5 Jun 2026

Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Elucidates Freshwater Mussel Diversity and Occupancy to Facilitate Improved Management and Conservation

Abstract: Freshwater mussels are considered among the most at-risk taxa in the world. As such, comprehensive monitoring assessments of what abiotic and biotic factors influence mussel occupancy will be vital for guiding effective conservation. Here, we analysed vertebrate and mussel environmental DNA metabarcoding data to explore the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on freshwater mussel populations. This study utilised water samples and tactile survey data collected from streams throughout Fort Johnson, Louisiana. Methods: We first evaluated the effectiveness of eDNA metabarcoding for characterising freshwater communities based on previous conventional tactile surveys. Next, we used eDNA metabarcoding analysis for freshwater mussels and vertebrate species alongside GIS-derived satellite remote sensing data to assess how various biotic and abiotic variables impact freshwater mussel eDNA occupancy. Our eDNA metabarcoding survey largely agreed with both historical and contemporary surveys on Fort Johnson, while uniquely detecting Louisiana pigtoe, a proposed threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act. We also found that eDNA detections and occupancy had strong seasonal variation, with increased read abundance and diversity in the spring. Vertebrate, fish, and predator diversity were strongly predictive of mussel occupancy, supporting the concept of land managers focusing on the entire ecosystem for mussel conservation. Lastly, we found that percent forest cover and drainage basin size influenced mussel eDNA occupancy, informing habitat associations for mussel species of interest. Our results demonstrate that combining eDNA metabarcoding of target and non- target species with occupancy modelling can provide insights into the ecology of freshwater mussels and is a useful tool to improve their conservation and management.

1 Jun 2026

Operational Analysis of Composting for Military Installation Resilience

Abstract: On military installations, food waste is the heaviest portion of solid waste. At a single installation, food waste and its management can contribute up to $1.5 million lost annually. Additionally, Army installations pay over $100 million annually in disposal fees. Army policy calls for source reduction and composting as preferred methods of waste management over landfilling. As of 2025, 11 states and Washing-ton, DC, have laws that restrict food waste from being landfilled, with some laws more stringent than others. Composting is one way to align with both Army policy and local laws. Several installations have on-post composting operations, and others send food waste to nearby commercial compost facilities, where those are available. In FY 2024, 33 installations reported food recycling, which includes composting, anaerobic digestion, and other food-waste diversion. If composting on-post, a suitable location, equipment, and labor are needed. Multiple methods of composting for an installation must be considered. But composting can be worthwhile and may be more economical than landfilling. When installations are deciding how to manage food waste, they should consider their resources, organic waste generation tonnage, labor availability, and potential for cost savings. Depending on their location, on-post and off-post commercial options may be possible.

7 May 2026

Robust Error State Sage-Husa Adaptive Kalman Filter for UWB Localization

Abstract: Given the sensors’ path and interference mitigation capabilities, ultra-wideband (UWB)-based positioning systems have demonstrated high accuracy and reliability. This work aims to improve the Sage-Husa fuzzy adaptive filter (SHFAF) proposed in previous works by modifying the motion model to a 3-D ground-based differential drive robot using IMU and wheel encoder kinematic fused control inputs. In addition to the changed motion model kinematics, this article improved the positive definite constraint on P and R during dynamic estimations, thus making the filter more robust to outliers. An improvement to the computation and derivation of the fuzzy logic system for the SHFAF based on the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) structure was developed, and training the fuzzy system using gradient descent was applied to improve the system’s accuracy. Experimental validation was conducted using real-world data from a Clearpath Jackal robot equipped with Qorvo UWB sensors and static nodes. Regarding localization accuracy, the proposed velocity-based SHFAF (VelSHFAF) system outperformed the previous SHFAF implementation by approximately 30%–25% across two test courses, demonstrating its enhanced performance and reliability.

