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Assembly lines commonly run for dozens of years before being decommissioned. As product families may evolve several times per year by following the needs of sales and marketing, process engineers reconfigure the lines several dozens of times throughout their life cycle. If the line is not flexible enough, these reconfigurations may be costly, and they can lead to poor efficiency. The present work investigates the possibility of designing a line while accounting for product evolution throughout the life cycle of the line. The evolution of the product family is unknown and we consider a robust optimisation approach. We study a mixed-model assembly line, where each station contains a worker/robot and its equipment. The line produces different product models from the same family, and a reconfiguration occurs when a new product model replaces one of the current variants in the product family. Reconfiguration re-arranges resources and equipment pieces, and it can re-assign some tasks. In this study, we formulate a novel Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) that minimizes the total cost of the initial design and future reconfigurations of the line over some future product family evolution for the worst case. We consider the worst-case among different scenarios that represent possible production requirements of the new product model. An adversarial approach is also developed to solve large-size instances. We perform computational experiments on the benchmark data from the literature. The results show the proposed adversarial approach performs well, and the proposed robust model significantly reduces the design and reconfiguration costs when compared to the classical approach that designs and reconfigures by accounting only for the current product family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Internet of Things (IoT) advances, low‐cost, intelligently networked wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are being developed and deployed at cloud edge locations to enable new Internet‐based services. However, energy consumption in these networked smart sensors is a significant concern. This work focuses on using an ultra‐wideband (UWB) multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) antenna sensor printed on optically transparent polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material to reduce energy consumption in WSN nodes. The antenna sensor structure consists of two rectangular‐shaped printed monopole antenna elements (AEs) and four PIN diodes used for switching purpose. A narrow strip is also integrated in the AE to notch WLAN band. The antenna sensor operates in a variety of modes, achieved by varying the ON/OFF states of PIN diodes. The frequency range covered by the antenna is 3.2–11 GHz when all four PIN diodes are turned ON. The overall measurements of the suggested antenna are 31 mm × 31 mm × 1.5 mm. It performs well in terms of diversity, with a minimum isolation of 20.7 dB over the whole operating band. The outcomes of the simulation and the measurements agree fairly well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order topological phases in non-Hermitian photonics revolutionize the understanding of wave propagation and modulation, which lead to hierarchical states in open systems. However, intrinsic insulating properties endorsed by the lattice symmetry of photonic crystals fundamentally confine the robust transport only at explicit system boundaries, letting alone the flexible reconfiguration in hierarchical states at arbitrary positions. Here, we report a dynamic topological platform for creating the reconfigurable hierarchical bound states in heat transport systems and observe the robust and nonlocalized higher-order states in both the real-and imaginary-valued bands. Our experiments showcase that the hierarchical features of zero-dimension corner and nontrivial edge modes occur at tailored positions within the system bulk states instead of the explicit system boundaries. Our findings uncover the mechanism of non-localized hierarchical non-trivial topological states and offer distinct paradigms for diffusive transport field management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated industrial Visual Inspection Systems (VIS) are predominantly designed for specific use cases, resulting in constrained adaptability, high setup requirements, substantial capital investments, and significant knowledge barriers. This paper explores the business potential of recent alternative architectures proposed in the literature for the visual inspection of individual products or complex assemblies within highly variable production environments, utilizing next-generation VIS. These advanced VIS exhibit significant technical (hardware and software) enhancements, such as increased flexibility, reconfigurability, Computer Aided Design (CAD)-based integration, self-X capabilities, and autonomy, as well as economic improvements, including cost-effectiveness, non-invasiveness, and plug-and-produce capabilities. The new trends in VIS have the potential to revolutionize business models by enabling as-a-service approaches and facilitating a paradigm shift towards more sustainable manufacturing and human-centric practices. We extend the discussion to examine how these technological innovations, which reduce the need for extensive coding skills and lengthy reconfiguration activities for operators, can be implemented as a shared resource within a circular lifecycle. This analysis includes detailing the underlying business model that supports shared utilization among different stakeholders, promoting a circular economy in manufacturing by leveraging the capabilities of next-generation VIS. Such an approach not only enhances the sustainability of manufacturing processes but also democratizes access to state-of-the-art inspection technologies, thereby expanding the possibilities for autonomous manufacturing ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces are considered the most promising technologies for holographic imaging applications due to their exceptional optical properties and capabilities. However, the work on terahertz (THz) metasurface holographic imaging is relatively limited. Here, we propose a THz dielectric geometric-propagation phase metasurface that can operate in dual modes (reflection and transmission) and enable reconfigurable multifunctional holographic imaging. The dual-mode operation is realized by controlling the Fermi energy level (Ef) of the graphene integrated into the metasurface unit, and the reconfigurable three-channel holographic imaging in reflection or transmission mode are achieved by switching the feed polarization among left-handed circular polarization (LCP), right-handed circular polarization (RCP), and linear polarization (LP). The metasurface is designed based on the transmission mode, and a physical model for switching to the reflection mode is established. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a reflection–transmission dynamic modulation THz holographic imaging metasurface has been developed. The holographic metasurface operates in transmission mode at Ef = 0.1 eV and in reflection mode at Ef = 0.9 eV. Compared with recently published holographic imaging metasurfaces, the proposed metasurface offers the following advantages: high holographic efficiencies (42.5% to 49%), more holographic imaging channels, dynamic modulation dual-mode operations, and reconfigurability. The simulation results match the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to continuous focus on sustainability and circular economy, product take-back programs are becoming increasingly relevant and attractive. Thus, closed-loop manufacturing systems have to be designed and developed for disassembly, reprocessing of materials, re-assembly, and remanufacturing in a cost-efficient way. Compared to traditional manufacturing, this involves a higher need for changeability due to higher uncertainty, e.g. in terms of timing and quantity that the system needs to handle, uncertainty in quality and materials of received items, and in particular significant variety in returned items, the system should be designed to process. