Browsing by Author "Fernando, S"

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Ai based greenhouse farming support system with robotic monitoring
(IEEE, 2020-11-16) Fernando, S; Nethmi, R; Silva, A; Perera, A; De Silva, R; Abeygunawardhana, P. K. W
Greenhouses plays a major role in today's agriculture since farmers can grow plants under controlled climatic conditions and can optimize production. The greenhouses are usually built in areas where the climatic conditions for the growth of plants are not optimal so requires some artificial setups to bring about productivity. Automating process of a greenhouse requires monitoring and controlling of the climatic parameters. This paper is an attempt to minimize the cost of maintaining greenhouse environments using new technologies. The end goal of this research an automated system to optimally monitor and control the environmental factors inside greenhouse by monitoring temperature, soil moisture, humidity and pH through a cloud connected mobile robot which can detect unhealthy plants using image processing and machine learning. The mobile robot navigates through a predefined map of greenhouse. Database server has created to store gathered real-time data. And the necessary accurate data represent by using proper application for analyzing.
Open Access
An automatic air inflated tubeless safety jacket for motorbike riders
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2021-06-22) Bulathsinghala, R. L; Fernando, S; Jayawardena, T. S. S; Heenkenda, N; Jeyakumar, S; Packiyarasa, p; Gamage, H; Wijesena, D
Purpose – Motorcycle is one of the popular modes of transport in developing countries. However, the statistics related to accidents show that motorcycles are the most vulnerable vehicles. Research studies have revealed that half of all the possible types of motorcycle injuries could be reduced or prevented using effective protective clothing. Facts and figures emphasize that this is high time to develop a safety jacket for motorbike riders. This paper aims to develop an innovative, integrated automatic air-inflated tubeless jacket to prevent major injuries in fatal accidents. Design/methodology/approach – Two accelerometers integrated near the front axle, an angle sensor and the electronic control unit (ECU) were used to detect the collision or accident. The sensors were fixed on the bike and connected with the ECU via a bluetooth device that was always at the activated stage. The fused sensors were emulated with the ECU under laboratory conditions. The trigger signal generated by the crash discriminant algorithm triggered the chemical reaction to generate N2 gas and inflate the tubeless safety jacket. Findings – Under laboratory conditions, it was found that the signal generated by the ECU unit ejected approximately 15 litres of N2 gas in volume to fill the jacket within 100 milliseconds, which was less than the approximate estimated falling time of the rider 120 milliseconds. Originality/value – The existing developments of airbag systems in motorbikes are mounted on the motorbikes’ frame, following the airbag systems in automobiles. These developments cannot fully protect the rider due to differentiation in crash dynamics and respective positions of the rider at the point of impact. Though few safety jackets and airbag vests are developed, the airbag deployment is activated when rider and motorbike separated during a collision using a tether-triggering mechanism. The authors designed the jacket so that inflation is activated not only by crash sensors but also on the fusion of multiple sensors based on a crash discriminative algorithm. The airbag deployment mechanism is incorporated with the jacket and acts as a safety jacket during a collision
Embargo
An automatic air inflated tubeless safety jacket for motorbike riders
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2021-06-22) Bulathsinghala, R. L; Fernando, S; Jayawardena, T. S. S; Heenkenda, N; Jeyakumar, S; Packiyarasa, P; Gamage, H; Wijesena, D
Purpose – Motorcycle is one of the popular modes of transport in developing countries. However, the statistics related to accidents show that motorcycles are the most vulnerable vehicles. Research studies have revealed that half of all the possible types of motorcycle injuries could be reduced or prevented using effective protective clothing. Facts and figures emphasize that this is high time to develop a safety jacket for motorbike riders. This paper aims to develop an innovative, integrated automatic air-inflated tubeless jacket to prevent major injuries in fatal accidents. Design/methodology/approach – Two accelerometers integrated near the front axle, an angle sensor and the electronic control unit (ECU) were used to detect the collision or accident. The sensors were fixed on the bike and connected with the ECU via a bluetooth device that was always at the activated stage. The fused sensors were emulated with the ECU under laboratory conditions. The trigger signal generated by the crash discriminant algorithm triggered the chemical reaction to generate N2 gas and inflate the tubeless safety jacket. Findings – Under laboratory conditions, it was found that the signal generated by the ECU unit ejected approximately 15 litres of N2 gas in volume to fill the jacket within 100 milliseconds, which was less than the approximate estimated falling time of the rider 120 milliseconds. Originality/value – The existing developments of airbag systems in motorbikes are mounted on the motorbikes’ frame, following the airbag systems in automobiles. These developments cannot fully protect the rider due to differentiation in crash dynamics and respective positions of the rider at the point of impact. Though few safety jackets and airbag vests are developed, the airbag deployment is activated when rider and motorbike separated during a collision using a tether-triggering mechanism. The authors designed the jacket so that inflation is activated not only by crash sensors but also on the fusion of multiple sensors based on a crash discriminative algorithm. The airbag deployment mechanism is incorporated with the jacket and acts as a safety jacket during a collision
Open Access
Bridging Policy and Practice: Investigating Non-Compliance with School-Based Professional Teacher Development Guidelines in Sri Lankan Schools
(School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Fernando, S
School-Based Professional Teacher Development (SBPTD) plays a crucial role in improving instructional quality and promoting the continuous professional growth of educators. When implemented systematically, SBPTD fosters a culture of reflective practice, collaboration, and ongoing learning, ensuring that teachers consistently refine their skills to meet evolving educational needs. In Sri Lanka, despite comprehensive national-level planning and the introduction of a mandatory SBPTD handbook, schoollevel implementation has remained inconsistent, with only 8% adherence recorded within a selected Education Zone. This study investigates the reasons behind such non-compliance and proposes structured, context-responsive interventions to bridge the gap between policy and practice.
