Time-series clustering – A decade review

Clustering is a solution for classifying enormous data when there is not any early knowledge about classes. With emerging new concepts like cloud computing and big data and their vast applications in recent years, research works have been increased on unsupervised solutions like clustering algorithms to extract knowledge from this avalanche of data. Clustering time-series data has been used in diverse scientific areas to discover patterns which empower data analysts to extract valuable information from complex and massive datasets. In case of huge datasets, using supervised classification solutions is almost impossible, while clustering can solve this problem using un-supervised approaches. In this research work, the focus is on time-series data, which is one of the popular data types in clustering problems and is broadly used from gene expression data in biology to stock market analysis in finance. This review will expose four main components of time-series clustering and is aimed to represent an updated investigation on the trend of improvements in efficiency, quality and complexity of clustering time-series approaches during the last decade and enlighten new paths for future works.     

MOOC study group: Facilitation strategies,influential factors,and student perceived gains

“Join a Meetup Group” (face-to-face study group) has been propagated by Coursera to build rapport and provide mutual support among MOOC learners; however, studies remain scant regarding its effectiveness and sustainability. This interpretive case study documents our facilitation process, key influential factors, as well as student perceived gains in a six-week MOOC study group. Data sources include discussion recordings, end-of-course interviews, goal setting sheets, weekly reflection journals, and researchers' observation notes. Results showed that, cognitively, participants broadened their perspective of thinking, raised cultural awareness, and shared many learning strategies. Affectively, they established a strong sense of community and gained motivation for learning. Participants also increased action tendencies toward trying out Coursera functions, new courses, and learning strategies, and they became more cognizant of the benefits and procedures of the MOOC study group. Our findings suggest that, with proper design and facilitation, face-to-face study group would be a practicable and effective approach to leverage MOOC students' motivation, engagement, and deeper learning. Implications are discussed in terms of potential gains, challenges, key influential factors, as well as future design and implementation of MOOC study groups.     

A distance-type-insensitive clustering approach

In this paper, we offer a method aiming to minimize the role of distance metric used in clustering. It is well known that distance metrics used in clustering algorithms heavily influence the end results and also make the algorithms sensitive to imbalanced attribute/feature scales. To solve these problems, a new clustering algorithm using a per-attribute/feature ranking operating mechanism is proposed in this paper. Ranking is a rarely used discrete, nonlinear operator by other clustering algorithms. However, it also has unique advantages over the dominantly used continuous operators. The proposed algorithm is based on the ranks of the data samples in terms of their spatial separation and is able to provide a more objective clustering result compared with the alternative approaches. Numerical examples on benchmark datasets prove the validity and effectiveness of the proposed concept and principles.     

A novel fast distance relay for series compensated transmission lines

This paper presents a fast distance relay for series compensated transmission lines based on the R–L differential-equation algorithm using the theory of equal transfer process of transmission lines. The measuring distances based on the proposed algorithm can fast approach the actual value of fault distance when a fault occurs in front of the series capacitor. When a fault occurs behind of the series capacitor, the fault loop, including the series capacitor, does not match the R–L transmission line model, so the measuring distances fluctuate severely. Based on this, the relative position of the fault with respect to the series capacitor can be judged effectively according to the fluctuation range of the measuring distances, and the accurate fault location can be obtained fast. A variety of PSCAD/EMTDC simulation tests show that the new relay has fast operating speed and high accuracy when applied to the long series compensated transmission lines.     

非饱和土中热湿盐多场耦合过程分析

以多孔介质理论为基础研究了非稳态条件下非饱和土中温度–水分–盐分多场耦合问题。考虑到非饱和土中孔隙被液态水、溶解的盐分、水蒸气和干燥气体等填充,在质量和能量守恒的基础上获得了非饱和土中水分、气体、盐分的质量守恒方程以及能量守恒方程。考虑一维非稳态问题,选取温度、孔隙气压、孔隙水压和含盐量以及其梯度作为状态变量,得到问题的状态方程组。利用Laplace变换将时域上的状态方程转换到频域上,在给定的边界条件下,采用打靶法求解该强耦合的非线性变系数微分方程组。基于Hausdorff矩问题的稳定化算法将频域上的数值解转化到时域上,通过与已有的试验结果相比较,验证了模型的有效性。基于数值算例与参数,分析了压力梯度、温度梯度、孔隙率等条件对非饱和中温度场、水分场和盐分场分布的影响规律。     

观察的向度--仙乐斯广场之建筑观察

文章从视距、角度、架构、片断及层面等方面对仙乐斯广场进行了建筑体验和观察开拓了建筑观察的新视野。     

Fast fault detection scheme for series-compensated lines during power swing

This paper reports the use of a novel ultra-high speed scheme to release the distance relay to operate for a fault during a power swing in the series compensated line. In the scheme, in order to extract the fault induced voltage and current components, voltage and current samples are analyzed by the multi-resolution morphological gradient (MMG), first. Then, the fault initiated forward travelling wave is computed at the distance relay point. Next, Likelihood ratio [LR] test is utilized to detect a jump in the statistical mean of the calculated forward travelling wave. Finally, a support vector machine (SVM) classifier is employed to distinguish faults from other normal capacitor and switching transients. It is shown that in all of the simulated cases, our ultra-high speed algorithm was successful in fault detection across a wide range conditions including, fault type, fault resistance, fault location, pre-fault loading and fault inception time. Moreover, we found that using the proposed scheme significantly speeded the fault detection, in comparison with the existing phasor based methods. In addition, the improvements noted in our algorithm are achieved with a low computational burden.     

Distance-differential protection of transmission lines connected to wind farms

Distance relays are often used in the protection of the transmission lines connected to the wind farms. The distance relay using the transmission line impedance measurement identifies the type and location of the fault. However any other factors that cause the failure of the measured impedance, makes the relay detect the fault in incorrect location or do not detect the fault at all. One of these factors is the fault resistance which directly increases the measured impedance by the relay. One of the methods to eliminate relay under-reach effect is using of the trip boundaries. Trip boundaries are changing with wind variation and following with output power of the wind farms. Therefore, trip boundaries should continuously change proportional by the wind speed. In this paper, a method is provided based on the combination of distance and differential protection. In this method, using active power calculation in both ends of the transmission line, fault resistance is calculated and its effects are directly deducted from the calculated impedance by the relay. Therefore, variable trip boundaries are not needed anymore. Also in this method, unlike the technique that the trip boundaries are used, the exact location of fault and its distance from the relay also is calculated. Detailed model of a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) driven by a wind turbine is used in the modelling. Results of studies show that the presented method eliminates properly the mal-operation of relays under all different fault resistance conditions.     

基于路程检测的机器人运动控制研究

机器人比赛赛道日趋复杂,由以往单一的直线、转弯增加了上坡、下坡等难度,鉴于机器人比赛赛道的复杂性,提出一种基于路程检测的控制机器人运动的方法,保证机器人顺利、快速地在各种赛道上行进。采用串口位置控制和光码盘共同进行路程检测方法,通过建立直流伺服电机的数学模型,根据PID算法调整机器人运动姿态,详细计算出不同路段下的机器人速度,给机器人运动轨迹控制提供重要参数。通过实验场地测试,结果表明:采用此方法,机器人能稳定、可靠、快速地在复杂的赛道上行进。