A pair of parallel differential magnetic‐field probes with high measurement accuracy and high electric‐field suppression ratio

Magnetic‐field probes can be used for electromagnetic interference measurement of high‐speed circuits. The main magnetic probe performance includes sensitivity, spatial resolution, electric‐field suppression ratio (EFSR), and measurement accuracy. In this article, a pair of differential magnetic‐field probes is proposed to improve measurement accuracy without reducing sensitivity. The proposed differential probes consist of two asymmetric loop probes, which are designed in the same plane and separated by a row of periodic vias. The proposed differential probes are fabricated under PCB process. High accuracy can be achieved by measuring difference between outputs of the two probes. In addition, EFSR can be improved by size optimization of the differential magnetic‐field probes. Simulation and measurement results show the operating bandwidth is from 100 MHz to 12 GHz, the measurement error is 3.4% and the EFSR is about 40 dB. The proposed probes have higher measurement accuracy and higher EFSR than the conventional single probe, and larger operation bandwidth than the stacked differential probes.     

Design of a broadband dielectric resonator antenna and its application in low sensitivity frequency beam‐scanning array with wide scanning angle and suppressed sidelobes

In this paper, a broadband dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) with a simple H‐slot feeding structure is proposed. The broad bandwidth (~45%) and uni‐directional radiation enable this DRA suitable to work as a radiation element in the construction of a beam‐scanning array with not only low frequency sensitivity which is important for accurate angle estimation of in‐coming targets, but also a wide scanning range. Moreover, stable coupling coefficients are established around all the above three resonances with respect to its corresponding feeding line, ensuring a low sidelobe level (SLL) across the whole operating frequency range. In order to realize such a DRA, a latticed rectangular structure is utilized to generate the lower two resonances, while the upper resonance is generated by its H‐shaped feeding slot. The shape of the latticed dielectric resonator is also modified according to a 3‐D printed fixing structure for an accurate installation. A 20‐element beam‐scanning prototype is demonstrated and manufactured. The range of scanning angle is from ?36° to +13° within the bandwidth of 10 to 16 GHz, corresponding to a frequency sensitivity of only 122.5 MHz/^o. The achieved SLL are smaller than 19 dB for all scanning beams. The above performance indicates that, this array is very suitable for near‐range radar systems requiring an accurate angle estimation.     

Guaranteeing performance for uncertain nonlinear systems with bounded state constraint and mismatching condition

The control design problem for the uncertain nonlinear system with bounded state constraint and mismatching condition is considered in this paper. The uncertainty in the system, which may be due to unknown system parameters and external disturbance, is nonlinear and time‐varying. The state of the system is constrained to be bounded. The system does not satisfy the (global) matching condition. A creative one‐to‐one state transformation is proposed by converting the bounded states into the unbounded ones. A step‐by‐step state transformation is proposed to convert the mismatched system into a matched system. The robust control is then proposed based on the transformed system. The control is demonstrated to be able to guarantee the uniform boundedness and uniform ultimate boundedness of the system in the presence of uncertainty, while the state constraint can be always guaranteed.     

Hierarchical inversion‐based output tracking control for uncertain autonomous underwater vehicles using extended Kalman filter

In this study, a hierarchical inversion‐based output tracking controller (HIOTC) is developed for an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) subject to random uncertainties (e.g., current disturbances, unmodeled dynamics, and parameter variations) and noises (e.g., process and measurement noises). The proposed HIOTC respectively utilizes a combination of feedforward and feedback controls in a hierarchical structure based on the kinematic and dynamic models of the system. Moreover, to obtain uncontaminated or unavailable states for implementing the proposed control law, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is employed to estimate the system states. Then, the position outputs, orientation, and velocity of the AUV are reached with guaranteed asymptotic stability. The robustness of the proposed HIOTC is verified through injection of random uncertainties into the system model. The closed‐loop stability of the proposed individual subsystems is respectively guaranteed to have uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) performance based on the Lyapunov stability criteria. In addition, the asymptotic tracking of the overall system is demonstrated using Barbalat's lemma. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme are evaluated through computer simulations and it is shown that the overall system achieves good asymptotic tracking performance.     

