Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tendon-driven control of biomechanical and robotic systems: A path integral reinforcement learning approach

We apply path integral reinforcement learning to a biomechanically accurate dynamics model of the index finger and then to the Anatomically Correct Testbed (ACT) robotic hand. We illustrate the applicability of Policy Improvement with Path Integrals (PI2) to parameterized and non-parameterized control policies. This method is based on sampling variations in control, executing them in the real world, and minimizing a cost function on the resulting performance. Iteratively improving the control policy based on real-world performance requires no direct modeling of tendon network nonlinearities and contact transitions, allowing improved task performance.
Modeling temperature and bias stress effects on threshold voltage of a-Si:H TFTs for gate driver circuit simulation

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film transistors (TFT) have been important device in modern display panel production. In this paper, we study amorphous silicon thin-film-transistor (TFT) degradation under temperature and bias stresses. Rensselear polytechnic institute (RPI) model is widely used for circuit simulation of a-Si:H TFTs, but the temperature (T = −20 − +65°C) and bias stress effects are not considered in the RPI model. The parameters of sub-threshold in the RPI model with temperature and bias stress effects are explored and formulated with the measured I–V data. The results can be used together with the existing model, and thus can describe the temperature dependent characteristics of a-Si:H TFTs well. A 14 a-Si:H TFTs integrated gate (ASG) driver circuit is simulated and tested using the modified RPI model card. The simulations predict the temperature effect on the dynamic properties of ASG circuit and power consumption.
Stochastic event counter for discrete-event systems under unreliable observations

This paper addresses the issues of counting the occurrence of special events in the framework of partially- observed discrete-event dynamical systems (DEDS). First, we develop a noble recursive procedure that updates active counter information state sequentially with available observations. In general, the cardinality of active counter information state is unbounded, which makes the exact recursion infeasible computationally. To overcome this difficulty, we develop an approximated recursive procedure that regulates and bounds the size of active counter information state. Using the approximated active counting information state, we give an approximated minimum mean square error (MMSE) counter. The developed algorithms are then applied to count special routing events in a material flow system.
Predictability of a Human Partner in a Pursuit Tracking Task without Haptic Feedback

We are interested in whether humans create a model of their partner when they jointly manipulate an object in a virtual task without haptic feedback. In such a scenario the partner is perceived as a disturbance because she/he is responsible for inconsistencies between the visual and proprioceptive feedback of the individual. To gain basic knowledge on the predictability of such disturbances we compare a pre-recorded human partner with predictable (time delay) and unpredictable (random) disturbances and two additional control conditions in a pursuit tracking task. Results indicate that the influence of the pre-recorded partner is partly predictable, therefore we assume that a model of the partner's behavior is built by the human.
A Cross-Domain Multiprocessor System-on-a-Chip for Embedded Real-Time Systems

GENESYS Multiprocessor System-on-a-Chip (MPSoC) is the building block of a generic platform for the component-based development of embedded real-time systems in different domains, such as in automotive, aerospace, industrial control, and consumer-electronic applications. The GENESYS MPSoC offers a stable set of domain-independent core services (e.g., common time, message-based communication, and configuration). On top of the core services, higher level services can be implemented by domain-independent and domain-specific system components that customize the platform to the needs of the specific application domain. Through its cross-domain applicability, the GENESYS MPSoC supports the wide reuse of components and realizes the benefits of the economies of scale of the semiconductor technology. Furthermore, the GENESYS MPSoC contributes towards the solution of prevalent technological challenges such as complexity management, robustness, and technology obsolescence. This paper presents the GENESYS MPSoC and provides insights from a prototype implementation, which demonstrates that such a cross-domain MPSoC can be built with today's technology.
Facilitators and Constraints: Perceptions of Gender Differences on Women’s Career Advancement

The underrepresentation in top management positions has made women’s status in the hospitality industry a great concern. The study examined hospitality students’, educators’, and industry recruiters’ perceptions of facilitators and constraints on women’s career advancement and identified if there were any significant differences among them. Data were collected through an online survey. Perceptions of gender differences of facilitators and constraints in women’s career advancement and gender issues were analyzed within the three groups (students, educators, and recruiters). Results revealed significant gender differences between male and female educators and recruiters. The findings suggested that hospitality education should make a contribution and reveal barriers and gender issues in the industry.
Selecting transmit powers and carrier sense thresholds for CSMA protocols

