Predicting and interpreting identification errors in military vehicle training using multidimensional scaling

We compared methods for predicting and understanding the source of confusion errors during military vehicle identification training. Participants completed training to identify main battle tanks. They also completed card-sorting and similarity-rating tasks to express their mental representation of resemblance across the set of training items. We expected participants to selectively attend to a subset of vehicle features during these tasks, and we hypothesised that we could predict identification confusion errors based on the outcomes of the card-sort and similarity-rating tasks. Based on card-sorting results, we were able to predict about 45% of observed identification confusions. Based on multidimensional scaling of the similarity-rating data, we could predict more than 80% of identification confusions. These methods also enabled us to infer the dimensions receiving significant attention from each participant. This understanding of mental representation may be crucial in creating personalised training that directs attention to features that are critical for accurate identification.

Practitioner Summary: Participants completed military vehicle identification training and testing, along with card-sorting and similarity-rating tasks. The data enabled us to predict up to 84% of identification confusion errors and to understand the mental representation underlying these errors. These methods have potential to improve training and reduce identification errors leading to fratricide.     

Testing usability and trainability of indirect touch interaction: perspective for the next generation of air traffic control systems

This study aims to determine whether indirect touch device can be used to interact with graphical objects displayed on another screen in an air traffic control (ATC) context. The introduction of such a device likely requires an adaptation of the sensory-motor system. The operator has to simultaneously perform movements on the horizontal plane while assessing them on the vertical plane. Thirty-six right-handed participants performed movement training with either constant or variable practice and with or without visual feedback of the displacement of their actions. Participants then performed a test phase without visual feedback. Performance improved in both practice conditions, but accuracy was higher with visual feedback. During the test phase, movement time was longer for those who had practiced with feedback, suggesting an element of dependency. However, this ‘cost’ of feedback did not extend to movement accuracy. Finally, participants who had received variable training performed better in the test phase, but accuracy was still unsatisfactory. We conclude that continuous visual feedback on the stylus position is necessary if tablets are to be introduced in ATC.     

碳酸钙填充塑料成本分析

碳酸钙粉体经过活化、造粒处理填充到聚乙烯薄膜,可使填充制品成本降低。随着填料的增加,其加工性能逐渐变差,单位质量塑料产品体积减小。经测算,使用填充剂后成本的降低足以弥补因体积减小产生的损失。对于薄膜制品而言,填充量小于10%效益增加不明显;超过30%,则不容易稳定成膜,影响成品质量。     

On the performance of economic model predictive control with self-tuning terminal cost

In this paper, we analyze the closed-loop performance of a recently introduced economic model predictive control (MPC) scheme with self-tuning terminal cost. To this end, we propose to use a generalized terminal region constraint instead of a generalized terminal equality constraint within the repeatedly solved optimization problem, which allows us to obtain improved closed-loop asymptotic average performance bounds. In particular, these bounds can be obtained a priori. We discuss how the necessary parameters for the generalized terminal region setting can be calculated, and we illustrate our findings with two numerical examples.     

双边剪智能剪切控制功能的研发与应用

在宽厚板项目中,双边剪用来剪切钢板两个纵边,以达到厂家要求的钢板宽度。本文除了介绍宽厚板双边剪的系统配置及功能特点外,主要阐述智能剪切的自动控制。本着降本增效的原则,开发一种新的主传动控制模式,优化双边剪电机剪切程序,在钢板厚度满足设定条件的前提下,固定侧与移动侧各采用一组电机驱动剪刃,并且实现主从电机智能激活切换模式,以满足生产需要。经实践证明,优化后的控制系统不仅提高了生产效率,还实现了节能降耗、安全生产的目的。     

Adaptive training interfaces for less-experienced,elderly users of electronic devices

A great number of complex electronic devices are now part of our everyday lives. While many of us learn to handle these products by trial and error; others, especially older users with little experience in using electronic devices, need support. In order to allow the user maximum flexibility in terms of learning time and location, a training programme is presented which is implemented as part of the software embedded in the product itself. Particular focus is placed on the effect of adaptive training on learning. In this study, the training versions differed in their ability to adjust their complexity to the user's experience (adaptive user interface complexity) and their capability to support the learner by prompting them during the learning process (adaptive training advice). The results show that the adjustment of complexity had a positive effect on users’ experience: elderly users who trained with an adaptive interface were more successful in learning to use a mobile phone. Adaptive training advice, however, was found to have no significant effects on learners’ success and reduced their self-efficacy. This work offers guidelines on how to design integrated training applications for electronic devices that successfully help elderly users with little prior experience.     

H.264/SVC mode decision based on mode correlation and desired mode list

Design of video encoders involves implementation of fast mode decision (FMD) algorithm to reduce computation complexity while maintaining the performance of the coding. Although H.264/scalable video coding (SVC) achieves high scalability and coding efficiency, it also has high complexity in implementing its exhaustive computation. In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed to reduce the redundant candidate modes by making use of the correlation among layers. A desired mode list is created based on the probability to be the best mode for each block in base layer and a candidate mode selection in the enhancement layer by the correlations of modes among reference frame and current frame. Our algorithm is implemented in joint scalable video model (JSVM) 9.19.15 reference software and the performance is evaluated based on the average encoding time, peak signal to noise ration (PSNR) and bit rate. The experimental results show 41.89% improvement in encoding time with minimal loss of 0.02 dB in PSNR and 0.05% increase in bit rate.     

浅谈《建设工程施工合同》中的合同价确定方式的区别与应用

作为《建设工程施工合同》订立的核心内容,如果合同造价确定得合理,就会对施工过程中的变更以及工程竣工后的结算提供便利。在目前以发包商（项目开发商）占主导地位的建筑领域,对如何才能找到一条相对合理的方法来确定最终的合同总造价,哪种造价才是相对公平、合理而又不失灵活性等内容进行了探讨。     

探讨电力教育培训工作问题及解决措施

电力企业属于技术密集型企业,企业的健康、稳定发展需要有足够的人力资源作为支撑。人力资源是电力企业的核心竞争力,而开展教育培训工作则是提高电力企业人力资本的有效途径,是增强电力企业核心竞争力的有效手段。分析、探讨了电力教育培训工作中存在的问题,提出了相应的解决措施。