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Copyright of Romanian Journal of Information Technology & Automatic Control / Revista Română de Informatică și Automatică is the property of National Institute for Research & Development in Informatics - ICI Bucharest and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The increasing use of electromedical equipment in hospital care services necessitates effective management of complex devices often unsupported by existing control systems. This paper focuses on developing a pool of evaluation indices for the Clinical Engineering Department (CED) of the ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda in Milano (Italy), aiming to enhance awareness of the economic value, assess operational units, and optimize maintenance processes. Leveraging business intelligence, this study identifies 18 key performance indicators (KPIs) across logistics, technical, and equipment management categories. An interactive dashboard, implemented using Power BI, facilitates dynamic analysis and visualization of these KPIs, providing insights into the maintenance efficiency and obsolescence of medical devices. It offers a comprehensive framework for ongoing monitoring and decision-making. The results showcase the potential of the developed KPIs and dashboard to enhance operational insights and guide improvements in the healthcare facility's maintenance processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine factors influencing the adoption of fitness wearable technologies (FWTs) by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). A survey was conducted with 574 fitness wearable users in India to test a conceptual Fitness Wearable Adoption Model (FWAM) incorporating additional constructs of obsolescence risk, health belief, and perceived accuracy alongside UTAUT2 variables. Structural equation modeling revealed performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, price value, health belief, and obsolescence risk positively affected adoption intentions, while perceived security had no effect. Perceived accuracy mediated the impact of performance expectancy, while price value mediated the relationship between obsolescence risk and intentions. The research makes key contributions by adapting UTAUT2 to a new context, integrating additional adoption factors, identifying mediating mechanisms, and revealing moderating effects of age. Findings provide valuable insights into consumer acceptance of fitness wearables that can inform strategies for manufacturers, marketers, and health practitioners to promote adoption. A major focus of the investigation is to develop strategies for increasing the adoption of wrist-worn fitness technology that provides an opportunity for fitness wearable technology manufacturers to strengthen relationships with older age groups through effective communication techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This inquiry is predicated on the datum or truism that all technologies have a gap and or become obsolete at some point, and the utilization of pass´e technologies predisposes the agricultural sector to underdevelopment. It investigates technological paucities and fixes for Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) technologies (NSPRI Smoking Kiln (NSK), Parabolic-shaped Solar Dryer (PSSD), Ice Fish Box® (IFB®), Hermetic Steel Drum (HSD) and Ventilated Plastic Crate (VPC)) from the perspective of users of the technologies. Research Method: The study adopted a cross-sectional research design using the in-person method as its feedback mechanism in 18 states across 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Data were obtained through interview schedules while a multi-stage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of respondents. Eighteen (18) States where NSPRI postharvest technologies have been disseminated and adopted were purposively selected, followed by the selection of users of improved NSPRI postharvest technologies. Frequencies, percentages, means and weighted averages were employed in the analysis of data components. Findings: Results showed that 70% of respondents have never provided feedback on NSPRI technologies. Executives of various associations were used by 45% of NSK users, 59% of IFB users, and 48% of VPC users to provide feedback while 43% of PSSD users and 40% of HSD users shared opinions through NSPRI extension staff. In general, there exists a strong (NSK: 94% PSSD: 95.2% IFB®: 91% HSD: 88.6% VPC: 74.5%) willingness to recommend technologies among respondents even as they provided positive feedback on use parameters and components of the technologies. However, respondents opined that the roller and chimney (NSK), durability of polypropylene cover (PSSD), draining of thawed ice (IFB®), and bolted ring (HSD) require improvement. Originality/ Value: These findings provide valuable information for the improvement of extant postharvest technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an analytical review of the literature on the role of technology cycle time (TCT) in the catching-up process of latecomers at the firm, sectoral, and national levels. At the national level, latecomer economies follow a detour that consists of economic growth through specialization in short-TCT sectors during the catching-up phase, followed by a shift to long-TCT sectors in the post-catching-up phase. The paper then discusses the double-edged nature of TCT at the sectoral level, such that short TCT can either be a window of opportunity associated with the rapid obsolescence of existing technologies and thus low entry barriers, or another source of difficulty associated with the truncation of learning from existing technologies. Only latecomers with a certain absorptive capacity can benefit from short TCT as a window of opportunity. Finally, at the firm level, this paper discusses the issue of possible convergence in the behavior of catching-up firms towards those of mature firms in advanced economies. At all three levels, the keywords are detours and convergence. Given the barriers to entry in long-TCT sectors, latecomers pursue a strategy of detouring into short-TCT sectors. That is, instead of trying to emulate incumbents by entering long-TCT sectors, latecomers take the opposite route. Subsequently, as latecomers improve their capabilities over time, they shift their specialization from short to long TCT sectors, thereby achieving convergence in behavior and strategy at the firm, sectoral, and national levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was meant to examine electronic theses and dissertations' development in Nigerian federal university libraries. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised forty-eight institutional repository librarians in eighteen Nigerian federal university libraries. The sample consisted of forty three librarians. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed with mean and standard deviation. Findings reveal that the policies available for developing electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) in the libraries require submission of electronic copies of theses and dissertations by students, participation of digital/IR librarians in ETD development and provision of free access to ETDs; the libraries comply with standards of Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting and Search/Retrieval via URL using DSpace for building ETDs and taking advantage of such available ICT facilities as computers, scanners, CD-ROM, LAN, internet connectivity and printer. The libraries achieve ETD through digitisation, mandating submission of electronic versions of TDs by students and creation of IR. However, the process is hindered by technological obsolescence, financial problems, absence of clearly-defined ETD development policy, required ICT facilities and trained staff, copyright, irregular power supply and unstable internet connectivity. This study represents a fresh empirical investigation into electronic theses and dissertations' development in federal university libraries in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the digital transformation of museums and, particularly, the challenges museum professionals face today in the implementation of digital practices. The exploration of the challenges that museum professionals need to address, and the values associated with the "digital" are critical in the context of current and rapid sociocultural and technological changes. This paper reviews a diverse typology of resources—including project reports and deliverables, qualitative and quantitative surveys, academic articles, edited volumes, and chapters—relevant to the implementation of digital practices in the "backstage of museums." This essay will show that, although digital technologies have acquired a normative presence, organisational and technical challenges in the "backstage" of museums pose systemic problems in their digital transformation. These are systemic problems related to skills and knowledge, and human and financial resource deficits, which result in museum professionals exerting constant effort to keep up with the rapid changes in digital technologies with limited resources at hand and the risks of technological obsolescence and abandonment always present. Situated within the emerging literature advocating for a holistic, ethical, and sustainable digital transformation of museums, this paper draws attention to the implications of the digitalisation of museums in the transition to a responsible and sustainable digital future in a European context. It argues that a relational understanding of sustainability and ethics can be a pivotal first step towards the formation of a digitally purposeful museum in the post-digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Asociacion Aragonesa de Criticos de Arte is the property of Asociacion Aragonesa de Criticos de Arte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Philósophos is the property of Revista Philosophos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

1960s Europe saw a large number of residential neighborhoods built to house those migrating from the countryside. Today, more than 50 years later, these neighborhoods suffer high levels of functional, social, and technical obsolescence. In response to this, the University of Seville developed the Aura Strategy as an intervention methodology to find global solutions to issues in outdated neighborhoods. To provide visibility to this aspect of the Aura Strategy, the retrofit proposal presented in this article provides a solution to improve the roofing of buildings in a case study neighborhood (Polígono de San Pablo, Seville) and an analysis of the results in terms of energy and financial savings for local residents. The results show that for a population of roughly 18,000 (in 2018), net savings, including energy and retrofitting costs, ranging from nearly € 6.5 to over € 8.6 million can be made over the 20-year life-cycle span. Likewise, the results obtained on the reduction of thermal loads indicate a 72% decrease in energy consumption, equivalent to a saving of close to 4500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions for the district and the entire life-cycle time period, with the consequent benefits on the impact on air quality and the fight against climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, an American autonomous underwater glider was seized by the Chinese navy in the South China Sea. The United States considered this a hostile act as the glider was sovereign immune. The Chinese maintained they were merely detaining an unknown craft to properly identify it. The glider was subsequently