Optimizing the initial setting of complex adaptive systems–optimizing the layout of initial AFVs stations for maximizing the diffusion of AFVs

There are occasions when people want to optimize the initial setting of a CAS (complex adaptive system) so that it evolves in a desired direction. A CAS evolves by heterogeneous actors interacting with each other. It is difficult to describe the evolution process with an objective function. Researchers usually attempt to optimize an intervening objective function, which is supposed to help a CAS evolve in a desired direction. This article puts forward an approach to optimize the initial setting of a CAS directly (instead of through an intervening objective function) by nesting agent‐based simulations in a genetic algorithm. In the approach, an initial setting of a CAS is treated as a genome, and its fitness is defined by the closeness between the simulation result and the desired evolution. We test the applicability of the proposed approach on the problem of optimizing the layout of initial AFV (alternative fuel vehicle) refueling stations to maximize the diffusion of AFVs. Computation experiments show that the initial setting generated with the approach could better induce the desired evolving result than optimizing an intervening objective function. The idea of the approach can also be applied to other decision making associated with a complex adaptive process. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 275–290, 2016     

Marx调制器单元设计和叠加测试

 基于单元器件的成功研制,介绍了Marx调制器单元充放电回路、电压和电流的实时监测以及控制系统和连锁保护等功能的设计和实现。对IGBT固态开关的静态、动态均压进行分析和模拟,采用RCD缓冲电路实现IGBT的动态均压;对控制系统改进和优化,设计了专用电源转换模块;分压电路和电流霍尔采样回路分别实现调制器单元电压和电流的检测;连锁保护功能由控制系统和继电器控制完成。所有部件按照电气标准设计在调制器单元支架上。经过测试的4个单元进行了叠加试验,4个单元总输出24 kV,各器件在高压试验中工作正常。     

闭合磁场的作用原理与布局逻辑

采用非平衡磁控溅射阴极在镀膜区间构建闭合磁场已经成为设计开发磁控溅射真空镀膜系统的通用手段,然而闭合磁场具体的作用对象、作用机制、闭合条件、布局逻辑以及作用效果等仍没有定量的判定标准或设计依据.本文从带电粒子在磁场中的运动出发,推导了真空室内电子与离子运动行为,得出闭合磁场的作用机制,并依此研究了磁控溅射阴极和离子源布局方式对电子约束效果和沉积效率的影响.结果表明,闭合磁场在真空室中主要通过约束电子来约束等离子体,进而减少系统内电子损失;阴极数量和真空室尺寸对闭合磁场的作用效果有重要影响.提出在真空室中央增加对偶离子源,研究了闭合磁场中阴极类型、旋转角度和磁场方向对电子的约束作用,发现当离子源正对阴极相斥或相吸时,真空室内分别形成了局部高密度和均匀连续的两种等离子体分布特征,边缘电子溢出比均低于3%,镀膜区的电子占比相对无对偶离子源时分别提高到53.41%和42.25%.     

Tabu search for the single row facility layout problem using exhaustive 2-opt and insertion neighborhoods

The single row facility layout problem (SRFLP) is the problem of arranging facilities with given lengths on a line, while minimizing the weighted sum of the distances between all pairs of facilities. The problem is NP-hard. In this paper, we present two tabu search implementations, one involving an exhaustive search of the 2-opt neighborhood and the other involving an exhaustive search of the insertion neighborhood. We also present techniques to significantly speed up the search of the two neighborhoods. Our computational experiments show that the speed up techniques are effective, and our tabu search implementations are competitive. Our tabu search implementations improved previously known best solutions for 23 out of the 43 large sized SRFLP benchmark instances.     

Data Visualization With Multidimensional Scaling

We discuss methodology for multidimensional scaling (MDS) and its implementation in two software systems, GGvis and XGvis. MDS is a visualization technique for proximity data, that is, data in the form of N × N dissimilarity matrices. MDS constructs maps (“configurations,” “embeddings”) in IR^k by interpreting the dissimilarities as distances. Two frequent sources of dissimilarities are high-dimensional data and graphs. When the dissimilarities are distances between high-dimensional objects, MDS acts as a (often nonlinear) dimension-reduction technique. When the dissimilarities are shortest-path distances in a graph, MDS acts as a graph layout technique. MDS has found recent attention in machine learning motivated by image databases (“Isomap”). MDS is also of interest in view of the popularity of “kernelizing” approaches inspired by Support Vector Machines (SVMs; “kernel PCA”).

