Chinese to Braille translation based on Braille word segmentation using statistical model

Automatic translation of Chinese text to Chinese Braille is important for blind people in China to acquire information using computers or smart phones. In this paper, a novel scheme of Chinese-Braille translation is proposed. Under the scheme, a Braille word segmentation model based on statistical machine learning is trained on a Braille corpus, and Braille word segmentation is carried out using the statistical model directly without the stage of Chinese word segmentation. This method avoids establishing rules concerning syntactic and semantic information and uses statistical model to learn the rules stealthily and automatically. To further improve the performance, an algorithm of fusing the results of Chinese word segmentation and Braille word segmentation is also proposed. Our results show that the proposed method achieves accuracy of 92.81% for Braille word segmentation and considerably outperforms current approaches using the segmentation-merging scheme.     

Investigation on maneuverability of a twin-screw ship driven by one screw

It is possible for a twin-screw ship that one screw failure occurs during navigation, and the maneuverability in this case should be noticed by ship designers and operators. It is of great significance to evaluate the related risk. Firstly, a mathematical model for the twin-screw ship maneuvering motion with one failed screw is developed based on the maneuvering model group (MMG) equations, and verified by the model test results. Secondly, the maneuvering motions of a twin-screw liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship with one free rotating failure screw or with one locked failure screw are simulated and compared by using the mathematical model. It is shown that the numerical modeling results are in agreement with the model test results. Compared with those of normal navigation, the port turning ability of the ship with one failed port screw is better, but the starboard turning ability and yaw checking ability become worse. The maneuverability of the ship with locked failure screw is better than that with free failure screw, although the ship speed drops obviously.     

Warship spare parts configuration optimization for stock control: Investigating the gap between qualitative and quantitative constraints

This paper investigates the gap between qualitative and quantitative constraints in spare parts stock control, with specific reference to warship spare parts support projects. A critical literature review of theoretical contributions about qualitative or quantitative factors for warship spare parts warehouse management is firstly provided, which allows to analyze the reasons for this qualitative-quantitative gap by addressing the limitations of spare parts models developed in the literature. Therefore a model including cloud model, marginal analysis and Lagrange multiplier method (CML) for study is proposed in this paper to bridge the gap. The model is used to solve the mix-constraints (both qualitative and quantitative constraints are considered) problem in a logic decision diagram particularly at the different decision nodes of the diagram. Finally, verifying test results show that the algorithm is feasible and its optimal support project meets the needs of engineering practices.     

Theoretical analysis of Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-doped telluride glass fiber amplifier for 2.700 μm laser amplification

The rate equations and power evolution equations of erbium-doped telluride glass fiber amplifier for both 1.530 and 2.700 μm lasers are solved numerically, the dependences of gain spectra on fiber length, dopant concentration and pump power are analyzed, and the gain of 2.700 μm laser is calculated and compared with the experimental result from reference. The numerical analysis shows that with 8 × 10²⁴ ion/m³ erbium ion concentration, 5m fiber length and 600mW pump power, the gains at 1.530 and 2.700 μm may achieve 23dB or so. With larger power pump and higher dopant concentration, a net gain of 17 dB is obtained from the Er³⁺-doped telluride glass fiber amplifier for 110mW input signal. This fiber amplifier is promising for both 1.530 μm signal amplification and 2.700 μm laser amplification.     

A new fractal model of elastic,elastoplastic and plastic normal contact stiffness for slow sliding interface considering dynamic friction and strain hardening

The deflection properties of elastic stage, elastoplastic stage and plastic stage of elastomer were analyzed. Taking account of the kinetic friction force in friction interface and strain hardening in slow sliding interface, the elastic, elastoplastic and plastic normal contact stiffness model for harsh surface was established, which revised the Majumdar-Bhushan fractal model and made it more perfect. In the combination of macro and micro perspective, the effects of coarse surface fractal variables, kinetic friction force in the friction interface, material characters of the friction couples on the contact status and contact property were discussed by the study of digital analysis. Results imply that the normal contact stiffness improves with the increasing real contact area and normal contact load, and reduces with the augment of kinetic friction coefficient. When the kinetic friction coefficient is smaller than 0.3, the normal contact stiffness comprises a linear decrease with the increment of kinetic friction coefficient. When the kinetic friction coefficient is bigger than 0.3, the normal contact stiffness has an exponential decrease with the increasing kinetic friction coefficient.     