Open Access
Critical Analysis on Identifying the Effect of Military Training Simulations on Confidence Level of Soldiers
(2014-08-21) Fernando, S; Thelijjagoda, S
Simulations and games grow very rapidly and dynamically with technologies evolving every day. Technologies of military simulation are continuously evaluated and upgraded since it is a key factor for military training, analysis, planning, etc. The training simulations had been used to train soldiers for a long time period, but systematic analysis haven't been made to identify if the military simulations have been able to achieve increasing the confidence level of soldiers,. There have been many researches on military training simulations time to time around the world. Mainly defence research centers had done researches to identify the areas to improve in order to upgrade the quality of training. These have been used to train soldiers' way back in the World War II. In the advancement of technology these have become more and more advance and effective on achieving their goals. DARPA (Defence Advance Research Program Agency) and the US Army research institute were the major two researchers on this domain. This paper presents a research that was conducted to identify whether military training simulations make an effect on the confidence level of the soldiers when they are battling. The objective of this research was achieved through evaluating the existing background of military simulations against the confidence level of soldiers, investigating how military training is done in terms of simulations, evaluating how simulation based training are effective for soldiers, identifying the factors that affect the confidence level of soldier and introducing a model to evaluate the confidence level of soldiers. According to the conceptual model used, actual experience, experience of others, self-efficacy, mission readiness, persuasion and emotional arousal were identified as factors affecting the confidence level of a soldier. Based on the collected data, the conceptual model which was proposed to measure the confidence level of soldiers could be justified to acceptable level.
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Developing online tutors and mentors in Sri Lanka through a community building model: Predictors of satisfaction
(IEEE, 2012-12-12) Gunawardena, C. N; Jayatilleke, B. G; Fernando, S; Kulasekere, E. C; Lamontagne, M. D; Ekanayake, M. B; Thaiyamuthu, T
This paper discusses the results of a tutor mentor development program that utilized a community building model to train online tutors and mentors in higher education institutions and professional organizations in Sri Lanka. Based on WisCom; an instructional design model for developing online wisdom communities, this tutor mentor development program which utilized a blended format of face-to-face and online activities in MOODLE, attempted to build a learning community between trainees, both academics and professionals who represented diverse disciplines and organizations. A regression model examined predictors of learner satisfaction, using four independent variables: Community Building, Interaction, Course Design, and Learner Support. Interaction emerged as a strong predictor of Learner Satisfaction explaining 50.2% of the variance in Learner Satisfaction. This finding shows the importance of designing interactive learning activities to support learning online, and contradicts the general belief that Sri Lankan participants would be less likely to interact online because they come from a traditional education system that encourages passivity and reception of ideas from a more learned teacher. Qualitative analysis showed evidence of several types of learning online as a result of collaborative group interaction, as well as issues that contributed to non-participation. Factors that motivated participants to stay engaged in learning could be classified into three categories: (1) general enjoyment, interest and motivation; (2) collaborative learning and community building; and (3) knowledge building. These results suggest that the online learning design based on WisCom led to learner satisfaction and supported interaction and collaborative learning in the Sri Lankan socio-cultural context.
