Alireza Alipour, Mohammad Ali Shahi Ashtiani and Farid Shahmiri
This study aims to present a method for improving the preliminary design process of an aircraft.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a method for improving the preliminary design process of an aircraft.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach of this paper is using Axiomatic Design (AD) principles in the aircraft preliminary design process. The aircraft design process consists of modules and disciplines, which are loosely coupled that can disrupt designers’ ability. Consequently, designers should define suitable functional requirements (FRs) and design parameters for products to avoid or limit coupling between them. As modular architecture is commonly defined as having a one-to-one mapping from the function domain to the physical domain, the independence axiom in AD could support the modularity of the design process. Therefore, these features guide us to use AD principles at the first steps of the aircraft design process.
Findings
Reduction coupling between different FRs and consequently less repetitive activities and design iteration in the design process by using AD principles are the finding of this paper.
Practical implications
This concept could be used for the design process of every complex product.
Originality/value
Looking at the preliminary design of a Blended Wing Body unmanned aerial vehicle with respect to the AD is a new technique to achieve a modular design process.
Details
Keywords
Saber Kazeminasab, Alireza Hadi, Khalil Alipour and Mohammad Elahinia
Many people suffer from injuries related to their hand. This research aims to focus on the improvement of the previously developed smart glove by using position and force control…
Abstract
Purpose
Many people suffer from injuries related to their hand. This research aims to focus on the improvement of the previously developed smart glove by using position and force control algorithms. The new smart glove may be used for both physiotherapy and assistance.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed robot uses shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators coupled to an under-actuated tendon-driven mechanism. The proposed device, which is presented as a wearable glove attached to an actuation module, is capable of exerting extremely high forces to grasp objects in various hand configurations. The device’s performance is studied in physiotherapy and object manipulation tasks. In the physiotherapy mode, hand motion frequency is controlled, whereas the grasping force is controlled in the object manipulation mode. To simulate the proposed system behavior, the kinematic and dynamic equations of the proposed system have been derived.
Findings
The achieved results verify that the system is suitable to be used as part of a rehabilitation device in which it can flex and extend fingers with accurate trajectories and grasp objects efficiently. Specifically, it will be shown that using six SMA wires with the diameter of 0.25 mm, the proposed robot can provide 45 N gripping force for the patients.
Originality/value
The proposed robot uses SMA actuators and an under-actuated tendon-driven mechanism. The resulted robotic system, which is presented as a wearable glove attached to an actuation module, is capable of exerting extremely high force levels to grasp objects in various hand configurations. It is shown that the motion and exerted force of the robot may be controlled effectively in practice.
Details
Keywords
Alireza Khalili-Fard, Reza Tavakkoli-Moghaddam, Nasser Abdali, Mohammad Alipour-Vaezi and Ali Bozorgi-Amiri
In recent decades, the student population in dormitories has increased notably, primarily attributed to the growing number of international students. Dormitories serve as pivotal…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent decades, the student population in dormitories has increased notably, primarily attributed to the growing number of international students. Dormitories serve as pivotal environments for student development. The coordination and compatibility among students can significantly influence their overall success. This study aims to introduce an innovative method for roommate selection and room allocation within dormitory settings.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, initially, using multi-attribute decision-making methods including the Bayesian best-worst method and weighted aggregated sum product assessment, the incompatibility rate among pairs of students is calculated. Subsequently, using a linear mathematical model, roommates are selected and allocated to dormitory rooms pursuing the twin objectives of minimizing the total incompatibility rate and costs. Finally, the grasshopper optimization algorithm is applied to solve large-sized instances.
Findings
The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in comparison to two common alternatives, i.e. random allocation and preference-based allocation. Moreover, the proposed method’s applicability extends beyond its current context, making it suitable for addressing various matching problems, including crew pairing and classmate pairing.
Originality/value
This novel method for roommate selection and room allocation enhances decision-making for optimal dormitory arrangements. Inspired by a real-world problem faced by the authors, this study strives to offer a robust solution to this problem.
