Handbook of Granular Computing

HANDBOOK OF INTELLIGENT COMPUTING AND OPTIMIZATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest breakthroughs and recent progress in sustainable intelligent computing technologies, applications, and optimization techniques across various industries. Optimization has received enormous attention along with the rapidly increasing use of communication technology and the development of user-friendly software and artificial intelligence. In almost all human activities, there is a desire to deliver the highest possible results with the least amount of effort. Moreover, optimization is a very well-known area with a vast number of applications, from route finding problems to medical treatment, construction, finance, accounting, engineering, and maintenance schedules in plants. As far as optimization of real-world problems is concerned, understanding the nature of the problem and grouping it in a proper class may help the designer employ proper techniques which can solve the problem efficiently. Many intelligent optimization techniques can find optimal solutions without the use of objective function and are less prone to local conditions. The 41 chapters comprising the Handbook of Intelligent Computing and Optimization for Sustainable Development by subject specialists, represent diverse disciplines such as mathematics and computer science, electrical and electronics engineering, neuroscience and cognitive sciences, medicine, and social sciences, and provide the reader with an integrated understanding of the importance that intelligent computing has in the sustainable development of current societies. It discusses the emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of successfully implementing new and innovative intelligent techniques in a variety of sectors, including IoT, manufacturing, optimization, and healthcare. Audience It is a pivotal reference source for IT specialists, industry professionals, managers, executives, researchers, scientists, and engineers seeking current research in emerging perspectives in the field of artificial intelligence in the areas of Internet of Things, renewable energy, optimization, and smart cities.

This second edition of the successful Handbook of Adhesion provides concise and authoritative articles covering many aspects of the science and technology associated with adhesion and adhesives. It is intended to fill a gap between the necessarily simplified treatment of the student textbook and the full and thorough treatment of the research monograph and review article. The articles are structured in such a way, with internal cross-referencing and external literature references, that the reader can build up a broader and deeper understanding, as their needs require. This second edition includes many new articles covering developments which have risen in prominence in the intervening years, such as scanning probe techniques, the surface forces apparatus and the relation between adhesion and fractal surfaces. Advances in understanding polymer – polymer interdiffusion are reflected in articles drawing out the implications for adhesive bonding. In addition, articles derived from the earlier edition have been revised and updated where needed. Throughout the book there is a renewed emphasis on environmental implications of the use of adhesives and sealants. The scope of the Handbook, which features nearly 250 articles from over 60 authors, includes the background science – physics, chemistry and material science – and engineering, and also aspects of adhesion relevant to the use of adhesives, including topics such as: * Sealants and mastics * Paints and coatings * Printing and composite materials * Welding and autohesion * Engineering design The Handbook of Adhesion is intended for scientists and engineers in both academia and industry, requiring an understanding of the various facets of adhesion.

Comprehensive in coverage, written and edited by leading experts in the field, this Handbook is a definitive, up-to-date reference work. The Volumes Methods I and Methods II detail the physico-chemical basis and capabilities of the various microscopy techniques used in materials science. The Volume Applications illustrates the results obtained by all available methods for the main classes of materials, showing which technique can be successfully applied to a given material in order to obtain the desired information. With the Handbook of Microscopy, scientists and engineers involved in materials characterization will be in a position to answer two key questions: «How does a given technique work?», and «Which techique is suitable for characterizing a given material?»

This two-volume handbook is unique in spanning the entire field of evolution, from the origins of life up to the formation of social structures and science and technology. The author team of world-renowned experts considers the subject from a variety of disciplines, with continuous cross-referencing so as to retain a logical internal structure. The uniformly structured contributions discuss not merely the general knowledge behind the evolution of life, but also the corresponding development of language, society, economies, morality and politics. The result is an overview of the history and methods used in the study of evolution, including controversial theories and discussions. A must for researchers in the natural sciences, sociology and philosophy, as well as for those interested in an interdisciplinary view of the status of evolution today.