Open Access
Development of an underwater robotic arm using multibody dynamics approach
(2022-02-05) Fernando, S; Perera, M
Underwater robotic arms are important devices that enables workers to carry out tasks remotely from a safe distance reducing or eliminating the risks that are involved with the task. The primary objective of the robotic manipulator is to perform maintenance and cleaning activities of the hull of a ship. However, the control of these devices underwater is quite complicated due to the numerous factors that make these systems unstable and non-linear. The aim of this study is to develop a multibody dynamic robotic manipulator model, integrated with a control strategy to optimize and obtain stable kinematics solutions. The hydrodynamic forces are integrated to the manipulator model considering buoyancy forces and surface drag forces. A basic algorithm is used to generate the joint angles using 7 geometrical parameters. The control of the manipulator was done to simply follow any path that represents the given coordinates. The P, I and D parameters are tuned individually to optimize the kinematic solution of the manipulator. 3-DOF articulated manipulator is the commonly used manipulator configuration. However, a 6-DOF manipulator configuration was selected in this study to allow for change in orientation using wrist motions.
Open Access
Evaluation of Satellite Rainfall Products over the Mahaweli River Basin in Sri Lanka
(Hindawi, 2022-04) Perera, H; Fernando, S; Gunathilake, M. B; Sirisena, J; Rathnayake, U
e availability of accurate spatiotemporal rainfall data is of utmost importance for reliable predictions from hydroclimatological studies. Challenges and limitations faced due to the absence of dense rain gauge (RG) networks are seen especially in the developing countries. erefore, alternative rainfall measurements such as satellite rainfall products (SRPs) are used when RG networks are scarce or completely do not exist. Noteworthy, rainfall data retrieved from satellites also possess several uncertainties. Hence, these SRPs should essentially be validated beforehand. e Mahaweli River Basin (MRB), the largest river basin in Sri Lanka, is the heart of the country’s water resources contributing to a signi cant share of the hydropower production and agricultural sector. Given the importance of the MRB, this study explored the suitability of SRPs as an alternative for RG data for the basin. Daily rainfall data of six types of SRPs were extracted at 14 locations within the MRB. ereafter, statistical analysis was carried out using continuous and categorical evaluation indices to evaluate the accuracy of SRPs. Nonparametric tests, including the Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope estimator tests, were used to detect the possibility of trends and the magnitude, respectively. Integrated MultisatellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) outperformed among all SRPs, while Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Arti cial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) products showed dire performances. However, IMERG also demonstrated underestimations when compared to RG data. Trend analysis results showcased that the IMERG product agreed more with RG data on monthly and annual time scales while Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis–3B42 (TRMM-3B42) agreed more on the seasonal scale. Overall, IMERG turned out to be the best alternative among the SRPs analyzed for MRB. However, it was clear that these products possess signi cant errors which cannot be ignored when using them in hydrological applications. e results of the study will be valuable for many parties including river basin authorities, agriculturists, meteorologists, hydrologists, and many other stakeholders.
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Intelligent disease detection system for greenhouse with a robotic monitoring system
(IEEE, 2020-12-10) Fernando, S; Nethmi, R; Silva, A; Perera, A; De Silva, R; Abeygunawardhana, P. K. W
Greenhouse farming plays a significant role in the agricultural industry because of its controlled climatic features. Recent examinations have stated that the mean creation of the yields under greenhouses is lessening due to disease events in the plants. These foods have become an imposing undertaking because these plants are being assaulted by different bacterial diseases, micro-organisms, and pests. The chemicals are applied to the plants intermittently without thinking about the necessity of each plant. Several problems have occurred in the greenhouse environment due to these causes. Therefore, there is a huge necessity for a system to detect diseases at an early stage. This research focused on designing a system to detect disease, which causes yellowish in greenhouse plants. Plant yellowing can be considered a significant problem of plants that grow under greenhouse-controlled environments. Through this research is focused on the most important and one of the most attention-grabbing crop tomato. There are specific diseases that cause yellowish the tomato plant, and they have been identified. The techniques utilized for early recognition of infection are image processing, machine learning, and deep learning.
Open Access
Measurement of seam puckering and influence of its causes
(IOSR Journal of Engineering (IOSRJEN), 2014-04-04) Fernando, S; Jayawardena, T. S. S
The chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence signatures of leaves have been widely applied as non-invasive techniques for the in vivo analysis of plant stress. The Chl fluorescence provides ample information on the photosynthetic apparatus as first discovered by Kautsky. Various ratios of the Chl fluorescence determined from the induction kinetics can be used as indicators of the stress effect to the photosynthetic apparatus. The high resolution multi-colour Chl fluorescence imaging techniques for whole leaves have been developed over the last years. These techniques offer the new possibility to study the distribution and patchiness of fluorescence signatures over the whole leaf area. The chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics (Kautsky effect) of predarkened leaves (30 min) was measured using the FluorCam 700MF imaging system (Photon Systems Instrument). The images of the measured Chl fluorescence intensity were obtained on false colour, whereby blue is the lowest (zero) and red the highest fluorescence. The images of various Chl fluorescence ratios were obtained by pixel to pixel arithmetic operations performed by FluorCam software. Efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus of analyzed endemic plants grown in different environmental stress conditions was evaluated via chlorophyll fluorescence imaging during induction kinetics and the fluorescence ratios which describe the photosynthetic light processes and quantum conversion of light.
