Method for targetless tracking subpixel in-plane movements.

PubMed

Espinosa, Julian; Perez, Jorge; Ferrer, Belen; Mas, David

2015-09-01

We present a targetless motion tracking method for detecting planar movements with subpixel accuracy. This method is based on the computation and tracking of the intersection of two nonparallel straight-line segments in the image of a moving object in a scene. The method is simple and easy to implement because no complex structures have to be detected. It has been tested and validated using a lab experiment consisting of a vibrating object that was recorded with a high-speed camera working at 1000 fps. We managed to track displacements with an accuracy of hundredths of pixel or even of thousandths of pixel in the case of tracking harmonic vibrations. The method is widely applicable because it can be used for distance measuring amplitude and frequency of vibrations with a vision system.

An Adaptive Filter for the Removal of Drifting Sinusoidal Noise Without a Reference.

PubMed

Kelly, John W; Siewiorek, Daniel P; Smailagic, Asim; Wang, Wei

2016-01-01

This paper presents a method for filtering sinusoidal noise with a variable bandwidth filter that is capable of tracking a sinusoid's drifting frequency. The method, which is based on the adaptive noise canceling (ANC) technique, will be referred to here as the adaptive sinusoid canceler (ASC). The ASC eliminates sinusoidal contamination by tracking its frequency and achieving a narrower bandwidth than typical notch filters. The detected frequency is used to digitally generate an internal reference instead of relying on an external one as ANC filters typically do. The filter's bandwidth adjusts to achieve faster and more accurate convergence. In this paper, the focus of the discussion and the data is physiological signals, specifically electrocorticographic (ECoG) neural data contaminated with power line noise, but the presented technique could be applicable to other recordings as well. On simulated data, the ASC was able to reliably track the noise's frequency, properly adjust its bandwidth, and outperform comparative methods including standard notch filters and an adaptive line enhancer. These results were reinforced by visual results obtained from real ECoG data. The ASC showed that it could be an effective method for increasing signal to noise ratio in the presence of drifting sinusoidal noise, which is of significant interest for biomedical applications.

Discrete-time nonlinear damping backstepping control with observers for rejection of low and high frequency disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Wonhee; Chen, Xu; Lee, Youngwoo; Chung, Chung Choo; Tomizuka, Masayoshi

2018-05-01

A discrete-time backstepping control algorithm is proposed for reference tracking of systems affected by both broadband disturbances at low frequencies and narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. A discrete time DOB, which is constructed based on infinite impulse response filters is applied to compensate for narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. A discrete-time nonlinear damping backstepping controller with an augmented observer is proposed to track the desired output and to compensate for low frequency broadband disturbances along with a disturbance observer, for rejecting narrow band high frequency disturbances. This combination has the merit of simultaneously compensating both broadband disturbances at low frequencies and narrow band disturbances at high frequencies. The performance of the proposed method is validated via experiments.

High-bandwidth and flexible tracking control for precision motion with application to a piezo nanopositioner.

PubMed

Feng, Zhao; Ling, Jie; Ming, Min; Xiao, Xiao-Hui

2017-08-01

For precision motion, high-bandwidth and flexible tracking are the two important issues for significant performance improvement. Iterative learning control (ILC) is an effective feedforward control method only for systems that operate strictly repetitively. Although projection ILC can track varying references, the performance is still limited by the fixed-bandwidth Q-filter, especially for triangular waves tracking commonly used in a piezo nanopositioner. In this paper, a wavelet transform-based linear time-varying (LTV) Q-filter design for projection ILC is proposed to compensate high-frequency errors and improve the ability to tracking varying references simultaneously. The LVT Q-filter is designed based on the modulus maximum of wavelet detail coefficients calculated by wavelet transform to determine the high-frequency locations of each iteration with the advantages of avoiding cross-terms and segmenting manually. The proposed approach was verified on a piezo nanopositioner. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach can locate the high-frequency regions accurately and achieve the best performance under varying references compared with traditional frequency-domain and projection ILC with a fixed-bandwidth Q-filter, which validates that through implementing the LTV filter on projection ILC, high-bandwidth and flexible tracking can be achieved simultaneously by the proposed approach.

Maintenance of time and frequency in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Deep Space Network using the Global Positioning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clements, P. A.; Borutzki, S. E.; Kirk, A.

1984-01-01

The Deep Space Network (DSN), managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA, must maintain time and frequency within specified limits in order to accurately track the spacecraft engaged in deep space exploration. Various methods are used to coordinate the clocks among the three tracking complexes. These methods include Loran-C, TV Line 10, Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), and the Global Positioning System (GPS). Calculations are made to obtain frequency offsets and Allan variances. These data are analyzed and used to monitor the performance of the hydrogen masers that provide the reference frequencies for the DSN Frequency and Timing System (DFT). Areas of discussion are: (1) a brief history of the GPS timing receivers in the DSN, (2) a description of the data and information flow, (3) data on the performance of the DSN master clocks and GPS measurement system, and (4) a description of hydrogen maser frequency steering using these data.

A new rate-dependent model for high-frequency tracking performance enhancement of piezoactuator system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Lizhi; Xiong, Zhenhua; Wu, Jianhua; Ding, Han

2017-05-01

Feedforward-feedback control is widely used in motion control of piezoactuator systems. Due to the phase lag caused by incomplete dynamics compensation, the performance of the composite controller is greatly limited at high frequency. This paper proposes a new rate-dependent model to improve the high-frequency tracking performance by reducing dynamics compensation error. The rate-dependent model is designed as a function of the input and input variation rate to describe the input-output relationship of the residual system dynamics which mainly performs as phase lag in a wide frequency band. Then the direct inversion of the proposed rate-dependent model is used to compensate the residual system dynamics. Using the proposed rate-dependent model as feedforward term, the open loop performance can be improved significantly at medium-high frequency. Then, combining the with feedback controller, the composite controller can provide enhanced close loop performance from low frequency to high frequency. At the frequency of 1 Hz, the proposed controller presents the same performance as previous methods. However, at the frequency of 900 Hz, the tracking error is reduced to be 30.7% of the decoupled approach.

GNSS Signal Tracking Performance Improvement for Highly Dynamic Receivers by Gyroscopic Mounting Crystal Oscillator.

PubMed

Abedi, Maryam; Jin, Tian; Sun, Kewen

2015-08-31

In this paper, the efficiency of the gyroscopic mounting method is studied for a highly dynamic GNSS receiver's reference oscillator for reducing signal loss. Analyses are performed separately in two phases, atmospheric and upper atmospheric flights. Results show that the proposed mounting reduces signal loss, especially in parts of the trajectory where its probability is the highest. This reduction effect appears especially for crystal oscillators with a low elevation angle g-sensitivity vector. The gyroscopic mounting influences frequency deviation or jitter caused by dynamic loads on replica carrier and affects the frequency locked loop (FLL) as the dominant tracking loop in highly dynamic GNSS receivers. In terms of steady-state load, the proposed mounting mostly reduces the frequency deviation below the one-sigma threshold of FLL (1σ(FLL)). The mounting method can also reduce the frequency jitter caused by sinusoidal vibrations and reduces the probability of signal loss in parts of the trajectory where the other error sources accompany this vibration load. In the case of random vibration, which is the main disturbance source of FLL, gyroscopic mounting is even able to suppress the disturbances greater than the three-sigma threshold of FLL (3σ(FLL)). In this way, signal tracking performance can be improved by the gyroscopic mounting method for highly dynamic GNSS receivers.

A Novel Residual Frequency Estimation Method for GNSS Receivers.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tu Thi-Thanh; La, Vinh The; Ta, Tung Hai

2018-01-04

In Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, residual frequency estimation methods are traditionally applied in the synchronization block to reduce the transient time from acquisition to tracking, or they are used within the frequency estimator to improve its accuracy in open-loop architectures. There are several disadvantages in the current estimation methods, including sensitivity to noise and wide search space size. This paper proposes a new residual frequency estimation method depending on differential processing. Although the complexity of the proposed method is higher than the one of traditional methods, it can lead to more accurate estimates, without increasing the size of the search space.

Algorithms for computing the time-corrected instantaneous frequency (reassigned) spectrogram, with applications.

PubMed

Fulop, Sean A; Fitz, Kelly

2006-01-01

A modification of the spectrogram (log magnitude of the short-time Fourier transform) to more accurately show the instantaneous frequencies of signal components was first proposed in 1976 [Kodera et al., Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 12, 142-150 (1976)], and has been considered or reinvented a few times since but never widely adopted. This paper presents a unified theoretical picture of this time-frequency analysis method, the time-corrected instantaneous frequency spectrogram, together with detailed implementable algorithms comparing three published techniques for its computation. The new representation is evaluated against the conventional spectrogram for its superior ability to track signal components. The lack of a uniform framework for either mathematics or implementation details which has characterized the disparate literature on the schemes has been remedied here. Fruitful application of the method is shown in the realms of speech phonation analysis, whale song pitch tracking, and additive sound modeling.

Measuring changes of radio-frequency dielectric properties of chicken meat during storage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in dielectric properties of stored chicken meat were tracked by using a radio-frequency dielectric spectroscopy method. For this purpose, the dielectric properties were measured with an open-ended coaxial-line probe and vector network analyzer over a broad frequency range from 200 MHz to 20...

USE OF RFID TO TRACK HAZARDOUS WASTE SHIPMENTS ACROSS DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL BORDERS

EPA Science Inventory

Radio-frequency identification system (RFID) is an emerging commodity tracking technology that is being tested and implemented in a large number of applications worldwide. RFID is a method of transmitting data using radio waves, usually through communication with a tag. Both ac...

Frequency tracking and variable bandwidth for line noise filtering without a reference.

PubMed

Kelly, John W; Collinger, Jennifer L; Degenhart, Alan D; Siewiorek, Daniel P; Smailagic, Asim; Wang, Wei

2011-01-01

This paper presents a method for filtering line noise using an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) technique. This method effectively eliminates the sinusoidal contamination while achieving a narrower bandwidth than typical notch filters and without relying on the availability of a noise reference signal as ANC methods normally do. A sinusoidal reference is instead digitally generated and the filter efficiently tracks the power line frequency, which drifts around a known value. The filter's learning rate is also automatically adjusted to achieve faster and more accurate convergence and to control the filter's bandwidth. In this paper the focus of the discussion and the data will be electrocorticographic (ECoG) neural signals, but the presented technique is applicable to other recordings.

Robotic Follow Algorithm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2005-03-30

The Robotic Follow Algorithm enables allows any robotic vehicle to follow a moving target while reactively choosing a route around nearby obstacles. The robotic follow behavior can be used with different camera systems and can be used with thermal or visual tracking as well as other tracking methods such as radio frequency tags.

GNSS Signal Tracking Performance Improvement for Highly Dynamic Receivers by Gyroscopic Mounting Crystal Oscillator

PubMed Central

Abedi, Maryam; Jin, Tian; Sun, Kewen

2015-01-01

In this paper, the efficiency of the gyroscopic mounting method is studied for a highly dynamic GNSS receiver’s reference oscillator for reducing signal loss. Analyses are performed separately in two phases, atmospheric and upper atmospheric flights. Results show that the proposed mounting reduces signal loss, especially in parts of the trajectory where its probability is the highest. This reduction effect appears especially for crystal oscillators with a low elevation angle g-sensitivity vector. The gyroscopic mounting influences frequency deviation or jitter caused by dynamic loads on replica carrier and affects the frequency locked loop (FLL) as the dominant tracking loop in highly dynamic GNSS receivers. In terms of steady-state load, the proposed mounting mostly reduces the frequency deviation below the one-sigma threshold of FLL (1σFLL). The mounting method can also reduce the frequency jitter caused by sinusoidal vibrations and reduces the probability of signal loss in parts of the trajectory where the other error sources accompany this vibration load. In the case of random vibration, which is the main disturbance source of FLL, gyroscopic mounting is even able to suppress the disturbances greater than the three-sigma threshold of FLL (3σFLL). In this way, signal tracking performance can be improved by the gyroscopic mounting method for highly dynamic GNSS receivers. PMID:26404286

A possible explanation of the parallel tracks in kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations from low-mass-X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Chang-Sheng; Zhang, Shuang-Nan; Li, Xiang-Dong

2018-05-01

We recalculate the modes of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) waves in the MHD model (Shi, Zhang & Li 2014) of the kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in neutron star low mass X-ray binaries (NS-LMXBs), in which the compressed magnetosphere is considered. A method on point-by-point scanning for every parameter of a normal LMXBs is proposed to determine the wave number in a NS-LMXB. Then dependence of the twin kHz QPO frequencies on accretion rates (\\dot{M}) is obtained with the wave number and magnetic field (B*) determined by our method. Based on the MHD model, a new explanation of the parallel tracks, i.e. the slowly varying effective magnetic field leads to the shift of parallel tracks in a source, is presented. In this study, we obtain a simple power-law relation between the kHz QPO frequencies and \\dot{M}/B_{\\ast }^2 in those sources. Finally, we study the dependence of kHz quasi-periodic oscillation frequencies on the spin, mass and radius of a neutron star. We find that the effective magnetic field, the spin, mass and radius of a neutron star lead to the parallel tracks in different sources.

Dynamic train-turnout interaction in an extended frequency range using a detailed model of track dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassa, Elias; Nielsen, Jens C. O.

2009-03-01

A time domain solution method for general three-dimensional dynamic interaction of train and turnout (switch and crossing) that accounts for excitation in an extended frequency range (up to several hundred Hz) is proposed. Based on a finite element (FE) model of a standard turnout design, a complex-valued modal superposition of track dynamics is applied using the first 500 eigenmodes of the turnout model. The three-dimensional model includes the distribution of structural flexibility along the turnout, such as bending and torsion of rails and sleepers, and the variations in rail cross-section and sleeper length. Convergence of simulation results is studied while using an increasing number of eigenmodes. It is shown that modes with eigenfrequencies up to at least 200 Hz have a significant influence on the magnitudes of the wheel-rail contact forces. Results from using a simplified track model with a commercial computer program for low-frequency vehicle dynamics are compared with the results from using the detailed FE model in conjunction with the proposed method.

Software for real-time localization of baleen whale calls using directional sonobuoys: A case study on Antarctic blue whales.

PubMed

Miller, Brian S; Calderan, Susannah; Gillespie, Douglas; Weatherup, Graham; Leaper, Russell; Collins, Kym; Double, Michael C

2016-03-01

Directional frequency analysis and recording (DIFAR) sonobuoys can allow real-time acoustic localization of baleen whales for underwater tracking and remote sensing, but limited availability of hardware and software has prevented wider usage. These software limitations were addressed by developing a module in the open-source software PAMGuard. A case study is presented demonstrating that this software provides greater efficiency and accessibility than previous methods for detecting, localizing, and tracking Antarctic blue whales in real time. Additionally, this software can easily be extended to track other low and mid frequency sounds including those from other cetaceans, pinnipeds, icebergs, shipping, and seismic airguns.

A sensor fusion method for tracking vertical velocity and height based on inertial and barometric altimeter measurements.

PubMed

Sabatini, Angelo Maria; Genovese, Vincenzo

2014-07-24

A sensor fusion method was developed for vertical channel stabilization by fusing inertial measurements from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and pressure altitude measurements from a barometric altimeter integrated in the same device (baro-IMU). An Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) estimated the quaternion from the sensor frame to the navigation frame; the sensed specific force was rotated into the navigation frame and compensated for gravity, yielding the vertical linear acceleration; finally, a complementary filter driven by the vertical linear acceleration and the measured pressure altitude produced estimates of height and vertical velocity. A method was also developed to condition the measured pressure altitude using a whitening filter, which helped to remove the short-term correlation due to environment-dependent pressure changes from raw pressure altitude. The sensor fusion method was implemented to work on-line using data from a wireless baro-IMU and tested for the capability of tracking low-frequency small-amplitude vertical human-like motions that can be critical for stand-alone inertial sensor measurements. Validation tests were performed in different experimental conditions, namely no motion, free-fall motion, forced circular motion and squatting. Accurate on-line tracking of height and vertical velocity was achieved, giving confidence to the use of the sensor fusion method for tracking typical vertical human motions: velocity Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was in the range 0.04-0.24 m/s; height RMSE was in the range 5-68 cm, with statistically significant performance gains when the whitening filter was used by the sensor fusion method to track relatively high-frequency vertical motions.

Detection and Tracking of Moving Targets Behind Cluttered Environments Using Compressive Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Vinh Quang

Detection and tracking of moving targets (target's motion, vibration, etc.) in cluttered environments have been receiving much attention in numerous applications, such as disaster search-and-rescue, law enforcement, urban warfare, etc. One of the popular techniques is the use of stepped frequency continuous wave radar due to its low cost and complexity. However, the stepped frequency radar suffers from long data acquisition time. This dissertation focuses on detection and tracking of moving targets and vibration rates of stationary targets behind cluttered medium such as wall using stepped frequency radar enhanced by compressive sensing. The application of compressive sensing enables the reconstruction of the target space using fewer random frequencies, which decreases the acquisition time. Hardware-accelerated parallelization on GPU is investigated for the Orthogonal Matching Pursuit reconstruction algorithm. For simulation purpose, two hybrid methods have been developed to calculate the scattered fields from the targets through the wall approaching the antenna system, and to convert the incoming fields into voltage signals at terminals of the receive antenna. The first method is developed based on the plane wave spectrum approach for calculating the scattered fields of targets behind the wall. The method uses Fast Multiple Method (FMM) to calculate scattered fields on a particular source plane, decomposes them into plane wave components, and propagates the plane wave spectrum through the wall by integrating wall transmission coefficients before constructing the fields on a desired observation plane. The second method allows one to calculate the complex output voltage at terminals of a receiving antenna which fully takes into account the antenna effects. This method adopts the concept of complex antenna factor in Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) community for its calculation.

Application of RFID in the area of agricultural products quality traceability and tracking and the anti-collision algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zu-liang; Zhang, Ting; Xie, Shi-yang

2017-01-01

In order to improve the agricultural tracing efficiency and reduce tracking and monitoring cost, agricultural products quality tracking and tracing based on Radio-Frequency Identification(RFID) technology is studied, then tracing and tracking model is set up. Three-layer structure model is established to realize the high quality of agricultural products traceability and tracking. To solve the collision problems between multiple RFID tags and improve the identification efficiency a new reservation slot allocation mechanism is proposed. And then we analyze and optimize the parameter by numerical simulation method.

Experimental Validation of Pulse Phase Tracking for X-Ray Pulsar Based

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Kevin

2012-01-01

Pulsars are a form of variable celestial source that have shown to be usable as aids for autonomous, deep space navigation. Particularly those sources emitting in the X-ray band are ideal for navigation due to smaller detector sizes. In this paper X-ray photons arriving from a pulsar are modeled as a non-homogeneous Poisson process. The method of pulse phase tracking is then investigated as a technique to measure the radial distance traveled by a spacecraft over an observation interval. A maximum-likelihood phase estimator (MLE) is used for the case where the observed frequency signal is constant. For the varying signal frequency case, an algorithm is used in which the observation window is broken up into smaller blocks over which an MLE is used. The outputs of this phase estimation process were then looped through a digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) in order to reduce the errors and produce estimates of the doppler frequency. These phase tracking algorithms were tested both in a computer simulation environment and using the NASA Goddard Space flight Center X-ray Navigation Laboratory Testbed (GXLT). This provided an experimental validation with photons being emitted by a modulated X-ray source and detected by a silicon-drift detector. Models of the Crab pulsar and the pulsar B1821-24 were used in order to generate test scenarios. Three different simulated detector trajectories were used to be tracked by the phase tracking algorithm: a stationary case, one with constant velocity, and one with constant acceleration. All three were performed in one-dimension along the line of sight to the pulsar. The first two had a constant signal frequency and the third had a time varying frequency. All of the constant frequency cases were processed using the MLE, and it was shown that they tracked the initial phase within 0.15% for the simulations and 2.5% in the experiments, based on an average of ten runs. The MLE-DPLL cascade version of the phase tracking algorithm was used in the varying frequency case. This resulted in tracking of the phase and frequency by the DPLL outputs in both the simulation and experimental environments. The crab pulsar was experimentally tested with a trajectory with a higher acceleration. In this case the phase error tended toward zero as the observation extended to 250 seconds and the doppler frequency error tended to zero in under 100 seconds.

Steady-state phase error for a phase-locked loop subjected to periodic Doppler inputs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C.-C.; Win, M. Z.

1991-01-01

The performance of a carrier phase locked loop (PLL) driven by a periodic Doppler input is studied. By expanding the Doppler input into a Fourier series and applying the linearized PLL approximations, it is easy to show that, for periodic frequency disturbances, the resulting steady state phase error is also periodic. Compared to the method of expanding frequency excursion into a power series, the Fourier expansion method can be used to predict the maximum phase error excursion for a periodic Doppler input. For systems with a large Doppler rate fluctuation, such as an optical transponder aboard an Earth orbiting spacecraft, the method can be applied to test whether a lower order tracking loop can provide satisfactory tracking and thereby save the effect of a higher order loop design.

Detection of damaged supports under railway track based on frequency shift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Longqi; Zhang, Yao; Lie, Seng Tjhen

2017-03-01

In railway transportation systems, the tracks are usually fastened on sleepers which are supported by the ballast. A lot of research has been conducted to guarantee the safety of railway track because of its importance, and more concern is expressed about monitoring of track itself such as railway level and alignment. The ballast and fasteners which provide strong support to the railway track are important as well whereas the detection of loose or missing fasteners and damaged ballast mainly relies on visual inspection. Although it is reliable when the fastener is missing and the damaged ballast is on the surface, it provides less help if the fastener is only loose and the damaged ballast is under the sleepers, which are however frequently observed in practice. This paper proposes an approach based on frequency shift to identify the damaged supports including the loose or missing fasteners and damaged ballast. In this study, the rail-sleeper-ballast system is modeled as an Euler beam evenly supported by a series of springs, the stiffness of which are reduced when the fastener is loose or missing and the ballast under the sleepers is damaged. An auxiliary mass is utilized herein and when it is mounted on the beam, the natural frequencies of the whole system will change with respect to the location of the auxiliary mass. The auxiliary mass induced frequency shift is analyzed and it is found the natural frequencies change periodically when the supports are undamaged, whereas the periodicity will be broken due to damaged supports. In fact, the natural frequencies drop clearly when the auxiliary mass moves over the damaged support. A special damage index only using the information of the damaged states is proposed and both numerical and experimental examples are carried out to validate the proposed method.

Radiation-hardened fast acquisition/weak signal tracking system and method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winternitz, Luke (Inventor); Boegner, Gregory J. (Inventor); Sirotzky, Steve (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A global positioning system (GPS) receiver and method of acquiring and tracking GPS signals comprises an antenna adapted to receive GPS signals; an analog radio frequency device operatively connected to the antenna and adapted to convert the GPS signals from an analog format to a digital format; a plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators operatively connected to the analog RF device; a GPS signal acquisition component operatively connected to the analog RF device and the plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators, wherein the GPS signal acquisition component is adapted to calculate a maximum vector on a databit correlation grid; and a microprocessor operatively connected to the plurality of GPS signal tracking correlators and the GPS signal acquisition component, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to compare the maximum vector with a predetermined correlation threshold to allow the GPS signal to be fully acquired and tracked.

Model-based approach to partial tracking for musical transcription

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterian, Andrew; Wakefield, Gregory H.

1998-10-01

We present a new method for musical partial tracking in the context of musical transcription using a time-frequency Kalman filter structure. The filter is based upon a model for the evolution of a partial behavior across a wide range of pitch from four brass instruments. Statistics are computed independently for the partial attributes of frequency and log-power first differences. We present observed power spectral density shapes, total powers, and histograms, as well as least-squares approximations to these. We demonstrate that a Kalman filter tracker using this partial model is capable of tracking partials in music. We discuss how the filter structure naturally provides quality-of-fit information about the data for use in further processing and how this information can be used to perform partial track initiation and termination within a common framework. We propose that a model-based approach to partial tracking is preferable to existing approaches which generally use heuristic rules or birth/death notions over a small time neighborhood. The advantages include better performance in the presence of cluttered data and simplified tracking over missed observations.

A Sensor Fusion Method for Tracking Vertical Velocity and Height Based on Inertial and Barometric Altimeter Measurements

PubMed Central

Sabatini, Angelo Maria; Genovese, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

A sensor fusion method was developed for vertical channel stabilization by fusing inertial measurements from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and pressure altitude measurements from a barometric altimeter integrated in the same device (baro-IMU). An Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) estimated the quaternion from the sensor frame to the navigation frame; the sensed specific force was rotated into the navigation frame and compensated for gravity, yielding the vertical linear acceleration; finally, a complementary filter driven by the vertical linear acceleration and the measured pressure altitude produced estimates of height and vertical velocity. A method was also developed to condition the measured pressure altitude using a whitening filter, which helped to remove the short-term correlation due to environment-dependent pressure changes from raw pressure altitude. The sensor fusion method was implemented to work on-line using data from a wireless baro-IMU and tested for the capability of tracking low-frequency small-amplitude vertical human-like motions that can be critical for stand-alone inertial sensor measurements. Validation tests were performed in different experimental conditions, namely no motion, free-fall motion, forced circular motion and squatting. Accurate on-line tracking of height and vertical velocity was achieved, giving confidence to the use of the sensor fusion method for tracking typical vertical human motions: velocity Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was in the range 0.04–0.24 m/s; height RMSE was in the range 5–68 cm, with statistically significant performance gains when the whitening filter was used by the sensor fusion method to track relatively high-frequency vertical motions. PMID:25061835

Simulation of dynamic vehicle-track interaction on small radius curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torstensson, Peter T.; Nielsen, Jens C. O.

2011-11-01

A time-domain method for the simulation of general three-dimensional dynamic interaction between a vehicle and a curved railway track, accounting for a prescribed relative wheel-rail displacement excitation in a wide frequency range (up to several hundred Hz), is presented. The simulation model is able to capture the low-frequency vehicle dynamics simultaneously due to curving and the high-frequency track dynamics due to the excitation by, for example, the short-pitch corrugation on the low rail. The adopted multibody dynamics formulation considers inertia forces, such as centrifugal and Coriolis forces, as well as the structural flexibility of vehicle and track components. To represent a wheel/rail surface irregularity, isoparametric two-dimensional elements able to describe generally curved surface shapes are used. The computational effort is reduced by including only one bogie in the vehicle model. The influence of the low-frequency vehicle dynamics of the remaining parts of the vehicle is considered by pre-calculated look-up tables of forces and moments acting in the secondary suspension. For a track model taken as rigid, good agreement is observed between the results calculated with the presented model and a commercial software. The features of the model are demonstrated by a number of numerical examples. The influence of the structural flexibility of the wheelset and track on wheel-rail contact forces is investigated. For a discrete rail irregularity excitation, it is shown that the longitudinal creep force is significantly influenced by the wheelset eigenmodes. The introduction of a velocity-dependent friction law is found to induce an oscillation in the tangential contact force on the low rail with a frequency corresponding to the first anti-symmetric torsional mode of the wheelset. Further, under the application of driving moments on the two wheelsets and excitation by a discrete irregularity on the high rail, the frequency content of the tangential contact forces on the low rail is significantly influenced by the P2 resonance as well as by several wheelset eigenmodes.

Maintenance of Time and Frequency in the DSN Using the Global Positioning System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clements, P. A.; Kirk, A.; Borutzki, S. E.

1985-01-01

The Deep Space Network must maintain time and frequency within specified limits in order to accurately track the spacecraft engaged in deep space exploration. The DSN has three tracking complexes, located approximately equidistantly around the Earth. Various methods are used to coordinate the clocks among the three complexes. These methods include Loran-C, TV Line 10, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), and the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS is becoming increasingly important because of the accuracy, precision, and rapid availability of the data; GPS receivers have been installed at each of the DSN complexes and are used to obtain daily time offsets between the master clock at each site and UTC(USNO/NBS). Calculations are made to obtain frequency offsets and Allan variances. These data are analyzed and used to monitor the performance of the hydrogen masers that provide the reference frequencies for the DSN frequency and timing system (DFT). A brief history of the GPS timing receivers in the DSN, a description of the data and information flow, data on the performance of the DSN master clocks and GPS measurement system, and a description of hydrogen maser frequency steering using these data are presented.

Digital Phase-Locked Loop With Phase And Frequency Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, J. Brooks

1991-01-01

Advanced design for digital phase-lock loop (DPLL) allows loop gains higher than those used in other designs. Divided into two major components: counterrotation processor and tracking processor. Notable features include use of both phase and rate-of-change-of-phase feedback instead of frequency feedback alone, normalized sine phase extractor, improved method for extracting measured phase, and improved method for "compressing" output rate.

No-search algorithm for direction of arrival estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuncer, T. Engin; Ã-Zgen, M. Tankut

2009-10-01

Direction of arrival estimation (DOA) is an important problem in ionospheric research and electromagnetics as well as many other fields. When superresolution techniques are used, a computationally expensive search should be performed in general. In this paper, a no-search algorithm is presented. The idea is to separate the source signals in the time-frequency plane by using the Short-Time Fourier Transform. The direction vector for each source is found by coherent summation over the instantaneous frequency (IF) tracks of the individual sources which are found automatically by employing morphological image processing. Both overlapping and nonoverlapping source IF tracks can be processed and identified by the proposed approach. The CLEAN algorithm is adopted in order to isolate the IF tracks of the overlapping sources with different powers. The proposed method is very effective in finding the IF tracks and can be applied for signals with arbitrary IF characteristics. While the proposed method can be applied to any sensor geometry, planar uniform circular arrays (UCA) bring additional advantages. Different properties of the UCA are presented, and it is shown that the DOA angles can be found as the mean-square error optimum solution of a linear matrix equation. Several simulations are done, and it is shown that the proposed approach performs significantly better than the conventional methods.

Application of least mean square algorithm to suppression of maglev track-induced self-excited vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, D. F.; Li, J.; Hansen, C. H.

2011-11-01

Track-induced self-excited vibration is commonly encountered in EMS (electromagnetic suspension) maglev systems, and a solution to this problem is important in enabling the commercial widespread implementation of maglev systems. Here, the coupled model of the steel track and the magnetic levitation system is developed, and its stability is investigated using the Nyquist criterion. The harmonic balance method is employed to investigate the stability and amplitude of the self-excited vibration, which provides an explanation of the phenomenon that track-induced self-excited vibration generally occurs at a specified amplitude and frequency. To eliminate the self-excited vibration, an improved LMS (Least Mean Square) cancellation algorithm with phase correction (C-LMS) is employed. The harmonic balance analysis shows that the C-LMS cancellation algorithm can completely suppress the self-excited vibration. To achieve adaptive cancellation, a frequency estimator similar to the tuner of a TV receiver is employed to provide the C-LMS algorithm with a roughly estimated reference frequency. Numerical simulation and experiments undertaken on the CMS-04 vehicle show that the proposed adaptive C-LMS algorithm can effectively eliminate the self-excited vibration over a wide frequency range, and that the robustness of the algorithm suggests excellent potential for application to EMS maglev systems.

System and method for tracking a signal source. [employing feedback control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mogavero, L. N.; Johnson, E. G.; Evans, J. M., Jr.; Albus, J. S. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A system for tracking moving signal sources is disclosed which is particularly adaptable for use in tracking stage performers. A miniature transmitter is attached to the person or object to be tracked and emits a detectable signal of a predetermined frequency. A plurality of detectors positioned in a preset pattern sense the signal and supply output information to a phase detector which applies signals representing the angular orientation of the transmitter to a computer. The computer provides command signals to a servo network which drives a device such as a motor driven mirror reflecting the beam of a spotlight, to track the moving transmitter.

Development of a railway wagon-track interaction model: Case studies on excited tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lei; Chen, Xianmai; Li, Xuwei; He, Xianglin

2018-02-01

In this paper, a theoretical framework for modeling the railway wagon-ballast track interactions is presented, in which the dynamic equations of motion of wagon-track systems are constructed by effectively coupling the linear and nonlinear dynamic characteristics of system components. For the linear components, the energy-variational principle is directly used to derive their dynamic matrices, while for the nonlinear components, the dynamic equilibrium method is implemented to deduce the load vectors, based on which a novel railway wagon-ballast track interaction model is developed, and being validated by comparing with the experimental data measured from a heavy haul railway and another advanced model. With this study, extensive contributions in figuring out the critical speed of instability, limits and localizations of track irregularities over derailment accidents are presented by effectively integrating the dynamic simulation model, the track irregularity probabilistic model and time-frequency analysis method. The proposed approaches can provide crucial information to guarantee the running safety and stability of the wagon-track system when considering track geometries and various running speeds.

lop-DWI: A Novel Scheme for Pre-Processing of Diffusion-Weighted Images in the Gradient Direction Domain.

PubMed

Sepehrband, Farshid; Choupan, Jeiran; Caruyer, Emmanuel; Kurniawan, Nyoman D; Gal, Yaniv; Tieng, Quang M; McMahon, Katie L; Vegh, Viktor; Reutens, David C; Yang, Zhengyi

2014-01-01

We describe and evaluate a pre-processing method based on a periodic spiral sampling of diffusion-gradient directions for high angular resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Our pre-processing method incorporates prior knowledge about the acquired diffusion-weighted signal, facilitating noise reduction. Periodic spiral sampling of gradient direction encodings results in an acquired signal in each voxel that is pseudo-periodic with characteristics that allow separation of low-frequency signal from high frequency noise. Consequently, it enhances local reconstruction of the orientation distribution function used to define fiber tracks in the brain. Denoising with periodic spiral sampling was tested using synthetic data and in vivo human brain images. The level of improvement in signal-to-noise ratio and in the accuracy of local reconstruction of fiber tracks was significantly improved using our method.

Emitter signal separation method based on multi-level digital channelization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Xun; Ping, Yifan; Wang, Sujun; Feng, Ying; Kuang, Yin; Yang, Xinquan

2018-02-01

To solve the problem of emitter separation under complex electromagnetic environment, a signal separation method based on multi-level digital channelization is proposed in this paper. A two-level structure which can divide signal into different channel is designed first, after that, the peaks of different channels are tracked using the track filter and the coincident signals in time domain are separated in time-frequency domain. Finally, the time domain waveforms of different signals are acquired by reverse transformation. The validness of the proposed method is proved by experiment.

Penetrating transmission zeros in the design of robust servomechanism systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, S. H.; Davison, E. J.

1981-01-01

In the design of a robust servomechanism system, it is well known that the system cannot track a reference signal whose frequency coincides with the transmission zeros of the system. This paper proposes a new design method for overcoming this difficulty. The controller to be used employs a sampler and holding device with exponential decay. It is shown that the transmission zeros of the discretized system can be shifted by changing the rate of the exponential decay of the holding device. Thus, it is possible to design a robust controller for the discretized system to track any reference signal of given frequency, even if the given frequency coincides with the transmission zeros of the original continuous-time system.

Robust Optimal Adaptive Control Method with Large Adaptive Gain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan T.

2009-01-01

In the presence of large uncertainties, a control system needs to be able to adapt rapidly to regain performance. Fast adaptation is referred to the implementation of adaptive control with a large adaptive gain to reduce the tracking error rapidly. However, a large adaptive gain can lead to high-frequency oscillations which can adversely affect robustness of an adaptive control law. A new adaptive control modification is presented that can achieve robust adaptation with a large adaptive gain without incurring high-frequency oscillations as with the standard model-reference adaptive control. The modification is based on the minimization of the Y2 norm of the tracking error, which is formulated as an optimal control problem. The optimality condition is used to derive the modification using the gradient method. The optimal control modification results in a stable adaptation and allows a large adaptive gain to be used for better tracking while providing sufficient stability robustness. Simulations were conducted for a damaged generic transport aircraft with both standard adaptive control and the adaptive optimal control modification technique. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed modification in tracking a reference model while maintaining a sufficient time delay margin.

Instantaneous and Frequency-Warped Signal Processing Techniques for Auditory Source Separation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Avery Li-Chun

This thesis summarizes several contributions to the areas of signal processing and auditory source separation. The philosophy of Frequency-Warped Signal Processing is introduced as a means for separating the AM and FM contributions to the bandwidth of a complex-valued, frequency-varying sinusoid p (n), transforming it into a signal with slowly-varying parameters. This transformation facilitates the removal of p (n) from an additive mixture while minimizing the amount of damage done to other signal components. The average winding rate of a complex-valued phasor is explored as an estimate of the instantaneous frequency. Theorems are provided showing the robustness of this measure. To implement frequency tracking, a Frequency-Locked Loop algorithm is introduced which uses the complex winding error to update its frequency estimate. The input signal is dynamically demodulated and filtered to extract the envelope. This envelope may then be remodulated to reconstruct the target partial, which may be subtracted from the original signal mixture to yield a new, quickly-adapting form of notch filtering. Enhancements to the basic tracker are made which, under certain conditions, attain the Cramer -Rao bound for the instantaneous frequency estimate. To improve tracking, the novel idea of Harmonic -Locked Loop tracking, using N harmonically constrained trackers, is introduced for tracking signals, such as voices and certain musical instruments. The estimated fundamental frequency is computed from a maximum-likelihood weighting of the N tracking estimates, making it highly robust. The result is that harmonic signals, such as voices, can be isolated from complex mixtures in the presence of other spectrally overlapping signals. Additionally, since phase information is preserved, the resynthesized harmonic signals may be removed from the original mixtures with relatively little damage to the residual signal. Finally, a new methodology is given for designing linear-phase FIR filters which require a small fraction of the computational power of conventional FIR implementations. This design strategy is based on truncated and stabilized IIR filters. These signal-processing methods have been applied to the problem of auditory source separation, resulting in voice separation from complex music that is significantly better than previous results at far lower computational cost.

Comparison of electromyography and force as interfaces for prosthetic control.

PubMed

Corbett, Elaine A; Perreault, Eric J; Kuiken, Todd A

2011-01-01

The ease with which persons with upper-limb amputations can control their powered prostheses is largely determined by the efficacy of the user command interface. One needs to understand the abilities of the human operator regarding the different available options. Electromyography (EMG) is widely used to control powered upper-limb prostheses. It is an indirect estimator of muscle force and may be expected to limit the control capabilities of the prosthesis user. This study compared EMG control with force control, an interface that is used in everyday interactions with the environment. We used both methods to perform a position-tracking task. Direct-position control of the wrist provided an upper bound for human-operator capabilities. The results demonstrated that an EMG control interface is as effective as force control for the position-tracking task. We also examined the effects of gain and tracking frequency on EMG control to explore the limits of this control interface. We found that information transmission rates for myoelectric control were best at higher tracking frequencies than at the frequencies previously reported for position control. The results may be useful for the design of prostheses and prosthetic controllers.

Determining XV-15 aeroelastic modes from flight data with frequency-domain methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acree, C. W., Jr.; Tischler, Mark B.

1993-01-01

The XV-15 tilt-rotor wing has six major aeroelastic modes that are close in frequency. To precisely excite individual modes during flight test, dual flaperon exciters with automatic frequency-sweep controls were installed. The resulting structural data were analyzed in the frequency domain (Fourier transformed). All spectral data were computed using chirp z-transforms. Modal frequencies and damping were determined by fitting curves to frequency-response magnitude and phase data. The results given in this report are for the XV-15 with its original metal rotor blades. Also, frequency and damping values are compared with theoretical predictions made using two different programs, CAMRAD and ASAP. The frequency-domain data-analysis method proved to be very reliable and adequate for tracking aeroelastic modes during flight-envelope expansion. This approach required less flight-test time and yielded mode estimations that were more repeatable, compared with the exponential-decay method previously used.

Machine vision application in animal trajectory tracking.

PubMed

Koniar, Dušan; Hargaš, Libor; Loncová, Zuzana; Duchoň, František; Beňo, Peter

2016-04-01

This article was motivated by the doctors' demand to make a technical support in pathologies of gastrointestinal tract research [10], which would be based on machine vision tools. Proposed solution should be less expensive alternative to already existing RF (radio frequency) methods. The objective of whole experiment was to evaluate the amount of animal motion dependent on degree of pathology (gastric ulcer). In the theoretical part of the article, several methods of animal trajectory tracking are presented: two differential methods based on background subtraction, the thresholding methods based on global and local threshold and the last method used for animal tracking was the color matching with a chosen template containing a searched spectrum of colors. The methods were tested offline on five video samples. Each sample contained situation with moving guinea pig locked in a cage under various lighting conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Track Structure Model for Radial Distributions of Electron Spectra and Event Spectra from High-Energy Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cucinotta, F. A.; Katz, R.; Wilson, J. W.

1998-01-01

An analytic method is described for evaluating the average radial electron spectrum and the radial and total frequency-event spectrum for high-energy ions. For high-energy ions, indirect events make important contributions to frequency-event spectra. The method used for evaluating indirect events is to fold the radial electron spectrum with measured frequency-event spectrum for photons or electrons. The contribution from direct events is treated using a spatially restricted linear energy transfer (LET). We find that high-energy heavy ions have a significantly reduced frequency-averaged final energy (yF) compared to LET, while relativistic protons have a significantly increased yF and dose-averaged lineal energy (yD) for typical site sizes used in tissue equivalent proportional counters. Such differences represent important factors in evaluating event spectra with laboratory beams, in space- flight, or in atmospheric radiation studies and in validation of radiation transport codes. The inadequacy of LET as descriptor because of deviations in values of physical quantities, such as track width, secondary electron spectrum, and yD for ions of identical LET is also discussed.

Visuomotor Tracking Ability of Young Adult Speakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moon, Jerald B.; And Others

1993-01-01

Twenty-five normal young adult speakers tracked sinusoidal and unpredictable target signals using lower lip and jaw movement and fundamental frequency modulation. Tracking accuracy varied as a function of target frequency and articulator used to track. Results show the potential of visuomotor tracking tasks in the assessment of speech articulatory…

Numerical Calculation Method for Prediction of Ground-borne Vibration near Subway Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuno, Kiwamu; Furuta, Masaru; Abe, Kazuhisa

This paper describes the development of prediction method for ground-borne vibration from railway tunnels. Field measurement was carried out both in a subway shield tunnel, in the ground and on the ground surface. The generated vibration in the tunnel was calculated by means of the train/track/tunnel interaction model and was compared with the measurement results. On the other hand, wave propagation in the ground was calculated utilizing the empirical model, which was proposed based on the relationship between frequency and material damping coefficient α in order to predict the attenuation in the ground in consideration of frequency characteristics. Numerical calculation using 2-dimensinal FE analysis was also carried out in this research. The comparison between calculated and measured results shows that the prediction method including the model for train/track/tunnel interaction and that for wave propagation is applicable to the prediction of train-induced vibration propagated from railway tunnel.

Spectral analysis of highly aliased sea-level signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Richard D.

1998-10-01

Observing high-wavenumber ocean phenomena with a satellite altimeter generally calls for "along-track" analyses of the data: measurements along a repeating satellite ground track are analyzed in a point-by-point fashion, as opposed to spatially averaging data over multiple tracks. The sea-level aliasing problems encountered in such analyses can be especially challenging. For TOPEX/POSEIDON, all signals with frequency greater than 18 cycles per year (cpy), including both tidal and subdiurnal signals, are folded into the 0-18 cpy band. Because the tidal bands are wider than 18 cpy, residual tidal cusp energy, plus any subdiurnal energy, is capable of corrupting any low-frequency signal of interest. The practical consequences of this are explored here by using real sea-level measurements from conventional tide gauges, for which the true oceanographic spectrum is known and to which a simulated "satellite-measured" spectrum, based on coarsely subsampled data, may be compared. At many locations the spectrum is sufficently red that interannual frequencies remain unaffected. Intra-annual frequencies, however, must be interpreted with greater caution, and even interannual frequencies can be corrupted if the spectrum is flat. The results also suggest that whenever tides must be estimated directly from the altimetry, response methods of analysis are preferable to harmonic methods, even in nonlinear regimes; this will remain so for the foreseeable future. We concentrate on three example tide gauges: two coastal stations on the Malay Peninsula where the closely aliased K1 and Ssa tides are strong and at Canton Island where trapped equatorial waves are aliased.

The probability of occurrence of high-loss windstorms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massey, Neil

2016-04-01

Windstorms are one of the largest meteorological risks to life and property in Europe. High - loss windstorms, in terms of insured losses, are a result of not only the windspeed of the storm but also the position and track of the storm. The two highest loss storms on record, Daria (1990) and Lothar (1999) caused so much damage because they tracked across highly populated areas of Europe. Although the frequency and intensity of high - loss wind storms in the observed record is known, there are not enough samples, due to the short observed record, to truly know the distribution of the frequency and intensity of windstorms over Europe and, by extension, the distribution of losses which could occur if the atmosphere had been in a different state due to the internal variability of the atmosphere. Risk and loss modelling exercises carried out by and for the reinsurance industry have typically stochastically perturbed the historical record of high - loss windstorms to produce distributions of potential windstorms with greater sample sizes than the observations. This poster presents a new method of generating many samples of potential windstorms and analyses the frequency of occurrence, intensity and potential losses of these windstorms. The large ensemble regional climate modelling project weather@home is used to generate many regional climate model representations (800 per year) of the weather over Europe between 1985 and 2010. The regional climate model is driven at the boundaries by a free running global climate model and so each ensemble member represents a potential state of the atmosphere, rather than an observed state. The winter storm season of October to March is analysed by applying an objective cyclone identification and tracking algorithm to each ensemble member. From the resulting tracks, the windspeed within a 1000km radius of the cyclone centre is extracted and the maximum windspeed over a 72 hour period is derived as the storm windspeed footprint. This footprint is fed into a population based loss model to estimate the losses for the storm. Additionally the same analysis is performed on data from the same regional climate model, driven at the boundaries by ERA - Interim. This allows the tracks and losses of the storms in the observed record to be recovered using the same tracking method and loss model. A storm track matching function is applied to the storm tracks in the large ensemble and so analogues of the observed storms can be recovered. The frequency of occurrence of the high - loss storms in the large ensemble can then be determined, and used as a proxy for the frequency of occurrence in the observations.

Explicit symplectic orbit and spin tracking method for electric storage ring

DOE PAGES

Hwang, Kilean; Lee, S. Y.

2016-08-18

We develop a symplectic charged particle tracking method for phase space coordinates and polarization in all electric storage rings. Near the magic energy, the spin precession tune is proportional to the fractional momentum deviation δ m from the magic energy, and the amplitude of the radial and longitudinal spin precession is proportional to η/δ m, where η is the electric dipole moment for an initially vertically polarized beam. As a result, the method can be used to extract the electron electric dipole moment of a charged particle by employing narrow band frequency analysis of polarization around the magic energy.

Use of a genetic algorithm for the analysis of eye movements from the linear vestibulo-ocular reflex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelhamer, M.

2001-01-01

It is common in vestibular and oculomotor testing to use a single-frequency (sine) or combination of frequencies [sum-of-sines (SOS)] stimulus for head or target motion. The resulting eye movements typically contain a smooth tracking component, which follows the stimulus, in which are interspersed rapid eye movements (saccades or fast phases). The parameters of the smooth tracking--the amplitude and phase of each component frequency--are of interest; many methods have been devised that attempt to identify and remove the fast eye movements from the smooth. We describe a new approach to this problem, tailored to both single-frequency and sum-of-sines stimulation of the human linear vestibulo-ocular reflex. An approximate derivative is used to identify fast movements, which are then omitted from further analysis. The remaining points form a series of smooth tracking segments. A genetic algorithm is used to fit these segments together to form a smooth (but disconnected) wave form, by iteratively removing biases due to the missing fast phases. A genetic algorithm is an iterative optimization procedure; it provides a basis for extending this approach to more complex stimulus-response situations. In the SOS case, the genetic algorithm estimates the amplitude and phase values of the component frequencies as well as removing biases.

Assessment of needs for satellite tracking of birds and suggestions for expediting a program. [experimental design using Nimbus 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craighead, F. C., Jr.

1978-01-01

Equipment development and testing, animal-instrument interphase or attachment methods, and the evaluation of various feasibility-tracking experiments with raptors are described as well as suggestions for expediting a future program. Results of animal-instrument interphases work indicate that large free-flying birds can be successfully instrumented with radio packages comparable in weight to satellite-transmitter packages. The 401 MHz frequency proved satisfactory for a combination of satellite and ground tracking of migrating birds. Tests run for nearly a year with the Nimbus 6 satellite and a miniaturized, one-watt prototype RAMS transmitter produced encouraging results in regard to location accuracy, frequency of contact with satellite and use of whip antennas. A future program is recommended with priority given to development of six operational transmitters for feasibility experiments.

Method and system for controlling the position of a beam of light

DOEpatents

Steinkraus, Jr., Robert F.; Johnson, Gary W [Livermore, CA; Ruggiero, Anthony J [Livermore, CA

2011-08-09

An method and system for laser beam tracking and pointing is based on a conventional position sensing detector (PSD) or quadrant cell but with the use of amplitude-modulated light. A combination of logarithmic automatic gain control, filtering, and synchronous detection offers high angular precision with exceptional dynamic range and sensitivity, while maintaining wide bandwidth. Use of modulated light enables the tracking of multiple beams simultaneously through the use of different modulation frequencies. It also makes the system resistant to interfering light sources such as ambient light. Beam pointing is accomplished by feeding back errors in the measured beam position to a beam steering element, such as a steering mirror. Closed-loop tracking performance is superior to existing methods, especially under conditions of atmospheric scintillation.

Synchronous critical speed tracking in hydrostatic bearing supported rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Thomas W.; Scharrer, Joseph K.

1989-01-01

Hydrostatic bearings used in advanced turbopump designs use the pumped propellant as the working fluid and supply the propellant to the bearing from pump discharge. The resulting rotordynamic coefficients are highly speed-dependent and in some instances can cause system natural frequencies to coincide with spin speed over a wide speed range. This paper discusses this 'synchronous tracking' phenomenon. The factors affecting it are defined, and specific examples are presented. Methods which identify synchronous tracking issues early in the design process are reported, and techniques for eliminating this undesirable characteristic are addressed.

Individual Monitoring of Vocal Effort with Relative Fundamental Frequency: Relationships with Aerodynamics and Listener Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lien, Yu-An S.; Michener, Carolyn M.; Eadie, Tanya L.; Stepp, Cara E.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The acoustic measure relative fundamental frequency (RFF) was investigated as a potential objective measure to track variations in vocal effort within and across individuals. Method: Twelve speakers with healthy voices created purposeful modulations in their vocal effort during speech tasks. RFF and an aerodynamic measure of vocal effort,…

The Diffusion and Impact of Radio Frequency Identification in Supply Chains: A Multi-Method Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Xiaoran

2012-01-01

As a promising and emerging technology for supply chain management, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a new alternative to existing tracking technologies and also allows a range of internal control and supply chain coordination. RFID has generated a significant amount of interest and activities from both practitioners and researchers in…

Flower tracking in hawkmoths: behavior and energetics.

PubMed

Sprayberry, Jordanna D H; Daniel, Thomas L

2007-01-01

As hovering feeders, hawkmoths cope with flower motions by tracking those motions to maintain contact with the nectary. This study examined the tracking, feeding and energetic performance of Manduca sexta feeding from flowers moving at varied frequencies and in different directions. In general we found that tracking performance decreased as frequency increased; M. sexta tracked flowers moving at 1 Hz best. While feeding rates were highest for stationary flowers, they remained relatively constant for all tested frequencies of flower motion. Calculations of net energy gain showed that energy expenditure to track flowers is minimal compared to energy intake; therefore, patterns of net energy gain mimicked patterns of feeding rate. The direction effects of flower motion were greater than the frequency effects. While M. sexta appeared equally capable of tracking flowers moving in the horizontal and vertical motion axes, they demonstrated poor ability to track flowers moving in the looming axis. Additionally, both feeding rates and net energy gain were lower for looming axis flower motions.

Method of differential-phase/absolute-amplitude QAM

DOEpatents

Dimsdle, Jeffrey William [Overland Park, KS

2007-07-03

A method of quadrature amplitude modulation involving encoding phase differentially and amplitude absolutely, allowing for a high data rate and spectral efficiency in data transmission and other communication applications, and allowing for amplitude scaling to facilitate data recovery; amplitude scale tracking to track-out rapid and severe scale variations and facilitate successful demodulation and data retrieval; 2.sup.N power carrier recovery; incoherent demodulation where coherent carrier recovery is not possible or practical due to signal degradation; coherent demodulation; multipath equalization to equalize frequency dependent multipath; and demodulation filtering.

Method of differential-phase/absolute-amplitude QAM

DOEpatents

Dimsdle, Jeffrey William [Overland Park, KS

2008-10-21

A method of quadrature amplitude modulation involving encoding phase differentially and amplitude absolutely, allowing for a high data rate and spectral efficiency in data transmission and other communication applications, and allowing for amplitude scaling to facilitate data recovery; amplitude scale tracking to track-out rapid and severe scale variations and facilitate successful demodulation and data retrieval; 2.sup.N power carrier recovery; incoherent demodulation where coherent carrier recovery is not possible or practical due to signal degradation; coherent demodulation; multipath equalization to equalize frequency dependent multipath; and demodulation filtering.

Method of differential-phase/absolute-amplitude QAM

DOEpatents

Dimsdle, Jeffrey William [Overland Park, KS

2009-09-01

A method of quadrature amplitude modulation involving encoding phase differentially and amplitude absolutely, allowing for a high data rate and spectral efficiency in data transmission and other communication applications, and allowing for amplitude scaling to facilitate data recovery; amplitude scale tracking to track-out rapid and severe scale variations and facilitate successful demodulation and data retrieval; 2.sup.N power carrier recovery; incoherent demodulation where coherent carrier recovery is not possible or practical due to signal degradation; coherent demodulation; multipath equalization to equalize frequency dependent multipath; and demodulation filtering.

Method of differential-phase/absolute-amplitude QAM

DOEpatents

Dimsdle, Jeffrey William [Overland Park, KS

2007-07-17

A method of quadrature amplitude modulation involving encoding phase differentially and amplitude absolutely, allowing for a high data rate and spectral efficiency in data transmission and other communication applications, and allowing for amplitude scaling to facilitate data recovery; amplitude scale tracking to track-out rapid and severe scale variations and facilitate successful demodulation and data retrieval; 2.sup.N power carrier recovery; incoherent demodulation where coherent carrier recovery is not possible or practical due to signal degradation; coherent demodulation; multipath equalization to equalize frequency dependent multipath; and demodulation filtering.

Method of differential-phase/absolute-amplitude QAM

DOEpatents

Dimsdle, Jeffrey William

2007-10-02

A method of quadrature amplitude modulation involving encoding phase differentially and amplitude absolutely, allowing for a high data rate and spectral efficiency in data transmission and other communication applications, and allowing for amplitude scaling to facilitate data recovery; amplitude scale tracking to track-out rapid and severe scale variations and facilitate successful demodulation and data retrieval; 2.sup.N power carrier recovery; incoherent demodulation where coherent carrier recovery is not possible or practical due to signal degradation; coherent demodulation; multipath equalization to equalize frequency dependent multipath; and demodulation filtering.

An inkjet vision measurement technique for high-frequency jetting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwon, Kye-Si, E-mail: kskwon@sch.ac.kr; Jang, Min-Hyuck; Park, Ha Yeong

2014-06-15

Inkjet technology has been used as manufacturing a tool for printed electronics. To increase the productivity, the jetting frequency needs to be increased. When using high-frequency jetting, the printed pattern quality could be non-uniform since the jetting performance characteristics including the jetting speed and droplet volume could vary significantly with increases in jet frequency. Therefore, high-frequency jetting behavior must be evaluated properly for improvement. However, it is difficult to measure high-frequency jetting behavior using previous vision analysis methods, because subsequent droplets are close or even merged. In this paper, we present vision measurement techniques to evaluate the drop formation ofmore » high-frequency jetting. The proposed method is based on tracking target droplets such that subsequent droplets can be excluded in the image analysis by focusing on the target droplet. Finally, a frequency sweeping method for jetting speed and droplet volume is presented to understand the overall jetting frequency effects on jetting performance.« less

Spacecraft Doppler Tracking as a Xylophone Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tinto, Massimo

1996-01-01

We discuss spacecraft Doppler tracking in which Doppler data recorded on the ground are linearly combined with Doppler measurements made on board a spacecraft. By using the four-link radio system first proposed by Vessot and Levine, we derive a new method for removing from the combined data the frequency fluctuations due to the Earth troposphere, ionosphere, and mechanical vibrations of the antenna on the ground. Our method provides also for reducing by several orders of magnitude, at selected Fourier components, the frequency fluctuations due to other noise sources, such as the clock on board the spacecraft or the antenna and buffeting of the probe by non-gravitational forces. In this respect spacecraft Doppler tracking can be regarded as a xylophone detector. Estimates of the sensitivities achievable by this xylophone are presented for two tests of Einstein's theory of relativity: searches for gravitational waves and measurements of the gravitational red shift. This experimental technique could be extended to other tests of the theory of relativity, and to radio science experiments that rely on high-precision Doppler measurements.

Numerical simulation of a powered-lift landing, tracking flow features using overset grids, and simulation of high lift devices on a fighter-lift-and-control wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chawla, Kalpana

1993-01-01

Attached as appendices to this report are documents describing work performed on the simulation of a landing powered-lift delta wing, the tracking of flow features using overset grids, and the simulation of flaps on the Wright Patterson Lab's fighter-lift-and-control (FLAC) wing. Numerical simulation of a powered-lift landing includes the computation of flow about a delta wing at four fixed heights as well as a simulated landing, in which the delta wing descends toward the ground. Comparison of computed and experimental lift coefficients indicates that the simulations capture the qualitative trends in lift-loss encountered by thrust-vectoring aircraft operating in ground effect. Power spectra of temporal variations of pressure indicate computed vortex shedding frequencies close to the jet exit are in the experimentally observed frequency range; the power spectra of pressure also provide insights into the mechanisms of lift oscillations. Also, a method for using overset grids to track dynamic flow features is described and the method is validated by tracking a moving shock and vortices shed behind a circular cylinder. Finally, Chimera gridding strategies were used to develop pressure coefficient contours for the FLAC wing for a Mach no. of 0.18 and Reynolds no. of 2.5 million.

Differenced Range Versus Integrated Doppler (DRVID) ionospheric analysis of metric tracking in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radomski, M. S.; Doll, C. E.

1995-01-01

The Differenced Range (DR) Versus Integrated Doppler (ID) (DRVID) method exploits the opposition of high-frequency signal versus phase retardation by plasma media to obtain information about the plasma's corruption of simultaneous range and Doppler spacecraft tracking measurements. Thus, DR Plus ID (DRPID) is an observable independent of plasma refraction, while actual DRVID (DR minus ID) measures the time variation of the path electron content independently of spacecraft motion. The DRVID principle has been known since 1961. It has been used to observe interplanetary plasmas, is implemented in Deep Space Network tracking hardware, and has recently been applied to single-frequency Global Positioning System user navigation This paper discusses exploration at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) of DRVID synthesized from simultaneous two-way range and Doppler tracking for low Earth-orbiting missions supported by the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) The paper presents comparisons of actual DR and ID residuals and relates those comparisons to predictions of the Bent model. The complications due to the pilot tone influence on relayed Doppler measurements are considered. Further use of DRVID to evaluate ionospheric models is discussed, as is use of DRPID in reducing dependence on ionospheric modeling in orbit determination.

A finite element study on rail corrugation based on saturated creep force-induced self-excited vibration of a wheelset-track system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G. X.; Zhou, Z. R.; Ouyang, H.; Jin, X. S.; Zhu, M. H.; Liu, Q. Y.

2010-10-01

The present work proposes friction coupling at the wheel-rail interface as the mechanism for formation of rail corrugation. Stability of a wheelset-track system is studied using the finite element complex eigenvalue method. Two models for a wheelset-track system on a tight curved track and on a straight track are established. In these two models, motion of the wheelset is coupled with that of the rail by friction. Creep force at the interface is assumed to become saturated and approximately equal to friction force, which is equal to the normal contact force multiplied by dynamic coefficient of friction. The rail is supported by vertical and lateral springs and dampers at the positions of sleepers. Numerical results show that there is a strong propensity of self-excited vibration of the wheelset-track system when the friction coefficient is larger than 0.21. Some unstable frequencies fall in the range 60-1200 Hz, which correspond to frequencies of rail corrugation. Parameter sensitivity analysis shows that the dynamic coefficient of friction, spring stiffness and damping of the sleeper supports all have important influences on the rail corrugation formation. Bringing the friction coefficient below a certain level can suppress or eliminate rail corrugation.

GNSS triple-frequency geometry-free and ionosphere-free track-to-track ambiguities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kan; Rothacher, Markus

2015-06-01

During the last few years, more and more GNSS satellites have become available sending signals on three or even more frequencies. Examples are the GPS Block IIF and the Galileo In-Orbit-Validation (IOV) satellites. Various investigations have been performed to make use of the increasing number of frequencies to find a compromise between eliminating different error sources and minimizing the noise level, including the investigations in the triple-frequency geometry-free (GF) and ionosphere-free (IF) linear combinations, which eliminate all the geometry-related errors and the first-order term of the ionospheric delays. In contrast to the double-difference GF and IF ambiguity resolution, the resolution of the so-called track-to-track GF and IF ambiguities between two tracks of a satellite observed by the same station only requires one receiver and one satellite. Most of the remaining errors like receiver and satellite delays (electronics, cables, etc.) are eliminated, if they are not changing rapidly in time, and the noise level is reduced theoretically by a factor of square root of two compared to double-differences. This paper presents first results concerning track-to-track ambiguity resolution using triple-frequency GF and IF linear combinations based on data from the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) from April 29 to May 9, 2012 and from December 23 to December 29, 2012. This includes triple-frequency phase and code observations with different combinations of receiver tracking modes. The results show that it is possible to resolve the combined track-to-track ambiguities of the best two triple-frequency GF and IF linear combinations for the Galileo frequency triplet E1, E5b and E5a with more than 99.6% of the fractional ambiguities for the best linear combination being located within ± 0.03 cycles and more than 98.8% of the fractional ambiguities for the second best linear combination within ± 0.2 cycles, while the fractional parts of the ambiguities for the GPS frequency triplet L1, L2 and L5 are more disturbed by errors as e.g. the uncalibrated Phase Center Offsets (PCOs) and Phase Center Variations (PCVs), that have not been considered. The best two GF and IF linear combinations between tracks are helpful to detect problems in data and receivers. Furthermore, resolving the track-to-track ambiguities is helpful to connect the single-receiver ambiguities on the normal equation level and to improve ambiguity resolution.

Visualization of frequency-modulated electric field based on photonic frequency tracking in asynchronous electro-optic measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hisatake, Shintaro; Yamaguchi, Koki; Uchida, Hirohisa; Tojyo, Makoto; Oikawa, Yoichi; Miyaji, Kunio; Nagatsuma, Tadao

2018-04-01

We propose a new asynchronous measurement system to visualize the amplitude and phase distribution of a frequency-modulated electromagnetic wave. The system consists of three parts: a nonpolarimetric electro-optic frequency down-conversion part, a phase-noise-canceling part, and a frequency-tracking part. The photonic local oscillator signal generated by electro-optic phase modulation is controlled to track the frequency of the radio frequency (RF) signal to significantly enhance the measurable RF bandwidth. We demonstrate amplitude and phase measurement of a quasi-millimeter-wave frequency-modulated continuous-wave signal (24 GHz ± 80 MHz with a 2.5 ms period) as a proof-of-concept experiment.

Vibration Method for Tracking the Resonant Mode and Impedance of a Microwave Cavity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M.; Iny, O.; Yiin, T.; Khan, I.

1995-01-01

A vibration technique his been developed to continuously maintain mode resonance and impedance much between a constant frequency magnetron source and resonant cavity. This method uses a vibrating metal rod to modulate the volume of the cavity in a manner equivalent to modulating an adjustable plunger. A similar vibrating metal rod attached to a stub tuner modulates the waveguide volume between the source and cavity. A phase sensitive detection scheme determines the optimum position of the adjustable plunger and stub turner during processing. The improved power transfer during the heating of a 99.8% pure alumina rod was demonstrated using this new technique. Temperature-time and reflected power-time heating curves are presented for the cases of no tracking, impedance tracker only, mode tracker only and simultaneous impedance and mode tracking. Controlled internal melting of an alumina rod near 2000 C using both tracking units was also demonstrated.

Accurate mask-based spatially regularized correlation filter for visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xiaodong; Xu, Xinping

2017-01-01

Recently, discriminative correlation filter (DCF)-based trackers have achieved extremely successful results in many competitions and benchmarks. These methods utilize a periodic assumption of the training samples to efficiently learn a classifier. However, this assumption will produce unwanted boundary effects, which severely degrade the tracking performance. Correlation filters with limited boundaries and spatially regularized DCFs were proposed to reduce boundary effects. However, their methods used the fixed mask or predesigned weights function, respectively, which was unsuitable for large appearance variation. We propose an accurate mask-based spatially regularized correlation filter for visual tracking. Our augmented objective can reduce the boundary effect even in large appearance variation. In our algorithm, the masking matrix is converted into the regularized function that acts on the correlation filter in frequency domain, which makes the algorithm fast convergence. Our online tracking algorithm performs favorably against state-of-the-art trackers on OTB-2015 Benchmark in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and robustness.

