Journal Description
Applied Sciences
Applied Sciences
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on all aspects of applied natural sciences published semimonthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), Inspec, CAPlus / SciFinder, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q2 (Engineering, Multidisciplinary) / CiteScore - Q1 (General Engineering)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 16.9 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 2.6 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
- Testimonials: See what our authors say about Applied Sciences.
- Companion journals for Applied Sciences include: Applied Nano, AppliedChem, Applied Biosciences, Virtual Worlds, Spectroscopy Journal and JETA.
Impact Factor:
2.7 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
2.9 (2022)
Latest Articles
Non-Cutting Moving Toolpath Optimization with Elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4471; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114471 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Path planning (PP) is fundamental in the decision-making and control processes of computer numerical control (CNC) machines, playing a critical role in smart manufacturing research. Apart from improving optimization in PP, enhancing efficiency while decreasing CNC machine cycle time is important in manufacturing.
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Path planning (PP) is fundamental in the decision-making and control processes of computer numerical control (CNC) machines, playing a critical role in smart manufacturing research. Apart from improving optimization in PP, enhancing efficiency while decreasing CNC machine cycle time is important in manufacturing. Many methods have been offered in the literature to improve the cycle time for obtaining optimal trajectories in toolpath optimization, but these methods are mostly considered for improvements in path length or machining time in optimal PP. This study demonstrates a method for creating a smoothing path. It aims to minimize both cycle time and toolpath length, while demonstrating that the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is efficient in addressing the multi-objective PP problems within static situations. Pareto optimality for performance comparisons with multi-objective genetic algorithms (MOGAs) is presented in order to highlight the positive features of the non-dominant solving generated by the NSGA-II. According to the comprehensive analysis results, the optimization of the path carried out with the NSGA-II emphasizes its shorter and smoother attributes, with the optimal trajectory achieving approximately 30% and 7% reductions in path length and machining cycle time, respectively.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Modern Technologies and Manufacturing Systems, 2nd Volume)
Open AccessArticle
Perceiving Design Features in New Interaction Environments: Comparing Rendered Images, 360° Rotation, AR, Immersive and Non-Immersive VR, and Real Product Interaction
by
Maria-Jesus Agost, Margarita Vergara and Vicente Bayarri-Porcar
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4470; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114470 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
The emergence of new display technologies can change the perception of product design features and their assessment. Previous studies are limited to comparisons between a few technologies; the real product is considered only occasionally. This work compares the perceptions of 10 design features
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The emergence of new display technologies can change the perception of product design features and their assessment. Previous studies are limited to comparisons between a few technologies; the real product is considered only occasionally. This work compares the perceptions of 10 design features in two household products, shown by five display technologies (image rendering, 360° rotation, and augmented, immersive, and non-immersive virtual reality), and also with the real product. Results show that the 360° rotation provides the best perception for the most important features. However, the perception of aesthetic features is better achieved with i_VR. Other global results vary depending on the product. Finally, interaction with the real product shows a quite different perception for many features. The results contribute to the understanding of product perceptions influenced by different displays, comparing them with perceptions generated through real interaction. It is expected that the conclusions will be used to optimize the presentation of product features.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Differences in Physical Indexes between Football Players of Different Playing Positions and Correlation to the Weekly Training Load
by
Lazaros Vardakis, Marianthi Koutsokosta, Yiannis Michailidis, Athanasios Mandroukas, Andreas Stafylidis, Vasilis Kanaras, Charalampos Bamplekis, Andreas Fousekis, Konstantinos Stamatelos, Ioannis Metaxas, Charalambos Zelenitsas, Panagiotis Topalidis, Angelos E. Kyranoudis and Thomas I. Metaxas
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4469; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114469 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the differences on physical indexes between players of different playing positions and (b) to reveal the correlations between their physical parameters and the running profile within the weekly microcycles. The subjects (n
