Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Channel Estimation for Broadband Millimeter Wave MIMO Systems Based on High-Order PARALIND Model

Channel state information (CSI) is important to improve the performance of wireless transmission. However, the problems of high propagation path loss, multipath, and frequency selective fading make it difficult to obtain the CSI in broadband millimeter-wave (mmWave) system. Based on the inherent multidimensional structure of mmWave multipath channels and the correlation between channel dimensions, mmWave multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channels are modelled as high-order parallel profiles with linear dependence (PARALIND) model in this paper, and a new PARALIND-based channel estimation algorithm is proposed for broadband mmWave system. Due to the structural property of PARALIND model, the proposed algorithm firstly separates the multipath channels of different scatterers by PARALIND decomposition and then estimates the channel parameters from the factor matrices decomposed from the model based on their structures. Meanwhile, the performance of mmWave channel estimation is analysed theoretically. A necessary condition for channel parameter estimation is given based on the uniqueness principle of PARALIND model. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than traditional compressive sensing-based channel estimation algorithms.
A laplacian expansion for Hermitian-Laplace functions of high order

Among the wide variety of practical and theoretical problems confronting the telephone engineer, there is a surprisingly large number to whose solution mathematics has made notable contribution. In his kit of mathematical tools the theory of probability is a frequently used and most effective instrument. This theory of probability contains a large number of theorems, a large number of functions, which permit of application to telephony. Among these is a particular tool, a particular group of mathematical functions known as the “Hermitian Functions,” each of which is identified by a number called its “order. ” These mathematical functions or relations have no practical utility until the variables in the equation can be assigned numerical values and the resultant numerical value of the function calculated. Tables of the numerical values of Hermitian functions of low order exist; for example, Glover's Tables of Applied Mathematics cover the ground for those of the first eight orders. But tables for the functions of higher order are still a desideratum. This paper presents an expansion by means of which the evaluation of a high order function can be readily accomplished with a considerable degree of accuracy. The development of the expansion is prefaced by some remarks on the early history of the Hermitian functions and the relation of this history to modern theoretical physics.
Effect of Load Spectra on Mechanistic-Empirical Flexible Pavement Design

The transition from equivalent single-axle loads to load spectra represents a significant change in traffic characterization as many agencies begin the migration from empirically based pavement design methods to mechanistic-empirical (M-E) approaches. A key issue lies in determining appropriate representative load spectra that can be used for design. Previous studies have examined differences between load spectra and have largely found them statistically different and site-specific. This study proposes an approach to evaluating different load spectra in terms of practical effects on resulting flexible pavement thickness design. Load spectra from 12 sites in Alabama were evaluated against a statewide load distribution. Customized M-E design software featuring Monte Carlo simulation and layered elastic analysis generated pavement response distributions for a range of three-layer pavement structures. The responses were transformed through calibrated transfer functions into predictions of pavement performance.
Improving Readability of Online Privacy Policies through DOOP: A Domain Ontology for Online Privacy

Privacy policies play an important part in informing users about their privacy concerns by operating as memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between them and online services providers. Research suggests that these policies are infrequently read because they are often lengthy, written in jargon, and incomplete, making them difficult for most users to understand. Users are more likely to read short excerpts of privacy policies if they pertain directly to their concern. In this paper, a novel approach and a proof-of-concept tool are proposed that reduces the amount of privacy policy text a user has to read. It does so using a domain ontology and natural language processing (NLP) to identify key areas of the policies that users should read to address their concerns and take appropriate action. Using the ontology to locate key parts of privacy policies, average reading times were substantially reduced from 29–32 min to 45 s.
Entrepreneurial Intention in Higher Vocational Education: An Empirically-Based Model With Implications for the Entrepreneurial Community

