Searching for New Landscapes

“Searching for New Landscapes” ventures beyond familiar environments to explore new territories in graphic design. By changing our environment and patterns, looking at things anew with a fresh perspective, and transforming the tools we use, we can spark new insights and catalyze evolution for growth. This study proposes getting away from known environments and breaking existing habits by responding instinctively and rapidly to unexpected prompts. The collected works and writing underpin the importance of thinking flexibly with a lighthearted “why not?” attitude and looking at things beyond existing definitions. These methodologies are further applied to the action of teaching, to create spaces that empower students to push beyond the traditional boundaries of their discipline. As a present continuous, “Searching for New Landscapes” keeps seeking ways to discover new horizons

Performance Comparison of Numerical Optimization Algorithms for RSS-TOA-Based Target Localization

The maximum likelihood (ML) estimator can be applied to localize a target mobile device using the RSS and TOA. However, the ML estimator for the RSS-TOA-based target localization problem is nonconvex and nonlinear, having no analytical solution. Therefore, the ML estimator should be solved numerically, unless it is relaxed into a convex or linear form. This study investigates the target localization performance and computational complexity of numerical methods for solving an ML estimator. The three widely used numerical methods are: grid search, gradient descent, and particle swarm optimization. In the experimental evaluation, the grid search yielded the lowest target localization root-mean-squared error; however, the 95th percentile error of the grid search was larger than those of the other two algorithms. The average code computation time of the grid search was extremely large compared with those of the other two algorithms, and gradient descent exhibited the lowest computation time.Comment: Submitted to the 2023 IEEE 97th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2023-Spring

A Preliminary Study of Machine-Learning-Based Ranging with LTE Channel Impulse Response in Multipath Environment

Alternative navigation technology to global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) is required for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in multipath environments (such as urban areas). In urban areas, long-term evolution (LTE) signals can be received ubiquitously at high power without any additional infrastructure. We present a machine learning approach to estimate the range between the LTE base station and UGV based on the LTE channel impulse response (CIR). The CIR, which includes information of signal attenuation from the channel, was extracted from the LTE physical layer using a software-defined radio (SDR). We designed a convolutional neural network (CNN) that estimates ranges with the CIR as input. The proposed method demonstrated better ranging performance than a received signal strength indicator (RSSI)-based method during our field test.Comment: Submitted to IEEE/IEIE ICCE-Asia 202

Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

In the current study, ultraviolet-active zinc oxide/maghemite (ZnO/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposite catalysts were prepared and applied to the photodecomposition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D is a herbicide that is widely used in agriculture and landscape turf management. The ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst was prepared using a simple and efficient precipitation–thermal decomposition method. Comprehensive experimental studies and characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-DRS) analyses were conducted to optimize the photoactivity of the nanoparticles. Interestingly, the synthesized ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst exhibited a hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure, and their active surface area decreased with increasing calcination temperature. Based on the TEM micrographs, the appearance of the ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst is nearly spherically shaped with a mean particle size in the range of 13–35 nm. The nano-ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 that underwent heat treatment at 450 °C exhibited better photodecomposition of 2,4-D, which was primarily due to the highest specific surface area and the smallest particle size among the synthesized samples

Wuthering heights’ three Chinese translated versions’ reception in China: Translation, publication, and dissemination

This study aims to explore the reception of Wuthering Heights in China by conducting comparative study on its three Chinese-translated versions, which were published in three periods, to examine how these versions have been translated, published, and disseminated. This study applies historical and archival research methods, close reading methods and comparative methods. The researchers collected the data from the original text of Wuthering Heights and its three Chinese-translated versions, relevant monographs, academic papers and information about the three versions. The academic papers were collected from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the most authoritative database in China for scientific publications. The information of the three versions was obtained from the Chinese online Chaoxing database, which is the most extensive database that provides information on books based on big data. First, the researchers explored the translation journey of Wuthering Heights in China and the information of its three representative versions that appeared at different times. Second, the researchers investigated the publication route of the three versions, concentrating on the information of the publishing houses, the formats of the three versions and the reprint edition. Third, the researchers analyzed the dissemination of the three versions in the Chinese literary field, focusing on the library collections, citations and academic circle comments. This paper concludes that the translation and circulation process of the three versions promoted the dissemination of Wuthering Heights in China to a great extent. The reasons for the extensive dissemination of Wuthering Heights in China are its excellent charm, translators and scholars’ efforts and Chinese readers’ passion for it

