justin

Today I read a paper titled “Automated Flight Test and System Identification for Rotary Wing Small Aerial Platform using Frequency Responses Analysis”

The abstract is:
This paper proposes an autopilot system that can be used to control the small scale rotorcraft during the flight test for linear-frequency-domain system identification.

The input frequency swept is generated automatically as part of the autopilot control command.

Therefore the bandwidth coverage and consistency of the frequency swept is guaranteed to produce high quality data for system identification.

Beside that we can set the safety parameter during the flight test (maximum roll or pitch value, minimum altitude, etc) so the safety of the whole flight test is guaranteed.

This autopilot for automated flight test will be tested using hardware in the loop simulator for hover flight condition.

Today I read a paper titled “Sequential mechanism design”

The abstract is:
In the customary VCG (Vickrey-Clarke-Groves) mechanism truth-telling is a dominant strategy.

In this paper we study the sequential VCG mechanism and show that other dominant strategies may then exist.

We illustrate how this fact can be used to minimize taxes using examples concerned with Clarke tax and public projects.

Today I read a paper titled “Using Spatially Varying Pixels Exposures and Bayer-covered Photosensors for High Dynamic Range Imaging”

The abstract is:
The method of a linear high dynamic range imaging using solid-state photosensors with Bayer colour filters array is provided in this paper.

Using information from neighbour pixels, it is possible to reconstruct linear images with wide dynamic range from the oversaturated images.

Bayer colour filters array is considered as an array of neutral filters in a quasimonochromatic light.

If the camera’s response function to the desirable light source is known then one can calculate correction coefficients to reconstruct oversaturated images.

Reconstructed images are linearized in order to provide a linear high dynamic range images for optical-digital imaging systems.

The calibration procedure for obtaining the camera’s response function to the desired light source is described.

Experimental results of the reconstruction of the images from the oversaturated images are presented for red, green, and blue quasimonochromatic light sources.

Quantitative analysis of the accuracy of the reconstructed images is provided.

Today I read a paper titled “State complexes for metamorphic robots”

The abstract is:
A metamorphic robotic system is an aggregate of homogeneous robot units which can individually and selectively locomote in such a way as to change the global shape of the system.

We introduce a mathematical framework for defining and analyzing general metamorphic robots.

This formal structure, combined with ideas from geometric group theory, leads to a natural extension of a configuration space for metamorphic robots — the state complex — which is especially adapted to parallelization.

We present an algorithm for optimizing reconfiguration sequences with respect to elapsed time.

A universal geometric property of state complexes — non-positive curvature — is the key to proving convergence to the globally time-optimal solution.

Today I read a paper titled “Anyone but Him: The Complexity of Precluding an Alternative”

The abstract is:
Preference aggregation in a multiagent setting is a central issue in both human and computer contexts.

In this paper, we study in terms of complexity the vulnerability of preference aggregation to destructive control.

That is, we study the ability of an election’s chair to, through such mechanisms as voter/candidate addition/suppression/partition, ensure that a particular candidate (equivalently, alternative) does not win.

And we study the extent to which election systems can make it impossible, or computationally costly (NP-complete), for the chair to execute such control.

Among the systems we study–plurality, Condorcet, and approval voting–we find cases where systems immune or computationally resistant to a chair choosing the winner nonetheless are vulnerable to the chair blocking a victory.

Beyond that, we see that among our studied systems no one system offers the best protection against destructive control.

Rather, the choice of a preference aggregation system will depend closely on which types of control one wishes to be protected against.

We also find concrete cases where the complexity of or susceptibility to control varies dramatically based on the choice among natural tie-handling rules.

Today I read a paper titled “KohonAnts: A Self-Organizing Ant Algorithm for Clustering and Pattern Classification”

The abstract is:
In this paper we introduce a new ant-based method that takes advantage of the cooperative self-organization of Ant Colony Systems to create a naturally inspired clustering and pattern recognition method.

The approach considers each data item as an ant, which moves inside a grid changing the cells it goes through, in a fashion similar to Kohonen’s Self-Organizing Maps.

The resulting algorithm is conceptually more simple, takes less free parameters than other ant-based clustering algorithms, and, after some parameter tuning, yields very good results on some benchmark problems.

Today I read a paper titled “On the role of metaphor in information visualization”

The abstract is:
The concept of metaphor, in particular graphical (or visual) metaphor, is central to the field of information visualization.

Information graphics and interactive information visualization systems employ a variety of metaphorical devices to make abstract, complex, voluminous, or otherwise difficult-to-comprehend information understandable in graphical terms.

This paper explores the use of metaphor in information visualization, advancing the theory previously argued by Johnson, Lakoff, Tversky et al.

that many information graphics are metaphorically understood in terms of cognitively entrenched spatial patterns known as image schemas.

These patterns serve to structure and constrain abstract reasoning processes via metaphorical projection operations that are grounded in everyday perceptual experiences with phenomena such as containment, movement, and force dynamics.