Spatial reuse is an important aspect of wireless ad hoc network design. However, because simultaneous transmissions can interfere with one another and prevent correct reception, it is important to properly control channel access. In recent years, the 802.11 MAC protocol has become the de facto standard for wireless ad hoc networks. This protocol employs two types of carrier sensing to prevent collisions. The first type is physical carrier sensing, where nodes wait until the power on the channel is below a threshold before transmitting. The second type is virtual carrier sensing, in which RTS/CTS control frames are exchanged to inform surrounding nodes that the channel is being reserved for a packet transmission. In this paper, we focus on the physical carrier sensing mechanism. We start from the premise that collisions should be prevented. We then develop collision prevention conditions on the transmit powers and carrier sense thresholds used in the network. The main result of this analysis is that senders should keep the product of the transmit power and the carrier sense threshold equal to a fixed constant. We then describe how to apply this analysis to a practical protocol. Results are then presented that illustrate the potential benefits of this scheme. Before concluding, we place our work in the context of previous work in the area of MAC protocol design for spatial reuse.
Co-constructing loyalty in an era of digital music fandom

This paper aims to answer the following question: How can a discursive approach to how music fans construct loyalty in a digital context contribute to a theoretical understanding of brand loyalty? Drawing on insights from theories of brand loyalty and fandom, this interpretive inquiry makes use of data from an online forum dedicated to the rock music band, U2, and interviews with forum members. A combination of online ethnography and discourse analysis are used.The analysis shows that music fans mobilise particular discursive resources in constructing loyalty in the digital context, specifically length of time spent as a fan, obsession and the opposition of obligation and choice. These discursive resources reflect a grounded account of an experientially rooted brand loyalty that extends beyond attitudinal and behavioural loyalty and which is particularly salient in music consumption.This is a single case study, but as a rich and vibrant online community, it provides fruitful insights into the discursive construction of loyalty. The processes of negotiation, accommodation and conflict, engaged in through online discourse, are important in laying bare the preferences, value systems and meanings that frame the experiences of loyal consumers.This socially constructed view of loyalty facilitates a more sensitive and nuanced application of brand loyalty, with implications for segmentation and targeting activities. It provides a possible basis through which precise insights can be gained into the meanings and practices of loyal fans and consumers.Examining loyalty through the lens of online music fandom enables a discursive understanding of consumers’ experience of brand loyalty. It shows how online engagement with other consumers of a brand facilitates a deep engagement with the notion of loyalty.
Gene Function Prediction via Discriminative Graph Embedding

Gene function has been a subject of interest but it is far from fully understood. It is known that some genes have certain functions but it is not clear whether those are all the functions they have. It is a recent trend to use different means to predict gene functions; one of them is to use computational methods on large data sets. Different types of information are used in computational methods, each coming with different hypotheses and applicable to different part of genomes. We regard this problem as a prediction problem on networks. The idea is to use gene network information with a hypothesis that a link in the network means a highly probable similarity in gene functions. This is formulated as a node classification problem on graph with smooth label assignment with respect to the graph structure. We propose a method to embed the graph into a Euclidean space considering label information. The embedding is supposed to trade off the graph structure preservation to have a good discriminative ability. Then, label inference can be done via many machine learning techniques, in which we formulate a large margin spectral transform, known for its robustness. We apply the method to predict gene functions on gene network [1] and protein-protein interactions network [2]. Our method gives higher prediction ability than traditional ways of embedding graphs.
Opportunistic Distributed Space-Time Coding for Decode-and-Forward Cooperation Systems