Motion-compensated compressed sensing for dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using regional spatiotemporal sparsity and region tracking: Block LOw-rank Sparsity with Motion-guidance (BLOSM)

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiao; Salerno, Michael; Yang, Yang; Epstein, Frederick H.

2014-01-01

Purpose Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the heart is well-suited for acceleration with compressed sensing (CS) due to its spatiotemporal sparsity; however, respiratory motion can degrade sparsity and lead to image artifacts. We sought to develop a motion-compensated CS method for this application. Methods A new method, Block LOw-rank Sparsity with Motion-guidance (BLOSM), was developed to accelerate first-pass cardiac MRI, even in the presence of respiratory motion. This method divides the images into regions, tracks the regions through time, and applies matrix low-rank sparsity to the tracked regions. BLOSM was evaluated using computer simulations and first-pass cardiac datasets from human subjects. Using rate-4 acceleration, BLOSM was compared to other CS methods such as k-t SLR that employs matrix low-rank sparsity applied to the whole image dataset, with and without motion tracking, and to k-t FOCUSS with motion estimation and compensation that employs spatial and temporal-frequency sparsity. Results BLOSM was qualitatively shown to reduce respiratory artifact compared to other methods. Quantitatively, using root mean squared error and the structural similarity index, BLOSM was superior to other methods. Conclusion BLOSM, which exploits regional low rank structure and uses region tracking for motion compensation, provides improved image quality for CS-accelerated first-pass cardiac MRI. PMID:24243528

Signal processing for passive detection and classification of underwater acoustic signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Kil Woo

2011-12-01

This dissertation examines signal processing for passive detection, classification and tracking of underwater acoustic signals for improving port security and the security of coastal and offshore operations. First, we consider the problem of passive acoustic detection of a diver in a shallow water environment. A frequency-domain multi-band matched-filter approach to swimmer detection is presented. The idea is to break the frequency contents of the hydrophone signals into multiple narrow frequency bands, followed by time averaged (about half of a second) energy calculation over each band. Then, spectra composed of such energy samples over the chosen frequency bands are correlated to form a decision variable. The frequency bands with highest Signal/Noise ratio are used for detection. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated for experimental data collected for a diver in the Hudson River. We also propose a new referenceless frequency-domain multi-band detector which, unlike other reference-based detectors, does not require a diver specific signature. Instead, our detector matches to a general feature of the diver spectrum in the high frequency range: the spectrum is roughly periodic in time and approximately flat when the diver exhales. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated by using experimental data collected from the Hudson River. Moreover, we present detection, classification and tracking of small vessel signals. Hydroacoustic sensors can be applied for the detection of noise generated by vessels, and this noise can be used for vessel detection, classification and tracking. This dissertation presents recent improvements aimed at the measurement and separation of ship DEMON (Detection of Envelope Modulation on Noise) acoustic signatures in busy harbor conditions. Ship signature measurements were conducted in the Hudson River and NY Harbor. The DEMON spectra demonstrated much better temporal stability compared with the full ship spectra and were measured at distances up to 7 km. The combination of cross-correlation and DEMON methods allows separation of the acoustic signatures of ships in busy urban environments. Finally, we consider the extension of this algorithm for vessel tracking using phase measurement of the DEMON signal recorded by two or more hydrophones. Tests conducted in the Hudson River and NY Bay confirmed opportunity of Direction of Arrival (DOA) funding using the phase DEMON method.

Track structure in radiation biology: theory and applications.

PubMed

Nikjoo, H; Uehara, S; Wilson, W E; Hoshi, M; Goodhead, D T

1998-04-01

A brief review is presented of the basic concepts in track structure and the relative merit of various theoretical approaches adopted in Monte-Carlo track-structure codes are examined. In the second part of the paper, a formal cluster analysis is introduced to calculate cluster-distance distributions. Total experimental ionization cross-sections were least-square fitted and compared with the calculation by various theoretical methods. Monte-Carlo track-structure code Kurbuc was used to examine and compare the spectrum of the secondary electrons generated by using functions given by Born-Bethe, Jain-Khare, Gryzinsky, Kim-Rudd, Mott and Vriens' theories. The cluster analysis in track structure was carried out using the k-means method and Hartigan algorithm. Data are presented on experimental and calculated total ionization cross-sections: inverse mean free path (IMFP) as a function of electron energy used in Monte-Carlo track-structure codes; the spectrum of secondary electrons generated by different functions for 500 eV primary electrons; cluster analysis for 4 MeV and 20 MeV alpha-particles in terms of the frequency of total cluster energy to the root-mean-square (rms) radius of the cluster and differential distance distributions for a pair of clusters; and finally relative frequency distribution for energy deposited in DNA, single-strand break and double-strand breaks for 10MeV/u protons, alpha-particles and carbon ions. There are a number of Monte-Carlo track-structure codes that have been developed independently and the bench-marking presented in this paper allows a better choice of the theoretical method adopted in a track-structure code to be made. A systematic bench-marking of cross-sections and spectra of the secondary electrons shows differences between the codes at atomic level, but such differences are not significant in biophysical modelling at the macromolecular level. Clustered-damage evaluation shows: that a substantial proportion of dose ( 30%) is deposited by low-energy electrons; the majority of DNA damage lesions are of simple type; the complexity of damage increases with increased LET, while the total yield of strand breaks remains constant; and at high LET values nearly 70% of all double-strand breaks are of complex type.

Tracking Architecture Based on Dual-Filter with State Feedback and Its Application in Ultra-Tight GPS/INS Integration

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xi; Miao, Lingjuan; Shao, Haijun

2016-01-01

If a Kalman Filter (KF) is applied to Global Positioning System (GPS) baseband signal preprocessing, the estimates of signal phase and frequency can have low variance, even in highly dynamic situations. This paper presents a novel preprocessing scheme based on a dual-filter structure. Compared with the traditional model utilizing a single KF, this structure avoids carrier tracking being subjected to code tracking errors. Meanwhile, as the loop filters are completely removed, state feedback values are adopted to generate local carrier and code. Although local carrier frequency has a wide fluctuation, the accuracy of Doppler shift estimation is improved. In the ultra-tight GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) integration, the carrier frequency derived from the external navigation information is not viewed as the local carrier frequency directly. That facilitates retaining the design principle of state feedback. However, under harsh conditions, the GPS outputs may still bear large errors which can destroy the estimation of INS errors. Thus, an innovative integrated navigation filter is constructed by modeling the non-negligible errors in the estimated Doppler shifts, to ensure INS is properly calibrated. Finally, field test and semi-physical simulation based on telemetered missile trajectory validate the effectiveness of methods proposed in this paper. PMID:27144570

Tracking Architecture Based on Dual-Filter with State Feedback and Its Application in Ultra-Tight GPS/INS Integration.

PubMed

Zhang, Xi; Miao, Lingjuan; Shao, Haijun

2016-05-02

If a Kalman Filter (KF) is applied to Global Positioning System (GPS) baseband signal preprocessing, the estimates of signal phase and frequency can have low variance, even in highly dynamic situations. This paper presents a novel preprocessing scheme based on a dual-filter structure. Compared with the traditional model utilizing a single KF, this structure avoids carrier tracking being subjected to code tracking errors. Meanwhile, as the loop filters are completely removed, state feedback values are adopted to generate local carrier and code. Although local carrier frequency has a wide fluctuation, the accuracy of Doppler shift estimation is improved. In the ultra-tight GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) integration, the carrier frequency derived from the external navigation information is not viewed as the local carrier frequency directly. That facilitates retaining the design principle of state feedback. However, under harsh conditions, the GPS outputs may still bear large errors which can destroy the estimation of INS errors. Thus, an innovative integrated navigation filter is constructed by modeling the non-negligible errors in the estimated Doppler shifts, to ensure INS is properly calibrated. Finally, field test and semi-physical simulation based on telemetered missile trajectory validate the effectiveness of methods proposed in this paper.

Study on rejection characteristic of current loop to the base disturbance of optical communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Yao; Deng, Chao; Liu, Qiong; Cao, Zheng

2016-10-01

As laser has narrow transmitting beam and small divergence angle, the LOS (Line of Sight) stabilization of optical communication system is a primary precondition of laser communication links. Compound axis control is usually adopted in LOS stabilization of optical communication system, in which coarse tracking and fine tracking are included. Rejection against high frequency disturbance mainly depends on fine tracking LOS stabilization platform. Limited by different factors such as mechanical characteristic of the stabilization platform and bandwidth/noise of the sensor, the control bandwidth of LOS stabilization platform is restricted so that effective rejection of high frequency disturbance cannot be achieved as it mainly depends on the isolation characteristic of the platform itself. It is proposed by this paper that current loop may reject the effect of back-EMF. By adopting the method of electric control, high frequency isolation characteristic of the platform can be improved. The improvement effect is similar to increasing passive vibration reduction devices. Adopting the double closed loop control structure of velocity and current with the combining of the rejection effect of back-EMF caused by current loop is equivalent to reducing back-EMF coefficient, which can enhance the isolation ability of the LOS stabilization platform to high frequency disturbance.

High-frequency asymptotic methods for analyzing the EM scattering by open-ended waveguide cavities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkholder, R. J.; Pathak, P. H.

1989-01-01

Four high-frequency methods are described for analyzing the electromagnetic (EM) scattering by electrically large open-ended cavities. They are: (1) a hybrid combination of waveguide modal analysis and high-frequency asymptotics, (2) geometrical optics (GO) ray shooting, (3) Gaussian beam (GB) shooting, and (4) the generalized ray expansion (GRE) method. The hybrid modal method gives very accurate results but is limited to cavities which are made up of sections of uniform waveguides for which the modal fields are known. The GO ray shooting method can be applied to much more arbitrary cavity geometries and can handle absorber treated interior walls, but it generally only predicts the major trends of the RCS pattern and not the details. Also, a very large number of rays need to be tracked for each new incidence angle. Like the GO ray shooting method, the GB shooting method can handle more arbitrary cavities, but it is much more efficient and generally more accurate than the GO method because it includes the fields diffracted by the rim at the open end which enter the cavity. However, due to beam divergence effects the GB method is limited to cavities which are not very long compared to their width. The GRE method overcomes the length-to-width limitation of the GB method by replacing the GB's with GO ray tubes which are launched in the same manner as the GB's to include the interior rim diffracted field. This method gives good accuracy and is generally more efficient than the GO method, but a large number of ray tubes needs to be tracked.

Robust control of dielectric elastomer diaphragm actuator for human pulse signal tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhihang; Chen, Zheng; Asmatulu, Ramazan; Chan, Hoyin

2017-08-01

Human pulse signal tracking is an emerging technology that is needed in traditional Chinese medicine. However, soft actuation with multi-frequency tracking capability is needed for tracking human pulse signal. Dielectric elastomer (DE) is one type of soft actuating that has great potential in human pulse signal tracking. In this paper, a DE diaphragm actuator was designed and fabricated to track human pulse pressure signal. A physics-based and control-oriented model has been developed to capture the dynamic behavior of DE diaphragm actuator. Using the physical model, an H-infinity robust control was designed for the actuator to reject high-frequency sensing noises and disturbances. The robust control was then implemented in real-time to track a multi-frequency signal, which verified the tracking capability and robustness of the control system. In the human pulse signal tracking test, a human pulse signal was measured at the City University of Hong Kong and then was tracked using DE actuator at Wichita State University in the US. Experimental results have verified that the DE actuator with its robust control is capable of tracking human pulse signal.

An Optimal Control Modification to Model-Reference Adaptive Control for Fast Adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Nhan T.; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje; Boskovic, Jovan

2008-01-01

This paper presents a method that can achieve fast adaptation for a class of model-reference adaptive control. It is well-known that standard model-reference adaptive control exhibits high-gain control behaviors when a large adaptive gain is used to achieve fast adaptation in order to reduce tracking error rapidly. High gain control creates high-frequency oscillations that can excite unmodeled dynamics and can lead to instability. The fast adaptation approach is based on the minimization of the squares of the tracking error, which is formulated as an optimal control problem. The necessary condition of optimality is used to derive an adaptive law using the gradient method. This adaptive law is shown to result in uniform boundedness of the tracking error by means of the Lyapunov s direct method. Furthermore, this adaptive law allows a large adaptive gain to be used without causing undesired high-gain control effects. The method is shown to be more robust than standard model-reference adaptive control. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Triply redundant integrated navigation and asset visibility system

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F [Loudon, TN; Moore, James A [Powell, TN

2011-11-29

Methods and apparatus are described for a navigation system. A method includes providing a global positioning system fix having a plurality of tracking parameters; providing a theater positioning system fix; monitoring the plurality of tracking parameters for predetermined conditions; and, when the predetermined conditions are met, sending a notifying signal and switching to the theater positioning system fix as a primary fix. An apparatus includes a system controller; a global positioning system receiver coupled to the system controller; a radio frequency locating receiver coupled to the system controller; and an operator interface coupled to the system controller.

Triply redundant integrated navigation and asset visibility system

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F.; Moore, James A.

2013-01-22

Methods and apparatus are described for a navigation system. A method includes providing a global positioning system fix having a plurality of tracking parameters; providing a theater positioning system fix; monitoring the plurality of tracking parameters for predetermined conditions; and, when the predetermined conditions are met, sending a notifying signal and switching to the theater positioning system fix as a primary fix. An apparatus includes a system controller; a global positioning system receiver coupled to the system controller; a radio frequency locating receiver coupled to the system controller; and an operator interface coupled to the system controller.

Versatile resonance-tracking circuit for acoustic levitation experiments.

PubMed

Baxter, K; Apfel, R E; Marston, P L

1978-02-01

Objects can be levitated by radiation pressure forces in an acoustic standing wave. In many circumstances it is important that the standing wave frequency remain locked on an acoustic resonance despite small changes in the resonance frequency. A self-locking oscillator circuit is described which tracks the resonance frequency by sensing the magnitude of the transducer current. The tracking principle could be applied to other resonant systems.

The Tracking Study: Description of a randomized controlled trial of variations on weight tracking frequency in a behavioral weight loss program

PubMed Central

Linde, Jennifer A.; Jeffery, Robert W.; Crow, Scott J.; Brelje, Kerrin L.; Pacanowski, Carly R.; Gavin, Kara L.; Smolenski, Derek J.

2014-01-01

Observational evidence from behavioral weight control trials and community studies suggests that greater frequency of weighing oneself, or tracking weight, is associated with better weight outcomes. Conversely, it has also been suggested that frequent weight tracking may have a negative impact on mental health and outcomes during weight loss, but there are minimal experimental data that address this concern in the context of an active weight loss program. To achieve the long-term goal of strengthening behavioral weight loss programs, the purpose of this randomized controlled trial (the Tracking Study) is to test variations on frequency of self-weighing during a behavioral weight loss program, and to examine psychosocial and mental health correlates of weight tracking and weight loss outcomes. Three hundred thirty-nine overweight and obese adults were recruited and randomized to one of three variations on weight tracking frequency during a 12-month weight loss program with a 12-month follow-up: daily weight tracking, weekly weight tracking, or no weight tracking. The primary outcome is weight in kilograms at 24 months. The weight loss program integrates each weight tracking instruction with standard behavioral weight loss techniques (goal setting, self-monitoring, stimulus control, dietary and physical activity enhancements, lifestyle modifications); participants in weight tracking conditions were provided with wireless Internet technology (Wi-Fi-enabled digital scales and touchscreen personal devices) to facilitate weight tracking during the study. This paper describes the study design, intervention features, recruitment, and baseline characteristics of participants enrolled in the Tracking Study. PMID:25533727

A Novel Passive Tracking Scheme Exploiting Geometric and Intercept Theorems

PubMed Central

Zhou, Biao; Sun, Chao; Ahn, Deockhyeon; Kim, Youngok

2018-01-01

Passive tracking aims to track targets without assistant devices, that is, device-free targets. Passive tracking based on Radio Frequency (RF) Tomography in wireless sensor networks has recently been addressed as an emerging field. The passive tracking scheme using geometric theorems (GTs) is one of the most popular RF Tomography schemes, because the GT-based method can effectively mitigate the demand for a high density of wireless nodes. In the GT-based tracking scheme, the tracking scenario is considered as a two-dimensional geometric topology and then geometric theorems are applied to estimate crossing points (CPs) of the device-free target on line-of-sight links (LOSLs), which reveal the target’s trajectory information in a discrete form. In this paper, we review existing GT-based tracking schemes, and then propose a novel passive tracking scheme by exploiting the Intercept Theorem (IT). To create an IT-based CP estimation scheme available in the noisy non-parallel LOSL situation, we develop the equal-ratio traverse (ERT) method. Finally, we analyze properties of three GT-based tracking algorithms and the performance of these schemes is evaluated experimentally under various trajectories, node densities, and noisy topologies. Analysis of experimental results shows that tracking schemes exploiting geometric theorems can achieve remarkable positioning accuracy even under rather a low density of wireless nodes. Moreover, the proposed IT scheme can provide generally finer tracking accuracy under even lower node density and noisier topologies, in comparison to other schemes. PMID:29562621

Real-time seam tracking control system based on line laser visions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Yanbiao; Wang, Yanbo; Zhou, Weilin; Chen, Xiangzhi

2018-07-01

A set of six-degree-of-freedom robotic welding automatic tracking platform was designed in this study to realize the real-time tracking of weld seams. Moreover, the feature point tracking method and the adaptive fuzzy control algorithm in the welding process were studied and analyzed. A laser vision sensor and its measuring principle were designed and studied, respectively. Before welding, the initial coordinate values of the feature points were obtained using morphological methods. After welding, the target tracking method based on Gaussian kernel was used to extract the real-time feature points of the weld. An adaptive fuzzy controller was designed to input the deviation value of the feature points and the change rate of the deviation into the controller. The quantization factors, scale factor, and weight function were adjusted in real time. The input and output domains, fuzzy rules, and membership functions were constantly updated to generate a series of smooth bias robot voltage. Three groups of experiments were conducted on different types of curve welds in a strong arc and splash noise environment using the welding current of 120 A short-circuit Metal Active Gas (MAG) Arc Welding. The tracking error was less than 0.32 mm and the sensor's metrical frequency can be up to 20 Hz. The end of the torch run smooth during welding. Weld trajectory can be tracked accurately, thereby satisfying the requirements of welding applications.

Design Considerations for IAP Charts Approach Course Track and Communication Frequencies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-08-01

This report describes two experiments evaluating format changes on instrument approach : plates (IAPs). The study used a simple chart reading task to assess information : transfer in IAPs. : The first experiment addressed different methods of display...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rowe, Nathan C; Younkin, James R; Pickett, Chris A

Radio-Frequency (RF) devices have revolutionized many aspects of modern industrial processes. RF technology can enable wireless communication for tag identification, sensor communication, and asset tracking. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that utilizes wireless communication to interrogate and identify an electronic tag attached to an item in order to identify the item. The technology can come in many forms: passive or active tags, low to ultra-wideband frequencies, small paper-thin tags to brick-sized units, and simple tags or highly integrated sensor packages. RF technology, and specifically RFID, has been applied widely in commercial markets for inventory, supply chain management, and assetmore » tracking. Several recent studies have demonstrated the safeguards benefits of utilizing RFID versus conventional inventory tagging methods for tracking nuclear material. These studies have indicated that the RF requirements for safeguards functions are more stringent than the RF requirements for other inventory tracking and accounting applications. Additionally, other requirements must be addressed, including environmental and operating conditions, authentication, and tag location and attachment. Facility restrictions on radio spectrum, method of tag attachment, and sensitivity of the data collected impact the tag selection and system design. More important, the intended use of the system must be considered. The requirements for using RF to simply replace or supplement container identifiers such as bar codes that facilitate the inventory function will differ greatly from the requirements for deploying RF for unattended monitoring applications. Several studies have investigated these considerations to advance commercial RF devices for safeguards use, and a number of system concepts have been developed. This paper will provide an overview of past studies and current technologies, and will investigate the requirements, existing gaps, and several potential next steps for advancing RF techniques for safeguards use.« less

Corrective jitter motion shows similar individual frequencies for the arm and the finger.

PubMed

Noy, Lior; Alon, Uri; Friedman, Jason

2015-04-01

A characteristic of visuomotor tracking of non-regular oscillating stimuli are high-frequency jittery corrective motions, oscillating around the tracked stimuli. However, the properties of these corrective jitter responses are not well understood. For example, does the jitter response show an idiosyncratic signature? What is the relationship between stimuli properties and jitter properties? Is the jitter response similar across effectors with different inertial properties? To answer these questions, we measured participants' jitter frequencies in two tracking tasks in the arm and the finger. Thirty participants tracked the same set of eleven non-regular oscillating stimuli, vertically moving on a screen, once with forward-backward arm movements (holding a tablet stylus) and once with upward-downward index finger movements (with a motion tracker attached). Participants' jitter frequencies and tracking errors varied systematically as a function of stimuli frequency and amplitude. Additionally, there were clear individual differences in average jitter frequencies between participants, ranging from 0.7 to 1.15 Hz, similar to values reported previously. A comparison of individual jitter frequencies in the two tasks showed a strong correlation between participants' jitter frequencies in the finger and the arm, despite the very different inertial properties of the two effectors. This result suggests that the corrective jitter response stems from common neural processes.

Remote Distributed Vibration Sensing Through Opaque Media Using Permanent Magnets

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yi; Mazumdar, Anirban; Brooks, Carlton F.; ...

2018-04-05

Vibration sensing is critical for a variety of applications from structural fatigue monitoring to understanding the modes of airplane wings. In particular, remote sensing techniques are needed for measuring the vibrations of multiple points simultaneously, assessing vibrations inside opaque metal vessels, and sensing through smoke clouds and other optically challenging environments. Here, in this paper, we propose a method which measures high-frequency displacements remotely using changes in the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. We leverage the unique nature of vibration tracking and use a calibrated local model technique developed specifically to improve the frequency-domain estimation accuracy. The results showmore » that two-dimensional local models surpass the dipole model in tracking high-frequency motions. A theoretical basis for understanding the effects of electronic noise and error due to correlated variables is generated in order to predict the performance of experiments prior to implementation. Simultaneous measurements of up to three independent vibrating components are shown. The relative accuracy of the magnet-based displacement tracking with respect to the video tracking ranges from 40 to 190 μm when the maximum displacements approach ±5 mm and when sensor-to-magnet distances vary from 25 to 36 mm. Finally, vibration sensing inside an opaque metal vessel and mode shape changes due to damage on an aluminum beam are also studied using the wireless permanent-magnet vibration sensing scheme.« less

Remote Distributed Vibration Sensing Through Opaque Media Using Permanent Magnets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yi; Mazumdar, Anirban; Brooks, Carlton F.

Vibration sensing is critical for a variety of applications from structural fatigue monitoring to understanding the modes of airplane wings. In particular, remote sensing techniques are needed for measuring the vibrations of multiple points simultaneously, assessing vibrations inside opaque metal vessels, and sensing through smoke clouds and other optically challenging environments. Here, in this paper, we propose a method which measures high-frequency displacements remotely using changes in the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. We leverage the unique nature of vibration tracking and use a calibrated local model technique developed specifically to improve the frequency-domain estimation accuracy. The results showmore » that two-dimensional local models surpass the dipole model in tracking high-frequency motions. A theoretical basis for understanding the effects of electronic noise and error due to correlated variables is generated in order to predict the performance of experiments prior to implementation. Simultaneous measurements of up to three independent vibrating components are shown. The relative accuracy of the magnet-based displacement tracking with respect to the video tracking ranges from 40 to 190 μm when the maximum displacements approach ±5 mm and when sensor-to-magnet distances vary from 25 to 36 mm. Finally, vibration sensing inside an opaque metal vessel and mode shape changes due to damage on an aluminum beam are also studied using the wireless permanent-magnet vibration sensing scheme.« less

The use of decay rates to analyse the performance of railway track in rolling noise generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, C. J. C.; Thompson, D. J.; Diehl, R. J.

2006-06-01

Through the development and testing of theoretical models for rolling noise in the past, it has been well demonstrated that the rate of decay of vibration along the rail is closely linked to the noise performance of the track, since it controls the effective radiating length of the rail. The decay rates of vibration along the rail have long been used by researchers as an intermediate, measurable parameter by which to test and improve the accuracy of prediction models. Recently, it has been suggested that the decay rates should be used as a criterion for the selection of track for noise measurements that are part of the acceptance testing of interoperable trains in Europe. In this context, a more detailed understanding of the factors that affect the measurement of decay rates and a consistent approach to the data processing have become important topics. Here, a method is suggested for the calculation of decay rates from frequency response measurements. Different effects are shown in the measured decay rates of a ballasted track with mono-bloc sleepers, a slab track and a ballasted track with bi-bloc sleepers. In the last case, a model for a periodically supported track is used to study the effects observed. It is shown that a peak in the decay rate just above the pinned-pinned frequency may be overestimated because of the measurement procedure that has been used.

The Application of Auto-Disturbance Rejection Control Optimized by Least Squares Support Vector Machines Method and Time-Frequency Representation in Voltage Source Converter-High Voltage Direct Current System.

PubMed

Liu, Ying-Pei; Liang, Hai-Ping; Gao, Zhong-Ke

2015-01-01

In order to improve the performance of voltage source converter-high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) system, we propose an improved auto-disturbance rejection control (ADRC) method based on least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) in the rectifier side. Firstly, we deduce the high frequency transient mathematical model of VSC-HVDC system. Then we investigate the ADRC and LSSVM principles. We ignore the tracking differentiator in the ADRC controller aiming to improve the system dynamic response speed. On this basis, we derive the mathematical model of ADRC controller optimized by LSSVM for direct current voltage loop. Finally we carry out simulations to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed control method. In addition, we employ the time-frequency representation methods, i.e., Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) and adaptive optimal kernel (AOK) time-frequency representation, to demonstrate our proposed method performs better than the traditional method from the perspective of energy distribution in time and frequency plane.

The Application of Auto-Disturbance Rejection Control Optimized by Least Squares Support Vector Machines Method and Time-Frequency Representation in Voltage Source Converter-High Voltage Direct Current System

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhong-Ke

2015-01-01

In order to improve the performance of voltage source converter-high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) system, we propose an improved auto-disturbance rejection control (ADRC) method based on least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) in the rectifier side. Firstly, we deduce the high frequency transient mathematical model of VSC-HVDC system. Then we investigate the ADRC and LSSVM principles. We ignore the tracking differentiator in the ADRC controller aiming to improve the system dynamic response speed. On this basis, we derive the mathematical model of ADRC controller optimized by LSSVM for direct current voltage loop. Finally we carry out simulations to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed control method. In addition, we employ the time-frequency representation methods, i.e., Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) and adaptive optimal kernel (AOK) time-frequency representation, to demonstrate our proposed method performs better than the traditional method from the perspective of energy distribution in time and frequency plane. PMID:26098556

Analysis of railway track vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, K.; Yamada, M.

1989-04-01

Analytical formulae are developed for estimating the amplitudes of the vibrations generated in railway tracks by wheels and rail discontinuities or by unevennesses on their surfaces. Rails are assumed to be supported elastically on concrete sleepers by resilient rail-pads inserted between them. The elasticities and the masses of track materials and those of the roadbed are also taken into consideration. It is shown that after an impulse is applied to the track, not only is a vibration with a comparatively low natural frequency generated, but also traveling waves with higher frequencies, and the latter propagate lengthwise along the track or downwards into the roadbed. With the assumption that the power spectral density of the unevennesses on the rail surface is in proportion to the third power of the wavelength, or to (wavenumber) -3, the amplitudes of the vibrations in railway tracks supported by rail-pads and roadbeds with various magnitudes of elastic constants are analyzed and the values for each one-third octave band are estimated. The velocity of the vibration takes on a maximum value for the band with a center frequency of 63 Hz, which corresponds to the resonant frequency of the system composed of the wheel and the track. As the frequency increases beyond this value, the velocity of the vibration takes on a second maximum value at a frequency of about 1000 Hz. These estimates are compared with the data obtained from field measurements and reasonably good correlations are found between them.

Event-triggered consensus tracking of multi-agent systems with Lur'e nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Na; Duan, Zhisheng; Wen, Guanghui; Zhao, Yu

2016-05-01

In this paper, distributed consensus tracking problem for networked Lur'e systems is investigated based on event-triggered information interactions. An event-triggered control algorithm is designed with the advantages of reducing controller update frequency and sensor energy consumption. By using tools of ?-procedure and Lyapunov functional method, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee that consensus tracking is achieved under a directed communication topology. Meanwhile, it is shown that Zeno behaviour of triggering time sequences is excluded for the proposed event-triggered rule. Finally, some numerical simulations on coupled Chua's circuits are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical algorithms.

Time-Frequency Analysis And Pattern Recognition Using Singular Value Decomposition Of The Wigner-Ville Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boashash, Boualem; Lovell, Brian; White, Langford

1988-01-01

Time-Frequency analysis based on the Wigner-Ville Distribution (WVD) is shown to be optimal for a class of signals where the variation of instantaneous frequency is the dominant characteristic. Spectral resolution and instantaneous frequency tracking is substantially improved by using a Modified WVD (MWVD) based on an Autoregressive spectral estimator. Enhanced signal-to-noise ratio may be achieved by using 2D windowing in the Time-Frequency domain. The WVD provides a tool for deriving descriptors of signals which highlight their FM characteristics. These descriptors may be used for pattern recognition and data clustering using the methods presented in this paper.

Semi-active control of tracked vehicle suspension incorporating magnetorheological dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ata, W. G.; Salem, A. M.

2017-05-01

In past years, the application of magnetorheological (MR) and electrorheological dampers in vehicle suspension has been widely studied, mainly for the purpose of vibration control. This paper presents theoretical study to identify an appropriate semi-active control method for MR-tracked vehicle suspension. Three representative control algorithms are simulated including the skyhook, hybrid and fuzzy-hybrid controllers. A seven degrees-of-freedom tracked vehicle suspension model incorporating MR dampers has been adopted for comparison between the performance of the three controllers. The model differential equations are derived based on Newton's second law of motion and the proposed control methods are developed. The performance of each control method under bump and sinusoidal road profiles for different vehicle speeds is simulated and compared with the performance of the conventional suspension system in time and frequency domains. The results show that the performance of tracked vehicle suspension with MR dampers is substantially improved. Moreover, the fuzzy-hybrid controller offers an excellent integrated performance in reducing the body accelerations as well as wheel bounce responses compared with the classical skyhook and hybrid controllers.

78 FR 12825 - Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

... the frequency of the required visual track inspections. FRA issued the initial waiver that granted.... SEPTA requests an extension of approval to reduce the frequency of required, visual track inspections... with continuous welded rail. SEPTA proposes to conduct one visual track inspection per week, instead of...

The observation of sporadic meteors and meteor showers by means of radio technology measuring equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schippke, W.

1981-08-01

Advantages regarding a tracking of meteors with the aid of the instruments of radio technology are related to the possibility for continuous observations without any dependence on meteorological conditions or on the time of day or night. Two methods exist for the registration of the traces of meteors, including a passive and an active method. The appropriate frequency range for both methods is the lower VHF range. For passive observations a very sensitive measurement receiver is required along with recording equipment, and a suitable antenna system. In Europe there are many television transmitters which are eminently suited for a detection of meteor traces. The active method for tracking meteors is more difficult and requires for its employment more expensive equipment than the passive method. It is based on the use of a VHF metric-wave radar. These devices operate normally also at a frequency of approximately 50 or 60 MHz. Attention is given to the theory of meteoric scattering, the various types of ionized trails, the geometry of meteor traces, results obtained in an observational station in Munich, and observations in the 144-MHz band.

Wireless Strain Measurement with a Micromachined Magnetoelastic Resonator Using Ringdown Frequency Locking

PubMed Central

Green, Scott R.; Gianchandani, Yogesh B.

2017-01-01

Resonant magnetoelastic devices are widely used as anti-theft tags and are also being investigated for a range of sensing applications. The vast majority of magnetoelastic devices are operated at resonance, and rely upon an external interface to wirelessly detect the resonant frequency, and other characteristics. For micromachined devices, this detection method must accommodate diminished signal strength and elevated resonant frequencies. Feedthrough of the interrogating stimulus to the detector also presents a significant challenge. This paper describes a method of interrogating wireless magnetoelastic strain sensors using a new frequency-lock approach. Following a brief excitation pulse, the sensor ring-down is analyzed and a feedback loop is used to match the excitation frequency and the resonant frequency. Data acquisition hardware is used in conjunction with custom software to implement the frequency-lock loop. Advantages of the method include temporal isolation of interrogating stimulus from the sensor response and near real-time tracking of resonant frequencies. The method was investigated using a family of wireless strain sensors with resonant frequencies ranging from 120 to 240 kHz. Strain levels extending to 3.5 mstrain and sensitivities up to 14300 ppm/mstrain were measured with response times faster than 0.5 s. The standard deviation of the locked frequency did not exceed 0.1%. PMID:28713873

Ultrasonic ranging for the oculometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guy, W. J.

1981-01-01

Ultrasonic tracking techniques are investigated for an oculometer. Two methods are reported in detail. The first is based on measurements of time from the start of a transmit burst to a received echo. Knowing the sound velocity, distance can be calculated. In the second method, a continuous signal is transmitted. Target movement causes phase shifting of the echo. By accumulating these phase shifts, tracking from a set point can be achieved. Both systems have problems with contoured targets, but work well on flat plates and the back of a human head. Also briefly reported is an evaluation of an ultrasonic ranging system. Interface circuits make this system compatible with the echo time design. While the system is consistently accurate, it has a beam too narrow for oculometer use. Finally, comments are provided on a tracking system using the Doppler frequency shift to give range data.

Research on Precision Tracking on Fast Steering Mirror and Control Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di, Lin; Yi-ming, Wu; Fan, Zhu

2018-01-01

Fast steering mirror is a device used for controlling the beam direction precisely. Due to the short travel of the push-pull FSM, a compound fast steering mirror system driven by both limited-angle voice coil motor and push-pull FSM together is proposed. In the compound FSM system, limited-angle voice coil motor quickly swings at wide angle, while the push-pull FSM do high frequency movement in a small range, which provides the system with the high bandwidth and long travel. In the control strategy, the method of combining feed-forward control in Kalman filtering with auto-disturbance rejection control is used to improve trajectory tracking accuracy. The simulation result shows that tracking accuracy measured by the compound method can be improved by more than 5 times than that of the conventional PID.

MRAC Revisited: Guaranteed Performance with Reference Model Modification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmaje

2010-01-01

This paper presents modification of the conventional model reference adaptive control (MRAC) architecture in order to achieve guaranteed transient performance both in the output and input signals of an uncertain system. The proposed modification is based on the tracking error feedback to the reference model. It is shown that approach guarantees tracking of a given command and the ideal control signal (one that would be designed if the system were known) not only asymptotically but also in transient by a proper selection of the error feedback gain. The method prevents generation of high frequency oscillations that are unavoidable in conventional MRAC systems for large adaptation rates. The provided design guideline makes it possible to track a reference command of any magnitude form any initial position without re-tuning. The benefits of the method are demonstrated in simulations.

OMA analysis of a launcher under operational conditions with time-varying properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eugeni, M.; Coppotelli, G.; Mastroddi, F.; Gaudenzi, P.; Muller, S.; Troclet, B.

2018-05-01

The objective of this paper is the investigation of the capability of operational modal analysis approaches to deal with time-varying system in the low-frequency domain. Specifically, the problem of the identification of the dynamic properties of a launch vehicle, working under actual operative conditions, is studied. Two OMA methods are considered: the frequency-domain decomposition and the Hilbert transform method. It is demonstrated that both OMA approaches allow the time-tracking of modal parameters, namely, natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes, from the response accelerations only recorded during actual flight tests of a launcher characterized by a large mass variation due to fuel burning typical of the first phase of the flight.

Frequency Splitting Analysis and Compensation Method for Inductive Wireless Powering of Implantable Biosensors.

PubMed

Schormans, Matthew; Valente, Virgilio; Demosthenous, Andreas

2016-08-04

Inductive powering for implanted medical devices, such as implantable biosensors, is a safe and effective technique that allows power to be delivered to implants wirelessly, avoiding the use of transcutaneous wires or implanted batteries. Wireless powering is very sensitive to a number of link parameters, including coil distance, alignment, shape, and load conditions. The optimum drive frequency of an inductive link varies depending on the coil spacing and load. This paper presents an optimum frequency tracking (OFT) method, in which an inductive power link is driven at a frequency that is maintained at an optimum value to ensure that the link is working at resonance, and the output voltage is maximised. The method is shown to provide significant improvements in maintained secondary voltage and system efficiency for a range of loads when the link is overcoupled. The OFT method does not require the use of variable capacitors or inductors. When tested at frequencies around a nominal frequency of 5 MHz, the OFT method provides up to a twofold efficiency improvement compared to a fixed frequency drive. The system can be readily interfaced with passive implants or implantable biosensors, and lends itself to interfacing with designs such as distributed implanted sensor networks, where each implant is operating at a different frequency.

Digital accumulators in phase and frequency tracking loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinedi, Sami; Statman, Joseph I.

1990-01-01

Results on the effects of digital accumulators in phase and frequency tracking loops are presented. Digital accumulators or summers are used extensively in digital signal processing to perform averaging or to reduce processing rates to acceptable levels. For tracking the Doppler of high-dynamic targets at low carrier-to-noise ratios, it is shown through simulation and experiment that digital accumulators can contribute an additional loss in operating threshold. This loss was not considered in any previous study and needs to be accounted for in performance prediction analysis. Simulation and measurement results are used to characterize the loss due to the digital summers for three different tracking loops: a digital phase-locked loop, a cross-product automatic frequency tracking loop, and an extended Kalman filter. The tracking algorithms are compared with respect to their frequency error performance and their ability to maintain lock during severe maneuvers at various carrier-to-noise ratios. It is shown that failure to account for the effect of accumulators can result in an inaccurate performance prediction, the extent of which depends highly on the algorithm used.

Variable frequency iteration MPPT for resonant power converters

DOEpatents

Zhang, Qian; Bataresh, Issa; Chen, Lin

2015-06-30

A method of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) uses an MPPT algorithm to determine a switching frequency for a resonant power converter, including initializing by setting an initial boundary frequency range that is divided into initial frequency sub-ranges bounded by initial frequencies including an initial center frequency and first and second initial bounding frequencies. A first iteration includes measuring initial powers at the initial frequencies to determine a maximum power initial frequency that is used to set a first reduced frequency search range centered or bounded by the maximum power initial frequency including at least a first additional bounding frequency. A second iteration includes calculating first and second center frequencies by averaging adjacent frequent values in the first reduced frequency search range and measuring second power values at the first and second center frequencies. The switching frequency is determined from measured power values including the second power values.

Passive RFID Rotation Dimension Reduction via Aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Eric

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) has applications in object identification, position, and orientation tracking. RFID technology can be applied in hospitals for patient and equipment tracking, stores and warehouses for product tracking, robots for self-localisation, tracking hazardous materials, or locating any other desired object. Efficient and accurate algorithms that perform localisation are required to extract meaningful data beyond simple identification. A Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the strength of a received radio frequency signal used to localise passive and active RFID tags. Many factors affect RSSI such as reflections, tag rotation in 3D space, and obstacles blocking line-of-sight. LANDMARC is a statistical method for estimating tag location based on a target tag's similarity to surrounding reference tags. LANDMARC does not take into account the rotation of the target tag. By either aggregating multiple reference tag positions at various rotations, or by determining a rotation value for a newly read tag, we can perform an expected value calculation based on a comparison to the k-most similar training samples via an algorithm called K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN) more accurately. By choosing the average as the aggregation function, we improve the relative accuracy of single-rotation LANDMARC localisation by 10%, and any-rotation localisation by 20%.

A rational fraction polynomials model to study vertical dynamic wheel-rail interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa, N.; Vadillo, E. G.; Santamaria, J.; Gómez, J.

2012-04-01

This paper presents a model designed to study vertical interactions between wheel and rail when the wheel moves over a rail welding. The model focuses on the spatial domain, and is drawn up in a simple fashion from track receptances. The paper obtains the receptances from a full track model in the frequency domain already developed by the authors, which includes deformation of the rail section and propagation of bending, elongation and torsional waves along an infinite track. Transformation between domains was secured by applying a modified rational fraction polynomials method. This obtains a track model with very few degrees of freedom, and thus with minimum time consumption for integration, with a good match to the original model over a sufficiently broad range of frequencies. Wheel-rail interaction is modelled on a non-linear Hertzian spring, and consideration is given to parametric excitation caused by the wheel moving over a sleeper, since this is a moving wheel model and not a moving irregularity model. The model is used to study the dynamic loads and displacements emerging at the wheel-rail contact passing over a welding defect at different speeds.

Sinusoidal synthesis based adaptive tracking for rotating machinery fault detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; McDonald, Geoff L.; Zhao, Qing

2017-01-01

This paper presents a novel Sinusoidal Synthesis Based Adaptive Tracking (SSBAT) technique for vibration-based rotating machinery fault detection. The proposed SSBAT algorithm is an adaptive time series technique that makes use of both frequency and time domain information of vibration signals. Such information is incorporated in a time varying dynamic model. Signal tracking is then realized by applying adaptive sinusoidal synthesis to the vibration signal. A modified Least-Squares (LS) method is adopted to estimate the model parameters. In addition to tracking, the proposed vibration synthesis model is mainly used as a linear time-varying predictor. The health condition of the rotating machine is monitored by checking the residual between the predicted and measured signal. The SSBAT method takes advantage of the sinusoidal nature of vibration signals and transfers the nonlinear problem into a linear adaptive problem in the time domain based on a state-space realization. It has low computation burden and does not need a priori knowledge of the machine under the no-fault condition which makes the algorithm ideal for on-line fault detection. The method is validated using both numerical simulation and practical application data. Meanwhile, the fault detection results are compared with the commonly adopted autoregressive (AR) and autoregressive Minimum Entropy Deconvolution (ARMED) method to verify the feasibility and performance of the SSBAT method.

Ground vibrations from heavy freight trains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawn, T. M.

1983-03-01

Ground vibration from heavy freight trains on good quality welded track are found to have only a weak dependence on train speed above 30 km/h. At the site on which these tests were carried out a critical speed was found at which the vibration reached a peak. The frequencies of vibration produced appear to be functions of track and vehicle dimensions and the critical speed occurs at the coincidence of sleeper passage frequency and the total vehicle on track resonance frequency.

A time domain inverse dynamic method for the end point tracking control of a flexible manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwon, Dong-Soo; Book, Wayne J.

1991-01-01

The inverse dynamic equation of a flexible manipulator was solved in the time domain. By dividing the inverse system equation into the causal part and the anticausal part, we calculated the torque and the trajectories of all state variables for a given end point trajectory. The interpretation of this method in the frequency domain was explained in detail using the two-sided Laplace transform and the convolution integral. The open loop control of the inverse dynamic method shows an excellent result in simulation. For real applications, a practical control strategy is proposed by adding a feedback tracking control loop to the inverse dynamic feedforward control, and its good experimental performance is presented.

The vibration behavior of railway track at high frequencies under multiple preloads and wheel interactions

PubMed

Wu; Thompson

2000-09-01

The track foundation is preloaded by multiple wheel loads due to the train weight and, as the pad and ballast are nonlinear, their stiffness depends upon the preload in them. Due to the influence of these resilient components of the track, the track vibration is affected by the wheel loads. It is also affected by the wheel/rail interactions. In this article the preloads in the pad and ballast are calculated by considering the nonlinear properties of the track foundation, and thus the preloaded pad and ballast stiffnesses are determined. The vibration properties are explored for the track under multiple wheel loads and multiple wheel/rail interactions by comparing the results from different track models with and without these effects. It is found that the point receptance of the track is reduced and the vibration decay rate is enhanced at low frequencies due to the wheel loads. The effects of the wheel/rail interactions are most significant for frequencies 400-2000 Hz. Because of the wheel/rail interactions, the point receptance fluctuates and the vibration decay is enhanced in the regions around the wheels.

Dynamic tumor tracking using the Elekta Agility MLC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fast, Martin F., E-mail: martin.fast@icr.ac.uk; Nill, Simeon, E-mail: simeon.nill@icr.ac.uk; Bedford, James L.

2014-11-01

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of the Elekta Agility multileaf collimator (MLC) for dynamic real-time tumor tracking. Methods: The authors have developed a new control software which interfaces to the Agility MLC to dynamically program the movement of individual leaves, the dynamic leaf guides (DLGs), and the Y collimators (“jaws”) based on the actual target trajectory. A motion platform was used to perform dynamic tracking experiments with sinusoidal trajectories. The actual target positions reported by the motion platform at 20, 30, or 40 Hz were used as shift vectors for the MLC in beams-eye-view. The system latency of the MLCmore » (i.e., the average latency comprising target device reporting latencies and MLC adjustment latency) and the geometric tracking accuracy were extracted from a sequence of MV portal images acquired during irradiation for the following treatment scenarios: leaf-only motion, jaw + leaf motion, and DLG + leaf motion. Results: The portal imager measurements indicated a clear dependence of the system latency on the target position reporting frequency. Deducting the effect of the target frequency, the leaf adjustment latency was measured to be 38 ± 3 ms for a maximum target speed v of 13 mm/s. The jaw + leaf adjustment latency was 53 ± 3 at a similar speed. The system latency at a target position frequency of 30 Hz was in the range of 56–61 ms for the leaves (v ≤ 31 mm/s), 71–78 ms for the jaw + leaf motion (v ≤ 25 mm/s), and 58–72 ms for the DLG + leaf motion (v ≤ 59 mm/s). The tracking accuracy showed a similar dependency on the target position frequency and the maximum target speed. For the leaves, the root-mean-squared error (RMSE) was between 0.6–1.5 mm depending on the maximum target speed. For the jaw + leaf (DLG + leaf) motion, the RMSE was between 0.7–1.5 mm (1.9–3.4 mm). Conclusions: The authors have measured the latency and geometric accuracy of the Agility MLC, facilitating its future use for clinical tracking applications.« less

Voltage-based Device Tracking in a 1.5 Tesla MRI during Imaging: Initial validation in swine models

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Ehud J; Tse, Zion TH; Reichlin, Tobias R; Michaud, Gregory F; Watkins, Ronald D; Butts-Pauly, Kim; Kwong, Raymond Y; Stevenson, William; Schweitzer, Jeffrey; Byrd, Israel; Dumoulin, Charles L

2013-01-01

Purpose Voltage-based device-tracking (VDT) systems are commonly used for tracking invasive devices in electrophysiological (EP) cardiac-arrhythmia therapy. During EP procedures, electro-anatomic-mapping (EAM) workstations provide guidance by integrating VDT location and intra-cardiac-ECG information with X-ray, CT, Ultrasound, and MR images. MR assists navigation, mapping and radio-frequency-ablation. Multi-modality interventions require multiple patient transfers between an MRI and the X-ray/ultrasound EP suite, increasing the likelihood of patient-motion and image mis-registration. An MRI-compatible VDT system may increase efficiency, since there is currently no single method to track devices both inside and outside the MRI scanner. Methods An MRI-compatible VDT system was constructed by modifying a commercial system. Hardware was added to reduce MRI gradient-ramp and radio-frequency-unblanking-pulse interference. VDT patches and cables were modified to reduce heating. Five swine cardiac VDT EAM-mapping interventions were performed, navigating inside and thereafter outside the MRI. Results Three-catheter VDT interventions were performed at >12 frames-per-second both inside and outside the MRI scanner with <3mm error. Catheters were followed on VDT- and MRI-derived maps. Simultaneous VDT and imaging was possible in repetition-time (TR) >32 msec sequences with <0.5mm errors, and <5% MRI SNR loss. At shorter TRs, only intra-cardiac-ECG was reliable. RF Heating was <1.5C°. Conclusion An MRI-compatible VDT system is feasible. PMID:23580479

A real-time algorithm for the harmonic estimation and frequency tracking of dominant components in fusion plasma magnetic diagnostics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alves, D.; Coelho, R.; Collaboration: JET-EFDA Contributors

2013-08-15

The real-time tracking of instantaneous quantities such as frequency, amplitude, and phase of components immerse in noisy signals has been a common problem in many scientific and engineering fields such as power systems and delivery, telecommunications, and acoustics for the past decades. In magnetically confined fusion research, extracting this sort of information from magnetic signals can be of valuable assistance in, for instance, feedback control of detrimental magnetohydrodynamic modes and disruption avoidance mechanisms by monitoring instability growth or anticipating mode-locking events. This work is focused on nonlinear Kalman filter based methods for tackling this problem. Similar methods have already provenmore » their merits and have been successfully employed in this scientific domain in applications such as amplitude demodulation for the motional Stark effect diagnostic. In the course of this work, three approaches are described, compared, and discussed using magnetic signals from the Joint European Torus tokamak plasma discharges for benchmarking purposes.« less

Prediction of STN-DBS Electrode Implantation Track in Parkinson's Disease by Using Local Field Potentials

PubMed Central

Telkes, Ilknur; Jimenez-Shahed, Joohi; Viswanathan, Ashwin; Abosch, Aviva; Ince, Nuri F.

2016-01-01

Optimal electrophysiological placement of the DBS electrode may lead to better long term clinical outcomes. Inter-subject anatomical variability and limitations in stereotaxic neuroimaging increase the complexity of physiological mapping performed in the operating room. Microelectrode single unit neuronal recording remains the most common intraoperative mapping technique, but requires significant expertise and is fraught by potential technical difficulties including robust measurement of the signal. In contrast, local field potentials (LFPs), owing to their oscillatory and robust nature and being more correlated with the disease symptoms, can overcome these technical issues. Therefore, we hypothesized that multiple spectral features extracted from microelectrode-recorded LFPs could be used to automate the identification of the optimal track and the STN localization. In this regard, we recorded LFPs from microelectrodes in three tracks from 22 patients during DBS electrode implantation surgery at different depths and aimed to predict the track selected by the neurosurgeon based on the interpretation of single unit recordings. A least mean square (LMS) algorithm was used to de-correlate LFPs in each track, in order to remove common activity between channels and increase their spatial specificity. Subband power in the beta band (11–32 Hz) and high frequency range (200–450 Hz) were extracted from the de-correlated LFP data and used as features. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) method was applied both for the localization of the dorsal border of STN and the prediction of the optimal track. By fusing the information from these low and high frequency bands, the dorsal border of STN was localized with a root mean square (RMS) error of 1.22 mm. The prediction accuracy for the optimal track was 80%. Individual beta band (11–32 Hz) and the range of high frequency oscillations (200–450 Hz) provided prediction accuracies of 72 and 68% respectively. The best prediction result obtained with monopolar LFP data was 68%. These results establish the initial evidence that LFPs can be strategically fused with computational intelligence in the operating room for STN localization and the selection of the track for chronic DBS electrode implantation. PMID:27242404

49 CFR 213.119 - Continuous welded rail (CWR); plan contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... repairs, in-track welding, and in conjunction with adjustments made in the area of tight track, a track... frequency identified in paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section, provided that: (A) All CWR joints have been... determining the frequency of inspections under paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section. (iv) All CWR joints that...

49 CFR 213.119 - Continuous welded rail (CWR); plan contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... repairs, in-track welding, and in conjunction with adjustments made in the area of tight track, a track... frequency identified in paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section, provided that: (A) All CWR joints have been... determining the frequency of inspections under paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section. (iv) All CWR joints that...

49 CFR 213.119 - Continuous welded rail (CWR); plan contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... repairs, in-track welding, and in conjunction with adjustments made in the area of tight track, a track... frequency identified in paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section, provided that: (A) All CWR joints have been... determining the frequency of inspections under paragraph (h)(6)(i) of this section. (iv) All CWR joints that...

The BAARA (Biological AutomAted RAdiotracking) System: A New Approach in Ecological Field Studies

PubMed Central

Řeřucha, Šimon; Bartonička, Tomáš; Jedlička, Petr; Čížek, Martin; Hlouša, Ondřej; Lučan, Radek; Horáček, Ivan

2015-01-01

Radiotracking is an important and often the only possible method to explore specific habits and the behaviour of animals, but it has proven to be very demanding and time-consuming, especially when frequent positioning of a large group is required. Our aim was to address this issue by making the process partially automated, to mitigate the demands and related costs. This paper presents a novel automated tracking system that consists of a network of automated tracking stations deployed within the target area. Each station reads the signals from telemetry transmitters, estimates the bearing and distance of the tagged animals and records their position. The station is capable of tracking a theoretically unlimited number of transmitters on different frequency channels with the period of 5–15 seconds per single channel. An ordinary transmitter that fits within the supported frequency band might be used with BAARA (Biological AutomAted RAdiotracking); an extra option is the use of a custom-programmable transmitter with configurable operational parameters, such as the precise frequency channel or the transmission parameters. This new approach to a tracking system was tested for its applicability in a series of field and laboratory tests. BAARA has been tested within fieldwork explorations of Rousettus aegyptiacus during field trips to Dakhla oasis in Egypt. The results illustrate the novel perspective which automated radiotracking opens for the study of spatial behaviour, particularly in addressing topics in the domain of population ecology. PMID:25714910

Wireless Displacement Sensing of Micromachined Spiral-Coil Actuator Using Resonant Frequency Tracking

PubMed Central

Ali, Mohamed Sultan Mohamed; AbuZaiter, Alaa; Schlosser, Colin; Bycraft, Brad; Takahata, Kenichi

2014-01-01

This paper reports a method that enables real-time displacement monitoring and control of micromachined resonant-type actuators using wireless radiofrequency (RF). The method is applied to an out-of-plane, spiral-coil microactuator based on shape-memory-alloy (SMA). The SMA spiral coil forms an inductor-capacitor resonant circuit that is excited using external RF magnetic fields to thermally actuate the coil. The actuation causes a shift in the circuit's resonance as the coil is displaced vertically, which is wirelessly monitored through an external antenna to track the displacements. Controlled actuation and displacement monitoring using the developed method is demonstrated with the microfabricated device. The device exhibits a frequency sensitivity to displacement of 10 kHz/μm or more for a full out-of-plane travel range of 466 μm and an average actuation velocity of up to 155 μm/s. The method described permits the actuator to have a self-sensing function that is passively operated, thereby eliminating the need for separate sensors and batteries on the device, thus realizing precise control while attaining a high level of miniaturization in the device. PMID:25014100

A Carrier Estimation Method Based on MLE and KF for Weak GNSS Signals.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongyang; Xu, Luping; Yan, Bo; Zhang, Hua; Luo, Liyan

2017-06-22

Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) has been researched for some acquisition and tracking applications of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers and shows high performance. However, all current methods are derived and operated based on the sampling data, which results in a large computation burden. This paper proposes a low-complexity MLE carrier tracking loop for weak GNSS signals which processes the coherent integration results instead of the sampling data. First, the cost function of the MLE of signal parameters such as signal amplitude, carrier phase, and Doppler frequency are used to derive a MLE discriminator function. The optimal value of the cost function is searched by an efficient Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method iteratively. Its performance including Cramér-Rao bound (CRB), dynamic characteristics and computation burden are analyzed by numerical techniques. Second, an adaptive Kalman filter is designed for the MLE discriminator to obtain smooth estimates of carrier phase and frequency. The performance of the proposed loop, in terms of sensitivity, accuracy and bit error rate, is compared with conventional methods by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations both in pedestrian-level and vehicle-level dynamic circumstances. Finally, an optimal loop which combines the proposed method and conventional method is designed to achieve the optimal performance both in weak and strong signal circumstances.

Frequency-scanning interferometry using a time-varying Kalman filter for dynamic tracking measurements.

PubMed

Jia, Xingyu; Liu, Zhigang; Tao, Long; Deng, Zhongwen

2017-10-16

Frequency scanning interferometry (FSI) with a single external cavity diode laser (ECDL) and time-invariant Kalman filtering is an effective technique for measuring the distance of a dynamic target. However, due to the hysteresis of the piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) actuator in the ECDL, the optical frequency sweeps of the ECDL exhibit different behaviors, depending on whether the frequency is increasing or decreasing. Consequently, the model parameters of Kalman filter appear time varying in each iteration, which produces state estimation errors with time-invariant filtering. To address this, in this paper, a time-varying Kalman filter is proposed to model the instantaneous movement of a target relative to the different optical frequency tuning durations of the ECDL. The combination of the FSI method with the time-varying Kalman filter was theoretically analyzed, and the simulation and experimental results show the proposed method greatly improves the performance of dynamic FSI measurements.

Elastography using multi-stream GPU: an application to online tracked ultrasound elastography, in-vivo and the da Vinci Surgical System.

PubMed

Deshmukh, Nishikant P; Kang, Hyun Jae; Billings, Seth D; Taylor, Russell H; Hager, Gregory D; Boctor, Emad M

2014-01-01

A system for real-time ultrasound (US) elastography will advance interventions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer by advancing methods such as thermal monitoring of tissue ablation. A multi-stream graphics processing unit (GPU) based accelerated normalized cross-correlation (NCC) elastography, with a maximum frame rate of 78 frames per second, is presented in this paper. A study of NCC window size is undertaken to determine the effect on frame rate and the quality of output elastography images. This paper also presents a novel system for Online Tracked Ultrasound Elastography (O-TRuE), which extends prior work on an offline method. By tracking the US probe with an electromagnetic (EM) tracker, the system selects in-plane radio frequency (RF) data frames for generating high quality elastograms. A novel method for evaluating the quality of an elastography output stream is presented, suggesting that O-TRuE generates more stable elastograms than generated by untracked, free-hand palpation. Since EM tracking cannot be used in all systems, an integration of real-time elastography and the da Vinci Surgical System is presented and evaluated for elastography stream quality based on our metric. The da Vinci surgical robot is outfitted with a laparoscopic US probe, and palpation motions are autonomously generated by customized software. It is found that a stable output stream can be achieved, which is affected by both the frequency and amplitude of palpation. The GPU framework is validated using data from in-vivo pig liver ablation; the generated elastography images identify the ablated region, outlined more clearly than in the corresponding B-mode US images.

Elastography Using Multi-Stream GPU: An Application to Online Tracked Ultrasound Elastography, In-Vivo and the da Vinci Surgical System

PubMed Central

Deshmukh, Nishikant P.; Kang, Hyun Jae; Billings, Seth D.; Taylor, Russell H.; Hager, Gregory D.; Boctor, Emad M.

2014-01-01

A system for real-time ultrasound (US) elastography will advance interventions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer by advancing methods such as thermal monitoring of tissue ablation. A multi-stream graphics processing unit (GPU) based accelerated normalized cross-correlation (NCC) elastography, with a maximum frame rate of 78 frames per second, is presented in this paper. A study of NCC window size is undertaken to determine the effect on frame rate and the quality of output elastography images. This paper also presents a novel system for Online Tracked Ultrasound Elastography (O-TRuE), which extends prior work on an offline method. By tracking the US probe with an electromagnetic (EM) tracker, the system selects in-plane radio frequency (RF) data frames for generating high quality elastograms. A novel method for evaluating the quality of an elastography output stream is presented, suggesting that O-TRuE generates more stable elastograms than generated by untracked, free-hand palpation. Since EM tracking cannot be used in all systems, an integration of real-time elastography and the da Vinci Surgical System is presented and evaluated for elastography stream quality based on our metric. The da Vinci surgical robot is outfitted with a laparoscopic US probe, and palpation motions are autonomously generated by customized software. It is found that a stable output stream can be achieved, which is affected by both the frequency and amplitude of palpation. The GPU framework is validated using data from in-vivo pig liver ablation; the generated elastography images identify the ablated region, outlined more clearly than in the corresponding B-mode US images. PMID:25541954

Splitting attention reduces temporal resolution from 7 Hz for tracking one object to <3 Hz when tracking three.

PubMed

Holcombe, Alex O; Chen, Wei-Ying

2013-01-09

Overall performance when tracking moving targets is known to be poorer for larger numbers of targets, but the specific effect on tracking's temporal resolution has never been investigated. We document a broad range of display parameters for which visual tracking is limited by temporal frequency (the interval between when a target is at each location and a distracter moves in and replaces it) rather than by object speed. We tested tracking of one, two, and three moving targets while the eyes remained fixed. Variation of the number of distracters and their speed revealed both speed limits and temporal frequency limits on tracking. The temporal frequency limit fell from 7 Hz with one target to 4 Hz with two targets and 2.6 Hz with three targets. The large size of this performance decrease implies that in the two-target condition participants would have done better by tracking only one of the two targets and ignoring the other. These effects are predicted by serial models involving a single tracking focus that must switch among the targets, sampling the position of only one target at a time. If parallel processing theories are to explain why dividing the tracking resource reduces temporal resolution so markedly, supplemental assumptions will be required.

Deriving Animal Behaviour from High-Frequency GPS: Tracking Cows in Open and Forested Habitat

PubMed Central

de Weerd, Nelleke; van Langevelde, Frank; van Oeveren, Herman; Nolet, Bart A.; Kölzsch, Andrea; Prins, Herbert H. T.; de Boer, W. Fred

2015-01-01

The increasing spatiotemporal accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tracking systems opens the possibility to infer animal behaviour from tracking data. We studied the relationship between high-frequency GNSS data and behaviour, aimed at developing an easily interpretable classification method to infer behaviour from location data. Behavioural observations were carried out during tracking of cows (Bos Taurus) fitted with high-frequency GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers. Data were obtained in an open field and forested area, and movement metrics were calculated for 1 min, 12 s and 2 s intervals. We observed four behaviour types (Foraging, Lying, Standing and Walking). We subsequently used Classification and Regression Trees to classify the simultaneously obtained GPS data as these behaviour types, based on distances and turning angles between fixes. GPS data with a 1 min interval from the open field was classified correctly for more than 70% of the samples. Data from the 12 s and 2 s interval could not be classified successfully, emphasizing that the interval should be long enough for the behaviour to be defined by its characteristic movement metrics. Data obtained in the forested area were classified with a lower accuracy (57%) than the data from the open field, due to a larger positional error of GPS locations and differences in behavioural performance influenced by the habitat type. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the relationship between behaviour and movement metrics, derived from GNSS fixes at different frequencies and in different habitats, in order to successfully infer behaviour. When spatially accurate location data can be obtained, behaviour can be inferred from high-frequency GNSS fixes by calculating simple movement metrics and using easily interpretable decision trees. This allows for the combined study of animal behaviour and habitat use based on location data, and might make it possible to detect deviations in behaviour at the individual level. PMID:26107643

Deriving Animal Behaviour from High-Frequency GPS: Tracking Cows in Open and Forested Habitat.

PubMed

de Weerd, Nelleke; van Langevelde, Frank; van Oeveren, Herman; Nolet, Bart A; Kölzsch, Andrea; Prins, Herbert H T; de Boer, W Fred

2015-01-01

The increasing spatiotemporal accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tracking systems opens the possibility to infer animal behaviour from tracking data. We studied the relationship between high-frequency GNSS data and behaviour, aimed at developing an easily interpretable classification method to infer behaviour from location data. Behavioural observations were carried out during tracking of cows (Bos Taurus) fitted with high-frequency GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers. Data were obtained in an open field and forested area, and movement metrics were calculated for 1 min, 12 s and 2 s intervals. We observed four behaviour types (Foraging, Lying, Standing and Walking). We subsequently used Classification and Regression Trees to classify the simultaneously obtained GPS data as these behaviour types, based on distances and turning angles between fixes. GPS data with a 1 min interval from the open field was classified correctly for more than 70% of the samples. Data from the 12 s and 2 s interval could not be classified successfully, emphasizing that the interval should be long enough for the behaviour to be defined by its characteristic movement metrics. Data obtained in the forested area were classified with a lower accuracy (57%) than the data from the open field, due to a larger positional error of GPS locations and differences in behavioural performance influenced by the habitat type. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the relationship between behaviour and movement metrics, derived from GNSS fixes at different frequencies and in different habitats, in order to successfully infer behaviour. When spatially accurate location data can be obtained, behaviour can be inferred from high-frequency GNSS fixes by calculating simple movement metrics and using easily interpretable decision trees. This allows for the combined study of animal behaviour and habitat use based on location data, and might make it possible to detect deviations in behaviour at the individual level.

Investigation of the effects of sleeper-passing impacts on the high-speed train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xingwen; Cai, Wubin; Chi, Maoru; Wei, Lai; Shi, Huailong; Zhu, Minhao

2015-12-01

The sleeper-passing impact has always been considered negligible in normal conditions, while the experimental data obtained from a High-speed train in a cold weather expressed significant sleeper-passing impacts on the axle box, bogie frame and car body. Therefore, in this study, a vertical coupled vehicle/track dynamic model was developed to investigate the sleeper-passing impacts and its effects on the dynamic performance of the high-speed train. In the model, the dynamic model of vehicle is established with 10 degrees of freedom. The track model is formulated with two rails supported on the discrete supports through the finite element method. The contact forces between the wheel and rail are estimated using the non-linear Hertz contact theory. The parametric studies are conducted to analyse effects of both the vehicle speeds and the discrete support stiffness on the sleeper-passing impacts. The results show that the sleeper-passing impacts become extremely significant with the increased support stiffness of track, especially when the frequencies of sleeper-passing impacts approach to the resonance frequencies of wheel/track system. The damping of primary suspension can effectively lower the magnitude of impacts in the resonance speed ranges, but has little effect on other speed ranges. Finally, a more comprehensively coupled vehicle/track dynamic model integrating with a flexible wheel set is developed to discuss the sleeper-passing-induced flexible vibration of wheel set.

