3,238 research outputs found
The Pragmatic Development of a Carbon Management Framework for UK SMEs
The UK's commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 is challenged by critics citing current government strategies as inadequate, marked by a lack of concrete action and aspirational guidelines. Notably, businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which constitute about half of all business emissions, are pivotal to this goal. Yet, existing policies and standards often neglect the significant role of SMEs, who face barriers such as limited knowledge and resources in implementing carbon management practices.
This thesis explores the development of a novel carbon management framework specifically designed for medium-sized organisations in the UK to address these problems. The research adopts a practical approach through collaboration with an industry partner, facilitating a case study for real-world application.
Adopting a mixed-methods research design grounded in pragmatism, the study commenced with a qualitative study in the form of a focus group. This exploratory phase, critical for understanding SME challenges, yielded rich data revealing key management themes in strategy, energy, and data. The framework design was supported by a materiality assessment and input from key stakeholders on three major iterations. The final framework comprises three phases: establishing a baseline carbon footprint, creating a carbon reduction plan, and strategically implementing this plan. The validation process, conducted at Knowsley Safari, successfully tested the initial two phases but faced constraints in fully assessing the third phase due to time limitations.
While the research achieved its primary aim of developing a novel carbon management framework for SMEs, it encountered limitations, notably in time and the generalisability of findings due to reliance on a single case study. Future research could test the framework across diverse SME settings to establish its broader applicability and effectiveness in aiding the UK's net-zero emission goals
Digitalization and Development
This book examines the diffusion of digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies in Malaysia by focusing on the ecosystem critical for its expansion. The chapters examine the digital proliferation in major sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce and services, as well as the intermediary organizations essential for the orderly performance of socioeconomic agents.
The book incisively reviews policy instruments critical for the effective and orderly development of the embedding organizations, and the regulatory framework needed to quicken the appropriation of socioeconomic synergies from digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies. It highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academic and industry partners, as well as makes key recommendations on how to encourage adoption of IR4.0 technologies in the short- and long-term.
This book bridges the concepts and applications of digitalization and Industry 4.0 and will be a must-read for policy makers seeking to quicken the adoption of its technologies
Programming Wireless Security through Learning-Aided Spatiotemporal Digital Coding Metamaterial Antenna
The advancement of future large-scale wireless networks necessitates the
development of cost-effective and scalable security solutions. Conventional
cryptographic methods, due to their computational and key management
complexity, are unable to fulfill the low-latency and scalability requirements
of these networks. Physical layer (PHY) security has been put forth as a
cost-effective alternative to cryptographic mechanisms that can circumvent the
need for explicit key exchange between communication devices, owing to the fact
that PHY security relies on the physics of the signal transmission for
providing security. In this work, a space-time-modulated digitally-coded
metamaterial (MTM) leaky wave antenna (LWA) is proposed that can enable PHY
security by achieving the functionalities of directional modulation (DM) using
a machine learning-aided branch and bound (B&B) optimized coding sequence. From
the theoretical perspective, it is first shown that the proposed space-time MTM
antenna architecture can achieve DM through both the spatial and spectral
manipulation of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal
received by a user equipment. Simulation results are then provided as
proof-of-principle, demonstrating the applicability of our approach for
achieving DM in various communication settings. To further validate our
simulation results, a prototype of the proposed architecture controlled by a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is realized, which achieves DM via an
optimized coding sequence carried out by the learning-aided branch-and-bound
algorithm corresponding to the states of the MTM LWA's unit cells. Experimental
results confirm the theory behind the space-time-modulated MTM LWA in achieving
DM, which is observed via both the spectral harmonic patterns and bit error
rate (BER) measurements
Investigating the learning potential of the Second Quantum Revolution: development of an approach for secondary school students
In recent years we have witnessed important changes: the Second Quantum Revolution is in the spotlight of many countries, and it is creating a new generation of technologies.
To unlock the potential of the Second Quantum Revolution, several countries have launched strategic plans and research programs that finance and set the pace of research and development of these new technologies (like the Quantum Flagship, the National Quantum Initiative Act and so on).
The increasing pace of technological changes is also challenging science education and institutional systems, requiring them to help to prepare new generations of experts.
