Motion Planning by T‐RRT with Potential Function for Vertical Articulated Robots

RRT (rapidly exploring random tree) with random sampling is an effective method for path planning, and is often used for robot manipulators. The RRT has many modified methods for applying various problems and conditions. Particularly, T‐RRT (Transition‐based RRT) one of those has advantage that it is able to adopt arbitrary evaluation function. In this paper, a novel path planning method based on the T‐RRT is proposed for ensuring “quality” of a generated path. Then, its effectiveness is evaluated via comparison with other sampling‐based methods using simulation of the industrial robot having seven DOFs.     

Multi-product continuous plant scheduling: combination of decomposition,genetic algorithm,and constructive heuristic

We propose a polylithic method for medium-term scheduling of a large-scale industrial plant operating in a continuous mode. The method combines a decomposition approach, a genetic algorithm (GA) and a constructive MILP-based heuristic. In the decomposition, decisions are made at two levels, using the rolling horizon approach. At the upper level, a reduced set of products and the time period is chosen to be considered in the lower level. At the lower level, a short-term scheduling MILP-model with event-based representation is used. A heuristic solution to the lower level problem is found using a constructive Moving Window heuristic guided by a genetic algorithm. The GA is applied for finding efficient utilisation of critical units in the lower level problem. For solving the one unit scheduling problem, a parallel dynamic programming algorithm is proposed. Implementation of the dynamic programming algorithm for a graphics processing unit (GPU) is incorporated in the GA for improving its performance. The experimental study of the proposed method on a real case of a large-scale plant shows a significant improvement of the solution quality and the solving time comparing to the pure decomposition algorithm proposed in the earlier study, and confirmed suitability of the proposed approach for the real-life production scheduling. In particular, the reduction of the number of changeovers and their duration in the obtained solution as well as the CPU time of solving the problem was about 60% using the new approach.     

基于协同多目标算法的多机器人路径规划

多机器人路径规划是群体机器人协同工作的前提,其特点是在防碰撞与避障的前提下追求多方面资源的最小消耗.针对这一特点,提出协同非支配排序遗传算法,解决具有多个优化目标的多机器人路径规划问题;运用改进的多目标优化算法,克服多目标优化取权值的不足,同时考虑机器人能源与时间两大资源,以多机器人的路径总长度、总平滑度、总耗时为规划目标.同时引入合作型协同算法框架,将难以求解的多变量问题分组求解.每个机器人的路径视为子种群,子种群通过带精英策略的非支配排序遗传算法,进化并筛选出子种群的部分进入协同进化,每次迭代更新外部的精英解集,最终生成一组非支配路径解.仿真结果表明,在栅格地图环境下,本文算法可有效实现多移动机器人的多优化目标路径规划.     

Modes of making smart cities: Or,practices of variegated smart urbanism

The ‘actually existing’ smart city is not a monolith. It is not directed by a universal logic, nor does it develop in a standardised way. As recent research has argued, the spatial, material, and political contexts of cities have major influence over what smart urbanism looks like in practice. This paper adds analytical depth to, and broadens the geographical scope of, research on the variegated modes of making smart cities. Based on empirical research in multiple Australian cities we use three case studies to explore three different modes of smart urbanism, each one centred on the interests of a different key actor: corporate-centric, citizen-centric, and planner-centric. These different modes can, and do, co-exist in the same city. At times, they are competing logics that fight to pull the city in different directions. Yet, they can also work together to shape smart city initiatives. In describing these different modes, we pay particular attention to the ways that these projects and strategies must contend with the already existing spatial, cultural, and political contexts of each place.     

