Investigating the firing protocol of Athenian pottery production: A Raman study of replicate and ancient sherds

Ilaria Cianchetta, Jeff Maish, David Saunders, Marc Walton, Apurva Mehta, Brendan Foran, Karen Trentelman

Getty Conservation Institute  Los Angeles CA USA

Abstract: The black and red coloration of ancient Athenian pottery is due to the different oxidation states of iron oxide: reduced Fe2+ (black) and oxidized Fe3+ (red). It has long been thought that a single, three‐step firing — oxidation–reduction–oxidation — was used to manipulate the Fe valence state and achieve different degrees of vitrification between the slip and the body to produce the high contrast black and red images. However, complex and layered structures, with slips of different color overlaying each other, are sometimes found, raising the question of the adequacy of a single three‐step firing to produce complex architectures. The firing conditions used in the production of an ancient vessel in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, in which a red glossy layer is found between the black gloss and the body, were investigated. The ancient specimen was compared to a set of replicates produced and fired under a series of controlled temperatures and oxygen fugacities. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the mineralogical phases present in both the ancient and the replicate samples, and the shape and position of the Eg mode in hematite provided a measure of the temperatures at which the minerals were formed. The results suggest the ancient vessel was produced using at least two separate firings: a high temperature firing under oxidizing conditions to create the underlying red glossy layer, followed by a three‐step firing to create the surface black gloss decoration. This finding suggests the firing of ancient Athenian pottery was more complex than previously thought. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A Bidirectional Neural Interface IC With Chopper Stabilized BioADC Array and Charge Balanced Stimulator

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems

Elliot Greenwald, Ernest So, Qihong Wang, Mohsen Mollazadeh, Christoph Maier, Ralph Etienne-Cummings, Gert Cauwenberghs, Nitish Thakor


Performance Evaluation of Vehicular Wireless Communications in Terahertz Bands

2023 IEEE 20th Consumer Communications & Networking Conference (CCNC)

Howard University,Dept of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,Washington DC,USA


Reactive sampling-based path planning with temporal logic specifications

The International Journal of Robotics Research

Cristian Ioan Vasile, Xiao Li, Calin Belta

Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems,Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, Office of Naval Research

Abstract: We develop a sampling-based motion planning algorithm that combines long-term temporal logic goals with short-term reactive requirements. The mission specification has two parts: (1) a global specification given as a linear temporal logic (LTL) formula over a set of static service requests that occur at the regions of a known environment, and (2) a local specification that requires servicing a set of dynamic requests that can be sensed locally during the execution. The proposed computational framework consists of two main ingredients: (a) an off-line sampling-based algorithm for the construction of a global transition system that contains a path satisfying the LTL formula; and (b) an on-line sampling-based algorithm to generate paths that service the local requests, while making sure that the satisfaction of the global specification is not affected. The off-line algorithm has four main features. First, it is incremental, in the sense that the procedure for finding a satisfying path at each iteration scales only with the number of new samples generated at that iteration. Second, the underlying graph is sparse, which implies low complexity for the overall method. Third, it is probabilistically complete. Fourth, under some mild assumptions, it has the best possible complexity bound. The on-line algorithm leverages ideas from LTL monitoring and potential functions to ensure progress towards the satisfaction of the global specification while servicing locally sensed requests. Examples and experimental trials illustrating the usefulness and the performance of the framework are included.


MPC with Sensor-Based Online Cost Adaptation

2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)

Avadesh Meduri, Huaijiang Zhu, Armand Jordana, Ludovic Righetti

Tandon School of Engineering, New York University,USA


Time-Print: Authenticating USB Flash Drives with Novel Timing Fingerprints

2022 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (SP)

Patrick Cronin, Xing Gao, Haining Wang, Chase Cotton


Low‐Temperature Control of Twins and Abnormal Grain Growth in BaTiO 3

David T. Harris, Matthew J. Burch, Jing Li, Elizabeth C. Dickey, Jon‐Paul Maria

Department of Materials Science and Engineering North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina 27606

National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation, Defense MicroElectronics Activity

Abstract: The microstructure of polycrystalline barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) thin films processed with a liquid‐phase can be controlled by the crystallographic orientation of the underlying sapphire substrate. During postdeposition crystallization, the tendency for {111} twin nucleation, which drives subsequent abnormal grain growth, depends upon the specific sapphire facet. Specifically, tilting away from the close‐packed c‐ plane modifies the orientation, morphology, and relative amount of an interfacial BaAl 2 O 4 second phase. These factors control the density of twin formation, and thus overall grain size of the crystallized BaTiO 3 . As the substrate orientation transitions from c ‐plane, to r ‐plane, to a ‐plane, the twin density is reduced, the average grain size decreases systematically from 270 to 130 nm, and the grain structure becomes overall more homogeneous. This twinning mechanism and abnormal grain growth occur by 900°C, several hundred degrees lower than reported previously.


Intelligent Building Fire Evacuation Indication System Based on Edge Computing Devices

2024 8th Asian Conference on Artificial Intelligence Technology (ACAIT)

Pei Wang, Jiaming Liu, Ya Peng, Hui Zhang

Tsinghua University,Institute of Public Safety Research,Beijing,China


Assessing early number learning in play

National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation


Resolution of the Burrows-Wheeler Transform Conjecture

2020 IEEE 61st Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science (FOCS)


Enumerating Projections of Integer Points in Unbounded Polyhedra

Society for Industrial & Applied Mathematics (SIAM)


Interrupting Inequality Through Community Land Trusts

Jakob Kendall Schneider, Mary Clare Lennon, Susan Saegert

The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, USA


Moment of momentum integral analysis of turbulent boundary layers with pressure gradient

Abstract: Turbulent boundary layers on immersed objects can be significantly altered by the pressure gradients imposed by the flow outside the boundary layer. The interaction of turbulence and pressure gradients can lead to complex phenomena such as relaminarization, history effects and flow separation. The angular momentum integral (AMI) equation (Elnahhas & Johnson, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 940, 2022, A36) is extended and applied to high-fidelity simulation datasets of non-zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers. The AMI equation provides an exact mathematical equation for quantifying how turbulence, free-stream pressure gradients and other effects alter the skin friction coefficient relative to a baseline laminar boundary layer solution. The datasets explored include flat-plate boundary layers with nearly constant adverse pressure gradients, a boundary layer over the suction surface of a two-dimensional NACA 4412 airfoil and flow over a two-dimensional Gaussian bump. Application of the AMI equation to these datasets maps out the similarities and differences in how boundary layers interact with favourable and adverse pressure gradients in various scenarios. Further, the fractional contribution of the pressure gradient to skin friction attenuation in adverse-pressure-gradient boundary layers appears in the AMI equation as a new Clauser-like parameter with some advantages for understanding similarities and differences related to upstream history effects. The results highlight the applicability of the integral-based analysis to provide quantitative, interpretable assessments of complex boundary layer physics.


Nematode infection and antinematode immunity in Drosophila

George Washington University, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health


A Tannakian Interpretation of the Elliptic Infinitesimal Braid Lie Algebras


Discovery of gallium, germanium, lutetium, and hafnium isotopes


Relationship between Ionic Conductivity, Glass Transition Temperature, and Dielectric Constant in Poly(vinyl ether) Lithium Electrolytes

Jennifer Imbrogno, Kazuya Maruyama, Frederick Rivers, Jacob R. Baltzegar, Zidan Zhang, Paul W. Meyer, Venkat Ganesan, Sadahito Aoshima, Nathaniel A. Lynd

Welch Foundation, Welch Foundation, Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, National Science Foundation


Participation and Political Influence in Complex Governance Systems

Jack Mewhirter, Eric A. Coleman, Ramiro Berardo

Abstract: Public policy generally emerges from interactions among actors embedded within complex governance systems, composed of multiple actors and forums (issue‐based arenas where stakeholders repeatedly interact to resolve collective action problems). Such systems allow actors multiple forums wherein they can influence policy decisions. But actors do not value the decisions made in each forum equally, and it remains unclear how actors allocate resources across forums. This article links actor strategy to their influence within the forums the actors identify as most important (their primary forum). There is theoretical ambiguity about how actors invest their limited resources across the forums that affect their interests to maximize primary forum influence. Do they concentrate all their effort within the primary forum or participate more broadly? To answer this question, we offer two competing theories. First, broad participation may allow actors to develop political capital necessary to influence other actors and thus influence primary forum policies. The second approach notes the opportunity costs of broad participation—actors have fewer resources to invest in their primary forum. An analysis of stakeholder participation in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and Tampa Bay Watershed governance systems demonstrates that broader participation is associated with greater primary forum influence.


Context-Based Features Enhance Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Accuracy

Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling

Department of Computer Science, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, United States


𝖥𝖨-hyperhomology and ordered configuration spaces

Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society

Abstract: Using a result of Gan–Li on F I \mathsf {FI} -hyperhomology and a semisimplicial resolution of configuration spaces due to Randal-Williams, we establish an improved representation stability stable range for configuration spaces of distinct ordered points in a manifold. Our bounds on generation degree improve the best known stability slope by a factor of 5/2 in the most general case. We adapt this result of Gan–Li to apply beyond stability arguments involving highly connected simplicial complexes, and our methods suggest that their result may be widely applicable to improving most stability ranges for F I \mathsf {FI} -modules in the current representation stability literature.


