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In this article, I cumulate previous research findings indicating that virtual sensor modeling and simulation systems, realistic 3D digital twins, and industrial data semantics assist immersive hyper-connected virtual spaces. I contribute to the literature on deep reinforcement learning and simulated augmented reality technologies, digital twin data modeling and visualization, and 6G-enabled edge artificial intelligence by showing that intelligent simulation environments necessitate cognitive and behavioral algorithms, 3D capture and virtual twin technologies, and operational modeling and intelligent data processing tools. Throughout January 2023, I performed a quantitative literature review of the Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest databases, with search terms including "the industrial metaverse" + "cognitive artificial intelligence and remote sensing algorithms," "virtual immersive and spatial computing technologies," and "3D image modeling and digital twin simulation tools." As I inspected research published between 2022 and 2023, only 140 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria. By eliminating controversial findings, outcomes unsubstantiated by replication, too imprecise material, or having similar titles, I decided upon 25, generally empirical, sources. Data visualization tools: Dimensions (bibliometric mapping) and VOSviewer (layout algorithms). Reporting quality assessment tool: PRISMA. Methodological quality assessment tools include: AXIS, Dedoose, ROBIS, and SRDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the means and directions for improving the results of simulation modeling of suburban agriculture and, as a result, the creation of digital twins of farms. Most innovative technologies are still considered new areas for experimentation in agriculture. However, the digital twins being developed for agriculture implement many of the ideas that have already been tested in other industries. The article presents an optimization problem that allows the simulation of suburban agriculture to provide the city with fresh products. Particular attention is paid to modeling the sustainable development of suburban agriculture and the characterization of related data. At the same time, one of the biggest challenges is the need to constantly collect and update expanding data about the object in order to create digital twins. The result of the study is the construction of a simulation modeling system that forms digital twins of suburban crop and livestock production, and the determination of priorities for the selection of relevant data. In order to determine the conditions for realizing opportunities in the transition from suburban farming simulation to digital twins, a general modeling system is presented, consisting of simulation and optimization models, and a set of metrics is selected for the constant collection and updating of the digital twin. The created simulation model was previously worked out by running dozens of different options in the form of sets of initial data, and as a result of the model’s operation, the article presents the best (optimal) responses. The necessary steps for the realization of this transition are defined. As a result of the activity of the proposed conceptual system, real-time information, and analytics allows to optimize the performance of the farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article explores the dynamic interplay between social self-perception and behavioral influence in digital simulations, shedding light on the complexities that define our online interactions. In an era where virtual spaces play an increasingly significant role in shaping human behavior, understanding the mechanisms through which individuals perceive themselves in simulated social environments is paramount. Drawing on interdisciplinary insights from psychology, computer science, and sociology, this study employs a variety of methodologies, including virtual reality experiments, agent-based modeling, and data analytics, to comprehensively examine the intricate relationship between self-perception and behavior in digital contexts. Aiming for this goal requires the decision whether to communicate information truthfully or if deceptive lies might improve the reputation even more. The basis of this decision involves not only an individual's belief about others, but also their understanding of others' beliefs, described by the concept of Theory of Mind, and the mental processes from which these beliefs emerge. In the present work, we used the Reputation Game Simulation as an approach for modeling the evolution of reputation in agent-based social communication networks, in which agents treat information approximately according to Bayesian logic. We implemented a second-order Theory of Mind based message decision strategy that allows the agents to mentally simulate the impact of different communication options on the knowledge of their counterparts' minds in order to identify the message that is expected to maximize their reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zhejiang Electric Power is the property of Zhejiang Electric Power Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We report the digital quantum simulation of a hamiltonian involved in the generation of quantum entanglement by gravitational means. In particular, we focus on a pair of quantum harmonic oscillators, whose interaction via a quantum gravitational field generates single-mode squeezing in both modes at the same time, a non-standard process in quantum optics. We perform a boson-qubit mapping and a digital gate decomposition specific for IBM quantum devices. We use error mitigation and post-selection to achieve high-fidelity, accessing a parameter regime out of direct experimental reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent discoveries of oil and gas have principally been located in the central part of the Ordos Basin, which is a petroliferous basin with the largest discovered reserves and annual production of tight sandstone gas in China. For tight sandstone gas reservoirs in the transition zone of the basin margin, the process of natural gas accumulation has remained relatively vaguely understood, because of the transitional accumulation of geological conditions such as structure, sedimentation, and preservation. In this study, thin-section identification and scanning electron microscopic observations of the reservoir core, measurement of the physical properties of the reservoir, microscopic petrography research and measurement of the homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions, digital simulations, and laser Raman spectroscopy analysis were combined to analyze the process of natural gas accumulation of the Permian Lower Shihezi Formation in Duguijiahan block, Hangjinqi area, northern Ordos Basin. The results showed that the Lower Shihezi Formation reservoir in the Duguijiahan block began gas charging in the southern part as early as the Early Cretaceous (130–128 Ma), and then gradually charged in the northern part. Three stages were identified in the digital simulations of gas charging, i.e., the breakthrough, rapid, and fully saturated stages. The initial porosity of the Lower Shihezi Formation reservoir ranged between 28% and 40%. Later, because of strong compaction and interstitial filling during burial, the sandstone porosity decreased rapidly, and densification (porosity < 10%) occurred in the mid–late Jurassic. This late tectonic uplift caused a continuous reduction in ground temperature, and diagenesis had a weak effect on pore transformation. The present porosity of the Lower Shihezi Formation reservoir basically inherited its characteristics in the late Early Cretaceous. The current average porosity of the reservoir is 8.58%, and the average permeability is 0.88 mD, and it can thus be characterized as a tight reservoir. The gas accumulation process of the Lower Shihezi Formation has three stages: (1) the depositional stage (C–P), corresponding to the depositional stage of the source-reservoir-cap combination in gas reservoir; (2) the natural gas accumulation stage (T–K1), corresponding to the period of rapid source