The high-strength aluminum alloys offer great potential for realizing lightweight constructions in car body construction. However, the use of aluminum alloys increases the overall thickness of the material, which poses new challenges for potential joining processes. This paper examines a process combination of friction stir spot welding (FSSW) and bonding for 4 mm EN AW 6082-T6 sheets. For the investigations, adhesive or glass beads were applied between the joining components and then the sheets were welded using ...

The aim of the study is to develop a real-time eyeblink detection algorithm that can detect eyeblinks during the closing phase for a virtual reality headset (VR headset) and accordingly classify the eye’s current state (open or closed). The proposed method utilises analysis of a motion vector for detecting eyelid closure, and a Haar cascade classifier (HCC) for localising the eye in the captured frame. When the downward motion vector (DMV) is detected, a cross-correlation between the current region of interest (eye ...

This article examines water awareness campaign messaging of the Water Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) campaign. Using Jordanian government documents and structured interviews, it argues that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI) promotes water awareness campaigns to shape water users’ habits and perspectives on water. The goal of this strategy is to align popular concerns about water security with government concerns over state security, i.e., to create responsible water citizens. This article ...

The compound eye of cockroaches is obligatory for entrainment of the Madeira cockroach's circadian clock, but the cellular nature of its entrainment pathways is enigmatic. Employing multiple‐label immunocytochemistry, histochemistry, and backfills, we searched for photic entrainment pathways to the accessory medulla (AME), the circadian clock of the Madeira cockroach. We wanted to know whether photoreceptor terminals could directly contact pigment‐dispersing factor‐immunoreactive (PDF‐ir) circadian pacemaker neurons ...

The basis of phytoremediation technology for cleaning chemically polluted water was developed in the framework of the presented work. This technology is based on the ability of blue-green alga Arthrospira platensis to eliminate different environmental toxicants from water. This technological approach was conducted for the following pollutants: 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and cesium ions. The effectiveness of the technology was tested in model experiments, which ...

Highly dense arrays of diamond nanopillars have been fabricated using nanocrystalline diamond films (NCD) as the starting material. The fabrication process consisted of electron beam lithography (EBL), aluminum mask deposition and inductively coupled O2 plasma reactive ion etching. The EBL pattern fidelity was enhanced by proximity corrections and dose variations. Optical characterizations of the arrays indicated the incorporation of silicon-vacancy centers during NCD growth as well as enhanced fluorescence and ...

The spatial distribution and location of crops are necessary information for agricultural planning. The free availability of optical satellites such as Landsat offers an opportunity to obtain this key information. Crop type mapping using satellite data is challenged by its reliance on ground truth data. The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) data, submitted by farmers in Europe for subsidy payments, provide a solution to the issue of periodic field data collection. The present study tested the ...

The literature on big data analytics and firm performance is still fragmented and lacking in attempts to integrate the current studies’ results. This study aims to provide a systematic review of contributions related to big data analytics and firm performance. The authors assess papers listed in the Web of Science index. This study identifies the factors that may influence the adoption of big data analytics in various parts of an organization and categorizes the diverse types of performance that big data analytics ...

The global economy is using growing amounts of natural resources such as raw materials, water, and land by making and using goods, services, and infrastructure. Aspirations on international, regional, and national levels e.g., the Sustainable Development Goals, the EU flagship initiative Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe or the German Program for Resource Efficiency are showing an urgent need to bring the global raw material use down to sustainable levels. An essential prerequisite to identify resource efficient ...

Early hydration of tricalcium silicate (C3S) has received great attention over the years due to the increased use of composite cement with a reduced number of clinker phases, especially the addition of what should be very reactive C3S to guarantee early strength. Although many mechanisms have been proposed, the dissolution of polygonal C3S at the material interface is not yet fully understood. Over the last decade, computational methods have been developed to describe the reaction in the cementitious system. This ...