Covert enaction at work: Recording the continuous movements of visuospatial attention to visible or imagined targets by means of Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs).

PubMed

Gregori Grgič, Regina; Calore, Enrico; de'Sperati, Claudio

2016-01-01

Whereas overt visuospatial attention is customarily measured with eye tracking, covert attention is assessed by various methods. Here we exploited Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs) - the oscillatory responses of the visual cortex to incoming flickering stimuli - to record the movements of covert visuospatial attention in a way operatively similar to eye tracking (attention tracking), which allowed us to compare motion observation and motion extrapolation with and without eye movements. Observers fixated a central dot and covertly tracked a target oscillating horizontally and sinusoidally. In the background, the left and the right halves of the screen flickered at two different frequencies, generating two SSVEPs in occipital regions whose size varied reciprocally as observers attended to the moving target. The two signals were combined into a single quantity that was modulated at the target frequency in a quasi-sinusoidal way, often clearly visible in single trials. The modulation continued almost unchanged when the target was switched off and observers mentally extrapolated its motion in imagery, and also when observers pointed their finger at the moving target during covert tracking, or imagined doing so. The amplitude of modulation during covert tracking was ∼25-30% of that measured when observers followed the target with their eyes. We used 4 electrodes in parieto-occipital areas, but similar results were achieved with a single electrode in Oz. In a second experiment we tested ramp and step motion. During overt tracking, SSVEPs were remarkably accurate, showing both saccadic-like and smooth pursuit-like modulations of cortical responsiveness, although during covert tracking the modulation deteriorated. Covert tracking was better with sinusoidal motion than ramp motion, and better with moving targets than stationary ones. The clear modulation of cortical responsiveness recorded during both overt and covert tracking, identical for motion observation and motion extrapolation, suggests to include covert attention movements in enactive theories of mental imagery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved relocatable over-the-horizon radar detection and tracking using the maximum likelihood adaptive neural system algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perlovsky, Leonid I.; Webb, Virgil H.; Bradley, Scott R.; Hansen, Christopher A.

1998-07-01

An advanced detection and tracking system is being developed for the U.S. Navy's Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) to provide improved tracking performance against small aircraft typically used in drug-smuggling activities. The development is based on the Maximum Likelihood Adaptive Neural System (MLANS), a model-based neural network that combines advantages of neural network and model-based algorithmic approaches. The objective of the MLANS tracker development effort is to address user requirements for increased detection and tracking capability in clutter and improved track position, heading, and speed accuracy. The MLANS tracker is expected to outperform other approaches to detection and tracking for the following reasons. It incorporates adaptive internal models of target return signals, target tracks and maneuvers, and clutter signals, which leads to concurrent clutter suppression, detection, and tracking (track-before-detect). It is not combinatorial and thus does not require any thresholding or peak picking and can track in low signal-to-noise conditions. It incorporates superresolution spectrum estimation techniques exceeding the performance of conventional maximum likelihood and maximum entropy methods. The unique spectrum estimation method is based on the Einsteinian interpretation of the ROTHR received energy spectrum as a probability density of signal frequency. The MLANS neural architecture and learning mechanism are founded on spectrum models and maximization of the "Einsteinian" likelihood, allowing knowledge of the physical behavior of both targets and clutter to be injected into the tracker algorithms. The paper describes the addressed requirements and expected improvements, theoretical foundations, engineering methodology, and results of the development effort to date.

Real-time catheter tracking for high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy using an electromagnetic 3D-guidance device: A preliminary performance study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou Jun; Sebastian, Evelyn; Mangona, Victor

2013-02-15

Purpose: In order to increase the accuracy and speed of catheter reconstruction in a high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate implant procedure, an automatic tracking system has been developed using an electromagnetic (EM) device (trakSTAR, Ascension Technology, VT). The performance of the system, including the accuracy and noise level with various tracking parameters and conditions, were investigated. Methods: A direct current (dc) EM transmitter (midrange model) and a sensor with diameter of 1.3 mm (Model 130) were used in the trakSTAR system for tracking catheter position during HDR prostate brachytherapy. Localization accuracy was assessed under both static and dynamic analyses conditions. For themore » static analysis, a calibration phantom was used to investigate error dependency on operating room (OR) table height (bottom vs midposition vs top), sensor position (distal tip of catheter vs connector end of catheter), direction [left-right (LR) vs anterior-posterior (AP) vs superior-inferior (SI)], sampling frequency (40 vs 80 vs 120 Hz), and interference from OR equipment (present vs absent). The mean and standard deviation of the localization offset in each direction and the corresponding error vectors were calculated. For dynamic analysis, the paths of five straight catheters were tracked to study the effects of directions, sampling frequency, and interference of EM field. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the results in different configurations. Results: When interference was present in the static analysis, the error vectors were significantly higher at the top table position (3.3 {+-} 1.3 vs 1.8 {+-} 0.9 mm at bottom and 1.7 {+-} 1.0 mm at middle, p < 0.001), at catheter end position (3.1 {+-} 1.1 vs 1.4 {+-} 0.7 mm at the tip position, p < 0.001), and at 40 Hz sampling frequency (2.6 {+-} 1.1 vs 2.4 {+-} 1.5 mm at 80 Hz and 1.8 {+-} 1.1 at 160 Hz, p < 0.001). So did the mean offset errors in the LR direction (-1.7 {+-} 1.4 vs 0.4 {+-} 0.5 mm in AP and 0.8 {+-} 0.8 mm in SI directions, p < 0.001). The error vectors were significantly higher with surrounding interference (2.2 {+-} 1.3 mm) vs without interference (1.0 {+-} 0.7 mm, p < 0.001). An accuracy of 1.6 {+-} 0.2 mm can be reached when using optimum configuration (160 Hz at middle table position). When interference was present in the dynamic tracking, the mean tracking errors in LR direction (1.4 {+-} 0.5 mm) was significantly higher than that in AP direction (0.3 {+-} 0.2 mm, p < 0.001). So did the mean vector errors at 40 Hz (2.1 {+-} 0.2 mm vs 1.3 {+-} 0.2 mm at 80 Hz and 0.9 {+-} 0.2 mm at 160 Hz, p < 0.05). However, when interference was absent, they were comparable in the both directions and at all sampling frequencies. An accuracy of 0.9 {+-} 0.2 mm was obtained for the dynamic tracking when using optimum configuration. Conclusions: The performance of an EM tracking system depends highly on the system configuration and surrounding environment. The accuracy of EM tracking for catheter reconstruction in a prostate HDR brachytherapy procedure can be improved by reducing interference from surrounding equipment, decreasing distance from transmitter to tracking area, and choosing appropriated sampling frequency. A calibration scheme is needed to further reduce the tracking error when the interference is high.« less

A second-order frequency-aided digital phase-locked loop for Doppler rate tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chie, C. M.

1980-08-01

A second-order digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) has a finite lock range which is a function of the frequency of the incoming signal to be tracked. For this reason, it is not capable of tracking an input with Doppler rate for an indefinite period of time. In this correspondence, an analytical expression for the hold-in time is derived. In addition, an all-digital scheme to alleviate this problem is proposed based on the information obtained from estimating the input signal frequency.

Measuring Sound Speed in Gas Mixtures Using a Photoacoustic Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchenek, Mariusz; Borowski, Tomasz

2018-01-01

We present a new method which allows us to percentage distinction of gas composition with a fast response time. This system uses the speed of sound in a resonant cell along with temperature to determine the gas mixture composition. The gas mixtures contain two gases with an unknown combination. In our experiment, the acoustic waves were excited inside the acoustic longitudinal resonator with the use of a positive feedback. This feedback provides fast tracking of a resonance frequency of the cell and causes fast tracking changes in the speed of sound. The presented method corresponds to the theoretical description of this topic. Two gas mixtures—carbon dioxide and argon mixed with nitrogen—were tested.

A Freehand Ultrasound Elastography System with Tracking for In-vivo Applications

PubMed Central

Foroughi, Pezhman; Kang, Hyun-Jae; Carnegie, Daniel A.; van Vledder, Mark G.; Choti, Michael A.; Hager, Gregory D.; Boctor, Emad M.

2012-01-01

Ultrasound transducers are commonly tracked in modern ultrasound navigation/guidance systems. In this paper, we demonstrate the advantages of incorporating tracking information into ultrasound elastography for clinical applications. First, we address a common limitation of freehand palpation: speckle decorrelation due to out-of-plane probe motion. We show that by automatically selecting pairs of radio frequency (RF) frames with minimal lateral and out-of-plane motions combined with a fast and robust displacement estimation technique greatly improves in-vivo elastography results. We also use tracking information and image quality measure to fuse multiple images with similar strain that are taken roughly from the same location to obtain a high quality elastography image. Finally, we show that tracking information can be used to give the user partial control over the rate of compression. Our methods are tested on tissue mimicking phantom and experiments have been conducted on intra-operative data acquired during animal and human experiments involving liver ablation. Our results suggest that in challenging clinical conditions, our proposed method produces reliable strain images and eliminates the need for a manual search through the ultrasound data in order to find RF pairs suitable for elastography. PMID:23257351

Distributed cooperative regulation for multiagent systems and its applications to power systems: a survey.

PubMed

Hu, Jianqiang; Li, Yaping; Yong, Taiyou; Cao, Jinde; Yu, Jie; Mao, Wenbo

2014-01-01

Cooperative regulation of multiagent systems has become an active research area in the past decade. This paper reviews some recent progress in distributed coordination control for leader-following multiagent systems and its applications in power system and mainly focuses on the cooperative tracking control in terms of consensus tracking control and containment tracking control. Next, methods on how to rank the network nodes are summarized for undirected/directed network, based on which one can determine which follower should be connected to leaders such that partial followers can perceive leaders' information. Furthermore, we present a survey of the most relevant scientific studies investigating the regulation and optimization problems in power systems based on distributed strategies. Finally, some potential applications in the frequency tracking regulation of smart grids are discussed at the end of the paper.

Distributed Cooperative Regulation for Multiagent Systems and Its Applications to Power Systems: A Survey

PubMed Central

Li, Yaping; Yong, Taiyou; Yu, Jie; Mao, Wenbo

2014-01-01

Cooperative regulation of multiagent systems has become an active research area in the past decade. This paper reviews some recent progress in distributed coordination control for leader-following multiagent systems and its applications in power system and mainly focuses on the cooperative tracking control in terms of consensus tracking control and containment tracking control. Next, methods on how to rank the network nodes are summarized for undirected/directed network, based on which one can determine which follower should be connected to leaders such that partial followers can perceive leaders' information. Furthermore, we present a survey of the most relevant scientific studies investigating the regulation and optimization problems in power systems based on distributed strategies. Finally, some potential applications in the frequency tracking regulation of smart grids are discussed at the end of the paper. PMID:25243199

A computer-vision-based rotating speed estimation method for motor bearing fault diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoxian; Guo, Jie; Lu, Siliang; Shen, Changqing; He, Qingbo

2017-06-01

Diagnosis of motor bearing faults under variable speed is a problem. In this study, a new computer-vision-based order tracking method is proposed to address this problem. First, a video recorded by a high-speed camera is analyzed with the speeded-up robust feature extraction and matching algorithm to obtain the instantaneous rotating speed (IRS) of the motor. Subsequently, an audio signal recorded by a microphone is equi-angle resampled for order tracking in accordance with the IRS curve, through which the frequency-domain signal is transferred to an angular-domain one. The envelope order spectrum is then calculated to determine the fault characteristic order, and finally the bearing fault pattern is determined. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method are verified with two brushless direct-current motor test rigs, in which two defective bearings and a healthy bearing are tested separately. This study provides a new noninvasive measurement approach that simultaneously avoids the installation of a tachometer and overcomes the disadvantages of tacholess order tracking methods for motor bearing fault diagnosis under variable speed.

Advances in the microrheology of complex fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waigh, Thomas Andrew

2016-07-01

New developments in the microrheology of complex fluids are considered. Firstly the requirements for a simple modern particle tracking microrheology experiment are introduced, the error analysis methods associated with it and the mathematical techniques required to calculate the linear viscoelasticity. Progress in microrheology instrumentation is then described with respect to detectors, light sources, colloidal probes, magnetic tweezers, optical tweezers, diffusing wave spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, elastic- and quasi-elastic scattering techniques, 3D tracking, single molecule methods, modern microscopy methods and microfluidics. New theoretical techniques are also reviewed such as Bayesian analysis, oversampling, inversion techniques, alternative statistical tools for tracks (angular correlations, first passage probabilities, the kurtosis, motor protein step segmentation etc), issues in micro/macro rheological agreement and two particle methodologies. Applications where microrheology has begun to make some impact are also considered including semi-flexible polymers, gels, microorganism biofilms, intracellular methods, high frequency viscoelasticity, comb polymers, active motile fluids, blood clots, colloids, granular materials, polymers, liquid crystals and foods. Two large emergent areas of microrheology, non-linear microrheology and surface microrheology are also discussed.

Simultaneous Detection and Tracking of Pedestrian from Panoramic Laser Scanning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Wen; Vallet, Bruno; Schindler, Konrad; Paparoditis, Nicolas

2016-06-01

Pedestrian traffic flow estimation is essential for public place design and construction planning. Traditional data collection by human investigation is tedious, inefficient and expensive. Panoramic laser scanners, e.g. Velodyne HDL-64E, which scan surroundings repetitively at a high frequency, have been increasingly used for 3D object tracking. In this paper, a simultaneous detection and tracking (SDAT) method is proposed for precise and automatic pedestrian trajectory recovery. First, the dynamic environment is detected using two different methods, Nearest-point and Max-distance. Then, all the points on moving objects are transferred into a space-time (x, y, t) coordinate system. The pedestrian detection and tracking amounts to assign the points belonging to pedestrians into continuous trajectories in space-time. We formulate the point assignment task as an energy function which incorporates the point evidence, trajectory number, pedestrian shape and motion. A low energy trajectory will well explain the point observations, and have plausible trajectory trend and length. The method inherently filters out points from other moving objects and false detections. The energy function is solved by a two-step optimization process: tracklet detection in a short temporal window; and global tracklet association through the whole time span. Results demonstrate that the proposed method can automatically recover the pedestrians trajectories with accurate positions and low false detections and mismatches.

A magnetic resonance imaging study on the articulatory and acoustic speech parameters of Malay vowels

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The phonetic properties of six Malay vowels are investigated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the vocal tract in order to obtain dynamic articulatory parameters during speech production. To resolve image blurring due to the tongue movement during the scanning process, a method based on active contour extraction is used to track tongue contours. The proposed method efficiently tracks tongue contours despite the partial blurring of MRI images. Consequently, the articulatory parameters that are effectively measured as tongue movement is observed, and the specific shape of the tongue and its position for all six uttered Malay vowels are determined. Speech rehabilitation procedure demands some kind of visual perceivable prototype of speech articulation. To investigate the validity of the measured articulatory parameters based on acoustic theory of speech production, an acoustic analysis based on the uttered vowels by subjects has been performed. As the acoustic speech and articulatory parameters of uttered speech were examined, a correlation between formant frequencies and articulatory parameters was observed. The experiments reported a positive correlation between the constriction location of the tongue body and the first formant frequency, as well as a negative correlation between the constriction location of the tongue tip and the second formant frequency. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is an effective tool for the dynamic study of speech production. PMID:25060583

A magnetic resonance imaging study on the articulatory and acoustic speech parameters of Malay vowels.

PubMed

Zourmand, Alireza; Mirhassani, Seyed Mostafa; Ting, Hua-Nong; Bux, Shaik Ismail; Ng, Kwan Hoong; Bilgen, Mehmet; Jalaludin, Mohd Amin

2014-07-25

The phonetic properties of six Malay vowels are investigated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the vocal tract in order to obtain dynamic articulatory parameters during speech production. To resolve image blurring due to the tongue movement during the scanning process, a method based on active contour extraction is used to track tongue contours. The proposed method efficiently tracks tongue contours despite the partial blurring of MRI images. Consequently, the articulatory parameters that are effectively measured as tongue movement is observed, and the specific shape of the tongue and its position for all six uttered Malay vowels are determined.Speech rehabilitation procedure demands some kind of visual perceivable prototype of speech articulation. To investigate the validity of the measured articulatory parameters based on acoustic theory of speech production, an acoustic analysis based on the uttered vowels by subjects has been performed. As the acoustic speech and articulatory parameters of uttered speech were examined, a correlation between formant frequencies and articulatory parameters was observed. The experiments reported a positive correlation between the constriction location of the tongue body and the first formant frequency, as well as a negative correlation between the constriction location of the tongue tip and the second formant frequency. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is an effective tool for the dynamic study of speech production.

A 2.5-dimensional method for the prediction of structure-borne low-frequency noise from concrete rail transit bridges.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Song, Xiaodong; Wu, Dingjun

2014-05-01

Predicting structure-borne noise from bridges subjected to moving trains using the three-dimensional (3D) boundary element method (BEM) is a time consuming process. This paper presents a two-and-a-half dimensional (2.5D) BEM-based procedure for simulating bridge-borne low-frequency noise with higher efficiency, yet no loss of accuracy. The two-dimensional (2D) BEM of a bridge with a constant cross section along the track direction is adopted to calculate the spatial modal acoustic transfer vectors (MATVs) of the bridge using the space-wave number transforms of its 3D modal shapes. The MATVs calculated using the 2.5D method are then validated by those computed using the 3D BEM. The bridge-borne noise is finally obtained through the MATVs and modal coordinate responses of the bridge, considering time-varying vehicle-track-bridge dynamic interaction. The presented procedure is applied to predict the sound pressure radiating from a U-shaped concrete bridge, and the computed results are compared with those obtained from field tests on Shanghai rail transit line 8. The numerical results match well with the measured results in both time and frequency domains at near-field points. Nevertheless, the computed results are smaller than the measured ones for far-field points, mainly due to the sound radiation from adjacent spans neglected in the current model.

Landscape Analysis of Global Health Tracks in United States Pediatric Residencies: Moving Toward Standards.

PubMed

Watts, Jennifer; Russ, Christiana; St Clair, Nicole E; Uwemedimo, Omolara Thomas

2018-03-28

The number of pediatric Global Health (GH) tracks has more than doubled in less than 10 years. The goal of this study was to describe the characteristics of the pediatric GH tracks to identify commonalities and differences in track structure, funding, and education. In addition, we also identified demographic, institutional, and residency-related factors that were significantly associated with educational offerings and logistical challenges. A cross-sectional survey was electronically administered to pediatric residency programs with GH tracks. Statistical analyses included frequencies to describe GH track characteristics. Fisher's exact tests were used to identify bivariate associations between track structure and funding with educational offerings and logistical challenges. Leaders of 32 pediatric GH tracks (67%) completed the survey. The majority of GH tracks were completed within the 3 years of residency (94%) and identified a GH track director (100%); however, tracks varied in size, enrollment methods, domestic and international partnerships, funding, and evaluations. Dedicated faculty time and GH track budget amounts were associated with more robust infrastructure pertaining to resident international electives, including funding and mentorship. Many tracks did not meet American Academy of Pediatrics recommended standards for clinical international rotations. Despite the presence of multiple similarities among pediatric GH tracks, there are large variations in track structure, education, and funding. The results from this study support the proposal of a formal definition and minimum standards for a GH track, which may provide a framework for quality, consistency, and comparison of GH tracks. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Experimental Evaluation of an Invasive Medical Instrument Based on a Displacement Measurement System.

PubMed

Fotiadis, Dimitris A; Astaras, Alexandros; Bamidis, Panagiotis D; Papathanasiou, Kostas; Kalfas, Anestis

2015-09-01

This paper presents a novel method for tracking the position of a medical instrument's tip. The system is based on phase locking a high frequency signal transmitted from the medical instrument's tip to a reference signal. Displacement measurement is established having the loop open, in order to get a low frequency voltage representing the medical instrument's movement; therefore, positioning is established by means of conventional measuring techniques. The voltage-controlled oscillator stage of the phase-locked loop (PLL), combined to an appropriate antenna, comprises the associated transmitter located inside the medical instrument tip. All the other low frequency PLL components, low noise amplifier and mixer, are located outside the human body, forming the receiver part of the system. The operating details of the proposed system were coded in Verilog-AMS. Simulation results indicate robust medical instrument tracking in 1-D. Experimental evaluation of the proposed position tracking system is also presented. The experiments described in this paper are based on a transmitter moving opposite a stationary receiver performing either constant velocity or uniformly accelerated movement, and also together with two stationary receivers performing constant velocity movement again. This latter setup is implemented in order to demonstrate the prototype's accuracy for planar (2-D) motion measurements. Error analysis and time-domain analysis are presented for system performance characterization. Furthermore, preliminary experimental assessment using a saline solution container to more closely approximate the human body as a radio frequency wave transmission medium has proved the system's capability of operating underneath the skin.

Demodulation of micro fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer using subcarrier and dual-wavelength method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, En; Ran, Zengling; Peng, Fei; Liu, Zhiwei; Xu, Fuguo

2012-03-01

Subcarrier technology and dual-wavelength demodulation method are combined for tracking the cavity length variation of a micro fiber-optic Fabry-Perot (F-P). Compared with conventional dual-wavelength demodulation method, two operation wavelengths for demodulation are modulated with two different carrier frequencies, respectively, and then injected into optical link connected with the F-P cavity. Light power reflected for the two wavelengths is obtained by interrogating the powers of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum at their carrier frequencies. Because the light at the two wavelengths experiences the same optical and electrical routes, measurement deviation resulting from the drift of optical and electrical links can be entirely eliminated.

Demodulation of micro fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer using subcarrier and dual-wavelength method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ran, Zengling; Rao, Yunjiang; Liu, Zhiwei; Xu, Fuguo

2011-05-01

Subcarrier technology and dual-wavelength demodulation method are combined for tracking the cavity length variation of a micro fiber-optic fabry-periot (F-P). Compared with conventional dual-wavelength demodulation method, two operation wavelengths for demodulation are modulated with two different carrier frequencies, respectively, and then injected into optical link connected with the F-P cavity. Light power reflected for the two wavelengths is obtained by interrogating the powers of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum at their carrier frequencies. Because the light at the two wavelengths experiences the same optical and electrical routes, measurement deviation resulting from the drift of optical and electrical links can be entirely eliminated.

Method of remote powering and detecting multiple UWB passive tags in an RFID system

DOEpatents

Dowla, Farid U [Castro Valley, CA; Nekoogar, Faranak [San Ramon, CA; Benzel, David M [Livermore, CA; Dallum, Gregory E [Livermore, CA; Spiridon, Alex [Palo Alto, CA

2012-05-29

A new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), tracking, powering apparatus/system and method using coded Ultra-wideband (UWB) signaling is introduced. The proposed hardware and techniques disclosed herein utilize a plurality of passive UWB transponders in a field of an RFID-radar system. The radar system itself enables multiple passive tags to be remotely powered (activated) at about the same time frame via predetermined frequency UWB pulsed formats. Once such tags are in an activated state, an UWB radar transmits specific "interrogating codes" to put predetermined tags in an awakened status. Such predetermined tags can then communicate by a unique "response code" so as to be detected by an UWB system using radar methods.

Note: An approach to measurement of low frequency oscillation amplitude of discharge current of in-orbit Hall thruster.

PubMed

Han, Liang; Ding, Yongjie; Wei, Liqiu; Yu, Daren

2014-06-01

This paper provides a method to measure the amplitude of low frequency oscillation under the on-track working condition, and realizes the sampling by means of adding the circuit design of sampling, low pass filtering by 3 dB at 48.2 kHz, detection and integrating in the filtering unit. The experimental results prove that the measuring device of merely 0.8 g can quantitatively reflect the amplitude of low frequency oscillation in Hall thruster and the maximum deviation of experiment data and theory data is 10% FS.

Tracking techniques for space shuttle rendezvous

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The space shuttle rendezvous radar has a requirement to track cooperative and non-cooperative targets. For this reason the Lunar Module (LM) Rendezvous Radar was modified to incorporate the capability of tracking a non-cooperative target. The modifications are discussed. All modifications except those relating to frequency diversity were completed, and system tests were performed to confirm proper performance in the non-cooperative mode. Frequency diversity was added to the radar and to the special test equipment, and then system tests were performed. This last set of tests included re-running the tests of the non-cooperative mode without frequency diversity, followed by tests with frequency diversity and tests of operation in the original cooperative mode.

Fast, precise, and widely tunable frequency control of an optical parametric oscillator referenced to a frequency comb.

PubMed

Prehn, Alexander; Glöckner, Rosa; Rempe, Gerhard; Zeppenfeld, Martin

2017-03-01

Optical frequency combs (OFCs) provide a convenient reference for the frequency stabilization of continuous-wave lasers. We demonstrate a frequency control method relying on tracking over a wide range and stabilizing the beat note between the laser and the OFC. The approach combines fast frequency ramps on a millisecond timescale in the entire mode-hop free tuning range of the laser and precise stabilization to single frequencies. We apply it to a commercially available optical parametric oscillator (OPO) and demonstrate tuning over more than 60 GHz with a ramping speed up to 3 GHz/ms. Frequency ramps spanning 15 GHz are performed in less than 10 ms, with the OPO instantly relocked to the OFC after the ramp at any desired frequency. The developed control hardware and software are able to stabilize the OPO to sub-MHz precision and to perform sequences of fast frequency ramps automatically.

A Monte-Carlo Model for the Formation of Radiation-induced Chromosomal Aberrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponomarev, Artem L.; Cornforth, Michael N.; Loucas, Brad D.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To simulate radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in mammalian cells (e.g., rings, translocations, and dicentrics) and to calculate their frequency distributions following exposure to DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) produced by high-LET ions. Methods: The interphase genome was assumed to be comprised of a collection of 2 kbp rigid-block monomers following the random-walk geometry. Additional details for the modeling of chromosomal structure, such as chromosomal domains and chromosomal loops, were included. A radial energy profile for heavy ion tracks was used to simulate the high-LET pattern of induced DSBs. The induced DSB pattern depended on the ion charge and kinetic energy, but always corresponded to the DSB yield of 25 DSBs/cell/Gy. The sum of all energy contributions from Poisson-distributed particle tracks was taken to account for all possible one-track and multi-track effects. The relevant output of the model was DNA fragments produced by DSBs. The DSBs, or breakpoints, were defined by (x, y, z, l) positions, where x, y, z were the Euclidian coordinates of a DSB, and where l was the relative position along the genome. Results: The code was used to carry out Monte Carlo simulations for DSB rejoinings at low doses. The resulting fragments were analyzed to estimate the frequencies of specific types of chromosomal aberrations. Histograms for relative frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and P.D.F.s (probability density functions) of a given aberration type were produced. The relative frequency of dicentrics to rings was compared to empirical data to calibrate rejoining probabilities. Of particular interest was the predicted distribution of ring sizes, irrespective of their frequencies relative to other aberrations. Simulated ring sizes were . 4 kbp, which are far too small to be observed experimentally (i.e., by microscopy) but which, nevertheless, are conjectured to exist. Other aberrations, for example, inversions, translocations, as well as multi-centrics were also recorded. Conclusion: High-LET DNA damage affects the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations. The ratio of rings to dicentrics is correct for the genomic size cut-offs corresponding to available experimental data. The present work predicts a relative abundance of small rings following irradiation by heavy ions.

Effect of temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of rail pads on high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Kai; Wang, Feng; Wang, Ping; Liu, Zi-xuan; Zhang, Pan

2017-03-01

The soft under baseplate pad of WJ-8 rail fastener frequently used in China's high-speed railways was taken as the study subject, and a laboratory test was performed to measure its temperature and frequency-dependent dynamic performance at 0.3 Hz and at -60°C to 20°C with intervals of 2.5°C. Its higher frequency-dependent results at different temperatures were then further predicted based on the time-temperature superposition (TTS) and Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) formula. The fractional derivative Kelvin-Voigt (FDKV) model was used to represent the temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of the tested rail pad. By means of the FDKV model for rail pads and vehicle-track coupled dynamic theory, high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibrations due to temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of rail pads was investigated. Finally, further combining with the measured frequency-dependent dynamic performance of vehicle's rubber primary suspension, the high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibration responses were discussed. It is found that the storage stiffness and loss factor of the tested rail pad are sensitive to low temperatures or high frequencies. The proposed FDKV model for the frequency-dependent storage stiffness and loss factors of the tested rail pad can basically meet the fitting precision, especially at ordinary temperatures. The numerical simulation results indicate that the vertical vibration levels of high-speed vehicle-track coupled systems calculated with the FDKV model for rail pads in time domain are higher than those calculated with the ordinary Kelvin-Voigt (KV) model for rail pads. Additionally, the temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of the tested rail pads would alter the vertical vibration acceleration levels (VALs) of the car body and bogie in 1/3 octave frequencies above 31.5 Hz, especially enlarge the vertical VALs of the wheel set and rail in 1/3 octave frequencies of 31.5-100 Hz and above 315 Hz, which are the dominant frequencies of ground vibration acceleration and rolling noise (or bridge noise) caused by high-speed railways respectively. Since the fractional derivative value of the adopted rubber primary suspension, unlike the tested rail pad, is very close to 1, its frequency-dependent dynamic performance has little effect on high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibration responses.

Hidden Markov model tracking of continuous gravitational waves from young supernova remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, L.; Melatos, A.; Suvorova, S.; Moran, W.; Evans, R. J.

2018-02-01

Searches for persistent gravitational radiation from nonpulsating neutron stars in young supernova remnants are computationally challenging because of rapid stellar braking. We describe a practical, efficient, semicoherent search based on a hidden Markov model tracking scheme, solved by the Viterbi algorithm, combined with a maximum likelihood matched filter, the F statistic. The scheme is well suited to analyzing data from advanced detectors like the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Advanced LIGO). It can track rapid phase evolution from secular stellar braking and stochastic timing noise torques simultaneously without searching second- and higher-order derivatives of the signal frequency, providing an economical alternative to stack-slide-based semicoherent algorithms. One implementation tracks the signal frequency alone. A second implementation tracks the signal frequency and its first time derivative. It improves the sensitivity by a factor of a few upon the first implementation, but the cost increases by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude.

Functional subdivisions in low-frequency primary auditory cortex (AI).

PubMed

Wallace, M N; Palmer, A R

2009-04-01

We wished to test the hypothesis that there are modules in low-frequency AI that can be identified by their responsiveness to communication calls or particular regions of space. Units were recorded in anaesthetised guinea pig AI and stimulated with conspecific vocalizations and a virtual motion stimulus (binaural beats) presented via a closed sound system. Recording tracks were mainly oriented orthogonally to the cortical surface. Some of these contained units that were all time-locked to the structure of the chutter call (14/22 tracks) and/or the purr call (12/22 tracks) and/or that had a preference for stimuli from a particular region of space (8/20 tracks with four contralateral, two ipsilateral and two midline), or where there was a strong asymmetry in the response to beats of different direction (two tracks). We conclude that about half of low-frequency AI is organized into modules that are consistent with separate "what" and "where" pathways.

Self-paced model learning for robust visual tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wenhui; Gu, Jason; Ma, Xin; Li, Yibin

2017-01-01

In visual tracking, learning a robust and efficient appearance model is a challenging task. Model learning determines both the strategy and the frequency of model updating, which contains many details that could affect the tracking results. Self-paced learning (SPL) has recently been attracting considerable interest in the fields of machine learning and computer vision. SPL is inspired by the learning principle underlying the cognitive process of humans, whose learning process is generally from easier samples to more complex aspects of a task. We propose a tracking method that integrates the learning paradigm of SPL into visual tracking, so reliable samples can be automatically selected for model learning. In contrast to many existing model learning strategies in visual tracking, we discover the missing link between sample selection and model learning, which are combined into a single objective function in our approach. Sample weights and model parameters can be learned by minimizing this single objective function. Additionally, to solve the real-valued learning weight of samples, an error-tolerant self-paced function that considers the characteristics of visual tracking is proposed. We demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of our tracker on a recent tracking benchmark data set with 50 video sequences.

Adaptive Flight Control Design with Optimal Control Modification on an F-18 Aircraft Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burken, John J.; Nguyen, Nhan T.; Griffin, Brian J.

2010-01-01

In the presence of large uncertainties, a control system needs to be able to adapt rapidly to regain performance. Fast adaptation is referred to as the implementation of adaptive control with a large adaptive gain to reduce the tracking error rapidly; however, a large adaptive gain can lead to high-frequency oscillations which can adversely affect the robustness of an adaptive control law. A new adaptive control modification is presented that can achieve robust adaptation with a large adaptive gain without incurring high-frequency oscillations as with the standard model-reference adaptive control. The modification is based on the minimization of the Y2 norm of the tracking error, which is formulated as an optimal control problem. The optimality condition is used to derive the modification using the gradient method. The optimal control modification results in a stable adaptation and allows a large adaptive gain to be used for better tracking while providing sufficient robustness. A damping term (v) is added in the modification to increase damping as needed. Simulations were conducted on a damaged F-18 aircraft (McDonnell Douglas, now The Boeing Company, Chicago, Illinois) with both the standard baseline dynamic inversion controller and the adaptive optimal control modification technique. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed modification in tracking a reference model.

WiFi RFID demonstration for resource tracking in a statewide disaster drill.

PubMed

Cole, Stacey L; Siddiqui, Javeed; Harry, David J; Sandrock, Christian E

2011-01-01

To investigate the capabilities of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking of patients and medical equipment during a simulated disaster response scenario. RFID infrastructure was deployed at two small rural hospitals, in one large academic medical center and in two vehicles. Several item types from the mutual aid equipment list were selected for tracking during the demonstration. A central database server was installed at the UC Davis Medical Center (UCDMC) that collected RFID information from all constituent sites. The system was tested during a statewide disaster drill. During the drill, volunteers at UCDMC were selected to locate assets using the traditional method of locating resources and then using the RFID system. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of RFID infrastructure in real-time resource identification and tracking. Volunteers at UCDMC were able to locate assets substantially faster using RFID, demonstrating that real-time geolocation can be substantially more efficient and accurate than traditional manual methods. A mobile, Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled RFID system was installed in a pediatric ambulance and connected to the central RFID database via secure cellular communication. This system is unique in that it provides for seamless region-wide tracking that adaptively uses and seamlessly integrates both outdoor cellular-based mobile tracking and indoor WiFi-based tracking. RFID tracking can provide a real-time picture of the medical situation across medical facilities and other critical locations, leading to a more coordinated deployment of resources. The RFID system deployed during this study demonstrated the potential to improve the ability to locate and track victims, healthcare professionals, and medical equipment during a region-wide disaster.

Gaussian mixture model based identification of arterial wall movement for computation of distension waveform.

PubMed

Patil, Ravindra B; Krishnamoorthy, P; Sethuraman, Shriram

2015-01-01

This work proposes a novel Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) based approach for accurate tracking of the arterial wall and subsequent computation of the distension waveform using Radio Frequency (RF) ultrasound signal. The approach was evaluated on ultrasound RF data acquired using a prototype ultrasound system from an artery mimicking flow phantom. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by comparing with existing wall tracking algorithms. The experimental results show that the proposed method provides 20% reduction in the error margin compared to the existing approaches in tracking the arterial wall movement. This approach coupled with ultrasound system can be used to estimate the arterial compliance parameters required for screening of cardiovascular related disorders.

Interaction between moving tandem wheels and an infinite rail with periodic supports - Green's matrices of the track method in stationary reference frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazilu, Traian

2017-08-01

This paper approaches the issue of the interaction between moving tandem wheels and an infinite periodically supported rail and points out at the basic characteristics in the steady-state interaction behaviour and in the interaction in the presence of the rail random irregularity. The rail is modelled as an infinite Timoshenko beam resting on supports which are discretely modelling the inertia of the sleepers and ballast and also the viscoelastic features of the rail pads, the ballast and the subgrade. Green‧s matrices of the track method in stationary reference frame were applied so as to conduct the time-domain analysis. This method allows to consider the nonlinearities of the wheel/rail contact and the Doppler effect. The study highlights certain aspects regarding the influence of the wheel base on the wheels/rail contact forces, particularly at the parametric resonance, due to the coincidence between the wheel/rail natural frequency and the passing frequency and also when the rail surface exhibits random irregularity. It has been shown that the wheel/rail dynamic behaviour is less intense when the wheel base equals integer multiple of the sleeper bay.

Laser heterodyne surface profiler

DOEpatents

Sommargren, G.E.

1980-06-16

A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing the deviation of the face of an object from a flat smooth surface using a beam of coherent light of two plane-polarized components, one of a frequency constantly greater than the other by a fixed amount to produce a difference frequency with a constant phase to be used as a reference, and splitting the beam into its two components. The separate components are directed onto spaced apart points on the face of the object to be tested for smoothness while the face of the object is rotated on an axis normal to one point, thereby passing the other component over a circular track on the face of the object. The two components are recombined after reflection to produce a reflected frequency difference of a phase proportional to the difference in path length of one component reflected from one point to the other component reflected from the other point. The phase of the reflected frequency difference is compared with the reference phase to produce a signal proportional to the deviation of the height of the surface along the circular track with respect to the fixed point at the center, thereby to produce a signal that is plotted as a profile of the surface along the circular track. The phase detector includes a quarter-wave plate to convert the components of the reference beam into circularly polarized components, a half-wave plate to shift the phase of the circularly polarized components, and a polarizer to produce a signal of a shifted phase for comparison with the phase of the frequency difference of the reflected components detected through a second polarizer. Rotation of the half-wave plate can be used for phase adjustment over a full 360/sup 0/ range.

Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor nozzle natural frequency variations with burn time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lui, C. Y.; Mason, D. R.

1991-01-01

The effects of erosion and thermal degradation on the Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) nozzle's structural dynamic characteristics were analytically evaluated. Also considered was stiffening of the structure due to internal pressurization. A detailed NASTRAN finite element model of the nozzle was developed and used to evaluate the influence of these effects at several discrete times during motor burn. Methods were developed for treating erosion and thermal degradation, and a procedure was developed to account for internal pressure stiffening using differential stiffness matrix techniques. Results were verified using static firing test accelerometer data. Fast Fourier Transform and Maximum Entropy Method techniques were applied to the data to generate waterfall plots which track modal frequencies with burn time. Results indicate that the lower frequency nozzle 'vectoring' modes are only slightly affected by erosion, thermal effects and internal pressurization. The higher frequency shell modes of the nozzle are, however, significantly reduced.

A novel active disturbance rejection based tracking design for laser system with quadrant photodetector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manojlović, Stojadin M.; Barbarić, Žarko P.; Mitrović, Srđan T.

2015-06-01

A new tracking design for laser systems with different arrangements of a quadrant photodetector, based on the principle of active disturbance rejection control is suggested. The detailed models of quadrant photodetector with standard add-subtract, difference-over-sum and diagonal-difference-over-sum algorithms for displacement signals are included in the control loop. Target moving, non-linearity of a photodetector, parameter perturbations and exterior disturbances are treated as a total disturbance. Active disturbance rejection controllers with linear extended state observers for total disturbance estimation and rejection are designed. Proposed methods are analysed in frequency domain to quantify their stability characteristics and disturbance rejection performances. It is shown through simulations, that tracking errors are effectively compensated, providing the laser spot positioning in the area near the centre of quadrant photodetector where the mentioned algorithms have the highest sensitivity, which provides tracking of the manoeuvring targets with high accuracy.

Efficient methods for joint estimation of multiple fundamental frequencies in music signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertusa, Antonio; Iñesta, José M.

2012-12-01

This study presents efficient techniques for multiple fundamental frequency estimation in music signals. The proposed methodology can infer harmonic patterns from a mixture considering interactions with other sources and evaluate them in a joint estimation scheme. For this purpose, a set of fundamental frequency candidates are first selected at each frame, and several hypothetical combinations of them are generated. Combinations are independently evaluated, and the most likely is selected taking into account the intensity and spectral smoothness of its inferred patterns. The method is extended considering adjacent frames in order to smooth the detection in time, and a pitch tracking stage is finally performed to increase the temporal coherence. The proposed algorithms were evaluated in MIREX contests yielding state of the art results with a very low computational burden.

Improving patient safety through quality assurance.

PubMed

Raab, Stephen S

2006-05-01

Anatomic pathology laboratories use several quality assurance tools to detect errors and to improve patient safety. To review some of the anatomic pathology laboratory patient safety quality assurance practices. Different standards and measures in anatomic pathology quality assurance and patient safety were reviewed. Frequency of anatomic pathology laboratory error, variability in the use of specific quality assurance practices, and use of data for error reduction initiatives. Anatomic pathology error frequencies vary according to the detection method used. Based on secondary review, a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study showed that the mean laboratory error frequency was 6.7%. A College of American Pathologists Q-Tracks study measuring frozen section discrepancy found that laboratories improved the longer they monitored and shared data. There is a lack of standardization across laboratories even for governmentally mandated quality assurance practices, such as cytologic-histologic correlation. The National Institutes of Health funded a consortium of laboratories to benchmark laboratory error frequencies, perform root cause analysis, and design error reduction initiatives, using quality assurance data. Based on the cytologic-histologic correlation process, these laboratories found an aggregate nongynecologic error frequency of 10.8%. Based on gynecologic error data, the laboratory at my institution used Toyota production system processes to lower gynecologic error frequencies and to improve Papanicolaou test metrics. Laboratory quality assurance practices have been used to track error rates, and laboratories are starting to use these data for error reduction initiatives.

Q-adjusting technique applied to vertical deflections estimation in a single-axis rotation INS/GPS integrated system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jing; Wang, Xingshu; Wang, Jun; Dai, Dongkai; Xiong, Hao

2016-10-01

Former studies have proved that the attitude error in a single-axis rotation INS/GPS integrated system tracks the high frequency component of the deflections of the vertical (DOV) with a fixed delay and tracking error. This paper analyses the influence of the nominal process noise covariance matrix Q on the tracking error as well as the response delay, and proposed a Q-adjusting technique to obtain the attitude error which can track the DOV better. Simulation results show that different settings of Q lead to different response delay and tracking error; there exists optimal Q which leads to a minimum tracking error and a comparatively short response delay; for systems with different accuracy, different Q-adjusting strategy should be adopted. In this way, the DOV estimation accuracy of using the attitude error as the observation can be improved. According to the simulation results, the DOV estimation accuracy after using the Q-adjusting technique is improved by approximate 23% and 33% respectively compared to that of the Earth Model EGM2008 and the direct attitude difference method.

Clinical Track Program Expansion Increases Rotation Capacity for Experiential Program.

PubMed

Tofade, Toyin S; Brueckl, Mark; Ross, Patricia A

2017-10-01

Objective. To evaluate the rotation capacity at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and see if the implementation of clinical track programs across the state correlates to an increase in rotation capacity for the school. Methods. The following information was collected: number of preceptors over the years in the school's experiential learning program, number of clinical track programs from 2012 to 2015, rotation type, availability submissions per rotation type per year, and availability submissions per hospital participant in the clinical track program per year. The rotation capacity and rotation types from 2012 to 2015 academic years were assessed and compared to see if there was any impact on the clinical track programs implemented. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency distribution of rotation types among all sites from 2012 through 2015 academic years. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the total number/capacity of rotations from 2012 to 2015 academic years. There were also statistically significant differences in the rotation capacity in all sites except for three sites. Conclusion. Adding clinical track programs can help increase the capacity of a school's clinical rotations.

Track inspection planning and risk measurement analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-11-01

This project models track inspection operations on a railroad network and discusses how the inspection results can : be used to measure the risk of failure on the tracks. In particular, the inspection times of the tracks, inspection frequency of the ...

Multiscale rescaled range analysis of EEG recordings in sevoflurane anesthesia.

PubMed

Liang, Zhenhu; Li, Duan; Ouyang, Gaoxiang; Wang, Yinghua; Voss, Logan J; Sleigh, Jamie W; Li, Xiaoli

2012-04-01

The Hurst exponent (HE) is a nonlinear method measuring the smoothness of a fractal time series. In this study we applied the HE index, extracted from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, as a measure of anesthetic drug effects on brain activity. In 19 adult patients undergoing sevoflurane general anesthesia, we calculated the HE of the raw EEG; comparing the maximal overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT) with the traditional rescaled range (R/S) analysis techniques, and with a commercial index of depth of anesthesia - the response entropy (RE). We analyzed each wavelet-decomposed sub-band as well as the combined low frequency bands (HEOLFBs). The methods were compared in regard to pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling, and prediction probability. All the low frequency band HE indices decreased when anesthesia deepened. However the HEOLFB was the best index because: it was less sensitive to artifacts, most closely tracked the exact point of loss of consciousness, showed a better prediction probability in separating the awake and unconscious states, and tracked sevoflurane concentration better - as estimated by the PK/PD models. The HE is a useful measure for estimating the depth of anesthesia. It was noted that HEOLFB showed the best performance for tracking drug effect. The HEOLFB could be used as an index for accurately estimating the effect of anesthesia on brain activity. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. All rights reserved.

Impact of transducer frequency setting on speckle tracking measures.

PubMed

Olsen, Flemming Javier; Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup; Køber, Lars; Højberg, Søren; Haugan, Ketil; Jensen, Jan Skov; Biering-Sørensen, Tor

2018-03-01

Speckle tracking echocardiography is an emerging technique, which is currently being included in clinical guidelines. We sought to investigate the impact of transducer frequency settings on speckle tracking derived measures. The study comprised of 22 subjects prospectively enrolled for a randomized controlled trial (LOOP-study, Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT02036450). Patients were above 70 years of age with increased risk of stroke, and had an echocardiogram performed, which included focused images of the left ventricle. Focused images were obtained with the transducer frequency set at both 1.7/3.3 and 1.5/3.0 MHz. The images were obtained immediately after each other at the exact same position for the two settings. Speckle tracking was performed in three apical projections, allowing for acquisition of layered global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate measures. Concordance between the frequency settings was tested for endo-, mid-, and epicardial GLS and strain rates by coefficients of variation, bias coefficients and visually displayed by Bland-Altman plots. Bland-Altman plots did not reveal any significant over- or underestimation of any speckle tracking measure. Bias coefficients showed that none of the measurements differed significantly between the two settings (bias for GLS endo  = - 0.07 ± 2.94, p = 0.91; GLS mid  = 0.02 ± 2.70, p = 0.98, GLS epi  = 0.07 ± 2.53, p = 0.90). Coefficients of variation were as follows: GLS endo  = 15.11%, GLS mid  = 15.28%, GLS epi  = 17.26%, systolic strain rate = 15.66%, early diastolic strain rate = 38.46%, late diastolic strain rate = 11%. Changing between transducer frequency settings does not systematically derange speckle tracking measures. One can safely reduce the transducer frequency without compromising the validity of speckle tracking derived measures.

Intercomparison of mid latitude storm diagnostics (IMILAST) - synthesis of project results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neu, Urs

2017-04-01

The analysis of the occurrence of mid-latitude storms is of great socio-economical interest due to their vast and destructive impacts. However, a unique definition of cyclones is missing, and therefore the definition of what a cyclone is as well as quantifying its strength contains subjective choices. Existing automatic cyclone identification and tracking algorithms are based on different definitions and use diverse characteristics, e.g. data transformation, metrics used for cyclone identification, cyclone identification procedures or tracking methods. The project IMILAST systematically compares different cyclone detection and tracking methods, with the aim to comprehensively assess the influence of different algorithms on cyclone climatologies, temporal trends of frequency, strength or other characteristics of cyclones and thus quantify systematic uncertainties in mid-latitudinal storm identification and tracking. The three main intercomparison experiments used the ERA-interim reanalysis as a common input data set and focused on differences between the methods with respect to number, track density, life cycle characteristics, and trend patterns on the one hand and potential differences of the long-term climate change signal of cyclonic activity between the methods on the other hand. For the third experiment, the intercomparison period has been extended to a 30 year period from 1979 to 2009 and focuses on more specific aspects, such as parameter sensitivities, the comparison of automated to manual tracking sets, regional analysis (regional trends, Arctic and Antarctic cyclones, cyclones in the Mediterranean) or specific phenomena like splitting and merging of cyclones. In addition, the representation of storms and their characteristics in reanalysis data sets is examined to further enhance the knowledge on uncertainties related to storm occurrence. This poster presents a synthesis of the main results from the intercomparison activities within IMILAST.

Exploiting LF/MF signals of opportunity for lower ionospheric remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higginson-Rollins, Marc A.; Cohen, Morris B.

2017-08-01

We introduce a method to diagnose and track the D region ionosphere (60-100 km). This region is important for long-distance terrestrial communication and is impacted by a variety of geophysical phenomena, but it is traditionally very difficult to detect. Modern remote sensing methods used to study the D region are predominately near the very low frequency (VLF, 3-30 kHz) band, with some work also done in the high-frequency and very high frequency bands (HF/VHF, 3-300 MHz). However, the frequency band between VLF and HF has been largely ignored as a diagnostic tool for the ionosphere. In this paper, we evaluate the use of 300 kHz radio reflections as a diagnostic tool for characterizing the D region of the ionosphere. We present radio receiver data, analyze diurnal trends in the signal from these transmitters, and identify ionospheric disturbances impacting LF/MF propagation. We find that 300 kHz remote sensing may allow a unique method for D region diagnostics compared to both the VLF and HF/VHF frequency bands, due to a more direct ionospheric reflection coefficient calculation method with high temporal resolution without the use of forward modeling.

Tracking the Time Course of Word-Frequency Effects in Auditory Word Recognition with Event-Related Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dufour, Sophie; Brunelliere, Angele; Frauenfelder, Ulrich H.

2013-01-01

Although the word-frequency effect is one of the most established findings in spoken-word recognition, the precise processing locus of this effect is still a topic of debate. In this study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to track the time course of the word-frequency effect. In addition, the neighborhood density effect, which is known to…

Selective visual scaling of time-scale processes facilitates broadband learning of isometric force frequency tracking.

PubMed

King, Adam C; Newell, Karl M

2015-10-01

The experiment investigated the effect of selectively augmenting faster time scales of visual feedback information on the learning and transfer of continuous isometric force tracking tasks to test the generality of the self-organization of 1/f properties of force output. Three experimental groups tracked an irregular target pattern either under a standard fixed gain condition or with selectively enhancement in the visual feedback display of intermediate (4-8 Hz) or high (8-12 Hz) frequency components of the force output. All groups reduced tracking error over practice, with the error lowest in the intermediate scaling condition followed by the high scaling and fixed gain conditions, respectively. Selective visual scaling induced persistent changes across the frequency spectrum, with the strongest effect in the intermediate scaling condition and positive transfer to novel feedback displays. The findings reveal an interdependence of the timescales in the learning and transfer of isometric force output frequency structures consistent with 1/f process models of the time scales of motor output variability.

Laser interferometer used for nanometer vibration measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jiaxing; Yang, Jun; Liu, Zhihai; Yuan, Libo

2007-01-01

A novel laser interferometer which adopts alternating modulation phase tracking homodyne technique is proposed. The vibration of nanometer-accuracy is measured with the improved Michelson interferometer by adding cat's eye moving mirror and PZT phase modulation tracking structure. The working principle and the structure of the interferometer are analyzed and the demodulation scheme of alternating phase modulation and tracking is designed. The signal detection is changed from direct current detecting to alternating current detecting. The signal's frequency spectrum transform is achieved, the low-frequency noise jamming is abated, the Signal-to-Noise of the system is improved and the measured resolution is enhanced. Phase tracking technique effectively suppresses the low-frequency noise which is caused by outside environment factors such as temperature and vibration, and the stability of the system is enhanced. The experimental results indicate that for the signal with the frequency of 100Hz and the amplitude of 25nm, the output Signal-to-Noise is 30dB and the measured resolution is 1nm.

Identification of pilot dynamics from in-flight tracking data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.; Mnich, M. A.

1985-01-01

Data from a representative flight task involving an F-14 'pursuer' aircraft tracking a T-38 'target' aircraft in a 3G wind-up turn and in level flight are processed using a least squares identification technique in an attempt to identify pilot/vehicle dynamics. Comparative identification results are provided by a Fourier coefficient method which requires a carefully designed and implemented input consisting of a sum of sinusoids. The least-squares results compare favorably with those obtained by the Fourier technique. An example of crossover frequency regression is discussed in the light of the conditions of one of the flight configurations.

Frequency Analysis of Strain of Cylindrical Shell for Assessment of Viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Hideyuki; Kanai, Hiroshi

2005-06-01

For tissue characterization of atherosclerotic plaque, we have developed a method, namely, the phased tracking method, [H. Kanai et al.: IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 43 (1996) 791] to measure the regional strain (change in wall thickness) and elasticity of the arterial wall. In addition to the regional elasticity, we are attempting to measure the regional viscosity for a more precise tissue characterization. Previously, we showed that the viscosity can be obtained by measuring the frequency dependence of the elastic modulus using remote actuation [H. Hasegawa et al.: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 43 (2004) 3197]. However, in this method, we need to apply external actuation to the subject. To simplify the measurement, we instead to obtain the frequency dependence of the elastic modulus from the change in arterial wall thickness spontaneously caused by the heartbeat because this change in thickness consists of frequency components up to 20-30 Hz. In this paper, the frequency dependence of the elastic modulus of a silicone rubber tube was investigated by applying frequency analysis to the change in wall thickness caused by the change in internal pressure simulating the actual arterial blood pressure.

Sweep excitation with order tracking: A new tactic for beam crack analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Dongdong; Wang, KeSheng; Zhang, Mian; Zuo, Ming J.

2018-04-01

Crack detection in beams and beam-like structures is an important issue in industry and has attracted numerous investigations. A local crack leads to global system dynamics changes and produce non-linear vibration responses. Many researchers have studied these non-linearities for beam crack diagnosis. However, most reported methods are based on impact excitation and constant frequency excitation. Few studies have focused on crack detection through external sweep excitation which unleashes abundant dynamic characteristics of the system. Together with a signal resampling technique inspired by Computed Order Tracking, this paper utilize vibration responses under sweep excitations to diagnose crack status of beams. A data driven method for crack depth evaluation is proposed and window based harmonics extracting approaches are studied. The effectiveness of sweep excitation and the proposed method is experimentally validated.

Robust tracking control of a magnetically suspended rigid body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Kyong B.; Cox, David E.

1994-01-01

This study is an application of H-infinity and micro-synthesis for designing robust tracking controllers for the Large Angle Magnetic Suspension Test Facility. The modeling, design, analysis, simulation, and testing of a control law that guarantees tracking performance under external disturbances and model uncertainties is investigated. The type of uncertainties considered and the tracking performance metric used is discussed. This study demonstrates the tradeoff between tracking performance at low frequencies and robustness at high frequencies. Two sets of controllers were designed and tested. The first set emphasized performance over robustness, while the second set traded off performance for robustness. Comparisons of simulation and test results are also included. Current simulation and experimental results indicate that reasonably good robust tracking performance can be attained for this system using multivariable robust control approach.

A novel method for quantification of beam's-eye-view tumor tracking performance.

PubMed

Hu, Yue-Houng; Myronakis, Marios; Rottmann, Joerg; Wang, Adam; Morf, Daniel; Shedlock, Daniel; Baturin, Paul; Star-Lack, Josh; Berbeco, Ross

2017-11-01

In-treatment imaging using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) can be used to confirm patient and tumor positioning. Real-time tumor tracking performance using current digital megavolt (MV) imagers is hindered by poor image quality. Novel EPID designs may help to improve quantum noise response, while also preserving the high spatial resolution of the current clinical detector. Recently investigated EPID design improvements include but are not limited to multi-layer imager (MLI) architecture, thick crystalline and amorphous scintillators, and phosphor pixilation and focusing. The goal of the present study was to provide a method of quantitating improvement in tracking performance as well as to reveal the physical underpinnings of detector design that impact tracking quality. The study employs a generalizable ideal observer methodology for the quantification of tumor tracking performance. The analysis is applied to study both the effect of increasing scintillator thickness on a standard, single-layer imager (SLI) design as well as the effect of MLI architecture on tracking performance. The present study uses the ideal observer signal-to-noise ratio (d') as a surrogate for tracking performance. We employ functions which model clinically relevant tasks and generalized frequency-domain imaging metrics to connect image quality with tumor tracking. A detection task for relevant Cartesian shapes (i.e., spheres and cylinders) was used to quantitate trackability of cases employing fiducial markers. Automated lung tumor tracking algorithms often leverage the differences in benign and malignant lung tissue textures. These types of algorithms (e.g., soft-tissue localization - STiL) were simulated by designing a discrimination task, which quantifies the differentiation of tissue textures, measured experimentally and fit as a power-law in trend (with exponent β) using a cohort of MV images of patient lungs. The modeled MTF and NPS were used to investigate the effect of scintillator thickness and MLI architecture on tumor tracking performance. Quantification of MV images of lung tissue as an inverse power-law with respect to frequency yields exponent values of β = 3.11 and 3.29 for benign and malignant tissues, respectively. Tracking performance with and without fiducials was found to be generally limited by quantum noise, a factor dominated by quantum detective efficiency (QDE). For generic SLI construction, increasing the scintillator thickness (gadolinium oxysulfide - GOS) from a standard 290 μm to 1720 μm reduces noise to about 10%. However, 81% of this reduction is appreciated between 290 and 1000 μm. In comparing MLI and SLI detectors of equivalent individual GOS layer thickness, the improvement in noise is equal to the number of layers in the detector (i.e., 4) with almost no difference in MTF. Further, improvement in tracking performance was slightly less than the square-root of the reduction in noise, approximately 84-90%. In comparing an MLI detector with an SLI with a GOS scintillator of equivalent total thickness, improvement in object detectability is approximately 34-39%. We have presented a novel method for quantification of tumor tracking quality and have applied this model to evaluate the performance of SLI and MLI EPID designs. We showed that improved tracking quality is primarily limited by improvements in NPS. When compared to very thick scintillator SLI, employing MLI architecture exhibits the same gains in QDE, but by mitigating the effect of optical Swank noise, results in more dramatic improvements in tracking performance. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Single- and multi-frequency detection of surface displacements via scanning probe microscopy.

PubMed

Romanyuk, Konstantin; Luchkin, Sergey Yu; Ivanov, Maxim; Kalinin, Arseny; Kholkin, Andrei L

2015-02-01

Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) provides a novel opportunity to detect picometer-level displacements induced by an electric field applied through a conducting tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). Recently, it was discovered that superb vertical sensitivity provided by PFM is high enough to monitor electric-field-induced ionic displacements in solids, the technique being referred to as electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM). ESM has been implemented only in multi-frequency detection modes such as dual AC resonance tracking (DART) and band excitation, where the response is recorded within a finite frequency range, typically around the first contact resonance. In this paper, we analyze and compare signal-to-noise ratios of the conventional single-frequency method with multi-frequency regimes of measuring surface displacements. Single-frequency detection ESM is demonstrated using a commercial AFM.

Quasiperiodic oscillations of the sub-mHz band in near-sun plasma according to the coherent radio occultation data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efimov, A. I.; Lukanina, L. A.; Chashei, I. V.; Kolomiets, S. F.; Bird, M. K.; Pätzold, M.

2018-01-01

In 2013 and 2015, investigations of the internal solar wind were carried out using the method of two-frequency radio sounding by signals from the Mars Express European spacecraft. The values of the S- and X-bands' frequency and the differential frequency were registered with a sampling rate of 1s at the American and European networks of ground-based tracking stations. The spatial distribution of the frequency fluctuation's level has been studied. It has been shown that the intensity of frequency fluctuation considerably decreases at high heliolatitudes. In some radio sounding sessions, quasiperiodic oscillations of sub-mHz band have been observed in the temporal spectra of frequency fluctuations; they are supposed to be associated with the density inhomogeneities, the sizes of which are close to the turbulence outer scale.

Adaptive Control with Reference Model Modification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2012-01-01

This paper presents a modification of the conventional model reference adaptive control (MRAC) architecture in order to improve transient performance of the input and output signals of uncertain systems. A simple modification of the reference model is proposed by feeding back the tracking error signal. It is shown that the proposed approach guarantees tracking of the given reference command and the reference control signal (one that would be designed if the system were known) not only asymptotically but also in transient. Moreover, it prevents generation of high frequency oscillations, which are unavoidable in conventional MRAC systems for large adaptation rates. The provided design guideline makes it possible to track a reference commands of any magnitude from any initial position without re-tuning. The benefits of the method are demonstrated with a simulation example

Partial camera automation in an unmanned air vehicle.

PubMed

Korteling, J E; van der Borg, W

1997-03-01

The present study focused on an intelligent, semiautonomous, interface for a camera operator of a simulated unmanned air vehicle (UAV). This interface used system "knowledge" concerning UAV motion in order to assist a camera operator in tracking an object moving through the landscape below. The semiautomated system compensated for the translations of the UAV relative to the earth. This compensation was accompanied by the appropriate joystick movements ensuring tactile (haptic) feedback of these system interventions. The operator had to superimpose self-initiated joystick manipulations over these system-initiated joystick motions in order to track the motion of a target (a driving truck) relative to the terrain. Tracking data showed that subjects performed substantially better with the active system. Apparently, the subjects had no difficulty in maintaining control, i.e., "following" the active stick while superimposing self-initiated control movements over the system-interventions. Furthermore, tracking performance with an active interface was clearly superior relative to the passive system. The magnitude of this effect was equal to the effect of update-frequency (2-5 Hz) of the monitor image. The benefits of update frequency enhancement and semiautomated tracking were the greatest under difficult steering conditions. Mental workload scores indicated that, for the difficult tracking-dynamics condition, both semiautomation and update frequency increase resulted in less experienced mental effort. For the easier dynamics this effect was only seen for update frequency.

Computerized Measurement and Tracking of Acoustical Resonances.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

inaccuracies which wace sweep cats dependent and data points which were not necassirily equaI~ly spaced. method c was not utr-I2.zsd ’lus to the i-nability...f the output. B. CONCLISIONS FROM rASK COMPLEITION Upon completing tasks 1 ani 2, it was determi-ned that method b (frequenzy synthes-:zer/phase...following method . The synthesizar outputs a frequency off resonance into the r-esonator and the lock-in analyzer is sampled one hundred times. The mean and

Tactile objects based on an amplitude disturbed diffraction pattern method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuan; Nikolovski, Jean-Pierre; Mechbal, Nazih; Hafez, Moustapha; Vergé, Michel

2009-12-01

Tactile sensing is becoming widely used in human-computer interfaces. Recent advances in acoustic approaches demonstrated the possibilities to transform ordinary solid objects into interactive interfaces. This letter proposes a static finger contact localization process using an amplitude disturbed diffraction pattern method. The localization method is based on the following physical phenomenon: a finger contact modifies the energy distribution of acoustic wave in a solid; these variations depend on the wave frequency and the contact position. The presented method first consists of exciting the object with an acoustic signal with plural frequency components. In a second step, a measured acoustic signal is compared with prerecorded values to deduce the contact position. This position is then used for human-machine interaction (e.g., finger tracking on computer screen). The selection of excitation signals is discussed and a frequency choice criterion based on contrast value is proposed. Tests on a sandwich plate (liquid crystal display screen) prove the simplicity and easiness to apply the process in various solids.

Lunar Radio_phase Ranging in Chinese Lunar Lander Mission for Astrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ping, Jinsong; Meng, Qiao; Li, Wenxiao; Wang, Mingyuan; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Tianyi; Han, Songtao

2015-08-01

The radio tracking data in lunar and planetary missions can be directly applied for scientific investigation. The variations of phase and of amplitude of the radio carrier wave signal linked between the spacecraft and the ground tracking antenna are used to deduce the planetary atmospheric and ionospheric structure, planetary gravity field, mass, ring, ephemeris, and even to test the general relativity. In the Chinese lunar missions, we developed the lunar and planetary radio science receiver to measure the distance variation between the tracking station-lander by means of open loop radio phase tracking. Using this method in Chang’E-3 landing mission, a lunar radio_phase ranging (LRR) technique was realized at Chinese deep space tracking stations and astronomical VLBI stations with H-maser clocks installed. Radio transponder and transmitter had been installed on the Chang’E-3/4. Transponder will receive the uplink S/X band radio wave transmitted from the two newly constructed Chinese deep space stations, where the high quality hydrogen maser atomic clocks have been used as local time and frequency standard. The clocks between VLBI stations and deep space stations can be synchronized to UTC standard within 20 nanoseconds using satellite common view methods. In the near future there will be a plan to improve this accuracy to 5 nanoseconds or better, as the level of other deep space network around world. In the preliminary LRR experiments of Chang'E-3, the obtained 1sps phase ranging observables have a resolution of 0.2 millimeter or better, with a fitting RMS about 2~3 millimeter, after the atmospheric and ionospheric errors removed. This method can be a new astrometric technique to measure the Earth tide and rotation, lunar orbit, tides and liberation, by means of solo observation or of working together with Lunar Laser Ranging. After differencing the ranging, we even obtained 1sps doppler series of 2-way observables with resolution of 0.07mm/second, which can be used to check the uplimit for low frequency (0.001~1 Hz) gravitational wave detection between the Earth and the Moon.

