Most of the rest of the world has relied on ductless mini-split systems for their heating and cooling needs for decades, but that has not been the case in the U.S. That may be changing with the advent of ducted mini-split systems.

The proper application of modern HVAC technologies can help maximize indoor air quality while minimizing losses in operational efficiency.

When changing the refrigerant within your pumping application, it is worth discussing the application with a process specialist.

Aaon’s focus on serviceability and performance helped the WH Series earn gold in The NEWS’ 2017 Dealer Design Awards HVAC Light Commercial Equipment category.

In this episode we talk with Doug Simon from Sun Microsystems Laboratories about the Maxine Research VM, a so-called meta-circular virtual machine. Maxine is a JVM that is written itself in Java, but aims at taking JVM development to the next level while using highly integrated Java IDEs as development environments and running and debugging the VM itself directly from the Inspector, an IDE-like tool specialized for the Maxine VM. During the episode we talk about the basic ideas behind Maxine, what exactly "meta-circular" means and what makes it interesting and promising to build a Java VM in Java. We talk about the relationship to Sun's current production JVM (HotSpot) and about ideas and directions for the future of Maxine.

Jeff Meyerson talks to Haoyuan Li about Alluxio, a memory-centric distributed storage system. The cost of memory and disk capacity are both decreasing every year–but only the throughput of memory is increasing exponentially. This trend is driving opportunity in the space of big data processing. Alluxio is an open source, memory-centric, distributed, and reliable storage system enabling data sharing across clusters at memory speed. Alluxio was formerly known as Tachyon. Haoyuan is the creator of Alluxio. Haoyuan was a member of the Berkeley AMPLab, which is the same research facility from which Apache Mesos and Apache Spark were born. In this episode, we discuss Alluxio, Spark, Hadoop, and the evolution of the data center software architecture.

Learn how a business that struggled with outages, performance problems, and an inability to ship overcame their problems by introducing monitoring, docker, continuous integration, and some fresh perspectives.

Saša Jurić, author of Elixir in Action, explains the Elixir programming language and how it unlocks the benefits of the Erlang ecosystem, revealing the “sweet spot” for Elixir programs: highly scalability and fault tolerant systems with a simple arc

Alexis Richardson discusses gitops - a deployment model based on convergent infrastructure as code with host Robert Blumen.

José Valim, creator of the Elixir programming language, Chief Adoption Officer at Dashbit, and author of three programming books, speaks with SE Radio host Gavin Henry about what Elixir is today, what Livebook is, the five spearheads of the new machine learning ecosystem for Elixir, and how they all fit together. Valim describes why he created Elixir, what “the beam” is, and how he pitches it to new users. This episode examines things you can do with Livebook and how it is well-aligned with machine learning, as well as why immutability is important and how it works. They take a detailed look at a range of topics, including tensors with Nx, traditional machine learning with Scholar, data munging with Explorer, deep learning and neural networks with Axon, Bumblebee and Huggingface, and model creation basics. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine.

Sean Moriarity, creator of the Axon deep learning framework, co-creator of the Nx library, and author of Machine Learning in Elixir and Genetic Algorithms in Elixir, published by the Pragmatic Bookshelf, speaks with SE Radio host Gavin Henry about what deep learning (neural networks) means today. Using a practical example with deep learning for fraud detection, they explore what Axon is and why it was created. Moriarity describes why the Beam is ideal for machine learning, and why he dislikes the term “neural network.” They discuss the need for deep learning, its history, how it offers a good fit for many of today’s complex problems, where it shines and when not to use it. Moriarity goes into depth on a range of topics, including how to get datasets in shape, supervised and unsupervised learning, feed-forward neural networks, Nx.serving, decision trees, gradient descent, linear regression, logistic regression, support vector machines, and random forests. The episode considers what a model looks like, what training is, labeling, classification, regression tasks, hardware resources needed, EXGBoost, Jax, PyIgnite, and Explorer. Finally, they look at what’s involved in the ongoing lifecycle or operational side of Axon once a workflow is put into production, so you can safely back it all up and feed in new data. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine. This episode sponsored by Miro.

