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At least 199 records · Page 11

Robotics for HVAC applications: A critical review and future perspectives

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), enhanced computational capabilities, and innovations in sensors and hardware have driven the increasing development and application of robots in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. We selected and reviewed 101 studies published between 2005 and 2025, sourced from IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, and the ACM Digital Library. To analyze these works, we developed a five-dimensional analytical framework (morphology, sensing, navigation, task execution, and system integration), inspired by the Springer Handbook of Robotics and tailored specifically for robotic applications in HVAC. Based on the reviewed studies, six distinct tasks spanning the entire HVAC lifecycle have been identified. Among the six tasks, inspection and maintenance dominate (59 %), followed by indoor monitoring and auditing (21 %), whereas leakage detection, comfort support, and installation/retrofit remain less explored. To address the identified gaps, this review proposes future research directions including investigating robot-aware HVAC design principles, developing multimodal HVAC sensing and data fusion techniques, enhancing robot training and hardware capabilities, and expanding robotic applications beyond Maintenance and Operations (M&O). The findings from this review inform future robotics research for HVAC applications and ultimately enhance system affordability, energy efficiency, resilience or reliability, and occupant environmental comfort. Moreover, it seeks to inspire researchers to explore the intersections of robotics, computer science, building science, and HVAC engineering fostering advancements in this multidisciplinary field.

AI↗

Variation-Resilient FeFET-Based In-Memory Computing Leveraging Probabilistic Deep Learning

Reliability issues stemming from device level nonidealities of nonvolatile emerging technologies like ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs), especially at scaled dimensions, cause substantial degradation in the accuracy of in-memory crossbar-based AI systems. Here, in this work, we present a variation-aware design technique to characterize the device level variations and to mitigate their impact on hardware accuracy employing a Bayesian neural network (BNN) approach. An effective conductance variation model is derived from the experimental measurements of cycle-to-cycle (C2C) and device-to-device (D2D) variations performed on FeFET devices fabricated using 28 nm high-k metal gate technology. The variations were found to be a function of different conductance states within the given programming range, which sharply contrasts earlier efforts where a fixed variation dispersion was considered for all conductance values. Such variation characteristics formulated for three different device sizes at different read voltages were provided as prior variation information to the BNN to yield a more exact and reliable inference. Near-ideal accuracy for shallow networks (MLP5 and LeNet models) on the MNIST dataset and limited accuracy decline by ~3.8%–16.1% for deeper AlexNet models on CIFAR10 dataset under a wide range of variations corresponding to different device sizes and read voltages, demonstrates the efficacy of our proposed device-algorithm co-design technique.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Adaptive Protection and Validated Models to Enable Deployment of High Penetrations of Solar PV (PV-MOD)