A novel sandwich-type traveling wave piezoelectric tracked mobile system.

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Shu, Chengyou; Zhang, Quan; Jin, Jiamei

2017-03-01

In this paper, a novel sandwich-type traveling wave piezoelectric tracked mobile system was proposed, designed, fabricated and experimentally investigated. The proposed system exhibits the advantages of simple structure, high mechanical integration, lack of electromagnetic interference, and lack of lubrication requirement, and hence shows potential application to robotic rovers for planetary exploration. The tracked mobile system is comprised of a sandwich actuating mechanism and a metal track. The actuating mechanism includes a sandwich piezoelectric transducer and two annular parts symmetrically placed at either end of the transducer, while the metal track is tensioned along the outer surfaces of the annular parts. Traveling waves with the same rotational direction are generated in the two annular parts, producing the microscopic elliptical motions of the surface particles on the annular parts. In this situation, if the pre-load is applied properly, the metal track can be driven by friction force to achieve bidirectional movement. At first, the finite element method was adopted to conduct the modal analysis and harmonic response analysis of the actuating mechanism, and the vibration characteristics were measured to confirm the operating principle. Then the optimal driving frequency of the system prototype, namely 35.1kHz, was measured by frequency sensitivity experiments. At last, the mechanical motion characteristics of the prototype were investigated experimentally. The results show that the average motion speeds of the prototype in dual directions were as 72mm/s and 61.5mm/s under the excitation voltage of 500V RMS , respectively. The optimal loading weights of the prototype in bi-directions were 0.32kg and 0.24kg with a maximum speed of 59.5mm/s and 61.67mm/s at the driving voltage of 300V RMS , respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracking dynamics of photoreceptor disc shedding with adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Furu; Liu, Zhuolin; Kurokawa, Kazuhiro; Miller, Donald T.

2017-02-01

Absorption of light by photoreceptors initiates vision, but also leads to accumulation of toxic photo-oxidative compounds in the photoreceptor outer segment (OS). To prevent this buildup, small packets of OS discs are periodically pruned from the distal end of the OS, a process called disc shedding. Unfortunately dysfunction in any part of the shedding event can lead to photoreceptor and RPE dystrophy, and has been implicated in numerous retinal diseases, including age related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. While much is known about the complex molecular and signaling pathways that underpin shedding, all of these advancements have occurred in animal models using postmortem eyes. How these translate to the living retina and to humans remain major obstacles. To that end, we have recently discovered the optical signature of cone OS disc shedding in the living human retina, measured noninvasively using optical coherence tomography equipped with adaptive optics in conjunction with post processing methods to track and monitor individual cones in 4D. In this study, we improve on this method in several key areas: increasing image acquisition up to MHz A-scan rates, improving reliability to detect disc shedding events, establishing system precision, and developing cone tracking for use across the entire awake cycle. Thousands of cones were successfully imaged and tracked over the 17 hour period in two healthy subjects. Shedding events were detected in 79.5% and 77.4% of the tracked cones. Similar to previous animal studies, shedding prevalence exhibited a diurnal rhythm. But we were surprised to find that for these two subjects shedding occurred across the entire day with broad, elevated frequency in the morning and decreasing frequency as the day progressed. Consistent with this, traces of the average cone OS length revealed shedding dominated in the morning and afternoon and renewal in the evening.

A versatile pitch tracking algorithm: from human speech to killer whale vocalizations.

PubMed

Shapiro, Ari Daniel; Wang, Chao

2009-07-01

In this article, a pitch tracking algorithm [named discrete logarithmic Fourier transformation-pitch detection algorithm (DLFT-PDA)], originally designed for human telephone speech, was modified for killer whale vocalizations. The multiple frequency components of some of these vocalizations demand a spectral (rather than temporal) approach to pitch tracking. The DLFT-PDA algorithm derives reliable estimations of pitch and the temporal change of pitch from the harmonic structure of the vocal signal. Scores from both estimations are combined in a dynamic programming search to find a smooth pitch track. The algorithm is capable of tracking killer whale calls that contain simultaneous low and high frequency components and compares favorably across most signal to noise ratio ranges to the peak-picking and sidewinder algorithms that have been used for tracking killer whale vocalizations previously.

Distributed fiber sparse-wideband vibration sensing by sub-Nyquist additive random sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jingdong; Zheng, Hua; Zhu, Tao; Yin, Guolu; Liu, Min; Bai, Yongzhong; Qu, Dingrong; Qiu, Feng; Huang, Xianbing

2018-05-01

The round trip time of the light pulse limits the maximum detectable vibration frequency response range of phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry ({\\phi}-OTDR). Unlike the uniform laser pulse interval in conventional {\\phi}-OTDR, we randomly modulate the pulse interval, so that an equivalent sub-Nyquist additive random sampling (sNARS) is realized for every sensing point of the long interrogation fiber. For an {\\phi}-OTDR system with 10 km sensing length, the sNARS method is optimized by theoretical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation, and the experimental results verify that a wide-band spars signal can be identified and reconstructed. Such a method can broaden the vibration frequency response range of {\\phi}-OTDR, which is of great significance in sparse-wideband-frequency vibration signal detection, such as rail track monitoring and metal defect detection.

Radar cross section measurements of a scale model of the space shuttle orbiter vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yates, W. T.

1978-01-01

A series of microwave measurements was conducted to determine the radar cross section of the Space Shuttle Orbiter vehicle at a frequency and at aspect angles applicable to re-entry radar acquisition and tracking. The measurements were performed in a microwave anechoic chamber using a 1/15th scale model and a frequency applicable to C-band tracking radars. The data were digitally recorded and processed to yield statistical descriptions useful for prediction of orbiter re-entry detection and tracking ranges.

Evaluation of the U.S. Army Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Program. Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-13

24 Alcohol Last Use and Frequency of Use by Track ................ 26 ! Cannabis and Cocaine Last Use By Track...Outcome ...................................... 69 Alcohol Track II Probability Results ........................... 70 Cannabis Track I1 Probability...81 Time By Treatment Modality for Alcohol By Track ................. 82 Time By Treatment Modality for Cannabis and Cocaine ............. 84

An integrated model-driven method for in-treatment upper airway motion tracking using cine MRI in head and neck radiation therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Hua, E-mail: huli@radonc.wustl.edu; Chen, Hsin

Purpose: For the first time, MRI-guided radiation therapy systems can acquire cine images to dynamically monitor in-treatment internal organ motion. However, the complex head and neck (H&N) structures and low-contrast/resolution of on-board cine MRI images make automatic motion tracking a very challenging task. In this study, the authors proposed an integrated model-driven method to automatically track the in-treatment motion of the H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein internal motion often occurs in an either voluntary or involuntary manner, from cine MRI images for the analysis of H&N motion patterns. Methods: Considering the complex H&N structures andmore » ensuring automatic and robust upper airway motion tracking, the authors firstly built a set of linked statistical shapes (including face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) using principal component analysis from clinically approved contours delineated on a set of training data. The linked statistical shapes integrate explicit landmarks and implicit shape representation. Then, a hierarchical model-fitting algorithm was developed to align the linked shapes on the first image frame of a to-be-tracked cine sequence and to localize the upper airway region. Finally, a multifeature level set contour propagation scheme was performed to identify the upper airway shape change, frame-by-frame, on the entire image sequence. The multifeature fitting energy, including the information of intensity variations, edge saliency, curve geometry, and temporal shape continuity, was minimized to capture the details of moving airway boundaries. Sagittal cine MR image sequences acquired from three H&N cancer patients were utilized to demonstrate the performance of the proposed motion tracking method. Results: The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 50 randomly selected cine image frames from each patient. The resulting average dice similarity coefficient (93.28%  ±  1.46%) and margin error (0.49  ±  0.12 mm) showed good agreement between the automatic and manual results. The comparison with three other deformable model-based segmentation methods illustrated the superior shape tracking performance of the proposed method. Large interpatient variations of swallowing frequency, swallowing duration, and upper airway cross-sectional area were observed from the testing cine image sequences. Conclusions: The proposed motion tracking method can provide accurate upper airway motion tracking results, and enable automatic and quantitative identification and analysis of in-treatment H&N upper airway motion. By integrating explicit and implicit linked-shape representations within a hierarchical model-fitting process, the proposed tracking method can process complex H&N structures and low-contrast/resolution cine MRI images. Future research will focus on the improvement of method reliability, patient motion pattern analysis for providing more information on patient-specific prediction of structure displacements, and motion effects on dosimetry for better H&N motion management in radiation therapy.« less

Separation of musical instruments based on amplitude and frequency comodulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, Barry D.; Cauwenberghs, Gert; Quatieri, Thomas F.

2002-05-01

In previous work, amplitude comodulation was investigated as a basis for monaural source separation. Amplitude comodulation refers to similarities in amplitude envelopes of individual spectral components emitted by particular types of sources. In many types of musical instruments, amplitudes of all resonant modes rise/fall, and start/stop together during the course of normal playing. We found that under certain well-defined conditions, a mixture of constant frequency, amplitude comodulated sources can unambiguously be decomposed into its constituents on the basis of these similarities. In this work, system performance was improved by relaxing the constant frequency requirement. String instruments, for example, which are normally played with vibrato, are both amplitude and frequency comodulated sources, and could not be properly tracked under the constant frequency assumption upon which our original algorithm was based. Frequency comodulation refers to similarities in frequency variations of individual harmonics emitted by these types of sources. The analytical difficulty is in defining a representation of the source which properly tracks frequency varying components. A simple, fixed filter bank can only track an individual spectral component for the duration in which it is within the passband of one of the filters. Alternatives are therefore explored which are amenable to real-time implementation.

Detecting chaos in particle accelerators through the frequency map analysis method.

PubMed

Papaphilippou, Yannis

2014-06-01

The motion of beams in particle accelerators is dominated by a plethora of non-linear effects, which can enhance chaotic motion and limit their performance. The application of advanced non-linear dynamics methods for detecting and correcting these effects and thereby increasing the region of beam stability plays an essential role during the accelerator design phase but also their operation. After describing the nature of non-linear effects and their impact on performance parameters of different particle accelerator categories, the theory of non-linear particle motion is outlined. The recent developments on the methods employed for the analysis of chaotic beam motion are detailed. In particular, the ability of the frequency map analysis method to detect chaotic motion and guide the correction of non-linear effects is demonstrated in particle tracking simulations but also experimental data.

Application of extremum seeking for time-varying systems to resonance control of RF cavities

DOE PAGES

Scheinker, Alexander

2016-09-13

A recently developed form of extremum seeking for time-varying systems is implemented in hardware for the resonance control of radio-frequency cavities without phase measurements. Normal conducting RF cavity resonance control is performed via a slug tuner, while superconducting TESLA-type cavity resonance control is performed via piezo actuators. The controller maintains resonance by minimizing reflected power by utilizing model-independent adaptive feedback. Unlike standard phase-measurement-based resonance control, the presented approach is not sensitive to arbitrary phase shifts of the RF signals due to temperature-dependent cable length or phasemeasurement hardware changes. The phase independence of this method removes common slowly varying drifts andmore » required periodic recalibration of phase-based methods. A general overview of the adaptive controller is presented along with the proof of principle experimental results at room temperature. Lastly, this method allows us to both maintain a cavity at a desired resonance frequency and also to dynamically modify its resonance frequency to track the unknown time-varying frequency of an RF source, thereby maintaining maximal cavity field strength, based only on power-level measurements.« less

Thermal stability control system of photo-elastic interferometer in the PEM-FTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, M. J.; Jing, N.; Li, K. W.; Wang, Z. B.

2018-01-01

A drifting model for the resonant frequency and retardation amplitude of a photo-elastic modulator (PEM) in the photo-elastic modulated Fourier transform spectrometer (PEM-FTs) is presented. A multi-parameter broadband-matching driving control method is proposed to improve the thermal stability of the PEM interferometer. The automatically frequency-modulated technology of the driving signal based on digital phase-locked technology is used to track the PEM's changing resonant frequency. Simultaneously the maximum optical-path-difference of a laser's interferogram is measured to adjust the amplitude of the PEM's driving signal so that the spectral resolution is stable. In the experiment, the multi-parameter broadband-matching control method is applied to the driving control system of the PEM-FTs. Control of resonant frequency and retardation amplitude stabilizes the maximum optical-path-difference to approximately 236 μm and results in a spectral resolution of 42 cm-1. This corresponds to a relative error smaller than 2.16% (4.28 standard deviation). The experiment shows that the method can effectively stabilize the spectral resolution of the PEM-FTs.

Characterization of the Mechanical Stress-Strain Performance of Aerospace Alloy Materials Using Frequency-Domain Photoacoustic Ultrasound and Photothermal Methods: An FEM Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huan, Huiting; Mandelis, Andreas; Liu, Lixian

2018-04-01

Determining and keeping track of a material's mechanical performance is very important for safety in the aerospace industry. The mechanical strength of alloy materials is precisely quantified in terms of its stress-strain relation. It has been proven that frequency-domain photothermoacoustic (FD-PTA) techniques are effective methods for characterizing the stress-strain relation of metallic alloys. PTA methodologies include photothermal (PT) diffusion and laser thermoelastic photoacoustic ultrasound (PAUS) generation which must be separately discussed because the relevant frequency ranges and signal detection principles are widely different. In this paper, a detailed theoretical analysis of the connection between thermoelastic parameters and stress/strain tensor is presented with respect to FD-PTA nondestructive testing. Based on the theoretical model, a finite element method (FEM) was further implemented to simulate the PT and PAUS signals at very different frequency ranges as an important analysis tool of experimental data. The change in the stress-strain relation has an impact on both thermal and elastic properties, verified by FEM and results/signals from both PT and PAUS experiments.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scheinker, Alexander

A recently developed form of extremum seeking for time-varying systems is implemented in hardware for the resonance control of radio-frequency cavities without phase measurements. Normal conducting RF cavity resonance control is performed via a slug tuner, while superconducting TESLA-type cavity resonance control is performed via piezo actuators. The controller maintains resonance by minimizing reflected power by utilizing model-independent adaptive feedback. Unlike standard phase-measurement-based resonance control, the presented approach is not sensitive to arbitrary phase shifts of the RF signals due to temperature-dependent cable length or phasemeasurement hardware changes. The phase independence of this method removes common slowly varying drifts andmore » required periodic recalibration of phase-based methods. A general overview of the adaptive controller is presented along with the proof of principle experimental results at room temperature. Lastly, this method allows us to both maintain a cavity at a desired resonance frequency and also to dynamically modify its resonance frequency to track the unknown time-varying frequency of an RF source, thereby maintaining maximal cavity field strength, based only on power-level measurements.« less

Impedance modulation and feedback corrections in tracking targets of variable size and frequency.

PubMed

Selen, Luc P J; van Dieën, Jaap H; Beek, Peter J

2006-11-01

Humans are able to adjust the accuracy of their movements to the demands posed by the task at hand. The variability in task execution caused by the inherent noisiness of the neuromuscular system can be tuned to task demands by both feedforward (e.g., impedance modulation) and feedback mechanisms. In this experiment, we studied both mechanisms, using mechanical perturbations to estimate stiffness and damping as indices of impedance modulation and submovement scaling as an index of feedback driven corrections. Eight subjects tracked three differently sized targets (0.0135, 0.0270, and 0.0405 rad) moving at three different frequencies (0.20, 0.25, and 0.33 Hz). Movement variability decreased with both decreasing target size and movement frequency, whereas stiffness and damping increased with decreasing target size, independent of movement frequency. These results are consistent with the theory that mechanical impedance acts as a filter of noisy neuromuscular signals but challenge stochastic theories of motor control that do not account for impedance modulation and only partially for feedback control. Submovements during unperturbed cycles were quantified in terms of their gain, i.e., the slope between their duration and amplitude in the speed profile. Submovement gain decreased with decreasing movement frequency and increasing target size. The results were interpreted to imply that submovement gain is related to observed tracking errors and that those tracking errors are expressed in units of target size. We conclude that impedance and submovement gain modulation contribute additively to tracking accuracy.

Laser vision seam tracking system based on image processing and continuous convolution operator tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Yanbiao; Chen, Tao

2018-06-01

To address the problem of low welding precision caused by the poor real-time tracking performance of common welding robots, a novel seam tracking system with excellent real-time tracking performance and high accuracy is designed based on the morphological image processing method and continuous convolution operator tracker (CCOT) object tracking algorithm. The system consists of a six-axis welding robot, a line laser sensor, and an industrial computer. This work also studies the measurement principle involved in the designed system. Through the CCOT algorithm, the weld feature points are determined in real time from the noise image during the welding process, and the 3D coordinate values of these points are obtained according to the measurement principle to control the movement of the robot and the torch in real time. Experimental results show that the sensor has a frequency of 50 Hz. The welding torch runs smoothly with a strong arc light and splash interference. Tracking error can reach ±0.2 mm, and the minimal distance between the laser stripe and the welding molten pool can reach 15 mm, which can significantly fulfill actual welding requirements.

Ultrasound speckle tracking for radial, longitudinal and circumferential strain estimation of the carotid artery--an in vitro validation via sonomicrometry using clinical and high-frequency ultrasound.

PubMed

Larsson, Matilda; Heyde, Brecht; Kremer, Florence; Brodin, Lars-Åke; D'hooge, Jan

2015-02-01

Ultrasound speckle tracking for carotid strain assessment has in the past decade gained interest in studies of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to validate and directly contrast carotid strain assessment by speckle tracking applied on clinical and high-frequency ultrasound images in vitro. Four polyvinyl alcohol phantoms mimicking the carotid artery were constructed with different mechanical properties and connected to a pump generating carotid flow profiles. Gray-scale ultrasound long- and short-axis images of the phantoms were obtained using a standard clinical ultrasound system, Vivid 7 (GE Healthcare, Horten, Norway) and a high-frequency ultrasound system, Vevo 2100 (FUJIFILM, VisualSonics, Toronto, Canada) with linear-array transducers (12L/MS250). Radial, longitudinal and circumferential strains were estimated using an in-house speckle tracking algorithm and compared with reference strain acquired by sonomicrometry. Overall, the estimated strain corresponded well with the reference strain. The correlation between estimated peak strain in clinical ultrasound images and reference strain was 0.91 (p<0.001) for radial strain, 0.73 (p<0.001) for longitudinal strain and 0.90 (p<0.001) for circumferential strain and for high-frequency ultrasound images 0.95 (p<0.001) for radial strain, 0.93 (p<0.001) for longitudinal strain and 0.90 (p<0.001) for circumferential strain. A significant larger bias and root mean square error was found for circumferential strain estimation on clinical ultrasound images compared to high frequency ultrasound images, but no significant difference in bias and root mean square error was found for radial and longitudinal strain when comparing estimation on clinical and high-frequency ultrasound images. The agreement between sonomicrometry and speckle tracking demonstrates that carotid strain assessment by ultrasound speckle tracking is feasible. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of spectral nudging on the downscaling of tropical cyclones in regional climate simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Suk-Jin; Lee, Dong-Kyou

2016-06-01

This study investigated the simulations of three months of seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific using the Advanced Research WRF Model. In the control experiment (CTL), the TC frequency was considerably overestimated. Additionally, the tracks of some TCs tended to have larger radii of curvature and were shifted eastward. The large-scale environments of westerly monsoon flows and subtropical Pacific highs were unreasonably simulated. The overestimated frequency of TC formation was attributed to a strengthened westerly wind field in the southern quadrants of the TC center. In comparison with the experiment with the spectral nudging method, the strengthened wind speed was mainly modulated by large-scale flow that was greater than approximately 1000 km in the model domain. The spurious formation and undesirable tracks of TCs in the CTL were considerably improved by reproducing realistic large-scale atmospheric monsoon circulation with substantial adjustment between large-scale flow in the model domain and large-scale boundary forcing modified by the spectral nudging method. The realistic monsoon circulation took a vital role in simulating realistic TCs. It revealed that, in the downscaling from large-scale fields for regional climate simulations, scale interaction between model-generated regional features and forced large-scale fields should be considered, and spectral nudging is a desirable method in the downscaling method.

Airborne Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Combined with Region Segmentation

PubMed Central

Zuo, Yujia; Liu, Jinghong; Bai, Guanbing; Wang, Xuan; Sun, Mingchao

2017-01-01

This paper proposes an infrared (IR) and visible image fusion method introducing region segmentation into the dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DTCWT) region. This method should effectively improve both the target indication and scene spectrum features of fusion images, and the target identification and tracking reliability of fusion system, on an airborne photoelectric platform. The method involves segmenting the region in an IR image by significance, and identifying the target region and the background region; then, fusing the low-frequency components in the DTCWT region according to the region segmentation result. For high-frequency components, the region weights need to be assigned by the information richness of region details to conduct fusion based on both weights and adaptive phases, and then introducing a shrinkage function to suppress noise; Finally, the fused low-frequency and high-frequency components are reconstructed to obtain the fusion image. The experimental results show that the proposed method can fully extract complementary information from the source images to obtain a fusion image with good target indication and rich information on scene details. They also give a fusion result superior to existing popular fusion methods, based on eithers subjective or objective evaluation. With good stability and high fusion accuracy, this method can meet the fusion requirements of IR-visible image fusion systems. PMID:28505137

Airborne Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Combined with Region Segmentation.

PubMed

Zuo, Yujia; Liu, Jinghong; Bai, Guanbing; Wang, Xuan; Sun, Mingchao

2017-05-15

This paper proposes an infrared (IR) and visible image fusion method introducing region segmentation into the dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DTCWT) region. This method should effectively improve both the target indication and scene spectrum features of fusion images, and the target identification and tracking reliability of fusion system, on an airborne photoelectric platform. The method involves segmenting the region in an IR image by significance, and identifying the target region and the background region; then, fusing the low-frequency components in the DTCWT region according to the region segmentation result. For high-frequency components, the region weights need to be assigned by the information richness of region details to conduct fusion based on both weights and adaptive phases, and then introducing a shrinkage function to suppress noise; Finally, the fused low-frequency and high-frequency components are reconstructed to obtain the fusion image. The experimental results show that the proposed method can fully extract complementary information from the source images to obtain a fusion image with good target indication and rich information on scene details. They also give a fusion result superior to existing popular fusion methods, based on eithers subjective or objective evaluation. With good stability and high fusion accuracy, this method can meet the fusion requirements of IR-visible image fusion systems.

On the predictive control of foveal eye tracking and slow phases of optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus.

PubMed Central

Yasui, S; Young, L R

1984-01-01

Smooth pursuit and saccadic components of foveal visual tracking as well as more involuntary ocular movements of optokinetic (o.k.n.) and vestibular nystagmus slow phase components were investigated in man, with particular attention given to their possible input-adaptive or predictive behaviour. Each component in question was isolated from the eye movement records through a computer-aided procedure. The frequency response method was used with sinusoidal (predictable) and pseudo-random (unpredictable) stimuli. When the target motion was pseudo-random, the frequency response of pursuit eye movements revealed a large phase lead (up to about 90 degrees) at low stimulus frequencies. It is possible to interpret this result as a predictive effect, even though the stimulation was pseudo-random and thus 'unpredictable'. The pseudo-random-input frequency response intrinsic to the saccadic system was estimated in an indirect way from the pursuit and composite (pursuit + saccade) frequency response data. The result was fitted well by a servo-mechanism model, which has a simple anticipatory mechanism to compensate for the inherent neuromuscular saccadic delay by utilizing the retinal slip velocity signal. The o.k.n. slow phase also exhibited a predictive effect with sinusoidal inputs; however, pseudo-random stimuli did not produce such phase lead as found in the pursuit case. The vestibular nystagmus slow phase showed no noticeable sign of prediction in the frequency range examined (0 approximately 0.7 Hz), in contrast to the results of the visually driven eye movements (i.e. saccade, pursuit and o.k.n. slow phase) at comparable stimulus frequencies. PMID:6707954

An integrated model-driven method for in-treatment upper airway motion tracking using cine MRI in head and neck radiation therapy.

PubMed

Li, Hua; Chen, Hsin-Chen; Dolly, Steven; Li, Harold; Fischer-Valuck, Benjamin; Victoria, James; Dempsey, James; Ruan, Su; Anastasio, Mark; Mazur, Thomas; Gach, Michael; Kashani, Rojano; Green, Olga; Rodriguez, Vivian; Gay, Hiram; Thorstad, Wade; Mutic, Sasa

2016-08-01

For the first time, MRI-guided radiation therapy systems can acquire cine images to dynamically monitor in-treatment internal organ motion. However, the complex head and neck (H&N) structures and low-contrast/resolution of on-board cine MRI images make automatic motion tracking a very challenging task. In this study, the authors proposed an integrated model-driven method to automatically track the in-treatment motion of the H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein internal motion often occurs in an either voluntary or involuntary manner, from cine MRI images for the analysis of H&N motion patterns. Considering the complex H&N structures and ensuring automatic and robust upper airway motion tracking, the authors firstly built a set of linked statistical shapes (including face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) using principal component analysis from clinically approved contours delineated on a set of training data. The linked statistical shapes integrate explicit landmarks and implicit shape representation. Then, a hierarchical model-fitting algorithm was developed to align the linked shapes on the first image frame of a to-be-tracked cine sequence and to localize the upper airway region. Finally, a multifeature level set contour propagation scheme was performed to identify the upper airway shape change, frame-by-frame, on the entire image sequence. The multifeature fitting energy, including the information of intensity variations, edge saliency, curve geometry, and temporal shape continuity, was minimized to capture the details of moving airway boundaries. Sagittal cine MR image sequences acquired from three H&N cancer patients were utilized to demonstrate the performance of the proposed motion tracking method. The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 50 randomly selected cine image frames from each patient. The resulting average dice similarity coefficient (93.28%  ±  1.46%) and margin error (0.49  ±  0.12 mm) showed good agreement between the automatic and manual results. The comparison with three other deformable model-based segmentation methods illustrated the superior shape tracking performance of the proposed method. Large interpatient variations of swallowing frequency, swallowing duration, and upper airway cross-sectional area were observed from the testing cine image sequences. The proposed motion tracking method can provide accurate upper airway motion tracking results, and enable automatic and quantitative identification and analysis of in-treatment H&N upper airway motion. By integrating explicit and implicit linked-shape representations within a hierarchical model-fitting process, the proposed tracking method can process complex H&N structures and low-contrast/resolution cine MRI images. Future research will focus on the improvement of method reliability, patient motion pattern analysis for providing more information on patient-specific prediction of structure displacements, and motion effects on dosimetry for better H&N motion management in radiation therapy.

Offshore killer whale tracking using multiple hydrophone arrays.

PubMed

Gassmann, Martin; Henderson, E Elizabeth; Wiggins, Sean M; Roch, Marie A; Hildebrand, John A

2013-11-01

To study delphinid near surface movements and behavior, two L-shaped hydrophone arrays and one vertical hydrophone line array were deployed at shallow depths (<125 m) from the floating instrument platform R/P FLIP, moored northwest of San Clemente Island in the Southern California Bight. A three-dimensional propagation-model based passive acoustic tracking method was developed and used to track a group of five offshore killer whales (Orcinus orca) using their emitted clicks. In addition, killer whale pulsed calls and high-frequency modulated (HFM) signals were localized using other standard techniques. Based on these tracks sound source levels for the killer whales were estimated. The peak to peak source levels for echolocation clicks vary between 170-205 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m, for HFM calls between 185-193 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m, and for pulsed calls between 146-158 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m.

Adaptive optics optical coherence tomography with dynamic retinal tracking

PubMed Central

Kocaoglu, Omer P.; Ferguson, R. Daniel; Jonnal, Ravi S.; Liu, Zhuolin; Wang, Qiang; Hammer, Daniel X.; Miller, Donald T.

2014-01-01

Adaptive optics optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) is a highly sensitive and noninvasive method for three dimensional imaging of the microscopic retina. Like all in vivo retinal imaging techniques, however, it suffers the effects of involuntary eye movements that occur even under normal fixation. In this study we investigated dynamic retinal tracking to measure and correct eye motion at KHz rates for AO-OCT imaging. A customized retina tracking module was integrated into the sample arm of the 2nd-generation Indiana AO-OCT system and images were acquired on three subjects. Analyses were developed based on temporal amplitude and spatial power spectra in conjunction with strip-wise registration to independently measure AO-OCT tracking performance. After optimization of the tracker parameters, the system was found to correct eye movements up to 100 Hz and reduce residual motion to 10 µm root mean square. Between session precision was 33 µm. Performance was limited by tracker-generated noise at high temporal frequencies. PMID:25071963

Non-stationary component extraction in noisy multicomponent signal using polynomial chirping Fourier transform.

PubMed

Lu, Wenlong; Xie, Junwei; Wang, Heming; Sheng, Chuan

2016-01-01

Inspired by track-before-detection technology in radar, a novel time-frequency transform, namely polynomial chirping Fourier transform (PCFT), is exploited to extract components from noisy multicomponent signal. The PCFT combines advantages of Fourier transform and polynomial chirplet transform to accumulate component energy along a polynomial chirping curve in the time-frequency plane. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is employed to search optimal polynomial parameters with which the PCFT will achieve a most concentrated energy ridge in the time-frequency plane for the target component. The component can be well separated in the polynomial chirping Fourier domain with a narrow-band filter and then reconstructed by inverse PCFT. Furthermore, an iterative procedure, involving parameter estimation, PCFT, filtering and recovery, is introduced to extract components from a noisy multicomponent signal successively. The Simulations and experiments show that the proposed method has better performance in component extraction from noisy multicomponent signal as well as provides more time-frequency details about the analyzed signal than conventional methods.

An investigation into the mechanism of the polygonal wear of metro train wheels and its effect on the dynamic behaviour of a wheel/rail system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xuesong; Wu, Lei; Fang, Jianying; Zhong, Shuoqiao; Ling, Liang

2012-12-01

This paper presents a detailed investigation conducted into the mechanism of the polygonal wear of metro train wheels through extensive experiments conducted at the sites. The purpose of the experimental investigation is to determine from where the resonant frequency that causes the polygonal wear of the metro train wheels originates. The experiments include the model tests of a vehicle and its parts and the tracks, the dynamic behaviour test of the vehicle in operation and the observation test of the polygonal wear development of the wheels. The tracks tested include the viaducts and the tunnel tracks. The structure model tests show that the average passing frequency of a polygonal wheel is approximately close to the first bending resonant frequency of the wheelset that is found by the wheelset model test and verified by the finite element analysis of the wheelset. Also, the dynamic behaviour test of the vehicle in operation indicates the main frequencies of the vertical acceleration vibration of the axle boxes, which are dominant in the vertical acceleration vibration of the axle boxes and close to the passing frequency of a polygonal wheel, which shows that the first bending resonant frequency of the wheelset is very exciting in the wheelset operation. The observation test of the polygonal wear development of the wheels indicates an increase in the rate of the polygonal wear of the wheels after their re-profiling. This paper also describes the dynamic models used for the metro vehicle coupled with the ballasted track and the slab track to analyse the effect of the polygonal wear of the wheels on the wheel/rail normal forces.

Improved performance of semiconductor laser tracking frequency gauge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, D. M.; Roberts, T. J.; Phillips, J. D.; Reasenberg, R. D.

2018-03-01

We describe new results from the semiconductor-laser tracking frequency gauge, an instrument that can perform sub-picometer distance measurements and has applications in gravity research and in space-based astronomical instruments proposed for the study of light from extrasolar planets. Compared with previous results, we have improved incremental distance accuracy by a factor of two, to 0.9 pm in 80 s averaging time, and absolute distance accuracy by a factor of 20, to 0.17 μm in 1000 s. After an interruption of operation of a tracking frequency gauge used to control a distance, it is now possible, using a nonresonant measurement interferometer, to restore the distance to picometer accuracy by combining absolute and incremental distance measurements.

Literacy Instruction in the Mother Tongue: The Case of Pupils Using Mixed Vocabularies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Alma Sonia Q.

2013-01-01

In the institutionalization of the mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) in the country, several trainings were conducted introducing its unique features such as the use of the two-track method in teaching reading based on the frequency of the sounds of the first language (L1). This study attempted to find out how the accuracy track…

Detection of fecal bacteria and source tracking identifiers in environmental waters using rRNA-based RT-qPCR and rDNA-based qPCR assays

EPA Science Inventory

The identification of fecal pollution sources is commonly performed using DNA-based methods. However, there is evidence that DNA can be associated with dead cells or present as “naked DNA” in the environment. To this end, we compared the detection frequency of host specific marke...

Marine Bioacoustics: Back to the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

aspects of zooplankton and fish ecology and passive acoustic methods for studying humpback whale ecology. During summer courses, we provided students...Kohala Coast in which three Wave Gliders were deployed with hydrophones to localize and track vocalizing humpback whales . Over the five years of...Glider’s capability for collecting multi-frequency acoustic data. 4. Successful demonstration that individual humpback whales can be localized and

RATT: RFID Assisted Tracking Tile. Preliminary results.

PubMed

Quinones, Dario R; Cuevas, Aaron; Cambra, Javier; Canals, Santiago; Moratal, David

2017-07-01

Behavior is one of the most important aspects of animal life. This behavior depends on the link between animals, their nervous systems and their environment. In order to study the behavior of laboratory animals several tools are needed, but a tracking tool is essential to perform a thorough behavioral study. Currently, several visual tracking tools are available. However, they have some drawbacks. For instance, when an animal is inside a cave, or is close to other animals, the tracking cameras cannot always detect the location or movement of this animal. This paper presents RFID Assisted Tracking Tile (RATT), a tracking system based on passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in high frequency band according to ISO/IEC 15693. The RATT system is composed of electronic tiles that have nine active RFID antennas attached; in addition, it contains several overlapping passive coils to improve the magnetic field characteristics. Using several tiles, a large surface can be built on which the animals can move, allowing identification and tracking of their movements. This system, that could also be combined with a visual tracking system, paves the way for complete behavioral studies.

Automated estimation of seabed properties from acoustic recordings by an autonomous moving system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dosso, Stan; Dettmer, Jan; Holland, Charles; Mandolesi, Eric

2016-04-01

This work develops an automated Bayesian method to infer fluid seabed properties as a function of depth along tracks that are surveyed by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The AUV tows an acoustic source and a 32-element array. The source bandwidth is from 950 to 3000 Hz and frequency-modulated signals are emitted at regular intervals ('pings') as the AUV moves along the track. The recordings of each ping are processed to account for source directionality and reflection coefficients as a function of frequency and grazing angle are extracted by taking the ratio of time-windowed direct and bottom-interacted paths. Each ping provides one data set. This process results in large data volumes with an information content that is much higher than for traditional seismic profiling. However, extracting interpretable results about the lateral and vertical spatial variability of the seabed requires sophisticated and efficient inversion methods. The seabed is approximated as a horizontally stratified, lossy fluid for each ping. Each layer is homogeneous and parametrized by a thickness, velocity, density and attenuation. Since both source and array are towed close to the seabed, a plane-wave approximation is not sufficient to model these data and spherical reflection coefficients must be computed to predict data. Therefore, for each specular angle at each frequency, the Sommerfeld integral is solved efficiently by massively parallel implementation of Levin integration on a graphics processing unit (GPU). The inverse problem is strongly non-linear and requires application of Bayesian sampling to quantify parameter uncertainties. To account for the unknown number of layers in the seabed at each ping, the seabed is parametrized by a trans-dimensional (trans-D) model which treats the number of layers as unknown. To constrain model complexity and improve efficiency, we apply a Poisson prior with even-numbered order statistics to the number of layers. The trans-D model is sampled with a reversible-jump algorithm and efficiency is addressed by parallel tempering. The method is applied to data acquired along a 14-km track on the Malta Plateau with water depths from 144 to 152 m. The reflection coefficient data are sensitive to the upper 7 m of the seabed. Data sets are available at 4-m spacing along this track which is currently still intractable. Therefore, we apply ping averaging and consider data at 40-m spacing. A total of 340 inversions were carried out employing 8 K80 GPUs for approximately 2 weeks of computing time. The results resolve layering along the track with previously unreported complexity and detail. An erosional boundary with rough topography is clearly resolved as a high-velocity, high-density layer. This boundary appears rougher and is buried deeper in more shallow water. Depressions along this boundary are filled in with lower velocity material along the shallow parts of the track. In addition, attenuation is well constrained in a thick low-velocity wedge. [Work supported by ONR and SERDP.

Tracking fin whales in the northeast Pacific Ocean with a seafloor seismic network.

PubMed

Wilcock, William S D

2012-10-01

Ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) networks represent a tool of opportunity to study fin and blue whales. A small OBS network on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the northeast Pacific Ocean in ~2.3 km of water recorded an extensive data set of 20-Hz fin whale calls. An automated method has been developed to identify arrival times based on instantaneous frequency and amplitude and to locate calls using a grid search even in the presence of a few bad arrival times. When only one whale is calling near the network, tracks can generally be obtained up to distances of ~15 km from the network. When the calls from multiple whales overlap, user supervision is required to identify tracks. The absolute and relative amplitudes of arrivals and their three-component particle motions provide additional constraints on call location but are not useful for extending the distance to which calls can be located. The double-difference method inverts for changes in relative call locations using differences in residuals for pairs of nearby calls recorded on a common station. The method significantly reduces the unsystematic component of the location error, especially when inconsistencies in arrival time observations are minimized by cross-correlation.

Novel joint TOA/RSSI-based WCE location tracking method without prior knowledge of biological human body tissues.

PubMed

Ito, Takahiro; Anzai, Daisuke; Jianqing Wang

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a novel joint time of arrival (TOA)/received signal strength indicator (RSSI)-based wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) location tracking method without prior knowledge of biological human tissues. Generally, TOA-based localization can achieve much higher localization accuracy than other radio frequency-based localization techniques, whereas wireless signals transmitted from a WCE pass through various kinds of human body tissues, as a result, the propagation velocity inside a human body should be different from one in free space. Because the variation of propagation velocity is mainly affected by the relative permittivity of human body tissues, instead of pre-measurement for the relative permittivity in advance, we simultaneously estimate not only the WCE location but also the relative permittivity information. For this purpose, this paper first derives the relative permittivity estimation model with measured RSSI information. Then, we pay attention to a particle filter algorithm with the TOA-based localization and the RSSI-based relative permittivity estimation. Our computer simulation results demonstrates that the proposed tracking methods with the particle filter can accomplish an excellent localization accuracy of around 2 mm without prior information of the relative permittivity of the human body tissues.

Three-dimensional brain reconstruction of in vivo electrode tracks for neuroscience and neural prosthetic applications

PubMed Central

Markovitz, Craig D.; Tang, Tien T.; Edge, David P.; Lim, Hubert H.

2012-01-01

The brain is a densely interconnected network that relies on populations of neurons within and across multiple nuclei to code for features leading to perception and action. However, the neurophysiology field is still dominated by the characterization of individual neurons, rather than simultaneous recordings across multiple regions, without consistent spatial reconstruction of their locations for comparisons across studies. There are sophisticated histological and imaging techniques for performing brain reconstructions. However, what is needed is a method that is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement in a typical neurophysiology lab and provides consistent identification of electrode locations to make it widely used for pooling data across studies and research groups. This paper presents our initial development of such an approach for reconstructing electrode tracks and site locations within the guinea pig inferior colliculus (IC) to identify its functional organization for frequency coding relevant for a new auditory midbrain implant (AMI). Encouragingly, the spatial error associated with different individuals reconstructing electrode tracks for the same midbrain was less than 65 μm, corresponding to an error of ~1.5% relative to the entire IC structure (~4–5 mm diameter sphere). Furthermore, the reconstructed frequency laminae of the IC were consistently aligned across three sampled midbrains, demonstrating the ability to use our method to combine location data across animals. Hopefully, through further improvements in our reconstruction method, it can be used as a standard protocol across neurophysiology labs to characterize neural data not only within the IC but also within other brain regions to help bridge the gap between cellular activity and network function. Clinically, correlating function with location within and across multiple brain regions can guide optimal placement of electrodes for the growing field of neural prosthetics. PMID:22754502

Laser heterodyne surface profiler

DOEpatents

Sommargren, Gary E.

1982-01-01

A method and apparatus is disclosed for testing the deviation of the face of an object from a flat smooth surface using a beam of coherent light of two plane-polarized components, one of a frequency constantly greater than the other by a fixed amount to produce a difference frequency with a constant phase to be used as a reference. The beam also is split into its two components with the separate components directed onto spaced apart points onthe face of the object to be tested for smoothness. The object is rotated on an axis coincident with one component which is directed to the face of the object at the center which constitutes a virtual fixed point. This component also is used as a reference. The other component follows a circular track on the face of the object as the object is rotated. The two components are recombined after reflection to produce a reflected frequency difference of a phase proportional to the difference in path length which is compared with the reference phase to produce a signal proportional to the deviation of the height of the surface along the circular track with respect to the fixed point at the center.

Online Sentence Reading in People With Aphasia: Evidence From Eye Tracking

PubMed Central

Knilans, Jessica

2015-01-01

Purpose There is a lot of evidence that people with aphasia have more difficulty understanding structurally complex sentences (e.g., object clefts) than simpler sentences (subject clefts). However, subject clefts also occur more frequently in English than object clefts. Thus, it is possible that both structural complexity and frequency affect how people with aphasia understand these structures. Method Nine people with aphasia and 8 age-matched controls participated in the study. The stimuli consisted of 24 object cleft and 24 subject cleft sentences. The task was eye tracking during reading, which permits a more fine-grained analysis of reading performance than measures such as self-paced reading. Results As expected, controls had longer reading times for critical regions in object cleft sentences compared with subject cleft sentences. People with aphasia showed the predicted effects of structural frequency. Effects of structural complexity in people with aphasia did not emerge on their first pass through the sentence but were observed when they were rereading critical regions of complex sentences. Conclusions People with aphasia are sensitive to both structural complexity and structural frequency when reading. However, people with aphasia may use different reading strategies than controls when confronted with relatively infrequent and complex sentence structures. PMID:26383779

Open-loop GPS signal tracking at low elevation angles from a ground-based observation site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyerle, Georg; Zus, Florian

2016-04-01

For more than a decade space-based global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) observations are used by meteorological services world-wide for their numerical weather prediction models. In addition, climate studies increasingly rely on validated GNSS-RO data sets of atmospheric parameters. GNSS-RO profiles typically cover an altitude range from the boundary layer up to the upper stratosphere; their highest accuracy and precision, however, are attained at the tropopause level. In the lower troposphere, multipath ray propagation tend to induce signal amplitude and frequency fluctuations which lead to the development and implementation of open-loop signal tracking methods in GNSS-RO receiver firmwares. In open-loop mode the feed-back values for the carrier tracking loop are derived not from measured data, but from a Doppler frequency model which usually is extracted from an atmospheric climatology. In order to ensure that this receiver-internal parameter set, does not bias the carrier phase path observables, dual-channel open-loop GNSS-RO signal tracking was suggested. Following this proposal the ground-based "GLESER" (GPS low-elevation setting event recorder) campaign was established. Its objective was to disproof the existence of model-induced frequency biases using ground-based GPS observations at very low elevation angles. Between January and December 2014 about 2600 validated setting events, starting at geometric elevation angles of +2° and extending to -1°… - 1.5°, were recorded by the single frequency "OpenGPS" GPS receiver at a measurement site located close to Potsdam, Germany (52.3808°N, 13.0642°E). The study is based on the assumption that these ground-based observations may be used as proxies for space-based RO measurements, even if the latter occur on a one order of magnitude faster temporal scale. The "GLESER" data analysis shows that the open-loop Doppler model has negligible influence on the derived frequency profile provided signal-to-noise density ratios remain above about 30 dB Hz. At low signal levels, however, the dual-channel open-loop design, which tracks the same signal using two Doppler models separated by a 10 Hz offset, reveals a notable bias. A significant fraction of this bias is caused by frequency aliasing. The receiver's dual-channel setup, however, allows for unambiguous identification of the affected observation samples. Finally, the repeat patterns in terms of azimuth angle of the GPS orbit traces reveals characteristic signatures in both, signal amplitude and Doppler frequency with respect to the topography close to the observation site. On the other hand, mean vertical refractivity gradients extracted from ECMWF meteorological fields exhibit moderate correlations with observed signal amplitude fluctuations at negative elevation angles emphasizing the information content of low-elevation GPS signals with respect to the atmospheric state in the boundary layer.

An exploratory clustering approach for extracting stride parameters from tracking collars on free-ranging wild animals.

PubMed

Dewhirst, Oliver P; Roskilly, Kyle; Hubel, Tatjana Y; Jordan, Neil R; Golabek, Krystyna A; McNutt, J Weldon; Wilson, Alan M

2017-02-01

Changes in stride frequency and length with speed are key parameters in animal locomotion research. They are commonly measured in a laboratory on a treadmill or by filming trained captive animals. Here, we show that a clustering approach can be used to extract these variables from data collected by a tracking collar containing a GPS module and tri-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes. The method enables stride parameters to be measured during free-ranging locomotion in natural habitats. As it does not require labelled data, it is particularly suitable for use with difficult to observe animals. The method was tested on large data sets collected from collars on free-ranging lions and African wild dogs and validated using a domestic dog. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Response of coccinellid larvae to conspecific and heterospecific larval tracks: a mechanism that reduces cannibalism and intraguild predation.

PubMed

Meisner, Matthew H; Harmon, Jason P; Ives, Anthony R

2011-02-01

Cannibalism, where one species feeds on individuals of its own species, and intraguild predation (IGP), where a predator feeds on other predatory species, can both pose significant threats to natural enemies and interfere with their biological control of pests. Behavioral mechanisms to avoid these threats, however, could help maintain superior pest control. Here, we ask whether larvae of Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) respond to larval tracks deposited by the other and whether this behavioral response reduces the threat of cannibalism and IGP. In petri dish experiments, we show that both H. axyridis and C. septempunctata avoid foraging in areas with conspecific larval tracks. Using a method of preventing larvae from depositing tracks, we then demonstrate that the frequency of cannibalism is greater for both species when larvae are prevented from depositing tracks compared with when the tracks are deposited. For multi-species interactions we show in petri dish experiments that C. septempunctata avoids H. axyridis larval tracks but H. axyridis does not avoid C. septempunctata larval tracks, demonstrating an asymmetry in response to larval tracks that parallels the asymmetry in aggressiveness between these species as intraguild predators. On single plants, we show that the presence of H. axyridis larval tracks reduces the risk of IGP by H. axyridis on C. septempunctata. Our study suggests that larval tracks can be used in more ways than previously described, in this case by changing coccinellid larval behavior in a way that reduces cannibalism and IGP. © 2011 Entomological Society of America

Active Narrow-Band Vibration Isolation of Large Engineering Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahman, Zahidul; Spanos, John

1994-01-01

We present a narrow-band tracking control method using a variant of the Least Mean Squares (LMS) algorithm to isolate slowly changing periodic disturbances from engineering structures. The advantage of the algorithm is that it has a simple architecture and is relatively easy to implement while it can isolate disturbances on the order of 40-50 dB over decades of frequency band. We also present the results of an experiment conducted on a flexible truss structure. The average disturbance rejection achieved is over 40 dB over the frequency band of 5 Hz to 50 Hz.

Experimental validation of damping properties and solar pressure effects on flexible, high area-to-mass ratio debris model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channumsin, Sittiporn; Ceriotti, Matteo; Radice, Gianmarco; Watson, Ian

2017-09-01

Multilayer insulation (MLI) is a recently-discovered type of debris originating from delamination of aging spacecraft; it is mostly detected near the geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Observation data indicates that these objects are characterised by high reflectivity, high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR), fast rotation, high sensitivity to perturbations (especially solar radiation pressure) and change of area-to-mass ratio (AMR) over time. As a result, traditional models (e.g. cannonball) are unsuitable to represent and predict this debris' orbital evolution. Previous work by the authors effectively modelled the flexible debris by means of multibody dynamics to improve the prediction accuracy. The orbit evolution with the flexible model resulted significantly different from using the rigid model. This paper aims to present a methodology to determine the dynamic properties of thin membranes with the purpose to validate the deformation characteristics of the flexible model. A high-vacuum chamber (10-4 mbar) to significantly decrease air friction, inside which a thin membrane is hinged at one end but free at the other provides the experimental setup. A free motion test is used to determine the damping characteristics and natural frequency of the thin membrane via logarithmic decrement and frequency response. The membrane can swing freely in the chamber and the motion is tracked by a static, optical camera, and a Kalman filter technique is implemented in the tracking algorithm to reduce noise and increase the tracking accuracy of the oscillating motion. Then, the effect of solar radiation pressure on the thin membrane is investigated: a high power spotlight (500-2000 W) is used to illuminate the sample and any displacement of the membrane is measured by means of a high-resolution laser sensor. Analytic methods from the natural frequency response and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) including multibody simulations of both experimental setups are used for the validation of the flexible model by comparing the experimental results of amplitude decay, natural frequencies and deformation. The experimental results show good agreement with both analytical results and finite element methods.

An experimental study to investigate the effects of a motion tracking electromagnetic sensor during EEG data acquisition.

PubMed

Bashashati, Ali; Noureddin, Borna; Ward, Rabab K; Lawrence, Peter D; Birch, Gary E

2006-03-01

A power spectral analysis study was conducted to investigate the effects of using an electromagnetic motion tracking sensor on an electroencephalogram (EEG) recording system. The results showed that the sensors do not generate any consistent frequency component(s) in the power spectrum of the EEG in the frequencies of interest (0.1-55 Hz).

Optimization design about gimbal structure of high-precision autonomous celestial navigation tracking mirror system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Yang, Xiao-xu; Han, Jun-feng; Wei, Yu; Zhang, Jing; Xie, Mei-lin; Yue, Peng

2016-01-01

High precision tracking platform of celestial navigation with control mirror servo structure form, to solve the disadvantages of big volume and rotational inertia, slow response speed, and so on. It improved the stability and tracking accuracy of platform. Due to optical sensor and mirror are installed on the middle-gimbal, stiffness and resonant frequency requirement for high. Based on the application of finite element modality analysis theory, doing Research on dynamic characteristics of the middle-gimbal, and ANSYS was used for the finite element dynamic emulator analysis. According to the result of the computer to find out the weak links of the structure, and Put forward improvement suggestions and reanalysis. The lowest resonant frequency of optimization middle-gimbal avoid the bandwidth of the platform servo mechanism, and much higher than the disturbance frequency of carrier aircraft, and reduces mechanical resonance of the framework. Reaching provides a theoretical basis for the whole machine structure optimization design of high-precision of autonomous Celestial navigation tracking mirror system.

Tuning of Human Modulation Filters Is Carrier-Frequency Dependent

PubMed Central

Simpson, Andrew J. R.; Reiss, Joshua D.; McAlpine, David

2013-01-01

Recent studies employing speech stimuli to investigate ‘cocktail-party’ listening have focused on entrainment of cortical activity to modulations at syllabic (5 Hz) and phonemic (20 Hz) rates. The data suggest that cortical modulation filters (CMFs) are dependent on the sound-frequency channel in which modulations are conveyed, potentially underpinning a strategy for separating speech from background noise. Here, we characterize modulation filters in human listeners using a novel behavioral method. Within an ‘inverted’ adaptive forced-choice increment detection task, listening level was varied whilst contrast was held constant for ramped increments with effective modulation rates between 0.5 and 33 Hz. Our data suggest that modulation filters are tonotopically organized (i.e., vary along the primary, frequency-organized, dimension). This suggests that the human auditory system is optimized to track rapid (phonemic) modulations at high sound-frequencies and slow (prosodic/syllabic) modulations at low frequencies. PMID:24009759

The role of "rescue saccades" in tracking objects through occlusions.

PubMed

Zelinsky, Gregory J; Todor, Andrei

2010-12-29

We hypothesize that our ability to track objects through occlusions is mediated by timely assistance from gaze in the form of "rescue saccades"-eye movements to tracked objects that are in danger of being lost due to impending occlusion. Observers tracked 2-4 target sharks (out of 9) for 20 s as they swam through a rendered 3D underwater scene. Targets were either allowed to enter into occlusions (occlusion trials) or not (no occlusion trials). Tracking accuracy with 2-3 targets was ≥ 92% regardless of target occlusion but dropped to 74% on occlusion trials with four targets (no occlusion trials remained accurate; 83%). This pattern was mirrored in the frequency of rescue saccades. Rescue saccades accompanied approximatlely 50% of the Track 2-3 target occlusions, but only 34% of the Track 4 occlusions. Their frequency also decreased with increasing distance between a target and the nearest other object, suggesting that it is the potential for target confusion that summons a rescue saccade, not occlusion itself. These findings provide evidence for a tracking system that monitors for events that might cause track loss (e.g., occlusions) and requests help from the oculomotor system to resolve these momentary crises. As the number of crises increase with the number of targets, some requests for help go unsatisfied, resulting in degraded tracking.

Bearing fault diagnosis under unknown time-varying rotational speed conditions via multiple time-frequency curve extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Huan; Baddour, Natalie; Liang, Ming

2018-02-01

Under normal operating conditions, bearings often run under time-varying rotational speed conditions. Under such circumstances, the bearing vibrational signal is non-stationary, which renders ineffective the techniques used for bearing fault diagnosis under constant running conditions. One of the conventional methods of bearing fault diagnosis under time-varying speed conditions is resampling the non-stationary signal to a stationary signal via order tracking with the measured variable speed. With the resampled signal, the methods available for constant condition cases are thus applicable. However, the accuracy of the order tracking is often inadequate and the time-varying speed is sometimes not measurable. Thus, resampling-free methods are of interest for bearing fault diagnosis under time-varying rotational speed for use without tachometers. With the development of time-frequency analysis, the time-varying fault character manifests as curves in the time-frequency domain. By extracting the Instantaneous Fault Characteristic Frequency (IFCF) from the Time-Frequency Representation (TFR) and converting the IFCF, its harmonics, and the Instantaneous Shaft Rotational Frequency (ISRF) into straight lines, the bearing fault can be detected and diagnosed without resampling. However, so far, the extraction of the IFCF for bearing fault diagnosis is mostly based on the assumption that at each moment the IFCF has the highest amplitude in the TFR, which is not always true. Hence, a more reliable T-F curve extraction approach should be investigated. Moreover, if the T-F curves including the IFCF, its harmonic, and the ISRF can be all extracted from the TFR directly, no extra processing is needed for fault diagnosis. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm for multiple T-F curve extraction from the TFR based on a fast path optimization which is more reliable for T-F curve extraction. Then, a new procedure for bearing fault diagnosis under unknown time-varying speed conditions is developed based on the proposed algorithm and a new fault diagnosis strategy. The average curve-to-curve ratios are utilized to describe the relationship of the extracted curves and fault diagnosis can then be achieved by comparing the ratios to the fault characteristic coefficients. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by simulated and experimental signals.

A new laboratory radio frequency identification (RFID) system for behavioural tracking of marine organisms.

PubMed

Aguzzi, Jacopo; Sbragaglia, Valerio; Sarriá, David; García, José Antonio; Costa, Corrado; del Río, Joaquín; Mànuel, Antoni; Menesatti, Paolo; Sardà, Francesc

2011-01-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices are currently used to quantify several traits of animal behaviour with potential applications for the study of marine organisms. To date, behavioural studies with marine organisms are rare because of the technical difficulty of propagating radio waves within the saltwater medium. We present a novel RFID tracking system to study the burrowing behaviour of a valuable fishery resource, the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus L.). The system consists of a network of six controllers, each handling a group of seven antennas. That network was placed below a microcosm tank that recreated important features typical of Nephrops' grounds, such as the presence of multiple burrows. The animals carried a passive transponder attached to their telson, operating at 13.56 MHz. The tracking system was implemented to concurrently report the behaviour of up to three individuals, in terms of their travelled distances in a specified unit of time and their preferential positioning within the antenna network. To do so, the controllers worked in parallel to send the antenna data to a computer via a USB connection. The tracking accuracy of the system was evaluated by concurrently recording the animals' behaviour with automated video imaging. During the two experiments, each lasting approximately one week, two different groups of three animals each showed a variable burrow occupancy and a nocturnal displacement under a standard photoperiod regime (12 h light:12 h dark), measured using the RFID method. Similar results were obtained with the video imaging. Our implemented RFID system was therefore capable of efficiently tracking the tested organisms and has a good potential for use on a wide variety of other marine organisms of commercial, aquaculture, and ecological interest.

A New Laboratory Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) System for Behavioural Tracking of Marine Organisms

PubMed Central

Aguzzi, Jacopo; Sbragaglia, Valerio; Sarriá, David; García, José Antonio; Costa, Corrado; del Río, Joaquín; Mànuel, Antoni; Menesatti, Paolo; Sardà, Francesc

2011-01-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices are currently used to quantify several traits of animal behaviour with potential applications for the study of marine organisms. To date, behavioural studies with marine organisms are rare because of the technical difficulty of propagating radio waves within the saltwater medium. We present a novel RFID tracking system to study the burrowing behaviour of a valuable fishery resource, the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus L.). The system consists of a network of six controllers, each handling a group of seven antennas. That network was placed below a microcosm tank that recreated important features typical of Nephrops’ grounds, such as the presence of multiple burrows. The animals carried a passive transponder attached to their telson, operating at 13.56 MHz. The tracking system was implemented to concurrently report the behaviour of up to three individuals, in terms of their travelled distances in a specified unit of time and their preferential positioning within the antenna network. To do so, the controllers worked in parallel to send the antenna data to a computer via a USB connection. The tracking accuracy of the system was evaluated by concurrently recording the animals’ behaviour with automated video imaging. During the two experiments, each lasting approximately one week, two different groups of three animals each showed a variable burrow occupancy and a nocturnal displacement under a standard photoperiod regime (12 h light:12 h dark), measured using the RFID method. Similar results were obtained with the video imaging. Our implemented RFID system was therefore capable of efficiently tracking the tested organisms and has a good potential for use on a wide variety of other marine organisms of commercial, aquaculture, and ecological interest. PMID:22163710

A High-Speed Target-Free Vision-Based Sensor for Bus Rapid Transit Viaduct Vibration Measurements Using CMT and ORB Algorithms.

PubMed

Hu, Qijun; He, Songsheng; Wang, Shilong; Liu, Yugang; Zhang, Zutao; He, Leping; Wang, Fubin; Cai, Qijie; Shi, Rendan; Yang, Yuan

2017-06-06

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has become an increasing source of concern for public transportation of modern cities. Traditional contact sensing techniques during the process of health monitoring of BRT viaducts cannot overcome the deficiency that the normal free-flow of traffic would be blocked. Advances in computer vision technology provide a new line of thought for solving this problem. In this study, a high-speed target-free vision-based sensor is proposed to measure the vibration of structures without interrupting traffic. An improved keypoints matching algorithm based on consensus-based matching and tracking (CMT) object tracking algorithm is adopted and further developed together with oriented brief (ORB) keypoints detection algorithm for practicable and effective tracking of objects. Moreover, by synthesizing the existing scaling factor calculation methods, more rational approaches to reducing errors are implemented. The performance of the vision-based sensor is evaluated through a series of laboratory tests. Experimental tests with different target types, frequencies, amplitudes and motion patterns are conducted. The performance of the method is satisfactory, which indicates that the vision sensor can extract accurate structure vibration signals by tracking either artificial or natural targets. Field tests further demonstrate that the vision sensor is both practicable and reliable.

A High-Speed Target-Free Vision-Based Sensor for Bus Rapid Transit Viaduct Vibration Measurements Using CMT and ORB Algorithms

PubMed Central

Hu, Qijun; He, Songsheng; Wang, Shilong; Liu, Yugang; Zhang, Zutao; He, Leping; Wang, Fubin; Cai, Qijie; Shi, Rendan; Yang, Yuan

2017-01-01

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has become an increasing source of concern for public transportation of modern cities. Traditional contact sensing techniques during the process of health monitoring of BRT viaducts cannot overcome the deficiency that the normal free-flow of traffic would be blocked. Advances in computer vision technology provide a new line of thought for solving this problem. In this study, a high-speed target-free vision-based sensor is proposed to measure the vibration of structures without interrupting traffic. An improved keypoints matching algorithm based on consensus-based matching and tracking (CMT) object tracking algorithm is adopted and further developed together with oriented brief (ORB) keypoints detection algorithm for practicable and effective tracking of objects. Moreover, by synthesizing the existing scaling factor calculation methods, more rational approaches to reducing errors are implemented. The performance of the vision-based sensor is evaluated through a series of laboratory tests. Experimental tests with different target types, frequencies, amplitudes and motion patterns are conducted. The performance of the method is satisfactory, which indicates that the vision sensor can extract accurate structure vibration signals by tracking either artificial or natural targets. Field tests further demonstrate that the vision sensor is both practicable and reliable. PMID:28587275

Toward Optimization of Gaze-Controlled Human-Computer Interaction: Application to Hindi Virtual Keyboard for Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Meena, Yogesh Kumar; Cecotti, Hubert; Wong-Lin, Kongfatt; Dutta, Ashish; Prasad, Girijesh

2018-04-01

Virtual keyboard applications and alternative communication devices provide new means of communication to assist disabled people. To date, virtual keyboard optimization schemes based on script-specific information, along with multimodal input access facility, are limited. In this paper, we propose a novel method for optimizing the position of the displayed items for gaze-controlled tree-based menu selection systems by considering a combination of letter frequency and command selection time. The optimized graphical user interface layout has been designed for a Hindi language virtual keyboard based on a menu wherein 10 commands provide access to type 88 different characters, along with additional text editing commands. The system can be controlled in two different modes: eye-tracking alone and eye-tracking with an access soft-switch. Five different keyboard layouts have been presented and evaluated with ten healthy participants. Furthermore, the two best performing keyboard layouts have been evaluated with eye-tracking alone on ten stroke patients. The overall performance analysis demonstrated significantly superior typing performance, high usability (87% SUS score), and low workload (NASA TLX with 17 scores) for the letter frequency and time-based organization with script specific arrangement design. This paper represents the first optimized gaze-controlled Hindi virtual keyboard, which can be extended to other languages.

Bottom Pressure Tides Along a Line in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean and Comparisons with Satellite Altimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Richard D.; Byrne, Deidre A.

2010-01-01

Seafloor pressure records, collected at 11 stations aligned along a single ground track of the Topex/Poseidon and Jason satellites, are analyzed for their tidal content. With very low background noise levels and approximately 27 months of high-quality records, tidal constituents can be estimated with unusually high precision. This includes many high-frequency lines up through the seventh-diurnal band. The station deployment provides a unique opportunity to compare with tides estimated from satellite altimetry, point by point along the satellite track, in a region of moderately high mesoscale variability. That variability can significantly corrupt altimeter-based tide estimates, even with 17 years of data. A method to improve the along-track altimeter estimates by correcting the data for nontidal variability is found to yield much better agreement with the bottom-pressure data. The technique should prove useful in certain demanding applications, such as altimetric studies of internal tides.

Experimental Tracking of Limit-Point Bifurcations and Backbone Curves Using Control-Based Continuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renson, Ludovic; Barton, David A. W.; Neild, Simon A.

Control-based continuation (CBC) is a means of applying numerical continuation directly to a physical experiment for bifurcation analysis without the use of a mathematical model. CBC enables the detection and tracking of bifurcations directly, without the need for a post-processing stage as is often the case for more traditional experimental approaches. In this paper, we use CBC to directly locate limit-point bifurcations of a periodically forced oscillator and track them as forcing parameters are varied. Backbone curves, which capture the overall frequency-amplitude dependence of the system’s forced response, are also traced out directly. The proposed method is demonstrated on a single-degree-of-freedom mechanical system with a nonlinear stiffness characteristic. Results are presented for two configurations of the nonlinearity — one where it exhibits a hardening stiffness characteristic and one where it exhibits softening-hardening.

Improvement on Gabor order tracking and objective comparison with Vold Kalman filtering order tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Min-Chun; Liao, Shiu-Wei; Chiu, Chun-Chin

2007-02-01

The waveform-reconstruction schemes of order tracking (OT) such as the Gabor and the Vold-Kalman filtering (VKF) techniques can extract specific order and/or spectral components in addition to characterizing the processed signal in rpm-frequency domain. The study first improves the Gabor OT (GOT) technique to handle the order-crossing problem, and then objectively compares the features of the improved GOT scheme and the angular-displacement VKF OT technique. It is numerically observed the improved method performs less accurately than the VKF_OT scheme at the crossing occurrences, but without end effect in the reconstructed waveform. As OT is not exact science, it may well be that the decrease in computation time can justify the reduced accuracy. The characterisation and discrimination of riding noise with crossing orders emitted by an electrical scooter are conducted as an example of the application.

Doppler-based motion compensation algorithm for focusing the signature of a rotorcraft.

