excess utilization of private vehicle. Though this is an attractive alternative for a private vehicle, this strategy can be implemented without opting for any new transportation infrastructure. On doing so the concern towards sustainable mobility solutions is also addressed. Therefore, prioritizing public transport is the best possible way to adapt to the increasing mobility demands in urban areas. Along with the technological advancements, these priority strategies are also being developed.
With these advancements in priority strategies, more research towards Estimated Time of Arrival of transit vehicles a key parameter in Transit signal priority has been observed. One such new traffic signal priority is with C-ITS message profiles CAM and SREM. Though this advanced priority method is considered to outperform the existing traffic signal priority strategies, how much better they can perform is not yet determined. This thesis focuses on this aspect by comparing the existing Transit signal priority method with the advanced CAM and SREM Transit signal priority, in four different scenarios. Signal Control tool LISA and Simulation tool VISSIM are used for the whole design and evaluation process. Delay time, waiting time,and average speed evaluation parameters are considered for comparing and determining the performance of two Transit Signal priority methods.
In this study more than 150 kg real waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) shredder residues from different European dismantling plant were treated by laserspectroscopic flouroescence and solvent-based recycling process. Currently, the samples used are excluded from material recycling and remain as side streams in state-of-the-art plastic recycling plants. The main reason why the waste streams are not currently recycled is due to the fact that they contain flame retardants that are already banned by different EU regulations (e.g. REACH, POP) and must be removed before the recyclates produced can be used again in products on the market. Conventional recycling technologies cannot separate these hazardous flame retardants from the polymers, therefore the solvent-based recycling process was used for this study. The focus within this work was the upscaling of the CreaSolv® Process from the laboratory scale to the small technical scale to provide larger quantities of recyclates. Sensor-based sorting process and CreaSolv® Process were combined to achieve easier handling and better yields of recyclates. By means of safe solvents a significant decrease of halogen content of (up to 98%) was achieved within the applied methods. Mass balances were determined, and gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) as well as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements provided data on the different flame retardants and halogen content of each recyclate. As a result, the recyclates produced comply with the limit values of the EU directives (e.g. POPs, REACH). Melt flow analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were carried out on the recyclates for a quality evaluation and revealed that the recyclates have similar properties to virgin materials. Based on this work, the upscaling of the CreaSolv® Process is able to recycle WEEE containing pollutants and at the same time produce recyclates with good mechanical properties.
Analysis of Traffic Management using Microscopic Simulation and Markov chain Modeling in Hyderabad
(2022)
Many developing countries around the world have been affected by globalization. India is one of the countries that has gained the most benefits. Hyderabad is the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. Because of population growth and the migration of people from rural to urban areas, traffic in Hyderabad is rapidly expanding. With commercial enterprise quarters, purchasing departmental stores, schools, and hospitals, Hyderabad has evolved into a financial hub. As a result, the number of people who own and use automobiles is increasing. Traffic congestion and regular traffic jams have become widespread in central areas, as they have traffic gridlocks on major corridors. The majority of the city’s transportation needs are currently met by bus transit (42 percent), the Multimodal Transport System (MMTS) based on the rail (1.5 percent), vehicles with three and seven seats (8 percent), and two and four-wheeled private automobiles (48.5 percent). Hyderabad is located at a crossroads of three national highways that connect it to six other states. The primary purpose of this article is to understand the city’s existing traffic challenges, find solutions that have been effectively adopted in established cities, and discuss the many projects and actions undertaken by local authorities to manage traffic congestion issues.
Traffic congestion can occur in any mode of transportation, but we focused on traffic congestion on the road network caused by vehicles. Lower velocity, lengthier travels, and car queuing for an extended period are some of the characteristics that distinguish street networks. In this paper, the causes of traffic congestion are identified, including illegal parking, traffic rules, seasonal factors, pavement failures, encroaching on footpaths, the passage of heavy goods vehicles on narrow roads, accidents, and incorrect lane management, as well as remedial measures to reduce congestion at the study location of Hyderabad.
Public transport not only plays an essential role in helping people with diverse economic backgrounds to access employment and services but also the everyday life and mobility of people. Public transport is one of the most essential segments of public infrastructure in any country and a key pointer towards the economic development of that country. This study will examine the current public transport system in the United Kingdom and Germany. The focus will be bus and rail services. The study will review the present transport policy in both countries, and the system of governance – stakeholders, infrastructure, planning, and the role of public transport in everyday life of the citizens. Based on these key aspects, the paper will analyze the better developed and the lagging areas of public transport by way of comparison between both countries. After analyzation, the paper will comment on and highlight areas with room for better policy and planning in future in the United Kingdom and Germany.