The availability and validation of various PV models in commercial tools differ, with some models not yet thoroughly validated for advanced inverter functionalities and reliable performance under weak system conditions. Many existing models do not fully incorporate new inverter control functions, which can affect system stability. The increasing deployment of solar PV and other inverter-based resources (IBRs), including distributed energy resources (DERs), is influencing the reliable operation of protection schemes in distribution systems and microgrids. Emerging adaptive protection schemes (APS) offer new opportunities for protecting these systems during varying configurations and DER operating conditions, though their demonstration and validation remain limited. Adaptive protection schemes face similar challenges, as they are typically designed for specific configurations. There is a growing need for tools and methodologies to streamline the deployment of adaptive protection for safe and reliable DER integration. The project main objective was to develop and validate high-fidelity generic models of solar PV facilities for stability, protection, EMT, and QSTS analyses. This objective was achieved, and these models can now be integrated into commercial software tools, enabling utilities, vendors, and developers to study high-penetration PV systems more confidently. The project also demonstrated advanced applications of these models, including the design and deployment of adaptive protection schemes in high-penetration field applications and microgrids, supporting grid safety and reliability. Several milestones were reached by the end of the project. A sophisticated inverter test plan was developed, and inverters representative of the North American marketplace were selected. EPRI and NREL tested various inverters, conforming to IEEE standards. Improvements were made to existing generic models of IBR units, IBR plants, and aggregated feeders for various analyses. The first generic electromagnetic transient (EMT) model for a solar PV plant was developed, conforming to IEEE Std 2800™-2022 and validated against laboratory measurements of a 2.2 MVA large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) inverter. That model was then used to produce reference responses illustrating examples of validated and verified IBR plant models that pass or fail tests for technical minimum capability and performance as specified in the IEEE standard. The developed, tested, and validated generic models can be used for transmission planning, stability assessments, expansion planning, and evaluating potential future IBR interconnection requirements. They can also support interconnection screens and conformity assessments of IBR plants, including solar PV. The project significantly contributed to the ongoing standardization and model-based representation and verification of IBR responses. The project further addressed challenges of common distribution protection schemes with increasing deployment of DER by developing, validating, and demonstrating adaptive protection schemes (APS) that can improve the reliable and safe integration of DER into distribution systems. New APS were designed using improved DER models for three common distribution systems: a radial feeder, a meshed network, and a microgrid. Modeling and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing of the APS were conducted, successfully showing their effectiveness and selectivity. Proof-of-concept field demonstration was achieved for two APS, i.e., one on a radial feeder and another one in a microgrid. Field demonstration could not be achieved for the APS on a meshed network, primarily due apprehension of one utility partner and also due to limited access to the protective algorithms in the network protectors. Guidelines developed from the lessons learned in the project lay out the general process followed in the design, installation, and commissioning of APS for various distribution systems. Distribution utility partners’ apprehension about field demonstration of the new APS were addressed—with varying success—by taking a stepped risk-management approach of modeling of a wide range of sensitivities first, performing in-depth proof-of-concept testing in the laboratory including HIL next, and finally deliberately implementing and commissioning the actual protection equipment and algorithms into parts of—or in parallel operation to—the three real distribution systems. Future work should include pilot projects that further show the acceptable performance of the developed APS before these schemes be rolled out more widely. Inclusion of both utility and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in future projects could increase chances of successful field demonstration. Despite challenges in achieving the field demonstration goal of the project for all three APS, the research significantly contributed to the innovation of adaptive protection solutions for scalable and reliable DER integration into distribution systems. This project significantly enhances the understanding of the impact of using appropriate inverter models on distribution and transmission (T&D) systems. By addressing the limitations of existing generic models, the project introduces high-fidelity models for stability, protection, electromagnetic transient (EMT), and quasi-static time series (QSTS) analyses. These models, integrated into commercial software tools, enable utilities, vendors, and developers to confidently study high-penetration PV systems. The project also demonstrates advanced applications, including adaptive protection schemes (APS) for distribution systems and microgrids, ensuring grid safety and reliability. The technical effectiveness and economic feasibility of the methods are evident through the development and validation of sophisticated inverter test plans and the selection of representative inverters. Testing by EPRI and NREL on retail, commercial, and utility-scale inverters, conforming to IEEE standards, underscores the robustness of the models. Improvements to existing generic models for various analyses further enhance their validity and applicability. The project also identifies gaps in common distribution protection schemes and designed new APS using improved DER models, demonstrating their effectiveness through modeling and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. The project’s benefits to the public are manifold. By advancing the standardization and model-based representation of IBR response, it supports transmission planning, stability assessments, and future IBR interconnection requirements. The generic models can facilitate better communication between transmission planners and developers, supporting expected IBR plant capability and performance. Additionally, the development of APS for radial feeders, meshed networks, and microgrids supports the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into distribution systems, enhancing grid reliability and safety. The project’s emphasis on thorough testing and simplicity in design ensures practical and scalable solutions for DER integration.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Data Structure Alchemy

