https://www.engineeringvillage.com/search/submit.url?implicit=true&usageOrigin=rssfeed&searchtype=Expert&database=3&searchWord1=%28%28%28co+or+colo+or+colorado%29+and+eng*+and+univ*+and+boulder%29+WN+AF%29&yearselect=lastupdate&updatesNo=1 (((co or colo or colorado) and eng* and univ* and boulder) WN AF) en-US 2280 Copyright 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:07:59 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/static/images/engineering_village_favicon.gifhttps://www.engineeringvillage.com/home.url https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_3be9e82719eae5b20c5M2a2110178165130&database=ins Natural patterns are rarely perfect. We couple classical Turing patterns in chemical gradients to cell motion via diffusiophoresis, showing that this interplay naturally yields textured and multiscale patterns. The patterns are dependent on parameters such as cell size distribution, Péclet number, volume fraction, and cell-cell... inspec_3be9e82719eae5b20c5M2a2110178165130 Wed, 7 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM1e2110178165130&database=ins Tissue development and regeneration are governed by processes that span subcellular signaling, cell-cell interactions, and the integrated mechanical properties of cellular collectives with their extracellular matrix. Synthetic biomaterials that can emulate the hierarchical structure and supracellular mechanics of living systems are paramount to the realization of regenerative medicine. Recent reports detail directed cell alignment on mechanically anisotropic but stiff liquid crystalline polymer networks (LCNs). While compelling, the potential implementation of these materials as tissue engineering scaffolds may be hindered by the orders of magnitude larger stiffness than most soft tissue. Accordingly, this report prepares liquid crystalline hydrogels (LCHs) that synergize the anisotropic mechanical properties intrinsic to LCNs with the cytocompatibility and soft mechanics of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. LCH are prepared via sequential oligomerizati... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM1e2110178165130 Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_3be9e82719eae5b20c5M127a10178165130&database=ins In situ wafer curvature investigations were employed to measure film and surface stress during Al2O3 and AlF3 atomic layer deposition (ALD). Isothermal in situ measurements can monitor intrinsic stress because they avoid the extrinsic stress resulting from thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the film and substrate when conducting ex situ measurements at room temperature. The Al2O3 ALD films grown with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and H2O had tensile film stress that decreased with temperature from ∼ 500 MPa at 125 °C to ∼ 100 MPa at 285 °C. The tensile stress was attributed to more hydrogen incorporation in the Al2O3 films at lower temperatures. In contrast, the AlF3 ALD films grown with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and HF had no film stress. This lack of film stress was attributed to either the molecular nature of the AlF3 films or the growth mechanism where TMA reacts with HF adsorbed on the AlF3 surface. The in situ measurements could also observe the surface stress changes associated with the individual Al2O3 and AlF3 ALD reactions. During Al2O3 ALD, the TMA reactions led to increasing compressiv... inspec_3be9e82719eae5b20c5M127a10178165130 Wed, 1 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c012d610178165130&database=ins In situ wafer curvature measurements were employed to monitor film and surface stress during Al2O3 thermal atomic layer etching (ALE). The Al2O3 thermal ALE was performed using fluorination and ligand-exchange reactions using sequential hydrogen fluoride (HF) and trimethylaluminum [TMA, Al(CH3)3] exposures at temperatures from 250 to 300 °C. The initial Al2O3 films were grown using Al2O3 atomic layer deposition (ALD) with TMA and H2O as the reactants. These Al2O3 ALD films are known to be under tensile stress. The progressive decrease in stress-thickness versus Al2O3 thermal ALE cycles was consistent with the linear removal of the Al2O3 ALD film that contains tensile stress. The results indicated that ALE can be used as a layer removal method to determine the stress distribution in a thin film. The reduction of the stress-thickness by Al2O3 thermal ALE at 250, 275, and 300 °C was consistent with the Al2O3 etch rates at these temperatures. Surface stresses corresponding to the fluorination and ligand-exchange reactions were also monitored during Al2O3 thermal ALE. The TMA reaction resulted in an average negative stress-thickness change of -0.50 ± 0.07 N/m that was consistent with a compressive surface stress. This negative stress-thickness change was attributed to repulsive interactions between surface methyl groups. The subsequent... inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c012d610178165130 Fri, 1 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb147d10178165130&database=ins The shift from traditional synchronous generator (SG) based power generation to generation driven by power electronic devices introduces new dynamic phenomena and considerations for the control of large-scale power systems. In this letter, two aspects of all-inverter power systems are investigated: greater localization of system disturbance response and increased system controllability. The prevalence of both of these aspects are shown to be related to the lower effective inertia of inverters and have implications for future wide-area control system design. Greater disturbance localization implies the need for feedback measurement placement close to generator nodes to properly reject disturbances in the system, while increased system controllab... