This book highlights the present scenario of energy demand and power generation technologies in tropical countries. The tropics are well known to receive direct sunlight. Furthermore, different than four-season countries, tropical countries have a continuous summer-like season, and therefore, they are rich in clean energy sources, like solar and biomass. Home to 40% of the world's population, the demand for energy in these countries keeps increasing. With the present serious global concern on the environment, the choice of power generation is no doubt the cleanest possible resources. This book delves into the opportunity that various tropical countries have in pursuing environmentally friendly power generation systems.

This book explains that the coming years undoubtedly bring new developments in mechatronics. These advances are stimulated by the growing demand for intelligent, autonomous solutions in various branches of industry and consumer products. The development of economically justified new mechatronic products is not possible without the ongoing progress in manufacturing technology, metrology, measurements systems, new materials and control techniques. Those are the key for reducing costs and enhancing functionality of new products. Therefore, the scope of the 5th International Conference Mechatronics spanned from advanced mechatronic systems to manufacturing processes. The new results of research in this areas are reported in this book. We strongly believe that the solutions and guidelines presented during the conference held in Szczecin (Poland) from 8th to 10th September 2021 are useful for both researchers and engineers solving problems associated with mechatronic products.

This book deals with existing technologies of solar energy conversion as well as novel methods under consideration in academic and commercial R&D sites. The experimental results presented in the work are well crafted by both analytical and first-principle numerical simulations. The book highlights the real potential for economically justified use of solar energy at every household and/or commercial solar farms. The ever-improving methods of thin-film epitaxial growth combined with a better understanding of the sun light absorption and antireflection are highlighted. While there was a period when the material quality was considered to be cornerstone of the conversion efficiency followed by substantial efforts to optimize multiple-cell architecture, it became clear that many old ideas such as variable band gap, multi-junction intrinsic region, as well as solar tracking mechanisms offer new possibilities for improved harvesting of energy. Amplifying the importance of materials selection efficient design of the photo-voltaic elements various aspects of the production cost and the impact on the environment are discussed. In addition, the eligibility of the proposed production technologies in the current photovoltaic market are evaluated and confirmed.

This book presents quantum phononics as an exciting new field of research, and introduces readers to the quantum nature of phonons and their application to quantum technologies. Both the theory of and recent experiments in "quantum phononics," involving e.g. coherent phonons, phonon squeezing, coherent control, and phonon quantum technologies, are presented. The theoretical background of the generation and detection of phonons is described in a way that will be easy to understand for graduate students and experimental scientists who are newcomers to the field. Moreover, the book focuses on coherent phonons produced by ultrafast laser pulses, which can be used for the coherent control of atomic motions in solids and phase transformation. The laser-matter interaction is treated using a density matrix formalism of the time-dependent Schroeedinger equation. In addition, the third-order nonlinear optical response of condensed matter is also described.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Nanotechnologies and Biomedical Engineering, held online on November 3-5, 2021, from Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. It covers fundamental and applied research at the interface between nanotechnologies and biomedical engineering. Chapters report on cutting-edge bio-micro/nanotechnologies, devices for biomedical applications, and advances in bio-imaging and biomedical signal processing, innovative nano-biomaterials as well as advances in e-health, medical robotics, and related topics. With a good balance of theory and practice, the book offers a timely snapshot of multidisciplinary research at the interface between physics, chemistry, biomedicine, materials science, and engineering.

This book is a concise introductory guide to understanding the field of modern batteries, which is fast becoming an important area for applications in renewable energy storage, transportation, and consumer devices. By using simplified classroom-tested methods developed while teaching the subject to engineering students, the author explains in simple language an otherwise complex subject in terms that enable readers to gain a rapid understanding of battery basics and the fundamental scientific and engineering concepts and principles behind the technology. This powerful tutorial is a great resource for engineers from other disciplines, technicians, analysts, investors, and other busy professionals who need to quickly acquire a solid understanding of the fast emerging and disruptive battery landscape.

This book focuses on the preparation and characterisation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ halloysite nanotube (HNT) bionanocomposite films with different HNT contents for potential use in food packaging. It examines the effect of material composition and nanofiller content on mechanical, thermal and optical properties in relation to their morphological structures, and also comprehensively describes the water resistance, biodegradation and migration rates of such bionanocomposites, as well as their barrier properties in terms of water vapour transmission, and water vapour, air and oxygen permeabilities. Further, this book discusses the use of Nielsen model and Cussler model to predict the relative permeability of bionanocomposites, demonstrating that Nielsen model is more effective and in better agreement with experimental data obtained. Lastly, it discusses the application of bionanocomposite films in food packaging to prolong the shelf life of freshly cut avocados and peaches.

