The single-file movement experiment offered a convenient way to investigate the one-dimensional leader–follower behavior of pedestrians. This study investigated the time delays of children pedestrians in the leader–...The single-file movement experiment offered a convenient way to investigate the one-dimensional leader–follower behavior of pedestrians. This study investigated the time delays of children pedestrians in the leader–follower behavior by introducing a time-dependent delayed speed correlation. A total of 118 German students from the fifth grade(aged11–12 years old) and the 11th grade(aged 17–18 years old) participated the single-file experiment. The characteristic delay time for each pedestrian was identified by optimising the time-dependent delayed speed correlation. The influences of the curvature of the experimental scenario, density, age, and gender on the delay time were statistically examined. The results suggested that to a large extent, the revealed characteristic delay time was a density-dependent variable, and none of the curvatures, the age and gender of the individual, and the age and gender of the leader had a significant influence on it. The findings from this study are variable resources to understand the leader–follower behavior among children pedestrians and to build related simulation models.展开更多
This study is designed to solve supply chain inefficiencies caused by some members’financial problems,such as capital shortages and financing restrictions in a stochastic environment.To this end,we have established a...This study is designed to solve supply chain inefficiencies caused by some members’financial problems,such as capital shortages and financing restrictions in a stochastic environment.To this end,we have established a supply chain finance framework by designing two novel coordinating contracts based on trade credit financing for different problem settings.These contracts are modeled in the form of multi-leader Stackelberg games that address horizontal and vertical competition in a supply chain consisting of multiple suppliers and a financially constrained manufacturer.However,previous studies in the trade credit literature have addressed only simple vertical competition,that is,seller-buyer competition.To solve the proposed models,two algorithms were developed by combining population-based metaheuristics,the Nash-domination concept,and the Nikaido-Isoda function.The results demonstrate that the proposed supply chain finance framework can eliminate supply chain inefficiencies and make a large profit for suppliers,as well as the financially constrained manufacturer.Furthermore,the results of the contracts’analysis showed that if the manufacturer is required to settle its payments to suppliers before the end of the period,the trade credit contract cannot coordinate the supply chain because of a lack of incentive for suppliers.However,if the manufacturer is allowed to extend its payments to the end of the period,the proposed trade credit financing contract can coordinate the supply chain.Finally,the sensitivity analysis results indicate that the worse the financial status of the manufacturer,the more bargaining power suppliers have in determining the contract parameters for more profit.展开更多
Cam-followers provide reliable and controlled motions in various mechanical systems. Due to the highly fluctuating load between the cam and follower in operation, the cam-follower may be subjected to a high risk of co...Cam-followers provide reliable and controlled motions in various mechanical systems. Due to the highly fluctuating load between the cam and follower in operation, the cam-follower may be subjected to a high risk of contact fatigue failure. This paper assesses the fatigue life of a cycloidal displacement cam and a flat-faced follower under the defined loads and constraints. Computer-aided design (CAD) model of the cam-follower is developed in CATIA software and imported to ANSYS software for finite element analysis (FEA) of fatigue life. MATLAB programming is developed for determining the appropriate spring constant and pre-load force to always keep the cam and follower in contact. The fatigue life of the cam-follower has been estimated under the specified operating conditions. The analysis method can be applied to investigate the fatigue life of cams with other profiles, including the modified trapezoidal functions, polynomial functions, etc.展开更多
This paper is concerned with the formation control problem of multiple underactuated surface vessels moving in a leader-follower formation. The formation is achieved by the follower to track a virtual target defined r...This paper is concerned with the formation control problem of multiple underactuated surface vessels moving in a leader-follower formation. The formation is achieved by the follower to track a virtual target defined relative to the leader. A robust adaptive target tracking law is proposed by using neural network and backstepping techniques. The advantage of the proposed control scheme is that the uncertain nonlinear dynamics caused by Coriolis/centripetal forces, nonlinear damping, unmodeled hydrodynamics and disturbances from the environment can be compensated by on line learning. Based on Lyapunov analysis, the proposed controller guarantees the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy.展开更多
In order to study supply chain of the telecom value-added service,a multi-leaders and multi-followers Stackelberg game model with multiple telecom operators and multiple service providers whose income is composed of i...In order to study supply chain of the telecom value-added service,a multi-leaders and multi-followers Stackelberg game model with multiple telecom operators and multiple service providers whose income is composed of information fee division and advertisement was constructed.Then a demonstration was simulated,and the results were compared with the situation of service providers' income only from information fee division.The simulated and compared results indicate that,the enterprises in the supply chain have the nature of pursuing the maximum profits in capital markets;meanwhile,first-mover advantages and some enterprise can get more profits with the information asymmetry.展开更多