Substructuring technique for dynamics analysis of flexible beams with large deformation

In this paper, the substructuring technique is extended for the dynamics simulation of flexible beams with large deformation. The dynamics equation of a spatial straight beam undergoing large displacement and small deformation is deduced by using the Jourdain variation principle and the model synthesis method. The longitudinal shortening effect due to the transversal deformation is taken into consideration in the dynamics equation. In this way, the geometric stiffening effect, which is also called stress stiffening effect, is accounted for in the dynamics equation. The transfer equation of the flexible beam is obtained by assembling the dynamics equation and the kinematic relationship between the two connection points of the flexible beam. Treating a flexible beam with small deformation as a substructure, one can solve the dynamics of a flexible beam with large deformation by using the substructuring technique and the transfer matrix method. The dynamics simulation of a flexible beam with large deformation is carried out by using the proposed approach and the results are verified by comparing with those obtained from Abaqus software.     

Minimum resistance ship hull uncertainty optimization design based on simulation-based design method

In the ship hull optimization design based on simulation-based design (SBD) technology, low precision of the approximate model leads to an uncertainty form of optimization model. In order to enable the approximate model with finite precision to maximize the effectiveness, uncertainty optimization method is introduced here. Wave resistance coefficient approximation model, built by back propagation (BP) neural network, is represented as a form of interval. Afterwards, a minimum resistance optimization model is established with the design space constituted by principal dimensions and ship form coefficients. Double-level nested optimization architecture is proposed: for outer layer, improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm with learning factor improvement strategy is used to generate design variables, and for inner layer, modified very fast simulated annealing (MVFSA) algorithm is used to solve the objective function interval with uncertainty region. Cases calculation proves the effectiveness and superiority of uncertainty optimization method for ship hull SBD optimization design, thus providing a good way for finding optimal designs.     

The development of studying flexible pipe bend reinforced by Kevlar fibers

The flexible pipe bend can not only reduce the structural vibration and fluid noise in pipeline, but also realize the flexible connection of a horizontal line and a vertical line and compensate the displacement of three dimensions produced by the shock or vibration of pipeline in the special situations. Up to now, little attention has been paid to study the flexible pipe bend applied in the pipeline of medium or high pressure, because no appropriate framework materials can be used to reinforce it which must endure the burst pressure higher than 10 MPa. The investigation shows that it is possible to produce the flexible pipe bend of medium or high pressure if such fibers with high performance as Kevlar fibers are used to be its reinforced materials. However, its structural designing theory, manufacturing technology and measuring techniques aren‘t yet perfect and systematic, which leads to the instability of the performance of products. Furthermore, few references about its research can be seen. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically and thoroughly develop the structural designing theory, manufacture technology and measuring techniques of flexible pipe bend.     

求解客户需求动态变化的车辆路径规划方法

对于集货过程中客户需求随时间变化的动态车辆路径规划问题,按时间段划分为一系列车辆已驶离中心车场的静态车辆路径问题,引入虚拟任务点与相关约束方法,将其进一步等价转化为普通的静态车辆路径问题,使用适用于静态问题的算法对其进行求解。应用此车辆路径规划方法,以改进的节约法为静态算法,对于客户数为20的动态路径规划问题进行求解,得到重新优化路径所用的时间为0.49s,说明这种规划方法可行。     

北斗卫星与车载传感器融合的车辆定位

为了改善北斗卫星定位性能,基于卡尔曼滤波设计了北斗卫星与车载传感器的数据融合算法。算法包括车辆方向融合和车辆位置融合两部分,前者融合电子罗盘和陀螺测量得到的北向角及其变化率,估算北向角的真实值;后者首先同步车速矢量与北斗卫星测量得到的车辆位置矢量,再根据融合结果估算车辆定位信息。为了验证数据融合算法,设计了北斗卫星与车辆状态信息采集系统,利用本系统采集的实车数据进行的仿真计算表明,算法能够提高定位频率、减小定位误差,提高北斗卫星定位的性能。