Search results for: Radial Basis Functions
1046 Solution of Fuzzy Maximal Flow Problems Using Fuzzy Linear Programming
Authors: Amit Kumar, Manjot Kaur
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In this paper, the fuzzy linear programming formulation of fuzzy maximal flow problems are proposed and on the basis of the proposed formulation a method is proposed to find the fuzzy optimal solution of fuzzy maximal flow problems. In the proposed method all the parameters are represented by triangular fuzzy numbers. By using the proposed method the fuzzy optimal solution of fuzzy maximal flow problems can be easily obtained. To illustrate the proposed method a numerical example is solved and the obtained results are discussed.Keywords: Fuzzy linear programming, Fuzzy maximal flow problem, Ranking function, Triangular fuzzy number
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19661045 A Symbol by Symbol Clustering Based Blind Equalizer
Authors: Kristina Georgoulakis
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A new blind symbol by symbol equalizer is proposed. The operation of the proposed equalizer is based on the geometric properties of the two dimensional data constellation. An unsupervised clustering technique is used to locate the clusters formed by the received data. The symmetric properties of the clusters labels are subsequently utilized in order to label the clusters. Following this step, the received data are compared to clusters and decisions are made on a symbol by symbol basis, by assigning to each data the label of the nearest cluster. The operation of the equalizer is investigated both in linear and nonlinear channels. The performance of the proposed equalizer is compared to the performance of a CMAbased blind equalizer.Keywords: Blind equalization, channel equalization, cluster based equalisers
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14231044 Deposit Guarantee Fund: One Perspective
Authors: Rute Abreu, Fátima David, Liliane Cristina Segura
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The Deposit Guarantee Fund (DGF) and its communication with the Society, in general, and with the deposit client of Financial Institutions, in particular, is discussed through the challenges of the accounting and financial report. The Bank of Portugal promotes the Portuguese Deposit Guarantee Fund (PDGF) as a financial institution that enhanced the market confidence and stability on the deposit-insurance system. Due to the nature of their functions, it must be subject to regulation and supervision that provides a first line of defense against adversely affect confidence on the Portuguese financial market. First, this research provides evidence of the effectiveness of the protection mechanisms on the deposit insurance system, which provides high and equal protection to all stakeholders. Second, it emphasizes the need of requirements of rigorous accounting process and effective financial report to reduce the moral hazard implications. Third, this research focuses on the need of total disclosure of the financial information which gives higher transparency and protection to deposit client of financial institutions.
Keywords: Deposit Guarantee Fund, Portugal, Accounting, Financial Report.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 15431043 Valuing Environmental Impact of Air Pollution in Moscow with Hedonic Prices
Authors: V. Komarova
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The main purpose of this research is the calculation of implicit prices of the environmental level of air quality in the city of Moscow on the basis of housing property prices. The database used contains records of approximately 20 thousand apartments and has been provided by a leading real estate agency operating in Russia. The explanatory variables include physical characteristics of the houses, environmental (industry emissions), neighbourhood sociodemographic and geographic data: GPS coordinates of each house. The hedonic regression results for ecological variables show «negative» prices while increasing the level of air contamination from such substances as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and particles (CO, NO2, SO2, TSP). The marginal willingness to pay for higher environmental quality is presented for linear and log-log models.
Keywords: Air pollution, environment, hedonic prices, real estate, willingness to pay.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19561042 Bluetooth Piconet System for Child Care Applications
Authors: Ching-Sung Wang, Teng-Wei Wang, Zhen-Ting Zheng
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This study mainly concerns a safety device designed for child care. When children are out of sight or the caregivers cannot always pay attention to the situation, through the functions of this device, caregivers can immediately be informed to make sure that the children do not get lost or hurt, and thus, ensure their safety. Starting from this concept, a device is produced based on the relatively low-cost Bluetooth piconet system and a three-axis gyroscope sensor. This device can transmit data to a mobile phone app through Bluetooth, in order that the user can learn the situation at any time. By simply clipping the device in a pocket or on the waist, after switching on/starting the device, it will send data to the phone to detect the child’s fall and distance. Once the child is beyond the angle or distance set by the app, it will issue a warning to inform the phone owner.