This study explores how entrepreneurship education and government policies influence the entrepreneurial intention of students receiving higher vocational education. It employs an empirically-based model that tests the effects of perceived entrepreneurial education and perceived entrepreneurial policy on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. This study also analyzes the moderating effect of gender. The model was constructed based on the Theory of Reasoned Action. A total sample of 462 Chinese students from public and private higher vocational colleges were randomly selected to participate in this study, and their responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results of the research model showed that perceived entrepreneurial education and policy had positive direct influences on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and intention, respectively. Subsequently, students’ entrepreneurial self-efficacy had a direct influence on their entrepreneurial intention. On the other hand, perceived entrepreneurial education and policy had multiple indirect influences on entrepreneurial intention mediated by entrepreneurial self-efficacy in higher vocational education. The findings also showed that gender did not significantly moderate the above direct and indirect causal relationships among the dimensions of the research model. Some implications for building better entrepreneurial community are provided. These include enabling students to obtain knowledge that is closely related to practice and to perceive the value of entrepreneurship education by creating participatory projects and teaching methods, issuing policies that college students care most about, proactively informing students about policy content in a clear and concise way, and fully considering the side effects of government policies and the compatibility among different kinds of policies.
Unlocking Household Electricity Consumption in Pakistan

In Pakistan, data for household electricity consumption are available in the form of monthly electricity bills only, and, therefore, are not helpful in establishing appliance-wise consumption. Further, it does not help in establishing the relationship among the household electricity consumption and various driving factors. This study aimed to unlock the household electricity consumption in Pakistan by analyzing electricity bills and investigating the impact of various socioeconomic, demographic, and dwelling parameters and usage of different appliances. The methodology adopted in this study was survey-based data collection of the residential sector. For this purpose, data were collected from 523 dwellings through surveys and interviews in Mirpur city. The results of the data analysis revealed that the average household electricity consumption is 2469 kWh/year with an average family size of seven and an average floor area of 78.91 m2. Based on possession of various appliances, the households were categorized into four types and their consumption patterns were established and compared. Air Conditioned (AC) houses consume 44% more electricity compared to the non-AC houses, whereas an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) consumes electricity equivalent to an AC. The research findings are useful for policy makers and building designers and are discussed in the conclusion section.
Part I: Dynamic Characterization of DC-DC Converters from a System's Perspective

The usage of external filters in conjunction with DC-DC converters has been shown by demonstrated example, the effects to the stability of the DC converters when improperly implemented. Simulation of the converters characteristics and filter characteristics, clearly show how to implement subsequent filters to a DC converter and to filter the switching noise to an adequate level.
Comparative Analysis of the Distribution of Effective Stress in Mooney and Zahorski Materials Using ADINA Software

Adina is a software that supports analysis of both pre-defined models and analysis of the models defined independently. The paper presents a comparative analysis of the distribution of effective stress in simple elastic structures made of incompressible hyperelastic Mooney - Rivlin and Zahorski materials. To carry out numerical calculations for the Zahorski material it was necessary to make modifications of 2D and 3D libraries in the ADINA software which has been completed in the authorial process. Conclusions are presented in the conclusions at the end of the study.
Mobile Learning Researches Towards Individuals with Disabilities: A Content Analysis Between 2005 and 2015

ABSTRACT In parallel with the advancing technology, forms of learning have also vary with the introduction of mobile devices into our lives. Mobile learning environments has also attracted the attention of researchers in parallel to the development of technology in recent years. Mobile learning environments can be set the learning process according to individuals and allows the individual to interact with content. The use of mobile technology is easy. In particular, eliminating the communication and transportation problems provide equal opportunities for people with special educational needs. In particular, they provide equal opportunities for people with special educational needs by eliminating the communication and transportation problems. Therefore, the importance of applications developed for mobile devices is increasing day by day. Mobile applications can meet some of the educational needs of individuals with disabilities. It also contributes to the development of their communication skills. Mobile technology can produce solutions to different problems for individuals with a disability when considering the needs for such training, communication and muscle development of these individuals. In this study, in the field of educational technology from 2005 until 2015, a content analysis of researches on mobile applications for individuals with a disability survey was conducted. Educational technology classification form was used for the analysis of selected articles and they were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. In this context, the purpose of this study is to identify the types, analysis methods, research area, data collection methods and sampling properties of research on the use of mobile learning applications for individuals with disabilities, identify research trends, and show the direction to researchers. Abstract: Mobile Learning, Mobile Learning Applications, Inviduals with Disabilities
Opposing community assembly patterns for dominant and nondominant plant species in herbaceous ecosystems globally

