Intelligent identification and control for autonomous guided vehicles using adaptive fuzzy-based algorithms

Fuzzy logic was first suggested as the mechanism by which humans drive cars. This paper addresses the use of fuzzy logic and algorithms towards the intelligent autonomous motion control of land vehicles. To cope with vehicle complexities, internal parametric changes, and with unpredictable environmental effects, the controllers that are presented, whilst heuristic in nature, are self-organizing or self-learning in that they generate automatically by observation an experiential rule base that models the vehicle, and via an appropriate performance index an optimal control rule base that is robust to large parametric changes. The methodology presented is applicable to any complex process which is too difficult to model or control using conventional methods, or which has relied on the experience of a human operator. An overview of fuzzy logic and static fuzzy logic control (akin to expert systems) is provided, together with illustrative examples.     

Visual insights into high-resolution earthquake Simulations.

This study focuses on the visualization of a series of large earthquake simulations collectively called TeraShake. The simulation series aims to assess the impact of San Andreas Fault earthquake scenarios in Southern California. We discuss the role of visualization in gaining scientific insight and aiding unexpected discoveries.     

Exploiting ILP, TLP, and DLP with the polymorphous trips architecture

The Tera-op reliable intelligently adaptive processing system (TRIPS) architecture seeks to deliver system-level configurability to applications and runtime systems. It does so by employing the concept of polymorphism, which permits the runtime system to configure the hardware execution resources to match the mode of execution and demands of the compiler and application.     

Renal R2 chemoreceptor activity is attenuated after back heating in the rat

The aim of the present study was to determine the afferent connections of the nucleus accumbens in snakes, in particular its catecholaminergic input. For that purpose, in vitro and in vivo applications of retrograde tracers in the nucleus accumbens of Elaphe guttata were combined with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry. Both techniques revealed telencephalic inputs to the nucleus accumbens originating from the diagonal band of Broca, ventral pallidum, amygdaloid complex, and dorsal cortex. Major diencephalic inputs arise from the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus and the hypothalamus. In the brainstem, a few retrogradely labeled cells were observed in the raphe nucleus and the locus coeruleus. Considerably more cells were found in the midbrain tegmentum. Within the confines of the locus coeruleus and, in particular, the midbrain tegmentum, retrogradely labeled cells stained also for TH suggesting that those areas constitute the major catecholaminergic input to the nucleus accumbens of snakes. The experimental approach used in the present study, in particular the in vitro technique, seems to be very suited for studying the development of basal ganglia organization of reptiles in the near future.     

Evaluation of different methods of catching anopheline mosquitoes in western Venezuela

During a longitudinal study of vector biology and malaria transmission in western Venezuela, adult mosquitoes were collected by different methods and their efficiency was compared with human landing catches. CDC light traps, a double-net, a calf-baited trap and collection of resting mosquitoes on vegetation were tested. These methods did not prove to be effective substitutes for human landing catches.     

Connections to cerebellar cortex (Larsell's HVI) in the rabbit: A WGA-HRP study with implications for classical eyeblink conditioning.

Conditioned eyeblink responses are presumably learned in the cerebellum and relayed to motoneurons by way of the red nucleus. Projections from the red nucleus to cerebellar cortex (Larsell's lobule HVI) could be important for shaping temporally adaptive features of the conditioned response. Rabbits that had pipettes containing wheat germ agglutinated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) implanted unilaterally into HVI showed retrograde labeling of neurons within subregions of the contralateral red nucleus implicated in eyeblink conditioning by lesioning and recording studies. Retrogradely labeled neurons were also observed in the pontine nuclei, inferior olive, and spinal trigeminal nucleus pars oralis. Projections to HVI provide a possible neural substrate for implementing time-derivative computational models of learning in the cerebellum. Time-derivative models are capable of describing the timing and topography of conditioned responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Creating profit with computers: my life as CEO of Bonner & Moore Associates

When Bonner & Moore was formed in 1956, few-if any-other firms were offering computer consulting services to private industry. Over the years, Bonner & Moore's software development and computer modeling projects took the company far and wide, from Texas oil refineries to the other side of the globe. Its computer services created a solid financial success.