Keywords: Children care, piconet system, three-axis gyroscope, distance detection, falls detection.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 9021041 The Traits That Facilitate Successful Student Performance in Distance Education: The Case of the Distance Education Unit at European University Cyprus
Authors: D. Vlachopoulos, G. Tsokkas
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Although it is not intended to identify distance education students as a homogeneous group, recent research has demonstrated that there are some demographic and personality common traits among most of them that provide the basis for the description of a typical distance learning student. The purpose of this paper is to describe these common traits and to facilitate their learning journey within a distance education program. The described research is an initiative of the Distance Education Unit at the European University Cyprus (Laureate International Universities) in the context of its action for the improvement of the students’ performance.
Keywords: Distance education students, successful student performance, European University Cyprus, common traits.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18921040 Secure and Failure Factors of e-Government Projects Implementation in Developing Country: A Study on the Implementation of Kingdom of Bahrain
Authors: Reem Al-Kaabi
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The concept of e-government has begun to spread among countries. It is based on the use of information communication technology (ICT) to fully utilize government resources, as well as to provide government services to citizens, investors and foreigners. Critical factors are the factors that are determined by the senior management of each organization; the success or failure of the organization depends on the effective implementation of critical factors. These factors vary from one organization to another according to their activity, size and functions. It is very important that organizations identify them in order to avoid the risk of implementing initiatives that may fail to work, while simultaneously exploiting opportunities that may succeed in working. The main focus of this paper is to investigate the majority of critical success factors (CSFs) associated with the implementation of e-government projects. This study concentrates on both technical and nontechnical factors. This paper concludes by listing the majority of CSFs relating to successful e-government implementation in Bahrain.
Keywords: Critical success factors, e-government, ICT, implementation, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 26721039 Analysis of Electrocardiograph (ECG) Signal for the Detection of Abnormalities Using MATLAB
Authors: Durgesh Kumar Ojha, Monica Subashini
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The proposed method is to study and analyze Electrocardiograph (ECG) waveform to detect abnormalities present with reference to P, Q, R and S peaks. The first phase includes the acquisition of real time ECG data. In the next phase, generation of signals followed by pre-processing. Thirdly, the procured ECG signal is subjected to feature extraction. The extracted features detect abnormal peaks present in the waveform Thus the normal and abnormal ECG signal could be differentiated based on the features extracted. The work is implemented in the most familiar multipurpose tool, MATLAB. This software efficiently uses algorithms and techniques for detection of any abnormalities present in the ECG signal. Proper utilization of MATLAB functions (both built-in and user defined) can lead us to work with ECG signals for processing and analysis in real time applications. The simulation would help in improving the accuracy and the hardware could be built conveniently.
Keywords: ECG Waveform, Peak Detection, Arrhythmia, Matlab.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 119931038 Demographic Factors Influencing Employees’ Salary Expectations and Labor Turnover
Authors: M. Osipova
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Thanks to informational technologies development every sphere of economics is becoming more and more datacentralized as people are generating huge datasets containing information on any aspect of their life. Applying research of such data to human resources management allows getting scarce statistics on labor market state including salary expectations and potential employees’ typical career behavior, and this information can become a reliable basis for management decisions. The following article presents results of career behavior research based on freely accessible resume data. Information used for study is much wider than one usually uses in human resources surveys. That is why there is enough data for statistically significant results even for subgroups analysis.
Keywords: Human resources management, labor market, salary expectations, statistics, turnover.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18351037 Existence and Globally Exponential Stability of Equilibrium for BAM Neural Networks with Mixed Delays and Impulses
Authors: Xiaomei Wang, Shouming Zhong
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In this paper, a class of generalized bi-directional associative memory (BAM) neural networks with mixed delays is investigated. On the basis of Lyapunov stability theory and contraction mapping theorem, some new sufficient conditions are established for the existence and uniqueness and globally exponential stability of equilibrium, which generalize and improve the previously known results. One example is given to show the feasibility and effectiveness of our results.
