Approaches to extended non-quadratic stability and stabilization conditions for discrete-time Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems

This paper provides simple and effective linear matrix inequality (LMI) characterizations for the stability and stabilization conditions of discrete-time Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy systems. To do this, more general classes of non-parallel distributed compensation (non-PDC) control laws and non-quadratic Lyapunov functions are presented. Unlike the conventional non-quadratic approaches using only current-time normalized fuzzy weighting functions, we consider not only the current-time fuzzy weighting functions but also the l-step-past (l?0) and one-step-ahead ones when constructing the control laws and Lyapunov functions. Consequently, by introducing additional decision variables, it can be shown that the proposed conditions include the existing ones found in the literature as particular cases. Examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approaches.     

Fundamental connections among the stability conditions using higher-order time-derivatives of Lyapunov functions for the case of linear time-invariant systems

It has already been recognized that looking for a positive definite Lyapunov function such that a high-order linear differential inequality with respect to the Lyapunov function holds along the trajectories of a nonlinear system can be utilized to assess asymptotic stability when the standard Lyapunov approach examining only the first derivative fails. In this context, the main purpose of this paper is, on one hand, to theoretically unveil deeper connections among existing stability conditions especially for linear time-invariant (LTI) systems, and from the other hand to examine the effect of the higher-order time-derivatives approach on the stability results for uncertain polytopic LTI systems in terms of conservativeness. To this end, new linear matrix inequality (LMI) stability conditions are derived by generalizing the concept mentioned above, and through the development, relations among some existing stability conditions are revealed. Examples illustrate the improvement over the quadratic approach.     

Evaluation of customer impressions using virtual prototypes in the internet environment

This study aims to investigate a cost effective and efficient way of analyzing customer impressions on design alternatives by incorporating the benefits of virtual prototyping into the Internet-based experimental environment. It is hypothesized that the results of the Internet-based experiment using the images of virtual prototypes are comparable to those of the virtual reality-based environment using virtual prototypes. Two experiments were conducted. In the virtual reality environment, participants were employed to evaluate virtual prototypes while in the Internet environment participants evaluated images of the same virtual prototypes from their own places. For each experiment, 16 male participants were employed to evaluate 32 different virtual prototypes generated from the combination of 17 design elements of automobile interior. The results of the experiments indicated that there were no significant differences between the two experimental methods while the Internet environment-based method could save considerable time and efforts for experimentation. This study concludes that the Internet-based evaluation method using the images of virtual prototypes could be a cost effective and efficient way of analyzing customer impressions on design alternatives.

Relevance to Industry

This study showed that the results of the Internet-based evaluation method using the images of virtual prototypes are comparable to those of the virtual reality-based method using real virtual prototypes. The Internet-based evaluation method could be used as a cost effective and efficient way of collecting and analyzing various customers’ impressions on design alternatives at the early stage of product development process.     

Current manufacturing technologies for TFT‐LCDs

Abstract— TFT‐LCD panels for notebook‐PC applications requires a thin and light form factor, low power consumption, and good display quality, whereas the desktop monitor has different requirements such as large panel size, wide viewing angle, high resolution, brightness, etc. However, for the fifth‐generation of mass production, current panel technologies have to improve in order to cope with these requirements. In this article, various approaches to the manufacturing technologies of next‐generation TFT‐LCDs are discussed.     

Time-bound negotiation framework for electronic commerce agents

For efficient and informative coordination of agents especially in electronic commerce environment, a time-bound agent negotiation framework is proposed utilizing a time-based commitment scheme. By attaching commitment duration to agent messages, the traditional contract net protocol is extended to a time-bound negotiation framework (TBNF). The proposed negotiation framework has a new message type which allows for parties to agree upon the extension of a commitment duration, and a novel commitment concept in the form of negative commitment. The semantics of the messages with the commitment duration are interpreted, and then the three typical negotiation protocols are formally defined and compared — nothing-guaranteed protocol, acceptance-guaranteed protocol, and finite-time guarantee protocol — which can be incorporated into TBNF. The TBNF should provide a background for efficient and effective electronic commerce negotiation while accommodating each agent's adaptive negotiation strategy.     

