Input-output feedback linearization of time-delay systems

In this note, the input-output linearization problem (IOLP) for a class of single-input-single-output nonlinear systems with multiple delays in the input, the output, and the state is studied. The problem is solved by means of various static or dynamic compensators, including state and output feedback. The mathematical setting is based on some noncommutative algebraic tools and the introduction of a nonlinear version of the so-called Roesser models for this class of systems. These are claimed to be the cornerstones for studying nonlinear time-delay systems. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a static or pure shift output feedback which solves the IOLP. Sufficient conditions for the existence of a dynamic state feedback solution are included as well.     

Stable social foraging swarms in a noisy environment

Bacteria, bees, and birds often work together in groups to find food. A group of robots can be designed to coordinate their activities to search for and collect objects. Networked cooperative uninhabited autonomous vehicles are being developed for commercial and military applications. Suppose that we refer to all such groups of entities as "social foraging swarms". In order for such multiagent systems to succeed it is often critical that they can both maintain cohesive behaviors and appropriately respond to environmental stimuli (e.g., by optimizing the acquisition of nutrients in foraging for food). In this paper, we characterize swarm cohesiveness as a stability property and use a Lyapunov approach to develop conditions under which local agent actions will lead to cohesive foraging even in the presence of "noise" characterized by uncertainty on sensing other agent's position and velocity, and in sensing nutrients that each agent is foraging for. The results quantify earlier claims that social foraging is in a certain sense superior to individual foraging when noise is present, and provide clear connections between local agent-agent interactions and emergent group behavior. Moreover, the simulations show that very complicated but orderly group behaviors, reminiscent of those seen in biology, emerge in the presence of noise.     

Neural-Net Analysis of the Plasticity of ÉP-450 Ferrite–Martensite Steel with Different Alloying Element Concentrations

The results of a computational experiment with a neural-net model simulating the effect of the chemical composition on the plastic properties of ÉP-450 steel are presented. It is shown that computer-aided development of reactor steel with prescribed properties is, in principle, possible.     

Structured optimal and robust control with multiple criteria: a convex solution

In this paper, the design of controllers that incorporate structural and multiobjective performance requirements is considered. The control structures under study cover nested, chained, hierarchical, delayed interaction and communications, and symmetric systems. Such structures are strongly related to several modern-day and future applications including integrated flight propulsion systems, platoons of vehicles, micro-electro-mechanical systems, networked control, control of networks, production lines and chemical processes. It is shown that the system classes presented have the common feature that all stabilizing controllers can be characterized by convex constraints on the Youla-Kucera parameter. Using this feature, a solution to a general optimal performance problem that incorporates time domain and frequency domain constraints is obtained. A synthesis procedure is provided which at every step yields a feasible controller together with a measure of its performance with respect to the optimal. Convergence to the optimal performance is established. An example of a multinode network congestion control problem is provided that illustrates the effectiveness of the developed methodology.     

Second-order stresses and strains in heterogeneous steels: Self-consistent modeling and X-ray diffraction analysis

Theoretical and experimetal methods have been developed to characterize the effect of mechanical loading on the mesoscopic and macroscopic mechanical state of polycrystalline materials. Ferritic and austenitic single-phase materials were first analyzed, then phase interaction was studied in a multiductile phase material (austeno-ferritic duplex steel) and a natural reinforced composite (pearlitic steel). The theoretical method is based on the self-consistent approach in which elastic and plastic characteristics of the phases have been applied through the micromechanical behavior of single-crystal-using slip systems and microscopic hardening. The effects of a crystallographic texture and phase interaction during loading and after unloading were studied. The elastic and plastic anisotropy of the grains having the same crystallographic orientation were assessed by diffraction strain analysis. The simulation was compared with the experiments performed using the X-ray diffraction technique. In the considered duplex and pearlitic steels, it was observed that the ferrite stress state is much lower than the austenite and cementite ones. The results of diffraction strain distribution have showed the pertinence of the models and give valuable information, for example, for the yield stress and the hardening parameters of each phase in a two-phase material.     