Keywords: Bi-directional associative memory (BAM) neural networks, mixed delays, Lyapunov stability theory, contraction mapping theorem, existence, equilibrium, globally exponential stability.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 14741036 Particle Swarm Optimization Based Genetic Algorithm for Two-Stage Transportation Supply Chain
Authors: Siva Prasad Darla, C. D. Naiju, K. Annamalai, S. S. Rajiv Sushanth
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Supply chain consists of all stages involved, directly or indirectly, includes all functions involved in fulfilling a customer demand. In two stage transportation supply chain problem, transportation costs are of a significant proportion of final product costs. It is often crucial for successful decisions making approaches in two stage supply chain to explicit account for non-linear transportation costs. In this paper, deterministic demand and finite supply of products was considered. The optimized distribution level and the routing structure from the manufacturing plants to the distribution centres and to the end customers is determined using developed mathematical model and solved by proposed particle swarm optimization based genetic algorithm. Numerical analysis of the case study is carried out to validate the model.Keywords: Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, Production, Remanufacturing
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18331035 A Dual Fitness Function Genetic Algorithm: Application on Deterministic Identical Machine Scheduling
Authors: Saleem Z. Ramadan, Gürsel A. Süer
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In this paper a genetic algorithm (GA) with dual-fitness function is proposed and applied to solve the deterministic identical machine scheduling problem. The mating fitness function value was used to determine the mating for chromosomes, while the selection fitness function value was used to determine their survivals. The performance of this algorithm was tested on deterministic identical machine scheduling using simulated data. The results obtained from the proposed GA were compared with classical GA and integer programming (IP). Results showed that dual-fitness function GA outperformed the classical single-fitness function GA with statistical significance for large problems and was competitive to IP, particularly when large size problems were used.
Keywords: Machine scheduling, Genetic algorithms, Due dates, Number of tardy jobs, Number of early jobs, Integer programming, Dual Fitness functions.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20581034 The Nature of Intelligence and Its Forms: An Ontological-Modeling Approach
Authors: Husam El-Asfour, Fateh Adhnouss, Kenneth McIsaac, AbdulMutalib Wahaishi, Raafat Aburukba, Idris El-Feghia
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Although intelligence is commonly referred to as the observable behavior in various fields and domains, it must also be shown how it develops by exhibiting multiple forms and without observing the inherent behavior. There have been several official and informal definitions of intelligence in various areas; however, no scientific agreement on a definition has been agreed upon. There must be a single definition, structure, and precise modeling for articulating how intelligence is perceived by people and machines in order to comprehend intelligence. Another key challenge is defining the different environment types based on the integral elements (agents) and their possible interactions. On the basis of conceptualization, this paper proposes a formal model for defining and developing intelligence. Forms of intelligence are derived from an ontological view, and thus intelligence is defined, described, and modeled based on the various types of environments.
Keywords: Intelligence, forms, transformation, conceptualization, ontological view.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3921033 Possible Role of Polyamine on Tumor Spread after Surgical Trauma
Authors: Kuniyasu Soda
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Surgical trauma seems to facilitate metastatic spread, although the underlying mechanisms are not known. Increased concentrations of polyamines (spermine and spermidine) in the blood seem to have associated with the enhanced malignant potential of cancer cells and decrease in anti-tumor immunity of cancer patients. In addition to de novo synthesis in rapidly growing cells such as normal regenerating cells and cancer cells, cells can take up polyamines from extra-cellular sources. We have shown that increased polyamine concentration results in decreases in cytokine production and expression of adhesion molecules involved in anti-tumor immunity, such as CD11a. And, immune cells in an environment with increased polyamine levels lose anti-tumor immune functions, such as lymphokine activated killer cell (LAK) activities. Because blood polyamine levels are increased in post-surgical patients, polyamine seems to have roles on post-traumatic tumor spread.