Definition of cylindrical contact homology in dimension three

Department of Mathematics University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095 USA


A microfluidic paper‐based device to assess acetylcholinesterase activity

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry California State University  Los Angeles CA USA

Abstract: Neurotransmitters play key roles in cell‐to‐cell communication. These chemical messengers are involved in many functional processes, including growth, reproduction, memory, and behavior. In this communication, we describe a novel microfluidic paper‐based analytical device (μPAD) to detect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and inhibitor screening through a colorimetric analysis. The μPAD is easily fabricated via a wax printing process whereby wax is deposited onto the surface of chromatographic paper, and heated to create a hydrophobic barrier. Separate solutions of 5,5′‐dithiobis‐(2‐nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) and samples containing AChE and acetylthiocholine iodide (ATC) (or cysteine, Cys), respectively, are directly spotted onto the μPAD. DTNB and AChE/ATC (or Cys) flow towards each other where a reaction occurs to form the yellow colored 2‐nitro‐5‐thiobenzoic acid anion (TNB2−). The device is dried, scanned, and analyzed yielding a linear range of average inverse yellow intensities versus substrate concentration. An IC50 value (0.045 nM) with a known inhibitor, neostigmine bromide (NB), is obtained on the device. μPADs are low cost and easy to fabricate and have great potential to quantify neurotransmitter activity.


Forward-looking farmers owning multiple potential wetland restoration sites: implications for efficient restoration

Svetlana Schroder (Kushch), Zhengxin Lang, Sergey Rabotyagov


Universality laws for randomized dimension reduction, with applications

Information and Inference: A Journal of the IMA

The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing, Melvin Calvin Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA

Abstract: AbstractDimension reduction is the process of embedding high-dimensional data into a lower dimensional space to facilitate its analysis. In the Euclidean setting, one fundamental technique for dimension reduction is to apply a random linear map to the data. This dimension reduction procedure succeeds when it preserves certain geometric features of the set. The question is how large the embedding dimension must be to ensure that randomized dimension reduction succeeds with high probability. This article studies a natural family of randomized dimension reduction maps and a large class of data sets. It proves that there is a phase transition in the success probability of the dimension reduction map as the embedding dimension increases. For a given data set, the location of the phase transition is the same for all maps in this family. Furthermore, each map has the same stability properties, as quantified through the minimum RSV. These results can be viewed as new universality laws in high-dimensional stochastic geometry. Universality laws for randomized dimension reduction have many applications in applied mathematics, signal processing and statistics. They yield design principles for numerical linear algebra algorithms, for compressed sensing measurement ensembles and for random linear codes. Furthermore, these results have implications for the performance of statistical estimation methods under a large class of random experimental designs.


Dual-Battery Enabled Profit Driven User Association in Green Heterogeneous Cellular Networks

IEEE Transactions on Green Communications and Networking

Helen & John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Advanced Networking Laboratory, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA


Decoupling for power gating

Proceedings of the 48th Design Automation Conference

Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

National Science Foundation, Semiconductor Research Corporation


Ply

Proceedings of the 31st Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology

Sarah Lim, Joshua Hibschman, Haoqi Zhang, Eleanor O'Rourke

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA


Evaluation of log‐of‐power extremum seeking control for wind turbines using large eddy simulations

Umberto Ciri, Stefano Leonardi, Mario A. Rotea

Department of Mechanical Engineering The University of Texas at Dallas  Richardson Texas 75080‐3021 TX USA

Abstract: AbstractThe extremum seeking control (ESC) algorithm has been proposed to determine operating parameters that maximize power production below rated wind speeds (region II). This is usually done by measuring the turbine's power signal to determine optimal values for parameters of the control law or actuator settings. This paper shows that the standard ESC with power feedback is quite sensitive to variations in mean wind speed, with long convergence time at low wind speeds and aggressive transient response, possibly unstable, at high wind speeds. The paper also evaluates the performance, as measured by the dynamic and steady state response, of the ESC with feedback of the logarithm of the power signal (LP‐ESC). Large eddy simulations (LES) demonstrate that the LP‐ESC, calibrated at a given wind speed, exhibits consistent robust performance at all wind speeds in a typical region II. The LP‐ESC is able to achieve the optimal set‐point within a prescribed settling time, despite variations in the mean wind speed, turbulence, and shear. The LES have been conducted using realistic wind input profiles with shear and turbulence. The ESC and LP‐ESC are implemented in the LES without assuming the availability of analytical gradients.


Bringing enzymes to the proximity party

Gabrielle S. Tender, Carolyn R. Bertozzi

Stanford University, Department of Chemistry and Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Health, Hertz Foundation, National Science Foundation, Stanford University

Abstract: Targeted enzymes can drive cell type-selective reactions that are not yet possible with other therapeutic approaches.


Deep Learning Model Based on TCN-LSTM for Projectile Initial Velocity Inversion of High-spin Projectiles

2023 3rd International Conference on Electronic Information Engineering and Computer Science (EIECS)

Hongyu Gao, Liangming Wang, Jian Fu, Yifan Yang

Nanjing University of Science and Technology,Energy and Power Engineering


THE CHEMICAL REGULATION OF THE DORMANCY PHASES OF BUD DEVELOPMENT

Department of Biology Josiah Willard Gibbs Laboratories, Yale University  New Haven Connecticut

Abstract: literature pertaining to the development and regulation of dormancy in the buds of woody species is reviewed and interpreted as follows. Morphological observations, the effects of environmental factors, and other evidence support the concept that bud dormancy involves a cycle of 3 separate phases of development. Beginning at the developmental pattern of spring, the 3 phases are: (1) dormancy development leading to the dormant state; (2) release from dormancy leading to the non‐dormant state; and (3) the initiation of spring burst leading again to spring development. The regulation of dormancy is, therefore, discussed in terms of the regulation of development of the apex within each phase and the regulation of transitions between phases. The principal existing theory of dormancy regulation implies that dormancy consists, in total, of merely the inhibition of spring development, and that regulation involves first the accumulation of an inhibitor then its disappearance. The conceptual basis of this inhibitor theory is argued to be inadequate as is the experimental evidence for the existence of a specific inhibitor and for a correlation between its concentration and dormancy induction or release. There is little direct evidence on the mechanism of the regulation of bud development within any developmental phase. Circumstantial evidence suggests the developmental patterns arise from chemical patterns resulting from the interactions of classes of growth regulator such as auxin, kinin, and gibberellin. Some evidence exists concerning the regulation of the transitions between the phases of dormancy. A substance has recently been detected which may be a hormone regulating the initiation of dormancy development. The production of this substance may be photoperiodically determined. A role for gibberellins in the regulation of dormancy release has been postulated.


Decomposable norm minimization with proximal-gradient homotopy algorithm

Computational Optimization and Applications

National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research


DP-ADMM: ADMM-Based Distributed Learning With Differential Privacy

IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security

Zonghao Huang, Rui Hu, Yuanxiong Guo, Eric Chan-Tin, Yanmin Gong


Little to no inbreeding depression in a tapeworm with mixed mating

Isabel C. Caballero, Charles D. Criscione

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA

Abstract: AbstractMeta‐studies on hermaphrodites have found a negative relationship between primary selfing rates and levels of inbreeding depression (ID) and, thus, generally support purging in inbred systems. However, in plants, high among‐taxa variance in ID results in no difference in the mean ID between outcrossing and mixed‐mating taxa. Selective interference likely explains high ID among mixed‐mating taxa, whereas low levels of ID among mixed‐mating taxa are not as stressed. Among animal hermaphrodites, primarily molluscs, there are little data on mixed‐mating systems. To fill a taxonomic and mating system gap, we tested for ID in a mixed‐mating tapeworm, Oochoristica javaensis. We provide a direct estimate of ID across infection of an intermediate host by comparing selfing rates at two life history stages. We found little to no evidence for ID, and the level of ID falls in line with what is reported for highly selfing species even though O. javaensis has mixed mating. We discuss this result within the context of kin mating in O. javaensis. Our results emphasize that primary selfing rates alone may be insufficient to classify the inbreeding history in all species when testing for a relationship to ID. Mixed‐mating taxa, and possibly some outcrossing taxa, may exhibit low levels of ID if biparental inbreeding is also driving purging. We advocate that ID studies report estimates of inbreeding history (e.g. FIS or identity disequilibrium) from nature‐derived adult samples to provide context rather than relying on primary selfing rates alone.


Narrow region principle and Liouville type results for fractional Lane–Emden system

Complex Variables and Elliptic Equations

School of Mathematics and Information Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.


A morphological character matrix describing shells from extant and extinct lucinid bivalves of the Western Atlantic

U.S. National Science Foundation, Palaeontological Research Institution


Cryptographic approaches to authenticating synthetic DNA sequences

Casey-Tyler Berezin, Samuel Peccoud, Diptendu M. Kar, Jean Peccoud

National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NIGMS


Interactions of hybridization and mating systems: A case study in <i>Leptosiphon</i> (Polemoniaceae)

Abstract: • Premise of the study: The roles of hybridization and mating systems in the evolution of angiosperms have been well studied, but less work has focused on their interactions. Self‐incompatible and self‐compatible species often show asymmetry in heterospecific pollen rejection. Self‐fertilization can preempt ovules before opportunities for hybridization. In turn, hybridization might affect mating system evolution through selection for selfing to avoid production of low fitness hybrids.• Methods: AFLP and morphological analyses were used to test for hybrids in a contact zone between species with contrasting breeding systems. Crossing experiments examined the relative contributions to reproductive isolation of pollen–pistil interactions, timing of self‐fertilization, and F1 viability and fertility. A diallel cross of siblings tested for an association between heterospecific incompatibility and S‐genotype in the self‐incompatible species.• Key results: A low frequency of hybrids was detected in the contact zone. Pollen–pistil interactions were partially consistent with the SI × SC rule; some individuals of the self‐incompatible species rejected heterospecific pollen, whereas the self‐compatible species was fully receptive to it. In the selfing species, individuals with early selfing produced fewer hybrid progeny than did those with delayed self‐compatibility when heterospecific pollen was applied after self‐pollen. Viability of F1s was high but fertility was low. Variability in heterospecific pollen rejection was not related to S‐genotype.• Conclusions: Both self‐fertilization and self‐incompatibility are associated with limits to hybridization at this site. The strong effect of timing of selfing on production of low fitness F1s suggests that hybridization might select for early selfing in this population.


