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AbstractAdvancements in technology have made autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) a feasible option for “last-mile” delivery, improving logistic efficiency in the global digital age. The promotion and popularization of ADVs must be based on widespread user acceptance. This study combines the technology readiness theory and innovation resistance theory to construct a research model to explore the key factors influencing users’ use and recommendation of ADVs. We collected 349 valid samples through a questionnaire survey and used partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the model. The results showed that (1) positive technology readiness reduces users’ perceptions of value barrier, tradition barrier, and image barrier, while negative technology readiness increases users’ perceptions of the five categories of innovation barriers: usage barrier, value barrier, risk barrier, tradition barrier, and image barrier; (2) users’ intention to use and recommend ADVs is negatively affected by the usage, value, and tradition barriers; (3) users of different genders have varying perceptions of the relationship between technology readiness, barrier factors, and the decision to use ADVs. This study reveals the influencing factors that hinder users from using and recommending ADVs and their functioning mechanisms from the perspective of barriers and examines the impact of gender differences between males and females. The study enriches the empirical research in ADVs, providing theoretical support and practical guidance for logistics companies and the government to develop autonomous delivery technology and publicize and promote ADVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing process of high-strength and ultra-thin copper foil is characterized by complex processes, strong coupling between phases, and multiple factors affecting the product quality. The quality control technology and related quality control system which are oriented to the manufacturing process will be an important guarantee for achieving efficient and stable production. A design scheme of multidimensional quality control system was proposed to address the shortcomings of current copper foil manufacturing enterprises in terms of technology and software systems related to the stability and quality control of high-strength and ultra-thin copper foil manufacturing process. By analyzing the copper foil manufacturing process and its quality control requirements, an integrated control system framework based on a three-layer architecture was established. On this basis, the connotation and functions of each subsystem were designed from three aspects i.e. product quality control, intelligent process quality assurance, and production line operation quality monitoring, providing assurance for the efficient, stable, and intelligent production of high-strength and ultra-thin copper foil. This paper also provides a reference for research and development of independent industrial software in the field of quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a system of automatic microparticle patterning that could enable the separation, trapping, and translation of single microbeads in liquid suspension using negative dielectrophoresis (DEP) tweezers was presented to form a single-bead pattern. A microchip with integrated electrodes was flipped and placed above the substrate through a micromanipulator. Microparticles laying on the substrate could be displaced to different positions relative to the electrodes on the microchip, and only the selected particles would be trapped by the electric fields generated from electrodes. Vision-based approaches were used to evaluate the necessary information, such as the gap distance and the positions of electrodes and microparticles in the image. A strategy for separating nearby particles was proposed to achieve single-bead patterning with high accuracy. A controller was used to guide the microparticles toward the position for trapping while avoiding flow disturbance. Different strategies were simulated to decrease the patterning time and find the minimum traveling distance and the best route of movement. The optimization problem is NP-hard. Hence, global optimization algorithms, such as genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and ant colony optimization (ACO), were simulated, and the results were compared with those of the local optimization method. The comparison results showed that ACO obtained the best performance among the methods. The strategy for constructing high-quality microparticle patterns was also examined through experiments. Orange fluorescent polystyrene beads suspended in 6-aminohexanoic acid solution were considered and successfully patterned on a glass substrate by using the proposed system. Note to Practitioners—Micropatterning is an effective tool for pharmaceutical research and drug discovery. However, the reliability of results depends on the quality of patterns. Existing approaches, such as microfluidic devices, are limited to create a pattern from one chip for single use, and the entire process is sealed and isolated from the environment. In this study, a multielectrode microchip combined with a vision-based micromanipulator is introduced to create a novel noncontact approach for microparticle patterning, which offers high flexibility and guarantees the quality of the constructed patterns. The electrodes on the chip can be selectively energized to determine the shape of the final pattern. A real-time screening is performed so that the micromanipulator will only guide the particles in good condition for selection. An optimization algorithm is implemented to aid the particle selection with the electrodes, allowing high-quality microparticle patterns to be constructed in a short time for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]