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Sample records for flexible parallel link

  1. Coupling characteristics of rigid body motion and elastic deformation of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with flexible links

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xuping; Mills, James K.; Cleghorn, William L.

    2009-01-01

    Modeling of multibody dynamics with flexible links is a challenging task, which not only involves the effect of rigid body motion on elastic deformations, but also includes the influence of elastic deformations on rigid body motion. This paper presents coupling characteristics of rigid body motions and elastic motions of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible intermediate links. The intermediate links are modeled as Euler-Bernoulli beams with pinned-pinned boundary conditions based on the assumed mode method (AMM). Using Lagrange multipliers, the fully coupled equations of motions of the flexible parallel manipulator are developed by incorporating the rigid body motions with elastic motions. The mutual dependence of elastic deformations and rigid body motions are investigated from the analysis of the derived equations of motion. Open-loop simulation without joint motion controls and closed-loop simulation with joint motion controls are performed to illustrate the effect of elastic motion on rigid body motions and the coupling effect amongst flexible links. These analyses and results provide valuable insight to the design and control of the parallel manipulator with flexible intermediate links

  2. Virtual Sensor for Kinematic Estimation of Flexible Links in Parallel Robots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bengoa, Pablo; Zubizarreta, Asier; Cabanes, Itziar; Mancisidor, Aitziber; Pinto, Charles; Mata, Sara

    2017-08-23

    The control of flexible link parallel manipulators is still an open area of research, endpoint trajectory tracking being one of the main challenges in this type of robot. The flexibility and deformations of the limbs make the estimation of the Tool Centre Point (TCP) position a challenging one. Authors have proposed different approaches to estimate this deformation and deduce the location of the TCP. However, most of these approaches require expensive measurement systems or the use of high computational cost integration methods. This work presents a novel approach based on a virtual sensor which can not only precisely estimate the deformation of the flexible links in control applications (less than 2% error), but also its derivatives (less than 6% error in velocity and 13% error in acceleration) according to simulation results. The validity of the proposed Virtual Sensor is tested in a Delta Robot, where the position of the TCP is estimated based on the Virtual Sensor measurements with less than a 0.03% of error in comparison with the flexible approach developed in ADAMS Multibody Software.

  3. Experimental Study of Active Vibration Control of Planar 3-RRR Flexible Parallel Robots Mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qinghua Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available An active vibration control experiment of planar 3-RRR flexible parallel robots is implemented in this paper. Considering the direct and inverse piezoelectric effect of PZT material, a general motion equation is established. A strain rate feedback controller is designed based on the established general motion equation. Four control schemes are designed in this experiment: three passive flexible links are controlled at the same time, only passive flexible link 1 is controlled, only passive flexible link 2 is controlled, and only passive flexible link 3 is controlled. The experimental results show that only one flexible link controlled scheme  suppresses elastic vibration and cannot suppress the elastic vibration of the other flexible links, whereas when three passive flexible links are controlled at the same time, they are able to effectively suppress the elastic vibration of all of the flexible links. In general, the experiment verifies that a strain rate feedback controller is able to effectively suppress the elastic vibration of the flexible links of plane 3-RRR flexible parallel robots.

  4. Dynamic Model and Vibration Characteristics of Planar 3-RRR Parallel Manipulator with Flexible Intermediate Links considering Exact Boundary Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lianchao Sheng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the complexity of the dynamic model of a planar 3-RRR flexible parallel manipulator (FPM, it is often difficult to achieve active vibration control algorithm based on the system dynamic model. To establish a simple and efficient dynamic model of the planar 3-RRR FPM to study its dynamic characteristics and build a controller conveniently, firstly, considering the effect of rigid-flexible coupling and the moment of inertia at the end of the flexible intermediate link, the modal function is determined with the pinned-free boundary condition. Then, considering the main vibration modes of the system, a high-efficiency coupling dynamic model is established on the basis of guaranteeing the model control accuracy. According to the model, the modal characteristics of the flexible intermediate link are analyzed and compared with the modal test results. The results show that the model can effectively reflect the main vibration modes of the planar 3-RRR FPM; in addition the model can be used to analyze the effects of inertial and coupling forces on the dynamics model and the drive torque of the drive motor. Because this model is of the less dynamic parameters, it is convenient to carry out the control program.

  5. Active Vibration Suppression of a 3-DOF Flexible Parallel Manipulator Using Efficient Modal Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quan Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses the dynamic modeling and efficient modal control of a planar parallel manipulator (PPM with three flexible linkages actuated by linear ultrasonic motors (LUSM. To achieve active vibration control, multiple lead zirconate titanate (PZT transducers are mounted on the flexible links as vibration sensors and actuators. Based on Lagrange’s equations, the dynamic model of the flexible links is derived with the dynamics of PZT actuators incorporated. Using the assumed mode method (AMM, the elastic motion of the flexible links are discretized under the assumptions of pinned-free boundary conditions, and the assumed mode shapes are validated through experimental modal test. Efficient modal control (EMC, in which the feedback forces in different modes are determined according to the vibration amplitude or energy of their own, is employed to control the PZT actuators to realize active vibration suppression. Modal filters are developed to extract the modal displacements and velocities from the vibration sensors. Numerical simulation and vibration control experiments are conducted to verify the proposed dynamic model and controller. The results show that the EMC method has the capability of suppressing multimode vibration simultaneously, and both the structural and residual vibrations of the flexible links are effectively suppressed using EMC approach.

  6. Effect of Link Flexibility on tip position of a single link robotic arm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhusudan Raju, E.; Siva Rama Krishna, L.; Mouli, Y. Sharath Chandra; Nageswara Rao, V.

    2015-12-01

    The flexible robots are widely used in space applications due to their quick response, lower energy consumption, lower overall mass and operation at high speed compared to conventional industrial rigid link robots. These robots are inherently flexible, so that the kinematics of flexible robots can't be solved with rigid body assumptions. The flexibility in links and joints affects end-point positioning accuracy of the robot. It is important to model the link kinematics with precision which in turn simplifies modelling of dynamics of flexible robots. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of link flexibility on a tip position of a single link robotic arm for a given motion. The joint is assumed to be rigid and only link flexibility is considered. The kinematics of flexible link problem is evaluated by Assumed Modes Method (AMM) using MAT LAB Programming. To evaluate the effect of link flexibility (with and without payload) of robotic arm, the normalized tip deviation is found for flexible link with respect to a rigid link. Finally, the limiting inertia for payload mass is found if the allowable tip deviation is 5%.

  7. Study on Parallel Processing for Efficient Flexible Multibody Analysis based on Subsystem Synthesis Method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Jong-Boo; Song, Hajun; Kim, Sung-Soo [Chungnam Nat’l Univ., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-06-15

    Flexible multibody simulations are widely used in the industry to design mechanical systems. In flexible multibody dynamics, deformation coordinates are described either relatively in the body reference frame that is floating in the space or in the inertial reference frame. Moreover, these deformation coordinates are generated based on the discretization of the body according to the finite element approach. Therefore, the formulation of the flexible multibody system always deals with a huge number of degrees of freedom and the numerical solution methods require a substantial amount of computational time. Parallel computational methods are a solution for efficient computation. However, most of the parallel computational methods are focused on the efficient solution of large-sized linear equations. For multibody analysis, we need to develop an efficient formulation that could be suitable for parallel computation. In this paper, we developed a subsystem synthesis method for a flexible multibody system and proposed efficient parallel computational schemes based on the OpenMP API in order to achieve efficient computation. Simulations of a rotating blade system, which consists of three identical blades, were carried out with two different parallel computational schemes. Actual CPU times were measured to investigate the efficiency of the proposed parallel schemes.

  8. Design and Nonlinear Control of a 2-DOF Flexible Parallel Humanoid Arm Joint Robot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leijie Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper focuses on the design and nonlinear control of the humanoid wrist/shoulder joint based on the cable-driven parallel mechanism which can realize roll and pitch movement. In view of the existence of the flexible parts in the mechanism, it is necessary to solve the vibration control of the flexible wrist/shoulder joint. In this paper, a cable-driven parallel robot platform is developed for the experiment study of the humanoid wrist/shoulder joint. And the dynamic model of the mechanism is formulated by using the coupling theory of the flexible body’s large global motion and small flexible deformation. Based on derived dynamics, antivibration control of the joint robot is studied with a nonlinear control method. Finally, simulations and experiments were performed to validate the feasibility of the developed parallel robot prototype and the proposed control scheme.

  9. VIBRATION REDUCTION ON SINGLE-LINK FLEXIBLE MANIPULATOR USING H∞ CONTROL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberd Saragih

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper is concerned with the vibration and position control of a single link flexible manipulator. Robot link manipulators are widely used in various industrial applications. It is desirable to build light weight flexible manipulators. Light flexible manipulators have a variety of applications, most significantly in space exploration,manufacturing automation, construction, mining, and hazardous operation. Timoshenko beam theory is used to derive mathematical model of a flexible manipulator. The dynamic equations of motion are obtained using the Lagrange's formulation of dynamics.The H∞ controller is designed for vibration and position control of the system. Simulations are presented and show that vibration and position control of a single flexible link can be controlled with the designed H∞ controller.

  10. Modeling and control of a hydraulically actuated flexible-prismatic link robot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, L.; Kress, R.; Jansen, J.

    1996-12-01

    Most of the research related to flexible link manipulators to date has focused on single link, fixed length, single plane of vibration test beds. In addition, actuation has been predominantly based upon electromagnetic motors. Ironically, these elements are rarely found in the existing industrial long reach systems. This manuscript describes a new hydraulically actuated, long reach manipulator with a flexible prismatic link at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Focus is directed towards both modeling and control of hydraulic actuators as well as flexible links that have variable natural frequencies

  11. Numerical kinematic transformation calculations for a parallel link manipulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Killough, S.M.

    1993-01-01

    Parallel link manipulators are often considered for particular robotic applications because of the unique advantages they provide. Unfortunately, they have significant disadvantages with respect to calculating the kinematic transformations because of the high-order equations that must be solved. Presented is a manipulator design that exploits the mechanical advantages of parallel links yet also has a corresponding numerical kinematic solution that can be solved in real time on common microcomputers

  12. Flexibility and Performance of Parallel File Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotz, David; Nieuwejaar, Nils

    1996-01-01

    As we gain experience with parallel file systems, it becomes increasingly clear that a single solution does not suit all applications. For example, it appears to be impossible to find a single appropriate interface, caching policy, file structure, or disk-management strategy. Furthermore, the proliferation of file-system interfaces and abstractions make applications difficult to port. We propose that the traditional functionality of parallel file systems be separated into two components: a fixed core that is standard on all platforms, encapsulating only primitive abstractions and interfaces, and a set of high-level libraries to provide a variety of abstractions and application-programmer interfaces (API's). We present our current and next-generation file systems as examples of this structure. Their features, such as a three-dimensional file structure, strided read and write interfaces, and I/O-node programs, are specifically designed with the flexibility and performance necessary to support a wide range of applications.

  13. Experimental studies of control concepts for a parallel manipulator with flexible links

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burkhardt, Markus; Eberhard, Peter; Seifried, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Control of flexible multibody systems, such as flexible manipulators, is a challenging task. This is especially true if end-effector trajectory tracking is aspired. On the one hand, these systems require a large number of generalized coordinates to describe their dynamical behavior accurately. On the other hand, only a small subset of these values can be measured or reconstructed on-the-fly. Hence, it is difficult, if not nearly impossible, to use a state controller. In addition, flexible systems are under actuated, i.e. they possess less control inputs than generalized coordinates. In case of a non-collocated output controller, which is the case for end-effector trajectory tracking, the closed loop of the system might lose passivity and is non-minimum phase. In order to achieve end-effector trajectory tracking, exact and approximate feed-forward controls can be applied. In this work, two different versions of such concepts are compared experimentally. These model-based concepts are computed off-line and they supply, next to the required input values, a C1 -continuous solution of the complete state vector which can be used for feedback control. If the system is non-minimum phase, a two-sided boundary value problem has to be solved and the solution includes a pre-actuation as well as a post-actuation phase. While the exact method incorporates all dynamical effects of the flexible multibody system, the approximate concepts neglect certain implications, for example the dynamical effects due to the flexibility. In addition to the presentation of the theoretical basics of the control approaches and the underlying models, this contribution addresses some of the crucial obstacles, which have to be overcome for the operation of the test bench, e.g., signal conditioning, state reconstruction and friction compensation. Since the installed sensors do not allow the direct measurement of the end effector position, image tracking is used to judge the quality of the different

  14. The conformational stability and flexibility of insulin with an additional intramolecular cross-link

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brems, D.N.; Brown, P.L.; Nakagawa, S.H.; Tager, H.S.

    1991-01-01

    The conformational stability and flexibility of insulin containing a cross-link between the alpha-amino group of the A-chain to the epsilon-amino group of Lys29 of the B-chain was examined. The cross-link varied in length from 2 to 12 carbon atoms. The conformational stability was determined by guanidine hydrochloride-induced equilibrium denaturation and flexibility was assessed by H2O/D2O amide exchange. The cross-link has substantial effects on both conformational stability and flexibility which depend on its length. In general, the addition of a cross-link enhances conformational stability and decreases flexibility. The optimal length for enhanced stability and decreased flexibility was the 6-carbon link. For the 6-carbon link the Gibbs free energy of unfolding was 8.0 kcal/mol compared to 4.5 kcal/mol for insulin, and the amide exchange rate decreased by at least 3-fold. A very short cross-link (i.e. the 2-carbon link) caused conformational strain that was detectable by a lack of stabilization in the Gibbs free energy of unfolding and enhancement in the amide exchange rate compared to insulin. The effect of the cross-link length on insulin hydrodynamic properties is discussed relative to previously obtained receptor binding results

  15. Dynamic modeling and hierarchical compound control of a novel 2-DOF flexible parallel manipulator with multiple actuation modes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Dong; Song, Yimin; Sun, Tao; Jin, Xueying

    2018-03-01

    This paper addresses the problem of rigid-flexible coupling dynamic modeling and active control of a novel flexible parallel manipulator (PM) with multiple actuation modes. Firstly, based on the flexible multi-body dynamics theory, the rigid-flexible coupling dynamic model (RFDM) of system is developed by virtue of the augmented Lagrangian multipliers approach. For completeness, the mathematical models of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and piezoelectric transducer (PZT) are further established and integrated with the RFDM of mechanical system to formulate the electromechanical coupling dynamic model (ECDM). To achieve the trajectory tracking and vibration suppression, a hierarchical compound control strategy is presented. Within this control strategy, the proportional-differential (PD) feedback controller is employed to realize the trajectory tracking of end-effector, while the strain and strain rate feedback (SSRF) controller is developed to restrain the vibration of the flexible links using PZT. Furthermore, the stability of the control algorithm is demonstrated based on the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, two simulation case studies are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results indicate that, under the redundant actuation mode, the hierarchical compound control strategy can guarantee the flexible PM achieves singularity-free motion and vibration attenuation within task workspace simultaneously. The systematic methodology proposed in this study can be conveniently extended for the dynamic modeling and efficient controller design of other flexible PMs, especially the emerging ones with multiple actuation modes.

  16. Port-based modeling of a flexible link

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Macchelli, A.; Macchelli, A.; Hirohika, A.; Lynch, K.; Melchiorri, C.; Park, F.C.; Stramigioli, Stefano; Parker, L.E.

    In this paper, a simple way to model flexible robotic links is presented. This is different from classical approaches and from the Euler–Bernoulli or Timoshenko theory, in that the proposed model is able to describe large deflections in 3-D space and does not rely on any finite-dimensional

  17. Microwave Photonics Techniques Supporting Flexible Wireless Communications Links

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rommel, Simon; Cavalcante, Lucas Costa Pereira; Vegas Olmos, Juan José

    Wireless data communication links supporting the next generation 5G and beyond mobile networking face a set of engineering challenges related to the mandatory operation at mmw and higher frequency bands, provide capacities above 10 Gb/s, satisfy latency, robustness, flexibility and low complexity...

  18. Modeling and control of lateral vibration of an axially translating flexible link

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Heon Seop; Rhim, Sung Soo [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-01-15

    Manipulators used for the transportation of large panel-shape payloads often adopt long and slender links (or forks) with translational joins to carry the payloads. As the size of the payload increases, the length of the links also increases to hold the payload securely. The increased length of the link inevitably amplifies the effect of the flexure in the link. Intuitively, the translational motion of the link in its longitudinal direction should have no effect on the lateral vibration of the link because of the orthogonality between the direction of the translational motion and the lateral vibration. If, however, the link was flexible and translated horizontally (perpendicular to the gravitational field) the asymmetric deflection of the link caused by gravity would break the orthogonality between the two directions, and the longitudinal motion of the link would excite lateral motion in the link. In this paper, the lateral oscillatory motion of the flexible link in a large-scale solar cell panel handling robot is investigated where the links carry the panel in its longitudinal direction. The Newtonian approach in conjunction with the assumed modes method is used for derivation of the equation of motion for the flexible forks where non-zero control force is applied at the base of the link. The analysis illustrates the effect of longitudinal motion on the lateral vibration and dynamic stiffening effect (variation of the natural frequency) of the link due to the translational velocity. Lateral vibration behavior is simulated using the derived equations of the motion. A robust vibration control scheme, the input shaping filter technique, is implemented on the model and the effectiveness of the scheme is verified numerically.

  19. Modeling and control of lateral vibration of an axially translating flexible link

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Heon Seop; Rhim, Sung Soo

    2015-01-01

    Manipulators used for the transportation of large panel-shape payloads often adopt long and slender links (or forks) with translational joins to carry the payloads. As the size of the payload increases, the length of the links also increases to hold the payload securely. The increased length of the link inevitably amplifies the effect of the flexure in the link. Intuitively, the translational motion of the link in its longitudinal direction should have no effect on the lateral vibration of the link because of the orthogonality between the direction of the translational motion and the lateral vibration. If, however, the link was flexible and translated horizontally (perpendicular to the gravitational field) the asymmetric deflection of the link caused by gravity would break the orthogonality between the two directions, and the longitudinal motion of the link would excite lateral motion in the link. In this paper, the lateral oscillatory motion of the flexible link in a large-scale solar cell panel handling robot is investigated where the links carry the panel in its longitudinal direction. The Newtonian approach in conjunction with the assumed modes method is used for derivation of the equation of motion for the flexible forks where non-zero control force is applied at the base of the link. The analysis illustrates the effect of longitudinal motion on the lateral vibration and dynamic stiffening effect (variation of the natural frequency) of the link due to the translational velocity. Lateral vibration behavior is simulated using the derived equations of the motion. A robust vibration control scheme, the input shaping filter technique, is implemented on the model and the effectiveness of the scheme is verified numerically.

  20. Deployment of a multi-link flexible structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, Kyung-Su; Kim, Ji-Hwan

    2006-06-01

    Deployment of a multi-link beam structure undergoing locking is analyzed in the Timoshenko beam theory. In the modeling of the system, dynamic forces are assumed to be torques and restoring forces due to the torsion spring at each joint. Hamilton's principle is used to determine the equations of motion and the finite element method is adopted to analyze the system. Newmark time integration and Newton-Raphson iteration methods are used to solve for the non-linear equations of motion at each time step. The locking at the joints of the multi-link flexible structure is analyzed by the momentum balance method. Numerical results are compared with the previous experimental data. The angles and angular velocities of each joint, tip displacement, and velocity of each link are investigated to study the motions of the links at each time step. To analyze the effect of thickness on the motion of the link, the angle and the tip displacement of each link are compared according to the various slenderness ratios. Additionally, in order to investigate the effect of shear, the tip displacements of a Timoshenko beam are compared with those of an Euler-Bernoulli beam.

  1. Optimal trajectories for flexible-link manipulator slewing using recursive quadratic programming: Experimental verification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parker, G.G.; Eisler, G.R.; Feddema, J.T.

    1994-01-01

    Procedures for trajectory planning and control of flexible link robots are becoming increasingly important to satisfy performance requirements of hazardous waste removal efforts. It has been shown that utilizing link flexibility in designing open loop joint commands can result in improved performance as opposed to damping vibration throughout a trajectory. The efficient use of link compliance is exploited in this work. Specifically, experimental verification of minimum time, straight line tracking using a two-link planar flexible robot is presented. A numerical optimization process, using an experimentally verified modal model, is used for obtaining minimum time joint torque and angle histories. The optimal joint states are used as commands to the proportional-derivative servo actuated joints. These commands are precompensated for the nonnegligible joint servo actuator dynamics. Using the precompensated joint commands, the optimal joint angles are tracked with such fidelity that the tip tracking error is less than 2.5 cm

  2. Flexible link functions in nonparametric binary regression with Gaussian process priors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dan; Wang, Xia; Lin, Lizhen; Dey, Dipak K

    2016-09-01

    In many scientific fields, it is a common practice to collect a sequence of 0-1 binary responses from a subject across time, space, or a collection of covariates. Researchers are interested in finding out how the expected binary outcome is related to covariates, and aim at better prediction in the future 0-1 outcomes. Gaussian processes have been widely used to model nonlinear systems; in particular to model the latent structure in a binary regression model allowing nonlinear functional relationship between covariates and the expectation of binary outcomes. A critical issue in modeling binary response data is the appropriate choice of link functions. Commonly adopted link functions such as probit or logit links have fixed skewness and lack the flexibility to allow the data to determine the degree of the skewness. To address this limitation, we propose a flexible binary regression model which combines a generalized extreme value link function with a Gaussian process prior on the latent structure. Bayesian computation is employed in model estimation. Posterior consistency of the resulting posterior distribution is demonstrated. The flexibility and gains of the proposed model are illustrated through detailed simulation studies and two real data examples. Empirical results show that the proposed model outperforms a set of alternative models, which only have either a Gaussian process prior on the latent regression function or a Dirichlet prior on the link function. © 2015, The International Biometric Society.

  3. Flexible multimode polymer waveguides for high-speed short-reach communication links

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bamiedakis, N.; Shi, F.; Chu, D.; Penty, R. V.; White, I. H.

    2018-02-01

    Multimode polymer waveguides have attracted great interest for use in high-speed short-reach communication links as they can be cost-effectively integrated onto standard PCBs using conventional methods of the electronics industry and provide low loss (30 GHz×m) interconnection. The formation of such waveguides on flexible substrates can further provide flexible low-weight low-thickness interconnects and offer additional freedom in the implementation of high-speed short-reach optical links. These attributes make these flexible waveguides particularly attractive for use in low-cost detachable chip-to-chip links and in environments where weight and shape conformity become important, such as in cars and aircraft. However, the highly-multimoded nature of these waveguides raises important questions about their performance under severe flex due to mode loss and mode coupling. In this work therefore, we investigate the loss, crosstalk and bandwidth performance of such waveguides under out-of plane bending and in-plane twisting under different launch conditions and carry out data transmission tests at 40 Gb/s on a 1 m long spiral flexible waveguide under flexure. Excellent optical transmission characteristics are obtained while robust loss, crosstalk and bandwidth performance are demonstrated under flexure. Error-free (BER<10-12) 40 Gb/s data transmission is achieved over the 1 m long spiral waveguide for a 180° bend with a 4 mm radius. The obtained results demonstrate the excellent optical and mechanical properties of this technology and highlight its potential for use in real-world systems.

  4. Applications of Emerging Parallel Optical Link Technology to High Energy Physics Experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chramowicz, J.; Kwan, S.; Prosser, A.; Winchell, M.

    2011-01-01

    Modern particle detectors depend upon optical fiber links to deliver event data to upstream trigger and data processing systems. Future detector systems can benefit from the development of dense arrangements of high speed optical links emerging from the telecommunications and storage area network market segments. These links support data transfers in each direction at rates up to 120 Gbps in packages that minimize or even eliminate edge connector requirements. Emerging products include a class of devices known as optical engines which permit assembly of the optical transceivers in close proximity to the electrical interfaces of ASICs and FPGAs which handle the data in parallel electrical format. Such assemblies will reduce required printed circuit board area and minimize electromagnetic interference and susceptibility. We will present test results of some of these parallel components and report on the development of pluggable FPGA Mezzanine Cards equipped with optical engines to provide to collaborators on the Versatile Link Common Project for the HI-LHC at CERN.

  5. The Role of Representations in Executive Function: Investigating a Developmental Link Between Flexibility and Abstraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria eKharitonova

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Young children often perseverate, engaging in previously correct, but no longer appropriate behaviors. One account posits that such perseveration results from the use of stimulus-specific representations of a situation, which are distinct from abstract, generalizable representations that support flexible behavior. Previous findings supported this account, demonstrating that only children who flexibly switch between rules could generalize their behavior to novel stimuli. However, this link between flexibility and generalization might reflect general cognitive abilities, or depend upon similarities across the measures or their temporal order. The current work examined these issues by testing the specificity and generality of this link. In two experiments with three-year-old children, flexibility was measured in terms of switching between rules in a card-sorting task, while abstraction was measured in terms of selecting which stimulus did not belong in an odd-one-out task. The link between flexibility and abstraction was general across (1 abstraction dimensions similar to or different from those in the card-sorting task and (2 abstraction tasks that preceded or followed the switching task. Good performance on abstraction and flexibility measures did not extend to all cognitive tasks, including an IQ measure, and dissociated from children’s ability to gaze at the correct stimulus in the odd-one-out task, suggesting that the link between flexibility and abstraction is specific to such measures, rather than reflecting general abilities that affect all tasks. We interpret these results in terms of the role that developing prefrontal cortical regions play in processes such as working memory, which can support both flexibility and abstraction.

  6. PaFlexPepDock: parallel ab-initio docking of peptides onto their receptors with full flexibility based on Rosetta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haiou; Lu, Liyao; Chen, Rong; Quan, Lijun; Xia, Xiaoyan; Lü, Qiang

    2014-01-01

    Structural information related to protein-peptide complexes can be very useful for novel drug discovery and design. The computational docking of protein and peptide can supplement the structural information available on protein-peptide interactions explored by experimental ways. Protein-peptide docking of this paper can be described as three processes that occur in parallel: ab-initio peptide folding, peptide docking with its receptor, and refinement of some flexible areas of the receptor as the peptide is approaching. Several existing methods have been used to sample the degrees of freedom in the three processes, which are usually triggered in an organized sequential scheme. In this paper, we proposed a parallel approach that combines all the three processes during the docking of a folding peptide with a flexible receptor. This approach mimics the actual protein-peptide docking process in parallel way, and is expected to deliver better performance than sequential approaches. We used 22 unbound protein-peptide docking examples to evaluate our method. Our analysis of the results showed that the explicit refinement of the flexible areas of the receptor facilitated more accurate modeling of the interfaces of the complexes, while combining all of the moves in parallel helped the constructing of energy funnels for predictions.

  7. PaFlexPepDock: parallel ab-initio docking of peptides onto their receptors with full flexibility based on Rosetta.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiou Li

    Full Text Available Structural information related to protein-peptide complexes can be very useful for novel drug discovery and design. The computational docking of protein and peptide can supplement the structural information available on protein-peptide interactions explored by experimental ways. Protein-peptide docking of this paper can be described as three processes that occur in parallel: ab-initio peptide folding, peptide docking with its receptor, and refinement of some flexible areas of the receptor as the peptide is approaching. Several existing methods have been used to sample the degrees of freedom in the three processes, which are usually triggered in an organized sequential scheme. In this paper, we proposed a parallel approach that combines all the three processes during the docking of a folding peptide with a flexible receptor. This approach mimics the actual protein-peptide docking process in parallel way, and is expected to deliver better performance than sequential approaches. We used 22 unbound protein-peptide docking examples to evaluate our method. Our analysis of the results showed that the explicit refinement of the flexible areas of the receptor facilitated more accurate modeling of the interfaces of the complexes, while combining all of the moves in parallel helped the constructing of energy funnels for predictions.

  8. Link failure detection in a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Megerian, Mark G.; Smith, Brian E.

    2010-11-09

    Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for link failure detection in a parallel computer including compute nodes connected in a rectangular mesh network, each pair of adjacent compute nodes in the rectangular mesh network connected together using a pair of links, that includes: assigning each compute node to either a first group or a second group such that adjacent compute nodes in the rectangular mesh network are assigned to different groups; sending, by each of the compute nodes assigned to the first group, a first test message to each adjacent compute node assigned to the second group; determining, by each of the compute nodes assigned to the second group, whether the first test message was received from each adjacent compute node assigned to the first group; and notifying a user, by each of the compute nodes assigned to the second group, whether the first test message was received.

  9. The Trust-Committment-Flexibility Link in Transnational Buyer-Supplier Relationships: A Network Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matevž Rašković

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to analyze the manner in which trust and commitment impact relationship flexibility in a transnational buyer-supplier network context. There is an abundance of research on trust and commitment related to buyer-supplier relationships in the marketing literature; however, their link to relationship flexibility in particular has not attracted much attention within the marketing field to date. Whereas the marketing literature tends to focus on traditional performance outcomes in buyer-supplier relationships (i.e. financial performance, satisfaction, loyalty, the supply chain management literature emphasizes the importance of flexibility as fundamental characteristics of well-performing supply networks. In this paper, a novel network analysis approach is employed for the marketing literature to analyze the link between trust, commitment and relationship flexibility. The analyzed network is a two-mode, egocentric and valued network, consisting of 11 purchasing managers and 53 suppliers connected to a transnational company in the steel construction industry with headquarters in Slovenia. To analyze the impact of trust and commitment on buyer-supplier relationship flexibility, a Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure (MRQAP approach was used. Results show that trust and commitment are not just important determinants of buyer-supplier relationship flexibility in a network context, but also how their impact on relationship flexibility changes depending on the importance of the buyer-supplier relationship. In high importance relationships trust is the overwhelming determinant of relationship flexibility, while in low importance relationships commitment is a more important determinant of relationship flexibility.

  10. Efficient dynamic simulation of flexible link manipulators with PID control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aarts, Ronald G.K.M.; Jonker, Jan B.; Mook, D.T.; Balachandran, B.

    2001-01-01

    For accurate simulations of the dynamic behavior of flexible manipulators the combination of a perturbation method and modal analysis is proposed. First, the vibrational motion is modeled as a first-order perturbation of a nominal rigid link motion. The vibrational motion is then described by a set

  11. Dynamic Analysis of Planar 3-RRR Flexible Parallel Robots with Dynamic Stiffening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qinghua Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In consideration of the second-order coupling quantity of the axial displacement caused by the transverse displacement of flexible beam, the first-order approximation coupling model of planar 3-RRR flexible parallel robots is presented, in which the rigid body motion constraints, elastic deformation motion constraints, and dynamic constraints of the moving platform are considered. Based on the different speed of the moving platform, numerical simulation results using the conventional zero-order approximation coupling model and the proposed firstorder approximation coupling model show that the effect of “dynamic stiffening” term on dynamic characteristics of the system is insignificant and can be neglected, and the zero-order approximation coupling model is enough precisely for catching essentially dynamic characteristics of the system. Then, the commercial software ANSYS 13.0 is used to confirm the validity of the zero-order approximation coupling model.

  12. Comparison of Methods for Modeling a Hydraulic Loader Crane With Flexible Translational Links

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Henrik Clemmensen; Andersen, Torben O.; Nielsen, Brian K.

    2015-01-01

    not hold for translational links. Hence, special care has to be taken when including flexible translational links. In the current paper, different methods for modeling a hydraulic loader crane with a telescopic arm are investigated and compared using both the finite segment (FS) and AMs method...

  13. Simultaneous control and piezoelectric insert optimization for manipulators with flexible link

    OpenAIRE

    Bottega, Valdecir; Pergher, Rejane; Fonseca, Jun S. O.

    2009-01-01

    This work proposes a tracking control model for a flexible link robotic manipulator using simultaneously motor torques and piezoelectric actuators. The dynamic model of manipulator is obtained in a closed form through the Lagrangian approach. The control uses the motor torques for the tracking control of the joints and also to reduce the low frequency vibration induced in the manipulator links. The stability of this control is guaranteed by the Lyapunov stability theory. Piezoelectric actuato...

  14. Finite Element Analysis for Active-force Control on Vibration of a Flexible Single-link Manipulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Kadir Muhammad

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this research are to formulate the equations of motion of the system, to develop computational codes by a finite element analysis in order to perform dynamics simulation with vibration control, to propose an effective control scheme using active-force (AF control a flexible single-link manipulator. The system used in this paper consists of an aluminum beam as a flexible link, a clamp-part, a servo motor to rotate the link and a piezoelectric actuator to control vibration. Computational codes on time history responses, FFT (Fast Fourier Transform processing and eigenvalues-eigenvectors analysis were developed to calculate dynamic behavior of the link. Furthermore, the AF control was designed to drive the piezoelectric actuator. Calculated results have revealed that the vibration of the system can be suppressed effectively.

  15. A Flexible 5G Wide Area Solution for TDD with Asymmetric Link Operation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Klaus I.; Berardinelli, Gilberto; Frederiksen, Frank

    2017-01-01

    optimization on a per-link basis is proposed. The solution encompasses the possibility to schedule users with different transmission time intervals to best match their service equirements and radio conditions. Due to the large downlink/uplink transmission power imbalance for each link, asymmetric link...... operation is proposed, where users operate with different minimum transmission times for the two link directions. This is achieved by using a highly flexible asynchronous hybrid Automatic repeat request (HARQ) scheme, as well as a novel solution with in-resource control channel signaling for the scheduling...

  16. Coding for Parallel Links to Maximize the Expected Value of Decodable Messages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimesh, Matthew A.; Chang, Christopher S.

    2011-01-01

    When multiple parallel communication links are available, it is useful to consider link-utilization strategies that provide tradeoffs between reliability and throughput. Interesting cases arise when there are three or more available links. Under the model considered, the links have known probabilities of being in working order, and each link has a known capacity. The sender has a number of messages to send to the receiver. Each message has a size and a value (i.e., a worth or priority). Messages may be divided into pieces arbitrarily, and the value of each piece is proportional to its size. The goal is to choose combinations of messages to send on the links so that the expected value of the messages decodable by the receiver is maximized. There are three parts to the innovation: (1) Applying coding to parallel links under the model; (2) Linear programming formulation for finding the optimal combinations of messages to send on the links; and (3) Algorithms for assisting in finding feasible combinations of messages, as support for the linear programming formulation. There are similarities between this innovation and methods developed in the field of network coding. However, network coding has generally been concerned with either maximizing throughput in a fixed network, or robust communication of a fixed volume of data. In contrast, under this model, the throughput is expected to vary depending on the state of the network. Examples of error-correcting codes that are useful under this model but which are not needed under previous models have been found. This model can represent either a one-shot communication attempt, or a stream of communications. Under the one-shot model, message sizes and link capacities are quantities of information (e.g., measured in bits), while under the communications stream model, message sizes and link capacities are information rates (e.g., measured in bits/second). This work has the potential to increase the value of data returned from

  17. Development of a novel soft parallel robot equipped with polymeric artificial muscles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moghadam, Amir Ali Amiri; Kouzani, Abbas; Kaynak, Akif; Torabi, Keivan; Shahinpoor, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the design, analysis and fabrication of a novel low-cost soft parallel robot for biomedical applications, including bio-micromanipulation devices. The robot consists of two active flexible polymer actuator-based links, which are connected to two rigid links by means of flexible joints. A mathematical model is established between the input voltage to the polymer actuators and the robot’s end effector position. The robot has two degrees-of-freedom, making it suitable for handling planar micromanipulation tasks. Moreover, a number of robots can be configured to operate in a cooperative manner for increasing micromanipulation dexterity. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate two main motion modes of the robot. (paper)

  18. Flexible operation of parallel grid-connecting converters under unbalanced grid voltage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Jinghang; Savaghebi, Mehdi; Guerrero, Josep M.

    2017-01-01

    -link voltage ripple, and overloading. Moreover, under grid voltage unbalance, the active power delivery ability is decreased due to the converter's current rating limitation. In this paper, a thorough study on the current limitation of the grid-connecting converter under grid voltage unbalance is conducted....... In addition, based on the principle that total output active power should be oscillation free, a coordinated control strategy is proposed for the parallel grid-connecting converters. The case study has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed control strategy....

  19. A New parallel Resonant DC-Link Inverter for Soft Switched PWM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, J G; Kim, H S; Cho, G H [Korea Advanced Energy Research Inst., Daeduk-Danji (Korea, Republic of). Korea Nuclear Safety Center

    1993-03-01

    A novel soft switching PWM converter for high frequency AC/DC power conversion is presented by using a new parallel resonant dc-link(PRDCL) and by adopting single phase soft switching(SPSS) technique. The new PRDCL provides variable link pulse position as well as variable link pulse width, which is quite different feature from the other resonant dc-links and thus the PWM capability can be remarkably increased. The SPSS technique is also adopted for further enhancement of PWM capability. Moderate combination of two soft switching operations enables the conventional space vector PWM technique to be used. Due to distinctive advantages including true PWM capability, minimum device voltage stresses(all Vs) and reasonable additional device count(3 devices), the proposed converter can be operated in a wide power range(20-200 KW). Operational principles, analyses and the realization of a space vector PWM of the proposed converter are presented. Simulation results are also shown to verify the operational principle. (author). 15 refs., 14 figs.

  20. Crystal structure prediction of flexible molecules using parallel genetic algorithms with a standard force field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seonah; Orendt, Anita M; Ferraro, Marta B; Facelli, Julio C

    2009-10-01

    This article describes the application of our distributed computing framework for crystal structure prediction (CSP) the modified genetic algorithms for crystal and cluster prediction (MGAC), to predict the crystal structure of flexible molecules using the general Amber force field (GAFF) and the CHARMM program. The MGAC distributed computing framework includes a series of tightly integrated computer programs for generating the molecule's force field, sampling crystal structures using a distributed parallel genetic algorithm and local energy minimization of the structures followed by the classifying, sorting, and archiving of the most relevant structures. Our results indicate that the method can consistently find the experimentally known crystal structures of flexible molecules, but the number of missing structures and poor ranking observed in some crystals show the need for further improvement of the potential. Copyright 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Two-Link Flexible Manipulator Control Using Sliding Mode Control Based Linear Matrix Inequality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulfatman; Marzuki, Mohammad; Alif Mardiyah, Nur

    2017-04-01

    Two-link flexible manipulator is a manipulator robot which at least one of its arms is made of lightweight material and not rigid. Flexible robot manipulator has some advantages over the rigid robot manipulator, such as lighter, requires less power and costs, and to result greater payload. However, suitable control algorithm to maintain the two-link flexible robot manipulator in accurate positioning is very challenging. In this study, sliding mode control (SMC) was employed as robust control algorithm due to its insensitivity on the system parameter variations and the presence of disturbances when the system states are sliding on a sliding surface. SMC algorithm was combined with linear matrix inequality (LMI), which aims to reduce the effects of chattering coming from the oscillation of the state during sliding on the sliding surface. Stability of the control algorithm is guaranteed by Lyapunov function candidate. Based on simulation works, SMC based LMI resulted in better performance improvements despite the disturbances with significant chattering reduction. This was evident from the decline of the sum of squared tracking error (SSTE) and the sum of squared of control input (SSCI) indexes respectively 25.4% and 19.4%.

  2. Error Modeling and Experimental Study of a Flexible Joint 6-UPUR Parallel Six-Axis Force Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yanzhi; Cao, Yachao; Zhang, Caifeng; Zhang, Dan; Zhang, Jie

    2017-09-29

    By combining a parallel mechanism with integrated flexible joints, a large measurement range and high accuracy sensor is realized. However, the main errors of the sensor involve not only assembly errors, but also deformation errors of its flexible leg. Based on a flexible joint 6-UPUR (a kind of mechanism configuration where U-universal joint, P-prismatic joint, R-revolute joint) parallel six-axis force sensor developed during the prephase, assembly and deformation error modeling and analysis of the resulting sensors with a large measurement range and high accuracy are made in this paper. First, an assembly error model is established based on the imaginary kinematic joint method and the Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) method. Next, a stiffness model is built to solve the stiffness matrix. The deformation error model of the sensor is obtained. Then, the first order kinematic influence coefficient matrix when the synthetic error is taken into account is solved. Finally, measurement and calibration experiments of the sensor composed of the hardware and software system are performed. Forced deformation of the force-measuring platform is detected by using laser interferometry and analyzed to verify the correctness of the synthetic error model. In addition, the first order kinematic influence coefficient matrix in actual circumstances is calculated. By comparing the condition numbers and square norms of the coefficient matrices, the conclusion is drawn theoretically that it is very important to take into account the synthetic error for design stage of the sensor and helpful to improve performance of the sensor in order to meet needs of actual working environments.

  3. Error Modeling and Experimental Study of a Flexible Joint 6-UPUR Parallel Six-Axis Force Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanzhi Zhao

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available By combining a parallel mechanism with integrated flexible joints, a large measurement range and high accuracy sensor is realized. However, the main errors of the sensor involve not only assembly errors, but also deformation errors of its flexible leg. Based on a flexible joint 6-UPUR (a kind of mechanism configuration where U-universal joint, P-prismatic joint, R-revolute joint parallel six-axis force sensor developed during the prephase, assembly and deformation error modeling and analysis of the resulting sensors with a large measurement range and high accuracy are made in this paper. First, an assembly error model is established based on the imaginary kinematic joint method and the Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H method. Next, a stiffness model is built to solve the stiffness matrix. The deformation error model of the sensor is obtained. Then, the first order kinematic influence coefficient matrix when the synthetic error is taken into account is solved. Finally, measurement and calibration experiments of the sensor composed of the hardware and software system are performed. Forced deformation of the force-measuring platform is detected by using laser interferometry and analyzed to verify the correctness of the synthetic error model. In addition, the first order kinematic influence coefficient matrix in actual circumstances is calculated. By comparing the condition numbers and square norms of the coefficient matrices, the conclusion is drawn theoretically that it is very important to take into account the synthetic error for design stage of the sensor and helpful to improve performance of the sensor in order to meet needs of actual working environments.

  4. Evaluation of emerging parallel optical link technology for high energy physics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chramowicz, J; Kwan, S; Prosser, A; Winchell, M

    2012-01-01

    Modern particle detectors utilize optical fiber links to deliver event data to upstream trigger and data processing systems. Future detector systems can benefit from the development of dense arrangements of high speed optical links emerging from industry advancements in transceiver technology. Supporting data transfers of up to 120 Gbps in each direction, optical engines permit assembly of the optical transceivers in close proximity to ASICs and FPGAs. Test results of some of these parallel components will be presented including the development of pluggable FPGA Mezzanine Cards equipped with optical engines to provide to collaborators on the Versatile Link Common Project for the HI-LHC at CERN. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, operated by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC under contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359 with the United States Department of Energy.

  5. Running accuracy analysis of a 3-RRR parallel kinematic machine considering the deformations of the links

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Liping; Jiang, Yao; Li, Tiemin

    2014-09-01

    Parallel kinematic machines have drawn considerable attention and have been widely used in some special fields. However, high precision is still one of the challenges when they are used for advanced machine tools. One of the main reasons is that the kinematic chains of parallel kinematic machines are composed of elongated links that can easily suffer deformations, especially at high speeds and under heavy loads. A 3-RRR parallel kinematic machine is taken as a study object for investigating its accuracy with the consideration of the deformations of its links during the motion process. Based on the dynamic model constructed by the Newton-Euler method, all the inertia loads and constraint forces of the links are computed and their deformations are derived. Then the kinematic errors of the machine are derived with the consideration of the deformations of the links. Through further derivation, the accuracy of the machine is given in a simple explicit expression, which will be helpful to increase the calculating speed. The accuracy of this machine when following a selected circle path is simulated. The influences of magnitude of the maximum acceleration and external loads on the running accuracy of the machine are investigated. The results show that the external loads will deteriorate the accuracy of the machine tremendously when their direction coincides with the direction of the worst stiffness of the machine. The proposed method provides a solution for predicting the running accuracy of the parallel kinematic machines and can also be used in their design optimization as well as selection of suitable running parameters.

  6. Integral Manifold in System Design with Application to Flexible Link Robot Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-06-01

    environment. I am very grateful to my advisor . Professor Kokotovic. whose insight and guidance in my research work led me to the beginning of my...MANIFOLD IN SVSTEM DESIGN WITH RPLICATION TT 2Z2 FLEXIBLE LINK ROBO (U) ILLINOIS UNIV AT URBANA DECISION AND CONTROL LAB H C TSENG JUN 98

  7. Computationally efficient dynamic modeling of robot manipulators with multiple flexible-links using acceleration-based discrete time transfer matrix method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Xuping; Sørensen, Rasmus; RahbekIversen, Mathias

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a novel and computationally efficient modeling method for the dynamics of flexible-link robot manipulators. In this method, a robot manipulator is decomposed into components/elements. The component/element dynamics is established using Newton–Euler equations, and then is linea......This paper presents a novel and computationally efficient modeling method for the dynamics of flexible-link robot manipulators. In this method, a robot manipulator is decomposed into components/elements. The component/element dynamics is established using Newton–Euler equations......, and then is linearized based on the acceleration-based state vector. The transfer matrices for each type of components/elements are developed, and used to establish the system equations of a flexible robot manipulator by concatenating the state vector from the base to the end-effector. With this strategy, the size...... manipulators, and only involves calculating and transferring component/element dynamic equations that have small size. The numerical simulations and experimental testing of flexible-link manipulators are conducted to validate the proposed methodologies....

  8. Finite Element Analysis for Active-force Control on Vibration of a Flexible Single-link Manipulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Kadir Muhammad

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this research are to formulate theequations of motion of the system, to develop computationalcodes by a finite element analysis in order to perform dynamicssimulation with vibration control, to propose an effective controlscheme using active-force (AF control a flexible single-linkmanipulator. The system used in this paper consists of analuminum beam as a flexible link, a clamp-part, a servo motor torotate the link and a piezoelectric actuator to control vibration.Computational codes on time history responses, FFT (FastFourier Transform processing and eigenvalues-eigenvectorsanalysis were developed to calculate dynamic behavior of thelink. Furthermore, the AF control was designed to drive thepiezoelectric actuator. Calculated results have revealed that thevibration of the system can be suppressed effectively

  9. Parallel processing approach to transform-based image coding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Normile, James O.; Wright, Dan; Chu, Ken; Yeh, Chia L.

    1991-06-01

    This paper describes a flexible parallel processing architecture designed for use in real time video processing. The system consists of floating point DSP processors connected to each other via fast serial links, each processor has access to a globally shared memory. A multiple bus architecture in combination with a dual ported memory allows communication with a host control processor. The system has been applied to prototyping of video compression and decompression algorithms. The decomposition of transform based algorithms for decompression into a form suitable for parallel processing is described. A technique for automatic load balancing among the processors is developed and discussed, results ar presented with image statistics and data rates. Finally techniques for accelerating the system throughput are analyzed and results from the application of one such modification described.

  10. Low-cost optical interconnect module for parallel optical data links

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noddings, Chad; Hirsch, Tom J.; Olla, M.; Spooner, C.; Yu, Jason J.

    1995-04-01

    We have designed, fabricated, and tested a prototype parallel ten-channel unidirectional optical data link. When scaled to production, we project that this technology will satisfy the following market penetration requirements: (1) up to 70 meters transmission distance, (2) at least 1 gigabyte/second data rate, and (3) 0.35 to 0.50 MByte/second volume selling price. These goals can be achieved by means of the assembly innovations described in this paper: a novel alignment method that is integrated with low-cost, few chip module packaging techniques, yielding high coupling and reducing the component count. Furthermore, high coupling efficiency increases projected reliability reducing the driver's power requirements.

  11. Air rudder mechanism dynamics considering two elements:Joint clearance and link flexibility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Yuntao; Quan, Qiquan; Li, He; Tang, Dewei; Li, Zhonghong; Fan, Wenyang; Deng, Zongquan [Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin (China)

    2017-07-15

    Both the impact phenomenon in the clearance revolute joint and the link deformation will influence the dynamics of the air rudder transmission mechanism, which could reduce the flight quality of an aircraft. Given the effect of the two elements, a feasible simulation method with two improvements of previous methods is proposed to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the mechanism. In previous studies, the parameters of the contact force model in multi-body dynamics software were generally determined by experience, which may cause uncertainty in the calculation precision of the contact force. Furthermore, it is difficult to solve for the elastic link deformation in the practical mechanism using the available analytical methods due to the complicated section of the link. In this paper, a Continuous contact force (CCF) model was proposed and embedded in the ADAMS by developing a routine of the CCF model. Then, the flexible model was obtained by ANSYS to obtain the elastic link deformation. The experimental results indicate that the proposed simulation method can be effectively applied to predict the dynamic behavior of the mechanism.

  12. Study on the Workspace of a 6-DOF Parallel Topology Robot Related to Binary Link Lengths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calin-Octavian Miclosina

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a study on the workspace of a parallel topology robot with the structure FP3+6•SPS+MP3. The variable parameters are the binary link lengths, from both upper and lower levels, and the driving kinematical joint strokes. The workspace boundary is determined by SolidWorks software simulations. For different binary link lengths, workspace volume is determined and sections through the workspace are presented.

  13. Conformation of flexibly linked triterpene dimers by using RDC-enhanced NMR spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakshmi, Jerripothula K.; Pattnaik, Banita; Kavitha, Rachineni; Mallavadhani, Uppuluri V.; Jagadeesh, Bharatam

    2018-06-01

    Dimers of flexibly linked pentacyclic triterpene ursolic acid (UA) and its related frameworks such as asiatic acid (AA) and oleanolic acid (OA) have recently attracted significant attention due to their enhanced anti-cancer and anti-HCV activity compared to their respective monomers. Determination of conformation/inter-monomer orientation of these molecules is very important to understand their structure-activity relationship and to develop new scaffolds, which, however, is difficult through conventional NOE based solution-state NMR spectroscopy, due to lack of long-range NOEs. In the present work, we report a precise determination of conformation of two 1,2,3-triazole-linked triterpene dimer molecules, UA-AA and UA-OA, by employing one-bond Csbnd H residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) as additional long-range orientational restraints, measured in anisotropic PDMS/CDCl3 solvent medium.

  14. The Glasgow Parallel Reduction Machine: Programming Shared-memory Many-core Systems using Parallel Task Composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashkan Tousimojarad

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available We present the Glasgow Parallel Reduction Machine (GPRM, a novel, flexible framework for parallel task-composition based many-core programming. We allow the programmer to structure programs into task code, written as C++ classes, and communication code, written in a restricted subset of C++ with functional semantics and parallel evaluation. In this paper we discuss the GPRM, the virtual machine framework that enables the parallel task composition approach. We focus the discussion on GPIR, the functional language used as the intermediate representation of the bytecode running on the GPRM. Using examples in this language we show the flexibility and power of our task composition framework. We demonstrate the potential using an implementation of a merge sort algorithm on a 64-core Tilera processor, as well as on a conventional Intel quad-core processor and an AMD 48-core processor system. We also compare our framework with OpenMP tasks in a parallel pointer chasing algorithm running on the Tilera processor. Our results show that the GPRM programs outperform the corresponding OpenMP codes on all test platforms, and can greatly facilitate writing of parallel programs, in particular non-data parallel algorithms such as reductions.

  15. Flexible parallel implicit modelling of coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical processes in fractured rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacace, Mauro; Jacquey, Antoine B.

    2017-09-01

    Theory and numerical implementation describing groundwater flow and the transport of heat and solute mass in fully saturated fractured rocks with elasto-plastic mechanical feedbacks are developed. In our formulation, fractures are considered as being of lower dimension than the hosting deformable porous rock and we consider their hydraulic and mechanical apertures as scaling parameters to ensure continuous exchange of fluid mass and energy within the fracture-solid matrix system. The coupled system of equations is implemented in a new simulator code that makes use of a Galerkin finite-element technique. The code builds on a flexible, object-oriented numerical framework (MOOSE, Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment) which provides an extensive scalable parallel and implicit coupling to solve for the multiphysics problem. The governing equations of groundwater flow, heat and mass transport, and rock deformation are solved in a weak sense (either by classical Newton-Raphson or by free Jacobian inexact Newton-Krylow schemes) on an underlying unstructured mesh. Nonlinear feedbacks among the active processes are enforced by considering evolving fluid and rock properties depending on the thermo-hydro-mechanical state of the system and the local structure, i.e. degree of connectivity, of the fracture system. A suite of applications is presented to illustrate the flexibility and capability of the new simulator to address problems of increasing complexity and occurring at different spatial (from centimetres to tens of kilometres) and temporal scales (from minutes to hundreds of years).

  16. Flexible parallel implicit modelling of coupled thermal–hydraulic–mechanical processes in fractured rocks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Cacace

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Theory and numerical implementation describing groundwater flow and the transport of heat and solute mass in fully saturated fractured rocks with elasto-plastic mechanical feedbacks are developed. In our formulation, fractures are considered as being of lower dimension than the hosting deformable porous rock and we consider their hydraulic and mechanical apertures as scaling parameters to ensure continuous exchange of fluid mass and energy within the fracture–solid matrix system. The coupled system of equations is implemented in a new simulator code that makes use of a Galerkin finite-element technique. The code builds on a flexible, object-oriented numerical framework (MOOSE, Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment which provides an extensive scalable parallel and implicit coupling to solve for the multiphysics problem. The governing equations of groundwater flow, heat and mass transport, and rock deformation are solved in a weak sense (either by classical Newton–Raphson or by free Jacobian inexact Newton–Krylow schemes on an underlying unstructured mesh. Nonlinear feedbacks among the active processes are enforced by considering evolving fluid and rock properties depending on the thermo-hydro-mechanical state of the system and the local structure, i.e. degree of connectivity, of the fracture system. A suite of applications is presented to illustrate the flexibility and capability of the new simulator to address problems of increasing complexity and occurring at different spatial (from centimetres to tens of kilometres and temporal scales (from minutes to hundreds of years.

  17. Intelligent controller of a flexible hybrid robot machine for ITER assembly and maintenance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-saedi, Mazin I.; Wu, Huapeng; Handroos, Heikki

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Studying flexible multibody dynamic of hybrid parallel robot. • Investigating fuzzy-PD controller to control a hybrid flexible hydraulically driven robot. • Investigating ANFIS-PD controller to control a hybrid flexible robot. Compare to traditional PID this method gives better performance. • Using the equilibrium of reaction forces between the parallel and serial parts of hybrid robot to control the serial part hydraulically driven. - Abstract: The assembly and maintenance of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) vacuum vessel (VV) is highly challenging since the tasks performed by the robot involve welding, material handling, and machine cutting from inside the VV. To fulfill the tasks in ITER application, this paper presents a hybrid redundant manipulator with four DOFs provided by serial kinematic axes and six DOFs by parallel mechanism. Thus, in machining, to achieve greater end-effector trajectory tracking accuracy for surface quality, a robust control of the actuators for the flexible link has to be deduced. In this paper, the intelligent control of a hydraulically driven parallel robot part based on the dynamic model and two control schemes have been investigated: (1) fuzzy-PID self tuning controller composed of the conventional PID control and with fuzzy logic; (2) adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system-PID (ANFIS-PID) self tuning of the gains of the PID controller, which are implemented independently to control each hydraulic cylinder of the parallel robot based on rod position predictions. The obtained results of the fuzzy-PID and ANFIS-PID self tuning controller can reduce more tracking errors than the conventional PID controller. Subsequently, the serial component of the hybrid robot can be analyzed using the equilibrium of reaction forces at the universal joint connections of the hexa-element. To achieve precise positional control of the end effector for maximum precision machining, the hydraulic cylinder should

  18. Intelligent controller of a flexible hybrid robot machine for ITER assembly and maintenance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-saedi, Mazin I., E-mail: mazin.al-saedi@lut.fi; Wu, Huapeng; Handroos, Heikki

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • Studying flexible multibody dynamic of hybrid parallel robot. • Investigating fuzzy-PD controller to control a hybrid flexible hydraulically driven robot. • Investigating ANFIS-PD controller to control a hybrid flexible robot. Compare to traditional PID this method gives better performance. • Using the equilibrium of reaction forces between the parallel and serial parts of hybrid robot to control the serial part hydraulically driven. - Abstract: The assembly and maintenance of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) vacuum vessel (VV) is highly challenging since the tasks performed by the robot involve welding, material handling, and machine cutting from inside the VV. To fulfill the tasks in ITER application, this paper presents a hybrid redundant manipulator with four DOFs provided by serial kinematic axes and six DOFs by parallel mechanism. Thus, in machining, to achieve greater end-effector trajectory tracking accuracy for surface quality, a robust control of the actuators for the flexible link has to be deduced. In this paper, the intelligent control of a hydraulically driven parallel robot part based on the dynamic model and two control schemes have been investigated: (1) fuzzy-PID self tuning controller composed of the conventional PID control and with fuzzy logic; (2) adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system-PID (ANFIS-PID) self tuning of the gains of the PID controller, which are implemented independently to control each hydraulic cylinder of the parallel robot based on rod position predictions. The obtained results of the fuzzy-PID and ANFIS-PID self tuning controller can reduce more tracking errors than the conventional PID controller. Subsequently, the serial component of the hybrid robot can be analyzed using the equilibrium of reaction forces at the universal joint connections of the hexa-element. To achieve precise positional control of the end effector for maximum precision machining, the hydraulic cylinder should

  19. I want to be creative: exploring the role of hedonic contingency theory in the positive mood-cognitive flexibility link.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirt, Edward R; Devers, Erin E; McCrea, Sean M

    2008-02-01

    Three studies explored the role of hedonic contingency theory as an explanation for the link between positive mood and cognitive flexibility. Study 1 examined the determinants of activity choice for participants in happy, sad, or neutral moods. Consistent with hedonic contingency theory, happy participants weighted potential for creativity as well as the pleasantness of the task more heavily in their preference ratings. In Study 2, participants were given either a neutral or mood-threatening item generation task to perform. Results illustrated that happy participants exhibited greater cognitive flexibility in all cases; when confronted with a potentially mood-threatening task, happy participants were able to creatively transform the task so as to maintain positive mood and interest. Finally, Study 3 manipulated participants' beliefs that moods could or could not be altered. Results replicated the standard positive mood-increased cognitive flexibility effect in the nonmood-freezing condition, but no effects of mood on creativity were found in the mood-freezing condition. These studies indicate that the hedonic contingency theory may be an important contributing mechanism behind the positive mood-cognitive flexibility link. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

  20. Nonlinear Elastodynamic Behaviour Analysis of High-Speed Spatial Parallel Coordinate Measuring Machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiulong Chen

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available In order to study the elastodynamic behaviour of 4- universal joints- prismatic pairs- spherical joints / universal joints- prismatic pairs- universal joints 4-UPS-UPU high-speed spatial PCMMs(parallel coordinate measuring machines, the nonlinear time-varying dynamics model, which comprehensively considers geometric nonlinearity and the rigid-flexible coupling effect, is derived by using Lagrange equations and finite element methods. Based on the Newmark method, the kinematics output response of 4-UPS-UPU PCMMs is illustrated through numerical simulation. The results of the simulation show that the flexibility of the links is demonstrated to have a significant impact on the system dynamics response. This research can provide the important theoretical base of the optimization design and vibration control for 4-UPS-UPU PCMMs.

