Showing papers by "Cranfield University published in 2019"
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of noble metal free doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) photocatalysts for water purification is presented.
353 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that there is no single measure that clearly discriminates mental workload but there is a growing empirical basis with which to inform both science and practice.
319 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight strategies to improve the activity of conventional semiconductor photocatalysts via coupling with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and suggest research directions to address challenges such as the inadequate separation of photoinduced charge carriers.
299 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the last updates on additive manufacturing technologies, material issues, post-processes, and design aspects, particularly in the aviation industry, including various cost models, spare part digitalization and environmental consequences.
278 citations
TL;DR: A driver activities recognition system is designed based on the deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) to identify whether the driver is being distracted or not and the binary detection rate achieved 91.4% accuracy shows the advantages of using the proposed deep learning approach.
Abstract: Driver decisions and behaviors are essential factors that can affect the driving safety. To understand the driver behaviors, a driver activities recognition system is designed based on the deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) in this paper. Specifically, seven common driving activities are identified, which are the normal driving, right mirror checking, rear mirror checking, left mirror checking, using in-vehicle radio device, texting, and answering the mobile phone, respectively. Among these activities, the first four are regarded as normal driving tasks, while the rest three are classified into the distraction group. The experimental images are collected using a low-cost camera, and ten drivers are involved in the naturalistic data collection. The raw images are segmented using the Gaussian mixture model to extract the driver body from the background before training the behavior recognition CNN model. To reduce the training cost, transfer learning method is applied to fine tune the pre-trained CNN models. Three different pre-trained CNN models, namely, AlexNet, GoogLeNet, and ResNet50 are adopted and evaluated. The detection results for the seven tasks achieved an average of 81.6% accuracy using the AlexNet, 78.6% and 74.9% accuracy using the GoogLeNet and ResNet50, respectively. Then, the CNN models are trained for the binary classification task and identify whether the driver is being distracted or not. The binary detection rate achieved 91.4% accuracy, which shows the advantages of using the proposed deep learning approach. Finally, the real-world application are analyzed and discussed.
239 citations
TL;DR: A stochastic model predictive controller (MPC) based on Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle (PMP), which differs from widely used dynamic programming (DP)-based predictive methods is proposed, demonstrating the promising performance and computational efficiency of the proposed methodology.
230 citations
TL;DR: The objectives of this manuscript are to discuss the main greenhouse gas emissions sources from the livestock sector and summarize the best mitigation strategies aimed at reducing emissions of this sector.
Abstract: According to the United Nations (UN, 2017), the world population increased by approximately 1 billion inhabitants during the last 12 years, reaching nearly 7.6 billion in 2017. Although this growth is slower than 10 years ago (1.24% vs. 1.10% per year), with an average increase of 83 million people annually, global population will reach about 8.6 billion in 2030 and 9.8 billion in 2050. Population growth, urbanization, and income rise in developing countries are the main driver of the increased demand for livestock products (UN, 2017). The livestock sector requires a significant amount of natural resources and is responsible for about 14.5% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (7.1 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents for the year 2005; Gerber et al., 2013). Mitigation strategies aimed at reducing emissions of this sector are needed to limit the environmental burden from food production while ensuring a sufficient supply of food for a growing world population. The objectives of this manuscript are to 1) discuss the main greenhouse gas emissions sources from the livestock sector and 2) summarize the best mitigation strategies.
218 citations
TL;DR: Recent advances in the adaptation of noble metal nanomaterials and their biomedical applications in therapeutics, diagnostics and sensing are highlighted.
217 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors comprehensively reviewed previous knowledge from digestion studies using high nitrogen waste streams as feedstocks and critically analyzed the considerable variations in the inhibition/toxicity levels reported for ammonia.
