Automated Mobility Transitions: Governing Processes in the UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debbie Hopkins

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Contemporary systems of mobility are undergoing a transition towards automation. In the UK, this transition is being led by (often new partnerships between incumbent manufacturers and new entrants, in collaboration with national governments, local/regional councils, and research institutions. This paper first offers a framework for analyzing the governance of the transition, adapting ideas from the Transition Management (TM perspective, and then applies the framework to ongoing automated vehicle transition dynamics in the UK. The empirical analysis suggests that the UK has adopted a reasonably comprehensive approach to the governing of automated vehicle innovation but that this approach cannot be characterized as sufficiently inclusive, democratic, diverse and open. The lack of inclusivity, democracy, diversity and openness is symptomatic of the post-political character of how the UK’s automated mobility transition is being governed. The paper ends with a call for a reconfiguration of the automated vehicle transition in the UK and beyond, so that much more space is created for dissent and for reflexive and comprehensive big picture thinking on (automated mobility futures.

Coupled vibration analysis of Maglev vehicle-guideway while standing still or moving at low speeds

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ki-Jung; Han, Jong-Boo; Han, Hyung-Suk; Yang, Seok-Jo

2015-04-01

Dynamic instability, that is, resonance, may occur on an electromagnetic suspension-type Maglev that runs over the elevated guideway, particularly at very low speeds, due to the flexibility of the guideway. An analysis of the dynamic interaction between the vehicle and guideway is required at the design stage to investigate such instability, setting slender guideway in design direction for reducing construction costs. In addition, it is essential to design an effective control algorithm to solve the problem of instability. In this article, a more detailed model for the dynamic interaction of vehicle/guideway is proposed. The proposed model incorporates a 3D full vehicle model based on virtual prototyping, flexible guideway by a modal superposition method and levitation electromagnets including feedback controller into an integrated model. By applying the proposed model to an urban Maglev vehicle newly developed for commercial application, an analysis of the instability phenomenon and an investigation of air gap control performance are carried out through a simulation.

Relation between riding quality of MAGLEV vehicle and guideway construction accuracy. Chodendo jiki fujoshiki tetsudo guideway no seko seido to norigokochi level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuura, A; Hashimoto, S; Furukawa, A [Railway Technology Research Institute, Tokyo (Japan)

1994-01-15

Good riding quality of MAGLEV vehicle requires construction of its guideway to a high level of accuracy. This paper discusses the relation of the power spectrum density (hereinafter the PSD) made up of guideway construction accuracy and its deviation with the level of riding comfort. The discussion uses the 'riding comfort affecting coefficient' consisting of the unit construction length, vehicle's travelling speed, and vibration characteristics. The PSD, which has been used to evaluate track deviation in the iron wheel/rail system railways, is derived from the number of limit exceeded point, the value 'P' as a track deviation coefficient, and the PSD. The relation between the standard deviation in construction errors and the PSD was derived based on track construction methods. This calculation method is characterized by a function with a step form. The relation between the deviation and the level was quantified using this PSD. Its practicability was verified by a simulated re-inspection of the guideway deviation. Correlation between the level and the construction accuracy was elucidated, and a method for determining the criteria for construction accuracy was established. A side wall beam installing vehicle has been fabricated on a trial basis for a side wall system for the guideway, and installation accuracy tests are being carried out. 14 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.

Strategic Transit Automation Research Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Transit bus automation could deliver many potential benefits, but transit agencies need additional research and policy guidance to make informed deployment decisions. Although funding and policy constraints may play a role, there is also a reasonable...

Gust Wind Effects on Stability and Ride Quality of Actively Controlled Maglev Guideway Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong-Ju Min

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present a framework to analyze the interaction between an actively controlled magnetic levitation vehicle and a guideway structure under gusty wind. The equation of motion is presented for a 30-dof maglev vehicle model consisting of one cabin and four bogies. In addition, a lateral electromagnetic suspension (EMS system is introduced to improve the running safety and ride quality of the maglev vehicle subjected to turbulent crosswind. By using the developed simulation tools, the effects of various parameters on the dynamic response of the vehicle and guideway are investigated in the case of the UTM maglev vehicle running on a simply supported guideway and cable-stayed guideway. The simulation results show that the independent lateral EMS and associated control scheme are definitely helpful in improving the running safety and ride quality of the vehicle under gusty wind. In the case of the cable-stayed guideway, at low wind speed, vehicle speed is the dominant factor influencing the dynamic responses of the maglev vehicle and the guideway, but at wind speed over 10 m/s, wind becomes the dominant factor. For the ride quality of the maglev vehicle, wind is also the most influential factor.

Electrodynamics of finite width guideway maglev systems in an integral equation formulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urankar, L [Siemens A.G., Erlangen (Germany, F.R.). Forschungslaboratorium

1979-01-01

A completely general, system-independent integral equation for the eddy current density is used to study the electrodynamics of finite guideway repulsive magleydsymaglev systems. For the first time a comparison of the transverse force measurements on a large-scale prototype vehicle (EET) with the theory is presented. The lateral displacement of the excitation magnet produces destabilizing transverse forces. The finite width of the guideway reduces the lift and increases the specific losses. The consequence is that for a given magnet width an adequate guideway overhang beyond the magnet width must be provided, so as not to suffer loss in the lift due to transverse edge effects and keep the lateral destabilizing force small.

The concept of the mechanically active guideway as a novel approach to maglev

Science.gov (United States)

Horwath, T. G.

1992-01-01

A maglev system that is suitable for operation in the United States will have to meet unique requirements which determine the major systems characteristics. Maglev configurations presently developed in Germany and Japan are based on conventional maglev concepts and as such do not meet all of the requirements. A novel maglev guideway concept is introduced as a solution. This concept, the mechanically active guideway, is articulated in three degrees of freedom and assumes system functions which normally reside in the maglev vehicle. The mechanically active guideway contains spatially distributed actuators which are energized under computer control at the time of vehicle passage to achieve bank angle adjustment and ride quality control. A typical realization of the concept is outlined.

49 CFR 1580.5 - Inspection authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... rail transit, automated guideway, cable car, inclined plane, funicular, and monorail systems. (b) The... operator of private cars, including business/office cars and circus trains, on or connected to the general...

Lift, drag, and guidance forces on alternating polarity magnets, using loop guideways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindenbaum, S.D.; Lee, M.S.

1975-01-01

Exact solutions of track current, lift force, and drag force, together with their velocity dependence, have been computed for a vehicle carrying a finite number of fixed current alternating polarity superconducting magnets, suspended at various heights over structured track guideways of the single- and double-loop (''null'') types. Results for the double-loop case are compared with those of a previously reported approximate analysis. The analytical method is then applied to a study of a low-drag guidance loop guideway which is integrable with lift loop guideways utilizing a common set of vehicle magnets. Solutions are obtained for guidance track restoring forces, lateral destabilization forces, and lift force degradation as functions of lateral displacement from symmetry. The dependence of lift, drag, and lift-to-drag on track loop parameters is studied and the linear dependence of lift-to-drag on loop time constant confirmed. The contribution to the forces made by successive addition of alternating polarity magnets is calculated and the marked reduction in lift force pulsation noted

Study on the effect of transition curve to the dynamic characteristics of high-temperature superconducting maglev

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, Nan; Zheng, Botian; Gou, Yanfeng; Chen, Ping; Zheng, Jun; Deng, Zigang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Vibration of a HTS maglev model on two guideways was studied. • Simulation about vibration of HTS maglev on two guideways is accomplished. • Transition curve can weaken vibration of HTS maglev effectively when it running through curves. • Dynamic characteristics of HTS maglev can be enhanced with transition curve. - Abstract: High temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev technology is becoming more and more mature, and many key technologies have been deeply studied. However, the transition curve plays a key role in HTS maglev system, and related studies have not been carried out. In this paper series of simulations were conducted to test the lateral and vertical vibration of HTS maglev when passing through curves. Two magnetic guideways, of which one has transition curves but the other does not, are designed to test the vibration characteristics of a mini HTS maglev model running though curves. Results show that after adding transition curves between straight line and circular curve the vibration of HTS maglev model in lateral and vertical directions are all weakened in different degrees. It proves that adding transition curve into HTS maglev system is favorable and necessary.

Study on the effect of transition curve to the dynamic characteristics of high-temperature superconducting maglev

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qian, Nan [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Zheng, Botian [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); School of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Gou, Yanfeng [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Chen, Ping [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); School of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Zheng, Jun [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Deng, Zigang, E-mail: deng@swjtu.cn [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • Vibration of a HTS maglev model on two guideways was studied. • Simulation about vibration of HTS maglev on two guideways is accomplished. • Transition curve can weaken vibration of HTS maglev effectively when it running through curves. • Dynamic characteristics of HTS maglev can be enhanced with transition curve. - Abstract: High temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev technology is becoming more and more mature, and many key technologies have been deeply studied. However, the transition curve plays a key role in HTS maglev system, and related studies have not been carried out. In this paper series of simulations were conducted to test the lateral and vertical vibration of HTS maglev when passing through curves. Two magnetic guideways, of which one has transition curves but the other does not, are designed to test the vibration characteristics of a mini HTS maglev model running though curves. Results show that after adding transition curves between straight line and circular curve the vibration of HTS maglev model in lateral and vertical directions are all weakened in different degrees. It proves that adding transition curve into HTS maglev system is favorable and necessary.

Human factors of transitions in automated driving : A general framework and literature survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lu, Z.; Happee, R.; Cabrall, C.D.D.; Kyriakidis, M.; de Winter, J.C.F.

2016-01-01

The topic of transitions in automated driving is becoming important now that cars are automated to ever greater extents. This paper proposes a theoretical framework to support and align human factors research on transitions in automated driving. Driving states are defined based on the allocation of

THE QUASIPERIODIC AUTOMATED TRANSIT SEARCH ALGORITHM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, Joshua A.; Agol, Eric

2013-01-01

We present a new algorithm for detecting transiting extrasolar planets in time-series photometry. The Quasiperiodic Automated Transit Search (QATS) algorithm relaxes the usual assumption of strictly periodic transits by permitting a variable, but bounded, interval between successive transits. We show that this method is capable of detecting transiting planets with significant transit timing variations without any loss of significance— s mearing — as would be incurred with traditional algorithms; however, this is at the cost of a slightly increased stochastic background. The approximate times of transit are standard products of the QATS search. Despite the increased flexibility, we show that QATS has a run-time complexity that is comparable to traditional search codes and is comparably easy to implement. QATS is applicable to data having a nearly uninterrupted, uniform cadence and is therefore well suited to the modern class of space-based transit searches (e.g., Kepler, CoRoT). Applications of QATS include transiting planets in dynamically active multi-planet systems and transiting planets in stellar binary systems.

Transit forecasting accuracy : ridership forecasts and capital cost estimates, final research report.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

In 1992, Pickrell published a seminal piece examining the accuracy of ridership forecasts and capital cost estimates for fixed-guideway transit systems in the US. His research created heated discussions in the transit industry regarding the ability o...

Evaluation of automated vehicle technology for transit.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the state of automated vehicle (AV) technology : in transit. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) wishes to know what AV technology is : currently available that could be used in tran...

Influence of AC external magnetic field perturbation on the guidance force of HTS bulk over a NdFeB guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Longcai; Wang Jiasu; Wang Suyu; He Qingyong

2007-01-01

Superconducting maglev vehicle system requires that the surface magnetic field of the guideway is uniform along the forward direction. But in practice the surface magnetic field of the NdFeB permanent magnet guideway is not always immutable. So the HTS bulks in this case are exposed to AC external magnetic field, which may induce the energy loss in the bulk and influence the guidance force between the HTS bulks and the NdFeB guideway. In this paper, we experimentally studied the influence of the AC external magnetic field perturbation on the guidance force of a HTS bulk over the NdFeB guideway. The experimental results showed that the guidance force was influenced by the application of the AC external magnetic. The guidance fore hysteresis became more evident with the amplitude of the AC field and was independent of the frequency in the range 90-400 Hz. We attributed the reason to magnetic hysteresis loss in the superconductor

Influence of AC external magnetic field perturbation on the guidance force of HTS bulk over a NdFeB guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Longcai [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)]. E-mail: zhlcai2000@163.com; Wang Jiasu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Wang Suyu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); He Qingyong [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)

2007-08-01

Superconducting maglev vehicle system requires that the surface magnetic field of the guideway is uniform along the forward direction. But in practice the surface magnetic field of the NdFeB permanent magnet guideway is not always immutable. So the HTS bulks in this case are exposed to AC external magnetic field, which may induce the energy loss in the bulk and influence the guidance force between the HTS bulks and the NdFeB guideway. In this paper, we experimentally studied the influence of the AC external magnetic field perturbation on the guidance force of a HTS bulk over the NdFeB guideway. The experimental results showed that the guidance force was influenced by the application of the AC external magnetic. The guidance fore hysteresis became more evident with the amplitude of the AC field and was independent of the frequency in the range 90-400 Hz. We attributed the reason to magnetic hysteresis loss in the superconductor.

Takeover Time in Highly Automated Vehicles: Noncritical Transitions to and From Manual Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Alexander; Stanton, Neville A

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to review existing research into driver control transitions and to determine the time it takes drivers to resume control from a highly automated vehicle in noncritical scenarios. Contemporary research has moved from an inclusive design approach to adhering only to mean/median values when designing control transitions in automated driving. Research into control transitions in highly automated driving has focused on urgent scenarios where drivers are given a relatively short time span to respond to a request to resume manual control. We found a paucity in research into more frequent scenarios for control transitions, such as planned exits from highway systems. Twenty-six drivers drove two scenarios with an automated driving feature activated. Drivers were asked to read a newspaper, or to monitor the system, and to relinquish, or resume, control from the automation when prompted by vehicle systems. Significantly longer control transition times were found between driving with and without secondary tasks. Control transition times were substantially longer than those reported in the peer-reviewed literature. We found that drivers take longer to resume control when under no time pressure compared with that reported in the literature. Moreover, we found that drivers occupied by a secondary task exhibit larger variance and slower responses to requests to resume control. Workload scores implied optimal workload. Intra- and interindividual differences need to be accommodated by vehicle manufacturers and policy makers alike to ensure inclusive design of contemporary systems and safety during control transitions.

Aerodynamic vibrations of a maglev vehicle running on flexible guideways under oncoming wind actions

Science.gov (United States)

Yau, J. D.

2010-05-01

This paper intends to present a computational framework of aerodynamic analysis for a maglev (magnetically levitated) vehicle traveling over flexible guideways under oncoming wind loads. The guideway unit is simulated as a series of simple beams with identical span and the maglev vehicle as a rigid car body supported by levitation forces. To carry out the interaction dynamics of maglev vehicle/guideway system, this study adopts an onboard PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller based on Ziegler-Nicholas (Z-N) method to control the levitation forces. Interaction of wind with high-speed train is a complicated situation arising from unsteady airflow around the train. In this study, the oncoming wind loads acting on the running maglev vehicle are generated in temporal/spatial domain using digital simulation techniques that can account for the moving effect of vehicle's speed and the spatial correlation of stochastic airflow velocity field. Considering the motion-dependent nature of levitation forces and the non-conservative characteristics of turbulent airflows, an iterative approach is used to compute the interaction response of the maglev vehicle/guideway coupling system under wind actions. For the purpose of numerical simulation, this paper employs Galerkin's method to convert the governing equations containing a maglev vehicle into a set of differential equations in generalized systems, and then solve the two sets of differential equations using an iterative approach with the Newmark method. From the present investigation, the aerodynamic forces may result in a significant amplification on acceleration amplitude of the running maglev vehicle at higher speeds. For this problem, a PID+LQR (linear quadratic regulator) controller is proposed to reduce the vehicle's acceleration response for the ride comfort of passengers.

Control of maglev vehicles with aerodynamic and guideway disturbances

Science.gov (United States)

Flueckiger, Karl; Mark, Steve; Caswell, Ruth; Mccallum, Duncan

1994-01-01

A modeling, analysis, and control design methodology is presented for maglev vehicle ride quality performance improvement as measured by the Pepler Index. Ride quality enhancement is considered through active control of secondary suspension elements and active aerodynamic surfaces mounted on the train. To analyze and quantify the benefits of active control, the authors have developed a five degree-of-freedom lumped parameter model suitable for describing a large class of maglev vehicles, including both channel and box-beam guideway configurations. Elements of this modeling capability have been recently employed in studies sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). A perturbation analysis about an operating point, defined by vehicle and average crosswind velocities, yields a suitable linearized state space model for multivariable control system analysis and synthesis. Neglecting passenger compartment noise, the ride quality as quantified by the Pepler Index is readily computed from the system states. A statistical analysis is performed by modeling the crosswind disturbances and guideway variations as filtered white noise, whereby the Pepler Index is established in closed form through the solution to a matrix Lyapunov equation. Data is presented which indicates the anticipated ride quality achieved through various closed-loop control arrangements.

Risk Assessment on the Transition Program for Air Traffic Control Automation System Upgrade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Dong Bin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We analyzed the safety risks of the transition program for Air Traffic Control (ATC automation system upgrade by using the event tree analysis method in this paper. We decomposed the occurrence progress of the three transition phase and built the event trees corresponding to the three stages, and then we determined the probability of success of each factor and calculated probability of success of the air traffic control automation system upgrade transition. In the conclusion, we illustrate the transition program safety risk according to the results.

Driving Performance After Self-Regulated Control Transitions in Highly Automated Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Alexander; Stanton, Neville A

2017-12-01

This study aims to explore whether driver-paced, noncritical transitions of control may counteract some of the aftereffects observed in the contemporary literature, resulting in higher levels of vehicle control. Research into control transitions in highly automated driving has focused on urgent scenarios where drivers are given a relatively short time span to respond to a request to resume manual control, resulting in seemingly scrambled control when manual control is resumed. Twenty-six drivers drove two scenarios with an automated driving feature activated. Drivers were asked to read a newspaper or monitor the system and relinquish or resume control from the automation when prompted by vehicle systems. Driving performance in terms of lane positioning and steering behavior was assessed for 20 seconds post resuming control to capture the resulting level of control. It was found that lane positioning was virtually unaffected for the duration of the 20-second time span in both automated conditions compared to the manual baseline when drivers resumed manual control; however, significant increases in the standard deviation of steering input were found for both automated conditions compared to baseline. No significant differences were found between the two automated conditions. The results indicate that when drivers self-paced the transfer back to manual control they exhibit less of the detrimental effects observed in system-paced conditions. It was shown that self-paced transitions could reduce the risk of accidents near the edge of the operational design domain. Vehicle manufacturers must consider these benefits when designing contemporary systems.

Influence of AC external magnetic field on guidance force relaxation between HTS bulk and NdFeB guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Longcai [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, P.O. Box 152, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)], E-mail: zhlcai2000@163.com; Wang Suyu; Wang Jiasu; Zheng Jun [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, P.O. Box 152, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)

2007-12-01

Superconducting maglev vehicle is one of the most promising applications of HTS bulks. In such a system, the HTS bulks are always exposed to time-varying external magnetic field, which is generated by the inhomogeneous surface magnetic field of the NdFeB guideway. So it is required to study whether the guidance force of the bulks is influenced by the inhomogeneity. In this paper, we studied the characteristics of the guidance force relaxation between the HTS bulk and the NdFeB guideway by an experiment in which AC external magnetic field generated by an electromagnet was used to simulate the time-varying external magnetic field caused by the inhomogeneity of the guideway. From the experiment results, it was found that the guidance force was decreased with the application of the AC external magnetic field, and the decay increased with the amplitude and was almost independent of the frequency.

Influence of shape and thickness on the levitation force of YBaCuO bulk HTS over a NdFeB guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Zhongyou; Wang Jiasu; Wang Suyu; Jiang He; Zhu Min; Wang Xiaorong; Song Honghai

2003-01-01

Levitation forces of YBaCuO bulk high temperature superconductors (HTS) with different shape and size over a NdFeB guideway were studied. Here, the concentrating magnetic field of the NdFeB guideway was 1.2 T, and the YBaCuO bulk HTSs include three cylindrical samples with different diameter and thickness and one hexagonal sample. The maximum levitation force is as high as 85.3 N at a gap of 5 mm between the bottom surface of YBaCuO bulk HTS and the top surface of the NdFeB guideway, where the applied magnetic field is about 0.8 T. The results show that the shape and the size have large influences on the levitation force of YBaCuO bulk HTSs

Guideways for high speed magnetically levitated train systems - TRANSRAPID

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Falkner, H [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany); Grossert, E [IBF Dr. Falkner GmbH, Braunschweig/Berlin (Germany)

1996-12-31

The superspeed maglev system Transrapid is a rapid train system designed for speeds ranging from 300 to 500 km/h, using new no-contact levitation, guidance and propulsion system technologies, which will soon be used for an actual operational line. On the Transrapid Test Facility in Emsland (TVE), suitibility studies have been carried out since 1984. In 1989, work began on the plans for a reference line. Different guideway constructions, designed for the actual operational line are discussed in the following article. (orig.)

A Concept for the Use and Integration of Super-Conducting Magnets in Structural Systems in General and Maglev Guideway Mega-Structures in Particular

Science.gov (United States)

Ussery, Wilfred T.; MacCalla, Eric; MacCalla, Johnetta; Elnimeiri, Mahjoub; Goldsmith, Myron; Polk, Sharon Madison; Jenkins, Mozella; Bragg, Robert H.

1996-01-01

Recent breakthroughs in several different fields now make it possible to incorporate the use of superconducting magnets in structures in ways which enhance the performance of structural members or components of structural systems in general and Maglev guideway mega-structures in particular. The building of structural systems which connect appropriately scaled superconducting magnets with the post-tensioned tensile components of beams, girders, or columns would, if coupled with 'state of the art' structure monitoring, feedback and control systems, and advanced computer software, constitute a distinct new generation of structures that would possess the unique characteristic of being heuristic and demand or live-load responsive. The holistic integration of powerful superconducting magnets in structures so that they do actual structural work, creates a class of 'technologically endowed' structures that, in part - literally substitute superconductive electric power and magnetism for concrete and steel. The research and development engineering, and architectural design issues associated with such 'technologically endowed' structural system can now be conceptualized, designed, computer simulates built and tested. The Maglev guideway mega-structure delineated herein incorporates these concepts, and is designed for operation in the median strip of U.S. Interstate Highway 5 from San Diego to Seattle an Vancouver, and possibly on to Fairbanks, Alaska. This system also fits in the median strip of U.S. Interstate Highway 55 and 95 North-South, and 80 and 10, East-West. As a Western Region 'Peace Dividend' project, it could become a National or Bi-National research, design and build, super turnkey project that would create thousands of jobs by applying superconducting, material science, electronic aerospace and other defense industry technologies to a multi-vehicle, multi-use Maglev guideway megastructure that integrates urban mass transit Lower Speed (0-100 mph), High Speed

The influence of inhomogeneous magnetic field over a NdFeB guideway on levitation force of the HTS bulk maglev system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lifeng; Deng, Jiangtao; Li, Linbo; Feng, Ning; Wei, Pu; Lei, Wei; Jiang, Jing; Wang, Xiqin; Zhang, Yong; Zhao, Yong

2018-04-01

Dynamic responses of high temperature superconducting bulk to inhomogeneous magnetic field distribution of permanent magnet guideway, as well as enlarged amplitude of magnetic field obtained by partially covering the permanent magnet guideway (PMG) with iron sheets in different thickness, are investigated. Experiments show that the instantaneous levitation force increases with the increase of the variation rate of magnetic field (dB/dt). Meanwhile, inhomogeneous magnetic field from PMG causes the decay of levitation force. The decay of levitation force almost increases linearly with the increase of alternating magnetic field amplitude. It should be very important for the application of high-speed maglev system.

Wave passage effects on the seismic response of a maglev vehicle moving on multi-span guideway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. D. Yau

Full Text Available As a seismic wave travels along the separate supports of an extended structure, the structure is subjected to multiple-support excitation due to seismic wave propagation. Considering the seismic wave passage effect, this paper describes seismic analysis of a maglev vehicle moving on a multiply supported gudieway. The guideway system is modeled as a series of simple beams and the vehicle as a four degrees-of-freedom (DOFs rigid bar equipped with multiple onboard PI+LQR hybrid controllers. The controller is used to regulate control voltage for tuning both magnetic forces of uplift levitation and lateral guidance in the maglev system. Numerical studies show that as a maglev vehicle is equipped with more supported magnets then they can provide more control gains for tuning the guidance forces of the moving vehicle, and mitigate seismic-induced lateral vibration of a maglev vehicle running a guideway.

Automated driving and its effects on the safety ecosystem: How do compatibility issues affect the transition period?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Loon, R.J.; Martens, Marieke Hendrikje

2015-01-01

Different components of automated vehicles are being made available commercially as we speak. Much research has been conducted into these components and many of these have been studied with respect to their effects on safety, but the transition period from non-automated driving to fully automated

Automated driving and its effect on the safety ecosystem: how do compatibility issues affect the transition period?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loon, R.J. van; Martens, M.H.

2015-01-01

Different components of automated vehicles are being made available commercially as we speak. Much research has been conducted into these components and many of these have been studied with respect to their effects on safety, but the transition period from non-automated driving to fully automated

Safety of High Speed Magnetic Levitation Transportation Systems : Thermal Effects and Related Safety Issues of Typical Maglev Steel Guideways

Science.gov (United States)

1994-09-01

This report presents a theoretical analysis predicting the temperature distribution, thermal deflections, and thermal stresses that may occur in typical steel Maglev guideways under the proposed Orlando FL thermal environment. Transient, finite eleme...

Decreasing Transition Times in Elementary School Classrooms: Using Computer-Assisted Instruction to Automate Intervention Components

Science.gov (United States)

Hine, Jeffrey F.; Ardoin, Scott P.; Foster, Tori E.

2015-01-01

Research suggests that students spend a substantial amount of time transitioning between classroom activities, which may reduce time spent academically engaged. This study used an ABAB design to evaluate the effects of a computer-assisted intervention that automated intervention components previously shown to decrease transition times. We examined…

Inhomogeneity of surface magnetic field over a NdFeB guideway and its influence on levitation force of the HTS bulk maglev system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Longcai; Wang Jiasu; He Qingyong; Zhang Jianghua; Wang Suyu

2007-01-01

Superconducting maglev vehicle system was one of the most promising applications of HTS bulks. The NdFeB guideway in this system was composed of many NdFeB permanent magnets and screws, so the air gaps (airgaps) between two permanent magnets and the screws would result in the inhomogeneity of the surface magnetic field. In this paper, we studied the magnetic inhomogeneity over the permanent magnet guideway (PMG) used in high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system and its influence on the levitation force of the HTS bulk. Firstly, we measured the transverse magnetic field above the airgap, the screw and the place under where there was no airgap and screw. It was found that the magnetic field 10 mm above the guideway was roughly uniform. Secondly, we investigated the influence of the magnetic inhomogeneity of the PMG on levitation force of the bulk superconductor. From the experiment results, we found that the influence was very small, and would be ignored. Therefore, we could conclude that the PMG made by this method satisfied the requirements of the HTS maglev vehicle system in a quasi-static state

Inhomogeneity of surface magnetic field over a NdFeB guideway and its influence on levitation force of the HTS bulk maglev system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Longcai [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu 610031 (China)]. E-mail: zhlcai2000@163.com; Wang Jiasu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu 610031 (China); He Qingyong [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu 610031 (China); Zhang Jianghua [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu 610031 (China); Wang Suyu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, P.O. Box 152, Chengdu 610031 (China)

2007-08-01

Superconducting maglev vehicle system was one of the most promising applications of HTS bulks. The NdFeB guideway in this system was composed of many NdFeB permanent magnets and screws, so the air gaps (airgaps) between two permanent magnets and the screws would result in the inhomogeneity of the surface magnetic field. In this paper, we studied the magnetic inhomogeneity over the permanent magnet guideway (PMG) used in high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system and its influence on the levitation force of the HTS bulk. Firstly, we measured the transverse magnetic field above the airgap, the screw and the place under where there was no airgap and screw. It was found that the magnetic field 10 mm above the guideway was roughly uniform. Secondly, we investigated the influence of the magnetic inhomogeneity of the PMG on levitation force of the bulk superconductor. From the experiment results, we found that the influence was very small, and would be ignored. Therefore, we could conclude that the PMG made by this method satisfied the requirements of the HTS maglev vehicle system in a quasi-static state.

PCR evaluation : considering transition from manual to semi-automated pavement distress collection and analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

This study is designed to assist the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in determining : whether transitioning from manual to state-of the-practice semi-automated pavement distress : data collection is feasible and recommended. Statistical and ...

Vibrational Properties of High- Superconductors Levitated Above a Bipolar Permanent Magnetic Guideway

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lu; Wang, Jiasu

2014-05-01

A bipolar permanent magnetic guideway (PMG) has a unique magnetic field distribution profile which may introduce a better levitation performance and stability to the high- superconducting (HTS) maglev system. The dynamic vibration properties of multiple YBCO bulks arranged into different arrays positioned above a bipolar PMG and free to levitate were investigated. The acceleration and resonance frequencies were experimentally measured, and the stiffness and damping coefficients were evaluated for dynamic stability. Results indicate that the levitation stiffness is closely related to the field-cooling-height and sample positioning. The damping ratio was found to be low and nonlinear for the Halbach bipolar HTS-PMG system.

Automated and connected vehicle (AV/CV) test bed to improve transit, bicycle, and pedestrian safety : technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-01

Crashes involving transit vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians are a concern in Texas, especially in urban areas. This research explored the potential of automated and connected vehicle (AV/CV) technology to reduce or eliminate these crashes. The pr...

Transit boardings estimation and simulation tool (TBEST) calibration for guideway and BRT modes : [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

As demand for public transportation grows, planning tools used by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and other transit agencies must evolve to effectively predict changing patterns of ridership. A key tool for this purpose is the Transit Boa...

Automated Mixed Traffic Vehicle (AMTV) technology and safety study

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, A. R.; Peng, T. K. C.; Vivian, H. C.; Wang, P. K.

1978-01-01

Technology and safety related to the implementation of an Automated Mixed Traffic Vehicle (AMTV) system are discussed. System concepts and technology status were reviewed and areas where further development is needed are identified. Failure and hazard modes were also analyzed and methods for prevention were suggested. The results presented are intended as a guide for further efforts in AMTV system design and technology development for both near term and long term applications. The AMTV systems discussed include a low speed system, and a hybrid system consisting of low speed sections and high speed sections operating in a semi-guideway. The safety analysis identified hazards that may arise in a properly functioning AMTV system, as well as hardware failure modes. Safety related failure modes were emphasized. A risk assessment was performed in order to create a priority order and significant hazards and failure modes were summarized. Corrective measures were proposed for each hazard.

Obstacle detectors for automated transit vehicles: A technoeconomic and market analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lockerby, C. E.

1979-01-01

A search was conducted to identify the technical and economic characteristics of both NASA and nonNASA obstacle detectors. The findings, along with market information were compiled and analyzed for consideration by DOT and NASA in decisions about any future automated transit vehicle obstacle detector research, development, or applications project. Currently available obstacle detectors and systems under development are identified by type (sonic, capacitance, infrared/optical, guided radar, and probe contact) and compared with the three NASA devices selected as possible improvements or solutions to the problems in existing obstacle detection systems. Cost analyses and market forecasts individually for the AGT and AMTV markets are included.

The attenuation of the levitation force of HTS bulk exposed to AC magnetic field on the above NdFeB guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Minxian; Wang Yan

2012-01-01

The characteristic of the levitation force relaxation was studied by experiment. The levitation force is attenuated with the application of the AC external magnetic field. The decay increases with the amplitude of the A external magnetic field. The decay is almost independent of the frequency of AC field. In the present High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system, the air gaps between the adjacent permanent magnets make the magnetic fields above the NdFeB guideway non-uniform. So it is required to study the characteristics of levitation force of the HTS bulk affected by the non-uniform applied magnetic fields along the moving direction. In this paper, we have studied the characteristics of the levitation force relaxation by an experiment in which AC magnetic field generated by an electromagnet is used to simulate the time-varying magnetic field caused by the inhomogeneity of the NdFeB guideway. From the experiment results, it is found that the levitation force is attenuated with the application of the AC field, and the attenuation is increased with the amplitude of the AC field, but the attenuation is almost independent of the frequency the AC magnetic field.

The attenuation of the levitation force of HTS bulk exposed to AC magnetic field on the above NdFeB guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Minxian, E-mail: liukey_sjtu@263.net [School of Computer Science and Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621010 (China); Wang Yan [Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471023 (China)

2012-01-15

The characteristic of the levitation force relaxation was studied by experiment. The levitation force is attenuated with the application of the AC external magnetic field. The decay increases with the amplitude of the A external magnetic field. The decay is almost independent of the frequency of AC field. In the present High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system, the air gaps between the adjacent permanent magnets make the magnetic fields above the NdFeB guideway non-uniform. So it is required to study the characteristics of levitation force of the HTS bulk affected by the non-uniform applied magnetic fields along the moving direction. In this paper, we have studied the characteristics of the levitation force relaxation by an experiment in which AC magnetic field generated by an electromagnet is used to simulate the time-varying magnetic field caused by the inhomogeneity of the NdFeB guideway. From the experiment results, it is found that the levitation force is attenuated with the application of the AC field, and the attenuation is increased with the amplitude of the AC field, but the attenuation is almost independent of the frequency the AC magnetic field.

Study on the effect of transition curve to the dynamic characteristics of high-temperature superconducting maglev

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Nan; Zheng, Botian; Gou, Yanfeng; Chen, Ping; Zheng, Jun; Deng, Zigang

2015-12-01

High temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev technology is becoming more and more mature, and many key technologies have been deeply studied. However, the transition curve plays a key role in HTS maglev system, and related studies have not been carried out. In this paper series of simulations were conducted to test the lateral and vertical vibration of HTS maglev when passing through curves. Two magnetic guideways, of which one has transition curves but the other does not, are designed to test the vibration characteristics of a mini HTS maglev model running though curves. Results show that after adding transition curves between straight line and circular curve the vibration of HTS maglev model in lateral and vertical directions are all weakened in different degrees. It proves that adding transition curve into HTS maglev system is favorable and necessary.

Realistic control considerations for electromagnetically levitated urban transit vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Billing, J R

1976-04-01

A discussion is given of realistic control considerations of suspension dynamics and vehicle/guideway interaction for electromagnetically-levitated urban transit vehicles in the context of revenue applications. The emphasis is on safety, reliability, and maintainability rather than performance. An example urban transit system is described, and the following considerations of dynamics and control are examined: stability, magnet force requirements, magnet airgap requirements, vehicle ride, and component failures. It is shown that it is a formidable problem to ensure suspension stability under all conditions; that operation on curves is a critical magnet and control system design case; that operation of the magnets in the non-linear regime is unavoidable and that component failures will be a major problem. However, good vehicle ride is to be expected. It is concluded that magnetic levitation suspension technology requires substantial development effort before it can be considered suitable for revenue operation.

Automated and connected vehicle (AV/CV) test bed to improve transit, bicycle, and pedestrian safety : concept of operations plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-01

This document presents the Concept of Operations (ConOps) Plan for the Automated and Connected Vehicle (AV/CV) Test Bed to Improve Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Safety. As illustrated in Figure 1, the plan presents the overarching vision and goals...

Maglev guideway route alignment and right-of-way requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Carlton, S.; Andriola, T.

1992-12-01

The use of existing rights-of-way (ROW) is assessed for maglev systems by estimating trip times and land acquisition requirements for potential maglev corridors while meeting passenger comfort limits. Right-of-way excursions improve trip time but incur a cost for purchasing land. The final report documents findings of the eight tasks in establishing right-of-way feasibility by examining three city-pair corridors in detail and developing an approximation method for estimating route length and travel times in 20 additional city-pair corridor portions and 21 new corridors. The use of routes independent of existing railroad or highway right-of-way have trip time advantages and significantly reduce the need for aggressive guideway geometries on intercity corridors. Selection of the appropriate alignment is determined by many corridor specific issues. Use of existing intercity rights-of-way may be appropriate for parts of routes on a corridor-specific basis and for urban penetration where vehicle speeds are likely to be reduced by policy due to noise and safety considerations, and where land acquisition costs are high. Detailed aspects of available rights-of-way, land acquisition costs, geotechnical issues, land use, and population centers must be examined in more detail on a specific corridor basis before the proper or best maglev alignment can be chosen.

Transit Boardings Estimation and Simulation Tool (TBEST) calibration for guideway and BRT modes.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

This research initiative was motivated by a desire of the Florida Department of Transportation and the : Transit Boardings Estimation and Simulation Tool (TBEST) project team to enhance the value of TBEST to : the planning community by improving its ...

Evaluation of automated vehicle technology for transit : [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Automated transportation has been portrayed in : futuristic literature since the 19th century, but : making vehicles truly autonomous has only been : possible in recent decades with advanced control : and computer technologies. Automating cars is a :...

Influence of maglev force relaxation on the forces of bulk HTSC subjected to different lateral displacements above the NdFeB guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Yujie; Hou Xiaojing

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The relaxation properties of maglev forces have been investigated simultaneously. → Influence of relaxation on forces of HTSC subjected to different LDs above PMG is different. → The influence is explained based on motion of flux lines, re/demagnetization of HTSC during LD. → The work provide a scientific analysis for the practical application of the bulk HTSC. - Abstract: This paper studied the influence of maglev force relaxation on the force (both levitation and guidance forces) of bulk high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) subjected to different lateral displacements above a NdFeB guideway. Firstly, the maglev forces relaxation property of bulk HTSC above the permanent-magnet guideway (PMG) was studied experimentally, then the levitation and guidance forces were measured by SCML-2 measurement system synchronously at different lateral displacements, some times later(after relaxation), the forces were measured again as the same way. Compared to the two measured results, it was found that the change of the levitation force was larger compared to the case without relaxation, while the change of the guidance force was smaller. In addition, the rate of change of levitation force and guidance force was different for different maximum lateral displacements. This work provided a scientific analysis for the practical application of the bulk HTS.

Influence of maglev force relaxation on the forces of bulk HTSC subjected to different lateral displacements above the NdFeB guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin Yujie, E-mail: qyjswjtu@vip.sohu.co [Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471023 (China); Hou Xiaojing [Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471023 (China)

2011-02-15

Research highlights: {yields} The relaxation properties of maglev forces have been investigated simultaneously. {yields} Influence of relaxation on forces of HTSC subjected to different LDs above PMG is different. {yields} The influence is explained based on motion of flux lines, re/demagnetization of HTSC during LD. {yields} The work provide a scientific analysis for the practical application of the bulk HTSC. - Abstract: This paper studied the influence of maglev force relaxation on the force (both levitation and guidance forces) of bulk high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) subjected to different lateral displacements above a NdFeB guideway. Firstly, the maglev forces relaxation property of bulk HTSC above the permanent-magnet guideway (PMG) was studied experimentally, then the levitation and guidance forces were measured by SCML-2 measurement system synchronously at different lateral displacements, some times later(after relaxation), the forces were measured again as the same way. Compared to the two measured results, it was found that the change of the levitation force was larger compared to the case without relaxation, while the change of the guidance force was smaller. In addition, the rate of change of levitation force and guidance force was different for different maximum lateral displacements. This work provided a scientific analysis for the practical application of the bulk HTS.

Investigation of the Machining Stability of a Milling Machine with Hybrid Guideway Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jui-Pin Hung

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed to investigate the machining stability of a horizontal milling machine with hybrid guideway systems by finite element method. To this purpose, we first created finite element model of the milling machine with the introduction of the contact stiffness defined at the sliding and rolling interfaces, respectively. Also, the motorized built-in spindle model was created and implemented in the whole machine model. Results of finite element simulations reveal that linear guides with different preloads greatly affect the dynamic responses and machining stability of the horizontal milling machine. The critical cutting depth predicted at the vibration mode associated with the machine tool structure is about 10 mm and 25 mm in the X and Y direction, respectively, while the cutting depth predicted at the vibration mode associated with the spindle structure is about 6.0 mm. Also, the machining stability can be increased when the preload of linear roller guides of the feeding mechanism is changed from lower to higher amount.

Magnetic superelevation design of Halbach permanent magnet guideway for high-temperature superconducting maglev

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Wuyang; Qian, Nan; Zheng, Jun; Huang, Huan; Zhang, Ya; Deng, Zigang

2017-07-01

To improve the curve negotiating ability of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev system, a special structure of magnetic superelevation for double-pole Halbach permanent magnet guideway (PMG) was designed. The most significant feature of this design is the asymmetrical PMG that forms a slanting magnetic field without affecting the smoothness of the PMG surface. When HTS maglev vehicle runs through curves with magnetic superelevation, the vehicle will slant due to asymmetry in magnetic field and the flux-pinning effect of onboard HTS bulks. At the same time, one component of the levitation force provides a part of the centripetal force that reduces lateral acceleration of the vehicle and thus enhances its curve negotiating ability. Furthermore, the slant angle of magnetic superelevation can be adjusted by changing the materials and the thickness of the added permanent magnets. This magnetic superelevation method, together with orographic uplift, can be applied to different requirements of PMG designs. Besides, the applicability of this method would benefit future development of high-speed HTS maglev system.

Maglev performance of a double-layer bulk high temperature superconductor above a permanent magnet guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Z; Wang, J; Zheng, J; Lin, Q; Zhang, Y; Wang, S

2009-01-01

In order to improve the performance of the present high temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system, the maglev performance of single- and double-layer bulk high temperature superconductors (HTSC) was investigated above a permanent magnet guideway (PMG). It is found that the maglev performance of a double-layer bulk HTSC is not a simple addition of each layer's levitation and guidance force. Moreover, the applied magnetic field at the position of the upper layer bulk HTSC is not completely shielded by the lower layer bulk HTSC either. 53.5% of the levitation force and 27.5% of the guidance force of the upper layer bulk HTSC are excited in the double-layer bulk HTSC arrangement in the applied field-cooling condition and working gap, bringing a corresponding improvement of 16.9% and 8.8% to the conventional single-layer bulk HTSC. The present research implies that the cost performance of upper layer bulk HTSC is a little low for the whole HTS maglev system.

Maglev performance of a double-layer bulk high temperature superconductor above a permanent magnet guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Z; Wang, J; Zheng, J; Lin, Q; Zhang, Y; Wang, S [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China)], E-mail: asclab@asclab.cn

2009-05-15

In order to improve the performance of the present high temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle system, the maglev performance of single- and double-layer bulk high temperature superconductors (HTSC) was investigated above a permanent magnet guideway (PMG). It is found that the maglev performance of a double-layer bulk HTSC is not a simple addition of each layer's levitation and guidance force. Moreover, the applied magnetic field at the position of the upper layer bulk HTSC is not completely shielded by the lower layer bulk HTSC either. 53.5% of the levitation force and 27.5% of the guidance force of the upper layer bulk HTSC are excited in the double-layer bulk HTSC arrangement in the applied field-cooling condition and working gap, bringing a corresponding improvement of 16.9% and 8.8% to the conventional single-layer bulk HTSC. The present research implies that the cost performance of upper layer bulk HTSC is a little low for the whole HTS maglev system.

A two-pole Halbach permanent magnet guideway for high temperature superconducting Maglev vehicle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jing, H.; Wang, J.; Wang, S.; Wang, L.; Liu, L.; Zheng, J.; Deng, Z.; Ma, G.; Zhang, Y.; Li, J.

2007-01-01

In order to improve the levitation performance of the high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (Maglev) vehicle, a two-pole Halbach array's permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is proposed, which is called as Halbach PMG. The finite element method (FEM) calculations indicate that Halbach PMG has a wider high-field region than the present PMG of equal PM's transverse section. The levitation force of bulk HTSCs with the present PMG and Halbach PMG are measured. The results show that at different levitation gaps, the force ratios based on the Halbach PMG are about 2.3 times larger than that on the present PMG, which greatly increases the load capability of the system. Therefore, both the numerical analysis and experimental results have confirmed that the Halbach PMG will further enhance the performance of the vehicle and it is possible to decrease the total numbers of onboard HTSCs, reducing overall costs. So based on the Halbach PMG, we further study the width ratios between HTSCs and PMG for making the better use of the onboard HTSCs. Some preliminary results are given. These results are important for further HTS Maglev vehicle system designs using Halbach PMG

The AMT maglev test sled -- EML weapons technology transition to transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaaf, J.C. Jr. [BDM Federal, Huntsville, AL (United States); Zowarka, R.C. Jr. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Davey, K. [American Maglev Technology, Inc., Edgewater, FL (United States); Weldon, J.M. [Parker Kinetic Designs, Inc., Austin, TX (United States)

1997-01-01

Technology spinoffs from prior electromagnetic launcher work enhance a magnetic levitation transportation system test bed being developed by American Maglev Technology of Florida. This project uses a series wound linear DC motor and brushes to simplify the magnetic levitation propulsion system. It takes advantage of previous related work in electromagnetic launcher technology to achieve success with this innovative design. Technology and knowledge gained from developments for homopolar generators and proposed railgun arc control are key to successful performance. This contribution supports a cost effective design that is competitive with alternative concepts. Brushes transfer power from the guideway (rail) to the vehicle (armature) in a novel design that activates the guideway only under the vehicle, reducing power losses and guideway construction costs. The vehicle carries no power for propulsion and levitation, and acts only as a conduit for the power through the high speed brushes. Brush selection and performance is based on previous EML homopolar generator research. A counterpulse circuit, first introduced in an early EML conference, is used to suppress arcing on the trailing brush and to transfer inductive energy to the next propulsion coil. Isolated static lift and preliminary propulsion tests have been completed, and integrated propulsion and lift tests are scheduled in early 1996.

