330 research outputs found
Modern Information Systems
The development of modern information systems is a demanding task. New technologies and tools are designed, implemented and presented in the market on a daily bases. User needs change dramatically fast and the IT industry copes to reach the level of efficiency and adaptability for its systems in order to be competitive and up-to-date. Thus, the realization of modern information systems with great characteristics and functionalities implemented for specific areas of interest is a fact of our modern and demanding digital society and this is the main scope of this book. Therefore, this book aims to present a number of innovative and recently developed information systems. It is titled "Modern Information Systems" and includes 8 chapters. This book may assist researchers on studying the innovative functions of modern systems in various areas like health, telematics, knowledge management, etc. It can also assist young students in capturing the new research tendencies of the information systems' development
Imaging White Blood Cells using a Snapshot Hyper-Spectral Imaging System
Automated white blood cell (WBC) counting systems process an extracted whole blood sample and provide a cell count. A step that would not be ideal for onsite screening of individuals in triage or at a security gate. Snapshot Hyper-Spectral imaging systems are capable of capturing several spectral bands simultaneously, offering co-registered images of a target. With appropriate optics, these systems are potentially able to image blood cells in vivo as they flow through a vessel, eliminating the need for a blood draw and sample staining. Our group has evaluated the capability of a commercial Snapshot Hyper-Spectral imaging system, specifically the Arrow system from Rebellion Photonics, in differentiating between white and red blood cells on unstained and sealed blood smear slides. We evaluated the imaging capabilities of this hyperspectral camera as a platform to build an automated blood cell counting system. Hyperspectral data consisting of 25, 443x313 hyperspectral bands with ~3nm spacing were captured over the range of 419 to 494nm. Open-source hyperspectral datacube analysis tools, used primarily in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications, indicate that white blood cells\u27 features are most prominent in the 428-442nm band for blood samples viewed under 20x and 50x magnification over a varying range of illumination intensities. The system has shown to successfully segment blood cells based on their spectral-spatial information. These images could potentially be used in subsequent automated white blood cell segmentation and counting algorithms for performing in vivo white blood cell counting
Integrated Methodologies and Technologies for the Design of Advanced Biomedical Devices
Biomedical devices with tailored properties were designed using advanced methodologies and technologies. In particular, design for additive manufacturing, reverse engineering, material selection, experimental and theoretical analyses were properly integrated.
The focus was on the design of: i) 3D additively manufactured hybrid structures for cranioplasty; ii) technical solutions and customized prosthetic devices with tailored properties for skull base reconstruction after endoscopic endonasal surgery; iii) solid-lattice hybrid structures with optimized properties for biomedical applications.
The feasibility of the proposed technical solutions was also assessed through virtual and physical models
Multi-objective Optimisation in Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has demonstrated great potential to advance product
design and manufacturing, and has showed higher flexibility than conventional
manufacturing techniques for the production of small volume, complex and customised
components. In an economy focused on the need to develop customised and hi-tech
products, there is increasing interest in establishing AM technologies as a more efficient
production approach for high value products such as aerospace and biomedical
products.
Nevertheless, the use of AM processes, for even small to medium volume production
faces a number of issues in the current state of the technology. AM production is
normally used for making parts with complex geometry which implicates the
assessment of numerous processing options or choices; the wrong choice of process
parameters can result in poor surface quality, onerous manufacturing time and energy
waste, and thus increased production costs and resources. A few commonly used AM
processes require the presence of cellular support structures for the production of
overhanging parts. Depending on the object complexity their removal can be impossible
or very time (and resources) consuming.
Currently, there is a lack of tools to advise the AM operator on the optimal choice of
process parameters. This prevents the diffusion of AM as an efficient production
process for enterprises, and as affordable access to democratic product development for
individual users.
Research in literature has focused mainly on the optimisation of single criteria for AM
production. An integrated predictive modelling and optimisation technique has not yet
been well established for identifying an efficient process set up for complicated products which often involve critical building requirements. For instance, there are no
robust methods for the optimal design of complex cellular support structures, and most
of the software commercially available today does not provide adequate guidance on
how to optimally orientate the part into the machine bed, or which particular
combination of cellular structures need to be used as support. The choice of wrong
support and orientation can degenerate into structure collapse during an AM process
such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM), due to the high thermal stress in the junctions
between fillets of different cells.
Another issue of AM production is the limited parts’ surface quality typically generated
by the discrete deposition and fusion of material. This research has focused on the
formation of surface morphology of AM parts. Analysis of SLM parts showed that
roughness measured was different from that predicted through a classic model based on
pure geometrical consideration on the stair step profile. Experiments also revealed the
presence of partially bonded particles on the surface; an explanation of this phenomenon
has been proposed. Results have been integrated into a novel mathematical model for
the prediction of surface roughness of SLM parts. The model formulated correctly
describes the observed trend of the experimental data, and thus provides an accurate
prediction of surface roughness.
This thesis aims to deliver an effective computational methodology for the multi-
objective optimisation of the main building conditions that affect process efficiency of
AM production. For this purpose, mathematical models have been formulated for the
determination of parts’ surface quality, manufacturing time and energy consumption,
and for the design of optimal cellular support structures.
All the predictive models have been used to evaluate multiple performance and costs
objectives; all the objectives are typically contrasting; and all greatly affected by the
part’s build orientation. A multi-objective optimisation technique has been developed to visualise and identify
optimal trade-offs between all the contrastive objectives for the most efficient AM
production. Hence, this thesis has delivered a decision support system to assist the
operator in the "process planning" stage, in order to achieve optimal efficiency and
sustainability in AM production through maximum material, time and energy savings.EADS Airbus, Great Western Researc
EG-ICE 2021 Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering
The 28th EG-ICE International Workshop 2021 brings together international experts working at the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolutions to support multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways
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