  1. The Flexibility of Pusher Furnace Grate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Słowik J.A.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The lifetime of guide grates in pusher furnaces for heat treatment could be increased by raising the flexibility of their structure through, for example, the replacement of straight ribs, parallel to the direction of grate movement, with more flexible segments. The deformability of grates with flexible segments arranged in two orientations, i.e. crosswise (perpendicular to the direction of compression and lengthwise (parallel to the direction of compression, was examined. The compression process was simulated using SolidWorks Simulation program. Relevant regression equations were also derived describing the dependence of force inducing the grate deformation by 0.25 mm ‒ modulus of grate elasticity ‒ on the number of flexible segments in established orientations. These calculations were made in Statistica and Scilab programs. It has been demonstrated that, with the same number of segments, the crosswise orientation of flexible segments increases the grate structure flexibility in a more efficient way than the lengthwise orientation. It has also been proved that a crucial effect on the grate flexibility has only the quantity and orientation of segments (crosswise / lengthwise, while the exact position of segments changes the grate flexibility by less than 1%.

  2. An Extended Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Model for Flight Deck Scheduling with Priority, Parallel Operations, and Sequence Flexibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lianfei Yu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Efficient scheduling for the supporting operations of aircrafts in flight deck is critical to the aircraft carrier, and even several seconds’ improvement may lead to totally converse outcome of a battle. In the paper, we ameliorate the supporting operations of carrier-based aircrafts and investigate three simultaneous operation relationships during the supporting process, including precedence constraints, parallel operations, and sequence flexibility. Furthermore, multifunctional aircrafts have to take off synergistically and participate in a combat cooperatively. However, their takeoff order must be restrictively prioritized during the scheduling period accorded by certain operational regulations. To efficiently prioritize the takeoff order while minimizing the total time budget on the whole takeoff duration, we propose a novel mixed integer liner programming formulation (MILP for the flight deck scheduling problem. Motivated by the hardness of MILP, we design an improved differential evolution algorithm combined with typical local search strategies to improve computational efficiency. We numerically compare the performance of our algorithm with the classical genetic algorithm and normal differential evolution algorithm and the results show that our algorithm obtains better scheduling schemes that can meet both the operational relations and the takeoff priority requirements.

  3. Dynamics of parallel robots from rigid bodies to flexible elements

    CERN Document Server

    Briot, Sébastien

    2015-01-01

    This book starts with a short recapitulation on basic concepts, common to any types of robots (serial, tree structure, parallel, etc.), that are also necessary for computation of the dynamic models of parallel robots. Then, as dynamics requires the use of geometry and kinematics, the general equations of geometric and kinematic models of parallel robots are given. After, it is explained that parallel robot dynamic models can be obtained by decomposing the real robot into two virtual systems: a tree-structure robot (equivalent to the robot legs for which all joints would be actuated) plus a free body corresponding to the platform. Thus, the dynamics of rigid tree-structure robots is analyzed and algorithms to obtain their dynamic models in the most compact form are given. The dynamic model of the real rigid parallel robot is obtained by closing the loops through the use of the Lagrange multipliers. The problem of the dynamic model degeneracy near singularities is treated and optimal trajectory planning for cro...

  4. Business Models for Power System Flexibility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boscan, Luis; Poudineh, Rahmatallah

    2016-01-01

    As intermittent, renewable resources gain more share in the generation mix, the need for power system flexibility increases more than ever. Parallel to this, technological change and the emergence of new players bringing about innovative solutions are boosting the development of flexibility...... business models will play an important role in ensuring sufficiency and efficiency of flexibility services....

  5. Dynamic modelling and adaptive robust tracking control of a space robot with two-link flexible manipulators under unknown disturbances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xinxin; Ge, Shuzhi Sam; He, Wei

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, both the closed-form dynamics and adaptive robust tracking control of a space robot with two-link flexible manipulators under unknown disturbances are developed. The dynamic model of the system is described with assumed modes approach and Lagrangian method. The flexible manipulators are represented as Euler-Bernoulli beams. Based on singular perturbation technique, the displacements/joint angles and flexible modes are modelled as slow and fast variables, respectively. A sliding mode control is designed for trajectories tracking of the slow subsystem under unknown but bounded disturbances, and an adaptive sliding mode control is derived for slow subsystem under unknown slowly time-varying disturbances. An optimal linear quadratic regulator method is proposed for the fast subsystem to damp out the vibrations of the flexible manipulators. Theoretical analysis validates the stability of the proposed composite controller. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the performance of the closed-loop flexible space robot system.

  6. Cross-Linked Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene (PVDF-co-HFP Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Flexible Li-Ion Battery Integrated with Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilhwan Kim

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Here, we fabricate poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene (PVDF-co-HFP by electrospinning for a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE for use in flexible Li-ion batteries (LIBs. As a solvent, we use N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP, which helps produce the cross-linked morphology of PVDF-co-HFP separator, owing to its low volatility. The cross-linked PVDF-co-HFP separator shows an uptake rate higher than that of a commercialized polypropylene (PP separator. Moreover, the PVDF-co-HFP separator shows an ionic conductivity of 2.3 × 10−3 S/cm at room temperature, comparable with previously reported values. An LIB full-cell assembled with the PVDF-co-HFP-based GPE shows capacities higher than its counterpart with the commercialized PP separator, confirming that the cross-linked PVDF-co-HFP separator provides highly efficient ionic conducting pathways. In addition, we integrate a flexible LIB cell using the PVDF-co-HFP GPE with a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED, demonstrating a fully flexible unit of LIB and OLED.

  7. Computationally efficient dynamic modeling of robot manipulators with multiple flexible-links using acceleration-based discrete time transfer matrix method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Xuping; Sørensen, Rasmus; RahbekIversen, Mathias

    2018-01-01

    , and then is linearized based on the acceleration-based state vector. The transfer matrices for each type of components/elements are developed, and used to establish the system equations of a flexible robot manipulator by concatenating the state vector from the base to the end-effector. With this strategy, the size...... manipulators, and only involves calculating and transferring component/element dynamic equations that have small size. The numerical simulations and experimental testing of flexible-link manipulators are conducted to validate the proposed methodologies....

  8. Specifying Links between Executive Functioning and Theory of Mind during Middle Childhood: Cognitive Flexibility Predicts Social Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bock, Allison M.; Gallaway, Kristin C.; Hund, Alycia M.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to specify the development of and links between executive functioning and theory of mind during middle childhood. One hundred four 7- to 12-year-old children completed a battery of age-appropriate tasks measuring working memory, inhibition, flexibility, theory of mind, and vocabulary. As expected, spatial working…

  9. Flexible, Photopatterned, Colloidal CdSe Semiconductor Nanocrystal Integrated Circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stinner, F. Scott

    As semiconductor manufacturing pushes towards smaller and faster transistors, a parallel goal exists to create transistors which are not nearly as small. These transistors are not intended to match the performance of traditional crystalline semiconductors; they are designed to be significantly lower in cost and manufactured using methods that can make them physically flexible for applications where form is more important than speed. One of the developing technologies for this application is semiconductor nanocrystals. We first explore methods to develop CdSe nanocrystal semiconducting "inks" into large-scale, high-speed integrated circuits. We demonstrate photopatterned transistors with mobilities of 10 cm2/Vs on Kapton substrates. We develop new methods for vertical interconnect access holes to demonstrate multi-device integrated circuits including inverting amplifiers with 7 kHz bandwidths, ring oscillators with NFC) link. The device draws its power from the NFC transmitter common on smartphones and eliminates the need for a fixed battery. This allows for the mass deployment of flexible, interactive displays on product packaging.

  10. Running parallel applications with topology-aware grid middleware

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bar, P.; Coti, C.; Groen, D.; Herault, T.; Kravtsov, V.; Schuster, A; Swain, M.

    2009-01-01

    The concept of topology-aware grid applications is derived from parallelized computational models of complex systems that are executed on heterogeneous resources, either because they require specialized hardware for certain calculations, or because their parallelization is flexible enough to exploit

  11. Design, manufacture and evaluation of a new flexible constant velocity mechanism for transmission of power between parallel shafts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yaghoubi, Majid [University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sanaeifar, Alireza [Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-08-15

    This paper presents a new mechanism (coupling) for power transmission between parallel shafts in more ranges. The mechanism consists of one drive shaft and one driven shaft, 3 S-shape transmitter links and 8 connecting links. The advantage of this mechanism is that the velocity ratio between input and output shafts remains constant at all movements, and its capacity to offset misalignments is greater than that of other couplings. This research also includes a kinematic analysis and simulations using Visual NASTRAN, Autodesk inventor dynamic and COSMOS motion to prove that the mechanism exhibits a constant velocity. Finally, the mechanism was fabricated and evaluated; results showed that the mechanism can practically transmit a constant velocity ratio.

  12. Design, manufacture and evaluation of a new flexible constant velocity mechanism for transmission of power between parallel shafts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaghoubi, Majid; Sanaeifar, Alireza

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a new mechanism (coupling) for power transmission between parallel shafts in more ranges. The mechanism consists of one drive shaft and one driven shaft, 3 S-shape transmitter links and 8 connecting links. The advantage of this mechanism is that the velocity ratio between input and output shafts remains constant at all movements, and its capacity to offset misalignments is greater than that of other couplings. This research also includes a kinematic analysis and simulations using Visual NASTRAN, Autodesk inventor dynamic and COSMOS motion to prove that the mechanism exhibits a constant velocity. Finally, the mechanism was fabricated and evaluated; results showed that the mechanism can practically transmit a constant velocity ratio.

  13. TIA: algorithms for development of identity-linked SNP islands for analysis by massively parallel DNA sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farris, M Heath; Scott, Andrew R; Texter, Pamela A; Bartlett, Marta; Coleman, Patricia; Masters, David

    2018-04-11

    Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within the human genome have been shown to have utility as markers of identity in the differentiation of DNA from individual contributors. Massively parallel DNA sequencing (MPS) technologies and human genome SNP databases allow for the design of suites of identity-linked target regions, amenable to sequencing in a multiplexed and massively parallel manner. Therefore, tools are needed for leveraging the genotypic information found within SNP databases for the discovery of genomic targets that can be evaluated on MPS platforms. The SNP island target identification algorithm (TIA) was developed as a user-tunable system to leverage SNP information within databases. Using data within the 1000 Genomes Project SNP database, human genome regions were identified that contain globally ubiquitous identity-linked SNPs and that were responsive to targeted resequencing on MPS platforms. Algorithmic filters were used to exclude target regions that did not conform to user-tunable SNP island target characteristics. To validate the accuracy of TIA for discovering these identity-linked SNP islands within the human genome, SNP island target regions were amplified from 70 contributor genomic DNA samples using the polymerase chain reaction. Multiplexed amplicons were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform, and the resulting sequences were analyzed for SNP variations. 166 putative identity-linked SNPs were targeted in the identified genomic regions. Of the 309 SNPs that provided discerning power across individual SNP profiles, 74 previously undefined SNPs were identified during evaluation of targets from individual genomes. Overall, DNA samples of 70 individuals were uniquely identified using a subset of the suite of identity-linked SNP islands. TIA offers a tunable genome search tool for the discovery of targeted genomic regions that are scalable in the population frequency and numbers of SNPs contained within the SNP island regions

  14. PRISMA/DB: A Parallel Main-Memory Relational DBMS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Apers, Peter M.G.; Flokstra, Jan; van den Berg, Carel A.; Grefen, P.W.P.J.; Wilschut, A.N.; Kersten, Martin L.; van den Berg, C.A.

    1992-01-01

    PRISMA/DB, a full-fledged parallel, main memory relational database management system (DBMS) is described. PRISMA/DB's high performance is obtained by the use of parallelism for query processing and main memory storage of the entire database. A flexible architecture for experimenting with

  15. Kmerind: A Flexible Parallel Library for K-mer Indexing of Biological Sequences on Distributed Memory Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Tony; Flick, Patrick; Jain, Chirag; Liu, Yongchao; Aluru, Srinivas

    2017-10-09

    Counting and indexing fixed length substrings, or k-mers, in biological sequences is a key step in many bioinformatics tasks including genome alignment and mapping, genome assembly, and error correction. While advances in next generation sequencing technologies have dramatically reduced the cost and improved latency and throughput, few bioinformatics tools can efficiently process the datasets at the current generation rate of 1.8 terabases every 3 days. We present Kmerind, a high performance parallel k-mer indexing library for distributed memory environments. The Kmerind library provides a set of simple and consistent APIs with sequential semantics and parallel implementations that are designed to be flexible and extensible. Kmerind's k-mer counter performs similarly or better than the best existing k-mer counting tools even on shared memory systems. In a distributed memory environment, Kmerind counts k-mers in a 120 GB sequence read dataset in less than 13 seconds on 1024 Xeon CPU cores, and fully indexes their positions in approximately 17 seconds. Querying for 1% of the k-mers in these indices can be completed in 0.23 seconds and 28 seconds, respectively. Kmerind is the first k-mer indexing library for distributed memory environments, and the first extensible library for general k-mer indexing and counting. Kmerind is available at https://github.com/ParBLiSS/kmerind.

  16. Parallel interconnect for a novel system approach to short distance high information transfer data links

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raskin, Glenn; Lebby, Michael S.; Carney, F.; Kazakia, M.; Schwartz, Daniel B.; Gaw, Craig A.

    1997-04-01

    The OPTOBUSTM family of products provides for high performance parallel interconnection utilizing optical links in a 10-bit wide bi-directional configuration. The link is architected to be 'transparent' in that it is totally asynchronous and dc coupled so that it can be treated as a perfect cable with extremely low skew and no losses. An optical link consists of two identical transceiver modules and a pair of connectorized 62.5 micrometer multi mode fiber ribbon cables. The OPTOBUSTM I link provides bi- directional functionality at 4 Gbps (400 Mbps per channel), while the OPTOBUSTM II link will offer the same capability at 8 Gbps (800 Mbps per channel). The transparent structure of the OPTOBUSTM links allow for an arbitrary data stream regardless of its structure. Both the OPTOBUSTM I and OPTOBUSTM II transceiver modules are packaged as partially populated 14 by 14 pin grid arrays (PGA) with optical receptacles on one side of the module. The modules themselves are composed of several elements; including passives, integrated circuits optoelectronic devices and optical interface units (OIUs) (which consist of polymer waveguides and a specially designed lead frame). The initial offering of the modules electrical interface utilizes differential CML. The CML line driver sinks 5 mA of current into one of two pins. When terminated with 50 ohm pull-up resistors tied to a voltage between VCC and VCC-2, the result is a differential swing of plus or minus 250 mV, capable of driving standard PECL I/Os. Future offerings of the OPTOBUSTM links will incorporate LVDS and PECL interfaces as well as CML. The integrated circuits are silicon based. For OPTOBUSTM I links, a 1.5 micrometer drawn emitter NPN bipolar process is used for the receiver and an enhanced 0.8 micrometer CMOS process for the laser driver. For OPTOBUSTM II links, a 0.8 micrometer drawn emitter NPN bipolar process is used for the receiver and the driver IC utilizes 0.8 micrometer BiCMOS technology. The OPTOBUSTM

  17. Cross-linking of polymer and ionic liquid as high-performance gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong, Xiongwei; Tang, Jun; Cao, Lujie; Kong, Weiguang; Sun, Zheng; Cheng, Hua; Lu, Zhouguang; Pan, Hui; Xu, Baomin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •A facile method to prepare gel polymer electrolyte with high conductivity is proposed. •A flexible symmetric capacitor based on the prepared GPE shows ultra-flexibility. •The capacitor with high voltage can power up a 3.0 V LED even bended to a angle of 180°. -- Abstract: It is highly desirable to develop flexible solid-state electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) with non-liquid electrolyte. However, it is still a great challenge to prepare gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) possessing high ionic conductivity and good mechanical property. In this work, a simple and novel method to improve the conductivity and mechanical properties of GPE film for their applications as electrolyte and separator in EDLC is presented. The GPE film is prepared by cross-linking ionic liquid (IL) with poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and benzophenone (Bp) followed by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Then, a non-woven cellulose separator (FPC) is used to absorb the GPE. By tuning the mass ratio (n) between IL and PEO, the flexible EDLC cooperated with low-cost active carbon and the electrolyte film with n = 10 has a high capacitance of 70.84 F∙g −1 , a wide and stable electrochemical window of 3.5 V, an energy density of 30.13 Wh∙kg −1 and a power density of 874.8 W∙kg −1 at a current density of 1 A∙g −1 , which can drive a 3.0 V light-emitting diode (LED). Importantly, the excellent performance of the flexible and low-cost EDLC can be maintained at a bending angle up to 180°, indicating the ultra-flexibility. It is expected that the IL-PEO-FPC electrolyte film is a promising candidate of GPE for flexible devices and energy storage systems.

  18. Adaptive precompensators for flexible-link manipulator control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzes, Anthony P.; Yurkovich, Stephen

    1989-01-01

    The application of input precompensators to flexible manipulators is considered. Frequency domain compensators color the input around the flexible mode locations, resulting in a bandstop or notch filter in cascade with the system. Time domain compensators apply a sequence of impulses at prespecified times related to the modal frequencies. The resulting control corresponds to a feedforward term that convolves in real-time the desired reference input with a sequence of impulses and produces a vibration-free output. An adaptive precompensator can be implemented by combining a frequency domain identification scheme which is used to estimate online the modal frequencies and subsequently update the bandstop interval or the spacing between the impulses. The combined adaptive input preshaping scheme provides the most rapid slew that results in a vibration-free output. Experimental results are presented to verify the results.

  19. Beyond left and right: Automaticity and flexibility of number-space associations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoine, Sophie; Gevers, Wim

    2016-02-01

    Close links exist between the processing of numbers and the processing of space: relatively small numbers are preferentially associated with a left-sided response while relatively large numbers are associated with a right-sided response (the SNARC effect). Previous work demonstrated that the SNARC effect is triggered in an automatic manner and is highly flexible. Besides the left-right dimension, numbers associate with other spatial response mappings such as close/far responses, where small numbers are associated with a close response and large numbers with a far response. In two experiments we investigate the nature of this association. Associations between magnitude and close/far responses were observed using a magnitude-irrelevant task (Experiment 1: automaticity) and using a variable referent task (Experiment 2: flexibility). While drawing a strong parallel between both response mappings, the present results are also informative with regard to the question about what type of processing mechanism underlies both the SNARC effect and the association between numerical magnitude and close/far response locations.

  20. Constraint Network Analysis (CNA): a Python software package for efficiently linking biomacromolecular structure, flexibility, (thermo-)stability, and function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfleger, Christopher; Rathi, Prakash Chandra; Klein, Doris L; Radestock, Sebastian; Gohlke, Holger

    2013-04-22

    For deriving maximal advantage from information on biomacromolecular flexibility and rigidity, results from rigidity analyses must be linked to biologically relevant characteristics of a structure. Here, we describe the Python-based software package Constraint Network Analysis (CNA) developed for this task. CNA functions as a front- and backend to the graph-based rigidity analysis software FIRST. CNA goes beyond the mere identification of flexible and rigid regions in a biomacromolecule in that it (I) provides a refined modeling of thermal unfolding simulations that also considers the temperature-dependence of hydrophobic tethers, (II) allows performing rigidity analyses on ensembles of network topologies, either generated from structural ensembles or by using the concept of fuzzy noncovalent constraints, and (III) computes a set of global and local indices for quantifying biomacromolecular stability. This leads to more robust results from rigidity analyses and extends the application domain of rigidity analyses in that phase transition points ("melting points") and unfolding nuclei ("structural weak spots") are determined automatically. Furthermore, CNA robustly handles small-molecule ligands in general. Such advancements are important for applying rigidity analysis to data-driven protein engineering and for estimating the influence of ligand molecules on biomacromolecular stability. CNA maintains the efficiency of FIRST such that the analysis of a single protein structure takes a few seconds for systems of several hundred residues on a single core. These features make CNA an interesting tool for linking biomacromolecular structure, flexibility, (thermo-)stability, and function. CNA is available from http://cpclab.uni-duesseldorf.de/software for nonprofit organizations.

  1. Skill Flexibility among Schoolteachers: Operationalization and Organizational Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenblatt, Zehava; Inbal, Batia

    1999-01-01

    Investigates effects of skill flexibility on Israeli secondary teachers' work attitudes and job performance. Both role and functional flexibility were associated with improved teachers' work performance; role flexibility is linked to high organizational commitment and low powerlessness. Principals appreciate skill flexibility, but organizational…

  2. Payload Mass Identification of a Single-Link Flexible Arm Moving under Gravity: An Algebraic Identification Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos Cambera

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We deal with the online identification of the payload mass carried by a single-link flexible arm that moves on a vertical plane and therefore is affected by the gravity force. Specifically, we follow a frequency domain design methodology to develop an algebraic identifier. This identifier is capable of achieving robust and efficient mass estimates even in the presence of sensor noise. In order to highlight its performance, the proposed estimator is experimentally tested and compared with other classical methods in several situations that resemble the most typical operation of a manipulator.

  3. Solving no-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem with unrelated parallel machines and rework time by the adjusted discrete Multi Objective Invasive Weed Optimization and fuzzy dominance approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jafarzadeh, Hassan; Moradinasab, Nazanin; Gerami, Ali

    2017-07-01

    Adjusted discrete Multi-Objective Invasive Weed Optimization (DMOIWO) algorithm, which uses fuzzy dominant approach for ordering, has been proposed to solve No-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem. Design/methodology/approach: No-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem by considering sequence-dependent setup times and probable rework in both stations, different ready times for all jobs and rework times for both stations as well as unrelated parallel machines with regards to the simultaneous minimization of maximum job completion time and average latency functions have been investigated in a multi-objective manner. In this study, the parameter setting has been carried out using Taguchi Method based on the quality indicator for beater performance of the algorithm. Findings: The results of this algorithm have been compared with those of conventional, multi-objective algorithms to show the better performance of the proposed algorithm. The results clearly indicated the greater performance of the proposed algorithm. Originality/value: This study provides an efficient method for solving multi objective no-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem by considering sequence-dependent setup times, probable rework in both stations, different ready times for all jobs, rework times for both stations and unrelated parallel machines which are the real constraints.

  4. Solving no-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem with unrelated parallel machines and rework time by the adjusted discrete Multi Objective Invasive Weed Optimization and fuzzy dominance approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jafarzadeh, Hassan; Moradinasab, Nazanin; Gerami, Ali

    2017-01-01

    Adjusted discrete Multi-Objective Invasive Weed Optimization (DMOIWO) algorithm, which uses fuzzy dominant approach for ordering, has been proposed to solve No-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem. Design/methodology/approach: No-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem by considering sequence-dependent setup times and probable rework in both stations, different ready times for all jobs and rework times for both stations as well as unrelated parallel machines with regards to the simultaneous minimization of maximum job completion time and average latency functions have been investigated in a multi-objective manner. In this study, the parameter setting has been carried out using Taguchi Method based on the quality indicator for beater performance of the algorithm. Findings: The results of this algorithm have been compared with those of conventional, multi-objective algorithms to show the better performance of the proposed algorithm. The results clearly indicated the greater performance of the proposed algorithm. Originality/value: This study provides an efficient method for solving multi objective no-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem by considering sequence-dependent setup times, probable rework in both stations, different ready times for all jobs, rework times for both stations and unrelated parallel machines which are the real constraints.

  5. Processes and Materials for Flexible PV Arrays

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gierow, Paul

    2002-01-01

    .... A parallel incentive for development of flexible PV arrays are the possibilities of synergistic advantages for certain types of spacecraft, in particular the Solar Thermal Propulsion (STP) Vehicle...

  6. 3D printed soft parallel actuator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zolfagharian, Ali; Kouzani, Abbas Z.; Khoo, Sui Yang; Noshadi, Amin; Kaynak, Akif

    2018-04-01

    This paper presents a 3-dimensional (3D) printed soft parallel contactless actuator for the first time. The actuator involves an electro-responsive parallel mechanism made of two segments namely active chain and passive chain both 3D printed. The active chain is attached to the ground from one end and constitutes two actuator links made of responsive hydrogel. The passive chain, on the other hand, is attached to the active chain from one end and consists of two rigid links made of polymer. The actuator links are printed using an extrusion-based 3D-Bioplotter with polyelectrolyte hydrogel as printer ink. The rigid links are also printed by a 3D fused deposition modelling (FDM) printer with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as print material. The kinematics model of the soft parallel actuator is derived via transformation matrices notations to simulate and determine the workspace of the actuator. The printed soft parallel actuator is then immersed into NaOH solution with specific voltage applied to it via two contactless electrodes. The experimental data is then collected and used to develop a parametric model to estimate the end-effector position and regulate kinematics model in response to specific input voltage over time. It is observed that the electroactive actuator demonstrates expected behaviour according to the simulation of its kinematics model. The use of 3D printing for the fabrication of parallel soft actuators opens a new chapter in manufacturing sophisticated soft actuators with high dexterity and mechanical robustness for biomedical applications such as cell manipulation and drug release.

  7. Capacity enhancement and flexible operation of unified power quality conditioner in smart and microgrid network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shafiuzzaman Khan Khadem

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new approach to design Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC, termed as distributed UPQC (D-UPQC, for smart or microgrid network where capacity enhancement and flexible operation of UPQC are the important issues. This paper shows the possibility of capacity enhancement and operational flexibility of UPQC through a coordinated control of existing resources. This UPQC consists of a single unit series active power filter (APFse and multiple shunt APF (APFsh units in a distributed (parallel mode. These units can be connected with a common/separate dc linked capacitor(s. The requirement of capacity enhancement arises from the flexibility to cope up with the increased harmonic load demand at low voltage (LV distribution network. This can be accomplished by a coordinated control where multiple APFsh units are operated by utilizing the capacity of APFse while it is in idle/low mode using. Operational flexibility can be accomplished by compensating (i the reactive and harmonic current individually or (ii splitting the combined reactive and harmonic current/power among the APFsh units. Design and control issues have been discussed to identify the capacity enhancement limit with the possibility of operational flexibility. A system then has been simulated in MATLAB to show the effectiveness of D-UPQC in capacity enhancement and flexible operation by applying its existing resource utilization capability.

  8. Mechanisms mediating parallel action monitoring in fronto-striatal circuits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beste, Christian; Ness, Vanessa; Lukas, Carsten; Hoffmann, Rainer; Stüwe, Sven; Falkenstein, Michael; Saft, Carsten

    2012-08-01

    Flexible response adaptation and the control of conflicting information play a pivotal role in daily life. Yet, little is known about the neuronal mechanisms mediating parallel control of these processes. We examined these mechanisms using a multi-methodological approach that integrated data from event-related potentials (ERPs) with structural MRI data and source localisation using sLORETA. Moreover, we calculated evoked wavelet oscillations. We applied this multi-methodological approach in healthy subjects and patients in a prodromal phase of a major basal ganglia disorder (i.e., Huntington's disease), to directly focus on fronto-striatal networks. Behavioural data indicated, especially the parallel execution of conflict monitoring and flexible response adaptation was modulated across the examined cohorts. When both processes do not co-incide a high integrity of fronto-striatal loops seems to be dispensable. The neurophysiological data suggests that conflict monitoring (reflected by the N2 ERP) and working memory processes (reflected by the P3 ERP) differentially contribute to this pattern of results. Flexible response adaptation under the constraint of high conflict processing affected the N2 and P3 ERP, as well as their delta frequency band oscillations. Yet, modulatory effects were strongest for the N2 ERP and evoked wavelet oscillations in this time range. The N2 ERPs were localized in the anterior cingulate cortex (BA32, BA24). Modulations of the P3 ERP were localized in parietal areas (BA7). In addition, MRI-determined caudate head volume predicted modulations in conflict monitoring, but not working memory processes. The results show how parallel conflict monitoring and flexible adaptation of action is mediated via fronto-striatal networks. While both, response monitoring and working memory processes seem to play a role, especially response selection processes and ACC-basal ganglia networks seem to be the driving force in mediating parallel conflict

  9. Parallelization Experience with Four Canonical Econometric Models Using ParMitISEM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    N. Basturk (Nalan); S. Grassi (Stefano); L.F. Hoogerheide (Lennart); H.K. van Dijk (Herman)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractThis paper presents the parallel computing implementation of the MitISEM algorithm, labeled Parallel MitISEM. The basic MitISEM algorithm, introduced by Hoogerheide, Opschoor and Van Dijk (2012), provides an automatic and flexible method to approximate a non-elliptical target density

  10. Generic method for deriving the general shaking force balance conditions of parallel manipulators with application to a redundant planar 4-RRR parallel manipulator

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Wijk, V.; Krut, S.; Pierrot, F.; Herder, Justus Laurens

    2011-01-01

    This paper proposes a generic method for deriving the general shaking force balance conditions of parallel manipulators. Instead of considering the balancing of a parallel manipulator link-by-link or leg-by-leg, the architecture is considered altogether. The first step is to write the linear

  11. Extended Kalman filtering applied to a two-axis robotic arm with flexible links

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lertpiriyasuwat, V.; Berg, M.C.; Buffinton, K.W.

    2000-03-01

    An industrial robot today uses measurements of its joint positions and models of its kinematics and dynamics to estimate and control its end-effector position. Substantially better end-effector position estimation and control performance would be obtainable if direct measurements of its end-effector position were also used. The subject of this paper is extended Kalman filtering for precise estimation of the position of the end-effector of a robot using, in addition to the usual measurements of the joint positions, direct measurements of the end-effector position. The estimation performances of extended Kalman filters are compared in applications to a planar two-axis robotic arm with very flexible links. The comparisons shed new light on the dependence of extended Kalman filter estimation performance on the quality of the model of the arm dynamics that the extended Kalman filter operates with.

  12. Parallel Computing in SCALE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeHart, Mark D.; Williams, Mark L.; Bowman, Stephen M.

    2010-01-01

    The SCALE computational architecture has remained basically the same since its inception 30 years ago, although constituent modules and capabilities have changed significantly. This SCALE concept was intended to provide a framework whereby independent codes can be linked to provide a more comprehensive capability than possible with the individual programs - allowing flexibility to address a wide variety of applications. However, the current system was designed originally for mainframe computers with a single CPU and with significantly less memory than today's personal computers. It has been recognized that the present SCALE computation system could be restructured to take advantage of modern hardware and software capabilities, while retaining many of the modular features of the present system. Preliminary work is being done to define specifications and capabilities for a more advanced computational architecture. This paper describes the state of current SCALE development activities and plans for future development. With the release of SCALE 6.1 in 2010, a new phase of evolutionary development will be available to SCALE users within the TRITON and NEWT modules. The SCALE (Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation) code system developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) provides a comprehensive and integrated package of codes and nuclear data for a wide range of applications in criticality safety, reactor physics, shielding, isotopic depletion and decay, and sensitivity/uncertainty (S/U) analysis. Over the last three years, since the release of version 5.1 in 2006, several important new codes have been introduced within SCALE, and significant advances applied to existing codes. Many of these new features became available with the release of SCALE 6.0 in early 2009. However, beginning with SCALE 6.1, a first generation of parallel computing is being introduced. In addition to near-term improvements, a plan for longer term SCALE enhancement

  13. Parallelization experience with four canonical econometric models using ParMitISEM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baştürk, N.; Grassi, S.; Hoogerheide, L.; van Dijk, H.K.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the parallel computing implementation of the MitISEM algorithm, labeled Parallel MitISEM. The basic MitISEM algorithm, introduced by Hoogerheide et al. (2012), provides an automatic and flexible method to approximate a non-elliptical target density using adaptive mixtures of

  14. Power-flow control and stability enhancement of four parallel-operated offshore wind farms using a line-commutated HVDC link

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Li; Wang, Kuo-Hua; Lee, Wei-Jen

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents an effective control scheme using a line-commutated high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) link with a designed rectifier current regulator (RCR) to simultaneously perform both power-fluctuation mitigation and damping improvement of four parallel-operated 80-MW offshore wind farms...... delivering generated power to a large utility grid. The proposed RCR of the HVDC link is designed by using modal control theory to contribute adequate damping to the studied four offshore wind farms under various wind speeds. A systematic analysis using a frequency-domain approach based on eigenvalue...... characteristics to the studied offshore wind farms under various wind speeds but also effectively mitigate power fluctuations of the offshore wind farms under wind-speed disturbance conditions....

  15. Parallelization experience with four canonical econometric models using ParMitISEM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bastürk, Nalan; Grassi, S.; Hoogerheide, L.; van Dijk, Herman K.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the parallel computing implementation of the MitISEM algorithm, labeled Parallel MitISEM. The basic MitISEM algorithm provides an automatic and flexible method to approximate a non-elliptical target density using adaptive mixtures of Student-t densities, where only a kernel of

  16. A Flexible Power Control Method of VSC-HVDC Link for the Enhancement of Effective Short-Circuit Ratio in a Hybrid Multi-Infeed HVDC System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Yan; Chen, Zhe

    2013-01-01

    . To evaluate the contribution of the VSC-HVDC link on the voltage stability of HMIDC system, this paper proposes an effective short circuit ratio (ESCR) calculation method. Through the calculation, the voltage support capability of the VSC-HVDC link can be quantitatively represented by the ESCR. Furthermore......, based on the calculation results, a flexible power control strategy for the VSC-HVDC link is developed to provide maximum reactive power support under grid faults. The theoretical analysis of the HMIDC system is based on the Danish transmission grid, evaluated through PSCAD simulations under different...

  17. Flexible biochips for detection of biomolecules

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peter, M.; Schüler, T.; Furthner, F.; Rensing, P.A.; Heck, G.T. van; Schoo, H.F.M.; Möllier, R.; Fritzsche, W.; Breemen, A.J.J.M. van; Meinders, E.R.

    2009-01-01

    Miniaturization of biosensors is envisaged by the development of biochips consisting of parallel microarray patterns of binding sites on rigid substrates, such as glass or silicon. Thin plastic substrates are promising flexible alternatives because of the possibility for large-area roll-to-roll

  18. The missing link between maintenance contracts and flexible asset management

    OpenAIRE

    Marttonen-Arola, Salla; Viskari, Sari; Kärri, Timo

    2013-01-01

    The paper shows how additional value can be created in maintenance collaboration through integrating the features of flexible asset management into maintenance contracts. We expand the traditional typology of maintenance contracts and introduce a new contract type, flexible asset management contracts. Also value sharing in the new contract type is discussed. Our logic for sharing the value is based on reaching for win-win situations in industrial maintenance collaboration. Finally, we present...

  19. Radiation-hard/high-speed parallel optical links

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gan, K.K., E-mail: gan@mps.ohio-state.edu [Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Buchholz, P.; Heidbrink, S. [Fachbereich Physik, Universität Siegen, Siegen (Germany); Kagan, H.P.; Kass, R.D.; Moore, J.; Smith, D.S. [Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Vogt, M.; Ziolkowski, M. [Fachbereich Physik, Universität Siegen, Siegen (Germany)

    2016-09-21

    We have designed and fabricated a compact parallel optical engine for transmitting data at 5 Gb/s. The device consists of a 4-channel ASIC driving a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) array in an optical package. The ASIC is designed using only core transistors in a 65 nm CMOS process to enhance the radiation-hardness. The ASIC contains an 8-bit DAC to control the bias and modulation currents of the individual channels in the VCSEL array. The performance of the optical engine up at 5 Gb/s is satisfactory.

  20. Fabrication and Characterisation of Flexible Coaxial Thin Thread Supercapacitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fulian Qiu

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Flexible coaxial thin thread supercapacitors were fabricated semi-automatically using a dip coating method. A typical coaxial thin thread supercapacitor of a length of 70 cm demonstrated a specific length capacitance of 0.3 mF cm-1 (11.2 mF cm-2 and 2.18 F cm-3 at 5 mV s-1, the device exhibited good electrochemical performance with a high volume energy density of 0.22 mWh cm-3 at a power density of 22 mW cm-3. Thread supercapacitors were assembled in series and parallel combinations, the accepted models for series and parallel circuit combinations were obeyed for two coaxial thread supercapacitors. The thread shows high flexibility and uniformity of specific length capacitance, one integrated with a commercial solar cell could be charged and power a LED. The process is simple, robust and easy to scale up to make unlimited length thread supercapacitors for numerous miniaturized and flexible electronic applications.

  1. Highly porous ceramic oxide aerogels having improved flexibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meador, Mary Ann B. (Inventor); Nguyen, Baochau N. (Inventor); Guo, Haiquan (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    Ceramic oxide aerogels having improved flexibility are disclosed. Preferred embodiments exhibit high modulus and other strength properties despite their improved flexibility. The gels may be polymer cross-linked via organic polymer chains to further improve strength properties, without substantially detracting from the improved flexibility. Methods of making such aerogels are also disclosed.

  2. A task parallel implementation of fast multipole methods

    KAUST Repository

    Taura, Kenjiro

    2012-11-01

    This paper describes a task parallel implementation of ExaFMM, an open source implementation of fast multipole methods (FMM), using a lightweight task parallel library MassiveThreads. Although there have been many attempts on parallelizing FMM, experiences have almost exclusively been limited to formulation based on flat homogeneous parallel loops. FMM in fact contains operations that cannot be readily expressed in such conventional but restrictive models. We show that task parallelism, or parallel recursions in particular, allows us to parallelize all operations of FMM naturally and scalably. Moreover it allows us to parallelize a \\'\\'mutual interaction\\'\\' for force/potential evaluation, which is roughly twice as efficient as a more conventional, unidirectional force/potential evaluation. The net result is an open source FMM that is clearly among the fastest single node implementations, including those on GPUs; with a million particles on a 32 cores Sandy Bridge 2.20GHz node, it completes a single time step including tree construction and force/potential evaluation in 65 milliseconds. The study clearly showcases both programmability and performance benefits of flexible parallel constructs over more monolithic parallel loops. © 2012 IEEE.

  3. Worker flexibility in a parallel dual resource constrained job shop

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yue, H.; Slomp, J.; Molleman, E.; van der Zee, D.J.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper we investigate cross-training policies in a dual resource constraint (DRC) parallel job shop where new part types are frequently introduced into the system. Each new part type introduction induces the need for workers to go through a learning curve. A cross-training policy relates to

  4. Power unit-cargo space link in transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radmilović Zoran R.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with transportation technology regarding links between power unit and cargo space. These links can be divided into two groups: rigid and flexible. Rigid link, established between power unit and cargo space, is dominant in maritime and road transport (sea ships and trucks, and occasionally in transport on inland waterways (self- propelled barges. Flexible link is used in the railroad transport (systems with trailers and semi trailers, and in inland waterway transport (push - towing and pulling systems, and combinations of the systems. The main goal of this research is determination of possible link types and organization of the means of transportation.

  5. Seismic link at plate boundary

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    time series to determine the causality and related orientation. The resulting link ... Triggering causes changes in the Coulomb stress on a specified fault, which is ... work link shows that the alignment of the links is parallel to the Honshu Trench ...

  6. Parallel algorithms for boundary value problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Avi

    1991-01-01

    A general approach to solve boundary value problems numerically in a parallel environment is discussed. The basic algorithm consists of two steps: the local step where all the P available processors work in parallel, and the global step where one processor solves a tridiagonal linear system of the order P. The main advantages of this approach are twofold. First, this suggested approach is very flexible, especially in the local step and thus the algorithm can be used with any number of processors and with any of the SIMD or MIMD machines. Secondly, the communication complexity is very small and thus can be used as easily with shared memory machines. Several examples for using this strategy are discussed.

  7. Flexible Retrieval: When True Inferences Produce False Memories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpenter, Alexis C.; Schacter, Daniel L.

    2017-01-01

    Episodic memory involves flexible retrieval processes that allow us to link together distinct episodes, make novel inferences across overlapping events, and recombine elements of past experiences when imagining future events. However, the same flexible retrieval and recombination processes that underpin these adaptive functions may also leave…

  8. Crystal structure of a samarium(III nitrate chain cross-linked by a bis-carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide ligand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie A. Stoscup

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In the title compound poly[aquabis(μ-nitrato-κ4O,O′:O,O′′tetrakis(nitrato-κ2O,O′{μ4-tetraethyl [(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanediylbis(2-oxoethane-2,1-diyl]diphosphonate-κ2O,O′}disamarium(III], [Sm2(NO36(C14H30N2O8P2(H2O]n, a 12-coordinate SmIII and a nine-coordinate SmIII cation are alternately linked via shared bis-bidentate nitrate anions into a corrugated chain extending parallel to the a axis. The nine-coordinate SmIII atom of this chain is also chelated by a bidentate, yet flexible, carbamoylmethylphoshine oxide (CMPO ligand and bears one water molecule. This water molecule is hydrogen bonded to nitrate groups bonded to the 12-coordinate SmIII cation. The CMPO ligand, which lies about an inversion center, links neighboring chains along the c axis, forming sheets parallel to the ac plane. Hydrogen bonds between the amide NH group and metal-bound nitrate anions are also present in these sheets. The sheets are packed along the b axis through only van der Waals interactions.

  9. Workspace Analysis for Parallel Robot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Sun

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available As a completely new-type of robot, the parallel robot possesses a lot of advantages that the serial robot does not, such as high rigidity, great load-carrying capacity, small error, high precision, small self-weight/load ratio, good dynamic behavior and easy control, hence its range is extended in using domain. In order to find workspace of parallel mechanism, the numerical boundary-searching algorithm based on the reverse solution of kinematics and limitation of link length has been introduced. This paper analyses position workspace, orientation workspace of parallel robot of the six degrees of freedom. The result shows: It is a main means to increase and decrease its workspace to change the length of branch of parallel mechanism; The radius of the movement platform has no effect on the size of workspace, but will change position of workspace.

  10. Red Phosphorus-Embedded Cross-Link-Structural Carbon Films as Flexible Anodes for Highly Reversible Li-Ion Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruan, Jiafeng [School of Materials; Yuan, Tao [School of Materials; Pang, Yuepeng [School of Materials; Xu, Xinbo [School of Materials; Yang, Junhe [School of Materials; Hu, Wenbin; Zhong, Cheng; Ma, Zi-Feng [Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center,; Bi, Xuanxuan [Chemical; Zheng, Shiyou [School of Materials

    2017-10-06

    Red phosphorus (P) is considered to be one of the most attractive anodic materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity of 2596 mAh g–1. However, intrinsic characteristics such as the poor electronic conductivity and large volume expansion at lithiation impede the development of red P. Here, we design a new strategy to embed red P particles into a cross-link-structural carbon film (P–C film), in order to improve the electronic conductivity and accommodate the volume expansion. The red P/carbon film is synthesized via vapor phase polymerization (VPP) followed by the pyrolysis process, working as a flexible binder-free anode for LIBs. High cycle stability and good rate capability are achieved by the P–C film anode. With 21% P content in the film, it displays a capacity of 903 mAh g–1 after 640 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g–1 and a capacity of 460 mAh g–1 after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g–1. Additionally, the Coulombic efficiency reaches almost 100% for each cycle. The superior properties of the P–C films together with their facile fabrication make this material attractive for further flexible and high energy density LIB applications.

  11. Flexible Environmental Modeling with Python and Open - GIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pryet, Alexandre; Atteia, Olivier; Delottier, Hugo; Cousquer, Yohann

    2015-04-01

    Numerical modeling now represents a prominent task of environmental studies. During the last decades, numerous commercial programs have been made available to environmental modelers. These software applications offer user-friendly graphical user interfaces that allow an efficient management of many case studies. However, they suffer from a lack of flexibility and closed-source policies impede source code reviewing and enhancement for original studies. Advanced modeling studies require flexible tools capable of managing thousands of model runs for parameter optimization, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. In addition, there is a growing need for the coupling of various numerical models associating, for instance, groundwater flow modeling to multi-species geochemical reactions. Researchers have produced hundreds of open-source powerful command line programs. However, there is a need for a flexible graphical user interface allowing an efficient processing of geospatial data that comes along any environmental study. Here, we present the advantages of using the free and open-source Qgis platform and the Python scripting language for conducting environmental modeling studies. The interactive graphical user interface is first used for the visualization and pre-processing of input geospatial datasets. Python scripting language is then employed for further input data processing, call to one or several models, and post-processing of model outputs. Model results are eventually sent back to the GIS program, processed and visualized. This approach combines the advantages of interactive graphical interfaces and the flexibility of Python scripting language for data processing and model calls. The numerous python modules available facilitate geospatial data processing and numerical analysis of model outputs. Once input data has been prepared with the graphical user interface, models may be run thousands of times from the command line with sequential or parallel calls. We

  12. A model for optimizing file access patterns using spatio-temporal parallelism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boonthanome, Nouanesengsy [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Patchett, John [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Geveci, Berk [Kitware Inc., Clifton Park, NY (United States); Ahrens, James [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Bauer, Andy [Kitware Inc., Clifton Park, NY (United States); Chaudhary, Aashish [Kitware Inc., Clifton Park, NY (United States); Miller, Ross G. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Shipman, Galen M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Williams, Dean N. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2013-01-01

    For many years now, I/O read time has been recognized as the primary bottleneck for parallel visualization and analysis of large-scale data. In this paper, we introduce a model that can estimate the read time for a file stored in a parallel filesystem when given the file access pattern. Read times ultimately depend on how the file is stored and the access pattern used to read the file. The file access pattern will be dictated by the type of parallel decomposition used. We employ spatio-temporal parallelism, which combines both spatial and temporal parallelism, to provide greater flexibility to possible file access patterns. Using our model, we were able to configure the spatio-temporal parallelism to design optimized read access patterns that resulted in a speedup factor of approximately 400 over traditional file access patterns.

  13. Flexible single-incision surgery: a fusion technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noguera, José F; Dolz, Carlos; Cuadrado, Angel; Olea, José; García, Juan

    2013-06-01

    The development of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery has led to other techniques, such as single-incision surgery. The use of the flexible endoscope for single-incision surgery paves the way for further refinement of both surgical methods. To describe a new, single-incision surgical technique, namely, flexible single-incision surgery. Assessment of the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic cholecystectomy in a series of 30 patients. This technique consists of a single umbilical incision through which a flexible endoscope is introduced and consists of 2 parallel entry ports that provide access to nonarticulated laparoscopic instruments. The technique was applied in all patients for whom it was prescribed. No general or surgical wound complications were noted. Surgical time was no longer than usual for single-port surgery. Flexible single-incision surgery is a new single-site surgical technique offering the same level of patient safety, with additional advantages for the surgeon at minimal cost.

  14. 3D printed flexible capacitive force sensor with a simple micro-controller based readout

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schouten, Martijn G.; Sanders, Remco; Krijnen, Gijs

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes the development of a proof of principle of a flexible force sensor and the corresponding readout circuit. The flexible force sensor consists of a parallel plate capacitor that is 3D printed using regular and conductive thermoplastic poly-urethane (TPU). The capacitance change

  15. An economic lot and delivery scheduling problem with the fuzzy shelf life in a flexible job shop with unrelated parallel machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Dousthaghi

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper considers an economic lot and delivery scheduling problem (ELDSP in a fuzzy environment with the fuzzy shelf life for each product. This problem is formulated in a flexible job shop with unrelated parallel machines, when the planning horizon is finite and it determines lot sizing, scheduling and sequencing, simultaneously. The proposed model of this paper is based on the basic period (BP approach. In this paper, a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP model is presented and then it is changed into two models in the fuzzy shelf life. The main model is dependent to the multiple basic periods and it is difficult to solve the resulted proposed model for large-scale problems in reasonable amount of time; thus, an efficient heuristic method is proposed to solve the problem. The performance of the proposed model is demonstrated using some numerical examples.

  16. Lock-free parallel garbage collection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Gao; J.F. Groote (Jan Friso); W.H. Hesselink (Wim)

    2005-01-01

    htmlabstract This paper presents a lock-free parallel algorithm for mark&sweep garbage collection (GC) in a realistic model using synchronization primitives compare-and-swap (CAS) and load-linked/store-conditional (LL/SC) offered by machine architectures. Mutators and collectors can simultaneously

  17. Efficient multitasking: parallel versus serial processing of multiple tasks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Rico; Plessow, Franziska

    2015-01-01

    In the context of performance optimizations in multitasking, a central debate has unfolded in multitasking research around whether cognitive processes related to different tasks proceed only sequentially (one at a time), or can operate in parallel (simultaneously). This review features a discussion of theoretical considerations and empirical evidence regarding parallel versus serial task processing in multitasking. In addition, we highlight how methodological differences and theoretical conceptions determine the extent to which parallel processing in multitasking can be detected, to guide their employment in future research. Parallel and serial processing of multiple tasks are not mutually exclusive. Therefore, questions focusing exclusively on either task-processing mode are too simplified. We review empirical evidence and demonstrate that shifting between more parallel and more serial task processing critically depends on the conditions under which multiple tasks are performed. We conclude that efficient multitasking is reflected by the ability of individuals to adjust multitasking performance to environmental demands by flexibly shifting between different processing strategies of multiple task-component scheduling.

  18. An artificial flexible robot arm based on pneumatic muscle actuators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renn Jyh-Chyang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel human-friendly artificial flexible robot arm using four parallel-connected pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs. The PMA is a flexible silicone rubber actuator which has some behaviors nearest to the real biological muscle including translational and rotational motions. An inverse kinematic model for the motion control is also developed. Finally, from experiment results, it is proved that not only the axial contraction control of a single PMA but also the attitude control of the whole pneumatic flexible robot arm using PID controller are satisfactory.

  19. Parallel operation of voltage-source converters: issues and applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, F.C.B.; Silva, D.S. [Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), MG (Brazil)], Emails: felipe.brum@engenharia.ufjf.br, salomaoime@yahoo.com.br; Ribeiro, P.F. [Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI (United States); Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), MG (Brazil)], E-mail: pfribeiro@ieee.org

    2009-07-01

    Technological advancements in power electronics have prompted the development of advanced AC/DC conversion systems with high efficiency and flexible performance. Among these devices, the Voltage-Source Converter (VSC) has become an essential building block. This paper considers the parallel operation of VSCs under different system conditions and how they can assist the operation of highly complex power networks. A multi-terminal VSC-based High Voltage Direct Current (M-VSC-HVDC) system is chosen to be modeled, simulated and then analyzed as an example of VSCs operating in parallel. (author)

  20. Telerobotic operation of structurally flexible, long-reach manipulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, D.S.; Hwang, D.H.; Babcock, S.M.

    1994-01-01

    As a part of the Department of Energy's Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program, long-reach manipulators are being considered for the retrieval of waste from large storage tanks. Long-reach manipulators may have characteristics significantly different from those of typical industrial robots because of the flexibility of long links needed to cover the large workspace. To avoid structural vibrations during operation, control algorithms employing various types of shaping filters were investigated. A new approach that uses embedded simulation was developed and compared with others. In the new approach, generation of joint trajectories considering link flexibility was also investigated

  1. Analytical and experimental analysis of a parallel leaf spring guidance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijaard, Jacob Philippus; Brouwer, Dannis Michel; Jonker, Jan B.; Denier, J.; Finn, M.

    2008-01-01

    A parallel leaf spring guidance is defined as a benchmark problem for flexible multibody formalisms and codes. The mechanism is loaded by forces and an additional moment or misalignment. Buckling loads, changes in compliance and frequencies, and large-amplitude vibrations are calculated. A

  2. Research on Control Strategy of Complex Systems through VSC-HVDC Grid Parallel Device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue Mei-Juan

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available After the completion of grid parallel, the device can turn to be UPFC, STATCOM, SSSC, research on the conversion circuit and transform method by corresponding switching operation. Accomplish the grid parallel and comprehensive control of the tie-line and stable operation and control functions of grid after parallel. Defines the function select operation switch matrix and grid parallel system branch variable, forming a switch matrix to achieve corresponding function of the composite system. Formed a criterion of the selection means to choose control strategy according to the switch matrix, to accomplish corresponding function. Put the grid parallel, STATCOM, SSSC and UPFC together as a system, improve the stable operation and flexible control of the power system.

  3. Flexible Query Answering Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Flexible Query Answering Systems, FQAS 2013, held in Granada, Spain, in September 2013. The 59 full papers included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers...... are organized in a general session train and a parallel special session track. The general session train covers the following topics: querying-answering systems; semantic technology; patterns and classification; personalization and recommender systems; searching and ranking; and Web and human...

  4. [Flexibility competencies: emotional organization management].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caballero Muñoz, Domingo; Blanco Prieto, Antonio

    2007-11-01

    The aim of this article is to analyse the transferral of flexibility from contemporary organizations to workers. Through the approach of management by competencies, organizations try to develop in their workers behaviours that are related to efficient job performance. In order to appraise the importance of this approach, we used a critical-rational perspective to discuss the productivity demands that are characteristic of advanced industrial societies. The article shows how the link between workers' flexibility management and their emotional competencies affects their lives, which, like the organizations, should be versatile and adaptable to change.

  5. Parallel processing architecture for H.264 deblocking filter on multi-core platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Durga P.; Sonachalam, Sekar; Kunchamwar, Mangesh K.; Gunupudi, Nageswara Rao

    2012-03-01

    Massively parallel computing (multi-core) chips offer outstanding new solutions that satisfy the increasing demand for high resolution and high quality video compression technologies such as H.264. Such solutions not only provide exceptional quality but also efficiency, low power, and low latency, previously unattainable in software based designs. While custom hardware and Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) technologies may achieve lowlatency, low power, and real-time performance in some consumer devices, many applications require a flexible and scalable software-defined solution. The deblocking filter in H.264 encoder/decoder poses difficult implementation challenges because of heavy data dependencies and the conditional nature of the computations. Deblocking filter implementations tend to be fixed and difficult to reconfigure for different needs. The ability to scale up for higher quality requirements such as 10-bit pixel depth or a 4:2:2 chroma format often reduces the throughput of a parallel architecture designed for lower feature set. A scalable architecture for deblocking filtering, created with a massively parallel processor based solution, means that the same encoder or decoder will be deployed in a variety of applications, at different video resolutions, for different power requirements, and at higher bit-depths and better color sub sampling patterns like YUV, 4:2:2, or 4:4:4 formats. Low power, software-defined encoders/decoders may be implemented using a massively parallel processor array, like that found in HyperX technology, with 100 or more cores and distributed memory. The large number of processor elements allows the silicon device to operate more efficiently than conventional DSP or CPU technology. This software programing model for massively parallel processors offers a flexible implementation and a power efficiency close to that of ASIC solutions. This work describes a scalable parallel architecture for an H.264 compliant deblocking

  6. Badlands: A parallel basin and landscape dynamics model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Salles

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Over more than three decades, a number of numerical landscape evolution models (LEMs have been developed to study the combined effects of climate, sea-level, tectonics and sediments on Earth surface dynamics. Most of them are written in efficient programming languages, but often cannot be used on parallel architectures. Here, I present a LEM which ports a common core of accepted physical principles governing landscape evolution into a distributed memory parallel environment. Badlands (acronym for BAsin anD LANdscape DynamicS is an open-source, flexible, TIN-based landscape evolution model, built to simulate topography development at various space and time scales.