Optoelectronic properties of three dimensional WO3 nanoshale and its application for UV sensing

Dali Shao, Mingpeng Yu, Jie Lian, Shayla Sawyer


Plasmonic coupling in single flower-like gold nanoparticle assemblies

Progress in Natural Science: Materials International

Yi Luo, Lacie Dube, Yadong Zhou, Shengli Zou, Jing Zhao


Mechanism of stacking fault formation in metal(100) heteroepitaxial growth

Indiras Khatri, Ehsan H. Sabbar, Yunsic Shim, Jacques G. Amar

National Science Foundation, Air Force Research Laboratory


Co-Regulated Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning for Uncrewed Aircraft System Swarms

2025 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS)

Grant Phillips, Jemin George, Justin Bradley

School of Computing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,Lincoln,NE


Stronger predation in a subtropical community dampens an invasive species-induced trophic cascade

Katherine J. Papacostas, Amy L. Freestone

Marine Station at Fort Pierce, National Science Foundation


Peroxidase-mimicking Ce–hemin–MOFs/GO composite for enzyme-free electrochemical detection of H2O2

Hamidreza Ghaedamini, Riwaj Khanal, Dong-Shik Kim


Time periodic and almost time periodic solutions to rotating stratified fluids subject to large forces

Matthias Hieber, Alex Mahalov, Ryo Takada


Adaptive PI Control of STATCOM for Voltage Regulation

Stanford University¿Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), DOE


Exploring the Effects of Acute Digital Sports Dance Intervention on Children’s Gross Motor Development, Executive Function, and Muscle Coordination Using Electromyography Sensors: A Randomized Repeated-Measures Study

Jiao He, Junya Zhao, Haojie Li, Jiangang Chen, Ying Qin

School of Art, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan 430079, China

Abstract: Objective: This paper examines how rhythm-enhanced digital dance affects children’s motor abilities, cognitive performance, and neuromuscular synchronization. Methods: In a randomized repeated-measures study, 38 children (7–12 years) underwent three conditions: groove music-accompanied dance (GODA), conventional music dance (CODA), and non-musical physical activity (CON). Assessments of gross motor skills (using TGMD-3), executive function (using BRIEF and Stroop Test), and muscle coordination (using sEMG) were conducted. Results: Gross motor skills: GODA showed significantly higher TGMD scores in locomotor (p = 0.03) and ball skills (p = 0.02) compared to both CODA and CON (p < 0.001). Executive function: Inhibition and shifting dimensions showed significant post-intervention condition differences (p < 0.05). Muscle coordination: GODA exhibited greater β- and γ-band COH areas in the standing long jump compared to both CODA (p = 0.02) and CON (p < 0.001), and increased γ-band COH areas in single-leg balance compared to CODA (p = 0.02) and CON (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Combining rhythmic auditory stimulation with movement training offers a promising approach for integrated motor-cognitive development in children.


Frequency-Stable Low-Threshold SBS-OEO for Precision Temperature Sensing in Electromagnetically Harsh Environments

Yichao Teng, Mingyuan Yang, Li Han, Jixuan Wang, Guanbo Liu

College of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China

Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province

Abstract: In this research, precision temperature sensing for electromagnetically harsh environments was achieved utilizing a low-threshold frequency-stable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) leveraging stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). The sensing mechanism relied on the temperature-dependent frequency shift in the SBS-induced notch filter. By embedding this filter in the OEO feedback loop, the oscillator’s output frequency was locked to the difference between the optical carrier frequency and the SBS notch center frequency. The temperature variations were translated into microwave frequency shifts through OEO oscillation, which was quantified with heterodyne detection. To suppress environmental perturbations, a Faraday rotation mirror (FRM) was integrated at the fiber end, creating a dual-pass SBS interaction that simultaneously enhanced the vibration immunity and reduced the SBS power threshold by 2.7 dB. The experimental results demonstrated a sensitivity of 1.0609 MHz/°C (R2 = 0.999) and a long-term stability of ±0.004 °C. This innovative scheme demonstrated significant advantages over conventional SBS-OEO temperature sensing approaches, particularly in terms of threshold reduction and environmental stability enhancement.


On the Virtualization of Audio Transducers

Riccardo Giampiccolo, Alberto Bernardini, Oliviero Massi, Augusto Sarti

Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy

Abstract: In audio transduction applications, virtualization can be defined as the task of digitally altering the acoustic behavior of an audio sensor or actuator with the aim of mimicking that of a target transducer. Recently, a digital signal preprocessing method for the virtualization of loudspeakers based on inverse equivalent circuit modeling has been proposed. The method applies Leuciuc’s inversion theorem to obtain the inverse circuital model of the physical actuator, which is then exploited to impose a target behavior through the so called Direct–Inverse–Direct Chain. The inverse model is designed by properly augmenting the direct model with a theoretical two-port circuit element called nullor. Drawing on this promising results, in this manuscript, we aim at describing the virtualization task in a broader sense, including both actuator and sensor virtualizations. We provide ready-to-use schemes and block diagrams which apply to all the possible combinations of input and output variables. We then analyze and formalize different versions of the Direct–Inverse–Direct Chain describing how the method changes when applied to sensors and actuators. Finally, we provide examples of applications considering the virtualization of a capacitive microphone and a nonlinear compression driver.


Biomimetic Chaotic Sensor for Moderate Static Magnetic Field

Wojciech Korneta, Iacyel Gomes, Rodrigo Picos, Michal Zábovský

University Science Park, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 8215/1, SK-01026 Zilina, Slovakia

European Regional Development Fund, Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republik

Abstract: The effects of a static magnetic field on systems with chaotic dynamical behavior have attracted little attention so far. Here, Chua’s electronic circuit with an inductor placed in a static uniform magnetic field operating in a chaotic double-scroll regime is studied experimentally. The effect of the magnetic field on the duty cycle factor and the spike count rate, with spikes defined by crossings between the scrolls of the double-scroll attractor, is described. A slow monotonic variation in the duty cycle factor and constant spike count rate is observed for magnetic field intensities up to the threshold, where both these metrics change severely; the dynamic trajectory remains on one scroll and spikes disappear. The dependence of the static magnetic field intensity on Chua’s circuit resistivity at the threshold is given. Two biomimetic magnetic chaotic sensors are proposed: one based on one Chua’s circuit and another that can have various transfer functions and is composed of several independent Chua’s circuits.


A Modified Subpulse SAR Processing Procedure Based on the Range-Doppler Algorithm for Synthetic Wideband Waveforms

Byoung-Gyun Lim, Jea-Choon Woo, Hee-Young Lee, Young-Soo Kim

1-Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyungbuk, 790-784, South Korea

Abstract: Synthetic wideband waveforms (SWW) combine a stepped frequency CW waveform and a chirp signal waveform to achieve high range resolution without requiring a large bandwidth or the consequent very high sampling rate. If an efficient algorithm like the range-Doppler algorithm (RDA) is used to acquire the SAR images for synthetic wideband signals, errors occur due to approximations, so the images may not show the best possible result. This paper proposes a modified subpulse SAR processing algorithm for synthetic wideband signals which is based on RDA. An experiment with an automobile-based SAR system showed that the proposed algorithm is quite accurate with a considerable improvement in resolution and quality of the obtained SAR image.


SNR Wall Effect Alleviation by Generalized Detector Employed in Cognitive Radio Networks

School of Electronics Engineering, College of IT Engineering, Kyungpook National University,  1370 Sankyuk-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701, Korea

Abstract: The most commonly used spectrum sensing techniques in cognitive radio (CR) networks, such as the energy detector (ED), matched filter (MF), and others, suffer from the noise uncertainty and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) wall phenomenon. These detectors cannot achieve the required signal detection performance regardless of the sensing time. In this paper, we explore a signal processing scheme, namely, the generalized detector (GD) constructed based on the generalized approach to signal processing (GASP) in noise, in spectrum sensing of CR network based on antenna array with the purpose to alleviate the SNR wall problem and improve the signal detection robustness under the low SNR. The simulation results confirm our theoretical issues and effectiveness of GD implementation in CR networks based on antenna array.


Joint Semi-Blind Self-Interference Cancellation and Equalisation Processes in 5G QC-LDPC-Encoded Short-Packet Full-Duplex Transmissions

Bao Quoc Vuong, Roland Gautier, Hien Quang Ta, Lap Luat Nguyen, Anthony Fiche, Mélanie Marazin

Univ Brest, CNRS, Lab-STICC, CS 93837, 6 Avenue Le Gorgeu, CEDEX 3, 29238 Brest, France

Abstract: The paper proposes a joint semi-blind algorithm for simultaneously cancelling the self-interference component and estimating the propagation channel in 5G Quasi-Cyclic Low-Density Parity-Check (QC-LDPC)-encoded short-packet Full-Duplex (FD) transmissions. To avoid the effect of channel estimation processes when using short-packet transmissions, this semi-blind algorithm was developed by taking into account only a small number (four at least) pilot symbols, which was integrated with the intended information sequence and used for the feedback loop of the estimation of the channels. The results showed that this semi-blind algorithm not only achieved nearly optimal performance, but also significantly reduced the processing time and computational complexity. This semi-blind algorithm can also improve the performances of the Mean-Squared Error (MSE) and Bit Error Rate (BER). The results of this study highlight the potential efficiency of this joint semi-blind iterative algorithm for 5G and Beyond and/or practical IoT transmission scenarios.