rock maturation and natural gas charging step-by-step; and (3) the gas reservoir adjustment stage (K2–present), corresponding to the period of uplift and natural gas charging in the early stage that gradually migrated and accumulated northward along the fracture zone. Finally, the gas accumulation model in the transition zone at the margin of basin was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work deals with geologic adaptation of Wadi Kharit shear zone based on field, petrographic, remote sensing and structural data. Neoproterozoic basement cover of Wadi Kharit includes, island arc metasedimentary association, metagabbro-diorite complex, syn-late to post-tectonized granites, and Nubian sandstone. The major structural orientation of the area is 270°‒ 280° N. The microstructure and paleostress analyses reveal a dextral sense of the shear zone. Such orientation indicates either the greater Najd-related Wadi Kharit–Hodein shear zone was overprinted by a dextral event subsequent to the main sinistral sense shear, or that Wadi Kharit shear can be considered as a separate high strain zone showing neither geometric nor kinematic relations with Wadi Hodein shear zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The demand for cosmetic plastic surgeries have increased in the recent years, with rhinoplasty being one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures worldwide. This study aims to assess the effect of utilizing digital photography and computer simulation pre-operatively and whether it affects patient satisfaction with the surgery outcome. Methods: This was a prospective pilot study of 51 participants; all were primary rhinoplasty cases conducted at a tertiary university hospital by a single surgeon. Data was collected from patients who underwent rhinoplasty from April 1, 2019, to November 30, 2019. All pre- and postoperative photos were taken using the VECTRA® H1 handheld imaging system (Canfield Scientific, Inc., NJ, USA) utilizing three photos taken at three different angles. To assess patients' satisfaction, "Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) Questionnaire by Alsarraf" and "General Satisfaction Questionnaire" were used. Results: Our data showed that the group who underwent simulation pre-operatively had a statistically significant result (P < 0.047) in regard to satisfaction with surgery outcome in comparison with the non-simulation group (P > 0.206). Conclusions: This study highlighted the applicability of simulated digital photography in rhinoplasty for enhancing patient satisfaction. Patients could select their desired appearances, thus resulting in increased satisfaction. Level of evidence: Level III, risk/prognostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six-phase transmission lines have the capability to address the continually evolving power demand. It allows upgrading the power transfer capability of the prevailing three-phase double circuit line without major changes in the transmission corridors. However, the operational performance of any six-phase system is highly dependent on its protection scheme. The possibility of larger number of faults in six-phase system complicates the protection task. Furthermore, the harmonics intrusion arising because of nonlinear loading compromises the reliability of the conventional threshold-based protection schemes. In this regard, this article addresses the above-mentioned challenges by developing a protection scheme based on the hybrid frameworks of bat algorithm and stacked sparse autoencoder-deep neural network (SAE-DNN). To overcome the limitation of SAE-DNN regarding optimal selection of architecture and tuning parameters, the selection task has been formulated as an optimization problem and solved using Bat algorithm. The use of raw voltage and current signals as input to the SAE-DNN reduces the overall complexity of the protection scheme. The efficacy of the proposed scheme has been validated for all 120 types of faults under varying operating, loading and fault scenarios. Furthermore, the proposed scheme has been validated for practical settings by performing real-time simulations on OPAL-RT digital simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital rock physics (DRP) is essential to understand the wave elastic and attenuation characteristics of complex porous rocks, offering insights into interpreting seismic and sonic logging data. Most of the existing DRP technology can only simulate wave‐induced fluid flow (WIFF) or scattering effects separately in a relatively narrow or single‐frequency band. To incorporate both the effects of WIFF and elastic scattering simultaneously, we develop a stress relaxing simulation (SRS) technique on digital rocks to characterize the P wave dispersion and attenuation signatures in a broad frequency band. We propose to use the combined methodology of curve resampling and wavelet‐packet denoising to suppress the high‐frequency noise of the stress relaxation curve. For a digital rock containing pore‐crack elements, we demonstrate that SRS is capable of characterizing the attenuation due to squirt flow and scattering as well as their interactions. The simulation results of wave dispersion and attenuation using SRS are overall consistent with other well‐developed DRP technology of transmitted wave simulation (high‐frequency band), forced oscillating simulation (intermediate‐frequency band), and static simulation (low‐frequency band), suggesting the reliability and robustness of the developed methodology. We also apply the SRS on a realistic 2D digital rock of porous sandstone. It is found that the attenuation due to elastic scattering of the microscopic heterogeneities is significantly higher than that caused by squirt flow, which might be caused by the lack of pore connectivity impeding the fluid exchange at the microscopic scale due to the limitation of 2D digital porous rocks. Plain Language Summary: Understanding the dispersion and attenuation signature of the elastic wave propagating in heterogeneous porous rocks is important for seismic and sonic data interpretation in many fields of Earth and Energy Sciences, including but not limited to geological storage of CO2, geothermal energy exploitation, hydrocarbon reservoir exploration, nuclear waste disposal, and underground water management. In comparison with conventional rock physics models that often oversimplify porous rocks, digital rock physics (DRP) is advantageous in simulating the physical response of realistic pore structures and complex heterogeneities. The stress relaxing simulation (SRS) on digital rocks developed here can model the P wave dispersion and attenuation in a broad frequency band relating to squirt flow and elastic scattering as well as their interactions. The SRS methods are also benchmarked with several well‐developed DRP techniques, demonstrating the reliability and robustness of the proposed methods to characterize attenuation due to wave‐induced fluid flow and scattering simultaneously. Key Points: We develop a stress relaxing simulation (SRS) method on the digital rock to compute the effective elastic and attenuation signature of heterogeneous porous rocksSRS method is able to characterize attenuation due to wave‐induced fluid flow and scattering as well as their interactions simultaneouslyThe reliability and accuracy of the SRS method are benchmarked with existing well‐developed digital rock physics methods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual alignment techniques have been introduced to restore patients' unique anatomical variations during total knee arthroplasty. The transition from conventional mechanical alignment to individualised approaches, with the assistance of computer and/or robotic technologies, is challenging. The objective of this study was to develop a digital training platform with real patient data to educate and simulate various modern alignment philosophies. The aim was to evaluate the training effect of the tool by measuring the process quality and efficiency, as well as the post-training surgeon's confidence with new alignment philosophies. Based on 1000 data sets, a web-based interactive TKA computer navigation simulator (Knee-CAT) was developed. Quantitative decisions on bone