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At least 1,243 records · Page 69

Model reference adaptive control of robots

This project presents the results of controlling two types of robots using new Command Generator Tracker (CGT) based Direct Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) algorithms. Two mathematical models were used to represent a single-link, flexible joint arm and a Unimation PUMA 560 arm; and these were then controlled in simulation using different MRAC algorithms. Special attention was given to the performance of the algorithms in the presence of sudden changes in the robot load. Previously used CGT based MRAC algorithms had several problems. The original algorithm that was developed guaranteed asymptotic stability only for almost strictly positive real (ASPR) plants. This condition is very restrictive, since most systems do not satisfy this assumption. Further developments to the algorithm led to an expansion of the number of plants that could be controlled, however, a steady state error was introduced in the response. These problems led to the introduction of some modifications to the algorithms so that they would be able to control a wider class of plants and at the same time would asymptotically track the reference model. This project presents the development of two algorithms that achieve the desired results and simulates the control of the two robots mentioned before. The results of the simulations are satisfactory and show that the problems stated above have been corrected in the new algorithms. In addition, the responses obtained show that the adaptively controlled processes are resistant to sudden changes in the load.

Steinvorth, Rodrigo↗

Computational control of flexible aerospace systems

The main objective of this project is to establish a distributed parameter modeling technique for structural analysis, parameter estimation, vibration suppression and control synthesis of large flexible aerospace structures. This report concentrates on the research outputs produced in the last two years. The main accomplishments can be summarized as follows. A new version of the PDEMOD Code had been completed based on several incomplete versions. The verification of the code had been conducted by comparing the results with those examples for which the exact theoretical solutions can be obtained. The theoretical background of the package and the verification examples has been reported in a technical paper submitted to the Joint Applied Mechanics & Material Conference, ASME. A brief USER'S MANUAL had been compiled, which includes three parts: (1) Input data preparation; (2) Explanation of the Subroutines; and (3) Specification of control variables. Meanwhile, a theoretical investigation of the NASA MSFC two-dimensional ground-based manipulator facility by using distributed parameter modeling technique has been conducted. A new mathematical treatment for dynamic analysis and control of large flexible manipulator systems has been conceived, which may provide an embryonic form of a more sophisticated mathematical model for future modified versions of the PDEMOD Codes.

Sharpe, Lonnie, Jr.↗

Updated Panel-Method Computer Program

Panel code PMARC_12 (Panel Method Ames Research Center, version 12) computes potential-flow fields around complex three-dimensional bodies such as complete aircraft models. Contains several advanced features, including internal mathematical modeling of flow, time-stepping wake model for simulating either steady or unsteady motions, capability for Trefftz computation of drag induced by plane, and capability for computation of off-body and on-body streamlines, and capability of computation of boundary-layer parameters by use of two-dimensional integral boundary-layer method along surface streamlines. Investigators interested in visual representations of phenomena, may want to consider obtaining program GVS (ARC-13361), General visualization System. GVS is Silicon Graphics IRIS program created to support scientific-visualization needs of PMARC_12. GVS available separately from COSMIC. PMARC_12 written in standard FORTRAN 77, with exception of NAMELIST extension used for input.

Ashby, Dale L.↗

Computational Control of Flexible Aerospace Systems

The main objective of this project is to establish a distributed parameter modeling technique for structural analysis, parameter estimation, vibration suppression and control synthesis of large flexible aerospace structures. This report concentrates on the research outputs produced in the last two years of the project. The main accomplishments can be summarized as follows. A new version of the PDEMOD Code had been completed. A theoretical investigation of the NASA MSFC two-dimensional ground-based manipulator facility by using distributed parameter modelling technique has been conducted. A new mathematical treatment for dynamic analysis and control of large flexible manipulator systems has been conceived, which may provide a embryonic form of a more sophisticated mathematical model for future modified versions of the PDEMOD Codes.

