E-transportation: the role of embedded systems in electric energy transfer from grid to vehicle

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a promising solution to reduce the transportation dependency on oil, as well as the environmental concerns. Realization of E-transportation relies on providing electrical energy to the EVs in an effective way. Energy storage system (ESS) technologies, including batteries and ultra-capacitors, have been significantly improved in terms of stored energy and power. Beside technology advancements, a battery management system is necessary to enhance safety, reliability and efficiency of the battery. Moreover, charging infrastructure is crucial to transfer electrical energy from the grid to the EV in an effective and reliable way. Every aspect of E-transportation is permeated by the presence of an intelligent hardware platform, which is embedded in the vehicle components, provided with the proper interfaces to address the communication, control and sensing needs. This embedded system controls the power electronics devices, negotiates with the partners in multi-agent scenarios, and performs fundamental tasks such as power flow control and battery management. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the open challenges in E-transportation and to show the fundamental role played by embedded systems. The conclusion is that transportation electrification cannot fully be realized without the inclusion of the recent advancements in embedded systems

Hydrogen Supply Infrastructure Network Planning Approach towards Chicken-egg Conundrum

In the early commercialization stage of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs), reasonable hydrogen supply infrastructure (HSI) planning decisions is a premise for promoting the popularization of HFCVs. However, there is a strong causality between HFCVs and hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs): the planning decisions of HRSs could affect the hydrogen refueling demand of HFCVs, and the growth of demand would in turn stimulate the further investment in HRSs, which is also known as the ``chicken and egg'' conundrum. Meanwhile, the hydrogen demand is uncertain with insufficient prior knowledge, and thus there is a decision-dependent uncertainty (DDU) in the planning issue. This poses great challenges to solving the optimization problem. To this end, this work establishes a multi-network HSI planning model coordinating hydrogen, power, and transportation networks. Then, to reflect the causal relationship between HFCVs and HRSs effectively without sufficient historical data, a distributionally robust optimization framework with decision-dependent uncertainty is developed. The uncertainty of hydrogen demand is modeled as a Wasserstein ambiguity set with a decision-dependent empirical probability distribution. Subsequently, to reduce the computational complexity caused by the introduction of a large number of scenarios and high-dimensional nonlinear constraints, we developed an improved distribution shaping method and techniques of scenario and variable reduction to derive the solvable form with less computing burden. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate that this method can reduce costs by at least 10.4% compared with traditional methods and will be more effective in large-scale HSI planning issues. Further, we put forward effective suggestions for the policymakers and investors to formulate relevant policies and decisions

Networked Control System: Overview and Research Trends

Abstract-Networked control systems (NCSs) have been one of the main research focuses in academia as well as in industry for many decades and have become a multidisciplinary area. With these growing research trends, it is important to consolidate the latest knowledge and information to keep up with the research needs. In this paper, the NCS and its different forms are introduced and discussed. The beginning of this paper discusses the history and evolution of NCSs. The next part of this paper focuses on different fields and research arenas such as networking technology, network delay, network resource allocation, scheduling, network security in real-time NCSs, integration of components on a network, fault tolerance, etc. A brief literature survey and possible future direction concerning each topic is included

Non-granulomatous Interstitial Nephritis in a Chinese Man with Sarcoidosis

Clinical renal involvement in sarcoidosis is rare and has not been previously reported in Chinese patients. We report a case of non-granulomatous interstitial nephritis that presented with acute renal failure in a Chinese man with underlying sarcoidosis. Use of prednisolone led to dramatic renal improvement and partial resolution of his asymptomatic lung parenchymal lesions. Unfortunately, the patient subsequently died of cryptococcal meningitis and episodes of nosocomial pneumonia. One should closely monitor a patient with a presumptive diagnosis of sarcoidosis after embarking on treatment since infections like tuberculosis may mimic or coexist with the disease. This is particularly important in areas where sarcoidosis is exceedingly rare

A non-uniform multi-rate control strategy for a Markov chain-driven Networked Control System

[EN] In this work, a non-uniform multi-rate control strategy is applied to a kind of Networked Control System (NCS) where a wireless path tracking control for an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) is carried out. The main aims of the proposed strategy are to face time-varying network-induced delays and to avoid packet disorder. A Markov chain-driven NCS scenario will be considered, where different network load situations, and consequently, different probability density functions for the network delay are assumed. In order to assure mean-square stability for the considered NCS, a decay-rate based sufficient condition is enunciated in terms of probabilistic Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Simulation results show better control performance, and more accurate path tracking, for the scheduled (delay-dependent) controller than for the non-scheduled one (i.e. the nominal controller when delays appear). Finally, the control strategy is validated on an experimental test-bed.This work was supported in part by Grants TEC2012-31506 from the Spanish Ministry of Education, DPI2011-28507-C02-01 by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, and PAID-00-12 from Technical University of Valencia (Spain). In addition, this research work has been developed as a result of a mobility stay funded by the Erasmus Mundus Programme of the European Commission under the Transatlantic Partnership for Excellence in Engineering (TEE Project).Cuenca Lacruz, ÁM.; Ojha, U.; Salt Llobregat, JJ.; Chow, M. (2015). A non-uniform multi-rate control strategy for a Markov chain-driven Networked Control System. Information Sciences. 321:31-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.INS.2015.05.035S314732

Lupus nephritis in Chinese children--a territory-wide cohort study in Hong Kong

We report a multicenter study of Chinese children in Hong Kong with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephritis. Children were included if: they fulfilled the ACR criteria, had significant proteinuria or casturia, were Chinese and younger than 19 years and had been diagnosed with SLE between January 1990 and December 2003. Investigators in each center retrieved data on clinical features, biopsy reports, treatment and outcome of these patients. There were 128 patients (eight boys, 120 girls; mean age: 11.9+/-2.8 years). About 50% presented with multisystem illness and 40% with nephritic/nephrotic symptoms. Negative anti-dsDNA antibodies were found in 6% of the patients. Renal biopsy revealed WHO Class II, III, IV and V nephritis in 13 (10%), 22 (17%), 69 (54%) and 13 (10%) patients, respectively. The clinical severity of the nephritis did not accurately predict renal biopsy findings. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 16.5 years (mean+/-SD: 5.76+/-3.61 years). During the study five patients died (two from lupus flare, one from cardiomyopathy, two from infections). Four patients had endstage renal failure (ESRF) (one died during a lupus flare). All deaths and end-stage renal failure occurred in the Class IV nephritis group. Chronic organ damage was infrequent in the survivors. The actuarial patient survival rates at 5, 10 and 15 years of age were 95.3, 91.8, and 91.8%, respectively. For Class IV nephritis patients, the survival rates without ESRF at 5, 10, and 15 years were 91.5, 82.3 and 76%, respectively. The survival and chronic morbidity rates of the Chinese SLE children in the present study are comparable to those of other published studies.postprin