PubMed

Goldman, Geoffrey H

2013-02-01

A computationally efficient algorithm was developed and tested to compensate for the effects of motion on the acoustic signature of a rotorcraft. For target signatures with large spectral peaks that vary slowly in amplitude and have near constant frequency, the time-varying Doppler shift can be tracked and then removed from the data. The algorithm can be used to preprocess data for classification, tracking, and nulling algorithms. The algorithm was tested on rotorcraft data. The average instantaneous frequency of the first harmonic of a rotorcraft was tracked with a fixed-lag smoother. Then, state space estimates of the frequency were used to calculate a time warping that removed the effect of a time-varying Doppler shift from the data. The algorithm was evaluated by analyzing the increase in the amplitude of the harmonics in the spectrum of a rotorcraft. The results depended upon the frequency of the harmonics and the processing interval duration. Under good conditions, the results for the fundamental frequency of the target (~11 Hz) almost achieved an estimated upper bound. The results for higher frequency harmonics had larger increases in the amplitude of the peaks, but significantly lower than the estimated upper bounds.

Image motion compensation by area correlation and centroid tracking of solar surface features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nein, M. E.; Mcintosh, W. R.; Cumings, N. P.

1983-01-01

An experimental solar correlation tracker was tested and evaluated on a ground-based solar magnetograph. Using sunspots as fixed targets, tracking error signals were derived by which the telescope image was stabilized against wind induced perturbations. Two methods of stabilization were investigated; mechanical stabilization of the image by controlled two-axes motion of an active optical element in the telescope beam, and electronic stabilization by biasing of the electron scan in the recording camera. Both approaches have demonstrated telescope stability of about 0.6 arc sec under random perturbations which can cause the unstabilized image to move up to 120 arc sec at frequencies up to 30 Hz.

Studying Fin Whales with Seafloor Seismic Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcock, W. S.; Soule, D. C.; Weirathmueller, M.; Thomson, R.

2011-12-01

Baleen whales are found throughout the world's oceans and their welfare captivates the general public. Depending on the species, baleen whales vocalize at frequencies ranging from ~10 Hz to several kilohertz. Passive acoustic studies of whale calls are used to investigate behavior and habitat usage, monitor the recovery of populations from whaling and assess the impacts of anthropogenic sounds. Since airguns are a significant source of sound in the oceans, the research goals of academic seismologists can lead to conflicts with those who advocate for whale conservation while being unwilling to consider the societal benefits of marine geophysical studies. In contrast, studies that monitor earthquakes with ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) provide an opportunity to enhance studies of baleen whales and improve relationships with environmental advocates. The bandwidth of the typical high-frequency or intermediate-band ocean bottom seismometer overlaps the call frequency of the two largest baleen whale species; blue whales generate sequences of 10- to 20-s-long calls centered at ~16 Hz and fin whales produce long sequences of downswept 1-s-long chirps centered at ~20 Hz. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of OBS networks to monitor calling patterns and determine tracks for fin and blue whales. We will summarize the results from a study to track fin whales near the Endeavour hydrothermal vent fields on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and investigate a potential correlation between the density of whales and enhanced zooplankton found throughout the water column overlying the vent fields. From 2003-2006 an 8-station local seismic network that was designed to monitor hydrothermal earthquakes also recorded ~300,000 fin whale vocalizations, mostly in the fall and winter. Automatic picking and localization techniques that are analogous to those used to analyze earthquakes are employed to determine whale tracks. The tracks are then used to interpret calling patterns in the context of swimming behavior and net migration. Because the fin whale calls are repetitive, they are very amendable to the application of seismic correlation techniques and the double difference location method. While the typical uncertainty for an automatic location within the network is ~500 m, successive calls can be located relative to each other by the double difference method with a precision of ~20 m, which is similar to the length of the whale. As storage capabilities of seafloor instruments increase, OBSs could be made even more useful for marine mammal studies by expanding their upper frequency limit, either by increasing the sampling rate of the hydrophone channel or incorporating a compact standalone hydrophone package on the OBS frame.

Effects of dynamic aeroelasticity on handling qualities and pilot rating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaim, R. L.; Yen, W.-Y.

1978-01-01

Pilot performance parameters, such as pilot ratings, tracking errors, and pilot comments, were recorded and analyzed for a longitudinal pitch tracking task on a large, flexible aircraft. The tracking task was programmed on a fixed-base simulator with a CRT attitude director display of pitch angle command, pitch angle, and pitch angle error. Parametric variations in the undamped natural frequencies of the two lowest frequency symmetric elastic modes were made to induce varying degrees of rigid body and elastic mode interaction. The results indicate that such mode interaction can drastically affect the handling qualities and pilot ratings of the task.

Rotary head type reproducing apparatus

DOEpatents

Takayama, Nobutoshi; Edakubo, Hiroo; Kozuki, Susumu; Takei, Masahiro; Nagasawa, Kenichi

1986-01-01

In an apparatus of the kind arranged to reproduce, with a plurality of rotary heads, an information signal from a record bearing medium having many recording tracks which are parallel to each other with the information signal recorded therein and with a plurality of different pilot signals of different frequencies also recorded one by one, one in each of the recording tracks, a plurality of different reference signals of different frequencies are simultaneously generated. A tracking error is detected by using the different reference signals together with the pilot signals which are included in signals reproduced from the plurality of rotary heads.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in medical environment: Gaussian Derivative Frequency Modulation (GDFM) as a novel modulation technique with minimal interference properties.

PubMed

Rieche, Marie; Komenský, Tomás; Husar, Peter

2011-01-01

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems in healthcare facilitate the possibility of contact-free identification and tracking of patients, medical equipment and medication. Thereby, patient safety will be improved and costs as well as medication errors will be reduced considerably. However, the application of RFID and other wireless communication systems has the potential to cause harmful electromagnetic disturbances on sensitive medical devices. This risk mainly depends on the transmission power and the method of data communication. In this contribution we point out the reasons for such incidents and give proposals to overcome these problems. Therefore a novel modulation and transmission technique called Gaussian Derivative Frequency Modulation (GDFM) is developed. Moreover, we carry out measurements to show the inteference properties of different modulation schemes in comparison to our GDFM.

Analysis of the Influence of Cracked Sleepers under Static Loading on Ballasted Railway Tracks

PubMed Central

Montalbán Domingo, Laura; Zamorano Martín, Clara; Palenzuela Avilés, Cristina; Real Herráiz, Julia I.

2014-01-01

The principal causes of cracking in prestressed concrete sleepers are the dynamic loads induced by track irregularities and imperfections in the wheel-rail contact and the in-phase and out-of-phase track resonances. The most affected points are the mid-span and rail-seat sections of the sleepers. Central and rail-seat crack detection require visual inspections, as legislation establishes, and involve sleepers' renewal even though European Normative considers that thicknesses up to 0.5 mm do not imply an inadequate behaviour of the sleepers. For a better understanding of the phenomenon, the finite element method constitutes a useful tool to assess the effects of cracking from the point of view of structural behaviour in railway track structures. This paper intends to study how the cracks at central or rail-seat section in prestressed concrete sleepers influence the track behaviour under static loading. The track model considers three different sleeper models: uncracked, cracked at central section, and cracked at rail-seat section. These models were calibrated and validated using the frequencies of vibration of the first three bending modes obtained from an experimental modal analysis. The results show the insignificant influence of the central cracks and the notable effects of the rail-seat cracks regarding deflections and stresses. PMID:25530998

Real-Time Motion Tracking for Mobile Augmented/Virtual Reality Using Adaptive Visual-Inertial Fusion

PubMed Central

Fang, Wei; Zheng, Lianyu; Deng, Huanjun; Zhang, Hongbo

2017-01-01

In mobile augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), real-time 6-Degree of Freedom (DoF) motion tracking is essential for the registration between virtual scenes and the real world. However, due to the limited computational capacity of mobile terminals today, the latency between consecutive arriving poses would damage the user experience in mobile AR/VR. Thus, a visual-inertial based real-time motion tracking for mobile AR/VR is proposed in this paper. By means of high frequency and passive outputs from the inertial sensor, the real-time performance of arriving poses for mobile AR/VR is achieved. In addition, to alleviate the jitter phenomenon during the visual-inertial fusion, an adaptive filter framework is established to cope with different motion situations automatically, enabling the real-time 6-DoF motion tracking by balancing the jitter and latency. Besides, the robustness of the traditional visual-only based motion tracking is enhanced, giving rise to a better mobile AR/VR performance when motion blur is encountered. Finally, experiments are carried out to demonstrate the proposed method, and the results show that this work is capable of providing a smooth and robust 6-DoF motion tracking for mobile AR/VR in real-time. PMID:28475145

Real-Time Motion Tracking for Mobile Augmented/Virtual Reality Using Adaptive Visual-Inertial Fusion.

PubMed

Fang, Wei; Zheng, Lianyu; Deng, Huanjun; Zhang, Hongbo

2017-05-05

In mobile augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), real-time 6-Degree of Freedom (DoF) motion tracking is essential for the registration between virtual scenes and the real world. However, due to the limited computational capacity of mobile terminals today, the latency between consecutive arriving poses would damage the user experience in mobile AR/VR. Thus, a visual-inertial based real-time motion tracking for mobile AR/VR is proposed in this paper. By means of high frequency and passive outputs from the inertial sensor, the real-time performance of arriving poses for mobile AR/VR is achieved. In addition, to alleviate the jitter phenomenon during the visual-inertial fusion, an adaptive filter framework is established to cope with different motion situations automatically, enabling the real-time 6-DoF motion tracking by balancing the jitter and latency. Besides, the robustness of the traditional visual-only based motion tracking is enhanced, giving rise to a better mobile AR/VR performance when motion blur is encountered. Finally, experiments are carried out to demonstrate the proposed method, and the results show that this work is capable of providing a smooth and robust 6-DoF motion tracking for mobile AR/VR in real-time.

[Study on a wireless energy transmission system for the noninvasive examination micro system inside alimentary tracts].

PubMed

He, Xiu; Yan, Guo-Zheng; Wang, Fu-Min

2008-01-01

A wireless energy transmission system for the MEMS system inside alimentary tracts is reported here in the paper. It consists of an automatic frequency tracking circuit of phase lock loop and phase shift PWM control circuit. Experimental results show that the energy transmission system is capable of automatic frequency-tracking and transmission power-adjusting and has stable received energy.

Smoked aluminum track stations record flying squirrel occurrence

Treesearch

Martin G. Raphael; Cathy A. Taylor; Reginald H. Barrett

1986-01-01

Smoked aluminum track stations are a useful technique for studying patterns of abundance and distribution of northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus). They are easily transported to remote field sites, allow permanent preservation of tracks, and yield frequency-of-occurrence information. A study in Douglas-fir (Pseseudotsuga menziesii...

A GPU-Accelerated 3-D Coupled Subsample Estimation Algorithm for Volumetric Breast Strain Elastography.

PubMed

Peng, Bo; Wang, Yuqi; Hall, Timothy J; Jiang, Jingfeng

2017-04-01

Our primary objective of this paper was to extend a previously published 2-D coupled subsample tracking algorithm for 3-D speckle tracking in the framework of ultrasound breast strain elastography. In order to overcome heavy computational cost, we investigated the use of a graphic processing unit (GPU) to accelerate the 3-D coupled subsample speckle tracking method. The performance of the proposed GPU implementation was tested using a tissue-mimicking phantom and in vivo breast ultrasound data. The performance of this 3-D subsample tracking algorithm was compared with the conventional 3-D quadratic subsample estimation algorithm. On the basis of these evaluations, we concluded that the GPU implementation of this 3-D subsample estimation algorithm can provide high-quality strain data (i.e., high correlation between the predeformation and the motion-compensated postdeformation radio frequency echo data and high contrast-to-noise ratio strain images), as compared with the conventional 3-D quadratic subsample algorithm. Using the GPU implementation of the 3-D speckle tracking algorithm, volumetric strain data can be achieved relatively fast (approximately 20 s per volume [2.5 cm ×2.5 cm ×2.5 cm]).

Evaluation method for acoustic trapping performance by tracking motion of trapped microparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Hae Gyun; Ham Kim, Hyung; Yoon, Changhan

2018-05-01

We report a method to evaluate the performances of a single-beam acoustic tweezer using a high-frequency ultrasound transducer. The motion of a microparticle trapped by a 45-MHz single-element transducer was captured and analyzed to deduce the magnitude of trapping force. In the proposed method, the motion of a trapped microparticle was analyzed from a series of microscopy images to compute trapping force; thus, no additional equipment such as microfluidics is required. The method could be used to estimate the effective trapping force in an acoustic tweezer experiment to assess cell membrane deformability by attaching a microbead to the surface of a cell and tracking the motion of the trapped bead, which is similar to a bead-based assay that uses optical tweezers. The results showed that the trapping force increased with increasing acoustic intensity and duty factor, but the force eventually reached a plateau at a higher acoustic intensity. They demonstrated that this method could be used as a simple tool to evaluate the performance and to optimize the operating conditions of acoustic tweezers.

Real-time active MR-tracking of metallic stylets in MR-guided radiation therapy

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Dumoulin, Charles L.; Viswanathan, Akila N.; Tse, Zion T. H.; Mehrtash, Alireza; Loew, Wolfgang; Norton, Isaiah; Tokuda, Junichi; Seethamraju, Ravi T.; Kapur, Tina; Damato, Antonio L.; Cormack, Robert A.; Schmidt, Ehud J.

2014-01-01

Purpose To develop an active MR-tracking system to guide placement of metallic devices for radiation therapy. Methods An actively tracked metallic stylet for brachytherapy was constructed by adding printed-circuit micro-coils to a commercial stylet. The coil design was optimized by electromagnetic simulation, and has a radio-frequency lobe pattern extending ~5 mm beyond the strong B0 inhomogeneity region near the metal surface. An MR-tracking sequence with phase-field dithering was used to overcome residual effects of B0 and B1 inhomogeneities caused by the metal, as well as from inductive coupling to surrounding metallic stylets. The tracking system was integrated with a graphical workstation for real-time visualization. 3T MRI catheter-insertion procedures were tested in phantoms and ex-vivo animal tissue, and then performed in three patients during interstitial brachytherapy. Results The tracking system provided high-resolution (0.6 × 0.6 × 0.6 mm3) and rapid (16 to 40 frames per second, with three to one phase-field dithering directions) catheter localization in phantoms, animals, and three gynecologic cancer patients. Conclusion This is the first demonstration of active tracking of the shaft of metallic stylet in MR-guided brachytherapy. It holds the promise of assisting physicians to achieve better targeting and improving outcomes in interstitial brachytherapy. PMID:24903165

Bicycling crashes on streetcar (tram) or train tracks: mixed methods to identify prevention measures.

PubMed

Teschke, Kay; Dennis, Jessica; Reynolds, Conor C O; Winters, Meghan; Harris, M Anne

2016-07-22

Streetcar or train tracks in urban areas are difficult for bicyclists to negotiate and are a cause of crashes and injuries. This study used mixed methods to identify measures to prevent such crashes, by examining track-related crashes that resulted in injuries to cyclists, and obtaining information from the local transit agency and bike shops. We compared personal, trip, and route infrastructure characteristics of 87 crashes directly involving streetcar or train tracks to 189 crashes in other circumstances in Toronto, Canada. We complemented this with engineering information about the rail systems, interviews of personnel at seven bike shops about advice they provide to customers, and width measurements of tires on commonly sold bikes. In our study, 32 % of injured cyclists had crashes that directly involved tracks. The vast majority resulted from the bike tire being caught in the rail flangeway (gap in the road surface alongside rails), often when cyclists made unplanned maneuvers to avoid a collision. Track crashes were more common on major city streets with parked cars and no bike infrastructure, with left turns at intersections, with hybrid, racing and city bikes, among less experienced and less frequent bicyclists, and among women. Commonly sold bikes typically had tire widths narrower than the smallest track flangeways. There were no track crashes in route sections where streetcars and trains had dedicated rights of way. Given our results, prevention efforts might be directed at individual knowledge, bicycle tires, or route design, but their potential for success is likely to differ. Although it may be possible to reach a broader audience with continued advice about how to avoid track crashes, the persistence and frequency of these crashes and their unpredictable circumstances indicates that other solutions are needed. Using tires wider than streetcar or train flangeways could prevent some crashes, though there are other considerations that lead many cyclists to have narrower tires. To prevent the majority of track-involved injuries, route design measures including dedicated rail rights of way, cycle tracks (physically separated bike lanes), and protected intersections would be the best strategy.

A comparison of explosive cyclone characteristics in recent reanalyses: NCEP CFSR, JRA-55, and ERA-Interim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kita, Y.; Waseda, T.

2016-12-01

Explosive cyclones (EXPCs) were investigated in three recent reanalyses. Their tracking methods is diverse among researchers, and additionally reanalysis data they use are various. Reanalysis data are essential as initial conditions to implement a downscale simulation with high accuracy. In this study, characteristics of EXPCs in three recent reanalyses were investigated from several perspectives: track densities, minimum MSLP (Mean Sea Level Pressure), and radius of EXPCs. The tracking method of extratropical cyclones (ECs) is to track local minimum of MSLP. The domain is limited to Eastern Asia and the North Pacific Ocean (lat20°:70°, lon100°:200°), and target period is 2000-2014. Fig.1 shows that the frequencies of EXPCs, which is defined as ECs whose MSLP drops by over 12hPa in 12hours, are greatly different, noting that extracted EXPCs are those whose most deepening phases were located around Japan (lat20°:60°, lon110°:160°). In addition, they are dissimilar to those in a previous EXPCs database (Kawamura et al.) and results in weather map analyses. The differences between each frequency might be caused by MSLP at their centers: there were sometimes small gaps of a few hPa. The minimum MSLP and effective radius were also investigated, but distributions of effective radii of EXPCs did not show significant difference (Fig.2). Thus, the gaps of central MSLP just matter in the differences of their trends. To evaluate the path density of EXPCs, two-dimensional kernel density estimation was conducted. The kernel densities of EXPCs' tracks in three reanalyses seem similar: they accumulated apparently above ocean (not shown). Two-dimensional kernel densities of EXPCs' most deepening points accumulated above Sea of Japan, Kuroshio and Extension. Therefore, it is proved that there are considerable differences in numbers of EXPCs depending on reanalyses, while the general characteristics of EXPCs just have little difference. It is worthwhile to say that careful attention should be paid when researchers investigate an individual EXPC with reanalysis data.

Influence of polygonal wear of railway wheels on the wheel set axle stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xingwen; Chi, Maoru; Wu, Pingbo

2015-11-01

The coupled vehicle/track dynamic model with the flexible wheel set was developed to investigate the effects of polygonal wear on the dynamic stresses of the wheel set axle. In the model, the railway vehicle was modelled by the rigid multibody dynamics. The wheel set was established by the finite element method to analyse the high-frequency oscillation and dynamic stress of wheel set axle induced by the polygonal wear based on the modal stress recovery method. The slab track model was taken into account in which the rail was described by the Timoshenko beam and the three-dimensional solid finite element was employed to establish the concrete slab. Furthermore, the modal superposition method was adopted to calculate the dynamic response of the track. The wheel/rail normal forces and the tangent forces were, respectively, determined by the Hertz nonlinear contact theory and the Shen-Hedrick-Elkins model. Using the coupled vehicle/track dynamic model, the dynamic stresses of wheel set axle with consideration of the ideal polygonal wear and measured polygonal wear were investigated. The results show that the amplitude of wheel/rail normal forces and the dynamic stress of wheel set axle increase as the vehicle speeds rise. Moreover, the impact loads induced by the polygonal wear could excite the resonance of wheel set axle. In the resonance region, the amplitude of the dynamic stress for the wheel set axle would increase considerably comparing with the normal conditions.

Sinc or Sine? The Band Excitation Method and Energy Dissipation Measurements by SPM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei

2007-03-01

Quantitative energy dissipation measurements in force-based SPM is the key to understanding fundamental mechanisms of energy transformations on the nanoscale, molecular, and atomic levels. To date, these measurements are invariably based on either phase and amplitude detection in constant frequency mode, or as amplitude detection in frequency-tracking mode. The analysis in both cases implicitly assumes that amplitude is inversely proportional to the Q-factor and is not applicable when the driving force is position dependent, as is the case for virtually all SPM measurements. All current SPM methods sample only a single frequency in the Fourier domain of the system. Thus, only two out of three parameters (amplitude, resonance, and Q) can be determined independently. Here, we developed and implemented a new approach for SPM detection based on the excitation and detection of a signal having a finite amplitude over a selected region in the Fourier domain and allows simultaneous determination of all three parameters. This band excitation method allows acquisition of the local spectral response at a 10ms/pixel rate, compatible with fast imaging, and is illustrated for electromechanical and mechanical imaging and force-distance spectroscopy. The BE method thus represents a new paradigm in SPM, beyond traditional single-frequency excitation.

Atmospheric fronts in current and future climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catto, J. L.; Nicholls, N.; Jakob, C.; Shelton, K. L.

2014-11-01

Atmospheric fronts are important for the day-to-day variability of weather in the midlatitudes. It is therefore vital to know how their distribution and frequency will change in a projected warmer climate. Here we apply an objective front identification method, based on a thermal front parameter, to 6-hourly data from models participating in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5. The historical simulations are evaluated against ERA-Interim and found to produce a similar frequency of fronts and with similar front strength. The models show some biases in the location of the front frequency maxima. Future changes are estimated using the high emissions scenario simulations (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5). Projections show an overall decrease in front frequency in the Northern Hemisphere, with a poleward shift of the maxima of front frequency and a strong decrease at high latitudes where the temperature gradient is decreased. The Southern Hemisphere shows a poleward shift of the frequency maximum, consistent with previous storm track studies.

Effects of Attentional Focus and Age on Suprapostural Task Performance and Postural Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNevin, Nancy; Weir, Patricia; Quinn, Tiffany

2013-01-01

Purpose: Suprapostural task performance (manual tracking) and postural control (sway and frequency) were examined as a function of attentional focus, age, and tracking difficulty. Given the performance benefits often found under external focus conditions, it was hypothesized that external focus instructions would promote superior tracking and…

Experimental demonstration of tri-aperture Differential Synthetic Aperture Ladar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhilong; Huang, Jianyu; Wu, Shudong; Wang, Kunpeng; Bai, Tao; Dai, Ze; Kong, Xinyi; Wu, Jin

2017-04-01

A tri-aperture Differential Synthetic Aperture Ladar (DSAL) is demonstrated in laboratory, which is configured by using one common aperture to transmit the illuminating laser and another two along-track receiving apertures to collect back-scattered laser signal for optical heterodyne detection. The image formation theory on this tri-aperture DSAL shows that there are two possible methods to reconstruct the azimuth Phase History Data (PHD) for aperture synthesis by following standard DSAL principle, either method resulting in a different matched filter as well as an azimuth image resolution. The experimental setup of the tri-aperture DSAL adopts a frequency chirped laser of about 40 mW in 1550 nm wavelength range as the illuminating source and an optical isolator composed of a polarizing beam-splitter and a quarter wave plate to virtually line the three apertures in the along-track direction. Various DSAL images up to target distance of 12.9 m are demonstrated using both PHD reconstructing methods.

Irradiation stratigraphy in the Apollo 16 deep drill section 60002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanford, G. E.; Wood, G. C.

1978-01-01

Particle track density frequency distributions, abundance of track rich grains and minimum track densities are reported for the upper 20 cm of the 60002 section of the Apollo 16 deep drill core. The principal stratigraphic feature is a boundary approximately 7 cm from the top of the section. Experimental evidence does not conclusively determine whether this contact is an ancient regolith surface or is simply a depositional boundary. If it is an ancient surface, it has a model exposure age of 3 to 7 million years and a reworking depth of about 0.5 cm. However, because track density frequency distributions indicate the mixing of soils of different maturities, we favor interpreting this contact as a depositional boundary. There may be a second depositional boundary approximately 19 cm below the top of 60002.

Dynamic Performance of Maximum Power Point Trackers in TEG Systems Under Rapidly Changing Temperature Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Man, E. A.; Sera, D.; Mathe, L.; Schaltz, E.; Rosendahl, L.

2016-03-01

Characterization of thermoelectric generators (TEG) is widely discussed and equipment has been built that can perform such analysis. One method is often used to perform such characterization: constant temperature with variable thermal power input. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods for TEG systems are mostly tested under steady-state conditions for different constant input temperatures. However, for most TEG applications, the input temperature gradient changes, exposing the MPPT to variable tracking conditions. An example is the exhaust pipe on hybrid vehicles, for which, because of the intermittent operation of the internal combustion engine, the TEG and its MPPT controller are exposed to a cyclic temperature profile. Furthermore, there are no guidelines on how fast the MPPT must be under such dynamic conditions. In the work discussed in this paper, temperature gradients for TEG integrated in several applications were evaluated; the results showed temperature variation up to 5°C/s for TEG systems. Electrical characterization of a calcium-manganese oxide TEG was performed at steady-state for different input temperatures and a maximum temperature of 401°C. By using electrical data from characterization of the oxide module, a solar array simulator was emulated to perform as a TEG. A trapezoidal temperature profile with different gradients was used on the TEG simulator to evaluate the dynamic MPPT efficiency. It is known that the perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm may have difficulty accurately tracking under rapidly changing conditions. To solve this problem, a compromise must be found between the magnitude of the increment and the sampling frequency of the control algorithm. The standard P&O performance was evaluated experimentally by using different temperature gradients for different MPPT sampling frequencies, and efficiency values are provided for all cases. The results showed that a tracking speed of 2.5 Hz can be successfully implemented on a TEG system to provide ˜95% MPPT efficiency when the input temperature is changing at 5°C/s.

Dynamic vehicle-track interaction in switches and crossings and the influence of rail pad stiffness - field measurements and validation of a simulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pålsson, Björn A.; Nielsen, Jens C. O.

2015-06-01

A model for simulation of dynamic interaction between a railway vehicle and a turnout (switch and crossing, S&C) is validated versus field measurements. In particular, the implementation and accuracy of viscously damped track models with different complexities are assessed. The validation data come from full-scale field measurements of dynamic track stiffness and wheel-rail contact forces in a demonstrator turnout that was installed as part of the INNOTRACK project with funding from the European Union Sixth Framework Programme. Vertical track stiffness at nominal wheel loads, in the frequency range up to 20 Hz, was measured using a rolling stiffness measurement vehicle (RSMV). Vertical and lateral wheel-rail contact forces were measured by an instrumented wheel set mounted in a freight car featuring Y25 bogies. The measurements were performed for traffic in both the through and diverging routes, and in the facing and trailing moves. The full set of test runs was repeated with different types of rail pad to investigate the influence of rail pad stiffness on track stiffness and contact forces. It is concluded that impact loads on the crossing can be reduced by using more resilient rail pads. To allow for vehicle dynamics simulations at low computational cost, the track models are discretised space-variant mass-spring-damper models that are moving with each wheel set of the vehicle model. Acceptable agreement between simulated and measured vertical contact forces at the crossing can be obtained when the standard GENSYS track model is extended with one ballast/subgrade mass under each rail. This model can be tuned to capture the large phase delay in dynamic track stiffness at low frequencies, as measured by the RSMV, while remaining sufficiently resilient at higher frequencies.

Adaptive angular-velocity Vold-Kalman filter order tracking - Theoretical basis, numerical implementation and parameter investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, M.-Ch.; Chu, W.-Ch.; Le, Duc-Do

2016-12-01

The paper presents an alternative Vold-Kalman filter order tracking (VKF_OT) method, i.e. adaptive angular-velocity VKF_OT technique, to extract and characterize order components in an adaptive manner for the condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of rotary machinery. The order/spectral waveforms to be tracked can be recursively solved by using Kalman filter based on the one-step state prediction. The paper comprises theoretical derivation of computation scheme, numerical implementation, and parameter investigation. Comparisons of the adaptive VKF_OT scheme with two other ones are performed through processing synthetic signals of designated order components. Processing parameters such as the weighting factor and the correlation matrix of process noise, and data conditions like the sampling frequency, which influence tracking behavior, are explored. The merits such as adaptive processing nature and computation efficiency brought by the proposed scheme are addressed although the computation was performed in off-line conditions. The proposed scheme can simultaneously extract multiple spectral components, and effectively decouple close and crossing orders associated with multi-axial reference rotating speeds.

Simultaneous measurements of jellyfish bell kinematics and flow fields using PTV and PIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Nicole; Dabiri, John

2016-11-01

A better understanding of jellyfish swimming can potentially improve the energy efficiency of aquatic vehicles or create biomimetic robots for ocean monitoring. Aurelia aurita is a simple oblate invertebrate composed of a flexible bell and coronal muscle, which contracts to eject water from the subumbrellar volume. Jellyfish locomotion can be studied by obtaining body kinematics or by examining the resulting fluid velocity fields using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Typically, swim kinematics are obtained by semi-manually tracking points of interest (POI) along the bell in video post-processing; simultaneous measurements of kinematics and flows involve using this semi-manual tracking method on PIV videos. However, we show that both the kinematics and flow fields can be directly visualized in 3D space by embedding phosphorescent particles in animals free-swimming in seeded environments. Particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) can then be used to calculate bell kinematics, such as pulse frequency, bell deformation, swim trajectories, and propulsive efficiency. By simultaneously tracking POI within the bell and collecting PIV data, we can further study the jellyfish's natural locomotive control mechanisms in conjunction with flow measurements. NSF GRFP.

Prediction and measurements of vibrations from a railway track lying on a peaty ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picoux, B.; Rotinat, R.; Regoin, J. P.; Le Houédec, D.

2003-10-01

This paper introduces a two-dimensional model for the response of the ground surface due to vibrations generated by a railway traffic. A semi-analytical wave propagation model is introduced which is subjected to a set of harmonic moving loads and based on a calculation method of the dynamic stiffness matrix of the ground. In order to model a complete railway system, the effect of a simple track model is taken into account including rails, sleepers and ballast especially designed for the study of low vibration frequencies. The priority has been given to a simple formulation based on the principle of spatial Fourier transforms compatible with good numerical efficiency and yet providing quick solutions. In addition, in situ measurements for a soft soil near a railway track were carried out and will be used to validate the numerical implementation. The numerical and experimental results constitute a significant body of useful data to, on the one hand, characterize the response of the environment of tracks and, on the other hand, appreciate the importance of the speed and weight on the behaviour of the structure.

Gender, age, and sport differences in relative age effects among US Masters swimming and track and field athletes.

PubMed

Medic, Nikola; Young, Bradley W; Starkes, Janet L; Weir, Patricia L; Grove, J Robert

2009-12-01

A relative age effect has been identified in Masters sports (Medic, Starkes, & Young, 2007). Since gender, age, and type of sport have been found to influence the relative age effect in youth sports (Musch & Grondin, 2001), we examined how these three variables influenced possible relative age effects among Masters swimmers and track and field athletes. Using archived data between 1996 and 2006, frequency of participation entries and record-setting performances at the US Masters championships were examined as a function of an individual's constituent year within any 5-year age category. Study 1 investigated the frequency of Master athletes who participated; Study 2 examined the frequency of performance records that were set across constituent years within an age category, while accounting for the distribution of participation frequencies. Results showed that a participation-related relative age effect in Masters sports is stronger for males, that it becomes progressively stronger with each successive decade of life, and that it does not differ across track and field and swimming. In addition, a performance-related relative age effect in Masters sport seems to be stronger for swimming than track and field, but it does not differ across gender and decades of life.

The Pulkovo Cooperation for Radar and Optical Observations of Space Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molotov, I.; Konovalenko, A. A.; Tuccari, G.; Falkovich, I.; Nechaeva, M.; Kiladze, R.; Titenko, V.; Agapov, V.; Khutorovsky, Z. N.; Sukhov, P. P.; Burtsev, Yu.; Sochilina, A.; Abalakin, V.; et al.

The Pulkovo observatory is arranging the cooperation of optical and radio telescopes for space debris studies in two main research directions, i.e. the precise tracking of the GEO-objects for development of the dynamical control method and the barrier method study of small fragments produced by GEO-object explosions.Radar experiments are being carried out a few times per year by using the Evpatoria RT-70 transmitter and the receiving radio telescopes in Bear Lakes (Russia), Simeiz (Ukraine), Noto (Italy), and Urumqi (China). The data processing centers are located in N. Novgorod and Noto, and integrated into the Low Frequency VLBI Network (LFVN). The adjustment of the coordinated radar VLBI measurements has been completed, and the technique of beam-track searching has been tested. The program of the LFVN modernizations is in progress The Pulkovo cooperation of optical observers (PULCOO) includes observatories and observation stations of the former Soviet Union around the world, and is to provide the routine tracking of the GEO-objects. The adjustment has been carried out for the method to search for GEO-fragments in the barriers predicted on basis of the Pulkovo "LAPLACE" theory of motion. The refurbishment program for telescopes, which cooperate with the PULCOO, is in progress.

The Coplane Analysis Technique for Three-Dimensional Wind Retrieval Using the HIWRAP Airborne Doppler Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Didlake, Anthony C., Jr.; Heymsfield, Gerald M.; Tian, Lin; Guimond, Stephen R.

2015-01-01

The coplane analysis technique for mapping the three-dimensional wind field of precipitating systems is applied to the NASA High Altitude Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP). HIWRAP is a dual-frequency Doppler radar system with two downward pointing and conically scanning beams. The coplane technique interpolates radar measurements to a natural coordinate frame, directly solves for two wind components, and integrates the mass continuity equation to retrieve the unobserved third wind component. This technique is tested using a model simulation of a hurricane and compared to a global optimization retrieval. The coplane method produced lower errors for the cross-track and vertical wind components, while the global optimization method produced lower errors for the along-track wind component. Cross-track and vertical wind errors were dependent upon the accuracy of the estimated boundary condition winds near the surface and at nadir, which were derived by making certain assumptions about the vertical velocity field. The coplane technique was then applied successfully to HIWRAP observations of Hurricane Ingrid (2013). Unlike the global optimization method, the coplane analysis allows for a transparent connection between the radar observations and specific analysis results. With this ability, small-scale features can be analyzed more adequately and erroneous radar measurements can be identified more easily.

Robotic vehicle with multiple tracked mobility platforms

DOEpatents

Salton, Jonathan R [Albuquerque, NM; Buttz, James H [Albuquerque, NM; Garretson, Justin [Albuquerque, NM; Hayward, David R [Wetmore, CO; Hobart, Clinton G [Albuquerque, NM; Deuel, Jr., Jamieson K.

2012-07-24

A robotic vehicle having two or more tracked mobility platforms that are mechanically linked together with a two-dimensional coupling, thereby forming a composite vehicle of increased mobility. The robotic vehicle is operative in hazardous environments and can be capable of semi-submersible operation. The robotic vehicle is capable of remote controlled operation via radio frequency and/or fiber optic communication link to a remote operator control unit. The tracks have a plurality of track-edge scallop cut-outs that allow the tracks to easily grab onto and roll across railroad tracks, especially when crossing the railroad tracks at an oblique angle.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chao, M; Yuan, Y; Lo, Y

Purpose: To develop a novel strategy to extract the lung tumor motion from cone beam CT (CBCT) projections by an active contour model with interpolated respiration learned from diaphragm motion. Methods: Tumor tracking on CBCT projections was accomplished with the templates derived from planning CT (pCT). There are three major steps in the proposed algorithm: 1) The pCT was modified to form two CT sets: a tumor removed pCT and a tumor only pCT, the respective digitally reconstructed radiographs DRRtr and DRRto following the same geometry of the CBCT projections were generated correspondingly. 2) The DRRtr was rigidly registered withmore » the CBCT projections on the frame-by-frame basis. Difference images between CBCT projections and the registered DRRtr were generated where the tumor visibility was appreciably enhanced. 3) An active contour method was applied to track the tumor motion on the tumor enhanced projections with DRRto as templates to initialize the tumor tracking while the respiratory motion was compensated for by interpolating the diaphragm motion estimated by our novel constrained linear regression approach. CBCT and pCT from five patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy were included in addition to scans from a Quasar phantom programmed with known motion. Manual tumor tracking was performed on CBCT projections and was compared to the automatic tracking to evaluate the algorithm accuracy. Results: The phantom study showed that the error between the automatic tracking and the ground truth was within 0.2mm. For the patients the discrepancy between the calculation and the manual tracking was between 1.4 and 2.2 mm depending on the location and shape of the lung tumor. Similar patterns were observed in the frequency domain. Conclusion: The new algorithm demonstrated the feasibility to track the lung tumor from noisy CBCT projections, providing a potential solution to better motion management for lung radiation therapy.« less

Radio frequency tags systems to initiate system processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, Harold O.; Madsen, David W.

1994-09-01

This paper describes the automatic identification technology which has been installed at Applied Magnetic Corp. MR fab. World class manufacturing requires technology exploitation. This system combines (1) FluoroTrac cassette and operator tracking, (2) CELLworks cell controller software tools, and (3) Auto-Soft Inc. software integration services. The combined system eliminates operator keystrokes and errors during normal processing within a semiconductor fab. The methods and benefits of this system are described.

Adaptive Optimal Control Using Frequency Selective Information of the System Uncertainty With Application to Unmanned Aircraft.

PubMed

Maity, Arnab; Hocht, Leonhard; Heise, Christian; Holzapfel, Florian

2018-01-01

A new efficient adaptive optimal control approach is presented in this paper based on the indirect model reference adaptive control (MRAC) architecture for improvement of adaptation and tracking performance of the uncertain system. The system accounts here for both matched and unmatched unknown uncertainties that can act as plant as well as input effectiveness failures or damages. For adaptation of the unknown parameters of these uncertainties, the frequency selective learning approach is used. Its idea is to compute a filtered expression of the system uncertainty using multiple filters based on online instantaneous information, which is used for augmentation of the update law. It is capable of adjusting a sudden change in system dynamics without depending on high adaptation gains and can satisfy exponential parameter error convergence under certain conditions in the presence of structured matched and unmatched uncertainties as well. Additionally, the controller of the MRAC system is designed using a new optimal control method. This method is a new linear quadratic regulator-based optimal control formulation for both output regulation and command tracking problems. It provides a closed-form control solution. The proposed overall approach is applied in a control of lateral dynamics of an unmanned aircraft problem to show its effectiveness.

Frequency encoded auditory display of the critical tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, J.

1984-01-01

The use of auditory displays for selected cockpit instruments was examined. In auditory, visual, and combined auditory-visual compensatory displays of a vertical axis, critical tracking task were studied. The visual display encoded vertical error as the position of a dot on a 17.78 cm, center marked CRT. The auditory display encoded vertical error as log frequency with a six octave range; the center point at 1 kHz was marked by a 20-dB amplitude notch, one-third octave wide. Asymptotic performance on the critical tracking task was significantly better when using combined displays rather than the visual only mode. At asymptote, the combined display was slightly, but significantly, better than the visual only mode. The maximum controllable bandwidth using the auditory mode was only 60% of the maximum controllable bandwidth using the visual mode. Redundant cueing increased the rate of improvement of tracking performance, and the asymptotic performance level. This enhancement increases with the amount of redundant cueing used. This effect appears most prominent when the bandwidth of the forcing function is substantially less than the upper limit of controllability frequency.

Application of Kalman filter in frequency offset estimation for coherent optical quadrature phase-shift keying communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Wen; Yang, Yanfu; Zhang, Qun; Sun, Yunxu; Zhong, Kangping; Zhou, Xian; Yao, Yong

2016-09-01

The frequency offset estimation (FOE) schemes based on Kalman filter are proposed and investigated in detail via numerical simulation and experiment. The schemes consist of a modulation phase removing stage and Kalman filter estimation stage. In the second stage, the Kalman filters are employed for tracking either differential angles or differential data between two successive symbols. Several implementations of the proposed FOE scheme are compared by employing different modulation removing methods and two Kalman algorithms. The optimal FOE implementation is suggested for different operating conditions including optical signal-to-noise ratio and the number of the available data symbols.

Handling Qualities of Large Flexible Aircraft. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poopaka, S.

1980-01-01

The effects on handling qualities of elastic modes interaction with the rigid body dynamics of a large flexible aircraft are studied by a mathematical computer simulation. An analytical method to predict the pilot ratings when there is a severe modes interactions is developed. This is done by extending the optimal control model of the human pilot response to include the mode decomposition mechanism into the model. The handling qualities are determined for a longitudinal tracking task using a large flexible aircraft with parametric variations in the undamped natural frequencies of the two lowest frequency, symmetric elastic modes made to induce varying amounts of mode interaction.

A Tool for the Automated Collection of Space Utilization Data: Three Dimensional Space Utilization Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vos, Gordon A.; Fink, Patrick; Ngo, Phong H.; Morency, Richard; Simon, Cory; Williams, Robert E.; Perez, Lance C.

2017-01-01

Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) Element within the Human Research Program (HRP) and the Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Element are conducting research regarding Net Habitable Volume (NHV), the internal volume within a spacecraft or habitat that is available to crew for required activities, as well as layout and accommodations within the volume. NASA needs methods to unobtrusively collect NHV data without impacting crew time. Data required includes metrics such as location and orientation of crew, volume used to complete tasks, internal translation paths, flow of work, and task completion times. In less constrained environments methods exist yet many are obtrusive and require significant post-processing. ?Examplesused in terrestrial settings include infrared (IR) retro-reflective marker based motion capture, GPS sensor tracking, inertial tracking, and multi-camera methods ?Due to constraints of space operations many such methods are infeasible. Inertial tracking systems typically rely upon a gravity vector to normalize sensor readings,and traditional IR systems are large and require extensive calibration. ?However, multiple technologies have not been applied to space operations for these purposes. Two of these include: 3D Radio Frequency Identification Real-Time Localization Systems (3D RFID-RTLS) ?Depth imaging systems which allow for 3D motion capture and volumetric scanning (such as those using IR-depth cameras like the Microsoft Kinect or Light Detection and Ranging / Light-Radar systems, referred to as LIDAR)

Sound Generation by Aircraft Wake Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardin, Jay C.; Wang, Frank Y.

2003-01-01

This report provides an extensive analysis of potential wake vortex noise sources that might be utilized to aid in their tracking. Several possible mechanisms of aircraft vortex sound generation are examined on the basis of discrete vortex dynamic models and characteristic acoustic signatures calculated by application of vortex sound theory. It is shown that the most robust mechanisms result in very low frequency infrasound. An instability of the vortex core structure is discussed and shown to be a possible mechanism for generating higher frequency sound bordering the audible frequency range. However, the frequencies produced are still low and cannot explain the reasonably high-pitched sound that has occasionally been observed experimentally. Since the robust mechanisms appear to generate only very low frequency sound, infrasonic tracking of the vortices may be warranted.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hickerson, Jonathan W; Younkin, James R

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology has revolutionized the concept of asset tracking. By affixing an RFID tag to a valued asset, one can track the item throughout any facility where RIFD readers are in place, thereby alerting inspectors to theft, misuse, and misplacement of the tracked item. While not yet implemented for tracking very high value assets, RFID technology is already widely used in many industries as the standard for asset tracking. A subset of RFID technology exists called Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) RFID. While traditional (sometimes called narrow-band) RFID technology transmits a continuous sine-wave signal of a narrow frequency range, UWB technologymore » works by transmitting signals as short pulses of a broad frequency range. This improves performance in several areas, namely, range, precision, and accuracy of motion detection. Because of the nature of the technology, it also performs well in close proximity to metal, which sets it apart from traditional RFID. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current state of UWB RFID technology and research the areas where it already is being used. This is accomplished through study of publicly known uses of the technology as well as personal exploration of RFID hardware and software. This paper presents the findings in a general manner to facilitate their usefulness for diverse applications.« less

Specific contributions of basal ganglia and cerebellum to the neural tracking of rhythm.

PubMed

Nozaradan, Sylvie; Schwartze, Michael; Obermeier, Christian; Kotz, Sonja A

2017-10-01

How specific brain networks track rhythmic sensory input over time remains a challenge in neuroimaging work. Here we show that subcortical areas, namely the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, specifically contribute to the neural tracking of rhythm. We tested patients with focal lesions in either of these areas and healthy controls by means of electroencephalography (EEG) while they listened to rhythmic sequences known to induce selective neural tracking at a frequency corresponding to the most-often perceived pulse-like beat. Both patients and controls displayed neural responses to the rhythmic sequences. However, these response patterns were different across groups, with patients showing reduced tracking at beat frequency, especially for the more challenging rhythms. In the cerebellar patients, this effect was specific to the rhythm played at a fast tempo, which places high demands on the temporally precise encoding of events. In contrast, basal ganglia patients showed more heterogeneous responses at beat frequency specifically for the most complex rhythm, which requires more internal generation of the beat. These findings provide electrophysiological evidence that these subcortical structures selectively shape the neural representation of rhythm. Moreover, they suggest that the processing of rhythmic auditory input relies on an extended cortico-subcortico-cortical functional network providing specific timing and entrainment sensitivities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real time analysis of voiced sounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hong, J. P. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A power spectrum analysis of the harmonic content of a voiced sound signal is conducted in real time by phase-lock-loop tracking of the fundamental frequency, (f sub 0) of the signal and successive harmonics (h sub 1 through h sub n) of the fundamental frequency. The analysis also includes measuring the quadrature power and phase of each frequency tracked, differentiating the power measurements of the harmonics in adjacent pairs, and analyzing successive differentials to determine peak power points in the power spectrum for display or use in analysis of voiced sound, such as for voice recognition.

Simultaneous topography imaging and broadband nanomechanical mapping on atomic force microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianwei; Zou, Qingze

2017-12-01

In this paper, an approach is proposed to achieve simultaneous imaging and broadband nanomechanical mapping of soft materials in air by using an atomic force microscope. Simultaneous imaging and nanomechanical mapping are needed, for example, to correlate the morphological and mechanical evolutions of the sample during dynamic phenomena such as the cell endocytosis process. Current techniques for nanomechanical mapping, however, are only capable of capturing static elasticity of the material, or the material viscoelasticity in a narrow frequency band around the resonant frequency(ies) of the cantilever used, not competent for broadband nanomechanical mapping, nor acquiring topography image of the sample simultaneously. These limitations are addressed in this work by enabling the augmentation of an excitation force stimuli of rich frequency spectrum for nanomechanical mapping in the imaging process. Kalman-filtering technique is exploited to decouple and split the mixed signals for imaging and mapping, respectively. Then the sample indentation generated is quantified online via a system-inversion method, and the effects of the indentation generated and the topography tracking error on the topography quantification are taken into account. Moreover, a data-driven feedforward-feedback control is utilized to track the sample topography. The proposed approach is illustrated through experimental implementation on a polydimethylsiloxane sample with a pre-fabricated pattern.

Iterative Frequency Domain Decision Feedback Equalization and Decoding for Underwater Acoustic Communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liang; Ge, Jian-Hua

2012-12-01

Single-carrier (SC) transmission with frequency-domain equalization (FDE) is today recognized as an attractive alternative to orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for communication application with the inter-symbol interference (ISI) caused by multi-path propagation, especially in shallow water channel. In this paper, we investigate an iterative receiver based on minimum mean square error (MMSE) decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with symbol rate and fractional rate samplings in the frequency domain (FD) and serially concatenated trellis coded modulation (SCTCM) decoder. Based on sound speed profiles (SSP) measured in the lake and finite-element ray tracking (Bellhop) method, the shallow water channel is constructed to evaluate the performance of the proposed iterative receiver. Performance results show that the proposed iterative receiver can significantly improve the performance and obtain better data transmission than FD linear and adaptive decision feedback equalizers, especially in adopting fractional rate sampling.

Assessment of the pseudo-tracking approach for the calculation of material acceleration and pressure fields from time-resolved PIV: part II. Spatio-temporal filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Gent, P. L.; Schrijer, F. F. J.; van Oudheusden, B. W.

2018-04-01

The present study characterises the spatio-temporal filtering associated with pseudo-tracking. A combined theoretical and numerical assessment is performed that uses the relatively simple flow case of a two-dimensional Taylor vortex as analytical test case. An additional experimental assessment considers the more complex flow of a low-speed axisymmetric base flow, for which time-resolved tomographic PIV measurements and microphone measurements were obtained. The results of these assessments show how filtering along Lagrangian tracks leads to amplitude modulation of flow structures. A cut-off track length and spatial resolution are specified to support future applications of the pseudo-tracking approach. The experimental results show a fair agreement between PIV and microphone pressure data in terms of fluctuation levels and pressure frequency spectra. The coherence and correlation between microphone and PIV pressure measurements were found to be substantial and almost independent of the track length, indicating that the low-frequency behaviour of the flow could be reproduced regardless of the track length. It is suggested that a spectral analysis can be used inform the selection of a suitable track length and to estimate the local error margin of reconstructed pressure values.

Conjugate LEP Events at Palmer Station, Antarctica: Hemisphere-Dependent Timing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, D.; Moore, R. C.

2016-12-01

During March 2015, a large number of lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) events were simultaneously observed using very low frequency receivers in both the northern and southern hemispheres. After removing overlapping events and unclear (or not well-defined) events, 22 conjugate LEP events remain and are used to statistically analyze the hemispheric dependence of LEP onset time. LEP events were detected in the northern hemisphere using the VLF remote sensing method by tracking the NAA transmitter signal (24.0 kHz, Cutler, Maine) at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In the southern hemisphere, the NPM transmitter signal (21.4 kHz, Laulaulei, Hawii) is tracked at Palmer station, Antarctica. In each case, the GLD360 dataset from Vaisala is used to determine the hemisphere of the causative lightning flash, and this is compared with the hemisphere in which the LEP event is detected first. The onset times and onset durations can be calculated using a number of different methods, however. In this paper, we compare and contrast the onset times and durations calculated using multiple different methods, with each method applied to the same 22 conjugate LEP events.

FREQ-Seq: A Rapid, Cost-Effective, Sequencing-Based Method to Determine Allele Frequencies Directly from Mixed Populations

PubMed Central

Delaney, Nigel F.; Marx, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Understanding evolutionary dynamics within microbial populations requires the ability to accurately follow allele frequencies through time. Here we present a rapid, cost-effective method (FREQ-Seq) that leverages Illumina next-generation sequencing for localized, quantitative allele frequency detection. Analogous to RNA-Seq, FREQ-Seq relies upon counts from the >105 reads generated per locus per time-point to determine allele frequencies. Loci of interest are directly amplified from a mixed population via two rounds of PCR using inexpensive, user-designed oligonucleotides and a bar-coded bridging primer system that can be regenerated in-house. The resulting bar-coded PCR products contain the adapters needed for Illumina sequencing, eliminating further library preparation. We demonstrate the utility of FREQ-Seq by determining the order and dynamics of beneficial alleles that arose as a microbial population, founded with an engineered strain of Methylobacterium, evolved to grow on methanol. Quantifying allele frequencies with minimal bias down to 1% abundance allowed effective analysis of SNPs, small in-dels and insertions of transposable elements. Our data reveal large-scale clonal interference during the early stages of adaptation and illustrate the utility of FREQ-Seq as a cost-effective tool for tracking allele frequencies in populations. PMID:23118913

Global field synchronization in gamma range of the sleep EEG tracks sleep depth: Artifact introduced by a rectangular analysis window.

PubMed

Rusterholz, Thomas; Achermann, Peter; Dürr, Roland; Koenig, Thomas; Tarokh, Leila

2017-06-01

Investigating functional connectivity between brain networks has become an area of interest in neuroscience. Several methods for investigating connectivity have recently been developed, however, these techniques need to be applied with care. We demonstrate that global field synchronization (GFS), a global measure of phase alignment in the EEG as a function of frequency, must be applied considering signal processing principles in order to yield valid results. Multichannel EEG (27 derivations) was analyzed for GFS based on the complex spectrum derived by the fast Fourier transform (FFT). We examined the effect of window functions on GFS, in particular of non-rectangular windows. Applying a rectangular window when calculating the FFT revealed high GFS values for high frequencies (>15Hz) that were highly correlated (r=0.9) with spectral power in the lower frequency range (0.75-4.5Hz) and tracked the depth of sleep. This turned out to be spurious synchronization. With a non-rectangular window (Tukey or Hanning window) these high frequency synchronization vanished. Both, GFS and power density spectra significantly differed for rectangular and non-rectangular windows. Previous papers using GFS typically did not specify the applied window and may have used a rectangular window function. However, the demonstrated impact of the window function raises the question of the validity of some previous findings at higher frequencies. We demonstrated that it is crucial to apply an appropriate window function for determining synchronization measures based on a spectral approach to avoid spurious synchronization in the beta/gamma range. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distributed Secure Coordinated Control for Multiagent Systems Under Strategic Attacks.

PubMed

Feng, Zhi; Wen, Guanghui; Hu, Guoqiang

2017-05-01

This paper studies a distributed secure consensus tracking control problem for multiagent systems subject to strategic cyber attacks modeled by a random Markov process. A hybrid stochastic secure control framework is established for designing a distributed secure control law such that mean-square exponential consensus tracking is achieved. A connectivity restoration mechanism is considered and the properties on attack frequency and attack length rate are investigated, respectively. Based on the solutions of an algebraic Riccati equation and an algebraic Riccati inequality, a procedure to select the control gains is provided and stability analysis is studied by using Lyapunov's method.. The effect of strategic attacks on discrete-time systems is also investigated. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of theoretical analysis.

Tracking and recognition of multiple human targets moving in a wireless pyroelectric infrared sensor network.

PubMed

Xiong, Ji; Li, Fangmin; Zhao, Ning; Jiang, Na

2014-04-22

With characteristics of low-cost and easy deployment, the distributed wireless pyroelectric infrared sensor network has attracted extensive interest, which aims to make it an alternate infrared video sensor in thermal biometric applications for tracking and identifying human targets. In these applications, effectively processing signals collected from sensors and extracting the features of different human targets has become crucial. This paper proposes the application of empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert-Huang transform to extract features of moving human targets both in the time domain and the frequency domain. Moreover, the support vector machine is selected as the classifier. The experimental results demonstrate that by using this method the identification rates of multiple moving human targets are around 90%.

Laser interrogation techniques for high-sensitivity strain sensing by fiber-Bragg-grating structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagliardi, G.; Salza, M.; Ferraro, P.; De Natale, P.

2017-11-01

Novel interrogation methods for static and dynamic measurements of mechanical deformations by fiber Bragg-gratings (FBGs) structures are presented. The sensor-reflected radiation gives information on suffered strain, with a sensitivity dependent on the interrogation setup. Different approaches have been carried out, based on laser-frequency modulation techniques and near-IR lasers, to measure strain in single-FBG and in resonant high-reflectivity FBG arrays. In particular, for the fiber resonator, the laser frequency is actively locked to the cavity resonances by the Pound-Drever-Hall technique, thus tracking any frequency change due to deformations. The loop error and correction signals fed back to the laser are used as strain monitor. Sensitivity limits vary between 200 nɛ/√Hz in the quasi-static domain (0.5÷2 Hz), and between 1 and 4 nɛ/√Hz in the 0.4-1 kHz range for the single-FBG scheme, while strain down to 50 pɛ can be detected by using the laser-cavity-locked method.

Tracking Servobridge Detector. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-15

34 _ - b[ Section 1 ABSTRACT 1.0 General This report is in three volumes - Volume I describes technically the Tracking Servo Bridge Detector in final...28 4.1.9.2 Typical Pulse Generator ....... ............... ... 29 4.1.10 Unlock Alarm .......... ..................... .... 30 4.1.11.1 DC...46 4.3.8.4 RF Oucput Harmonic Distortion vs. Frequency Plot . . .. 48 4.3.8.5 Generator Input Level Limits vs. Frequency Plot. . . .. 49 4.3.8.6 RF

Comparisons between designs for single-sided linear electric motors: Homopolar synchronous and induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nondahl, T. A.; Richter, E.

1980-09-01

A design study of two types of single sided (with a passive rail) linear electric machine designs, namely homopolar linear synchronous machines (LSM's) and linear induction machines (LIM's), is described. It is assumed the machines provide tractive effort for several types of light rail vehicles and locomotives. These vehicles are wheel supported and require tractive powers ranging from 200 kW to 3735 kW and top speeds ranging from 112 km/hr to 400 km/hr. All designs are made according to specified magnetic and thermal criteria. The LSM advantages are a higher power factor, much greater restoring forces for track misalignments, and less track heating. The LIM advantages are no need to synchronize the excitation frequency precisely to vehicle speed, simpler machine construction, and a more easily anchored track structure. The relative weights of the two machine types vary with excitation frequency and speed; low frequencies and low speeds favor the LSM.

Space Shuttle program communication and tracking systems interface analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodds, J. G.; Holmes, J. K.; Huth, G. K.; Iwasaki, R. S.; Nilsen, P. W.; Polydoros, A.; Sampaio, D. R.; Udalov, S.

1984-01-01

The Space Shuttle Program Communications and Tracking Systems Interface Analysis began April 18, 1983. During this time, the shuttle communication and tracking systems began flight testing. Two areas of analysis documented were a result of observations made during flight tests. These analyses involved the Ku-band communication system. First, there was a detailed analysis of the interface between the solar max data format and the Ku-band communication system including the TDRSS ground station. The second analysis involving the Ku-band communication system was an analysis of the frequency lock loop of the Gunn oscillator used to generate the transmit frequency. The stability of the frequency lock loop was investigated and changes to the design were reviewed to alleviate the potential loss of data due the loop losing lock and entering the reacquisition mode. Other areas of investigation were the S-band antenna analysis and RF coverage analysis.

Difficulties in Interpreting Ballast Degradation Level Estimates from Synthetic Ground-Penetrating Radar Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlan, K. M.; Hendry, M. T.; Martin, C. D.; Schmitt, D. R.

2016-12-01

As fine-grained particles accumulate within railway ballast, it becomes more susceptible to differential deformations, which leads to the loss of proper track alignment and an increased risk for car derailment. Methods for estimating the ballast degradation level from low-frequency (<1 GHz) ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements exist, but their applicability in a wide range of track foundation conditions has yet to be evaluated. This analysis, based on simulated GPR data, evaluates the sensitivity of these methods to changing ballast moisture contents, ballast thicknesses and subballast material types. The results highlight that small changes to the track foundation, indepedent of the concentration of degraded ballast, significantly alter the attenuation and reflectivity characteristics of the simualted GPR measurements. As such, ballast degraded to a certain level will manifest with different attenuation and reflectivity characteristics, limiting the ability to accurately and reliably detect these changes using GPR. Radar propagation velocities within the ballast are less influenced by changes in ballast depth and subballast material type. However, ambiguous propagation velocities are observed for certain ballast moisture contents and degradation levels; furthermore, velocities can only be calculated when the ballast thickness is known. These results suggest that while under certain circumstances, with additional information on the track foundation conditons, ballast degradation levels can be estimated from GPR data; in general, the complicated nature of GPR signals makes the quantificaion of ballast degradation levels difficult.

Perceptually relevant speech tracking in auditory and motor cortex reflects distinct linguistic features

PubMed Central

Gross, Joachim; Kayser, Christoph

2018-01-01

During online speech processing, our brain tracks the acoustic fluctuations in speech at different timescales. Previous research has focused on generic timescales (for example, delta or theta bands) that are assumed to map onto linguistic features such as prosody or syllables. However, given the high intersubject variability in speaking patterns, such a generic association between the timescales of brain activity and speech properties can be ambiguous. Here, we analyse speech tracking in source-localised magnetoencephalographic data by directly focusing on timescales extracted from statistical regularities in our speech material. This revealed widespread significant tracking at the timescales of phrases (0.6–1.3 Hz), words (1.8–3 Hz), syllables (2.8–4.8 Hz), and phonemes (8–12.4 Hz). Importantly, when examining its perceptual relevance, we found stronger tracking for correctly comprehended trials in the left premotor (PM) cortex at the phrasal scale as well as in left middle temporal cortex at the word scale. Control analyses using generic bands confirmed that these effects were specific to the speech regularities in our stimuli. Furthermore, we found that the phase at the phrasal timescale coupled to power at beta frequency (13–30 Hz) in motor areas. This cross-frequency coupling presumably reflects top-down temporal prediction in ongoing speech perception. Together, our results reveal specific functional and perceptually relevant roles of distinct tracking and cross-frequency processes along the auditory–motor pathway. PMID:29529019

A diagnostic signal selection scheme for planetary gearbox vibration monitoring under non-stationary operational conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Ke; Wang, KeSheng; Zhang, Mian; Ni, Qing; Zuo, Ming J.

2017-03-01

The planetary gearbox, due to its unique mechanical structures, is an important rotating machine for transmission systems. Its engineering applications are often in non-stationary operational conditions, such as helicopters, wind energy systems, etc. The unique physical structures and working conditions make the vibrations measured from planetary gearboxes exhibit a complex time-varying modulation and therefore yield complicated spectral structures. As a result, traditional signal processing methods, such as Fourier analysis, and the selection of characteristic fault frequencies for diagnosis face serious challenges. To overcome this drawback, this paper proposes a signal selection scheme for fault-emphasized diagnostics based upon two order tracking techniques. The basic procedures for the proposed scheme are as follows. (1) Computed order tracking is applied to reveal the order contents and identify the order(s) of interest. (2) Vold-Kalman filter order tracking is used to extract the order(s) of interest—these filtered order(s) constitute the so-called selected vibrations. (3) Time domain statistic indicators are applied to the selected vibrations for faulty information-emphasized diagnostics. The proposed scheme is explained and demonstrated in a signal simulation model and experimental studies and the method proves to be effective for planetary gearbox fault diagnosis.

Worldwide differential GPS for Space Shuttle landing operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loomis, Peter V. W.; Denaro, Robert P.; Saunders, Penny

1990-01-01

Worldwide differential Global Positioning System (WWDGPS) is viewed as an effective method of offering continuous high-quality navigation worldwide. The concept utilizes a network with as few as 33 ground stations to observe most of the error sources of GPS and provide error corrections to users on a worldwide basis. The WWDGPS real-time GPS tracking concept promises a threefold or fourfold improvement in accuracy for authorized dual-frequency users, and in addition maintains an accurate and current ionosphere model for single-frequency users. A real-time global tracking network also has the potential to reverse declarations of poor health on marginal satellites, increasing the number of satellites in the constellation and lessening the probability of GPS navigation outage. For Space Shuttle operations, the use of WWDGPS-aided P-code equipment promises performance equal to or better than other current landing guidance systems in terms of accuracy and reliability. This performance comes at significantly less cost to NASA, which will participate as a customer in a system designed as a commercial operation serving the global civil navigation community.

Frequency analysis of gaze points with CT colonography interpretation using eye gaze tracking system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsutsumi, Shoko; Tamashiro, Wataru; Sato, Mitsuru; Okajima, Mika; Ogura, Toshihiro; Doi, Kunio

2017-03-01

It is important to investigate eye tracking gaze points of experts, in order to assist trainees in understanding of image interpretation process. We investigated gaze points of CT colonography (CTC) interpretation process, and analyzed the difference in gaze points between experts and trainees. In this study, we attempted to understand how trainees can be improved to a level achieved by experts in viewing of CTC. We used an eye gaze point sensing system, Gazefineder (JVCKENWOOD Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), which can detect pupil point and corneal reflection point by the dark pupil eye tracking. This system can provide gaze points images and excel file data. The subjects are radiological technologists who are experienced, and inexperienced in reading CTC. We performed observer studies in reading virtual pathology images and examined observer's image interpretation process using gaze points data. Furthermore, we examined eye tracking frequency analysis by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). We were able to understand the difference in gaze points between experts and trainees by use of the frequency analysis. The result of the trainee had a large amount of both high-frequency components and low-frequency components. In contrast, both components by the expert were relatively low. Regarding the amount of eye movement in every 0.02 second we found that the expert tended to interpret images slowly and calmly. On the other hand, the trainee was moving eyes quickly and also looking for wide areas. We can assess the difference in the gaze points on CTC between experts and trainees by use of the eye gaze point sensing system and based on the frequency analysis. The potential improvements in CTC interpretation for trainees can be evaluated by using gaze points data.

A Track Initiation Method for the Underwater Target Tracking Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dong-dong; Lin, Yang; Zhang, Yao

2018-04-01

A novel efficient track initiation method is proposed for the harsh underwater target tracking environment (heavy clutter and large measurement errors): track splitting, evaluating, pruning and merging method (TSEPM). Track initiation demands that the method should determine the existence and initial state of a target quickly and correctly. Heavy clutter and large measurement errors certainly pose additional difficulties and challenges, which deteriorate and complicate the track initiation in the harsh underwater target tracking environment. There are three primary shortcomings for the current track initiation methods to initialize a target: (a) they cannot eliminate the turbulences of clutter effectively; (b) there may be a high false alarm probability and low detection probability of a track; (c) they cannot estimate the initial state for a new confirmed track correctly. Based on the multiple hypotheses tracking principle and modified logic-based track initiation method, in order to increase the detection probability of a track, track splitting creates a large number of tracks which include the true track originated from the target. And in order to decrease the false alarm probability, based on the evaluation mechanism, track pruning and track merging are proposed to reduce the false tracks. TSEPM method can deal with the track initiation problems derived from heavy clutter and large measurement errors, determine the target's existence and estimate its initial state with the least squares method. What's more, our method is fully automatic and does not require any kind manual input for initializing and tuning any parameter. Simulation results indicate that our new method improves significantly the performance of the track initiation in the harsh underwater target tracking environment.

Dynamic train-track interaction at high vehicle speeds—Modelling of wheelset dynamics and wheel rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torstensson, P. T.; Nielsen, J. C. O.; Baeza, L.