Details
Keywords
Pouya Panahandeh, Khalil Alipour, Bahram Tarvirdizadeh and Alireza Hadi
Trajectory tracking is a common problem in the field of mobile robots which has attracted a lot of attention in the past two decades. Therefore, besides the search for new…
Abstract
Purpose
Trajectory tracking is a common problem in the field of mobile robots which has attracted a lot of attention in the past two decades. Therefore, besides the search for new controllers to achieve a better performance, improvement and optimization of existing control rules are necessary. Trajectory tracking control laws usually contain constant gains which affect greatly the robot’s performance.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a method based on neural networks is introduced to automatically upgrade the gains of a well-known trajectory tracking controller of wheeled mobile robots. The suggested method speeds up the convergence rate of the main controller.
Findings
Simulations and experiments are performed to assess the ability of the suggested scheme. The obtained results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Originality/value
In this paper, a method based on neural networks is introduced to automatically upgrade the gains of a well-known trajectory tracking controller of wheeled mobile robots. The suggested method speeds up the convergence rate of the main controller.
Details
Keywords
Payman Joudzadeh, Alireza Hadi, Bahram Tarvirdizadeh, Danial Borooghani and Khalil Alipour
This paper aims to deal with the development of a novel lower limb exoskeleton to assist disabled people in stair ascending.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to deal with the development of a novel lower limb exoskeleton to assist disabled people in stair ascending.
Design/methodology/approach
For this purpose, a novel design of a mixture of motors and cables has been proposed for users to wear them easily and show the application of the system in stair climbing.
Findings
One of the prominences of this study is the provided robot design where four joints are actuated with only two motors; each motor actuates either the knees or ankles. Another advantage of the designed system is that with motors placed in a backpack, the knee braces can be worn under clothes to be concealed. Finally, the system performance is evaluated using electromyography (EMG) signals showing 28 per cent reduction in energy consumption of related muscles.
Originality/value
This investigation deals with the development of a novel lower limb exoskeleton to assist disabled people in stair ascending.
Details
Keywords
Shahin Alipour Bonab, Alireza Sadeghi and Mohammad Yazdani-Asrami
The ionization of the air surrounding the phase conductor in high-voltage transmission lines results in a phenomenon known as the Corona effect. To avoid this, Corona rings are…
Abstract
Purpose
The ionization of the air surrounding the phase conductor in high-voltage transmission lines results in a phenomenon known as the Corona effect. To avoid this, Corona rings are used to dampen the electric field imposed on the insulator. The purpose of this study is to present a fast and intelligent surrogate model for determination of the electric field imposed on the surface of a 120 kV composite insulator, in presence of the Corona ring.
Design/methodology/approach
Usually, the structural design parameters of the Corona ring are selected through an optimization procedure combined with some numerical simulations such as finite element method (FEM). These methods are slow and computationally expensive and thus, extremely reducing the speed of optimization problems. In this paper, a novel surrogate model was proposed that could calculate the maximum electric field imposed on a ceramic insulator in a 120 kV line. The surrogate model was created based on the different scenarios of height, radius and inner radius of the Corona ring, as the inputs of the model, while the maximum electric field on the body of the insulator was considered as the output.
Findings
The proposed model was based on artificial intelligence techniques that have high accuracy and low computational time. Three methods were used here to develop the AI-based surrogate model, namely, Cascade forward neural network (CFNN), support vector regression and K-nearest neighbors regression. The results indicated that the CFNN has the highest accuracy among these methods with 99.81% R-squared and only 0.045468 root mean squared error while the testing time is less than 10 ms.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, a surrogate method is proposed for the prediction of the maximum electric field imposed on the high voltage insulators in the presence Corona ring which is faster than any conventional finite element method.
Details
Keywords
Alireza Vafaei, Darren Henry, Kamran Ahmed and Mohammad Alipour
This study aims to examine the impact of board female participation on Australian firms’ innovation.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of board female participation on Australian firms’ innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are from the 500 largest Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed companies for 2004–2015. Measures of innovation concern input (research and development expenditure and intangible assets) and output (patents registered) indicators.
Findings
A positive and significant association exists between female director participation and firm innovation activity. This association exists across industry classifications independent of technological importance and is particularly driven by materials and health-care sectors. Findings support calls for more board diversity in line with board female membership positively influencing innovative investment and development activities.
Practical implications
The economic efficacy of the latest revisions to the ASX Corporate Governance Council principles and recommendations (“ASX CGC revisions”) is supported. Diverse boards are a strong source of innovation. Regulators and corporations can use the findings to establish principles and practices that promote female board diversity.