7 May 2026

Surface Oxide Removal in Preparation for Controlled Liquid Metal Embrittlement

Abstract: During liquid metal embrittlement a liquid metal infiltrates grain boundaries of a compatible solid metal, interrupting the inter-grain bonds and weakening the metal. Ongoing research has proposed that this effect may be used to perform additive/subtractive hybrid machining to fabricate replacement components, using relatively simple equipment and low material and instrument costs. The gallium/aluminum pairing is of particular interest due to the usage of aluminum in a wide variety of structural and aerospace applications coupled with gallium’s nontoxicity and melting point just above room temperature, which facilitates storage and transport. To activate aluminum to gallium infiltration, the surface oxide formed on aluminum in atmosphere must first be removed simultaneously with a significant amount of bulk metal to promote flow control of the liquid metal. Three targeted techniques for oxide removal were tested and compared, specifically mechanical abrasion, chemical etching, and laser ablation. Mechanical abrasion is simple to implement but lower precision. Chemical etching requires significant prep work and cleanup but could operate on entire sheets of substrate simultaneously with proper masking. Although laser ablation requires the most complex instrumentation, it requires minimal prep work and provides the greatest precision, making it ideal for the manufacturing application under development here.

7 May 2026

Self Excited Hoisting Chain Tension Measurements for Dam Spillway Gates and Identification of Uneven Hoisting

Abstract: Tainter gates are critical components of inland navigation systems, as they regulate the flow of water through dams, enabling a navigable depth of waterway. A critical issue with Tainter gates arises when the gates are raised or lowered in a skewed, uneven fashion, which can cause redistribution of stresses and exacerbate fatigue damage. This uneven hoisting of the gate manifests itself as unequal tension in the chains that raise the gate. An opportunity to indirectly measure the tension in hoisting chains arose during field testing of a Tainter gate, where accelerometers were placed on easily accessible locations on the Tainter gate with the goal to perform a modal analysis of the gate. During operation, the hoisting chains of the tested gate would audibly pop, which was clearly identifiable in acceleration records and expected to be the response of the chains themselves, rather than the modal vibrations of the Tainter gate. To support the notion that the recorded vibrations represent the response of the chains, this paper explores the dynamics of the chains to develop the relationship between chain frequency and tension. The developed relationship is validated in a laboratory experiment of a chain cut from a Tainter gate where the natural frequency of the chain is measured for varying tension in the chain. The results of the study show that this approach can be used as a quick and inexpensive method to monitor for uneven hoisting on Tainter gates from easily accessible locations on the gate and with inexpensive sensors.

5 May 2026

Hierarchical Rule-Base Reduction-Based ANFIS with Online Optimization Through DDPG

Abstract: This article presents a comprehensive approach to designing and optimizing a hierarchical rule-base reduction-based adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for symmetric linguistic variables. Specifically, the linguistic connected membership functions that underlie the ANFIS are defined, focusing on symmetrical inputs/outputs and jointly optimized trapezoid membership functions to reduce the number of training parameters. Further optimizations for the ANFIS were derived based on design assumptions, including training the membership functions on closed or single-sided domains. The optimal output membership weights based on mean square error optimization were also symbolically obtained. The online training of the ANFIS’s input/output membership functions was performed using the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm. A simulated skid-steered vehicle was used to validate the approach and performed waypoint-to-waypoint path following. Experimental results using the Clearpath Jackal demonstrated that the ANFIS model converged quickly, typically within 6 to 10 episodes of training, from an initial mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.88 and 1.02 m, respectively, to a final MAE and RMSE of 0.087 and 0.10 m. The results highlight the effectiveness of the ANFIS approach for vehicular robotics applications and suggest promising avenues for future research and development.

