Digital factory – virtual reality environments for industrial training and maintenance

This study evaluates the use of virtual reality (VR) platforms, which is an integrated part of the digital factory for an industrial training and maintenance system. The digital factory-based VR platform provides an intuitive and immersive human–computer interface, which can be an efficient tool for industrial training and maintenance services. The outcomes from this study suggested that use of the VR platform for training and maintenance of complex industrial tasks should be encouraged and use of the VR platform for that purpose should be further evaluated. This paper highlighted the generic concept of the application of virtual reality technique within the digital factory to industrial maintenance and to build a low-cost VR application for a training and maintenance system. An application case on virtual reality technique in a power plant operations and maintenance is demonstrated within the scope of this research. Overall research implications on virtual reality concept in industrial applications are concluded with future research directions.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Parametric and Visual Programming BIM Applied to Museums, Linking Container and Content

In recent years we have been experiencing an ever-increasing number of Building Modeling Modeling (BIM) and Visual Programming Language (VPL) approaches in the architectural design field. These experiments have inspired new research strictly focused on exploring values, criticalities, and the advantages of applying these combined methodologies in the Cultural Heritage domain. This integrated approach has emphasized the benefits derived from HBIM. The next step is to critically evaluate the application of BIM and VPL processes used in the management and valorisation of museum heritage, pursuing both parametric and algorithmic approaches. The research group worked on building a model that shared the BIM hierarchical structure and the flexibility of the VPL methodologies. Semi-automatic procedures were developed within a rigorous BIM workflow, with the help of Autodesk and McNeel tools, to show and manage complex museum management phenomena. These procedures aimed to respond to three different objectives. First, the need to associate information from the Facility Report to the individual BIM components to predict and monitor the conditions in which museum collections are found. Second, the intention to measure the attractiveness of the artifacts within the exhibition project and the design effects for a correct prefiguration of visitor flows. Third, the elements involved included the exhibition area obtained from an HBIM model (converted into a visual field through interoperable processes), the digitized collections (the attractive elements), the users and, finally, the numerical evaluation of the visibility of specific objects within collections by simulating the human point of view. Once automated, the devised procedures can be considered a prototype to support curators in controlling and improving the efficiency of the exhibition layout

An Evidence-based Roadmap for IoT Software Systems Engineering

Context: The Internet of Things (IoT) has brought expectations for software inclusion in everyday objects. However, it has challenges and requires multidisciplinary technical knowledge involving different areas that should be combined to enable IoT software systems engineering. Goal: To present an evidence-based roadmap for IoT development to support developers in specifying, designing, and implementing IoT systems. Method: An iterative approach based on experimental studies to acquire evidence to define the IoT Roadmap. Next, the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge life cycle was used to organize the roadmap and set temporal dimensions for IoT software systems engineering. Results: The studies revealed seven IoT Facets influencing IoT development. The IoT Roadmap comprises 117 items organized into 29 categories representing different concerns for each Facet. In addition, an experimental study was conducted observing a real case of a healthcare IoT project, indicating the roadmap applicability. Conclusions: The IoT Roadmap can be a feasible instrument to assist IoT software systems engineering because it can (a) support researchers and practitioners in understanding and characterizing the IoT and (b) provide a checklist to identify the applicable recommendations for engineering IoT software systems