This book aims to discuss the basic principles of an electronic nose, and to provide an account of recent developments in this field, with practical examples of its application. It seeks to review the field together with the many new developments that have occurred since the first meeting was held on electronic noses in Iceland in 1991. It will be essential reading for anyone who is working, researching or simply interested in electronic noses or machine olfaction. A comprehensive appendix is provided at the end of the book.

In keeping with its practical theme, this comprehensive resource focuses on sensor types currently in use or having potential to be used in industrial applications. Sensors are one of the key elements in modern systems, as they determine the quality of the information that is acquired from real life and are used for production control and decision making. The global market for sensors is fast growing and the innovation rate is extremely high. A host of sensor devices are covered, including pressure sensors, flow sensors, optical sensors, temperature sensors, solid-state gyroscopes, and magnetic sensors. To make qualified, intelligent decisions, it is vitally important for system developers, system integrators, and decision makers to be familiar with the principles and properties of new sensor types.

The book is about the global stability and bifurcation of equilibriums in polynomial functional systems. Appearing and switching bifurcations of simple and higher-order equilibriums in the polynomial functional systems are discussed, and such bifurcations of equilibriums are not only for simple equilibriums but for higher-order equilibriums. The third-order sink and source bifurcations for simple equilibriums are presented in the polynomial functional systems. The third-order sink and source switching bifurcations for saddle and nodes are also presented, and the fourth-order upper-saddle and lower-saddle switching and appearing bifurcations are presented for two second-order upper-saddles and two second-order lower-saddles, respectively. In general, the (2 + 1)th-order sink and source switching bifurcations for (2 )th-order saddles and (2 +1)-order nodes are also presented, and the (2 )th-order upper-saddle and lower-saddle switching and appearing bifurcations are presented for (2 )th-order upper-saddles and (2 )th-order lower-saddles ( , = 1,2,...). The vector fields in nonlinear dynamical systems are polynomial functional. Complex dynamical systems can be constructed with polynomial algebraic structures, and the corresponding singularity and motion complexity can be easily determined.

Porous silicon is rapidly attracting increasing interest from various fields, including optoelectronics, microelectronics, photonics, medicine, chemistry, and biosensing. This nanostructured and biodegradable material has a range of unique properties that make it ideal for many applications. For example, the pores and surface chemistry of the material can be manipulated to change the rate of drug release from hours to months. Porous Silicon: Biomedical and Sensor Applications, Volume Two is part of the three-book series Porous Silicon: From Formation to Application. It discusses applications of porous silicon in bioengineering and in various sensors, including gas sensors, biosensors, pressure sensors, mechanical sensors, optical sensors, and many other types. It also thoroughly reviews the fabrication, parameters, and applications of devices that use porous silicon. Drawing upon a vast amount of recently published literature, the book guides readers through practical implementations that span environmental control, chemistry, spectroscopy, gas chromatography, microelectronics, micromachining, microfluidics, medicine, biotechnology, and the car industry. It is divided into three sections that focus on: Types of sensors that use porous silicon Auxiliary devices that use porous silicon Biomedical applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, and in vivo imaging Representing the most recent progress in applications of porous silicon to biomedical and sensory technology, this reference is indispensable for those involved in the research, development, and application of porous silicon in several scientific disciplines. It also serves as a starting point for the interested but unfamiliar reader to gain a thorough understanding of the unusual properties of porous silicon, other porous materials, and possible areas for current and future applications.

The vapor compression cycle (VCC) underpins the vast majority of refrigeration systems throughout the world. Most undergraduate thermodynamics courses cover the VCC, albeit in a cursory fashion. This book is designed to offer an in-depth look at the analysis, design and operation of large-scale industrial ammonia-based refrigeration systems. An important feature of this work is a treatment of computer-aided analysis using CoolProp, an open source resource for evaluating thermodynamic properties. CoolProp can be incorporated into a large number of common computational platforms including Microsfot Excel, Python, and Matlab, all of which are covered in this book.