Transitional Employment Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Dulle, Paul J.; And Others

The paper examines the need and implementation of transitional employment programs for handicapped youth. Effects on the handicapped of future automation are considered along with the need for school-business cooperation to prepare for the future. The importance of initial success in any innovation is noted. A Chicago transitional employment…

Approach to plant automation with evolving technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, J.D.

1989-01-01

The US Department of Energy has provided support to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in order to pursue research leading to advanced, automated control of new innovative liquid-metal-cooled nuclear power plants. The purpose of this effort is to conduct research that will help to ensure improved operability, reliability, and safety for advanced LMRs. The plan adopted to achieve these program goals in an efficient and timely manner consists of utilizing, and advancing where required, state-of-the-art controls technology through close interaction with other national laboratories, universities, industry and utilities. A broad range of applications for the control systems strategies and the design environment developed in the course of this program is likely. A natural evolution of automated control in nuclear power plants is envisioned by ORNL to be a phased transition from today's situation of some analog control at the subsystem level with significant operator interaction to the future capability for completely automated digital control with operator supervision. The technical accomplishments provided by this program will assist the industry to accelerate this transition and provide greater economy and safety. The development of this transition to advanced, automated control system designs is expected to have extensive benefits in reduced operating costs, fewer outages, enhanced safety, improved licensability, and improved public acceptance for commercial nuclear power plants. 24 refs

Approach to plant automation with evolving technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, J.D.

1989-01-01

This paper reports that the U.S. Department of Energy has provided support to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in order to pursue research leading to advanced, automated control of new innovative liquid-metal-cooled nuclear power plants. The purpose of this effort is to conduct research that will help to ensure improved operability, reliability, and safety for advanced LMRs. The plan adopted to achieve these program goals in an efficient and timely manner consists of utilizing, and advancing where required, state-of-the art controls technology through close interaction with other national laboratories, universities, industry and utilities. A broad range of applications for the control systems strategies and the design environment developed in the course of this program is likely. A natural evolution of automated control in nuclear power plants is envisioned by ORNL to be a phased transition from today's situation of some analog control at the subsystem level with significant operator interaction to the future capability for completely automated digital control with operator supervision. The technical accomplishments provided by this program will assist the industry to accelerate this transition and provide greater economy and safety. The development of this transition to advanced, automated control system designs is expected to have extensive benefits in reduced operating costs, fewer outages, enhanced safety, improved licensability, and improved public acceptance for commercial nuclear power plants

49 CFR 611.7 - Relation to planning and project development processes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...) FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECTS § 611.7... with 23 CFR part 450. To be eligible for FTA capital investment funding, a proposed project must be...) To be eligible for FTA capital investment funding for a major fixed guideway transit project, local...

The road to automated driving: dual mode and human factors considerations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martens, Marieke Hendrikje; van den Beukel, Arie Paul

2013-01-01

Recent technological developments have shown a transition from informative driving support systems to more automated vehicles. Although automated vehicles are designed to overcome limitations in human perception, decision making and response, there may be a downside to introducing these

The road to automated driving: Dual mode and human factors considerations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martens, M.H.; Beukel, A.P. van den

2013-01-01

Recent technological developments have shown a transition from informative driving support systems to more automated vehicles. Although automated vehicles are designed to overcome limitations in human perception, decision making and response, there may be a downside to introducing these

Driving pleasure and perceptions of the transition from no automation to full self-driving automation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørner, Thomas

2018-01-01

In this article, I offer a sociological user perspective on increased self-driving automation, which has evolved from a long history associated with automobility. This study explores complex, perceived a priori driving pleasures in different scenarios involving self-driving cars. The methods used...... consisted of 32 in-depth interviews with participants who were given eight video examples (two video examples within four different scenarios) to watch. A numerical rating scales formed parts of the interviews. The findings revealed that driving pleasure when using increasingly automated driving...... technologies is very complex and must be seen within various contexts, including, for example, different speeds, road conditions, purposes, driving distances, and numbers of people in the car. Self-driving cars are not just about technology, increased safety, and better traffic flow, but are also dependent...

Automated mixed traffic vehicle design AMTV 2

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, A. R.; Marks, R. A.; Cassell, P. L.

1982-01-01

The design of an improved and enclosed Automated Mixed Traffic Transit (AMTT) vehicle is described. AMTT is an innovative concept for low-speed tram-type transit in which suitable vehicles are equipped with sensors and controls to permit them to operate in an automated mode on existing road or walkway surfaces. The vehicle chassis and body design are presented in terms of sketches and photographs. The functional design of the sensing and control system is presented, and modifications which could be made to the baseline design for improved performance, in particular to incorporate a 20-mph capability, are also discussed. The vehicle system is described at the block-diagram-level of detail. Specifications and parameter values are given where available.

Dynamic response characteristics of high temperature superconducting maglev systems: Comparison between Halbach-type and normal permanent magnet guideways

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, B.; Zheng, J.; Che, T.; Zheng, B. T.; Si, S. S.; Deng, Z. G.

2015-12-01

The permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is very important for the performance of the high temperature superconducting (HTS) system in terms of electromagnetic force and operational stability. The dynamic response characteristics of a HTS maglev model levitating on two types of PMG, which are the normal PMG with iron flux concentration and Halbach-type PMG, were investigated by experiments. The dynamic signals for different field-cooling heights (FCHs) and loading/unloading processes were acquired and analyzed by a vibration analyzer and laser displacement sensors. The resonant frequency, stiffness and levitation height of the model were discussed. It was found that the maglev model on the Halbach-type PMG has higher resonant frequency and higher vertical stiffness compared with the normal PMG. However, the low lateral stiffness of the model on the Halbach-type PMG indicates poor lateral stability. Besides, the Halbach-type PMG has better loading capacity than the normal PMG. These results are helpful to design a suitable PMG for the HTS system in practical applications.

49 CFR 611.3 - Applicability.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... TRANSPORTATION MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECTS § 611.3 Applicability. (a) This part applies to all proposals for Federal capital investment funds under 49 U.S.C. 5309 for new transit fixed guideway systems and...

Synthesis Study on Transitions in Signal Infrastructure and Control Algorithms for Connected and Automated Transportation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aziz, H. M. Abdul [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wang, Hong [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Young, Stan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sperling, Joshua [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Beck, John [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2017-06-01

Documenting existing state of practice is an initial step in developing future control infrastructure to be co-deployed for heterogeneous mix of connected and automated vehicles with human drivers while leveraging benefits to safety, congestion, and energy. With advances in information technology and extensive deployment of connected and automated vehicle technology anticipated over the coming decades, cities globally are making efforts to plan and prepare for these transitions. CAVs not only offer opportunities to improve transportation systems through enhanced safety and efficient operations of vehicles. There are also significant needs in terms of exploring how best to leverage vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology. Both Connected Vehicle (CV) and Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) paradigms feature bi-directional connectivity and share similar applications in terms of signal control algorithm and infrastructure implementation. The discussion in our synthesis study assumes the CAV/CV context where connectivity exists with or without automated vehicles. Our synthesis study explores the current state of signal control algorithms and infrastructure, reports the completed and newly proposed CV/CAV deployment studies regarding signal control schemes, reviews the deployment costs for CAV/AV signal infrastructure, and concludes with a discussion on the opportunities such as detector free signal control schemes and dynamic performance management for intersections, and challenges such as dependency on market adaptation and the need to build a fault-tolerant signal system deployment in a CAV/CV environment. The study will serve as an initial critical assessment of existing signal control infrastructure (devices, control instruments, and firmware) and control schemes (actuated, adaptive, and coordinated-green wave). Also, the report will help to identify the future needs for the signal

76 FR 13268 - FY 2011 Discretionary Funding Opportunity: Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-10

... The SAFETEA-LU legislation includes language allowing eligibility of ``fixed guideway'' projects.... Seattle, WA 98174-1002, Tel. 206-220-7954. States served: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Chicago...

Automated Quantum Mechanical Predictions of Enantioselectivity in a Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yanfei; Wheeler, Steven E

2017-07-24

A computational toolkit (AARON: An automated reaction optimizer for new catalysts) is described that automates the density functional theory (DFT) based screening of chiral ligands for transition-metal-catalyzed reactions with well-defined reaction mechanisms but multiple stereocontrolling transition states. This is demonstrated for the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of (E)-β-aryl-N-acetyl enamides, for which a new C 2 -symmetric phosphorus ligand is designed. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Moving EVs (Electric vehicles) into a mass transit scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrie, D [Petrie Transit Consultants (United States)

1996-12-31

In this futuristic scenario electric microcars, providing local mobility, would be automatically loaded onto maglev trucks for longer commutes on a guideway located on a barriered inside lane of existing freeways. Stations are located above the freeway and an elegant Command and Control subsystem would be matched to traffic requirements. (Author)

Transitioning to future air traffic management: effects of imperfect automation on controller attention and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Rovira, Ericka; Parasuraman, Raja

2010-06-01

This study examined whether benefits of conflict probe automation would occur in a future air traffic scenario in which air traffic service providers (ATSPs) are not directly responsible for freely maneuvering aircraft but are controlling other nonequipped aircraft (mixed-equipage environment). The objective was to examine how the type of automation imperfection (miss vs. false alarm) affects ATSP performance and attention allocation. Research has shown that the type of automation imperfection leads to differential human performance costs. Participating in four 30-min scenarios were 12 full-performance-level ATSPs. Dependent variables included conflict detection and resolution performance, eye movements, and subjective ratings of trust and self confidence. ATSPs detected conflicts faster and more accurately with reliable automation, as compared with manual performance. When the conflict probe automation was unreliable, conflict detection performance declined with both miss (25% conflicts detected) and false alarm automation (50% conflicts detected). When the primary task of conflict detection was automated, even highly reliable yet imperfect automation (miss or false alarm) resulted in serious negative effects on operator performance. The further in advance that conflict probe automation predicts a conflict, the greater the uncertainty of prediction; thus, designers should provide users with feedback on the state of the automation or other tools that allow for inspection and analysis of the data underlying the conflict probe algorithm.

Numerical evaluation of guidance force decay of HTS bulk exposed to AC magnetic field over a NdFeB guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Longcai [P.O. Box 152, Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)], E-mail: zhlcai2000@163.com; Wang Jiasu; Wang Suyu; Zheng Jun; He Qingyong [P.O. Box 152, Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)

2007-12-01

The guidance force of the YBCO bulk over a NdFeB guideway used in the high-temperature superconducting maglev vehicle system was decayed by the application of the AC external magnetic field. In our previous work, we explained that the decay was due to the temperature rise of the HTS bulk caused by AC losses. In this paper, we adopted an analytic model to evaluate the decay of the critical current density of the bulk. And based on the analytic results and the Bean critical-state model, we calculated the guidance force as a function of times. Compared with the experimental results, the calculation results have almost the same trend and can qualitatively reveal the characteristics of guidance force of HTS bulk in this situation. Therefore, the guidance force decay of HTS bulk in the maglev vehicle system can be evaluated simply by this numerical method.

Transitioning Resolution Responsibility between the Controller and Automation Team in Simulated NextGen Separation Assurance

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrall, C.; Gomez, A.; Homola, J.; Hunt, S..; Martin, L.; Merccer, J.; Prevott, T.

2013-01-01

As part of an ongoing research effort on separation assurance and functional allocation in NextGen, a controller- in-the-loop study with ground-based automation was conducted at NASA Ames' Airspace Operations Laboratory in August 2012 to investigate the potential impact of introducing self-separating aircraft in progressively advanced NextGen timeframes. From this larger study, the current exploratory analysis of controller-automation interaction styles focuses on the last and most far-term time frame. Measurements were recorded that firstly verified the continued operational validity of this iteration of the ground-based functional allocation automation concept in forecast traffic densities up to 2x that of current day high altitude en-route sectors. Additionally, with greater levels of fully automated conflict detection and resolution as well as the introduction of intervention functionality, objective and subjective analyses showed a range of passive to active controller- automation interaction styles between the participants. Not only did the controllers work with the automation to meet their safety and capacity goals in the simulated future NextGen timeframe, they did so in different ways and with different attitudes of trust/use of the automation. Taken as a whole, the results showed that the prototyped controller-automation functional allocation framework was very flexible and successful overall.

Assessment of the impact of dipped guideways on urban rail transit systems: Ventilation and safety requirements

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

The ventilation and fire safety requirements for subway tunnels with dipped profiles between stations as compared to subway tunnels with level profiles were evaluated. This evaluation is based upon computer simulations of a train fire emergency condition. Each of the tunnel configurations evaluated was developed from characteristics that are representative of modern transit systems. The results of the study indicate that: (1) The level tunnel system required about 10% more station cooling than dipped tunnel systems in order to meet design requirements; and (2) The emergency ventilation requirements are greater with dipped tunnel systems than with level tunnel systems.

Automated Cooperative Trajectories

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Curt; Pahle, Joseph; Brown, Nelson

2015-01-01

This presentation is an overview of the Automated Cooperative Trajectories project. An introduction to the phenomena of wake vortices is given, along with a summary of past research into the possibility of extracting energy from the wake by flying close parallel trajectories. Challenges and barriers to adoption of civilian automatic wake surfing technology are identified. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation is described that will support future research. Finally, a roadmap for future research and technology transition is proposed.

Safe interaction between cyclists, pedestrians and automated vehicles : what do we know and what do we need to know?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vissers, L. Kint, S. van der Schagen, I.N.L.G. van & Hagenzieker, M.P.

2017-01-01

Automated vehicles are gradually entering our roadway system. Before our roads will be solely used by fully automated vehicles, a long transition period is to be expected in which fully automated vehicles, partly automated vehicles and manually-driven vehicles have to share our roads. The current

77 FR 31325 - National Fire Codes: Request for Comments on NFPA Technical Committee Reports

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-25

... Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations. NFPA 130 Standard for Fixed Guideway P Transit and... Apparatus P Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications. NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer P Professional Qualifications. NFPA 1026 Standard for Incident P Management Personnel Professional Qualifications. NFPA 1031...

Correlations Between Magnetic Flux and Levitation Force of HTS Bulk Above a Permanent Magnet Guideway

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huan; Zheng, Jun; Zheng, Botian; Qian, Nan; Li, Haitao; Li, Jipeng; Deng, Zigang

2017-10-01

In order to clarify the correlations between magnetic flux and levitation force of the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) bulk, we measured the magnetic flux density on bottom and top surfaces of a bulk superconductor while vertically moving above a permanent magnet guideway (PMG). The levitation force of the bulk superconductor was measured simultaneously. In this study, the HTS bulk was moved down and up for three times between field-cooling position and working position above the PMG, followed by a relaxation measurement of 300 s at the minimum height position. During the whole processes, the magnetic flux density and levitation force of the bulk superconductor were recorded and collected by a multipoint magnetic field measurement platform and a self-developed maglev measurement system, respectively. The magnetic flux density on the bottom surface reflected the induced field in the superconductor bulk, while on the top, it reveals the penetrated magnetic flux. The results show that the magnetic flux density and levitation force of the bulk superconductor are in direct correlation from the viewpoint of inner supercurrent. In general, this work is instructive for understanding the connection of the magnetic flux density, the inner current density and the levitation behavior of HTS bulk employed in a maglev system. Meanwhile, this magnetic flux density measurement method has enriched present experimental evaluation methods of maglev system.

Automation: An Illustration of Social Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Warnat, Winifred I.

Advanced automation is significantly affecting American society and the individual. To understand the extent of this impact, an understanding of the country's service economy is necessary. The United States made the transition from a goods- to service-based economy shortly after World War II. In 1982, services generated 67% of the Gross National…

Automated mixed traffic transit vehicle microprocessor controller

Science.gov (United States)

Marks, R. A.; Cassell, P.; Johnston, A. R.

1981-01-01

An improved Automated Mixed Traffic Vehicle (AMTV) speed control system employing a microprocessor and transistor chopper motor current controller is described and its performance is presented in terms of velocity versus time curves. The on board computer hardware and software systems are described as is the software development system. All of the programming used in this controller was implemented using FORTRAN. This microprocessor controller made possible a number of safety features and improved the comfort associated with starting and shopping. In addition, most of the vehicle's performance characteristics can be altered by simple program parameter changes. A failure analysis of the microprocessor controller was generated and the results are included. Flow diagrams for the speed control algorithms and complete FORTRAN code listings are also included.

Automated rapid chemistry in heavy element research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaedel, M.

1994-01-01

With the increasingly short half-lives of the heavy element isotopes in the transition region from the heaviest actinides to the transactinide elements the demand for automated rapid chemistry techniques is also increasing. Separation times of significantly less than one minute, high chemical yields, high repetition rates, and an adequate detection system are prerequisites for many successful experiments in this field. The development of techniques for separations in the gas phase and in the aqueous phase for applications of chemical or nuclear studies of the heaviest elements are briefly outlined. Typical examples of results obtained with automated techniques are presented for studies up to element 105, especially those obtained with the Automated Rapid Chemistry Apparatus, ARCA. The prospects to investigate the properties of even heavier elements with chemical techniques are discussed

AUTOMATION OF CHAMPAGNE WINES PROCESS IN SPARKLING WINE PRESSURE TANK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Lukyanchuk

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The wine industry is now successfully solved the problem for the implementation of automation receiving points of grapes, crushing and pressing departments installation continuous fermentation work, blend tanks, production lines ordinary Madeira continuously working plants for ethyl alcohol installations champagne wine in continuous flow, etc. With the development of automation of technological progress productivity winemaking process develops in the following areas: organization of complex avtomatization sites grape processing with bulk transportation of the latter; improving the quality and durability of wines by the processing of a wide applying wine cold and heat, as well as technical and microbiological control most powerful automation equipment; the introduction of automated production processes of continuous technical champagne, sherry wine and cognac alcohol madery; the use of complex automation auxiliary production sites (boilers, air conditioners, refrigeration unitsand other.; complex avtomatization creation of enterprises, and sites manufactory bottling wines. In the wine industry developed more sophisticated schemes of automation and devices that enable the transition to integrated production automation, will create, are indicative automated enterprise serving for laboratories to study of the main problems of automation of production processes of winemaking.

Glow-to-arc transition events in H2-Ar direct current pulsed plasma: Automated measurement of current and voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendes, Luciano A.; Rodrigues, Jhonatam C.; Mafra, Marcio

2012-01-01

The glow-to-arc transition phenomena (arcing) observed in plasma reactors used in materials processing was studied through the arcs characteristic current and voltage waveforms. In order to capture these arcs signals, a LABVIEW based automated instrumentation system (ARCVIEW) was developed, including the integration of an oscilloscope equipped with proper current and voltage probes. The system also allows capturing the process parameters at the arc occurrence moments, which were used to map the arcs events conditions. Experiments in H 2 -Ar DC pulsed plasma returned signals data from 215 arcs events, which were analyzed through software routines. According to the results, an anti-arcing system should react in the time order of few microseconds to prevent most of the damage caused by the undesired arcing phenomena.

Relationship of the Levitation Force Between Single and Multiple YBCO Bulks Above a Permanent Magnet Guideway Operating Dive-Lift Movement with Different Angles

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, R.; Wang, S. Y.; Liao, X. L.; Deng, Z. G.; Wang, J. S.

2013-04-01

In practical applications, the acceleration and deceleration motions inevitably happen in the operation of high temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev trains. For further research of the maglev properties of YBaCuO bulk above a permanent magnet guideway (PMG), by moving a fixed vertical distance, this paper studies the relationship of the levitation force between single and multiple YBCO bulks above a PMG operating dive-lift movement with different angles. Experimental results show that the maximal levitation force increment of two bulks than one bulk is smaller than the maximal levitation force increment of three bulks than two bulks. With the degree decreasing, the maximal levitation force increment of three bulks is bigger than the maximal levitation force increment of two bulks and one bulk, and the hysteresis loop of the levitation force of the three-bulk arrangement is getting smaller.

Automation from pictures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozubal, A.J.

1992-01-01

The state transition diagram (STD) model has been helpful in the design of real time software, especially with the emergence of graphical computer aided software engineering (CASE) tools. Nevertheless, the translation of the STD to real time code has in the past been primarily a manual task. At Los Alamos we have automated this process. The designer constructs the STD using a CASE tool (Cadre Teamwork) using a special notation for events and actions. A translator converts the STD into an intermediate state notation language (SNL), and this SNL is compiled directly into C code (a state program). Execution of the state program is driven by external events, allowing multiple state programs to effectively share the resources of the host processor. Since the design and the code are tightly integrated through the CASE tool, the design and code never diverge, and we avoid design obsolescence. Furthermore, the CASE tool automates the production of formal technical documents from the graphic description encapsulated by the CASE tool. (author)

Driver Response Times when Resuming Manual Control from Highly Automated Driving in Truck Platooning Scenarios.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, Bo; Wilschut, Ellen; Willemsen, D.; Martens, Marieke

2017-01-01

Automated platooning of trucks is getting increasing interest for its potentially beneficial effects on fuel consumption, driver workload, traffic flow efficiency and safety. Nevertheless, one major challenge lies in the safe and comfortable transitions of control from the automated system back to

78 FR 51810 - Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-21

... security oversight activities. States also submit annual grant applications for Federal transit assistance... the States to monitor implementation of the program. If a State fails to comply with Section 5330, FTA... collection: 49 CFR part 659--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems; State Safety Oversight The information collected...

Energy Assessment of Automated Mobility Districts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yuche [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-08-03

Automated vehicles (AVs) are increasingly being discussed as the basis for on-demand mobility services, introducing a new paradigm in which a fleet of AVs displace private automobiles for day-to-day travel in dense activity districts. This project examines such a concept to displace privately owned automobiles within a region containing dense activity generators (jobs, retail, entertainment, etc.), referred to as an automated mobility district (AMDs). The project reviews several such districts including airport, college campuses, business parks, downtown urban cores, and military bases, with examples of previous attempts to meet the mobility needs apart from private automobiles, some with automated technology and others with more traditional transit based solutions. The issues and benefits of AMDs are framed within the perspective of intra-district, inter-district, and border issues, and the requirements for a modeling framework are identified to adequately reflect the breadth of mobility, energy, and emissions impact anticipated with AMDs.

Human Factors of Automated Driving : Predicting the Effects of Authority Transitions on Traffic Flow Efficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Varotto, S.F.; Hoogendoorn, R.G.; Van Arem, B.; Hoogendoorn, S.P.

2014-01-01

Automated driving potentially has a significant impact on traffic flow efficiency. Automated vehicles, which possess cooperative capabilities, are expected to reduce congestion levels for instance by increasing road capacity, by anticipating traffic conditions further downstream and also by

Modelling and experimental study for automated congestion driving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Urhahne, Joseph; Piastowski, P.; van der Voort, Mascha C.; Bebis, G; Boyle, R.; Parvin, B.; Koracin, D.; Pavlidis, I.; Feris, R.; McGraw, T.; Elendt, M.; Kopper, R.; Ragan, E.; Ye, Z.; Weber, G.

2015-01-01

Taking a collaborative approach in automated congestion driving with a Traffic Jam Assist system requires the driver to take over control in certain traffic situations. In order to warn the driver appropriately, warnings are issued (“pay attention” vs. “take action”) due to a control transition

The modeling of transfer of steering between automated vehicle and human driver using hybrid control framework

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaustubh, M.; Willemsen, DMC; Mazo Espinosa, M.; Sjöberg, J.; Morris, B.

2016-01-01

Proponents of autonomous driving pursue driverless technologies, whereas others foresee a gradual transition where there will be automated driving systems that share the control of the vehicle with the driver. With such advances it becomes pertinent that the developed automated systems need to be

The modeling of transfer of steering between automated vehicle and human driver using hybrid control framework

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaustubh, M.; Willemsen, D.M.C.; Mazo, M.

2016-01-01

Proponents of autonomous driving pursue driverless technologies, whereas others foresee a gradual transition where there will be automated driving systems that share the control of the vehicle with the driver. With such advances it becomes pertinent that the developed automated systems need to be

Comprehensive comparison of the levitation performance of bulk YBaCuO arrays above two different types of magnetic guideways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Zigang; Qian, Nan; Che, Tong; Jin, Liwei; Si, Shuaishuai; Zhang, Ya; Zheng, Jun

2016-01-01

The permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is an important part of high temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev systems. So far, two types of PMG, the normal PMG and Halbach-type PMG, are widely applied in present maglev transportation systems. In this paper, the levitation performance of high temperature superconductor bulks above the two PMGs was synthetically compared. Both static levitation performance and dynamic response characteristics were investigated. Benefiting from the reasonable magnetic field distribution, the Halbach-type PMG is able to gain larger levitation force, greater levitation force decay during the same relaxation time, bigger resonance frequency and dynamic stiffness for the bulk superconductor levitation unit compared with the normal PMG. Another finding is that the Halbach-type PMG is not sensitive to the levitation performance of the bulk levitation unit with different arrays. These results are helpful for the practical application of HTS maglev systems. - Highlights: • The effect of PMG configurations to levitation performances is investigated. • Bigger force and greater force decay are obtained on Halbach-type PMG. • Halbach-type PMG is not sensitive to the levitation force in various bulk arrays. • Practical issues including costs and assembly of PMGs are considered.

Comprehensive comparison of the levitation performance of bulk YBaCuO arrays above two different types of magnetic guideways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Zigang, E-mail: deng@swjtu.cn [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Qian, Nan; Che, Tong; Jin, Liwei [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Si, Shuaishuai [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); School of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Zhang, Ya; Zheng, Jun [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China)

2016-12-15

The permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is an important part of high temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev systems. So far, two types of PMG, the normal PMG and Halbach-type PMG, are widely applied in present maglev transportation systems. In this paper, the levitation performance of high temperature superconductor bulks above the two PMGs was synthetically compared. Both static levitation performance and dynamic response characteristics were investigated. Benefiting from the reasonable magnetic field distribution, the Halbach-type PMG is able to gain larger levitation force, greater levitation force decay during the same relaxation time, bigger resonance frequency and dynamic stiffness for the bulk superconductor levitation unit compared with the normal PMG. Another finding is that the Halbach-type PMG is not sensitive to the levitation performance of the bulk levitation unit with different arrays. These results are helpful for the practical application of HTS maglev systems. - Highlights: • The effect of PMG configurations to levitation performances is investigated. • Bigger force and greater force decay are obtained on Halbach-type PMG. • Halbach-type PMG is not sensitive to the levitation force in various bulk arrays. • Practical issues including costs and assembly of PMGs are considered.

Automation of Hubble Space Telescope Mission Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Burley, Richard; Goulet, Gregory; Slater, Mark; Huey, William; Bassford, Lynn; Dunham, Larry

2012-01-01

On June 13, 2011, after more than 21 years, 115 thousand orbits, and nearly 1 million exposures taken, the operation of the Hubble Space Telescope successfully transitioned from 24x7x365 staffing to 815 staffing. This required the automation of routine mission operations including telemetry and forward link acquisition, data dumping and solid-state recorder management, stored command loading, and health and safety monitoring of both the observatory and the HST Ground System. These changes were driven by budget reductions, and required ground system and onboard spacecraft enhancements across the entire operations spectrum, from planning and scheduling systems to payload flight software. Changes in personnel and staffing were required in order to adapt to the new roles and responsibilities required in the new automated operations era. This paper will provide a high level overview of the obstacles to automating nominal HST mission operations, both technical and cultural, and how those obstacles were overcome.

High-efficiency and low-cost permanent magnet guideway consideration for high-Tc superconducting Maglev vehicle practical application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Z; Wang, J; Zheng, J; Jing, H; Lu, Y; Ma, G; Liu, L; Liu, W; Zhang, Y; Wang, S

2008-01-01

In order to improve the cost performance of the present high-T c superconducting (HTS) Maglev vehicle system for practical application, the multi-pole permanent magnet guideway (PMG) concept was introduced. A well-known double-pole Halbach PMG was chosen as a representative of multi-pole PMGs to compare with traditional monopole PMGs from the point of view of levitation efficiency and cost. Experimental results show that YBCO bulks above the double-pole Halbach PMG can exhibit better load capability and guidance performance as well as dynamics stability at the applied working height between the bulk HTSC and the PMG due to a more reasonable magnetic field distribution at the working range of bulk HTSC. Furthermore, the double-pole PMG configuration can play a more important role in improving guidance performance due to the potential-well field configuration. By comparing with former 'century' PMGs, the double-pole Halbach PMG shows another remarkable advantage in reducing the cost of levitation. As another necessary issue, magnetic field homogeneity and the corresponding magnetic drag force of a double-pole Halbach PMG has been considered by experiment in spite of the above highlights. Synthetically, the multi-pole Halbach PMG design is concluded to be one important choice for future HTS Maglev vehicle applications because of its high efficiency and low cost.

Learning About Cockpit Automation: From Piston Trainer to Jet Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Casner, Stephen M.

2003-01-01

Two experiments explored the idea of providing cockpit automation training to airline-bound student pilots using cockpit automation equipment commonly found in small training airplanes. In a first experiment, pilots mastered a set of tasks and maneuvers using a GPS navigation computer, autopilot, and flight director system installed in a small training airplane Students were then tested on their ability to complete a similar set of tasks using the cockpit automation system found in a popular jet transport aircraft. Pilot were able to successfully complete 77% of all tasks in the jet transport on their first attempt. An analysis of a control group suggests that the pilot's success was attributable to the application of automation principles they had learned in the small airplane. A second experiment looked at two different ways of delivering small-aeroplane cockpit automation training: a self-study method, and a dual instruction method. The results showed a slight advantage for the self-study method. Overall, the results of the two studies cast a strong vote for the incorporation of cockpit automation training in curricula designed for pilot who will later transition to the jet fleet.

Centroid vetting of transiting planet candidates from the Next Generation Transit Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Günther, Maximilian N.; Queloz, Didier; Gillen, Edward; McCormac, James; Bayliss, Daniel; Bouchy, Francois; Walker, Simon. R.; West, Richard G.; Eigmüller, Philipp; Smith, Alexis M. S.; Armstrong, David J.; Burleigh, Matthew; Casewell, Sarah L.; Chaushev, Alexander P.; Goad, Michael R.; Grange, Andrew; Jackman, James; Jenkins, James S.; Louden, Tom; Moyano, Maximiliano; Pollacco, Don; Poppenhaeger, Katja; Rauer, Heike; Raynard, Liam; Thompson, Andrew P. G.; Udry, Stéphane; Watson, Christopher A.; Wheatley, Peter J.

2017-11-01

The Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), operating in Paranal since 2016, is a wide-field survey to detect Neptunes and super-Earths transiting bright stars, which are suitable for precise radial velocity follow-up and characterization. Thereby, its sub-mmag photometric precision and ability to identify false positives are crucial. Particularly, variable background objects blended in the photometric aperture frequently mimic Neptune-sized transits and are costly in follow-up time. These objects can best be identified with the centroiding technique: if the photometric flux is lost off-centre during an eclipse, the flux centroid shifts towards the centre of the target star. Although this method has successfully been employed by the Kepler mission, it has previously not been implemented from the ground. We present a fully automated centroid vetting algorithm developed for NGTS, enabled by our high-precision autoguiding. Our method allows detecting centroid shifts with an average precision of 0.75 milli-pixel (mpix), and down to 0.25 mpix for specific targets, for a pixel size of 4.97 arcsec. The algorithm is now part of the NGTS candidate vetting pipeline and automatically employed for all detected signals. Further, we develop a joint Bayesian fitting model for all photometric and centroid data, allowing to disentangle which object (target or background) is causing the signal, and what its astrophysical parameters are. We demonstrate our method on two NGTS objects of interest. These achievements make NGTS the first ground-based wide-field transit survey ever to successfully apply the centroiding technique for automated candidate vetting, enabling the production of a robust candidate list before follow-up.

Who is driving my car? Development and analysis of a control transition strategy for collaborative automated congestion driving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Urhahne, Joseph

2016-01-01

The role of the driver is changing now that vehicles with driving automation technologies appear on the road. It evolves from being an active controller of the vehicle to being a supervisor of the automated ride. The driver has to collaborate with the driving automation and remains responsible for

Automated reasoning in man-machine control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stratton, R.C.; Lusk, E.L.

1983-01-01

This paper describes a project being undertaken at Argonne National Laboratory to demonstrate the usefulness of automated reasoning techniques in the implementation of a man-machine control system being designed at the EBR-II nuclear power plant. It is shown how automated reasoning influences the choice of optimal roles for both man and machine in the system control process, both for normal and off-normal operation. In addition, the requirements imposed by such a system for a rigorously formal specification of operating states, subsystem states, and transition procedures have a useful impact on the analysis phase. The definitions and rules are discussed for a prototype system which is physically simple yet illustrates some of the complexities inherent in real systems

Will Automated Vehicles Negatively Impact Traffic Flow?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. C. Calvert

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With low-level vehicle automation already available, there is a necessity to estimate its effects on traffic flow, especially if these could be negative. A long gradual transition will occur from manual driving to automated driving, in which many yet unknown traffic flow dynamics will be present. These effects have the potential to increasingly aid or cripple current road networks. In this contribution, we investigate these effects using an empirically calibrated and validated simulation experiment, backed up with findings from literature. We found that low-level automated vehicles in mixed traffic will initially have a small negative effect on traffic flow and road capacities. The experiment further showed that any improvement in traffic flow will only be seen at penetration rates above 70%. Also, the capacity drop appeared to be slightly higher with the presence of low-level automated vehicles. The experiment further investigated the effect of bottleneck severity and truck shares on traffic flow. Improvements to current traffic models are recommended and should include a greater detail and understanding of driver-vehicle interaction, both in conventional and in mixed traffic flow. Further research into behavioural shifts in driving is also recommended due to limited data and knowledge of these dynamics.

PLACE: an open-source python package for laboratory automation, control, and experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jami L; Tom Wörden, Henrik; van Wijk, Kasper

2015-02-01

In modern laboratories, software can drive the full experimental process from data acquisition to storage, processing, and analysis. The automation of laboratory data acquisition is an important consideration for every laboratory. When implementing a laboratory automation scheme, important parameters include its reliability, time to implement, adaptability, and compatibility with software used at other stages of experimentation. In this article, we present an open-source, flexible, and extensible Python package for Laboratory Automation, Control, and Experimentation (PLACE). The package uses modular organization and clear design principles; therefore, it can be easily customized or expanded to meet the needs of diverse laboratories. We discuss the organization of PLACE, data-handling considerations, and then present an example using PLACE for laser-ultrasound experiments. Finally, we demonstrate the seamless transition to post-processing and analysis with Python through the development of an analysis module for data produced by PLACE automation. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

A robotic system for automation of logistics functions on the Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J. C.; Purves, R. B.; Hosier, R. N.; Krein, B. A.

1988-01-01

Spacecraft inventory management is currently performed by the crew and as systems become more complex, increased crew time will be required to perform routine logistics activities. If future spacecraft are to function effectively as research labs and production facilities, the efficient use of crew time as a limited resource for performing mission functions must be employed. The use of automation and robotics technology, such as automated warehouse and materials handling functions, can free the crew from many logistics tasks and provide more efficient use of crew time. Design criteria for a Space Station Automated Logistics Inventory Management System is focused on through the design and demonstration of a mobile two armed terrestrial robot. The system functionally represents a 0 gravity automated inventory management system and the problems associated with operating in such an environment. Features of the system include automated storage and retrieval, item recognition, two armed robotic manipulation, and software control of all inventory item transitions and queries.

Dynamic response characteristics of high temperature superconducting maglev systems: Comparison between Halbach-type and normal permanent magnet guideways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, B.; Zheng, J.; Che, T.; Zheng, B.T.; Si, S.S.; Deng, Z.G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The loading weight affects the RF tremendously. • Reducing the FCH can improve the stability of the maglev vehicle. • The Halbach-type PMG has better loading capacity than the conventional PMG. • Pre-load is an effective way to enhance the dynamic characteristic of the HTS maglev vehicle. - Abstract: The permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is very important for the performance of the high temperature superconducting (HTS) system in terms of electromagnetic force and operational stability. The dynamic response characteristics of a HTS maglev model levitating on two types of PMG, which are the normal PMG with iron flux concentration and Halbach-type PMG, were investigated by experiments. The dynamic signals for different field-cooling heights (FCHs) and loading/unloading processes were acquired and analyzed by a vibration analyzer and laser displacement sensors. The resonant frequency, stiffness and levitation height of the model were discussed. It was found that the maglev model on the Halbach-type PMG has higher resonant frequency and higher vertical stiffness compared with the normal PMG. However, the low lateral stiffness of the model on the Halbach-type PMG indicates poor lateral stability. Besides, the Halbach-type PMG has better loading capacity than the normal PMG. These results are helpful to design a suitable PMG for the HTS system in practical applications.

Dynamic response characteristics of high temperature superconducting maglev systems: Comparison between Halbach-type and normal permanent magnet guideways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, B. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Zheng, J., E-mail: jzheng@swjtu.cn [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Che, T. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Zheng, B.T.; Si, S.S. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); School of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China); Deng, Z.G., E-mail: deng@swjtu.cn [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, P R China (China)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • The loading weight affects the RF tremendously. • Reducing the FCH can improve the stability of the maglev vehicle. • The Halbach-type PMG has better loading capacity than the conventional PMG. • Pre-load is an effective way to enhance the dynamic characteristic of the HTS maglev vehicle. - Abstract: The permanent magnet guideway (PMG) is very important for the performance of the high temperature superconducting (HTS) system in terms of electromagnetic force and operational stability. The dynamic response characteristics of a HTS maglev model levitating on two types of PMG, which are the normal PMG with iron flux concentration and Halbach-type PMG, were investigated by experiments. The dynamic signals for different field-cooling heights (FCHs) and loading/unloading processes were acquired and analyzed by a vibration analyzer and laser displacement sensors. The resonant frequency, stiffness and levitation height of the model were discussed. It was found that the maglev model on the Halbach-type PMG has higher resonant frequency and higher vertical stiffness compared with the normal PMG. However, the low lateral stiffness of the model on the Halbach-type PMG indicates poor lateral stability. Besides, the Halbach-type PMG has better loading capacity than the normal PMG. These results are helpful to design a suitable PMG for the HTS system in practical applications.

Automating occupational protection records systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, M.; Martin, J.B.

1991-10-01

Occupational protection records have traditionally been generated by field and laboratory personnel, assembled into files in the safety office, and eventually stored in a warehouse or other facility. Until recently, these records have been primarily paper copies, often handwritten. Sometimes, the paper is microfilmed for storage. However, electronic records are beginning to replace these traditional methods. The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance for making the transition to automated record keeping and retrieval using modern computer equipment. This paper describes the types of records most readily converted to electronic record keeping and a methodology for implementing an automated record system. The process of conversion is based on a requirements analysis to assess program needs and a high level of user involvement during the development. The importance of indexing the hard copy records for easy retrieval is also discussed. The concept of linkage between related records and its importance relative to reporting, research, and litigation will be addressed. 2 figs

Harnessing Vehicle Automation for Public Mobility -- An Overview of Ongoing Efforts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, Stanley E.

2015-11-05

This presentation takes a look at the efforts to harness automated vehicle technology for public transport. The European CityMobil2 is the leading demonstration project in which automated shuttles were, or are planned to be, demonstrated in several cities and regions. The presentation provides a brief overview of the demonstrations at Oristano, Italy (July 2014), LaRochelle, France (Dec 2014), Lausanne, Switzerland (Apr 2015), Vantaa, Finland (July 2015), and Trikala, Greece (Sept 2015). In addition to technology exposition, the objectives included generating a legal framework for operation in each location and gaging the reaction of the public to unmanned shuttles, both of which were successfully achieved. Several such demonstrations are planned throughout the world, including efforts in North America in conjunction with the GoMentum Station in California. These early demonstration with low-speed automated shuttles provide a glimpse of the possible with a fully automated fleet of driverless vehicle providing a public transit service.

Safely towards self-driving vehicles : new opportunities new risks and new challenges during the automation of the traffic system.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nes, C.N. van & Duivenvoorden, C.W.A.E.

2017-01-01

There are more and more systems on the market to support the driver in his vehicle. Step by step the automation of our vehicles increases, the traffic system is in a transition towards self-driving vehicles. The automation offers opportunities to make our traffic safer, cleaner and more efficient.

Analysing Trust Transitivity and The Effects of Unknown Dependence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Touhid Bhuiyan

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Trust can be used to improve online automated recommendation within a given domain. Trust transitivity is used to make it successful. But trust transitivity has different interpretations. Trust and trust transitivity; both are the human mental phenomenon and for this reason, there is no such thing as objective transitivity. Trust transitivity and trust fusion both are important elements in computational trust. This paper analyses the parameter dependence problem in trust transitivity and proposes some definitions considering the effects of base rate. In addition, it also proposes belief functions based on subjective logic to analyse trust transitivity of three specified cases with sensitive and insensitive based rate. Then it presents a quantitative analysis of the effects of unknown dependence problem in an interconnected network environment; such Internet.

Altering user' acceptance of automation through prior automation exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekier, Marek; Molesworth, Brett R C

2017-06-01

Air navigation service providers worldwide see increased use of automation as one solution to overcome the capacity constraints imbedded in the present air traffic management (ATM) system. However, increased use of automation within any system is dependent on user acceptance. The present research sought to determine if the point at which an individual is no longer willing to accept or cooperate with automation can be manipulated. Forty participants underwent training on a computer-based air traffic control programme, followed by two ATM exercises (order counterbalanced), one with and one without the aid of automation. Results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation ('tipping point') decreased; suggesting it is indeed possible to alter automation acceptance. Practitioner Summary: This paper investigates whether the point at which a user of automation rejects automation (i.e. 'tipping point') is constant or can be manipulated. The results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation decreased; suggesting it is possible to alter automation acceptance.

The Molecular Industrial Revolution: Automated Synthesis of Small Molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Trobe, Melanie; Burke, Martin D

2018-04-09

Today we are poised for a transition from the highly customized crafting of specific molecular targets by hand to the increasingly general and automated assembly of different types of molecules with the push of a button. Creating machines that are capable of making many different types of small molecules on demand, akin to that which has been achieved on the macroscale with 3D printers, is challenging. Yet important progress is being made toward this objective with two complementary approaches: 1) Automation of customized synthesis routes to different targets by machines that enable the use of many reactions and starting materials, and 2) automation of generalized platforms that make many different targets using common coupling chemistry and building blocks. Continued progress in these directions has the potential to shift the bottleneck in molecular innovation from synthesis to imagination, and thereby help drive a new industrial revolution on the molecular scale. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High-efficiency and low-cost permanent magnet guideway consideration for high-T{sub c} superconducting Maglev vehicle practical application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Z; Wang, J; Zheng, J; Jing, H; Lu, Y; Ma, G; Liu, L; Liu, W; Zhang, Y; Wang, S [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China)], E-mail: asclab@asclab.cn

2008-11-15

In order to improve the cost performance of the present high-T{sub c} superconducting (HTS) Maglev vehicle system for practical application, the multi-pole permanent magnet guideway (PMG) concept was introduced. A well-known double-pole Halbach PMG was chosen as a representative of multi-pole PMGs to compare with traditional monopole PMGs from the point of view of levitation efficiency and cost. Experimental results show that YBCO bulks above the double-pole Halbach PMG can exhibit better load capability and guidance performance as well as dynamics stability at the applied working height between the bulk HTSC and the PMG due to a more reasonable magnetic field distribution at the working range of bulk HTSC. Furthermore, the double-pole PMG configuration can play a more important role in improving guidance performance due to the potential-well field configuration. By comparing with former 'century' PMGs, the double-pole Halbach PMG shows another remarkable advantage in reducing the cost of levitation. As another necessary issue, magnetic field homogeneity and the corresponding magnetic drag force of a double-pole Halbach PMG has been considered by experiment in spite of the above highlights. Synthetically, the multi-pole Halbach PMG design is concluded to be one important choice for future HTS Maglev vehicle applications because of its high efficiency and low cost.

Complacency and Automation Bias in the Use of Imperfect Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D; Clegg, Benjamin A; Vieane, Alex Z; Sebok, Angelia L

2015-08-01

We examine the effects of two different kinds of decision-aiding automation errors on human-automation interaction (HAI), occurring at the first failure following repeated exposure to correctly functioning automation. The two errors are incorrect advice, triggering the automation bias, and missing advice, reflecting complacency. Contrasts between analogous automation errors in alerting systems, rather than decision aiding, have revealed that alerting false alarms are more problematic to HAI than alerting misses are. Prior research in decision aiding, although contrasting the two aiding errors (incorrect vs. missing), has confounded error expectancy. Participants performed an environmental process control simulation with and without decision aiding. For those with the aid, automation dependence was created through several trials of perfect aiding performance, and an unexpected automation error was then imposed in which automation was either gone (one group) or wrong (a second group). A control group received no automation support. The correct aid supported faster and more accurate diagnosis and lower workload. The aid failure degraded all three variables, but "automation wrong" had a much greater effect on accuracy, reflecting the automation bias, than did "automation gone," reflecting the impact of complacency. Some complacency was manifested for automation gone, by a longer latency and more modest reduction in accuracy. Automation wrong, creating the automation bias, appears to be a more problematic form of automation error than automation gone, reflecting complacency. Decision-aiding automation should indicate its lower degree of confidence in uncertain environments to avoid the automation bias. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Automated complex for research of electric drives control

Science.gov (United States)

Avlasko, P. V.; Antonenko, D. A.