cuts were linked to the extension and flexion gap values. Eleven different alignment workflows were introduced. A fully automatic evaluation system for each workflow, with a comparison function for all workflows, was implemented to increase the learning effect. The results of 40 surgeons with different experience levels using the platform were assessed. Initial data were analysed regarding process quality and efficiency and compared after two training courses. Process quality measured by the percentage of correct decisions was increased by the two training courses from 45% to 87.5%. The main reasons for failure were wrong decisions on the joint line, tibia slope, femoral rotation, and gap balancing. Efficiency was obtained with a reduction in time spent per exercise from 4 min 28 s to 2 min 35 s (42%) after the training courses. All volunteers rated the training tool as helpful or extremely helpful for learning new alignment philosophies. Separating the learning experience from OR performance was mentioned as one of the main advantages. A novel digital simulation tool for the case-based learning of various alignment philosophies in TKA surgery was developed and introduced. The simulation tool, together with the training courses, improved surgeon confidence and their ability to learn new alignment techniques in a stress-free out-of-theatre environment and to become more time efficient in making correct alignment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Develop a safe and optimum energy trading structure among the solar-based AC, DC, and hybrid microgrids, as well as utilities. • Enhance the blockchain (BC) security using modified security structure through the addition of a security layer to the BC. • Propose a newly WOA algorithm to find the optimal solution in digital twin realistic model. • Introduces a new copula method for modeling the uncertainties of PVs and WTs of the HMG. Recent attention is focused on interlinked (networked) hybrid connected microgrids (MGs) because of their technical and economic benefits over traditional ones. A system like that would connect the DC resources, such as solar energy, to DC busses and the AC resources, such as wind turbines, to AC busses. Therefore, the system's overall performance is remarkably improved. In addition, it is cost-effective compared to traditional grids since no power electronics are required to convert DC to AC. While a system like this has numerous benefits, it also has numerous challenges. System-level energy management (EM), for example, presents greater challenges because each change in the subsystem (DC/AC sections) may potentially alter the EM for the whole grid. Therefore, the present study develops the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) for finding the optimum solution. Additionally, blockchain (BC) technology has been applied for increasing the security of power trading in hybrid MGs (HMGs). Stochastic load flow, according to a copula model, is used to create a realistic layout. According to the results, the suggested networked HMG-EM structure based on BC is demonstrated as being effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A safe framework for the optimum scheduling of renewable hybrid AC-DC MGs is proposed. • A digital twin model is developed to model the complexities of the renewable energy sources. • To ensure system security, an intrusion detection system according to a sequential assumption test is presented. The current study considers numerous renewable energy resources, distributed power generation units, energy storage, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) in order to propose a reliable large-scale energy management framework that can be applied to islanded and grid-connected operations of renewable hybrid AC-DC microgrids (MGs). The framework uses a bat optimization algorithm (BOA) for minimizing the operating costs of the network and in addition introduces an intrusion detection system (IDS) according to the sequential hypothesis testing (SHT) method for detecting identity-enabled cyber-attacks (i.e classification of Sybil attacks, masquerading attacks) on the wireless-enabled advanced metering infrastructures (AMI). The suggested IDS uses the received signal strength (RSS) amount for distinguishing various signal resources and detecting cyberattacks. An IEEE 33-bus testing system has been used to construct a real-time hybrid MG in order to determine the reliability and efficiency of the suggested framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutting vibration has become a major problem to the limited high-efficiency and high-quality machining. The non-equal tooth effect of the variable pitch end mill can better adjust the phase mechanism of the system and suppress chatter. Therefore, an in-depth study is required to make full use of the vibration reduction property of the milling cutter. Considering the regenerative chatter mechanism, a nonlinear milling force model for the variable pitch end mill is analyzed first, then the time-varying coefficient matrix of the cutting force is developed, and finally, a dynamic model with multiple delays is proposed. The developed model is evaluated from the perspective of chatter stability, and the limiting cutting depth is determined by using the frequency domain and semi-discretization methods. Combining with the system dynamic detection tests, the dynamic model parameters and cutting coefficients are determined for predicting stability. The analytical solutions of stability are benchmarked against the results of the time domain digital simulation, and both predictions are validated through cutting tests. The relationship between the limiting cutting depth and pitch parameters is proposed by assessing the effect of multiple delays. A method for optimal pitch parameters is developed to maximize the stability limit. It is shown that the proposed method can improve the chatter stability of milling cutters and alleviate cutting vibration, which can play an important role in improving the machining efficiency and surface quality of workpieces, and enhancing the technological level of main components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intelligent substations should be developed to perform multifunction operations, including power flow control, voltage regulation, and cost-effective power quality (PQ) improvement. In this article, an intelligent substation by a distribution transformer integrated with a capacitive-coupling winding tap injection static synchronous compensator (CWTI-DSTATCOM) is proposed for balance and unbalance operations. Compared with the state-of-the-art approaches, CWTI-DSTATCOM can operate at a low dc voltage with a small active inverter rating, which also can provide distributed voltage, reactive, and unbalanced current compensation. The power rating reduction mechanism is mathematically revealed via balance and unbalance compensation analysis, which is further used to determine the optimal inverter power rating of unbalance operation via an optimal LC filter design method. Furthermore, a comprehensive compensation control strategy is developed to coordinate the transformer taps and the active inverter under balanced and unbalanced operations. Simulation and real-time digital simulator hardware-in-the-loop experiments are performed to prove the validity and effectiveness of the proposed topology over inverter rating reduction and PQ enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the reliability of automotive perceptive sensors in degraded weather conditions, including fog, is an important issue for road safety and the development of automated driving. Cerema has designed the PAVIN platform reproducing fog and rain conditions to evaluate optical automotive sensor performance under these conditions. In order to increase the variety of scenarios and technologies under test, the use of digital simulation becomes a major asset. The purpose of this paper is to revive the debate around the realism of the various models underlying the numerical methods. The simulation of the radiative transfer equation by Monte Carlo methods and by simplified noise models is examined. The results of this paper show some gaps in foggy scenes between