We analyse the fixed-time consensus problem for multi-agent systems with leaderfollower mode. Based on a follower’s observation structure for the leader’s information, it is proved that the estimation errors can be ...We analyse the fixed-time consensus problem for multi-agent systems with leaderfollower mode. Based on a follower’s observation structure for the leader’s information, it is proved that the estimation errors can be converged to zero at a fixed time. From this stability and a sliding mode structure, we derive a control input of followers, which provides a critical support for fixed-time consensus. The simulation results demonstrate that this control approach does conduce to the implementation of the fixed-time synchronization.展开更多
This paper is concerned with the stochastic bounded consensus tracking problems of leader-follower multi-agent systems, where the control input of an agent can only use the information measured at the sampling instant...This paper is concerned with the stochastic bounded consensus tracking problems of leader-follower multi-agent systems, where the control input of an agent can only use the information measured at the sampling instants from its neighbours or the virtual leader with a time-varying reference state, and the measurements are corrupted by random noises. The probability limit theory and the algebra graph theory are employed to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the mean square bounded consensus tracking. It is shown that the maximum allowable upper boundary of the sampling period simultaneously depends on the constant feedback gains and the network topology. Furthermore, the effects of the sampling period on the tracking performance are analysed. It turns out that from the view point of the sampling period, there is a trade-off between the tracking speed and the static tracking error. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.展开更多
Deeply-rooted in China’s popular culture,precious scrolls(Baojuan)are the golden material to display popular religious belief of the mass.Based on the rare texts sorted and annotated by Shang Lixin,Dutch Sinologist W...Deeply-rooted in China’s popular culture,precious scrolls(Baojuan)are the golden material to display popular religious belief of the mass.Based on the rare texts sorted and annotated by Shang Lixin,Dutch Sinologist Wilt L.Idema continues his journey of translating precious scrolls.Focused on the theme of devoted women Buddhist followers in Ming dynasty,he explores the ethical choices of married women in facing the betrayal of servants or concubines.His translations not only add important reading material to Western readers in the field of Chinese popular literature,but also set standard for the coming translators in rendering Chinese ballads.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 71901175, 71901060, and 72101276)。
文摘The single-file movement experiment offered a convenient way to investigate the one-dimensional leader–follower behavior of pedestrians. This study investigated the time delays of children pedestrians in the leader–follower behavior by introducing a time-dependent delayed speed correlation. A total of 118 German students from the fifth grade(aged11–12 years old) and the 11th grade(aged 17–18 years old) participated the single-file experiment. The characteristic delay time for each pedestrian was identified by optimising the time-dependent delayed speed correlation. The influences of the curvature of the experimental scenario, density, age, and gender on the delay time were statistically examined. The results suggested that to a large extent, the revealed characteristic delay time was a density-dependent variable, and none of the curvatures, the age and gender of the individual, and the age and gender of the leader had a significant influence on it. The findings from this study are variable resources to understand the leader–follower behavior among children pedestrians and to build related simulation models.
文摘This study is designed to solve supply chain inefficiencies caused by some members’financial problems,such as capital shortages and financing restrictions in a stochastic environment.To this end,we have established a supply chain finance framework by designing two novel coordinating contracts based on trade credit financing for different problem settings.These contracts are modeled in the form of multi-leader Stackelberg games that address horizontal and vertical competition in a supply chain consisting of multiple suppliers and a financially constrained manufacturer.However,previous studies in the trade credit literature have addressed only simple vertical competition,that is,seller-buyer competition.To solve the proposed models,two algorithms were developed by combining population-based metaheuristics,the Nash-domination concept,and the Nikaido-Isoda function.The results demonstrate that the proposed supply chain finance framework can eliminate supply chain inefficiencies and make a large profit for suppliers,as well as the financially constrained manufacturer.Furthermore,the results of the contracts’analysis showed that if the manufacturer is required to settle its payments to suppliers before the end of the period,the trade credit contract cannot coordinate the supply chain because of a lack of incentive for suppliers.However,if the manufacturer is allowed to extend its payments to the end of the period,the proposed trade credit financing contract can coordinate the supply chain.Finally,the sensitivity analysis results indicate that the worse the financial status of the manufacturer,the more bargaining power suppliers have in determining the contract parameters for more profit.
