Robust stability of systems with delayed feedback

Some issues in the stability of differential delay systems in the linear and the nonlinear case are investigated. In particular, sufficient robustness conditions are derived under which a system remains stable, independent of the length of the delay(s). Applications in the design of delayed feedback systems are given. Two approaches are presented, one based on Lyapunov theory, the other on a transformation to Jordan form. In the former, sufficient conditions are obtained in the form of certain Riccati-type equations.     

Nonlinear black-box modeling in system identification: a unified overview

A nonlinear black-box structure for a dynamical system is a model structure that is prepared to describe virtually any nonlinear dynamics. There has been considerable recent interest in this area, with structures based on neural networks, radial basis networks, wavelet networks and hinging hyperplanes, as well as wavelet-transform-based methods and models based on fuzzy sets and fuzzy rules. This paper describes all these approaches in a common framework, from a user's perspective. It focuses on what are the common features in the different approaches, the choices that have to be made and what considerations are relevant for a successful system-identification application of these techniques. It is pointed out that the nonlinear structures can be seen as a concatenation of a mapping form observed data to a regression vector and a nonlinear mapping from the regressor space to the output space. These mappings are discussed separately. The latter mapping is usually formed as a basis function expansion. The basis functions are typically formed from one simple scalar function, which is modified in terms of scale and location. The expansion from the scalar argument to the regressor space is achieved by a radial- or a ridge-type approach. Basic techniques for estimating the parameters in the structures are criterion minimization, as well as two-step procedures, where first the relevant basis functions are determined, using data, and then a linear least-squares step to determine the coordinates of the function approximation. A particular problem is to deal with the large number of potentially necessary parameters. This is handled by making the number of ‘used’ parameters considerably less than the number of ‘offered’ parameters, by regularization, shrinking, pruning or regressor selection.     

Photoalignment dynamics of azo dyes series with different coordination metals

There are many photoaligned azo dyes that can be used for orientation of liquid crystals in various display devices. However, the structure of these compounds needs to be optimized to increase the rate of the process of molecule photoalignment, as well as to spread the application of these compounds. The main coordination metal that presents in the molecules of azo dyes is sodium derivatives. The use of other alkali metals remains an open question. We used quantum‐chemical computation methods and reversible intermolecular bonding model to determine the effect of metal coordination on the velocity of photoalignment. The theoretical predictions were experimentally verified using sodium, potassium, lithium, and cesium salts of the model azo dye synthesized by us. We conclude that potassium azo derivatives are the fastest, ceteris paribus.     

Computer mediated communication for social and academic purposes: Profiles of use and University students’ gratifications

The present study approaches the Internet as a social space, where university students make use of computer mediated communication (CMC) applications, i.e. e-mail, instant messaging and social network sites, in order to satisfy social and academic needs. We focus on university students, because they represent one of the most avid groups of CMC users and additionally, because they are expected to carry their perceptions of media with them into the work place and their social life. In order to investigate this issue, we conducted an empirical research using, as a target group, a sample of students from a specific Greek University. Grounded in the “uses and gratifications” perspective, we investigated the various profiles of CMC use by students along with (a) the students’ perceptions about social and academic usefulness of CMC applications, (b) the extent up to which these perceptions are correlated with students’ prior experience with the use of CMC applications, and (c) how both of these factors can predict the frequency of present use of CMC for social or academic purposes respectively. The results reveal that although these three CMC applications constitute “functional alternatives” (media that satisfy similar needs) they are different to the degree of their “functionality” for the gratification of social and academic needs. Furthermore, the degree of CMC use by students is not correlated with the years of CMC experience, but with the profile of use that students dynamically adopt according to their daily needs and preferences. The results provide evidence for the current CMC use by university students and can be useful for the implementation of further academic policies regarding CMC use in Higher Education settings.     

