A Semiotic Modern Synthesis: Conducting Quantitative Studies in Zoosemiotics and Interpreting Existing Ethological Studies through a Semiotic Framework

In this paper, I present an argument that quantitative behavioural analysis can be used in zoosemiotic studies to advance the field of biosemiotics. The premise is that signs and signals form patterns in space and time, which can be measured and analysed mathematically. Whole organism sign processing is an important component of the semiosphere, with individual organisms in their Umwelten deriving signs from, and contributing to, the semiosphere, and vice versa. Moreover, there is a wealth of data available in the traditional ethology literature which can be reinterpreted semiotically and drawn together to make a cohesive biosemiotic whole. For example, isolated signals, such as structural elements of birdsong, are attributed meaning by an interpreter, thus generating new ideas and hypotheses in both biology and semiotics. Furthermore, animal behaviour science has developed numerous test paradigms that with careful adaptation, could be suitable for use within a Peircean tripartite model, and thus give valuable insights into Umwelten of other species. In my conclusion, I suggest that by bringing together traditional ethology and biosemiotics, it is possible to use the Modern Synthesis to provide context to biosemiosis, thus pragmatic meaning to animal signals. On this basis, I propose updating the Modern Synthesis to a Semiotic Modern Synthesis, which focuses on whole-organism signals and their contexts, the latter being derived from neo-Darwinian theory and the ‘Umwelt’. Thus, there need be no dichotomy; the Modern Synthesis can successfully be integrated with biosemiotics.

Non-intrusive Embedded Systems Anomaly Detection using Thermography and Machine Learning

Quality control in electronic system manufacturing is achieved mainly through system testing. Device miniaturization and multilayer Printed Circuit Boards have increased the electronic circuit test complexity considerably and processes based on manual inspections have become outdated and inefficient. The concept of Industry 4.0 has enabled the manufacturing of customized products based on customers’ demands, which demands a high degree of flexibility in production processes, with low cost and without placing numerous test points. In this paper, we propose two automated test solutions based on machine learning and thermographic analysis. We propose deploying autoencoders and random forest in two different manners to detect firmware or hardware anomalies based on the circuit board’s temperature signature. We validate our proposal using two firmware versions running independently on the test board. We obtained an anomaly detection rate above 98%. In the random forest approach, we require all data classes for training, whereas the autoencoder only requires the reference class, which is expected in real scenarios.

Design and Development of an Engine Nozzle Testing Facility

An engine test facility, capable of being operated with different nozzles, has been developed. The shape of this component has evolved substantially, over the years, from seemingly simple circular geometries to very complex geometries designed to address different requirements. There are numerous test facilities that facilitate an extensive standalone component level testing of these components. However, such testing does not offer an insight into the effect these complex geometries will have on the performance of a gas turbine engine. This facility will serve as a demonstration for graduate and doctoral students, enhancing their understanding of engine performance. The core of the test facility is a single spool turbojet engine from AMT, Netherlands. The engine is instrumented with pressure and temperature measurements at every inter-component location. A conventional intake duct is designed, for measurement of air flow rate. The entire engine is mounted on a 6-axis force measurement device, for measurement of thrust during engine operations. Towards the rear of the engine, a straight duct is attached after the jet pipe, on which any new nozzle can be retrofitted to the engine. To address changes in operating conditions when using different nozzles, the engine is equipped with a suitably designed bleed duct, which is attached onto the jet pipe. The engine, successfully integrated with all the components, has been subjected to multiple tests at different power settings. The first test was done using the baseline engine, operated at various rotor speeds. The next test was done with a custom nozzle having an area ratio of 2, attached to the jet pipe. Owing to the successful design of the components, the engine performance was measured when operated with a smaller area nozzle.

