LQR Control for a Multi-MW Wind Turbine

This paper addresses linear quadratic regulation (LQR) for variable speed variable pitch wind turbines. Because of the inherent nonlinearity of wind turbine, a set of operating conditions is identified and then a LQR controller is designed for each operating point. The feedback controller gains are then interpolated linearly to get control law for the entire operating region. Besides, the aerodynamic torque and effective wind speed are estimated online to get the gain-scheduling variable for implementing the controller. The potential of the method is verified through simulation with the help of MATLAB/Simulink and GH Bladed. The performance and mechanical load when using LQR are also compared with that when using PI controller.

A 10 Giga VPN Accelerator Board for Trust Channel Security System

This paper proposes a VPN Accelerator Board (VPN-AB), a virtual private network (VPN) protocol designed for trust channel security system (TCSS). TCSS supports safety communication channel between security nodes in internet. It furnishes authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and access control to security node to transmit data packets with IPsec protocol. TCSS consists of internet key exchange block, security association block, and IPsec engine block. The internet key exchange block negotiates crypto algorithm and key used in IPsec engine block. Security Association blocks setting-up and manages security association information. IPsec engine block treats IPsec packets and consists of networking functions for communication. The IPsec engine block should be embodied by H/W and in-line mode transaction for high speed IPsec processing. Our VPN-AB is implemented with high speed security processor that supports many cryptographic algorithms and in-line mode. We evaluate a small TCSS communication environment, and measure a performance of VPN-AB in the environment. The experiment results show that VPN-AB gets a performance throughput of maximum 15.645Gbps when we set the IPsec protocol with 3DES-HMAC-MD5 tunnel mode.

Comprehensive Studies on Mechanical Stress Analysis of Functionally Graded Plates

Stress analysis of functionally graded composite plates composed of ceramic, functionally graded material and metal layers is investigated using 3-D finite element method. In FGM layer, material properties are assumed to be varied continuously in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fraction of a ceramic and metal. The 3-D finite element model is adopted by using an 18-node solid element to analyze more accurately the variation of material properties in the thickness direction. Numerical results are compared for three types of materials. In the analysis, the tensile and the compressive stresses are summarized for various FGM thickness ratios, volume fraction distributions, geometric parameters and mechanical loads.

A Study on the Waterfront Scales around Small Rivers

The purpose of this study was to suggest some optimal waterfront scales around small rivers by reviewing domestic and foreign survey reports about concept and relevant systems of the ecological cities, analyzing the data collected from a survey about scales and facilities of waterfront green zones around small rivers. The questionnaire survey was conducted by sampling professional designers, developers, the citizens living in the GunpoSanbon district covered by no river system and the citizens living in such districts covered by a river system. The question items were about need, uses, scale and facilities of waterfront in common, and about satisfaction with waterfront in case of citizen groups. In short, most of the subjects in 5 groups preferred 10~20 wide waterfront green zone. And it is judged that the results of this study about uses and facilities of the waterfront green zone and its scales would provide for some basic data useful to future waterfront green zone and urban development plans.

Multi-view Description of Real-Time Systems- Architecture

Real-time embedded systems should benefit from component-based software engineering to handle complexity and deal with dependability. In these systems, applications should not only be logically correct but also behave within time windows. However, in the current component based software engineering approaches, a few of component models handles time properties in a manner that allows efficient analysis and checking at the architectural level. In this paper, we present a meta-model for component-based software description that integrates timing issues. To achieve a complete functional model of software components, our meta-model focuses on four functional aspects: interface, static behavior, dynamic behavior, and interaction protocol. With each aspect we have explicitly associated a time model. Such a time model can be used to check a component-s design against certain properties and to compute the timing properties of component assemblies.

Developing the Color Temperature Histogram Method for Improving the Content-Based Image Retrieval

This paper proposes a new method for image searches and image indexing in databases with a color temperature histogram. The color temperature histogram can be used for performance improvement of content–based image retrieval by using a combination of color temperature and histogram. The color temperature histogram can be represented by a range of 46 colors. That is more than the color histogram and the dominant color temperature. Moreover, with our method the colors that have the same color temperature can be separated while the dominant color temperature can not. The results showed that the color temperature histogram retrieved an accurate image more often than the dominant color temperature method or color histogram method. This also took less time so the color temperature can be used for indexing and searching for images.

Kinematic Optimal Design on a New Robotic Platform for Stair Climbing

Stair climbing is one of critical issues for field robots to widen applicable areas. This paper presents optimal design on kinematic parameters of a new robotic platform for stair climbing. The robotic platform climbs various stairs by body flip locomotion with caterpillar type main platform. Kinematic parameters such as platform length, platform height, and caterpillar rotation speed are optimized to maximize stair climbing stability. Three types of stairs are used to simulate typical user conditions. The optimal design process is conducted based on Taguchi methodology, and resulting parameters with optimized objective function are presented. In near future, a prototype is assembled for real environment testing.

