The book investigates various MPPT algorithms, and the optimization of solar energy using machine learning and deep learning. It will serve as an ideal reference text for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in diverse engineering domains including electrical, electronics and communication, computer, and environmental. This book: Discusses data acquisition by the internet of things for real-time monitoring of solar cells. Covers artificial neural network techniques, solar collector optimization, and artificial neural network applications in solar heaters, and solar stills. Details solar analytics, smart centralized control centers, integration of microgrids, and data mining on solar data. Highlights the concept of asset performance improvement, effective forecasting for energy production, and Low-power wide-area network applications. Elaborates solar cell design principles, the equivalent circuits of single and two diode models, measuring idealist factors, and importance of series and shunt resistances. The text elaborates solar cell design principles, the equivalent circuit of single diode model, the equivalent circuit of two diode model, measuring idealist factor, and importance of series and shunt resistances. It further discusses perturb and observe technique, modified P&O method, incremental conductance method, sliding control method, genetic algorithms, and neuro-fuzzy methodologies. It will serve as an ideal reference text for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in diverse engineering domains including electrical, electronics and communication, computer, and environmental.

This book is timely and discusses the effects from the pandemic. Written for longevity, and may be useful to compare this pandemic and the response to future events. The book is written for academia: social sciences, public health, information science, emergency management, and policy fields, and is easier informational reading for the layperson.

1. Analyses the connection between sustainable energy development and transition towards carbon neutral society. 2. Compares and discusses advanced multi-criteria decision making tools to support sustainable energy options. 3. Develops new frameworks of indicators for the assessment of sustainable energy technologies in various energy sectors. 4. Provides policy implications when promoting sustainable energy development. 5. Presents case studies on the applications of multi-criteria tools to support sustainable energy options in transport and households.

- Presents the reasons behind the decisions taken by automated algorithms - Frames eXplainable AI as a bridge between computer scientists and physicians - Emphasizes transparency in data analysis within healthcare - Covers computer vision and deep learning in tandem - Creates space to discuss human-AI relationships in future healthcare

The Distributed Functions of Emergency Management and Homeland Security outlines the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and agencies involved in homeland security and all aspects of emergency management. Each chapter focuses on the practical and applied aspects of a range of public servants in various departments and the organizations that they represent. Rather than presenting a theoretical exploration alone, the book examines the practical knowledge and hands-on skills related to various functions and how their decisions and actions play into the larger framework of safety and security —in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Every professional has a unique and integral part to play in fulfilling their roles and obligations, whether it be in relation to prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response or recovery operations. Personnel that frequently come to mind in such scenarios include emergency managers, geographers and land-use planners, EMTs and paramedics, fire fighters, police officers, public health officials, nurses, public administrators, and public information officers. And while these individuals are integral to homeland security and emergency management, there are other professionals that also perform essential duties that—while they aren’t first-to-mind—are vital to efforts relating to terrorism and disasters; this includes pilots in the aviation sector, the military, attorneys, psychologists, and forensic professionals serving in pathology, DNA, and dentistry roles. Chapters provide a holistic rendering of the homeland security and emergency management landscape to present all these various professional capabilities and contributions. This includes how current functions are coordinated as well as how future efforts might change relative to a more proactive, all-hazards and holistic approach. As such, the book will be a useful resource for students and practitioners to understand the dynamic professions—and various disciplines and fields—that impact disaster and terrorism preparedness and response capabilities.

• Readers will gain an understanding of the optical technology, material science, and semiconductor device technology behind image acquisition devices • Research on image information is stable but slowly growing and several universities globally teach related courses for which this is valuable supplementary reading • This book offers a unique focus on the devices used in image sensors and displays

This book provides an in-depth overview of artificial intelligence and deep learning approaches with case studies to solve problems associated with biometric security such as authentication, indexing, template protection, spoofing attack detection, ROI detection, gender classification etc. This text highlights a showcase of cutting-edge research on the use of convolution neural networks, autoencoders, recurrent convolutional neural networks in face, hand, iris, gait, fingerprint, vein, and medical biometric traits. It also provides a step-by-step guide to understanding deep learning concepts for biometrics authentication approaches and presents an analysis of biometric images under various environmental conditions. This book is sure to catch the attention of scholars, researchers, practitioners, and technology aspirants who are willing to research in the field of AI and biometric security.

