The atomic-scale picture of proton conduction in highly doped barium zirconate has theoretically been clarified using first-principles calculations.

No abstract

This study aims to develop a practical, robust and reliable human-machine interface using gesture recognition based on surface electromyography (sEMG) signals from the forearm. This technology is developed to be employed medically in stroke rehabilitation or prosthetic control. So far, studies have been conducted that improved the accuracy of such systems, but little has been done to avoid using wet (gelled) electrodes and hence improve their reliability and robustness for long-term use. Through this study, a comfortable and wearable biosignal acquisition device is designed and developed that uses dry EMG electrodes. 3D printed electrodes are compared with ready-made dry ones to choose the better option, and an interface is established that allows control of any mechatronic system such as a prosthetic arm.

Abstract:The icing of wind blades poses a serious threat to the operation of wind turbines. The application of superhydrophobic coatings on wind blades can serve as a potential anti-icing method. This study presents the findings of simulations of the icing environment of wind blades coated with hydrophobic silicone-acrylate resin in an artificial climate chamber. Artificial icing tests were performed on NACA7715 wind blades with four different silicone-acrylate resin coatings and on uncoated wind blades, with test performed at five different wind speeds and three different angles of attack. Results show that wind blade surfaces with higher hydrophobicity yield better anti-icing performance, and that the ice mass of the wind blades decreases with increasing wind speeds and angles of attack. In addition, variations in ice mass, shape, and distribution on different wind blades indicate that increased hydrophobicity can help limit the areas that are subject to freezing. Hydrophobicity can affect the air cavities of the ice deposited on the wind blades, and surfaces with increased hydrophobicity can lead to lower ice mass and less ice adhesion. In brief, surfaces with higher hydrophobicity demonstrate better anti-icing performance and benefit from active de-icing.

To examine the influences of community-enriched environment on the cognitive trajectories of the elderly in China, using panel data of 10,057, 3994, 2387, and 1749 older persons aged 65–104 years of the 2005, 2008, 2011, and 2014 waves from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and a growth curve model, the authors analyzed the changing trend of elderly people’s cognitive abilities with age. The influences of community-enriched environments on cognitive abilities were also investigated. Results show that when all the factors are out of consideration except age, for an older person aged 82.5 years, as he/she grows one year older, his/her cognitive abilities will be reduced by 0.139 points, while for one aged 92.5 years, they will be reduced by 0.199 points, which means cognitive abilities decline rapidly as the individuals grow older. The elderly people from communities with enriched environments have higher cognitive levels and slower declining speeds of cognitive abilities than the other elderly people, proving the long-term ability of such environments to facilitate cognitive abilities. An increase in the stimulation of the enriched environment is needed to prevent or slow down the degeneration of cognitive abilities.