4 May 2026

Characterizing Lithium-Ion Battery Health and Mitigating Transportation and Recycling Hazards

Abstract: With the growing trend toward electric vehicle (EV) use, the demand for safe, efficient, and cost-effective energy storage grows increasingly crucial. The ability to effectively characterize battery health, transport and dispose of batteries safely, and mitigate the by-products of battery recycling are all important to reduce the risks of lithium-ion battery (LIB) usage throughout the battery’s life cycle. The transportation and disposal of LIBs present critical challenges and require stringent safety measures to mitigate risks effectively. Additionally, many recycling methods are less cost-effective or more environmentally harmful than mining new materials. This report describes the findings of a collaborative project between the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, to address these concerns and contribute to safer and more environmentally friendly transportation, recycling, and disposal of LIBs. The most common battery recycling techniques are investigated—pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and direct recycling—along with the environmental impact of these methods. The overall potential environmental impacts of LIB usage can be greatly improved through proper battery disposal. Addressing hazards at the battery level by enhancing the stability and cooling of batteries can simplify battery transportation and improve safety.

4 May 2026

Installation Access Control Technology at Redstone Arsenal: Biometric-Enabled Technology for Installation Entry

Abstract: A pair of biometric capabilities useful for access control were demonstrated at Redstone Arsenal to support installation modernization and the integration of smart infrastructure. This project addresses gap requirements outlined in the March 2020 report to Congress by the Assis-tant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment (ASA IE&E), Army Report on Creating an Army Installations Test and Demonstration Program Using Commercial Technologies. The demonstration tracked the number of transactions completed at an access control point (ACP) lane using a facial recognition system and at a secure facility using a touchless fingerprint reader and facial recognition kiosk. The operational duration of the systems showed their robustness. Multiple cameras in the express lane system accurately identified vehicle occupants while minimizing traffic backups. The touchless fingerprint system installed at the secure facility was easy to use, and users preferred it, leading to it quickly surpassing the existing method.

23 Apr 2026

Hierarchical Rule-Base Reduction Fuzzy Control for Path Tracking Variable Linear Speed Differential Steer Vehicles

Abstract: A novel waypoint navigation controller for a skid-steer vehicle is presented, where the controller is a multiple input-multiple output nonlinear angular velocity and linear speed controller. Hierarchical rule-base reduction was used in defining the controller. This entailed selecting inputs/outputs, determining the most globally influential inputs, generating a hierarchy relating inputs, selecting only the rules corresponding to the hierarchy, and, in effect, designing a symmetric rule-base. This dramatically reduced the rule-base size, by 97.7%, while maintaining global operating environment coverage. The stability analysis proved the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop controller-vehicle system. In addition, test courses were used to examine the effects of steering disturbance, phase lag, and overshoot as expressed in root mean square error (RMSE) and max error (ME). Outdoor experimental results for the controller’s performance were contrasted with a benchmark waypoint navigation controller, pure pursuit, and a simpler implementation that only output linear speed. The controller was found to outperform the pure pursuit and simpler implementation experimentally by 72% and 50% in RMSE, 71% and 40% in ME, validating the controllers viability.

20 Apr 2026

A Simple Room-Temperature Refurbishment Method for Sulfated Lead-Acid Batteries Using Ammonium Acetate Treatment

Abstract: Current recycling paradigms of lead-acid batteries (LABs) involve the use of toxic, polluting, and energy- demanding processes. Here we report a novel strategy to refurbish LABs which failed due to the formation of hard sulfation on the anodes. We used ammonium acetate (NH4Ac) to selectively dissolve the water-insoluble lead sulfate (PbSO4) crystals which cause the hard sulfation from commercial LAB anodes and electrodeposit metallic lead on a new surface. The remarkable removal of hard sulfation was characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The treatment replenished a fresh LAB anode surface, recovering the capacity from ~0 % to 99 %. The dissolved Pb2+ was retrieved with an efficiency of >99.9 % through electrodeposition, completing a refurbishing process that minimizes the release of heavy metals into the environment. We demonstrated a proof-of-concept refurbishing of a full commercial LAB, which recovered 35 % of its capacity. With a noteworthy capacity renewal and minimal release of hazardous materials, NH4Ac refurbishing promises to be an environment-friendly and economic alternative recycling paradigm for the LAB industry.