Keywords – public transport, analyze, governance, policy, infrastructure, comparison, future policy.
This thesis presents a case study conducted at the Potsdamer Platz intersection in Berlin, focusing on the effects of transitioning from fixed phase control to Vehicle Actuated Signal Control (VA). The objective is to optimize the signal control system to improve traffic flow and reduce waiting times for motorists. Traffic data from the Berlin authority is analyzed, and various stage sequences are developed using the signal planning tool LISA+ and simulated using VISSIM microsimulation. The impact of the proposed vehicle-actuated signal control system on overall traffic performance is evaluated by comparing the Level of Service (LOS) with the existing fixed-time plan. The analysis reveals the limitations of the proposed approach and identifies areas for further improvement in control systems. Results indicate that the VA system shows comparable effectiveness to the current scenario only at lower volume, with room for enhancement. By considering two variations of the signal group from the current sequence, valuable insights are gained into the effects of the proposed changes. The results contribute to the development of optimized signal control strategies, aiming to create safer and more efficient traffic environments at urban intersections.
ABSTRACT:
Multimodal transportation system which is also called as Combined transportation system. This type of transportation is seen in two methods i.e., movement of passengers from one place to another and movement of cargo using different types of transportation vehicles (Trains, trams, metro, bus, ship, truck, bicycle, airplane and air cargos). This type of system can also be derived
as single ticket (passengers) and single contract (freight) transportation. This will help in reducing the travel time, air pollution, economy, environmental changes, and unorganized journey. The main goal of the thesis is to bring ease in the multi-modal transportation system in India and to make people choose public transport over private and to provide end to end transportation facilities for people, so that people opt for public transportation as it is budget friendly as well. For instance, prevailing the single ticket (passengers) and single contract (freight) transportation system in Germany could be implemented in India. A single transport operator system is needed to meet the desired target in implementing multi-modal transportation
system feasibly. The main issue lies in the implementation of this system in Indian conditions which can be fulfilled by integration of various institutions involved in it for instance linking up the network channels of various modes of transport (end to end transportation). The rising concerns of funding by Indian government can be resolved by the implementation of this system
in the form of subsidies.
My research paper also includes the phases of MMTS, how it was earlier and how it has been in contemporary times. Major Factors like total cost, reliability, transportation capability, total time and security drive forward to developing multi-modal transportation system. This system is helpful in the growth of a nation's economy and is energy-efficient. Reliability of this system shall be based on the funding from the government because the absence of multi-modal transportation system leads to pollution, and ill health. The amount of funding plays a vital role in determining country to country (MMTS) development. Having been considering the advantages and uses of this system it is important to look into the disadvantages of the system.
For instance, How can implementing multi-modal transportation system in India be feasible?
This paper presents an analytical method for determining the bending stresses and deformations in prismatic, noncircular profile shafts with trochoidal cross sections. The so-called higher trochoids can be used as form-fit shaft-hub connections. Hybrid (mixed) higher trochoids (M-profiles) were developed for the special application as a profile contour for the form-fit shaft and hub connections in an earlier work by the author. M-profiles combine the advantages of the two standardised polygonal and spline contours, which are used as shaft-hub connections for the transmission of high torques. In this study, the geometric and mechanical properties of the higher hybrid trochoids were investigated using complex functions to simplify the calculations. The pure bending stress and shaft deflection were determined for M-profiles using bending theory based on the theory of mathematical elasticity. The loading cases consisted of static and rotating bends. Analytical, numerical, and experimental results agreed well. The calculation formulas developed in this work enable reliable and low-cost dimensioning with regard to the stresses and elastic deformations of profile shafts subjected to bending loads.
LEGO robotics sets are a well established tool for teaching programming in undergraduate courses. Starting with the now outdated EV3 set LEGO provided a Python programming interface and (inofficial) Linux support. The current LEGO Spike Prime set still provides Python programming, but no direct support for Linux.
In this report we collect and extend information on controlling Spike Prime robots from Linux hosts. We cover access to a robot's Python interpreter and code transfer as well as bidirectional robot-to-host communication via USB and Bluetooth. Results may be extended to robot-to-robot communication via Bluetooth.
