A simple heuristic for linear sequencing of machines in layout design

This paper presents a simple heuristic to determine a common linear machine sequence for multiple products with different operation sequences and a limited number of duplicate machine types available for the job. The heuristic is based on minimisation of the total flow distance travelled by a product on the linear machine sequence. It is assumed that the flows of products are allowed only in the forward direction, either in-sequence or by-pass. It is also assumed that backtrack movements are not allowed. The effectiveness of the proposed heuristic is demonstrated through the solutions of two typical layout design problems taken from the literature. Subsequently, a number of additional problems are solved and their results are compared with the results applying existing methods. The results indicate that the proposed method can be an effective tool in solving layout design problems

Kontrol Gerakan Buka Tutup Pintu Untuk Akses Sistem Keamanan Menggunakan Pola Iris Mata Manusia

Saat ini sistem keamanan konvensional seperti password atau kartu sudah tidak handal lagi karena keamanan sistem dapat ditembus oleh para pihak yang tidak berwenang menggunakan password atau kartu seseorang. Oleh karena itu dikembangkan sistem biometrik yang berdasarkan pada karakteristik alami manusia yaitu karakteristik fisiologis dan karakteristik perilaku seperti wajah, sidik jari, iris mata, retina mata, DNA, tanda tangan, dan suara, dimana sistem tersebut tidak mudah dicuri atau digunakan oleh pihak yang tidak berwenang.Dalam paper ini akan diusulkan suatu sistem keamanan akses menggunakan pengenalan pola iris mata dengan arsitektur JST yaitu Jaringan Propagasi Balik menggunakan program Matlab. Setelah berhasil dilakukan pengenalan pola iris mata maka dilakukan kontrol yang sesuai, dalam bahasan ini menggunakan mikrokontroler AT Mega 8535 sebagai pemroses data yang masuk untuk mengendalikan otomatisasi buka tutup pintu . Sistem ini dicoba diterapkan dalam sistem keamanan pada pintu masuk sebuah ruangan yang penting dimana hanya orang-orang tertentu saja yang boleh masuk. Sehingga apabila data iris mata sesuai dengan pola, maka pintu ruangan dapat terbuka. Sebaliknya bila pola iris mata tidak dikenali maka pintu tidak akan terbuka

Measurement of the Flexible Bending Force of the Index and Middle Fingers for Virtual Interaction

AbstractIn this paper the development of a new low cost dataglove based on fingertip bending tracking techniques for measuring the fingers bending on various virtual interaction activities is presented as an alternative to the rehabilitation services enhancement in the betterment of the quality of life especially for the disabled person. The purpose of the research is to design a flexible control for measurement study of virtual interaction of index and middle fingers that are important in a variety of contexts as well as the deterministic approach. These analyses of fingers flexing of the system were using the flexible bend sensor functioning as a key intermediate of the process to track the fingertip positions and orientations. The main propose of the low cost dataglove is to provide natural input control of interaction in virtual, multimodal and tele-presence environments as an input devices provide as they can monitor the dexterity and flexibility characteristics of the human hand motion. Preliminary experimental results have shown that the dataglove capable to measure several human Degree of Freedom (DoF), “translating” them into commands for the interaction in the virtual world

Experimental and analysis study on GloveMAP grasping force signal using Gaussian filtering method and principal component analysis (PCA)

This research paper presents the analysis study of human grasping forces for several objects by using a DataGlove called GloveMAP.The grasping force is generated from the bending of proximal and intermediate phalanges of the fingers when touching with a surface.A flexiforce sensor is installed at the finger’s position of the GloveMAP.The acquired grasping force signals are filtered by using a Gaussian filtering for the purpose of removing noises.A Principal Component Analysis technique (PCA) is employed to reduce the dimension of the grasping force signal, and follows by the extraction of its features.In the experiment, five subjects are selected to perform the grasping activities.The experimental results show that the Gaussian filter could be used to smoothen the grasping force signals. Moreover, the first and the second principal components of PCA could be used to extract features of grasping force signals

Graphene Inclusion Induced Ultralow Thermal Conductivity and Improved Figure of Merit in p-type SnSe

The concept of composite material has been increasingly applied for the significant improvement on the thermoelectric performance because of the predictable effective medium properties and the unique interfacial correlated thermal...</p

