153 research outputs found
Wearable AI-enabled thermal comfort sensor for human-in-the-loop control of the HVAC system for energy-efficient building
No full textWireless, AI-enabled wearable thermal comfort sensor for energy-efficient, human-in-the-loop control of indoor temperature
No full textThe conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are based on a set-point control approach that only considers the temperature of the environment without reflecting the thermophysiological status of the occupant. This approach not only fails to fully satisfy individual thermal preferences, but it also makes an HVAC operation energy-inefficient. One possible solution is to control the indoor thermal condition based on an accurate prediction of the occupant's thermal comfort to prevent any unnecessary energy consumption. Here, we present an artificial intelligence (AI) wearable sensor-based human-in-the-loop HVAC control system that is operated on a real-time basis reflecting the thermophysiological condition of the occupant to automatically improve their thermal comfort while reducing the energy consumption of the building. The wristband-type, AI-based, three-point wearable temperature sensor offers excellent thermal comfort prediction accuracy (93.9%), enabling a human-centric HVAC control operation. A proof-of-concept demonstration of closed human-in-the-loop HVAC control using the AI-enabled wearable sensor system confirms both the accuracy of the thermal comfort prediction and the energy-efficiency of this approach, demonstrating its potential as a new solution that improves the occupant's thermal comfort and provides building energy savings.
Comparison of climatic factors on mosquito abundance at US Army Garrison Humphreys, Republic of Korea.
No full textIntroductionA number of studies have been conducted on the relationship between the distribution of mosquito abundance and meteorological variables. However, few studies have specifically provided specific ranges of temperatures for estimating the maximum abundance of mosquitoes as an empirical basis for climatic dynamics for estimating mosquito-borne infectious disease risks.MethodsAdult mosquitoes were collected for three consecutive nights/week using Mosquito Magnet® Independence® model traps during 2018 and 2019 at US Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea (ROK). An estimate of daily mean temperatures (provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration) were distributed at the maximum abundance for selected species of mosquitoes using daily mosquito collection data after controlling for mosquito ecological cycles and environmental factors.ResultsUsing the Monte-Carlo simulation, the overall mosquito population abundance peaked at 22.7°C (2.5th-97.5th: 21.7°C-23.8°C). Aedes albopictus, vector of Zika, chikungunya, dengue fever and other viruses, abundance peaked at 24.6°C (2.5th-97.5th, 22.3°C-25.6°C), while Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vectors, e.g., Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex pipiens, peaked at 24.3°C (2.5th-97.5th: 21.9°C-26.3°C) and 22.6°C (2.5th-97.5th: 21.9°C-25.2°C), respectively. Members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group, some of which are vivax malaria vectors in the ROK, abundance peaked at 22.4°C (2.5th-97.5th: 21.5°C-23.8°C).ConclusionThe empirical mean temperature ranges for maximum abundance were determined for each mosquito species collected at USAG Humphreys. These data contributed to the identification of relative mosquito abundance patterns for estimating mosquito-borne disease risks and developing and implementing disease prevention practices
Design and optimisation of a coreless superconducting synchronous generator
No full textConstantly increasing demand for electrical power requires more efficient and more powerful machines to be built. The conventional technology cannot provide such machines. It cannot deliver machines that are smaller, lighter and provide larger torques and power ratings. The answer to these problems is believed to be in superconducting machines.After short introduction to the phenomena of superconductivity and superconducting devices, practical superconducting tapes are described. The evolution and problems considered during the design of a coreless superconducting rotor for a synchronous machine are described. A few possible coreless rotor configurations are characterised and a simple formula is used to minimise the harmonic content.Estimation of machine parameters and evaluation of losses is also conducted. The areas to which particular attention has to be paid are pointed out. All these are undertaken for a demonstrator size machine with BSCCO windings. But to achieve real benefits it is important to build a machine that more closely represents real machines. Hence an optimisation method is used to investigate the possibility of increasing the size of the machine