Keywords: Immune function, LAK, Polyamine, Surgical trauma.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 17481032 A Training Model for Successful Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning
Authors: Volker Heierhoff, Aurilla Aurelie Bechina Arntzen, Gerrit Muller
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It well recognized that one feature that makes a successful company is its ability to successfully align its business goals with its information communication technologies platform. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems contribute to achieve better performance by integrating various business functions and providing support for information flows. However, the technological systems complexity is known to prevent the business users to exploit in an efficient way the Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP). This paper aims to investigate the role of training in improving the usage of ERP systems. To this end, we have designed an instrument survey to employees of a Norwegian multinational global provider of technology solutions. Based on the analysis of collected data, we have delineated a training model that could be high relevance for both researchers and practitioners as a step towards a better understanding of ERP system implementation.Keywords: Business User Training, Enterprise resource planning system, Global consulting company, Role and responsibilities
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 29371031 Urban Planning Formulation Problems in China and the Corresponding Optimization Ideas under the Vision of the Hypercycle Theory
Authors: Hong Dongchen, Chen Qiuxiao, Wu Shuang
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Systematic Science reveals the complex nonlinear mechanisms of behavior in urban system. However, when confronted with such system, most city planners in China are still utilizing simple linear thinking to learn and understand this open complex giant system. In this paper, the hypercycle theory was introduced, which is one of the basis theories of systematic science. Based on the analysis of the reasons for the failure of current urban planning in China, and in consideration of the nonlinear characteristics of the urban system as well, optimization ideas for urban planning formulation were presented such as the shift from blueprint planning to progressive planning and from the rigid urban planning management control to its dynamically monitor and in time feedback.
Keywords: Systematic science, hypercycle theory, urban planning.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 23401030 A New Nonlinear Excitation Controller for Transient Stability Enhancement in Power Systems
Authors: M. Ouassaid, A. Nejmi, M. Cherkaoui, M. Maaroufi
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The very nonlinear nature of the generator and system behaviour following a severe disturbance precludes the use of classical linear control technique. In this paper, a new approach of nonlinear control is proposed for transient and steady state stability analysis of a synchronous generator. The control law of the generator excitation is derived from the basis of Lyapunov stability criterion. The overall stability of the system is shown using Lyapunov technique. The application of the proposed controller to simulated generator excitation control under a large sudden fault and wide range of operating conditions demonstrates that the new control strategy is superior to conventional automatic voltage regulator (AVR), and show very promising results.Keywords: Excitation control, Lyapunov technique, non linearcontrol, synchronous generator, transient stability, voltage regulation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 26041029 Mamdani Model based Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System and its Application
Authors: Yuanyuan Chai, Limin Jia, Zundong Zhang
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Hybrid algorithm is the hot issue in Computational Intelligence (CI) study. From in-depth discussion on Simulation Mechanism Based (SMB) classification method and composite patterns, this paper presents the Mamdani model based Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System (M-ANFIS) and weight updating formula in consideration with qualitative representation of inference consequent parts in fuzzy neural networks. M-ANFIS model adopts Mamdani fuzzy inference system which has advantages in consequent part. Experiment results of applying M-ANFIS to evaluate traffic Level of service show that M-ANFIS, as a new hybrid algorithm in computational intelligence, has great advantages in non-linear modeling, membership functions in consequent parts, scale of training data and amount of adjusted parameters.Keywords: Fuzzy neural networks, Mamdani fuzzy inference, M-ANFIS
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 52301028 Nonlinear Integral-Type Sliding Surface for Synchronization of Chaotic Systems with Unknown Parameters
Authors: Hongji Tang, Yanbo Gao, Yue Yu
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This paper presents a new nonlinear integral-type sliding surface for synchronizing two different chaotic systems with parametric uncertainty. On the basis of Lyapunov theorem and average dwelling time method, we obtain the control gains of controllers which are derived to achieve chaos synchronization. In order to reduce the gains, the error system is modeled as a switching system. We obtain the sufficient condition drawn for the robust stability of the error dynamics by stability analysis. Then we apply it to guide the design of the controllers. Finally, numerical examples are used to show the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Keywords: Chaos synchronization, Nonlinear sliding surface, Control gains, Sliding mode control.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20171027 Road Extraction Using Stationary Wavelet Transform
Authors: Somkait Udomhunsakul
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In this paper, a novel road extraction method using Stationary Wavelet Transform is proposed. To detect road features from color aerial satellite imagery, Mexican hat Wavelet filters are used by applying the Stationary Wavelet Transform in a multiresolution, multi-scale, sense and forming the products of Wavelet coefficients at a different scales to locate and identify road features at a few scales. In addition, the shifting of road features locations is considered through multiple scales for robust road extraction in the asymmetry road feature profiles. From the experimental results, the proposed method leads to a useful technique to form the basis of road feature extraction. Also, the method is general and can be applied to other features in imagery.
