Decentralized output feedback stabilization for switched stochastic high-order nonlinear systems with time-varying state/input delays

This paper investigates decentralized output feedback stabilization problem for a class of switched stochastic high-order systems with time-varying state/input delays. With the help of coordinate transformations, a scaling gain is incorporated into the observers and controllers for the nominal system. Based on the homogeneous domination approach and stochastic Lyapunov–Krasovskii stability theorem, it is shown that global asymptotic stability in probability of the closed-loop system can be implemented by tuning the scaling gain. Two examples are given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed control method.     

Effects of timing of formative feedback in computer-assisted learning environments

This study examines the effects of timing of corrective formative feedback on processing text information on question-answering. Undergraduate students read an expository text and answered questions in two attempts. Students were randomly assigned to a no feedback, immediate feedback and delayed feedback conditions. Students in the feedback conditions received feedback on the correctness of their answer after the first attempt and were informed about the right answer after the second attempt. Students were prompted to restudy the text after failing in their first attempt. However, students in the no feedback condition were just prompted to search the text. All students were tested on question-answering, corrective probability and a post-test cued-recall test. Results showed that: (a) feedback reduced the initial time reading the text; (b) feedback increased performance on question answering and cued-recall; (c) delayed feedback produced no advantages over immediate feedback. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.     

High-Speed Trains Automatic Operation with Protection Constraints: A Resilient Nonlinear Gain-based Feedback Control Approach

This paper addresses the control design for automatic train operation of high-speed trains with protection constraints. A new resilient nonlinear gain-based feedback control approach is proposed, which is capable of guaranteeing, under some proper non-restrictive initial conditions, the protection constraints control raised by the distance-to-go (moving authority) curve and automatic train protection in practice. A new hyperbolic tangent function-based model is presented to mimic the whole operation process of high-speed trains. The proposed feedback control methods are easily implementable and computationally inexpensive because the presence of only two feedback gains guarantee satisfactory tracking performance and closed-loop stability, no adaptations of unknown parameters, function approximation of unknown nonlinearities, and attenuation of external disturbances in the proposed control strategies. Finally, rigorous proofs and comparative simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.      

Output feedback model predictive control of hydraulic systems with disturbances compensation

Enhancing the robustness of output feedback control has always been an important issue in hydraulic servo systems. In this paper, an output feedback model predictive controller (MPC) with the integration of an extended state observer (ESO) is proposed for hydraulic systems. The ESO was designed to estimate not only the unmeasured system states but also the disturbances, which will be synthesized into the design of the output prediction equation. Based on the mechanism of receding horizon and repeating optimization of MPC, the output prediction equation will be updated in real time and the future behavior of the system will be accurately predicted since the disturbances are compensated effectively. Hence, the ability of the traditional MPC to suppress disturbances will be improved evidently. The experiment results show that the proposed controller has high-performance nature and strong robustness against various model uncertainties, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.     

Fastest recovery after feedback disruption: nonlinear delay-differential systems

The problem of reducing operating errors after a feedback disruption is considered for a class of nonlinear delay-differential systems. It is shown that there are optimal controllers that reduce such errors in minimal time, once feedback has been restored. It is further shown that optimal performance can be approximated by bang-bang controllers – controllers that are easy to design and implement.     

基于反馈Hough变换的管道点云检测和识别

管道是流程工厂的主体，其几何形状表现为圆柱体或圆台。针对现有管道检测识别方法对噪声较为敏感、检测精度不高、检测结果难以验证等问题，本文提出一种具有轴向反馈修正的三维霍夫变换方法。首先，根据八叉树划分点云空间，计算点云法向量并生成圆柱体或圆台高斯映射图，利用三维霍夫变换法估计初始轴向；然后，基于初始轴向计算圆柱体横截面或圆台投影轮廓，并建立轴向优化目标函数，通过迭代优化获得最终的轴向；最后通过霍夫变换法拟合圆柱体或圆台轴心位置并计算半径值。实验结果表明，该方法可有效提高管道轴向、半径等参数的估算准确度，同时，本文提出的优化目标函数也为检测结果提供了一种新的评价方法。     

大规模光伏并网系统谐振机理及稳定性分析

在弱电网下或者装机容量增加时,大规模光伏并网系统易引发谐波谐振,危及光伏电站的正常稳定运行。针对上述问题,以大规模光伏并网系统为研究对象,分别从系统阻尼、闭环控制等角度揭示了大型光伏电站和电网之间的谐振机理。研究结果表明:LCL滤波器自身的有源阻尼策略并不会导致大规模光伏并网系统引发谐振,引发谐振的关键因素在于并网逆变器自身的稳定裕度。电网阻抗、装机容量、系统参数设计、控制策略等因素的综合效应可以使并网逆变器在某一特定条件下运行到临界稳定状态附近而引发谐振,谐振将导致入网电流在相应谐振频段产生大量谐波。如果稳定裕度进一步减小,系统将逐步由谐振状态过渡到振荡、发散等不稳定状态。仿真与实验结果验证了理论分析的正确性。     

Hybrid damper with stroke amplification for damping of offshore wind turbines

The magnitude of tower vibrations of offshore wind turbines is a key design driver for the feasibility of the monopile support structure. A novel control concept for the damping of these tower vibrations is proposed, where viscous‐type hybrid dampers are installed at the bottom of the wind turbine tower. The proposed hybrid damper consists of a passive viscous dashpot placed in series with a load cell and an active actuator. By integrated force feedback control of the actuator motion, the associated displacement amplitude over the viscous damper can be increased compared with the passive viscous case, hereby significantly increasing the feasibility of viscous dampers acting at the bottom of the wind turbine tower. To avoid drift in the actuator displacement, a filtered time integration of the measured force signal is introduced. Numerical examples demonstrate that the filtered time integration control leads to performance similar to that of passive viscous damping and substantial amplification of the damper deformation without actuator drift. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.