Design trade-offs in self-management technology: the HeartMan case

ABSTRACT

Health self-management technology has the potential to significantly improve the Quality of Life of patients suffering from chronic diseases. However, designing the technology involves numerous highly context-dependent design decisions. In this paper, we analyse a case study of self-monitoring technology in the field of congestive heart failure. We analyse the design process of the technology from the perspective of design trade-offs. Three important trade-offs related to health self-monitoring technology are described in detail, related to patient autonomy, technology appropriation, and patient well-being. For each of the trade-offs, various mediating factors that influence design decisions are described in detail. On a practical level, this analysis can inform future developments in self-management technology. In addition, this design trade-off analysis provides intermediary knowledge that can contribute to a better theoretical understanding of health self-management technology.     

A next-generation wide color gamut WLED with improved spectral performance in phosphor composite functional solid

As is well known, a way to obtain a high color resolution and saturation of a liquid crystal display and thereby obtain a higher visual accuracy and comfort in the coming 5G era remains an urgent challenge. In the present study, a new type of phosphor composite material doped with Ln³⁺ ions provides a promising alternative to the color filters used in White light-emitting diodes (WLEDs), achieving a better performance regarding the realization of a wider color gamut. The advantages of this composite material are illustrated through an abundant phase and morphology analysis along with a discussion regarding the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the valence bond of Ce ions, which maintain the luminescence properties of the phosphor while providing a stable and solid amorphous environment. An improved spectral performance was obtained through color filtering at 580 nm along with the regulating effects of red, green, and blue emissions according to the doped Ln³⁺ ions. Notably, we fabricated a high-performance WLED based on a Ln³⁺-doped PiG with a correlated color temperature of 5037 K, color rendering index of 72.8, and high color gamut of 91.97%, providing a new choice for the development of luminescence materials with a high color resolution and saturation.     

B超扫描仪支架五联动滑块机构模具设计

结合B超扫描仪支架塑件的形状特点，通过合理地选择塑件的分型面，简化了塑件的整体结构设计及脱模机构设计。针对塑件上脱模需要的复杂性，设计了一种五滑块联动机构先实施内壁5个倒扣及内壁凹形部位内壁的脱模；而后通过2个斜导柱滑块机构来实施外壁的脱模及侧端的侧孔抽芯脱模，塑件最后由推管顶出来实施最终的完全脱模。配合于脱模机构的动作需要，模架选用三板式模架，模架第一次打开设置用于驱动五滑块联动机构的抽芯动作，第二次打开设置用于驱动外壁及侧端的斜导柱驱动侧滑块机构的抽芯动作。五滑块联动机构设计中，通过一个中央T形槽驱动块，驱动中间过渡滑块，从而通过燕尾槽联结来带动5个成型滑块做内收式抽芯运动，巧妙地解决了塑件上局部区域内设置多个抽芯机构设计空间不够的问题，保证了塑件的自动化注塑生产的可靠实现。     

干湿联合冷却塔冷却节水分析软件开发及应用

为实现对干湿联合冷却塔冷却特性、节水特性的综合分析，编制干湿联合冷却塔校核计算流程，基于Visual Studio开发平台，本文开发了干湿联合冷却塔冷却节水特性分析优化软件。通过对某在运干湿联合冷却塔进行冷却节水特性计算，验证了所开发软件计算结果的准确性；在消雾节水计算结果基础上，对标干湿联合消雾冷却塔验收测试规程，生成其成雾频率曲线、耗水量曲线、塔雾指数、冷却特性曲线，综合分析其消雾特性、节水特性及冷却特性，从而确定了干湿联合冷却塔的最佳运行工况。同时运用所开发软件对比分析了某冷却塔设计干段散热面积对其消雾特性、节水特性及冷却特性的耦合影响，并分析了百叶窗开度对干湿联合冷却塔性能的影响，为干湿联合冷却塔的运行优化和设计优化提供了工具性软件支持。     

Optimization of waste quail eggshells as biocomposites for polyaniline in ammonia gas detection

