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The article presents a response to a study entitled "Competitive Advantages Through Artificial Intelligence: Toward a Theory of Situated AI," published by Ayenda Kemp. The author argues that Kemp's theory regarding the means through which artificial intelligence can promote competitive advantage does not take into account that pursuing AI could likewise have the opposite effect on competitive advantage. The article argues that Kemp's theory does not take into account certain factors, such as the impact AI has on social values, the impact AI has on the nature of the work process itself, and the potential for “algorithmic inertia” whereby the AI may lack the ability to adapt to environmental changes in a dynamic way.

Background and Purpose: Size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) have been introduced into computed tomography (CT) dosimetry to tailor patients' unique sizes to facilitate accurate CT radiation dose quantification and optimization. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an automated algorithm for the determination of patient size (effective diameter) and SSDE. Materials and Methods: A MATLAB platform was used to develop software of algorithms based on image segmentation techniques to automate the calculation of patient size and SSDE. The algorithm was used to automatically estimate the individual size and SSDE of four CT dose index phantoms and 80 CT images of pediatric patients comprising head, thorax, and abdomen scans. For validation, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) manual methods were used to determine the patient's size and SSDE for the same subjects. The accuracy of the proposed algorithm in size and SSDE calculation was evaluated for agreement with the AAPM's estimations (manual) using Bland-Altman's agreement and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The normalized error, system bias, and limits of agreement (LOA) between methods were derived. Results: The results demonstrated good agreement and accuracy between the automated and AAPM's patient size estimations with an error rate of 1.9% and 0.27% on the patient and phantoms study, respectively. A 1% percentage difference was found between the automated and manual (AAPM) SSDE estimates. A strong degree of correlation was seen with a narrow LOA between methods for clinical study (r > 0.9771) and phantom study (r > 0.9999). Conclusion: The proposed automated algorithm provides an accurate estimation of patient size and SSDE with negligible error after validation. Keywords: Algorithm, automation, body size, computed tomography scan, image segmentation, pediatric, radiation dosage, size-specific dose estimate, Author(s): Muhammad Kabir Abdulkadir (corresponding author) [1,2]; Noor Diyana Osman [1]; Anusha Achuthan [3]; Radin A. Nasirudin [1]; Muhammad Zabidi Ahmad [1]; Noor Hasyima Mat Zain [1]; Ibrahim Lutfi Shuaib [...]

TBM tunneling technology has the advantages of high tunneling efficiency, high safety and high labor efficiency in hard rock tunneling, due to its high mechanization, automation, multi-function integration, multi-process continuous operation and strong rock breaking ability. It has become an important technical means to alleviate the long construction cycle and mining imbalance of large metal mines in China. Based on the analysis and research of several TBM engineering cases in metal mine, the application prospect and economic benefit of TBM in hard rock construction to achieve speedy drivage was expounded. At the same time, the technical problems that needed to be solved in the popularization and application of TBM in metal mines were analyzed, and the development direction for the further development and application of TBM in metal mines was put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department 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 China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher 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.)

To improve the mechanization levels of red cluster pepper harvesting in hilly and mountainous regions of southwest China, a crawler-type harvester is developed to suit the local planting and growth characteristics of red cluster pepper and to facilitate mechanized picking, conveying, and collecting processes. The design, supported by theoretical calculations and structural analysis, includes detailed studies of the picking, conveying, and collecting mechanisms, as well as the hydraulic system. Factors affecting picking efficiency were identified. ADAMS simulation was used to determine the optimum rotational speed range for the spring-tooth roller by analyzing its trajectory. A prototype was then built and field tested with forward speed and the spring-tooth roller's rotational speed as variables to assess impurity, damage, loss, and hanging rates. Data from these tests were analyzed using Design Expert software, which created a mathematical model relating the test indices to the two variables. Optimum parameters were identified, resulting in a harvester configuration that achieved an average productivity of 0.21 ha·h−1 at a forward speed of 1.75 m·s−1 and a roller rotational speed of 181 r·min−1. The impurity rate was 26.7%, the loss rate was 6.1%, the damage rate was 2.3%, and the hanging rate was 4.2%, conforming to the industry standard DG/T 114-2019. This research provides a viable solution for mechanized harvesting of red cluster pepper in hilly and mountainous regions with small planting plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the limitations of current cabbage harvesters in China, which are often designed for a single variety and lack adaptability to different cabbage varieties, we developed an electric side-mounted cabbage harvester suitable for field operations in the Jiangsu region of China. This design is informed by the statistical analysis of the physical and agronomic parameters of major cabbage varieties. The harvester consists of key components, including an extraction device, a leaf-stripping device, a clamping and conveying device, and a root-cutting device. Powered by a 120 Ah direct current (DC) power source, it is capable of performing cabbage extraction, feeding, clamping, conveying, root cutting, and boxing in a single operation for three hours. Through theoretical analysis of the key components, specific parameters