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Topic Review
Cool Roofs
The use of white roofing material is a suggestion because of its cooling, evaporative and efficiency characteristics compared to traditional black roofing materials. Many research studies have shown that the darker roofing surfaces that are prevalent in many urban areas actually can increase temperature by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius to the environment surrounding these urban areas. Additionally, improved temperature control and heat reflection also work to reduce the energy requirements for the interior spaces of the structures that have white roofing surfaces. The white or lighter colored roofs tend to reflect a part of the solar radiation that strikes the roof’s surface. Consequently, one might believe that white roofing material would be commonplace and especially so within emerging economies. Yet, this is hardly the case at all. 
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Improving Dust Collector Efficiency for Pneumatic Conveying
A dust collection system removes the dust contents of an industrial environment to provide a comfortable work environment and meet safety and health regulations. The system takes the dust particles and carries them outside for disposal or reuse possibilities.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Diesel Engines Emissions Reduction
Compression ignition engines play a significant role in the development of a country. They are widely used due to their innate properties such as high efficiency, high power output, and durability. However, they are considered one of the key contributors to transport-related emissions and have recently been identified as carcinogenic. Thus, it is important to modify the designs and processes before, during, and after combustion to reduce the emissions to meet the strict emission regulations.
  • 1.5K
  • 13 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Solar Thermal Systems
The use of solar thermal systems (STSs) has reached a significant edge. The increasing research on developing an alternative power supply for limiting fossil fuel usage and climate change are the driving forces of STSs. STSs’ applications, including PV/T or “photovoltaic/thermal” systems, zero-energy buildings, greenhouse solar thermal applications, solar thermal for pumping water, solar thermal refrigerators, solar chimneys, water desalination, and solar collectors, along with the benefits and challenges of these applications.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Multimodal Natural Human–Computer Interfaces for Computer-Aided Design
Computer-aided design (CAD) systems have advanced to become a critical tool in product design. Nevertheless, they still primarily rely on the traditional mouse and keyboard interface. This limits the naturalness and intuitiveness of the 3D modeling process. Recently, a multimodal human–computer interface (HCI) has been proposed as the next-generation interaction paradigm. Widening the use of a multimodal HCI provides new opportunities for realizing natural interactions in 3D modeling.
  • 1.5K
  • 15 Jul 2022
Topic Review
ProFatigue Software
The program was developed by the IEMES (Structural Integrity: Materials and Structures) Research Group at the University of Oviedo, in collaboration with Prof. Castillo of the University of Cantabria and Empa-Dübendorf (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology). ProFatigue is based on the Weibull’s regression model proposed by Castillo-Canteli in order to satisfy the physical and statistical conditions required by any valid fatigue model.
  • 1.5K
  • 27 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Methods of Microstructured Surface Finishing
For microstructured surfaces, surface accuracy and surface quality are two key elements, because surface shape determines its function and surface quality affects its performance. Precision machining techniques such as cutting and grinding are considered to be a more reasonable and effective way for microstructured surfaces of tens to hundreds of microns at present [5]. Although the precision machining technology can meet the requirements of sub-micron accuracy, it cannot effectively guarantee the surface quality. Deformation of the material during the removal process will result in the formation of residual stress, surface/subsurface damage and other defects, tool marks and ripples, etc.[6] These defect will seriously affect the performance of microstructured work pieces importantly [7][8][9]. Compared with flat and curved surfaces, the microstructured surface is complicated, small in size and discontinuous, which leads to the over-polishing phenomenon in the sharp corner area and the groove area is difficult to be machined. Therefore, it is difficult to polish the microstructured surface while improving the surface quality of microstructure without reducing the accuracy of its surface shape.
  • 1.5K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Control-Based 4D Printing
Building on the recent progress of four-dimensional (4D) printing to produce dynamic structures, this study aimed to bring this technology to the next level by introducing control-based 4D printing to develop adaptive 4D-printed systems with highly versatile multi-disciplinary applications, including medicine, in the form of assisted soft robots, smart textiles as wearable electronics and other industries such as agriculture and microfluidics. This study introduced and analyzed adaptive 4D-printed systems with an advanced manufacturing approach for developing stimuli-responsive constructs that organically adapted to environmental dynamic situations and uncertainties as nature does. The adaptive 4D-printed systems incorporated synergic integration of three-dimensional (3D)-printed sensors into 4D-printing and control units, which could be assembled and programmed to transform their shapes based on the assigned tasks and environmental stimuli. This paper demonstrates the adaptivity of these systems via a combination of proprioceptive sensory feedback, modeling and controllers, as well as the challenges and future opportunities they present.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Natural Thermal Convection of Nanofluids
Nanofluids are considered as advanced heat transfer media for thermal management and conversion systems. Research on the convective heat transfer is of paramount importance for their numerous applications. This paper presents development of experimental research on the natural convection heat transfer of nanofluids in different geometries. Experimental results and available experiment-derived correlations for the natural thermal convection of nanofluids are critically analysed. Other features such as nanofluid preparation and thermophysical properties of nanofluids that are important for convection heat transfer are also briefly reviewed and discussed. It is demonstrated that there is considerable inconsistencies of available results on these properties and features of nanofluids.Although nanofluids exhibit enhanced thermophysical properties like viscosity and thermal conductivity, convective heat transfer coefficients were also observed to deteriorate in some cases when nanofluids were used, especially for higher concentration of nanoparticles (> 0.1 vol%). However, the underlying mechanisms are also not yet well-understood despite its great importance for practical applications.