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The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the differences on physical indexes between players of different playing positions and (b) to reveal the correlations between their physical parameters and the running profile within the weekly microcycles. The subjects (n = 44) were separated into five positions: central defenders (n = 7), wide defenders (n = 9), midfielders (n = 13), wingers (n = 8) and strikers (n = 7), and all of them belonged to a professional 1st division European team during the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons. An incremental treadmill protocol was used to assess the VO2max, vVO2max and the vRER in the last week before the regular season. Then, during the first semesters, external load data were collected for two consecutive seasons to analyze the running profiles of the different positions. There were no differences on physical parameters between the players of various positions, but interestingly there were different correlations with the external load during the microcycles. Central defenders did not show any correlation. For the other positions, correlations were found between respiratory exchange ratio (vRER) and metabolic power efforts (MPWEF) (p = 0.028, r = 0.721) for wide defenders, between vRER and medium intensity accelerations (ACC2) (p = 0.004, r = 0.741) for midfielders, medium intensity decelerations (DEC2) (p = 0.01, r = 0.685), metabolic power zone 5 (MPW5) (p = 0.016, r = 0.652), MPWEF (p = 0.005, r = 0.725), and also between maximal rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max) and high intensity decelerations (DEC3) (p = 0.045, r = 0.564), metabolic power zone 4 (MPW4) (p = 0.026, r = 0.614), MPW5 (p = 0.017, r = 0.646), MPWEF (p = 0.01, r = 0.685). A correlation between velocity on VO2max (vVO2max) and ACC2 (p = 0.038, r = 0.733), MPW5 (p = 0.005, r = 0.873), and MPWEF (p = 0.009, r = 0.84) was found for the wingers. Finally, there was a correlation between vRER and MPWEF (p = 0.026, r = 0.866), and between vVO2max and high intensity accelerations (ACC3) (p = 0.03, r = 0.801) for the strikers. Our study supports that the external load of players in different positions during the training sessions is correlated with their physical indexes. These correlations are determined mostly by their tactical role, but not from their physical level, as there were no differences.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translation of Laboratory Knowledge to the Daily Practice of Sports Science: Interpretation of Training and Physiological Adaptations)
Open AccessReview
Fuzzy Control Systems for Power Quality Improvement—A Systematic Review Exploring Their Efficacy and Efficiency
by
Anca Miron, Andrei C. Cziker and Horia G. Beleiu
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4468; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114468 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Fuzzy-based control systems have demonstrated a remarkable ability to control nonlinear processes, a characteristic commonly observed in power systems, particularly in the context of power quality enhancement. Despite this, an updated and comprehensive literature review on the applications of fuzzy logic in the
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Fuzzy-based control systems have demonstrated a remarkable ability to control nonlinear processes, a characteristic commonly observed in power systems, particularly in the context of power quality enhancement. Despite this, an updated and comprehensive literature review on the applications of fuzzy logic in the domain of power quality control has been lacking. To address this gap, this study critically examines published research on the effective and efficient use of fuzzy logic in resolving quality issues within power systems. Data sources included the Web of Science and academic journal databases, followed by an evaluation of target articles based on predefined criteria. The information was then classified into seven categories, including control system type, features of the fuzzy logic controller, fuzzy logic inference strategy, power quality issue, control device, implementation methodology (efficacy testing), and efficiency improvement. Our study revealed that fuzzy-based control systems have evolved from simple type-1 fuzzy controllers to advanced control systems (type-2 fuzzy and hybrid) capable of effectively addressing complex power quality issues. We believe that the insights gained from this study will be useful to both experienced and inexperienced researchers and industry engineers seeking to leverage fuzzy logic to enhance power quality control.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Do Hand Exercises Influence Physiological Hand Tremor? An Observational Cohort Study on Healthy Young Adults
by
Olga Papale, Francesca Di Rocco, Emanuel Festino, Viviana Gammino, Cristina Cortis and Andrea Fusco
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4467; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114467 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Physiological hand tremors appear to be one of the most common types of tremors that occur during the lifespan. Activities most prominently affected by hand tremors are those involving the movement of small muscles, such as fine motor skills, which in turn could
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Physiological hand tremors appear to be one of the most common types of tremors that occur during the lifespan. Activities most prominently affected by hand tremors are those involving the movement of small muscles, such as fine motor skills, which in turn could be influenced by several factors, including lateral dominance. The difference in skills due to lateral dominance is defined as inter-limb imbalance or inter-limb asymmetry. When this asymmetry is attributed to the tremor and the difference in tremor between the limbs, it could be defined as the inter-limb asymmetry of tremors. This study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of wobble-board hand exercise training on the inter-limb asymmetry of tremors. Thirty-two (eighteen males and fourteen females) participants (age: 25.2 ± 2.6 years, weight: 63.9 ± 10.5 kg, height: 1.66 ± 0.8 m, and BMI: 22.8 ± 2.3 kg/m2) were involved in the study. Before (PRE) and after (POST) the wobble-board hand exercises, postural hand tremor was evaluated using a tri-axial accelerometer fixed under the palm. Recordings were taken for 15 s. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the effects of hand exercises on inter-limb (dominant vs. non-dominant) asymmetry of tremor in testing time (PRE vs. POST) in relation to sex (male vs. female). The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Significant differences were found in physiological hand tremors between limbs (dominant vs. non-dominant) in the PRE evaluation (p = 0.03) independently from sex while no differences were found in the POST evaluation. A significant difference emerged in the PRE evaluation for males (p = 0.04) and females (p = 0.03) in relation to the testing time and preferred hand. This difference was no longer present in the POST evaluation. In conclusion, wobble-board hand exercises could represent an effective strategy to reduce inter-limb asymmetry. These results emphasize the importance of task-specific training to maximize the reduction in inter-limb asymmetry of tremors following wobble-board hand exercises.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Biomechanics and Motion Analysis)
Open AccessArticle
GreenRu: A Russian Dataset for Detecting Mentions of Green Practices in Social Media Posts
by
Olga Zakharova and Anna Glazkova
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4466; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114466 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Green practices are social practices that aim to harmonize the relations between people and the natural environment. They may involve minimizing the use of resources and the generation of waste and emissions. Detecting green practices in social media posts helps to understand which
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Green practices are social practices that aim to harmonize the relations between people and the natural environment. They may involve minimizing the use of resources and the generation of waste and emissions. Detecting green practices in social media posts helps to understand which green practices are currently common and to develop recommendations on the scaling of green practices to reduce environmental problems. This paper describes GreenRu, a novel Russian social media dataset for detecting the mentions of green practices related to waste management. It has a sentence-level markup and consists of 1326 posts collected in Russian online communities. The total number of mentions of green waste practices is 3765. The paper assessed the effectiveness of the multi-label and one-versus-rest BERT-based models for detecting the mentions of green practices in social media posts and compared several data augmentation methods in terms of both classification metrics and human evaluation. To augment the dataset, a backtranslation method and generative language models, such as RuGPT, RuT5, and ChatGPT, were used in this study. The results enable researchers to monitor the green waste practices on social networks and develop environmental policies. Additionally, GreenRu can support machine learning models to analyze social media content, assess the prevalence and effectiveness of green waste practices, and identify ways to expand them.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ecology Science and Engineering)
Open AccessArticle
Coupled-Error-Based Formation Control for Rapid Formation Completion by Omni-Directional Robots
by
Ji-Wook Kwon, Sung-Jo Yun, Hyogon Kim, Jungwoo Lee, Na-Hyun Lee, Young-Ho Choi and Goobong Chung
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4465; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114465 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
This paper proposes a coupled-error-based formation control algorithm for the rapid formation completion of multi-robot systems. We consider a multi-robot system with omni-directional robots with swerve-driving mechanisms and a communication system with minimized constraints. This paper introduces a coupled error that links the
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This paper proposes a coupled-error-based formation control algorithm for the rapid formation completion of multi-robot systems. We consider a multi-robot system with omni-directional robots with swerve-driving mechanisms and a communication system with minimized constraints. This paper introduces a coupled error that links the distance errors with the leading robot and the following robot through a coupling ratio. We propose a controller using the coupled error to achieve the control objectives of this paper. Unlike existing results that only use the information of the preceding robot, this algorithm couples the information of both the preceding robot and one’s follower. Using the proposed error-coupling-based formation control algorithm, multi-robot systems can quickly establish formations for collaboration, allowing tasks to commence swiftly and reducing deformations in formations due to speed variations. With stability analysis and simulation results for the practical application of the proposed algorithm, the approach has been verified to improve the speed of both the completion of the formation and overall system trajectory tracking, balancing trade-offs between them.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Robotics and Automation)
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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle
Finite Element Analysis on the Behavior of Solidified Soil Embankments on Piled Foundations under Dynamic Traffic Loads
by
Qianqian Guo, Bingyi Li, Zi Ye and Jie Xu
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4464; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114464 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Most research conducted so far has primarily focused on pile-supported gravel embankments. The ability of solidified soil used as an embankment filling material has been verified, and a clear view on the performance of solidified soil embankments on piled foundations is rather limited.
