Emerging Micro Manufacturing Technologies and Applications, 2nd Edition
Applications of Fractional-Order Systems to Automatic Control
Mechanical Properties and Engineering Applications of Special Soils
Application of Microfluidics in Cell Manipulation and Biosensing
Study on Building Energy Efficiency Related to Simulation Models
Advanced Optical Technologies for Communications, Perception, and Chips
Recent Advances in Sensor Array Signal Processing and its Applications in Future Communication and Radar
Thermal Management of Low Concentrated Photovoltaics with Heat Sinks encapsulated NePCM
Qualitative-Environmental Aspects to Improve Materials and Processes of Their Formation
Advanced Technologies in Power Quality and Power Disturbance Data Application
Research towards the Green and Sustainable Buildings and Cities
Structural Reliability, Resilience and Design of Buildings against Multi-hazards
Robotics and Parallel Kinematic Machines
Parallel kinematic machines (PKMs) are widely recognized for their higher stiffness, high payload-to-weight ratio, and superior precision compared to serial robots. Their applications span high-speed machining, medical robotics, and space. Despite these advantages, PKMs face inherent challenges in design and control due to complex kinematics, limited workspaces, and intricate singularity conditions. Recent research and industrial developments have focused on improved modeling techniques, analysis of singular configurations, and reconfigurable architectures. Considerable attention has been given to workspace optimization, singularity avoidance, robust design procedures, and the integration of compliant components to meet evolving application demands. Still, several theoretical and practical aspects remain underexplored, including cuspidal configurations-where a robot can shift between multiple inverse kinematic solutions without singularities-and self-motion conditions, in which the end-effector moves even with locked actuators.Emerging topics such as modular PKM architectures, dynamic performance evaluation, and control-aware design optimization are also attracting attention, particularly for high-precision applications under uncertain or varying load conditions.This Special Issue brings together eight articles addressing PKMs and their potential applications to meet growing industrial demands, providing researchers and industry experts with deeper insights into PKM analysis and architecture-based applications.
Nonlinear Phenomena, Chaos, Control and Applications to Engineering and Science and Experimental Aspects of Complex Systems
The aims of this Reprint are to publish theories and techniques in nonlinear systems, chaos and complexity to stimulate more interest in nonlinearity and complexity. This Reprint will focus on the recent developments, findings and progress in theories, principles, methodology and computational techniques in nonlinear systems and mathematics with engineering applications. This Reprint covers a broad scope of topics, including nonlinear dynamical systems and complex systems, and each one contributes theoretical analyses, practical applications, and numerical simulations to advance the understanding of complex nonlinear phenomena.
Mission Analysis and Design of Lighter-than-Air Flying Vehicles
This Special Issue presents engineers with a summary of the most active lines of research related to the development of lighter-than-air (LTA) technology. The progress that LTA technology is currently experiencing, fostered by the development of electricity-based solutions for propulsion, energy harvesting, and storage with improved power-to-weight and energy-to-weight metrics, has once again triggered investigations into the potential of airships and balloons for diverse missions. However, while emerging technologies have enabled new potential designs and applications for LTA platforms, they have also increased the general complexity of the design and characterization phases when developing a novel airship concept, in turn requiring deeper insight into more technological aspects than in previous decades. In this sense, the present Special Issue offers a glimpse into some of the most interesting aspects of the ongoing research on lighter-than-air flying machines.
Fermentation Processes
Fermentation processes play a crucial role in the biotechnology, food, and pharmaceutical industries. This Reprint focuses on recent advances in modeling, optimization, and control strategies applied to fermentation systems. The accurate modeling of microbial kinetics and metabolic pathways allows for the better understanding and prediction of process dynamics; optimization techniques, including machine learning and evolutionary algorithms, enable the identification of ideal operational conditions to maximize yield and productivity; advanced control strategies ensure robust performance under varying conditions. The integration of these approaches contributes to improved efficiency, reduced costs, and higher product quality. This Reprint presents cutting-edge research and novel methodologies that push the boundaries of fermentation technology.