Entropy-based image encryption using Orthogonal Variable Spreading Factor (OVSF)

The purpose of image encryption is to provide data privacy and security. The former ensures that only authorized personnel can access the original content, while the latter implies that there is no evident relationship between the encrypted and the original content, and that the key space is equally likely and large enough. In the current state of the field, there are several proposals of image encryption techniques with very high privacy (in terms of entropy) but weak in terms of security (i.e., small key space). Recently, a new encoding-based method that provides a long key space (namely 8,57 × 10506) with a middle value of entropy (87%) was proposed. Our proposal preserves the strength of the image encryption methods based on encoding, but with a higher value placed on security than the preliminary works. Every pixel of an image is mapped into an orthogonal code based on 256 bits. The 8-OVSF codes are selected to encode the image, given that the entropy of the inter-symbol is near the possible maximum. Numerous test results verify that our ciphered data have a very high value of entropy (98,5%) with an equally likely and long key space (8,57 × 10506), thus providing an adequate balance between privacy and security.

The Experimental Features of a Compression Ignition Engine Running On Pure Diesel and Mixtures of Diesel and Manilkara Zapota Methyl Ester

presently, the world is grieving with lack of energy sources, since the petroleum reserve are being depleted very soon, moreover the world’s temperature is rapidly increasing resulting from the emissions of automobile. More consideration should be given to this issue so, the researchers across the globe making difficult trials to find the best substitute energy reserve which swaps the fossil diesel petroleum. This article deals with manilkara zapota methyl ester, the biodiesel taken from a non-edible feed stock Manilkara Zapota seed generally known as Sapodilla. It has exceptional fuel properties like fossil diesel. By the transesterification process, Manilkara Zapota Methyl Ester (MZME) was taken out from crude manilkara zapota seed oil. Numerous test samples were equipped in the combination ratios ranging from 10% to 30% and the mixtures were selected as ZB10D90 (10% MZME + 90% Pure Diesel), ZB20D80 (20% MZME + 80% Pure Diesel) and ZB30D70 (30% MZME + 70% Pure Diesel). An experimental examination was performed on a single cylinder four stroke direct injection diesel engine to find out the emission, combustion properties, and performance at continuous speed and numerous load circumstances. The experimental outcomes were exposed that, at complete load condition, the performance aspects like BSFC and BTE were improved by 7.69% and 7.44% respectively, and the parameters of emission like CO was reduced greatly by 64% whereas NOx , HC and smoke opacity were concurrently increased by 12.36%, 6.67%, and 3.88% respectively, but no big variance was found in the emission of CO2 when compared to diesel fuel. Heat release rate was decreased by 5.04% and cylinder peak pressure was improved slightly

Hardware and Software Development for Isotonic Strain and Isometric Stress Measurements of Linear Ionic Actuators

An inseparable part of ionic actuator characterization is a set of adequate measurement devices. Due to significant limitations of available commercial systems, in-house setups are often employed. The main objective of this work was to develop a software solution for running isotonic and isometric experiments on a hardware setup consisting of a potentiostat, a linear displacement actuator, a force sensor, and a voltmeter for measuring the force signal. A set of functions, hardware drivers, and measurement automation algorithms were developed in the National Instruments LabVIEW 2015 system. The result is a software called isotonic (displacement) and isometric (force) electro-chemo-measurement software (IIECMS), that enables the user to control isotonic and isometric experiments over a single compact graphical user interface. The linear ionic actuators chosen as sample systems included different materials with different force and displacement characteristics, namely free-standing polypyrrole films doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonate (PPy/DBS) and multiwall carbon nanotube/carbide-derived carbon (MWCNT-CDC) fibers. The developed software was thoroughly tested with numerous test samples of linear ionic actuators, meaning over 200 h of experimenting time where over 90% of the time the software handled the experiment process autonomously. The uncertainty of isotonic measurements was estimated to be 0.6 µm (0.06%). With the integrated correction algorithms, samples with as low as 0 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be adequately described.