Improving Mobile Robot Maneuver Performance Using Fractional-Order Controller

Daniel Acosta, Bibiana Fariña, Jonay Toledo, Leopoldo Acosta

Computer Science and System Department, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 Canary Island, Spain

Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology

Abstract: In this paper, the low-level velocity controller of an autonomous vehicle is studied. The performance of the traditional controller used in this kind of system, a PID, is analyzed. This kind of controller cannot follow ramp references without error, so when the reference implies a change in the speed, the vehicle cannot follow the proposed reference, and there is a significant difference between the actual and desired vehicle behaviors. A fractional controller is proposed which changes the ordinary dynamics allowing faster responses for small times, at the cost of slower responses for large times. The idea is to take advantage of this fact to follow fast setpoint changes with a smaller error than that obtained with a classic non-fractional PI controller. Using this controller, the vehicle can follow variable speed references with zero stationary error, significantly reducing the difference between reference and actual vehicle behavior. The paper presents the fractional controller, studies its stability in function of the fractional parameters, designs the controller, and tests its stability. The designed controller is tested on a real prototype, and its behavior is compared to a standard PID controller. The designed fractional PID controller overcomes the results of the standard PID controller.


A Novel Student Engagement Analysis of Real Classroom Teaching Using Unified Body Orientation Estimation

Yuqing Chen, Jiawen Li, Yixin Liu, Fei Jiang

Shanghai Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China

National Natural Science Foundation of China

Abstract: Student engagement analysis is closely linked with learning outcomes, and its precise identification paves the way for targeted instruction and personalized learning. Current student engagement methods, reliant on either head pose estimation with facial landmarks or eye-trackers, are hardly generalized to authentic classroom teaching environments with high occlusion and non-intrusive requirements. Based on empirical observations that student body orientation and head pose exhibit a high degree of consistency in classroom settings, we propose a novel student engagement analysis algorithm incorporating human body orientation estimation. To better suit classroom settings, we develop a one-stage and end-to-end trainable framework for multi-person body orientation estimation, named JointBDOE. The proposed JointBDOE integrates human bounding box prediction and body orientation into a unified embedding space, enabling the simultaneous and precise estimation of human positions and orientations in multi-person scenarios. Extensive experimental results using the MEBOW dataset demonstrate the superior performance of JointBDOE over the state-of-the-art methods, with an MAE reduced to 10.63° and orientation accuracy exceeding 91% at 22.5°. With the more challenging reconstructed MEBOW dataset, JointBDOE maintains strong robustness with an MAE of 16.07° and an orientation accuracy of 88.3% at 30°. Further analysis of classroom teaching videos validates the reliability and practical value of body orientation as a robust metric for engagement assessment. This research showcases the potential of artificial intelligence in intelligent classroom analysis and provides an extensible solution for body orientation estimation technology in related fields, advancing the practical application of intelligent educational tools.


HiMeter: Telling You the Height Rather than the Altitude

College of Computer Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China

Abstract: The altitude of a moving user is important context information for mobile technologies and applications. However, with the increasing pervasiveness of smartphones and abundant mobile applications, developers and users have gradually discovered that the height is more useful than altitude in many situations. The height is often a relative value, which is the vertical distance to the ground rather than the vertical distance to sea level, and we believe that it is useful in many applications, such as localization/navigation, sport/health and tourism/travel. In this paper, we first carried out a nation-wide online survey to confirm the desirability for the height information in mobile applications, and the result is positive. Then, we proposed HiMeter, an effective and accurate approach to calculating the height of the smartphone. HiMeter makes use of a low-power barometer on the smartphone and does not require GPS or back-server support. We concentrate on the vertical moving pattern of the user and designed several novel techniques, resulting in HiMeter not needing any reference points, and the complex process of calculating the absolute altitude can be avoided. The field studies show that HiMeter can achieve an accuracy of within 5 m in 90% of cases indoors and an accuracy of 10 m in 83% of cases outdoors. Compared to the existing works, HiMeter is more accurate and practical and is more suitable for usage in many mobile applications.


Strain Transfer for Optimal Performance of Sensing Sheet

Matthew Gerber, Campbell Weaver, Levent E. Aygun, Naveen Verma, James C. Sturm, Branko Glišić

Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA

US Departmetn of Transportation (DOT)-RITA UTC Program

Abstract: Sensing sheets based on Large Area Electronics (LAE) and Integrated Circuits (ICs) are novel sensors designed to enable reliable early-stage detection of local unusual structural behaviors. Such a device consists of a dense array of strain sensors, patterned onto a flexible polyimide substrate along with associated electronics. Previous tests performed on steel specimens equipped with sensing sheet prototypes and subjected to fatigue cracking pointed to a potential issue: individual sensors that were on or near a crack would immediately be damaged by the crack, thereby rendering them useless in assessing the size of the crack opening or to monitor future crack growth. In these tests, a stiff adhesive was used to bond the sensing sheet prototype to the steel specimen. Such an adhesive provided excellent strain transfer, but it also caused premature failure of individual sensors within the sheet. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify an alternative adhesive that survives minor damage, yet provides strain transfer that is sufficient for reliable early-stage crack detection. A sensor sheet prototype is then calibrated for use with the selected adhesive.


Activity-Based Prospective Memory in Insomniacs

Miranda Occhionero, Lorenzo Tonetti, Federica Giudetti, Vincenzo Natale

Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the activity-based prospective memory performance in patients with insomnia, divided, on the basis of actigraphic evaluation, into sleep onset, maintenance, mixed and negative misperception insomnia. Methods: A total of 153 patients with insomnia (I, 83 females, mean age + SD = 41.37 + 16.19 years) and 121 healthy controls (HC, 78 females, mean age + SD = 36.99 + 14.91 years) wore an actigraph for one week. Insomnia was classified into sleep onset insomnia (SOI), maintenance insomnia (MaI), mixed insomnia (MixI) and negative misperception insomnia (NMI). To study their activity-based prospective memory performance, all the participants were required to push the actigraph event marker button twice, at bedtime (task 1) and at get-up time (task 2). Results: Only patients with maintenance and mixed insomnia had a significantly lower accuracy in the activity-based prospective memory task at get-up time compared with the healthy controls. Conclusion: The results show that maintenance and mixed insomnia involve an impaired activity-based prospective memory performance, while sleep onset and negative misperception insomnia do not seem to be affected. This pattern of results suggests that the fragmentation of sleep may play a role in activity-based prospective memory efficiency at wake-up in the morning.


Sensorless FOC Performance Improved with On-Line Speed and Rotor Resistance Estimator Based on an Artificial Neural Network for an Induction Motor Drive

Jose Gutierrez-Villalobos, Juvenal Rodriguez-Resendiz, Edgar Rivas-Araiza, Moisés Martínez-Hernández

Laboratorio de Mecatrónica, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas,  Col. Las Campanas, S/N, Queretaro 76010, Mexico

Abstract: Three-phase induction motor drive requires high accuracy in high performance processes in industrial applications. Field oriented control, which is one of the most employed control schemes for induction motors, bases its function on the electrical parameter estimation coming from the motor. These parameters make an electrical machine driver work improperly, since these electrical parameter values change at low speeds, temperature changes, and especially with load and duty changes. The focus of this paper is the real-time and on-line electrical parameters with a CMAC-ADALINE block added in the standard FOC scheme to improve the IM driver performance and endure the driver and the induction motor lifetime. Two kinds of neural network structures are used; one to estimate rotor speed and the other one to estimate rotor resistance of an induction motor.


Rapid and Sensitive Inhibitor Screening Using Magnetically Modulated Biosensors

Faculty of Engineering, The Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Max and Anna Webb Street, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel

Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel, Bar-Ilan Dangoor Centre for Personalized Medicine

Abstract: Inhibitor screening is an important tool for drug development, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most used in vitro inhibitor screening tool is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, ELISA-based inhibitor screening is time consuming and has a limited dynamic range. Using fluorescently and magnetically modulated biosensors (MMB), we developed a rapid and sensitive inhibitor screening tool. This study demonstrates its performance by screening small molecules and neutralizing antibodies as potential inhibitors of the interaction between the spike protein 1 (S1) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The MMB-based assay is highly sensitive, has minimal non-specific binding, and is much faster than the commonly used ELISA (2 h vs. 7–24 h). We anticipate that our method will lead to a remarkable advance in screening for new drug candidates.


A Portable Automatic Endpoint Detection System for Amplicons of Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification on Microfluidic Compact Disk Platform

Shah Uddin, Fatimah Ibrahim, Abkar Sayad, Aung Thiha, Koh Pei, Mas Mohktar, Uda Hashim, Jongman Cho, Kwai Thong

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya,  50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract: In recent years, many improvements have been made in foodborne pathogen detection methods to reduce the impact of food contamination. Several rapid methods have been developed with biosensor devices to improve the way of performing pathogen detection. This paper presents an automated endpoint detection system for amplicons generated by loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) on a microfluidic compact disk platform. The developed detection system utilizes a monochromatic ultraviolet (UV) emitter for excitation of fluorescent labeled LAMP amplicons and a color sensor to detect the emitted florescence from target. Then it processes the sensor output and displays the detection results on liquid crystal display (LCD). The sensitivity test has been performed with detection limit up to 2.5 × 10−3 ng/µL with different DNA concentrations of Salmonella bacteria. This system allows a rapid and automatic endpoint detection which could lead to the development of a point-of-care diagnosis device for foodborne pathogens detection in a resource-limited environment.


