基于REINFORCE算法和神经网络的无人驾驶车辆变道控制

针对无人驾驶车辆变道超车场景,研究基于REINFORCE算法和神经网络技术的无人驾驶车辆变道控制策略。通过车辆动力学模型确定模型的反馈量、控制量和输出限幅要求;设计神经网络控制器的结构,根据REINFORCE算法设计控制器训练方案;分析经验池数据数值和方差过大的问题,提出1种经验池数据预处理的方法以改进控制器训练方案;结合无人驾驶车辆运行场景,分析和研究强化学习过程中产生的奖励分布稀疏问题,并针对该问题提出1种基于对数函数的奖励塑造解决方案;与PID控制器和LQR控制器进行对比实验验证。实验结果表明,与PID相比,该控制策略有更小的最大误差,变道过程更安全;与LQR相比,该控制策略性能表现接近,以此证明其用于无人驾驶车辆变道控制任务的可行性。此外,记录在不同平台下该控制策略的执行时间以证明其实时性和在轻量级平台运行的可行性。

UAV-Assisted Dynamic Avatar Task Migration for Vehicular Metaverse Services: A Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach

Avatars, as promising digital representations and service assistants of users in Metaverses, can enable drivers and passengers to immerse themselves in 3D virtual services and spaces of UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses. However, avatar tasks include a multitude of human-to-avatar and avatar-to-avatar interactive applications, e.g., augmented reality navigation,which consumes intensive computing resources. It is inefficient and impractical for vehicles to process avatar tasks locally. Fortunately, migrating avatar tasks to the nearest roadside units(RSU)or unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV) for execution is a promising solution to decrease computation overhead and reduce task processing latency, while the high mobility of vehicles brings challenges for vehicles to independently perform avatar migration decisions depending on current and future vehicle status. To address these challenges, in this paper, we propose a novel avatar task migration system based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning(MADRL) to execute immersive vehicular avatar tasks dynamically. Specifically, we first formulate the problem of avatar task migration from vehicles to RSUs/UAVs as a partially observable Markov decision process that can be solved by MADRL algorithms. We then design the multi-agent proximal policy optimization(MAPPO) approach as the MADRL algorithm for the avatar task migration problem. To overcome slow convergence resulting from the curse of dimensionality and non-stationary issues caused by shared parameters in MAPPO, we further propose a transformer-based MAPPO approach via sequential decision-making models for the efficient representation of relationships among agents. Finally, to motivate terrestrial or non-terrestrial edge servers(e.g., RSUs or UAVs) to share computation resources and ensure traceability of the sharing records, we apply smart contracts and blockchain technologies to achieve secure sharing management. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the MAPPO approach by around 2% and effectively reduces approximately 20% of the latency of avatar task execution in UAV-assisted vehicular Metaverses.

A Comparative Study on the Post-Buckling Behavior of Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes(RTPs)Under External Pressure Considering Progressive Failure

The collapse pressure is a key parameter when RTPs are applied in harsh deep-water environments.To investigate the collapse of RTPs,numerical simulations and hydrostatic pressure tests are conducted.For the numerical simulations,the eigenvalue analysis and Riks analysis are combined,in which the Hashin failure criterion and fracture energy stiffness degradation model are used to simulate the progressive failure of composites,and the“infinite”boundary conditions are applied to eliminate the boundary effects.As for the hydrostatic pressure tests,RTP specimens were placed in a hydrostatic chamber after filled with water.It has been observed that the cross-section of the middle part collapses when it reaches the maximum pressure.The collapse pressure obtained from the numerical simulations agrees well with that in the experiment.Meanwhile,the applicability of NASA SP-8007 formula on the collapse pressure prediction was also discussed.It has a relatively greater difference because of the ignorance of the progressive failure of composites.For the parametric study,it is found that RTPs have much higher first-ply-failure pressure when the winding angles are between 50°and 70°.Besides,the effect of debonding and initial ovality,and the contribution of the liner and coating are also discussed.

