A study on the Lombard Effect in telepresence robotics

In this study, we present a new experiment in order to study the Lombard effect in telepresence robotics. In this experiment, one person talks with a robot controled remotely by someone in a different room. The remote pilot (R) is immersed in both environments, while the local interlocutor (L) interacts directly with the robot. In this context, the position of the noise source, in the remote or in the local room, may modify the subjects' voice adaptations. In order to study in details this phenomenon, we propose four particular conditions: no added noise, noise in room R heard only by R, virtual noise in room L heard only by R, and noise in room L heard by both R and L. We measured the variations of maximum intensity in order to quantify the Lombard effect. Our results show that there is indeed a modification of voice intensity in all noisy conditions. However, the amplitude of this modification varies depending on the condition

Study of an Injection on the Mamwe Comoros Network of Solar Photovoltaic Energy through a Static Switch

This article proposes to study the injection of photovoltaic solar energy into the network through a current switch. In this work, we opted for the implementation of a solar energy injection device in the network through a thyristor current switch given the property offered by this type of component to easily allow switching at high power. However, like any static switch, this type of component inevitably leads to a deterioration of the quality of the current and the voltage in the distribution networks. The simulation results made it possible to determine the behavior of the energy chain with respect to variations of the sun, the reactive component, the harmonics and their compensation

เทคนิคการหักล้างวงจรกรองสำหรับการหาค่าอิมพีแดนซ์ของเซลล์เชื้อเพลิงชนิดเมมเบรนแลกเปลี่ยนโปรตอน

Scientists around the world regard fuel cells as a promise solution to the fossil fuel mitigation. However, PEMFC needs a proper electric power converter to convert their dc voltage output to match the conventional dc or ac electric load. To design the proper electric power converter, the characteristic of the targeted PEMFC like the characteristic curve or the cell impedance is required. The equipment for measuring the electrochemical impedance, which is usually available in chemical or material science laboratory, is not suited for evaluating the fuel cell system at the rated operating point. The limit is mainly on the current rating of the measuring equipment. This forces the electric converter designers to evaluate the cell impedance manually. This paper presents several pitfalls and solutions in evaluating the cell impedance. With proper measuring configuration presented in this paper the cell impedance can be extracted from the measured signals without using any high-end equipment

Towards a model of "social touch'' for ubiquitous communication

One of the challenges of telepresence robotics is to provide ubiquitous social-interpersonalimmersion. In order to achieve this, there is a need to understand and model the factors that wouldallow the users to control the transmission of their vocal productions, and to give them perception,proprioception and inter-proprioception of this control. This model for transferring sociallyembodied vocal distance should take into account all parameters involved in the social-interpersonaleffect of vocal productions, especially intensity. It should also integrate the background informationwhich is relevant for the speakers to express their intentions. In this paper, we present a firstexperiment for measuring, analyzing and modeling how human beings perceive the distance to aninterlocutor, depending on socio-affective variations in the vocal productions of this interlocutor.These results will be the reference for the models which will be implanted in our telepresence robot:Robair Social Touch.Comment: in French languag

Determination of synchronous motor vibrations due to electromagnetic force harmonics

A method for the computation of magnetically induced stator vibrations in synchronous motors is presented. The electromagnetic field in the motor is calculated, and the fluctuations of the magnetic forces applied to the teeth of the stator are evaluated. The harmonics of these magnetic forces are calculated by means of a mechanical finite-element analysis, leading to determination of the motor vibrations. The method is used to compare vibrations produced by two permanent-magnet synchronous motors of different magnetic structures, one with radially oriented magnets and one with tangentially oriented magnets. The results clarify the mechanism of generation of the vibrations

Model Order Reduction for Rotating Electrical Machines

The simulation of electric rotating machines is both computationally expensive and memory intensive. To overcome these costs, model order reduction techniques can be applied. The focus of this contribution is especially on machines that contain non-symmetric components. These are usually introduced during the mass production process and are modeled by small perturbations in the geometry (e.g., eccentricity) or the material parameters. While model order reduction for symmetric machines is clear and does not need special treatment, the non-symmetric setting adds additional challenges. An adaptive strategy based on proper orthogonal decomposition is developed to overcome these difficulties. Equipped with an a posteriori error estimator the obtained solution is certified. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method

