TY - THES A1 - Nair, Abijay T1 - Development of a CANBUS network for RoboBoat N2 - Autonomous marine vessels have seen use since as far back as World War I, with the Imperial German Navy’s Fernlenkboot. Such vessels find more modern use in the logistics sector and as survey vessels, where the continuous operation made possible by autonomy provides distinct advantages in their respective tasks and industries. This thesis presents the development of a CANBUS-based internal network for the RoboBoat autonomous surface vessel project of the Rhine-Waal university of Applied Sciences. It is designed to be the basis on which further development of on-board electronics can take place. It will also act as a platform for further development of the RoboBoat itself, as well as for future projects by students of Rhine-Waal University’s FabLab Blue that require such communication architecture. The resulting network is built around the NMEA 2000 standard and off-the-shelf microcontroller boards and network cables, which have enabled quick and fairly robust communication between the different control modules employed in the prototype. NMEA 2000 was chosen owing to its compatibility with modern marine hardware like the multi-function displays, as well as for a simple path to backwards-compatibility with older, less expensive NMEA 0183 hardware. The development process incorporates the systematic process of Engineering Design by G. Pahl and W. Beitz, which guides the processes used here to make various design decisions. KW - CANBUS KW - RoboBoat KW - NMEA KW - NMEA 2000 Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23481 ER - TY - THES A1 - Parayil Sivan, Kavya T1 - Design and Evaluation of a Mobile Application to Support Autistic Passengers in Air Travel. From Identifying User Needs to Assessing its Effectiveness in Reducing Anxiety and Enhancing Travel Preparedness N2 - Air travel can present significant accessibility barriers for autistic travellers. This study examined the needs, requirements, and challenges experienced by level 1 and level 2 autistic travellers during air travel and evaluated the effectiveness of a user-centred mobile application in reducing anxiety, improving their travel preparedness, and creating a more predictable air travel experience. A mixed-methods approach was employed for the study. In the beginning, an online survey with 35 participants (21 autistic individuals and 14 support persons) was conducted to understand the need, requirement and challenges of the autistic participants. Findings from the survey showed generally low satisfaction among autistic travellers who has prior air travel experience. The major challenges were related to unpredictability, sensory overstimulation, complex airport procedures, difficulty finding sensory-friendly spaces, and in-flight discomforts. Based on the insights from the survey, a high-fidelity mobile application prototype was designed to work across different airlines and airports providing real-time flight updates, airport and airline specific accessibility information, navigation support, communication cards, and travel checklists. The prototype was then evaluated with 5 autistic participants through a moderated remote usability test followed by a post-test interview and questionnaire. The results showed that features such as real-time flight updates, travel checklists, navigation support, and accessibility information were effective and perceived as helpful in reducing anxiety and increasing preparedness but some discoverability issues were identified in the prototype showing the need to iterate it. Overall, the findings suggest that the application is functionally effective and usable but only partially effective in improving overall travel experience as external environmental factors like airport procedures, in-flight discomforts are beyond the scope of the application. The study also highlights that a thoughtfully designed mobile application can partially support autistic travellers by improving the predictability and helping them prepare for the journey. This study contributes to the growing research on accessibility for autistic individuals by examining air travel challenges and evaluating a user-centred mobile application. KW - Autism spectrum disorder KW - Air travel accessibility KW - User centred design KW - Mobile application KW - Usability evaluation KW - Air travel Y1 - 2026 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23492 ER - TY - THES A1 - Mujaya, Tanaka Peter T1 - Design and Development of a Computer Vision System for detecting Assembly Errors in LEGO Models N2 - This thesis presents the design and development of a computer vision system for detecting assembly errors in LEGO models within The Digital Factory Game, a production simulation exercise at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The system automates quality assurance by replacing manual visual inspection with machine learning-based classification, deployed on edge hardware. KW - Computer Vision KW - Machine Learning KW - AI Development KW - YOLO KW - Data Analysis KW - Quality Assurance Y1 - 2026 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23367 ER - TY - THES A1 - Joseph, Balogun T1 - The Role of Online Marketplaces in Reshaping Agribusiness Sales and Distribution: Evidence from Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria. N2 - 1.1 Context and Background Online marketplaces are applications or web sites on which products are advertised and sold. They are used in the agricultural sector to bring sellers and buyers together. Farmers advertise about their products and customers give their orders. The payment may be done prior or after delivery. The tools enable farmers to sell without traveling. They also decrease the number of intermediaries. There are sites that allow the customer to rate sellers. There are also people sharing updates on delivery or assisting with tracking goods (Eweoya et al., 2021). Trade in farm goods is evolving in Nigeria, owing to online trade. Most of the farmers would sell in open markets only. The prices were frequently low and middlemen absorbed the better part of the profit (Morepje et al., 2024). It is now easier to connect farmers and buyers by way of mobile phones and enhanced internet. Through online, farmers are able to access directly to homes, stores and even export firms. They save time and minimize wastes because customers do not need to travel in order to make an order. This idea was tested with some of the pioneer platforms in Nigeria (Abubakar et al., 2019). Farmcrowdy began as an initiative to finance small growers and match them with consumers. Agricorp constructed a system to exchange crops such as ginger and grains between states. OjaNow also connects small farms with homes and restaurants who desire fresh food. The services are used to assist farmers in selling more as they remain on their farms. Customers are able to shop and deliver farm products to their front door by making an online order. The platforms also assist the farmers to know what is being demanded as well as the price that the buyers are willing to pay. They operate most of them on basic mobile phones and hence can be used even in places with poor internet connections (Ogbeide-Osaretin and Ebhote, 2020). Online market places have changed the way farmers market their produce because they reach a greater distance than the local area. Most farmers used to sell within their towns only, but now digital platforms enable them to sell to the buyers in such cities 2 like Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan. By using such platforms, they are no longer restricted to set days of the market since sales may be carried out at any given time. This flexibility is time-saving, generates more turnover, and allows farmers to deliver food to a larger group of consumers, such as hotels, stores, and schools (Mani and Singh, 2022). Online tools have also decreased the price of selling farm produce in addition to increasing their markets. Farmers will have the opportunity to self-service their prices and deal directly with buyers by eliminating transport costs and bypassing several intermediaries. This enhanced control on prices does not only enhance their earnings, but also promotes fairness and transparency in trade. Buyers, in their turn, have an advantage of price comparison between various sellers prior to acquiring a particular good, which causes more competitive pricing and low fraud potential (Xiao, et al., 2021). The use of online platforms in integrating with local logistics and transport networks has made delivery much faster. Today many platforms collaborate with professional drivers and delivery crews that provide the delivery of the orders and their transportation at the same time. This has been especially beneficial to perishable products like tomatoes, vegetables, and fruits, whose delivery must be done in a timely manner to preserve their freshness and quality. Consequently, fewer produce is wasted as it goes to waste prior to reaching the consumers hence less waste and the general efficiency of the supply chain. Buyers get healthier and fresher food, and sellers save some money and losses of unsold or spoilt products. This credibility also builds trust between the two parties, as customers get to trust merchants with quality goods, and sellers go out of their way to keep their standards (Agrawal et al., 2021). Farmcrowdy, Thrive Agric, OjaNow, and Agricorp are the ones that have introduced similar systems in Nigeria, where both large-scale and smallholder farmers can engage in an effective and efficient digital trade (Akinwale et al., 2023). Most farmers access them via mobile phones as majority of the applications are phone-based. These sites are very popular in cities where there are greater internet connectivity. They are used by farmers to add the name of crops and buyers to make orders. During harvest, when there is plenty in supply, use is greatest. These tools are more acceptable by young farmers compared to the old. They are also common among traders and restaurants as they require constant supply. Information is also 3 useful on online platforms. Farmers are aware of the demand of crops and their price rates. This helps them plan better. They grow what people want. They also make the best decision regarding the time to sell. Buyers utilize the same information to determine whether the prices can increase or decrease. Other websites provide notifications to make fast decisions. This enhances better planning of farmers and reduces waste (Alkahtani et al., 2021). Online sales have simplified the process of farming, but a number of issues also persist. Previous research has concentrated largely on the rural farmers with little attention paid to the use of these digital tools by the smallholder and urban farmers. Visiting the city like Ibadan and Lagos, farmers have special marketing and distribution issues that are not the same as found in the countryside (Sadiq et al., 2025). A large number of these urban farmers work on small pieces of land and depend on fast sales in order to avoid losses after harvest. Nevertheless, they have problems with the lack of storage facilities and the inadequacy of transport systems (Agri et al., 2020). Few studies have examined these particular constraints in the smallholder farmers (Kabo-Bah & Bannor, 2025). The available research is rather inclined to investigate farmers access to the online platform instead of studying the impact of these tools on logistics, the speed of delivery, or storage (Trang et al., 2024; Olamide et al., 2024). Consequently, some critical questions will go unanswered, including the ways in which digital platforms can mitigate food wastage or make supply more efficient. Smallholder and urban farmers should be given more attention in future studies to offer a complete picture of the effects of online marketplaces (Akanni and Gabriel, 2020). There are numerous impediments in agribusiness in online marketplaces. Trust is a major concern. Online payments are a worry to the farmers since they are not sure that they are safe. Customers are concerned with counterfeits that are sold via these sites. A lot of farmers also cannot access because of poor power supply and weak network. Other farmers are not phone savvy and like their traditional mode of selling (Eweoya et al., 2021). One of the concerns is capacity building. The farmers should be well trained on how to utilize online sales tools. In their absence, a number of them might not enjoy the use of digital platforms. Hence, further research is necessary that will help to investigate the ways these tools are applied in the day-to-day life of farmers and how they can be trained to achieve better results. Online sales can empower farm 4 markets in Nigeria, albeit, its implementation requires farmers to leverage it effectively. It will be possible to understand which areas these platforms are most effective and which ones provide difficulties and use this information to develop more effective training and support programmes by the government and agricultural support groups. It will contribute to reinforcing what is already effective and bridging the gaps that may still exist (Ogbeide-Osaretin and Ebhote, 2020). Therefore, online stores are influencing the movement of food between farms and Nigerian households. They create new sales opportunities and enhance crop planning but there are still numerous problems. The studies are required to observe the impact of these platforms on storage, transportation as well as urban agriculture. An explicit analysis of the areas will inform policies that can empower farmers and enhance food supply. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23358 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Menne, Jannis A1 - Becker, Rolf A1 - Sonntag, Jan A1 - Waldmann, Anja A1 - Kreter, Ana C. A1 - Wiedemann, Steffi T1 - AI-Driven Approaches for Animal Welfare Monitoring in Agroforestry Systems N2 - Climate change and shifting agricultural practices require innovative methods to monitor and improve animal welfare for pasture-based and other outdoor livestock. Agroforestry systems, integrating livestock with trees, shrubs and other woody vegetation, might provide shade, shelter, diversified feed and improved microclimates but require advanced monitoring to assess their impact on animal well-being. As part of the Agroforestry Living Laboratory at Rhine-Waal University, we are developing AI-driven, sensor-based solutions to monitor livestock welfare, focusing on small ruminants as well as poultry. To achieve this, we are evaluating AI-based monitoring methods to improve our understanding of animal welfare, while evaluating the role of different data sources. Sensors on animals collect data on movement patterns, and shade use, potentially providing insights into behavioral adaptations and stress responses. Stationary non-invasive camera systems are tested using computer vision and AI to assess posture, interactions, and activity on individual and group levels. Additionally, microclimate sensors might measure environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and radiation to evaluate their effects on animal behavior. As agroforestry systems are often in remote areas without external power, we also analyze the potential of self-sustaining sensor networks powered by solar energy and edge computing. These systems minimize energy consumption through deep-sleep modes and decentralized data processing, ensuring continuous monitoring without constant human intervention. By integrating AI-driven pattern recognition with agroforestry systems, we aim to establish an autonomous, energy-efficient monitoring network for further insights into animal welfare, behavioral changes, and environmental adaptation. Though still in development, early findings suggest these methods might enhance data-driven decision-making for sustainable pasture management, benefiting both animal welfare and agroforestry system resilience. KW - animal welfare monitoring KW - agroforestry systems KW - Sensor-based monitoring KW - pasture based livestock systems Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23348 SP - 44 PB - European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) CY - Zuerich ER - TY - THES A1 - Ko, Tin Long T1 - The advancement of the ball point game N2 - Lean management concepts are dynamic, yet students often meet them as static definitions. This thesis advances the Ball Point Pen Game into a production simulation that exposes bottlenecks, queues, work-in-process accumulation and defects while keeping the pen-assembly task simple and standardised. Using design-based research, one design-test-reflect cycle was executed: redesign requirements were derived from Lean and lean-game education literature, implemented as roles, control rules and learning objectives, and piloted in class. The revised game increases complexity without adding product difficulty by introducing an explicit order-release rhythm (takt), separated material and information flows, visual control, and progressive pull logic across three rounds. Across rounds, batch size is reduced stepwise, supermarket/Kanban replenishment is introduced, and a simple poka-yoke prevents assembly errors. A pilot execution with seven students evaluated the redesign using a single-group pre–post knowledge test, a post-game perception questionnaire, and in-game KPIs (throughput, lead time, WIP and defects) supported by observation notes. Results are interpreted as exploratory due to the small sample and lack of a control group. Participants reported high engagement and that game discussions helped translate observations into improvement actions, aligning with prior evidence that simulation games can support understanding and transfer in Lean education. However, implementation deviations required by the small group (role merging and ad-hoc facilitation changes) reduced instruction clarity for at least one participant. The thesis delivers a reusable player/instructor manual plus design rationales and measurement procedures to guide the next test and a larger evaluation with stronger internal validity. KW - Lean Management KW - Simulation games KW - Game based learning Y1 - 2026 ER - TY - THES A1 - Hossain, Md Istiaque T1 - A Computational Study on the Effect of Water-to-Air Volume Ratio on Water Rocket Performance. N2 - This thesis presents a three-dimensional computational investigation into the influence of the water-to-air volume ratio on the flight performance of a water rocket. As a critical design parameter, this ratio fundamentally governs the trade-off between available propellant mass and expansion energy, and thereby dictates the rocket's achievable altitude and range. A comprehensive numerical model is developed to simulate the complete trajectory through its three principal phases: water expulsion, compressed-air expansion, and ballistic flight. The governing equations, derived from the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, are solved using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) scheme. The model incorporates variable mass effects, aerodynamic drag, gravitational forces, launch geometry, and ambient wind conditions. Implemented in MATLAB with a modular graphical user interface (GUI), the simulation framework facilitates systematic parametric studies. The numerical predictions are validated against experimental launch tests conducted at elevation angles of 60° and 77°. Maximum altitude and horizontal range are extracted from multi-camera recordings using image-based analysis. The results demonstrate strong agreement, with both approaches converging on an optimal water fill fraction. The simulation identifies an optimum of approximately 43%, while the experimental measurements indicate a slightly higher optimum of 45.5%. Considering the collective evidence, an overall optimal fill range of 40 to 50% for 250 mL water rocket bottle, is established. The consistency between computational and experimental findings validates the robustness of the proposed model and confirms the identified optimum as a reliable benchmark for water rocket performance. KW - Water Rocket KW - Rocket KW - Trajectory KW - Matlab KW - RK4 Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23248 ER - TY - THES A1 - Bedoya Giraldo, Leidy Johanna T1 - Farmer Experiences and Responses to Agroforestry Interventions in San Martín, Peru: Exploring Social Group Perspectives Including Women’s Voices Across Social Groups N2 - Smallholder agroforestry systems are central to sustainable land-use transitions in the Peruvian Amazon, yet little is known about how farmers themselves perceive these systems or how such perceptions shape long-term management. This study examines how indigenous, non-indigenous, and female smallholder farmers in San Martín, Peru, perceive the benefits and challenges of agroforestry interventions and how these perceptions influence system maintenance, adaptation, and sustainability. The research is guided by the question: How do farmers in San Martín perceive the benefits and challenges of agroforestry interventions, and how do these perceptions shape their adaptive decisions over time? Using a qualitative, comparative case-study design, data was collected through 50 semi-structured interviews and three participatory focus group discussions. The Group Concept Mapping methodological approach used enabled farmers to identify, cluster, and prioritize benefits, challenges, and adaptations using their own categories and reasoning. Findings reveal two main pathways shaping agroforestry trajectories. A maintenance pathway emerges when farmers perceive tangible ecological and labor-related benefits, such as soil improvement, reduced weeding, and microclimate regulation, particularly when market and legality conditions allow value to be captured. An adaptation pathway is triggered when challenges, such as excessive shade, crop-tree competition, legality barriers, or uncertain markets, are perceived as immediate constraints, prompting pruning, thinning, or removal of timber species. These pathways are influenced by organizational support, training access, gendered participation, and tenure conditions. The study highlights the need for long-term technical support, participatory system design, gender-inclusive training, and stronger institutional support for timber legality. The insights are intended to contribute to the development of the SMART platform, offering evidence to strengthen future agroforestry interventions in San Martín. KW - Agroforesty KW - Sustainability KW - Farmer perceptions KW - Group Concept Mapping KW - Inductive Coding. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ustritski, Nikita T1 - Competitiveness of Green vs. Traditional Companies: A Comparative Study in the Automotive, Hospitality, and Fashion Industry N2 - This thesis compares short-term and long-term competitiveness between green and traditional companies in the automotive, hospitality, and fashion industries. Existing research rarely examines multiple industries together or evaluates competitiveness using both time perspectives, creating a clear research gap. The research question asks how green and traditional companies differ in financial performance, innovation, consumer trust, and regulatory responsiveness. The hypothesis proposes that green companies show lower short-term competitiveness, but higher long-term competitiveness than traditional firms. A qualitative comparative case study approach is applied using secondary data, including annual reports, sustainability disclosures, ESG ratings, and international regulatory frameworks. Six companies are analysed: Tesla and Toyota in the automotive sector, Hilton and Wyndham in hospitality, and Kering and H&M in fashion. Their competitiveness is assessed through a structured framework that distinguishes between immediate business outcomes and long-term strategic development. The findings show that traditional companies perform better in the short term due to efficient cost structures, established operating models, and stable supply chains. Green companies, however, achieve stronger long-term competitiveness by investing in innovation, transparency, and alignment with tightening regulatory and consumer expectations. Tesla, Hilton, and Kering demonstrate superior long-term performance, while Toyota, Wyndham, and H&M maintain advantages mainly in the short term. The results support the hypothesis and highlight sustainability as an important driver of long-term competitiveness. The study offers cross-industry insights for academics, managers, and policymakers and identifies opportunities for future research on sustainable business models. KW - Sustainability KW - Competitiveness KW - Innovation KW - Green companies KW - Traditional companies Y1 - 2026 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23123 ER - TY - THES A1 - Achale Arrah Nyama, Bateatey T1 - Development of Sustainable Nanofibre Wound Dressing Using Solution Blow Spinning. N2 - This thesis investigates the production of polylactic acid (PLA) fibrous mats using a low-energy, airbrush-based solution blow spinning (SBS) method with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a greener solvent. The study addresses how changes in PLA concentration and air pressure influence fibre formation, fibre diameter distribution, and non-woven mat structure, and examines the implications for incorporating tea tree oil(TTO) and pectin into the resulting materials. PLA solutions in DMC were prepared at multiple concentrations, and the SBS process was evaluated using realistic deposition observations and calculated estimates of material consumption. Fibre morphology was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing fibrous structures and parameter-dependent differences in diameter distributions and mat heterogeneity. Chemical structure was assessed via FTIR spectroscopy, which indicated that the produced fibre mats were dominated by PLA-characteristic spectral features (and possible DMC contributions), while providing limited evidence for substantial pectin or TTO contributions in the measured spectra under the tested conditions. Thermal analysis (STA) was used to interpret important PLA thermal transitions and to identify possible traces of composites within the fibres. A qualitative hydrophilicity approach based on water droplet wetting behaviour was applied as an initial indicator of surface wettability and potential pectin effects, while recognising its limitations compared to full contact-angle measurements. Overall, the results support SBS with DMC as a viable route to produce PLA fibrous mats and show clear process–structure relationships. However, they also show that better mixing methods and stronger confirmation evidence are needed at every step of the characterisation chain in order for additive incorporation to work. KW - PLA KW - Nanofasern KW - Airbrush-Spinning KW - Wundauflagen KW - Grüne Chemie KW - Dimethylcarbonat KW - Nachhaltige Biomaterialien KW - Antibakterielle Wundauflagen KW - Faserherstellung KW - Polylactic acid KW - Nanofibers KW - Solution blow spinning KW - SBS KW - Low-energy fiber fabrication KW - Wound dressing materials KW - Green solvents KW - Dimethyl carbonate KW - DMC KW - Sustainable biomaterials KW - Antibacterial coatings Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23107 ER - TY - THES A1 - Saw, Daniel Chern Hao T1 - Implementation of Bayesian Optimisation for FEM Simulation N2 - Optimisation of engineering problem involving FEM simulations is time consuming especially when dealing with high-fidelity structures. The conventional methods of searching and exploring the design space such as grid search or golden section search require a lot of evaluations before converging on an optimal solution. When there is a time constraint, the final solution found could be suboptimal due to the vast amount of FEM simulation necessary to converge. Therefore, with the utilisation of probabilistic surrogate models such as Gaussian process regression to reduce the amount of computation necessary. Surrogate models approximate unobserved areas in the design space based on the observed data. Together with the use of acquisition function to select the next observation point, it forms this optimisation method known as Bayesian optimisation. This research aims to implement Bayesian optimisation method in a few test cases involving FEM simulation to compare its performance against conventional methods. The results from the test cases showed that Bayesian optimisation converged up to 12 iterations faster compared to convention-al optimisation methods. It also provided a better optimised solution in a multiparameter optimi-sation problem with constraints. KW - Bayesian Optimisation Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23092 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ahmed, Syed Nasif Uddin T1 - Designing a Launching System for a Robotic Boat N2 - Based on the learning in this degree program, the author was tasked with developing a transport system for the current research boat, called Roboboat. The aim was to examine the components and reverse engineer them to calculate the mechanics of the boat. Because no design or measurement data were available, this thesis began by modeling the boat. After modeling, a literature review was conducted, and a launch system was designed with a focus on utility and cost-effectiveness. This report presents the design process, calculates the stress and strain on the design elements, and presents the concept of a launch system. Finally, the stability of the boat is calculated, and the mathematical validation of Roboboat is presented. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Gravenhorst Arias, Valentina T1 - Betalain accumulation and biosynthetic gene expression in grain Amaranth species exposed to salt stress N2 - Amaranth species have gained renewed interest as a nutritional pseudocereal, with increased climate resilience and a high content of bioactive compounds, such as betalains. These nitrogen-containing pigments contribute to stress tolerance and have applications as natural colorants and food supplements due to their antioxidant properties. This study investigated the effect of high salt stress (200mM NaCl) on growth, physiological performance, betalain accumulation, pigment composition, and gene expression in six Amaranth accessions over a 14-day period of exposure. Phenotypic observations revealed visible stress symptoms, such as reduced growth and leaf senescence, whereas physiological parameters such as photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and internal CO2 concentration remain unaffected by salinity. Spectrophotometric quantification showed an increase in betalain concentrations after the 14-day testing period in all genotypes, salt treatment showed minor inconsistent effects. The total betalain concentration was quantified, the results per accession are for Ama 104 3.013 mg/100 g FW, Ama 124 2.944 mg/100 g FW, Ama 154 4.088 mg/100 g FW, Ama 157 4.735 mg/100 g FW, Ama 162 2.227 mg/100 g FW, Ama 169 18.248 mg/100 g FW. Characterization of betalains with HPLC-DAD-MS analysis confirmed the presence of amaranthine and isoamaranthine as the dominant betalain present in Amaranth leaves, which is consistent with the known betalain presence of grain amaranth species; no betaxanthins were detected. Gene expression analysis of CYP76AD2, DODA2, DODAα2, and SOS1 revealed no significant transcriptional induction under salt stress after the 14-day salt stress treatment. These results may suggest that betalain accumulation occurred due to normal developmental regulation rather than a salinity effect. However, analysis 24-48 after salt stress induction is recommended to conclude. The combined results reveal variation in pigment levels and salinity-stress response and demonstrate the resilience of grain amaranth to increased salinity exposure. The variation in pigment accumulation indicates the importance of selecting high-betalain accessions for industrial applications at an early stage. Future research should focus on early transcriptional levels and regulatory mechanisms to better understand stress response in the betalain pathway of these amaranth accessions. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Aziz, Sk Tarik T1 - The Impact of Employee Job Satisfaction on Organization's Long-Term Performance N2 - The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of employee job satisfaction on organizational long-term performance and focus on the key factors that increase satisfaction among employees. Previous research has mostly focused on short-term organizational outcomes, and there is limited evidence about the factors that enhance job satisfaction and ensure long-term performance of an organization. To fill this gap, qualitative research was conducted, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and the data was analyzed using MAXQDA software. The findings represent some of the factors that significantly increase job satisfaction, such as positive and supportive work environment, flexibility and autonomy at work, career growth and continuous learning opportunities, and fair compensation with meaningful recognition. The participants repeatedly highlighted these factors as a source of enhancing motivation, dedication, commitment, and employee performance. The study suggests that when organizations actively follow and implement these factors, it is more likely to increase employee satisfaction and satisfied employees improve productivity, achieve organizational goals, and increase a higher level of dedication, which ensures organizational long-term performance. KW - Job satisfaction KW - Organizational long-term performance Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-23053 ER - TY - THES A1 - Bhalla, Kushagra T1 - Strategic Obsolescence Management: Developing a Process-Oriented and Financially Viable Concept N2 - Industrial machinery is designed for long operating periods, but many electronic and mechatronic components used in these systems are discontinued after a short product lifecycle. This situation causes challenges for Strama-MPS, especially in the Global Service division, where long-term spare-parts availability and reliable customer support are required. When components are no longer available, urgent procurement, redesigns under time pressure, longer downtimes and higher service costs put additional load on internal departments and can negatively affect customer relationships. This thesis develops a structured and financially viable approach to obsolescence management for Strama-MPS. The current situation was analysed using expert interviews and SAP and PRO.FILE data for the period 2018 to September 2025. The evaluation of more than 13,000 obsolete materials showed fragmented communication, insufficient lifecycle documentation and that only a few large suppliers systematically send PCN notifications, while many others do not. To summarise the results, a Power BI dashboard was created that shows portfolio age, part criticality, successor availability and supplier concentration. The analysis identified an average part age of 6.75 years, a cost-at-risk of around €1 million and a high-risk group mainly consisting of electrical and control components. In a second step, the active parts portfolio was evaluated to identify future risks. Using manually cleansed Excel files and Power BI models, a lifecycle forecast was developed for the period 2026–2029. It highlights early-warning patterns in connectors, sensors, I/O modules and control units with short technology cycles and high dependency. These results enable earlier evaluation of alternatives, more controlled last-time-buy decisions and more proactive customer communication. Based on these findings, the thesis proposes a target framework in line with DIN EN IEC 62402:2025-05. It defines responsibilities, decision and communication paths, and workflows between the relevant departments. A dedicated Obsolescence Manager is assigned as the central process owner and is supported by SmartPCN-compatible input formats, lifecycle dashboards and an implementation plan that starts with an internal pilot and later includes the roll-out of PCN Global as the OM software. The strategic options were assessed using an MCDA, comparing reactive, proactive and strategic approaches. The results show that a dedicated role combined with suitable software offers a good balance between cost control, early-warning capability and acceptance. The financial analysis indicates that the concept can pay back within the first year by reducing