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At least 163 records · Page 9

Time optimal robotic manipulator motions and work places for point to point tasks

High productivity requires that manipulators perform complex tasks quickly. Recently, optimal control algorithms have been developed which enable manipulators to move quickly, but only for simple motions. A method is presented here which combines simple time optimal motions in an optimal manner to yield the minimum time motions for an important class of complex manipulator tasks composed of point to point moves, such as assembly, electronic component insertion and spot welding. This method can also be used to design manipulator actions and work places so that tasks can be completd in minimum time. The method has been implemented in a CAD software package. Examples are presented which show the methods effectiveness.

Dubowsky, S.

Physically based sensitivity derivatives for finite-element programs

Attention is given to a virtual-work approach to the definition of sensitivity in terms of physical quantities; sensitivity fields are treated as a solution to loadings that consist of body forces, initial strains, and initial stresses. The method can accordingly be implemented in a finite element package, with only minimal knowledge of its programming detail and without access to its source code. The application of the approach to one- and two-dimensional problems is demonstrated. The sensitivity of the structural response for truss structures was computed with respect to the cross-sectional areas of the members.

Barthelemy, Bruno

An automated quality assessor for Ada object-oriented designs

A tool for evaluating object-oriented designs (OODs) for Ada software is described. The tool assumes a design expressed as a hierarchy of object diagrams. A design of this type identifies the objects of a system, an interface to each object, and the usage relationships between objects. When such a design is implemented in Ada, objects become packages, interfaces become package specifications, and usage relationships become Ada `with' clauses and package references. An automated quality assessor has been developed that is based on flagging undesirable design constructs. For convenience, distinctions are made among three levels of severity: questionable, undesirable, and hazardous. A questionable construct is one that may well be appropriate. An undesirable construct is one that should be changed because it is potentially harmful to the reliability, maintainability, or reusability of the software. A hazardous construct is one that is undesirable and that introduces a high level of risk.

Bailin, Sidney C.

Development of a non-linear simulation for generic hypersonic vehicles - ASUHS1

A nonlinear simulation is developed to model the longitudinal motion of a vehicle in hypersonic flight. The equations of motion pertinent to this study are presented. Analytic expressions for the aerodynamic forces acting on a hypersonic vehicle which were obtained from Newtonian Impact Theory are further developed. The control surface forces are further examined to incorporate vehicle elastic motion. The purpose is to establish feasible equations of motion which combine rigid body, elastic, and aeropropulsive dynamics for use in nonlinear simulations. The software package SIMULINK is used to implement the simulation. Also discussed are issues needing additional attention and potential problems associated with the implementation (with proposed solutions).

Salas, Juan

A Digital Control Algorithm for Magnetic Suspension Systems

An ongoing program exists to investigate and develop magnetic suspension technologies and modelling techniques at NASA Langley Research Center. Presently, there is a laboratory-scale large air-gap suspension system capable of five degree-of-freedom (DOF) control that is operational and a six DOF system that is under development. Those systems levitate a cylindrical element containing a permanent magnet core above a planar array of electromagnets, which are used for levitation and control purposes. In order to evaluate various control approaches with those systems, the Generic Real-Time State-Space Controller (GRTSSC) software package was developed. That control software package allows the user to implement multiple control methods and allows for varied input/output commands. The development of the control algorithm is presented. The desired functionality of the software is discussed, including the ability to inject noise on sensor inputs and/or actuator outputs. Various limitations, common issues, and trade-offs are discussed including data format precision; the drawbacks of using either Direct Memory Access (DMA), interrupts, or program control techniques for data acquisition; and platform dependent concerns related to the portability of the software, such as memory addressing formats. Efforts to minimize overall controller loop-rate and a comparison of achievable controller sample rates are discussed. The implementation of a modular code structure is presented. The format for the controller input data file and the noise information file is presented. Controller input vector information is available for post-processing by mathematical analysis software such as MATLAB1.

Britton, Thomas C.

