Transfer learning between crop types for semantic segmentation of crops versus weeds in precision agriculture

Agricultural robots rely on semantic segmentation for distinguishing between crops and weeds to perform selective treatments and increase yield and crop health while reducing the amount of chemicals used. Deep‐learning approaches have recently achieved both excellent classification performance and real‐time execution. However, these techniques also rely on a large amount of training data, requiring a substantial labeling effort, both of which are scarce in precision agriculture. Additional design efforts are required to achieve commercially viable performance levels under varying environmental conditions and crop growth stages. In this paper, we explore the role of knowledge transfer between deep‐learning‐based classifiers for different crop types, with the goal of reducing the retraining time and labeling efforts required for a new crop. We examine the classification performance on three datasets with different crop types and containing a variety of weeds and compare the performance and retraining efforts required when using data labeled at pixel level with partially labeled data obtained through a less time‐consuming procedure of annotating the segmentation output. We show that transfer learning between different crop types is possible and reduces training times for up to 80%. Furthermore, we show that even when the data used for retraining are imperfectly annotated, the classification performance is within 2% of that of networks trained with laboriously annotated pixel‐precision data.     

Dairy farmers with larger herd sizes adopt more precision dairy technologies

An increase in the average herd size on Australian dairy farms has also increased the labor and animal management pressure on farmers, thus potentially encouraging the adoption of precision technologies for enhanced management control. A survey was undertaken in 2015 in Australia to identify the relationship between herd size, current precision technology adoption, and perception of the future of precision technologies. Additionally, differences between farmers and service providers in relation to perception of future precision technology adoption were also investigated. Responses from 199 dairy farmers, and 102 service providers, were collected between May and August 2015 via an anonymous Internet-based questionnaire. Of the 199 dairy farmer responses, 10.4% corresponded to farms that had fewer than 150 cows, 37.7% had 151 to 300 cows, 35.5% had 301 to 500 cows; 6.0% had 501 to 700 cows, and 10.4% had more than 701 cows. The results showed that farmers with more than 500 cows adopted between 2 and 5 times more specific precision technologies, such as automatic cup removers, automatic milk plant wash systems, electronic cow identification systems and herd management software, when compared with smaller farms. Only minor differences were detected in perception of the future of precision technologies between either herd size or farmers and service providers. In particular, service providers expected a higher adoption of automatic milking and walk over weighing systems than farmers. Currently, the adoption of precision technology has mostly been of the type that reduces labor needs; however, respondents indicated that by 2025 adoption of data capturing technology for monitoring farm system parameters would be increased.     

攀西地区白马辉长岩型超低品位钒钛磁铁矿选铁试验研究

论文以攀西地区白马辉长岩型超低品位钒钛磁铁矿为研究对象,查明了该矿石中化学组分、矿物组成、铁和TiO₂的相态。在此基础上进行了多粒级多磁场梯度干式磁选抛尾试验,通过铁和TiO₂的相态分析阐述了干式磁选抛尾的合理性；进行了干式磁选精矿阶段磨矿阶段选别试验,二段磁选在-200目占80%细度下获得了TFe 57.78%、TiO₂ 7.72%、V₂O₅ 0.69%的铁精矿,铁精矿产率为12.93%、铁回收率51.56%,相对磁性铁回收率为98.70%,V₂O₅回收率78.26%。结果表明该矿石虽然铁品位低,仍具综合回收利用价值。      

630℃超超临界二次再热塔式锅炉热力特性与壁温耦合计算研究

630℃超超临界火电技术作为下一代超超临界发电技术,对于煤炭资源的节约、发电机组的经济性以及环境改善,都显示了优越性。目前630℃超超临界锅炉的热力计算还缺乏相关研究。本文以某1000MW超超临界二次再热塔式锅炉布置方案为例,将锅炉管道、炉膛、高温受热面作为串联管路计算,在工质侧将热力计算与管路计算进行耦合建立数值分析模型。该计算模型能够同时得到比实现水动力和热力计算更精细的结果,对后续700℃工程持续优化提升做好技术储备。     