emergency sourcing, redesign work and service delays, while also improving collaboration, decision quality and long-term service performance. Overall, the proposed structure provides a clear basis for more consistent and reliable lifecycle handling across the organisation. KW - Obsolescence Management KW - Product Lifecycle Management KW - Spare Parts Availability KW - Global Service Engineering KW - Product Change Notification KW - DIN EN IEC 62402 KW - Industrial Engineering KW - After-Sales Service KW - Capital Goods Industry KW - Lifecycle Risk Management Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Arslan, Yesim T1 - Evaluation of Urban Consumer Behaviour in Düsseldorf: Practical Implications for Strengthening Farmer-Consumer Relationships N2 - This study examines how to strengthen the relationship between urban consumers and local farmers in Düsseldorf through direct purchase. The background of climate change, long supply chains, and growing consumer detachment from food production form the motivation to bring consumers and agricultural producers closer together, especially in urban areas such as Düsseldorf. Therefore, this study explores which factors influence consumer willingness (intention) and actual purchasing behavior of regional products. The work is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior model (TPB), extended by the additional variable trust and uses a mixed-method approach, which combines literature review, an online survey (n=150), and two semi-structured interviews with local farmers. The statistical results show that attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and trust do not significantly influence regional purchasing intention or actual behavior. The only significant effect can be seen on the willingness to pay higher prices for regional products in different age groups. Older consumers (>36) show significantly higher willingness to pay higher prices than younger consumers (<35). Furthermore, the findings show a clear attitude-behavior gap, where interest or positive attitude towards regional products cannot be translated into real purchasing behavior of regional products. Additional descriptive results show that prices, convenience, and product variety influences grocery choices the most, and social media and recommendations from friends/family are most relevant information sources. Based on these insights, this study develops implications for farmers, consumers, and the city with the goal of strengthening the relationship between local farmers and urban consumers. Key recommendations include hybrid approaches by combining stronger digital visibility with strong personal interaction. Additionally, target group specific actions for younger and older consumers are presented as well as models that combine flexibility with direct exchange such as hybrid CSA. All in all, to strengthen the relationship between urban consumers and local producers cultural and structural changes are required, in which consumers, producers and the city itself share common responsibility. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Jagjit Singh, Humjeet Singh Gill T1 - The effect of shearing in a twin-screw extruder on the mechanical properties of biopolymers (PLA+PBAT) using varied screw designs N2 - The primary aim of this research project was to determine the effects of shearing on the structure of a blend of biopolymers (PLA+PBAT) through tailored screw designs in a twin-screw extruder. To achieve this, 3 different twin intermeshing co-rotating screw designs of an extruder were used. The designs were mainly focused on the kneading and mixing part of the screw which has a shearing effect on the biopolymer. The experiments were carried out by keeping the temperature, screw speed and feed rate constant. To carry out the experiment, a 60:40 blend of PBAT and PLA was utilized. The compounded pellets produced from the 3 screw designs were then used in a Blown Film machine. Furthermore, tensile test was conducted on the resulting samples. The shear strength and strain of the films were calculated. Tear test of the films were additionally carried out to validate the findings. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) test was conducted to study the functional groups, identifying the chemical interactions and phase compatibility of the of PLA&PBAT blend. The results showed that the screw with 3 kneading blocks (HS) and 2 kneading blocks (MS) exhibited almost similar ultimate strength and ultimate strain. The screw design with only conveying elements had lower ultimate strength and strain. The kneading blocks played a role on the mixing and shearing of the biopolymer structure in the blend. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22950 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ganev, Ivan T1 - Design and Implementation of a Virtual Gearbox N2 - This thesis represents the design and implementation of a virtual gearbox functionality as a system with an end goal to be used on the Electric Gokart platform. The design includes a 3-part solution consisting of: - Human-machine interface (HMI) – that is a physical hardware as a separate unit with its own housing - Intermediary software for transfer of input information and output feedback of the user – as software code - Control Model – MATLAB Simulink model to be run on the main computer of the platform to facilitate the motion control Due to the system complexity and multidomain solution the work has been broken down and documented to focus on a specific aspect for each deliverable. The human machine interface focuses on the hardware aspect of the functionality – research on and evaluation of different components for the input, feedback and communication and the impact of each component to the further development of the intermediary software. The software part is focused on choosing and implementing an efficient and logical handling of the sampling and relay of information to prevent the potential problem of communication network overload. And finally, the Simulink Control Model will focus on investigating input information, processing and motion control realised via torque control. The information is to be used used in developing a system response model evaluating it on the prototype and allowing tuning via system identification in the MATLAB Simulink development environment. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Malov, Ernest T1 - Development of selection criteria and systematic methodology for the design of novel hydrogels N2 - Hydrogels are a broad field of materials with applications in many niche areas. To advance the state of the art, research should explore new combinations of chemical and practical components to discover syntheses with novel emergent properties. However, given the vast amount of information available, it is challenging to systematically narrow the search to an effective comparison of a few select candidates. This work proposes a selection and evaluation methodology for building a comparative scope to decide on a set of hydrogel recipe components. Recipe design needs are determined using an existing bibliometric analysis of a hydrogel subfield, and available options are sourced from literature reviews, then assessed based on properties discussed in the literature. Candidates for the crosslinking initiation mechanism, the monomer system, and the crosslinking control method are evaluated separately and sequentially. Recipe permutations are possible as multiple choices are scored. The resultant recipe is a photoinitiated (LAP; irradiated at 380.5nm), thiol-ene (TMPMP-Maleimide), light-patterned (maskless PWM-DLP) hydrogel that swells and bends in response to water due to osmolyte (D-Sorbitol) diffusion. This novel formulation is not currently present in the literature; however, it does not exhibit any chemical or practical incompatibilities. A range of component concentrations, possible failure scenarios, and recommended fixes are provided for initial testing. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22934 ER - TY - THES A1 - Biehn, Joshua T1 - Design and Validation of a Bio-Inspired Tendon-Driven Continuum Manipulator N2 - This thesis develops bio-inspired, multi-segment tendon-driven continuum manipulator through a structured, iterative design process. Combining piecewise constant-curvature modeling, for design validation, with hybrid soft-rigid joint fabrication, three prototypes explore trade-offs among anatomical scale, actuation efficiency, and structural compliance. Novel, internal, soft-rigid components, buckling-mitigation features and internally routed tendons are integrated and evaluated under a common experimental frame work. Demonstrations include single-finger grasps and coordinated bimanual object handling, confirming the manipulator’s viability for humanoid end-effector tasks. The final design produced a tip-load of ≈ 17N for a pinching grasp and ≈ 12N in a power grasp, with 4 degrees of freedom and a maximum bending angle of 209°. Future work will focus on closed-loop control, dynamic interaction testing, and scaling to multi-digit hands. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22928 ER - TY - THES A1 - Kazimli, Farid T1 - Origami Applications in Engineering N2 - This thesis explores how origami-inspired modular structures—specifically uniformly thick, load-carrying designs—can be prototyped using accessible 3D printing work flows. We focus on translating geometric folding principles into real materials and hinges suitable for repeated deployment by designing printable panels and connectors, and by validating performance with a bar-and-hinge simulation approach. Physical prototypes are fabricated and tested for packing ratio, deployment re peatability, and stiffness-to-mass. Results indicate that thick-panel origami can be produced with consumer 3D printers while retaining compact storage, rapid deployment, and promising structural behavior. The work outlines a practical path toward portable, reusable, and more sustainable engineering systems that minimize material use, support repair and reuse through modularity, and simplify logistics through high packing ratios. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22848 ER - TY - THES A1 - Al Sela', Subhi Moh'd S. T1 - Application of Carbon Fiber and Advanced Composites in Restorative Dentistry: A Study in Material Efficiency, Manufacturing viability, Market Potential and Innovation. N2 - This work presents a multidisciplinary evaluation of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polyether Ether Ketone (CF-PEEK) as a core material for hybrid dental crowns, combined with lithium disilicate (E-max) veneers. The objective was to assess the mechanical, manufacturing, and economic feasibility of introducing CF-PEEK into restorative dentistry through an engineering-driven approach. A systematic literature review compared the elastic modulus, flexural strength, and density of CF-PEEK with conventional materials such as zirconia and porcelain-fused-to-metal. Results show that CF-PEEK exhibits a modulus close to natural dentin and lower density, offering improved biomechanical compatibility and reduced stress transmission. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) was identified as the most flexible and sustainable production method, minimising material waste and enabling customised crown fabrication. The study concludes that the CF-PEEK + E-max hybrid crown is mechanically viable and aligns with sustainability goals, though improvements in bonding, colour masking, and clinical validation remain necessary. This approach demonstrates how industrial engineering tools including TRIZ, QFD, and KANO can effectively guide innovation in dental materials and workflows. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22823 ER - TY - THES A1 - Kumar, Vivek T1 - Assessing Sustainability Reporting Obligations and Regulatory Compliance for LINEG: An Analysis of EMAS Alignment with Emerging EU Directives. N2 - This thesis assesses the preparedness of LINEG, a German public water utility, for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). It evaluates the extent to which LINEG’s EMAS-based environmental disclosures align with CSRD/ESRS and where extensions are required to meet comprehensive ESG obligations. The analysis is grounded in Stakeholder Theory and Valente’s Stage Model to connect accountability expectations with organizational sustainability maturity. Methodologically, a qualitative case study and qualitative content analysis are applied to LINEG’s EMAS statements and relevant regulatory texts, using deductive categories derived from CSRD/ESRS and SASB, complemented by inductive coding to capture LINEG-specific themes. Peer utilities are referenced to contextualise findings. Findings show a strong environmental foundation— externally validated data on energy, emissions, water, and biodiversity—indicating partial readiness for ESRS E-standards. However, material gaps remain in social and governance areas (e.g., workforce metrics, affordability and service quality indicators, stakeholder engagement processes, and board-level oversight of sustainability). Applying Valente’s model positions LINEG between Defensive and Isolated stages: largely compliancedriven, with initiatives not yet embedded across strategy and governance. The thesis proposes a roadmap to consolidate environmental disclosures into ESRS structures, conduct a double-materiality assessment, expand S and G indicators, formalise stakeholder engagement, and assign clear governance responsibilities. Limitations arise from a single-case, document-based approach and the evolving German transposition of CSRD, which may adjust timelines and specific requirements once fully enacted. KW - CSRD KW - EMAS KW - Sustainability Reporting KW - Water Utilities Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Mohajeri Nejad, Mostafa T1 - Development and implementation of an adaptive control system for automizing and optimizing the performance of a rolling fluid (setur) hydro-turbine N2 - This thesis presents the design and implementation of an automated control system for a laboratory-scale SETUR (Sedlacek's Blade-less Rolling Fluid Turbine) hydro turbine test rig. The goal was to enable precise and repeatable experiments by automating the regulation of the turbine’s water level and data acquisition process. The developed system integrates multiple sensors, including discrete liquid level sensors, pressure transducers, and a flow meter, interfaced with an Arduino-based controller. A PID-based control algorithm with gain scheduling was designed to adapt to the nonlinear flow dynamics across different operating regimes of the turbine. The control loop operates at a 0.5 s sampling rate and employs layered signal filtering and calibration routines to compensate for sensor noise, offset, and scaling errors. The complete hardware setup includes signal conditioning circuits for analog sensors, digital communication for actuator control, and real-time data monitoring via serial output. Experimental results demonstrate that the system achieves stable water-level regulation within approximately two minutes after pump activation and maintains steady-state operation without overshoot or sustained valve saturation. The overall measurement uncertainties were quantified as ±3.06 % FS for pressure and ±5.2 % FS for flow, meeting the predefined accuracy requirement of ≤ 5 % FS. The developed automation platform provides a reliable foundation for further research on the SETUR turbine, including efficiency characterization, advanced control development, and future integration of IoT-based supervisory monitoring and data analysis tools. KW - SETUR KW - Automated Test-bench KW - Process Automation KW - Renewable Energies KW - Hydro Turbines KW - SCADA Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Usluer, Egehan T1 - Applying Different Path Planning Algorithms to a Mini Mars Rover for an Uncharted Maze N2 - This thesis explores how an already built Mini Mars Rover can autonomously navigate an uncharted maze, first by mapping it and then by applying different pathfinding strategies. The Mini Mars Rover uses IR sensors for wall detection, encoder-based odometry for tracking movement, an IMU for heading corrections, for input for more accurate localization. The strategy combines exploration techniques with practical path execution on real hardware, focusing on the challenges that come up when algorithms meet the physical world. Exploration applied by using a combination of Breadth-First Search (BFS) with the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) approach, as well as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) strategy. Although both methods showed promising results in simulation, in hardware testing same results were not gathered. For the path planning, three pathfinding algorithms Flood Fill, Dijkstra’s, and A* are implemented and compared. The results of those algorithms and the strategy to adopt them into the robot is implemented. The project demonstrates a possibility of adaptation of those algorithms and their feasibility. The Mini MarsRover serves as a solid base for further development and improvements. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22775 ER - TY - THES A1 - Tariq, Suleman T1 - Optimising Heat Loss Reduction and Facilitating the Transition to Biogas in Industrial Applications. N2 - This study has evaluated the heat loss potential and energy consumption at the industrial level. Notably, heat loss on a large scale at the industrial level has been recognized as neither economically nor environmentally sustainable. Moreover, the continued use of fossil fuels (natural gas) has been reviewed as unsustainable due to their adverse effect and limited availability, posing challenges for the present and future. Heat loss is optimized at the continental production site in Villingen-Schwenningen. Heat loss through exhaust fans, which extract heat from inside the building and release it to the environment to maintain the internal temperature, has been analysed. The released heat is lost in the environment. To recover this energy loss, the integration of a plate-to-plate heat exchanger is proposed. This approach recovers the rejected heat to preheat the incoming fresh air supply, replacing the traditional heat coil operated on natural gas. Additionally, the transition of natural gas to biogas has been explored. The district heating twin pipe (DN 80) is considered for the smooth flow of thermal energy. For this project, a financial analysis of return on investment (ROI) for 10 years is conducted, the thermal energy flow rate over 2.1km, and heat loss during the transfer phase are calculated. The results have shown significant importance for the recovered energy by integration of a plate-to-plate heat exchanger; yearly, 1.2 GW of energy can be recovered, reducing the consumption of natural gas and making a complete transition towards biogas, economically and environmentally beneficial. KW - Industrial heat loss recovery using plate-to-plate heat exchangers: Transition from natural gas to biogas for sustainable energy at the Continental AG Villingen-Schwenningen site. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Vasovic, Luka T1 - Development, Controller Design and Validation of a Torque Vectoring System for an All-Wheel Drive Electric Go-Kart N2 - This thesis investigates the design and simulation-based evaluation of a yaw-rate control system using torque vectoring for an all-wheel-drive electric go-kart with independently driven wheels. The work is conducted within a purely model-based framework, employing MATLAB and Simulink to replicate the vehicle dynamics and control interactions in a controlled virtual environment. Torque vectoring describes the distribution of drive torque between individual wheels to influence the yaw moment of the vehicle. This enables targeted improvements in stability, responsiveness, and cornering performance beyond what is achievable with steering input alone. In this study, yaw rate is selected as the primary control variable. A reference yaw rate is derived from the linear bicycle model, and the control objective is to minimize the error between the reference and the simulated actual yaw rate by applying corrective yaw moments through differential torque allocation. A Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller is implemented to track the reference yaw rate. Gain tuning is performed using MATLAB’s PID Tuner, leveraging the system transfer function extracted from the simulation model. The complete control system is integrated into a modular Simulink model of the go-kart, which incorporates the 2-DOF bicycle model for lateral and yaw dynamics, as well as subsystems for maneuver generation and torque vectoring logic. Controller performance is assessed through standard vehicle dynamics test maneuvers, including ramp steer, step steer, and double lane change. For each maneuver, simulations are performed both with and without torque vectoring, allowing quantitative comparison of yaw rate tracking accuracy, stability, and trajectory. The results demonstrate that torque vectoring substantially improves yaw rate tracking and reduces the understeer tendency of the simulated vehicle, particularly during transient maneuvers. Even in a simplified small-scale vehicle model, the benefits of active yaw moment control are evident, underscoring the relevance of torque vectoring for enhancing dynamic performance in electric vehicles with independent wheel actuation. The modular simulation framework developed in this work also provides a foundation for future experimental validation on the physical research platform as well as further developments on the simulation model. KW - Torque Vectoring KW - Vehicle Dynamics KW - Vehicle Simulation KW - Bicycle Model Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Simsek, Seyda T1 - The Impact of Increasing Use of Artificial Intelligence in Human Resource Management on Employees N2 - This study examines the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in human resource management (HRM) and its effects on employees, considering both operational benefits and the ethical, social, and psychological implications. Its analyzes real-world applications of AI in recruiting, performance management, talent development, and HR administration using qualitative secondary data from academic papers, industry publications, and case studies published between 2018 and 2024. To examine employee experiences, organizational issues, and ethical implications, a combined analytical approach is used, which incorporates the Technology Acceptance Model, Job Demand-Control Model, human-centered AI concepts, and the European Commission's Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI. While AI can increase effectiveness, reliability, and strategic HR results, the findings highlight concerns about algorithmic bias, reduced human engagement, and risks to employee autonomy and well-being. This paper addresses the significance of organizational planning, transparency, and responsible oversight in AI implementation, highlighting that technology should supplement rather than replace human judgment. The study offers an understanding of the human-centered and ethical aspects of AI in HRM, as well as insights for organizations seeking to use AI responsibly while maintaining employee trust and engagement. KW - artificial intelligence in human resources KW - HR automation KW - AI in HRdecision-making KW - AI in recruitment KW - AI in the workforce Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22687 ER - TY - THES A1 - Aldorino, Bryan T1 - Design, Development, and Testing of a Vision-Based Calibration System for Liquid Handling Robot N2 - This thesis presents the development of a vision-based calibration routine for an open-source liquid handling system, addressing the challenge of integrating reliable labware detection into an existing robotic platform with minimal hardware redesign. The study adopts an experimental, prototype-driven approach, evaluating multiple proof-of-concept configurations before selecting a top-mounted camera solution as the most viable. The implemented system employs OpenCV’s ArUco marker detection to locate labware, combined with a closed-loop tracking routine that iteratively aligns the camera’s principal point with the detected tag. Alternative approaches, such as rule-based detection with a side-mounted camera, provided valuable insight into system constraints including lighting sensitivity, and variability of labware. The chosen final setup demonstrated reliable calibration output in the form of labware position and orientation data, stored in .JSON format for integration into higher-level control software. The system proved capable of reliable marker-based calibration under controlled conditions. Furthermore, the results highlight both the strengths of the approach such as modularity and adaptability, and its limitations, particularly possible interference due to glare and relatively high setup time. Future work includes integrating object detection models, multi-camera systems for improved pose estimation, and extending the system towards real-time quality control in laboratory automation. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22637 ER - TY - THES A1 - Wienands, Noa Lilly T1 - The Motivation behind the International Mobility of German University Graduates and Students: A focus on Economic Perceptions and Aspirations for Cultural and Professional Growth N2 - This thesis examines the motivations behind the international mobility of German university students and graduates focusing on the role of economic conditions, personal motives, the labor market and perceived career opportunities. It evaluates how the assessment of these aspects influences the willingness to pursue a life and career abroad through a review of existing literature and an online survey conducted by the author. The theoretical background draws on Push-Pull Theory to present migration motives, Neoclassical Economics and the New Economics of Labor Migration to highlight economic reasons and the evaluation of cost and benefits, and Expectancy-Value Theory and Self-Determination Theory to examine the connection of expectations and intrinsic motivations and values related to migration intentions. The data of the survey, conducted among German university students and graduates shows that the economic assessment is not a main motivator for a life abroad but a mix of socioeconomic factors can increase the willingness to go abroad. The study highlights the importance of personal reasons, especially personal growth and cultural experience as it increases the willingness among educated Germans to migrate. Professional growth particularly, if evaluated as better abroad as well as a bad assessment of the German labor market increase the willingness for international mobility. The thesis contributes to a better understanding on the dynamics behind the international mobility intentions among highly skilled individuals in Germany. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22620 ER - TY - THES A1 - Mughal, Abdul Qadir T1 - Design and Development of an Automated Hyperspectral Imaging System for Plant Monitoring N2 - This thesis presents the design and construction of a prototype automated plant monitoring system that integrates hyperspectral imaging with a custom linear motion structure for greenhouse applications. Controlled by an Arduino-driven stepper motor, the system positions two hyperspectral cameras (covering visible–near-infrared and short-wave infrared ranges) and a stereo RGB camera along a linear guide to capture consistent and repeatable measurements. Calibration and data acquisition are managed by specialized software, enabling detection of early drought stress indicators such as pigment and water content changes before visible symptoms occur. Assembled and tested at Fraunhofer IGD, the prototype demonstrated reliable operation and consistent spectral data collection, providing a versatile foundation for future enhancements including automated workflows, machine learning–based analysis, and application in diverse agricultural settings. KW - Hyperspectral Cameras KW - Linear Motion KW - Automation KW - Agriculture Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22614 ER - TY - THES A1 - Afzal, Umair T1 - AI-Driven Comic Generation: Exploring the Creative Potential of Generative AI in Digital Storytelling N2 - Creative sectors have accepted AI into their industry for establishing modern methods of generating digital content. This study introduces a novel AI-based framework based on AI technology, using GANs along with Stable Diffusion models to automate comic development. This study looks at juxtaposing narrative outlining through text with automated visual generation toward an integrated system that produces adaptable comic panels with appropriate visual structure. The research methodology that the project has followed can be built on three cornerstones: advanced GAN schemes for text generation and pre-processing, followed by image synthesis through Stable Diffusion. A specially developed algorithm for speech bubbles determined the optimal placement of that text, so it would function well and maintain a semblance of beauty. By iteratively refining and tuning the model, this system was evaluated. Initial observations regarding visual coherence and narrative alignment were hopeful, but further tests using quantitative metrics-for instance, FID for images and BLEU for text, as well as broader user feedback-would be needed to validate the efficacy of the model entirely. The impediments were, however, GAN mode collapse, irregular speech-bubble layout, and inconsistent artistic styles. Further research would uncover the potential role of AI systems in easing the comic generation process for creators, educators, and designers of digital content to enhance accessibility and efficiency. This method shows promising applicability in various domains like automated narratives, customizable comics, and educational material. Further along the way, the scientists plan to improve panel storytelling, create an intuitive interface, and expand the dataset to include more artistic styles. Such enhancements could maximize the gain from automated comic conception. KW - AI-driven comics KW - Generative Adversarial Networks KW - Stable Diffusion KW - Automated storytelling KW - Speech bubble optimization KW - Image synthesis KW - Digital content creation. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22581 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ziriko, Ponsiano T1 - Provenance influence on African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) mycorrhization potential. N2 - African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) tree parts are mostly harvested for nourishment and economic purposes. However, the products are only extracted from the wild and are threatened by depletion which necessitates research into the species domestication and cultivation. Mycorrhization involves promoting foreign and native mycorrhiza linkages to improve the roots’ efficiency in nutrients and moisture acquisition. While origin can impact the development of A. digitata, its impact on the species mycorrhization potential is not well understood, and was investigated in this thesis. A. digitata plants were grown from seeds of semi-arid, sub-humid and humid zone origins of Benin inside a controlled climate chamber. The seedlings from each origin received native soil, commercial mycorrhiza fungi (alternative) and control treatments. Growth parameters were determined before treatments application and at termination. Models combining the effects of treatment, zone origin, unique tree characteristics and block arrangement were used for statistics. Only seedlings of the humid zone origin had significantly higher initial leaf count than counterparts from other origins. Insignificant differences among origins and treatments were observed for all the other parameters. Inconsistent significant interaction of treatment and origins was observed for final leaf count, stem diameter, root collar diameter, fresh taproot and dry lateral root weights. The results indicated A. digitata seedlings’ ability to show morphological similarities when grown under uniform conditions irrespective of the genetic variations which might exist among seedlings. These growth trends were not 1 affected by the presence of commercial and native microbes. Inconsistent interaction effects warrant further investigation to ascertain specific individual tree seedlings which might have been significantly impacted by treatments. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Fazlikhani, Ghazaleh T1 - Appendix Files of the Master’s Thesis “Experimental Determination of Microbial Preservation in Cosmetic Formulations Using Modified ISO 11930 Methods” N2 - This dataset contains the appendix files of the Master’s Thesis “Experimental Determination of Microbial Preservation in Cosmetic Formulations Using Modified ISO 11930 Methods.” The files include raw experimental data in Excel format, covering microbial counts, preservative efficacy testing, and neutralizer validation across different formulations and bacterial strains. These supplementary materials provide detailed numerical results that support the analyses and figures presented in the main thesis document. They ensure transparency and reproducibility of the study by granting access to the complete underlying data. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22557 ER - TY - THES A1 - Boulmane, Aya T1 - Development of a Web-Based Tool for Estimating Lifecycle CO₂ Emissions of Electric vs. Diesel Vehicles in Germany N2 - Due to rapid technological development, the transport sector has emerged as one of the most difficult areas to reduce decarbonization, balancing its high global greenhouse gas emissions. In Germany, the shift from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to electric vehicles (EVs) has become a key focus of national and EU climate policies. Nevertheless, the transition to EVs is associated with a multitude of factors that need to be considered, including emissions from manufacturing, the energy used during operations, and post-operational treatment. This thesis focuses on the design, development, and refinement of a web-based CO₂ Lifecycle Emission Calculation tool that compares cradle-to-grave emissions of EVs and diesel ICEVs based on different driving scenarios in Germany. It is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology as indicated in ISO 14040/14044. With the tool, the manufacturing, operational, and end-of-life emissions are estimated based on validated datasets from peer-reviewed literature and authoritative bodies (IPCC, IEA, UBA). The tool’s modular structure, which was developed in Python with the Streamlit framework, also allows for other languages to be added, selection of the region’s grid mix, scenario comparisons, and results visualization in multi-level dashboards. Findings of the literature review show that the tool is accurate for both types of vehicles as the known lifecycle emissions ranges for both types are captured. Carbon payback periods for EVs ranged from less than three years to over eight years depending on the grid context, from renewable-rich to coal-intensive. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that both grid CO₂ intensity and annual mileage hold the greatest influence over lifecycle results. This research contributes to sustainability as it fills the void that exists between academic LCA models and consumer-facing applications with a transparent, reproducible, and user-configurable decision-support tool. Improvements can be made by incorporating real-time grid emission data, expanding the vehicle datasets, and including additional CO₂ environmental impact categories. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - -, Monish Suresh T1 - Buck Converter Control using Gaussian Process Regression N2 - In this bachelor thesis, I investigate the feasibility of Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) (Williams and Rasmussen 2006) in the control of a buck converter (R. W. Erickson and aksimovic 2020). I develop a prototype digital controller for a buck converter, which uses a trained GPR model to predict the PWM duty cycle required to obtain a desired output voltage. I use an Analog Discovery 2 (AD2) (Digilent Inc. n.d.) as an interface between the GPR controller and the buck converter hardware by providing real-time voltage measurements to the controller and generating the PWM signal. I compare the performance of the GPR controller with the TPS629210DRLR Integrated Circuit (IC) (Texas Instruments 2022), which uses an analog control method and serves as the reference performance standard. I compare the performance of the GPR controller and the IC based on their ability to maintain a target voltage during a load change involving an RC load. The results are evaluated based on the voltage regulation accuracy and load voltage settling time. The results show that both controllers are able to set the load voltage within 1% of the target value. However, the GPR controller has a settling time around 3 times longer than the analog controller. The longer settling time is due to latencies from communication with the AD2 and the time required for duty cycle computation. Despite this, the settling time difference is short enough to consider the digital GPR controller competitive to the reference analog control method, especially since the current prototype is not optimized to reduce these latencies. The findings of this thesis highlight both the potential and limitations of the digital control of a buck converter. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22458 ER - TY - RPRT ED - Zimenkova, Tatiana ED - Baumgart, Luisa Emelie ED - Ascani, Katrin T1 - Days of Antidiscrimination 4 N2 - This brochure shows the results and impressions of the five-day event “Days of Antidiscrimination 4” at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, which took place from April 15 to April 19, 2024. The Vice-President for Internationalisation and Diversity and the AStA jointly organized this exchange of all university members and, with this report, make visible the voices of the participants, the expertise of the academics and activists and the contributions of the students. KW - Antidiscrimination KW - Diversity KW - DoA KW - Abuse of Power Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22448 ER - TY - THES A1 - Elmessiry, Abdalrahman T1 - implementation and investigation of a distributed robotic chess system N2 - This thesis presents and evaluates a distributed robotic system that successfully integrates a native Windows chess engine (Fritz 19) with a containerized ROS2-based robot control system, operating on a single host computer. The architecture is designed to solve the common challenge of bridging disparate operating systems in real-time robotics. Performance analysis over 35 moves demonstrates the architecture’s high reliability, achieving a 100% success rate in the software pipeline from command generation to execution planning. The study quantifies the system’s primary performance bottleneck, showing that the physical robot movement averaged 22.6 seconds, while the underlying communication latency was negligible at 2.89 ms. This highlights a crucial distinction between computational speed and the challenges of physical manipulation. Compared to existing human-robot chess systems, which typically operate within a single OS or rely heavily on computer vision, this work contributes a validated architectural alternative. Its primary contribution is a single-host framework that integrates a native Windows application with a containerized ROS2 system. This provides a robust solution for developers needing to bridge disparate software ecosystems in real-time robotics and establishes a performance baseline demonstrating that such integration is highly efficient. KW - ROS2 KW - Distributed Systems KW - Containerization KW - Chess Robot. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Malani, Ajaykumar T1 - Development of a Key Performance Indicator Based Method for the Evaluation of Scan Strategies N2 - In the Laser powder bed fusion of metal, the laser beam melts and fuse the powder material to produce the part layer by layer. The scan strategy, which defines the pattern in which the laser moves on the powder bed, affects the mechanical properties, residual stress and quality of the parts. There are many scanning strategies and it is difficult to select the appropriate scanning strategy based on the required quality of the parts. In this thesis, key performance indicators related to scanning strategy are developed, based upon the literature, which can influence the quality of the parts like high density and low surface roughness. The developed KPI is used to evaluate the scanning strategy of printed parts and their results on surface roughness and density. The developed KPIs are integrated into custom software to collect the data for evaluation of scanning strategy. The correlation analysis is also performed to understand the relation between developed KPI and quality of the parts (surface roughness and density). The results shows that developed method can be used for evaluation of the scanning strategy but it needs to be further improved to get more accurate results. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22414 ER - TY - THES A1 - Siddireddy, Pradeep Chand T1 - Energy-Efficient Design of Filament Spooling Machines for Sustainable 3D Printing Workflows. N2 - The Thesis encompasses a comprehensive design framework, incorporating detailed calculations for motor selection, tensioning system design, and guide mechanism optimization. The design prioritizes energy efficiency through the implementation of high-efficiency motors, optimized control algorithms, and energy-saving features. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22408 ER - TY - THES A1 - Heidenreich, Kathrin Lilli T1 - Assessing National Resilience to Hybrid Threats: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of European Countries N2 - Hybrid threats pose a growing challenge to European security, targeting state vulnerabilities through combined military and non-military means. Resilience has become the key strategy to counter these threats, yet little empirical research explains why some countries are more resilient than others. This thesis uses Qualitative Comparative Analysis on 36 European countries to identify which conditions lead to national resilience. Findings show that resilience results from specific combinations of factors: strategic prioritization of hybrid threats, prior exposure to attacks, EU and NATO membership, and the absence of Soviet-era legacies. The study recommends states develop clear strategies, institutionalize learning from past incidents, and strengthen multilateral cooperation. Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ghosh, Anup Kumar T1 - Analyzing individual chickens' life data to predict egg and growth performance N2 - The 2022 ban on killing male chicks, implemented in Germany and France, tackled ethical problems within egg-laying hen farming. Because of this policy, alternative poultry production methods were created to better meet animal welfare guidelines. To meet this challenge, the University of Bonn launched research into dual-purpose chickens, specifically the British Ixworth breed. Integrating male and female chicken farming offers a new, innovative solution to ethical and sustainability issues in traditional farming by combining egg and meat production. The importance of this research for revolutionizing poultry farming cannot be overstated (Becker et al., 2023). A University of Bonn research team is studying this alternative farming method to determine its productivity and viability. To meet industry needs while prioritizing animal welfare, they evaluate dual-purpose chicken potential by analysing egg (number and weight) and meat (weight) yields. This thesis has four sections, exploring different facets of dual-purpose chickens across four generations via diverse statistical and machine learning methods. First, it examines existing research on various facets of analysing and forecasting individual chicken egg and growth data. It further explores Becker et al.’s 2023 study, “The British Ixworth: individual growth and egg production of a purebred dual-purpose chicken.” Moreover, the linear regression, SVR, KNN, and decision tree models were applied to this data for advanced analysis and prediction. The thesis’s second part details the methodology, including requirements analysis and dataset preparation. This thesis's third section details how data from four generations of chicken life were analysed to predict future egg production and individual chicken growth. Across generations, individual chickens' average body weight and egg weight all showed an increase in the results. Predictions from linear regression and decision tree models show an increase in individual chickens' growth across generations to come. Egg production forecasts were better with the KNN model. This research will use advanced statistical methods and machine learning to model and assess the generational performance of dual-purpose chickens. These tools will forecast future egg and meat production, thus giving key insights to enhance breeding programs. This research aims to optimize dual-purpose chicken production for growth and egg-laying performance. The researchers eagerly anticipate the results, which will help to shape their future poultry farming projects. KW - Dual-purpose chickens KW - British Ixworth KW - Poultry farming KW - Machine learning KW - Statistical analysis KW - Predictive modeling KW - Linear regression KW - K-nearest neighbors (KNN) KW - Support Vector KW - Regression (SVR) KW - Decision tree KW - Sustainable agriculture KW - Generational analysis KW - Chicken growth prediction KW - Egg-laying performance KW - Alternative poultry production Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Hadi, Abdul T1 - Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Capital Market Efficiency and Investment Behavior: A Comparative Analysis of Investors in Developed and Emerging Markets N2 - This thesis explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on capital market efficiency and investor behavior, with a comparative lens on developed and emerging markets. It investigates how AI technologies—such as machine learning, robo-advisors, and algorithmic trading—are reshaping investment strategies, reducing behavioral biases, and influencing market dynamics. The study integrates theoretical frameworks, including the Efficient Market Hypothesis, Behavioral Finance, and the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis, to contextualize AI’s role in modern finance. A mixed-methods approach combines literature review, empirical analysis, and survey data from Germany, India, and Pakistan to assess regional disparities in AI adoption, trust, and effectiveness. Findings reveal that while AI enhances decision-making and market efficiency, its benefits are unevenly distributed due to infrastructural, regulatory, and digital literacy gaps. German investors exhibit higher trust and adoption rates, leading to more efficient and diversified investment behavior, whereas emerging markets face barriers such as limited access and awareness. The thesis concludes with policy recommendations to foster inclusive AI integration and outlines future research directions to bridge the digital divide in global financial systems Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22350 ER - TY - THES A1 - Bhatt, Revant Nitin T1 - Characterization and Optimization of Process Parameters for Polycaprolactone-based Medical Scaffolds for a Magnetic Planar Drive-based 3D Printer N2 - This thesis investigates the optimization of process parameters for a Magnetic Planar Drive (MPD)-based 3D printer to fabricate Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds for medical applications. The study aims to identify an optimal set of parameters that ensures high-dimensional accuracy while maintaining structural integrity. A systematic experimental methodology was adopted, beginning with a full-factorial design to establish baseline parameters for printing temperature (170°C), printing speed (15 mm/s), and nozzle diameter (0.4 mm). A Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to optimize critical parameters, specifically layer height, raster width, and mover levitation height. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) identified layer height as the most dominant factor influencing dimensional accuracy (p < 0.0001), while raster width and mover levitation had lesser effects. The experimental validation of the optimization results revealed discrepancies between the numerically and empirically optimized parameter sets. Although the numerically optimized settings had a theoretically superior accuracy of 98.29%, their practical implementation led to structural failures, specifically the collapse of scaffold bridges. In contrast, the empirically optimized set (layer height: 0.2 mm, raster width: 0.45 mm, mover levitation height: 2.25 mm) consistently achieved a mean dimensional accuracy of 97.14% while maintaining stable printability. The findings demonstrate the potential of MPD-based 3D printing for fabricating medical scaffolds and establishing a validated parameter set. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22330 ER - TY - THES A1 - Müller, Anna T1 - The Dialectic of Enlightenment & Gender Equality : Potentials of Critical Theory for the Re- and Deconstruction of Women's Roles in a Patriarchal Society N2 - This thesis examines the ambivalent nature of a supposedly enlightened society using the tools of Critical Theory. The work employs the dialectical method, drawing on Horkheimer and Adorno’s 'Dialectic of Enlightenment' to analyze the contradictory development of gender relations within a seemingly rational and emancipated modernity. The central thesis posits that the ideals of the Enlightenment—devoted to liberty, reason, and equality—dialectically reverse into their opposites. The focus lies on the social role of women, who experience societal subjugation as a result. Through a historical analysis of Early, High, and Late Enlightenment, two structural concepts are identified that emerge from Enlightenment thought: (1) the categorically dichotomized production of knowledge, and the (2) transition from monarchical to physiocratic bourgeois systems. It is shown how a complementarity of the sexes is legitimized on the basis of categorial-dichotomized knowledge production, which is divided into dichotomized social spheres in the sense of an equal society on the basis of their supposedly natural abilities. This creates a dialectical moment that places women in a seemingly natural, but actually ideologically shaped position of subjugation. The third part of the thesis applies Negative Dialectics to deconstruct prevailing gender relations. It questions the foundations of dichotomous knowledge production and explores the compatibility of feminist theories with Critical Theory. Furthermore, it critically engages with identity politics. The aim is to rethink the concept of “woman” from a dialectical-feminist perspective and to outline possibilities for a more equitable societal order beyond rigid categorical designations. KW - Critical Theory KW - Dialectic of Enlightenment KW - Intersectionality KW - Negative Dialectics Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22319 ER - TY - THES A1 - Moncada Torres, Valentina Bernardita T1 - Identifying Policy Opportunities for the Costa Rican Cocoa Market: A Comparative Analysis with the Dominican Republic N2 - Cocoa is a crop native to Costa Rica that once thrived as one of the country’s principal exports. Its decline began in the late 1970s following severe disease outbreaks and has been further affected by a lack of sustained institutional support. This thesis presents a comparative analysis of the cocoa sectors in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic due to the latter’s good positioning in the global cocoa market. It aims to identify policy opportunities that could support the revitalization of Costa Rican cocoa production. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders across both countries and thematically analysed according to six key areas: general characteristics, exports and market access, labour conditions, public policy and framework, support framework, and growth potential. Findings suggest that the Dominican Republic’s success is due to continued governmental prioritization and support, alongside the presence of strong producer associations that facilitate access to post-harvest infrastructure, international markets, and organic certification. In contrast, Costa Rica’s sector remains fragmented, with limited coordination, restricted market access, and minimal governmental support. Nonetheless, recent increases in global cocoa prices and renewed institutional interest have created favourable conditions for reactivating and strengthening the sector. This study highlights the need for strengthened producer organization and culturally grounded support for Indigenous cocoa producers. The broader aim of the study is to enable producers to improve their quality of life through increased profitability. KW - Cocoa production KW - Costa Rica KW - Dominican Republic KW - Comparative study KW - Agricultural Policy KW - Market Access KW - Producer Support Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22308 ER - TY - THES A1 - Malani, Ajaykumar Jayasukhbhai T1 - Development of a Key Performance Indicator Based Method for the Evaluation of Scan Strategies N2 - In the Laser powder bed fusion of metal, the laser beam melts and fuse the powder material to produce the part layer by layer. The scan strategy, which defines the pattern in which the laser moves on the powder bed, affects the mechanical properties, residual stress and quality of the parts. There are many scanning strategies and it is difficult to select the appropriate scanning strategy based on the required quality of the parts. In this thesis, key performance indicators related to scanning strategy are developed, based upon the literature, which can influence the quality of the parts like high density and low surface roughness. The developed KPI is used to evaluate the scanning strategy of printed parts and their results on surface roughness and density. The developed KPIs are integrated into custom software to collect the data for evaluation of scanning strategy. The correlation analysis is also performed to understand the relation between developed KPI and quality of the parts (surface roughness and density). The results shows that developed method can be used for evaluation of the scanning strategy but it needs to be further improved to get more accurate results. KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Laser Powder Bed Fusion process KW - LPBF KW - Scanning strategy KW - Effect of scanning strategy KW - Scan vector length KW - Overlap KW - Scan vector direction KW - KPI Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22293 ER - TY - THES A1 - Stolbova, Kristina T1 - What is the impact of the level of democracy on voter turnout among youth? N2 - In the last decades, two disturbing trends have been developing simultaneously: a declining state of democracy worldwide and a growing electoral disengagement of youth (18-24 years old). The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between the level of democracy and youth voter turnout. Gathering secondary data from publicly available data sets and reports (the CSES, Afrobarometer, and the Economist Intelligence Unit), I conduct six correlation analyses between the level of democracy (and its components) and voter turnout among youth. As a result, I find a significant positive association between the level of democracy and youth turnout. Among the components of democracy, functioning of government demonstrates the most significant positive correlation with electoral participation among youth. I conclude that autocratisation could serve as an explanans of youth growing abstention from voting. At the same time, this suggests a potential for the level of democracy to boost the electoral behaviour of youth by influencing the functioning of government. While further research is needed to establish the causal relationship, this study lays a relevant foundation for it. KW - Youth voter turnout KW - Level of democracy KW - Correlation analysis Y1 - 2025 ER - TY - THES A1 - Nguyen, Minh Duy T1 - Development of an arduino-controlled smart storage rack for component reels using MQTT and RS485 communication protocols N2 - This thesis represents the development of an innovative storage rack system designed to manage electronic component reels in the manufacturing environment efficiently. The system integrates multiple custom-designed PCBs equipped with many LEDs and sensors, each assigned to individual storage slots. Each storage slot is equipped with an LED and an infrared (IR) sensor. The sensors detect the presence of reels, while the LEDs provide visual guidance for storing or locating specific reels. To manage multiple sensors efficiently, a multiplexing method is used, allowing each Arduino Pro Mini to control up to 16 sensors with fewer pins. Multiple Arduino Pro Mini microcontrollers are deployed across different rack sections and communicate with a central master controller using the RS485 protocol. The master controller, based on an ESP32, connects to an MQTT broker to send and receive data from a storage management system. Users interact with the system through a web interface. When storing a reel, the user scans it into the online system, which then activates an LED to indicate the appropriate storage slot. When retrieving a reel, the system highlights its location via the corresponding LED. Sensors are used to confirm the presence or absence of reels within the slots ensuring accurate tracking of stored items in real time. The system is modular and scalable. In this thesis, the prototype demonstrates two levels of storage racks, each independently controlled and networked, validating the communication between multiple slave units and a master. Additionally, because of the different sizes of the reel, the design includes removable metal dividers between slots. When storing larger reels, dividers can be removed, and this change is also updated via MQTT to the online system. Power is supplied through a 5V, 30A power supply, ensuring stable operation of all electronic components. Overall, the results confirm that the system achieves reliable performance in both hardware and communication aspects, offering a practical and scalable solution for modern electronic component inventory management. KW - Smart Storage Rack MQTT RS485 Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22237 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Dobariya, Binal A1 - Bockmühl, Dirk P. T1 - Comparative analysis of microbial community on apricot kernel shells and walnut shells influenced by post-harvest conditions. N2 - Apricot kernel shells (AKS) and walnut shells (WS) are byproducts from fruit processing lines and may serve as sustainable alternatives to microplastics in industrial applications due to their high content of natural polymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Their use necessitates understanding the associated microbial risks to secure the quality of raw materials. This study investigates microbial communities on AKS and WS collected from Kyrgyzstan over a three-year period of harvests (2022-2024), using culture-dependent total viable count (TVC) as well as culture-independent shotgun metagenomic sequencing to explore the taxonomic and functional profile of microorganisms present on the shells. Results indicated higher microbial loads in more recent harvests with a dominance of Proteobacteria on WS comprising Pantonea agglomerans and Xanthomonas arboricola. On AKS, the phylum Firmicutes was prevalent emphasizing on Weissella confusa and Weissella cibaria. Incubation at humid conditions increased the fungal diversity in particular, especially Rhizopus microsporus in WS and Pichia membranifaciens in AKS, highlighting storage humidity as a critical factor which may induce microbial shifts. Functional metagenomic profiling based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, highlighted metabolic and relational pathways of microbial community present on AKS and WS. Furthermore, microbial similarities between shell samples and their respective storage environments suggest that handling and storage practices may significantly affect contamination profiles. KW - Walnut shells, Apricot kernel shells, Alternatives to microplastics, Cosmetics, Microbial communities Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-22214 ER -