Pangea: An MLOps Tool for Automatically Generating Infrastructure and Deploying Analytic Pipelines in Edge, Fog and Cloud Layers

Development and operations (DevOps), artificial intelligence (AI), big data and edge–fog–cloud are disruptive technologies that may produce a radical transformation of the industry. Nevertheless, there are still major challenges to efficiently applying them in order to optimise productivity. Some of them are addressed in this article, concretely, with respect to the adequate management of information technology (IT) infrastructures for automated analysis processes in critical fields such as the mining industry. In this area, this paper presents a tool called Pangea aimed at automatically generating suitable execution environments for deploying analytic pipelines. These pipelines are decomposed into various steps to execute each one in the most suitable environment (edge, fog, cloud or on-premise) minimising latency and optimising the use of both hardware and software resources. Pangea is focused in three distinct objectives: (1) generating the required infrastructure if it does not previously exist; (2) provisioning it with the necessary requirements to run the pipelines (i.e., configuring each host operative system and software, install dependencies and download the code to execute); and (3) deploying the pipelines. In order to facilitate the use of the architecture, a representational state transfer application programming interface (REST API) is defined to interact with it. Therefore, in turn, a web client is proposed. Finally, it is worth noting that in addition to the production mode, a local development environment can be generated for testing and benchmarking purposes.This research has been funded in the context of the IlluMINEation project, from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 869379

Effect of Confinement on Detonation Velocity and Plate Dent Test Results for ANFO Explosive

The detonation properties of nonideal explosives are highly dependent on charge diameter and existence and properties of confinement. In this study, the effect of different confinements on the detonation velocity of ANFO explosives was experimentally determined along with the results of the plate dent test. ANFO explosive was selected as one of the most commonly used nonideal explosives. Following the measurement results, we found that the detonation velocity increased with increasing wall thickness, and the velocity increase was different for different confinement materials. A strong correlation existed between the ratio of the mass of confiner and explosive (M/C) and the detonation velocity (R = 0.995), and between (M/C) and the depth of the dent (δ) (R = 0.975). The data presented in this paper represent preliminary findings in developing a confinement model required for reliable numerical modeling of nonideal explosives

Fully-coupled simulations of thermally-induced cracking in pegmatite due to microwave irradiation

Fully-coupled thermo-mechanical simulations are implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics to investigate micro-scale stress-strain variability in pegmatite specimens subjected to thermal loading using microwaves. Thermally-induced compressive and tensile stresses increase as the microwave irradiation duration increases. The dielectric constant, coefficient of expansion, and type and size of mineralogical boundary have significant impacts on the responses of the rock to microwave irradiation. The maximum principal stress of the chlorite is the smallest, indicating that the chlorite experiences the most damage under microwave irradiation, followed by the quartz. The maximum principal stress values of plagioclase and orthoclase are larger, indicating that they are likely to incur the least damage. Where quartz or chlorite is dominant, the resulting von Mises stresses are consistently higher after 120 s of microwave irradiation. The rate of generation of von Mises stresses increases most rapidly along the interface between quartz and plagioclase, and the interface between quartz and orthoclase, followed by the interface between quartz and chlorite, and finally the interface between plagioclase and orthoclase. The presented modeling approach provides a practical method to investigate stress-strain relationships within mineralogical boundaries inside a rock thin section. Keywords: Microwave irradiation, Thermo-mechanical loading, Pegmatite, Numerical modelin

Prototype of Instrumented Rock Bolt for Continuous Monitoring of Roof Fall Hazard in Deep Underground Mines

Roof falls are currently one of the most dangerous threats associated with underground mining at great depth. Every occurrence of such an event poses a significant risk to the mining crew and disturbs the continuity of the mining process, which clearly affects the economy of the exploitation process. The development of a reliable monitoring system may significantly reduce the impact of eventual roof failure and will have a positive effect on the sustainability of the extraction process. Within this research study, a prototype of an instrumented rock bolt developed for continuous stress measurement is presented. The procedure of a 4-groove multilevel instrumented rock bolt is described and the calibration process is shown. Then, preliminary results of long-term in situ monitoring are presented. Based on the continuous monitoring of stress distribution within immediate roof strata, it was concluded that the developed instrumented rock bolt provides reliable results and is a very useful device, ensuring the possibility of early warning for miners about increasing roof fall risk

Nüwa Presentation - The Sustainable Offworld Network

Presentation of Nüwa at the Mars Society Competition 2020Nüwa is a sustainable city on Mars desiged by SONet (The Sustainable offworld Network). Learn more about SONet and Nüwa at: www.sonet-hub.com www.abiboo.com/projects/nuwa/ Twitter: @SONet_hu

The Nüwa Concept. A development model for a self-sustainable city on Mars

20 pages, 35 figuresThe spacecraft in which we have traveled for eight months has just landed gently on the surface. Passengers stared at each other in disbelief, still feeling numb from the brutality of the supersonic retropropulsion during the braked descent. It seems unbelievable... We are on Mars! Many of us have arrived in recent years. Thousands upon thousands of people traveling from our comfortable blue home to the uncertain red dream. The promise of a new world. An opportunity to rethink everything, in order not to repeat the same mistakes. Beyond the polarized glass windows, the light of the Martian dawn spills over Tempe Mensa. The Sun is a small golden circle, surrounded by two bright points: Venus and the Earth. A few kilometers from the spaceport, the gigantic extensions of the greenhouses domes are outlined. Beyond, the land descends steeply down the south-facing cliff. On its vertical walls awaits Nüwa, the wonderful city that leads the accelerated settlement of Mars. Its name recalls the goddess who protects humans. And, certainly, the city protects and provides us with everything we need. Now, I’ll become part of Mars; I will dissolve into Nüwa, and join all those that give life to it. And we will become Nüwa, foreve