New insight into phase change memories

The switching mechanism in phase change memories was described on the basis of minimum switching unit: the commuton. A commuton is a minimum cluster of atoms that supports a reversible phase change from high to low electrical conduction state and back under the influence of an external signal. The switching process in a phase change chalcogenide film was modeled using two dimensional cellular automata approach. A system of 50 × 50 cells, each cell containing a commuton, was simulated. In the particular case of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (investigated here) this system corresponds to a 30 × 30 nm area. The formation of the percolation path as a function of phase change induced in commutons explains the switching phenomenon. The influence of the percent of defects in the material on the percolation threshold has been studied.     

Stability in cellular neural networks with a piecewise constant argument

In this paper, by using the concept of differential equations with piecewise constant arguments of generalized type [1], [2], [3] and [4], a model of cellular neural networks (CNNs) [5] and [6] is developed. The Lyapunov-Razumikhin technique is applied to find sufficient conditions for the uniform asymptotic stability of equilibria. Global exponential stability is investigated by means of Lyapunov functions. An example with numerical simulations is worked out to illustrate the results.     

Solving a minimum-power covering problem with overlap constraint for cellular network design

We consider a type of covering problem in cellular networks. Given the locations of base stations, the problem amounts to determining cell coverage at minimum cost in terms of the power usage. Overlap between adjacent cells is required in order to support handover. The problem we consider is NP-hard. We present integer linear models and study the strengths of their continuous relaxations. Preprocessing is used to reduce problem size and tighten the models. Moreover, we design a tabu search algorithm for finding near-optimal solutions effectively and time-efficiently. We report computational results for both synthesized instances and networks originating from real planning scenarios. The results show that one of the integer models leads to tight bounds, and the tabu search algorithm generates high-quality solutions for large instances in short computing time.     

A Monte Carlo study of ant traffic in a uni-directional trail

In this study, we aim to investigate ant traffic in the uni-directional ant trail. We consider two types of ants moving in the trail: one of which smells well and the other does not. The theoretical base of the study is similar to that of the Nagel–Schreckenberg (NaSch) model, but we do not use the exclusion rule, the asymmetrical exclusion rule is employed instead. Ants are placed on the trail as mixed. By keeping the number of ‘poor-smelling ants’ constant, the traffic in the trail is studied as a function of the number of “good-smelling” ants and the evaporation rate probability of pheromone f$f$. The fundamental physical quantities, i.e., mean speed V$V$ and flux F$F$, interestingly show non-monotonic density dependence for some values of f$f$ at some densities.     

Simulation model of speed–density characteristics for mixed bicycle flow—Comparison between cellular automata model and gas dynamics model

The mixed bicycle flow refers to the bicycle flow containing electric bicycles. The traffic characteristics data of the mixed bicycle flow was collected by the virtual coil method in Nanjing and Ningbo, China. And the speed–density characteristics of the mixed bicycle flow with different proportions of electric bicycles were obtained. The results show that the overall speed of the mixed bicycle flow containing electric bicycles is higher than that of pure bicycle flow when the density is relatively low. The speed decreases when the density is higher than 0.08 bic/m²; the speed–density characteristics of the bicycles and the electric bicycles tend to be the same when the density is higher than 0.25 bic/m². And when the density reaches 0.58 bic/m², the mixed bicycle flow becomes blocked and the speed is zero. The cellular automata model and gas dynamics model were also adopted to simulate the speed–density characteristics of the mixed bicycle flow. The simulation results of the cellular automata model are effectively consistent with the actual survey data when the density is lower than 0.225 bic/m²; the simulation results of the gas dynamics model are effectively consistent with the actual survey data when the density is higher than 0.300 bic/m²; but both of the two types of simulation models are inapplicable when the density is between 0.225 and 0.300 bic/m². These results will be used in the management of mixed bicycles and the research of vehicle–bicycle conflict and so on.     

Simulating synchronized traffic flow and wide moving jam based on the brake light rule

A new cellular automaton (CA) model based on brake light rules is proposed, which considers the influence of deterministic deceleration on randomization probability and deceleration extent. To describe the synchronized flow phase of Kerner’s three-phase theory in accordance with empirical data, we have changed some rules of vehicle motion with the aim to improve speed and acceleration vehicle behavior in synchronized flow simulated with earlier cellular automaton models with brake lights. The fundamental diagrams and spatial–temporal diagrams are analyzed, as well as the complexity of the traffic evolution, the emergence process of wide moving jam. Simulation results show that our new model can reproduce the three traffic phases: free flow, synchronized flow and wide moving jam. In addition, our new model can well describe the complexity of traffic evolution: (1) with initial homogeneous distribution and large densities, the traffic will evolve into multiple steady states, in which the numbers of wide moving jams are not invariable. (2) With initial homogeneous distribution and the middle range of density, the wide moving jam will emerge stochastically. (3) With initial mega-jam distribution and the density close to a point with the low value, the initial mega-jam will disappear stochastically. (4) For the cases with multiple wide moving jams, the process is analyzed involving the generation of narrow moving jam due to “pinch effect”, which leads to wide moving jam emergence.     

The Automaton Realization of Iterated Wreath Products of Cyclic Groups

We study profinite groups which are infinitely iterated wreath products W _∞ = …?C _{n 2} ?C _{n 1} of finite cyclic groups via combinatorial language of transducers. Namely, we provide a naturally defined automaton realization of the group W _∞ by an automaton over a changing alphabet. Our construction gives a characterization of these profinite groups as automaton groups, i.e. as groups generated by a single automaton.     

Forest fire modelling using cellular automata: application to the watershed Oued Laou (Morocco)

ABSTRACT

In this work, we consider the problem of modelling the phenomenon of forest fires using the cellular automata approach. The proposed model takes into account the main parameters that affect this phenomenon like nature and density of vegetation, humidity, wind, and altitude. We developed a decision-aided tool with JAVA which allows to analyse and format several hybrid collected data (satellite images, Digital Terrain Model) relatively to each studied area. The generated scenarios of forest fire spread in the study area will be considered as a guide for strategies in control and prevention of forest fires. As an application, we consider the watershed Oued Laou (Morocco).     

An evolutionary framework for cultural change: Selectionism versus communal exchange

Dawkins? replicator-based conception of evolution has led to widespread mis-application of selectionism across the social sciences because it does not address the paradox that necessitated the theory of natural selection in the first place: how do organisms accumulate change when traits acquired over their lifetime are obliterated? This is addressed by von Neumann?s concept of a self-replicating automaton (SRA). A SRA consists of a self-assembly code that is used in two distinct ways: (1) actively deciphered during development to construct a self-similar replicant, and (2) passively copied to the replicant to ensure that it can reproduce. Information that is acquired over a lifetime is not transmitted to offspring, whereas information that is inherited during copying is transmitted. In cultural evolution there is no mechanism for discarding acquired change. Acquired change can accumulate orders of magnitude faster than, and quickly overwhelm, inherited change due to differential replication of variants in response to selection. This prohibits a selectionist but not an evolutionary framework for culture and the creative processes that fuel it. The importance non-Darwinian processes in biological evolution is increasingly recognized. Recent work on the origin of life suggests that early life evolved through a non-Darwinian process referred to as communal exchange that does not involve a self-assembly code, and that natural selection emerged from this more haphazard, ancestral evolutionary process. It is proposed that communal exchange provides an evolutionary framework for culture that enables specification of cognitive features necessary for a (real or artificial) societies to evolve culture. This is supported by a computational model of cultural evolution and a conceptual network based program for documenting material cultural history, and it is consistent with high levels of human cooperation.