2018-05-01

In the article, the automated complex intended for research of various control modes of electric motors including the inductor motor of double-way feed is described. As a basis of the created complex, the National Instruments platform is chosen. The operating controller built in a platform is delivered with an operating system of real-time for creation of systems of measurement and management. The software developed in the environment of LabVIEW consists of several connected modules which are in different elements of a complex. Besides the software for automated management by experimental installation, the program complex is developed for modelling of processes in the electric drive. As a result there is an opportunity to compare simulated and received experimentally transitional characteristics of the electric drive in various operating modes.

Estimate of Fuel Consumption and GHG Emission Impact on an Automated Mobility District: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yuche; Young, Stanley; Gonder, Jeff; Qi, Xuewei

2015-12-11

This study estimates the range of fuel and emissions impact of an automated-vehicle (AV) based transit system that services campus-based developments, termed an automated mobility district (AMD). The study develops a framework to quantify the fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts of a transit system comprised of AVs, taking into consideration average vehicle fleet composition, fuel consumption/GHG emission of vehicles within specific speed bins, and the average occupancy of passenger vehicles and transit vehicles. The framework is exercised using a previous mobility analysis of a personal rapid transit (PRT) system, a system which shares many attributes with envisioned AV-based transit systems. Total fuel consumption and GHG emissions with and without an AMD are estimated, providing a range of potential system impacts on sustainability. The results of a previous case study based of a proposed implementation of PRT on the Kansas State University (KSU) campus in Manhattan, Kansas, serves as the basis to estimate personal miles traveled supplanted by an AMD at varying levels of service. The results show that an AMD has the potential to reduce total system fuel consumption and GHG emissions, but the amount is largely dependent on operating and ridership assumptions. The study points to the need to better understand ride-sharing scenarios and calls for future research on sustainability benefits of an AMD system at both vehicle and system levels.

Towards more reliable automated multi-dose dispensing: retrospective follow-up study on medication dose errors and product defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Palttala, Iida; Heinämäki, Jyrki; Honkanen, Outi; Suominen, Risto; Antikainen, Osmo; Hirvonen, Jouni; Yliruusi, Jouko

2013-03-01

To date, little is known on applicability of different types of pharmaceutical dosage forms in an automated high-speed multi-dose dispensing process. The purpose of the present study was to identify and further investigate various process-induced and/or product-related limitations associated with multi-dose dispensing process. The rates of product defects and dose dispensing errors in automated multi-dose dispensing were retrospectively investigated during a 6-months follow-up period. The study was based on the analysis of process data of totally nine automated high-speed multi-dose dispensing systems. Special attention was paid to the dependence of multi-dose dispensing errors/product defects and pharmaceutical tablet properties (such as shape, dimensions, weight, scored lines, coatings, etc.) to profile the most suitable forms of tablets for automated dose dispensing systems. The relationship between the risk of errors in dose dispensing and tablet characteristics were visualized by creating a principal component analysis (PCA) model for the outcome of dispensed tablets. The two most common process-induced failures identified in the multi-dose dispensing are predisposal of tablet defects and unexpected product transitions in the medication cassette (dose dispensing error). The tablet defects are product-dependent failures, while the tablet transitions are dependent on automated multi-dose dispensing systems used. The occurrence of tablet defects is approximately twice as common as tablet transitions. Optimal tablet preparation for the high-speed multi-dose dispensing would be a round-shaped, relatively small/middle-sized, film-coated tablet without any scored line. Commercial tablet products can be profiled and classified based on their suitability to a high-speed multi-dose dispensing process.

Improving the driver-automation interaction: an approach using automation uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Beller, Johannes; Heesen, Matthias; Vollrath, Mark

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether communicating automation uncertainty improves the driver-automation interaction. A false system understanding of infallibility may provoke automation misuse and can lead to severe consequences in case of automation failure. The presentation of automation uncertainty may prevent this false system understanding and, as was shown by previous studies, may have numerous benefits. Few studies, however, have clearly shown the potential of communicating uncertainty information in driving. The current study fills this gap. We conducted a driving simulator experiment, varying the presented uncertainty information between participants (no uncertainty information vs. uncertainty information) and the automation reliability (high vs.low) within participants. Participants interacted with a highly automated driving system while engaging in secondary tasks and were required to cooperate with the automation to drive safely. Quantile regressions and multilevel modeling showed that the presentation of uncertainty information increases the time to collision in the case of automation failure. Furthermore, the data indicated improved situation awareness and better knowledge of fallibility for the experimental group. Consequently, the automation with the uncertainty symbol received higher trust ratings and increased acceptance. The presentation of automation uncertaintythrough a symbol improves overall driver-automation cooperation. Most automated systems in driving could benefit from displaying reliability information. This display might improve the acceptance of fallible systems and further enhances driver-automation cooperation.

CityMobil : Human factor issues regarding highly automated vehicles on eLane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toffetti, A.; Wilschut, E.S.; Martens, M.H.; Schieben, A.; Rambaldini, A.; Merat, N.; Flemisch, F.

2009-01-01

There are several human factor concerns with highly autonomous or semiautonomous driving, such as transition of control, loss of skill, and dealing with automated system errors. Four CityMobil experiments studied the eLane concept for dual-mode cars, and the results of one are described. The open

Automated sequence-specific protein NMR assignment using the memetic algorithm MATCH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volk, Jochen; Herrmann, Torsten; Wuethrich, Kurt

2008-01-01

MATCH (Memetic Algorithm and Combinatorial Optimization Heuristics) is a new memetic algorithm for automated sequence-specific polypeptide backbone NMR assignment of proteins. MATCH employs local optimization for tracing partial sequence-specific assignments within a global, population-based search environment, where the simultaneous application of local and global optimization heuristics guarantees high efficiency and robustness. MATCH thus makes combined use of the two predominant concepts in use for automated NMR assignment of proteins. Dynamic transition and inherent mutation are new techniques that enable automatic adaptation to variable quality of the experimental input data. The concept of dynamic transition is incorporated in all major building blocks of the algorithm, where it enables switching between local and global optimization heuristics at any time during the assignment process. Inherent mutation restricts the intrinsically required randomness of the evolutionary algorithm to those regions of the conformation space that are compatible with the experimental input data. Using intact and artificially deteriorated APSY-NMR input data of proteins, MATCH performed sequence-specific resonance assignment with high efficiency and robustness

Vertical dynamics of the Maglev vehicle Transrapid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haegele, Nora; Dignath, Florian

2009-01-01

The Maglev vehicle Transrapid is levitated by magnetic forces which pull the vehicles levitation frames toward the guideway from below. The magnets possess poles with alternating fluxes which are part of the synchronous long stator linear motor. Although the Transrapid glides along its guideway without mechanical contact, this alternation as well as the loading and unloading of the guideway girders excite vibrations of the ground. In order to calculate the time behavior of the vibrational emissions, a simulation of the transfer of a Transrapid vehicle over several guideway girders is proposed. The equations of motion for the vehicle and the girders are calculated separately by the MBS software NEWEUL and assembled and numerically integrated in MATLAB/SIMULINK. The control law for the magnet forces is simplified by the characteristics of linear spring-damper elements. The controlled magnet forces travel along the guideway continuously and include the dynamic component due to the alternating fluxes and the geometry of the poles and stator. Results of a complete vehicle moving along a guideway consisting of several girders can be obtained within a few minutes of computation time. Therefore, the mechanism of excitations can be analyzed by numerical time integration in the full state space. The results are validated by measurements of the forces in the joints of the guideway girders. The vibrational emission along the Transrapid guideway differs from the vibrations of contact-afflicted vehicles as no impacts and fewer stochastic effects occur

Vertical dynamics of the Maglev vehicle Transrapid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haegele, Nora [University of Stuttgart, Institute of Engineering and Computational Mechanics (Germany)], E-mail: Nora.Haegele@gmx.de; Dignath, Florian [ThyssenKrupp Transrapid, Basic Technologies (Germany)], E-mail: Florian.Dignath@ThyssenKrupp.com

2009-04-15

The Maglev vehicle Transrapid is levitated by magnetic forces which pull the vehicles levitation frames toward the guideway from below. The magnets possess poles with alternating fluxes which are part of the synchronous long stator linear motor. Although the Transrapid glides along its guideway without mechanical contact, this alternation as well as the loading and unloading of the guideway girders excite vibrations of the ground. In order to calculate the time behavior of the vibrational emissions, a simulation of the transfer of a Transrapid vehicle over several guideway girders is proposed. The equations of motion for the vehicle and the girders are calculated separately by the MBS software NEWEUL and assembled and numerically integrated in MATLAB/SIMULINK. The control law for the magnet forces is simplified by the characteristics of linear spring-damper elements. The controlled magnet forces travel along the guideway continuously and include the dynamic component due to the alternating fluxes and the geometry of the poles and stator. Results of a complete vehicle moving along a guideway consisting of several girders can be obtained within a few minutes of computation time. Therefore, the mechanism of excitations can be analyzed by numerical time integration in the full state space. The results are validated by measurements of the forces in the joints of the guideway girders. The vibrational emission along the Transrapid guideway differs from the vibrations of contact-afflicted vehicles as no impacts and fewer stochastic effects occur.

Automated quality control in a file-based broadcasting workflow

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lina

2014-04-01

Benefit from the development of information and internet technologies, television broadcasting is transforming from inefficient tape-based production and distribution to integrated file-based workflows. However, no matter how many changes have took place, successful broadcasting still depends on the ability to deliver a consistent high quality signal to the audiences. After the transition from tape to file, traditional methods of manual quality control (QC) become inadequate, subjective, and inefficient. Based on China Central Television's full file-based workflow in the new site, this paper introduces an automated quality control test system for accurate detection of hidden troubles in media contents. It discusses the system framework and workflow control when the automated QC is added. It puts forward a QC criterion and brings forth a QC software followed this criterion. It also does some experiments on QC speed by adopting parallel processing and distributed computing. The performance of the test system shows that the adoption of automated QC can make the production effective and efficient, and help the station to achieve a competitive advantage in the media market.

Shot Automation for the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagin, L J; Bettenhausen, R C; Beeler, R G; Bowers, G A; Carey, R.; Casavant, D.D.; Cline, B.D.; Demaret, R.D.; Domyancic, D.M.; Elko, S.D.; Fisher, J.M.; Hermann, M.R.; Krammen, J.E.; Kohut, T.R.; Marshall, C.D.; Mathisen, D.G.; Ludwigsen, A.P.; Patterson, Jr. R.W.; Sanchez, R.J.; Stout, E.A.; Van Arsdall, P.J.; Van Wonterghem, B.M.

2005-01-01

A shot automation framework has been developed and deployed during the past year to automate shots performed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) using the Integrated Computer Control System This framework automates a 4-8 hour shot sequence, that includes inputting shot goals from a physics model, set up of the laser and diagnostics, automatic alignment of laser beams and verification of status. This sequence consists of set of preparatory verification shots, leading to amplified system shots using a 4-minute countdown, triggering during the last 2 seconds using a high-precision timing system, followed by post-shot analysis and archiving. The framework provides for a flexible, model-based execution driven of scriptable automation called macro steps. The framework is driven by high-level shot director software that provides a restricted set of shot life cycle state transitions to 25 collaboration supervisors that automate 8-laser beams (bundles) and a common set of shared resources. Each collaboration supervisor commands approximately 10 subsystem shot supervisors that perform automated control and status verification. Collaboration supervisors translate shot life cycle state commands from the shot director into sequences of ''macro steps'' to be distributed to each of its shot supervisors. Each Shot supervisor maintains order of macro steps for each subsystem and supports collaboration between macro steps. They also manage failure, restarts and rejoining into the shot cycle (if necessary) and manage auto/manual macro step execution and collaborations between other collaboration supervisors. Shot supervisors execute macro step shot functions commanded by collaboration supervisors. Each macro step has database-driven verification phases and a scripted perform phase. This provides for a highly flexible methodology for performing a variety of NIF shot types. Database tables define the order of work and dependencies (workflow) of macro steps to be performed for a

The safety of nuclear power plants during the year 2000 transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The French nuclear power plants had to face two main type of problems during the year 2000 transition: a generalized power grid incident and a dysfunction of computer-based or automated systems in nuclear installations. This dossier analyzes both possible incidents and describes the evaluation made by the French Institute of Nuclear Protection and Safety (IPSN) of the different incident scenarios elaborated by Electricite de France (EdF) for its installations in anticipation of the transition. The problem of the year 2000 transition in other countries is briefly evoked. (J.S.)

Configuring the Orion Guidance, Navigation, and Control Flight Software for Automated Sequencing

Science.gov (United States)

Odegard, Ryan G.; Siliwinski, Tomasz K.; King, Ellis T.; Hart, Jeremy J.

2010-01-01

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is being designed with greater automation capabilities than any other crewed spacecraft in NASA s history. The Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) flight software architecture is designed to provide a flexible and evolvable framework that accommodates increasing levels of automation over time. Within the GN&C flight software, a data-driven approach is used to configure software. This approach allows data reconfiguration and updates to automated sequences without requiring recompilation of the software. Because of the great dependency of the automation and the flight software on the configuration data, the data management is a vital component of the processes for software certification, mission design, and flight operations. To enable the automated sequencing and data configuration of the GN&C subsystem on Orion, a desktop database configuration tool has been developed. The database tool allows the specification of the GN&C activity sequences, the automated transitions in the software, and the corresponding parameter reconfigurations. These aspects of the GN&C automation on Orion are all coordinated via data management, and the database tool provides the ability to test the automation capabilities during the development of the GN&C software. In addition to providing the infrastructure to manage the GN&C automation, the database tool has been designed with capabilities to import and export artifacts for simulation analysis and documentation purposes. Furthermore, the database configuration tool, currently used to manage simulation data, is envisioned to evolve into a mission planning tool for generating and testing GN&C software sequences and configurations. A key enabler of the GN&C automation design, the database tool allows both the creation and maintenance of the data artifacts, as well as serving the critical role of helping to manage, visualize, and understand the data-driven parameters both during software development

Low cost automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

This book indicates method of building of automation plan, design of automation facilities, automation and CHIP process like basics of cutting, NC processing machine and CHIP handling, automation unit, such as drilling unit, tapping unit, boring unit, milling unit and slide unit, application of oil pressure on characteristics and basic oil pressure circuit, application of pneumatic, automation kinds and application of process, assembly, transportation, automatic machine and factory automation.

Update on the KELT Transit Survey: Hot Planets around Hot Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudi, B. Scott; Stassun, Keivan G.; Pepper, Joshua; KELT Collaboration

2018-01-01

The KELT Transit Survey consists of a pair of small-aperture, wide-angle automated telescopes located at Winer Observatory in Sonoita, Arizona and the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Sutherland, South Africa. Together, they are surveying roughly 70% of the sky for transiting planets. By virtue of their small apertures (42 mm) and large fields-of-view (26 degrees x 26 degrees), KELT is most sensitive to hot Jupiters transiting relatively bright (V~8-11), and thus relatively hot stars. I will provide an update on the planets discovered by KELT, focusing in detail on our recent discoveries of very hot planets transiting several bright A and early F stars.

A review of dynamic characteristics of magnetically levitated vehicle systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Y.; Chen, S.S.

1995-11-01

The dynamic response of magnetically levitated (maglev) ground transportation systems has important consequences for safety and ride quality, guideway design, and system costs. Ride quality is determined by vehicle response and by environmental factors such as humidity and noise. The dynamic response of the vehicles is the key element in determining ride quality, while vehicle stability is an important safety-related element. To design a guideway that provides acceptable ride quality in the stable region, vehicle dynamics must be understood. Furthermore, the trade-off between guideway smoothness and levitation and control systems must be considered if maglev systems are to be economically feasible. The link between the guideway and the other maglev components is vehicle dynamics. For a commercial maglev system, vehicle dynamics must be analyzed and tested in detail. This report, which reviews various aspects of the dynamic characteristics, experiments and analysis, and design guidelines for maglev systems, discusses vehicle stability, motion dependent magnetic force components, guideway characteristics, vehicle/ guideway interaction, ride quality, suspension control laws, aerodynamic loads and other excitations, and research needs.

Initial Assessment and Modeling Framework Development for Automated Mobility Districts: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Yi [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Young, Stanley E [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Garikapati, Venu [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Chen, Yuche [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Zhu, Lei [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-02-07

Automated vehicles (AVs) are increasingly being discussed as the basis for on-demand mobility services, introducing a new paradigm in which a fleet of AVs displaces private automobiles for day-to-day travel in dense activity districts. This paper examines a concept to displace privately owned automobiles within a region containing dense activity generators (jobs, retail, entertainment, etc.), referred to as an automated mobility district (AMD). This paper reviews several such districts, including airports, college campuses, business parks, downtown urban cores, and military bases, with examples of previous attempts to meet the mobility needs apart from private automobiles, some with automated technology and others with more traditional transit-based solutions. The issues and benefits of AMDs are framed within the perspective of intra-district, inter-district, and border issues, and the requirements for a modeling framework are identified to adequately reflect the breadth of mobility, energy, and emissions impact anticipated with AMDs

Cognitive engineering in aerospace application: Pilot interaction with cockpit automation

Science.gov (United States)

Sarter, Nadine R.; Woods, David D.

1993-01-01

Because of recent incidents involving glass-cockpit aircraft, there is growing concern with cockpit automation and its potential effects on pilot performance. However, little is known about the nature and causes of problems that arise in pilot-automation interaction. The results of two studies that provide converging, complementary data on pilots' difficulties with understanding and operating one of the core systems of cockpit automation, the Flight Management System (FMS) is reported. A survey asking pilots to describe specific incidents with the FMS and observations of pilots undergoing transition training to a glass cockpit aircraft served as vehicles to gather a corpus on the nature and variety of FMS-related problems. The results of both studies indicate that pilots become proficient in standard FMS operations through ground training and subsequent line experience. But even with considerable line experience, they still have difficulties tracking FMS status and behavior in certain flight contexts, and they show gaps in their understanding of the functional structure of the system. The results suggest that design-related factors such as opaque interfaces contribute to these difficulties which can affect pilots' situation awareness. The results of this research are relevant for both the design of cockpit automation and the development of training curricula specifically tailored to the needs of glass cockpits.

Autonomy and Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Shively, Jay

2017-01-01

A significant level of debate and confusion has surrounded the meaning of the terms autonomy and automation. Automation is a multi-dimensional concept, and we propose that Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) automation should be described with reference to the specific system and task that has been automated, the context in which the automation functions, and other relevant dimensions. In this paper, we present definitions of automation, pilot in the loop, pilot on the loop and pilot out of the loop. We further propose that in future, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) RPAS Panel avoids the use of the terms autonomy and autonomous when referring to automated systems on board RPA. Work Group 7 proposes to develop, in consultation with other workgroups, a taxonomy of Levels of Automation for RPAS.

Improving automated load flexibility of nuclear power plants with ALFC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuhn, Andreas [AREVA GmbH, Karlstein (Germany). Plant Control/Training; Klaus, Peter [E.ON NPP Isar 2, Essenbach (Germany). Plant Operation/Production Engineering

2016-07-01

In several German and Swiss Nuclear Power Plants with Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) the control of the reactor power was and will be improved in order to be able to support the energy transition with increasing volatile renewable energy in the grid by flexible load operation according to the need of the load dispatcher (power system stability). Especially regarding the mentioned German NPPs with a nominal electric power of approx. 1,500 MW, the general objectives are the main automated grid relevant operation modes. The new possibilities of digital I and C (as TELEPERM {sup registered} XS) enable the automation of the operating modes provided that manual support is no longer necessary. These possibilities were and will be implemented by AREVA within the ALFC-projects. Manifold adaption algorithms to the reactor physical variations during the nuclear load cycle enable a precise control of the axial power density distribution and of the reactivity management in the reactor core. Finally this is the basis for a highly automated load flexibility with the parallel respect and surveillance of the operational limits of a PWR.

Improving automated load flexibility of nuclear power plants with ALFC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuhn, Andreas [AREVA GmbH, Karlstein (Germany). Section Manager Training; Klaus, Peter [Preussenelektra NPP, Essenbach (Germany). Production Engineering

2017-03-15

In several German and Swiss Nuclear Power Plants with Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) the control of the reactor power was and will be improved in order to be able to support the energy transition with increasing volatile renewable energy in the grid by flexible load operation according to the need of the load dispatcher (power system stability). Especially regarding the mentioned German NPPs with a nominal electric power of approx. 1500 MW, the general objectives are several automated grid relevant operation modes. The new possibilities of digital I and C (as TELEPERM {sup registered} XS) enable the automation of this operating modes provided that manual support is no longer necessary. These possibilities were and will be implemented by AREVA within the ALFC-projects. Manifold adaption algorithms to the reactor physical variations during the nuclear load cycle enable a precise control of the axial power density distribution and of the reactivity manage - ment in the reactor core. Finally this is the basis for a highly automated load flexibility with the parallel respect and surveillance of the operational limits of a PWR.

Transition of control in highly automated vehicles : a literature review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlakveld, W.P.

2016-01-01

The Directorate-General of Highways, Waterways, and Water Systems (Rijkswaterstaat in Dutch) of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu (IenM) in Dutch) has commissioned SWOV to conduct a literature review about transition of control in highly and

Principles of Automation for Patient Safety in Intensive Care: Learning From Aviation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dominiczak, Jason; Khansa, Lara

2018-06-01

The transition away from written documentation and analog methods has opened up the possibility of leveraging data science and analytic techniques to improve health care. In the implementation of data science techniques and methodologies, high-acuity patients in the ICU can particularly benefit. The Principles of Automation for Patient Safety in Intensive Care (PASPIC) framework draws on Billings's principles of human-centered aviation (HCA) automation and helps in identifying the advantages, pitfalls, and unintended consequences of automation in health care. Billings's HCA principles are based on the premise that human operators must remain "in command," so that they are continuously informed and actively involved in all aspects of system operations. In addition, automated systems need to be predictable, simple to train, to learn, and to operate, and must be able to monitor the human operators, and every intelligent system element must know the intent of other intelligent system elements. In applying Billings's HCA principles to the ICU setting, PAPSIC has three key characteristics: (1) integration and better interoperability, (2) multidimensional analysis, and (3) enhanced situation awareness. PAPSIC suggests that health care professionals reduce overreliance on automation and implement "cooperative automation" and that vendors reduce mode errors and embrace interoperability. Much can be learned from the aviation industry in automating the ICU. Because it combines "smart" technology with the necessary controls to withstand unintended consequences, PAPSIC could help ensure more informed decision making in the ICU and better patient care. Copyright © 2018 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developments for medium-capacity urban public transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calverley, H B

1979-11-01

Light guideway transit (LGT), that is, automatically operated urban electric vehicles carrying 12 to 70 passengers via elevated guideways or underground tunnels, with stations 250 to 800 meters apart, and self-contained during off hours as regards propulsion and control, could help relieve future energy demands. Over 30 LGT systems are currently under development, and their various mechanical, electrical, and power-source (three-phase distribution, thyristor phase-angle control and dc rotating motors) aspects are presented. Developments in present-day trolleys, battery buses (lead-acid, alkaline), combustion-engined buses, and hybrid vehicles are reviewed, with particular emphasis on energy, such as its mechanical storage by flywheels during regenerative braking. Specific requirements of future LGT systems, including vehicle support systems (by magnetic levitation using dc magnets, air support by either cushion or suction, pneumatic tires, steel wheels, or above-ground suspension), headway and line capacity, junction switching, and automatic vehicle control are discussed.

Superconducting bulk magnet for maglev vehicle: Stable levitation performance above permanent magnet guideway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Z.; Zheng, J.; Li, J.; Ma, G.; Lu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, S.; Wang, J.

2008-01-01

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle is well known as one of the most potential applications of bulk high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) in transported levitation system. Many efforts have promoted the practice of the HTS maglev vehicle in people's life by enhancing the load capability and stability. Besides improving the material performance of bulk HTSC and optimizing permanent magnet guideway (PMG), magnetization method of bulk HTSC is also very effective for more stable levitation. Up to now, applied onboard bulk HTSCs are directly magnetized by field cooling above the PMG for the present HTS maglev test vehicles or prototypes in China, Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Japan. By the direct-field-cooling-magnetization (DFCM) over PMG, maglev performances of the bulk HTSCs are mainly depended on the PMG's magnetic field. However, introducing HTS bulk magnet into the HTS maglev system breaks this dependence, which is magnetized by other non-PMG magnetic field. The feasibility of this HTS bulk magnet for maglev vehicle is investigated in the paper. The HTS bulk magnet is field-cooling magnetized by a Field Control Electromagnets Workbench (FCEW), which produces a constant magnetic field up to 1 T. The levitation and guidance forces of the HTS bulk magnet over PMG with different trapped flux at 15 mm working height (WH) were measured and compared with that by DFCM in the same applied PMG magnetic field at optimal field-cooling height (FCH) 30 mm, WH 15 mm. It is found that HTS bulk magnet can also realize a stable levitation above PMG. The trapped flux of HTS bulk magnet is easily controllable by the charging current of FCEW, which implies the maglev performances of HTS bulk magnet above PMG will be adjustable according to the practical requirement. The more trapped flux HTS bulk magnet will lead to bigger guidance force and smaller repulsion levitation force above PMG. In the case of saturated trapped flux for experimental HTS bulk magnet, it is

Superconducting bulk magnet for maglev vehicle: Stable levitation performance above permanent magnet guideway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Z.; Zheng, J.; Li, J.; Ma, G.; Lu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, S. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Wang, J. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China)], E-mail: jsywang@home.swjtu.edu.cn

2008-06-15

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle is well known as one of the most potential applications of bulk high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) in transported levitation system. Many efforts have promoted the practice of the HTS maglev vehicle in people's life by enhancing the load capability and stability. Besides improving the material performance of bulk HTSC and optimizing permanent magnet guideway (PMG), magnetization method of bulk HTSC is also very effective for more stable levitation. Up to now, applied onboard bulk HTSCs are directly magnetized by field cooling above the PMG for the present HTS maglev test vehicles or prototypes in China, Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Japan. By the direct-field-cooling-magnetization (DFCM) over PMG, maglev performances of the bulk HTSCs are mainly depended on the PMG's magnetic field. However, introducing HTS bulk magnet into the HTS maglev system breaks this dependence, which is magnetized by other non-PMG magnetic field. The feasibility of this HTS bulk magnet for maglev vehicle is investigated in the paper. The HTS bulk magnet is field-cooling magnetized by a Field Control Electromagnets Workbench (FCEW), which produces a constant magnetic field up to 1 T. The levitation and guidance forces of the HTS bulk magnet over PMG with different trapped flux at 15 mm working height (WH) were measured and compared with that by DFCM in the same applied PMG magnetic field at optimal field-cooling height (FCH) 30 mm, WH 15 mm. It is found that HTS bulk magnet can also realize a stable levitation above PMG. The trapped flux of HTS bulk magnet is easily controllable by the charging current of FCEW, which implies the maglev performances of HTS bulk magnet above PMG will be adjustable according to the practical requirement. The more trapped flux HTS bulk magnet will lead to bigger guidance force and smaller repulsion levitation force above PMG. In the case of saturated trapped flux for experimental HTS bulk

Home Automation

OpenAIRE

Ahmed, Zeeshan

2010-01-01

In this paper I briefly discuss the importance of home automation system. Going in to the details I briefly present a real time designed and implemented software and hardware oriented house automation research project, capable of automating house's electricity and providing a security system to detect the presence of unexpected behavior.

Optimization of automation: I. Estimation method of cognitive automation rates reflecting the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an estimation method of the automation rate by taking the advantages of automation as the estimation measures. • We conduct the experiments to examine the validity of the suggested method. • The higher the cognitive automation rate is, the greater the decreased rate of the working time will be. • The usefulness of the suggested estimation method is proved by statistical analyses. - Abstract: Since automation was introduced in various industrial fields, the concept of the automation rate has been used to indicate the inclusion proportion of automation among all work processes or facilities. Expressions of the inclusion proportion of automation are predictable, as is the ability to express the degree of the enhancement of human performance. However, many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, this paper proposes a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Automation in NPPs can be divided into two types: system automation and cognitive automation. Some general descriptions and characteristics of each type of automation are provided, and the advantages of automation are investigated. The advantages of each type of automation are used as measures of the estimation method of the automation rate. One advantage was found to be a reduction in the number of tasks, and another was a reduction in human cognitive task loads. The system and the cognitive automation rate were proposed as quantitative measures by taking advantage of the aforementioned benefits. To quantify the required human cognitive task loads and thus suggest the cognitive automation rate, Conant’s information-theory-based model was applied. The validity of the suggested method, especially as regards the cognitive automation rate, was proven by conducting

Transit operations decision support systems (TODSS) : core functional requirements for identification of service disruptions and provision of service restoration options 1.0

Science.gov (United States)

2004-03-15

The Transit Operations Decision Support System (TODSS) Project was initiated to address concerns raised by transit agencies that have implemented and are using Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) and Computer Aided Dispatch Systems (CAD). This document ...

Process automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, D.R.

1986-01-01

Process automation technology has been pursued in the chemical processing industries and to a very limited extent in nuclear fuel reprocessing. Its effective use has been restricted in the past by the lack of diverse and reliable process instrumentation and the unavailability of sophisticated software designed for process control. The Integrated Equipment Test (IET) facility was developed by the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) in part to demonstrate new concepts for control of advanced nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. A demonstration of fuel reprocessing equipment automation using advanced instrumentation and a modern, microprocessor-based control system is nearing completion in the facility. This facility provides for the synergistic testing of all chemical process features of a prototypical fuel reprocessing plant that can be attained with unirradiated uranium-bearing feed materials. The unique equipment and mission of the IET facility make it an ideal test bed for automation studies. This effort will provide for the demonstration of the plant automation concept and for the development of techniques for similar applications in a full-scale plant. A set of preliminary recommendations for implementing process automation has been compiled. Some of these concepts are not generally recognized or accepted. The automation work now under way in the IET facility should be useful to others in helping avoid costly mistakes because of the underutilization or misapplication of process automation. 6 figs

The Automation and Exoplanet Orbital Characterization from the Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Jinfei Wang, Jason; Graham, James; Perrin, Marshall; Pueyo, Laurent; Savransky, Dmitry; Kalas, Paul; arriaga, Pauline; Chilcote, Jeffrey K.; De Rosa, Robert J.; Ruffio, Jean-Baptiste; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey Collaboration

2018-01-01

The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) is a multi-year 600-star survey to discover and characterize young Jovian exoplanets and their planet forming environments. For large surveys like GPIES, it is critical to have a uniform dataset processed with the latest techniques and calibrations. I will describe the GPI Data Cruncher, an automated data processing framework that is able to generate fully reduced data minutes after the data are taken and can also reprocess the entire campaign in a single day on a supercomputer. The Data Cruncher integrates into a larger automated data processing infrastructure which syncs, logs, and displays the data. I will discuss the benefits of the GPIES data infrastructure, including optimizing observing strategies, finding planets, characterizing instrument performance, and constraining giant planet occurrence. I will also discuss my work in characterizing the exoplanets we have imaged in GPIES through monitoring their orbits. Using advanced data processing algorithms and GPI's precise astrometric calibration, I will show that GPI can achieve one milliarcsecond astrometry on the extensively-studied planet Beta Pic b. With GPI, we can confidently rule out a possible transit of Beta Pic b, but have precise timings on a Hill sphere transit, and I will discuss efforts to search for transiting circumplanetary material this year. I will also discuss the orbital monitoring of other exoplanets as part of GPIES.

Countermeasure for the magnetic drag force in guideway structure of superconducting magnetic levitation Vehicle system (MAGLEV); Chodendo jiki fujoshiki tetsudo no kozobutsu ni okeru denjiki taisaku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ichikawa, A [JR Railway Technical Research Inst., Tokyo (Japan)

1995-02-15

As for the levitation vehicle system, the vehicle is equipped with superconducting magnets and is levitated about 10cm by the electromagnetic force that works between the push coil and levitation guide coil laid on the ground and it runs 500km an hour. But, the running resistance and energy loss called as magnetic resistance caused by the electromagnet phenomenon that generates between the superconducting magnets and structures (steel products) generate. In this paper, the magnet resistance generated in guideway structure of superconducting magnetic levitation vehicle system and its countermeasures therefor are introduced. The main countermeasures against the magnetic resistance are as follows. The steel products have to be as arranged as separated from the superconducting magnets as far as possible in the permissible design limit. Based on the analysis results the low magnetic steel would be used in an area within 1.5m from the strand of the superconducting magnet. The contact resistance of the joints part of loop-shaped components would be bigger so as to do not cause the loop current. And the big component would be divided into small parts when it is used near to the superconducting magnets. 5 refs., 10 figs.

77 FR 19030 - Automated Commercial Environment Required for the Transmission of Advance Ocean and Rail Cargo...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-29

... electronic data interchange (EDI) system. CBP recently completed the testing of the Automated Commercial..., after a six month transition period, ACE will be the only CBP-approved EDI for submitting required...-approved EDI for transmitting to CBP required advance information for ocean and rail cargo. FOR FURTHER...

Formal verification of automated teller machine systems using SPIN

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Ikhwan Mohammad; Adzkiya, Dieky; Mukhlash, Imam

2017-08-01

Formal verification is a technique for ensuring the correctness of systems. This work focuses on verifying a model of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) system against some specifications. We construct the model as a state transition diagram that is suitable for verification. The specifications are expressed as Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) formulas. We use Simple Promela Interpreter (SPIN) model checker to check whether the model satisfies the formula. This model checker accepts models written in Process Meta Language (PROMELA), and its specifications are specified in LTL formulas.

Lean automation development : applying lean principles to the automation development process

OpenAIRE

Granlund, Anna; Wiktorsson, Magnus; Grahn, Sten; Friedler, Niklas

2014-01-01

By a broad empirical study it is indicated that automation development show potential of improvement. In the paper, 13 lean product development principles are contrasted to the automation development process and it is suggested why and how these principles can facilitate, support and improve the automation development process. The paper summarises a description of what characterises a lean automation development process and what consequences it entails. Main differences compared to current pr...

Both Automation and Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Purcell, Royal

1988-01-01

Discusses the concept of a paperless society and the current situation in library automation. Various applications of automation and telecommunications are addressed, and future library automation is considered. Automation at the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, Indiana, is described as an example. (MES)

Automated Groundwater Screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, Glenn A.; Collard, Leonard B.

2005-01-01

The Automated Intruder Analysis has been extended to include an Automated Ground Water Screening option. This option screens 825 radionuclides while rigorously applying the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) methodology. An extension to that methodology is presented to give a more realistic screening factor for those radionuclides which have significant daughters. The extension has the promise of reducing the number of radionuclides which must be tracked by the customer. By combining the Automated Intruder Analysis with the Automated Groundwater Screening a consistent set of assumptions and databases is used. A method is proposed to eliminate trigger values by performing rigorous calculation of the screening factor thereby reducing the number of radionuclides sent to further analysis. Using the same problem definitions as in previous groundwater screenings, the automated groundwater screening found one additional nuclide, Ge-68, which failed the screening. It also found that 18 of the 57 radionuclides contained in NCRP Table 3.1 failed the screening. This report describes the automated groundwater screening computer application

Specification, construction, and exact reduction of state transition system models of biochemical processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bugenhagen, Scott M; Beard, Daniel A

2012-10-21

Biochemical reaction systems may be viewed as discrete event processes characterized by a number of states and state transitions. These systems may be modeled as state transition systems with transitions representing individual reaction events. Since they often involve a large number of interactions, it can be difficult to construct such a model for a system, and since the resulting state-level model can involve a huge number of states, model analysis can be difficult or impossible. Here, we describe methods for the high-level specification of a system using hypergraphs, for the automated generation of a state-level model from a high-level model, and for the exact reduction of a state-level model using information from the high-level model. Exact reduction is achieved through the automated application to the high-level model of the symmetry reduction technique and reduction by decomposition by independent subsystems, allowing potentially significant reductions without the need to generate a full model. The application of the method to biochemical reaction systems is illustrated by models describing a hypothetical ion-channel at several levels of complexity. The method allows for the reduction of the otherwise intractable example models to a manageable size.

Advanced accounting techniques in automated fuel fabrication facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, R.L.; DeMerschman, A.W.; Engel, D.W.

1977-01-01

The accountability system being designed for automated fuel fabrication facilities will provide real-time information on all Special Nuclear Material (SNM) located in the facility. It will utilize a distributed network of microprocessors and minicomputers to monitor material movement and obtain nuclear materials measurements directly from remote, in-line Nondestructive Assay instrumentation. As SNM crosses an accounting boundary, the accountability computer will update the master files and generate audit trail records. Mass balance accounting techniques will be used around each unit process step, while item control will be used to account for encapsulated material, and SNM in transit

Fault tolerant computer control for a Maglev transportation system

Science.gov (United States)

Lala, Jaynarayan H.; Nagle, Gail A.; Anagnostopoulos, George

1994-01-01

Magnetically levitated (Maglev) vehicles operating on dedicated guideways at speeds of 500 km/hr are an emerging transportation alternative to short-haul air and high-speed rail. They have the potential to offer a service significantly more dependable than air and with less operating cost than both air and high-speed rail. Maglev transportation derives these benefits by using magnetic forces to suspend a vehicle 8 to 200 mm above the guideway. Magnetic forces are also used for propulsion and guidance. The combination of high speed, short headways, stringent ride quality requirements, and a distributed offboard propulsion system necessitates high levels of automation for the Maglev control and operation. Very high levels of safety and availability will be required for the Maglev control system. This paper describes the mission scenario, functional requirements, and dependability and performance requirements of the Maglev command, control, and communications system. A distributed hierarchical architecture consisting of vehicle on-board computers, wayside zone computers, a central computer facility, and communication links between these entities was synthesized to meet the functional and dependability requirements on the maglev. Two variations of the basic architecture are described: the Smart Vehicle Architecture (SVA) and the Zone Control Architecture (ZCA). Preliminary dependability modeling results are also presented.

General atomics low speed Maglev technology development program (Supplemental #3)

Science.gov (United States)

2005-05-01

This report details accomplishments of the Low Speed Maglev Technology Development Program, Supplemental #3. The 4 major tasks included: guideway foundation construction, fabrication and installation of 7 guideway modules, system integration and test...

Automated model building

CERN Document Server

Caferra, Ricardo; Peltier, Nicholas

2004-01-01

This is the first book on automated model building, a discipline of automated deduction that is of growing importance Although models and their construction are important per se, automated model building has appeared as a natural enrichment of automated deduction, especially in the attempt to capture the human way of reasoning The book provides an historical overview of the field of automated deduction, and presents the foundations of different existing approaches to model construction, in particular those developed by the authors Finite and infinite model building techniques are presented The main emphasis is on calculi-based methods, and relevant practical results are provided The book is of interest to researchers and graduate students in computer science, computational logic and artificial intelligence It can also be used as a textbook in advanced undergraduate courses

Effect of different alcohol levels on take-over performance in conditionally automated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiedemann, Katharina; Naujoks, Frederik; Wörle, Johanna; Kenntner-Mabiala, Ramona; Kaussner, Yvonne; Neukum, Alexandra

2018-06-01

Automated driving systems are getting pushed into the consumer market, with varying degrees of automation. Most often the driver's task will consist of being available as a fall-back level when the automation reaches its limits. These so-called take-over situations have attracted a great body of research, focusing on various human factors aspects (e.g., sleepiness) that could undermine the safety of control transitions between automated and manual driving. However, a major source of accidents in manual driving, alcohol consumption, has been a non-issue so far, although a false understanding of the driver's responsibility (i.e., being available as a fallback level) might promote driving under its influence. In this experiment, N = 36 drivers were exposed to different levels of blood alcohol concentrations (BACs: placebo vs. 0.05% vs. 0.08%) in a high fidelity driving simulator, and the effect on take-over time and quality was assessed. The results point out that a 0.08% BAC increases the time needed to re-engage in the driving task and impairs several aspects of longitudinal and lateral vehicle control, whereas 0.05% BAC did only go along with descriptive impairments in fewer parameters. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Comparison of three flaw-location methods for automated ultrasonic testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seiger, H.

1982-01-01

Two well-known methods for locating flaws by measurement of the transit time of ultrasonic pulses are examined theoretically. It is shown that neither is sufficiently reliable for use in automated ultrasonic testing. A third method, which takes into account the shape of the sound field from the probe and the uncertainty in measurement of probe-flaw distance and probe position, is introduced. An experimental comparison of the three methods indicates that use of the advanced method results in more accurate location of flaws. (author)

78 FR 53466 - Modification of Two National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-29

... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image... National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging, known as the Document Image... the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging, known as the...

Optimization of automation: III. Development of optimization method for determining automation rate in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Man Cheol; Seong, Poong Hyun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an appropriate automation rate that enables the best human performance. • We analyze the shortest working time considering Situation Awareness Recovery (SAR). • The optimized automation rate is estimated by integrating the automation and ostracism rate estimation methods. • The process to derive the optimized automation rate is demonstrated through case studies. - Abstract: Automation has been introduced in various industries, including the nuclear field, because it is commonly believed that automation promises greater efficiency, lower workloads, and fewer operator errors through reducing operator errors and enhancing operator and system performance. However, the excessive introduction of automation has deteriorated operator performance due to the side effects of automation, which are referred to as Out-of-the-Loop (OOTL), and this is critical issue that must be resolved. Thus, in order to determine the optimal level of automation introduction that assures the best human operator performance, a quantitative method of optimizing the automation is proposed in this paper. In order to propose the optimization method for determining appropriate automation levels that enable the best human performance, the automation rate and ostracism rate, which are estimation methods that quantitatively analyze the positive and negative effects of automation, respectively, are integrated. The integration was conducted in order to derive the shortest working time through considering the concept of situation awareness recovery (SAR), which states that the automation rate with the shortest working time assures the best human performance. The process to derive the optimized automation rate is demonstrated through an emergency operation scenario-based case study. In this case study, four types of procedures are assumed through redesigning the original emergency operating procedure according to the introduced automation and ostracism levels. Using the

World-wide distribution automation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devaney, T.M.

1994-01-01

A worldwide power distribution automation system is outlined. Distribution automation is defined and the status of utility automation is discussed. Other topics discussed include a distribution management system, substation feeder, and customer functions, potential benefits, automation costs, planning and engineering considerations, automation trends, databases, system operation, computer modeling of system, and distribution management systems

WIDAFELS flexible automation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shende, P.S.; Chander, K.P.; Ramadas, P.

1990-01-01

After discussing the various aspects of automation, some typical examples of various levels of automation are given. One of the examples is of automated production line for ceramic fuel pellets. (M.G.B.)

Automation in Clinical Microbiology

Science.gov (United States)

Ledeboer, Nathan A.

2013-01-01

Historically, the trend toward automation in clinical pathology laboratories has largely bypassed the clinical microbiology laboratory. In this article, we review the historical impediments to automation in the microbiology laboratory and offer insight into the reasons why we believe that we are on the cusp of a dramatic change that will sweep a wave of automation into clinical microbiology laboratories. We review the currently available specimen-processing instruments as well as the total laboratory automation solutions. Lastly, we outline the types of studies that will need to be performed to fully assess the benefits of automation in microbiology laboratories. PMID:23515547

Virtual automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Casis, E; Garrido, A; Uranga, B; Vives, A; Zufiaurre, C

2001-01-01

Total laboratory automation (TLA) can be substituted in mid-size laboratories by a computer sample workflow control (virtual automation). Such a solution has been implemented in our laboratory using PSM, software developed in cooperation with Roche Diagnostics (Barcelona, Spain), to this purpose. This software is connected to the online analyzers and to the laboratory information system and is able to control and direct the samples working as an intermediate station. The only difference with TLA is the replacement of transport belts by personnel of the laboratory. The implementation of this virtual automation system has allowed us the achievement of the main advantages of TLA: workload increase (64%) with reduction in the cost per test (43%), significant reduction in the number of biochemistry primary tubes (from 8 to 2), less aliquoting (from 600 to 100 samples/day), automation of functional testing, drastic reduction of preanalytical errors (from 11.7 to 0.4% of the tubes) and better total response time for both inpatients (from up to 48 hours to up to 4 hours) and outpatients (from up to 10 days to up to 48 hours). As an additional advantage, virtual automation could be implemented without hardware investment and significant headcount reduction (15% in our lab).

Automation of Test Cases for Web Applications : Automation of CRM Test Cases

OpenAIRE

Seyoum, Alazar

2012-01-01

The main theme of this project was to design a test automation framework for automating web related test cases. Automating test cases designed for testing a web interface provide a means of improving a software development process by shortening the testing phase in the software development life cycle. In this project an existing AutoTester framework and iMacros test automation tools were used. CRM Test Agent was developed to integrate AutoTester to iMacros and to enable the AutoTester,...

An Automation Planning Primer.

Science.gov (United States)

Paynter, Marion

1988-01-01

This brief planning guide for library automation incorporates needs assessment and evaluation of options to meet those needs. A bibliography of materials on automation planning and software reviews, library software directories, and library automation journals is included. (CLB)

Automation in Immunohematology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meenu Bajpai

2012-01-01

Full Text Available There have been rapid technological advances in blood banking in South Asian region over the past decade with an increasing emphasis on quality and safety of blood products. The conventional test tube technique has given way to newer techniques such as column agglutination technique, solid phase red cell adherence assay, and erythrocyte-magnetized technique. These new technologies are adaptable to automation and major manufacturers in this field have come up with semi and fully automated equipments for immunohematology tests in the blood bank. Automation improves the objectivity and reproducibility of tests. It reduces human errors in patient identification and transcription errors. Documentation and traceability of tests, reagents and processes and archiving of results is another major advantage of automation. Shifting from manual methods to automation is a major undertaking for any transfusion service to provide quality patient care with lesser turnaround time for their ever increasing workload. This article discusses the various issues involved in the process.