returned to the United States. Despite this incident ending somewhat peacefully, the issues that led to and stem from it are far from resolved. Was China right in detaining an unidentified object? Or was the United States right asserting that all craft are covered by sovereign immunity if so declared? Can autonomous vessels even have sovereign immunity? These issues are symptomatic of the technological age and the struggle of law to keep pace with constant advancements: new types of vessels do not fit neatly into the definitions of current international law, putting them in regulatory limbo. If not addressed, this could lead to an escalated incident in the future. This article considers the challenges of classifying autonomous vessels under international law, the function of sovereign immunity at sea, and whether it can apply to autonomous vessels. It will also consider potential methods for clarifying the issue at law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to extend the TOPSIS method by including single-valued neutrosophic sets to evaluate the vulnerabilities present in the supply chain of a footwear manufacturing company in the city of Ambato. To achieve this goal, principles of neutrosophic logic and the theory of single-valued neutrosophic sets were used. As a result of the application of this methodology, it was found that the most serious weaknesses identified were insufficient investment in technology and innovation, followed closely by the presence of obsolete and deficient communication systems. This study has provided solid evidence of the effectiveness and versatility of the method in a variety of scientific contexts and fields. The use of single-valued neutrosophic numbers as a resource for carrying out the analysis has confirmed the concrete applicability of neutrosophic set logic in practical situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista INVI is the property of Universidad de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The entertainment industry is a component of the tertiary sector of the economy that includes the performing arts. When new technologies and concepts arise, the entire corporate world transforms. The industry is thriving financially and in terms of the talented artists and programmers it employs. Increased globalization and the subsequent elimination of market constraints resulted in astronomical growth. This research explores the origins, current conditions, hazards, potential solutions, future trends, and potential effects of foreign direct investment in India's entertainment business. This research investigates the effects of globalization and its potential to provide new job possibilities. The data shown here has been gathered from secondary sources (the internet and published articles). The first form of entertainment was the transmission of cultural norms and beliefs from one generation to the next via the telling of stories. Since the arrival of the television triggered a seismic upheaval in the industry, distribution methods for entertainment have evolved gradually. While the epidemic has disproportionately affected certain areas of the industry's workforce, others have been able to prosper because of the relative anonymity and safety of online venues. Television remains the most frequently consumed form of media, despite the advent of digital media and online gaming as more popular entertainment than film. As video streaming and other forms of online entertainment become popular, the OTT platform is anticipated to experience parabolic growth in the coming years. Due to the absence of references, the lack of emphasis on essential concerns, and the overall obsolescence of the accessible material, it was difficult to locate pertinent information. To support the nascent Indian entertainment industry and ensure the safety and stability of all its stakeholders, especially in challenging times like the ongoing pandemic, this paper highlights the significance of the government and regulatory bodies actively considering implementing incentive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shows that competition exerts a feedback effect on market structure via the process of innovation. First, downstream competition increases the willingness to pay for a more efficient technology (the direct effect). Second, a sufficiently large innovation may offer the licensees a robust strategic advantage that forces non-adopters out of business. In turn, this raises the licensee's willingness to pay to survive in the market (the indirect effect). More specifically, if competition is intense, even a tiny innovation may result in drastic effects in the market. This work also demonstrates that royalties do not always imply the complete adoption of a superior technology because of competition's indirect effect on innovation. If granted the possibility of denying access to innovation to some downstream manufacturers, an inventor or rights holder may prefer to license a substantial patent to a subset of manufacturers at a discounted price, regardless of the contract scheme enforced. Finally, this article suggests that a ban on obsolete technology is not welfare-improving from a policy perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of research and the key aspects and implications of the relationships between Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) of Industry 4.0 and Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM), with the identification of the lines of research developed and an analysis of the main findings. A Systematic Literature Review methodology has been used for the identification, selection, and evaluation of the published research. A set of 78 papers deduced from the most relevant scientific databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, and ABI/Inform, from 1996 to