A 64mW DNN-based Visual Navigation Engine for Autonomous Nano-Drones

Fully-autonomous miniaturized robots (e.g., drones), with artificial intelligence (AI) based visual navigation capabilities are extremely challenging drivers of Internet-of-Things edge intelligence capabilities. Visual navigation based on AI approaches, such as deep neural networks (DNNs) are becoming pervasive for standard-size drones, but are considered out of reach for nanodrones with size of a few cm${}^\mathrm{2}$. In this work, we present the first (to the best of our knowledge) demonstration of a navigation engine for autonomous nano-drones capable of closed-loop end-to-end DNN-based visual navigation. To achieve this goal we developed a complete methodology for parallel execution of complex DNNs directly on-bard of resource-constrained milliwatt-scale nodes. Our system is based on GAP8, a novel parallel ultra-low-power computing platform, and a 27 g commercial, open-source CrazyFlie 2.0 nano-quadrotor. As part of our general methodology we discuss the software mapping techniques that enable the state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural network presented in [1] to be fully executed on-board within a strict 6 fps real-time constraint with no compromise in terms of flight results, while all processing is done with only 64 mW on average. Our navigation engine is flexible and can be used to span a wide performance range: at its peak performance corner it achieves 18 fps while still consuming on average just 3.5% of the power envelope of the deployed nano-aircraft.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, 5 tables, 2 listings, accepted for publication in the IEEE Internet of Things Journal (IEEE IOTJ

A comparison of processing techniques for producing prototype injection moulding inserts.

This project involves the investigation of processing techniques for producing low-cost moulding inserts used in the particulate injection moulding (PIM) process. Prototype moulds were made from both additive and subtractive processes as well as a combination of the two. The general motivation for this was to reduce the entry cost of users when considering PIM. PIM cavity inserts were first made by conventional machining from a polymer block using the pocket NC desktop mill. PIM cavity inserts were also made by fused filament deposition modelling using the Tiertime UP plus 3D printer. The injection moulding trials manifested in surface finish and part removal defects. The feedstock was a titanium metal blend which is brittle in comparison to commodity polymers. That in combination with the mesoscale features, small cross-sections and complex geometries were considered the main problems. For both processing methods, fixes were identified and made to test the theory. These consisted of a blended approach that saw a combination of both the additive and subtractive processes being used. The parts produced from the three processing methods are investigated and their respective merits and issues are discussed

Reducing risk in pre-production investigations through undergraduate engineering projects.

This poster is the culmination of final year Bachelor of Engineering Technology (B.Eng.Tech) student projects in 2017 and 2018. The B.Eng.Tech is a level seven qualification that aligns with the Sydney accord for a three-year engineering degree and hence is internationally benchmarked. The enabling mechanism of these projects is the industry connectivity that creates real-world projects and highlights the benefits of the investigation of process at the technologist level. The methodologies we use are basic and transparent, with enough depth of technical knowledge to ensure the industry partners gain from the collaboration process. The process we use minimizes the disconnect between the student and the industry supervisor while maintaining the academic freedom of the student and the commercial sensitivities of the supervisor. The general motivation for this approach is the reduction of the entry cost of the industry to enable consideration of new technologies and thereby reducing risk to core business and shareholder profits. The poster presents several images and interpretive dialogue to explain the positive and negative aspects of the student process

Web-Based Management of Public Buildings: A Workflow Based on Integration of BIM and IoT Sensors with a Web–GIS Portal

In this paper, we present the final results from the research project “Urban Abacus of Building Energy Performances (Abaco Urbano Energeticodegli Edifci–AUREE)” aimed at supporting the renovation process and energy efficiency enhancement of urban building stocks. The crux of the AUREE project is a Web–GIS GeoBlog portal with customized semantic dashboards aimed at sharing information on an urban built environment and promoting the participation of local stakeholders in its improvement. As the latest development of this research, a workflow that integrates the AUREE portal with BIM authoring and an open-source IoT platform is implemented and applied to an experimental case study concerning a public building in Carbonia (Italy). The headquarters of the Sotacarbo Sustainable Energy Research Center was selected as the case study. The presented results proved that it was possible to create a valid open system, which was accessible to both specialist and unskilled users, and aimed at guiding, through a progressive knowledge deepening, common end-users toward proper conscious “energy behaviors” as well as public administrations and decision-makers toward sustainable facility management. Later, the proposed open system could also be suitable to be used as an effective tool to support the rising “energy communities”

Interactive Experience Design: Integrated and Tangible Storytelling with Maritime Museum Artefacts