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb147d10178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM493610178165130&database=ins Methane emissions at oil and gas facilities can be measured in real time with continuous monitoring systems that alert operators of upset conditions, including fugitive emissions. We report on extensive operator field testing of a continuous laser monitoring system in ~year-long deployments at 46 oil and gas sites in two U.S. basins. The operator assessed periods of non-alerts with daily optical gas imaging sweeps to confirm emission status. Detection precision was 98% and false positive and negative rates were 3%. Quantification of challenge-controlled release tests at active oil and gas sites yielded a measured versus true emissions curve with slope = 1.2, R2 = 0.90. Repeatability test measurements of four production facilities with two different laser systems showed 33.9% average quantification agreement. Separate third-party blind controlled release testing at two state-of-the-art test f... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM493610178165130 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M3a2110178165130&database=ins Mass spectrometers have been used in-line on atomic layer deposition fluidized bed reactors (ALD-FBRs) to track the progress of the ALD reaction. However, the use of mass spectrometry or, more specifically, residual gas analysis for ALD-FBRs has been limited to qualitative measurements indicating the appearance and removal of ALD precursor and byproduct species. Here we provide a method to perform in situ gas species quantification using a residual gas analyzer (RGA) with an ALD-FBR. We explain how to propagate error sources across the ALD-FBR system to the final quantified mass value. Additionally, we present the first example of using an RGA to quantify in situ a reaction byproduct in an ALD-FBR. The trimethylaluminum (TMA)/water chemistry was conducted on single crystal LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) powder and the carbon dioxide byproduct was quantified for ... inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M3a2110178165130 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c0M4eae10178165130&database=ins Entangled materials offer attractive structural features including tensile strength and large deformations, combined with infinite assembly and disassembly capabilities. How the geometry of individual particles governs entanglement, and, in turn, translates into macroscopic structural properties, provides a rich landscape in terms of mechanics, and offers intriguing possibilities in terms of structural design. However, there are major knowledge gaps on the entanglement mechanisms and how they can generate strength. In this report, we present tensile tests and discrete element method simulations on bundles of entangled staple-like particles that capture the combined effects of particle geometry and vibrations on local entanglement, tensile force chains, and strength. Standard steel staples with θ = 90° crown-leg angle initially entangle better than θ = 20° modified staples because of their more "open" geometry. However, as vibrations are applied, entanglement increases faster in θ = 20° bundles so that they develop strong and stable tensile force chains, producing bundles which are almost ten times stronger than θ = 90° bundles. Both tensile strength and entanglement density increase with vibrations and with deformations, up to a ... inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c0M4eae10178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM37ec10178165130&database=ins Active particles are analogs of microorganisms in that they locally dissipate energy to propel in low Reynolds number fluids. However, most active particles lack the ability to undergo controlled shape transformations that change how they move in response to environmental cues. Here, we present a class of stimuli-responsive active particles that exhibit fully reversible, shape-dependent propulsion. The particles consist of a bilayer of a thermoresponsive hydrogel and a non-swelling glassy polymer, patterned into rectangular microscale prisms. Temperature changes near the phase transition of hydrogel cause large curvature shifts, from flat plates at 35 °C to crescent shapes at 20 °C, accompanied... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM37ec10178165130 Wed, 1 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_757033b319eaf1bf4d6M7a6d10178165130&database=ins Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) enable a wide array of technologies, including radiofrequency filters, chemical and biological sensors, acousto-optic devices, acoustic control of microfluidic flow in lab-on-a-chip systems and quantum phononics. Although numerous methods exist for generating SAWs, they each have intrinsic limitations that inhibit performance, operation at high frequencies and use in systems constrained in size, weight and power. Here we present a completely solid-state, single-chip SAW phonon laser consisting of a lithium niobate SAW resonator with an internal, d.c. electrically injected and broadband semiconductor gain medium with 2 footprint. Below the threshold bias of 36 V, the device behaves as a resonant amplifier, and above it exhibits self-sustained coherent oscillation, linewidth narrowing and high output powers. A continuous on-chip acoustic ou... inspec_757033b319eaf1bf4d6M7a6d10178165130 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb235b10178165130&database=ins