In an increasingly more data-driven world, the project set out to uncover the first principles of data-structure design, chart the immense design space they form, and build automation that can synthesize an optimal structure, or even a whole storage engine, for any given workload, hardware platform, and cost target. Data structures are at the center of every computational system and are directly responsible for its performance. Two core technical thrusts were defined: 1) Mapping design spaces for key data-centric abstractions (filters, hash functions, storage-engine layouts, neural-network topologies, blockchain protocols, image layouts, etc.). 2) Developing search & synthesis algorithms, initially analytical cost models, later neural-guided bi-level optimisers that navigate sextillions of candidate designs in seconds and materialise the best one as ready‐to-run code. This report distills the key insights, accomplishments, and impact.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Robotics for Systems Integration in Buildings: Pilot Study of Viable Approaches to Install Hygrothermal and Rigid Electrical Systems

The Industrialized Construction Innovation (ICI) team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been exploring the use of robotics to integrate hygrothermal, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in prefabricated building assemblies (off-site construction) and 3D-printed buildings (on-site construction). Such multisystem integration tasks often require specialized robots and custom end effectors to handle a range of rigid and nonrigid building components. This paper begins with a brief overview of the current state of robotics in construction, followed by a pilot study exploring the use of robotics to integrate a simple prototype multitrade wall assembly composed of structural studs, hygrothermal layer, wall finishing, and electrical fixtures. The study was funded by the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). Insights about the implementation of design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) principles in designing the prototype wall for robotic assembly, and selection of appropriate robotic end-effector hardware to handle these components are included. Detailed comparison of computational toolpath simulations of the robotic assembly process and real-life demonstration of the same are presented. Finally, limitations and lessons learned from this study are included, along with future research recommendations for robotic assembly of more complex multitrade assemblies, including potential scenarios such as robotic outfitting of facilities in extraterrestrial environments.

advanced manufacturing↗

Investigating resource-efficient neutron/gamma classification ML models targeting eFPGAs

There has been considerable interest and resulting progress in implementing machine learning (ML) models in hardware over the last several years from the particle and nuclear physics communities. A big driver has been the release of the Python package, hls4ml, which has enabled porting models specified and trained using Python ML libraries to register transfer level (RTL) code. So far, the primary end targets have been commercial field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or synthesized custom blocks on application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). However, recent developments in open-source embedded FPGA (eFPGA) frameworks now provide an alternate, more flexible pathway for implementing ML models in hardware. These customized eFPGA fabrics can be integrated as part of an overall chip design. In general, the decision between a fully custom, eFPGA, or commercial FPGA ML implementation will depend on the details of the end-use application. In this work, we explored the parameter space for eFPGA implementations of fully-connected neural network (fcNN) and boosted decision tree (BDT) models using the task of neutron/gamma classification with a specific focus on resource efficiency. We used data collected using an AmBe sealed source incident on Stilbene, which was optically coupled to an OnSemi J-series silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) to generate training and test data for this study. We investigated relevant input features and the effects of bit-resolution and sampling rate as well as trade-offs in hyperparameters for both ML architectures while tracking total resource usage. The performance metric used to track model performance was the calculated neutron efficiency at a gamma leakage of 10 -3 . The results of the study will be used to aid the specification of an eFPGA fabric, which will be integrated as part of a test chip.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Predicting Instability and the Effect of Wind Loading on Single-Axis Trackers

As PV modules continue to trend toward larger, thinner, and more flexible forms they grow more susceptible to damage from dynamic wind loading. As a result, understanding the impact of wind on PV systems, particularly when mounted on solar-tracking hardware, and identifying robust, stable array layouts and stow strategies is becoming increasingly important for the PV community. In our ongoing DuraMAT project, we are developing an open-source software package, PVade (PV aerodynamic design engineering), to simulate the cascading fluid-structure interaction that occurs within solar-tracking arrays to enable researchers to test hardware, layout, and tracker control changes, leading to enhanced stability and a reduction in wind-driven damage. We will give an overview of the PVade software, highlighting recent user-interface and algorithm developments, before presenting the latest outcomes from our ongoing validation campaign in which we analyze and compare with experimental data obtained from a DuraMAT 1 project. From there, we will present simulated results from a larger, multi-row array and highlight relationships between varying tracker angles and stability as measured by different experimentally validated metrics.