Maxim Fateev, the CEO of Temporal, speaks with SE Radio's Philip Winston about how Temporal implements durable execution. They explore concepts including workflows, activities, timers, event histories, signals, and queries. Maxim also compares deployment using self-hosted clusters or the Temporal Cloud.

Shannon Selbert, co-founder of Soren and developer of Oban, and Parker Selbert, creator of the Oban background job framework, chief architect at dscout, and co-founder of Soren, speak with SE Radio host Gavin Henry about robust job processing in Elixir. They explore the reliability, consistency, and observability in relation to job processing, to understand how Oban, Elixir, and PostgreSQL deliver them.

The Selberts describe why Oban was created, its history, which parts of the Elixir ecosystem they use, and why this would not be possible without PostgreSQL and Elixir. They discuss the lessons learned in the 5 years since the first release, as well as use cases, job throughput, the hardest problem to solve so far, workers, queues, CRON, distributed architectures, retry algorithms, just-once methodologies, the reliability the beam brings, consistency across nodes, how PostgreSQL is vital, telemetry data, best use cases for Oban, and the most common issues that new users face. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine.

To show their support of a future Madame President, Gov. Tim Walz and others in the party are publicly relinquishing male power and privilege.

Street selling is a risky activity in Mexico City. But the mercaditas movement aims to empower women and nonbinary sellers to protect themselves from economic exploitation.

Women of color want demographic and political representation, just as wealthy white men have had for generations.

Lauren Layfield investigates sexism, finding out what it is and how it can affect us.

New research shows the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from private jets between 2019 and 2023.

Lexxica provides resources to determine how much vocabulary a student knows and find gaps in their knowledge. They also claim to be able to accurately assess which words a student already knows.

The site is difficult to navigate and prone to crash. If all goes well, try the V-Check to find out how vocabulary you know (works for native speakers, too) and V-Admin to process your data. There are also flash games, free graded texts and flash cards.

I would be interested if other members here tried it and posted comments.

Lexxica: URL - http://www.lexxica.com/
 

Nowadays, HV/EHV substations have become pretty complex from the design point of view. Besides the main electrical equipment, which must be designed and selected correctly, there are several auxiliary facilities without which a substation would not be able to operate... Read more

The post The essential HV/EHV substation auxiliary facilities you should know about appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

A panel of state legislators rejected a bill that would have provided new financial incentives in New Mexico for the hydrogen fuel that is derived from natural gas.

I just read a great post by John Kleeman on the Questionmark Blog that I wanted to share with you concerning test anxiety. We have previously discussed test anxiety (here and here), but it is interesting to read Kleeman's take on the difference in test anxiety between online and paper and pencil assessments. Here is the post in its entirety:

I’ve been reading about test anxiety (concern or worry by participants sufficiently severe that it impacts test performance). I’d like to share some tips on how online assessment sponsors can reduce its likelihood.

When creating and delivering tests, you seek to accurately measure knowledge, skills or abilities. Often you want to check competence or mastery for workplace or compliance reasons. If some of your participants have severe test anxiety, this doesn’t just disrupt them, it makes your test less accurate in measuring real performance. You might end up failing someone who is competent, just because anxiety affects their test performance.

Many studies (for example here) report that online tests cause less test anxiety than paper ones. Here are some suggestions on reducing test anxiety:

1. Some people have anxiety about a test because they haven’t mastered the subject being tested. Provide a clear description of what each test covers before the time of the test, and provide study resources or instruction to allow people to master the subject.

2. Test anxiety can also feed on unknowns, for instance on unfamiliarity with the test or believing untrue myths. Share information about the test’s purpose and what you do to make it fair. Also share information about the content: how many questions, how the scoring works, how much time is available and so on. Explain what happens if someone fails – for instance is it possible to retake?

