A Case Study in Optimization of Gait and Physical Parameters for a Snake-Inspired Robot Based on a Rectilinear Gait

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James K. Hopkins ◽  
Brent W. Spranklin ◽  
Satyandra K. Gupta

Physical parameters of the constituent modules and gait parameters affect the overall performance of snake-inspired robots. Hence, a system-level optimization model needs to concurrently optimize the module parameters and the gait. Incorporating a physics-based model of rectilinear gaits in the system-level optimization model is a computationally challenging problem. This paper presents a case study to illustrate how metamodels of the precomputed optimal rectilinear gaits can be utilized to reduce the complexity of the system-level optimization model. An example is presented to illustrate the importance of concurrently optimizing the module parameters and the gait to obtain the optimal performance for a given mission.

Author(s):  
James K. Hopkins ◽  
Brent W. Spranklin ◽  
Satyandra K. Gupta

Physical parameters of modules and gait parameters affect the overall snake-inspired robot performance. Hence the system-level optimization model has to concurrently optimize the module parameters and the gait. The equations of motion associated with the rectilinear gait are quite complex due to the changing topology of the rectilinear gait. Embedding these equations in the system-level optimization model leads to a computationally challenging formulation. This paper presents a system-level optimization model that utilizes a hierarchical optimization approach and meta-models of the pre-computed optimal gaits to reduce the complexity of the optimization model. This approach enabled us to use an experimentally validated physics-based model of the rectilinear gait and yet at the same time enabled us to create a system-level optimization model with a manageable complexity. A detailed case study is presented to show the importance of concurrently optimizing the module parameters and the gait using our model to obtain the optimal performance for a given mission.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-114
Author(s):  
Lal Mohan Baral ◽  
Ramzan Muhammad ◽  
Claudiu Vasile Kifor ◽  
Ioan Bondrea

AbstractProblem-based learning as a teaching tool is now used globally in many areas of higher education. It provides an opportunity for students to explore technical problems from a system-level perspective and to be self-directed life-long learner which is mandatory for equipping engineering students with the skill and knowledge. This paper presents a case study illustrating the effectiveness of implemented Problem-based learning (PBL) during five semesters in the undergraduate programs of Textile Engineering in Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST). An assessment has been done on the basis of feedback from the students as well as their employers by conducting an empirical survey for the evaluation of PBL impact to enhance the student's competencies. The Evaluations indicate that students have achieved remarkable competencies through PBL practices which helped them to be competent in their professional life.


Author(s):  
Marie-Pascale Chagny ◽  
John A. Naoum

Abstract Over the years, failures induced by an electrostatic discharge (ESD) have become a major concern for semiconductor manufacturers and electronic equipment makers. The ESD events that cause destructive failures have been studied extensively [1, 2]. However, not all ESD events cause permanent damage. Some events lead to recoverable failures that disrupt system functionality only temporarily (e.g. reboot, lockup, and loss of data). These recoverable failures are not as well understood as the ones causing permanent damage and tend to be ignored in the ESD literature [3, 4]. This paper analyzes and characterizes how these recoverable failures affect computer systems. An experimental methodology is developed to characterize the sensitivity of motherboards to ESD by simulating the systemlevel ESD events induced by computer users. The manuscript presents a case study where this methodology was used to evaluate the robustness of desktop computers to ESD. The method helped isolate several weak nets contributing to the failures and identified a design improvement. The result was that the robustness of the systems improved by a factor of 2.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 563
Author(s):  
Alejandro Zunino ◽  
Guillermo Velázquez ◽  
Juan Pablo Celemín ◽  
Cristian Mateos ◽  
Matías Hirsch ◽  
...  

Recent Web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript, and WebGL have enabled powerful and highly dynamic Web mapping applications executing on standard Web browsers. Despite the complexity for developing such applications has been greatly reduced by Web mapping libraries, developers face many choices to achieve optimal performance and network usage. This scenario is even more complex when considering different representations of geographical data (raster, raw data or vector) and variety of devices (tablets, smartphones, and personal computers). This paper compares the performance and network usage of three popular JavaScript Web mapping libraries for implementing a Web map using different representations for geodata, and executing on different devices. In the experiments, Mapbox GL JS achieved the best overall performance on mid and high end devices for displaying raster or vector maps, while OpenLayers was the best for raster maps on all devices. Vector-based maps are a safe bet for new Web maps, since performance is on par with raster maps on mid-end smartphones, with significant less network bandwidth requirements.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-62
Author(s):  
Yuki Ando ◽  
Masataka Ogawa ◽  
Yuya Mizoguchi ◽  
Kouta Kumagai ◽  
Miaw Torng-Der ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandul Yasobant ◽  
Walter Bruchhausen ◽  
Deepak Saxena ◽  
Farjana Zakir Memon ◽  
Timo Falkenberg

Abstract Background Community health workers (CHWs) are the mainstay of the public health system, serving for decades in low-resource countries. Their multi-dimensional work in various health care services, including the prevention of communicable diseases and health promotion of non-communicable diseases, makes CHWs, the frontline workers in their respective communities in India. As India is heading towards the development of One Health (OH), this study attempted to provide an insight into potential OH activists (OHA) at the community level. Thus, this case study in one of India’s western cities, Ahmedabad, targeted identifying OHA by exploring the feasibility and the motivation of CHWs in a local setting. Methods This case study explores two major CHWs, i.e., female (Accredited Social Health Activists/ASHA) health workers (FHWs) and male (multipurpose) health workers (MHWs), on their experience and motivation for becoming an OHA. The data were collected between September 2018 and August 2019 through a mixed design, i.e., quantitative data (cross-sectional structured questionnaire) followed by qualitative data (focus group discussion with a semi-structured interview guide). Results The motivation of the CHWs for liaisoning as OHA was found to be low; however, the FHWs have a higher mean motivation score [40 (36–43)] as compared to MHWs [37 (35–40)] out of a maximum score of 92. Although most CHWs have received zoonoses training or contributed to zoonoses prevention campaigns, their awareness level was found to be different among male and female health workers. Comparing the female and male health workers to act as OHA, higher motivational score, multidisciplinary collaborative work experience, and way for incentive generation documented among the female health workers. Conclusion ASHAs were willing to accept the additional new liaison role of OHAs if measures like financial incentives and improved recognition are provided. Although this study documented various systemic factors at the individual, community, and health system level, which might, directly and indirectly, impact the acceptance level to act as OHA, they need to be accounted for in the policy regime.


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