A model predictive approach for community battery energy storage system optimization

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for optimizing the operation of battery storage in a low voltage distribution network with a high penetration of PV generation. A predictive control solution is presented that uses wavelet neural networks to predict the load and PV generation at hourly intervals for twelve hours into the future. The load and generation forecast, and the previous twelve hours of load and generation history, is used to assemble load profile. A diurnal charging profile can be compactly represented by a vector of Fourier coefficients allowing a direct search optimization algorithm to be applied. The optimal profile is updated hourly allowing the state of charge profile to respond to changing forecasts in load.

Non-monetised multi-objective decision making system for road management

This paper presents a performance-based optimisation approach for conducting trade-off analysis between safety (roads) and condition (bridges and roads). Safety was based on potential for improvement (PFI). Road condition was based on surface distresses and bridge condition was based on apparent age per subcomponent. The analysis uses a non-monetised optimisation that expanded upon classical Pareto optimality by observing performance across time. It was found that achievement of good results was conditioned by the availability of early age treatments and impacted by a frontier effect preventing the optimisation algorithm from realising of the long-term benefits of deploying actions when approaching the end of the analysis period. A disaggregated bridge condition index proved capable of improving levels of service in bridge subcomponents.

An RFID-based traceability system

Traceability system in the food supply chain is becoming more necessary. RFID and EPCglobal Network Standards are emerging technologies that bring new opportunities to develop the high performance traceability system. This research proposes the analysis, design, and development of the RFID and EPCglobal Network Standards based traceability system that adheres to the requirements of global food traceability in terms of completeness of traceability information. The additional components, including lot management system and electronic transaction management system, encourage the traditional system in order to fulfill the missing information. The proposed system was developed and applied in a rice supply chain. Results from experimentation showed that the additional components can significantly improve the completeness of traceability information. The collaboration between EPCglobal Network Standards and electronic transaction management system can improve the performances in RFID operations.

Synthetic rating system for railway bridge management

This thesis developed a condition assessment and rating method to identify those bridges in a network which are in most need of repair for an effective life cycle management. The method estimates the contribution of critical factors towards bridge deterioration and uses structural analysis to overcome the subjectivity of traditional current condition assessment methods. This research was a part of the CRC project titled 'Life Cycle Management of Railway Bridges'. Efficient usage of resources and enhancing the safety and serviceability of railway bridges are the significant outcomes of using the proposed method.

When an eco-feedback system joins the family

The dynamic, chaotic, intimate and social nature of family life presents many challenges when designing interactive systems in the household space. This paper presents findings from a whole-of-family approach to studying the use of an energy awareness and management system called “Ecosphere”. Using a novel methodology of inviting 12 families to create their own self-authored videos documenting their energy use, we report on the family dynamics and nuances of family life that shape and affect this use. Our findings suggest that the momentum of existing family dynamics in many cases obstructs behaviour change and renders some family members unaware of energy consumption despite the presence of an energy monitor display in the house. The implication for eco-feedback design is that it needs to recognise and respond to the kinds of family relations into which the system is embedded. In response, we suggest alternative ways of sharing energy-related information among families and incentivising engagement among teenagers.

Decision support system for infrastructure sustainability in operations

There is an increasing awareness of sustainability and climate change and its impact on infrastructure and engineering asset management in design, construction, and operations. Sustainability rating tools have been proposed and/or developed that provide ratings of infrastructure projects in differing phases of their life cycle on sustainability. This paper provides an overview of decision support systems using sustainability rating framework that can be used to prioritize or select tasks and activities within projects to enhance levels of sustainability outcomes. These systems can also be used to prioritize projects within an organization to optimize sustainability outcomes within an allocated budget.

Chirp-spread-spectrum-based real time location system for construction safety management: A case study

Observing the working procedure of construction workers is an effective means of maintaining the safety performance of a construction project. It is also difficult to achieve due to a high worker-to-safety-officer ratio. There is an imminent need for the development of a tool to assist in the real-time monitoring of workers, in order to reduce the number of construction accidents. The development and application of a real time locating system (RTLS) based on the Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) technique is described in this paper for tracking the real-time position of workers on construction sites. Experiments and tests were carried out both on- and off-site to verify the accuracy of static and dynamic targets by the system, indicating an average error of within one metre. Experiments were also carried out to verify the ability of the system to identify workers’ unsafe behaviours. Wireless data transfer was used to simplify the deployment of the system. The system was deployed in a public residential construction project and proved to be quick and simple to use. The cost of the developed system is also reported to be reasonable (around 1800USD) in this study and is much cheaper than the cost of other RTLS. In addition, the CCS technique is shown to provide an economical solution with reasonable accuracy compared with other positioning systems, such as ultra wideband. The study verifies the potential of the CCS technique to provide an effective and economical aid in the improvement of safety management in the construction industry.