3. It’s hugely valuable to provide practice tests that participants can try out before the real test. This will tell them where they are strong and weak and allow them to gain confidence in a less stressful environment prior to the real test. See my article 10 reasons why practice tests help make perfect exams for other reasons why practice tests are useful.

4. Give participants an opportunity to practice using the same type of computer, mouse, keyboard and user interface as will be used for the real test. This familiarizes them with the test environment and reduces potential anxiety, particularly for those who are less computer literate. If you are using Questionmark to deliver the test, make practice sessions available with the same template settings and the same types of questions. (Sometimes this is done with a fun quiz on a different topic, just to get people accustomed to the user interface.)

5. If you provide guidance to test-takers, point to self-help resources for people who have test anxiety. ETS provide a good resource here for instance. Another resource from the University of California is here.

6. Some self-help resources suggest breathing exercises or other exercises people can follow to reduce tension for people who are anxious about tests. Provide an environment where this is practical and train your test administrators and proctors about the prevalence of test anxiety.

7. If you have a way of encouraging test takers to sleep, take exercise and eat healthily, all these things aid a rational approach to taking a test and reducing anxiety.

8. If it works in your programme, consider whether it’s worth having a series of tests rather than a single test, so there is not a single “make or break” moment for participants. A series of tests can have other benefits too. It makes cheating harder, and by spreading out learning and revision, it can make participants retain the learning better.

9. People with disabilities are more likely to suffer test anxiety. Ensure that your program of accommodations takes this into account. See this helpful article on reducing test anxiety for people with disabilities.

10. Above all, create good quality, fair tests. If you follow good practice in authoring your questions and assessments, then there is less to be anxious about, as the test will be a good measure of performance. See Questionmark’s white paper “Five Steps to Better Tests” for some helpful advice in creating tests.

Many Questionmark users provide very effective practice quizzes and tests which help reduce test anxiety, and I hope these tips are helpful, too.

I’d love to hear additional input or suggestions.

The auxiliary DC control power system is considered the most crucial element of a protection, control, and monitoring system. The failure of the direct current (DC) control power can result in the inability of fault detection devices to identify faults,... Read more

The post Auxiliary DC power system used for fault detection, trip coils and remote operation appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Chillers are the single largest energy-using component in most facilities, and can typically consume over 50% of the electrical usage. Chillers use approximately 20% of the total electrical power generated in North America and the U.S. Department of Energy estimates... Read more

The post How to Maximize Chiller Efficiency? appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

This approach assumes retrofitting and upgrading old substation secondary equipment such as intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), monitoring sensors, power apparatus, communication protocol and operating standards to improve the overall performance or reduce cost without disrupting the continuity of service. For... Read more

The post Secondary equipment you should always consider when retrofitting existing HV substation appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

In modern electrical power systems, ensuring a reliable and continuous supply of electricity is critical, particularly in facilities where downtime can result in significant operational disruptions and financial losses. Low voltage automatic transfer schemes at substations play a vital role... Read more

The post ATS Schematics and Logic Analysis for a Substation 415V AC Auxiliary Supply Panel appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

This technical article will try to shed some light on the main and auxiliary circuit diagrams of switching three-phase motors via contactor and switching directly. We’ll cover some fundamental schematics with an old-school explanations and logics on how they work.... Read more

The post Main and auxiliary circuit diagrams of switching three-phase motors via contactor and directly appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

This technical article is dedicated to the main and auxiliary circuit diagrams of switching three-phase motors. We’ll now discuss a little more complicated schematics than the previous article. We’ll cover seven schematics of switching pole-changing three-phase induction motors with one... Read more

The post Main and auxiliary circuit diagrams of switching pole-changing three-phase motors appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Removing asbestos requires precision and care to ensure that everybody on the job site is safe. New technology may make this line of work more manageable and efficient for contractors.