In this paper, we consider a decode-and-forward (DF) cooperation system consisting of two cooperative users in sending their information to a common destination, for which the distributed space-time coding (DSTC) is applied in an opportunistic manner, called opportunistic DSTC (O-DSTC), depending on whether the two users succeed in decoding each other's information or not. We propose two O-DSTC schemes for the full-duplex and half-duplex relaying scenarios, which are, respectively, referred to as the full-duplex and half-duplex-based O-DSTC. We evaluate the outage performance of the proposed O-DSTC as well as the conventional selective DF (S-DF) cooperation and fixed DSTC (F-DSTC) schemes. Numerical results show that the O-DSTC outperforms the conventional S-DF and F-DSTC schemes considering both full-duplex and half-duplex. In addition, we develop the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) of the proposed O-DSTC, conventional S-DF and F-DSTC schemes by considering the two cooperative users with different data rates (also known as different multiplexing gains). We show that, for both the full-duplex and half-duplex modes, the proposed O-DSTC strictly outperforms the conventional S-DF and F-DSTC in terms of DMT. It is also shown that, in the full-duplex-based O-DSTC scheme, the diversity gain obtained by any of the two cooperative users not only depends on its own multiplexing gain, but also relates to its partner's multiplexing gain. By jointly considering the two users' DMT, the full-duplex-based O-DSTC scheme can achieve the optimal diversity gain when the two users are with the same multiplexing gain. For the half-duplex-based O-DSTC scheme, the DMT performance of the two users are independent of each other, which differs from the full-duplex-based O-DSTC scheme where mutual dependence exists between the cooperative users in terms of DMT.
A Novel Technique for GaN HEMT Trap States Characterisation

A newly investigated measurement approach to analysing the effects of long-term memory effects in wide band-gap semiconductor radio-frequency (RF) transistors is presented. This approach utilises a combination of hybrid-active load-pull and time-domain waveform measurement analysis, whilst adopting a novel measurement technique for initiating charge trapping-based transients in a gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT transistor. Switching actively between two load impedances with theoretically common power amplifier (PA) performance characteristics, a step function in the dynamic drain-voltage (vd) is initiated, whilst minimising gate-voltage and average drain-current variation. In isolating the step function to the drain side of the device only it is possible to extract dependencies of the RF drain-voltage on trap states in the transistor such as those that may occur when subjected to dynamic traffic in in-the-field applications. The measurement technique has shown the potential for extracting both time-constant and charge-trapping magnitude parameters for comparison with traditional pulse-IV characterisations for the purpose of modelling memory in GaN transistors.
Mobile Location Estimation in NLoS Environment Base on Interior Point Method

Summary Increasing applications of mobile communication services makes the challenges in location estimation as a fundamental problem in many applications. There are error sources such as multipath fading, Non Line of Sight (NLoS) propagation and multi-user interferences that deteriorate the accuracy of location estimation. To mitigate this errors two approach is feasible, statistical methods and geometric optimization algorithms. In this paper we focus on NLoS error and employ the time of arrival (ToA) for range measurement. A new location estimation is proposed based on geometric optimization approach that adopts the interior point method (IPM) for better location estimation, which is a non linear constrained optimization method. This method has a salient feature that can solve optimization problems including more inequality constraints than equality constraints. The estimation can be network or terminal based and doesn’t discriminate between LoS and NLoS base stations. The proposed algorithm requires ToA measurements only from three BSs and doesn't require any priori probabilistic information. Simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the algorithm for different NLoS error distributions, and the results show significant improvement than previous works such as range scaling (RSA) and density clustering (DCA) algorithms and also satisfies the location accuracy demand of FCC E-911 specification.
Thermodynamic Semirings

The Witt construction describes a functor from the category of Rings to the category of characteristic 0 rings. It is uniquely determined by a few associativity constraints which do not depend on the types of the variables considered, in other words, by integer polynomials. This universality allowed Alain Connes and Caterina Consani to devise an analogue of the Witt ring for characteristic one, an attractive endeavour since we know very little about the arithmetic in this exotic characteristic and its corresponding field with one element. Interestingly, they found that in characteristic one, the Witt construction depends critically on the Shannon entropy. In the current work, we examine this surprising occurrence, defining a Witt operad for an arbitrary information measure and a corresponding algebra we call a thermodynamic semiring. This object exhibits algebraically many of the familiar properties of information measures, and we examine in particular the Tsallis and Renyi entropy functions and applications to nonextensive thermodynamics and multifractals. We find that the arithmetic of the thermodynamic semiring is exactly that of a certain guessing game played using the given information measure.
Chronic Poverty and Development Policy in Sri Lanka: Overview Study

The present study attempts to capture chronic poverty in Sri Lanka by examining general information on poverty and drawing conclusions on those who are likely to be among the chronic poor. Certain population groups that are likely to experience poverty over many years (or all their lives) are examined in this review. These include the internally displaced persons from the conflict, disabled, elderly, street children, employed children, female headed households and youth. Further, the poor are examined within the â€˜livelihoodâ€™ framework in terms of their command over human, physical, natural, financial, social and political capital. [CPRC Working Paper No 9]
Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Survey of Current Practice in Australia