were determined, and field tests were conducted to verify the design. The results of the field experiments indicate that all components of the cabbage harvester operated effectively. Optimal performance was observed when the extraction roller speed was set between 100 and 110 RPM, the conveyor belt speed at 60 RPM, and the cutter speed between 160 and 220 RPM, resulting in a low cabbage harvest loss rate. The harvest loss rates from the three experiments were 11.3%, 13.3%, and 12%, respectively, which meets the mechanical harvesting requirements for cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the adoption of green production technologies by farmers (GTA) is of great significance, given the context of global climate change and sustainable agricultural development. This article starts from the perspective of the transformation of the farmland transfer market, based on research data from 2076 farmers, and uses the endogenous disposal effect model to examine its impact on GTA. The results indicate that the transformation of China's farmland transfer market has a significant "greening" effect on agriculture. Specifically, the paid transfer of farmland, written leases, and clear lease forms promote GTA, while acquaintance transactions are not conducive to it. Participation in the farmland transfer market has increased the likelihood of GTA by 18.7% and is statistically significant at the 1% level. However, the adoption level of green production technology by ordinary farmers remains low, and achieving green development in agriculture is a long and arduous task. Mechanism analysis shows that the transformation of the farmland transfer market can effectively enhance GTA by increasing the scale of operations, farmers' income, and mechanization levels. When the transfer targets new business entities, such as family farms, professional cooperatives, and enterprises, it significantly promotes GTA. The findings suggest that deepening the reform of the farmland transfer market, promoting large-scale agricultural operations, strengthening the application of green production technologies, improving the level of agricultural mechanization, and accelerating the process of sustainable agricultural development are all essential steps toward enhancing GTA and, ultimately, achieving sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-dimensional dislocation cultivation system of factory hydroponic lettuce can be developed on the basis of increasing the number of cultivated plants per unit area without affecting the light of lettuce. To improve the mechanization rate of the system and reduce labor intensity, according to the characteristics of the three-dimensional dislocation cultivation, the planting cup was proposed to raise to a certain height before pushing the planting tray, and the colonization cup could cross the cultivation trough plug. The colonization tray was pushed up the cultivation trough, and a set of planting tray handling equipment was developed. Taking the lettuce colonization tray as test object, the Box-Behnken experimental design method was used to explore the factors affecting the success rate of the handling equipment on the plate, and the optimal parameter combination was discussed. The test results show that when the horizontal installation error of the cultivation tank is 0-5 mm with the guide plate angle of 60° and the advancing speed of 0.22 m/s, the largest success rate of the upper plate of 99.33% can be achieved, which can meet the three-dimensional dislocation production requirements of factory hydroponic lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopian agriculture is dominated by a smallholder farming system, where the farmers rely on traditional farming method, which is labor-intensive and prone to drudgery. Appropriate mechanization should replace human labor in agriculture, but there is a low level of mechanization in the country. Based on this, the study aimed at evaluating agricultural mechanization indicators and power required for farming operations in the Hitosa district, Ethiopia. In this study, a total of 104 (80 farmers and 24 agricultural experts) were selected using multistage sampling techniques. Interviews, observations, and semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect the required data. The agricultural mechanization status of the study area was determined by the degree, level, and capacity of mechanization. The level of mechanization in the study area was 0.2098 kW ha-1 and, to reach 1.1186 kW ha-1, 264 tractors would be required. The aggregate degrees of mechanization carried out by motorized, human and draught animal power for wheat were 0.1964 0.0487 and 0.1270 kW-hr ha-1, respectively. The work done by all the power sources, as quantified mechanization indices, were 52% and 64% for wheat and barley respectively. This implies that the levels of agricultural mechanization in the study area are low. Therefore, appropriate use of mechanization input by the farmers in Hitosa district is highly encouraged for high agricultural productivity. Hence, the government and different stakeholders should facilitate the mechanization inputs to mechanized farming systems in Hitosa district to ensure food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor scarcity, especially during peak periods, significantly challenges Bangladesh's agriculture. The widespread adoption of mechanical transplanting in rice cultivation holds the potential to address this challenge. Commercializing this technology could open significant opportunities for small and marginal farmers, ultimately bolstering food security in Bangladesh. This review paper assesses the economic feasibility of mechanical transplanting compared to manual methods. The study involved an extensive literature review of relevant research literature, journals, conference papers and academic presentations to gather and analyze pertinent data. Manual operated transplanters, particularly the riding type are well suited for small scale farmers due to their user friendliness and higher field capacity. Eight row transplanters are recommended for more significant operations or business oriented farms, surpassing their four and six row counterparts in field capacity, efficiency and operational speed. Within the category of walking type transplanters, the six row variant is more fuel efficient than its four row counterpart which excels in