  7. Research on Two-channel Interleaved Two-stage Paralleled Buck DC-DC Converter for Plasma Cutting Power Supply

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Xi-jun; Qu, Hao; Yao, Chen

    2014-01-01

    As for high power plasma power supply, due to high efficiency and flexibility, multi-channel interleaved multi-stage paralleled Buck DC-DC Converter becomes the first choice. In the paper, two-channel interleaved two- stage paralleled Buck DC-DC Converter powered by three-phase AC power supply...

  8. An educational tool for interactive parallel and distributed processing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pagliarini, Luigi; Lund, Henrik Hautop

    2012-01-01

    In this article we try to describe how the modular interactive tiles system (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing programming. This is done by providing a handson educational tool that allows a change in the representation...... of abstract problems related to designing interactive parallel and distributed systems. Indeed, the MITS seems to bring a series of goals into education, such as parallel programming, distributedness, communication protocols, master dependency, software behavioral models, adaptive interactivity, feedback......, connectivity, topology, island modeling, and user and multi-user interaction which can rarely be found in other tools. Finally, we introduce the system of modular interactive tiles as a tool for easy, fast, and flexible hands-on exploration of these issues, and through examples we show how to implement...

  9. Circuit and bond polytopes on series–parallel graphs

    OpenAIRE

    Borne , Sylvie; Fouilhoux , Pierre; Grappe , Roland; Lacroix , Mathieu; Pesneau , Pierre

    2015-01-01

    International audience; In this paper, we describe the circuit polytope on series–parallel graphs. We first show the existence of a compact extended formulation. Though not being explicit, its construction process helps us to inductively provide the description in the original space. As a consequence, using the link between bonds and circuits in planar graphs, we also describe the bond polytope on series–parallel graphs.

  10. Pay-load Estimation of a 2 DOF Flexible Link Robot

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Ravn, Ole

    2005-01-01

    . Although the applied principle might be general in nature, the pa-per is applied to the well-known problem of identifying a pay-load of a moving flexible robot. This problem is almost impossible to solve by measurements, so an estimation technique must be applied. The presented method benefits from...

  11. Broadcasting collective operation contributions throughout a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faraj, Ahmad [Rochester, MN

    2012-02-21

    Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for broadcasting collective operation contributions throughout a parallel computer. The parallel computer includes a plurality of compute nodes connected together through a data communications network. Each compute node has a plurality of processors for use in collective parallel operations on the parallel computer. Broadcasting collective operation contributions throughout a parallel computer according to embodiments of the present invention includes: transmitting, by each processor on each compute node, that processor's collective operation contribution to the other processors on that compute node using intra-node communications; and transmitting on a designated network link, by each processor on each compute node according to a serial processor transmission sequence, that processor's collective operation contribution to the other processors on the other compute nodes using inter-node communications.

  12. Linked data management

    CERN Document Server

    Hose, Katja; Schenkel, Ralf

    2014-01-01

    Linked Data Management presents techniques for querying and managing Linked Data that is available on today’s Web. The book shows how the abundance of Linked Data can serve as fertile ground for research and commercial applications. The text focuses on aspects of managing large-scale collections of Linked Data. It offers a detailed introduction to Linked Data and related standards, including the main principles distinguishing Linked Data from standard database technology. Chapters also describe how to generate links between datasets and explain the overall architecture of data integration systems based on Linked Data. A large part of the text is devoted to query processing in different setups. After presenting methods to publish relational data as Linked Data and efficient centralized processing, the book explores lookup-based, distributed, and parallel solutions. It then addresses advanced topics, such as reasoning, and discusses work related to read-write Linked Data for system interoperation. Desp...

  13. Parallel interactive data analysis with PROOF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ballintijn, Maarten; Biskup, Marek; Brun, Rene; Canal, Philippe; Feichtinger, Derek; Ganis, Gerardo; Kickinger, Guenter; Peters, Andreas; Rademakers, Fons

    2006-01-01

    The Parallel ROOT Facility, PROOF, enables the analysis of much larger data sets on a shorter time scale. It exploits the inherent parallelism in data of uncorrelated events via a multi-tier architecture that optimizes I/O and CPU utilization in heterogeneous clusters with distributed storage. The system provides transparent and interactive access to gigabytes today. Being part of the ROOT framework PROOF inherits the benefits of a performant object storage system and a wealth of statistical and visualization tools. This paper describes the data analysis model of ROOT and the latest developments on closer integration of PROOF into that model and the ROOT user environment, e.g. support for PROOF-based browsing of trees stored remotely, and the popular TTree::Draw() interface. We also outline the ongoing developments aimed to improve the flexibility and user-friendliness of the system

  14. Linking meters and markets: Roles and incentives to support a flexible demand side

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katz, Jonas

    2014-01-01

    wholesale market participants to the demand side is mostly infeasible, resulting in flexibility tasks being aggregated and delegated to balancing responsible wholesale traders. This analysis focuses on whether current incentives and roles are appropriate and where the design could be improved to establish......Present trends in the development of electricity systems are expected to generate a growing need for flexibility in decentralised resources, including demand response. In order to enable decentralised actors to create value, the organisation of markets and incentives should incorporate these new...... a flexible demand side with a particular focus on the Danish case. Design-related barriers are identified that affect expected value, associated risks, and the distribution of responsibilities. This serves as a basis to define policy options in the context of Nordic electricity markets. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd...

  15. A fine-grained parallel algorithm for the cyclic flexible job shop problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bożejko Wojciech

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper there is considered a flexible job shop problem of operations scheduling. The new, very fast method of determination of cycle time is presented. In the design of heuristic algorithm there was the neighborhood inspired by the game of golf applied. Lower bound of the criterion function was used in the search of the neighborhood.

  16. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Yi-Fu; Wu, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Qiu; Ruan, Wen-Hong; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2014-01-01

    A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Yi-Fu

    2014-06-01

    A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Radiation-hard/high-speed parallel optical links

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gan, K.K.; Buchholz, P.; Kagan, H.P.; Kass, R.D.; Moore, J.; Smith, D.S.; Wiese, A.; Ziolkowski, M.

    2014-01-01

    We have designed an ASIC for use in a parallel optical engine for a new layer of the ATLAS pixel detector in the initial phase of the LHC luminosity upgrade. The ASIC is a 12-channel VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) array driver capable of operating up to 5 Gb/s per channel. The ASIC is designed using a 130 nm CMOS process to enhance the radiation-hardness. A scheme for redundancy has also been implemented to allow bypassing of a broken VCSEL. The ASIC also contains a power-on reset circuit that sets the ASIC to a default configuration with no signal steering. In addition, the bias and modulation currents of the individual channels are programmable. The performance of the first prototype ASIC up to 5 Gb/s is satisfactory. Furthermore, we are able to program the bias and modulation currents and to bypass a broken VCSEL channel. We are currently upgrading our design to allow operation at 10 Gb/s per channel yielding an aggregated bandwidth of 120 Gb/s. Some preliminary results of the design will be presented

  19. Prosodic structure as a parallel to musical structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Cullen Heffner

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available What structural properties do language and music share? Although early speculation identified a wide variety of possibilities, the literature has largely focused on the parallels between musical structure and syntactic structure. Here, we argue that parallels between musical structure and prosodic structure deserve more attention. We review the evidence for a link between musical and prosodic structure and find it to be strong. In fact, certain elements of prosodic structure may provide a parsimonious comparison with musical structure without sacrificing empirical findings related to the parallels between language and music. We then develop several predictions related to such a hypothesis.

  20. OpenMP Issues Arising in the Development of Parallel BLAS and LAPACK Libraries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Addison

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Dense linear algebra libraries need to cope efficiently with a range of input problem sizes and shapes. Inherently this means that parallel implementations have to exploit parallelism wherever it is present. While OpenMP allows relatively fine grain parallelism to be exploited in a shared memory environment it currently lacks features to make it easy to partition computation over multiple array indices or to overlap sequential and parallel computations. The inherent flexible nature of shared memory paradigms such as OpenMP poses other difficulties when it becomes necessary to optimise performance across successive parallel library calls. Notions borrowed from distributed memory paradigms, such as explicit data distributions help address some of these problems, but the focus on data rather than work distribution appears misplaced in an SMP context.

  1. Behavioral flexibility and problem solving in an invasive bird.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logan, Corina J

    2016-01-01

    Behavioral flexibility is considered an important trait for adapting to environmental change, but it is unclear what it is, how it works, and whether it is a problem solving ability. I investigated behavioral flexibility and problem solving experimentally in great-tailed grackles, an invasive bird species and thus a likely candidate for possessing behavioral flexibility. Grackles demonstrated behavioral flexibility in two contexts, the Aesop's Fable paradigm and a color association test. Contrary to predictions, behavioral flexibility did not correlate across contexts. Four out of 6 grackles exhibited efficient problem solving abilities, but problem solving efficiency did not appear to be directly linked with behavioral flexibility. Problem solving speed also did not significantly correlate with reversal learning scores, indicating that faster learners were not the most flexible. These results reveal how little we know about behavioral flexibility, and provide an immense opportunity for future research to explore how individuals and species can use behavior to react to changing environments.

  2. Control of flexible robots with prismatic joints and hydraulic drives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, L.J.; Kress, R.L.; Jansen, J.F.

    1997-01-01

    The design and control of long-reach, flexible manipulators has been an active research topic for over 20 years. Most of the research to date has focused on single link, fixed length, single plane of vibration test beds. In addition, actuation has been predominantly based upon electromagnetic motors. Ironically, these elements are rarely found in the existing industrial long-reach systems. One example is the Modified Light Duty Utility Arm (MLDUA) designed and built by Spar Aerospace for Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This arm operates in larger, underground waste storage tanks located at ORNL. The size and nature of the tanks require that the robot have a reach of approximately 15 ft and a payload capacity of 250 lb. In order to achieve these criteria, each joint is hydraulically actuated. Furthermore, the robot has a prismatic degree-of-freedom to ease deployment. When fully extended, the robot's first natural frequency is 1.76 Hz. Many of the projected tasks, coupled with the robot's flexibility, present an interesting problem. How will many of the existing flexure control algorithms perform on a hydraulic, long-reach manipulator with prismatic links? To minimize cost and risk of testing these algorithms on the MLDUA, the authors have designed a new test bed that contains many of the same elements. This manuscript described a new hydraulically actuated, long-reach manipulator with a flexible prismatic link at ORNL. Focus is directed toward both modeling and control of hydraulic actuators as well as flexible links that have variable natural frequencies

  3. Input preshaping with frequency domain information for flexible-link manipulator control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzes, Anthony; Englehart, Matthew J.; Yurkovich, Stephen

    1989-01-01

    The application of an input preshaping scheme to flexible manipulators is considered. The resulting control corresponds to a feedforward term that convolves in real-time the desired reference input with a sequence of impulses and produces a vibration free output. The robustness of the algorithm with respect to injected disturbances and modal frequency variations is not satisfactory and can be improved by convolving the input with a longer sequence of impulses. The incorporation of the preshaping scheme to a closed-loop plant, using acceleration feedback, offers satisfactory disturbance rejection due to feedback and cancellation of the flexible mode effects due to the preshaping. A frequency domain identification scheme is used to estimate the modal frequencies on-line and subsequently update the spacing between the impulses. The combined adaptive input preshaping scheme provides the fastest possible slew that results in a vibration free output.

  4. Design and optimization of flexible multi-generation systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst

    variations and dynamics, and energy system analysis, which fails to consider process integration synergies in local systems. The primary objective of the thesis is to derive a methodology for linking process design practices with energy system analysis for enabling coherent and holistic design optimization...... of flexible multi-generation system. In addition, the case study results emphasize the importance of considering flexible operation, systematic process integration, and systematic assessment of uncertainties in the design optimization. It is recommended that future research focus on assessing system impacts...... from flexible multi-generation systems and performance improvements from storage options....

  5. Flexible strip supercapacitors for future energy storage

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, R-R; Xu, Y-M; Harrison, D; Fyson, J; Qiu, F-L; Southee, D

    2015-01-01

    Flexible strip supercapacitors are developed and their electrochemical properties are characterized. Activated carbon is used as the electrode material and it is found to have a good porous structure which provides a large surface area for energy storage. Furthermore, this activated carbon performs well. The manufacturing processes for the supercapacitors are described in detail and the preparation process has good reproducibility. The strip supercapacitors are combined in series and parallel...

  6. Optical links in handheld multimedia devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Geffen, S.; Duis, J.; Miller, R.

    2008-04-01

    Ever emerging applications in handheld multimedia devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, portable video games and digital cameras requiring increased screen resolutions are driving higher aggregate bitrates between host processor and display(s) enabling services such as mobile video conferencing, video on demand and TV broadcasting. Larger displays and smaller phones require complex mechanical 3D hinge configurations striving to combine maximum functionality with compact building volumes. Conventional galvanic interconnections such as Micro-Coax and FPC carrying parallel digital data between host processor and display module may produce Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and bandwidth limitations caused by small cable size and tight cable bends. To reduce the number of signals through a hinge, the mobile phone industry, organized in the MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) alliance, is currently defining an electrical interface transmitting serialized digital data at speeds >1Gbps. This interface allows for electrical or optical interconnects. Above 1Gbps optical links may offer a cost effective alternative because of their flexibility, increased bandwidth and immunity to EMI. This paper describes the development of optical links for handheld communication devices. A cable assembly based on a special Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) selected for its mechanical durability is terminated with a small form factor molded lens assembly which interfaces between an 850nm VCSEL transmitter and a receiving device on the printed circuit board of the display module. A statistical approach based on a Lean Design For Six Sigma (LDFSS) roadmap for new product development tries to find an optimum link definition which will be robust and low cost meeting the power consumption requirements appropriate for battery operated systems.

  7. Simplifying the parallelization of scientific codes by a function-centric approach in Python

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nilsen, Jon K; Cai Xing; Langtangen, Hans Petter; Hoeyland, Bjoern

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to show how existing scientific software can be parallelized using a separate thin layer of Python code where all parallelization-specific tasks are implemented. We provide specific examples of such a Python code layer, which can act as templates for parallelizing a wide set of serial scientific codes. The use of Python for parallelization is motivated by the fact that the language is well suited for reusing existing serial codes programmed in other languages. The extreme flexibility of Python with regard to handling functions makes it very easy to wrap up decomposed computational tasks of a serial scientific application as Python functions. Many parallelization-specific components can be implemented as generic Python functions, which may take as input those wrapped functions that perform concrete computational tasks. The overall programming effort needed by this parallelization approach is limited, and the resulting parallel Python scripts have a compact and clean structure. The usefulness of the parallelization approach is exemplified by three different classes of application in natural and social sciences.

  8. An Educational Tool for Interactive Parallel and Distributed Processing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pagliarini, Luigi; Lund, Henrik Hautop

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we try to describe how the Modular Interactive Tiles System (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing programming. This is done by providing an educational hands-on tool that allows a change of representation of the abs......In this paper we try to describe how the Modular Interactive Tiles System (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing programming. This is done by providing an educational hands-on tool that allows a change of representation...... of the abstract problems related to designing interactive parallel and distributed systems. Indeed, MITS seems to bring a series of goals into the education, such as parallel programming, distributedness, communication protocols, master dependency, software behavioral models, adaptive interactivity, feedback......, connectivity, topology, island modeling, user and multiuser interaction, which can hardly be found in other tools. Finally, we introduce the system of modular interactive tiles as a tool for easy, fast, and flexible hands-on exploration of these issues, and through examples show how to implement interactive...

  9. Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene/carbon black nanoparticle film electrodes and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol)-H2SO4 porous gel electrolytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fei, Haojie; Yang, Chongyang; Bao, Hua; Wang, Gengchao

    2014-11-01

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) are fabricated using graphene/carbon black nanoparticle (GCB) film electrodes and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol)-H2SO4 porous gel electrolytes (gPVAP-H2SO4). The GCB composite films, with carbon black (CB) nanoparticles uniformly distributed in the graphene nanosheets, greatly improve the active surface areas and ion transportation of pristine graphene film. The porous structure of as-prepared gPVAP-H2SO4 membrane improves the equilibrium swelling ratio in electrolyte and provides interconnected ion transport channels. The chemical crosslinking solves the fluidity problem of PVA-H2SO4 gel electrolyte at high temperature. As-fabricated GCB//gPVAP(20)-H2SO4//GCB flexible SC displays an increased specific capacitance (144.5 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and a higher specific capacitance retention (67.9% from 0.2 to 4 A g-1). More importantly, the flexible SC possesses good electrochemical performance at high temperature (capacitance retention of 78.3% after 1000 cycles at 70 °C).

  10. Flexible, pre-insulated pipelines for heat and water supply. Systems with integrated quality and service; Flexible, vorgedaemmte Rohrsysteme fuer die Versorgungstechnik. Gesamtsysteme mit Qualitaet und Service

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hetzel, Michaela [Uponor Central Europe, Hassfurt (Germany). Unternehmenskommunikation

    2010-10-15

    Flexible pipes are suited for heat distribution, cooling water and freshwater transport. Uponor uses a modified, cross-linked polythene for insulation. The material is flexible, ageing-resistant, and will reduce the heat loss. Pipes are supplied to the construction site within two days, cut to measure and with all required parts. (orig.)

  11. Implementing Parallel Google Map-Reduce in Eden

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berthold, Jost; Dieterle, Mischa; Loogen, Rita

    2009-01-01

    Recent publications have emphasised map-reduce as a general programming model (labelled Google map-reduce), and described existing high-performance implementations for large data sets. We present two parallel implementations for this Google map-reduce skeleton, one following earlier work, and one...... of the Google map-reduce skeleton in usage and performance, and deliver runtime analyses for example applications. Although very flexible, the Google map-reduce skeleton is often too general, and typical examples reveal a better runtime behaviour using alternative skeletons....

  12. When Flexibility Helps: Another Look at the Availability of Flexible Work Arrangements and Work-Family Conflict

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shockley, Kristen M.; Allen, Tammy D.

    2007-01-01

    Despite the positive press given to flexible work arrangements (FWA), empirical research investigating the link between the availability of these policies and work-family conflict is largely equivocal. The purpose of the present study was to begin to reconcile these mixed results through more precise measurement and the examination of moderators.…

  13. A parallel FPGA implementation for real-time 2D pixel clustering for the ATLAS Fast Tracker Processor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sotiropoulou, C L; Gkaitatzis, S; Kordas, K; Nikolaidis, S; Petridou, C; Annovi, A; Beretta, M; Volpi, G

    2014-01-01

    The parallel 2D pixel clustering FPGA implementation used for the input system of the ATLAS Fast TracKer (FTK) processor is presented. The input system for the FTK processor will receive data from the Pixel and micro-strip detectors from inner ATLAS read out drivers (RODs) at full rate, for total of 760Gbs, as sent by the RODs after level-1 triggers. Clustering serves two purposes, the first is to reduce the high rate of the received data before further processing, the second is to determine the cluster centroid to obtain the best spatial measurement. For the pixel detectors the clustering is implemented by using a 2D-clustering algorithm that takes advantage of a moving window technique to minimize the logic required for cluster identification. The cluster detection window size can be adjusted for optimizing the cluster identification process. Additionally, the implementation can be parallelized by instantiating multiple cores to identify different clusters independently thus exploiting more FPGA resources. This flexibility makes the implementation suitable for a variety of demanding image processing applications. The implementation is robust against bit errors in the input data stream and drops all data that cannot be identified. In the unlikely event of missing control words, the implementation will ensure stable data processing by inserting the missing control words in the data stream. The 2D pixel clustering implementation is developed and tested in both single flow and parallel versions. The first parallel version with 16 parallel cluster identification engines is presented. The input data from the RODs are received through S-Links and the processing units that follow the clustering implementation also require a single data stream, therefore data parallelizing (demultiplexing) and serializing (multiplexing) modules are introduced in order to accommodate the parallelized version and restore the data stream afterwards. The results of the first hardware tests of

  14. Nonlinear intermodulation distortion suppression in coherent analog fiber optic link using electro-optic polymeric dual parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seong-Ku; Liu, Wei; Pei, Qibing; Dalton, Larry R; Fetterman, Harold R

    2011-04-11

    A linearized dual parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DPMZM) based on electro-optic (EO) polymer was both fabricated, and experimentally used to suppress the third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) in a coherent analog fiber optic link. This optical transmitter design was based on a new EO chromophore called B10, which was synthesized for applications dealing with the fiber-optic communication systems. The chromophore was mixed with amorphous polycarbonate (APC) to form the waveguide's core material. The DPMZM was configured with two MZMs, of different lengths in parallel, with unbalanced input and output couplers and a phase shifter in one arm. In this configuration each of the MZMs carried a different optical power, and imposed a different depth of optical modulation. When the two optical beams from the MZMs were combined to generate the transmitted signal it was possible to set the IMD3 produced by each modulator to be equal in amplitude but 180° out of phase from the other. Therefore, the resulting IMD3 of the DPMZM transmitter was effectively canceled out during two-tone experiments. A reduction of the IMD3 below the noise floor was observed while leaving fifth-order distortion (IMD5) as the dominant IMD product. This configuration has the capability of broadband operation and shot-noise limited operation simultaneously. © 2011 Optical Society of America

  15. CUBESIM, Hypercube and Denelcor Hep Parallel Computer Simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunigan, T.H.

    1988-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: CUBESIM is a set of subroutine libraries and programs for the simulation of message-passing parallel computers and shared-memory parallel computers. Subroutines are supplied to simulate the Intel hypercube and the Denelcor HEP parallel computers. The system permits a user to develop and test parallel programs written in C or FORTRAN on a single processor. The user may alter such hypercube parameters as message startup times, packet size, and the computation-to-communication ratio. The simulation generates a trace file that can be used for debugging, performance analysis, or graphical display. 2 - Method of solution: The CUBESIM simulator is linked with the user's parallel application routines to run as a single UNIX process. The simulator library provides a small operating system to perform process and message management. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: Up to 128 processors can be simulated with a virtual memory limit of 6 million bytes. Up to 1000 processes can be simulated

  16. A parallel solution for high resolution histological image analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bueno, G; González, R; Déniz, O; García-Rojo, M; González-García, J; Fernández-Carrobles, M M; Vállez, N; Salido, J

    2012-10-01

    This paper describes a general methodology for developing parallel image processing algorithms based on message passing for high resolution images (on the order of several Gigabytes). These algorithms have been applied to histological images and must be executed on massively parallel processing architectures. Advances in new technologies for complete slide digitalization in pathology have been combined with developments in biomedical informatics. However, the efficient use of these digital slide systems is still a challenge. The image processing that these slides are subject to is still limited both in terms of data processed and processing methods. The work presented here focuses on the need to design and develop parallel image processing tools capable of obtaining and analyzing the entire gamut of information included in digital slides. Tools have been developed to assist pathologists in image analysis and diagnosis, and they cover low and high-level image processing methods applied to histological images. Code portability, reusability and scalability have been tested by using the following parallel computing architectures: distributed memory with massive parallel processors and two networks, INFINIBAND and Myrinet, composed of 17 and 1024 nodes respectively. The parallel framework proposed is flexible, high performance solution and it shows that the efficient processing of digital microscopic images is possible and may offer important benefits to pathology laboratories. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A lightweight, flow-based toolkit for parallel and distributed bioinformatics pipelines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cieślik Marcin

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bioinformatic analyses typically proceed as chains of data-processing tasks. A pipeline, or 'workflow', is a well-defined protocol, with a specific structure defined by the topology of data-flow interdependencies, and a particular functionality arising from the data transformations applied at each step. In computer science, the dataflow programming (DFP paradigm defines software systems constructed in this manner, as networks of message-passing components. Thus, bioinformatic workflows can be naturally mapped onto DFP concepts. Results To enable the flexible creation and execution of bioinformatics dataflows, we have written a modular framework for parallel pipelines in Python ('PaPy'. A PaPy workflow is created from re-usable components connected by data-pipes into a directed acyclic graph, which together define nested higher-order map functions. The successive functional transformations of input data are evaluated on flexibly pooled compute resources, either local or remote. Input items are processed in batches of adjustable size, all flowing one to tune the trade-off between parallelism and lazy-evaluation (memory consumption. An add-on module ('NuBio' facilitates the creation of bioinformatics workflows by providing domain specific data-containers (e.g., for biomolecular sequences, alignments, structures and functionality (e.g., to parse/write standard file formats. Conclusions PaPy offers a modular framework for the creation and deployment of parallel and distributed data-processing workflows. Pipelines derive their functionality from user-written, data-coupled components, so PaPy also can be viewed as a lightweight toolkit for extensible, flow-based bioinformatics data-processing. The simplicity and flexibility of distributed PaPy pipelines may help users bridge the gap between traditional desktop/workstation and grid computing. PaPy is freely distributed as open-source Python code at http://muralab.org/PaPy, and

  18. The design of a sensor with flexible circuit excitation in electromagnetic tomography system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Ze; He Min; Xiong Hanliang

    2005-01-01

    A novel sensor structure of electromagnetic tomography system is presented in this paper. Flexible circuit straps are used in the excitation layer of the sensor and current of each strip can be controlled independently according to the excitation protocol matrix. In the sensor three kinds of excitation protocols: parallel, quasi-parallel and coil pair can be generated. Furthermore excitation field simulation and image reconstruction experiments have been done for analyzing the performance of the different excitation protocols

  19. Lumbopelvic flexibility modulates neuromuscular responses during trunk flexion-extension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Zuriaga, Daniel; Artacho-Pérez, Carla; Biviá-Roig, Gemma

    2016-06-01

    Various stimuli such as the flexibility of lumbopelvic structures influence the neuromuscular responses of the trunk musculature, leading to different load sharing strategies and reflex muscle responses from the afferents of lumbopelvic mechanoreceptors. This link between flexibility and neuromuscular response has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbopelvic flexibility and neuromuscular responses of the erector spinae, hamstring and abdominal muscles during trunk flexion-extension. Lumbopelvic movement patterns were measured in 29 healthy women, who were separated into two groups according to their flexibility during trunk flexion-extension. The electromyographic responses of erector spinae, rectus abdominis and biceps femoris were also recorded. Subjects with greater lumbar flexibility had significantly less pelvic flexibility and vice versa. Subjects with greater pelvic flexibility had a higher rate of relaxation and lower levels of hamstring activation during maximal trunk flexion. The neuromuscular response patterns of the hamstrings seem partially modulated by pelvic flexibility. Not so with the lumbar erector spinae and lumbar flexibility, despite the assertions of some previous studies. The results of this study improve our knowledge of the relationships between trunk joint flexibility and neuromuscular responses, a relationship which may play a role in low back pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. S-LINK, a data link interface specification for the LHC era

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bij, H.C. van der; McLaren, R.A.; Boyle, O.

    1996-01-01

    In the Technical Proposals for ATLAS, CMS and ALICE there is a requirement for several thousand data links. Although there is an obvious need for standardization, this seems difficult to achieve as the links run at different speeds, over different distances and have various constraints of power consumption, size and radiation hardness. An additional complication is that today we cannot decide which will be the most cost effective technology for the implementation of the final links. Furthermore, we must allow designers of boards at each end of the link, for example readout electronics and input buffers, to work in parallel with the development of the links. The S-LINK is a new concept which should provide the benefits of standardization without the limitations. The S-LINK specification defines, at both ends of the link, a simple FIFO-like user interface which remains independent of the technology used to implement the physical link. The physical link provides transfer of event data and control words, error detection, optional flow control and test facilities. This paper describes the S-LINK specification and gives examples of the use of the S-LINK, the physical links being designed, and the test equipment that is being developed

  1. Modelling the Implications of Quality Management Elements on Strategic Flexibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Belén Escrig-Tena

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the implications of a quality management (QM initiative on strategic flexibility. Our study defines flexibility from a strategic approach and examines the extent to which, why, and how the triggering factors of strategic flexibility are related to QM elements. The hypotheses put forward are tested in an empirical study carried out on a sample of Spanish firms, using structural equation models. The results demonstrate the positive effect of adopting an integral QM initiative on enhancing strategic flexibility. QM enhances strategic flexibility more effectively when it is introduced comprehensively rather than in a piecemeal fashion. A series of practices linked to the application of a QM initiative are outlined, which managers can use to improve strategic flexibility. The approach used in the study can be applied to analyse other antecedents of flexibility and to propose possible studies that consider QM as an antecedent of other organisational variables.

  2. Parallel Monitors for Self-adaptive Sessions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Coppo

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a data-driven model of self-adaptivity for multiparty sessions. System choreography is prescribed by a global type. Participants are incarnated by processes associated with monitors, which control their behaviour. Each participant can access and modify a set of global data, which are able to trigger adaptations in the presence of critical changes of values. The use of the parallel composition for building global types, monitors and processes enables a significant degree of flexibility: an adaptation step can dynamically reconfigure a set of participants only, without altering the remaining participants, even if the two groups communicate.

  3. Flexible power and bandwidth allocation in mobile satellites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keyes, L. A.

    The introduction of L-band mobile communication services by spot beam satellites creates a payload design challenge due to uncertainty in the location and size of the new market to be served. A combination of payload technologies that allow a flexible allocation of power and bandwidth to any portion of the coverage area is described. Power flexibility is achieved by a novel combination of a low-level beam-forming network and a matrix power module which ensures equal sharing of power among individual amplifiers. This eliminates the loss of efficiency and increased mass when an amplifier associated with a beam must be over-designed to meet uncertainties in power distribution between beams. Flexibility in allocation of bandwidth to beams is achieved by intermediate frequency subdivision of the L-band service categories defined by ITU. These spectral subdivisions are assigned to beams by an IF interconnect matrix having beam ports and filter ports as inputs and outputs, respectively. Two such filter switch matrices are required, one for the inbound L-band to feeder link transponder, and one for the outbound feeder link to L-band transponder.

  4. Rapid Prototyping for Heterogeneous Multicomponent Systems: An MPEG-4 Stream over a UMTS Communication Link

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sorel Y

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Future generations of mobile phones, including advanced video and digital communication layers, represent a great challenge in terms of real-time embedded systems. Programmable multicomponent architectures can provide suitable target solutions combining flexibility and computation power. The aim of our work is to develop a fast and automatic prototyping methodology dedicated to signal processing application implementation on parallel heterogeneous architectures, two major features required by future systems. This paper presents the whole methodology based on the SynDEx CAD tool that directly generates a distributed implementation onto various platforms from a high-level application description, taking real-time aspects into account. It illustrates the methodology in the context of real-time distributed executives for multilayer applications based on an MPEG-4 video codec and a UMTS telecommunication link.

  5. Capacity Analysis for Parallel Runway through Agent-Based Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Peng

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Parallel runway is the mainstream structure of China hub airport, runway is often the bottleneck of an airport, and the evaluation of its capacity is of great importance to airport management. This study outlines a model, multiagent architecture, implementation approach, and software prototype of a simulation system for evaluating runway capacity. Agent Unified Modeling Language (AUML is applied to illustrate the inbound and departing procedure of planes and design the agent-based model. The model is evaluated experimentally, and the quality is studied in comparison with models, created by SIMMOD and Arena. The results seem to be highly efficient, so the method can be applied to parallel runway capacity evaluation and the model propose favorable flexibility and extensibility.

  6. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Yi-Fu; Wu, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Qiu; Ruan, Wen-Hong; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Gel electrolyte is prepared and used in electric double layer capacitor. • Insertion of boron crosslinks into GO agglomerates opens channels for ion migration. • Solid supercapacitors show excellent specific capacitance and cycle stability. • Nanocomposite electrolyte shows better thermal stability and mechanical properties. - Abstract: A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs

  7. A parallel architecture for digital filtering using Fermat number transforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Truong, T. K.; Reed, I. S.; Yeh, C.-S.; Shao, H. M.

    1983-01-01

    In this correspondence, a parallel architecture is developed to compute the linear convolution of two sequences of arbitrary lengths using the Fermat number transform (FNT). In particular, a pipeline structure is designed to compute a 128-point FNT. In this FNT, only additions and bit rotations are required. The overlap-save method is generalized for the FNT to realize a digital filter of arbitrary length. The generalized overlap-save method alleviates the usual dynamic range limitation of FNT's of long transform lengths. A parallel architecture is developed to realize this type of overlap-save method using one FNT and several inverse FNT's of 128 points. Its architecture is regular, simple, and flexible, and therefore naturally suitable for VLSI implementation.

  8. Control of a flexible bracing manipulator: Integration of current research work to realize the bracing manipulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Dong-Soo

    1991-01-01

    All research results about flexible manipulator control were integrated to show a control scenario of a bracing manipulator. First, dynamic analysis of a flexible manipulator was done for modeling. Second, from the dynamic model, the inverse dynamic equation was derived, and the time domain inverse dynamic method was proposed for the calculation of the feedforward torque and the desired flexible coordinate trajectories. Third, a tracking controller was designed by combining the inverse dynamic feedforward control with the joint feedback control. The control scheme was applied to the tip position control of a single link flexible manipulator for zero and non-zero initial condition cases. Finally, the contact control scheme was added to the position tracking control. A control scenario of a bracing manipulator is provided and evaluated through simulation and experiment on a single link flexible manipulator.

  9. Flexible input, dazzling output with IBM i

    CERN Document Server

    Victória-Pereira, Rafael

    2014-01-01

    Link your IBM i system to the modern business server world! This book presents easier and more flexible ways to get data into your IBM i system, along with rather surprising methods to export and present the vital business data it contains. You'll learn how to automate file transfers, seamlessly connect PC applications with your RPG programs, and much more. Input operations will become more flexible and user-proof, with self-correcting import processes and direct file transfers that require a minimum of user intervention. Also learn novel ways to present information: your DB2 data will look gr

  10. Simulating coupled dynamics of a rigid-flexible multibody system and compressible fluid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Wei; Tian, Qiang; Hu, HaiYan

    2018-04-01

    As a subsequent work of previous studies of authors, a new parallel computation approach is proposed to simulate the coupled dynamics of a rigid-flexible multibody system and compressible fluid. In this approach, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is used to model the compressible fluid, the natural coordinate formulation (NCF) and absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) are used to model the rigid and flexible bodies, respectively. In order to model the compressible fluid properly and efficiently via SPH method, three measures are taken as follows. The first is to use the Riemann solver to cope with the fluid compressibility, the second is to define virtual particles of SPH to model the dynamic interaction between the fluid and the multibody system, and the third is to impose the boundary conditions of periodical inflow and outflow to reduce the number of SPH particles involved in the computation process. Afterwards, a parallel computation strategy is proposed based on the graphics processing unit (GPU) to detect the neighboring SPH particles and to solve the dynamic equations of SPH particles in order to improve the computation efficiency. Meanwhile, the generalized-alpha algorithm is used to solve the dynamic equations of the multibody system. Finally, four case studies are given to validate the proposed parallel computation approach.

  11. The concept of parallel input/output processing for an electron linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emoto, Takashi

    1993-01-01

    The instrumentation of and the control system for the PNC 10 MeV CW electron linac are described. A new concept of parallel input/output processing for the linac has been introduced. It is based on a substantial number of input/output processors(IOP) using beam control and diagnostics. The flexibility and simplicity of hardware/software are significant advantages with this scheme. (author)

  12. A methodology for designing flexible multi-generation systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst; Viana Ensinas, Adriano; Münster, Marie

    2016-01-01

    An FMG (flexible multi-generation system) consists of integrated and flexibly operated facilities that provide multiple links between the various layers of the energy system. FMGs may facilitate integration and balancing of fluctuating renewable energy sources in the energy system in a cost...... is based on consideration of the following points: Selection, location and dimensioning of processes; systematic heat and mass integration; flexible operation optimization with respect to both short-term market fluctuations and long-term energy system development; global sensitivity and uncertainty...... analysis; biomass supply chains; variable part-load performance; and multi-objective optimization considering economic and environmental performance. Tested in a case study, the methodology is proved effective in screening the solution space for efficient FMG designs, in assessing the importance...

  13. Stability Study of Flexible 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynylpentacene Thin-Film Transistors with a Cross-Linked Poly(4-vinylphenol/Yttrium Oxide Nanocomposite Gate Insulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Hyuk Kwon

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the electrical and mechanical stability of flexible 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylehtynylpentacene (TIPS-pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs that were fabricated on polyimide (PI substrates using cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol (c-PVP and c-PVP/yttrium oxide (Y2O3 nanocomposite films as gate insulators. Compared with the electrical characteristics of TIPS-pentacene TFTs with c-PVP insulators, the TFTs with c-PVP/Y2O3 nanocomposite insulators exhibited enhancements in the drain current and the threshold voltage due to an increase in the dielectric capacitance. In electrical stability experiments, a gradual decrease in the drain current and a negative shift in the threshold voltage occurred during prolonged bias stress tests, but these characteristic variations were comparable for both types of TFT. On the other hand, the results of mechanical bending tests showed that the characteristic degradation of the TIPS-pentacene TFTs with c-PVP/Y2O3 nanocomposite insulators was more critical than that of the TFTs with c-PVP insulators. In this study, the detrimental effect of the nanocomposite insulator on the mechanical stability of flexible TIPS-pentacene TFTs was found to be caused by physical adhesion of TIPS-pentacene molecules onto the rough surfaces of the c-PVP/Y2O3 nanocomposite insulator. These results indicate that the dielectric and morphological properties of polymeric nanocomposite insulators are significant when considering practical applications of flexible electronics operated at low voltages.

  14. Switching current imbalance mitigation in power modules with parallel connected SiC MOSFETs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beczkowski, Szymon; Jørgensen, Asger Bjørn; Li, Helong

    2017-01-01

    Multichip power modules use parallel connected chips to achieve high current rating. Due to a finite flexibility in a DBC layout, some electrical asymmetries will occur in the module. Parallel connected transistors will exhibit uneven static and dynamic current sharing due to these asymmetries....... Especially important are the couplings between gate and power loops of individual transistors. Fast changing source currents cause gate voltage imbalances yielding uneven switching currents. Equalizing gate voltages seen by paralleled transistors, done by adjusting source bond wires, is proposed...... in this paper. Analysis is performed on an industry standard DBC layout using numerically extracted module parasitics. The method of tuning individual source inductances shows clear improvement in dynamic current balancing and prevents excessive current overshoot during transistors turn-on....

  15. Vectorization, parallelization and porting of nuclear codes. 2001

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akiyama, Mitsunaga; Katakura, Fumishige; Kume, Etsuo; Nemoto, Toshiyuki; Tsuruoka, Takuya; Adachi, Masaaki

    2003-07-01

    Several computer codes in the nuclear field have been vectorized, parallelized and transported on the super computer system at Center for Promotion of Computational Science and Engineering in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. We dealt with 10 codes in fiscal 2001. In this report, the parallelization of Neutron Radiography for 3 Dimensional CT code NR3DCT, the vectorization of unsteady-state heat conduction code THERMO3D, the porting of initial program of MHD simulation, the tuning of Heat And Mass Balance Analysis Code HAMBAC, the porting and parallelization of Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code MCNP4C3, the porting and parallelization of Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code system MCNPX2.1.5, the porting of induced activity calculation code CINAC-V4, the use of VisLink library in multidimensional two-fluid model code ACD3D and the porting of experiment data processing code from GS8500 to SR8000 are described. (author)

  16. Evolution of Flexible Multibody Dynamics for Simulation Applications Supporting Human Spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, An; Brain, Thomas A.; MacLean, John R.; Quiocho, Leslie J.

    2016-01-01

    During the course of transition from the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs to the Orion and Journey to Mars exploration programs, a generic flexible multibody dynamics formulation and associated software implementation has evolved to meet an ever changing set of requirements at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). Challenging problems related to large transitional topologies and robotic free-flyer vehicle capture/ release, contact dynamics, and exploration missions concept evaluation through simulation (e.g., asteroid surface operations) have driven this continued development. Coupled with this need is the requirement to oftentimes support human spaceflight operations in real-time. Moreover, it has been desirable to allow even more rapid prototyping of on-orbit manipulator and spacecraft systems, to support less complex infrastructure software for massively integrated simulations, to yield further computational efficiencies, and to take advantage of recent advances and availability of multi-core computing platforms. Since engineering analysis, procedures development, and crew familiarity/training for human spaceflight is fundamental to JSC's charter, there is also a strong desire to share and reuse models in both the non-realtime and real-time domains, with the goal of retaining as much multibody dynamics fidelity as possible. Three specific enhancements are reviewed here: (1) linked list organization to address large transitional topologies, (2) body level model order reduction, and (3) parallel formulation/implementation. This paper provides a detailed overview of these primary updates to JSC's flexible multibody dynamics algorithms as well as a comparison of numerical results to previous formulations and associated software.

  17. The Development of the Ventral Prefrontal Cortex and Social Flexibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Eric E.; Guyer, Amanda E.

    2011-01-01

    Over the last several years a number of studies in both humans and animals have suggested that the orbitofrontal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices play an important role in generating flexible behavior. We suggest that input from these brain regions contribute to three functions involved in generating flexible behavior within social contexts: valuation, inhibition, and rule use. Recent studies have also demonstrated that the prefrontal cortex undergoes a prolonged course of maturation that extends well after puberty. Here, we review evidence that the prolonged development of these prefrontal regions parallels a slowly emerging ability for flexible social behavior. We also speculate on the possibility that sensitive periods for organizing social behavior may be embedded within this developmental time-fame. Finally, we discuss the role of prefrontal cortex in adolescent mood and anxiety disorders, particularly as orbitofrontal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices are engaged in a social context. PMID:21804907

  18. Topology optimization using PETSc: An easy-to-use, fully parallel, open source topology optimization framework

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aage, Niels; Andreassen, Erik; Lazarov, Boyan Stefanov

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a flexible framework for parallel and easy-to-implement topology optimization using the Portable and Extendable Toolkit for Scientific Computing (PETSc). The presented framework is based on a standardized, and freely available library and in the published form it solves...

  19. A tomograph VMEbus parallel processing data acquisition system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkinson, N.A.; Rogers, J.G.; Atkins, M.S.

    1989-01-01

    This paper describes a VME based data acquisition system suitable for the development of Positron Volume Imaging tomographs which use 3-D data for improved image resolution over slice-oriented tomographs. the data acquisition must be flexible enough to accommodate several 3-D reconstruction algorithms; hence, a software-based system is most suitable. Furthermore, because of the increased dimensions and resolution of volume imaging tomographs, the raw data event rate is greater than that of slice-oriented machines. These dual requirements are met by our data acquisition system. Flexibility is achieved through an array of processors connected over a VMEbus, operating asynchronously and in parallel. High raw data throughput is achieved using a dedicated high speed data transfer device available for the VMEbus. The device can attain a raw data rate of 2.5 million coincidence events per second for raw events which are 64 bits wide

  20. The value of flexibility in power markets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goutte, Stephane; Vassilopoulos, Philippe

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we attempt to quantify the net revenues that can be captured by a flexible resource able to react to the short term price variations on the day-ahead and intra-day markets in Germany. We find that the difference between day-ahead and intra-day revenues for a flexible resource has been increasing (although the profitability has been decreasing on both markets). This difference is more pronounced once 15 mn price variations can be captured by a flexible resource. The net revenues from the local 15 mn auction (which is held 3 hours after the hourly 'coupled' day-ahead auction) are more than eight times higher than the day-ahead hourly auction but below the net revenues that can be captured with the high prices from the continuous market. The results of the backward-looking empirical estimations allow us to distinguish and quantify two components of flexibility: (1) the 'immediacy' value as we are approaching real-time and the urgency of the delivery increases (this value is revealed during the continuous intra-day process and is highly linked to the stochastic nature of power supply and demand (i.e. wind/solar forecasts, forced outages of thermal generation,...) forecast error risk), and (2) the 'flexibility' component as a resource can react to variations of shorter granularity (15 mn Vs 60 mn). We model and quantify the 'flexibility' component. (authors)

  1. Freestanding mesoporous VN/CNT hybrid electrodes for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xu; Peng, Xiang; Jin, Huanyu; Li, Tianqi; Zhang, Chengcheng; Gao, Biao; Hu, Bin; Huo, Kaifu; Zhou, Jun

    2013-09-25

    High-performance all-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) are fabricated based on thin, lightweight, and flexible freestanding MVNN/CNT hybrid electrodes. The device shows a high volume capacitance of 7.9 F/cm(3) , volume energy and power density of 0.54 mWh/cm(3) and 0.4 W/cm(3) at a current density of 0.025 A/cm(3) . By being highly flexible, environmentally friendly, and easily connectable in series and parallel, the all-solid-state SCs promise potential applications in portable/wearable electronics. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Flexible Multi-Body Spacecraft Simulator: Design, Construction, and Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    required analysis. The first step in applying Pontryagin’s Principle is writing the control Hamiltonian: ( , , , ) ( , , ) ( , , )TH x u t F x u t f...of holes allows the adapter plate to be fastened to the MBSS top plate. 26 The base and link are designed to be modular and expandable. The link...https://www.quanser.com/products/2-dof-serial-flexible-joint/ 79 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 1. Defense Technical Information Center Ft. Belvoir

  3. Linked exploratory visualizations for uncertain MR spectroscopy data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, David; Kwock, Lester; Lee, Yueh; Taylor, Russell M., II

    2010-01-01

    We present a system for visualizing magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data sets. Using MRS, radiologists generate multiple 3D scalar fields of metabolite concentrations within the brain and compare them to anatomical magnetic resonance imaging. By understanding the relationship between metabolic makeup and anatomical structure, radiologists hope to better diagnose and treat tumors and lesions. Our system consists of three linked visualizations: a spatial glyph-based technique we call Scaled Data-Driven Spheres, a parallel coordinates visualization augmented to incorporate uncertainty in the data, and a slice plane for accurate data value extraction. The parallel coordinates visualization uses specialized brush interactions designed to help users identify nontrivial linear relationships between scalar fields. We describe two novel contributions to parallel coordinates visualizations: linear function brushing and new axis construction. Users have discovered significant relationships among metabolites and anatomy by linking interactions between the three visualizations.

  4. The Gigabit Link Interface Board (GLIB), a flexible system for the evaluation and use of GBT-based optical links

    CERN Document Server

    Vichoudis, P; Vasey, F; Joos, M; Hansen, M; Haas, S; Baron, S

    2010-01-01

    The Gigabit Link Interface Board (GLIB) is an evaluation platform and an easy entry point for users of high speed optical links in high energy physics experiments. Its intended use ranges from optical link evaluation in the laboratory to control, triggering and data acquisition from remote modules in beam or irradiation tests. The GLIB is an FPGA-based Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) conceived to serve a small and simple system residing either inside a Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture (mu TCA) crate, or on a bench with a link to a PC. This paper presents the architecture of the GLIB, its features as well as examples of its use in different setups.

  5. A highly scalable massively parallel fast marching method for the Eikonal equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jianming; Stern, Frederick

    2017-03-01

    The fast marching method is a widely used numerical method for solving the Eikonal equation arising from a variety of scientific and engineering fields. It is long deemed inherently sequential and an efficient parallel algorithm applicable to large-scale practical applications is not available in the literature. In this study, we present a highly scalable massively parallel implementation of the fast marching method using a domain decomposition approach. Central to this algorithm is a novel restarted narrow band approach that coordinates the frequency of communications and the amount of computations extra to a sequential run for achieving an unprecedented parallel performance. Within each restart, the narrow band fast marching method is executed; simple synchronous local exchanges and global reductions are adopted for communicating updated data in the overlapping regions between neighboring subdomains and getting the latest front status, respectively. The independence of front characteristics is exploited through special data structures and augmented status tags to extract the masked parallelism within the fast marching method. The efficiency, flexibility, and applicability of the parallel algorithm are demonstrated through several examples. These problems are extensively tested on six grids with up to 1 billion points using different numbers of processes ranging from 1 to 65536. Remarkable parallel speedups are achieved using tens of thousands of processes. Detailed pseudo-codes for both the sequential and parallel algorithms are provided to illustrate the simplicity of the parallel implementation and its similarity to the sequential narrow band fast marching algorithm.

  6. Parallelization Experience with Four Canonical Econometric Models Using ParMitISEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nalan Baştürk

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the parallel computing implementation of the MitISEM algorithm, labeled Parallel MitISEM. The basic MitISEM algorithm provides an automatic and flexible method to approximate a non-elliptical target density using adaptive mixtures of Student-t densities, where only a kernel of the target density is required. The approximation can be used as a candidate density in Importance Sampling or Metropolis Hastings methods for Bayesian inference on model parameters and probabilities. We present and discuss four canonical econometric models using a Graphics Processing Unit and a multi-core Central Processing Unit version of the MitISEM algorithm. The results show that the parallelization of the MitISEM algorithm on Graphics Processing Units and multi-core Central Processing Units is straightforward and fast to program using MATLAB. Moreover the speed performance of the Graphics Processing Unit version is much higher than the Central Processing Unit one.

  7. A flexible and configurable system to test accelerator magnets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jerzy M. Nogiec et al.

    2001-07-20

    Fermilab's accelerator magnet R and D programs, including production of superconducting high gradient quadrupoles for the LHC insertion regions, require rigorous yet flexible magnetic measurement systems. Measurement systems must be capable of handling various types of hardware and extensible to all measurement technologies and analysis algorithms. A tailorable software system that satisfies these requirements is discussed. This single system, capable of distributed parallel signal processing, is built on top of a flexible component-based framework that allows for easy reconfiguration and run-time modification. Both core and domain-specific components can be assembled into various magnet test or analysis systems. The system configured to comprise a rotating coil harmonics measurement is presented. Technologies as Java, OODB, XML, JavaBeans, software bus and component-based architectures are used.

  8. Numerical simulation of Vlasov equation with parallel tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peyroux, J.

    2005-11-01

    This project aims to make even more powerful the resolution of Vlasov codes through the various parallelization tools (MPI, OpenMP...). A simplified test case served as a base for constructing the parallel codes for obtaining a data-processing skeleton which, thereafter, could be re-used for increasingly complex models (more than four variables of phase space). This will thus make it possible to treat more realistic situations linked, for example, to the injection of ultra short and ultra intense impulses in inertial fusion plasmas, or the study of the instability of trapped ions now taken as being responsible for the generation of turbulence in tokamak plasmas. (author)

  9. Numerical simulation of Vlasov equation with parallel tools; Simulations numeriques de l'equation de Vlasov a l'aide d'outils paralleles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peyroux, J

    2005-11-15

    This project aims to make even more powerful the resolution of Vlasov codes through the various parallelization tools (MPI, OpenMP...). A simplified test case served as a base for constructing the parallel codes for obtaining a data-processing skeleton which, thereafter, could be re-used for increasingly complex models (more than four variables of phase space). This will thus make it possible to treat more realistic situations linked, for example, to the injection of ultra short and ultra intense impulses in inertial fusion plasmas, or the study of the instability of trapped ions now taken as being responsible for the generation of turbulence in tokamak plasmas. (author)

  10. How does symmetry impact the flexibility of proteins?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulze, Bernd; Sljoka, Adnan; Whiteley, Walter

    2014-02-13

    It is well known that (i) the flexibility and rigidity of proteins are central to their function, (ii) a number of oligomers with several copies of individual protein chains assemble with symmetry in the native state and (iii) added symmetry sometimes leads to added flexibility in structures. We observe that the most common symmetry classes of protein oligomers are also the symmetry classes that lead to increased flexibility in certain three-dimensional structures-and investigate the possible significance of this coincidence. This builds on the well-developed theory of generic rigidity of body-bar frameworks, which permits an analysis of the rigidity and flexibility of molecular structures such as proteins via fast combinatorial algorithms. In particular, we outline some very simple counting rules and possible algorithmic extensions that allow us to predict continuous symmetry-preserving motions in body-bar frameworks that possess non-trivial point-group symmetry. For simplicity, we focus on dimers, which typically assemble with twofold rotational axes, and often have allosteric function that requires motions to link distant sites on the two protein chains.

  11. Energy-Efficient FPGA-Based Parallel Quasi-Stochastic Computing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramu Seva

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The high performance of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array in image processing applications is justified by its flexible reconfigurability, its inherent parallel nature and the availability of a large amount of internal memories. Lately, the Stochastic Computing (SC paradigm has been found to be significantly advantageous in certain application domains including image processing because of its lower hardware complexity and power consumption. However, its viability is deemed to be limited due to its serial bitstream processing and excessive run-time requirement for convergence. To address these issues, a novel approach is proposed in this work where an energy-efficient implementation of SC is accomplished by introducing fast-converging Quasi-Stochastic Number Generators (QSNGs and parallel stochastic bitstream processing, which are well suited to leverage FPGA’s reconfigurability and abundant internal memory resources. The proposed approach has been tested on the Virtex-4 FPGA, and results have been compared with the serial and parallel implementations of conventional stochastic computation using the well-known SC edge detection and multiplication circuits. Results prove that by using this approach, execution time, as well as the power consumption are decreased by a factor of 3.5 and 4.5 for the edge detection circuit and multiplication circuit, respectively.

  12. Construction of a digital elevation model: methods and parallelization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazzoni, Christophe

    1995-01-01

    The aim of this work is to reduce the computation time needed to produce the Digital Elevation Models (DEM) by using a parallel machine. It is made in collaboration between the French 'Institut Geographique National' (IGN) and the Laboratoire d'Electronique de Technologie et d'Instrumentation (LETI) of the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The IGN has developed a system which provides DEM that is used to produce topographic maps. The kernel of this system is the correlator, a software which automatically matches pairs of homologous points of a stereo-pair of photographs. Nevertheless the correlator is expensive In computing time. In order to reduce computation time and to produce the DEM with same accuracy that the actual system, we have parallelized the IGN's correlator on the OPENVISION system. This hardware solution uses a SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) parallel machine SYMPATI-2, developed by the LETI that is involved in parallel architecture and image processing. Our analysis of the implementation has demonstrated the difficulty of efficient coupling between scalar and parallel structure. So we propose solutions to reinforce this coupling. In order to accelerate more the processing we evaluate SYMPHONIE, a SIMD calculator, successor of SYMPATI-2. On an other hand, we developed a multi-agent approach for what a MIMD (Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data) architecture is available. At last, we describe a Multi-SIMD architecture that conciliates our two approaches. This architecture offers a capacity to apprehend efficiently multi-level treatment image. It is flexible by its modularity, and its communication network supplies reliability that interest sensible systems. (author) [fr

  13. Investigating the Missing Link in Flexible Work Arrangement Utilization: An Individual Difference Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shockley, Kristen M.; Allen, Tammy D.

    2010-01-01

    The present study investigates the relationship between individual differences and flexible work arrangement use. Three need-based motivational factors (need for affiliation at work, need for segmentation of work from other life roles, need for occupational achievement) were examined in relation to extent of flextime and flexplace use.…

  14. Gigahertz flexible graphene transistors for microwave integrated circuits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Chao-Hui; Lain, Yi-Wei; Chiu, Yu-Chiao; Liao, Chen-Hung; Moyano, David Ricardo; Hsu, Shawn S H; Chiu, Po-Wen

    2014-08-26

    Flexible integrated circuits with complex functionalities are the missing link for the active development of wearable electronic devices. Here, we report a scalable approach to fabricate self-aligned graphene microwave transistors for the implementation of flexible low-noise amplifiers and frequency mixers, two fundamental building blocks of a wireless communication receiver. A devised AlOx T-gate structure is used to achieve an appreciable increase of device transconductance and a commensurate reduction of the associated parasitic resistance, thus yielding a remarkable extrinsic cutoff frequency of 32 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency of 20 GHz; in both cases the operation frequency is an order of magnitude higher than previously reported. The two frequencies work at 22 and 13 GHz even when subjected to a strain of 2.5%. The gigahertz microwave integrated circuits demonstrated here pave the way for applications which require high flexibility and radio frequency operations.