Recent Progress in Reinforcement Learning and Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Advanced Control Applications

Reinforcement learning(RL) has roots in dynamic programming and it is called adaptive/approximate dynamic programming(ADP) within the control community. This paper reviews recent developments in ADP along with RL and its applications to various advanced control fields. First, the background of the development of ADP is described, emphasizing the significance of regulation and tracking control problems. Some effective offline and online algorithms for ADP/adaptive critic control are displayed, where the main results towards discrete-time systems and continuous-time systems are surveyed, respectively.Then, the research progress on adaptive critic control based on the event-triggered framework and under uncertain environment is discussed, respectively, where event-based design, robust stabilization, and game design are reviewed. Moreover, the extensions of ADP for addressing control problems under complex environment attract enormous attention. The ADP architecture is revisited under the perspective of data-driven and RL frameworks,showing how they promote ADP formulation significantly.Finally, several typical control applications with respect to RL and ADP are summarized, particularly in the fields of wastewater treatment processes and power systems, followed by some general prospects for future research. Overall, the comprehensive survey on ADP and RL for advanced control applications has d emonstrated its remarkable potential within the artificial intelligence era. In addition, it also plays a vital role in promoting environmental protection and industrial intelligence.

Distributed Graph Database Load Balancing Method Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning

This paper focuses on the scheduling problem of workflow tasks that exhibit interdependencies.Unlike indepen-dent batch tasks,workflows typically consist of multiple subtasks with intrinsic correlations and dependencies.It necessitates the distribution of various computational tasks to appropriate computing node resources in accor-dance with task dependencies to ensure the smooth completion of the entire workflow.Workflow scheduling must consider an array of factors,including task dependencies,availability of computational resources,and the schedulability of tasks.Therefore,this paper delves into the distributed graph database workflow task scheduling problem and proposes a workflow scheduling methodology based on deep reinforcement learning(DRL).The method optimizes the maximum completion time(makespan)and response time of workflow tasks,aiming to enhance the responsiveness of workflow tasks while ensuring the minimization of the makespan.The experimental results indicate that the Q-learning Deep Reinforcement Learning(Q-DRL)algorithm markedly diminishes the makespan and refines the average response time within distributed graph database environments.In quantifying makespan,Q-DRL achieves mean reductions of 12.4%and 11.9%over established First-fit and Random scheduling strategies,respectively.Additionally,Q-DRL surpasses the performance of both DRL-Cloud and Improved Deep Q-learning Network(IDQN)algorithms,with improvements standing at 4.4%and 2.6%,respectively.With reference to average response time,the Q-DRL approach exhibits a significantly enhanced performance in the scheduling of workflow tasks,decreasing the average by 2.27%and 4.71%when compared to IDQN and DRL-Cloud,respectively.The Q-DRL algorithm also demonstrates a notable increase in the efficiency of system resource utilization,reducing the average idle rate by 5.02%and 9.30%in comparison to IDQN and DRL-Cloud,respectively.These findings support the assertion that Q-DRL not only upholds a lower average idle rate but also effectively curtails the average response time,thereby substantially improving processing efficiency and optimizing resource utilization within distributed graph database systems.

QoS Routing Optimization Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning in SDN

To enhance the efficiency and expediency of issuing e-licenses within the power sector, we must confront thechallenge of managing the surging demand for data traffic. Within this realm, the network imposes stringentQuality of Service (QoS) requirements, revealing the inadequacies of traditional routing allocation mechanismsin accommodating such extensive data flows. In response to the imperative of handling a substantial influx of datarequests promptly and alleviating the constraints of existing technologies and network congestion, we present anarchitecture forQoS routing optimizationwith in SoftwareDefinedNetwork (SDN), leveraging deep reinforcementlearning. This innovative approach entails the separation of SDN control and transmission functionalities, centralizingcontrol over data forwardingwhile integrating deep reinforcement learning for informed routing decisions. Byfactoring in considerations such as delay, bandwidth, jitter rate, and packet loss rate, we design a reward function toguide theDeepDeterministic PolicyGradient (DDPG) algorithmin learning the optimal routing strategy to furnishsuperior QoS provision. In our empirical investigations, we juxtapose the performance of Deep ReinforcementLearning (DRL) against that of Shortest Path (SP) algorithms in terms of data packet transmission delay. Theexperimental simulation results show that our proposed algorithm has significant efficacy in reducing networkdelay and improving the overall transmission efficiency, which is superior to the traditional methods.

