Assistance in human–machine interaction: a conceptual framework and a proposal for a taxonomy

Many interactive systems offer assistance when users have difficulties in operating or using them. In spite of the overwhelming variety of assistance techniques available, it is often unclear what type of assistance is really needed and how special assistance functions should be designed. The first step towards theoretically solid design decisions is a conceptual framework and a comprehensive taxonomy of assistance. This paper proposes to define assistance as access to machine functions and provides a taxonomy based mainly on action stages to be assisted. These stages are: (1) motivation, activation and goal setting; (2) perception; (3) information integration, generating situation awareness; (4) decision-making, action selection; (5) action execution; and (6) processing feedback of action results. In analogy to social assistance, various types of technical assistance are assigned to the six action stages. As additional dimensions to classify assistance, we also discuss adjustment, initiative, presentation media and input modality.     

Creating resilient and sustainable manufacturing businesses – a conceptual fitness model

Over recent years, UK manufacturing industry has experienced turbulence in its business performance. Lower cost products, and responsive and flexible processes, are now essential in order for a company to capture new markets and to become economically resilient. Business resiliency is a term used frequently to describe a company’s ability to adapt and cope with disturbance. This has led to the generation of many frameworks and models aimed at guiding companies towards improved business performance. However, these frameworks are primarily strategic in nature and do not necessarily focus on creating resilience at an operational level in manufacturing companies. The authors employ a mixed research approach initially undertaking a literature review and then a screening survey in to 25 manufacturing companies in order to identify the key business resiliency techniques employed. Following this, a focus group goes on to detail a new manufacturing resiliency model called the fit operational model. The model’s effectiveness is then assessed and adjusted as a result of being implemented in a subject company.     

Optimization of biofuels production via a water–energy–food nexus framework

Biofuels have emerged as an attractive renewable alternative to satisfy the global energy demands. The large-scale production of biofuels requires the installation of biorefining systems that involve strategic decisions for the logistics and operation in the production of biofuels such as location, feedstock type(s), production capacities and interactions with the surrounding environment. This work proposes an optimization framework for the design of a biorefining system while accounting for the interactions with the surrounding watershed using a material flow analysis technique through the design of an efficient supply chain for the production and distribution of feedstocks, grains and biofuels considering the water and land requirements. The proposed model deals with the uncertainty involved in the project (e.g., prices of feedstocks and products, biofuel demands and precipitation in the watershed). A mixed-integer linear programming model is proposed to simultaneously consider the economic and environmental objectives. A case study located in Mexico is solved for a set of scenarios with the purpose of illustrating the capabilities of the proposed optimization approach. The results show strong trade-offs between the considered objectives and the impact of uncertainties.     

Understanding bioenergy production and optimisation at the nanoscale – a review

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology has an increasingly large impact on a wide range of biotechnological, pharmacological and pure technological applications. Its current use in bioenergy production from biomass is very limited. This paper examines the potential interrelationships between nanotechnology and bioenergy production through a comprehensive literature review and analysis of data from biomass characterisation studies. The aim of this review is to indicate how nanotechnology can be applied in biomass-to-bioenergy conversion. This study shows currently nanotechnology has been applied in the production of only two types of biomass, i.e. sludge and algae. Hence, interaction of nanomaterials with active sludge and algal cells were examined. Our extensive literature review indicates that anaerobic digestion process in sludge can potentially be enhanced by using magnetite nanoparticles, which gives higher methane yields. On the other hand, nanosilver reduces growth and causes adverse effects on the morphology of green algae. This process for bioenergy generation has already been successfully applied to sludge and algae biomass. Our study confirms that the process can also be used in the production of bioenergy from the other biomasses, such as agricultural wastes and industrial residues. Outcomes of this work will be an important tool for implementing nanotechnology in bioenergy research.     

Perceived production complexity – understanding more than parts of a system

To successfully manage today’s complex production systems it is essential to study operators’ perception of the system. The paper presents perceived production complexity assessed at seven manufacturing companies with the CompleXity Index (CXI) method. While other methods have measured product variants, layout, work content, tools and information items, CXI combines them into three areas. These three complexity areas (Station design, Work variance and Disturbance handling) help to create an understanding of the complex system by visualising how they contribute to complexity, and show the need to support the operators’ ability to handle the varying work.     

Manufacturers’ coalition under a price elastic market – a quadratic production game approach

The paper addresses a supply network design problem in which a set of enterprises decides to organise itself as a multi-stage supply network by resource sharing and production coordination. A biform game theory formulation of the problem is obtained by combining the cooperative sub-game in the manufacturing network with the strategic sub-game of the Stackelberg type between the retailer and the manufacturers’ network. As a result of the interaction between these two sub-games, a new type of cooperative game, the quadratic production game, is formulated to describe the supply network design problem under anticipated price elastic demands from the market. The key problem of coalitional stability is addressed through the properties of rationality and fairness of the profit sharing agreement. We prove that the game is non-convex in general and thus, the fair solution given by the Shapley value allocation is not always rational. It is proposed to reinforce the coalition stability by selecting a minimal set of partner enterprises achieving the maximal expected profit and applying a profit sharing policy with guaranteed fairness restricted to the member enterprises.     

