Examining the Concept of Smart Home Technologies (IoT Systems)

With the huge advancement in wireless sensor networks and other computer technologies, Home automation plays an important role in human life by making Lives at home easier and faster. Over the years, several smart home systems have been developed using network wireless systems such as Controller Area Network(CAN), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency, Cognitive radio, and several others. With this technology, the user easily controls their homes through their computer and assigns actions dependent on time or sensor readings if any from the device in the network of the home automation irrespective of the location of the user. This technology isn’t only limited to controlling appliances around us remotely but also helps in terms of security by warning the user during unusual and critical situations. Home automation is flexibly used in different places with high precision which saves time and money, and also provides comfort, security, and convenience to its user. Home automation can also help the aged and incapacitated people and provide quality of life to people without the need for caregivers or any care from institutions. People's desire for an intelligent home has increased dramatically in recent years as mobile connectivity devices are much more convenient and simple. This paper focuses on several smart home systems that have been developed in the twentieth century. Networks are enhanced by IoT to collect and analyze data proficiently from sensors and actuators. IoT creating a new era in the world of information and technologies in the areas of security has become vital as intrusion, theft, fire, and leakage of flammable gas that are threats to human lives never fails to continuously be a threat to humanity. IoT is the existing network of the internet where the computer systems will connect to real-world objects or things such as vehicles, devices, home appliances, and many others. This technology saves human energy and it is also a user-friendly safe system that makes the life of its user easier. Keywords: Smart Home, IoT, sensors, home automation ,Controller Area Network. DOI: 10.7176/ISDE/11-1-06 Publication date: February 29th 202

Analysis of Underground Mining Accidents at AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Obuasi Mine

Analysis of incidents at AngloGold Ashanti’s (AGA’s) largest mine in Ghana was carried out to study accidents and injuries from underground mining activities, and to assess the effects of accidents on AGA’s production. Ground fall, machinery, electrocution and slip fall were the main causes of mine accidents. Results agree fairly well with those of other mines and production declined with increased lost-time injury frequency rate (LTIFR)

A Design of a low-pass FIR filter using Hamming Window Functions in Matlab

The reduction and filtering of the input components of an original signal in one or more frequency bands using a finite impulse response, better known as FIR, is designed using a function of the Hamming window. Although there are various window functions such as the Blackman window function, the Hanning window function and the rectangular window functions that can be used as digital filters, the Hamming window function was used in this study for the reason of its minimum damping/decibel of the stopband with a reduced transition bandwidth. Among the other three widow functions that can be used, the Blackman window function is closest to the Hamming window function in terms of minimum bandstop attenuation/decibel, since both have a dB value greater than -50. However, in terms of transition bandwidth (Δω), the Hamming window has a narrower bandwidth than the Blackman window, making it more appropriate to use in this FIR filter design. This type of filter is important for analyzing the different types of signals that are essential in a world where digital filters play a major role in DSP applications. This research paper offers a Matlab-based low-pass FIR digital filter that uses Hamming window functions. Keywords: FIR filters, Hamming window, Blackman window Hanning window, Matlab. DOI: 10.7176/CEIS/11-2-04 Publication date: February 29th 202

Aflatoxin levels in seeds of commonly grown groundnut varieties (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Ghana as influenced by storage method

Quality seeds of improved local genotypes is an important input for increasing the productivity of groundnut in Ghana. The existing means of meeting groundnut seed requirements, especially by smallholder farmers, have serious challenges with timely supply and access to these improved genotypes as a result of the limited participation of the private sector and the self-pollinated nature of the crop. Smallholder farmers who take the initiative to store their own seeds, have challenges with storage fungi and aflatoxin contamination. Farmers’ groundnut seed stocks have shown that improvement in seed quality and farmers’ seed management requires maintaining healthy seed stock. Toxicogenic fungi and mycotoxins have been reported in several human and animal health disorders and are major contaminants of groundnut seeds during storage. Some level of success has, however, been achieved from earlier studies to evaluate the efficacy of some plant botanicals for preserving shelled groundnuts. However, for smallholder on-farm safety, such phyto-based preservation methods rather reduce groundnut seed embryo vigour and germination rates. Designing and developing economically appropriate storage solution (practices) for maintaining seed integrity for use requires evidence-based research and an eco-friendly approach. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the efficacy of using jute bag (JB) and interlaced polyethylene jute bag (IPJB) combinations for the storage of groundnut seeds (varieties) against fungal infection and aflatoxin contamination under ambient storage conditions. The study was undertaken at the Department of Biochemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Seeds were packaged and stored either in jute bags (JB) or interlaced polyethylene jute bags (IPJB) at ambient conditions over four months’ period. All seeds of groundnut varieties were partly colonised by a range of Aspergillus, Fusarium and Rhizopus spp of fungi. Aflatoxins were detected in only Nkosour (148.21 ppb) while Adepa and Kwame Danso recorded elevated levels of aflatoxin B1 (45.918 ppb) and B2 (410.974 ppb) at four months after storage (MAS). Results indicate that, the IPJB packaging was effective for short-term storage only, while the level of pathogen infection and aflatoxin contamination recorded was low. However, none of the packages evaluated proved exceptionally efficient. Irrespective of the storage package used, Mireku, Konkoma, Nkate Broni, Kumawu Local, Shitaochi, Azizivi, and Jenkaah recorded biologically and economically insignificant levels of aflatoxins. Thus, planting these groundnut varieties by smallholder farmers may offer them some level of security from aflatoxin contamination and loss of seed quality