This article discusses the following general topics: (1) the stability and multiplicity of MDS solutions; (2) the analysis of structure within and between subsets of objects with missing value schemes in dissimilarity matrices; (3) gradient descent for optimizing general MDS loss functions (“Strain” and “Stress”); (4) a unification of classical (Strain-based) and distance (Stress-based) MDS.

Particular topics include the following: (1) blending of automatic optimization with interactive displacement of configuration points to assist in the search for global optima; (2) forming groups of objects with interactive brushing to create patterned missing values in MDS loss functions; (3) optimizing MDS loss functions for large numbers of objects relative to a small set of anchor points (“external unfolding”); and (4) a non-metric version of classical MDS.

We show applications to the mapping of computer usage data, to the dimension reduction of marketing segmentation data, to the layout of mathematical graphs and social networks, and finally to the spatial reconstruction of molecules.     

初始位置布局不平衡的疏散行人流仿真研究

行人初始位置布局不平衡的多安全出口疏散过程, 是行人疏散流仿真研究的热点. 利用行人流动态参数仿真模型, 在实际距离和假想距离"极大极小"路径选择机理的基础上, 改进假想距离的计算方法及其拥堵计算区域, 实现疏散过程的动态平衡; 提出行人位置布局的不平衡系数, 以描述疏散空间内行人初始位置布局的不平衡性. 从行人初始位置随机和固定布局的角度, 仿真研究正常疏散环境下行人布局的不平衡性对疏散时间的影响, 并将仿真结果与原始模型做对比分析. 研究表明, 模型能有效地实现行人流疏散过程的动态平衡, 行人疏散时间受行人位置或安全出口布局的影响较小, 而与安全出口总宽度、 行人的初始数量以及拥堵感知系数有关.     

基于蚁群算法的桁架结构布局离散变量优化方法

提出的布局优化方法是将桁架结构的截面变量、拓扑变量及形状变量统一为离散变量.将离散变量转化为适应于蚁群算法求解TSP问题的离散变量,应用MATLAB语言编写求解桁架结构布局优化程序,最终实现对问题的分析与求解.通过对几个经典的平面、空间桁架结构布局优化算例的验算表明:本文设计的基于蚁群算法的桁架结构布局离散变量优化方法较单独处理截面优化、拓扑优化及形状优化问题具有更大的效益,相对于其他布局优化方法也展现出更好的优化效果.“基于蚁群算法的桁架结构布局离散变量优化方法”在程序设计、求解速度、求解空间及其方法通用性等方面都表现出良好的性能,并且简单、实用,适应于实际工程应用.     

A novel sensitivity model for short nets

For modern processes at deep sub-micron technology nodes, yield design, especially the design at the layout stage is an important way to deal with the problem of manufacturability and yield. In order to reduce the yield loss caused by redundancy material defects, the choice of nets to be optimized at first is an important step in the process of layout optimization. This paper provides a new sensitivity model for a short net, which is net-based and reflects the size of the critical area between a single net and the nets around it. Since this model is based on a single net and includes the information of the surrounding nets, the critical area between the single net and surrounding nets can be reduced at the same time. In this way, the efficiency of layout optimization becomes higher. According to experimental observations, this sensitivity model can be used to choose the position for optimization. Compared with the chip-area-based and basic- layout-based sensitivity models, our sensitivity model not only has higher efficiency, but also confirms that choosing the net to be optimized at first improves the design.     

An adaptive heuristic algorithm for VLSI test vectors selection

The increasing complexity of today’s system-on-a-chip designs is putting more pressure on the already stressed design verification process. The verification plan must cover several individual cores as well as the overall chip design. Conditions to be verified are identified by the system’s architects, the designers, and the verification team. Testing for these conditions is a must for the design to tape out, especially for high priority conditions. A significant bottleneck in the verification process of such designs is that not enough time is usually given to the final coverage phase, which makes computing cycles very precious. Thus, intelligent selection of test vectors that achieve the best coverage using the minimum number of computing cycles is crucial for on time tape out. This paper presents a novel heuristic algorithm for test vectors selection. The algorithm attempts to achieve the best coverage level while minimizing the required number of computing cycles.