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Moderate Automobile Accident Claim Process Automation Using Machine Learning
(IEEE, 2021-01-27) Imaam, F; Subasinghe, A; Kasthuriarachchi, H; Fernando, S; Haddela, P. S; Pemadasa, N
In modern-day, traditional automobile accident claim process struggles to keep up with the recurring automobile accidents and furthermore, the claim itself is a critical point in which the policyholder may decide to switch to a different automobile insurance provider. In this paper, the authors present a system which can be used to automate the processing of claims for automobiles which were involved in less severe accidents in a much quicker manner. The presented system comprises of four components, each with a model developed using computer vision or machine learning techniques to facilitate the automation process. The models are built and fine-tuned using transfer learning and ensemble learning techniques in order to determine the damaged component of the automobile, determine the make and model of the automobile, compute an accurate repair estimate and also compute the likeliness of the policyholder may churn, to ensure that the policyholder is satisfied with the appraised amount and will be retained by the insurance provider.
Open Access
Political Violence and Volatility in International Tourist Arrivals: The Case of Sri Lanka
(Cognizant Communication Corporation, 2013-11-01) Fernando, S; Jayathilaka, S.B; Liyanaarachch, S; Jayathilaka, R; Smith, C
In recent years, a growing body of literature has emerged exploring the link between dramatic fluctuations in tourist arrivals to particular destinations and events such as political violence and financial shocks. Sri Lanka is one such destination that provides a fascinating case study of this link. That is, international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have experienced notable fluctuations during the nearly three decades of civil war, particularly between 1983 and 2009. For the first time, an attempt is made in this study to model the conditional mean and conditional variance of the logarithm of monthly tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. The results reveal a significant seasonal effect in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. First, the study demonstrates the existence of a large volatility in monthly tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka from 1978, stemming from the negative publicity in the print and electronic media and the travel warnings issued by Western countries relating to in-country conflict. Furthermore, the results suggest that major war-related incidents are strong enough to reduce the tourist arrival numbers by 5.2% per month compared to a period when peace is restored in the country.
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Smart Caring System for Ornamental Fish
(IEEE, 2022-12-09) Fernando, S; Jayaweera, N; Pitawala, S; Kaushalya, R; Ratnayake, P; Siriwardana, S
Ornamental Fish Industry continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors worldwide. Healthy fish production at aquariums requires intensive care and ensures a stable and an optimum production environment inside the fish tanks, which is a challenging task. Unfortunately, due to the limitations in fish industry, productivity of well-developed, healthy fish has drastically depreciated. Limited skills and knowledge of aquarists have been a challenging task which has led to inaccurate predictions on certain factors such as quantification and length of estimation, amounts and types of fish food and servicing the filters at proper time intervals. Existing aquariums depend on the experience and availability of the aquarists, which can be a challenging process in real life. Developing a system to regulate these major concerns is a prominent solution. This research is done to propose an automated method, with the help of several fish aquariums and existing research papers, to encounter the mentioned major concerns which affects the aquarists and other stakeholders.
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VTutor: A Platform for Improving Searchability and Interactivity of Recorded Lectures
(IEEE, 2019-12-05) Karunaratna, D; Hettiarachchi, I; Fernando, S; Epa, S; Kodagoda, N; Suriyawansa, K
Recorded lectures have gained popularity as a method of delivering lecture content as they give learners a host of distinct advantages such as the ability to follow lectures without time or location constraints and to consume the lectures at their own pace. However, despite such benefits, they have a tendency to be lengthy and tedious to watch. They also prove cumbersome when precise information needs to be extracted from the content. Another drawback is that recorded lecture videos fail to show the connection between the lecture and its support material such as slides and questionnaires. Though many of the existing platforms allow editing lecture videos for more interactivity, the methods employed by these platforms have always been manual, and therefore time intensive. VTutor is a web platform that aims to address these drawbacks by introducing automation into the video enhancement process, eventually combining the lecture material to create an enhanced user experience. Specifically, VTutor allows users to navigate through a lecture video using subtopics, its corresponding slides and code samples. Furthermore, it is equipped with the ability to automatically generate questions by scraping the internet based on provided keywords thus improving the level of engagement that a learner has with the lecture.