fluid structure interaction↗

Simulating Wind-Driven Loading on PV Systems

As PV modules continue to trend toward larger, thinner, and more flexible forms they grow more susceptible to damage from dynamic wind loading. As a result, understanding the impact of wind on PV systems, particularly when mounted on compliant solar-tracking hardware, and identifying robust, stable array layouts and stow strategies is becoming increasingly important for the PV community. We are developing an open-source software package, PVade (PV aerodynamic design engineering), to simulate the cascading fluid-structure interaction that occurs within single-axis, solar-tracking arrays to enable researchers to test hardware, layout, and tracker control changes, leading to enhanced stability and a reduction in wind-driven damage. We will give an overview of the PVade software and present the latest outcomes from our ongoing validation campaign in which we compare time series and statistical structural responses with field data. From there, we will present simulated results from a larger, multi-row array and highlight the effect of varying tracker angles on stability and the differences between positive and negative tilt angles.

fluid↗

Fast photodiode arrays for high frequency fluctuation measurements of reconnecting flux ropes

An array of compact, high-bandwidth (>200 MHz) and low-cost optical photodiodes has been developed and implemented on the PHASe MApping (PHASMA) experiment. Using purpose-built electronics, an array of 16 photodetectors was constructed and used to monitor broadband (1–5 MHz) fluctuations in light intensity emitted by flux ropes undergoing electron-only magnetic reconnection. These measurements reveal a swath of oscillatory behavior, including wave propagation inward toward the diffusion region at approximately the local electron Alfvén speed. Custom 3D-printed collection optics and mounting hardware allow quick reconfiguration of the array for radial or axial measurements. The electronics design is flexible enough to be used with other current-sourcing transducers, such as avalanche photodiodes; silicon photomultipliers; and infrared, x-ray, and UV photodiodes. A noise-rejecting electrical layout allows for low-noise operation close to pulsed plasma discharges. A 16-channel, 64-pixel tomographic array was constructed and initial reconstructions are presented.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗

PACT Center: Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (Final Technical Report)

The Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (PACT) center was established in July 2021 as a national resource to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology in the United States. Since its inception, PACT has been led by Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly known as NREL. From FY20-FY23, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), CFV Labs, Black & Veatch (B&V), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) were part of the project team. LANL brought expertise in perovskite PV device designs and processing, CFV Labs (now GroundWork Renewables) provided initial indoor and outdoor measurement hardware technology, B&V led the initial effort on perovskite PV bankability, and EPRI worked on reviewing testing standards, identifying commercialization gaps, and helping to run PACT’s Industry Advisory Board, a group including representatives from commercial testing labs, independent engineering firms, insurance companies, state regulators, and electric utilities. To source perovskite PV module samples, PACT contracted with the University of North Carolina (UNC), the University of Toledo, the University of Washington, and SLAC/Stanford University to provide a steady stream of research-grade perovskite mini modules, enabling protocol development in advance of commercial module availability. The project period ran from July 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, including a No Cost Extension. Starting in FY25, the project was continued as a Core Capability in the Lab Call portfolio and continues at a reduced budget with only Sandia and NLR as funded recipients. Notably, starting in FY25 PACT expanded its scope beyond MHP modules to accept all emerging PV mini module technologies for testing, including organic PV (OPV) and all-thin-film tandems, with the aim of supporting commercialization across the broader emerging PV ecosystem. With this change in scope the program was renamed the PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies, dropping perovskite from the name.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