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Most research conducted so far has primarily focused on pile-supported gravel embankments. The ability of solidified soil used as an embankment filling material has been verified, and a clear view on the performance of solidified soil embankments on piled foundations is rather limited. The three-dimensional unit cell models of pile-supported embankments are conducted to investigate the performance of solidified soil embankments in comparison to gravel embankments under static and dynamic loads. Then, a systematic parametric analysis is performed to investigate the effects of various factors, including the cohesion and friction of solidified soil, the velocity and wheel load of vehicles, the pile spacing, the height of embankments. The results show that, compared with the results of gravel embankments, the heights of the outer soil arch plane in solidified soil embankments reduces under static and dynamic loads, and the piles bear more load. In addition, the total settlements of solidified soil embankments decrease with increasing cohesions, and there is an economical cohesion of 25 kPa. The vehicle wheel load, pile spacing, and the height of embankment significantly influence the load transfer mechanism and total settlement of solidified soil embankment, while the friction angles and velocities have little effect on the total settlements and vertical stress. The relationship between the soil arch height and various parameters in solidified soil embankments is established by multiple regression analysis. This investigation highlights the advantage of solidified soil in reducing total settlement and provides an insightful understanding of the load transfer mechanism of solidified soil embankment on piled foundation.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Changes in Countermovement Jump Height in Elite Volleyball Players in Two Competitive Seasons: Consideration on the Technique of Execution of the Jump
by
Sebastian Masel and Marcin Maciejczyk
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4463; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114463 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Monitoring athletes’ well-being during the competitive season is a common practice in team sports, and countermovement jump (CMJ) is often introduced to monitor neuromuscular fatigue of the players. In this pilot observational study, we aimed to evaluate changes in jump performance in professional
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Monitoring athletes’ well-being during the competitive season is a common practice in team sports, and countermovement jump (CMJ) is often introduced to monitor neuromuscular fatigue of the players. In this pilot observational study, we aimed to evaluate changes in jump performance in professional volleyball players during their two competitive seasons after introducing different executions of the jump test. Different execution of the flight phase of the jumps was introduced as a differentiating factor. Nine professional volleyball players (age: 23.3 ± 1.9 years; volleyball training experience: 10.4 ± 1.9 years; body height: 192.3 ± 8.3) performed CMJ measurements 1–2 times a week on a contact mat during two competitive seasons, and a total number of 1008 jumps (540 in season 1 and 468 in season 2) was collected. Players’ CMJ height significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in season 2 by approximately 4%, and standard deviation of the data reduced by approximately 30%. Our study confirms that the testing procedures need to be rigorous as different execution of the jump may be associated with changes in CMJ height. Execution of the jump should not be interchangeable using the same measurement device, and the technique introduced in season 2 seems to be more appropriate for this measurement device.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Training on Exercise Performance—2nd Edition)
Open AccessArticle
Preparation of CuBTC@PET Hierarchically Porous Composite Membranes via In Situ Growth Method and Their Antibacterial Filtration Performance
by
Kelimu Tulugan, Peng Tian, Wei Zhao, Xiang Li and Xin Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4462; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114462 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Processing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into functional materials has both sustainable and economic significance. Therefore, this study aims to prepare functional nanofibers using PET, combining electrospun nanofibers with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which is an effective solution to increase the added value of functional nanofiltration
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Processing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into functional materials has both sustainable and economic significance. Therefore, this study aims to prepare functional nanofibers using PET, combining electrospun nanofibers with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which is an effective solution to increase the added value of functional nanofiltration membranes (NFMs). The surface morphology of PET fibers is successfully controlled by electrospinning parameters and post-treatment. The formation of a uniform coating of CuBTC crystals on the PET surface is induced by a simple and low-cost in situ growth technique. CuBTC@PET was treated to prepare superhydrophobic CuBTC@PET (SCP), thus improving the stability of CuBTC in water and expanding its potential applications. Through a series of optical and thermal characterizations, the porous morphology formation mechanism and MOF in situ growth mechanism of SCP fibers were discussed. Then, the air filtration performance and bacteriostatic properties of SCP nanofiltration membranes were investigated. The as-prepared SCP showed a high water contact angle (146.4°), low-pressure drop (39.7 Pa), and high filtration efficiency (95.3%, 3 μm NaCl), as well as unique, broad-spectrum antibiosis potency against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). This study shows that SCP nanofiltration membranes can be practically applied in high-performance antibacterial filtration membranes.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Three-Dimensional Path Planning for Post-Disaster Rescue UAV by Integrating Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer and Artificial Potential Field Method
