Wireless capsule endoscopes (WCEs) are pill-sized camera-embedded devices that can provide visualization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by capturing and transmitting images to an external receiver. Determination of the exact location of the WCE is crucial for the accurate navigation of the WCE through external guidance, tracking of the GI abnormality, and the treatment of the detected disease. Despite the enormous progress in the real-time tracking of the WCE, a well-calibrated analytical model is still missing for the accurate localization of WCEs by the measurements from different onboard sensing units. In this paper, a well-calibrated analytical model for the magnetic localization of the WCE was established by optimizing the magnetic moment in the magnetic dipole model. The Jacobian-based iterative method was employed to solve the position of the WCE. An error model was established and experimentally verified for the analysis and prediction of the localization errors caused by inaccurate measurements from the magnetic field sensor. The assessment of the real-time localization of the WCE was performed via experimental trials using an external permanent magnet (EPM) mounted on a robotic manipulator and a WCE equipped with a 3-axis magnetic field sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The localization errors were measured under different translational and rotational motion modes and working spaces. The results showed that the selection of workspace (distance relative to the EPM) could lead to different positioning errors. The proposed magnetic localization method holds great potential for the real-time localization of WCEs when performing complex motions during GI diagnosis.

We consider a special version of random sequential adsorption (RSA) with nearest-neighbor interaction on infinite tree graphs. In classical RSA, starting with a graph with initially inactive nodes, each of the nodes of the graph is inspected in a random order and is irreversibly activated if none of its nearest neighbors are active yet. We generalize this nearest-neighbor blocking effect to a degree-dependent threshold-based blocking effect. That is, each node of the graph is assumed to have its own degree-dependent threshold and if, upon inspection of a node, the number of active direct neighbors is less than that node's threshold, the node will become irreversibly active. We analyze the activation probability of nodes on an infinite tree graph, given the degree distribution of the tree and the degree-dependent thresholds. We also show how to calculate the correlation between the activity of nodes as a function of their distance. Finally, we propose an algorithm which can be used to solve the inverse problem of determining how to set the degree-dependent thresholds in infinite tree graphs in order to reach some desired activation probabilities.

An extended analytical model for particle dynamics in fields of a highly-nonlinear plasma wakefield (the bubble or blow out regime) is derived. A recently proposed piecewise model is generalized to include a time dependent bubble radius and full field solution in the acceleration direction. Incorporation of the cavity dynamics in the model is required to simulate the particle trapping properly. On the other hand, it is shown that the previously reported piecewise model does not reproduce the formation of a mono energetic peak in the particle spectrum. The mono energetic electron beams are recovered only when the full longitudinal field gradient is included in the model.

Hazardous terrains pose a crucial challenge to mobile robots. To operate safely and efficiently, it is necessary to detect the terrain type and modify operation strategies in real-time. Fast analytical models of wheeled locomotion on deformable terrains are thus important. Based on classic terramechanics, a closed-form wheel–soil interaction model was derived by quadratic approximation of stresses along the wheel–soil interface. The bulldozing resistance and the effects of grousers were also added for more accurate prediction of wheel contact forces. A non-iterative method was proposed to estimate the entry angle, by using approximated vertical pressure acting on the wheels. The computational efficiency was improved by avoiding traditional recursive search. Real-time computation of the wheel contact forces is achieved by the terramechanics-based formula (TBF), which was developed by integrating the wheel–soil interaction model and the entry angle estimator. In addition, an automotive-inspired approach was used to integrate the TBF and the simplified vehicle dynamics model for fast simulation of mobile robots. Stability problems in numerical simulation could be avoided by this method. The above models were verified by comparing simulation results and experiment data, including single-wheel experiments and full-vehicle experiments.

This study presents a new simple lumped model for analyzing the thermally induced seizure of fully lubricated eccentric circumferential groove journal bearings (CGJB). The model represents a significant upgrade of a previous seizure lumped model developed by Pascovici & Kucinschi, in 2002. Main upgrades consist of: eccentric operation, introduction of hydrodynamic lubricant flow rate component, and evaluation of friction power losses based on the short bearing theory with Barwell’s hypothesis on the divergent zone. The viscosity–temperature variation is replaced with Tipei’s viscosity-clearance relationship, as in the previous model. The decrease of viscosity, as a consequence of temperature increase, does not always limit clearance loss, and the seizure process ends with a concentric journal-bushing merged system. Although CGJB’s are less sensitive to this seizure mechanism, the threat still exists and must be avoided. As a result, bearing designers and users should check whether if several safe-operation criteria are met. A recent Institute Pprime experiment on CGJB’s provided a base set of operating parameters, from which numerical simulations have been performed to determine in what conditions the CGJB fails, under thermally induced seizure.

