Modeling the leadership – project performance relation: radial basis function,Gaussian and Kriging methods as alternatives to linear regression

The purpose of this paper is to analyze alternative forecasting methods that produce results at least similar to or better than linear regression (MLR) that can be used in the modeling of social systems. While organizations may be considered as typically non-linear systems, the common feature of most models found in literature continues to be the use of linear regression techniques. From a case study, advanced statistical methods of Gaussian and Kriging are evaluated, as well as an artificial intelligence (AI) tool, the radial basis function (RBF). The results show the best performance of the suggested methods compared to MLR, especially RBF, because of its uniform prediction behavior throughout all ranges of evaluation. These techniques, although somewhat unconventional in social systems modeling, present a potential contribution in increasing the accuracy and precision of the predictions allowing a more accurate assessment of the impact of certain strategies on the project performance to be made before the allocation of material, human and financial resources.     

Topological and dimensional synthesis of planar linkages for multiple kinematic tasks

This paper presents the combined use of two systematic methods for the synthesis of planar linkage mechanisms satisfying multiple kinematic tasks. First, a Graph Theory-based method is used to exhaustively enumerate the topological alternatives for a given problem. Then each feasible alternative is automatically dimensioned using the Precision Position Method; this computation includes space and design constraints. The existing methods to synthesize multiple tasks solve, in sequence, a decomposition of the problem into single kinematic tasks. The task decomposition and the topology selection for each task are usually performed by hand. This process leads to topologies with a repeated pattern and could lead to ignoring potentially desirable topologies. This paper analyzes a design strategy for the simultaneous solution of multiple kinematic tasks. This strategy has two advantages: (i) it eliminates the need for task decomposition, and (ii) it allows the exhaustive exploration of all non-isomorphic topologies up to a defined number of links. An example of simultaneous synthesis for a double rigid-body guidance task with application to a flap-tab mechanism is shown to illustrate the methodology.     

Gene regulatory networks reconstruction from time series datasets using genetic programming: a comparison between tree-based and graph-based approaches

Genetic programming researchers have shown a growing interest in the study of gene regulatory networks in the last few years. Our team has also contributed to the field, by defining two systems for the automatic reverse engineering of gene regulatory networks called GRNGen and GeNet. In this paper, we revise this work by describing in detail the two approaches and empirically comparing them. The results we report, and in particular the fact that GeNet can be used on large networks while GRNGen cannot, encourage us to pursue the study of GeNet in the future. We conclude the paper by discussing the main research directions that we are planning to investigate to improve GeNet.     

一种基于高斯混合模型的轨迹预测算法

在智能交通控制系统、军事数字化战场、辅助驾驶系统中,实时、精确、可靠的移动对象不确定性轨迹预测具有极高的应用价值.智能轨迹预测不仅可以提供精准的基于位置的服务,而且可以提前监测和预判交通状况,进而推荐最佳路线,已经成为移动对象数据库研究的热点,亟需设计准确而高效的位置预测方法.针对现有方法的不足,提出了基于高斯混合模型的轨迹预测方法GMTP,主要步骤包括:(1) 针对复杂运动模式利用高斯混合模型建模;(2) 利用高斯混合模型计算不同运动模式的概率分布,进而将轨迹数据划分为不同分量;(3) 利用高斯过程回归预测移动对象最可能的运动轨迹.GMTP是高斯非线性概率统计模型,其优势在于:计算结果不仅是位置预测值,更是关于移动对象未来所有可能运动轨迹的概率分布,可以利用概率统计分布特性获得某种运动模式(如匀加速运动)下的位置预测.大量真实轨迹数据集上的实验结果表明:与相同参数设置下的高斯回归预测和卡尔曼滤波预测法相比,GMTP的预测准确性平均提高了22.2%和23.8%,预测时间平均缩减了92.7%和95.9%.     

Impact of Ge-Sb-Te compound engineering on the set operation performance in phase-change memories

The phase-change memory (PCM) technology is considered as one of the most attractive non-volatile memory concepts for next generation data storage. It relies on the ability of a chalcogenide material belonging to the Ge-Sb-Te compound system to reversibly change its phase between two stable states, namely the poly-crystalline low-resistive state and the amorphous high-resistive state, allowing the storage of the logical bit. A careful study of the phase-change material properties in terms of the set operation performance, the program window and the electrical switching parameters as a function of composition is very attractive in order to enlarge the possible PCM application spectrum. Concerning the set performance, a crystallization kinetics based interpretation of the observed behavior measured on different Ge-Sb-Te compounds is provided, allowing a physics-based comprehension of the reset-to-set transition.     