Applied Artificial Intelligence for Industrial Nondestructive Evaluation NDE4.0
This Special Issue reprint, "Applied Artificial Intelligence for Industrial Nondestructive Evaluation" (NDE4.0), brings together a collection of innovative research that showcases the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on modern industrial inspection and monitoring. As industries face growing demands for reliability, safety, and efficiency, AI has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing the long-standing challenges of nondestructive evaluation, namely, noisy data environments, complex defect characterization, and the integration of intelligent systems into real-world workflows.Across 11 peer-reviewed contributions, the reprint covers a diverse range of applications, including additive manufacturing, battery health monitoring, rolling element diagnostics, pipeline inspection, surface defect detection, and thermographic data interpretation. Techniques such as deep learning, attention mechanisms, time-series modeling, and hybrid optimization approaches are applied to achieve enhanced precision and predictive capabilities.
Advances in Human-Machine Systems, Human-Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance
The rapid advancement of technology has led to the emergence of innovative devices such as AR and VR devices. Based on cutting-edge technologies, these devices are equipped with powerful processing capabilities, real-time data transmission, and immersive interactive features. From medical simulations to industrial design and entertainment, VR and AR have unlocked a wide range of applications, revolutionizing the ways in which humans interact with digital environments. Given the increasing integration of these devices into various fields, scientists are actively investigating their usability, efficiency, and compatibility with human operators. Understanding human performance and potential ergonomic challenges when using such devices is crucial for optimizing their design and functionality. To address these concerns, a Special Issue on Advances in Human-Machine Systems, Human-Machine Interfaces, and Human Wearable Device Performance was curated, compiling ten rigorously reviewed research articles published over a three-and-a-quarter-year period. These studies focus on human-machine interfaces, wearable device performance, and user interaction dynamics, providing critical insights into how humans adapt to and utilize these advanced systems. The primary objective of this collection is to identify key challenges, evaluate user experiences, and propose improvements that can guide future developments in human-machine interfaces. We sincerely hope that readers will benefit from the articles we collected in these aspects.
Application and Optimization of CCUS Technology in Shale Gas Production and Storage
Worldwide climate change poses a significant challenge to current energy consumption patterns, prompting heightened interest in the development of comprehensive technologies that can enhance energy supply while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. Against this backdrop, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in shale gas production and storage has garnered increasing attention in recent years. This technique offers dual benefits: extracting energy from geological formations while simultaneously sequestering CO₂ underground. Shale gas reservoirs are widely regarded as suitable geological targets for CCUS deployment. However, the technology remains insufficiently mature for large-scale field implementation. Consequently, shale-based CCUS has become a focal point of extensive scientific research, which has motivated the organization of this Special Issue.
New Advances in Indoor Acoustics and Thermal Comfort for Sustainable Buildings
Nowadays, the concept of "sustainable building" is gaining increasing interest. The European plan on climate change, the general situation regarding global pollution and the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, as well as the increased comfort expectations of building occupants are all driving the idea of urban development aimed at combating climate change.The United Nations estimates that by 2050, about 70% of the world's population will live in cities, which means that a correct design of urban environments is more necessary than ever: this is needed in order to minimize the consumption of water and energy, as well as to create living spaces that are both comfortable and free of pollution, be it acoustic, aquatic or in the air.Designing only in accordance with current regulations means designing a building that is already obsolete from a thermodynamic and acoustic point of view. Standards related to the insulation of nZEB and passive houses, which are already compliant with or able to meet future requirements, are highly recommended.The advent of new, sustainable and highly efficient thermo-acoustic insulating materials, the development of modern numerical methods and software for the computer-aided design of whole-building physics, as well as state or local incentives for increasing building efficiency are all aspects that make this book published after a Special Issue a real opportunity to showcase cutting edge and pioneering scientific research on these topics.
Optimization of Intelligent Transport Systems Planning Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility
This Special Issue of Energies, "Optimization of Intelligent Transport Systems Planning Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility," will consist of manuscripts describing problems and challenges for transport systems. The modern approach to city planning generates new expectations for mobility. The geographic space is a type of limited resource. Currently, dynamic changes in land-use are being observed. During such processes, administrative units do not always prepare for land-use planning when considering sustainable development. Vehicle numbers are increasing, as are the number of trips being made. This results from changes in people's lifestyles, the habits created, and the increased convenience associated with personal transport. This development of individual transport, which contributes to the deterioration of road conditions (congestion), is harming the environment due to air and noise pollution and energy consumption and is causing the deterioration of residents' health (due to increased use of personal transport).