Sheep Updates 2003 - Posters

This session covers eleven papers from different authors:1 Sheep production on annual stubbles/pastures vs lucerne Maxine Brown Gaye Krebs Muresk Institute, Curtin University Diana Fedorenko Kathryn Egerton-Warburton Centre for Cropping Systems, Department of Agriculture Western Australia 2. The value chain of the Lake Grace livestock industry Evan Burt Nazrul Islam Department of Agriculture Western Australia 3. Native pastures, Dorper sheep and the 2002 drought Roy Butler Department of Agriculture Western Australia 4. Commercial sheep breeders can improve their sheep breeding program using wether trials L.G. Butler, S.R. Brown, M.F. D’Antuono, J.C. Greeff Department of Agriculture 5. Western Australia Linked ewe trials to benchmark wool traits and reproductive performance of Western Australian sheep flocks Ken Hart Department of Agriculture Western Australia 6. Damara sheep - what is their potential? A case study from the North-eastern wheatbelt Tanya Kilminster Evan Burt Department of Agriculture Western Australia 7, Australian Sheep Industry CRC - nutrition sub-program Rachel Kirby Sheep CRC Research Fellow 8. Dust penetration is not genetically and phenotypically the same trait as dust content M.E. Ladyman J.C. Greeff Department of Agriculture Western Australia A.C. Schlink CSIRO Livestock Industries, Private Bag 5, Wembley WA I.H. Williams P.E. Vercoe University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 9.Developing sustainable fodder crop systems with new annual pasture legumes Anyou Lui Department of Agriculture Western Australia 10. Seasonal pricing and seasonality of supply of prime lambs in the western wheatbelt Karen Smith Martin Bent Muresk Institute, Curtin University 11. The role of alternative and exotic sheep breeds in the Western Australian sheep industry Matthew Young Department of Agriculture Western Australi

Development of the TrAnsparent ReportinG of observational studies Emulating a Target trial (TARGET) guideline [protocol].

BACKGROUND Observational studies are increasingly used to inform health decision-making when randomised trials are not feasible, ethical or timely. The target trial approach provides a framework to help minimise common biases in observational studies that aim to estimate the causal effect of interventions. Incomplete reporting of studies using the target trial framework limits the ability for clinicians, researchers, patients and other decision-makers to appraise, synthesise and interpret findings to inform clinical and public health practice and policy. This paper describes the methods that we will use to develop the TrAnsparent ReportinG of observational studies Emulating a Target trial (TARGET) reporting guideline. METHODS/DESIGN The TARGET reporting guideline will be developed in five stages following recommended guidance. The first stage will identify target trial reporting practices by systematically reviewing published studies that explicitly emulated a target trial. The second stage will identify and refine items to be considered for inclusion in the TARGET guideline by consulting content experts using sequential online surveys. The third stage will prioritise and consolidate key items to be included in the TARGET guideline at an in-person consensus meeting of TARGET investigators. The fourth stage will produce and pilot-test both the TARGET guideline and explanation and elaboration document with relevant stakeholders. The fifth stage will disseminate the TARGET guideline and resources via journals, conferences and courses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval for the survey has been attained (HC220536). The TARGET guideline will be disseminated widely in partnership with stakeholders to maximise adoption and improve reporting of these studies

Reporting of Observational Studies Explicitly Aiming to Emulate Randomized Trials: A Systematic Review.

IMPORTANCE Observational (nonexperimental) studies that aim to emulate a randomized trial (ie, the target trial) are increasingly informing medical and policy decision-making, but it is unclear how these studies are reported in the literature. Consistent reporting is essential for quality appraisal, evidence synthesis, and translation of evidence to policy and practice. OBJECTIVE To assess the reporting of observational studies that explicitly aimed to emulate a target trial. EVIDENCE REVIEW We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for observational studies published between March 2012 and October 2022 that explicitly aimed to emulate a target trial of a health or medical intervention. Two reviewers double-screened and -extracted data on study characteristics, key predefined components of the target trial protocol and its emulation (eligibility criteria, treatment strategies, treatment assignment, outcome[s], follow-up, causal contrast[s], and analysis plan), and other items related to the target trial emulation. FINDINGS A total of 200 studies that explicitly aimed to emulate a target trial were included. These studies included 26 subfields of medicine, and 168 (84%) were published from January 2020 to October 2022. The aim to emulate a target trial was explicit in 70 study titles (35%). Forty-three studies (22%) reported use of a published reporting guideline (eg, Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology). Eighty-five studies (43%) did not describe all key items of how the target trial was emulated and 113 (57%) did not describe the protocol of the target trial and its emulation. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE In this systematic review of 200 studies that explicitly aimed to emulate a target trial, reporting of how the target trial was emulated was inconsistent. A reporting guideline for studies explicitly aiming to emulate a target trial may improve the reporting of the target trial protocols and other aspects of these emulation attempts