Keywords: Road extraction, Multiresolution, Stationary Wavelet Transform, Multi-scale analysis
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 18651026 One-Class Support Vector Machines for Protein-Protein Interactions Prediction
Authors: Hany Alashwal, Safaai Deris, Razib M. Othman
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Predicting protein-protein interactions represent a key step in understanding proteins functions. This is due to the fact that proteins usually work in context of other proteins and rarely function alone. Machine learning techniques have been applied to predict protein-protein interactions. However, most of these techniques address this problem as a binary classification problem. Although it is easy to get a dataset of interacting proteins as positive examples, there are no experimentally confirmed non-interacting proteins to be considered as negative examples. Therefore, in this paper we solve this problem as a one-class classification problem using one-class support vector machines (SVM). Using only positive examples (interacting protein pairs) in training phase, the one-class SVM achieves accuracy of about 80%. These results imply that protein-protein interaction can be predicted using one-class classifier with comparable accuracy to the binary classifiers that use artificially constructed negative examples.Keywords: Bioinformatics, Protein-protein interactions, One-Class Support Vector Machines
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 19781025 Key Strategies for a Competitive Supply Chain
Authors: Ajay Verma, Nitin Seth
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In this era of competitiveness, there is a growing need for supply chains also to become competitive enough to handle pressures like varying customer’s expectations, low cost high quality products to be delivered at the minimum time and the most important is throat cutting competition at world wide scale. In the recent years, supply chain competitiveness has been, therefore, accepted as one of the most important philosophies in the supply chain literature and researchers have tried to identify variables of supply chain competitiveness. This paper highlights some of the concepts of supply chain competitiveness and tries to identify select variables on the basis of literature review. Further, the paper tries to highlight the importance of the identified variables in the achievement of supply chain competitiveness. The aim is to explore the concept and to motivate researchers to further investigate the unexplored areas of this important subject domain.
Keywords: Supply Chain Competitiveness, Demand Management, Integration, Inventory Management, Flexibility, Information Technology.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 34431024 A Multi-Attribute Utility Model for Performance Evaluation of Sustainable Banking
Authors: Sonia Rebai, Mohamed Naceur Azaiez, Dhafer Saidane
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In this study, we develop a performance evaluation model based on a multi-attribute utility approach aiming at reaching the sustainable banking (SB) status. This model is built accounting for various banks’ stakeholders in a win-win paradigm. In addition, it offers the opportunity for adopting a global measure of performance as an indication of a bank’s sustainability degree. This measure is referred to as banking sustainability performance index (BSPI). This index may constitute a basis for ranking banks. Moreover, it may constitute a bridge between the assessment types of financial and extra-financial rating agencies. A real application is performed on three French banks.