Museums play the role of intermediary between cultural heritage and visitors, and are often described as places and environments for education and enjoyment. The European Union also encourages innovative uses of museums to support education through the cultural heritage resources. However, the importance of visitors’ active role in museums as places for education and entertainment, on the one hand, and the growing and indispensable presence of technology in the cultural heritage domain, on the other hand, provided the initial ideas to develop the research. This thesis, presents the study and design for an interactive storytelling installation for a maritime museum. The installation is designed to integrate different museum artefacts into the storytelling system to enrich the visitors experience through tangible storytelling. The project was conducted in collaboration with another PhD student, Luca Ciotoli. His contribution was mainly focused on the narrative and storytelling features of the research, while my contribution was focused on the interaction- and technology-related features, including the design and implementation of the prototype. The research is deployed using a four-phase iterative approach. The first phase of the research, Study, deals with literature review and different studies to identify the requirements. The second phase, Design, determines the broad outlines of the project i.e., an interactive storytelling installation. The design phase includes interaction and museum experience design. We investigated different design approaches, e.g., interaction and museum experience design, to develop a conceptual design. The third phase, prototype, allows us to determine how to fulfill the tasks and meet the requirements that are established for the research. Prototyping involves content creation, storyboarding, integrating augmented artefacts into the storytelling system. Th final phase, test, refers to the evaluations that are conducted during the aforementioned phases e.g., formative and the final usability testing with users. The outcome of the research confirms previous results in the literature about how digital narratives can be enriched with the tangible dimension, moreover it shows how this dimension can enable to communicate stories and knowledge of the past that are complex, such as the art of navigating in the past, by integrating tangible objects that play different roles in the storytelling process

NFT-Based Blockchain-Oriented Security Framework for Metaverse Applications

The Metaverse is rapidly evolving, bringing us closer to its imminent reality. However, the widespread adoption of this new automated technology poses significant research challenges in terms of authenticity, integrity, interoperability, and efficiency. These challenges originate from the core technologies underlying the Metaverse and are exacerbated by its complex nature. As a solution to these challenges, this paper presents a novel framework based on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). The framework employs the Proof-of-Stake consensus algorithm, a blockchain-based technology, for data transaction, validation, and resource management. PoS efficiently consume energy and provide a streamlined validation approach instead of resource-intensive mining. This ability makes PoS an ideal candidate for Metaverse applications. By combining NFTs for user authentication and PoS for data integrity, enhanced transaction throughput, and improved scalability, the proposed blockchain mechanism demonstrates noteworthy advantages. Through security analysis, experimental and simulation results, it is established that the NFT-based approach coupled with the PoS algorithm is secure and efficient for Metaverse applications.Comment: 10 page