Estimation of feasible ranges of functional tire characteristics based on tire dimension, inflation pressure, and wheel load

The functional properties of a tire contribute significantly to the achievement of the overall vehicle targets in terms of driving performance, fuel consumption, and comfort. Tire development based on functional tire characteristics enables the use of objective target values across all topics and thus contributes to a clear target agreement between tire and vehicle manufacturers. Development tires can be evaluated on the basis of test bench measurements and duration as well as financial costs can be reduced in this way. The increasingly strict and conflicting targets imposed by legal and customer-related requirements are a major challenge. In order to reach the long-term goals, methods for evaluating all requirements with regard to their feasibility are needed. Within the scope of this study, different geometrical and physical influences on the functional tire characteristics lateral grip, cornering stiffness, and lateral relaxation length are statistically analyzed on the basis of numerous test bench measurements. These functional tire characteristics are set in relation to the tire dimension, the inflation pressure, and the wheel load. Based on this, a method for estimating realizable ranges of the functional tire characteristics is derived. This method can then be used to identify existing conflicts between targets and development priorities can be set accordingly.

Computational domain discretization in numerical analysis of flow within granular materials

The discretization of computational domain is a crucial step in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) because it influences not only the numerical stability of the analysed model but also the agreement of obtained results and real data. Modelling flow in packed beds of granular materials is a very challenging task in terms of discretization due to the existence of narrow spaces between spherical granules contacting tangentially in a single point. Standard approach to this issue results in a low quality mesh and unreliable results in consequence. Therefore the common method is to reduce the diameter of the modelled granules in order to eliminate the single-point contact between the individual granules. The drawback of such method is the adulteration of flow and contact heat resistance among others. Therefore an innovative method is proposed in the paper: single-point contact is extended to a cylinder-shaped volume contact. Such approach eliminates the low quality mesh elements and simultaneously introduces only slight distortion to the flow as well as contact heat transfer. The performed analysis of numerous test cases prove the great potential of the proposed method of meshing the packed beds of granular materials.

METHODS OF WEAR TESTS FOR HERMETIC RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS: AN OVERVIEW

The refrigerants being used in vapor compression processes have specific thermodynamic properties, which are decisive for the performance of the compressor of the system. The Montreal and the Kyoto protocols initiated a discussion of alternative refrigerants, which lead to new requirements of the compressor. The reliability of reciprocal compressors has become a leading field for compressor research. One of the main tools in the reliability field is accelerated degradation/life testing (ADT or ALT). These tests are designed to provide life estimates or to define lower bounds of product/parts reliability at shortened periods of time. The objective of this paper is to discuss the literature on accelerated life testing of reciprocating hermetic compressors, focusing on the wear of mechanical components. Several test methodologies are discussed as well as the procedures used to wear quantification. It is noted that there are numerous test methodologies. This fact can be attributed to the lack of standardization updated. Most authors have been focused the tests development to assess the scuffing occurrence in components. The evaluation of wear (qualitative and quantitative) is carried through optical microscopy techniques, scanning electron microscopy, surface roughness, physical-chemical analysis of the oil and electric power consumption. Test methodologies are presented based on critical analysis of the existing literature and the current scenario of refrigerants and lubricants development.

Numerical Solutions for Groundwater Flow in Unsaturated Layered Soil with Extreme Physical Property Contrasts

In this paper, the numerical solutions for groundwater flow in unsaturated layered soil using the Richards equation are presented. A linearisation process for the nonlinear Richards equation to deal with groundwater flow in unsaturated layered soil is derived. To solve one-dimensional flow in the unsaturated zone of layered soil profiles, flux conservation and the continuity of pressure potential at the interface between two consecutive layers are considered in the numerical model. In addition, a novel method, named the dynamical Jacobian-inverse free method, incorporated with a two-side equilibration algorithm for solving ill-conditioned systems with extreme contrasts in hydraulic conductivity is proposed. The validity of the model is established in numerous test problems by comparing the numerical results with the analytical solutions. The results show that the proposed method can improve convergence and numerical stability for solving groundwater flow in unsaturated layered soil with extreme contrasts in hydraulic conductivity.