the ray-tracing method, which is considered to be the most realistic, and simple models for contrast evaluation, which can have a particularly strong impact on obstacle detection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A digital twin for Aluminium billet DC-casting, a digital replica of the physical casting process, creates a living simulation platform that can analyse, update, and change the process to achieve the multi-objectives process optimization. In this work, we assess the possibility of integrating high throughput micro-macro scale computation, SQL database and an artificial neural network (ANN) to establish an analytical twin for the prediction of a typical Direct Chill casting defect of Al alloys, i.e., hot tearing. The high throughput computation consists of solidification path computation at the microscopic scale (dendrite arm scale with software Alstruc) and heat transfer, fluid flow and stress/strain computation at the macroscopic scale (the scale of billet/ingot dimensions with software Alsim). The two-scale computations are coupled via sharing with Alsim the compositional dependent solidification path (Solid fraction-Temperature curve), thermo-physical properties such as densities, thermal conductivities calculated by Alstruc. Then Alsim calculates all the field variables including thermal stress, volumetric strain, and predicts the locations of the most vulnerable position and its hot tearing susceptibility. We demonstrate that the proposed framework can efficiently predict sump depth and hot-tearing tendency in the center of billets for a range of industrial AA6xxx alloy composition, casting parameters including casting speed and casting temperature. The data generated by the multi-scale computation are used to build a SQL database for training and testing the neural network. The utilities of the trained neural network and established SQL database are discussed for their application to optimize DC casting recipes of 6xxx extrusion billets. Our conclusion is that the proposed high throughput multi-scale simulation, SQLite database and ANN parameterization are three essential pillars supporting the establishment of a digital casting twin, and such a twin can provide a quick screening and selection/adjustment of process parameters before casting or during casting to avoid hot-tears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elaborates on a digital simulation study on supernormal particle flow used to investigate and analyze the process of picking up jujube branches, which was a meaningful attempt to search for accurate and effective advanced numerical analogy methods in the agricultural field. In this paper, the meshless technology based on the element-free Galerkin method was used for the first time to present the effects of particle size, particle number and particle acting force on the movement of irregular particles, and the influence of the gear rotation speed, the feeding amount, and the jujube branch size on the movement behavior as well as the picking rate. It can describe not only the particles' dynamic movement in the process of picking up jujube twigs, such as feeding, collision, throwing and rolling, but also the effect of the quality and shape caused by the particle size, which in turn affects the surface force of particles and interparticle acting force, thereby affecting the weight function in the analytical solution, the total feeding amount and the effect of the acting force resulting from the particles' contact, roll and collision caused by gear rotation. The findings reveal that the digital simulation, based on the meshless Galerkin technology and Rocky software, is effective in dealing with issues related to supernormal particle flow. By eliminating the influence of geometric shapes on calculations, the method boasts an effective solution to the movement problems of irregularly shaped particles, which would be further applied in the agriculture field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the influences of feedback mechanism clearances on static errors and closed-loop stability of the hydraulic system of coal winning machine, the interaction mechanism of 4 kinematic pairs and their clearances in feedback processes was analyzed, and a digital hydraulic cylinder model with feedback mechanism clearances was established. By comparing the position relationship between negative inverse frequency curves of clearances and Nyquist curves of the linear parts, it is found that the clearances do not affect the stability of the system. Using the static analysis method, the static error expression caused by each clearances was derived, and the factors and laws affecting the static errors were revealed. The AMESim simulation model of digital hydraulic cylinder was established and simulated. Correctness of the theory and simulation analysis was verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional elastomeric polymers used as substrates for wearable platforms have large positive Poisson's ratios (≈0.5) that cause a deformation mismatch with human skin that is multidirectionally elongated under bending of joints. This causes practical problems in elastomer‐based wearable devices, such as delamination and detachment, leading to poorly reliable functionality. To overcome this issue, auxetic‐structured mechanical reinforcement with glass fibers is applied to the elastomeric film, resulting in a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR), which is a skin‐like stretchable substrate (SLSS). Several parameters for determining the materials and geometrical dimensions of the auxetic‐structured reinforcing fillers are considered to maximize the NPR. Based on numerical simulation and digital image correlation analysis, the deformation tendencies and strain distribution of the SLSS are investigated and compared with those of the pristine elastomeric substrate. Owing to the strain‐localization characteristics, an independent strain‐pressure sensing system is fabricated using SLSS with a Ag‐based elastomeric ink and a carbon nanotube‐based force‐sensitive resistor. Finally, it is demonstrated that the SLSS‐based sensor platform can be applied as a wearable device to monitor the physical burden on the wrist in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A combined approach is proposed according to MMI, deep learning (FCRBM), and MTLA to forecast short-term load quickly. • A FCRBM-enabled prediction and training model is developed for increasing the accuracy. • A digital twin concept is developed to handle the problem complexities. Because users behave randomly and in a nonlinear way, predicting electrical loads proves to be a difficult procedure. Due to the development of the smart grid (SG) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), humans will be capable of recording, monitoring, and analyzing these non-linear behaviors. The use of electric load projection layouts is a necessity in order to make decisions, plan, and evaluate contracts in electrical systems. Consequently, there have been several load prediction methods in the research that demonstrate trade-offs among prediction precision and runtime (convergence rate). The current paper presents a method for short-term load prediction of market in trade-by-trade data that would be quick and precise. Modified mutual information (MMI) is used to extract abstractive characteristics from historic information. Learning empowers the factored conditional restricted Boltzmann machine (FCRBM) for predicting the electrical loads. Ultimately, the efficiency has been optimized using the suggested modified teaching–learning algorithm (MTLA). The suggested architecture has the advantage of improving prediction precision and convergence rate. The MMI method and FCRBM layout improve prediction precision. In addition, MTLA has been used to enhance the convergence rates. Based on simulation outcomes, the suggested quick and precise layout performs better than conventional layouts when it comes to forecasting precision and convergence rates, including Bi-level, MI-artificial neural network (MI-ANN), and accurate fast converging short-term load forecast (AFC-STLF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing productivity, as well as