Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology

About: Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Supply chain & Combustion. The organization has 1048 authors who have published 1678 publications receiving 30067 citations.

A Single-Channel Consumer-Grade EEG Device for Brain–Computer Interface: Enhancing Detection of SSVEP and Its Amplitude Modulation

Abstract: Brain-Computer interfaces (BCIs) play a significant role in easing neuromuscular patients on controlling computers and prosthetics. Due to their high signal-to-noise ratio, steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) has been widely used to build BCIs. However, currently developed algorithms do not predict the modulation of SSVEP amplitude, which is known to change as a function of stimulus luminance contrast. In this study, we aim to develop an integrated approach to simultaneously estimate the frequency and contrast-related amplitude modulations of the SSVEP signal. To achieve that, we developed a behavioral task in which human participants focused on a visual flicking target which the luminance contrast can change through time in several ways. SSVEP signals from 16 subjects were then recorded from electrodes placed at the central occipital site using a low-cost, consumer-grade EEG. Our results demonstrate that the filter bank canonical correlation analysis (FBCCA) performed well in SSVEP frequency recognition, while the support vector regression (SVR) outperformed the other supervised machine learning algorithms in predicting the contrast-dependent amplitude modulations of the SSVEPs. These findings indicate the applicability and strong performance of our integrated method at simultaneously predicting both frequency and amplitude of visually evoked signals, and have proven to be useful for advancing SSVEP-based applications.

Microplastics Contamination in a High Population Density Area of the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Abstract: Microplastics (MPs) are distributed globally, including in aquatic environments. While a large number of studies on MPs in marine environments have been performed, few studies are available in freshwater environments. Therefore, the distribution of MPs in surface water and sediment from the Chao Phraya River at Tha Prachan, a high population density area of Bangkok, was investigated. Water samples were collected by a manta trawl with a net mesh size of 300 mm. Sediment samples were collected by a Van Veen grab sampler. The total number and concentration of MPs in the water samples were found to be 104 particles/m 3 and 805.20 mg/m 3 , respectively. The dominant MPs were fragments, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in size, for the water samples. In the sediment, MPs were detected only in a size range of 0.053 to 0.5 mm with a total number and concentration of 2,290 particles/kg and 650 mg/kg, respectively. The presence of different types of MPs was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with a dominant abundance of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. In brief, this study suggests that high levels of MPs occur not only in the water but also in the sediment of the Chao Phraya River at Tha Prachan area.

Effects of design features on combustion efficiency and emission performance of a biomass-fuelled fluidized-bed combustor

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of some measures leading to intensification of the combustion process in a biomass-fuelled fluidized-bed combustor with a cone-shape bed (or ‘conical FBC’). Two combustors firing rice husks with elevated fuel-ash content were the focus of this study. Compared to the pilot 350-kWth conical FBC exhibiting combustion efficiency of up to 96%, the newly constructed 400-kWth combustor included geometrical and design modifications aimed at improving the combustion efficiency and emission performance of the reactor. Differences between the air distributors and Δp–u diagrams (accounting for the total pressure drop across the air distributor and gas–solid fluidized bed) for the two reactors are discussed. Axial temperature and gas concentration (O2, CO and NOx) profiles in the combustors were compared for similar operating conditions (excess air and heat release rate per unit cross-sectional area). At excess air of 40–60%, the bed temperature in the advanced conical FBC was substantially, by about 180 °C, higher than that in the pilot combustor, mainly, due to better fuel–air mixing and higher residence time of reactants. The formation and decomposition of CO and NO in the bed region as well as in the freeboard of these two combustors showed quite different trends under similar operating conditions. At excess air of 40–60%, the CO emission from the advanced conical FBC was found to be much (7–8 times) lower than that from the pilot combustor, while the NOx emissions were represented by almost the same values. High (over 99%) combustion efficiency was achieved when firing rice husk in the advanced 400 kWth conical FBC for the range of excess air.

Shear strengthening of RC deep beams with sprayed fibre-reinforced polymer composites (SFRP) and anchoring systems: part 1. Experimental study

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental study on externally bonded sprayed fibre reinforced polymers (shortly as SFRP) RC deep beams to investigate the efficiency of SFRP in shear strengthening. Based on the experimental results, reinforced concrete deep beams strengthened by SFRP composites may fail by debonding of SFRP from the beam surface. To avoid such failures, various forms of anchoring systems have been proposed and tested to evaluate their performances in preventing the delamination of SFRP from concrete surface. A series of three-point loading tests was conducted on SFRP strengthened deep beams. The research parameters included SFRP material (glass and carbon), thickness, configuration, i.e. SFRP applied onto two or three sides, compressive strength of concrete and types of anchoring systems. Proposed anchoring systems (Through Bolts, Mechanical Expansion Bolts and Epoxy Chemical Bolts) were found to be effective to prevent the delamination of SFRP. Test results indicated that SFRP was capable of en...