This current book comprises state-of-the-art research results in the field of mechatronics and reliable systems engineering, gathering papers from almost all continents. Since the chapters represent contributions of research scholars who work in both governmental financed institutions and in the business environment, one could infer that they certainly reflect a clear picture of the developments in these cutting-edge sciences. Moreover, the contributions are not limited to mechatronics, as nowadays it has grown to embed all smart technical sciences. Medical applications based on nano-technologies - seemingly the most promising of all newly developed branches - could not be left out of this work. It is our belief that the book is useful to both students, who want to learn from the best scholars (as most of the authors hold a Ph.D. degree and are well-known professors), and to researchers in all areas of smart engineering, who will definitely find here hot topics meant to inspire them in their line of work.

The extended and revised edition of this textbook provides essential information for a comprehensive upper-level graduate course on the crystalline growth of semiconductor heterostructures. Heteroepitaxy is the basis of today's advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices, and it is considered one of the most important fields in materials research and nanotechnology. The book discusses the structural and electronic properties of strained epitaxial layers, the thermodynamics and kinetics of layer growth, and it describes the major growth techniques: metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy, molecular-beam epitaxy, and liquid-phase epitaxy. It also examines in detail cubic and hexagonal semiconductors, strain relaxation by misfit dislocations, strain and confinement effects on electronic states, surface structures, and processes during nucleation and growth. Requiring only minimal knowledge of solid-state physics, it provides natural sciences, materials science and electrical engineering students and their lecturers elementary introductions to the theory and practice of epitaxial growth, supported by references and over 300 detailed illustrations. In this second edition, many topics have been extended and treated in more detail, e.g. in situ growth monitoring, application of surfactants, properties of dislocations and defects in organic crystals, and special growth techniques like vapor-liquid-solid growth of nanowires and selective-area epitaxy.

This textbook provides an introduction to circuits, systems, and motors for students in electrical engineering as well as other majors that need an introduction to circuits. Unlike most other textbooks that highlight only circuit theory, this book goes into detail on many practical aspects of working with circuits, including electrical safety and the proper method to measure the relevant circuit parameters using modern measurement systems. Coverage also includes a detailed discussion of motors and generators, including brushless DC motors, as these are critical topics in the robotic and mechatronics industries. Lastly, the book discusses A/D and D/A converters given their importance in modern measurement and control systems. In addition to covering the basic circuit concepts, the author also provides the students with the necessary mathematics to analyze correctly the circuit concepts being presented. The chapter on phasor domain circuit analysis begins with a detailed review of complex numbers as many students are weak in this area. Likewise, before discussing filters and Bode Diagrams, the Fourier Transform and later the Laplace Transform are explained.

This book presents the latest research on mechatronic systems engineering. By bringing together the most important papers from the 2018 Mechatronics Forum Conference 'Reinventing Mechatronics,' it outlines key trends in research and applications that will define mechatronics for the next 50 years. Mechatronics was established as an engineering discipline over 50 years ago, as the integration of electronics and information technology with mechanical design. Given major technological advances and the growth of systems-level concepts such as Cyber-Physical Systems and the Internet of Things, along with Cloud Technologies and Big Data, it's now high time to reconsider the role of mechatronics, particularly within engineering design. Past and ongoing technological changes are impacting how systems are designed and configured in ways that could never have been envisaged when the field of mechatronics was first introduced.

This book features influential scholarly research and technical contributions, professional trajectories, disciplinary shifts, personal insights, and a combination of these from a group of remarkable women scholars within precision agriculture. The authors provide a holistic and critical overview of the field of precision agriculture (both crop and livestock), highlighting breakthroughs and impactful research led by women investigators including relevant technologies, decision making strategies, practices, applications, economics, opportunities and challenges. They discuss the urgent need for reduced cost, increased productivity, more optimal use of resources, and reduced impact on our environment. The leading female researchers contributing to this book are creating new technological advances that are revolutionizing agriculture. Focuses on advances in precision agriculture led by leading women researchers, scholars, and professionals; Provides insight into women's technical contributions in precision agriculture; Takes a holistic approach to precision agriculture, addressing both land and livestock applications.