by
Dan Han, Qizhou Yu, Hao Jiang, Yaqing Chen, Xinyu Zhu and Lifang Wang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4461; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114461 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
The path planning of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is crucial in UAV search and rescue operations to ensure efficient and safe search activities. However, most existing path planning algorithms are not suitable for post-disaster mountain rescue mission scenarios. Therefore, this paper proposes the
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The path planning of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is crucial in UAV search and rescue operations to ensure efficient and safe search activities. However, most existing path planning algorithms are not suitable for post-disaster mountain rescue mission scenarios. Therefore, this paper proposes the IGWO-IAPF algorithm based on the fusion of the improved grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and the improved artificial potential field (APF) algorithm. This algorithm builds upon the grey wolf optimizer and introduces several improvements. Firstly, a nonlinear adjustment strategy for control parameters is proposed to balance the global and local search capabilities of the algorithm. Secondly, an optimized individual position update strategy is employed to coordinate the algorithm’s search ability and reduce the probability of falling into local optima. Additionally, a waypoint attraction force is incorporated into the traditional artificial potential field algorithm based on the force field to fulfill the requirements of three-dimensional path planning and further reduce the probability of falling into local optima. The IGWO is used to generate an initial path, where each point is assigned an attraction force, and then the IAPF is utilized for subsequent path planning. The simulation results demonstrate that the improved IGWO exhibits approximately a 60% improvement in convergence compared to the conventional GWO. Furthermore, the integrated IGWO-IAPF algorithm shows an approximately 10% improvement in path planning effectiveness compared to other traditional algorithms. It possesses characteristics such as shorter flight distance and higher safety, making it suitable for meeting the requirements of post-disaster rescue missions.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) System)
Open AccessArticle
Defining the Quantitative Criteria for Two Basketball Shooting Techniques
by
Ivan Svoboda, Ivan Bon, Tomislav Rupčić, Vjekoslav Cigrovski and Tomislav Đurković
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4460; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114460 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
For basketball technique elements to become stable and automated, the technique must be executed correctly from the initial stages of the learning process. The jump shot is considered the most crucial shooting action, equally effective in various on-court situations. Ideal techniques may not
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For basketball technique elements to become stable and automated, the technique must be executed correctly from the initial stages of the learning process. The jump shot is considered the most crucial shooting action, equally effective in various on-court situations. Ideal techniques may not unconditionally be the best for every player because they differ in motor and morphological characteristics. One of the shooting methods is shot with one hand from the spot, which, in terms of complexity and required motor abilities, is at a lower level of demand when compared to the jump shot. The first aim of this research is to define the kinematic pattern of the jump shot and the shot with one hand from the spot and determine if there are differences between them. The second aim is to establish whether there is a significant difference in the level of motor skills between the two groups. The participant sample consists of 29 junior basketball players. They were divided into two groups: G1 = players who perform the shot with one hand from the spot (N = 14); G2 = players who execute the jump shot (N = 15). MANOVA was used to determine the differences in observed kinematic parameters between the group and in the measured tests assessing motor abilities. The kinematic parameters of the upper extremities, the parameters of the basketball player’s take-off, and the angle of the ball’s impact were analyzed. It was determined that the kinematic pattern of these two shooting techniques significantly differs (F = 12.86, p = 0.00). There was a statistically significant difference between the group of participants performing the jump shot and the group performing the one-handed chest shot from the spot (F = 5.51, p = 0.00) in motor ability tests. The group that performed the jump shot showed significantly better results in three of the five measured tests (PLANK, MED_THR, POL_BACK). Shooting with one hand from the spot is a technically correct shooting method recommended to be performed until the player possesses a certain level of motor skills that enables proper execution of the jump shot.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Wearable Technology in Sports Science and Medicine)
Open AccessArticle