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate how reconfigurability, as the enabler of changeability at manufacturing system level, can be utilised to aid challenges in closed-loop manufacturing systems for product take-back. Initially, insights from an industrial case are presented regarding challenges in establishing and operating closed-loop manufacturing systems for product take-back programs. Secondly, different closed-loop manufacturing concepts applying the principles of reconfigurability are proposed and evaluated in terms of cost and robustness towards the inherent uncertainties in supplied end-of-use items. The results show significant potential of utilising a modular and platform-based approach towards meeting supply uncertainties through reconfiguration, which allows for a more efficient setup for product take-back. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reconfigurable metamaterial multiband antenna operating an octa-band resonating mode is designed for IoT wireless applications. Metamaterial cell split ring resonator (SRR) and quasi-complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) are printed on the back and front sides of the proposed antenna design to achieve the multiband characteristics. The PIN diode is implemented in a slotted ground section of the antenna structure to get different wireless standards by switching the diode ON/OFF. During reverse biased (OFF) mode of diode antenna operating at eight resonant frequencies 2.42, 4.34, 5.81, 8.45, 11.02, 13.98, 16.12, and 18.87 GHz covering the IoT wireless standards such as S, C, X, Ku, and K band to identify a variety of wireless applications such as WLAN, WAIC, ITU, Satellite, and radar communication. Simple structure, stable radiation pattern, multiband operation, frequency band reconfigurability feature, reasonable gain, and efficiency are the significant features of the proposed metamaterial multiband antenna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency-selective filters are usually required at the receiving end of a communication system to change the frequency range of a band-pass filter (BPF), which is used to extract the broadcast signal. In this study, we have designed such frequency-selective filters using a novel bulk-driven current differential transconductance amplifier (BDCDTA) as its fundamental building block. This BDCDTA is first used to create a biquad filter, and the designed filter is then reconfigured for frequency selection. The proposed frequency-selective filter structures have the capability of providing a constant gain based on the communication system's requirements. The suggested structures with CMOS 180 nm technology parameters are validated using PSPICE and the Cadence Virtuoso design environment. The theory is confirmed by pre and post-layout simulation. PVT corner and Monte-Carlo analysis demonstrate its applicability for a broad range of applications and provide a range for its use under various conditions. This design is suitable for low voltage and low power applications due to the bulk-driven transistors, and the suggested structures are designed especially for medium wave communication and biomedical signal processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this era of intense global competition, supply chains are facing challenges in coping with emerging market issues. Within diverse industries worldwide, supply chains are experiencing accelerated reconfiguration, with one of the most notable transformations being the digitalization of supply chain operations. But the literature lacks empirical evidence about how digital transformation effectively contributes to it. Thus, this paper delves into the implications of the supply chain digital transformation (SCDT) and supply chain reconfigurability (SCR) on its overall performance. Cross-sectional data from 379 respondents in the machinery, electronics, and home appliance manufacturing industries were collected through a closed questionnaire. Utilizing a hybrid approach involving the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), this study employs a cross-validation of the conceptual model. Initially, the PLS-SEM is employed to unveil the direct impact of SCDT on supply chain performance (SCP), as well as the intermediary effect of SCR. Building on this foundation, the fsQCA method is further utilized to investigate the configuration paths that enable enterprises to achieve high SCP under the combined influence of SCR and SCDT. The research results affirm the significant influence of SCDT on SCP. Likewise, the findings highlight the crucial intermediary role of SCR between SCDT and SCP. Ultimately, three distinct configurations driving high supply chain performance are identified: technical, management, and flexible configurations, each playing a unique role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ImageNet moment was a turning point for Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), as it demonstrated their potential to revolutionize computer vision tasks. This triumph of CNNs has motivated solving even more complex problems involving multiple tasks from multiple data modalities. Conventionally, a single CNN accelerator has been optimized to perform just one task or multiple correlated tasks. This study presents a shared-layers approach that leverages the pattern-learning capabilities of CNNs to perform multiple uncorrelated tasks from different modalities using a single hardware accelerator. We overcame the challenge of data imbalance in multi-modal learning by synthetic data generation. We achieved an average classification accuracy above 90% on a single CNN accelerator, which would otherwise require three accelerators. Due to the reliability concerns imposed by transistor shrinking and aging, we extended the shared layers methodology and introduced a fault-tolerant CNN accelerator with reconfigurable capabilities supporting fault-tolerant (FT), high-performance (HP), and de-stress (DS) modes. FT mode provides high reliability against soft errors utilizing double/triple modular redundancy, HP mode offers peak performance of 0.979 TOPs using parallel execution, and DS mode reduces dynamic power consumption by up to 68.6% in clock-gated design and even more using a partial reconfiguration method, contributing to decelerating the aging process of the circuit. We have comprehensively evaluated two different CNN architectures (i.e., fused and branched), for three distinct tasks, in three different operating modes, based on accuracy, quantization, pruning, hardware resource utilization, power, energy, performance, and reliability.

Defining and measuring resilience using a unified framework has been a topic of intense research. This article presents a perspective on how resilience could be quantitatively assessed through a set of indices. It starts with a brief explanation of resilience in the context of supply chain and a quick summary of existing quantitative measures of resilience. It then discusses how resilience could be quantified in a constructive manner so that the resulting metrics are representative of the performance throughout the system's life cycle. In particular, it is proposed that resilience should be evaluated according to different time periods, i.e. before, during and after a disruption has occurred. Four dimensions of resilience, namely reliability, robustness, recovery and reconfigurability, can then be used to make up a set of indices for resilience. For numerical illustration, these indices are computed based on recovery data arising from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Finally, it is postulated that resilience will be the performance metric that complements productivity and sustainability as the third pillar for measuring success of organizations, and in turn, that of sovereign countries in their quests for developing smart cities.

