Robust H∞ filtering for a class of nonlinear networked systems with multiple stochastic communication delays and packet dropouts

Copyright [2010] IEEE. This material is posted here with permission of the IEEE. Such permission of the IEEE does not in any way imply IEEE endorsement of any of Brunel University's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution must be obtained from the IEEE by writing to [email protected]. By choosing to view this document, you agree to all provisions of the copyright laws protecting it.In this paper, the robust H∞ filtering problem is studied for a class of uncertain nonlinear networked systems with both multiple stochastic time-varying communication delays and multiple packet dropouts. A sequence of random variables, all of which are mutually independent but obey Bernoulli distribution, are introduced to account for the randomly occurred communication delays. The packet dropout phenomenon occurs in a random way and the occurrence probability for each sensor is governed by an individual random variable satisfying a certain probabilistic distribution in the interval. The discrete-time system under consideration is also subject to parameter uncertainties, state-dependent stochastic disturbances and sector-bounded nonlinearities. We aim to design a linear full-order filter such that the estimation error converges to zero exponentially in the mean square while the disturbance rejection attenuation is constrained to a give level by means of the H∞ performance index. Intensive stochastic analysis is carried out to obtain sufficient conditions for ensuring the exponential stability as well as prescribed H∞ performance for the overall filtering error dynamics, in the presence of random delays, random dropouts, nonlinearities, and the parameter uncertainties. These conditions are characterized in terms of the feasibility of a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), and then the explicit expression is given for the desired filter parameters. Simulation results are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed filter design technique in this paper.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the U.K. under Grant GR/S27658/01, the Royal Society of the U.K., the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany, National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 60825303, 60834003, 973 Project under Grant 2009CB320600, Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation under Grant 111064, and the Youth Science Fund of Heilongjiang Province under Grant QC2009C63

User characteristics: Professional vs. lay users

(User characteristics: professional use vs lay use by Cifter A and Dong H) The market success of a product largely depends on whether it correctly addresses the user needs. Understanding the user is increasingly becoming important in the design process. Different user models may determine different approaches to design. This paper identifies the characteristics of different types of users, with a specific focus on professional users and lay users. It gives a definition of professional users and lay users in the context of adapting products originally designed for professional use to the use of lay people (for example, home use medical devices). It summarises, and compares, the characteristics of professional users and lay users, suggesting that designers pay attention to user characteristics and the context of use so as to better address user perceptions and meet user needs

Combating barriers to inclusive design – Evaluation of an inclusive design toolkit

This research is based on a number of studies of barriers to inclusive design [1-4], in particular the authors ’ own investigation of drivers for, and barriers to, inclusive design within the UK consumer product industry [4], where two mail surveys were conducted: one with 177 industrial design consultancies, and the other with 152 consumer produc

Lay-user characteristics reflected by their interaction with a digital camera and a blood pressure monitor

The material is posted here with the permission of the publishers. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material must be obtained from the publisher.There is an increasing and evolving demand from the end-user market for the adaptation of products originally designed for professional-use to the use of lay people, for example, home use medical devices. However, there is a lack of understanding of lay user characteristics by product designers. This paper reports a study investigating lay user characteristics reflected by their interaction with digital products. A digital camera and a digital blood pressure monitor were tested with different user groups: 10 able-bodied young people; 10 healthy older people (65+) and 10 disabled people; and lay user characteristics were summarised

Crystal structure of Schmallenberg orthobunyavirus nucleoprotein-RNA complex reveals a novel RNA sequestration mechanism

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is a newly emerged orthobunyavirus (family Bunyaviridae) that has caused severe disease in the offspring of farm animals across Europe. Like all orthobunyaviruses, SBV contains a tripartite negative-sense RNA genome that is encapsidated by the viral nucleocapsid (N) protein in the form of a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP). We recently reported the three-dimensional structure of SBV N that revealed a novel fold. Here we report the crystal structure of the SBV N protein in complex with a 42-nt-long RNA to 2.16 Å resolution. The complex comprises a tetramer of N that encapsidates the RNA as a cross-shape inside the protein ring structure, with each protomer bound to 11 ribonucleotides. Eight bases are bound in the positively charged cleft between the N- and C-terminal domains of N, and three bases are shielded by the extended N-terminal arm. SBV N appears to sequester RNA using a different mechanism compared with the nucleoproteins of other negative-sense RNA viruses. Furthermore, the structure suggests that RNA binding results in conformational changes of some residues in the RNA-binding cleft and the N- and C-terminal arms. Our results provide new insights into the novel mechanism of RNA encapsidation by orthobunyaviruses