Component Effects in Binary Droplet Impact Behaviors on the Heated Plate: Comparison Study of Ethanol/Propanol and Ethanol/Water Droplets and Observation of Novel Bubble Shrinkage Phenomenon
by
Xiaoyuan Yang, Bingyao Huang, Yi Zhang and Yuyang Li
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4459; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114459 (registering DOI) - 23 May 2024
Abstract
This work aims to investigate the effect of liquid physical properties on the behavior of binary droplets impact on the heated smooth aluminum alloy plate with a high-speed imaging system. Two groups of mixed solutions with similar boiling point differences are selected as
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This work aims to investigate the effect of liquid physical properties on the behavior of binary droplets impact on the heated smooth aluminum alloy plate with a high-speed imaging system. Two groups of mixed solutions with similar boiling point differences are selected as the working liquid, in which the low-boiling-point components are both ethanol and the high-boiling point components are propanol and water, respectively. Compared to the ethanol/propanol binary droplets, the experimental results show that the ethanol/water binary droplets have diverse impact phenomena and significantly broad transition boiling regimes, as well as the reduced droplet residence time and increased Leidenfrost temperature point. With the decreasing ethanol content in ethanol/water binary droplets, these effects become more prominent. For secondary atomization, the ethanol/water binary droplet undergoes parent droplet breakup into fragment droplets with larger diameters (Ds > 0.3 mm). Both binary droplets produce satellite droplets with small diameters (Ds < 0.3 mm) by puffing and ejection. In terms of the ethanol/propanol binary droplet impact, the probability of puffing is higher and the satellite droplet diameters are small. In the ethanol/water binary droplet impact, the probability of ejection is higher and the satellite droplet diameter distribution is wider. When an ethanol/water binary droplet of 25 vol.% ethanol content impacts the heated wall at Ts = 120 °C, a novel large bubble shrinkage phenomenon occurs at the late stage of droplet evaporation. This phenomenon is proposed to be relevant to the increasing surface tension and saturation temperature with decreasing ethanol content, as well as the decreasing ambient temperature above the top surface of the bubble.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Applied Thermal Engineering)
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Open AccessArticle
Fractal Characterization of the Microstructure of Red-Bed Soft Rocks and Kinetic Modeling of Interfacial Evolution
by
Hongke Zhou, Da Zheng, Jiangfan Liu and Ruiqi Yin
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4458; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114458 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
The deterioration mechanism of red-bed soft rock is attributed to microstructural changes induced by water–rock interactions, where the damage to pores and the development of fractures significantly impact its macroscopic mechanical performance. The microstructural deterioration pattern of red-bed rock with different water saturation
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The deterioration mechanism of red-bed soft rock is attributed to microstructural changes induced by water–rock interactions, where the damage to pores and the development of fractures significantly impact its macroscopic mechanical performance. The microstructural deterioration pattern of red-bed rock with different water saturation times was obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that the microdamage effect of mudstone is an evolutionary process comprising the dissolution and detachment of its internal soluble bond structure. Three-dimensional (3D) images of the water-saturated damage of the rock mass were extracted by computed tomography (CT) scanning and calculated based on the box-counting algorithm to obtain the fractal dimension of the fracture development, leading to the theory that a soft rock fracture has multiple fractal characteristics. With the continuous increase in the water saturation time, the pores inside the rock mass began to reorganize and connect, and the mudstone specimens showed accelerated damage and some self-similarity. Furthermore, chemical element testing was conducted on the solutions used for water saturation, leading to the establishment of a microscopic interfacial evolution model describing water–rock damage, with theoretical equations derived based on diffusion theory.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Civil Engineering)
Open AccessArticle
A 3UPS/S Spherical Parallel Manipulator Designed for Robot-Assisted Hand Rehabilitation after Stroke
by
Tony Punnoose Valayil and Tanio K. Tanev
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4457; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114457 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Hand dysfunction is a common symptom in stroke patients. This paper presents a robotic device which assists the rehabilitation process in order to reduce the need of physical therapy, i.e., a 3UPS/S parallel robotic device is employed for repetitive robot-assisted rehabilitation. Euler angle
