Abstract:Geomagnetic storms, caused by solar wind energy transfer to Earth's magnetic field, can disrupt critical infrastructure like GPS, satellite communications, and power grids. The disturbance storm-time (Dst) index measures storm intensity. Despite advancements in empirical, physics-based, and machine-learning models using real-time solar wind data, accurately forecasting extreme geomagnetic events remains challenging due to noise and sensor failures. This research introduces TriQXNet, a novel hybrid classical-quantum neural network for Dst forecasting. Our model integrates classical and quantum computing, conformal prediction, and explainable AI (XAI) within a hybrid architecture. To ensure high-quality input data, we developed a comprehensive preprocessing pipeline that included feature selection, normalization, aggregation, and imputation. TriQXNet processes preprocessed solar wind data from NASA's ACE and NOAA's DSCOVR satellites, predicting the Dst index for the current hour and the next, providing vital advance notice to mitigate geomagnetic storm impacts. TriQXNet outperforms 13 state-of-the-art hybrid deep-learning models, achieving a root mean squared error of 9.27 nanoteslas (nT). Rigorous evaluation through 10-fold cross-validated paired t-tests confirmed its superior performance with 95% confidence. Conformal prediction techniques provide quantifiable uncertainty, which is essential for operational decisions, while XAI methods like ShapTime enhance interpretability. Comparative analysis shows TriQXNet's superior forecasting accuracy, setting a new level of expectations for geomagnetic storm prediction and highlighting the potential of classical-quantum hybrid models in space weather forecasting.
Abstract:This paper addresses the optimization of container unloading and loading operations at ports, integrating quay-crane dual-cycling with dockyard rehandle minimization. We present a unified model encompassing both operations: ship container unloading and loading by quay crane, and the other is reducing dockyard rehandles while loading the ship. We recognize that optimizing one aspect in isolation can lead to suboptimal outcomes due to interdependencies. Specifically, optimizing unloading sequences for minimal operation time may inadvertently increase dockyard rehandles during loading and vice versa. To address this NP-hard problem, we propose a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) QCDC-DR-GA comprising one-dimensional and two-dimensional GA components. Our model, QCDC-DR-GA, consistently outperforms four state-of-the-art methods in maximizing dual cycles and minimizing dockyard rehandles. Compared to those methods, it reduced 15-20% of total operation time for large vessels. Statistical validation through a two-tailed paired t-test confirms the superiority of QCDC-DR-GA at a 5% significance level. The approach effectively combines QCDC optimization with dockyard rehandle minimization, optimizing the total unloading-loading time. Results underscore the inefficiency of separately optimizing QCDC and dockyard rehandles. Fragmented approaches, such as QCDC Scheduling Optimized by bi-level GA and GA-ILSRS (Scenario 2), show limited improvement compared to QCDC-DR-GA. As in GA-ILSRS (Scenario 1), neglecting dual-cycle optimization leads to inferior performance than QCDC-DR-GA. This emphasizes the necessity of simultaneously considering both aspects for optimal resource utilization and overall operational efficiency.
Abstract:Accurate demand forecasting is crucial for optimizing supply chain management. Traditional methods often fail to capture complex patterns from seasonal variability and special events. Despite advancements in deep learning, interpretable forecasting models remain a challenge. To address this, we introduce the Multi-Channel Data Fusion Network (MCDFN), a hybrid architecture that integrates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) to enhance predictive performance by extracting spatial and temporal features from time series data. Our rigorous benchmarking demonstrates that MCDFN outperforms seven other deep-learning models, achieving superior metrics: MSE (23.5738%), RMSE (4.8553%), MAE (3.9991%), and MAPE (20.1575%). Additionally, MCDFN's predictions were statistically indistinguishable from actual values, confirmed by a paired t-test with a 5% p-value and a 10-fold cross-validated statistical paired t-test. We apply explainable AI techniques like ShapTime and Permutation Feature Importance to enhance interpretability. This research advances demand forecasting methodologies and offers practical guidelines for integrating MCDFN into supply chain systems, highlighting future research directions for scalability and user-friendly deployment.
