Abstract: This paper presents a digital engineering library – the
Digital Mechanism and Gear Library, DMG-Lib – providing a multimedia collection of e-books, pictures, videos and animations in the domain of mechanisms and machines. The specific characteristic
about DMG-Lib is the enrichment and cross-linking of the different
sources. DMG-Lib e-books not only present pages as pixel images
but also selected figures augmented with interactive animations. The
presentation of animations in e-books increases the clearness of the
information.
To present the multimedia e-books and make them available in the
DMG-Lib internet portal a special e-book reader called StreamBook
was developed for optimal presentation of digitized books and to
enable reading the e-books as well as working efficiently and individually with the enriched information. The objective is to support different user tasks ranging from information retrieval to
development and design of mechanisms.
Abstract: A compact 1x3 power splitter based on Photonic
Crystal Waveguides (PCW) with flexible power splitting ratio is
presented in this paper. Multimode interference coupler (MMI) is
integrated with PCW. The device size reduction compared with the
conventional MMI power splitter is attributed to the large dispersion
of the PCW. Band Solve tool is used to calculate the band structure of
PCW. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method is adopted to
simulate the relevant structure at 1550nm wavelength. The device is
polarization insensitive and allows the control of output (o/p) powers
within certain percentage points for both polarizations.
Abstract: Fuzzy controllers are potential candidates for the
control of nonlinear, time variant and also complicated systems. Anti
lock brake system (ABS) which is a nonlinear system, may not be
easily controlled by classical control methods. An intelligent Fuzzy
control method is very useful for this kind of nonlinear system. A
typical antilock brake system (ABS) by sensing the wheel lockup,
releases the brakes for a short period of time, and then reapplies again
the brakes when the wheel spins up. In this paper, an intelligent fuzzy
ABS controller is designed to adjust slipping performance for variety
of roads. There are tow major sections in the proposing control
system. First section consists of tow Fuzzy-Logic Controllers (FLC)
providing optimal brake torque for both front and rear wheels.
Second section which is also a FLC provides required amount of slip
and torque references properties for different kind of roads.
Simulation results of our proposed intelligent ABS for three different
kinds of road show more reliable and better performance in compare
with two other break systems.
Abstract: In this study, the transesterification of palm oil with methanol for biodiesel production was studied by using CaO–ZnO as a heterogeneous base catalyst prepared by incipient-wetness impregnation (IWI) and co-precipitation (CP) methods. The reaction parameters considered were molar ratio of methanol to oil, amount of catalyst, reaction temperature, and reaction time. The optimum conditions–15:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, a catalyst amount of 6 wt%, reaction temperature of 60 °C, and reaction time of 8 h–were observed. The effects of Ca loading, calcination temperature, and catalyst preparation on the catalytic performance were studied. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by several techniques, including XRD, TPR, and XRF.
Abstract: The two cart inverted pendulum system is a good
bench mark for testing the performance of system dynamics and
control engineering principles. Devasia introduced this system to
study the asymptotic tracking problem for nonlinear systems. In this
paper the problem of asymptotic tracking of the two-cart with an
inverted-pendulum system to a sinusoidal reference inputs via
introducing a novel method for solving finite-horizon nonlinear
optimal control problems is presented. In this method, an iterative
method applied to state dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) to obtain
a reliable algorithm. The superiority of this technique has been shown
by simulation and comparison with the nonlinear approach.
Abstract: The use of computer hardware and software in
education and training dates to the early 1940s, when American
researchers developed flight simulators which used analog computers
to generate simulated onboard instrument data.Computer software is
widely used to help engineers and undergraduate student solve their
problems quickly and more accurately. This paper presents the list of
computer software in geotechnical engineering.
Abstract: The selection of appropriate requirements for product
releases can make a big difference in a product success. The selection
of requirements is done by different requirements prioritization
techniques. These techniques are based on pre-defined and
systematic steps to calculate the requirements relative weight.
Prioritization is complicated by new development settings, shifting
from traditional co-located development to geographically distributed
development. Stakeholders, connected to a project, are distributed all
over the world. These geographically distributions of stakeholders
make it hard to prioritize requirements as each stakeholder have their
own perception and expectations of the requirements in a software
project. This paper discusses limitations of the Analytical Hierarchy
Process with respect to geographically distributed stakeholders-
(GDS) prioritization of requirements. This paper also provides a
solution, in the form of a modified AHP, in order to prioritize
requirements for GDS. We will conduct two experiments in this
paper and will analyze the results in order to discuss AHP limitations
with respect to GDS. The modified AHP variant is also validated in
this paper.