Introduction
(2022)
Multi-objective optimization of a model predictive vehicle dynamics control system using NSGA-II
(2022)
The development of the Automated Driving System (ADS) had a substantial significant impression on scientists. Throughout ADS, different units and controllers are installed, monitored, and analysed. The research is based on the theory of the Model Predictive Controller (MPC) system. which tackles the Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) problem by calling out the cost function on the path-following problem using the MPC (i:e Model Predictive Path Following Control (MPFC)) with the defined constraints for the lateral control of the vehicle. The cost function helps to minimize the errors and compute the data. But the computation through the cost function is a bit complex. To overcome the complexity, an Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) algorithm is proposed, which helps to minimize the errors of set parameters and provides an optimal solution. The notion of NSGA-II is to find a wide variety of solutions and obtain better convergence in the form of the Pareto Optimal Front. Moreover, the detail of the Non-Dominated Genetic Algorithm II is theoretically enlightened to understand the Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) concept and the workability of the genetic algorithm. And the whole function is scripted in the MATLAB program.
Furthermore, we analyse the generated data in the Pareto Optimal Front and compare it with the Hyper-volume indicator, the most popular set-quality metric for rating stochastic multi-objective optimizer performance. Its theoretical characteristics, particularly the strict monotonicity concerning set dominance, which is still exclusive
to hyper-volume based indicators, justify its widespread acceptance. Hyper-volume indicator scrutinizes the optimal solution of multiple results. The analysis and
evaluation are completed between two other data sets generated and received through the RandomDATA and Multiple Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO)
algorithm, which describe the quality of the best optimal solution between the results generated by the three algorithms.
Keywords: Non-Dominated Genetic Algorithm II, Model Predictive Path following Control, MATLAB, Algorithm, Pareto Optimal Front, Multi-Object optimization, Cost
Function
Context
VR as an application to enhance well-being is sparsely researched in the elderly population. The aim of the pilot study was to analyze the effect of 360° videos of different categories on the state of mind of seniors in nursing facilities. Furthermore, for the implementation in everyday life, the usability of the system and the experience for seniors should be evaluated.
Methods
The VR experience was used as a supplement to existing care services in three facilities on eight subjects. Mood state was assessed using the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Happiness before and after the intervention. Demographic data and technology acceptance were collected beforehand. After the intervention, subjects were interviewed about confounding factors and side effects, and nursing home staff were interviewed about the usability of the system and the organizational concept of implementation.
Results
There was a positive effect on state of mind. Gender and spatial mobility turned out to be influencing factors. Categories containing people, animals and action achieved the highest increases in the state of mind. Interest in using technical devices correlated negatively with the change in mood state. None of the subjects found the VR goggles distracting or reported motion sickness. Very good usability was indicated by the employees.
Conclusion
A very high willingness to use this technology was found among nursing staff and residents. The tendencies of the positive effect of 360° videos on the state of mind, as well as differentiation based on the mentioned characteristics gender and spatial mobility, should be verified by a larger sample to empirically validate the use of this technology to increase the quality of life.
Hintergrund: Wenn professionelle Unterstützung fehlt, erkennen pflegende Angehörige selten eigene Überlastungssituationen und nehmen Unterstützungsleistungen bei Pflegebedürftigkeit daher unzureichend in Anspruch.
Ziel: Die Studie untersucht die Versorgung von Menschen mit Pflegebedarf, den Kenntnisstand zu Entlastungsleistungen sowie Belastungsfaktoren bei der Übernahme pflegerischer Leistungen aus Sicht informell Pflegender und Nicht-Pflegender.
Methode: Es wurde eine Querschnittstudie mittels standardisierter Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) mit Personen ab dem 18. Lebensjahr in Sachsen durchgeführt. Deskriptive und bivariate Statistiken wurden berechnet.
Ergebnisse: Die Versorgung durch einen ambulanten Pflegedienst oder durch pflegende Angehörige bewerteten von 601 Teilnehmenden 259 informell Pflegende gegenüber 342 Nicht-Pflegenden signifikant besser ( N = 601). Weiterhin hatten die informell Pflegenden und die Nicht-Pflegenden unterschiedliche Kenntnisse über den nächstgelegenen Ort der Pflegeberatung und über Ausgleichzahlungen der Rentenversicherung. Schlussfolgerungen: In einzelnen Bereichen der abgefragten Beratungsleistungen und Entlastungsmöglichkeiten hat sich das Antwortverhalten von pflegenden Angehörigen gegenüber den anderen Teilnehmenden signifikant unterschieden. Es kann von einem geringen Informationsvorsprung der pflegenden Angehörigen bei der Inanspruchnahme von Unterstützungsleistungen ausgegangen werden.