Abstract Biotic and abiotic factors interact with dominant plants—the locally most frequent or with the largest coverage—and nondominant plants differently, partially because dominant plants modify the environment where nondominant plants grow. For instance, if dominant plants compete strongly, they will deplete most resources, forcing nondominant plants into a narrower niche space. Conversely, if dominant plants are constrained by the environment, they might not exhaust available resources but instead may ameliorate environmental stressors that usually limit nondominants. Hence, the nature of interactions among nondominant species could be modified by dominant species. Furthermore, these differences could translate into a disparity in the phylogenetic relatedness among dominants compared to the relatedness among nondominants. By estimating phylogenetic dispersion in 78 grasslands across five continents, we found that dominant species were clustered (e.g., co‐dominant grasses), suggesting dominant species are likely organized by environmental filtering, and that nondominant species were either randomly assembled or overdispersed. Traits showed similar trends for those sites (<50%) with sufficient trait data. Furthermore, several lineages scattered in the phylogeny had more nondominant species than expected at random, suggesting that traits common in nondominants are phylogenetically conserved and have evolved multiple times. We also explored environmental drivers of the dominant/nondominant disparity. We found different assembly patterns for dominants and nondominants, consistent with asymmetries in assembly mechanisms. Among the different postulated mechanisms, our results suggest two complementary hypotheses seldom explored: (1) Nondominant species include lineages adapted to thrive in the environment generated by dominant species. (2) Even when dominant species reduce resources to nondominant ones, dominant species could have a stronger positive effect on some nondominants by ameliorating environmental stressors affecting them, than by depleting resources and increasing the environmental stress to those nondominants. These results show that the dominant/nondominant asymmetry has ecological and evolutionary consequences fundamental to understand plant communities.
Future-focused learning via online anchored discussion, connecting learners with digital artefacts, other learners, and teachers

This paper discusses a learning issue of diverging online communications when more convergent, targeted, artefact-specific discussions are required. It contributes to whether anchoring annotations to specific components of digital artefacts helps build conversations useful to learning. While aligning interaction to artefact has been previously noted for its benefits, here it presents in the context of a tool to help achieve this - a new media annotation tool, "MAT". Learner analysis, peer discussion and teacher feedback are promoted within this tool, together anchored to an artefact of learning focus in carefully designed cycles of learning. The paper discusses various educational design features of MAT that enable learning by online artefact-centred discussion, including learner use of these features. It draws from a recent case study on video annotation for critical reflection and evaluation of physical education teaching practice. MAT has been evaluated in this context, but requires wider integration and evaluation to determine usefulness for promotion in a range of other academic practices.
Analysis of the Mixed Control System of Damper and TMD

Many new control techniques and energy dissipation systems which can decrease the response of wind vibration and earthquake. But there is less research on the mixed control system of Damper and TMD. In order to improve the shortcomings of Damper system and TMD system, combining their respective advantages reasonably, the mixed control system of Damper and TMD were analyzed in this paper. A 20-storey Benchmark model was used to compare the effects of various control systems under 2-directional earthquake. Taking the displacement reducing coefficient (DRF) as the objective function, Damper system, TMD system, and the mixed control system of Damper and TMD are optimally designed based on Genetic Algorithm (GA). Numerical results show that the mixed control system of dampers and TMD proposed in the paper can work in coordination and complement each other to achieve better control effect.
Real-Time Human Perceptions: Toward a Bicycle Level of Service

The primary focus of this study by Sprinkle Consulting Engineers, Inc. is to develop a bicycle-quality, or level-of-service, model for applications in U.S. metropolitan areas. Although there are several model forms being used throughout the United States that attempt to quantify road suitability or the quality of service afforded bicyclists traveling the street and roadway networks of urbanized areas, to date there have been no statistically calibrated models published. The statistically calibrated level-of-service model described here is based on real-time perceptions from bicyclists traveling in actual urban traffic and roadway conditions. The study’s participants represented a cross section of age, gender, experience level, and geographic origin of the population of cyclists that use the metropolitan road networks in the United States. The test course is representative of the collector and arterial street systems of North American urban areas. Although further hypothesis testing is being conducted and additional studies are planned to test the need for disaggregate models for central business district streets with high turnover parking, truck routes, and two-lane high-speed rural highways, the general bicycle level-of-service model reported here is highly reliable, has a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.73), and is transferable to the vast majority of United States metropolitan areas. The study reveals that pavement-surface conditions and striping of bicycle lanes are important factors in the quality of service.
Congestion Mitigation at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City

