International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

Considerable research has been conducted on measuring maximum tongue pressure, which is an index of tongue muscle strength that includes the relationship between tongue strength and swallowing function. Tongue pressure is the force with which the tongue presses a bolus of food against the palate and sends it into the pharynx. A low tongue pressure makes the aspiration of food more likely. In this study, we investigated the age-dependence of human swallowing function, as well as the swallowing function of female high school students in different courses, one in physical education and one in health and nursing.

In recent years, natural disasters have occurred almost annually in Japan, causing great damage. Power outages in disasterstricken areas have occasionally forced victims to resort to outdoor campfires or indoor candles for lighting. Prolonged bad weather during such events makes it difficult to safely secure lighting, which could have a negative influence on people’s health. To address this issue, we used white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the light source and fabricated handmade lanterns by filling a 500 mL plastic bottle with tap water and adding 1–2 drops of milk. In this study, an LED light source casing was constructed using a three-dimensional printer, achieving a stable light scattering effect. Red, green, blue, and yellow LEDs were used for the lantern, considering people’s preferences for colored handmade lanterns. An additional light source case was easily made from cardboard, and a bamboo light source case was also constructed.

Plasma-based ion implantation (PBII) is a surface modification technique that applies a negative high-voltage pulse to a sample immersed in plasma. PBII is suitable for samples with complex geometries, as its ion sheath conforms to the sample’s shape, ensuring uniform ion implantation. Due to its precise controllability, PBII is widely used industrially for surface modification and has promising applications for sterilization. We previously used PBII with oxygen gas to successfully sterilize heat-resistant spore. Here, we evaluated the use of PBII with HHO as the process gas for sterilization. Sterilization exceeding 7D was achieved at 10 min and 3 Pa. The enhancement of the sterilization efficacy was attributed to the synergistic effect of plasma and thermal energy, which emerged as a consequence of a temperature increase exceeding 100°C due to adjustments in pulse width and delay time. These results indicate the possibility for temperature control in PBII technology, which has potential application in sterilization processes.

In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) material graphene with exceptional electronic and mechanical properties is discussed as a promising candidate for chemiresistive sensor applications. High surface area and superior charge carrier mobility of graphene enable rapid and sensitive detection of gaseous analytes, making it an attractive alternative to conventional metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors. The review of recent advancements in graphene-based chemiresistive gas sensors is done, highlighting their operational principles, fabrication techniques, and performance enhancements through material modifications such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Additionally, we examine the application of graphene sensors in environmental monitoring, where their ability to detect pollutants like NO₂ , NH₃ , and CO₂ with high sensitivity and low power consumption provides a significant advantage over traditional sensing technologies. Despite these advancements, challenges such as selectivity, standardization, and sensor stability remain critical areas for future research.

When location was estimated using Sigfox’s Atlas Wi-Fi, the estimation error is several hundred meters. Meanwhile, when location was estimated using the Wi-Fi media access control (MAC) address and HERE’s API, the estimation error was ~10 m. In an Internet of Things device that obtains the Wi-Fi MAC address, the combination of exp32 and 100a was ~1/5th of the combination of Arduino R4 and Sigfox Shield.

This paper presents a study on the current state of research and use of dichalcogenides of transition metals, particularly WS2. The properties of WS2 in the context of its application in sensor technology and highlight the anticipated advantages of nanostructured disulfides are discussed.

In recent years, natural disasters have frequently occurred in Japan, almost yearly, causing enormous damage. In Hiroshima Prefecture, heavy rains in August 2014 and July 2018 caused large-scale landslides. Power outages continued in the affected areas, and some survivors had been lighting campfires outdoors and using candles indoors. In times of disaster in which bad weather persists, it is difficult to safely secure lighting, which can adversely affect health. Lanterns can be created by putting a few drops of milk into a PET bottle filled with water and shining light from the bottle’s bottom. In this study, we used a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source to evaluate the luminance of handmade lanterns. Results suggested that when using tap water with one LED lamp and a 500 ml PET bottle, 1–2 drops of milk are suitable to achieve the optimal light scattering effect.

In this study, the Sigfox network and the Internet were employed to develop an Internet of Things device equipped with temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and other sensors to measure different physical data. In addition, we attempted to control Sigfox communication by employing AT commands using the Arduino UNOR4 Sigfox module, and social implementation of the proposed system.

This paper presents an investigation of innovative nanostructured semiconductive materials, focusing on dichalcogenides of transition metals, particularly WS2. The properties of WS2 in the context of its application in sensor technology and highlight the anticipated advantages of nanostructured disulfides compared to bulk semiconductor materials are discussed in the introduction. We propose a model sensor element based on the nanostructured disulfide WS2 and introduce a technological method utilizing electron beam lithography (EBL) for its preparation. The paper details the processes involved in preparing the resist masking layer using EBL, the metallization of the interdigital electrode (IDE) with contacts and important EBL characteristics such as a contrast curve, dependence of the linewidth on the exposure dose, and the line edge roughness.

In this work, electron beam lithography (EBL) is presented as an important technology shaping the future of semiconductor manufacturing within the Industry 4.0 initiative. The EBL contribution to the ongoing evolution of electronic devices and technologies is discussed in the context of the Industry 4.0 initiative. Semiconductor technologies are foundational to the implementation of Industry 4.0, playing a critical role in enabling advanced computing, communication, sensing, and control systems. They facilitate the creation of intelligent, interconnected, and automated systems in the Industry 4.0 initiative. In addition, we present some of our results in the field of EBL research. The focus is on investigating the electron beam resist profile depending on various process parameters. The influence of electron beam lithography parameters, such as electron energy, resist thickness, and exposure dose, on the resist sidewall shape (profile) is studied for the PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate) positive electron beam resist. Simulation results based on measurements along the resist profile depth are presented and discussed. The aim of this work is to develop and validate models for predicting and precisely controlling resist profiles in thick PMMA layers applied in the fabrication of electronic devices.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has seamlessly integrated more than a billion intelligent, interconnected devices into our world today, and is expected to accommodate soon hundreds of billions more such devices. This imminent proliferation heralds a profound transformation that stands to influence the electronics industry and many other sectors. Furthermore, integrating blockchain technology into IoT can impart genuine trust in the collected data. Hence, our research endeavors to harness this potential by applying it to hydrogenrelated data, which are expected to be critical in realizing a carbon-neutral society.
Specifically, our attention is directed toward utilizing an initial blockchain system to securely store data obtained from IoT devices equipped with hydrogen sensors that can communicate through Sigfox technology.

We report the results of measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations 140 times a day in habitable spaces using Sigfox along with temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure measurements. We design and fabricate a printed circuit board to integrate the sensor with an Arduino processor. Using the developed sensor, we estimate that if one adult male performs light work for 1 h in a typical living room [3.17 m (width 3.17 m) × 7.4 m (length 7.4 m) × 2.6 m (height 2.6 m) = volume 61.4 m3], the carbon dioxide CO2 concentration will increase by approximately 200 ppm. In the future, the developed sensor could be used for detailed human behavior studies in the context of CO2 concentrations.