241 research outputs found

    Human-Robot Trust Assessment From Physical Apprehension Signals

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    The Application of Mixed Reality Within Civil Nuclear Manufacturing and Operational Environments

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    This thesis documents the design and application of Mixed Reality (MR) within a nuclear manufacturing cell through the creation of a Digitally Assisted Assembly Cell (DAAC). The DAAC is a proof of concept system, combining full body tracking within a room sized environment and bi-directional feedback mechanism to allow communication between users within the Virtual Environment (VE) and a manufacturing cell. This allows for training, remote assistance, delivery of work instructions, and data capture within a manufacturing cell. The research underpinning the DAAC encompasses four main areas; the nuclear industry, Virtual Reality (VR) and MR technology, MR within manufacturing, and finally the 4 th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0). Using an array of Kinect sensors, the DAAC was designed to capture user movements within a real manufacturing cell, which can be transferred in real time to a VE, creating a digital twin of the real cell. Users can interact with each other via digital assets and laser pointers projected into the cell, accompanied by a built-in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. This allows for the capture of implicit knowledge from operators within the real manufacturing cell, as well as transfer of that knowledge to future operators. Additionally, users can connect to the VE from anywhere in the world. In this way, experts are able to communicate with the users in the real manufacturing cell and assist with their training. The human tracking data fills an identified gap in the IR4.0 network of Cyber Physical System (CPS), and could allow for future optimisations within manufacturing systems, Material Resource Planning (MRP) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This project is a demonstration of how MR could prove valuable within nuclear manufacture. The DAAC is designed to be low cost. It is hoped this will allow for its use by groups who have traditionally been priced out of MR technology. This could help Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) close the double digital divide between themselves and larger global corporations. For larger corporations it offers the benefit of being low cost, and, is consequently, easier to roll out across the value chain. Skills developed in one area can also be transferred to others across the internet, as users from one manufacturing cell can watch and communicate with those in another. However, as a proof of concept, the DAAC is at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) five or six and, prior to its wider application, further testing is required to asses and improve the technology. The work was patented in both the UK (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017a), the US (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017b) and China (S. R EDDISH et al., 2017c). The patents are owned by Rolls-Royce and cover the methods of bi-directional feedback from which users can interact from the digital to the real and vice versa. Stephen Reddish Mixed Mode Realities in Nuclear Manufacturing Key words: Mixed Mode Reality, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Nuclear, Manufacture, Digital Twin, Cyber Physical Syste

    Selective Darkening Filter and Welding Arc Observation for the Manual Welding Process

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    An optical see-through LCD (GLCD) with a resolution of n x m pixels gives the ability to selectively control the darkening in the welders view. The setup of such a Selective Auto Darkening Filter is developed and its applicability tested. The setup is done by integrating a camera into the welding operation for extracting the welding arc position properly. A prototype of a GLCD taylored for welding is mounted in the welder's view. The extraction of the welding arc position requires an enhanced video acquisition during welding. The observation of scenes with high dynamic contrast is an outstanding problem which occurs if very high differences between the darkest and the brightest spot in a scene occur. The application to welding with its harsh conditions needs the development of supporting hardware. The synchronization of the camera with the flickering light conditions of pulsed welding processes in Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) stabilizes the acquisition process and allows the scene to be flashed precisely if required by compact high power LEDs. The image acquisition is enhanced by merging two different exposed images for the resulting image. These source images cover a wider histogram range than it is possible by using only a single shot image with optimal camera parameters. After testing different standard contrast enhancement algorithm a novel content based algorithm is developed. It segments the image into areas with similar content and enhances these independently

    Novel chemistry and applications of polythiazyl

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    Diverse investigations into the synthesis, formation, reactivity and stability of disulfur dinitride, S2N2, enabled through the fabrication of custom-made apparatus and tailored reaction conditions, are reported. The polymerisation process of the former to the (super)conductive polythiazyl material has also been explored by means of both single crystal X-ray diffraction and in situ reaction chemistry...

