A method of constructing an inspiration library driven by user-perceived preference evaluation data for biologically inspired design

Biologically inspired design (BID) is one of the common methods for product design. To solve the problem of inaccurate acquisition of inspirational creatures due to the lack of user perception preference analysis, a data-driven intelligent service model for BID considering user perception needs is proposed based on Kansei engineering. Firstly, by extracting the perceptual features of creatures from the semantic source elements of products through mapping and encodes them, we proposed a data acquisition method based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets considering different customer preference distributions, bridging the gap caused by the asymmetry between designers and users. Secondly, the functional relationship between biometric features and user-perceived attributes is identified and predicted, and a predictive model of biodata considering user preferences is obtained by multiple linear regression analysis. Finally, based on the data clustering and reorganization theory to understand the organization and dynamics of the database, the construction of a BID library was completed, and the design resources in the library were used as analyzed knowledge for designers to plan design activities. Taking the bionic design of a UAV product as an example, a prototype of a computer-aided design service system was developed based on the theory proposed in the article, and the analyzed knowledge was used to improve the efficiency and science of the design, effectively verifying the usefulness of this study for design. To a certain extent, this study addresses the problem of cognitive limitations of designers and cognitive differences between designers and users, promotes the application of bioinspiration in product design, and improves the marketability of design solutions.     

Identification and U-control of a state-space system with time-delay

This article presents a state-space model with time-delay to map the relationship between known input-output data for discrete systems. For the given input-output data, a model identification algorithm combining parameter estimation and state estimation is proposed in line with the causality constraints. Consequently, this article proposes a least squares parameter estimation algorithm, and analyzes its convergence for the studied systems to prove that the parameter estimation errors converge to zero under the persistent excitation conditions. In control system design, the U-model based control is introduced to provide a unilateral platform to improve the design efficiency and generality. A simulation portfolio from modeling to control is provided with computational experiments to validate the derived results.     

Microwave hybrid fast sintering of red clay ceramics

This work aimed to examine the performance of the hybrid sintering of clay ceramic in a microwave furnace, compared to the sintering process in a conventional furnace. The raw materials were subjected to X-ray fluorescence, loss on ignition (LOI), X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution, real specific mass, and thermogravimetric analyses. The red clay ceramic mass was prepared, extruded, pre-sintered in a conventional furnace at 600°C/60 min, and sintered at temperatures between 700 °C and 1100 °C. The sintering conventional (resistive oven) was carried out for 60 min with a heating rate of 10°C/min. In the microwave furnace, the sintering times were 5, 10, and 15 min, with a heating rate of 50°C/min, with a sintering chamber coated with silicon carbide (susceptor). The sintered specimens were characterized according to linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy analysis, spectroscopy analysis in the ultraviolet and visible regions, microhardness, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that microwave sintering promoted an increase in the microhardness and apparent specific mass, and reduction in water absorption and apparent porosity values, due to greater densification in the microstructure. The best results occurred for specimens sintered at 1100°C.     

面向老龄化社会的产品服务系统设计赋能

目的 针对面向老龄化社会的产品及产品服务系统设计,将赋能的设计理念和价值引入其中,探索设计结果提升老年人能动性和参与性的赋能品质,为设计师开展设计赋能实践提供参考.方法 以设计教学中的学生设计方案作为研究材料,邀请设计研究者参与工作坊,对设计结果的赋能属性进行分析,并通过聚类获得类别化的设计属性,产生了能描述赋能品质的属性词汇表.结果 总结了包含5组形容词组的设计赋能品质集,这一集合包含"顺应性"和"激励性"两个面向.结论 研究结果为设计师进行老龄化设计提供了知识参考,有助于提升设计师的赋能意识.揭示了设计赋能充满矛盾性的品质,提出面向老龄化的设计赋能需要在"顺应"和"激励"之间找到平衡.     

Hybrid hydrate processes for CO2/H2 mixture purification: A techno-economic analysis

In this work, hydrate based separation technique was combined with membrane separation and amine-absorption separation technologies to design hybrid processes for separation of CO₂/H₂ mixture. Hybrid processes are designed in the presence of different types of hydrate promoters. The conceptual processes have been developed using Aspen HYSYS. Proposed processes were simulated at different flow rates for the feed stream. A comprehensive cost model was developed for economic analysis of novel processes proposed in this study. Based on the results from process simulation and equipment sizing, the amount of total energy consumption, fixed cost, variable cost, and total cost were calculated per unit weight of captured CO₂ for various flow rates of feed stream and in the presence of different hydrate promoters. Results showed that combination of hydrate formation separation technique with membrane separation technology results in a CO₂ capture process with lowest energy consumption and total cost per unit weight of captured CO₂. As split fraction and heat of hydrate formation increases, the share of hydrate formation section in total energy consumption increases. When TBAB is applied as hydrate promoter, due to its higher hydrate separation efficiency, more amount of CO₂ is captured in hydrate formation section and consequently the total cost for process decreases considerably. Hybrid hydrate-membrane process in the presence of TBAB as hydrate promoter with 29.47 US$/ton CO₂ total cost is the best scheme for hybrid hydrate CO₂ capture process. Total cost for this process is lower than total cost for single MDEA-based absorption process as the mature technology for CO₂ capture.     