Routing games over time are widely studied due to various applications, e.g., transportation, road and air traffic control, logistic in production systems, communication networks like the internet, and financial flows. In this article, we present a new competitive packet routing game with edge priorities motivated by traffic and transportation. In this model a set of selfishly acting players travels through the network over time. If the number of players who want to enter an edge at the same time exceeds the inflow capacity of this edge, then edge priorities with respect to the preceding edge are used to resolve these conflicts, which is similar to right-of-way rules in traffic. We analyze the efficiency of pure Nash equilibria, present an efficient algorithm for computing equilibria in symmetric games, and show that it is NP-hard to decide whether a Nash equilibrium exists in an asymmetric game. Furthermore, we address the problem of constructing optimal priorities.
Analysis of a Film Forming Process through Coupled Image Correlation and Infrared Thermography
(2022)
The aim of the present investigation was to determine the dependence of the material and process parameters of the bending process of thermoplastic films. In this context, parameter combinations leading to high resulting forming ratios were identified. To measure the relevant parameters within the hot bending process, a coupled evaluation of infrared thermography (IRT) and deformation measurement using digital image correlation (DIC) was performed. The coupled measurement enables the identification of the actual mechanically stressed bending area of the film as a result of the bending process. This allows for the specification of the local forming temperatures required for the desired forming ratios. Furthermore, the mechanical and thermal strain along the defined measuring sections and their deviation in individual tests as well as the effect of thermal strain on process control on a larger scale were determined. Based on the results, a process window was defined for the film materials investigated, which will serve as a starting point for future efforts to develop a continuous manufacturing process.
In this work, a new method for selecting suitable materials is presented. This method has a high potential for a variety of engineering applications, such as the design of sound-absorbing and vibration-loaded structures, where a large number of different requirements have to be met. The method is based on the derivation of functional dependencies of selected material parameters. These dependencies can be used in parameter studies to consider parameter combinations that lie in the range of real existing and targeted material groups. This allows the parameter space to be reduced, the calculation to be accelerated, and suitable materials to be (pre-)selected for the respective application, which contributes to a more target-oriented design. The method is applied to the example of a plate resonator. For this purpose, a semi-analytical model is implemented to calculate the transmission loss as well as the reflected and dissipated sound power of plate silencers, taking into account the influence of flow velocity and fluid temperature on the performance of plate silencers.
A novel approach to consider triaxial tensile stresses within the framework of a failure criterion
(2022)
For use in micromechanical simulations of continuous fiber reinforced polymers, a more general form of the paraboloid failure criterion by Stassi‐D'Alia for matrix failure was developed with explicit consideration of the hydrostatic tension strength. Regarding polymers, limits for hydrostatic tensile strength based on isotropic linear elasticity could be derived. The comparison of the newly developed extended paraboloid criterion with experimental data for yielding as well as for material separation (fracture) shows good agreement.
Over the last few decades, the motorization rate has steadily increased because of an increase in private car ownership each year. According to the survey, the vehicle-to-person ratio is at an all-time high. An increase in accidents and parking space issues are some of the consequences of having more vehicles on the road.
Autonomous vehicles can be a solution to these problems. To allow autonomous vehicles to drive on the road, their efficiency and functionality to perform various tasks such as object detection, path planning, and path following must be tested.
Autonomous parking can be extremely beneficial for both autonomous vehicles and conventional vehicles. This thesis aims to develop a methodology to find if Reinforcement Learning can be used as an alternative approach to motion planning for autonomous parking. Three Reinforcement Learning algorithms, namely Soft Actor Critic, Truncated Quantile Critics and Twin Delay Deep Deterministic Policy, were used to accomplish the motion planning task.
The reinforcement Learning agents were trained on three scenarios with different levels of complexity. The agent learned the behaviour to follow, which led to a higher success rate and reward maximization at the end of the training phase. In the testing phase, agents were tested on various scenarios, including unknown scenarios. Additionally,
a comparison between the three agent’s training and testing results has been made with possible reasons behind the behaviour of all three agents. The potential benefit from autonomous parking by Reinforcement Learning includes an effective solution for various parking scenarios and a generalized model which can be used without repetition of the training process.