Automated Budget System -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — The Automated Budget System (ABS) automates management and planning of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) budget by providing enhanced capability to plan,...

Bioprocessing automation in cell therapy manufacturing: Outcomes of special interest group automation workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Oliver; Robinson, Sarah; Bure, Kim; Brindley, David A; Mccall, David

2018-04-01

Phacilitate held a Special Interest Group workshop event in Edinburgh, UK, in May 2017. The event brought together leading stakeholders in the cell therapy bioprocessing field to identify present and future challenges and propose potential solutions to automation in cell therapy bioprocessing. Here, we review and summarize discussions from the event. Deep biological understanding of a product, its mechanism of action and indication pathogenesis underpin many factors relating to bioprocessing and automation. To fully exploit the opportunities of bioprocess automation, therapeutics developers must closely consider whether an automation strategy is applicable, how to design an 'automatable' bioprocess and how to implement process modifications with minimal disruption. Major decisions around bioprocess automation strategy should involve all relevant stakeholders; communication between technical and business strategy decision-makers is of particular importance. Developers should leverage automation to implement in-process testing, in turn applicable to process optimization, quality assurance (QA)/ quality control (QC), batch failure control, adaptive manufacturing and regulatory demands, but a lack of precedent and technical opportunities can complicate such efforts. Sparse standardization across product characterization, hardware components and software platforms is perceived to complicate efforts to implement automation. The use of advanced algorithmic approaches such as machine learning may have application to bioprocess and supply chain optimization. Automation can substantially de-risk the wider supply chain, including tracking and traceability, cryopreservation and thawing and logistics. The regulatory implications of automation are currently unclear because few hardware options exist and novel solutions require case-by-case validation, but automation can present attractive regulatory incentives. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Cellular Therapy

78 FR 66039 - Modification of National Customs Automation Program Test Concerning Automated Commercial...

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2013-11-04

... Customs Automation Program Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Cargo Release (Formerly...) plan to both rename and modify the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the... data elements required to obtain release for cargo transported by air. The test will now be known as...

Automation-aided Task Loads Index based on the Automation Rate Reflecting the Effects on Human Operators in NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seungmin; Seong, Poonghyun; Kim, Jonghyun

2013-01-01

Many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs) was suggested. These suggested measures express how much automation support human operators but it cannot express the change of human operators' workload, whether the human operators' workload is increased or decreased. Before considering automation rates, whether the adopted automation is good or bad might be estimated in advance. In this study, to estimate the appropriateness of automation according to the change of the human operators' task loads, automation-aided task loads index is suggested based on the concept of the suggested automation rate. To insure plant safety and efficiency on behalf of human operators, various automation systems have been installed in NPPs, and many works which were previously conducted by human operators can now be supported by computer-based operator aids. According to the characteristics of the automation types, the estimation method of the system automation and the cognitive automation rate were suggested. The proposed estimation method concentrates on the effects of introducing automation, so it directly express how much the automated system support human operators. Based on the suggested automation rates, the way to estimate how much the automated system can affect the human operators' cognitive task load is suggested in this study. When there is no automation, the calculated index is 1, and it means there is no change of human operators' task load

Asleep at the automated wheel-Sleepiness and fatigue during highly automated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelpohl, Tobias; Kühn, Matthias; Hummel, Thomas; Vollrath, Mark

2018-03-20

Due to the lack of active involvement in the driving situation and due to monotonous driving environments drivers with automation may be prone to become fatigued faster than manual drivers (e.g. Schömig et al., 2015). However, little is known about the progression of fatigue during automated driving and its effects on the ability to take back manual control after a take-over request. In this driving simulator study with Nö=ö60 drivers we used a three factorial 2ö×ö2ö×ö12 mixed design to analyze the progression (12ö×ö5ömin; within subjects) of driver fatigue in drivers with automation compared to manual drivers (between subjects). Driver fatigue was induced as either mainly sleep related or mainly task related fatigue (between subjects). Additionally, we investigated the drivers' reactions to a take-over request in a critical driving scenario to gain insights into the ability of fatigued drivers to regain manual control and situation awareness after automated driving. Drivers in the automated driving condition exhibited facial indicators of fatigue after 15 to 35ömin of driving. Manual drivers only showed similar indicators of fatigue if they suffered from a lack of sleep and then only after a longer period of driving (approx. 40ömin). Several drivers in the automated condition closed their eyes for extended periods of time. In the driving with automation condition mean automation deactivation times after a take-over request were slower for a certain percentage (about 30%) of the drivers with a lack of sleep (Mö=ö3.2; SDö=ö2.1ös) compared to the reaction times after a long drive (Mö=ö2.4; SDö=ö0.9ös). Drivers with automation also took longer than manual drivers to first glance at the speed display after a take-over request and were more likely to stay behind a braking lead vehicle instead of overtaking it. Drivers are unable to stay alert during extended periods of automated driving without non-driving related tasks. Fatigued drivers could

Procedure automation: the effect of automated procedure execution on situation awareness and human performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andresen, Gisle; Svengren, Haakan; Heimdal, Jan O.; Nilsen, Svein; Hulsund, John-Einar; Bisio, Rossella; Debroise, Xavier

2004-04-01

As advised by the procedure workshop convened in Halden in 2000, the Halden Project conducted an experiment on the effect of automation of Computerised Procedure Systems (CPS) on situation awareness and human performance. The expected outcome of the study was to provide input for guidance on CPS design, and to support the Halden Project's ongoing research on human reliability analysis. The experiment was performed in HAMMLAB using the HAMBO BWR simulator and the COPMA-III CPS. Eight crews of operators from Forsmark 3 and Oskarshamn 3 participated. Three research questions were investigated: 1) Does procedure automation create Out-Of-The-Loop (OOTL) performance problems? 2) Does procedure automation affect situation awareness? 3) Does procedure automation affect crew performance? The independent variable, 'procedure configuration', had four levels: paper procedures, manual CPS, automation with breaks, and full automation. The results showed that the operators experienced OOTL problems in full automation, but that situation awareness and crew performance (response time) were not affected. One possible explanation for this is that the operators monitored the automated procedure execution conscientiously, something which may have prevented the OOTL problems from having negative effects on situation awareness and crew performance. In a debriefing session, the operators clearly expressed their dislike for the full automation condition, but that automation with breaks could be suitable for some tasks. The main reason why the operators did not like the full automation was that they did not feel being in control. A qualitative analysis addressing factors contributing to response time delays revealed that OOTL problems did not seem to cause delays, but that some delays could be explained by the operators having problems with the freeze function of the CPS. Also other factors such as teamwork and operator tendencies were of importance. Several design implications were drawn

Driving performance at lateral system limits during partially automated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Naujoks, Frederik; Purucker, Christian; Wiedemann, Katharina; Neukum, Alexandra; Wolter, Stefan; Steiger, Reid

2017-11-01

This study investigated driver performance during system limits of partially automated driving. Using a motion-based driving simulator, drivers encountered different situations in which a partially automated vehicle could no longer safely keep the lateral guidance. Drivers were distracted by a non-driving related task on a touch display or driving without an additional secondary task. While driving in partially automated mode drivers could either take their hands off the steering wheel for only a short period of time (10s, so-called 'Hands-on' variant) or for an extended period of time (120s, so-called 'Hands-off' variant). When the system limit was reached (e.g., when entering a work zone with temporary lines), the lateral vehicle control by the automation was suddenly discontinued and a take-over request was issued to the drivers. Regardless of the hands-off interval and the availability of a secondary task, all drivers managed the transition to manual driving safely. No lane exceedances were observed and the situations were rated as 'harmless' by the drivers. The lack of difference between the hands-off intervals can be partly attributed to the fact that most of the drivers kept contact to the steering wheel, even in the hands-off condition. Although all drivers were able to control the system limits, most of them could not explain why exactly the take-over request was issued. The average helpfulness of the take-over request was rated on an intermediate level. Consequently, providing drivers with information about the reason for a system limit can be recommended. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automation-aided Task Loads Index based on the Automation Rate Reflecting the Effects on Human Operators in NPPs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Seungmin; Seong, Poonghyun [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jonghyun [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

Many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs) was suggested. These suggested measures express how much automation support human operators but it cannot express the change of human operators' workload, whether the human operators' workload is increased or decreased. Before considering automation rates, whether the adopted automation is good or bad might be estimated in advance. In this study, to estimate the appropriateness of automation according to the change of the human operators' task loads, automation-aided task loads index is suggested based on the concept of the suggested automation rate. To insure plant safety and efficiency on behalf of human operators, various automation systems have been installed in NPPs, and many works which were previously conducted by human operators can now be supported by computer-based operator aids. According to the characteristics of the automation types, the estimation method of the system automation and the cognitive automation rate were suggested. The proposed estimation method concentrates on the effects of introducing automation, so it directly express how much the automated system support human operators. Based on the suggested automation rates, the way to estimate how much the automated system can affect the human operators' cognitive task load is suggested in this study. When there is no automation, the calculated index is 1, and it means there is no change of human operators' task load.

The coming paradigm shift: A transition from manual to automated microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Farahani, Navid; Monteith, Corey E

2016-01-01

The field of pathology has used light microscopy (LM) extensively since the mid-19(th) century for examination of histological tissue preparations. This technology has remained the foremost tool in use by pathologists even as other fields have undergone a great change in recent years through new technologies. However, as new microscopy techniques are perfected and made available, this reliance on the standard LM will likely begin to change. Advanced imaging involving both diffraction-limited and subdiffraction techniques are bringing nondestructive, high-resolution, molecular-level imaging to pathology. Some of these technologies can produce three-dimensional (3D) datasets from sampled tissues. In addition, block-face/tissue-sectioning techniques are already providing automated, large-scale 3D datasets of whole specimens. These datasets allow pathologists to see an entire sample with all of its spatial information intact, and furthermore allow image analysis such as detection, segmentation, and classification, which are impossible in standard LM. It is likely that these technologies herald a major paradigm shift in the field of pathology.

The coming paradigm shift: A transition from manual to automated microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Navid Farahani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The field of pathology has used light microscopy (LM extensively since the mid-19 th century for examination of histological tissue preparations. This technology has remained the foremost tool in use by pathologists even as other fields have undergone a great change in recent years through new technologies. However, as new microscopy techniques are perfected and made available, this reliance on the standard LM will likely begin to change. Advanced imaging involving both diffraction-limited and subdiffraction techniques are bringing nondestructive, high-resolution, molecular-level imaging to pathology. Some of these technologies can produce three-dimensional (3D datasets from sampled tissues. In addition, block-face/tissue-sectioning techniques are already providing automated, large-scale 3D datasets of whole specimens. These datasets allow pathologists to see an entire sample with all of its spatial information intact, and furthermore allow image analysis such as detection, segmentation, and classification, which are impossible in standard LM. It is likely that these technologies herald a major paradigm shift in the field of pathology.

Automation of radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Chisato; Yamada, Hideo; Iio, Masahiro

1974-01-01

Automation systems for measuring Australian antigen by radioimmunoassay under development were discussed. Samples were processed as follows: blood serum being dispensed by automated sampler to the test tube, and then incubated under controlled time and temperature; first counting being omitted; labelled antibody being dispensed to the serum after washing; samples being incubated and then centrifuged; radioactivities in the precipitate being counted by auto-well counter; measurements being tabulated by automated typewriter. Not only well-type counter but also position counter was studied. (Kanao, N.)

77 FR 48527 - National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-14

... National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the simplified entry functionality in the... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Simplified Entry: Modification of...

Transit's leading edge : innovations in service and technology : issue paper 7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-11-01

The Canadian Urban Transit Association is committed to raising awareness of the social, environmental and economic benefits of mass transit systems. Innovation is needed to address the challenges of attracting new riders, resolving fiscal imbalances, and meeting environmental concerns. This issue paper presents examples of how Canada's transit industry has used innovation to address the issue of climate change and fight smog. It includes a brief description of some of the ways that Canadian transit suppliers and transit systems are going green: Canada's bus builders are developing hybrid buses; Grand River Transit is improving air quality with clean diesel; Montreal's Transit Society is reducing emissions with biodiesel buses; Saskatoon Transit Service is using biodiesel buses; Laval's Transit Society is listening to customer complaints in an effort to reduce response times and improve customer service; Canadian Urban Transit Association is improving customer service; Transit Windsor is promoting a smog solution; Winnipeg Transit is working with employers to boost ridership; Trapeze Software Group is providing customers with quick and accurate trip itineraries; St. John's Transportation Commission has added solar-powered, light emitting diode illumination to bus stops; the City of Ottawa has an established transit priority measures; and, Infodev EDI Inc. has supplied automated high-technology solutions for passenger counting and vehicle location tracking to several Canadian transit systems. refs., figs.

Laboratory Automation and Middleware.

Science.gov (United States)

Riben, Michael

2015-06-01

The practice of surgical pathology is under constant pressure to deliver the highest quality of service, reduce errors, increase throughput, and decrease turnaround time while at the same time dealing with an aging workforce, increasing financial constraints, and economic uncertainty. Although not able to implement total laboratory automation, great progress continues to be made in workstation automation in all areas of the pathology laboratory. This report highlights the benefits and challenges of pathology automation, reviews middleware and its use to facilitate automation, and reviews the progress so far in the anatomic pathology laboratory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Driver compliance to take-over requests with different auditory outputs in conditional automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Yannick; Naujoks, Frederik; Neukum, Alexandra; Huestegge, Lynn

2017-12-01

Conditionally automated driving (CAD) systems are expected to improve traffic safety. Whenever the CAD system exceeds its limit of operation, designers of the system need to ensure a safe and timely enough transition from automated to manual mode. An existing visual Human-Machine Interface (HMI) was supplemented by different auditory outputs. The present work compares the effects of different auditory outputs in form of (1) a generic warning tone and (2) additional semantic speech output on driver behavior for the announcement of an upcoming take-over request (TOR). We expect the information carried by means of speech output to lead to faster reactions and better subjective evaluations by the drivers compared to generic auditory output. To test this assumption, N=17 drivers completed two simulator drives, once with a generic warning tone ('Generic') and once with additional speech output ('Speech+generic'), while they were working on a non-driving related task (NDRT; i.e., reading a magazine). Each drive incorporated one transition from automated to manual mode when yellow secondary lanes emerged. Different reaction time measures, relevant for the take-over process, were assessed. Furthermore, drivers evaluated the complete HMI regarding usefulness, ease of use and perceived visual workload just after experiencing the take-over. They gave comparative ratings on usability and acceptance at the end of the experiment. Results revealed that reaction times, reflecting information processing time (i.e., hands on the steering wheel, termination of NDRT), were shorter for 'Speech+generic' compared to 'Generic' while reaction time, reflecting allocation of attention (i.e., first glance ahead), did not show this difference. Subjective ratings were in favor of the system with additional speech output. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing laboratory automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Saboe, T J

1995-01-01

This paper discusses the process of managing automated systems through their life cycles within the quality-control (QC) laboratory environment. The focus is on the process of directing and managing the evolving automation of a laboratory; system examples are given. The author shows how both task and data systems have evolved, and how they interrelate. A BIG picture, or continuum view, is presented and some of the reasons for success or failure of the various examples cited are explored. Finally, some comments on future automation need are discussed.

Determination of the Optimized Automation Rate considering Effects of Automation on Human Operators in Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Man Cheol

2015-01-01

Automation refers to the use of a device or a system to perform a function previously performed by a human operator. It is introduced to reduce the human errors and to enhance the performance in various industrial fields, including the nuclear industry. However, these positive effects are not always achieved in complex systems such as nuclear power plants (NPPs). An excessive introduction of automation can generate new roles for human operators and change activities in unexpected ways. As more automation systems are accepted, the ability of human operators to detect automation failures and resume manual control is diminished. This disadvantage of automation is called the Out-of-the- Loop (OOTL) problem. We should consider the positive and negative effects of automation at the same time to determine the appropriate level of the introduction of automation. Thus, in this paper, we suggest an estimation method to consider the positive and negative effects of automation at the same time to determine the appropriate introduction of automation. This concept is limited in that it does not consider the effects of automation on human operators. Thus, a new estimation method for automation rate was suggested to overcome this problem

78 FR 44142 - Modification of Two National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-23

... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image... (CBP's) plan to modify the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging... entry process by reducing the number of data elements required to obtain release for cargo transported...

The Science of Home Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Brian Louis

Smart home technologies and the concept of home automation have become more popular in recent years. This popularity has been accompanied by social acceptance of passive sensors installed throughout the home. The subsequent increase in smart homes facilitates the creation of home automation strategies. We believe that home automation strategies can be generated intelligently by utilizing smart home sensors and activity learning. In this dissertation, we hypothesize that home automation can benefit from activity awareness. To test this, we develop our activity-aware smart automation system, CARL (CASAS Activity-aware Resource Learning). CARL learns the associations between activities and device usage from historical data and utilizes the activity-aware capabilities to control the devices. To help validate CARL we deploy and test three different versions of the automation system in a real-world smart environment. To provide a foundation of activity learning, we integrate existing activity recognition and activity forecasting into CARL home automation. We also explore two alternatives to using human-labeled data to train the activity learning models. The first unsupervised method is Activity Detection, and the second is a modified DBSCAN algorithm that utilizes Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a distance metric. We compare the performance of activity learning with human-defined labels and with automatically-discovered activity categories. To provide evidence in support of our hypothesis, we evaluate CARL automation in a smart home testbed. Our results indicate that home automation can be boosted through activity awareness. We also find that the resulting automation has a high degree of usability and comfort for the smart home resident.

Adaptive Automation Design and Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-17

with an automated system to a real-world adaptive au- tomation system implementation. There have been plenty of adaptive automation 17 Adaptive...of systems without increasing manpower requirements by allocating routine tasks to automated aids, improving safety through the use of au- tomated ...between intermediate levels of au- tomation , explicitly defining which human task a given level automates. Each model aids the creation and classification

Layered distributed architecture for plant automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravamuthan, G.; Verma, Yachika; Ranjan, Jyoti; Chachondia, Alka S.; Ganesh, G.

2005-01-01

The development of plant automation system and associated software remains one of the greatest challenges to the widespread implementation of highly adaptive re-configurable automation technology. This paper presents a layered distributed architecture for a plant automation system designed to support rapid reconfiguration and redeployment of automation components. The paper first presents evolution of automation architecture and their associated environment in the past few decades and then presents the concept of layered system architecture and the use of automation components to support the construction of a wide variety of automation system. It also highlights the role of standards and technology, which can be used in the development of automation components. We have attempted to adhere to open standards and technology for the development of automation component at a various layers. It also highlights the application of this concept in the development of an Operator Information System (OIS) for Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). (author)

Semantics-based Automated Web Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Feng Guo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present TAO, a software testing tool performing automated test and oracle generation based on a semantic approach. TAO entangles grammar-based test generation with automated semantics evaluation using a denotational semantics framework. We show how TAO can be incorporated with the Selenium automation tool for automated web testing, and how TAO can be further extended to support automated delta debugging, where a failing web test script can be systematically reduced based on grammar-directed strategies. A real-life parking website is adopted throughout the paper to demonstrate the effectivity of our semantics-based web testing approach.

Automation in organizations: Eternal conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Dieterly, D. L.

1981-01-01

Some ideas on and insights into the problems associated with automation in organizations are presented with emphasis on the concept of automation, its relationship to the individual, and its impact on system performance. An analogy is drawn, based on an American folk hero, to emphasize the extent of the problems encountered when dealing with automation within an organization. A model is proposed to focus attention on a set of appropriate dimensions. The function allocation process becomes a prominent aspect of the model. The current state of automation research is mentioned in relation to the ideas introduced. Proposed directions for an improved understanding of automation's effect on the individual's efficiency are discussed. The importance of understanding the individual's perception of the system in terms of the degree of automation is highlighted.

Mobile home automation-merging mobile value added services and home automation technologies

OpenAIRE

Rosendahl, Andreas; Hampe, Felix J.; Botterweck, Goetz

2007-01-01

non-peer-reviewed In this paper we study mobile home automation, a field that emerges from an integration of mobile application platforms and home automation technologies. In a conceptual introduction we first illustrate the need for such applications by introducing a two-dimensional conceptual model of mobility. Subsequently we suggest an architecture and discuss different options of how a user might access a mobile home automation service and the controlled devices. As another contrib...

Experience of automation failures in training: effects on trust, automation bias, complacency and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Juergen; Chavaillaz, Alain; Wastell, David

2016-06-01

This work examined the effects of operators' exposure to various types of automation failures in training. Forty-five participants were trained for 3.5 h on a simulated process control environment. During training, participants either experienced a fully reliable, automatic fault repair facility (i.e. faults detected and correctly diagnosed), a misdiagnosis-prone one (i.e. faults detected but not correctly diagnosed) or a miss-prone one (i.e. faults not detected). One week after training, participants were tested for 3 h, experiencing two types of automation failures (misdiagnosis, miss). The results showed that automation bias was very high when operators trained on miss-prone automation encountered a failure of the diagnostic system. Operator errors resulting from automation bias were much higher when automation misdiagnosed a fault than when it missed one. Differences in trust levels that were instilled by the different training experiences disappeared during the testing session. Practitioner Summary: The experience of automation failures during training has some consequences. A greater potential for operator errors may be expected when an automatic system failed to diagnose a fault than when it failed to detect one.

Future Trends in Process Automation

OpenAIRE

Jämsä-Jounela, Sirkka-Liisa

2007-01-01

The importance of automation in the process industries has increased dramatically in recent years. In the highly industrialized countries, process automation serves to enhance product quality, master the whole range of products, improve process safety and plant availability, efficiently utilize resources and lower emissions. In the rapidly developing countries, mass production is the main motivation for applying process automation. The greatest demand for process automation is in the chemical...

Automation in Warehouse Development

CERN Document Server

Verriet, Jacques

2012-01-01

The warehouses of the future will come in a variety of forms, but with a few common ingredients. Firstly, human operational handling of items in warehouses is increasingly being replaced by automated item handling. Extended warehouse automation counteracts the scarcity of human operators and supports the quality of picking processes. Secondly, the development of models to simulate and analyse warehouse designs and their components facilitates the challenging task of developing warehouses that take into account each customer’s individual requirements and logistic processes. Automation in Warehouse Development addresses both types of automation from the innovative perspective of applied science. In particular, it describes the outcomes of the Falcon project, a joint endeavour by a consortium of industrial and academic partners. The results include a model-based approach to automate warehouse control design, analysis models for warehouse design, concepts for robotic item handling and computer vision, and auton...

Automated realization of the gallium melting and triple points

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, X.; Duan, Y.; Zhang, J. T.; Wang, W.

2013-09-01

In order to improve the automation and convenience of the process involved in realizing the gallium fixed points, an automated apparatus, based on thermoelectric and heat pipe technologies, was designed and developed. This paper describes the apparatus design and procedures for freezing gallium mantles and realizing gallium melting and triple points. Also, investigations on the melting behavior of a gallium melting point cell and of gallium triple point cells were carried out while controlling the temperature outside the gallium point cells at 30 °C, 30.5 °C, 31 °C, and 31.5 °C. The obtained melting plateau curves show dentate temperature oscillations on the melting plateaus for the gallium point cells when thermal couplings occurred between the outer and inner liquid-solid interfaces. The maximum amplitude of the temperature fluctuations was about 1.5 mK. Therefore, the temperature oscillations can be used to indicate the ending of the equilibrium phase transitions. The duration and amplitude of such temperature oscillations depend on the temperature difference between the setting temperature and the gallium point temperature; the smaller the temperature difference, the longer the duration of both the melting plateaus and the temperature fluctuations.

76 FR 34246 - Automated Commercial Environment (ACE); Announcement of National Customs Automation Program Test...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-13

... Environment (ACE); Announcement of National Customs Automation Program Test of Automated Procedures for In... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test relating to highway movements of commercial goods that are transported in-bond through the United States from one point in Canada to another point in Canada. The NCAP...

Automated cloning methods.; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collart, F.

2001-01-01

Argonne has developed a series of automated protocols to generate bacterial expression clones by using a robotic system designed to be used in procedures associated with molecular biology. The system provides plate storage, temperature control from 4 to 37 C at various locations, and Biomek and Multimek pipetting stations. The automated system consists of a robot that transports sources from the active station on the automation system. Protocols for the automated generation of bacterial expression clones can be grouped into three categories (Figure 1). Fragment generation protocols are initiated on day one of the expression cloning procedure and encompass those protocols involved in generating purified coding region (PCR)

Highly Automated Arrival Management and Control System Suitable for Early NextGen

Science.gov (United States)

Swenson, Harry N.; Jung, Jaewoo

2013-01-01

This is a presentation of previously published work conducted in the development of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system. Included are concept and technical descriptions of the TAPSS system and results from human in the loop simulations conducted at Ames Research Center. The Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing system has demonstrated through research and extensive high-fidelity simulation studies to have benefits in airport arrival throughput, supporting efficient arrival descents, and enabling mixed aircraft navigation capability operations during periods of high congestion. NASA is currently porting the TAPSS system into the FAA TBFM and STARS system prototypes to ensure its ability to operate in the FAA automation Infrastructure. NASA ATM Demonstration Project is using the the TAPSS technologies to provide the ground-based automation tools to enable airborne Interval Management (IM) capabilities. NASA and the FAA have initiated a Research Transition Team to enable potential TAPSS and IM Technology Transfer.

Automation, Performance and International Competition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kromann, Lene; Sørensen, Anders

This paper presents new evidence on trade‐induced automation in manufacturing firms using unique data combining a retrospective survey that we have assembled with register data for 2005‐2010. In particular, we establish a causal effect where firms that have specialized in product types for which...... the Chinese exports to the world market has risen sharply invest more in automated capital compared to firms that have specialized in other product types. We also study the relationship between automation and firm performance and find that firms with high increases in scale and scope of automation have faster...... productivity growth than other firms. Moreover, automation improves the efficiency of all stages of the production process by reducing setup time, run time, and inspection time and increasing uptime and quantity produced per worker. The efficiency improvement varies by type of automation....

Comparing the Effects of Vehicle Automation, Policy-Making and Changed User Preferences on the Uptake of Electric Cars and Emissions from Transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Mazur

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Switching energy demand for transport from liquid fuels to electricity is the most promising way to significantly improve air quality and reduce transport emissions. Previous studies have shown this is possible, that by 2035 the economics of alternative powertrain and energy vectors will have converged. However, they do not address whether the transition is likely or plausible. Using the UK as a case study, we present a systems dynamics model based study informed by transition theory and explore the effects of technology progress, policy-making, user preferences and; for the first time, automated vehicles on this transition. We are not trying to predict the future but to highlight what is necessary in order for different scenarios to become more or less likely. Worryingly we show that current policies with the expected technology progress and expectations of vehicle buyers are insufficient to reach global targets. Faster technology progress, strong financial incentives or a change in vehicle buyer expectations are crucial but still insufficient. In contrast, the biggest switch to alternatively fuelled vehicles could be achieved by the introduction of automated vehicles. The implications will affect policy makers, automotive manufactures, technology developers and broader society.

Systematic review automation technologies

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Systematic reviews, a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine, are not produced quickly enough to support clinical practice. The cost of production, availability of the requisite expertise and timeliness are often quoted as major contributors for the delay. This detailed survey of the state of the art of information systems designed to support or automate individual tasks in the systematic review, and in particular systematic reviews of randomized controlled clinical trials, reveals trends that see the convergence of several parallel research projects. We surveyed literature describing informatics systems that support or automate the processes of systematic review or each of the tasks of the systematic review. Several projects focus on automating, simplifying and/or streamlining specific tasks of the systematic review. Some tasks are already fully automated while others are still largely manual. In this review, we describe each task and the effect that its automation would have on the entire systematic review process, summarize the existing information system support for each task, and highlight where further research is needed for realizing automation for the task. Integration of the systems that automate systematic review tasks may lead to a revised systematic review workflow. We envisage the optimized workflow will lead to system in which each systematic review is described as a computer program that automatically retrieves relevant trials, appraises them, extracts and synthesizes data, evaluates the risk of bias, performs meta-analysis calculations, and produces a report in real time. PMID:25005128

Improving the iterative Linear Interaction Energy approach using automated recognition of configurational transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vosmeer, C Ruben; Kooi, Derk P; Capoferri, Luigi; Terpstra, Margreet M; Vermeulen, Nico P E; Geerke, Daan P

2016-01-01

Recently an iterative method was proposed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of ligand-protein binding affinity prediction through linear interaction energy (LIE) theory. For ligand binding to flexible Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), this method was shown to decrease the root-mean-square error and standard deviation of error prediction by combining interaction energies of simulations starting from different conformations. Thereby, different parts of protein-ligand conformational space are sampled in parallel simulations. The iterative LIE framework relies on the assumption that separate simulations explore different local parts of phase space, and do not show transitions to other parts of configurational space that are already covered in parallel simulations. In this work, a method is proposed to (automatically) detect such transitions during the simulations that are performed to construct LIE models and to predict binding affinities. Using noise-canceling techniques and splines to fit time series of the raw data for the interaction energies, transitions during simulation between different parts of phase space are identified. Boolean selection criteria are then applied to determine which parts of the interaction energy trajectories are to be used as input for the LIE calculations. Here we show that this filtering approach benefits the predictive quality of our previous CYP 2D6-aryloxypropanolamine LIE model. In addition, an analysis is performed of the gain in computational efficiency that can be obtained from monitoring simulations using the proposed filtering method and by prematurely terminating simulations accordingly.

Knowledge-Based Aircraft Automation: Managers Guide on the use of Artificial Intelligence for Aircraft Automation and Verification and Validation Approach for a Neural-Based Flight Controller

Science.gov (United States)

Broderick, Ron

1997-01-01

The ultimate goal of this report was to integrate the powerful tools of artificial intelligence into the traditional process of software development. To maintain the US aerospace competitive advantage, traditional aerospace and software engineers need to more easily incorporate the technology of artificial intelligence into the advanced aerospace systems being designed today. The future goal was to transition artificial intelligence from an emerging technology to a standard technology that is considered early in the life cycle process to develop state-of-the-art aircraft automation systems. This report addressed the future goal in two ways. First, it provided a matrix that identified typical aircraft automation applications conducive to various artificial intelligence methods. The purpose of this matrix was to provide top-level guidance to managers contemplating the possible use of artificial intelligence in the development of aircraft automation. Second, the report provided a methodology to formally evaluate neural networks as part of the traditional process of software development. The matrix was developed by organizing the discipline of artificial intelligence into the following six methods: logical, object representation-based, distributed, uncertainty management, temporal and neurocomputing. Next, a study of existing aircraft automation applications that have been conducive to artificial intelligence implementation resulted in the following five categories: pilot-vehicle interface, system status and diagnosis, situation assessment, automatic flight planning, and aircraft flight control. The resulting matrix provided management guidance to understand artificial intelligence as it applied to aircraft automation. The approach taken to develop a methodology to formally evaluate neural networks as part of the software engineering life cycle was to start with the existing software quality assurance standards and to change these standards to include neural network

The Automation-by-Expertise-by-Training Interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Strauch, Barry

2017-03-01

I introduce the automation-by-expertise-by-training interaction in automated systems and discuss its influence on operator performance. Transportation accidents that, across a 30-year interval demonstrated identical automation-related operator errors, suggest a need to reexamine traditional views of automation. I review accident investigation reports, regulator studies, and literature on human computer interaction, expertise, and training and discuss how failing to attend to the interaction of automation, expertise level, and training has enabled operators to commit identical automation-related errors. Automated systems continue to provide capabilities exceeding operators' need for effective system operation and provide interfaces that can hinder, rather than enhance, operator automation-related situation awareness. Because of limitations in time and resources, training programs do not provide operators the expertise needed to effectively operate these automated systems, requiring them to obtain the expertise ad hoc during system operations. As a result, many do not acquire necessary automation-related system expertise. Integrating automation with expected operator expertise levels, and within training programs that provide operators the necessary automation expertise, can reduce opportunities for automation-related operator errors. Research to address the automation-by-expertise-by-training interaction is needed. However, such research must meet challenges inherent to examining realistic sociotechnical system automation features with representative samples of operators, perhaps by using observational and ethnographic research. Research in this domain should improve the integration of design and training and, it is hoped, enhance operator performance.

Distribution automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruenemeyer, D.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on a Distribution Automation (DA) System enhances the efficiency and productivity of a utility. It also provides intangible benefits such as improved public image and market advantages. A utility should evaluate the benefits and costs of such a system before committing funds. The expenditure for distribution automation is economical when justified by the deferral of a capacity increase, a decrease in peak power demand, or a reduction in O and M requirements

Accelerating the discovery of materials for clean energy in the era of smart automation

Science.gov (United States)

Tabor, Daniel P.; Roch, Loïc M.; Saikin, Semion K.; Kreisbeck, Christoph; Sheberla, Dennis; Montoya, Joseph H.; Dwaraknath, Shyam; Aykol, Muratahan; Ortiz, Carlos; Tribukait, Hermann; Amador-Bedolla, Carlos; Brabec, Christoph J.; Maruyama, Benji; Persson, Kristin A.; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán

2018-05-01

The discovery and development of novel materials in the field of energy are essential to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Bringing recent technological innovations in automation, robotics and computer science together with current approaches in chemistry, materials synthesis and characterization will act as a catalyst for revolutionizing traditional research and development in both industry and academia. This Perspective provides a vision for an integrated artificial intelligence approach towards autonomous materials discovery, which, in our opinion, will emerge within the next 5 to 10 years. The approach we discuss requires the integration of the following tools, which have already seen substantial development to date: high-throughput virtual screening, automated synthesis planning, automated laboratories and machine learning algorithms. In addition to reducing the time to deployment of new materials by an order of magnitude, this integrated approach is expected to lower the cost associated with the initial discovery. Thus, the price of the final products (for example, solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles) will also decrease. This in turn will enable industries and governments to meet more ambitious targets in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a faster pace.

Understanding human management of automation errors

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Sara E.; Rogers, Wendy A.; Fisk, Arthur D.

2013-01-01

Automation has the potential to aid humans with a diverse set of tasks and support overall system performance. Automated systems are not always reliable, and when automation errs, humans must engage in error management, which is the process of detecting, understanding, and correcting errors. However, this process of error management in the context of human-automation interaction is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the variables that contribute to error management. We examined relevant research in human-automation interaction and human error to identify critical automation, person, task, and emergent variables. We propose a framework for management of automation errors to incorporate and build upon previous models. Further, our analysis highlights variables that may be addressed through design and training to positively influence error management. Additional efforts to understand the error management process will contribute to automation designed and implemented to support safe and effective system performance. PMID:25383042

Human-centred automation: an explorative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollnagel, Erik; Miberg, Ann Britt

1999-05-01

The purpose of the programme activity on human-centred automation at the HRP is to develop knowledge (in the form of models and theories) and tools (in the form of techniques and simulators) to support design of automation that ensures effective human performance and comprehension. This report presents the work done on both the analytical and experimental side of this project. The analytical work has surveyed common definitions of automation and traditional design principles. A general finding is that human-centred automation usually is defined in terms of what it is not. This is partly due to a lack of adequate models and of human-automation interaction. Another result is a clarification of the consequences of automation, in particular with regard to situation awareness and workload. The experimental work has taken place as an explorative experiment in HAMMLAB in collaboration with IPSN (France). The purpose of this experiment was to increase the understanding of how automation influences operator performance in NPP control rooms. Two different types of automation (extensive and limited) were considered in scenarios having two different degrees of complexity (high and low), and involving diagnostic and procedural tasks. Six licensed NPP crews from the NPP at Loviisa, Finland, participated in the experiment. The dependent variables applied were plant performance, operator performance, self-rated crew performance, situation awareness, workload, and operator trust in the automation. The results from the diagnostic scenarios indicated that operators' judgement of crew efficiency was related to their level of trust in the automation, and further that operators trusted automation least and rated crew performance lowest in situations where crew performance was efficient and vice versa. The results from procedural scenarios indicated that extensive automation efficiently supported operators' performance, and further that operator' judgement of crew performance efficiency

Configuration Management Automation (CMA) -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Configuration Management Automation (CMA) will provide an automated, integrated enterprise solution to support CM of FAA NAS and Non-NAS assets and investments. CMA...

Toward designing for trust in database automation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duez, P. P.; Jamieson, G. A. [Cognitive Engineering Laboratory, Univ. of Toronto, 5 King' s College Rd., Toronto, Ont. M5S 3G8 (Canada)

2006-07-01

Appropriate reliance on system automation is imperative for safe and productive work, especially in safety-critical systems. It is unsafe to rely on automation beyond its designed use; conversely, it can be both unproductive and unsafe to manually perform tasks that are better relegated to automated tools. Operator trust in automated tools mediates reliance, and trust appears to affect how operators use technology. As automated agents become more complex, the question of trust in automation is increasingly important. In order to achieve proper use of automation, we must engender an appropriate degree of trust that is sensitive to changes in operating functions and context. In this paper, we present research concerning trust in automation in the domain of automated tools for relational databases. Lee and See have provided models of trust in automation. One model developed by Lee and See identifies three key categories of information about the automation that lie along a continuum of attributional abstraction. Purpose-, process-and performance-related information serve, both individually and through inferences between them, to describe automation in such a way as to engender r properly-calibrated trust. Thus, one can look at information from different levels of attributional abstraction as a general requirements analysis for information key to appropriate trust in automation. The model of information necessary to engender appropriate trust in automation [1] is a general one. Although it describes categories of information, it does not provide insight on how to determine the specific information elements required for a given automated tool. We have applied the Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) to this problem in the domain of relational databases. The AH serves as a formal description of the automation at several levels of abstraction, ranging from a very abstract purpose-oriented description to a more concrete description of the resources involved in the automated process

Toward designing for trust in database automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duez, P. P.; Jamieson, G. A.

2006-01-01

Appropriate reliance on system automation is imperative for safe and productive work, especially in safety-critical systems. It is unsafe to rely on automation beyond its designed use; conversely, it can be both unproductive and unsafe to manually perform tasks that are better relegated to automated tools. Operator trust in automated tools mediates reliance, and trust appears to affect how operators use technology. As automated agents become more complex, the question of trust in automation is increasingly important. In order to achieve proper use of automation, we must engender an appropriate degree of trust that is sensitive to changes in operating functions and context. In this paper, we present research concerning trust in automation in the domain of automated tools for relational databases. Lee and See have provided models of trust in automation. One model developed by Lee and See identifies three key categories of information about the automation that lie along a continuum of attributional abstraction. Purpose-, process-and performance-related information serve, both individually and through inferences between them, to describe automation in such a way as to engender r properly-calibrated trust. Thus, one can look at information from different levels of attributional abstraction as a general requirements analysis for information key to appropriate trust in automation. The model of information necessary to engender appropriate trust in automation [1] is a general one. Although it describes categories of information, it does not provide insight on how to determine the specific information elements required for a given automated tool. We have applied the Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) to this problem in the domain of relational databases. The AH serves as a formal description of the automation at several levels of abstraction, ranging from a very abstract purpose-oriented description to a more concrete description of the resources involved in the automated process

Automated electron microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, K.A.; Walker, L.R.

1986-01-01

The Plant Laboratory at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant has recently obtained a Cameca MBX electron microprobe with a Tracor Northern TN5500 automation system. This allows full stage and spectrometer automation and digital beam control. The capabilities of the system include qualitative and quantitative elemental microanalysis for all elements above and including boron in atomic number, high- and low-magnification imaging and processing, elemental mapping and enhancement, and particle size, shape, and composition analyses. Very low magnification, quantitative elemental mapping using stage control (which is of particular interest) has been accomplished along with automated size, shape, and composition analysis over a large relative area

Automate functional testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramesh Kalindri

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Currently, software engineers are increasingly turning to the option of automating functional tests, but not always have successful in this endeavor. Reasons range from low planning until over cost in the process. Some principles that can guide teams in automating these tests are described in this article.

Driver Psychology during Automated Platooning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heikoop, D.D.

2017-01-01

With the rapid increase in vehicle automation technology, the call for understanding how humans behave while driving in an automated vehicle becomes more urgent. Vehicles that have automated systems such as Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) not only support drivers in their

Modeling Increased Complexity and the Reliance on Automation: FLightdeck Automation Problems (FLAP) Model

Science.gov (United States)

Ancel, Ersin; Shih, Ann T.

2014-01-01

This paper highlights the development of a model that is focused on the safety issue of increasing complexity and reliance on automation systems in transport category aircraft. Recent statistics show an increase in mishaps related to manual handling and automation errors due to pilot complacency and over-reliance on automation, loss of situational awareness, automation system failures and/or pilot deficiencies. Consequently, the aircraft can enter a state outside the flight envelope and/or air traffic safety margins which potentially can lead to loss-of-control (LOC), controlled-flight-into-terrain (CFIT), or runway excursion/confusion accidents, etc. The goal of this modeling effort is to provide NASA's Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) with a platform capable of assessing the impacts of AvSP technologies and products towards reducing the relative risk of automation related accidents and incidents. In order to do so, a generic framework, capable of mapping both latent and active causal factors leading to automation errors, is developed. Next, the framework is converted into a Bayesian Belief Network model and populated with data gathered from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). With the insertion of technologies and products, the model provides individual and collective risk reduction acquired by technologies and methodologies developed within AvSP.

Automation systems for radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Paul

1974-01-01

The application of automation systems for radioimmunoassay (RIA) was discussed. Automated systems could be useful in the second step, of the four basic processes in the course of RIA, i.e., preparation of sample for reaction. There were two types of instrumentation, a semi-automatic pipete, and a fully automated pipete station, both providing for fast and accurate dispensing of the reagent or for the diluting of sample with reagent. Illustrations of the instruments were shown. (Mukohata, S.)

78 FR 10581 - Rail Vehicles Access Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-14

... guideway systems (e.g., rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, and intercity rail). We are establishing a... vehicles that operate on fixed guideway systems (e.g., rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, and intercity... for their service. We may pay travel expenses for a limited number of persons who would otherwise be...

Classification of Automated Search Traffic

Science.gov (United States)

Buehrer, Greg; Stokes, Jack W.; Chellapilla, Kumar; Platt, John C.

As web search providers seek to improve both relevance and response times, they are challenged by the ever-increasing tax of automated search query traffic. Third party systems interact with search engines for a variety of reasons, such as monitoring a web site’s rank, augmenting online games, or possibly to maliciously alter click-through rates. In this paper, we investigate automated traffic (sometimes referred to as bot traffic) in the query stream of a large search engine provider. We define automated traffic as any search query not generated by a human in real time. We first provide examples of different categories of query logs generated by automated means. We then develop many different features that distinguish between queries generated by people searching for information, and those generated by automated processes. We categorize these features into two classes, either an interpretation of the physical model of human interactions, or as behavioral patterns of automated interactions. Using the these detection features, we next classify the query stream using multiple binary classifiers. In addition, a multiclass classifier is then developed to identify subclasses of both normal and automated traffic. An active learning algorithm is used to suggest which user sessions to label to improve the accuracy of the multiclass classifier, while also seeking to discover new classes of automated traffic. Performance analysis are then provided. Finally, the multiclass classifier is used to predict the subclass distribution for the search query stream.

An automated swimming respirometer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

STEFFENSEN, JF; JOHANSEN, K; BUSHNELL, PG

1984-01-01

An automated respirometer is described that can be used for computerized respirometry of trout and sharks.......An automated respirometer is described that can be used for computerized respirometry of trout and sharks....

Laboratory automation: trajectory, technology, and tactics.

Science.gov (United States)

Markin, R S; Whalen, S A

2000-05-01

Laboratory automation is in its infancy, following a path parallel to the development of laboratory information systems in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Changes on the horizon in healthcare and clinical laboratory service that affect the delivery of laboratory results include the increasing age of the population in North America, the implementation of the Balanced Budget Act (1997), and the creation of disease management companies. Major technology drivers include outcomes optimization and phenotypically targeted drugs. Constant cost pressures in the clinical laboratory have forced diagnostic manufacturers into less than optimal profitability states. Laboratory automation can be a tool for the improvement of laboratory services and may decrease costs. The key to improvement of laboratory services is implementation of the correct automation technology. The design of this technology should be driven by required functionality. Automation design issues should be centered on the understanding of the laboratory and its relationship to healthcare delivery and the business and operational processes in the clinical laboratory. Automation design philosophy has evolved from a hardware-based approach to a software-based approach. Process control software to support repeat testing, reflex testing, and transportation management, and overall computer-integrated manufacturing approaches to laboratory automation implementation are rapidly expanding areas. It is clear that hardware and software are functionally interdependent and that the interface between the laboratory automation system and the laboratory information system is a key component. The cost-effectiveness of automation solutions suggested by vendors, however, has been difficult to evaluate because the number of automation installations are few and the precision with which operational data have been collected to determine payback is suboptimal. The trend in automation has moved from total laboratory automation to a

A 14 MeV neutron irradiation facility with an automated fast cyclic pneumatic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montgomery, M.T.; Yoho, M.D.; Biegalski, S.R.; Landsberger, S.; Welch, L.