Recent advances on recursive filtering and sliding mode design for networked nonlinear stochastic systems: A survey

Copyright © 2013 Jun Hu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Some recent advances on the recursive filtering and sliding mode design problems for nonlinear stochastic systems with network-induced phenomena are surveyed. The network-induced phenomena under consideration mainly include missing measurements, fading measurements, signal quantization, probabilistic sensor delays, sensor saturations, randomly occurring nonlinearities, and randomly occurring uncertainties. With respect to these network-induced phenomena, the developments on filtering and sliding mode design problems are systematically reviewed. In particular, concerning the network-induced phenomena, some recent results on the recursive filtering for time-varying nonlinear stochastic systems and sliding mode design for time-invariant nonlinear stochastic systems are given, respectively. Finally, conclusions are proposed and some potential future research works are pointed out.This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant nos. 61134009, 61329301, 61333012, 61374127 and 11301118, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the UK under Grant no. GR/S27658/01, the Royal Society of the UK, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany

Visualising ergonomics data for design

Existing ergonomics data are not effectively used by designers; this is mainly because the data are not presented in a designer-friendly format. In order to help designers make better use of ergonomics data, we explored the potential of representing existing ergonomics data in a more dynamic and visual way, and making them look more relevant to design. The Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) was adopted to turn static ergonomics data into manipulative and comparative data sets. Contextual information in a visual format was added; clearer illustrations and scenarios relevant to design were developed; design case studies were compiled and linked to the relevant ergonomics data sets – the process resulted in a new design support tool: the ErgoCES. The tool was consequently brought to both design students and professionals for evaluation. The results suggested that the ErgoCES had helped making ergonomics data more accessible to designers, and many new features (e.g. scenarios and case studies) were highly valued by the designers. Among the participants, 100% of the design students and 79% of the professionals indicated that they would use the tool when it becomes widely available.The research project is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Grant EP/F0 32145/1. The authors would like to thank all the participants for helping evaluating the tool. Hua Dong is currently sponsored by The Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning

Robust H-infinity finite-horizon control for a class of stochastic nonlinear time-varying systems subject to sensor and actuator saturations

Copyright [2010] IEEE. This material is posted here with permission of the IEEE. Such permission of the IEEE does not in any way imply IEEE endorsement of any of Brunel University's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution must be obtained from the IEEE by writing to [email protected]. By choosing to view this document, you agree to all provisions of the copyright laws protecting it.This technical note addresses the robust H∞ finite-horizon output feedback control problem for a class of uncertain discrete stochastic nonlinear time-varying systems with both sensor and actuator saturations. In the system under investigation, all the system parameters are allowed to be time-varying, the parameter uncertainties are assumed to be of the polytopic type, and the stochastic nonlinearities are described by statistical means which can cover several classes of well-studied nonlinearities. The purpose of the problem addressed is to design an output feedback controller, over a given finite-horizon, such that the H∞ disturbance attenuation level is guaranteed for the nonlinear stochastic polytopic system in the presence of saturated sensor and actuator outputs. Sufficient conditions are first established for the robust H∞ performance through intensive stochastic analysis, and then a recursive linear matrix inequality (RLMI) approach is employed to design the desired output feedback controller achieving the prescribed H∞ disturbance rejection level. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed controller design scheme.This work was supported under Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme (project DP0880494) and by the German Science Foundation (DFG) within the priority programme 1305: Control Theory of Digitally Networked Dynamical Systems. Recommended by Associate Editor H. Ito