Abstract:Sentiment analysis is crucial for understanding public opinion and consumer behavior. Existing models face challenges with linguistic diversity, generalizability, and explainability. We propose TRABSA, a hybrid framework integrating transformer-based architectures, attention mechanisms, and BiLSTM networks to address this. Leveraging RoBERTa-trained on 124M tweets, we bridge gaps in sentiment analysis benchmarks, ensuring state-of-the-art accuracy. Augmenting datasets with tweets from 32 countries and US states, we compare six word-embedding techniques and three lexicon-based labeling techniques, selecting the best for optimal sentiment analysis. TRABSA outperforms traditional ML and deep learning models with 94% accuracy and significant precision, recall, and F1-score gains. Evaluation across diverse datasets demonstrates consistent superiority and generalizability. SHAP and LIME analyses enhance interpretability, improving confidence in predictions. Our study facilitates pandemic resource management, aiding resource planning, policy formation, and vaccination tactics.
Abstract:Domestic violence, which is often perceived as a gendered issue among female victims, has gained increasing attention in recent years. Despite this focus, male victims of domestic abuse remain primarily overlooked, particularly in Bangladesh. Our study represents a pioneering exploration of the underexplored realm of male domestic violence (MDV) within the Bangladeshi context, shedding light on its prevalence, patterns, and underlying factors. Existing literature predominantly emphasizes female victimization in domestic violence scenarios, leading to an absence of research on male victims. We collected data from the major cities of Bangladesh and conducted exploratory data analysis to understand the underlying dynamics. We implemented 11 traditional machine learning models with default and optimized hyperparameters, 2 deep learning, and 4 ensemble models. Despite various approaches, CatBoost has emerged as the top performer due to its native support for categorical features, efficient handling of missing values, and robust regularization techniques, achieving 76% accuracy. In contrast, other models achieved accuracy rates in the range of 58-75%. The eXplainable AI techniques, SHAP and LIME, were employed to gain insights into the decision-making of black-box machine learning models. By shedding light on this topic and identifying factors associated with domestic abuse, the study contributes to identifying groups of people vulnerable to MDV, raising awareness, and informing policies and interventions aimed at reducing MDV. Our findings challenge the prevailing notion that domestic abuse primarily affects women, thus emphasizing the need for tailored interventions and support systems for male victims. ML techniques enhance the analysis and understanding of the data, providing valuable insights for developing effective strategies to combat this pressing social issue.
Abstract:Many studies have shown how ergonomically designed furniture improves productivity and well-being. As computers have become a part of students' academic lives, they will grow further in the future. We propose anthropometric-based furniture dimensions suitable for university students to improve computer laboratory ergonomics. We collected data from 380 participants and analyzed 11 anthropometric measurements, correlating them to 11 furniture dimensions. Two types of furniture were studied: a non-adjustable chair with a non-adjustable table and an adjustable chair with a non-adjustable table. The mismatch calculation showed a significant difference between furniture dimensions and anthropometric measurements. The one-way ANOVA test with a significance level of 5% also showed a significant difference between proposed and existing furniture dimensions. The proposed dimensions were found to be more compatible and reduced mismatch percentages for both males and females compared to existing furniture. The proposed dimensions of the furniture set with adjustable seat height showed slightly improved results compared to the non-adjustable furniture set. This suggests that the proposed dimensions can improve comfort levels and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders among students. Further studies on the implementation and long-term effects of these proposed dimensions in real-world computer laboratory settings are recommended.
Abstract:Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) technology inside the cold supply chain can enhance transparency, efficiency, and quality, optimizing operating procedures and increasing productivity. The integration of IoT in this complicated setting is hindered by specific barriers that need a thorough examination. Prominent barriers to IoT implementation in the cold supply chain are identified using a two-stage model. After reviewing the available literature on the topic of IoT implementation, a total of 13 barriers were found. The survey data was cross-validated for quality, and Cronbach's alpha test was employed to ensure validity. This research applies the interpretative structural modeling technique in the first phase to identify the main barriers. Among those barriers, "regularity compliance" and "cold chain networks" are key drivers for IoT adoption strategies. MICMAC's driving and dependence power element categorization helps evaluate the barrier interactions. In the second phase of this research, a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory methodology was employed to identify causal relationships between barriers and evaluate them according to their relative importance. Each cause is a potential drive, and if its efficiency can be enhanced, the system as a whole benefits. The research findings provide industry stakeholders, governments, and organizations with significant drivers of IoT adoption to overcome these barriers and optimize the utilization of IoT technology to improve the effectiveness and reliability of the cold supply chain.
