Investigating the effect of an open window vs. a closed window on the concentrations of suspended particulate matter in the indoors with respect to the outdoors

A study was conducted to see the effect of an opened window vs. a closed window in New Delhi in peak winters. This is the time when the PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations are the highest in the ambient air due to various external factors. A PM 2.5 and PM 10 air quality meter was used at a singular location near the window for 10 days with 9 readings taken during the daily working hours. Contrary to the possible conjectural belief, it was found that the window opened or closed did not have a substantial effect on the concentrations of the indoor levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10. The results showed that opening of the windows does not substantially affect the levels of the indoors with respect to the levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the outdoors. Outdoors may provide the source of the particulate matter in the indoor, but due to diffusive effect, open windows play a key role in the reducing the indoor levels. This study was reconfirmed with options where the windows were opened and then closed and vice-versa. In all cases, the effect of the outdoor was not visible. To curb indoor particulate matter levels, isolation is not the solution. (200 words)

IoT-based Carbon Monoxide (CO) Real-Time Warning System Application in Vehicles

The project is about develop a system and application for detect the presence of Carbon Monoxide(CO) in car, since recently there are many cases of drowning while sleeping in car due to inhaling CO. The build system are able to detect the presence of CO and provide warning about level of CO to the users. It uses Blynk application to monitors level of CO inside the vehicle, MQ-9 gas sensor as the input sensor, ESP 8266 as medium to send data to the application via IoT-based and the level concentration of CO is displayed on the LCD in real-time displayed. For the output, it has 3 different condition based on the level concentration of CO. This project has been testing in six different situation. Based on the result, ambience air and in car with open window situation have lowest of CO level. Meanwhile, the highest of CO level is detect in smoke that are produced from fuel combustion of the car exhaust at distance 5 cm. Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to analysed the ability of this system in clustering for each situation. As a result, PCA have clearly clustering data for every situation with the value of PC1 is 71.82% and PC2 is 28.18%, hence it is verified that the build system is able to applied in detecting the presence of CO. This project is believed able in helping to reduce the numbers of cases people drowning while sleeping due to inhaling CO in the car.

Active noise control for open windows

Over the last decades, the applications of the active noise control system are broadened. In this study, the active noise control is modeled to reduce the noise pass through an open window. The objective is to define a suitable location for the control sources and error microphones to achieve more noise level reduction at the other side of the window. The performances of the active noise control system are calculated for two different arrangements: (1) the control sources on the edge of the opening and (2) the control sources distributed on the surface of the window. Furthermore, two cost functions are considered to model the noise control system including the minimization of the total squared pressure at cancellation points and the minimization of sound intensity at the surface of the aperture.

Outdoor Activity: Benefits and Risks to Recreational Runners during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Running has become one of the most popular recreational sports worldwide. It is an easily accessible form of exercise as there are minimal equipment and sport structure requirements. Aerodynamic simulation experiments showed a risk of droplet exposure between runners when two people run in a straight line at a close distance (slipstream). Thus, running activities require a safe physical distance of 10 meters to avoid droplet exposure, which can be a source of transmission of COVID-19 infection. However, running outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic is still often done in pairs and even in groups without wearing a mask. Open window theory stated that changes in the immune system occur immediately after strenuous physical activity. Many immune system components showed adverse changes after prolonged strenuous activity lasting more than 90 minutes. These changes occurred in several parts of the body, such as the skin, upper respiratory tract, lungs, blood, and muscles. Most of these changes reflected physiological stress and immunosuppression. It is thought that an “open window” of the compromised immune system occurs in the 3–72-hour period after vigorous physical exercise, where viruses and bacteria can gain a foothold, increasing the risk of infection, particularly in the upper respiratory tract. Outdoor physical activity positively affects psychological, physiological, biochemical health parameters, and social relationships. However, this activity requires clear rules so that the obtained benefits can be more significant while simultaneously minimizing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 infection.

Cinema: Not Frames But Veils

The aim of this paper is to rethink the metaphors of the cinema as window and frame. The first one addresses the cinema as a transparent, open window that faithfully reproduces the world, taking the spectator’s view beyond the screen guided by realism and indexicality. The second one takes the screen as a rectangular surface that focuses the audience’s eye on the images that are produced inside its borders. In these pages I will revisit both notions, adding a third one inspired by the passe-partout of Derrida: the cinema as veil, also theorized as backdrop and decor. Ultimately, this approach explores the idea of simulacrum by analizing two examples: Blue (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2018) and Decor (Ahmad Abdalla, 2014).