Experimental studies on the shear resistance of original coal-shale joint

Purpose. Experimental study and theoretical modeling of the shear resistance of original coal-shale joint. Methods. A two-segment model was developed to describe the shear resistance-shear displacement curves obtained from the direct shear tests of eight coal-shale joints by letting the two segments of the fitting curve pass through the peak point of each curve. Findings. The two-segment model well describes the shear resistance variation of the coal-shale joints during the shear process, and there exist good relationships between the fitting parameters and the shear testing parameters. The initial slope of the softening part of the shear resistance – shear displacement curve can help to predict whether the coal pillar will burst drastically when it fails. Moreover, the normal displacement was very small in the pre-peak range which indicates that the complete detachment of original coal-shale joint surfaces has not occurred before the peak. Originality. Direct shear tests were conducted on original coal-shale specimens for the first time, and a two-segment model is developed to describe their shear resistance-shear displacement curves. The initial slope of the softening part of the shear resistance – shear displacement curve is proposed to predict the burst tendency of coal pillar. Different from unbonded rock joints, the detachment of the original coal-shale joint occurs just after the peak. Practical implications. The conclusions may have some help to understand the shear resistance mechanism of original coal-shale joint and to provide some new ideas of maintaining coal pillar stability.Мета. Експериментальне дослідження та теоретичне моделювання опору зсуву початкового шару вуглистого сланцю. Методика. Розроблено модель для опису кривих опору зсуву й зсувного зміщення, отриманих у результаті випробувань на прямий зсув восьми шарів вуглистого сланцю. Модель включає два сегменти апроксимуючої кривої, що проходять через вищі точки описуваних кривих. Результати. Запропонована модель достовірно описує зміну опору на зсув шарів вуглистого сланцю в про-процесі зсуву, при цьому визначено наявність тісного зв’язку між параметрами апроксимації та параметрами випробування на зсув. За початковим нахилом кривої в частині ослаблення опору зсуву й зсувного зміщення можна передбачити, чи відбудеться значне руйнування цілика вугілля при його обваленні. Нормальне зміщення є незначним у передпіковому діапазоні, що свідчить про те, що в цей час не відбувається повного відриву поверхонь шару вуглистого сланцю. Наукова новизна. Випробування на прямий зсув проводилися вперше на зразках початкового вуглистого сланцю. Двохсегментна модель була розроблена спеціально для опису кривих опору зсуву та зсувного зміщення досліджуваних шарів. За початковим нахилом кривої в частині ослаблення опору зсуву й зсувного зміщення можна передбачити характер руйнування цілика. На відміну від незв’язаних шарів породи, відділення початкового шару вуглистого сланцю відбувається після пікових значень досліджуваних кривих. Практична значимість. Висновки можуть допомогти зрозуміти механізм опору зсуву в первісному шарі вуглистого сланцю й окреслити нові підходи до збереження стабільності вугільного цілика.Цель. Экспериментальное исследование и теоретическое моделирование сопротивления сдвигу первоначального слоя углистого сланца. Методика. Разработана модель для описания кривых сопротивления сдвигу и сдвигового смещения, полученных в результате испытаний на прямой сдвиг восьми слоев углистого сланца. Модель включает два сегмента аппроксимирующей кривой которые проходят через высшие точки описываемых кривых. Результаты. Предлагаемая модель достоверно описывает изменение сопротивления на сдвиг слоев углистого сланца в процессе сдвига, при этом определено наличие тесной связи между параметрами аппроксимации и параметрами испытания на сдвиг. По начальному наклону кривой в части ослабления сопротивления сдвигу и сдвигового смещения можно предсказать, произойдет ли значительное разрушение целика угля при его обрушении. Нормальное смещение незначительно в предпиковом диапазоне, что свидетельствует о том, что в это время не происходит полного отрыва поверхностей слоя углистого сланца. Научная новизна. Испытания на прямой сдвиг проводились впервые на образцах первоначального углистого сланца. Двухсегментная модель была разработана специально для описания кривых сопротивления сдвигу и сдвигового смещения исследуемых слоев. По начальному наклону кривой в части ослабления сопротивления сдвигу и сдвигового смещения можно предсказать характер разрушения целика. В отличие от несвязанных слоев породы, отделение первоначального слоя углистого сланца происходит после пиковых значений исследуемых кривых. Практическая значимость. Выводы могут помочь понять механизм сопротивления сдвигу в первоначальном слое углистого сланца и обозначить новые подходы к сохранению стабильности угольного целика.The authors gratefully acknowledge funding by China National Natural Science Foundation (51109076) and the key scientific and technological project of Henan Province (152102210316)