This study was conducted in order to enrich the safety evaluation system of vehicles on complex road sections and provide quantitative support for speed control and driving decision-making. To address the driving stability issue caused by trajectory uncertainty on curved roads, we analyzed lane-changing stability and found that trajectory variations induce a step change in centrifugal force, aggravating lateral instability. Secondly, we developed a variety of simulation schemes to determine the stability limit speed under multi-source information fusion and constructed the corresponding database. Finally, we established an interpretable driving stability evaluation method based on the Differential Evolution-Extended Belief Rule Base-Shapley Additive Explanations (DB-EBRB-SHAP) model. This model incorporates driving behavior as a qualitative variable into the hybrid framework, and its accuracy was further enhanced through parameter optimization. The results demonstrate that the model achieves high evaluation accuracy for driving stability on curved road sections (MAE = 0.0306 and RMSE = 0.0363). Interpretability analysis reveals that curve radius and lane-changing behavior are the key influencing parameters; the negative interaction effect between the two on driving stability will weaken as the curve radius increases.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
Hakam Bataineh, Dmitry Manasreh, Munir Nazzal
et al.
This study focused on developing and validating machine learning models to predict pavement marking retroreflectivity using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) intensity data. The retroreflectivity data was collected using a Mobile Retroreflectometer Unit (MRU) due to its increasing acceptance among states as a compliant measurement device. A comprehensive dataset was assembled spanning more than 1000 miles of roadways, capturing diverse marking materials, colors, installation methods, pavement types, and vehicle speeds. The final dataset used for model development focused on dry condition measurements and roadway segments most relevant to state transportation agencies. A detailed synchronization process was implemented to ensure the accurate pairing of retroreflectivity and LiDAR intensity values. Using these data, several machine learning techniques were evaluated, and an ensemble of gradient boosting-based models emerged as the top performer, predicting pavement retroreflectivity with an R<sup>2</sup> of 0.94 on previously unseen data. The repeatability of the predicted retroreflectivity was tested and showed similar consistency as the MRU. The model’s accuracy was confirmed against independent field segments demonstrating the potential for LiDAR to serve as a practical, low-cost alternative for MRU measurements in routine roadway inspection and maintenance. The approach presented in this study enhances roadway safety by enabling more frequent, network-level assessments of pavement marking performance at lower cost, allowing agencies to detect and correct visibility problems sooner and helping to prevent nighttime and adverse weather crashes.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
This paper proposes the integration of the phase-field method (PFM) with deep neural networks (DNNs) for UAV navigation in smart city environments. Using the proposed approach, simulations of an intelligent navigation and obstacle avoidance framework for drones in complex urban environments have been presented. Within the unified PFM-DNN model, phase-field modeling provides a continuous spatial representation, allowing for highly accurate characterization of boundaries between free space and obstacles. In parallel, the deep neural network component offers semantic perception and intelligent classification of environmental features. The proposed model was tested using the 3DCity dataset, which comprises 50,000 urban scenes under diverse environmental conditions, including fog, low light, and motion blur. The results demonstrated that the proposed system achieves high performance in classification and segmentation tasks, outperforming modern models such as DeepLabV3+, Mask R-CNN, and HRNet, while exhibiting high robustness to sensor noise and partial obstructions. The framework was evaluated within a simulated environment, and no real-world UAV drone tests were performed. This framework proves its effectiveness as a promising solution for intelligent drone navigation in future cities thanks to its ability to adapt and respond in dynamic environments.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
Takaaki Nara, Yoshito Okada, Shotaro Kojima
et al.
Abstract This study addresses the challenge of enabling multiple robots to share precise location information in environments where no positioning infrastructure is initially available. To overcome this challenge, we propose a method in which users deploy small Wi-Wi wireless modules on both robots and in the environment, allowing the construction of a flexible localization network without relying on preexisting infrastructure. Wi-Wi measures the propagation delay phase of a carrier wave, enabling high-precision distance measurements and time synchronization. However, due to $$2\pi $$ phase ambiguity, absolute distances cannot be directly obtained. In this study, we employ a graph optimization framework that uses phase information collected by mobile robots to simultaneously estimate the trajectories of the robots and the positions of the fixed modules. Experiments demonstrated that the estimation error converges to less than 1 m and remains robust even when the initial values contain an error of $$\pm 3\,\textrm{m}$$ . Furthermore, incorporating measurements between robots reduced the variance of localization errors. This method is effective for rapid robot deployment in environments where infrastructure setup is difficult, such as disaster response scenarios.
