Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed consensus protocol design for general linear multi-agent systems: a consensus region approach

This study presents a consensus region approach to designing distributed consensus protocols for multi-agent systems with general continuous-time linear node dynamics. The consensus region approach has a favourable decoupling feature, which decouples the design of the feedback gain matrices of the consensus protocols from the communication graph. Multi-step algorithms are presented to construct the fixed-gain consensus protocols, which requires the smallest non-zero eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix. To remove this limitation, distributed adaptive protocols with time-varying coupling weights are designed for the cases with undirected and directed graphs, which can be implemented in a fully distributed fashion. The robustness issue of the adaptive protocols in the presence of external disturbances is also discussed. For the case where there exists a leader of bounded unknown control input, distributed discontinuous and continuous controllers are designed to solve the distributed tracking problem.
A Multi-Rate Implementation of Auditory Filter Bank

The auditory filter-bank is the key component of auditory model, and its implementation involves a lot of computations. The time spent by an auditory filter-bank to finish its work has a significant effect on the real-time implementation of auditory model-based audio signal processing systems. In this paper, a multi-rate implementation of auditory filter bank is presented. Through using low sampling rate for the filters with low centre frequency, and using high sampling rate for the filters with high centre frequency, we can greatly reduce the computation requirement.
A Multistage Procedure of Mobile Vehicle Acoustic Identification for Single-Sensor Embedded Device

Mobile vehicle identification has a wide application field for both civilian and military uses. Vehicle identification may be achieved by incorporating single or multiple sensor solutions and through data fusion. This paper considers a single-sensor multistage hierarchical algorithm of acoustic signal analysis and pattern recognition for the identification of mobile vehicles in an open environment. The algorithm applies several standalone techniques to enable complex decision-making during event identification. Computationally inexpensive procedures are specifically chosen in order to provide real-time operation capability. The algorithm is tested on pre-recorded audio signals of civilian vehicles passing the measurement point and shows promising classification accuracy. Implementation on a specific embedded device is also presented and the capability of real-time operation on this device is demonstrated.
Grounding in Text Structure

The last three decades have witnessed a burgeoning interest in the phenomenon of grounding, or the foreground-background structure in text. The vast literature on this phenomenon has nevertheless shown a great deal of theoretical confusion: definitions have been imprecise and various levels of description conflated. This paper explains the phenomenon of grounding and shows its place among several other text structures. It posits that grounding is a semantic property of text, distinct from other semantic properties such as coherence and from the cognitive, non-textual level of information. In addition, the paper distinguishes the foreground-background structure from its manifestations on other levels such as discursive and syntactic, thus distinguishing grounding from the more or less prominent ways in which it is signalled. In this regard, the paper examines the influence of grounding on text (hierarchical) structure exemplified by the occurrence of foregrounding and backgrounding operations and by the occasional inclusion of textual propositions that are not (directly) related to what has preceded.
Using the ACT-R architecture to specify 39 quantitative process models of decision making

Hypotheses about decision processes are often formulated qualitatively and remain silent about the interplay of decision, memorial, and other cognitive processes. At the same time, existing decision models are specified at varying levels of detail, making it difficult to compare them. We provide a methodological primer on how detailed cognitive architectures such as ACT-R allow remedying these problems. To make our point, we address a controversy, namely, whether noncompensatory or compensatory processes better describe how people make decisions from the accessibility of memories. We specify 39 models of accessibility-based decision processes in ACT-R, including the noncompensatory recognition heuristic and various other popular noncompensatory and compensatory decision models. Additionally, to illustrate how such models can be tested, we conduct a model comparison, fitting the models to one experiment and letting them generalize to another. Behavioral data are best accounted for by race models. These race models embody the noncompensatory recognition heuristic and compensatory models as a race between competing processes, dissolving the dichotomy between existing decision models.
Integrated circuits and integrated systems

Rapid progress made in integrated circuit production daring the past two years has resulted in improved reliability at lower cost for high-volume standard circuits. However, gains made at the device and circuit level can sometimes be offset at the system level, particularly if the normal range of components is not available. This paper considers some of the system tradeoffs involved in standardization vs optimization of circuits and illustrates some of the penalties paid when capacitors, inductors and transformers are not available in integrated structures. Unconventional system organizations may sometimes be used to overcome the problems of limited component availability. An illustration is given of the design of a multiplex system based upon spread spectrum techniques in order to utilize more fully the advantages of integrated circuits.
Model of foveal visual preprocessor