Over five decades of economic and technical assistance to the countries of Africa and the Middle East have failed to improve the life prospects for over 1.4 billion people who remain vulnerable. Billions of dollars have been spent on such assistance and yet little progress has been made. Persistent hunger and hopelessness threaten more than individuals and families. These conditions foster political alienation that can easily metastasize into hostility and aggression. Recent uprisings in the Middle East are emblematic of this problem. Vulnerable people give rise to vulnerable states. This book challenges the dominant catechism of development assistance by arguing that the focus on economic growth (and fighting poverty) has failed to bring about the promised "convergence." Poor people and poor countries have clearly not closed the gap on the rich industrialized world. Pursuing convergence has been a failure. Here we argue that development assistance must be reconstituted to focus on creating economic coherence. People are vulnerable because the economies in which they are embedded do not cohere. The absence of economic coherence means that economic processes do not work as they must if individual initiative is to result in improved livelihoods. Weak and vulnerable states must be strengthened so that they can become partners in the process of creating economic coherence. When economies do not cohere, countries become breeding grounds for localized civil conflicts that often spill across national borders.

1) Provides a levelling approach, bringing students at all stages of programming experience to the same point 2) Focuses Python, a general language, to an engineering and scientific context 3) Uses a classroom tested, practical approach to teaching programming 4) Teaches students and professionals how to use Python to solve engineering calculations such as differential and algebraic equations

Monte-Carlo techniques have increasingly become a key method used in quantitative research. This book introduces engineers and scientists to the basics of using the Monte-Carlo simulation method which is used in Operations Research and other fields to understand the impact of risk and uncertainty in prediction and forecasting models. Monte-Carlo Simulation: An Introduction for Engineers and Scientists explores several specific applications in addition to illustrating the principles behind the methods. The question of accuracy and efficiency with using the method is addressed thoroughly within each chapter and all program listings are included in the discussion of each application to facilitate further research for the reader using Python programming language. Beginning engineers and scientists either already in or about to go into industry or commercial and government scientific laboratories will find this book essential. It could also be of interest to undergraduates in engineering science and mathematics, as well as instructors and lecturers who have no prior knowledge of Monte-Carlo simulations.

Fatigue is a recognized problem in many facets of the human enterprise. It is not confined to any one area of activity but enters all situations in which humans have to perform for extended intervals of time. Most problematic are the circumstances in which obligatory action is continuous and the results of failure are evidently serious or even catastrophic. Therefore, the modern media especially highlights fatigue-related failures in industries such as transportation, materials processing and healthcare. It can be, and indeed is, no coincidence that most of the spectacular failures in process control that have resulted in the world's largest industrial accidents have occurred in the small hours of the morning when the circadian rhythm is lowest and operator fatigue itself peaks. While there have been legislative efforts made at state, federal and international levels to regulate working hours of employees, the appropriate implementation of such legislation is still a long way off. The Handbook of Operator Fatigue provides a comprehensive account of the subject to serve as the definitive reference work for researchers, students and practitioners alike. The volume features 30 chapters written by experts from around the world to address each important facet of fatigue, including: the scale of the fatigue problem (Section I), the nature of fatigue (Section II), how to assess fatigue (Section III), the impact of fatigue on health (Section IV), fatigue in the workplace (Section V), the neurological basis of fatigue (VI), sleep disorders (VII), and the design of countermeasures to fatigue (VIII).

Since the inception of the United Nations Global Compact-sponsored initiative Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) in 2007, there has been increased debate over how to adapt management education to best meet the demands of the 21st-century business environment. While consensus has been reached by the majority of globally focused management education institutions that sustainability must be incorporated into management education curricula, the relevant question is no longer why management education should change, but how.