Abstract: As a waste management technology which offers environmental benefit and renewable energy production, anaerobic digestion (AD) has become the preferred technology for the treatment of organic waste. However, in such waste streams nitrogen contents are likely to be high. There is prevailing literature evidence suggests that high ammonia concentration especially its free molecular form (NH3), derived from nitrogen content in substrates is the cause of inhibition and sudden failure of the AD process. This paper comprehensively reviews previous knowledge from digestion studies using high nitrogen waste streams as feedstocks and critically analysed the considerable variations in the inhibition/toxicity levels reported for ammonia. Literature evidences suggest methanogens, particularly acetoclastic methanogens are most susceptible to ammonia toxicity, and therefore this review has a particular focus on the mechanism of the ‘selective’ inhibition to methanogens and the impact of ammonia toxicity to the overall methanogen population in an AD digester. This population change explains in many reported cases that sufficient acclimatisation can significantly alleviate the phenomenon of inhibition and specific requirement of certain trace nutrients. Currently available mitigation strategies for high nitrogen content feedstock digestion are reviewed and discussed in relation to the population change and trace nutrient requirements.
198 citations
TL;DR: An overview of the ego-vehicle driver intention inference (DII), which mainly focuses on the lane change intention on highways, is provided.
Abstract: Intelligent vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) need to have proper awareness of the traffic context, as well as the driver status since ADAS share the vehicle control authorities with the human driver. This paper provides an overview of the ego-vehicle driver intention inference (DII), which mainly focuses on the lane change intention on highways. First, a human intention mechanism is discussed in the beginning to gain an overall understanding of the driver intention. Next, the ego-vehicle driver intention is classified into different categories based on various criteria. A complete DII system can be separated into different modules, which consist of traffic context awareness, driver states monitoring, and the vehicle dynamic measurement module. The relationship between these modules and the corresponding impacts on the DII are analyzed. Then, the lane change intention inference system is reviewed from the perspective of input signals, algorithms, and evaluation. Finally, future concerns and emerging trends in this area are highlighted.
169 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reported the first time manufacturing of hybrid fiber reinforced biodegradable composites using sisal and hemp fiber with polylactic acid employing melt processing and injection molding techniques.
TL;DR: In this article, the detailed microstructure evolution occurring in the HAZ bands has been revisited, based on new evidence, and is shown to involve both dark and white etching bands.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of adding bitcoin to an optimal portfolio (naive, long-only, semi-constrained with and without bitcoin shorting) by relying on the mean-CVaR approach was explored.
TL;DR: A detailed survey of magnetic iron oxide-integrated photocatalysts (MIOIPs) for water purification is presented in this article, in which essential conditions needed for designing of efficient MIOIPs are discussed.
Kerman Medical University1, University of Cologne2, Queen's University Belfast3, Universidade Federal de Pelotas4, Florida International University5, Université libre de Bruxelles6, University of California, Los Angeles7, Arak University8, Pasteur Institute of Iran9, Mahatma Gandhi University10, ETH Zurich11, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology12, Universiti Putra Malaysia13, Harvard University14, Iran University of Medical Sciences15, University of Aveiro16, University of Kiel17, Cranfield University18, Shiv Nadar University19
TL;DR: The present status of the field is detailed and several important questions about the potential of plant-based hydrogels in advanced biomedical applications including therapeutics, tissue engineering, wound dressing, and diagnostics are answered.
TL;DR: Li et al. as mentioned in this paper proposed a shell-in-shell hollow TiO2 photocatalyst (HTAT) for the complete degradation of tetracycline (TC and TCH) under simulated solar light irradiation.
TL;DR: Three state-of-the-art ML models including support vector machine, random forest, and k-nearest neighbor were selected and it is highlighted that the kNN model is the best model because it has the lowest uncertainty based on the PICP statistic in both the QR and UNEEC methods.
TL;DR: This paper presents the use of a Virtual Reality digital twin of a physical layout as a mechanism to understand human reactions to both predictable and unpredictable robot motions and validate the effectiveness of the Virtual Reality environment.
Abstract: Testing and implementation of Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) could be dangerous due to the high-speed movements and massive forces generated by industrial robots. Wherever humans and industrial robots share a common workplace, accidents are likely to happen and always unpredictable. This has hindered the development of human robot collaborative strategies as well as the ability of authorities to pass regulations on how humans and robots should work together in close proximities. This paper presents the use of a Virtual Reality digital twin of a physical layout as a mechanism to understand human reactions to both predictable and unpredictable robot motions. A set of established metrics as well as a newly developed Kinetic Energy Ratio metric are used to analyse human reactions and validate the effectiveness of the Virtual Reality environment. It is the aim that Virtual Reality digital twins could inform the safe implementation of Human-Robot Collaborative strategies in factories of the future.