Stacho Zdenko, Stachová Katarína, Barok Alexandra
et al.
The use of HR analytics has been on the rise in recent years, with organizations increasingly recognizing its potential to improve HR processes, increase employee productivity and engagement, and reduce costs. The research presented in this paper extends the knowledge base, especially the characteristics of the degree of implementation of HR analysis into working systems of human resources management utilized within businesses operating within the Slovakian context, emphasizing their role in bolstering and enhancing competitiveness within the European economic arena. Although there was a clear interest in the use of predictive analytics in Slovak companies, there was still a lot of room for improvement and adoption of this approach in HR practice. The authors' findings also suggest that companies in Slovakia are increasingly aware of the value of data-driven decision-making in HR and are willing to invest in these technologies to gain a competitive advantage. The objective of this study is to ascertain contemporary human resource management instruments utilized within businesses operating within the Slovakian context. The authors assumed that the perceived importance of the data approach in HR among Slovak companies is strong, and companies are open to learning more about this approach. A sample of 841 respondents was collected throughout 2020, sample included enterprises from the Slovak Republic. The interviews were conducted via phone in November 2022. The interview respondents are 7 HR representatives. The authors' findings suggest that companies in Slovakia are increasingly aware of the value of data-driven decision-making in HR and are willing to invest in these technologies to gain a competitive advantage.
Machine design and drawing, Engineering machinery, tools, and implements
Gabrielyan Bella, Markosyan Ashot, Almastyan Nairuhi
et al.
Energy efficiency and behavioural changes are among the key pillars of decarbonization of the global energy system. Residential sector is responsible for a large share of fossil fuels final consumption, therefore the growth of its energy efficiency can bring a valuable impact on decarbonization speed and scale. In countries with growing economies residential energy consumption can increase dramatically due to the desire of the population to improve their standard of living, therefore striking a balance between economic growth and energy efficiency improvement is a complex policy challenge. The purpose of this study is to analyze attitudes and assess barriers of energy efficient behavior in Republic of Armenia as a country with growing economy and standards of living. The paper contributes to the literature by providing new empirical evidence of consumers’ attitude toward different forms of energy efficient behavior in Armenia and reveals how general pro-environmental consciousness and social conditions influence on it. The results of the study prove that the level of general environmental consciousness of the population has a direct impact on the frequency of practical application of various patterns of energy-efficient behavior. As a policy application for emerging economies, our study proposes that the main direction of energy efficiency policy can be education of the population and raising its level of environmental self-awareness.
Machine design and drawing, Engineering machinery, tools, and implements
Gereon Kortenbruck, Lukas Jakubczyk, Daniel Frank Nowak
Nowadays, cars are an essential part of daily life, and failures, especially of the engine, need to be avoided. Here, we used the determination of the battery voltage as a reference measurement to determine possible malfunctions. Thereby, we compared the use of a digital oscilloscope with the direct measurement of the battery voltage via the electronic control unit. The two devices were evaluated based on criteria such as price, sampling rate, parallel measurements, simplicity, and technical understanding required. Results showed that the oscilloscope (Picoscope 3204D MSO) is more suitable for complex measurements due to its higher sampling rate, accuracy, and versatility. The on-board diagnostics (VCDS HEX-V2) is more accessible to non-professionals, but it is limited in its capabilities. We found that the use of an oscilloscope, specifically the Picoscope, is preferable to measure battery voltage during the engine start-up process, as it provides more accurate and reliable results. However, further investigation is required to analyse numerous influences on the cranking process and the final decision for the appropriate measurement device is case specific.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
