Modular fuzzy-neuro controller driven by spoken language commands.

We present a methodology of controlling machines using spoken language commands. The two major problems relating to the speech interfaces for machines, namely, the interpretation of words with fuzzy implications and the out-of-vocabulary (OOV) words in natural conversation, are investigated. The system proposed in this paper is designed to overcome the above two problems in controlling machines using spoken language commands. The present system consists of a hidden Markov model (HMM) based automatic speech recognizer (ASR), with a keyword spotting system to capture the machine sensitive words from the running utterances and a fuzzy-neural network (FNN) based controller to represent the words with fuzzy implications in spoken language commands. Significance of the words, i.e., the contextual meaning of the words according to the machine's current state, is introduced to the system to obtain more realistic output equivalent to users' desire. Modularity of the system is also considered to provide a generalization of the methodology for systems having heterogeneous functions without diminishing the performance of the system. The proposed system is experimentally tested by navigating a mobile robot in real time using spoken language commands.     

Initial configuration dependence in a self-organizing robot

In this paper, we describe the dependence of an initial state in a self-organizing robot on an optimal structure configuration, where a “fractum” is used as a basic unit. Each robot operates on a genetic algorithm (GA) by itself, and all of them will produce a desired configuration. However, problems such as a deadlock state can happen depending on the initial configuration. A deadlock state means a state in which no robots can move because each robot moves autonomously. It is proved from simulations that a difference in the initial configuration can affect both the deadlock rate and the number of movements of fracta needed to obtain an optimal structure configuration. This work was presented, in part, at the Third International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 19–21, 1998     

A self-organization learning algorithm for visuo-motor coordination in unstructured environments

In this paper, we propose a learning algorithm for coordinating a robot system where the movement of an arm is controlled through a stereo camera system. Instead of calibrating the usually complex non-linear transformation between the arm and cameras, the algorithm decomposes the whole transformation automatically into local linear transformations and then makes the linearization map recorded by the arm controller. The linearization is carried out by a learning process based on a Kohonen-style self-organization network. To deal with unstructured environments in which some obstacles exist, some virtual forces are introduced for dealing with the high degree of complexity underlying in the transformation. This work was presented, in part, at the International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 18–20, 1996     

Effects of isocyanuric acid on the monochlorodimedone chlorinating rates with free chlorine and ammonia chloramine in water

Changes in monochlorodimedone (MCD) chlorinating rates with free chlorine (mixture of HOCl and OCl-) and ammonia monochloramine (NH2Cl) in water at pH 7 by the addition of isocyanuric acid (H3Cy) were determined at room temperature. Decreases in MCD absorbance at 290nm in equimolar (0.04mM) reactions of MCD and free available chlorine solutions containing H3Cy (0.01-1.60 mM) were recorded in a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. The rates indicate second-order reactions. Since the rate with free chlorine was high (> 7.6 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)), the amounts of free chlorine in the solutions could be distinguished from that of chlorinated cyanurates. The chlorinating rates with chlorinated cyanurates decreased with an increase in H3Cy concentrations. Plotting the rates against the molar ratio of chlorine to H3Cy showed a linear correlation and the rates with chlorinated cyanurates (H2ClCy) was estimated at 0.5 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1). In contrast, the rates with the NH2Cl solution containing H3Cy increased with an increase in H3Cy concentrations, increasing from 1.2 x 10 to 2.7 x 10 M(-1) s(-1) by the addition of 1.55 mM H3Cy. The DPD color development rates (OD512/t1/2/M) with free available chlorine (0.015mM) declined from 1.3 x 10(5) to 0.9 x 10(5)M(-1) by the addition of 0.61 mM H3Cy.     

苏州多层住宅建筑生命周期评价

依据美国开发的BEES软件,选择张家港当地某一栋具体的多层住宅建筑(6层,每层大约750 m2)进行了生命周期评价.把建筑的全生命周期范围确定为建材准备阶段(包括原材科开采、运输、原材料加工等)、建造阶段、运行阶段(运行70年)、拆毁阶段和建筑垃圾处理阶段.依据确定的范围进行了清单分析.根据建筑的结构形式,计算得到各种建材的需求量和建造、运行、拆毁、建筑垃圾处理时的各种输入输出,以统一的功能单位(一栋建筑)合并各种输入输出数据,得到总的数据清单.采用BEES分类表征方法进行影响评价.根据我国的具体情况确定环境影响因子和类别(酸雨、全球变暖、资源枯竭等),将不同的环境影响因子分配到一个或多个环境影响类别中,再根据具体情况确定各指标的权重系数进行加权,得到综合的评价结果.找出了建筑物全生命周期阶段中产生环境影响最大的阶段,即运行阶段.     

Multifunctional Initiator with Platinum-Acetylide Dendritic Core for Living Polymerization of Isocyanides

A novel multifunctional initiator has been developed by peripheral modification of a Pt-acetylide dendrimer. Pd–Pt μ-ethynediyl units were introduced to the first-generation dendrimer by a divergent method. The dendritic initiator was applicable to the living polymerization of aryl isocyanides, producing high molecular weight polymers with a narrow polydispersity index in quantitative yields. The ³¹P NMR spectrum of the resulting polymer suggested that all Pd–Pt μ-ethynediyl units in the dendritic molecule actually functioned as an initiator.     

Robust Eigenvector Algorithms for Blind Deconvolution of MIMO Linear Systems

This paper presents eigenvector algorithms (EVAs) for blind deconvolution of multiple-input, multiple-output infinite impulse response channels (convolutive mixtures). An attractive feature of one of the proposed EVAs is that it is insensitive to Gaussian noises which are added to the outputs of the channels; hence, the proposed EVA is referred to as a "robust" eigenvector algorithm. Simulation results show the validity of the proposed EVAs.