Reinforcement learning based edge computing in B5G

The development of communication technology will promote the application of Internet of Things,and Beyond 5G will become a new technology promoter.At the same time,Beyond 5G will become one of the important supports for the development of edge computing technology.This paper proposes a communication task allocation algorithm based on deep reinforcement learning for vehicle-to-pedestrian communication scenarios in edge computing.Through trial and error learning of agent,the optimal spectrum and power can be determined for transmission without global information,so as to balance the communication between vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-infrastructure.The results show that the agent can effectively improve vehicle-to-infrastructure communication rate as well as meeting the delay constraints on the vehicle-to-pedestrian link.

Reinforcement Learning in Process Industries:Review and Perspective

This survey paper provides a review and perspective on intermediate and advanced reinforcement learning(RL)techniques in process industries. It offers a holistic approach by covering all levels of the process control hierarchy. The survey paper presents a comprehensive overview of RL algorithms,including fundamental concepts like Markov decision processes and different approaches to RL, such as value-based, policy-based, and actor-critic methods, while also discussing the relationship between classical control and RL. It further reviews the wide-ranging applications of RL in process industries, such as soft sensors, low-level control, high-level control, distributed process control, fault detection and fault tolerant control, optimization,planning, scheduling, and supply chain. The survey paper discusses the limitations and advantages, trends and new applications, and opportunities and future prospects for RL in process industries. Moreover, it highlights the need for a holistic approach in complex systems due to the growing importance of digitalization in the process industries.

Role Dynamic Allocation of Human-Robot Cooperation Based on Reinforcement Learning in an Installation of Curtain Wall

A real-time adaptive roles allocation method based on reinforcement learning is proposed to improve humanrobot cooperation performance for a curtain wall installation task.This method breaks the traditional idea that the robot is regarded as the follower or only adjusts the leader and the follower in cooperation.In this paper,a self-learning method is proposed which can dynamically adapt and continuously adjust the initiative weight of the robot according to the change of the task.Firstly,the physical human-robot cooperation model,including the role factor is built.Then,a reinforcement learningmodel that can adjust the role factor in real time is established,and a reward and actionmodel is designed.The role factor can be adjusted continuously according to the comprehensive performance of the human-robot interaction force and the robot’s Jerk during the repeated installation.Finally,the roles adjustment rule established above continuously improves the comprehensive performance.Experiments of the dynamic roles allocation and the effect of the performance weighting coefficient on the result have been verified.The results show that the proposed method can realize the role adaptation and achieve the dual optimization goal of reducing the sum of the cooperator force and the robot’s Jerk.

Toward Trustworthy Decision-Making for Autonomous Vehicles:A Robust Reinforcement Learning Approach with Safety Guarantees

While autonomous vehicles are vital components of intelligent transportation systems,ensuring the trustworthiness of decision-making remains a substantial challenge in realizing autonomous driving.Therefore,we present a novel robust reinforcement learning approach with safety guarantees to attain trustworthy decision-making for autonomous vehicles.The proposed technique ensures decision trustworthiness in terms of policy robustness and collision safety.Specifically,an adversary model is learned online to simulate the worst-case uncertainty by approximating the optimal adversarial perturbations on the observed states and environmental dynamics.In addition,an adversarial robust actor-critic algorithm is developed to enable the agent to learn robust policies against perturbations in observations and dynamics.Moreover,we devise a safety mask to guarantee the collision safety of the autonomous driving agent during both the training and testing processes using an interpretable knowledge model known as the Responsibility-Sensitive Safety Model.Finally,the proposed approach is evaluated through both simulations and experiments.These results indicate that the autonomous driving agent can make trustworthy decisions and drastically reduce the number of collisions through robust safety policies.