Die Landwirtschaft setzt – wie auch andere Branchen – bereits eine Vielzahl an digitalen Technologien ein, was einen maßgeblichen Einfluss auf die Arbeitsgestaltung hat. Dies wird dann als Arbeit 4.0 bezeichnet. Ziel dieses Beitrages ist es, das Arbeitssystem in der Landwirtschaft zu charakterisieren und aufzuzeigen, inwieweit sich Arbeitsinhalte und –bedingungen infolge von Digitalisierungsprozessen verändern und welche Auswirkungen dies auf die Arbeitspersonen hat. Darauf basierend wird ein aktueller Überblick über die mit dem digitalen Wandel verbundenen Chancen und Potenziale gegeben. Ebenso werden Spannungsfelder und Risiken analysiert. Das Arbeitssystem verändert sich insofern, dass mit „Big Data“ Informationen neuer Qualität zur Verfügung stehen. Durch den Informationszuwachs und die Vernetzung von Systemen – sowohl im Stall als auch auf dem Feld – ergeben sich erweiterte Handlungsspielräume. Arbeitsabläufe können zunehmend digitalisiert ausgeführt werden. Die Arbeitspersonen sind vermehrt mit Planungs- und Kontrollaufgaben sowie der Reflektion von Produktionsprozessen konfrontiert. Bei der Durchführung von Aufgaben können Assistenz- und autonome Systeme unterstützen und die Personen bei verschiedenen Funktionen ergänzen oder ersetzen. Die neuen Arbeitsstrukturen sind insbesondere durch Prozesse der Flexibilisierung, Entgrenzung, neue Formen der Zusammenarbeit und zunehmende Relevanz von Wissensarbeit geprägt. Das Volumen der Daten (in Echtzeit) und die Vielfalt an Informationen erhöhen die Anforderungen an die Fähigkeiten, die Fertigkeiten und die Kompetenzen der Arbeitspersonen. Wesentliche Herausforderungen bei der Umsetzung digitaler Lösungen liegen unter anderem in der fortschreitenden Komplexität der Systeme, in der IT-Sicherheit und in der Investitionsbereitschaft. Daraus folgt, dass Kompetenzen und Qualifikationen ständig den Erfordernissen der digitalen Transformation anzupassen sind.
Luca Petrucci, Federico Ricci, Roberto Martinelli
et al.
In the wake of previous works, the authors propose a new approach for the identification and evolution of the flame front in an optical SI engine. Currently, it is an essential prerogative to characterize the capability of innovative igniters to guarantee earlier flame development in critical operating conditions, such as ultra-lean mixture, towards which automotive research is moving to deal with the ever more stringent regulations on pollutant emissions. The core of the new approach lies in the R-CNN Mask method. The latter consists of a conceptually simple and general framework for object instance segmentation. It can efficiently detect objects contained in an image while simultaneously generating a high-quality segmentation mask for each instance. In particular, the aim this work is to develop an automatized algorithm for detecting, as objectively as possible, the flame front evolution of lean/ultra-lean mixtures ignited by low-temperature plasma-based ignition systems. The capability of the Mask R-CNN algorithm to automatically estimate the binarized area, without setting a defined binarized threshold, allows us to perform an analysis of the flame front evolution completely independent from the user interpretation. Mask R-CNN can detect the kernel in advance and can identify events as regular combustions instead of misfires or anomalies if compared to other traditional approaches. These features make the proposed method the most suitable option to analysis the real behavior of the innovative ignition systems at critical operating conditions.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between the sector of the conducted business and the approach to the ownership and rental of real estate used for business purposes, particularly considering the short-term aspect and space sharing. The research uses data obtained from 102 randomly selected Polish enterprises to explore the relationship between the sector and (1) the preferred legal title to real estate (2) acceptance of short-term rental of real estate and (3) acceptance of space sharing. The relationships in all three areas were found. The sectors of production, hotels and restaurants, construction, and transport lean towards ownership. Enterprises operating in the sector of services and trade prefer rental. The sectors of production, hotels and restaurants and transport are skeptical about short-term rental. Services and trade and construction are open to such rental. The sectors of production and hotels and restaurants are skeptical about space sharing. Transport, trade, and construction are clearly open to such an opportunity. The research limitations are as follows: the research is limited to Polish randomly selected enterprises only, and the results cannot be generalized. The originality/value of this paper is revealed in the fact that this paper outlines a short-term rental and ownership perception from an entrepreneurial-managerial view. The novelty of the presented results consists in filling the gap by conducting the research considering the specification of rental and its narrowing down to a short period and space sharing in the context of the sector.