Farmers' agronomic and social evaluation of productivity yield and N2-fixation in different cowpea varieties and their subsequent residual N effects on a succeeding maize crop

Cowpea-maize rotations form an important component of the farming systems of smallholder farmers in the forest/savannah transitional agro-ecological zone of Ghana. We evaluated five cowpea varieties for grain yield, N-2-fixation, biomass production, and contribution to productivity of subsequent maize grown in rotation. We further analyzed the interrelationship between these technical dimensions and the social acceptability of these cowpea varieties for farmers. Cowpea grain yield ranged between 1.1 and 1.4 t ha(-1) with no significant yield differences among the different varieties. Using the N-15 natural abundance technique, the average proportion of N-2 fixed ranged between 61% for Ayiyi and 77% for Legon prolific. This resulted in average amounts of N-2 fixed in above-ground biomass ranging between 32 and 67 kg N ha(-1), respectively. Variation in estimates due to differences in delta N-15 among reference plants were larger than differences between cowpea varieties. The amount of soil-derived N ranged from 15 to 20 kg N ha(-1). The above-ground net N contribution of the cowpea varieties to the soil (after adjusting for N export in grains) was highest for Legon Prolific (31 kg N ha(-1)) due to high N-2-fixation and high leaf biomass production. Maize grain yield after cowpea without application of mineral N fertilizer ranged between 0.4 t ha(-1) with maize after maize to 1.5 t ha(-1) with Legon Prolific. The N fertilizer equivalence values for the cowpea varieties ranged between 18 and 60 kg N ha(-1). IT810D-1010 was ranked by the farmers as the most preferred cowpea variety due to its white seed type, short-duration, ease of harvesting and good market value. Despite the high leaf biomass production and high amount of N-2 fixed by Legon Prolific, it was generally the least preferred variety due to lower market price, late maturity, least potential cash income (due to the red mottled seed type) and difficulty in harvesting. Although farmers recognized the contribution of cowpea to soil fertility and yields of subsequent maize, they did not consider this as an important criterion for varietal selection. Soil fertility improvement must be considered as an additional benefit rather than a direct selection criterion when designing more sustainable smallholder farming systems

Response of Maize ( Zea mays

The effects of palm bunch ash (PBA) and mineral fertilizer application on grain yield and nutrient uptake in maize and soil chemical properties were studied in both the major and minor rainy seasons in the semi-deciduous forest agro-ecological zone of Ghana. In both the major and minor rainy seasons, the response of maize to four levels (0, 2, 4, and 6 tons per hectare) of palm bunch ash and 200 kg per hectare of NPK (15-15-15) application was evaluated using randomised complete block design. Results of the study showed that application of palm bunch ash significantly (P<0.05) increased soil pH, soil phosphorus, and exchangeable cations. Maize grain yield varied significantly (P<0.05) among the different treatments in both the major and minor rainy seasons. The highest maize grain yield of 4530 and 6120 kg ha-1 was obtained at PBA application rate of 2 tons ha-1 for the major and minor rainy seasons, respectively

Maternal and Infant Health Section of the Demographic and Health Survey Report of Ghana

This article is basically a commentary on some sections on infant and maternal healthcare of the 2008 demographic and health survey of Ghana. The attention of both policy makers and academics are drawn to the need to ensure the expansion of the maternal and infant healthcare in Ghana. In same commentary, attention of readers have been drawn to the proclivity of the free maternal health policy to positively shape maternal and infant care in Ghan

Maternal and Infant Health Section of the Demographic and Health Survey Report of Ghana, 2008: a Commentary

This article is basically a commentary on some sections on infant and maternalhealthcare of the 2008 demographic and health survey of Ghana. The attention of bothpolicy makers and academics are drawn to the need to ensure the expansion of thematernal and infant healthcare in Ghana. In same commentary, attention of readershave been drawn to the proclivity of the free maternal health policy to positively shapematernal and infant care in Ghana

An Alternative to the MVU Estimator to Estimate the Level of DC in AWGN

In statistics, Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) is a method of estimating the parameters of a particular statistical model, finding parameter values that maximize probability, observations, and the parameters are specified. The MLE can be seen as a special case of maximum post-positive estimation (MAP), which includes a uniform preventive distribution of parameters, or as a variant of the MAP that ignores the above and is therefore unregulated. Now let's look at an alternative to the MVU estimator, which is desirable in situations where the minimum variance unbiased (MVU) estimator does not exist or cannot be found, even if it exists. This estimator, which relies on the principle of maximum likelihood, is primarily the common method for obtaining a practical estimator. It has the clear advantage of being a crank turning procedure, which allows you to implement it for complicated estimation problems. A clear advantage of MLE is that it can be found numerically for a given data-set. The safest way to find the MLE is to search the grid, as long as the space between the searches are small enough, we are sure to find the MLE. Keywords: Maximum Likelihood Estimation, minimum variance unbiased, Estimator, Probability Distribution Function. DOI: 10.7176/ISDE/11-3-05 Publication date: June 30th 202