Insulating Materials for Future Power Systems
A wide variety of electrical materials, including polymeric insulating materials, energy storage materials, functional ceramics, semiconductive sensing materials, and high-conductive metallic materials, comprise the complex power transmission system. Recently, modern renewable energy systems are replacing traditional energy systems due to the more precise and controlled power stations. In this context, insulation materials, as one of the core components in electrical power equipment, will face unprecedented challenges and opportunities that may enhance operational complexity while reducing the power system's safety and reliability.The variations in operational conditions raise questions about the insulation strength of the numerous ultra-high voltage (UHV) assets that have been newly developed. Consequently, there is an essential need for a credible performance analysis, defect detection, and condition assessment of insulation materials in UHV equipment.Therefore, in this reprint, we discuss several interesting topics focusing on the fabrication, performance analysis, deterioration mechanisms, defect detection, and condition assessment of new electrical materials.
Advances in Boundary Lubrication
This Reprint summarises recent advancements in the science and application of boundary lubrication. The collection of articles addresses the fundamental mechanisms of friction and wear at contacting interfaces, including molecular dynamics simulations, predictive statistical models, and methodologies for tribological testing. Experimental studies emphasise the importance of advanced additives, such as MXenes and carbon quantum dots, alongside sustainable formulations derived from vegetable oils and esters. Contributions also investigate tribosystem robustness, forging processes utilising bio-based lubricants, and the integration of modelling with experimental validation. By combining theoretical insights, innovative materials research, and practical testing strategies, this Reprint provides a comprehensive overview of how boundary lubrication is evolving in response to the demands of modern machinery and sustainable engineering. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and enhance lubricant performance under challenging contact conditions.
Leveraging Industrial Management Principles to Improve Sustainability and Efficiency in Food Process
This book delves into the application of industrial management principles to address critical challenges in the global food processing industry, such as resource depletion, environmental impacts, and inefficiencies in production. The study explores how Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM), and Industry 4.0 technologies can revolutionize sustainability and operational efficiency in food processing. Lean Manufacturing principles focus on waste reduction and process optimization, employing tools like 5S, Value Stream Mapping, and Just-in-Time (JIT) production to streamline operations. Six Sigma enhances quality and consistency through data-driven methods, while TQM promotes continuous improvement and fosters a culture of excellence across all organizational levels. The integration of Industry 4.0 technologies-such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics, and Cyber-Physical Systems-enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and greater process control. These technologies reduce waste, optimize energy usage, and enhance product quality, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain. This book highlights the potential of combining these methodologies to create holistic solutions for the industry. For instance, Lean Six Sigma blends the strengths of both approaches, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. Similarly, the synergy between TQM and Industry 4.0 technologies facilitates rapid, data-driven decision-making while ensuring compliance with stringent food safety standards. Despite the benefits, the book acknowledges the challenges in adopting these principles, including high implementation costs, workforce training requirements, and technological integration hurdles. Recommendations include developing clear implementation strategies, enhancing employee training, and fostering a culture of change to overcome these barriers. By adopting these principles, the food processing industry can achieve sustainable growth, reduce its environmental footprint, and ensure long-term food security while maintaining profitability and high product standards.
Failure Behavior and Mechanism of a Slope Under the Action of Earthquake and Rainfall
Earthquake and rainfall may be coupled, which will lead to landslides easily, but the studies about this problem are at the initial stage. In this paper, the failure behavior and mechanism of a slope under the action of earthquake after rainfall were investigated with a shaking table test, based on similarity law. The experimental results showed that the failure process of the slope during earthquake after rainfall undergoes four characteristic stages. There exist velocity zoning in the slope during failure. The moisture content of soil in the slope has different growth rates at different positions during rainfall. Transient and cumulative pore water pressure occurs in the slope during earthquake after rainfall. However, due to the short period of earthquake action, the soil moisture content is not very sensitive to this action, but the pore water pressure changes sharply during earthquake. Under the combined action of rainfall and earthquake, there is a multi-physical field effect in the slope. Rainfall weakens the strength of the soil, mainly causes local instability of the slope. More extensive damage of the slope is caused under the combined action of seismic inertia force.
