Experience replay–based output feedback Q‐learning scheme for optimal output tracking control of discrete‐time linear systems

This paper focuses on solving the adaptive optimal tracking control problem for discrete‐time linear systems with unknown system dynamics using output feedback. A Q‐learning‐based optimal adaptive control scheme is presented to learn the feedback and feedforward control parameters of the optimal tracking control law. The optimal feedback parameters are learned using the proposed output feedback Q‐learning Bellman equation, whereas the estimation of the optimal feedforward control parameters is achieved using an adaptive algorithm that guarantees convergence to zero of the tracking error. The proposed method has the advantage that it is not affected by the exploration noise bias problem and does not require a discounting factor, relieving the two bottlenecks in the past works in achieving stability guarantee and optimal asymptotic tracking. Furthermore, the proposed scheme employs the experience replay technique for data‐driven learning, which is data efficient and relaxes the persistence of excitation requirement in learning the feedback control parameters. It is shown that the learned feedback control parameters converge to the optimal solution of the Riccati equation and the feedforward control parameters converge to the solution of the Sylvester equation. Simulation studies on two practical systems have been carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.     

Mixed convection of power-law fluids along a vertical wedge with convective boundary condition in a porous medium

The mixed convection of power-law fluids along a wedge in a porous medium is investigated numerically using an implicit finite difference method. Robin boundary condition is applied at the wedge surface. To explore the effects of mixed convection, both forced and free convection dominated regimes are considered separately. Non-similarity solutions are obtained for the variable heat transfer coefficient. Local dimensionless skin friction and Nusselt number are presented in tabular and graphical forms for the selected values of wedge and convective parameters. The wedge angle geometry parameter r m, power index of pseudoplastic fluids n and mixed convection parameter ξ range from 0 to 1 in both regimes, whereas different values of convective parameter h _c are considered for investigating the behavior of skin friction and heat transfer rates.     

Binary Mixtures of SH- and CH3-Terminated Self-Assembled Monolayers to Control the Average Spacing Between Aligned Gold Nanoparticles

This paper presents a method to control the average spacing between organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) grown gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in a line. Focused ion beam patterned CH₃-terminated self-assembled monolayers are refilled systematically with different mixtures of SH- and CH₃-terminated silanes. The average spacing between OMCVD Au NPs is demonstrated systematically to decrease by increasing the v/v% ratio of the thiols in the binary silane mixtures with SH- and CH₃-terminated groups.     

Multi-period quarry production planning through sequencing techniques and sequencing algorithm

This paper presents a new methodology in form of three sequencing techniques for the development of alternative quarry plans using cement quarry production-sequencing algorithm. The algorithm generates multi-period quarry plans, satisfying geometric (slope) and cement plant production capacity constraints. The benefits of the approach are demonstrated through application on an existing cement manufacturing operation in Midwestern USA. __________ Translated from Fiziko-Tekhnicheskie Problemy Razrabotki Poleznykh Iskopaemykh, No. 2, pp. 103–114, March–April, 2008.     

Classification of M-QAM and M-PSK signals using genetic programming (GP)

With the popularity of software-defined radio and cognitive radio-technologies in wireless communication, radio frequency devices have to adapt to changing conditions and adjust its transmitting parameters such as transmitting power, operating frequency, and modulation schemes. Thus, automatic modulation classification becomes an essential feature for such scenarios where the receiver has a little or no knowledge about the transmitter parameters. This paper presents kth nearest neighbor (KNN)-based classification of M-QAM and M-PSK modulation schemes using higher-order cumulants as input features set. Genetic programming is used to enhance the performance of the KNN classifier by creating super features from the data set. Simulation result shows improved accuracy at comparatively lower signal-to-noise ratio for all the considered modulations.

     

Photographic painting style transfer using convolutional neural networks

Multimedia Tools and Applications - We propose a novel automatic photographic painting style technique with a single example image by using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). The photographic...     

Experimental Investigation on the Performance of Heat Pump Operating with Copper and Alumina Nanofluids

In the present study, an attempt is made to enhance the performance of heat pump by utilizing two types of nanofluids namely, copper and alumina nanofluids. These nanofluids were employed around the evaporator coil of the heat pump. The nanofluids were used to enhance the heat input to the system by means of providing an external jacket around the evaporator coil. Both the nanofluids were prepared in three volume fractions 1%, 2% and 5%. Water was chosen as the base fluid. The performance of the heat pump was assessed by calculating the coefficient of performance of the system when it was operated with and without nanofluid jacket. A significant enhancement in the coefficient of performance was noticed when copper and alumina nanofluids were employed in the system. Also, the coefficient of performance was found to have a direct relationship with the tested volume fractions. For the highest volume fraction of 5%, the performance of the heat pump was found to enhance by 23% with alumina nanofluid, while for copper nanofluid, a very significant enhancement in performance by 72% was observed. Thus, utilizing of nanofluids in heat pumps can be very beneficial towards performance enhancement and the idea can also be extended to other thermal systems such as steam power plant, automobile radiator, industrial heat exchangers and refrigeration systems.     

Designing Fast Fourier Transform Accelerators for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing Systems

Designing accelerators for the real-time computation of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms for state-of-the-art Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) demodulators has always been challenging. We have scaled-up a template-based Coarse-Grain Reconfigurable Array device for faster FFT processing that generates special purpose accelerators based on the user input. Using a basic and a scaled-up version, we have generated a radix-4 and mixed-radix (2, 4) FFT accelerator to process different length and types of algorithms. Our implementation results show that these accelerators satisfy not only the execution time requirements of FFT processing for Single Input Single Output (SISO) wireless standards that are IEEE-802.11 a/g and 3GPP-LTE but also for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) IEEE-802.11n standard.     

Detection of ROS and translocation of ERP-57 in apoptotic induced human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells

Several toxic compounds are known to induce apoptosis in mammalian cell lines. The human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) were exposed to the phosphatase inhibiting toxin okadaic acid (OA) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to induce apoptosis as well as generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitoxantrone (MXT) was used as a positive control for apoptosis. The SH-SY5Y cells were transfected with eukaryotic expression plasmid pHyPer-dMito encoding mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent or pHyPer-dCito encoding cytoplasmic-targeted fluorescent sensor for hydrogen peroxide (HyPer). The ERp57, also called GRP58 (Glucose-regulated protein 58), is a stress protein induced in conditions like glucose starvation and viral infection. Recently ERp57 was shown to translocate from the endoplasmatic reticulum to the cell surface in anthracycline-induced apoptotic cells. ERp57 co-translocation together with calreticulin has been suggested to be crucial for recognizing tumor cells to induce immunogenic cell death. ERp57 translocation after exposure to okadaic acid was studied using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. These studies indicated that okadaic acid has induced the translocation of ERp57 to the cellular membrane.     

Photoelectrochemical characteristics of CuO films with different electrodeposition time

This paper explores the effect of electrodeposition time on microstructure, optical, and photoelectrochemical properties of CuO films. CuO films were electrochemically deposited on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) substrates using a Cu₂O electrodeposition method followed by annealing at 550 °C for 2 h. The electrochemical deposition was carried out at different times (300, 600, 1200, and 1800 s) utilizing a copper sulfate pentahydrate and lactic acid solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to perform phase and microstructure analysis. Photoluminescence (PL) studies confirmed an increase in emission intensities with increasing deposition time. In addition, a significant change was observed in photoelectrochemical properties of the film by varying the deposition time. The film deposited for 600 s showed a high photocurrent density of ?0.55 mA cm^?2 at ?0.5 V. Moreover, a lowest resistance from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was recorded for the films electrochemically deposited for 600 s.