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The purpose of this paper is to argue in favor of the open hardware philosophy (open-source hardware – OSH) as a technological innovation and academic entrepreneurshipmodel in Brazil.

This argument is based on three pillars. The first one refers to a bibliographic review of theoretical frameworks related to academic entrepreneurship and technological innovation to emphasize the disruptive innovation capacity of academia. Second, a few elements related to the Brazilian political, economic and structural scenario, which entail a (more) favorable environment to technological innovation and academic entrepreneurship, is presented. Finally, concepts related to OSH and its business model are approached to demonstrate the facilitating effect toward the whole process.

As a result of the argument made herein, it is possible to perceive the viability of the OSH model in terms of entrepreneurship and technological innovation in the academic sphere, and to perceive its benefits before social and economic needs in areas such as health and education.

There are no empirical or quantifiable data in the literature that enable comparison between OSH and traditional technological innovation models.

The considerations on the philosophical value of OSH and its business models are scarcely explored in international literature. As far as we know, relating OSH to technological innovation entrepreneurship in the academic sphere, as well as its singularities in Brazil regarding the innovation national system and social and economic demands, is a unique approach in literature.

Research to find new energy source is still an intensive work by researchers in this field. One of the energy sources with no negative impact to environment is solar energy. Solar cell is used to convert solar energy to electrical energy. The electrically powered solar cell in direct current (DC) power is not suitable for our daily office equipment since they need the alternating current (AC) power. This research has succeeded in realizing a solar cell automation tool based on Arduino Uno with input from solar energy, from which output AC voltage can be used for the needs of household appliances and office equipments. Output power of this tool is approximately 700 W, which can turn on the lights, charge the hand phones, laptops, and so forth.

Purpose – This study aims to design and build a wireless supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system based on Protocol AX.25 with the aim of monitoring the performance of several parameters in Microhydro Power Plant (MHPP). This system can monitor several MHPP parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, and turbine rotation so that it can be accessed directly at one central location.

Design/Methodology/Approach – The design is done by taking into account the real parameters that exist in the MHPP. Some parameters that become the main object to see the performance of MHPP are voltage, current, frequency, and turbine rotation. The voltage generated by the MHPP must be adjusted to the voltage supplied by State Electricity Company to the consumer, including the phase used. The resulting stream should also be monitored for power to be adjusted to the turbine spin. The generator frequency is kept stable according to the standard frequency of the State Electricity Company generator.

Findings – The remote terminal unit (RTU) system has been simulated using 2 ACS712 current sensors, voltage sensor, zero crossing point, frequency sensor, and rotation sensor functionalized to monitor MHPP parameters. The AX.25 protocol has been applicable in the wireless SCADA network for monitoring the performance of MHPP by embedding in KYL-1020UA transceiver radio using the 433 MHz frequency and the audio frequency shift keying modulation system. Radio transmitter KYL-1020UA has been successfully simulated to send data from sensors to display on the computer through SCADA built applications. The data changes in the RTU section can be displayed properly on the graphic user interface in accordance with the existing display at the MHPP location.

Research Limitations/Implications – There are only two RTUs that will be connected to communicate, in this case MHPP-1 with callsign “RTU-001” and MHPP-2 with callsign “RTU-002.” While the existing devices in the data access section parameters MHPP as master station with callsign “MSSCADA” monitoring the performance of parameters sent from the RTU. There is no collision or error in data transmission. Baudrate is varied at 1,200 bps, 2,400 bps, 4,800 bps, and 9,600 bps for effective throughput calculation and AX.25 protocol efficiency. The transmission distance is varied at 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, and 500 m to see the bit error rate with baudrate 1,200 bps and 9,600 bps.

Practical Implications – This product is expected to be applied to several MHPP locations in Aceh Province so that its monitoring system is more centralized and efficient.

Originality/Value – This research if for the efficient monitoring of several MHPP located far apart and can be monitored in one central location so that operators do not have to be located at the plant site.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to design and build a wild animal pest repellent device with combination of passive infrared (PIR) sensor and ultrasonic signal based on microcontroller as system controller. The PIR sensor is used to detect the presence of wild animal objects and ultrasonic signals to interfere with the hearing.

Design/Methodology/Approach – The design of the system is built based on microcontroller as the system controller. The system as a whole includes hardware and software. The design of hardware consists of the system design on the transmitter side and the system design on the receiver side, while the software in the of system are algorithms using C language programming.

Findings – The resulting repellent device can detect animals approaching up to a distance of 5 m and may interfere with its hearing with a 40 kHz ultrasonic frequency up to a distance of 20 m. The system also uses remote monitoring devices using 433 MHz radio frequency up to a distance of 60 m.

Research Limitations/Implications – Each animal has different hearing frequencies, as well as some wild animals, but the hearing frequencies of wild animals are generally at ultrasonic frequencies. The frequency of animal hearing may vary from audio frequency to ultrasonic frequency, so ultrasonic wave emission testing with varying frequencies is required.

Practical Implications – This research combines systems on transmitters and receivers, with real-time monitoring of wild animal positions, and it can be possible to monitor the position of more detailed animals by installing more types of sensors as well as increasing the number of sensors.

Originality/Value – This paper may provide additional insight into the hearing frequencies of animals and may also serve as comparable papers for similar studies.

Despite South Africa’s ailing electrical grid, substantial renewable energy (RE) integration is planned for the country. As grid-integrated RE affects all grids differently, this study aims to develop an adaptable grid code-guided renewable power plant (RPP) control real-time simulation testbed, tailored to South African grid code requirements to study grid-integrated RE’s behaviour concerning South Africa’s unique conditions.

