Efficient collision-free path-planning of multiple mobile robots system using efficient artificial bee colony algorithm

This paper aims to propose a novel design approach for on-line path planning of the multiple mobile robots system with free collision. Based on the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm, we propose an efficient artificial bee colony (EABC) algorithm for solving the on-line path planning of multiple mobile robots by choosing the proper objective function for target, obstacles, and robots collision avoidance. The proposed EABC algorithm enhances the performance by using elite individuals for preserving good evolution, the solution sharing provides a proper direction for searching, the instant update strategy provides the newest information of solution. By the proposed approach, the next positions of each robot are designed. Thus, the mobiles robots can travel to the designed targets without collision. Finally, simulation results of illustration examples are introduced to show the effectiveness and performance of the proposed approach.     

Real Time Anomalous Trajectory Detection and Analysis

GPS-equipped taxis can be considered as pervasive sensors and the large-scale digital traces produced allow us to reveal many hidden facts about the city dynamics and human behaviors. In this paper we present a novel GPS-based taxi system which can detect ongoing anomalous passenger delivery behaviors leveraging our proposed iBOAT method. To achieve real time monitoring, we reduce the response time of iBOAT by more than five times with an inverted index mechanism adopted. We evaluate the effectiveness of the system with large scale real life taxi GPS records while serving 200,000 taxis. With this system, we obtain about 0.44 million anomalous trajectories out of 7.35 million taxi delivery trips, which correspond to 7600 taxis’ GPS records in one month time in the city of Hangzhou, China. Through further analysis of these anomalous trajectories, we observe that: (1) Over 60 % of the anomalous trajectories are “detours” that travel longer distances and time than normal trajectories; (2) The average trip length of drivers with high-detour tendency is 20 % longer than that of normal drivers; (3) The length of anomalous sub-trajectories is usually less than a third of the entire trip, and they tend to begin in the first two thirds of the journey; (4) Although longer distance results in a greater taxi fare, a higher tendency to take anomalous detours does not result in higher monthly revenue; and (5) Taxis with a higher income usually spend less time finding new passengers and deliver them in faster speed.     

Étude du codage acoustique effectué par la prothèse cochléaire Chorimac. Comparaison des résultats obtenus en reconnaissance automatique et humaine

The authors had studied the acoustic encoding performed by the Chorimac cochlear prosthesis for the utterances of the words of an artificial vocabulary. Then several automatic recognition policies had been studied. The following recognitions had been performed in using in different ways the prosthesis channels. Then the results had been compared with those obtained by an implanted patient in the following circumstances: all the prosthesis channels are used, or each channel is individually taken. The results show that: the automatic recognition is more efficient when all the channels are used, than with each individual channel; this is not the case for the tested implanted patient, the set of most efficient channels is shifted towards the high frequencies for the patient (compared with automatic recognition), the patient’s performances are below those obtained through automatic methods, mostly for the vowels [a], [i], [o], the utilization of too many channels on the prosthesis is not a benefit for the patient who cooperated to this study, the non transmission of the pitch leads to an important loss of information, and the phonemes perception do not match exactly the models in use; to take account of the patient’s knowledge should improve the quality of the recognition models.     

Aircraft classification with a low resolution infrared sensor

Existing computer simulations of aircraft infrared signature (IRS) do not account for dispersion induced by uncertainty on input parameters, such as aircraft aspect angles and meteorological conditions. As a result, they are of little use to quantify the detection performance of IR optronic systems: in this case, the scenario encompasses a lot of possible situations that must indeed be considered, but cannot be individually simulated. In this paper, we focus on low resolution infrared sensors and we propose a methodological approach for predicting simulated IRS dispersion of an aircraft, and performing a classification of different aircraft on the resulting set of low resolution infrared images. It is based on a quasi-Monte Carlo survey of the code output dispersion, and on a maximum likelihood classification taking advantage of Bayesian dense deformable template models estimation. This method is illustrated in a typical scenario, i.e., a daylight air-to-ground full-frontal attack by a generic combat aircraft flying at low altitude, over a database of 30,000 simulated aircraft images. Assuming a spatially white noise background model, classification performance is very promising, and appears to be more accurate than more classical state of the art techniques (such as kernel-based support vector classifiers).     