functional utility. Mechanical transplanting is a cost effective and advantageous practice in Bangladesh, delivering higher yields at a reduced cost. The availability of an affordable and accessible transplanter is imperative in the Bangladeshi context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanization level of coal mine in China has been developed toward automation and intelligence, which puts forward new requirements for the support mode of the advanced section of the two roadways. Given the problems of high labor intensity of passive advanced support, the 1203 working face of Xima Coal Mine is taken as the research object, and the idea of advanced active support of backfilling stopes is proposed. The supporting force of the surrounding rock and the required reinforcement support strength are obtained through theoretical calculation. The "full-roadway roof anchor cable reinforcement support" technology is proposed, and its strength is verified. The mineral pressure distribution law of the backfilling stope was revealed through numerical simulation. Finally, field verification is carried out through on-site industrial tests. The test results show that the relative proximity of the roof and floor of the roadway and the maximum relative approach of the two sidewalls are 105.56 mm and 47 mm, respectively. It can be seen that advanced active support can meet the support quality requirements of advanced support pressure area, improve the working environment of workers, and increase the efficiency of mine mechanization. Highlights: Calculated the surrounding rock support force The stress pattern of the backfill stopes was studied Active over-support solution applied Field measurements to determine the feasibility of the program Reduced worker labor and increased mechanization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Materiały Budowlane is the property of Wydawnictwo SIGMA-NOT 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 continuous integration of automated tools into security operation centers (SOCs) increases the volume of alerts for security analysts. This amplifies the risk of automation bias and complacency to the point that security analysts have reported missing, ignoring, and not acting upon critical alerts. Enhancing the SOC environment has predominantly been researched from a technical standpoint, failing to consider the socio-technical elements adequately. However, our research fills this gap and provides practical insights for optimizing processes in SOCs. The synergy between security analysts and automation can potentially augment threat detection and response capabilities, ensuring a more robust defense if effective human-automation collaboration is established. A scoping review of 599 articles from four databases led to a final selection of 49 articles. Thematic analysis resulted in 609 coding references generated across four main themes: SOC automation challenges, automation application areas, implications on analysts, and human factor sentiment. Our findings emphasize the extent to which automation can be implemented across the incident response lifecycle. The SOC Automation Matrix represents our primary contribution to achieving a mutually beneficial relationship between analyst and machine. This matrix describes the properties of four distinct human-automation combinations. This is of practical value to SOCs striving to optimize their processes, as our matrix mentions socio-technical system characteristics for automated tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various hydrological processes that cause waterlogging exhibit regional differences. Studies on the causes of waterlogging in Chinese southern hilly cities from the perspective of urban regional hydrological processes are needed. This article examines Changsha Central City to study the hydrological processes of Chinese southern hilly cities based on waterlogging point data from 2015 to 2017, analyzing the relationships between the degree of waterlogging and changes in the material elements of runoff sources, runoff convergence terminals, and runoff convergence processes using correlation analysis, principal component analysis and comparative analysis. These results show that the urban waterlogging in Chinese southern hilly cities is caused by the hardening of convergence spaces, concentrated water distribution, a decrease in the connectivity of rainwater corridors, complex topographic slopes, and a lag in the construction of drainage facilities. The expansion of impervious surfaces, particularly in areas intended for convergence terminals, has significantly reduced the number of these critical structures. Additionally, disordered changes in topographic slopes, the division caused by roads, and the hardening of underlying surfaces in rainwater corridors have collectively diminished the structural and ecological connectivity of the rainwater corridor system. This obstruction of surface runoff into concentrated water bodies has rendered the runoff regulation function of these water bodies ineffective, making their size a leading cause of urban waterlogging. To mitigate the risk of waterlogging, Chinese southern hilly cities should prevent urban development from encroaching on natural runoff areas. They should also implement dispersed water body layouts, enhance both the structural and ecological connectivity of rainwater corridors and their underlying surfaces, and improve the design standards of drainage facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composting is the decomposition of organic matter in an aerobic environment. The windrow turner machine is used to turn the compost piles for efficient composting. It effectively addresses important issues such as managing crop leftovers and disposing of animal waste. This paper evaluates a comparison between mechanized (pile 1) and conventional (pile 2) compost-turning processes and the need for windrow turner machines to manage waste effectively and turn it into nutrient-dense material. This approach not only delivers a practical solution, it also points out the potential for a significant increase in soil fertility and agricultural sustainability. Five samples were taken from each pile at 10 feet intervals for chemical analysis. A total 13,768 kg of the compost yield was collected from pile one and 11,512 kg from pile 2. The study's findings show that the machine