Microgrid energy management system for smart home using multi-agent system

This paper proposes a multi-agent system for energy management in a microgrid for smart home applications, the microgrid comprises a photovoltaic source, battery energy storage, electrical loads, and an energy management system (EMS) based on smart agents. The microgrid can be connected to the grid or operating in island mode. All distributed sources are implemented using MATLAB/Simulink to simulate a dynamic model of each electrical component. The agent proposed can interact with each other to find the best strategy for energy management using the java agent development framework (JADE) simulator. Furthermore, the proposed agent framework is also validated through a different case study, the efficiency of the proposed approach to schedule local resources and energy management for microgrid is analyzed. The simulation results verify the efficacy of the proposed approach using Simulink/JADE co-simulation.

Design and Deployment of Expressive and Correct Web of Things Applications

Consumer Internet of Things (IoT) applications are largely built through end-user programming in the form of event-action rules. Although end-user tools help simplify the building of IoT applications to a large extent, there are still challenges in developing expressive applications in a simple yet correct fashion. In this context, we propose a formal development framework based on the Web of Things specification. An application is defined using a composition language that allows users to compose the basic event-action rules to express complex scenarios. It is transformed into a formal specification that serves as the input for formal analysis, where the application is checked for functional and quantitative properties at design time using model checking techniques. Once the application is validated, it can be deployed and the rules are executed following the composition language semantics. We have implemented these proposals in a tool built on top of the Mozilla WebThings platform. The steps from design to deployment were validated on real-world applications.

Giving feedback in the new CBME curriculum paradigm: Principles, models and situations where feedback can be given

The new competency based medical education represents a paradigm shift from a teacher centered to a student centered learning of outcome competencies paradigm and so both the students and the teachers are unfamiliar with it. Giving and receiving feedback is central to the competency development framework. Only through frequent, timely and appropriate feedback there will be effective development of cognitive competence in its lead up to performance of competence. These concepts are illustrated to convey the importance of giving feedback to students. As the teachers are expected to practice giving feedback to students, they were opportunistically asked prior to a faculty development workshop what their priority learning needs about giving feedback are. Based on this a focused review of literature was done to collect the information on the various models of giving feedback, the principles for giving feedback, the possible situations in curriculum delivery where teachers can and should give feedback to students.The literature revealed some good practice models for giving feedback to the naïve as well as the mature students in ambulatory and clinical teaching settings as well as on their performance as revealed by their test results. Models of counseling which has strong element of feedback on the learner’s performance and helping them choose the way forward after identifying the problem is also shared.

Motivating Users to Manage Privacy Concerns in Cyber-Physical Settings—A Design Science Approach Considering Self-Determination Theory

Connectivity is key to the latest technologies propagating into everyday life. Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications enable users, machines, and technologically enriched objects (‘Things’) to sense, communicate, and interact with their environment. Albeit making human beings’ lives more comfortable, these systems collect huge quantities of data that may affect human privacy and their digital sovereignty. Engaging in control over individuals by digital means, the data and the artefacts that process privacy-relevant data can be addressed by Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and its established instruments. In this paper, we discuss how the theory and its methodological knowledge can be considered for user-centric privacy management. We set the stage for studying motivational factors to improve user engagement in identifying privacy needs and preserving privacy when utilizing or aiming to adapt CPS or IoT applications according to their privacy needs. SDT considers user autonomy, self-perceived competence, and social relatedness relevant for human engagement. Embodying these factors into a Design Science-based CPS development framework could help to motivate users to articulate privacy needs and adopt cyber-physical technologies for personal task accomplishment.

Enhancing regulatory capability through a blended delivery learning and development framework: an empirical Australian example

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is a Commonwealth statutory authority responsible for the regulation of agricultural and veterinary chemical products in Australia. Effective regulation is built on engaging with risk in alignment with the relevant legislation, and requires a combination of core public service, foundation, and technical skills, in addition to management and leadership capabilities. Mapping skills, competencies, and capabilities provided the scaffolding for the 2019-21 APVMA Learning and Development Framework (the Framework). As the Framework was established to support blended delivery of distance and face-to-face learning activities, it was largely uninterrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the public service increasingly pivoted to online learning.