Keywords: Multi-attribute utility theory, Performance, Sustainable banking.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 21921023 Automatic Light Control in Domotics using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Carlos Machado, José A. Mendes
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Home Automation is a field that, among other subjects, is concerned with the comfort, security and energy requirements of private homes. The configuration of automatic functions in this type of houses is not always simple to its inhabitants requiring the initial setup and regular adjustments. In this work, the ubiquitous computing system vision is used, where the users- action patterns are captured, recorded and used to create the contextawareness that allows the self-configuration of the home automation system. The system will try to free the users from setup adjustments as the home tries to adapt to its inhabitants- real habits. In this paper it is described a completely automated process to determine the light state and act on them, taking in account the users- daily habits. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used as a pattern recognition method, classifying for each moment the light state. The work presented uses data from a real house where a family is actually living.Keywords: ANN, Home Automation, Neural Systems, PatternRecognition, Ubiquitous Computing.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 20561022 A Numerical Investigation of Lamb Wave Damage Diagnosis for Composite Delamination Using Instantaneous Phase
Authors: Haode Huo, Jingjing He, Rui Kang, Xuefei Guan
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This paper presents a study of Lamb wave damage diagnosis of composite delamination using instantaneous phase data. Numerical experiments are performed using the finite element method. Different sizes of delamination damages are modeled using finite element package ABAQUS. Lamb wave excitation and responses data are obtained using a pitch-catch configuration. Empirical mode decomposition is employed to extract the intrinsic mode functions (IMF). Hilbert–Huang Transform is applied to each of the resulting IMFs to obtain the instantaneous phase information. The baseline data for healthy plates are also generated using the same procedure. The size of delamination is correlated with the instantaneous phase change for damage diagnosis. It is observed that the unwrapped instantaneous phase of shows a consistent behavior with the increasing delamination size.Keywords: Delamination, lamb wave, finite element method, EMD, instantaneous phase.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 7081021 Potential of Croatia as an Attractive Tourist Destination for the Russian Market
Authors: Maja Martinovic, Valentina Zarkovic, Hrvoje Maljak
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Europe is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, in which tourism occupies a significant place among the most relevant economic activities, and this applies to the Republic of Croatia as well. Based on this study, the authors intended to encourage and support the creation of an effective tourism policy in Croatia that would be based on the profiling of certain target groups. Another objective was to compare the results obtained from the customer analysis with the market analysis of the tourism industry in Croatia. The objective is to adapt the current tourist offer according to the identified needs and expectations of a particular tourist group in order to increase the attractiveness of Croatia as a tourist destination and motivate greater attendance of the targeted tourist groups. The current research was oriented towards the Russian market as the target group. Therefore, the authors wanted to encourage a discussion on how to attract more Russian guests. Consequently, the intention of the research was a detailed analysis of Russian tourists, in order to gain a better understanding of their travelling motives and tendencies. Furthermore, attention was paid to the expectations of Russian customers and to compare them with the Croatian tourist offer, and to determine whether there is a possibility for an overlap. The method used to obtain the information required was a survey conducted among Russian citizens about their travelling habits. The research was carried out on the basis of 166 participants of different age, gender, profession and income group. The sampling and distribution of the survey took place between May and July 2016. The results provided from the research indicate that Croatian tourism has certain unrealized potential considering the popularization of Croatia as a tourist destination, and there is a capacity for increasing the revenues within the group of Russian tourists. Such a conclusion is based on the fact that the Croatian tourist offer and the preferences of the Russian guests are compatible, i.e. they overlap in many aspects. The results demonstrate that beautiful nature, cultural and historical heritage as well as the sun and sea, play a leading role in attracting more Russian tourists. It is precisely these elements that form the three pillars of the Croatian tourist offer. On the other hand, the profiling revealed that the most desirable destinations for the Russian guests are Italy and Spain, both of which provide the same main tourist attractions as Croatia. Therefore, the focus of the strategic ideas given in the paper shifted to other tourism segments, such as type of accommodation, sales channels, travel motives, additional offer and seasonality etc., in order to gain advantage in the Russian market, the Mediterranean region and tourism in general. The purpose of the research is to serve as a foundation for analysing the attractiveness of the other tourist destinations in the Russian market, as well as to be a general basis for a more detailed profiling of the various specific target groups of the Russian and other tourist groups.