1,2,3-Triazolium-based poly(acrylate ionic liquid)s

Nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of a tailor-made acrylate carrying a 1,2,3-triazole group with an undecanoyl spacer affords a well-defined (M_n = 7860 g mol⁻¹ and D = 1.39) neutral polyacrylate precursor. A series of 1,2,3-triazolium-based poly(ionic liquid)s (TPILs) is then obtained by straightforward quaternization of the 1,2,3-triazole groups with methyl iodide and subsequent anion metathesis reactions. Among the prepared materials, TPIL with bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide anion exhibits low glass transition temperature (T_g = −40 °C), high thermal stability (T_d10 = 325 °C) and anhydrous ionic conductivity of 4 × 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and broadband dielectric spectroscopy, respectively.     

Pentadecane functionalized graphite oxide sheets as a tool for the preparation of electrical conductive polyethylene/graphite oxide composites

Covalent functionalization of pentadecane-decorated thermally reduced graphite oxide (GO) sheets has been studied as a tool for the preparation of polyethylene/GO composites exhibiting rheological and electrical percolation thresholds. It was accomplished through pentadecane based radical addition onto unsaturated bonds located on the GO sheets' surface using dicumyl peroxide as hydrogen abstractor. This chemical functionalization influences the affinity of the formed pentadecane grafted GO sheets for various solvents. Then, the compounding of the composites pentadecane grafted GO/PE was performed at a processing temperature of 140 °C with 25, 20, 15, 10, 8 and 5 wt% loadings. Rheological and electrical percolation thresholds were found between 10 and 15 wt% for polyethylene/pentadecane functionalized graphene oxide composites while the composite graphite/PE at the same loading percentage did not reach any percolation threshold.     

Non-asymptotic confidence bounds for the optimal value of a stochastic program

We discuss a general approach to building non-asymptotic confidence bounds for Stochastic Optimization problems. Our principal contribution is the observation that a Sample Average Approximation of a problem supplies upper and lower bounds for the optimal value of the problem which are essentially better than the quality of the corresponding optimal solutions. At the same time, such bounds are more reliable than ‘standard’ confidence bounds obtained through the asymptotic approach. We also discuss bounding the optimal value of MinMax Stochastic Optimization and stochastically constrained problems. We conclude with a simulation study illustrating the numerical behaviour of the proposed bounds.     

The CAM-Brain Machine (CBM): An FPGA Based Tool for Evolving a 75 Million Neuron Artificial Brain to Control a Lifesized Kitten Robot

This article introduces the CAM-Brain Machine (CBM), an FPGA based piece of hardware which implements a genetic algorithm (GA) to evolve a cellular automata (CA) based neural network circuit module, of approximately 1,000 neurons, in about a second, i.e., a complete run of a GA, with 10,000s of circuit growths and performance evaluations. Up to 65,000 of these modules, each of which is evolved with a humanly specified function, can be downloaded into a large RAM space, and interconnected according to humanly specified artificial brain architectures. This RAM, containing an artificial brain with up to 75 million neurons, is then updated by the CBM at a rate of 130 billion CA cells per second. Such speeds should enable real time control of robots and hopefully the birth of a new research field that we call brain building. The first such artificial brain, to be built in 2000 and beyond, will be used to control the behaviors of a life sized robotkitten called Robokitty.     

An interior point technique for solving bilevel programming problems

This paper deals with bilevel programs with strictly convex lower level problems. We present the theoretical basis of a kind of necessary and sufficient optimality conditions that involve a single-level mathematical program satisfying the linear independence constraint qualification. These conditions are obtained by replacing the inner problem by their optimality conditions and relaxing their inequality constraints. An algorithm for the bilevel program, based on a well known technique for classical smooth constrained optimization, is also studied. The algorithm obtains a solution of this problem with an effort similar to that required by a classical well-behaved nonlinear constrained optimization problem. Several illustrative problems which include linear, quadratic and general nonlinear functions and constraints are solved, and very good results are obtained for all cases.