  15. Dynamic Model and Vibration Power Flow of a Rigid-Flexible Coupling and Harmonic-Disturbance Exciting System for Flexible Robotic Manipulator with Elastic Joints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yufei Liu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the dynamic of a flexible robotic manipulator (FRM which consists of rigid driving base, flexible links, and flexible joints. With considering the motion fluctuations caused by the coupling effect, such as the motor parameters and mechanism inertias, as harmonic disturbances, the system investigated in this paper remains a parametrically excited system. An elastic restraint model of the FRM with elastic joints (FRMEJ is proposed, which considers the elastic properties of the connecting joints between the flexible arm and the driving base, as well as the harmonic disturbances aroused by the electromechanical coupling effect. As a consequence, the FRMEJ accordingly remains a flexible multibody system which conveys the effects of rigid-flexible couple and electromechanical couple. The Lagrangian function and Hamilton’s principle are used to establish the dynamic model of the FRMEJ. Based on the dynamic model proposed, the vibration power flow is introduced to show the vibration energy distribution. Numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the effect of the joint elasticities and the disturbance excitations, and the influences of the structure parameters and motion parameters on the vibration power flow are studied. The results obtained in this paper contribute to the structure design, motion optimization, and vibration control of FRMs.

  16. Highly Flexible Self-Assembled V2O5 Cathodes Enabled by Conducting Diblock Copolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Hyosung; Mike, Jared; Smith, Kendall; Swank, Lisa; Lin, Yen-Hao; Pesek, Stacy; Verduzco, Rafael; Lutkenhaus, Jodie

    Structural energy storage materials combining load-bearing mechanical properties and high energy storage performance are desired for applications in wearable devices or flexible displays. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is a promising cathode material for possible use in flexible battery electrodes, but it remains limited by low Li+ diffusion coefficient and electronic conductivity, severe volumetric changes upon cycling, and limited mechanical flexibility. Here, we demonstrate a route to address these challenges by blending a diblock copolymer bearing electron- and ion-conducting blocks, poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-poly(ethyleneoxide) (P3HT- b-PEO), with V2O5 to form a mechanically flexible, electro-mechanically stable hybrid electrode. V2O5 layers were arranged parallel in brick-and-mortar-like fashion held together by the P3HT- b-PEO binder. This unique structure significantly enhances mechanical flexibility, toughness and cyclability without sacrificing capacity. Electrodes comprised of 10 wt% polymer have unusually high toughness (293 kJ/m3) and specific energy (530 Wh/kg), both higher than reduced graphene oxide paper electrodes.

  17. Design of a real-time wind turbine simulator using a custom parallel architecture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, John A.; Gluck, R.; Sridhar, S.

    1995-01-01

    The design of a new parallel-processing digital simulator is described. The new simulator has been developed specifically for analysis of wind energy systems in real time. The new processor has been named: the Wind Energy System Time-domain simulator, version 3 (WEST-3). Like previous WEST versions, WEST-3 performs many computations in parallel. The modules in WEST-3 are pure digital processors, however. These digital processors can be programmed individually and operated in concert to achieve real-time simulation of wind turbine systems. Because of this programmability, WEST-3 is very much more flexible and general than its two predecessors. The design features of WEST-3 are described to show how the system produces high-speed solutions of nonlinear time-domain equations. WEST-3 has two very fast Computational Units (CU's) that use minicomputer technology plus special architectural features that make them many times faster than a microcomputer. These CU's are needed to perform the complex computations associated with the wind turbine rotor system in real time. The parallel architecture of the CU causes several tasks to be done in each cycle, including an IO operation and the combination of a multiply, add, and store. The WEST-3 simulator can be expanded at any time for additional computational power. This is possible because the CU's interfaced to each other and to other portions of the simulation using special serial buses. These buses can be 'patched' together in essentially any configuration (in a manner very similar to the programming methods used in analog computation) to balance the input/ output requirements. CU's can be added in any number to share a given computational load. This flexible bus feature is very different from many other parallel processors which usually have a throughput limit because of rigid bus architecture.

  18. Optimal conductive constructal configurations with “parallel design”

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eslami, M.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A new parallel design is proposed for conductive cooling of heat generating rectangles. • The geometric features are optimized analytically. • The internal structure morph as a function of available conductive material. • Thermal performance is superior to the previously numerically optimized designs. - Abstract: Today, conductive volume to point cooling of heat generating bodies is under investigation as an alternative method for thermal management of electronic chipsets with high power density. In this paper, a new simple geometry called “parallel design” is proposed for effective conductive cooling of rectangular heat generating bodies. This configuration tries to minimize the thermal resistance associated with the temperature drop inside the heat generating volume. The geometric features of the design are all optimized analytically and expressed with simple explicit equations. It is proved that optimal number of parallel links is equal to the thermal conductivity ratio multiplied by the porosity (or the volume ratio). With the universal aspect ratio of H/L = 2, total thermal resistance of the present parallel design is lower than the recently proposed networks of various shapes that are optimized with help of numerical simulations; especially when more conducting material is available.

  19. Design of an Input-Parallel Output-Parallel LLC Resonant DC-DC Converter System for DC Microgrids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juan, Y. L.; Chen, T. R.; Chang, H. M.; Wei, S. E.

    2017-11-01

    Compared with the centralized power system, the distributed modularized power system is composed of several power modules with lower power capacity to provide a totally enough power capacity for the load demand. Therefore, the current stress of the power components in each module can then be reduced, and the flexibility of system setup is also enhanced. However, the parallel-connected power modules in the conventional system are usually controlled to equally share the power flow which would result in lower efficiency in low loading condition. In this study, a modular power conversion system for DC micro grid is developed with 48 V dc low voltage input and 380 V dc high voltage output. However, in the developed system control strategy, the numbers of power modules enabled to share the power flow is decided according to the output power at lower load demand. Finally, three 350 W power modules are constructed and parallel-connected to setup a modular power conversion system. From the experimental results, compared with the conventional system, the efficiency of the developed power system in the light loading condition is greatly improved. The modularized design of the power system can also decrease the power loss ratio to the system capacity.

  20. Parallel Evolutionary Optimization of Multibody Systems with Application to Railway Dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eberhard, Peter [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute of Applied Mechanics (Germany)], E-mail: eberhard@ltm.uni-erlangen.de; Dignath, Florian [University of Stuttgart, Institute B of Mechanics (Germany)], E-mail: fd@mechb.uni-stuttgart.de; Kuebler, Lars [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute of Applied Mechanics (Germany)], E-mail: kuebler@ltm.uni-erlangen.de

    2003-03-15

    The optimization of multibody systems usually requires many costly criteria computations since the equations of motion must be evaluated by numerical time integration for each considered design. For actively controlled or flexible multibody systems additional difficulties arise as the criteria may contain non-differentiable points or many local minima. Therefore, in this paper a stochastic evolution strategy is used in combination with parallel computing in order to reduce the computation times whilst keeping the inherent robustness. For the parallelization a master-slave approach is used in a heterogeneous workstation/PC cluster. The pool-of-tasks concept is applied in order to deal with the frequently changing workloads of different machines in the cluster. In order to analyze the performance of the parallel optimization method, the suspension of an ICE passenger coach, modeled as an elastic multibody system, is optimized simultaneously with regard to several criteria including vibration damping and a criterion related to safety against derailment. The iterative and interactive nature of a typical optimization process for technical systems is emphasized.

  1. Parallel Evolutionary Optimization of Multibody Systems with Application to Railway Dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eberhard, Peter; Dignath, Florian; Kuebler, Lars

    2003-01-01

    The optimization of multibody systems usually requires many costly criteria computations since the equations of motion must be evaluated by numerical time integration for each considered design. For actively controlled or flexible multibody systems additional difficulties arise as the criteria may contain non-differentiable points or many local minima. Therefore, in this paper a stochastic evolution strategy is used in combination with parallel computing in order to reduce the computation times whilst keeping the inherent robustness. For the parallelization a master-slave approach is used in a heterogeneous workstation/PC cluster. The pool-of-tasks concept is applied in order to deal with the frequently changing workloads of different machines in the cluster. In order to analyze the performance of the parallel optimization method, the suspension of an ICE passenger coach, modeled as an elastic multibody system, is optimized simultaneously with regard to several criteria including vibration damping and a criterion related to safety against derailment. The iterative and interactive nature of a typical optimization process for technical systems is emphasized

  2. Mathematical Model and Calibration Experiment of a Large Measurement Range Flexible Joints 6-UPUR Six-Axis Force Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanzhi Zhao

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays improving the accuracy and enlarging the measuring range of six-axis force sensors for wider applications in aircraft landing, rocket thrust, and spacecraft docking testing experiments has become an urgent objective. However, it is still difficult to achieve high accuracy and large measuring range with traditional parallel six-axis force sensors due to the influence of the gap and friction of the joints. Therefore, to overcome the mentioned limitations, this paper proposed a 6-Universal-Prismatic-Universal-Revolute (UPUR joints parallel mechanism with flexible joints to develop a large measurement range six-axis force sensor. The structural characteristics of the sensor are analyzed in comparison with traditional parallel sensor based on the Stewart platform. The force transfer relation of the sensor is deduced, and the force Jacobian matrix is obtained using screw theory in two cases of the ideal state and the state of flexibility of each flexible joint is considered. The prototype and loading calibration system are designed and developed. The K value method and least squares method are used to process experimental data, and in errors of kind Ι and kind II linearity are obtained. The experimental results show that the calibration error of the K value method is more than 13.4%, and the calibration error of the least squares method is 2.67%. The experimental results prove the feasibility of the sensor and the correctness of the theoretical analysis which are expected to be adopted in practical applications.

  3. Mathematical Model and Calibration Experiment of a Large Measurement Range Flexible Joints 6-UPUR Six-Axis Force Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yanzhi; Zhang, Caifeng; Zhang, Dan; Shi, Zhongpan; Zhao, Tieshi

    2016-08-11

    Nowadays improving the accuracy and enlarging the measuring range of six-axis force sensors for wider applications in aircraft landing, rocket thrust, and spacecraft docking testing experiments has become an urgent objective. However, it is still difficult to achieve high accuracy and large measuring range with traditional parallel six-axis force sensors due to the influence of the gap and friction of the joints. Therefore, to overcome the mentioned limitations, this paper proposed a 6-Universal-Prismatic-Universal-Revolute (UPUR) joints parallel mechanism with flexible joints to develop a large measurement range six-axis force sensor. The structural characteristics of the sensor are analyzed in comparison with traditional parallel sensor based on the Stewart platform. The force transfer relation of the sensor is deduced, and the force Jacobian matrix is obtained using screw theory in two cases of the ideal state and the state of flexibility of each flexible joint is considered. The prototype and loading calibration system are designed and developed. The K value method and least squares method are used to process experimental data, and in errors of kind Ι and kind II linearity are obtained. The experimental results show that the calibration error of the K value method is more than 13.4%, and the calibration error of the least squares method is 2.67%. The experimental results prove the feasibility of the sensor and the correctness of the theoretical analysis which are expected to be adopted in practical applications.

  4. Parallel Geometries in Geant4 foundation and recent enhancements

    CERN Document Server

    Apostolakis, J; Cosmo, G; Howard, A; Ivanchenko, V; Verderi, M

    2009-01-01

    The Geant4 software toolkit simulates the passage of particles through matter. It is utilized in high energy and nuclear physics experiments, in medical physics and space applications. For many applications it is necessary to measure particle fluxes and radiation doses in parts of the setup where there are complex structures. To undertake this in a flexible way, Geant4 has tools to create and use additional, parallel, geometrical hierarchies within a single application. A separate, parallel geometry can be used for each one amongst shower parameterization, event biasing, scoring of radiation, and/or the creation of hits in detailed readout structures. We describe the existing basic capabilities of the Geant4 toolkit to create multiple geometries and the recent major enhancements undertaken to streamline, enhance and extend these. New functionality enables Geant4 developers to offer new embedded schemes for scoring (requiring no user C++ code); has simplified the implementation of processes or capabilities usi...

  5. Research on Longitudinal Vibration Characteristic of the Six-Cable-Driven Parallel Manipulator in FAST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhihua Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The first adjustable feed support system in FAST is a six-cable-driven parallel manipulator. Due to flexibility of the cables, the cable-driven parallel manipulator bears a concern of possible vibration caused by wind disturbance or internal force from the fine drive system. The purpose of this paper is to analyze vibration characteristic of the six-cable-driven parallel manipulator in FAST. The tension equilibrium equation of the six-cable-driven parallel manipulator is set up regarding the cables as catenaries. Then, vibration equation is established considering the longitudinal vibration of the cables. On this basis, the natural frequencies are depicted in figures since both analytical and numerical solutions are ineffective. Influence of the sags of the cables on the natural frequencies is discussed. It is shown that the sags of the cables will decrease the natural frequencies of the six-cable-driven parallel manipulator. Simplification to acquire the natural frequencies is proposed in this paper. The results justify effectiveness of the simplification to calculate the first-order natural frequencies. Distribution of the first-order natural frequencies in the required workspace is provided based on the simplification method. Finally, parameters optimization is implemented in terms of natural frequencies for building the six-cable-driven parallel manipulator in FAST.

  6. Flexibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphrey, L. Dennis

    1981-01-01

    Flexibility is an important aspect of all sports and recreational activities. Flexibility can be developed and maintained by stretching exercises. Exercises designed to develop flexibility in ankle joints, knees, hips, and the lower back are presented. (JN)

  7. A tomograph VMEbus parallel processing data acquisition system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atkins, M.S.; Wilkinson, N.A.; Rogers, J.G.

    1988-11-01

    This paper describes a VME based data acquisition system suitable for the development of Positron Volume Imaging tomographs which use 3-D data for improved image resolution over slice-oriented tomographs. The data acquisition must be flexible enough to accommodate several 3-D reconstruction algorithms; hence, a software-based system is most suitable. Furthermore, because of the increased dimensions and resolution of volume imaging tomographs, the raw data event rate is greater than that of slice-oriented machines. These dual requirements are met by our data acquisition systems. Flexibility is achieved through an array of processors connected over a VMEbus, operating asynchronously and in parallel. High raw data throughput is achieved using a dedicated high speed data transfer device available for the VMEbus. The device can attain a raw data rate of 2.5 million coincidence events per second for raw events per second for raw events which are 64 bits wide. Real-time data acquisition and pre-processing requirements can be met by about forty 20 MHz Motorola 68020/68881 processors

  8. Parallelizing AT with MatlabMPI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    The Accelerator Toolbox (AT) is a high-level collection of tools and scripts specifically oriented toward solving problems dealing with computational accelerator physics. It is integrated into the MATLAB environment, which provides an accessible, intuitive interface for accelerator physicists, allowing researchers to focus the majority of their efforts on simulations and calculations, rather than programming and debugging difficulties. Efforts toward parallelization of AT have been put in place to upgrade its performance to modern standards of computing. We utilized the packages MatlabMPI and pMatlab, which were developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory, to set up a message-passing environment that could be called within MATLAB, which set up the necessary pre-requisites for multithread processing capabilities. On local quad-core CPUs, we were able to demonstrate processor efficiencies of roughly 95% and speed increases of nearly 380%. By exploiting the efficacy of modern-day parallel computing, we were able to demonstrate incredibly efficient speed increments per processor in AT's beam-tracking functions. Extrapolating from prediction, we can expect to reduce week-long computation runtimes to less than 15 minutes. This is a huge performance improvement and has enormous implications for the future computing power of the accelerator physics group at SSRL. However, one of the downfalls of parringpass is its current lack of transparency; the pMatlab and MatlabMPI packages must first be well-understood by the user before the system can be configured to run the scripts. In addition, the instantiation of argument parameters requires internal modification of the source code. Thus, parringpass, cannot be directly run from the MATLAB command line, which detracts from its flexibility and user-friendliness. Future work in AT's parallelization will focus on development of external functions and scripts that can be called from within MATLAB and configured on multiple nodes, while

  9. Parallel implementation of multireference coupled-cluster theories based on the reference-level parallelism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brabec, Jiri; Pittner, Jiri; van Dam, Hubertus JJ; Apra, Edoardo; Kowalski, Karol

    2012-02-01

    A novel algorithm for implementing general type of multireference coupled-cluster (MRCC) theory based on the Jeziorski-Monkhorst exponential Ansatz [B. Jeziorski, H.J. Monkhorst, Phys. Rev. A 24, 1668 (1981)] is introduced. The proposed algorithm utilizes processor groups to calculate the equations for the MRCC amplitudes. In the basic formulation each processor group constructs the equations related to a specific subset of references. By flexible choice of processor groups and subset of reference-specific sufficiency conditions designated to a given group one can assure optimum utilization of available computing resources. The performance of this algorithm is illustrated on the examples of the Brillouin-Wigner and Mukherjee MRCC methods with singles and doubles (BW-MRCCSD and Mk-MRCCSD). A significant improvement in scalability and in reduction of time to solution is reported with respect to recently reported parallel implementation of the BW-MRCCSD formalism [J.Brabec, H.J.J. van Dam, K. Kowalski, J. Pittner, Chem. Phys. Lett. 514, 347 (2011)].

  10. Analysis of gamma irradiator dose rate using spent fuel elements with parallel configuration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setiyanto; Pudjijanto MS; Ardani

    2006-01-01

    To enhance the utilization of the RSG-GAS reactor spent fuel, the gamma irradiator using spent fuel elements as a gamma source is a suitable choice. This irradiator can be used for food sterilization and preservation. The first step before realization, it is necessary to determine the gamma dose rate theoretically. The assessment was realized for parallel configuration fuel elements with the irradiation space can be placed between fuel element series. This analysis of parallel model was choice to compare with the circle model and as long as possible to get more space for irradiation and to do manipulation of irradiation target. Dose rate calculation were done with MCNP, while the estimation of gamma activities of fuel element was realized by OREGEN code with 1 year of average delay time. The calculation result show that the gamma dose rate of parallel model decreased up to 50% relatively compared with the circle model, but the value still enough for sterilization and preservation. Especially for food preservation, this parallel model give more flexible, while the gamma dose rate can be adjusted to the irradiation needed. The conclusion of this assessment showed that the utilization of reactor spent fuels for gamma irradiator with parallel model give more advantage the circle model. (author)

  11. Flexible RF filter using a nonuniform SCISSOR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Leimeng

    2016-03-15

    This work presents a flexible radiofrequency (RF) filter using an integrated microwave photonic circuit that comprises a nonuniform side-coupled integrated spaced sequence of resonators (N-SCISSOR). The filter passband can be reconfigured by varying the N-SCISSOR parameters. When employing a dual-parallel Mach-Zechnder modulator, the filter is also able to perform frequency down-conversion. In the experiment, various filter response shapes are shown, ranging from a flat-top band-pass filter to a total opposite high-rejection (>40  dB) notch filter, with a frequency coverage of greater than two octaves. The frequency down-conversion function is also demonstrated.

  12. Self-descriptions on LinkedIn: Recruitment or friendship identity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Danilo; Cloninger, Kevin M; Granjard, Alexandre; Molander-Söderholm, Kristian; Amato, Clara; Sikström, Sverker

    2018-04-26

    We used quantitative semantics to find clusters of words in LinkedIn users' self-descriptions to an employer or a friend. Some of these clusters discriminated between worker and friend conditions (e.g., flexible vs. caring) and between LinkedIn users with high and low education (e.g., analytical vs. messy). © 2018 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  13. Parallel Programming with Intel Parallel Studio XE

    CERN Document Server

    Blair-Chappell , Stephen

    2012-01-01

    Optimize code for multi-core processors with Intel's Parallel Studio Parallel programming is rapidly becoming a "must-know" skill for developers. Yet, where to start? This teach-yourself tutorial is an ideal starting point for developers who already know Windows C and C++ and are eager to add parallelism to their code. With a focus on applying tools, techniques, and language extensions to implement parallelism, this essential resource teaches you how to write programs for multicore and leverage the power of multicore in your programs. Sharing hands-on case studies and real-world examples, the

  14. Mental flexibility impairment in drivers with early Alzheimer's disease: A simulator-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virginie Etienne

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available After memory impairment, one of the most common troubles of early Alzheimer's disease (AD is the impairment of executive functioning. However, it can have major consequences on daily life, notably on the driving activity. The present study focused on one important executive function involved in driving: mental flexibility; and considered how this impairment can affect driving. Ten patients with early AD were matched with 29 healthy older drivers. All participants were given an evaluation of mental flexibility through neuropsychological tests and an experimental test developed on a static driving simulator. The experiment was divided in two conditions; one without mental flexibility and another condition with a mental flexibility demand. AD patients showed impairments in the neuropsychological tests evaluating mental flexibility. These deficits are linked to the deficits they showed in the driving simulator flexibility tests. This study contributes to the understanding of mental flexibility mechanisms and on their role in driving activity. It also confirms that the driving simulator is a suitable tool to explore cognitive disorders and driving ability.

  15. Rapid Slewing of Flexible Space Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-01

    maneuvers while minimizing the impact of flexible motion. An antenna must point at its targets with a certain degree of accuracy to ensure link...of mass 1 due to force 1 is greatly impacted by mode 1, especially in the low frequency range. This is because the magnitudes of mode 2 and mode 3...mass 1). See responses for H12 and H13 in Figure 14. Figure 14. Impulse responses, h jk t( ) , for system in Figure 10. 53 The residue

  16. Synchronizing tracking control for flexible joint robots via estimated state feedback

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodriguez Angeles, A.; Nijmeijer, H.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a synchronization controller for flexible joint robots, which are interconnected in a master-slave scheme. The synchronization controller is based on feedback linearization and only requires measurements of the master and slave link positions, since the velocities and

  17. Radiation cross-linked collagen/dextran dermal scaffolds: effects of dextran on cross-linking and degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yaqing; Zhang, Xiangmei; Xu, Ling; Wei, Shicheng; Zhai, Maolin

    2015-01-01

    Ionizing radiation effectively cross-links collagen into network with enhanced anti-degradability and biocompatibility, while radiation-cross-linked collagen scaffold lacks flexibility, satisfactory surface appearance, and performs poor in cell penetration and ingrowth. To make the radiation-cross-linked collagen scaffold to serve as an ideal artificial dermis, dextran was incorporated into collagen. Scaffolds with the collagen/dextran (Col/Dex) ratios of 10/0, 7/3, and 5/5 were fabricated via (60)Co γ-irradiation cross-linking, followed by lyophilization. The morphology, microstructure, physicochemical, and biological properties were investigated. Compared with pure collagen, scaffolds with dextran demonstrated more porous appearance, enhanced hydrophilicity while the cross-linking density was lower with the consequence of larger pore size, higher water uptake, as well as reduced stiffness. Accelerated degradation was observed when dextran was incorporated in both the in vitro and in vivo assays, which led to earlier integration with cell and host tissue. The effect of dextran on degradation was ascribed to the decreased cross-linking density, looser microstructure, more porous and hydrophilic surface. Considering the better appearance, softness, moderate degradation rate due to controllable cross-linking degree and good biocompatibility as well, radiation-cross-linked collagen/dextran scaffolds are expected to serve as promising artificial dermal substitutes.

  18. Real-time Nyquist signaling with dynamic precision and flexible non-integer oversampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmogrow, R; Meyer, M; Schindler, P C; Nebendahl, B; Dreschmann, M; Meyer, J; Josten, A; Hillerkuss, D; Ben-Ezra, S; Becker, J; Koos, C; Freude, W; Leuthold, J

    2014-01-13

    We demonstrate two efficient processing techniques for Nyquist signals, namely computation of signals using dynamic precision as well as arbitrary rational oversampling factors. With these techniques along with massively parallel processing it becomes possible to generate and receive high data rate Nyquist signals with flexible symbol rates and bandwidths, a feature which is highly desirable for novel flexgrid networks. We achieved maximum bit rates of 252 Gbit/s in real-time.

  19. Numerical simulation of Vlasov equation with parallel tools; Simulations numeriques de l'equation de Vlasov a l'aide d'outils paralleles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peyroux, J

    2005-11-15

    This project aims to make even more powerful the resolution of Vlasov codes through the various parallelization tools (MPI, OpenMP...). A simplified test case served as a base for constructing the parallel codes for obtaining a data-processing skeleton which, thereafter, could be re-used for increasingly complex models (more than four variables of phase space). This will thus make it possible to treat more realistic situations linked, for example, to the injection of ultra short and ultra intense impulses in inertial fusion plasmas, or the study of the instability of trapped ions now taken as being responsible for the generation of turbulence in tokamak plasmas. (author)

  20. Supertracker: A Programmable Parallel Pipeline Arithmetic Processor For Auto-Cueing Target Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mack, Harold; Reddi, S. S.

    1980-04-01

    Supertracker represents a programmable parallel pipeline computer architecture that has been designed to meet the real time image processing requirements of auto-cueing target data processing. The prototype bread-board currently under development will be designed to perform input video preprocessing and processing for 525-line and 875-line TV formats FLIR video, automatic display gain and contrast control, and automatic target cueing, classification, and tracking. The video preprocessor is capable of performing operations full frames of video data in real time, e.g., frame integration, storage, 3 x 3 convolution, and neighborhood processing. The processor architecture is being implemented using bit-slice microprogrammable arithmetic processors, operating in parallel. Each processor is capable of up to 20 million operations per second. Multiple frame memories are used for additional flexibility.

  1. Adaptive Load Balancing of Parallel Applications with Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning on Heterogeneous Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan Parent

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available We report on the improvements that can be achieved by applying machine learning techniques, in particular reinforcement learning, for the dynamic load balancing of parallel applications. The applications being considered in this paper are coarse grain data intensive applications. Such applications put high pressure on the interconnect of the hardware. Synchronization and load balancing in complex, heterogeneous networks need fast, flexible, adaptive load balancing algorithms. Viewing a parallel application as a one-state coordination game in the framework of multi-agent reinforcement learning, and by using a recently introduced multi-agent exploration technique, we are able to improve upon the classic job farming approach. The improvements are achieved with limited computation and communication overhead.

  2. Experience with parallel optical link for the CDF silicon detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, S.

    2003-01-01

    The Dense Optical Interface Module (DOIM) is a byte-wide optical link developed for the Run II upgrade of the CDF silicon tracking system [1]. The module consists of a transmitter with a laser-diode array for conversion of digitized detector signals to light outputs, a 22 m optical fiber ribbon cable for light transmission, and a receiver converting the light pulses back to electrical signals. We report on the design feature, characteristics, and radiation tolerance

  3. Piezoelectric ribbons printed onto rubber for flexible energy conversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Yi; Jafferis, Noah T; Lyons, Kenneth; Lee, Christine M; Ahmad, Habib; McAlpine, Michael C

    2010-02-10

    The development of a method for integrating highly efficient energy conversion materials onto stretchable, biocompatible rubbers could yield breakthroughs in implantable or wearable energy harvesting systems. Being electromechanically coupled, piezoelectric crystals represent a particularly interesting subset of smart materials that function as sensors/actuators, bioMEMS devices, and energy converters. Yet, the crystallization of these materials generally requires high temperatures for maximally efficient performance, rendering them incompatible with temperature-sensitive plastics and rubbers. Here, we overcome these limitations by presenting a scalable and parallel process for transferring crystalline piezoelectric nanothick ribbons of lead zirconate titanate from host substrates onto flexible rubbers over macroscopic areas. Fundamental characterization of the ribbons by piezo-force microscopy indicates that their electromechanical energy conversion metrics are among the highest reported on a flexible medium. The excellent performance of the piezo-ribbon assemblies coupled with stretchable, biocompatible rubber may enable a host of exciting avenues in fundamental research and novel applications.

  4. Tolerance Towards Sensor Faults: An Application to a Flexible Arm Manipulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chee Pin Tan

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available As more engineering operations become automatic, the need for robustness towards faults increases. Hence, a fault tolerant control (FTC scheme is a valuable asset. This paper presents a robust sensor fault FTC scheme implemented on a flexible arm manipulator, which has many applications in automation. Sensor faults affect the system's performance in the closed loop when the faulty sensor readings are used to generate the control input. In this paper, the non-faulty sensors are used to reconstruct the faults on the potentially faulty sensors. The reconstruction is subtracted from the faulty sensors to form a compensated ‘virtual sensor’ and this signal (instead of the normally used faulty sensor output is then used to generate the control input. A design method is also presented in which the FTC scheme is made insensitive to any system uncertainties. Two fault conditions are tested; total failure and incipient faults. Then the scheme robustness is tested by implementing the flexible joint's FTC scheme on a flexible link, which has different parameters. Excellent results have been obtained for both cases (joint and link; the FTC scheme caused the system performance is almost identical to the fault-free scenario, whilst providing an indication that a fault is present, even for simultaneous faults.

  5. Flexible Bronchoscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Russell J; Casal, Roberto F; Lazarus, Donald R; Ost, David E; Eapen, George A

    2018-03-01

    Flexible bronchoscopy has changed the course of pulmonary medicine. As technology advances, the role of the flexible bronchoscope for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications is continually expanding. This article reviews the historical development of the flexible bronchoscopy, fundamental uses of the flexible bronchoscope as a tool to examine the central airways and obtain diagnostic tissue, and the indications, complications, and contraindications to flexible bronchoscopy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Fabrication of Si-nozzles for parallel mechano-electrospinning direct writing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan, Yanqiao; Huang, YongAn; Bu, Ningbin; Yin, Zhouping

    2013-01-01

    Nozzles with micro-scale orifices drive high-resolution printing techniques for generating micro- to nano-scale droplets/lines. This paper presents the fabrication and application of Si-nozzles in mechano-electrospinning (MES). The fabrication process mainly consists of photolithography, Au deposition, inductively coupled plasma, and polydimethylsiloxane encapsulation. The 6 wt% polyethylene oxide solution is adopted to study the electrospinning behaviour and the relations between fibre diameter and process parameters in MES. A fibre grid with 250 µm spacing is able to be direct written, and the diameters are less than 3 µm. To improve the printing efficiency, positioning accuracy and flexibility, a rotatable multi-nozzle is adopted. The distance between parallel lines reduces sharply from 4.927 to 0.308 mm with the rotating angle increasing from 0° to 87°, and the fibre grids with tunable distance are achieved. This method paves the way for fabrication of addressable Si-nozzle array in parallel MES direct writing. (paper)

  7. A GPU Parallelization of the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation for Applications in Flexible Multibody Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-17

    to be solved. Disclaimer: Reference herein to any specific commercial company , product, process, or service by trade name, trademark...data processing rather than data caching and control flow. To make use of this computational power, NVIDIA introduced a general purpose parallel...GPU implementations were run on an Intel Nehalem Xeon E5520 2.26GHz processor with an NVIDIA Tesla C2070 graphics card for varying numbers of

  8. Brain inspired high performance electronics on flexible silicon

    KAUST Repository

    Sevilla, Galo T.

    2014-06-01

    Brain\\'s stunning speed, energy efficiency and massive parallelism makes it the role model for upcoming high performance computation systems. Although human brain components are a million times slower than state of the art silicon industry components [1], they can perform 1016 operations per second while consuming less power than an electrical light bulb. In order to perform the same amount of computation with today\\'s most advanced computers, the output of an entire power station would be needed. In that sense, to obtain brain like computation, ultra-fast devices with ultra-low power consumption will have to be integrated in extremely reduced areas, achievable only if brain folded structure is mimicked. Therefore, to allow brain-inspired computation, flexible and transparent platform will be needed to achieve foldable structures and their integration on asymmetric surfaces. In this work, we show a new method to fabricate 3D and planar FET architectures in flexible and semitransparent silicon fabric without comprising performance and maintaining cost/yield advantage offered by silicon-based electronics.

  9. Photo-Induced Room-Temperature Gas Sensing with a-IGZO Based Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated on Flexible Plastic Foil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knobelspies, Stefan; Bierer, Benedikt; Daus, Alwin; Takabayashi, Alain; Salvatore, Giovanni Antonio; Cantarella, Giuseppe; Ortiz Perez, Alvaro; Wöllenstein, Jürgen; Palzer, Stefan; Tröster, Gerhard

    2018-01-26

    We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT) based on an amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO₂ gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

  10. Photo-Induced Room-Temperature Gas Sensing with a-IGZO Based Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated on Flexible Plastic Foil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Knobelspies

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a gas sensitive thin-film transistor (TFT based on an amorphous Indium–Gallium–Zinc–Oxide (a-IGZO semiconductor as the sensing layer, which is fabricated on a free-standing flexible polyimide foil. The photo-induced sensor response to NO2 gas at room temperature and the cross-sensitivity to humidity are investigated. We combine the advantages of a transistor based sensor with flexible electronics technology to demonstrate the first flexible a-IGZO based gas sensitive TFT. Since flexible plastic substrates prohibit the use of high operating temperatures, the charge generation is promoted with the help of UV-light absorption, which ultimately triggers the reversible chemical reaction with the trace gas. Furthermore, the device fabrication process flow can be directly implemented in standard TFT technology, allowing for the parallel integration of the sensor and analog or logical circuits.

  11. Parallel phase-shifting digital holography based on the fractional Talbot effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez-Leon, Lluis; Climent, Vicent; Lancis, Jesus; Tajahuerce, Enrique [GROC-UJI, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castello (Spain); Araiza-E, Maria [Laboratorio de Procesamiento Digital de Senales, Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas (Mexico); Javidi, Bahram [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, CT 06269-2157 (United States); Andres, Pedro, E-mail: enrique.tajahuerce@uji.e [Departament d' Optica, Universitat de Valencia, 46100 Burjassot (Spain)

    2010-02-01

    A method for recording on-axis single-shot digital holograms based on the self-imaging phenomenon is reported. A simple binary two-dimensional periodic amplitude is used to codify the reference beam in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, generating a periodic three-step phase distribution with uniform irradiance over the sensor plane by fractional Talbot effect. An image sensor records only one shot of the interference between the light field scattered by the object and the codified parallel reference beam. Images of the object are digitally reconstructed from the digital hologram through the numerical evaluation of the Fresnel diffraction integral. This scheme provides an efficient way to perform dynamic phase-shifting interferometric techniques to determine the amplitude and phase of the object light field. Unlike other parallel phase-shifting techniques, neither complex pixelated polarization devices nor special phase diffractive elements are required. Experimental results confirm the feasibility and flexibility of our method.

  12. Synchronous implementation of optoelectronic NOR and XNOR logic gates using parallel synchronization of three chaotic lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Sen-Lin

    2014-01-01

    The parallel synchronization of three chaotic lasers is used to emulate optoelectronic logic NOR and XNOR gates via modulating the light and the current. We deduce a logical computational equation that governs the chaotic synchronization, logical input, and logical output. We construct fundamental gates based on the three chaotic lasers and define the computational principle depending on the parallel synchronization. The logic gate can be implemented by appropriately synchronizing two chaotic lasers. The system shows practicability and flexibility because it can emulate synchronously an XNOR gate, two NOR gates, and so on. The synchronization can still be deteceted when mismatches exist with a certain range. (general)

  13. Application of parallelized software architecture to an autonomous ground vehicle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakya, Rahul; Wright, Adam; Shin, Young Ho; Momin, Orko; Petkovsek, Steven; Wortman, Paul; Gautam, Prasanna; Norton, Adam

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents improvements made to Q, an autonomous ground vehicle designed to participate in the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC). For the 2010 IGVC, Q was upgraded with a new parallelized software architecture and a new vision processor. Improvements were made to the power system reducing the number of batteries required for operation from six to one. In previous years, a single state machine was used to execute the bulk of processing activities including sensor interfacing, data processing, path planning, navigation algorithms and motor control. This inefficient approach led to poor software performance and made it difficult to maintain or modify. For IGVC 2010, the team implemented a modular parallel architecture using the National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW programming language. The new architecture divides all the necessary tasks - motor control, navigation, sensor data collection, etc. into well-organized components that execute in parallel, providing considerable flexibility and facilitating efficient use of processing power. Computer vision is used to detect white lines on the ground and determine their location relative to the robot. With the new vision processor and some optimization of the image processing algorithm used last year, two frames can be acquired and processed in 70ms. With all these improvements, Q placed 2nd in the autonomous challenge.

  14. Scalable High-Performance Parallel Design for Network Intrusion Detection Systems on Many-Core Processors

    OpenAIRE

    Jiang, Hayang; Xie, Gaogang; Salamatian, Kavé; Mathy, Laurent

    2013-01-01

    Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDSes) face significant challenges coming from the relentless network link speed growth and increasing complexity of threats. Both hardware accelerated and parallel software-based NIDS solutions, based on commodity multi-core and GPU processors, have been proposed to overcome these challenges. Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDSes) face significant challenges coming from the relentless network link speed growth and increasing complexity of threats. ...

  15. Planning flexible learning to match the needs of consumers: a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayer, S; Smith, C

    1998-05-01

    The injection of market forces into the National Health Service (NHS) has led to nurse education being viewed as a commodity which educational institutions supply and NHS employers purchase. Conscious of the costs of paying for courses within this new consumer culture, NHS trusts and other health service employers are increasingly looking for cost-effective flexible training to educate their workforce quickly and efficiently. Parallel to this is the accelerated demand for continuing professional development (CPD) brought about by the inception of the UKCC's Post-Registration Education and Practice Project (PREPP). Both registered and enrolled nurses are finding they need professional updating and skills and thus increased access to courses. The increased demand for education and training brought about by these changes cannot be met through traditional methods alone, requiring educational institutions to re-appraise their methods of delivery and introduce more flexible approaches to learning. There is every evidence that this is now the case with open learning, distance learning and flexible approaches to learning ever growing in popularity as providers of nurse education recognize the benefits such approaches offer. The emphasis is on meeting the diverse needs of the health care employers and individuals by providing education that is flexible, learner-centred and customer focused. This paper presents the findings of a national survey to ascertain how providers of flexible education plan educational programmes to meet the needs of their customers. Based on data collected from 120 educational institutions within the higher education, health and social care and private sectors, it highlights: the ways in which flexible learning programmes and courses are delivered; what aspects of flexibility are considered important when designing programmes to meet the needs of prospective customers; and what approaches are used to assess demand for flexible education. The study

  16. A multitransputer parallel processing system (MTPPS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jethra, A.K.; Pande, S.S.; Borkar, S.P.; Khare, A.N.; Ghodgaonkar, M.D.; Bairi, B.R.

    1993-01-01

    This report describes the design and implementation of a 16 node Multi Transputer Parallel Processing System(MTPPS) which is a platform for parallel program development. It is a MIMD machine based on message passing paradigm. The basic compute engine is an Inmos Transputer Ims T800-20. Transputer with local memory constitutes the processing element (NODE) of this MIMD architecture. Multiple NODES can be connected to each other in an identifiable network topology through the high speed serial links of the transputer. A Network Configuration Unit (NCU) incorporates the necessary hardware to provide software controlled network configuration. System is modularly expandable and more NODES can be added to the system to achieve the required processing power. The system is backend to the IBM-PC which has been integrated into the system to provide user I/O interface. PC resources are available to the programmer. Interface hardware between the PC and the network of transputers is INMOS compatible. Therefore, all the commercially available development software compatible to INMOS products can run on this system. While giving the details of design and implementation, this report briefly summarises MIMD Architectures, Transputer Architecture and Parallel Processing Software Development issues. LINPACK performance evaluation of the system and solutions of neutron physics and plasma physics problem have been discussed along with results. (author). 12 refs., 22 figs., 3 tabs., 3 appendixes

  17. Population distribution of flexible molecules from maximum entropy analysis using different priors as background information: application to the Φ, Ψ-conformational space of the α-(1-->2)-linked mannose disaccharide present in N- and O-linked glycoproteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Säwén, Elin; Massad, Tariq; Landersjö, Clas; Damberg, Peter; Widmalm, Göran

    2010-08-21

    The conformational space available to the flexible molecule α-D-Manp-(1-->2)-α-D-Manp-OMe, a model for the α-(1-->2)-linked mannose disaccharide in N- or O-linked glycoproteins, is determined using experimental data and molecular simulation combined with a maximum entropy approach that leads to a converged population distribution utilizing different input information. A database survey of the Protein Data Bank where structures having the constituent disaccharide were retrieved resulted in an ensemble with >200 structures. Subsequent filtering removed erroneous structures and gave the database (DB) ensemble having three classes of mannose-containing compounds, viz., N- and O-linked structures, and ligands to proteins. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the disaccharide revealed a two-state equilibrium with a major and a minor conformational state, i.e., the MD ensemble. These two different conformation ensembles of the disaccharide were compared to measured experimental spectroscopic data for the molecule in water solution. However, neither of the two populations were compatible with experimental data from optical rotation, NMR (1)H,(1)H cross-relaxation rates as well as homo- and heteronuclear (3)J couplings. The conformational distributions were subsequently used as background information to generate priors that were used in a maximum entropy analysis. The resulting posteriors, i.e., the population distributions after the application of the maximum entropy analysis, still showed notable deviations that were not anticipated based on the prior information. Therefore, reparameterization of homo- and heteronuclear Karplus relationships for the glycosidic torsion angles Φ and Ψ were carried out in which the importance of electronegative substituents on the coupling pathway was deemed essential resulting in four derived equations, two (3)J(COCC) and two (3)J(COCH) being different for the Φ and Ψ torsions, respectively. These Karplus relationships are denoted

  18. Flexible Connectors between Capsomer Subunits that Regulate Capsid Assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasek, Mary L; Maurer, Joshua B; Hendrix, Roger W; Duda, Robert L

    2017-08-04

    Viruses build icosahedral capsids of specific size and shape by regulating the spatial arrangement of the hexameric and pentameric protein capsomers in the growing shell during assembly. In the T=7 capsids of Escherichia coli bacteriophage HK97 and other phages, 60 capsomers are hexons, while the rest are pentons that are correctly positioned during assembly. Assembly of the HK97 capsid to the correct size and shape has been shown to depend on specific ionic contacts between capsomers. We now describe additional ionic interactions within capsomers that also regulate assembly. Each is between the long hairpin, the "E-loop," that extends from one subunit to the adjacent subunit within the same capsomer. Glutamate E153 on the E-loop and arginine R210 on the adjacent subunit's backbone alpha-helix form salt bridges in hexamers and pentamers. Mutations that disrupt these salt bridges were lethal for virus production, because the mutant proteins assembled into tubes or sheets instead of capsids. X-ray structures show that the E153-R210 links are flexible and maintained during maturation despite radical changes in capsomer shape. The E153-R210 links appear to form early in assembly to enable capsomers to make programmed changes in their shape during assembly. The links also prevent flattening of capsomers and premature maturation. Mutant phenotypes and modeling support an assembly model in which flexible E153-R210 links mediate capsomer shape changes that control where pentons are placed to create normal-sized capsids. The E-loop may be conserved in other systems in order to play similar roles in regulating assembly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Active Damping Control Methods for Three-Phase Slim DC-link Drive System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Feng; Wang, Dong; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2017-01-01

    for stabilizing such slim dc-link drives together with the benefit of low cost and high flexibility. This paper gives an overview of the state-of-the-art active damping methods for the three-phase slim dc-link drive. The main pros and cons of each method are identified. The theoretical comparison is validated...

  20. An efficient parallel algorithm: Poststack and prestack Kirchhoff 3D depth migration using flexi-depth iterations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rastogi, Richa; Srivastava, Abhishek; Khonde, Kiran; Sirasala, Kirannmayi M.; Londhe, Ashutosh; Chavhan, Hitesh

    2015-07-01

    This paper presents an efficient parallel 3D Kirchhoff depth migration algorithm suitable for current class of multicore architecture. The fundamental Kirchhoff depth migration algorithm exhibits inherent parallelism however, when it comes to 3D data migration, as the data size increases the resource requirement of the algorithm also increases. This challenges its practical implementation even on current generation high performance computing systems. Therefore a smart parallelization approach is essential to handle 3D data for migration. The most compute intensive part of Kirchhoff depth migration algorithm is the calculation of traveltime tables due to its resource requirements such as memory/storage and I/O. In the current research work, we target this area and develop a competent parallel algorithm for post and prestack 3D Kirchhoff depth migration, using hybrid MPI+OpenMP programming techniques. We introduce a concept of flexi-depth iterations while depth migrating data in parallel imaging space, using optimized traveltime table computations. This concept provides flexibility to the algorithm by migrating data in a number of depth iterations, which depends upon the available node memory and the size of data to be migrated during runtime. Furthermore, it minimizes the requirements of storage, I/O and inter-node communication, thus making it advantageous over the conventional parallelization approaches. The developed parallel algorithm is demonstrated and analysed on Yuva II, a PARAM series of supercomputers. Optimization, performance and scalability experiment results along with the migration outcome show the effectiveness of the parallel algorithm.

  1. Interaction Design and User Needs for TV Broadcasts Enriched with Linked Open Data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    L. Pérez Romero (Lilia); L.B. Baltussen; P. van Leeuwen; M. Hildebrand (Michiel); L. Hardman (Lynda)

    2014-01-01

    htmlabstractIncreasingly, people are consuming television content on devices connected to the Internet that allow them to look up related information. In parallel, Europe is publishing growing amounts of Linked Open Data, including rich metadata about its cultural heritage. The goal of the LinkedTV

  2. Practical parallel computing

    CERN Document Server

    Morse, H Stephen

    1994-01-01

    Practical Parallel Computing provides information pertinent to the fundamental aspects of high-performance parallel processing. This book discusses the development of parallel applications on a variety of equipment.Organized into three parts encompassing 12 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the technology trends that converge to favor massively parallel hardware over traditional mainframes and vector machines. This text then gives a tutorial introduction to parallel hardware architectures. Other chapters provide worked-out examples of programs using several parallel languages. Thi

  3. Parallel selection on TRPV6 in human populations

    OpenAIRE

    Hughes, David A; Tang, Kun; Strotmann, Rainer; Schöneberg, Torsten; Prenen, Jean; Nilius, Bernd; Stoneking, Mark

    2008-01-01

    We identified and examined a candidate gene for local directional selection in Europeans, TRPV6, and conclude that selection has acted on standing genetic variation at this locus, creating parallel soft sweep events in humans. A novel modification of the extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH) test was utilized, which compares EHH for a single allele across populations, to investigate the signature of selection at TRPV6 and neighboring linked loci in published data sets for Europeans, Asians an...

  4. Parallel rendering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crockett, Thomas W.

    1995-01-01

    This article provides a broad introduction to the subject of parallel rendering, encompassing both hardware and software systems. The focus is on the underlying concepts and the issues which arise in the design of parallel rendering algorithms and systems. We examine the different types of parallelism and how they can be applied in rendering applications. Concepts from parallel computing, such as data decomposition, task granularity, scalability, and load balancing, are considered in relation to the rendering problem. We also explore concepts from computer graphics, such as coherence and projection, which have a significant impact on the structure of parallel rendering algorithms. Our survey covers a number of practical considerations as well, including the choice of architectural platform, communication and memory requirements, and the problem of image assembly and display. We illustrate the discussion with numerous examples from the parallel rendering literature, representing most of the principal rendering methods currently used in computer graphics.

  5. Locating hardware faults in a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J.; Megerian, Mark G.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Smith, Brian E.

    2010-04-13

    Locating hardware faults in a parallel computer, including defining within a tree network of the parallel computer two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network that together include all the data communications links of the network, each non-overlapping test level comprising two or more adjacent tiers of the tree; defining test cells within each non-overlapping test level, each test cell comprising a subtree of the tree including a subtree root compute node and all descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node within a non-overlapping test level; performing, separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and performing, separately from the uplink tests and separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

  6. Demonstration of flexible multicasting and aggregation functionality for TWDM-PON

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuanxiang; Li, Juhao; Zhu, Paikun; Zhu, Jinglong; Tian, Yu; Wu, Zhongying; Peng, Huangfa; Xu, Yongchi; Chen, Jingbiao; He, Yongqi; Chen, Zhangyuan

    2017-06-01

    The time- and wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (TWDM-PON) has been recognized as an attractive solution to provide broadband access for the next-generation networks. In this paper, we propose flexible service multicasting and aggregation functionality for TWDM-PON utilizing multiple-pump four-wave-mixing (FWM) and cyclic arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). With the proposed scheme, multiple TWDM-PON links share a single optical line terminal (OLT), which can greatly reduce the network deployment expense and achieve efficient network resource utilization by load balancing among different optical distribution networks (ODNs). The proposed scheme is compatible with existing TDM-PON infrastructure with fixed-wavelength OLT transmitter, thus smooth service upgrade can be achieved. Utilizing the proposed scheme, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept experiment with 10-Gb/s OOK and 10-Gb/s QPSK orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal multicasting and aggregating to seven PON links. Compared with back-to-back (BTB) channel, the newly generated multicasting OOK signal and OFDM signal have power penalty of 1.6 dB and 2 dB at the BER of 10-3, respectively. For the aggregation of multiple channels, no obvious power penalty is observed. What is more, to verify the flexibility of the proposed scheme, we reconfigure the wavelength selective switch (WSS) and adjust the number of pumps to realize flexible multicasting functionality. One to three, one to seven, one to thirteen and one to twenty-one multicasting are achieved without modifying OLT structure.

  7. A Flexible Power Electronics Configuration for Coupling Renewable Energy Sources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mattia Filippini

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available A combination of series, parallel and multilevel power electronics has been investigated as a potential interface for two different types of renewable energy sources and in order to reach higher power levels. Renewable energy sources are typically dispersed in a territory, and sources, like wind and solar, allow small to medium-scale generation of electricity. The configuration investigated in this article aims at adapting the coupling solution to the specific generation characteristics of the renewable energy source to make it fit the electrical network. The configuration consists of a combination of three-phase multilevel converters and single-phase inverters, which are designed to provide flexibility, high power quality and high efficiency. A detailed analysis and simulation is performed to identify the properties in conjunction with the electrical grid requirements and the potential challenges encountered during operation. An optimized operation example of wind generation combined with solar PV generation is presented to exemplify the flexibility and benefits of the proposed configuration.

  8. Parallel computations

    CERN Document Server

    1982-01-01

    Parallel Computations focuses on parallel computation, with emphasis on algorithms used in a variety of numerical and physical applications and for many different types of parallel computers. Topics covered range from vectorization of fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) and of the incomplete Cholesky conjugate gradient (ICCG) algorithm on the Cray-1 to calculation of table lookups and piecewise functions. Single tridiagonal linear systems and vectorized computation of reactive flow are also discussed.Comprised of 13 chapters, this volume begins by classifying parallel computers and describing techn

  9. MARBLE: A system for executing expert systems in parallel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Leonard; Johnson, Coe; Johnson, Dean

    1990-01-01

    This paper details the MARBLE 2.0 system which provides a parallel environment for cooperating expert systems. The work has been done in conjunction with the development of an intelligent computer-aided design system, ICADS, by the CAD Research Unit of the Design Institute at California Polytechnic State University. MARBLE (Multiple Accessed Rete Blackboard Linked Experts) is a system of C Language Production Systems (CLIPS) expert system tool. A copied blackboard is used for communication between the shells to establish an architecture which supports cooperating expert systems that execute in parallel. The design of MARBLE is simple, but it provides support for a rich variety of configurations, while making it relatively easy to demonstrate the correctness of its parallel execution features. In its most elementary configuration, individual CLIPS expert systems execute on their own processors and communicate with each other through a modified blackboard. Control of the system as a whole, and specifically of writing to the blackboard is provided by one of the CLIPS expert systems, an expert control system.

  10. A novel conceptual design of parallel nitrogen expansion liquefaction process for small-scale LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant in skid-mount packages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Tianbiao; Ju, Yonglin

    2014-01-01

    The utilization of unconventional natural gas is still a great challenge for China due to its distribution locations and small reserves. Thus, liquefying the unconventional natural gas by using small-scale LNG plant in skid-mount packages is a good choice with great economic benefits. A novel conceptual design of parallel nitrogen expansion liquefaction process for small-scale plant in skid-mount packages has been proposed. It first designs a process configuration. Then, thermodynamic analysis of the process is conducted. Next, an optimization model with genetic algorithm method is developed to optimize the process. Finally, the flexibilities of the process are tested by two different feed gases. In conclusion, the proposed parallel nitrogen expansion liquefaction process can be used in small-scale LNG plant in skid-mount packages with high exergy efficiency and great economic benefits. - Highlights: • A novel design of parallel nitrogen expansion liquefaction process is proposed. • Genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the novel process. • The unit energy consumption of optimized process is 0.5163 kWh/Nm 3 . • The exergy efficiency of the optimized case is 0.3683. • The novel process has a good flexibility for different feed gas conditions

  11. 2000 MCM electrical power jumper cable with controlled flexibility: Design and life cycle test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bultman, D.H.; Sims, J.R.; Reass, W.A.

    1989-01-01

    The ZTH Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) plasma confinement experiment being built at the Los Alamos National Laboratory will use magnet coils to provide ohmic heating currents in the plasma. The ohmic heating coils are supported by a structure that will allow them limited movement with respect to surrounding hardware and the connecting electrical bus work. To minimize displacement-induced stresses in the coils, ''flexible'' power conducting links are necessary to accommodate the relative motion between the bus work and the coils. A semi-flexible 2000 MCM jumper cable has been designed with enough flexibility to allow free movement of the coils, yet it is stiff enough to withstand large magnetically-induced lateral loads and minimize the effect of the lateral loads on the magnet coil leads. A full-power life cycle test of the jumper was performed under magnetic, thermal and dynamic loads that closely simulate the expected operating conditions. This test evaluated the structural and electrical integrity of the jumper as well as the quality and reliability of the bolted electrical connections at the jumper ends in a high-stress, cyclic-loading environment. The jumper cable design is presented with an explanation of the requirements for a semi-flexible link. A description of the life cycle test and test results are given, as well as a description of the test apparatus and setup. 4 figs

  12. Parallel sorting algorithms

    CERN Document Server

    Akl, Selim G

    1985-01-01

    Parallel Sorting Algorithms explains how to use parallel algorithms to sort a sequence of items on a variety of parallel computers. The book reviews the sorting problem, the parallel models of computation, parallel algorithms, and the lower bounds on the parallel sorting problems. The text also presents twenty different algorithms, such as linear arrays, mesh-connected computers, cube-connected computers. Another example where algorithm can be applied is on the shared-memory SIMD (single instruction stream multiple data stream) computers in which the whole sequence to be sorted can fit in the

  13. Modulation of isochronous movements in a flexible environment: links between motion and auditory experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravi, Riccardo; Del Tongo, Claudia; Cohen, Erez James; Dalle Mura, Gabriele; Tognetti, Alessandro; Minciacchi, Diego

    2014-06-01

    The ability to perform isochronous movements while listening to a rhythmic auditory stimulus requires a flexible process that integrates timing information with movement. Here, we explored how non-temporal and temporal characteristics of an auditory stimulus (presence, interval occupancy, and tempo) affect motor performance. These characteristics were chosen on the basis of their ability to modulate the precision and accuracy of synchronized movements. Subjects have participated in sessions in which they performed sets of repeated isochronous wrist's flexion-extensions under various conditions. The conditions were chosen on the basis of the defined characteristics. Kinematic parameters were evaluated during each session, and temporal parameters were analyzed. In order to study the effects of the auditory stimulus, we have minimized all other sensory information that could interfere with its perception or affect the performance of repeated isochronous movements. The present study shows that the distinct characteristics of an auditory stimulus significantly influence isochronous movements by altering their duration. Results provide evidence for an adaptable control of timing in the audio-motor coupling for isochronous movements. This flexibility would make plausible the use of different encoding strategies to adapt audio-motor coupling for specific tasks.

  14. Spring-back of flexible roll forming bending process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Y; Kim, D H; Jung, D W

    2015-01-01

    Simulations are now widely used in the field of roll forming because of their convenience. Simulations provide a low cost, secure and fast analysis tool. Flexible roll forming provides the desired shapes with a one time forming process. For roll forming, the velocity of the sheet and friction are important factors to attain an ideal shape. Because it is a complicated process, simulations provide a better understanding of the roll forming process. Simulations were peformed using ABAQUS software linked to elastic-plastic modules which we developed taking into account of interactions between these fields [1]. The application of this method makes it possible to highlight the strain-stress and mechanical behaviour laws and the spring-back. Thus, the flexible roll forming and bending process can be well described by the simulation software and guide the actual machine. (paper)

  15. On flexibility

    OpenAIRE

    Weiss, Christoph R.; Briglauer, Wolfgang

    2000-01-01

    By building on theoretical work by Mills and Schumann (1985) and Ungern-Sternberg (1990) this paper provides evidence on the determinants of two dimensions of flexibility, the flexibility in adjusting aggregate output over time (tactical flexibility) as well as the ability to switch quickly between products (operational flexibility). Econometric analysis of a sample of 40.000 farms in Upper-Austria for the period 1980 to 1990 suggests that larger full-time farms operated by younger, better ed...

