Recursive identification of ship manoeuvring dynamics and hydrodynamics

This article presents new applications of recursive identification methods to estimation of ship manoeuvring dynamics and hydrodynamics. A vessel operated in sea water can be represented by a mathematical model with unknown coefficients called ship manoeuvring dynamic coefficients or hydrodynamic coefficients. Computer simulation and full scale experiments on board a small vessel verify the feasibility of the methods and show that the estimated parameters converge very well. At the Australian Maritime College there are many model vessels without any mathematical models. Hydrodynamic coefficients of these model vessels are determined by experiments to be conducted with hydrodynamics facilities at the College and by the recursive estimation methods we develop. References W. W. Zhou, D. B. Cherchas, S. Calisal and G. Rohling. Identification of rudder-yaw and -roll steering model. Unknown source. 93--101. 1986. doi:10.1002/oca.4660150203. W. W. Zhou and M. Blanke. Identification of a class of nonlinear state space model using the recursive prediction error techniques. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. 34(2), 312--316, UK. 1986. C. C. Hang, T. H. Lee and W. K. Ho. Adaptive control. Instrument Society of America. USA. 1993. L. Ljung and T. Soderstrom. Theory and practice of recursive identification. MIT Press, MA, USA. 1983. H. D. Nguyen. Recursive optimal manoeuvring systems for maritime search and rescue mission. Proceedings of MTS/IEEE TECHNO-OCEAN'04 (OTO'04). 911--918, Kobe, Japan. 2004. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/9636/30461/01405599.pdf H. D. Nguyen. Self-tuning pole assignment and optimal control systems for ships, Ph.D thesis. Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. 2001. W. W. Zhou. Linear and nonlinear recursive prediction error methods in state space model. Proceedings of 8th IFAC Symposium on Identification and Systems Parameter Estimation. 1092--1099, Beijing, China. 1988

Trade Liberalization and Development in ICT Sector and its impact on household welfare in Viet Nam

The ICT sector in Viet Nam had not been developed until the 1980s. However, over the last decade of rapid growth, it has had a powerful impact on many aspects of life in this country. Although the ICT sector is still at an early stage of development and lags behind many other countries in the region, the government of Viet Nam made strong commitments to upgrade the nation’s ICT capability and implemented significant reforms in terms of trade and investment liberalization in ICT sector over the last decade.Trade Liberalization, ICT, Household welfare, Viet Nam

Caractérisation et expression de nouveaux éléments génétiques transposables de la superfamille Tcl-Mariner chez la microalgue marine Amphora acutiuscula (Bacillariophyta).

Transposable elements (TE) are DNA sequences able to move in all genomes depending on conditions. TE have different structures and transposition mechanisms. Tc1-mariner elements are ubiquist ; when they are active, they produce a transposase which cuts and inserts the element into another locus. Fragments of mariner-like elements (MLE) hadpreviously been identified in the marine diatom Amphora acutiuscula and they seemed active under thermal stress. Diatoms are characterized by a siliceous ornamented cell wall and, in the ocean, they play a major role in trophic networks.In this work, with biomolecular and bioinformatic methods, we have searched for and characterized full length MLE, and precised their activity under thermal and metal (copper and zinc) stresses. The analyse of the DNA sequences obtained highlighted that MLE in diatoms are particular and that they encode a transposase which has a DD43D catalytic triad neverso far depicted. The phylogenetic analyse arranged diatom MLE in a subfamily different and close to that of plant MLE. Among the numerous MLE copies present in the genome of A.acutiuscula, some were expressed when the microalga was put at a lower temperature than the culture temperature for 2 to 5 hours. Conversely, metal stresses we applied did notinduce MLE expression in this species.Les éléments génétiques transposables (ET) sont des séquences d’ADN capables de se déplacer dans tous lesgénomes sous certaines conditions. Les ET ont des structures et des modes de transposition qui lesdifférencient en plusieurs groupes. Les éléments de la famille mariner sont ubiquistes ; lorsqu’ils sont actifs, ilsproduisent une transposase qui coupe l’élément et l’insère dans un autre locus. Des fragments d’éléments detype mariner (MLE) ont été précédemment identifiés chez la diatomée marine Amphora acutiuscula et ils semblaientactifs en condition de stress thermiques. Les diatomées sont caractérisées par une paroi siliceuse ornementée et,dans le milieu marin, elles jouent un rôle primordial dans les chaînes alimentaires.Dans le présent travail, par des méthodes de biologie moléculaire et de bioinformatique, nous avons recherché et caractérisé des MLE complets, et précisé leur activité en conditions de chocs thermiques et métalliques (cuivre et zinc). L’analyse des séquences amplifiées a mis en évidence la présence de MLE particuliers chez cette diatomée qui code une transposase ayant une triade catalytique DD43D jamais décrite jusqu’à présent.L’analyse phylogénétique place les MLE de diatomées dans une sousfamille différente mais proche de celle desMLE de plantes. Parmi les nombreuses copies de MLEprésentes dans le génome d’A. acutiuscula, certaines sont exprimées lorsque la diatomée est placée pendant 2 à 5 heures à unetempérature inférieure à sa température de culture. Par contre, l’expression des MLE n’a pas été mise en évidence chez cette espèce soumise aux stress métalliques appliqués