Research on Small Sample Dynamic Human Ear Recognition Based on Deep Learning

Yanmin Lei, Junru Qian, Dong Pan, Tingfa Xu

Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Changchun University, Changchun 130012, China

Science and Technology Planning Project of Jilin Province Science and Technology Department, National Natural Science Foundation of China

Abstract: Due to the problem of insufficient dynamic human ear data, the Changchun University dynamic human ear (CCU-DE) database, which is a small sample human ear database, was developed in this study. The database fully considers the various complex situations and posture changes of human ear images, such as translation angle, rotation angle, illumination change, occlusion and interference, etc., making the research of dynamic human ear recognition closer to complex real-life situations, and increasing the applicability of human ear dynamic recognition. In order to test the practicability and effectiveness of the developed CCU-DE small sample database, we designed a dynamic human ear recognition system block diagram based on a deep learning model, which was pre-trained by a migration learning method. Aiming at multi-posture changes under different contrasts, translation and rotation motions, and with or without occlusion, simulation studies were conducted using the CCU-DE small sample database and different deep learning models, such as YOLOv3, YOLOv4, YOLOv5, Faster R-CNN, and SSD. The experimental results showed that the CCU-DE database can be well used for dynamic ear recognition, and it can be tested by using different deep learning models with higher test accuracy.


A Refrigerated Web Camera for Photogrammetric Video Measurement inside Biomass Boilers and Combustion Analysis

Jacobo Porteiro, Belén Riveiro, Enrique Granada, Julia Armesto, Pablo Eguía, Joaquín Collazo

ETS Ingenieros Industriales, University of Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende s/n 36200—Vigo, Spain

Abstract: This paper describes a prototype instrumentation system for photogrammetric measuring of bed and ash layers, as well as for flying particle detection and pursuit using a single device (CCD) web camera. The system was designed to obtain images of the combustion process in the interior of a domestic boiler. It includes a cooling system, needed because of the high temperatures in the combustion chamber of the boiler. The cooling system was designed using CFD simulations to ensure effectiveness. This method allows more complete and real-time monitoring of the combustion process taking place inside a boiler. The information gained from this system may facilitate the optimisation of boiler processes.


Geometric Stability and Lens Decentering in Compact Digital Cameras

Enoc Sanz-Ablanedo, José Ramón Rodríguez-Pérez, Julia Armesto, María Flor Álvarez Taboada

Geomatics Engineering Research Group. University of León, Avda. Astorga s/n, 24400 Ponferrada, Spain

Abstract: A study on the geometric stability and decentering present in sensor-lens systems of six identical compact digital cameras has been conducted. With regard to geometrical stability, the variation of internal geometry parameters (principal distance, principal point position and distortion parameters) was considered. With regard to lens decentering, the amount of radial and tangential displacement resulting from decentering distortion was related with the precision of the camera and with the offset of the principal point from the geometric center of the sensor. The study was conducted with data obtained after 372 calibration processes (62 per camera). The tests were performed for each camera in three situations: during continuous use of the cameras, after camera power off/on and after the full extension and retraction of the zoom-lens. Additionally, 360 new calibrations were performed in order to study the variation of the internal geometry when the camera is rotated. The aim of this study was to relate the level of stability and decentering in a camera with the precision and quality that can be obtained. An additional goal was to provide practical recommendations about photogrammetric use of such cameras.


Cascade Sliding Mode Control for Linear Displacement Positioning of a Quadrotor

Albert Sawiński, Piotr Chudzik, Karol Tatar

Institute of Automatic Control, Faculty of Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Control Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland

Abstract: This paper contains an example of a simulation implementation of sliding mode control algorithms for the problem of adjusting the linear position of a quadrotor. A mathematical model of the drone was proposed, which was then implemented in a simulation environment. The method of designing sliding mode controllers using the Lyapunov method in order to improve stability was presented. A cascade system based entirely on sliding mode control algorithms is introduced. The article ends with a comparative analysis of simulation test results of classical control systems and controllers based on sliding mode control.


Thermography in Bike Fitting: A Literature Review

Warre Clarys, Oscar Vallet, Jan Verstockt, Hai Zhang, Simon Verspeek, Gunther Steenackers

InViLab Research Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium

Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), VLAIO Tetra project

Abstract: Cycling comfort significantly impacts both enjoyment and performance, with discomfort potentially leading to injuries. Traditional bike-fitting methods, while effective for biomechanical adjustments, often overlook physiological responses such as pressure distribution and asymmetry. Infrared thermography (IRT), a non-invasive technique analyzing surface temperature variations, offers the potential to enhance bike fitting by identifying pressure points, asymmetries, and discomfort zones. This review evaluates the application of IRT in bike fitting, highlighting its ability to provide objective, real-time insights into cyclist comfort and injury prevention. However, limitations such as variability in thermographic protocols and the lack of standardized methodologies necessitate further research. By addressing these gaps, IRT could transform bike fitting into a more precise, personalized, and effective practice for cyclists across all levels.


Simulation Analysis and Experimental Verification of High-Speed Impact of Rocky Asteroids

Fan Huang, Zhiqing Geng, Binqiang Luo, Yuming Peng, Liang Xu, Wei Wang, Biyue Pan, Dongyu Li

School of Instrument science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 201100, China

Abstract: Kinetic impact is an effective way to deal with threatening asteroids, and the momentum transfer coefficient during the impact process is an effective indicator for evaluating the impact effect. This article is based on the use of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method to establish a simulation model of high-speed impact of flying discs on granite targets, and obtain parameters such as the shape of the splashing material and the distribution of the target damage during the impact process. An analysis was conducted on the influence of different impact velocities on the kinetic energy transfer coefficient, and it was found that the momentum transfer coefficient increased with the increase in impact velocity, from 1.59 at 5 km/s to 1.96 at 11.7 km/s. A ground high-speed impact system with a speed of over 10 km/s has been established, and the actual momentum transfer coefficient has increased from 1.73 at 7 km/s to around 2.06 at 11.7 km/s. The variation trend of kinetic energy transfer coefficients obtained from experiments and simulations is consistent, with an error of basically within 10%, and the simulation results are effective. The simulation and experimental analysis of high-speed kinetic impact can provide a reference for the engineering implementation of asteroid impact defense missions.


Target Detection Method for Soil-Dwelling Termite Damage Based on MCD-YOLOv8

Peidong Jiang, Lai Jiang, Fengyan Wu, Tengteng Che, Ming Wang, Chuandong Zheng

Hubei Water Resources Research Institute, Wuhan 430070, China

National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China

Abstract: With global climate change and the deterioration of the ecological environment, the safety of hydraulic engineering faces severe challenges, among which soil-dwelling termite damage has become an issue that cannot be ignored. Reservoirs and embankments in China, primarily composed of earth and rocks, are often affected by soil-dwelling termites, such as Odontotermes formosanus and Macrotermes barneyi. Identifying soil-dwelling termite damage is crucial for implementing monitoring, early warning, and control strategies. This study developed an improved YOLOv8 model, named MCD-YOLOv8, for identifying traces of soil-dwelling termite activity, based on the Monte Carlo random sampling algorithm and a lightweight module. The Monte Carlo attention (MCA) module was introduced in the backbone part to generate attention maps through random sampling pooling operations, addressing cross-scale issues and improving the recognition accuracy of small targets. A lightweight module, known as dimension-aware selective integration (DASI), was added in the neck part to reduce computation time and memory consumption, enhancing detection accuracy and speed. The model was verified using a dataset of 2096 images from the termite damage survey in hydraulic engineering within Hubei Province in 2024, along with images captured by drone. The results showed that the improved YOLOv8 model outperformed four traditional or enhanced models in terms of precision and mean average precision for detecting soil-dwelling termite damage, while also exhibiting fewer parameters, reduced redundancy in detection boxes, and improved accuracy in detecting small targets. Specifically, the MCD-YOLOv8 model achieved increases in precision and mean average precision of 6.4% and 2.4%, respectively, compared to the YOLOv8 model, while simultaneously reducing the number of parameters by 105,320. The developed model is suitable for the intelligent identification of termite damage in complex environments, thereby enhancing the intelligent monitoring of termite activity and providing strong technical support for the development of termite control technologies.


A Stability- and Aggregation-Based Method for Heart Rate Estimation Using Photoplethysmographic Signals During Physical Activity

Sabrina C. Crepaldi, Jiabin Wang, Fumiya Matsumoto, Hiroki Takeuchi, Tatsuhiko Watanabe, Yoshiharu Yamamoto

Japan Science and Technology (JST) Agency MOONSHOT R&D

Abstract: In recent years, the use of photoplethysmography (PPG)-based heart rate detection has gained considerable attention as a cost-effective alternative to conventional electrocardiography (ECG) for applications in healthcare and fitness tracking. Although deep learning methods have shown promise in heart rate estimation and motion artifact removal from PPG signals recorded during physical activity, their computational requirements and need for extensive training data make them less practical for real-world conditions when ground truth data is unavailable for calibration. This study presents a one-size-fits-all approach for heart rate estimation during physical activity that employs aggregation-based techniques to track heart rate and minimize the effects of motion artifacts, without relying on complex machine learning or deep learning techniques. We evaluate our method on four publicly available datasets—PPG-DaLiA, WESAD, IEEE_Training, and IEEE_Test, all recorded using wrist-worn devices—along with a new dataset, UTOKYO, which includes PPG and accelerometer data collected from a smart ring. The proposed method outperforms the CNN ensemble model for the PPG-DaLiA dataset and the IEEE_Test dataset and reduces the mean absolute error (MAE) by 1.45 bpm and 5.71 bpm, respectively, demonstrating that effective signal processing techniques can match the performance of more complex deep learning models without requiring extensive computational resources or dataset-specific tuning.