A neural network model of the foveal visual preprocessor (FVP) based on a non-uniform representation of the vision field from the center to the periphery has been developed. The properties of foveal neural network and the results of computer simulation and analytical study of the model are considered. The dependence of a sensory tuning of FVP elements on the FVP and moving stimulus parameters is studied. A possible development of a foveal visual sensor on the base of the results obtained is discussed.
Compact implementation of dynamic receive apodization in ultrasound scanners

The image quality in medical ultrasound scanners is determined by several factors, one of which is the ability of the receive beamformer to change the aperture weighting function with depth and beam angle. In digital beamformers, precise dynamic apodization can be achieved by representing that function by numeric sequences. For a 15 cm scan depth and 100 lines per image, a 64-channel, 40 MHz ultrasound beamformer may need almost 50 million coefficients. A more coarse representation of the aperture relieves the memory requirements but does not enable compact and precise beamforming. Previously, the authors have developed a compact beamformer architecture which utilizes sigma-delta A/D conversion, recursive delay generation and sparse sample reconstruction using FIR filters. The channel weights were here fixed. In this paper, a compact implementation of dynamic receive apodization is presented. It allows precise weighting coefficient generation and utilizes a recursive algorithm which shares its starting parameters with the recursive delay generation logic. Thus, only a separate calculation block, consisting of 5 adders and 5 registers, is necessary. A VHDL implementation in a Xilinx XCV2000E-7 FPGA has been made for the whole receive beamformer for assessing the necessary hardware resources and the achievable performance for that platform. The code implements dynamic apodization with an expanding aperture for either linear or phased array imaging. A complete 32-channel beamformer can operate at 129.82 MHz and occupies 1.28 million gates. Simulated in Matlab, a 64-channel beamformer provides gray scale image with around 55 dB dynamic range. The beamformed data can also be used for flow estimation.
COGNITIVE STYLES AND SEARCHING

Sixty‐seven searchers carried out 275 searches, both with and without postings information, of a LISA CDROM. This provided an opportunity to investigate the effect of cognitive styles on searching behaviour which has substantial implications both for the teaching of searching and for search system design. Subjects were tested for field‐dependence/ field‐independence and for Comprehension/Operation/ Versatile learning styles. Statistically significant differences in both searching behaviour and search outcomes were obtained by those with different learning styles, with and without postings information. These results are presented and implications for training are discussed.
Dublin core metadata for research data: lessons learned in a real-world scenario with datorium

As a continuation of our work in the datorium project, we provide a service for autonomous documentation and upload of research data. In this paper we discuss and share our experience of developing such a service by using Dublin Core Metadata. Even small and simple, DC Metadata is an appropriate standard to be taken as basic metadata, for instance in the repository systems. The required elements for describing research data are mostly complex, in particular the acquired information about the data, including survey methods, survey periods, or number of variables. DC Metadata cannot cover all elements needed in the research data repository. However, we show that with some extended elements and front-end based manipulations the DC Metadata can be applied usefully in this real-world scenario and support complex description without overcoming the "simplicity" of the standard.
Hyperspectral image reconstruction based on an improved genetic algorithm

A novel theory of information acquisition-"compressive sampling" has been applied in this paper, and goes against the common wisdom in data acquisition of Shannon theorem. CS theory asserts that one can recover certain signals and images perfectly from far fewer samples or measurements than traditional methods use. This paper presents an improvement on genetic algorithm instead of match pursuit algorithm in consideration of the enormous computational complexity on sparse decomposition. Then the whole image is divided into small blocks which can be processed by sparse decomposition, and an end to decomposition is determined by PSNR threshold adaptively. At last, the experiment results show that good performance on image reconstruction with less computational complexity has been achieved.
Machine Learning Based Teaching Quality Evaluation

Teaching quality is a key metric in college teaching effect and ability evaluation. In many previous literatures, evaluation of such metric is merely depended on subjective judgment of few experts based on their experience, which leads to some false, bias or unstable results. Moreover, pure human based evaluation is expensive that is difficult to extend to large scale. With the application of information technology, much information in college teaching is recorded and stored electronically, which founds the basic of a computer-aid analysis. In this paper, we perform teaching quality evaluation within machine learning framework, focusing on learning and modeling electronic information associated with quality of teaching, to get a stable model described the substantial principles of teaching quality. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is selected as the main model in this work. Experiment results on real data sets consisted of 4 subjects / 8 semesters show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Return On Investment: The Relation Of Book-Yield To True Yield