A Critics Study of Neural Networks Applied to ion-Exchange Process

This paper presents a critical study about the application of Neural Networks to ion-exchange process. Ionexchange is a complex non-linear process involving many factors influencing the ions uptake mechanisms from the pregnant solution. The following step includes the elution. Published data presents empirical isotherm equations with definite shortcomings resulting in unreliable predictions. Although Neural Network simulation technique encounters a number of disadvantages including its “black box", and a limited ability to explicitly identify possible causal relationships, it has the advantage to implicitly handle complex nonlinear relationships between dependent and independent variables. In the present paper, the Neural Network model based on the back-propagation algorithm Levenberg-Marquardt was developed using a three layer approach with a tangent sigmoid transfer function (tansig) at hidden layer with 11 neurons and linear transfer function (purelin) at out layer. The above mentioned approach has been used to test the effectiveness in simulating ion exchange processes. The modeling results showed that there is an excellent agreement between the experimental data and the predicted values of copper ions removed from aqueous solutions.

Development of a Pipeline Monitoring System by Bio-mimetic Robots

To explore pipelines is one of various bio-mimetic robot applications. The robot may work in common buildings such as between ceilings and ducts, in addition to complicated and massive pipeline systems of large industrial plants. The bio-mimetic robot finds any troubled area or malfunction and then reports its data. Importantly, it can not only prepare for but also react to any abnormal routes in the pipeline. The pipeline monitoring tasks require special types of mobile robots. For an effective movement along a pipeline, the movement of the robot will be similar to that of insects or crawling animals. During its movement along the pipelines, a pipeline monitoring robot has an important task of finding the shapes of the approaching path on the pipes. In this paper we propose an effective solution to the pipeline pattern recognition, based on the fuzzy classification rules for the measured IR distance data.

Gender Differences in Spatial Navigation

This study aims to investigate the gender differences in spatial navigation using the tasks of 2-D matrix navigation and recognition of real driving scene. The results can be summarized as followings. First, female subjects responded faster in 2-D matrix navigation task than male subjects when landmark instructions were provided. Second, in recognition task, male subjects recognized the key elements involved in the past driving scene more accurately than female subjects. In particular, female subjects tended to miss peripheral information. These results suggest the possibility of gender differences in spatial navigation.

Investigation of the Neutral Axis in the Positive Moment Region of Composite Beams

Researchers investigate arious strategies to develop composite beams and maximize the structural advantages. This study attempted to conduct experiments and analysis of changes in the neutral axis of positive moments of a Green Beam. Strain compatibility analysis was used, and its efficiency was demonstrated by comparing experimental and analytical values. In the comparison of neutral axis, the difference between experimental and analytical values was found to range from 8.8~26.2%. It was determined that strain compatibility analysis can be useful for predicting the behaviors of composite beams, with the ability to predict the behavior of not only the elastic location of the composite member, but also of the plastic location

Collaborative Tracking Control of UAV-UGV

This paper suggests a fast and stable Target Tracking system in collaborative control of UAV and UGV. Wi-Fi communication range is limited in collaborative control of UAV and UGV. Thus, to secure a stable communications, UAV and UGV have to be kept within a certain distance from each other. But existing method which uses UAV Vertical Camera to follow the motion of UGV is likely to lose a target with a sudden movement change. Eventually, UGV has disadvantages that it could only move at a low speed and not make any sudden change of direction in order to keep track of the target. Therefore, we suggest utilizing AR Drone UAV front camera to track fast-moving and Omnidirectional Mecanum Wheel UGV.

An Experimental Study on Behavior of Transverse Connection Appropriate for Modular Girder Bridge

This study is to evaluate the behavior of integral and segmental specimens through static and cyclic tests. Integral specimens were made with the same size to be compared with segmental specimens that were made by connected precast members. To evaluate its bending performance and serviceability, 1 integral and 3 segmental specimens were tested under static load. And 1 integral and 2 segmental specimens were tested under cyclic load, respectively. Different load ranges were considered in the cyclic tests to evaluate the safety and serviceability. The test results showed that under static loading, segmental specimens had about 94% of the integral specimen's maximum moment, averagely. Under cyclic loading, the segmental specimens showed that had enough safety in the range of higher than service load and enough serviceability. In conclusion, the maximum crack width (0.16mm) satisfied the allowable crack width (0.30mm) in the range of service load.

Interactive Chinese Character Learning System though Pictograph Evolution

This paper proposes an Interactive Chinese Character Learning System (ICCLS) based on pictorial evolution as an edutainment concept in computer-based learning of language. The advantage of the language origination itself is taken as a learning platform due to the complexity in Chinese language as compared to other types of languages. Users especially children enjoy more by utilize this learning system because they are able to memories the Chinese Character easily and understand more of the origin of the Chinese character under pleasurable learning environment, compares to traditional approach which children need to rote learning Chinese Character under un-pleasurable environment. Skeletonization is used as the representation of Chinese character and object with an animated pictograph evolution to facilitate the learning of the language. Shortest skeleton path matching technique is employed for fast and accurate matching in our implementation. User is required to either write a word or draw a simple 2D object in the input panel and the matched word and object will be displayed as well as the pictograph evolution to instill learning. The target of computer-based learning system is for pre-school children between 4 to 6 years old to learn Chinese characters in a flexible and entertaining manner besides utilizing visual and mind mapping strategy as learning methodology.

