Mechanical systems subjected to generalized nonholonomic constraints

We study mechanical systems subject to constraint functions that can be dependent at some points and independent at the rest. Such systems are modelled by means of generalized codistributions. We discuss how the constraint force can transmit an impulse to the motion at the points of dependence and derive an explicit formula to obtain the ``post-impact'' momentum in terms of the ``pre-impact'' momentum.Comment: 24 pages, no figure

Automating the Procurement of Web Services

As government agencies and business become more dependent on web services, software solutions to automate their procurement gain importance. Current approaches for automating the procurement of web services suffer from an important drawback: neither uncertainty measures nor non-linear, and complex relations among parameters can be used by providers to specify quality-ofservice in offers. In this paper, we look deeply into the roots of this drawback and present a proposal which overcomes it. The key point to achieve this improvement has been using the constraint programming as a formal basis, since it endows the model with a very powerful expressiveness. A XML-based implementation is presented along with some experimental results and comparisons with other approaches.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC 2000–1106–C02–01Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2003-02737-C02-01Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología FIT-150100-2001-7

Tool Supported Error Detection and Explanations on Feature Models

Automated analysis of feature models (FM) is a field of interest in recent years. Many operations over FMs have been proposed and developed, and many researchers and industrial companies have adopted FMs as a way to express variability. This last makes more necessary having support to detect, explain and fix errors on FMs. The notation of FMs makes very easy to express variability, but makes hard detecting errors and find their cause manually. and these errors may cause the model does not express the variability what we want of it. Therefore, we need support to detect errors and find their causes. The contribution of this paper is a method to detect errors in FMs, based on the concept of observation. We also present implementations of this approach and of an approach to explain errors, in FaMa Framework [1] tool. To detect FM errors, firstly we have to identify the different error types and what it means each of them. Void FM error means that the FM does not represent any product, dead feature error means that a feature of the FM does not appear in any product, false optional error means that an optional feature appears in every product that its parent feature also appears, and wrong cardinality error means that one or more values of a set relationship cardinality are not reachable. We can check for these errors in a intuitive way. For instance, to detect if a FM has dead features, we can calculate every product and check if each feature appears in, at least, one product. But further, we propose a method based on observations, it means, FM configurations associated with a specific element (feature or cardinality). Each type of error has its type of observation associated too. With an algorithm, we calculate the set of observations of a FM. Then, for each observation, we check if FM has at least one product. If not, we have found an error. For instance, dead feature observation sets its feature as selected. If the FM with a dead feature observation is not valid, it means the feature we are checking is dead. When we have found the errors, explanations tell us what is the cause of each error. An explanation is a set of relationships that originates one or more errors. Changing or removing these relationships we can fix a error. However, explanations by themselves do not provide information about how to change the relationship. For instance, if an explanation about a dead feature is a mandatory relationship, we can turn it into a optional relationship, but the explanation does not tell us directly. We have implemented observations and explanations approaches in FaMa Framework, a tool for the automated analysis of FMs. The observations approach implemented is the previously mentioned, while the explanations approach implemented is the one described by Trinidad et al. [3] [4]. With these approaches, we have detected errors in SPLOT FM repository [2], and we have obtained explanations for them also

Momentum and energy preserving integrators for nonholonomic dynamics

In this paper, we propose a geometric integrator for nonholonomic mechanical systems. It can be applied to discrete Lagrangian systems specified through a discrete Lagrangian defined on QxQ, where Q is the configuration manifold, and a (generally nonintegrable) distribution in TQ. In the proposed method, a discretization of the constraints is not required. We show that the method preserves the discrete nonholonomic momentum map, and also that the nonholonomic constraints are preserved in average. We study in particular the case where Q has a Lie group structure and the discrete Lagrangian and/or nonholonomic constraints have various invariance properties, and show that the method is also energy-preserving in some important cases.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures; v2: example and figures added, minor correction to example 2; v3: added section on nonholonomic Stoermer-Verlet metho

A general framework for nonholonomic mechanics: Nonholonomic Systems on Lie affgebroids

This paper presents a geometric description of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems on Lie affgebroids subject to affine nonholonomic constraints. We define the notion of nonholonomically constrained system, and characterize regularity conditions that guarantee that the dynamics of the system can be obtained as a suitable projection of the unconstrained dynamics. It is shown that one can define an almost aff-Poisson bracket on the constraint AV-bundle, which plays a prominent role in the description of nonholonomic dynamics. Moreover, these developments give a general description of nonholonomic systems and the unified treatment permits to study nonholonomic systems after or before reduction in the same framework. Also, it is not necessary to distinguish between linear or affine constraints and the methods are valid for explicitly time-dependent systems.Comment: 50 page