Data driven and practice-based evidence : design and development of efficient and effective clinical decision support system

Decision-making is such an integral aspect in health care routine that the ability to make the right decisions at crucial moments can lead to patient health improvements. Evidence-based practice, the paradigm used to make those informed decisions, relies on the use of current best evidence from systematic research such as randomized controlled trials. Limitations of the outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCT), such as “quantity” and “quality” of evidence generated, has lowered healthcare professionals’ confidence in using EBP. An alternate paradigm of Practice-Based Evidence has evolved with the key being evidence drawn from practice settings. Through the use of health information technology, electronic health records (EHR) capture relevant clinical practice “evidence”. A data-driven approach is proposed to capitalize on the benefits of EHR. The issues of data privacy, security and integrity are diminished by an information accountability concept. Data warehouse architecture completes the data-driven approach by integrating health data from multi-source systems, unique within the healthcare environment.

A computer-controlled hyperthermia system

Hyperthermia, raised temperature, has been used as a means of treating cancer for centuries. Hippocrates (400 BC) and Galen (200 BC) used red-hot irons to treat small tumours. Much later, after the Renaissance, there are many reports of spontaneous tumour regression in patients with fevers produced by erysipelas, malaria, smallpox, tuberculosis and influenza. These illnesses produce fevers of about 40 °C which last for several days. Temperatures of at least 40 °C were found to be necessary for tumour regression. Towards the end of the nineteenth century pyrogenic bacteria were injected into patients with cancer. In 1896, Coly used a mixture of erysipelas and B. prodigeosus, with some success...

RuleOMS: A rule-based online management system

We propose an architecture for a rule-based online management systems (RuleOMS). Typically, many domain areas face the problem that stakeholders maintain databases of their business core information and they have to take decisions or create reports according to guidelines, policies or regulations. To address this issue we propose the integration of databases, in particular relational databases, with a logic reasoner and rule engine. We argue that defeasible logic is an appropriate formalism to model rules, in particular when the rules are meant to model regulations. The resulting RuleOMS provides an efficient and flexible solution to the problem at hand using defeasible inference. A case study of an online child care management system is used to illustrate the proposed architecture.

Firms’ information system characteristics and management accounting adaptability

This study explores the relationship between the qualities of an information system and management accounting adaptability (MAA) and effectiveness in firms. Design/methodology/approach I develop and empirically test a model where the qualities of the information system and management accounting effectiveness are mediated by MAA. Findings Information system flexibility (ISF) and shared knowledge had a significant and positive correlation with MAA, which in turn had a positive and significant correlation with management accounting effectiveness. There was also a moderation effect of ISF on the correlation betweeen information system integration and MAA. Research implications Information system integration may not lead to management accounting stability, but the lack of flexibility of a system and a lack of cooperation between the stakeholders might lead to its stagnation. Practical implications Organizations are advised to implement solutions that are relatively flexible and modular, as well as encourage cooperation between stakeholders to fully leverage and improve the existing and future systems. Originality/value The study extends the discourse on the interaction between management accounting and information systems by exploring the role of a number of factors that drive MAA.

Authorisation management in business process environments: An authorisation model and a policy model

This thesis provides two main contributions. The first one is BP-TRBAC, a unified authorisation model that can support legacy systems as well as business process systems. BP-TRBAC supports specific features that are required by business process environments. BP-TRBAC is designed to be used as an independent enterprise-wide authorisation model, rather than having it as part of the workflow system. It is designed to be the main authorisation model for an organisation. The second contribution is BP-XACML, an authorisation policy language that is designed to represent BPM authorisation policies for business processes. The contribution also includes a policy model for BP-XACML. Using BP-TRBAC as an authorisation model together with BP-XACML as an authorisation policy language will allow an organisation to manage and control authorisation requests from workflow systems and other legacy systems.

Increasing autonomy transparency through capability communication in multiple heterogeneous UAV management

Interest in the area of collaborative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in a Multi-Agent System is growing to compliment the strengths and weaknesses of the human-machine relationship. To achieve effective management of multiple heterogeneous UAVs, the status model of the agents must be communicated to each other. This paper presents the effects on operator Cognitive Workload (CW), Situation Awareness (SA), trust and performance by increasing the autonomy capability transparency through text-based communication of the UAVs to the human agents. The results revealed a reduction in CW, increase in SA, increase in the Competence, Predictability and Reliability dimensions of trust, and the operator performance.

Fuzzy optimization model for water quality management of a river system - Closure

A fuzzy waste-load allocation model, FWLAM, is developed for water quality management of a river system using fuzzy multiple-objective optimization. An important feature of this model is its capability to incorporate the aspirations and conflicting objectives of the pollution control agency and dischargers. The vagueness associated with specifying the water quality criteria and fraction removal levels is modeled in a fuzzy framework. The goals related to the pollution control agency and dischargers are expressed as fuzzy sets. The membership functions of these fuzzy sets are considered to represent the variation of satisfaction levels of the pollution control agency and dischargers in attaining their respective goals. Two formulations—namely, the MAX-MIN and MAX-BIAS formulations—are proposed for FWLAM. The MAX-MIN formulation maximizes the minimum satisfaction level in the system. The MAX-BIAS formulation maximizes a bias measure, giving a solution that favors the dischargers. Maximization of the bias measure attempts to keep the satisfaction levels of the dischargers away from the minimum satisfaction level and that of the pollution control agency close to the minimum satisfaction level. Most of the conventional water quality management models use waste treatment cost curves that are uncertain and nonlinear. Unlike such models, FWLAM avoids the use of cost curves. Further, the model provides the flexibility for the pollution control agency and dischargers to specify their aspirations independently.