Abstract:This research delves into the intricate landscape of Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) risk factors, employing a novel fusion of Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques and mode-based ranking methodologies. The primary objective is to advance the comprehension of MSD risk factors, their classification, and their relative severity, facilitating more targeted preventive and management interventions. The study utilizes eight diverse models, integrating pre-trained transformers, cosine similarity, and various distance metrics to classify risk factors into personal, biomechanical, workplace, psychological, and organizational classes. Key findings reveal that the BERT model with cosine similarity attains an overall accuracy of 28%, while the sentence transformer, coupled with Euclidean, Bray-Curtis, and Minkowski distances, achieves a flawless accuracy score of 100%. In tandem with the classification efforts, the research employs a mode-based ranking approach on survey data to discern the severity hierarchy of MSD risk factors. Intriguingly, the rankings align precisely with the previous literature, reaffirming the consistency and reliability of the approach. ``Working posture" emerges as the most severe risk factor, emphasizing the critical role of proper posture in preventing MSDs. The collective perceptions of survey participants underscore the significance of factors like "Job insecurity," "Effort reward imbalance," and "Poor employee facility" in contributing to MSD risks. The convergence of rankings provides actionable insights for organizations aiming to reduce the prevalence of MSDs. The study concludes with implications for targeted interventions, recommendations for improving workplace conditions, and avenues for future research.
Abstract:Supply chain management relies on accurate backorder prediction for optimizing inventory control, reducing costs, and enhancing customer satisfaction. However, traditional machine-learning models struggle with large-scale datasets and complex relationships, hindering real-world data collection. This research introduces a novel methodological framework for supply chain backorder prediction, addressing the challenge of handling large datasets. Our proposed model, QAmplifyNet, employs quantum-inspired techniques within a quantum-classical neural network to predict backorders effectively on short and imbalanced datasets. Experimental evaluations on a benchmark dataset demonstrate QAmplifyNet's superiority over classical models, quantum ensembles, quantum neural networks, and deep reinforcement learning. Its proficiency in handling short, imbalanced datasets makes it an ideal solution for supply chain management. To enhance model interpretability, we use Explainable Artificial Intelligence techniques. Practical implications include improved inventory control, reduced backorders, and enhanced operational efficiency. QAmplifyNet seamlessly integrates into real-world supply chain management systems, enabling proactive decision-making and efficient resource allocation. Future work involves exploring additional quantum-inspired techniques, expanding the dataset, and investigating other supply chain applications. This research unlocks the potential of quantum computing in supply chain optimization and paves the way for further exploration of quantum-inspired machine learning models in supply chain management. Our framework and QAmplifyNet model offer a breakthrough approach to supply chain backorder prediction, providing superior performance and opening new avenues for leveraging quantum-inspired techniques in supply chain management.
Abstract:This article intends to systematically identify and comparatively analyze state-of-the-art supply chain (SC) forecasting strategies and technologies. A novel framework has been proposed incorporating Big Data Analytics in SC Management (problem identification, data sources, exploratory data analysis, machine-learning model training, hyperparameter tuning, performance evaluation, and optimization), forecasting effects on human-workforce, inventory, and overall SC. Initially, the need to collect data according to SC strategy and how to collect them has been discussed. The article discusses the need for different types of forecasting according to the period or SC objective. The SC KPIs and the error-measurement systems have been recommended to optimize the top-performing model. The adverse effects of phantom inventory on forecasting and the dependence of managerial decisions on the SC KPIs for determining model performance parameters and improving operations management, transparency, and planning efficiency have been illustrated. The cyclic connection within the framework introduces preprocessing optimization based on the post-process KPIs, optimizing the overall control process (inventory management, workforce determination, cost, production and capacity planning). The contribution of this research lies in the standard SC process framework proposal, recommended forecasting data analysis, forecasting effects on SC performance, machine learning algorithms optimization followed, and in shedding light on future research.