14,887 research outputs found
Optimization as a design strategy. Considerations based on building simulation-assisted experiments about problem decomposition
In this article the most fundamental decomposition-based optimization method
- block coordinate search, based on the sequential decomposition of problems in
subproblems - and building performance simulation programs are used to reason
about a building design process at micro-urban scale and strategies are defined
to make the search more efficient. Cyclic overlapping block coordinate search
is here considered in its double nature of optimization method and surrogate
model (and metaphore) of a sequential design process. Heuristic indicators apt
to support the design of search structures suited to that method are developed
from building-simulation-assisted computational experiments, aimed to choose
the form and position of a small building in a plot. Those indicators link the
sharing of structure between subspaces ("commonality") to recursive
recombination, measured as freshness of the search wake and novelty of the
search moves. The aim of these indicators is to measure the relative
effectiveness of decomposition-based design moves and create efficient block
searches. Implications of a possible use of these indicators in genetic
algorithms are also highlighted.Comment: 48 pages. 12 figures, 3 table
Data-Driven Shape Analysis and Processing
Data-driven methods play an increasingly important role in discovering
geometric, structural, and semantic relationships between 3D shapes in
collections, and applying this analysis to support intelligent modeling,
editing, and visualization of geometric data. In contrast to traditional
approaches, a key feature of data-driven approaches is that they aggregate
information from a collection of shapes to improve the analysis and processing
of individual shapes. In addition, they are able to learn models that reason
about properties and relationships of shapes without relying on hard-coded
rules or explicitly programmed instructions. We provide an overview of the main
concepts and components of these techniques, and discuss their application to
shape classification, segmentation, matching, reconstruction, modeling and
exploration, as well as scene analysis and synthesis, through reviewing the
literature and relating the existing works with both qualitative and numerical
comparisons. We conclude our report with ideas that can inspire future research
in data-driven shape analysis and processing.Comment: 10 pages, 19 figure
In-Mold Assembly of Multi-Functional Structures
Combining the recent advances in injection moldable polymer composites with the multi-material molding techniques enable fabrication of multi-functional structures to serve multiple functions (e.g., carry load, support motion, dissipate heat, store energy). Current in-mold assembly methods, however, cannot be simply scaled to create structures with miniature features, as the process conditions and the assembly failure modes change with the feature size. This dissertation identifies and addresses the issues associated with the in-mold assembly of multi-functional structures with miniature components. First, the functional capability of embedding actuators is developed. As a part of this effort, computational modeling methods are developed to assess the functionality of the structure with respect to the material properties, process parameters and the heat source. Using these models, the effective material thermal conductivity required to dissipate the heat generated by the embedded small scale
actuator is identified. Also, the influence of the fiber orientation on the heat dissipation performance is characterized. Finally, models for integrated product and process design are presented to ensure the miniature actuator survivability during embedding process. The second functional capability developed as a part of this dissertation is the in-mold assembly of multi-material structures capable of motion and load transfer, such as mechanisms with compliant hinges. The necessary hinge and link design features are identified. The shapes and orientations of these features are analyzed with respect to their functionality, mutual dependencies, and the process cost. The parametric model of the interface design is developed. This model is used to minimize both the final assembly weight and the mold complexity as the process cost measure. Also, to minimize the manufacturing waste and the risk of assembly failure due to unbalanced mold filling, the design optimization of runner systems used in multi-cavity molds for in-mold assembly is developed. The complete optimization model is characterized and formulated. The best method to solve the runner optimization problem is identified. To demonstrate the applicability of the tools developed in this dissertation towards the miniaturization of robotic devices, a case study of a novel miniature air vehicle drive mechanism is presented
A Review of Bayesian Methods in Electronic Design Automation
The utilization of Bayesian methods has been widely acknowledged as a viable
solution for tackling various challenges in electronic integrated circuit (IC)
design under stochastic process variation, including circuit performance
modeling, yield/failure rate estimation, and circuit optimization. As the
post-Moore era brings about new technologies (such as silicon photonics and
quantum circuits), many of the associated issues there are similar to those
encountered in electronic IC design and can be addressed using Bayesian
methods. Motivated by this observation, we present a comprehensive review of
Bayesian methods in electronic design automation (EDA). By doing so, we hope to
equip researchers and designers with the ability to apply Bayesian methods in
solving stochastic problems in electronic circuits and beyond.Comment: 24 pages, a draft version. We welcome comments and feedback, which
can be sent to [email protected]
RAPID EXPLORATION OF COST-PERFORMANCE TRADEOFFS USING DOMINANCE EFFECT DURING DESIGN OF HARDWARE ACCELERATORS
Modern Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) designs require a tradeoff between cost efficiency and performance (circuit speed). Furthermore, the Design Space Exploration (DSE) of the cost-performance tradeoffs for the multi objective VLSI designs should also be fast and efficient in nature. This paper presents a novel accelerated DSE approach for the exploration of cost-performance tradeoffs of modular multi (trio parametric. viz. cost, execution time and power consumption) objective VLSI hardware accelerators using hierarchical criterion analysis. The selection of the final design point is made after the tradeoffs are explored using the proposed approach. Results of the proposed approach when applied to various benchmarks yielded significant acceleration in the exploration process compared to current existing approaches with multi parametric objective
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