Overview of Propulsion Systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) propulsion technology is significantly related to the flight performance of UAVs, which has become one of the most important development directions of aviation. It should be noted that UAVs have three types of propulsion systems, namely the fuel, hybrid fuel-electric, and pure electric, respectively. This paper presents and discusses the classification, working principles, characteristics, and critical technologies of these three types of propulsion systems. It is helpful to establish the development framework of the UAV propulsion system and provide the essential information on electric propulsion UAVs. Additionally, future technologies and development, including the high-power density motors, converters, power supplies, are discussed for the electric propulsion UAVs. In the near future, the electric propulsion system would be widely used in UAVs. The high-power density system would become the development trend of electric UAVs. Thus, this review article provides comprehensive views and multiple comparisons of propulsion systems for UAVs.

Research on Art Appreciation System Based on Web Application

The appreciation system of art works is a system that combines art with computer. It can realize the appreciation and appreciation of art works through computer, so that more people can come into contact with art works and improve people’s appreciation ability and spiritual and cultural life level of art works. The system is an application system based on Web application program and running under Windows system. The whole project development framework is a popular web framework. It is an application-oriented system constructed by using java development language, Oracle database as data storage support in persistence layer, Tomcat as application server and JSP technology. The function of the system is mainly divided into two parts. The administrator part only realizes the operation of adding, modifying and deleting the relevant information of the art works, including the detailed information of the works, the relevant information of the painter, the background art management and comment management of the art works, and the user information management; In the user part, it mainly realizes the functions of browsing, understanding and learning art works, and increases the functions of attention and comment on works. After development and debugging, the system runs normally, all functions of the administrator side are basically realized, and relevant operations can be carried out; The functions of the client are basically all realized. Users can choose some functions of the system according to their preferences.

Performance Appraisal Management System of University Administrators Based on Hybrid Cloud

Aiming at the problems of poor functionality, high occupancy, and low real-time performance of the currently designed performance appraisal management system for university administrators, a performance appraisal management system for university administrators based on hybrid cloud is designed. According to the characteristics of hybrid cloud technology, the overall functional requirements and feasibility of the system are analyzed, and the assessment scheme of administrative personnel according to the provisions of relevant documents is analyzed. The performance appraisal index system is designed using an analytic hierarchy process. Using the hybrid cloud architecture and B/S mode based on each component as a service model and J2EE development framework, the basic information management subsystem of administrative personnel, performance appraisal information management subsystem, information analysis and data mining subsystem, and platform system management subsystem are developed. Using XML technology and database technology, the system is integrated with the performance appraisal management system of administrators in colleges and universities. Through the design of data flow diagram and E-R diagram, the design of performance appraisal management system for university administrators based on hybrid cloud is realized. The experimental results show that the proposed method has good functionality, can effectively reduce the system occupancy, and can improve the real-time performance of the system.

Social Media Tools for the Development of Pre-Service Health Sciences Researchers during COVID-19 in Pakistan

The development of health sciences researchers has immense significance during a pandemic to control, manage, and prevent future outbreaks of the disease. This study focused on the use of social media tools (SMT) among pre-service health sciences researchers to complement their research competencies (RCT) and research completion levels (RC) during COVID-19. This study used the Vitae research development framework (RDF) to measure research competencies as a mediator between the use of social media tools and research completion levels among post-graduate health sciences students. A cross-section survey research approach was adopted to collect data from the post-graduate students (n = 410) enrolled in health sciences departments at universities in Pakistan. The SmartPLS 3.3.8 software was used to analyze data through Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that different social media tools such as communication, information management, and multimedia have a direct influence on the research competencies of the pre-service researchers and have an indirect effect on the research completion levels. Health sciences institutions may devise social-media-based instructional strategies to develop post-graduate students’ research competencies, such as personal effectiveness, research governance, and research engagement, to help them compile their research and complete their degree program in time during an emergency.

Managing the industrial enterprises development in ecosystem interaction

The article considers a new approach to managing the development of enterprises operating in a period of digital transformations and ecosystem interaction. The concepts of sustainability and development in an economic context have been analysed. The author’s interpretation of the concept of sustainable development has been outlined and the factors that ensure the development and sustainability of enterprises have been identified. The benefits and limitations of sustainable development management, and the specific of data analysis in the digital ecosystem of the industrial enterprise as a component of sustainability and security of actors, have been defined. The components of a sustainable development framework have been identified and the effects obtained at the ecosystem level of interaction have been highlighted. Guidelines for new management approaches to the organisation of modern business processes and management decisions have been given.