2016-01-01

This work details the design criteria, construction, controls, and optimization of the 14 MeV neutron irradiation facility at the University of Texas, built with the motivation of performing neutron activation analysis on samples with short half-lives. The facility couples a D-T neutron generator with a pneumatic transfer system capable of transit of approximately one second between source and detector, while the cyclic automated nature allows for many irradiation/count trials with any number of samples, translating to significantly improved counting statistics. (author)

Contaminant analysis automation, an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollen, R.; Ramos, O. Jr.

1996-01-01

To meet the environmental restoration and waste minimization goals of government and industry, several government laboratories, universities, and private companies have formed the Contaminant Analysis Automation (CAA) team. The goal of this consortium is to design and fabricate robotics systems that standardize and automate the hardware and software of the most common environmental chemical methods. In essence, the CAA team takes conventional, regulatory- approved (EPA Methods) chemical analysis processes and automates them. The automation consists of standard laboratory modules (SLMs) that perform the work in a much more efficient, accurate, and cost- effective manner

Selecting automation for the clinical chemistry laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Melanson, Stacy E F; Lindeman, Neal I; Jarolim, Petr

2007-07-01

Laboratory automation proposes to improve the quality and efficiency of laboratory operations, and may provide a solution to the quality demands and staff shortages faced by today's clinical laboratories. Several vendors offer automation systems in the United States, with both subtle and obvious differences. Arriving at a decision to automate, and the ensuing evaluation of available products, can be time-consuming and challenging. Although considerable discussion concerning the decision to automate has been published, relatively little attention has been paid to the process of evaluating and selecting automation systems. To outline a process for evaluating and selecting automation systems as a reference for laboratories contemplating laboratory automation. Our Clinical Chemistry Laboratory staff recently evaluated all major laboratory automation systems in the United States, with their respective chemistry and immunochemistry analyzers. Our experience is described and organized according to the selection process, the important considerations in clinical chemistry automation, decisions and implementation, and we give conclusions pertaining to this experience. Including the formation of a committee, workflow analysis, submitting a request for proposal, site visits, and making a final decision, the process of selecting chemistry automation took approximately 14 months. We outline important considerations in automation design, preanalytical processing, analyzer selection, postanalytical storage, and data management. Selecting clinical chemistry laboratory automation is a complex, time-consuming process. Laboratories considering laboratory automation may benefit from the concise overview and narrative and tabular suggestions provided.

Automated Vehicles Symposium 2014

CERN Document Server

Beiker, Sven; Road Vehicle Automation 2

2015-01-01

This paper collection is the second volume of the LNMOB series on Road Vehicle Automation. The book contains a comprehensive review of current technical, socio-economic, and legal perspectives written by experts coming from public authorities, companies and universities in the U.S., Europe and Japan. It originates from the Automated Vehicle Symposium 2014, which was jointly organized by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Burlingame, CA, in July 2014. The contributions discuss the challenges arising from the integration of highly automated and self-driving vehicles into the transportation system, with a focus on human factors and different deployment scenarios. This book is an indispensable source of information for academic researchers, industrial engineers, and policy makers interested in the topic of road vehicle automation.

Work Planing Automation at Mechanical Subdivision

OpenAIRE

Dzindzelėta, Vytautas

2005-01-01

Work planing automation, installation possibilities and future outlook at mechanical subdivision. To study how the work planing has changed before and after automation process and to analyse automation process methodology.

Physiological Self-Regulation and Adaptive Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Prinzell, Lawrence J.; Pope, Alan T.; Freeman, Frederick G.

2007-01-01

Adaptive automation has been proposed as a solution to current problems of human-automation interaction. Past research has shown the potential of this advanced form of automation to enhance pilot engagement and lower cognitive workload. However, there have been concerns voiced regarding issues, such as automation surprises, associated with the use of adaptive automation. This study examined the use of psychophysiological self-regulation training with adaptive automation that may help pilots deal with these problems through the enhancement of cognitive resource management skills. Eighteen participants were assigned to 3 groups (self-regulation training, false feedback, and control) and performed resource management, monitoring, and tracking tasks from the Multiple Attribute Task Battery. The tracking task was cycled between 3 levels of task difficulty (automatic, adaptive aiding, manual) on the basis of the electroencephalogram-derived engagement index. The other two tasks remained in automatic mode that had a single automation failure. Those participants who had received self-regulation training performed significantly better and reported lower National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index scores than participants in the false feedback and control groups. The theoretical and practical implications of these results for adaptive automation are discussed.

Buying Program of the Standard Automated Materiel Management System. Automated Small Purchase System: Defense Supply Center Philadelphia

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2001-01-01

The Standard Automated Materiel Management System Automated Small Purchase System is a fully automated micro-purchases system used by the General and Industrial Directorate at the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia...

Research on Dynamic Modeling and Application of Kinetic Contact Interface in Machine Tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A method is presented which is a kind of combining theoretic analysis and experiment to obtain the equivalent dynamic parameters of linear guideway through four steps in detail. From statics analysis, vibration model analysis, dynamic experiment, and parameter identification, the dynamic modeling of linear guideway is synthetically studied. Based on contact mechanics and elastic mechanics, the mathematic vibration model and the expressions of basic mode frequency are deduced. Then, equivalent stiffness and damping of guideway are obtained in virtue of single-freedom-degree mode fitting method. Moreover, the investigation above is applied in a certain gantry-type machining center; and through comparing with simulation model and experiment results, both availability and correctness are validated.

Comparison of Size Modulation Standard Automated Perimetry and Conventional Standard Automated Perimetry with a 10-2 Test Program in Glaucoma Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirasawa, Kazunori; Takahashi, Natsumi; Satou, Tsukasa; Kasahara, Masayuki; Matsumura, Kazuhiro; Shoji, Nobuyuki

2017-08-01

This prospective observational study compared the performance of size modulation standard automated perimetry with the Octopus 600 10-2 test program, with stimulus size modulation during testing, based on stimulus intensity and conventional standard automated perimetry, with that of the Humphrey 10-2 test program in glaucoma patients. Eighty-seven eyes of 87 glaucoma patients underwent size modulation standard automated perimetry with Dynamic strategy and conventional standard automated perimetry using the SITA standard strategy. The main outcome measures were global indices, point-wise threshold, visual defect size and depth, reliability indices, and test duration; these were compared between size modulation standard automated perimetry and conventional standard automated perimetry. Global indices and point-wise threshold values between size modulation standard automated perimetry and conventional standard automated perimetry were moderately to strongly correlated (p 33.40, p modulation standard automated perimetry than with conventional standard automated perimetry, but the visual-field defect size was smaller (p modulation-standard automated perimetry than on conventional standard automated perimetry. The reliability indices, particularly the false-negative response, of size modulation standard automated perimetry were worse than those of conventional standard automated perimetry (p modulation standard automated perimetry than with conventional standard automated perimetry (p = 0.02). Global indices and the point-wise threshold value of the two testing modalities correlated well. However, the potential of a large stimulus presented at an area with a decreased sensitivity with size modulation standard automated perimetry could underestimate the actual threshold in the 10-2 test protocol, as compared with conventional standard automated perimetry.

Laboratory automation and LIMS in forensics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stangegaard, Michael; Hansen, Anders Johannes; Morling, Niels

2013-01-01

. Furthermore, implementation of automated liquid handlers reduces the risk of sample misplacement. A LIMS can efficiently control the sample flow through the laboratory and manage the results of the conducted tests for each sample. Integration of automated liquid handlers with a LIMS provides the laboratory......Implementation of laboratory automation and LIMS in a forensic laboratory enables the laboratory, to standardize sample processing. Automated liquid handlers can increase throughput and eliminate manual repetitive pipetting operations, known to result in occupational injuries to the technical staff...... with the tools required for setting up automated production lines of complex laboratory processes and monitoring the whole process and the results. Combined, this enables processing of a large number of samples. Selection of the best automated solution for an individual laboratory should be based on user...

Machine learning vortices at the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, Matthew J. S.; Golubeva, Anna; Melko, Roger G.

2018-01-01

Efficient and automated classification of phases from minimally processed data is one goal of machine learning in condensed-matter and statistical physics. Supervised algorithms trained on raw samples of microstates can successfully detect conventional phase transitions via learning a bulk feature such as an order parameter. In this paper, we investigate whether neural networks can learn to classify phases based on topological defects. We address this question on the two-dimensional classical XY model which exhibits a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. We find significant feature engineering of the raw spin states is required to convincingly claim that features of the vortex configurations are responsible for learning the transition temperature. We further show a single-layer network does not correctly classify the phases of the XY model, while a convolutional network easily performs classification by learning the global magnetization. Finally, we design a deep network capable of learning vortices without feature engineering. We demonstrate the detection of vortices does not necessarily result in the best classification accuracy, especially for lattices of less than approximately 1000 spins. For larger systems, it remains a difficult task to learn vortices.

Automation and robotics

Science.gov (United States)

Montemerlo, Melvin

1988-01-01

The Autonomous Systems focus on the automation of control systems for the Space Station and mission operations. Telerobotics focuses on automation for in-space servicing, assembly, and repair. The Autonomous Systems and Telerobotics each have a planned sequence of integrated demonstrations showing the evolutionary advance of the state-of-the-art. Progress is briefly described for each area of concern.

Automating the radiographic NDT process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aman, J.K.

1986-01-01

Automation, the removal of the human element in inspection, has not been generally applied to film radiographic NDT. The justication for automating is not only productivity but also reliability of results. Film remains in the automated system of the future because of its extremely high image content, approximately 8 x 10 9 bits per 14 x 17. The equivalent to 2200 computer floppy discs. Parts handling systems and robotics applied for manufacturing and some NDT modalities, should now be applied to film radiographic NDT systems. Automatic film handling can be achieved with the daylight NDT film handling system. Automatic film processing is becoming the standard in industry and can be coupled to the daylight system. Robots offer the opportunity to automate fully the exposure step. Finally, computer aided interpretation appears on the horizon. A unit which laser scans a 14 x 17 (inch) film in 6 - 8 seconds can digitize film information for further manipulation and possible automatic interrogations (computer aided interpretation). The system called FDRS (for Film Digital Radiography System) is moving toward 50 micron (*approx* 16 lines/mm) resolution. This is believed to meet the need of the majority of image content needs. We expect the automated system to appear first in parts (modules) as certain operations are automated. The future will see it all come together in an automated film radiographic NDT system (author) [pt

Automated Vehicles Symposium 2015

CERN Document Server

Beiker, Sven

2016-01-01

This edited book comprises papers about the impacts, benefits and challenges of connected and automated cars. It is the third volume of the LNMOB series dealing with Road Vehicle Automation. The book comprises contributions from researchers, industry practitioners and policy makers, covering perspectives from the U.S., Europe and Japan. It is based on the Automated Vehicles Symposium 2015 which was jointly organized by the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in July 2015. The topical spectrum includes, but is not limited to, public sector activities, human factors, ethical and business aspects, energy and technological perspectives, vehicle systems and transportation infrastructure. This book is an indispensable source of information for academic researchers, industrial engineers and policy makers interested in the topic of road vehicle automation.

A Comparison Between Orion Automated and Space Shuttle Rendezvous Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Jose O,; Hart, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The Orion spacecraft will replace the space shuttle and will be the first human spacecraft since the Apollo program to leave low earth orbit. This vehicle will serve as the cornerstone of a complete space transportation system with a myriad of mission requirements necessitating rendezvous to multiple vehicles in earth orbit, around the moon and eventually beyond . These goals will require a complex and robust vehicle that is, significantly different from both the space shuttle and the command module of the Apollo program. Historically, orbit operations have been accomplished with heavy reliance on ground support and manual crew reconfiguration and monitoring. One major difference with Orion is that automation will be incorporated as a key element of the man-vehicle system. The automated system will consist of software devoted to transitioning between events based on a master timeline. This effectively adds a layer of high level sequencing that moves control of the vehicle from one phase to the next. This type of automated control is not entirely new to spacecraft since the shuttle uses a version of this during ascent and entry operations. During shuttle orbit operations however many of the software modes and hardware switches must be manually configured through the use of printed procedures and instructions voiced from the ground. The goal of the automation scheme on Orion is to extend high level automation to all flight phases. The move towards automation represents a large shift from current space shuttle operations, and so these new systems will be adopted gradually via various safeguards. These include features such as authority-to-proceed, manual down modes, and functional inhibits. This paper describes the contrast between the manual and ground approach of the space shuttle and the proposed automation of the Orion vehicle. I will introduce typical orbit operations that are common to all rendezvous missions and go on to describe the current Orion automation

Automated PCB Inspection System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Usama BUKHARI

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Development of an automated PCB inspection system as per the need of industry is a challenging task. In this paper a case study is presented, to exhibit, a proposed system for an immigration process of a manual PCB inspection system to an automated PCB inspection system, with a minimal intervention on the existing production flow, for a leading automotive manufacturing company. A detailed design of the system, based on computer vision followed by testing and analysis was proposed, in order to aid the manufacturer in the process of automation.

Advances in the simulation and automated measurement of well-sorted granular material: 2. Direct measures of particle properties

Science.gov (United States)

Buscombe, D.; Rubin, D. M.

2012-06-01

In this, the second of a pair of papers on the structure of well-sorted natural granular material (sediment), new methods are described for automated measurements from images of sediment, of: 1) particle-size standard deviation (arithmetic sorting) with and without apparent void fraction; and 2) mean particle size in material with void fraction. A variety of simulations of granular material are used for testing purposes, in addition to images of natural sediment. Simulations are also used to establish that the effects on automated particle sizing of grains visible through the interstices of the grains at the very surface of a granular material continue to a depth of approximately 4 grain diameters and that this is independent of mean particle size. Ensemble root-mean squared error between observed and estimated arithmetic sorting coefficients for 262 images of natural silts, sands and gravels (drawn from 8 populations) is 31%, which reduces to 27% if adjusted for bias (slope correction between observed and estimated values). These methods allow non-intrusive and fully automated measurements of surfaces of unconsolidated granular material. With no tunable parameters or empirically derived coefficients, they should be broadly universal in appropriate applications. However, empirical corrections may need to be applied for the most accurate results. Finally, analytical formulas are derived for the one-step pore-particle transition probability matrix, estimated from the image's autocorrelogram, from which void fraction of a section of granular material can be estimated directly. This model gives excellent predictions of bulk void fraction yet imperfect predictions of pore-particle transitions.

Equipping an automated wheelchair with an infrared encoder wheel odometer - biomed 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, D; Allen, M; Barrett, S F

2011-01-01

Assistive technology is a rapidly growing field that provides a degree of freedom and self-sufficiency to people of limited mobility. Smart wheelchairs are a subset of assistive technology, and are designed to be operated by people who are unable to use a traditional control system. Instead, smart wheelchairs are equipped with a combination of automated functionality and steering mechanisms specialized to meet a person’s individual needs. One feature common to the automated capabilities of smart wheelchairs is the tracking system. The wheelchair’s microcontroller needs to know how far the chair has travelled, its speed, and the rotational direction of its wheels in order to successfully navigate through an environment. The purpose of this research was to develop an odometer to track the motion of a motorized wheelchair. Due to federal regulations that prohibit changing the structure or internal mechanics of a medical device, the odometer had to be designed as a separate, removable part. The final design for the odometer consisted of two infrared sensors that measure edge transitions of a segmented black and white encoder wheel. The sensor output was then run through two comparator op amps and a high pass filter to produce a clean, crisp square wave signal output. The signal was then fed to an Atmel ATmega164P microcontroller. The microcontroller was programmed to compare the sensor signal with its internal clock, sense edge transitions, and thereby extrapolate the speed, travelled distance, and rotational direction of the wheelchair.

Model for spatial synthesis of automated control system of the GCR type reactor; Model za prostornu sintezu sistema automatskog upravljanja reaktora GCR tipa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazarevic, B; Matausek, M [Institut za nuklearne nauke ' Boris Kidric' , Vinca, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

1966-07-01

This paper describes the model which was developed for synthesis of spatial distribution of automated control elements in the reactor. It represents a general reliable mathematical model for analyzing transition states and synthesis of the automated control and regulation systems of GCR type reactors. One-dimensional system was defined under assumption that the time dependence of parameters of the neutron diffusion equation are identical in the total volume of the reactor and that spatial distribution of neutrons is time independent. It is shown that this assumption is satisfactory in case of short term variations which are relevant for safety analysis.

Automated lung nodule classification following automated nodule detection on CT: A serial approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armato, Samuel G. III; Altman, Michael B.; Wilkie, Joel; Sone, Shusuke; Li, Feng; Doi, Kunio; Roy, Arunabha S.

2003-01-01

We have evaluated the performance of an automated classifier applied to the task of differentiating malignant and benign lung nodules in low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) scans acquired as part of a lung cancer screening program. The nodules classified in this manner were initially identified by our automated lung nodule detection method, so that the output of automated lung nodule detection was used as input to automated lung nodule classification. This study begins to narrow the distinction between the 'detection task' and the 'classification task'. Automated lung nodule detection is based on two- and three-dimensional analyses of the CT image data. Gray-level-thresholding techniques are used to identify initial lung nodule candidates, for which morphological and gray-level features are computed. A rule-based approach is applied to reduce the number of nodule candidates that correspond to non-nodules, and the features of remaining candidates are merged through linear discriminant analysis to obtain final detection results. Automated lung nodule classification merges the features of the lung nodule candidates identified by the detection algorithm that correspond to actual nodules through another linear discriminant classifier to distinguish between malignant and benign nodules. The automated classification method was applied to the computerized detection results obtained from a database of 393 low-dose thoracic CT scans containing 470 confirmed lung nodules (69 malignant and 401 benign nodules). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the ability of the classifier to differentiate between nodule candidates that correspond to malignant nodules and nodule candidates that correspond to benign lesions. The area under the ROC curve for this classification task attained a value of 0.79 during a leave-one-out evaluation

Automation of Electrical Cable Harnesses Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuming Bi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional automated systems, such as industrial robots, are applied in well-structured environments, and many automated systems have a limited adaptability to deal with complexity and uncertainty; therefore, the applications of industrial robots in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs are very limited. The majority of manual operations in SMEs are too complicated for automation. The rapidly developed information technologies (IT has brought new opportunities for the automation of manufacturing and assembly processes in the ill-structured environments. Note that an automation solution should be designed to meet the given requirements of the specified application, and it differs from one application to another. In this paper, we look into the feasibility of automated testing for electric cable harnesses, and our focus is on some of the generic strategies for the improvement of the adaptability of automation solutions. Especially, the concept of modularization is adopted in developing hardware and software to maximize system adaptability in testing a wide scope of products. A proposed system has been implemented, and the system performances have been evaluated by executing tests on actual products. The testing experiments have shown that the automated system outperformed manual operations greatly in terms of cost-saving, productivity and reliability. Due to the potential of increasing system adaptability and cost reduction, the presented work has its theoretical and practical significance for an extension for other automation solutions in SMEs.

Automated DBS microsampling, microscale automation and microflow LC-MS for therapeutic protein PK.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Tomazela, Daniela; Vasicek, Lisa A; Spellman, Daniel S; Beaumont, Maribel; Shyong, BaoJen; Kenny, Jacqueline; Fauty, Scott; Fillgrove, Kerry; Harrelson, Jane; Bateman, Kevin P

2016-04-01

Reduce animal usage for discovery-stage PK studies for biologics programs using microsampling-based approaches and microscale LC-MS. We report the development of an automated DBS-based serial microsampling approach for studying the PK of therapeutic proteins in mice. Automated sample preparation and microflow LC-MS were used to enable assay miniaturization and improve overall assay throughput. Serial sampling of mice was possible over the full 21-day study period with the first six time points over 24 h being collected using automated DBS sample collection. Overall, this approach demonstrated comparable data to a previous study using single mice per time point liquid samples while reducing animal and compound requirements by 14-fold. Reduction in animals and drug material is enabled by the use of automated serial DBS microsampling for mice studies in discovery-stage studies of protein therapeutics.

Quantitative Estimation for the Effectiveness of Automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun

2012-01-01

In advanced MCR, various automation systems are applied to enhance the human performance and reduce the human errors in industrial fields. It is expected that automation provides greater efficiency, lower workload, and fewer human errors. However, these promises are not always fulfilled. As the new types of events related to application of the imperfect and complex automation are occurred, it is required to analyze the effects of automation system for the performance of human operators. Therefore, we suggest the quantitative estimation method to analyze the effectiveness of the automation systems according to Level of Automation (LOA) classification, which has been developed over 30 years. The estimation of the effectiveness of automation will be achieved by calculating the failure probability of human performance related to the cognitive activities

Automating spectral measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Fred T.

2008-09-01

This paper discusses the architecture of software utilized in spectroscopic measurements. As optical coatings become more sophisticated, there is mounting need to automate data acquisition (DAQ) from spectrophotometers. Such need is exacerbated when 100% inspection is required, ancillary devices are utilized, cost reduction is crucial, or security is vital. While instrument manufacturers normally provide point-and-click DAQ software, an application programming interface (API) may be missing. In such cases automation is impossible or expensive. An API is typically provided in libraries (*.dll, *.ocx) which may be embedded in user-developed applications. Users can thereby implement DAQ automation in several Windows languages. Another possibility, developed by FTG as an alternative to instrument manufacturers' software, is the ActiveX application (*.exe). ActiveX, a component of many Windows applications, provides means for programming and interoperability. This architecture permits a point-and-click program to act as automation client and server. Excel, for example, can control and be controlled by DAQ applications. Most importantly, ActiveX permits ancillary devices such as barcode readers and XY-stages to be easily and economically integrated into scanning procedures. Since an ActiveX application has its own user-interface, it can be independently tested. The ActiveX application then runs (visibly or invisibly) under DAQ software control. Automation capabilities are accessed via a built-in spectro-BASIC language with industry-standard (VBA-compatible) syntax. Supplementing ActiveX, spectro-BASIC also includes auxiliary serial port commands for interfacing programmable logic controllers (PLC). A typical application is automatic filter handling.

Ask the experts: automation: part I.

Science.gov (United States)

Allinson, John L; Blick, Kenneth E; Cohen, Lucinda; Higton, David; Li, Ming

2013-08-01

Bioanalysis invited a selection of leading researchers to express their views on automation in the bioanalytical laboratory. The topics discussed include the challenges that the modern bioanalyst faces when integrating automation into existing drug-development processes, the impact of automation and how they envision the modern bioanalytical laboratory changing in the near future. Their enlightening responses provide a valuable insight into the impact of automation and the future of the constantly evolving bioanalytical laboratory.

An Automation Survival Guide for Media Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Whaley, Roger E.

1989-01-01

Reviews factors that should affect the decision to automate a school media center and offers suggestions for the automation process. Topics discussed include getting the library collection ready for automation, deciding what automated functions are needed, evaluating software vendors, selecting software, and budgeting. (CLB)

Demands on digital automation; Anforderungen an die Digitale Automation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bieler, P.

1995-12-31

In chapter 12 of the anthology about building control the demands on digital automation are presented. The following aspects are discussed: variety of the companies` philosophies, demands of the customer/investor, demands of the use of buildings/rooms, the user, point of view of manufacturer of technical plants. (BWI) [Deutsch] Kapitel 12 des Sammelbandes ueber Building Control stellt die Anforderungen an die Digitale Automation vor. In diesem Zusammenhang wird auf folgende Themenbereiche eingegangen: Spektrum der Firmenphilosophien, Forderungen der Auftraggeber/Investoren, der Gebaeude-/Raumnutzung, der Betreiber sowie Sicht der Ersteller betriebstechnischer Anlagen. (BWI)

Disassembly automation automated systems with cognitive abilities

CERN Document Server

Vongbunyong, Supachai

2015-01-01

This book presents a number of aspects to be considered in the development of disassembly automation, including the mechanical system, vision system and intelligent planner. The implementation of cognitive robotics increases the flexibility and degree of autonomy of the disassembly system. Disassembly, as a step in the treatment of end-of-life products, can allow the recovery of embodied value left within disposed products, as well as the appropriate separation of potentially-hazardous components. In the end-of-life treatment industry, disassembly has largely been limited to manual labor, which is expensive in developed countries. Automation is one possible solution for economic feasibility. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and experts in the field, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

Automations influence on nuclear power plants: a look at three accidents and how automation played a role.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Kara

2012-01-01

Nuclear power is one of the ways that we can design an efficient sustainable future. Automation is the primary system used to assist operators in the task of monitoring and controlling nuclear power plants (NPP). Automation performs tasks such as assessing the status of the plant's operations as well as making real time life critical situational specific decisions. While the advantages and disadvantages of automation are well studied in variety of domains, accidents remind us that there is still vulnerability to unknown variables. This paper will look at the effects of automation within three NPP accidents and incidents and will consider why automation failed in preventing these accidents from occurring. It will also review the accidents at the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Daiichi NPP's in order to determine where better use of automation could have resulted in a more desirable outcome.

Automation life-cycle cost model

Science.gov (United States)

Gathmann, Thomas P.; Reeves, Arlinda J.; Cline, Rick; Henrion, Max; Ruokangas, Corinne

1992-01-01

The problem domain being addressed by this contractual effort can be summarized by the following list: Automation and Robotics (A&R) technologies appear to be viable alternatives to current, manual operations; Life-cycle cost models are typically judged with suspicion due to implicit assumptions and little associated documentation; and Uncertainty is a reality for increasingly complex problems and few models explicitly account for its affect on the solution space. The objectives for this effort range from the near-term (1-2 years) to far-term (3-5 years). In the near-term, the envisioned capabilities of the modeling tool are annotated. In addition, a framework is defined and developed in the Decision Modelling System (DEMOS) environment. Our approach is summarized as follows: Assess desirable capabilities (structure into near- and far-term); Identify useful existing models/data; Identify parameters for utility analysis; Define tool framework; Encode scenario thread for model validation; and Provide transition path for tool development. This report contains all relevant, technical progress made on this contractual effort.

A SEARCH FOR THE TRANSIT OF HD 168443b: IMPROVED ORBITAL PARAMETERS AND PHOTOMETRY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pilyavsky, Genady; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Wright, Jason T.; Wang, Xuesong X. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Kane, Stephen R.; Ciardi, David R.; Dragomir, Diana; Von Braun, Kaspar [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, Caltech, MS 100-22, 770 South Wilson Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Howard, Andrew W. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); De Pree, Chris; Marlowe, Hannah [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Agnes Scott College, 141 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030 (United States); Fischer, Debra [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Henry, Gregory W. [Center of Excellence in Information Systems, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Box 9501, Nashville, TN 37209 (United States); Jensen, Eric L. N. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081 (United States); Laughlin, Gregory [UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Rabus, Markus, E-mail: gcp5017@psu.edu, E-mail: suvrath@astro.psu.edu [Departamento de Astonomia y Astrofisica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Casilla 306, Santiago 22 (Chile)

2011-12-20

The discovery of transiting planets around bright stars holds the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of planetary atmospheres. In this work we present the search for transits of HD 168443b, a massive planet orbiting the bright star HD 168443 (V = 6.92) with a period of 58.11 days. The high eccentricity of the planetary orbit (e = 0.53) significantly enhances the a priori transit probability beyond that expected for a circular orbit, making HD 168443 a candidate for our ongoing Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey. Using additional radial velocities from Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer, we refined the orbital parameters of this multi-planet system and derived a new transit ephemeris for HD 168443b. The reduced uncertainties in the transit window make a photometric transit search practicable. Photometric observations acquired during predicted transit windows were obtained on three nights. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.0 m photometry acquired on 2010 September 7 had the required precision to detect a transit but fell just outside of our final transit window. Nightly photometry from the T8 0.8 m automated photometric telescope at Fairborn Observatory, acquired over a span of 109 nights, demonstrates that HD 168443 is constant on a timescale of weeks. Higher-cadence photometry on 2011 April 28 and June 25 shows no evidence of a transit. We are able to rule out a non-grazing transit of HD 168443b.

A Search for the Transit of HD 168443b: Improved Orbital Parameters and Photometry

Science.gov (United States)

Pilyavsky, Genady; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Kane, Stephen R.; Howard, Andrew W.; Ciardi, David R.; de Pree, Chris; Dragomir, Diana; Fischer, Debra; Henry, Gregory W.; Jensen, Eric L. N.; Laughlin, Gregory; Marlowe, Hannah; Rabus, Markus; von Braun, Kaspar; Wright, Jason T.; Wang, Xuesong X.

2011-12-01

The discovery of transiting planets around bright stars holds the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of planetary atmospheres. In this work we present the search for transits of HD 168443b, a massive planet orbiting the bright star HD 168443 (V = 6.92) with a period of 58.11 days. The high eccentricity of the planetary orbit (e = 0.53) significantly enhances the a priori transit probability beyond that expected for a circular orbit, making HD 168443 a candidate for our ongoing Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey. Using additional radial velocities from Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer, we refined the orbital parameters of this multi-planet system and derived a new transit ephemeris for HD 168443b. The reduced uncertainties in the transit window make a photometric transit search practicable. Photometric observations acquired during predicted transit windows were obtained on three nights. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.0 m photometry acquired on 2010 September 7 had the required precision to detect a transit but fell just outside of our final transit window. Nightly photometry from the T8 0.8 m automated photometric telescope at Fairborn Observatory, acquired over a span of 109 nights, demonstrates that HD 168443 is constant on a timescale of weeks. Higher-cadence photometry on 2011 April 28 and June 25 shows no evidence of a transit. We are able to rule out a non-grazing transit of HD 168443b.

Automated System Marketplace 1994.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Jose-Marie; Kertis, Kimberly

1994-01-01

Reports results of the 1994 Automated System Marketplace survey based on responses from 60 vendors. Highlights include changes in the library automation marketplace; estimated library systems revenues; minicomputer and microcomputer-based systems; marketplace trends; global markets and mergers; research needs; new purchase processes; and profiles…

Automation in Warehouse Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamberg, R.; Verriet, J.

2012-01-01

The warehouses of the future will come in a variety of forms, but with a few common ingredients. Firstly, human operational handling of items in warehouses is increasingly being replaced by automated item handling. Extended warehouse automation counteracts the scarcity of human operators and

Operational proof of automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaerschky, R.; Reifenhaeuser, R.; Schlicht, K.

1976-01-01

Automation of the power plant process may imply quite a number of problems. The automation of dynamic operations requires complicated programmes often interfering in several branched areas. This reduces clarity for the operating and maintenance staff, whilst increasing the possibilities of errors. The synthesis and the organization of standardized equipment have proved very successful. The possibilities offered by this kind of automation for improving the operation of power plants will only sufficiently and correctly be turned to profit, however, if the application of these technics of equipment is further improved and if its volume is tallied with a definite etc. (orig.) [de

Chef infrastructure automation cookbook

CERN Document Server

Marschall, Matthias

2013-01-01

Chef Infrastructure Automation Cookbook contains practical recipes on everything you will need to automate your infrastructure using Chef. The book is packed with illustrated code examples to automate your server and cloud infrastructure.The book first shows you the simplest way to achieve a certain task. Then it explains every step in detail, so that you can build your knowledge about how things work. Eventually, the book shows you additional things to consider for each approach. That way, you can learn step-by-step and build profound knowledge on how to go about your configuration management

Operational proof of automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaerschky, R.; Schlicht, K.

1977-01-01

Automation of the power plant process may imply quite a number of problems. The automation of dynamic operations requires complicated programmes often interfering in several branched areas. This reduces clarity for the operating and maintenance staff, whilst increasing the possibilities of errors. The synthesis and the organization of standardized equipment have proved very successful. The possibilities offered by this kind of automation for improving the operation of power plants will only sufficiently and correctly be turned to profit, however, if the application of these equipment techniques is further improved and if it stands in a certain ratio with a definite efficiency. (orig.) [de

Future Computer, Communication, Control and Automation

CERN Document Server

2011 International Conference on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation

2012-01-01

The volume includes a set of selected papers extended and revised from the 2011 International Conference on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation (3CA 2011). 2011 International Conference on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation (3CA 2011) has been held in Zhuhai, China, November 19-20, 2011. This volume topics covered include wireless communications, advances in wireless video, wireless sensors networking, security in wireless networks, network measurement and management, hybrid and discrete-event systems, internet analytics and automation, robotic system and applications, reconfigurable automation systems, machine vision in automation. We hope that researchers, graduate students and other interested readers benefit scientifically from the proceedings and also find it stimulating in the process.

"First generation" automated DNA sequencing technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Slatko, Barton E; Kieleczawa, Jan; Ju, Jingyue; Gardner, Andrew F; Hendrickson, Cynthia L; Ausubel, Frederick M

2011-10-01

Beginning in the 1980s, automation of DNA sequencing has greatly increased throughput, reduced costs, and enabled large projects to be completed more easily. The development of automation technology paralleled the development of other aspects of DNA sequencing: better enzymes and chemistry, separation and imaging technology, sequencing protocols, robotics, and computational advancements (including base-calling algorithms with quality scores, database developments, and sequence analysis programs). Despite the emergence of high-throughput sequencing platforms, automated Sanger sequencing technology remains useful for many applications. This unit provides background and a description of the "First-Generation" automated DNA sequencing technology. It also includes protocols for using the current Applied Biosystems (ABI) automated DNA sequencing machines. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Introduction matters: Manipulating trust in automation and reliance in automated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Körber, Moritz; Baseler, Eva; Bengler, Klaus

2018-01-01

Trust in automation is a key determinant for the adoption of automated systems and their appropriate use. Therefore, it constitutes an essential research area for the introduction of automated vehicles to road traffic. In this study, we investigated the influence of trust promoting (Trust promoted group) and trust lowering (Trust lowered group) introductory information on reported trust, reliance behavior and take-over performance. Forty participants encountered three situations in a 17-min highway drive in a conditionally automated vehicle (SAE Level 3). Situation 1 and Situation 3 were non-critical situations where a take-over was optional. Situation 2 represented a critical situation where a take-over was necessary to avoid a collision. A non-driving-related task (NDRT) was presented between the situations to record the allocation of visual attention. Participants reporting a higher trust level spent less time looking at the road or instrument cluster and more time looking at the NDRT. The manipulation of introductory information resulted in medium differences in reported trust and influenced participants' reliance behavior. Participants of the Trust promoted group looked less at the road or instrument cluster and more at the NDRT. The odds of participants of the Trust promoted group to overrule the automated driving system in the non-critical situations were 3.65 times (Situation 1) to 5 times (Situation 3) higher. In Situation 2, the Trust promoted group's mean take-over time was extended by 1154 ms and the mean minimum time-to-collision was 933 ms shorter. Six participants from the Trust promoted group compared to no participant of the Trust lowered group collided with the obstacle. The results demonstrate that the individual trust level influences how much drivers monitor the environment while performing an NDRT. Introductory information influences this trust level, reliance on an automated driving system, and if a critical take-over situation can be

Automating the Small Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Skapura, Robert

1987-01-01

Discusses the use of microcomputers for automating school libraries, both for entire systems and for specific library tasks. Highlights include available library management software, newsletters that evaluate software, constructing an evaluation matrix, steps to consider in library automation, and a brief discussion of computerized card catalogs.…

The Rotary Zone Thermal Cycler: A Low-Power System Enabling Automated Rapid PCR

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsch, Michael S.; Renzi, Ronald F.; Van de Vreugde, James L.; Kim, Hanyoup; Knight, Daniel L.; Sinha, Anupama; Branda, Steven S.; Patel, Kamlesh D.

2015-01-01

Advances in molecular biology, microfluidics, and laboratory automation continue to expand the accessibility and applicability of these methods beyond the confines of conventional, centralized laboratory facilities and into point of use roles in clinical, military, forensic, and field-deployed applications. As a result, there is a growing need to adapt the unit operations of molecular biology (e.g., aliquoting, centrifuging, mixing, and thermal cycling) to compact, portable, low-power, and automation-ready formats. Here we present one such adaptation, the rotary zone thermal cycler (RZTC), a novel wheel-based device capable of cycling up to four different fixed-temperature blocks into contact with a stationary 4-microliter capillary-bound sample to realize 1-3 second transitions with steady state heater power of less than 10 W. We demonstrate the utility of the RZTC for DNA amplification as part of a highly integrated rotary zone PCR (rzPCR) system that uses low-volume valves and syringe-based fluid handling to automate sample loading and unloading, thermal cycling, and between-run cleaning functionalities in a compact, modular form factor. In addition to characterizing the performance of the RZTC and the efficacy of different online cleaning protocols, we present preliminary results for rapid single-plex PCR, multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) amplification, and second strand cDNA synthesis. PMID:25826708

The rotary zone thermal cycler: a low-power system enabling automated rapid PCR.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael S Bartsch

Full Text Available Advances in molecular biology, microfluidics, and laboratory automation continue to expand the accessibility and applicability of these methods beyond the confines of conventional, centralized laboratory facilities and into point of use roles in clinical, military, forensic, and field-deployed applications. As a result, there is a growing need to adapt the unit operations of molecular biology (e.g., aliquoting, centrifuging, mixing, and thermal cycling to compact, portable, low-power, and automation-ready formats. Here we present one such adaptation, the rotary zone thermal cycler (RZTC, a novel wheel-based device capable of cycling up to four different fixed-temperature blocks into contact with a stationary 4-microliter capillary-bound sample to realize 1-3 second transitions with steady state heater power of less than 10 W. We demonstrate the utility of the RZTC for DNA amplification as part of a highly integrated rotary zone PCR (rzPCR system that uses low-volume valves and syringe-based fluid handling to automate sample loading and unloading, thermal cycling, and between-run cleaning functionalities in a compact, modular form factor. In addition to characterizing the performance of the RZTC and the efficacy of different online cleaning protocols, we present preliminary results for rapid single-plex PCR, multiplex short tandem repeat (STR amplification, and second strand cDNA synthesis.

Automated radiosynthesis of no-carrier-added 4-[18F]fluoroiodobenzene: a versatile building block in 18F radiochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Way, Jenilee Dawn; Wuest, Frank

2014-02-01

4-[18F]Fluoroiodobenzene ([18F]FIB) is a versatile building block in 18F radiochemistry used in various transition metal-mediated C-C and C-N cross-coupling reactions and [18F]fluoroarylation reactions. Various synthesis routes have been described for the preparation of [18F]FIB. However, to date, no automated synthesis of [18F]FIB has been reported to allow access to larger amounts of [18F]FIB in high radiochemical and chemical purity. Herein, we describe an automated synthesis of no-carrier-added [18F]FIB on a GE TRACERlab™ FX automated synthesis unit starting from commercially available(4-iodophenyl)diphenylsulfonium triflate as the labelling precursor. [18F]FIB was prepared in high radiochemical yields of 89 ± 10% (decay-corrected, n = 7) within 60 min, including HPLC purification. The radiochemical purity exceeded 95%, and specific activity was greater than 40 GBq/μmol. Typically, from an experiment, 6.4 GBq of [18F]FIB could be obtained starting from 10.4 GBq of [18F]fluoride.

GUI test automation for Qt application

OpenAIRE

Wang, Lei

2015-01-01

GUI test automation is a popular and interesting subject in the testing industry. Many companies plan to start test automation projects in order to implement efficient, less expensive software testing. However, there are challenges for the testing team who lack experience performing GUI tests automation. Many GUI test automation projects have ended in failure due to mistakes made during the early stages of the project. The major work of this thesis is to find a solution to the challenges of e...

Automated Prediction of Catalytic Mechanism and Rate Law Using Graph-Based Reaction Path Sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Habershon, Scott

2016-04-12

In a recent article [ J. Chem. Phys. 2015 , 143 , 094106 ], we introduced a novel graph-based sampling scheme which can be used to generate chemical reaction paths in many-atom systems in an efficient and highly automated manner. The main goal of this work is to demonstrate how this approach, when combined with direct kinetic modeling, can be used to determine the mechanism and phenomenological rate law of a complex catalytic cycle, namely cobalt-catalyzed hydroformylation of ethene. Our graph-based sampling scheme generates 31 unique chemical products and 32 unique chemical reaction pathways; these sampled structures and reaction paths enable automated construction of a kinetic network model of the catalytic system when combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of free energies and resultant transition-state theory rate constants. Direct simulations of this kinetic network across a range of initial reactant concentrations enables determination of both the reaction mechanism and the associated rate law in an automated fashion, without the need for either presupposing a mechanism or making steady-state approximations in kinetic analysis. Most importantly, we find that the reaction mechanism which emerges from these simulations is exactly that originally proposed by Heck and Breslow; furthermore, the simulated rate law is also consistent with previous experimental and computational studies, exhibiting a complex dependence on carbon monoxide pressure. While the inherent errors of using DFT simulations to model chemical reactivity limit the quantitative accuracy of our calculated rates, this work confirms that our automated simulation strategy enables direct analysis of catalytic mechanisms from first principles.

Automation synthesis modules review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boschi, S.; Lodi, F.; Malizia, C.; Cicoria, G.; Marengo, M.

2013-01-01

The introduction of 68 Ga labelled tracers has changed the diagnostic approach to neuroendocrine tumours and the availability of a reliable, long-lived 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator has been at the bases of the development of 68 Ga radiopharmacy. The huge increase in clinical demand, the impact of regulatory issues and a careful radioprotection of the operators have boosted for extensive automation of the production process. The development of automated systems for 68 Ga radiochemistry, different engineering and software strategies and post-processing of the eluate were discussed along with impact of automation with regulations. - Highlights: ► Generators availability and robust chemistry boosted for the huge diffusion of 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals. ► Different technological approaches for 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals will be discussed. ► Generator eluate post processing and evolution to cassette based systems were the major issues in automation. ► Impact of regulations on the technological development will be also considered

76 FR 69755 - National Customs Automation Program Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-09

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Customs Automation... announces U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) plan to conduct a National Customs Automation Program... conveyance transporting the cargo to the United States. This data will fulfill merchandise entry requirements...

I trust it, but I don't know why: effects of implicit attitudes toward automation on trust in an automated system.

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, Stephanie M; Heimbaugh, Heather; LaChapell, Jennifer; Lee, Deborah

2013-06-01

This study is the first to examine the influence of implicit attitudes toward automation on users' trust in automation. Past empirical work has examined explicit (conscious) influences on user level of trust in automation but has not yet measured implicit influences. We examine concurrent effects of explicit propensity to trust machines and implicit attitudes toward automation on trust in an automated system. We examine differential impacts of each under varying automation performance conditions (clearly good, ambiguous, clearly poor). Participants completed both a self-report measure of propensity to trust and an Implicit Association Test measuring implicit attitude toward automation, then performed an X-ray screening task. Automation performance was manipulated within-subjects by varying the number and obviousness of errors. Explicit propensity to trust and implicit attitude toward automation did not significantly correlate. When the automation's performance was ambiguous, implicit attitude significantly affected automation trust, and its relationship with propensity to trust was additive: Increments in either were related to increases in trust. When errors were obvious, a significant interaction between the implicit and explicit measures was found, with those high in both having higher trust. Implicit attitudes have important implications for automation trust. Users may not be able to accurately report why they experience a given level of trust. To understand why users trust or fail to trust automation, measurements of implicit and explicit predictors may be necessary. Furthermore, implicit attitude toward automation might be used as a lever to effectively calibrate trust.

High speed maglev design

Science.gov (United States)

Rote, Donald M.; He, Jianliang; Coffey, Howard

1993-01-01

A propulsion and stabilization system for an inductive repulsion type magnetically levitated vehicle which is propelled and suspended by a system which includes dividing the superconducting magnets into two types: a strong field magnet which is located vertically below the vehicle for propulsion and guidance and a weak field superconducting magnet located at the ends of the vehicle for levitation and added guidance. Several proposed embodiments exist for the placement of the magnetic field shielding: locating the shielding on the vehicle, locating the shielding on the guideway, and locating the shielding on the guideway and adding shielding to the vertical undercarriage. In addition, the separation between the vehicle and the guideway can be controlled to reduce the exposure of the passenger cabin to magnetic fields.

Computation of magnetic suspension of maglev systems using dynamic circuit theory

Science.gov (United States)

He, J. L.; Rote, D. M.; Coffey, H. T.

1992-01-01

Dynamic circuit theory is applied to several magnetic suspensions associated with maglev systems. These suspension systems are the loop-shaped coil guideway, the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil guideway, and the continuous sheet guideway. Mathematical models, which can be used for the development of computer codes, are provided for each of these suspension systems. The differences and similarities of the models in using dynamic circuit theory are discussed in the paper. The paper emphasizes the transient and dynamic analysis and computer simulation of maglev systems. In general, the method discussed here can be applied to many electrodynamic suspension system design concepts. It is also suited for the computation of the performance of maglev propulsion systems. Numerical examples are presented in the paper.

High-speed Maglev studies in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atherton, D.L.; Eastham, A.R.

1974-01-01

This paper reports on Canadian studies of superconducting magnetic levitation and variable-speed linear synchronous motor propulsion for high-speed inter-city guided ground transport. Levitation is obtained by the interaction of vehicle-mounted superconducting magnets and the eddy currents induced in aluminium strip conductors on the guideway. Non-contact propulsion by linear synchronous motor (LSM) is obtained by using vehicle-borne superconducting magnets and powered guideway coils. A suggested guidance scheme uses a flat guideway with 'null-flux' loops overlying the LSM windings. The propulsion magnets interact with the loops and the edges of the levitation strips to provide lateral stabilization. The test facility is a 7.6m wheel, rotating with a peripheral speed of 33m/s. (author)

High speed maglev design

Science.gov (United States)

Rote, D.M.; Jianliang He; Coffey, H.