  16. Modeling of Flexible Beams for Robotic Manipulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martins, Jorge; Ayala Botto, Miguel; Costa, Jose sa da

    2002-01-01

    This work treats the problem of modeling robotic manipulators with structural flexibility. A mathematical model of a planar manipulator with a single flexible link is developed. This model is capable of reproducing nonlinear dynamic effects, such as the beam stiffening due to the centrifugal forces induced by the rotation of the joints, giving it the capability to predict reliable dynamic behaviors for a wide range of applications. On the other hand, the model complexity is reduced, in order to keep it amenable for analysis and controller design. The models found in current literature for control design of flexible manipulator arms present dynamic limitations for the sake of real time implementation in a control scheme. These limitations are the result of premature linearization in the formulation of the dynamics equations. In this paper, this common linearization is presented and their dynamic limitations uncovered. An alternative reliable model is then presented. The model is founded on two basic assumptions: inextensibility of the neutral fiber and moderate rotations of the cross sections in order to account for the foreshortening of the beam due to bending. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed model has the closest dynamic behavior to the real beam

  17. Inflexible Parents, Inflexible Kids: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study of Parenting Style and the Development of Psychological Flexibility in Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Kathryn E.; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Heaven, Patrick C. L.

    2012-01-01

    Parenting behaviors have been linked to children's self regulation, but it is less clear how they relate to adolescent psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility is a broad construct that describes an individual's ability to respond appropriately to environmental demands and internal experiences in the service of their goals. We examined…

  18. Dynamics of flexible fibers transported in confined viscous flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cappello, Jean; Duprat, Camille; Du Roure, Olivia; Nagel, Mathias; Gallaire, François; Lindner, Anke

    2017-11-01

    The dynamics of elongated objects has been extensively studied in unbounded media as for example the sedimentation of fibers at low Reynolds numbers. It has recently been shown that these transport dynamics are strongly modified by bounding walls. Here we focus on the dynamics of flexible fibers confined by the top and bottom walls of a microchannel and transported in pressure-driven flows. We combine well-controlled microfluidic experiments and simulations using modified Brinkmann equations. We control shape, orientation, and mechanical properties of our fibers using micro-fabrication techniques and in-situ characterization methods. These elastic fibers can be deformed by viscous and pressure forces leading to very rich transport dynamics coupling lateral drift with shape evolution. We show that the bending of a perpendicular fiber is proportional to an elasto-viscous number and we fully characterize the influence of the confinement on the deformation of the fiber. Experiments on parallel flexible fibers reveal the existence of a buckling threshold. The European Research Council is acknowledged for funding the work through a consolidator Grant (ERC PaDyFlow 682367).

  19. Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator - User's Guide, Version 1.0

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HUTCHINSON, SCOTT A; KEITER, ERIC R.; HOEKSTRA, ROBERT J.; WATERS, LON J.; RUSSO, THOMAS V.; RANKIN, ERIC LAMONT; WIX, STEVEN D.

    2002-11-01

    This manual describes the use of the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator code for simulating electrical circuits at a variety of abstraction levels. The Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator has been written to support,in a rigorous manner, the simulation needs of the Sandia National Laboratories electrical designers. As such, the development has focused on improving the capability over the current state-of-the-art in the following areas: (1) Capability to solve extremely large circuit problems by supporting large-scale parallel computing platforms (up to thousands of processors). Note that this includes support for most popular parallel and serial computers. (2) Improved performance for all numerical kernels (e.g., time integrator, nonlinear and linear solvers) through state-of-the-art algorithms and novel techniques. (3) A client-server or multi-tiered operating model wherein the numerical kernel can operate independently of the graphical user interface (GUI). (4) Object-oriented code design and implementation using modern coding-practices that ensure that the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator will be maintainable and extensible far into the future. The code is a parallel code in the most general sense of the phrase--a message passing parallel implementation--which allows it to run efficiently on the widest possible number of computing platforms. These include serial, shared-memory and distributed-memory parallel as well as heterogeneous platforms. Furthermore, careful attention has been paid to the specific nature of circuit-simulation problems to ensure that optimal parallel efficiency is achieved even as the number of processors grows. Another feature required by designers is the ability to add device models, many specific to the needs of Sandia, to the code. To this end, the device package in the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator is designed to support a variety of device model inputs. These input formats include standard analytical models, behavioral models

  20. Balance and flexibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-12-01

    The 'work-life balance' and flexible working are currently key buzz terms in the NHS. Those looking for more information on these topics should visit Flexibility at www.flexibility.co.uk for a host of resources designed to support new ways of working, including information on flexible workers and flexible rostering, the legal balancing act for work-life balance and home working.

  1. Self-Renewal, Personal Development and Change: An Inexorable Link.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupp, Judy-Arin

    1995-01-01

    Self-renewal, personal development, and change create an inexorable link. Change management processes include the following: (1) internal locus of control; (2) freedom from institutional crutches; (3) flexible teaching; (4) recognition of emotional reactions to change; and (5) identification of the causes of indecisiveness and insecurities. (JOW)

  2. Parallel MR imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deshmane, Anagha; Gulani, Vikas; Griswold, Mark A; Seiberlich, Nicole

    2012-07-01

    Parallel imaging is a robust method for accelerating the acquisition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, and has made possible many new applications of MR imaging. Parallel imaging works by acquiring a reduced amount of k-space data with an array of receiver coils. These undersampled data can be acquired more quickly, but the undersampling leads to aliased images. One of several parallel imaging algorithms can then be used to reconstruct artifact-free images from either the aliased images (SENSE-type reconstruction) or from the undersampled data (GRAPPA-type reconstruction). The advantages of parallel imaging in a clinical setting include faster image acquisition, which can be used, for instance, to shorten breath-hold times resulting in fewer motion-corrupted examinations. In this article the basic concepts behind parallel imaging are introduced. The relationship between undersampling and aliasing is discussed and two commonly used parallel imaging methods, SENSE and GRAPPA, are explained in detail. Examples of artifacts arising from parallel imaging are shown and ways to detect and mitigate these artifacts are described. Finally, several current applications of parallel imaging are presented and recent advancements and promising research in parallel imaging are briefly reviewed. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. DC-Link Protection and Control in Modular Uninterruptible Power Supply

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Jinghang; Savaghebi, Mehdi; Guan, Yajuan

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, a DC-link voltage protection (DCVP) control method is proposed to address the DC-link overvoltage issue due to power back-feeding in parallel Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system. The proposed control method is able to protect the inverter against the excessive DC-link voltage...... by the line impedance mismatching or power back-feeding issue in the UPS system. In addition, an improved consensus-based distributed controller is proposed to alleviate the overshoot issue during the transient process in voltage amplitude and frequency restoration. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed...

  4. High-Performance Psychometrics: The Parallel-E Parallel-M Algorithm for Generalized Latent Variable Models. Research Report. ETS RR-16-34

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Davier, Matthias

    2016-01-01

    This report presents results on a parallel implementation of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for multidimensional latent variable models. The developments presented here are based on code that parallelizes both the E step and the M step of the parallel-E parallel-M algorithm. Examples presented in this report include item response…

  5. Development Of A Parallel Performance Model For The THOR Neutral Particle Transport Code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yessayan, Raffi; Azmy, Yousry; Schunert, Sebastian

    2017-02-01

    The THOR neutral particle transport code enables simulation of complex geometries for various problems from reactor simulations to nuclear non-proliferation. It is undergoing a thorough V&V requiring computational efficiency. This has motivated various improvements including angular parallelization, outer iteration acceleration, and development of peripheral tools. For guiding future improvements to the code’s efficiency, better characterization of its parallel performance is useful. A parallel performance model (PPM) can be used to evaluate the benefits of modifications and to identify performance bottlenecks. Using INL’s Falcon HPC, the PPM development incorporates an evaluation of network communication behavior over heterogeneous links and a functional characterization of the per-cell/angle/group runtime of each major code component. After evaluating several possible sources of variability, this resulted in a communication model and a parallel portion model. The former’s accuracy is bounded by the variability of communication on Falcon while the latter has an error on the order of 1%.

  6. A parallel input composite transimpedance amplifier

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, D. J.; Kim, C.

    2018-01-01

    A new approach to high performance current to voltage preamplifier design is presented. The design using multiple operational amplifiers (op-amps) has a parasitic capacitance compensation network and a composite amplifier topology for fast, precision, and low noise performance. The input stage consisting of a parallel linked JFET op-amps and a high-speed bipolar junction transistor (BJT) gain stage driving the output in the composite amplifier topology, cooperating with the capacitance compensation feedback network, ensures wide bandwidth stability in the presence of input capacitance above 40 nF. The design is ideal for any two-probe measurement, including high impedance transport and scanning tunneling microscopy measurements.

  7. Intelligent spatial ecosystem modeling using parallel processors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maxwell, T.; Costanza, R.

    1993-01-01

    Spatial modeling of ecosystems is essential if one's modeling goals include developing a relatively realistic description of past behavior and predictions of the impacts of alternative management policies on future ecosystem behavior. Development of these models has been limited in the past by the large amount of input data required and the difficulty of even large mainframe serial computers in dealing with large spatial arrays. These two limitations have begun to erode with the increasing availability of remote sensing data and GIS systems to manipulate it, and the development of parallel computer systems which allow computation of large, complex, spatial arrays. Although many forms of dynamic spatial modeling are highly amenable to parallel processing, the primary focus in this project is on process-based landscape models. These models simulate spatial structure by first compartmentalizing the landscape into some geometric design and then describing flows within compartments and spatial processes between compartments according to location-specific algorithms. The authors are currently building and running parallel spatial models at the regional scale for the Patuxent River region in Maryland, the Everglades in Florida, and Barataria Basin in Louisiana. The authors are also planning a project to construct a series of spatially explicit linked ecological and economic simulation models aimed at assessing the long-term potential impacts of global climate change

  8. The effects of the Bowen technique on hamstring flexibility over time: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marr, Michelle; Baker, Julian; Lambon, Nicky; Perry, Jo

    2011-07-01

    The hamstring muscles are regularly implicated in recurrent injuries, movement dysfunction and low back pain. Links between limited flexibility and development of neuromusculoskeletal symptoms are frequently reported. The Bowen Technique is used to treat many conditions including lack of flexibility. The study set out to investigate the effect of the Bowen Technique on hamstring flexibility over time. An assessor-blind, prospective, randomised controlled trial was performed on 120 asymptomatic volunteers. Participants were randomly allocated into a control group or Bowen group. Three flexibility measurements occurred over one week, using an active knee extension test. The intervention group received a single Bowen treatment. A repeated measures univariate analysis of variance, across both groups for the three time periods, revealed significant within-subject and between-subject differences for the Bowen group. Continuing increases in flexibility levels were observed over one week. No significant change over time was noted for the control group. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A SPECT reconstruction method for extending parallel to non-parallel geometries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Junhai; Liang Zhengrong

    2010-01-01

    Due to its simplicity, parallel-beam geometry is usually assumed for the development of image reconstruction algorithms. The established reconstruction methodologies are then extended to fan-beam, cone-beam and other non-parallel geometries for practical application. This situation occurs for quantitative SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging in inverting the attenuated Radon transform. Novikov reported an explicit parallel-beam formula for the inversion of the attenuated Radon transform in 2000. Thereafter, a formula for fan-beam geometry was reported by Bukhgeim and Kazantsev (2002 Preprint N. 99 Sobolev Institute of Mathematics). At the same time, we presented a formula for varying focal-length fan-beam geometry. Sometimes, the reconstruction formula is so implicit that we cannot obtain the explicit reconstruction formula in the non-parallel geometries. In this work, we propose a unified reconstruction framework for extending parallel-beam geometry to any non-parallel geometry using ray-driven techniques. Studies by computer simulations demonstrated the accuracy of the presented unified reconstruction framework for extending parallel-beam to non-parallel geometries in inverting the attenuated Radon transform.

  10. The language parallel Pascal and other aspects of the massively parallel processor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeves, A. P.; Bruner, J. D.

    1982-01-01

    A high level language for the Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) was designed. This language, called Parallel Pascal, is described in detail. A description of the language design, a description of the intermediate language, Parallel P-Code, and details for the MPP implementation are included. Formal descriptions of Parallel Pascal and Parallel P-Code are given. A compiler was developed which converts programs in Parallel Pascal into the intermediate Parallel P-Code language. The code generator to complete the compiler for the MPP is being developed independently. A Parallel Pascal to Pascal translator was also developed. The architecture design for a VLSI version of the MPP was completed with a description of fault tolerant interconnection networks. The memory arrangement aspects of the MPP are discussed and a survey of other high level languages is given.

  11. Parallel Atomistic Simulations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HEFFELFINGER,GRANT S.

    2000-01-18

    Algorithms developed to enable the use of atomistic molecular simulation methods with parallel computers are reviewed. Methods appropriate for bonded as well as non-bonded (and charged) interactions are included. While strategies for obtaining parallel molecular simulations have been developed for the full variety of atomistic simulation methods, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo have received the most attention. Three main types of parallel molecular dynamics simulations have been developed, the replicated data decomposition, the spatial decomposition, and the force decomposition. For Monte Carlo simulations, parallel algorithms have been developed which can be divided into two categories, those which require a modified Markov chain and those which do not. Parallel algorithms developed for other simulation methods such as Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo, grand canonical molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods for protein structure determination are also reviewed and issues such as how to measure parallel efficiency, especially in the case of parallel Monte Carlo algorithms with modified Markov chains are discussed.

  12. Long-time atomistic simulations with the Parallel Replica Dynamics method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Danny

    Molecular Dynamics (MD) -- the numerical integration of atomistic equations of motion -- is a workhorse of computational materials science. Indeed, MD can in principle be used to obtain any thermodynamic or kinetic quantity, without introducing any approximation or assumptions beyond the adequacy of the interaction potential. It is therefore an extremely powerful and flexible tool to study materials with atomistic spatio-temporal resolution. These enviable qualities however come at a steep computational price, hence limiting the system sizes and simulation times that can be achieved in practice. While the size limitation can be efficiently addressed with massively parallel implementations of MD based on spatial decomposition strategies, allowing for the simulation of trillions of atoms, the same approach usually cannot extend the timescales much beyond microseconds. In this article, we discuss an alternative parallel-in-time approach, the Parallel Replica Dynamics (ParRep) method, that aims at addressing the timescale limitation of MD for systems that evolve through rare state-to-state transitions. We review the formal underpinnings of the method and demonstrate that it can provide arbitrarily accurate results for any definition of the states. When an adequate definition of the states is available, ParRep can simulate trajectories with a parallel speedup approaching the number of replicas used. We demonstrate the usefulness of ParRep by presenting different examples of materials simulations where access to long timescales was essential to access the physical regime of interest and discuss practical considerations that must be addressed to carry out these simulations. Work supported by the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

  13. Restoration of muscle mitochondrial function and metabolic flexibility in type 2 diabetes by exercise training is paralleled by increased myocellular fat storage and improved insulin sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meex, Ruth C R; Schrauwen-Hinderling, Vera B; Moonen-Kornips, Esther; Schaart, Gert; Mensink, Marco; Phielix, Esther; van de Weijer, Tineke; Sels, Jean-Pierre; Schrauwen, Patrick; Hesselink, Matthijs K C

    2010-03-01

    Mitochondrial dysfunction and fat accumulation in skeletal muscle (increased intramyocellular lipid [IMCL]) have been linked to development of type 2 diabetes. We examined whether exercise training could restore mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes. Eighteen male type 2 diabetic and 20 healthy male control subjects of comparable body weight, BMI, age, and VO2max participated in a 12-week combined progressive training program (three times per week and 45 min per session). In vivo mitochondrial function (assessed via magnetic resonance spectroscopy), insulin sensitivity (clamp), metabolic flexibility (indirect calorimetry), and IMCL content (histochemically) were measured before and after training. Mitochondrial function was lower in type 2 diabetic compared with control subjects (P = 0.03), improved by training in control subjects (28% increase; P = 0.02), and restored to control values in type 2 diabetic subjects (48% increase; P type 2 diabetic subjects (delta Rd 63% increase; P type 2 diabetic subjects was restored (delta respiratory exchange ratio 63% increase; P = 0.01) but was unchanged in control subjects (delta respiratory exchange ratio 7% increase; P = 0.22). Starting with comparable pretraining IMCL levels, training tended to increase IMCL content in type 2 diabetic subjects (27% increase; P = 0.10), especially in type 2 muscle fibers. Exercise training restored in vivo mitochondrial function in type 2 diabetic subjects. Insulin-mediated glucose disposal and metabolic flexibility improved in type 2 diabetic subjects in the face of near-significantly increased IMCL content. This indicates that increased capacity to store IMCL and restoration of improved mitochondrial function contribute to improved muscle insulin sensitivity.

  14. The S-LINK in the data sources for trigger demonstrators in the LHC environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hajduk, Z.; Iwanski, W.; Korcyl, K.; Olszowska, J.; Bij, H.C. van der

    1998-01-01

    The hardware for the data sources to be used in the ATLAS trigger demonstrator program has been designed and built. As a basic element, the SLATE2 module has been used. The S-LINK protocol, as a transferring data standard, has been chosen. A cheap implementation of the S-LINK, the Parallel Electrical S-LINK, has been built. Featuring all the specification laid down in the standard it uses a parallel twisted pair copper cable as a physical layer. A standard SCSI cable has been used. Both the Source and Destination Cards have the same PCB layout. The link may receive 32-bit wide data words at max 40 MHz input rate. Running with 40 MHz link clock, it outputs 32-bit data at a rate of 20 MHz, giving a total a bandwidth of 80 MB/s. The authors report on main characteristics of these implementations. The SLATE2SLINK cad has been built to interface the SLATE motherboard to the S-LINK environment. This daughter card is capable to house and independently control 3 S-LINK sites. Running with the 25 MHz SLATE's clock and 32-bit data, it features a total bandwidth up to 300 MB/s

  15. Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator : users' guide, version 2.0.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoekstra, Robert John; Waters, Lon J.; Rankin, Eric Lamont; Fixel, Deborah A.; Russo, Thomas V.; Keiter, Eric Richard; Hutchinson, Scott Alan; Pawlowski, Roger Patrick; Wix, Steven D.

    2004-06-01

    These input formats include standard analytical models, behavioral models look-up Parallel Electronic Simulator is designed to support a variety of device model inputs. tables, and mesh-level PDE device models. Combined with this flexible interface is an architectural design that greatly simplifies the addition of circuit models. One of the most important feature of Xyce is in providing a platform for computational research and development aimed specifically at the needs of the Laboratory. With Xyce, Sandia now has an 'in-house' capability with which both new electrical (e.g., device model development) and algorithmic (e.g., faster time-integration methods) research and development can be performed. Ultimately, these capabilities are migrated to end users.

  16. Highly-wrinkled reduced graphene oxide-conductive polymer fibers for flexible fiber-shaped and interdigital-designed supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bo; Cheng, Jianli; Wang, Zhuanpei; Li, Yinchuan; Ni, Wei; Wang, Bin

    2018-02-01

    Flexible supercapacitors have attracted great interest due to outstanding flexibility and light weight. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fibers have the great potential in using as electrodes for flexible supercapacitors due to the good flexibility. However, the reported conductivity and specific capacitance of these PEDOT: PSS fibers are not very high, which limit their electrochemical performances. In this work, composite fibers of reduced graphene oxide(rGO)-PEDOT: PSS with a highly-wrinkled structure on the surface and pores inside are prepared by wet spinning. The fibers with different ratios of graphene to PEDOT:PSS show a distinctly enhanced conductivity up to ca. 590 S·cm-1 and high strength up to ca. 18.4 MPa. Meanwhile, the composite fibers show an improved electrochemical performances, including a high specific areal capacitance of 131 mF cm-2 and high specific areal energy density of 4.55 μWh·cm-2. The flexible supercapacitors including fiber-shaped supercapacitors and interdigital designed supercapacitors not only could work in different bending states without obvious capacitance decay, but also have small leakage current. The interdigital design can further improve the performances of composite fibers with high capacitance and high utilization compared with traditional parallel connected structure.

  17. Office flexible cystoscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavoussi, L R; Clayman, R V

    1988-11-01

    Since the development of the first purpose-built flexible cystoscope in 1984, flexible cystoscopy has become an accepted diagnostic and therapeutic modality. Indeed, it is estimated that more than 10 per cent of practicing urologists are already familiar with this technology. The flexible cystoscope has markedly extended the urologist's ability to examine the bladder, and it has become a valuable adjunct to the rigid cystoscope. Although the operation of this instrument is vastly different from that of its rigid counterpart, with practice, the technique can be learned. After experience is obtained with diagnostic flexible cystoscopy, the urologist will likely prefer this new instrument for bladder inspection, as it provides for a more thorough yet less morbid and less expensive examination. In the future, the development of improved and smaller instrumentation will further extend the therapeutic indications for flexible cystoscopy. Indeed, advances in laser technology are already providing the urologist with 300- to 600-micron (0.9 to 1.8F) flexible probes capable of incision (KTP laser), fulguration (Nd:YAG laser), and stone disintegration (tunable dye laser). Lastly, the skills obtained in using the flexible cystoscope are all readily applicable to the development of dexterity with the already available flexible nephroscope and the more recently developed flexible ureteroscope.

  18. Simple and flexible SAS and SPSS programs for analyzing lag-sequential categorical data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, B P

    1999-11-01

    This paper describes simple and flexible programs for analyzing lag-sequential categorical data, using SAS and SPSS. The programs read a stream of codes and produce a variety of lag-sequential statistics, including transitional frequencies, expected transitional frequencies, transitional probabilities, adjusted residuals, z values, Yule's Q values, likelihood ratio tests of stationarity across time and homogeneity across groups or segments, transformed kappas for unidirectional dependence, bidirectional dependence, parallel and nonparallel dominance, and significance levels based on both parametric and randomization tests.

  19. Parallel integer sorting with medium and fine-scale parallelism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagum, Leonardo

    1993-01-01

    Two new parallel integer sorting algorithms, queue-sort and barrel-sort, are presented and analyzed in detail. These algorithms do not have optimal parallel complexity, yet they show very good performance in practice. Queue-sort designed for fine-scale parallel architectures which allow the queueing of multiple messages to the same destination. Barrel-sort is designed for medium-scale parallel architectures with a high message passing overhead. The performance results from the implementation of queue-sort on a Connection Machine CM-2 and barrel-sort on a 128 processor iPSC/860 are given. The two implementations are found to be comparable in performance but not as good as a fully vectorized bucket sort on the Cray YMP.

  20. About Parallel Programming: Paradigms, Parallel Execution and Collaborative Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loredana MOCEAN

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available In the last years, there were made efforts for delineation of a stabile and unitary frame, where the problems of logical parallel processing must find solutions at least at the level of imperative languages. The results obtained by now are not at the level of the made efforts. This paper wants to be a little contribution at these efforts. We propose an overview in parallel programming, parallel execution and collaborative systems.

  1. Parallel computing works!

    CERN Document Server

    Fox, Geoffrey C; Messina, Guiseppe C

    2014-01-01

    A clear illustration of how parallel computers can be successfully appliedto large-scale scientific computations. This book demonstrates how avariety of applications in physics, biology, mathematics and other scienceswere implemented on real parallel computers to produce new scientificresults. It investigates issues of fine-grained parallelism relevant forfuture supercomputers with particular emphasis on hypercube architecture. The authors describe how they used an experimental approach to configuredifferent massively parallel machines, design and implement basic systemsoftware, and develop

  2. Analysis of Retransmission Policies for Parallel Data Transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. A. Halepoto

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Stream control transmission protocol (SCTP is a transport layer protocol, which is efficient, reliable, and connection-oriented as compared to transmission control protocol (TCP and user datagram protocol (UDP. Additionally, SCTP has more innovative features like multihoming, multistreaming and unordered delivery. With multihoming, SCTP establishes multiple paths between a sender and receiver. However, it only uses the primary path for data transmission and the secondary path (or paths for fault tolerance. Concurrent multipath transfer extension of SCTP (CMT-SCTP allows a sender to transmit data in parallel over multiple paths, which increases the overall transmission throughput. Parallel data transmission is beneficial for higher data rates. Parallel transmission or connection is also good in services such as video streaming where if one connection is occupied with errors the transmission continues on alternate links. With parallel transmission, the unordered data packets arrival is very common at receiver. The receiver has to wait until the missing data packets arrive, causing performance degradation while using CMT-SCTP. In order to reduce the transmission delay at the receiver, CMT-SCTP uses intelligent retransmission polices to immediately retransmit the missing packets. The retransmission policies used by CMT-SCTP are RTX-SSTHRESH, RTX-LOSSRATE and RTX-CWND. The main objective of this paper is the performance analysis of the retransmission policies. This paper evaluates RTX-SSTHRESH, RTX-LOSSRATE and RTX-CWND. Simulations are performed on the Network Simulator 2. In the simulations with various scenarios and parameters, it is observed that the RTX-LOSSRATE is a suitable policy.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. A Flexible Computational Framework Using R and Map-Reduce for Permutation Tests of Massive Genetic Analysis of Complex Traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahjani, Behrang; Toor, Salman; Nettelblad, Carl; Holmgren, Sverker

    2017-01-01

    In quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping significance of putative QTL is often determined using permutation testing. The computational needs to calculate the significance level are immense, 10 4 up to 10 8 or even more permutations can be needed. We have previously introduced the PruneDIRECT algorithm for multiple QTL scan with epistatic interactions. This algorithm has specific strengths for permutation testing. Here, we present a flexible, parallel computing framework for identifying multiple interacting QTL using the PruneDIRECT algorithm which uses the map-reduce model as implemented in Hadoop. The framework is implemented in R, a widely used software tool among geneticists. This enables users to rearrange algorithmic steps to adapt genetic models, search algorithms, and parallelization steps to their needs in a flexible way. Our work underlines the maturity of accessing distributed parallel computing for computationally demanding bioinformatics applications through building workflows within existing scientific environments. We investigate the PruneDIRECT algorithm, comparing its performance to exhaustive search and DIRECT algorithm using our framework on a public cloud resource. We find that PruneDIRECT is vastly superior for permutation testing, and perform 2 ×10 5 permutations for a 2D QTL problem in 15 hours, using 100 cloud processes. We show that our framework scales out almost linearly for a 3D QTL search.

  6. Flexible structured high-frequency film bulk acoustic resonator for flexible wireless electronics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Changjian; Shu, Yi; Yang, Yi; Ren, Tian-Ling; Jin, Hao; Dong, Shu-Rong; Chan, Mansun

    2015-01-01

    Flexible electronics have inspired many novel and very important applications in recent years and various flexible electronic devices such as diodes, transistors, circuits, sensors, and radiofrequency (RF) passive devices including antennas and inductors have been reported. However, the lack of a high-performance RF resonator is one of the key bottlenecks to implement flexible wireless electronics. In this study, for the first time, a novel ultra-flexible structured film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) is proposed. The flexible FBAR is fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate using piezoelectric thin film aluminum nitride (AlN) for acoustic wave excitation. Both the shear wave and longitudinal wave can be excited under the surface interdigital electrodes configuration we proposed. In the case of the thickness extension mode, a flexible resonator with a working frequency as high as of 5.2325 GHz has been realized. The resonators stay fully functional under bending status and after repeated bending and re-flattening operations. This flexible high-frequency resonator will serve as a key building block for the future flexible wireless electronics, greatly expanding the application scope of flexible electronics. (paper)

  7. Flexibility of Gender Stereotypes: Italian Study on Comparative Gender-consistent and Gender-inconsistent Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabetta Sagone

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The topic of this study is flexibility in gender stereotyping linked to attribution of toys, socio-cognitive traits, and occupations in 160 Italian children aged 6 to 12 years. We used the Gender Toys Choice, the Gender Traits Choice, and the Gender Jobs Choice, a selected set of colored cards containing masculine and feminine stimuli to assign to a male or female or both male and female silhouette (the flexible-choice technique. In order to verify the change of flexibility in gender stereotyping, we made use of four cartoon stories with male and female characters with typical or atypical traits and performing gender-consistent or gender-inconsistent activities. Results indicated that the exposure to cartoon stories with gender-inconsistent information rather than cartoon stories with gender-consistent information increased flexibility in gender stereotyping, showing age differences in favor of children aged 11-12. Implications in relation to the developmental-constructivist approach were noted.

  8. A Triblock Copolymer Design Leads to Robust Hybrid Hydrogels for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guangzhao; Chen, Yunhua; Deng, Yonghong; Wang, Chaoyang

    2017-10-18

    We report here an intriguing hybrid conductive hydrogel as electrode for high-performance flexible supercapacitor. The key is using a rationally designed water-soluble ABA triblock copolymer (termed as IAOAI) containing a central poly(ethylene oxide) block (A) and terminal poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) block with aniline moieties randomly incorporated (B), which was synthesized by reversible additional fragment transfer polymerization. The subsequent copolymerization of aniline monomers with the terminated aniline moieties on the IAOAI polymer generates a three-dimensional cross-linking hybrid network. The hybrid hydrogel electrode demonstrates robust mechanical flexibility, remarkable electrochemical capacitance (919 F/g), and cyclic stability (90% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles). Moreover, the flexible supercapacitor based on this hybrid hydrogel electrode presents a large specific capacitance (187 F/g), superior to most reported conductive hydrogel-based supercapacitors. With the demonstrated additional favorable cyclic stability and excellent capacitive and rate performance, this hybrid hydrogel-based supercapacitor holds great promise for flexible energy-storage device.

  9. The Development of a Flexible Measuring System for Muscle Volume Using Ultrasonography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukumoto, Kiyotaka; Fukuda, Osamu; Tsubai, Masayoshi; Muraki, Satoshi

    Quantification of muscle volume can be used as a means for the estimation of muscle strength. Its measuring process does not need the subject's muscular contractions so it is completely safe and particularly suited for elderly people. Therefore, we have developed a flexible measuring system for muscle volume using ultrasonography. In this system, an ultrasound probe is installed on a link mechanism which continuously scans fragmental images along the human body surface. These images are then measured and composed into a wide area cross-sectional image based on the spatial compounding method. The flexibility of the link mechanism enables the operator to measure the images under any body postures and body site. The spatial compounding method significantly reduces speckle and artifact noises from the composed cross-sectional image so that the operator can observe the individual muscles, such as Rectus femoris, Vastus intermedius, and so on, in detail. We conducted the experiments in order to examine the advantages of this system we have developed. The experimental results showed a high accuracy of the measuring position which was calculated using the link mechanism and presented the noise reduction effect based on the spatial compounding method. Finally, we confirmed high correlations between the MRI images and the ones of the developed system to verify the validity of the system.

  10. Flexibility@Work 2013: yearly report on flexible labor and employment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berkhout, E.; Heyma, A.; Prins, J.

    2013-01-01

    There is no clear evidence that the strong growth in the share of flexible labor relations between 2002 and 2007 points at a worldwide trend towards a larger share of flexible labor at the expense of traditional open-ended labor contracts. The growth in flexible labor varies too much between

  11. Endpoint-based parallel data processing in a parallel active messaging interface of a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Smith, Brian E.

    2014-08-12

    Endpoint-based parallel data processing in a parallel active messaging interface (`PAMI`) of a parallel computer, the PAMI composed of data communications endpoints, each endpoint including a specification of data communications parameters for a thread of execution on a compute node, including specifications of a client, a context, and a task, the compute nodes coupled for data communications through the PAMI, including establishing a data communications geometry, the geometry specifying, for tasks representing processes of execution of the parallel application, a set of endpoints that are used in collective operations of the PAMI including a plurality of endpoints for one of the tasks; receiving in endpoints of the geometry an instruction for a collective operation; and executing the instruction for a collective operation through the endpoints in dependence upon the geometry, including dividing data communications operations among the plurality of endpoints for one of the tasks.

  12. Data Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) Code User Manual: Acadia - Version 4.01.1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Michael J.; White, Todd; Mangini, Nancy

    2009-01-01

    Data-Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) code is a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solver that was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to help mission support teams generate high-value predictive solutions for hypersonic flow field problems. The DPLR Code Package is an MPI-based, parallel, full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes CFD solver with generalized models for finite-rate reaction kinetics, thermal and chemical non-equilibrium, accurate high-temperature transport coefficients, and ionized flow physics incorporated into the code. DPLR also includes a large selection of generalized realistic surface boundary conditions and links to enable loose coupling with external thermal protection system (TPS) material response and shock layer radiation codes.

  13. Numerical Modeling and Mechanical Analysis of Flexible Risers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Y. Li

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available ABAQUS is used to create a detailed finite element model for a 10-layer unbonded flexible riser to simulate the riser’s mechanical behavior under three load conditions: tension force and internal and external pressure. It presents a technique to create detailed finite element model and to analyze flexible risers. In FEM model, all layers are modeled separately with contact interfaces; interaction between steel trips in certain layers has been considered as well. FEM model considering contact interaction, geometric nonlinearity, and friction has been employed to accurately simulate the structural behavior of riser. The model includes the main features of the riser geometry with very little simplifying assumptions. The model was solved using a fully explicit time-integration scheme implemented in a parallel environment on an eight-processor cluster and 24 G memory computer. There is a very good agreement obtained from numerical and analytical comparisons, which validates the use of numerical model here. The results from the numerical simulation show that the numerical model takes into account various details of the riser. It has been shown that the detailed finite element model can be used to predict riser’s mechanics behavior under various load cases and bound conditions.

  14. Feynman’s clock, a new variational principle, and parallel-in-time quantum dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClean, Jarrod R.; Parkhill, John A.; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán

    2013-01-01

    We introduce a discrete-time variational principle inspired by the quantum clock originally proposed by Feynman and use it to write down quantum evolution as a ground-state eigenvalue problem. The construction allows one to apply ground-state quantum many-body theory to quantum dynamics, extending the reach of many highly developed tools from this fertile research area. Moreover, this formalism naturally leads to an algorithm to parallelize quantum simulation over time. We draw an explicit connection between previously known time-dependent variational principles and the time-embedded variational principle presented. Sample calculations are presented, applying the idea to a hydrogen molecule and the spin degrees of freedom of a model inorganic compound, demonstrating the parallel speedup of our method as well as its flexibility in applying ground-state methodologies. Finally, we take advantage of the unique perspective of this variational principle to examine the error of basis approximations in quantum dynamics. PMID:24062428

  15. Flexible Data Link

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-01

    DDC ) results in more complicated digital (FPGA) processing, yet simplifies the analog design significantly while improving the quality of the...Interleaved CP Cyclic Prefix DAC Digital to Analog Converter DDC Digital Down Converter DDR Double Data Rate DUC Digital Up Converter ENOB Effective

  16. Potential conflict between TRIPS and GATT concerning parallel importation of drugs and possible solution to prevent undesirable market segmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Chang-Fa

    2011-01-01

    From international perspective, parallel importation, especially with respect to drugs, has to do with the exhaustion principle in Article 6 of the TRIPS Agreement and the general exception in Article XX of the GATT 1994. Issues concerning the TRIPS Agreement have been constant topics of discussion. However, parallel importation in relation to the general rules of the GATT 1994 as well as to its exceptions provided in Article XX was not seriously discussed. In the view of the paper, there is a conflict between the provisions in these two agreements. The paper explains such conflict and tries to propose a method of interpretation to resolve the conflict between GATT Article XX and TRIPS Article 6 concerning parallel importation for the purpose of reducing the possible undesirable market segmentation in pharmaceutical sector. The method suggested in the paper is a proper application of good faith principle in the Vienna Convention to interpret GATT Article XX, so that there could be some flexibility for those prohibitions of parallel importation which have positive effect on international trade.

  17. Dynamic Analysis and Vibration Attenuation of Cable-Driven Parallel Manipulators for Large Workspace Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingli Du

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cable-driven parallel manipulators are one of the best solutions to achieving large workspace since flexible cables can be easily stored on reels. However, due to the negligible flexural stiffness of cables, long cables will unavoidably vibrate during operation for large workspace applications. In this paper a finite element model for cable-driven parallel manipulators is proposed to mimic small amplitude vibration of cables around their desired position. Output feedback of the cable tension variation at the end of the end-effector is utilized to design the vibration attenuation controller which aims at attenuating the vibration of cables by slightly varying the cable length, thus decreasing its effect on the end-effector. When cable vibration is attenuated, motion controller could be designed for implementing precise large motion to track given trajectories. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the dynamic model and the control algorithm.

  18. Linked Data: Forming Partnerships at the Data Layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, A.; Chandler, C. L.; Arko, R. A.; Jones, M. B.; Hitzler, P.; Janowicz, K.; Krisnadhi, A.; Schildhauer, M.; Fils, D.; Narock, T.; Groman, R. C.; O'Brien, M.; Patton, E. W.; Kinkade, D.; Rauch, S.

    2015-12-01

    The challenges presented by big data are straining data management software architectures of the past. For smaller existing data facilities, the technical refactoring of software layers become costly to scale across the big data landscape. In response to these challenges, data facilities will need partnerships with external entities for improved solutions to perform tasks such as data cataloging, discovery and reuse, and data integration and processing with provenance. At its surface, the concept of linked open data suggests an uncalculated altruism. Yet, in his concept of five star open data, Tim Berners-Lee explains the strategic costs and benefits of deploying linked open data from the perspective of its consumer and producer - a data partnership. The Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) addresses some of the emerging needs of its research community by partnering with groups doing complementary work and linking their respective data layers using linked open data principles. Examples will show how these links, explicit manifestations of partnerships, reduce technical debt and provide a swift flexibility for future considerations.

  19. Game-based training of flexibility and attention improves task-switch performance: near and far transfer of cognitive training in an EEG study

    OpenAIRE

    Olfers, Kerwin J. F.; Band, Guido P. H.

    2017-01-01

    There is a demand for ways to enhance cognitive flexibility, as it can be a limiting factor for performance in daily life. Video game training has been linked to advantages in cognitive functioning, raising the question if training with video games can promote cognitive flexibility. In the current study, we investigated if game-based computerized cognitive training (GCCT) could enhance cognitive flexibility in a healthy young adult sample (N = 72), as measured by task-switch performance. Thre...

  20. Highly Parallelized Pattern Matching Execution for the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Citraro, Saverio; The ATLAS collaboration

    2015-01-01

    The trigger system of the ATLAS experiment at LHC will extend its rejection capabilities during operations in 2015-2018 by introducing the Fast TracKer system (FTK). FTK is a hardware based system capable of finding charged particle tracks by analyzing hits in silicon detectors at the rate of 105 events per second. The core of track reconstruction is performed into two pipelined steps. At first step the candidate tracks are found by matching combination of low resolution hits to predefined patterns; then they are used in the second step to seed a more precise track fitting algorithm. The key FTK component is an Associative Memory (AM) system that is used to perform pattern matching with high degree of parallelism. The AM system implementation, the AM Serial Link Processor, is based on an extremely powerful network of 2 Gb/s serial links to sustain a huge traffic of data. We report on the design of the Serial Link Processor consisting of two types of boards, the Little Associative Memory Board (LAMB), a mezzan...

  1. Highly Parallelized Pattern Matching Execution for the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Citraro, Saverio; The ATLAS collaboration

    2015-01-01

    Abstract– The Associative Memory (AM) system of the Fast Tracker (FTK) processor has been designed to perform pattern matching using as input the data from the silicon tracker in the ATLAS experiment. The AM is the primary component of the FTK system and is designed using ASIC technology (the AM chip) to execute pattern matching with a high degree of parallelism. The FTK system finds track candidates at low resolution that are seeds for a full resolution track fitting. The AM system implementation is named “Serial Link Processor” and is based on an extremely powerful network of 2 Gb/s serial links to sustain a huge traffic of data. This paper reports on the design of the Serial Link Processor consisting of two types of boards, the Little Associative Memory Board (LAMB), a mezzanine where the AM chips are mounted, and the Associative Memory Board (AMB), a 9U VME motherboard which hosts four LAMB daughterboards. We also report on the performance of the prototypes (both hardware and firmware) produced and ...

  2. Efficient Parallel Engineering Computing on Linux Workstations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, John Z.

    2010-01-01

    A C software module has been developed that creates lightweight processes (LWPs) dynamically to achieve parallel computing performance in a variety of engineering simulation and analysis applications to support NASA and DoD project tasks. The required interface between the module and the application it supports is simple, minimal and almost completely transparent to the user applications, and it can achieve nearly ideal computing speed-up on multi-CPU engineering workstations of all operating system platforms. The module can be integrated into an existing application (C, C++, Fortran and others) either as part of a compiled module or as a dynamically linked library (DLL).

  3. Parallel phase model : a programming model for high-end parallel machines with manycores.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Junfeng (Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY); Wen, Zhaofang; Heroux, Michael Allen; Brightwell, Ronald Brian

    2009-04-01

    This paper presents a parallel programming model, Parallel Phase Model (PPM), for next-generation high-end parallel machines based on a distributed memory architecture consisting of a networked cluster of nodes with a large number of cores on each node. PPM has a unified high-level programming abstraction that facilitates the design and implementation of parallel algorithms to exploit both the parallelism of the many cores and the parallelism at the cluster level. The programming abstraction will be suitable for expressing both fine-grained and coarse-grained parallelism. It includes a few high-level parallel programming language constructs that can be added as an extension to an existing (sequential or parallel) programming language such as C; and the implementation of PPM also includes a light-weight runtime library that runs on top of an existing network communication software layer (e.g. MPI). Design philosophy of PPM and details of the programming abstraction are also presented. Several unstructured applications that inherently require high-volume random fine-grained data accesses have been implemented in PPM with very promising results.

  4. Development of Flexible Link Slabs using Ductile Fiber Reinforced Concrete

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lárusson, Lárus Helgi

    Civil engineering structures with large dimensions, such as multi-span bridges, overpasses and viaducts, are typically equipped with mechanical expansion joints. These joints allow the individual spans of the structure to undergo unrestrained deformations due to thermal expansions and load......-deformation response and crack development of representative sections of the reinforced composites, and iv) detailing, designing and testing of large scale prefabricated link slab elements. In addition, an application of ductile Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) in prefabricated floor panels is presented...... crack widths and crack spacing measurements are obtained, which can characterize the tensile behavior of ECC. In chapter 3 on interfacial bond, the bond slip behavior and crack development, between the reinforcement and surrounding cementitious matrix is investigated in a unique test setup with special...

  5. Systematic approach for deriving feasible mappings of parallel algorithms to parallel computing platforms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arkin, Ethem; Tekinerdogan, Bedir; Imre, Kayhan M.

    2017-01-01

    The need for high-performance computing together with the increasing trend from single processor to parallel computer architectures has leveraged the adoption of parallel computing. To benefit from parallel computing power, usually parallel algorithms are defined that can be mapped and executed

  6. The aquadeb project (phase i): Analysing the physiological flexibility processes by using dynamic energy budgets.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alunno-Bruscia, M.; v.d. Veer, H.; Kooijman, S.A.L.M.

    2009-01-01

    The European Research Project AquaDEB (2007-2011, http://www.ifremer.fr/aquadeb/) is joining skills and expertise of some French and Dutch research institutes and universities to analyse the physiological flexibility of aquatic organisms and to link it to ecological and evolutionary processes within

  7. Parallel algorithms

    CERN Document Server

    Casanova, Henri; Robert, Yves

    2008-01-01

    ""…The authors of the present book, who have extensive credentials in both research and instruction in the area of parallelism, present a sound, principled treatment of parallel algorithms. … This book is very well written and extremely well designed from an instructional point of view. … The authors have created an instructive and fascinating text. The book will serve researchers as well as instructors who need a solid, readable text for a course on parallelism in computing. Indeed, for anyone who wants an understandable text from which to acquire a current, rigorous, and broad vi

  8. Linking fungal secondary metabolites and pathways to their genes in Aspergillus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Lene Maj

    . oryzae metabolites, however, revealed the chemical link between the two species. In two parallel projects, involving A. niger and A. aculeatus respectively, the polyketide 6-methyl salicylic acid (6-MSA), and corresponding biosynthetic pathways, were investigated. In A. niger, 6-MSA was converted...

  9. SeisFlows-Flexible waveform inversion software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modrak, Ryan T.; Borisov, Dmitry; Lefebvre, Matthieu; Tromp, Jeroen

    2018-06-01

    SeisFlows is an open source Python package that provides a customizable waveform inversion workflow and framework for research in oil and gas exploration, earthquake tomography, medical imaging, and other areas. New methods can be rapidly prototyped in SeisFlows by inheriting from default inversion or migration classes, and code can be tested on 2D examples before application to more expensive 3D problems. Wave simulations must be performed using an external software package such as SPECFEM3D. The ability to interface with external solvers lends flexibility, and the choice of SPECFEM3D as a default option provides optional GPU acceleration and other useful capabilities. Through support for massively parallel solvers and interfaces for high-performance computing (HPC) systems, inversions with thousands of seismic traces and billions of model parameters can be performed. So far, SeisFlows has run on clusters managed by the Department of Defense, Chevron Corp., Total S.A., Princeton University, and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

  10. Dynamic Model of a Rotating Flexible Arm-Flexible Root Mechanism Driven by a Shaft Flexible in Torsion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.Z. Ismail

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a dynamic model of a rotating flexible beam carrying a payload at its tip. The model accounts for the driving shaft and the arm root flexibilities. The finite element method and the Lagrangian dynamics are used in deriving the equations of motion with the small deformation theory assumptions and the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The obtained model is a nonlinear-coupled system of differential equations. The model is simulated for different combinations of shaft and root flexibilities and arm properties. The simulation results showed that the root flexibility is an important factor that should be considered in association with the arm and shaft flexibilities, as its dynamics influence the motor motion. Moreover, the effect of system non-linearity on the dynamic behavior is investigated by simulating the equivalent linearized system and it was found to be an important factor that should be considered, particularly when designing a control strategy for practical implementation.

  11. Modularized Parallel Neutron Instrument Simulation on the TeraGrid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Meili; Cobb, John W.; Hagen, Mark E.; Miller, Stephen D.; Lynch, Vickie E.

    2007-01-01

    In order to build a bridge between the TeraGrid (TG), a national scale cyberinfrastructure resource, and neutron science, the Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway (NSTG) is focused on introducing productive HPC usage to the neutron science community, primarily the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Monte Carlo simulations are used as a powerful tool for instrument design and optimization at SNS. One of the successful efforts of a collaboration team composed of NSTG HPC experts and SNS instrument scientists is the development of a software facility named PSoNI, Parallelizing Simulations of Neutron Instruments. Parallelizing the traditional serial instrument simulation on TeraGrid resources, PSoNI quickly computes full instrument simulation at sufficient statistical levels in instrument de-sign. Upon SNS successful commissioning, to the end of 2007, three out of five commissioned instruments in SNS target station will be available for initial users. Advanced instrument study, proposal feasibility evaluation, and experiment planning are on the immediate schedule of SNS, which pose further requirements such as flexibility and high runtime efficiency on fast instrument simulation. PSoNI has been redesigned to meet the new challenges and a preliminary version is developed on TeraGrid. This paper explores the motivation and goals of the new design, and the improved software structure. Further, it describes the realized new features seen from MPI parallelized McStas running high resolution design simulations of the SEQUOIA and BSS instruments at SNS. A discussion regarding future work, which is targeted to do fast simulation for automated experiment adjustment and comparing models to data in analysis, is also presented

  12. A Soft Parallel Kinematic Mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Edward L; Case, Jennifer C; Kramer-Bottiglio, Rebecca

    2018-02-01

    In this article, we describe a novel holonomic soft robotic structure based on a parallel kinematic mechanism. The design is based on the Stewart platform, which uses six sensors and actuators to achieve full six-degree-of-freedom motion. Our design is much less complex than a traditional platform, since it replaces the 12 spherical and universal joints found in a traditional Stewart platform with a single highly deformable elastomer body and flexible actuators. This reduces the total number of parts in the system and simplifies the assembly process. Actuation is achieved through coiled-shape memory alloy actuators. State observation and feedback is accomplished through the use of capacitive elastomer strain gauges. The main structural element is an elastomer joint that provides antagonistic force. We report the response of the actuators and sensors individually, then report the response of the complete assembly. We show that the completed robotic system is able to achieve full position control, and we discuss the limitations associated with using responsive material actuators. We believe that control demonstrated on a single body in this work could be extended to chains of such bodies to create complex soft robots.

  13. Global Sourcing Flexibility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ørberg Jensen, Peter D.; Petersen, Bent

    2013-01-01

    the higher costs (but decreased risk for value chain disruption) embedded in a more flexible global sourcing model that allows the firm to replicate and/or relocate activities across multiple locations. We develop a model and propositions on facilitating and constraining conditions of global sourcing...... sourcing flexibility. Here we draw on prior research in the fields of organizational flexibility, international business and global sourcing as well as case examples and secondary studies. In the second part of the paper, we discuss the implications of global sourcing flexibility for firm strategy...... and operations against the backdrop of the theory-based definition of the construct. We discuss in particular the importance of global sourcing flexibility for operational performance stability, and the trade-off between specialization benefits, emerging from location and service provider specialization, versus...

  14. Fault isolation through no-overhead link level CRC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dong; Coteus, Paul W.; Gara, Alan G.

    2007-04-24

    A fault isolation technique for checking the accuracy of data packets transmitted between nodes of a parallel processor. An independent crc is kept of all data sent from one processor to another, and received from one processor to another. At the end of each checkpoint, the crcs are compared. If they do not match, there was an error. The crcs may be cleared and restarted at each checkpoint. In the preferred embodiment, the basic functionality is to calculate a CRC of all packet data that has been successfully transmitted across a given link. This CRC is done on both ends of the link, thereby allowing an independent check on all data believed to have been correctly transmitted. Preferably, all links have this CRC coverage, and the CRC used in this link level check is different from that used in the packet transfer protocol. This independent check, if successfully passed, virtually eliminates the possibility that any data errors were missed during the previous transfer period.

  15. CMOS serial link for fully duplexed data communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyeongho; Kim, Sungjoon; Ahn, Gijung; Jeong, Deog-Kyoon

    1995-04-01

    This paper describes a CMOS serial link allowing fully duplexed 500 Mbaud serial data communication. The CMOS serial link is a robust and low-cost solution to high data rate requirements. A central charge pump PLL for generating multiphase clocks for oversampling is shared by several serial link channels. Fully duplexed serial data communication is realized in the bidirectional bridge by separating incoming data from the mixed signal on the cable end. The digital PLL accomplishes process-independent data recovery by using a low-ratio oversampling, a majority voting, and a parallel data recovery scheme. Mostly, digital approach could extend its bandwidth further with scaled CMOS technology. A single channel serial link and a charge pump PLL are integrated in a test chip using 1.2 micron CMOS process technology. The test chip confirms upto 500 Mbaud unidirectional mode operation and 320 Mbaud fully duplexed mode operation with pseudo random data patterns.

  16. Parallel algorithms for mapping pipelined and parallel computations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicol, David M.

    1988-01-01

    Many computational problems in image processing, signal processing, and scientific computing are naturally structured for either pipelined or parallel computation. When mapping such problems onto a parallel architecture it is often necessary to aggregate an obvious problem decomposition. Even in this context the general mapping problem is known to be computationally intractable, but recent advances have been made in identifying classes of problems and architectures for which optimal solutions can be found in polynomial time. Among these, the mapping of pipelined or parallel computations onto linear array, shared memory, and host-satellite systems figures prominently. This paper extends that work first by showing how to improve existing serial mapping algorithms. These improvements have significantly lower time and space complexities: in one case a published O(nm sup 3) time algorithm for mapping m modules onto n processors is reduced to an O(nm log m) time complexity, and its space requirements reduced from O(nm sup 2) to O(m). Run time complexity is further reduced with parallel mapping algorithms based on these improvements, which run on the architecture for which they create the mappings.

  17. Flexible job-shop scheduling based on genetic algorithm and simulation validation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhou Erming

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper selects flexible job-shop scheduling problem as the research object, and Constructs mathematical model aimed at minimizing the maximum makespan. Taking the transmission reverse gear production line of a transmission corporation as an example, genetic algorithm is applied for flexible jobshop scheduling problem to get the specific optimal scheduling results with MATLAB. DELMIA/QUEST based on 3D discrete event simulation is applied to construct the physical model of the production workshop. On the basis of the optimal scheduling results, the logical link of the physical model for the production workshop is established, besides, importing the appropriate process parameters to make virtual simulation on the production workshop. Finally, through analyzing the simulated results, it shows that the scheduling results are effective and reasonable.

  18. A flexible algorithm for calculating pair interactions on SIMD architectures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Páll, Szilárd; Hess, Berk

    2013-12-01

    Calculating interactions or correlations between pairs of particles is typically the most time-consuming task in particle simulation or correlation analysis. Straightforward implementations using a double loop over particle pairs have traditionally worked well, especially since compilers usually do a good job of unrolling the inner loop. In order to reach high performance on modern CPU and accelerator architectures, single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) parallelization has become essential. Avoiding memory bottlenecks is also increasingly important and requires reducing the ratio of memory to arithmetic operations. Moreover, when pairs only interact within a certain cut-off distance, good SIMD utilization can only be achieved by reordering input and output data, which quickly becomes a limiting factor. Here we present an algorithm for SIMD parallelization based on grouping a fixed number of particles, e.g. 2, 4, or 8, into spatial clusters. Calculating all interactions between particles in a pair of such clusters improves data reuse compared to the traditional scheme and results in a more efficient SIMD parallelization. Adjusting the cluster size allows the algorithm to map to SIMD units of various widths. This flexibility not only enables fast and efficient implementation on current CPUs and accelerator architectures like GPUs or Intel MIC, but it also makes the algorithm future-proof. We present the algorithm with an application to molecular dynamics simulations, where we can also make use of the effective buffering the method introduces.

  19. Parallel computing works

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1991-10-23

    An account of the Caltech Concurrent Computation Program (C{sup 3}P), a five year project that focused on answering the question: Can parallel computers be used to do large-scale scientific computations '' As the title indicates, the question is answered in the affirmative, by implementing numerous scientific applications on real parallel computers and doing computations that produced new scientific results. In the process of doing so, C{sup 3}P helped design and build several new computers, designed and implemented basic system software, developed algorithms for frequently used mathematical computations on massively parallel machines, devised performance models and measured the performance of many computers, and created a high performance computing facility based exclusively on parallel computers. While the initial focus of C{sup 3}P was the hypercube architecture developed by C. Seitz, many of the methods developed and lessons learned have been applied successfully on other massively parallel architectures.

  20. Conflicting flexibility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Jong, P.; Schaap, A.

    2011-01-01

    New buildings are designed for first users. For a sustainable approach there are many advantages in designing in flexibility and adjustability in order to enable and facilitate the other sequential users. For the first investor this flexibility is translated into improved exit values due to

  1. A new model for reliability optimization of series-parallel systems with non-homogeneous components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feizabadi, Mohammad; Jahromi, Abdolhamid Eshraghniaye

    2017-01-01

    In discussions related to reliability optimization using redundancy allocation, one of the structures that has attracted the attention of many researchers, is series-parallel structure. In models previously presented for reliability optimization of series-parallel systems, there is a restricting assumption based on which all components of a subsystem must be homogeneous. This constraint limits system designers in selecting components and prevents achieving higher levels of reliability. In this paper, a new model is proposed for reliability optimization of series-parallel systems, which makes possible the use of non-homogeneous components in each subsystem. As a result of this flexibility, the process of supplying system components will be easier. To solve the proposed model, since the redundancy allocation problem (RAP) belongs to the NP-hard class of optimization problems, a genetic algorithm (GA) is developed. The computational results of the designed GA are indicative of high performance of the proposed model in increasing system reliability and decreasing costs. - Highlights: • In this paper, a new model is proposed for reliability optimization of series-parallel systems. • In the previous models, there is a restricting assumption based on which all components of a subsystem must be homogeneous. • The presented model provides a possibility for the subsystems’ components to be non- homogeneous in the required conditions. • The computational results demonstrate the high performance of the proposed model in improving reliability and reducing costs.