Sharpe, Lonnie, Jr.↗

An Incidence Loss Model for Wave Rotors with Axially Aligned Passages

A simple mathematical model is described to account for the losses incurred when the flow in the duct (port) of a wave rotor is not aligned with the passages. The model, specifically for wave rotors with axially aligned passages, describes a loss mechanism which is sensitive to incident flow angle and Mach number. Implementation of the model in a one-dimensional CFD based wave rotor simulation is presented. Comparisons with limited experimental results are consistent with the model. Sensitivity studies are presented which highlight the significance of the incidence loss relative to other loss mechanisms in the wave rotor.

Paxson, Daniel E.↗

Spline-Based Smoothing of Airfoil Curvatures

Constrained fitting for airfoil curvature smoothing (CFACS) is a splinebased method of interpolating airfoil surface coordinates (and, concomitantly, airfoil thicknesses) between specified discrete design points so as to obtain smoothing of surface-curvature profiles in addition to basic smoothing of surfaces. CFACS was developed in recognition of the fact that the performance of a transonic airfoil is directly related to both the curvature profile and the smoothness of the airfoil surface. Older methods of interpolation of airfoil surfaces involve various compromises between smoothing of surfaces and exact fitting of surfaces to specified discrete design points. While some of the older methods take curvature profiles into account, they nevertheless sometimes yield unfavorable results, including curvature oscillations near end points and substantial deviations from desired leading-edge shapes. In CFACS as in most of the older methods, one seeks a compromise between smoothing and exact fitting. Unlike in the older methods, the airfoil surface is modified as little as possible from its original specified form and, instead, is smoothed in such a way that the curvature profile becomes a smooth fit of the curvature profile of the original airfoil specification. CFACS involves a combination of rigorous mathematical modeling and knowledge-based heuristics. Rigorous mathematical formulation provides assurance of removal of undesirable curvature oscillations with minimum modification of the airfoil geometry. Knowledge-based heuristics bridge the gap between theory and designers best practices. In CFACS, one of the measures of the deviation of an airfoil surface from smoothness is the sum of squares of the jumps in the third derivatives of a cubicspline interpolation of the airfoil data. This measure is incorporated into a formulation for minimizing an overall deviation- from-smoothness measure of the airfoil data within a specified fitting error tolerance. CFACS has been extensively tested on a number of supercritical airfoil data sets generated by inverse design and optimization computer programs. All of the smoothing results show that CFACS is able to generate unbiased smooth fits of curvature profiles, trading small modifications of geometry for increasing curvature smoothness by eliminating curvature oscillations and bumps (see figure).

Li, W.↗

Software Searches for Better Spacecraft-Navigation Models

ADAPT is a computer program that searches for better mathematical models for spacecraft navigation. The task of tuning trajectory-determination models for interplanetary navigation is complex, requiring an intensive search of multiple dynamical and nondynamical models that yield trajectory solutions with minimal errors. By automating the search, ADAPT eases the task of human analysts and enables them to consider wider ranges of potential solutions. ADAPT uses genetic algorithms to search a range of relevant parameters in a user-selected design space to arrive at values for those parameters that best fit the measured spacecraft-tracking data. The user s guide for ADAPT reviews the theoretical basis of the program and presents two example applications. One example is that of selecting a solar-radiation model for the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) mission using MPF tracking data and an extended Kalman filter from prior spacecraft-navigation software. The second example is of the use of tracking data from the Stardust spacecraft mission combined with a pseudo-epoch-state batch filter and an empirical small-forces model to find improved impulse models for use during Stardust attitude adjustments.