Machine design and drawing, Engineering machinery, tools, and implements
The purpose of this study is to identify the initial lateral and vertical location and angle of attack of a GT4-style rear wing on the rear downforce for an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, prior to installation. The tests were completed with a two-dimensional model, using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, Fluent Ansys. The tests were completed using a range of velocities: 60–80 mph. Optimization of the position of the rear wing aerodynamic device was permitted under the Motorsport UK rules for multiple race series. The results show that while the drag decreases the farther back the wing is located, the desired configuration for the rear wing with regard to downforce is when it is positioned ca. 1850 mm back from the center point of the car, with an attack angle of 5°. Unusually, this is to the front of the boot/rear deck, but it is remarkably similar to where Aston Martin set the rear wing on their Le Mans car in 1995, above where the rear windscreen met the boot hinge, which was based upon wind tunnel studies using a scale model. Our results suggest that while 2D simulations of these types cannot give absolute values for downforce due to aerodynamic device location, they can provide low costs, fast simulation time, and a route for a wide range of cars, making the approach accessible to club motorsports, unlike complex 3D simulation and wind tunnel experimentation.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
Self-driving features rely upon autonomous control of vehicle kinetics, and this manuscript compares several disparate approaches to control predominant kinetics. Classical control using feedback of state position and velocities, open-loop optimal control, real-time optimal control, double-integrator patching filters with and without gain-tuning, and control law inversion patching filters accompanying velocity control are assessed in Simulink, and their performances are compared. Optimal controls are found via Pontryagin’s method of optimization utilizing three necessary conditions: Hamiltonian minimization, adjoint equations, and terminal transversality of the endpoint Lagrangian. It is found that real-time optimal control and control-law patching filter with velocity control incorporating optimization are the two best methods overall as judged in Monte Carlo analysis by means and standard deviations of position and rate errors and cost.
Mechanical engineering and machinery, Machine design and drawing
Yuya Onozuka, Nobuyasu Tomokuni, Genki Murata
et al.
Abstract The wheelchair is the major means of transport for elderly and physically disabled people in their daily lives. However it cannot overcome architectural barriers such as curbs and stairs. In this study, we developed an inverted-pendulum-type robotic wheelchair for climbing stairs. This wheelchair has a seat slider and two rotary links between the front and rear wheels on each side. When climbing stairs, the wheelchair rotates the rotary links while maintaining an inverted state of a mobile body by controlling the position of the center of gravity using a seat slider. In previous research, we confirmed that the wheelchair can climb by applying the control method consisting of a center-of-gravity control phase and rotary link control phase. However, it took approximately 15 s to rotate the rotary links during climbing because faster climbing causes the movement of wheels and the wheelchair to fall. This paper focuses on a control method to restrain the movement of the wheels when the stair climbing speed is increased. We realized that the movement was caused by forces acting on the pitch angle, such as the inertial force and the reaction of the driving force. We proposed the method considering the dynamic equilibrium of the pitch angle and confirmed the effect of the restraining wheels’ movement when the proposed method was applied.
Dieser Beitrag entwickelt ein 3-Ebenen-Modell zur Beschreibung der Arbeitsaufgabe für maschinenführende Personen bei der Feldarbeit mit einer Traktor-Anbaugeräte-Kombination. Das Modell wird am Beispiel des Verfahrensschritts „Grubbern“ im Zuge einer ganzheitlichen Betrachtung der Arbeitsaufgabe erarbeitet. Darauf aufbauend wird dargelegt, wie das 3-Ebenen-Modell als Basis für die Entwicklung von Technologie zur Automatisierung einer Traktor-Anbaugeräte-Kombination dienen kann.