    Система визначення глибини зображення

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    Робота публікується згідно наказу Ректора НАУ від 27.05.2021 р. №311/од "Про розміщення кваліфікаційних робіт здобувачів вищої освіти в репозиторії університету" . Керівник роботи: к. т. н., ст. викл. кафедри авіаційних комп’ютерно-інтегрованих комплексів, Василенко Микола ПавловичIn today's world, there is often a question about creating a model to solve a certain problem in such a way that it performs its intended task properly and does not have a large cost. This is what almost every developer of the project wants at the production stage. Thus, the work consists in improving and acquiring better accuracy of the image depth detection system. For this, was modified and improved, namely, the main design of the model was changed and the quality of the image was improved, thanks to various methods of image filtering. Unlike the previous model, this project investigates the effect and quality of the 3D scene construction in the image, not the streaming video, under different weather conditions and at different observation points, which makes it possible to feel in more detail the impact of various phenomena on the model itself during operation and improve accuracy due to considering a single pair of images rather than a stream of large numbers at a specific frequency. The design consists of two cameras, which were selected from the principle of price-quality, and a box to fix and protect the model itself, thus forming protection from the environment in various conditions of use. The design is connected to a computer that performs the software part, which consists in creating a stereo pair – artificial adjustment of cameras, image analysis at the initial stage and after filtering, which as a result gives an opportunity to see the difference in the accuracy of constructing a 3D image, which can be used for various goals, for example to find out the size or distance to the target object.У сучасному світі часто постає питання про створення моделі вирішення певної задачі таким чином, щоб вона якісно виконувала поставлене завдання і не мала великих витрат. Це те, чого хоче практично кожен розробник проекту на етапі виробництва. Таким чином, робота полягає в удосконаленні та підвищенні точності системи визначення глибини зображення. Для цього виготовлена модель була модифікована та вдосконалена, а саме змінено основну конструкцію моделі та покращено якість зображення, завдяки різним методам фільтрації зображення. На відміну від попередньої моделі, цей проект досліджує ефект і якість побудови 3D-сцени в зображенні, а не в потоковому відео, за різних погодних умов і в різних точках спостереження, що дає можливість більш детально відчути вплив різних явищ. на самій моделі під час роботи та підвищити точність за рахунок розгляду однієї пари зображень, а не потоку великих чисел із певною частотою. Конструкція складається з двох камер, підібраних за принципом ціна-якість, і коробки для кріплення і захисту самої моделі, формуючи таким чином захист від зовнішнього середовища в різних умовах використання. Конструкція підключена до комп’ютера, який виконує програмну частину, яка полягає у створенні стереопари – штучне налаштування камер, аналіз зображення на початковому етапі та після фільтрації, що в результаті дає можливість побачити різницю в точності. побудови тривимірного зображення, яке можна використовувати для різних цілей, наприклад, щоб дізнатися розмір або відстань до цільового об'єкта

    Strain engineering as a method for manufacturing micro- and; nano- scale responsive particles

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    Strain engineering is used as a means of manufacturing micro- and nano- scale particles with the ability to reversibly alter their geometry from three dimensional tubes to two dimensional flat layers. These particles are formed from a bi-layer of two dissimilar materials, one of which is the elastomeric material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), deposited under stress on a sacrificial substrate. Upon the release of the bi-layer structure from the substrate, interfacial residual stress is released resulting in the formation of tubes or coils. These particles possess the ability to dramatically alter their geometry and, consequently, change some properties that are reversible and can be triggered by a stimulus. This work focuses on the material selection and manufacturing of the bi-layer structures used to create the responsive particles and methods for characterizing and controlling the responsive nature of the particles. Furthermore, the potential of using these particles for a capture/release application is explored, and a systematic approach to scale up the manufacturing process for such particles is provided. This includes addressing many of the problems associated with fabricating ultra-thin layers, tuning the size of the particles, understanding how the stress accumulated at the interface of a bi-layer structure can be used as a tool for triggering a response as well as developing methods (i.e. experiments and applications) that allow the demonstration of this response.M.S.Committee Chair: Dr. Kyriaki Kalaitzidou; Committee Member: Dr. Karl Jacob; Committee Member: Dr. Peter Hesket

    Stability of Proteins in the Presence of Anionic Additives

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    In this dissertation the effects of anionic additives on the stability of proteins have been investigated. For this, distinct yet related issues were examined ranging from general observations to in-depth examinations. The range of topics accounted for different forms of protein stability (e.g. functional versus colloidal). The first chapter reiterates experimentally the role specific ion effects play for protein stability and outlines the limitations therewithin. In the second chapter, the balance between headgroup ionicity and tail hydrophobicity was investigated for amphiphilic, hydrotrope-type molecules. Here it was found, that a compromise between Hofmeister effects and surface activity dominates the effect of ionic additives on solubilization characteristics and protein stability. In the third chapter, a proposed hydrotropism for ATP was investigated. By performing a variety of comparative experiments, it was found that ATP does not exhibit hydrotropic properties, but influences the solubility and stability of proteins via specific ion effects and adenine-specific interactions. In the fourth chapter, phosphorylated resveratrol was investigated as a potential aggregation suppressor and was found to possess stabilizing properties for chicken egg white, amyloid beta and human insulin. Further in-vivo studies using drosophila Alzheimer´s disease models revealed signs of a neuroprotective property for the investigated compound. In the fifth chapter, the goal was to find a suitable replacement of the anti-spotting agent HEDP in automatic dishwasher formulations. Here, several experiments on the colloidal stability of suspended protein particles allowed the identification of promising alternatives. In the last chapter, the effect of ionic additives on the activity and conformational stability of functional proteins (lysozyme, proteases, phytase) was investigated. Individual trends could be recognized while a cohesive theory could not be established due to the complex nature of interconnected phenomena

    Novel chemistry and applications of polythiazyl

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    Diverse investigations into the synthesis, formation, reactivity and stability of disulfur dinitride, S2N2, enabled through the fabrication of custom-made apparatus and tailored reaction conditions, are reported. The polymerisation process of the former to the (super)conductive polythiazyl material has also been explored by means of both single crystal X-ray diffraction and in situ reaction chemistry.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

    Contemporary arts practice: Disequilibrium/Limbo/Resistance

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    This exegesis proposes that conflict and tension are transformative factors in contemporary arts practice, from making through to methodologies; viewing the dialogic nature of art-making and the artist-in-the-world, linked to, yet separate from, surrounding entities. It is the culmination of conceptual research and creative production … the exegetical and the artwork … that together comprise an original contribution to new knowledge, with broad implications - and specific applications - significant to both practice and practitioner
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