Integrity-Based Path Planning Strategy for Urban Autonomous Vehicular Navigation Using GPS and Cellular Signals

An integrity-based path planning strategy for autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) navigation in urban environments is developed. The vehicle is assumed to navigate by utilizing cellular long-term evolution (LTE) signals in addition to Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. Given a desired destination, an optimal path is calculated, which minimizes a cost function that considers both the horizontal protection level (HPL) and travel distance. The constraints are that (i) the ratio of nodes with faulty signals to the total nodes be lower than a maximum allowable ratio and (ii) the HPLs along each candidate path be lower than the horizontal alert limit (HAL). To predict the faults and HPL before the vehicle is driven, GPS and LTE pseudoranges along the candidate paths are generated utilizing a commercial ray-tracing software and three-dimensional (3D) terrain and building maps. Simulated pseudoranges inform the path planning algorithm about potential biases due to reflections from buildings in urban environments. Simulation results are presented showing that the optimal path produced by the proposed path planning strategy has the minimum average HPL among the candidate paths.Comment: Submitted to ION GNSS+ 202

UMNO DAN KRISIS; PENELITIAN KEPADA KRISIS DALAMAN-KES TERPILIH

Demokrasi (Pilihanraya dan Pemilihan Parti) dan berasaskan amalan kebiasaan. Namun begitu dalam keadaan tertentu proses penggantian kepimpinan ini seringkali pula menimbulkan konflik dan polemik apabila ada keinginan untuk mengetahui kepimpinan itu secara wajarnya walaupun dilakukan atas nama Demokrasi (kebebasan untuk bertanding dan memilih pemimpin). Meskipun tuntutan Demokrasi membenarkan pertandingan (unsur keterbukaan), namun landasan sistem pemerintahan yang terbuka sifatnya itu akan menjadi agenda untuk mempertahankan kepentingan kelompok yang kecil sedangkan majoriti kumpulan yang lain menjadi mangsa akibat dasar liberalisasi serta keterbukaan itu. Maka akan wujud impak serta akibatnya. UMNO sebagai sebuah parti terbesar kepada orang-orang Melayu, telah menempuh tidak kurang daripada lima belas (15) krisis besar sejak parti itu ditubuhkan pada tahun 1946. Di dalam siri-siri krisis tersebut yang berlaku 4 kriteria ini diambil perhatian dan selalu di nilai dan dianalisis iaitu Siapa atau watak utama yang terlibat, Apakah isu-isunya yang terlibat dan dilibatkan, Sebab musabab pemula kepada krisis dan apakah pengakhiran kepada krisis tersebut serta implikasinya. Berasaskan kepada penelitian artikel ini merumuskan bahawa DNA UMNO itu adalah krisis dimana krisis dan konflik itulah mewujudkannya, membina, memperkukuh, memperkasa dan juga memberikan kelemahan kepada parti politik tersebut

Removal of boron and arsenic from petrochemical wastewater using zeolite as adsorbent

Petrochemical wastewater is one of the major industrial concerns due to the toxicity of heavy metals such as boron and arsenic. These metals must be progressively treated before discharged into receiving water. In this research, adsorption of boron and arsenic was conducted using natural zeolite (clinoptilolite). The arsenic and boron removal efficiencies using natural zeolite as adsorbents are 66 and 52 %, respectively, at its optimum conditions (pH 8, contact time 240 min and adsorbent dosage 480 g/L). Compared to various adsorbents, the adsorption using natural zeolite showed excellent boron and arsenic removal, thus has a great potential to be applied in industrial wastewater treatment plant