This book explores the development of nanopesticides and tests of their biological activity against target organisms. It also covers the effects of nanopesticides in the aquatic and terrestrial environments, along with related subjects including fate, behaviour, mechanisms of action and toxicity. Moreover, the book discusses the potential risks of nanopesticides for non-target organisms, as well as regulatory issues and future perspectives.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising and rapidly emerging technology for a wide range of applications, from daily life to industry. CAP's key advantage is its unique ability to effectively deliver reactive species to subjects including biological materials, liquid media, aerosols, and manufactured surfaces. This book assesses the state-of-art in CAP research and implementation for applications including agriculture, medicine, environment, materials, catalysis, and energy. The mechanisms of generation and transport of the key reactive species in the plasma are introduced and examined in the context of their applications. Opportunities and challenges for novel technologies, fresh ideas/concepts, expanded multidisciplinary study, and new applications are discussed. The authors' vision for the converging trends across diverse disciplines is proposed to stimulate critical discussions, research directions, and collaborations.

This book covers a variety of topics in the field of mechatronics engineering, with a special focus on innovative control and automation concepts for applications in a wide range of field, including industrial production, medicine and rehabilitation, education and transport. Based on a set of papers presented at the 1st International Conference "Innovation in Engineering", ICIE, held in Guimaraes, Portugal, on June 28-30, 2021, the chapters report on cutting-edge control algorithms for mobile robots and robot manipulators, innovative industrial monitoring strategies for industrial process, improved production systems for smart manufacturing, and discusses important issues related to user experience, training and education, as well as national developments in the field of mechatronics . This volume, which belongs to a three-volume set, provides engineering researchers and professionals with a timely overview and extensive information on trends and technologies behind the future developments of mechatronics systems in the era of Industry 4.0.

This book highlights peer reviewed articles from the 1st International Conference on Renewable Energy and Energy Conversion, ICREEC 2019, held at Oran in Algeria. It presents recent advances, brings together researchers and professionals in the area and presents a platform to exchange ideas and establish opportunities for a sustainable future. Topics covered in this proceedings, but not limited to, are photovoltaic systems, bioenergy, laser and plasma technology, fluid and flow for energy, software for energy and impact of energy on the environment.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the field of functional finishing of textiles, describing the state-of-the-art research and well-established techniques applied in the textile industry, and covering all areas of textile dyeing and finishing. It is intended for academic researchers and professionals in related scientific and engineering fields, including textile engineering, chemistry, nanotechnology, material science, biotechnology and environmental science. The book also provides reference material for stakeholders looking for innovative technologies and insights into the environmental and sustainability issues in the development of functional textiles and related products.

This book summarizes the application of linear algebra-based controllers (LABC) for trajectory tracking for practitioners and students across a range of engineering disciplines. It clarifies the necessary steps to apply this straight-forward technique to a non-linear multivariable system, dealing with continuous or discrete time models, and outlines the steps to implement such controllers. In this book, the authors present an approach of the trajectory tracking problem in systems with dead time and in the presence of additive uncertainties and environmental disturbances. Examples of applications of LABC to systems in real operating conditions (mobile robots, marine vessels, quadrotor and pvtol aircraft, chemical reactors and First Order Plus Dead Time systems) illustrate the controller design in such a way that the reader attains an understanding of LABC.

This book provides a comprehensive reference to major neural interfacing technologies used to transmit signals between the physical world and the nervous system for repairing, restoring and even augmenting body functions. The authors discuss the classic approaches for neural interfacing, the major challenges encountered, and recent, emerging techniques to mitigate these challenges for better chronic performances. Readers will benefit from this book's unprecedented scope and depth of coverage on the technology of neural interfaces, the most critical component in any type of neural prostheses. Provides comprehensive coverage of major neural interfacing technologies; Reviews and discusses both classic and latest, emerging topics; Includes classification of technologies to provide an easy grasp of research and trends in the field.

This book presents a complete framework for energy harvesting technologies based on graded elastic metamaterials. First, it provides a comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art research on metamaterials for energy harvesting and then explores the theoretical wave mechanics framework, going from inhomogeneous media to graded elastic metamaterials. The framework can be used to thoroughly analyse wave propagation phenomena in beams, plates, and half-spaces and to investigate the effect of local resonance on creating bandgaps or wave mode conversions. All these concepts converge together with piezoelectric materials in the study and design of piezo-augmented arrays of resonators. The energy harvesting performances of the graded metamaterials are then compared to conventional solutions, in order to quantify their advantages for applications.