turned a greater cation exchange capacity (CEC) value than the compost manually turned. Pile 1 was turned using a compost windrow turner machine, and pile 2 was turned manually. The CEC values in pile 1 varied from 21.23 meq/100 g dry weight to 68.87 meq/100 g dry weight after eight weeks, while the CEC values in pile 2 increased from 21.23 meq/100 g dry weight to 33.28 meq/100 g dry weight. The value of electrical conductivity (EC) in pile 1 increased from 1.98 ds/m to 11.34 ds/m, whereas in pile 2 it climbed from 1.98 ds/m to 7.86 ds/m after 8 weeks. The C/N ratio of pile 1 dropped to approximately 15 and the concentration of micronutrients increased during the composting process, which indicate mature composted material. The outcomes of this research contribute that mechanical composting emerges as a highly suitable method for efficiently managing the composting process, ensuring uniform decomposition, enhanced aeration, and the production of high-quality compost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) plays a crucial role in agricultural economies, particularly in coconut-producing regions, where traditional de-husking methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming. This study focuses on the design, fabrication, and evaluation of a coconut de-husking machine aimed at improving processing efficiency, reducing labor demands, and increasing throughput. The machine was designed to address key performance factors such as frame stability, blade strength, and spring tension. Testing demonstrated that the machine consistently outperformed manual methods, reducing de-husking time to an average of 96.4 seconds compared to 164.8 seconds for traditional techniques. The machine achieved an efficiency rate of 80%, with a throughput capacity of 0.0086 kg/s, significantly higher than the manual method's 0.005 kg/s. Additionally, the machine's cost, approximately N32,000, makes it accessible to smallholder farmers, offering a practical solution for improving productivity and sustainability in coconut farming. The study highlights the potential for mechanized de-husking to transform traditional practices, reduce labor costs, and contribute to economic growth in coconut-rich regions. Future research should explore further optimization of the machine design and its adaptability to different coconut varieties and moisture levels, ensuring broad applicability in diverse farming contexts.

This study reviewed the advancements of Agriculture 4.0 in mechanized sugarcane harvesting, analyzing the efficiency of the mechanized harvesting system and evaluating the impact of the harvesting, loading, and transportation process costs. The mechanized sugarcane harvesting system in the 2020/21 harvest reached 91.6% or approximately 588 Mg in Brazil. As this activity demands a high amount of capital - assets, labor, inputs - the cost of the harvesting, loading, and transporting process represents 40% of the sugarcane production cost. The continuous delivery of raw material to the industrial processing unit is essential to ensure stability and maximum yield for obtaining sugar and ethanol, especially in an environment with geographical dispersion of harvesting fronts and agronomic factors linked to crop management. Therefore, tools that enable real-time equipment tracking benefit process management. Digital agriculture, defined as the application of technologies that seek to add intelligence and process automation, allows for improved agricultural management of farms, making it possible to reach new productivity levels in the field. The data generated through digital agriculture allows for the creation of models to construct scenarios that improve decision-making, both in terms of operational strategies - distribution of resources by harvesting front - and long-term strategies - the adoption of new technologies in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article is an attempt to explore the role of government in mechanising the coir industry of Kerala, which is expected to yield wider policy implications regarding the channels of state interventions in the coir industry for its betterment. The analysis of the government support received by the private sector coir manufacturers reveals that the financial support aims to develop the infrastructure of the firm. However, non-financial assistance like government procurement and participation in government-sponsored trade fairs positively influence the mechanisation index (MI), whereas the provision of subsidised raw materials has a negative influence on MI. In this respect, 'Coir Kerala' is a good initiative by the government to mechanise and thus improve the coir industry of Kerala. The study concludes that proper market interventions are required for efficient utilisation of the production capacity of the firms and thus to improve the performance of the traditional coir industry of Kerala. This, in turn, will boost the mechanisation and thus the performance again. This chain of actions and reactions will help the industry to overcome all its vulnerabilities and will lead it to prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intersubjective relationships between clients and workers on two digital domestic work platforms in Bogotá, Colombia. Drawing on feminist social studies of science and technology, it investigates the control, auditing, and subordination mechanisms affecting workers, with clients playing a key role in setting performance conditions. While much of the literature on digital labor focuses on technological intermediation and algorithmic management—used to track, monitor, and rate domestic workers—this article looks at the relationships with clients and how these shape the work process and technologies involved. Based on over thirty in-depth interviews with workers and clients, the study examines three areas: (i) clients’ expectations of mechanical efficiency; (ii) the use of rating systems; and (iii) domestic work as emotional labor. The article concludes by reflecting on the dual subordination experienced by workers due to digital service intermediaries and emphasizes the need for fair technologies that consider workers’ experiences and perspectives

In today's dynamic and rapidly evolving textile industry, the demand for automation, sustainability, and efficiency is at an all-time high. One company that has been consistently meeting these demands is [...]