This book sheds light on the important and mostly neglected role that gender plays in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, doing so by investigating three key problem areas: empowerment, education, and infrastructure. Starting with a theoretical and methodological framework, this edited collection contains 12 chapters from scholars and researchers from around the world. The book includes numerous case studies discussing the current status of gender equality relating to the SDGs. It reinforces the significance of gender for sustainable and just development, highlighting how women play a major role in work organization, disaster management, income, household maintenance, and mediation of knowledge. "Women" as a classification encompasses much diversity with many intersecting axes of difference; this book focuses on the excluded and disadvantaged majority social group, without imposing homogeneity on that categorization. Many chapters focus on critical situations occurring in the Global South, where these issues are highly prominent, and importantly, these contributions are written by local scholars. Finally, the volume provides pathways for basic and professional gender responsive education and innovation in the field. The book will generate important discussions in interdisciplinary research and higher education settings focusing on sustainable development, gender, equality, human rights, and education.

Business Intelligence (BI) is a solution to modern business problems. This book discusses the relationship between BI and Human Resource Management (HRM). In addition, it discusses how BI can be used as a strategic decision-making tool for the sustainable growth of an organization or business. BI helps organizations generate interactive reports with clear and reliable data for making numerous business decisions. This book covers topics spanning the important areas of BI in the context of HRM. It gives an overview of the aspects, tools, and techniques of BI and how it can assist HRM in creating a successful future for organizations. Some of the tools and techniques discussed in the book are analysis, data preparation, BI-testing, implementation, and optimization on GR and management disciplines. It will include a chapter on text mining as well as a section of case studies for practical use. This book will be useful for business professionals, including but not limited to, HR professionals, and budding business students.

Herbert William Heinrich has been one of the most influential safety pioneers. His work from the 1930s/1940s affects much of what is done in safety today - for better and worse. Heinrich's work is debated and heavily critiqued by some, while others defend it with zeal. Interestingly, few people who discuss the ideas have ever read his work or looked into its backgrounds; most do so based on hearsay, secondary sources, or mere opinion. One reason for this is that Heinrich's work has been out of print for decades: it is notoriously hard to find, and quality biographical information is hard to get. Based on some serious "safety archaeology," which provided access to many of Heinrich's original papers, books, and rather rich biographical information, this book aims to fill this gap. It deals with the life and work of Heinrich, the context he worked in, and his influences and legacy. The book defines the main themes in Heinrich's work and discusses them, paying attention to their origins, the developments that came from them, interpretations and attributions, and the critiques that they may have attracted over the years. This includes such well-known ideas and metaphor as the accident triangle, the accident sequence (dominoes), the hidden cost of accidents, the human element, and management responsibility. This book is the first to deal with the work and legacy of Heinrich as a whole, based on a unique richness of material and approaching the matter from several (new) angles. It also reflects on Heinrich's relevance for today's safety science and practice.

This volume is a comprehensive study of the challenges and opportunities facing the BIMSTEC, The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. BIMSTEC was established to promote economic cooperation among rising economic powers in South and Southeast Asia, but after years of stagnation the need for renewed regional commitment is starker than ever. The book studies the BIMSTEC's present status and highlights the ways in which the organisation can be rejuvenated to forge a stronger Bay of Bengal community. It looks at key themes such as the challenges to regional integration, India's "Look East" and Thailand's "Look West" policies, transport connectivity and tourism within the BIMSTEC and the aspirations of various member countries. It also examines BIMSTEC's approach towards climate change, disaster management and rehabilitation. A timely contribution, this volume will be useful for scholars and researchers of international relations, South Asian studies, foreign policy, diplomacy, Southeast Asian studies, defence and strategic affairs, maritime studies, international trade, regional cooperation and political studies.

Biomimetics is based on nature, while technology is based on economy. One of the solutions for a sustainable society is to learn a grand design of technology from nature. Methods that mimic nature have a long history in various fields. Now is the time to use biomimetics as a starting technology design. Biomimetics is gaining a great deal of attention not only in materials and mechanical engineering but also in the ecosystem that comprises city planning, agriculture, and forestry. Informatics is being added to biomimetics to support its diversity and cross-disciplinarity. This book will inspire the undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and general readers who aim to develop technology for sustainability. Edited by Profs Akihiro Miyauchi and Masatsugu Shimomura, two prominent nanotechnology researchers, the book is their second volume on biomimetics. The first volume, Industrial Biomimetics, also published by Jenny Stanford Publishing, focused on the engineering aspect of biomimetics.