The testbed is designed using MATLAB’s Simulink and live script environments, to create an adaptable model where grid, RPP and RPP guiding grid codes are tailorable. This model is integrated with OPAL-RT’s RT-LAB and brought to real-time simulation using OPAL-RT’s OP4510 simulator. Voltage, frequency and short-circuit event case studies are performed through which the testbed’s abilities and performance are assessed.

Case study results show the following. The testbed accurately represents grid code voltage and frequency requirements. RPP point of connection (POC) conditions are consistently recognized and tracked, according to which the testbed then operates simulated RPPs, validating its design. Short-circuit event simulations show the simulated wind farm supports POC conditions relative to short-circuit intensity by curtailing active power in favour of reactive power, in line with local grid code requirements.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first design of an adaptable grid code-guided RPP control testbed, tailored to South African grid code requirements in line with which RPP behavioural and grid integration studies can be performed.

The purpose of this paper is to reduce the difficulty of model predictive control (MPC) deployment on FPGA so that researchers can make better use of FPGA technology for academic research.

In this paper, the MPC algorithm is written into FPGA by combining hardware with software. Experiments have verified this method.

This paper implements a ZYNQ-based design method, which could significantly reduce the difficulty of development. The comparison with the CPU solution results proves that FPGA has a significant acceleration effect on the solution of MPC through the method.

Due to the limitation of practical conditions, this paper cannot carry out a hardware-in-the-loop experiment for the time being, instead of an open-loop experiment.

This paper proposes a new design method to deploy the MPC algorithm to the FPGA, reducing the development difficulty of the algorithm implementation on FPGA. It greatly facilitates researchers in the field of autonomous driving to carry out FPGA algorithm hardware acceleration research.

Data represents a critical resource that enables construction companies’ success; thus, its management is very important. The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits of construction data risks management (DRM) in the construction industry (CI).

This study adopted a quantitative method and collected data from various South African construction professionals with the aid of an e-questionnaire. These professionals involve electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, architects and mechanical, as well as civil engineers involved under a firm, or organisation within the province of Gauteng, South Africa. Standard deviation, mean item score, non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis H test and exploratory factor analysis were used to analyse the retrieved data.

The findings revealed that DRM enhances project and company data availability, promotes confidentiality and enhances integrity, which are the primary benefits of DRM that enable the success of project delivery.

The research was carried out only in the province of Gauteng due to COVID-19 travel limitations.

The construction companies will have their data permanently in their possession and no interruption will be seen due to data unavailability, which, in turn, will allow long-term and overall pleasant project outcomes.

This study seeks to address the benefits of DRM in the CI to give additional knowledge on risk management within the built environment to promote success in every project.

The brake controller is a key component of the locomotive brake system. It is essential to study its safety.

This paper summarizes and analyzes typical faults of the brake controller, and proposes four categories of faults: position sensor faults, microswitch faults, mechanical faults and communication faults. Suggestions and methods for improving the safety of the brake controller are also presented.

In this paper, a self-judgment and self-learning dynamic calibration method is proposed, which integrates the linear error of the sensor and the manufacturing and assembly errors of the brake controller to solve the output drift. This paper also proposes a logic for diagnosing and handling microswitch faults. Suggestions are proposed for other faults of brake controller.

The methods proposed in this paper can greatly improve the usability of the brake controller and reduce the failure rate.

Auxiliary power system is an indispensable part of the train; the auxiliary systems of both electric locomotives and EMUs mainly are powered by one of the two ways, which are either from auxiliary windings of traction transformers or from DC-link voltage of traction converters. Powered by DC-link voltage of traction converters, the auxiliary systems were maintained of uninterruptable power supply with energy from electric braking. Meanwhile, powered by traction transformers, the auxiliary systems were always out of power while passing the neutral section of power supply grid and control system is powered by battery at this time.

Uninterrupted power supply of auxiliary power system powered by auxiliary winding of traction transformer was studied. Failure reasons why previous solutions cannot be realized are analyzed. An uninterruptable power supply scheme for the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers is proposed in this paper. The validity of the proposed scheme is verified by simulation and experimental results and on-site operation of an upgraded HXD3C type locomotive. This scheme is attractive for upgrading practical locomotives with the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers.

This scheme regenerates braking power supplied to auxiliary windings of traction transformers while a locomotive runs in the neutral section of the power supply grid. Control objectives of uninterrupted power supply technology are proposed, which are no overvoltage, no overcurrent and uninterrupted power supply.

The control strategies of the scheme ensure both overvoltage free and inrush current free when a locomotive enters or leaves the neutral section. Furthermore, this scheme is cost low by employing updated control strategy of software and add both the two current sensors and two connection wires of hardware.

This paper describes a two-month summer intensive course designed to introduce participants with a hands-on technical craft on robotics and to acquire experience in the low-level details of embedded systems. Attendants started this course with a brief introduction to robotics; learned to draw, design and create a personalized 3D structure for their mobile robotic platform and developed skills in embedded systems. They were familiarize with the practices used in robotics, learning to connect all sensors and actuator, developing a typical application on differential kinematic using Arduino, exploring ROS features under Raspberry Pi environment and Arduino – Raspberry Pi communication. Different paradigms and some real applications and programming were addressed on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Throughout the course, participants were introduced to programming languages (including Python and C++), advanced programming concepts such as ROS, basic API development, system concepts such as I2C and UART serial interfaces, PWM motor control and sensor fusion to improve robotic navigation and localization. This paper describes not just the concept, layout and methodology used on RobotCraft 2017 but also presents the participants knowledge background and their overall opinions, leading to focus on lessons learned and suggestions for future editions.