December 2019, has been analyzed and synthesized. The analysis and evaluation of these papers has enabled a new classification of the literature to be offered that identifies four lines of research based on the Life Cycle of Technology: obsolete IDT in LSCM; mature IDT in LSCM; emerging IDT in LSCM; and an Information Systems and IDT general approach in LSCM. The paper goes on to discuss the gaps found in the literature and proposes new opportunities and challenges for future research. A series of implications are presented intended to be useful from not only an academic point-of-view but also from a management focus, including recommendations for industrial managers and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls stand for a prevalent problem among the elderly and a significant public health concern. In recent years, a growing number of apps have been developed to assist in terms of the delivery of more effective and efficient falls prevention programs. All of these apps rely on a massive elderly personal database gathered from hospitals, mutual health groups, and other organizations that help the elderly. Information on an older adult is constantly changing, and it may become obsolete at any time, contradicting what we currently know about the same person. As a result, it needs to be checked and updated on a regular basis in order to maintain database consistency and hence provide a better service. This research work describes an Obsolete Personal Information Update System (OIUS) developed as part of the elderly-fall prevention project. Our OIUS intends to control and update the information gathered about each older adult in real-time, to provide consistent information on demand, and to provide tailored interventions to carers and fall-risk patients. The method discussed here is based upon a polynomial-time algorithm built on top of a causal Bayesian network that models the older adults data. The outcome is presented as an AND-OR recommendation Tree with a certain level of accuracy. On an aged personal information base, we perform an empirical study for such a model. Experiments corroborate our OIUS's viability and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of digital preservation is explored in this article, delving into the challenges and best practices involved in safeguarding and conserving digital materials within library settings. It explores the importance of preserving digital collections in order to ensure their availability for future generations and the various technologies and tools used to preserve and conserve digital materials. It also highlights the role of libraries in preserving digital cultural heritage and the importance of collaboration and partnerships in digital preservation and conservation. The article concludes by emphasizing the constant evolution of the field and the need for libraries to stay adaptable to new technologies and challenges. Overall, the article is useful for librarians, library professionals, and researchers to understand the challenges and best practices of digital preservation and conservation in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Universum is the property of Instituto de Estudios Humanisticos Juan Ignacio Molina, Universidad de Talca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The presentation of electronic musical instruments in museum and other institutional contexts prompts a number of questions about the restoration of sound technologies, the reconstruction of musical practices and techniques, and past and present cultures of electronic music, among other topics. Drawing from research into the electronic musical instrument company and sound studio EMS London Ltd, which produced synthesizers and other devices during the 1970s, this paper outlines some examples of how an EMS synthesizer, the Synthi 100, has been restored and re-presented by academic, broadcasting and arts institutions in the last decade. Devised for compositional use in electronic music studios, in recent years the Synthi 100 has been used in concerts and broadcast media as an instrument for live performance. Focusing on some of these events, I ask how live performance is used to draw connections between electronic music's past and present, as well as to attract new participants and audiences to concerts, exhibitions and broadcasts of electronic music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper seeks to outline a framework to prioritize existing buildings for adaptive reuse. Twenty-nine schools were selected and investigated to determine their priority for adaptive reuse. By evaluating obsolescence and calculating the useful life of the buildings, their potential for reuse was identified using Adaptive Reuse Potential (ARP) model. According to the reuse potential and best time for reuse intervention, these projects were prioritized. By determining the most important obsolescence types and setting priorities among them according to their impact on reducing the buildings' useful life, different strategies to mitigate/avoid each obsolescence have been discussed. The results show that functional, technological and physical obsolescence are the most important types of obsolescence respectively. Also, according to the results the average effective useful life of all case studies is 54%. Therefore, with the persistenceof the current conditions, only about half of the expected life of the cases will be utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lightning Network (LN), a second-layer protocol built atop Bitcoin, promises swift, low-cost transactions, thereby addressing blockchain scalability and enhancing user privacy. As the global financial technology landscape evolves, the LN's importance in the future of fintech and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) becomes increasingly pivotal. The