Abstract: The minimal condition for symmetry breaking in morphogenesis of cellular population was investigated using cellular automata based on reaction-diffusion dynamics. In particular, the study looked for the possibility of the emergence of branching structures due to mechanical interactions. The model used two types of cells an external gradient. The results showed that the external gradient influenced movement of cell type-I, also revealed that clusters formed by cells type-II worked as barrier to movement of cells type-I.
Abstract: Since 1991 Ethiopia has officially adopted multi-party democracy. At present, there are 89 registered political parties in the country. Though political parties play an important role in the functioning of a democratic government, how to fund them is an issue of major concern. Political parties and individual candidates running for political office have to raise funds for election campaigns, and to survive as political candidates. The aim of this paper is to examine party funding problems in Africa by taking the case of Ethiopia as an example. The paper also evaluates the motives of local and international donors in giving financial and material support to political parties in emerging democracies and assesses the merits and de-merits of their donations.
Abstract: We introduce a logic-based framework for database
updating under constraints. In our framework, the constraints are
represented as an instantiated extended logic program. When performing
an update, database consistency may be violated. We provide
an approach of maintaining database consistency, and study the
conditions under which the maintenance process is deterministic. We
show that the complexity of the computations and decision problems
presented in our framework is in each case polynomial time.
Abstract: The iron loss is a source of detuning in vector controlled
induction motor drives if the classical rotor vector controller is used for
decoupling. In fact, the field orientation will not be satisfied and the
output torque will not truck the reference torque mostly used by Loss
Model Controllers (LMCs). In addition, this component of loss, among
others, may be excessive if the vector controlled induction motor is
driving light loads. In this paper, the series iron loss model is used to
develop a vector controller immune to iron loss effect and then an LMC
to minimize the total power loss using the torque generated by the speed
controller.
Abstract: This paper proposes two types of non-isolated
direct AC-DC converters. First, it shows a buck-boost
converter with an H-bridge, which requires few components
(three switches, two diodes, one inductor and one capacitor) to
convert AC input to DC output directly. This circuit can handle
a wide range of output voltage. Second, a direct AC-DC buck
converter is proposed for lower output voltage applications.
This circuit is analyzed with output voltage of 12V. We
describe circuit topologies, operation principles and simulation
results for both circuits.
Abstract: A kind of singularly perturbed boundary value problems is under consideration. In order to obtain its approximation, simple upwind difference discretization is applied. We use a moving mesh iterative algorithm based on equi-distributing of the arc-length function of the current computed piecewise linear solution. First, a maximum norm a posteriori error estimate on an arbitrary mesh is derived using a different method from the one carried out by Chen [Advances in Computational Mathematics, 24(1-4) (2006), 197-212.]. Then, basing on the properties of discrete Green-s function and the presented posteriori error estimate, we theoretically prove that the discrete solutions computed by the algorithm are first-order uniformly convergent with respect to the perturbation parameter ε.
Abstract: High Strength Concrete (HSC) is defined as concrete
that meets special combination of performance and uniformity
requirements that cannot be achieved routinely using conventional
constituents and normal mixing, placing, and curing procedures. It is
a highly complex material, which makes modeling its behavior a very
difficult task. This paper aimed to show possible applicability of
Neural Networks (NN) to predict the slump in High Strength
Concrete (HSC). Neural Network models is constructed, trained and
tested using the available test data of 349 different concrete mix
designs of High Strength Concrete (HSC) gathered from a particular
Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) batching plant. The most versatile
Neural Network model is selected to predict the slump in concrete.
The data used in the Neural Network models are arranged in a format
of eight input parameters that cover the Cement, Fly Ash, Sand,
Coarse Aggregate (10 mm), Coarse Aggregate (20 mm), Water,
Super-Plasticizer and Water/Binder ratio. Furthermore, to test the
accuracy for predicting slump in concrete, the final selected model is
further used to test the data of 40 different concrete mix designs of
High Strength Concrete (HSC) taken from the other batching plant.
The results are compared on the basis of error function (or
performance function).