  2. Inter-vertebral flexibility of the ostrich neck: implications for estimating sauropod neck flexibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobley, Matthew J; Rayfield, Emily J; Barrett, Paul M

    2013-01-01

    The flexibility and posture of the neck in sauropod dinosaurs has long been contentious. Improved constraints on sauropod neck function will have major implications for what we know of their foraging strategies, ecology and overall biology. Several hypotheses have been proposed, based primarily on osteological data, suggesting different degrees of neck flexibility. This study attempts to assess the effects of reconstructed soft tissues on sauropod neck flexibility through systematic removal of muscle groups and measures of flexibility of the neck in a living analogue, the ostrich (Struthio camelus). The possible effect of cartilage on flexibility is also examined, as this was previously overlooked in osteological estimates of sauropod neck function. These comparisons show that soft tissues are likely to have limited the flexibility of the neck beyond the limits suggested by osteology alone. In addition, the inferred presence of cartilage, and varying the inter-vertebral spacing within the synovial capsule, also affect neck flexibility. One hypothesis proposed that flexibility is constrained by requiring a minimum overlap between successive zygapophyses equivalent to 50% of zygapophyseal articular surface length (ONP50). This assumption is tested by comparing the maximum flexibility of the articulated cervical column in ONP50 and the flexibility of the complete neck with all tissues intact. It is found that this model does not adequately convey the pattern of flexibility in the ostrich neck, suggesting that the ONP50 model may not be useful in determining neck function if considered in isolation from myological and other soft tissue data.

  3. Inter-vertebral flexibility of the ostrich neck: implications for estimating sauropod neck flexibility.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew J Cobley

    Full Text Available The flexibility and posture of the neck in sauropod dinosaurs has long been contentious. Improved constraints on sauropod neck function will have major implications for what we know of their foraging strategies, ecology and overall biology. Several hypotheses have been proposed, based primarily on osteological data, suggesting different degrees of neck flexibility. This study attempts to assess the effects of reconstructed soft tissues on sauropod neck flexibility through systematic removal of muscle groups and measures of flexibility of the neck in a living analogue, the ostrich (Struthio camelus. The possible effect of cartilage on flexibility is also examined, as this was previously overlooked in osteological estimates of sauropod neck function. These comparisons show that soft tissues are likely to have limited the flexibility of the neck beyond the limits suggested by osteology alone. In addition, the inferred presence of cartilage, and varying the inter-vertebral spacing within the synovial capsule, also affect neck flexibility. One hypothesis proposed that flexibility is constrained by requiring a minimum overlap between successive zygapophyses equivalent to 50% of zygapophyseal articular surface length (ONP50. This assumption is tested by comparing the maximum flexibility of the articulated cervical column in ONP50 and the flexibility of the complete neck with all tissues intact. It is found that this model does not adequately convey the pattern of flexibility in the ostrich neck, suggesting that the ONP50 model may not be useful in determining neck function if considered in isolation from myological and other soft tissue data.

  4. The R package "sperrorest" : Parallelized spatial error estimation and variable importance assessment for geospatial machine learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schratz, Patrick; Herrmann, Tobias; Brenning, Alexander

    2017-04-01

    Computational and statistical prediction methods such as the support vector machine have gained popularity in remote-sensing applications in recent years and are often compared to more traditional approaches like maximum-likelihood classification. However, the accuracy assessment of such predictive models in a spatial context needs to account for the presence of spatial autocorrelation in geospatial data by using spatial cross-validation and bootstrap strategies instead of their now more widely used non-spatial equivalent. The R package sperrorest by A. Brenning [IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 1, 374 (2012)] provides a generic interface for performing (spatial) cross-validation of any statistical or machine-learning technique available in R. Since spatial statistical models as well as flexible machine-learning algorithms can be computationally expensive, parallel computing strategies are required to perform cross-validation efficiently. The most recent major release of sperrorest therefore comes with two new features (aside from improved documentation): The first one is the parallelized version of sperrorest(), parsperrorest(). This function features two parallel modes to greatly speed up cross-validation runs. Both parallel modes are platform independent and provide progress information. par.mode = 1 relies on the pbapply package and calls interactively (depending on the platform) parallel::mclapply() or parallel::parApply() in the background. While forking is used on Unix-Systems, Windows systems use a cluster approach for parallel execution. par.mode = 2 uses the foreach package to perform parallelization. This method uses a different way of cluster parallelization than the parallel package does. In summary, the robustness of parsperrorest() is increased with the implementation of two independent parallel modes. A new way of partitioning the data in sperrorest is provided by partition.factor.cv(). This function gives the user the

  5. Emerging semantics to link phenotype and environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne E. Thessen

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the interplay between environmental conditions and phenotypes is a fundamental goal of biology. Unfortunately, data that include observations on phenotype and environment are highly heterogeneous and thus difficult to find and integrate. One approach that is likely to improve the status quo involves the use of ontologies to standardize and link data about phenotypes and environments. Specifying and linking data through ontologies will allow researchers to increase the scope and flexibility of large-scale analyses aided by modern computing methods. Investments in this area would advance diverse fields such as ecology, phylogenetics, and conservation biology. While several biological ontologies are well-developed, using them to link phenotypes and environments is rare because of gaps in ontological coverage and limits to interoperability among ontologies and disciplines. In this manuscript, we present (1 use cases from diverse disciplines to illustrate questions that could be answered more efficiently using a robust linkage between phenotypes and environments, (2 two proof-of-concept analyses that show the value of linking phenotypes to environments in fishes and amphibians, and (3 two proposed example data models for linking phenotypes and environments using the extensible observation ontology (OBOE and the Biological Collections Ontology (BCO; these provide a starting point for the development of a data model linking phenotypes and environments.

  6. Template based parallel checkpointing in a massively parallel computer system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles Jens [Rochester, MN; Inglett, Todd Alan [Rochester, MN

    2009-01-13

    A method and apparatus for a template based parallel checkpoint save for a massively parallel super computer system using a parallel variation of the rsync protocol, and network broadcast. In preferred embodiments, the checkpoint data for each node is compared to a template checkpoint file that resides in the storage and that was previously produced. Embodiments herein greatly decrease the amount of data that must be transmitted and stored for faster checkpointing and increased efficiency of the computer system. Embodiments are directed to a parallel computer system with nodes arranged in a cluster with a high speed interconnect that can perform broadcast communication. The checkpoint contains a set of actual small data blocks with their corresponding checksums from all nodes in the system. The data blocks may be compressed using conventional non-lossy data compression algorithms to further reduce the overall checkpoint size.

  7. Double anisotropic electrically conductive flexible Janus-typed membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaobing; Ma, Qianli; Tian, Jiao; Xi, Xue; Li, Dan; Dong, Xiangting; Yu, Wensheng; Wang, Xinlu; Wang, Jinxian; Liu, Guixia

    2017-12-07

    Novel type III anisotropic conductive films (ACFs), namely flexible Janus-typed membranes, were proposed, designed and fabricated for the first time. Flexible Janus-typed membranes composed of ordered Janus nanobelts were constructed by electrospinning, which simultaneously possess fluorescence and double electrically conductive anisotropy. For the fabrication of the Janus-typed membrane, Janus nanobelts comprising a conductive side and an insulative-fluorescent side were primarily fabricated, and then the Janus nanobelts are arranged into parallel arrays using an aluminum rotary drum as the collector to obtain a single anisotropically conductive film. Subsequently, a secondary electrospinning process was applied to the as-prepared single anisotropically conductive films to acquire the final Janus-typed membrane. For this Janus-typed membrane, namely its left-to-right structure, anisotropic electrical conduction synchronously exists on both sides, and furthermore, the two electrically conductive directions are perpendicular. By modulating the amount of Eu(BA) 3 phen complex and conducting polyaniline (PANI), the characteristics and intensity of the fluorescence-electricity dual-function in the membrane can be tuned. The high integration of this peculiar Janus-typed membrane with simultaneous double electrically conductive anisotropy-fluorescent dual-functionality is successfully realized in this study. This design philosophy and preparative technique will provide support for the design and construction of new types of special nanostructures with multi-functionality.

  8. Aerodynamics of a bio-inspired flexible flapping-wing micro air vehicle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakata, T; Liu, H; Nishihashi, N; Wang, X; Sato, A; Tanaka, Y

    2011-01-01

    MAVs (micro air vehicles) with a maximal dimension of 15 cm and nominal flight speeds of around 10 m s −1 , operate in a Reynolds number regime of 10 5 or lower, in which most natural flyers including insects, bats and birds fly. Furthermore, due to their light weight and low flight speed, the MAVs' flight characteristics are substantially affected by environmental factors such as wind gust. Like natural flyers, the wing structures of MAVs are often flexible and tend to deform during flight. Consequently, the aero/fluid and structural dynamics of these flyers are closely linked to each other, making the entire flight vehicle difficult to analyze. We have recently developed a hummingbird-inspired, flapping flexible wing MAV with a weight of 2.4–3.0 g and a wingspan of 10–12 cm. In this study, we carry out an integrated study of the flexible wing aerodynamics of this flapping MAV by combining an in-house computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method and wind tunnel experiments. A CFD model that has a realistic wing planform and can mimic realistic flexible wing kinematics is established, which provides a quantitative prediction of unsteady aerodynamics of the four-winged MAV in terms of vortex and wake structures and their relationship with aerodynamic force generation. Wind tunnel experiments further confirm the effectiveness of the clap and fling mechanism employed in this bio-inspired MAV as well as the importance of the wing flexibility in designing small flapping-wing MAVs.

  9. Fabrication of chemically cross-linked porous gelatin matrices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozzini, Sabrina; Petrini, Paola; Altomare, Lina; Tanzi, Maria Cristina

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to chemically cross-link gelatin, by reacting its free amino groups with an aliphatic diisocyanate. To produce hydrogels with controllable properties, the number of reacting amino groups was carefully determined. Porosity was introduced into the gelatin-based hydrogels through the lyophilization process. Porous and non-porous matrices were characterized with respect to their chemical structure, morphology, water uptake and mechanical properties. The physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the porous matrices are related to the extent of their cross-linking, showing that they can be controlled by varying the reaction parameters. Water uptake values (24 hours) vary between 160% and 200% as the degree of cross-linking increases. The flexibility of the samples also decreases by changing the extent of cross-linking. Young's modulus shows values between 0.188 KPa, for the highest degree, and 0.142 KPa for the lowest degree. The matrices are potential candidates for use as tissue-engineering scaffolds by modulating their physical chemical properties according to the specific application.

  10. Introduction to parallel programming

    CERN Document Server

    Brawer, Steven

    1989-01-01

    Introduction to Parallel Programming focuses on the techniques, processes, methodologies, and approaches involved in parallel programming. The book first offers information on Fortran, hardware and operating system models, and processes, shared memory, and simple parallel programs. Discussions focus on processes and processors, joining processes, shared memory, time-sharing with multiple processors, hardware, loops, passing arguments in function/subroutine calls, program structure, and arithmetic expressions. The text then elaborates on basic parallel programming techniques, barriers and race

  11. Parallelism in matrix computations

    CERN Document Server

    Gallopoulos, Efstratios; Sameh, Ahmed H

    2016-01-01

    This book is primarily intended as a research monograph that could also be used in graduate courses for the design of parallel algorithms in matrix computations. It assumes general but not extensive knowledge of numerical linear algebra, parallel architectures, and parallel programming paradigms. The book consists of four parts: (I) Basics; (II) Dense and Special Matrix Computations; (III) Sparse Matrix Computations; and (IV) Matrix functions and characteristics. Part I deals with parallel programming paradigms and fundamental kernels, including reordering schemes for sparse matrices. Part II is devoted to dense matrix computations such as parallel algorithms for solving linear systems, linear least squares, the symmetric algebraic eigenvalue problem, and the singular-value decomposition. It also deals with the development of parallel algorithms for special linear systems such as banded ,Vandermonde ,Toeplitz ,and block Toeplitz systems. Part III addresses sparse matrix computations: (a) the development of pa...

  12. Flexible Carbon Aerogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Schwan

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Carbon aerogels are highly porous materials with a large inner surface area. Due to their high electrical conductivity they are excellent electrode materials in supercapacitors. Their brittleness, however, imposes certain limitations in terms of applicability. In that context, novel carbon aerogels with varying degree of flexibility have been developed. These highly porous, light aerogels are characterized by a high surface area and possess pore structures in the micrometer range, allowing for a reversible deformation of the aerogel network. A high ratio of pore size to particle size was found to be crucial for high flexibility. For dynamic microstructural analysis, compression tests were performed in-situ within a scanning electron microscope allowing us to directly visualize the microstructural flexibility of an aerogel. The flexible carbon aerogels were found to withstand between 15% and 30% of uniaxial compression in a reversible fashion. These findings might stimulate further research and new application fields directed towards flexible supercapacitors and batteries.

  13. Identifying failure in a tree network of a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J.; Pinnow, Kurt W.; Wallenfelt, Brian P.

    2010-08-24

    Methods, parallel computers, and products are provided for identifying failure in a tree network of a parallel computer. The parallel computer includes one or more processing sets including an I/O node and a plurality of compute nodes. For each processing set embodiments include selecting a set of test compute nodes, the test compute nodes being a subset of the compute nodes of the processing set; measuring the performance of the I/O node of the processing set; measuring the performance of the selected set of test compute nodes; calculating a current test value in dependence upon the measured performance of the I/O node of the processing set, the measured performance of the set of test compute nodes, and a predetermined value for I/O node performance; and comparing the current test value with a predetermined tree performance threshold. If the current test value is below the predetermined tree performance threshold, embodiments include selecting another set of test compute nodes. If the current test value is not below the predetermined tree performance threshold, embodiments include selecting from the test compute nodes one or more potential problem nodes and testing individually potential problem nodes and links to potential problem nodes.

  14. Inflexible parents, inflexible kids: a 6-year longitudinal study of parenting style and the development of psychological flexibility in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Kathryn E; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Heaven, Patrick C L

    2012-08-01

    Parenting behaviors have been linked to children's self regulation, but it is less clear how they relate to adolescent psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility is a broad construct that describes an individual's ability to respond appropriately to environmental demands and internal experiences in the service of their goals. We examined the longitudinal relationships between perceived parenting style and psychological flexibility among students at five Australian schools (N= 749) over 6 years, beginning in Grade 7 (50.3% female, mean age 12.39 years). Parenting style was measured in Grades 7 and 12, and psychological flexibility from Grade 9 through 12. Psychological flexibility decreased, on average, with age. Multi-level modelling indicated that authoritarian parenting (low warmth, high control) in Grade 7 predicted later (low) psychological flexibility. Moreover, increases in authoritarian parenting and decreases in authoritative parenting (high warmth and control) were associated with adolescent psychological flexibility across the high school years. Change in parenting predicted future psychological flexibility but did not predict change over time. Structural Equation Modelling revealed that adolescent psychological flexibility in Grade 9 predicted later decreases in authoritarian and increases in authoritative parenting. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding how parenting changes and the consequences of such change for the development of psychological flexibility.

  15. The Integrated Plasma Simulator: A Flexible Python Framework for Coupled Multiphysics Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foley, Samantha S [ORNL; Elwasif, Wael R [ORNL; Bernholdt, David E [ORNL

    2011-11-01

    High-fidelity coupled multiphysics simulations are an increasingly important aspect of computational science. In many domains, however, there has been very limited experience with simulations of this sort, therefore research in coupled multiphysics often requires computational frameworks with significant flexibility to respond to the changing directions of the physics and mathematics. This paper presents the Integrated Plasma Simulator (IPS), a framework designed for loosely coupled simulations of fusion plasmas. The IPS provides users with a simple component architecture into which a wide range of existing plasma physics codes can be inserted as components. Simulations can take advantage of multiple levels of parallelism supported in the IPS, and can be controlled by a high-level ``driver'' component, or by other coordination mechanisms, such as an asynchronous event service. We describe the requirements and design of the framework, and how they were implemented in the Python language. We also illustrate the flexibility of the framework by providing examples of different types of simulations that utilize various features of the IPS.

  16. Parent's Relative Perceived Work Flexibility Compared to Their Partner Is Associated With Emotional Exhaustion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leineweber, Constanze; Falkenberg, Helena; Albrecht, Sophie C

    2018-01-01

    A number of studies have found that control over work conditions and hours is positively related to mental health. Still, potential positive and negative effects of work flexibility remain to be fully explored. On the one hand, higher work flexibility might provide better opportunities for recovery. On the other hand, especially mothers may use flexibility to meet household and family demands. Here, we investigated the association between parent's work flexibility, rated relative to their partner, and emotional exhaustion in interaction with gender. Additionally, gender differences in time use were investigated. Cross-sectional analyses based on responses of employed parents to the 2012 wave of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) were conducted ( N = 2,911). Generalized linear models with gamma distribution and a log-link function were used to investigate associations between relative work-flexibility (lower, equal, or higher as compared to partner), gender, and emotional exhaustion. After control for potential confounders, we found that having lower work flexibility than the partner was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion as compared to those with higher relative work flexibility. Also, being a mother was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion, independent of possible confounders. An interaction effect between low relative work flexibility and gender was found in relation to emotional exhaustion. Regarding time use, clear differences between mothers' and fathers' were found. However, few indications were found that relative work flexibility influenced time use. Mothers spent more time on household chores as compared to fathers, while fathers reported longer working hours. Fathers spent more time on relaxation compared with mothers. To conclude, our results indicate that lower relative work flexibility is detrimental for mental health both for mothers and fathers. However, while gender seems to have a

  17. Parent's Relative Perceived Work Flexibility Compared to Their Partner Is Associated With Emotional Exhaustion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constanze Leineweber

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A number of studies have found that control over work conditions and hours is positively related to mental health. Still, potential positive and negative effects of work flexibility remain to be fully explored. On the one hand, higher work flexibility might provide better opportunities for recovery. On the other hand, especially mothers may use flexibility to meet household and family demands. Here, we investigated the association between parent's work flexibility, rated relative to their partner, and emotional exhaustion in interaction with gender. Additionally, gender differences in time use were investigated. Cross-sectional analyses based on responses of employed parents to the 2012 wave of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH were conducted (N = 2,911. Generalized linear models with gamma distribution and a log-link function were used to investigate associations between relative work-flexibility (lower, equal, or higher as compared to partner, gender, and emotional exhaustion. After control for potential confounders, we found that having lower work flexibility than the partner was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion as compared to those with higher relative work flexibility. Also, being a mother was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion, independent of possible confounders. An interaction effect between low relative work flexibility and gender was found in relation to emotional exhaustion. Regarding time use, clear differences between mothers' and fathers' were found. However, few indications were found that relative work flexibility influenced time use. Mothers spent more time on household chores as compared to fathers, while fathers reported longer working hours. Fathers spent more time on relaxation compared with mothers. To conclude, our results indicate that lower relative work flexibility is detrimental for mental health both for mothers and fathers. However, while gender

  18. A parallel adaptive mesh refinement algorithm for predicting turbulent non-premixed combusting flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, X.; Groth, C.P.T.

    2005-01-01

    A parallel adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) algorithm is proposed for predicting turbulent non-premixed combusting flows characteristic of gas turbine engine combustors. The Favre-averaged Navier-Stokes equations governing mixture and species transport for a reactive mixture of thermally perfect gases in two dimensions, the two transport equations of the κ-ψ turbulence model, and the time-averaged species transport equations, are all solved using a fully coupled finite-volume formulation. A flexible block-based hierarchical data structure is used to maintain the connectivity of the solution blocks in the multi-block mesh and facilitate automatic solution-directed mesh adaptation according to physics-based refinement criteria. This AMR approach allows for anisotropic mesh refinement and the block-based data structure readily permits efficient and scalable implementations of the algorithm on multi-processor architectures. Numerical results for turbulent non-premixed diffusion flames, including cold- and hot-flow predictions for a bluff body burner, are described and compared to available experimental data. The numerical results demonstrate the validity and potential of the parallel AMR approach for predicting complex non-premixed turbulent combusting flows. (author)

  19. Input shaping methods for telerobotic operation of flexible, long-reach manipulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, Dong-Soo; Hwang, Dong-Hwan; Babcock, S.M.

    1994-01-01

    Among the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program of the U.S. Department of Energy, the remediation of radioactive waste from the underground storage tank challenges the state-of-the-art equipment and methods. Long-reach manipulators are being considered to be one of the most advantageous approaches for the retrieval of waste from large storage tanks. Because of long-reach manipulator's high payload capacity and high length-to-cross-section ratios, such manipulator system exhibits significant structural flexibility. To avoid structural vibrations during operation, control algorithms employing various types of shaping filters were investigated. A robust notch filtering method and an impulse shaping method were evaluated. In addition to that, a new approach that uses imbedded simulation was developed and compared with others. In the new approach, joint trajectories have been generated considering the flexible link dynamics

  20. Differential ethnic associations between maternal flexibility and play sophistication in toddlers born very low birth weight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Sarah J.; Montague, Erica Q.; Maclean, Peggy C.; Bancroft, Mary E.; Lowe, Jean R.

    2013-01-01

    Children born very low birth weight (development of self-regulation and effective functional skills, and play serves as an important avenue of early intervention. The current study investigated associations between maternal flexibility and toddler play sophistication in Caucasian, Spanish speaking Hispanic, English speaking Hispanic, and Native American toddlers (18-22 months adjusted age) in a cross-sectional cohort of 73 toddlers born VLBW and their mothers. We found that the association between maternal flexibility and toddler play sophistication differed by ethnicity (F(3,65) = 3.34, p = .02). In particular, Spanish speaking Hispanic dyads evidenced a significant positive association between maternal flexibility and play sophistication of medium effect size. Results for Native Americans were parallel to those of Spanish speaking Hispanic dyads: the relationship between flexibility and play sophistication was positive and of small-medium effect size. Findings indicate that for Caucasians and English speaking Hispanics, flexibility evidenced a non-significant (negative and small effect size) association with toddler play sophistication. Significant follow-up contrasts revealed that the associations for Caucasian and English speaking Hispanic dyads were significantly different from those of the other two ethnic groups. Results remained unchanged after adjusting for the amount of maternal language, an index of maternal engagement and stimulation; and after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age, gender, test age, cognitive ability, as well maternal age, education, and income. Our results provide preliminary evidence that ethnicity and acculturation may mediate the association between maternal interactive behavior such as flexibility and toddler developmental outcomes, as indexed by play sophistication. Addressing these association differences is particularly important in children born VLBW because interventions targeting parent interaction strategies such as

  1. Reversibly Bistable Flexible Electronics

    KAUST Repository

    Alfaraj, Nasir

    2015-05-01

    Introducing the notion of transformational silicon electronics has paved the way for integrating various applications with silicon-based, modern, high-performance electronic circuits that are mechanically flexible and optically semitransparent. While maintaining large-scale production and prototyping rapidity, this flexible and translucent scheme demonstrates the potential to transform conventionally stiff electronic devices into thin and foldable ones without compromising long-term performance and reliability. In this work, we report on the fabrication and characterization of reversibly bistable flexible electronic switches that utilize flexible n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. The transistors are fabricated initially on rigid (100) silicon substrates before they are peeled off. They can be used to control flexible batches of light-emitting diodes, demonstrating both the relative ease of scaling at minimum cost and maximum reliability and the feasibility of integration. The peeled-off silicon fabric is about 25 µm thick. The fabricated devices are transferred to a reversibly bistable flexible platform through which, for example, a flexible smartphone can be wrapped around a user’s wrist and can also be set back to its original mechanical position. Buckling and cyclic bending of such host platforms brings a completely new dimension to the development of flexible electronics, especially rollable displays.

  2. Model-driven product line engineering for mapping parallel algorithms to parallel computing platforms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arkin, Ethem; Tekinerdogan, Bedir

    2016-01-01

    Mapping parallel algorithms to parallel computing platforms requires several activities such as the analysis of the parallel algorithm, the definition of the logical configuration of the platform, the mapping of the algorithm to the logical configuration platform and the implementation of the

  3. Parallelization in Modern C++

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    The traditionally used and well established parallel programming models OpenMP and MPI are both targeting lower level parallelism and are meant to be as language agnostic as possible. For a long time, those models were the only widely available portable options for developing parallel C++ applications beyond using plain threads. This has strongly limited the optimization capabilities of compilers, has inhibited extensibility and genericity, and has restricted the use of those models together with other, modern higher level abstractions introduced by the C++11 and C++14 standards. The recent revival of interest in the industry and wider community for the C++ language has also spurred a remarkable amount of standardization proposals and technical specifications being developed. Those efforts however have so far failed to build a vision on how to seamlessly integrate various types of parallelism, such as iterative parallel execution, task-based parallelism, asynchronous many-task execution flows, continuation s...

  4. Flexible MEMS: A novel technology to fabricate flexible sensors and electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Hongen

    This dissertation presents the design and fabrication techniques used to fabricate flexible MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) devices. MEMS devices and CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) circuits are traditionally fabricated on rigid substrates with inorganic semiconductor materials such as Silicon. However, it is highly desirable that functional elements like sensors, actuators or micro fluidic components to be fabricated on flexible substrates for a wide variety of applications. Due to the fact that flexible substrate is temperature sensitive, typically only low temperature materials, such as polymers, metals, and organic semiconductor materials, can be directly fabricated on flexible substrates. A novel technology based on XeF2(xenon difluoride) isotropic silicon etching and parylene conformal coating, which is able to monolithically incorporate high temperature materials and fluidic channels, was developed at Wayne State University. The technology was first implemented in the development of out-of-plane parylene microneedle arrays that can be individually addressed by integrated flexible micro-channels. These devices enable the delivery of chemicals with controlled temporal and spatial patterns and allow us to study neurotransmitter-based retinal prosthesis. The technology was further explored by adopting the conventional SOI-CMOS processes. High performance and high density CMOS circuits can be first fabricated on SOI wafers, and then be integrated into flexible substrates. Flexible p-channel MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistors) were successfully integrated and tested. Integration of pressure sensors and flow sensors based on single crystal silicon has also been demonstrated. A novel smart yarn technology that enables the invisible integration of sensors and electronics into fabrics has been developed. The most significant advantage of this technology is its post-MEMS and post-CMOS compatibility. Various high

  5. Flexible, fast and accurate sequence alignment profiling on GPGPU with PaSWAS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sven Warris

    Full Text Available To obtain large-scale sequence alignments in a fast and flexible way is an important step in the analyses of next generation sequencing data. Applications based on the Smith-Waterman (SW algorithm are often either not fast enough, limited to dedicated tasks or not sufficiently accurate due to statistical issues. Current SW implementations that run on graphics hardware do not report the alignment details necessary for further analysis.With the Parallel SW Alignment Software (PaSWAS it is possible (a to have easy access to the computational power of NVIDIA-based general purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs to perform high-speed sequence alignments, and (b retrieve relevant information such as score, number of gaps and mismatches. The software reports multiple hits per alignment. The added value of the new SW implementation is demonstrated with two test cases: (1 tag recovery in next generation sequence data and (2 isotype assignment within an immunoglobulin 454 sequence data set. Both cases show the usability and versatility of the new parallel Smith-Waterman implementation.

  6. Flexible, fast and accurate sequence alignment profiling on GPGPU with PaSWAS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warris, Sven; Yalcin, Feyruz; Jackson, Katherine J L; Nap, Jan Peter

    2015-01-01

    To obtain large-scale sequence alignments in a fast and flexible way is an important step in the analyses of next generation sequencing data. Applications based on the Smith-Waterman (SW) algorithm are often either not fast enough, limited to dedicated tasks or not sufficiently accurate due to statistical issues. Current SW implementations that run on graphics hardware do not report the alignment details necessary for further analysis. With the Parallel SW Alignment Software (PaSWAS) it is possible (a) to have easy access to the computational power of NVIDIA-based general purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs) to perform high-speed sequence alignments, and (b) retrieve relevant information such as score, number of gaps and mismatches. The software reports multiple hits per alignment. The added value of the new SW implementation is demonstrated with two test cases: (1) tag recovery in next generation sequence data and (2) isotype assignment within an immunoglobulin 454 sequence data set. Both cases show the usability and versatility of the new parallel Smith-Waterman implementation.

  7. MOOSE: A parallel computational framework for coupled systems of nonlinear equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaston, Derek; Newman, Chris; Hansen, Glen; Lebrun-Grandie, Damien

    2009-01-01

    Systems of coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) often arise in simulation of nuclear processes. MOOSE: Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment, a parallel computational framework targeted at the solution of such systems, is presented. As opposed to traditional data-flow oriented computational frameworks, MOOSE is instead founded on the mathematical principle of Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK). Utilizing the mathematical structure present in JFNK, physics expressions are modularized into 'Kernels,' allowing for rapid production of new simulation tools. In addition, systems are solved implicitly and fully coupled, employing physics-based preconditioning, which provides great flexibility even with large variance in time scales. A summary of the mathematics, an overview of the structure of MOOSE, and several representative solutions from applications built on the framework are presented.

  8. Massively parallel mathematical sieves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Montry, G.R.

    1989-01-01

    The Sieve of Eratosthenes is a well-known algorithm for finding all prime numbers in a given subset of integers. A parallel version of the Sieve is described that produces computational speedups over 800 on a hypercube with 1,024 processing elements for problems of fixed size. Computational speedups as high as 980 are achieved when the problem size per processor is fixed. The method of parallelization generalizes to other sieves and will be efficient on any ensemble architecture. We investigate two highly parallel sieves using scattered decomposition and compare their performance on a hypercube multiprocessor. A comparison of different parallelization techniques for the sieve illustrates the trade-offs necessary in the design and implementation of massively parallel algorithms for large ensemble computers.

  9. A Parallel Cartesian Approach for External Aerodynamics of Vehicles with Complex Geometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aftosmis, M. J.; Berger, M. J.; Adomavicius, G.

    2001-01-01

    This workshop paper presents the current status in the development of a new approach for the solution of the Euler equations on Cartesian meshes with embedded boundaries in three dimensions on distributed and shared memory architectures. The approach uses adaptively refined Cartesian hexahedra to fill the computational domain. Where these cells intersect the geometry, they are cut by the boundary into arbitrarily shaped polyhedra which receive special treatment by the solver. The presentation documents a newly developed multilevel upwind solver based on a flexible domain-decomposition strategy. One novel aspect of the work is its use of space-filling curves (SFC) for memory efficient on-the-fly parallelization, dynamic re-partitioning and automatic coarse mesh generation. Within each subdomain the approach employs a variety reordering techniques so that relevant data are on the same page in memory permitting high-performance on cache-based processors. Details of the on-the-fly SFC based partitioning are presented as are construction rules for the automatic coarse mesh generation. After describing the approach, the paper uses model problems and 3- D configurations to both verify and validate the solver. The model problems demonstrate that second-order accuracy is maintained despite the presence of the irregular cut-cells in the mesh. In addition, it examines both parallel efficiency and convergence behavior. These investigations demonstrate a parallel speed-up in excess of 28 on 32 processors of an SGI Origin 2000 system and confirm that mesh partitioning has no effect on convergence behavior.

  10. Computer-Aided Parallelizer and Optimizer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Haoqiang

    2011-01-01

    The Computer-Aided Parallelizer and Optimizer (CAPO) automates the insertion of compiler directives (see figure) to facilitate parallel processing on Shared Memory Parallel (SMP) machines. While CAPO currently is integrated seamlessly into CAPTools (developed at the University of Greenwich, now marketed as ParaWise), CAPO was independently developed at Ames Research Center as one of the components for the Legacy Code Modernization (LCM) project. The current version takes serial FORTRAN programs, performs interprocedural data dependence analysis, and generates OpenMP directives. Due to the widely supported OpenMP standard, the generated OpenMP codes have the potential to run on a wide range of SMP machines. CAPO relies on accurate interprocedural data dependence information currently provided by CAPTools. Compiler directives are generated through identification of parallel loops in the outermost level, construction of parallel regions around parallel loops and optimization of parallel regions, and insertion of directives with automatic identification of private, reduction, induction, and shared variables. Attempts also have been made to identify potential pipeline parallelism (implemented with point-to-point synchronization). Although directives are generated automatically, user interaction with the tool is still important for producing good parallel codes. A comprehensive graphical user interface is included for users to interact with the parallelization process.

  11. Optical technologies for data communication in large parallel systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritter, M B; Vlasov, Y; Kash, J A; Benner, A

    2011-01-01

    Large, parallel systems have greatly aided scientific computation and data collection, but performance scaling now relies on chip and system-level parallelism. This has happened because power density limits have caused processor frequency growth to stagnate, driving the new multi-core architecture paradigm, which would seem to provide generations of performance increases as transistors scale. However, this paradigm will be constrained by electrical I/O bandwidth limits; first off the processor card, then off the processor module itself. We will present best-estimates of these limits, then show how optical technologies can help provide more bandwidth to allow continued system scaling. We will describe the current status of optical transceiver technology which is already being used to exceed off-board electrical bandwidth limits, then present work on silicon nanophotonic transceivers and 3D integration technologies which, taken together, promise to allow further increases in off-module and off-card bandwidth. Finally, we will show estimated limits of nanophotonic links and discuss breakthroughs that are needed for further progress, and will speculate on whether we will reach Exascale-class machine performance at affordable powers.

  12. Optical technologies for data communication in large parallel systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ritter, M B; Vlasov, Y; Kash, J A [IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (United States); Benner, A, E-mail: mritter@us.ibm.com [IBM Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie, NY (United States)

    2011-01-15

    Large, parallel systems have greatly aided scientific computation and data collection, but performance scaling now relies on chip and system-level parallelism. This has happened because power density limits have caused processor frequency growth to stagnate, driving the new multi-core architecture paradigm, which would seem to provide generations of performance increases as transistors scale. However, this paradigm will be constrained by electrical I/O bandwidth limits; first off the processor card, then off the processor module itself. We will present best-estimates of these limits, then show how optical technologies can help provide more bandwidth to allow continued system scaling. We will describe the current status of optical transceiver technology which is already being used to exceed off-board electrical bandwidth limits, then present work on silicon nanophotonic transceivers and 3D integration technologies which, taken together, promise to allow further increases in off-module and off-card bandwidth. Finally, we will show estimated limits of nanophotonic links and discuss breakthroughs that are needed for further progress, and will speculate on whether we will reach Exascale-class machine performance at affordable powers.

  13. Data communications in a parallel active messaging interface of a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J; Blocksome, Michael A; Ratterman, Joseph D; Smith, Brian E

    2013-11-12

    Data communications in a parallel active messaging interface (`PAMI`) of a parallel computer composed of compute nodes that execute a parallel application, each compute node including application processors that execute the parallel application and at least one management processor dedicated to gathering information regarding data communications. The PAMI is composed of data communications endpoints, each endpoint composed of a specification of data communications parameters for a thread of execution on a compute node, including specifications of a client, a context, and a task, the compute nodes and the endpoints coupled for data communications through the PAMI and through data communications resources. Embodiments function by gathering call site statistics describing data communications resulting from execution of data communications instructions and identifying in dependence upon the call cite statistics a data communications algorithm for use in executing a data communications instruction at a call site in the parallel application.

  14. Flexible Carpooling: Exploratory Study

    OpenAIRE

    Dorinson, Diana; Gay, Deanna; Minett, Paul; Shaheen, Susan

    2009-01-01

    Energy consumption could be reduced if more people shared rides rather than driving alone yet carpooling represents a small proportion of all potential carpoolers. Prior research has found that many who might carpool were concerned about reduced flexibility with carpooling. If flexibility is one of the barriers how could carpooling be organized to be more flexible? In Northern Virginia a flexible system has evolved where there are 3,500 single-use carpools per day. In another example there ...

  15. Pa2 kinematic bond in translational parallel manipulators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Hernández

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The Pa2 pair is composed of two intertwined articulated parallelograms connecting in parallel two links of a kinematic chain. This pair has two translational degrees of freedom leading to a translational plane variable with the position. Currently, the Pa2 pair appears in conceptual designs presented in recent papers. However, its practical application is very limited. One of the reasons for this can be the high number of redundant constraints it has. But, it has to be considered that most of them can be eliminated by replacing wisely the revolute joints by spherical joints. On the other side, the structure of the Pa2 pair contributes to increase the global stiffness of the kinematic chain in which it is mounted. Also, its implementation is a promising alternative to the problematic passive prismatic joints. In this paper, the Pa2 pairs are used in the design of a 3 − P Pa2 parallel manipulator. The potentiality of this design is evaluated and proven after doing the following analyses: direct and inverse kinematics, singularity study, and workspace computation and assessment.

  16. Flexible transparent aerogels as window retrofitting films and optical elements with tunable birefringence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Qingkun; Frazier, Allister W.; Zhao, Xinpeng; De La Cruz, Joshua A.; Hess, Andrew J.; Yang, Ronggui; Smalyukh, Ivan I.

    2018-06-01

    Experimental realization of optically transparent, mechanically robust and flexible aerogels has been a longstanding challenge, which limits their practical applications in energy-saving devices, such as thermally insulating films for enhancing energy efficiency of windows. The poor transparency precluded even hypothetical consideration of the possibility of birefringent aerogels. We develop birefringent and optically isotropic aerogels that combine properties of thermal super-insulation, mechanical robustness and flexibility, and transparency to visible-spectrum light. This unusual combination of physical properties is achieved by combining liquid crystalline self-organization of cellulose nanofibers with polysiloxane cross-linking and control of the nanoscale porosity to form hybrid organic-inorganic mesostructured aerogels. Potential applications of these inexpensive materials range from single pane window retrofitting to smart fabrics.

  17. A parallel buffer tree

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sitchinava, Nodar; Zeh, Norbert

    2012-01-01

    We present the parallel buffer tree, a parallel external memory (PEM) data structure for batched search problems. This data structure is a non-trivial extension of Arge's sequential buffer tree to a private-cache multiprocessor environment and reduces the number of I/O operations by the number of...... in the optimal OhOf(psortN + K/PB) parallel I/O complexity, where K is the size of the output reported in the process and psortN is the parallel I/O complexity of sorting N elements using P processors....

  18. Application Portable Parallel Library

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Gary L.; Blech, Richard A.; Quealy, Angela; Townsend, Scott

    1995-01-01

    Application Portable Parallel Library (APPL) computer program is subroutine-based message-passing software library intended to provide consistent interface to variety of multiprocessor computers on market today. Minimizes effort needed to move application program from one computer to another. User develops application program once and then easily moves application program from parallel computer on which created to another parallel computer. ("Parallel computer" also include heterogeneous collection of networked computers). Written in C language with one FORTRAN 77 subroutine for UNIX-based computers and callable from application programs written in C language or FORTRAN 77.

  19. Parallel Algorithms and Patterns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robey, Robert W. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-06-16

    This is a powerpoint presentation on parallel algorithms and patterns. A parallel algorithm is a well-defined, step-by-step computational procedure that emphasizes concurrency to solve a problem. Examples of problems include: Sorting, searching, optimization, matrix operations. A parallel pattern is a computational step in a sequence of independent, potentially concurrent operations that occurs in diverse scenarios with some frequency. Examples are: Reductions, prefix scans, ghost cell updates. We only touch on parallel patterns in this presentation. It really deserves its own detailed discussion which Gabe Rockefeller would like to develop.

  20. A Parallel Biological Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Unbalanced Assignment Problem Based on DNA Molecular Computing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhaocai; Pu, Jun; Cao, Liling; Tan, Jian

    2015-10-23

    The unbalanced assignment problem (UAP) is to optimally resolve the problem of assigning n jobs to m individuals (m applied mathematics, having numerous real life applications. In this paper, we present a new parallel DNA algorithm for solving the unbalanced assignment problem using DNA molecular operations. We reasonably design flexible-length DNA strands representing different jobs and individuals, take appropriate steps, and get the solutions of the UAP in the proper length range and O(mn) time. We extend the application of DNA molecular operations and simultaneity to simplify the complexity of the computation.

  1. Local Flexibility Market Design for Aggregators Providing Multiple Flexibility Services at Distribution Network Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pol Olivella-Rosell

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a general description of local flexibility markets as a market-based management mechanism for aggregators. The high penetration of distributed energy resources introduces new flexibility services like prosumer or community self-balancing, congestion management and time-of-use optimization. This work is focused on the flexibility framework to enable multiple participants to compete for selling or buying flexibility. In this framework, the aggregator acts as a local market operator and supervises flexibility transactions of the local energy community. Local market participation is voluntary. Potential flexibility stakeholders are the distribution system operator, the balance responsible party and end-users themselves. Flexibility is sold by means of loads, generators, storage units and electric vehicles. Finally, this paper presents needed interactions between all local market stakeholders, the corresponding inputs and outputs of local market operation algorithms from participants and a case study to highlight the application of the local flexibility market in three scenarios. The local market framework could postpone grid upgrades, reduce energy costs and increase distribution grids’ hosting capacity.

  2. [Inspecting the cochlear scala tympanic with flexible and semi-flexible micro-endoscope].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Daoxcing; Zhang, Yankun

    2006-02-01

    Flexible and semi-flexible micro-endoscopes were used in cochlear scala tympani inspection , to explore their application in inner ear examination. Fifteen profound hearing loss patients preparing for cochlear implant were included in this study. During the operation, micro-endoscopy was performed after opening the cochlear scala tympani. And 1 mm diameter semi-flexible micro-endoscope could go as deep as 9 mm into the cochlear scala tympani, while 0. 5 mm diameter flexible micro-endoscope could go as deep as 25 mm. The inspecting results were compared with video recording. Using 0.5 mm flexible micro-endoscope, we canould check cochlear scala tympani with depth range of 15-25 mm, but the video imaging was not clear enough to examine the microstructure in the cochlear. With 1 mm diameter semi-flexible micro-endoscope, we could reach 9 mm deep into the cochlear. During the examination, we found 3 cases with calcification deposit in osseous spiral lamina, l case with granulation tissue in the lateral wall of scala tympani, no abnormal findings in the other 11 cases. Inspecting the cochlear scala tympani with 0.5 mm flexible micro-endoscope, even though we can reach the second circuit of the cochlear, it is difficult to find the pathology in the cochlear because of the poor video imaging. With 1 mm semi-flexible micro-endoscope, we can identify the microstructure of the cochlear clearly and find the pathologic changes, but the inserting depth was limited to 9 mm with limitation to examine the whole cochlear.

  3. Development of Flexible Pneumatic Cylinder with Built-in Flexible Linear Encoder and Flexible Bending Sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akagi, Tetsuya; Dohta, Shujiro; Matsushita, Hisashi; Fukuhara, Akimasa

    The purpose of this study is to develop a lightweight and intelligent soft actuator which can be safely attached to the human body. A novel flexible pneumatic cylinder that can be used even if it is deformed by external force had been proposed. The cylinder can realize both pushing and pulling motions even if the cylinder bends. In this paper, a flexible pneumatic cylinder with a built-in flexible linear encoder is proposed and tested. The encoder can detect the cylinder displacement even if the cylinder bends. In the next step, to realize an intelligent flexible cylinder, it is essential to recognize the angle of deflection of the cylinder to estimate the direction of the external force. Therefore, a flexible bending sensor that can measure the directional angle by attaching it to the end of the cylinder is also proposed and tested. The tested bending sensor also consists of four inexpensive photo-reflectors set on the circumferential surface to the cylinder tube every 90 degrees from the center of the tube. By measuring the distance between the photo reflector and the surface of the tube at each point, the bending directional angle of the cylinder can be obtained. A low cost measuring system using a micro-computer incorporating a programmed Up/Down counter to measure the displacement of the cylinder is also developed. As a result, it was confirmed that the measuring accuracy of the bending directional angle was good, less than 0.7 degrees as a standard deviation.

  4. Totally parallel multilevel algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frederickson, Paul O.

    1988-01-01

    Four totally parallel algorithms for the solution of a sparse linear system have common characteristics which become quite apparent when they are implemented on a highly parallel hypercube such as the CM2. These four algorithms are Parallel Superconvergent Multigrid (PSMG) of Frederickson and McBryan, Robust Multigrid (RMG) of Hackbusch, the FFT based Spectral Algorithm, and Parallel Cyclic Reduction. In fact, all four can be formulated as particular cases of the same totally parallel multilevel algorithm, which are referred to as TPMA. In certain cases the spectral radius of TPMA is zero, and it is recognized to be a direct algorithm. In many other cases the spectral radius, although not zero, is small enough that a single iteration per timestep keeps the local error within the required tolerance.

  5. A multi-transputer system for parallel Monte Carlo simulations of extensive air showers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gils, H.J.; Heck, D.; Oehlschlaeger, J.; Schatz, G.; Thouw, T.

    1989-01-01

    A multiprocessor computer system has been brought into operation at the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe. It is dedicated to Monte Carlo simulations of extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The architecture consists of two independently working VMEbus systems each with a 68020 microprocessor as host computer and twelve T800 transputers for parallel processing. The two systems are linked via Ethernet for data exchange. The T800 transputers are equipped with 4 Mbyte RAM each, sufficient to run rather large codes. The host computers are operated under UNIX 5.3. On the transputers compilers for PARALLEL FORTRAN, C, and PASCAL are available. The simple modular architecture of this parallel computer reflects the single purpose for which it is intended. The hardware of the multiprocessor computer is described as well as the way how the user software is handled and distributed to the 24 working processors. The performance of the parallel computer is demonstrated by well-known benchmarks and by realistic Monte Carlo simulations of air showers. Comparisons with other types of microprocessors and with large universal computers are made. It is demonstrated that a cost reduction by more than a factor of 20 is achieved by this system as compared to universal computer. (orig.)

  6. Neural Parallel Engine: A toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam, Wing-Kin; Yang, Zhi

    2018-05-01

    Large-scale neural recordings provide detailed information on neuronal activities and can help elicit the underlying neural mechanisms of the brain. However, the computational burden is also formidable when we try to process the huge data stream generated by such recordings. In this study, we report the development of Neural Parallel Engine (NPE), a toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing on graphical processing units (GPUs). It offers a selection of the most commonly used routines in neural signal processing such as spike detection and spike sorting, including advanced algorithms such as exponential-component-power-component (EC-PC) spike detection and binary pursuit spike sorting. We also propose a new method for detecting peaks in parallel through a parallel compact operation. Our toolbox is able to offer a 5× to 110× speedup compared with its CPU counterparts depending on the algorithms. A user-friendly MATLAB interface is provided to allow easy integration of the toolbox into existing workflows. Previous efforts on GPU neural signal processing only focus on a few rudimentary algorithms, are not well-optimized and often do not provide a user-friendly programming interface to fit into existing workflows. There is a strong need for a comprehensive toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing. A new toolbox for massively parallel neural signal processing has been created. It can offer significant speedup in processing signals from large-scale recordings up to thousands of channels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Energy Flexibility in Retail Buildings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Zheng; Billanes, Joy Dalmacio; Kjærgaard, Mikkel Baun

    2017-01-01

    Retail buildings has an important role for demand side energy flexibility because of their high energy consumption, variety of energy flexibility resources, and centralized control via building control systems. Energy flexibility requires agreements and collaborations among different actors......), with the discussion of the stakeholders’ roles and their interrelation in delivering energy flexibility with the influential factors to the actual implementation of energy flexible operation of their buildings. Based on a literature analysis, the results cover stakeholders’ types and roles, perceptions (drivers......, barriers, and benefits), energy management activities and technology adoptions, and the stakeholders’ interaction for the energy flexibility in retail buildings....

  8. A possibility of parallel and anti-parallel diffraction measurements on ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    However, a bent perfect crystal (BPC) monochromator at monochromatic focusing condition can provide a quite flat and equal resolution property at both parallel and anti-parallel positions and thus one can have a chance to use both sides for the diffraction experiment. From the data of the FWHM and the / measured ...

  9. Risk management with substitution options: Valuing flexibility in small-scale energy systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knapp, Karl Eric

    links convert the sequence of independent options to a single compound option and require an expansion of the flexibility concept. Additional options increase the value of the project but generally decrease flexibility value. The framework is applied to case study in India: an urban industry electricity strategy decision with reliability risk.

  10. Smart Tendon Actuated Flexible Actuator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Masum Billah

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigate the kinematic feasibility of a tendon-based flexible parallel platform actuator. Much of the research on tendon-driven Stewart platforms is devoted either to the completely restrained positioning mechanism (CRPM or to one particular type of the incompletely restrained positioning mechanism (IRPM where the external force is provided by the gravitational pull on the platform such as in cable-suspended Stewart platforms. An IRPM-based platform is proposed which uses the external force provided by a compliant member. The compliant central column allows the configuration to achieve n DOFs with n tendons. In particular, this investigation focuses on the angular deflection of the upper platform with respect to the lower platform. The application here is aimed at developing a linkable module that can be connected to one another so as to form a “snake robot” of sorts. Since locomotion takes precedence over positioning in this application, a 3-DOF Stewart platform is adopted. For an arbitrary angular displace of the end-effector, the corresponding length of each tendon can be determined through inverse kinematics. Mathematical singularities are investigated using the traditional analytical method of defining the Jacobian.

  11. Flexible Word Classes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    • First major publication on the phenomenon • Offers cross-linguistic, descriptive, and diverse theoretical approaches • Includes analysis of data from different language families and from lesser studied languages This book is the first major cross-linguistic study of 'flexible words', i.e. words...... that cannot be classified in terms of the traditional lexical categories Verb, Noun, Adjective or Adverb. Flexible words can - without special morphosyntactic marking - serve in functions for which other languages must employ members of two or more of the four traditional, 'specialised' word classes. Thus......, flexible words are underspecified for communicative functions like 'predicating' (verbal function), 'referring' (nominal function) or 'modifying' (a function typically associated with adjectives and e.g. manner adverbs). Even though linguists have been aware of flexible world classes for more than...

  12. Efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamun, Abdullah-Al; Mi, Tian; Aseltine, Robert; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

    2014-01-01

    Integrating data from multiple sources is a crucial and challenging problem. Even though there exist numerous algorithms for record linkage or deduplication, they suffer from either large time needs or restrictions on the number of datasets that they can integrate. In this paper we report efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage which handle any number of datasets and outperform previous algorithms. Our algorithms employ hierarchical clustering algorithms as the basis. A key idea that we use is radix sorting on certain attributes to eliminate identical records before any further processing. Another novel idea is to form a graph that links similar records and find the connected components. Our sequential and parallel algorithms have been tested on a real dataset of 1,083,878 records and synthetic datasets ranging in size from 50,000 to 9,000,000 records. Our sequential algorithm runs at least two times faster, for any dataset, than the previous best-known algorithm, the two-phase algorithm using faster computation of the edit distance (TPA (FCED)). The speedups obtained by our parallel algorithm are almost linear. For example, we get a speedup of 7.5 with 8 cores (residing in a single node), 14.1 with 16 cores (residing in two nodes), and 26.4 with 32 cores (residing in four nodes). We have compared the performance of our sequential algorithm with TPA (FCED) and found that our algorithm outperforms the previous one. The accuracy is the same as that of this previous best-known algorithm.

  13. Passivation of Flexible YBCO Superconducting Current Lead With Amorphous SiO2 Layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johannes, Daniel; Webber, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators (ADR) are operated in space to cool detectors of cosmic radiation to a few 10s of mK. A key element of the ADR is a superconducting magnet operating at about 0.3 K that is continually energized and de-energized in synchronism with a thermal switch, such that a piece of paramagnetic salt is alternately warm in a high magnetic field and cold in zero magnetic field. This causes the salt pill or refrigerant to cool, and it is able to suck heat from an object, e.g., the sensor, to be cooled. Current has to be fed into and out of the magnets from a dissipative power supply at the ambient temperature of the spacecraft. The current leads that link the magnets to the power supply inevitably conduct a significant amount of heat into the colder regions of the supporting cryostat, resulting in the need for larger, heavier, and more powerful supporting refrigerators. The aim of this project was to design and construct high-temperature superconductor (HTS) leads from YBCO (yttrium barium copper oxide) composite conductors to reduce the heat load significantly in the temperature regime below the critical temperature of YBCO. The magnet lead does not have to support current in the event that the YBCO ceases to be superconducting. Cus - tomarily, a normal metal conductor in parallel with the YBCO is a necessary part of the lead structure to allow for this upset condition; however, for this application, the normal metal can be dispensed with. Amorphous silicon dioxide is deposited directly onto the surface of YBCO, which resides on a flexible substrate. The silicon dioxide protects the YBCO from chemically reacting with atmospheric water and carbon dioxide, thus preserving the superconducting properties of the YBCO. The customary protective coating for flexible YBCO conductors is silver or a silver/gold alloy, which conducts heat many orders of magnitude better than SiO2 and so limits the use of such a composite conductor for passing current

  14. Flexible concrete link slabs used as expansion joints in bridge decks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lárusson, Lárus Helgi; Fischer, Gregor

    2011-01-01

    of water through the expansion joint and subsequent corrosion of girders and girder bearings. Investigations on joint-less superstructures using conventional steel reinforcement in so-called concrete link slabs indicate improved performance and economic feasibility. However, this concept requires...... relatively large amounts of steel reinforcement for crack control purposes and consequently provides a relatively large flexural stiffness and negative moment capacity at the joint between the spans. These contradicting requirements and effects in existing replacement concepts for damaged mechanical bridge...... joints are currently unresolved. In the proposed system described in this paper, a ductile cement-based composite section reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) replaces the damaged expansion joint. The combination of this ductile concrete together with corrosion resistant GFRP...

  15. Long Lifetime DC-Link Voltage Stabilization Module for Smart Grid Application

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Huai; Chung, Henry; Liu, Wenchao

    2012-01-01

    Power converters enable efficient and flexible control and conversion of electric energy among different smart grid players (i.e. producers, energy storage systems, and loads). One of the expected features of smart grid is that it will be more reliable compared to conventional grid. However, power...... converters are one kind of the lifetime limiting components applied in smart grid. One of the major causes is the malfunction of electrolytic capacitors (E-Caps) which are widely used for stabilizing the dc-link voltage in various types of power converters applied in smart grid. A dc-link module is therefore...

  16. Preparation and characterization of a magneto-polymeric nanocomposite: Fe 3O 4 nanoparticles in a grafted, cross-linked and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Fernández, Oliverio S.; Rodríguez-Calzadíaz, C. A.; Yáñez-Flores, Isaura G.; Montemayor, Sagrario M.

    In this work two kind of materials: (1) grafted, cross-linked and plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) "plastic films" and (2) magnetic plastic films "magneto-polymeric nanocomposites" were prepared. Precursor solutions or "plastisols" used to obtain the plastic films were obtained by mixing PVC (emulsion grade) as polymeric matrix, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DOP) as plasticizer, a thermal stabilizer based in Ca/Zn salts, and a cross-linking agent, 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) or 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (ATES), at several concentrations. Flexible films were obtained from the plastisols using static casting. The stress-strain behavior and the gel content (determined by Soxhlet extraction with boiling THF) of the flexible films were measured in order to evaluate the effect of the cross-linking agent and their content on the degree of cross-linking. The magneto-polymeric nanocomposites were obtained by mixing the optimum composition of the plastisols (analyzed previously) with magnetite (Fe 3O 4)-based ferrofluid and DOP. Later, flexible films were obtained by static casting of the plastisol/ferrofluid systems. The magnetic films were characterized by the above-mentioned techniques and X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry and thermogravimetrical analysis.

  17. A deterministic, gigabit serial timing, synchronization and data link for the RHIC LLRF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayes, T.; Smith, K.S.; Severino, F.

    2011-01-01

    A critical capability of the new RHIC low level rf (LLRF) system is the ability to synchronize signals across multiple locations. The 'Update Link' provides this functionality. The 'Update Link' is a deterministic serial data link based on the Xilinx RocketIO protocol that is broadcast over fiber optic cable at 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). The link provides timing events and data packets as well as time stamp information for synchronizing diagnostic data from multiple sources. The new RHIC LLRF was designed to be a flexible, modular system. The system is constructed of numerous independent RF Controller chassis. To provide synchronization among all of these chassis, the Update Link system was designed. The Update Link system provides a low latency, deterministic data path to broadcast information to all receivers in the system. The Update Link system is based on a central hub, the Update Link Master (ULM), which generates the data stream that is distributed via fiber optic links. Downstream chassis have non-deterministic connections back to the ULM that allow any chassis to provide data that is broadcast globally.

  18. Locating hardware faults in a data communications network of a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J.; Megerian, Mark G.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Smith, Brian E.