Building on previous research, I argue that information graphics promote comprehension of their target information through the use of graphical patterns that invoke these preexisting schematic structures.

I further theorize that the degree of structural alignment of a particular graphic with one or more corresponding image schemas accounts for its perceived degree of intuitiveness.

Accordingly, image schema theory can provide a powerful explanatory and predictive framework for visualization research.

I review relevant theories of analogy and metaphor, and discuss the image schematic properties of several common types of information graphic.

I conclude with the proposal that the inventory of image schemas culled from linguistic studies can serve as the basis for an inventory of design elements suitable for developing intuitive and effective new information visualization techniques.

Today I read a paper titled “Effects of Leaders Position and Shape on Aerodynamic Performances of V Flight Formation”

The abstract is:
The influences of the leader in a group of V flight formation are dealt with.

The investigation is focused on the effect of its position and shape on aerodynamics performances of a given V flight formation.

Vortices generated the wing tip of the leader moves downstream forming a pair of opposite rotating line vortices.

These vortices are generally undesirable because they create a downwash that increases the induced drag on leaders wing.

However, this downwash is also accompanied by an upwash that can beneficial to the followers wing flying behind the leaders one, namely a favorable lift for the followers wing.

How much contributions of the leaders wing to the followers wing in the V formation flight is determined by the strength of tip vortices generated by the leaders wing which is influenced by its position and shape including incidence angle, dihedral angle, aspect ratio and taper ratio.

The prediction of aerodynamic performances of the V flight formation including lift, drag and moment coefficients is numerically performed by solving Navier Stokes equations with k e turbulence model.

The computational domain is defined with multiblock topology to capture the complex geometry arrangement of the V flight formation.

Today I read a paper titled “Quantum Implementation of Parrondo’s Paradox”

The abstract is:
We propose a quantum implementation of a capital-dependent Parrondo’s paradox that uses $O(\log_2(n))$ qubits, where $n$ is the number of Parrondo games.

We present its implementation in the quantum computer language (QCL) and show simulation results.

Today I read a paper titled “The Road to Quantum Artificial Intelligence”

The abstract is:
This paper overviews the basic principles and recent advances in the emerging field of Quantum Computation (QC), highlighting its potential application to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The paper provides a very brief introduction to basic QC issues like quantum registers, quantum gates and quantum algorithms and then it presents references, ideas and research guidelines on how QC can be used to deal with some basic AI problems, such as search and pattern matching, as soon as quantum computers become widely available.

Today I read a paper titled “Circle Formation of Weak Robots and Lyndon Words”

The abstract is:
A Lyndon word is a non-empty word strictly smaller in the lexicographic order than any of its suffixes, except itself and the empty word.

In this paper, we show how Lyndon words can be used in the distributed control of a set of n weak mobile robots.

By weak, we mean that the robots are anonymous, memoryless, without any common sense of direction, and unable to communicate in an other way than observation.

An efficient and simple deterministic protocol to form a regular n-gon is presented and proven for n prime.

Today I read a paper titled “Image Processing in Optical Guidance for Autonomous Landing of Lunar Probe”

The abstract is:
Because of the communication delay between earth and moon, the GNC technology of lunar probe is becoming more important than ever.

Current navigation technology is not able to provide precise motion estimation for probe landing control system Computer vision offers a new approach to solve this problem.

In this paper, author introduces an image process algorithm of computer vision navigation for autonomous landing of lunar probe.

The purpose of the algorithm is to detect and track feature points which are factors of navigation.

Firstly, fixation areas are detected as sub-images and matched.

Secondly, feature points are extracted from sub-images and tracked.

Computer simulation demonstrates the result of algorithm takes less computation and fulfils requests of navigation algorithm.

Today I read a paper titled “Dichotomy for Voting Systems”

The abstract is:
Scoring protocols are a broad class of voting systems.

Each is defined by a vector $(\alpha_1,\alpha_2,…,\alpha_m)$, $\alpha_1 \geq \alpha_2 \geq >…

\geq \alpha_m$, of integers such that each voter contributes $\alpha_1$ points to his/her first choice, $\alpha_2$ points to his/her second choice, and so on, and any candidate receiving the most points is a winner.

What is it about scoring-protocol election systems that makes some have the desirable property of being NP-complete to manipulate, while others can be manipulated in polynomial time? We find the complete, dichotomizing answer: Diversity of dislike.

Every scoring-protocol election system having two or more point values assigned to candidates other than the favorite–i.e., having $||\{\alpha_i \condition 2 \leq i \leq m\}||\geq 2$–is NP-complete to manipulate.

Every other scoring-protocol election system can be manipulated in polynomial time.

In effect, we show that–other than trivial systems (where all candidates alway tie), plurality voting, and plurality voting’s transparently disguised translations–\emph{every} scoring-protocol election system is NP-complete to manipulate.