Background
Stroke is one of the most frequent causes of death in Germany and the developed countries. After a stroke, those affected often suffer particularly from functional motor restrictions of the upper extremities. Newer techniques such as the BCI-FES systems aim to establish a communication channel between the brain and external devices with a neuromuscular intervention. The electrical activity of the brain is measured, processed, translated into control signals and can then be used to control an application.
Methods
As a mixed-methods design (exploratory design), eight guideline-based expert interviews were conducted first. For the quantitative expert survey, 95 chief physicians from the field of neuromedicine in rehabilitation facilities nationwide were subsequently invited to participate in an online survey.
Results
In our data analysis, we found that doctors are largely open-minded towards new technical rehabilitation systems. In addition to the proper functioning of the system, they consider the understanding of the functionality and the meaningfulness of the system to be particularly important. In addition, the system should be motivating for individuals, generate meaningful movements, be easy to use, evidence-based and quick to set up. Concerns were expressed regarding the understanding of the system’s processes, especially in the acute phase after a stroke, as well as the excessive expectation of results from the system on the part of the persons. The experts named stroke patients in rehabilitation phase C, which is about mobilization and recovery, as well as all persons who can understand the language requirements as benefiting groups of people.
Conclusion
The present study shows that more research should and must be done in the field of BCI-FES interfaces, and various development trends have been identified. The system has the potential to play a leading role in the rehabilitation of stroke patients in the future. Nevertheless, more work should be done on the improvement and implementation as well as the system’s susceptibility to interference in everyday patient life.
Development and Characterization of a Dispersion-Encoded Method for Low-Coherence Interferometry
(2022)
This Open Access book discusses an extension to low-coherence interferometry by dispersion-encoding. The approach is theoretically designed and implemented for applications such as surface profilometry, polymeric cross-linking estimation and the determination of thin-film layer thicknesses. During a characterization, it was shown that an axial measurement range of 79.91 µm with an axial resolution of 0.1 nm is achievable. Simultaneously, profiles of up to 1.5 mm in length were obtained in a scan-free manner. This marked a significant improvement in relation to the state-of-the-art in terms of dynamic range. Also, the axial and lateral measurement range were decoupled partially while functional parameters such as surface roughness were estimated. The characterization of the degree of polymeric cross-linking was performed as a function of the refractive index. It was acquired in a spatially-resolved manner with a resolution of 3.36 x 10-5. This was achieved by the development of a novel mathematical analysis approach.
Abstract
This article presents a cost-effective ultraviolet-ozone cleaner (UV/O3 Cleaner) for surface pre-treatment of substrates in the field of semiconductor technology. The cleaner consists of two chambers, the upper one contains the electronics, including the time counter. The lower chamber contains the two UV sterilisation lamps and a UV reflector of anodized aluminium, which confines the area of high Ozone concentration in the area of interest. The device is successfully used for surface cleaning and modification of different materials. To this end, the two important wavelengths 253.7 nm (excitation of organic residues) and 184.9 nm (production of ozone from the atmospheric environment as a strong oxidant) were first detected. The effectiveness of UV/O3 cleaning is demonstrated by improving the properties of indium tin oxide (ITO) for OLED fabrication. The contact angle of water to ITO could be reduced from 90° to 3° and for diiodomethane, it was reduced from 55° to 31° within the 10 min of irradiation. This greatly improved wettability for polar and non-polar liquids can increase the flexibility in further process control. In addition, an improvement in wettability is characterized by measuring the contact angles for titanium dioxide (TiO2) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The contact angle of water to TiO2 decreased from 70° to 10°, and that of diiodomethane to TiO2 from 54° to 31°. The wettability of PDMS was also greatly increased. Here, the contact angle of water was reduced from 109° to 24° and the contact angle to diiodomethane from 89° to 49°.
Article Highlights
We report a cost-effective dry-cleaning device for surface cleaning and modification based on ultraviolet-ozone irradiation.
Contact angle measurements show an increase of wettability for different materials due to surface modification.
The UVO3 pre-treatment improves layer formation and optoelectrical properties of OLEDs.
Hintergrund
Die Studienzeit ist eine Phase, in der die jungen Erwachsenen mit spezifischen Anforderungen konfrontiert werden. Studierende der Medizin gelten als besonders psychisch belastet. Untersuchungen, in denen sie diesbezüglich mit Studienfächern der gleichen Branche verglichen werden, sind jedoch rar.
