Neurocontrol for lateral vehicle guidance

A solution to autonomous lateral vehicle guidance using a neurocontroller that can learn from measured human-driving data without knowledge of the physical car parameters is discussed. Simulations and practical tests confirm that a small-size feedforward autonomous neural network (21 neurons) can learn to steer a vehicle at high speeds only from looking at human-driving examples. In this way, the network learns the total closed-loop behavior, including the nonlinear dynamics of the vehicle and the driver's individual driving style. The main result of practical investigations is that the neutral controller trained on human-driving examples exhibits an aperiodic behavior that does not vanish at higher speeds (tests performed up to 130 km/h) and produces fewer lateral deviations than the linear state controller     

Hilfsmittel zum Auffinden einer ersten Gestalt beim methodischen Konstruieren: Gestaltbeeinflussung durch die Verwendung physikalischer Effekte

Zusammenfassung Ziel des Teilvorhabens, über das hier berichtet wird, was es, für eine Auswahl von physikalischen Effekten eine Zuordnung von gestaltbeeinflussenden Merkmalen auf sehr abstrakter Ebene zu erreichen und damit eine n?here Charakterisierung der Wirkfl?chen und Wirkr?ume zu erreichen die zur Umsetzung eines physikalischen Effektes notwendig sind. Die hieraus resultierenden Ergebnisse sind dem Abschlu?bericht zu entnehmen [1]. Weiterführende Themen, die basierend auf den vorliegenden Erkenntnissen bearbeitet werden, haben zum Ziel, die wesentlichen und entscheidenden Parameter einer Konstruktionsaufgabe zu erkennen und zukünftig zielgerichtet L?sungsvarianten zu erstellen, um somit für eine Neukonstruktion sinnvolle L?sungsfelder sehr frühzeitig abzugrenzen.     

Phase Shifter for a 915 MHz Phased Array Hyperthermia System

This paper describes a design for an analog phase shifter operating at 915 MHz and suitable for use in a phased array microwave hyperthermia system. Here, the major operating constraint was minimization of amplitude variation over a 1800 phase shift, whereas previous phase shifters were designed to obtain a linear relationship between phase and control voltage. The result is a simple, inexpensive hybrid coupler phase shifter that operates over a narrow bandwidth and provides 180°of continuous phase shift with input powers up to 1 W.     

Children's use of dispositions to predict classmates' behavior.

Kindergartners, 3rd, and 6th graders chose classmates whom they would and would not like to have on their team for an academic contest and as playmates. Ss also rated their classmates on likableness and academic ability. At all ages, children's choices for the academic competition and the play situation were significantly associated with their ratings of their classmates' academic and social competence, respectively. Ss typically referred to academic abilities to explain their teammate choices for the academic contest and to social competence or friendship to explain playmate choices. Questions about the stability of classmates' academic and social competencies revealed that not until 6th grade did Ss indicate that there are limits in the degree to which academic and social competencies could improve with effort. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Engineering Design Curriculum for the Elementary Grades

The United States has historically excelled in the design of products, processes and new technologies. Capitalizing on this historical strength to teach applied mathematics and science has many positive implications on education. First, engineering design can be used as a vehicle for addressing deficiencies in mathematics and science education. Second, as achievement in mathematics and science is enhanced, a greater number of students at an earlier age will be exposed to technical career opportunities. Third, enhancing elementary and secondary curricula with engineering design can attract underrepresented populations, such as minorities and females, to engineering as a profession. This paper describes a new and innovative engineering design curriculum, under development in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in Austin, TX. The philosophic goals upon which the curriculum is based include: integrating the design problem-solving process into elementary schools, demonstrating the relationship of technical concepts to daily life, availing teachers with instructional strategies for teaching applied (as opposed to purely theoretical) science and mathematics, and teaching teamwork skills that are so greatly needed in industry and everyday life. Based on these goals, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade engineering design lessons have been piloted in AISD, in conjunction with a University of Texas program for teacher enhancement and preparation.     

The computer — a new tool for visual art

The article points out some new possibilities for using computers as an instrument for visual art, especially stressing the mathematical method of picture synthesis. It is illustrated with results of recent computer art by Herbert W. Franke and Horst Helbig.     

Geographic distribution and clinical description of leishmaniasis cases in Peru

Asymmetric acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is anchored to the basal lamina (BL) of cholinergic synapses via its collagenic tail, yet the complement of matrix receptors involved in its attachment remains unknown. The development of a novel overlay technique has allowed us to identify two Torpedo BL components that bind asymmetric AChE: a polypeptide of approximately 140 kDa and a doublet of 195-215 kDa. These were found to stain metachromatically with Coomassie blue R-250, were solubilized by acetic acid, and were sensitive to collagenase treatment. Upon sequence analysis, the 140 kDa polypeptide yielded a characteristic collagenous motif. Another AChE-binding BL constituent, identified by overlay, corresponded to a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Lastly, we established that this proteoglycan, but not the collagenous proteins, interacted with at least one heparin binding domain of the collagenic tail of AChE. Our results indicate that at least two BL receptors are likely to exist for asymmetric AChE in Torpedo electric organ.     

Improving sub-pixel accuracy for long range stereo

Dense stereo algorithms are able to estimate disparities at all pixels including untextured regions. Typically these disparities are evaluated at integer disparity steps. A subsequent sub-pixel interpolation often fails to propagate smoothness constraints on a sub-pixel level.We propose to increase the sub-pixel accuracy in low-textured regions in four possible ways: First, we present an analysis that shows the benefit of evaluating the disparity space at fractional disparities. Second, we introduce a new disparity smoothing algorithm that preserves depth discontinuities and enforces smoothness on a sub-pixel level. Third, we present a novel stereo constraint (gravitational constraint) that assumes sorted disparity values in vertical direction and guides global algorithms to reduce false matches, especially in low-textured regions. Finally, we show how image sequence analysis improves stereo accuracy without explicitly performing tracking. Our goal in this work is to obtain an accurate 3D reconstruction. Large-scale 3D reconstruction will benefit heavily from these sub-pixel refinements.Results based on semi-global matching, obtained with the above mentioned algorithmic extensions are shown for the Middlebury stereo ground truth data sets. The presented improvements, called ImproveSubPix, turn out to be one of the top-performing algorithms when evaluating the set on a sub-pixel level while being computationally efficient. Additional results are presented for urban scenes. The four improvements are independent of the underlying type of stereo algorithm.     

An architecture modeling framework for probabilistic prediction

In the design phase of business and IT system development, it is desirable to predict the properties of the system-to-be. A number of formalisms to assess qualities such as performance, reliability and security have therefore previously been proposed. However, existing prediction systems do not allow the modeler to express uncertainty with respect to the design of the considered system. Yet, in contemporary business, the high rate of change in the environment leads to uncertainties about present and future characteristics of the system, so significant that ignoring them becomes problematic. In this paper, we propose a formalism, the Predictive, Probabilistic Architecture Modeling Framework (P²AMF), capable of advanced and probabilistically sound reasoning about business and IT architecture models, given in the form of Unified Modeling Language class and object diagrams. The proposed formalism is based on the Object Constraint Language (OCL). To OCL, P²AMF adds a probabilistic inference mechanism. The paper introduces P²AMF, describes its use for system property prediction and assessment and proposes an algorithm for probabilistic inference.