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.     

Perception‐aware autonomous mast motion planning for planetary exploration rovers

Highly accurate real‐time localization is of fundamental importance for the safety and efficiency of planetary rovers exploring the surface of Mars. Mars rover operations rely on vision‐based systems to avoid hazards as well as plan safe routes. However, vision‐based systems operate on the assumption that sufficient visual texture is visible in the scene. This poses a challenge for vision‐based navigation on Mars where regions lacking visual texture are prevalent. To overcome this, we make use of the ability of the rover to actively steer the visual sensor to improve fault tolerance and maximize the perception performance. This paper answers the question of where and when to look by presenting a method for predicting the sensor trajectory that maximizes the localization performance of the rover. This is accomplished by an online assessment of possible trajectories using synthetic, future camera views created from previous observations of the scene. The proposed trajectories are quantified and chosen based on the expected localization performance. In this study, we validate the proposed method in field experiments at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Mars Yard. Furthermore, multiple performance metrics are identified and evaluated for reducing the overall runtime of the algorithm. We show how actively steering the perception system increases the localization accuracy compared with traditional fixed‐sensor configurations.     

Parallel Multipopulation Differential Evolutionary Particle Swarm Optimization for Voltage and Reactive Power Control

This paper presents parallel multipopulation differential evolutionary particle swarm optimization (DEEPSO) for voltage and reactive power control (VQC). The problem can be formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear optimization problem and various evolutionary computation techniques have been applied to the problem including PSO, differential evolution (DE), and DEEPSO. Since VQC is one of the online controls, speed‐up of computation is required. Moreover, there is still room for improvement in solution quality. This paper applies parallel multipopulation DEEPSO in order to speed up the calculation and improve solution quality. The proposed method is applied to IEEE 30, 57, and 118 bus systems. The results indicate that the proposed method can realize fast computation and minimize more active power losses than the conventional evolutionary computation techniques.     

Hybrid self-inertia weight adaptive particle swarm optimisation with local search using C4.5 decision tree classifier for feature selection problems

ABSTRACT

Feature selection is an important task to improve the classifier’s accuracy and to decrease the problem size. A number of methodologies have been presented for feature selection problems using metaheuristic algorithms. In this paper, an improved self-adaptive inertia weight particle swarm optimisation with local search and combined with C4.5 classifiers for feature selection algorithm is proposed. In this proposed algorithm, the gradient base local search with its capacity of helping to explore the feature space and an improved self-adaptive inertia weight particle swarm optimisation with its ability to converge a best global solution in the search space. Experimental results have verified that the SIW-APSO-LS performed well compared with other state of art feature selection techniques on a suit of 16 standard data sets.     

Robust optimisation of sustainable food grain transportation with uncertain supply and intentional disruptions

The proliferating need for sustainability intervention in food grain transportation planning is anchoring the attention of researchers in the interests of stakeholders and environment at large. Uncertainty associated with food grain supply further intensifies the problem steering the need for designing robust, cost-efficient and sustainable models. In line with this, this paper aims to develop a robust and sustainable intermodal transportation model to facilitate single type of food grain commodity shipments while considering procurement uncertainty, greenhouse gas emissions, and intentional hub disruption. The problem is designed as a mixed integer non-linear robust optimisation model on a hub and spoke network for evaluating near optimal shipment quantity, route selection and hub location decisions. The robust optimisation approach considers minimisation of total relative regret associated with total cost subject to several real-time constraints. A version of Particle Swarm Optimisation with Differential Evolution is proposed to tackle the resulting NP-hard problem. The model is tested with two other state-of the art meta-heuristics for small, medium, and large datasets subject to different procurement scenarios inspired from real time food grain operations in Indian context. Finally, the solution is evaluated with respect to total cost, model and solution robustness for all instances.     