Reconfigurable soft actuators can be programmed to morph into different 3D shapes under the same stimulus exhibiting great potential for adaptive robotic functionalities. Liquid crystalline crosslinked materials programmed and controlled by light have demonstrated great potential in this area, however, their implementation is mainly based on azobenzene chromophores, using ultraviolet light that can potentially damage the device and its surroundings, especially if living cells are present. Here, an ink is presented, containing a green‐absorbing perylene diimide chromophore, to prepare light active liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) actuators via direct ink writing. Green light irradiation of the LCE elements leads to photothermal actuation, but also to new absorption bands in the far‐red and near‐infrared, ascribed to the formation of radical species. Far‐red irradiation results in mechanical actuation and, advantageously, a recovery of the original absorption spectrum. This reversible transformation enables spatial reconfigurability of the actuator's response to far‐red light. The reconfigurable system gives access to complex deformation modes by simply exciting the element with homogeneous far‐red light, without the need for any structural modification of the actuator. This material strategy, using green and far‐red light, less harmful than ultraviolet, shows significant promise for future development of reconfigurable actuators for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurface‐based vectorial holography manifests itself as an advanced platform for large‐capacity information storage, holographic display, and cryptography. However, a convenient and effective reconfigurable vectorial hologram generation mechanism still remains a challenge. Here, a rotation‐driven reconfigurable vectorial holography scheme is developed via a dual‐layer hybrid metasurface device, in which radiation‐type and birefringent metasurfaces are cascaded hybridly. Thus, reconfigurable and highly customizable intensity and polarization response of holograms in the 3D space is achieved. Rotatable radiation‐type metasurface (RTM) serves as an incidence‐wavefront modulator to excite the non‐rotatable birefringent metasurface (BM). The gradient descent optimization inverse design method is introduced to achieve the high‐efficiency reconstruction of the Jones vector and Jones matrix distribution on both RTM and BM. On this basis, numerical analysis and experimental verification of 3‐D reconfigurable vectorial holography are demonstrated in the microwave region. This scheme implies a new paradigm for 3‐D reconfigurable vectorial holography and can lead to advances in high‐capacity optical display, switchable meta‐devices, and cryptography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing prominence of Industry 4.0 necessitates the increased utilization and complexity of Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS). However, challenges persist in the systematic application of the RAMI 4.0 reference architecture for CPPS and the lack of standardization. To address these issues, we propose a novel process-based methodology leveraging RAMI 4.0 for analyzing, evaluating, and enhancing system interoperability within CPPS. By examining two exemplary CPPS in this study, we demonstrate the significance of minimizing interfaces and adaptations. The results reveal a reduction in required hardware, interfaces, information, and protocols between the systems. Our findings contribute to the advancement of standardized approaches for achieving holistic interoperability among individual systems within the RAMI 4.0 framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurface holography offers significant advantages, including a broad field of view, minimal noise, and high imaging quality, making it valuable across various optical domains such as 3D displays, VR, and color displays. However, most passive pure-structured metasurface holographic devices face a limitation: once fabricated, as their functionality remains fixed. In recent developments, the introduction of multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces breaks this limitation. Here, the comprehensive progress in holography from single metasurfaces to multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces is reviewed. First, single metasurface holography is briefly introduced. Second, the latest progress in angular momentum multiplexed metasurface holography, including basic characteristics, design strategies, and diverse applications, is discussed. Next, a detailed overview of wavelength-sensitive, angle-sensitive, and polarization-controlled holograms is considered. The recent progress in reconfigurable metasurface holography based on lumped elements is highlighted. Its instant on-site programmability combined with machine learning provides the possibility of realizing movie-like dynamic holographic displays. Finally, we briefly summarize this rapidly growing area of research, proposing future directions and potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The increasing amount of data exchange requires higher-capacity optical communication links. Mode division multiplexing (MDM) is considered as a promising technology to support the higher data throughput. In an MDM system, the mode generator and sorter are the backbone. However, most of the current schemes lack the programmability and universality, which makes the MDM link susceptible to the mode crosstalk and environmental disturbances. In this paper, we propose an intelligent multimode optical communication link using universal mode processing (generation and sorting) chips. The mode processor consists of a programmable 4 × 4 Mach Zehnder interferometer (MZI) network and can be intelligently configured to generate or sort both quasi linearly polarized (LP) modes and orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes in any desired routing state. We experimentally establish a chip-to-chip MDM communication system. The mode basis can be freely switched between four LP modes and four OAM modes. We also demonstrate the multimode optical communication capability at a data rate of 25 Gbit/s. The proposed scheme shows significant advantages in terms of universality, intelligence, programmability and resistance to mode crosstalk, environmental disturbances, and fabrication errors, demonstrating that the MZI-based reconfigurable mode processor chip has great potential in long-distance chip-to-chip multimode optical communication systems.

This paper provides a literature review and an analysis of the studies related to workforce reconfiguration strategies as a part of workforce planning for various production environments. The survey demonstrates that these strategies play a crucial role in the resilience and flexibility of manufacturing systems since they help industrial companies to quickly adapt to frequent changes in demand both in terms of volume and product mix. Five strategies are considered: the use of utility, temporary, walking, cross-trained workers, and bucket brigades. They are analysed in the context of mixed and multi-model manual assembly lines, dedicated, cellular, flexible, and reconfigurable manufacturing systems. The review shows that most of the researches on these reconfiguration strategies focus on multi- or mixed-model assembly lines. At the same time, few studies consider workers team reconfiguration in flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems. Finally, this paper reveals several promising research directions in workforce reconfiguration planning, namely, the use of both machine and workforce reconfigurations, consideration of the ergonomic aspects, the combination of multiple workforce reconfiguration strategies, the study of workforce reconfiguration in human-robot collaborative systems, and the use of new technologies in human-machine industrial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces are considered the most promising technologies for holographic imaging applications due to their exceptional optical properties and capabilities. However, the work on terahertz (THz) metasurface holographic imaging is relatively limited. Here, we propose a THz dielectric geometric-propagation phase metasurface that can operate in dual modes (reflection and transmission) and enable reconfigurable multifunctional holographic imaging. The dual-mode operation is realized by controlling the Fermi energy level (Ef) of the graphene integrated into the metasurface unit, and the reconfigurable three-channel holographic imaging in reflection or transmission mode are achieved by switching the feed polarization among left-handed circular polarization (LCP), right-handed circular polarization (RCP), and linear polarization (LP). The metasurface is designed based on the transmission mode, and a physical model for switching to the reflection mode is established. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a reflection–transmission dynamic modulation THz holographic imaging metasurface has been developed. The holographic metasurface operates in transmission mode at Ef = 0.1 eV and in reflection mode at Ef = 0.9 eV. Compared with recently published holographic imaging metasurfaces, the proposed metasurface offers the following advantages: high holographic efficiencies (42.5% to 49%), more holographic imaging channels, dynamic modulation dual-mode operations, and reconfigurability. The simulation results match the theory.

