Vision Based UAV Attitude Estimation: Progress and Insights

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly replacing manned systems in situations that are dangerous, remote, or difficult for manned aircraft to access. Its control tasks are empowered by computer vision technology. Visual sensors are robustly used for stabilization as primary or at least secondary sensors. Hence, UAV stabilization by attitude estimation from visual sensors is a very active research area. Vision based techniques are proving their effectiveness and robustness in handling this problem. In this work a comprehensive review of UAV vision based attitude estimation approaches is covered, starting from horizon based methods and passing by vanishing points, optical flow, and stereoscopic based techniques. A novel segmentation approach for UAV attitude estimation based on polarization is proposed. Our future insightes for attitude estimation from uncalibrated catadioptric sensors are also discussed.     

Understanding design patterns — what is the problem?

Design patterns codify proven solutions to recurring design problems. Their proper use within a development context requires that: (i) we understand them; (ii) we ascertain their applicability or relevance to the design problem at hand; and (iii) we apply them faithfully to the problem at hand. We argue that an explicit representation of the design problem solved by a design pattern is key to supporting the three tasks in an integrated fashion. We propose a model‐driven representation of design patterns consisting of triples < MP, MS, T > where MP is a model of the problem solved by the pattern, MS is a model of the solution proposed by the pattern, and T is a model transformation of an instance of the problem into an instance of the solution. Given an object‐oriented design model, we look for model fragments that match MP (call them instances of MP), and when one is found, we apply the transformation T yielding an instance of MS. Easier said than done. Experimentation with an Eclipse Modeling Framework‐based implementation of our approach applied to a number of open‐source software application's raised fundamental questions about: (i) the nature of design patterns in general, and the ones that lend themselves to our approach, and (ii) our understanding and codification of seemingly simple design patterns. In this paper, we present the principles behind our approach, report on the results of applying the approach to the Gang of Four (GoF) design patterns, and discuss the representability of design problems solved by these patterns. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Generation of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) from sodium chloride solution using C/PbO_2 and Pb/PbO_2 electrodes

Two modified electrodes (Pb/PbO2 and C/PbO2) were prepared by electrodepositing a lead oxide layer on lead and carbon sub-strates. These modified electrodes were used as anodes for the generation of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) from sodium chloride solution. Different operating conditions and factors affecting the treatment process of NaOCl generation, including current density, pH values, con-ductive electrolytes, and electrolysis time, were studied and optimized. By comparison the C/PbO2 electrode shows a higher efficiency than the Pb/PbO2 electrode for the generation of NaOCl.     

Multi‐objective optimization using metaheuristics: non‐standard algorithms

In recent years, the application of metaheuristic techniques to solve multi‐objective optimization problems has become an active research area. Solving this kind of problems involves obtaining a set of Pareto‐optimal solutions in such a way that the corresponding Pareto front fulfils the requirements of convergence to the true Pareto front and uniform diversity. Most of the studies on metaheuristics for multi‐objective optimization are focused on Evolutionary Algorithms, and some of the state‐of‐the‐art techniques belong this class of algorithms. Our goal in this paper is to study open research lines related to metaheuristics but focusing on less explored areas to provide new perspectives to those researchers interested in multi‐objective optimization. In particular, we focus on non‐evolutionary metaheuristics, hybrid multi‐objective metaheuristics, parallel multi‐objective optimization and multi‐objective optimization under uncertainty. We analyze these issues and discuss open research lines.     

A high-power periodic nanosecond pulse source of coherent 8-cm electromagnetic radiation

The generation of short electromagnetic pulses excited in an extended slow-wave system (SWS) of a relativistic backward wave tube (BWT) operating in the so-called superradiance regime with a carrier frequency of 3.7 GHz has been simulated and experimentally studied. At a decreased magnetic field (about 0.2 T) in the SWS, the BWT generated 2.5-ns microwave pulses with a power of up to 800 MW. At a pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz, the working life of the system was limited by the lifetime of an explosive emission cathode (10⁶ pulses). The possibility of phase synchronization of the high-frequency field of the relativistic microwave oscillator with respect to the voltage pulse front is demonstrated for the first time.     

