Iterative Fuzzy Clustering Algorithm With Supervision to Construct Probabilistic Fuzzy Rule Base From Numerical Data

To deal with data patterns with linguistic ambiguity and with probabilistic uncertainty in a single framework, we construct an interpretable probabilistic fuzzy rule-based system that requires less human intervention and less prior knowledge than other state of the art methods. Specifically, we present a new iterative fuzzy clustering algorithm that incorporates a supervisory scheme into an unsupervised fuzzy clustering process. The learning process starts in a fully unsupervised manner using fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm and a cluster validity criterion, and then gradually constructs meaningful fuzzy partitions over the input space. The corresponding fuzzy rules with probabilities are obtained through an iterative learning process of selecting clusters with supervisory guidance based on the notions of cluster-pureness and class-separability. The proposed algorithm is tested first with synthetic data sets and benchmark data sets from the UCI Repository of Machine Learning Database and then, with real facial expression data and TV viewing data.     

Decentralized Iterative Learning Control to Large-Scale Industrial Processes for Nonrepetitive Trajectory Tracking

In the procedure of steady-state hierarchical optimization with feedback for a large-scale industrial process, it is usual that a sequence of step set-point changes is carried out and used by the decision-making units while searching the eventual optimum. In this case, the real process experiences a form of disturbances around its operating set-point. In order to improve the dynamic performance of transient responses for such a large-scale system driven by the set-point changes, an open-loop proportional integral derivative-type iterative learning control (ILC) strategy is explored in this paper by considering the different magnitudes of the controller's step set-point change sequence. Utilizing the Hausdorff-Young inequality of convolution integral, the convergence of the algorithm is derived in the sense of Lebesgue-P norm. Furthermore, the extended higher order ILC rule is developed, and the convergence is analyzed. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed ILC strategies can remarkably improve the dynamic performance such as decreasing the overshoot, accelerating the transient response, shortening the settling time, etc.     

ULTRASOUND IN THE SUSPENSION SEPARATION METHODS

Investigations were carried out on the effect of the ultrasonic field and some selected chemical compounds on the process of preparing sludges to be dewatered by mechanical devices.

The tests; were performed in a laboratory on real sludges. The processes occurring in sludges due to presence of ultrasonic field and applied chemical reagents were determined on the basis of a commonly used method of determining the sludge dewatering, in both filtration and sedimentation.

The interdependences of value changes of the above mentioned factors and the possibilities of applying ultrasonic waves to intensifying sludge dewatering process were examined. The obtained results confirm the applicability of ultrasonic waves to the process of sludge treatment and prove that the initial assumptions concerning the use of ultrasonic field in the suspension separation methods to be valid.     

Cryogenic Yb3+-Doped Solid-State Lasers

Cryogenically cooled solid-state lasers promise a revolution in power scalability while maintaining a good beam quality because of significant improvements in efficiency and thermo-optic properties. This is particularly true for Yb lasers because of their relatively low quantum defect and relatively broadband absorption even at cryogenic temperatures. Thermo-optic properties of host materials, including thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, and refractive index at low temperature, are reviewed and data presented for YAG (ceramic and single crystal), GGG, GdVO₄, and Y₂O₃. Spectroscopic properties of Yb:YAG and Yb:LiYF₄ (YLF) including absorption cross sections, emission cross sections, and fluorescence lifetimes at cryogenic temperatures are characterized. Recent experiments have pushed the power from an end-pumped cryogenically cooled Yb:YAG laser to 455-W continuous-wave output power from 640-W incident pump power at an of M² 1.4.     

Fabrication of Hollow Microporous Carbon Spheres from Hyper‐Crosslinked Microporous Polymers

Porous carbon materials prepared from the porous organic polymers are currently the subject of extensive investigation. On the basis of their interesting applications, it is highly desirable to develop new synthetic methodologies to obtain carbon materials with controllable pore size and morphology. Herein, a facile synthesis of hollow microporous carbon spheres (HCSs) from hollow microporous organic capsules (HMOCs) with a good control over the pore morphology, hollow cavity, and the shell thickness is reported. The highly porous hollow carbon spheres are prepared by the pyrolysis of HMOCs‐based microporous polymers. The synthetic parameters, such as hypercrosslinking and pyrolysis conditions, are optimized to modify the porous structures and the properties. The morphology and porosity as well as energy storage applications of the microporous structures HCSs, derived through a combination of divinylbenzene‐crosslinking and micropore‐generating hypercrosslinking, are discussed. These findings provide a new benchmark for fabricating well‐defined HCSs with great promise for various applications.     

Silver (Ag) as a novel masking material in glass etching for microfluidics applications

In this paper, we report the use of a single masking film for deep glass etching in hydrofluoric acid (HF). Thin film silver (Ag) is the key masking material in this work enabling a simple and low cost fabrication of microfluidic structures. The Ag film was deposited by evaporation and etched in a diluted nitric acid and de-ionized water solution at a ratio of 1:3. Surface morphology for different thicknesses of Ag film and its correlation to the maximum achievable etch depth is analyzed. AFM results shows low roughness values (<5 nm), indicating the Ag films are of smooth surface. With a 100 nm Ag film, a 220 μm etch depth in borosilicate glass substrates were produced and by further thickening the Ag to 300 nm, etch depths exceeding 300 μm were successfully achieved. SEM images show that thinner Ag films are of finer grains, potentially a source for pinholes formation where rapid penetration of HF along the grain boundaries peels off the Ag film from the glass surface. However, the Ag film was found not to react with HF. The process was demonstrated in the fabrication of cavities for integration with other microfluidic devices.     

A computational method for infinite-time optimal regulation problems

It is shown that, when an infinite-time optimal regulation problem is solved via a method of increasing the terminal time tfof a corresponding finite-time problem, convergence can be accelerated by incorporating a quadratic terminal weightx(t_{f})^{T} Px(t_{f}), wherePis the steady-state solution of the Riccati equation for a corresponding truncated linear quadratic problem.     

Frequency-narrowed diode array bar

We describe a method to frequency narrow multielement high-power diode bars. Using a commercial 60-W, 49-element, 1-cm-long diode array bar at 795 nm running at 45 W, we narrow the linewidth from 1000 to 64 GHz with only a loss of 33% in output power. The resulting laser light is well suited for spin-exchange optical pumping of noble gas nuclei.