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At least 1,315 records · Page 73
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NASA NTRS1992

Real-time obstacle avoidance using harmonic potential functions

This paper presents a new formulation of the artificial potential approach to the obstacle avoidance problem for a mobile robot or a manipulator in a known environment. Previous formulations of artificial potentials for obstacle avoidance have exhibited local minima in a cluttered environment. To build an artificial potential field, harmonic functions that completely eliminate local minima even for a cluttered environment are used. The panel method is employed to represent arbitrarily shaped obstacles and to derive the potential over the whole space. Based on this potential function, an elegant control strategy is proposed for the real-time control of a robot. The harmonic potential, the panel method, and the control strategy are tested with a bar-shaped mobile robot and a three-degree-of-freedom planar redundant manipulator.

Kim, Jin-Oh↗
NASA NTRS1993

Rounded Approximate Step Functions For Interpolation

Rounded approximate step functions of form x(Sup m)/(x(Sup n) + 1) and 1/(x(Sup n) + 1) useful in interpolating between local steep slopes or abrupt changes in tabulated data varying more smoothly elsewhere. Used instead of polynomial curve fits. Interpolation formulas based on these functions implemented quickly and easily on computers. Used in real-time control computations to interpolate between tabulated data governing control responses.

Nunes, Arthur C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A proposal of fuzzy connective with learning function and its application to fuzzy retrieval system

A new fuzzy connective and a structure of network constructed by fuzzy connectives are proposed to overcome a drawback of conventional fuzzy retrieval systems. This network represents a retrieval query and the fuzzy connectives in networks have a learning function to adjust its parameters by data from a database and outputs of a user. The fuzzy retrieval systems employing this network are also constructed. Users can retrieve results even with a query whose attributes do not exist in a database schema and can get satisfactory results for variety of thinkings by learning function.

Hayashi, Isao↗
NASA NTRS1993

Green's function methods in heavy ion shielding

An analytic solution to the heavy ion transport in terms of Green's function is used to generate a highly efficient computer code for space applications. The efficiency of the computer code is accomplished by a nonperturbative technique extending Green's function over the solution domain. The computer code can also be applied to accelerator boundary conditions to allow code validation in laboratory experiments.

Wilson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Walsh function generator for the Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) instrument

A prototype Walsh Function Generator (WFG) for the ESTAR (Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer) instrument has been designed and tested. Implemented in a single Xilinx XC3020PC68-50 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), it generates a user-programmable set of 32 consecutive Walsh Functions for noise cancellation in the analog circuitry of the Front-End Modules (FEM's). It is implemented in a 68-pin plastic leaded chip carrier (PLCC) package, is fully testable, and can be used for noise cancellation periods as small as 2 msec.

Chren, William A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Omega from the anisotropy of the redshift correlation function

Peculiar velocities distort the correlation function of galaxies observed in redshift space. In the large scale, linear regime, the distortion takes a characteristic quadrupole plus hexadecapole form, with the amplitude of the distortion depending on the cosmological density parameter omega. Preliminary measurements are reported here of the harmonics of the correlation function in the CfA, SSRS, and IRAS 2 Jansky redshift surveys. The observed behavior of the harmonics agrees qualitatively with the predictions of linear theory on large scales in every survey. However, real anisotropy in the galaxy distribution induces large fluctuations in samples which do not yet probe a sufficiently fair volume of the Universe. In the CfA 14.5 sample in particular, the Great Wall induces a large negative quadrupole, which taken at face value implies an unrealistically large omega 20. The IRAS 2 Jy survey, which covers a substantially larger volume than the optical surveys and is less affected by fingers-of-god, yields a more reliable and believable value, omega = 0.5 sup +.5 sub -.25.

Hamilton, A. J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Armstrong Laboratory Space Visual Function Tester Program

Viewgraphs on space visual function tester program are presented. Many astronauts and cosmonauts have commented on apparent changes in their vision while on-orbit. Comments have included descriptions of earth features and objects that would suggest enhanced distance visual acuity. In contrast, some cosmonaut observations suggest a slight loss in their object discrimination during initial space flight. Astronauts have also mentioned a decreased near vision capability that did not recover to normal until return to earth. Duntley space vision experiment, USSR space vision experiments, and visual function testers are described.

Oneal, Melvin R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio in starburst galaxies - An objective constraint on the upper mass limit to the initial mass function

The use of the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio as a constraint on the massive stellar population in star-forming galaxies is developed. A theoretical relationship between the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio and the effective temperature of the exciting star in H II regions is derived. The effects of collisional excitation and dust within the nebula on the ratio are also considered. It is shown that the He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratio is a steep function of the effective temperature, a property which can be used to determine the upper mass limit of the initial mass function (IMF) in galaxies. This technique is reliable for upper mass limits less than about 40 solar masses. New near-infrared spectra of starburst galaxies are presented. The He I 2.06 microns/Br-gamma ratios observed imply a range of upper mass limits from 27 to over 40 solar masses. There is also evidence that the upper mass limit is spatially dependent within a given galaxy. These results suggest that the upper mass limit is not a uniquely defined parameter of the IMF and probably varies with local physical conditions.