Precise positioning of autonomous vehicles combining UWB ranging estimations with on-board sensors

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a positioning system based on the fusion of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging estimates together with odometry and inertial data from the vehicle. For carrying out this data fusion, an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) has been used. Furthermore, a post-processing algorithm has been designed to remove the Non Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) UWB ranging estimates to further improve the accuracy of the proposed solution. This solution has been tested using both a simulated environment and a real environment. This research work is in the scope of the PRoPART European Project. The different real tests have been performed on the AstaZero proving ground using a Radio Control car (RC car) developed by RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) as testing platform. Thus, a real time positioning solution has been achieved complying with the accuracy requirements for the PRoPART use case

Direct Detection of Optical Forces of Magnetic Nature in Dielectric Nanoantennas

Optical forces on nanostructures are usually characterized by their interaction with the electric field component of the light wave, given that most materials present negligible magnetic response at optical frequencies. This is not the case however of a high-refractive-index dielectric nanoantenna, which has been recently shown to efficiently support both electric and magnetic optical modes. In this work, we use a photoinduced force microscopy configuration to measure optically induced forces produced by a germanium nanoantenna on a surrounding silicon near-field probe. We reveal the spatial distribution, character, and magnitude of the generated forces when exciting the nanoantenna at its anapole state condition. We retrieve optical force maps showing values of up to 20 pN, which are found to be mainly magnetic in nature, according to our numerical simulations. The results of this investigation open new pathways for the study, detection, and generation of magnetic light forces at the nanometer scale.Fil: Poblet, Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Li, Yi. Southern University Of Science And Technology; ChinaFil: Cortés, Emiliano. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Maier, Stefan A.. Ludwig Maximilians Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Grinblat, Gustavo Sergio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bragas, Andrea Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Consideraciones para una óptima salud en el puesto de trabajo

La ergonomía desempeña un papel creciente en la solución del problema de rehabilitación de personas que en una u otra medida han perdido la capacidad de trabajo; también se estudian las aptitudes y peculiaridades psíquicas y físicas de las personas de edad avanzada y de aquellos individuos considerados como trabajadores especialmente sensibles. Por ello los principios ergonómicos se aplican para optimizar las condiciones de trabajo en relación al bienestar de la persona, su salud y su seguridad, sin olvidar la eficiencia tecnológica y económica. El abordaje de los factores de riesgo que intervienen en la producción de problemas de espalda en los profesionales, incluye al ser humano en sentido integral, desde el punto de vista físico, psicológico y social. En nuestro trabajo nos vamos a centrar en los factores físicos principalmente, destacaremos la adopción de posturas forzadas, movimientos bruscos, así como la inadecuada preparación física y el sedentarismo en una profesión sanitaria, la del técnico en transporte sanitario. Pero no debemos dejar de hacer mención de los otros puntos de vista: el estrés laboral, el apremio de tiempo, que da lugar a que se trabaje con mayor ritmo y no precisamente adoptando posiciones correctas. Aspectos relacionados con la satisfacción laboral también acentúan el estrés y la tensión muscular. La ausencia de una formación preventiva adecuada respecto a técnicas de movilización de enfermos. La falta de personal en los centros de trabajo, que implican una sobrecarga; el deficiente o nulo uso de medios mecánicos adecuadamente diseñados desde el punto de vista ergonómico.Ergonomics plays an increasing role in solving the problem of rehabilitation of people have lost the ability to work, it also examines the skills and mental and physical peculiarities of the elderly and those individuals considered workers are particularly sensitive. Therefore apply ergonomic principles to optimize the conditions of work for the welfare of the person, their health and safety, not forgetting the technological and economic efficiency. The approach of the risk factors involved in the production of back problems in the professionals, including the human being in integral sense from the standpoint of physical, psychological and social. In our work we focus mainly on physical factors, we will highlight the adoption of awkward postures, sudden movements, as well as inadequate physical fitness and physical inactivity in a health profession, the technician in health transport. But we must not fail to mention the other points of view: work stress, time pressure, which leads you to work with greater pace and not just taking proper positions. Aspects related to job satisfaction also accentuate stress and muscle tension. The absence of adequate preventive training on techniques of mobilization of patients. The lack of staff in the workplace, resulting in an overload, the poor or no use of properly designed mechanical means from the ergonomic standpoint.peerReviewe