A simple, cost-effective, and novel chemical sensor for ammonia (NH₃) gas detection was developed from polyaniline (PANI)/quail eggshell (QES) composites. QES is a natural waste enriched in calcium carbonate. In this work, pure PANI was synthesized from chemical oxidation method and PANI/QES composites were prepared from physical mixing of QES with the synthesized PANI at different mass ratio. A series of complementary techniques including Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectrometers, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive detection coupled with mapping, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffractometer were used to characterize the physicochemical and textural properties of the biocomposites. From the results, PANI/QES composite with a mass ratio of 1 exhibited the lowest NH₃ detection limit of 5.24 ppm with a linear correlation coefficient (R²) of close to unity (0.9932) between the signal and NH₃ gas concentration. As a whole, the PANI/QES biocomposites synthesized from this work exhibited excellent selectivity toward NH₃ gas even in the presence of other gas impurities, such as acetone, ethanol, and hexane. For the sensor reusability, the PANI/QES biocomposites can be reused in the application of NH₃ gas detection for at least 4 cycles.     

Systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle: Case studies on laundry detergent and milk

This study presents systematic packaging design tools integrating functional and environmental consequences on product life cycle. To design packaging for sustainability, the trade-offs between functional and environmental aspects of packaging throughout the product life cycle should be considered. However, it is difficult for packaging designers to understand the overall trade-offs because the extent of the design consequences on the entire life cycle of packaging and its contents is unclear. We developed two tools for packaging design: the Life Cycle Association Matrix (LCAM) and the Function Network Diagram (FND). The following three steps, based on literature reviews and interviews with industrial experts, were applied. Firstly, we listed the product functions and design variables related to the functions as the attributes allocated to the product life cycle. Secondly, the attributes were connected appropriately based on causal relationships. Lastly, we identified the factors to support decision making in the packaging design procedure. As a result, the LCAM depicts the design consequences on the life cycle, and the FND determines the stakeholders affected by the design consequences. Two case studies were demonstrated to analyze the trade-offs by using our tools. In the case studies, a liquid laundry detergent bottle and a milk carton were redesigned. The tools identified the design consequences and stakeholders affected by the redesign of the usability and protective function for the detergent and milk cases, respectively. The results showed the significance of understanding the design consequences on the product life cycle by integrating the functional and environmental aspects.     

Synergistic effect of co-alloying elements on site preferences and elastic properties of Ni3Al: A first-principles study

The site preferences of co-alloying elements (Mo–Ta, Mo–Re, Mo–Cr) in Ni₃Al are studied using first-principles calculations, and the effects of these alloying elements on the elastic properties of Ni₃Al are evaluated by elastic property calculations. The results show that the Mo–Ta, Mo–Re and Mo–Cr atom pairs all prefer Al–Al sites and the spatial neighbor relation of substitution sites almost has no influence on the site preference results. Furthermore, the Young's modulus of Ni₃Al increases much higher by substituting Al–Al sites with co-alloying atoms, among which Mo–Re has the best strengthening effect. The enhanced chemical bondings between alloying atoms and their neighbor host atoms are considered to be the main strengthening mechanism of the alloying elements in Ni₃Al.     

An optimization model for evaluating the economic impact of availability and maintenance notions during the synthesis and design of a power plant

In this paper, we introduce an optimization strategy in order to comprehensively quantify the impact of availability and maintenance notions during the early stages of synthesis and design of a new natural gas combined cycle power plant. A detailed state-space approach is thoroughly discussed, where influence of maintenance funds on each component's repair rate is directly assessed.In this context, analysis of the reliability characteristics of the system is centered at two designer-adopted parameters, which largely influence the obtained results: the number of components which may fail independently at the same time, and the number of simultaneous failure/repair events.Then, optimal solutions are evaluated as the availability-related parameters and the amount of resources assigned for maintenance actions are varied across a wide range of feasible values, which enable obtaining more accurate and detailed estimations of the expected economic performance for the project when compared with traditional economic evaluation approaches.