Fragestellung
Ziel der Untersuchung war es, die psychische Gesundheit von Medizinstudierenden sowie von Gesundheits- und Pflegemanagementstudierenden zu untersuchen und zu vergleichen.
Material und Methoden
Untersucht wurden Studierende der Studiengänge Gesundheits- sowie Pflegemanagement (WHZ) und Medizinstudierende der (TU Dresden). Verschiedene Aspekte psychischer Gesundheit wurden mithilfe eines Online-Fragebogens erhoben. Dieser beinhaltete die Instrumente zur Erfassung der Prüfungsängstlichkeit (TAI-G-Kurzskala) und psychischen Belastung (BSI-18), sowie ein Item zur Ermittlung der subjektiv wahrgenommenen Studienbelastung. 258 Studierende nahmen an der Befragung teil.
Ergebnisse
Es konnten keine signifikanten Unterschiede hinsichtlich des Gesamtscores der Prüfungsängstlichkeit und der psychischen Belastung zwischen den Studierenden beider Studienfächer festgestellt werden. Dahingegen gaben Medizinstudierende an, dass sie im Vergleich zu Studierenden der anderen beiden Studienfächer eine signifikant höhere Studienbelastung wahrnehmen.
Schlussfolgerung
Die ermittelten Gesamtscores lagen teilweise über den Werten in vergleichbaren Studien. Die Studierenden sollten bereits präventiv unterstützt werden, um eigene Bewältigungsstrategien zu entwickeln. Nicht nur die Bereitstellung von Hilfen ist notwendig, sondern vielmehr das aktive Eingreifen mithilfe von gesundheitsfördernden Maßnahmen durch die Institution Hochschule, in die die Studierenden frühzeitig integriert werden sollten.
The removal of bacterial infections within the root canal system is still a challenge. Therefore, the cleansing effect of established and new irrigation-protocols (IP) containing silver diamine fluoride (SDF) 3.8% on the whole root canal system was analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 4′,6-diamidino-phenylindole-(DAPI)-staining. Extracted human premolars were instrumented up to F2 (ProTaper Gold) under NaCl 0.9% irrigation and incubated with Enterococcus faecalis for 42 days. Subsequently, different ultrasonically agitated IP were applied to the roots: control (no irrigation), 1. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, CHX 2%, 2. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, 3. NaOCl 3%, EDTA 20%, SDF 3.8%, 4. SDF 3.8%, and 5. NaCl 0.9%. One half of the root was investigated fluorescent-microscopically with DAPI. The other half was grinded in a cryogenic mill and the bacterial DNA was quantified with qPCR. The qPCR results showed a statistically significant reduction of bacteria after the application of IP 1, 2, and 3 compared to the control group. While IP 4 lead to a bacterial reduction which was not significant, IP 5 showed no reduction. These data corresponded with DAPI staining. With qPCR a new molecular-biological method for the investigation of the complete root canal system was implemented. The novel IP 3 had an equally good cleansing effect as the already established IP.
Structures made of the thermoplastic polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are widely used in dynamically-loaded applications due to their high-temperature resistance and high mechanical properties. To design these dynamic applications, in addition to the well-known stiffness and strength properties the vibration-damping properties at the given frequencies are required. Depending on the application, frequencies from a few hertz to the ultrasonic range are of interest here. To characterize the frequency-dependent behavior, an experimental approach was chosen and applied to a sample polymer PEEK. The test setup consists of a piezoelectrically driven base excitation of the polymeric specimen and the non-contact measurement of the velocity as well as the surface temperature. The beam’s bending vibrations were analyzed by means of the Timoshenko theory to determine the polymer’s storage modulus. The mechanical loss factor was calculated using the half-power bandwidth method. For PEEK and a considered frequency range of 1 kHz to 16 kHz, a storage modulus between 3.9 GPa and 4.2 GPa and a loss factor between 9 × 10−3 and 17 × 10−3 were determined. For the used experimental parameters, the resulting mechanical properties were not essentially influenced by the amplitude of excitation, the duration of excitation, or thermal degrad.ation due to self-heating, but rather slightly by the clamping force within the fixation area.