Abstract: This paper highlights the importance of the selection
of the building-s wall material,and the shortcomings of the most
commonly used framed structures with masonry infills .The
objective of this study is investigating the behavior of infill walls as
structural components in existing structures.Structural infill walls are
very important in structural behavior under earthquake effects.
Structural capacity under the effect of earthquake,displacement and
relative story displacement are affected by the structural irregularities
.The presence of nonstructural masonry infill walls can modify
extensively the global seismic behavior of framed buildings .The
stability and integrity of reinforced concrete frames are enhanced by
masonry infill walls. Masonry infill walls alter displacement and
base shear of the frame as well. Short columns have great
importance during earthquakes,because their failure may lead to
additional structural failures and result in total building collapse.
Consequently the effects of short columns are considered in this
study.
Abstract: This case study investigates the effects of reactive
focus on form through negotiation on the linguistic development of
an adult EFL learner in an exclusive private EFL classroom. The
findings revealed that in this classroom negotiated feedback occurred
significantly more often than non-negotiated feedback. However, it
was also found that in the long run the learner was significantly more
successful in correcting his own errors when he had received nonnegotiated
feedback than negotiated feedback. This study, therefore,
argues that although negotiated feedback seems to be effective for
some learners in the short run, it is non-negotiated feedback which
seems to be more effective in the long run. This long lasting effect
might be attributed to the impact of schooling system which is itself
indicative of the dominant culture, or to the absence of other
interlocutors in the course of interaction.
Abstract: Transferring patient information between medical care
sites is necessary to deliver better patient care and to reduce medical
cost. So developing of electronic medical records is an important trend
for the world.The Continuity of Care Document (CCD) is product of
collaboration between CDA and CCR standards. In this study, we will
develop a system to generate medical records with entry level based on
CCD template module.
Abstract: Detection of human emotions has many potential applications. One of application is to quantify attentiveness audience in order evaluate acoustic quality in concern hall. The subjective audio preference that based on from audience is used. To obtain fairness evaluation of acoustic quality, the research proposed system for multimodal emotion detection; one modality based on brain signals that measured using electroencephalogram (EEG) and the second modality is sequences of facial images. In the experiment, an audio signal was customized which consist of normal and disorder sounds. Furthermore, an audio signal was played in order to stimulate positive/negative emotion feedback of volunteers. EEG signal from temporal lobes, i.e. T3 and T4 was used to measured brain response and sequence of facial image was used to monitoring facial expression during volunteer hearing audio signal. On EEG signal, feature was extracted from change information in brain wave, particularly in alpha and beta wave. Feature of facial expression was extracted based on analysis of motion images. We implement an advance optical flow method to detect the most active facial muscle form normal to other emotion expression that represented in vector flow maps. The reduce problem on detection of emotion state, vector flow maps are transformed into compass mapping that represents major directions and velocities of facial movement. The results showed that the power of beta wave is increasing when disorder sound stimulation was given, however for each volunteer was giving different emotion feedback. Based on features derived from facial face images, an optical flow compass mapping was promising to use as additional information to make decision about emotion feedback.
Abstract: Protecting is the sources of drinking water is the first
barrier of contamination of drinking water. The Feitsui Reservoir
watershed of Taiwan supplies domestic water for around 5 million
people in the Taipei metropolitan area. Understanding the spatial
patterns of water quality trends in this watershed is an important
agenda for management authorities. This study examined 7 sites in the
watershed for water quality parameters regulated in the standard for
drinking water source. The non-parametric seasonal Mann-Kendall-s
test was used to determine significant trends for each parameter.
Significant trends of increasing pH occurred at the sampling station in
the uppermost stream watershed, and in total phosphorus at 4 sampling
stations in the middle and downstream watershed. Additionally, the
multi-scale land cover assessment and average land slope were used to
explore the influence on the water quality in the watershed. Regression
models for predicting water quality were also developed.
Abstract: This paper presents a procedure for estimating VAR
using Sequential Discounting VAR (SDVAR) algorithm for online
model learning to detect fraudulent acts using the telecommunications
call detailed records (CDR). The volatility of the VAR is observed
allowing for non-linearity, outliers and change points based on the
works of [1]. This paper extends their procedure from univariate
to multivariate time series. A simulation and a case study for
detecting telecommunications fraud using CDR illustrate the use of
the algorithm in the bivariate setting.