This work is placed within physics education research and contributes to the challenge by developing an approach and a course about the Second Quantum Revolution. The aims are to promote quantum literacy and, in particular, to value from a cultural and educational perspective the Second Revolution.
The dissertation is articulated in two parts. In the first, we unpack the Second Quantum Revolution from a cultural perspective and shed light on the main revolutionary aspects that are elevated to the rank of principles implemented in the design of a course for secondary school students, prospective and in-service teachers. The design process and the educational reconstruction of the activities are presented as well as the results of a pilot study conducted to investigate the impact of the approach on students' understanding and to gather feedback to refine and improve the instructional materials.
The second part consists of the exploration of the Second Quantum Revolution as a context to introduce some basic concepts of quantum physics. We present the results of an implementation with secondary school students to investigate if and to what extent external representations could play any role to promote students’ understanding and acceptance of quantum physics as a personal reliable description of the world
An intelligent magnetic tape controller
This thesis describes a system to allow a mass storage device to be installed in a position remote from the computer system which controls it. This system is intended to allow undergraduate students in the Electrical Engineering department at UCT to make use of two nine channel tape drives installed in the undergraduate interfaced to accessed by laboratory for project work. The drives are the department's PDP-11/23 computer, and may be standard operating system directives, as the controller simulates a conventional computer peripheral. The system consists of an SA-Bus based tape transport controller which interfaces to the host computer system via a serial line. The following hardware was designed and built specifically for this system : 1. A CPU card based on the in Tel 80188 microprocessor, incorporating high speed DMA (direct memory access) channels and two interrupt driven serial lines. 2. A timing and control module for the tape transports. This consists of two SA-Bus cards. Two sets of software were written for the system. These are the following : 1. Software to operate the tape controller. This consists of six modules written in Pascal-86 and 8086 assemblers. 2. Software to allow the PDP-11/23 to control the tape drives. This is in the. form of an RSX-11 device driver written in PDP-11 assembler. To allow the particular to proposed local system allow area highly modular form. to be easily the system to network) , the upgraded in the future (in be incorporated into UCT's software was written in an addition to being controlled by a host system in remote mode the tape controller also has the ability to perform a variety of operations in local mode. These include the ability to copy and erase tapes, as well as a comprehensive set of diagnostic functions. When in local operations mode the controller is menu driven, making its use by persons who are not familiar with it quick and easy
Physical sketching tools and techniques for customized sensate surfaces
Sensate surfaces are a promising avenue for enhancing human interaction with digital systems due to their inherent intuitiveness and natural user interface. Recent technological advancements have enabled sensate surfaces to surpass the constraints of conventional touchscreens by integrating them into everyday objects, creating interactive interfaces that can detect various inputs such as touch, pressure, and gestures. This allows for more natural and intuitive control of digital systems. However, prototyping interactive surfaces that are customized to users' requirements using conventional techniques remains technically challenging due to limitations in accommodating complex geometric shapes and varying sizes. Furthermore, it is crucial to consider the context in which customized surfaces are utilized, as relocating them to fabrication labs may lead to the loss of their original design context. Additionally, prototyping high-resolution sensate surfaces presents challenges due to the complex signal processing requirements involved. This thesis investigates the design and fabrication of customized sensate surfaces that meet the diverse requirements of different users and contexts. The research aims to develop novel tools and techniques that overcome the technical limitations of current methods and enable the creation of sensate surfaces that enhance human interaction with digital systems.Sensorische Oberflächen sind aufgrund ihrer inhärenten Intuitivität und natürlichen Benutzeroberfläche ein vielversprechender Ansatz, um die menschliche Interaktionmit digitalen Systemen zu verbessern. Die jüngsten technologischen Fortschritte haben es ermöglicht, dass sensorische Oberflächen die Beschränkungen