This paper is to be presented at the 38th Annual Fall Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME in New Orleans, La. , on October 6-9, 1963, and is considered the property of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to publish is hereby restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words, with no illustrations, unless the paper is specifically released to the press by the Editor of the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the Executive Secretary. Such abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is granted on request, providing proper credit is given that publication and the original presentation of the paper.
Cybernetics and interviewing

The interview is the most frequently used, but often disputed, method of data collection in the social sciences. Methodological research after the sources of response errors in interviews has borrowed concepts and insights from cybernetics. For example, interviewing in search of “subjective phenomena” like attitudes is conceived as a form of black box analysis. Computer models simulate response processes leading to response errors. The interview appears to be governed by a combination of open and closed loop control. Comparative research into response effects appears to be hampered by the self‐referentiality of the “survey industry”, and qualitative interviews can be viewed as social systems closely related to the autopoietic system of a conversation.
Animated emulations for illustrating adaptive control principles

The importance of hands-on learning in undergraduate and advanced control courses is indisputable. Unfortunately, a laboratory platform which allows multiple control methods to be applied to different systems can easily cost several tens of thousands of dollars per setup, making the development of a laboratory with several experimental stations prohibitively expensive for most universities. A more viable option is to use computers, which are fast, flexible, easy to use, and widely available on most campuses, to simulate real world systems. This paper details such a system which has been developed using MATLAB, to emulate the performance of a direct model reference adaptive controller as applied to a liquid level system and an inverted pendulum on a moving cart. These emulations have been very effective for illustrating the advantages of adaptive controllers in the presence of unknown and/or changing system parameters.
Reducing write latencies for shared data in a multiprocessor with a multistage network

Performance of cache coherence protocols can be severely restricted by the consistency model of the architecture. If a packet-switched, cyclic network is used, such as a multistage network, pipelining may violate strict consistency models such as sequential consistency. The paper shows that by meeting a few constraints in the implementation of the cache coherence protocol, store requests can be pipelined. The new requirements are applied to a previously proposed cache coherence protocol for a MIN-based network. The most important constraints are: to augment the protocol with the notion of write-permission; avoiding redundant paths between any two caches, and the use of a distributed cache coherence protocol. It is shown how the ideas can be generalized to a wide class of cache coherence protocols. <<ETX>>
Programmable switched-capacitor low-pass ladder filters

Switched-capacitor filters with digitally programmable capacitor arrays (DPCAs) offer a solution to the diverse needs to the market for audio-frequency high-order low-pass filters. Cascading switched-capacitor biquads which contain binary or geometrically weighted DPCAs are not a viable way to produce precision high-order responses, because of the errors introduced by capacitance quantization. To overcome this problem, a ladder-based structure is proposed. It uses DPCAs tailored to provide exactly the capacitances required to realize a restricted but useful set of responses. A simple procedure for synthesizing such filters is presented and illustrated with a detailed example. A CMOS prototype chip which provides eight seventh-order responses was fabricated. A 3-bit word programs its response: elliptic (with four different selectivities), Chebyshev, inverse Chebyshev, Butterworth, or modified Bessel (modified to have stopband notches). Experimental results are included which show that with this design philosophy, performance is not sacrificed for programmability.
Optimization for Extracting Iraqi Rice Bran Proteins Cultivar Yasmin and study some of Its Functional Properties

Study of the chemical composition of whole rice bran, and defatted rice bran for Iraqi rice cultivar Yasmine, which was obtained from province of Najaf, showed that the moisture, ash, fat, carbohydrates and protein were 15.8%, 7.9%, 23.5%, 41.1% and 11.7% respectively, for full bran, and 20.9%, 11.2%, 5.5%, 44.25% and 18.15% respectively, for defatted bran. The results of this study showed that the best conditions in the preparation of protein extract from defatted rice bran were by extraction with distilled water after equalized pH to 11 with a ratio bran: water of 1:4 (w : v ) for 60 min at agitation speed of 600 rpm.min-1. At these conditions protein percentage were 59.4%. This study revealed that of solubility, emulsifying activity, emulsion stability and foaming capacity and stability of the protein extracted from the defatted rice bran, were highest at pH 11, compared with other pH values with the values of 74.8% , 0.637, 68.8 min and 47% respectively, while the lowest was at pH 4 with the values of 19.3%, 0.057,21.1 min and 7% respectively. The study also showed that the holding capacity of water and fat of the protein concentrate from defatted rice bran was 2.3 ml water . g -1 protein and 2.1 ml oil. g -1 protein respectively.
Numerical analysis of diffraction from a sinusoidal metal grating