Evaluation of Al and Some of Its Alloys as Anode Materials vs γ-MnO2 as Cathode Material and Ore Produced γ-MnO2 vs Zn Anode in KOH Solution

In this study electrochemical performance of Al and some of its alloys (Al-Zn, Al-Mg and Al-Mn) anodes vs MnO2 cathode were carried out in alkaline solution. The results show that the Al-Zn alloy anode has the best cell capacity among the other alloys. Cell capacity values go in the order Al-Zn＞Al-Mg＞Al＞Al-Mn. This result is probably related to the nature of passive films formed on the surface of the alloys which examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM morphologies of Al and its alloys showed coarse grains of passive films formed on the surface of these anode materials while Al-Mn morphology shows a needle-like structure.Electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) produced by electrodepositing on platinum anode from liquor resulting from reduction of low grade pyrolusite ore (β-MnO2) by sulfur slag was characterized as cathode in alkaline Zn-MnO2 batteries. Ore produced sample (EMD1) was performed well in comparison with EMD standard (EMD2) (commercial battery grade electrolytic manganese dioxide, TOSOH-Hellas GH-S). SEM morphology of Zn anode after cell reaction was carried out and showed that Zn anode has fine grains of passive film on its surface.     

A unified framework for tree search decoding: rediscovering the sequential decoder

We consider receiver design for coded transmission over linear Gaussian channels. We restrict ourselves to the class of lattice codes and formulate the joint detection and decoding problem as a closest lattice point search (CLPS). Here, a tree search framework for solving the CLPS is adopted. In our framework, the CLPS algorithm is decomposed into the preprocessing and tree search stages. The role of the preprocessing stage is to expose the tree structure in a form matched to the search stage. We argue that the forward and feedback (matrix) filters of the minimum mean-square error decision feedback equalizer (MMSE-DFE) are instrumental for solving the joint detection and decoding problem in a single search stage. It is further shown that MMSE-DFE filtering allows for solving underdetermined linear systems and using lattice reduction methods to diminish complexity, at the expense of a marginal performance loss. For the search stage, we present a generic method, based on the branch and bound (BB) algorithm, and show that it encompasses all existing sphere decoders as special cases. The proposed generic algorithm further allows for an interesting classification of tree search decoders, sheds more light on the structural properties of all known sphere decoders, and inspires the design of more efficient decoders. In particular, an efficient decoding algorithm that resembles the well-known Fano sequential decoder is identified. The excellent performance-complexity tradeoff achieved by the proposed MMSE-DFE Fano decoder is established via simulation results and analytical arguments in several multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and intersymbol interference (ISI) scenarios.     

Interface Characteristics and Laboratory Constructability Tests of Novel Fiber-Reinforced Polymer/Concrete Piles

Conventional pile materials such as steel, concrete, and timber are prone to deterioration for many reasons. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) concrete composites represent an alternative construction material for deep foundations that can eliminate many of the performance disadvantages of traditional piling materials. However, FRP composites present several difficulties related to constructability, and the lack of design tools for their implementation as a foundation element. This paper describes the results of an experimental study on frictional FRP/dense sand interface characteristics and the constructability of FRP–concrete composite piles. An innovative toe driving technique is developed to install the empty FRP shells in the soil and self-consolidating concrete is subsequently cast in them. The experimental program involves interface shear tests on small FRP samples and uplift load tests on large-scale model piles. Two different FRP pile materials with different roughness and a reference steel pile are examined. Static uplift load tests are conducted on different piles installed in soil samples subjected to different confining pressures in the pressure chamber. The results showed that the interface friction for FRP materials compared favorably with conventional steel material. It was shown that toe driving is suitable for installation of FRP piles in dense soils.     

EGYPTOR Tokamak: Modification of the Original Design Using Permanent Compensation Coils and First Results of the Breakdown Discharge

The EGYPTOR tokamak is a small device of rectangular cross section 25 × 20 cm. Modification of the original design is done by adding compensation coils connected to the Toroidal field (TF) coils and Ohmic heating (OH) coils. These compensation coils are used to compensate most of the stray magnetic field components that prevent a breakdown discharge. First results of the breakdown discharge are reported. A gated ICCD camera is used to obtain side view images of the visible light emitted from the plasma.     

Constrained traffic equilibrium in routing

We study noncooperative routing in which each user is faced with a multicriterion optimization problem, formulated as the minimization of one criterion subject to constraints on others. We address the questions of existence and uniqueness of equilibrium. We show that equilibria indeed exist but uniqueness may be destroyed due to the multicriteria nature of the problem. We obtain uniqueness in some weaker sense under appropriate conditions: we show that the link utilizations are uniquely determined at equilibrium. We further study the normalized constrained equilibrium and apply it to pricing.