Emergence of Functional Hierarchy in a Multiple Timescale Neural Network Model: A Humanoid Robot Experiment

It is generally thought that skilled behavior in human beings results from a functional hierarchy of the motor control system, within which reusable motor primitives are flexibly integrated into various sensori-motor sequence patterns. The underlying neural mechanisms governing the way in which continuous sensori-motor flows are segmented into primitives and the way in which series of primitives are integrated into various behavior sequences have, however, not yet been clarified. In earlier studies, this functional hierarchy has been realized through the use of explicit hierarchical structure, with local modules representing motor primitives in the lower level and a higher module representing sequences of primitives switched via additional mechanisms such as gate-selecting. When sequences contain similarities and overlap, however, a conflict arises in such earlier models between generalization and segmentation, induced by this separated modular structure. To address this issue, we propose a different type of neural network model. The current model neither makes use of separate local modules to represent primitives nor introduces explicit hierarchical structure. Rather than forcing architectural hierarchy onto the system, functional hierarchy emerges through a form of self-organization that is based on two distinct types of neurons, each with different time properties (“multiple timescales”). Through the introduction of multiple timescales, continuous sequences of behavior are segmented into reusable primitives, and the primitives, in turn, are flexibly integrated into novel sequences. In experiments, the proposed network model, coordinating the physical body of a humanoid robot through high-dimensional sensori-motor control, also successfully situated itself within a physical environment. Our results suggest that it is not only the spatial connections between neurons but also the timescales of neural activity that act as important mechanisms leading to functional hierarchy in neural systems

Estimation of the Lin-Yang bound of the least static energy of the Faddeev model

Lin and Yang's upper bound E_Q <= cQ^(3/4) of the least static energy E_Q of the Faddeev model in a sector with a fixed Hopf index Q is investigated. By constructing an explicit trial configuration for the Faddeev field n, a possible value of the coefficient c is obtained numerically, which is much smaller than the value obtained quite recently by analytic discussions.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Adsorption and removal of strontium in aqueous solution by synthetic hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is a main mineral constituent of bone and tooth and has an outstanding biocompatibility. HAP is a possible sorbent for heavy metals in wastewater due to its high adsorption capacity and low water solubility. We developed a removal system of 90Sr from aqueous solution by HAP column procedure. More than 90 % of 90Sr was adsorbed and removed from the 90Sr containing solution. Divalent cations, Ca2+, had little effect on the removal of 90Sr up to a concentration of 1 mmol L−1. This clearly indicates that the HAP column technique is advantageous with respect to the capacity to adsorb 90Sr from water present in the environment

Agrochemical-free, direct-sowing culture of a paddy with non-woven fabric mulch - Timing of puddling and leveling and basal fertilizer application

In direct-sowing rice culture using cloth mulch, puddling and leveling (P & L) is usually done 2 days before the mulching (sowing). However, the mulching is very difficult, due to the muddy condition of the soil. Comparative studies were made to observe the effects of the timing of P & L, that is, P & L 10 days before mulching (P10) vs. P & L 2 days before the mulching (P2), on the operator's physical stress, the rice growth, and grain yield. Basal fertilizer was applied 2 days before the mulching in the P2 treatment (P2-B2), and topdressing was applied at 29 days before heading in all treatments. For the P10 treatment, timing of the basal fertilization was set at 14 (P10-B14) or 3 (P10-B3) days before the mulching. Results revealed that the timing of basal fertilization had no significant effect on the growth and grain yield between P10-B14 and P10-B3 treatments. The operator's physical stress was very low due to higher soil hardness in the P10-B14 treatment ; however the grain yield was 12% lower than that of the P2-B2 treatment due to lower percentage of ripened grain. Because of the lower inorganic nitrogen of the soil, the growth of leaf area was suppressed and dry matter production was lower in the P10-B14 treatment, which resulted in lower percentage of ripened grain. To increase the grain yield of the P10-B14 treatment, future research is needed to consider the application amount and timing of topdressing, and also to reduce the gap between P & L time and mulching

Polarized XRF Spectrometer with a 40-mW X-Ray Tube

A three-dimensional polarized X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer was assembled with a low-power X-ray tube of 40 milliwatts, and a sample of stainless steel was measured with an acrylic polarizer. Based on the Schr?dinger’s wave picture of Compton scattering, the dependence of the de Broglie wavelength and the scattering angle of a recoil electron on the incident X-ray energy were calculated. When the incident X-rays were scattered at an angle of 90°, the de Broglie of the recoil electron always went away at an angle of 45° with the incident X-rays and the de Broglie wavelength varied for any wavelength of the incident X-rays, i.e. we could select the scattering angle of the recoil electron to be 45°according to the incident X-ray energy and it could then be regarded as 45° Bragg diffraction that could produce highly polarized X-rays. The polarization measurement of scattered X-rays from an acrylic and lead plates substantiated that Compton scattered X-rays from the acrylic plate had higher degree of polarization than the elastically scattered X-rays from the lead plate. Highly polarized Compton scattered X-rays from the light-element polarizer led to the background reduction and the changes of the characteristic X-ray intensity in XRF spectra measured by our laboratory-made spectrometer.Трехмерный рентгеновский флуоресцентный спектрометр с поляризатором (РФА) был собран с использованием маломощной рентгеновской трубки. Размер спектрометра составлял 25 см в длину, ширина и высота по 10 см. Расстояние от рентгеновской трубки до поляризатора составляло 10 мм, между образцом и детектором ? 10 мм. Камера образцов не вакуумировалась. Образец устанавливали на дно акрилового блока. Рентгеновское излучение падало на поляризатор под углом 45? , и после отражения направлялось на образец под углом в 45? . Использовали рентгеновскую трубку с вольфрамовым анодом фирмы Moxtek (номинальная мощность 4 Вт, максимальное напряжение 50 кВ). В качестве поляризатора использовали акриловую (C5H2 O8 )n пластину площадью 80 мм2 и толщиной 30 мм. Излучение регистрировали детектором SDD (RES-Lab, Osaka) площадью 100 мм2 , толщина кремниевого кристалла составляла 450 мкм. Толщина бериллиевого окна ? 8 мкм. Холодильник Пельтье понижал температуру детектора до -30 ° С. Образец из нержавеющей стали измеряли c акриловым поляризатором. На основе волновой теории Шредингера комптоновского рассеяния рассчитана зависимость длины волны де Бройля и угла рассеяния электрона отдачи в зависимости от энергии падающего рентгеновского излучения. Измерение поляризации рассеянного рентгеновского излучения подтвердило, что некогерентно рассеянное на акриловой пластинке рентгеновское излучение имело более высокую степень поляризации, чем когерентно рассеянное рентгеновское излучение от свинцовой пластины. Высокополяризованное некогерентно рассеянное рентгеновское излучение от поляризатора из элемента с малым атомным номером привело к уменьшению фона и изменению интенсивности характеристического рентгеновского излучения в РФА спектрах, измеренных нашим лабораторным спектрометром

電解濃縮前処理を用いた青森県太平洋沿岸海水のトリチウム濃度測定

表紙に表示のISSNはタイトル変更に伴い、21866015に変更 第8巻までのタイトル「八戸工業大学異分野融合科学研究所紀要