Simulation of the Predictive Control Algorithm for Container Crane Operation using Matlab Fuzzy Logic Tool Box

This research has investigated the use of fuzzy logic, via the Matlab Fuzzy Logic Tool Box, to design optimized controller systems. The engineering system for which the controller was designed and simulate was the container crane. The fuzzy logic algorithm that was investigated was the 'predictive control' algorithm. The plant dynamics of the container crane is representative of many important systems including robotic arm movements. The container crane that was investigated had a trolley motor and hoist motor. Total distance to be traveled by the trolley was 15 meters. The obstruction height was 5 meters. Crane height was 17.8 meters. Trolley mass was 7500 kilograms. Load mass was 6450 kilograms. Maximum trolley and rope velocities were 1.25 meters per sec. and 0.3 meters per sec., respectively. The fuzzy logic approach allowed the inclusion, in the controller model, of performance indices that are more effectively defined in linguistic terms. These include 'safety' and 'cargo swaying'. Two fuzzy inference systems were implemented using the Matlab simulation package, namely the Mamdani system (which relates fuzzy input variables to fuzzy output variables), and the Sugeno system (which relates fuzzy input variables to crisp output variable). It is found that the Sugeno FIS is better suited to including aspects of those plant dynamics whose mathematical relationships can be determined.

Richardson, Albert O.

The Integration of Geographical Information System and Remotely Sensed Data to Track and Predict the Migration Path of the Africanized Honey Bee

One of the research groups at the Pan American Center for Earth and Environmental Studies (PACES) is researching the northward migration path of Africanized Honey Bees or often referred to in the popular press as killer bees. The goal of the Killer Bee Research Group (KBRG) is to set up a database in the form of a geographical information system, which will be used to track and predict the bees future migration path. Included in this paper is background information on geographical information systems, the SPANS Explorer software package which was used to implement the database, and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer data and how each of these is being incorporated in the research. With an accurate means of predicting future migration paths, the negative effects of the Africanized honey bees maybe reduced.

Ward, Charles

Quantum Entanglement Molecular Absorption Spectrum Simulator

Quantum Entanglement Molecular Absorption Spectrum Simulator (QE-MASS) is a computer program for simulating two photon molecular-absorption spectroscopy using quantum-entangled photons. More specifically, QE-MASS simulates the molecular absorption of two quantum-entangled photons generated by the spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) of a fixed-frequency photon from a laser. The two-photon absorption process is modeled via a combination of rovibrational and electronic single-photon transitions, using a wave-function formalism. A two-photon absorption cross section as a function of the entanglement delay time between the two photons is computed, then subjected to a fast Fourier transform to produce an energy spectrum. The program then detects peaks in the Fourier spectrum and displays the energy levels of very short-lived intermediate quantum states (or virtual states) of the molecule. Such virtual states were only previously accessible using ultra-fast (femtosecond) laser systems. However, with the use of a single-frequency continuous wave laser to produce SPDC photons, and QEMASS program, these short-lived molecular states can now be studied using much simpler laser systems. QE-MASS can also show the dependence of the Fourier spectrum on the tuning range of the entanglement time of any externally introduced optical-path delay time. QE-MASS can be extended to any molecule for which an appropriate spectroscopic database is available. It is a means of performing an a priori parametric analysis of entangled photon spectroscopy for development and implementation of emerging quantum-spectroscopic sensing techniques. QE-MASS is currently implemented using the Mathcad software package.