Reinforced tissue matrix to strengthen the abdominal wall following reversal of temporary ostomies or to treat incisional hernias

BACKGROUND Abdominal wall deficiencies or weakness are a common complication of tem-porary ostomies,and incisional hernias frequently develop after colostomy or ileostomy takedown.The use of synthetic meshes to reinforce the abdominal wall has reduced hernia occurrence.Biologic meshes have also been used to enhance healing,particularly in contaminated conditions.Reinforced tissue matrices(R-TMs),which include a biologic scaffold of native extracellular matrix and a syn-thetic component for added strength/durability,are designed to take advantage of aspects of both synthetic and biologic materials.To date,RTMs have not been reported to reinforce the abdominal wall following stoma reversal.METHODS Twenty-eight patients were selected with a parastomal and/or incisional hernia who had received a temporary ileostomy or colostomy for fecal diversion after rectal cancer treatment or trauma.Following hernia repair and proximal stoma closure,RTM(OviTex®1S permanent or OviTex®LPR)was placed to reinforce the abdominal wall using a laparoscopic,robotic,or open surgical approach.Post-operative follow-up was performed at 1 month and 1 year.Hernia recurrence was determined by physical examination and,when necessary,via computed tomo-graphy scan.Secondary endpoints included length of hospital stay,time to return to work,and hospital readmissions.Evaluated complications of the wound/repair site included presence of surgical site infection,seroma,hematoma,wound dehiscence,or fistula formation.RESULTS The observational study cohort included 16 male and 12 female patients with average age of 58.5 years±16.3 years and average body mass index of 26.2 kg/m^(2)±4.1 kg/m^(2).Patients presented with a parastomal hernia(75.0%),in-cisional hernia(14.3%),or combined parastomal/incisional hernia(10.7%).Using a laparoscopic(53.6%),robotic(35.7%),or open(10.7%)technique,RTMs(OviTex®LPR:82.1%,OviTex®1S:17.9%)were placed using sublay(82.1%)or intraperitoneal onlay(IPOM;17.9%)mesh positioning.At 1-month and 1-year follow-ups,there were no hernia recurrences(0%).Average hospital stays were 2.1 d±1.2 d and return to work occurred at 8.3 post-operative days±3.0 post-operative days.Three patients(10.7%)were readmitted before the 1-month follow up due to mesh infection and/or gastrointestinal issues.Fistula and mesh infection were observed in two patients each(7.1%),leading to partial mesh removal in one patient(3.6%).There were no complications between 1 month and 1 year(0%).CONCLUSION RTMs were used successfully to treat parastomal and incisional hernias at ileostomy reversal,with no hernia recurrences and favorable outcomes after 1-month and 1-year.

Unleashing the Power of Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Algorithmic Trading in the Digital Financial Frontier and Enterprise Information Systems

In the rapidly evolving landscape of today’s digital economy,Financial Technology(Fintech)emerges as a trans-formative force,propelled by the dynamic synergy between Artificial Intelligence(AI)and Algorithmic Trading.Our in-depth investigation delves into the intricacies of merging Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning(MARL)and Explainable AI(XAI)within Fintech,aiming to refine Algorithmic Trading strategies.Through meticulous examination,we uncover the nuanced interactions of AI-driven agents as they collaborate and compete within the financial realm,employing sophisticated deep learning techniques to enhance the clarity and adaptability of trading decisions.These AI-infused Fintech platforms harness collective intelligence to unearth trends,mitigate risks,and provide tailored financial guidance,fostering benefits for individuals and enterprises navigating the digital landscape.Our research holds the potential to revolutionize finance,opening doors to fresh avenues for investment and asset management in the digital age.Additionally,our statistical evaluation yields encouraging results,with metrics such as Accuracy=0.85,Precision=0.88,and F1 Score=0.86,reaffirming the efficacy of our approach within Fintech and emphasizing its reliability and innovative prowess.

Combining reinforcement learning with mathematical programming:An approach for optimal design of heat exchanger networks

Heat integration is important for energy-saving in the process industry.It is linked to the persistently challenging task of optimal design of heat exchanger networks(HEN).Due to the inherent highly nonconvex nonlinear and combinatorial nature of the HEN problem,it is not easy to find solutions of high quality for large-scale problems.The reinforcement learning(RL)method,which learns strategies through ongoing exploration and exploitation,reveals advantages in such area.However,due to the complexity of the HEN design problem,the RL method for HEN should be dedicated and designed.A hybrid strategy combining RL with mathematical programming is proposed to take better advantage of both methods.An insightful state representation of the HEN structure as well as a customized reward function is introduced.A Q-learning algorithm is applied to update the HEN structure using theε-greedy strategy.Better results are obtained from three literature cases of different scales.