Singapore has established six Integrated Construction and Prefabrication Hubs with the goal of meeting ambitious productivity targets and building a resilient precast supply chain by 2024. These factories are equipped with high levels of mechanization and automation. However, they are currently operating far below their designed capacity due to a storage bottleneck. In land-scarce Singapore, finding large spaces for precast storage is a challenge. One possible solution is to implement a just-in-time approach. To achieve this, a systematic approach is required to plan, monitor, and control the entire supply chain effectively, utilizing various strategies, methods, and tools. This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review in related areas, believing that knowledge transfer is a faster way to develop solutions to new problems. The main idea of the proposed solution is to implement an integrated supply chain system model with a central decision-maker. It is recommended that the factories take a more active role in decision-making. Establishing this integrated system relies on trust and information sharing, which can be facilitated by cutting-edge digital technologies. The results of this paper will provide valuable insights for future research aimed at completely solving this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewilding is regularly connected to re-enchantment. In some rewilding projects, ecological restoration merges with narratives of wonder, enchantment and spirituality. While rewilding's association with re-enchantment appears as part of its appeal, it is also criticised as anthropocentric, escapist or naive. This article aims to formulate a thorough conceptual understanding of rewilding as re-enchantment by situating it within the critical framework of (dis)enchantment developed in the early 20th century by Weber and Horkheimer and Adorno. Connecting this framework to contemporary, phenomenologically inspired accounts of enchantment and critiques on the mechanisation of nature, this article aims towards a new perspective on rewilding as a critical discursive practice of re-enchantment. Rewilding, like re-enchantment, can be seen as a valuable attempt to formulate alternatives to the modern paradigm and programme of disenchantment. Situating rewilding within a broader cultural context and historical perspective, this approach allows for assessing rewilding as part of modern (counter-)culture at large. Moreover, through a detailed account of (re-)enchantment in rewilding on a phenomenological, theoretical and relational level, this article gradually develops a conceptual understanding of re-enchantment as a valuable concept for ecological restoration and cultural transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology (1008-0864) is the property of Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology 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.)

In view of the large difference in moisture content of cotton stalk in autumn in Xinjiang, the existing process of obtaining discrete element simulation parameters of cotton stalk is low in accuracy and complicated in operation, leading to the problems of poor universality and low accuracy in regard to the discrete element simulation parameter-calibration method in the process of mechanized transportation, throwing and returning to the field. Therefore, the experimental study on cotton stalk with different moisture content was carried out with the accumulation angle as the response value, so as to construct a parameter model that can quickly and accurately calibrate cotton stalk with different levels of moisture content. The model has high applicability and flexibility, and it can be widely used in the simulation test of various cotton field-operation machinery, such as a residual film-recycling machine, cotton picker, crushing and returning machine and other equipment. The water content–accumulation angle model was established by the cylinder-lifting method, and the correlation coefficient of the model was 0.9993. Based on EDEM 2020 software, the Hertz–Mindlin model was used to simulate the stacking angle of cotton stalk, and the rolling friction coefficient, static friction coefficient and collision recovery coefficient between cotton stalk and cotton stalk–steel were obtained. Through the Plackett–Burman test, climbing test and Box–Behnken test, three significant parameters, namely the rolling friction coefficient, static friction coefficient and static friction coefficient between cotton stalk and steel, were selected from discrete element simulation parameters to characterize the moisture content of cotton stalk, and the accumulation angle–discrete element parameter model was established. The p-value of the model was less than 0.0001, and the relative error was only 2.67%. Based on the moisture content–stacking angle model and the stacking angle–discrete element parameter model, the moisture content–discrete element parameter model was constructed. The model was verified by the cylinder-lifting method and the plate-drawing method, and the relative error was only 2.79%. Finally, the model was further verified by comparing the effect of the throwing uniformity between the mechanical simulation test and field test, and the relative error was only 4.75%. The test proves that the moisture content–discrete element parameter model is accurate and reliable, not only providing the design basis and support for the mechanization research of cotton stalk conveying and returning to the field in Xinjiang but also providing ideas for the calibration of discrete element simulation parameters of other crop straws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the problems of large shaking, high noise, inconvenient walking, and lack of protective measures in traditional micro tillers, a small electric micro tiller was designed, with a designed width of 60 cm and a depth of more than 8 cm. Through calculation, a DC motor with a power of 2.2 kW and a voltage of 72 V was selected as the power output motor of the micro tiller. According to the operating conditions, the gearbox, transmission ratio, and gears of the micro tiller were designed, and key components were verified to meet the design