1993-10-19

A propulsion and stabilization system for an inductive repulsion type magnetically levitated vehicle which is propelled and suspended by a system which includes dividing the superconducting magnets into two types: a strong field magnet which is located vertically below the vehicle for propulsion and guidance and a weak field superconducting magnet located at the ends of the vehicle for levitation and added guidance. Several proposed embodiments exist for the placement of the magnetic field shielding: locating the shielding on the vehicle, locating the shielding on the guideway, and locating the shielding on the guideway and adding shielding to the vertical undercarriage. In addition, the separation between the vehicle and the guideway can be controlled to reduce the exposure of the passenger cabin to magnetic fields. 4 figures.

Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Doty, Charles R.

Major resources exist that can be used to develop or upgrade programs in community colleges and technical institutes that educate robotics/automated systems technicians. The first category of resources is Economic, Social, and Education Issues. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report, "Automation and the Workplace," presents analyses of…

Evaluation of an Automated Keywording System.

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Linda C.; And Others

1990-01-01

Discussion of automated indexing techniques focuses on ways to statistically document improvements in the development of an automated keywording system over time. The system developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to automate the storage, categorization, and retrieval of information from military exercises is explained, and performance measures are…

Future Control and Automation : Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Future Control and Automation

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

This volume Future Control and Automation- Volume 2 includes best papers from 2012 2nd International Conference on Future Control and Automation (ICFCA 2012) held on July 1-2, 2012, Changsha, China. Future control and automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. This volume can be divided into six sessions on the basis of the classification of manuscripts considered, which is listed as follows: Mathematical Modeling, Analysis and Computation, Control Engineering, Reliable Networks Design, Vehicular Communications and Networking, Automation and Mechatronics.

Automation for a base station stability testing

OpenAIRE

Punnek, Elvis

2016-01-01

This Batchelor’s thesis was commissioned by Oy LM Ericsson Ab Oulu. The aim of it was to help to investigate and create a test automation solution for the stability testing of the LTE base station. The main objective was to create a test automation for a predefined test set. This test automation solution had to be created for specific environments and equipment. This work included creating the automation for the test cases and putting them to daily test automation jobs. The key factor...

Automated security management

CERN Document Server

Al-Shaer, Ehab; Xie, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

In this contributed volume, leading international researchers explore configuration modeling and checking, vulnerability and risk assessment, configuration analysis, and diagnostics and discovery. The authors equip readers to understand automated security management systems and techniques that increase overall network assurability and usability. These constantly changing networks defend against cyber attacks by integrating hundreds of security devices such as firewalls, IPSec gateways, IDS/IPS, authentication servers, authorization/RBAC servers, and crypto systems. Automated Security Managemen

Automated analysis of free speech predicts psychosis onset in high-risk youths

Science.gov (United States)

Bedi, Gillinder; Carrillo, Facundo; Cecchi, Guillermo A; Slezak, Diego Fernández; Sigman, Mariano; Mota, Natália B; Ribeiro, Sidarta; Javitt, Daniel C; Copelli, Mauro; Corcoran, Cheryl M

2015-01-01

Background/Objectives: Psychiatry lacks the objective clinical tests routinely used in other specializations. Novel computerized methods to characterize complex behaviors such as speech could be used to identify and predict psychiatric illness in individuals. AIMS: In this proof-of-principle study, our aim was to test automated speech analyses combined with Machine Learning to predict later psychosis onset in youths at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis. Methods: Thirty-four CHR youths (11 females) had baseline interviews and were assessed quarterly for up to 2.5 years; five transitioned to psychosis. Using automated analysis, transcripts of interviews were evaluated for semantic and syntactic features predicting later psychosis onset. Speech features were fed into a convex hull classification algorithm with leave-one-subject-out cross-validation to assess their predictive value for psychosis outcome. The canonical correlation between the speech features and prodromal symptom ratings was computed. Results: Derived speech features included a Latent Semantic Analysis measure of semantic coherence and two syntactic markers of speech complexity: maximum phrase length and use of determiners (e.g., which). These speech features predicted later psychosis development with 100% accuracy, outperforming classification from clinical interviews. Speech features were significantly correlated with prodromal symptoms. Conclusions: Findings support the utility of automated speech analysis to measure subtle, clinically relevant mental state changes in emergent psychosis. Recent developments in computer science, including natural language processing, could provide the foundation for future development of objective clinical tests for psychiatry. PMID:27336038

Security Transition Program Office 1994 fiscal year work plan WBS 6.11

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brogdon, R.C. Jr.

1993-10-01

The Security Transition Program Office (STPO) will change the Hanford Safeguards and Security Protection Program from one that supported the national defense program to one that supports environmental restoration and waste management. A Successful Safeguards and Security Protection Program transition will have an industrial security foundation supplemented to protect material interests and information resources. The transition will change the current approaches to protection philosophy to ones that will provide the Hanford Site with the following: consolidation, reduction, and elimination of safeguards and security interests and targets; greater open Site access; maximum application of technology and automation; interpretation of security policies and procedures in light of the Hanford Site's environmental mission; coexistence with other emergency services; streamlined operations; and protection of employees and the public from health, safety, fire, security, and safeguards risks. This report describes the 1994 program objectives, the technical base, schedule baseline, cost, funding, manpower, and the 1993 program workscope

Automation warning system against driver falling asleep in-traffic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dymov I. S.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper is devoted to the development of a new automation recognition and warning system against driver falling asleep in-traffic. The issue of the physical condition control of professional drivers on the voyage has been considered both on the part of efficiency and quality of its determination, and in terms of improving overall road safety. The existing and widely used devices for determining the transition to the stage of sleep of drivers being in-traffic have been analyzed. Their advantages and disadvantages have been detected. It has been established that the main negative factor preventing the mass introduction of pre-existing warning systems is the need to wear one or another monitoring device before starting the movement. Carried out project research work has proposed a complex monitoring of the physical and physiological condition of driving person as a new warning method against falling asleep in-traffic. The proposed variations of algorithmic implementations can be used in long-distance trucks and passenger vehicles. Two different versions of the automatic control status of the driver physical condition have been considered. The first approach has proposed the use of sensors of the biometric parameters of body, pulsus, body temperature, and hands on wheel pressure sensors. The second one has proposed using the tracking cameras. Both for the first and second versions of the automation system a toolset of control devices is being installed inside the vehicle and have no physical, so irritating action on the driver. Software approach for the false operation rejection of the devices has been developed. The paper considers the flow diagrams of the automatic systems and logical structure of analysis and decision-making. The set of impacts intended for driver's awakening has been proposed. The conclusion about the engineering perspectives of the proposed approach of projected automation systems has been made.

Automation System Products and Research

OpenAIRE

Rintala, Mikko; Sormunen, Jussi; Kuisma, Petri; Rahkala, Matti

2014-01-01

Automation systems are used in most buildings nowadays. In the past they were mainly used in industry to control and monitor critical systems. During the past few decades the automation systems have become more common and are used today from big industrial solutions to homes of private customers. With the growing need for ecologic and cost-efficient management systems, home and building automation systems are becoming a standard way of controlling lighting, ventilation, heating etc. Auto...

Guidelines for Automation Project Execution

OpenAIRE

Takkinen, Heidi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this Master’s thesis was to create instructions for executing an automation project. Sarlin Oy Ab needed directions on how to execute an automation project. Sarlin is starting up a new business area offering total project solutions for customers. Sarlin focuses on small and minor automation projects on domestic markets. The thesis represents issues related to project execution starting from the theory of the project to its kick-off and termination. Site work is one importan...

Organizational changes and automation: Towards a customer-oriented automation: Part 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Gelder, J.W.

1994-01-01

Automation offers great opportunities in the efforts of energy utilities in the Netherlands to reorganize towards more customer-oriented businesses. However, automation in itself is not enough. First, the organizational structure has to be changed considerably. Various energy utilities have already started on it. The restructuring principle is the same everywhere, but the way it is implemented differs widely. In this article attention is paid to the necessity of realizing an integrated computerized system, which, however, is not feasible at the moment. The second best alternative is to use various computerized systems, capable of two-way data exchange. Two viable approaches are discussed: (1) one operating system on which all automated systems within a company should run, or (2) a selective system linking on the basis of required speed information exchange. Option (2) offers more freedom of selecting the system. 2 figs

Increasing accuracy of pulse transit time measurements by automated elimination of distorted photoplethysmography waves

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.H.N. van Velzen (M. H N); A.J. Loeve (Arjo J.); S.P. Niehof (Sjoerd); E.G. Mik (Egbert)

2017-01-01

textabstractPhotoplethysmography (PPG) is a widely available non-invasive optical technique to visualize pressure pulse waves (PWs). Pulse transit time (PTT) is a physiological parameter that is often derived from calculations on ECG and PPG signals and is based on tightly defined characteristics of

You're a What? Automation Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Mullins, John

2010-01-01

Many people think of automation as laborsaving technology, but it sure keeps Jim Duffell busy. Defined simply, automation is a technique for making a device run or a process occur with minimal direct human intervention. But the functions and technologies involved in automated manufacturing are complex. Nearly all functions, from orders coming in…

Does Automated Feedback Improve Writing Quality?

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Joshua; Olinghouse, Natalie G.; Andrada, Gilbert N.

2014-01-01

The current study examines data from students in grades 4-8 who participated in a statewide computer-based benchmark writing assessment that featured automated essay scoring and automated feedback. We examined whether the use of automated feedback was associated with gains in writing quality across revisions to an essay, and with transfer effects…

System reliability, performance and trust in adaptable automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chavaillaz, Alain; Wastell, David; Sauer, Jürgen

2016-01-01

The present study examined the effects of reduced system reliability on operator performance and automation management in an adaptable automation environment. 39 operators were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: low (60%), medium (80%), and high (100%) reliability of automation support. The support system provided five incremental levels of automation which operators could freely select according to their needs. After 3 h of training on a simulated process control task (AutoCAMS) in which the automation worked infallibly, operator performance and automation management were measured during a 2.5-h testing session. Trust and workload were also assessed through questionnaires. Results showed that although reduced system reliability resulted in lower levels of trust towards automation, there were no corresponding differences in the operators' reliance on automation. While operators showed overall a noteworthy ability to cope with automation failure, there were, however, decrements in diagnostic speed and prospective memory with lower reliability. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated estimation of defects in magnetographic defectoscopy. 1. Automated magnetographic flow detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhajlov, S.P.; Vaulin, S.L.; Shcherbinin, V.E.; Shur, M.L.

1993-01-01

Consideration is given to specific features and possible functions of equipment for automated estimation of stretched continuity defects for samples with plane surface in magnetographic defectoscopy are discussed. Two models of automated magnetographic flow detectors, those with built-in microcomputer and in the form computer attachment, are described. Directions of further researches and development are discussed. 35 refs., 6 figs

Automated EEG sleep staging in the term-age baby using a generative modelling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Pillay, Kirubin; Dereymaeker, Anneleen; Jansen, Katrien; Naulaers, Gunnar; Van Huffel, Sabine; De Vos, Maarten

2018-06-01

Objective. We develop a method for automated four-state sleep classification of preterm and term-born babies at term-age of 38-40 weeks postmenstrual age (the age since the last menstrual cycle of the mother) using multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. At this critical age, EEG differentiates from broader quiet sleep (QS) and active sleep (AS) stages to four, more complex states, and the quality and timing of this differentiation is indicative of the level of brain development. However, existing methods for automated sleep classification remain focussed only on QS and AS sleep classification. Approach. EEG features were calculated from 16 EEG recordings, in 30 s epochs, and personalized feature scaling used to correct for some of the inter-recording variability, by standardizing each recording’s feature data using its mean and standard deviation. Hidden Markov models (HMMs) and Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) were trained, with the HMM incorporating knowledge of the sleep state transition probabilities. Performance of the GMM and HMM (with and without scaling) were compared, and Cohen’s kappa agreement calculated between the estimates and clinicians’ visual labels. Main results. For four-state classification, the HMM proved superior to the GMM. With the inclusion of personalized feature scaling, mean kappa (±standard deviation) was 0.62 (±0.16) compared to the GMM value of 0.55 (±0.15). Without feature scaling, kappas for the HMM and GMM dropped to 0.56 (±0.18) and 0.51 (±0.15), respectively. Significance. This is the first study to present a successful method for the automated staging of four states in term-age sleep using multichannel EEG. Results suggested a benefit in incorporating transition information using an HMM, and correcting for inter-recording variability through personalized feature scaling. Determining the timing and quality of these states are indicative of developmental delays in both preterm and term-born babies that may

Increasing accuracy of pulse transit time measurements by automated elimination of distorted photoplethysmography waves

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Velzen, M.H.N.; Loeve, A.J.; Niehof, S.P.; Mik, E.G.

2017-01-01

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a widely available non-invasive optical technique to visualize pressure pulse waves (PWs). Pulse transit time (PTT) is a physiological parameter that is often derived from calculations on ECG and PPG signals and is based on tightly defined characteristics of the PW

Order Division Automated System.

Science.gov (United States)

Kniemeyer, Justin M.; And Others

This publication was prepared by the Order Division Automation Project staff to fulfill the Library of Congress' requirement to document all automation efforts. The report was originally intended for internal use only and not for distribution outside the Library. It is now felt that the library community at-large may have an interest in the…

Myths in test automation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jazmine Francis

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Myths in automation of software testing is an issue of discussion that echoes about the areas of service in validation of software industry. Probably, the first though that appears in knowledgeable reader would be Why this old topic again? What's New to discuss the matter? But, for the first time everyone agrees that undoubtedly automation testing today is not today what it used to be ten or fifteen years ago, because it has evolved in scope and magnitude. What began as a simple linear scripts for web applications today has a complex architecture and a hybrid framework to facilitate the implementation of testing applications developed with various platforms and technologies. Undoubtedly automation has advanced, but so did the myths associated with it. The change in perspective and knowledge of people on automation has altered the terrain. This article reflects the points of views and experience of the author in what has to do with the transformation of the original myths in new versions, and how they are derived; also provides his thoughts on the new generation of myths.

Myths in test automation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jazmine Francis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Myths in automation of software testing is an issue of discussion that echoes about the areas of service in validation of software industry. Probably, the first though that appears in knowledgeable reader would be Why this old topic again? What's New to discuss the matter? But, for the first time everyone agrees that undoubtedly automation testing today is not today what it used to be ten or fifteen years ago, because it has evolved in scope and magnitude. What began as a simple linear scripts for web applications today has a complex architecture and a hybrid framework to facilitate the implementation of testing applications developed with various platforms and technologies. Undoubtedly automation has advanced, but so did the myths associated with it. The change in perspective and knowledge of people on automation has altered the terrain. This article reflects the points of views and experience of the author in what has to do with the transformation of the original myths in new versions, and how they are derived; also provides his thoughts on the new generation of myths.

Proof-of-concept automation of propellant processing

Science.gov (United States)

Ramohalli, Kumar; Schallhorn, P. A.

1989-01-01

For space-based propellant production, automation of the process is needed. Currently, all phases of terrestrial production have some form of human interaction. A mixer was acquired to help perform the tasks of automation. A heating system to be used with the mixer was designed, built, and installed. Tests performed on the heating system verify design criteria. An IBM PS/2 personal computer was acquired for the future automation work. It is hoped that some the mixing process itself will be automated. This is a concept demonstration task; proving that propellant production can be automated reliably.

Characterization and Validation of Transiting Planets in the TESS SPOC Pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Twicken, Joseph D.; Caldwell, Douglas A.; Davies, Misty; Jenkins, Jon Michael; Li, Jie; Morris, Robert L.; Rose, Mark; Smith, Jeffrey C.; Tenenbaum, Peter; Ting, Eric; Wohler, Bill

2018-06-01

Light curves for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) target stars will be extracted and searched for transiting planet signatures in the Science Processing Operations Center (SPOC) Science Pipeline at NASA Ames Research Center. Targets for which the transiting planet detection threshold is exceeded will be processed in the Data Validation (DV) component of the Pipeline. The primary functions of DV are to (1) characterize planets identified in the transiting planet search, (2) search for additional transiting planet signatures in light curves after modeled transit signatures have been removed, and (3) perform a comprehensive suite of diagnostic tests to aid in discrimination between true transiting planets and false positive detections. DV data products include extensive reports by target, one-page summaries by planet candidate, and tabulated transit model fit and diagnostic test results. DV products may be employed by humans and automated systems to vet planet candidates identified in the Pipeline. TESS will launch in 2018 and survey the full sky for transiting exoplanets over a period of two years. The SPOC pipeline was ported from the Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) codebase and extended for TESS after the mission was selected for flight in the NASA Astrophysics Explorer program. We describe the Data Validation component of the SPOC Pipeline. The diagnostic tests exploit the flux (i.e., light curve) and pixel time series associated with each target to support the determination of the origin of each purported transiting planet signature. We also highlight the differences between the DV components for Kepler and TESS. Candidate planet detections and data products will be delivered to the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST); the MAST URL is archive.stsci.edu/tess. Funding for the TESS Mission has been provided by the NASA Science Mission Directorate.

An automated thermal relaxation calorimeter for operation at low temperature (0.5K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, S.; Prins, M.W.J.; Rajeev, K.P.; Raychaudhuri, A.K.

1992-01-01

An automated calorimeter for measurement of specific heat in the temperature range 10K>T>0.5K. It uses sample of moderate size (100-1000 mg), has a moderate precision and accuracy (2%-5%) is easy to operate and the measurements can be done quickly with 3 He economy is described. The accuracy of this calorimeter was checked by measurement of specific heat of copper and that of aluminium near its superconducting transition temperature. (author). 12 refs., 11 figs

Automated Test-Form Generation

Science.gov (United States)

van der Linden, Wim J.; Diao, Qi

2011-01-01

In automated test assembly (ATA), the methodology of mixed-integer programming is used to select test items from an item bank to meet the specifications for a desired test form and optimize its measurement accuracy. The same methodology can be used to automate the formatting of the set of selected items into the actual test form. Three different…

Context-Aware user interfaces in automation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Mikkel Holm

2007-01-01

Automation is deployed in a great range of different domains such as the chemical industry, the production of consumer goods, the production of energy (both in terms of power plants and in the petrochemical industry), transportation and several others. Through several decades the complexity...... of automation systems and the level of automation have been rising. This has caused problems regarding the operator's ability to comprehend the overall situation and state of the automation system, in particular in abnormal situations. The amount of data available to the operator results in information overload....... Since context-aware applications have been developed in other research areas it seems natural to analyze the findings of this research and examine how this can be applied to the domain of automation systems. By evaluating existing architectures for the development of context-aware applications we find...

Participation through Automation: Fully Automated Critical PeakPricing in Commercial Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piette, Mary Ann; Watson, David S.; Motegi, Naoya; Kiliccote,Sila; Linkugel, Eric

2006-06-20

California electric utilities have been exploring the use of dynamic critical peak prices (CPP) and other demand response programs to help reduce peaks in customer electric loads. CPP is a tariff design to promote demand response. Levels of automation in DR can be defined as follows: Manual Demand Response involves a potentially labor-intensive approach such as manually turning off or changing comfort set points at each equipment switch or controller. Semi-Automated Demand Response involves a pre-programmed demand response strategy initiated by a person via centralized control system. Fully Automated Demand Response does not involve human intervention, but is initiated at a home, building, or facility through receipt of an external communications signal. The receipt of the external signal initiates pre-programmed demand response strategies. They refer to this as Auto-DR. This paper describes the development, testing, and results from automated CPP (Auto-CPP) as part of a utility project in California. The paper presents the project description and test methodology. This is followed by a discussion of Auto-DR strategies used in the field test buildings. They present a sample Auto-CPP load shape case study, and a selection of the Auto-CPP response data from September 29, 2005. If all twelve sites reached their maximum saving simultaneously, a total of approximately 2 MW of DR is available from these twelve sites that represent about two million ft{sup 2}. The average DR was about half that value, at about 1 MW. These savings translate to about 0.5 to 1.0 W/ft{sup 2} of demand reduction. They are continuing field demonstrations and economic evaluations to pursue increasing penetrations of automated DR that has demonstrated ability to provide a valuable DR resource for California.

Managing laboratory automation

OpenAIRE

Saboe, Thomas J.

1995-01-01

This paper discusses the process of managing automated systems through their life cycles within the quality-control (QC) laboratory environment. The focus is on the process of directing and managing the evolving automation of a laboratory; system examples are given. The author shows how both task and data systems have evolved, and how they interrelate. A BIG picture, or continuum view, is presented and some of the reasons for success or failure of the various examples cited are explored. Fina...

LIBRARY AUTOMATION IN NIGERAN UNIVERSITIES

African Journals Online (AJOL)

facilitate services and access to information in libraries is widely acceptable. ... Moreover, Ugah (2001) reports that the automation process at the. Abubakar ... blueprint in 1987 and a turn-key system of automation was suggested for the library.

Automated 741 document preparation: Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Automated Safeguards Information System (OASIS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Austin, H.C.; Gray, L.M.

1982-01-01

OASIS has been providing for Oak Ridge National Laboratory's total safeguards needs since being place on line in April 1980. The system supports near real-time nuclear materials safeguards and accountability control. The original design of OASIS called for an automated facsimile of a 741 document to be prepared as a functional by-product of updating the inventory. An attempt was made to utilize, intact, DOE-Albuquerque's automated 741 system to generate the facsimile; however, the five page document produced proved too cumbersome. Albuquerque's programs were modified to print an original 741 document utilizing standard DOE/NRC 741 forms. It is felt that the best features of both the automated and manually generated 741 documents have been incorporated. Automation of the source data for 741 shipping documents produces greater efficiency while reducing possible errors. Through utilization of the standard DOE/NRC form, continuity within the NMMSS system is maintained, thus minimizing the confusion and redundancy associated with facsimiles. OASIS now fulfills the original concept of near real-time accountability by furnishing a viable 741 document as a function of updating the inventory

Individual differences in the calibration of trust in automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pop, Vlad L; Shrewsbury, Alex; Durso, Francis T

2015-06-01

The objective was to determine whether operators with an expectancy that automation is trustworthy are better at calibrating their trust to changes in the capabilities of automation, and if so, why. Studies suggest that individual differences in automation expectancy may be able to account for why changes in the capabilities of automation lead to a substantial change in trust for some, yet only a small change for others. In a baggage screening task, 225 participants searched for weapons in 200 X-ray images of luggage. Participants were assisted by an automated decision aid exhibiting different levels of reliability. Measures of expectancy that automation is trustworthy were used in conjunction with subjective measures of trust and perceived reliability to identify individual differences in trust calibration. Operators with high expectancy that automation is trustworthy were more sensitive to changes (both increases and decreases) in automation reliability. This difference was eliminated by manipulating the causal attribution of automation errors. Attributing the cause of automation errors to factors external to the automation fosters an understanding of tasks and situations in which automation differs in reliability and may lead to more appropriate trust. The development of interventions can lead to calibrated trust in automation. © 2014, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Automation of Taxiing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslav Bursík

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on the possibility of automation of taxiing, which is the part of a flight, which, under adverse weather conditions, greatly reduces the operational usability of an airport, and is the only part of a flight that has not been affected by automation, yet. Taxiing is currently handled manually by the pilot, who controls the airplane based on information from visual perception. The article primarily deals with possible ways of obtaining navigational information, and its automatic transfer to the controls. Analyzed wand assessed were currently available technologies such as computer vision, Light Detection and Ranging and Global Navigation Satellite System, which are useful for navigation and their general implementation into an airplane was designed. Obstacles to the implementation were identified, too. The result is a proposed combination of systems along with their installation into airplane’s systems so that it is possible to use the automated taxiing.

Improved high speed maglev design

Science.gov (United States)

Rote, D.M.; He, Jianliang; Coffey, H.T.

1992-01-01

This report discusses a propulsion and stabilization system for an inductive repulsion type magnetically levitated vehicle which is propelled and suspended by a system which includes dividing the superconducting magnets into two types: a strong field magnet which is located vertically below the vehicle for propulsion and guidance and a weak field superconducting magnet located at the ends of the vehicle for levitation and added guidance. Several proposed embodiments exist for the placement of the magnetic field shielding: locating the shielding on the vehicle, locating the shielding on the guideway, and locating the shielding on the guideway and adding shielding to the vertical undercarriage. In addition, the separation between the be vehicle and the guideway can be controlled to reduce the exposure of the passenger cabin to magnetic fields.

Programmable automation systems in PSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulkkinen, U.

1997-06-01

The Finnish safety authority (STUK) requires plant specific PSAs, and quantitative safety goals are set on different levels. The reliability analysis is more problematic when critical safety functions are realized by applying programmable automation systems. Conventional modeling techniques do not necessarily apply to the analysis of these systems, and the quantification seems to be impossible. However, it is important to analyze contribution of programmable automation systems to the plant safety and PSA is the only method with system analytical view over the safety. This report discusses the applicability of PSA methodology (fault tree analyses, failure modes and effects analyses) in the analysis of programmable automation systems. The problem of how to decompose programmable automation systems for reliability modeling purposes is discussed. In addition to the qualitative analysis and structural reliability modeling issues, the possibility to evaluate failure probabilities of programmable automation systems is considered. One solution to the quantification issue is the use of expert judgements, and the principles to apply expert judgements is discussed in the paper. A framework to apply expert judgements is outlined. Further, the impacts of subjective estimates on the interpretation of PSA results are discussed. (orig.) (13 refs.)

How to assess sustainability in automated manufacturing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dijkman, Teunis Johannes; Rödger, Jan-Markus; Bey, Niki

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to describe how sustainability in automation can be assessed. The assessment method is illustrated using a case study of a robot. Three aspects of sustainability assessment in automation are identified. Firstly, we consider automation as part of a larger system...... that fulfills the market demand for a given functionality. Secondly, three aspects of sustainability have to be assessed: environment, economy, and society. Thirdly, automation is part of a system with many levels, with different actors on each level, resulting in meeting the market demand. In this system......, (sustainability) specifications move top-down, which helps avoiding sub-optimization and problem shifting. From these three aspects, sustainable automation is defined as automation that contributes to products that fulfill a market demand in a more sustainable way. The case study presents the carbon footprints...

Automation of coal mining equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, Ryuji

1986-12-25

Major machines used in the working face include the shearer and the self-advancing frame. The shearer has been changed from the radio-controlled model to the microcomputer operated machine, while automating various functions. In addition, a system for comprehensively examining operating conditions and natural conditions in the working face for further automation. The selfadvancing frame has been modified from the sequence controlled model to the microcomputer aided electrohydraulic control system. In order to proceed further with automation and introduce robotics, detectors, control units and valves must be made smaller in higher reliability. The system will be controlled above the ground in the future, provided that the machines in the working face are remote controlled at the gate while transmitting relevant data above the ground from this system. Thus, automated working face will be realized. (2 figs, 1 photo)

Controls and automation in the SPIRAL project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bothner, U.; Boulot, A.; Maherault, J.; Martial, L.

1999-01-01

The control and automation team of the R and D of Accelerator-Exotic Beam Department has had in the framework of SPIRAL collaboration the following tasks: 1. automation of the resonator high frequency equipment of the CIME cyclotron; 2. automation of the vacuum equipment, i.e. the low energy line (TBE), the CIME cyclotron, the low energy line (BE); 3. automation of load safety for power supply; 4. for each of these tasks a circuitry file based on the SCHEMA software has been worked out. The programs required in the automation of load safety for power supply (STEP5, PROTOOL, DESIGNER 4.1) were developed and implemented for PC

Automated controlled-potential coulometric determination of uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knight, C.H.; Clegg, D.E.; Wright, K.D.; Cassidy, R.M.

1982-06-01

A controlled-potential coulometer has been automated in our laboratory for routine determination of uranium in solution. The CRNL-designed automated system controls degassing, prereduction, and reduction of the sample. The final result is displayed on a digital coulometer readout. Manual and automated modes of operation are compared to show the precision and accuracy of the automated system. Results are also shown for the coulometric titration of typical uranium-aluminum alloy samples

Office automation: a look beyond word processing

OpenAIRE

DuBois, Milan Ephriam, Jr.

1983-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Word processing was the first of various forms of office automation technologies to gain widespread acceptance and usability in the business world. For many, it remains the only form of office automation technology. Office automation, however, is not just word processing, although it does include the function of facilitating and manipulating text. In reality, office automation is not one innovation, or one office system, or one tech...

The Employment-Impact of Automation in Canada

OpenAIRE

McLean, Colin Alexander

2015-01-01

Standard neoclassical models of labour demand predict that automation does not produce long-term increases in unemployment. Supporting evidence in Canada between 1970 and 2008 is explained by the reallocation of labour from industries with high levels of automation such as Manufacturing to industries with low levels of automation such as Retail and Wholesale Trade, and Business Services. Recent evidence indicates however that on-going technological advances are now driving labour automation i...

Complex Automated Negotiations Theories, Models, and Software Competitions

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Minjie; Robu, Valentin; Matsuo, Tokuro

2013-01-01

Complex Automated Negotiations are a widely studied, emerging area in the field of Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. In general, automated negotiations can be complex, since there are a lot of factors that characterize such negotiations. For this book, we solicited papers on all aspects of such complex automated negotiations, which are studied in the field of Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. This book includes two parts, which are Part I: Agent-based Complex Automated Negotiations and Part II: Automated Negotiation Agents Competition. Each chapter in Part I is an extended version of ACAN 2011 papers after peer reviews by three PC members. Part II includes ANAC 2011 (The Second Automated Negotiating Agents Competition), in which automated agents who have different negotiation strategies and implemented by different developers are automatically negotiate in the several negotiation domains. ANAC is an international competition in which automated negotiation strategies, submitted by a number of...

Automated Methods of Corrosion Measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jens Enevold Thaulov

1997-01-01

. Mechanical control, recording, and data processing must therefore be automated to a high level of precision and reliability. These general techniques and the apparatus involved have been described extensively. The automated methods of such high-resolution microscopy coordinated with computerized...

Transition to Glass: Pilot Training for High-Technology Transport Aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Wiener, Earl L.; Chute, Rebecca D.; Moses, John H.

1999-01-01

This report examines the activities of a major commercial air carrier between 1993 and late 1996 as it acquired an advanced fleet of high-technology aircraft (Boeing 757). Previously, the airline's fleet consisted of traditional (non-glass) aircraft, and this report examines the transition from a traditional fleet to a glass one. A total of 150 pilots who were entering the B-757 transition training volunteered for the study, which consisted of three query phases: (1) first day of transition training, (2) 3 to 4 months after transition training, and (3) 12 to 14 months after initial operating experience. Of these initial 150 pilots, 99 completed all three phases of the study, with each phase consisting of probes on attitudes and experiences associated with their training and eventual transition to flying the line. In addition to the three questionnaires, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted. Although the primary focus of this study was on the flight training program, additional factors such as technical support, documentation, and training aids were investigated as well. The findings generally indicate that the pilot volunteers were highly motivated and very enthusiastic about their training program. In addition, the group had low levels of apprehension toward automation and expressed a high degree of satisfaction toward their training. However, there were some concerns expressed regarding the deficiencies in some of the training aids and lack of a free-play flight management system training device.

Human-centered automation: Development of a philosophy

Science.gov (United States)

Graeber, Curtis; Billings, Charles E.

1990-01-01

Information on human-centered automation philosophy is given in outline/viewgraph form. It is asserted that automation of aircraft control will continue in the future, but that automation should supplement, not supplant the human management and control function in civil air transport.

A system-level approach to automation research

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, F. W.; Orlando, N. E.

1984-01-01

Automation is the application of self-regulating mechanical and electronic devices to processes that can be accomplished with the human organs of perception, decision, and actuation. The successful application of automation to a system process should reduce man/system interaction and the perceived complexity of the system, or should increase affordability, productivity, quality control, and safety. The expense, time constraints, and risk factors associated with extravehicular activities have led the Automation Technology Branch (ATB), as part of the NASA Automation Research and Technology Program, to investigate the use of robots and teleoperators as automation aids in the context of space operations. The ATB program addresses three major areas: (1) basic research in autonomous operations, (2) human factors research on man-machine interfaces with remote systems, and (3) the integration and analysis of automated systems. This paper reviews the current ATB research in the area of robotics and teleoperators.

International Conference Automation : Challenges in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques

CERN Document Server

Zieliński, Cezary; Kaliczyńska, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

This book presents the set of papers accepted for presentation at the International Conference Automation, held in Warsaw, 2-4 March of 2016. It presents the research results presented by top experts in the fields of industrial automation, control, robotics and measurement techniques. Each chapter presents a thorough analysis of a specific technical problem which is usually followed by numerical analysis, simulation, and description of results of implementation of the solution of a real world problem. The presented theoretical results, practical solutions and guidelines will be valuable for both researchers working in the area of engineering sciences and for practitioners solving industrial problems. .

Theory of superconducting magnet suspension: main results survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voevodskii, K.E.; Kochetkov, V.M.

1981-01-01

A survey is given of theoretical achievements on electro-dynamic suspension of high speed ground vehicles with superconducting magnets. The problems discussed, are calculation of lift and drag forces acting on a superconducting magnet, the latter moving above a guideway structure which may be of two different types (either conducting sheet or a series of discrete loops); influence of irregularities of the guideway structure; vertical and longitudinal stability of suspension. (author)

Comparison of Automated Graphical User Interface Testing Tools

OpenAIRE

Gaber, Domen

2018-01-01

The thesis presents the analysis of modern tools for automated testing of various web based user interfaces. The purpose of the work is to compare specific test automation solutions and point out the most suitable test automation tool amongst them. One of the main goals of test automation is to gain faster execution when compared to manual testing and overall cost deduction. There are multiple test automation solutions available on the market, which differ in complexity of use, type of o...

Wireless Android Based Home Automation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Tanveer Riaz

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This manuscript presents a prototype and design implementation of an advance home automation system that uses Wi-Fi technology as a network infrastructure connecting its parts. The proposed system consists of two main components; the first part is the server, which presents system core that manages and controls user’s home. Users and system administrator can locally (Local Area Network or remotely (internet manage and control the system. Second part is the hardware interface module, which provides appropriate interface to sensors and actuator of home automation system. Unlike most of the available home automation system in the market, the proposed system is scalable that one server can manage many hardware interface modules as long as it exists within network coverage. System supports a wide range of home automation devices like appliances, power management components, and security components. The proposed system is better in terms of the flexibility and scalability than the commercially available home automation systems

Automated processing of endoscopic surgical instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, K; Sieber, J P; Schrimm, H; Heeg, P; Buess, G

1994-10-01

This paper deals with the requirements for automated processing of endoscopic surgical instruments. After a brief analysis of the current problems, solutions are discussed. Test-procedures have been developed to validate the automated processing, so that the cleaning results are guaranteed and reproducable. Also a device for testing and cleaning was designed together with Netzsch Newamatic and PCI, called TC-MIC, to automate processing and reduce manual work.

Highway Electrification And Automation

OpenAIRE

Shladover, Steven E.

1992-01-01

This report addresses how the California Department of Transportation and the California PATH Program have made efforts to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of highway electrification and automation technologies. In addition to describing how the work was conducted, the report also describes the findings on highway electrification and highway automation, with experimental results, design study results, and a region-wide application impacts study for Los Angeles.

Automated Status Notification System

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center's Automated Status Notification System (ASNS) was born out of need. To prevent "hacker attacks," Lewis' telephone system needed to monitor communications activities 24 hr a day, 7 days a week. With decreasing staff resources, this continuous monitoring had to be automated. By utilizing existing communications hardware, a UNIX workstation, and NAWK (a pattern scanning and processing language), we implemented a continuous monitoring system.

Automation in airport security X-ray screening of cabin baggage: Examining benefits and possible implementations of automated explosives detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hättenschwiler, Nicole; Sterchi, Yanik; Mendes, Marcia; Schwaninger, Adrian

2018-10-01

Bomb attacks on civil aviation make detecting improvised explosive devices and explosive material in passenger baggage a major concern. In the last few years, explosive detection systems for cabin baggage screening (EDSCB) have become available. Although used by a number of airports, most countries have not yet implemented these systems on a wide scale. We investigated the benefits of EDSCB with two different levels of automation currently being discussed by regulators and airport operators: automation as a diagnostic aid with an on-screen alarm resolution by the airport security officer (screener) or EDSCB with an automated decision by the machine. The two experiments reported here tested and compared both scenarios and a condition without automation as baseline. Participants were screeners at two international airports who differed in both years of work experience and familiarity with automation aids. Results showed that experienced screeners were good at detecting improvised explosive devices even without EDSCB. EDSCB increased only their detection of bare explosives. In contrast, screeners with less experience (tenure automated decision provided better human-machine detection performance than on-screen alarm resolution and no automation. This came at the cost of slightly higher false alarm rates on the human-machine system level, which would still be acceptable from an operational point of view. Results indicate that a wide-scale implementation of EDSCB would increase the detection of explosives in passenger bags and automated decision instead of automation as diagnostic aid with on screen alarm resolution should be considered. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 864.5600 - Automated hematocrit instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated hematocrit instrument. 864.5600 Section 864.5600 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices...

21 CFR 862.2900 - Automated urinalysis system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated urinalysis system. 862.2900 Section 862....2900 Automated urinalysis system. (a) Identification. An automated urinalysis system is a device... that duplicate manual urinalysis systems. This device is used in conjunction with certain materials to...

Resins production: batch plant automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banti, M.; Mauri, G.

1996-01-01

Companies that look for automation in their plants without external resources, have at their disposal flexible, custom and easy to use DCS, open towards PLC. In this article it is explained why Hoechts has followed this way of new plants for resins production automation

Small cities face greater impact from automation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Lijun; Cebrian, Manuel; Rahwan, Iyad

2018-01-01

The city has proved to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms: how will automation affect employment in cities? Here, we provide a comparative picture of the impact of automation across US urban areas. Small cities will undertake greater adjustments, such as worker displacement and job content substitutions. We demonstrate that large cities exhibit increased occupational and skill specialization due to increased abundance of managerial and technical professions. These occupations are not easily automatable, and, thus, reduce the potential impact of automation in large cities. Our results pass several robustness checks including potential errors in the estimation of occupational automation and subsampling of occupations. Our study provides the first empirical law connecting two societal forces: urban agglomeration and automation's impact on employment. PMID:29436514

Small cities face greater impact from automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Morgan R; Sun, Lijun; Cebrian, Manuel; Youn, Hyejin; Rahwan, Iyad

2018-02-01

The city has proved to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms: how will automation affect employment in cities? Here, we provide a comparative picture of the impact of automation across US urban areas. Small cities will undertake greater adjustments, such as worker displacement and job content substitutions. We demonstrate that large cities exhibit increased occupational and skill specialization due to increased abundance of managerial and technical professions. These occupations are not easily automatable, and, thus, reduce the potential impact of automation in large cities. Our results pass several robustness checks including potential errors in the estimation of occupational automation and subsampling of occupations. Our study provides the first empirical law connecting two societal forces: urban agglomeration and automation's impact on employment. © 2018 The Authors.

Method of transition from 3D model to its ontological representation in aircraft design process

Science.gov (United States)

Govorkov, A. S.; Zhilyaev, A. S.; Fokin, I. V.

2018-05-01

This paper proposes the method of transition from a 3D model to its ontological representation and describes its usage in the aircraft design process. The problems of design for manufacturability and design automation are also discussed. The introduced method is to aim to ease the process of data exchange between important aircraft design phases, namely engineering and design control. The method is also intended to increase design speed and 3D model customizability. This requires careful selection of the complex systems (CAD / CAM / CAE / PDM), providing the basis for the integration of design and technological preparation of production and more fully take into account the characteristics of products and processes for their manufacture. It is important to solve this problem, as investment in the automation define the company's competitiveness in the years ahead.

Space power subsystem automation technology

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, J. R. (Compiler)

1982-01-01

The technology issues involved in power subsystem automation and the reasonable objectives to be sought in such a program were discussed. The complexities, uncertainties, and alternatives of power subsystem automation, along with the advantages from both an economic and a technological perspective were considered. Whereas most spacecraft power subsystems now use certain automated functions, the idea of complete autonomy for long periods of time is almost inconceivable. Thus, it seems prudent that the technology program for power subsystem automation be based upon a growth scenario which should provide a structured framework of deliberate steps to enable the evolution of space power subsystems from the current practice of limited autonomy to a greater use of automation with each step being justified on a cost/benefit basis. Each accomplishment should move toward the objectives of decreased requirement for ground control, increased system reliability through onboard management, and ultimately lower energy cost through longer life systems that require fewer resources to operate and maintain. This approach seems well-suited to the evolution of more sophisticated algorithms and eventually perhaps even the use of some sort of artificial intelligence. Multi-hundred kilowatt systems of the future will probably require an advanced level of autonomy if they are to be affordable and manageable.

AUTOMATED PROCESS MONITORING: APPLYING PROVEN AUTOMATION TECHNIQUES TO INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS NEEDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Hara, Matthew J.; Durst, Philip C.; Grate, Jay W.; Devol, Timothy A.; Egorov, Oleg; Clements, John P.

2008-01-01

Identification and quantification of specific alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides in complex liquid matrices is highly challenging, and is typically accomplished through laborious wet chemical sample preparation and separations followed by analysis using a variety of detection methodologies (e.g., liquid scintillation, gas proportional counting, alpha energy analysis, mass spectrometry). Analytical results may take days or weeks to report. Chains of custody and sample security measures may also complicate or slow the analytical process. When an industrial process-scale plant requires the monitoring of specific radionuclides as an indication of the composition of its feed stream or of plant performance, radiochemical measurements must be fast, accurate, and reliable. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have assembled a fully automated prototype Process Monitor instrument capable of a variety of tasks: automated sampling directly from a feed stream, sample digestion/analyte redox adjustment, chemical separations, radiochemical detection and data analysis/reporting. The system is compact, its components are fluidically inter-linked, and analytical results could be immediately transmitted to on- or off-site locations. The development of a rapid radiochemical Process Monitor for 99Tc in Hanford tank waste processing streams, capable of performing several measurements per hour, will be discussed in detail. More recently, the automated platform was modified to perform measurements of 90Sr in Hanford tank waste stimulant. The system exemplifies how automation could be integrated into reprocessing facilities to support international nuclear safeguards needs

21 CFR 864.5620 - Automated hemoglobin system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated hemoglobin system. 864.5620 Section 864.5620 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices § 864...

21 CFR 864.5200 - Automated cell counter.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated cell counter. 864.5200 Section 864.5200 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices § 864...

21 CFR 864.5680 - Automated heparin analyzer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated heparin analyzer. 864.5680 Section 864.5680 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices § 864...

21 CFR 864.5850 - Automated slide spinner.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated slide spinner. 864.5850 Section 864.5850 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices § 864...

Novel insights in agent-based complex automated negotiation

CERN Document Server

Lopez-Carmona, Miguel; Ito, Takayuki; Zhang, Minjie; Bai, Quan; Fujita, Katsuhide

2014-01-01

This book focuses on all aspects of complex automated negotiations, which are studied in the field of autonomous agents and multi-agent systems. This book consists of two parts. I: Agent-Based Complex Automated Negotiations, and II: Automated Negotiation Agents Competition. The chapters in Part I are extended versions of papers presented at the 2012 international workshop on Agent-Based Complex Automated Negotiation (ACAN), after peer reviews by three Program Committee members. Part II examines in detail ANAC 2012 (The Third Automated Negotiating Agents Competition), in which automated agents that have different negotiation strategies and are implemented by different developers are automatically negotiated in the several negotiation domains. ANAC is an international competition in which automated negotiation strategies, submitted by a number of universities and research institutes across the world, are evaluated in tournament style. The purpose of the competition is to steer the research in the area of bilate...

ERP processes automation in corporate environments

OpenAIRE

Antonoaie Victor; Irimeş Adrian; Chicoş Lucia-Antoneta

2017-01-01

The automation processes are used in organizations to speed up analyses processes and reduce manual labour. Robotic Automation of IT processes implemented in a modern corporate workspace provides an excellent tool for assisting professionals in making decisions, saving resources and serving as a know-how repository. This study presents the newest trends in process automation, its benefits such as security, ease of use, reduction of overall process duration, and provide examples of SAPERP proj...

Powder handling for automated fuel processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frederickson, J.R.; Eschenbaum, R.C.; Goldmann, L.H.

1989-01-01

Installation of the Secure Automated Fabrication (SAF) line has been completed. It is located in the Fuel Cycle Plant (FCP) at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford site near Richland, Washington. The SAF line was designed to fabricate advanced reactor fuel pellets and assemble fuel pins by automated, remote operation. This paper describes powder handling equipment and techniques utilized for automated powder processing and powder conditioning systems in this line. 9 figs

Automation Revolutionize the Business Service Industry

OpenAIRE

Marciniak, Róbert

2017-01-01

In the last decades significant disruptive changes began with the extended use of automation. Many jobs are changed or disappeared and others were born totally with the automation. Together with the progress of technology, the automation was primarily spread in the industrial sector, mostly in the production and assembly lines. The growth maycontinue in the future further, researchers expect more than 35 million industrial robots globally by 2018.But it shades the situati...

Automated diagnostics scoping study. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quadrel, R.W.; Lash, T.A.

1994-06-01

The objective of the Automated Diagnostics Scoping Study was to investigate the needs for diagnostics in building operation and to examine some of the current technologies in automated diagnostics that can address these needs. The study was conducted in two parts. In the needs analysis, the authors interviewed facility managers and engineers at five building sites. In the technology survey, they collected published information on automated diagnostic technologies in commercial and military applications as well as on technologies currently under research. The following describe key areas that the authors identify for the research, development, and deployment of automated diagnostic technologies: tools and techniques to aid diagnosis during building commissioning, especially those that address issues arising from integrating building systems and diagnosing multiple simultaneous faults; technologies to aid diagnosis for systems and components that are unmonitored or unalarmed; automated capabilities to assist cause-and-effect exploration during diagnosis; inexpensive, reliable sensors, especially those that expand the current range of sensory input; technologies that aid predictive diagnosis through trend analysis; integration of simulation and optimization tools with building automation systems to optimize control strategies and energy performance; integration of diagnostic, control, and preventive maintenance technologies. By relating existing technologies to perceived and actual needs, the authors reached some conclusions about the opportunities for automated diagnostics in building operation. Some of a building operator`s needs can be satisfied by off-the-shelf hardware and software. Other needs are not so easily satisfied, suggesting directions for future research. Their conclusions and suggestions are offered in the final section of this study.