Keywords: Croatia, Russian market, target groups, tourism, tourist destination.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 10461020 Multi-Objective Optimization of a Steam Turbine Stage
Authors: Alvise Pellegrini, Ernesto Benini
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The design of a steam turbine is a very complex engineering operation that can be simplified and improved thanks to computer-aided multi-objective optimization. This process makes use of existing optimization algorithms and losses correlations to identify those geometries that deliver the best balance of performance (i.e. Pareto-optimal points). This paper deals with a one-dimensional multi-objective and multi-point optimization of a single-stage steam turbine. Using a genetic optimization algorithm and an algebraic one-dimensional ideal gas-path model based on loss and deviation correlations, a code capable of performing the optimization of a predefined steam turbine stage was developed. More specifically, during this study the parameters modified (i.e. decision variables) to identify the best performing geometries were solidity and angles both for stator and rotor cascades, while the objective functions to maximize were totalto- static efficiency and specific work done. Finally, an accurate analysis of the obtained results was carried out.
Keywords: Steam turbine, optimization, genetic algorithms.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 27381019 Packaging in a Multivariate Conceptual Design Synthesis of a BWB Aircraft
Authors: Paul Okonkwo, Howard Smith
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A study to estimate the size of the cabin and major aircraft components as well as detect and avoid interference between internally placed components and the external surface, during the conceptual design synthesis and optimisation to explore the design space of a BWB, was conducted. Sizing of components follows the Bradley cabin sizing and rubber engine scaling procedures to size the cabin and engine respectively. The interference detection and avoidance algorithm relies on the ability of the Class Shape Transform parameterisation technique to generate polynomial functions of the surfaces of a BWB aircraft configuration from the sizes of the cabin and internal objects using few variables. Interference detection is essential in packaging of non-conventional configuration like the BWB because of the non-uniform airfoil-shaped sections and resultant varying internal space. The unique configuration increases the need for a methodology to prevent objects from being placed in locations that do not sufficiently enclose them within the geometry.
Keywords: Packaging, Optimisation, BWB, Parameterisation, Aircraft Conceptual Design.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 24051018 An Empirical Model of Correlated Traffics in LTE-Advanced System through an Innovative Simulation Tool
Authors: Ghassan A. Abed, Mahamod Ismail, Samir I. Badrawi, Bayan M. Sabbar
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Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-Advanced) LTE-Advanced is not new as a radio access technology, but it is an evolution of LTE to enhance the performance. This generation is the continuation of 3GPP-LTE (3GPP: 3rd Generation Partnership Project) and it is targeted for advanced development of the requirements of LTE in terms of throughput and coverage. The performance evaluation process of any network should be based on many models and simulations to investigate the network layers and functions and monitor the employment of the new technologies especially when this network includes large-bandwidth and low-latency links such as LTE and LTE-Advanced networks. Therefore, it’s necessary to enhance the proposed models of high-speed and high-congested link networks to make these links and traffics fulfill the needs of the huge data which transferred over the congested links. This article offered an innovative model of the most correlated links of LTE-Advanced system using the Network Simulator 2 (NS-2) with investigation of the link parameters.
Keywords: 3GPP, LTE, LTE-Advanced, NS-2.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 24171017 Effectiveness Evaluation of a Machine Design Process Based on the Computation of the Specific Output
Authors: Barenten Suciu
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In this paper, effectiveness of a machine design process is evaluated on the basis of the specific output calculus. Concretely, a screw-worm gear mechanical transmission is designed by using the classical and the 3D-CAD methods. Strength analysis and drawing of the designed parts is substantially aided by employing the SolidWorks software. Quality of the design process is assessed by manufacturing (printing) the parts, and by computing the efficiency, specific load, as well as the specific output (work) of the mechanical transmission. Influence of the stroke, travelling velocity and load on the mechanical output, is emphasized. Optimal design of the mechanical transmission becomes possible by the appropriate usage of the acquired results.
Keywords: Mechanical transmission, design, screw, worm-gear, efficiency, specific output, 3D-printing.
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