requirements. According to actual work requirements, estimate and select the battery capacity, select 120 Ah lithium battery as the power supply battery, and ultimately establish a three-dimensional model of the entire machine. Electric micro tillers have more obvious advantages compared to traditional gasoline and diesel power in tea gardens and greenhouse planting. In addition to being pollution-free, they also have advantages such as low vibration and adjustable speed, which have broad market prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of oil field development systems is largely determined by all possible methods of developing industrial oil reserves and the nature of production. The growth of production rates, high demand for petroleum products, require the complete extraction of oil from the subsoil. The main purpose of the study is to analyze the state of oil reserves production at the Severnaya Truva field by identifying problems that arise during the extraction of oil reserves in productive formations, increasing the intensity of oil production, analyzing the results of theoretical and experimental studies. In the exploration and exploration of oil and gas reserves, the productivity of the layer is important, since the physical environment of the layer changes with each molecule obtained during the extraction process, the longer the layer works, the more accurate the forecast of the remaining reserves. In the course of the study, the features of the geological structure of oil fields are studied, the influence on hydrodynamic processes in them is studied, work is being carried out to substantiate geological and professional criteria that determine effective development. The article examines the method of improving the methods of evaluating operational parameters and substantiating the design features of completion during the opening of capital-built deposits. It is envisaged to increase the production of oil reserves of capital-built fields by substantiating the technological parameters of well operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a methodological approach to landscape analysis, changes in land use and quantification of the variations registered in the Arribes del Duero (Salamanca, Spain), region through the implementation of physiographic metric techniques and the use of Geographic Information Systems. The evolution of the uses and covers of the land that occurred in the Spanish rural world, largely parallel to its demographic dynamics of depopulation and aging, has aroused the interest of its study. This fact has intensified, even more so, in those regions whose geographical singularities have served as a driver of conservation measures, becoming at the same time limiting factors of mechanization and intensification, thus turning their future towards the reduction of agricultural activity and abandonment. Cartographic development must be considered the key element in the investigation of territorial transformations. Its analysis, through the application of landscape indices or metrics, will give a specific evolutionary model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to enhance the efficiency of tiger nut combine harvesters by reducing impurity and loss rates during processing. Scholars focused on analyzing the composition and suspension speed of the bean mixture, leading to the development of a wind-screen impurity-removal method. The wind-screen-type bean-separation device was designed with a cross-flow fan, louver screen, frame, and driving mechanism. Theoretical analysis was employed to discuss the motion characteristics and behavior of the sieve body and material, thereby revealing the screening dynamics of tiger nuts and impurities. Factors such as crank radius, crank speed, and fan speed were identified as crucial for optimizing separation performance. Initial single-factor tests helped narrow down the range of influencing factors. Subsequently, a three-factor, three-level Box–Behnken test was conducted with crank radius, crank speed, and fan speed as variables and impurity rate and loss rate as evaluation indexes. This led to the establishment of a multiple regression equation linking these factors to the evaluation indexes. Through response surface analysis and multi-objective optimization using the regression model, the optimal operational parameters for the device were determined: crank radius of 45 mm, crank speed of 497 r/min, and the fan speed of 1100 r/min. Theoretical calculations predicted an impurity rate of 2.42% and a loss rate of 0.51%. Verification tests confirmed these findings, showing an average impurity rate of 2.53% and a loss rate of 0.56%, which met the mechanized harvesting standards for tiger nuts. Overall, this study introduces a novel method and technical framework for effectively separating tiger nuts from impurities, thereby advancing the mechanization of tiger nut harvesting processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intersubjective relationships between clients and workers on two digital domestic work platforms in Bogotá, Colombia. Drawing on feminist social studies of science and technology, it investigates the control, auditing, and subordination mechanisms affecting workers, with clients playing a key role in setting performance conditions. While much of the literature on digital labor focuses on technological intermediation and algorithmic management--used to track, monitor, and rate domestic workers--this article looks at the relationships with clients and how these shape the work process and technologies involved. Based on over thirty in-depth interviews with workers and clients, the study examines three areas: (i) clients' expectations of mechanical efficiency; (ii) the use of rating systems; and (iii) domestic work as emotional labor. The article concludes by reflecting on the dual subordination experienced by workers due to digital service intermediaries and emphasizes the need for fair technologies that consider workers' experiences and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology / Zhongguo Shipin Xuebao is the property of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology Periodical Office 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.)