超级计算机网络引导技术研究与分析

针对超级计算机系统中网络引导时间开销大的问题，提出网络引导分布算法是影响网络引导性能的主要因素之一，是优化网络引导性能的主要方向的观点。首先，分析了影响大规模网络引导性能的主要因素；其次，结合一种典型超级计算机系统，分析了超节点循环分布算法（SCDA）和插件循环分布算法（BCDA）的网络引导数据流拓扑结构；最后，量化分析了这两种算法对各个网络路径段的压力和可获得的网络性能，发现BCDA性能是SCDA性能的1~20倍。通过理论分析和模型推导发现，在计算节点和引导服务器之间使用更细粒度的映射算法可以在引导部分资源时使用尽量多的引导服务器，减少对局部网络资源的过早竞争，提升网络引导性能。     

地方高校发展规划编制方法与思路的探索研究

地方高校发展建设不断面对新的机遇和挑战，能否科学的制定并实施发展规划，对高校的发展具有重要的战略意义。规划编制要对内容与方法不断探索研究，是总结上一规划制定及执行情况，对学校内外发展形势准确剖析，是明确学校今后一段时间的建设任务和建设发展目标的理性探究。     

适应不同重力环境的仿壁虎机器人运动仿真

针对不同重力环境下仿壁虎机器人的运动稳定性、运动高效协调性等问题,基于四足机器人的步态规划现状和仿壁虎机器人自身特定的机械结构,设计了仿壁虎机器人在g、0、-g 3种环境下的足端轨迹和运动步态。在ADAMS仿真软件中研究了机器人的运动学和动力学特性,得到了仿壁虎机器人稳定爬行与脚掌黏附力、足端轨迹和运动步态的关系。探讨了仿真结果的合理性和局限性,为仿壁虎机器人在实际环境中的稳定运动奠定了理论基础。     

Bio-economic modelling for marine spatial planning application in North Sea shrimp and flatfish fisheries

Marine activities have been increasingly competing for space and reducing areas for fishing. The use of spatially explicit tools can assist the decision making process on defining the optimal location of closures for fishing due to these emerging activities.This paper presents the Spatial Integrated bio-economic Model for FISHeries (SIMFISH). In this model fishers behaviour is simulated based on optimal effort allocation. The added value of this model compared to other existing spatial management tools lies in the presence of (i) short and long term fishers behaviour (ii) spatial explicit stock and fleet dynamics and (iii) relatively low data requirements.As an illustration, SIMFISH is applied in this paper to estimate the impact of area closures in the North Sea. Overall area closures have a negative impact on the profitability of the fleets. This would be worsened with higher fuel prices and decreased stock productivity.     

Local toolpath smoothing for five-axis machine tools

When five axis CNC machine tools follow series linear toolpath segments, the drives experience velocity, acceleration and jerk discontinuities at the block transition points. The discontinuities result in fluctuations on machine tool motions which lead to poor surface quality. This paper proposes to insert quintic and septic micro-splines for the tool tip and tool-orientation, respectively, at the adjacent linear toolpath segments. Optimal control points are calculated for position and orientation splines to achieve C³ continuity at the junctions while respecting user-defined tolerance limits. The geometrically smoothed corners are traveled at a smoothly varying feed with cubic acceleration trajectory profile. The proposed method is experimentally demonstrated to show improvements in motion smoothness and tracking accuracy in five-axis machining of free-form surfaces found in dies, molds and aerospace parts.     

Strategic planning optimization for natural gas to liquid transportation fuel (GTL) systems

A strategic planning optimization model is proposed for a network of natural gas to liquids (GTL) systems, and it is solved using a rolling horizon strategy. The model formulation determines the strategic and tactical decisions of the GTL supply chain over a long time horizon. The decisions to build new GTL refineries may be made over the span of 30 years and their operations cover the span of 60 years. Multiple capacities of GTL refineries (i.e., 1, 5, 10, 50, and 200 thousand barrels per day) that produce gasoline, diesel, and kerosene commensurate to the United States demand ratio may exist in the network. The parameter inputs include the locations, availabilities, and prices of natural gas in the United States discretized by county, the delivery locations of fuel products, and the transportation costs of every input and output of the refinery, defined for each time period. Formulated as a large-scale mixed-integer linear optimization (MILP) model, the problem is solved using a rolling horizon strategy for tractability. Case studies on the state of Pennsylvania are presented for different planning schemes and their impact on the economic performance of the GTL network is discussed.