Performance‐based near‐optimal vibration control for nonlinear offshore platforms with delayed input

This paper investigates the vibration control problem for offshore platform, where the nonlinear characteristics, delayed input and external wave force are considered in time domain. By introducing a delay‐free reconstructional vector and applying the maximum principle, the original vibration problem for offshore platform is formulated as a nonlinear two‐point‐boundary‐value (TPBV) problem with delayed items. The major contribution of this paper is that a performance‐based near‐optimal vibration control strategy is proposed by solving this nonlinear TPBV problem, which includes a feedback item with offshore platform system state, a feedforward item with wave force state, and a compensator for nonlinear and delayed items with infinite supersensitive component. In particular, the designed compensator is calculated from two group series of linear differential equations by introducing a parameter for expending the Maclaurin series of nonlinear and delay items. Meanwhile, an iterative algorithm is designed to make the proposed vibration control scheme computable based on the control performance in each iterative procedure. Finally, experimental results show that the displacement, velocity and performance index of an employed offshore platform achieved small values under the proposed control strategy and designed algorithm.     

On Robust Approximate Feedback Linearization: Control with Two Gain-scaling Factors

In this paper, we consider a problem of global stabilization for a class of approximately feedback linearized nonlinear systems. In order to handle more nonlinearity over the existing results, we provide a new feedback controller with two gain-scaling factors and we show that more nonlinearity can be treated by our control scheme. Moreover, we analytically show that the considered nonlinear systems can be stabilized by the proposed controller. Through comparison practical examples, we illustrate the improved features of our proposed control method.

     

Improved Controller Design with Two Gain-scaling Factors for Global Asymptotic Stabilization of Nonlinear Systems via Matrix Inequality Approach

In this paper, we consider a problem of global asymptotic stabilization for nonlinear systems with the perturbed nonlinearity. We provide a stabilizing controller with two gain-scaling factors and a new controller design method with matrix inequality approach. In particular, we provide a new procedure for selecting gain-scaling factors which are associated with stabilizing the closed-loop system. As a result, our proposed control method widens the class of considered nonlinear systems and yields better control performance over the existing methods. Via several comparison examples, we illustrate the improved features of the proposed control method over the existing ones.

     

Companion robots for older adults: Rodgers’ evolutionary concept analysis approach

Intelligent Service Robotics - This study aims to analyze the concept of companion robots for older adults from the perspective of nursing. This study employed a concept analysis. The literature...     

Invertebrate response to impacts of water diversion and flow regulation in high‐altitude tropical streams

Water supply systems are critical infrastructure that provides food and energy security for developed societies. The operation of reservoirs (flow regulation) and water intakes (water diversion) has known negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems; however, quantification of ecological impacts and examination of these two types of flow alteration remain a developing area of research. We investigated the individual and combined impact of flow regulation and water diversion on stream ecosystem integrity, the freshwater macroinvertebrate community, and the population structure of flow‐sensitive insects. For 2 years, we monitored quarterly discharge, physical and chemical stream conditions, and benthic invertebrates of four high‐altitude tropical streams that are part of the water supply system of Quito, Ecuador. Flow regulation caused a loss of the hydrological seasonality of these streams, including a decrease in stream depth and biotic quality. Water diversion caused a decrease in dissolved oxygen and overall ecosystem integrity. Freshwater invertebrate density and richness decreased as a result of water diversion and flow regulation. The combined flow alteration in these streams decreased the density of nymphal stages of the widely distributed mayfly Andesiops peruvianus. Given the societal needs for food and energy security, water management for diversion (e.g., irrigation) and in‐line storage practices (e.g., hydroelectric dams) are anticipated to increase. This research suggests that the negative environmental impacts of flow alteration could be mitigated with discharge releases designed to approximate the natural hydrologic regime of undisturbed streams.     

Sediment flux from Lesser Zab River in Dokan Reservoir: Implications for the sustainability of long‐term water resources in Iraq

Prudent management of Iraqi water resources under climate change conditions requires plans to be based on actual figures of the storage capacity of existing reservoirs. With the absence of sediment flushing measures, the actual storage capacity of Dokan Reservoir (operated since 1959) has been affected by the amount of sediment delivered during its operational life leading to an undetermined reduction in its storage capacity. In consequence, there has not been an update on the dam's operational storage capacity curves. In this research, new operational curves were established for the reservoir based on a recent bathymetric survey undertaken in 2014. The reduction in reservoir capacity during the period between 1959 and 2014 was calculated by the mean of the difference between the designed storage capacity and the storage capacity which was concluded from the 2014 bathymetric survey. Moreover, the rate of sediment transported to the reservoir was calculated based on the overall quantities of accumulated sediment and the water discharge of the Lesser Zab River into the reservoir. The results indicate that the dam capacity is reduced by 25% due to sedimentation of an estimated volume of 367 million cubic metres at water level 480 m.a.s.l. The annual sedimentation rate was about 6.6 million cubic metres, and the sediment yield was estimated to be 701.2 t?km^?3?year.