anticipated rise of blockchain-based payments and smart contracts in businesses demands a more agile and secure payment system. However, the LN's early stage raises valid concerns about security and reliability, especially when implemented on a huge asymmetric network such as the Internet, potentially hindering its broader adoption. Malicious nodes could intentionally cause payment failures or initiate attacks, such as DDoS attacks, by overwhelming other nodes in the network with channel-opening requests. As a result, users will be discouraged from using the LN; hence, the technology will become obsolete as individuals will not waste the time and power investment required for using this technology. Addressing these issues, this paper proposes an innovative invitation model protocol (IMP) to reinforce the LN's security and reliability. The IMP creates an exclusive 'Club' within the LN, admitting only nodes verified as honest, thereby bolstering network security and reliability. The protocol empowers Club Founders to expel members exhibiting malicious activities, thereby preserving the invested time, energy, and funds of the network's users. The IMP was rigorously tested using Amazon Web Services Virtual Machines within the Bitcoin and Lightning Network's Testnet environment, which is a highly asymmetric network. The results demonstrated the protocol's efficacy in fulfilling its objectives, marking a significant step towards a safer and more efficient blockchain transaction network. As the blockchain continues to revolutionize the financial sector, implementing robust security measures such as the IMP becomes essential. This research paper introduces a novel approach to enhancing the reliability and security of a Lightning Network (LN), and thus distinguishes itself from the existing literature, by introducing an additional step before establishing or joining such a network. The research underscores the critical role of such protocols in realizing the potential of the LN in powering the next wave of fintech and industrial innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations have maintained a commitment to using simulation technology for training purposes because it prepares employees for realistic work scenarios they may encounter and provides a relevant method for teaching hands-on skills. One challenge that simulation technology has faced is the persistent threat of obsolescence, where investment in an up-to-date solution can rapidly become irrelevant in a matter of months or years as technology progresses. This can be particularly challenging for organizations who seek out the best solutions to help develop and train employees while facing the constraints of limited resources and lengthy acquisition times for tools and equipment. Some industries and organizations may benefit from anticipating which technologies might best serve employees and stakeholders in the future. In this manuscript, we took a historical approach, looking at the history of training and the use of simulation-like experiences over time, which helps us identify historical themes in workplace training. Next, we carried out a systematic review of the recent training research using simulation technology to understand how these recent findings help us understand the identified historical themes. Lastly, we summarized the research literature on simulation technology used for training, and highlighted future directions and made recommendations for practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to describe the means of electronic communication used by companies for internal communication, to rank them according to the frequency of use by organizations, and to identify the attributes of the organization affecting the frequency of use of these means. Design/methodology/approach: The article is based on a review of the literature in the field of organizational communication and own research. The research was conducted by means of a diagnostic survey among 225 companies located in Poland (16 provinces) using the CAWI technique and an author's survey questionnaire. Findings: The survey results illustrate the high and continuing popularity of e-mail communication and the untapped potential of tools designed for team and project work. No correlation was noted between the use of means of electronic communication with the scope of the company, the form of ownership of the company, the ownership capital and the respondent (manager, IT manager, owner, board member). The correlation related to the use of e-communication means and the size of the company appears only in the case of e-mail and electronic workflow systems. A similar relationship, but involving more electronic communication means, appears for the degree of computerization of the company. Research limitations/implications: A certain difficulty, already at the design stage of the survey, was the preparation of a list of means of electronic communication. There is not one in the literature that is exhaustive, disjointed and accepted by all. This fact points to the need for research and findings in this area. The risks accompanying the study are related to the development of technology and the obsolescence of specific communication tools. Originality/value: The paper is primarily of cognitive value. The findings allow those responsible for communication in an organization to confront the means of electronic communication used in their organization with those used by others. It also illustrates the untapped potential of electronic tools for team or project work. The results of the study can serve as a reference point for further comparative research. The paper draws attention to the area of intra-organizational communication, which is still unstable and under development in the Polish reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides the first empirical analysis of the nonlinear correlation between foreign aid and four elements of energy security: availability, acceptability, developability, and sustainability. Three key things can be observed from our estimates, derived from econometric methods applied to a sample of 17 emerging countries between 2002 and 2018. First, we confirm that foreign aid and energy security display a nonlinear relationship characterized by an inverted-U shape. If a country becomes highly dependent upon foreign aid at an early stage of its development, this may threaten the sustainability of its energy system. The inflows of foreign aid, however, turn out to have a positive effect on the energy system when they exceed a certain threshold. It should be noted that the "pollution haven" hypothesis for emerging economies only holds true for those countries that receive initial and small amounts of foreign aid. Second, our results provide additional evidence of the "technical obsolescence" effect, based on real-world data. It occurs when a high level of foreign aid is followed by a higher consumption of renewable and non-fossil fuel energy over time. In addition, foreign aid has a positive influence on energy security in terms of its availability, acceptability, developability, and sustainability when institutional quality is taken into account. As a result of this study, policymakers now have a new perspective on how to promote energy system security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement realism, the view that measurement targets quantitative attributes and that not all attributes are quantitative, has come under attack both from metrologists and philosophers. In this paper, I take a close look at two influential arguments against measurement realism: the argument from obsolescence and the argument from coordination. I concede that these arguments do challenge the epistemological position traditionally taken by measurement realists, but argue that the metaphysical core of measurement realism survives the challenge posed by these arguments. This metaphysical core is vital to maintaining a clear and ambitious standard for successful measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines analytical methods for preparing and interpreting Karlheinz Stockhausen's sextet Mikrophonie I (1964) for tam-tam and electronics. Would-be performers of this work face significant accessibility issues: Stockhausen's recommended equipment—especially the electronic filter used to process the tam-tam's sound—is extremely rare. These issues often necessitate performers finding alternative solutions for equipment. Mikrophonie I is one of several works for live electronics that have become increasingly difficult to program, due to the obsolescence of the technology required to perform them. Performers often reconstruct the necessary electronics digitally, using software such as Max/MSP. Wetzel [(2006). "A Model for the Conservation of Interactive Electroacoustic Repertoire: Analysis, Reconstruction, and Performance in the Face of Technological Obsolescence." Organised Sound 11 (3): 273–284. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355771806001555] describes a three-stage model for this reconstructive process that foregrounds the need for performer-led analysis. Using Mikrophonie I as a case study, I expand on Wetzel's model to navigate the reconstruction through two main analytical perspectives: the prioritisation of sound or process. These methods are then applied to my realisation process of Mikrophonie I. I describe the process of constructing a digital filter in Max/MSP based on a patch created by Christopher Burns [(2002). "Realizing Lucier and Stockhausen: Case Studies in the Performance Practice of Electroacoustic Music." Journal of New Music Research 31 (1): 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1076/jnmr.31.1.59.8104] and compare different interface options for using the filter in performance. Referring to previous recordings by the Stockhausen Ensemble (1965) and the percussion ensemble red fish blue fish (2014), I show how creative interpretations can help ensembles overcome the perceived shortcomings of their available tam-tam. Beyond the specifics of reconstructing the technology required for performing Mikrophonie I, this article underlines the indispensability of analysis for performers who specialise in works with obsolescent technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desarrollo Gerencial is the property of Universidad Simon Bolivar (USB) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of ICT in Muzical Field / Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical is the property of Tehnologii Informatice si de Comunicatie in Domeniul Muzical / ICT in Musical Field and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Artnodes is the property of Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Artnodes is the property of Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of FME Transactions is the property of University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For several decades, the design and manufacture of electrical machines has been considered a technically mature area and, as a result, research and development in the area has been extremely limited, even though this is a crucial technology in the application of electrical energy. Electrical machines are used in over 80% of the world's energy conversion processes—first to create electrical energy, which can be easily transmitted, and second to convert that energy into mechanical form for applications ranging from dishwashers to transportation, and from medical devices to those used for industrial processes. Today, two technologies are changing this. The first is the development of power electronic drives and the second is the introduction of