Display illumination with modulated directional backlight

Illumination is essential for modern life as colorful world is perceived by human visionary system. Display technology has been developing rapidly in recent decades, and the basic principle is related to the way that the image is illuminated and light is emanated. Traditional illumination is provided by different types of light sources, and the display image is visible in large viewing space until the emanating light decays to zero. This work proposes and demonstrates a novel illumination scheme for a display in which the displaying images are visible only in specific spatial regions. The directional backlight ensures the image propagating to specific direction while imaging visibility can be controlled to terminate abruptly at certain distance from the display screen while exerting no influence to nearby regions. The working principle for such an illumination scheme is the use of the modulated coherent directional backlight through an axicon lens. It is shown that the illumination scheme can robustly deliver carried image information to the designated viewing region. This new illumination scheme has many advantages over conventional illumination, including its usage for personal display, very lower energy consumption, as well as minimizing light hazard pollution.     

高等级生物安全实验室通风空调系统冗余设计原则探讨

对比分析了国内外标准有关高等级生物安全实验室通风空调系统冗余设计的要求。结合我国已有高等级生物安全实验室,重点分析了送风机、排风机、排风高效过滤器冗余设计的具体实施形式和存在的问题,给出了冗余设计原则建议。     

轻量级电驱水下机械臂设计与运动学分析

设计了一款四功能水下机械臂，并对驱动关节进行了模块化设计和密封测试。为了保证水下机械臂的可靠性，在水下机械臂水下测试前，进行了强度校核和模态分析。为了验证水下机械臂的性能，通过 Ｄ- Ｈ法建立了其运动学模型，在此基础上分别进行了正、逆运动学分析。此外还采用蒙特卡洛法，在正运动学分析的基础上研究了工作空间特点。研究结果将为进一步的运动控制提供有益的帮助。     

Robust optimisation of sustainable food grain transportation with uncertain supply and intentional disruptions

The proliferating need for sustainability intervention in food grain transportation planning is anchoring the attention of researchers in the interests of stakeholders and environment at large. Uncertainty associated with food grain supply further intensifies the problem steering the need for designing robust, cost-efficient and sustainable models. In line with this, this paper aims to develop a robust and sustainable intermodal transportation model to facilitate single type of food grain commodity shipments while considering procurement uncertainty, greenhouse gas emissions, and intentional hub disruption. The problem is designed as a mixed integer non-linear robust optimisation model on a hub and spoke network for evaluating near optimal shipment quantity, route selection and hub location decisions. The robust optimisation approach considers minimisation of total relative regret associated with total cost subject to several real-time constraints. A version of Particle Swarm Optimisation with Differential Evolution is proposed to tackle the resulting NP-hard problem. The model is tested with two other state-of the art meta-heuristics for small, medium, and large datasets subject to different procurement scenarios inspired from real time food grain operations in Indian context. Finally, the solution is evaluated with respect to total cost, model and solution robustness for all instances.     

Exploring design trade-offs for achieving social inclusion in multi-tiered design problems

ABSTRACT

The digital age of the future is ‘not out there to be discovered’, but it needs to be ‘designed’. The design challenge has to address questions about how we want to live, work, and learn (as individuals and as communities) and what we value and appreciate, e.g.: reflecting on quality of life and creating inclusive societies. An overriding design trade-off for the digital age is whether new developments will increase the digital divide or will create more inclusive societies. Sustaining inclusive societies means allowing people of all ages and all abilities to exploit information technologies for personally meaningful activities. Meta-design fosters the design of socio-technical environments that end-user developers can modify and evolve at use time to improve their quality of life and favour their inclusion in the society. This paper describes three case studies in the domain of assistive technologies in which end users themselves cannot act as end-user developers, but someone else (e.g.: a caregiver or a clinician) must accept this role requiring multi-tiered architectures. The design trade-offs and requirements for meta-design identified in the context of the case studies and other researchers’ projects are described to inform the development of future socio-technical environments focused on social inclusion.