Intelligent Based Terrain Preview Controller for a 3-axle Vehicle

Presented at 13th International Symposium on Advanced Vehicle Control, AVEC'16; Munich 13-16/09/2016The paper presents a six-wheel half longitudinal model and the design of a dual level control architecture. The first (top) level is designed using a Sugeno fuzzy inference feedforward architecture with and without preview. The second level of controllers are locally managing each wheel for each axle. As the vehicle is moving forward the front wheels and suspension units will have less time to respond when compared to the middle and rear units, hence a preview sensor is used to compensate. The paper shows that the local active suspensions together with the Sugeno Fuzzy, (locally optimised using subtractive clustering), Feedforward control strategy is more effective and this architecture has resulted in reducing the sprung mass vertical acceleration and pitch accelerations

Evidence-based decision-making and managerial chaos in population displacement emergencies : a case study of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh 1992-93.

The aim of the thesis is to explore (from a management perspective), the role, potential and limitations of evidence-basedd ecision-making in an acute population displacement emergency. Using an epidemiological approach, I evaluate its effectiveness in reducing and controlling mortality, malnutrition and disease outbreaks. Influences on the approach, blocks and facilitating factors are also identified. The difficulties associatedw ith using a rational approach in a chaotic setting are confronted. The literature review (Chapter 1) draws on lessons learnt from selectedp revious emergenciesa nd identifies opportunities and problem areas. This case study describes and analyzes the first year of an emergency relief programme for 250,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The research is based on primary data collected using three main methods and verified through triangulation. These methods are participant observation, action research and epidemiological methods. Data are drawn from 20 refugee camps, 16 NGOs, selected UN agencies and government departments. The methods and context of the study are described in Chapters 2 and 3 respectivelThe emergency in Bangladesh is described from different viewpoints in order to analyze the chaotic conditions under which the epidemiological approach was tested. Models are developed showing emergency phases from four perspectives. The demographic and epidemiological paradigms are discussed in Chapter 4, while the political and managerial viewpoints are analyzed in Chapter 5. Similar to other emergencies, a sequence of events and trends can be identified. In the models these are shown as clear phases in the relief programme. Unlike some other emergencies, a number of the phases described occur concurrently rather than sequentially. For example, repatriation is an issue during the arrival (acute emergency) phase and acute crises occur in an apparently stable (continuation) phase. The relationships between crude mortality rates, malnutrition rates, disease outbreaks and the various factors affecting decisions, are examined in Chapter 6. When using an epidemiological approach, a number of limitations are noted. Rapid decisions need to be made during the acute emergency phase, but the data needed for decision-making are of poor quality and information is not available in a timely way. When useable information is available, political and organisational factors inhibit rational decision-making. These factors can have a negative effect on the health and nutritional status of the refugees. Political influences on decision-making are particularly strong. At times, political priorities take precedence over epidemiological evidenceEvidence-based decision-making can be used effectively by emergency managers to influence change. However managers and relief workers frequently lack the training and skills which are necessary to fully utilise such an approach. An analysis of political events, organisational factors and managerial chaos is of benefit (in support of evidence-based decision-making), as it facilitates a better understanding of constraints and opportunities (Chapter 7). Areas which require further research are summarised in Chapte

9 fathom deep

A water\ua0revenant\ua0has pulled itself from the Brisbane River. Can you help Queensland’s least competent superheros protect the city from this undead monster?You’ve found yourself a waiter gig at Customs House but something seems odd about these party-goers, is that woman’s skin slightly green? And you swear you just saw a flicker of flames in that man’s eyes. It’s not until a monster crawls out of the Brisbane River that you know for sure that this is a room full of superheros. But only\ua0you\ua0can help them out of this crisis. Will you plead for the life of the creature? Or will you send him back to the watery depths from whence he came