12,230 research outputs found
A Quasar Microlensing Light Curve Generator for LSST
We present a tool to generate mock quasar microlensing light curves and
sample them according to any observing strategy. An updated treatment of the
fixed and random velocity components of observer, lens, and source is used,
together with a proper alignment with the external shear defining the
magnification map caustic orientation. Our tool produces quantitative results
on high magnification events and caustic crossings, which we use to study three
lensed quasars known to display microlensing, viz. RX J1131-1231, HE 0230-2130,
and Q 2237+0305, as they would be monitored by The Rubin Observatory Legacy
Survey of Space and Time (LSST). We conclude that depending on the location on
the sky, the lens and source redshift, and the caustic network density, the
microlensing variability may deviate significantly than the expected
20-year average time scale (Mosquera & Kochanek 2011, arXiv:1104.2356).
We estimate that high magnification events with mag mag
could potentially be observed by LSST each year. The duration of the majority
of high magnification events is between 10 and 100 days, requiring a very high
cadence to capture and resolve them. Uniform LSST observing strategies perform
the best in recovering microlensing high magnification events. Our web tool can
be extended to any instrument and observing strategy, and is freely available
as a service at http://gerlumph.swin.edu.au/tools/lsst_generator/, along with
all the related code.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Published in MNRAS. Updated Table
Footstep and Motion Planning in Semi-unstructured Environments Using Randomized Possibility Graphs
Traversing environments with arbitrary obstacles poses significant challenges
for bipedal robots. In some cases, whole body motions may be necessary to
maneuver around an obstacle, but most existing footstep planners can only
select from a discrete set of predetermined footstep actions; they are unable
to utilize the continuum of whole body motion that is truly available to the
robot platform. Existing motion planners that can utilize whole body motion
tend to struggle with the complexity of large-scale problems. We introduce a
planning method, called the "Randomized Possibility Graph", which uses
high-level approximations of constraint manifolds to rapidly explore the
"possibility" of actions, thereby allowing lower-level motion planners to be
utilized more efficiently. We demonstrate simulations of the method working in
a variety of semi-unstructured environments. In this context,
"semi-unstructured" means the walkable terrain is flat and even, but there are
arbitrary 3D obstacles throughout the environment which may need to be stepped
over or maneuvered around using whole body motions.Comment: Accepted by IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
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Reactive Planar Manipulation with Convex Hybrid MPC
This paper presents a reactive controller for planar manipulation tasks that
leverages machine learning to achieve real-time performance. The approach is
based on a Model Predictive Control (MPC) formulation, where the goal is to
find an optimal sequence of robot motions to achieve a desired object motion.
Due to the multiple contact modes associated with frictional interactions, the
resulting optimization program suffers from combinatorial complexity when
tasked with determining the optimal sequence of modes.
To overcome this difficulty, we formulate the search for the optimal mode
sequences offline, separately from the search for optimal control inputs
online. Using tools from machine learning, this leads to a convex hybrid MPC
program that can be solved in real-time. We validate our algorithm on a planar
manipulation experimental setup where results show that the convex hybrid MPC
formulation with learned modes achieves good closed-loop performance on a
trajectory tracking problem
Adaptive Protection and Control in Power System for Wide-Area Blackout Prevention
This paper presents a new approach in adaptive outof-step (OOS) protection settings in power system in real-time. The proposed method uses extended equal area criterion (EEAC) to determine the critical clearing time (CCT) and critical clearing angle (CCA) of the system, which are vital information for OOS protection setting calculation. The dynamic model parameters and the coherency groups of the system for EEAC analysis are determined in real time to ensure that the newly calculated settings suit with the prevalent system operating condition. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated in a simulated data from 16-machine 68-bus system model
Comparative evaluation of approaches in T.4.1-4.3 and working definition of adaptive module
The goal of this deliverable is two-fold: (1) to present and compare different approaches towards learning and encoding movements us- ing dynamical systems that have been developed by the AMARSi partners (in the past during the first 6 months of the project), and (2) to analyze their suitability to be used as adaptive modules, i.e. as building blocks for the complete architecture that will be devel- oped in the project. The document presents a total of eight approaches, in two groups: modules for discrete movements (i.e. with a clear goal where the movement stops) and for rhythmic movements (i.e. which exhibit periodicity). The basic formulation of each approach is presented together with some illustrative simulation results. Key character- istics such as the type of dynamical behavior, learning algorithm, generalization properties, stability analysis are then discussed for each approach. We then make a comparative analysis of the different approaches by comparing these characteristics and discussing their suitability for the AMARSi project
Real-Time Motion Planning of Legged Robots: A Model Predictive Control Approach
We introduce a real-time, constrained, nonlinear Model Predictive Control for
the motion planning of legged robots. The proposed approach uses a constrained
optimal control algorithm known as SLQ. We improve the efficiency of this
algorithm by introducing a multi-processing scheme for estimating value
function in its backward pass. This pass has been often calculated as a single
process. This parallel SLQ algorithm can optimize longer time horizons without
proportional increase in its computation time. Thus, our MPC algorithm can
generate optimized trajectories for the next few phases of the motion within
only a few milliseconds. This outperforms the state of the art by at least one
order of magnitude. The performance of the approach is validated on a quadruped
robot for generating dynamic gaits such as trotting.Comment: 8 page
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