Doyon, Rene↗
NASA NTRS1992

N-point correlation functions in the CfA and SSRS redshift distribution of galaxies

Using counts in cells, we estimate the volume-average N-point galaxy correlation functions for N = 2, 3, and 4, in redshift samples of the CfA and SSRS catalogs. Volume-limited samples of different sizes are used to study the uncertainties at different scales, the shot noise, and the problem with the boundaries. The hierarchical constants S3 and S4 agree well in all samples in CfA and SSRS, with average S3 = 194 +/- 0.07 and S4 = 4.56 +/- 0.53. We compare these results with estimates obtained from angular catalogs and recent analysis over IRAS samples. The amplitudes SJ seem larger in real space than in redshift space, although the values from the angular analysis correspond to smaller scales, where we might expect larger nonperturbative effects. It is also found that S3 and S4 are smaller for IRAS than for optical galaxies. This, together with the fact that IRAS galaxies have smaller amplitude for the above correlation functions, indicates that the density fluctuations of IRAS galaxies cannot be simply proportional to the density fluctuations of optical galaxies, i.e., biasing has to be nonlinear between them.

Gaztanaga, Enrique↗
NASA NTRS1991

Smoothed perturbation analysis algorithms for estimating the derivatives of occupancy-related functions in serial queueing networks

The authors present smoothed perturbation analysis (SPA) estimators for the derivative of a number of occupancy-related functions in serial queuing networks with finite buffer spaces. The functions are the average number of customers at a network as seen by an arrival, the probability that a customer is blocked at a particular queue, and the probability that a customer leaves a queue empty. In all three cases, the variable is a parameter of the distribution of service times at one of the queues. The derivative estimators considered are very simple and flexible, and they easily lend themselves to analysis of unbiasedness. Unlike most of the established SPA estimators, the present ones are not based on the computation of hazard rates.

Wardi, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Fuzzy modeling based on generalized neural networks and fuzzy clustering objective functions

An approach to the formulation of fuzzy if-then rules based on clustering objective functions is proposed. The membership functions are then calibrated with the generalized neural networks technique to achieve a desired input-output mapping. The learning procedure is basically a gradient-descent algorithm. A Kalman filter algorithm is used to improve the overall performance.

Sun, Chuen-Tsai↗
NASA NTRS1992

A technique for locating function roots and for satisfying equality constraints in optimization

A new technique for locating simultaneous roots of a set of functions is described. The technique is based on the property of the Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function which descends to a minimum at each root location. It is shown that the ensuing algorithm may be merged into any nonlinear programming method for solving optimization problems with equality constraints.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Modulation transfer function measurement technique for small-pixel detectors

A modulation transfer function (MTF) measurement technique suitable for large-format, small-pixel detector characterization has been investigated. A volume interference grating is used as a test image instead of the bar or sine wave target images normally used. This technique permits a high-contrast, large-area, sinusoidal intensity distribution to illuminate the device being tested, avoiding the need to deconvolve raw data with imaging system characteristics. A high-confidence MTF result at spatial frequencies near 200 cycles/mm is obtained. We present results at several visible light wavelengths with a 6.8-micron-pixel CCD. Pixel response functions are derived from the MTF results.

Marchywka, Mike↗
NASA NTRS1991

Luminosity function of quasars at large redshifts from grism surveys

We have carried out a systematic search for emission-line objects through photometrically calibrated CCD grism surveys with the Palomar 200-inch telescope in transit mode, covering 62 square degrees. These surveys have yielded 141 quasars detected by their C IV or Ly-alpha emission in the redshift range 2.0 - 4.7. We use this sample and the known flux limits to derive the slope of the luminosity function and the space density above a given line luminosity, as a function of redshift. While space densities are approximately constant at redshifts 2.0 - 3.0, they are declining steeply for redshifts larger than 3.

Schmidt, Maarten↗
NASA NTRS1993

Conventional modeling of the multilayer perceptron using polynomial basis functions

A technique for modeling the multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network, in which input and hidden units are represented by polynomial basis functions (PBFs), is presented. The MLP output is expressed as a linear combination of the PBFs and can therefore be expressed as a polynomial function of its inputs. Thus, the MLP is isomorphic to conventional polynomial discriminant classifiers or Volterra filters. The modeling technique was successfully applied to several trained MLP networks.

Chen, Mu-Song↗
NASA NTRS1993

A Discrete Probability Function Method for the Equation of Radiative Transfer

A discrete probability function (DPF) method for the equation of radiative transfer is derived. The DPF is defined as the integral of the probability density function (PDF) over a discrete interval. The derivation allows the evaluation of the PDF of intensities leaving desired radiation paths including turbulence-radiation interactions without the use of computer intensive stochastic methods. The DPF method has a distinct advantage over conventional PDF methods since the creation of a partial differential equation from the equation of transfer is avoided. Further, convergence of all moments of intensity is guaranteed at the basic level of simulation unlike the stochastic method where the number of realizations for convergence of higher order moments increases rapidly. The DPF method is described for a representative path with approximately integral-length scale-sized spatial discretization. The results show good agreement with measurements in a propylene/air flame except for the effects of intermittency resulting from highly correlated realizations. The method can be extended to the treatment of spatial correlations as described in the Appendix. However, information regarding spatial correlations in turbulent flames is needed prior to the execution of this extension.

Sivathanu, Y. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Omega from the anisotropy of the redshift correlation function in the IRAS 2 Jansky survey

Peculiar velocities distort the correlation function of galaxies in redshift space. In the linear regime, the distortion has a characteristic quadrupole plus hexadecapole form, with amplitude depending on the cosmological density parameter Omega. I report here measurements of the anisotropy of the correlation function in the IRAS 2 Jy redshift survey. The inferred value of Omega is Omega = 0.5 + 0.5 or - 0.25.

Hamilton, A. J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Nonlinear functional approximation with networks using adaptive neurons

A novel mathematical framework for the rapid learning of nonlinear mappings and topological transformations is presented. It is based on allowing the neuron's parameters to adapt as a function of learning. This fully recurrent adaptive neuron model (ANM) has been successfully applied to complex nonlinear function approximation problems such as the highly degenerate inverse kinematics problem in robotics.

Tawel, Raoul↗