Based on a real-world application in the semiconductor industry, this article models and discusses a hybrid flow shop problem with time dependencies and priority constraints. The analyzed problem considers a production where a large number of heterogeneous jobs are processed by a number of machines. The route that each job has to follow depends upon its type, and, in addition, some machines require that a number of jobs are combined in batches before starting their processing. The hybrid flow model is also subject to a global priority rule and a “same setup” rule. The primary goal of this study was to find a solution set (permutation of jobs) that minimizes the production makespan. While simulation models are frequently employed to model these time-dependent flow shop systems, an optimization component is needed in order to generate high-quality solution sets. In this study, a novel algorithm is proposed to deal with the complexity of the underlying system. Our algorithm combines biased-randomization techniques with a discrete-event heuristic, which allows us to model dependencies caused by batching and different paths of jobs efficiently in a near-natural way. As shown in a series of numerical experiments, the proposed simulation-optimization algorithm can find solutions that significantly outperform those provided by employing state-of-the-art simulation software.
The atomizing gas dynamics and the applied process energy have a significant influence on the produced particles. The melting process of the two wires can be influenced by current modulation. As for arc welding processes, more and more electronic and software-controlled machines are being used for arc spraying and will have replaced conventional power sources in the future. Due to the highly dynamic, fast regulating computing technology in the latest energy source, technology arcs can be operated with different current forms and types. The modern machines allow process-stable, reproducible variation of the particles and heat input into the substrate. Constant and pulsed current can be used as current forms. Usable current types are direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). The electrical parameters must be analyzed to evaluate the process behavior. The consumable used is a wire-shaped iron-based alloy with a diameter of 1.6 mm. Relevant process parameters such as basic current Iground, pulse current Ipulse, pulse duration tpulse, impulse frequency fpulse, and alternating current frequency, fAC, are varied and recorded using appropriate measurement technology. The aim is to change the process performance and thereby the particle formation in a broad band. High-speed images are used to observe the arc and the deposition process. In addition, particle sizes are determined.
The electrical conduction mechanism of resistive switching Prussian white (PW) thin films obtained by the electrodeposition method was examined by AC impedance spectroscopy and DC current–voltage measurements. Using an electrode tip to contact PW grown over Au, robust unipolar resistive switching was observed with a current change of up to three orders of magnitude, high repeatability, and reproducibility. Moreover, electrical impedance spectroscopy showed that the resistive switching comes from small conductive filaments formed by potassium ions before the establishment of larger conductive channels. Both voltammetry and EIS measurements suggest that the electrical properties and conductive filament formation are influenced by defects and ions present in the grain boundaries. Thus, PW is a potential material for the next generation of ReRAM devices.
Abstract:
Background: Proctoring represents a cornerstone in the acquisition of state‐of‐the‐art cardiovascular interventions. Yet, travel restrictions and containment measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic limited on‐site proctoring for training and expert support in interventional cardiology.
Methods and Results: We established a teleproctoring setup for training in a novel patent foramen ovale closure device system (NobleStitch EL, HeartStitch Inc, Fountain Valley, CA) at our institution using web‐based real‐time bidirectional audiovisual communication. A total of 6 patients with prior paradoxical embolic stroke and a right‐to‐left shunt of grade 2 or 3 were treated under remote proctorship after 3 cases were performed successfully under on‐site proctorship. No major device/procedure‐related adverse events occurred, and none of the patients had a residual right‐to‐left shunt of grade 1 or higher after the procedure. Additionally, we sought to provide an overview of current evidence available for teleproctoring in interventional cardiology. Literature review was performed identifying 6 previous reports on teleproctoring for cardiovascular interventions, most of which were related to the current COVID‐19 pandemic. In all reports, teleproctoring was carried out in similar settings with comparable setups; no major adverse events were reported.
Conclusions: Teleproctoring may represent a feasible and safe tool for location‐independent and cost‐effective training in a novel patent foramen ovale closure device system. Future prospective trials comparing teleproctoring with traditional on‐site proctoring are warranted.
Vitalpolitik
(2022)
Abstract: This chapter reconstructs the notion of ‘vital policy’ (Vitalpolitik), an approach to the social question whose first and strongest proponent amongst the Ordoliberals was Alexander Rüstow. It is opposed to traditional social policy as a top-down provision of material benefits (welfare). Instead, it aims at enabling those ‘conditions of life’ (Lebenslagen) that provide the prerequisites for human beings and their community to flourish. This humanistic approach attempts to complement the competitive processes in a market society and to provide access and equal opportunity to these processes, focusing on the notion of fair starting conditions for individuals. In its general thrust, Vitalpolitik is well compatible with more recent research programmes, especially the capability approach of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum.
Der General
(2022)