Mass transfer with a “memory” when describing sorption processes

The possibility of describing sorption processes by an integrodifferential equation of mass transfer with a memory is pointed out. An analytical solution of this equation is given.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 906–908, November, 1980.     

Customized dimensional analysis conceptual modelling framework for design optimization—a case study on the cross-flow micro turbine model

Dimensional Analysis Conceptual Modelling (DACM) is a framework used for conceptual modelling and simulation in system and product designs. The framework is based on cause–effect analysis between variables and functions in a problem. This article presents an approach that mobilizes concepts from the DACM framework to assist solve high-dimensional expensive optimization problems with lower computational costs. The latter fundamentally utilizes theories and concepts from well-practised dimensional analysis, functional modelling and bond graphing. Statistical design-of-experiments theory is also utilized in the framework to measure impact levels of variables towards the objective. Simplifying as well as decomposing followed by optimization of expensive problems are the focuses of the article. To illustrate the approach, a case study on the performance optimization of a cross-flow micro hydro turbine is presented. The customized DACM framework assisted optimization approach converges faster and returns better results than the one without. A single-step simplification approach is employed in the case study and it returns a better average optimization result with about only one fifth of the function evaluations compared to optimization using the original model.     

Detecting bottlenecks in serial production lines – a focus on interdeparture time variance

This work addresses an important problem in industry – locating the bottleneck in a production line – and suggests a practical approach to accomplish that end. We describe and validate, using discrete event simulation, a novel method of bottleneck detection in open, asynchronous serial production lines with finite buffers. The technique uses a single measure – station interdeparture time variance – to locate the system bottleneck. The proposed method is compared to other bottleneck detection approaches and it is shown that the proposed method performs as well and sometimes better than other methods. We conclude that the proposed approach has a number of significant advantages. It is easy to use and implement, not requiring data about failure and repair times, raw process times, buffer sizes, etc., but instead uses a single piece of easily obtained real-time production line data – station work-in-process (WIP) interdeparture time. The proposed method can identify production constraints without the need to build an analytical or simulation model, is well suited for use in industry, and can be readily implemented in standard simulation tools.     

A manufacturer’s production and pricing strategies with a salvage channel

We study a manufacturer’s production quantity and pricing decisions when the manufacturer has an opportunity to sell surplus inventory through a salvage channel. Before sales begin, the manufacturer determines the production quantity without knowing customer demand. After demand is realised, the manufacturer first satisfies the demand through primary channel while charging a fixed price or adjusting price to maximise profit. At the end of the selling season, the manufacturer resells surplus inventory through the salvage channel, which can be either integrated with or independent of the manufacturer. The manufacturer’s optimal production quantity and expected profit are investigated under different salvage channel structures. We show that the salvage channel improves the manufacturer’s profitability as well as the availability of the product to potential customers through both primary and salvage channels.     

Electrochemical determination of levofloxacin with a Cu–metal–organic framework derivative electrode

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Levofloxacin (LEV) is used in pharmaceuticals to treat bacterial infections, but is rarely metabolized by the human body, and hence, largely...     

Gaining knowledge on the processability of PLA-based short-fibre compounds – A comprehensive comparison with their PP counterparts

The present study provides a quantitative overview of bio-based compound processing compared to commonly used composites reinforced with short glass fibres (GF). Three reinforcing fibres were compounded with polylactide and polypropylene: abaca, man-made cellulose and conventional E-GF. The flow behaviour of corresponding melts was determined using melt flow rate (MFR) and online flow spiral test. The composite structures were analysed by means of SEM in order to investigate the fibre fracture during processing and the fibre/matrix bonding affinity. The fibre length distribution was correlated with the results from the melt flow experiments, and the structure–property relationships were determined using SEM images. It was confirmed that the fibre texture, interactions between fibres and fibre–matrix bonding are influenced by subsequent processing steps and have a substantial effect on the further composite melt processing.     

Mechanical properties of WC-based hardmetals bonded with iron alloys – a review

Growing concerns over the use of cobalt as binder for WC-based hardmetals has directed research efforts towards finding a suitable alternative binder offering comparable or even superior properties than those found in WC–Co hardmetals. Complete substitution of cobalt by iron alloys has been extensively explored in several studies with significant improvements in mechanical properties of WC bonded with Fe alloys when carbon content addition is strictly controlled in powder composition. Asides from the commonly studied hardness and fracture toughness properties, transverse rupture strength property of this composites has also been observed to hold future promise with further development in the microstructural parameters such as porosity during sintering. This article reviews the progress in the mechanical properties of WC–Fe alloys hardmetals.     

An optimisation model for purchase,production and distribution in fish supply chain – a case study

This paper presents an optimisation model for spawn purchase, fish culturing production process and harvested fish distribution in a fish supply chain. Due to the complexity and variety of real-world fish supply chains, the model is built based on a case study for a real trout fish farm to illustrate the methodology on how to incorporate influential factors from both warm chain and cold chain. Warm chain mainly considers the biological factors while fish is alive and cold chain mainly considers the economic factors after fish is ready for harvest, harvested, and processed. The model seeks to improve the trout farm production planning to help decision-making on spawn purchase quantity, the best time to harvest fish, and the farming periods. In addition, the model adopts a customer classification method in distribution planning that is able to prioritise the delivery of fresh fish to the most profitable customers. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model was developed to maximise the total profit. The experimental results demonstrate that farmers’ total profit can be increased after applying the proposed optimisation strategy, compared to the traditional farming strategy.     

