Mechatronics (Part-XIII)- Smart Automations In Highways, Home And Laboratory Technologies

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Know About The Applications Of Smart Automations In Highways, Home and Laboratory Technologies

Now we continue with the thirteenth part of our blog on mechatronics. Those who have missed our twelfth blog can read it from Here. It will help to connect with the thirteenth part of the blog discussing about the applications of smart automations in highways, home and laboratory technologies. Let us explore the blog to find out in more details. By 2018, automation is going to be in full swing in the world. There are estimates that it could replace 50 percent of our jobs. That is an enormous shift. But even if we go through a phase where we have an unemployment valley from automation, there will be new jobs and new things for us to do.

How Automation Emerged in Highway?

As demands for safety and mobility have grown and technological possibilities have multiplied, interest in automation has grown. Seeking to accelerate the development and introduction of fully automated vehicles and highways, the United States Congress authorized more than $650 million over six years for intelligent transport systems (ITS) and demonstration projects in the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). Congress legislated in ISTEA that "the Secretary of Transportation shall develop an automated highway and vehicle prototype from which future fully automated intelligent vehicle-highway systems can be developed. Such development shall include research in human factors to ensure the success of the man-machine relationship. The goal of this program is to have the first fully automated highway roadway or an automated test track in operation by 1997. This system shall accommodate installation of equipment in new and existing motor vehicles". Full automation commonly defined as requiring no control or very limited control by the driver; such automation would be accomplished through a combination of sensor, computer, and communications systems in vehicles and along the roadway. Fully automated driving would, in theory, allow closer vehicle spacing and higher speeds, which could enhance traffic capacity in places where additional road building is physically impossible, politically unacceptable, or prohibitively expensive. Automated controls also might enhance road safety by reducing the opportunity for driver error, which causes a large share of motor vehicle crashes. Other potential benefits include improved air quality (as a result of more-efficient traffic flows), increased fuel economy, and spin-off technologies generated during research and development related to automated highway systems.

Automation in Waste Management and Home

Automated waste collection trucks prevent the need for as many workers as well as easing the level of labour required to provide the service. Home automation (also called domotics) designates an emerging practice of increased automation of household appliances and features in residential dwellings, particularly through electronic means that allow for things impracticable, overly expensive or simply not possible in recent past decades.

Automation in Laboratory Technology

Automation is essential for many scientific and clinical applications. Therefore, automation has been extensively employed in laboratories. From as early as 1980 fully automated laboratories have already been working. However, automation has not become widespread in laboratories due to its high cost. This may change with the ability of integrating low-cost devices with standard laboratory equipment. Auto samplers are common devices used in laboratory automation.

To be continued in the next blog...

Know About Some Major Waste Management Technologies

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Advance Technologies and Methods of Waste Management

Waste Management is one of the most necessary and major concern for human civilization. With its increasing population and continuous advancement in the field of science and technology, the formation of waste products have abruptly increases. Billions of tons of different kinds of waste products are generated daily some of which easily decomposes while some not. The gradual rise in waste product generation and its improper management causing dumping of them here and there is in turn greatly affecting the environment and ecosystem. Different living organisms may it be on land or on sea are adversely affected by different human-generated waste products. Now it is a reason of major concern and thus proper waste management is extremely necessary by the application of advance scientific and technological methods. Here we discuss some of the important methods for waste management.

Bioremediation

The discharge made by human and process waste from production industries that are major source of waste water. As per waste management board, the total volume of the wastewater from industries is much greater than that of the domestic sewage. This in turn requires effective waste management.  Microbial remotion of xenobiotics is proved to be effective and then price efficient technology, but it still has lots of constraints. Therefore, the patrimonial engineering approaches are used to produce the new anxiety of microbes (Genetically Engineered Microorganisms, GEMS) which have advantageous catabolic budding than the wild type species for bioremediation. There are four major paths to GEM production for the bioremediation application which include the adaptation of enzyme specificity and affinity, pathway development and regulation, bioprocess construction, monitoring and control and lastly, bio-affinity bio-receptor sensor application for chemical sensing, toxicity reduction and end point analysis. These permit the pervasive use of genetically engineered microorganism. In the distance future, the genetically engineered microorganisms could possibly be used to control the green house gases, convert the waste to the value-added product as well as to decrease and capture the carbon dioxide gases from the atmosphere (carbon sequestration),but huge research still required in order to make these potential successful. There is a issues regarding the extensive use of genetically engineered microbes for the remotion of pollutants. Once the genetically microorganisms has been combined, it may besprinkle uncontrollably and hard to be removed. However, the serious major concern that leads to the constraints of GEMs development and seems to be the absence of information on gene as well as the daily impulsion.  

Composting

Composting is a waste management that involves break down of waste material in presence of air. It can therefore be used to reprocess biological material. The process involves decay of organic material into a humus-like material, known as compost, which is a good fertilizer for plants. Composting requires the following three components: human management, aerobic conditions, development of internal biological heat. Nearly every plant and animal materials have one and the other that is carbon and nitrogen, but amounts varies in a range, with characteristics noted above (dry/wet, brown/green).Fresh grass clippings have an average ratio of about 15:1 and dry autumn leaves about 50:1 depending on species. Mixing equal parts by volume approximates the ideal C:N range. The most efficient composting occurs with an optimal carbon:nitrogen ratio of about 25:1. The air/water balance is critical to maintaining high temperatures (135°-160° Fahrenheit / 50° - 70° Celsius) until the materials are broken down. The organisms that do the composting are equally important things to work efficiently.

i) Carbon: The biological oxidation of carbon produces the heat, if included at the desired levels.  High carbon materials contribute to be brown and dry. This is done for energy.

ii) Nitrogen: to mature and clone more organisms to oxidize the carbon. High nitrogen materials contribute to be green (or colorful, such as fruits and vegetables) and wet.

iii) Oxygen: for oxidizing the carbon, the decaying process.

iv) Water: in the optimum amounts to continue activity without causing anaerobic conditions.

Phases of composting:

Under ideal conditions, composting proceeds through three major phases: 

• A beginning, mesophilic phase, in which the decomposition is carried out under moderate temperatures by mesophilic microorganisms.
• As the temperature increases, second, thermophilic aspects commenced, in which the decomposition is carried out by various thermophilic bacteria under high temperatures.
• As the amount of high-energy compounds dwindles, the temperature starts to decrease, and the mesophiles once again hold sway in the maturation phase.

Incineration

The leverage of the incineration are decreasing of volume and mass by burning, deduction to a percentage of sterile ash, source of energy, rise of income by selling bottom ash, and is also environmentally acceptable. The disadvantages of incineration are the following: 

• Greater cost and longer payback course due to high capital investment
• Since incineration is design on the basis of a certain calorific value removing paper and plastics for recycling lowers the overall calorific value that may affect the incinerator performance.
• The process still produces a solid waste residue at the end which still requires treatment and management
• Emissions from incinerators composed of particulates, heavy metals, pollutant gases, odor dust and litter. Due to deficient combustion, products such as dioxins and furans are formed.