Human gait recognition using localized Grassmann mean representatives with partial least squares regression

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Gait recognition has become popular due to the rising demand for nonintrusive biometrics. At its nascent stage of development, gait recognition faces a number of...     

Cu-assisted induced atomic-level bivalent Fe confined on N-doped carbon concave dodecahedrons for acid oxygen reduction electrocatalysis

Atomically dispersed transition metals anchored on N-doped carbon have been successfully developed as promising electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Nonetheless, how to introduce and construct single-atomic active sites is still a big challenge. Herein, a novel concave dodecahedron catalyst of N-doped carbon (FeCuNC) with well confined atomically dispersed bivalent Fe sites was facilely developed via a Cu-assisted induced strategy. The obtained catalyst delivered outstanding ORR performance in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ media with a half-wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.82 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE), stemming from the highly active bivalent Fe-N_x sites with sufficient exposure and accessibility guaranteed by the high specific surface area and curved surface. This work provides a simple but efficient metal-assisted induced strategy to tune the configurations of atomically dispersed active sites as well as microscopy structures of carbon matrix to develop promising PGM-free catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications.     

A network prototype for integrated production-distribution planning with non-multi-functional plants

This paper proposes a two-echelon network prototype for integrated production and distribution planning where non-multi-functional plants supply multiple types of products with limited quantities to the customers via capacitated warehouses. Four variations of the prototype, formulated as individual mixed integer programming models, are solved using the branch and bound algorithms by numerical experiments to examine the cost implications of production-distribution strategies involving single-sourcing constraints on different levels of the supply chain. Further discussions on the practicality and versatility of the proposed prototype (i.e. its ability to consider different facility locations, specialised capabilities of individual plants, safety stock levels and demand characteristics) illustrate the usefulness of the prototype to industry practitioners when making strategic and/or tactical decisions.     

Renewable energy supply chains,performance, application barriers,and strategies for further development

Due to the depletion of traditional energy resources, such as crude oil, coal, and natural gas, many initiatives all over the world have addressed the efficient use or replacement of these resources. Several renewable energy sources have been introduced as alternatives to traditional sources to protect environmental resources and to improve the quality of life. This study assesses renewable energy sources from a supply chain perspective and presents an investigation of renewable energies focusing on four main components: renewable energy supply chain, renewable energy performance, and barriers and strategies to its development. The study provides managerial insights to governments, researchers, and stakeholders for the initiation of renewable energy use, and suggestions for overcoming the barriers to its development.     

Analytical Landau-type model of polarization switching in ferroelectrics

The polarization switching properties of ferroelectric materials have been extensively studied, both experimentally and theoretically owing to their wide applications in industry and hence generating a need to gain a deeper understanding of factors affecting their switching behaviour. In this paper, an analytical Landau theory incorporating the Landau–Khalatnikov equation has been developed to describe the switching properties of second order ferroelectrics. Analytical expressions derived from exact results of Landau theory are used in modelling work carried out in this study for comparison with trends predicted by empirical laws used to describe polarization switching behaviour at high electric fields. As such this work has established the theoretical basis for empirical laws of polarization switching and developed simple numerical tools which can be quickly used to model trends in polarization switching behaviour of ferroelectrics.     

Influence of nitrogen doping on carbon nanotubes towards the structure,composition and oxygen reduction reaction

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) as noble-metal free catalysts were synthesised via chemical vapour deposition using iron (II) phthalocyanine as a metal catalyst for growth of the nanotubes. The synthesis process was performed in one step in a tube furnace using different chemical precursors (aniline, diethylamine and ethylenediamine) as nitrogen sources. The NCNT samples were physically characterised using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry measurements were conducted to investigate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and they showed that the electrocatalytic activities depend on the structural and morphological changes in the NCNTs. The results showed that NCNTs synthesised from ethylenediamine precursors exhibit an ORR scheme proceed via indirect four electron transfer process in acidic media, which implies that these NCNTs are a candidate for serving as the cathodic catalyst in PEMFCs. The highly active NCNTs possess unique characteristics, including a high concentration of surface defects with high pyridinic-N and pyridinic-N-oxides configurations that serve as active sites for ORR activity in acidic media.     

Augmented reality assisted facility layout digitization and planning

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - Facility layout planning (FLP) has an important role in manufacturing industries. There are few approaches to solve FLP such as procedural,...     

Discussion of papers

This paper describes a bridge condition assessment model that is based upon the simplification of a computational technique called resolution identity of fuzzy sets. The proposed model utilizes a fuzzy weighted average to combine fuzzy bridge condition ratings. The procedure is based on the decomposition of fuzzy sets into non-fuzzy level-sets or intervals. The utility and effectiveness of this procedure are illustrated with an example of the bridge condition assessment problem.