Automated Inflation and Pressure Regulation for Recreational and Professional Cyclists
Cycling is a very popular mode of transport as well as a famous sport around the world. Many people enjoy this sport either professionally or recreationally. Cycling in the UK alone has grown up to 200% since lockdown in 2020. (Chandler, 2020) Cyclists make use of a broad selection of products to enhance their performance. Those products range from wireless gear shifting, advanced geometry, smart suspension. This project is aimed to indicate the importance of tire pressure and to introduce a product which will be able to adjust tire pressure while cycling. This product will give cyclist an advantage on different terrains as well as eliminate some common problems amongst cyclists. Flat tires are one of these problems. It occurs commonly amongst cyclists and can happen due to a variety of reasons. Another problem is wrongly inflated tires. This causes unnecessary loss in a cyclist’s power and speeds due to the high rolling resistance between the tires and the surface. This then results in losing time whether racing or commuting. In an article published in 2014 in Velonews.com, Lennard Zinn states: “Whether on tarmac or singletrack, a tire with lower rolling resistance reduces the power required to move forward while also providing a better quality ride. The tire absorbs small bumps by not transferring them into the bicycle and rider, resulting in a smoother ride, faster speeds, and better cornering." (Zinn, 2014) Taking this in consideration it becomes clear that it is important to develop a system which is able to control tire pressure.
隱密的發育調節中樞-植物轉錄因子BPC對發育之調控機制 A cryptic hub for development control: Unraveling the regulatory role of plant transcription factor class I BASIC PENTACYSTEINEs in Arabidopsis development
GAGA 序列為生物發育重要順式作用子; BPC (BASIC PENTACYSTEINE) 則為植物特有 GAGA 結合蛋白。已知 bpc 突變體具多效性,其生理時鐘相關之發育有多重缺陷。阿拉伯芥BPC家族中 BPC1, BPC2, BPC3 為第一亞群,且 BPC 群間和群內有重疊與拮抗作用。為探究第一群 BPC 是否調控生理時鐘,本實驗以 3D 影像觀察 bpc1 bpc2、bpc1 bpc2 bpc3 及野生型之晝夜運動,並誘導 BPC 過量表現以檢測時鐘基因反應,發現 bpc 突變體之晝夜運動與時鐘節律皆有缺陷,顯示 BPC 能影響生理時鐘運行。透過一系列對第一群 BPC 突變體與過量表現植株的 RT-qPCR 檢測,可歸結第一群 BPC 是能調控生理時鐘與葉片生長的中心。
Using P.I.P. to strengthen roads: Plastic incinerated by plastic
People have become accustomed to single-use plastics. These are plastics that are used once only and are then thrown away or recycled. A piece of plastic can only be recycled 2-3 times before it is of bad quality and can no longer be of use. (Achyut K. Panda, 2019). Plastic waste fills up landfills and oceans, becoming hazardous and harmful to wildlife, while emitting greenhouse gasses. Alternatives, such as metal straws and paper bags have turned out inefficient and plastic is still a great need in society. Another way of getting rid of waste plastic is to burn it. Fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas are being utilised to burn plastic in industry. This causes many harmful emissions, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide released from burning the plastic. It results in more damage being done than just leaving the plastic in a landfill. These emissions can be cleaned before being released into the atmosphere. Plastic is made of petroleum, so when it is burned it is converted back into a fuel. Plastic can be burned under controlled conditions to create a fuel source that can be used, thereby utilising the waste plastic. The research conducted aims to investigate the use of plastic waste to burn other plastic to create a renewable fuel source and to eliminate plastic waste.