flexibility, is required for the industrial production sector. To meet these challenges, concepts in the field of "Industry 4.0" are arising, such as the concept of Digital Twins. Vacuum handling systems are a widespread technology for material handling in industry and face the same challenges and opportunities. In this field, a key issue is the lack of Digital Twins containing behavior models for vacuum handling systems and their components in different applications and use cases. A novel concept for modeling and simulating the fluidic behavior of pneumatic vacuum ejectors as key components of vacuum handling systems is proposed. In order to increase the simulation accuracy, the concept can access instance‐specific data of the used asset instead of object‐specific data. The model and the data are part of the Digital Twins of pneumatic vacuum ejectors, which shall be able to be combined with other components to represent a Digital Twin of entire vacuum handling systems. The proposed model is validated in an experimental test setup and in an industrial application delivering sufficiently accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the increasingly digitalised modern society, the development of digital competence (DC) from early childhood is ever more essential. This situation represents a challenge for educational institutions at all levels, as they must ensure the development of students’ DC, as well as train staff in teachers’ digital competence (TDC). This study aims at measuring the self-perception of students’ DC and TDC in a network of primary and secondary schools in the Valencian Community as a first step toward the detection of possible gaps and inequalities that may need to be addressed. The results show a high level of self-perceived DC among students and a medium-expert level of TDC among teachers. Additionally, differences in the self-assessed level of DC and TDC were found between the scores for the individual dimensions and types of literacy that make up these competencies, and there were significant differences in teachers’ self-assessment as a function of age and educational level. These findings provide evidence for the need to develop training programs aimed at enhancing TDC in order to reduce the inequalities found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a promising imaging modality that can provide noninvasive three-dimensional visualization information on tumor distribution. In BLT reconstruction, the widely used methods based on regularization or greedy strategy face problems such as over-sparsity, over-smoothing, spatial discontinuity, poor robustness, and poor multi-target resolution. To deal with these problems, combining the advantages of the greedy strategies as well as regularization methods, we propose a hybrid reconstruction framework for model-based multispectral BLT using the support set of a greedy strategy as a feasible region and the Alpha-divergence to combine the weighted solutions obtained by L 1-norm and L 2-norm regularization methods. In numerical simulations with digital mouse and in vivo experiments, the results show that the proposed framework has better localization accuracy, spatial resolution, and multi-target resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemistry of catechol (CC) was examined in HClO4 using cyclic voltammetry, convolution-deconvolution voltammetry, and digital simulation methods at polycrystalline platinum electrode. Cyclic voltammogram of catechol exhibited one anodic peak and one cathodic peak observed at less positive potential far enough to imply that the electrochemical behavior of CC is not a simple reversible mechanism. Two possible mechanisms were proposed for the electro-oxidation of catechol: an electron transfer followed by a dimerization (ECdim), or an electron transfer followed by a chemical reaction followed by another electron transfer followed by another chemical reaction (ECEC). Digital simulation study excluded the mechanism of an electron transfer followed by a chemical reaction followed by another electron transfer (ECE) as a possible mechanism. The kinetic parameters and the proposed electrode reactions were assessed by convolution-deconvolution voltammetry and digital simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing diagnostic competence is a central task in teacher education but faces two major challenges: First, there is little room in large university courses for the application of theoretical knowledge necessary for competence acquisition. Second, practicing diagnostic actions in real situations can have serious negative consequences in case of diagnostic errors. A digital simulation can meet both challenges and thereby enhance educational processes. This study evaluated a digital simulation to promote diagnostic competence in preservice teachers, comparing it to two control groups: a problem-based setting and a lecture-based setting. Results show positive effects for the digital simulation regarding self-determined motivation, but a lower knowledge gain compared to the lecture. Self-efficacy increased equally in all three learning environments. Thus, in the form investigated in this study, a digital simulation offers at least a small amount of added value to teacher education in the area of competency development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zhejiang Electric Power is the property of Zhejiang Electric Power Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to present the evolution of pattern construction in the textile industry starting from the manual construction of the basic pattern and ending with the current 3D method that is offered by most computer-aided design softwares. In this paper, the authors have chosen to present the way to simulate the fitting of a ladies' tunic and therefore to focus on the 3D Vidya design module, which is included in the computer-aided pattern making program Assyst. The computer-aided design program Assyst is in the top 3 of the kind programs used on the European market, the latest development being the 3D Vidya design module. Vidya's 3D module is now even more powerful, with incredibly realistic shadows and results thanks to the new V-RAY rendering system and PathTracer technology. With Vidya, one can instantly create avatars of the target group or a model in any size - all with lifelike sizes, shapes and realistic measurement increase or decrease across the full size range, which can be implemented in the shortest possible time. All digital accessories for simulation such as zippers, buttons, snaps have the characteristics of real accessories and behave as such, so in a simulation you can visualize exactly how a zipper behaves while in use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Uporabna Informatika is the property of Slovensko Drustvo Informatika and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Widely used in the making of sculptures and prefabricated building components, ferrocement is considered to be beneficial to environmental preservation. However, there is still little attention paid to the making shape and design of the ferrocement in the literature. Moreover, there are some disadvantages associated with ferrocement, such as the lengthy and complex process of binding poles and nets together. The research question to solve in this paper is about how to study the making shape of ferrocement when solving these disadvantages, so as to improve the characteristics of ferrocement. In this research, a dialogue is conducted between concrete fabrication and ferrocement, the focus of which is placed more on the material and craft instead of robotics as the recent frontier of concrete fabrication. By replacing the standard wire mesh in the ferrocement with steel, how to make the steel plate from two dimensions to three dimensions, and then assemble them into a steel skeleton is explored. Then, the craft of casting is studied for integration of the cement mixture into the steel skeleton and its tight attachment onto the steel surface with spraying. Apart from that, a digital software is applied to the simulation and design accompanied by physical experimentation. To sum up, the research demonstrates the potential of free-forming of the ferrocement