scholarly journals Low-Cost IoT Remote Sensor Mesh for Large-Scale Orchard Monitorization

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Leonor Varandas ◽  
João Faria ◽  
Pedro Gaspar ◽  
Martim Aguiar
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Remote Measurement ◽  
Land Protection ◽  
Remote Monitoring System ◽  
Solar Powered ◽  
The Individual ◽  
System Nodes

Population growth and climate change lead agricultural cultures to face environmental degradation and rising of resistant diseases and pests. These conditions result in reduced product quality and increasing risk of harmful toxicity to human health. Thus, the prediction of the occurrence of diseases and pests and the consequent avoidance of the erroneous use of phytosanitary products will contribute to improving food quality and safety and environmental land protection. This study presents the design and construction of a low-cost IoT sensor mesh that enables the remote measurement of parameters of large-scale orchards. The developed remote monitoring system transmits all monitored data to a central node via LoRaWAN technology. To make the system nodes fully autonomous, the individual nodes were designed to be solar-powered and to require low energy consumption. To improve the user experience, a web interface and a mobile application were developed, which allow the monitored information to be viewed in real-time. Several experimental tests were performed in an olive orchard under different environmental conditions. The results indicate an adequate precision and reliability of the system and show that the system is fully adequate to be placed in remote orchards located at a considerable distance from networks, being able to provide real-time parameters monitoring of both tree and the surrounding environment.

scholarly journals Solar-Powered Deep Learning-Based Recognition System of Daily Used Objects and Human Faces for Assistance of the Visually Impaired

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 6104
Author(s):  
Bernardo Calabrese ◽  
Ramiro Velázquez ◽  
Carolina Del-Valle-Soto ◽  
Roberto de Fazio ◽  
Nicola Ivan Giannoccaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Recognition Rate ◽  
Object Identification ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Solar Powered ◽  
Human Faces

This paper introduces a novel low-cost solar-powered wearable assistive technology (AT) device, whose aim is to provide continuous, real-time object recognition to ease the finding of the objects for visually impaired (VI) people in daily life. The system consists of three major components: a miniature low-cost camera, a system on module (SoM) computing unit, and an ultrasonic sensor. The first is worn on the user’s eyeglasses and acquires real-time video of the nearby space. The second is worn as a belt and runs deep learning-based methods and spatial algorithms which process the video coming from the camera performing objects’ detection and recognition. The third assists on positioning the objects found in the surrounding space. The developed device provides audible descriptive sentences as feedback to the user involving the objects recognized and their position referenced to the user gaze. After a proper power consumption analysis, a wearable solar harvesting system, integrated with the developed AT device, has been designed and tested to extend the energy autonomy in the different operating modes and scenarios. Experimental results obtained with the developed low-cost AT device have demonstrated an accurate and reliable real-time object identification with an 86% correct recognition rate and 215 ms average time interval (in case of high-speed SoM operating mode) for the image processing. The proposed system is capable of recognizing the 91 objects offered by the Microsoft Common Objects in Context (COCO) dataset plus several custom objects and human faces. In addition, a simple and scalable methodology for using image datasets and training of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) is introduced to add objects to the system and increase its repertory. It is also demonstrated that comprehensive trainings involving 100 images per targeted object achieve 89% recognition rates, while fast trainings with only 12 images achieve acceptable recognition rates of 55%.

scholarly journals Integrated bioprocess for conversion of gaseous substrates to liquids

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (14) ◽  
pp. 3773-3778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Hu ◽  
Sagar Chakraborty ◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Benjamin Woolston ◽  
Hongjuan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Synthesis Gas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Liquid Fuels ◽  
Acid Product ◽  
The Individual

In the quest for inexpensive feedstocks for the cost-effective production of liquid fuels, we have examined gaseous substrates that could be made available at low cost and sufficiently large scale for industrial fuel production. Here we introduce a new bioconversion scheme that effectively converts syngas, generated from gasification of coal, natural gas, or biomass, into lipids that can be used for biodiesel production. We present an integrated conversion method comprising a two-stage system. In the first stage, an anaerobic bioreactor converts mixtures of gases of CO2 and CO or H2 to acetic acid, using the anaerobic acetogen Moorella thermoacetica. The acetic acid product is fed as a substrate to a second bioreactor, where it is converted aerobically into lipids by an engineered oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica. We first describe the process carried out in each reactor and then present an integrated system that produces microbial oil, using synthesis gas as input. The integrated continuous bench-scale reactor system produced 18 g/L of C16-C18 triacylglycerides directly from synthesis gas, with an overall productivity of 0.19 g⋅L−1⋅h−1 and a lipid content of 36%. Although suboptimal relative to the performance of the individual reactor components, the presented integrated system demonstrates the feasibility of substantial net fixation of carbon dioxide and conversion of gaseous feedstocks to lipids for biodiesel production. The system can be further optimized to approach the performance of its individual units so that it can be used for the economical conversion of waste gases from steel mills to valuable liquid fuels for transportation.