Three-dimensional optical data storage through multi-photon confocal microscopy and imaging

Three dimensional optical data storage is one of the most promising tools to respond to the always growing demand for high data storage capacity. Here, we focused a femtosecond laser source by means of a confocal microscope onto different transparent recording media. The purpose of the study is to probe the capability of the system to independently address different data layers within the storage medium achieving thus three dimensional data storage. We demonstrated the possibility to write superposed independent layers of data due to either multiphoton excitation or to local optical breakdown and the performances observed in the different types of media used are compared.     

Mobility analysis of the typical gait of a radial symmetrical six-legged robot

Radial symmetrical hexapod robots have attracted the attention of the research community because of their flexibility. There is nonetheless still much to study on their kinematics, dynamics and locomotion. In this paper, initially, full body kinematics of a radial symmetrical six-legged robot with statically stable movements are reviewed. The kinematics analysis is made on cooperated swing legs over supporting legs. Using the robot screw theory and exponential product equations, the velocities and accelerations referring to the object reference frame of each robot part are presented in a compact form. This makes it easy to calculate kinetic energy and so to build the dynamics model using the Lagrangian method. Many ways of walking of six-legged robots have been introduced in specialized literature. However, mobility comparison is still open to research. Two main aspects of mobility are analyzed in detail in this paper. The first one concerns the mobility of three statically stable ways of walking (the insect-wave gait, mammal-kick gait and mixed gait) with the same duty factor on the same radial symmetrical hexapod robot. The stability, energy efficiency, turning flexibility, and terrain or environment adaptability among those gaits have been compared. The mixed gait presents important advantages over the other two, while those two are useful for some special terrain conditions where the mixed gait is limited. The second aspect that has been analyzed focuses on the mobility of the body. The body height, measured from the body bottom to the supporting surface, and the stride optimization factors are proposed according to the obstacles’ configuration and the energy optimization. The results of our study can be used for the intelligent locomotion control of some articulated multi-legged robots for walking statically-stably on a complicated surface.Most of our analyses have been successfully verified on the prototype which has been designed by Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) and Beijing University of Astronautics and Aeronautics (BUAA) and developed by POLIMI in 2007.     

Extracting local mechanical properties of steel bars by means of instrumented flat indentation

The evaluation of local mechanical properties of metal parts can be used for the prediction of forming and cutting forces during the following working stages. In order to show the feasibility of using indentation tests for work-piece characterization, C40 steel disks were cut from an extruded bar and machined by facing operation under different conditions. Indentation tests were carried out with 1 mm and 2 mm diameter indenters made of tungsten carbide; yield strength and indentation pressure values were extracted along the diameter of each disk. For the first time, indentation results were used to extract local mechanical properties of steel bars as a function of their process conditions: it was observed that small pins gave information on the effect of the machining process whereas large pins were more suitable to evaluate work-piece bulk properties.     

Radiant floors integrated with PCM for indoor temperature control

The control of indoor thermal comfort in buildings through thermal inertia during the summer season plays a fundamental role in the design of energy efficient buildings, especially in the Mediterranean climate. In fact, lightweight, highly insulated buildings cannot provide the necessary mass to buffer thermal gains. Phase change materials (PCM) have been used to provide lightweight building components with the required thermal inertia without increasing their overall mass. So far the integration of PCM into lightweight piped radiant floors for the control of thermal comfort during summer cooling regimes has not been investigated. This paper reports the development of a lightweight piped radiant floor prototype with an integrated PCM layer aimed at buffering internal gains at constant temperature during summer cooling regimes without affecting its winter warming capacity. Both the construction of the laboratory specimens and the development of the optimized finite element models are detailed and the assessment of the floor performance in a simulated room is discussed.     

Liberalization and regulatory reform of network industries: A comparative analysis of Italian public utilities

This study aims to contribute investigating the difficulties to reap the intended benefits from liberalization and regulatory reforms of network industries. This issue is tackled through the ‘theoretical lenses’ of new institutional economics, in particular by applying the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. The study is a comparative analysis of liberalization and regulatory reforms of network industries within the same country context. In Italy, various reforms of network industries have been made and implemented during the 1990s and 2000s, especially in water, gas, electricity, telecommunications, railways, highways, local public transports, and urban solid waste. These reforms generally resulted in greater or lesser degrees of changes of regulatory institutions and industry structure, but in relatively modest competitive pressures on the whole. This analysis suggests that the difficulty to implement liberalization and regulatory reforms of network industries in Italy may be explained by various concurrent mechanisms, which have to do with the rent-seeking behavior of the actors of the industry’s community, the rise of barriers to entry against competitors, and the risk of collusive practices between regulators and regulated. This study suggests some tentative generalizations concerning the effectiveness of reforms intended to open up network industries to competitive pressures.