Collaboration Through the Exploitation of Local Interactions in Autonomous Collective Robotics: The Stick Pulling Experiment

This article presents an experiment which investigates how collaboration in a group of simple reactive robots can be obtained through the exploitation of local interactions. A test-bed experiment is proposed in which the task of the robots is to pull sticks out of the ground—an action which requires the collaboration of two robots to be successful. The experiment is implemented in a physical setup composed of groups of 2 to 6 Khepera robots, and in Webots, a 3D simulator of Khepera robots.The results using these two implementations are compared with the predictions of a probabilistic modeling methodology (A. Martinoli, A. Ijspeert, and F. Mondada, 1999, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 29:51–63, 1999; A. Martinoli, A. Ijspeert, and L. Gambardella, 1999, in Proceedings of Fifth European Conference on Artificial Life, ECAL99, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer Verlag: Berlin, pp. 575–584) which is here extended for the characterization and the prediction of a collaborative manipulation experiment. Instead of computing trajectories and sensory information, the probabilistic model represents the collaboration dynamics as a set of stochastic events based on simple geometrical considerations. It is shown that the probabilistic model qualitatively and quantitatively predicts the collaboration dynamics. It is significantly faster than a traditional sensor-based simulator such as Webots, and its minimal set of parameters allows the experimenter to better identify the effect of characteristics of individual robots on the team performance.Using these three implementations (the real robots, Webots and the probabilistic model), we make a quantitative investigation of the influence of the number of workers (i.e., robots) and of the primary parameter of the robots' controller—the gripping time parameter—on the collaboration rate, i.e., the number of sticks successfully taken out of the ground over time. It is found that the experiment presents two significantly different dynamics depending on the ratio between the amount of work (the number of sticks) and the number of robots, and that there is a super-linear increase of the collaboration rate with the number of robots. Furthermore, we investigate the usefulness of heterogeneity in the controllers' parameters and of a simple signalling scheme among the robots. Results show that, compared to homogeneous groups of robots without communication, heterogeneity and signalling can significantly increase the collaboration rate when there are fewer robots than sticks, while presenting a less noticeable or even negative effect otherwise.     

Stress and plastic deformation of MEA in fuel cells: Stresses generated during cell assembly

A linear elastic–plastic 2D model of fuel cell with hardening is developed for analysis of mechanical stresses in MEA arising in cell assembly procedure. The model includes the main components of real fuel cell (membrane, gas diffusion layers, graphite plates, and seal joints) and clamping elements (steel plates, bolts, nuts). The stress and plastic deformation in MEA are simulated with ABAQUS code taking into account the realistic clamping conditions. The stress distributions are obtained on the local and the global scales. The first one corresponds to the single tooth/channel structure. The global scale deals with features of the entire cell (the seal joint and the bolts). Experimental measurements of the residual membrane deformations have been provided at different bolts torques. The experimental data are in a good agreement with numerical predictions concerning the beginning of the plastic deformation.     

High-level aftereffects to global scene properties.

Adaptation is ubiquitous in the human visual system, allowing recalibration to the statistical regularities of its input. Previous work has shown that global scene properties such as openness and mean depth are informative dimensions of natural scene variation useful for human and machine scene categorization (Greene & Oliva, 2009b; Oliva & Torralba, 2001). A visual system that rapidly categorizes scenes using such statistical regularities should be continuously updated, and therefore is prone to adaptation along these dimensions. Using a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm, we show aftereffects to several global scene properties (magnitude 8–21%). In addition, aftereffects were preserved when the test image was presented 10 degrees away from the adapted location, suggesting that the origin of these aftereffects is not solely due to low-level adaptation. We show systematic modulation of observers' basic-level scene categorization performances after adapting to a global property, suggesting a strong representational role of global properties in rapid scene categorization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Proteins in white wines: Thermo-sensitivity and differential adsorbtion by bentonite

Protein fractions in a Chardonnay wine (invertases, glucanases, chitinases and thaumatin-like proteins) were identified using 2D-electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The sensitivity of these fractions to heat-induced denaturation and precipitation following heat-treatments at different temperatures was studied and compared to their affinity for bentonite, a clay used to adsorb proteins and stabilise wines with regards to protein hazes. The different proteins exhibited different sensitivity with regards to heat-induced precipitation, glucanases being the most sensitive and invertases the least. Thaumatines and chitinases were characterised by a wide range of behaviours attributed to structural micro-heterogeneities. Protein depletion upon the addition of increasing bentonite doses was also dependent on the considered fraction. A good correlation was shown between protein affinity for bentonite and their sensitivity to heat precipitation. Results were discussed considering the current winemaking practices used to assess white wine stability and define bentonite doses needed to achieve their stabilisation.     