A deep reinforcement learning approach to gasoline blending real-time optimization under uncertainty

The gasoline inline blending process has widely used real-time optimization techniques to achieve optimization objectives,such as minimizing the cost of production.However,the effectiveness of real-time optimization in gasoline blending relies on accurate blending models and is challenged by stochastic disturbances.Thus,we propose a real-time optimization algorithm based on the soft actor-critic(SAC)deep reinforcement learning strategy to optimize gasoline blending without relying on a single blending model and to be robust against disturbances.Our approach constructs the environment using nonlinear blending models and feedstocks with disturbances.The algorithm incorporates the Lagrange multiplier and path constraints in reward design to manage sparse product constraints.Carefully abstracted states facilitate algorithm convergence,and the normalized action vector in each optimization period allows the agent to generalize to some extent across different target production scenarios.Through these well-designed components,the algorithm based on the SAC outperforms real-time optimization methods based on either nonlinear or linear programming.It even demonstrates comparable performance with the time-horizon based real-time optimization method,which requires knowledge of uncertainty models,confirming its capability to handle uncertainty without accurate models.Our simulation illustrates a promising approach to free real-time optimization of the gasoline blending process from uncertainty models that are difficult to acquire in practice.

Reinforcement Learning-Based Energy Management for Hybrid Power Systems:State-of-the-Art Survey,Review,and Perspectives

The new energy vehicle plays a crucial role in green transportation,and the energy management strategy of hybrid power systems is essential for ensuring energy-efficient driving.This paper presents a state-of-the-art survey and review of reinforcement learning-based energy management strategies for hybrid power systems.Additionally,it envisions the outlook for autonomous intelligent hybrid electric vehicles,with reinforcement learning as the foundational technology.First of all,to provide a macro view of historical development,the brief history of deep learning,reinforcement learning,and deep reinforcement learning is presented in the form of a timeline.Then,the comprehensive survey and review are conducted by collecting papers from mainstream academic databases.Enumerating most of the contributions based on three main directions—algorithm innovation,powertrain innovation,and environment innovation—provides an objective review of the research status.Finally,to advance the application of reinforcement learning in autonomous intelligent hybrid electric vehicles,future research plans positioned as“Alpha HEV”are envisioned,integrating Autopilot and energy-saving control.

Electrochemical Study of the Corrosion Inhibitory Capacity of Calcined Attapulgite in Reinforced Concrete Medium

The durability of reinforced concrete structures is greatly influenced by the corrosion of the reinforcement. In addition to air pollution related to the repair of corroded structures, chloride ions are the main factors of corrosion of reinforced concrete structures. This study aims to valorize a clay inhibitor against reinforcement corrosion in reinforced concrete. This clay (Attapulgite) was incorporated into reinforced concretes at different percentages of substitution of calcined attapulgite (0%, 5% and 10%) to cement in the formulation. The corrosion inhibitory power of attapulgite is evaluated in reinforced concretes subjected to the action of chloride ions at different intervals in the NaCl solution (1 day, 21 days and 45 days) by electrochemical methods (zero current chronopotentiometry, polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy). This study showed that in the presence of chloride ions, the composition based on 10% attapulgite has an appreciable inhibitory effect with an average inhibitory efficiency of 82%.

Safety-Constrained Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Power Quality Control in Distributed Renewable Energy Networks

This paper examines the difficulties of managing distributed power systems,notably due to the increasing use of renewable energy sources,and focuses on voltage control challenges exacerbated by their variable nature in modern power grids.To tackle the unique challenges of voltage control in distributed renewable energy networks,researchers are increasingly turning towards multi-agent reinforcement learning(MARL).However,MARL raises safety concerns due to the unpredictability in agent actions during their exploration phase.This unpredictability can lead to unsafe control measures.To mitigate these safety concerns in MARL-based voltage control,our study introduces a novel approach:Safety-ConstrainedMulti-Agent Reinforcement Learning(SC-MARL).This approach incorporates a specialized safety constraint module specifically designed for voltage control within the MARL framework.This module ensures that the MARL agents carry out voltage control actions safely.The experiments demonstrate that,in the 33-buses,141-buses,and 322-buses power systems,employing SC-MARL for voltage control resulted in a reduction of the Voltage Out of Control Rate(%V.out)from0.43,0.24,and 2.95 to 0,0.01,and 0.03,respectively.Additionally,the Reactive Power Loss(Q loss)decreased from 0.095,0.547,and 0.017 to 0.062,0.452,and 0.016 in the corresponding systems.