  • 1.5K
  • 05 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Recent Advances in Wind Turbine Noise Research
A review of current research on many aspects of wind turbine noise generation and propagation, as well as its effects on humans and fauna has been undertaken. Research areas considered include turbine noise generation, turbine designs to minimize noise generation, noise propagation to surrounding communities, effects of noise on surrounding communities (including fauna) and regulation (including compliance checking).
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Liquid–Gas Jet Pump
The liquid–gas jet pump (LGJP) is a kind of fluid conveying machinery and mixing reaction equipment, utilizing high-speed working liquid ejected from the nozzle to transfer energy to pumped gas through momentum exchange.
  • 1.5K
  • 03 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Potential of Cable-Driven Continuum Robots
Rigid robots have found wide-ranging applications in manufacturing automation, owing to their high loading capacity, high speed, and high precision. Nevertheless, these robots typically feature joint-based drive mechanisms, possessing limited degrees of freedom (DOF), bulky structures, and low manipulability in confined spaces. In contrast, continuum robots, drawing inspiration from biological structures, exhibit characteristics such as high compliance, lightweight designs, and high adaptability to various environments. Among them, cable-driven continuum robots (CDCRs) driven by multiple cables offer advantages like higher dynamic response compared to pneumatic systems and increased working space and higher loading capacity compared to shape memory alloy (SMA) drives. However, CDCRs also exhibit some shortcomings, including complex motion, drive redundancy, challenging modeling, and control difficulties.
  • 1.5K
  • 11 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Evaluation for the Passenger Comfort in Automated Vehicles
With the development of intelligence and network connectivity, the development of the automotive industry is also moving toward intelligent systems. For passengers, the utility of intelligence is to achieve more convenience and comfort. The intelligent cockpit is the place where passengers directly interact with the car, which directly affects the experience of passengers in the car. For the intelligent cockpits that have emerged, it could be used for the evaluation of passenger comfort.
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Classification of Non-Destructive Evaluation
Inspection methods, also known as non-destructive evaluation (NDE), is a process for inspecting materials, products, and facilities to identify flaws, imperfections, and malfunctions without destruction or changing the integrity of materials, structures, and mechanisms.
  • 1.4K
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Frequency Up-Conversion for Vibration Energy Harvesting
Energy harvesting technology renders a solution of powering small electronics by harnessing energy from ambient energy sources, such as solar, radio frequency (RF), thermal, and vibration. The rapid development of micro-electronic and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) has dramatically reduced the power supply demand. For example, the power consumption of some up-to-date embedded micro-controllers in ultra-low-power mode has been reduced to about 30–250 nW. Therefore, employing energy harvesting technology to provide a sustainable power supply has become possible in a wide range of applications, including wireless remote sensors for structural health monitoring, implanted sensors for medical devices, etc.
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Graphene-Based Environmental Sensors
Graphene-Based Environmental Sensors means use graphene as a sensing platform for environmental applications. Especially, we highlight the electrical and optical sensing devices developed based on graphene and its derivatives.
  • 1.4K
  • 04 May 2021
Topic Review
3D Printed Nonlinear Musculoskeletal Actuator
A nature-inspired musculoskeletal-actuator system is developed using 3d printing for robotic applications. The actuator resembles the rigid segments and the soft-rigid interaction architecture found in limbless vertebrates such as snakes. The rigid segments provide an increase in the range of motion while maintaining structural durability and stability. The soft-rigid interactions provided a remarkable increase in energy transmission and storage, which enhanced the reliability of the musculoskeletal-actuator. Additionally, passive structural stiffness and damping control are achieved. Similar to a muscular system, our musculoskeletal-actuator is capable of increasing its stiffness and damping up to 100% and 60%, respectively, upon load lifting.
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Experimental Techniques for Chatter Avoidance
The general trend towards lightweight components and stronger but difficult to machine materials leads to a higher probability of vibrations in machining systems. Amongst them, chatter vibrations are an old enemy for machinists with the most dramatic cases resulting in machine-tool failure, accelerated tool wear and tool breakage or part rejection due to unacceptable surface finish. To avoid vibrations, process designers tend to command conservative parameters limiting productivity. Among the different machining processes, turning is responsible of a great amount of the chip volume removed worldwide.
  • 1.4K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Agrivoltaics in Alberta Canada
As Alberta increases conventional solar power generation, land-use conflicts with agriculture increase. A solution that enables low-carbon electricity generation and continued (in some cases, increased) agricultural output is the co-locating of solar photovoltaics (PV) and agriculture: agrivoltaics.
  • 1.4K
  • 10 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Reliability of Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors in Cold Environments
Aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) are vital in efficiently operating switched-mode power supplies (SMPSs) by regulating energy storage and voltage. These capacitors are widely used due to their high capacitance and cost-effectiveness. However, their performance at low temperatures is a critical aspect that demands a thorough investigation, particularly in applications where SMPSs are subjected to sub-zero operating conditions. 
  • 1.4K
  • 30 Aug 2023
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