additive manufacturing technology. The latter technology has opened up new areas for innovation and research, and many conventional processes are likely to become obsolete. Considering the overall consumption of electricity by electrical machines, the design freedom granted by the novel production technology gives the opportunity for even more efficient, object-oriented machines to be built, with a lower environmental impact and less raw material consumption. If this technology can be developed to maturity, it would have a significant positive impact on the desired green transition that is being pursued all over the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information describing the conditions of a system or a person is constantly evolving and may become obsolete and contradict other information. A database, therefore, must be consistently updated upon the acquisition of new valid observations that contradict obsolete ones contained in the database. In this paper, we propose a novel causation-based system for dealing with the information obsolescence problem when a causal Bayesian network is our representation model. Our approach is based on studying causal dependencies between the network variables to detect, in real-time, contradictions between the observations on a single subject and then identify the obsolete ones. We propose a new approximate concept, 휖-Contradiction, which represents the confidence level of having a contradiction between some observations relating to a specific subject. Once identified, obsolete observations are given in an original way, in the form of an explanation AND-OR Tree. Our approach can be applied in various domains where the main issue is to detect and explain personalized situations such that the reasons and circumstances underlying unexpected outcomes. Examples include among others: detecting behaviour change by analyzing user profiles, and identifying the causes of some anomalies such as bank frauds by analyzing customer interactions. In this paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in a real-life medical application: the elderly fall-prevention and showcase how the resulted explanation AND-OR trees can be used to give reliable recommendations to physicians and assist decision-makers. Our approach runs in a polynomial time and gives systematically and substantially good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies building products with a usage phase of 25 years and more, have suffered from obsolescence for decades. Software and hardware components inside of the supporting systems, such as avionics test benches, are particularly affected. They consist of components built for 3–7 years but expected to operate for decades. The lack of standardized, open and modular systems for special timing constraints increase the pressure and impede the interoperability in this field. Industry 4.0 systems offer exactly this, but do not support aviation standards. The research in this article aims to show that it is possible to use widespread Industry 4.0 standards and technology at the field level to achieve transferability and maintainability in the operation of test benches. This article describes an implemented and evaluated proof of concept of the implementation of an industrial ethernet standard EtherCAT for the ARINC 429 I/O for an aviation test bench. As a baseline, market available EtherCAT components were evaluated and selected. For the client development, standard components for the EtherCAT logic and ARINC 429 were used. Additionally, the full interoperability at the syntax level, was achieved by implementing a configuration approach of the I/O, in order to encode and decode the messages. The evaluation was performed using an Airbus A350-1000 test bench for secondary flight controls—namely the HighLift system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product obsolescence occurs in the manufacturing industry as new products with better performance or improved cost-effectiveness are developed. A proactive strategy for predicting component obsolescence can reduce manufacturing losses and lead to customer satisfaction. In this study, we propose a machine learning algorithm for a proactive strategy based on an adaptive data selection method to forecast the obsolescence of electronic diodes. Typical machine learning algorithms construct a single model for a dataset. By contrast, the proposed algorithm first determines a mathematical cover of the dataset via unsupervised clustering and subsequently constructs multiple models, each of which is trained with the data in one cover. For each data point in the test dataset, an optimal model is selected for regression. Results of empirical experiments show that the proposed method improves the obsolescence prediction accuracy and accelerates the training procedure. A novelty of this study is that it demonstrates the effectiveness of unsupervised clustering methods for improving supervised regression algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Italianist is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since its inception, the electronics industry has mass-produced equipment. The fast evolution of electronic technologies made obsolete the entire generation of products and even technologies. Until the government issued regulations and guidelines on how to address the issue of reuse of obsolete electronic equipment, with special regard to the ones still operating (e.g., give it to family/friends, donate to charity, or sell to individuals or recycling companies), most of it was thrown out with usual rubbish, with a destructive effect on the environment. This paper presents the design techniques and methods for revaluation of obsolete vacuum tube analog receivers, with a focus on the manufacturing steps of a high-performance receiver. The choice of