Most of the existing typical ship domains have been comprehensively reviewed and classified. Most of these ship domains are described in a geometrical manner that is difficult to apply to practices and simulations in marine traffic engineering. According to different types of geometrical ship domains, we have proposed mathematical models, based on which a unified analytical framework has been established. It is feasible and practical for the analytical models to be applied to the assessment of navigational safety, collision avoidance and trajectory planning, etc. Finally, some computer simulations and comparative studies of the proposed domain model have been presented and the simulation results show that the uniform analytical framework for ship domains is effective and identical to the original geometrical ones. It should be noted that the analytical domain models could be directly applied in any collision risk, collision avoidance or VTS system while the geometrical ones would be more illustrative but less practical or analytical.

In this paper a general methodology for obtaining static stiffness maps in lower mobility parallel manipulators is proposed. The main objective is to define a set of guidelines, which allow the experimental work to be optimized and computational time to be reduced. First, a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) mechanism will be used for methodology validation, since it is the stiffness of the basic kinematic chain of the manipulator that is to be analysed. Two mathematical models of this mechanism and an experimental prototype will be considered for the validation. After that, the methodology will be applied to a lower mobility (4-DOF) parallel manipulator. In this paper, the experimental prototype and its set-up is highly important because some particular features of the experimental analysis will be defined. This paper introduces a key experimental tool: the preload, which allows the clearances and possible assembling errors to be considered. The added value from the application of this procedure is the obtaining of graphs that describe, in an intuitive and useful way, the behaviour of the manipulator's stiffness inside its workspace as a function of the mobile platform position and orientation.

Cette étude concerne les écoulements de type rotor–stator à couches limitesséparées soumis à un flux axial. Suivant l'analyse faite par Schlichting [H. Schlichting, Boundary-layer theory, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New-York, 1979] dans lecas d'un disque tournant de rayon infini, on détermine des lois analytiques simples permettant deprévoir le coefficient d'entraînement K du fluide à partir des paramètres de contrôle(taux de rotation, flux, espace interdisque, taux de prérotation) pour divers régimes d'écoulement (laminaire ou turbulent) et différentes configurations (géométrie, rotor lisse, rugueux ou aileté). Cette approche analytique est validée par d'extensives mesures de vitesse et de pression.

Models have been formulated for monospecific stands in which canopy photosynthesis is determined by the vertical distribution of leaf area, nitrogen and light. In such stands, resident plants can maximize canopy photosynthesis by distributing their nitrogen parallel to the light gradient, with high contents per unit leaf area at the top of the vegetation and low contents at the bottom. Using principles from game theory, we expanded these models by introducing a second species into the vegetation, with the same vertical distribution of biomass and nitrogen as the resident plants but with the ability to adjust its specific leaf area (SLA, leaf area[ratio ]leaf mass). The rule of the game is that invaders replace the resident plants if they have a higher plant carbon gain than those of the resident plants. We showed that such invaders induce major changes in the vegetation. By increasing their SLA, invading plants could increase their light interception as well as their photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE, the rate of photosynthesis per unit organic nitrogen). By comparison with stands in which canopy photosynthesis is maximized, those invaded by species of high SLA have the following characteristics: (1) the leaf area index is higher; (2) the vertical distribution of nitrogen is skewed less; (3) as a result of the supra-optimal leaf area index and the more uniform distribution of nitrogen, total canopy photosynthesis is lower. Thus, in dense canopies we face a classical tragedy of the commons: plants that have a strategy to maximize canopy carbon gain cannot compete with those that maximize their own carbon gain. However, because of this strategy, individual as well as total canopy carbon gain are eventually lower. We showed that it is an evolutionarily stable strategy to increase SLA up to the point where the PNUE of each leaf is maximized.