文摘Cam-followers provide reliable and controlled motions in various mechanical systems. Due to the highly fluctuating load between the cam and follower in operation, the cam-follower may be subjected to a high risk of contact fatigue failure. This paper assesses the fatigue life of a cycloidal displacement cam and a flat-faced follower under the defined loads and constraints. Computer-aided design (CAD) model of the cam-follower is developed in CATIA software and imported to ANSYS software for finite element analysis (FEA) of fatigue life. MATLAB programming is developed for determining the appropriate spring constant and pre-load force to always keep the cam and follower in contact. The fatigue life of the cam-follower has been estimated under the specified operating conditions. The analysis method can be applied to investigate the fatigue life of cams with other profiles, including the modified trapezoidal functions, polynomial functions, etc.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60674037,61074017 and 61074004)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in Universities (Grant No. NCET-09-0674)the Program for Liaoning Excellent Talents in Universities (Grant No. 2009R06)
文摘This paper is concerned with the formation control problem of multiple underactuated surface vessels moving in a leader-follower formation. The formation is achieved by the follower to track a virtual target defined relative to the leader. A robust adaptive target tracking law is proposed by using neural network and backstepping techniques. The advantage of the proposed control scheme is that the uncertain nonlinear dynamics caused by Coriolis/centripetal forces, nonlinear damping, unmodeled hydrodynamics and disturbances from the environment can be compensated by on line learning. Based on Lyapunov analysis, the proposed controller guarantees the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy.
基金supported by Research Start Fund of Northwest A&F University and Youth Fund of Communication University of China under Grant No.XNG1035partly performed in the project"On-line Multi-attribute Procurement Auction Mechanism Design and Multi-agent System Implementation"supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.71001009
文摘In order to study supply chain of the telecom value-added service,a multi-leaders and multi-followers Stackelberg game model with multiple telecom operators and multiple service providers whose income is composed of information fee division and advertisement was constructed.Then a demonstration was simulated,and the results were compared with the situation of service providers' income only from information fee division.The simulated and compared results indicate that,the enterprises in the supply chain have the nature of pursuing the maximum profits in capital markets;meanwhile,first-mover advantages and some enterprise can get more profits with the information asymmetry.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(11401577,11671011)
文摘We analyse the fixed-time consensus problem for multi-agent systems with leaderfollower mode. Based on a follower’s observation structure for the leader’s information, it is proved that the estimation errors can be converged to zero at a fixed time. From this stability and a sliding mode structure, we derive a control input of followers, which provides a critical support for fixed-time consensus. The simulation results demonstrate that this control approach does conduce to the implementation of the fixed-time synchronization.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61203147,60973095,60804013,and 61104092)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(Grant Nos.JUSRP111A44,JUSRP21011, and JUSRP11233)+1 种基金the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology,Huazhong University of Science and Technology(HUST),China(Grant No.DMETKF2010008)the Humanities and Social Sciences Youth Funds of the Ministry of Education,China(Grant No.12YJCZH218)
文摘This paper is concerned with the stochastic bounded consensus tracking problems of leader-follower multi-agent systems, where the control input of an agent can only use the information measured at the sampling instants from its neighbours or the virtual leader with a time-varying reference state, and the measurements are corrupted by random noises. The probability limit theory and the algebra graph theory are employed to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the mean square bounded consensus tracking. It is shown that the maximum allowable upper boundary of the sampling period simultaneously depends on the constant feedback gains and the network topology. Furthermore, the effects of the sampling period on the tracking performance are analysed. It turns out that from the view point of the sampling period, there is a trade-off between the tracking speed and the static tracking error. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
基金Under a doctoral project endowed by Gansu Provincial Department of Education,China,in 2022(2022QB-164)an innovation project endowed by Gansu Provincial Department of Education,China,in 2023(2023B-208)+1 种基金a humanities and social sciences project endowed by Gansu Federation of Social Science,China,in 2022(22ZC53)a doctoral project endowed by Longdong University,China,in 2022(XYBYSK2201).
文摘Deeply-rooted in China’s popular culture,precious scrolls(Baojuan)are the golden material to display popular religious belief of the mass.Based on the rare texts sorted and annotated by Shang Lixin,Dutch Sinologist Wilt L.Idema continues his journey of translating precious scrolls.Focused on the theme of devoted women Buddhist followers in Ming dynasty,he explores the ethical choices of married women in facing the betrayal of servants or concubines.His translations not only add important reading material to Western readers in the field of Chinese popular literature,but also set standard for the coming translators in rendering Chinese ballads.