Vine (soft everting or growing) robots are promising carriers for in-situ payload delivery in confined, threedimensional spaces. Yet, state-of-the-art systems either rely on environmental constraints to guide the tip or avoid heavy tip hardware to remain reliable. As a consequence, precise delivery of payloads from an unconstrained 3D motion remains a challenge. We present a case study of a vine robot with a deployable tip end cap that carries and releases an insectscale robot at a target location. Integrating this mechanism introduces a trade-off, as a larger cavity supports larger payloads, but it shifts the buckling limits and reduces the climbing margin due to the added distal mass. We investigate how tip mass affects inclined climbing through transverse and axial buckling, aiming to apply control to reduce transverse buckling while recognizing axial buckling as a hard limit. A quasi-static moment balance model, coupled with a shell buckling bound, accurately predicts the onset of tip mass induced failure and aligns with observed trends. We map failure thres... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb235b10178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM21b210178165130&database=ins Blood transfusion remains a cornerstone of modern medicine, saving countless lives daily. Yet the quality of transfused blood varies dramatically among donors—a critical factor often overlooked in clinical practice. Rapid, benchtop, and cost-effective methods for evaluating stored red blood cells (RBCs) at the site of transfusion are lacking, with concerns persisting about the association between metabolic signatures of stored RBC quality and transfusion outcomes. Recent studies utilizing metabolomics approaches to evaluate stored erythrocytes find that donor biology (e.g., genetics, age, lifestyle factors) underlies the heterogeneity associated with blood storage and transfusion. The appreciation of donor-intrinsic factors provides opportunities for precision transfusion medicine approaches for the evaluation of storage quality and prediction of transfusion efficacy. Here we propose a new platform, the surface acoustic wave hemolysis assay (SAW-HA), for on-site evaluation of stored RBCs utilizing SAW hemolysis temperature (SAWHT) as a marker for RBC quality. We report SAWHT as a mechanism-dependent reproducible methodology for eval... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM21b210178165130 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a96f7410178165130&database=ins Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for water electrolysis have often suffered from limited structural robustness, poor long-term stability, and scalability issues. Here, we report a rapid and scalable solution-flame synthesis of a spinel Fe-Ni-O (FNO) superstructure composed of ∼3.2 nm nanoparticles (0D) anchored on interconnected nanosheets (2D) on Ni foam within 20 s. This 0D/2D superstructure offers a large surface area, abundant active sites, efficient mass transport, rapid charge transfer, and excellent superhydrophilicity. The resulting FNO electrode exhibits a low OER overpotential of 220 mV at 50 mA/cm2 and exceptional stability over 50 h. As a bifunctional electrocatalyst, the FNO two-electrode system enables efficient overall water splitting at 1.49 V (10 mA/cm2) and achieves stable, bias-free solar-powered ... inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a96f7410178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c0M3ac810178165130&database=ins We examine the role of gravity on surface impact behavior into cohesionless granular media. Using hundreds of soft-sphere discrete element simulations, we demonstrate that the outcome of impacts remains qualitatively similar under varying gravitational conditions when initial velocities are scaled with the Froude number, suggesting an underlying law. Using granular dynamic resistive force theory, we provide reasoning for the observed universality and show that Froude number scaling pr... inspec_fcd1cc919eae2104c0M3ac810178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7ebM401310178165130&database=ins The cleaning of Air Handling Units (AHUs) in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems is critical for enhancing system reliability, indoor air quality, and specific energy consumption. This paper investigates the impact of AHU cleaning on energy consumption and overall system performance, a key aspect of energy efficiency in building management. A systematic comparison of two identical AHU systems-one cleaned and maintained (AHU-C) and the other left uncleaned (AHU-UC) was conducted by analyzing measurements collected over a year. AHU performance is assessed using key sensor data and indicators such as temperature and pressure variations, energy use, airflow, and indoor air quality; heat transfer and specific energy consumption are derived from combined sensor data. The results demonstrate that regular maintenance, particularly the cleaning of essential components such as filters, recuperators, ducts, and fans combined with inverter upgrades, significantly enhances system performance, in which AHU-C achieved energy savings ranging from 16.2% to 71.4%, with thermal exchange efficiency improving by 15-25% and airflow velocities increasing by up to 12%. The impact of cleaning was analyzed before and after maintenance, showing notable improvements in therma... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7ebM401310178165130 Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb261e10178165130&database=ins This paper presents an integration study for the recent power electronic-based fast-frequency response technology, "asynchronous grid connection" which operates as an aggregator for behind-the-meter resources and distributed generators. Both technical feasibility and techno-economic viability studies are presented. The fast-frequency response characteristics, validated against Power Hardware-in-the-Loop experiments, are integrated into an IEEE 9-bus system in DigSilent PowerFactory for system-level dynamic analysis. It demonstrates that droop-based control enhancements to local distributed generators allow their aggregation to provide grid-supporting functionalities and participate in the ancillary service markets. To this end, a long-term simulation embe... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb261e10178165130 Mon, 1 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM365210178165130&database=ins A multi-cycle growth and flame annealing strategy was developed to construct textured and hierarchically porous Ti-doped hematite (tp-Fe2O3) photoanodes with enhanced charge transport and surface kinetics.The hydrazine oxidation reaction was introduced as a fast and thermodynamically favorable alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction, enabling the simultaneous production of hydrogen and the remediation of toxic hyd... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM365210178165130 Thu, 17 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a9M416210178165130&database=ins The design and development of advanced energy storage systems with both long cycling life and high-power densities has long been a research hotspot. Zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) are regarded as emerging and highly promising candidates, combining the advantages of both supercapacitors and zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). The widespread use of zinc-ion aqueous systems in ZIBs is due to the abundance, high specific capacity (>800 mAh/g), and low toxicity of zinc. In this work, we demonstrate that oxygen- and fluorine-terminated zirconium-based MXenes (Zr3C2O2/Zr3C2F2) can act as reversible zinc-ion hosts for ZHSCs. Based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, Zr3C2O2 presents exceptional electrochemical performance, featuring a maximum quantum capacitance CQ of 1519 μF/cm2 in aqueous systems, and Zr3C2F2 a value of 1510 μF/cm2. In ionic/organic systems, the maximum CQ of Zr3C2F2 dom... inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a9M416210178165130 Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M398b10178165130&database=ins Mixed tin-lead halide perovskites are emerging as promising candidates to address the toxicity issues of lead-based perovskites and to provide additional bandgap tunability for optoelectronic applications. Electron-transfer doping offers a prospective pathway to modulate electronic properties of metal-halide perovskites, while not disturbing the underlying crystal structure. However, limited research exists comparing molecular dopants for these systems. Our study investigates the p-type electron-transfer doping of the mixed tin-lead halide perovskite MAPb0.5Sn0.5I3 (MA = methylammonium) using a sequential deposition approach (perovskite film followed by dopant incorporation) and the molecular dopants F4TCNQ and Mo­(tfd-COCF3)3. Up to 3 orders of magnitude higher carrier density and up to 2 orders of magnitude greater conductivity are achieved relati... inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M398b10178165130 Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_1b5c6b2b19eae4085ab295c10178165130&database=ins Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) has revolutionized the production of customized polymer-based components across industries. The integration of nanohybrid (NH) materials into polymer matrices has led to notable improvements in mechanical strength (up to 60 MPa), thermal stability (20-40 °C increase in degradation temperature), and adsorption efficiency (up to 210 mg/g for Pb²⁺ removal). This review analyzes the synergy between FDM and nanotechnology for creating multifunctional, sustainable polymers designed for wastewater treatment applications. NH-enhanced composites such as TiO₂-PLA and GO-PBS have demonstrated over 95% dye degradation and >99% antibacterial activity, offering potential for scalable 3D-printed filters, catalytic reactors, and membranes. Furthermore, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM... inspec_1b5c6b2b19eae4085ab295c10178165130 Mon, 1 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M39ae10178165130&database=ins The discovery of chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) revolutionized our understanding of the capabilities of chiral molecules, revealing that chiral molecules can function as spin filters, aligning the spin orientation of electrons when they transmit through them. Recently, CISS has been exploited to direct energy conversion, especially the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, despite the remarkable progress that has been achieved, the effect of CISS in influencing the intermediate species formation and changing the rate-determining step (RDS) is still vague. To understand those key reaction mechanism steps, electrocatalysts with distinct magnetic characteristics, ferromagnetic CoFe2O4 and paramagnetic Co3O4, were synthesized. The results show that spin-polarized charge carriers retain their spin alignment when coupled with ferromagnetic CoFe2O4, akin to the behavior observed under a magnetic field. The Tafel analysis and kinetic isotope studies (kinetic isotope effect) suggest that in the absence of chiral molecules, the initial electron