and its application in the (prefabricated) building technology, with questions raised for future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among George Orwell’s many remarkable formulations in his novel 1984 there is the Party command to reject the evidence of what we see and hear. And yet, in resisting the Party command, can nowadays seeing and hearing provide evidence? Do, perhaps, the „lower“ senses of touch, smell, and taste prove to be the more reliable witnesses? These questions gained poignancy in the wake of the lockdowns and the push towards virtualization which reduced our senses to the two “higher” ones – the ones technologically transmittable, technologically surveillable, and increasingly susceptible to digital simulation. The lower ones are as yet elusive. My reflections on this paradox were triggered by a study (Excrementum: Senses of Proximity by Nina Nikolova) and an exhibition (Noli me tangere by Minna Antova), which coincided in time with the lockdowns. In my attempt ‒ largely against the grain of Baudrillard ‒ to extract utopia from the wreck of the human senses, I will turn to the lessons of an earlier era through two very different novels, Ivan Efremov’s The Andromeda Nebula (1957) and Philip K. Dick’s Simulacra (1964). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The ever more complex modern dental education requires permanent adaptation to expanding medical knowledge and new advancements in digital technologies as well as intensification of interdisciplinary collaboration. Our study presents a newly developed computerized method allowing virtual case simulation on modular digital dental models and 3D-printing of the obtained digital models; additionally, undergraduate dental students' opinion on the advanced method is investigated in this paper. Materials and Methods: Based on the digitalization of didactic dental models, the proposed method generates modular digital dental models that can be easily converted into different types of partial edentulism scenarios, thus allowing the development of a digital library. Three-dimensionally printed simulated dental models can subsequently be manufactured based on the previously obtained digital models. The opinion of a group of undergraduate dental students (n = 205) on the proposed method was assessed via a questionnaire, administered as a Google form, sent via email. Results: The modular digital models allow students to perform repeated virtual simulations of any possible partial edentulism cases, to project 3D virtual treatment plans and to observe the subtle differences between diverse teeth preparations; the resulting 3D-printed models could be used in students' practical training. The proposed method received positive feedback from the undergraduate students. Conclusions: The advanced method is adequate for dental students' training, enabling the gradual design of modular digital dental models with partial edentulism, from simple to complex cases, and the hands-on training on corresponding 3D-printed dental models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Oil Crop Sciences is the property of Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of IUL Research is the property of IUL - Universita Telematica degli Studi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the first proposals for the use of quantum computers was the simulation of quantum systems. Over the past three decades, great strides have been made in the development of algorithms for simulating closed quantum systems and the more complex open quantum systems. In this tutorial, we introduce the methods used in the simulation of single qubit Markovian open quantum systems. It combines various existing notations into a common framework that can be extended to more complex open system simulation problems. The only currently available algorithm for the digital simulation of single qubit open quantum systems is discussed in detail. A modification to the implementation of the simpler channels is made that removes the need for classical random sampling, thus making the modified algorithm a strictly quantum algorithm. The modified algorithm makes use of quantum forking to implement the simpler channels that approximate the total channel. This circumvents the need for quantum circuits with a large number of CNOT gates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to assess the effect of students' learning outcomes on interests and disciplines. This research is a quantitative method. Data is collected using poll dissemination methods. Quantitative analysis methods, findings in this study, data analysis show that students' interest in high categories, discipline categories is very high, and learning outcomes are in very high categories as well. The study also found an influence of interest on students' learning outcomes. There is also a disciplinary effect on students' learning outcomes. Implications for research and practice results suggest that discipline and interest have a major influence on learning outcomes, in this case Digital Simulation subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent development of a digital rehabilitation system, research on the rehabilitation of amputees is accelerating. However, research on rehabilitation systems for patients with amputation of the lower extremities is insufficient. For the rehabilitation of amputees, it is important to maintain muscle mass through the improvement of muscle movement memory, continuous rehabilitation learning, and motivation to improve efficiency. The rehabilitation system in a virtual environment is convenient in that there is no restriction on time and space because rehabilitation training of amputees is possible without removing/attaching general prosthetic legs and robot prosthetic legs. In this paper, we propose an XR rehabilitation system for patients with lower extremity amputation to improve the motivational aspect of rehabilitation training. The proposed method is a system that allows patients and clinical experts to perform rehabilitation in the same environment using two XR equipment called HoloLens 2. The content was provided in the form of a game in which the number of movements of amputees was allocated as scores to enhance rehabilitation convenience and motivation aspects. The virtual 3D model prosthetic leg used in-game content worked through the acquisition and processing of the patient's actual muscle EMG (ElectroMyoGraphy) signal. In order to improve reactivity, there was a time limit for completing the operation. The classified action should be completed by the amputee within the time limit, although the number of times set as the target. To complete the operation, the amputee must force the amputation area to exceed an arbitrarily set threshold. The evaluation results were evaluated through an independent sample t-test. we contribute to the development of digital rehabilitation simulation systems. XR rehabilitation training techniques, operated with EMG signals obtained from actual amputation sites, contribute to the promotion of rehabilitation content in patients with amputation of the lower extremities. It is expected that this paper will improve the convenience and rehabilitation of rehabilitation training in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effect of virtual simulation systems on the teaching of inlay experiments and to guide the experimental teaching of tooth preparation. Methods: Participants in their second semester of the junior year were selected to carry out the unified teaching and evaluation of dental preparation theory. The age varied from 18 to 22 years (19.96 ± 0.70) and the participants were randomly divided into four groups (n = 19) with a similar male-to-female ratio following CONSORT guidelines, including a jaw simulation model training group (Group J), a virtual simulation system training group (Group V), a jaw model training first followed by a virtual system training group (Group J-V), and a virtual system followed by a jaw model training group (Group V-J). The inlay tooth preparation assessment was performed on the extracted teeth. The data were analysed according to the assessment scores by a senior clinician. The subjective feelings of the students