Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) provides a biologically driven alternative to conventional cementitious processes, requiring fabrication methods responsive to the dynamics of living systems. This study introduces a submerged soft-casting approach, employing fabric mesh moulds to biocement sand aggregates through the biomineralisation activity of Sporosarcina pasteurii. Developed in ‘Water Kiln’ bioreactors, the process replaces high-temperature curing with controlled liquid-phase mineralisation, generating cemented components assembled into the prototype column EmbryOme 1.

Rather than targeting structural material outputs, the research emphasises exploratory, process-oriented ‘formation finding’, where microbial activity, substrates, media and moulds together shape macro form and microstructure. Fabric casts filled with sand and nutrient-rich bacterial suspensions were submerged in cementation solutions to induce calcium carbonate precipitation. Key variables, including mould design, calcium and nutrient concentrations and media replacement frequency, were systematically adjusted to assess their effect on formation quality.

Optimal outcomes occurred at 0.3 M calcium chloride and urea with daily medium replacement, and smaller mesh sizes produced denser, more uniform crusts. Cementation remained primarily superficial, though glazing treatments enhanced surface hardness. These results underscore the role of design in tuning biological–material interactions, framing biofabrication as a process of negotiation with material agency, variability and future architectural potential.

Respiratory and cardiac rates can be estimated by analyzing a spectrum of linearly mixed phase fluctuations in a radar echo of an individual. However, there are high-order harmonics caused by time-varying respiratory rate, and the interference effect of the respiratory rate and its harmonics makes it difficult to estimate the cardiac rate with relatively low energy in a spectrum. To solve this problem, we exploit the independent component analysis method with dual-band distributed continuous wave radar for effective decomposition of phase fluctuations corresponding to respiratory and cardiac rates. In simulations and experiments, the respiratory and cardiac rates were successfully estimated by the proposed decomposition method, compared with conventional methods.

Systems are holistic that represent complex structures in which different components interact. Systems thinking plays an important role as a methodology used to solve and analyse these complex problems. This approach emphasises addressing problems holistically rather than simply breaking them down into parts, providing a deeper understanding of identifying and resolving root causes. The article aims to explain the conceptual framework of systems thinking by discussing the basic concepts and principles of systems thinking in detail. In this context, the literature focuses on reaching a common definition of the term ‘systems’ and discusses practical approaches to the use of systems thinking in aircraft design. It also includes analysis of the application of systems thinking through examples of catastrophic accidents resulting from the misunderstanding or mismanagement of complex systems in engineering studies. The change in aircraft design process over the years has been examined, and a new categorisation method is proposed. By integrating systems thinking into the aircraft design process, it examines the advantages it will provide in understanding and optimising the interaction of components, saving time and costs. This study aims to deal with the systems thinking perspective of aircraft design. The importance of the system concept in aviation is emphasised with concrete examples, and its applicability is examined. Thus, a base is formed for its use in aviation.

The aeroelastic behaviour of a flapped-wing with freeplay and reduced stiffness is highly nonlinear. The optimal control of a nonlinear system is desired to optimise a given structural performance. In this paper, two novelties (a new method to solve state dependent Riccati equation, and inclusion of damage effects on aero-servo-elastic system) are developed to optimally control the nonlinear aeroelastic behaviour of a flapped-wing section including freeplay and reduced stiffness. To design the optimal controller, the State Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) is utilised based on a combination of the Hamiltonian matrix and the Schur method. A three degree of freedom (DoF) aeroelastic wing structure with a control surface is mathematically modelled, including freeplay in control surface, cubic nonlinear spring for description of the torsional stiffness and reduced stiffness factor in torsional spring due to damage. The effect of freeplay, reduced stiffness and concentrated nonlinearity in torsional spring are analysed on aeroelastic response. The system response is determined by time marching of the governing equations using a Matlab code. Various simulations results for multiple flow velocities and nonlinear parameters prove the effectiveness of this control method in flutter suppression. It is also shown that the control surface freeplay leads to limit cycle oscillation at speeds less than flutter speed. Furthermore, the simulation results show that the presence of a damage – which reduces the stiffness in torsional spring – leads to an increase in the oscillation amplitudes.