scholarly journals Fast and low-cost detection of SARS-CoV-2 peptides by tandem mass spectrometry in clinical samples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Helena Morais Cardozo ◽  
Adriana Lebkuchen ◽  
Guilherme Goncalves Okai ◽  
Rodrigo Andrade Schuch ◽  
Luciana Godoy Viana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
Standard Test ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Fast Processing

Abstract The current outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated with coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is pressing public health systems around the world, and large population testing is a key step to control this pandemic disease. Real-time reverse-transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) is the gold standard test for virus detection but the soaring demand for this test resulted in shortage of reagents and instruments, severely limiting its applicability to large-scale screening. To be used either as an alternative, or as a complement, to real-time RT-PCR testing, we developed a high-throughput targeted proteomics assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins directly from clinical respiratory tract samples. Sample preparation was fully automated by using a modified magnetic particle-based proteomics approach implemented on a robotic liquid handler, enabling a fast processing of samples. The use of turbulent flow chromatography included four times multiplexed on-line sample cleanup and UPLC separation. MS/MS detection of three peptides from SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein and a 15N-labeled internal global standard was achieved within 2.5 min, enabling the analysis of more than 500 samples per day. The method was validated using 562 specimens previously analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and was able to detect over 83% of positive cases. No interference was found with samples from common respiratory viruses, including other coronaviruses (NL63, OC43, HKU1, and 229E). The strategy here presented has high sample stability and low cost and should be considered as an option to large population testing.

scholarly journals Designing a New Shuttle Service to Meet Large-Scale Instantaneous Peak Demands for Passenger Transportation in a Metropolitan Context: A Green, Low-Cost Mass Transport Option

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 5025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng ◽  
Chen ◽  
Zhang ◽  
Yang
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Clustering Algorithm ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Routing Algorithm ◽  
Passenger Transportation ◽  
Rejection Mechanism ◽  
New Type ◽  
Hard Clustering ◽  
The Individual

Currently, the green, sustainable development of metropolises is hindered by problems caused by Large-scale Instantaneous Peak-demands for Passenger-transportation (LIPP), such as traffic congestion and air pollution. To mitigate these problems, we propose a new type of demand-responsive service as an alternative to inefficient “door-to-door” service. The proposed service is based on service units designed to aggregate passengers for shuttle service. To guarantee service quality and efficiency, a maximum passenger walking time constraint, a request rejection mechanism and a scheme for ensuring solution feasibility are considered. Through numerical experiments, we prove the following: (i) the proposed transport option exhibits better performance (by 40.37% for passengers and by 35.79% for operators) than the door-to-door transport option for solving real cases. (ii) By testing different datasets, we prove that the proposed service is more suitable for the request distributions that are spatiotemporally concentrated. (iii) Regarding the individual components of the proposed clustering-first, routing-second solution framework, the proposed soft clustering algorithm exhibits better performance than the classical hard clustering method (by 8%), and the proposed routing algorithm is 1.5 times more efficient than the commercial solution software GAMS.

scholarly journals Vertical MEMS Resonators for Real-Time Clock Applications

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pomarico ◽  
A. Morea ◽  
P. Flora ◽  
G. Roselli ◽  
E. Lasalandra
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Frequency Stability ◽  
Equivalent Resistance ◽  
Real Time Clock ◽  
Mems Resonator ◽  
Mems Resonators ◽  
Frequency Tunable

MEMS resonators are today widely investigated as a desirable alternative to quartz resonators in real-time clock applications, because of their low-cost, integration capability properties. Nevertheless, MEMS resonators performances are still not competitive, especially in terms of frequency stability and device equivalent resistance (and, then, power consumption). We propose a new structure for a MEMS resonator, with a vertical-like transduction mechanism, which exhibits promising features. The vertical resonator can be fabricated with the low-cost, high performance THELMA technology, and it is designed to be efficiently frequency tunable. With respect to the commonly investigated lateral resonators, it is expected to have lower equivalent resistances and improved large-scale repeatability characteristics.