Bangladesh is increasing agricultural mechanization to reduce labor-intensive drudgery and to address labor shortages in farming. Agricultural equipment, such as power tillers and threshers, are used to achieve this goal and require regular replacement of the spare parts that experience significant wear in use. Spare parts are currently imported at twice the cost of domestic ones. This paper supports the development of domestic manufacturing by analyzing the manufacturing processes for two fast-moving spare agricultural parts, tiller blades and threshing teeth, and providing a method to develop more efficient processes. The manufacturing processes, which focused on the design of forging and bending dies, reflect the constraints of the manufacturing equipment and stock materials available in Bangladesh. The die designs and manufacturing processes were verified by FEA simulations and by experimental testing. The experiments and simulations suggest that the spare parts should be made at elevated temperatures and high rates of forming. Recommended die designs and processing conditions and forces required to achieve the final part and that can be implemented in manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's small-arched shed-building machinery mostly adopts manual pole casting and mechanical planting, which have low building efficiency and mechanization. Therefore, we designed an automatic feeding device for shed poles to realize automatic single separation, orderly conveyance and timely dropping of poles. Considering shed pole-pitching pass rate as the evaluation index for the regression model, we adopted a three-factor, three-level experimental design and established the speed of the reclaiming ring, height of the falling shed poles and reclaiming ring spacing as the main influencing factors, obtaining 23.94 r/min, 408.799 mm and 1350 mm, respectively in experiments with a trellis qualification rate of 95.36%. Design-Expert 13 was used to perform analysis of variance and determine the optimal parameter combinations. The average measured trellis qualification rate in tests with the bench adjusted and the optimal parameter combination was 94.23%, with 1.13% relative error between test and theoretical optimization values. This confirmed the optimal parameter combination's dependability. In field verification test results, pick-up card ring speed was 24 r/min; height of trellis pole drop, 410 mm; pick-up card ring spacing, 1350 mm; and pitching rate, 95.37%, obtaining 0.01% error compared with theoretically optimized values. The prototype operational performance was stable and satisfied design requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut is an important oil crop and cash crop, with a wide range of applications in many fields such as the food industry, light industry, and chemical industry. Mechanized shelling is a necessary part of the post-production processing of peanuts, and it is also the key to determining the quality of peanut products. Reducing shelling damage is an effective way to improve the quality and comprehensive benefits of peanut products. Consequently, it is of great significance to strengthen the research on damage reduction in mechanized peanut-shelling. China is a large peanut producer, but the research on mechanized shelling started relatively late, and the existing technology is not compatible with the high-quality shelling requirements of farmers. This paper reviews the status of mechanized peanut-shelling technology, compares the technical characteristics and equipment development of the world's important peanut producing countries, it summarizes and proposes the suggestions to reduce loss from the aspects of varieties, agronomy, technology, and technical equipment; further deepen innovative research; and strengthen the construction of peanut-shelling socialized service systems. It is expected to provide reference for effectively reducing damage and improving quality of China's mechanized shelling, and promoting the sustainable development of peanut shelling industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the low degree of mechanization and poor quality of harvesting of edible sunflower after drying, an in situ bionic harvesting device was designed, which can achieve low-loss harvesting of edible sunflower without removing the edible sunflower disc. According to the physical characteristics of sunflower stalks in the field, influencing factors of in situ low-loss feeding were obtained, and the structural parameters of the in situ feeding mechanism were determined. Based on bionic technology and static analysis, the influencing factors on the performance of the bionic threshing mechanism were obtained. By analyzing the mechanical characteristics of edible sunflower seed, the operation parameters of the seed collection mechanism were determined. Based on the structural analysis results of the harvesting device, a response surface optimization test was carried out. The test results show that when the average rotation speed of the bionic loosening roller was 113.57 rpm, the average rotation speed of the simulated artificial striking roller was 230.80 rpm, the average forward speed of the harvesting device was 0.58 m/s, the working quality of the harvesting device was the best, the seed loss rate was 2.12%, and the edible sunflower disc threshing rate was 98.96%. A field verification test further confirms that under the optimal working parameters, the relative deviation between test indexes and response surface optimization test results was less than 2%. During the operation process, the movement of key components of the harvesting device was coordinated and stable. The research results can provide new ideas