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Hand dysfunction is a common symptom in stroke patients. This paper presents a robotic device which assists the rehabilitation process in order to reduce the need of physical therapy, i.e., a 3UPS/S parallel robotic device is employed for repetitive robot-assisted rehabilitation. Euler angle representation was used to solve the robot’s inverse kinematics. The robot’s joint space and rotational workspace were determined for two scenarios. In the first scenario, the workspace was obtained considering the actuator’s stroke limitations, while in the second scenario, the workspace was determined by adding a second condition, i.e., the range of motion of the spherical joints. Singularity analysis was performed using the geometric algebra approach. The robot was manufactured using additive manufacturing technology. The solution of the inverse kinematic problem was employed to control the robot. The robot can perform a full range of motion during wrist ulnar deviation and radial deviation motions, with the exception of limited wrist flexion and extension motions. The robot has singular configurations within its workspace. Although the spherical joints have roles in reducing the workspace, the primary causes are actuator selection, radii of the base and moving platforms, and the length of the central leg. These factors can be considered to improve the workspace. Singularity can be avoided by carefully selecting the rotation of the moving platform about the Z-axis and avoiding same leg lengths.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering)
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Open AccessArticle
Band Gap Modulation in Zn2TiO4 Spinels for Efficient UV-A Persistent Luminescence
by
Ankit Sharma, Moondeep Chouhan and Suchinder K. Sharma
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4456; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114456 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Spinels are important materials for an application in bioimaging. The key advantage with spinel-type hosts is the presence of antisite defects, which act as charge reservoirs for trapping electrons and holes at complementary defect sites. This makes them a host system similar to
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Spinels are important materials for an application in bioimaging. The key advantage with spinel-type hosts is the presence of antisite defects, which act as charge reservoirs for trapping electrons and holes at complementary defect sites. This makes them a host system similar to a molecular system. Herein, we present a systematic approach to modulating the band gap of an inverse Zn TiO spinel. With a change in ZnO concentration, the absorption band at 375 nm diminishes and disappears at a ZnO:TiO concentration of 1.40:1.00. The band gap of the material is modified from 3.30 to 4.40 eV. The crystal structure of the sample does not change drastically as determined using X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement. The Zn TiO emits in the UV-A region with a lifetime in the time domain of `ns’. The sample also shows persistent luminescence of at least 15 min upon excitation with 254 nm with prominent emission in the UV-A region (300–390 nm). The present results open a new avenue for the synthesis of spinel hosts where the band gap can be modified with ease. The UV emission thus observed is expected to find usage in interesting applications like photocatalysis, anti-counterfeiting, water disinfecting, etc.
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(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Sustainable Materials and Products)
Open AccessArticle
Synergizing Transfer Learning and Multi-Agent Systems for Thermal Parametrization in Induction Traction Motors
by
Fozia Mehboob, Anas Fattouh and Smruti Sahoo
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4455; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114455 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Maintaining optimal temperatures in the critical parts of an induction traction motor is crucial for railway propulsion systems. A reduced-order lumped-parameter thermal network (LPTN) model enables computably inexpensive, accurate temperature estimation; however, it requires empirically based parameter estimation exercises. The calibration process is
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Maintaining optimal temperatures in the critical parts of an induction traction motor is crucial for railway propulsion systems. A reduced-order lumped-parameter thermal network (LPTN) model enables computably inexpensive, accurate temperature estimation; however, it requires empirically based parameter estimation exercises. The calibration process is typically performed in labs in a controlled experimental setting, which is associated with a lot of supervised human efforts. However, the exploration of machine learning (ML) techniques in varied domains has enabled the model parameterization in the drive system outside the laboratory settings. This paper presents an innovative use of a multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) approach for the parametrization of an LPTN model. First, a set of reinforcement learning agents are trained to estimate the optimized thermal parameters using the simulated data in several driving cycles (DCs). The selection of a reinforcement learning agent and the level of neurons in the RL model is made based on variability of the driving cycle data. Furthermore, transfer learning is performed on a new driving cycle data collected on the measurement setup. Statistical analysis and clustering techniques are proposed for the selection of an RL agent that has been pre-trained on the historical data. It is established that by synergizing within reinforcement learning techniques, it is possible to refine and adjust the RL learning models to effectively capture the complexities of thermal dynamics. The proposed MARL framework shows its capability to accurately reflect the motor’s thermal behavior under various driving conditions. The transfer learning usage in the proposed approach could yield significant improvement in the accuracy of temperature prediction in the new driving cycles data. This approach is proposed with the aim of developing more adaptive and efficient thermal management strategies for railway propulsion systems.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Special Issue for the 64th International Conference of Scandinavian Simulation Society, SIMS 2023)
