Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, 2008. / "June 2008." Title from cover. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 72-74). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S. in computer science)--Washington State University, May 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on April 5, 2010). "Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science." Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-110).

Thesis (MTech (Technology : Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2006 / Recent years have witnessed a tremendous growth and significant advances in "smart" composites and "smart" composite structures. These smart composites integrate active elements such as sensors and actuators into a host structure to create improved or new functionalities through a clever choice of the active elements and/or a proper design of the structure. Such composites are able to sense a change in the environment and make a useful response by using an external feedback control system. Depending on their applications. smart composites usually make use of either the joint properties of the structure or the properties of the individual elements within the composites. The accumulation in the understanding of materials science and the rapid developments in computational capabilities have provided an even wider framework for the implementation of multi-functionality in composites and make "smart" composites "intelligent". This thesis is a contribution towards the global endeavour to innovate using smart structures to enhance our everyday lives. One of the phenomena of shape memory alloys. the shape memory effect was put to use in the development of an active surface. Here the pre-stressed shape memory alloy (in its de-twinned martensitic state) is surrounded or embedded in a non-SMA matrix material. This active surface can be used in a variety of applications that requires active shape control to change the shape of a flexible structure member such as a submarine stem, aerospace control surfaces and aircraft wings. An experimental protocol was developed to treat or stabilize shape memory alloys that are used as actuators within composite structures. Shape memory alloys exhibit complex behaviour during their quasi-plastic material response. The complex behaviour includes variability in yield values and the transformation region/range.

Thesis (MTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2005 / The working characteristics of a shape memory alloy element providing either sensor or actuator capability is specified by the beginning and/or completion temperatures of the actuation (Le. austenitic start and finish temperatures and martensitic start and finish temperatures), the working actuator stroke (i.e. load induced twinned=:>de-twinned martensitic phase transformation also known as quasi-plastic deformation), and the working actuator force (provided by the temperature induced de-twinned martensite

Infection of thermal injuries by bacteria is a growing concern in the healthcare community, leading to increased rates of morbidity and mortality. P. aeruginosa, a rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria is one of the bacterial species most commonly found in infected burns. Detecting infections in burns is still a somewhat archaic process involving visual inspection, in which dressings have to be removed (also causing more pain and discomfort to patients) before samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis. Timely in situ detection systems, which limit disturbances to the wound area, could drastically improve patient comfort and healing outcomes. While established infections, with fully developed biofilms, are difficult to treat, loose bacteria early on in an infection and biofilm formation are more likely to fall easy prey to antibiotics, if the appropriate drugs are administered in a timely manner. In this thesis a smart wound management system, geared towards detecting and eliminating P. aeruginosa infections in burns is presented. Both non-functionalized general purpose electrodes, paired with an affordable open source potentiostat, for electrochemical analysis, and on demand drug releasing elements were developed by layering conductive materials onto everyday cotton threads. The sensing elements were thoroughly characterized with the detection of a P. aeruginosa biomarker over a range of physiologically relevant concentrations and conditions. The ability of the thread based sensors to detect live bacteria and be integrated in textile wound dressings was demonstrated. Controlled drug release was also demonstrated through the development of several drug release profiles. The presented technology has the potential to greatly improve patient outcomes in burn wards and provides a platform for tackling other infectious organisms with the further development of more thread based tools. / Graduate / 2021-08-25

The old hospital complex is located in close proximity to the historical center of Znojmo. The original function is no longer fulfilled and its structure does not correspond to the urban area and thus excludes it. However, due to its location and some historic buildings it has great potential. This work aims to transform the place into a full-fledged part of the city, preserving the original genius loci. After thorough analysis, it determines structures that will be preserved and removed. On the free parcels are proposed buildings of urban blocks with multifunctional use. By its arrangement, it responds to the neighborhood and away from the city, from closed city blocks, it opens to semi-blocks and solitaires.

Despite the increasing interest in blockchain as a possible solution to replace centralized IoT architectures, previous work failed to provide a direct role for the sensing devices, i.e., direct interaction with the blockchain without additional components. Moreover, few studies focus on permissionless blockchains, even if it is the most secure platform for developing blockchain-based applications. This thesis presents an architecture that considers constrained sensing devices as direct actors on a public blockchain network. A public blockchain network allows the seamless inclusion of several unknown actors, and smart contracts provide a platform to develop complex IoT applications. The research followed an iterative DSR approach; designing, building, and evaluating new IT artifacts using two case studies in the agricultural IoT domain. These cases fostered two exploratory studies that diverged from the main IoT domain; however, they also provide novel contributions to blockchain-based applications. Thus, the novel architecture tackles three problems of current blockchain-based IoT systems i) constrained sensing devices as direct actors on a blockchain system, ii) permissionless blockchain networks and iii) smart contracts as an IoT application platform. Furthermore, the exploratory analyses examine two challenges of blockchain-based applications i) user experience and monetary costs and ii) data sharing and decentralized storage.