2011-10-01

Vertical dynamic train-track interaction at high vehicle speeds is investigated in a frequency range from about 20 Hz to 2.5 kHz. The inertial effects due to wheel rotation are accounted for in the vehicle model by implementing a structural dynamics model of a rotating wheelset. Calculated wheel-rail contact forces using the flexible, rotating wheelset model are compared with contact forces based on rigid, non-rotating models. For a validation of the train-track interaction model, calculated contact forces are compared with contact forces measured using an instrumented wheelset. When the system is excited at a frequency where two different wheelset mode shapes, due to the wheel rotation, have coinciding resonance frequencies, significant differences are found in the contact forces calculated with the rotating and non-rotating wheelset models. Further, the use of a flexible, rotating wheelset model is recommended for load cases leading to large magnitude contact force components in the high-frequency range (above 1.5 kHz). In particular, the influence of the radial wheel eigenmodes with two or three nodal diameters is significant.

Mouse cursor movement and eye tracking data as an indicator of pathologists’ attention when viewing digital whole slide images

PubMed Central

Raghunath, Vignesh; Braxton, Melissa O.; Gagnon, Stephanie A.; Brunyé, Tad T.; Allison, Kimberly H.; Reisch, Lisa M.; Weaver, Donald L.; Elmore, Joann G.; Shapiro, Linda G.

2012-01-01

Context: Digital pathology has the potential to dramatically alter the way pathologists work, yet little is known about pathologists’ viewing behavior while interpreting digital whole slide images. While tracking pathologist eye movements when viewing digital slides may be the most direct method of capturing pathologists’ viewing strategies, this technique is cumbersome and technically challenging to use in remote settings. Tracking pathologist mouse cursor movements may serve as a practical method of studying digital slide interpretation, and mouse cursor data may illuminate pathologists’ viewing strategies and time expenditures in their interpretive workflow. Aims: To evaluate the utility of mouse cursor movement data, in addition to eye-tracking data, in studying pathologists’ attention and viewing behavior. Settings and Design: Pathologists (N = 7) viewed 10 digital whole slide images of breast tissue that were selected using a random stratified sampling technique to include a range of breast pathology diagnoses (benign/atypia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive breast cancer). A panel of three expert breast pathologists established a consensus diagnosis for each case using a modified Delphi approach. Materials and Methods: Participants’ foveal vision was tracked using SensoMotoric Instruments RED 60 Hz eye-tracking system. Mouse cursor movement was tracked using a custom MATLAB script. Statistical Analysis Used: Data on eye-gaze and mouse cursor position were gathered at fixed intervals and analyzed using distance comparisons and regression analyses by slide diagnosis and pathologist expertise. Pathologists’ accuracy (defined as percent agreement with the expert consensus diagnoses) and efficiency (accuracy and speed) were also analyzed. Results: Mean viewing time per slide was 75.2 seconds (SD = 38.42). Accuracy (percent agreement with expert consensus) by diagnosis type was: 83% (benign/atypia); 48% (carcinoma in situ); and 93% (invasive). Spatial coupling was close between eye-gaze and mouse cursor positions (highest frequency ∆x was 4.00px (SD = 16.10), and ∆y was 37.50px (SD = 28.08)). Mouse cursor position moderately predicted eye gaze patterns (Rx = 0.33 and Ry = 0.21). Conclusions: Data detailing mouse cursor movements may be a useful addition to future studies of pathologists’ accuracy and efficiency when using digital pathology. PMID:23372984

Synthesis of nonlinear frequency responses with experimentally extracted nonlinear modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, Simon; Scheel, Maren; Krack, Malte; Leine, Remco I.

2018-02-01

Determining frequency response curves is a common task in the vibration analysis of nonlinear systems. Measuring nonlinear frequency responses is often challenging and time consuming due to, e.g., coexisting stable or unstable vibration responses and structure-exciter-interaction. The aim of the current paper is to develop a method for the synthesis of nonlinear frequency responses near an isolated resonance, based on data that can be easily and automatically obtained experimentally. The proposed purely experimental approach relies on (a) a standard linear modal analysis carried out at low vibration levels and (b) a phase-controlled tracking of the backbone curve of the considered forced resonance. From (b), the natural frequency and vibrational deflection shape are directly obtained as a function of the vibration level. Moreover, a damping measure can be extracted by power considerations or from the linear modal analysis. In accordance with the single nonlinear mode assumption, the near-resonant frequency response can then be synthesized using this data. The method is applied to a benchmark structure consisting of a cantilevered beam attached to a leaf spring undergoing large deflections. The results are compared with direct measurements of the frequency response. The proposed approach is fast, robust and provides a good estimate for the frequency response. It is also found that direct frequency response measurement is less robust due to bifurcations and using a sine sweep excitation with a conventional force controller leads to underestimation of maximum vibration response.

Analysis on Non-Resonance Standing Waves and Vibration Tracks of Strings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Tian-Shen

2007-01-01

This paper presents an experimental technique to observe the vibration tracks of string standing waves. From the vibration tracks, we can analyse the vibration directions of harmonic waves. For the harmonic wave vibrations of strings, when the driving frequency f[subscript s] = Nf[subscript n] (N = 1, 2, 3, 4,...), both resonance and non-resonance…

Transient tracking of low and high-order eccentricity-related components in induction motors via TFD tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Climente-Alarcon, V.; Antonino-Daviu, J.; Riera-Guasp, M.; Pons-Llinares, J.; Roger-Folch, J.; Jover-Rodriguez, P.; Arkkio, A.

2011-02-01

The present work is focused on the diagnosis of mixed eccentricity faults in induction motors via the study of currents demanded by the machine. Unlike traditional methods, based on the analysis of stationary currents (Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA)), this work provides new findings regarding the diagnosis approach proposed by the authors in recent years, which is mainly focused on the fault diagnosis based on the analysis of transient quantities, such as startup or plug stopping currents (Transient Motor Current Signature Analysis (TMCSA)), using suitable time-frequency decomposition (TFD) tools. The main novelty of this work is to prove the usefulness of tracking the transient evolution of high-order eccentricity-related harmonics in order to diagnose the condition of the machine, complementing the information obtained with the low-order components, whose transient evolution was well characterised in previous works. Tracking of high-order eccentricity-related harmonics during the transient, through their associated patterns in the time-frequency plane, may significantly increase the reliability of the diagnosis, since the set of fault-related patterns arising after application of the corresponding TFD tool is very unlikely to be caused by other faults or phenomena. Although there are different TFD tools which could be suitable for the transient extraction of these harmonics, this paper makes use of a Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD)-based algorithm in order to carry out the time-frequency decomposition of the startup current signal, since this is a tool showing an excellent trade-off between frequency resolution at both high and low frequencies. Several simulation results obtained with a finite element-based model and experimental results show the validity of this fault diagnosis approach under several faulty and operating conditions. Also, additional signals corresponding to the coexistence of the eccentricity and other non-fault related phenomena making difficult the diagnosis (fluctuating load torque) are included in the paper. Finally, a comparison with an alternative TFD tool - the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) - applied in previous papers, is also carried out in the contribution. The results are promising regarding the usefulness of the methodology for the reliable diagnosis of eccentricities and for their discrimination against other phenomena.

Usefulness of Guided Breathing for Dose Rate-Regulated Tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han-Oh, Sarah; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, MD; Yi, Byong Yong

2009-02-01

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of guided breathing for dose rate-regulated tracking (DRRT), a new technique to compensate for intrafraction tumor motion. Methods and Materials: DRRT uses a preprogrammed multileaf collimator sequence that tracks the tumor motion derived from four-dimensional computed tomography and the corresponding breathing signals measured before treatment. Because the multileaf collimator speed can be controlled by adjusting the dose rate, the multileaf collimator positions are adjusted in real time during treatment by dose rate regulation, thereby maintaining synchrony with the tumor motion. DRRT treatment was simulated with free, audio-guided, and audiovisual-guided breathing signals acquired from 23 lungmore » cancer patients. The tracking error and duty cycle for each patient were determined as a function of the system time delay (range, 0-1.0 s). Results: The tracking error and duty cycle averaged for all 23 patients was 1.9 {+-} 0.8 mm and 92% {+-} 5%, 1.9 {+-} 1.0 mm and 93% {+-} 6%, and 1.8 {+-} 0.7 mm and 92% {+-} 6% for the free, audio-guided, and audiovisual-guided breathing, respectively, for a time delay of 0.35 s. The small differences in both the tracking error and the duty cycle with guided breathing were not statistically significant. Conclusion: DRRT by its nature adapts well to variations in breathing frequency, which is also the motivation for guided-breathing techniques. Because of this redundancy, guided breathing does not result in significant improvements for either the tracking error or the duty cycle when DRRT is used for real-time tumor tracking.« less

Joint compensation scheme of polarization crosstalk, intersymbol interference, frequency offset, and phase noise based on cascaded Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qun; Yang, Yanfu; Xiang, Qian; Zhou, Zhongqing; Yao, Yong

2018-02-01

A joint compensation scheme based on cascaded Kalman filter is proposed, which can implement polarization tracking, channel equalization, frequency offset, and phase noise compensation simultaneously. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can not only compensate multiple channel impairments simultaneously but also improve the polarization tracking capacity and accelerate the convergence speed. The scheme has up to eight times faster convergence speed compared with radius-directed equalizer (RDE) + Max-FFT (maximum fast Fourier transform) + BPS (blind phase search) and can track up polarization rotation 60 times and 15 times faster than that of RDE + Max-FFT + BPS and CMMA (cascaded multimodulus algorithm) + Max-FFT + BPS, respectively.

Train-induced field vibration measurements of ground and over-track buildings.

PubMed

Zou, Chao; Wang, Yimin; Moore, James A; Sanayei, Masoud

2017-01-01

Transit-oriented development, such as metro depot and over-track building complexes, has expanded rapidly over the last 5years in China. Over-track building construction has the advantage of comprehensive utilization of land resources, ease of commuting to work, and provide funds for subway construction. But the high frequency of subway operations into and out of the depots can generate excessive vibrations that transmit into the over track buildings, radiate noise within the buildings, hamper the operation of vibration sensitive equipment, and adversely affect the living quality of the building occupants. Field measurements of vibration during subway operations were conducted at Shenzhen, China, a city of 10.62 million people in southern China. Considering the metro depot train testing line and throat area train lines were the main vibration sources, vibration data were captured in five measurement setups. The train-induced vibrations were obtained and compared with limitation of FTA criteria. The structure-radiated noise was calculated using measured vibration levels. The vertical vibration energy directly passed through the columns on both sides of track into the platform, amplifying vibration on the platform by up to 6dB greater than ground levels at testing line area. Vibration amplification around the natural frequency in the vertical direction of over-track building made the peak values of indoor floor vibration about 16dB greater than outdoor platform vibration. We recommend to carefully examining design of new over-track buildings within 40m on the platform over the throat area to avoid excessive vertical vibrations and noise. For both buildings, the measured vertical vibrations were less than the FTA limit. However, it is demonstrated that the traffic-induced high-frequency noise has the potential to annoy occupants on the upper floors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of acquisition frame-rate and video compression techniques on pulse-rate variability estimation from vPPG signal.

PubMed

Cerina, Luca; Iozzia, Luca; Mainardi, Luca

2017-11-14

In this paper, common time- and frequency-domain variability indexes obtained by pulse rate variability (PRV) series extracted from video-photoplethysmographic signal (vPPG) were compared with heart rate variability (HRV) parameters calculated from synchronized ECG signals. The dual focus of this study was to analyze the effect of different video acquisition frame-rates starting from 60 frames-per-second (fps) down to 7.5 fps and different video compression techniques using both lossless and lossy codecs on PRV parameters estimation. Video recordings were acquired through an off-the-shelf GigE Sony XCG-C30C camera on 60 young, healthy subjects (age 23±4 years) in the supine position. A fully automated, signal extraction method based on the Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi (KLT) algorithm for regions of interest (ROI) detection and tracking, in combination with a zero-phase principal component analysis (ZCA) signal separation technique was employed to convert the video frames sequence to a pulsatile signal. The frame-rate degradation was simulated on video recordings by directly sub-sampling the ROI tracking and signal extraction modules, to correctly mimic videos recorded at a lower speed. The compression of the videos was configured to avoid any frame rejection caused by codec quality leveling, FFV1 codec was used for lossless compression and H.264 with variable quality parameter as lossy codec. The results showed that a reduced frame-rate leads to inaccurate tracking of ROIs, increased time-jitter in the signals dynamics and local peak displacements, which degrades the performances in all the PRV parameters. The root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and the proportion of successive differences greater than 50 ms (PNN50) indexes in time-domain and the low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) power in frequency domain were the parameters which highly degraded with frame-rate reduction. Such a degradation can be partially mitigated by up-sampling the measured signal at a higher frequency (namely 60 Hz). Concerning the video compression, the results showed that compression techniques are suitable for the storage of vPPG recordings, although lossless or intra-frame compression are to be preferred over inter-frame compression methods. FFV1 performances are very close to the uncompressed (UNC) version with less than 45% disk size. H.264 showed a degradation of the PRV estimation directly correlated with the increase of the compression ratio.

Real-time open-loop frequency response analysis of flight test data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosworth, J. T.; West, J. C.

1986-01-01

A technique has been developed to compare the open-loop frequency response of a flight test aircraft real time with linear analysis predictions. The result is direct feedback to the flight control systems engineer on the validity of predictions and adds confidence for proceeding with envelope expansion. Further, gain and phase margins can be tracked for trends in a manner similar to the techniques used by structural dynamics engineers in tracking structural modal damping.

Modeling and Frequency Tracking of Marine Mammal Whistle Calls

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

retrieve em- bedded information from watermarked synthetic whistle calls. Different fundamental frequency watermarking schemes are proposed b&𔃽ed on...unmodified frequency contour is relatively constant, there is little frequency separation between information bits, and watermark retrieval requires...UHYLHZLQJWKHFROOHFWLRQRILQIRUPDWLRQ6HQGFRPPHQWVUHJDUGLQJWKLVEXUGHQHVWLPDWH RU DQ\\RWKHUDVSHFWRIWKLVFROOHFWLRQ RI LQIRUPDWLRQ LQFOXGLQJ

Development of Viscoelastic Multi-Body Simulation and Impact Response Analysis of a Ballasted Railway Track under Cyclic Loading

PubMed Central

Nishiura, Daisuke; Sakaguchi, Hide; Aikawa, Akira

2017-01-01

Simulation of a large number of deformable bodies is often difficult because complex high-level modeling is required to address both multi-body contact and viscoelastic deformation. This necessitates the combined use of a discrete element method (DEM) and a finite element method (FEM). In this study, a quadruple discrete element method (QDEM) was developed for dynamic analysis of viscoelastic materials using a simpler algorithm compared to the standard FEM. QDEM easily incorporates the contact algorithm used in DEM. As the first step toward multi-body simulation, the fundamental performance of QDEM was investigated for viscoelastic analysis. The amplitude and frequency of cantilever elastic vibration were nearly equal to those obtained by the standard FEM. A comparison of creep recovery tests with an analytical solution showed good agreement between them. In addition, good correlation between the attenuation degree and the real physical viscosity was confirmed for viscoelastic vibration analysis. Therefore, the high accuracy of QDEM in the fundamental analysis of infinitesimal viscoelastic deformations was verified. Finally, the impact response of a ballast and sleeper under cyclic loading on a railway track was analyzed using QDEM as an application of deformable multi-body dynamics. The results showed that the vibration of the ballasted track was qualitatively in good agreement with the actual measurements. Moreover, the ballast layer with high friction reduced the ballasted track deterioration. This study suggests that QDEM, as an alternative to DEM and FEM, can provide deeper insights into the contact dynamics of a large number of deformable bodies. PMID:28772974

Development of Viscoelastic Multi-Body Simulation and Impact Response Analysis of a Ballasted Railway Track under Cyclic Loading.

PubMed

Nishiura, Daisuke; Sakaguchi, Hide; Aikawa, Akira

2017-06-03

Simulation of a large number of deformable bodies is often difficult because complex high-level modeling is required to address both multi-body contact and viscoelastic deformation. This necessitates the combined use of a discrete element method (DEM) and a finite element method (FEM). In this study, a quadruple discrete element method (QDEM) was developed for dynamic analysis of viscoelastic materials using a simpler algorithm compared to the standard FEM. QDEM easily incorporates the contact algorithm used in DEM. As the first step toward multi-body simulation, the fundamental performance of QDEM was investigated for viscoelastic analysis. The amplitude and frequency of cantilever elastic vibration were nearly equal to those obtained by the standard FEM. A comparison of creep recovery tests with an analytical solution showed good agreement between them. In addition, good correlation between the attenuation degree and the real physical viscosity was confirmed for viscoelastic vibration analysis. Therefore, the high accuracy of QDEM in the fundamental analysis of infinitesimal viscoelastic deformations was verified. Finally, the impact response of a ballast and sleeper under cyclic loading on a railway track was analyzed using QDEM as an application of deformable multi-body dynamics. The results showed that the vibration of the ballasted track was qualitatively in good agreement with the actual measurements. Moreover, the ballast layer with high friction reduced the ballasted track deterioration. This study suggests that QDEM, as an alternative to DEM and FEM, can provide deeper insights into the contact dynamics of a large number of deformable bodies.

Tracking kidney stones with sound during shock wave lithotripsy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kracht, Jonathan M.

The prevalence of kidney stones has increased significantly over the past decades. One of the primary treatments for kidney stones is shock wave lithotripsy which focuses acoustic shock waves onto the stone in order to fragment it into pieces that are small enough to pass naturally. This typically requires a few thousand shock waves delivered at a rate of about 2 Hz. Although lithotripsy is the only non-invasive treatment option for kidney stories, both acute and chronic complications have been identified which could be reduced if fewer shock waves were used. One factor that could be used to reduce the number of shock waves is accounting for the motion of the stone which causes a portion of the delivered shock waves to miss the stone, yielding no therapeutic benefit. Therefore identifying when the stone is not in focus would allow tissue to be spared without affecting fragmentation. The goal of this thesis is to investigate acoustic methods to track the stone in real-time during lithotripsy in order to minimize poorly-targeted shock waves. A relatively small number of low frequency ultrasound transducers were used in pulse-echo mode and a novel optimization routine based on time-of-flight triangulation is used to determine stone location. It was shown that the accuracy of the localization may be estimated without knowing the true stone location. This method performed well in preliminary experiments but the inclusion of tissue-like aberrating layers reduced the accuracy of the localization. Therefore a hybrid imaging technique employing DORT (Decomposition of the Time Reversal Operator) and the MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) algorithm was developed. This method was able to localize kidney stories to within a few millimeters even in the presence of an aberrating layer. This would be sufficient accuracy for targeting lithotripter shock waves. The conclusion of this work is that tracking kidney stones with low frequency ultrasound should be effective clinically.

Time-frequency analysis of time-varying modulated signals based on improved energy separation by iterative generalized demodulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Zhipeng; Chu, Fulei; Zuo, Ming J.

2011-03-01

Energy separation algorithm is good at tracking instantaneous changes in frequency and amplitude of modulated signals, but it is subject to the constraints of mono-component and narrow band. In most cases, time-varying modulated vibration signals of machinery consist of multiple components, and have so complicated instantaneous frequency trajectories on time-frequency plane that they overlap in frequency domain. For such signals, conventional filters fail to obtain mono-components of narrow band, and their rectangular decomposition of time-frequency plane may split instantaneous frequency trajectories thus resulting in information loss. Regarding the advantage of generalized demodulation method in decomposing multi-component signals into mono-components, an iterative generalized demodulation method is used as a preprocessing tool to separate signals into mono-components, so as to satisfy the requirements by energy separation algorithm. By this improvement, energy separation algorithm can be generalized to a broad range of signals, as long as the instantaneous frequency trajectories of signal components do not intersect on time-frequency plane. Due to the good adaptability of energy separation algorithm to instantaneous changes in signals and the mono-component decomposition nature of generalized demodulation, the derived time-frequency energy distribution has fine resolution and is free from cross term interferences. The good performance of the proposed time-frequency analysis is illustrated by analyses of a simulated signal and the on-site recorded nonstationary vibration signal of a hydroturbine rotor during a shut-down transient process, showing that it has potential to analyze time-varying modulated signals of multi-components.

Gap Detection and Temporal Modulation Transfer Function as Behavioral Estimates of Auditory Temporal Acuity Using Band-Limited Stimuli in Young and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Shen, Yi

2015-01-01

Purpose Gap detection and the temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF) are 2 common methods to obtain behavioral estimates of auditory temporal acuity. However, the agreement between the 2 measures is not clear. This study compares results from these 2 methods and their dependencies on listener age and hearing status. Method Gap detection thresholds and the parameters that describe the TMTF (sensitivity and cutoff frequency) were estimated for young and older listeners who were naive to the experimental tasks. Stimuli were 800-Hz-wide noises with upper frequency limits of 2400 Hz, presented at 85 dB SPL. A 2-track procedure (Shen & Richards, 2013) was used for the efficient estimation of the TMTF. Results No significant correlation was found between gap detection threshold and the sensitivity or the cutoff frequency of the TMTF. No significant effect of age and hearing loss on either the gap detection threshold or the TMTF cutoff frequency was found, while the TMTF sensitivity improved with increasing hearing threshold and worsened with increasing age. Conclusion Estimates of temporal acuity using gap detection and TMTF paradigms do not seem to provide a consistent description of the effects of listener age and hearing status on temporal envelope processing. PMID:25087722

Sea level measurements using multi-frequency GPS and GLONASS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löfgren, Johan S.; Haas, Rüdiger

2014-12-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) tide gauges have been realized in different configurations, e.g., with one zenith-looking antenna, using the multipath interference pattern for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis, or with one zenith- and one nadir-looking antenna, analyzing the difference in phase delay, to estimate the sea level height. In this study, for the first time, we use a true Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) tide gauge, installed at the Onsala Space Observatory. This GNSS tide gauge is recording both GPS and Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) signals and makes it possible to use both the one- and two-antenna analysis approach. Both the SNR analysis and the phase delay analysis were evaluated using dual-frequency GPS and GLONASS signals, i.e., frequencies in the L-band, during a 1-month-long campaign. The GNSS-derived sea level results were compared to independent sea level observations from a co-located pressure tide gauge and show a high correlation for both systems and frequency bands, with correlation coefficients of 0.86 to 0.97. The phase delay results show a better agreement with the tide gauge sea level than the SNR results, with root-mean-square differences of 3.5 cm (GPS L1 and L2) and 3.3/3.2 cm (GLONASS L1/L2 bands) compared to 4.0/9.0 cm (GPS L1/L2) and 4.7/8.9 cm (GLONASS L1/L2 bands). GPS and GLONASS show similar performance in the comparison, and the results prove that for the phase delay analysis, it is possible to use both frequencies, whereas for the SNR analysis, the L2 band should be avoided if other signals are available. Note that standard geodetic receivers using code-based tracking, i.e., tracking the un-encrypted C/A-code on L1 and using the manufacturers' proprietary tracking method for L2, were used. Signals with the new C/A-code on L2, the so-called L2 C , were not tracked. Using wind speed as an indicator for sea surface roughness, we find that the SNR analysis performs better in rough sea surface conditions than the phase delay analysis. The SNR analysis is possible even during the highest wind speed observed during this campaign (17.5 m/s), while the phase delay analysis becomes difficult for wind speeds above 6 m/s.

Design and Implementation of an RTK-Based Vector Phase Locked Loop

PubMed Central

Shafaati, Ahmad; Lin, Tao; Broumandan, Ali; Lachapelle, Gérard

2018-01-01

This paper introduces a novel double-differential vector phase-locked loop (DD-VPLL) for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) that leverages carrier phase position solutions as well as base station measurements in the estimation of rover tracking loop parameters. The use of double differencing alleviates the need for estimating receiver clock dynamics and atmospheric delays; therefore, the navigation filter consists of the baseline dynamic states only. It is shown that using vector processing for carrier phase tracking leads to a significant enhancement in the receiver sensitivity compared to using the conventional scalar-based tracking loop (STL) and vector frequency locked loop (VFLL). The sensitivity improvement of 8 to 10 dB compared to STL, and 7 to 8 dB compared to VFLL, is obtained based on the test cases reported in the paper. Also, an increased probability of ambiguity resolution in the proposed method results in better availability for real time kinematic (RTK) applications. PMID:29533994

Effects of phencyclidine, secobarbital and diazepam on eye tracking in rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Ando, K; Johanson, C E; Levy, D L; Yasillo, N J; Holzman, P S; Schuster, C R

1983-01-01

Rhesus monkeys were trained to track a moving disk using a procedure in which responses on a lever were reinforced with water delivery only when the disk, oscillating in a horizontal plane on a screen at a frequency of 0.4 Hz in a visual angle of 20 degrees, dimmed for a brief period. Pursuit eye movements were recorded by electrooculography (EOG). IM phencyclidine, secobarbital, and diazepam injections decreased the number of reinforced lever presses in a dose-related manner. Both secobarbital and diazepam produced episodic jerky-pursuit eye movements, while phencyclidine had no consistent effects on eye movements. Lever pressing was disrupted at doses which had little effect on the quality of smooth-pursuit eye movements in some monkeys. This separation was particularly pronounced with diazepam. The similarities of the drug effects on smooth-pursuit eye movements between the present study and human studies indicate that the present method using rhesus monkeys may be useful for predicting drug effects on eye tracking and oculomotor function in humans.

Free-space laser communication technologies II; Proceedings of the Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 15-17, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begley, David L. (Editor); Seery, Bernard D. (Editor)

1990-01-01

Various papers on free-space laser communication technologies are presented. Individual topics addressed include: optical intersatellite link experiment between the earth station and ETS-VI, the Goddard optical communications program, technologies and techniques for lasercom terminal size, weight, and cost reduction, laser beam acquisition and tracking system for ETS-VI laser communication equipment, analog dividers for acquisition and tracking signal normalization, fine pointing mechanism using multilayered piezoelectric actuator for optical ISL system, analysis of SILEX tracking sensor performance, new telescope concept for space communication, telescope considered as a very high gain antenna, design of compact transceiver optical systems for optical intersatellite links, ultralightweight optics for laser communications, highly sensitive measurement method for stray light and retroreflected light, depolarization effects on free space laser transceiver communication systems, in-orbit measurements of microaccelerations of ESA's communication satellite Olympus, high-performance laser diode transmitter for optical free space communication, diode-pumped Nd:host laser transmitter for intersatellite optical communications, single-frequency diode-pumped laser for free-space communication.

Low-Latency Line Tracking Using Event-Based Dynamic Vision Sensors

PubMed Central

Everding, Lukas; Conradt, Jörg

2018-01-01

In order to safely navigate and orient in their local surroundings autonomous systems need to rapidly extract and persistently track visual features from the environment. While there are many algorithms tackling those tasks for traditional frame-based cameras, these have to deal with the fact that conventional cameras sample their environment with a fixed frequency. Most prominently, the same features have to be found in consecutive frames and corresponding features then need to be matched using elaborate techniques as any information between the two frames is lost. We introduce a novel method to detect and track line structures in data streams of event-based silicon retinae [also known as dynamic vision sensors (DVS)]. In contrast to conventional cameras, these biologically inspired sensors generate a quasicontinuous stream of vision information analogous to the information stream created by the ganglion cells in mammal retinae. All pixels of DVS operate asynchronously without a periodic sampling rate and emit a so-called DVS address event as soon as they perceive a luminance change exceeding an adjustable threshold. We use the high temporal resolution achieved by the DVS to track features continuously through time instead of only at fixed points in time. The focus of this work lies on tracking lines in a mostly static environment which is observed by a moving camera, a typical setting in mobile robotics. Since DVS events are mostly generated at object boundaries and edges which in man-made environments often form lines they were chosen as feature to track. Our method is based on detecting planes of DVS address events in x-y-t-space and tracing these planes through time. It is robust against noise and runs in real time on a standard computer, hence it is suitable for low latency robotics. The efficacy and performance are evaluated on real-world data sets which show artificial structures in an office-building using event data for tracking and frame data for ground-truth estimation from a DAVIS240C sensor. PMID:29515386

High-accuracy resolver-to-digital conversion via phase locked loop based on PID controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yaoling; Wu, Zhong

2018-03-01

The problem of resolver-to-digital conversion (RDC) is transformed into the problem of angle tracking control, and a phase locked loop (PLL) method based on PID controller is proposed in this paper. This controller comprises a typical PI controller plus an incomplete differential which can avoid the amplification of higher-frequency noise components by filtering the phase detection error with a low-pass filter. Compared with conventional ones, the proposed PLL method makes the converter a system of type III and thus the conversion accuracy can be improved. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The Statistical Loop Analyzer (SLA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsey, W. C.

1985-01-01

The statistical loop analyzer (SLA) is designed to automatically measure the acquisition, tracking and frequency stability performance characteristics of symbol synchronizers, code synchronizers, carrier tracking loops, and coherent transponders. Automated phase lock and system level tests can also be made using the SLA. Standard baseband, carrier and spread spectrum modulation techniques can be accomodated. Through the SLA's phase error jitter and cycle slip measurements the acquisition and tracking thresholds of the unit under test are determined; any false phase and frequency lock events are statistically analyzed and reported in the SLA output in probabilistic terms. Automated signal drop out tests can be performed in order to trouble shoot algorithms and evaluate the reacquisition statistics of the unit under test. Cycle slip rates and cycle slip probabilities can be measured using the SLA. These measurements, combined with bit error probability measurements, are all that are needed to fully characterize the acquisition and tracking performance of a digital communication system.

Tracking control of a spool displacement in a direct piezoactuator-driven servo valve system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Chulhee; Hwang, Yong-Hoon; Choi, Seung-Bok

2017-03-01

This paper presents tracking control performances of a piezostack direct drive valve (PDDV) operated at various temperatures. As afirst step, a spool valve and valve system are designed operated by the piezoactuator. After briefly describing about operating principle, an experimental apparatus to investigate the effect of temperaturs on the performances is set up. Subsequently, the PDDV is installed in a large-size heat chamber equipped with electric circuits and sensors. A classical proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is designed and applied to control the spool displacement. In addition, a fuzzt algorithm is integrated with the PID controller to enhace performance of the proposed valve system. The tracking performance of a spool displacement is tested by increasing the teperature and exciting frequency up to 150°C and 200 Hz, respectively. It is shown that the tracking performance heavily depends on both the operating temperature and the excitation frequency.

Track-monitoring from the dynamic response of an operational train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lederman, George; Chen, Siheng; Garrett, James; Kovačević, Jelena; Noh, Hae Young; Bielak, Jacobo

2017-03-01

We explore a data-driven approach for monitoring rail infrastructure from the dynamic response of a train in revenue-service. Presently, track inspection is performed either visually or with dedicated track geometry cars. In this study, we examine a more economical approach where track inspection is performed by analyzing vibration data collected from an operational passenger train. The high frequency with which passenger trains travel each section of track means that faults can be detected sooner than with dedicated inspection vehicles, and the large number of passes over each section of track makes a data-driven approach statistically feasible. We have deployed a test-system on a light-rail vehicle and have been collecting data for the past two years. The collected data underscores two of the main challenges that arise in train-based track monitoring: the speed of the train at a given location varies from pass to pass and the position of the train is not known precisely. In this study, we explore which feature representations of the data best characterize the state of the tracks despite these sources of uncertainty (i.e., in the spatial domain or frequency domain), and we examine how consistently change detection approaches can identify track changes from the data. We show the accuracy of these different representations, or features, and different change detection approaches on two types of track changes, track replacement and tamping (a maintenance procedure to improve track geometry), and two types of data, simulated data and operational data from our test-system. The sensing, signal processing, and data analysis we propose in the study could facilitate safer trains and more cost-efficient maintenance in the future. Moreover, the proposed approach is quite general and could be extended to other parts of the infrastructure, including bridges.

Unsteady flow challenges tracking performance at vortex shedding frequencies without disrupting lift mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Megan; Sponberg, Simon

2017-11-01

Birds, insects, and many animals use unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms to achieve stable hovering flight. Natural environments are often characterized by unsteady flows causing animals to dynamically respond to perturbations while performing complex tasks, such as foraging. Little is known about how unsteady flow around an animal interacts with already unsteady flow in the environment or how this impacts performance. We study how the environment impacts maneuverability to reveal any coupling between body dynamics and aerodynamics for hawkmoths, Manduca sexta,tracking a 3D-printed robotic flower in a wind tunnel. We also observe the leading-edge vortex (LEV), a known lift-generating mechanism for insect flight with smoke visualization. Moths in still and unsteady air exhibit near perfect tracking at low frequencies, but tracking in the flower wake results in larger overshoot at mid-range. Smoke visualization of the flower wake shows that the dominant vortex shedding corresponds to the same frequency band as the increased overshoot. Despite the large effect on flight dynamics, the LEV remains bound to the wing and thorax throughout the wingstroke. In general, unsteady wind seems to decrease maneuverability, but LEV stability seems decoupled from changes in flight dynamics.

Remote Sensing of Marine Life and Submerged Target Motions with Ocean Waveguide Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Zheng

Many species of fish that inhabit the continental shelf waters can cause significant acoustic scattering at low- to mid-frequencies due to the large impedance contrast between their air-filled swimbladders and the surrounding water. In this thesis, we investigate the acoustic resonance scattering response from distributed fish groups both experimentally and theoretically including the effects of multiple scattering, attenuation, and dispersion in a random range-dependent ocean waveguide using an instantaneous wide-area imaging system. In navy sonar operations, the biological organisms can cause high false alarm rates or missed target detections since the biological scattering can be confused with or camouflage the returns from other discrete and distributed objects, such as underwater vehicles and geologic features. From an ecological perspective, the ability to instantaneously survey fish populations distributed over wide areas is important for fisheries management. The low-frequency target strength of shoaling Atlantic herring ( Clupea harengus) in the Gulf of Maine during their Autumn 2006 spawning season is estimated from experimental data acquired simultaneously at multiple frequencies in the 300 to 1200 Hz range using (1) a low-frequency ocean acoustic waveguide remote sensing (OAWRS) system, (2) areal population density calibration with several conventional fish finding sonar (CFFS) systems, and (3) low-frequency transmission loss measurements. The OAWRS system's instantaneous imaging diameter of 100 km and regular updating enabled unaliased monitoring of fish populations over ecosystem scales including shoals of Atlantic herring containing as many as 200 million individuals, as estimated based on single scattering assumption and confirmed by concurrent trawl and CFFS sampling. The mean scattering cross-section of an individual shoaling herring is found to consistently exhibit a strong, roughly 20 dB/octave roll-off with decreasing frequency over all days of the roughly 2-week experiment, consistent with the steep roll-offs expected for sub-resonance scattering from fish with air-filled swimbladders. A numerical Monte-Carlo model is developed to determine the statistical moments of the broadband matched filtered scattered returns from fish groups spanning over multiple range and cross-range resolution cells of a waveguide remote sensing system. It uses the parabolic equation to simulate acoustic field propagation in a random range-dependent ocean waveguide. The effects of (1) multiple scattering, (2) attenuation due to scattering, and (3) fish group 3D spatial configuration on fish population density imaging are examined. The model is applied to investigate (a) population density imaging of shoaling Atlantic herring during the 2006 Gulf of Maine Experiment (GOME06) and (b) examine the wide-area imaging of sparse aggregation of ground fish species, such as Atlantic Cod, in Ipswich Bay continental shelf environment using the waveguide remote sensing system. Incoherent intensities are shown to dominate the total scattered returns from distributed fish groups making single scattering assumption valid for inferring fish areal population densities from their matched filtered scattered intensities. Multiple scattering, attenuation, fish group 3D spatial configuration, and coherent effects, such as resonance shift, sub- and super-local-maxima are found to be negligible at the imaging frequencies employed and for the herring densities observed. Similar results are obtained for the sparsely aggregated cod, but coherent effects such as the double-peak in school resonance can be prominent at much lower fish densities. Attenuation due to scattering can be significant when the fish flesh viscosity is high, especially true for cod. We also investigate approaches for instantaneous long-range passive source localization and tracking with a towed horizontal line-array in a random range-dependent ocean waveguide using passive waveguide acoustics. This is very important for many sonar applications, such as localizing and tracking underwater vehicles and vocalizing marine mammal populations. Instantaneous passive source localization applying the (1) synthetic aperture tracking, (2) array invariant, (3) bearings-only target motion analysis in modified polar coordinates via the extended Kalman filter, and (4) bearings-migration minimum mean-square error methods using measurements made on a single towed horizontal receiver array in a random range-dependent ocean waveguide are examined. These methods are employed to localize and track a vertical source array deployed in the far-field of a towed horizontal receiver array during the Gulf of Maine 2006 Experiment. The source transmitted intermittent broadband pulses in the 300--1200 Hz frequency range. All four methods are found to be comparable with average errors of between 9% to 13% in estimating the mean source positions in a wide variety of source-receiver geometries and range separations up to 20 km. In the case of a relatively stationary source, the synthetic aperture tracking outperformed the other three methods by a factor of two with only 4% error. For a moving source, the Kalman filter method yielded the best performance with 8% error. The array invariant was the best approach for localizing sources within the endfire beam of the receiver array with less than 10% error.

Wearable Tracking Tags Test Privacy Boundaries at the U. of Washington

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotinga, Randy

2008-01-01

Tags such as the radio-frequency identifications or RFIDs are devices that make it possible for individuals to be tracked and their location reported back to a database. The devices--chips with radio antennas--emit signals, and tracking them reveals the movement of people or things. Many stores use the technology to catch shoplifters at exits. To…

TrackPlot Enhancements: Support for Multiple Animal Tracks and Gyros

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

visualization and kinematic analysis of marine animal movements derived from archival tag data. Tags are supported that have sensors for pressure, acceleration...1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. TrackPlot Enhancements: Support for Multiple Animal ...in combination with accelerometer and magnetometer data. 2) the extraction and frequency analysis of accelerations and rotation in animal

Influence of long-wavelength track irregularities on the motion of a high-speed train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, C. F.; Hsu, W. L.

2018-01-01

Vertical track irregularities over viaducts in high-speed rail systems could be possibly caused by concrete creep if pre-stressed concrete bridges are used. For bridge spans that are almost uniformly distributed, track irregularity exhibits a near-regular wave profile that excites car bodies as a high-speed train moves over the bridge system. A long-wavelength irregularity induces low-frequency excitation that may be close to the natural frequencies of the train suspension system, thereby causing significant vibration of the car body. This paper investigates the relationship between the levels of car vibration, bridge vibration, track irregularity, and the train speed. First, this study investigates the vibration levels of a high-speed train and bridge system using 3D finite-element (FE) transient dynamic analysis, before and after adjustment of vertical track irregularities by means of installing shimming plates under rail pads. The analysis models are validated by in situ measurements and on-board measurement. Parametric studies of car body vibration and bridge vibration under three different levels of track irregularity at five train speeds and over two bridge span lengths are conducted using the FE model. Finally, a discontinuous shimming pattern is proposed to avoid vehicle suspension resonance.

Frequency of the MSTN Lys(K)-153Arg(R) polymorphism among track & field athletes and swimmers.

PubMed

Ben-Zaken, Sigal; Meckel, Yoav; Nemet, Dan; Rabinovich, Moran; Kassem, Eias; Eliakim, Alon

2015-08-01

The myostatin (MSTN) Lys(K)-153Arg(R) polymorphism may influence skeletal muscle phenotypes. Carrying the rare R allele was associated with greater muscle mass. The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency of the MSTN Lys(K)-153Arg(R) polymorphism among Israeli track and field athletes (n=185) and swimmers (n=80). Track and field athletes were divided into long distance runners (major event 5000 m-marathon, n=113) and power athletes (major event 100200 m sprints and long jump, n=72). Swimmers were divided into long-distance swimmers (major event: 800-1500 m, n=38), and short-distance swimmers (major event: 50-100 m, n=42). The control group included 118 non-athletes healthy participants. Twenty-seven track and field athletes (14.6%) and 7 swimmers (8.8%) were carriers of the rare MSTN R allele, and only two carried the 153RR genotype (0.8%). MSTN 153R allele frequency was significantly higher in top-compared to national-level among long-distance runners (26% versus 8%, p<0.05), short distance runners (16% versus 9%, p<0.05), and all runners combined (20% versus 8%, p<0.05), but not in top- compared to national-level swimmers. The frequency of arginine carriers was significantly greater among long compared to short-distance swimmers (16% versus 2%, p<0.03). In contrast to elite endurance and power track and field athletes, the MSTN 153RR genotype was not found in short distance-swimmers, and among the long distance-swimmers it was not associated with top level swimming performance. Whether evaluation of the MSTN K153R polymorphism can be used for sports selection in young athletes needs to be further studied. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low frequency rTMS over posterior parietal cortex impairs smooth pursuit eye tracking.

PubMed

Hutton, Samuel B; Weekes, Brendan S

2007-11-01

The role of the posterior parietal cortex in smooth pursuit eye movements remains unclear. We used low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to study the cognitive and neural systems involved in the control of smooth pursuit eye movements. Eighteen participants were tested on two separate occasions. On each occasion we measured smooth pursuit eye tracking before and after 6 min of 1 Hz rTMS delivered at 90% of motor threshold. Low frequency rTMS over the posterior parietal cortex led to a significant reduction in smooth pursuit velocity gain, whereas rTMS over the motor cortex had no effect on gain. We conclude that low frequency offline rTMS is a potentially useful tool with which to explore the cortical systems involved in oculomotor control.

Real-time ultrasonic weld evaluation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katragadda, Gopichand; Nair, Satish; Liu, Harry; Brown, Lawrence M.

1996-11-01

Ultrasonic testing techniques are currently used as an alternative to radiography for detecting, classifying,and sizing weld defects, and for evaluating weld quality. Typically, ultrasonic weld inspections are performed manually, which require significant operator expertise and time. Thus, in recent years, the emphasis is to develop automated methods to aid or replace operators in critical weld inspections where inspection time, reliability, and operator safety are major issues. During this period, significant advances wee made in the areas of weld defect classification and sizing. Very few of these methods, however have found their way into the market, largely due to the lack of an integrated approach enabling real-time implementation. Also, not much research effort was directed in improving weld acceptance criteria. This paper presents an integrated system utilizing state-of-the-art techniques for a complete automation of the weld inspection procedure. The modules discussed include transducer tracking, classification, sizing, and weld acceptance criteria. Transducer tracking was studied by experimentally evaluating sonic and optical position tracking techniques. Details for this evaluation are presented. Classification is obtained using a multi-layer perceptron. Results from different feature extraction schemes, including a new method based on a combination of time and frequency-domain signal representations are given. Algorithms developed to automate defect registration and sizing are discussed. A fuzzy-logic acceptance criteria for weld acceptance is presented describing how this scheme provides improved robustness compared to the traditional flow-diagram standards.

On the detection of a stochastic background of gravitational radiation by the Doppler tracking of spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mashhoon, B.; Grishchuk, L. P.

1980-01-01

Consideration is given to the possibility of detection of an isotropic background gravitational radiation of a stochastic nature by the method of Doppler tracking of spacecraft. Attention is given in the geometrical optics limit, to the general formula for the frequency shift of an electromagnetic signal in the gravitational radiation field, and it is shown to be gauge independent. The propagation of a free electromagnetic wave in a gravitational radiation field is examined with the conclusion that no resonance phenomena can be expected. Finally, the 'Doppler noise' due to a stochastic background is evaluated, and it is shown to depend on the total energy density of the background and a parameter that is a characteristic of the radiation spectrum and the detection system used.

Tracking and Recognition of Multiple Human Targets Moving in a Wireless Pyroelectric Infrared Sensor Network

PubMed Central

Xiong, Ji; Li, Fangmin; Zhao, Ning; Jiang, Na

2014-01-01

With characteristics of low-cost and easy deployment, the distributed wireless pyroelectric infrared sensor network has attracted extensive interest, which aims to make it an alternate infrared video sensor in thermal biometric applications for tracking and identifying human targets. In these applications, effectively processing signals collected from sensors and extracting the features of different human targets has become crucial. This paper proposes the application of empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert-Huang transform to extract features of moving human targets both in the time domain and the frequency domain. Moreover, the support vector machine is selected as the classifier. The experimental results demonstrate that by using this method the identification rates of multiple moving human targets are around 90%. PMID:24759117

Boundary Layer Transition Detection on a Rotor Blade Using Rotating Mirror Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heineck, James T.; Schuelein, Erich; Raffel, Markus

2014-01-01

Laminar-to-turbulent transition on a rotor blade in hover has been imaged using an area-scan infrared camera. A new method for tracking a blade using a rotating mirror was employed. The mirror axis of rotation roughly corresponded to the rotor axis of rotation and the mirror rotational frequency is 1/2 that of the rotor. This permitted the use of cameras whose integration time was too long to prevent image blur due to the motion of the blade. This article will show the use of this method for a rotor blade at different collective pitch angles.

Measuring sperm movement within the female reproductive tract using Fourier analysis.

PubMed

Nicovich, Philip R; Macartney, Erin L; Whan, Renee M; Crean, Angela J

2015-02-01

The adaptive significance of variation in sperm phenotype is still largely unknown, in part due to the difficulties of observing and measuring sperm movement in its natural, selective environment (i.e., within the female reproductive tract). Computer-assisted sperm analysis systems allow objective and accurate measurement of sperm velocity, but rely on being able to track individual sperm, and are therefore unable to measure sperm movement in species where sperm move in trains or bundles. Here we describe a newly developed computational method for measuring sperm movement using Fourier analysis to estimate sperm tail beat frequency. High-speed time-lapse videos of sperm movement within the female tract of the neriid fly Telostylinus angusticollis were recorded, and a map of beat frequencies generated by converting the periodic signal of an intensity versus time trace at each pixel to the frequency domain using the Fourier transform. We were able to detect small decreases in sperm tail beat frequency over time, indicating the method is sensitive enough to identify consistent differences in sperm movement. Fourier analysis can be applied to a wide range of species and contexts, and should therefore facilitate novel exploration of the causes and consequences of variation in sperm movement.

A network-based frequency analysis of Inclusive Wealth to track sustainable development in world countries.

PubMed

Ahmad, Nasir; Derrible, Sybil; Managi, Shunsuke

2018-07-15

Using human (HC), natural (NC), and produced (PC) capital from Inclusive Wealth as representatives of the triple bottom line of sustainability and utilizing elements of network science, we introduce a Network-based Frequency Analysis (NFA) method to track sustainable development in world countries from 1990 to 2014. The method compares every country with every other and links them when values are close. The country with the most links becomes the main trend, and the performance of every other country is assessed based on its 'orbital' distance from the main trend. Orbital speeds are then calculated to evaluate country-specific dynamic trends. Overall, we find an optimistic trend for HC only, indicating positive impacts of global initiatives aiming towards socio-economic development in developing countries like the Millennium Development Goals and 'Agenda 21'. However, we also find that the relative performance of most countries has not changed significantly in this period, regardless of their gradual development. Specifically, we measure a decrease in produced and natural capital for most countries, despite an increase in GDP, suggesting unsustainable development. Furthermore, we develop a technique to cluster countries and project the results to 2050, and we find a significant decrease in NC for nearly all countries, suggesting an alarming depletion of natural resources worldwide. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GPS NAVSTAR-4 and NTS-2 Long Term Frequency Stability and Time Transfer Analysis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-30

delta pseudo-range, are taken every 6 s. NTS Tracking Network Figure 4 presents the four station network employed for tracking the NTS spacecraft. Thc ...limits of visibility for the NRL CBD (Chesapeake Bay Division), Panama, Australia, and Eng- land tracking stations are depicted by the symbols C, P...GIAT and, in Australia, with the Division of National Mapping. The CBD tracking station had port- able clock and TV links to the U.S. Naval Observatory

An All-Digital Fast Tracking Switching Converter with a Programmable Order Loop Controller for Envelope Tracking RF Power Amplifiers

PubMed Central

Anabtawi, Nijad; Ferzli, Rony; Harmanani, Haidar M.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a step down, switched mode power converter for use in multi-standard envelope tracking radio frequency power amplifiers (RFPA). The converter is based on a programmable order sigma delta modulator that can be configured to operate with either 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th order loop filters, eliminating the need for a bulky passive output filter. Output ripple, sideband noise and spectral emission requirements of different wireless standards can be met by configuring the modulator’s filter order and converter’s sampling frequency. The proposed converter is entirely digital and is implemented in 14nm bulk CMOS process for post layout verification. For an input voltage of 3.3V, the converter’s output can be regulated to any voltage level from 0.5V to 2.5V, at a nominal switching frequency of 150MHz. It achieves a maximum efficiency of 94% at 1.5 W output power. PMID:28919657

Quantification of larval zebrafish motor function in multi-well plates using open-source MATLAB® applications

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yangzhong; Cattley, Richard T.; Cario, Clinton L.; Bai, Qing; Burton, Edward A.

2014-01-01

This article describes a method to quantify the movements of larval zebrafish in multi-well plates, using the open-source MATLAB® applications LSRtrack and LSRanalyze. The protocol comprises four stages: generation of high-quality, flatly-illuminated video recordings with exposure settings that facilitate object recognition; analysis of the resulting recordings using tools provided in LSRtrack to optimize tracking accuracy and motion detection; analysis of tracking data using LSRanalyze or custom MATLAB® scripts; implementation of validation controls. The method is reliable, automated and flexible, requires less than one hour of hands-on work for completion once optimized, and shows excellent signal:noise characteristics. The resulting data can be analyzed to determine: positional preference; displacement, velocity and acceleration; duration and frequency of movement events and rest periods. This approach is widely applicable to analyze spontaneous or stimulus-evoked zebrafish larval neurobehavioral phenotypes resulting from a broad array of genetic and environmental manipulations, in a multi-well plate format suitable for high-throughput applications. PMID:24901738

Quantification of larval zebrafish motor function in multiwell plates using open-source MATLAB applications.

PubMed

Zhou, Yangzhong; Cattley, Richard T; Cario, Clinton L; Bai, Qing; Burton, Edward A

2014-07-01

This article describes a method to quantify the movements of larval zebrafish in multiwell plates, using the open-source MATLAB applications LSRtrack and LSRanalyze. The protocol comprises four stages: generation of high-quality, flatly illuminated video recordings with exposure settings that facilitate object recognition; analysis of the resulting recordings using tools provided in LSRtrack to optimize tracking accuracy and motion detection; analysis of tracking data using LSRanalyze or custom MATLAB scripts; and implementation of validation controls. The method is reliable, automated and flexible, requires <1 h of hands-on work for completion once optimized and shows excellent signal:noise characteristics. The resulting data can be analyzed to determine the following: positional preference; displacement, velocity and acceleration; and duration and frequency of movement events and rest periods. This approach is widely applicable to the analysis of spontaneous or stimulus-evoked zebrafish larval neurobehavioral phenotypes resulting from a broad array of genetic and environmental manipulations, in a multiwell plate format suitable for high-throughput applications.

A Combined Adaptive Neural Network and Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Multirate Networked Industrial Process Control.

PubMed

Wang, Tong; Gao, Huijun; Qiu, Jianbin

2016-02-01

This paper investigates the multirate networked industrial process control problem in double-layer architecture. First, the output tracking problem for sampled-data nonlinear plant at device layer with sampling period T(d) is investigated using adaptive neural network (NN) control, and it is shown that the outputs of subsystems at device layer can track the decomposed setpoints. Then, the outputs and inputs of the device layer subsystems are sampled with sampling period T(u) at operation layer to form the index prediction, which is used to predict the overall performance index at lower frequency. Radial basis function NN is utilized as the prediction function due to its approximation ability. Then, considering the dynamics of the overall closed-loop system, nonlinear model predictive control method is proposed to guarantee the system stability and compensate the network-induced delays and packet dropouts. Finally, a continuous stirred tank reactor system is given in the simulation part to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The Future of Hazardous Waste Tracking: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

EPA Science Inventory

The capability and performance of various RFID technologies to track hazardous wastes and materials (HAZMAT) across international borders will be verified in the El Paso, Texas-Ciudad Juarez, Mexico area under EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)/Environmental and S...

Array processing for RFID tag localization exploiting multi-frequency signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yimin; Li, Xin; Amin, Moeness G.

2009-05-01

RFID is an increasingly valuable business and technology tool for electronically identifying, locating, and tracking products, assets, and personnel. As a result, precise positioning and tracking of RFID tags and readers have received considerable attention from both academic and industrial communities. Finding the position of RFID tags is considered an important task in various real-time locating systems (RTLS). As such, numerous RFID localization products have been developed for various applications. The majority of RFID positioning systems is based on the fusion of pieces of relevant information, such as the range and the direction-of-arrival (DOA). For example, trilateration can determine the tag position by using the range information of the tag estimated from three or more spatially separated reader antennas. Triangulation is another method to locate RFID tags that use the direction-of-arrival (DOA) information estimated at multiple spatially separated locations. The RFID tag positions can also be determined through hybrid techniques that combine the range and DOA information. The focus of this paper to study the design and performance of the localization of passive RFID tags using array processing techniques in a multipath environment, and exploiting multi-frequency CW signals. The latter are used to decorrelate the coherent multipath signals for effective DOA estimation and for the purpose of accurate range estimation. Accordingly, the spatial and frequency dimensionalities are fully utilized for robust and accurate positioning of RFID tags.

Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate the percent of the population meeting USDA Food Patterns fruit and vegetable intake recommendations

PubMed Central

Moore, Latetia V; Dodd, Kevin W; Thompson, Frances E; Grimm, Kirsten A; Kim, Sonia A; Scanlon, Kelley S

2015-01-01

Most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables with significant variation by state. State-level self-reported frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). However, BRFSS cannot be used to directly compare states’ progress towards national goals because of incongruence in units used to measure intake and because distributions from frequency data are not reflective of usual intake. To help states track progress, we developed scoring algorithms from external data and applied them to 2011 BRFSS data to estimate the percent of each state’s adult population meeting United States Department of Agriculture Food Patterns fruit and vegetable intake recommendations. We used 24 hour dietary recall data from the 2007–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to fit sex- and age-specific models that estimate probabilities of meeting recommendations as functions of reported consumption frequency, race/ethnicity, and poverty-income ratio adjusting for intra-individual variation. Regression parameters derived from these models were applied to BRFSS to estimate percent meeting recommendations. We estimate that 7–18% of state populations met fruit recommendations and 5–12% met vegetable recommendations. Our method provides a new tool for states to track progress towards meeting dietary recommendations. PMID:25935424

Radiation-induced total-deletion mutations in the human hprt gene: a biophysical model based on random walk interphase chromatin geometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, H.; Sachs, R. K.; Yang, T. C.

1998-01-01

PURPOSE: To develop a biophysical model that explains the sizes of radiation-induced hprt deletions. METHODS: Key assumptions: (1) Deletions are produced by two DSB that are closer than an interaction distance at the time of DSB induction; (2) Interphase chromatin is modelled by a biphasic random walk distribution; and (3) Misrejoining of DSB from two separate tracks dominates at low-LET and misrejoining of DSB from a single track dominates at high-LET. RESULTS: The size spectra for radiation-induced total deletions of the hprt gene are calculated. Comparing with the results of Yamada and coworkers for gamma-irradiated human fibroblasts the study finds that an interaction distance of 0.75 microm will fit both the absolute frequency and the size spectrum of the total deletions. It is also shown that high-LET radiations produce, relatively, more total deletions of sizes below 0.5 Mb. The model predicts an essential gene to be located between 2 and 3 Mb from the hprt locus towards the centromere. Using the same assumptions and parameters as for evaluating mutation frequencies, a frequency of intra-arm chromosome deletions is calculated that is in agreement with experimental data. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation-induced total-deletion mutations of the human hprt gene and intrachange chromosome aberrations share a common mechanism for their induction.

Speeding up 3D speckle tracking using PatchMatch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zontak, Maria; O'Donnell, Matthew

2016-03-01

Echocardiography provides valuable information to diagnose heart dysfunction. A typical exam records several minutes of real-time cardiac images. To enable complete analysis of 3D cardiac strains, 4-D (3-D+t) echocardiography is used. This results in a huge dataset and requires effective automated analysis. Ultrasound speckle tracking is an effective method for tissue motion analysis. It involves correlation of a 3D kernel (block) around a voxel with kernels in later frames. The search region is usually confined to a local neighborhood, due to biomechanical and computational constraints. For high strains and moderate frame-rates, however, this search region will remain large, leading to a considerable computational burden. Moreover, speckle decorrelation (due to high strains) leads to errors in tracking. To solve this, spatial motion coherency between adjacent voxels should be imposed, e.g., by averaging their correlation functions.1 This requires storing correlation functions for neighboring voxels, thus increasing memory demands. In this work, we propose an efficient search using PatchMatch, 2 a powerful method to find correspondences between images. Here we adopt PatchMatch for 3D volumes and radio-frequency signals. As opposed to an exact search, PatchMatch performs random sampling of the search region and propagates successive matches among neighboring voxels. We show that: 1) Inherently smooth offset propagation in PatchMatch contributes to spatial motion coherence without any additional processing or memory demand. 2) For typical scenarios, PatchMatch is at least 20 times faster than the exact search, while maintaining comparable tracking accuracy.

Sinusoidal visuomotor tracking: intermittent servo-control or coupled oscillations?

PubMed

Russell, D M; Sternad, D

2001-12-01

In visuomotor tasks that involve accuracy demands, small directional changes in the trajectories have been taken as evidence of feedback-based error corrections. In the present study variability, or intermittency, in visuomanual tracking of sinusoidal targets was investigated. Two lines of analyses were pursued: First, the hypothesis that humans fundamentally act as intermittent servo-controllers was re-examined, probing the question of whether discontinuities in the movement trajectory directly imply intermittent control. Second, an alternative hypothesis was evaluated: that rhythmic tracking movements are generated by entrainment between the oscillations of the target and the actor, such that intermittency expresses the degree of stability. In 2 experiments, participants (N = 6 in each experiment) swung 1 of 2 different hand-held pendulums, tracking a rhythmic target that oscillated at different frequencies with a constant amplitude. In 1 line of analyses, the authors tested the intermittency hypothesis by using the typical kinematic error measures and spectral analysis. In a 2nd line, they examined relative phase and its variability, following analyses of rhythmic interlimb coordination. The results showed that visually guided corrective processes play a role, especially for slow movements. Intermittency, assessed as frequency and power components of the movement trajectory, was found to change as a function of both target frequency and the manipulandum's inertia. Support for entrainment was found in conditions in which task frequency was identical to or higher than the effector's eigenfrequency. The results suggest that it is the symmetry between task and effector that determines which behavioral regime is dominant.

Resonant Acoustic Measurement of Vapor Phase Transport Phenomenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuhmann, R. J.; Garrett, S. L.; Matson, J. V.

2002-12-01

A major impediment to accurate non steady-state diffusion measurements is the ability to accurately measure and track a rapidly changing gas concentration without disturbing the system. Non-destructive methods that do not interfere with system dynamics have been developed in the past. These methods, however, have tended to be cumbersome or inaccurate at low concentrations. A new experimental approach has been developed to measure gaseous diffusion in free air and through porous materials. The method combines the traditional non steady-state laboratory methodology with resonant acoustic gas analysis. A phase-locked-loop (PLL) resonance frequency tracker is combined with a thermally insulated copper resonator. A piston sealed with a metal bellows excites the fundamental standing wave resonance of the resonator. The PLL maintains a constant phase difference (typically 90§) between the accelerometer mounted on the piston and a microphone near the piston to track the resonance frequency in real time. A capillary or glass bead filled core is fitted into an o-ring sealed opening at the end of the resonator opposite the bellows. The rate at which the tracer gas is replaced by air within the resonator is controlled by the diffusion coefficient of the gas in free air through the capillary (DA) or by the effective diffusion coefficient of the gas through the core (De). The mean molecular weight of the gas mixture in the resonator is directly determined six times each minute from the ratio of the absolute temperature to the square of the fundamental acoustic resonance frequency. Average system stability (temperature divided by frequency squared) is better than 350 ppm. DA values for a 0.3-inch diameter capillary were in excellent agreement with published values. De values for porous media samples (0.5 mm glass beads) of four different lengths (1 through 4 inches) using three different tracer gases (He, CH4, Kr) will be reported. Comments will be offered regarding tracer gas selection and device orientation and their effect on experimental results. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.

An approach for modeling the influence of wheel tractor loads and vibration frequencies on soil compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verotti, M.; Servadio, P.; Belfiore, N. P.; Bergonzoli, S.

2012-04-01

Both soil compaction and ground vibration are forms of environmental degradation that may be understood in the context of the vehicle-soil interaction process considered (Hildebrand et al., 2008). The transit of tractors on agricultural soil is often the main cause of soil compaction increasing. As known, this can be a serious problems for tillage and sowing and therefore the influence of all the affecting factors have been extensively studied in the last decades in order to understand their impact on the biosystem. There are factors related to the climate, namely to the rainfalls and temperature, and many others. Hence, it is not simple to figure out a complete model for predicting an index of compaction, for a given situation. Soil compaction models are important tools for controlling soil compaction due to agricultural field traffic and they are potentially useful technique to provide information concerning correct soil management. By means of such models, strategies and recommendations for prevention of soil compaction may be developed and specific advice may be given to farmers and advisers. In order to predict field wheeled and tracked vehicle performance, some empirical methods, used for off-road vehicle, were applied by Servadio (2010) on agricultural soil. The empirical indexes included, besides the soil strength, the load carried by the tire or track, some technical characteristics of the tire or track of the vehicle (tire or track width, tire or track wheel diameter, unloaded tire section height, number of wheel station in one track, tire deflection, total length of the belt track, the track pitch) as well as the vehicle passes. They have been validated with the tests results of agricultural vehicles over a range of soil in central Italy. Among the parameters which affect soil compaction, the water content of the soil, the axle load and number of vehicle passes proved to be the most important ones. The present paper concerns mainly vehicle-soil-man interaction. In particular, a model based on elasto-visco-plastic concentrated parameters, with multiple degrees of freedom, will be used in order to build a method for detecting a soil damage index, especially expressed in terms of increasing of soil compaction. Besides the axle load, the model will take into account the frequency of the vibrations that the vehicle is transmitting to the soil. Such model expresses a numerical value for the transmissibility coefficient and also allows evaluating the damage at the surface and on the bulk medium where the agricultural crops initially develop. Key words: vehicle-soil interaction, vibration, compaction, models. Acknowledgements This work was carried out under the auspices of the special project "Sceneries of adaptation of the Italian agriculture to the climatic changes" (AGROSCENARI) of the Agricultural Research Council, and Italian Ministry of the Agricultural and Forestry Politics.

Limitation of Gravitational Wave Detector Niobè Sensitivity by the Frequency Tracking Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frajuca, Carlos; Bortoli, Fabio Da Silva

The gravity wave detector at the University of Western Australia was based on a bending flap of 0.45kg tuned near the fundamental resonant frequency of a 1.5ton resonant-bar of 710Hz at a temperature of 5K. The displacement of the bending flap was monitored with a 9.5GHz superconducting re-entrant cavity transducer. The performance of the transducer is related to the development of a low noise microwave pump oscillator to drive the transducer. This work studies the influence of the frequency tracking noise of Niobè. It had a burst sensitivity of h ≈ 7 × 10-19 with a long term operation from 1993 to early 1998. It had the lowest observed noise temperature. Using the characteristics of the detector, NIOBÈ should had reached a much better sensitivity that the one measure. It seems that the noise introduced in the system by the frequency tracking device was not taken into account at the time of operation, this noise gives a value of ≈ 2.5 × 10-18m/(Hz)-1/2, what is the value that limited the detector sensitivity to the one measured at the time of operation.

System and method for controlling remote devices

DOEpatents

Carrender, Curtis Lee [Richland, WA; Gilbert, Ronald W [Benton City, WA; Scott, Jeff W [Pasco, WA; Clark, David A [Kennewick, WA

2006-02-07

A system and method for controlling remote devices utilizing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag device having a control circuit adapted to render the tag device, and associated objects, permanently inoperable in response to radio-frequency control signals. The control circuit is configured to receive the control signals that can include an enable signal, and in response thereto enable an associated object, such as a weapon; and in response to a disable signal, to disable the tag itself, or, if desired, to disable the associated weapon or both the device and the weapon. Permanent disabling of the tag can be accomplished by several methods, including, but not limited to, fusing a fusable link, breaking an electrically conductive path, permanently altering the modulation or backscattering characteristics of the antenna circuit, and permanently erasing an associated memory. In this manner, tags in the possession of unauthorized employees can be remotely disabled, and weapons lost on a battlefield can be easily tracked and enabled or disabled automatically or at will.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, Randy M; Hill, David E; Gorman, Bryan L

As a proof of concept tested in an operational context, the Global Radiological Source Sorting, Tracking, and Monitoring (GRadSSTraM) Project successfully demonstrated that radio frequency identification (RFID) and Web 2.0* technologies can be deployed to track controlled shipments between the United States and the European Union. Between November 2009 and May 2010, a total of 19 shipments were successfully shipped from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and tracked to their delivery at England's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) by the United Kingdom Royal Mail. However, the project can only be viewed as a qualified successmore » as notable shortcomings were observed. Although the origin and terminus of all RFID-enabled shipments were recorded and no shipments were lost, not all the waypoints between ORNL and NPL were incorporated into the pilot. Given limited resources, the project team was able to install RFID listeners/actuators at three waypoints between the two endpoints. Although it is likely that all shipments followed the same route between ORNL and NPL, it cannot be determined beyond question that all 19 shipments were routed on identical itineraries past the same three waypoints. The pilot also raises the distinct possibility that unattended RFID tracking alone, without positive confirmation that a tagged item has been properly recorded by an RFID reader, does not meet a rigorous standard for shipping controlled items. Indeed, the proof of concept test strongly suggests that a multifaceted approach to tracking may be called for, including tracking methods that are capable of reading and accepting multiple inputs for individual items [e.g., carrier-provided tracking numbers, Universal Product Codes (UPCs), and RFID tags]. For controlled items, another apparent requirement is a confirmation feature, human or otherwise, which can certify that an item's RFID tag, UPC, or tracking number has been recorded.« less

Usability evaluation of an emergency department information system prototype designed using cognitive systems engineering techniques.