A portable parton-level event generator for the high-luminosity LHC

The rapid deployment of computing hardware different from the traditional CPU+RAM model in data centers around the world mandates a change in the design of event generators for the Large Hadron Collider, in order to provide economically and ecologically sustainable simulations for the high-luminosity era of the LHC. Parton-level event generation is one of the most computationally demanding parts of the simulation and is therefore a prime target for improvements. We present a production-ready leading-order parton-level event generation framework capable of utilizing most modern hardware and discuss its performance in the standard candle processes of vector boson and top-quark pair production with up to five additional jets.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Opportunities in full-stack design of low-overhead fault-tolerant quantum computation

Quantum error correction provides a route to realizing large-scale quantum computation but incurs substantial resource overheads. Here, in this work, we highlight recent advances that reduce these overheads by co-designing different levels of the computational stack, including algorithms, quantum-error-correction strategies and hardware architecture. We then discuss opportunities for further optimization such as leveraging flexible qubit connectivity and quantum low-density parity check codes. These strategies can bring useful quantum computation closer to reality as experiments advance in the coming years.

quantum information↗

Nature of innovations affecting photovoltaic system costs

Innovations improve technology costs through various kinds of engineering advancements, including changes to materials choices and device or process designs. Understanding how these innovations relate to cost change can reveal aspects of the process of technology evolution, yet developing such understanding is often not possible with a strictly quantitative approach due to data limitations. In this paper we develop a hybrid quantitative-qualitative framework for relating specific innovations to cost change by using the variables in a quantitative technology cost change model as an organizing principle. We demonstrate this framework by applying it to the cost decline in photovoltaic (PV) systems over the last five decades. This framework generates new understanding of a set of innovations that contributed to PV modules’ sustained cost decline and the more modest trends observed in balance-of-system (BOS) costs. The results show the great diversity of innovations that affected PV costs, drawing on wide-ranging fields of expertise within scientific research and practice. We find that there are differences in the characteristics of innovations that reduced the cost of PV modules compared to innovations influencing BOS costs. Numerous module innovations reduced costs by advancing manufacturing tools and processes that improved material quality. Many BOS innovations reduced costs through a combination of component design changes, integration, automation, digitalization, and standardization. Overall, most innovations in our sample affected PV hardware. However, some also target ‘soft technologies’ such as task durations through innovations like fast-track permitting, which require improved collaboration and process streamlining. This framework also provides insight into the nature of knowledge spillovers between technologies. Both module and BOS hardware innovations show the benefits of PV’s position within an ‘ecosystem’ of continuously advancing technologies in many industries, in particular semiconductors and electronics, and also point to the importance of public institutions for accelerating testing, permitting, and training.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Topology-Dependent Performance of Free-Space Photonic Quantum Networks Under Noise

Photonic quantum communication enables secure and high-fidelity information transfer beyond classical limits, with direct relevance to emerging quantum networks operating in free-space environments. While physical-layer models of depolarizing noise, Gamma–Gamma turbulence statistics, entanglement swapping, and decoy-state QKD security bounds are individually well established, prior work typically treats these components in isolation or under fixed network assumptions. In this work, we develop a unified topology-aware analytical framework that simultaneously integrates free-space optical link budgets, turbulence-induced visibility degradation, depolarizing qubit noise, multi-hop entanglement cascade dynamics, teleportation fidelity thresholds, CHSH nonlocality certification, and asymptotic decoy-state secret key rate bounds across star, mesh, and ring graph structures. Rather than introducing new physical channel models, we demonstrate that identical physical links exhibit fundamentally different end-to-end performance once embedded within different network topologies. Mesh architectures minimize visibility cascade through hop-count reduction but incur quadratic hardware scaling. Star topologies minimize link count but concentrate noise and synchronization overhead at the hub. Ring configurations offer linear hardware scaling with multiplicative fidelity degradation. The results establish topology as a first-order design parameter in near-term free-space quantum networks operating without full quantum repeater infrastructures. While motivated by distributed multi-agent architectures, the framework applies broadly to terrestrial, airborne, and satellite-assisted photonic quantum communication systems.

