Bench testing of hybrid ems prototype

Aim: To test the levitation performance of a hybrid EMS prototype. Materials and Methods: a levitation test setup with a 18 mm thick steel rail was constructed on a basis of the certified test bench 1958U-10-1 for measurement in the range up to 100 kN. The attractive force was investigated by varying the air gap size and coil current. Measured data were compared with parametric simulations. Results: Experimental and numerical results agreed with the accuracy required for practical application. Conclusions: A prototype of hybrid EMS (HEMS) for maglev transport has been designed, built, and tested at JSC NIIEFA. The HEMS concept has an advantage of reduced power loss and low stray field. The bench testing has proved good levitation performance and low power consumption of the proposed design. The measured data were used to check design solutions and verify 3D numerical models of the magnets. The comparison demonstrated a good match between measurements and simulations.

Bench Testing of Sensors Utilized for In-Line Monitoring of Lubricants and Hydraulic Fluids Properties

This work reports the results of a study on the behaviour of five sensors recently developed for oil conditions monitoring, installed in-line in an experimental test rig for lubricants. The tests were carried out on seven oils of different origins (one synthetic ester, two bio-based synthetic esters, four vegetable oils) and use (two UTTOs and five hydraulic oils), under controlled working conditions, according to a specially designed test method. At first, the study concerned the identification of the conditions for the correct sensors’ installation. Then, the tests started applying to the fluids severe work cycles intended to accelerate oil ageing. The data of viscosity, permittivity, relative humidity, electric conductivity, particle contamination, and ferro-magnetic particles provided by the sensors were compared to the results of laboratory analyses made on oil samples taken during the tests with the aim of verifying the sensors measurements accuracy and reliability and selecting the more suitable ones to in-line oil conditions monitoring, in the perspective of introducing them also in field applications, e.g., on agricultural tractors, for preventing damages due to oil deterioration, and in managing the machine maintenance.

Requirements for the Empirical Assessment of Human-AI Work Systems: A Contribution to AI Measurement Science

The development of AI systems represents a significant investment. But to realize the promise of that investment, performance assessment is necessary. Empirical evaluation of Human-AI work systems must adduce convincing empirical evidence that the work method and its AI technology are learnable, usable, and useful. The theme to this Report is the notion that AI assessment must be effective but must also be efficient. Bench testing of a prototype of an AI system cannot require extensive series of experiments with complex designs. Thus, the empirical requirements that are presented in this Report involve escaping some of the constraints that are imposed in traditional laboratory research. Also, there is a recognition of new constraints that are unique to AI evaluation contexts. Empirical requirements are presented covering study design, research methods, statistical analyses, and online experimentation. The 15 requirements presented in this Report should be applicable to all research intended to evaluate the effectivity of AI systems.

Data automated bag breathing unit for COVID-19 ventilator shortages

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global mechanical ventilator shortage for treatment of severe acute respiratory failure. Development of novel breathing devices has been proposed as a low cost, rapid solution when full-featured ventilators are unavailable. Here we report the design, bench testing and preclinical results for an 'Automated Bag Breathing Unit' (ABBU). Output parameters were validated with mechanical test lungs followed by animal model testing. Results The ABBU design uses a programmable motor-driven wheel assembled for adult resuscitation bag-valve compression. ABBU can control tidal volume (200–800 ml), respiratory rate (10–40 bpm), inspiratory time (0.5–1.5 s), assist pressure sensing (− 1 to − 20 cm H2O), manual PEEP valve (0–20 cm H2O). All set values are displayed on an LCD screen. Bench testing with lung simulators (Michigan 1600, SmartLung 2000) yielded consistent tidal volume delivery at compliances of 20, 40 and 70 (mL/cm H2O). The delivered fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) decreased with increasing minute ventilation (VE), from 98 to 47% when VE was increased from 4 to 16 L/min using a fixed oxygen flow source of 5 L/min. ABBU was tested in Berkshire pigs (n = 6, weight of 50.8 ± 2.6 kg) utilizing normal lung model and saline lavage induced lung injury. Arterial blood gases were measured following changes in tidal volume (200–800 ml), respiratory rate (10–40 bpm), and PEEP (5–20 cm H2O) at baseline and after lung lavage. Physiological levels of PaCO2 (≤ 40 mm Hg [5.3 kPa]) were achieved in all animals at baseline and following lavage injury. PaO2 increased in lavage injured lungs in response to incremental PEEP (5–20 cm H2O) (p < 0.01). At fixed low oxygen flow rates (5 L/min), delivered FiO2 decreased with increased VE. Conclusions ABBU provides oxygenation and ventilation across a range of parameter settings that may potentially provide a low-cost solution to ventilator shortages. A clinical trial is necessary to establish safety and efficacy in adult patients with diverse etiologies of respiratory failure.

Side-branch expansion capacity of contemporary DES platforms

Background Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) of bifurcation stenoses are both complex and challenging. Stenting strategies share that the stents’ side cells must be carefully explored and appropriately prepared using balloons or stents. So far, stent manufacturers have not provided any information regarding side-branch expansion capacity of their stent platforms. Aims Given that drug-eluting stent (DES) information regarding their mechanical capacity of side-branch expansion is not available, we aimed to evaluate contemporary DES (Orsiro, BIOTRONIK AG; Xience Sierra, Abbott Vascular; Resolute Integrity, Medtronic; Promus Premier Select, Boston Scientific; Supraflex Cruz, Sahajan and Medical Technologies) by their side-branch expansion behavior using in vitro bench testing. Methods In this in vitro study, we analyzed five commercially available DES (diameter 3.0 mm), measuring their side-branch expansion following inflation of different high-pressure non-compliant (NC) balloons (balloon diameter: 2.00–4.00 mm), thereby revealing the morphological characteristics of their side-branch expansion capacities. Results We demonstrated that all tested contemporary DES platforms could withstand large single-cell deformations, up to 4.0 mm. As seen in our side-branch experiments, DES designs consisting of only two connectors between strut rings did not only result in huge cell areas, but also in larger cell diameters following side-branch expansion compared with DES designs using three or more connectors. Furthermore, the stent cell diameter attained was below the balloon diameter at normal pressure. Conclusions We recommend that the expansion capacity of side-branches should be considered in stent selection for bifurcation interventions.

Handling improvement of the M1 class vehicles by the way of hydraulic power steering adaptive characteristic optimization

In the paper, a work on handling improvement of the M1 class vehicle by means of optimization of the volume flow-pressure characteristic of the power steering pump with adaptive characteristic is described. A work on the simulation of the liquid flow through the electromagnetic valve of the power steering pump in initial and modified state is described. Results of bench testing of the optimized pump prototypes and subjective and objective road tests of the M1 vehicle with optimized prototype and initial one installed are presented.