A framework for operator – workstation interaction in Industry 4.0

We draw on cognitive and behavioural theories and on the artificial intelligence literature in order to propose a framework of future operator – workstation interaction in the ‘Industry 4.0’ era. We name the proposed framework ‘Operator – Workstation Interaction 4.0’. The latter’s capabilities permit an adaptive, ongoing interaction that aims to improve operator safety, performance, well-being, and satisfaction as well as the factory’s production measures. The framework is composed of three subsystems: (1) the observation subsystem which observes the operator and the processes occurring in the workstation, (2) the analysis subsystem which generates understanding and implications of the observations output, (3) the reaction subsystem which determines if and how to respond. The paper describes these elements and illustrate them using an example of a fatigued worker. The contributions, implications, and limitations of the proposed framework are discussed, and future research directions are presented.     

Dietary intake and stress fractures among elite male combat recruits

Background

We examined the effect of four weeks of ??-alanine supplementation on isometric endurance of the knee extensors at 45% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).

Methods

Thirteen males (age 23?±?6 y; height 1.80?±?0.05?m; body mass 81.0?±?10.5?kg), matched for pre-supplementation isometric endurance, were allocated to either a placebo (n?=?6) or ??-alanine (n?=?7; 6.4?g·d^-1 over 4?weeks) supplementation group. Participants completed an isometric knee extension test (IKET) to fatigue, at an intensity of 45% MVIC, before and after supplementation. In addition, two habituation tests were completed in the week prior to the pre-supplementation test and a further practice test was completed in the week prior to the post-supplementation test. MVIC force, IKET hold-time, and impulse generated were recorded.

Results

IKET hold-time increased by 9.7?±?9.4?s (13.2%) and impulse by 3.7?±?1.3 kN·s^-1 (13.9%) following ??-alanine supplementation. These changes were significantly greater than those in the placebo group (IKET: t ₍₁₁₎?=?2.9, p ??0.05; impulse: t ₍₁₁₎?=?3.1, p????0.05). There were no significant changes in MVIC force in either group.

Conclusion

Four weeks of ??-alanine supplementation at 6.4?g·d^-1 improved endurance capacity of the knee extensors at 45% MVIC, which most likely results from improved pH regulation within the muscle cell as a result of elevated muscle carnosine levels.     

Standardization and modularization driven by minimizing overall process effort

Faster product development is a major goal for companies in competitive markets. Product platform architectures support planning for addressing diverse markets and fulfilling future market desires. Applying standardization or modularization on product platform components leverages current product design effort across future products. This work introduces a method—SMDP (standardization and modularization driven by process effort)—for focusing engineering effort when applying standardization or modularization on product platform components. SMDP calculates the total design effort from current to future generations of the platform following standardization or modularization of components. By comparing the total design cost of different simulations, we can direct the design team to standardization or modularization opportunities. The contribution of this work is in using an estimation of design effort as the basis for decision in contrast to commonly used static measures of components' interactions. Such a computational approach allows conducting sensitivity studies that address the subjective nature of various estimations needed for exercising SMDP. SMDP is illustrated in a product platform design of an external-drum plate-setter for the digital prepress printing market.     

Design and Construction of Insulation Configuration for Ultra-High-Temperature Microwave Processing of Ceramics

A multilayer insulation configuration suitable for microwave sintering of ceramics up to 2100°C was designed and tested successfully. The configuration is based on porous, granular BN/ZrO₂ fiber composite powder for packed beds and spacer cylinders. This insulation allows stable, controlled microwave sintering and can be modified to microwave process materials with different thermal, dielectric properties with improved properties.     

Is there an endogeneity problem between health and apartment value? Gender differences and the impact of obesity on property self-evaluation

Journal of Housing and the Built Environment - Background Numerous studies have compared self evaluation and market values of apartments by employing hedonic regressions. Most of these studies...     

Strömungsvisualisierung mit Texturen

Visualisation of Flow with the Aid of Textures Many new methods of flow visualisation have been developed in recent years. One of the most promising approaches is the visualisation of flow with the aid of textures. Textures are graphic structures containing directional information. They can be calculated with the Line Integral Convolution (LIC) algorithm developed by Cabral and Leedom, according to which pixel-oriented random entry fields are convoluted along integral lines. This paper uses the LIC algorithm for texture generation. Known procedures for texture generation and for spatial representation of textures are considered and extended by the authors' own work. Textures are compared with traditional approaches, which use flow lines and vector arrows for flow visualisation, and evaluated. In their presentation of the topic the authors use a easily comprehensible representation which the user can readily reproduce rather than an exact mathematical-statistical analysis of texture generation.     

On d-Multiplicative Secret Sharing

A multiplicative secret sharing scheme allows players to multiply two secret-shared field elements by locally converting their shares of the two secrets into an additive sharing of their product. Multiplicative secret sharing serves as a central building block in protocols for secure multiparty computation (MPC). Motivated by open problems in the area of MPC, we introduce the more general notion of d-multiplicative secret sharing, allowing to locally multiply d shared secrets, and study the type of access structures for which such secret sharing schemes exist.