Optimal generation for wind-thermal power plant systems with multiple fuel sources

In this paper, the combined wind and thermal power plant systems are operated optimally to reduce the total fossil fuel cost (TFFC) of all thermal power plants and supply enough power energy to loads. The objective of reducing TFFC is implemented by using antlion algorithm (ALA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and Cuckoo search algorithm (CSA). The best method is then determined based on the obtained TFFC from the three methods as dealing with two study cases. Two systems with eleven units including one wind power plant (WPP) and ten thermal power plants are optimally operated. The two systems have the same characteristic of MFSs but the valve loading effects (VLEs) on thermal power plants are only considered in the second system. The comparisons of TFFC from the two systems indicate that CSA is more powerful than ALA and PSO. Furthermore, CSA is also superior to the two methods in terms of faster search process. Consequently, CSA is a powerful method for the problem of optimal generation for wind-thermal power plant systems with consideration of MFSs from thermal power plants

Fiber-Optic Network Architectures for Onboard Avionics Applications Investigated

This project is part of a study within the Advanced Air Transportation Technologies program undertaken at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The main focus of the program is the improvement of air transportation, with particular emphasis on air transportation safety. Current and future advances in digital data communications between an aircraft and the outside world will require high-bandwidth onboard communication networks. Radiofrequency (RF) systems, with their interconnection network based on coaxial cables and waveguides, increase the complexity of communication systems onboard modern civil and military aircraft with respect to weight, power consumption, and safety. In addition, safety and reliability concerns from electromagnetic interference between the RF components embedded in these communication systems exist. A simple, reliable, and lightweight network that is free from the effects of electromagnetic interference and capable of supporting the broadband communications needs of future onboard digital avionics systems cannot be easily implemented using existing coaxial cable-based systems. Fiber-optical communication systems can meet all these challenges of modern avionics applications in an efficient, cost-effective manner. The objective of this project is to present a number of optical network architectures for onboard RF signal distribution. Because of the emergence of a number of digital avionics devices requiring high-bandwidth connectivity, fiber-optic RF networks onboard modern aircraft will play a vital role in ensuring a low-noise, highly reliable RF communication system. Two approaches are being used for network architectures for aircraft onboard fiber-optic distribution systems: a hybrid RF-optical network and an all-optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) network

Improvement of Tuning Fork Gyroscope Drive-mode Oscillation Matched using a Differential Driving Suspension Frame

This paper presents a novel design of a vibration tuning fork gyroscope (TFG) based on a differential driving suspension coupling spring between two gyroscopes. The proposed TFG is equivalent to a transistor differential amplifier circuit. The mechanical vibrations of driving frames are, therefore, well matched. The matching level depends on stiffness of spring. When three various TFG structures respond to differential stiffness of spring, their the driving frame mechanical vibration is well matched in case the input excitation driving differential phase is less than 3.5°, 2.5°, and 4°, respectively. The fabricated tuning fork gyroscope linearly operates in the range from -200 to +200 degree/s with the resolution of about 0.45 mV/degree/s