With the significant growth in air traffic experienced during the past few decades, airport capacity has become an increasingly costly constraint. Flight delays reached record-high levels in 2007, with a nationwide impact estimated at more than $30 billion for that calendar year. At airports where capacity expansion and improvements in operational efficiency are not feasible, congestion could be mitigated in the short and medium terms through implementation of schedule coordination mechanisms. Such measures essentially reduce peak hour scheduling levels; however, these measures have been criticized for the constraints that they might create on airline scheduling. This paper presents a schedule coordination model that reduces flight delays while minimizing interference with airline scheduling and then applies the model to one of the most congested U.S. airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The analysis suggests that it may be possible to reduce peak arrival and departure delays by more than 30% and 50%, respectively, without eliminating flights, aircraft connections, or passenger connections and without modifying the scheduled departure and arrival times of any flight by more than 30 min. These results underscore the potential of schedule coordination as a means of achieving substantial congestion cost savings at the busiest U.S. airports. Opportunities and challenges associated with the implementation of such a mechanism are discussed.
GATEWAY UPGRADE PROJECT

The $1.6 billion Gateway Upgrade Project will duplicate the Gateway Bridge and upgrade 19 km of motorway including a northern entry into Brisbane Airport. Key events in the history of the Gateway Bridge and motorway are traced. The design, construct and maintain (DCM) project is in the bidding stage and tenders close in March 2006. A separate lane will be provided on the eastern side of the duplicate bridge to cater for pedestrian and cycle traffic. The upgrade will support the development of Brisbane’s ‘Australia TradeCoast’ and ease traffic congestion in Brisbane.
Feedback PID Controller-Based Closed-Loop Fast Charging of Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Constant-Temperature–Constant-Voltage Method

Lithium-ion batteries are the most used technology in portable electronic devices. High energy density and high power per mass battery unit make it preferable over other batteries. The existing constant-temperature and constant-voltage charging technique (CT–CV), with a closed loop, lacks a detailed design of control circuits, which can increase charging speed. This article addresses this research gap in a novel way by implementing a simpler feedback proportional integral and differential (PID) control to a closed-loop CT–CV charging circuit. Voltage-mode control (VMC) and average current-mode control (ACM) methods were implemented to maintain the battery voltage, current, and temperature at safe limits. As per simulation results, 23% faster charging is achieved by implementing VMC and almost 50% faster charging is attained by employing the ACM technique in the PID controller. Our proposed control strategy is validated experimentally, which yields up to 25% faster charging of a battery than the reference battery.
Optimizations in iris recognition

Biometric verification systems employing images of the iris are claimed to be extremely accurate, yielding no false accepts at any reasonable false reject rate. However, there are few if any large scale experimental evaluations on public iris datasets reported in the literature. We have collected an iris image dataset of over 25,000 iris images from over 300 persons (over 600 irises). When collecting the dataset, we intentionally allowed a broader image quality range than that allowed by default in current commercial iris recognition systems. The iris images used in our experiments have been, or will be, released as part of the Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE). We reimplemented in C an open source iris recognition system, which was originally implemented in MATLAB by Libor Masek. The ICE baseline is a C++ translation of our C re-implementation with modifications for optimization in speed and memory usage. We evaluated the effects of iris image quality by using the ICE baseline system on our iris dataset. We have implemented an improved iris segmentation and eyelid detection stage compared to the ICE baseline code, and experimentally verified an improvement in both the verification and identification contexts. Replacing the ICE baseline segmentation with our improved segmentation algorithm, and keeping other modules of the ICE baseline the same, leads to an increase of over 6% in the rank-one recognition rate and a decrease of over 4% in the equal error rate. We utilized an active contour model to refine the noise detection results and optimized the matching stage to compensate for the possible inaccuracy in iris segmentation and noise detection, which leads to another 0.95% increase in the rank one recognition rate and 0.85% decrease in the equal error rate. This research demonstrates that a more accurate iris segmentation helps to improve the overall system performance, and that the inaccuracy of iris segmentation and noise detection could be partly compensated for with optimizations in the matching stage.