Nguyen, Quang-Viet

Allowing for Horizontally Heterogeneous Clouds and Generalized Overlap in an Atmospheric GCM

While fully accounting for 3D effects in Global Climate Models (GCMs) appears not realistic at the present time for a variety of reasons such as computational cost and unavailability of 3D cloud structure in the models, incorporation in radiation schemes of subgrid cloud variability described by one-point statistics is now considered feasible and is being actively pursued. This development has gained momentum once it was demonstrated that CPU-intensive spectrally explicit Independent Column Approximation (lCA) can be substituted by stochastic Monte Carlo ICA (McICA) calculations where spectral integration is accomplished in a manner that produces relatively benign random noise. The McICA approach has been implemented in Goddard's GEOS-5 atmospheric GCM as part of the implementation of the RRTMG radiation package. GEOS-5 with McICA and RRTMG can handle horizontally variable clouds which can be set via a cloud generator to arbitrarily overlap within the full spectrum of maximum and random both in terms of cloud fraction and layer condensate distributions. In our presentation we will show radiative and other impacts of the combined horizontal and vertical cloud variability on multi-year simulations of an otherwise untuned GEOS-5 with fixed SSTs. Introducing cloud horizontal heterogeneity without changing the mean amounts of condensate reduces reflected solar and increases thermal radiation to space, but disproportionate changes may increase the radiative imbalance at TOA. The net radiation at TOA can be modulated by allowing the parameters of the generalized overlap and heterogeneity scheme to vary, a dependence whose behavior we will discuss. The sensitivity of the cloud radiative forcing to the parameters of cloud horizontal heterogeneity and comparisons of CERES-derived forcing will be shown.

Lee, D.

Machine-Learned Committor Functions for Reactive Molecular Dynamics

Reactive molecular dynamics (MD) is a powerful tool for atomistic-scale modeling of a diverse range of chemical processes. However, scaling these simulations to large systems and long times scales remains a challenge because of the complexity of the potential energy function required. The authors previously developed a heuristic approach, called REACTER, that incorporates reactivity in MD simulations in a less general but much more computationally efficient manner. REACTER uses standard, fixed valence force fields as the underlying potentialenergy surface for describing all interatomic interactions but adds a procedure for enforcing user-defined reactions that occur when certain geometric constraints on relative atomic positions are satisfied. Further, these bonding changes can be accepted or rejected with a probability related tothe local thermal energy. This work seeks to generalize this approach by replacing the set of user defined geometric constraints and energetic criteria with a committor function that specifies the probability of a reaction occurring on the basis of the local atomic configuration. The committor function is a useful mathematical tool for modeling rare events but, unfortunately, is very difficult to compute for realistic systems in a general way. This work describes a method for approximating the committor function using a machine learning approach, specifically a deep neural network trained with data from reactive MD and DFT-based dynamics simulations. This network is coupled to the existing REACTER protocol, as implemented in the LAMMPS MD package, and used to make on-the-fly predictions of reaction probabilities without the more extensive user input previously required. The new method is demonstrated using the polymerization of polystyrene as a case study. Although very dependent on the quality and quantity of training data, machine-learned committor functions show promise as a method for incorporating reaction probability from higher level calculations into highly scalable MD simulations.

polymer simulations

solposx: A Python package for determining solar position and atmospheric refraction

solposx is a Python package of reference algorithms for calculating the sun’s position and atmospheric refraction. The package includes 11 solar position algorithms and 6 refraction models from the past 50 years. All functions follow a standardized design pattern, making it easy to compare different algorithms. The provided algorithm implementations have been thoroughly vetted, making the package a valuable research tool and a reliable reference for implementing solar position algorithms in other programming languages or applications.

Jensen, Adam R. [Technical University of Denmark,

On Designing Lightweight Threads for Substrate Software

Existing user-level thread packages employ a 'black box' design approach, where the implementation of the threads is hidden from the user. While this approach is often sufficient for application-level programmers, it hides critical design decisions that system-level programmers must be able to change in order to provide efficient service for high-level systems. By applying the principles of Open Implementation Analysis and Design, we construct a new user-level threads package that supports common thread abstractions and a well-defined meta-interface for altering the behavior of these abstractions. As a result, system-level programmers will have the advantages of using high-level thread abstractions without having to sacrifice performance, flexibility or portability.

