This paper presents a novel algorithm for estimating the motion in a series of range images. First, each range image is approximated by applying a high-order polynomial expansion to local neighborhoods within the range image. Then, these approximations are used to derive the translation or displacement estimation from frame to frame within the series of range images (also known as range image flow). An iterative method for computing the translation is presented. We evaluate the algorithm on several synthetic and real-world range image sequences with promising results. Results in this paper are generated from a single iteration of the algorithm in space and time. Therefore, our next step is to improve the implementation of the algorithm so that using multiple spatial scales and past information improve the signal flow estimation, as we would expect. Also, we will port the MATLAB implementation to C++ to improve speed and meet the signal integration goal of the algorithm.

关键词：多项式展开;平面区域检测;多段磁机器人;翻译

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The inherent dynamics of the master manipulator of a teleoperated robot-assisted surgery (RAS) system can affect the movements of a human operator, in comparison with free-space movements. To measure the effects of these dynamics on operators with differing levels of surgical expertise, a da Vinci Si system was instrumented with a custom surgeon grip fixture and magnetic pose trackers. We compared users' performance of canonical motor control movements during tele-operation with the manipulator and freehand cursor control, and found significant differences in several aspects of motion, including target acquisition error, movement speed, and acceleration. In addition, there was preliminary evidence for differences between experts and novices. These findings could impact robot design, control, and training methods for RAS.

关键词：机器人辅助外科手术;遥操作;人力电机控制

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We deployed a 855 cm2 thin-film, single-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) photovoltaic (PV) module outdoors. Due to its fundamentally different cell technology compared to silicon (Si), the module responds differently to outdoor conditions.

关键词：光伏电池;镓砷化物;薄膜;砷化镓太阳能电池

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This chapter presented a comprehensive system for the acquisition of hybrid Semantic 3D Object Maps for kitchen environments. The proposed mapping system includes 2 components, namely: i) a Static Functional Map which contains those parts of the environment with fixed positions and utilitarian functions (walls, floor, kitchen appliances, cupboards, tables, etc); and ii) a Triangulated Surface Map created using decoupled triangular meshes. The former is built either by employing a set of commonsense heuristic rules on the data or by classifying a set of planar regions using simple 3D geometric features, and serves as a semantic resource for an assistant mobile personal robot, while the latter supports 3D collision detection and path planning routines for safe navigation and manipulation.

关键词：全面系统；3D对象映射；机器人；碰撞检测

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Systems descriptions, costs, technical and market readiness assessments are reported for ten solar technologies: solar heating and cooling of buildings (SHACOB), passive, agricultural and industrial process heat (A/IPH), biomass, ocean thermal (OTEC), wind (WECS), solar thermal electric, photovoltaics, satellite power station (SPS), and solar total energy systems (STES). Study objectives, scope, and methods are presented. The cost and market analyses portion of Joint Task 5213/6103 will be used to make commercialization assessments in the conclusions of the final report.

关键词：太阳能；电力系统；光伏电源;；风力发电

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Thousands of small UAVs are in active use by the US military and are generally operated by trained but not necessarily skilled personnel. The user interfaces for these devices often seem to be more engineering-focused than usability-focused, which can lead to operator frustration, poor mission effectiveness, reduced situational awareness, and sometimes loss of the vehicle. In addition, coordinated control of both air and ground vehicles is a frequently desired objective, usually with the intent of increasing situational awareness for the ground vehicle. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSCPAC) is working under a Naval Innovative Science and Engineering project to address these topics. The UAS currently targeted are the Raven/Puma/Wasp family of air vehicles as they are small, all share the same communications protocol, and are in wide-spread use. The stock ground control station (GCS) consists of a hand control unit, radio, interconnect hub, and laptop. The system has been simplified to an X-box controller, radio and a laptop, resulting in a smaller hardware footprint, but most importantly the number of personnel required to operate the system has been reduced from two to one. The stock displays, including video with text overlay on one and FalconView on the other, are replaced with a single, graphics-based, integrated user interface, providing the user with much improved situational awareness. The SSCPAC government-developed GCS (the Multi-robot Operator Control Unit) already has the ability to control ground robots and this is leveraged to realize simultaneous multi-vehicle operations including autonomous UAV over- watch for enhanced UGV situational awareness.