Automated industrial Visual Inspection Systems (VIS) are predominantly designed for specific use cases, resulting in constrained adaptability, high setup requirements, substantial capital investments, and significant knowledge barriers. This paper explores the business potential of recent alternative architectures proposed in the literature for the visual inspection of individual products or complex assemblies within highly variable production environments, utilizing next-generation VIS. These advanced VIS exhibit significant technical (hardware and software) enhancements, such as increased flexibility, reconfigurability, Computer Aided Design (CAD)-based integration, self-X capabilities, and autonomy, as well as economic improvements, including cost-effectiveness, non-invasiveness, and plug-and-produce capabilities. The new trends in VIS have the potential to revolutionize business models by enabling as-a-service approaches and facilitating a paradigm shift towards more sustainable manufacturing and human-centric practices. We extend the discussion to examine how these technological innovations, which reduce the need for extensive coding skills and lengthy reconfiguration activities for operators, can be implemented as a shared resource within a circular lifecycle. This analysis includes detailing the underlying business model that supports shared utilization among different stakeholders, promoting a circular economy in manufacturing by leveraging the capabilities of next-generation VIS. Such an approach not only enhances the sustainability of manufacturing processes but also democratizes access to state-of-the-art inspection technologies, thereby expanding the possibilities for autonomous manufacturing ecosystems.

Owing to the continuous development of technology, the future generation of wireless communication systems is increasingly becoming more complex to support a spectrum of new and existing services and standards. Consequently, the need for flexible and adaptable radios has become more prominent. Radio signals can be modulated using various methods. Radio modulation recognition refers to a series of processes for acquiring information regarding modulation types of non-cooperative received signals. It plays an important role as a pre-demodulation process required to ensure accuracy, safety, and effectiveness in recovering information. This study proposed a reconfigurable multi-radio platform comprising a reconfigurable antenna and receiver board. The antenna was reconfigurable to facilitate operation in different frequency bands controlled via the receiver board using bias voltages. The receiver board was programmable using custom-built software. Moreover, it can detect the modulation scheme and accurately demodulate signals that are modulated in one of three common modulation schemes: amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, and phase modulation. This solution offers the advantages of reduced size, cost, and power consumption because it uses one hardware system as opposed to the deployment of several individual radios. Moreover, the platform presents an adaptable, cost-effective solution for future-generation wireless networks and a flexible and robust terminal that can operate under changing communication environments.

The increasing amount of data exchange requires higher-capacity optical communication links. Mode division multiplexing (MDM) is considered as a promising technology to support the higher data throughput. In an MDM system, the mode generator and sorter are the backbone. However, most of the current schemes lack the programmability and universality, which makes the MDM link susceptible to the mode crosstalk and environmental disturbances. In this paper, we propose an intelligent multimode optical communication link using universal mode processing (generation and sorting) chips. The mode processor consists of a programmable 4 × 4 Mach Zehnder interferometer (MZI) network and can be intelligently configured to generate or sort both quasi linearly polarized (LP) modes and orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes in any desired routing state. We experimentally establish a chip-to-chip MDM communication system. The mode basis can be freely switched between four LP modes and four OAM modes. We also demonstrate the multimode optical communication capability at a data rate of 25 Gbit/s. The proposed scheme shows significant advantages in terms of universality, intelligence, programmability and resistance to mode crosstalk, environmental disturbances, and fabrication errors, demonstrating that the MZI-based reconfigurable mode processor chip has great potential in long-distance chip-to-chip multimode optical communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern communication technologies require systems that can function at a wide range of frequencies, with diversity of radiation patterns, and with different types of polarization. In communication systems, the antenna serves as a filter; hence the ability to reconfigure the antenna is essential. The performance and design of a frequency band reconfigurable antenna are discussed in the paper, along with a comparison of the outputs of simulated and the fabricated design. Three PIN diodes are utilized to switch between various frequency bands. To increase selectivity, two ring resonators were added to the antenna's ground structure. As the current distribution changes in various switching instances, it is seen that the antenna operates at various resonant frequency bands. Connecting the diodes would change the current and field distribution in the chip design and thus change the resonant frequency. The antenna structure was designed and obtained results using High Frequency Simulation Structure (HFSS) software. The simulated and fabricated antenna is found to be operating in S band (2–4 GHz) and C (4–8 GHz) band of IEEE frequency bands with a gain in the range of 2.59 dB–9.54 dB. Typically the antenna resonates at various frequencies specifically, 2.38 GHz, 2.48 GHz, 3.98 GHz, 4 GHz, 4.45 GHz, 6.99 GHz, 7.2 GHz, 8.25 GHz. Under different switching cases of the diodes, the antenna is found to be radiating in different frequency ranges. By switching the PIN diodes under different cases, the current distribution path can be altered and as result of it, the antenna operates at variable frequencies.