Haines, Matthew

Program Instrumentation and Trace Analysis

Several attempts have been made recently to apply techniques such as model checking and theorem proving to the analysis of programs. This shall be seen as a current trend to analyze real software systems instead of just their designs. This includes our own effort to develop a model checker for Java, the Java PathFinder 1, one of the very first of its kind in 1998. However, model checking cannot handle very large programs without some kind of abstraction of the program. This paper describes a complementary scalable technique to handle such large programs. Our interest is turned on the observation part of the equation: How much information can be extracted about a program from observing a single execution trace? It is our intention to develop a technology that can be applied automatically and to large full-size applications, with minimal modification to the code. We present a tool, Java PathExplorer (JPaX), for exploring execution traces of Java programs. The tool prioritizes scalability for completeness, and is directed towards detecting errors in programs, not to prove correctness. One core element in JPaX is an instrumentation package that allows to instrument Java byte code files to log various events when executed. The instrumentation is driven by a user provided script that specifies what information to log. Examples of instructions that such a script can contain are: 'report name and arguments of all called methods defined in class C, together with a timestamp'; 'report all updates to all variables'; and 'report all acquisitions and releases of locks'. In more complex instructions one can specify that certain expressions should be evaluated and even that certain code should be executed under various conditions. The instrumentation package can hence be seen as implementing Aspect Oriented Programming for Java in the sense that one can add functionality to a Java program without explicitly changing the code of the original program, but one rather writes an aspect and compiles it into the original program using the instrumentation. Another core element of JPaX is an observation package that supports the analysis of the generated event stream. Two kinds of analysis are currently supported. In temporal analysis the execution trace is evaluated against formulae written in temporal logic. We have implemented a temporal logic evaluator on finite traces using the Maude rewriting system from SRI International, USA. Temporal logic is defined in Maude by giving its syntax as a signature and its semantics as rewrite equations. The resulting semantics is extremely efficient and can handle event streams of hundreds of millions events in few minutes. Furthermore, the implementation is very succinct. The second form of even stream analysis supported is error pattern analysis where an execution trace is analyzed using various error detection algorithms that can identify error-prone programming practices that may potentially lead to errors in some different executions. Two such algorithms focusing on concurrency errors have been implemented in JPaX, one for deadlocks and the other for data races. It is important to note, that a deadlock or data race potential does not need to occur in order for its potential to be detected with these algorithms. This is what makes them very scalable in practice. The data race algorithm implemented is the Eraser algorithm from Compaq, however adopted to Java. The tool is currently being applied to a code base for controlling a spacecraft by the developers of that software in order to evaluate its applicability.

Havelund, Klaus

A tactile-output paging communication system for the deaf-blind

A radio frequency paging communication system that has coded vibrotactile outputs suitable for use by deaf-blind people was developed. In concept, the system consists of a base station transmitting and receiving unit and many on-body transmitting and receiving units. The completed system has seven operating modes: fire alarm; time signal; repeated single character Morse code; manual Morse code; emergency aid request; operational status test; and message acknowledge. The on-body units can be addressed in three ways: all units; a group of units; or an individual unit. All the functions developed were integrated into a single package that can be worn on the user's wrist. The control portion of the on-body unit is implemented by a microcomputer. The microcomputer is packaged in a custom-designed hybrid circuit to reduce its physical size.

Baer, J. A.

Virtual VMASC: A 3D Game Environment

The advantages of creating interactive 3D simulations that allow viewing, exploring, and interacting with land improvements, such as buildings, in digital form are manifold and range from allowing individuals from anywhere in the world to explore those virtual land improvements online, to training military personnel in dealing with war-time environments, and to making those land improvements available in virtual worlds such as Second Life. While we haven't fully explored the true potential of such simulations, we have identified a requirement within our organization to use simulations like those to replace our front-desk personnel and allow visitors to query, naVigate, and communicate virtually with various entities within the building. We implemented the Virtual VMASC 3D simulation of the Virginia Modeling Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) office building to not only meet our front-desk requirement but also to evaluate the effort required in designing such a simulation and, thereby, leverage the experience we gained in future projects of this kind. This paper describes the goals we set for our implementation, the software approach taken, the modeling contribution made, and the technologies used such as XNA Game Studio, .NET framework, Autodesk software packages, and, finally, the applicability of our implementation on a variety of architectures including Xbox 360 and PC. This paper also summarizes the result of our evaluation and the lessons learned from our effort.