关键词：图形用户界面;遥控车辆;通信协议;地面车辆

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Although the measurement of this performance metric might appear to be straightforward, there are a number of subtleties associated with variations in weather and imperfect data collection that complicate the determination and data analysis. A performance assessment is most valuable when it is completed with a very low uncertainty and when the subtleties are systematically addressed, yet currently no standard exists to guide this process. This report summarizes a draft methodology for an Energy Performance Evaluation Method, the philosophy behind the draft method, and the lessons that were learned by implementing the method. The general philosophy behind the methodology includes the following features: The method is performance-model agnostic. The performance model must not be inadvertently modified, when being implemented on the measured meteorological data sets, relative to the model that was used on the historical data set. The parties to the test must intentionally define the test boundary differentiating what is being tested from what is not being tested. When correctly implemented, the test result should be independent of the weather and other parameters found outside of the test boundary.

关键词：光伏电源;能源系统;评估;数据采集

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Deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is growing rapidly in the United States. Utilities and system operators are increasingly conducting studies of the impact of PV on operations, including assessments of short-term variability and uncertainty. Consideration of the complex issues surrounding sub-hourly variability and forecasting of PV power output has still been somewhat limited because of the difficulty of creating realistic sub-hourly PV datasets and forecast errors for future scenarios with increased PV production. How utility operations should be changed to more economically integrate large amounts of solar PV power is an open question currently being considered by many utilities. This study develops a systematic framework for estimating the increase in operating costs due to uncertainty and variability in renewable resources, uses the framework to quantify the integration costs associated with sub-hourly solar power variability and uncertainty, and shows how changes in system operations may affect these costs. Toward this end, we present a statistical method for estimating the required balancing reserves to maintain system reliability along with a model for commitment and dispatch of the portfolio of thermal and renewable resources at different stages of system operations. We estimate the costs of sub-hourly solar variability, short-term forecast errors, and day-ahead (DA) forecast errors as the difference in production costs between a case with realistic PV (i.e., subhourly solar variability and uncertainty are fully included in the modeling) and a case with well behaved PV (i.e., PV is assumed to have no sub-hourly variability and can be perfectly forecasted). In addition, we highlight current practices that allow utilities to compensate for the issues encountered at the sub-hourly time frame with increased levels of PV penetration.

关键词：太阳能；光伏电源；可再生能源；电力系统

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With the increasing penetration of distribution connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, more and more PV developers and utilities are interested in easing future PV interconnection concerns by mitigating some of the impacts of PV integration using advanced PV inverter controls and functions. This paper describes the testing of a 500 kW PV inverter using Power Hardware-in-Loop (PHIL) testing techniques. The test setup is described and the results from testing the inverter in advanced functionality modes, not commonly used in currently interconnected PV systems, are presented. PV inverter operation under PHIL evaluation that emulated both the DC PV array connection and the AC distribution level grid connection are shown for constant power factor (PF) and constant reactive power (VAr) control modes. The evaluation of these modes was completed under varying degrees of modeled PV variability.

关键词：光伏电源;逆变器;网格;互联电力系统

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Electromechanica Inc. was tasked with researching and developing a proof of concept robot tool for in-situ pipe inspection of fleet piping. Electromechanica has designed and fabricated a proof of concept robot tool based on a pneumatically actuated peristaltic motion. This motion is accomplished by the use of inflatable pneumatic grippers, as well as a novel flexible pneumatic cylinder capable of actuation in a variety of articulated positions. Various representative piping systems were used to successfully test locomotion and guidance of the system.

关键词：检验;管道;机器人;计算机程序;发动机气缸

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