Low-Cost Real-Time 3D Reconstruction of Large-Scale Excavation Sites

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Zollhöfer ◽  
C. Siegl ◽  
M. Vetter ◽  
B. Dreyer ◽  
M. Stamminger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Reconstruction ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost

Appropriate technologies for the future

1980 ◽  
Vol 209 (1174) ◽  
pp. 183-186 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Prophylactic Measures ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Third World

Crystal ball gazing is a hazardous occupation: the sharper the picture, the greater the possibility of error. In the future, appropriate technologies that will raise standards of health and diminish the prevalence of disease in the Third World must take cognizance of such factors as burgeoning population growth, impossibly high cost of energy sources, a widening gap between food requirements and food production, increasing urbanization, and inherent difficulties of control of disease vectors and water-borne diseases. The technologies that must be made available will be both large-scale and small-scale, low-cost and simple, improving life for the individual and the community, mediated by appropriately trained and adequately supervised polycompetent auxiliaries. The present reappraisal of health needs in the context of food (seeds, soils, irrigation, protection against loss of the harvested products) and of prevention of disease by appropriate prophylactic measures and its treatment, will necessitate hard thinking and greater cooperation between all concerned.

scholarly journals Fast and low-cost detection of SARS-CoV-2 peptides by tandem mass spectrometry in clinical samples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Helena Morais Cardozo ◽  
Adriana Lebkuchen ◽  
Guilherme Goncalves Okai ◽  
Rodrigo Andrade Schuch ◽  
Luciana Godoy Viana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
Standard Test ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Fast Processing

Abstract The current outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated with coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is pressing public health systems around the world, and large population testing is a key step to control this pandemic disease. Real-time reverse-transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) is the gold standard test for virus detection but the soaring demand for this test resulted in shortage of reagents and instruments, severely limiting its applicability to large-scale screening. To be used either as an alternative, or as a complement, to real-time RT-PCR testing, we developed a high-throughput targeted proteomics assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins directly from clinical respiratory tract samples. Sample preparation was fully automated by using a modified magnetic particle-based proteomics approach implemented on a robotic liquid handler, enabling a fast processing of samples. The use of turbulent flow chromatography included four times multiplexed on-line sample cleanup and UPLC separation. MS/MS detection of three peptides from SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein and a 15N-labeled internal global standard was achieved within 2.5 min, enabling the analysis of more than 500 samples per day. The method was validated using 562 specimens previously analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and was able to detect over 83% of positive cases. No interference was found with samples from common respiratory viruses, including other coronaviruses (NL63, OC43, HKU1, and 229E). The strategy here presented has high sample stability and low cost and should be considered as an option to large population testing.

scholarly journals The development of real-time communication network based on Zigbee and Ethernet for Photovoltaic systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15
Author(s):  
Dung Quoc Phan ◽  
Dat Ngoc Dao ◽  
Hiep Chi Le
Keyword(s):  
Communication Network ◽  
Real Time ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Photovoltaic System ◽  
Solar Inverter ◽  
Ethernet Controller ◽  
Controller Board ◽  
High Level

In a large system with a lot of distribution solar sources which are all connected to the national grid, a communication system becomes the important part for data acquisition in order to control the whole system stable and efficiency. To deal with this challenge, this paper presents a solution based on Zigbee and Ethernet communication standard. Zigbee standard was created to be a specification of a high level wireless communication protocol which is not only secure, reliable, simple but also low cost and low power. With Zigbee, we can create a communication network for hundreds to thousands of mini solar sources in a large scale of photovoltaic system. Ethernet is a high speed wired communication technology that is used widely in industrial and automatic applications. Together Zigbee and Ethernet bring to us a real-time communication solution for the system. In the experiment prototype of this paper, we use the CC2530ZNP-Mini Kit to create a simple network includes one coordinate and one end device for the first step. The end device was configured to get current and voltage values from a 3-phase grid-connected solar inverter 800Wpk and then sends the values to the coordinate. After the coordinate received data, it would send them to an Ethernet controller board. To display the data through Ethernet, we embedded a web server on the Ethernet controller board. By this way, the data was easy to visualize and supervised by using any web browser.

scholarly journals Recent Advancements and Future Perspectives of Microalgae-Derived Pharmaceuticals

Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 703
Author(s):  
Donghua Xia ◽  
Wen Qiu ◽  
Xianxian Wang ◽  
Junying Liu
Keyword(s):  
Recombinant Proteins ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Commercial Production ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Cell Factories ◽  
Microalgal Biotechnology ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Solar Powered ◽  
Pathogenic Contamination

Microalgal cells serve as solar-powered factories that produce pharmaceuticals, recombinant proteins (vaccines and drugs), and valuable natural byproducts that possess medicinal properties. The main advantages of microalgae as cell factories can be summarized as follows: they are fueled by photosynthesis, are carbon dioxide-neutral, have rapid growth rates, are robust, have low-cost cultivation, are easily scalable, pose no risk of human pathogenic contamination, and their valuable natural byproducts can be further processed. Despite their potential, there are many technical hurdles that need to be overcome before the commercial production of microalgal pharmaceuticals, and extensive studies regarding their impact on human health must still be conducted and the results evaluated. Clearly, much work remains to be done before microalgae can be used in the large-scale commercial production of pharmaceuticals. This review focuses on recent advancements in microalgal biotechnology and its future perspectives.

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