Entrepreneurship in Architectural Robotics: The Simultaneity of Craft,Economics and Design

What do Odico Formwork Robotics, RoboFold, Machineous, ROB Technologies and GREYSHED share in common? They are all architectural robotics startups. Jelle Feringa , Chief Technology Officer at Odico, places the phenomenon of the architectural robotics entrepreneur in a historical and cultural context while highlighting the very practical role startups are poised to play in bridging the gap between academic research and industry, by providing the building industry with much needed new software tools.     

Top-down vs bottom-up methodologies in multi-agent system design

Traditionally, two alternative design approaches have been available to engineers: top-down and bottom-up. In the top-down approach, the design process starts with specifying the global system state and assuming that each component has global knowledge of the system, as in a centralized approach. The solution is then decentralized by replacing global knowledge with communication. In the bottom-up approach, on the other hand, the design starts with specifying requirements and capabilities of individual components, and the global behavior is said to emerge out of interactions among constituent components and between components and the environment. In this paper we present a comparative study of both approaches with particular emphasis on applications to multi-agent system engineering and robotics. We outline the generic characteristics of both approaches from the MAS perspective, and identify three elements that we believe should serve as criteria for how and when to apply either of the approaches. We demonstrate our analysis on a specific example of load balancing problem in robotics. We also show that under certain assumptions on the communication and the external environment, both bottom-up and top-down methodologies produce very similar solutions.

增强增韧尼龙66工程塑料流变行为的研究

对以合金化技术改性所得增强增韧尼龙６６进行流变行为研究的结果表明，填充玻纤，可使其增强，但使流动性能下降：共混接枝聚丙烯，可使其增韧，并改善加工流动性，填充超细滑石粉，除有一定增强作用外，也使加工流动性，制品表面光滑程度和尺寸稳定性得到改善。填充共混的协同作用使改性尼龙６６有较好的综合性能。     

情感化设计在儿童医疗产品中的应用研究

目的 探究情感化理论在儿童医疗产品设计中的应用方法,达到减轻患病儿童在治疗过程中产生的焦虑和恐惧心理,积极配合治疗的目的。方法 首先,用文献分析法对儿童医疗产品设计现状、儿童医疗产品的目标用户特征,以及情感化设计层次理论进行分析梳理;其次,结合案例分析,系统提炼和总结儿童医疗产品情感化设计的方法;最后,进行设计实践,佐证上述设计方法。结论 儿童医疗产品情感化设计需要对诺曼的3个层次进行系统把握,本能层设计上,从医疗产品的形态、色彩、材质和尺寸要素,整体构建愉悦感官体验;行为层设计上,用简约的功能和流程、人性化和趣味化的交互、及时的提示和反馈,共同营造良好使用体验;反思层设计上,通过产品形象象征、提升用户参与度和故事扮演的方法,系统塑造深层情感体验。     

Simulation of a non-Gaussian stochastic process based on a combined distribution of the UHPM and the GBD

To simulate non-Gaussian stochastic processes based on the first four moments, various simulation methods are presented, in which the determination of the transformation model and the calculation of the correlation coefficients between non-Gaussian stochastic processes and Gaussian stochastic processes are the critical procedures in these simulation methods. However, some existing simulation methods are limited to specific ranges. Furthermore, their practical applications are affected negatively due to the expensive cost of determining the transformation model and the correlation coefficients between non-Gaussian and Gaussian stochastic processes. Therefore, an accurate and efficient simulation method of a non-Gaussian stochastic process with a broader range is proposed in this article. Since the simulation of non-Gaussian processes and the Nataf transformation of non-Gaussian variables have some similar characteristics, a new combined distribution is proposed based on the unified Hermite polynomial model (UHPM) and the generalized beta distribution (GBD). Then, the combined distribution is employed in the simulation of non-Gaussian stochastic processes, in which the transformation model is deduced by the combined distribution. The correlation coefficient transformation function (CCTF) between the Gaussian and non-Gaussian stochastic processes can be evaluated through the interpolation method. Furthermore, numerical examples are presented to show the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed simulation method for non-Gaussian stochastic processes.     

粉末材料中微夹杂缺陷的超声波检验

介绍了用超声波方法检测微夹杂缺陷的一些试验结果，比较了不同频率、不同试验方法检测能力的差异，并通过解剖试验对检出缺陷的性质、尺寸作了比较。     

Post‐buckling optimization of composite structures using Koiter's method

Thin‐walled structures, when compressed, are prone to buckling. To fully utilize the capabilities of such structures, the post‐buckling response should be considered and optimized in the design process. This work presents a novel method for gradient‐based design optimization of the post‐buckling performance of structures. The post‐buckling analysis is based on Koiter's asymptotic method. To perform gradient‐based optimization, the design sensitivities of the Koiter factors are derived, and new design optimization formulations based on the Koiter factors are presented. The proposed optimization formulations are demonstrated on a composite square plate and a curved panel where the post‐buckling stability is optimized. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal performance indicators for refrigerated road vehicles

An experimental evaluation of insulation effectiveness, pull-down times and effectiveness of a mechanical refrigeration unit was performed on five refrigerated panel vans. Additionally, a mapping of temperature variability in the cargo space was carried out during a simulated journey encompassing several door openings. The temperature variability measured in the vans was neither correlated to the effectiveness of the insulation nor the time required to achieve complete cooling of the cargo space. These criteria are common thermal performance indicators used to evaluate refrigerated vehicles in international standards. The efficiency of insulation was correlated to the pull-down times, presenting the possibility of calculating the former as a function of the latter. The temperature variability was correlated with the time required for the unit to recover temperature control after a door opening and the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures reached during a door opening cycle.     

基于APDL的3-RPS并联机构参数化建模

在3-RPS并联机构位置反解模型的基础上,运用APDL语言完成该机构的整体三维建模设计,在ANSYS中实现了有限元建模和分析的参数化。将参数化设计引入到有限元分析中,实现结构参数快速调整,自动生成分析模型,增强了有限元分析的准确性。该方法对并联机构的研发有一定的指导意义。