Dynamic adaptive autonomy in multi-agent systems

Multi-agent systems require adaptability to perform effectively in complex and dynamic environments. This article shows that agents should be able to benefit from dynamically adapting their decision-making frameworks. A decision-making framework describes the set of multi-agent decision-making interactions exercised by members of an agent group in the course of pursuing a goal or set of goals. The decision-making interaction style an agent adopts with respect to other agents influences that agent's degree of autonomy. The article introduces the capability of Dynamic Adaptive Autonomy (DAA), which allows an agent to dynamically modify its autonomy along a defined spectrum (from command-driven to consensus to locally autonomous/master) for each goal it pursues. This article presents one motivation for DAA through experiments showing that the ‘best’ decision-making framework for a group of agents depends not only on the problem domain and pre-defined characteristics of the system, but also on run-time factors that can change during system operation. This result holds regardless of which performance metric is used to define ‘best’. Thus, it is possible for agents to benefit by dynamically adapting their decision-making frameworks to their situation during system operation.     

Design considerations for crossing channel switches

Theoretical and experimental design considerations for single-mode-crossing switches at the wavelength of 1.32 μm are presented. The dependence of extinction ratio on branch angle for the extended electrodes and the estimation of fabrication tolerances of the crossing channel structure are discussed. It is also shown that crossing channel devices required a precise control of fabrication parameters     

Dependence of interconnection delays on driving mechanism for GaAs-based VLSI

The dependence of interconnection delays on several different methods has been examined for GaAs-based VLSI.     

The ductility of a HSLA steel at temperatures below 300 K

High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel exhibits good ductility at low temperatures down to 77 K in both ferrite-pearlite and dual-phase structures. The instantaneous strain-rate sensitivity (m) increases with decreasing temperature and reaches a maximum at 100 K. This peak temperature is much lower than that for plain carbon steels. The post-uniform elongation, which is more sensitively dependent onm, shows only slight increase around 100 K. The effect ofm on the post-uniform elongation is probably mitigated by the increasing dependence ofm on strain rate above 180 K. The uniform elongation, normally associated with the strain hardening characteristics of the material, also shows some increase around 100 K. Therefore, both strain-hardening and strain-rate hardening are responsible for the enhanced ductility of HSLA steel around 100 K.     

Cost analysis of a two unit priority standby system with imperfect switch and arbitrary distributions

This paper deals with cost analysis of a single server two-unit (one priority and the other ordinary) cold standby system with two modes—normal and total failure. A switch is used to operate the standby unit (ordinary) and it works successfully with known probability p( = 1 ? q). Priority unit gets preference both for operation and repair. Failure and repair time distributions are arbitrary. System fails when switch or both the units fail totally. The system is observed at suitable regenerative epochs in order to obtain reliability characteristics of interest to system designers and operations managers. Explicit results for the exponential time distributions have been obtained in particular cases.     

Stochastic behaviour of man-machine systems operating under different weather conditions

This paper presents two mathematical models to predict the performance of the man—machine systems under different weather conditions. The operator may be in good or poor physical condition which also affects the performance of the system. Failure rate of the system, rate of change of weather conditions as well as rate of change of physical conditions of the operator are assumed to be constant while the repair time distributions are general. Regenerative technique in MRP is applied to obtain several reliability characteristics of interest.     

Stochastic analysis of a multi-unit cold standby system working in orbit form

This paper considers the analysis of a single server n-similar unit system. Initially k(<n) units form an orbit which functions if one unit functions at a time and the remaining n − k units work as cold standbys. When a unit fails in the orbit it is instantaneously replaced by one of the standbys with the help of a perfect transfer switch. The system is said to fail when n − k + 1 units have failed. The distribution of time to failure and time to repair of a unit are negative exponential. Using the regenerative point technique several reliability characteristics are obtained to carry out the cost-benefit analysis.     

Full-scale application of anaerobic digestion process with partial ozonation of digested sludge.

For improving sludge digestion and biogas recovery, a new anaerobic digestion process combined with ozonation was tested at a full-scale unit for 2 years and its performance was compared with a simultaneously operated conventional anaerobic digestion process. The new process requires two essential modifications, which includes ozonation for enhancing the biological degradability of sludge organics and concentrating of solids in the digester through a solid/liquid separation for extension of SRT. These modifications resulted in high VSS degradation efficiency of ca. 88%, as much as 1.3 times of methane production and more than 70% reduction in dewatered sludge cake production. Owing to accumulation of inorganic solids in the digested sludge, water content of the dewatered sludge cake also reduced from 80% to 68%. An energy analysis suggested that no supplemental fuel was necessary for the subsequent incineration of the cake from the new process scheme. The process is suitable to apply to a low-loaded anaerobic digestion tank, where power production is used.     

Distribution of trivalent rare-earth additives between A and B sites in the ABO3 PZT system

Lead zirconate titanate ceramics having composition at the morphotropic phase boundary have been modified with 2 mol % rare-earth oxides of Er, Gd, Eu, Nd and La. The samples have been prepared using the standard solid state reaction route. The ionic radius of the additives investigated vary from 0.088 to 0.106 nm. A theoretical model has been used which allows the additive cation distribution between A and B sites to be established from its ionic radius. It has been concluded that the additive goes increasingly to the A site with increasing ionic radius. The amounts of lead monoxide liberated during sintering due to incorporation of the additives have been studied. Using this PbO loss data the distribution of the additive between A and B sites has been calculated. It has been observed that the experimental results agree well with theoretical calculations.