TL;DR: Recent advances on electrospinning of biopolymers with particular emphasis on usage of Alginate for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications are summarized.
Abstract: Innovative solutions using biopolymer-based materials made of several constituents seems to be particularly attractive for packaging in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. In this direction, some progress has been made in extending use of the electrospinning process towards fiber formation based on biopolymers and organic compounds for the preparation of novel packaging materials. Electrospinning can be used to create nanofiber mats characterized by high purity of the material, which can be used to create active and modern biomedical and pharmaceutical packaging. Intelligent medical and biomedical packaging with the use of polymers is a broadly and rapidly growing field of interest for industries and academia. Among various polymers, alginate has found many applications in the food sector, biomedicine, and packaging. For example, in drug delivery systems, a mesh made of nanofibres produced by the electrospinning method is highly desired. Electrospinning for biomedicine is based on the use of biopolymers and natural substances, along with the combination of drugs (such as naproxen, sulfikoxazol) and essential oils with antibacterial properties (such as tocopherol, eugenol). This is a striking method due to the ability of producing nanoscale materials and structures of exceptional quality, allowing the substances to be encapsulated and the drugs/biologically active substances placed on polymer nanofibers. So, in this article we briefly summarize the recent advances on electrospinning of biopolymers with particular emphasis on usage of Alginate for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
TL;DR: Assessment of the GHG impact of a 100% shift to organic food production in England and Wales finds that direct GHG emissions are reduced with organic farming, but when increased land use abroad to allow for production shortfalls is factored in, emissions are elevated well-above the baseline.
Abstract: Agriculture is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and must feature in efforts to reduce emissions. Organic farming might contribute to this through decreased use of farm inputs and increased soil carbon sequestration, but it might also exacerbate emissions through greater food production elsewhere to make up for lower organic yields. To date there has been no rigorous assessment of this potential at national scales. Here we assess the consequences for net GHG emissions of a 100% shift to organic food production in England and Wales using life-cycle assessment. We predict major shortfalls in production of most agricultural products against a conventional baseline. Direct GHG emissions are reduced with organic farming, but when increased overseas land use to compensate for shortfalls in domestic supply are factored in, net emissions are greater. Enhanced soil carbon sequestration could offset only a small part of the higher overseas emissions.
TL;DR: A model predictive control of EMS based on an optimal battery depth of discharge (DOD) for a minimum sum of ECC and EBLLC is proposed and the results indicate that MPCs with a battery aging model lower the total cost by 1.65%, 1.29% and 1.38%, respectively.
TL;DR: In this article, the feasibility of achieving high deposition rate using wire + arc additive manufacturing in stainless steel to reduce lead time and cost of manufacturing was investigated and a 9.5 kg/h deposition rate was achieved.
Abstract: This study investigates the feasibility of achieving high deposition rate using wire + arc additive manufacturing in stainless steel to reduce lead time and cost of manufacturing. The pulse MIG welding technique with a tandem torch was used for depositing martensitic stainless steel 17-4 pH. The mechanical and metallurgical properties of the manufactured component were analysed to evaluate the limitations and the extent to which the rate of deposition reaches a maximum without any failure or defect being evident in the manufactured component. Deposition rate of 9.5 kg/h was achieved. The hardness was matched for the as deposited condition.
TL;DR: Ant colony algorithm and kernel density estimation were applied to identify the range and restoration points of ecological corridors, which is important for natural conservation and ecological restoration of Beijing City.
Abstract: Ecological security patterns composed of ecological sources and corridors provide an effective approach to conserving natural ecosystems. Although the direction of ecological corridors has been identified in previous studies, the precise range remains unknown. To address this crucial gap, ant colony algorithm and kernel density estimation were applied to identify the range and restoration points of ecological corridors, which is important for natural conservation and ecological restoration. In this case study of Beijing City, ecological sources were identified based on habitat importance and landscape connectivity. The results showed that, in total 3119.65 km2 of ecological land had been extracted as ecological sources, which were mainly located in the northern, northwestern and northeastern mountainous areas. The identified key ecological corridor covered an area of 198.86 km2, with 567.30 km2 for potential ecological corridors, both connecting the ecological sources. 34 key points were also identified with priority in restoring ecological corridors.
