Approach to Automated Visual Inspection of Objects Based on Artificial Intelligence

The article discusses the possibility of object detector usage in field of automated visual inspection for objects with specific parameters, specifically various types of defects occurring on the surface of a car tire. Due to the insufficient amount of input data, as well as the need to speed up the development process, the Transfer Learning principle was applied in a designed system. In this approach, the already pre-trained convolutional neural network AlexNet was used, subsequently modified in its last three layers, and again trained on a smaller sample of our own data. The detector used in the designed camera inspection system with the above architecture allowed us to achieve the accuracy and versatility needed to detect elements (defects) whose shape, dimensions and location change with each occurrence. The design of a test facility with the application of a 12-megapixel monochrome camera over the rotational table is briefly described, whose task is to ensure optimal conditions during the scanning process. The evaluation of the proposed control system with the quantification of the recognition capabilities in the individual defects is described at the end of the study. The implementation and verification of such an approach together with the proposed methodology of the visual inspection process of car tires to obtain better classification results for six different defect classes can be considered as the main novel feature of the presented research. Subsequent testing of the designed system on a selected batch of sample images (containing all six types of possible defect) proved the functionality of the entire system while the highest values of successful defect detection certainty were achieved from 85.15% to 99.34%.

Research on the SOH Prediction Based on the Feature Points of Incremental Capacity Curve

The accurate prediction of the state of health (SOH) is an important basis for ensuring the normal operation of the lithium-ion battery (LIB). The accurate SOH can extend the life-span, ensure safety, and improve the performance of LIBs. The charging voltage curve and incremental capacity (IC) curve of the LIB in different SOH are obtained through experiments. The location parameters of each feature point on IC curve are closely related to battery aging, to characterize the SOH of the LIB with the location of feature points. To solve the difficulty in identifying feature points due to the oscillation in solving IC curves with a traditional numerical analytic method, the piecewise polynomial fitting method is adopted to smooth IC. To discuss the law between the location change of all feature points on the IC curve and the capacity attenuation, a capacity prediction regression model is established after the dimensionality reduction of the coordinate data of feature points on the IC curve with the principal component analysis method. The proposed method can rapidly estimate the online SOH of LIBs during the charging process of electric vehicles and the results show the maximum error is 0.63AH (3.15%).

The Research on Operation Automation Model for Information Equipment

Privilege control is an important problem to be solved in the operation of the intranet network of military industry. Solidifying the operation process and replacing the operation personnel with machines to complete configuration changes can reduce the frequency of manual operation by privileged personnel, thus limiting the operation privilege and improving the security of intranet network. Aiming at the high security and high efficiency requirements of operation of intranet information equipment, this paper designs an operation automation mode. Aiming at the problem that it is difficult for tools to adapt to heterogeneous equipment, this paper studies the commands adaptive technology for heterogeneous equipment based on abstract atomic operation. In addition, the model and technologies are verified by a specific scene of equipment location change. The results show that the above model and technologies achieve the goal of ensuring the security of operation and improving the efficiency of operation.

Rapid Fault Diagnosis Method of Elevator System Based on Multiattribute Decision Making

Fault tree analysis is often used in elevator fault diagnosis because of its simplicity and reliability. However, the traditional fault tree method has the problems of low efficiency due to ignoring location change of bottom events during troubleshooting. This paper proposes a rapid diagnosis method based on multiattribute decision making to solve the problem. The fault tree of the elevator system is constructed based on expert knowledge and multisource data, and the location-related matrix is constructed according to the complex vertical structure of the elevator. Then, the attributes of bottom events such as the failure probability, search cost, location time cost, and location-related attributes are comprehensively analyzed in this paper. Finally, the TOPSIS method for dynamic attributes is used based on the work above to achieve the optimal troubleshooting sequence of elevator vibration fault. The results show that the proposed method is more efficient when compared to the optimal troubleshooting sequence obtained by the traditional method.

Influence of the Selection of the Core Shape and Winding Arrangement on the Accuracy of Current Transformers with Through-Going Primary Cable

The current transformers with split-core are used for installation in places where it is impossible to install classic current transformers. Moreover, this design allows for any measurement location change, and even switching one current transformer into several different shapes of bars or cables. Power network operators, striving for more accurate current measurements, require producers to provide current transformers with a special accuracy class 0.2S. Therefore, manufacturers and designers try to meet the market requirements and, similarly to non-demountable current transformers, i.e., with a toroidal core, design current transformers with split-core class 0.2S. To meet the high metrological requirements, 3D analyses of electromagnetic fields were performed, taking into account physical phenomena and not approximate analytical models. Two types of cores and four different arrangements of the secondary windings of the measuring current transformers were considered. The magnetic field distributions, current error, and phase displacement diagrams of all current transformer models were analyzed, and the model of the transformer structure with the best accuracy was selected. Computations were conducted based on the finite element numerical method, and the results were compared with the real model tests.

Stimulus-driven updating of long-term context memories in visual search

Visual search for a target is faster when the spatial layout of nontarget items is repeatedly encountered, illustrating that learned contextual invariances can improve attentional selection (contextual cueing). This type of contextual learning is usually relatively efficient, but relocating the target to an unexpected location (within otherwise unchanged layouts) typically abolishes contextual cueing. Here, we explored whether bottom-up attentional guidance can mediate the efficient contextual adaptation after the change. Two experiments presented an initial learning phase, followed by a subsequent relocation phase that introduced target location changes. This location change was accompanied by transient attention-guiding signals that either up-modulated the changed target location (Experiment 1), or which provided an inhibitory tag to down-modulate the initial target location (Experiment 2). The results from these two experiments showed reliable contextual cueing both before and after the target location change. By contrast, an additional control experiment (Experiment 3) that did not present any attention-guiding signals together with the changed target showed no reliable cueing in the relocation phase, thus replicating previous findings. This pattern of results suggests that attentional guidance (by transient stimulus-driven facilitatory and inhibitory signals) enhances the flexibility of long-term contextual learning.

Polling place changes and political participation: evidence from North Carolina presidential elections, 2008–2016

How do changes in Election Day polling place locations affect voter turnout? We study the behavior of more than 2 million eligible voters across three closely-contested presidential elections (2008–2016) in the swing state of North Carolina. Leveraging within-voter variation in polling place location change over time, we demonstrate that polling place changes reduce Election Day voting on average statewide. However, this effect is almost completely offset by substitution into early voting, suggesting that voters, on average, respond to a change in their polling place by choosing to vote early. While there is heterogeneity in these effects by the distance of the polling place change and the race of the affected voter, the fully offsetting substitution into early voting still obtains. We theorize this is because voters whose polling places change location receive notification mailers, offsetting search costs and priming them to think about the election before election day, driving early voting.

THE FEATURES OF EFFECTIVENESS SUBSTANTIATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF RIVER PIERS OF ENTERPRISES

The relevance of the article arises from the need to increase the role of inland water transport in the general transport system by adequately effectiveness substantiation of different kinds of transport and switching cargo transportation to river transport. The aim is to substantiate the effectiveness of the piers construction owned by enterprises to overload goods. The article gives a methodology for determining the sources of cost savings for cargo owners when attracting goods to river transport along the entire logistics chain, including taking into account the forced construction of their own terminals by enterprises due to the observed location change or the complete absence of public ports. The information of the methodology testing results on the example of JSC «Vyksa Metallurgical Plant» is given.