Challenges to integrating planning and policy-making with environmental assessment on a regional scale – a multi-institutional perspective

Abstract

Regional environmental assessment (EA) requires the participation of policy- and plan-making institutions to formulate, implement and monitor regional environmental management strategies. However, there is little understanding of what effective integration is in the context of regional EA and from the perspectives of planners and policy-makers involved. This paper seeks to explore how institutional actors perceive cross-domain integration vis-à-vis their own involvement in regional EAs. Thirty-eight participants from four regional EA initiatives in Canada shared their perspectives in an online survey. Three types of silo effects are identified: (1) institutional – intricately linked to factors such as coordination, goals and expectations, leadership and capacity; (2) disciplinary – characterized by limited communication and scepticism around data sharing; and (3) transactional – tendency of actors to emphasize individual narrow perspective rather than collective social and environmental outcomes. Additional findings reveal the importance of learning and multiple domain expertise as opportunities for enhancing cross-domain integration in regional EA practice. Finally, the study concludes that proactive consideration of potential silo effects is necessary for improved regional EA outcomes, and to facilitate more effective regional resource governance.     

Improving access to biodiversity data for,and from,EIAs – a data publishing framework built to global standards

Biodiversity information obtained during environmental impact assessments (EIAs) is rarely accessible for other uses following the completion of the EIA. Such data need to be made readily accessible; adding them to publicly accessible national datasets is important if biodiversity science, conservation and future decisions based on environmental assessment are to benefit from new biodiversity data and improved biodiversity data coverage. An ‘EIA Biodiversity Data Publishing Framework’, based on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) global standards, is thus proposed to meet this need. This paper outlines the GBIF-catalysed initiative to establish such an operational framework for uptake by the EIA community, as well as options that are available for data publishing in the absence of such a framework. It reviews the current state of accessibility and management of the primary biodiversity data associated with EIA studies, and highlights the urgent need for uptake of a range of data-publishing tools and best practices for making EIA biodiversity data exchangeable using globally accepted standards. Lessons learnt from pilot projects in India and South Africa underline the call for the rapid uptake of a national-to-global scale EIA Biodiversity Data Publishing Framework.     

Development of a hot stamped channel section with axially tailored properties – experiments and models

In this work, the in-die heating (IDH) tailored hot stamping (THS) process is considered, in which the forming tool is partitioned into zones that are either cooled or heated. Four configurations of THS rails were formed: a non-tailored configuration using conventional room temperature tooling and three tailored configurations in which one-half of the rail was formed in tooling that was heated at different temperatures (in the range 400–700 °C). Micro-hardness measurements confirmed that THS can be used to form an axial crush member that contains tailored properties along its length. The as-formed parts exhibited a Vickers hardness of 430–484 HV in zones formed in cooled tooling, 235–280 HV in zones formed in tooling that was heated to 400 °C and 190–215 HV in zones that were formed when the die set was heated to 700 °C. Numerical models of the THS process were developed using the Åkerström material model in LS-Dyna. As part of the modelling, the activation energies for each phase were calibrated using an LS-OPT routine. The resulting hardness predictions were compared with experimental data to assess the accuracy of the LS-OPT routine. The predicted hardness distributions in the components were quite accurate (usually within 10%, but as high as 16% in some cases).     

Pretreatment methods for gasification of biomass and Fischer–Tropsch crude production integrated with a pulp and paper mill

In this paper, the influence on the system performance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of different biomass pretreatment methods before gasification and Fischer–Tropsch (FT) crude production was evaluated. Entrained flow gasification has the benefit of producing a practically tar-free synthesis gas with nearly complete carbon conversion. This gasifier type requires a relatively dry fuel, with small particle size, at high pressure. The size can be acquired by milling, which is energy intensive and feeding is challenging. Torrefaction of biomass facilitates milling; it thus requires less electricity, however, the torrefaction process requires heat. Pyrolysis decomposes the biomass into gaseous, liquid, and solid parts, respectively. This further makes feeding easier, but comes with a greater heat demand than torrefaction. The impact of the different pretreatment methods on the overall energy system has been evaluated using process integration methodology. The results show that the excess heat from an FT process with a biomass input of 300 MW_HHV can replace the bark boiler in a large chemical pulp and paper mill, producing 350,000 tonnes of bleached paperboard annually. With the preconditions given for this study, thermal pretreatment of biomass may be beneficial in terms of wood-to-FT crude efficiency, with efficiencies up to 68 %, assuming 40 % electrical efficiency. Pretreatment using pyrolysis performed the best in regards to GHG emissions, if CO₂ from acid gas removal was vented, while milling, with an annual reduction of around 700,000 tonnes of CO₂,_eq, had the best results if the CO₂ was captured and sequestrated.