Ely, Todd↗

Assessments of Physiology and Cognition in Hybrid-Reality Environments (APACHE)

NASA is planning to return to the Moon in the mid-2020s as a stepping stone to Mars missions in the 2030s. Spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), performed on the Moon and Mars will differ in a variety of ways from those that have been performed in decades past. NASA has identified multiple risks to human health and performance associated with a crewed mission to Mars, especially those associated with exploration EVAs which are expected to be a primary mission activity. Crew may be expected to conduct up to 24 hours of EVA per person per week, where the likelihood of injury and/or mental mistakes are increased compared to ground-based training or current microgravity EVAs and the consequences of which can be catastrophic. Current test environments for exploration EVA research and technology development are large, costly facilities that are limited in their availability or capabilities. Spacesuit testing in a reduced gravity environment such as NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, while a good representation of the crew’s physical workload during exploration EVAs, typically has small datasets and is difficult to integrate physiological sensors or other types of crew performance measures. Meanwhile, scientific field-based testing such as NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies offers an operationally relevant environment for exploration EVAs, particularly for cognitive workload, but is also limited by small datasets, lack of a pressurized spacesuit, and obtrusive measures. The limitations of current analogs for exploration EVAs identify a need for a new test environment that can approximate both the physical and cognitive demands associated with exploration EVAs to enable rapid, controlled, and repeatable evaluations of human health and performance risks of exploration missions. In response, the Human Physiology, Performance, Protection, and Operations Laboratory (H-3PO) at NASA Johnson Space Center has developed a hybrid reality exploration EVA analog named the Assessments of Physiology And Cognition in Hybrid-reality Environments (APACHE) to address these limitations using a combination of virtual, physical, and hybrid reality techniques. The APACHE facility resides at NASA Johnson Space Center and serves as a large “sandbox” for EVA research and simulation. At its center is a roughly 15x20ft space surrounded by a 14” tall sandbox partially filled with lunar regolith simulant to emulate the physical feeling of walking on a planetary surface and to allow for simulated geology operations. Nearby, a curved passive treadmill (Skillmill Connect, Technogym, Fairfield, NJ) and an omnidirectional treadmill (Infinadeck, Infinadeck, Rocklin, CA) are included to enable exploration of these large virtual environments while also imposing the physical demands, representative timelines, and cognitive burdens required to navigate and traverse these distances during exploration EVA. A 6DOF motion platform is used to simulate rover operations and supports various human performance evaluations and associated risks. Lastly, APACHE can support two extravehicular (EV) crewmembers working in tandem. A computer workstation is located nearby and also supports an intravehicular (IV) crewmember as part of a full mission simulation. The IV crewmember has direct video and audio communication with the EV crew in VR to provide operational and procedural support. The software used in APACHE was created by the JSC Engineering Directorate, in partnership with Buendea, powered by a custom Unreal Engine 5 (UE5.3, Epic Games) project. APACHE currently utilizes the HTC Vive Pro Eye in a wireless configuration for VR simulations. There are two virtual environments that subjects can explore within APACHE, a Lunar and Martian surface. The virtual Lunar surface was created from LIDAR data of the Lunar South Pole to create roughly 16 sq km of explorable terrain. The virtual Martian surface contains roughly 400 sq km of explorable terrain derived from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter LIDAR data of the Jezero Crater. The immersion and related cognitive burdens of conducting a planetary EVA is simulated through a series of EVA-relevant tasks performed in the VR environment, using these high-fidelity visual representations. Additionally, APACHE includes biosensor driven informatics, such as real-time heart rate monitoring and/or derived values from model simulations, for active monitoring by the EV crew and added cognitive demand. A “Wizard of Oz” control panel enables test operators to activate contingency events such as simulated spacesuit malfunctions, loss of communications, and/or limited visibility. Embedded performance measures such as accuracy, completeness, and execution time have been developed for various exploration tasks to objectively quantify crew performance during an EVA and compare impacts to performance when different environmental stressors, both physical and cognitive, are added to or removed from the simulation. Additionally, validated cognitive and operational performance measures such as the Digit Symbol Substitution Task have been recreated and embedded in VR for direct and relatively unobtrusive measurement of motor perception. The APACHE environment currently supports multiple research studies at NASA. Examples include the CHAPEA project, a series of simulated year-long missions on Mars by a 4-person crew; and the CO2 Contingency Walk Back Study, an investigation of elevated CO2 exposure on crew performance during a contingency EVA scenario. APACHE also provides a test environment to support the development of the Crew State and Risk Model, which is a collection of individualized, mathematical models of crew physical and cognitive state; and the Personalized EVA Informatics and Decision Support system, an operational tool for flight controllers, and eventually a self-reliant Martian crew, to make biomedically-informed decisions in real-time to optimize the EVA planning and execution with respect to crew health and performance. Some technical challenges associated with developing the APACHE environment, as well as current limitations, include VR limitless natural walking with a hybrid spacesuit simulator, optimizing performance for wireless PC VR streaming while maintaining a high degree of visual fidelity, and the integration of various physiological (metabolic masks) and psychometric (eye tracking) sensors with the VR headset.