This study introduces innovative designs for frequency-reconfigurable antennas that utilize ring resonators combined with either PIN diodes or RF switches. These designs enhance the versatility, adaptability, and overall performance of the antennas in wireless communication systems. By controlling the switches and ring resonator, the antenna's resonant frequencies and bandwidths can be adjusted, allowing for compatibility with various communication standards and frequency ranges. The proposed antenna exhibits four distinct operational states, each characterized by different resonance frequencies and operating frequency bands. Return loss, radiation pattern, radiation efficiency, and surface current distribution are analyzed for each state. State-1 (ON-ON) and State-2 (OFF-ON), which are characterized by resonance frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 3.33 GHz respectively, offer ranges suitable for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ISM, and IoT applications. State-3 (ON-OFF), with a resonance frequency of 3.0 GHz and bandwidth spanning from 2.59 GHz to 3.643 GHz, complies with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6, and IoT requirements. State-4 (OFF-OFF) covers the band centered around 3.45 GHz. It is compatible with many applications such as 5G mid-band, Wi-Fi 6E, IoT, and cellular systems. The proposed antenna designs are versatile and compact since the overall antenna dimensions are 25 × 18 × 1.6 mm3. The radiation efficiency of the antenna configuration varies depending on operational states. By utilizing the advantages of both ring resonators and RF switches, the proposed antenna configurations offer new solutions that enhance their performance in wireless communication systems. This study compares the effects of using PIN diodes and SPDT switches on the performance of antennas and also examines the DC biasing effect on antenna characteristics. The simulation results are validated by the experimental analysis. The proposed antenna designs offer a new approach for wireless communication systems by using both ring resonators and RF switches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular self-configurable robot (MSR) systems have been investigated for decades, and their applications have been widely explored to meet emerging automation needs in various applications, such as space exploration, manufacturing, defense, medical industry, entertainment, and services. This paper aims to gain a deep understanding of up-to-date research and development on MSR through a thorough survey of market demands and published works on design methodologies, system integration, advanced controls, and new applications. In particular, the limitations of existing mobile MSR are discussed from the reconfigurability perspective of mechanical structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the continuous development of technology, the future generation of wireless communication systems is increasingly becoming more complex to support a spectrum of new and existing services and standards. Consequently, the need for flexible and adaptable radios has become more prominent. Radio signals can be modulated using various methods. Radio modulation recognition refers to a series of processes for acquiring information regarding modulation types of non-cooperative received signals. It plays an important role as a pre-demodulation process required to ensure accuracy, safety, and effectiveness in recovering information. This study proposed a reconfigurable multi-radio platform comprising a reconfigurable antenna and receiver board. The antenna was reconfigurable to facilitate operation in different frequency bands controlled via the receiver board using bias voltages. The receiver board was programmable using custom-built software. Moreover, it can detect the modulation scheme and accurately demodulate signals that are modulated in one of three common modulation schemes: amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, and phase modulation. This solution offers the advantages of reduced size, cost, and power consumption because it uses one hardware system as opposed to the deployment of several individual radios. Moreover, the platform presents an adaptable, cost-effective solution for future-generation wireless networks and a flexible and robust terminal that can operate under changing communication environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a study on a broadband transparent tapered slot antenna. In general, the objective of achieving optical transparency is to enable antennas to seamlessly integrate into windows, offering an aesthetically pleasing and inconspicuous appearance. The aim of our research is to develop antennas that possess the ability to adjust horizontal plane beams across a wide frequency range, from 24 to 28 GHz, for 5G applications. This structure combines three antennas into a single unit, providing an advantage in terms of saving space. Furthermore, this structure offers the possibility of choosing between using a single antenna to obtain a directional beam in the −90°, 0°, or +90° directions (depending on the activated antenna) corresponding to three states, or the combination between two states to obtain another three additional states. The combination of the three states also allows for the acquisition of another state. At this point, the total number of states is 23 − 1. Only three PIN diodes are employed to switch between all states. Additionally, by adjusting the bias values of the PIN diodes, which function as variable resistors, the antenna beamwidth can be adjusted in order to achieve a coverage of 300°, offering more radiation pattern reconfigurability. The proposed method offers several advantages, including simplicity and feasibility in controlling the beamwidth and the beam direction electronically. This structure can be easily integrated into the development of fifth-generation communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformative reconfigurability refers to the ability of changing the current software stack of a configurable device by fully replacing its existing one. In the context of IoT systems, such major device reconfigurations can be used to change the role, adapt new functionality, and keep reconfigurable IoT devices compatible with the IoT systems requirements as the ambient technology around them evolve, thus fostering a thriving and continuously-connected IoT environment. In this paper, we introduce Phoenix, an IoT device configuration management system that is designed to automate transformative reconfigurability for edge IoT devices at small scales. Edge IoT devices are typically computationally capable and configurable devices that have enough processing power to run user programs and control sensors and embedded devices in an IoT environment. Enabling transformative reconfigurability for such devices at small scales can increase IoT systems flexibility, efficiency, and adaptability in small IoT environments, for example, agri-farms, smart homes, micro grids, and the like. Phoenix manages the life cycle of edge IoT devices configuration and uses bare-metal provisioning to provide unattended installation of new software stacks that are defined by user intents that instruct the reconfiguration process. We implemented a Phoenix proof-of-concept system and deployed it on the SAVI testbed where we evaluated its performance in reconfiguring a variety of edge IoT devices under different network conditions. Our results indicate that Phoenix can meet the requirements of small-scale heterogeneous IoT systems in various application environments.