A sales agent for part manufacturers: VMSA

The sales activity of most parts manufacturing companies is based on orders of buyers. The process of promotion, receipt and selection of orders of the parts manufacturers is closely coupled with the load status of the production lines. On deciding whether to accept an order or not, as well as negotiating with buyers, sales persons need information such as load and schedule of production lines, and manufacturability of the order. Manufacturability analysis, process planning, and scheduling are therefore key features in developing an agent of sales activity for the parts manufacturing business. In this paper, an intelligent agent, a virtual manufacturing-based sales agent (VMSA) with multi-agent architecture is proposed to support the sales activity for the parts manufacturers in the Internet environment. A VMSA has an integrated architecture of agent and virtual manufacturing. The prototype of VMSA has been developed for a machine parts manufacturing company that has lathe machines, drilling machines, cutting machines, and milling machines.     

Audioptimization: goal-based acoustic design

The authors present a new inverse, interactive approach to acoustic design that applies optimization techniques to an acoustic simulation system. For a new building, the system may suggest optimal configurations that would not otherwise be considered; for a hall with modifiable components or for a renovation project, it may assist in optimizing an existing configuration. Our system allows the designer to constrain changes to the environment and specify acoustic performance goals as a function of time. The constraints include the specification of a range of allowable materials as well as geometric modifications for surfaces in the hall. The designer also specifies goals for acoustic performance in space and time via high-level acoustic qualities such as decay time and sound level. Using this information, the system performs a constrained optimization of surface material and geometric parameters for a subset of elements in the environment. The system operates at varying accuracy levels, offering trade-offs between time and quality. Visualization tools facilitate an intuitive assessment of the complex time-dependent nature of sound, and they provide a means to express desired performance. By using optimization routines within an interactive application, our system reveals complex acoustic properties and steers the design process toward the designer's goals     

A 2‐in. a‐Si:H TFT‐LCD with embedded backlight control TFT sensors with various channel widths

Abstract— A 2.0‐in. a‐Si:H TFT‐LCD with embedded TFT sensors for the control of the backlight intensity according to the ambient light intensity has been developed. Two types of a‐Si:H TFT sensors with various channel widths were embedded into a TFT backplane with bottom‐ and top‐gate structures for measuring the ambient light and backlight illumination, respectively. The output signal, measured by a readout IC, increased with backlight intensity until 20,000 lux.     

Arthemis: annotation software in an integrated capturing and analysis system for colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is an endoscopic technique that allows physicians to inspect the inside of the human colon. During a colonoscopic procedure, a tiny video camera at the tip of the endoscope generates a video signal of the internal mucosa of the colon. In current practice, the entire colonoscopic procedure is not routinely captured. Software tools providing easy access to important contents of videos that are digitally captured during colonoscopy are not available. Hence, it is very time consuming to review an entire video, locate important contents, annotate them, and extract the annotated contents for research, teaching, and training purposes. Arthemis, a software application, was developed to facilitate this process. For convenient data sharing, Arthemis allows annotation according to the European Gastrointestinal Society for Endoscopy (ESGE) Minimal Standard Terminology (MST), an internationally accepted standard for digestive endoscopy. Arthemis is part of our integrated capturing and content analysis system for colonoscopy called Endoscopic Multimedia Information System (EMIS). This paper presents Arthemis as a component of EMIS, the design and implementation of Arthemis, and key lessons learned from the development process.     

Response to ‘Comments on: A cohesion measure for object‐oriented classes’

Indicating that CBMC does not satisfy the monotonic property in terms of the number of interactions, Xu and Zhou proposed an augmented definition of CBMC by adopting cut set instead of glue methods. The augmented CBMC clearly satisfies the monotonic property. However, CBMC is designed to overcome the problem with respect to the number of interactions and, therefore, focuses on the interaction pattern, especially, member connectivity. Consequently, it does not make sense to mention the monotonic property of CBMC with respect to interaction number. Moreover, the notion of glue methods allows several interpretations on the design quality of a class. However, that meaningful interpretation is not possible for the augmented definition due to the removal of the notion of glue methods. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.