Human Performance↗

Aerodynamic Improvement of a Compact Centrifugal Compressor

For the example of the JetCat P-200RX turbojet engine, optimization of the diffuser and straightening unit of a compact centrifugal compressor is considered, on the basis of a mathematical model of viscous turbulent air flow. The goal of optimization is to increase the isentropic (adiabatic) efficiency of the compressor.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Condition monitoring and false alarm reducing of sensors in NPP - 222

With more and more application of digital I and C systems in nuclear power plants (NPP), more and more sensors are also required. Large amount of sensors really can make contribution to the condition monitoring of systems and equipment in NPP, whereas the heavy use also increases the malfunction risk of sensor self. Therefore the reliability and effectiveness of sensors must be guaranteed first. Thus the condition of sensors should be monitored first in a NPP. Since the precise mathematical models of sensors in complex systems are relative difficult to establish, however quantity of operating data can be easily obtained due to the wide application of digital I and C systems, thus this article adopts principal component analysis (PCA) to carry out condition monitoring for sensors. The PCA model developed for sensors is proved to be effective with operating data acquired from a real NPP. It can detect and isolate the fault when an artificial fault is imposed to the normal data. Then the monitoring results are further processed by another control limit (second confidence limit) besides T 2 and Q statistics (first confidence limit) in PCA. The value of second confidence limit is calculated based on the probability statistics of T 2 and Q statistics. And simulation tests show that the application of the second confidence limit can greatly reduce false alarms in the PCA model and the model performance can be greatly improved with the application of false alarms reducing method. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Modeling resistance to the broadly neutralizing antibody PGT121 in people living with HIV-1

PGT121 is a broadly neutralizing antibody in clinical development for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection via passive administration. PGT121 targets the HIV-1 V3-glycan and demonstrated potent antiviral activity in a phase I clinical trial. Resistance to PGT121 monotherapy rapidly occurred in the majority of participants in this trial with the sampled rebound viruses being entirely resistant to PGT121 mediated neutralization. However, two individuals experienced long-term ART-free viral suppression following antibody infusion and retained sensitivity to PGT121 upon viral rebound. Here, we develop mathematical models of the HIV-1 dynamics during this phase I clinical trial. We utilize these models to understand the dynamics leading to PGT121 resistance and to identify the mechanisms driving the observed long-term viral control. Our modeling highlights the importance of the relative fitness difference between PGT121 sensitive and resistant subpopulations prior to treatment. Specifically, by fitting our models to data, we identify the treatment-induced competitive advantage of previously existing or newly generated resistant population as a primary driver of resistance. Finally, our modeling emphasizes the high neutralization ability of PGT121 in both participants who exhibited long-term viral control.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Individual Crater Formation in Electric Discharge Machining

