A Two-Level Approach to Large Mixed-Integer Programs with Application to Cogeneration in Energy-Efficient Buildings

We study a two-stage mixed-integer linear program (MILP) with more than 1 million binary variables in the second stage. We develop a two-level approach by constructing a semi-coarse model (coarsened with respect to variables) and a coarse model (coarsened with respect to both variables and constraints). We coarsen binary variables by selecting a small number of pre-specified daily on/off profiles. We aggregate constraints by partitioning them into groups and summing over each group. With an appropriate choice of coarsened profiles, the semi-coarse model is guaranteed to find a feasible solution of the original problem and hence provides an upper bound on the optimal solution. We show that solving a sequence of coarse models converges to the same upper bound with proven finite steps. This is achieved by adding violated constraints to coarse models until all constraints in the semi-coarse model are satisfied. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in cogeneration for buildings. The coarsened models allow us to obtain good approximate solutions at a fraction of the time required by solving the original problem. Extensive numerical experiments show that the two-level approach scales to large problems that are beyond the capacity of state-of-the-art commercial MILP solvers

Tracking Table Tennis Balls in Real Match Scenes for Umpiring Applications

Judging the legitimacy of table tennis services presents many challenges where technology can be judiciously applied to enhance decision-making. This paper presents a purpose-built system to automatically detect and track the ball during table-tennis services to enable precise judgment over their legitimacy in real-time. The system comprises a suite of algorithms which adaptively exploit spatial and temporal information from real match video sequences, which are generally characterised by high object motion, allied with object blurring and occlusion. Experimental results on a diverse set of table-tennis test sequences corroborate the system performance in facilitating consistently accurate and efficient decision-making over the validity of a service

A study on battery model parametrisation problem: application-oriented trade-offs between accuracy and simplicity

This study is focused on fast low-fidelity battery modelling for online applications. Because the battery parameters change due to variations of battery’s states, the model may need to be updated during operation. This can be achieved through the use of an online parameter identification technique, making use of online current-voltage measurements. The parametrisation algorithm’s speed is a crucial issue in such applications. This paper describes a study exploring the trade-offs between speed and accuracy, considering equivalent circuit models with different levels of complexity and different parameter-fitting algorithms. A visual investigation of the battery parametrisation problem is also proposed by obtaining battery model identification surfaces which help us to avoid unnecessary complexities. Three standard fitting algorithms are used to parametrise battery models using current-voltage measurements. For each level of complexity, the algorithms performances are evaluated using experimental data from a small NiMH battery pack. An application-oriented view on this trade-offs is discussed which demonstrates that the final target of the battery parametrisation problem can significantly affect the choice of the fitting algorithm and battery model structur

Optimal treatment allocations in space and time for on-line control of an emerging infectious disease

A key component in controlling the spread of an epidemic is deciding where, whenand to whom to apply an intervention.We develop a framework for using data to informthese decisionsin realtime.We formalize a treatment allocation strategy as a sequence of functions, oneper treatment period, that map up-to-date information on the spread of an infectious diseaseto a subset of locations where treatment should be allocated. An optimal allocation strategyoptimizes some cumulative outcome, e.g. the number of uninfected locations, the geographicfootprint of the disease or the cost of the epidemic. Estimation of an optimal allocation strategyfor an emerging infectious disease is challenging because spatial proximity induces interferencebetween locations, the number of possible allocations is exponential in the number oflocations, and because disease dynamics and intervention effectiveness are unknown at outbreak.We derive a Bayesian on-line estimator of the optimal allocation strategy that combinessimulation–optimization with Thompson sampling.The estimator proposed performs favourablyin simulation experiments. This work is motivated by and illustrated using data on the spread ofwhite nose syndrome, which is a highly fatal infectious disease devastating bat populations inNorth America

Accuracy versus simplicity in online battery model identification

This paper presents a framework for battery modeling in online, real-time applications where accuracy is important but speed is the key. The framework allows users to select model structures with the smallest number of parameters that is consistent with the accuracy requirements of the target application. The tradeoff between accuracy and speed in a battery model identification process is explored using different model structures and parameter-fitting algorithms. Pareto optimal sets are obtained, allowing a designer to select an appropriate compromise between accuracy and speed. In order to get a clearer understanding of the battery model identification problem, “identification surfaces” are presented. As an outcome of the battery identification surfaces, a new analytical solution is derived for battery model identification using a closed-form formula to obtain a battery’s ohmic resistance and open circuit voltage from measurement data. This analytical solution is used as a benchmark for comparison of other fitting algorithms and it is also used in its own right in a practical scenario for state-of-charge estimation. A simulation study is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and the simulation results are verified by conducting experimental tests on a small NiMH battery pack