Multi-circular formation control with reinforced transient profiles for nonholonomic vehicles:A path-following framework

This article investigates a multi-circular path-following formation control with reinforced transient profiles for nonholonomic vehicles connected by a digraph.A multi-circular formation controller endowed with the feature of spatial-temporal decoupling is devised for a group of vehicles guided by a virtual leader evolving along an implicit path,which allows for a circumnavigation on multiple circles with an anticipant angular spacing.In addition,notice that it typically imposes a stringent time constraint on time-sensitive enclosing scenarios,hence an improved prescribed performance control(IPPC)using novel tighter behavior boundaries is presented to enhance transient capabilities with an ensured appointed-time convergence free from any overshoots.The significant merits are that coordinated circumnavigation along different circles can be realized via executing geometric and dynamic assignments independently with modified transient profiles.Furthermore,all variables existing in the entire system are analyzed to be convergent.Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the utility of suggested solution.

Reinforcement learning based adaptive control for uncertain mechanical systems with asymptotic tracking

This paper mainly focuses on the development of a learning-based controller for a class of uncertain mechanical systems modeled by the Euler-Lagrange formulation.The considered system can depict the behavior of a large class of engineering systems,such as vehicular systems,robot manipulators and satellites.All these systems are often characterized by highly nonlinear characteristics,heavy modeling uncertainties and unknown perturbations,therefore,accurate-model-based nonlinear control approaches become unavailable.Motivated by the challenge,a reinforcement learning(RL)adaptive control methodology based on the actor-critic framework is investigated to compensate the uncertain mechanical dynamics.The approximation inaccuracies caused by RL and the exogenous unknown disturbances are circumvented via a continuous robust integral of the sign of the error(RISE)control approach.Different from a classical RISE control law,a tanh(·)function is utilized instead of a sign(·)function to acquire a more smooth control signal.The developed controller requires very little prior knowledge of the dynamic model,is robust to unknown dynamics and exogenous disturbances,and can achieve asymptotic output tracking.Eventually,co-simulations through ADAMS and MATLAB/Simulink on a three degrees-of-freedom(3-DOF)manipulator and experiments on a real-time electromechanical servo system are performed to verify the performance of the proposed approach.

Enhancing Image Description Generation through Deep Reinforcement Learning:Fusing Multiple Visual Features and Reward Mechanisms

Image description task is the intersection of computer vision and natural language processing,and it has important prospects,including helping computers understand images and obtaining information for the visually impaired.This study presents an innovative approach employing deep reinforcement learning to enhance the accuracy of natural language descriptions of images.Our method focuses on refining the reward function in deep reinforcement learning,facilitating the generation of precise descriptions by aligning visual and textual features more closely.Our approach comprises three key architectures.Firstly,it utilizes Residual Network 101(ResNet-101)and Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Network(Faster R-CNN)to extract average and local image features,respectively,followed by the implementation of a dual attention mechanism for intricate feature fusion.Secondly,the Transformer model is engaged to derive contextual semantic features from textual data.Finally,the generation of descriptive text is executed through a two-layer long short-term memory network(LSTM),directed by the value and reward functions.Compared with the image description method that relies on deep learning,the score of Bilingual Evaluation Understudy(BLEU-1)is 0.762,which is 1.6%higher,and the score of BLEU-4 is 0.299.Consensus-based Image Description Evaluation(CIDEr)scored 0.998,Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation(ROUGE)scored 0.552,the latter improved by 0.36%.These results not only attest to the viability of our approach but also highlight its superiority in the realm of image description.Future research can explore the integration of our method with other artificial intelligence(AI)domains,such as emotional AI,to create more nuanced and context-aware systems.