Traffic engineering in ATM networks: Current trends and future issues

In this survey we present an overview of the current state-of-the-art and the future issues to be resolved for the deployment of integrated communications networks based on the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Our presentation is from the perspective of traffic and congestion control and management issues which hold the key to the successful achievement of this deployment since it is mainly in these aspects that ATM networks differ from conventional communication networks.     

Experimental investigation of heat transfer through porous media in superfluid helium

An experimental investigation of heat transfer through porous media in superfluid helium has been conducted in the framework of the development of porous electrical insulations for superconducting magnet cables cooled by superfluid helium. Several types of porous media with different characteristics were tested and, in particular, samples with pore size diameters of 0.1 μm, 1 μm, 2 μm, 10 μm and 20 μm. Temperature and pressure were measured between an insulating inner bath and the cryostat bath, communicating only through the porous medium. The cryostat bath is held constant all along the measurement and, for each sample, the tests are performed for bath temperature from 1.4 K to 2.1 K with 0.1 K increment. Depending on the porous medium average pore size diameter, different flow regimes are observed: for porous media with a pore diameter of 0.1 and 1 μm, only the Landau regime is observed whereas for porous media with a pore diameter of 2 μm, we observed the Landau regime and the Gorter-Mellink regime. For samples with a pore diameter of 10 and 20 μm, measurements only permitted to detect the Gorter-Mellink regime. In the laminar regime, the permeability of the samples was determined and it was found that the permeability is constant for bath temperature above 1.9 K whereas it increases as the bath temperature decreases from 1.8 K to 1.4 K. For samples with a pore size diameter of 10 and 20 μm, measurement permits only to observe the turbulent regime and the analysis exhibits a constant average tortuosity for each samples, independently of the bath temperature.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and luminescent properties of (La,Gd)PO4:Tb phosphors under VUV excitation

Tb doped orthophosphate phosphors with monoclinic system were successfully prepared by mild hydrothermal reaction at 240 °C. The emission characteristics of phosphors (La,Gd)PO₄:Tb under 147 nm excitation were studied. The quenching concentration of Tb in LaPO₄ is 15 mol% and when Gd is co-doped into the matrix the Tb emission at 543 nm is improved further. The emission intensity of the optimal composition of La_0.55Gd_0.3Tb_0.15PO₄ is comparable with that of commercial Zn₂SiO₄:Mn phosphor. The study of its optical properties suggests that it is a potential candidate for plasma display panels (PDPs) application.     

Application of probability to enhance the performance of fuzzy based mobile robot navigation

This paper presents a new path planning algorithm based on Probability and Fuzzy Logic (PFL) as a duality technique to enhance the performance of Fuzzy Logic alone. Fuzzy Logic interacts with the grading of obstacles existed in the path and probability lies over the decision to move the mobile robot. The fuzzy grading correspondence with the probabilistic decision is the primary function of moving the mobile robot towards the goal and the secondary is path planning which lies over the probability distribution function. The distance–speed combination rule is developed for effective navigation. The single and multiple mobile robot systems have been tested successfully in a dense environment in presence of obstacles (static and dynamic) and moving goal. The obtained results are optimal when compared to other navigational approaches in sense of navigational path length and time in the static and dynamic environment.     

Detecting aircraft with a low-resolution infrared sensor

Existing computer simulations of aircraft infrared signature (IRS) do not account for dispersion induced by uncertainty on input data, such as aircraft aspect angles and meteorological conditions. As a result, they are of little use to estimate the detection performance of IR optronic systems; in this case, the scenario encompasses a lot of possible situations that must be indeed addressed, but cannot be singly simulated. In this paper, we focus on low-resolution infrared sensors and we propose a methodological approach for predicting simulated IRS dispersion of poorly known aircraft and performing aircraft detection on the resulting set of low-resolution infrared images. It is based on a sensitivity analysis, which identifies inputs that have negligible influence on the computed IRS and can be set at a constant value, on a quasi-Monte Carlo survey of the code output dispersion, and on a new detection test taking advantage of level sets estimation. This method is illustrated in a typical scenario, i.e., a daylight air-to-ground full-frontal attack by a generic combat aircraft flying at low altitude, over a database of 90,000 simulated aircraft images. Assuming a white noise or a fractional Brownian background model, detection performances are very promising.