Context: Software testing is a critical aspect of the software development lifecycle, yet it remains underrepresented in academic curricula. Despite advances in pedagogical practices and increased attention from the academic community, challenges persist in effectively teaching software testing. Understanding these challenges from the teachers’ perspective is crucial to aligning education with industry needs. Objective: To analyze the characteristics, practices, tools, and challenges of software testing courses in higher education, from the perspective of educators, and to assess the integration of recent pedagogical approaches in software testing education. Method: A structured survey consisting of 52 questions was distributed to 143 software testing educators across Western European universities, resulting in 49 valid responses. The survey explored topics taught, course organization, teaching practices, tools and materials used, gamification approaches, and teacher satisfaction. Results: The survey revealed significant variability in course content, structure, and teaching methods. Most dedicated software testing courses are offered at the master’s level and are elective, whereas testing is introduced earlier in less specialized (NST) courses. There is low adoption of formal guidelines (e.g., ACM, SWEBOK), limited integration of non-functional testing types, and a high diversity in textbooks and tools used. While modern practices like Test-Driven Development and automated assessment are increasingly adopted, gamification and active learning approaches remain underutilized. Teachers expressed a need for improved and more consistent teaching materials. Conclusion: The study highlights a mismatch between academic practices and industry expectations in software testing education. Greater integration of standardized curricula, broader adoption of modern teaching tools, and increased support for teachers through high-quality, adaptable teaching materials are needed to enhance the effectiveness of software testing education.
Syngas biomethanation is an emerging technology that converts synthesis gas, primarily composed of hydrogen (H-2), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2), into methane (CH4) through microbial activity. In this study, the effect of changing syngas composition with increased H-2 shares on CH4 concentration and production was assessed for 125 days, using a thermophilic trickle-bed reactor (5 L). With the experimental upper limit of 71 % H-2 (14 % CO, 10 % CO2, 5 % N-2) in the syngas, the maximum CH4 concentration was 65 %, maintaining high methane evolution rates (4 L/(L-pbvd)) and high H-2 and CO conversion rates (>95 %). Targeted sulfur supplementation (Na2S) did not improve H-2 and CO conversion or CH4 productivity, indicating that sulfur was no limiting factor under digestate-based operation. Reactor performance was instead constrained by system-level factors, including low gas retention time, gas-liquid mass transfer limitations, and inhibition of CO-converting pathways at elevated H-2 partial pressure. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed a highly stable microbial community dominated by the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanothermobacter. CO conversion occurred via direct methanogenesis and acetate formation, followed by syntrophic acetate oxidation. Overall, increasing H-2 availability enhanced CH4 production only up to a system-specific threshold, beyond which microbial and transport limitations dominated.
Accurate positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) is fundamental to the operation of modern technologies and a key enabler of autonomous systems. A very important component of PNT is the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) which ensures outdoor positioning. Modern research directions have pushed the performance of GNSS localization to new heights by fusing GNSS measurements with other sensory information, mainly measurements from Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). In this paper, we propose a loosely coupled architecture to integrate GNSS and IMU measurements using a Factor Graph Optimization (FGO) framework. Because the FGO method can be computationally challenging and often used as a post-processing method, our focus is on assessing its localization accuracy and service availability while operating in real-time in challenging environments (urban canyons). Experimental results on the UrbanNav-HK-MediumUrban-1 dataset show that the proposed approach achieves real-time operation and increased service availability compared to batch FGO methods. While this improvement comes at the cost of reduced positioning accuracy, the paper provides a detailed analysis of the trade-offs between accuracy, availability, and computational efficiency that characterize real-time FGO-based GNSS/IMU fusion.
Reducing losses in inductor core materials allows further miniaturization and increase of efficiency in power converters. Nanocomposites containing superparamagnetic 11 3 nm ‐ particles in a polyvinyl alcohol polymer matrix were developed as printable and castable inductor core materials for MHz range frequencies. The aqueous synthesis resulted in nanocomposites of well‐dispersed particles with volume fractions ranging from 10% to 45%. The nanocomposite is eddy current free, has high volume susceptibility up to 17, and a constant AC response in the Hz–kHz range. Hysteresis measurements at 100–900 kHz show that power losses scale as ‐field squared and with frequency to the power of 1–1.3, indicating that the only loss mechanism is high‐frequency hysteresis. For an induced ‐field amplitude of 30 mT, commonly used in inductor core materials for power electronics, the losses are on the order of – kW . These losses can be reduced by using more monodisperse particles. The presented nanocomposite is easily integrated into micro‐fabrication methods, demonstrated by depositing nanocomposite cores on printed circuit board inductors. The inductors with nanocomposite core, measured up to 100 MHz, display an increase in inductance compared to air‐core inductors. This showcases superparamagnetic nanocomposites as relevant candidates for high‐frequency applications such as portable electronics.
This paper presents a retrospective case study comparing a life cycle cost analysis performed ten years ago with the actual cost outcome between 2014–2023. It does so to exemplify and problematize the notion of uncertainty. Through an industrial case it gives recommendations to practitioners how to reduce it. By a quantitative cost follow-up and a qualitative focus group study with key representatives of the case company the paper sets out to code sources of uncertainties, and to categorize these into either epistemic/aleatoric and into internal/external. The paper contribution is a suggested framework on management of uncertainties in industrial LCC.