Toxicogenomics is a new, dynamic and very promising field that can help optimize toxicity analyses and streamline research into active substances. It is of interest not only for basic research and development, but also from a legal and ethical perspective. Here, experts from all the fields mentioned will find solid information provided by an international team of experienced authors. With its approach as an interdisciplinary overview, it will prove particularly useful for all those needing to develop appropriate research strategies. The authors work for major research institutions, such as the Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (Germany), the German Cancer Research Center, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (USA), the National Institute of Health Science (Japan) or for companies like Affymetrix, Altana Pharma, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bruker, Merck, Nimblegen, Novartis, and Syngenta. Coverage ranges from the technology platforms applied, including DNA arrays or proteomics, via the bioinformatics tools required, right up to applications of toxicogenomics presented in numerous case studies, while also including an overview of national programs and initiatives as well as regulatory perspectives. Walter Rosenthal, Director of the Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in Berlin, praises the book thus: «I would like to congratulate the publishers of this handbook, one that deals with a extremely hot topic. They have succeeded in gaining as authors leading representatives from this field. The Handbook impressively shows how modern genomic research is leading to rapid advances and new insights within toxicology.»

Handbook of Industrial Mixing will explain the difference and uses of a variety of mixers including gear mixers, top entry mixers, side entry mixers, bottom entry mixers, on-line mixers, and submerged mixers The Handbook discusses the trade-offs among various mixers, concentrating on which might be considered for a particular process. Handbook of Industrial Mixing explains industrial mixers in a clear concise manner, and also: * Contains a CD-ROM with video clips showing different type of mixers in action and a overview of their uses. * Gives practical insights by the top professional in the field. * Details applications in key industries. * Provides the professional with information he did receive in school

Written by a team of leading international researchers under the guidance of Frank Durso, the second edition of the Handbook of Applied Cognition brings together the latest research into this challenging and important field, and is presented across thirty stimulating and accessible chapters. Stewarded by experiences editors from around the globe, the handbook has been fully updated with eleven new chapters covering materials that focus on the topics critical to understanding human mental functions in complex environments. It is an essential single-source reference for researchers, cognitive engineers and applied cognitive psychologists, as well as advanced students in the flourishing field of applied cognition.

(Co)polymers prepared via free radical mechanism, together with polyolefins, comprise the largest portion of the commodity plastics industry and are also used for preparation of many specialty materials. Handbook of Radical Polymerization provides a concise source of information on mechanisms, synthetic techniques, and characterization methods and addresses future trends for polymers made by free radical intermediates. A one-stop, at-your-fingertips source of information for students, researchers, technologists, and industrial managers, the Handbook functions as a single reference of the conventional and controlled/living radical polymerization methods. Two expert editors collect and present historical background of the technique, basic information regarding various free radical polymerization systems, and state-of-the-art experimental techniques and industrial applications. Chapters written by internationally acclaimed experts in their respective fields include: Theory of Radical Reactions The Kinetics of Free Radical Polymerization Industrial Applications and Processes Nitroxide Mediated Living Radical Polymerization Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Control of Free Radical Polymerization by Chain Transfer Methods Macromolecular Engineering by Controlled Radical Polymerization Guaranteed to have a long shelf life, the Handbook of Radical Polymerization promises to be an indispensable resource for chemists, chemical engineers, material scientists, and graduate students in the field, as well as a valuable addition to industrial, academic, and government libraries.

With the demands of quality management and process control in an industrial environment machine vision is becoming an important issue. This handbook of machine vision is written by experts from leading companies in this field. It goes through all aspects of image acquisition and image processing. From the viewpoint of the industrial application the authors also elucidate in topics like illumination or camera calibration. Attention is paid to all hardware aspects, starting from lenses and camera systems to camera-computer interfaces. Besides the detailed hardware descriptions the necessary software is discussed with equal profoundness. This includes sections on digital image basics as well as image analysis and image processing. Finally the user is introduced to general aspects of industrial applications of machine vision, such as case studies and strategies for the conception of complete machine vision systems. With this handbook the reader will be enabled not only to understand up to date systems for machine vision but will also be qualified for the planning and evaluation of such technology.