Open AccessArticle
A Dynamic Detection Method for Railway Slope Falling Rocks Based on the Gaussian Mixture Model Segmentation Algorithm
by
Xiulin Zhang, Qiang Fu, Yange Li, Zheng Han, Nan Jiang and Changli Li
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4454; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114454 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Rockfall intrusion detection is crucial for the safety management of railway operations, and video detection methods help reduce deployment costs and improve detection efficiency. Mainstream neural network-based video detection methods have rapidly evolved in recent years but struggle to adapt to complex scenarios
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Rockfall intrusion detection is crucial for the safety management of railway operations, and video detection methods help reduce deployment costs and improve detection efficiency. Mainstream neural network-based video detection methods have rapidly evolved in recent years but struggle to adapt to complex scenarios such as existing railway slope constructions due to weak generalization ability, low accuracy, and limited information acquisition. Therefore, this paper introduces a dynamic neural network detection model and establishes a dataset for rockfall intrusions in existing railway slope scenarios. The model initially relies on the YOLOv5 neural network, adopting an activation function suitable for the target scenario and addressing overfitting to achieve precise target recognition. Based on the neural network, the model dynamically detects rolling rockfalls by integrating a background subtraction algorithm based on the Gaussian Mixture Model and captures target dimensions using monocular vision technology, thus broadening the dimensions of detection information. Trials conducted on a railway in Shandong, China, demonstrate that the model accurately identifies moving rockfalls along the railway slopes and acquires the dimensions of moving rockfalls, successfully filtering out low-risk targets in the scene.
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Open AccessArticle
Knowledge Graph Completion Using a Pre-Trained Language Model Based on Categorical Information and Multi-Layer Residual Attention
by
Qiang Rao, Tiejun Wang, Xiaoran Guo, Kaijie Wang and Yue Yan
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4453; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114453 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
Knowledge graph completion (KGC) utilizes known knowledge graph triples to infer and predict missing knowledge, making it one of the research hotspots in the field of knowledge graphs. There are still limitations in generating high-quality entity embeddings and fully understanding the contextual information
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Knowledge graph completion (KGC) utilizes known knowledge graph triples to infer and predict missing knowledge, making it one of the research hotspots in the field of knowledge graphs. There are still limitations in generating high-quality entity embeddings and fully understanding the contextual information of entities and relationships. To overcome these challenges, this paper introduces a novel pre-trained language model-based method for knowledge graph completion that significantly enhances the quality of entity embeddings by integrating entity categorical information with textual descriptions. Additionally, this method employs an innovative multi-layer residual attention network in combination with PLMs, deepening the understanding of the joint contextual information of entities and relationships. Experimental results on the FB15k-237 and WN18RR datasets demonstrate that our proposed model significantly outperforms existing baseline models in link prediction tasks.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Natural Language Processing, Semantic Networks, and Sentiment Analysis)
Open AccessArticle
Overcoming the Technological Barriers in the Blockchain Supply Chain for Small Carriers
by
Marian Gogola, Dominika Rovnanikova and Mikulas Cerny
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4452; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114452 - 23 May 2024
Abstract
The current trend in supply chain development requires the application of new knowledge to meet the challenges posed by new technologies. One such technology is blockchain, which facilitates supply chain solutions through the use of innovative data transfer, storage, and verification systems. However,
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The current trend in supply chain development requires the application of new knowledge to meet the challenges posed by new technologies. One such technology is blockchain, which facilitates supply chain solutions through the use of innovative data transfer, storage, and verification systems. However, the use of blockchain can be challenging for certain stakeholders, such as small carriers, who may lack the necessary technical expertise or access to the technology. In this paper, we explore the potential for engaging small carriers that provide services within the blockchain supply chain but face technological barriers. We identify the technological barriers and opportunities for these carriers to participate, focusing on a case study of a small carrier that transports temperature-sensitive cargo. As one of the innovations, we proposed a classification according to three types of control levels, which are of fundamental importance in blockchain applications. In addition, we tested in-vehicle temperature measurement for use in cold chains and stored the transaction in a distributive ledger application in blockchain.
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