towards the system were evaluated using questionnaires. Results: The second theoretical scores of Group V-J (63.5 ± 2.89) and Group J-V (60.5 ± 3.25) were higher than those of Group V (57.5 ± 3.13) and Group J (58.0 ± 3.67). The experimental scores of Groups J-V and V-J (62.79 ± 2.84; 64.00 ± 2.85) were higher than those of Groups V and J (56.05 ± 3.39; 55.74 ± 2.53). The questionnaire survey illustrated that most students preferred the digital virtual simulation system (perfect assessment: 91.3%, accuracy: 82.6%, satisfaction: 52.2%). Conclusion: Virtual simulation training can facilitate the teaching effect of tooth preparation in inlay experiments, and the teaching mode of Group V-J was the best. Therefore, this teaching mode is to be popularised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate normal lung and heart tissue doses for treatment of left-sided breast cancer in deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) and free breathing (FB) as a function of breast size and diaphragm displacement using 4D-XCAT digital phantom in a simulation study. Materials and Methods: 4D-XCAT digital phantom was used to create 36 left-sided breast cancer digital phantom datasets with different breast height (BH) of 40, 50, and 60 mm, breast length (BL) of 16, 17, and 18 mm, and diaphragm excursion of 20, 25, 30, and 35 mm. For each dataset, DIBH and FB treatment plans were prepared using planning computerized radiotherapy-three dimensional (PCRT-3D) treatment planning system (TPS) with superposition computational algorithm. Dose differences in DIBH and FB plans were assessed in terms of mean lung dose (MLD), the lung volume receiving ≤20 Gy (V20), normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of the lung, mean heart dose (MHD), and the heart volume receiving ≤30 (V30). Results: DIBH reduced mean dose and V20 and NTCP of the lung in all cases, by up to 4.37 Gy, 7.62%, and 18.95%. Mean dose and V30 of the heart were also significantly reduced by 5.02 Gy and 8.23%. Conclusions: The use of DIBH for left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy offers excellent possibilities for sparing critical normal tissue without compromising radiation dose to the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the quantitative datasets of Electronic Arts' FIFA 20 top 100 players and their qualitative descriptors, the paper addresses the following: (1) How do ideas of race manifest and influence digital worlds? (2) How do digital football simulations (games) disrupt or reproduce racialised stereotypes and logics found within football in the social world? (3) How does playing football video games contribute to users' understandings of race and sport. This paper, the first in-depth study of its kind, provides new empirical insights into the presence of the 'natural athlete' discourse within the operative datasets that underpin White and Black digital player performances in FIFA 20. We conclude that FIFA 20 is a site for a potent experiential socialisation in racialised myths, where gamers come to know race and the racialized other in sport through feeling the racialized differences of the procedurally generated natural athlete quite literally through their controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the current "one key sequence control" system cannot effectively carry out the test work after being deployed in a substation project, a "one key sequential control" test method based on panoramic digital simulation technology is proposed. The actual primary and secondary equipment is replaced by digital analog simulation, the instanced sequential control operation ticket is completed based on professional atlas theory, and the full logic test of the "one key sequence control" equipment status configuration library, operation ticket configuration library, operation process, error prevention logic, dual criteria, etc., is completed so as to realize the visual test of all configurations of the "one key sequence control" system. It provides an efficient and reliable technical method for the testing and acceptance of the "one key sequential control" system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital quantum computers have the potential to simulate complex quantum systems. The spin-boson model is one of such systems, used in disparate physical domains. Importantly, in a number of setups, the spin-boson model is open, i.e., the system is in contact with an external environment which can, for instance, cause the decay of the spin state. Here, we study how to simulate such open quantum dynamics in a digital quantum computer, for which we use an IBM hardware. We consider in particular how accurate different implementations of the evolution result as a function of the level of noise in the hardware and of the parameters of the open dynamics. For the regimes studied, we show that the key aspect is to simulate the unitary portion of the dynamics, while the dissipative part can lead to a more noise-resistant simulation. We consider both a single spin coupled to a harmonic oscillator, and also two spins coupled to the oscillator. In the latter case, we show that it is possible to simulate the emergence of correlations between the spins via the oscillator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose the combination of digital quantum simulation and variational quantum algorithms as an alternative approach to numerical methods for solving quantum control problems. As a hybrid quantum–classical framework, it provides an efficient simulation of quantum dynamics compared to classical algorithms, exploiting the previous achievements in digital quantum simulation. We analyze the trainability and the performance of such algorithms based on our preliminary works. We show that specific quantum control problems, e.g., finding the switching time for bang-bang control or the digital quantum annealing schedule, can already be studied in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum era. We foresee that these algorithms will contribute even more to quantum control of high precision if the hardware for experimental implementation is developed to the next level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the automobile industry in recent years, China has become a big country of automobile production and consumption. The development of China's auto industry is currently at an important turning point, and accelerating the development of new energy vehicles has become a major national strategic measure. This research mainly discusses the energy-saving intelligent manufacturing optimization scheme of new energy vehicles. With the rapid growth of the global car ownership, from the perspective of sustainable development, the automobile industry must solve the four major automobile public hazards in the world: energy, pollution, safety and congestion. In view of this, the state regards energy-saving and new energy vehicles as the main strategic direction for the transformation and upgrading of China's automobile industry. This paper uses industrial engineering theory and lean management concept, and through the application of new intelligent manufacturing mode, realizes the design and manufacture of energy-saving and new energy vehicle lightweight body, and creates a reliable, comprehensive and feasible manufacturing collaborative management MES platform. It solves the problem of integration and interconnection of enterprise information platforms, realizes the intelligence and flexibility of stamping and welding automated production lines, shortens the development cycle, and meets the diverse needs of products. The first is to organize research on lean production theory, analyze the scope of application of theoretical tools, summarize theoretical tools suitable for lightweight intelligent manufacturing of automobiles, and provide theoretical support for lean and intelligent manufacturing research and on-site improvement; the second is to integrate and optimize the production process and process design through quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis, integrating theories such as production takt management and pull production, and analyze and study future on-site improvements, and discuss the lean path of smart