Manepalli, Suchitra

A graphics processing unit accelerated sparse direct solver and preconditioner with block low rank compression

We present the GPU implementation efforts and challenges of the sparse solver package STRUMPACK. The code is made publicly available on github with a permissive BSD license. STRUMPACK implements an approximate multifrontal solver, a sparse LU factorization which makes use of compression methods to accelerate time to solution and reduce memory usage. Multiple compression schemes based on rank-structured and hierarchical matrix approximations are supported, including hierarchically semi-separable, hierarchically off-diagonal butterfly, and block low rank. Here, in this paper, we present the GPU implementation of the block low rank (BLR) compression method within a multifrontal solver. Our GPU implementation relies on highly optimized vendor libraries such as cuBLAS and cuSOLVER for NVIDIA GPUs, rocBLAS and rocSOLVER for AMD GPUs and the Intel oneAPI Math Kernel Library (oneMKL) for Intel GPUs. Additionally, we rely on external open source libraries such as SLATE (Software for Linear Algebra Targeting Exascale), MAGMA (Matrix Algebra on GPU and Multi-core Architectures), and KBLAS (KAUST BLAS). SLATE is used as a GPU-capable ScaLAPACK replacement. From MAGMA we use variable sized batched dense linear algebra operations such as GEMM, TRSM and LU with partial pivoting. KBLAS provides efficient (batched) low rank matrix compression for NVIDIA GPUs using an adaptive randomized sampling scheme. The resulting sparse solver and preconditioner runs on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs. Interfaces are available from PETSc, Trilinos and MFEM, or the solver can be used directly in user code. We report results for a range of benchmark applications, using the Perlmutter system from NERSC, Frontier from ORNL, and Aurora from ALCF. For a high frequency wave equation on a regular mesh, using 32 Perlmutter compute nodes, the factorization phase of the exact GPU solver is about 6.5× faster compared to the CPU-only solver. The BLR-enabled GPU solver is about 13.8× faster than the CPU exact solver. For a collection of SuiteSparse matrices, the STRUMPACK exact factorization on a single GPU is on average 1.9× faster than NVIDIA’s cuDSS solver.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Functionality of the Python Packages for the HERMES Mission

The Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite (HERMES) is a set of four instruments that will fly on the Lunar Gateway, an orbital outpost which will support Artemis lunar operations. HERMES will focus on understanding the causes of space-weather variability as driven by the Sun and modulated by the magnetosphere. In this talk, we will discuss the open source approach of the HERMES Science Operation Center (SOC) team being implemented in a number of Python packages which all work together. We will describe the core package which contains Python interfaces for the loading, calibrating, plotting, validating, and saving of measurement data through Common Data Format (CDF) files making use of pycdf provided by spacepy. Each instrument also has a Python package developed using a package template and will provide specific calibration and processing functionality to each instrument. The packages make extensive use of the scientific Python ecosystem and maintain compatibility with PyHC standards. The abstraction of intricate, high heritage data formats, such as CDF files, in Python enables easier analysis and opens doors for greater participation in heliophysics science.

hermes

Long extension reeling in the stratosphere - A progress report

Results of the second flight of the Harvard Reel Down balloon-born winching system, in which a more complex photochemical detection package was twice lowered from a float altitude of 39 km and reeled back to the winch, are reported. Modifications over the original package design include improvements to the winch platform and reconstruction of the suspended detection package for specific ClO measurement and for tight weight control. Controlled velocities of 4-7 m/sec were implemented for both of the scans, and the package was brought to a brief stop during the first scan to evaluate dynamic effects. The results demonstrate the operational effectiveness of the system.

Hazen, N.