Levels of automation and user control - evaluation of a turbine automation interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, Jonas (Chalmers Univ. of Technology (Sweden))

2008-10-15

The study was performed during the annual operator training at the Studsvik nuclear power plant simulator facility in Nykoeping, Sweden. The participating operators came from the Oskarshamn 3 nuclear power plant. In the study, seven nuclear power plant turbine operators were interviewed concerning their use of the automatic turbine system. A field study approach together with a heuristic usability evaluation was made to assess how the operators are affected by use of automation in the control room setting. The purpose of the study was to examine how operator performance is affected by varying levels of automation in nuclear power plant turbine operation. The Automatic Turbine System (ATS) was evaluated to clarify how the ATS interface design supports the operators work. The results show that during manual control the operators experience loss of speed and accuracy in performing actions together with difficulty of dividing attention between performing a task and overall monitoring, as the major problems. The positive aspects of manual operations lie in increased feeling of being in control when performing actions by hand. With higher levels of automation the problems shift to issues concerning difficulty of following the automatic sequences and loosing track in procedures. As the level of automation gets higher, the need of feedback increases which means that information presentation also becomes more important. The use of the semiautomatic, step-mode is often preferred by the operators since it combines the speed and accuracy of the automation with the ability of maintaining the feeling of being in control. Further, a number of usability related concerns was found in the ATS interface. The operators especially experience the presentation of the conditions that manage the automatic sequences as difficult to perceive. (author)

Levels of automation and user control - evaluation of a turbine automation interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Jonas

2008-10-01

The study was performed during the annual operator training at the Studsvik nuclear power plant simulator facility in Nykoeping, Sweden. The participating operators came from the Oskarshamn 3 nuclear power plant. In the study, seven nuclear power plant turbine operators were interviewed concerning their use of the automatic turbine system. A field study approach together with a heuristic usability evaluation was made to assess how the operators are affected by use of automation in the control room setting. The purpose of the study was to examine how operator performance is affected by varying levels of automation in nuclear power plant turbine operation. The Automatic Turbine System (ATS) was evaluated to clarify how the ATS interface design supports the operators work. The results show that during manual control the operators experience loss of speed and accuracy in performing actions together with difficulty of dividing attention between performing a task and overall monitoring, as the major problems. The positive aspects of manual operations lie in increased feeling of being in control when performing actions by hand. With higher levels of automation the problems shift to issues concerning difficulty of following the automatic sequences and loosing track in procedures. As the level of automation gets higher, the need of feedback increases which means that information presentation also becomes more important. The use of the semiautomatic, step-mode is often preferred by the operators since it combines the speed and accuracy of the automation with the ability of maintaining the feeling of being in control. Further, a number of usability related concerns was found in the ATS interface. The operators especially experience the presentation of the conditions that manage the automatic sequences as difficult to perceive. (au)

Future Autonomous and Automated Systems Testbed

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Trust is the greatest obstacle to implementing greater autonomy and automation (A&A) in the human spaceflight program. The Future Autonomous and Automated...

Fatigue and voluntary utilization of automation in simulated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Neubauer, Catherine; Matthews, Gerald; Langheim, Lisa; Saxby, Dyani

2012-10-01

A driving simulator was used to assess the impact on fatigue, stress, and workload of full vehicle automation that was initiated by the driver. Previous studies have shown that mandatory use of full automation induces a state of "passive fatigue" associated with loss of alertness. By contrast, voluntary use of automation may enhance the driver's perceptions of control and ability to manage fatigue. Participants were assigned to one of two experimental conditions, automation optional (AO) and nonautomation (NA), and then performed a 35 min, monotonous simulated drive. In the last 5 min, automation was unavailable and drivers were required to respond to an emergency event. Subjective state and workload were evaluated before and after the drive. Making automation available to the driver failed to alleviate fatigue and stress states induced by driving in monotonous conditions. Drivers who were fatigued prior to the drive were more likely to choose to use automation, but automation use increased distress, especially in fatigue-prone drivers. Drivers in the AO condition were slower to initiate steering responses to the emergency event, suggesting optional automation may be distracting. Optional, driver-controlled automation appears to pose the same dangers to task engagement and alertness as externally initiated automation. Drivers of automated vehicles may be vulnerable to fatigue that persists when normal vehicle control is restored. It is important to evaluate automated systems' impact on driver fatigue, to seek design solutions to the issue of maintaining driver engagement, and to address the vulnerabilities of fatigue-prone drivers.

Aprendizaje automático

OpenAIRE

Moreno, Antonio

1994-01-01

En este libro se introducen los conceptos básicos en una de las ramas más estudiadas actualmente dentro de la inteligencia artificial: el aprendizaje automático. Se estudian temas como el aprendizaje inductivo, el razonamiento analógico, el aprendizaje basado en explicaciones, las redes neuronales, los algoritmos genéticos, el razonamiento basado en casos o las aproximaciones teóricas al aprendizaje automático.

Instant Sikuli test automation

CERN Document Server

Lau, Ben

2013-01-01

Get to grips with a new technology, understand what it is and what it can do for you, and then get to work with the most important features and tasks. A concise guide written in an easy-to follow style using the Starter guide approach.This book is aimed at automation and testing professionals who want to use Sikuli to automate GUI. Some Python programming experience is assumed.

Automated lattice data generation

Science.gov (United States)

Ayyar, Venkitesh; Hackett, Daniel C.; Jay, William I.; Neil, Ethan T.

2018-03-01

The process of generating ensembles of gauge configurations (and measuring various observables over them) can be tedious and error-prone when done "by hand". In practice, most of this procedure can be automated with the use of a workflow manager. We discuss how this automation can be accomplished using Taxi, a minimal Python-based workflow manager built for generating lattice data. We present a case study demonstrating this technology.

Is Transition in the Russian Economy Complete?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktor Mikhailovich Kul’kov

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A quarter of a century passed since the beginning of market transformation (transition in Russia; nevertheless, there are serious doubts about whether the transition is complete. The effective transition to a new type of economy should ideally be a period of transformation, modernization and the formation of a national economic model. Only in this case can it be qualified as full, adequate, and constructive. Such combination has not taken place in Russia; it seems as if the market transformations were taking place independently, and this is the root of Russia’s many contemporary problems. The current crisis in the Russian economy primarily reflects the pendency of these tasks that were necessary to be solved from the very beginning of transformation. This crisis is first of all a focused expression and continuation of the transformation and reproduction crises in the national economy, the crisis of the current defective economic models and the then pursued economic policy. External factors only facilitated the exacerbation of Russia’s internal problems. In order to respond effectively to such a large-scale crisis it is necessary to consider all its aspects and underlying causes originating in the challenges of the transition period. Only the implementation of economic modernization and the formation of an effective national economic model is able to bring the Russian economy to a new level of development and thus to bring the transformation, which is lagging behind due to historical reasons, in line with these processes. In this case there will be good reason to conclude that the final border of the transition period is overcome. A new model of Russia’s economy must be adequate to the entire set of national-specific factors and strategic and vital development goals that Russia has. The core of modernization must be new industrialization, which is characterized by the transition to automation, computerization, greening of industrial

Designing and implementing test automation frameworks with QTP

CERN Document Server

Bhargava, Ashish

2013-01-01

A tutorial-based approach, showing basic coding and designing techniques to build test automation frameworks.If you are a beginner, an automation engineer, an aspiring test automation engineer, a manual tester, a test lead or a test architect who wants to learn, create, and maintain test automation frameworks, this book will accelerate your ability to develop and adapt the framework.

Automated data collection in single particle electron microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yong Zi; Cheng, Anchi; Potter, Clinton S.; Carragher, Bridget

2016-01-01

Automated data collection is an integral part of modern workflows in single particle electron microscopy (EM) research. This review surveys the software packages available for automated single particle EM data collection. The degree of automation at each stage of data collection is evaluated, and the capabilities of the software packages are described. Finally, future trends in automation are discussed. PMID:26671944

Automated selection of areas of interest in dynamic studies and camera-cinematograpy of the heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bitter, F.; Adam, W.E.; Kampmann, H.; Meyer, G.; Weller, R.

1975-01-01

Progress is reported in heart investigations using the first transit principle and the steady-state procedure for radionuclide scanning. Progress in the first transit principle relies on automated selection of areas of interest. A procedure has been developed which automatically performs the evaluation of the areas corresponding to the right heart, the lungs, and the left heart. A different procedure has been built up for dynamic lung studies with Xe-133 (Radiospirometry), which principally can be applied to any other organ investigation. R-wave time averaged procedures of the heart in steady state can be performed in direct or indirect manner. A direct procedure is described that leads eventually to a cinematographic presentation of the heart kinetics on the computer display. The analysis yields an exact outline of heart ventricles and auricles as prerequisite for determination of ejection fractions and clinically relevant data of the heart function

Generic Automated Multi-function Finger Design

Science.gov (United States)

Honarpardaz, M.; Tarkian, M.; Sirkett, D.; Ölvander, J.; Feng, X.; Elf, J.; Sjögren, R.

2016-11-01

Multi-function fingers that are able to handle multiple workpieces are crucial in improvement of a robot workcell. Design automation of multi-function fingers is highly demanded by robot industries to overcome the current iterative, time consuming and complex manual design process. However, the existing approaches for the multi-function finger design automation are unable to entirely meet the robot industries’ need. This paper proposes a generic approach for design automation of multi-function fingers. The proposed approach completely automates the design process and requires no expert skill. In addition, this approach executes the design process much faster than the current manual process. To validate the approach, multi-function fingers are successfully designed for two case studies. Further, the results are discussed and benchmarked with existing approaches.

Identifying Requirements for Effective Human-Automation Teamwork

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeffrey C. Joe; John O' Hara; Heather D. Medema; Johanna H. Oxstrand

2014-06-01

Previous studies have shown that poorly designed human-automation collaboration, such as poorly designed communication protocols, often leads to problems for the human operators, such as: lack of vigilance, complacency, and loss of skills. These problems often lead to suboptimal system performance. To address this situation, a considerable amount of research has been conducted to improve human-automation collaboration and to make automation function better as a “team player.” Much of this research is based on an understanding of what it means to be a good team player from the perspective of a human team. However, the research is often based on a simplified view of human teams and teamwork. In this study, we sought to better understand the capabilities and limitations of automation from the standpoint of human teams. We first examined human teams to identify the principles for effective teamwork. We next reviewed the research on integrating automation agents and human agents into mixed agent teams to identify the limitations of automation agents to conform to teamwork principles. This research resulted in insights that can lead to more effective human-automation collaboration by enabling a more realistic set of requirements to be developed based on the strengths and limitations of all agents.

Advanced automation for in-space vehicle processing

Science.gov (United States)

Sklar, Michael; Wegerif, D.

1990-01-01

The primary objective of this 3-year planned study is to assure that the fully evolved Space Station Freedom (SSF) can support automated processing of exploratory mission vehicles. Current study assessments show that required extravehicular activity (EVA) and to some extent intravehicular activity (IVA) manpower requirements for required processing tasks far exceeds the available manpower. Furthermore, many processing tasks are either hazardous operations or they exceed EVA capability. Thus, automation is essential for SSF transportation node functionality. Here, advanced automation represents the replacement of human performed tasks beyond the planned baseline automated tasks. Both physical tasks such as manipulation, assembly and actuation, and cognitive tasks such as visual inspection, monitoring and diagnosis, and task planning are considered. During this first year of activity both the Phobos/Gateway Mars Expedition and Lunar Evolution missions proposed by the Office of Exploration have been evaluated. A methodology for choosing optimal tasks to be automated has been developed. Processing tasks for both missions have been ranked on the basis of automation potential. The underlying concept in evaluating and describing processing tasks has been the use of a common set of 'Primitive' task descriptions. Primitive or standard tasks have been developed both for manual or crew processing and automated machine processing.

Automated Assessment in Massive Open Online Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Ivaniushin, Dmitrii A.; Shtennikov, Dmitrii G.; Efimchick, Eugene A.; Lyamin, Andrey V.

2016-01-01

This paper describes an approach to use automated assessments in online courses. Open edX platform is used as the online courses platform. The new assessment type uses Scilab as learning and solution validation tool. This approach allows to use automated individual variant generation and automated solution checks without involving the course…

Automation trust and attention allocation in multitasking workspace.

Science.gov (United States)

Karpinsky, Nicole D; Chancey, Eric T; Palmer, Dakota B; Yamani, Yusuke

2018-07-01

Previous research suggests that operators with high workload can distrust and then poorly monitor automation, which has been generally inferred from automation dependence behaviors. To test automation monitoring more directly, the current study measured operators' visual attention allocation, workload, and trust toward imperfect automation in a dynamic multitasking environment. Participants concurrently performed a manual tracking task with two levels of difficulty and a system monitoring task assisted by an unreliable signaling system. Eye movement data indicate that operators allocate less visual attention to monitor automation when the tracking task is more difficult. Participants reported reduced levels of trust toward the signaling system when the tracking task demanded more focused visual attention. Analyses revealed that trust mediated the relationship between the load of the tracking task and attention allocation in Experiment 1, an effect that was not replicated in Experiment 2. Results imply a complex process underlying task load, visual attention allocation, and automation trust during multitasking. Automation designers should consider operators' task load in multitasking workspaces to avoid reduced automation monitoring and distrust toward imperfect signaling systems. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Automated analyzer of enzyme immunoassay].

Science.gov (United States)

Osawa, S

1995-09-01

Automated analyzers for enzyme immunoassay can be classified by several points of view: the kind of labeled antibodies or enzymes, detection methods, the number of tests per unit time, analytical time and speed per run. In practice, it is important for us consider the several points such as detection limits, the number of tests per unit time, analytical range, and precision. Most of the automated analyzers on the market can randomly access and measure samples. I will describe the recent advance of automated analyzers reviewing their labeling antibodies and enzymes, the detection methods, the number of test per unit time and analytical time and speed per test.

Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Samuel A. (Compiler)

1990-01-01

The Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference - 1989 was sponsored by the NASA Langley Research Center on 11 to 12 October 1989. The conference, held at the Sheraton Beach Inn and Conference Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was chaired by Samuel A. Morello. The primary objective of the conference was to ensure effective communication and technology transfer by providing a forum for technical interchange of current operational problems and program results to date. The Aviation Safety/Automation Program has as its primary goal to improve the safety of the national airspace system through the development and integration of human-centered automation technologies for aircraft crews and air traffic controllers.

Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS)

Science.gov (United States)

Kline, Martin D.

1994-01-01

An ambitious project to develop an advanced, automated welding system is being funded as part of the Navy Joining Center with Babcock & Wilcox as the prime integrator. This program, the Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS), involves the integration of both planning and real-time control activities. Planning functions include the development of a graphical decision support system within a standard, portable environment. Real-time control functions include the development of a modular, intelligent, real-time control system and the integration of a number of welding process sensors. This paper presents each of these components of the PAWS and discusses how they can be utilized to automate the welding operation.

Nonanalytic Laboratory Automation: A Quarter Century of Progress.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawker, Charles D

2017-06-01

Clinical laboratory automation has blossomed since the 1989 AACC meeting, at which Dr. Masahide Sasaki first showed a western audience what his laboratory had implemented. Many diagnostics and other vendors are now offering a variety of automated options for laboratories of all sizes. Replacing manual processing and handling procedures with automation was embraced by the laboratory community because of the obvious benefits of labor savings and improvement in turnaround time and quality. Automation was also embraced by the diagnostics vendors who saw automation as a means of incorporating the analyzers purchased by their customers into larger systems in which the benefits of automation were integrated to the analyzers.This report reviews the options that are available to laboratory customers. These options include so called task-targeted automation-modules that range from single function devices that automate single tasks (e.g., decapping or aliquoting) to multifunction workstations that incorporate several of the functions of a laboratory sample processing department. The options also include total laboratory automation systems that use conveyors to link sample processing functions to analyzers and often include postanalytical features such as refrigerated storage and sample retrieval.Most importantly, this report reviews a recommended process for evaluating the need for new automation and for identifying the specific requirements of a laboratory and developing solutions that can meet those requirements. The report also discusses some of the practical considerations facing a laboratory in a new implementation and reviews the concept of machine vision to replace human inspections. © 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation in Electrical Engineering

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation in Electrical Engineering includes select presentations on measuring technology and mechatronics automation related to electrical engineering, originally presented during the International Conference on Measuring Technology and Mechanatronics Automation (ICMTMA2012). This Fourth ICMTMA, held at Sanya, China, offered a prestigious, international forum for scientists, engineers, and educators to present the state of the art of measuring technology and mechatronics automation research.

Opening up Library Automation Software

Science.gov (United States)

Breeding, Marshall

2009-01-01

Throughout the history of library automation, the author has seen a steady advancement toward more open systems. In the early days of library automation, when proprietary systems dominated, the need for standards was paramount since other means of inter-operability and data exchange weren't possible. Today's focus on Application Programming…

Automation for mineral resource development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norrie, A.W.; Turner, D.R. (eds.)

1986-01-01

A total of 55 papers were presented at the symposium under the following headings: automation and the future of mining; modelling and control of mining processes; transportation for mining; automation and the future of metallurgical processes; modelling and control of metallurgical processes; and general aspects. Fifteen papers have been abstracted separately.

Translation: Aids, Robots, and Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreyewsky, Alexander

1981-01-01

Examines electronic aids to translation both as ways to automate it and as an approach to solve problems resulting from shortage of qualified translators. Describes the limitations of robotic MT (Machine Translation) systems, viewing MAT (Machine-Aided Translation) as the only practical solution and the best vehicle for further automation. (MES)

Toward a human-centered aircraft automation philosophy

Science.gov (United States)

Billings, Charles E.

1989-01-01

The evolution of automation in civil aircraft is examined in order to discern trends in the respective roles and functions of automation technology and the humans who operate these aircraft. The effects of advances in automation technology on crew reaction is considered and it appears that, though automation may well have decreased the frequency of certain types of human errors in flight, it may also have enabled new categories of human errors, some perhaps less obvious and therefore more serious than those it has alleviated. It is suggested that automation could be designed to keep the pilot closer to the control of the vehicle, while providing an array of information management and aiding functions designed to provide the pilot with data regarding flight replanning, degraded system operation, and the operational status and limits of the aircraft, its systems, and the physical and operational environment. The automation would serve as the pilot's assistant, providing and calculating data, watching for the unexpected, and keeping track of resources and their rate of expenditure.

Automated packing systems: review of industrial implementations

Science.gov (United States)

Whelan, Paul F.; Batchelor, Bruce G.

1993-08-01

A rich theoretical background to the problems that occur in the automation of material handling can be found in operations research, production engineering, systems engineering and automation, more specifically machine vision, literature. This work has contributed towards the design of intelligent handling systems. This paper will review the application of these automated material handling and packing techniques to industrial problems. The discussion will also highlight the systems integration issues involved in these applications. An outline of one such industrial application, the automated placement of shape templates on to leather hides, is also discussed. The purpose of this system is to arrange shape templates on a leather hide in an efficient manner, so as to minimize the leather waste, before they are automatically cut from the hide. These pieces are used in the furniture and car manufacturing industries for the upholstery of high quality leather chairs and car seats. Currently this type of operation is semi-automated. The paper will outline the problems involved in the full automation of such a procedure.

Future Control and Automation : Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Future Control and Automation

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

This volume Future Control and Automation- Volume 1 includes best papers selected from 2012 2nd International Conference on Future Control and Automation (ICFCA 2012) held on July 1-2, 2012, Changsha, China. Future control and automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. This volume can be divided into five sessions on the basis of the classification of manuscripts considered, which is listed as follows: Identification and Control, Navigation, Guidance and Sensor, Simulation Technology, Future Telecommunications and Control

Automated lattice data generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayyar Venkitesh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The process of generating ensembles of gauge configurations (and measuring various observables over them can be tedious and error-prone when done “by hand”. In practice, most of this procedure can be automated with the use of a workflow manager. We discuss how this automation can be accomplished using Taxi, a minimal Python-based workflow manager built for generating lattice data. We present a case study demonstrating this technology.

AUTOMATION OF INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC ZONE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Klementeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the industrially developed countries about 80–95% of the GDP increase is provided by new knowledge represented by new technologies and machinery. This transition to the new innovative development became possible with the creation of new technological patterns for organization of R&D, industrial and innovative activities. Despite of the fact that the structures of national and regional innovative systems of diff erent countries have much in common which concerns the components, the functional classifi cation and the interaction procedures, the question of theoretical structural description of the regional innovative system seems to be of importance. The object of research is the interaction between the entities of the Russian Arctic innovative system from the viewpoint of the complex information inputs. The subject of research is the model-algorithmic support of the automated system providing for innovative activities within the Russian Arctic zone.The article is aimed to work out the theoretical and practical methods for automation of the regional innovative system management with application of modern information technologies. In order to achieve the specifi ed goal, the following tasks are solved in the article: determining of the modern methods and approaches of organization and management of the information flows within the contemporary business communities; the analysis and structural description of the regional innovative system; working out of the concept for the complex automated information system supporting the innovative activity. The research methods. For solving of the stated tasks some methods and approaches for creating of the social networks, methods of organization of the information fl ows based on the Web 2.0 technology and some expert methods of innovation were used. Finally, the following results were obtained: the structural description of the regional innovative system has been worked out. The main

Studying human-automation interactions: methodological lessons learned from the human-centred automation experiments 1997-2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massaiu, Salvatore; Skjerve, Ann Britt Miberg; Skraaning, Gyrd Jr.; Strand, Stine; Waeroe, Irene

2004-04-01

This report documents the methodological lessons learned from the Human Centred Automation (HCA) programme both in terms of psychometric evaluation of the measurement techniques developed for human-automation interaction study, and in terms of the application of advanced statistical methods for analysis of experiments. The psychometric evaluation is based on data from the four experiments performed within the HCA programme. The result is a single-source reference text of measurement instruments for the study of human-automation interaction, part of which were specifically developed by the programme. The application of advanced statistical techniques is exemplified by additional analyses performed on the IPSN-HCA experiment of 1998. Special importance is given to the statistical technique Structural Equation Modeling, for the possibility it offers to advance, and empirically test, comprehensive explanations about human-automation interactions. The additional analyses of the IPSN-HCA experiment investigated how the operators formed judgments about their own performance. The issue is of substantive interest for human automation interaction research because the operators' over- or underestimation of their own performance could be seen as a symptom of human-machine mismatch, and a potential latent failure. These analyses concluded that it is the interplay between (1) the level of automation and several factors that determines the operators' bias in performance self-estimation: (2) the nature of the task, (3) the level of scenario complexity, and (4) the level of trust in the automatic system. A structural model that expresses the interplay of all these factors was empirically evaluated and was found able to provide a concise and elegant explanation of the intricate pattern of relationships between the identified factors. (Author)

Comparison of vehicle types at an automated container terminal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vis, I.F.A.; Harika, I.

2004-01-01

At automated container terminals, containers are transshipped from one mode of transportation to another. Automated vehicles transport containers from the stack to the ship and vice versa. Two different types of automated vehicles are studied in this paper, namely automated lifting vehicles and

An automated method to find transition states using chemical dynamics simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Núñez, Emilio

2015-02-05

A procedure to automatically find the transition states (TSs) of a molecular system (MS) is proposed. It has two components: high-energy chemical dynamics simulations (CDS), and an algorithm that analyzes the geometries along the trajectories to find reactive pathways. Two levels of electronic structure calculations are involved: a low level (LL) is used to integrate the trajectories and also to optimize the TSs, and a higher level (HL) is used to reoptimize the structures. The method has been tested in three MSs: formaldehyde, formic acid (FA), and vinyl cyanide (VC), using MOPAC2012 and Gaussian09 to run the LL and HL calculations, respectively. Both the efficacy and efficiency of the method are very good, with around 15 TS structures optimized every 10 trajectories, which gives a total of 7, 12, and 83 TSs for formaldehyde, FA, and VC, respectively. The use of CDS makes it a powerful tool to unveil possible nonstatistical behavior of the system under study. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using Modeling and Simulation to Predict Operator Performance and Automation-Induced Complacency With Robotic Automation: A Case Study and Empirical Validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D; Sebok, Angelia; Li, Huiyang; Sarter, Nadine; Gacy, Andrew M

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a computational model of the automation complacency effect, as operators work on a robotic arm task, supported by three different degrees of automation. Some computational models of complacency in human-automation interaction exist, but those are formed and validated within the context of fairly simplified monitoring failures. This research extends model validation to a much more complex task, so that system designers can establish, without need for human-in-the-loop (HITL) experimentation, merits and shortcomings of different automation degrees. We developed a realistic simulation of a space-based robotic arm task that could be carried out with three different levels of trajectory visualization and execution automation support. Using this simulation, we performed HITL testing. Complacency was induced via several trials of correctly performing automation and then was assessed on trials when automation failed. Following a cognitive task analysis of the robotic arm operation, we developed a multicomponent model of the robotic operator and his or her reliance on automation, based in part on visual scanning. The comparison of model predictions with empirical results revealed that the model accurately predicted routine performance and predicted the responses to these failures after complacency developed. However, the scanning models do not account for the entire attention allocation effects of complacency. Complacency modeling can provide a useful tool for predicting the effects of different types of imperfect automation. The results from this research suggest that focus should be given to supporting situation awareness in automation development. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Preface to the special section on human factors and automation in vehicles: designing highly automated vehicles with the driver in mind.

Science.gov (United States)

Merat, Natasha; Lee, John D

2012-10-01

This special section brings together diverse research regarding driver interaction with advanced automotive technology to guide design of increasingly automated vehicles. Rapidly evolving vehicle automation will likely change cars and trucks more in the next 5 years than the preceding 50, radically redefining what it means to drive. This special section includes 10 articles from European and North American researchers reporting simulator and naturalistic driving studies. Little research has considered the consequences of fully automated driving, with most focusing on lane-keeping and speed control systems individually. The studies reveal two underlying design philosophies: automate driving versus support driving. Results of several studies, consistent with previous research in other domains, suggest that the automate philosophy can delay driver responses to incidents in which the driver has to intervene and take control from the automation. Understanding how to orchestrate the transfer or sharing of control between the system and the driver, particularly in critical incidents, emerges as a central challenge. Designers should not assume that automation can substitute seamlessly for a human driver, nor can they assume that the driver can safely accommodate the limitations of automation. Designers, policy makers, and researchers must give careful consideration to what role the person should have in highly automated vehicles and how to support the driver if the driver is to be responsible for vehicle control. As in other domains, driving safety increasingly depends on the combined performance of the human and automation, and successful designs will depend on recognizing and supporting the new roles of the driver.

Automation of orders in taxi service

OpenAIRE

Simčič, Matej

2012-01-01

Automation is rapidly growing in the last years. The advantages it brings are cost reduction, faster and better performance of tasks that would be otherwise done by humas. It began in the manufacturing industry and later expanded to other sectors. Today's technology allows the implementation of automation in a wide range of areas. The thesis deals with the implementation of a system that allows automated ordering of a taxi. The system consists of four components. They are two mobile app...

Migration monitoring with automated technology

Science.gov (United States)

Rhonda L. Millikin

2005-01-01

Automated technology can supplement ground-based methods of migration monitoring by providing: (1) unbiased and automated sampling; (2) independent validation of current methods; (3) a larger sample area for landscape-level analysis of habitat selection for stopover, and (4) an opportunity to study flight behavior. In particular, radar-acoustic sensor fusion can...

Automated evaluation of ultrasonic indications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansch, M.K.T.; Stegemann, D.

1994-01-01

Future requirements of reliability and reproducibility in quality assurance demand computer evaluation of defect indications. The ultrasonic method with its large field of applications and a high potential for automation provides all preconditions for fully automated inspection. The survey proposes several desirable hardware improvements, data acquisition requirements and software configurations. (orig.) [de

Automated quantification of proliferation with automated hot-spot selection in phosphohistone H3/MART1 dual-stained stage I/II melanoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Patricia Switten; Riber-Hansen, Rikke; Schmidt, Henrik; Steiniche, Torben

2016-04-09

Staging of melanoma includes quantification of a proliferation index, i.e., presumed melanocytic mitoses of H&E stains are counted manually in hot spots. Yet, its reproducibility and prognostic impact increases by immunohistochemical dual staining for phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) and MART1, which also may enable fully automated quantification by image analysis. To ensure manageable workloads and repeatable measurements in modern pathology, the study aimed to present an automated quantification of proliferation with automated hot-spot selection in PHH3/MART1-stained melanomas. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 153 consecutive stage I/II melanoma patients was immunohistochemically dual-stained for PHH3 and MART1. Whole slide images were captured, and the number of PHH3/MART1-positive cells was manually and automatically counted in the global tumor area and in a manually and automatically selected hot spot, i.e., a fixed 1-mm(2) square. Bland-Altman plots and hypothesis tests compared manual and automated procedures, and the Cox proportional hazards model established their prognostic impact. The mean difference between manual and automated global counts was 2.9 cells/mm(2) (P = 0.0071) and 0.23 cells per hot spot (P = 0.96) for automated counts in manually and automatically selected hot spots. In 77 % of cases, manual and automated hot spots overlapped. Fully manual hot-spot counts yielded the highest prognostic performance with an adjusted hazard ratio of 5.5 (95 % CI, 1.3-24, P = 0.024) as opposed to 1.3 (95 % CI, 0.61-2.9, P = 0.47) for automated counts with automated hot spots. The automated index and automated hot-spot selection were highly correlated to their manual counterpart, but altogether their prognostic impact was noticeably reduced. Because correct recognition of only one PHH3/MART1-positive cell seems important, extremely high sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm is required for prognostic purposes. Thus, automated

Adaptive Automation Based on Air Traffic Controller Decision-Making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

IJtsma (Student TU Delft), Martijn; Borst, C.; Mercado Velasco, G.A.; Mulder, M.; van Paassen, M.M.; Tsang, P.S.; Vidulich, M.A.

2017-01-01

Through smart scheduling and triggering of automation support, adaptive automation has the potential to balance air traffic controller workload. The challenge in the design of adaptive automation systems is to decide how and when the automation should provide support. This paper describes the design

An Intelligent Automation Platform for Rapid Bioprocess Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tianyi; Zhou, Yuhong

2014-08-01

Bioprocess development is very labor intensive, requiring many experiments to characterize each unit operation in the process sequence to achieve product safety and process efficiency. Recent advances in microscale biochemical engineering have led to automated experimentation. A process design workflow is implemented sequentially in which (1) a liquid-handling system performs high-throughput wet lab experiments, (2) standalone analysis devices detect the data, and (3) specific software is used for data analysis and experiment design given the user's inputs. We report an intelligent automation platform that integrates these three activities to enhance the efficiency of such a workflow. A multiagent intelligent architecture has been developed incorporating agent communication to perform the tasks automatically. The key contribution of this work is the automation of data analysis and experiment design and also the ability to generate scripts to run the experiments automatically, allowing the elimination of human involvement. A first-generation prototype has been established and demonstrated through lysozyme precipitation process design. All procedures in the case study have been fully automated through an intelligent automation platform. The realization of automated data analysis and experiment design, and automated script programming for experimental procedures has the potential to increase lab productivity. © 2013 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Inventory management and reagent supply for automated chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzniar, E

1999-08-01

Developments in automated chemistry have kept pace with developments in HTS such that hundreds of thousands of new compounds can be rapidly synthesized in the belief that the greater the number and diversity of compounds that can be screened, the more successful HTS will be. The increasing use of automation for Multiple Parallel Synthesis (MPS) and the move to automated combinatorial library production is placing an overwhelming burden on the management of reagents. Although automation has improved the efficiency of the processes involved in compound synthesis, the bottleneck has shifted to ordering, collating and preparing reagents for automated chemistry resulting in loss of time, materials and momentum. Major efficiencies have already been made in the area of compound management for high throughput screening. Most of these efficiencies have been achieved with sophisticated library management systems using advanced engineering and data handling for the storage, tracking and retrieval of millions of compounds. The Automation Partnership has already provided many of the top pharmaceutical companies with modular automated storage, preparation and retrieval systems to manage compound libraries for high throughput screening. This article describes how these systems may be implemented to solve the specific problems of inventory management and reagent supply for automated chemistry.

Automated methods of corrosion measurement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jens Enevold Thaulov; Bech-Nielsen, Gregers; Reeve, John Ch

1997-01-01

to revise assumptions regarding the basis of the method, which sometimes leads to the discovery of as-yet unnoticed phenomena. The present selection of automated methods for corrosion measurements is not motivated simply by the fact that a certain measurement can be performed automatically. Automation...... is applied to nearly all types of measurements today....

AUTOMATING ASSET KNOWLEDGE WITH MTCONNECT.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatesh, Sid; Ly, Sidney; Manning, Martin; Michaloski, John; Proctor, Fred

2016-01-01

In order to maximize assets, manufacturers should use real-time knowledge garnered from ongoing and continuous collection and evaluation of factory-floor machine status data. In discrete parts manufacturing, factory machine monitoring has been difficult, due primarily to closed, proprietary automation equipment that make integration difficult. Recently, there has been a push in applying the data acquisition concepts of MTConnect to the real-time acquisition of machine status data. MTConnect is an open, free specification aimed at overcoming the "Islands of Automation" dilemma on the shop floor. With automated asset analysis, manufacturers can improve production to become lean, efficient, and effective. The focus of this paper will be on the deployment of MTConnect to collect real-time machine status to automate asset management. In addition, we will leverage the ISO 22400 standard, which defines an asset and quantifies asset performance metrics. In conjunction with these goals, the deployment of MTConnect in a large aerospace manufacturing facility will be studied with emphasis on asset management and understanding the impact of machine Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) on manufacturing.

Automated ultrasonic inspection using PULSDAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naybour, P.J.

1992-01-01

PULSDAT (Portable Ultrasonic Data Acquisition Tool) is a system for recording the data from single probe automated ultrasonic inspections. It is one of a range of instruments and software developed by Nuclear Electric to carry out a wide variety of high quality ultrasonic inspections. These vary from simple semi-automated inspections through to multi-probe, highly automated ones. PULSDAT runs under the control of MIPS software, and collects data which is compatible with the GUIDE data display system. PULSDAT is therefore fully compatible with Nuclear Electric's multi-probe inspection systems and utilises all the reliability and quality assurance of the software. It is a rugged, portable system that can be used in areas of difficult access. The paper discusses the benefits of automated inspection and gives an outline of the main features of PULSDAT. Since April 1990 PULSDAT has been used in several applications within Nuclear Electric and this paper presents two examples: the first is a ferritic set-through nozzle and the second is an austenitic fillet weld. (Author)

Marketing automation supporting sales

OpenAIRE

Sandell, Niko

2016-01-01

The past couple of decades has been a time of major changes in marketing. Digitalization has become a permanent part of marketing and at the same time enabled efficient collection of data. Personalization and customization of content are playing a crucial role in marketing when new customers are acquired. This has also created a need for automation to facilitate the distribution of targeted content. As a result of successful marketing automation more information of the customers is gathered ...

Transition radiation and transition scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ginzburg, V.L.

1982-01-01

Transition radiation is a process of a rather general character. It occurs when some source, which does not have a proper frequency (for example, a charge) moves at a constant velocity in an inhomogeneous and (or) nonstationary medium or near such a medium. The simplest type of transition radiation takes place when a charge crosses a boundary between two media (the role of one of the media may be played by vacuum). In the case of periodic variation of the medium, transition radiation possesses some specific features (resonance transition radiation or transition scattering). Transition scattering occurs, in particular, when a permittivity wave falls onto an nonmoving (fixed) charge. Transition scattering is closely connected with transition bremsstrahlung radiation. All these transition processes are essential for plasma physics. Transition radiation and transition scattering have analogues outside the framework of electrodynamics (like in the case of Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation). In the present report the corresponding range of phenomena is elucidated, as far as possible, in a generally physical aspect. (Auth.)

ERP processes automation in corporate environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonoaie Victor

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The automation processes are used in organizations to speed up analyses processes and reduce manual labour. Robotic Automation of IT processes implemented in a modern corporate workspace provides an excellent tool for assisting professionals in making decisions, saving resources and serving as a know-how repository. This study presents the newest trends in process automation, its benefits such as security, ease of use, reduction of overall process duration, and provide examples of SAPERP projects where this technology was implemented and meaningful impact was obtained.

12 CFR 205.16 - Disclosures at automated teller machines.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Disclosures at automated teller machines. 205... SYSTEM ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS (REGULATION E) § 205.16 Disclosures at automated teller machines. (a) Definition. Automated teller machine operator means any person that operates an automated teller machine at...

Automated data acquisition technology development:Automated modeling and control development

Science.gov (United States)

Romine, Peter L.

1995-01-01

This report documents the completion of, and improvements made to, the software developed for automated data acquisition and automated modeling and control development on the Texas Micro rackmounted PC's. This research was initiated because a need was identified by the Metal Processing Branch of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for a mobile data acquisition and data analysis system, customized for welding measurement and calibration. Several hardware configurations were evaluated and a PC based system was chosen. The Welding Measurement System (WMS), is a dedicated instrument strickly for use of data acquisition and data analysis. In addition to the data acquisition functions described in this thesis, WMS also supports many functions associated with process control. The hardware and software requirements for an automated acquisition system for welding process parameters, welding equipment checkout, and welding process modeling were determined in 1992. From these recommendations, NASA purchased the necessary hardware and software. The new welding acquisition system is designed to collect welding parameter data and perform analysis to determine the voltage versus current arc-length relationship for VPPA welding. Once the results of this analysis are obtained, they can then be used to develop a RAIL function to control welding startup and shutdown without torch crashing.

Logistic control in automated transportation networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ebben, Mark

2001-01-01

Increasing congestion problems lead to a search for alternative transportation systems. Automated transportation networks, possibly underground, are an option. Logistic control systems are essential for future implementations of such automated transportation networks. This book contributes to the

Automated Methods Of Corrosion Measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech-Nielsen, Gregers; Andersen, Jens Enevold Thaulov; Reeve, John Ch

1997-01-01

The chapter describes the following automated measurements: Corrosion Measurements by Titration, Imaging Corrosion by Scanning Probe Microscopy, Critical Pitting Temperature and Application of the Electrochemical Hydrogen Permeation Cell.......The chapter describes the following automated measurements: Corrosion Measurements by Titration, Imaging Corrosion by Scanning Probe Microscopy, Critical Pitting Temperature and Application of the Electrochemical Hydrogen Permeation Cell....

Aviation safety/automation program overview

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Samuel A.

1990-01-01

The goal is to provide a technology base leading to improved safety of the national airspace system through the development and integration of human-centered automation technologies for aircraft crews and air traffic controllers. Information on the problems, specific objectives, human-automation interaction, intelligent error-tolerant systems, and air traffic control/cockpit integration is given in viewgraph form.

Redefinição automática da rede de transporte coletivo para alocação de fluxo de equilíbrio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Ramiro Castro Aragón

2010-04-01

Full Text Available

Muitas formulações para resolver problemas de alocação de fluxos para o transporte coletivo utilizam redes lógicas redefinidas a partir de uma rede inicial para este modo de transporte. A rede de transporte coletivo é redefinida criando-se nós e arcos adicionais a representação da rede viária, para permitir a aplicação de algoritmos que modelam o comportamento dos passageiros na hora da escolha da rota e para poder representar os diferentes componentes do tempo total de viagem como os tempos de caminhada, tempos de espera, tempos de transbordo e tempos de descida nos pontos de parada. Este trabalho visa demonstrar que este processo de redefinição da rede pode ser executado de uma forma automática a partir de certas informações do modelo de rede original e dos itinerários das linhas de ônibus.

ABSTRACT

Most approaches of transit network problems use a redefined network that consider behavioral assumptions and different components of total travel time. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that it is possible to automate the representation of a logic transit network, including walking arcs, waiting arcs, transfer arcs and aligthing arcs, starting from some representation of the street network and from transit lines information as itineraries, frequency and speed.

Lighting Automation Flying an Earthlike Habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Toni A.; Kolomenski, Andrei

2017-01-01

Currently, spacecraft lighting systems are not demonstrating innovations in automation due to perceived costs in designing circuitry for the communication and automation of lights. The majority of spacecraft lighting systems employ lamps or zone specific manual switches and dimmers. This type of 'hardwired' solution does not easily convert to automation. With advances in solid state lighting, the potential to enhance a spacecraft habitat is lost if the communication and automation problem is not tackled. If we are to build long duration environments, which provide earth-like habitats, minimize crew time, and optimize spacecraft power reserves, innovation in lighting automation is a must. This project researched the use of the DMX512 communication protocol originally developed for high channel count lighting systems. DMX512 is an internationally governed, industry-accepted, lighting communication protocol with wide industry support. The lighting industry markets a wealth of hardware and software that utilizes DMX512, and there may be incentive to space certify the system. Our goal in this research is to enable the development of automated spacecraft habitats for long duration missions. To transform how spacecraft lighting environments are automated, our project conducted a variety of tests to determine a potential scope of capability. We investigated utilization and application of an industry accepted lighting control protocol, DMX512 by showcasing how the lighting system could help conserve power, assist with lighting countermeasures, and utilize spatial body tracking. We hope evaluation and the demonstrations we built will inspire other NASA engineers, architects and researchers to consider employing DMX512 "smart lighting" capabilities into their system architecture. By using DMX512 we will prove the 'wheel' does not need to be reinvented in terms of smart lighting and future spacecraft can use a standard lighting protocol to produce an effective, optimized and

Lighting Automation - Flying an Earthlike Habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Tori A. (Principal Investigator); Kolomenski, Andrei

2017-01-01

Currently, spacecraft lighting systems are not demonstrating innovations in automation due to perceived costs in designing circuitry for the communication and automation of lights. The majority of spacecraft lighting systems employ lamps or zone specific manual switches and dimmers. This type of 'hardwired' solution does not easily convert to automation. With advances in solid state lighting, the potential to enhance a spacecraft habitat is lost if the communication and automation problem is not tackled. If we are to build long duration environments, which provide earth-like habitats, minimize crew time, and optimize spacecraft power reserves, innovation in lighting automation is a must. This project researched the use of the DMX512 communication protocol originally developed for high channel count lighting systems. DMX512 is an internationally governed, industry-accepted, lighting communication protocol with wide industry support. The lighting industry markets a wealth of hardware and software that utilizes DMX512, and there may be incentive to space certify the system. Our goal in this research is to enable the development of automated spacecraft habitats for long duration missions. To transform how spacecraft lighting environments are automated, our project conducted a variety of tests to determine a potential scope of capability. We investigated utilization and application of an industry accepted lighting control protocol, DMX512 by showcasing how the lighting system could help conserve power, assist with lighting countermeasures, and utilize spatial body tracking. We hope evaluation and the demonstrations we built will inspire other NASA engineers, architects and researchers to consider employing DMX512 "smart lighting" capabilities into their system architecture. By using DMX512 we will prove the 'wheel' does not need to be reinvented in terms of smart lighting and future spacecraft can use a standard lighting protocol to produce an effective, optimized and

Automated exchange transfusion and exchange rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Funato, M; Shimada, S; Tamai, H; Taki, H; Yoshioka, Y

1989-10-01

An automated blood exchange transfusion (BET) with a two-site technique has been devised by Goldmann et al and by us, using an infusion pump. With this method, we successfully performed exchange transfusions 189 times in the past four years on 110 infants with birth weights ranging from 530 g to 4,000 g. The exchange rate by the automated method was compared with the rate by Diamond's method. Serum bilirubin (SB) levels before and after BET and the maximal SB rebound within 24 hours after BET were: 21.6 +/- 2.4, 11.5 +/- 2.2, and 15.0 +/- 1.5 mg/dl in the automated method, and 22.0 +/- 2.9, 11.2 +/- 2.5, and 17.7 +/- 3.2 mg/dl in Diamond's method, respectively. The result showed that the maximal rebound of the SB level within 24 hours after BET was significantly lower in the automated method than in Diamond's method (p less than 0.01), though SB levels before and after BET were not significantly different between the two methods. The exchange rate was also measured by means of staining the fetal red cells (F cells) both in the automated method and in Diamond's method, and comparing them. The exchange rate of F cells in Diamond's method went down along the theoretical exchange curve proposed by Diamond, while the rate in the automated method was significantly better than in Diamond's, especially in the early stage of BET (p less than 0.01). We believe that the use of this automated method may give better results than Diamond's method in the rate of exchange, because this method is performed with a two-site technique using a peripheral artery and vein.

Lighting Automation - Flying an Earthlike Habit Project

Science.gov (United States)

Falker, Jay; Howard, Ricky; Culbert, Christopher; Clark, Toni Anne; Kolomenski, Andrei

2017-01-01

Our proposal will enable the development of automated spacecraft habitats for long duration missions. Majority of spacecraft lighting systems employ lamps or zone specific switches and dimmers. Automation is not in the "picture". If we are to build long duration environments, which provide earth-like habitats, minimize crew time, and optimize spacecraft power reserves, innovation in lighting automation is a must. To transform how spacecraft lighting environments are automated, we will provide performance data on a standard lighting communication protocol. We will investigate utilization and application of an industry accepted lighting control protocol, DMX512. We will demonstrate how lighting automation can conserve power, assist with lighting countermeasures, and utilize spatial body tracking. By using DMX512 we will prove the "wheel" does not need to be reinvented in terms of smart lighting and future spacecraft can use a standard lighting protocol to produce an effective, optimized and potentially earthlike habitat.