Motor Imagery Acquisition Paradigms: In the Search to Improve Classification Accuracy

David Reyes, Sebastian Sieghartsleitner, Humberto Loaiza, Christoph Guger

School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Valle, Cali 760032, Colombia

COLFUTURO—Fundación para el Futuro de Colombia

Abstract: In recent years, advances in medicine have been evident thanks to technological growth and interdisciplinary research, which has allowed the integration of knowledge, for example, of engineering into medical fields. This integration has generated developments and new methods that can be applied in alternative situations, highlighting, for example, aspects related to post-stroke therapies, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) treatments. One of the methods that has stood out and is gaining more acceptance every day is Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs), through the acquisition and processing of brain electrical activity, researchers, doctors, and scientists manage to transform this activity into control signals. In turn, there are several methods for operating a BCI, this work will focus on motor imagery (MI)-based BCI and three types of acquisition paradigms (traditional arrow, picture, and video), seeking to improve the accuracy in the classification of motor imagination tasks for naive subjects, which correspond to a MI task for both the left and the right hand. A pipeline and methodology were implemented using the CAR+CSP algorithm to extract the features and simple standard and widely used models such as LDA and SVM for classification. The methodology was tested with post-stroke (PS) subject data with BCI experience, obtaining 96.25% accuracy for the best performance, and with the novel paradigm proposed for the naive subjects, 97.5% was obtained. Several statistical tests were carried out in order to find differences between paradigms within the collected data. In conclusion, it was found that the classification accuracy could be improved by using different strategies in the acquisition stage.


Design Considerations for a 120 GHz MIMO Sparse Radar Array Based on SISO Integrated Circuits

Luigi Ferro, Changzhi Li, Emanuele Cardillo

Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy

Abstract: This study aims to illustrate the main aspects of designing a modular 120 GHz Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) sparse radar array (SRA) composed of multiple Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) Integrated Circuits (ICs). Although the scientific literature reports on 120 GHz integrated circuit prototypes, to the authors’ best knowledge, there are no commercial MIMO radars composed of multiple SISO ICs operating in the D-band spectrum. The design involves many challenges; indeed, the necessity to combine multiple chips with fixed dimensions and the presence of transmitting and receiving antennas on chips add many constraints for the antenna placement and, consequently, for the virtual array design. As an example, the minimum distance between the antennas must be at least equal to the chip width, which is in turn higher than half a wavelength and renders the array into a sparse configuration, thus raising many concerns regarding fixing the optimum inter-chip distance. Thus, this contribution can be considered as pioneering, being focused on the emerging concept of designing D-band MIMO radars by exploiting a modular approach.


Integrating Inertial Sensors to Assess Physical Performance and In-Match Demands for the International Selection of Cerebral Palsy Football Players

Juan F. Maggiolo, Raúl Reina, Manuel Moya-Ramón, Iván Peña-González

Department of Sports Sciences, Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, 03202 Elche, Spain

Abstract: This study analyzed the physical performance (via field tests) and in-match physical responses (via wearable inertial sensors) of national and international cerebral palsy (CP) football players competing in Spain’s First Division. A total of 80 players (FT1: n = 22; FT2: n = 48; FT3: n = 10) completed sprinting, change of direction, and dribbling tests. In-match data from 74 players were collected across 56 official matches. Players were classified as “international” (candidates for the national team) or “national” (non-candidates). Statistical analyses identified performance differences and predictors of international selection using multiple discriminant analysis. International players outperformed national ones in sprinting, agility, and dribbling, especially in FT1 and FT2 classes (p < 0.05; large effect sizes). In-match data (analyzed for FT2 only) showed that international players covered more distance at all intensities and executed more high-intensity actions (e.g., maximal velocity, ball contacts). High-intensity running was the strongest predictor of international status (74.5%, Wilks’ λ = 0.86, p = 0.01). Change of direction and dribbling were key discriminators in FT1 and FT2, while no clear predictor emerged in FT3. These findings support the use of physical tests and wearable technology for evidence-based talent identification and selection in CP football.


Image Processing Algorithms Analysis for Roadside Wild Animal Detection

Mindaugas Knyva, Darius Gailius, Šarūnas Kilius, Aistė Kukanauskaitė, Pranas Kuzas, Gintautas Balčiūnas, Asta Meškuotienė, Justina Dobilienė

Department of Electronics Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Str. 50-457, 51368 Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract: The study presents a comparative analysis of five distinct image processing methodologies for roadside wild animal detection using thermal imagery, aiming to identify an optimal approach for embedded system implementation to mitigate wildlife–vehicle collisions. The evaluated techniques included the following: bilateral filtering followed by thresholding and SIFT feature matching; Gaussian filtering combined with Canny edge detection and contour analysis; color quantization via the nearest average algorithm followed by contour identification; motion detection based on absolute inter-frame differencing, object dilation, thresholding, and contour comparison; and animal detection based on a YOLOv8n neural network. These algorithms were applied to sequential thermal images captured by a custom roadside surveillance system incorporating a thermal camera and a Raspberry Pi processing unit. Performance evaluation utilized a dataset of consecutive frames, assessing average execution time, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The results revealed performance trade-offs: the motion detection method achieved the highest sensitivity (92.31%) and overall accuracy (87.50%), critical for minimizing missed detections, despite exhibiting the near lowest specificity (66.67%) and a moderate execution time (0.126 s) compared to the fastest bilateral filter approach (0.093 s) and the high-specificity Canny edge method (90.00%). Consequently, considering the paramount importance of detection reliability (sensitivity and accuracy) in this application, the motion-based methodology was selected for further development and implementation within the target embedded system framework. Subsequent testing on diverse datasets validated its general robustness while highlighting potential performance variations depending on dataset characteristics, particularly the duration of animal presence within the monitored frame.


High Sensitivity SERS Substrate with Femtosecond Laser-Printed Nanohole Arrays

Yunfang Zhang, Dejun Liu, Han Liu, Yubin Deng, Zhiyong Bai, Changrui Liao, Yiping Wang, Ying Wang

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonic Devices and Sensing Systems for Internet of Things, Guangdong and Hong Kong Joint Research Centre for Optical Fibre Sensors, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultrafast Laser Micro/Nano Manufacturing, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Research Team Cultivation Program of Shenzhen University, Medicine Plus Program of Shenzhen University, Scientific Foundation for Youth Scholars of Shenzhen University

Abstract: This article presents a novel method for fabricating repeatable and uniform surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The proposed method consists of two steps: (1) the fabrication of nanohole arrays using advanced femtosecond laser-induced two-photon polymerization (TPP) technology; and (2) the deposition of 9 nm thick silver nanoparticles on the nanohole arrays. The proposed nanohole arrays were optimized at the diameter, and the thickness of the silver film at two parameters. Regarding SERS substrates, a limit of detection of 10−10 M (rhodamine 6G) and analytical enhancement factors up to 3.5 × 104 were achieved. At 1361 cm−1, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the characteristic peak was 5.5%, demonstrating a highly reproducible SERS substrate.


DynaFusion-SLAM: Multi-Sensor Fusion and Dynamic Optimization of Autonomous Navigation Algorithms for Pasture-Pushing Robot

College of Information Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010080, China

Inner Mongolia Scientific and Technological Project, Basic Research Operating Costs of Colleges and Universities directly under the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Abstract: Aiming to address the problems of fewer related studies on autonomous navigation algorithms based on multi-sensor fusion in complex scenarios in pastures, lower degrees of fusion, and insufficient cruising accuracy of the operation path in complex outdoor environments, a multimodal autonomous navigation system is proposed based on a loosely coupled architecture of Cartographer–RTAB-Map (real-time appearance-based mapping). Through laser-vision inertial guidance multi-sensor data fusion, the system achieves high-precision mapping and robust path planning in complex scenes. First, comparing the mainstream laser SLAM algorithms (Hector/Gmapping/Cartographer) through simulation experiments, Cartographer is found to have a significant memory efficiency advantage in large-scale scenarios and is thus chosen as the front-end odometer. Secondly, a two-way position optimization mechanism is innovatively designed: (1) When building the map, Cartographer processes the laser with IMU and odometer data to generate mileage estimations, which provide positioning compensation for RTAB-Map. (2) RTAB-Map fuses the depth camera point cloud and laser data, corrects the global position through visual closed-loop detection, and then uses 2D localization to construct a bimodal environment representation containing a 2D raster map and a 3D point cloud, achieving a complete description of the simulated ranch environment and material morphology and constructing a framework for the navigation algorithm of the pushing robot based on the two types of fused data. During navigation, the combination of RTAB-Map’s global localization and AMCL’s local localization is used to generate a smoother and robust positional attitude by fusing IMU and odometer data through the EKF algorithm. Global path planning is performed using Dijkstra’s algorithm and combined with the TEB (Timed Elastic Band) algorithm for local path planning. Finally, experimental validation is performed in a laboratory-simulated pasture environment. The results indicate that when the RTAB-Map algorithm fuses with the multi-source odometry, its performance is significantly improved in the laboratory-simulated ranch scenario, the maximum absolute value of the error of the map measurement size is narrowed from 24.908 cm to 4.456 cm, the maximum absolute value of the relative error is reduced from 6.227% to 2.025%, and the absolute value of the error at each location is significantly reduced. At the same time, the introduction of multi-source mileage fusion can effectively avoid the phenomenon of large-scale offset or drift in the process of map construction. On this basis, the robot constructs a fusion map containing a simulated pasture environment and material patterns. In the navigation accuracy test experiments, our proposed method reduces the root mean square error (RMSE) coefficient by 1.7% and Std by 2.7% compared with that of RTAB-MAP. The RMSE is reduced by 26.7% and Std by 22.8% compared to that of the AMCL algorithm. On this basis, the robot successfully traverses the six preset points, and the measured X and Y directions and the overall position errors of the six points meet the requirements of the pasture-pushing task. The robot successfully returns to the starting point after completing the task of multi-point navigation, achieving autonomous navigation of the robot.