楼宇型分布式能源系统设备容量和运行策略优化研究

设备容量优化和运行策略优化是分布式能源系统设计，运行的关键问题。为实现分布式能源系统的经济效益，能效水平和环境效益最大化，针对楼宇型分布式能源系统建立了相对普适化的物理模型和数学模型，以粒子群优化算法和线性规划相结合，采用两阶段优化方法计算系统的最优容量配置，并给出运行策略。以某写字楼的分布式能源系统为例，得到最优的系统设备容量和全年逐时运行策略，并采用遍历法验证计算结果的准确性。优化的分布式能源系统与传统供能系统相比，费用年值降低7.79%，年总能耗降低24.18%，污染物排放量减少了62.77 %。     

一种重载汽车轮毂总成自动点焊机器人的研制

针对手工焊接汽车轮毂总成效率低下、焊接质量不稳定等问题及一种重载汽车轮毂总成的结构特点及焊接要求，设计了一种直角坐标型自动点焊机器人。阐述了自动点焊机器人本体的方案设计、控制系统应用等过程，并利用现场试验与工业性试验对自动点焊机器人的性能等进行了验证，为重载汽车轮毂总成的自动焊接提供了一种可供借鉴的方法。      

3D Microstructures of Liquid Crystal Networks with Programmed Voxelated Director Fields

The shape-shifting behavior of liquid crystal networks (LCNs) and elastomers (LCEs) is a result of an interplay between their initial geometrical shape and their molecular alignment. For years, reliance on either one-step in situ or two-step film processing techniques has limited the shape-change transformations from 2D to 3D geometries. The combination of various fabrication techniques, alignment methods, and chemical formulations developed in recent years has introduced new opportunities to achieve 3D-to-3D shape-transformations in large scales, albeit the precise control of local molecular alignment in microscale 3D constructs remains a challenge. Here, the voxel-by-voxel encoding of nematic alignment in 3D microstructures of LCNs produced by two-photon polymerization using high-resolution topographical features is demonstrated. 3D LCN microstructures (suspended films, coils, and rings) with designable 2D and 3D director fields with a resolution of 5 µm are achieved. Different shape transformations of LCN microstructures with the same geometry but dissimilar molecular alignments upon actuation are elicited. This strategy offers higher freedom in the shape-change programming of 3D LCN microstructures and expands their applicability in emerging technologies, such as small-scale soft robots and devices and responsive surfaces.     

轧机垂直系统动力学参数辨识

 针对轧机垂直系统动力学参数可信度不足等问题，提出一种基于实测数据的改进粒子群算法辨识轧机垂直系统动力学参数的方法。首先,将轧机垂直系统刚度和阻尼考虑成达芬振子和范德波尔振子，构建轧机垂直系统非线性动力学模型，并对粒子群算法进行改进；然后，通过数值仿真算例辨识得到系统在感染噪声和不含噪声时的动力学参数，验证了该算法的有效性；最后，以现场某轧机垂直系统为研究对象，基于现场实测数据，应用该算法进行辨识，得到了轧机垂直系统动力学参数估计，通过实测位移、速度和加速度信号分别与辨识后的位移、速度和加速度信号进行对比，证明该方法辨识轧机垂直系统动力学参数结果可靠，具有一定的工程应用价值。     

A hierarchical simple particle swarm optimization with mean dimensional information

To reduce the negative influence of the overemphasis of gbest the dimensional information of particle is introduced to be a new example. This additional information source is incorporated into simple PSO to establish a simpler position model. Another two simpler position updating models, cognition only model and social only model, based on the simple PSO algorithm are presented as well. Time hierarchy strategy is extended from probability hierarchy, both aiming to make full use of advantages of three models. Three models are used with time or probability hierarchy to update each particle’s position. Thus, two proposed algorithms THSPSO and PHSPSO are finally obtained. Experiments are conducted on fifteen benchmark functions. The results demonstrate the two proposed algorithms both have excellent performances for basic functions compared with other popular PSO variants. Probability hierarchy strategy is more effective than time hierarchy strategy in general.