Understanding the limitations of particle swarm algorithm for dynamic optimization tasks:A survey towards the singularity of PSO for swarm robotic applications

One of the most widely used biomimicry algorithms is the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Since its introduction in 1995, it has caught the attention of both researchers and academicians as a way of solving various optimization problems, such as in the fields of engineering and medicine, to computer image processing and mission critical operations. PSO has been widely applied in the field of swarm robotics, however, the trend of creating a new variant PSO for each swarm robotic project is alarming. We investigate the basic properties of PSO algorithms relevant to the implementation of swarm robotics and characterize the limitations that promote this trend to manifest. Experiments were conducted to investigate the convergence properties of three PSO variants (original PSO, SPSO and APSO) and the global optimum and local optimal of these PSO algorithms were determined. We were able to validate the existence of premature convergence in these PSO variants by comparing 16 functions implemented alongside the PSO variant. This highlighted the fundamental flaws in most variant PSOs, and signifies the importance of developing a more generalized PSO algorithm to support the implementation of swarm robotics. This is critical in curbing the influx of custom PSO and theoretically addresses the fundamental flaws of the existing PSO algorithm.</jats:p

The Anglerfish algorithm: A derivation of randomized incremental construction technique for solving the traveling salesman problem

Combinatorial optimization focuses on arriving at a globally optimal solution given constraints, incomplete information and limited computational resources. The combination of possible solutions are rather vast and often overwhelms the limited computational power. Smart algorithms have been developed to address this issue. Each offers a more efficient way of traversing the search landscapes. Critics have called for a realignment in the bio-inspired metaheuristics field. We propose an algorithm that simplifies the search operation to only randomized population initialization following the Randomized Incremental Construction Technique, which essentially compartmentalizes optimization into smaller sub-units. This relieves the need of complex operators normally imposed on the current metaheuristics pool. The algorithm is more generic and adaptable to any optimization problems. Benchmarking is conducted using the traveling salesman problem. The results are comparable with the results of advanced metaheuristic algorithms. Hence, suggesting that arbitrary exploration is practicable as an operator to solve optimization problems. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

A critical review on the contributions of chemical and physical factors toward the nucleation and growth of large-area graphene

Since the first isolation of graphene over a decade ago, research into graphene has exponentially increased due to its excellent electrical, optical, mechanical and chemical properties. Graphene has been shown to enhance the performance of various electronic devices. In addition, graphene can be simply produced through chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Although the synthesis of graphene has been widely researched, especially the CVD growth method, the lack of understanding of various synthetic parameters still limits the fabrication of large-area and defect-free graphene films. This report critically reviews various parameters affecting the quality of CVD grown graphene to understand the relationship between these parameters and thechoice of metal substrates and to provide a point of reference for future studies of large-area, CVD-grown graphene

Regular and chaotic vibration in a piezoelectric energy harvester

We examine regular and chaotic responses of a vibrational energy harvester composed of a vertical beam and a tip mass. The beam is excited horizontally by a harmonic inertial force while mechanical vibrational energy is converted to electrical power through a piezoelectric patch. The mechanical resonator can be described by single or double well potentials depending on the gravity force from the tip mass. By changing the tip mass we examine bifurcations from single well oscillations, to regular and chaotic vibrations between the potential wells. The appearance of chaotic responses in the energy harvesting system is illustrated by the bifurcation diagram, the corresponding Fourier spectra, the phase portraits, and is confirmed by the 0–1 test. The appearance of chaotic vibrations reduces the level of harvested energy

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Nucleic acid enzymes: The fusion of self-assembly and conformational computing

Macromolecules are the predominant physical substrate sup-porting information processing in organisms. Two key characteristics—conformational dynamics and self-assembly properties—render macro-molecules unique in this context. Both characteristics have been investigated for technical applications. In nature’s information processors self-assembly and conformational switching commonly appear in combination and are typically realised with proteins. At the current state of biotechnology the best candidates for implementing artificial molecular information processing systems that utilise the combination self-assembly and conformational switching are functional nucleic acids. The increasingly realised prevalence of oligonucleotides in intracellular control points towards potential applications. The present paper reviews approaches to integrating the self-assembly and the conformational paradigm with allosterically controlled nucleic acid enzymes. It also introduces a new computational workflow to design functional nucleic acids for information processing

Pengembangan Media Bantu Latihan Bertahan pada Bola Voli Tahun 2019

This study aims to develop defense training aids in volleyball 2019. The population in this study was 10 PBV volleyball athletes. Pem.Panjang, 10 PBV athletes. Sukaraja and 10 PBV athletes. 50 in 2019. The results of small group tests involving 20 athletes, 10 PBV Pem.Panjang volleyball athletes and 10 PBV 50 athletes showed that the development of defense stone training tools in volleyball 2019 can be concluded that these defense latiam aids meet the criteria to be continued in trials large groups with conditions after repairs due to the percentage of questionnaire statements between 45% -74%. The results of a large group test involving 30 athletes, 10 PBV Pem.Panjang volleyball athletes, 10 PBV 50 athletes and 10 PBV Sukaraja athletes that the development of defense training aids in the 2019 volleyball game can be concluded that defense training aids meet the criteria for use in helps athlete defense training because the percentage of questionnaire statements is between 78% -85%. So it can be concluded that this defense training aid can be used to train defense