How to Talk to Your Classifier: Conditional Text Generation with Radar–Visual Latent Space

Julius Ott, Huawei Sun, Lorenzo Servadei, Robert Wille

Infineon Technologies AG, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany

Abstract: Many radar applications rely primarily on visual classification for their evaluations. However, new research is integrating textual descriptions alongside visual input and showing that such multimodal fusion improves contextual understanding. A critical issue in this area is the effective alignment of coded text with corresponding images. To this end, our paper presents an adversarial training framework that generates descriptive text from the latent space of a visual radar classifier. Our quantitative evaluations show that this dual-task approach maintains a robust classification accuracy of 98.3% despite the inclusion of Gaussian-distributed latent spaces. Beyond these numerical validations, we conduct a qualitative study of the text output in relation to the classifier’s predictions. This analysis highlights the correlation between the generated descriptions and the assigned categories and provides insight into the classifier’s visual interpretation processes, particularly in the context of normally uninterpretable radar data.


A Rapid Segmentation Method Based on Few-Shot Learning: A Case Study on Roadways

He Cai, Jiangchuan Chen, Yunfei Yin, Junpeng Yu, Zejiao Dong

School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Nangang District, Harbin 150006, China

National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

Abstract: Currently, deep learning-based segmentation methods are capable of achieving accurate segmentation. However, their deployment and training are costly and resource-intensive. To reduce deployment costs and facilitate the application of segmentation models for road imagery, this paper introduces a novel road segmentation algorithm based on few-shot learning. The algorithm consists of the back-projection module (BPM), responsible for generating target probabilities, and the segmentation module (SM), which performs image segmentation based on these probabilities. To achieve precise segmentation, the paper proposes a learning mechanism that simultaneously considers both positive and negative samples, effectively capturing the color features of the environment and objects. Additionally, through the workflow design, the algorithm can rapidly perform segmentation tasks across different scenarios without requiring transfer learning and with minimal sample prompts. Experimental results show that the algorithm achieves intersection over union segmentation accuracies of 94.9%, 92.7%, 94.9%, and 94.7% across different scenarios. Compared to state-of-the-art methods, it delivers precise segmentation with fewer local road image prompts, enabling efficient edge deployment.


An Anti-Range-Deception-Jamming Method for Networked Moving Radar Based on Trajectory Optimization

Xiaofei Han, Huafeng He, Chuan He, Qi Zhang, Liyuan Wang, Tao Zhou, Xin Zhang

Department of Control Engineering, Rocket Force University of Engineering, Xi’an 710025, China

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Special Support Plan for High level Talents in Shaanxi Province, Rocket Force University of Engineering Foundation for Young Scientists

Abstract: Aiming at the problem that the anti-range-deception-jamming effect of a networked moving radar system is severely affected by the spatial distribution of each radar, an anti-range-deception-jamming method for networked moving radar based on trajectory optimization is proposed. Firstly, the anti-jamming method of networked moving radar considering the radar position error (RPE) is proposed. Then, the theoretical expression for the false target (FT) misjudgment probability of networked moving radar is deduced. Based on the theoretical expression, a trajectory optimization model is formulated to minimize FT misjudgment probability. Simulation experiments validate both the correctness of the derived probability expression and the significant influence of the radar spatial distribution position on the FT misjudgment probability. Moreover, the simulation results verify that the proposed anti-jamming method can effectively reduce the FT misjudgment probability of networked moving radar under the condition of a high discrimination probability of the physical target (PT).


Model of an Open-Source MicroPython Library for GSM NB-IoT

Antonii Lupandin, Volodymyr Kopieikin, Maksym Khruslov, Iryna Artyshchuk, Ruslan Shevchuk

Department of Computer Systems and Robotics, Educational and Scientific Institute of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine

Abstract: The growing adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) demands scalable, energy-efficient communication for autonomous devices. Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), as a low-power wide-area technology, offers reliable connectivity but remains difficult to integrate in MicroPython systems due to the absence of high-level GSM libraries. This paper introduces a modular, object-oriented MicroPython library that abstracts AT command handling, automates network configuration, and supports protocols such as MQTT and Blynk. The architecture features a layered, hardware-agnostic core and device-specific adapters, enhancing portability and extensibility. The library includes structured exception handling and automated retries to improve system reliability. Empirical validation using a Raspberry Pi Pico and SIM7020E module in a typical IoT scenario demonstrated an up to 81% reduction in implementation time. By providing a reusable and extensible framework, this work improves developer productivity, enhances error resilience, and establishes a solid foundation for rapid NB-IoT application development. Future directions include cross-hardware validation and AI-assisted code and test generation.


Extracting Daily Routines from Raw RSSI Data

Raúl Montoliu, Emilio Sansano-Sansano, Marina Martínez-García, Sergio Lluva-Plaza, Ana Jiménez-Martín, José M. Villadangos-Carrizo, Juan Jesús García-Domínguez

Institute of New Imaging Technologies, Jaume I University, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain

Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)

Abstract: Detecting behavioral routines is an important research area with many implications in various practical applications. One such application involves studying the behavior of older adults residing in care homes. This paper proposes a comprehensive methodology for extracting and analyzing the daily routines of older adults in care homes. The methodology utilizes raw data comprising signal strength measurements obtained from smartwatches worn by six volunteers over five months. To establish the basis for estimating daily activities, fingerprint-based localization techniques are employed to track the minute-by-minute location of each volunteer. Subsequently, the activity performed by each volunteer is estimated for each day. Finally, the study estimates the probability of a user undertaking each one of the studied activities on a given weekday.


Numerical Simulation of Streaming Discharge Characteristics of Free Metal Particles in SF6/CF4 Gas Mixtures Under Highly Heterogeneous Electric Field

Bing Qi, Hui Wang, Chang Liu, Fuyou Teng, Daoxin Yu, Yuxuan Liang, Feihu Wang

Key Laboratory of Modern Power System Simulation and Control and Renewable Energy Technology, Ministry of Education, School of Electrical Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin City 132012, China

Jilin Provincial Natural Science Foundation

Abstract: Compared to pure SF6 gas, the SF6/CF4 gas mixture exhibits certain advantages in reducing greenhouse effects, lowering the liquefaction temperature, and decreasing the sensitivity to non-uniform electric fields, demonstrating significant application potential in high-voltage electrical equipment. This study employs a two-dimensional plasma fluid model to investigate the partial discharge phenomena induced by free metallic particles in SF6/CF4 gas mixtures, analyzing the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of key parameters, such as the charged particle density and axial electric field, under different mixing ratios. The simulation results show that there are two kinds of positive stream discharge phenomena, “continuous and decaying”, when the gas mixture ratio is 90%CF4-10%SF6 and 40%CF4-60%SF6. The proportion of CF4 in the gas mixture will affect the spatial distribution of charged particles and the production and disappearance of electrons. When the proportion of CF4 is 90%, the content of positive ions in the discharge channel is the highest, and the electric field formed by the positive space charge of CF4+ in the stream head promotes the continuous propagation of the stream. As the concentration of CF4 decreases, the main ionization reaction at the stream head shifts from CF4 to SF6, and a negative space charge region dominated by SF6− particles is also formed near the stream head, changing the electric field distribution near the flow head. The adhesion reaction rate is greater than the ionization reaction rate, resulting in the disappearance of electrons greater than the production, and the stream phenomenon tends to decay. These simulation results are helpful to understand the dynamic process of positive stream discharge induced by free metal particles in SF6/CF4 gas mixtures, and they provide a theoretical basis for better solutions to equipment damage caused by partial discharge.


Impact Evaluation of DME Beacons on BeiDou B2a Signal Reception Performance

Yicheng Li, Jinli Cui, Zhenyang Ma, Zhaobin Duan

Key Laboratory of Civil Aviation Aircraft Airworthiness Certification Technology, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China

Abstract: The operational integrity of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) has been significantly challenged by electromagnetic interference, particularly from Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) ground beacons to the newly implemented B2a signal, since its full operational deployment in 2020. This study developed a comprehensive interference evaluation model based on receiver signal processing principles to quantify the degradation of B2a signal reception performance under DME interference scenarios. Leveraging empirical data from the DME beacon network in the Chinese mainland, we systematically analyzed the interference effects through an effective carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N0), signal detection probability, carrier tracking accuracy, and demodulation bit error rate (BER). The results demonstrate that the effective C/N0 of the B2a signal degrades by up to 3.25 dB, the detection probability decreases by 33%, and the carrier tracking errors and BER increase by 2.57° and 5.1%, respectively, in worst-case interference scenarios. Furthermore, significant spatial correlation was observed between the interference hotspots and regions of high aircraft density. DME interference adversely affected the accuracy, availability, continuity, and integrity of the airborne BeiDou navigation system, thereby compromising civil aviation flight safety. These findings establish a scientific foundation for developing Minimum Operational Performance Standards for B2a signal receivers and for strategically optimizing DME beacon deployment throughout the Chinese mainland.