trans... inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M39ae10178165130 Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M4d6d2dd719eaec739beM787c10178165130&database=ins The selective electrochemical reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOXRR) to hydroxylamine (NH2OH) offers a sustainable route for pollutant valorization. Given the complexity of pathways during the electrochemical NOXRR, enhancing the selectivity of NH2OH and establishing clear structure-activity relationships remain formidable challenges in the design of electocatalysts. Herein, we developed a strategy for the selective electrochemical NOxRR to NH2OH using crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with atomically precise metalloporphyrin active centers. Zn-porphyrin-based COFs, Py-TAPP-Zn and Et-TAPP-Zn, were designed with identical topology and composition but distinct electron densities. Py-TAPP-Zn, possessing electron-rich Zn centers, exhibited excellent selectivity toward NH2OH in both NO3RR and NO2RR, achieving notably higher Faradaic efficiency (FE) and yield rates compared to Et-TAPP-Zn and other reported framewo... inspec_M4d6d2dd719eaec739beM787c10178165130 Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a9251e10178165130&database=ins Precipitation and temperature datasets are essential for diverse applications, yet existing high-resolution products often lack robust uncertainty quantification and transparent, reproducible station processing. This study addresses these gaps by developing a new daily 0.02° ensemble of surface precipitation and temperature for the Contiguous United States (CONUS) spanning 1950-2023 with 20 members, built on a framework combining station record reconstruction and spatial probabilistic estimation. We first construct a serially complete station archive from high-density networks (GHCN-D and MADIS) using a comprehensive set of gap-filling and reconstruction techniques—quantile mapping, interpolation, machine learning, and multi-source merging—yielding 25,887 precipitation and 20,998 temperature stations. Ensemble fields for precipitation, mean temperature (Tmean), and daily temperature range (Trange) are then generated using a probabilistic geospatial estimation framework that characterizes real-world uncertainty via cross-validation. Results show the reconstructed station records are highly accurate (median modified Kling-Gupta efficiency, KGE'': 0.89 for precipitation, 0.99 for Tmean, 0.93 for Trange). Spatial estimates validated by leave-one-out cross-validation also perform robustly (median KGE''... inspec_M63d3165719eaf37e0a9251e10178165130 Sun, 1 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M787f44ed19eaeabd6d5M6cef10178165130&database=ins The present paper is a compendium of recent advances by seven research teams who have applied the PartStiff and PartFlex methods in solving seven distinctly different problems. Each of the research teams exploited the key feature of the PartStiff and PartFlex methods: partitioned (unassembled) FEM models without Lagrange multipliers. The unassembled PartStiff equation is given by Md¨=Pd(f−Kd) where (M,K,f,d¨,d,Pd) are the partitioned block diagonal mass and block diagonal stiffness matrices and the applied force, acceleration and displacement vectors, and the projection operator Pd which accomplishes the necessary coupling among the partitions. The paper presents applications of both the PartStiff and PartFlex methods: high-fidelity parallel solvers for heterogeneous ... inspec_M787f44ed19eaeabd6d5M6cef10178165130 Sun, 1 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb236010178165130&database=ins Development of robotic platforms capable of burrowing in granular media (GM) has shown potential for applications in agriculture, construction of infrastructure, and extraterrestrial exploration. A promising strategy for burrowing is the use of high-frequency vibration to locally fluidize the GM to reduce drag forces. However, there have been few implementations of this method for robotic burrowers. In this work, we explore the use of hydraulically amplified, self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators for soft robots capable of burrowing in dry and submerged GM. We propose that HASEL actuators can achieve both high-frequency vibration to fluidize GM and low-frequency, high-strain actuation for effective burrowing. We present a prototype multi-segmented robot design using HASEL actuators. We evaluate t... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb236010178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM44de10178165130&database=ins This study presents an integrated experimental simulation and multi-objective optimization methodology that maximizes energy production and optimizes economic performance in the design of wind power plants (WPPs). The relationship between five fundamental design parameters (wind speed (XWS), hub height (XHH), rotor diameter (XRD), turbine spacing (XTS), and row spacing (XRS)) and five techno-economic outputs (annual AC energy (YAEP), net present value (YNPV), levelized cost of energy (YLCOE), net cost of capital (YNCCpw), and total BOS cost (YTBC)) is systematically investigated using a Multi-Level Full Factorial Experimental Design (DoE) for four different US regions (Southern Wyoming, Southern California, Northeastern West Virginia, and South Florida). The optimization was performed by applying a multi-objective desirability function to regression models derived from 1200 NREL SAM simulation data points, thereby simultaneously evaluating five design parameters across five techno-economic responses. ANOVA results revealed that 77.5% of the variability in annual energy production was due to wind speed and 21.4% to rotor diameter, clearly demonstrating the decisive role of resource quality in project feasibility. Optimization identified the optimal configuration (XRS = 5, XTS = 3, XWS = 10.157 m/s, XHH = 120 m, XRD = 70 m) that provided a balan... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM44de10178165130 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM2a1510178165130&database=ins The Sudd wetland in South Sudan extends over 90,000 km2. Large-scale flood events in recent years (2019-2022) are said to have led to the displacement of an estimated 1.8 million people in total. However, these estimates are approximate and to date there has not been a systematic analysis of population exposure to flooding in the Sudd region. This study seeks to address this gap by using global flood modeling, satellite observations of flood extent, and global gridded population datasets to analyze population exposure. Recognizing the inevitable limitations of these datasets, we intersect all the available global flood mapping and population datasets. The results indicate that 0.8-2.9 million people are currently exposed to the 100-year return period flood extent, depending on the flood model and population dataset used. Aggregated results of the model agreement intercomparison indicate that all five global models agree on key flood-prone areas within and around the Sudd, which is further corroborated with satellite flood observations. Intercomparison of the population density among the four georeferenced population products demonstrates that WorldPop and GHSL-Pop population distributions better represent the patterns of the Sudd... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM2a1510178165130 Sun, 4 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb198e10178165130&database=ins The rapid development of e-commerce platforms has improved the demand for robust, scalable, and intelligent security mechanisms to protect digital transactions against fraud, manipulation, and unauthorized access. Traditional security frameworks primarily rely on cryptographic primitives for authentication and data integrity but lack the ability to model the complex relational patterns inherent in e-commerce ecosystems, such as interactions among users, merchants, transactions, and devices. To address this limitation, this work proposes an integrated Graph Neural Network (GNN)-driven e-commerce security framework enhanced with the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA). In the proposed approach, e-commerce entities and their interactions are modeled as a dynamic graph, where GNNs learn high-level relational representations to detect anomalous behaviors, fraudulent transaction patterns, and coordinated attacks. Concurrently, ECDSA is employed to ensure strong authentication, message integrity, and non-repudiation of transactional data with minimal computational overhead, making it suitable for large-scale and real-time e-commer... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2a7eb198e10178165130 Thu, 1 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M36b710178165130&database=ins The boundary layer is crucial to understanding the potential damage caused by typhoons, as the organized motions within it significantly affect the transfer of momentum, heat, moisture, and other substances. In the present study, three types of roll structures are identified in the typhoon boundary layer. The Type-A roll structure, caused by shear instability (0 < Ri < 0.25), has two modes. Mode-I is associated with the tangential wind, located slightly inside the radius of maximum wind and oriented vertically upward, with the roll axis nearly parallel to the tangential wind. Mode-II is associated with the radial wind, located at the radius of maximum wind and tilted upward, with the roll axis nearly parallel to the radial wind. Furthermore, at the same radius, Mode-I dominates at a higher height, while Mode-II dominates at a lower height. The dominant mode shifts from Mode-I to Mode-II as typhoon intensity increases, as more intense typhoons tend to exhibit annular characteristics with a more tilted eyewall structure. The Type-B roll structure, caused by inertial instability, is reflect... inspec_757033b319eaf1be040M36b710178165130 Sun, 1 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.engineeringvillage.com/blog/document.url?mid=inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM2c5d10178165130&database=ins We present the first comparative analysis of observational data and model results focusing on thermospheric-ionospheric responses over the Thailand region by studying the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm on 17-18 March, 2015. This study aims to advance our understanding of regional responses by building on previous observation-model comparisons. The observational data include global O/N2 ratios from GUVI onboard the TIMED spacecraft, global vertical total electron content (VTEC) from the worldwide GNSS receivers obtained from the Madrigal database, and regional VTEC over Thailand from the KMI6 GNSS station. The atmospheric simulations used are from SD WACCM-X, incorporating high-latitude drivers from the Weimer and Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) models. The O/N2 comparison focuses on TIMED's overpasses across Thailand at 3 UT (10 LT) on both days. Both models tend to reproduce general trends in the O/N2 ratio and VTEC variations prior to the storm onset. The SD WACCM-X/Weimer model shows better agreement with the O/N... inspec_M7a51e23a19eaee2d11dM2c5d10178165130 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000