This book systematically introduces the key technologies for differentiated resourceful utilization of rural organic wastes based on high-efficiency anaerobic fermentation and bio-augmented composting, and discusses differentiating sources of organic wastes, integrating recycling technologies, developing key equipment, and researching management mechanisms. In addition, it describes the development of viable techniques and low-pollution, low-cost, and low-maintenance equipment. It also includes the technical specifications for the differentiated resourceful utilization of rural organic wastes and presents the energy-fertilizer integrated resourceful utilization method for rural organic wastes. Providing technological insights into improving the resourceful utilization level of rural organic wastes, this book is a valuable reference resource for administrative staff, researchers in the field of environmental protection, and technicians in enterprises involved in the treatment and disposal of solid wastes.

This book is a compilation of all basic topics on functions of Several Variables and is primarily meant for undergraduate and post graduate students. Topics covered are: Limits, continuities and differentiabilities of functions of several variables. Properties of Implicit functions and Jacobians. Extreme values of multivariate functions. Various types of integrals in planes and surfaces and their related theorems including Dirichlet and Liouville's extension to Dirichlet. Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

International maritime transport is the backbone of the world globalized economy. It is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions but also likely to be affected by wide-ranging and potentially devastating climate change impacts associated with rising sea levels and increased frequency/intensity of extreme weather events.
This book offers key information and analysis to anyone interested in learning more about the climate change challenge from the perspective of maritime transport and trade. It covers:
- the scientific background
- greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping
- potential approaches to mitigation in maritime transport
- the state of play in terms of the relevant regulatory and institutional framework
- potential climate change impacts and approaches to adaptation in maritime transport
- relevant cross-cutting issues such as financing and investment, technology and energy.
Including contributions from 25 experts from academia, international organizations such as the IMO, the UNFCCC secretariat, OECD, IEA and the World Bank, as well as the shipping and port industries, this is essential reading for professionals in the transport industry, governments and policymakers, trade bodies, investors, as well as researchers and students in the field of climate change and international transport.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology publishes authoritative reviews on the occurrence, effects, and fate of pesticide residues and other environmental contaminants. It will keep you informed of the latest significant issues by providing in-depth information in the areas of analytical chemistry, agricultural microbiology, biochemistry, human and veterinary medicine, toxicology, and food technology.

This book initiates a conversation about blue ecocriticism: critical, ethical, cultural, and political positions that emerge from oceanic or aquatic frames of mind rather than traditional land-based approaches. Ecocriticism has rapidly become not only a disciplinary legitimate critical form but also one of the most dynamic, active criticisms to emerge in recent times. However, even in its institutional success, ecocriticism has exemplified an "ocean deficit." That is, ecocriticism has thus far primarily been a land-based criticism stranded on a liquid planet. Blue Ecocriticism and the Oceanic Imperative contributes to efforts to overcome ecocriticism's "ocean-deficit." The chapters explore a vast archive of oceanic literature, visual art, television and film, games, theory, and criticism. By examining the relationships between these representations of ocean and cultural imaginaries, Blue Ecocriticism works to unmoor ecocriticism from its land-based anchors. This book aims to simultaneously advance blue ecocriticism as an intellectual pursuit within the environmental humanities and to advocate for ocean conservation as derivative of that pursuit.

* Updated vision on tunnelling design, tools, materials and construction * Balanced mix of theory, technology and applied experience * Different and harmonized points of view from academics, professionals and contractors * Easy consultation in the form of a handbook * Risk-oriented approach to tunnelling problems

Provides a comprehensive environmental assessment of advanced nanocatalyst for biodiesel production in world's energy demand supply. Discusses the green platform based nanocatalyst like metal oxides/sulphides, 2D-dimensional layered material synthesis and their relevance for biodiesel production. Presents pathway for a cheaper, cleaner and environmentally friendly processing techniques for biodiesel production

This book gathers the best papers presented at the International Congress on Project Management and Engineering, in its 2017 and 2018 editions, which were held in Cadiz and Madrid, Spain. It covers a range of topic areas, including civil engineering and urban planning, product and process engineering, environmental engineering, energy efficiency and renewable energies, rural development, information and communication technologies, and risk management and safety.