Defocus and binocular vision based stereo particle pairing method for 3D particle tracking velocimetry

We propose a new method, based on the depth-from-defocus technique and binocular vision, for solving the stereo particle pairing problem in 3D particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). Firstly, the apparent particle depth is measured with a single camera, using the depth-from-defocus technique. Secondly, a strict mathematical model of the particle-to-particle correspondence relationship between the left and right images, taking into account the refractions at the interfaces in the optical path, is presented, with the assumption that the apparent particle depth is measured. Thirdly, based on the apparent particle depth and particle-to-particle correspondence relationship, the epipoplar line is truncated into a short line segment by cutting off, where the apparent particle depth extends beyond its estimated range. For the first time, the range of the blur circle radius is employed as an additional stereo particle pairing constraint. Finally, the optimal pairing particle is selected by applying the epipolar line segment and blur circle radius constraints. The experimental results show that the rate of correct pairing is significantly improved compared with the epipolar line nearest neighbor analysis, especially when the particle density is increasing.     

3D particle positioning by using the Fraunhofer criterion

In particle tracking velocimetry, the necessary information is the 3D location of a given particle in space. This information can be obtained by examining the real image or by analyzing the interference fringe recorded on a digital camera. In this work, we measure the three-dimensional position of spherical particles by calculating the Central Spot Size of the interference pattern of a particle diffraction image. The Central Spot Size is obtained by combining the Continuous Wavelet transform and circle Hough transform. The Continuous Wavelet transform allow us in only one step enhanced quality of particle images and sets a threshold to select properly places where a Central Spot Size appear in order to determine its size via the Hough transform. The size and centroid of the Central Spot Size render z and x-y position of a particle image, respectively. The Central Spot Size is related to a criterion of a simplified theory given by the Fraunhofer theory in order to obtain z particle position. Our approach has been applied to simulated and experimental particle images. Simulated particle images show good agreement between actual and calculated Central Spot Size. An average relative error of 0.5% and 1.12% for x-y and z directions, respectively, was found in the analysis. Our experimental particle images were obtained from particle motion inside a channel. The quality of the particle images determines the accuracy of the calculation of the Central Spot Size of a particle image.     

五像限法太阳自动跟踪仪

介绍由两心圆组成的等面积五像限光测量装置工作原理，即当光线与光电池垂直时其投影光斑经过一透镜后正好安全覆盖五片光电池，当光线与光电池成一夹角时，其投影光斑必然发生偏移，将光主在光电池上的偏移转移成光电流差值的变化，实现装置自动跟踪太阳。     

Hierarchical and conditional combination of belief functions induced by visual tracking

In visual tracking, sources of information are often disrupted and deliver imprecise or unreliable data leading to major data fusion issues. In the Dempster-Shafer framework, such issues can be addressed by attempting to design robust combination rules. Instead of introducing another rule, we propose to use existing ones as part of a hierarchical and conditional combination scheme. The sources are represented by mass functions which are analysed and labelled regarding unreliability and imprecision. This conditional step divides the problem into specific sub-problems. In each of these sub-problems, the number of constraints is reduced and an appropriate rule is selected and applied. Two functions are thus obtained and analysed, allowing another rule to be chosen for a second (and final) fusion level. This approach provides a fast and robust way to combine disrupted sources using contextual information brought by a particle filter. Our experiments demonstrate its efficiency on several visual tracking situations.     

Tracking control of high-performance robots via stabilizing controllers for uncertain systems

The development of flexible manufacturing systems calls for industrial robots characterized by robustness of performance with regard to the variations of the loads and real time specification of the trajectory in the work space. In this paper, the design of a feedback controller guaranteeing such performance is considered. At first, the manipulator dynamics are embedded into a larger class of uncertain dynamical systems and a class of feedback controls is proposed that guarantees uniform ultimate boundedness of the tracking error. Successively, the methodology is specialized for the case of robotic manipulators to track trajectories described in task-oriented coordinates; the proposed control algorithm operates without requiring any explicit coordinate transformation.     

一种互补型自适应滤波最小均方法在SQUID测量的心磁信号中的应用

提出了一种互补型自适应滤波最小均方算法在SQUID测量的心磁信号中的应用，快的收敛速度和很好的跟踪能力通过根据最小均方原则在两个滤波器之间来回转换加权参量来实现     

五象限法声源自动跟踪器

介绍由两同心圆组成的等投影面积五象限声－电测量装置的工作原理。当声波与声－电转换器的主要测象限垂直时，其声波在主要测象限内产生的声－电电压最强。根据声－电电压的变化大小来确定声源的方向，实现自动跟踪。     

Colloidal particle motion as a diagnostic of DNA conformational transitions

Tethered particle motion is an experimental technique to monitor conformational changes in single molecules of DNA in real time, by observing the position fluctuations of a micrometer-size particle attached to the DNA. This article reviews some recent work on theoretical problems inherent in the interpretation of TPM experiments, both in equilibrium and dynamical aspects.     

On the nonlinear dynamics and control of flexible orbiting manipulators

The paper studies nonlinear dynamics and control of a class of space station based mobile flexible two-link manipulators, normally referred to as the Mobile Servicing System (MSS).The governing nonlinear, nonautonomous and coupled equations of motion are described first followed by the modal discretizations procedure. A parametric response study suggests situations with unacceptable levels of deflections and accelerations for certain proposed missions, as well as station libration and payload positioning errors.An inverse control technique is proposed to achieve high tracking accuracy of the MSS in presence of maneuver induced disturbances. The control strategy is so designed as to regulate the libration of the Space Station as well as to insure joints tracking of prescribed trajectories, while limiting the effect of the structural vibration during large slewing maneuvres of the MSS. Two different control schemes, both based on the feedback linearization technique, are developed and their relative merit assessed.This investigation was supported by the Centers of Excellence Program, Grant No. IRIS/C-8, 5-55380, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Grant No. A-2181.