高压辊磨+搅拌磨在某复杂难选铁矿石选别工艺中的优越性研究

为了验证在某复杂难选铁矿石的选矿工艺中，应用高压辊磨机和立式搅拌磨的优越性，进行了一系列对比试验。结果表明，与颚式破碎机相比，高压辊磨机产品的粉矿率更高，产品的可磨性更好；与球磨机相比，立式搅拌磨机细磨效率更高、效果更好，相同磨矿细度下，立式搅拌磨机磨矿产品的解离度更高，磁选铁精矿品位也更高；高压辊磨+立式搅拌磨在处理复杂难选铁矿石方面具有显著的优势。     

Unsteady free convection of second‐grade nanofluid with a new time‐space fractional heat conduction

The Caputo and Caputo–Fabrizio derivative are applied to study a second‐grade nanofluid over a vertical plate. A comparative analysis is presented to study the unsteady free convection of a second‐grade nanofluid with a new time–space fractional heat conduction. The governing equations with mixed time–space fractional derivatives are non‐dimensionalized and solved numerically, and a comparison between the Caputo and the Caputo–Fabrizio models is made. It is found that the temperature is higher for the Caputo–Fabrizio fractional model than the Caputo model, but the higher velocity only exists near the vertical plate for the Caputo–Fabrizio model than the Caputo model. Moreover, the velocity for the Caputo model will exceed the Caputo–Fabrizio model as y evolves.     

Assessing students' conceptual understanding using an online three‐tier diagnostic test

When solving a mathematical problem, students who do not have sufficient conceptual understanding may perform poorly and exhibit misconceptions. This study was aimed to examine students' conceptual understanding and significant misconceptions when solving number sense‐related problems. An online three‐tier diagnostic test was administered to 125 fifth‐grade students with varied socio‐economic backgrounds in Hong Kong. Only 14.40% of the students exhibited high performance with high confidence, indicating that these students had a profound conceptual understanding of number sense. In addition, the majority of the students (66.40%) did not demonstrate number sense; these students exhibited several significant misconceptions and could solve the questions only by using a rule‐based method or guessing. Accordingly, most students performed unsatisfactorily on number sense‐related problems. This study is imperative in identifying early predictors and provides information for further compatible interventions in the teaching and learning of number sense in Hong Kong in particular and worldwide in general.     

铜矿床一般工业指标研究

针对2002年铜地质勘查规范中一般工业指标存在的问题,基于大量实际生产数据,对铜矿床实际采用的边界品位指标、最低工业品位、矿床平均品位、最小可采厚度、夹石剔除厚度、开采技术条件等进行研究,论证了铜矿床的一般工业指标,并首次明确了铜矿床工业指标的适用条件,解决了铜矿床一般工业指标体系应用不一致和指标区间取值主观性的问题。     

Top-down技术精密度法评定饮用水中氯酸钾含量的不确定度

目的使用Top-down技术精密度法评定饮用水中氯酸盐含量的不确定度。方法按照GB/T5750.10-2006《生活饮用水标准检验方法消毒副产物指标》规定的分析方法,通过对质控样品和能力验证样品的测定,基于Top-down精密度法的原理对数据进行检验和分析。结果通过偏移和精密度核查,在证明分析系统受控的情况下,计算得到不确定的结果U=0.056 mg/L。结论 Top-down技术用于化学分析不确定评估将不确定评估与实验室内部质量控制工作结合,减少了工作量,具有广泛的应用前景。     

精密磨床转台静压轴承的强健化设计

针对精密磨床转台静压轴承性能仿真数据与其回转精度实测数据不一致的问题，为提高转台静压轴承的设计水平，提出了静压轴承的强健化设计方法。该方法考虑了轴承结构参数在轴承全生命周期内的变化，分析了半径间隙、油腔尺寸、节流比及润滑油黏度在设计、加工、装配和服役4个阶段的变化规律，重点研究了半径间隙在各阶段对轴承性能造成的影响，给出了转台静压轴承的强健化设计流程。通过一个径向轴承的设计实例对该强健化设计方法进行了说明，并将设计结果与传统设计进行了对比。对比的指标是轴承在4个阶段的刚度、承载力和温升，这3个指标对轴承回转精度有直接影响。研究表明：进行强健化设计后，在生命周期内静压轴承的刚度和承载力的变化量为10%~27%，温度的变化量为0.5%~1.6%，较传统设计更能保证转台回转精度的稳定。