Monitoring electrical activity from numerous neurons with the help of a high-channel count neural recording system is crucial for the state-of-the-art approaches in neuroscience research and clinical treatment. The performance trade-offs such as channel count, total power consumption, noise, area, and robustness need to be optimized for compatibility in neural signal acquisition system. This work proposes an implantable 32-channel neural signal acquisition system-on-chip (SoC), which includes 32 neural amplifiers, an analog multiplexer (MUX), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and an impulse radio ultra-wide band (IR-UWB) transmitter designed using 180 nm CMOS process. The neural amplifier allows to detect local field potentials (LFP) and action potentials (AP) separately in a programmable gain-bandwidth setup. It achieves 48 dB gain within the 0.2–345 Hz for LFPs and a gain of 59.7-dB within the 310–20.7-kHz frequency range for APs. A 10 bit SAR-ADC is designed with reconfigurable sampling rate of 10–40-kSps achieving an FOM (Figure-of-Merit) of 629-fJ/step. The designed IR-UWB transmitter can transmit data at 100-Mbps data rate with an energy efficiency of 12.5-pJ/pulse. The proposed system shows a promising reconfigurable multi-channel neural signal recording paradigm for neuroscience research and Brain Machine Interfaces (BMIs) applications.

This article describes the use of dielectric rods to reconfigure combline filters both with respect to center frequency and bandwidth. In this context, a new filter topology is developed in order to maximize the achievable reconfiguration range. The design of a prototype is discussed in detail, clearly demonstrating the feasibility of center frequency and bandwidth reconfiguration, with the same filter structure, while maintaining an equiripple return loss. In addition to theory, a combline filter prototype is also fabricated, tuned and measured in several configurations showing excellent agreement with simulations, thereby fully validating both the basic concept and the design procedure.

To meet the requirement of radio frequency signal processing tasks among various frequency bands, here we have demonstrated a reconfigurable microwave photonic bandpass filter by flipping the optical notch spectrum of a cascaded microring resonator (MRR) filter pool chip through phase modulation. We experimentally characterize the cascaded MRR filter pool chip on the Si3N4 platform and evaluate the system performance of the established microwave photonic filter (MPF). In the demonstrated microwave photonic filter system, the center frequency can be tuned within 5.8--18.2 GHz and the bandwidth can be tuned within 2.1--3.5 GHz. In particular, the MPF system features a response with a shape factor of ∼2.2. With the advantages of reconfigurability and good shape factor, the demonstrated reconfigurable RF bandpass filter shows a potential application in future software-defined RF frontends.

Reconfigurable antennas based on magnetised ferrite substrate and electronic components present a remarkable interest for nowadays antennas. The present research contribution deals to investigate an efficient multiband tuneable triangular microstrip antenna with acceptable characteristics, able to operate from 2.6 GHz to 5.8 GHz requiring frequency and polarization agility by dual reconfigurability using a YIG (Yttrium Iron Garnet) substrate and PIN diode. Different magnetic bias fields were applied to the proposed antenna for ON and OFF states. The obtained results and analysis demonstrate the efficiency of magnetic frequency tuning and a high stability of the radiated field, the antenna bandwidth can reach 1300 MHz for ON state, and a maximum tuning range close to 550 MHz is observed. The proposed antenna design exhibits a linear polarization and stable E and H–plane radiation pattern performance at resonance frequencies over the operating bands. These characteristics make the antenna suitable for multiband wireless communications requiring frequency agility.

Due to the widespread use of low-power embedded devices in both industrial and consumer applications, research into the use of alternate energy sources has been sparked by the requirement for continuous power. Due to its accessibility and ability to be implanted, RF energy is always taken into consideration among the traditional energy sources that are currently available. There is a significant necessity for efficient RF front-ends, which must provide effective circular polarization (CP) features, effectiveness, feasibility from a design standpoint, and optimal usage of ambient RF signals accessible in the environment. So, for understanding their utilization in RF energy harvesting, a metasurface reflector-inspired CP-printed reconfigurable antenna integrated with a Greinacher voltage divider (GVD) rectifier circuit is reported. It offers broadband CP with fractional bandwidth > 25%, CP gain > 8.35 dBic, and directional radiation with the 3 dB angular beamwidth > 100° in the 3.5/5 GHz bands. With the integration of the rectifier circuit, a theoretical DC output > 4.8 V at 12 dBm is obtained. The acceptable impedance bandwidth, axial ratio bandwidth, antenna gain, antenna efficiency, and directional radiation with a 3 dB angular beamwidth value are studied and subsequently matched with the trade-offs (usage of diodes, complexity of DC biasing circuits, and attainment of polarization reconfigurability) obtained from the state of the art. A comprehensive study of the reconfigurable antennas is reported to highlight the findings as a widespread solution for these limitations in RF energy harvesting application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of electromagnetic (EM) wave manipulation technique, programmable metasurfaces with real‐time EM responses (e.g., phase, amplitude) have emerged as a new type of wireless communication transmitter, which has the advantages of simple architecture and low cost. Here, it has been proposed a design strategy of dual‐band wireless communication system based on a spatial‐division‐assisted multi‐level amplitude‐programmable metasurface. The carrier frequency and modulation scheme of each physical channel can be independently designed by changing the external bias voltages and the spatial‐coding sequences applied onto the metasurface. As the proof‐of‐concept, experiments are conducted to prove the feasibility of the system in sub 6G communication band. Two pictures are successfully transmitted via high and low‐frequency channels using binary amplitude‐shift keying and 4 amplitude‐shift keying modulation schemes, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging 2D nonvolatile Schottky‐barrier‐field‐effect transistors (NSBFETs) are envisaged to build a promising reconfigurable in‐memory architecture to mimic the brain. Herein, a vertically stacked multilayered graphene (MGr)‐molybdenum disufide (MoS2)‐tungsten ditelluride (WTe2) NSBFET is reported. The semimetal WTe2 with the charge‐trapping effect enables the simultaneous integration of the electrode and the self‐gating function. The effective Schottky barrier height offset ΔΦB is programed from ΔΦB‐p = 132.6 meV to ΔΦB‐n = 109.4 meV, inducing the reversed built‐in electric field to make the NSBFET, so as to provide one with a multifunctional platform to integrate the nonvolatility and the reconfigurable self‐powered photo response. The reversible open‐circuit voltages of NSBFET synapse are programmed from −0.1 to 0.25 V and the self‐powered responsivity with reversed signs is tuned from 290 to −50 mA W−1, which enables the representation of a signed weight in a single device to enrich multiple optical sensing and computing capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The