Knowledge-based versus data-driven fuzzy habitat suitability models for river management

Aquatic habitat suitability models have increasingly received attention due to their wide management applications. Ecological expert knowledge has been frequently incorporated in such models to link environmental conditions to the quantitative habitat suitability of aquatic species. Since the formalisation of problem-specific human expert knowledge is often difficult and tedious, data-driven machine learning techniques may be helpful to extract knowledge from ecological datasets. In this paper, both expert knowledge-based and data-driven fuzzy habitat suitability models were developed and the performance of these models was compared. For the data-driven models, a hill-climbing optimisation algorithm was applied to derive ecological knowledge from the available data. Based on the available ecological expert knowledge and on biological samples from the Zwalm river basin (Belgium), habitat suitability models were generated for the mayfly Baetis rhodani (Pictet 1843). Data-driven models appeared to outperform expert knowledge-based models substantially, while a step-forward model selection procedure indicated that physical habitat variables adequately described the mayfly habitat suitability in the studied area. This study has important implications on the application of expert knowledge in ecological studies, especially if this knowledge is extrapolated to other areas. The results suggest that data-driven models can complement expert knowledge-based approaches and hence improve model reliability.     

Wavelength and mode stabilization of widely tunable SG-DBR andSSG-DBR lasers

A novel mode stabilization scheme for widely tunable SG-DBR and SSG-DBR lasers is demonstrated. It is shown that a minimum in active section voltage is obtained when a cavity mode and a reflection peak of each DBR mirror are aligned. Locking the laser to such a local minimum in active section voltage therefore ensures stable single-mode operation     

Loss optimal monotone relabeling of noisy multi-criteria data sets

A method to relabel noisy multi-criteria data sets is presented, taking advantage of the transitivity of the non-monotonicity relation to formulate the problem as an efficiently solvable maximum independent set problem. A framework and an algorithm for general loss functions are presented, and the flexibility of the approach is indicated by some examples, showcasing the ease with which the method can handle application-specific loss functions. Both didactical examples and real-life applications are provided, using the zero-one, the L1 and the squared loss functions, as well as combinations thereof.     

Generating fuzzy edge images from gradient magnitudes

The representation and processing of edges in images based on notions from fuzzy set theory has become popular in recent years. There are several reasons for this direction, from the vague definition of edges to the inherent uncertainty of digital images. Here, we study the transition from a gradient image, a popular intermediate representation, to a fuzzy edge image. We consider different parametric membership functions to transform the gradients into membership degrees. A histogram-based strategy is then introduced for automatically determining the value of those parameters, adapting the membership functions to the characteristics of each image. The functions are applied on the Canny method for edge detection, resulting in an improvement compared to the classical normalizing approach.     

Tree-based versus distance-based key recognition in musical audio

A tree-based method for the recognition of the tonal center or key in a musical audio signal is presented. Time-varying key feature vectors of 264 synthesized sounds are extracted from an auditory-based pitch model and converted into character strings using PCA-analysis and classification trees. The results are compared with distance-based methods. The characteristics of the new tonality analysis tool are illustrated on various examples. The potential of this method as a building stone in a music retrieval system is discussed.     

Stick‐slip with the slip phase as the starting point

In the literature, the stick‐slip phenomenon is always explained and modelled as starting from an initial stick phase. However, stick‐slip can also occur after a decrease in the imposed velocity, commencing above the critical (stick‐slip‐free) velocity. In this paper, it will be shown how stick‐slip can originate from a situation of pure sliding (without stick phases), if the slope of the friction force‐relative sliding velocity relation (F‐v_rel gradient) is negative. The F‐v_rel gradient used to study stick‐slip must, because of the interaction between the friction force and the dynamic behaviour of the mechanical system, be derived from velocity changes with the same time‐constant as the mechanical system of which the friction interface is part. It will also be shown that steady‐state friction data, and dynamic (non‐stationary) friction results obtained for relatively large (but fast) velocity variations, can lead to completely false conclusions related to stick‐slip.     

Compact Slanted Grating Couplers Between Optical Fiber and InP–InGaAsP Waveguides

We present theoretical and experimental results for compact slanted gratings for vertical coupling between single-mode fiber and InP-InGaAsP waveguides. The maximum calculated coupling efficiency is 59%. We have measured a coupling efficiency of 16% for a 10-mum-long slanted grating     

Beam steering for wireless optical links based on an optical phased array in silicon

The ability to steer optical beams, crucial to the operation of high-speed optical wireless links may be achieved using optical phased array antennas which have significant potential in this application. The beam formed by the phased array antennas is steered by tuning the relative phase difference between the adjacent antenna elements which may be achieved nonmechanically. In this paper, the characteristics and behaviour of two dimensional optical phased arrays with a structure composed of 2?×?2, 4?×?4, and 16?×?16 antenna elements in beam steering are verified. The wavelength beam steering of ?0.16°/nm is measured along the θ direction with a required steering range (between main lobes) of 1.97° within a ?3 dB envelop of 5° extent in the θ direction and 7° extent in the Φ direction. To achieve two-dimensional beam steering, thermo-optic beam steering can be used in Φ direction. It is found that the thermo-optic phase tuning departs the expected quadratic dependence and is well characterised by a quartic dependence upon heater current or voltage.     

CLADISS-a longitudinal multimode model for the analysis of thestatic, dynamic, and stochastic behavior of diode lasers withdistributed feedback

A computer model called CLADISS is presented for the analysis of multisection diode lasers. The model allows for the analysis of a wide variety of multisection devices with discrete or distributed internal reflections. The simulator can carry out a threshold, DC, AC, and a noise analysis. The threshold analysis determines the threshold of the various longitudinal modes of the laser. The power versus current and the wavelength versus current characteristics are found with the self-consistent DC analysis. CLADISS includes all of the longitudinal variations by dividing each laser section in many short segments. Both the optical field and carrier density are discretized according to this segmentation. To demonstrate the capabilities of CLADISS some nonlinear effects in DFB lasers are treated. Instabilities induced in the side-mode suppression ratio by spatial hole burning are considered. The effects of spatial hole burning and side modes on the FM response on the linewidth are discussed