A batch scheduling model for m heterogeneous batch processor

This research addresses a batch scheduling problem for single item parts with multi due date on m heterogeneous batch processors. The objective is to minimise total actual flowtime of parts through the shop. The total actual flowtime of parts in a batch is the multiplication of the interval between batch arrival time and the due date by the number of parts in the batch. Using the actual flowtime as the objective means it is oriented to satisfy the due date as a commitment to customers, and simultaneously to minimise the length of time of the parts spending in the shop. An algorithm to solve this problem is proposed.     

A CNN based real-time eye tracker for web mining applications

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Eye gaze tracking is an increasingly important technology in the field of human-computer interaction. Individuals’ preferences, tendencies, and attention...     

Performance comparison between PID and dead-time compensating controllers

This paper is intended to answer the question: ‘‘When can a simple dead-time compensator be expected to perform better than a PID?'. The performance criterion used is the integrated absolute error (IAE). It is compared for PI and PID controllers and a simple dead-time compensator (DTC) when a step load disturbance is applied at the plant input. Both stable and integrating processes are considered. For a fair comparison the controllers should provide equal robustness in some sense. Here, as a measure of robustness, the _∞ norm of the sum of the absolute values of the sensitivity function and the complementary sensitivity function is used. Performance of the DTC's is given also as a function of dead-time margin (D_M).     

Flash smelting and converting furnaces: A 50 year retrospect

1999 marked the 50th anniversary of the Outokumpu flash-smelting process. Originating during the post-World War II energy crisis, flash smelting is a high-intensity process developed to attain ever-increasing throughputs and intensities. Many innovations and continuous development ensued during the next 50 years before today’s state-of-the-art copper-making process chain and environmental benchmarking technology (e.g., Outokumpu flash smelting, Kennecott-Outokumpu flash converting, and flash technology) became possible. This article reviews how Outokumpu flash furnace design, especially cooling for higher heat loads, has improved over the years. For more information, contact I.V. Kojo, Outokumpu Engineering Contractors Oy, P.O. Box 862, FIN-02201 Espoo, Finland; telephone 358-9-4211; fax 358-9-421 3973; e-mail ilkka.kojo@outokumpu.com.     

Continuous selections of trajectories of hybrid systems

We present results on existence of continuous selections of trajectories of hybrid systems evolving according to Lipschitz nonlinear inclusions. First, we utilize the Skorohod metric to define both a family of pseudo-metrics and a metric on the set of trajectories accepted by the hybrid automaton. We show that under a non-Zeno condition the latter metric is complete. Second, the existence of continuous selections with respect to the family of pseudo-metrics is proved under a relatively mild assumption of transversality.     

Acute tuberculous bronchiolitis in a patient with generalized miliary tuberculosis]

A case study of an acute tuberculous bronchiolitis (a rarely encountered form of generalized miliary tuberculosis), whose aggravated progressing resulted in fatal outcome 2 months after the onset of the initial disease signs, is described. The prevalence of non-specific infectious-and-allergic manifestations is a clinical-and-morphological peculiarity within the case study, which confirms a diversity of morphological changes occurring in the organism in tuberculosis infection. The etiological- and pathogenetic specific features of acute tuberculous bronchiolitis in children and in adults are under discussion; in particular, a possible role of a preceding viral infection is evaluated. It is one of the cases of hematogenic generalization in primary tuberculosis of adults, observed by the authors, when an involvement of the pulmonary and parenchymatous organs as well as of arachnoids and substances of the cerebrum was registered. The presence of generalized vasculitis with fibrinoid swelling and with necrosis of collagenous fibers of medium (and with the development of pan-vasculitis in the discussed case) is typical of all such observations.     

Call Usage Learning in Gray Seals (Halichoerus grypus).

Call usage learning can be demonstrated on 4 different levels: signaling on command, signaling and refraining from signaling on command, responding to a trained stimulus with a signal from a specific signal class, and responding to the playback of any untrained stimulus with one from the same signal class. Two young gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) were trained successfully to demonstrate the first 2 levels. They also learned to respond to 9 moan stimuli and 9 growl stimuli with vocalizations of the same class (Level 3). However, novel moan and growl stimuli tended to elicit growls. This casts doubt on the possibility that gray seals can reach the 4th level, but it demonstrates that they are capable of the first 3 levels of usage learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phase change and cooling characteristics of microjets measured using microcantilever heaters

This paper reports novel microcantilever metrology tools to investigate free microjets emanating from a micromachined nozzle of diameter 10 μm. Microcantilevers with an integrated resistive heater-thermometer were used to study microjet cooling and phase change characteristics. While the microcantilever heater was aligned to and impinged upon by hydrocarbon microjets, the heater temperature was modulated by a constant voltage source. Successive heating and cooling cycles captured the microjet phase change hysteresis properties. When the microcantilever heater temperature was controlled, it was possible to construct a full boiling curve. Measurements were made on microjets of butane, hexane, and octane. The convective heat fluxes accompanied by microjet impingement boiling were 2.9–7.6 kW/cm² for heater temperatures of 25–350 °C. Overall, the techniques reported herein show promise for characterizing microscale jet flows.     

Design Criteria for Non-Orthogonal Space–Time Block Codes in Multipath Channels

We consider the problem of designing high rate space–time block codes in multipath fading channels. For this, both minimizing the effect of the self-interference induced by the code itself, and mitigating the inter-symbol-interference induced by the channel have to be addressed. We translate the problem into an equivalent problem of designing a constrained code in a single-path channel with more antennas, and argue that design criteria derived in single-path apply when optimizing this constrained code. Here we concentrate on an analytic measure pertinent to mutual information maximization and BER-performance optimization. The design program is successfully applied to rate one linear space–time transmissions from four transmit antennas. A family of discrete permutations of the transmitted sequences are considered. Performance is optimized within this family, and the results are seen to effect directly both mutual information and error performance.