Effect of broaching on high-temperature fatigue behavior in notched specimens of INCONEL 718

Notches were machined in specimens of INCONEL 718 by a broaching process, where differing broaching runs led to differing extents of subsurface deformation and surface roughness. Fatigue tests were carried out at 600 °C with a trapezoidal loading waveform at 0.25 Hz. The broaching process that led to the more severe subsurface deformation (but lower surface roughness) showed the worst fatigue performance. Analysis of total strain amplitude in the notch root with the aid of an elastoplastic finite-element (FE) model showed that the work hardening related to the subsurface deformation caused by the different broaching can account for the difference in fatigue lives. Differences in initiation and growth behavior were seen for the two broached finishes as well as for broached and subsequently polished samples. These differences are discussed in terms of a change in crack growth initiation and growth mechanisms due to the presence of the work-hardened layer.     

On one boundary-value problem for the Laplace equation

We have derived a Fredholm-type equation of the second kind for a directional derivative problem arising in the stationary theory of heat conduction. One result of Ya. B. Lopatinskii has been refined. __________ Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 197–200, March–April, 2007.     

When danger lurks in the background: Attentional capture by animal fear-relevant distractors is specific and selectively enhanced by animal fear.

Across 2 experiments, a new experimental procedure was used to investigate attentional capture by animal fear-relevant stimuli. In Experiment 1 (N = 34), unselected participants were slower to detect a neutral target animal in the presence of a spider than a cockroach distractor and in the presence of a snake than a large lizard distractor. This result confirms that phylogenetically fear-relevant animals capture attention specifically and to a larger extent than do non-fear-relevant animals. In Experiment 2 (N = 86), detection of a neutral target animal was slowed more in the presence of a feared fear-relevant distractor (e.g., a snake for snake-fearful participants) than in presence of a not-feared fear-relevant distractor (e.g., a spider for snake-fearful participants). These results indicate preferential attentional capture that is specific to phylogenetically fear-relevant stimuli and is selectively enhanced in individuals who fear these animals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low temperature synthesis of aluminium titanate by an aqueous sol-gel route

Formation of aluminium titanate (AT) has been achieved at low temperature through sol-gel process using boehmite and titanium hydroxide as precursors by controlling the particle size at nanoscale followed by in-situ peptisation. The formations of AT phase, particle size distributions, sintering and thermal expansion characteristics, and microstructural features have been reported. DTA and XRD analysis have been performed to confirm the formation of AT. A 94% relative density was obtained for aluminium titanate sintered at 1550 °C with controlled grain size in the range of 2-3 μm.     

Electron Thermalization in Metallic Islands Probed by Coulomb Blockade Thermometry

We describe a systematic series of experiments on thermalization of electrons in lithographic metallic thin films at millikelvin temperatures using Coulomb blockade thermometry (CBT). Joule dissipation due to biasing of the CBT sensor tends to drive the electron system into non-equilibrium. Under all experimental conditions tested, the electron-electron relaxation is fast enough to ensure thermal electron distribution, which is also in agreement with the theoretical arguments we present. On the other hand, poor electron-phonon relaxation plays a dominant role in lifting the electron temperature above that of the bath. From a comparison of the results with the theoretical current-voltage characteristics of the thermometers we precisely determine the electron-phonon coupling constant for the common metals used. Our experiments show that it is a formidable task to attain thermal equilibrium with the bath using single-electron devices under non-zero bias conditions at 20–50 mK temperatures that are typically encountered in experiments. The conclusion concerning Coulomb blockade thermometry is more optimistic and two-fold: (1) One can now correct the errors due to bias heating in a satisfactory manner based on known material properties and the size of the metal films in the sensor. (2) Reliable thermometry down to 20 mK requires islands whose volumes are >10^?15 m³, which is still acceptable both from the parameter (capacitance) and fabrication points of view.