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of internal porosity on the fatigue strength of wire-plus-arc additive manufactured titanium alloy (WAAM Ti-6Al-4V) was investigated.
TL;DR: A review of the basic sensing platforms implemented using tapered optical fibres and their application for development of fibre-optic physical, chemical and bio-sensors is presented.
Abstract: The development of reliable, affordable and efficient sensors is a key step in providing tools for efficient monitoring of critical environmental parameters. This review focuses on the use of tapered optical fibres as an environmental sensing platform. Tapered fibres allow access to the evanescent wave of the propagating mode, which can be exploited to facilitate chemical sensing by spectroscopic evaluation of the medium surrounding the optical fibre, by measurement of the refractive index of the medium, or by coupling to other waveguides formed of chemically sensitive materials. In addition, the reduced diameter of the tapered section of the optical fibre can offer benefits when measuring physical parameters such as strain and temperature. A review of the basic sensing platforms implemented using tapered optical fibres and their application for development of fibre-optic physical, chemical and bio-sensors is presented.
TL;DR: In this paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-deposited and heat-treated 2024 aluminum alloy deposits were tested and analyzed, and it was shown that post-deposition heat treatment can improve the micro hardness, strength and horizontal elongation of WAAM 2024 alloy deposits.
TL;DR: In this article, Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) is applied to analyse online user-generated airline reviews and find that there are fundamental differences in the drivers of passenger satisfaction depending on the class of air travel purchased, and whether the airline is a low cost or a full service carrier.
Leibniz Association1, Humboldt University of Berlin2, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev3, Flinders University4, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology5, Technical University of Berlin6, Stockholm University7, University of Birmingham8, University of Trento9, Free University of Berlin10, Vanderbilt University11, Cranfield University12, Indiana University13, Leibniz University of Hanover14, University of Bayreuth15, National Research Council16, Royal Institute of Technology17, ETH Zurich18, Technische Universität Darmstadt19
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight the potential of hyporheic restoration to efficiently manage and reactivate ecosystem functions and services in river corridors, highlighting the critical importance of hy porheic zones, both from a scientific and an applied perspective, and their role in ecosystem services.
Abstract: Rivers are important ecosystems under continuous anthropogenic stresses. The hyporheic zone is a ubiquitous, reactive interface between the main channel and its surrounding sediments along the river network. We elaborate on the main physical, biological, and biogeochemical drivers and processes within the hyporheic zone that have been studied by multiple scientific disciplines for almost half a century. These previous efforts have shown that the hyporheic zone is a modulator for most metabolic stream processes and serves as a refuge and habitat for a diverse range of aquatic organisms. It also exerts a major control on river water quality by increasing the contact time with reactive environments, which in turn results in retention and transformation of nutrients, trace organic compounds, fine suspended particles, and microplastics, among others. The paper showcases the critical importance of hyporheic zones, both from a scientific and an applied perspective, and their role in ecosystem services to answer the question of the manuscript title. It identifies major research gaps in our understanding of hyporheic processes. In conclusion, we highlight the potential of hyporheic restoration to efficiently manage and reactivate ecosystem functions and services in river corridors.
Abstract: Scenarios have been recognised as a useful tool for planning, which have resulted in a strong increase in the number of (multi-scale) scenarios in climate change research This paper addresses the need for methodological progress and testing of conceptual considerations, by extending the global shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) We present a set of four European SSPs until 2100 and a novel method to develop qualitative stories for Europe equivalent to the global SSPs starting from an existing set of European scenarios Similar to the global SSPs, the set includes a sustainable future with global cooperation and less intensive lifestyles (We are the World; Eur-SSP1); a future in which countries struggle to maintain living standards in a high-carbon intensive Europe (Icarus; Eur-SSP3); a world in which power becomes concentrated in a small elite and where Europe becomes an important player (Riders on the Storm; Eur-SSP4); and one where a lack of environmental concern leads to the over-exploitation of fossil fuel resources addressed by technological solutions (Fossil-fuelled Development; Eur-SSP5) We conclude that the global SSPs are a good starting point for developing equivalent continental scale scenarios that, in turn, can serve multiple purposes There are, however, methodological challenges related to the choice for equivalence and the exact methods by which scenarios are constructed that need to be tested further