A 60 GHz Class-C Wide Tuning-Range Two-Core VCO Utilizing a Gain-Boosting Frequency Doubling Technique and an Adaptive Bias Scheme for Robust Startup

Ioannis Dimitrios Psycharis, Vasileios Tsourtis, Grigorios Kalivas

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Patras, 265 04 Patras, Greece

European Union and the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology

Abstract: This paper presents the design and the performance of a wide tuning-range millimeter-wave (mm-wave) two-core class-C 60 GHz VCO in 40 nm CMOS process, which can be integrated into wireless communication transceivers and radar sensors. The proposed architecture consists of a two-core 30 GHz fundamental VCO, a gain-boosted frequency doubler and an adaptive bias configuration. The two-core fundamental VCO structure achieves frequency generation in the vicinity of 30 GHz, where each VCO core targets a different frequency band. The two bands have sufficient overlap to accommodate for corner variations providing a large continuous tuning range. The desired frequency band is selected by activating or deactivating the appropriate VCO core, resulting in a robust switchless structure. This approach enables a considerably broad tuning range without compromising phase noise performance. Furthermore, the proposed topology utilizes an adaptive bias mechanism for robust start-up. Initially, the selected VCO core begins oscillating in class-B mode, and subsequently it transitions into class-C operation to offer improved performance. From post-layout simulations, after frequency doubling, the low-band VCO covers frequencies from 50.25 to 60.40 GHz, while the high-band VCO core spans frequencies from 58.8 to 73 GHz, yielding an overall tuning range of 36.92%. Owing to the gain-boosting topology, output power exceeds −14.2 dBm across the whole bandwidth. Simulated phase noise remains better than −92.1 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz offset for all bands. Additionally, the two VCO cores never operate simultaneously, aiding in power efficiency.


Hybrid Dual-Link Data Transmission Based on Internet of Vessels

Fei Li, Ying Guo, Ziqi Wang, Yuhang Chen, Jingyun Gu

College of Information Science and Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, China

National Key Research and Development Program of China

Abstract: The transmission of marine data is an urgent global challenge. Due to the particularity of underwater environments, the efficiency and reliability of data transmission in underwater acoustic communication are severely restricted, especially in long-distance and large-scale data transmission situations. This study proposes a dual-link data transmission method based on the Internet of Vessels, utilizing the powerful communication capabilities and flexibility of ships as relay nodes for data transmission. By constructing both above-water and underwater dual-link collaborative transmission, the method effectively improves data transmission rates and stability. Additionally, a spatial crowdsourcing allocation algorithm based on Bayesian reputation selection is designed to assess the capability of ships to complete tasks, and an integrated scoring function is used to select the optimal relay ship, solving the problems of relay ship selection and transmission path selection in the data transmission process. Furthermore, this study introduces an incentive mechanism for data transmission based on the Internet of Vessels, which maximizes the stability of data transmission. Experimental results show that the dual-link data transmission method of the Internet of Vessels significantly improves the reliability and transmission speed of underwater communication, providing a novel and practical solution for long-distance, large-volume data transmission in maritime environments.


Enhanced Cloud Detection Using a Unified Multimodal Data Fusion Approach in Remote Images

Yan Mo, Puhui Chen, Wanting Zhou, Wei Chen

College of Aeronautics Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China

Abstract: Aiming at the complexity of network architecture design and the low computational efficiency caused by variations in the number of modalities in multimodal cloud detection tasks, this paper proposes an efficient and unified multimodal cloud detection model, M2Cloud, which can process any number of modal data. The core innovation of M2Cloud lies in its novel multimodal data fusion method. This method avoids architectural changes for new modalities, thereby significantly reducing incremental computing costs and enhancing overall efficiency. Furthermore, the designed multimodal data fusion module possesses strong generalization capabilities and can be seamlessly integrated into other network architectures in a plug-and-play manner, greatly enhancing the module’s practicality and flexibility. To address the challenge of unified multimodal feature extraction, we adopt two key strategies: (1) constructing feature extraction modules with shared but independent weights for each modality to preserve the inherent features of each modality; (2) utilizing cosine similarity to adaptively learn complementary features between different modalities, thereby reducing redundant information. Experimental results demonstrate that M2Cloud achieves or even surpasses the state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance on the public multimodal datasets WHUS2-CD and WHUS2-CD+, verifying its effectiveness in the unified multimodal cloud detection task. The research presented in this paper offers new insights and technical support for the field of multimodal data fusion and cloud detection, and holds significant theoretical and practical value.


A Current Sensing Cross-Component Induction Magnetometer for Use in Time-Domain Borehole Geophysical Electromagnetic Surveys

School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne 3001, Australia

RMIT University, Abitibi Geophysics, Monex Geoscope

Abstract: Electromagnetic sensors are best defined by their linearity, signal sensitivity, and noise level. In borehole time-domain electromagnetics (TEM) the cross-components are defined as the two components perpendicular to the borehole’s axial direction. Induction sensors measuring voltage across an open coil for the cross-components have poor sensitivity, and fluxgate magnetometers have been a common band-limited alternative for borehole TEM surveys. In this research, we use a shorted coil with current rather than voltage sensing circuitry to produce a cross-component induction magnetometer (CCIM). With flux coupling and electronic adjustments, we achieved a low-cut corner frequency of 3.5 Hz in the final design of the CCIM. For the prototype sensor, we found the simple ratio of measured inductance L to winding resistance R to be a poor predictor of the −3 dB corner frequency, and a transfer function measurement was required. The cause of the discrepancy may be that the self-inductance measured by a meter is different from the coupling inductance to an external field. The measured noise level of our CCIM sensors was 125 pT/√Hz at 1 Hz, compared to a geometrically longer axial component sensor with 4 pT/√Hz at this frequency. However, our design matched the typical fluxgate noise level of 6 pT/√Hz at 10 Hz. Further, the CCIM sensors were superior to fluxgates at frequencies higher than 10 Hz, with an internal noise level of 0.1 pT/√Hz between 100 Hz and >20 kHz. Induction coils or magnetometers measuring the cross-component are attractive because they have excellent high-frequency bandwidth and can be included in the same downhole package with fluxgate sensors.


Special Issue “Emerging AI+X-Based Sensor and Networking Technologies including Selected Papers from ICGHIT 2022–2023”

Byung-Seo Kim, Muhammad Khalil Afzal, Rehmat Ullah

Department of Software and Communication Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong 30016, Republic of Korea

Abstract: This Special Issue is a collection of selected papers from the 10th and 11th International Conferences on Green and Human Information Technology (ICGHITs) [...]


The Frequency-Variable Rotor-Blade-Based Two-Degree-of-Freedom Actuation Principle for Linear and Rotary Motion

Xiaotao Li, Shengjiang Wang, Xiangyou Peng, Guan Xu, Jingshi Dong, Fengjun Tian, Qiuyu Zhang

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanling Campus, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Science and Technology Research Project of Education Department of Jilin Province

Abstract: Piezoelectric accurate actuation plays an important role in industrial applications. The intrinsic frequency of previous actuators is invariable. However, variable frequency can approach the range near the low-intrinsic-frequency and realize a high actuation capability. The frequency-variable linear and rotary motion (FVLRM) principle is proposed for rotor-blade-based two-degree-of-freedom driving. Inertial force is generated by frequency-variable piezoelectric oscillators (FVPO), the base frequency and vibration modes of which are adjustable by the changeable mass and position of the mass block. The variable-frequency principle of FVPO and the FVLRM are recognized and verified by the simulations and experiments, respectively. The experiments show that the FVLRM prototype moves the fastest when the mass block is placed at the farthest position and the prototype is at the second-order intrinsic frequencies of 42 Hz and 43 Hz, achieving a linear motion of 3.52 mm/s and a rotary motion of 286.9 mrad/s. The actuator adopts a lower operating frequency of less than 60 Hz and has the function of adjusting the natural frequency. It can achieve linear and rotational motion with a larger working stroke with 140 mm linear movement and 360° rotation.


BICM-ID Labeling-Based Recipient Identification in a Heterogeneous Network

Faculty of Computing and Telecommunications, Institute of Radiocommunications, Poznan University of Technology, Polanka 3, 61-131 Poznan, Poland

Polish Ministry of Education and Science

Abstract: The concept of labeling-based recipient identification (LABRID) for bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) is revisited. LABRID allows addressing a message recipient station in a wireless network by using an individual labeling map without compromising error performance. This eliminates the need to use any byte of the data frame to carry the recipient address explicitly. In addition, the destination of the frame can be determined in parallel with a BICM-ID decoding procedure in the receiver’s physical layer. Therefore, the MAC layer is not involved in processing the vast majority of frames transmitted in a network. Previously, it was shown that LABRID works fine if there are only LABRID-compatible stations within the network, and every receiver can reject frames destined for other receivers. This paper considers a scenario in which LABRID-compatible BICM-ID stations and legacy BICM stations coexist in the same network. A few experiments show that the LABRID receiver can reject an old-fashioned BICM frame by judging the convergence of the iterative decoding process. It also turns out that the legacy BICM receiver can identify and dismiss the LABRID-type frames thanks to the standard cyclic redundancy check (CRC) procedure.


Feasibility Study on the Discrimination of Fluor Concentration in the Liquid Scintillator Using PMT Waveform and Short-Pass Filter

Center for Precision Neutrino Research, Department of Physics, Chonnam National University, Yongbong-ro 77, Puk-gu, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea

National Research Foundation (NRF) of the Korean government

Abstract: Neutrinos are difficult to detect because they weakly interact with matter, making their properties least known. The response of the neutrino detector depends on the optical properties of the liquid scintillator (LS). Monitoring any characteristic changes in the LS helps to understand the temporal variation of detector response. In this study, a detector filled with LS was used to study the characteristics of the neutrinos detector. We investigated a method to distinguish the concentrations of PPO and bis-MSB, which are fluors added to LS, through a photomultiplier tube (PMT) acting as an optical sensor. Conventionally, it is very challenging to discriminate the flour concentration dissolved in LS. We employed the information of pulse shape and PMT coupled with the short-pass filter. To date, no literature report on a measurement using such an experimental setup has been published. As the concentration of PPO was increased, changes in the pulse shape were observed. In addition, as the concentration of bis-MSB was increased, a decrease in the light yield was observed in the PMT equipped with the short-pass filter. This result suggests the feasibility of real-time monitoring of LS properties, which are correlated with the fluor concentration, using a PMT without extracting the LS samples from the detector during the data acquisition process.