Multi-Agent Systems

[EN] With the current advance of technology, agent-based applications are becoming a standard in a great variety of domains such as e-commerce, logistics, supply chain management, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing. Another reason for the widespread interest in multi-agent systems is that these systems are seen as a technology and a tool that helps in the analysis and development of new models and theories in large-scale distributed systems or in human-centered systems. This last aspect is currently of great interest due to the need for democratization in the use of technology that allows people without technical preparation to interact with the devices in a simple and coherent way. In this Special Issue, different interesting approaches that advance this research discipline have been selected and presented.Julian Inglada, VJ.; Botti V. (2019). Multi-Agent Systems. Applied Sciences. 9(7):1-7. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9071402S1797Kravari, K., & Bassiliades, N. (2015). 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Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 28, 111-141. doi:10.1016/j.engappai.2013.11.012Boztepe, İ., & Erdur, R. (2018). Linked Data Aware Agent Development Framework for Mobile Devices. Applied Sciences, 8(10), 1831. doi:10.3390/app8101831Shoham, Y., Powers, R., & Grenager, T. (2007). If multi-agent learning is the answer, what is the question? Artificial Intelligence, 171(7), 365-377. doi:10.1016/j.artint.2006.02.006Duan, K., Fong, S., Zhuang, Y., & Song, W. (2018). Artificial Neural Networks in Coordinated Control of Multiple Hovercrafts with Unmodeled Terms. Applied Sciences, 8(6), 862. doi:10.3390/app8060862Zhang, Q., Yao, J., Yin, Q., & Zha, Y. (2018). Learning Behavior Trees for Autonomous Agents with Hybrid Constraints Evolution. Applied Sciences, 8(7), 1077. doi:10.3390/app8071077Cook, D. J., Augusto, J. C., & Jakkula, V. R. (2009). Ambient intelligence: Technologies, applications, and opportunities. Pervasive and Mobile Computing, 5(4), 277-298. doi:10.1016/j.pmcj.2009.04.001Kranz, M., Holleis, P., & Schmidt, A. (2010). Embedded Interaction: Interacting with the Internet of Things. IEEE Internet Computing, 14(2), 46-53. doi:10.1109/mic.2009.141Gershenfeld, N., Krikorian, R., & Cohen, D. (2004). The Internet of Things. Scientific American, 291(4), 76-81. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican1004-76Atzori, L., Iera, A., & Morabito, G. (2010). The Internet of Things: A survey. Computer Networks, 54(15), 2787-2805. doi:10.1016/j.comnet.2010.05.010Costa, A., Novais, P., Corchado, J. M., & Neves, J. (2011). Increased performance and better patient attendance in an hospital with the use of smart agendas. Logic Journal of IGPL, 20(4), 689-698. doi:10.1093/jigpal/jzr021Tapia, D. I., & Corchado, J. M. (2009). An Ambient Intelligence Based Multi-Agent System for Alzheimer Health Care. International Journal of Ambient Computing and Intelligence, 1(1), 15-26. doi:10.4018/jaci.2009010102Barriuso, A., De la Prieta, F., Villarrubia González, G., De La Iglesia, D., & Lozano, Á. (2018). MOVICLOUD: Agent-Based 3D Platform for the Labor Integration of Disabled People. Applied Sciences, 8(3), 337. doi:10.3390/app8030337Rosales, R., Castañón-Puga, M., Lara-Rosano, F., Flores-Parra, J., Evans, R., Osuna-Millan, N., & Gaxiola-Pacheco, C. (2018). Modelling the Interaction Levels in HCI Using an Intelligent Hybrid System with Interactive Agents: A Case Study of an Interactive Museum Exhibition Module in Mexico. Applied Sciences, 8(3), 446. doi:10.3390/app8030446Ramos, J., Oliveira, T., Satoh, K., Neves, J., & Novais, P. (2018). Cognitive Assistants—An Analysis and Future Trends Based on Speculative Default Reasoning. Applied Sciences, 8(5), 742. doi:10.3390/app8050742SATOH, K. (2005). Speculative Computation and Abduction for an Autonomous Agent. IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems, E88-D(9), 2031-2038. doi:10.1093/ietisy/e88-d.9.2031Miyashita, K. (2017). Incremental Design of Perishable Goods Markets through Multi-Agent Simulations. Applied Sciences, 7(12), 1300. doi:10.3390/app7121300Albino, V., Berardi, U., & Dangelico, R. M. (2015). Smart Cities: Definitions, Dimensions, Performance, and Initiatives. Journal of Urban Technology, 22(1), 3-21. doi:10.1080/10630732.2014.942092Roscia, M., Longo, M., & Lazaroiu, G. C. (2013). Smart City by multi-agent systems. 2013 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications (ICRERA). doi:10.1109/icrera.2013.6749783Lozano, Á., De Paz, J., Villarrubia González, G., Iglesia, D., & Bajo, J. (2018). Multi-Agent System for Demand Prediction and Trip Visualization in Bike Sharing Systems. Applied Sciences, 8(1), 67. doi:10.3390/app8010067Jordán, J., Palanca, J., del Val, E., Julian, V., & Botti, V. (2018). A Multi-Agent System for the Dynamic Emplacement of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Applied Sciences, 8(2), 313. doi:10.3390/app8020313Billhardt, H., Fernández, A., Lujak, M., & Ossowski, S. (2018). Agreement Technologies for Coordination in Smart Cities. Applied Sciences, 8(5), 816. doi:10.3390/app805081