Funnel control for fully actuated systems under a fragment of signal temporal logic specifications

Temporal logics have lately proven to be a valuable tool for various control applications by providing a rich specification language. Existing temporal logic-based control strategies discretize the underlying dynamical system in space and/or time. We will not use such an abstraction and consider continuous-time systems under a fragment of signal temporal logic specifications by using the associated robust semantics. In particular, this paper provides computationally-efficient funnel-based feedback control laws for a class of systems that are, in a sense, feedback equivalent to single integrator systems, but where the dynamics are partially unknown for the control design so that some degree of robustness is obtained. We first leverage the transient properties of a funnel-based feedback control strategy to maximize the robust semantics of some atomic temporal logic formulas. We then guarantee the satisfaction for specifications consisting of conjunctions of such atomic temporal logic formulas with overlapping time intervals by a suitable switched control system. The result is a framework that satisfies temporal logic specifications with a user-defined robustness when the specification is satisfiable. When the specification is not satisfiable, a least violating solution can be found. The theoretical findings are demonstrated in simulations of the nonlinear Lotka–Volterra equations for predator–prey models.     

Path planning,modeling and simulation of an autonomous articulated heavy construction machine performing a loading cycle

This research presents path planning and tracking for an articulated large wheel loader during the travel portion of a loading cycle. The study proposes a methodology for path planning, modeling, simulation and control of such vehicles; the analysis focuses on all of these components together and explains the relation among them. The developed methodology for path planning takes into account the dynamics and the performance characteristics of the heavy construction articulated vehicles, it also takes into account the construction working site constraints. The path optimization criterion is based on distance and cusp minimization without neglecting the constraints imposed by the size of the vehicle and its stable turning radius. The proposed path planning methodology is an extension and an improvement for Reeds and Shepp algorithm for a point shortest path calculation. The optimal path is consisted of circular arcs and straight segments, the radius is constant and identical for each arc in the desired path, the radius assumed to be similar to the minimum turning radius of the machine. When optimizing articulated machine path; to best account for machine size and articulation; more than one approach are discussed and compared. The machine is modeled and simulated during tracing the pre-defined planned path. The machine model includes the main frames, tires and a steering controller. The developed PID controller is used to keep machine lateral position within the pre-defined path while traveling with constant speed. The results showed an acceptable optimized path which the machine is able to track closely.     

Kinetic theory of situated agents applied to pedestrian flow in a corridor

A situated agent-based model for simulation of pedestrian flow in a corridor is presented. In this model, pedestrians choose their paths freely and make decisions based on local criteria for solving collision conflicts. The crowd consists of multiple walking agents equipped with a function of perception as well as a competitive rule-based strategy that enables pedestrians to reach free access areas. Pedestrians in our model are autonomous entities capable of perceiving and making decisions. They apply socially accepted conventions, such as avoidance rules, as well as individual preferences such as the use of specific exit points, or the execution of eventual comfort turns resulting in spontaneous changes of walking speed. Periodic boundary conditions were considered in order to determine the density-average walking speed, and the density-average activity with respect to specific parameters: comfort angle turn and frequency of angle turn of walking agents. The main contribution of this work is an agent-based model where each pedestrian is represented as an autonomous agent. At the same time the pedestrian crowd dynamics is framed by the kinetic theory of biological systems.     

基于ODDD水下机器人故障诊断方法

近年来数据挖掘技术的快速发展使得利用水下机器人作业过程中积累的大量数据进行故障诊断成为可能。基于数据挖掘的故障诊断技术能够从数据中获取潜在的诊断知识。针对水下机器人推进器系统数据特征,提出一种基于聚类和距离的离群点检测方法(Outlier Detection based on DBSCAN and Distance,ODDD)。首先,对数据进行粗聚类,然后采用剪枝规则进行离群点检测,来实现故障诊断。仿真实验结果表明算法能够实现水下机器人快速有效的故障检测。     

Critical points at infinity and blow up of solutions of autonomous polynomial differential systems via compactification

Critical points at infinity for autonomous differential systems are defined and used as an essential tool. Rn is mapped onto the unit ball by various mappings and the boundary points of the ball are used to distinguish between different directions at infinity. These mappings are special cases of compactifications. It is proved that the definition of the critical points at infinity is independent of the choice of the mapping to the unit ball.We study the rate of blow up of solutions in autonomous polynomial differential systems of equations via compactification methods. To this end we represent each solution as a quotient of a vector valued function (which is a solution of an associated autonomous system) by a scalar function (which is a solution of a related scalar equation).     

Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in monitoring of small water bodies in Hungary, I. Establishment of surveillance monitoring system for physical and chemical characteristics for small mountain watercourses

The EU Water Framework Directives (WFD) prescribes to achieve a good status of surface waters by 2015. To keep this deadline of a new three level (surveillance, operational and investigative) monitoring system is required, including hydro-morphological, biological and chemical elements. The status of a water body should be related to the reference conditions, depending on surface water types. In Hungary, the standard monitoring network for surface water quality has been operated for rivers and large lakes; however no satisfactory information is available for small water bodies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a methodology to develop a monitoring network for small watercourses. For this purpose a slightly impacted mountain stream (Nagy Stream in Mátra Mountains), was selected and intensively monitored during three years (May 2002 → May 2005). Hydrological, biological and chemical parameters required by WFD were monitored in this program. Variability of parameters vs. time and space was also investigated. The minimum frequency of sampling was determined for chosen physico-chemical components to meet the WFD standards for confidence. It was found that the minimum frequency of sampling suggested by WFD in space and time may not be adequate for precise and accurate characterization of water quality.     

Existence of Periodic Solutions of an Autonomous Damped Wave Equation in Thin Domains

For a nonlinear autonomous damped wave equation in a thin domain we provide conditions ensuring the existence of periodic solutions in time. Our approach uses both methods developed by Hale and Raugel and methods based on the topological degree theory together with some results on the functionalization of parameter.     

Existence of solutions for nonlinear boundary value problems of impulsive differential equations

With the help of the coincidence degree continuation theorem, we generalize to the case of impulsive systems of the second order some existence results obtained by Gaines and Mawhin in the ordinary case. In particular, for the impulsive functions the treatment does not assume any monotonicity conditions, which are necessary in earlier papers treated by S.Hu and V.Lakshmikantham, L.H.Erbe and X.Liu with other methods.     

On two classes of autonomous third-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations

Two autonomous, nonlinear, third-order ordinary differential equations whose dynamics can be represented by second-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the first-order derivative of the solution are studied analytically and numerically. The analytical study includes both the obtention of closed-form solutions and the use of an artificial parameter method that provides approximations to both the solution and the frequency of oscillations. It is shown that both the analytical solution and the accuracy of the artificial parameter method depend greatly on the sign of the nonlinearities and the initial value of the first-order derivative.     

Minimum cost allocation of quality improvement targets under supplier process disruption

This paper presents a system cost model to assist a manufacturer in assessing the minimum cost allocations of quality improvement targets to suppliers. The model accounts for the effects of autonomous learning and induced learning on quality improvement, via variance reductions of supplier processes. The model further accounts for the effects of planned and unplanned disruptions in supplier production processes, where such gaps in production decreases the amount of autonomous learning while providing an opportunity for induced learning, thereby counteracting the effect of disruptions on process improvement. An optimization model is developed that obtains the quality improvement allocations that minimize system expected cost to both suppliers and manufacturer. The proposed models also account for both the uncertainty in the realized induced learning rate as well as uncertainty in the realized level of process disruptions. An example is used to demonstrate an implementation of the proposed models and to assess the sensitivity of the optimal target allocations to several model parameters.