counterfeiting of products is a serious concern for any nation with the increasing activity of counterfeit markets. Anticounterfeiting tags demand low‐cost, unclonable, facile, and ultrafast manufacturing processes. In this study, a laser‐induced carbonization (LIC) technique is employed to produce discrete sizes of LIC spots distributed randomly in an array fashion, as a tag, preferably on a laser wavelength‐sensitive polyimide (PI) film. This technique enables the intrinsic creation of LIC spots in PI without any foreign functional materials, thus avoiding the need for external material. Owing to laser technology, based on the input design and laser processing parameters, the reconfigurable desired output tags can be accomplished in a very short time. Different forms of LIC spots in an optical image are grouped and sorted into three‐level bits based on their sizes and brightness for digitalization. The unique LIC‐based tags can be applied to the flexible printed circuit board industry to address counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic logic gates have important applications in fast data processing and optical communication. This study aims to design a series of ultra-compact non-volatile and reprogrammable photonic logic gates based on the Sb2Se3 phase-change material. A direct binary search algorithm was adopted for the design, and four types of photonic logic gates (OR, NOT, AND, and XOR) are created using silicon-on-insulator technology. The proposed structures had very small sizes of 2.4 μm × 2.4 μm. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulation results show that, in the C-band near 1550 nm, the OR, NOT, AND, and XOR gates exhibit good logical contrast of 7.64, 6.1, 3.3, and 18.92 dB, respectively. This series of photonic logic gates can be applied in optoelectronic fusion chip solutions and 6G communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current uncertain and volatile business context is challenging firms worldwide, leading to the need to be responsive at a competitive cost. This trend is so substantial that it even affects industries traditionally competing in rather stable contexts, such as the process industry. Although the process industry includes multiple sectors with different technologies and processes, these share several aspects that make the industry as a whole distinctive to the discrete manufacturing industry. Based on a literature review, this study identifies and describes trends leading the process industry to the need for responsiveness, corresponding solutions to accommodate the need, and related challenges hindering the industrialization and diffusion of solutions in this industry. This study shows that trends, such as the uncertainty and volatility of market requirements, are challenging the process industry to develop reconfigurability solutions across multiple production levels. The development of reconfigurability solutions is hindered by modularity, integrability, co-ordination and collaboration challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoset polymers cross‐linked by dynamic covalent bonds are recyclable and reconfigurable based on solid‐state plasticity, resulting in less waste and environmental pollution. However, most thermoset polymers previously reported show thermal‐responsive solid‐state plasticity, depending much on external conditions and not allowing for local shape modulation. Herein, the isocyanate modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs‐NCO) are introduced into the polythiourethane (PCTU) network with multiple dynamic covalent bonds by in situ polymerization to prepare the composite with thermal/light dual‐responsive solid‐state plasticity, reconfigurability, and recyclability. The introduction of CNTs‐NCO simultaneously strengthens and toughens the PCTU composite. Moreover, based on the photothermal properties and light‐responsive solid‐state plasticity, the PCTU/CNTs composite or bilayer sample can achieve complex permanent shape by locally precise shape regulation without affecting other parts. This work provides a simple and reliable method for preparing high‐performance polymer composite with light‐responsive solid‐state plasticity, which may be applied in the fields of sensing and flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and reconfigurable (FAR) electronics are in high demand for emerging applications, including wearable, bioelectronics, and internet of things. Highly scalable antenna arrays or periodic surfaces are required for high directivity or electromagnetic wave path control, particularly for 5G millimeter‐wave (mm‐wave) due to high path losses. Conventional lumped tuning components have limitations related to scalable FAR electronics and hence highly scalable and flexible vanadium dioxides (VO2) switch array is proposed for mm‐wave applications. A frequency reconfigurable mm‐wave absorber is designed by screen printing the VO2 switch array to demonstrate the proposed approach feasibility for large scale electronics, achieving high scalability, tunability, and flexibility because the 40 µm thick VO2 switch array satisfies radio frequency switch requirement. Flexibility and repeatability are tested up to 2000 bending cycles with 25 mm bending radius, and tunability and scalability are demonstrated with 300 ON/OFF ratio, and 98% product yield for 400 switches printed on 144 × 144 mm2 polyethylene terephthalate substrates. Absorption frequency is switchable from 14 to 28 GHz at 150 mm bend radius while retaining better than 90% absorptivity as a frequency reconfigurable mm‐wave absorber. Therefore, the proposed VO2 switch array would be suitable for scalable 5G and 6G FAR electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly systems require to be designed considering flexibility from a holistic perspective to produce the variety of current and future product generations. Reactive ad hoc changes after realizing both the product and assembly system designs require considerable effort and may even be impossible. A systematic collaborative approach that concurrently considers the early phases of product and assembly system development appears to be essential for working with long-term changes. To this end, a greater understanding of the working procedures and design activities concerning flexibility is required. In this paper, this is investigated based on a theoretical framework and a multiple case study at a world-leading manufacturer of heavy-duty vehicles. As a result, a developed early phase design process to enable long-term flexibility in assembly systems is presented. The theoretical implications provided and the findings are also relevant to those involved in the design process of flexible assembly systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital twins are representations of real-world systems in the digital world, relying on physical system data to optimise, manipulate, detect, and interact. The requirements of digital twins diverge depending on the application in focus. The complexity ranges from simple to highly complex use cases, which increases setup time and reduces maintainability. Therefore, different representations and views of the digital twin are necessary, e.g., file type conversions or abstractions of geometry. Standards that try to solve these problems are ISO 21597, by providing containerisation and linkage of data, and ITU-T Y.3090 and ISO 23247, by providing frameworks to support the creation process of digital twins. Based on these standards, this paper aims to enable a holistic view of digital twin applications in flexible manufacturing cells to reduce the implementation effort when the system is installed or changes. We identify a