Diffraction of plane waves by a metal grating of a sinusoidal cross section is investigated theoretically by considering a finite conductivity of the material. The analysis is based on the mode-matching method with a smoothing operation. The numerical results of the diffracted power from a sinusoidal gold grating are presented with sufficient accuracy for both P-polarization and S-polarization. The results have been compared with those for perfectly conducting gratings. It is found that: (i) the reflected power is reduced due to loss compared to the perfectly conducting case, and the acuteness of the anomalous diffraction phenomenon called Wood's anomaly is decreased; and (ii) another anomaly called plasmon anomaly is observed in the case of P-polarization. The latter cannot be observed in a perfect conductor.
Systematic architecture exploration for implementing interference suppression techniques in wireless receivers

Future wireless systems are required to provide higher data rates, improved spectral efficiency and greater capacity. This can be achieved at the cost of increased signal processing complexity. The successful implementation of advanced algorithms and dedicated hardware architectures to tackle the demanding signal processing tasks calls for an integrated development process. It must effectively exploit the many interrelations between the different levels of the design hierarchy and efficiently bridge the gap between system concepts and their VLSI circuit realization. This paper presents the algorithm and architecture level design of interference suppression techniques for advanced wireless receivers based on the use of multiple antenna elements in combination with appropriate signal combining. A systematic approach to architecture exploration is demonstrated which leads to efficient implementations in terms of both power consumption and silicon area.
Explorations of 3D virtual spaces: applications of VR

Despite what we have heard from the mass media, Virtual Reality technology is still in its infancy. Numerous research prototypes have suggested that this technology will be meaningfully applied to seven general applications. This paper describes development of a general visualization system that has been applied to the domains of virtual walkthroughs and the visualization of abstract information.
A Sparsity-Inducing Optimization Algorithm for the Extraction of Planar Structures in Noisy Point-Cloud Data

Most of the manual labor needed to create the geometric building information model (BIM) of an existing facility is spent converting raw point cloud data (PCD) to a BIM description. Automating this process would drastically reduce the modeling cost. Surface extraction from PCD is a fundamental step in this process. Compact modeling of redundant points in PCD as a set of planes leads to smaller file size and fast interactive visualization on cheap hardware. Traditional approaches for smooth surface reconstruction do not explicitly model the sparse scene structure or significantly exploit the redundancy. This paper proposes a method based on sparsity-inducing optimization to address the planar surface extraction problem. Through sparse optimization, points in PCD are segmented according to their embedded linear subspaces. Within each segmented part, plane models can be estimated. Experimental results on a typical noisy PCD demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.
E-Books Revisited: Surveying Student E-Book Usage in a Distributed Learning Academic Library 6 Years Later

ABSTRACT This article is the result of a 2009 survey of student usage of e-books at Royal Roads University (RRU) Library. The authors found that the proportion of students using RRU Library e-books has gone up since a similar 2003 survey, although only just above half of students are using RRU Library e-books. An almost identical number of student respondents (approximately 54%) said “no” to preferring a print version of the book over the e-book version of the book in both the 2003 and 2009 surveys. The majority of students rated the ability to download an e-book to a hand-held device as not important. There has been a notable increase in the use of e-books for course readings from 2003 to 2009. A lack of awareness of RRU Library e-books remains the top reason cited by students for not using them.
SCALE: Source Code Analyzer for Locating Errors

This thesis presents the design and implementation of SCALE, a tool for systematic software testing multi-threaded C applications that use the pthread library. SCALE exhaustively explores the non determinism introduced by thread schedulings and tries to find violations of safety properties. We have designed SCALE to be flexible so that it is easy to add and combine different exploration and state space reduction algorithms. In this thesis we describe the currently implemented reduction algorithms, of which the most important ones are local execution cycle detection and super step partial order reduction. To exemplify how SCALE can be used, we have applied it to a few multi-threaded applications, measured its performance and compared the results to those obtained by other tools. While checking the implementation of a non-blocking queuing algorithm, we were able to find a previously unknown bug that appears only in some unexpected thread inter-leavings.