PubMed

Clark, Lindsey N; Benda, Natalie C; Hegde, Sudeep; McGeorge, Nicolette M; Guarrera-Schick, Theresa K; Hettinger, A Zachary; LaVergne, David T; Perry, Shawna J; Wears, Robert L; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Bisantz, Ann M

2017-04-01

This article presents an evaluation of novel display concepts for an emergency department information system (EDIS) designed using cognitive systems engineering methods. EDISs assist emergency medicine staff with tracking patient care and ED resource allocation. Participants performed patient planning and orientation tasks using the EDIS displays and rated the display's ability to support various cognitive performance objectives along with the usability, usefulness, and predicted frequency of use for 18 system components. Mean ratings were positive for cognitive performance support objectives, usability, usefulness, and frequency of use, demonstrating the successful application of design methods to create useful and usable EDIS concepts that provide cognitive support for emergency medicine staff. Nurse and provider roles had significantly different perceptions of the usability and usefulness of certain EDIS components, suggesting that they have different information needs while working. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability evaluation of an emergency department information system prototype designed using cognitive systems engineering techniques

PubMed Central

Clark, Lindsey N.; Benda, Natalie C.; Hegde, Sudeep; McGeorge, Nicolette M.; Guarrera-Schick, Theresa K.; Hettinger, A. Zachary; LaVergne, David T.; Perry, Shawna J.; Wears, Robert L.; Fairbanks, Rollin J.; Bisantz, Ann M.

2017-01-01

This article presents an evaluation of novel display concepts for an emergency department information system (EDIS) designed using cognitive systems engineering methods. EDISs assist emergency medicine staff with tracking patient care and ED resource allocation. Participants performed patient planning and orientation tasks using the EDIS displays and rated the display’s ability to support various cognitive performance objectives along with the usability, usefulness, and predicted frequency of use for 18 system components. Mean ratings were positive for cognitive performance support objectives, usability, usefulness, and frequency of use, demonstrating the successful application of design methods to create useful and usable EDIS concepts that provide cognitive support for emergency medicine staff. Nurse and provider roles had significantly different perceptions of the usability and usefulness of certain EDIS components, suggesting that they have different information needs while working. PMID:28166896

A review of demodulation techniques for amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy

PubMed Central

Harcombe, David M; Ragazzon, Michael R P; Moheimani, S O Reza; Fleming, Andrew J

2017-01-01

In this review paper, traditional and novel demodulation methods applicable to amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy are implemented on a widely used digital processing system. As a crucial bandwidth-limiting component in the z-axis feedback loop of an atomic force microscope, the purpose of the demodulator is to obtain estimates of amplitude and phase of the cantilever deflection signal in the presence of sensor noise or additional distinct frequency components. Specifically for modern multifrequency techniques, where higher harmonic and/or higher eigenmode contributions are present in the oscillation signal, the fidelity of the estimates obtained from some demodulation techniques is not guaranteed. To enable a rigorous comparison, the performance metrics tracking bandwidth, implementation complexity and sensitivity to other frequency components are experimentally evaluated for each method. Finally, the significance of an adequate demodulator bandwidth is highlighted during high-speed tapping-mode atomic force microscopy experiments in constant-height mode. PMID:28900596

A nonlinear and fractional derivative viscoelastic model for rail pads in the dynamic analysis of coupled vehicle-slab track systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shengyang; Cai, Chengbiao; Spanos, Pol D.

2015-01-01

A nonlinear and fractional derivative viscoelastic (FDV) model is used to capture the complex behavior of rail pads. It is implemented into the dynamic analysis of coupled vehicle-slab track (CVST) systems. The vehicle is treated as a multi-body system with 10 degrees of freedom, and the slab track is represented by a three layer Bernoulli-Euler beam model. The model for the rail pads is one dimensional, and the force-displacement relation is based on a superposition of elastic, friction, and FDV forces. This model takes into account the influences of the excitation frequency and of the displacement amplitude through a fractional derivative element, and a nonlinear friction element, respectively. The Grünwald representation of the fractional derivatives is employed to numerically solve the fractional and nonlinear equations of motion of the CVST system by means of an explicit integration algorithm. A dynamic analysis of the CVST system exposed to excitations of rail harmonic irregularities is carried out, pointing out the stiffness and damping dependence on the excitation frequency and the displacement amplitude. The analysis indicates that the dynamic stiffness and damping of the rail pads increase with the excitation frequency while they decrease with the displacement amplitude. Furthermore, comparisons between the proposed model and ordinary Kelvin model adopted for the CVST system, under excitations of welded rail joint irregularities and of random track irregularities, are conducted in the time domain as well as in the frequency domain. The proposed model is shown to possess several modeling advantages over the ordinary Kelvin element which overestimates both the stiffness and damping features at high frequencies.

A critique of wildlife radio-tracking and its use in National Parks: a report to the National Park Service

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L. David; Barber, Shannon M.

2002-01-01

Because of the naturalness of National Parks and because of the public’s strong interest in the parks, the National Park Service (NPS) must gather as much information as needed to help understand and preserve the natural functioning of its ecosystems, and especially of its wildlife. The most useful technique for studying wildlife is radio-tracking, or wildlife telemetry. Radio-tracking is the technique of determining information about an animal through the use of radio signals from or to a device carried by the animal.The basic components of a traditional radio-tracking system are (1) a transmitting subsystem consisting of a radio transmitter, a power source and a propagating antenna, and (2) a receiving subsystem including a “pick-up” antenna, a signal receiver with reception indicator (speaker and/or display) and a power source. Most radio tracking systems involve transmitters tuned to different frequencies (analogous to different AM/FM radio stations) that allow individual identification.Three distinct types of radio-tracking are in use today: (1)conventional, very-high-frequency (VHF) radio tracking, (2) satellite tracking, and (3) Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking. VHF radio-tracking is the standard technique that has been in use since 1963.However, radio-tracking can be considered intrusive in that it requires live-capturing animals and attaching a collar or other device to them. A person must then monitor signals from the device, thus usually requiring people in the field in vehicles, aircraft, and on foot. Nevertheless, most national parks have recognized the benefits of radio-tracking and have hosted radio-tracking studies for many years; in some parks, hundreds of animals have been, or are being, so studied.As a result, some NPS staff are concerned about actual or potential intrusiveness of radio-tracking. Ideally, wildlife studies would still be done but with no intrusion on animals or conflict with park visitors.Thus the NPS has decided to closely examine the technique and use of radio-tracking to determine (1) if any less-intrusive method could supply the same information, (2) what the full range of radio-tracking technology is, to determine if the least-intrusive techniques are being used, and (3) whether future technological improvements might lead to less-intrusive techniques. The present review is the result.We first present a simple overview of radio-tracking technology, its benefits, variety, cost, and availability, advantages and disadvantages, and recent refinements that, if used, could reduce research intrusiveness. Then we consider whether any less-intrusive, non-radio-tracking techniques could supply the same information. Next we discuss possible future improvements and suggest some that would help reduce intrusion during wildlife research in national parks.Last, we review radio-tracking technology in detail for readers who want a more complete understanding. This review should also allow administrators and scientists to determine whether the least-intrusive radio-tracking techniques are currently being used.We conclude that no substitute for radio-tracking appears to be on the horizon but that a few recent improvements in the technology can reduce some of its intrusiveness. Further, we recommend that the NPS (1) formally assess the extent of park visitors’ perceptions and concerns about any intrusiveness caused by wildlife radio-tracking studies (2) help minimize visitor concern about the technique by educating the public about radio-tracking and some of its findings in the parks, (3) promote use of the most up-to-date refinements and improvements in radio-tracking technology, and (4) encourage funding projects using such technology.

Digital-Difference Processing For Collision Avoidance.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shores, Paul; Lichtenberg, Chris; Kobayashi, Herbert S.; Cunningham, Allen R.

1988-01-01

Digital system for automotive crash avoidance measures and displays difference in frequency between two sinusoidal input signals of slightly different frequencies. Designed for use with Doppler radars. Characterized as digital mixer coupled to frequency counter measuring difference frequency in mixer output. Technique determines target path mathematically. Used for tracking cars, missiles, bullets, baseballs, and other fast-moving objects.

Wide Tuning Capability for Spacecraft Transponders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lux, James; Mysoor, Narayan; Shah, Biren; Cook, Brian; Smith, Scott

2007-01-01

A document presents additional information on the means of implementing a capability for wide tuning of microwave receiver and transmitter frequencies in the development reported in the immediately preceding article, VCO PLL Frequency Synthesizers for Spacecraft Transponders (NPO- 42909). The reference frequency for a PLL-based frequency synthesizer is derived from a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) implemented in digital logic, such that almost any reference frequency can be derived from a fixed crystal reference oscillator with microhertz precision. The frequency of the NCO is adjusted to track the received signal, then used to create another NCO frequency used to synthesize the transmitted signal coherent with, and at a specified frequency ratio to, the received signal. The frequencies can be changed, even during operation, through suitable digital programming. The NCOs and the related tracking loops and coherent turnaround logic are implemented in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The interface between the analog microwave receiver and transmitter circuits and the FPGA includes analog-to-digital and digital-toanalog converters, the sampling rates of which are chosen to minimize spurious signals and otherwise optimize performance. Several mixers and filters are used to properly route various signals.

Characterizing resonant component in speech: A different view of tracking fundamental frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Bin

2017-05-01

Inspired by the nonlinearity and nonstationarity and the modulations in speech, Hilbert-Huang Transform and cyclostationarity analysis are employed to investigate the speech resonance in vowel in sequence. Cyclostationarity analysis is not directly manipulated on the target vowel, but on its intrinsic mode functions one by one. Thanks to the equivalence between the fundamental frequency in speech and the cyclic frequency in cyclostationarity analysis, the modulation intensity distributions of the intrinsic mode functions provide much information for the estimation of the fundamental frequency. To highlight the relationship between frequency and time, the pseudo-Hilbert spectrum is proposed to replace the Hilbert spectrum here. After contrasting the pseudo-Hilbert spectra of and the modulation intensity distributions of the intrinsic mode functions, it finds that there is usually one intrinsic mode function which works as the fundamental component of the vowel. Furthermore, the fundamental frequency of the vowel can be determined by tracing the pseudo-Hilbert spectrum of its fundamental component along the time axis. The later method is more robust to estimate the fundamental frequency, when meeting nonlinear components. Two vowels [a] and [i], picked up from a speech database FAU Aibo Emotion Corpus, are applied to validate the above findings.

Classification of team sport activities using a single wearable tracking device.

PubMed

Wundersitz, Daniel W T; Josman, Casey; Gupta, Ritu; Netto, Kevin J; Gastin, Paul B; Robertson, Sam

2015-11-26

Wearable tracking devices incorporating accelerometers and gyroscopes are increasingly being used for activity analysis in sports. However, minimal research exists relating to their ability to classify common activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether data obtained from a single wearable tracking device can be used to classify team sport-related activities. Seventy-six non-elite sporting participants were tested during a simulated team sport circuit (involving stationary, walking, jogging, running, changing direction, counter-movement jumping, jumping for distance and tackling activities) in a laboratory setting. A MinimaxX S4 wearable tracking device was worn below the neck, in-line and dorsal to the first to fifth thoracic vertebrae of the spine, with tri-axial accelerometer and gyroscope data collected at 100Hz. Multiple time domain, frequency domain and custom features were extracted from each sensor using 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5s movement capture durations. Features were further screened using a combination of ANOVA and Lasso methods. Relevant features were used to classify the eight activities performed using the Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Logistic Model Tree (LMT) algorithms. The LMT (79-92% classification accuracy) outperformed RF (32-43%) and SVM algorithms (27-40%), obtaining strongest performance using the full model (accelerometer and gyroscope inputs). Processing time can be reduced through feature selection methods (range 1.5-30.2%), however a trade-off exists between classification accuracy and processing time. Movement capture duration also had little impact on classification accuracy or processing time. In sporting scenarios where wearable tracking devices are employed, it is both possible and feasible to accurately classify team sport-related activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of ballast on the sound radiation from railway track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xianying; Thompson, David; Jeong, Hongseok; Squicciarini, Giacomo

2017-07-01

In a conventional railway track, the rails are laid on sleepers, usually made of concrete, which are supported by a layer of coarse stones known as ballast. This paper focuses on quantifying the influence that the ballast has on the noise produced by the vibration of the track, particularly on the rail and sleeper radiation ratios. A one-fifth scale model of a railway track has been used to conduct acoustic and vibration measurements. This includes reduced-scale ballast that has been produced with stone sizes in the correct proportions. Two different scaling factors (1:√5 and 1:5) have been adopted for the stone sizes in an attempt to reproduce approximately the acoustic properties of full-scale ballast. It is shown that, although a scale factor of 1:√5 gives a better scaling of the acoustic properties, the stones scaled at 1:5 also give acceptable results. The flow resistivity and porosity of this ballast sample have been measured. These have been used in a local reaction model based on the Johnson-Allard formulation to predict the ballast absorption, showing good agreement with measurements of the absorption coefficient. The effects of the presence of the ballast on the noise radiation from a reduced-scale steel rail and concrete sleeper have been investigated experimentally with the ballast located on a rigid foundation. Comparisons are made with the corresponding numerical predictions obtained by using the boundary element method, in which the ballast is represented by a surface impedance. Additionally the finite element method has been used in which the porous medium is considered as an equivalent fluid. From these results it is shown that the extended reaction model gives better agreement with the measurements. Finally, the effects of the ballast vibration on the sleeper radiation have also been investigated for a case of three sleepers embedded in ballast. The ballast vibration is shown to increase the sound radiation by between 1 and 4.5 dB for frequencies between 20 and 300 Hz at full scale whereas at higher frequencies the effect is negligible.

Prospective motion correction using inductively coupled wireless RF coils.

PubMed

Ooi, Melvyn B; Aksoy, Murat; Maclaren, Julian; Watkins, Ronald D; Bammer, Roland

2013-09-01

A novel prospective motion correction technique for brain MRI is presented that uses miniature wireless radio-frequency coils, or "wireless markers," for position tracking. Each marker is free of traditional cable connections to the scanner. Instead, its signal is wirelessly linked to the MR receiver via inductive coupling with the head coil. Real-time tracking of rigid head motion is performed using a pair of glasses integrated with three wireless markers. A tracking pulse-sequence, combined with knowledge of the markers' unique geometrical arrangement, is used to measure their positions. Tracking data from the glasses is then used to prospectively update the orientation and position of the image-volume so that it follows the motion of the head. Wireless-marker position measurements were comparable to measurements using traditional wired radio-frequency tracking coils, with the standard deviation of the difference < 0.01 mm over the range of positions measured inside the head coil. Wireless-marker safety was verified with B1 maps and temperature measurements. Prospective motion correction was demonstrated in a 2D spin-echo scan while the subject performed a series of deliberate head rotations. Prospective motion correction using wireless markers enables high quality images to be acquired even during bulk motions. Wireless markers are small, avoid radio-frequency safety risks from electrical cables, are not hampered by mechanical connections to the scanner, and require minimal setup times. These advantages may help to facilitate adoption in the clinic. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Asteroseismic modelling of the solar-like star β Hydri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doğan, G.; Brandão, I. M.; Bedding, T. R.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J.; Cunha, M. S.; Kjeldsen, H.

2010-07-01

We present the results of modelling the subgiant star β Hydri using seismic observational constraints. We have computed several grids of stellar evolutionary tracks using the Aarhus STellar Evolution Code (ASTEC, Christensen-Dalsgaard in Astrophys. Space Sci. 316:13, 2008a), with and without helium diffusion and settling. For those models on each track that are located at the observationally determined position of β Hydri in the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram, we have calculated the oscillation frequencies using the Aarhus adiabatic pulsation package (ADIPLS, Christensen-Dalsgaard in Astrophys. Space Sci. 316:113, 2008b). Applying the near-surface corrections to the calculated frequencies using the empirical law presented by Kjeldsen et al. (Astrophys. J. 683:L175, 2008), we have compared the corrected model frequencies with the observed frequencies of the star. We show that after correcting the frequencies for the near-surface effects, we have a fairly good fit for both l=0 and l=2 frequencies. We also have good agreement between the observed and calculated l=1 mode frequencies, although there is room for improvement in order to fit all the observed mixed modes simultaneously.

The reliability and validity of subjective notational analysis in comparison to global positioning system tracking to assess athlete movement patterns.

PubMed

Doğramac, Sera N; Watsford, Mark L; Murphy, Aron J

2011-03-01

Subjective notational analysis can be used to track players and analyse movement patterns during match-play of team sports such as futsal. The purpose of this study was to establish the validity and reliability of the Event Recorder for subjective notational analysis. A course was designed, replicating ten minutes of futsal match-play movement patterns, where ten participants undertook the course. The course allowed a comparison of data derived from subjective notational analysis, to the known distances of the course, and to GPS data. The study analysed six locomotor activity categories, focusing on total distance covered, total duration of activities and total frequency of activities. The values between the known measurements and the Event Recorder were similar, whereas the majority of significant differences were found between the Event Recorder and GPS values. The reliability of subjective notational analysis was established with all ten participants being analysed on two occasions, as well as analysing five random futsal players twice during match-play. Subjective notational analysis is a valid and reliable method of tracking player movements, and may be a preferred and more effective method than GPS, particularly for indoor sports such as futsal, and field sports where short distances and changes in direction are observed.

Enhanced robust fractional order proportional-plus-integral controller based on neural network for velocity control of permanent magnet synchronous motor.

PubMed

Zhang, Bitao; Pi, YouGuo

2013-07-01

The traditional integer order proportional-integral-differential (IO-PID) controller is sensitive to the parameter variation or/and external load disturbance of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). And the fractional order proportional-integral-differential (FO-PID) control scheme based on robustness tuning method is proposed to enhance the robustness. But the robustness focuses on the open-loop gain variation of controlled plant. In this paper, an enhanced robust fractional order proportional-plus-integral (ERFOPI) controller based on neural network is proposed. The control law of the ERFOPI controller is acted on a fractional order implement function (FOIF) of tracking error but not tracking error directly, which, according to theory analysis, can enhance the robust performance of system. Tuning rules and approaches, based on phase margin, crossover frequency specification and robustness rejecting gain variation, are introduced to obtain the parameters of ERFOPI controller. And the neural network algorithm is used to adjust the parameter of FOIF. Simulation and experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper not only achieve favorable tracking performance, but also is robust with regard to external load disturbance and parameter variation. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radio Frequency Identification Applications in Pavements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is widely used for inventory control, tool and material tracking, and other similar applications where line-of-sight optical bar codes are inconvenient or impractical. Several applications of RFID tech...

Handling qualities of large flexible control-configured aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaim, R. L.

1980-01-01

The effects on handling qualities of low frequency symmetric elastic mode interaction with the rigid body dynamics of a large flexible aircraft was analyzed by use of a mathematical pilot modeling computer simulation. An extension of the optimal control model for a human pilot was made so that the mode interaction effects on the pilot's control task could be assessed. Pilot ratings were determined for a longitudinal tracking task with parametric variations in the undamped natural frequencies of the two lowest frequency symmetric elastic modes made to induce varying amounts of mode interaction. Relating numerical performance index values associated with the frequency variations used in several dynamic cases, to a numerical Cooper-Harper pilot rating has proved successful in discriminating when the mathematical pilot can or cannot separate rigid from elastic response in the tracking task.

Storage Free Smart Energy Management for Frequency Control in a Diesel-PV-Fuel Cell-Based Hybrid AC Microgrid.

PubMed

Sekhar, P C; Mishra, S

2016-08-01

This paper proposes a novel, smart energy management scheme for a microgrid, consisting of a diesel generator and power electronic converter interfaced renewable energy-based generators, such as photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell, for frequency regulation without any storage. In the proposed strategy, output of the PV is controlled in coordination with other generators using neurofuzzy controller, either only for transient frequency regulation or for both transient and steady-state frequency regulation, depending on the load demand, thereby eliminating the huge storage requirements. The option of demand response control is also explored along with the generation control. For accurate and quick tracking of maximum power point and its associated reserve power from the PV generator, this paper also proposes a novel adaptive-predictor-corrector-based tracking mechanism.

Optical superheterodyne receiver.

PubMed

Lucy, R F; Lang, K; Peters, C J; Duval, K

1967-08-01

Optical communications experiments at 6328 A, comparing the fading characteristics of coherent and noncoherent optical detection, have been performed over a 1-km real atmospheric path in different weather conditions. The results show that fading is less severe for noncoherent detection and that the fading characteristic for both types vary significantly with weather conditions. In addition, the similarity of optical FM to rf FM is demonstrated. The measurements were performed using a remote laser transmitter and an optical superheterodyne receiver operating simultaneously in both a coherent and noncoherent detection mode. The receiver, tunable over a frequency range of 1 GHz at the IF difference frequency of 30 MHz, has automatic frequency control and also uses a precision angle tracking servo to maintain receiver spatial alignment with a remote transmitter. The angle and frequency tracking capability permit operation between moving transmitter and receiver terminals.

Head Impact Exposure in Junior and Adult Australian Football Players

PubMed Central

King, Doug; Dempsey, Alasdair; Murphy, Myles

2018-01-01

This study measured and compared the frequency, magnitude, and distribution of head impacts sustained by junior and adult Australian football players, respectively, and between player positions over a season of games. Twelve junior and twelve adult players were tracked using a skin-mounted impact sensor. Head impact exposure, including frequency, magnitude, and location of impacts, was quantified using previously established methods. Over the collection period, there were no significant differences in the impact frequency between junior and adult players. However, there was a significant increase in the frequency of head impacts for midfielders in both grades once we accounted for player position. A comparable amount of head impacts in both junior and adult players has implications for Australian football regarding player safety and medical coverage as younger players sustained similar impact levels as adult players. The other implication of a higher impact profile within midfielders is that, by targeting education and prevention strategies, a decrease in the incidence of sports-related concussion may result. PMID:29805979

Final Scientific/Technical Report for Subseasonal to Seasonal Prediction of Extratropical Storm Track Activity over the U.S. using NMME data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Edmund Kar-Man

The goals of the project are: 1) To develop and assess subseasonal to seasonal prediction products for storm track activity derived from NMME data; 2) Assess how much of the predictable signal can be associated with ENSO and other modes of large scale low frequency atmosphere-ocean variability; and 3) Further explore the link between storm track variations and extreme weather statistics. Significant findings of this project include the followings: 1) Our assessment of NMME reforecasts of storm track variability has demonstrated that NMME models have substantial skill in predicting storm track activity in the vicinity of North America - Subseasonalmore » skill is high only for leads of less than 1 month. However, seasonal (winter) prediction skill near North America is high even out to 4 to 5 months lead - Much of the skill for leads of 1 month or longer is related to the influence of ENSO - Nevertheless, lead 0 NMME predictions are significantly more skillful than those based on ENSO influence 2) Our results have demonstrated that storm track variations highly modulate the frequency of occurrence of weather extremes - Extreme cold, high wind, and extreme precipitation events in winter - Extreme heat events in summer - These results suggest that NMME storm track predictions can be developed to serve as a useful guidance to assist the formulation of monthly/seasonal outlooks« less

Aircraft Fault Detection Using Real-Time Frequency Response Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grauer, Jared A.

2016-01-01

A real-time method for estimating time-varying aircraft frequency responses from input and output measurements was demonstrated. The Bat-4 subscale airplane was used with NASA Langley Research Center's AirSTAR unmanned aerial flight test facility to conduct flight tests and collect data for dynamic modeling. Orthogonal phase-optimized multisine inputs, summed with pilot stick and pedal inputs, were used to excite the responses. The aircraft was tested in its normal configuration and with emulated failures, which included a stuck left ruddervator and an increased command path latency. No prior knowledge of a dynamic model was used or available for the estimation. The longitudinal short period dynamics were investigated in this work. Time-varying frequency responses and stability margins were tracked well using a 20 second sliding window of data, as compared to a post-flight analysis using output error parameter estimation and a low-order equivalent system model. This method could be used in a real-time fault detection system, or for other applications of dynamic modeling such as real-time verification of stability margins during envelope expansion tests.

Efficiency optimization of class-D biomedical inductive wireless power transfer systems by means of frequency adjustment.

PubMed

Schormans, Matthew; Valente, Virgilio; Demosthenous, Andreas

2015-01-01

Inductive powering for implanted medical devices is a commonly employed technique, that allows for implants to avoid more dangerous methods such as the use of transcutaneous wires or implanted batteries. However, wireless powering in this way also comes with a number of difficulties and conflicting requirements, which are often met by using designs based on compromise. In particular, one aspect common to most inductive power links is that they are driven with a fixed frequency, which may not be optimal depending on factors such as coupling and load. In this paper, a method is proposed in which an inductive power link is driven by a frequency that is maintained at an optimum value f(opt), to ensure that the link is in resonance. In order to maintain this resonance, a phase tracking technique is employed at the primary side of the link; this allows for compensation of changes in coil separation and load. The technique is shown to provide significant improvements in maintained secondary voltage and efficiency for a range of loads when the link is overcoupled.

Performance evaluation of digital phase-locked loops for advanced deep space transponders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, T. M.; Hinedi, S. M.; Yeh, H.-G.; Kyriacou, C.

1994-01-01

The performances of the digital phase-locked loops (DPLL's) for the advanced deep-space transponders (ADT's) are investigated. DPLL's considered in this article are derived from the analog phase-locked loop, which is currently employed by the NASA standard deep space transponder, using S-domain to Z-domain mapping techniques. Three mappings are used to develop digital approximations of the standard deep space analog phase-locked loop, namely the bilinear transformation (BT), impulse invariant transformation (IIT), and step invariant transformation (SIT) techniques. The performance in terms of the closed loop phase and magnitude responses, carrier tracking jitter, and response of the loop to the phase offset (the difference between in incoming phase and reference phase) is evaluated for each digital approximation. Theoretical results of the carrier tracking jitter for command-on and command-off cases are then validated by computer simulation. Both theoretical and computer simulation results show that at high sampling frequency, the DPLL's approximated by all three transformations have the same tracking jitter. However, at low sampling frequency, the digital approximation using BT outperforms the others. The minimum sampling frequency for adequate tracking performance is determined for each digital approximation of the analog loop. In addition, computer simulation shows that the DPLL developed by BT provides faster response to the phase offset than IIT and SIT.

A Simplified Baseband Prefilter Model with Adaptive Kalman Filter for Ultra-Tight COMPASS/INS Integration

PubMed Central

Luo, Yong; Wu, Wenqi; Babu, Ravindra; Tang, Kanghua; Luo, Bing

2012-01-01

COMPASS is an indigenously developed Chinese global navigation satellite system and will share many features in common with GPS (Global Positioning System). Since the ultra-tight GPS/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integration shows its advantage over independent GPS receivers in many scenarios, the federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration has been investigated in this paper, particularly, by proposing a simplified prefilter model. Compared with a traditional prefilter model, the state space of this simplified system contains only carrier phase, carrier frequency and carrier frequency rate tracking errors. A two-quadrant arctangent discriminator output is used as a measurement. Since the code tracking error related parameters were excluded from the state space of traditional prefilter models, the code/carrier divergence would destroy the carrier tracking process, and therefore an adaptive Kalman filter algorithm tuning process noise covariance matrix based on state correction sequence was incorporated to compensate for the divergence. The federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration was implemented with a hardware COMPASS intermediate frequency (IF), and INS's accelerometers and gyroscopes signal sampling system. Field and simulation test results showed almost similar tracking and navigation performances for both the traditional prefilter model and the proposed system; however, the latter largely decreased the computational load. PMID:23012564

Sound radiation from railway sleepers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xianying; Thompson, David J.; Squicciarini, Giacomo

2016-05-01

The sleepers supporting the rails of a railway track are an important source of noise at low frequencies. The sound radiation from the sleepers has been calculated using a three-dimensional boundary element model including the effect of both reflective and partially absorptive ground. When the sleeper flexibility and support stiffness are taken into account, it is found that the radiation ratio of the sleeper can be approximated by that of a rigid half-sleeper. When multiple sleepers are excited through the rail, their sound radiation is increased. This effect has been calculated for cases where the sleeper is embedded in a rigid or partially absorptive ground. It is shown that it is sufficient to consider only three sleepers in determining their radiation ratio when installed in track. At low frequencies the vibration of the track is localised to the three sleepers nearest the excitation point whereas at higher frequencies the distance between the sleepers is large enough for them to be treated independently. Consequently the sound radiation increases by up to 5 dB below 100 Hz compared with the result for a single sleeper whereas above 300 Hz the result can be approximated by that for a single sleeper. Measurements on a 1/5 scale model railway track are used to verify the numerical predictions with good agreement being found for all configurations.

Pursuit tracking and higher levels of skill development in the human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

A model of the human pilot is offered for pursuit tracking tasks; the model encompasses an existing model for compensatory tracking. The central hypothesis in the development of this model states that those primary structural elements in the compensatory model responsible for the pilot's equalization capabilities remain intact in the pursuit model. In this latter case, effective low-frequency inversion of the controlled-element dynamics occurs by feeding-forward derived input rate through the equalization dynamics, with low-frequency phase droop minimized. The sharp reduction in low-frequency phase lag beyond that associated with the disappearance of phase droop is seen to accompany relatively low-gain feedback of vehicle output. The results of some recent motion cue research are discussed and interpreted in terms of the compensatory-pursuit display dichotomy. Tracking with input preview is discussed in a qualitative way. In terms of the model, preview is shown to demand no fundamental changes in structure or equalization and to allow the pilot to eliminate the effective time delays that accrue in the inversion of the controlled-element dynamics. Precognitive behavior is discussed, and a model that encompasses all the levels of skill development outlined in the successive organizations of perception theory is finally proposed.

Application of Sliding Mode Methods to the Design of Reconfigurable Flight Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, Scott R.

2002-01-01

Observer-based sliding mode control is investigated for application to aircraft reconfigurable flight control. A comprehensive overview of reconfigurable flight control is given, including, a review of the current state-of-the-art within the subdisciplines of fault detection, parameter identification, adaptive control schemes, and dynamic control allocation. Of the adaptive control methods reviewed, sliding mode control (SMC) appears very promising due its property of invariance to matched uncertainty. An overview of sliding mode control is given and its remarkable properties are demonstrated by example. Sliding mode methods, however, are difficult to implement because unmodeled parasitic dynamics cause immediate and severe instability. This presents a challenge for all practical applications with limited bandwidth actuators. One method to deal with parasitic dynamics is the use of an asymptotic observer in the feedback path. Observer-based SMC is investigated, and a method for selecting observer gains is offered. An additional method for shaping the feedback loop using a filter is also developed. It is shown that this SMC prefilter is equivalent to a form of model reference hedging. A complete design procedure is given which takes advantage of the sliding mode boundary layer to recast the SMC as a linear control law. Frequency domain loop shaping is then used to design the sliding manifold. Finally, three aircraft applications are demonstrated. An F-18/HARV is used to demonstrate a SISO pitch rate tracking controller. It is also used to demonstrate a MIMO lateral-directional roll rate tracking controller. The last application is a full linear six degree-of-freedom advanced tailless fighter model. The observer-based SMC is seen to provide excellent tracking with superior robustness to parameter changes and actuator failures.

Frequency, Contingency and Online Processing of Multiword Sequences: An Eye-Tracking Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Wei; Lu, Shiyi; Ma, Guojie

2017-01-01

Frequency and contingency are two primary statistical factors that drive the acquisition and processing of language. This study explores the role of phrasal frequency and contingency (the co-occurrence probability/statistical association of the constituent words in multiword sequences) during online processing of multiword sequences. Meanwhile, it…

The CO2 laser frequency stability measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, E. H., Jr.

1973-01-01

Carbon dioxide laser frequency stability data are considered for a receiver design that relates to maximum Doppler frequency and its rate of change. Results show that an adequate margin exists in terms of data acquisition, Doppler tracking, and bit error rate as they relate to laser stability and transmitter power.

A new approach for bioassays based on frequency- and time-domain measurements of magnetic nanoparticles.

PubMed

Oisjöen, Fredrik; Schneiderman, Justin F; Astalan, Andrea Prieto; Kalabukhov, Alexey; Johansson, Christer; Winkler, Dag

2010-01-15

We demonstrate a one-step wash-free bioassay measurement system capable of tracking biochemical binding events. Our approach combines the high resolution of frequency- and high speed of time-domain measurements in a single device in combination with a fast one-step bioassay. The one-step nature of our magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) based assay reduces the time between sample extraction and quantitative results while mitigating the risks of contamination related to washing steps. Our method also enables tracking of binding events, providing the possibility of, for example, investigation of how chemical/biological environments affect the rate of a binding process or study of the action of certain drugs. We detect specific biological binding events occurring on the surfaces of fluid-suspended MNPs that modify their magnetic relaxation behavior. Herein, we extrapolate a modest sensitivity to analyte of 100 ng/ml with the present setup using our rapid one-step bioassay. More importantly, we determine the size-distributions of the MNP systems with theoretical fits to our data obtained from the two complementary measurement modalities and demonstrate quantitative agreement between them. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Certainty Equivalence M-MRAC for Systems with Unmatched Uncertainties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stepanyan, Vahram; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje

2012-01-01

The paper presents a certainty equivalence state feedback indirect adaptive control design method for the systems of any relative degree with unmatched uncertainties. The approach is based on the parameter identification (estimation) model, which is completely separated from the control design and is capable of producing parameter estimates as fast as the computing power allows without generating high frequency oscillations. It is shown that the system's input and output tracking errors can be systematically decreased by the proper choice of the design parameters.

Signal existence verification (SEV) for GPS low received power signal detection using the time-frequency approach.

PubMed

Jan, Shau-Shiun; Sun, Chih-Cheng

2010-01-01

The detection of low received power of global positioning system (GPS) signals in the signal acquisition process is an important issue for GPS applications. Improving the miss-detection problem of low received power signal is crucial, especially for urban or indoor environments. This paper proposes a signal existence verification (SEV) process to detect and subsequently verify low received power GPS signals. The SEV process is based on the time-frequency representation of GPS signal, and it can capture the characteristic of GPS signal in the time-frequency plane to enhance the GPS signal acquisition performance. Several simulations and experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed method for low received power signal detection. The contribution of this work is that the SEV process is an additional scheme to assist the GPS signal acquisition process in low received power signal detection, without changing the original signal acquisition or tracking algorithms.

A modular multiple use system for precise time and frequency measurement and distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhardt, V. S.; Adams, W. S.; Lee, G. M.; Bush, R. L.

1978-01-01

A modular CAMAC based system is described which was developed to meet a variety of precise time and frequency measurement and distribution needs. The system was based on a generalization of the dual mixer concept. By using a 16 channel 100 ns event clock, the system can intercompare the phase of 16 frequency standards with subpicosecond resolution. The system has a noise floor of 26 fs and a long term stability on the order of 1 ps or better. The system also used a digitally controlled crystal oscillator in a control loop to provide an offsettable 5 MHz output with subpicosecond phase tracking capability. A detailed description of the system is given including theory of operation and performance. A method to improve the performance of the dual mixer technique is discussed when phase balancing of the two input ports cannot be accomplished.

Decision feedback loop for tracking a polyphase modulated carrier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M. K. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A multiple phase modulated carrier tracking loop for use in a frequency shift keying system is described in which carrier tracking efficiency is improved by making use of the decision signals made on the data phase transmitted in each T-second interval. The decision signal is used to produce a pair of decision-feedback quadrature signals for enhancing the loop's performance in developing a loop phase error signal.

Engineering evaluations and studies. Report for IUS studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The reviews, investigations, and analyses of the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) Spacecraft Tracking and Data Network (STDN) transponder are reviewed. Carrier lock detector performance for Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) dual-mode operation is discussed, as is the problem of predicting instantaneous frequency error in the carrier loop. Coastal loop performance analysis is critiqued and the static tracking phase error induced by thermal noise biases is discussed.

Structural dynamic interaction with solar tracking control for evolutionary Space Station concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Tae W.; Cooper, Paul A.; Ayers, J. Kirk

1992-01-01

The sun tracking control system design of the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) and the interaction of the control system with the flexible structure of Space Station Freedom (SSF) evolutionary concepts are addressed. The significant components of the space station pertaining to the SARJ control are described and the tracking control system design is presented. Finite element models representing two evolutionary concepts, enhanced operations capability (EOC) and extended operations capability (XOC), are employed to evaluate the influence of low frequency flexible structure on the control system design and performance. The design variables of the control system are synthesized using a constrained optimization technique to meet design requirements, to provide a given level of control system stability margin, and to achieve the most responsive tracking performance. The resulting SARJ control system design and performance of the EOC and XOC configurations are presented and compared to those of the SSF configuration. Performance limitations caused by the low frequency of the dominant flexible mode are discussed.

Mass Determination of Pluto and Charon from New Horizon REX Radio Science Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paetzold, Martin; Andert, T. P.; Tyler, G.; Bird, M. K.; Hinson, D. P.; Linscott, I. R.

2013-10-01

The anticipated 14 July 2015 New Horizons fly-through of the Pluto system provides the first opportunity to determine both the total system mass and the individual masses of Pluto and Charon by direct observation. This will be accomplished by use of: i) two-way Doppler radio frequency tracking data during intervals along the fly-in and -out trajectory, and ii) one-way uplink Doppler frequency recorded by the on-board radio science instrument, REX, during the day of closest approaches to Pluto and Charon. Continuous tracking is not feasible as a result of pointing sharing with the instruments during the encounter phase. Needed radio tracking will be obtained during time slots shared with i) two-way Doppler tracking for navigation, ii) 'plasma rolls' with the spacecraft antenna pointing to Earth, and iii) during the ingress and egress phases of the occultations. Simulations of the NH encounter indicate the potential accuracies of the combined and individual mass determinations of Pluto and Charon in the order of 0.1%.

Mass Determination of Pluto and Charon from New Horizon REX Radio Science Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pätzold, M.; Andert, T. P.; Tyler, G. L.; Bird, M. K.; Hinson, D. H.; Linscott, I. R.

2013-09-01

The anticipated 14 July 2015 New Horizons flythrough of the Pluto system provides the first opportunity to determine both the total system mass and the individual masses of Pluto and Charon by direct observation. This will be accomplished by use of: i) two-way Doppler radio frequency tracking data during intervals along the fly-in and -out trajectory, and ii) one-way uplink Doppler frequency recorded by the on-board radio science instrument, REX, during the day of closest approaches to Pluto and Charon. Continuous tracking is not feasible as a result of pointing sharing with the instruments during the encounter phase. Needed radio tracking will be obtained during time slots shared with i) two-way Doppler tracking for navigation, ii) 'plasma rolls' with the spacecraft antenna pointing to Earth, and iii) during the ingress and egress phases of the occultations. Simulations of the NH encounter indicate the potential accuracies of the combined and individual mass determinations of Pluto and Charon in the order of 0.1%.

Mechanisms Underlying Selective Neuronal Tracking of Attended Speech at a ‘Cocktail Party’

PubMed Central

Zion Golumbic, Elana M.; Ding, Nai; Bickel, Stephan; Lakatos, Peter; Schevon, Catherine A.; McKhann, Guy M.; Goodman, Robert R.; Emerson, Ronald; Mehta, Ashesh D.; Simon, Jonathan Z.; Poeppel, David; Schroeder, Charles E.

2013-01-01

Summary The ability to focus on and understand one talker in a noisy social environment is a critical social-cognitive capacity, whose underlying neuronal mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the manner in which speech streams are represented in brain activity and the way that selective attention governs the brain’s representation of speech using a ‘Cocktail Party’ Paradigm, coupled with direct recordings from the cortical surface in surgical epilepsy patients. We find that brain activity dynamically tracks speech streams using both low frequency phase and high frequency amplitude fluctuations, and that optimal encoding likely combines the two. In and near low level auditory cortices, attention ‘modulates’ the representation by enhancing cortical tracking of attended speech streams, but ignored speech remains represented. In higher order regions, the representation appears to become more ‘selective,’ in that there is no detectable tracking of ignored speech. This selectivity itself seems to sharpen as a sentence unfolds. PMID:23473326

Enhancement of accuracy in shape sensing of surgical needles using optical frequency domain reflectometry in optical fibers.

PubMed

Parent, Francois; Loranger, Sebastien; Mandal, Koushik Kanti; Iezzi, Victor Lambin; Lapointe, Jerome; Boisvert, Jean-Sébastien; Baiad, Mohamed Diaa; Kadoury, Samuel; Kashyap, Raman

2017-04-01

We demonstrate a novel approach to enhance the precision of surgical needle shape tracking based on distributed strain sensing using optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). The precision enhancement is provided by using optical fibers with high scattering properties. Shape tracking of surgical tools using strain sensing properties of optical fibers has seen increased attention in recent years. Most of the investigations made in this field use fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), which can be used as discrete or quasi-distributed strain sensors. By using a truly distributed sensing approach (OFDR), preliminary results show that the attainable accuracy is comparable to accuracies reported in the literature using FBG sensors for tracking applications (~1mm). We propose a technique that enhanced our accuracy by 47% using UV exposed fibers, which have higher light scattering compared to un-exposed standard single mode fibers. Improving the experimental setup will enhance the accuracy provided by shape tracking using OFDR and will contribute significantly to clinical applications.

Skilled adult readers activate the meanings of high-frequency words using phonology: Evidence from eye tracking.

PubMed

Jared, Debra; O'Donnell, Katrina

2017-02-01

We examined whether highly skilled adult readers activate the meanings of high-frequency words using phonology when reading sentences for meaning. A homophone-error paradigm was used. Sentences were written to fit 1 member of a homophone pair, and then 2 other versions were created in which the homophone was replaced by its mate or a spelling-control word. The error words were all high-frequency words, and the correct homophones were either higher-frequency words or low-frequency words-that is, the homophone errors were either the subordinate or dominant member of the pair. Participants read sentences as their eye movements were tracked. When the high-frequency homophone error words were the subordinate member of the homophone pair, participants had shorter immediate eye-fixation latencies on these words than on matched spelling-control words. In contrast, when the high-frequency homophone error words were the dominant member of the homophone pair, a difference between these words and spelling controls was delayed. These findings provide clear evidence that the meanings of high-frequency words are activated by phonological representations when skilled readers read sentences for meaning. Explanations of the differing patterns of results depending on homophone dominance are discussed.

A comparison of tracking with visual and kinesthetic-tactual displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jagacinski, R. J.; Flach, J. M.; Gilson, R. D.

1981-01-01

Recent research on manual tracking with a kinesthetic-tactual (KT) display suggests that under appropriate conditions it may be an effective means of providing visual workload relief. In order to better understand how KT tracking differs from visual tracking, both a critical tracking task and stationary single-axis tracking tasks were conducted with and without velocity quickening. On the critical tracking task, the visual displays were superior; however, the KT quickened display was approximately equal to the visual unquickened display. Mean squared error scores in the stationary tracking tasks for the visual and KT displays were approximately equal in the quickened conditions, and the describing functions were very similar. In the unquickened conditions, the visual display was superior. Subjects using the unquickened KT display exhibited a low frequency lead-lag that may be related to sensory adaptation.

Experiments and analysis of tunable monolithic 1- μm single-frequency fiber lasers with loop mirror filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Song, Huaqing; Wang, Xingpeng; Wang, Dongdong; Li, Li

2018-03-01

In this paper, we demonstrated thermally tunable 1- μm single-frequency fiber lasers utilizing loop mirror filters (LMFs) with unpumped Yb-doped fibers. The frequency selection and tracking was achieved by combining a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and a dynamic grating established inside the LMF. The central emission wavelength was at 1064.07 nm with a tuning range of 1.4 nm, and the measured emission linewidth was less than 10 kHz. We also systematically studied the wavelength-tracking thermal stability of the LMF with separate thermal treatment upon the FBG and LMF, respectively. Finally, we presented a selection criterion for the minimum unpumped doped fiber length inside the LMF with experimental verification.

Evaporation of Binary Sessile Drops: Infrared and Acoustic Methods To Track Alcohol Concentration at the Interface and on the Surface.

PubMed

Chen, Pin; Toubal, Malika; Carlier, Julien; Harmand, Souad; Nongaillard, Bertrand; Bigerelle, Maxence

2016-09-27

Evaporation of droplets of three pure liquids (water, 1-butanol, and ethanol) and four binary solutions (5 wt % 1-butanol-water-based solution and 5, 25, and 50 wt % ethanol-water-based solutions) deposited on hydrophobic silicon was investigated. A drop shape analyzer was used to measure the contact angle, diameter, and volume of the droplets. An infrared camera was used for infrared thermal mapping of the droplet's surface. An acoustic high-frequency echography technique was, for the first time, applied to track the alcohol concentration in a binary-solution droplet. Evaporation of pure alcohol droplets was executed at different values of relative humidity (RH), among which the behavior of pure ethanol evaporation was notably influenced by the ambient humidity as a result of high hygrometry. Evaporation of droplets of water and binary solutions was performed at a temperature of 22 °C and a mean humidity of approximately 50%. The exhaustion times of alcohol in the droplets estimated by the acoustic method and the visual method were similar for the water-1-butanol mixture; however, the time estimated by the acoustic method was longer when compared with that estimated by the visual method for the water-ethanol mixture due to the residual ethanol at the bottom of the droplet.

A Method for Extracting Road Boundary Information from Crowdsourcing Vehicle GPS Trajectories.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Ai, Tinghua; Lu, Wei

2018-04-19

Crowdsourcing trajectory data is an important approach for accessing and updating road information. In this paper, we present a novel approach for extracting road boundary information from crowdsourcing vehicle traces based on Delaunay triangulation (DT). First, an optimization and interpolation method is proposed to filter abnormal trace segments from raw global positioning system (GPS) traces and interpolate the optimization segments adaptively to ensure there are enough tracking points. Second, constructing the DT and the Voronoi diagram within interpolated tracking lines to calculate road boundary descriptors using the area of Voronoi cell and the length of triangle edge. Then, the road boundary detection model is established integrating the boundary descriptors and trajectory movement features (e.g., direction) by DT. Third, using the boundary detection model to detect road boundary from the DT constructed by trajectory lines, and a regional growing method based on seed polygons is proposed to extract the road boundary. Experiments were conducted using the GPS traces of taxis in Beijing, China, and the results show that the proposed method is suitable for extracting the road boundary from low-frequency GPS traces, multi-type road structures, and different time intervals. Compared with two existing methods, the automatically extracted boundary information was proved to be of higher quality.

A Method for Extracting Road Boundary Information from Crowdsourcing Vehicle GPS Trajectories

PubMed Central

Yang, Wei

2018-01-01

Crowdsourcing trajectory data is an important approach for accessing and updating road information. In this paper, we present a novel approach for extracting road boundary information from crowdsourcing vehicle traces based on Delaunay triangulation (DT). First, an optimization and interpolation method is proposed to filter abnormal trace segments from raw global positioning system (GPS) traces and interpolate the optimization segments adaptively to ensure there are enough tracking points. Second, constructing the DT and the Voronoi diagram within interpolated tracking lines to calculate road boundary descriptors using the area of Voronoi cell and the length of triangle edge. Then, the road boundary detection model is established integrating the boundary descriptors and trajectory movement features (e.g., direction) by DT. Third, using the boundary detection model to detect road boundary from the DT constructed by trajectory lines, and a regional growing method based on seed polygons is proposed to extract the road boundary. Experiments were conducted using the GPS traces of taxis in Beijing, China, and the results show that the proposed method is suitable for extracting the road boundary from low-frequency GPS traces, multi-type road structures, and different time intervals. Compared with two existing methods, the automatically extracted boundary information was proved to be of higher quality. PMID:29671792

Distribution of cattle grazing in a northeastern Oregon riparian pasture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Livestock grazing of a northeastern Oregon riparian pasture was monitored using high-frequency GPS tracking of cattle and high-resolution aerial photography. Tracking collars recorded positions, velocity, date, and time at 1-sec intervals. Areas where animals rested and moved were identified and re...

Fast Markerless Tracking for Augmented Reality in Planar Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basori, Ahmad Hoirul; Afif, Fadhil Noer; Almazyad, Abdulaziz S.; AbuJabal, Hamza Ali S.; Rehman, Amjad; Alkawaz, Mohammed Hazim

2015-12-01

Markerless tracking for augmented reality should not only be accurate but also fast enough to provide a seamless synchronization between real and virtual beings. Current reported methods showed that a vision-based tracking is accurate but requires high computational power. This paper proposes a real-time hybrid-based method for tracking unknown environments in markerless augmented reality. The proposed method provides collaboration of vision-based approach with accelerometers and gyroscopes sensors as camera pose predictor. To align the augmentation relative to camera motion, the tracking method is done by substituting feature-based camera estimation with combination of inertial sensors with complementary filter to provide more dynamic response. The proposed method managed to track unknown environment with faster processing time compared to available feature-based approaches. Moreover, the proposed method can sustain its estimation in a situation where feature-based tracking loses its track. The collaboration of sensor tracking managed to perform the task for about 22.97 FPS, up to five times faster than feature-based tracking method used as comparison. Therefore, the proposed method can be used to track unknown environments without depending on amount of features on scene, while requiring lower computational cost.

Modelling of a Double-Track Railway Contact System Electric Field Intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belinsky, Stanislav; Khanzhina, Olga; Sidorov, Alexander

2017-12-01

Working conditions of personnel that serves contact system (CS) are affected by factors including health and safety, security and working hours (danger of rolling stock accidents, danger of electric shock strokes, work at height, severity and tension of work, increased noise level, etc.) Low frequency electromagnetic fields as part of both electric and magnetic fields are among of the most dangerous and harmful factors. These factors can affect not only the working personnel, but also a lot of people, who do not work with the contact system itself, but could be influenced by electromagnetic field as the result of their professional activity. People, who use public transport or live not far from the electrified lines, are endangered by these factors as well. There are results of the theoretical researches in which low frequency electric fields of railway contact system were designed with the use of mathematical and computer modelling. Significant features of electric field distribution near double-track railway in presence or absence of human body were established. The studies showed the dependence of low frequency electric field parameters on the distance to the track axis, height, and presence or absence of human body. The obtained data were compared with permissible standards established in the Russian Federation and other countries with advanced electrified railway system. Evaluation of low frequency electric fields harmful effect on personnel is the main result of this work. It is also established, that location of personnel, voltage and current level, amount of tracks and other factors influence electric fields of contact systems.

The vertical and the longitudinal dynamic responses of the vehicle-track system to squat-type short wavelength irregularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xin; Li, Zili; Dollevoet, Rolf

2013-12-01

The squat, a kind of rolling contact fatigue occurring on the rail top, can excite the high-frequency vehicle-track interaction effectively due to its geometric deviations with a typical wavelength of 20-40 mm, leading to the accelerated deterioration of a track. In this work, a validated 3D transient finite element model is employed to calculate in the time domain the vertical and the longitudinal dynamic contact forces between the wheel and the rail caused by squats. The vehicle-track structure and the wheel-rail continua are both considered in order to include all the important eigencharacteristics of the system related to squats. By introducing the rotational and translational movements of the wheel, the transient wheel-rail rolling contact is solved in detail by a 3D frictional contact model integrated. The contact filter effect is considered automatically in the simulations by the finite size of the contact patch. The present work focuses on the influences of the length, width and depth of a light squat on the resulted dynamic contact forces, for which idealised defect models are used. The growth of a squat is also modelled to a certain extent by a series of defects with different dimensions. The results show that the system is mainly excited at two frequencies separately in the vertical and the longitudinal dynamics. Their superposition explains the typical appearance of mature squats. As a squat grows up, the magnitude of the excited vibration at the lower frequency increases faster than the one at the higher frequency.

Determining nest predators of the Least Bell's Vireo through point counts, tracking stations, and video photography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Bonnie L.; Kus, Barbara E.; Deutschman, Douglas H.

2004-01-01

We compared three methods to determine nest predators of the Least Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) in San Diego County, California, during spring and summer 2000. Point counts and tracking stations were used to identify potential predators and video photography to document actual nest predators. Parental behavior at depredated nests was compared to that at successful nests to determine whether activity (frequency of trips to and from the nest) and singing vs. non-singing on the nest affected nest predation. Yellow-breasted Chats (Icteria virens) were the most abundant potential avian predator, followed by Western Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma californica). Coyotes (Canis latrans) were abundant, with smaller mammalian predators occurring in low abundance. Cameras documented a 48% predation rate with scrub-jays as the major nest predators (67%), but Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana, 17%), gopher snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus, 8%) and Argentine ants (Linepithema humile, 8%) were also confirmed predators. Identification of potential predators from tracking stations and point counts demonstrated only moderate correspondence with actual nest predators. Parental behavior at the nest prior to depredation was not related to nest outcome.

Feasibility of tracked electrodes for use in epilepsy surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, David; Brinkmann, Benjamin; Hanson, Dennis; Worrell, Gregory; Robb, Richard; Holton, Leslie

2016-03-01

Subdural electrode recording is commonly used to evaluate intractable epilepsy. In order to accurately record electrical activity responsible for seizure, electrodes must be positioned precisely near targets of interest, often indicated preoperatively through imaging studies. To achieve accurate placement, a large craniotomy is used to expose the brain surface. With the intent of limiting the size and improving the location of craniotomy for electrode placement, we examined magnetic tracking for localization of electrode strips. Commercially available electrode strips were attached to specialized magnetic tracking sensors developed by Medtronic plc. In a rigid phantom we evaluated the strips to determine the accuracy of electrode placement on targets. We further conducted an animal study to evaluate the impact of magnetic field interference during data collection. The measured distance between the physical fiducial and lead coil of the electrode strip was 1.32 +/- 1.03mm in the phantom experiments. The tracking system induces a very strong signal in the electrodes in the Very Low Frequency, an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) designated frequency band, from 3 kHz to 30 kHz. The results of the animal experiment demonstrated both tracking feasibility and data collection.

A Tool for the Automated Collection of Space Utilization Data: Three Dimensional Space Utilization Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vos, Gordon A.; Fink, Patrick; Ngo, Phong H.; Morency, Richard; Simon, Cory; Williams, Robert E.; Perez, Lance C.

2015-01-01

Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) Element within the Human Research Program (HRP), in collaboration with the Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Element, is conducting research regarding Net Habitable Volume (NHV), the internal volume within a spacecraft or habitat that is available to crew for required activities, as well as layout and accommodations within that volume. NASA is looking for innovative methods to unobtrusively collect NHV data without impacting crew time. Data required includes metrics such as location and orientation of crew, volume used to complete tasks, internal translation paths, flow of work, and task completion times. In less constrained environments methods for collecting such data exist yet many are obtrusive and require significant post-processing. Example technologies used in terrestrial settings include infrared (IR) retro-reflective marker based motion capture, GPS sensor tracking, inertial tracking, and multiple camera filmography. However due to constraints of space operations many such methods are infeasible, such as inertial tracking systems which typically rely upon a gravity vector to normalize sensor readings, and traditional IR systems which are large and require extensive calibration. However multiple technologies have not yet been applied to space operations for these explicit purposes. Two of these include 3-Dimensional Radio Frequency Identification Real-Time Localization Systems (3D RFID-RTLS) and depth imaging systems which allow for 3D motion capture and volumetric scanning (such as those using IR-depth cameras like the Microsoft Kinect or Light Detection and Ranging / Light-Radar systems, referred to as LIDAR).

Prediction of the Lorentz Force Detuning and pressure sensitivity for a Pillbox cavity

DOE PAGES

Parise, M.

2018-05-18

The Lorentz Force Detuning (LFD) and the pressure sensitivity are two critical concerns during the design of a Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavity resonator. The mechanical deformation of the bare Niobium cavity walls, due to the electromagnetic fields and fluctuation of the external pressure in the Helium bath, can dynamically and statically detune the frequency of the cavity and can cause beam phase errors. The frequency shift can be compensated by additional RF power, that is required to maintain the accelerating gradient, or by sophisticated tuning mechanisms and control-compensation algorithms. Passive stiffening is one of the simplest and most effectivemore » tools that can be used during the early design phase, capable of satisfying the Radio Frequency (RF) requisites. This approach requires several multiphysics simulations as well as a deep mechanical and RF knowledge of the phenomena involved. In this paper, is presented a new numerical model for a pillbox cavity that can predict the frequency shifts caused by the LFD and external pressure. This method allows to greatly reduce the computational effort, which is necessary to meet the RF requirements and to keep track of the frequency shifts without using the time consuming multiphysics simulations.« less

Prediction of the Lorentz Force Detuning and pressure sensitivity for a Pillbox cavity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parise, M.

The Lorentz Force Detuning (LFD) and the pressure sensitivity are two critical concerns during the design of a Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavity resonator. The mechanical deformation of the bare Niobium cavity walls, due to the electromagnetic fields and fluctuation of the external pressure in the Helium bath, can dynamically and statically detune the frequency of the cavity and can cause beam phase errors. The frequency shift can be compensated by additional RF power, that is required to maintain the accelerating gradient, or by sophisticated tuning mechanisms and control-compensation algorithms. Passive stiffening is one of the simplest and most effectivemore » tools that can be used during the early design phase, capable of satisfying the Radio Frequency (RF) requisites. This approach requires several multiphysics simulations as well as a deep mechanical and RF knowledge of the phenomena involved. In this paper, is presented a new numerical model for a pillbox cavity that can predict the frequency shifts caused by the LFD and external pressure. This method allows to greatly reduce the computational effort, which is necessary to meet the RF requirements and to keep track of the frequency shifts without using the time consuming multiphysics simulations.« less

Prediction of the Lorentz Force Detuning and pressure sensitivity for a Pillbox cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parise, M.

2018-05-01

The Lorentz Force Detuning (LFD) and the pressure sensitivity are two critical concerns during the design of a Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavity resonator. The mechanical deformation of the bare Niobium cavity walls, due to the electromagnetic fields and fluctuation of the external pressure in the Helium bath, can dynamically and statically detune the frequency of the cavity and can cause beam phase errors. The frequency shift can be compensated by additional RF power, that is required to maintain the accelerating gradient, or by sophisticated tuning mechanisms and control-compensation algorithms. Passive stiffening is one of the simplest and most effective tools that can be used during the early design phase, capable of satisfying the Radio Frequency (RF) requisites. This approach requires several multiphysics simulations as well as a deep mechanical and RF knowledge of the phenomena involved. In this paper, is presented a new numerical model for a pillbox cavity that can predict the frequency shifts caused by the LFD and external pressure. This method allows to greatly reduce the computational effort, which is necessary to meet the RF requirements and to keep track of the frequency shifts without using the time consuming multiphysics simulations.

Prediction of the Lorentz Force Detuning and Pressure Sensitivity for a Pillbox Cavity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parise, M.

2018-04-23

The Lorentz Force Detuning (LFD) and the pressure sensitivity are two critical concerns during the design of a Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavity resonator. The mechanical deformation of the bare Niobium cavity walls, due to the electromagnetic fields and fluctuation of the external pressure in the Helium bath, can dynamically and statically detune the frequency of the cavity and can cause beam phase errors. The frequency shift can be compensated by additional RF power, that is required to maintain the accelerating gradient, or by sophisticated tuning mechanisms and control-compensation algorithms. Passive stiffening is one of the simplest and most effectivemore » tools that can be used during the early design phase, capable of satisfying the Radio Frequency (RF) requisites. This approach requires several multiphysics simulations as well as a deep mechanical and RF knowledge of the phenomena involved. In this paper, is presented a new numerical model for a pillbox cavity that can predict the frequency shifts caused by the LFD and external pressure. This method allows to greatly reduce the computational effort, which is necessary to meet the RF requirements and to keep track of the frequency shifts without using the time consuming multiphysics simulations.« less

All-digital phase-lock loops for noise-free signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, T. O.

1973-01-01

Bit-synchronizers utilize all-digital phase-lock loops that are referenced to a high frequency digital clock. Phase-lock loop of first design acquires frequency within nominal range and tracks phase; second design is modified for random binary data by addition of simple transition detector; and third design acquires frequency over wide dynamic range.

System frequency support of permanent magnet synchronous generator-based wind power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ziping

With ever-increasing penetration of wind power into modern electric grids all over the world, a trending replacement of conventional synchronous generators by large wind power plants will likely result in the poor overall frequency regulation performance. On the other hand, permanent magnet synchronous generator wind Turbine System (PMSG-WTG) with full power back to back converters tends to become one of the most promising wind turbine technologies thanks to various advantages. It possesses a significant amount of kinetic energy stored in the rotating mass of turbine blades, which can be utilized to enhance the total inertia of power system. Additionally, the deloaded operation and decoupled control of active and reactive power make it possible for PMSG-WTG to provide a fast frequency regulation through full-power converter. First of all, a comprehensive and in-depth survey is conducted to analyze the motivations for incorporating the inertial response and frequency regulation of VSWT into the system frequency regulation. Besides, control classifications, fundamental control concepts and advanced control schemes implemented for auxiliary frequency support of individual WT or wind power plant are elaborated along with a comparison of the potential frequency regulation capabilities of four major types of WTs. Secondly, a Controls Advanced Research Turbine2-Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator wind turbine (CART2-PMSG) integrated model representing the typical configuration and operation characteristics of PMSG-WT is established in Matlab/Simulink,. Meanwhile, two different rotor-side converter control schemes, including rotor speed-based control and active power-based control, are integrated into this CART2-PMSG integrated model to perform Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) operation over a wide range of wind speeds, respectively. Thirdly, a novel comprehensive frequency regulation (CFR) control scheme is developed and implemented into the CART2-PMSG model based on rotor speed control. The proposed control scheme is achieved through the coordinated control between rotor speed and modified pitch angle in accordance with different specified wind speed modes. Fourth, an improved inertial control method based on the maximum power point tracking operation curve is introduced to boost the overall frequency support capability of PMSG-WTGs based on rotor speed control. Fifth, a novel control method based on the torque limit (TLC) is proposed for the purpose of maximizing the wind turbine (WT)'s inertial response. To avoid the SFD caused by the deloaded operation of WT, a small-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) model is established and implemented to eliminate this impact and meanwhile assist the restoration of wind turbine to MPPT mode by means of coordinated control strategy between BESS and PMSG-WTG. Last but not the least, all three types of control strategies are implemented in the CART2-PMSG integrated model based on rotor speed control or active power control respectively to evaluate their impacts on the wind turbine's structural loads during the frequency regulation process. Simulation results demonstrate that all the proposed methods can enhance the overall frequency regulation performance while imposing very slight negative impact on the major mechanical components of the wind turbine.

System and method for implementing periodic early discard in on-chip buffer memories of network elements

DOEpatents

Francini, Andrea

2013-05-14

An advance is made over the prior art in accordance with the principles of the present invention that is directed to a new approach for a system and method for a buffer management scheme called Periodic Early Discard (PED). The invention builds on the observation that, in presence of TCP traffic, the length of a queue can be stabilized by selection of an appropriate frequency for packet dropping. For any combination of number of TCP connections and distribution of the respective RTT values, there exists an ideal packet drop frequency that prevents the queue from over-flowing or under-flowing. While the value of the ideal packet drop frequency may quickly change over time and is sensitive to the series of TCP connections affected by past packet losses, and most of all is impossible to compute inline, it is possible to approximate it with a margin of error that allows keeping the queue occupancy within a pre-defined range for extended periods of time. The PED scheme aims at tracking the (unknown) ideal packet drop frequency, adjusting the approximated value based on the evolution of the queue occupancy, with corrections of the approximated packet drop frequency that occur at a timescale that is comparable to the aggregate time constant of the set of TCP connections that traverse the queue.

Neural entrainment to the rhythmic structure of music.

PubMed

Tierney, Adam; Kraus, Nina

2015-02-01

The neural resonance theory of musical meter explains musical beat tracking as the result of entrainment of neural oscillations to the beat frequency and its higher harmonics. This theory has gained empirical support from experiments using simple, abstract stimuli. However, to date there has been no empirical evidence for a role of neural entrainment in the perception of the beat of ecologically valid music. Here we presented participants with a single pop song with a superimposed bassoon sound. This stimulus was either lined up with the beat of the music or shifted away from the beat by 25% of the average interbeat interval. Both conditions elicited a neural response at the beat frequency. However, although the on-the-beat condition elicited a clear response at the first harmonic of the beat, this frequency was absent in the neural response to the off-the-beat condition. These results support a role for neural entrainment in tracking the metrical structure of real music and show that neural meter tracking can be disrupted by the presentation of contradictory rhythmic cues.