Smart grid is about integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into the energy systems, especially electricity grid. DERs include renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, energy storages such as electrical and thermal energy storage, demand response programs, smart homes, and electric vehicles with their charging stations. DERs have significant advantages such as reduction of operation costs, emission, and peak as well as the increase of reliability, resiliency, stability, and voltage profile in smart grids. They also prevent establishment of fossil fuel power plants and expansion of transmission lines by locating in electricity distribution grid and transmission lines. The advantages approve the financial, technical, and environmental effects of the DERs in smart grids. An operation/planning approach such as EHs/IEHs is required to utilization of DERs in the Smart Grid. EH is a super node in electricity power system which connects different energy networks such as gas, electricity, heating, or cooling. The EH can be developed by DERs for operation and planning purposes. The EHs can be located in different parts of the energy networks to form IEHs. Despite the significant advantages of utilization of DERs in EHs of Smart Grids, they should be utilized by information and communication technologies (ICTs), which results in Cyber-Physical Power Systems (CPPSs) vulnerable to different cyberattacks. The vulnerability of DERs in EHs of Smart Grid leads to jeopardizing the reliability, stability, and resiliency of power systems since integrity, confidentiality, or availability cyberattacks might bypass the detection systems to take control of DERs for malicious purposes such as congestion, cascading failure, blackout, undervoltage/overvoltage, or costs. In this research, some cyberattacks are modeled on DERs in EHs and IEHs of Smart Grid, and the vulnerabilities of DERs to the cyberattacks in the developed EHs/IEs are approved: First, an integrity cyberattack is modeled and applied to the DR program (time/incentive-based) in the developed EH in electricity distribution grid in order to control the performance of the EH and its negative effects on the grid. The attacker aims to manipulate the system by both raising peak demand and lowering customers' energy bills simultaneously. This strategy is designed to deceive customers into participating in falsified Demand Response (DR) programs, ultimately leading to an increase in the overall peak demands of the system which jeopardizes the reliability of the system. Second, an integrity FDI cyberattack is modeled and applied on the developed IEHs in transmission lines in order to control the performance of the IEH and its negative effects on the transmission lines. This cyberattack is modeled to manipulate the transmission lines energy demands in order to threaten reliability and stability of the system by bypassing detection systems. Finally, the attacker targets the developed EHs integrated by DERs by maximizing the costs associated with operation, emission, and energy not supplied costs. The attacker objective is to adversely affect the financial, technical, and environmental advantages of integration of DERs to the system. Hence, powerful remedial actions are required to alleviate the adverse effects of DERs, manipulated by attackers, in the developed EHs. Therefore, a remedial action is designed by min-max formulation in order to mitigate the adverse effects of DERs on financial, technical, and environmental terms. The remedial action reduces the imposed costs by changing the status of EH devices. The results highlight the role of DERs in reducing costs and emphasize the need for their proactive security measures in cyber-physical power systems.

Tillverkningsindustrin blir alltmer digitaliserad samt att nya digitala verktyg implementeras inom företagen. Som följd av detta pågår en förändring av arbetssätt. Smart Maintenance är det senaste begreppet i hur underhåll borde utföras inom tillverkningsanläggningar med hjälp av digital teknik. Detta begrepp syftar på ett arbetssätt som ämna möjliggöra en resurseffektivare produktion och underhållsverksamhet, ur såväl organisatoriskt som tekniskt perspektiv. I detta examensarbete genomfördes intervjuer med företag, vilket utgjorde den centrala undersökningsmetoden för att förstå hur den svenska tillverkningsindustrin ser på Smart Maintenance (SM), vad deras tolkning är på begreppet samt ifall de har tillämpat detta, samt tillämpat aspekter eller dimensioner från SM i deras underhållsverksamhet. En intervju med en forskare genomfördes för att utöka projektgruppens kompetens kring begreppet och dess påverkan på lönsamhet, hållbarhet och konkurrenskraft. Med information från intervjuerna och en litteraturstudie som grund, erhölls slutsatser kring vilka de främsta fördelarna och utmaningarna är i utövandet av Smart Maintenance, samt dessas samband med hållbarhet. Dessutom resulterade projektet i slutsatser kring hur företagen tolkar begreppet och hur data kan används för investeringsplaner inom de intervjuade företagen. / The manufacturing industry is becoming increasingly digital and new digital tools are being implemented within companies. As a result, there is a change in working methods. Smart Maintenance is the latest concept in how maintenance should be performed in manufacturing facilities using digital technology. This concept refers to a way of working that aims to enable a more resource-efficient production and maintenance operation, from both an organizational and technical perspective. In this thesis, interviews were conducted with companies, which constituted the central research method for understanding how the Swedish manufacturing industry views Smart Maintenance (SM), what their interpretation is of the concept and if they have applied this, and applied aspects or dimensions from SM in their maintenance operations. An interview with a researcher was conducted to expand the project group's knowledge on the concept and its impact on profitability, sustainability and competitiveness. Based on information from the interviews and a literature study, conclusions were obtained about what the main benefits and challenges are in the practice of Smart Maintenance, as well as their connection with sustainability. In addition, the project resulted in conclusions about how the companies interpret the concept and how data can be used in order to make better decisions within the interviewed companies.