    2010-01-12

    Hardware faults location in a data communications network of a parallel computer. Such a parallel computer includes a plurality of compute nodes and a data communications network that couples the compute nodes for data communications and organizes the compute node as a tree. Locating hardware faults includes identifying a next compute node as a parent node and a root of a parent test tree, identifying for each child compute node of the parent node a child test tree having the child compute node as root, running a same test suite on the parent test tree and each child test tree, and identifying the parent compute node as having a defective link connected from the parent compute node to a child compute node if the test suite fails on the parent test tree and succeeds on all the child test trees.

  19. Parallel Microcracks-based Ultrasensitive and Highly Stretchable Strain Sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amjadi, Morteza; Turan, Mehmet; Clementson, Cameron P; Sitti, Metin

    2016-03-02

    There is an increasing demand for flexible, skin-attachable, and wearable strain sensors due to their various potential applications. However, achieving strain sensors with both high sensitivity and high stretchability is still a grand challenge. Here, we propose highly sensitive and stretchable strain sensors based on the reversible microcrack formation in composite thin films. Controllable parallel microcracks are generated in graphite thin films coated on elastomer films. Sensors made of graphite thin films with short microcracks possess high gauge factors (maximum value of 522.6) and stretchability (ε ≥ 50%), whereas sensors with long microcracks show ultrahigh sensitivity (maximum value of 11,344) with limited stretchability (ε ≤ 50%). We demonstrate the high performance strain sensing of our sensors in both small and large strain sensing applications such as human physiological activity recognition, human body large motion capturing, vibration detection, pressure sensing, and soft robotics.

  20. Characterization of high impedance connecting links for Bolometric detectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giachero, A. [INFN, Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Università di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica G. Occhialini, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Gotti, C. [INFN, Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Università di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica G. Occhialini, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Università di Firenze, Dipartimento di Elettronica e Telecomunicazioni, Via S. Marta 3, I-50139 Firenze (Italy); Maino, M. [INFN, Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Università di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica G. Occhialini, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Pessina, G., E-mail: pessina@mib.infn.it [INFN, Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy); Università di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica G. Occhialini, Piazza della Scienza 3, I-20126 Milano (Italy)

    2013-08-01

    High impedance connecting links and cables are tested at low frequency in terms of their parasitic impedance to ground and to neighboring connecting links. These parameters must be well characterized with detectors operated at low temperature, especially when the very front-end is at room temperature, which results in a long link. This is the case of the LUCIFER experiment, an array of crystals where every event of interest produces two signals, one composed of phonons, the other of photons. The parasitic impedance is usually considered to be the parallel combination of a resistance and a capacitance. We characterized both and found that from the static measurements the capacitance of the cable resulted much larger. On the basis of this result we optimized the measurement set-up and developed a model to account for this behavior.

  1. Flexible procurement systems is key to supply chain sustainability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surajit Bag

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: In this dynamic business environment, manufacturers are focusing primarily on delivery performance and competitive pricing to win orders. It is essential that manufacturers adopt flexible procurement systems (FPSs in such an uncertain environment for business sustainability. Objectives: The purpose of the study is to identify the elements of FPSs and model the interrelationships between elements of FPSs and, finally, to understand how FPSs are linked with supply chain sustainability. Method: Besides providing a brief conceptual review of FPSs, the study largely illustrates the use of an innovative multi-criteria decision-making approach called total interpretive structural modelling (TISM. Results: The total interpretive structural modelling–based model evaluates the causality and illustrates elements with interpretation of relations and suggests that bottom-level elements are vital for sustainability in FPSs and avert risks. Secondly, strategic sourcing is positively influencing supplier integration. Thirdly, supplier integration positively influences supplier responsiveness. Fourthly, skills of flexible procurement workforce positively influence supplier integration. Fifthly, it is found that supplier integration positively influences flexible transportation. The sixth finding suggests that supplier integration positively influences eco-friendly packaging. The seventh finding highlights that supplier integration positively influences ISO 14001 certifications. The eighth finding explains that supplier responsiveness positively influences customer satisfaction. It is also observed that flexible transport reduces operational cost and environmental costs. The second last finding explains eco-friendly packaging and reduction in environmental cost by careful selection of packing material and chemicals. Lastly, it is found that ISO 14001/environmental certifications reduce environmental costs by greening suppliers and pressurises them

  2. A derivation and scalable implementation of the synchronous parallel kinetic Monte Carlo method for simulating long-time dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byun, Hye Suk; El-Naggar, Mohamed Y.; Kalia, Rajiv K.; Nakano, Aiichiro; Vashishta, Priya

    2017-10-01

    Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations are used to study long-time dynamics of a wide variety of systems. Unfortunately, the conventional KMC algorithm is not scalable to larger systems, since its time scale is inversely proportional to the simulated system size. A promising approach to resolving this issue is the synchronous parallel KMC (SPKMC) algorithm, which makes the time scale size-independent. This paper introduces a formal derivation of the SPKMC algorithm based on local transition-state and time-dependent Hartree approximations, as well as its scalable parallel implementation based on a dual linked-list cell method. The resulting algorithm has achieved a weak-scaling parallel efficiency of 0.935 on 1024 Intel Xeon processors for simulating biological electron transfer dynamics in a 4.2 billion-heme system, as well as decent strong-scaling parallel efficiency. The parallel code has been used to simulate a lattice of cytochrome complexes on a bacterial-membrane nanowire, and it is broadly applicable to other problems such as computational synthesis of new materials.

  3. Parallel implementation of the PHOENIX generalized stellar atmosphere program. II. Wavelength parallelization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baron, E.; Hauschildt, Peter H.

    1998-01-01

    We describe an important addition to the parallel implementation of our generalized nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) stellar atmosphere and radiative transfer computer program PHOENIX. In a previous paper in this series we described data and task parallel algorithms we have developed for radiative transfer, spectral line opacity, and NLTE opacity and rate calculations. These algorithms divided the work spatially or by spectral lines, that is, distributing the radial zones, individual spectral lines, or characteristic rays among different processors and employ, in addition, task parallelism for logically independent functions (such as atomic and molecular line opacities). For finite, monotonic velocity fields, the radiative transfer equation is an initial value problem in wavelength, and hence each wavelength point depends upon the previous one. However, for sophisticated NLTE models of both static and moving atmospheres needed to accurately describe, e.g., novae and supernovae, the number of wavelength points is very large (200,000 - 300,000) and hence parallelization over wavelength can lead both to considerable speedup in calculation time and the ability to make use of the aggregate memory available on massively parallel supercomputers. Here, we describe an implementation of a pipelined design for the wavelength parallelization of PHOENIX, where the necessary data from the processor working on a previous wavelength point is sent to the processor working on the succeeding wavelength point as soon as it is known. Our implementation uses a MIMD design based on a relatively small number of standard message passing interface (MPI) library calls and is fully portable between serial and parallel computers. copyright 1998 The American Astronomical Society

  4. Flexible magnetoimpedance sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Bodong; Kavaldzhiev, Mincho; Kosel, Jü rgen

    2015-01-01

    Flexible magnetoimpedance (MI) sensors fabricated using a NiFe/Cu/NiFe tri-layer on Kapton substrate have been studied. A customized flexible microstrip transmission line was employed to investigate the MI sensors's magnetic field and frequency

  5. Direct kinematics solution architectures for industrial robot manipulators: Bit-serial versus parallel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, J.; Kim, K.

    1991-01-01

    A Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) architecture for robot direct kinematic computation suitable for industrial robot manipulators was investigated. The Denavit-Hartenberg transformations are reviewed to exploit a proper processing element, namely an augmented CORDIC. Specifically, two distinct implementations are elaborated on, such as the bit-serial and parallel. Performance of each scheme is analyzed with respect to the time to compute one location of the end-effector of a 6-links manipulator, and the number of transistors required.

  6. Direct kinematics solution architectures for industrial robot manipulators: Bit-serial versus parallel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, J.; Kim, K.

    A Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) architecture for robot direct kinematic computation suitable for industrial robot manipulators was investigated. The Denavit-Hartenberg transformations are reviewed to exploit a proper processing element, namely an augmented CORDIC. Specifically, two distinct implementations are elaborated on, such as the bit-serial and parallel. Performance of each scheme is analyzed with respect to the time to compute one location of the end-effector of a 6-links manipulator, and the number of transistors required.

  7. Geospatial Applications on Different Parallel and Distributed Systems in enviroGRIDS Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodila, D.; Bacu, V.; Gorgan, D.

    2012-04-01

    focus is to integrate in the proposed platform the Cloud infrastructure, which is still a paradigm with critical problems to be solved despite the great efforts and investments. Cloud computing comes as a new way of delivering resources while using a large set of old as well as new technologies and tools for providing the necessary functionalities. The main challenges in the Cloud computing, most of them identified also in the Open Cloud Manifesto 2009, address resource management and monitoring, data and application interoperability and portability, security, scalability, software licensing, etc. We propose a platform able to execute different Geospatial applications on different parallel and distributed architectures such as Grid, Cloud, Multicore, etc. with the possibility of choosing among these architectures based on application characteristics and complexity, user requirements, necessary performances, cost support, etc. The execution redirection on a selected architecture is realized through a specialized component and has the purpose of offering a flexible way in achieving the best performances considering the existing restrictions.

  8. Advanced parallel strategy for strongly coupled fast transient fluid-structure dynamics with dual management of kinematic constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faucher, Vincent

    2014-01-01

    Simulating fast transient phenomena involving fluids and structures in interaction for safety purposes requires both accurate and robust algorithms, and parallel computing to reduce the calculation time for industrial models. Managing kinematic constraints linking fluid and structural entities is thus a key issue and this contribution promotes a dual approach over the classical penalty approach, introducing arbitrary coefficients in the solution. This choice however severely increases the complexity of the problem, mainly due to non-permanent kinematic constraints. An innovative parallel strategy is therefore described, whose performances are demonstrated on significant examples exhibiting the full complexity of the target industrial simulations. (authors)

  9. Flexible magnetoimpedance sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Bodong; Kavaldzhiev, Mincho N.; Kosel, Jürgen

    2015-01-01

    Flexible magnetoimpedance (MI) sensors fabricated using a NiFe/Cu/NiFe tri-layer on Kapton substrate have been studied. A customized flexible microstrip transmission line was employed to investigate the MI sensors's magnetic field and frequency responses and their dependence on the sensors's deflection. For the first time, the impedance characteristic is obtained through reflection coefficient analysis over a wide range of frequencies from 0.1 MHz to 3 GHz and for deflections ranging from zero curvature to a radius of 7.2 cm. The sensor element maintains a high MI ratio of up to 90% and magnetic sensitivity of up to 9.2%/Oe over different bending curvatures. The relationship between the curvature and material composition is discussed based on the magnetostriction effect and stress simulations. The sensor's large frequency range, simple fabrication process and high sensitivity provide a great potential for flexible electronics and wireless applications. - Highlights: • A flexible magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor is developed. • Studies are carried out using a flexible microstrip transmission line. • An MI ratio of up to 90% is obtained. • The effect of magnetostriction is studied

  10. Flexible transparent electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demiryont, Hulya; Shannon, Kenneth C., III; Moorehead, David; Bratcher, Matthew

    2011-06-01

    This paper presents the properties of the EclipseTECTM transparent conductor. EclipseTECTM is a room temperature deposited nanostructured thin film coating system comprised of metal-oxide semiconductor elements. The system possesses metal-like conductivity and glass-like transparency in the visible region. These highly conductive TEC films exhibit high shielding efficiency (35dB at 1 to 100GHz). EclipseTECTM can be deposited on rigid or flexible substrates. For example, EclipseTECTM deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is extremely flexible that can be rolled around a 9mm diameter cylinder with little or no reduction in electrical conductivity and that can assume pre-extension states after an applied stress is relieved. The TEC is colorless and has been tailored to have high visible transmittance which matches the eye sensitivity curve and allows the viewing of true background colors through the coating. EclipseTECTM is flexible, durable and can be tailored at the interface for applications such as electron- or hole-injecting OLED electrodes as well as electrodes in flexible displays. Tunable work function and optical design flexibility also make EclipseTECTM well-suited as a candidate for grid electrode replacement in next-generation photovoltaic cells.

  11. Flexible Foam Model.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neilsen, Michael K.; Lu, Wei-Yang; Werner, Brian T.; Scherzinger, William M.; Lo, Chi S.

    2018-03-01

    Experiments were performed to characterize the mechanical response of a 15 pcf flexible polyurethane foam to large deformation at different strain rates and temperatures. Results from these experiments indicated that at room temperature, flexible polyurethane foams exhibit significant nonlinear elastic deformation and nearly return to their original undeformed shape when unloaded. However, when these foams are cooled to temperatures below their glass transition temperature of approximately -35 o C, they behave like rigid polyurethane foams and exhibit significant permanent deformation when compressed. Thus, a new model which captures this dramatic change in behavior with temperature was developed and implemented into SIERRA with the name Flex_Foam to describe the mechanical response of both flexible and rigid foams to large deformation at a variety of temperatures and strain rates. This report includes a description of recent experiments. Next, development of the Flex Foam model for flexible polyurethane and other flexible foams is described. Selection of material parameters are discussed and finite element simulations with the new Flex Foam model are compared with experimental results to show behavior that can be captured with this new model.

  12. Linking Flexible-Dynamic Team Structures through Distributed Leadership: A Qualitative Evaluation with Single Design Case Approach and Application of Roster Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aykut BERBER

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Fierce competition in every sector has forced companies to re-design their structures towards being more customer-focused, faster and more responsive. In this vein, there is rising dominance of flexible-dynamic team structures in organizations and these teams are, most of the times, self-managed. Among these team structures, leadership characteristics are not only observed in official team leaders but such characteristics are distributed among team members. The concept of "leading without leaders" has gained scholarly interest and in this paper, aim is to evaluate and combine constructs of distributed leadership and flexible-dynamic team structures within a single design case approach. Local division of a multinational company that operates in luxury cosmetics sector is selected. In-depth interviews were conducted at the company site, and flexible-dynamic team structures were examined in detail. As a second tool, Roster method is applied to see existence and strength of distributed leadership among different departments. Findings supported that organizational structure of this company has become more flexible-dynamic with distributed leadership characteristics seen across all departments. These findings were significant because our selected company entered into Turkey market twice and the second entry has been operationally successful. Arguments are offered regarding differences between two periods and further implications are suggested in relation to adoption of a new and more responsive company structure. Structural changes between two periods constituted the focal point of this research.

  13. Parallel k-means++

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2017-04-04

    A parallelization of the k-means++ seed selection algorithm on three distinct hardware platforms: GPU, multicore CPU, and multithreaded architecture. K-means++ was developed by David Arthur and Sergei Vassilvitskii in 2007 as an extension of the k-means data clustering technique. These algorithms allow people to cluster multidimensional data, by attempting to minimize the mean distance of data points within a cluster. K-means++ improved upon traditional k-means by using a more intelligent approach to selecting the initial seeds for the clustering process. While k-means++ has become a popular alternative to traditional k-means clustering, little work has been done to parallelize this technique. We have developed original C++ code for parallelizing the algorithm on three unique hardware architectures: GPU using NVidia's CUDA/Thrust framework, multicore CPU using OpenMP, and the Cray XMT multithreaded architecture. By parallelizing the process for these platforms, we are able to perform k-means++ clustering much more quickly than it could be done before.

  14. Short-circuit testing of monofilar Bi-2212 coils connected in series and in parallel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polasek, A; Dias, R; Serra, E T; Filho, O O; Niedu, D

    2010-01-01

    Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SCFCL's) are one of the most promising technologies for fault current limitation. In the present work, resistive SCFCL components based on Bi-2212 monofilar coils are subjected to short-circuit testing. These SCFCL components can be easily connected in series and/or in parallel by using joints and clamps. This allows a considerable flexibility to developing larger SCFCL devices, since the configuration and size of the whole device can be easily adapted to the operational conditions. The single components presented critical current (Ic) values of 240-260 A, at 77 K. Short-circuits during 40-120 ms were applied. A single component can withstand a voltage drop of 126-252 V (0.3-0.6 V/cm). Components connected in series withstand higher voltage levels, whereas parallel connection allows higher rated currents during normal operation, but the limited current is also higher. Prospective currents as high as 10-40 kA (peak value) were limited to 3-9 kA (peak value) in the first half cycle.

  15. Schnek: A C++ library for the development of parallel simulation codes on regular grids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, Holger

    2018-05-01

    A large number of algorithms across the field of computational physics are formulated on grids with a regular topology. We present Schnek, a library that enables fast development of parallel simulations on regular grids. Schnek contains a number of easy-to-use modules that greatly reduce the amount of administrative code for large-scale simulation codes. The library provides an interface for reading simulation setup files with a hierarchical structure. The structure of the setup file is translated into a hierarchy of simulation modules that the developer can specify. The reader parses and evaluates mathematical expressions and initialises variables or grid data. This enables developers to write modular and flexible simulation codes with minimal effort. Regular grids of arbitrary dimension are defined as well as mechanisms for defining physical domain sizes, grid staggering, and ghost cells on these grids. Ghost cells can be exchanged between neighbouring processes using MPI with a simple interface. The grid data can easily be written into HDF5 files using serial or parallel I/O.

  16. Parallel magnetic resonance imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larkman, David J; Nunes, Rita G

    2007-01-01

    Parallel imaging has been the single biggest innovation in magnetic resonance imaging in the last decade. The use of multiple receiver coils to augment the time consuming Fourier encoding has reduced acquisition times significantly. This increase in speed comes at a time when other approaches to acquisition time reduction were reaching engineering and human limits. A brief summary of spatial encoding in MRI is followed by an introduction to the problem parallel imaging is designed to solve. There are a large number of parallel reconstruction algorithms; this article reviews a cross-section, SENSE, SMASH, g-SMASH and GRAPPA, selected to demonstrate the different approaches. Theoretical (the g-factor) and practical (coil design) limits to acquisition speed are reviewed. The practical implementation of parallel imaging is also discussed, in particular coil calibration. How to recognize potential failure modes and their associated artefacts are shown. Well-established applications including angiography, cardiac imaging and applications using echo planar imaging are reviewed and we discuss what makes a good application for parallel imaging. Finally, active research areas where parallel imaging is being used to improve data quality by repairing artefacted images are also reviewed. (invited topical review)

  17. Visual arts training is linked to flexible attention to local and global levels of visual stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Rebecca; Wagemans, Johan

    2015-10-01

    Observational drawing skill has been shown to be associated with the ability to focus on local visual details. It is unclear whether superior performance in local processing is indicative of the ability to attend to, and flexibly switch between, local and global levels of visual stimuli. It is also unknown whether these attentional enhancements remain specific to observational drawing skill or are a product of a wide range of artistic activities. The current study aimed to address these questions by testing if flexible visual processing predicts artistic group membership and observational drawing skill in a sample of first-year bachelor's degree art students (n=23) and non-art students (n=23). A pattern of local and global visual processing enhancements was found in relation to artistic group membership and drawing skill, with local processing ability found to be specifically related to individual differences in drawing skill. Enhanced global processing and more fluent switching between local and global levels of hierarchical stimuli predicted both drawing skill and artistic group membership, suggesting that these are beneficial attentional mechanisms for art-making in a range of domains. These findings support a top-down attentional model of artistic expertise and shed light on the domain specific and domain-general attentional enhancements induced by proficiency in the visual arts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Experiences in Data-Parallel Programming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terry W. Clark

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available To efficiently parallelize a scientific application with a data-parallel compiler requires certain structural properties in the source program, and conversely, the absence of others. A recent parallelization effort of ours reinforced this observation and motivated this correspondence. Specifically, we have transformed a Fortran 77 version of GROMOS, a popular dusty-deck program for molecular dynamics, into Fortran D, a data-parallel dialect of Fortran. During this transformation we have encountered a number of difficulties that probably are neither limited to this particular application nor do they seem likely to be addressed by improved compiler technology in the near future. Our experience with GROMOS suggests a number of points to keep in mind when developing software that may at some time in its life cycle be parallelized with a data-parallel compiler. This note presents some guidelines for engineering data-parallel applications that are compatible with Fortran D or High Performance Fortran compilers.

  19. Exploring the Moderating Role of Perceived Flexibility Advantages in Mobile Learning Continuance Intention (MLCI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui-Ting Huang

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The primary purpose of this study was to explore the key factors that could affect mobile learning continuance intention (MLCI, and examine the moderating effect of perceived flexibility advantages (PFA on the relationship between key mobile learning elements and continuance intention. Five hundred undergraduate students who had previously adopted mobile devices to learn English took part in this study. Partial least squares (PLS analysis was utilized to test the hypotheses in this study. It has been found that the perceived usefulness of mobile technology, subjective norm, and self-management of learning could be closely linked to mobile learning continuance intention. With particular respect to the moderating role of perceived flexibility advantages, it has been demonstrated that PFA could moderate the relationship between perceived usefulness of mobile technology and mobile learning continuance intention, as well as the association between subjective norm and mobile learning continuance intention, whereas PFA did not moderate the link between self-management of learning and mobile learning continuance intention.This report has further added to the body of knowledge in the field of mobile learning through empirical examination.

  20. Non-Cartesian parallel imaging reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Katherine L; Hamilton, Jesse I; Griswold, Mark A; Gulani, Vikas; Seiberlich, Nicole

    2014-11-01

    Non-Cartesian parallel imaging has played an important role in reducing data acquisition time in MRI. The use of non-Cartesian trajectories can enable more efficient coverage of k-space, which can be leveraged to reduce scan times. These trajectories can be undersampled to achieve even faster scan times, but the resulting images may contain aliasing artifacts. Just as Cartesian parallel imaging can be used to reconstruct images from undersampled Cartesian data, non-Cartesian parallel imaging methods can mitigate aliasing artifacts by using additional spatial encoding information in the form of the nonhomogeneous sensitivities of multi-coil phased arrays. This review will begin with an overview of non-Cartesian k-space trajectories and their sampling properties, followed by an in-depth discussion of several selected non-Cartesian parallel imaging algorithms. Three representative non-Cartesian parallel imaging methods will be described, including Conjugate Gradient SENSE (CG SENSE), non-Cartesian generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition (GRAPPA), and Iterative Self-Consistent Parallel Imaging Reconstruction (SPIRiT). After a discussion of these three techniques, several potential promising clinical applications of non-Cartesian parallel imaging will be covered. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Multicoil resonance-based parallel array for smart wireless power delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirbozorgi, S A; Sawan, M; Gosselin, B

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a novel resonance-based multicoil structure as a smart power surface to wirelessly power up apparatus like mobile, animal headstage, implanted devices, etc. The proposed powering system is based on a 4-coil resonance-based inductive link, the resonance coil of which is formed by an array of several paralleled coils as a smart power transmitter. The power transmitter employs simple circuit connections and includes only one power driver circuit per multicoil resonance-based array, which enables higher power transfer efficiency and power delivery to the load. The power transmitted by the driver circuit is proportional to the load seen by the individual coil in the array. Thus, the transmitted power scales with respect to the load of the electric/electronic system to power up, and does not divide equally over every parallel coils that form the array. Instead, only the loaded coils of the parallel array transmit significant part of total transmitted power to the receiver. Such adaptive behavior enables superior power, size and cost efficiency then other solutions since it does not need to use complex detection circuitry to find the location of the load. The performance of the proposed structure is verified by measurement results. Natural load detection and covering 4 times bigger area than conventional topologies with a power transfer efficiency of 55% are the novelties of presented paper.

  2. Visualizing Network Traffic to Understand the Performance of Massively Parallel Simulations

    KAUST Repository

    Landge, A. G.

    2012-12-01

    The performance of massively parallel applications is often heavily impacted by the cost of communication among compute nodes. However, determining how to best use the network is a formidable task, made challenging by the ever increasing size and complexity of modern supercomputers. This paper applies visualization techniques to aid parallel application developers in understanding the network activity by enabling a detailed exploration of the flow of packets through the hardware interconnect. In order to visualize this large and complex data, we employ two linked views of the hardware network. The first is a 2D view, that represents the network structure as one of several simplified planar projections. This view is designed to allow a user to easily identify trends and patterns in the network traffic. The second is a 3D view that augments the 2D view by preserving the physical network topology and providing a context that is familiar to the application developers. Using the massively parallel multi-physics code pF3D as a case study, we demonstrate that our tool provides valuable insight that we use to explain and optimize pF3D-s performance on an IBM Blue Gene/P system. © 1995-2012 IEEE.

  3. Influence of Paralleling Dies and Paralleling Half-Bridges on Transient Current Distribution in Multichip Power Modules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Helong; Zhou, Wei; Wang, Xiongfei

    2018-01-01

    This paper addresses the transient current distribution in the multichip half-bridge power modules, where two types of paralleling connections with different current commutation mechanisms are considered: paralleling dies and paralleling half-bridges. It reveals that with paralleling dies, both t...

  4. Optimal broadband Mueller matrix ellipsometer using multi-waveplates with flexibly oriented axes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu, Honggang; Chen, Xiuguo; Jiang, Hao; Zhang, Chuanwei; Liu, Shiyuan

    2016-01-01

    Accurate measurement of the Mueller matrix over a broad band is highly desirable for the characterization of nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this paper, we propose a general composite waveplate (GCW) that consists of multiple waveplates with flexibly oriented axes as a polarization modulating component in the Mueller matrix ellipsometer (MME). Although it is a common practice to make achromatic retarders by combining multiple waveplates, the novelty of the GCW is that both the retardances and azimuths of fast axes of the single-waveplates in the GCW are flexible parameters to be optimized, which is different from the conventional design where single-waveplates are usually arranged in symmetrical layout or with their fast axes parallel or perpendicular to each other. Consequently, the GCW can provide many more flexibilities to adapt to the optimization of the MME over a broad band. A quartz triplate, as a concrete example of the GCW, is designed and used in a house-made MME. The experimental results on the air demonstrate that the house-made MME using the optimally designed quartz triplates has an accuracy better than 0.2% and a precision better than 0.1% in the Mueller matrix measurement over a broad spectral range of 200∼1000 nm. The house-made MME exhibits high measurement repeatability better than 0.004 nm in testing a series of standard SiO 2 /Si samples with nominal oxide layer thicknesses ranging from 2 nm to 1000 nm. (paper)

  5. Parallel Architectures and Parallel Algorithms for Integrated Vision Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhary, Alok Nidhi

    1989-01-01

    Computer vision is regarded as one of the most complex and computationally intensive problems. An integrated vision system (IVS) is a system that uses vision algorithms from all levels of processing to perform for a high level application (e.g., object recognition). An IVS normally involves algorithms from low level, intermediate level, and high level vision. Designing parallel architectures for vision systems is of tremendous interest to researchers. Several issues are addressed in parallel architectures and parallel algorithms for integrated vision systems.

  6. High-Resolution Electronics: Spontaneous Patterning of High-Resolution Electronics via Parallel Vacuum Ultraviolet (Adv. Mater. 31/2016).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xuying; Kanehara, Masayuki; Liu, Chuan; Sakamoto, Kenji; Yasuda, Takeshi; Takeya, Jun; Minari, Takeo

    2016-08-01

    On page 6568, T. Minari and co-workers describe spontaneous patterning based on the parallel vacuum ultraviolet (PVUV) technique, enabling the homogeneous integration of complex, high-resolution electronic circuits, even on large-scale, flexible, transparent substrates. Irradiation of PVUV to the hydrophobic polymer surface precisely renders the selected surface into highly wettable regions with sharply defined boundaries, which spontaneously guides a metal nanoparticle ink into a series of circuit lines and gaps with the widths down to a resolution of 1 μm. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Pattern-Driven Automatic Parallelization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christoph W. Kessler

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available This article describes a knowledge-based system for automatic parallelization of a wide class of sequential numerical codes operating on vectors and dense matrices, and for execution on distributed memory message-passing multiprocessors. Its main feature is a fast and powerful pattern recognition tool that locally identifies frequently occurring computations and programming concepts in the source code. This tool also works for dusty deck codes that have been "encrypted" by former machine-specific code transformations. Successful pattern recognition guides sophisticated code transformations including local algorithm replacement such that the parallelized code need not emerge from the sequential program structure by just parallelizing the loops. It allows access to an expert's knowledge on useful parallel algorithms, available machine-specific library routines, and powerful program transformations. The partially restored program semantics also supports local array alignment, distribution, and redistribution, and allows for faster and more exact prediction of the performance of the parallelized target code than is usually possible.

  8. Multi-gigabit optical interconnects for next-generation on-board digital equipment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venet, Norbert; Favaro, Henri; Sotom, Michel; Maignan, Michel; Berthon, Jacques

    2017-11-01

    Parallel optical interconnects are experimentally assessed as a technology that may offer the high-throughput data communication capabilities required to the next-generation on-board digital processing units. An optical backplane interconnect was breadboarded, on the basis of a digital transparent processor that provides flexible connectivity and variable bandwidth in telecom missions with multi-beam antenna coverage. The unit selected for the demonstration required that more than tens of Gbit/s be supported by the backplane. The demonstration made use of commercial parallel optical link modules at 850 nm wavelength, with 12 channels running at up to 2.5 Gbit/s. A flexible optical fibre circuit was developed so as to route board-to-board connections. It was plugged to the optical transmitter and receiver modules through 12-fibre MPO connectors. BER below 10-14 and optical link budgets in excess of 12 dB were measured, which would enable to integrate broadcasting. Integration of the optical backplane interconnect was successfully demonstrated by validating the overall digital processor functionality.

  9. A Study of Parallel Operation of an active Filter and passive Filters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Zhe; Blaabjerg, Frede; Pedersen, John Kim

    2002-01-01

    This paper reports investigations of the parallel operations of a current controlled active filter and passive filters in a system with current harmonic sources. The task of reactive power and harmonic compensation is shared by the active filter and passive filters. The passive filters are used...... arrangements of the active and passive filters can operate relatively independently, also the compensation flexibility of the active filter can be fully exploited, such as one active filter for several harmonic sources.The simulation studies on various systems have been performed to evaluate the effectiveness...... of the systems. The results show that the power factor is corrected by the passive filters, harmonics are minimized by both active and passive filters and overloading of the filter system can be avoided....

  10. Alternative method for lancing control of a steam generator in a PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia, F.

    1996-01-01

    This paper illustrates a methodology for flexible process sequencing using SFC to be applied in teleoperated robotics and remote systems for hazardous and disordered nuclear environments. In this approach SFC is used as a unified framework for representing both: process sequencing and transitions adaptation on a flexible application to the cleaning task of a steam generator tube pack of a pressurised water reactor by means of automatic operated water lancing control. With this approach adaptive control and supervision are instructed and implemented in parallel by exploiting the power of SFC to describe massive parallel problem solving tasks which is an alternative method to the typical installations generally equipped with a main-frame linked to a PLC based network necessary to solve the same task. In this approach SFC is used as a unified framework for representing both the process sequence and transitions adaptation on a flexible application to a supervision control task. (Author)

  11. Data communications in a parallel active messaging interface of a parallel computer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archer, Charles J; Blocksome, Michael A; Ratterman, Joseph D; Smith, Brian E

    2013-10-29

    Data communications in a parallel active messaging interface (`PAMI`) of a parallel computer, the parallel computer including a plurality of compute nodes that execute a parallel application, the PAMI composed of data communications endpoints, each endpoint including a specification of data communications parameters for a thread of execution on a compute node, including specifications of a client, a context, and a task, the compute nodes and the endpoints coupled for data communications through the PAMI and through data communications resources, including receiving in an origin endpoint of the PAMI a data communications instruction, the instruction characterized by an instruction type, the instruction specifying a transmission of transfer data from the origin endpoint to a target endpoint and transmitting, in accordance with the instruction type, the transfer data from the origin endpoint to the target endpoint.

  12. The STAPL Parallel Graph Library

    KAUST Repository

    Harshvardhan,; Fidel, Adam; Amato, Nancy M.; Rauchwerger, Lawrence

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes the stapl Parallel Graph Library, a high-level framework that abstracts the user from data-distribution and parallelism details and allows them to concentrate on parallel graph algorithm development. It includes a customizable

  13. Model of rotary-actuated flexible beam with notch filter vibration suppression controller and torque feedforward load compensation controller

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bills, K.C.; Kress, R.L.; Kwon, D.S.; Baker, C.P.

    1994-01-01

    This paper describes ORNL's development of an environment for the simulation of robotic manipulators. Simulation includes the modeling of kinematics, dynamics, sensors, actuators, control systems, operators, and environments. Models will be used for manipulator design, proposal evaluation, control system design and analysis, graphical preview of proposed motions, safety system development, and training. Of particular interest is the development of models for robotic manipulators having at least one flexible link. As a first application, models have been developed for the Pacific Northwest Laboratory's Flexible Beam Test Bed (PNL FBTB), which is a 1-Degree-of-Freedom, flexible arm with a hydraulic base actuator. ORNL transferred control algorithms developed for the PNL FBTB to controlling IGRIP models. A robust notch filter is running in IGRIP controlling a full dynamics model of the PNL test bed. Model results provide a reasonable match to the experimental results (quantitative results are being determined) and can run on ORNL's Onyx machine in approximately realtime. The flexible beam is modeled as six rigid sections with torsional springs between each segment. The spring constants were adjusted to match the physical response of the flexible beam model to the experimental results. The controller is able to improve performance on the model similar to the improvement seen on the experimental system. Some differences are apparent, most notably because the IGRIP model presently uses a different trajectory planner than the one used by ORNL on the PNL test bed. In the future, the trajectory planner will be modified so that the experiments and models are the same. The successful completion of this work provides the ability to link C code with IGRIP, thus allowing controllers to be developed, tested, and tuned in simulation and then ported directly to hardware systems using the C language

  14. Implementation of an image acquisition and processing system based on FlexRIO, CameraLink and areaDetector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esquembri, S.; Ruiz, M. [Instrumentation and Applied Acoustic Research Group, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Madrid (Spain); Barrera, E., E-mail: eduardo.barrera@upm.es [Instrumentation and Applied Acoustic Research Group, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Madrid (Spain); Sanz, D.; Bustos, A. [Instrumentation and Applied Acoustic Research Group, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Madrid (Spain); Castro, R.; Vega, J. [National Fusion Laboratory, CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain)

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • The system presented acquires and process images from any CameraLink compliant camera. • The frame grabber implanted with FlexRIO technology have image time stamping and preprocessing capabilities. • The system is integrated into EPICS using areaDetector for a flexible configuration of image the acquisition and processing chain. • Is fully compatible with the architecture of the ITER Fast Controllers. - Abstract: Image processing systems are commonly used in current physics experiments, such as nuclear fusion experiments. These experiments usually require multiple cameras with different resolutions, framerates and, frequently, different software drivers. The integration of heterogeneous types of cameras without a unified hardware and software interface increases the complexity of the acquisition system. This paper presents the implementation of a distributed image acquisition and processing system for CameraLink cameras. This system implements a camera frame grabber using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), a reconfigurable hardware platform that allows for image acquisition and real-time preprocessing. The frame grabber is integrated into Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) using the areaDetector EPICS software module, which offers a common interface shared among tens of cameras to configure the image acquisition and process these images in a distributed control system. The use of areaDetector also allows the image processing to be parallelized and concatenated using: multiple computers; areaDetector plugins; and the areaDetector standard type for data, NDArrays. The architecture developed is fully compatible with ITER Fast Controllers and the entire system has been validated using a camera hardware simulator that stream videos from fusion experiment databases.

  15. Parallelism and array processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zacharov, V.

    1983-01-01

    Modern computing, as well as the historical development of computing, has been dominated by sequential monoprocessing. Yet there is the alternative of parallelism, where several processes may be in concurrent execution. This alternative is discussed in a series of lectures, in which the main developments involving parallelism are considered, both from the standpoint of computing systems and that of applications that can exploit such systems. The lectures seek to discuss parallelism in a historical context, and to identify all the main aspects of concurrency in computation right up to the present time. Included will be consideration of the important question as to what use parallelism might be in the field of data processing. (orig.)

  16. A simple optical fibre-linked remote control system for multiple devices

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    We report on the development of a simple control system which can handle multiple devices through an optical fibre data link. The devices are controlled using a set of DACs through serial data communication via a serial port of a PC. Serial data from the PC get converted to parallel mode using a homemade “serial in ...

  17. Incentivizing Flexibility in System Operations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milligan, Michael [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Bloom, Aaron P [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Townsend, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Ela, Erik [Electric Power Research Institute; Botterud, Audun [Argonne National Laboratory; Levin, Todd [Argonne National Laboratory

    2018-02-15

    Defining flexibility has been a challenge that a number of industry members and researchers have attempted to address in recent years. With increased variability and uncertainty of variable generation (VG), the resources on the system will have to be more flexible to adjust output, so that power output ranges, power ramp rates, and energy duration sustainability are sufficient to meet the needs of balancing supply with demand at various operational timescales. This chapter discusses whether existing market designs provide adequate incentives for resources to offer their flexibility into the market to meet the increased levels of variability and uncertainty introduced by VG in the short-term operational time frame. It presents a definition of flexibility and discusses how increased levels of VG require increased needs for flexibility on power systems. Following this introductory material, the chapter examines how existing market designs ensure that resources have the right incentives to provide increased flexibility, and then discusses a number of emerging market design elements that impact flexibility incentives.

  18. 100 Gbps IM/DD links using quad-polarization: Performance, complexity, and power dissipation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saldaña Cercos, Silvia; Piels, Molly; Estaran Tolosa, Jose Manuel

    2015-01-01

    A computational complexity, power consumption, and receiver sensitivity analysis for three different scenarios for short-range direct detection links is presented: 1) quad-polarization, 2) wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and 3) parallel optics. Results show that the power consumption pena...... sensitivity of 4.4 dBm...

  19. Vectorization, parallelization and porting of nuclear codes (vectorization and parallelization). Progress report fiscal 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishizuki, Shigeru; Kawai, Wataru; Nemoto, Toshiyuki; Ogasawara, Shinobu; Kume, Etsuo; Adachi, Masaaki; Kawasaki, Nobuo; Yatake, Yo-ichi

    2000-03-01

    Several computer codes in the nuclear field have been vectorized, parallelized and transported on the FUJITSU VPP500 system, the AP3000 system and the Paragon system at Center for Promotion of Computational Science and Engineering in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. We dealt with 12 codes in fiscal 1998. These results are reported in 3 parts, i.e., the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the parallelization on scalar processors part and the porting part. In this report, we describe the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors. In this vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the vectorization of General Tokamak Circuit Simulation Program code GTCSP, the vectorization and parallelization of Molecular Dynamics NTV (n-particle, Temperature and Velocity) Simulation code MSP2, Eddy Current Analysis code EDDYCAL, Thermal Analysis Code for Test of Passive Cooling System by HENDEL T2 code THANPACST2 and MHD Equilibrium code SELENEJ on the VPP500 are described. In the parallelization on scalar processors part, the parallelization of Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport code MCNP4B2, Plasma Hydrodynamics code using Cubic Interpolated Propagation Method PHCIP and Vectorized Monte Carlo code (continuous energy model / multi-group model) MVP/GMVP on the Paragon are described. In the porting part, the porting of Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport code MCNP4B2 and Reactor Safety Analysis code RELAP5 on the AP3000 are described. (author)

  20. Aging impairs deliberation and behavioral flexibility in inter-temporal choice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yannick-Andre eBreton

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Inter-temporal choice depends on multiple, interacting systems, some of which may be compromised with age. Some of these systems may be responsible for ongoing trial-by-trial choice strategies. Some may represent the consequences of action. Some may be necessary for the coupling between anticipated consequences and strategies currently in use, flexibly guiding behavior. When faced with a difficult decision, rats will orient back and forth, a behavior termed ``vicarious trial and error'' (VTE. Recent experiments have linked the occurrence of VTE to hippocampal search processes and behavioral flexibility. We tested 5 month (n=6, 9 month (n=8 and over-27 month-old (n=10 rats on a Spatial Adjusting Delay Discounting task to examine how aging impacted lap-by-lap strategies and VTE during inter-temporal choice. Rats chose between spatially separated food goals that provided a smaller-sooner or larger-later reward. On each lap, the delay to the larger-later reward was adjusted as a function of the rat's decisions, increasing by 1 second after delayed-side choices and decreasing by 1 second after non-delayed side choices. The strategies that aged rats used differed from those used in young and adult rats. Moreover, aged rats produced reliably more VTE behaviors, for protracted periods of time, uncoupled from behavioral flexibility.

  1. Parallel External Memory Graph Algorithms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arge, Lars Allan; Goodrich, Michael T.; Sitchinava, Nodari

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, we study parallel I/O efficient graph algorithms in the Parallel External Memory (PEM) model, one o f the private-cache chip multiprocessor (CMP) models. We study the fundamental problem of list ranking which leads to efficient solutions to problems on trees, such as computing lowest...... an optimal speedup of ¿(P) in parallel I/O complexity and parallel computation time, compared to the single-processor external memory counterparts....

  2. Orthogonal flexible Rydberg aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonhardt, K.; Wüster, S.; Rost, J. M.

    2016-02-01

    We study the link between atomic motion and exciton transport in flexible Rydberg aggregates, assemblies of highly excited light alkali-metal atoms, for which motion due to dipole-dipole interaction becomes relevant. In two one-dimensional atom chains crossing at a right angle adiabatic exciton transport is affected by a conical intersection of excitonic energy surfaces, which induces controllable nonadiabatic effects. A joint exciton-motion pulse that is initially governed by a single energy surface is coherently split into two modes after crossing the intersection. The modes induce strongly different atomic motion, leading to clear signatures of nonadiabatic effects in atomic density profiles. We have shown how this scenario can be exploited as an exciton switch, controlling direction and coherence properties of the joint pulse on the second of the chains [K. Leonhardt et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 223001 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.223001]. In this article we discuss the underlying complex dynamics in detail, characterize the switch, and derive our isotropic interaction model from a realistic anisotropic one with the addition of a magnetic bias field.

  3. Graphene-based materials for flexible supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shao, Yuanlong; El-Kady, Maher F; Wang, Lisa J; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Wang, Hongzhi; Mousavi, Mir F; Kaner, Richard B

    2015-06-07

    The demand for flexible/wearable electronic devices that have aesthetic appeal and multi-functionality has stimulated the rapid development of flexible supercapacitors with enhanced electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility. After a brief introduction to flexible supercapacitors, we summarize current progress made with graphene-based electrodes. Two recently proposed prototypes for flexible supercapacitors, known as micro-supercapacitors and fiber-type supercapacitors, are then discussed. We also present our perspective on the development of graphene-based electrodes for flexible supercapacitors.

  4. Comparison of capacitive and radio frequency resonator sensors for monitoring parallelized droplet microfluidic production

    KAUST Repository

    Conchouso Gonzalez, David

    2016-06-28

    Scaled-up production of microfluidic droplets, through the parallelization of hundreds of droplet generators, has received a lot of attention to bring novel multiphase microfluidics research to industrial applications. However, apart from droplet generation, other significant challenges relevant to this goal have never been discussed. Examples include monitoring systems, high-throughput processing of droplets and quality control procedures among others. In this paper, we present and compare capacitive and radio frequency (RF) resonator sensors as two candidates that can measure the dielectric properties of emulsions in microfluidic channels. By placing several of these sensors in a parallelization device, the stability of the droplet generation at different locations can be compared, and potential malfunctions can be detected. This strategy enables for the first time the monitoring of scaled-up microfluidic droplet production. Both sensors were prototyped and characterized using emulsions with droplets of 100-150 μm in diameter, which were generated in parallelization devices at water-in-oil volume fractions (φ) between 11.1% and 33.3%.Using these sensors, we were able to measure accurately increments as small as 2.4% in the water volume fraction of the emulsions. Although both methods rely on the dielectric properties of the emulsions, the main advantage of the RF resonator sensors is the fact that they can be designed to resonate at multiple frequencies of the broadband transmission line. Consequently with careful design, two or more sensors can be parallelized and read out by a single signal. Finally, a comparison between these sensors based on their sensitivity, readout cost and simplicity, and design flexibility is also discussed. © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  5. Flexible Metal Oxide/Graphene Oxide Hybrid Neuromorphic Devices on Flexible Conducting Graphene Substrates

    OpenAIRE

    Wan, Chang Jin; Wang, Wei; Zhu, Li Qiang; Liu, Yang Hui; Feng, Ping; Liu, Zhao Ping; Shi, Yi; Wan, Qing

    2016-01-01

    Flexible metal oxide/graphene oxide hybrid multi-gate neuron transistors were fabricated on flexible graphene substrates. Dendritic integrations in both spatial and temporal modes were successfully emulated, and spatiotemporal correlated logics were obtained. A proof-of-principle visual system model for emulating lobula giant motion detector neuron was investigated. Our results are of great interest for flexible neuromorphic cognitive systems.

  6. A voltage control method for an active capacitive DC-link module with series-connected circuit

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Haoran; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2017-01-01

    Many efforts have been made to improve the performance of power electronic systems with active capacitive DC-link module in terms of power density as well as reliability. One of the attractive solution is an active capacitive DC-link with the series-connected circuit because of handling small......-rated power. However, in the existing control method of this circuit, the DC-link current of the backward-stage or forward-stage need to be sensed for extracting the ripple components, which limits the flexibility of the active DC-link module. Thus, in this paper, a voltage control method of an active...... capacitive DC-link module is proposed. Current sensor at the DC-link will be cancel from the circuit. The controller of the series-connected circuit requires internal voltage signals of the DC-link module only, making it possible to be fully independent without any additional connection to the main circuit...

  7. A mobile robot with parallel kinematics constructed under requirements for assembling and machining of the ITER vacuum vessel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pessi, P.; Huapeng Wu; Handroos, H.; Jones, L.

    2006-01-01

    ITER sectors require more stringent tolerances ± 5 mm than normally expected for the size of structure involved. The walls of ITER sectors are made of 60 mm thick stainless steel and are joined together by high efficiency structural and leak tight welds. In addition to the initial vacuum vessel assembly, sectors may have to be replaced for repair. Since commercially available machines are too heavy for the required machining operations and the lifting of a possible e-beam gun column system, and conventional robots lack the stiffness and accuracy in such machining condition, a new flexible, lightweight and mobile robotic machine is being considered. For the assembly of the ITER vacuum vessel sector, precise positioning of welding end-effectors, at some distance in a confined space from the available supports, will be required, which is not possible using conventional machines or robots. This paper presents a special robot, able to carry out welding and machining processes from inside the ITER vacuum vessel, consisting of a ten-degree-of-freedom parallel robot mounted on a carriage driven by electric motor/gearbox on a track. The robot consists of a Stewart platform based parallel mechanism. Water hydraulic cylinders are used as actuators to reach six degrees of freedom for parallel construction. Two linear and two rotational motions are used for enlargement the workspace of the manipulator. The robot carries both welding gun such as a TIG, hybrid laser or e-beam welding gun to weld the inner and outer walls of the ITER vacuum vessel sectors and machining tools to cut and milling the walls with necessary accuracy, it can also carry other tools and material to a required position inside the vacuum vessel . For assembling an on line six degrees of freedom seam finding algorithm has been developed, which enables the robot to find welding seam automatically in a very complex environment. In the machining multi flexible machining processes carried out automatically by

  8. Parallel inter channel interaction mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jovic, V.; Afgan, N.; Jovic, L.

    1995-01-01

    Parallel channels interactions are examined. For experimental researches of nonstationary regimes flow in three parallel vertical channels results of phenomenon analysis and mechanisms of parallel channel interaction for adiabatic condition of one-phase fluid and two-phase mixture flow are shown. (author)

  9. A facile micropatterning method for a highly flexible PEDOT:PSS on SU-8

    KAUST Repository

    Cho, Nam Chul

    2016-04-17

    We report the micropatterning of conducting polymer on the epoxy-based photoresist to demonstrate fully organic, conducting and flexible electrodes. We show that polystyrene sulfonic acid can be covalently linked to the surface of the photoresist (SU-8) by forming sulfonyl ester at the interfaces. We also present an application of the patterned PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate)/SU-8 to the electroplating of metal electrodes. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

  10. A facile micropatterning method for a highly flexible PEDOT:PSS on SU-8

    KAUST Repository

    Cho, Nam Chul; Diekhans, Justin; Steward, Malia; Bakr, Osman; Choi, Seungkeun

    2016-01-01

    We report the micropatterning of conducting polymer on the epoxy-based photoresist to demonstrate fully organic, conducting and flexible electrodes. We show that polystyrene sulfonic acid can be covalently linked to the surface of the photoresist (SU-8) by forming sulfonyl ester at the interfaces. We also present an application of the patterned PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate)/SU-8 to the electroplating of metal electrodes. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

  11. Flexible Electronics Research Facility

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Flexible Electronics Research Facility designs, synthesizes, tests, and fabricates materials and devices compatible with flexible substrates for Army information...

  12. Parallel paving: An algorithm for generating distributed, adaptive, all-quadrilateral meshes on parallel computers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lober, R.R.; Tautges, T.J.; Vaughan, C.T.

    1997-03-01

    Paving is an automated mesh generation algorithm which produces all-quadrilateral elements. It can additionally generate these elements in varying sizes such that the resulting mesh adapts to a function distribution, such as an error function. While powerful, conventional paving is a very serial algorithm in its operation. Parallel paving is the extension of serial paving into parallel environments to perform the same meshing functions as conventional paving only on distributed, discretized models. This extension allows large, adaptive, parallel finite element simulations to take advantage of paving`s meshing capabilities for h-remap remeshing. A significantly modified version of the CUBIT mesh generation code has been developed to host the parallel paving algorithm and demonstrate its capabilities on both two dimensional and three dimensional surface geometries and compare the resulting parallel produced meshes to conventionally paved meshes for mesh quality and algorithm performance. Sandia`s {open_quotes}tiling{close_quotes} dynamic load balancing code has also been extended to work with the paving algorithm to retain parallel efficiency as subdomains undergo iterative mesh refinement.

  13. Flexibility within Fidelity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendall, Philip C.; Gosch, Elizabeth; Furr, Jami M.; Sood, Erica

    2008-01-01

    The authors address concerns regarding manual-based treatments, highlighting the role of flexibility and creativity. A cognitive-behavioral therapy for youth anxiety called the Coping Cat program demonstrates the flexible application of manuals and emphasizes the importance of a child-centered, personalized approach that involves the child in the…

  14. Vision-based online vibration estimation of the in-vessel inspection flexible robot with short-time Fourier transformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Hesheng; Chen, Weidong; Xu, Lifei; He, Tao

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Vision-based online vibration estimation method for a flexible arm is proposed. • The vibration signal is obtained by image processing in unknown environments. • Vibration parameters are estimated by short-time Fourier transformation. - Abstract: The vibration should be suppressed if it happens during the motion of a flexible robot or under the influence of external disturbance caused by its structural features and material properties, because the vibration may affect the positioning accuracy and image quality. In Tokamak environment, we need to get the real-time vibration information on vibration suppression of robotic arm, however, some sensors are not allowed in the extreme Tokamak environment. This paper proposed a vision-based method for online vibration estimation of a flexible manipulator, which is achieved by utilizing the environment image information from the end-effector camera to estimate its vibration. Short-time Fourier Transformation with adaptive window length method is used to estimate vibration parameters of non-stationary vibration signals. Experiments with one-link flexible manipulator equipped with camera are carried out to validate the feasibility of this method in this paper.

  15. Vision-based online vibration estimation of the in-vessel inspection flexible robot with short-time Fourier transformation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Hesheng [Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China (China); Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Chen, Weidong, E-mail: wdchen@sjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China (China); Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Xu, Lifei; He, Tao [Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China (China); Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Vision-based online vibration estimation method for a flexible arm is proposed. • The vibration signal is obtained by image processing in unknown environments. • Vibration parameters are estimated by short-time Fourier transformation. - Abstract: The vibration should be suppressed if it happens during the motion of a flexible robot or under the influence of external disturbance caused by its structural features and material properties, because the vibration may affect the positioning accuracy and image quality. In Tokamak environment, we need to get the real-time vibration information on vibration suppression of robotic arm, however, some sensors are not allowed in the extreme Tokamak environment. This paper proposed a vision-based method for online vibration estimation of a flexible manipulator, which is achieved by utilizing the environment image information from the end-effector camera to estimate its vibration. Short-time Fourier Transformation with adaptive window length method is used to estimate vibration parameters of non-stationary vibration signals. Experiments with one-link flexible manipulator equipped with camera are carried out to validate the feasibility of this method in this paper.

  16. Developmental Constraints on Learning Artificial Grammars with Fixed, Flexible and Free Word Order

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iga Nowak

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Human learning, although highly flexible and efficient, is constrained in ways that facilitate or impede the acquisition of certain systems of information. Some such constraints, active during infancy and childhood, have been proposed to account for the apparent ease with which typically developing children acquire language. In a series of experiments, we investigated the role of developmental constraints on learning artificial grammars with a distinction between shorter and relatively frequent words (‘function words,’ F-words and longer and less frequent words (‘content words,’ C-words. We constructed 4 finite-state grammars, in which the order of F-words, relative to C-words, was either fixed (F-words always occupied the same positions in a string, flexible (every F-word always followed a C-word, or free. We exposed adults (N = 84 and kindergarten children (N = 100 to strings from each of these artificial grammars, and we assessed their ability to recognize strings with the same structure, but a different vocabulary. Adults were better at recognizing strings when regularities were available (i.e., fixed and flexible order grammars, while children were better at recognizing strings from the grammars consistent with the attested distribution of function and content words in natural languages (i.e., flexible and free order grammars. These results provide evidence for a link between developmental constraints on learning and linguistic typology.

  17. Seeing or moving in parallel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Mark Schram; Ehrsson, H Henrik; Nielsen, Jens Bo

    2013-01-01

    a different network, involving bilateral dorsal premotor cortex (PMd), primary motor cortex, and SMA, was more active when subjects viewed parallel movements while performing either symmetrical or parallel movements. Correlations between behavioral instability and brain activity were present in right lateral...... adduction-abduction movements symmetrically or in parallel with real-time congruent or incongruent visual feedback of the movements. One network, consisting of bilateral superior and middle frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area (SMA), was more active when subjects performed parallel movements, whereas...

  18. Nonlinear Parametric Excitation Effect Induces Stability Transitions in Swimming Direction of Flexible Superparamagnetic Microswimmers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harduf, Yuval; Jin, Dongdong; Or, Yizhar; Zhang, Li

    2018-04-05

    Microscopic artificial swimmers have recently become highly attractive due to their promising potential for biomedical microrobotic applications. Previous pioneering work has demonstrated the motion of a robotic microswimmer with a flexible chain of superparamagnetic beads, which is actuated by applying an oscillating external magnetic field. Interestingly, they have shown that the microswimmer's orientation undergoes a 90°-transition when the magnetic field's oscillation amplitude is increased above a critical value. This unexpected transition can cause severe problems in steering and manipulation of flexible magnetic microrobotic swimmers. Thus, theoretical understanding and analysis of the physical origins of this effect are of crucial importance. In this work, we investigate this transition both theoretically and experimentally by using numerical simulations and presenting a novel flexible microswimmer with an anisotropic superparamagnetic head. We prove that this effect depends on both frequency and amplitude of the oscillating magnetic field, and demonstrate existence of an optimal amplitude achieving maximal swimming speed. Asymptotic analysis of a minimal two-link model reveals that the changes in the swimmer's direction represent stability transitions, which are induced by a nonlinear parametric excitation.

  19. The numerical parallel computing of photon transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Qingnan; Liang Xiaoguang; Zhang Lifa

    1998-12-01

    The parallel computing of photon transport is investigated, the parallel algorithm and the parallelization of programs on parallel computers both with shared memory and with distributed memory are discussed. By analyzing the inherent law of the mathematics and physics model of photon transport according to the structure feature of parallel computers, using the strategy of 'to divide and conquer', adjusting the algorithm structure of the program, dissolving the data relationship, finding parallel liable ingredients and creating large grain parallel subtasks, the sequential computing of photon transport into is efficiently transformed into parallel and vector computing. The program was run on various HP parallel computers such as the HY-1 (PVP), the Challenge (SMP) and the YH-3 (MPP) and very good parallel speedup has been gotten

  20. Hypergraph partitioning implementation for parallelizing matrix-vector multiplication using CUDA GPU-based parallel computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murni, Bustamam, A.; Ernastuti, Handhika, T.; Kerami, D.