Home automation as an example of construction innovation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlies, R.D. van der; Bronswijk, J.E.M.H. van

2009-01-01

Home automation can contribute to the health of (older) adults. Home automation covers a broad field of ‘intelligent’ electronic or mechanical devices in the home (domestic) environment. Realizing home automation is technically possible, though still not common. In this paper main influential

Implementing The Automated Phases Of The Partially-Automated Digital Triage Process Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary D Cantrell

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Digital triage is a pre-digital-forensic phase that sometimes takes place as a way of gathering quick intelligence. Although effort has been undertaken to model the digital forensics process, little has been done to date to model digital triage. This work discuses the further development of a model that does attempt to address digital triage the Partially-automated Crime Specific Digital Triage Process model. The model itself will be presented along with a description of how its automated functionality was implemented to facilitate model testing.

Computerized automated remote inspection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The automated inspection system utilizes a computer to control the location of the ultrasonic transducer, the actual inspection process, the display of the data, and the storage of the data on IBM magnetic tape. This automated inspection equipment provides two major advantages. First, it provides a cost savings, because of the reduced inspection time, made possible by the automation of the data acquisition, processing, and storage equipment. This reduced inspection time is also made possible by a computerized data evaluation aid which speeds data interpretation. In addition, the computer control of the transducer location drive allows the exact duplication of a previously located position or flaw. The second major advantage is that the use of automated inspection equipment also allows a higher-quality inspection, because of the automated data acquisition, processing, and storage. This storage of data, in accurate digital form on IBM magnetic tape, for example, facilitates retrieval for comparison with previous inspection data. The equipment provides a multiplicity of scan data which will provide statistical information on any questionable volume or flaw. An automatic alarm for location of all reportable flaws reduces the probability of operator error. This system has the ability to present data on a cathode ray tube as numerical information, a three-dimensional picture, or ''hard-copy'' sheet. One important advantage of this system is the ability to store large amounts of data in compact magnetic tape reels

Design and Implementation of Company Tailored Automated Material Handling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langer, Gilad; Bilberg, Arne

1996-01-01

This article focuses on the problems of analysing automation of material handling systems in order to develop an efficient automated solution that is specifically tailored to the company. The research has resulted in development of new methods for evaluating factory automation from design...... to implementation. The goals of the research were to analyse and evaluate automation in order to obtain an advantageous combination of human and automated resources. The idea is to asses different solutions in a virtual environment, where experiments and analyses can be performed so that the company can justify...... for their application with computer aided information processing tools. The framework is named the "Automated Material Handling (AMH) Preference GuideLine". The research has been carried out in close co-operation with Danish and European industry, where implementations of automation can be referred to. It is our...

Laboratory automation in clinical bacteriology: what system to choose?

Science.gov (United States)

Croxatto, A; Prod'hom, G; Faverjon, F; Rochais, Y; Greub, G

2016-03-01

Automation was introduced many years ago in several diagnostic disciplines such as chemistry, haematology and molecular biology. The first laboratory automation system for clinical bacteriology was released in 2006, and it rapidly proved its value by increasing productivity, allowing a continuous increase in sample volumes despite limited budgets and personnel shortages. Today, two major manufacturers, BD Kiestra and Copan, are commercializing partial or complete laboratory automation systems for bacteriology. The laboratory automation systems are rapidly evolving to provide improved hardware and software solutions to optimize laboratory efficiency. However, the complex parameters of the laboratory and automation systems must be considered to determine the best system for each given laboratory. We address several topics on laboratory automation that may help clinical bacteriologists to understand the particularities and operative modalities of the different systems. We present (a) a comparison of the engineering and technical features of the various elements composing the two different automated systems currently available, (b) the system workflows of partial and complete laboratory automation, which define the basis for laboratory reorganization required to optimize system efficiency, (c) the concept of digital imaging and telebacteriology, (d) the connectivity of laboratory automation to the laboratory information system, (e) the general advantages and disadvantages as well as the expected impacts provided by laboratory automation and (f) the laboratory data required to conduct a workflow assessment to determine the best configuration of an automated system for the laboratory activities and specificities. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Danger! Automation at Work; Report of the State of Illinois Commission on Automation and Technological Progress.

Science.gov (United States)

Karp, William

The 74th Illinois General Assembly created the Illinois Commission on Automation and Technological Progress to study and analyze the economic and social effects of automation and other technological changes on industry, commerce, agriculture, education, manpower, and society in Illinois. Commission members visited industrial plants and business…

Shielded cells transfer automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, J.J.

1984-01-01

Nuclear waste from shielded cells is removed, packaged, and transferred manually in many nuclear facilities. Radiation exposure is absorbed by operators during these operations and limited only through procedural controls. Technological advances in automation using robotics have allowed a production waste removal operation to be automated to reduce radiation exposure. The robotic system bags waste containers out of glove box and transfers them to a shielded container. Operators control the system outside the system work area via television cameras. 9 figures

Automation of Educational Tasks for Academic Radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamar, David L; Richardson, Michael L; Carlson, Blake

2016-07-01

The process of education involves a variety of repetitious tasks. We believe that appropriate computer tools can automate many of these chores, and allow both educators and their students to devote a lot more of their time to actual teaching and learning. This paper details tools that we have used to automate a broad range of academic radiology-specific tasks on Mac OS X, iOS, and Windows platforms. Some of the tools we describe here require little expertise or time to use; others require some basic knowledge of computer programming. We used TextExpander (Mac, iOS) and AutoHotKey (Win) for automated generation of text files, such as resident performance reviews and radiology interpretations. Custom statistical calculations were performed using TextExpander and the Python programming language. A workflow for automated note-taking was developed using Evernote (Mac, iOS, Win) and Hazel (Mac). Automated resident procedure logging was accomplished using Editorial (iOS) and Python. We created three variants of a teaching session logger using Drafts (iOS) and Pythonista (iOS). Editorial and Drafts were used to create flashcards for knowledge review. We developed a mobile reference management system for iOS using Editorial. We used the Workflow app (iOS) to automatically generate a text message reminder for daily conferences. Finally, we developed two separate automated workflows-one with Evernote (Mac, iOS, Win) and one with Python (Mac, Win)-that generate simple automated teaching file collections. We have beta-tested these workflows, techniques, and scripts on several of our fellow radiologists. All of them expressed enthusiasm for these tools and were able to use one or more of them to automate their own educational activities. Appropriate computer tools can automate many educational tasks, and thereby allow both educators and their students to devote a lot more of their time to actual teaching and learning. Copyright © 2016 The Association of University Radiologists

Automation U.S.A.: Overcoming Barriers to Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Herb

1985-01-01

Although labor unions and inadequate technology play minor roles, the principal barrier to factory automation is "fear of change." Related problems include long-term benefits, nontechnical executives, and uncertainty of factory cost accounting. Industry support for university programs is helping to educate engineers to design, implement, and…

Synchronous Routing for Personal Rapid Transit Pods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Mrad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Personal rapid transit (PRT is a public and automated transport system in which a fleet of small driverless vehicles operate in order to transport passengers between a set of stations through a network of guided ways. Each customer is carried from one station to another directly with no stop in intermediate stations. This mode of transport can result in a high level of unused capacity due to the empty moves of the vehicles. In this paper, we model the problem of minimizing the energy consumed by the PRT system while assuming predeterministic list of orders; then we solve it using some constructive heuristics. Experiments are run on 1320 randomly generated test problems with various sizes. Our algorithms are shown to give good results over large trip instances.

Automated washing of FTA Card punches and PCR setup for reference samples using a LIMS-controlled Sias Xantus automated liquid handler

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stangegaard, Michael; Olsen, Addie Nina; Frøslev, Tobias G.

2009-01-01

We have implemented and validated automated methods for washing FTA Card punches containing buccal samples and subsequent PCR setup using a Sias Xantus automated liquid handler. The automated methods were controlled by worklists generated by our LabWare Laboratory Information Management System...

Software complex AS (automation of spectrometry). User interface of experiment automation system implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astakhova, N.V.; Beskrovnyj, A.I.; Bogdzel', A.A.; Butorin, P.E.; Vasilovskij, S.G.; Gundorin, N.A.; Zlokazov, V.B.; Kutuzov, S.A.; Salamatin, I.M.; Shvetsov, V.N.

2003-01-01

An instrumental software complex for automation of spectrometry (AS) that enables prompt realization of experiment automation systems for spectrometers, which use data buferisation, has been developed. In the development new methods of programming and building of automation systems together with novel net technologies were employed. It is suggested that programs to schedule and conduct experiments should be based on the parametric model of the spectrometer, the approach that will make it possible to write programs suitable for any FLNP (Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics) spectrometer and experimental technique applied and use different hardware interfaces for introducing the spectrometric data into the data acquisition system. The article describes the possibilities provided to the user in the field of scheduling and control of the experiment, data viewing, and control of the spectrometer parameters. The possibility of presenting the current spectrometer state, programs and the experimental data in the Internet in the form of dynamically formed protocols and graphs, as well as of the experiment control via the Internet is realized. To use the means of the Internet on the side of the client, applied programs are not needed. It suffices to know how to use the two programs to carry out experiments in the automated mode. The package is designed for experiments in condensed matter and nuclear physics and is ready for using. (author)

Home Automation and Security System Using Android ADK

OpenAIRE

Deepali Javale; Mohd. Mohsin; Shreerang Nandanwar; Mayur Shingate

2013-01-01

Today we are living in 21st century where automation is playing important role in human life. Home automation allows us to control household appliances like light, door, fan, AC etc. It also provides home security and emergency system to be activated. Home automation not only refers to reduce human efforts but also energy efficiency and time saving. The main objective of home automation and security is to help handicapped and old aged people which will enable them to control home appliances a...

Flexible automation and the loss of pooling synergy

OpenAIRE

Slomp, Jannes; Zee, Durk-Jouke van der

2001-01-01

This paper focuses on the effects of flexible automation on the performance of a job shop. Flexible automated machines may significantly improve the delivery performance and the flow time of jobs. The insertion of a flexible automated system in a job shop, however, also has a counter effect on the manufacturing performance. This is caused by the reduction of pooling synergy due to the dedication implied by flexible automated machines. This paper investigates by means of a simulation study to ...

Automated Planning and Scheduling for Planetary Rover Distributed Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Backes, Paul G.; Rabideau, Gregg; Tso, Kam S.; Chien, Steve

1999-01-01

Automated planning and Scheduling, including automated path planning, has been integrated with an Internet-based distributed operations system for planetary rover operations. The resulting prototype system enables faster generation of valid rover command sequences by a distributed planetary rover operations team. The Web Interface for Telescience (WITS) provides Internet-based distributed collaboration, the Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN) provides automated planning and scheduling, and an automated path planner provided path planning. The system was demonstrated on the Rocky 7 research rover at JPL.

Computer automation and artificial intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasnain, S.B.

1992-01-01

Rapid advances in computing, resulting from micro chip revolution has increased its application manifold particularly for computer automation. Yet the level of automation available, has limited its application to more complex and dynamic systems which require an intelligent computer control. In this paper a review of Artificial intelligence techniques used to augment automation is presented. The current sequential processing approach usually adopted in artificial intelligence has succeeded in emulating the symbolic processing part of intelligence, but the processing power required to get more elusive aspects of intelligence leads towards parallel processing. An overview of parallel processing with emphasis on transputer is also provided. A Fuzzy knowledge based controller for amination drug delivery in muscle relaxant anesthesia on transputer is described. 4 figs. (author)

Automated analysis of autoradiographic imagery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bisignani, W.T.; Greenhouse, S.C.

1975-01-01

A research programme is described which has as its objective the automated characterization of neurological tissue regions from autoradiographs by utilizing hybrid-resolution image processing techniques. An experimental system is discussed which includes raw imagery, scanning an digitizing equipments, feature-extraction algorithms, and regional characterization techniques. The parameters extracted by these algorithms are presented as well as the regional characteristics which are obtained by operating on the parameters with statistical sampling techniques. An approach is presented for validating the techniques and initial experimental results are obtained from an anlysis of an autoradiograph of a region of the hypothalamus. An extension of these automated techniques to other biomedical research areas is discussed as well as the implications of applying automated techniques to biomedical research problems. (author)

21 CFR 864.5700 - Automated platelet aggregation system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated platelet aggregation system. 864.5700 Section 864.5700 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices...

21 CFR 864.5220 - Automated differential cell counter.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated differential cell counter. 864.5220 Section 864.5220 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices...

21 CFR 864.5260 - Automated cell-locating device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated cell-locating device. 864.5260 Section 864.5260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices...

21 CFR 864.5800 - Automated sedimentation rate device.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated sedimentation rate device. 864.5800 Section 864.5800 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Automated and Semi-Automated Hematology Devices...

Radiographic examination takes on an automated image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aman, J.

1988-01-01

Automation can be effectively applied to nondestructive testing (NDT). Until recently, film radiography used in NDT was largely a manual process, involving the shooting of a series of x-rays, manually positioned and manually processed. In other words, much radiographic work is being done the way it was over 50 years ago. Significant advances in automation have changed the face of manufacturing, and industry has shared in the benefits brought by such progress. The handling of parts, which was once responsible for a large measure of labor costs, is now assigned to robotic equipment. In nondestructive testing processes, some progress has been achieved in automation - for example, in real-time imaging systems. However, only recently have truly automated NDT begun to emerge. There are two major reasons to introduce automation into NDT - reliability and productivity. Any process or technique that can improve the reliability of parts testing could easily justify the capital investments required

Preliminary Framework for Human-Automation Collaboration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oxstrand, Johanna Helene; Le Blanc, Katya Lee; Spielman, Zachary Alexander

2015-01-01

The Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Technologies Program sponsors research, development and deployment activities through its Next Generation Nuclear Plant, Advanced Reactor Concepts, and Advanced Small Modular Reactor (aSMR) Programs to promote safety, technical, economical, and environmental advancements of innovative Generation IV nuclear energy technologies. The Human Automation Collaboration (HAC) Research Project is located under the aSMR Program, which identifies developing advanced instrumentation and controls and human-machine interfaces as one of four key research areas. It is expected that the new nuclear power plant designs will employ technology significantly more advanced than the analog systems in the existing reactor fleet as well as utilizing automation to a greater extent. Moving towards more advanced technology and more automation does not necessary imply more efficient and safer operation of the plant. Instead, a number of concerns about how these technologies will affect human performance and the overall safety of the plant need to be addressed. More specifically, it is important to investigate how the operator and the automation work as a team to ensure effective and safe plant operation, also known as the human-automation collaboration (HAC). The focus of the HAC research is to understand how various characteristics of automation (such as its reliability, processes, and modes) effect an operator's use and awareness of plant conditions. In other words, the research team investigates how to best design the collaboration between the operators and the automated systems in a manner that has the greatest positive impact on overall plant performance and reliability. This report addresses the Department of Energy milestone M4AT-15IN2302054, Complete Preliminary Framework for Human-Automation Collaboration, by discussing the two phased development of a preliminary HAC framework. The framework developed in the first phase was used as

Preliminary Framework for Human-Automation Collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oxstrand, Johanna Helene [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Le Blanc, Katya Lee [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Spielman, Zachary Alexander [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-09-01

The Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Technologies Program sponsors research, development and deployment activities through its Next Generation Nuclear Plant, Advanced Reactor Concepts, and Advanced Small Modular Reactor (aSMR) Programs to promote safety, technical, economical, and environmental advancements of innovative Generation IV nuclear energy technologies. The Human Automation Collaboration (HAC) Research Project is located under the aSMR Program, which identifies developing advanced instrumentation and controls and human-machine interfaces as one of four key research areas. It is expected that the new nuclear power plant designs will employ technology significantly more advanced than the analog systems in the existing reactor fleet as well as utilizing automation to a greater extent. Moving towards more advanced technology and more automation does not necessary imply more efficient and safer operation of the plant. Instead, a number of concerns about how these technologies will affect human performance and the overall safety of the plant need to be addressed. More specifically, it is important to investigate how the operator and the automation work as a team to ensure effective and safe plant operation, also known as the human-automation collaboration (HAC). The focus of the HAC research is to understand how various characteristics of automation (such as its reliability, processes, and modes) effect an operator’s use and awareness of plant conditions. In other words, the research team investigates how to best design the collaboration between the operators and the automated systems in a manner that has the greatest positive impact on overall plant performance and reliability. This report addresses the Department of Energy milestone M4AT-15IN2302054, Complete Preliminary Framework for Human-Automation Collaboration, by discussing the two phased development of a preliminary HAC framework. The framework developed in the first phase was used as the

Automated Subsystem Control for Life Support System (ASCLSS)

Science.gov (United States)

Block, Roger F.

1987-01-01

The Automated Subsystem Control for Life Support Systems (ASCLSS) program has successfully developed and demonstrated a generic approach to the automation and control of space station subsystems. The automation system features a hierarchical and distributed real-time control architecture which places maximum controls authority at the lowest or process control level which enhances system autonomy. The ASCLSS demonstration system pioneered many automation and control concepts currently being considered in the space station data management system (DMS). Heavy emphasis is placed on controls hardware and software commonality implemented in accepted standards. The approach demonstrates successfully the application of real-time process and accountability with the subsystem or process developer. The ASCLSS system completely automates a space station subsystem (air revitalization group of the ASCLSS) which moves the crew/operator into a role of supervisory control authority. The ASCLSS program developed over 50 lessons learned which will aide future space station developers in the area of automation and controls..

Cost Accounting in the Automated Manufacturing Environment

Science.gov (United States)

1988-06-01

1 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL M terey, California 0 DTIC II ELECTE R AD%$° NO 0,19880 -- THESIS COST ACCOUNTING IN THE AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING...PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO NO ACCESSION NO 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) E COST ACCOUNTING IN THE AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING...GROUP ’" Cost Accounting ; Product Costing ; Automated Manufacturing; CAD/CAM- CIM 19 ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by blo

An Automation Interface for Kappa PC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartvig, Susanne C

1999-01-01

The reports documents an automation interface for Kappa PC. The automation interface can be used to embed Kappa applications in 32-bit Windowsapplications.The interface includes functions for initialising Kappa, for loading an application, for settingvalues, for getting values, and for stopping...

Specdata: Automated Analysis Software for Broadband Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Jasmine N.; Martin-Drumel, Marie-Aline; McCarthy, Michael C.

2017-06-01

With the advancement of chirped-pulse techniques, broadband rotational spectra with a few tens to several hundred GHz of spectral coverage are now routinely recorded. When studying multi-component mixtures that might result, for example, with the use of an electrical discharge, lines of new chemical species are often obscured by those of known compounds, and analysis can be laborious. To address this issue, we have developed SPECdata, an open source, interactive tool which is designed to simplify and greatly accelerate the spectral analysis and discovery. Our software tool combines both automated and manual components that free the user from computation, while giving him/her considerable flexibility to assign, manipulate, interpret and export their analysis. The automated - and key - component of the new software is a database query system that rapidly assigns transitions of known species in an experimental spectrum. For each experiment, the software identifies spectral features, and subsequently assigns them to known molecules within an in-house database (Pickett .cat files, list of frequencies...), or those catalogued in Splatalogue (using automatic on-line queries). With suggested assignments, the control is then handed over to the user who can choose to accept, decline or add additional species. Data visualization, statistical information, and interactive widgets assist the user in making decisions about their data. SPECdata has several other useful features intended to improve the user experience. Exporting a full report of the analysis, or a peak file in which assigned lines are removed are among several options. A user may also save their progress to continue at another time. Additional features of SPECdata help the user to maintain and expand their database for future use. A user-friendly interface allows one to search, upload, edit or update catalog or experiment entries.

Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koffman, Larry D.; Lee, Patricia L.; Cook, James R.; Wilhite, Elmer L.

2008-01-01

The Environmental Analysis and Performance Modeling group of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) conducts performance assessments of the Savannah River Site (SRS) low-level waste facilities to meet the requirements of DOE Order 435.1. These performance assessments, which result in limits on the amounts of radiological substances that can be placed in the waste disposal facilities, consider numerous potential exposure pathways that could occur in the future. One set of exposure scenarios, known as inadvertent intruder analysis, considers the impact on hypothetical individuals who are assumed to inadvertently intrude onto the waste disposal site. Inadvertent intruder analysis considers three distinct scenarios for exposure referred to as the agriculture scenario, the resident scenario, and the post-drilling scenario. Each of these scenarios has specific exposure pathways that contribute to the overall dose for the scenario. For the inadvertent intruder analysis, the calculation of dose for the exposure pathways is a relatively straightforward algebraic calculation that utilizes dose conversion factors. Prior to 2004, these calculations were performed using an Excel spreadsheet. However, design checks of the spreadsheet calculations revealed that errors could be introduced inadvertently when copying spreadsheet formulas cell by cell and finding these errors was tedious and time consuming. This weakness led to the specification of functional requirements to create a software application that would automate the calculations for inadvertent intruder analysis using a controlled source of input parameters. This software application, named the Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application, has undergone rigorous testing of the internal calculations and meets software QA requirements. The Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application was intended to replace the previous spreadsheet analyses with an automated application that was verified to produce the same calculations and

Sensors and Automated Analyzers for Radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grate, Jay W.; Egorov, Oleg B.

2003-01-01

The production of nuclear weapons materials has generated large quantities of nuclear waste and significant environmental contamination. We have developed new, rapid, automated methods for determination of radionuclides using sequential injection methodologies to automate extraction chromatographic separations, with on-line flow-through scintillation counting for real time detection. This work has progressed in two main areas: radionuclide sensors for water monitoring and automated radiochemical analyzers for monitoring nuclear waste processing operations. Radionuclide sensors have been developed that collect and concentrate radionuclides in preconcentrating minicolumns with dual functionality: chemical selectivity for radionuclide capture and scintillation for signal output. These sensors can detect pertechnetate to below regulatory levels and have been engineered into a prototype for field testing. A fully automated process monitor has been developed for total technetium in nuclear waste streams. This instrument performs sample acidification, speciation adjustment, separation and detection in fifteen minutes or less

Automation of analytical systems in power cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staub Lukas

2008-01-01

'Automation' is a widely used term in instrumentation and is often applied to signal exchange, PLC and SCADA systems. Common use, however, does not necessarily described autonomous operation of analytical devices. We define an automated analytical system as a black box with an input (sample) and an output (measured value). In addition we need dedicated status lines for assessing the validities of the input for our black box and the output for subsequent systems. We will discuss input parameters, automated analytical processes and output parameters. Further considerations will be given to signal exchange and integration into the operating routine of a power plant. Local control loops (chemical dosing) and the automation of sampling systems are not discussed here. (author)

Peripheral refractive correction and automated perimetric profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wild, J M; Wood, J M; Crews, S J

1988-06-01

The effect of peripheral refractive error correction on the automated perimetric sensitivity profile was investigated on a sample of 10 clinically normal, experienced observers. Peripheral refractive error was determined at eccentricities of 0 degree, 20 degrees and 40 degrees along the temporal meridian of the right eye using the Canon Autoref R-1, an infra-red automated refractor, under the parametric conditions of the Octopus automated perimeter. Perimetric sensitivity was then undertaken at these eccentricities (stimulus sizes 0 and III) with and without the appropriate peripheral refractive correction using the Octopus 201 automated perimeter. Within the measurement limits of the experimental procedures employed, perimetric sensitivity was not influenced by peripheral refractive correction.

Records Management Handbook; Source Data Automation Equipment Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

National Archives and Records Service (GSA), Washington, DC. Office of Records Management.

A detailed guide to selecting appropriate source data automation equipment is presented. Source data automation equipment is used to prepare data for electronic data processing or computerized recordkeeping. The guide contains specifications, performance data cost, and pictures of the major types of machines used in source data automation.…

Molecular Detection of Bladder Cancer by Fluorescence Microsatellite Analysis and an Automated Genetic Analyzing System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarel Halachmi

2007-01-01

Full Text Available To investigate the ability of an automated fluorescent analyzing system to detect microsatellite alterations, in patients with bladder cancer. We investigated 11 with pathology proven bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC for microsatellite alterations in blood, urine, and tumor biopsies. DNA was prepared by standard methods from blood, urine and resected tumor specimens, and was used for microsatellite analysis. After the primers were fluorescent labeled, amplification of the DNA was performed with PCR. The PCR products were placed into the automated genetic analyser (ABI Prism 310, Perkin Elmer, USA and were subjected to fluorescent scanning with argon ion laser beams. The fluorescent signal intensity measured by the genetic analyzer measured the product size in terms of base pairs. We found loss of heterozygocity (LOH or microsatellite alterations (a loss or gain of nucleotides, which alter the original normal locus size in all the patients by using fluorescent microsatellite analysis and an automated analyzing system. In each case the genetic changes found in urine samples were identical to those found in the resected tumor sample. The studies demonstrated the ability to detect bladder tumor non-invasively by fluorescent microsatellite analysis of urine samples. Our study supports the worldwide trend for the search of non-invasive methods to detect bladder cancer. We have overcome major obstacles that prevented the clinical use of an experimental system. With our new tested system microsatellite analysis can be done cheaper, faster, easier and with higher scientific accuracy.

21 CFR 866.2170 - Automated colony counter.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Microbiology Devices § 866.2170 Automated colony counter. (a) Identification. An automated colony counter is a mechanical device intended for medical...

Library Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Husby, Ole

1990-01-01

The challenges and potential benefits of automating university libraries are reviewed, with special attention given to cooperative systems. Aspects discussed include database size, the role of the university computer center, storage modes, multi-institutional systems, resource sharing, cooperative system management, networking, and intelligent…

Automation in a material processing/storage facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, K.; Gordon, J.

1997-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is currently developing a new facility, the Actinide Packaging and Storage Facility (APSF), to process and store legacy materials from the United States nuclear stockpile. A variety of materials, with a variety of properties, packaging and handling/storage requirements, will be processed and stored at the facility. Since these materials are hazardous and radioactive, automation will be used to minimize worker exposure. Other benefits derived from automation of the facility include increased throughput capacity and enhanced security. The diversity of materials and packaging geometries to be handled poses challenges to the automation of facility processes. In addition, the nature of the materials to be processed underscores the need for safety, reliability and serviceability. The application of automation in this facility must, therefore, be accomplished in a rational and disciplined manner to satisfy the strict operational requirements of the facility. Among the functions to be automated are the transport of containers between process and storage areas via an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV), and various processes in the Shipping Package Unpackaging (SPU) area, the Accountability Measurements (AM) area, the Special Isotope Storage (SIS) vault and the Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) vault. Other areas of the facility are also being automated, but are outside the scope of this paper

Social aspects of automation: Some critical insights

Science.gov (United States)

Nouzil, Ibrahim; Raza, Ali; Pervaiz, Salman

2017-09-01

Sustainable development has been recognized globally as one of the major driving forces towards the current technological innovations. To achieve sustainable development and attain its associated goals, it is very important to properly address its concerns in different aspects of technological innovations. Several industrial sectors have enjoyed productivity and economic gains due to advent of automation technology. It is important to characterize sustainability for the automation technology. Sustainability is key factor that will determine the future of our neighbours in time and it must be tightly wrapped around the double-edged sword of technology. In this study, different impacts of automation have been addressed using the ‘Circles of Sustainability’ approach as a framework, covering economic, political, cultural and ecological aspects and their implications. A systematic literature review of automation technology from its inception is outlined and plotted against its many outcomes covering a broad spectrum. The study is more focused towards the social aspects of the automation technology. The study also reviews literature to analyse the employment deficiency as one end of the social impact spectrum. On the other end of the spectrum, benefits to society through technological advancements, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) coupled with automation are presented.

Workflow Automation: A Collective Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Harlan, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Knowledge management has proven to be a sustainable competitive advantage for many organizations. Knowledge management systems are abundant, with multiple functionalities. The literature reinforces the use of workflow automation with knowledge management systems to benefit organizations; however, it was not known if process automation yielded…

49 CFR 238.237 - Automated monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Automated monitoring. 238.237 Section 238.237 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Equipment § 238.237 Automated monitoring. (a) Except as further specified in this paragraph, on or after...

Performance of an Additional Task During Level 2 Automated Driving: An On-Road Study Comparing Drivers With and Without Experience With Partial Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Solís-Marcos, Ignacio; Ahlström, Christer; Kircher, Katja

2018-05-01

To investigate the influence of prior experience with Level 2 automation on additional task performance during manual and Level 2 partially automated driving. Level 2 automation is now on the market, but its effects on driver behavior remain unclear. Based on previous studies, we could expect an increase in drivers' engagement in secondary tasks during Level 2 automated driving, but it is yet unknown how drivers will integrate all the ongoing demands in such situations. Twenty-one drivers (12 without, 9 with Level 2 automation experience) drove on a highway manually and with Level 2 automation (exemplified by Volvo Pilot Assist generation 2; PA2) while performing an additional task. In half of the conditions, the task could be interrupted (self-paced), and in the other half, it could not (system-paced). Drivers' visual attention, additional task performance, and other compensatory strategies were analyzed. Driving with PA2 led to decreased scores in the additional task and more visual attention to the dashboard. In the self-paced condition, all drivers looked more to the task and perceived a lower mental demand. The drivers experienced with PA2 used the system and the task more than the novice group and performed more overtakings. The additional task interfered more with Level 2 automation than with manual driving. The drivers, particularly the automation novice drivers, used some compensatory strategies. Automation designers need to consider these potential effects in the development of future automated systems.

Designing a Software Test Automation Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina AMARICAI

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Testing is an art and science that should ultimately lead to lower cost businesses through increasing control and reducing risk. Testing specialists should thoroughly understand the system or application from both the technical and the business perspective, and then design, build and implement the minimum-cost, maximum-coverage validation framework. Test Automation is an important ingredient for testing large scale applications. In this paper we discuss several test automation frameworks, their advantages and disadvantages. We also propose a custom automation framework model that is suited for applications with very complex business requirements and numerous interfaces.

Flexible automation and the loss of pooling synergy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slomp, Jannes; Zee, Durk-Jouke van der

This paper focuses on the effects of flexible automation on the performance of a job shop. Flexible automated machines may significantly improve the delivery performance and the flow time of jobs. The insertion of a flexible automated system in a job shop, however, also has a counter effect on the

Standard IEC 61850 substation automation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bricchi, A.; Mezzadri, D. [Selta, Tortoreto (Italy)

2008-07-01

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61850 standard is the reference communication protocol for all electrical substations protection and control systems. It creates models of all the elements and functionalities of an electrical substation, including physical elements such as switches or circuit breakers, as well as protection, control and monitoring functionalities. Network managers need to renew power substation automation and control systems in order to improve the efficiency and quality of services offered by electric utilities. Selta has proposed a new integrated solution for the automation of power substations which is fully compliant with the IEC 61850 norms. The solution involves the integration of control, automation, protection, monitoring and maintenance functions and applies leading edge technology to its systems, particularly for the TERNA network. The system is based on the use of many electronic devices at a power plant, each one with a specialized function, and all interconnected via a Station LAN. This solution, was tested on the TERNA network in Italy, in VHV and HV stations. It was shown to offer many advantages, such as an architecture based on full interoperability between control, monitoring and protection equipment; centralized and distributed automation; a LAN station that allows full interoperability between different bay units and protection relays in order to integrate equipment from various suppliers; the integration of automation systems in existing bay units and protection relays equipped with standard communication buses or with proprietary interfaces; and time synchronization for the entire system through a station GPS reception system. 10 refs., 1 tab., 7 figs.

Interoperability between OPC UA and AutomationML

OpenAIRE

Henßen, Robert; Schleipen, Miriam

2014-01-01

OPC UA (OPC Unified Architecture) is a platform-independent standard series (IEC 62541) [1], [2] for communication of industrial automation devices and systems. The OPC Unified Architecture is an advanced communication technology for process control. Certainly the launching costs for the initial information model are quite high. AutomationML (Automation Markup Language) is an upcoming open standard series (IEC 62714) [3], [4] for describing production plants or plant components. The goal of t...

Evolution of Home Automation Technology

OpenAIRE

Mohd. Rihan; M. Salim Beg

2009-01-01

In modern society home and office automation has becomeincreasingly important, providing ways to interconnectvarious home appliances. This interconnection results infaster transfer of information within home/offices leading tobetter home management and improved user experience.Home Automation, in essence, is a technology thatintegrates various electrical systems of a home to provideenhanced comfort and security. Users are grantedconvenient and complete control over all the electrical homeappl...

Automation of mining machinery at RAG; Automation von Bergbaumaschinen bei der RAG Deutsche Steinkohle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barabasch, Uwe [Zentralstab Kernbereich, RAG Deutsche Steinkohle AG, Herne (Germany); Weiss, Hans-Juergen [Bergwerk Prosper-Haniel, RAG Deutsche Steinkohle AG, Bottrop (Germany); Kotke, Frank [Elektrotechnik unter Tage, Zentralstab Kernbereich der RAG Deutsche Steinkohle AG, Herne (Germany)

2009-11-05

The improvement of processes specific to mining in the collieries of RAG and the improvement of the ergonomic conditions in the deep coal mining deposits of Germany require a higher degree of automation and control of the processes in progress. A higher degree of automation is also re-quired here for the machinery and systems used. RAG will be consolidating its engineering and research activities in these areas over the coming years. (orig.)

Building Strategic Conformal Automation for Air Traffic Control Using Machine Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Regtuit, Robert; Borst, C.; van Kampen, E.; van Paassen, M.M.

2018-01-01

Acceptance of automation has been a bottleneck for successful introduction of automation in Air Trac Control. Strategic conformal automation has been proven to increase automation acceptance, by creating a better match between automation and operator decision-making. In this paper strategic

An Intelligent Automation Platform for Rapid Bioprocess Design

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tianyi

2014-01-01

Bioprocess development is very labor intensive, requiring many experiments to characterize each unit operation in the process sequence to achieve product safety and process efficiency. Recent advances in microscale biochemical engineering have led to automated experimentation. A process design workflow is implemented sequentially in which (1) a liquid-handling system performs high-throughput wet lab experiments, (2) standalone analysis devices detect the data, and (3) specific software is used for data analysis and experiment design given the user’s inputs. We report an intelligent automation platform that integrates these three activities to enhance the efficiency of such a workflow. A multiagent intelligent architecture has been developed incorporating agent communication to perform the tasks automatically. The key contribution of this work is the automation of data analysis and experiment design and also the ability to generate scripts to run the experiments automatically, allowing the elimination of human involvement. A first-generation prototype has been established and demonstrated through lysozyme precipitation process design. All procedures in the case study have been fully automated through an intelligent automation platform. The realization of automated data analysis and experiment design, and automated script programming for experimental procedures has the potential to increase lab productivity. PMID:24088579

21 CFR 864.9300 - Automated Coombs test systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Blood and Blood Products § 864.9300 Automated Coombs test systems. (a) Identification. An automated Coombs test system is a device used to detect and identify antibodies in patient sera or antibodies bound... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automated Coombs test systems. 864.9300 Section...

Recent advances in automated system model extraction (SME)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narayanan, Nithin; Bloomsburgh, John; He Yie; Mao Jianhua; Patil, Mahesh B; Akkaraju, Sandeep

2006-01-01

In this paper we present two different techniques for automated extraction of system models from FEA models. We discuss two different algorithms: for (i) automated N-DOF SME for electrostatically actuated MEMS and (ii) automated N-DOF SME for MEMS inertial sensors. We will present case studies for the two different algorithms presented

15 CFR 758.2 - Automated Export System (AES).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Automated Export System (AES). 758.2... CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS § 758.2 Automated Export System (AES). The Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics...) electronically using the Automated Export System (AES). In order to use AES, you must apply directly to the...

Future of Automated Insulin Delivery Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Castle, Jessica R.; DeVries, J. Hans; Kovatchev, Boris

2017-01-01

Advances in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have brought on a paradigm shift in the management of type 1 diabetes. These advances have enabled the automation of insulin delivery, where an algorithm determines the insulin delivery rate in response to the CGM values. There are multiple automated

Automating the CMS DAQ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, G; Darlea, G-L; Gomez-Ceballos, G; Bawej, T; Chaze, O; Coarasa, J A; Deldicque, C; Dobson, M; Dupont, A; Gigi, D; Glege, F; Gomez-Reino, R; Hartl, C; Hegeman, J; Masetti, L; Behrens, U; Branson, J; Cittolin, S; Holzner, A; Erhan, S

2014-01-01

We present the automation mechanisms that have been added to the Data Acquisition and Run Control systems of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment during Run 1 of the LHC, ranging from the automation of routine tasks to automatic error recovery and context-sensitive guidance to the operator. These mechanisms helped CMS to maintain a data taking efficiency above 90% and to even improve it to 95% towards the end of Run 1, despite an increase in the occurrence of single-event upsets in sub-detector electronics at high LHC luminosity.

Launch Control System Software Development System Automation Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Andrew

2017-01-01

The Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) launch control system for the Orion capsule and Space Launch System, the next generation manned rocket currently in development. This system requires high quality testing that will measure and test the capabilities of the system. For the past two years, the Exploration and Operations Division at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has assigned a group including interns and full-time engineers to develop automated tests to save the project time and money. The team worked on automating the testing process for the SCCS GUI that would use streamed simulated data from the testing servers to produce data, plots, statuses, etc. to the GUI. The software used to develop automated tests included an automated testing framework and an automation library. The automated testing framework has a tabular-style syntax, which means the functionality of a line of code must have the appropriate number of tabs for the line to function as intended. The header section contains either paths to custom resources or the names of libraries being used. The automation library contains functionality to automate anything that appears on a desired screen with the use of image recognition software to detect and control GUI components. The data section contains any data values strictly created for the current testing file. The body section holds the tests that are being run. The function section can include any number of functions that may be used by the current testing file or any other file that resources it. The resources and body section are required for all test files; the data and function sections can be left empty if the data values and functions being used are from a resourced library or another file. To help equip the automation team with better tools, the Project Lead of the Automated Testing Team, Jason Kapusta, assigned the task to install and train an optical character recognition (OCR

Network-based automation for SMEs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parizi, Mohammad Shahabeddini; Radziwon, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

The implementation of appropriate automation concepts which increase productivity in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) requires a lot of effort, due to their limited resources. Therefore, it is strongly recommended for small firms to open up for the external sources of knowledge, which...... could be obtained through network interaction. Based on two extreme cases of SMEs representing low-tech industry and an in-depth analysis of their manufacturing facilities this paper presents how collaboration between firms embedded in a regional ecosystem could result in implementation of new...... with other members of the same regional ecosystem. The findings highlight two main automation related areas where manufacturing SMEs could leverage on external sources on knowledge – these are assistance in defining automation problem as well as appropriate solution and provider selection. Consequently...

Manual versus automated blood sampling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teilmann, A C; Kalliokoski, Otto; Sørensen, Dorte B

2014-01-01

Facial vein (cheek blood) and caudal vein (tail blood) phlebotomy are two commonly used techniques for obtaining blood samples from laboratory mice, while automated blood sampling through a permanent catheter is a relatively new technique in mice. The present study compared physiological parameters......, glucocorticoid dynamics as well as the behavior of mice sampled repeatedly for 24 h by cheek blood, tail blood or automated blood sampling from the carotid artery. Mice subjected to cheek blood sampling lost significantly more body weight, had elevated levels of plasma corticosterone, excreted more fecal...... corticosterone metabolites, and expressed more anxious behavior than did the mice of the other groups. Plasma corticosterone levels of mice subjected to tail blood sampling were also elevated, although less significantly. Mice subjected to automated blood sampling were less affected with regard to the parameters...

Impact of automation on mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan Victoria; Rockwood, Alan

2015-10-23

Mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography (LC-MS and LC-MS/MS) is an analytical technique that has rapidly grown in popularity in clinical practice. In contrast to traditional technology, mass spectrometry is superior in many respects including resolution, specificity, multiplex capability and has the ability to measure analytes in various matrices. Despite these advantages, LC-MS/MS remains high cost, labor intensive and has limited throughput. This specialized technology requires highly trained personnel and therefore has largely been limited to large institutions, academic organizations and reference laboratories. Advances in automation will be paramount to break through this bottleneck and increase its appeal for routine use. This article reviews these challenges, shares perspectives on essential features for LC-MS/MS total automation and proposes a step-wise and incremental approach to achieve total automation through reducing human intervention, increasing throughput and eventually integrating the LC-MS/MS system into the automated clinical laboratory operations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safeguards Automated Facility Evaluation (SAFE) methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, L.D.; Grady, L.M.; Bennett, H.A.; Sasser, D.W.; Engi, D.

1978-08-01

An automated approach to facility safeguards effectiveness evaluation has been developed. This automated process, called Safeguards Automated Facility Evaluation (SAFE), consists of a collection of a continuous stream of operational modules for facility characterization, the selection of critical paths, and the evaluation of safeguards effectiveness along these paths. The technique has been implemented on an interactive computer time-sharing system and makes use of computer graphics for the processing and presentation of information. Using this technique, a comprehensive evaluation of a safeguards system can be provided by systematically varying the parameters that characterize the physical protection components of a facility to reflect the perceived adversary attributes and strategy, environmental conditions, and site operational conditions. The SAFE procedure has broad applications in the nuclear facility safeguards field as well as in the security field in general. Any fixed facility containing valuable materials or components to be protected from theft or sabotage could be analyzed using this same automated evaluation technique

Automation, parallelism, and robotics for proteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Alterovitz, Gil; Liu, Jonathan; Chow, Jijun; Ramoni, Marco F

2006-07-01

The speed of the human genome project (Lander, E. S., Linton, L. M., Birren, B., Nusbaum, C. et al., Nature 2001, 409, 860-921) was made possible, in part, by developments in automation of sequencing technologies. Before these technologies, sequencing was a laborious, expensive, and personnel-intensive task. Similarly, automation and robotics are changing the field of proteomics today. Proteomics is defined as the effort to understand and characterize proteins in the categories of structure, function and interaction (Englbrecht, C. C., Facius, A., Comb. Chem. High Throughput Screen. 2005, 8, 705-715). As such, this field nicely lends itself to automation technologies since these methods often require large economies of scale in order to achieve cost and time-saving benefits. This article describes some of the technologies and methods being applied in proteomics in order to facilitate automation within the field as well as in linking proteomics-based information with other related research areas.

Bayesian Safety Risk Modeling of Human-Flightdeck Automation Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Ancel, Ersin; Shih, Ann T.

2015-01-01

Usage of automatic systems in airliners has increased fuel efficiency, added extra capabilities, enhanced safety and reliability, as well as provide improved passenger comfort since its introduction in the late 80's. However, original automation benefits, including reduced flight crew workload, human errors or training requirements, were not achieved as originally expected. Instead, automation introduced new failure modes, redistributed, and sometimes increased workload, brought in new cognitive and attention demands, and increased training requirements. Modern airliners have numerous flight modes, providing more flexibility (and inherently more complexity) to the flight crew. However, the price to pay for the increased flexibility is the need for increased mode awareness, as well as the need to supervise, understand, and predict automated system behavior. Also, over-reliance on automation is linked to manual flight skill degradation and complacency in commercial pilots. As a result, recent accidents involving human errors are often caused by the interactions between humans and the automated systems (e.g., the breakdown in man-machine coordination), deteriorated manual flying skills, and/or loss of situational awareness due to heavy dependence on automated systems. This paper describes the development of the increased complexity and reliance on automation baseline model, named FLAP for FLightdeck Automation Problems. The model development process starts with a comprehensive literature review followed by the construction of a framework comprised of high-level causal factors leading to an automation-related flight anomaly. The framework was then converted into a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) using the Hugin Software v7.8. The effects of automation on flight crew are incorporated into the model, including flight skill degradation, increased cognitive demand and training requirements along with their interactions. Besides flight crew deficiencies, automation system

Evaluation of High Density Air Traffic Operations with Automation for Separation Assurance, Weather Avoidance and Schedule Conformance

Science.gov (United States)

Prevot, Thomas; Mercer, Joey S.; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Homola, Jeffrey R.; Cabrall, Christopher D.; Brasil, Connie L.

2011-01-01

In this paper we discuss the development and evaluation of our prototype technologies and procedures for far-term air traffic control operations with automation for separation assurance, weather avoidance and schedule conformance. Controller-in-the-loop simulations in the Airspace Operations Laboratory at the NASA Ames Research Center in 2010 have shown very promising results. We found the operations to provide high airspace throughput, excellent efficiency and schedule conformance. The simulation also highlighted areas for improvements: Short-term conflict situations sometimes resulted in separation violations, particularly for transitioning aircraft in complex traffic flows. The combination of heavy metering and growing weather resulted in an increased number of aircraft penetrating convective weather cells. To address these shortcomings technologies and procedures have been improved and the operations are being re-evaluated with the same scenarios. In this paper we will first describe the concept and technologies for automating separation assurance, weather avoidance, and schedule conformance. Second, the results from the 2010 simulation will be reviewed. We report human-systems integration aspects, safety and efficiency results as well as airspace throughput, workload, and operational acceptability. Next, improvements will be discussed that were made to address identified shortcomings. We conclude that, with further refinements, air traffic control operations with ground-based automated separation assurance can routinely provide currently unachievable levels of traffic throughput in the en route airspace.