Traversable Region Estimation for Mobile Robots in an Outdoor Image

This paper describes a novel method to estimate appropriate traversable regions from an outdoor scene image. The traversable regions output by the proposed method reflect the common sense of people. For example, a candidate traversable region is “a paved road somewhat distant from the side ditch.” The input to the traversable region estimation is one color image. First, category is assigned to each pixel in the image. The categorization result is then input to the region estimator. Finally, the traversable region are estimated on the input image. An important aspect of this method is the application of two score functions in region estimation process. One score function places high value on categories selected as traversable paths by subjects. The other function places high value on categories that are not selected as traversable regions but are adjacent to categories with traversable paths. A combination of these two functions produces feasible estimation results. The effectiveness of the combined score functions was evaluated by experiments and a questionnaire.     

Multi agent architecture for dynamic incremental process planning in the flexible manufacturing system

Due to rapid changes of markets and pressures of competitions, industries are adopting their production ways to support diversity of customer’s needs and increase of new product developments. This paper deals with development of an agent-based architecture of dynamic systems for process planning in the manufacturing systems. In consideration of alternative manufacturing processes and machine tools, the process plans and the schedules of the manufacturing resources are generated incrementally and dynamically. A previously proposed negotiation protocol is customized and improved to generate suitable process plans for the target products real-timely and dynamically, based on the alternative manufacturing processes. The alternative manufacturing processes are presented by the process plan networks and the suitable process plans are searched and generated to cope with both the dynamic status and disturbances of the manufacturing systems. We initiatively combine the heuristic search algorithms of the process plan networks with the negotiation protocols, in order to generate suitable process plans.     

Preface

Multimedia Tools and Applications -     

Fabrication of high hardness Ni mold with electroless nickel–boron thin layer

The nickel electroforming method using a high-concentration nickel sulfamate bath is commonly used to fabricate micro metal molds in the LIGA process; however, this method does not produce micro metal molds of sufficient hardness. One means of improving the hardness of micro metal molds made using the nickel electroforming method is to include additives in the nickel plating solution. Another method is nickel alloy plating or a similar technique. In this research, we used a nickel–boron (Ni–B) electroless alloy plating method to obtain a hard nickel plated film having hardness of 832 Hv. It was also ascertained that Ni–B electroless alloy plated film retains its high hardness even during heat treatment in conditions of 250°C for 1 h. To deal with the high stresses developed in high-hardness plated films, we proposed double-layer nickel electroforming. This method is covered and used on conventional nickel electroforming layer by high hardness micro mold. High hardness micro metal mold using double-layer was fabricated by nickel electroforming and Ni–B electroless alloy plating method.     

Free vibration of coil springs of arbitrary shape

This paper is concerned with the method for solving the vibration problem of coil springs of arbitrary shape. In the analysis the exact field transfer matrix is derived from the solution of the fundamental equation of the three-dimensional curved beam theory. The transfer matrix is given by combining this field transfer matrix and the point transfer matrix. The analysis derives the frequency equation which is applicable to coil springs of general shape. Numerical calculations have been carried out for hyperboloidal springs and barrel springs. Experimental tests also have been carried out to verify the present results.     

Implementation of a decision support system using an interactive large-scale high-resolution display

In this research, we propose and evaluate a decision support system using an interactive large-scale high-resolution display. This decision support system supports the summarization and decision-making of a large amount of disaster information during the occurrence of a large-scale natural disaster. Municipal employees at the disaster control headquarters can display disaster information on the large-scale display with a touch or flick on a laptop or tablet. To evaluate the operability, readability, functionality, and necessity of the decision support system, we surveyed 23 municipal employees in the disaster prevention division using a questionnaire. The system received a great evaluation in all the evaluation items.     

Thermal Diffusion of Si Atoms at the Interface of Mo／Si Bilayers Studied with a Soft X-ray Emission Microscope

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Photo-induced radicals in glucose and cellobiose

Photo-induced radicals in glucose and cellobiose, the model compounds of cellulose molecule, were studied by ESR spectrometry. Very poor formation of radicals in glucose as compared to those in cellobiose was observed. However, a spectrum showing a singlet line was easily produced by the use of light involving shorter wavelengths. It was estimated to be due to the radical formed at the reducing C₁ position of glucose molecule. By paper chromatography, the photo-irradiated cellobiose was confirmed to split into glucose through scission of glucosidic bonds in the molecule. The ESR spectrum of the acid-hydrolyzed cellulose similar to that of the unhydrolyzed sample was a seven-line spectrum, but the relative signal intensity was here markedly low. This phenomenon seems to be caused by the reduction of amorphous portion in the samples due to acid hydrolysis. It was concluded that the glucosidic bonds in cellobiose and cellulose molecules are very active toward light and play an important role in the radical formation in photo-irradiated samples.     

JSFR key technology evaluation on fuel handling system

A simplified fuel handling system design for the demonstration Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor (JSFR) has been proposed. Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development project phase I results of key technology evaluations on a pantograph fuel handling machine (FHM), a fuel transfer pot with two core component positions, dry spent fuel cleaning and minor actinide-bearing fresh fuel shipping cask are summarized. A full-scale FHM mockup has been fabricated and tested in the air accumulating performance and seismic tolerance data. A mockup fuel transfer pot with fins and chromium carbide coating has been fabricated and tested with sodium accumulating heat transfer performance data. Several sodium cleaning tests using a dummy subassembly has been conducted accumulating cleaning performance data. For fresh fuel shipping cask, a design tool for evaluation of heat transfer capability has been developed and a helium gas cask shows cooling capability of minor actinide-bearing fresh fuel. Those experimental and analytical efforts have shown that key technologies to develop simplified fuel handling system are matured enough to proceed large-scale sodium experiments and conceptual design study for the demonstration JSFR.     

Effects of alloying elements (Sn,Nb, Cr,and Mo) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of zirconium alloys

The alloying effects of Sn, Nb, Cr, and Mo on zirconium alloys were elucidated and compared. Electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, tensile test, and fractographic observation were jointly utilized to carry out detailed microstructural characterization and mechanical property evaluation. Results show that Mo is the most effective among these elements from the viewpoints of strengthening and reducing grain size. The strengthening mechanism for each element is also discussed. The order of solid-solution strengthening of these alloying elements is Cr > Nb > Sn, and the sequence is Cr ≈ Mo > Nb when precipitation strengthening is considered. Further, as far as the ability to impede dislocation motion is concerned, the sequence is Mo > Cr > Nb > Sn. The experimental results demonstrate that minor amount of Mo addition in zirconium alloys is greatly effective in strengthening the alloy and reducing the grain size.