Probabilistic Center Voting Method for Subsequent Object Tracking and Segmentation

In this paper, we introduce a novel algorithm for object tracking in video sequence. In order to represent the object to be tracked, we propose a spatial color histogram model which encodes both the color distribution and spatial information. The object tracking from frame to frame is accomplished via center voting and back projection method. The center voting method has every pixel in the new frame to cast a vote on whereabouts the object center is. The back projection method segments the object from the background. The segmented foreground provides information on object size and orientation, omitting the need to estimate them separately. We do not put any assumption on camera motion; the proposed algorithm works equally well for object tracking in both static and moving camera videos.

The Analysis of the Impact of Urbanization on Urban Meteorology from Urban Growth Management Perspective

The amount of urban artificial heat which affects the urban temperature rise in urban meteorology was investigated in order to clarify the relationships between urbanization and urban meteorology in this study. The results of calculation to identify how urban temperate was increased through the establishment of a model for measuring the amount of urban artificial heat and theoretical testing revealed that the amount of urban artificial heat increased urban temperature by plus or minus 0.23 ˚ C in 2007 compared with 1996, statistical methods (correlation and regression analysis) to clarify the relationships between urbanization and urban weather were as follows. New design techniques and urban growth management are necessary from urban growth management point of view suggested from this research at city design phase to decrease urban temperature rise and urban torrential rain which can produce urban disaster in terms of urban meteorology by urbanization.

A New Particle Filter Inspired by Biological Evolution: Genetic Filter

In this paper, we consider a new particle filter inspired by biological evolution. In the standard particle filter, a resampling scheme is used to decrease the degeneracy phenomenon and improve estimation performance. Unfortunately, however, it could cause the undesired the particle deprivation problem, as well. In order to overcome this problem of the particle filter, we propose a novel filtering method called the genetic filter. In the proposed filter, we embed the genetic algorithm into the particle filter and overcome the problems of the standard particle filter. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated by computer simulation.

Dynamic Bus Binding for Low Power Using Multiple Binding Tables

A conventional binding method for low power in a high-level synthesis mainly focuses on finding an optimal binding for an assumed input data, and obtains only one binding table. In this paper, we show that a binding method which uses multiple binding tables gets better solution compared with the conventional methods which use a single binding table, and propose a dynamic bus binding scheme for low power using multiple binding tables. The proposed method finds multiple binding tables for the proper partitions of an input data, and switches binding tables dynamically to produce the minimum total switching activity. Experimental result shows that the proposed method obtains a binding solution having 12.6-28.9% smaller total switching activity compared with the conventional methods.

Automatic Design Algorithm for the Tower Crane Foundations

Foundation of tower crane serves to ensure stability against vertical and horizontal forces. If foundation stress is not sufficient, tower crane may be subject to overturning, shearing or foundation settlement. Therefore, engineering review of stable support is a highly critical part of foundation design. However, there are not many professionals who can conduct engineering review of tower crane foundation and, if any, they have information only on a small number of cranes in which they have hands-on experience. It is also customary to rely on empirical knowledge and tower crane renter-s recommendations rather than designing foundation on the basis of engineering knowledge. Therefore, a foundation design automation system considering not only lifting conditions but also overturning risk, shearing and vertical force may facilitate production of foolproof foundation design for experts and enable even non-experts to utilize professional knowledge that only experts can access now. This study proposes Automatic Design Algorithm for the Tower Crane Foundations considering load and horizontal force.

Influence of Calcium Intake Level to Osteoporptic Vertebral bone and Degenerated Disc in Biomechanical Study

The aim of the present study is to analyze the generation of osteoporotic vertebral bone induced by lack of calcium during growth period and analyze its effects for disc degeneration, based on biomechanical and histomorphometrical study. Mechanical and histomorphological characteristics of lumbar vertebral bones and discs of rats with calcium free diet (CFD) were detected and tracked by using high resolution in-vivo micro-computed tomography (in-vivo micro-CT), finite element (FE) and histological analysis. Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old, approximate weight 170g) were randomly divided into two groups (CFD group: 10, NOR group: 10). The CFD group was maintained on a refmed calcium-controlled semisynthetic diet without added calcium, to induce osteoporosis. All lumbar (L 1-L6) were scanned by using in vivo micro-CT with 35i.un resolution at 0, 4, 8 weeks to track the effects of CFD on the generation of osteoporosis. The fmdings of the present study indicated that calcium insufficiency was the main factor in the generation of osteoporosis and it induced lumbar vertebral disc degeneration. This study is a valuable experiment to firstly evaluate osteoporotic vertebral bone and disc degeneration induced by lack of calcium during growth period from a biomechanical and histomorphometrical point of view.