This study investigates the need for the adoption of modern handloom tools, including jacquard and warping drums, and evaluates their impact on income generation, production efficiency, market reach, and women’s empowerment in rural areas of Udalguri District, Assam. A purposive sampling method was used to survey 50 households in total. The findings reveal that the jacquard and warping drums significantly reduced the time required for weaving, mitigating weather dependence and improving productivity. Consequently, beneficiaries reported increased income, leading to independent entrepreneurship. The marketing strategies employed included direct market linkage through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), participation, and connection with buyers to expand market access. Types of products included Silk and Cotton, and most of the products were sold in local markets. Training initiatives have been conducted to enhance product quality and design diversity. Weavers, who previously worked with limited designs, have now adopted innovative patterns to boost product demand. The study underscores the pivotal role of CSOs in hand-holding support, development of marketing linkage, tracking systems, and development of community resource persons (CRPs) through cluster-based training programs. The modern handloom tools play a transformative role in enhancing productivity, income, and market access, while simultaneously empowering women and strengthening rural economies.
Elucidation of the mechanism of multielectron transfer reactions, such as photocatalytic water oxidation and oxygen reduction, is essential for achieving high efficiency in the utilization of sustainable solar energy. Herein, we demonstrate that photocatalytic oxygen reduction on platinum-loaded tungsten(VI) oxide (Pt/WO3) photocatalyst proceeds predominantly by two-electron transfer pathway under conventional light-intensity conditions. Light intensity-dependence analyses of the acetic acid decomposition reaction revealed the role of the Pt co-catalyst in enhancing overall quantum efficiency. We also report for the first time that the reaction can be initiated even on bare WO3, in addition to Pt, under extremely high light-intensity conditions.
The paper aims to contribute to planning decisions, policies, strategies, and management of inland areas affected by a protected natural area in the Campania region (Italy). Inland and rural areas, often affected by depopulation and economic decline, can and must be a crucial resource in the ecological transition. At a time when urbanisation is expected to increase, the bioeconomy offers a way to repopulate rural areas, promoting a transition to a more sustainable and inclusive production model and making the best use of the resources already present in the area. A significant example of the circular bioeconomy in action is the Campania region, which has been designated as a hub for a series of European projects currently underway that aim to integrate innovation, sustainability, and social inclusion. In this context, the area chosen is Roccamonfina, a volcanic area that has been inactive for thousands of years, with forests at the top and very fertile foothills. The area, which is part of the province of Caserta, one of the five provinces of the Campania Region (Italy), is characterised by a sparse human presence and by abandonment, in which local communities alone are unable to create conditions for sustainable development. The methodological approach starts from an analysis of the territory and gives priority to landscape, environmental, socio-economic, productive, and cultural characteristics, using a SWOT analysis. This approach aims to define policy scenarios to promote conditions for sustainable development. The results achieved in the study are designed to be scalable to similar areas.
Autonomous drones operating in indoor environments cannot rely on the global positioning system (GPS) signals for precise navigation due to severe signal attenuation and multipath interference in GPS-denied spaces. This paper presents a novel Li-Fi-based optical positioning, and combined with high-sensitivity photodiode sensor arrays, to enable robust drone guidance in challenging indoor environments where conventional radio-frequency localization fails. The proposed system uses strategically distributed ceiling-mounted Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires across the operational space, each transmitting unique identification codes through high-frequency light modulation at rates imperceptible to human vision, thereby maintaining dual functionality for simultaneous illumination and positioning. Unlike existing VLC positioning studies that focus on static receivers, our system integrates real-time optical localization directly into the UAV control loop at 120 Hz, achieving closed-loop autonomous navigation without GPS or RF assistance. The system demonstrates sub-decimetric positioning accuracy (<8 cm), low latency (4.2 ms), and operates successfully on resource constrained micro-UAV platforms (250 g quadcopter with STM32 microcontroller. OpenELAB Technology Ltd., Garching bei München, Germany). Experimental validation includes complex 3D trajectory tracking, multi-room scalability analysis, and quantitative comparison with existing localization technologies, confirming the viability of Li-Fi guided autonomous flight for practical indoor application.
In photovoltaic (PV) systems, precise wiring connections are critical to ensuring safe operation. Thus, effective reverse polarity protection is the first line of defense against polarity reversal caused by wiring errors. This paper systematically reviews existing methods for protecting PV systems against reverse polarity. First, the operating principles of PV side reverse polarity protection techniques are analyzed, along with their advantages and limitations. Additionally, DC-bus side protection methods are examined, and the effectiveness of different approaches is evaluated. Overall, this review provides researchers with the latest advances in reverse polarity protection for PV systems.