Caractérisation de défauts par mesures de champ

National audienceL’utilisation des piles à combustible apparaît comme une solution séduisante pour la production d’énergie avec de faibles émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Technologie d’avenir dans le stationnaire et l’embarqué, la pile à combustible ne peut fonctionner seule mais demande un environnement complexe d’auxiliaires tels que compresseurs, convertisseurs (de courant continu en courant alternatif), actionneurs… Un défaut sur la pile aura alors des répercussions sur le système complet (pile + auxiliaires), ce qui se traduira par une baisse des performances voire un arrêt du procédé. Il semble donc indispensable d’analyser et de comprendre le défaut impliqué et d’ainsi diagnostiquer l’origine de cette baisse de performance. Dans ce travail, on se propose de prendre comme indicateur de l’état de santé de la pile, la distribution de densité de courant, celle-ci peut être déterminée de manière non intrusive par la mesure du champ magnétique

Représentations Systèmes Multi-Machines (SMM) de machines polyphasées

Cet article présente le principe de décomposition de machines polyphasées en machines fictives monophasée et diphasées non couplées magnétiquement. Après la description de la méthodologie de décomposition SMM (Systèmes Multimachines Multiconvertisseurs), deux cas sont étudiés. Une machine synchrone pentaphasée, est d'abord analysée avec son modèle de machines équivalentes. Un second cas plus original est ensuite étudié : deux machines pentaphasées connectées en série et alimentées par un onduleur 5 bras.This paper presents the equivalence of multi-phase machines with a set a of 1-phase and 2-phase machines with no magnetic couplings. Two cases are then studied. First, a 5-phase machine supplied by a Voltage Source Inverter(VSI) is analyzed. Then, a model is established for a single 5-leg VSI supplying two 5-phase machines whose windings are connected in series

Toucher social en robotique de téléprésence ubiquïte : imbrication des facteurs physiques et socio-affectifs dans la portée vocale en interaction

The development of consumer robotics comes with a new kind of telecommunications systems: telepresence robots. These are mobile robots representing a person who is able to control their movements remotely. The aim is not only to allow remote communication, but to create a sense of social and physical presence, which are not sufficiently transmitted by telephone or videoconferencing.In this context, it is especially important to ensure that the users’ « social touch » is well transmitted, meaning that they are able to exchange a wide range of socio-affective signals, which are the vectors of social links. In particular, this thesis deals with a key element of social touch, which is deeply impacted by telepresence: vocal earshot, by which speakers are normally able to control who can hear them, and to adapt to varying acoustic environment conditions.In a first study, we will explore the link between vocal touch and proxemics, by asking whether a blind listener’s spatial perception of an interlocutor can be influenced by the expressed socio-affects. We will then show that vocal earshot can be modified by the Lombard effect in ubiquitous telepresence, because the pilot is perceiving both the local and remote environments at the same time, and therefore adapts to noise, even if it is not noticeable by the interlocutors. Lastly, we will present our participation in an Arts-Sciences performance called Aporia, during which a unique actor embodies different characters, helped by a voice transforming algorithm.Avec le développement de la robotique grand public apparaît une nouvelle forme de télécommunication : la robotique de téléprésence. Le principe consiste à représenter une personne à distance par l’intermédiaire d’un robot mobile, dont elle peut contrôler librement les déplacements. L’objectif n’est pas simplement de lui permettre de communiquer à distance, mais de lui donner une présence physique et sociale, que le téléphone ou la visioconférence ne suffisent pas à transmettre.Dans ce contexte, il est particulièrement important de parvenir à transmettre au mieux le « toucher social » du pilote du robot : c’est-à-dire lui permettre d’échanger avec ses interlocuteurs un vaste ensemble de signaux socio-affectifs, qui sont les vecteurs du lien social. En particulier, cette thèse s’intéresse à un élément fondamental du toucher social et fortement impacté par la téléprésence : la portée vocale, à travers laquelle un locuteur contrôle qui peut l’entendre, et s’adapte en permanence aux conditions acoustiques de l’environnement.À travers une première étude, nous nous intéresserons au lien entre toucher vocal et proxémie, en nous demandant si la manière dont un auditeur perçoit à l’aveugle un interlocuteur dans l’espace peut être influencée par les socio-affects produits par celui-ci. Ensuite, nous montrerons que la portée vocale peut-être affectée par effet Lombard en cas de téléprésence ubiquïte : le pilote, qui perçoit à la fois son environnement local, et l’environnement du robot, s’adapte au niveau de bruit ambiant, même lorsque ce bruit n’est pas perçu par ses interlocuteurs. Enfin, nous présenterons notre participation à un projet Arts et Sciences : le spectacle Aporia, au cours duquel un acteur unique, aidé d’un logiciel de transformation vocale, incarne plusieurs personnages