receiver type is not accidental at all, since tube technology is still a real success among audiophiles many providers offer vacuum tube amplifiers at considerably high prices. The redesign implied the original FM unit replacement with a DSP-based AM/FM tuner while the AM RF vacuum tube section has been preserved with the original architecture to allow the reception of the broadcast stations for the long-wave band and the alternative operation with the silicon tuner for the medium-wave and short-wave bands. The electrical performances of the modified receiver in terms of reliability, sensitivity, selectivity, and distortions on the reception chain are clearly superior to the original one, while the power consumption of the RF section is reduced more than 10 times from 11.5 W–15.5 W to 1 W. Last, but not least important, the proposed solution implied the use of few additional parts and resources and extended significantly the lifetime of the original vacuum tubes receiver. The work has been developed to serve as an example of how obsolete electronic equipment can be redesigned and reused avoiding its complete recycling or even worse, its disposal with usual rubbish. It has been imagined and performed as the initial step in launching a professional student contest on the reuse/redesign of obsolete equipment aimed at raising awareness regarding the issue of pollution with e-waste amongst students from the electronic departments of Romanian technical universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Monitoring the operational performance of the sawmilling industry has become important for many applications including strategic and tactical planning. Small-scale sawmilling facilities do not hold automatic production management capabilities mainly due to using obsolete technology which is an effect of low financial capacity and focus their strategy on increasing value recovery and saving resources and energy. Based on triaxial acceleration data collected over five days at a sampling rate of 1 Hz, a robust machine learning model was developed with the purpose of using it to infer the operational events based on lower sampling rates adopted as a strategy to collect long-term data. Among its performance metrics, the model was characterized in its training phase by a very high overall classification accuracy (CA = 98.7%), F1 score (98.4%) and a very low error rate (LOG LOSS = 5.6%). For a three-class problem, it worked very well in classifying the main events related to the operation of the machine, with active work being characterized by an F1 score of 99.6% and an error of 3.6%. By accounting for the same metrics, the model was proven to be invariant to the sampling rates of up to 0.05 Hz (20 s) and produced even better results in the testing phase (CA = 98.9%, F1 = 98.6%, LOG LOSS = 5.5%, for a testing sample extracted at 0.05 Hz), while there were no differences in the share of class data irrespective of the sampling rate. The developed model not only preserves a high classification performance in the training and testing phases but it also seems to be invariant to lower sampling rates, making it useful for prediction over data collected at low sampling rates. In turn, this would enable the use of cheap data collectors to be operated for extended periods of time in various locations and will save human resources and money associated with data collection. Further tests would be required only for validation and they could be supported by collecting and feeding new data to the model to infer the long-term performance of similar sawmilling machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a fragmented collection of shared experiences and reflections, the two authors – from Kenya and the UK/Netherlands – give an impression of their practice-based research in Kenya into the reappropriation of obsolete technologies. In this, they connect to and work through their our own relationships with consumer culture and post-colonialism. In the context of a discussion of a traditional Kenyan ritual technology and the ideological implications of globalized techno-standardization, two example devices – found and developed by the authors – are presented that are aimed at connecting to the developers' and users' immediate lifeworlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Álabe is the property of Alabe and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Decrease in life span of electronic devices and consumer's urge to use advanced technology leads to obsolescence of such devices, resulting in electronic waste generation. The technology for e-waste components recycling has made great progress. However, due to growing environmental concern, there is a need to find alternatives for conventional e-waste recycling methods to achieve a safer environment. Rapid surge in e-waste generation is a matter of concern due to elevated levels of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in air, soil and water caused by informal recycling practices. Moreover, recycling of printed circuit board (PCB), a major part of electronic waste, in order to recover metals, results in release of waste acid leach water, if untreated, which contain heavy metals like Pb, Cr, Ni, etc. This has given rise to the development of several remediation techniques for soil- and water-like phytoremediation, soil washing, bioremediation, and application of nanoparticles, which have been compared and reviewed in this paper along with their limitations for application at larger scale for real-contaminated soil. This review focuses on the existing remediation techniques and their limitations to decrease environmental hazards caused by the release of various pollutants through e-waste recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Innovar: Revista de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)