Wireless optofluidic brain probes for chronic neuropharmacology and photostimulation
No full textBoth in vivo neuropharmacology and optogenetic stimulation can be used to decode neural circuitry, and can provide therapeutic strategies for brain disorders. However, current neuronal interfaces hinder long-term studies in awake and freely behaving animals, as they are limited in their ability to provide simultaneous and prolonged delivery of multiple drugs, are often bulky and lack multifunctionality, and employ custom control systems with insufficiently versatile selectivity for output mode, animal selection and target brain circuits. Here, we describe smartphone-controlled, minimally invasive, soft optofluidic probes with replaceable plug-like drug cartridges for chronic in vivo pharmacology and optogenetics with selective manipulation of brain circuits. We demonstrate the use of the probes for the control of the locomotor activity of mice for over four weeks via programmable wireless drug delivery and photostimulation. Owing to their ability to deliver both drugs and photopharmacology into the brain repeatedly over long time periods, the probes may contribute to uncovering the basis of neuropsychiatric diseases. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.FALSEsciescopu
200-mm Si CMOS Process-Compatible Integrated Passive Device Stack for Millimeter-Wave Monolithic 3-D Integration
No full textIn this article, we have demonstrated a simple 200-mm Si CMOS process-based integrated passive device (IPD) stack for millimeter-wave (mmW) monolithic 3-D (M3D) integration. By developing a double chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique for the final intermetal dielectric (IMD) process, an rms value of less than 1 nm for the top-surface roughness of the IPD stack was achieved, resulting in uniform 3-D integration of a 100-nm-thick active layer of the InGaAs high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) on the stack. The stack included a trap-rich layer (TRL) and a buried oxide layer (BOX) with a high-resistance Si substrate (HRS) to achieve high-frequency properties. The TRL and BOX were optimized to keep wafer bowing as low as possible while minimizing the radio frequency (RF) loss. A fabricated coplanar waveguide (CPW) based on a TRL with poly-Si deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LP-CVD) and a BOX with SiO deposited by LP-CVD exhibited an insertion loss (IL) value of 0.77 dB/mm at 40 GHz. IL values of the developed CPW were comparable to those of CMOS foundries, despite using thinner metal thickness, under a condition of the same metal width. The fabricated passive devices showed good quality factor (Q) characteristics sufficient to be utilized up to the V-band. In particular, the maximum Q values of the inductors are the best among Si lumped inductors reported in the mmW bands to date.
in Local Urban Parks of the Republic of Korea
No full textAedes albopictus (Skuse) was first reported in the Republic of Korea in 1941 (Suwon, Gyeonggi Province). Recently, a mosquito-monitoring program was established in response to the potential development of autochthonous infections of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, to identify the regional characteristics of Ae. albopictus in Suwon. Daily collections of adult mosquitoes were conducted using Blackhole UV-LED traps and BG-Sentinel traps baited with octenol, carbon dioxide or both at five sites in Suwon (Sungkyunkwan University, Manseok, Seoho, Olympic, and Jungang parks) from 1 July to 1 November 2016. Based on the ecological cycle of mosquitoes, an estimated association between the daily mean temperatures [2 wk prior to the collection date (lag 2 wk)] and relative population abundance were developed using a generalized linear model. The overall proportion of female mosquitoes collected from all traps was 88.3%. Higher female trap indices were observed for mosquitoes collected at BG-Sentinel traps. Additionally, the BG-sentinel trap was more effective collecting Ae. albopictus. Culex pipiens (Coquillett) was the most frequently collected mosquito using UV-LED traps, followed by Ae. vexans nipponii (Theobald), Ochlerotatus koreicus (Edwards), Cx. inatomi (Kamimura and Wada), and members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group. Within a certain temperature range, daily mean temperatures 2 wk prior to the collection period was significantly associated with a maximum abundance of Ae. albopictus (P < 0.05) at 26.2°C (95% confidence interval: 24.3-29.4°C). The BG-Sentinel trap is an effective trap for monitoring relative population abundance of Ae. albopictus, and trap catches are significantly correlated with daily mean temperatures.
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