QKD↗

Summary of a Workshop on Integrating Energy Equity into Power System Planning and Operation

On November 29 and 30, 2023, the Energy Systems Integration Group convened a one-and-a-half-day workshop in Arlington, Virginia, to improve knowledge and practices for integrating energy equity considerations into power system planning and operation. Workshop participants were invited to discuss approaches for integrating energy equity aspects into models and tools and to explore possible pathways for enhanced technical practices. Participants included utility planning and modeling practitioners, social science and energy justice academics, representatives from energy and environmental justice nongovernmental organizations, non-profits, consumer advocates, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, national labs, and other government agencies. This report summarizes the discussion points and outcomes of the workshop, which prioritized the technical aspects of incorporating the challenges and solutions identified by electricity-futures stakeholders and communities. These technical activities include the fundamental grid structure and hardware, detailed modeling approaches that benchmark energy system performance and justify future investments, and engineering designs and limitations for potential solutions to meet energy equity goals in communities.

energy equity↗

Lifetime extension of legacy CEBAF LLRF hardware

A significant portion of the Low-Level Radio Frequency (LLRF) hardware in Jefferson Lab’s CEBAF is from the original construction of the facility using 1980’s CAMAC technology. Of the fifty-three zones in CEBAF, thirty-six of them are legacy hardware. The age of the legacy system has led to difficulties in maintaining the hardware due to parts going obsolete without suitable drop in replacements. Continued operation of the legacy system is required as the installation of LLRF 3.0 systems is costly and cannot be completed in a short period of time with the available resources. The most pressing failure in the legacy system was a failing buffer card, which is responsible for communication between the EPICs network and individual RF control modules. A new buffer card was designed as a transparent, drop in, replacement so that upgrades are simply a matter of swapping the existing legacy hardware. This buffer card upgrades a single point failure component and promises to extend the operable lifetime of CEBAF’s legacy systems.

Accelerator Physics↗

End-to-End Workflow for Machine-Learning-Based Qubit Readout With QICK and hls4ml

In this article, we present an end-to-end workflow for superconducting qubit readout that embeds codesigned neural networks into the quantum instrumentation control kit (QICK). Capitalizing on the custom firmware and software of the QICK platform, which is built on Xilinx radiofrequency system-on-chip field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), we aim to leverage machine learning (ML) to address critical challenges in qubit readout accuracy and scalability. The workflow utilizes the hls4ml package and employs quantization-aware training to translate ML models into hardware-efficient FPGA implementations via user-friendly Python application programming interfaces. We experimentally demonstrate the design, optimization, and integration of an ML algorithm for single transmon qubit readout, achieving 96% single-shot fidelity with a latency of 32.25 ns and less than 16% FPGA lookup table resource utilization. Our results offer the community an accessible workflow to advance ML-driven readout and adaptive control in quantum information processing applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Error and Correction Analysis for the FFA@CEBAF Energy Upgrade

An energy upgrade design for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) is under development, using fixed field alternating gradient (FFA) return arcs to recirculate electron beam up to an additional five times through the accelerating structures at CEBAF. A necessary component of any large accelerator is a beam steering and optical correction system. Small environmental changes and system errors can lower beam quality or even shut down the machine; and in pursuit of the scientific mission of JLab, high quality electron beams must be delivered to the experimental halls on a predictable schedule. Correction in the novel FFA arcs of the current upgrade design is complicated by several factors. These complexities inform the choice of correction algorithm structure and parameter values. A baseline algorithm in addition to diagnostic and correction hardware configuration is presented. The effect of this correction protocol is shown with respect to estimated errors, and several possible extensions of the algorithm are discussed. This work presents an important proof of concept for the FFA@CEBAF design effort, and provides a functional correction strategy which may be simply adjusted and optimized for future design changes.

Coxe, Alex [Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA (Unite↗