The formation of a single crater in the machining of 38Х2Н2МА steel is considered. By means of Comsol Multyphysics 4.4 software, a mathematical model of that process is derived. To verify the model, experiments are conducted on the basis of factorial planning. The theoretical and experimental results agree. The experiments indicate that the factor with the most significant influence on the crater size is the current. In the range I = 3–8 A, the disagreement of the experimental and modeling results for the crater dimensions is 22%. That permits prediction of the quality in the electric discharge machining of 38Х2Н2МА steel.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Robot-Assisted Laser Strengthening: Mathematical Aspects

Abstract—A mathematical model is developed for predicting the surface characteristics of dies after laser strengthening by the Geksapod robotic system. The optimization of the laser-strengthening parameters is confirmed experimentally.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Equations of the Local Gradient Electromagnetothermomechanics of Polarizable Nonferromagnetic Bodies with Regard for Electric Quadrupole Moments

We formulate a complete system of relations of the local gradient electromagnetothermomechanics of electrically conductive nonferromagnetic polarizable solid media. The nonlocal character of the constitutive relations of the proposed mathematical model is explained by the presence of electric quadrupole moments in the polarization current. As a result of taking into account these moments, the space of parameters of the thermodynamic state of the body is expanded by including a pair of additional conjugate parameters, namely, the quadrupole moment and the gradient of the vector of electric-field intensity. It is shown that the developed model takes into account the electromechanical interaction for materials with high level of symmetry (isotropic materials) and describes the flexoelectric and thermopolarization effects. We also present the key system of equations for a physically and geometrically linear medium.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Dynamic Influence of Spindle Wobble in a Lathe on the Workpiece Geometry

The influence of spindle wobble in a lathe on the geometry of the machined surface is not direct. The intermediate stages involve conversion of the wobble to forces and elastic deformations. Together with the elastic deformation, wobble modifies the shaping trajectories, which are mainly responsible for the geometry of the final product. Wobble induces periodic variation in the parameters of the dynamic system. It leads not only to parametric self-excitation but also, in a nonlinear dynamic system, to the formation of various attractive deformational-displacement sets. The present work is devoted to mathematical modeling of the influence of wobble on the workpiece geometry. Cases in which various types of attractive sets are formed in the system (such as limit cycles, invariant tori, and chaotic attractors) are considered.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Characteristics of Slag Infiltration in High-Mn Steel Castings

To determine the composition difference between the solid and liquid films in plant practice for high-Mn steel castings, a reaction experiment was carried out to investigate the composition profile of MnO and SiO{sub 2} in the slag layer. Based on the experimental results, a mathematical model of the mold slag for high-Mn steel was developed to describe the nonuniform infiltration behavior of mold slag during oscillation cycles. Moreover, the effects of uneven slag films on slab lubrication and heat transfer in the mold are discussed. The results show that the concentrations of MnO and SiO{sub 2} over the flux layer have an opposite stair-step distribution, which consists of a reaction layer and nonreaction layer. When the reaction layer thickness is 5 mm, a thicker liquid film is formed between the slab and the mold. The inhomogeneity of the composition in the solid film causes large fluctuations in the heat flux in the mold, resulting in irregular depressions on the shell surface. With a reacting thickness of 10 mm, the reacting slag fills in the gap to generate a thinner solid film, which increases the overall heat flux in the mold. Since mold oscillation combined with slag rim enhances the pressure flow in the vicinity of the meniscus, the liquid slag within 80 mm of the mold wall is mixed and consumed quickly. In contrast, the liquid slag beyond 80 mm from the mold wall with a low velocity stays longer in the liquid pool. The model predictions illuminate the characteristics of slag infiltration during high-Mn steel casting, showing good agreement with plant measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Data-Driven Disease Forecasting

If disease outbreaks could be forecasted like the weather, communities could set up protective measures to mitigate their impact. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, scientists are improving disease-forecasting mathematical models by using clinical data--as well as internet data sources such as Wikipedia, Twitter, and Google--and coupling it with satellite imagery. The goal is to better understanding how diseases spread and, eventually, forecast disease outbreaks.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