Financial literacy in Singapore has not been analysed in much detail, despite the fact that this is one of the world’s most rapidly aging nations. In this podcast, Professor of Finance Benedict Koh from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, discusses the key findings of his research jointly conducted with Olivia Mitchell from the University of Pennsylvania and Susann Rohwedder, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and Associate Director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging. Using a unique new data-set and nationally representative survey - the Singapore Life Panel, they conducted an analysis of older Singaporeans’ financial literacy. Here, Professor Koh discusses his key findings, including: Do older Singaporeans score better on financial knowledge compared to their counterparts in the United States? What are the empirical linkages between financial literacy and retirement preparedness in Singapore? And is financial literacy positively associated with greater wealth and diversity of portfolios?

Planetary scientists are using a volcanic flow field in New Mexico to puzzle out how long past volcanic eruptions on Mars might have lasted, a finding that could help researchers determine if Mars was ever hospitable to life. People don't usually think of New Mexico as a volcanically active place, but it has some of the youngest (geologically speaking) large lava flows in the continental United States.

The post New Mexico badlands help researchers understand past Martian lava flows (video) appeared first on GeoSpace.

A new study simulates ocean tides on imaginary Earth-like worlds, revealing the limits of topography’s influence on tidal energy

The post How to design continents for maximum tides appeared first on GeoSpace.

In this interview, Keith Smith, CEO of Vonco Products, talks about how makers of medical packaging are borrowing a page or two from the consumer sector when it comes to developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.

From filling to sterilizing, flexible packaging must be handled differently than rigid containers.

As part of our 2024 "State of Flexible Packaging" initiative, The Packaging Group from BNP Media reached out to leading converters for their input on the current EPR legislative climate.

Packaging Strategies recently sat down with Natalie Kaczorowski and Todd Meussling of Fresh-Lock® to discuss the company’s development of the award-winning Costco Kirkland Signature® Ultra Clean Premium Laundry Detergent Pacs.

The gradual commercialization of Near Field Communication products show how companies like Thin Film Electronics (Thinfilm) are pushing the integration of electronic intelligence into everyday products such as packaging labels.

The shift from rigid to flexible packaging has been evident for some time now – and it’s only growing.

Environmentally conscious consumers are looking for packaging that uses fewer resources and less energy than other forms of packaging. Flexible packaging minimizes transport costs between the converter, packager/filler, retailer and end user.

Flexible packaging accounts for 19 percent of the overall packaging market and is expected to grow at a rate of 3.9 percent CAGR by 2023, according to the 2019 Flexible Packaging Marketing Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Sustainable solutions continue to be a top priority for consumer packaging goods (CPG) companies.

This expansion positions Nefab to provide a full range of sustainable packaging solutions tailored to the Lithium-Ion battery (LiB), E-mobility, and automotive sectors. 

Winpak will utilize NOVA’s recycled polyethylene (rPE) to manufacture and distribute high-quality packaging materials for the protection of perishable foods, beverages, and personal care products.

As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. In the packaging world, flexible packaging is considered by many to be the optimal way for a company to put its best foot forward.

Collaboration offers Praxis customers access to enhanced product tracing to meet compliance requirements such as the FDA-mandated DSCSA (Drug Supply Chain Security Act) regulation with a November 2024 enforcement deadline.

Leading European wheat adhesive specialist improves service for corrugated board manufacturers in Latin America.

According to the FDA website: Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. of Evansville, Ind. is expanding its December 30, 2020 voluntary recall of certain dog and cat food products produced in its Chickasha Operations Facility to include all dog and cat pet food products made with corn products because those products may contain aflatoxin levels that exceed acceptable limits.

Contributing to a circular economy, the FlexiBag Reinforced range is recyclable where collection facilities and recycling systems for PE films are in place.

Installation of Cama Group’s IG270 and IF296 machines has enabled a 14% increase in line productivity.

The new product, a wax-free twist-wrap made entirely from paper, prioritizes recyclability and supports the global shift toward sustainable products.