Symmetry is a key feature observed in nature (from flowers and leaves, to butterflies and birds) and in human-made objects (from paintings and sculptures, to manufactured objects and architectural design). Rotational, translational, and especially reflectional symmetries, are also important in drawings of graphs. Detecting and classifying symmetries can be very useful in algorithms that aim to create symmetric graph drawings and in this paper we present a machine learning approach for these tasks. Specifically, we show that deep neural networks can be used to detect reflectional symmetries with 92% accuracy. We also build a multi-class classifier to distinguish between reflectional horizontal, reflectional vertical, rotational, and translational symmetries. Finally, we make available a collection of images of graph drawings with specific symmetric features that can be used in machine learning systems for training, testing and validation purposes. Our datasets, best trained ML models, source code are available online.
This article discusses the design process of a chocolate crusher machine based on VDI 2222. The design activities begin with identifying the needs and demands of the customer until finishing the solution for the customer in the form of a design work drawing in technical documentation. The proposed method is validated in a case study of making a chocolate chopper machine design. The machine generally functions as a separator between the cocoa beans and the shell of the seeds which have been chopped in such a way as to produce the required dimensions. At the planning stage, identifying the machine's need is to be able to chop the cocoa beans until the smallest grain has a maximum dimension of 4 mm. Three alternative functions are given and assessed as a result of the conceptualization stage. Evaluation is given to the draft design by considering the material, manufacturing and maintenance aspects. At the completion stage, technical documentation in the form of detailed work drawings is produced. By setting the rotating speed, a chocolate crusher can make beans with dimensions of 2-4 mm and production capacity is about 600 kg/hour.
The objective of the paper is to analyze the cooperation in craft beer manufacturing in Poland and to identify the specificity of this phenomenon from the perspective of enterprise management. The sales of craft beers in Poland are growing rapidly. Craft beers have about a 0.5% share in the total beer sales value in Poland. The popular practice in the industry is contract brewing. It is an interesting phenomenon in the field of cooperation of enterprises which can be classified and analyzed as a form of: economic cooperation (generally), production cooperation, outsourcing, network and virtual organization and also coopetition. It is a specific business model. Contract brewing is a complex problem the specificity of which emerges on several levels. Firstly, there is a special way to emerge in the market of craft beers, even while not possessing significant funds by the entrepreneur. Secondly, it is a form of cooperation in the field of production which unites efforts on the side of both the customer and the contractor since it is not limited to normal outsourcing of production to an external entity but involves physical production capacity of the contractor and technological know-how of both cooperation parties. Thirdly, it is firmly embedded in human relationships. Fourthly, it can generate coopetitive relations since the brewery accepting the order may conduct its own activity related to production and sales of beer under its own brand.
Machine design and drawing, Engineering machinery, tools, and implements
In the traditional methodology of CAD system teaching, one starts with acquirement of technical drawing principles and design of technical schemes and drawings based on manual drawing. Only consequently students learn to draw the schemes and technical drawings in some of the CAD systems. An alternative possibility to teach CAD/CAE systems could be to start immediately with machine element draughts and modelling and to the technical drawing teaching to pay attention only marginally, in a reduced time allocation. A key question related to this, by the authors proposed way of teaching CAD/CAE systems, is whether the reduction of the technical drawing teaching will not have a negative impact on the students` achievements. The answer to this question should be found out from a pedagogical experiment which the authors are going to carry out and a methodology of which is presented in the paper.
Abstract We are developing a robot that can play an outdoor game with children. In realizing such a robot, the person detection and tracking methods play an important role. In this paper, we propose methods for improving person detection and tracking using a laser range finder (LRF). A problem facing player detection using an LRF during play is that detection of a player’s body sometimes fails because of the posture of the player. Thus, we propose two improvements of the conventional person detection algorithm. One is to determine the body boundary when an arm overlaps the body, and the other is to choose the most probable object as the body among the detected objects. Another problem is how to track players who are hidden by other players. We introduce a new algorithm to robustly track a player even when the player is behind other players. We conducted three experiments. In the first experiment, we investigate the performance improvement by the proposed player detection algorithm. The second experiment proves that the proposed player-tracking algorithm can robustly track a player even after the LRF has lost that player. In the last experiment, we conduct the game Darumasan ga Koronda using the developed system and confirm that the system can perform the game without large problems.