    2017-07-01

    Calculation of the matrix-vector multiplication in the real-world problems often involves large matrix with arbitrary size. Therefore, parallelization is needed to speed up the calculation process that usually takes a long time. Graph partitioning techniques that have been discussed in the previous studies cannot be used to complete the parallelized calculation of matrix-vector multiplication with arbitrary size. This is due to the assumption of graph partitioning techniques that can only solve the square and symmetric matrix. Hypergraph partitioning techniques will overcome the shortcomings of the graph partitioning technique. This paper addresses the efficient parallelization of matrix-vector multiplication through hypergraph partitioning techniques using CUDA GPU-based parallel computing. CUDA (compute unified device architecture) is a parallel computing platform and programming model that was created by NVIDIA and implemented by the GPU (graphics processing unit).

  1. Writing parallel programs that work

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2012-01-01

    Serial algorithms typically run inefficiently on parallel machines. This may sound like an obvious statement, but it is the root cause of why parallel programming is considered to be difficult. The current state of the computer industry is still that almost all programs in existence are serial. This talk will describe the techniques used in the Intel Parallel Studio to provide a developer with the tools necessary to understand the behaviors and limitations of the existing serial programs. Once the limitations are known the developer can refactor the algorithms and reanalyze the resulting programs with the tools in the Intel Parallel Studio to create parallel programs that work. About the speaker Paul Petersen is a Sr. Principal Engineer in the Software and Solutions Group (SSG) at Intel. He received a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois in 1993. After UIUC, he was employed at Kuck and Associates, Inc. (KAI) working on auto-parallelizing compiler (KAP), and was involved in th...

  2. Parallel Framework for Cooperative Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitică Craus

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the work of an object oriented framework designed to be used in the parallelization of a set of related algorithms. The idea behind the system we are describing is to have a re-usable framework for running several sequential algorithms in a parallel environment. The algorithms that the framework can be used with have several things in common: they have to run in cycles and the work should be possible to be split between several "processing units". The parallel framework uses the message-passing communication paradigm and is organized as a master-slave system. Two applications are presented: an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO parallel algorithm for the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP and an Image Processing (IP parallel algorithm for the Symmetrical Neighborhood Filter (SNF. The implementations of these applications by means of the parallel framework prove to have good performances: approximatively linear speedup and low communication cost.

  3. Compiler Technology for Parallel Scientific Computation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Can Özturan

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available There is a need for compiler technology that, given the source program, will generate efficient parallel codes for different architectures with minimal user involvement. Parallel computation is becoming indispensable in solving large-scale problems in science and engineering. Yet, the use of parallel computation is limited by the high costs of developing the needed software. To overcome this difficulty we advocate a comprehensive approach to the development of scalable architecture-independent software for scientific computation based on our experience with equational programming language (EPL. Our approach is based on a program decomposition, parallel code synthesis, and run-time support for parallel scientific computation. The program decomposition is guided by the source program annotations provided by the user. The synthesis of parallel code is based on configurations that describe the overall computation as a set of interacting components. Run-time support is provided by the compiler-generated code that redistributes computation and data during object program execution. The generated parallel code is optimized using techniques of data alignment, operator placement, wavefront determination, and memory optimization. In this article we discuss annotations, configurations, parallel code generation, and run-time support suitable for parallel programs written in the functional parallel programming language EPL and in Fortran.

  4. WAGE FLEXIBILITY IN THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TECULESCU Silviu Alexandru

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper follows to offer the most efficient solutions for the attainment by Romania of the economic development level associated to the Western European countries. It proposes the division of the flexibility of labour market in three components, namely: internal flexibility, external flexibility and wage flexibility. The analysis performed within the present study will emphasize the wage flexibility. Wage flexibility can be classified in four components: a plans of individual and group incentives; b plans of assigning wages out of productivity; c plans of distribution of profits and, respectively, d plans of suggestions. The labour market flexibility, in general, and especially the wage flexibility contributes to the increase of employee motivation at the workplace, aspect which leeds to the growth of labour productivity, through this one being put the bases of the medium- and long-term economic development.

  5. Energy Flexibility in the Power System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Billanes, Joy Dalmacio; Ma, Zheng; Jørgensen, Bo Nørregaard

    2017-01-01

    Energy flexibility can address the challenges of large scale integration of renewable energy resources and thereby increasing imbalance in the power system. Flexible power system can provide reliable supply, low electricity cost and sustainability. Various situations and factors influence...... the adoption of the flexibility solutions, such as flexible electricity generation, demand-response, and electricity storage. This paper tries to analyze the current energy flexibility solutions and the factors that can influence the energy flexibility adoption. This paper takes Philippines as case study...... to provide an overview of the current condition of the Philippines’ power system and discuss the energy flexibility in the Philippines’ power system. A further discussion and recommendation is conducted in the end of the paper....

  6. Extremely Durable, Flexible Supercapacitors with Greatly Improved Performance at High Temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung-Kon; Kim, Hae Jin; Lee, Jong-Chan; Braun, Paul V; Park, Ho Seok

    2015-08-25

    The reliability and durability of energy storage devices are as important as their essential characteristics (e.g., energy and power density) for stable power output and long lifespan and thus much more crucial under harsh conditions. However, energy storage under extreme conditions is still a big challenge because of unavoidable performance decays and the inevitable damage of components. Here, we report high-temperature operating, flexible supercapacitors (f-SCs) that can provide reliable power output and extreme durability under severe electrochemical, mechanical, and thermal conditions. The outstanding capacitive features (e.g., ∼40% enhancement of the rate capability and a maximum capacitances of 170 F g(-1) and 18.7 mF cm(-2) at 160 °C) are attributed to facilitated ion transport at elevated temperatures. Under high-temperature operation and/or a flexibility test in both static and dynamic modes at elevated temperatures >100 °C, the f-SCs showed extreme long-term stability of 100000 cycles (>93% of initial capacitance value) and mechanical durability after hundreds of bending cycles (at bend angles of 60-180°). Even at 120 °C, the versatile design of tandem serial and parallel f-SCs was demonstrated to provide both desirable energy and power requirements at high temperatures.

  7. Parallel computing: numerics, applications, and trends

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Trobec, Roman; Vajteršic, Marián; Zinterhof, Peter

    2009-01-01

    ... and/or distributed systems. The contributions to this book are focused on topics most concerned in the trends of today's parallel computing. These range from parallel algorithmics, programming, tools, network computing to future parallel computing. Particular attention is paid to parallel numerics: linear algebra, differential equations, numerica...

  8. Parallel Computing Strategies for Irregular Algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biswas, Rupak; Oliker, Leonid; Shan, Hongzhang; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Parallel computing promises several orders of magnitude increase in our ability to solve realistic computationally-intensive problems, but relies on their efficient mapping and execution on large-scale multiprocessor architectures. Unfortunately, many important applications are irregular and dynamic in nature, making their effective parallel implementation a daunting task. Moreover, with the proliferation of parallel architectures and programming paradigms, the typical scientist is faced with a plethora of questions that must be answered in order to obtain an acceptable parallel implementation of the solution algorithm. In this paper, we consider three representative irregular applications: unstructured remeshing, sparse matrix computations, and N-body problems, and parallelize them using various popular programming paradigms on a wide spectrum of computer platforms ranging from state-of-the-art supercomputers to PC clusters. We present the underlying problems, the solution algorithms, and the parallel implementation strategies. Smart load-balancing, partitioning, and ordering techniques are used to enhance parallel performance. Overall results demonstrate the complexity of efficiently parallelizing irregular algorithms.

  9. Massively parallel whole genome amplification for single-cell sequencing using droplet microfluidics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosokawa, Masahito; Nishikawa, Yohei; Kogawa, Masato; Takeyama, Haruko

    2017-07-12

    Massively parallel single-cell genome sequencing is required to further understand genetic diversities in complex biological systems. Whole genome amplification (WGA) is the first step for single-cell sequencing, but its throughput and accuracy are insufficient in conventional reaction platforms. Here, we introduce single droplet multiple displacement amplification (sd-MDA), a method that enables massively parallel amplification of single cell genomes while maintaining sequence accuracy and specificity. Tens of thousands of single cells are compartmentalized in millions of picoliter droplets and then subjected to lysis and WGA by passive droplet fusion in microfluidic channels. Because single cells are isolated in compartments, their genomes are amplified to saturation without contamination. This enables the high-throughput acquisition of contamination-free and cell specific sequence reads from single cells (21,000 single-cells/h), resulting in enhancement of the sequence data quality compared to conventional methods. This method allowed WGA of both single bacterial cells and human cancer cells. The obtained sequencing coverage rivals those of conventional techniques with superior sequence quality. In addition, we also demonstrate de novo assembly of uncultured soil bacteria and obtain draft genomes from single cell sequencing. This sd-MDA is promising for flexible and scalable use in single-cell sequencing.

  10. Organizational flexibility estimation

    OpenAIRE

    Komarynets, Sofia

    2013-01-01

    By the help of parametric estimation the evaluation scale of organizational flexibility and its parameters was formed. Definite degrees of organizational flexibility and its parameters for the Lviv region enterprises were determined. Grouping of the enterprises under the existing scale was carried out. Special recommendations to correct the enterprises behaviour were given.

  11. Direct model reference adaptive control with application to flexible robots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinvorth, Rodrigo; Kaufman, Howard; Neat, Gregory W.

    1992-01-01

    A modification to a direct command generator tracker-based model reference adaptive control (MRAC) system is suggested in this paper. This modification incorporates a feedforward into the reference model's output as well as the plant's output. Its purpose is to eliminate the bounded model following error present in steady state when previous MRAC systems were used. The algorithm was evaluated using the dynamics for a single-link flexible-joint arm. The results of these simulations show a response with zero steady state model following error. These results encourage further use of MRAC for various types of nonlinear plants.

  12. On-board landmark navigation and attitude reference parallel processor system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, L. E.; Mahajan, D. T.

    1978-01-01

    An approach to autonomous navigation and attitude reference for earth observing spacecraft is described along with the landmark identification technique based on a sequential similarity detection algorithm (SSDA). Laboratory experiments undertaken to determine if better than one pixel accuracy in registration can be achieved consistent with onboard processor timing and capacity constraints are included. The SSDA is implemented using a multi-microprocessor system including synchronization logic and chip library. The data is processed in parallel stages, effectively reducing the time to match the small known image within a larger image as seen by the onboard image system. Shared memory is incorporated in the system to help communicate intermediate results among microprocessors. The functions include finding mean values and summation of absolute differences over the image search area. The hardware is a low power, compact unit suitable to onboard application with the flexibility to provide for different parameters depending upon the environment.

  13. Inter-Vertebral Flexibility of the Ostrich Neck: Implications for Estimating Sauropod Neck Flexibility

    OpenAIRE

    Cobley, Matthew J.; Rayfield, Emily J.; Barrett, Paul M.

    2013-01-01

    The flexibility and posture of the neck in sauropod dinosaurs has long been contentious. Improved constraints on sauropod neck function will have major implications for what we know of their foraging strategies, ecology and overall biology. Several hypotheses have been proposed, based primarily on osteological data, suggesting different degrees of neck flexibility. This study attempts to assess the effects of reconstructed soft tissues on sauropod neck flexibility through systematic removal o...

  14. Streaming for Functional Data-Parallel Languages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Frederik Meisner

    In this thesis, we investigate streaming as a general solution to the space inefficiency commonly found in functional data-parallel programming languages. The data-parallel paradigm maps well to parallel SIMD-style hardware. However, the traditional fully materializing execution strategy...... by extending two existing data-parallel languages: NESL and Accelerate. In the extensions we map bulk operations to data-parallel streams that can evaluate fully sequential, fully parallel or anything in between. By a dataflow, piecewise parallel execution strategy, the runtime system can adjust to any target...... flattening necessitates all sub-computations to materialize at the same time. For example, naive n by n matrix multiplication requires n^3 space in NESL because the algorithm contains n^3 independent scalar multiplications. For large values of n, this is completely unacceptable. We address the problem...

  15. Flexible automated manufacturing for SMEs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grube Hansen, David; Bilberg, Arne; Madsen, Erik Skov

    2017-01-01

    SMEs are in general highly flexible and agile in order to accommodate the customer demands in the paradigm of High Mix-Low Volume manufacturing. The flexibility and agility have mainly been enabled by manual labor, but as we are entering the technology and data driven fourth industrial revolution......, where augmented operators and machines work in cooperation in a highly flexible and productive manufacturing system both an opportunity and a need has raised for developing highly flexible and efficient automation....

  16. Flexible working hours, health, and well-being in Europe: some considerations from a SALTSA project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Giovanni; Akerstedt, Torbjorn; Nachreiner, Friedhelm; Baltieri, Federica; Carvalhais, José; Folkard, Simon; Dresen, Monique Frings; Gadbois, Charles; Gartner, Johannes; Sukalo, Hiltraud Grzech; Härmä, Mikko; Kandolin, Irja; Sartori, Samantha; Silvério, Jorge

    2004-01-01

    The project brought together researchers from 9 EU-Countries and resulted in a number of actions, in particular the following: (a) There is an urgent need of defining the concept of flexible working hours, since it has been used in many different and even counterintuitive ways; the most obvious distinction is where the influence over the working hours lies, that is between the "company-based flexibility" and the "individual-oriented flexibility"; (b) The review of the Legislation in force in the 15 European countries shows that the regulation of working times is quite extensive and covers (Council Directive 93/104/EC) almost all the various arrangements of working hours (i.e., part-time, overtime, shift, and night work), but fails to provide for flexibility; (c) According to the data of the Third EU Survey on Working Conditions, longer and "irregular" working hours are in general linked to lower levels of health and well-being; moreover, low (individual) flexibility and high variability of working hours (i.e., company-based flexibility) were consistently associated with poor health and well-being, while low variability combined with high autonomy showed positive effects; (d) Six substudies from different countries demonstrated that flexible working hours vary according to country, economic sector, social status, and gender; overtime is the most frequent form of company-based flexibility but has negative effects on stress, sleep, and social and mental health; individual flexibility alleviates the negative effects of the company-based flexibility on subjective health, safety, and social well-being; (e) The literature review was able to list more than 1,000 references, but it was striking that most of these documents were mainly argumentative with very little empirical data. Thus, one may conclude that there is a large-scale intervention ongoing in our society with almost completely unknown and uncontrolled effects. Consequently, there is a strong need for systematic

  17. High-precision laser microcutting and laser microdrilling using diffractive beam-splitting and high-precision flexible beam alignment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zibner, F.; Fornaroli, C.; Holtkamp, J.; Shachaf, Lior; Kaplan, Natan; Gillner, A.

    2017-08-01

    High-precision laser micro machining gains more importance in industrial applications every month. Optical systems like the helical optics offer highest quality together with controllable and adjustable drilling geometry, thus as taper angle, aspect ratio and heat effected zone. The helical optics is based on a rotating Dove-prism which is mounted in a hollow shaft engine together with other optical elements like wedge prisms and plane plates. Although the achieved quality can be interpreted as extremely high the low process efficiency is a main reason that this manufacturing technology has only limited demand within the industrial market. The objective of the research studies presented in this paper is to dramatically increase process efficiency as well as process flexibility. During the last years, the average power of commercial ultra-short pulsed laser sources has increased significantly. The efficient utilization of the high average laser power in the field of material processing requires an effective distribution of the laser power onto the work piece. One approach to increase the efficiency is the application of beam splitting devices to enable parallel processing. Multi beam processing is used to parallelize the fabrication of periodic structures as most application only require a partial amount of the emitted ultra-short pulsed laser power. In order to achieve highest flexibility while using multi beam processing the single beams are diverted and re-guided in a way that enables the opportunity to process with each partial beam on locally apart probes or semimanufactures.

  18. On flexible and rigid nouns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rijkhoff, Jan

    2010-01-01

    classes. Finally this article wants to claim that the distinction between rigid and flexible noun categories (a) adds a new dimension to current classifications of parts of speech systems, (b) correlates with certain grammatical phenomena (e.g. so-called number discord), and (c) helps to explain the parts......This article argues that in addition to the major flexible lexical categories in Hengeveld’s classification of parts of speech systems (Contentive, Non-Verb, Modifier), there are also flexible word classes within the rigid lexical category Noun (Set Noun, Sort Noun, General Noun). Members...... by the flexible item in the external world. I will then argue that flexible word classes constitute a proper category (i.e. they are not the result of a merger of some rigid word classes) in that members of flexible word categories display the same properties regarding category membership as members of rigid word...

  19. On flexible and rigid nouns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rijkhoff, Jan

    2008-01-01

    Studies in Language 32-3 (2008), 727-752. Special issue: Parts of Speech: Descriptive tools, theoretical constructs Jan Rijkhoff - On flexible and rigid nouns This article argues that in addition to the flexible lexical categories in Hengeveld’s classification of parts-of-speech systems (Contentive......, Non-Verb, Modifier), there are also flexible word classes within the rigid lexical category Noun (Set Noun, Sort Noun, General Noun). Members of flexible word classes are characterized by their vague semantics, which in the case of nouns means that values for the semantic features Shape...... and Homogeneity are either left undetermined or they are specified in such a way that they do not quite match the properties of the kind of entity denoted by the flexible item in the external world. I will then argue that flexible word classes constitute a proper category (i.e. they are not the result of a merger...

  20. Cache-aware data structure model for parallelism and dynamic load balancing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sridi, Marwa

    2016-01-01

    This PhD thesis is dedicated to the implementation of innovative parallel methods in the framework of fast transient fluid-structure dynamics. It improves existing methods within EUROPLEXUS software, in order to optimize the shared memory parallel strategy, complementary to the original distributed memory approach, brought together into a global hybrid strategy for clusters of multi-core nodes. Starting from a sound analysis of the state of the art concerning data structuring techniques correlated to the hierarchic memory organization of current multi-processor architectures, the proposed work introduces an approach suitable for an explicit time integration (i.e. with no linear system to solve at each step). A data structure of type 'Structure of arrays' is conserved for the global data storage, providing flexibility and efficiency for current operations on kinematics fields (displacement, velocity and acceleration). On the contrary, in the particular case of elementary operations (for internal forces generic computations, as well as fluxes computations between cell faces for fluid models), particularly time consuming but localized in the program, a temporary data structure of type 'Array of structures' is used instead, to force an efficient filling of the cache memory and increase the performance of the resolution, for both serial and shared memory parallel processing. Switching from the global structure to the temporary one is based on a cell grouping strategy, following classing cache-blocking principles but handling specifically for this work neighboring data necessary to the efficient treatment of ALE fluxes for cells on the group boundaries. The proposed approach is extensively tested, from the point of views of both the computation time and the access failures into cache memory, confronting the gains obtained within the elementary operations to the potential overhead generated by the data structure switch. Obtained results are very satisfactory, especially

  1. Flexible magnetoimpidence sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Kavaldzhiev, Mincho

    2015-05-01

    Recently, flexible electronic devices have attracted increasing interest, due to the opportunities they promise for new applications such as wearable devices, where the components are required to flex during normal use[1]. In this light, different magnetic sensors, like microcoil, spin valve, giant magnetoresistance (GMR), magnetoimpedance (MI), have been studied previously on flexible substrates.

  2. Global Analysis of Flexible Risers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Banke, Lars

    1996-01-01

    Flexible pipes are often a technically attractive alternative to the traditional steel pipe. Often commercial utilisation of oil/gas fields depends on the use of flexible pipes. An example is when floating production vessels are used, where the flexible pipe follows the wave induced motions...

  3. Designing structural supply chain flexibility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mulinski, Ksawery Jan

    2012-01-01

    In a continuously changing business environment the role of supply chain flexibility is constantly increasing. A flexible supply chain can ensure survival in quickly changing market conditions as well as enable sustainable growth. This thesis explores the topic of supply chain flexibility with focus

  4. Patterns for Parallel Software Design

    CERN Document Server

    Ortega-Arjona, Jorge Luis

    2010-01-01

    Essential reading to understand patterns for parallel programming Software patterns have revolutionized the way we think about how software is designed, built, and documented, and the design of parallel software requires you to consider other particular design aspects and special skills. From clusters to supercomputers, success heavily depends on the design skills of software developers. Patterns for Parallel Software Design presents a pattern-oriented software architecture approach to parallel software design. This approach is not a design method in the classic sense, but a new way of managin

  5. High performance parallel I/O

    CERN Document Server

    Prabhat

    2014-01-01

    Gain Critical Insight into the Parallel I/O EcosystemParallel I/O is an integral component of modern high performance computing (HPC), especially in storing and processing very large datasets to facilitate scientific discovery. Revealing the state of the art in this field, High Performance Parallel I/O draws on insights from leading practitioners, researchers, software architects, developers, and scientists who shed light on the parallel I/O ecosystem.The first part of the book explains how large-scale HPC facilities scope, configure, and operate systems, with an emphasis on choices of I/O har

  6. Parallel transport of long mean-free-path plasma along open magnetic field lines: Parallel heat flux

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Zehua; Tang Xianzhu

    2012-01-01

    In a long mean-free-path plasma where temperature anisotropy can be sustained, the parallel heat flux has two components with one associated with the parallel thermal energy and the other the perpendicular thermal energy. Due to the large deviation of the distribution function from local Maxwellian in an open field line plasma with low collisionality, the conventional perturbative calculation of the parallel heat flux closure in its local or non-local form is no longer applicable. Here, a non-perturbative calculation is presented for a collisionless plasma in a two-dimensional flux expander bounded by absorbing walls. Specifically, closures of previously unfamiliar form are obtained for ions and electrons, which relate two distinct components of the species parallel heat flux to the lower order fluid moments such as density, parallel flow, parallel and perpendicular temperatures, and the field quantities such as the magnetic field strength and the electrostatic potential. The plasma source and boundary condition at the absorbing wall enter explicitly in the closure calculation. Although the closure calculation does not take into account wave-particle interactions, the results based on passing orbits from steady-state collisionless drift-kinetic equation show remarkable agreement with fully kinetic-Maxwell simulations. As an example of the physical implications of the theory, the parallel heat flux closures are found to predict a surprising observation in the kinetic-Maxwell simulation of the 2D magnetic flux expander problem, where the parallel heat flux of the parallel thermal energy flows from low to high parallel temperature region.

  7. Mapping of MPEG-4 decoding on a flexible architecture platform

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Tol, Erik B.; Jaspers, Egbert G.

    2001-12-01

    In the field of consumer electronics, the advent of new features such as Internet, games, video conferencing, and mobile communication has triggered the convergence of television and computers technologies. This requires a generic media-processing platform that enables simultaneous execution of very diverse tasks such as high-throughput stream-oriented data processing and highly data-dependent irregular processing with complex control flows. As a representative application, this paper presents the mapping of a Main Visual profile MPEG-4 for High-Definition (HD) video onto a flexible architecture platform. A stepwise approach is taken, going from the decoder application toward an implementation proposal. First, the application is decomposed into separate tasks with self-contained functionality, clear interfaces, and distinct characteristics. Next, a hardware-software partitioning is derived by analyzing the characteristics of each task such as the amount of inherent parallelism, the throughput requirements, the complexity of control processing, and the reuse potential over different applications and different systems. Finally, a feasible implementation is proposed that includes amongst others a very-long-instruction-word (VLIW) media processor, one or more RISC processors, and some dedicated processors. The mapping study of the MPEG-4 decoder proves the flexibility and extensibility of the media-processing platform. This platform enables an effective HW/SW co-design yielding a high performance density.

  8. Flexibility in insulin prescription

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanjay Kalra

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This communication explores the concept of flexibility, a propos insulin preparations and insulin regimes used in the management of type 2 diabetes. The flexibility of an insulin regime or preparation is defined as their ability to be injected at variable times, with variable injection-meal time gaps, in a dose frequency and quantum determined by shared decision making, with a minimal requirement of glucose monitoring and health professional consultation, with no compromise on safety, efficiency and tolerability. The relative flexibility of various basal, prandial and dual action insulins, as well as intensive regimes, is compared. The biopsychosocial model of health is used to assess the utility of different insulins while encouraging a philosophy of flexible insulin usage.

  9. Linked-List-Based Multibody Dynamics (MBDyn) Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLean, John; Brain, Thomas; Wuiocho, Leslie; Huynh, An; Ghosh, Tushar

    2012-01-01

    This new release of MBDyn is a software engine that calculates the dynamics states of kinematic, rigid, or flexible multibody systems. An MBDyn multibody system may consist of multiple groups of articulated chains, trees, or closed-loop topologies. Transient topologies are handled through conservation of energy and momentum. The solution for rigid-body systems is exact, and several configurable levels of nonlinear term fidelity are available for flexible dynamics systems. The algorithms have been optimized for efficiency and can be used for both non-real-time (NRT) and real-time (RT) simulations. Interfaces are currently compatible with NASA's Trick Simulation Environment. This new release represents a significant advance in capability and ease of use. The two most significant new additions are an application programming interface (API) that clarifies and simplifies use of MBDyn, and a link-list infrastructure that allows a single MBDyn instance to propagate an arbitrary number of interacting groups of multibody top ologies. MBDyn calculates state and state derivative vectors for integration using an external integration routine. A Trickcompatible interface is provided for initialization, data logging, integration, and input/output.

  10. Is Monte Carlo embarrassingly parallel?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoogenboom, J. E. [Delft Univ. of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft (Netherlands); Delft Nuclear Consultancy, IJsselzoom 2, 2902 LB Capelle aan den IJssel (Netherlands)

    2012-07-01

    Monte Carlo is often stated as being embarrassingly parallel. However, running a Monte Carlo calculation, especially a reactor criticality calculation, in parallel using tens of processors shows a serious limitation in speedup and the execution time may even increase beyond a certain number of processors. In this paper the main causes of the loss of efficiency when using many processors are analyzed using a simple Monte Carlo program for criticality. The basic mechanism for parallel execution is MPI. One of the bottlenecks turn out to be the rendez-vous points in the parallel calculation used for synchronization and exchange of data between processors. This happens at least at the end of each cycle for fission source generation in order to collect the full fission source distribution for the next cycle and to estimate the effective multiplication factor, which is not only part of the requested results, but also input to the next cycle for population control. Basic improvements to overcome this limitation are suggested and tested. Also other time losses in the parallel calculation are identified. Moreover, the threading mechanism, which allows the parallel execution of tasks based on shared memory using OpenMP, is analyzed in detail. Recommendations are given to get the maximum efficiency out of a parallel Monte Carlo calculation. (authors)

  11. Is Monte Carlo embarrassingly parallel?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoogenboom, J. E.

    2012-01-01

    Monte Carlo is often stated as being embarrassingly parallel. However, running a Monte Carlo calculation, especially a reactor criticality calculation, in parallel using tens of processors shows a serious limitation in speedup and the execution time may even increase beyond a certain number of processors. In this paper the main causes of the loss of efficiency when using many processors are analyzed using a simple Monte Carlo program for criticality. The basic mechanism for parallel execution is MPI. One of the bottlenecks turn out to be the rendez-vous points in the parallel calculation used for synchronization and exchange of data between processors. This happens at least at the end of each cycle for fission source generation in order to collect the full fission source distribution for the next cycle and to estimate the effective multiplication factor, which is not only part of the requested results, but also input to the next cycle for population control. Basic improvements to overcome this limitation are suggested and tested. Also other time losses in the parallel calculation are identified. Moreover, the threading mechanism, which allows the parallel execution of tasks based on shared memory using OpenMP, is analyzed in detail. Recommendations are given to get the maximum efficiency out of a parallel Monte Carlo calculation. (authors)

  12. Room temperature phosphorescence study on the structural flexibility of single tryptophan containing proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalska-Baron, Agnieszka; Gałęcki, Krystian; Wysocki, Stanisław

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we have undertaken efforts to find correlation between phosphorescence lifetimes of single tryptophan containing proteins and some structural indicators of protein flexibility/rigidity, such as the degree of tryptophan burial or its exposure to solvent, protein secondary and tertiary structure of the region of localization of tryptophan as well as B factors for tryptophan residue and its immediate surroundings. Bearing in mind that, apart from effective local viscosity of the protein/solvent matrix, the other factor that concur in determining room temperature tryptophan phosphorescence (RTTP) lifetime in proteins is the extent of intramolecular quenching by His, Cys, Tyr and Trp side chains, the crystallographic structures derived from the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank were also analyzed concentrating on the presence of potentially quenching amino acid side chains in the close proximity of the indole chromophore. The obtained results indicated that, in most cases, the phosphorescence lifetimes of tryptophan containing proteins studied tend to correlate with the above mentioned structural indicators of protein rigidity/flexibility. This correlation is expected to provide guidelines for the future development of phosphorescence lifetime-based method for the prediction of structural flexibility of proteins, which is directly linked to their biological function.

  13. Modelling and Control of the Multi-Stage Cable Pulley-Driven Flexible-Joint Robot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phongsaen Pitakwatchara

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This work is concerned with the task space impedance control of a robot driven through a multi-stage nonlinear flexible transmission system. Specifically, a two degrees-of-freedom cable pulley-driven flexible-joint robot is considered. Realistic modelling of the system is developed within the bond graph modelling framework. The model captures the nonlinear compliance behaviour of the multi-stage cable pulley transmission system, the spring effect of the augmented counterbalancing mechanism, the major loss throughout the system elements, and the typical inertial dynamics of the robot. Next, a task space impedance controller based on limited information about the angle and the current of the motors is designed. The motor current is used to infer the transmitted torque, by which the motor inertia may be modulated. The motor angle is employed to estimate the stationary distal robot link angle and the robot joint velocity. They are used in the controller to generate the desired damping force and to shape the potential energy of the flexible joint robot system to the desired configuration. Simulation and experimental results of the controlled system signify the competency of the proposed control law.

  14. Analysis of Azari Language based on Parsing using Link Gram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Arabzadeh

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available There are different classes of theories for the natural lanuguage syntactic parsing problem and for creating the related grammars .This paper presents a syntactic grammar developed in the link grammar formalism for Turkish which is an agglutinative language. In the link grammar formalism, the words of a sentence are linked with each other depending on their syntactic roles. Turkish has complex derivational and inflectional morphology, and derivational and inflection morphemes play important syntactic roles in the sentences. In order to develop a link grammar for Turkish, the lexical parts in the morphological representations of Turkish words are removed, and the links are created depending on the part of speech tags and inflectional morphemes in words. Furthermore, a derived word is separated at the derivational boundaries in order to treat each derivation morpheme as a special distinct word, and allow it to be linked with the rest of the sentence. The derivational morphemes of a word are also linked with each other with special links to indicate that they are parts of the same word. Finally the adapted unique link grammar formalism for Turkish provides flexibility for the linkage construction, and similar methods can be used for other languages with complex morphology. Finally, using the Delphi programming language, the link grammar related to the Azeri language was developed and implemented and then by selecting 250 random sentences, this grammar is evaluated and then tested. For 84.31% of the sentences, the result set of the parser contains the correct parse.

  15. Flexibility to contingency changes distinguishes habitual and goal-directed strategies in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Julie J; Keramati, Mehdi

    2017-09-01

    Decision-making in the real world presents the challenge of requiring flexible yet prompt behavior, a balance that has been characterized in terms of a trade-off between a slower, prospective goal-directed model-based (MB) strategy and a fast, retrospective habitual model-free (MF) strategy. Theory predicts that flexibility to changes in both reward values and transition contingencies can determine the relative influence of the two systems in reinforcement learning, but few studies have manipulated the latter. Therefore, we developed a novel two-level contingency change task in which transition contingencies between states change every few trials; MB and MF control predict different responses following these contingency changes, allowing their relative influence to be inferred. Additionally, we manipulated the rate of contingency changes in order to determine whether contingency change volatility would play a role in shifting subjects between a MB and MF strategy. We found that human subjects employed a hybrid MB/MF strategy on the task, corroborating the parallel contribution of MB and MF systems in reinforcement learning. Further, subjects did not remain at one level of MB/MF behaviour but rather displayed a shift towards more MB behavior over the first two blocks that was not attributable to the rate of contingency changes but rather to the extent of training. We demonstrate that flexibility to contingency changes can distinguish MB and MF strategies, with human subjects utilizing a hybrid strategy that shifts towards more MB behavior over blocks, consequently corresponding to a higher payoff.

  16. Flexibility to contingency changes distinguishes habitual and goal-directed strategies in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie J Lee

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Decision-making in the real world presents the challenge of requiring flexible yet prompt behavior, a balance that has been characterized in terms of a trade-off between a slower, prospective goal-directed model-based (MB strategy and a fast, retrospective habitual model-free (MF strategy. Theory predicts that flexibility to changes in both reward values and transition contingencies can determine the relative influence of the two systems in reinforcement learning, but few studies have manipulated the latter. Therefore, we developed a novel two-level contingency change task in which transition contingencies between states change every few trials; MB and MF control predict different responses following these contingency changes, allowing their relative influence to be inferred. Additionally, we manipulated the rate of contingency changes in order to determine whether contingency change volatility would play a role in shifting subjects between a MB and MF strategy. We found that human subjects employed a hybrid MB/MF strategy on the task, corroborating the parallel contribution of MB and MF systems in reinforcement learning. Further, subjects did not remain at one level of MB/MF behaviour but rather displayed a shift towards more MB behavior over the first two blocks that was not attributable to the rate of contingency changes but rather to the extent of training. We demonstrate that flexibility to contingency changes can distinguish MB and MF strategies, with human subjects utilizing a hybrid strategy that shifts towards more MB behavior over blocks, consequently corresponding to a higher payoff.

  17. Mediaprocessors in medical imaging for high performance and flexibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Managuli, Ravi; Kim, Yongmin

    2002-05-01

    New high performance programmable processors, called mediaprocessors, have been emerging since the early 1990s for various digital media applications, such as digital TV, set-top boxes, desktop video conferencing, and digital camcorders. Modern mediaprocessors, e.g., TI's TMS320C64x and Hitachi/Equator Technologies MAP-CA, can offer high performance utilizing both instruction-level and data-level parallelism. During this decade, with continued performance improvement and cost reduction, we believe that the mediaprocessors will become a preferred choice in designing imaging and video systems due to their flexibility in incorporating new algorithms and applications via programming and faster-time-to-market. In this paper, we will evaluate the suitability of these mediaprocessors in medical imaging. We will review the core routines of several medical imaging modalities, such as ultrasound and DR, and present how these routines can be mapped to mediaprocessors and their resultant performance. We will analyze the architecture of several leading mediaprocessors. By carefully mapping key imaging routines, such as 2D convolution, unsharp masking, and 2D FFT, to the mediaprocessor, we have been able to achieve comparable (if not better) performance to that of traditional hardwired approaches. Thus, we believe that future medical imaging systems will benefit greatly from these advanced mediaprocessors, offering significantly increased flexibility and adaptability, reducing the time-to-market, and improving the cost/performance ratio compared to the existing systems while meeting the high computing requirements.

  18. Education for Flexible Personality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bogomir Novak

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available Flexible personality transforms both cultural environment and itself. Post-modern personality is both contemplative and active. On one hand, it is subject to inner imagination of a creative act, and on the other hand, to creation of a tangible product What is more, flexible personality is also autonomous, mature, healthy and well balanced, as well as stable and responsive to the demand for change. Due to ever quicker changes, flexible personality is a must. And it is a task. The impact of professional work of adults on the education of children, however, is being conditioned by the exrigid family and rigid enterprises or institutions in which adults are employed. Nevertheless, flexible educational style is not repressive, as it used to be, nor permissive and totally concentrated on the child. It is a choice between the two qualities. The educators' style is dependent on their attitude towards life (play and self-education and not only towards work. Nowadays, flexibility is a way towards quality management of social and personal changes.

  19. Neptune: An astrophysical smooth particle hydrodynamics code for massively parallel computer architectures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandalski, Stou

    Smooth particle hydrodynamics is an efficient method for modeling the dynamics of fluids. It is commonly used to simulate astrophysical processes such as binary mergers. We present a newly developed GPU accelerated smooth particle hydrodynamics code for astrophysical simulations. The code is named neptune after the Roman god of water. It is written in OpenMP parallelized C++ and OpenCL and includes octree based hydrodynamic and gravitational acceleration. The design relies on object-oriented methodologies in order to provide a flexible and modular framework that can be easily extended and modified by the user. Several pre-built scenarios for simulating collisions of polytropes and black-hole accretion are provided. The code is released under the MIT Open Source license and publicly available at http://code.google.com/p/neptune-sph/.

  20. Parallel algorithms for continuum dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hicks, D.L.; Liebrock, L.M.

    1987-01-01

    Simply porting existing parallel programs to a new parallel processor may not achieve the full speedup possible; to achieve the maximum efficiency may require redesigning the parallel algorithms for the specific architecture. The authors discuss here parallel algorithms that were developed first for the HEP processor and then ported to the CRAY X-MP/4, the ELXSI/10, and the Intel iPSC/32. Focus is mainly on the most recent parallel processing results produced, i.e., those on the Intel Hypercube. The applications are simulations of continuum dynamics in which the momentum and stress gradients are important. Examples of these are inertial confinement fusion experiments, severe breaks in the coolant system of a reactor, weapons physics, shock-wave physics. Speedup efficiencies on the Intel iPSC Hypercube are very sensitive to the ratio of communication to computation. Great care must be taken in designing algorithms for this machine to avoid global communication. This is much more critical on the iPSC than it was on the three previous parallel processors

  1. Parallel S/sub n/ iteration schemes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wienke, B.R.; Hiromoto, R.E.

    1986-01-01

    The iterative, multigroup, discrete ordinates (S/sub n/) technique for solving the linear transport equation enjoys widespread usage and appeal. Serial iteration schemes and numerical algorithms developed over the years provide a timely framework for parallel extension. On the Denelcor HEP, the authors investigate three parallel iteration schemes for solving the one-dimensional S/sub n/ transport equation. The multigroup representation and serial iteration methods are also reviewed. This analysis represents a first attempt to extend serial S/sub n/ algorithms to parallel environments and provides good baseline estimates on ease of parallel implementation, relative algorithm efficiency, comparative speedup, and some future directions. The authors examine ordered and chaotic versions of these strategies, with and without concurrent rebalance and diffusion acceleration. Two strategies efficiently support high degrees of parallelization and appear to be robust parallel iteration techniques. The third strategy is a weaker parallel algorithm. Chaotic iteration, difficult to simulate on serial machines, holds promise and converges faster than ordered versions of the schemes. Actual parallel speedup and efficiency are high and payoff appears substantial

  2. On possibility of application of the parallel-mixed type coolant flow scheme to NPP steam generators linked with superheaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malkis, V.A.; Lokshin, V.A.

    1983-01-01

    Optimum distribution of the coolant straight-through flow between the superheater, evaporator and economizer is determined and the parallel-mixed type flow scheme is compared with other schemes. The calculations are performed for the 250 MW(e) steam generator for the WWER-1000 reactor unit the inlet and outlet primary coolant temperature of which is 324 and 290 deg C, respectively, while the feed water and saturation temperatures are 220 and 278.5 deg C, respectively. The rated superheating temperature is 300 deg C. The comparison of different schemes has been performed according to the average temperature head value at the steam-generator under the condition of equality as well as essential difference in the heat transfer coefficients in certain steam-generator sections. The calculations have shown that the use of parallel-mixed type flow permits to essentially increase the temperature head of the steam generator. At a constant heat transfer coefficient in all steam generator sections the highest temperature head is reached. At relative flow rates in the steam generator, economizer and evaporator equal to 6, 8 and 86%, respectively. The superheated steam generator temperature head in this case by 12% exceeds the temperature head of the WWER-1000 reactor unit wet steam generator. In case of heat transfer coefficient reduction in the superheater by a factor of three, the choice of the primary coolant, optimum distribution permits to maintain the steam generator temperature head at the level of the WWER-1000 reactor unit wet-steam steam generator. The use of the parallel-mixed type flow scheme permits to design a steam generator of slightly superheated steam for the parameters of the WWER-1000 unit

  3. Synthesis of Cross-Linked Polymeric Micelle pH Nanosensors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ek, Pramod Kumar; Jølck, Rasmus Irming; Andresen, Thomas Lars

    2015-01-01

    The design flexibility that polymeric micelles offer in the fabrication of optical nanosensors for ratiometric pH measurements is investigated. pH nanosensors based on polymeric micelles are synthesized either by a mixed-micellization approach or by a postmicelle modification strategy. In the mixed......-micellization approach, self-assembly of functionalized unimers followed by shell cross-linking by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) results in stabilized cRGD-functionalized micelle pH nanosensors. In the postmicelle modification strategy, simultaneous cross-linking and fluorophore conjugation...... at the micelle shell using CuAAC results in a stabilized micelle pH nanosensor. Compared to the postmicelle modification strategy, the mixed-micellization approach increases the control of the overall composition of the nanosensors.Both approaches provide stable nanosensors with similar pKa profiles and thereby...

  4. Implementation of a cell-wise block-Gauss-Seidel iterative method for SN transport on a hybrid parallel computer architecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosa, Massimiliano; Warsa, James S.; Perks, Michael

    2011-01-01

    We have implemented a cell-wise, block-Gauss-Seidel (bGS) iterative algorithm, for the solution of the S_n transport equations on the Roadrunner hybrid, parallel computer architecture. A compute node of this massively parallel machine comprises AMD Opteron cores that are linked to a Cell Broadband Engine™ (Cell/B.E.)"1. LAPACK routines have been ported to the Cell/B.E. in order to make use of its parallel Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). The bGS algorithm is based on the LU factorization and solution of a linear system that couples the fluxes for all S_n angles and energy groups on a mesh cell. For every cell of a mesh that has been parallel decomposed on the higher-level Opteron processors, a linear system is transferred to the Cell/B.E. and the parallel LAPACK routines are used to compute a solution, which is then transferred back to the Opteron, where the rest of the computations for the S_n transport problem take place. Compared to standard parallel machines, a hundred-fold speedup of the bGS was observed on the hybrid Roadrunner architecture. Numerical experiments with strong and weak parallel scaling demonstrate the bGS method is viable and compares favorably to full parallel sweeps (FPS) on two-dimensional, unstructured meshes when it is applied to optically thick, multi-material problems. As expected, however, it is not as efficient as FPS in optically thin problems. (author)

  5. Vectorization, parallelization and porting of nuclear codes. Vectorization and parallelization. Progress report fiscal 1999

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adachi, Masaaki; Ogasawara, Shinobu; Kume, Etsuo [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Ishizuki, Shigeru; Nemoto, Toshiyuki; Kawasaki, Nobuo; Kawai, Wataru [Fujitsu Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Yatake, Yo-ichi [Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    2001-02-01

    Several computer codes in the nuclear field have been vectorized, parallelized and trans-ported on the FUJITSU VPP500 system, the AP3000 system, the SX-4 system and the Paragon system at Center for Promotion of Computational Science and Engineering in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. We dealt with 18 codes in fiscal 1999. These results are reported in 3 parts, i.e., the vectorization and the parallelization part on vector processors, the parallelization part on scalar processors and the porting part. In this report, we describe the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors. In this vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the vectorization of Relativistic Molecular Orbital Calculation code RSCAT, a microscopic transport code for high energy nuclear collisions code JAM, three-dimensional non-steady thermal-fluid analysis code STREAM, Relativistic Density Functional Theory code RDFT and High Speed Three-Dimensional Nodal Diffusion code MOSRA-Light on the VPP500 system and the SX-4 system are described. (author)

  6. Parallel R-matrix computation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heggarty, J.W.

    1999-06-01

    For almost thirty years, sequential R-matrix computation has been used by atomic physics research groups, from around the world, to model collision phenomena involving the scattering of electrons or positrons with atomic or molecular targets. As considerable progress has been made in the understanding of fundamental scattering processes, new data, obtained from more complex calculations, is of current interest to experimentalists. Performing such calculations, however, places considerable demands on the computational resources to be provided by the target machine, in terms of both processor speed and memory requirement. Indeed, in some instances the computational requirements are so great that the proposed R-matrix calculations are intractable, even when utilising contemporary classic supercomputers. Historically, increases in the computational requirements of R-matrix computation were accommodated by porting the problem codes to a more powerful classic supercomputer. Although this approach has been successful in the past, it is no longer considered to be a satisfactory solution due to the limitations of current (and future) Von Neumann machines. As a consequence, there has been considerable interest in the high performance multicomputers, that have emerged over the last decade which appear to offer the computational resources required by contemporary R-matrix research. Unfortunately, developing codes for these machines is not as simple a task as it was to develop codes for successive classic supercomputers. The difficulty arises from the considerable differences in the computing models that exist between the two types of machine and results in the programming of multicomputers to be widely acknowledged as a difficult, time consuming and error-prone task. Nevertheless, unless parallel R-matrix computation is realised, important theoretical and experimental atomic physics research will continue to be hindered. This thesis describes work that was undertaken in

  7. Encoding methods for B1+ mapping in parallel transmit systems at ultra high field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tse, Desmond H. Y.; Poole, Michael S.; Magill, Arthur W.; Felder, Jörg; Brenner, Daniel; Jon Shah, N.

    2014-08-01

    Parallel radiofrequency (RF) transmission, either in the form of RF shimming or pulse design, has been proposed as a solution to the B1+ inhomogeneity problem in ultra high field magnetic resonance imaging. As a prerequisite, accurate B1+ maps from each of the available transmit channels are required. In this work, four different encoding methods for B1+ mapping, namely 1-channel-on, all-channels-on-except-1, all-channels-on-1-inverted and Fourier phase encoding, were evaluated using dual refocusing acquisition mode (DREAM) at 9.4 T. Fourier phase encoding was demonstrated in both phantom and in vivo to be the least susceptible to artefacts caused by destructive RF interference at 9.4 T. Unlike the other two interferometric encoding schemes, Fourier phase encoding showed negligible dependency on the initial RF phase setting and therefore no prior B1+ knowledge is required. Fourier phase encoding also provides a flexible way to increase the number of measurements to increase SNR, and to allow further reduction of artefacts by weighted decoding. These advantages of Fourier phase encoding suggest that it is a good choice for B1+ mapping in parallel transmit systems at ultra high field.

  8. Implementation and performance of parallelized elegant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.; Borland, M.

    2008-01-01

    The program elegant is widely used for design and modeling of linacs for free-electron lasers and energy recovery linacs, as well as storage rings and other applications. As part of a multi-year effort, we have parallelized many aspects of the code, including single-particle dynamics, wakefields, and coherent synchrotron radiation. We report on the approach used for gradual parallelization, which proved very beneficial in getting parallel features into the hands of users quickly. We also report details of parallelization of collective effects. Finally, we discuss performance of the parallelized code in various applications.

  9. Transparent, Superflexible Doubly Cross-Linked Polyvinylpolymethylsiloxane Aerogel Superinsulators via Ambient Pressure Drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zu, Guoqing; Shimizu, Taiyo; Kanamori, Kazuyoshi; Zhu, Yang; Maeno, Ayaka; Kaji, Hironori; Shen, Jun; Nakanishi, Kazuki

    2018-01-23

    Aerogels have many attractive properties but are usually costly and mechanically brittle, which always limit their practical applications. While many efforts have been made to reinforce the aerogels, most of the reinforcement efforts sacrifice the transparency or superinsulating properties. Here we report superflexible polyvinylpolymethylsiloxane, (CH 2 CH(Si(CH 3 )O 2/2 )) n , aerogels that are facilely prepared from a single precursor vinylmethyldimethoxysilane or vinylmethyldiethoxysilane without organic cross-linkers. The method is based on consecutive processes involving radical polymerization and hydrolytic polycondensation, followed by ultralow-cost, highly scalable, ambient-pressure drying directly from alcohol as a drying medium without any modification or additional solvent exchange. The resulting aerogels and xerogels show a homogeneous, tunable, highly porous, doubly cross-linked nanostructure with the elastic polymethylsiloxane network cross-linked with flexible hydrocarbon chains. An outstanding combination of ultralow cost, high scalability, uniform pore size, high surface area, high transparency, high hydrophobicity, excellent machinability, superflexibility in compression, superflexibility in bending, and superinsulating properties has been achieved in a single aerogel or xerogel. This study represents a significant progress of porous materials and makes the practical applications of transparent flexible aerogel-based superinsulators realistic.

  10. Parallelizing the spectral transform method: A comparison of alternative parallel algorithms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foster, I.; Worley, P.H.

    1993-01-01

    The spectral transform method is a standard numerical technique for solving partial differential equations on the sphere and is widely used in global climate modeling. In this paper, we outline different approaches to parallelizing the method and describe experiments that we are conducting to evaluate the efficiency of these approaches on parallel computers. The experiments are conducted using a testbed code that solves the nonlinear shallow water equations on a sphere, but are designed to permit evaluation in the context of a global model. They allow us to evaluate the relative merits of the approaches as a function of problem size and number of processors. The results of this study are guiding ongoing work on PCCM2, a parallel implementation of the Community Climate Model developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research

  11. Algorithms for parallel computers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Churchhouse, R.F.

    1985-01-01

    Until relatively recently almost all the algorithms for use on computers had been designed on the (usually unstated) assumption that they were to be run on single processor, serial machines. With the introduction of vector processors, array processors and interconnected systems of mainframes, minis and micros, however, various forms of parallelism have become available. The advantage of parallelism is that it offers increased overall processing speed but it also raises some fundamental questions, including: (i) which, if any, of the existing 'serial' algorithms can be adapted for use in the parallel mode. (ii) How close to optimal can such adapted algorithms be and, where relevant, what are the convergence criteria. (iii) How can we design new algorithms specifically for parallel systems. (iv) For multi-processor systems how can we handle the software aspects of the interprocessor communications. Aspects of these questions illustrated by examples are considered in these lectures. (orig.)

  12. Parallel processing for fluid dynamics applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, G.M.

    1989-01-01

    The impact of parallel processing on computational science and, in particular, on computational fluid dynamics is growing rapidly. In this paper, particular emphasis is given to developments which have occurred within the past two years. Parallel processing is defined and the reasons for its importance in high-performance computing are reviewed. Parallel computer architectures are classified according to the number and power of their processing units, their memory, and the nature of their connection scheme. Architectures which show promise for fluid dynamics applications are emphasized. Fluid dynamics problems are examined for parallelism inherent at the physical level. CFD algorithms and their mappings onto parallel architectures are discussed. Several example are presented to document the performance of fluid dynamics applications on present-generation parallel processing devices

  13. Graphene-cellulose paper flexible supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weng, Zhe; Su, Yang; Li, Feng; Du, Jinhong; Cheng, Hui-Ming [Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang, Da-Wei [ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia)

    2011-10-15

    A simple and scalable method to fabricate graphene-cellulose paper (GCP) membranes is reported; these membranes exhibit great advantages as freestanding and binder-free electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. The GCP electrode consists of a unique three-dimensional interwoven structure of graphene nanosheets and cellulose fibers and has excellent mechanical flexibility, good specific capacitance and power performance, and excellent cyclic stability. The electrical conductivity of the GCP membrane shows high stability with a decrease of only 6% after being bent 1000 times. This flexible GCP electrode has a high capacitance per geometric area of 81 mF cm{sup -2}, which is equivalent to a gravimetric capacitance of 120 F g{sup -1} of graphene, and retains >99% capacitance over 5000 cycles. Several types of flexible GCP-based polymer supercapacitors with various architectures are assembled to meet the power-energy requirements of typical flexible or printable electronics. Under highly flexible conditions, the supercapacitors show a high capacitance per geometric area of 46 mF cm{sup -2} for the complete devices. All the results demonstrate that polymer supercapacitors made using GCP membranes are versatile and may be used for flexible and portable micropower devices. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  14. Virtual resistance-based control strategy for DC link regeneration protection and current sharing in uninterruptible power supply

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Jinghang; Guan, Yajuan; Savaghebi, Mehdi

    2017-01-01

    To address the DC link voltage regeneration issue in parallel Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system, a DC link voltage protection (DCVP) method through online virtual resistance regulation is proposed. The proposed control strategy is able to protect the DC link from overvoltage that may...... trigger the protection mechanism of the UPS system. Moreover, a current sharing control strategy by regulating the virtual resistance is proposed to address the circulating current caused by the active power feeding. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is verified by experimental results from...

  15. Parallel discrete event simulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Overeinder, B.J.; Hertzberger, L.O.; Sloot, P.M.A.; Withagen, W.J.

    1991-01-01

    In simulating applications for execution on specific computing systems, the simulation performance figures must be known in a short period of time. One basic approach to the problem of reducing the required simulation time is the exploitation of parallelism. However, in parallelizing the simulation

  16. Two methods for decreasing the flexibility gap in national energy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batas Bjelić, Ilija; Rajaković, Nikola; Krajačić, Goran; Duić, Neven

    2016-01-01

    More variable renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures create an additional flexibility gap and require a novel energy planning method for sustainable national energy systems. The firstly presented method uses only EnergyPLAN tool in order to decrease the flexibility gap in a national energy system. Generic Optimization program (GenOpt"®) is an optimization program for the minimization of a cost function that is evaluated by an external simulation program, such as EnergyPLAN, which was used as the second method in this research. Successful strategies to decrease the flexibility gap are verified on the case of the Serbian national energy system using two methods for its structure design: (1) the iterative method, based on heuristics and manual procedure of using only EnergyPLAN, and (2) the optimization method, based on soft-linking of EnergyPLAN with GenOpt"®. The latter method, named EPOPT (EnergyPlan-genOPT), found the solution for the structure of the sustainable national energy system at the total cost of 8190 M€, while the iterative method was only able to find solutions at the cost in the range of 8251–8598 M€ by targeting only one sustainability goal. The advantages of the EPOPT method are its accuracy, user-friendliness and minimal costs, are valuable for planners. - Highlights: • Heuristic and optimization method for sustainable national energy system structure. • The same input assumptions resulting in different energy system structure. • Both methods are successful in decreasing of the flexibility gap. • The EPOPT method advantages are in the speed, accuracy and planner comfort. • Advanced method for the sustainable national energy policy planning.

  17. Overview of the Force Scientific Parallel Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gita Alaghband

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available The Force parallel programming language designed for large-scale shared-memory multiprocessors is presented. The language provides a number of parallel constructs as extensions to the ordinary Fortran language and is implemented as a two-level macro preprocessor to support portability across shared memory multiprocessors. The global parallelism model on which the Force is based provides a powerful parallel language. The parallel constructs, generic synchronization, and freedom from process management supported by the Force has resulted in structured parallel programs that are ported to the many multiprocessors on which the Force is implemented. Two new parallel constructs for looping and functional decomposition are discussed. Several programming examples to illustrate some parallel programming approaches using the Force are also presented.

  18. Three-dimensional formulation of rigid-flexible multibody systems with flexible beam elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia-Vallejo, D.; Mayo, J.; Escalona, J. L.; Dominguez, J.

    2008-01-01

    Multibody systems generally contain solids with appreciable deformations and which decisively influence the dynamics of the system. These solids have to be modeled by means of special formulations for flexible solids. At the same time, other solids are of such a high stiffness that they may be considered rigid, which simplifies their modeling. For these reasons, for a rigid-flexible multibody system, two types of formulations coexist in the equations of the system. Among the different possibilities provided in the literature on the material, the formulation in natural coordinates and the formulation in absolute nodal coordinates are utilized in this paper to model the rigid and flexible solids, respectively. This paper contains a mixed formulation based on the possibility of sharing coordinates between a rigid solid and a flexible solid. The global mass matrix of the system is shown to be constant and, in addition, many of the constraint equations obtained upon utilizing these formulations are linear and can be eliminated

  19. The Galley Parallel File System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieuwejaar, Nils; Kotz, David

    1996-01-01

    Most current multiprocessor file systems are designed to use multiple disks in parallel, using the high aggregate bandwidth to meet the growing I/0 requirements of parallel scientific applications. Many multiprocessor file systems provide applications with a conventional Unix-like interface, allowing the application to access multiple disks transparently. This interface conceals the parallelism within the file system, increasing the ease of programmability, but making it difficult or impossible for sophisticated programmers and libraries to use knowledge about their I/O needs to exploit that parallelism. In addition to providing an insufficient interface, most current multiprocessor file systems are optimized for a different workload than they are being asked to support. We introduce Galley, a new parallel file system that is intended to efficiently support realistic scientific multiprocessor workloads. We discuss Galley's file structure and application interface, as well as the performance advantages offered by that interface.

  20. PDDP, A Data Parallel Programming Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen H. Warren

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available PDDP, the parallel data distribution preprocessor, is a data parallel programming model for distributed memory parallel computers. PDDP implements high-performance Fortran-compatible data distribution directives and parallelism expressed by the use of Fortran 90 array syntax, the FORALL statement, and the WHERE construct. Distributed data objects belong to a global name space; other data objects are treated as local and replicated on each processor. PDDP allows the user to program in a shared memory style and generates codes that are portable to a variety of parallel machines. For interprocessor communication, PDDP uses the fastest communication primitives on each platform.