for the mechanized harvesting of the edible sunflower disc after drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sierra Leone is an electricity-poor country with one of the lowest electricity consumption per capita rates across sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, with ambitious targets to transform and stimulate its economy in the coming decades, energy demand forecasting becomes an integral component of successful energy planning. Through applying the MAED-D (version 2.0.0) demand software, this research study aims to generate Sierra Leone's electricity demand forecasts from 2023 to 2050. Three novel scenarios (baseline-, high-, and low-demand) are developed based on socio-economic and technical parameters. The baseline scenario considers the current electricity sector as business-as-usual; the high-demand scenario examines an ambitious development future with increased economic diversification and mechanisation, and the low-demand scenario examines more reserved future development. The modelled scenario results project an increase in electricity demand ranging from 7.32 PJ and 12.23 PJ to 5.53 PJ for the baseline-, high-, and low-demand scenarios, respectively, by 2050. This paper provides a base set of best-available data needed to produce an electricity demand model for Sierra Leone which can be used as a capacity-building tool for in-country energy planning alongside further integration into data modelling pipelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ravenscar profile has been added to the Ada language as part of the 2005 revision. It is a pragmatic definition of concurrency patterns for real-time systems for mono-core processor. In this paper, we report on an ongoing effort to mechanize a toy language derived from IMP that embeds the Ravenscar profile constructs as they are specified in the Ada Reference Manual. We define the denotational semantics of the language and derive two interpreters for the language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical properties of agricultural products are important for proper mechanization of their processing and handling operations. Models established based on these physical properties can also take a role in the automation systems and ensure efficient processing. This study determined some physical characteristics of tannia cormel and developed mathematical models for estimating its mass and volume using its geometrical attributes. Linear dimensions were within the range of 20.87-168.30 mm while the projected areas were within the range of 4.63-207.72 cm². Average mass, volume and density were within the ranges of 7.40-256.80 g, 7.00-215.00 cm³ and 947.37-1565.45 kg m-3, respectively. Average sphericity, aspect ratio, shape index, eccentricity and elongation ratio were 0.73, 0.60, 1.84, 0.76 and 1.81, respectively. The results showed that tannia cormels are closer to being prolate spheroid in shape with relatively high sphericity. The mass and volume of tacca cormel can be reliably predicted using its projected areas and volume (for mass modelling only). The most suitable of all the models was obtained for mass model with respect to volume (R² = 0.976). Data provided in this study are useful in the development of postharvest handling and processing systems for tannia cormels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane cultivation involves several operations with vehicle traffic. Tires for cargo vehicles are responsible for soil compaction, which is the main impact caused by machines in agriculture. Thus, the present research aimed to evaluate load wheelsets interaction on deformable and rigid running surfaces. We use three tire models used on transshipment vehicles to sugarcane crops, one road and two agricultures, described as p1, double road radial wheelset; p2, agricultural radial tire; and p3, bias ply tire. We adopted a completely randomized design with three replications, for the total contact area and punctual area claws. In the deformable surface, the resistance to soil penetration was verified. Road tires had the largest punctual contact area to the total area, the total area/punctual area ratio was 66.9% in double road radial tire (p1), 34.8% in agricultural radial tire (p2) and 54.8% in bias ply tire (p3). Road tires may be applicable in situations where traffic is controlled in the field; however, for areas where traffic control measures are not applied, the radial tire has better performance. In a deformable surface, the contact areas increase in relation to the rigid surface, this occurs due to the soil particles rearrangement, and this causes the compaction process. Higher soil penetration resistance was obtained by bias ply and road tires (p1 and p3), and their application must be careful in sugarcane crops, mainly under conditions of high soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to assess the impact of climate on wheat yield in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region of India by using panel data analysis. Five IGP states namely Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal have been considered to frame a panel. The study used the data of climatic and non-climatic variables from 1990 to 2022 to achieve the objective of the study. The Im-Pesaran-Shin unit-root test was applied to check the stationarity of data. The results of the panel least square dummy variable model indicated that all the climatic variables had non significant influence. Among non-climatic variables that help increase wheat yield, fertilizer consumption and mechanization in agriculture were found to have a significant positive impact on wheat yield in the IGP region of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]