A closed-loop system for frequency tracking of piezoresistive cantilever sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasisto, Hutomo Suryo; Zhang, Qing; Merzsch, Stephan; Waag, Andreas; Peiner, Erwin

2013-05-01

A closed loop circuit capable of tracking resonant frequencies for MEMS-based piezoresistive cantilever resonators is developed in this work. The proposed closed-loop system is mainly based on a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. In order to lock onto the resonant frequency of the resonator, an actuation signal generated from a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is locked to the phase of the input reference signal of the cantilever sensor. In addition to the PLL component, an instrumentation amplifier and an active low pass filter (LPF) are connected to the system for gaining the amplitude and reducing the noise of the cantilever output signals. The LPF can transform a rectangular signal into a sinusoidal signal with voltage amplitudes ranging from 5 to 10 V which are sufficient for a piezoactuator input (i.e., maintaining a large output signal of the cantilever sensor). To demonstrate the functionality of the system, a self-sensing silicon cantilever resonator with a built-in piezoresistive Wheatstone bridge is fabricated and integrated with the circuit. A piezoactuator is utilized for actuating the cantilever into resonance. Implementation of this closed loop system is used to track the resonant frequency of a silicon cantilever-based sensor resonating at 9.4 kHz under a cross-sensitivity test of ambient temperature. The changes of the resonant frequency are interpreted using a frequency counter connected to the system. From the experimental results, the temperature sensitivity and coefficient of the employed sensor are 0.3 Hz/°C and 32.8 ppm/°C, respectively. The frequency stability of the system can reach up to 0.08 Hz. The development of this system will enable real-time nanoparticle monitoring systems and provide a miniaturization of the instrumentation modules for cantilever-based nanoparticle detectors.

Eye-Tracking Technology and the Dynamics of Natural Gaze Behavior in Sports: A Systematic Review of 40 Years of Research.

PubMed

Kredel, Ralf; Vater, Christian; Klostermann, André; Hossner, Ernst-Joachim

2017-01-01

Reviewing 60 studies on natural gaze behavior in sports, it becomes clear that, over the last 40 years, the use of eye-tracking devices has considerably increased. Specifically, this review reveals the large variance of methods applied, analyses performed, and measures derived within the field. The results of sub-sample analyses suggest that sports-related eye-tracking research strives, on the one hand, for ecologically valid test settings (i.e., viewing conditions and response modes), while on the other, for experimental control along with high measurement accuracy (i.e., controlled test conditions with high-frequency eye-trackers linked to algorithmic analyses). To meet both demands, some promising compromises of methodological solutions have been proposed-in particular, the integration of robust mobile eye-trackers in motion-capture systems. However, as the fundamental trade-off between laboratory and field research cannot be solved by technological means, researchers need to carefully weigh the arguments for one or the other approach by accounting for the respective consequences. Nevertheless, for future research on dynamic gaze behavior in sports, further development of the current mobile eye-tracking methodology seems highly advisable to allow for the acquisition and algorithmic analyses of larger amounts of gaze-data and further, to increase the explanatory power of the derived results.

SU-G-BRA-06: Quantification of Tracking Performance of a Multi-Layer Electronic Portal Imaging Device

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Y; Rottmann, J; Myronakis, M

2016-06-15

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify the improvement in tumor tracking, with and without fiducial markers, afforded by employing a multi-layer (MLI) electronic portal imaging device (EPID) over the current state-of-the-art, single-layer, digital megavolt imager (DMI) architecture. Methods: An ideal observer signal-to-noise ratio (d’) approach was used to quantify the ability of an MLI EPID and a current, state-of-the-art DMI EPID to track lung tumors from the treatment beam’s-eye-view. Using each detector modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise power spectrum (NPS) as inputs, a detection task was employed with object functions describing simple three-dimensional Cartesian shapes (spheresmore » and cylinders). Marker-less tumor tracking algorithms often use texture discrimination to differentiate benign and malignant tissue. The performance of such algorithms is simulated by employing a discrimination task for the ideal observer, which measures the ability of a system to differentiate two image quantities. These were defined as the measured textures for benign and malignant lung tissue. Results: The NNPS of the MLI ∼25% of that of the DMI at the expense of decreased MTF at intermediate frequencies (0.25≤« less

Advanced data assimilation in strongly nonlinear dynamical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Robert N.; Ghil, Michael; Gauthiez, Francois

1994-01-01

Advanced data assimilation methods are applied to simple but highly nonlinear problems. The dynamical systems studied here are the stochastically forced double well and the Lorenz model. In both systems, linear approximation of the dynamics about the critical points near which regime transitions occur is not always sufficient to track their occurrence or nonoccurrence. Straightforward application of the extended Kalman filter yields mixed results. The ability of the extended Kalman filter to track transitions of the double-well system from one stable critical point to the other depends on the frequency and accuracy of the observations relative to the mean-square amplitude of the stochastic forcing. The ability of the filter to track the chaotic trajectories of the Lorenz model is limited to short times, as is the ability of strong-constraint variational methods. Examples are given to illustrate the difficulties involved, and qualitative explanations for these difficulties are provided. Three generalizations of the extended Kalman filter are described. The first is based on inspection of the innovation sequence, that is, the successive differences between observations and forecasts; it works very well for the double-well problem. The second, an extension to fourth-order moments, yields excellent results for the Lorenz model but will be unwieldy when applied to models with high-dimensional state spaces. A third, more practical method--based on an empirical statistical model derived from a Monte Carlo simulation--is formulated, and shown to work very well. Weak-constraint methods can be made to perform satisfactorily in the context of these simple models, but such methods do not seem to generalize easily to practical models of the atmosphere and ocean. In particular, it is shown that the equations derived in the weak variational formulation are difficult to solve conveniently for large systems.

Mouse cursor movement and eye tracking data as an indicator of pathologists' attention when viewing digital whole slide images.

PubMed

Raghunath, Vignesh; Braxton, Melissa O; Gagnon, Stephanie A; Brunyé, Tad T; Allison, Kimberly H; Reisch, Lisa M; Weaver, Donald L; Elmore, Joann G; Shapiro, Linda G

2012-01-01

Digital pathology has the potential to dramatically alter the way pathologists work, yet little is known about pathologists' viewing behavior while interpreting digital whole slide images. While tracking pathologist eye movements when viewing digital slides may be the most direct method of capturing pathologists' viewing strategies, this technique is cumbersome and technically challenging to use in remote settings. Tracking pathologist mouse cursor movements may serve as a practical method of studying digital slide interpretation, and mouse cursor data may illuminate pathologists' viewing strategies and time expenditures in their interpretive workflow. To evaluate the utility of mouse cursor movement data, in addition to eye-tracking data, in studying pathologists' attention and viewing behavior. Pathologists (N = 7) viewed 10 digital whole slide images of breast tissue that were selected using a random stratified sampling technique to include a range of breast pathology diagnoses (benign/atypia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive breast cancer). A panel of three expert breast pathologists established a consensus diagnosis for each case using a modified Delphi approach. Participants' foveal vision was tracked using SensoMotoric Instruments RED 60 Hz eye-tracking system. Mouse cursor movement was tracked using a custom MATLAB script. Data on eye-gaze and mouse cursor position were gathered at fixed intervals and analyzed using distance comparisons and regression analyses by slide diagnosis and pathologist expertise. Pathologists' accuracy (defined as percent agreement with the expert consensus diagnoses) and efficiency (accuracy and speed) were also analyzed. Mean viewing time per slide was 75.2 seconds (SD = 38.42). Accuracy (percent agreement with expert consensus) by diagnosis type was: 83% (benign/atypia); 48% (carcinoma in situ); and 93% (invasive). Spatial coupling was close between eye-gaze and mouse cursor positions (highest frequency ∆x was 4.00px (SD = 16.10), and ∆y was 37.50px (SD = 28.08)). Mouse cursor position moderately predicted eye gaze patterns (Rx = 0.33 and Ry = 0.21). Data detailing mouse cursor movements may be a useful addition to future studies of pathologists' accuracy and efficiency when using digital pathology.

Robust intravascular optical coherence elastography driven by acoustic radiation pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Soest, Gijs; Bouchard, Richard R.; Mastik, Frits; de Jong, Nico; van der Steen, Anton F. W.

2007-07-01

High strain spots in the vessel wall indicate the presence of vulnerable plaques. The majority of acute cardiovascular events are preceded by rupture of such a plaque in a coronary artery. Intracoronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be extended, in principle, to an elastography technique, mapping the strain in the vascular wall. However, the susceptibility of OCT to frame-to-frame decorrelation, caused by tissue and catheter motion, inhibits reliable tissue displacement tracking and has to date obstructed the development of OCT-based intravascular elastography. We introduce a new technique for intravascular optical coherence elastography, which is robust against motion artifacts. Using acoustic radiation force, we apply a pressure to deform the tissue synchronously with the line scan rate of the OCT instrument. Radial tissue displacement can be tracked based on the correlation between adjacent lines, instead of subsequent frames in conventional elastography. The viability of the method is demonstrated with a simulation study. The root mean square (rms) error of the displacement estimate is 0.55 μm, and the rms error of the strain is 0.6%. It is shown that high-strain spots in the vessel wall, such as observed at the sites of vulnerable atherosclerotic lesions, can be detected with the technique. Experiments to realize this new elastographic method are presented. Simultaneous optical and ultrasonic pulse-echo tracking demonstrate that the material can be put in a high-frequency oscillatory motion with an amplitude of several micrometers, more than sufficient for accurate tracking with OCT. The resulting data are used to optimize the acoustic pushing sequence and geometry.

Two dimensional eye tracking: Sampling rate of forcing function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornseth, J. P.; Monk, D. L.; Porterfield, J. L.; Mcmurry, R. L.

1978-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the minimum update rate of a forcing function display required for the operator to approximate the tracking performance obtained on a continuous display. In this study, frequency analysis was used to determine whether there was an associated change in the transfer function characteristics of the operator. It was expected that as the forcing function display update rate was reduced, from 120 to 15 samples per second, the operator's response to the high frequency components of the forcing function would show a decrease in gain, an increase in phase lag, and a decrease in coherence.

Minimizing treatment planning errors in proton therapy using failure mode and effects analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Yuanshui, E-mail: yuanshui.zheng@okc.procure.com; Johnson, Randall; Larson, Gary

Purpose: Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a widely used tool to evaluate safety or reliability in conventional photon radiation therapy. However, reports about FMEA application in proton therapy are scarce. The purpose of this study is to apply FMEA in safety improvement of proton treatment planning at their center. Methods: The authors performed an FMEA analysis of their proton therapy treatment planning process using uniform scanning proton beams. The authors identified possible failure modes in various planning processes, including image fusion, contouring, beam arrangement, dose calculation, plan export, documents, billing, and so on. For each error, the authorsmore » estimated the frequency of occurrence, the likelihood of being undetected, and the severity of the error if it went undetected and calculated the risk priority number (RPN). The FMEA results were used to design their quality management program. In addition, the authors created a database to track the identified dosimetric errors. Periodically, the authors reevaluated the risk of errors by reviewing the internal error database and improved their quality assurance program as needed. Results: In total, the authors identified over 36 possible treatment planning related failure modes and estimated the associated occurrence, detectability, and severity to calculate the overall risk priority number. Based on the FMEA, the authors implemented various safety improvement procedures into their practice, such as education, peer review, and automatic check tools. The ongoing error tracking database provided realistic data on the frequency of occurrence with which to reevaluate the RPNs for various failure modes. Conclusions: The FMEA technique provides a systematic method for identifying and evaluating potential errors in proton treatment planning before they result in an error in patient dose delivery. The application of FMEA framework and the implementation of an ongoing error tracking system at their clinic have proven to be useful in error reduction in proton treatment planning, thus improving the effectiveness and safety of proton therapy.« less

Multispectral photoacoustic method for the early detection and diagnosis of osteoporosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, Idan; Eyal, Avishay; Gannot, Israel

2013-03-01

Osteoporosis is a major health problem worldwide, with healthcare costs of billions of dollars annually. The risk of fracture depends on the bone mineral density (measured in clinical practice) as well as on the bone microstructure and functional status. Since pure ultrasonic methods can measure bone strength and spectroscopic optical methods can provide valuable functional information, a hybrid multispectral photoacoustic technique can be of great value. We have developed such a system based on a tunable Ti:Sapph laser at 750 - 950 nm, followed by an acousto-optic modulator to generate photoacoustic signals with frequencies of 0.5 - 2.5 MHz. Another system was based on two directly modulated 830nm laser diodes. The systems were used to photoacoustically excite the proximal end of a rat tibia. Spectrum analyzer with tracking generator was used for measuring both the amplitude and the phase at the distal end. Scanning along both the optical wavelength as well as the acoustic frequency enables full mapping of the bone transfer function. Analyzing this function along the wavelength axis allows deducing the gross biochemical composition related to the bone functional and pathological state. Analyzing the amplitude and phase along the acoustic frequency axis yields the speed of sound dispersion and the broadband ultrasonic attenuation - both have shown clinical relevance.

Suppression of Biodynamic Interference by Adaptive Filtering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velger, M.; Merhav, S. J.; Grunwald, A. J.

1984-01-01

Preliminary experimental results obtained in moving base simulator tests are presented. Both for pursuit and compensatory tracking tasks, a strong deterioration in tracking performance due to biodynamic interference is found. The use of adaptive filtering is shown to substantially alleviate these effects, resulting in a markedly improved tracking performance and reduction in task difficulty. The effect of simulator motion and of adaptive filtering on human operator describing functions is investigated. Adaptive filtering is found to substantially increase pilot gain and cross-over frequency, implying a more tight tracking behavior. The adaptive filter is found to be effective in particular for high-gain proportional dynamics, low display forcing function power and for pursuit tracking task configurations.

FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT: Underwater Active Acoustic Monitoring Network For Marine And Hydrokinetic Energy Projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stein, Peter J.; Edson, Patrick L.

2013-12-20

This project saw the completion of the design and development of a second generation, high frequency (90-120 kHz) Subsurface-Threat Detection Sonar Network (SDSN). The system was deployed, operated, and tested in Cobscook Bay, Maine near the site the Ocean Renewable Power Company TidGen™ power unit. This effort resulted in a very successful demonstration of the SDSN detection, tracking, localization, and classification capabilities in a high current, MHK environment as measured by results from the detection and tracking trials in Cobscook Bay. The new high frequency node, designed to operate outside the hearing range of a subset of marine mammals, wasmore » shown to detect and track objects of marine mammal-like target strength to ranges of approximately 500 meters. This performance range results in the SDSN system tracking objects for a significant duration - on the order of minutes - even in a tidal flow of 5-7 knots, potentially allowing time for MHK system or operator decision-making if marine mammals are present. Having demonstrated detection and tracking of synthetic targets with target strengths similar to some marine mammals, the primary hurdle to eventual automated monitoring is a dataset of actual marine mammal kinematic behavior and modifying the tracking algorithms and parameters which are currently tuned to human diver kinematics and classification.« less

Effect of visual distraction and auditory feedback on patient effort during robot-assisted movement training after stroke

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Practicing arm and gait movements with robotic assistance after neurologic injury can help patients improve their movement ability, but patients sometimes reduce their effort during training in response to the assistance. Reduced effort has been hypothesized to diminish clinical outcomes of robotic training. To better understand patient slacking, we studied the role of visual distraction and auditory feedback in modulating patient effort during a common robot-assisted tracking task. Methods Fourteen participants with chronic left hemiparesis from stroke, five control participants with chronic right hemiparesis and fourteen non-impaired healthy control participants, tracked a visual target with their arms while receiving adaptive assistance from a robotic arm exoskeleton. We compared four practice conditions: the baseline tracking task alone; tracking while also performing a visual distracter task; tracking with the visual distracter and sound feedback; and tracking with sound feedback. For the distracter task, symbols were randomly displayed in the corners of the computer screen, and the participants were instructed to click a mouse button when a target symbol appeared. The sound feedback consisted of a repeating beep, with the frequency of repetition made to increase with increasing tracking error. Results Participants with stroke halved their effort and doubled their tracking error when performing the visual distracter task with their left hemiparetic arm. With sound feedback, however, these participants increased their effort and decreased their tracking error close to their baseline levels, while also performing the distracter task successfully. These effects were significantly smaller for the participants who used their non-paretic arm and for the participants without stroke. Conclusions Visual distraction decreased participants effort during a standard robot-assisted movement training task. This effect was greater for the hemiparetic arm, suggesting that the increased demands associated with controlling an affected arm make the motor system more prone to slack when distracted. Providing an alternate sensory channel for feedback, i.e., auditory feedback of tracking error, enabled the participants to simultaneously perform the tracking task and distracter task effectively. Thus, incorporating real-time auditory feedback of performance errors might improve clinical outcomes of robotic therapy systems. PMID:21513561

Classification of radiological errors in chest radiographs, using support vector machine on the spatial frequency features of false- negative and false-positive regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietrzyk, Mariusz W.; Donovan, Tim; Brennan, Patrick C.; Dix, Alan; Manning, David J.

2011-03-01

Aim: To optimize automated classification of radiological errors during lung nodule detection from chest radiographs (CxR) using a support vector machine (SVM) run on the spatial frequency features extracted from the local background of selected regions. Background: The majority of the unreported pulmonary nodules are visually detected but not recognized; shown by the prolonged dwell time values at false-negative regions. Similarly, overestimated nodule locations are capturing substantial amounts of foveal attention. Spatial frequency properties of selected local backgrounds are correlated with human observer responses either in terms of accuracy in indicating abnormality position or in the precision of visual sampling the medical images. Methods: Seven radiologists participated in the eye tracking experiments conducted under conditions of pulmonary nodule detection from a set of 20 postero-anterior CxR. The most dwelled locations have been identified and subjected to spatial frequency (SF) analysis. The image-based features of selected ROI were extracted with un-decimated Wavelet Packet Transform. An analysis of variance was run to select SF features and a SVM schema was implemented to classify False-Negative and False-Positive from all ROI. Results: A relative high overall accuracy was obtained for each individually developed Wavelet-SVM algorithm, with over 90% average correct ratio for errors recognition from all prolonged dwell locations. Conclusion: The preliminary results show that combined eye-tracking and image-based features can be used for automated detection of radiological error with SVM. The work is still in progress and not all analytical procedures have been completed, which might have an effect on the specificity of the algorithm.

An animal tracking system for behavior analysis using radio frequency identification.

PubMed

Catarinucci, Luca; Colella, Riccardo; Mainetti, Luca; Patrono, Luigi; Pieretti, Stefano; Secco, Andrea; Sergi, Ilaria

2014-09-01

Evaluating the behavior of mice and rats has substantially contributed to the progress of research in many scientific fields. Researchers commonly observe recorded video of animal behavior and manually record their observations for later analysis, but this approach has several limitations. The authors developed an automated system for tracking and analyzing the behavior of rodents that is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) in an ultra-high-frequency bandwidth. They provide an overview of the system's hardware and software components as well as describe their technique for surgically implanting passive RFID tags in mice. Finally, the authors present the findings of two validation studies to compare the accuracy of the RFID system versus commonly used approaches for evaluating the locomotor activity and object exploration of mice.

Seeing a Phrase "Time and Again" Matters: The Role of Phrasal Frequency in the Processing of Multiword Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siyanova-Chanturia, Anna; Conklin, Kathy; van Heuven, Walter J. B.

2011-01-01

Are speakers sensitive to the frequency with which phrases occur in language? The authors report an eye-tracking study that investigates this by examining the processing of multiword sequences that differ in phrasal frequency by native and proficient nonnative English speakers. Participants read sentences containing 3-word binomial phrases…

A visual tracking method based on deep learning without online model updating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Cong; Wang, Yicheng; Feng, Yunsong; Zheng, Chao; Jin, Wei

2018-02-01

The paper proposes a visual tracking method based on deep learning without online model updating. In consideration of the advantages of deep learning in feature representation, deep model SSD (Single Shot Multibox Detector) is used as the object extractor in the tracking model. Simultaneously, the color histogram feature and HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradient) feature are combined to select the tracking object. In the process of tracking, multi-scale object searching map is built to improve the detection performance of deep detection model and the tracking efficiency. In the experiment of eight respective tracking video sequences in the baseline dataset, compared with six state-of-the-art methods, the method in the paper has better robustness in the tracking challenging factors, such as deformation, scale variation, rotation variation, illumination variation, and background clutters, moreover, its general performance is better than other six tracking methods.

Prospective Motion Correction using Inductively-Coupled Wireless RF Coils

PubMed Central

Ooi, Melvyn B.; Aksoy, Murat; Maclaren, Julian; Watkins, Ronald D.; Bammer, Roland

2013-01-01

Purpose A novel prospective motion correction technique for brain MRI is presented that uses miniature wireless radio-frequency (RF) coils, or “wireless markers”, for position tracking. Methods Each marker is free of traditional cable connections to the scanner. Instead, its signal is wirelessly linked to the MR receiver via inductive coupling with the head coil. Real-time tracking of rigid head motion is performed using a pair of glasses integrated with three wireless markers. A tracking pulse-sequence, combined with knowledge of the markers’ unique geometrical arrangement, is used to measure their positions. Tracking data from the glasses is then used to prospectively update the orientation and position of the image-volume so that it follows the motion of the head. Results Wireless-marker position measurements were comparable to measurements using traditional wired RF tracking coils, with the standard deviation of the difference < 0.01 mm over the range of positions measured inside the head coil. RF safety was verified with B1 maps and temperature measurements. Prospective motion correction was demonstrated in a 2D spin-echo scan while the subject performed a series of deliberate head rotations. Conclusion Prospective motion correction using wireless markers enables high quality images to be acquired even during bulk motions. Wireless markers are small, avoid RF safety risks from electrical cables, are not hampered by mechanical connections to the scanner, and require minimal setup times. These advantages may help to facilitate adoption in the clinic. PMID:23813444

Detection of goal events in soccer videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyoung-Gook; Roeber, Steffen; Samour, Amjad; Sikora, Thomas

2005-01-01

In this paper, we present an automatic extraction of goal events in soccer videos by using audio track features alone without relying on expensive-to-compute video track features. The extracted goal events can be used for high-level indexing and selective browsing of soccer videos. The detection of soccer video highlights using audio contents comprises three steps: 1) extraction of audio features from a video sequence, 2) event candidate detection of highlight events based on the information provided by the feature extraction Methods and the Hidden Markov Model (HMM), 3) goal event selection to finally determine the video intervals to be included in the summary. For this purpose we compared the performance of the well known Mel-scale Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) feature extraction method vs. MPEG-7 Audio Spectrum Projection feature (ASP) extraction method based on three different decomposition methods namely Principal Component Analysis( PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). To evaluate our system we collected five soccer game videos from various sources. In total we have seven hours of soccer games consisting of eight gigabytes of data. One of five soccer games is used as the training data (e.g., announcers' excited speech, audience ambient speech noise, audience clapping, environmental sounds). Our goal event detection results are encouraging.

Modular high-voltage bias generator powered by dual-looped self-adaptive wireless power transmission.

PubMed

Xie, Kai; Huang, An-Feng; Li, Xiao-Ping; Guo, Shi-Zhong; Zhang, Han-Lu

2015-04-01

We proposed a modular high-voltage (HV) bias generator powered by a novel transmitter-sharing inductive coupled wireless power transmission technology, aimed to extend the generator's flexibility and configurability. To solve the problems caused through an uncertain number of modules, a dual-looped self-adaptive control method is proposed that is capable of tracking resonance frequency while maintaining a relatively stable induction voltage for each HV module. The method combines a phase-locked loop and a current feedback loop, which ensures an accurate resonance state and a relatively constant boost ratio for each module, simplifying the architecture of the boost stage and improving the total efficiency. The prototype was built and tested. The input voltage drop of each module is less than 14% if the module number varies from 3 to 10; resonance tracking is completed within 60 ms. The efficiency of the coupling structure reaches up to 95%, whereas the total efficiency approaches 73% for a rated output. Furthermore, this technology can be used in various multi-load wireless power supply applications.

PV based converter with integrated charger for DC micro-grid applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salve, Rima

This thesis presents a converter topology for photovoltaic panels. This topology minimizes the number of switching devices used thereby reducing power losses that arise from high frequency switching operations. The control strategy is implemented using a simple microcontroller that implements the proportional plus integral control. All the control loops are closed feedback loops hence minimizing error instantaneously and adjusting efficiently to system variations. The energy management between three components, namely, the photovoltaic panel, a battery and a DC link for a microgrid is shown distributed over three modes. These modes are dependent on the irradiance from the sunlight. All three modes are simulated. The maximum power point tracking of the system plays a crutial role in this configuration as it is one of the main challenge tackled by the control system. Various methods of MPPT are discussed and the Perturb and Observe method is employed and is described in detail. Experimental results are shown for the maximum power point tracking of this system with a scaled down version of the panel's actual capability.

Nanowire humidity optical sensor system based on fast Fourier transform technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rota-Rodrigo, S.; Pérez-Herrera, R.; Lopez-Aldaba, A.; López Bautista, M. C.; Esteban, O.; López-Amo, M.

2015-09-01

In this paper, a new sensor system for relative humidity measurements based on its interaction with the evanescent field of a nanowire is presented. The interrogation of the sensing head is carried out by monitoring the fast Fourier transform phase variations of one of the nanowire interference frequencies. This method is independent of the signal amplitude and also avoids the necessity of tracking the wavelength evolution in the spectrum, which can be a handicap when there are multiple interference frequency components with different sensitivities. The sensor is operated within a wide humidity range (20%-70% relative humidity) with a maximum sensitivity achieved of 0.14rad/% relative humidity. Finally, due to the system uses an optical interrogator as unique active element, the system presents a cost-effective feature.

Non-contact feature detection using ultrasonic Lamb waves

DOEpatents

Sinha, Dipen N [Los Alamos, NM

2011-06-28

Apparatus and method for non-contact ultrasonic detection of features on or within the walls of hollow pipes are described. An air-coupled, high-power ultrasonic transducer for generating guided waves in the pipe wall, and a high-sensitivity, air-coupled transducer for detecting these waves, are disposed at a distance apart and at chosen angle with respect to the surface of the pipe, either inside of or outside of the pipe. Measurements may be made in reflection or transmission modes depending on the relative position of the transducers and the pipe. Data are taken by sweeping the frequency of the incident ultrasonic waves, using a tracking narrow-band filter to reduce detected noise, and transforming the frequency domain data into the time domain using fast Fourier transformation, if required.

On the effect of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic behaviour of a railway track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, J. Y.; Thompson, D. J.; Jones, C. J. C.

2011-09-01

The effect of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic behaviour of a railway track is studied based on vehicle-track dynamic interaction theory, using a model of the track as a Timoshenko beam supported on a periodic elastic foundation. Considering the vehicle's running speed and the number of unsupported sleepers, the track dynamic characteristics are investigated and verified in the time and frequency domains by experiments on a 1:5 scale model wheel-rail test rig. The results show that when hanging sleepers are present, leading to a discontinuous and irregular track support, additional wheel-rail interaction forces are generated. These forces increase as further sleepers become unsupported and as the vehicle's running speed increases. The adjacent supports experience increased dynamic forces which will lead to further deterioration of track quality and the formation of long wavelength track irregularities, which worsen the vehicles' running stability and riding comfort. Stationary transfer functions measurements of the dynamic behaviour of the track are also presented to support the findings.

Design Method of Digital Optimal Control Scheme and Multiple Paralleled Bridge Type Current Amplifier for Generating Gradient Magnetic Fields in MRI Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shuji; Takano, Hiroshi; Fukuda, Hiroya; Hiraki, Eiji; Nakaoka, Mutsuo

This paper deals with a digital control scheme of multiple paralleled high frequency switching current amplifier with four-quadrant chopper for generating gradient magnetic fields in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) systems. In order to track high precise current pattern in Gradient Coils (GC), the proposal current amplifier cancels the switching current ripples in GC with each other and designed optimum switching gate pulse patterns without influences of the large filter current ripple amplitude. The optimal control implementation and the linear control theory in GC current amplifiers have affinity to each other with excellent characteristics. The digital control system can be realized easily through the digital control implementation, DSPs or microprocessors. Multiple-parallel operational microprocessors realize two or higher paralleled GC current pattern tracking amplifier with optimal control design and excellent results are given for improving the image quality of MRI systems.

Tracking the allocation of attention using human pupillary oscillations

PubMed Central

Naber, Marnix; Alvarez, George A.; Nakayama, Ken

2013-01-01

The muscles that control the pupil are richly innervated by the autonomic nervous system. While there are central pathways that drive pupil dilations in relation to arousal, there is no anatomical evidence that cortical centers involved with visual selective attention innervate the pupil. In this study, we show that such connections must exist. Specifically, we demonstrate a novel Pupil Frequency Tagging (PFT) method, where oscillatory changes in stimulus brightness over time are mirrored by pupil constrictions and dilations. We find that the luminance–induced pupil oscillations are enhanced when covert attention is directed to the flicker stimulus and when targets are correctly detected in an attentional tracking task. These results suggest that the amplitudes of pupil responses closely follow the allocation of focal visual attention and the encoding of stimuli. PFT provides a new opportunity to study top–down visual attention itself as well as identifying the pathways and mechanisms that support this unexpected phenomenon. PMID:24368904

Space Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-06

enabling precise blue force tracking (BFT), enhancing joint force situational awareness, maneuverability, and command and control (C2... spacecraft , transmits the status of those systems to the control segment on the ground, and receives and processes instructions from the control segment...missions include the tracking , telemetry, and control operations of: (1) Ultrahigh frequency (UHF) follow-on satellite system and fleet

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-02-17

Activities at Green Mountain Tracking Station, Alabama, during lift-off of the Saturn I, SA-9 mission, showing the overall view of instrument panels used in tracking the Pegasus, meteoroid-detection satellite. The satellite was used to obtain data on frequency and penetration of the potentially hazardous micrometeoroids in low Earth orbits and to relay the information back to Earth.

User Resistance and Trust in a Clinical RFID Employee Location Tracking Information System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Wilson

2013-01-01

User resistance has been identified as a factor in information systems implementation failures in the health care industry. RFID, radio frequency identification, is being incorporated into new health care information systems in order to effect cost reductions by tracking, identifying and monitoring individuals and medical items. This is the first…

76 FR 39419 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Data Collection of the Disaster...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... market rate or assisted housing and track their housing, employment, and financial outcomes over time... market rate or assisted housing and track their housing, employment, and financial outcomes over time. Frequency of Submission: On occasion. Number of Annual Hours per respondents responses x response = Burden...

Reflector control technology in space laser communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Meilin; Ma, Caiwen; Yao, Cheng; Huang, Wei; Lian, Xuezheng; Feng, Xubin; Jing, Feng

2017-11-01

The optical frequencies band is used as information carrier to realize laser communication between two low-orbit micro-satellites in space which equipped with inter-satellite laser communication terminals, optical switches, space routers and other payload. The laser communication terminal adopts a two-dimensional turntable with a single mirror structure. In this paper, the perturbation model of satellite platform is established in this paper. The relationship between the coupling and coordinate transformation of satellite disturbance is analyzed and the laser pointing vector is deduced. Using the tracking differentiator to speed up the circular grating angle information constitute speed loop feedback, which avoids the problem of error amplification caused by the high frequency of the conventional difference algorithm. Finally, the suppression ability of the satellite platform disturbance and the tracking accuracy of the tracking system are simulated and analyzed. The results show that the tracking accuracy of the whole system is 10μrad in the case of satellite vibration, which provides the basis for the optimization of the performance of the space-borne laser communication control system.

Piloting Changes to Changing Aircraft Dynamics: What Do Pilots Need to Know?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Gregory, Irene M.

2011-01-01

An experiment was conducted to quantify the effects of changing dynamics on a subject s ability to track a signal in order to eventually model a pilot adapting to changing aircraft dynamics. The data will be used to identify primary aircraft dynamics variables that influence changes in pilot s response and produce a simplified pilot model that incorporates this relationship. Each run incorporated a different set of second-order aircraft dynamics representing short period transfer function pitch attitude response: damping ratio, frequency, gain, zero location, and time delay. The subject s ability to conduct the tracking task was the greatest source of root mean square error tracking variability. As for the aircraft dynamics, the factors that affected the subjects ability to conduct the tracking were the time delay, frequency, and zero location. In addition to creating a simplified pilot model, the results of the experiment can be utilized in an advisory capacity. A situation awareness/prediction aid based on the pilot behavior and aircraft dynamics may help tailor pilot s inputs more quickly so that PIO or an upset condition can be avoided.

Accounting for hardware imperfections in EIT image reconstruction algorithms.

PubMed

Hartinger, Alzbeta E; Gagnon, Hervé; Guardo, Robert

2007-07-01

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive technique for imaging the conductivity distribution of a body section. Different types of EIT images can be reconstructed: absolute, time difference and frequency difference. Reconstruction algorithms are sensitive to many errors which translate into image artefacts. These errors generally result from incorrect modelling or inaccurate measurements. Every reconstruction algorithm incorporates a model of the physical set-up which must be as accurate as possible since any discrepancy with the actual set-up will cause image artefacts. Several methods have been proposed in the literature to improve the model realism, such as creating anatomical-shaped meshes, adding a complete electrode model and tracking changes in electrode contact impedances and positions. Absolute and frequency difference reconstruction algorithms are particularly sensitive to measurement errors and generally assume that measurements are made with an ideal EIT system. Real EIT systems have hardware imperfections that cause measurement errors. These errors translate into image artefacts since the reconstruction algorithm cannot properly discriminate genuine measurement variations produced by the medium under study from those caused by hardware imperfections. We therefore propose a method for eliminating these artefacts by integrating a model of the system hardware imperfections into the reconstruction algorithms. The effectiveness of the method has been evaluated by reconstructing absolute, time difference and frequency difference images with and without the hardware model from data acquired on a resistor mesh phantom. Results have shown that artefacts are smaller for images reconstructed with the model, especially for frequency difference imaging.

Tracked 3D ultrasound in radio-frequency liver ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boctor, Emad M.; Fichtinger, Gabor; Taylor, Russell H.; Choti, Michael A.

2003-05-01

Recent studies have shown that radio frequency (RF) ablation is a simple, safe and potentially effective treatment for selected patients with liver metastases. Despite all recent therapeutic advancements, however, intra-procedural target localization and precise and consistent placement of the tissue ablator device are still unsolved problems. Various imaging modalities, including ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) have been tried as guidance modalities. Transcutaneous US imaging, due to its real-time nature, may be beneficial in many cases, but unfortunately, fails to adequately visualize the tumor in many cases. Intraoperative or laparoscopic US, on the other hand, provides improved visualization and target imaging. This paper describes a system for computer-assisted RF ablation of liver tumors, combining navigational tracking of a conventional imaging ultrasound probe to produce 3D ultrasound imaging with a tracked RF ablation device supported by a passive mechanical arm and spatially registered to the ultrasound volume.

Predictive Compensator Optimization for Head Tracking Lag in Virtual Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelstein, Barnard D.; Jung, Jae Y.; Ellis, Stephen R.

2001-01-01

We examined the perceptual impact of plant noise parameterization for Kalman Filter predictive compensation of time delays intrinsic to head tracked virtual environments (VEs). Subjects were tested in their ability to discriminate between the VE system's minimum latency and conditions in which artificially added latency was then predictively compensated back to the system minimum. Two head tracking predictors were parameterized off-line according to cost functions that minimized prediction errors in (1) rotation, and (2) rotation projected into translational displacement with emphasis on higher frequency human operator noise. These predictors were compared with a parameterization obtained from the VE literature for cost function (1). Results from 12 subjects showed that both parameterization type and amount of compensated latency affected discrimination. Analysis of the head motion used in the parameterizations and the subsequent discriminability results suggest that higher frequency predictor artifacts are contributory cues for discriminating the presence of predictive compensation.

Particle Tracking Simulation of Collective Modes. Parametric Landau Damping Off Coupling Resonance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macridin, Alexandru; Burov, Alexey; Stern, Eric

Employing Synergia simulations with the DMD method we investigate the Landau damping of space charge modes in bunched beams. The simulations reveal two instances of the parametric damping mechanism in bunched beams. The first example occurs in the proximity of coupling resonance and is due to the oscillation of particles’ amplitudes in the transverse plane. This oscillation modulates the modeparticle coupling with particle dependent trapping frequency. The second example is due to the modulation of the modeparticle coupling in one transverse plane by the oscillatory motion in the other plane.

NASA RFID Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick, Ph.D.; Kennedy, Timothy, Ph.D; Powers, Anne; Haridi, Yasser; Chu, Andrew; Lin, Greg; Yim, Hester; Byerly, Kent, Ph.D.; Barton, Richard, Ph.D.; Khayat, Michael, Ph.D.;

The research on the mean shift algorithm for target tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

CAO, Honghong

2017-06-01

The traditional mean shift algorithm for target tracking is effective and high real-time, but there still are some shortcomings. The traditional mean shift algorithm is easy to fall into local optimum in the tracking process, the effectiveness of the method is weak when the object is moving fast. And the size of the tracking window never changes, the method will fail when the size of the moving object changes, as a result, we come up with a new method. We use particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize the mean shift algorithm for target tracking, Meanwhile, SIFT (scale-invariant feature transform) and affine transformation make the size of tracking window adaptive. At last, we evaluate the method by comparing experiments. Experimental result indicates that the proposed method can effectively track the object and the size of the tracking window changes.

47 CFR 25.111 - Additional information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... information it requires for the Advance Publication, Coordination and Notification of frequency assignments... information required by the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau to advance publish, coordinate and notify the frequencies to be used for tracking, telemetry and control functions of DBS systems. [56 FR 24016, May 28...

The Realization and Analysis of Capacitance Self Tracing (CST) Method for Wide Band Response Measurement of Carrier Type Dynamic Strain Amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubodera, Shinji; Tanzawa, Tsutomu; Morisawa, Masayuki; Kiyohiro, Noriaki

Carrier type dynamic strain amplifiers are frequently used for stress measurement with strain gages. That is because the carrier type dynamic strain amplifier can conduct high precision measurement since it is highly resistant against hum noise from the power supply frequency in principle and is free from the thermoelectomotive force even if a metal contact is used in wiring to a Wheatstone bridge for measuring. A problem of the carrier type dynamic strain amplifier is generation of Capacitive component (hereinafter referred to as the C component) in an input cable connecting from the amplifier to the input sensor (Wheatstone bridge for measuring). The C component varies with cable length, cable materials, or ambient temperature change. The aforementioned changing adversely affects the stability of the amplifier. In this paper, we realize and analyze the method that increases the stability of amplifier by detecting, eliminating and self tracking the above C component constantly. Used carrier frequency at 12kHz and 28kHz. We made amplifiers with noise resistant and wide band frequency of measurement range and verified the theory of the Capacitance Self Tracing with the above amplifiers.

Dual linear structured support vector machine tracking method via scale correlation filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weisheng; Chen, Yanquan; Xiao, Bin; Feng, Chen

2018-01-01

Adaptive tracking-by-detection methods based on structured support vector machine (SVM) performed well on recent visual tracking benchmarks. However, these methods did not adopt an effective strategy of object scale estimation, which limits the overall tracking performance. We present a tracking method based on a dual linear structured support vector machine (DLSSVM) with a discriminative scale correlation filter. The collaborative tracker comprised of a DLSSVM model and a scale correlation filter obtains good results in tracking target position and scale estimation. The fast Fourier transform is applied for detection. Extensive experiments show that our tracking approach outperforms many popular top-ranking trackers. On a benchmark including 100 challenging video sequences, the average precision of the proposed method is 82.8%.

Individual Monitoring of Vocal Effort With Relative Fundamental Frequency: Relationships With Aerodynamics and Listener Perception

PubMed Central

Michener, Carolyn M.; Eadie, Tanya L.; Stepp, Cara E.

2015-01-01

Purpose The acoustic measure relative fundamental frequency (RFF) was investigated as a potential objective measure to track variations in vocal effort within and across individuals. Method Twelve speakers with healthy voices created purposeful modulations in their vocal effort during speech tasks. RFF and an aerodynamic measure of vocal effort, the ratio of sound pressure level to subglottal pressure level, were estimated from the aerodynamic and acoustic signals. Twelve listeners also judged the speech samples for vocal effort using the visual sort and rate method. Results Relationships between RFF and both the aerodynamic and perceptual measures of vocal effort were weak across speakers (R2 = .06–.26). Within speakers, relationships were variable but much stronger on average (R2 = .45–.56). Conclusions RFF showed stronger relationships between both the aerodynamic and perceptual measures of vocal effort when examined within individuals versus across individuals. Future work is necessary to establish these relationships in individuals with voice disorders across the therapeutic process. PMID:25675090

The Sun Radio Imaging Space Experiment (SunRISE) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazio, Joseph; Kasper, Justin; Maksimovic, Milan; Alibay, Farah; Amiri, Nikta; Bastian, Tim; Cohen, Christina; Landi, Enrico; Manchester, Ward; Reinard, Alysha; Schwadron, Nathan; Cecconi, Baptiste; Hallinan, Gregg; Hegedus, Alex; Krupar, Vratislav; Zaslavsky, Arnaud

2017-04-01

Radio emission from coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is a direct tracer of particle acceleration in the inner heliosphere and potential magnetic connections from the lower solar corona to the larger heliosphere. Energized electrons excite Langmuir waves, which then convert into intense radio emission at the local plasma frequency, with the most intense acceleration thought to occur within 20 RS. The radio emission from CMEs is quite strong such that only a relatively small number of antennas is required to detect and map it, but many aspects of this particle acceleration and transport remain poorly constrained. Ground-based arrays would be quite capable of tracking the radio emission associated with CMEs, but absorption by the Earth's ionosphere limits the frequency coverage of ground-based arrays (ν ≳ 15 MHz), which in turn limits the range of solar distances over which they can track the radio emission (≲ 3RS). The state-of-the-art for tracking such emission from space is defined by single antennas (Wind/WAVES, Stereo/SWAVES), in which the tracking is accomplished by assuming a frequency-to-density mapping; there has been some success in triangulating the emission between the spacecraft, but considerable uncertainties remain. We describe the Sun Radio Imaging Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission concept: A constellation of small spacecraft in a geostationary graveyard orbit designed to localize and track radio emissions in the inner heliosphere. Each spacecraft would carry a receiving system for observations below 25 MHz, and SunRISE would produce the first images of CMEs more than a few solar radii from the Sun. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Sun Radio Imaging Space Experiment (SunRISE) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasper, J. C.; Lazio, J.; Alibay, F.; Amiri, N.; Bastian, T.; Cohen, C.; Landi, E.; Hegedus, A. M.; Maksimovic, M.; Manchester, W.; Reinard, A.; Schwadron, N.; Cecconi, B.; Hallinan, G.; Krupar, V.

2017-12-01

Radio emission from coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is a direct tracer of particle acceleration in the inner heliosphere and potential magnetic connections from the lower solar corona to the larger heliosphere. Energized electrons excite Langmuir waves, which then convert into intense radio emission at the local plasma frequency, with the most intense acceleration thought to occur within 20 R_S. The radio emission from CMEs is quite strong such that only a relatively small number of antennas is required to detect and map it, but many aspects of this particle acceleration and transport remain poorly constrained. Ground-based arrays would be quite capable of tracking the radio emission associated with CMEs, but absorption by the Earth's ionosphere limits the frequency coverage of ground-based arrays (nu > 15 MHz), which in turn limits the range of solar distances over which they can track the radio emission (< 3 R_S). The state-of-the-art for tracking such emission from space is defined by single antennas (Wind/WAVES, Stereo/SWAVES), in which the tracking is accomplished by assuming a frequency-to-density mapping; there has been some success in triangulating the emission between the spacecraft, but considerable uncertainties remain. We describe the Sun Radio Imaging Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission concept: A constellation of small spacecraft in a geostationary graveyard orbit designed to localize and track radio emissions in the inner heliosphere. Each spacecraft would carry a receiving system for observations below 25 MHz, and SunRISE would produce the first images of CMEs more than a few solar radii from the Sun. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Numerical and analytic models of spontaneous frequency sweeping for energetic particle-driven Alfven eigenmodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ge; Berk, H. L.

2011-10-01

The frequency chirping signal arising from spontaneous a toroidial Alfven eigenmode (TAE) excited by energetic particles is studied for both numerical and analytic models. The time-dependent numerical model is based on the 1D Vlasov equation. We use a sophisticated tracking method to lock onto the resonant structure to enable the chirping frequency to be nearly constant in the calculation frame. The accuracy of the adiabatic approximation is tested during the simulation which justifies the appropriateness of our analytic model. The analytic model uses the adiabatic approximation which allows us to solve the wave evolution equation in frequency space. Then, the resonant interactions between energetic particles and TAE yield predictions for the chirping rate, wave frequency and amplitudes vs. time. Here, an adiabatic invariant J is defined on the separatrix of a chirping mode to determine the region of confinement of the wave trapped distribution function. We examine the asymptotic behavior of the chirping signal for its long time evolution and find agreement in essential features with the results of the simulation. Work supported by Department of Energy contract DE-FC02-08ER54988.

Development of a Multi-Point Microwave Interferometry (MPMI) Method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Specht, Paul Elliott; Cooper, Marcia A.; Jilek, Brook Anton

2015-09-01

A multi-point microwave interferometer (MPMI) concept was developed for non-invasively tracking a shock, reaction, or detonation front in energetic media. Initially, a single-point, heterodyne microwave interferometry capability was established. The design, construction, and verification of the single-point interferometer provided a knowledge base for the creation of the MPMI concept. The MPMI concept uses an electro-optic (EO) crystal to impart a time-varying phase lag onto a laser at the microwave frequency. Polarization optics converts this phase lag into an amplitude modulation, which is analyzed in a heterodyne interfer- ometer to detect Doppler shifts in the microwave frequency. A version of themore » MPMI was constructed to experimentally measure the frequency of a microwave source through the EO modulation of a laser. The successful extraction of the microwave frequency proved the underlying physical concept of the MPMI design, and highlighted the challenges associated with the longer microwave wavelength. The frequency measurements made with the current equipment contained too much uncertainty for an accurate velocity measurement. Potential alterations to the current construction are presented to improve the quality of the measured signal and enable multiple accurate velocity measurements.« less

Multi-Fault Detection of Rolling Element Bearings under Harsh Working Condition Using IMF-Based Adaptive Envelope Order Analysis

PubMed Central

Zhao, Ming; Lin, Jing; Xu, Xiaoqiang; Li, Xuejun

2014-01-01

When operating under harsh condition (e.g., time-varying speed and load, large shocks), the vibration signals of rolling element bearings are always manifested as low signal noise ratio, non-stationary statistical parameters, which cause difficulties for current diagnostic methods. As such, an IMF-based adaptive envelope order analysis (IMF-AEOA) is proposed for bearing fault detection under such conditions. This approach is established through combining the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), envelope order tracking and fault sensitive analysis. In this scheme, EEMD provides an effective way to adaptively decompose the raw vibration signal into IMFs with different frequency bands. The envelope order tracking is further employed to transform the envelope of each IMF to angular domain to eliminate the spectral smearing induced by speed variation, which makes the bearing characteristic frequencies more clear and discernible in the envelope order spectrum. Finally, a fault sensitive matrix is established to select the optimal IMF containing the richest diagnostic information for final decision making. The effectiveness of IMF-AEOA is validated by simulated signal and experimental data from locomotive bearings. The result shows that IMF-AEOA could accurately identify both single and multiple faults of bearing even under time-varying rotating speed and large extraneous shocks. PMID:25353982

Tracking variable sedimentation rates in orbitally forced paleoclimate proxy series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M.; Kump, L. R.; Hinnov, L.

2017-12-01

This study addresses two fundamental issues in cyclostratigraphy: quantitative testing of orbital forcing in cyclic sedimentary sequences and tracking variable sedimentation rates. The methodology proposed here addresses these issues as an inverse problem, and estimates the product-moment correlation coefficient between the frequency spectra of orbital solutions and paleoclimate proxy series over a range of "test" sedimentation rates. It is inspired by the ASM method (1). The number of orbital parameters involved in the estimation is also considered. The method relies on the hypothesis that orbital forcing had a significant impact on the paleoclimate proxy variations, and thus is also tested. The null hypothesis of no astronomical forcing is evaluated using the Beta distribution, for which the shape parameters are estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation approach. We introduce a metric to estimate the most likely sedimentation rate using the product-moment correlation coefficient, H0 significance level, and the number of contributing orbital parameters, i.e., the CHO value. The CHO metric is applied with a sliding window to track variable sedimentation rates along the paleoclimate proxy series. Two forward models with uniform and variable sedimentation rates are evaluated to demonstrate the robustness of the method. The CHO method is applied to the classical Late Triassic Newark depth rank series; the estimated sedimentation rates match closely with previously published sedimentation rates and provide a more highly time-resolved estimate (2,3). References: (1) Meyers, S.R., Sageman, B.B., Amer. J. Sci., 307, 773-792, 2007; (2) Kent, D.V., Olsen, P.E., Muttoni, G., Earth-Sci. Rev.166, 153-180, 2017; (3) Li, M., Zhang, Y., Huang, C., Ogg, J., Hinnov, L., Wang, Y., Zou, Z., Li, L., 2017. Earth Plant. Sc. Lett. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.07.015

A hybrid modelling approach for predicting ground vibration from trains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triepaischajonsak, N.; Thompson, D. J.

2015-01-01

The prediction of ground vibration from trains presents a number of difficulties. The ground is effectively an infinite medium, often with a layered structure and with properties that may vary greatly from one location to another. The vibration from a passing train forms a transient event, which limits the usefulness of steady-state frequency domain models. Moreover, there is often a need to consider vehicle/track interaction in more detail than is commonly used in frequency domain models, such as the 2.5D approach, while maintaining the computational efficiency of the latter. However, full time-domain approaches involve large computation times, particularly where three-dimensional ground models are required. Here, a hybrid modelling approach is introduced. The vehicle/track interaction is calculated in the time domain in order to be able t account directly for effects such as the discrete sleeper spacing. Forces acting on the ground are extracted from this first model and used in a second model to predict the ground response at arbitrary locations. In the present case the second model is a layered ground model operating in the frequency domain. Validation of the approach is provided by comparison with an existing frequency domain model. The hybrid model is then used to study the sleeper-passing effect, which is shown to be less significant than excitation due to track unevenness in all the cases considered.

Single exosome detection in serum using microtoroid optical resonators (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Judith

2016-03-01

Recently exosomes have attracted interest due to their potential as cancer biomarkers. We report the real time, label-free sensing of single exosomes in serum using microtoroid optical resonators. We use this approach to assay the progression of tumors implanted in mice by specifically detecting low concentrations of tumor-derived exosomes. Our approach measures the adsorption of individual exosomes onto a functionalized silica microtoroid by tracking changes in the optical resonant frequency of the microtoroid. When exosomes land on the microtoroid, they perturb its refractive index in the evanescent field and thus shift its resonance frequency. Through digital frequency locking, we are able to rapidly track these shifts with accuracies of better than 10 attometers (one part in 10^11). Samples taken from tumor-implanted mice from later weeks generated larger frequency shifts than those from earlier weeks. Control samples taken from a mouse with no tumor generated no such increase in signal between subsequent weeks. Analysis of shifts from tumor-implanted mouse samples show a distribution of unitary steps, with the maximum step having a height of ~1.2 fm, corresponding to an exosome size of 44 ± 4.8 nm. This size range corresponds to that found by performing nanoparticle tracking analysis on the same samples. Our results demonstrate development towards a minimally-invasive tumor "biopsy" that eliminates the need to find and access a tumor.

A discrete time-varying internal model-based approach for high precision tracking of a multi-axis servo gantry.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhen; Yan, Peng; Jiang, Huan; Ye, Peiqing

2014-09-01

In this paper, we consider the discrete time-varying internal model-based control design for high precision tracking of complicated reference trajectories generated by time-varying systems. Based on a novel parallel time-varying internal model structure, asymptotic tracking conditions for the design of internal model units are developed, and a low order robust time-varying stabilizer is further synthesized. In a discrete time setting, the high precision tracking control architecture is deployed on a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) actuated servo gantry system, where numerical simulations and real time experimental results are provided, achieving the tracking errors around 3.5‰ for frequency-varying signals. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COBE navigation with one-way return-link Doppler in the post-helium-venting phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, Joan; Nemesure, M.; Samii, M. V.; Maher, M.; Teles, Jerome; Jackson, J.

1991-01-01

The results of a navigation experiment with one way return link Doppler tracking measurements for operational orbit determination of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) spacecraft are presented. The frequency of the tracking signal for the one way measurements was stabilized with an Ultrastable Oscillator (USO), and the signal was relayed by the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The study achieved three objectives: space qualification of TDRSS noncoherent one way return link Doppler tracking; determination of flight performance of the USO coupled to the second generation TDRSS compatible user transponder; and verification of algorithms for navigation using actual one way tracking data. Orbit determination and the inflight USO performance evaluation results are presented.

Fault-tolerant feature-based estimation of space debris rotational motion during active removal missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, Gabriele; Mauro, Stefano; Pastorelli, Stefano; Sorli, Massimo

2018-05-01

One of the key functionalities required by an Active Debris Removal mission is the assessment of the target kinematics and inertial properties. Passive sensors, such as stereo cameras, are often included in the onboard instrumentation of a chaser spacecraft for capturing sequential photographs and for tracking features of the target surface. A plenty of methods, based on Kalman filtering, are available for the estimation of the target's state from feature positions; however, to guarantee the filter convergence, they typically require continuity of measurements and the capability of tracking a fixed set of pre-defined features of the object. These requirements clash with the actual tracking conditions: failures in feature detection often occur and the assumption of having some a-priori knowledge about the shape of the target could be restrictive in certain cases. The aim of the presented work is to propose a fault-tolerant alternative method for estimating the angular velocity and the relative magnitudes of the principal moments of inertia of the target. Raw data regarding the positions of the tracked features are processed to evaluate corrupted values of a 3-dimentional parameter which entirely describes the finite screw motion of the debris and which primarily is invariant on the particular set of considered features of the object. Missing values of the parameter are completely restored exploiting the typical periodicity of the rotational motion of an uncontrolled satellite: compressed sensing techniques, typically adopted for recovering images or for prognostic applications, are herein used in a completely original fashion for retrieving a kinematic signal that appears sparse in the frequency domain. Due to its invariance about the features, no assumptions are needed about the target's shape and continuity of the tracking. The obtained signal is useful for the indirect evaluation of an attitude signal that feeds an unscented Kalman filter for the estimation of the global rotational state of the target. The results of the computer simulations showed a good robustness of the method and its potential applicability for general motion conditions of the target.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: The origin of Bohm diffusion, investigated by a comparison of different modelling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bultinck, E.; Mahieu, S.; Depla, D.; Bogaerts, A.

2010-07-01

'Bohm diffusion' causes the electrons to diffuse perpendicularly to the magnetic field lines. However, its origin is not yet completely understood: low and high frequency electric field fluctuations are both named to cause Bohm diffusion. The importance of including this process in a Monte Carlo (MC) model is demonstrated by comparing calculated ionization rates with particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions (PIC/MCC) simulations. A good agreement is found with a Bohm diffusion parameter of 0.05, which corresponds well to experiments. Since the PIC/MCC method accounts for fast electric field fluctuations, we conclude that Bohm diffusion is caused by fast electric field phenomena.

Control Strategy of Active Power Filter Based on Modular Multilevel Converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Xifeng

2018-03-01

To improve the capacity, pressure resistance and the equivalent switching frequency of active power filter (APF), a control strategy of APF based on Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is presented. In this Control Strategy, the indirect current control method is used to achieve active current and reactive current decoupling control; Voltage Balance Control Strategy is to stabilize sub-module capacitor voltage, the predictive current control method is used to Track and control of harmonic currents. As a result, the harmonic current is restrained, and power quality is improved. Finally, the simulation model of active power filter controller based on MMC is established in Matlab/Simulink, the simulation proves that the proposed strategy is feasible and correct.

Underwater Acoustic Target Tracking: A Review

PubMed Central

Han, Ying; Fan, Liying

2018-01-01

Advances in acoustic technology and instrumentation now make it possible to explore marine resources. As a significant component of ocean exploration, underwater acoustic target tracking has aroused wide attention both in military and civil fields. Due to the complexity of the marine environment, numerous techniques have been proposed to obtain better tracking performance. In this paper, we survey over 100 papers ranging from innovative papers to the state-of-the-art in this field to present underwater tracking technologies. Not only the related knowledge of acoustic tracking instrument and tracking progress is clarified in detail, but also a novel taxonomy method is proposed. In this paper, algorithms for underwater acoustic target tracking are classified based on the methods used as: (1) instrument-assisted methods; (2) mode-based methods; (3) tracking optimization methods. These algorithms are compared and analyzed in the aspect of dimensions, numbers, and maneuvering of the tracking target, which is different from other survey papers. Meanwhile, challenges, countermeasures, and lessons learned are illustrated in this paper. PMID:29301318

Radiometric Spacecraft Tracking for Deep Space Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanyi, Gabor E.; Border, James S.; Shin, Dong K.

2008-01-01

Interplanetary spacecraft navigation relies on three types of terrestrial tracking observables.1) Ranging measures the distance between the observing site and the probe. 2) The line-of-sight velocity of the probe is inferred from Doppler-shift by measuring the frequency shift of the received signal with respect to the unshifted frequency. 3) Differential angular coordinates of the probe with respect to natural radio sources are nominally obtained via a differential delay technique of (Delta) DOR (Delta Differential One-way Ranging). The accuracy of spacecraft coordinate determination depends on the measurement uncertainties associated with each of these three techniques. We evaluate the corresponding sources of error and present a detailed error budget.

Micro-miniature radio frequency transmitter for communication and tracking applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crutcher, R.I.; Emery, M.S.; Falter, K.G.

1996-12-31

A micro-miniature radio frequency (rf) transmitter has been developed and demonstrated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The objective of the rf transmitter development was to maximize the transmission distance while drastically shrinking the overall transmitter size, including antenna. Based on analysis and testing, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with a 16-GHz gallium arsenide (GaAs) oscillator and integrated on-chip antenna was designed and fabricated using microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. Details of the development and the results of various field tests will be discussed. The rf transmitter is applicable to covert surveillance and tracking scenarios due to its smallmore » size of 2.2 x 2.2 mm, including the antenna. Additionally, the 16-GHz frequency is well above the operational range of consumer-grade radio scanners, providing a degree of protection from unauthorized interception. Variations of the transmitter design have been demonstrated for tracking and tagging beacons, transmission of digital data, and transmission of real-time analog video from a surveillance camera. Preliminary laboratory measurements indicate adaptability to direct-sequence spread-spectrum transmission, providing a low probability of intercept and/or detection. Concepts related to law enforcement applications will be presented.« less

Individual Ranging Behaviour Patterns in Commercial Free-Range Layers as Observed through RFID Tracking.

PubMed

Larsen, Hannah; Cronin, Greg M; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Smith, Carolynn L; Hemsworth, Paul H; Rault, Jean-Loup

2017-03-09

In this exploratory study, we tracked free-range laying hens on two commercial flocks with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology with the aim to examine individual hen variation in range use. Three distinct outdoor zones were identified at increasing distances from the shed; the veranda [0-2.4 m], close range [2.4-11.4 m], and far range [>11.4 m]. Hens' movements between these areas were tracked using radio frequency identification technology. Most of the hens in both flocks (68.6% in Flock A, and 82.2% in Flock B) accessed the range every day during the study. Of the hens that accessed the range, most hens accessed all three zones (73.7% in Flock A, and 84.5% in Flock B). Hens spent half of their time outdoors in the veranda area. Within-individual consistency of range use (daily duration and frequency) varied considerably, and hens which were more consistent in their daily range use spent more time on the range overall ( p < 0.001). Understanding variation within and between individuals in ranging behaviour may help elucidate the implications of ranging for laying hens.

Feasibility of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) for optically characterizing a preclinical oncology model.

PubMed

Tabassum, Syeda; Zhao, Yanyu; Istfan, Raeef; Wu, Junjie; Waxman, David J; Roblyer, Darren

2016-10-01

Determination of chemotherapy efficacy early during treatment would provide more opportunities for physicians to alter and adapt treatment plans. Diffuse optical technologies may be ideally suited to track early biological events following chemotherapy administration due to low cost and high information content. We evaluated the use of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) to characterize a small animal tumor model in order to move towards the goal of endogenous optical monitoring of cancer therapy in a controlled preclinical setting. The effects of key measurement parameters including the choice of imaging spatial frequency and the repeatability of measurements were evaluated. The precision of SFDI optical property extractions over repeat mouse measurements was determined to be within 3.52% for move and replace experiments. Baseline optical properties and chromophore values as well as intratumor heterogeneity were evaluated over 25 tumors. Additionally, tumor growth and chemotherapy response were monitored over a 45 day longitudinal study in a small number of mice to demonstrate the ability of SFDI to track treatment effects. Optical scattering and oxygen saturation increased as much as 70% and 25% respectively in treated tumors, suggesting SFDI may be useful for preclinical tracking of cancer therapies.

A difference tracking algorithm based on discrete sine transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, HaoPeng; Yao, Yong; Lei, HeBing; Wu, HaoKun

2018-04-01

Target tracking is an important field of computer vision. The template matching tracking algorithm based on squared difference matching (SSD) and standard correlation coefficient (NCC) matching is very sensitive to the gray change of image. When the brightness or gray change, the tracking algorithm will be affected by high-frequency information. Tracking accuracy is reduced, resulting in loss of tracking target. In this paper, a differential tracking algorithm based on discrete sine transform is proposed to reduce the influence of image gray or brightness change. The algorithm that combines the discrete sine transform and the difference algorithm maps the target image into a image digital sequence. The Kalman filter predicts the target position. Using the Hamming distance determines the degree of similarity between the target and the template. The window closest to the template is determined the target to be tracked. The target to be tracked updates the template. Based on the above achieve target tracking. The algorithm is tested in this paper. Compared with SSD and NCC template matching algorithms, the algorithm tracks target stably when image gray or brightness change. And the tracking speed can meet the read-time requirement.

Aging of Johari-Goldstein Relaxation in Structural Glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yardimci, Hasan; Leheny, Robert L.

2006-03-01

Using frequency-dependent dielectric susceptibility measurements we characterize the aging in two supercooled liquids, sorbitol and xylitol, below their calorimetric glass transition temperatures, Tg. In addition to the alpha relaxation that tracks the structural dynamics, the susceptibilities of both liquids possess a secondary Johari-Goldstein relaxation at higher frequencies. Following a quench below Tg, the susceptibility slowly approaches equilibrium behavior. For both liquids, features of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation display a dependence on the time since the quench, or aging time, that is very similar to the age dependence of the alpha peak. However, one can not assign a single fictive temperature to both the alpha and Johari-Goldstein relaxations. For example, the peak frequency of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation remains constant during aging for sorbitol while it increases with age for xylitol, inconsistent with a decreasing fictive temperature. This behavior contrasts with that of the high frequency tail of the alpha peak whose shape and position track the aging of the main part of the peak.

A real-time sub-μrad laser beam tracking system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buske, Ivo; Schragner, Ralph; Riede, Wolfgang

2007-10-01

We present a rugged and reliable real-time laser beam tracking system operating with a high speed, high resolution piezo-electric tip/tilt mirror. Characteristics of the piezo mirror and position sensor are investigated. An industrial programmable automation controller is used to develop a real-time digital PID controller. The controller provides a one million field programmable gate array (FPGA) to realize a high closed-loop frequency of 50 kHz. Beam tracking with a root-mean-squared accuracy better than 0.15 μrad has been laboratory confirmed. The system is intended as an add-on module for established mechanical mrad tracking systems.

Manual control analysis of drug effects on driving performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smiley, A.; Ziedman, K.; Moskowitz, H.

1981-01-01

The effects of secobarbital, diazepam, alcohol, and marihuana on car-driver transfer functions obtained using a driving simulator were studied. The first three substances, all CNS depressants, reduced gain, crossover frequency, and coherence which resulted in poorer tracking performance. Marihuana also impaired tracking performance but the only effect on the transfer function parameters was to reduce coherence.

Tracking of Physical Activity in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderssen, Norman; Wold, Bente; Torsheim, Torbjorn

2005-01-01

The present analysis aimed to describe the degree of tracking of physical activity over an 8-year follow-up period among a cohort of 557 adolescents in western Norway (13 years of age at baseline). Frequency and time spent in leisure-time physical activity were assessed at ages 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 21 years through self-report…

Firm-Related Training Tracks: A Random Effects Ordered Probit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groot, Wim; van den Brink, Henriette Maassen

2003-01-01

A random effects ordered response model of training is estimated to analyze the existence of training tracks and time varying coefficients in training frequency. Two waves of a Dutch panel survey of workers are used covering the period 1992-1996. The amount of training received by workers increased during the period 1994-1996 compared to…