Background and Objective: As cognitive impairments represent the greatest impediment to participation following moderate–severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), cognitive rehabilitation is vital. Several sets of guidelines for cognitive rehabilitation have been published, including INCOG in 2014. However, little is known about current practice by therapists working with individuals with TBI. This study aimed to characterise current cognitive rehabilitation practices via an online survey of therapists engaged in rehabilitation in individuals with TBI. Method: The survey documented demographic information, current cognitive rehabilitation practice, resources used to inform cognitive rehabilitation, and reflections on cognitive rehabilitation provided. Results: The 221 Australian respondents were predominantly occupational therapists, neuropsychologists, and speech pathologists with an average 9 years of clinical experience in cognitive rehabilitation and TBI. Cognitive retraining and compensatory strategies were the most commonly identified approaches used in cognitive rehabilitation. Executive functioning was mostly targeted for retraining, whereas memory was targeted with compensatory strategies. Attentional problems were less frequently addressed. Client self-awareness, family involvement, team collaboration, and goal-setting were seen as important ingredients for success. Conclusion: Clinical practice of cognitive rehabilitation in Australia is broadly consistent with guidelines. However, addressing the impediments to its delivery is important to enhance the quality of life for individuals with TBI.
Stabilization based networked predictive controller design for switched plants

Stabilizing state feedback controller has been designed in this paper for a switched DC motor plant, controlled over communication network. The switched system formulation for the networked control system (NCS) with additional switching in a plant parameter along with the switching due to random packet losses, have been formulated as few set of non-strict Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). In order to solve non-strict LMIs using standard LMI solver and to design the stabilizing state feedback controller, the Cone Complementary Linearization (CCL) technique has been adopted. Simulation studies have been carried out for a DC motor plant, operating at two different sampling times with random switching in the moment of inertia, representing sudden jerks.
A comparative study on segmentation methods of micro calcification in mammogram

The primary indication of breast cancer is the presence of calcification clusters. It is challenging and lengthy process for radiologists to identify and classify micro calcifications as non-cancerous or cancerous. In this proposed work, a novel method for the detection of micro calcification clusters in mammograms is explained that consists of two main sections. First, mammogram preprocessing is done. Second, micro calcification are segmented out. In preprocessing noise and label are removed as well as contrast is enhanced. Then various segmentation methods are used for comparison of calcification region. Watershed segmentation, Marker controlled watershed segmentation (MCWS), Texture segmentation and Level set segmentation methods are applied to Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) database. Results show that the MCWS provides quite acceptable detection performance. The major advantage of this method is its capability to detect micro calcifications perfectly even in case of very dense mammograms. The performance of different methods is evaluated by comparing the obtained segmented image with expert radiologist data. The comparison study aptly shows that the micro calcifications can be exactly segment and can avoid over segmentation problem of existing method.
Intentional affect: an alternative notion of affective interaction with a machine

Affective Computing envisages truly effective human-machine interactions as being affect-sensitive. The field is both motivated and influenced by an understanding of emotion in an environment, that of person to person, that differs from its eventual application, person to machine. Analysing data obtained in a potential application environment -- computer-assisted learning - we highlight the limitations of such an understanding and propose an alternative stance to affect, that of intentional affective interaction.
A Phenomenological Study of School Counselors' Experiences Following Student Suicide

The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of school counselors who have been impacted by the death of a student by suicide in the United States. The central question of the study was: How do school counselors describe their experiences following the death of a student by suicide? The three subquestions were: (a) How do school counselors describe their reactions when a student dies by suicide? (b) How do school counselors perceive their professional involvements in postvention activities following a student suicide? (c) How do school counselors cope after the death of a student by suicide? The theory guiding the study was the crisis in context theory, as this theory explained the grief experiences of an unexpected event within the context of the school environment (Myer & Moore, 2006). Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, response to online journal prompts, and focus group discussions of 11 school counselors. Data analysis strategies consisted of content analysis procedures, such as coding the data individually, then synthesizing the data through triangulation, and engaging in self-reflection by journaling throughout the process. The data analysis revealed five common themes of the school counselors’ lived experiences of the phenomenon. The findings indicated that school counselors exhibited high impact from the student suicide regardless of having a relationship with the student, experienced prolonged grief, and demonstrated problem-focused coping. Recommendations are provided for professional training programs, school counselors, administrators, and clinical mental health professionals, as well as, topics for future research.