Originality/value
This study is the first to examine the link between board diversity and corporate innovation in Australia where there is under-representation of women on corporate boards and in key management positions. Also lacking are formal legislative or governance policy mandates on board gender diversity. Beyond confirming a positive association between board diversity and levels of corporate innovation, this paper provides new findings that this relationship is driven by women who are non-executive (independent) directors, independent of the underlying technology intensity of firms and moderated by the nature of firm-level profitability and growth opportunities.
Details
Keywords
Heydar Esmaeili, Alireza Isfandyari-Moghaddam and Mehdi Alipour Hafezi
This paper aims to draw a roadmap for the presence of Iranian academic libraries in the cloud infrastructure.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to draw a roadmap for the presence of Iranian academic libraries in the cloud infrastructure.
Design/methodology/approach
This research attends an applied-development one that is a part of developmental research due to its conceptual expansion, foresight and roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and finally, becoming cloud libraries. Because of providing a roadmap template, the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is applied research. Because of providing a roadmap template, academic digital libraries’ presence in the cloud and becoming a cloud library is one of the applied research areas. The statistical population of this research includes all Iranian digital academic libraries. There were 64 digital libraries out of which 59 libraries participated in completing the questionnaire.
Findings
Preliminary results from used Delphi method’s first round which was considered by 59 experts were identified typically and descriptive after appropriate component classification and editing. After identifying these factors, each of the roadmap levels in the third stage and the degree of relevance approved by the experts were reviewed and the most critical and relevant factors were identified as key components of the roadmap for the presence of cloud-based academic libraries and becoming cloud libraries. At this stage, they were selected as 24 factors, including seven factors for the first layer, eight factors for the second layer and nine factors for the third layer.
Originality/value
By introducing a roadmap for the presence of academic digital libraries in the cloud context, they will promote more and better interaction between academic libraries to offer services to users anytime and anywhere.
Details
Keywords
Bahram Tarvirdizadeh, Khalil Alipour and Alireza Hadi
– The purpose of this paper is to focus on an online closed-loop (CL) approach for performing dynamic object manipulation (DOM) by a flexible link manipulator.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on an online closed-loop (CL) approach for performing dynamic object manipulation (DOM) by a flexible link manipulator.
Design/methodology/approach
Toward above goal, a neural network and optimal control are integrated in a closed-loop structure, to achieve a robust control for online DOM applications. Additionally, an elegant novel numerical solution method will be developed which can handle the split boundary value problem resulted from DOM mission requirements for a wide range of boundary conditions.
Findings
The obtained simulation results reveal the effectiveness of both proposed innovative numerical solution technique and control structure for online object manipulation purposes using flexible manipulators.
Originality/value
The object manipulation problem has previously been studied, however, for the first time its accomplishment by flexible link manipulators was addressed just in offline form considering an open-loop control structure (Tarvirdizadeh and Yousefi-Koma, 2012). As an extension of Tarvirdizadeh and Yousefi-Koma (2012), the current research, consequently, focusses on a numerical solution and a CL approach for performing DOM by a flexible link manipulator.
Details
Keywords
Alireza Lari, Mir Saman Pishvaee and Pouria Khodabakhsh
Urmia lake water has impressively decreased recently and seriously endangered the lives of the inhabitants. In this paper, the effects of various factors on the reduction of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Urmia lake water has impressively decreased recently and seriously endangered the lives of the inhabitants. In this paper, the effects of various factors on the reduction of the lake water are investigated and appropriate scenarios are proposed for future improvement. Due to the significant impact of agricultural issues on this crisis, this paper has focused specifically on agriculture. So, this paper aims to forecast and improve the lake water level.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a system dynamics (SD) model, which is capable to consider various parameters and variables affecting the lake water level within nonlinear and dynamic relations, is developed.
Findings
To show the effectiveness of SD model, real data are used to run the model and the results show that the actual behavior of the lake water is reproduced with high validation (around 98.28 per cent). Also, five different scenarios are proposed to increase lake water volume. The hybrid Scenario 5 (which combines three other scenarios including increasing irrigation efficiency in the agricultural sector, changing cultivation pattern of agricultural products and returning some dams’ water that are consumed in the agricultural sector into the lake) is chosen as the most effective scenario for increasing lake volume about 15 billion m3.
Originality/value
The main contributions of this paper are systemic view to the whole problem, paying attention to the agriculture subject as one of the most important issues, considering many critical variables (e.g. evaporation, salinity and precipitation) and providing improvement policies along with assessing the effects of them.