Contribution Attribution As the Possible Next Step for “Crowdsourced” Engineering Design and Product Development

This Article poses two questions: Can the crowdsourcing model be applied to engineering design and product development? If so, how

Microfinance games

Microfinance has been heralded as an effective way to address imperfections in credit markets. But from a theoretical perspective, the success of microfinance contracts has puzzling elements. In particular, the group-based mechanisms often employed are vulnerable to free-riding and collusion, although they can also reduce moral hazard and improve selection. The authors created an experimental economics laboratory in a large urban market in Lima, Peru and over seven months conducted 11 different games that allow them to unpack microfinance mechanisms in a systematic way. They find that risk-taking broadly conforms to predicted patterns, but that behavior is safer than optimal. The results help to explain why pioneering microfinance institutions have been moving away from group-based contracts.Banks&Banking Reform,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Financial Intermediation,Social Accountability,Civic Participation and Corporate Governance

Microfinance Games

Microfinance has been heralded as an effective way to address imperfections in credit markets. From a theoretical perspective, however, the success of microfinance contracts has puzzling elements. In particular, the group-based mechanisms often employed are vulnerable to free-riding and collusion, although they can also reduce moral hazard and improve selection. We created an experimental economics laboratory in a large urban market in Lima, Peru and over seven months conducted eleven different games that allow us to unpack microfinance mechanisms in a systematic way. We find that risk-taking broadly conforms to predicted patterns, but that behavior is safer than optimal. The results help to explain why pioneering microfinance institutions have been moving away from group-based contracts.Microfinance, Group Lending, Information Asymmetries, Contract Theory, Experimental Economics

Survey of Computer-Aided Engineering Software for Mechanical Design

In academia and industries, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programs are used extensively as they help streamline the product development process and reduce cost by allowing parts to be modeled iteratively at a higher precision within a shorter time. Additionally, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) programs are used to solve complex mathematical models that simulate real-world working environments that are otherwise time and labor intensive to solve manually. Despite the importance of these programs, there are 3 classes across the undergraduate and graduate levels at Washington University in St. Louis that emphasizes learning such programs. For undergraduates, only MEMS 202 is required while MEMS 103 and MEMS 5104 are an elective undergraduate and graduate class respectively. Therefore, this independent study aims to produce a roadmap by which a graduate CAE class can follow to give the students a deeper understanding of various programs. This provides the students the knowledge to then be able to choose the appropriate program to use in their future work

Microfinance Games

Microfinance has been heralded as an effective way to address imperfections in credit markets. From a theoretical perspective, however, the success of microfinance contracts has puzzling elements. In particular, the group-based mechanisms often employed are vulnerable to free-riding and collusion, although they can also reduce moral hazard and improve selection. We created an experimental economics laboratory in a large urban market in Lima, Peru and over seven months conducted eleven different games that allow us to unpack microfinance mechanisms in a systematic way. We find that risk-taking broadly conforms to predicted patterns, but that behavior is safer than optimal. The results help to explain why pioneering microfinance institutions have been moving away from group-based contracts. The work also provides an example of how to use framed field experiments as a methodological bridge between laboratory and field experiments.microfinance, group lending, information asymmetries, contract theory, experimental economics

Lane Change Strategy for Autonomous Vehicle

Recently, people’s demand for smart vehicles continues to improve. As the core of smart driving, driverless vehicle becomes the most concerned technology. Lane change, the most common behavior in driverless situation, greatly affect the road efficiency. Fast and safe lane change operations have very practical significance in reducing traffic accidents. This paper uses driverless vehicle as research object, and the pathing planning and pathing tracking for lane change situation are studied. An efficient path planning method and trajectory tracking controller are designed and simulated. The main content contains the three following aspects: (1) A set of comprehensive lane change strategy is designed for different working conditions. Then path planning for lane change is researched based on mass point model and an efficient path planning method based on polynomial is proposed and optimized. (2) Kinematic model and 3 DOFs dynamic model of driverless vehicle based on magic tire model are established using SIMULINK. Several simulation and test are done to verify the rationality of the model. (3) The trajectory -tracking control system based on PID controller is designed. Then run simulation based on the model established and according to the results, the trajectory -tracking control system can track the lane-changing path accurately and analysis is made. Key word: Driverless vehicle, Lane change, Path planning, Trajectory tracking contro