herkömmlicher Touchscreens überwinden, indem sie in Alltagsgegenstände integriert werden und interaktive Schnittstellen schaffen, die diverse Eingaben wie Berührung, Druck, oder Gesten erkennen können. Dies ermöglicht eine natürlichere und intuitivere Steuerung von digitalen Systemen. Das Prototyping interaktiver Oberflächen, die mit herkömmlichen Techniken an die Bedürfnisse der Nutzer angepasst werden, bleibt jedoch eine technische Herausforderung, da komplexe geometrische Formen und variierende Größen nur begrenzt berücksichtigt werden können. Darüber hinaus ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung, den Kontext, in dem diese individuell angepassten Oberflächen verwendet werden, zu berücksichtigen, da eine Verlagerung in Fabrikations-Laboratorien zum Verlust ihres ursprünglichen Designkontextes führen kann. Zudem stellt das Prototyping hochauflösender sensorischer Oberflächen aufgrund der komplexen Anforderungen an die Signalverarbeitung eine Herausforderung dar. Diese Arbeit erforscht dasDesign und die Fabrikation individuell angepasster sensorischer Oberflächen, die den diversen Anforderungen unterschiedlicher Nutzer und Kontexte gerecht werden. Die Forschung zielt darauf ab, neuartigeWerkzeuge und Techniken zu entwickeln, die die technischen Beschränkungen derzeitigerMethoden überwinden und die Erstellung von sensorischen Oberflächen ermöglichen, die die menschliche Interaktion mit digitalen Systemen verbessern
Застосування веб-камери на онлайн заняттях з персоналом авіакоманії
Робота публікується згідно наказу ректора від 27.05.2021 р. №311/од "Про розміщення кваліфікаційних робіт вищої освіти в репозиторії НАУ". Керівник дипломної роботи: доцент кафедри авіоніки, Бєлінський Валерій МиколайовичConducting classes remotely, not being able to explain in person and help
at the time of the problem - a new problem that we encountered 2 years ago, and
could not imagine such situations in their work. But the pandemic contributed
unexpected adjustments and forced everyone to urgently master digital tools and
new pedagogical approaches and techniques.
Forced distance learning has become a challenge for everyone participants
in the educational process: coaches, airline staff.
Organize quality training using digital technologies, motivate, give advice
to technical problems was not easy.
Distance learning is an individualized process of acquiring knowledge,
skills, abilities and ways of human cognitive activity, which occurs mainly
through the indirect interaction of distant participants in the training process in a
specialized environment that operates on the base of modern information and
communication technologies.Проведення занять дистанційно, неможливість пояснити особисто та допомогти
на момент проблеми - нова проблема, з якою ми зіткнулися 2 роки тому, і
не могли уявити собі таких ситуацій у своїй роботі. Але пандемія посприяла
несподівані корективи та змусили всіх терміново опанувати цифрові інструменти та
нові педагогічні підходи та техніки.
Вимушене дистанційне навчання стало викликом для всіх учасників
у навчальному процесі: тренери, персонал авіакомпанії.
Організовувати якісне навчання з використанням цифрових технологій, мотивувати, давати поради
з технічними проблемами було нелегко.
Дистанційне навчання – це індивідуалізований процес отримання знань,
умінь, навичок і способів пізнавальної діяльності людини, що відбувається в основному
через опосередковану взаємодію віддалених учасників навчального процесу в а
спеціалізоване середовище, що функціонує на базі сучасної інформації та
комунікаційні технології
The Politics of Platformization: Amsterdam Dialogues on Platform Theory
What is platformization and why is it a relevant category in the contemporary political landscape? How is it related to cybernetics and the history of computation? This book tries to answer such questions by engaging in multidisciplinary dialogues about the first ten years of the emerging fields of platform studies and platform theory. It deploys a narrative and playful approach that makes use of anecdotes, personal histories, etymologies, and futurable speculations to investigate both the fragmented genealogy that led to platformization and the organizational and economic trends that guide nowadays platform sociotechnical imaginaries
Modern meat: the next generation of meat from cells
Modern Meat is the first textbook on cultivated meat, with contributions from over 100 experts within the cultivated meat community.
The Sections of Modern Meat comprise 5 broad categories of cultivated meat: Context, Impact, Science, Society, and World.
The 19 chapters of Modern Meat, spread across these 5 sections, provide detailed entries on cultivated meat. They extensively tour a range of topics including the impact of cultivated meat on humans and animals, the bioprocess of cultivated meat production, how cultivated meat may become a food option in Space and on Mars, and how cultivated meat may impact the economy, culture, and tradition of Asia
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