factories; the third is to plan and design technical routes such as stamping and welding according to the process flow optimized by digital simulation, propose an overall solution for lean intelligent factory, analyze the advanced and innovative nature of the solution, and compare the comprehensive indicators with the expected goals, to evaluate the research results. During the research process, the energy consumption of output value was reduced by 8% than expected. This research helps to provide new ideas for intelligent manufacturing optimization of new energy vehicles. In the design of the program route of the intelligent manufacturing factory, the concept of lean production is introduced in the whole process, in order to provide a useful reference for similar enterprises in the industry in the application practice of intelligent manufacturing + lean production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital educational games have evolved in recent years due to the need to support education and training focused on non-technical skills. Data gathered through interaction with the graphical user interface are explored and exploited to analyze the players' experience. Many researchers have pointed the importance to analyse players' in-game behavior, which can help to enhance the learning process, identify learners' strategies, and improve the effectiveness of the serious game. This study is devoted to the analysis of students' behavior in a simulation game called CLONE, which targets work scheduling, situation awareness, and decision-making. The students performance and their behavioral strategies are examined based on sequences analysis of players' in-game actions. Moreover, outlier detection is proposed as an instrument for obtaining information that might help better understand students behavior. The findings of the study show that such indicators as time spent on planning schedule, time spent on inspecting additional information, and intensity of delegation activity are significantly higher for successful games than for lost ones. The sequences analysis and clustering have revealed students' prevailing in-game strategies, which mostly consist of inspection, reading medical records, delegation, and scheduling. Eventually, outlier detection has disclosed the game sessions with uncertain strategies and unstructured scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the widening technology of cement concrete pavement of rural highway, this paper further studies the blockage simulation process of permeable concrete pavement. Moreover, this paper separately studies various external conditions such as sediment gradation, horizontal runoff velocity, seepage velocity, porosity, etc., and reveals the mechanism of pore blockage in permeable pavement. After decades of self-gravity consolidation and the effect of traffic load on the subgrade of the rural old road, the consolidation of the old road has been basically completed. At the same time, after the new road is built, due to its own load and vehicle load, it gradually generates its own settlement, resulting in differential settlement of the old and new subgrade. In addition, this paper explores this difference through digital simulation, and puts forward several suggestions in combination with the simulation model. Finally, on this basis, this paper verifies the method proposed in this paper through experimental research. The research results show that the improvement strategy proposed in this paper is suitable for the widening construction of cement concrete pavement of rural highway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business model innovations (BMIs) are a promising approach to be successful in hyper-competition. There are several approaches for the systematic development of BMI. Within these approaches, however, companies are faced with major challenges, especially, in the decision-making process. On the one hand, certain information is not available, and on the other hand, cause-and-effect relationships within the innovation networks or systems are not known. In certain contexts, simulations can close this gap. Thus, this paper addresses the research question of how simulations can be systematically integrated into BMI approaches. Therefore, BMI processes and different simulation applications are reviewed, the aspect of BMI prototyping is identified and an extended BMI approach is developed, which systematically integrates simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies on the dynamic characteristics of planetary gearboxes are generally based on traditional modeling methods. The models were idealized because of various uncertain factors that affect the dynamic characteristics of the planetary gearbox. The influence of non-mechanical components, such as driving motors, on dynamic analysis, is often ignored. Digital twin technology can not only simulate the data characteristics of physical entities to realize the real-time state evaluation and fault diagnosis of complex equipment but also reflect the entity characteristics of the modeled object completely. Therefore, a digital twin multi-body dynamic model of a planetary gearbox is established for detecting the combined fault of the sun gear missing teeth and the planetary gear missing teeth or pitting under different working conditions. The dynamic characteristics of a planetary gearbox subjected to electromechanical coupling were studied. The sun gear fault frequency, planetary gear fault frequency, and both related modulation frequencies appear in the experiment, and the corresponding fault characteristic frequencies also appear in the digital twin simulation. The validity of the proposed model was experimentally verified. Finally, the root-mean-square index was used to analyze the fault sensitivity of the traditional and digital twin models. The results show that the fault diagnosis effect of the digital twin model has a significant advantage, thus verifying the necessity of considering the effect of electromechanical coupling on the dynamic characteristics of the planetary gearbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique method for promoting reflection among engineering students was used in the present study involving a digital circuits course. The method combined computer-based simulation for digital circuit design with reflective-thought prompts after a midterm exam for post-exam analysis and reflection. This method was first implemented in a microelectronics course using the SPICE simulator. Lessons learned from the initial implementation were applied to the digital circuits course. These lessons learned included the need to scaffold students in the use of the simulation tool for reflection, the need to balance frequency of reflection with student workload and fatigue, and question prompts that voluntarily elicit broad thought after a milestone event such as a midterm exam (versus a quiz). Using a published depth rubric, the assessment results found increased depth of reflection in the present course relative to the initial implementation in microelectronics. Specifically, there were increases in depth of reflection after the midterm exam in the present course versus the midterm exam and two quizzes in the microelectronics course. The increases in depth were significant relative to the quizzes. There was also an increase in the relative occurrence of broad reflections in the present course, with significant differences compared to the quizzes. Although significant differences were not found in the final exam averages based on depth of reflection after the midterm exam or participation in this reflection, results from a follow-up survey several months after the course ended indicated benefit for students. Specifically, 80% of those who competed the reflection exercise indicated a high or very high perceived benefit from doing so. Of the approximately 50% who chose not to complete the reflection exercise, the primary reasons were identified via the follow-up survey. Findings from this work align with and add to the developing literature on student reactions to reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Automatisierungstechnik is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)