digital twin's most relevant features, parameters, and assets. This feature set is categorised regarding the frequency of changes. The main observable manufacturing elements are machine tools, robots, peripheral devices like autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), manufacturing utilities like tools, and processes. Various information systems depend on or interact with these manufacturing cells, e.g., CAM, PLM, MES, tool management, fleet control, and cell control. While applying the framework of ISO 23247 to a flexible manufacturing cell, we found that life cycle changes are only considered for products and not for the digital twin itself. Therefore we try to emphasise life cycle changes by linking the manufacturing cell to a life cycle meta-layer, simplifying the design, deployment, and updates of digital twin applications. This linkage remains valid through changes, reducing application maintenance effort by allowing re-instantiation of the applications. Therefore, a multidimensional representation of the physical layer can address rapidly changing real-time data to hardly changing life cycle information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed weaknesses in the global supply chain management. With stock-outs, transportation problems and the bullwhip effect caused by ever-changing demand, it is necessary for decision-makers to review their supply chain configuration. The latter must adapt to new market changes and respond quickly and cost-effectively to customer requirements. In fact, the selection criteria of the most reconfigurable configuration, i.e., the configuration that adapts its structure and its functions to the new market changes, must respond to this problem. The aim of this paper is to conduct a literature review of the criteria and methods for configuration selection in reconfigurable manufacturing systems and reconfigurable supply chains. This study allows to define a roadmap for the configuration selection in reconfigurable supply chains based on the most efficient reconfigurability criteria. We provide new trends to consider in this selection problem. This paper allows managers to choose the most appropriate criteria to implement a reconfigurable supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of dynamic resource management will be crucial for the deployment of future wireless systems characterized by high data rate services with rigid quality of service demands. Flexible radios appear as the technological answer required to achieve constraint goals under different channel conditions and transmission scenarios. This paper is focused on enhancing another step of flexibility within the resource management by including an efficient handling of computing resources. This concept towards flexible architectures represents a key word for a real successful implementation due to the relationship between the radio applications, which face the scarcity of resources within a heterogeneous environment, and the processing power needed to execute them.

The effectiveness of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) for tasks such as Automatic Speech Recognition has fostered interest in RNN inference acceleration. Due to the recurrent nature and data dependencies of RNN computations, priorwork has designed customized architectures specifically tailored to the computation pattern of RNN, getting high computation efficiency for certain chosen model sizes. However, given that the dimensionality of RNNs varies a lot for different tasks, it is crucial to generalize this efficiency to diverse configurations. In this work, we identify adaptiveness as a key feature that is missing from today's RNN accelerators. In particular, we first show the problem of low resource utilization and low adaptiveness for the state-of-the-art RNN implementations on GPU, FPGA, and ASIC architectures. To solve these issues, we propose an intelligent tiled-based dispatching mechanism for increasing the adaptiveness of RNN computation, in order to efficiently handle the data dependencies. To do so, we propose Sharp as a hardware accelerator, which pipelines RNN computation using an effective scheduling scheme to hide most of the dependent serialization. Furthermore, Sharp employs dynamic reconfigurable architecture to adapt to the model's characteristics. Sharp achieves 2×, 2.8×, and 82× speedups on average, considering different RNN models and resource budgets, compared to the state-of-the-art ASIC, FPGA, and GPU implementations, respectively. Furthermore, we provide significant energy reduction with respect to the previous solutions, due to the low power dissipation of Sharp (321 GFLOPS/Watt). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Origami tubes can be crafted from thin-walled sheets, enabling the creation of a wide range of unique three-dimensional structures that are foldable and reconfigurable through ingenious mechanical designs. In this paper, a novel reconfigurable origami tube with flat-foldable motion and tunable load-bearing capacity is proposed. The unit cell of the origami tube is designed by combining two origami triangle elements with varying creases. The geometry of the triangle elements are analyzed, leading to different types of unit cells with various kinematical configurations. The proposed origami structures possess both the ability to fold flat and the flexibility to tune its load-bearing capacity while maintaining consistent external dimensions. In such a manner, the origami structure can be assembled in series or parallel and show a wide range of a programmable mechanical properties Both experimental tests and finite element models are built to investigate the deformation behaviors of the unit cells. It is found that the proposed Miura-ori structures can achieve high load bearing capability (up to 2300 times of its self weight). It is anticipated that our design and analysis approach could facilitate the development of man-made reconfigurable metamaterials. [Display omitted] • A reconfigurable origami tube is created with varied inner crease designs. • The origami pattern enables different configurations with consistent external size. • The tube supports loads up to 2300 times its weight while remaining flat-foldable. • Tubes can be assembled in series or parallel for customizable load-bearing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurface holography offers significant advantages, including a broad field of view, minimal noise, and high imaging quality, making it valuable across various optical domains such as 3D displays, VR, and color displays. However, most passive pure-structured metasurface holographic devices face a limitation: once fabricated, as their functionality remains fixed. In recent developments, the introduction of multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces breaks this limitation. Here, the comprehensive progress in holography from single metasurfaces to multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces is reviewed. First, single metasurface holography is briefly introduced. Second, the latest progress in angular momentum multiplexed metasurface holography, including basic characteristics, design strategies, and diverse applications, is discussed. Next, a detailed overview of wavelength-sensitive, angle-sensitive, and polarization-controlled holograms is considered. The recent progress in reconfigurable metasurface holography based on lumped elements is highlighted. Its instant on-site programmability combined with machine learning provides the possibility of realizing movie-like dynamic holographic displays. Finally, we briefly summarize this rapidly growing area of research, proposing future directions and potential applications.