Structural States of Hdm2 and HdmX: X-ray Elucidation of Adaptations and Binding Interactions for Different Chemical Compound Classes

Hdm2 (human MDM2, human double minute 2 homologue) counteracts p53 function by direct binding to p53 and by ubiquitin-dependent p53 protein degradation. Activation of p53 by inhibitors of the p53–Hdm2 interaction is being pursued as a therapeutic strategy in p53 wild-type cancers. In addition, HdmX (human MDMX, human MDM4) was also identified as an important therapeutic target to efficiently reactivate p53, and it is likely that dual inhibition of Hdm2 and HdmX is beneficial. Herein we report four new X-ray structures for Hdm2 and five new X-ray structures for HdmX complexes, involving different classes of synthetic compounds (including the worldwide highest resolutions for Hdm2 and HdmX, at 1.13 and 1.20 Å, respectively). We also reveal the key additive 18-crown-ether, which we discovered to enable HdmX crystallization and show its stabilization of various Lys residues. In addition, we report the previously unpublished details of X-ray structure determinations for eight further Hdm2 complexes, including the clinical trial compounds NVP-CGM097 and NVP-HDM201. An analysis of all compound binding modes reveals new and deepened insight into the possible adaptations and structural states of Hdm2 (e.g., flip of F55, flip of Y67, reorientation of H96) and HdmX (e.g., flip of H55, dimer induction), enabling key binding interactions for different compound classes. To facilitate comparisons, we used the same numbering for Hdm2 (as in Q00987) and HdmX (as in O15151, but minus 1). Taken together, these structural insights should prove useful for the design and optimization of further selective and/or dual Hdm2/HdmX inhibitors.     

Fracture and mechanical properties of friction stir spot welds in 6063-T6 aluminum alloy

The influence of the tool dimensions and of the welding parameters on the fracture and lap shear properties of friction stir spot welds is investigated. Interrupted lap shear tests allow to follow the mechanisms leading to weld fracture. A triangular cavity opens at the hook during lap shear testing. The distance between this triangular cavity and the hole left by the pin is the main parameter controlling the type of fracture. A too short distance favors a fracture through the weld nugget and hence should be avoided. In particular, this happens when the tool pin diameter is too small and when the plunge rate is too large. Fracture initiating at the triangular cavity and following the thermomechanically affected zone, i.e., by the pullout of the weld nugget, is preferred. This fracture type leads to significant plastic deformation and generally favors a large ultimate force during lap shear testing. Large ultimate forces are observed when the welds are cooler (large plunge rates and low rotation speeds), but the welding conditions should be chosen so as not to lead to fracture trough the weld nugget.     

Endogenous lysine in ileal digesta in the growing rat determined using different methods

BACKGROUND: Endogenous lysine in ileal digesta has been determined directly using highly digestible proteins and hydrolysates and assuming a complete absorption of dietary amino acids. In this study, the endogenous lysine in the ileal digesta of rats fed casein was determined using the guanidination method (baseline) and directly (assuming complete digestion and absorption) for casein and a highly hydrolysed casein. The peptide alimentation/ultrafiltration technique was also used to determine the endogenous ileal lysine for the casein hydrolysate (Peptopro®). RESULTS: Mean endogenous ileal lysine for rats given the unguanidinated casein and determined directly assuming complete digestion and absorption (644 mg kg^?1 dry matter intake (DMI)) or for a highly hydrolysed casein with the same assumption (596 mg kg^?1 DMI) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the endogenous ileal lysine for casein determined using the guanidination method (274 mg kg^?1 DMI). The endogenous lysine in ileal digesta for a casein hydrolysate determined using the alimentation/ultrafiltration method (302 mg kg^?1 DMI) was not significantly (P < 0.05) different from that based on the guanidination method but was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the equivalent endogenous lysine determined directly. CONCLUSION: Dietary amino acids are not completely absorbed from casein or its hydrolysate and determining endogenous amino acids in ileal digesta directly, assuming complete absorption, overestimates the amount of endogenous ileal amino acids. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Panoramic Search: The Interaction of Memory and Vision in Search Through a Familiar Scene.

How do observers search through familiar scenes? A novel panoramic search method is used to study the interaction of memory and vision in natural search behavior. In panoramic search, observers see part of an unchanging scene larger than their current field of view. A target object can be visible, present in the display but hidden from view, or absent. Visual search efficiency does not change after hundreds of trials through an unchanging scene (Experiment 1). Memory search, in contrast, begins inefficiently but becomes efficient with practice. Given a choice between vision and memory, observers choose vision (Experiments 2 and 3). However, if forced to use their memory on some trials, they learn to use memory on all trials, even when reliable visual information remains available (Experiment 4). The results suggest that observers make a pragmatic choice between vision and memory, with a strong bias toward visual search even for memorized stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rôle du support dans le mécanisme de formation des dislocations interfaciales et cohérence dans les systèmes épitaxiques Fe/Au(100) et Fe/Au(111)

We have studied the formation of interfacial dislocations during the epitaxial growth of iron on gold either in the (100) orientation or in the (111) orientation, when the epitaxial interfaces have different geometries. The conditions in which interfacial dislocations appears and the nature of their Burgers vectors are defined in both cases. In the case of Fe/Au(100) these dislocations are either pure edge dislocations with a Burgers vector parallel to the interface or mixed dislocations with a Burgers vector inclined with respect to the interface. In all cases these dislocations arise from dislocations pre-existing in the substrate either by slipping or by stepping. We study the coherence in both the epitaxial pairs.